France's Efforts to Support Exiled Palestinians
The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that visa applications from Palestinians from Gaza currently blocked in Egypt are being examined by French authorities. The ministry specified that some of them will join France soon. This move is part of the Pause program, a National Emergency Reception Program for Scientists and Artists in Exile. The Quai d'Orsay is monitoring the situation of the beneficiaries of this program, their families, and several scholarship recipients. The confirmed requests under this program concern around ten people as of Tuesday, a fluctuating number.
The Pause Program: A Lifeline for Exiled Intellectuals
Launched in 2017 by the Ministry of Higher Education and Research, the Pause program aims to support scientists and artists in exile by promoting their reception in higher education and research establishments or cultural institutions in France. The program includes both confirmed applications and those under examination. Recently, around thirty Palestinians from Gaza, including artists, intellectuals, and journalists, obtained a promise of employment in France. However, their files have been blocked for weeks at the Ministry of the Interior, despite the support of the Quai d'Orsay.
The Broader Context: Gaza's Ongoing Crisis
The war in Gaza has resulted in nearly 39,000 deaths on the Palestinian side, with most casualties being civilians. The conflict began with an unprecedented attack by Hamas commandos infiltrating southern Israel from Gaza, leading to the deaths of 1,195 people, mostly civilians. In response, Israel launched an offensive that left tens of thousands dead, according to the Ministry of Health of the Hamas-led Gaza government. The situation is further complicated by internal divisions within Israeli society, particularly between the deep state and the ideological right, which has implications for the ongoing conflict and Israel's military strategies.
