Israel envoy summoned over ‘intrusion’ at French cultural centre

France’s foreign ministry said Friday that it had summoned the Israeli government’s representative in Paris over what it called an “intrusion” by Israeli forces at its cultural centre in Jerusalem.

In a rare move, police entered the building Thursday to cancel an event with a women’s group which Israel claims is sponsored or financed by the Palestinian Authority.

A diplomatic source said France’s consul general had immediately protested the police’s entry to the centre in east Jerusalem, which Israel has annexed in a move not recognised by the international community.

“Such actions are a serious and unacceptable infringement to the functioning of our cultural network in Jerusalem,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

It said the Israeli charge d’affaires had been called to meet with French officials for “necessary clarifications”.

“France intends to maintain and develop its deep and longstanding relations with Palestinian civil society,” it added.

Israel’s foreign ministry said in a statement Friday said that the charge d’affaires had “protested” at the meeting “about the holding of an event funded and supported by the Palestinian Authority at the French Institute in Jerusalem”.

It said that under accords with the Palestinians “any activity of a diplomatic or governmental nature by the PA is prohibited” in areas where the authority has not been assigned control.

“The Israeli representative made it clear that we would not agree to the holding of PA events in Jerusalem and that we also expect our friends to respect the rules,” it added.

Israel considers all of Jerusalem to be its sovereign capital.

The French consulate in Jerusalem could not confirm Thursday if the women’s association was indeed financed by the Palestinian Authority.

But Palestinians who were to participate in the event said the allegation was false.

“It was an event related to Mother’s Day” and to sell crafts made by women from Jerusalem, said one of the women who was to participate, declining to give her name.

Similar events occur on a near-monthly basis, she said.