France Télévisions removes Adèle Haenel show over Israel remarks

French public broadcaster France Télévisions has removed an episode of one of the country's best-known literary programmes from its streaming platform after actor Adèle Haenel accused Israel of genocide in Palestine and France of complicity.

Haenel, a two-time César winner and prominent figure in France's MeToo movement, made the remarks during Wednesday night's edition of La Grande Librairie on France 5.

Her comments lasted about a minute and came during a regular closing segment in which a guest is invited to read a personal text without interruption.

“Israel is committing genocide in Palestine, and France is complicit in it,” Haenel said, before calling for “sanctions on Israel and the liberation of Palestine”.

France Télévisions removed the full episode from its France.tv platform on Thursday, saying the remarks had been broadcast without an opposing point of view.

The decision prompted a debate in France over the broadcaster's handling of the programme, with conservative and far-right figures criticising Haenel's comments and politicians on the left condemning the removal of the episode.

Haenel had appeared on the programme to promote her first book, Viser juste, which deals with sexual violence and the silence surrounding it.

Presenter Augustin Trapenard gave her the floor during the programme's traditional closing segment, allowing her to read a prepared text without interruption.

Haenel initially spoke about victims of sexual violence and what she described as media silence surrounding some cases in France before turning to Palestine.

Her comments drew immediate criticism from conservative media.

Le Journal du Dimanche accused her of turning a literary segment into a “political platform”, while CNews devoted part of a programme on Thursday to discussing her intervention.

During the CNews discussion, journalist Yoann Usaï said Haenel “doesn't understand what she is saying” and “doesn't understand the world she lives in”, adding that she “has a serious problem”.

Julien Odoul, an MP for Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally, criticised France Télévisions for providing a platform for what he called “the antisemitic ravings of the far left”.

Muriel Ouaknine-Melki, president of the European Jewish Organisation, said she had referred the broadcast to French media regulator Arcom, arguing that France 5 had failed to challenge Haenel's remarks or provide an alternative view.

France Télévisions said the absence of a counter-view was the reason the episode had been removed.

However, the part of the programme in which Haenel spoke is designed as a personal “carte blanche” for a guest and does not normally involve a debate or response from other participants.

The decision was criticised by politicians from the left-wing France Unbowed party.

MP Sarah Legrain praised Haenel for “resisting all forms of domination” and said she was speaking out amid what she described as widespread silence over Palestine.

Fellow MP Danielle Obono called the removal of the episode a “scandal” and urged people to circulate the deleted clip widely on social media.

Haenel responded to the controversy in a video posted on Instagram overnight on Thursday.

She said France Télévisions' decision supported her argument that certain voices were being silenced and some issues, including Palestine, were being pushed out of public debate.

She sarcastically thanked the broadcaster for providing evidence for her argument.

The controversy comes amid a broader debate over restrictions on pro-Palestine speech in France, where activists and campaigners have repeatedly complained of censorship and political pressure.

Pro-Palestine voices in France have continued to grow louder despite restrictions on demonstrations, legal action against activists and accusations that solidarity with Palestine is being criminalised.

French media coverage of Israel's war on Gaza has also faced scrutiny, with critics accusing some outlets of giving disproportionate weight to the Israeli narrative.

Haenel, 37, is one of the best-known figures associated with the MeToo movement in French cinema.

In 2019, she publicly accused film director Christophe Ruggia of sexually assaulting her when she was a child.

In April this year, the Paris Court of Appeal found Ruggia guilty of sexual assaults committed against Haenel when she was aged between 12 and 14 and sentenced him to five years in prison, including two years to be served under electronic monitoring.

Haenel announced in 2023 that she was leaving the film industry, accusing the French cinema establishment of complacency towards sexual abusers.

Her appearance on La Grande Librairie was part of the promotion of Viser juste, her first published book, released by L'Arche in August.