Local sources from France: France 24, Revolution Permanente.
UK coverage: BBC.
In a move that has sparked diverse reactions across the political and international spectrums, Lebanese pro-Palestinian militant Georges Ibrahim Abdallah was released from French custody on July 25, 2025, after serving more than four decades behind bars. Convicted in the 1980s for his complicity in the assassinations of an American and an Israeli diplomat, Abdallah’s incarceration has been a focal point of debates on justice, resistance, and political imprisonment. The Paris Court of Appeal ordered his release, stipulating that Abdallah must leave France and is barred from returning, a decision that has been met with both celebration and condemnation. Abdallah plans to return to Kobayat, his hometown in Lebanon, where a mixed reception of popular and official welcome awaits him. Despite the General Prosecutor’s Office of Paris announcing a cassation appeal against the release order, this legal move does not suspend the decision, allowing Abdallah to depart France. Abdallah’s long imprisonment, viewed by many as disproportionate, has ignited protests and demands for his release over the years, especially from groups supporting the Palestinian cause and opposing Israeli and American policies. His affiliation with the Lebanese Marxist Christian group FARL before his arrest in 1984 has been a significant part of his identity, encapsulating his struggle against what he views as oppression by Israeli and American entities. Throughout his imprisonment, Abdallah has maintained his innocence regarding direct involvement in the assassinations, positioning his actions within the broader context of resistance. The confirmation of Abdallah’s release on July 17 by the Paris Court of Appeal has been hailed as a historic victory by the Palestine solidarity movement, marking the end of Europe’s longest detention of a political prisoner related to the Palestinian cause. This decision, however, has drawn backlash from various quarters, including the French government, far-right groups, and Zionist activists, who have expressed concerns and issued death threats, underscoring the polarized views on Abdallah’s release. The rally organized on July 24 by the unitary committee for Georges Ibrahim Abdallah’s liberation, preceding his release, underscores the ongoing struggle against colonization, imperialist oppression, and support for the Palestinian cause. Abdallah’s release, while closing a long chapter of personal confinement, opens a new phase of dialogue and debate on the intersections of justice, political activism, and the enduring conflict surrounding the Palestinian cause.
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