“Free Palestine” Broadcast from Paris Control Tower Sparks Aviation Uproar: Controller Suspended
PARIS, August 15, 2025 – A routine flight out of Paris took a shocking political turn when an air traffic controller broadcast the message “Free Palestine” to an El Al Israel Airlines flight preparing for takeoff, triggering an immediate international incident, a suspension, and fierce condemnation.
The incident, confirmed by multiple sources and under investigation by French and Israeli aviation authorities, occurred during a critical phase of flight operations. According to international aviation protocols strictly forbidding non-operational communications, the controller used the dedicated air traffic control frequency – reserved solely for vital safety instructions – to deliver the political slogan.
Immediate Fallout:
- Suspension: French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot acted swiftly, announcing the suspension of the controller involved. “This breach of fundamental aviation rules and professional conduct is unacceptable,” a ministry statement implied.
- El Al Outrage: Israel’s national carrier reacted with fury. “This was an unprofessional and inappropriate act,” El Al stated bluntly. The airline emphasized the grave safety risks: “Any deviation from standard procedures, especially during critical phases like takeoff, could potentially lead to disaster. Radio frequencies are sacrosanct for safety communications only.”
- Diplomatic Coordination: El Al confirmed it is working closely with Israel’s Civil Aviation Authority, which is now in direct contact with French counterparts to address the serious breach of protocol.
A Tinderbox Context: This explosive incident doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It ignites amidst visibly strained relations between France and Israel:
- Security Friction: Recent months saw French authorities halt visa renewals for El Al’s essential security personnel operating in Paris.
- Vandalism: Pro-Palestinian activists targeted El Al’s Paris offices, splattering them with red paint.
- Air Show Snub: Organizers of the prestigious Paris Air Show abruptly shut down the Israeli pavilion earlier this year.
Why it Matters: Beyond the immediate political firestorm, this event strikes at the heart of aviation safety. Global protocols, designed to prevent confusion and catastrophe in the skies, explicitly ban any non-essential communication on control frequencies. The controller’s actions injected a volatile political message into an environment where split-second, clear communication is paramount for thousands of lives daily.
The suspended controller’s motives are unknown, but the consequence – diverting a critical safety channel for activism – has sent shockwaves through the aviation world and escalated an already tense diplomatic standoff. The investigation now focuses not only on the individual responsible but also on potential systemic safeguards to prevent such a dangerous breach from ever happening again.