Death Threats to Palestinian Mission in France
The Palestinian mission in France said on Thursday that it had received death threats in a letter posted from Israel and claiming to carry a virus.
"We received this letter this morning threatening to kill members of the Palestinian mission in France and those who took part in recent demonstrations for Palestine," Noha Rashmawi, the chief of staff at the mission, told Agence France Presse.
The letter, written in English, places a death sentence on those who took part in pro-Palestinian demonstrations in France recently in which Jewish shops were looted and attempts made to storm synagogues.
It signs off with the words: "Participants in the said activities are convicted to death. The verdict will take place soon by infecting the convicts with the powerful virus Gurion-48."
David Ben-Gurion was Israel's first prime minister and the Jewish state was founded in 1948.
Rashmawi said the letter was signed by an association based in the United States but posted from Israel. She said police had taken the letter and were conducting laboratory tests.
"We receive many such letters... if it's a joke it's in extremely poor taste," she said.
"If it's a threat or an attempt at intimidation it has failed because we will carry on with more determination," Rashmawi said.
The violence in Gaza has roused strong emotions in France, which has Western Europe's largest Muslim and Jewish populations.
The conflict has claimed the lives of around 750 Palestinians and 35 Israelis.
Source: Agence France Presse
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