Gaza campaigning French MEP Rima Hassan 'honoured' by controversial Belgian university plaudit

French MEP Rima Hassan has told Euronews she's "honoured" by the controversial decision of students at Brussels Free University (ULB) faculty of law to name their graduating class after her.

The decision by the students to name their class after Hassan, a politician of Palestinian origin born in a refugee camp and raised in France, has sparked protests in Belgium and France, where at the request of the Home Secretary, the Paris public prosecutor's office has launched an investigation into her for "glorifying terrorism".

In June, she made headlines after being arrested and detained for several days by Israeli authorities after she joined the ‘Freedom Flotilla’. The activists who set off from Italy to try to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza by boat were intercepted by Israel’s authorities about 200 kilometres from the coast.

When she was sent back to France, a large demonstration celebrated her return in Paris. 

But in June, when law faculty students decided to honour Hassan, nearly 1,300 signatories sent a letter to the university’s administration opposing the move.

The law faculty organised a second ballot at the end of August, probably hoping to have a different outcome. Instead, the students stood by their decision and once again selected the French MEP in the revote.

Several public personalities, such as former French minister Bernard Kouchner, published an open letter to the ULB, denouncing the students’ choice. In their letter, released in the Belgian outlet La Libre, the signatories called the decision “calamitous".

The Paris prosecutor's investigation into Hassan for "glorifying terrorism" followed an interview she gave Sud Radio in February in which she described as “a legitimate action” the attack on 7 October 2023 by Hamas.

“Would there have been Hamas and the October 7 attacks if there hadn’t been an illegal occupation and an illegal blockade imposed for decades?” Hassan said in the interview.

ULB's students dismissed the criticism. In a statement shared on social media, the ULB Student Union (BEA) declared: “Politicians will not dictate students’ decisions. This choice, the result of a democratic process conducted in line with established rules, demonstrates students’ commitment to the principles of free inquiry and solidarity.”

Neither the Brussels Free University nor the ULB Student Union has replied to Euronews' requests for comments.

"I am honoured to sponsor this class", MEP Hassan told Euronews in a statement. "I thank all those who stood firm in the face of media and political relentlessness, and in particular the students who were treated like children, denounced, and slandered," she said.

Around 50 ships are currently sailing to Gaza in an initiative similar to the ‘Freedom Flotilla’s action. The “Global Sumud Flotilla” describes itself as a non-violent humanitarian mission to help the Palestinian people, and will see boats of all sizes converging toward Gaza in the coming days to open a humanitarian corridor by sea. 

"I was originally supposed to go with them, but I have an important mission to the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon and Jordan with the European Parliament on the same dates," Hassan told Euronews.

Twenty ships with more than 300 crew members, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and Irish actor Liam Cunningham, departed from the port of Barcelona on Sunday, but they had to temporarily return to the port on Monday due to bad weather and dire sea conditions.

Other ships will join the fleet sailing from Italy and Tunisia this week. Another member of the Parliament, the Italian Benedetta Scuderi (Greens/EFA) is among the participants.