“Free Palestine” Over the Airwaves: Recognition Takes Flight

It’s one thing to see a flag in the streets. It’s another to hear a political slogan slipping into the airspace — literally. This week, gossip trickled through both aviation circles and diplomatic corridors after an air traffic controller at Paris’s Charles de Gaulle Airport allegedly told an El Al pilot, mid-transmission: “Free Palestine.”

A Call Sign No One Expected

The incident happened Monday, according to French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarrot, who confirmed the controller has been suspended. The El Al crew promptly reported it to management, calling it “unprofessional and inappropriate.”

Israel’s authorities are now in contact with their French counterparts, though industry insiders say this is the first time such a message has been recorded over aviation frequencies in Paris.

An Airport Incident in a Political Storm

The “Free Palestine” broadcast wasn’t a random one-off — it landed amid rising tensions between France and Israel.

Work visa freeze: For months, French authorities have quietly stopped renewing visas for El Al’s Paris-based security personnel.

Office attack: Last week, El Al’s Paris office was hit with red paint and antisemitic graffiti reading “Genocide Airline.”

Operational retreat: The airline has now pulled most of its staff from the city, shifting services to other carriers.

Macron’s New Line

French President Emmanuel Macron has moved from criticism to action:

Twice calling for an arms embargo on Israel.

Publicly opposing Israel’s operations in Gaza and Lebanon.

And last month, making it official: France would recognize the State of Palestine — a diplomatic step that Israel fiercely opposes.

Gaining Altitude: Not Just France

This is where the gossip widens. France isn’t the only nation tilting toward Palestine in recent months:

Several European countries have either recognised Palestine outright or signalled they’re on the verge.

In the Asia-Pacific, Australia — once firmly aligned with Israel — has shifted its language at the UN, voting in favour of pro-Palestinian resolutions and hinting at formal recognition “when the time is right.”

For pro-Palestinian advocates, this global trickle of recognition is proof the tide is turning. For Israel, it’s a troubling signal that traditional allies are stepping back.

The Last Word — On an Open Frequency

In aviation, radio transmissions are supposed to be clinical, precise, and politics-free. But this week’s slip over the Charles de Gaulle frequencies was more than a rogue remark. It was a reminder that the Palestine question isn’t just playing out in parliaments or protests — it’s finding its way into unexpected spaces, even the air between Paris and Tel Aviv.