PARIS — France Télévisions removed the replay of France 5's "La Grande Librairie" on Thursday, Sept. 10, hours after actress and author Adèle Haenel accused Israel of committing genocide in Palestine during a live segment.
The show had aired Wednesday evening. In a nearly three-minute closing segment called "Droit dans les yeux," guests are given an open platform for remarks. Haenel spoke about sexual violence, then turned to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"The State of Israel is committing genocide in Palestine, and France is complicit," Haenel said. "Do not accept the unacceptable. So sanction Israel and free Palestine." Presenter Augustin Trapenard described her intervention as "a personal carte blanche."
France Télévisions said the removal was a "precautionary measure" pending review by France's media regulator, Arcom. The broadcaster cited an "absence of contradiction" in the segment as justification.
The decision drew sharp criticism from lawmakers. Eight members of the La France Insoumise party—including Mathilde Panot, Clémence Guetté, Rima Hassan, Paul Vannier, Danièle Obono, Aymeric Caron, Sarah Legrain, and Antoine Léaument—posted the removed segment on X, calling the action "censorship."
Olivier Faure, first secretary of the Parti socialiste, said, "In the absence of justification, this suppression is a disgrace."
France Télévisions denied that it was suppressing speech, characterizing the removal as a procedural step. Arcom's review will determine what regulatory action, if any, follows.
