A tree that was planted in memory of Ilan Halimi, a Jewish man who was brutally murdered in 2006, was uprooted in an act of antisemitic vandalism.
By Rachel Avraham
Arutz Sheva reported that an olive tree planted in memory of Ilan Halimi, a young French Jew tortured and murdered in 2006, has been cut down in what local authorities are calling an act of vandalism. According to the report, the tree, planted in 2015 near the town hall of Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois, was found severed at its base earlier this week.
Halimi, 23, was kidnapped in January 2006 by a gang known as the “Gang of Barbarians,” held captive for over three weeks, and subjected to torture before being murdered in a gruesome manner. The BBC reported that Halimi’s body was found by a railway line handcuffed to a tree, naked and severely burned. The brutal murder, motivated by antisemitism, shocked France and became a national symbol of the fight against antisemitic violence.
The mastermind – Youssouf Fofana – targeted Halimi because of his Jewish heritage, believing his family to be unduly wealthy, the BBC reported. According to the report, Fofana was later sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 22 years, while other accomplices implicated in the crime received lesser sentences.
Mayor Frédéric Petitta condemned the act of desecrating a tree planted in memory of Halimi, calling it “a cowardly attack on the memory of a victim of barbarism” and vowed to replace the tree. France’s interior minister also denounced the vandalism, pledging that those responsible would be brought to justice.
French President Emmanuel Macron has pledged that every effort will be made to track down and punish the person who cut down a tree commemorating Halimi, the BBC reported. According to the report, Macron said the toppling of the olive tree on Wednesday was “an attempt to kill him a second time”, adding: “All means are being deployed to punish this act of hatred.”
Macron said France “will not forget this child of France who died because he was Jewish. In the face of antisemitism, the Republic is always uncompromising.” French Prime Minister François Bayrou also blamed “antisemitic hatred” for the tree being toppled. “No crime can uproot memory,” he wrote. “The never-ending fight against the deadly poison of hatred is our primary duty.”
The BBC reported that Paris police chief Laurent Nuñez confirmed an investigation was under way, adding: “Everything will be done to find the perpetrators and bring them to justice.”
The incident comes amid a documented rise in antisemitic acts in France over recent years, prompting concerns from Jewish community leaders in Jerusalem and Paris about the safety of memorial sites and public symbols of coexistence. Similar memorials have been targeted before, including plaques and street signs bearing Halimi’s name.
The olive tree — a universal symbol of peace — had been planted not only as a tribute to Halimi’s memory but also as a reminder of the need for vigilance against hatred. Local residents and activists have organized a gathering at the site over the weekend, calling for unity and respect for victims’ memories.
