Georges Abdallah Set for Release After Four Decades of Imprisonment in France

Georges Abdallah, a Lebanese figure held for 41 years in a French prison for his involvement in fatal attacks linked to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, is set to be released. His case has sparked strong sentiments among activists while raising questions about international political influence on justice.

Georges Abdallah, a 74-year-old Lebanese national and renowned figure within pro-Palestinian activism, is scheduled for release from a French prison this Friday after an unprecedented 41 years behind bars. Abdallah, labeled by his attorney as the longest-serving prisoner connected to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, will board a flight to Beirut immediately after his release.

Convicted in 1987 for aiding the murders of a U.S. diplomat and an Israeli diplomat in France, Abdallah has faded from public attention over the years. However, his case has become a symbolic struggle for leftist activists, who still rally annually outside the prison where he was held, calling for his release. Life-long supporters predominantly from the Marxist-Leninist left describe him as a political prisoner, maintaining his relevance in their ongoing cause.

Abdallah became eligible for parole back in 1999, yet several of his release requests were denied by French authorities, allegedly under pressure from the U.S. and Israel. In a recent interview, Abdallah described how focusing on the Palestinian cause helped him maintain his sanity during his lengthy incarceration: “40 years – it can turn your brain to mush,” he noted.

Abdallah's political journey began in the late 1970s, where he assisted in establishing the Lebanese Armed Revolutionary Factions (LARF), a group aiming to combat Israeli and U.S. influence in the region. Following two invasions of Lebanon by Israel in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the LARF executed multiple operations against Israeli and U.S. targets in Europe, leading to his eventual capture.

His arrest in Lyon in 1984 came after a series of events, including the kidnapping of a French citizen in Lebanon. Abdallah was initially charged with lesser offenses, but his involvement became exacerbated when authorities found weapons at his residence related to the diplomats' murders.

Despite extensive legal battles and more than ten requests for release, he was consistently denied freedom until a recent ruling deemed his lengthy imprisonment "disproportionate." Nonetheless, the court mandated that his release would necessitate his expulsion from France. This decision raised significant moral concerns regarding the political implications of Abdallah's case.

His imprisonment and eventual release have drawn attention from various public figures, including Nobel laureate Annie Ernaux, who condemned his prolonged detention as a disgraceful reflection of state justice in France. Meanwhile, past U.S. government communications indicated that American officials had an influential role in delaying his release, further complicating the narrative around his case.

As Abdallah prepares for his new chapter, his story remains a potent symbol within the tapestry of the Palestinian struggle and raises essential questions regarding justice, international diplomacy, and the complex intertwining of politics and human rights.