Rachel Touitou, the Regavim land rights NGO’s international spokesperson, has filed a police complaint seeking the indictment of European Parliament member Rima Hassan. Hassan, who was detained in Israel this week for participating in the “Global Sumud Flotilla” to Gaza, faces accusations of incitement to murder.
The complaint accuses Hassan of threatening Touitou’s life on X, which triggered a wave of online attacks from terrorism supporters and antisemitic groups worldwide.
On Aug. 17, Hassan posted Touitou’s name alongside an alarm clock, suggesting that her days were numbered. She had previously made a similar post targeting Imam Hassen Chalghoumi, who has since filed charges.
Touitou 🕰️
— Rima Hassan (@RimaHas) August 17, 2025
“Rima Hassan threatened me on social media. This woman already has many complaints filed against her in France for incitement to hatred, violence or praise of terrorism, and nothing happens there,” Touitou told JNS.
“Following her threats against me, I have received a large number of threats, including death threats on social media. One person wished me the same fate as Ilan Halimi and asked where my parents live,” she continued.
Halimi, a 23-year-old French Jew, was captured, tortured and held for ransom in 2006 by a French Islamic gang. He was burned with cigarettes and acid while his captors repeatedly called his family, read Quranic verses and demanded a €450,000 ransom. He died of his injuries.
“These are threats I do not take lightly, and today it is clear that because of this woman [Hassan] I don’t see myself visiting France anytime soon,” Touitou said.
Hassan, a French politician born in a Syrian refugee camp, was elected to the European Parliament in June 2024 as a representative of the far-left party France Unbowed.
It was Hassan’s second time participating in a flotilla attempting to break the international blockade on Gaza. Regavim’s Legal Division requested that Israeli authorities issue an order preventing her from leaving the country and called for her investigation and prosecution on charges of incitement to murder and terrorism, as well as direct involvement in illegal anti-Israel activity.
“These are not threats to be taken lightly. Rima has 1 million Instagram subscribers and 410,000 followers on X. People listen to her and take her seriously. Her tweets get at least 500,000 views. The tweet about Imam Chalghoumi received 3 million views. This woman, who feels completely entitled, must understand that she cannot do whatever she wants—threaten people and jeopardize their safety—without being punished by law,” said Touitou.
Touitou also said it is important for participants of flotillas to Gaza, and especially repeat offenders, to be punished.
“The first flotilla had about 40 activists; this time they were 400. If there are no legal penalties, fines or prison sentences, tomorrow they will be 4,000—it will never end. We will end up turning the state budget into a flotilla budget and mobilizing the Israeli Navy for idiots who are essentially taking vacations at Israel’s expense, and that is unacceptable,” she said.
