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Jewish teenagers removed from Valencia flight for singing in Hebrew
Spanish police cited safety violations as their motive for removing the French teens, while Israeli officials are alleging antisemitism
A group of French Jewish youths were removed from a Vueling flight in Valencia, Spain, this week, prompting serious accusations of antisemitism from Israeli officials, while Spanish authorities and the airline defend the action as a necessary response to safety violations.
According to multiple accounts, the incident occurred on Wednesday July 23 at Valencia Airport, where 47 minors aged 10-15 and four adult monitors, all affiliated with the Kineret Club summer camp, were preparing to board a flight back to France after a holiday in the coastal town of Sant Carles de la Ràpita. The group, organised by the Matana charitable association, had just completed a summer programme aimed at young French Jews.
Conflicting reports have since emerged regarding what led to their removal from the plane.
Israel’s Minister for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, Amichai Chikli, described the incident as “one of the most serious antisemitic incidents in recent times.”
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Chikli alleged that the children were singing in Hebrew and were told to stop by Vueling staff, who reportedly responded with anti-Israel rhetoric, calling Israel a “terrorist state”.
The woman who was arrested and beaten is the director of the Kinneret summer camp.
— עמיחי שיקלי - Amichai Chikli (@AmichaiChikli) July 23, 2025
Fifty Jewish French children, aged 10 – 15, were singing Hebrew songs on the plane.
The @vueling airline crew said that Israel is a terrorist state and forced the children off the aircraft; they… https://t.co/V78PEHB58B pic.twitter.com/HizF6SZoaD
After the children complied, police were called and a 21-year-old female instructor was arrested. Video footage circulating online appears to show her handcuffed and lying face down on the boarding bridge, as police attempt to move away bystanders.
Some parents and organisers have echoed Chikli’s accusations. Karine Lamy, mother of one of the teenagers, told Israel’s i24 News that the children sang in Hebrew until they were threatened with police intervention.
The group was subsequently removed from the plane and left waiting at the airport, with some minors reportedly stranded until the evening while awaiting alternative travel arrangements.
However, Vueling and the Guardia Civil have strongly denied any discriminatory motive, asserting instead that the group had repeatedly disrupted the crew and breached flight safety regulations.
In a statement, Vueling said, “We categorically reject any form of discrimination without exception.” They explained that the youths had interrupted the mandatory safety demonstration and “manipulated emergency equipment,” prompting the crew to activate security protocols.
The Guardia Civil confirmed that the group’s behaviour, both onboard and later in the terminal, justified intervention. It stated that some individuals became violent, leading to the arrest of one of the monitors.
According to the Spanish police, the action was strictly related to air safety concerns, not the religious identity of the group.
Reaction from Jewish communities around the world
Nonetheless, the response has raised alarm among Jewish communities and officials. Caroline Yadan, a French MP who represents French citizens living abroad, said on X that if the claims of antisemitic treatment are verified, “Vueling should have to answer in court” for its “very serious” actions.
Spanish-Jewish news site Enfoque Judío reported additional claims that police demanded the minors hand over their phones, and the arrested monitor objected, potentially triggering the arrest.
The controversy comes amid a reported rise in antisemitic incidents in Spain. According to the 2024 annual report by the country’s Observatory against Antisemitism, 193 antisemitic acts were recorded—an increase of over 300% compared to 2023. Many of these incidents were linked to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
The Spanish government’s stance on Israel has been much more hardline than many other European and Western countries, and they were among the first to recognise the State of Palestine.
In recent weeks, reports of Israelis being chased or intimidated in Spanish cities such as Vigo and Lloret de Mar have added to concerns. Wednesday’s incident now joins a string of troubling episodes that have alarmed Jewish communities across Europe.
As of now, the legal status of the arrested instructor remains unclear. The teenagers have since been relocated to various flights back to France, with some spending the night in a hotel near the airport. Vueling has yet to issue any further comment.
Image: ventanamedia
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