Valencia, Spain – Approximately 50 Jewish French children, aged 10 to 15, and their Kinneret summer camp director were removed from a Vueling Airlines flight in Valencia on July 23, 2025, following allegations of antisemitic remarks by the crew. The incident occurred after the children reportedly sang Hebrew songs onboard, leading to a confrontation that resulted in the director's arrest. The group is currently in Valencia, awaiting arrangements to return to France.
Israel’s Diaspora Affairs and Combatting Antisemitism Minister Amichai Chikli shared details of the event on social media, stating, > "The woman who was arrested and beaten is the director of the Kinneret summer camp. 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." He further characterized the event as "one of the most serious" recent antisemitic incidents.
Vueling Airlines, a Spanish low-cost carrier, has strongly denied accusations of antisemitism. In a statement released on July 24, 2025, the airline asserted that the disembarkation was due to the group's "highly disruptive behavior" and "very confrontational attitude," which allegedly compromised flight safety. Vueling claimed the passengers "mishandled emergency equipment and actively disrupted the mandatory safety demonstration," prompting the crew to request intervention from the Guardia Civil.
Parents and officials have expressed outrage over the incident. One parent, identified as Lamy, told i24NEWS that "The children are in shock," adding, "It feels like we’ve gone back to 1939. This is a blatant act of antisemitism against minors who did nothing wrong." The Spanish Observatory against Antisemitism recently reported a 321% increase in antisemitic incidents in 2024 compared to the previous year, highlighting a concerning trend.
The director, a 21-year-old woman, was reportedly handcuffed and arrested during the altercation. The children, who were part of a summer camp program, were left stranded in Valencia. The incident has sparked widespread condemnation and calls for a thorough investigation into the actions of the Vueling crew and the airline's response.