A 70-year-old man wanted by French authorities for over a decade has been arrested in the West Bank by Palestinian authorities. Mahmoud Khader Abed Adra, also known as Hicham Harb, was linked to a deadly 1982 attack on a Jewish deli in Paris that killed six people, including two Americans.
The arrest adds new hope to families of victims who have been waiting for justice for decades. French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the cooperation and promised a “rapid extradition” of the suspect. The arrest came days before Macron’s expected announcement at the United Nations on Palestinian statehood.
The 1982 attack, which was considered one of France’s deadliest antisemitic attacks since World War II, left 22 people wounded. The case remained unsolved for years but French authorities identified three suspects in 2015. Six men were ordered to stand trial, including Abed Adra and a Norwegian citizen who is currently in pre-trial detention.
The arrest has sparked mixed reactions from the families of victims and their lawyers. While some see it as a “significant step,” others worry it could delay the trial or force France to release the suspect. The French government remains committed to combating terrorism and antisemitism, with Macron vowing to secure the suspect’s extradition.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/19/world/europe/1982-paris-attack-antisemitism-arrest.html