On September 19, 2025, the French government announced a major breakthrough in a decades-old case that has haunted both France and its Jewish community. Hicham Harb, a 70-year-old Palestinian long suspected of orchestrating the deadly 1982 terror attack on Paris’s Jo Goldenberg restaurant, was arrested in the West Bank by Palestinian authorities. The arrest, which French President Emmanuel Macron called the result of “excellent cooperation” with the Palestinian Authority, marks a significant step toward justice for the victims and their families, who have waited more than forty years for answers.
The attack, which took place on August 9, 1982, in the heart of the Marais district—a vibrant center of Jewish life in Paris—was both shocking and brutal. According to the Associated Press, militants first tossed a grenade into the crowded restaurant, which was serving about fifty customers at the time. Immediately after, gunmen burst in, firing Polish-made machine guns at diners and spraying bullets at passers-by as they fled into the narrow Rue des Rosiers. When the chaos subsided, six people were dead and twenty-two others wounded, making it the deadliest antisemitic attack in France since World War II.
The assault was quickly attributed to the Abu Nidal Organization, a Palestinian militant group designated as terrorist by both the United States and Europe. As AP reports, the attack was part of a broader wave of violence by Palestinian operatives that began in the 1970s and extended their reach far beyond the Middle East. The horror of that day left deep scars on France’s Jewish community—the largest in Europe—and the nation as a whole. For decades, families of the victims and Jewish leaders have pressed French authorities to pursue justice in what became known as the Rue des Rosiers case.
Yet, for forty-three years, the case remained unresolved. No one had been tried in connection with the attack, and several suspects—including Harb—managed to evade capture, often aided by political sensitivities and a lack of cooperation from foreign governments. According to France’s National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT), Interpol informed them of Harb’s arrest by Palestinian authorities under a 2015 international warrant linked to the attack. Harb, also known as Mahmoud Khader Abed Adra, is suspected not only of supervising the assault but also of being one of the gunmen who opened fire on diners and passers-by.
French judges had formally indicted Harb on July 31, 2025, on charges of murder and attempted murder, and referred him and five other men to a special terrorism court for trial. Another suspect has been in French custody since his extradition from Norway in 2020, but the arrest of Harb—long considered the ringleader—represents a breakthrough in the investigation. As Reuters notes, the attack was the deadliest antisemitic attack in France since World War II and part of a pattern of overseas violence by Palestinian operatives.
President Macron, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), expressed gratitude for the “excellent cooperation” with the Palestinian Authority and said he hoped for a “swift extradition.” He called the arrest “another step forward for justice and truth,” and added, “My thoughts are with all the families who have endured the pain of waiting for so long.” Macron also took the opportunity to thank Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas for his collaboration, stating that both parties were “committed to working together to extradite him at the maximum speed.”
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot emphasized the significance of this development, stating on X that the arrest had been made possible by Macron’s decision to recognize an independent Palestinian state, which would “enable us to request extradition.” Barrot further declared, “Nothing can alter France’s determination to take action against terrorism and antisemitism.”
France’s recognition of Palestinian statehood, which Macron is expected to formally announce at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 22, 2025, is part of a broader diplomatic push. France joins a growing list of countries—including Canada, Australia, Belgium, and the United Kingdom—that have announced their intention to recognize Palestinian statehood amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. As JTA and AP report, Macron has said this recognition is contingent on assurances from Abbas that the Palestinian Authority would act as a responsible leader in the region.
The timing of the arrest and the diplomatic moves is notable. The UN General Assembly, which gathers 193 member nations, is set to convene for six days of speeches by nearly 150 heads of state, with the crisis in Gaza expected to take center stage. On Friday, the General Assembly voted to allow Abbas to address the leaders by prerecorded video next week. In addition, the Assembly overwhelmingly endorsed a declaration last week that outlined “tangible, timebound, and irreversible steps” toward a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians. The declaration, brought forward in July at a conference co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, condemned both Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel and Israel’s subsequent military operations, which it said “have resulted in a devastating humanitarian catastrophe and protection crisis.” The document received 142 votes in favor and 10 against, including opposition from Israel and the United States.
French Foreign Minister Barrot celebrated the diplomatic achievement, stating, “The goal has been achieved! France has achieved the international isolation of Hamas. For the first time today, the United Nations adopted a document that condemns it for its crimes, calling for its surrender and disarmament.”
For the families of the victims and France’s Jewish community, the arrest of Harb is more than a legal milestone—it is a long-awaited step toward closure. The attack, which occurred at midday in a bustling restaurant, left an indelible mark on the Marais district and the nation. As AP recounts, the violence was sudden and indiscriminate, targeting not only those inside the restaurant but also anyone unlucky enough to be passing by at that moment.
While the arrest of Harb does not erase the pain of that day, it is a powerful reminder that justice, though sometimes slow, can still be served. The case also highlights the complexities of international cooperation in terrorism cases, where political considerations often delay or derail legal proceedings. Investigators believe other suspects remain abroad, possibly in Jordan or the Palestinian territories, still eluding justice.
As France prepares to take a leading role on the world stage with its recognition of Palestinian statehood, the intertwined issues of justice, diplomacy, and the quest for peace remain at the forefront. The arrest of Hicham Harb may not end the sorrow of those who lost loved ones in 1982, but it does offer a measure of hope—that, even after decades, the pursuit of truth and accountability endures.