US condemns France's release of political prisoner Georges Abdallah

The United States has strongly condemned France's decision to release Georges Ibrahim Abdallah, a pro-Palestinian Lebanese fighter, from prison. Abdallah was jailed in 1984 for the killing of an American and an Israeli diplomat in France and has served nearly four decades. The U.S. State Department believes his release threatens the safety of American diplomats abroad and is a grave injustice to the victims and their families. However, a French appeals court ordered his release due to the length of his imprisonment and his age, deeming continued detention "disproportionate." Washington has stated it will continue backing efforts to seek justice in the case.