PARIS A French court rejected a request to cancel an upcoming gala in Paris with the participation of Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, despite opposition from multiple rights groups and lawmakers. Lawyer Rafik Chekkat from the EuroPalestine, a French non-governmental organization, said the Paris Administrative Court dismissed the bid to halt the event scheduled for Nov. 13 by the Israel Forever Foundation. Chekkat criticized the court's decision, stating that this ruling allows galas