French museums deny tour by Israeli art students

From Liberation:

[In May,] Professor Sefy Hendler, a specialist in Italian Renaissance, was preparing a trip to Paris for late June with a group of twelve students of art history at the University of Tel Aviv. He intended to visit major French cultural institutions.
On May 11, he wrote to the Louvre reservation services and the Sainte-Chapelle. The responses did not take long, and they were in the negative. "Sorry, we have no chance for that day" they replied in a terse email from an official of the Sainte-Chapelle. Even the response of the Louvre Museum, where three different times were requested: "We do not have any availability for the requested times."

"It seemed weird," says Hendler who, troubled, decided to try a test. A few days later, he created two new requests for tour times. One on behalf of an "institute of art" in Florence, the other on behalf of the "Abu Dhabi Art History College." Both are fictitious institutions, but he received fast and positive responses to both.

"I was shocked, shocked , says Hendler. "I was ready to cancel the trip. " The man finally changed his mind, but decides to alert Francois Heilbronn, president of the French Friends of the University of Tel Aviv . This professor at Sciences-Po put together the various documents for evidence: reservation forms, mail exchanges ... He wrote to President-Director of the Louvre, Jean-Luc Martinez, and that of the Centre for National Monuments (which manages the Sainte-Chapelle) Philippe Bélaval as well as Fleur Pellerin, Minister of Culture.

Everyone reacted in his own way. On the side of the Louvre, management acknowledges being "troubled" by the results of test. An internal investigation was triggered. Three days later, they delivers their verdict. "In a way, we were victims of our success," said the management. "We receive an average of 400 reservation requests a day and offer access in quarter hour slots. But the demand is twice the supply. "

The reservation system is automated and does not create a "waiting list" for rejected requests. The two tests therefore been "lucky" to solicit free slots, as that requested by Tel Aviv was already taken. "Moreover, a second booking of the Israeli university had been accepted the system, says the Louvre, responding in 35 minutes, against fifteen minutes to two fictitious institutions.

On the side of the Sainte-Chapelle, the system is not automated, but 100% human. Philippe Bélaval, president of National Monuments, explained that an internal investigation has revealed "repeated failures" and certainly lead to a "disciplinary procedure". But, at this stage, he believes, "it is not established that there was any discrimination " . He assures that the person in charge of the booking service "never showed hostility to Israel" and blames "approximation in the processing of applications" and lack of "rigor and professionalism" .

"This response appears flippant compared to the gravity of the facts , laments François Heilbronn.

If the Louvre's reservation system is indeed computerized and automatic, it may be a coincidence. According to Haaretz, however, the two fictional bookings were set for the exact same time slots as the one that was denied, so the Louvre may be feeding everyone a line. (Hendler is a writer for Haaretz as well.)

The Sainte-Chapelle sure sounds like it has committed a crime.

(h/t Yenta Press)