France furious after US ambassador writes to Macron alleging antisemitism, summons envoy

But first and tensions between France and the US are rising as a Paris summons the US ambassador to France. This after he wrote a letter to Emanuel Macron accusing the French leader of failing to do enough to fight anti-semitism. The French Foreign Ministry says the letter, which was published by the Wall Street Journal, violates international law and notably the obligation not to interfere with the internal affairs of another country. For more on this, I’m joined by Katavan Gorgjastani, our international affairs editor. Katavan, what exactly is Charles Kushner accusing France of and how is the French government responding? Well, uh, in that long letter, uh, that, uh, Charles Kushner sent to, uh, French President Eman, he talks about the dramatic rise of anti-semitism in France and the lack of sufficient action, uh, according to his word by the French government to tackle uh, that rise in anti-semitism. But he also uh talks about French foreign policy. He talks about the public statements heranging Israel and the gestures toward recognition of a Palestinian state as moves that are emboldening extremism. He also uh indicates at the end there anti-Zionism is anti-semitism plain and simple. He also claimed uh that in France not a day passes without Jews being assaulted on the streets, synagogues and schools defaced or Jewish owned businesses vandalized. So really painting a very bleak picture of what it means to be a Jew in France. uh today. It is pretty rare for an ambassador uh to uh so publicly and so directly uh criticize uh the host country where they’re uh positioned posted uh and the leader of that country especially when it is an ally and so the response of the French was equally uh strong worded with the foreign ministry announcing that summon but also dismissing the allegations responding to those allegations. They admitted that there had been a rise in anti-semitic acts in France, but they said that they’ve taken measures to combat that anti-semitic rise, saying that they had reinforced security. They also called the the allegations unacceptable and pointed, as you said, to that violation of international law, which is that an ambassador of foreign country is not supposed to interfere uh with uh the domestic politics. rather they’re supposed simply uh to report back to uh their country to the terminal and that and so that’s why you’re seeing this move of summoning an allies ambassador uh to the foreign ministry and we’ll see what that uh brings us now this letter sounds a lot like criticism that we’ve heard from the Israeli government in the past doesn’t it absolutely uh just uh earlier last week Benjamin Netanyahu sent a letter to Emanuel Mron where he said that your call for a Palestinian state pours fuel on this anti-semitic fire. He also said that it emboldens those who menace French Jews and encouraged the Jew hatred now stalking your streets. And it was not just Emanuel Mron who was the target of the prime minister’s. You had other countries that have announced their plans to recognize Palestinian statehood like France did uh including the UK, Canada, Australia who’ve also gotten a lot of criticism from the Israelis. But what you see in the wording of Charles Kushner’s uh letter is basically the same elements that we’ve heard from the Israeli prime minister. But it’s one thing for the prime minister of Israel to send a letter to a counterpart to a head of state Emanuel Mron to talk about something that directly involves his country. It’s a whole other thing to have a third country’s ambassador uh send a direct letter to a uh president and it shows just how much on this topic on the topic of Palestinian statethood on the topic of the war in Gaza how closely aligned the US still is with not only Israel but also the Israeli government specifically Ben Netanyahu Kavan Gorgeous Stani thank

France’s foreign ministry issued a statement August 24 announcing it had summoned Kushner to appear Monday at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and that his allegations “are unacceptable.” France 24’s Kethevane Gorjestani tells us more. Kethevane Gorjestani tells us more.
#France #Kushner #antisemitism

🔔 Subscribe to France 24 now: https://f24.my/YTen
🔴 LIVE – Watch FRANCE 24 English 24/7 here: https://f24.my/YTliveEN

🌍 Read the latest International News and Top Stories: https://www.france24.com/en/

Like us on Facebook: https://f24.my/FBen
Follow us on X: https://f24.my/Xen
Bluesky: https://f24.my/BSen and Threads: https://f24.my/THen
Browse the news in pictures on Instagram: https://f24.my/IGen
Discover our TikTok videos: https://f24.my/TKen
Get the latest top stories on Telegram: https://f24.my/TGen

41 comments

  1. It’s ridiculous how European countries can get mad about a foreign country trying to control 1:57 another country yet that is exactly what France, the UK, the European Union in Europe in general are trying to do every day against the world and especially the United States.
    This is not to say the US is any better, but at the very least the US is not against its own citizens in comparison to Europe, and how my country of Canada are acting, I guess their own civilians for the sake of the illegal immigrants. When it’s better to be an illegal in your own country that it is to be an actual citizen what is the point of being a citizen? In these situations, the governments do not deserve our tax dollars.
    The French Revolution in overthrowing the monarchy was founded on the principles of liberty equality and fraternity as it currently stands. There is no equality when you ignore citizens over illegal immigrants. There is no liberty wind dissenting voices are silenced, crushed and ignored, simply for having a different viewpoint. And there is no fraternity when people don’t come together to solve problems and just label the opposition as the other, and therefore the enemy.

  4. France needs to request his removal on the grounds of his past criminal record. Period. Get rid of this guy. He's toxic and he owes Trump everything.

  5. Refusal to fall inline behind to Israeli regime isn't anti semitism… The Ambassador is just throwing a tiny tism for his fascist leader Donnie.

  9. France should simply expel Mr. Kushner. He obviously lacks the skill set to represent the United States properly. His most recent experience seems to be making license plates. Maybe he could return to that venue.

  11. I wonder how DJT would react if countries called for his removal for office. I’m sure he would say that that was interfering with US internal affairs.

  13. I have always been ready to condemn those who spout anti se.itic conspiracy theories.

    But that was a time when 2!onists pulling the strings of governments actually was a conspiracy theory.

  14. As an American, who did not vote for the orange toilet, I hope that all US ambassadors globally get expelled. I also hope that Americans, especially politicians, get banned from entering countries until they can show respect.

  20. I hope they brought their copies of 1984.
    Gotta make sure both sides can correctly argue the facts at play here.
    Probably a good idea to have copies of Man's Search For Meaning too.
    Context and all that.

  23. USA is massively emboldening racism. Not a day goes by without my people being attacked. Property vandalized. Missing persons never found. Lynchings on trees raising.

    But it’s 🇺🇸. Nothing is done

  24. As an American, i would like to assure the world that there are many of us who are absolutely horrified by what this regime is doing. We are trying our best to stop it, but they've stacked the deck as much as they could against us. I honestly think other nations should start expelling our ambassadors, especially the ones to France, Denmark, and Canada

  27. Americans have no authority in this world to tell anybody about hate, racism or antisemitism. The US has the biggest neo-nazi movement in the world. Even if we put religion or politics on the back burner, we know that Palestinians deserve a home. Secondly, how dare an American ambassador write such nonsense to the French President? Does he equate himself to the President? Does he think he has any diplomatic authority to do that? Or is he just as incompetent as his own President that he doesn't know the basics of his job?

  28. The US ambassador to Canada is a real piece of work too. Blaming Canadians for standing up for ourselves. The gas lighting is unbelievable.

  33. Same in the UK but slightly worse: Our wannabe gauleiter Farage, is off to Washington to tell on us about the total absence of freedom of speech in the UK. 🤔
    Dreadful, oleaginous little sneak that he is.

  34. France being too cowardly to kick the ambassador out. Big talk about breaking international law for a country that is too scared to enforce it.

  35. Better Europe helps Ukraine to quickly defeat Russia or it will need to defend 2 flanks: USA is coming to you too.

Comments are closed.