Rabat — The French government formally summoned US Ambassador Charles Kushner on Sunday following an open letter addressed to President Emmanuel Macron, in which Kushner accused France of failing to adequately curb a surge in anti-Semitic violence.
The letter, published in The Wall Street Journal, criticized the French government’s criticisms of Israel and its gestures toward recognizing a Palestinian state.
It further warned that such actions “embolden extremists, fuel violence, and endanger Jewish life in France,” and stated bluntly: “Anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism – plain and simple” — conflating the usual inaccurate talking point that to be against Palestinian suffering under Israel’s genocide is to be against Judaism itself.
The French Foreign Ministry swiftly rejected the ambassador’s claims as “unacceptable,” reiterating that France is “fully committed” to combating anti-Semitism.
The statement expressed France’s firm discrediting of Kushner’s allegations.
The ministry further stated that Kushner’s remarks violated diplomatic norms, in particular the duty not to interfere in another nation’s internal affairs.
This diplomatic hotspot occurs amid broader tensions over Middle East policy. Kushner’s letter follows a similar note from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who also criticized Macron for his symbolic yet bold stance on recognizing a Palestinian state.
Macron, who has recently distanced himself from US and Israeli positions, has notably criticized Israel’s genocide in Gaza and expressed his country’s willingness to recognize Palestine as a state.
In addition to France, many other major international powers have also criticized Israel for its inhumane starvation campaign and genocidal war in Gaza.
The UK, Canada, and Portugal have also shown their readiness to recognize the statehood of Palestine in the upcoming 80th United Nations General Assembly, to be held in New York in September.
Some government officials have taken their support for Palestine a necessary step further. Netherlands’ Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp took issue with his government for refusing to sanction Israel for its war crimes in Gaza, and in a brazenly bold move, resigned over it. His entire party, the New Social Contract (NSC), followed in his footsteps, including four other ministers.
The man was more than just a minister; he served as an ambassador to Israel itself. He is a seasoned politician who witnessed his government’s complicity with the genocide and decided to speak up.
Veldkamp’s move reveals that amid the West’s complicity in Israel’s ongoing genocide and starvation in Gaza, bold actions are necessary to show support for the Palestinian cause.