France has defended its record on combating antisemitism after Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu accused Emmanuel Macron of emboldening hate attacks against Jews by pledging to recognise a Palestinian state.<\/p>\n
France has hit back with unusual force after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused President Emmanuel Macron of stoking antisemitism, as Paris prepares to recognise a Palestinian state next month.<\/p>\n
The row\u00a0\u2013 already simmering since Macron\u2019s announcement in July\u00a0\u2013 burst into open confrontation on Tuesday when Netanyahu wrote to the French leader warning that antisemitism had \u201csurged\u201d in France<\/a> since his decision.<\/p>\n He claimed that recognition of Palestinian statehood would \u201cpour fuel on this antisemitic fire\u201d and reward Hamas, while endangering France\u2019s own Jewish community.<\/p>\n France to recognise Palestinian statehood, defying US-Israel backlash<\/a><\/p>\n Netanyahu’s accusations ‘erroneous’<\/p>\n The \u00c9lys\u00e9e\u2019s response was swift and sharp. Netanyahu\u2019s charge, officials said, was \u201cabject\u201d and \u201cerroneous\u201d. In a statement, the presidency insisted: \u201cThis is a time for seriousness and responsibility, not for conflation and manipulation.\u201d<\/p>\n Far from tolerating antisemitism, Paris underlined, France \u201cprotects and will always protect<\/a> its Jewish citizens\u201d.<\/p>\n Macron\u2019s office pointed out that since the Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023, his government has ordered \u201cthe strongest action\u201d against antisemitic crimes. Violence against French Jews, it added, is \u201cintolerable\u201d.<\/p>\n Macron\u2019s minister for Europe, Benjamin Haddad, was equally forthright. \u201cFrance has no lessons to learn<\/a> in the fight against antisemitism,\u201d he declared, warning against exploiting \u201can issue which is poisoning our European societies\u201d.<\/p>\n Spike in antisemitic acts<\/p>\n France is home to Europe\u2019s largest Jewish community, and the government has faced rising numbers of reported antisemitic acts in recent years \u2013 jumping from 436 in 2022 to 1,676 in 2023, before dipping slightly last year. Paris argues this makes its vigilance and record of action beyond question.<\/p>\n The latest diplomatic spat stems from Macron\u2019s decision to recognise a Palestinian state<\/a> at the UN in September.<\/p>\n France\u00a0\u2013 a longstanding supporter of the two-state solution\u00a0\u2013 says the step is meant to push back against Hamas and revive the prospects of peace.<\/p>\n More than 145 UN members have already recognised Palestinian statehood or plan to do so.<\/p>\n