France on Tuesday outright rejected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s protest against President Emmanuel Macron’s move to recognise a Palestinian state. In a biting riposte, the French authorities asserted that the nation has “no lessons to learn in the struggle against antisemitism.”
The statements followed Netanyahu writing a forcefully worded letter to Macron, accusing antisemitism of “surging” in France since Macron’s Palestine announcement. The Israeli PM threatened that the recognition of a Palestinian state “pours fuel on this antisemitic fire” and blamed Macron for appeasing Hamas.
Netanyahu’s Letter to Macron
In his letter, Netanyahu claimed that France’s position rewarded “Hamas terror” and emboldened extremists. He called on Macron to take swift action by September 23, the Jewish New Year, to “replace weakness with action, appeasement with resolve.”
The Israeli leader continued to associate France’s recognition of Palestine with what he termed growing threats to French Jews, declaring Macron’s action had emboldened “Jew-hatred now roaming your streets.”
France’s Sharp Rebuttal
France’s Europe Minister Benjamin Haddad dismissed Netanyahu’s claims, reaffirming that antisemitism should not be politicised.
“I would like to say very clearly and very firmly that this issue of antisemitism, which is poisoning our European societies, cannot be exploited,” Haddad said in an interview with French television network BFMTV.
The French presidency also denounced Netanyahu’s allegations as “abject” and “mistaken,” emphasizing that France “protects and will always protect its Jewish citizens.” Authorities further said that Macron has always instructed his governments since 2017 to adopt the “staunchest measures” against antisemitic incidents, especially following the October 7, 2023, terror attacks.
Macron’s Palestine Recognition Plan
On July 24, Macron stated that France would officially recognize the State of Palestine at the next UN General Assembly session in September. Positioning the step as part of France’s “historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East,” Macron brought Paris in line with over 145 UN member states that have already granted recognition.
The move has deepened diplomatic tensions between Israel and a number of Western allies, with Netanyahu condemning what he perceives as betrayal.
Escalating Diplomatic Fallout: Australia Row
France is not the first to come under fire from Netanyahu. Last week, he attacked Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese after Canberra became the latest to recognize Palestine, labelling him “a weak politician who betrayed Israel.
The row heightened following Australia’s cancellation of the visa of Israeli ultra-rightist parliamentarian Simcha Rothman, part of Netanyahu’s coalition. Israel responded by cancelling visas of Australian officials to the Palestinian Authority. Penny Wong, Australia’s Foreign Minister, branded the act “an unjustified response,” singling out Netanyahu’s government for further singling out Israel and sabotaging global peace efforts.
With Macron’s recognition of Palestine planned for September, the tensions between Israel and its long-standing allies, such as France, the UK, Canada, and Australia, are likely to rise even higher. As the two nations exchange bitter rhetoric, the diplomatic split is said to complicate attempts to resuscitate talks for a two-state solution in the Middle East.
