Macron rejects Netanyahu claim on antisemitism in France

France's president rejects Netanyahu's assertion that recognizing Palestine fuels antisemitism in the country.

Macron rebuts Netanyahu claim of rising antisemitism in France

France’s president Emmanuel Macron pushed back on comments by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that antisemitic violence in France rose after Paris recognised a Palestinian state. In a late Tuesday statement, Macron’s office described the claim as erroneous and abject and said it will not go unanswered, urging seriousness and responsibility rather than generalisation and manipulation.
The dispute comes after Macron announced that France would become the first major Western power to recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly. Netanyahu condemned the move, saying France rewards terror and that a Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel.
Interior ministry data show 504 antisemitic acts were reported January to May, a 24% drop from the previous year but a level that remains high compared with 2013. Tensions over Gaza and the war that began in 2023 have continued to shape debate at home and abroad. A recent incident, the felling of an olive tree planted in memory of a French Jewish man tortured to death in 2006, sparked outrage and drew Macron’s vow to punish antisemitic hatred.
Netanyahu also sent letters to Macron and Australia’s prime minister accusing them of fueling antisemitism with their Palestine policy. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese responded by saying he would not take the charges personally and would continue to engage with other leaders in a respectful, diplomatic manner.
Macron has signaled further diplomacy, planning to co chair a conference on a two state solution with Saudi Arabia in New York in September, while criticizing Israel’s plans for a military offensive in Gaza which he warned could lead to disaster and a cycle of war.

The exchange shows how antisemitism is becoming a political tool in high level diplomacy. Macron’s stance is to keep Palestine recognition separate from domestic antisemitism while pushing for dialogue. That balance is delicate because the issue sits at the crossroads of security, human rights, and regional stability.
The risk is that hardline rhetoric from leaders on both sides could deepen public anger and complicate efforts to advance a two state solution. For France, the challenge is to protect Jewish citizens and maintain international credibility without appearing to punish or reward any side for violence. Public diplomacy will need steady messaging and verifiable facts to avoid fuel for backlash.

Highlights

The road to peace is built with careful language as much as with political choices.