US Ambassador Criticizes Macron Over Rising Antisemitism in France

The US ambassador to France, Charles Kushner, has criticized President Emmanuel Macron for insufficient action against the rising antisemitism in France, issuing a letter on the 81st anniversary of the Allied Liberation of Paris. Kushner highlighted daily assaults on Jews and vandalism of synagogues, schools, and Jewish-owned businesses, attributing the recent surge in antisemitism to the fallout from Hamas's attack in October 2023 and Macron's plan to recognize a Palestinian state. These concerns align with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's accusations that Macron's stance has fueled antisemitism, claims the French presidency has rejected as "abject" and "erroneous." Kushner and Netanyahu both warn that Macron’s criticisms of Israel and the proposed recognition of Palestine embolden extremists and threaten Jewish lives in France. Surveys cited reveal alarming ignorance of the Holocaust among French youth, raising concerns about the potential recurrence of such atrocities in Europe. France, home to Western Europe's largest Jewish community, has seen increased hate crimes affecting both Jewish and Muslim populations amidst the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict.