PARIS (Realist English). France has summoned US ambassador Charles Kushner after he accused President Emmanuel Macron of failing to address rising antisemitic violence effectively, the French foreign ministry announced on Sunday.
In a letter to Macron, published by the Wall Street Journal, Kushner expressed “deep concern over the dramatic rise of antisemitism in France and the lack of sufficient action by your government to confront it.” He linked the surge in incidents to France’s criticism of Israel’s war in Gaza and Macron’s pledge to recognize a Palestinian state in September. “In today’s world, anti-Zionism is antisemitism — plain and simple,” Kushner wrote, urging tougher law enforcement and security measures for Jewish schools, synagogues and businesses.
The French foreign ministry dismissed his remarks as “unacceptable” and a violation of diplomatic norms. “France firmly denies these allegations. The rise in antisemitic acts in France since October 7, 2023, is a reality that we deplore and against which French authorities are totally mobilised, because these actions are intolerable,” the Quai d’Orsay said, adding that Kushner has been summoned on Monday.
The ambassador’s intervention highlights sharp differences between Washington and Paris over Israel’s ongoing offensive in Gaza. Macron’s position has drawn criticism from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while public opinion in France and much of Europe has hardened against Israel amid mounting civilian casualties and a UN-backed panel’s declaration of famine in Gaza.
According to French interior ministry data, antisemitic incidents have surged since October 7: 1,676 cases were recorded in 2023 and 1,570 in 2024, compared with 436 in 2022.
