Israeli ambassador said to meet discreetly with French far right’s Marine Le Pen

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen reportedly held a discreet meeting this week with Israel’s ambassador to the country, Joshua Zarka, in an ongoing shift in Israel’s approach to European far-right parties.

The meeting – first reported by Hebrew media and confirmed by French news outlet Le Parisien, citing the Israeli embassy – was not publicly announced through official diplomatic channels. It comes against the backdrop of Le Pen’s vocal support for Israel, including her criticism of the policy of French President Emmanuel Macron, who defeated her in the country’s last two presidential elections.

Le Pen also reportedly met with Lebanon’s ambassador to France during the same period. Israel and Lebanon this week launched negotiations amid the conflict between Israel and the Lebanese terror group Hezbollah.

Israel has traditionally boycotted European far-right parties, including Le Pen’s National Rally and its predecessor, the National Front.

In recent years, however, Israeli officials have begun engaging more openly with such factions. Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli has cultivated ties with European far-right politicians, and Jordan Bardella, another of National Rally’s leaders, spoke in Israel at a government conference on antisemitism last year.

Also last year, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar instructed diplomats to establish formal communication channels with Le Pen’s party along with far-right political parties in Sweden and Spain.

The meeting comes as Le Pen faces legal uncertainty ahead of France’s presidential race next year. A court decision expected in July could determine whether she remains eligible to run after she was found to be embezzling European Union funds.