Macron to address France’s Jews amid anti-Semitism concerns

President Emmanuel Macron is set to address France’s leading Jewish group, amid concerns about a rise in anti-Jewish violence and the possible re-publication of anti-Semitic pamphlets by a renowned writer.

Macron will be the guest of honor at tonight’s annual dinner by the group CRIF, whose leaders say they will ask the president about fighting anti-Semitism online and recent attacks on French Jews or Jewish sites.

They also want to call attention to a debate over a plan by prominent publishing house Gallimard to re-publish fiercely anti-Semitic lampoons penned by Louis-Ferdinand Celine in 1937-1941.

Gallimard has suspended the plan for now amid protest. Defenders of freedom of speech say publication should be allowed, in part to show the dark side of the famed writer.

France has the world’s third-largest Jewish community.

— AP