The US ambassador to France has written to President Emmanuel Macron to denounce his government’s insufficient action against antisemitism, days after similar remarks from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
US envoy Charles Kushner’s letter to Macron is dated August 25, which he notes is “the 81st anniversary of the Allied Liberation of Paris, which ended the deportation of Jews from French soil.”
Kushner is the father of US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
In the letter, a copy of which has been obtained by AFP, he writes: “I write out of deep concern over the dramatic rise of antisemitism in France and the lack of sufficient action by your government to confront it.
“In France, not a day passes without Jews assaulted in the street, synagogues or schools defaced, or Jewish-owned businesses vandalized,” he adds.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Macron of fomenting “antisemitism,” saying it had “surged” in France, following the French president’s announcement last month that he will recognize Palestinian statehood.
The Elysee hit back, calling Netanyahu’s allegation “abject” and “erroneous.”
“This is a time for seriousness and responsibility, not for conflation and manipulation,” the French presidency added.
Your next read: ToI Editors' Picks
LIMITED TIME OFFER: Join The Times of Israel Community today and you'll receive a physical book of your choice, carefully curated by our editors.
Choose between two must-reads: When We See You Again by Rachel Goldberg-Polin, a searing portrait of a mother’s grief and strength following unthinkable tragedy;
Or Out of the Sky: Heroism and Rebirth in Nazi Europe by Matti Friedman, the gripping and surprising tale of a forgotten moment during World War II.
As a Community member, you’ll also enjoy our DocuNation series of outstanding Israeli documentary films, an ad-free experience of our site and podcasts, commenting privileges, and more.
CHOOSE YOUR BOOK
CHOOSE YOUR BOOK
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
You're a dedicated reader
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
Join Our Community
Join Our Community
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this