A major dispute erupted between US Ambassador to Paris Charles Kushner and French President Emmanuel Macron over the issue of antisemitism. On August 24, WSJ published an open letter in which Kushner accused the French government of failing to take sufficient measures against manifestations of hatred towards Jews.
“I am deeply concerned about the sharp rise of antisemitism in France and the government’s lack of effective action against this threat... Not a day passes in the country without Jews being attacked in the streets, synagogues and schools being insulted, or Jewish businesses falling victim to vandalism,” wrote the ambassador, quoted by The Guardian.
The American diplomat urged Macron to enforce hate-crime laws more strictly and to tone down criticism of Israel. According to Kushner, French government statements about recognizing the State of Palestine have fueled an increase in antisemitism in the country.
France’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a response rejecting the accusations outright. “The rise of antisemitic acts since October 7, 2023, is a sad reality, but the government is firmly committed to fighting them. The ambassador’s accusations are unacceptable,” the official statement said.
France also stressed that, under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, such statements by an ambassador are considered interference in a country’s internal affairs. As a result, Charles Kushner was summoned to the Foreign Ministry on August 25.
It should be noted that Charles Kushner is the father-in-law of US President Donald Trump. His son Jared Kushner is married to Trump’s daughter Ivanka, who converted to Judaism in 2009 before their wedding.
Kushner’s letter followed a critical letter sent by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Macron. Netanyahu also accused the French president of contributing to antisemitism by calling for international recognition of Palestine.
At the same time, Macron has emerged as one of Europe’s toughest leaders openly criticizing Israel’s war in Gaza. His statement that France would officially recognize the State of Palestine at the UN session in September sparked sharp discontent in Israel. Macron also declared antisemitism incompatible with French values and reinforced security measures for religious centers.
France is home to nearly half a million Jews and several million Muslims concerned about the fate of Gaza’s population. Since the war in Gaza began, both communities have reported a sharp rise in hate crimes.
Thus, Kushner’s letter has further strained relations between France, the US, and Israel, creating serious diplomatic tensions on the international stage.
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