US envoy criticises France’s lack of action over antisemitism

The US ambassador to Paris has upped the pressure on French President Emmanuel Macron over antisemitism with a letter calling the government’s action on anti-Jewish hatred insufficient, days after similar criticism from Israel.

US envoy Charles Kushner’s letter to Macron was dated August 25, which he noted was “the 81st anniversary of the Allied Liberation of Paris, which ended the deportation of Jews from French soil” under Nazi German occupation.

In the letter, a copy of which has been obtained by Agence France-Presse, he wrote: “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 vandalised.”

While “antisemitism has long scarred French life”, the ambassador argued that hatred of Jews “has exploded since Hamas’ barbaric assault on October 7, 2023”, which triggered the war in Gaza.

Paris later summoned the US ambassador after the “unacceptable” comments.