‘Anti-Zionism Is Antisemitism:’ France Condemns U.S. Envoy’s Letter Highlighting Surge in Hatred Targeting Jews

Latest Developments

France Issues Terse Response to Kushner Letter: U.S. Ambassador to France Charles Kushner was summoned by the French foreign ministry on August 25 following the publication of his letter to President Emanuel Macron demanding action to combat the “dramatic rise of antisemitism in France.” In an indignant response to Kushner’s letter, the foreign ministry stated that it “firmly refutes” the ambassadors’ allegations, accusing him of “violat[ing] international law, particularly the duty not to interfere in the internal affairs of states, as set out in the 1961 Vienna Convention governing diplomatic relations.” The son of Holocaust survivors, Kushner took up his post in Paris in July.
Gaza War Has Intensified Antisemitism Crisis: Noting that antisemitism “has long scarred French life,” Kushner highlighted how the situation had worsened during the war in Gaza. “Public statements haranguing Israel and gestures toward recognition of a Palestinian state embolden extremists, fuel violence, and endanger Jewish life in France,” he wrote. “In today’s world, anti-Zionism is antisemitism—plain and simple.” Declaring his readiness to assist Macron and the French government in developing a plan to counter antisemitism, Kushner urged the French president to “act decisively: enforce hate-crime laws without exception; ensure the safety of Jewish schools, synagogues and businesses, prosecute offenders to the fullest extent; and abandon steps that give legitimacy to Hamas and its allies.”
Massive Increase in Antisemitic Incidents: According to the Paris-based Jewish Community Protection Service (SPCJ), 1,676 antisemitic acts were recorded in 2023, a fourfold increase on the previous year. The wave of incidents remained consistent in 2024, with 1,570 acts recorded, averaging out at 130 antisemitic incidents per month. The SPCJ emphasized that during 2024, physical attacks on Jews escalated notably, with more than 10 percent of the incidents recorded involving violence.

FDD Expert Response

“The sullen and defensive response of the French foreign ministry to Ambassador Kushner is effectively a denial of the insecurity and violence that have plagued French Jews for the last quarter century. We should never forget that France’s highest court excused from trial a delinquent under the influence of local Islamists who, in 2017, tortured and beat an elderly Jewish woman to death, arguing that his intake of cannabis had rendered him temporarily insane. The following year, a Holocaust survivor was stabbed to death in a similar attack. Last year, a 12-year-old Jewish girl was raped by three boys as they screamed anti-Israel slogans. No wonder that France resents being called out.” — Ben Cohen, Senior Analyst and Rapid Response Director

“France played an important and ignominious role in the creation of Israel. It was the rampant French antisemitism during the Dreyfus Affair of the late 19th century that helped inspire modern Zionism, convincing many Jews that they would never be safe in Europe. Now, the resurgent antisemitism plaguing France has led many French Jews to consider leaving the country. Rather than summoning the U.S. ambassador, Paris should summon the courage and decency to look in the mirror and tackle the antisemitism running amok in France.” — David May, Research Manager and Senior Research Analyst