US Ambassador Sparks Diplomatic Row with France over Antisemitism Increase

U.S. Ambassador to France Charles Kushner publicly criticized President Emmanuel Macron's approach to rising antisemitism, attributing the surge to France's push for Palestinian state recognition and its criticisms of Israel amid the Gaza conflict. Kushner argued that such political gestures embolden extremists, fuel violence, and endanger Jewish communities, emphasizing the sharp rise in antisemitic acts following Hamas's attack in October 2023. France condemned Kushner's letter as unacceptable and a violation of diplomatic norms under the Vienna Convention, summoning him to the Foreign Ministry and rejecting the allegations of insufficient action against antisemitism. The dispute intensified as Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also accused Macron of contributing to antisemitism, which Macron's office strongly denied. Both France and the U.S. acknowledge the increase in antisemitic incidents, but they diverge sharply over the causes and responses, with France affirming its commitment to fighting hate crimes while maintaining its two-state solution stance. This diplomatic row highlights tensions over how best to address antisemitism and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in France, a country with significant Jewish and Muslim populations experiencing heightened community sensitivities.