France recalled US Ambassador Charles Kushner after he criticized Paris for not stopping mounting antisemitic violence, prompting a harsh criticism from the French foreign ministry. The recall follows closely on the heels of similar criticism from Israel in recent days, heightening tensions between France and its allies over President Emmanuel Macron's stance on the Israel-Palestine war.
In his August 25 letter to Macron the anniversary of the Allied Liberation of Paris in 1944 Kushner was "deeply concerned" about the "sharp increase in antisemitism in France." He alleged that Jewish citizens were daily subjected to assaults, vandalism, and harassment and contended that the government's response has not been adequate.
France dismissed the ambassador's words in its entirety, declaring them "unacceptable" and an interference in internal matters. The ministry underlined that Paris is still "fully committed" to fighting antisemitism and cautioned that Kushner's words undermined the confidence one would expect between allies.
Kushner’s allegations echoed those of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who last week accused Macron of fostering antisemitism following his announcement that France would formally recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations in September. Netanyahu claimed antisemitism in France had “surged” since Macron’s declaration, while the Elysee Palace dismissed the charges as “abject” and “erroneous.”
In his letter, Kushner also took aim at Macron's position on Israel's Gaza war and support for Palestinian statehood, stating such action "emboldens extremists, fuels violence and endangers Jewish life in France." He went on to say, "In today's world, anti-Zionism is antisemitism plain and simple."
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France has the largest Jewish population in Western Europe, some half a million, plus a large Muslim population which has shown sympathy for Palestinians in Gaza. They have complained of an increase in hate crimes following the eruption of the Israel-Hamas conflict in 2023.
Kushner's letter emphasized chilling statistics, stating that much of French youth is ignorant of the Holocaust, and that ignorance may kindle prejudice. "Almost half of French youth say they have never heard of the Holocaust at all," he wrote.
For France, the controversy falls at a sensitive time. Macron's strategy to spearhead Palestinian recognition at the UN aligns Paris with over 145 of the 193 UN member nations that already recognize Palestinian statehood. The action, however, has put France at variance with Israel and now the United States, tainting traditional friendships at a time of increasing global turmoil.
