Israel embraces France’s far-right, turning a blind eye to its Nazi past

Since the attack of 7 October 2023, France's stance on anti-Semitism, which is rising sharply in the territory, has been considered ambiguous by many observers. According to a 2024 Ifop survey carried out for the American Jewish Committee (AJC), in partnership with the Foundation for Political Innovation (Fondapol) and Le Point, 92% of the French of Jewish faith believe that the party is contributing to the worsening of the phenomenon. A situati…

On the left as well as the right, a thick residue of antisemitism in France

Antisemitism is the socialism of fools — the famous phrase falsely ascribed to the 19th century German socialist Auguste Bebel — has had all too many reasons to be cited over the subsequent two centuries. It is not just all-too-apropos in the case of current events in France, but it is also all-too-tragic given the great stakes involved. Last year, President Emmanuel Macron, in a fit of peevishness following the striking defeat of his party Rena…

Israel embraces France’s far-right, turning a blind eye to its Nazi past

A generation ago, it would have been unthinkable: the leader of France’s far-right party – an organization infamously founded by Nazis – invited to speak at an Israeli antisemitism conference.

The Israeli government breaks with old political convictions. For the Marine Le Pen Party, participation is a knight's blow. Representatives of Jewish organizations, on the other hand, are outraged – and stay away from the conference.

The great political reporter Emilio Meslet, who was to attend the International Conference against Anti-Semitism on 26 and 27 March in Jerusalem, was cancelled "at the last moment" by the Israeli government.

The participation of the president of the RN in a conference against anti-Semitism in Jerusalem, along with many representatives of the far right, caused cascading cancellations. In France, the president of the RN...