The French Foreign Ministry summoned the U.S. ambassador to France, Charles Kushner, over a letter he wrote to President Macron about local antisemitism. The letter, which the French Foreign Ministry called "unacceptable," was published in The Wall Street Journal.
Kushner wrote of his "deep concern" about what he termed a dramatic increase in antisemitism in France and the lack of sufficient action by the French government. Since October 7, France saw a dramatic uptick in antisemitism, he said.
Kushner criticized France's intention to recognize a Palestinian state, which Macron, noting anti-Zionism was anti-Semitism. In his letter, he called on Macron, among other things, to enforce laws against hate crimes and to ensure the safety of Jewish schools, synagogues and businesses.
Ahead of his summoning, France released a statement noting that "the ambassador's allegations are unacceptable," firmly rejecting the claim that it was failing in efforts to combat antisemitism.
The allegations against France, the Foreign Ministry said, "violate international law, particularly the duty not to interfere in the internal affairs of states ... Furthermore, they fall short of the quality of the transatlantic relationship between France and the United States and the trust that should result between allies."
