Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has criticised French President Emmanuel Macron in a letter, accusing him of fuelling antisemitism by recognising a Palestinian state.
Macron recently announced that France would formally recognise a Palestinian state during a UN meeting in September, joining a growing list of nations that have made similar moves since the start of the Gaza war nearly two years ago. The decision drew immediate backlash from Israel.
In his letter, Netanyahu claimed that antisemitism in France had “surged” following Macron’s announcement.
“Your call for a Palestinian state pours fuel on this antisemitic fire. It is not diplomacy, it is appeasement. It rewards Hamas terror, hardens Hamas’s refusal to free the hostages, emboldens those who menace French Jews and encourages the Jew-hatred now stalking your streets,” he wrote.
He urged Macron to confront antisemitism in France, calling on him to “replace weakness with action, appeasement with resolve, and to do so by a clear date: the Jewish New Year, September 23.”
According to UN figures, at least 145 of the 193 member states now recognize or plan to recognize a Palestinian state, including Australia, Britain and Canada. Canberra confirmed earlier this month it intends to formalize recognition in September.
Netanyahu also lashed out at Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, branding him a “weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia’s Jews” in a post on his office’s official X account.
The outburst came amid a diplomatic row after the Australian government cancelled the visa of far-right Israeli politician Simcha Rothman, a member of Netanyahu’s governing coalition, who had been scheduled to speak at events organized by the Australian Jewish Association.
In retaliation, Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar revoked the visas of Australia’s representatives to the Palestinian Authority. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong described the move as an “unjustified reaction,” accusing Netanyahu’s government of “isolating Israel and undermining international efforts towards peace and a two-state solution.”
