Diplomatic Official of the United States called for meeting following remarks on anti-Semitism allegations

In an unprecedented move between allies, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned the U.S. Ambassador to France, Charles Kushner, on Monday. The summoning comes in response to a letter written by Ambassador Kushner, expressing concerns over the rise in anti-Semitic acts in France since October 7, 2023.

In his letter, Ambassador Kushner asserts that statements denigrating Israel and gestures recognising a Palestinian state encourage extremism, foment violence, and put French Judaism at risk. He further estimates that "today, there's no more room for hedging: anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism, plain and simple."

The ambassador's criticisms echo those made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who accused President Emmanuel Macron of fanning the flames of anti-Semitism by calling for international recognition of the State of Palestine.

The French diplomacy did not address the ambassador's assertion that anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism. However, they have rejected the accusations as unacceptable and against international law. The French Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated that anti-Semitic acts are intolerable and that the French authorities are showing total mobilization.

The French presidency had previously responded to Netanyahu's analysis as erroneous, abject, and not going unanswered. Despite this, the ambassador's letter comes at a delicate time, as France is home to the largest Jewish community in Western Europe, with around 500,000 people, at the same time as a very important Arab-Muslim community, very sensitive to the fate of the Palestinians in Gaza.

The summoning of Ambassador Kushner is an extremely rare measure between allies. It follows a virulent attack by Netanyahu against President Macron, and comes a few days after the U.S. Ambassador supported the criticisms of the Israeli Prime Minister.

According to the ambassador, anti-Semitic acts have been sharply on the rise in France since October 7, 2023, with Jews regularly attacked in the streets, synagogues desecrated, and Jewish-owned businesses vandalized. He also mentions that kindergartens have been targeted by anti-Semitic vandalism.

The French Foreign Ministry spokesperson has not commented on the specific claims made by the U.S. Ambassador in his letter. On Monday, August 25, no specific individual was mentioned in the search results as having received a rare formal summons ("Rufbescheid") from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Paris.

This development marks a significant escalation in the tensions between France and the United States over the issue of anti-Semitism and the Middle East conflict. The outcome of this diplomatic incident remains to be seen.