US ambassador Charles Kushner publicly accused France of failing to confront a dramatic rise in antisemitic violence that includes street assaults, synagogue and school defacements, and vandalism of Jewish businesses. Kushner, who is Jewish and whose son is married to US President Donald Trump's daughter, noted the timing near the 81st anniversary of the Allied Liberation of Paris and linked the surge to Hamas's October 7, 2023 assault and the ensuing Gaza war. He urged stronger enforcement of hate-crime laws and reduced official criticism of Israel, arguing French statements about recognising a Palestinian state have fuelled incidents. France rejected the allegations, cited the 1961 Vienna Convention against interference, and summoned Kushner to the foreign ministry to appear.
I write out of deep concern over the dramatic rise of antisemitism in France and the lack of sufficient action by your government to confront it... In France, not a day passes without Jews assaulted in the street, synagogues or schools defaced, or Jewish-owned businesses vandalized, he added. In the letter, he urged French president Emmanuel Macron to more urgently enforce hate-crime laws and tone down criticism of Israel, saying French government statements about recognising a Palestinian state have fuelled antisemitic incidents in France.
France firmly refutes these latest allegations, said a foreign ministry statement in response, hours after the letter's contents were made public. The Ambassador's allegations are unacceptable, the ministry said, adding Kushner would be due to appear on Monday. The ministry said the 1961 Vienna Convention meant ambassadors were not permitted to interfere in a country's internal affairs.
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