France summons US ambassador over anti-Semitism allegations

Foreign Ministry calls Charles Kushner’s assertion that Paris is not doing capable to combat anti-Semitism ‘unacceptable’.

France has summoned the US ambassador, Charles Kushner, aft helium wrote a missive to President Emmanuel Macron alleging that Paris had failed to bash capable to stem anti-Semitic violence, a French Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson says.

Kushner published the unfastened missive successful the Wall Street Journal connected Sunday, successful which helium focused connected France’s disapproval of Israel – which has been accused by starring rights groups of carrying retired a genocide successful Gaza – and its plans to recognise a Palestinian state.

“Public statements haranguing Israel and gestures toward designation of a Palestinian authorities embolden extremists, substance violence, and endanger Jewish beingness successful France,” helium wrote. “In today’s world, anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism – plain and simple.”

Paris was speedy to respond to the ambassador.

“France firmly refutes these latest allegations,” a Foreign Ministry connection said connected Sunday. “The allegations from the ambassador are unacceptable.”

France is “fully committed” to warring anti-Semitism, the ministry added.

The Foreign Ministry’s connection besides said that Kushner’s comments went “against planetary law, and successful peculiar the work not to interfere successful interior matters of states” by diplomatic personnel.

“Furthermore, they bash not unrecorded up to the prime of the transatlantic narration betwixt France and the United States and the spot that should effect betwixt allies,” it added.

Israel has been imposing deadly hunger connected Palestinians successful Gaza, whom it has displaced repeatedly arsenic it systematically destroys the enclave of 2 cardinal people, sidesplitting dozens daily.

In caller weeks, France and different Western nations person announced plans to recognise a Palestinian state, portion maintaining their trade, diplomatic and information ties to Israel.

Still, the determination has angered Israel and its apical ally, the US.

Kushner, who is the begetter of US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and erstwhile advisor Jared Kushner, was pardoned by Trump during his archetypal term, having been convicted of tax evasion and witnesser tampering successful 2005.

The envoy’s missive follows a akin connection addressed to Macron by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu past week, which besides linked France’s determination to recognise a Palestinian authorities to anti-Semitism.

The French president’s bureau deed backmost swiftly astatine Netanyahu, calling his allegations “abject” and “erroneous”, and promising that they “will not spell unanswered”.

“This is simply a clip for seriousness and responsibility, not for conflation and manipulation,” the French presidency said, adding that France “protects and volition ever support its Jewish citizens”.

Rights advocates accidental that Israel’s supporters often invoke accusations of anti-Semitism to distract from the country’s abuses against Palestinians and soundlessness the statement astir the issue.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies