France summons US ambassador over 'antisemitism' letter
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France will summon US Ambassador Charles Kushner over accusations that Paris is failing to fight "antisemitism", which the ambassador equated with anti-Zionism.
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Charles Kushner arrives for the funeral of Ivana Trump, on July 20, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)
France’s Foreign Ministry announced that it will summon US Ambassador Charles Kushner on Monday following the publication of an open letter in which he accused the French government of failing to adequately combat antisemitism.
The letter, addressed to President Emmanuel Macron, has sparked diplomatic tensions amid growing anger from the US and "Israel" toward France’s stance on the war on Gaza and its broader position on the occupation of Palestine.
The move is highly unusual and underscores the severity of the diplomatic rift. Kushner, who recently assumed his post in Paris, is also the father of Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law.
In the letter, published by the Wall Street Journal on Sunday, Kushner wrote, "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."
He claimed that French government statements regarding the possible recognition of a Palestinian state have contributed to an alleged rise in antisemitic attacks in France, adding, "Public statements haranguing Israel and gestures toward recognition of a Palestinian state embolden extremists, fuel violence, and endanger Jewish life in France."
Perhaps more pointedly, he continues to declare, "In today's world, anti-Zionism is anti-semitism, plain and simple."
The letter appears to have been coordinated with a similar message sent by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Macron last week. Netanyahu also accused the French president of failing to act against rising anti-semitism.
French government responds to allegations
The French Foreign Ministry strongly rejected Kushner’s claims. In a statement, it said French authorities are “fully mobilized” in the fight against antisemitism.
"The Ambassador's allegations are unacceptable. They run counter to international law, in particular the obligation not to interfere in the internal affairs of States," the ministry stated, adding that the accusations fall short of the standards expected in the transatlantic partnership between France and the US.
According to a senior French official cited by Axios, both Kushner’s and Netanyahu’s letters are being interpreted as a coordinated effort to pressure Paris not to move forward with its diplomatic recognition of a Palestinian state during the upcoming UN General Assembly.
France’s position comes amid a wave of announcements from other countries, including key US allies, expressing intent to recognize a Palestinian state.
The France-US diplomatic tensions escalated further after the US State Department publicly backed Kushner. Deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott told Axios, "We stand by his comments. Ambassador Kushner is our US government representative in France and is doing a great job advancing our national interests in that role."
The international fallout from the genocide in Gaza and the French-led push toward Palestinian recognition are increasingly driving a wedge between Paris and Washington. While the White House has not issued an official comment, the implications for US-French relations are clear.
