August 20, 2025 | 12:08 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Netanyahu slammed French President Emmanuel Macron in a letter dated Tuesday, August 19, 2025, blaming him for fueling anti-Semitism by recognizing a Palestine state.
Last month, Macron declared France's commitment to formally recognize Palestinian statehood during the upcoming UN meeting in September. Macron's statement immediately drew flak from Israel. France will join the list of countries recognizing Palestine since Israel launched its bombing on Gaza nearly two years ago.
In a letter to Macron cited by Al Arabiya, Netanyahu stated that anti-Semitism has "surged" in France following the 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’ refusal to free the hostages, emboldens those who menace French Jews and encourages the Jew-hatred now stalking your streets," Netanyahu wrote in the letter.
Netanyahu urged Macron to combat anti-Semitism in France. He stated that Macron should replace weakness with action and appeasement with resolve.
France condemned Netanyahu's letter as a "abject" and "erroneous."
"France protects and will always protect its Jewish citizens," said the Elysee Palace, adding that the letter would not go unanswered.
"This is a time for seriousness and responsibility, not for conflation and manipulation," said the Elysee Palace.
French Minister for European Affairs stated that Paris has no lessons to learn in the fight against anti-Semitism. “I would like to say very clearly and very firmly that this issue of antisemitism, which is poisoning our European societies ... cannot be exploited,” said Benjamin Haddad on BFMTV television.
Netanyahu Also Takes Aim at Albanese
Earlier, Netanyahu launched an extraordinary personal attack on Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, accusing him of "betraying" Israel.
"History will remember Albanese for what he is: a weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia's Jews," Netanyahu posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, as reported by ABC Australia.
The comments came after Israel's foreign minister revoked the visa of Australia's representative to the Palestinian Authority. This action is widely seen as retaliation for Australia’s recent decision to recognize the State of Palestine.
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid condemned the personal attack. "The thing that strengthens a leader in the democratic world today most is a confrontation with Netanyahu, the most politically toxic leader in the Western world," he wrote on X.
The relationship between the two countries began to sour after the Australian government revoked the visa of right-wing Israeli politician Simcha Rothman. The cancellation was made for a series of his upcoming visits to synagogues and Jewish schools in Australia, organized by the Australian Jewish Association (AJA). Rothman is a member of the National Religious Party—Religious Zionism, led by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
Israel retaliated on Monday night by revoking the visa of the Australian representative to the Palestinian Authority.
Editor’s Choice: Australia-Israel Tensions Escalate: Netanyahu Accuses Albanese of "Betrayal"
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