Antisemitism pushing many French Jews to consider moving to Israel, leader warns

Robert Ejnes, who heads France’s largest Jewish umbrella organization, CRIF, is highly critical of French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to recognize a "Palestinian state."

“We're not surprised,” Ejnes said. “Because he said it three months ago... we had the reaction three months ago. We called it... the political error, political danger, diplomatic error and moral error as well."

The French president announced last month that Paris intends to recognize the “State of Palestine” at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September despite objections from Israel and the U.S. 

“France remains committed to its historic duty to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East. I have decided that France will recognize the State of Palestine. I will issue a formal declaration at the United Nations General Assembly in September,” Macron wrote on the social media platform 𝕏. 

Israel and the United States have blasted Macron and warned that such a unilateral diplomatic move constitutes a reward for Hamas’ Oct. 7 atrocities against Israeli civilians including women, children and elderly Holocaust survivors. 

The French Jewish leader shares this sentiment. 

“We see it as a recognition of the terrorist value of the 7th of October,” Ejnes explained. “And we're not the only ones to say it, because Hamas leaders say exactly the same thing three days ago."

He revealed that French Jewish leaders tried to convince Macron to change his mind on the controversial Middle Eastern issue. 

“We certainly did. And remember, Jews in France are less than 1% of the population. And even though we have a large clout in the country... we did talk to him directly, and that were the leaders of the largest Jewish organizations in France, and the Chief Rabbi. But he wouldn't budge from this position,” he revealed. 

“We also speak to his cabinet,” the Jewish leader continued, adding “and we had a large meeting with one of the main cabinet members, diplomatic cabinet members of President Macron who tried to explain... and the whole set of leaders of the Jewish community that was present to the meeting did not agree... with this as a solution to the Middle East crisis.”

However, Ejnes is more specifically concerned about the rise of antisemitism in France following the Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, massacre.

“There is a very strong rise in antisemitism since October 7,” he assessed. “The extreme left has made Gaza a major political argument in their campaigns. And they're really pushing for the hate of Israel—and by the way, the hate of the Jews."

France is home to Europe’s largest Jewish community, numbering around half a million people. In addition, France is also home to between six to seven million Muslims, constituting some 10% of the country’s total population. Like in much of the West, individuals with a Muslim immigrant background have played a disproportionate role in the rise of antisemitic incidents in France. 

“Wherever they live, I guess the Jewish population is feeling insecure today in the French environment,” the Jewish leader said, stressing that many French Jews are once again talking about emigrating to Israel and other countries. 

“I don't know a family that is not speaking about it now,” he said.

“It doesn't mean that they will do it, because it's a very difficult move. And a lot of people want to believe in France as a country,” he continued. Thousands of French Jews have in recent years moved to Israel.

Ejnes concluded by emphasizing that French Jews feel a strong affinity with France and French culture. 

"Once again, we've been in the country more than 2,000 years. And there is a very strong French feeling among the Jewish community... Many know the resilience of the community after all the bad events that ever happened to us in France, especially in recent times: the Dreyfus Affair, or the Vichy government, or the Shoah (Holocaust), and Jews have still continued to live and belong to the French environment,” he said.

While arguing that Macron has previously articulated support for Israel and Jews, Ejnes believes that the French president’s policies are currently strengthening anti-Jewish and anti-Israel sentiments in France and beyond. 

“Today, we believe he's promoting antisemitism by doing what he's doing,” he stated.

Last month, the leaders of United Kingdom and Canada announced that they would likely join France in unilaterally recognizing a “Palestinian state.” 

Addressing the UN Security Council in New York on Tuesday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar blasted France and the international community for rewarding Hamas’s aggression against Israel and undermining efforts to secure the release of the remaining 50 Israeli hostages held in Gaza.