France Calls In U.S. Ambassador Over Antisemitism Criticism

Washington, Aug 25 (AP) — France has called in the U.S. Ambassador to Paris, Charles Kushner, after he sent a letter to French President Emmanuel Macron, accusing France of inadequate efforts to counter antisemitism. France's foreign ministry issued a statement on Sunday, saying Kushner has been summoned to appear on Monday at the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. The ministry deemed his accusations “unacceptable.” The White House has yet to comment, but on Sunday evening, State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott defended Kushner’s comments, praising him for effectively advancing U.S. interests in France. The summoning of the ambassador indicates a formal notice of French displeasure.

Kushner, a real estate mogul, is the father of Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law. In its statement, the French foreign ministry strongly refuted Kushner's allegations, maintaining that France is “fully mobilized” to tackle the increase in antisemitic acts since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, which they called “intolerable.” In his letter, issued late Sunday, Kushner criticizes France's stance towards Israel, warning that public statements criticizing Israel and gestures toward recognizing a Palestinian state embolden extremists and jeopardize Jewish safety in France. He urges Macron to enforce hate-crime laws, protect Jewish institutions, and cease actions that may lend credibility to Hamas.

The French ministry indicated that Kushner's claims breach international law by interfering in France's internal matters and do not uphold the integrity expected of the transatlantic alliance between the U.S. and France. This issue follows Macron's dismissal of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's claims that France's intention to recognize a Palestinian state is inciting antisemitism. France houses Europe’s largest Jewish community, with approximately 500,000 Jews, constituting about 1% of the country's population.

Diplomatic tensions have surfaced between France and the U.S. this year amid disagreements over Trump's trade policies and differing views on the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon known as UNIFIL, about which France has significant concerns. A UN Security Council vote on this matter is anticipated at the end of the month. Besides differences on Lebanese peacekeeping, France and the U.S. have experienced friction over their responses to the Ukraine conflict. However, this divide has narrowed, with Trump recently expressing support for security assurances during a congenial meeting at the White House involving Macron and other European leaders.

At the end of his initial term, President Trump pardoned Charles Kushner, who had been convicted of tax evasion and illicit campaign donations. Jared Kushner, Charles’s son, previously served as a senior adviser in Trump’s White House and is married to Trump's eldest daughter, Ivanka. (AP) RD RD

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