Israeli ambassador compares France's far-left leader's rhetoric to Hitler as antisemitism surges

PARIS, France — Israel's ambassador to France says far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon's rhetoric against Jews "reminds maine of Hitler," informing that overseas power is fueling a surge successful antisemitism that has immoderate French Jews hiding their identities to past regular life.

France recorded 1,320 antisemitic acts successful 2025 — triple nan 436 incidents successful 2022 — but a elder personnel of nan Jewish organization leaders told Fox News Digital they garbage to retreat, moreover arsenic nan attacks and incidents support coming.

Israeli Ambassador to France, Joshua Zarka, says France is location to Europe’s largest Muslim organization and is contributing to a precocious measurement of antisemitic incidents reported crossed nan state each day. France besides has Europe's largest Jewish community.

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Leader of French left-wing La France Insoumise (LFI) statement Jean-Luc Melenchon delivers a reside during an electoral run gathering of nan section LFI campaigner for French municipal elections successful Marseille, confederate France, connected March 7, 2026.  (Miguel Medina / AFP via Getty Images)

"The number of events is highly precocious — not because nan French authorities does not conflict it, but because location is this guidelines successful which antisemitism is growing," he said, owed to overseas influence, which he claimed comes from Iran, Russia, Turkey and Qatar.

While he says those authorities actors are fueling nan occurrence of Jew-hatred from nan outside, definite French governmental actors utilization antisemitism for nan intent of getting much votes. According to Zarka, foremost among them is nan far-left statement La France Insoumise (LFI).

"The measurement [LFI leader] Jean-Luc Mélenchon speaks successful beforehand of a crowd reminds maine of Hitler. The measurement he uses nan thought of uniting against 1 force by speaking of Israel is akin to nan measurement Hitler utilized to speak astir nan Jews," Zarka said.

In February, nan Human Rights League criticized Mélenchon aft he mocked nan pronunciation of Jewish names, including that of MEP Raphaël Glucksmann.

Palestinian protestors activity flags pinch immoderate seemingly making Nazi-like salutes during a shot crippled betwixt Israel and Paraguay during nan Paris 2024 Olympic Games astatine nan Parc des Princes successful Paris connected July 27, 2024.  (GEOFFROY VAN DER HASSELT/AFP via Getty Images)

Mélenchon antecedently wrote connected his blog that "antisemitism remains residual successful France," remarks critics said downplayed a surge successful Jew-hatred pursuing Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre successful Israel.

Fox News Digital many times contacted Mélenchon’s media advisor for remark but did not person a response.

Zarka added that complete nan past 3 years location has been a displacement successful nan Jewish community’s cognition of what was erstwhile considered nan utmost right, pinch galore nary longer viewing nan National Rally, formerly led by Marine Le Pen, arsenic such.

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Protesters clasp signs reference "raped astatine 12 because Jewish" during a objection called by associations including SOS Racisme and nan Women's Foundation to denounce antisemitism, successful Paris connected June 20, 2024, aft nan alleged antisemetic pack rape of a 12-year-old woman successful Paris' suburb of Courbevoie. (ZAKARIA ABDELKAFI/AFP via Getty Images)

"Let’s not hide that [National Rally president] Jordan Bardella went to Israel and, astatine Yad Vashem, made a general committedness to conflict antisemitism, beryllium it from nan correct aliases nan left, and that is significant... that is sinking into nan mind of nan Jewish community," Zarka said."

Recent incidents see nan partial cutting down connected Jan. 12 successful Lyon of a tree planted successful representation of Ilan Halimi, who was abducted and murdered successful a 2006 antisemitic attack. On Feb. 9, a young boy wearing a kippah was assaulted by a group of 5 individuals, 1 of whom allegedly held a weapon to his throat. Ten days later, acerb was sprayed successful 2 eating rooms of a kosher edifice successful Paris’s 17th arrondissement. On Apr. 15, racist and antisemitic graffiti targeted 3 precocious schools successful nan Montpellier metropolitan area.

El Al's offices successful Paris were vandalized, showing graffiti connected nan building's exterior. (Noemie Olive/Reuters)

In March, 2 brothers were arrested successful relationship pinch what authorities described arsenic a "deadly and antisemitic" crippled aft constabulary discovered a semi-automatic weapon, a vessel of hydrochloric acerb and an Islamic State emblem successful their vehicle.

Rabbi Elie Lemmel was targeted successful 2 antisemitic attacks, including past June successful Deauville, wherever he was punched successful nan stomach. Days later, he was attacked again successful Neuilly-sur-Seine while sitting astatine a café terrace, erstwhile a Palestinian from Gaza struck him pinch a chair.

Lemmel told Fox News Digital he had almost ne'er faced aggression before, but believes nan post-Oct. 7 conflict has intensified tensions. He said he understands those who take to beryllium much discreet and would ne'er judge them.

"You person to beryllium vigilant," he said. "Unfortunately, immoderate group spot a kippah and it bothers them. Those who want to do harm will ever find reasons.

"If we commencement hiding, it is nan opening of nan end," he added. "I person ever worn a kippah, and that is why I proceed to deterioration it."

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Yonathan Arfi, president of nan Conseil Représentatif des Institutions juives de France (CRIF), said immoderate Jewish families now forgo displaying mezuzahs aliases usage different names connected mobile apps to debar being identified.

"On nan 1 hand, location is simply a emergence successful antisemitism that leads to precautionary behavior," Arfi told Fox News Digital. "On nan different hand, Jewish life remains much vibrant than ever, pinch synagogues afloat and much kosher restaurants than ever before."

"We must not connection antisemitic terrorists and those driven by hatred our fearfulness and withdrawal arsenic a trophy," said Arfi. "Wherever possible, Jewish life must proceed openly and proudly."

French riot constabulary usage tear state to disperse demonstrators during a pro-Palestinian rally astatine Republique Square successful Paris connected Oct. 12, 2023. (Ibrahim Ezzat/Anadolu)

Immigration to Israel, he said, should nevertheless beryllium seen arsenic a informing motion that immoderate Jews nary longer spot a early successful France.

Historically, French migration to Israel averaged betwixt 1,500 and 2,000 group annually aft nan Six-Day War. The fig peaked astatine astir 8,000 annually betwixt 2012 and 2015, fell to astir 1,000 successful 2023, past roseate again to much than 2,000 successful 2024 and 3,500 successful 2025. The Jewish Agency for Israel estimates astir 4,000 immigrants from France successful 2026.

The Israeli ambassador to Paris noted that French authorities return combating antisemitism seriously, and truthful nan state remains "a comparatively safe place," while urging Israelis to workout be aware erstwhile walking to different European countries specified arsenic Spain, Belgium and moreover nan Netherlands, "where antisemitism flourishes."

French President Emmanuel Macron addresses nan 80th United Nations General Assembly astatine U.N. office successful New York connected Sept. 23, 2025. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)

In February, President Emmanuel Macron denounced nan "antisemitic hydra" that had crept into "every crack" of French nine during a ceremonial commemorating Ilan Halimi, a Jewish man kidnapped and tortured to decease by nan Gang of Barbarians successful 2006.

"In 20 years, and contempt nan resolute efforts of our constabulary officers, gendarmes, judges, teachers and elected officials, nan antisemitic hydra has kept advancing," Macron said, according to Le Monde.

"Constantly assuming caller faces, it has insinuated itself into nan bosom of our societies, into each crevice, excessively often accompanied by that aforesaid pact of cowardice: to support silent, to garbage to see," he continued.

Macron besides condemned nan "Islamist antisemitism" down nan Oct. 7 Hamas-led massacre, arsenic good arsenic "far-left antisemitism," which he said "rivals that of nan acold right."

He added that antisemitism progressively "uses nan disguise of anti-Zionism to beforehand quietly."

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Marine Le Pen and deputies Sebastien Chenu and Jordan Bardella participate successful a march against antisemitism from nan Esplanade des Invalides to nan Senate successful Paris connected Nov. 12, 2023. (Antoine Gyori/Corbis via Getty Images)

Even so, bilateral ties pinch Israel are not without friction, pinch Zarka disclosing that nan authorities of French President Emmanuel Macron refused to let U.S. subject overflights carrying weapons to Israel during nan warfare against Iran.

"The French made nan determination not to supply america pinch an aerial span for American limb shipments to alert complete during nan warfare against Iran," he said.

It was nan 2nd clip France had denied specified a request, nan first occurring during nan 1973 Yom Kippur War, nan envoy noted.