A fresh diplomatic storm has erupted after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused French President Emmanuel Macron of “fuelling anti-Semitism” in France.
In a letter obtained by AFP on Tuesday, Netanyahu directly criticised Macron for announcing that France will recognise Palestine at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly.
He claimed anti-Semitism had “surged” in France following Macron’s announcement, writing:
“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’s refusal to free the hostages, emboldens those who menace French Jews and encourages the Jew-hatred now stalking your streets.”
The French presidency dismissed Netanyahu’s allegations as “abject” and “erroneous”, vowing they “will not go unanswered.” Officials reiterated that France “protects and will always protect its Jewish citizens,” condemning violence against Jewish communities as “intolerable.”
French deputy minister for European affairs, Benjamin Haddad, further stressed that France had “no lessons to learn in the fight against anti-Semitism” and warned against exploiting the issue.
Australia caught in diplomatic crossfire
The row expanded when Netanyahu lashed out at Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, branding him “a weak politician” who had “betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia’s Jews.”
Canberra recently confirmed plans to recognise Palestinian statehood and revoked the visa of Simcha Rothman, a far-right Israeli politician from Netanyahu’s coalition. Rothman was scheduled to attend events hosted by the Australian Jewish Association.
In response, Israel’s foreign minister Gideon Saar revoked visas of Australian representatives to the Palestinian Authority and ordered a stricter review of any official Australian visa applications to Israel.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong condemned the move as an “unjustified reaction,” accusing Netanyahu’s government of deepening Israel’s diplomatic isolation.
Last week, Albanese criticised Netanyahu directly, saying he was “in denial” about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Humanitarian concerns in gaza escalate
The diplomatic feud comes as the humanitarian situation in Gaza worsens. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported on Tuesday that Israel has banned the entry of shelter items, including tents, for the past five months.
Spokesman Jens Laerke said over 700,000 displaced Palestinians are living without proper shelter, as Israel classified tents as “dual use” items, citing possible military purposes for tent poles.
The UN Human Rights Office warned that Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza City risked triggering a “further humanitarian catastrophe.”
The disputes with Paris and Canberra highlight Israel’s growing diplomatic isolation as more Western governments consider recognising Palestinian statehood. Both Macron and Albanese are standing firm, while Netanyahu’s rhetoric risks straining Israel’s long-standing alliances.
Whether these tensions push more countries to follow suit, or further entrench Israel’s isolation, will become clearer when world leaders meet at the UN General Assembly next month.
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