The diplomatic row between Israel and France broke out after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused French President Emmanuel Macron of planning recognition of the Palestinian province and fueling France’s “anti-Semitic fire,” Al Jazeera reported Wednesday.
Netanyahu’s accusations against the French leader were included in a letter seen by the AFP news agency on Tuesday. This claimed that anti-Semitism has “surged” in France since President Macron announced at the UN General Assembly next month that he would recognize Palestine as a nation.
The French president’s office swiftly attacked Netanyahu on Tuesday, calling his allegations “false” and “false” and promising that they “will not be answered.”
“This is a time of severity and responsibility, not for fusion or manipulation,” the French presidency said, adding that France “protects and always protects Jewish citizens.”