France summons US envoy Charles Kushner over letter accusing French govt of not confronting antisemitism

Kushner, who is Jewish and whose son Jared Kushner is married to US President Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump, expressed his views in a letter in WSJ.

By: Express Web Desk

August 25, 2025 08:29 AM IST

2 min read

Charles Kushner, in his letter, asked French President Macron to tone down his criticism of Israel and cited examples of “antisemitism” which he said has "long scarred French life". (AP Photo/ File)

The Foreign Ministry of France has said that it has summoned the US ambassador to Paris, Charles Kushner, after he wrote an open letter accusing the French government of lacking to take “sufficient action” in confronting antisemitism.

Kushner, who is Jewish and whose son Jared Kushner is married to US President Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump, expressed his views in a letter addressed to French President Emmanuel Macron in the Wall Street Journal.

Reverberating Israel’s criticism of France a few days ago, Kushner wrote there had been an explosion of hatred towards Jews in France since the war between Israel and Gaza based Hamas militant group broke out in October 2023.

The French authorities said it strongly rejects the “unacceptable” allegations in Kushner’s letter and summoned the US envoy to appear before the Foreign Ministry on Monday. The ministry said Kushner’s letter “falls short of the quality of the transatlantic relationship” between the US and France.

France’s foreign ministry, in a statement, said “The rise in antisemitic acts in France since October 7, 2023, is a reality that we deplore and to which the French authorities are fully committed, given the intolerability of these acts.”

Charles Kushner, in his letter, asked French President Macron to tone down his criticism of Israel and cited examples of “antisemitism” which he said has “long scarred French life”.

“In France, not a day passes without Jews assaulted in the street, synagogues or schools defaced, or Jewish-owned businesses vandalized. Your own Interior Ministry has reported antisemitic incidents even at preschools,” Kushner wrote, reported BBC.

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Kushner’s letter is being seen as a parallel to Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s letter, who also wrote last week to French President Macron accusing him of contributing to antisemitism by calling for international recognition of a Palestinian state.

France, along with the UK, Canada and Australia have said that they will formally recognise Palestine in September.

(with inputs from BBC)

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