French Jews respond: Macron's claims on Israel ignite anti-Semitism “His statement undermines historical truth”

Yonathan Arfi, President of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France, condemned French leader Emmanuel Macron's recent remarks about Israel. 

Arfi rebuked the French government's stance in his post on social platform X, Caliber.Az reports.

“The statements attributed to the President of the Republic, if confirmed, are both a historical and political mistake. To claim that the creation of Israel was the result of a political decision by the UN is to ignore the century-long history of Zionism, the millennia-long desire of Jews to return to Zion and the sacrifices of thousands of them for the establishment of the state.

At a time when anti-Semitism feeds on anti-Zionism, these remarks dangerously strengthen the camp of those who challenge the legitimacy of Israel's right to exist. In the long history leading up to the creation of the Jewish state, I prefer to remember the role played by France. It was in Paris, faced with the anti-Semitism caused by the Dreyfus Affair, that Theodor Herzl wrote his book "The Jewish State", in which he outlined the essence of the Zionist movement.

It was from Sète (a commune in France - Ed.) on July 11, 1947, even before the UN decision, that the ship "Exodus" with the survivors of the death camps of Jews departed. France accompanied Israel's first military steps to defend itself against those who already wanted to destroy it.

France and Israel had and still have diplomatic differences. But beyond these unfortunate remarks, I hope the friendship between the countries will continue,” wrote Yonathan Arfi.

Earlier, French President Macron stated, “Israel should not forget that it was created by the decision of the UN, and therefore must obey it, the UN.” In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office noted that “not the decision of the UN led to the creation of the state of Israel, and the victory in the war of independence, achieved by the blood of our heroic soldiers, many of whom were saved during the Shoah, including from the Vichy regime.”

By Tamilla Hasanova