French politicians' anti-Israel rhetoric: Dangerous trend for Europe Expert opinions

The recent Jewish pogrom in Amsterdam unfortunately received support from some high-ranking Europeans. According to the Israelinfo website, far-left figures in France attempted to justify the violent attack against Israeli fans. Marie Mesmeur, a Member of Parliament from the La France Insoumise party, defended the actions on her X page: "these people here were not lynched because they were Jewish, but instead because they were racist and supported a genocide."

The tweet by the French MP sparked outrage worldwide, but not within her own party. Fabien Roussel, leader of the French Communist Party, stated that "people were lynched in the streets of a European city for being Jewish." He added, "Hatred is growing and becoming unbearable. The perpetrators must be arrested and punished according to their monstrous actions." Carole Delga, a Socialist Party MP from the Occitanie region, emphasized that Marie Mesmeur "is causing increasing harm to France with every word she speaks." Meanwhile, France's Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau, urged the public prosecutor to open a criminal investigation.

What has happened to French politicians? Why has anti-Semitic rhetoric in Paris reached such an aggressive peak? With these questions, Caliber.Az correspondent reached out to Israeli political analysts and experts.

According to political scientist Dmitry Radyshevsky, PhD, a graduate of Harvard University's Graduate School of Theology, the stance taken by French MP Mesmer is largely driven by her narrow ambitions, which reflect a broader trend in the new wave of European politics.

"It doesn't particularly surprise me. Moreover, she represents a constituency with a significant number of immigrants from Arab countries. With such statements, Mesmeur is attempting to secure short-term benefits for herself, but in the long run, she is causing harm to France.

In this context, I would like to add that Azerbaijan is a beacon and a true leader of enlightened Islam.

As for the arrogance displayed by French politicians, including the anti-Semitic rhetoric, it is based on the absurd ambitions of France, rooted in memories of former colonial power, particularly in the Middle East—Syria and Lebanon. Today, French politicians, playing on the side of anti-Semitic forces, are trying to assert some new form of dominance in the region—but, of course, these dreams are not backed by any real substance," concluded Radychevsky.

According to Israeli journalist Elena Pepel of the Newsru.co.il portal, France is currently one of the leading countries in the anti-Semitic trend.

"Anti-Semitism in France is steadily on the rise, and we in Israel are witnessing this firsthand. In our schools, we have seen a significant increase in the number of French-speaking repatriate children; the rate of repatriation from France rises with each new anti-Semitic incident in France and across Europe. Think about it: Jews in France, who were born and raised there, who raised their children and ran businesses, no longer feel safe in their own country. They are selling their property, taking their children, and moving to Israel, a country officially engaged in wars on multiple fronts. Undoubtedly, the anti-Semitic remarks by French politicians also contribute to the worsening of this situation.

Opposing Jews, opposing Israel – it's popular, trendy, and youthful; it's a trend on European streets, on university campuses, and on social media. 'Free Palestine from the river to the sea,' declare Europe's youth, without ever stopping to think about what 'river' and 'sea' they're referring to, or realizing that this popular slogan is nothing but a call for the destruction of the only democratic and free state in the Middle East.

We, Israelis, are used to this. We always hope for the best, but believe me, we are ready for the worst – it's in our blood. Fortunately, now we have our own state and our own army, and Jews in the Netherlands, France, Germany, and the US have somewhere to go," said Pepel.

As noted by Emil Shleymovich, political scientist and editor-in-chief of the Israeli news portal "Detaly," Marie Mesmeur tried to backtrack, but it didn’t go very well: she deleted her original post but later rejected the accusations against her.

"The essence of her communiqué is as follows: she claims to have condemned the rudeness of the Israeli fans, and only idiots would interpret this as supporting attacks by the opposing side in an attempt to vilify her. Those who understand French can check it out.

Let’s begin by noting that Marie Mesmeur is an MP from the 'La France Insoumise' party. These are left-wing populists and radical ones. The party advocates for democratic socialism, eco-socialism, alter-globalism, anti-liberalism, and more. In other words, they’re not just about 'everything good'; they aim to cultivate particularly aggressive, fighting-breed pink unicorns. However, the party is far from a joke—it holds many seats in both the European Parliament and the National Assembly. So, it does have real political influence, and when it comes to the Middle Eastern conflict, it has long maintained a strong anti-Israel stance. Therefore, nothing else could be expected from Marie Mesmeur, who prominently displays the flag of Lebanon on her X profile along with a call for 'Immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon,'" says Shleymovich.

Overall, according to the political scientist, the events in Amsterdam pose a greater threat to Europe than to Israel.

"This is a question of 'who’s in charge'—the troublemaker with a bat or the legitimate authorities? For the Netherlands, this is an opportunity to set an example for Europe, to show strength—or weakness. The country's authorities are generally pro-Israel, and the recent events could have been an opportunity to restore order. Because if there are areas in any country or city in France, Germany, the Netherlands, or Belgium where the police dare not enter, it means the police urgently need reinforcement.

Moreover, there is public demand for this—both from the local population and from the migrants themselves. Let’s not forget that refugees themselves also become victims of gangs, subjected to violence, blackmail, and extortion. If the LFI party has decided to align itself with the 'other camp,' alongside gangs such as Hezbollah, Hamas, or the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, then that is its choice, and it weakens France far more than Israel," concluded Shleymovich.