Netanyahu accuses Macron of anti-Semitism in new letter

'Israeli' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has escalated his criticism of world leaders who have moved to recognize Palestinian statehood, directing sharp words at both French President Emmanuel Macron and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

In a letter to Macron, obtained by Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Tuesday, Netanyahu accused the French president of stoking anti-Semitism by pledging to recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations in September.

“Your call for a Palestinian state pours fuel on this anti-Semitic 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,” Netanyahu wrote.

Read more: Netanyahu calls Australia PM 'weak politician who betrayed Israel'

He urged Macron to take a stronger stance against anti-Semitism in France, adding that he must “replace weakness with action, appeasement with resolve, and to do so by a clear date: the Jewish New Year, September 23.”

France is among a growing number of countries aligning with Palestinian recognition since the war on Gaza began nearly two years ago. According to AFP figures, at least 145 of the 193 United Nations member states have either recognized or announced plans to recognize Palestinian statehood, with Britain, Canada, and most recently Australia joining the list.

Netanyahu saved some of his harshest words for Albanese, calling him a “weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia’s Jews” in a post on his office’s official X account Tuesday. His attack followed Canberra’s decision to cancel the visa of far-right 'Israeli' politician Simcha Rothman, a member of Netanyahu’s governing coalition who had been invited to address events organized by the Australian Jewish Association.

Read more: MAP: Which countries joined global push for Palestine recognition since October 2023?

In retaliation, 'Israeli' Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced that he had revoked the visas of Australian representatives accredited to the Palestinian Authority (PA).

Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong condemned the move as an “unjustified reaction” that, in her words, showed Netanyahu’s government was “isolating Israel and undermining international efforts towards peace and a two-state solution.”