France rejects ‘poison’ of antisemitism, top diplomat says in Israel

France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot unequivocally denounced the "poison" of antisemitism during his visit to Israel on Wednesday, marking the third anniversary of Hamas' Oct 7, 2023 attack. The Palestinian Islamist group's assault, the deadliest in Israel's history, claimed 1,221 lives according to an AFP count of Israeli casualty figures.

Barrot, speaking at the Nova music festival site where the attack began, emphasized that "everything in France's soul rejects antisemitism and hatred of others." He reiterated that the Oct 7 incident "wounded the Israeli people and all Jews to the core and left a trauma that must never be downplayed." Barrot vowed, "We will tirelessly continue to work for a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians."

The minister also visited Tel Aviv, kibbutz Beeri, and Nir Oz near the Gaza Strip. On X, he mourned the loss of 51 French nationals during the Oct 7 attack and pledged never to forget them. The militants abducted 251 hostages during the assault, of which 44 perished. In response, Israel launched a large-scale military operation in Gaza that has reportedly killed over 74,200 people, a toll confirmed by Hamas-controlled health authorities and deemed reliable by the United Nations.

Antisemitism poses a significant challenge in France, home to Europe's largest Jewish community. Far-right politician Jordan Bardella, who holds significant polling positions ahead of next year's elections, recently faced criticism over alleged antisemitic remarks made during his teenage years. The U.S. ambassador to Paris, Charles Kushner, previously accused France of failing to tackle antisemitism triggered by the Gaza conflict, resulting in a protest by French authorities.