Macron protests Israel’s ‘unacceptable’ interference in French elections

French President Emmanuel Macron has reportedly called Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and protested Israeli officials’ “unacceptable interference” in the French elections, Israeli media reported yesterday.

In the weeks leading to the EU parliament and the French parliamentary elections, Israel’s Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli of the Likud Party openly supported Macron’s rival, far-right National Rally leader Marine Le Pen.

Chikli, who is also responsible for combating anti-Semitism, has been developing ties with far-right parties in Europe, many of whom, like Le Pen’s party, have an anti-Semitic past or have recently expressed anti-Semitic views.

Macron told Netanyahu in the phone call that the interference by Israeli government officials in the French parliamentary elections was “unacceptable”.  ​

For his part, Netanyahu told Macron he had instructed his ministers not to make public remarks regarding France’s parliamentary elections.

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On Monday, former Israeli minister Avigdor Lieberman called on Jews in France to flee to Israel after a left-wing coalition won in the elections.

“I appeal to all Jews in France: Come and live in Israel!” Lieberman said on X.

He said Jean-Luc Melenchon, a prominent leader of the French left-wing New Popular Front alliance, “became famous with quite a few statements against Jews and the State of Israel.”

Melenchon has pledged to recognise Palestine as a state following his alliance’s victory on Sunday.

According to Israeli figures, there are around 440,000 Jews living in France.