Recognition of Palestine: French Jews Disappointed by Macron

"It's a catastrophe. He's doing nothing for the hostages. We have the impression that the president isn't affected by all this": at the Trocadéro in Paris, where she demonstrates every Friday in support of the hostages, Nicole, 67, who does not wish to give her last name, does not mince her words.

The story had, however, begun well with this community, the largest in Western Europe, numbering around 500,000 people. In September 2018, Emmanuel Macron became the first French president to attend a presentation of greetings to the Jewish community for Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, at the Great Synagogue of Paris. A few months earlier, he had decided to enshrine Simone Veil, a prominent political figure and Holocaust survivor, into the Pantheon.

"He showed a lot of emotion at the time, and I found that positive," explains Marc Sindres, 77. But "like many of us, I was extremely shocked that he is not participating in the march against anti-Semitism on November 12," he adds.

Emmanuel Macron believed that a head of state should not participate in a demonstration. "Today we have a total lack of confidence in the President of the Republic, who should be the one ensuring our security," he said during a public meeting of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France (CRIF) in Neuilly-sur-Seine (Hauts-de-Seine).

CRIF President Yonathan Arfi is well aware of these remarks, which echo a perceived disaffection among many French people in general. But "there was a major missed opportunity with the President of the Republic during this absence from the march, which left a much greater impact than one could have imagined," he explains.

Didn't Emmanuel Macron, in a speech read by his Prime Minister at the 2022 CRIF dinner, state that "Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the Jewish people"? "The rupture was all the more violent because the hope had been great," adds Yonathan Arfi.

A break in several stages, notably in October 2024, when Emmanuel Macron called for a halt to arms deliveries to Israel, which he accused of "sowing barbarism." His name would be booed during a ceremony at the Dome in Paris a few days later.

Another source of tension: the closure of the Israeli stand at the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget last June. And the head of state's actions are struggling to convince, whether it be measures to combat anti-Semitism or the tribute to be paid in February 2024 to the French victims of October 7, in the courtyard of Les Invalides, which some in the Jewish community consider overdue. In this context, the announced recognition of a Palestinian state has deepened the divide.

Recognition that goes down badly?

"On what territory, with what government? Emmanuel Macron isn't even waiting for the hostages to be released, as he said he would," sighs Isaac, 73, who wishes to remain anonymous, and feels "betrayed" after "voting for him." According to an Ifop poll commissioned by the CRIF, published this week, only 29% of French people believe that France "must recognize a Palestinian state immediately and unconditionally."

On Friday, several representatives of Jewish organizations, intellectuals, and artists wrote to the president asking him to make this recognition conditional on "the release of the hostages and the dismantling of Hamas." Some of these representatives met with Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday to "raise the anger" on the ground, according to one participant.

Because the very date of this recognition, September 22, which this year coincides with Rosh Hashanah, is provoking strong emotion. "Emmanuel Macron didn't choose the date, but it's unfortunate. Everyone will be with their families and will receive the notification on their phones at 9:30 p.m...." sighs Sarah Aizenman, of the Nous Vivrons collective.