Macron to address nation amid rise in antisemitic acts in France

President Emmanuel Macron is set to meet political party leaders on Thursday to address the nation on TV and prevent any spillover of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in France, where antisemitic acts have increased.

France has Europe’s largest Muslim and Jewish populations, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has historically contributed to tensions between the two. Antisemitic acts have risen in France since Hamas attacked Israeli towns on Saturday, killing over 1,300 people.

Israel responded by launching the most powerful bombing campaign on Gaza, ruled by Hamas, in the 75-year history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. France has seen a spike in online hatred and more direct threats since the terrorist massacres in Israel. Since Saturday, over a hundred antisemitic acts have occurred, mainly tags and swastikas. The government has assigned 10,000 police to protect around 500 sites. Intelligence services have not seen specific terrorist threats against France’s Jewish community, but threats could come from individuals rather than organized groups.

SOURCE: REUTERS