French President Emmanuel Macron delivered what many Jews view as a historic—and deeply controversial—declaration when he said France would recognize a Palestinian state. Community leaders see the move as a gift to extremists and a “reward” for Islamist and antisemitic organisations.
Since October 7, French Jews have endured threats, physical assaults, vandalism, harassment, and abuse in public spaces and online, and even social exclusion—an all-too-familiar litany that now feels supercharged by Macron’s stance. Many fear that radical elements will interpret the president’s words as a green light, believing “their blood is permitted.”
Macron’s statement did not spring from nowhere. The memory of an Islamist stabbing in Mulhouse is fresh, and a recent report warned of a “global plan” to entrench radical Islam in French society through education and welfare networks. Unsurprisingly, French Jews are avoiding visible Jewish symbols and community events.
Between October 2023 and September 2024, Jews worldwide opened 30,763 aliyah files; France showed the steepest climb—342%—compared with 60% in the United States and a 45% drop in Russia. And the numbers have spiked again since Macron’s announcement. Yet wanting to immigrate and actually boarding a plane are not the same.
The Jewish Agency, the Jerusalem Municipality, and NGOs such as Qualita are doing what they can, but the state of Israel must step in. The Aliyah and Integration minister and the Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism minister possess far greater resources than civic groups and should draft an emergency plan for bringing and absorbing French Jews.
Welcoming French Jews: Economic benefits and moral action
Welcoming tens of thousands of motivated, often well-educated French immigrants is not only a moral, demographic, and Zionist imperative; it is an economic boon. Their human capital could help offset the fiscal strain of Israel’s extended wartime economy.
Government of Israel—over to you. Act now, or this opening may close for generations.
The writer is the CEO of Qualita, the umbrella organisation of French immigrants in Israel.