ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
Updated:
Following French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian's remarks saying that the current situation in Israel could lead it to become an apartheid state, the Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC) addressed French President Emmanuel Macron an open letter to express its shock over this "undiplomatic and insulting language."
“We call on you to use the unfortunate 'Apartheid' misnomer as the occasion to join Australia, Canada and the United States in boycotting the 'Durban 4' travesty," the letter reads, recalling France's position regarding the World Conference Against Racism in Durban, known as Durban IV, that was boycotted by Canada, the US and Australia because of the antisemitism and anti-Israel nature of the original event.

The letter continues, "Not since President de Gaulle's June 1967 'Six-Day War' reference to 'the Jews as an elite people, sure of itself and domineering,' has a French political leader made such a damaging statement towards the Jewish community."

Le Drian also expressed concern over violence in mixed Jewish-Arab cities in Israel in recent weeks.

He took issue with those who say Europe has no power to help resolve the Israel-Palestinian conflict. “Europe is powerful,” Le Drian said. “It plays its part in the Middle East.”

SWC added in its statement that it was "unlikely that the Foreign Minister’s message carries favor with Arab countries in a Middle East and North Africa open to the Abraham Accords. It is likely, however, to incite and strengthen French Islamist and Jihadi violence against the Jews of France."

Last week, the EU Foreign Affairs Council was unable to release a statement about the fighting between Israel and Hamas because it must be done by consensus, and Hungary vetoed it.

Countries such as France and Germany were pandering to their Muslim citizens, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said, adding that he was standing up for his mostly Christian country and its values by supporting Israel.

Lahav Harkov contributed to this report.