French President Emmanuel Macron asserted his commitment to addressing the French Jewish communities' demands for justice and protection in a statement on X/Twitter on Saturday.
The French president explained that he was told of how deeply the October 7 massacre impacted the Jewish community, stating that he understood the anguish, loneliness, fear, and anxiety felt by French Jews.
Macron called for "absolute vigilance and immediate response to detect and punish very firmly the perpetrators of antisemitic acts." He announced that he has instructed the French justice system to improve its reactions to all forms of antisemitism, old and new.
“In the face of hatred, the Republic will always have the last word,” he added.
This comes after French Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin urged the French justice system to crack down on antisemitism with "very firm criminal action," according to Reuters.
Antisemitism in France
Earlier this month a man was arrested for threatening French Jews with a knife, harassing them with antisemitic comments as they walked to synogague.
In the city of Lyon, a young Jewish boy was physically assaulted on his way to synagogue. The same week a Holocaust memorial was vandalized with the words "free Gaza."
Those incidents are only a few of many antisemitic incidents that France has seen as a result of growing antisemitic and anti-Israel attitudes since the October 7 massacre and start of the Israel-Hamas War.
Recognition of a Palestinian state
In July, Macron announced his intention to recognize a Palestinian state. He stated that he would make an official push for recognition at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly meeting in September.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned Macron’s July statement, warning that “a Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel” and could be seen as a reward for Hamas’s terrorism.