Israeli Minister Defends French Politician Bardella Amid Antisemitism Claims

Israeli Minister for Diaspora Affairs and the Fight Against Antisemitism, Amichai Chikli, has publicly defended Jordan Bardella, president of France's National Rally party, against accusations of antisemitism. The allegations stem from an investigation by the French media outlet Mediapart, which published messages attributed to Bardella from when he was a teenager. Bardella has vehemently denied the claims, calling them "gross fabrications" and filing a defamation lawsuit against Mediapart.

In a statement on X, Chikli directly criticized Mediapart and its co-founder Edwy Plenel, referencing Plenel's past writings in support of Black September, the Palestinian organization responsible for the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre. Chikli also targeted Mediapart's current president, Carine Fouteau, citing her critical stance on Israel and her characterization of the October 7th Hamas attack. Chikli questioned Mediapart's credibility in handling the accusations against Bardella.

Chikli highlighted Bardella's recent actions and statements, including his visit to Israel following the October 7th attacks, his speech in Jerusalem condemning antisemitism, and his cancellation of a U.S. appearance after an action by Steve Bannon he deemed akin to a Nazi salute. Chikli asserted that the accusations are part of a "reputational destruction" campaign by elements of the French left, expressing distrust towards those who oppose Israel's right to exist and who he believes have supported past perpetrators of violence against Israelis.

Mediapart maintains that its investigation, spanning several months and involving numerous written exchanges and testimonies, authenticated the conversations attributed to Bardella. Bardella, however, insists the publication is a politically motivated operation to destabilize Marine Le Pen's presidential campaign and damage his reputation.