Israeli Minister Defends French Politician Accused of Antisemitism

Israeli Minister of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, Amichai Chikli, has strongly defended Jordan Bardella, the president of France's National Rally party, against accusations of past antisemitic remarks. The allegations stem from an investigative report published by the French media outlet Mediapart, which claims Bardella made antisemitic statements in written conversations from 2013, when he was a teenager.

Bardella, who was 17 or 18 at the time of the alleged remarks, has vehemently denied the accusations. In a press conference alongside Marine Le Pen, he stated, "I repeat and say: these statements and positions were never mine." He announced his intention to file a police complaint and a defamation lawsuit, suggesting the report was prepared in advance, possibly in anticipation of his presidential candidacy.

Minister Chikli criticized Mediapart's credibility, noting that its founder, journalist Edwy Plenel, previously supported the Black September terrorist organization responsible for the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre of Israeli athletes. Chikli also criticized the current editor, Karine Pautrat, for her anti-Israel statements following the October 7th attacks and the ongoing war in Gaza. Chikli asserted that Israel should not trust those who fight against its existence or media outlets whose leaders have historically lamented the harm to terrorists who massacred Israeli athletes.

Bardella, 29, is a rising figure in French and European politics. Under his and Marine Le Pen's leadership, the National Rally has undergone a rebranding effort to distance itself from the antisemitic and racist history associated with its founder, Jean-Marie Le Pen. The party has adopted a strong pro-Israel stance in its fight against radical Islam and antisemitism in Europe.

This is not the first time Minister Chikli has engaged with the National Rally. He previously caused controversy by inviting Bardella and other far-right European figures to an official conference in Jerusalem on combating antisemitism, an event that led to the withdrawal of prominent Jewish public figures and philosophers.