Posted on 09/06/25
| News Source: Arutz-7
French President Emmanuel Macron sought to meet with senior leaders of the American Jewish community on the sidelines of the upcoming UN General Assembly in New York. However, the meeting will not take place, according to a report by i24NEWS.
The cancellation was attributed to both a scheduling conflict with the Jewish High Holidays and significant opposition from within the community. The meeting had been planned to take place prior to the opening of the assembly, coinciding with Rosh Hashanah.
A source involved in the discussions stated, “I think most organizations wouldn’t have participated at all.” Among the groups considered for invitation were AIPAC, the Anti-Defamation League, and the American Jewish Committee. “The guy has 15% popularity in France. It’s not our job to save him,” the source added.
Asked whether the refusal was due to Macron’s position on Palestinian statehood or his handling of antisemitism in France, the source pointed to the “overall atmosphere,” saying, “A photo-op with the French President would have allowed him to say, ‘Look, I met with American Jewish leaders,’ regardless of the meeting’s content.”
The source added that, had the meeting taken place, it would have been highly contentious. Leaders intended to confront Macron over his stance on Israel, France’s failure to combat rising antisemitism, and the government’s announcement of its intention to recognize a Palestinian state in September - an initiative France is reportedly working to promote internationally.
“Even without a formal decision, enough pressure was applied to reach a broad consensus to decline the invitation,” the source said, adding with a smile: “Rosh Hashanah gave us the perfect excuse. God saves us every time.”
Another source noted that while Macron may still meet individually with certain community representatives in the future, the American Jewish community is not a unified bloc. Still, he said, “Macron would not be warmly received by the vast majority of American Jewish organizations.”
i24NEWS also reported that Macron had explored the possibility of visiting Israel ahead of the General Assembly but was told by the Prime Minister’s Office that the timing was not appropriate. In response to France’s recent diplomatic moves, Israel is reportedly weighing additional measures, including the possible closure of the French Consulate in Jerusalem, which primarily serves the Palestinian population in Judea and Samaria.