00:00And now from tensions here in Washington to tensions abroad where the relationship between Paris and Washington is becoming increasingly more toxic.
00:10France has summoned the U.S. ambassador after he accused the country of failing to protect its Jewish community.
00:16The remarks have sparked a sharp diplomatic exchange and brought the Israeli-Palestinian conflict into the heart of European politics.
00:24The French foreign ministry summoned U.S. ambassador Charles Kushner after he published a letter criticizing Paris.
00:32In his letter to President Emmanuel Macron, Kushner claimed France was not doing enough to tackle anti-Semitism.
00:38He warned that criticizing Israel while pushing to recognize a Palestinian state emboldens extremists and puts French Jews in danger.
00:47Kushner's intervention came as France and several Western nations prepare to recognize a Palestinian state.
00:53The letter he wrote was published in the Wall Street Journal and said, quote, anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism, plain and simple, end quote.
01:02Public statements haranguing Israel and gestures toward recognition of a Palestinian state emboldened extremists, fuel violence, and endanger Jewish life in France.
01:13In today's world, anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism, plain and simple.
01:18Now, Paris reacted immediately, calling this claim unacceptable.
01:23And the foreign ministry said France is fully committed to combating anti-Semitism.
01:28It also warned that the ambassador's comments breached diplomatic norms by interfering in domestic affairs.
01:34The statement also added that his words undermined trust between allies and did not match the quality of their transatlantic relationship.
01:42The French presidency backed the response, calling for seriousness and responsibility.
01:48France firmly refutes these latest allegations.
01:51The allegations from the ambassador are unacceptable.
01:55Furthermore, they do not live up to the quality of the transatlantic relationship between France and the United States.
02:02The U.S. State Department, however, stood by Kushner's comments.
02:08A spokesman said he represents American interests in France and is doing a great job in that role.
02:14Now, this is not the first time that France has faced such criticism.
02:18In fact, just last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent a similar message to President Macron,
02:24linking the move to recognize Palestine with anti-Semitism.
02:28The Alizi Palace shot back, calling the Prime Minister's remarks abject and erroneous.
02:35Rights advocates say Israeli officials and their supporters routinely label criticism of Israel as anti-Semitic
02:41to divert attention from alleged abuses against Palestinians.
02:46They argue that accusations of anti-Semitism are being used to silence the debate around Israel's actions in Gaza.
02:53And on the ground, Israel continues to pound Gaza.
02:56The United Nations Human Rights Office accuses Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war,
03:01systematically displacing residents of the besieged strip and killing dozens every single day.
03:07The risk of starvation is everywhere in Gaza.
03:11This is a direct result of the Israeli government's policy of blocking humanitarian aid.
03:17In the past few weeks, Israeli authorities have only allowed aid to enter in quantities that remain far below what would be required to avert widespread starvation.
03:32Reaching the meager supplies available can be a deadly pursuit.
03:36Now, France has condemned these actions while maintaining trade and security ties with Israel.
03:42Yet the move to recognize Palestine has infuriated both Israel and Washington.
03:47Gaza is now under a U.N.-declared famine and the first of its kind in the Middle East,
03:52threatening almost half a million people with catastrophic hunger.
03:56The controversy has also thrown the spotlight on Charles Kushner, who is Jewish himself.
04:01And he's the father of Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law and a former White House advisor.
04:06Now, Kushner was convicted of tax evasion and witness tampering in 2005,
04:11but was pardoned by President Trump during his first term.
04:14This latest clash, however, shows how the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is reshaping diplomatic ties far beyond the Middle East,
04:22but also, most importantly, to two of the closest allies in the world, the U.S. and France.
04:30First post now available in nine languages on YouTube.
04:35English
04:36French
04:38German
04:39Hindi
04:41Indonesian
04:44Italian
04:46Japanese
04:48Portuguese
04:50Spanish
04:52Beautiful
04:53Go to settings, click on audio track and select the language of your choice.
05:01Be the first to know what's happening around you in your first language.
05:07First post
05:08southeast
05:09Again
05:10college
05:13Sandvangel
05:13Catch
05:14Quite
05:18C
05:18holes
05:19Land
05:19Office
05:21Can
05:22ago
05:22Tough
05:22directive
05:23How
05:23Cho
05:26이거는
05:26entity
05:26Depends
05:27gelernt
05:28Spo
05:28ctive
05:29Bo
05:30manufactured
05:31growth
05:31Inf properly
05:32dedicated
05:33Frost
05:34Manchester
05:34P
05:35Along
05:36disobed
05:38You
Comments