Netanyahu writes harsh letters to ‘weak’ French and Australian leaders over Palestinian State recognition

The letters signal Netanyahu’s push to confront governments preparing to formally recognize Palestine during the UN General Assembly next month.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has written a series of harsh letters criticizing French President Emmanuel Macron and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, accusing both leaders of fueling antisemitism by backing Palestinian statehood.

The letters, revealed Tuesday by AFP and Sky News, signal Netanyahu’s push to confront governments preparing to formally recognize Palestine during the UN General Assembly next month.

In his letter to Macron, Netanyahu claimed that antisemitism in France had spiked since Paris announced its plan. “Your call for a Palestinian state pours fuel on this antisemitic fire. It is not diplomacy, it is appeasement. It rewards Hamas terror, hardens Hamas’s refusal to free the hostages, emboldens those who menace French Jews and encourages the Jew-hatred now stalking your streets,” he wrote.

Netanyahu urged Macron to act before the Jewish New Year on September 23, calling on him to “replace weakness with action, appeasement with resolve.”

France dismissed the criticism. “France has no lessons to learn in the fight against antisemitism,” Europe Minister Benjamin Haddad said on BFMTV. He insisted the government would not allow the issue “to be exploited.”

Netanyahu sent a similarly worded letter to Albanese,  a leader with whom Netanyahu already has strained ties.

Australia recently denied a visa to Knesset member Simcha Rothman, prompting Israel to restrict Australian diplomats in retaliation.

On Tuesday, Netanyahu described Albanese as “a weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia’s Jews.”
Macron announced in July that France would recognize a Palestinian state, a move echoed by Britain, Canada, and others. Australia joined the list earlier this month, further isolating Israel diplomatically.

The United States, however, has taken the opposite approach—sanctioning Palestinian officials and rejecting unilateral recognition.

The letters highlight Netanyahu’s growing confrontation with international leaders as he resists pressure to end the war in Gaza. Israeli forces are preparing to advance on Gaza City as part of broader military operations, while Netanyahu maintains that recognition of a Palestinian state only strengthens Hamas and undermines prospects for the release of Israeli hostages.