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Mass rallies in France to oppose antisemitism contrast with wave of pro-Palestinian marches worldwide
(JTA) — An estimated 180,000 people in France marched in rallies against antisemitism on Sunday that brought together political leaders from most of the country’s major parties, a display that stood in contrast with major pro-Palestinian marches held worldwide throughout the weekend.
Among the marchers in Paris were Prime Minister Elizabeth Borne, the daughter of a Holocaust survivor; Marine Le Pen, a likely presidential contender who leads a far-right party with an antisemitic history; and representatives of President Emmanuel Macron, who has expressed support for Israel since Oct. 7, when Hamas attacked Israel and triggered a subsequent war in Gaza.
Called by the two speakers of the French government — including Yael Braun-Privet, the Jewish speaker of the National Assembly — the rally was intended as a show of unity in opposition to antisemitism at a time when antisemitic incidents are on the rise in France. More than 1,200 antisemitic acts have been recorded since Oct. 7, according to CRIF, the French Jewish umbrella organization.
“Today, we were all united for the Republic and against antisemitism,” CRIF tweeted after the march, which it called “solemn” and “full of emotion.”
Planning for the rally ignited tensions in the government, as the political leaders who attended do not often work together. One political leader, Jean-Luc Melenchon of the far-left France Unbowed party, boycotted the march in a reflection of his long-held anti-Israel views, saying that those who gathered would be “friends of unconditional support for the massacre” in Gaza.
France’s interior minister announced a ban on pro-Palestinian marches last month, saying that they were a risk to the country’s Jews and to public order. The country’s top court said the marches must be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Elsewhere this weekend, pro-Palestinian marches held for the sixth straight week drew large crowds in a range of cities. London’s march was particularly large, estimated by police at 300,000, and focused on calls for a ceasefire to mark Armistice Day, marking the cessation of hostilities during World War I. It was one of the largest protests in years in the city and had surfaced tensions between government and police officials over how to manage it.
The rally came a day after families in London said they were targeted by anti-Israel protesters while leaving their synagogue on Shabbat.
A synagogue in Melbourne, Australia, was evacuated during services on Friday amid pro-Palestinian protests nearby; Sydney also hosted a major pro-Palestinian rally over the weekend.
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The post Mass rallies in France to oppose antisemitism contrast with wave of pro-Palestinian marches worldwide appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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Netanyahu Criticizes Nation-Wide Strike That ‘Strengthens Hamas’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a news conference in Jerusalem, Sept. 2, 2024. Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg/Pool via REUTERS
i24 News – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday harshly criticized nationwide demonstrations calling for the release of hostages and an end to the Gaza war.
Speaking at a government meeting, Netanyahu argued that such protests only strengthen Hamas and risk repeating the atrocities of October 7.
“Those who call today for an end to Hamas’s war not only harden the terrorist group’s position and delay the release of our hostages, but also guarantee that the horrors of October 7 will be repeated and that we will have to fight an endless war,” Netanyahu said.
The prime minister defended Israel’s ongoing military operations, citing strikes carried out in recent days: “In the last 24 hours, the navy attacked power stations in Yemen, IDF soldiers struck Zeitoun and eliminated dozens of terrorists in Gaza, and the air force targeted Hezbollah commanders and launch sites in Lebanon.”
He added that Israel’s response in Lebanon was consistent with the ceasefire agreement: “According to this agreement, we will meet with fire any violation and any attempt to arm Hezbollah.”
Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel’s conditions for ending the conflict, stressing the need for continued security control in Gaza and the group’s long-term demilitarization. He rejected Hamas’s demand for a full Israeli withdrawal: “They want us to leave Gaza entirely — from the north, the south, the Philadelphi corridor, and the security perimeter. That would only allow them to reorganize, rearm, and attack us again.”
The war has now entered its 681st day, with 49 hostages still held by Hamas.
Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of Israelis joined a general strike organized by the Hostage Families Forum, calling for the return of all captives in a single deal and for an end to the war. Demonstrations spread across the country, at major intersections, government ministers’ homes, and familiar protest hubs such as Kaplan Junction and the Ayalon highways.
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Family Releases Footage of Matan Zangauker in Captivity
A screenshot of a video released by the family of hostage Matan Zangauker.
i24 News – The family of Matan Zangauker, the Israeli hostage held by Hamas since October 7, shared new footage of him from captivity on Sunday evening.
The video, obtained by the IDF, was recorded several months ago.
In the recording, 32-year-old Matan looks directly into the camera, addressing his loved ones: “Tato, Shani, Ilana, I miss you. God willing, we’ll see each other soon. All my friends and acquaintances, go out and make noise like only you know how.”
Matan was kidnapped from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz, along with his partner Ilana Gritsievsky, who was released in a hostage deal last year. Since then, Matan has remained in Hamas custody while his family continues to fight for his return.
On the national protest day calling for the release of hostages, Ilana staged a poignant display at Hostages Square. Dressed in a wedding gown beneath a chuppah, she symbolically “married” Matan in his absence. “Matan, my curly-haired one, if you hadn’t been abducted, we could already be married. In a single day, our world was destroyed, and you’re not here to hold me. I’m fighting for you until you come back,” she said.
Matan’s mother, Einav, has emerged as a leading voice in the campaign for the hostages’ release and has sharply criticized Israel’s political leadership, accusing them of undermining potential hostage deals.
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Hamas Rejects Israel’s Gaza Relocation Plan
Palestinians, displaced by the Israeli offensive, shelter in a tent camp as the Israeli military prepares to relocate residents to southern Gaza, in Gaza City August 17, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas
Palestinian terrorist group Hamas said on Sunday that Israel’s plan to relocate residents from Gaza City constitutes a “new wave of genocide and displacement” for hundreds of thousands of residents in the area.
The group said the planned deployment of tents and other shelter equipment by Israel into southern Gaza was a “blatant deception.”
The Israeli military has said it is preparing to provide tents and other equipment starting from Sunday ahead of its plan to relocate residents from combat zones to the south of the enclave “to ensure their safety.”
Hamas said in a statement that the deployment of tents under the guise of humanitarian purposes is a blatant deception intended to “cover up a brutal crime that the occupation forces prepare to execute.”
Israel said earlier this month that it intended to launch a new offensive to seize control of northern Gaza City, the enclave’s largest urban center. The plan has raised international alarm over the fate of the demolished strip, which is home to about 2.2 million people.