To fight anti-Semitism, louder and more effectively. That’s the goal. Let’s remember the numbers: 1320 anti-Semitic acts recorded last year. Physical and verbal assaults – fewer than in 2024, but still at a very high level. And for many Jews, the returning fear, unbearable insecurity. How can it be stopped? Do we need a new law? For Deputy Caroline Yadan, yes. For months now, the Macronist elected official has been preparing a bill. She has written it, rewritten it. She has taken into account the opinion of the State Council. And here we are: the debate is scheduled for now.
But what debate? It looks set to be very stormy. A bill against anti-Semitism should unite all deputies, as a matter of course. It’s the opposite! The Assembly is divided, embarrassed. The left is opposed, and the central bloc is divided: the Modem will not vote for this proposal. Within the Macronist group, the tension is also there, like a discomfort. And then there is this petition – not against the Yadan law – which has gathered more than 700,000 signatures on the National Assembly’s website.
Context and content The context is the heavy political climate around this issue: Israel, Palestine, and the position of France Insoumise just after the terrorist attack by Hamas in 2023. Since then, without stopping, the right and a part of the central bloc accuse Jean-Luc Mélenchon of being anti-Semitic, or playing with anti-Semitism. The rebellious leader defends himself, while playing around with the pronunciation of Jewish names. He feeds this trial.
Many questions, many doubts… Will the debate take place? Probably not, as the rebels will obstruct. This law is off to a bad start. To fight anti-Semitism, and against racism, fortunately, there are already many others: the 1881 law on freedom of the press; the Gayssot law of 1990; the Penal Code, of course; and others. In this fight, we need clarity. Without mixing genres.
Zionism and anti-Zionism What connection? With Israel. For defenders of the text, behind anti-Zionism, there is always anti-Semitism. Criticizing Israel is attacking the Jews. You may know the phrase by Vladimir Jankélévitch: “Anti-Zionism is justified anti-Semitism (…) the permission to be democratically anti-Semitic”. Today, for example, when the socialist deputy Jérôme Guedj, who supports the bill, is insulted with these words: “Get rid of the Zionists!”, we can also hear “Get rid of the Jews!”
