French Jewish Leader Slams Judiciary for Failing to Confront Antisemitism

A deep frustration is boiling over within France’s Jewish community. At a moment when antisemitic incidents are surging, one of its most prominent leaders is demanding accountability not only from extremists, but from the French judiciary itself.

Yonathan Arfi, president of CRIF, the umbrella organization representing French Jewish communities, delivered a sharp rebuke during CRIF’s annual dinner in Paris. Speaking in the presence of Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, Arfi accused the judiciary of failing to recognize Jew-hatred as a motive in major criminal cases.

His words reflected growing alarm among France’s approximately 440,000 Jews, many of whom feel that antisemitism is not being named clearly enough even when it appears evident.

Arfi pointed to two recent cases that have shaken the community.

In Lyon, an 89-year-old Jewish man, René Hadjadj, was thrown to his death from the 17th floor of his apartment building by a neighbor. Although the perpetrator received an 18-year prison sentence, the court did not uphold the aggravated hate crime element sought by prosecutors.

In another case, a nanny in the Paris region deliberately poisoned her Jewish employers’ food. Reports indicated she referenced the family’s Jewish identity during questioning, yet the court cleared her of hate crime charges.

“Should perpetrators express antisemitism or racism for it to be recognized?” Arfi asked pointedly. “France needs the judiciary to put words on hate more often, even when it spreads silently.”

His remarks came against a troubling backdrop. According to France’s Interior Ministry, Jews were the target of more than half of all hate crimes committed against religious minorities last year. The ministry documented 1,320 antisemitic incidents an alarming figure in a country that has long struggled with waves of anti-Jewish violence.

On the very night of the CRIF dinner, a kosher restaurant in Paris was vandalized with acid for the second time in six months. In another incident, a woman reported being subjected to antisemitic insults after activists noticed a mezuzah on her doorframe. Police also arrested suspects in a northern suburb of Paris after two Jewish boys were allegedly threatened.

These daily incidents contribute to a sense of vulnerability that has driven at least 50,000 French Jews to make aliyah to Israel since 2014. For many, Israel represents not only a homeland, but a guarantee of Jewish security and dignity.

Prime Minister Lecornu acknowledged the fear within the community. He said the government is committed to fighting antisemitism, including what he called its new “mask” of anti-Zionism a phrase first used publicly by President Emmanuel Macron in 2017.

Lecornu voiced support for legislation that would ban calls for Israel’s destruction, arguing that such rhetoric constitutes incitement to violence. “Calling for the destruction of the State of Israel is calling for the vital endangerment of a people,” he said.

Yet Arfi and others argue that words must translate into action.

Critics have pointed to additional controversies, including France’s arms embargo on Israel in 2025 and rhetoric perceived as disproportionately critical of the Jewish state. Arfi also questioned France’s decision to recognize a Palestinian state in September, despite objections from Jewish organizations.

The shadow of past failures still lingers. The 2017 murder of Sarah Halimi, a Jewish woman thrown from her Paris apartment, led to nationwide protests after courts ruled her killer was not criminally responsible due to drug-induced psychosis. Many French Jews saw the outcome as a painful example of justice denied.

At the CRIF dinner, Arfi also criticized the government’s perceived inaction against media outlets accused of spreading antisemitic rhetoric, including Al Jazeera and its affiliated platforms.

For France’s Jewish citizens, the concern is not only about isolated crimes. It is about whether institutions are fully prepared to identify and confront antisemitism in all its forms whether violent, ideological, or disguised as political expression.

Israel’s experience underscores why clarity matters. The Jewish state has long recognized that antisemitism thrives when societies hesitate to name it. Defending Jewish life requires moral courage and firm legal action.

Around the world, Jewish communities look to democratic governments to uphold justice without ambiguity. France’s Jews are no exception. They seek not special treatment, but equal protection and clear recognition that attacks on Jews, whether physical or rhetorical, are attacks on the values of the Republic itself.

Israel continues to stand as a refuge and a source of strength for Jews everywhere, affirming that Jewish identity and security are non-negotiable. Share this important story and subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed about the global fight against antisemitism and the enduring bond between Israel and the Jewish people.