The National Assembly is reviewing a bill on Monday to combat renewed forms of antisemitism, led by MP Caroline Yadan. Deposited in November 2024, the text explicitly links anti-Zionism to antisemitism and is already sparking heated debates on free speech.
The bill “aimed at combating renewed forms of antisemitism” is on the National Assembly’s agenda this Monday, January 26. Led by Caroline Yadan, a Renaissance MP for French expatriates, it was deposited in November 2024 and cosigned by 120 lawmakers from the presidential camp, along with a few socialists, including François Hollande. In its statement of reasons, the text directly connects anti-Zionism to antisemitism, fueling current controversies. Sensitive questions arise: Would the law criminalize the phrase “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” or claims of “genocide” in Gaza? The proposal comes amid the Gaza war, sparked by the Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed over 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 250 hostages. In response, the Israeli army has caused more than 70,000 deaths in Gaza, according to local authorities under Hamas control. This wave of international protests has reignited tensions over antisemitism in France, prompting its proponents to call for stronger legislation.
