In brief
The president of France's far-right National Rally party, Jordan Bardella, plans an unprecedented visit to Israel, marking a significant pivot from the party's historical ties to antisemitism toward a pro-Israel stance in the wake of recent conflicts.
Jordan Bardella, the dynamic president of France’s far-right political entity, the National Rally, is set to make a landmark visit to Israel this month, signaling the party's transformation from a historical hotbed of antisemitism to a staunch ally of Israel. Bardella, who has propelled the party's campaign against Islamist ideologies and immigration, explicitly stated, “Antisemitism is a poison,” in an interview with Le Journal du Dimanche. His visit aligns with a scheduled participation in a conference tackling antisemitism in Jerusalem later this month, alongside a tour of locations in Israel that experienced Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023. This will be the first official visit by any National Rally leader, including previous presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, strengthening the party's public advocacy against groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah. Bardella's strong rhetoric against radical ideologies has simultaneously attracted a number of French Jews to support the party, despite its overarching anti-immigrant sentiment, especially towards Muslim communities.Yet, opposition persists within the Jewish community towards the National Rally. Notable figures like Bernard-Henri Lévy, an influential intellectual and author, openly disavowed the Jerusalem conference participation due to Bardella's presence, illustrating the ongoing tensions that reflect the complex politics surrounding the National Rally’s historical legacy. Lévy communicated his decision to withdraw from the conference directly to Israel's President Isaac Herzog.The party's founder, Jean-Marie Le Pen, infamously trivialized the Holocaust as merely a "detail" in history, depicting the Nazi occupation of France as "not particularly inhumane." These longstanding sentiments continue to cast a shadow over the National Rally, despite Bardella’s efforts to reframe the party's identity in a more favorable light. Bardella's impending visit not only highlights the party's strategic pivot but also underscores the significant challenges that remain in reconciling past actions with a desire for future integration within the broader social fabric of France.
