The draft law was criticized for allegedly conflating legitimate criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism.
French lawmakers aligned with President Emmanuel Macron have withdrawn a controversial bill aimed at expanding anti-Semitic laws in the country, which was due to be debated in parliament on Thursday.
“Law to tackle new forms of anti-Semitism” The 2024 draft was drafted by a group of lawmakers led by Caroline Yadan, an MP affiliated with Macron’s Renaissance party. Despite the withdrawal, MPs have reportedly indicated that they may re-introduce a similar proposal by June.
The purpose of the draft was to broaden the definition of “Apology for terrorism” include “indirect” The speech was considered pro-terrorism. It also sought to make it illegal to call for the destruction of any country recognized by France.
The initiative has faced significant opposition, with critics warning against the bill “Mixes anti-Semitism with criticism of Israel.” A petition against the proposal published on the French parliament’s website had gathered more than 700,000 signatures by Thursday.
According to France24, critics have also warned that the proposed law could restrict legitimate free speech and potentially fuel anti-Semitism, which it was intended to combat.
At least 1,320 anti-Semitic incidents were recorded in the country last year, according to France’s Jewish protection organization SPCJ, maintaining a sharp increase seen since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict in 2023. The Israeli military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 72,000 Palestinians, according to Palestinian officials, and has drawn growing international criticism.
France, where Muslims make up an estimated one-tenth the population, last year formally recognized Palestinian statehood, joining a wave of Western countries advocating a two-state solution to the Middle East conflict.
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