France: New bill equates anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism

By Yusuf Ozcan

PARIS (AA) - France's National Assembly on Tuesday adopted a bill equating anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism.

The motion was adopted with 154 votes against 72 at the French parliament.

It called on the government to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of anti-Semitism.

In an open letter published in French newspaper Le Monde, a group of 127 Jewish intellectuals from France, Israel, and other countries started a petition against the bill.

Calling on the French parliament not to adopt the bill, the group underlined the importance of the fight against anti-Semitism.

They said anti-Zionism was legitimate and that criticizing a state would not amount to anti-Semitism.

In February, French President Emmanuel Macron said anti-Zionism was one of the modern forms of anti-Semitism and that he would accept the anti-Semitism definition of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.