France is in the throes of one of its deepest political crises since the founding of the Fifth Republic. French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu resigned shortly after his appointment, only to be reappointed by French President Emmanuel Macron less than two days later in a transparent bid to buy time. Macron faces a divided parliament, budget paralysis and a record-low approval rating of 14%.
This political turmoil is mirrored by France’s declining global influence. Macron’s foreign policy has been a string of failures: His appeasement toward Algeria has backfired, the illegal migration crisis is spiraling and French diplomacy has failed to secure the release from an Algerian prison of imprisoned dual-national writer Boualem Sansal. Two French citizens, Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, have been rotting in Iran’s Evin Prison for three years and were recently sentenced to long prison terms for alleged “espionage for the Zionist entity.” Despite efforts by the French Foreign Ministry, the country’s policy of appeasement has achieved nothing.
Even Macron’s posturing on the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has drawn ridicule at home. His much-publicized flight to Sharm el-Sheikh amid political chaos in Paris was seen as a desperate photo op—an attempt to claim credit for an American-brokered deal that his government once sought to derail.
France’s standing, domestically and internationally, has hit rock bottom. For Israel, this creates a moment of strategic opportunity. The Macron government has repeatedly shown its willingness to sacrifice its ties with Israel and the safety of Israeli citizens for short-term domestic gains. Now is the time for Israel to act decisively and close the French Consulate in Jerusalem.
France is one of the few Western nations that not only refuses to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s united capital, but also maintains a consulate in western Jerusalem that serves the Palestinians. This “consulate,” a relic of the British Mandate, functions as a de facto embassy to “Palestine,” advancing a distinctly anti-Israel agenda and undermining Israeli sovereignty in the heart of its capital.
For years, the consulate has been a hub of anti-Israel activity.
A 2025 Atlantico exposé revealed that French diplomats facilitated secret meetings in Doha between Hamas leaders and French officials. The consulate also funds the Al-Bustan center in Silwan; ostensibly a youth center, it’s a project run by convicted terrorists and Hamas affiliates, openly celebrating violence against Israel.
Beyond financing extremist networks, the consulate has used its influence to erode Israel–France relations. It has arranged visas for Hamas relatives under the guise of “refugee” programs, and a few years ago, one of its drivers was caught smuggling weapons into Judea and Samaria in a diplomatic vehicle.
These are not isolated incidents; they reflect a long-standing, systematic pattern of hostility toward the State of Israel.
The French consulate in Jerusalem operates independently of France’s embassy in Tel Aviv, an anomaly similar to the now-closed U.S. “Office for Palestinian Affairs,” which the Trump administration abolished.
Every attempt to weaken Israel’s sovereignty in Jerusalem must be met with a firm response. The message must be clear: Israel is the sole sovereign in its eternal capital.
France’s deepening political crisis offers a rare window to recalibrate the relationship between the two countries on the basis of mutual respect and transparency. Israel must not miss this opportunity.
Naomi Linder Kahn is director of the International Division of Regavim, a research-based think tank and lobbying group dedicated to preserving Israel’s resources and sovereignty.
