President Emmanuel Macron has strongly rejected Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent criticism over rising antisemitism in France and warned the issue should not be “weaponised”, AFP reports.

“Accusations of inaction in the face of a scourge that we are fighting with everything in our power are unacceptable and are an offence to France as a whole,” Macron wrote to Netanyahu, in a letter published in several newspapers.

“The fight against antisemitism must not be weaponised and will not fuel any discord between Israel and France.”