Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed that France has succumbed to an “invasion of extremist Islam” following riots that erupted during protests over rising living costs and poor public services.
Speaking in an interview with French-language channel i24News on Tuesday, Netanyahu accused French leaders of failing to prepare for the unrest, which affected Paris, Marseille, Lyon and other cities.
“They did not prepare in time, they simply gave up. They succumbed to the invasion of extremist Islam,” Netanyahu said, according to the French translation of his remarks.
Asked what advice he would give France, Netanyahu said, “Fight back, do not pursue a policy of appeasement — fight against the extremists.”
He also claimed that he had warned French President Emmanuel Macron after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel that “if we do not eliminate them here, you will have them in Paris,” adding that “that is exactly what is happening”. He did not provide evidence to support the claim.
Netanyahu’s remarks echoed statements by far-right politicians who have blamed immigration and Muslim communities for unrest in European countries.
US President Donald Trump also linked the violence in France to immigration, telling reporters on Monday: “What’s happening in France has to do with immigration, not schools, not anything.”
“It’s immigration, and I told President Emmanuel Macron, close up your borders,” Trump said.
Trump has made curbing illegal immigration a central part of his political agenda. Netanyahu had also drawn criticism in August after referring to Britain as an “Islamic republic”, prompting London to describe his remarks as “completely unacceptable”.
Macron Criticises Foreign Leaders
On Wednesday, Macron criticised foreign leaders for making what he called “stupid” comments about the unrest, in an apparent reference to Netanyahu and Trump.
Speaking to reporters in Doha, Macron said some leaders had repeated misleading claims about the riots, including material generated by artificial intelligence.
“There was foreign manipulation of information which led to unacceptable and even stupid comments by many, including foreign leaders,” Macron said.
He did not name Trump or Netanyahu directly. However, he said some leaders had repeated AI-generated material “sometimes with credulity”.
Macron also rejected claims that France had been “invaded by hordes of migrants and Islamists”, describing them as “totally false”.
He added that some images circulating online showed scenes that had never taken place in France.
France Announces Major Security Operation
The French government has acknowledged shortcomings in its response to the violence and announced plans to deploy additional police and military personnel ahead of further protests scheduled for Saturday.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said the deployment would be “massive”, as authorities sought to restore order following rioting and looting on October 17.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez acknowledged mistakes in the police response, while Lecornu said intelligence failures and inadequate deployment strategies had contributed to the situation.
Targeted curfews in areas affected by the unrest were extended to Tuesday night. Authorities have also assigned investigators to identify those involved in the violence.
The riots have intensified political tensions ahead of France’s presidential election next year. Student groups and the Yellow Vests movement have called for further protests over living costs, fuel prices and public services.
Unrest was also reported in parts of Italy, including Milan, while protests continued in Albania, raising concerns about growing public anger over economic conditions across Europe.
