BRUSSELS, August 20. /TASS/. French President Emmanuel Macron’s statement about plans to recognize the State of Palestine at the September session of the UN General Assembly is fueling antisemitism, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a letter to the French leader.

"Your call for a Palestinian state pours fuel on this antisemitic fire," the letter reads, as cited by Politico Europe.

In his letter, Netanyhau pointed to the "antisemitic incidents" that had taken place in France in recent months. In his view, they stem from France’s policy towards Israel as Paris "rewards Hamas terror, hardens Hamas’s refusal to free the hostages, emboldens those who menace French Jews and encourages the Jew-hatred" that is stalking French streets.

In response, the Macron administration said that Netanyahu’s remarks are "erroneous, despicable and will not go unanswered."

Macron wrote on the X social media platform on July 24 that France would recognize the State of Palestine at the next session of the UN General Assembly.

Ireland, Spain and Norway announced their recognition of the State of Palestine in 2024, amid increased tensions in the Middle East. In response, Israel recalled its ambassadors to Dublin, Madrid and Oslo for consultations, while the Israeli Foreign Ministry summoned the Irish, Spanish and Norwegian envoys. The Soviet Union, of which Russia is the legal successor, recognized the State of Palestine in 1988.