Netanyahu to meet Macron
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives in Paris today to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Vel d’Hiv round-up of Jews in Nazi-occupied France. While there, he will meet with President Emmanuel Macron.
Mr Macron has undoubtedly pleased Israelis by vanquishing Marine Le Pen—who denied France’s culpability in the Vel d’Hiv. However, Netanyahu may be wary about how the visit plays back home, with new opposition leader Avi Gabbay—“Israel’s Macron”—seeking his own insurgent centrist victory in the 2019 election.
Yet, the PM will likely be more optimistic about Macron than about his predecessor. Francois Hollande capped off a poor relationship with Israel by holding a peace summit in February that Netanyahu boycotted and denounced as “rigged” against Israel.
To get off on the right foot, the two may focus on issues beyond the conflict with the Palestinians. Macron expressed interest in working with Israel on technological issues like cybersecurity and communications when he visited as economy minister, which could make tech a focus of today’s meeting.
