Israeli ambassador to France accused of 'foreign interference' after election remarks

Israeli ambassador to France accused of 'foreign interference' after election remarks Submitted by MEE staff on Fri, 06/05/2026 - 13:09 Joshua Zarka says he prefers any presidential candidate over Jean-Luc Melenchon, a supporter of Palestinian rights, prompting criticism across the French political spectrum Israel's Ambassador to France Joshua Zarka speaks during a ceremony to pay tribute to Israel's Olympic team victims in the 1972 Munich Games, at the Embassy of Israel in Paris on 6 August 2024 (Stephane De Sakutin/AFP) Off The Israeli ambassador to France has been accused of "foreign interference" after saying he would prefer "anyone rather than Jean-Luc Melenchon" to win the 2027 presidential election. Speaking in a television interview on Thursday, Ambassador Joshua Zarka said he would rather see any candidate elected to the Elysee Palace than Melenchon, the leader of the left-wing party La France Insoumise (LFI), a strong supporter of Palestinian rights. Zarka also added that he met last month with Marine Le Pen, the leader of the French far-right National Rally.