France at a Crossroads: An Exclusive Interview with Outgoing MP Meyer Habib

Apocalyptic predictions have always been a staple of media fodder. In every corner of the globe, stern-faced commentators appear on news outlets, lashing out at the authorities, lamenting the fate of the nation they love, and bemoaning its impending doom. Often, these are skewed interpretations, heavily colored by the ideological and political leanings of the analysts. However, in the case of current events in France, there seems to be a genuine basis for deep concerns about the country's future.

In the recent elections for the French Parliament, the party of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, associated with the far-left, emerged victorious. This win has caused a wave of unrest among French Jews, who have recently experienced a dramatic rise in antisemitism. Moreover, the rise of leftist parties to power in European countries could negatively shift policy towards Israel, potentially leading to the recognition of a Palestinian state. "Palestinian flags are waved inside the French Parliament," reveals outgoing MP Meyer Habib in an exclusive interview.

Is France heading towards the rule of radical Islam?

"I worry about France like never before," shares Habib. "Antisemitism is at an all-time high, Jews are being murdered solely because they're Jewish, and terrorist organizations are claiming responsibility for heinous attacks. I'm very concerned for the Jews of France and hope that radical Islam doesn't take over the country."

Your words suggest that France is on a path to destruction.

"I sincerely hope not, both as a citizen and as a recently former lawmaker, but that's the reality at the moment. In the last four election cycles, I was elected against the tide, but this time, the left's alliance with the ruling party to save itself led to my removal. President Emmanuel Macron's ruling party made a pact with the devil, just to block Marine Le Pen's party and to decapitate me along the way.

"In Parliament, the extreme left calls me 'pig' and 'murderer,' and I receive numerous threats to my life," Habib discloses. "In emails circulated among Members of Parliament, it was explicitly stated by far-left factions that they want my head. They rallied voters from various countries to vote against me, and the fact is, in constituencies where I traditionally had strong support, such as Italy, Greece, and Turkey, my vote share dropped significantly. Only in Israel did my support remain high, even increasing."

"I am not a doomsayer"

You criticize the far-left more than the far-right. Is this because you are seen as a centrist liberal?

"Indeed. I want to reveal that in my early years, I fought against the far-right, primarily against Jean-Marie Le Pen (founder of the far-right National Front party and father of current party leader Marine Le Pen), who was staunchly antisemitic. But now I realize that the right has actually behaved more admirably. I've always engaged in discussions with Marine Le Pen to reduce antisemitism, and I must admit she isn't following her father's antisemitic path, even if I have issues with her party's DNA."

Although Habib is deeply aggrieved by the far-left, he doesn’t hold back in his criticism of the French president either: "I'm angry with President Macron because he had the opportunity to join forces with us, the Republicans, and form a good coalition without dissolving parliament, but he chose to align with the left. I was very disappointed in him."

Some might call you the latest 'doomsayer.' You lost your seat and are now predicting gloom for France's future.

"I didn't lose the seat," he clarifies. "Receiving 85% of the votes in Israel isn't a loss. And regarding being called a 'doomsayer,' that's simply not accurate. If anyone thinks the situation in France is good, they're delusional. It's never been great and is worsening. This isn't a prophecy—it's fact. Jews are being killed, Palestinian flags fly, all in broad daylight."

"The house was all covered in blood"

Born in Paris, Habib began his public service with the Betar movement in France. He later served as vice president of the umbrella organization of French Jewish communities, and more than a decade ago, he was elected to the French Parliament, representing the liberal center party UDI.

What is an MP’s role, and how can they influence such a large body?

"That's an excellent question," he says. "The French Parliament has hundreds of MPs, so it’s easy to argue that a lone voice might not make a difference. But I can say that even as a single voice, I succeeded in influencing several issues.

"One issue close to my heart is the establishment of a national inquiry into the murder of Sarah Halimi, may her memory be a blessing. It was a brutally horrific murder. For long minutes, the murderer beat her mercilessly, and police made no effort to stop him. After about twenty minutes, he threw her out of a window, leading to her death. I won't forget the scene at the murder site, and it pains me that her murderer still roams free.

"When I requested a state inquiry, I faced baffling opposition from fellow MPs," recalls Habib. "They wouldn't grant me authority to initiate an inquiry, and only after I threatened to resign did they relent. The inquiry convened thousands of hours of discussions, but not a single left-wing MP attended even for a moment. For them, killing a Jew is acceptable."

Overall, Habib's achievements focused on fighting antisemitism and promoting relations between France and Israel. Among them was his attempt to move France's embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, thereby recognizing it as Israel's capital. "This initiative was blocked by President Macron, but it was the first time an entire French party agreed."

Another accomplishment Habib notes was securing permits for transferring bodies from France to Israel during the COVID-19 pandemic when airspaces were shut: "These were Jews wishing to be buried in Israel, and we made every effort to bring their bodies to the homeland."

"I received an email with a severed head"

Though not the only Jewish MP, Habib was distinguished by his open support for Israel and unyielding fight against growing antisemitism. "Since the conflict began, I've fought relentlessly to defend Israel and the IDF. I campaigned for the release of hostages, criticized the anti-Semitic far-left, and they began to fear me. Even in the Elysee Palace they were concerned due to my closeness with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog, thus eager to get rid of me. My heart is divided between the State of Israel and my birth country, France," he says with honesty.

"About half a million Jews live in France, and I worry for them," Habib asserts. To emphasize his strong message, he employs a wordplay: "Not everyone can choose to immigrate to Israel voluntarily, and we must not reach a point where Jews are forced to flee. Antisemitism has permeated everywhere, even the education system. Recently, I learned that at the Yavneh School, a major French institution, Jewish students have been discriminated against. They faced scornful and humiliating treatment, receiving very low grades on exams. These are things that can't be proven, as some exams are oral, but such occurrences happen daily. The left is leading the country to ruin," he warns.

As a Jewish MP, have you faced antisemitism?

"I am under severe threat. Not long ago I received an email with a picture of a severed head accompanied by the text 'If you don't stop, you're next.' This photo was taken at the murder scene of a professor in France who was killed for opposing Islam. I've been under security protection for over a decade, but I've never abandoned my ideology, and I never will."

In the last French Parliament elections, as noted, Habib lost his seat. Caroline Iddan, a member of Macron's party, was elected in his place. In previous elections, Habib had won a sweeping majority, and even in the first round of the current elections, his support was far higher compared to his opponent's. Before the second round, Iddan joined forces with Mélenchon's antisemitic leftist party, thereby defeating Habib. "The left-wing party currently dominates Parliament, securing nearly two hundred seats, whereas Marine Le Pen's 'National Rally' and President Macron's 'Renaissance' party have far fewer," Habib evaluates the results.

"We must stand united"

Switching gears: you are known as one of Netanyahu's close confidants. Do you have any criticism of his actions in the current conflict?

"I think at this stage, it's inappropriate to criticize. I’m not saying this because of my longstanding friendship with Netanyahu, but because he is a democratically elected prime minister. Look at what happened to Trump. He was one of the most talented presidents the U.S. had, and the attempt at political assassination was driven by public opposition and criticism that spiraled out of control."

Habib with Netanyahu

"No one is immune to criticism, but now is not the right time for it. Later, there will be critiques at the governmental level, military level, intelligence level, and media level, but the civilian level should introspect and realize all it needs to do now is unite. There will be time for committees, time for investigations, but now the goal is to defeat the enemy, release the hostages, and win."

What are your future plans? Are you considering entering Israeli politics?

"Many journalists have asked me this question," he replies. "I recently spoke with Netanyahu, and I might take a short break from politics. Perhaps later I'll bring all the experience I've gained as one of the few Jewish politicians in a non-Jewish country, and try to help our land and our people.

"What truly matters now isn't my future plans," Habib emphasizes nearing conclusion. "I visit local families of war victims every week, endlessly appreciating the people and their devotion. This is Israel at its best. My only fear is we won't remain united, and all I can ask is: Let's bring this spirit of unity to Israel, remembering that the Jewish people are one nation. Be assured that with this love, we can achieve remarkable victories."

Habib in the French Parliament