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A6 WORLD NEWS
Friday 21 June 2024
As France reels from the rape of a Jewish girl, antisemitism comes

to the fore in election campaign

By OLEG CETINIC and nounced that his party was
ELISE MORTON withdrawing support for one
Associated Press of its candidates over an an-
PARIS (AP) — The alleged rape tisemitic message on social
of a 12-year-old Jewish girl in media posted in 2018.
a suspected antisemitic at- His predecessor as party presi-
tack has sent shockwaves dent and the National Rally’s
throughout France, and thrust 2022 presidential candidate,
concerns about antisemitism Marine Le Pen, accused the
to the forefront of campaign- “extreme left” of “stigmatiza-
ing for the country’s legislative tion of Jews” and of “instru-
elections. The National Rally mentalizing” the Israel-Hamas
party, which has tried to shed conflict. Leftist leader Jean-
historical links to antisemitism, Luc Mélenchon denounced
has its first real chance of form- “antisemitic racism,” though
ing a government if it comes the France Unbowed party
out on top of the two-round which he formerly led has
elections that end July 7, as itself faced accusations of
polls forecast. It would be the antisemitism linked to the
first far-right force to lead a Israel-Hamas war.
French government since the Anti far-left protesters display a banner that reads, “antisemitism is not a campaign promise” next Although the alleged rape
Nazi occupation. to the entrance where the media conference will take place of the leaders of France left-wing has heightened tensions re-
Far-left figures, meanwhile, parties for the upcoming election in Paris, Friday, June 14, 2024. Associated Press garding antisemitism in France
have faced accusations of before the June 30 and July
antisemitism linked to their ing the attack. Politicians from tion in western Europe, and Attal wrote on X that the girl 7 two-round parliamentary
response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 all sides were quick to com- anti-Muslim acts have risen was “raped because she’s election, it is far from a new
attack on Israel and the ensu- ment on the attack, which in recent years. Jewish,” identifying it as an an- issue in French politics.
ing war. Concerns came to elicited widespread shock On Wednesday evening, tisemitic attack, while French More than 180,000 people
the fore after two adolescent and concern, notably after hundreds of people gathered President Emmanuel Macron across France, including
boys in a Paris suburb were a surge in antisemitic acts in in front of Paris City Hall to called on schools to hold a 100,000 in Paris, marched in
given preliminary charges this France since the start of the protest antisemitism. Many “discussion hour” on racism November to protest rising
week of raping a 12-year-old Israel-Hamas war. in the crowd were holding and antisemitism. antisemitism in the wake of
girl and religion-motivated France has the largest Jew- placards, including some Jordan Bardella, president of Israel’s ongoing war against
violence, according to pros- ish population in Europe, but bearing the slogan “raped the National Rally, said that if Hamas in Gaza — the big-
ecutors. Lawyer and Jewish given its own World War II because she’s Jewish.” elected he would “fight the gest gathering to denounce
leader Elie Korchia told French collaboration with the Nazis, Further protests are planned antisemitism that has been antisemitism in France since a
broadcaster BFM that the girl antisemitic acts today open for Thursday evening at Place plaguing France since Oct. 1990 demonstration against
is Jewish and that the word old scars. France also has de la Bastille. 7.” In the wake of reports the desecration of a Jewish
Palestine was mentioned dur- the largest Muslim popula- French Prime Minister Gabriel of the attack, Bardella an- cemetery. q

Heat wave claims lives of at least 125 in Mexico this year, hitting

country’s most vulnerable

By FÉLIX MÁRQUEZ and ME- with the mounting human sistent,” said María Teresa ple here in Veracruz.” left scrambling to ease the
GAN JANETSKY toll of the heat. Mendoza, director of the At least 125 people in suffering of her patients.
Associated Press “We have never before Cogra nursing home, op- the Latin American na- On Sunday, Mendoza
VERACRUZ, Mexico (AP) — experienced a heat wave erating for decades in the tion have died due to the stood in front of a group
When the nursing home in this intense, this powerful, port of Veracruz. “This heat heat this year, according of elderly women in rock-
southern Mexico began to this pervasive and this per- wave has killed many peo- to data from the country’s ing chairs, many with their
bake in the country’s on- health ministry. More than heads nodding downward
going heat wave, staff cy- 2,300 more have suffered due to the heat, which was
cled their elderly residents heat stroke, dehydration hardly pierced by a set
through the few cooling and sunburns. of fans rotating in front of
options they had. The heat deaths and larg- them.
First, some would sit in front er ripple effects in Mexico “We’re going to drink a bit
of fans buzzing in the swel- have underscored the of water. Sounds good?”
tering heat of Veracruz. disproportionate effects she said. “Those are my
Then they’d be moved in climate change and ris- girls.”
front of the building’s few ing global temperatures The heat has had cascad-
treasured air conditioning are having on some of the ing effects across Mexico.
units. Then it was back to world’s most vulnerable. Howler monkeys and tropi-
the record-breaking tem- Victims in Veracruz have cal birds have dropped
peratures roiling the Vera- made up nearly a third of dead from trees in southern
cruz state. the deaths as tempera- Mexico. Residents scram-
Anything to get through tures have reached 100 ble to fill up jugs of water,
the climate change-fueled Pedro Murillo, a diver, jumps into the sea amid the heat in degrees in the humid Mexi- concerned about the heat
heat wave, which has left Veracruz, Mexico, Saturday, June 15, 2024. can gulf state. Caregivers compounding ongoing
much of Mexico grappling Associated Press like Mendoza have been drought. q