A Holocaust memorial in Paris was vandalized on Friday, sparking concerns over the rise of antisemitism in France. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the issue during

Sunday's Cabinet meeting, expressing deep concern over the "waves of antisemitism sweeping France." He strongly condemned the criminal assaults on Jewish targets and voiced support for the French government in its fight against antisemitism.

France has been engulfed in mass chaos following the fatal police shooting of 17-year-old Nahel M., of Algerian origin, in the Paris suburb of Nanterre. Rioters, particularly in areas with large Muslim populations, have engaged in violent acts, including setting cars on fire, looting shops, and clashing with the police, resulting in numerous injuries.

During the riots, vandals defaced a monument in Nanterre dedicated to Holocaust victims and Jewish members of the French resistance by spray-painting the words "Police scum." Antisemitic chants have also been reported, and Jewish businesses in the Paris suburb of Sarcelles, often referred to as "little Jerusalem" due to its sizable Jewish community, have been ransacked.

These events have evoked memories of the antisemitic violence that occurred in 2014 during the seven-week conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, where Jewish-owned shops and synagogues were targeted.

In response to the escalating situation, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin announced that 45,000 security forces have been deployed across French cities, including Paris, Lyon, Marseille, and Grenoble. A 38-year-old policeman has been charged with voluntary homicide in connection with Nahel's death and is currently in custody. Photo by Guilhem Vellut from Paris, France, Wikimedia commons.