French President Emmanuel Macron’s effort to convene a high-profile meeting with American Jewish leaders during the upcoming UN General Assembly in New York has collapsed, with groups rejecting the invitation and citing deep discontent over France’s policies toward Israel and antisemitism.

The meeting, first reported by i24NEWS, was set to take place on the eve of the General Assembly—coinciding with Rosh Hashanah. Officially, the cancellation was attributed to the schedule. But sources directly involved in the discussions said the real reason was strong opposition within the Jewish community to Macron’s outreach.

“I think most organizations wouldn’t have participated at all,” one source said. Major groups reportedly considered for the gathering included AIPAC, the Anti-Defamation League, and the American Jewish Committee. The source added bluntly: “The guy has 15% popularity in France. It’s not our job to save him.”

According to insiders, Jewish leaders were prepared to confront Macron over multiple grievances: France’s announced plan to formally recognize a Palestinian state in September; Paris’s weak response to rising antisemitism at home; and the French president’s positioning on Israel more broadly. “A photo-op with the French President would have allowed him to say, ‘Look, I met with American Jewish leaders,’ regardless of the meeting’s content,” the source said, adding that if the session had gone forward it would have been “highly contentious.”

In the end, enough groups signaled they would refuse to attend that the initiative collapsed. “Even without a formal decision, enough pressure was applied to reach a broad consensus to decline the invitation,” one source explained. “Rosh Hashanah gave us the perfect excuse. G-d saves us every time.”

The setback comes as Macron faces mounting criticism from Israel over his diplomatic moves. According to i24NEWS, the French president had also explored visiting Israel ahead of the General Assembly but was told by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office that the timing was not appropriate. Israeli officials are also reportedly weighing new measures against France, including the possible closure of the French Consulate in Jerusalem, which primarily serves Palestinians in Yehuda and the Shomron.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)