Undercover investigation exposes antisemitism inside France’s anti-Israel far left
French journalist warns hatred of Jews is uniting extremist movements and shaping a new political threat
A French journalist who spent a year undercover inside anti-Israel activist networks has warned that antisemitism has become a central unifying force on the country’s radical left, posing what she describes as a growing threat to French Jews and democratic society.
In her new book Les Nouveaux Antisémites (The New Antisemites), journalist Nora Bussigny documents her infiltration of far-left, Islamist and pro-Palestinian groups across France, where she says hostility towards Jews and Israel has replaced traditional ideological divides.
Speaking to The Times of Israel, Bussigny said: “I saw with my own eyes to what degree Islamists, far-left so-called ‘progressive’ militants and feminist, LGBT and ecological activists are closely linked in their shared hatred of Jews and Israel.”
The investigation followed Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack on Israel, in which around 1,200 people were murdered and 251 taken hostage, an event Bussigny says accelerated the convergence of extremist movements and fuelled antisemitism across Europe.
Appearing under a false identity, Bussigny attended demonstrations, meetings and online forums, embedding herself in activist spaces while carefully adopting the language used by anti-Israel campaigners. “They usually say ‘the Zionist entity’”, she explained, adding that Israel’s army is referred to as “the genocidal army”.
Her book describes how chants glorifying Hamas and its 7 October assault were heard at protests framed publicly as campaigns for human rights, including women’s and LGBT causes.
Bussigny names several organisations, including Urgence Palestine, Palestine Vaincra and Samidoun – the latter designated a terrorist organisation by countries including the US, Germany and Canada – alleging they have received political support in France, including access to public venues.
Despite not being Jewish, Bussigny has faced intense backlash since the book’s release in September, including death threats and online abuse. She now requires police protection at public appearances.
“Part of this hostility is because I’m Franco-Moroccan,“ she said, adding that she has been labelled as a “traitor” and falsely accused of being funded by Israel.
She also claims some French bookshops have refused to stock the title, despite it becoming a bestseller and winning the 2025 Prix Edgar Faure for political book of the year.
Bussigny says she has been particularly struck by the response from France’s Jewish community. “Many say my book has helped them see what’s behind much of the current antisemitism,” she said.
The book is dedicated to Holocaust survivor and French Resistance member Régine Skorka-Jacubert and includes interviews with more than 100 people, including students, academics and elected officials. Bussigny also visited university campuses in Brussels and New York as part of her research.
She has since given evidence to a parliamentary inquiry into Islamist movements in France and signed a public letter calling on the government to make tackling antisemitism a national priority.
Asked whether her outlook has changed since completing the book, Bussigny said it had not. “My heart is heavy,” she said. “I’m very, very afraid for France… but I’m among those who are going to fight until the end.”
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