After the new 50% tariffs, I doubt this remains true.

Try to understand that.

Those real summons are very rare.

It can be serious. Worst case, an ambassador is summoned to receive a declaration of war. That's happened many times in the past, especially when travel delays meant wars took a long time to start. That's rare today.

This time, it's not that serious. Here's the statement by the foreign ministry of France: [1]

France learned of the allegations of the US Ambassador, Mr. Charles Kushner, who, in a letter to the President of the Republic, expressed his concern about the rise in anti-Semitism in France and reported an alleged lack of sufficient action by the French authorities to confront it.

France firmly refutes these allegations. The rise in anti-Semitic acts in France since 7 October 2023 is a reality that we deplore and to which the French authorities are fully committed to combating, as such acts are intolerable.

The Ambassador’s allegations are unacceptable. They contravene international law, in particular the duty not to interfere in the internal affairs of States as provided for in the 1961 Vienna Convention that governs diplomatic relations. Furthermore, they fall short of the quality of the transatlantic relationship between France and the United States and the trust that should result between allies.

Ambassador Kushner will be summoned to the Quai d’Orsay on Monday, 25 August.

Charles Kushner (Jared Kushner's dad, Jared Kushner being Trump's son in law, married to Ivanka Trump) and the US embassy sent their chargé d'affaires (a temporary ambassador while the real one is unavailable) instead. That can be read in several ways. Although it's a mild diplomatic insult to send a substitute, the effect is to calm the situation a bit. It helps that the substitute is a professional diplomat, not a political appointee. Le Figaro says the meeting went reasonably well, but that's what's traditionally said unless a declaration of war results.

This should go away as an issue unless Trump starts screaming about it on social media.

[1] https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/country-files/united-state...

[2] https://www.lefigaro.fr/international/convocation-de-l-ambas...

When everything is going well, meetings between the Foreign Office and ambassadors remain private.The fact that the ambassador did not attend the meeting himself but sent a subordinate is a public affront.

What is strange is that the US ambassador's communication is not really intended for the French or French jews, but is merely a sign of support for Israel.

There is currently an Israeli media offensive in France followin President Macron's comments on the recognition of a Palestinian state. The Israeli state and its supporters are buying advertising spots on YouTube and Instagram to encourage French Jews to do their ahria with free money.

There are regular attempts to exploit anti-Semitic crimes or news stories to claim that France is hell on earth for Jews and that Israel is there to save them. But then again, we haven't yet seen Belgian commandos coming to kidnap people in France or Luxembourgers launching rockets.

The only new thing is that the US ambassador is taking part in this type of operation and behaving like an arsehole with the French Foreign Office.

People haven't watched The West Wing etc and it shows

I guess diplomatic relations are severed until an ambassador returns to the host country.

As a world we have to return to normal and respectful behavior instead of bullying everywhere. The US under Trump is just one thing: a bully.

With great power comes great responsibility. That is the standard men (and women) are hold accountable.

https://thewire.in/diplomacy/six-critical-questions-raised-b...