JERUSALEM (VINnews) — In a dramatic shift in Israel’s foreign policy regarding the right-wing parties in Europe, Israel’s ambassador to France, Joshua Zarka, held a secret meeting at the Israeli Embassy in Paris with far-right leader Marine Le Pen, according to Le Parisien. The embassy later confirmed the meeting.

Until now, Le Pen, like her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, who was known for his antisemitic remarks,  had been considered persona non grata by Israel. The meeting at the Israeli Embassy grants her significant legitimacy.

The Ynet site stresses that this move marks a turning point. Israel has long boycotted far-right parties in Europe and avoided contact with them. Even when their representatives visited Israel, they were not received by officials. Under the current government, that policy has shifted.

Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli has maintained ties with far-right figures in Europe, including Spain’s Vox party, and recently invited British far-right activist Tommy Robinson to Israel, drawing criticism from the Jewish community in the United Kingdom. At a conference on combating antisemitism, he also hosted several far-right members of the European Parliament, including Marion Maréchal, Le Pen’s niece. In addition, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has instructed some ambassadors to meet with leaders of far-right parties in their host countries, effectively normalizing official ties.

Supporters argue these parties are no longer extremist but part of the legitimate right, and that many express support for Israel. The case of Le Pen is particularly symbolic: her family name is closely tied to Europe’s far-right history, and engaging with her after years of exclusion represents a notable shift.

Jean-Marie Le Pen made repeated antisemitic statements over the years, including minimizing the Holocaust, and was convicted in court for some of them. Marine Le Pen, who led his removal from the party he founded, has spent years trying to distance the movement from its antisemitic past. The two were publicly at odds, including over his claim that Nazi gas chambers were a minor detail of World War II.

Still, the decision to host her at the Israeli Embassy raises questions. While her party has moved toward the political center, it still includes extremist elements. As a symbolic figure, her reception carries weight, and some argue that a younger party leader, Jordan Bardella, who has visited Israel and attended Chikli’s antisemitism conference, could have been a less controversial choice.

The meeting also comes as France enters the early stages of a presidential campaign, with Le Pen a candidate. The fact that she alone received attention from the Israeli Embassy, and not other candidates, could be viewed as implicit political support.