In her new book Les Nouveaux Antisémites (“The New Antisemites”), French journalist Nora Bussigny provides a chilling account of her year-long undercover investigation into France’s far-Left and activist circles. Bussigny, who is of Franco-Moroccan descent and not Jewish, infiltrated various organizations to document how traditional antisemitism has “metastasized” into a virulent form of anti-Zionism that now serves as a unifying force for otherwise fragmented radical groups.
French journalist infiltrates anti-Israel groups, reveals antisemitism on far left in new book
Nora Bussigny goes undercover as pro-Palestinian activist for a year; in her bestseller The New Antisemites, she reveals how hatred of I…https://t.co/71THerZyB8 pic.twitter.com/NmLuwGR7iJ
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“My concern keeps growing in the face of a future marked by the hunt for Jews…,” she notes. “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,” she told The Times of Israel.
Through her infiltration of demonstrations, university campuses, and online forums, Bussigny documented several alarming trends:
- Vocabulary of Exclusion: Activists use coded language, referring to Israel as “the Zionist entity” or “Israhell” and the IDF as a “genocidal army.”
- Academic Radicalization: At elite institutions like Sciences Po and various medical schools, Jewish students face ostracization, intimidation, and open hostility. Bussigny details instances of swastikas on exam papers and students being forced to chant pro-Hamas slogans.
- Institutional Infiltration: Radical groups like Samidoun and Urgence Palestine — some with allegedly proven links to terrorism — frequently receive public funding and access to municipal facilities to host workshops.
- Digital Warfare: The investigation highlights the “digital guillotine,” where movements like Blockout use social media to harass public figures deemed insufficiently anti-Israel, often utilizing propaganda from foreign actors in Iran and Algeria.
Bussigny’s identity as a non-Jewish woman of Arab descent has made her a specific target for vitriol; she has been labeled a “traitor” and now requires police protection due to death threats. Despite a boycott of her book by several French bookstores, it has become a bestseller and earned the 2025 Prix Edgar Faure for best political book.
Her work has had significant legal and political repercussions. Her testimony before the National Assembly contributed to parliamentary inquiries into Islamist movements, and her exposure of anti-Israel influencers led to state action, including the freezing of assets and arrests for incitement to terrorism.
Bussigny concludes with a “cry of despair,” warning that if the radicalization of younger generations, such as Gen Z, continues unchecked, the future of French democracy is at risk. She argues that the “academic intifada” and the normalization of antisemitic tropes are no longer fringe issues but a “long march toward chaos” within the heart of French society.
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