France’s Embassy in Iraq Is a Spoil of Antisemitism, Jewish Family Charges

New York Times - WorldCenter-LeftEN 6 min read 100% complete by Ephrat Livni and Pranav BaskarJanuary 18, 2026 at 06:01 AM

AI Summary

long article 6 min

A Jewish family that fled Iraq is suing France for $22 million, alleging the country benefited from Iraqi antisemitism by occupying their Baghdad mansion without paying rent for decades. The family, the Lawees, leased their home to France in 1965 for use as an embassy, believing France would honor the agreement despite rising persecution of Jews in Iraq. After Iraq stripped Jews of their property, France allegedly stopped paying rent and benefited from a cheaper deal with the Iraqi government, which had expropriated the house. The lawsuit, set for a hearing in Paris, argues France profited from the dispossession of Iraqi Jews, mirroring claims made by descendants of Holocaust victims seeking restitution. The French government argues that any culpability lies with Iraq.

Keywords

antisemitism 90% lawee family 90% france 80% jewish property 80% embassy 70% property restitution 70% iraq 70% contract dispute 60% expropriation 60%

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Very Negative
Score: -0.60

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Source
New York Times - World
Political Lean
Center-Left (-0.30)
Far LeftCenterFar Right
Classification Confidence
90%
Geographic Perspective
France

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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