Ilan (Alain) Greilsammer, Professor of political science at Bar Ilan University and expert on French politics says he is is very concerned by Marine le Pen’s remarks about banning all religious symbols including the kippah.

"She represents a neo-fascist party" Greilsammer said in an interview to EJP. ‘’We we shouldn't analyze all what she says. In general her party is against Islam, they are extremely anti Arabs and xenophobic. The danger is that Le Pen hides all this with the term laicite'. I mean, France is a secular country so there shouldn't be any religious signs. Instead of saying that she is anti Islam she is saying she is in favor of the laicite'. She understand that she cannot say she is against Muslims in general. That is why she added the kippah to her policy, so that nobody can now argue she is only anti Muslims."

In addition to her kippah comments, Marine Le Pen also raised objections to dual-citizenship, which, if enforced, would require French Israelis to choose between the two countries, in an interview with France 2 television.

She said that if elected, French citizens would not be allowed to hold additional citizenship in non-European countries and when asked if she would ask French Jews who have dual nationality with Israel to renounce their Israeli nationality she replied she would ask them to make a choice : either French or Israeli.

"I wouldn't give too much importance to this kind of declarations but the rise of populism and extreme right in Europe is certainly a general manifestation. Le Pen also wants to decide what kids will eat in school : she said that every kid should eat the same without religious differentiation . This law would influence the life of the Jews much more than the kippah for example. All European countries are suffering about this popumism phenomenon which points out at a great disappointment towards the old elites. The disappointment is the real danger, because it can bring the populist parties to govern all Europe," says Greilsammer.