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PARIS (AP) \u2014 The alleged rape of a 12-year-old Jewish girl in a suspected antisemitic attack<\/a> has sent shockwaves throughout France, and thrust concerns about antisemitism to the forefront of campaigning for the country\u2019s legislative elections<\/a>.<\/p>\n The National Rally party, which has tried to shed historical links to antisemitism, has its first real chance of forming a government if it comes out on top of the two-round elections that end July 7, as polls forecast. It would be the first far-right force to lead a French government since the Nazi occupation.<\/p>\n Far-left figures, meanwhile, have faced accusations of antisemitism linked to their response to Hamas\u2019 Oct. 7 attack on Israel<\/a> and the ensuing war.<\/p>\n Concerns came to the fore after two adolescent boys in a Paris suburb were given preliminary charges this week of raping a 12-year-old girl and religion-motivated violence, according to prosecutors. Lawyer and Jewish leader Elie Korchia told French broadcaster BFM that the girl is Jewish and that the word Palestine was mentioned during the attack.<\/p>\n Politicians from all sides were quick to comment on the attack, which elicited widespread shock and concern, notably after a surge in antisemitic acts in France<\/a> since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.<\/a><\/p>\n France has the largest Jewish population in Europe, but given its own World War II collaboration with the Nazis, antisemitic acts today open old scars. France also has the largest Muslim population in western Europe, and anti-Muslim acts have risen in recent years.<\/p>\n On Wednesday evening, hundreds of people gathered in front of Paris City Hall to protest antisemitism. Many in the crowd were holding placards, including some bearing the slogan \u201craped because she\u2019s Jewish.\u201d Further protests are planned for Thursday evening at Place de la Bastille.<\/p>\n French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal wrote on X that the girl was \u201craped because she\u2019s Jewish,\u201d identifying it as an antisemitic attack, while French President Emmanuel Macron<\/a> called on schools to hold a \u201cdiscussion hour\u201d on racism and antisemitism.<\/p>\n Jordan Bardella, president of the National Rally, said that if elected he would \u201cfight the antisemitism that has been plaguing France since Oct. 7.\u201d In the wake of reports of the attack, Bardella announced that his party was withdrawing support for one of its candidates over an antisemitic message on social media posted in 2018.<\/p>\n His predecessor as party president and the National Rally\u2019s 2022 presidential candidate, Marine Le Pen<\/a><\/span><\/span>, accused the \u201cextreme left\u201d of \u201cstigmatization of Jews\u201d and of \u201cinstrumentalizing\u201d the Israel-Hamas conflict.<\/p>\n Leftist leader Jean-Luc M\u00e9lenchon denounced \u201cantisemitic racism,\u201d though the France Unbowed party which he formerly led has itself faced accusations of antisemitism linked to the Israel-Hamas war.<\/p>\n Although the alleged rape has heightened tensions regarding antisemitism in France before the June 30 and July 7 two-round parliamentary election, it is far from a new issue in French politics.<\/p>\n More than 180,000 people across France, including 100,000 in Paris, marched in November to protest rising antisemitism in the wake of Israel\u2019s ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza<\/a> \u2014 the biggest gathering to denounce antisemitism in France since a 1990 demonstration against the desecration of a Jewish cemetery.<\/p>\n