JNS.org – French Ambassador to Israel Helene Le Gal said Monday that French Israelis who voted in the final round of France’s presidential election the day before overwhelmingly supported the winner, Emmanuel Macron.

Le Gal tweeted that 96.3 percent of French Israelis who cast their ballots in the cities of Tel Aviv, Netanya, Haifa, Ashdod, Eilat and Be’er Sheva opted for Macron, who — with around 66% of the total vote — defeated far-right candidate Marine Le Pen.

In February, Le Pen had stated her intent to ban dual citizenship with non-European Union countries, troubling French Jews who also hold Israeli citizenship.

Le Gal told Army Radio that Macron would be “very friendly” toward Israel. On the eve of the election, Macron reiterated his stance that unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state would create instability and damage France’s relationship with the Jewish state.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated the French president-elect, saying, “I look forward to working with President-elect Macron to confront the common challenges and seize the common opportunities facing our two democracies.”

Netanyahu said Israel and France both face the threat of “radical Islamic terror,” and expressed confidence the “longtime allies” would “continue to deepen” relations.