An Israeli minister has welcomed French far-right leader Marine Le Pen's recent political victory after her National Rally party became the biggest winner in this week's general election.
Israeli Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli told Kan radio that Le Pen's election as president, which is not currently on the cards, would be "excellent" for Israel due to her "firm stance" against antisemitism, Haaretz reported.
National Rally won around one in three votes in this week's election, making them the biggest party in France, although its influence could be depleted if other parties - from the centre-right to hard-left - unite against far-right challengers in the second vote and they choose one candidate for prime minister.
"It would be excellent for Israel if [Marine Le Pen] were the president of France, ten exclamation points. In my opinion, it would be good for the State of Israel," Chikli told the radio broadcaster.
When asked if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shared his views on Le Pen, he said: "It seems [he and I] are of the same opinion. It's not a personal matter."
Le Pen took over Front National from her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, a hugely controversial figure in French politics, in 2011 and tried to moderate the far-right's brand in France with a rename to National Rally and eradicating antisemitic discourse from the party.
Like many hard-right and populist parties in Europe, National Rally takes a strongly pro-Israel line and is more focused on immigration, particularly from Muslim-majority countries, and the so-called Islamisation of France.
Chikli met Le Pen at a rally for the far-right Vox party in Spain, saying he "was very impressed by some of the things she did" and described the atmosphere of the gathering as "very pro-Israel".
Chikli also warned delegates against "reckless immigration" which was leading to "ghettos full of Islamic immigrants that often become hotbeds for religious fanaticism".
Netanyahu's Likud Party is in coalition with far-right parties with settler leaders such as Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir serving as ministers in his government, who have frequently espoused anti-Palestinian and Muslim rhetoric.
Le Pen's election win was also celebrated by Lebanese far-right Christian group 'Soldiers of God'.