Israeli President Reuven Rivlin. Photo: wiki commons.

Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin demanded in a public statement on Sunday that the world’s governments, particularly France, protect their local Jewish communities.

“We demand of all governments around the world, and the government of France in particular, to protect and safeguard the security and well-being of the Jewish community,” Rivlin said. “There is an obligation to ensure Jews are able to live with dignity and pride, without being victims of attacks, threats and intimidation.”

Rivlin’s remarks came as world leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, marched against terror in Paris after a week of bloody Islamist terror attacks in the city left 17 dead. 12 people were killed at the headquarters of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo on Wednesday, and 4 at a kosher supermarket on Friday. A policewoman was also killed in a separate attack.

The attacks follow years of rising antisemitic violence in France. In recent weeks, Jewish institutions were targeted in air gun attacks, and a Jewish woman was raped and her home robbed. During the summer, synagogues and Jewish businesses were targeted by mobs protesting Israel’s war against the Hamas terror regime in Gaza, and, in 2012, four people were murdered at a Jewish school in Toulouse.

In his comments, Rivlin also expressed  condolences to the families of the victims. “First and foremost, I want to express my deep sorrow, and voice my support for the families who have lost their loved ones, and offer strength and encouragement to the Jewish community in France,” he said.