PARIS, May 13 (Reuters) - French authorities are examining whether a foreign interference campaign aimed at a hard-left party ahead of March's municipal elections was carried out at least in part by an obscure Israeli firm called BlackCore, according to three sources familiar with the matter.

French intelligence agencies are now investigating who may have ​commissioned the alleged BlackCore campaign to smear three France Unbowed candidates in a campaign that included deceptive websites and social media accounts alleging criminal behaviour, as well as disparaging digital ads, two of the sources said.

The pro-Palestinian party is regularly accused of antisemitism by some Jewish community ‌leaders and political ⁠rivals - claims it denies - while many business figures fret about its high tax-and-spend policies.