French president accuses Israel of conducting anti-France campaign

haaretzdaily.com ^

[Sub-Driver]

Sunday, May 12, 2002 Sivan 1, 5762 Israel Time: 01:49 (GMT+3)

Last update - 01:43 12/05/2002

French president accuses Israel of conducting anti-France campaign

By The Associated Press

PARIS - French President Jacques Chirac raised the possibility on Saturday of "consequences" if Israel did not put a halt to a campaign presenting France as an anti-Semitic country, the president's spokeswoman said.

In a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Chirac spoke out "with force against the campaign," spokeswoman Catherine Colonna said. "At a time when the French massively demonstrated their refusal of racism, of xenophobia and of anti-Semitism, this campaign is not acceptable," Chirac was quoted as saying.

He added that it cannot continue "without consequences," Colonna said. She did not elaborate on what the consequences could entail.

Chirac was reelected last Sunday to a second term following a landslide victory over extreme-right candidate Jean-Marie Le Pen who has been convicted of both racism and anti-Semitism.

However, Israel's concern about events in France predates the election, rooted in a barrage of attacks this spring on synagogues and other Jewish sites. The attacks coincided with rising tensions in the crisis between Israel and the Palestinians. On April 2, France's ambassador to Israel was called to the Foreign Ministry to hear Israel's concerns about the spate of attacks.

The head of the ministry's European desk, Victor Harel, expressed Israel's concern over the attacks. The French ambassador, Jacques Huntzinger, advised that police had been sent in to reinforce security around Jewish sites.

Not helping matters is Israel's view of France as pro-Arab and partial to the Palestinians.

Israel is increasingly sensitive over signs of a rise in anti-Semitism in Europe and wants to form an international commission to monitor any signs of it. French Charge d'Affaires in Israel Michel Miraillet took a lot of "tough comments" at a meeting he attended earlier this month with Israeli officials and representatives of Israeli organizations, according to Israel's deputy foreign minister, Michael Melchior.

The presidential spokeswoman said Chirac's comments were made in a telephone call from Sharon to Chirac to discuss the Middle East crisis. Sharon said he was favorable to participation by the European Union in an international conference to unblock the stalemate.

[Sub-Driver]

ah, zee french.............

[sheik yerbouty]

Chirac! Tombez morte, cochon, fil de putain, tete de m*erde!

[sofaman]

440 anti-Semitic attacks in April alone.....Israel might have a point?

[Imal]

Wow, talk about the pot calling the kettle black!

Imal

[rageaholic]

The anti-semetic problem in France is cheifly the result of massive arab influx.

[sofaman]

understood...but how about doing something about it...

[SJackson]

440 anti-Semitic attacks in April alone.....Israel might have a point?

Shhhhh. Don't talk about it. There could be consequences.

Seems to me Chirac is helping prove Israel's point.

[sofaman]

agreed...LOL

[dfwgator]

When the Salvation Army announced they wanted to come into France, the French immediately surrendered.

[sofaman]

Probably not a good idea to pee off the Israelis. Frances record of late in the face off department is ...lousy. Even there tanks have 1 forward gear and 5 reverse. I remember the fast moving ocean craft that the Israelis bought from them and they wouldn't deliver. Israelis snuck and "liberated" them with the entire town near Marseilles complicit in the "liberation". In the 70's I think.

[McGavin999]

Let's see now, the French allow their Islamic militant emmigrees to burn down synagogues and beat up Jews and it's the Israelis fault the world is looking down on them for their lack of enforcement of the laws. UmmHmmm.

[Colombia59]

Chirac is leading France to become an "Islamic State" as he has opened the doors wide to Arab migration. The surprising thing is that French Jews gave him their support in the recent election, at least Israel has noticed what is going on.

[RichInOC]

I thought Matt Groening and Jonah Goldberg were Yanks.

[DeFault User]

Chirac! Tombez morte, cochon, fil de putain, tete de m*erde!

Ce sont les mots du jour. Mais, vous avez insulte' les cochons.

[tell me]

Don't sugar coat it. Tell us what you really think.

[Catspaw]

Funny, though--when The Powers that Be decided to distribute those 13 Palestinian terrorists that were inside the Church of the Nativity, France declined the honor of having one of their Palestinian heros live among them. Apparently, having Suha Arafat was quite enough.

[Diogenesis]

The French problem is they are proterrorist by surrender.

[another cricket]

I had not heard of this. Can you give a few more details or a link? Sounds like a fun read.

a.cricket

[sheik yerbouty]

I regret insulting swine...

[sheik yerbouty]

Chirac is a son of a whore who should aspire to reaching room temperature, with all deliberate speed!