Posted on 03/31/2002 7:00:19 PM PST by LarryLied
The Jewish community's official representation in France warned today of a "new Kristallnacht" after a series of attacks on Jewish targets over the weekend.
The Central Consistory in Paris said it was "profoundly worried by the repeated attacks on French synagogues," and called on the government immediately to step up protection of Jewish buildings and institutions.
"Without this, we would have no choice but to consider the Jewish community as living through the beginnings of a new Kristallnacht, with the government totally passive," the Consistory said in a statement.
Kristallnacht is the name given to the night of November 9, 1938, when German mobs embarked on an orgy of anti-Semitic violence with the encouragement of Adolf Hitler's Nazi government.
President Jacques Chirac added his voice to the growing condemnation of the violence, which he described as "extremely worrying." "Whether it's against places of worship, or Jewish people, or the things they represent -- it is totally unacceptable," Chirac said.
In the latest attack vandals set fire to the front of a synagogue in the eastern French city of Strasbourg early today, and Jewish leaders said it was provoked by a large anti-Israeli demonstration there the day before.
Petrol was poured on the doors of the synagogue in the Cronenbourg quarter, and the subsequent fire spread into the hall before being extinguished, but there was no serious damage.
"I am not surprised by the fire. On Saturday anti-Israeli cries were raised, but also cries of hate. The crowd was whipped up, which was wrong," said Gilbert Roos, honorary Israeli consul in the city.
Muslim groups had organised a march through Strasbourg yesterday in support of the Palestinian intifada and to protest at Israel's armed attack on Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's headquarters in Ramallah.
In other incidents, around 15 masked assailants smashed two cars into a synagogue in the southeastern French city of Lyon early yesterday, and last evening a man fired two shots from a shotgun at the front of a kosher butcher's in the southern city of Toulouse.
In Lyon, the leader of the local Muslim community, Kamel Kabtane, visited the La Duchere synagogue today in a gesture of solidarity.
"I am always available to do what is needed to send out a signal to those who want to sow hatred," he said.
Israeli leaders -- including Prime Minister Ariel Sharon -- have said French anti-Semitism is on the rise, but the government in Paris argues that the attacks are mainly the work of Muslims of North African origin and must be seen in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
And Psychopathological Projection Syndrome is alive and well in FRance, too.
LOL!
And lest we forget: They stink.
I knew I admired something about the French.
I smear America for sending them back to Hitler?? Lol. You are a piece of work, Lied ;).
Ever consider the possibility the reason Americans were not too thrilled with the idea of the St. Louis off loading passengers here was what had occurred in the Soviet Union? Who was to know there wasn't another Trotsky on board? America was over 90% Christian at that time. Christians knew of the slaughter of Christians in the Ukraine, they knew who the executioners were. Can you blame them for wondering if that might happen here?
Your brand of Christianity seems a bit suspect.
Thanks for flapping your raincoat in such a decisive fashion. It's not pretty, but it is informative. Anyway, I'll not bother with you anymore - you have painted yourself into a corner.
There will always be rampant anti-semitism because the Adversary is out to destroy the Chosen People of YHWH. He thinks that if he can destroy Jews (which he has tried throughout the history of the Jews), then he will have prevented YHWH from fulfilling his covenant. This will worsen until Messiah comes (again!).
Yair!
Must be all that pre-surrendering sweating.
And cheese.
Well there's that stuff.
And not bathing FRom one week to the next.
Didn't Germany change their immigration policies in recent years because of the influx of Muslims (mostly Turks)?
Maybe they'll give this task to the Reformed Jews.
Care to elaborate, like give examples? I don't recall hearing Jews blaming everyone else for the problems in Israel or elsewhere.
And I don't actually blame the Muslims who have settled in European nations. The anti-semitism was already there, waiting for an opportunity to rear its head publically.
Why don't you tell us what they did. Better yet, why don't you get lost.
Even the endless charges of antisemitism against almost everyone are a shuck and jive to shift the blame. Everyone is like, you know, antisemitic. It is some kind of a disease people just come down with. Kinda like the flu but worse. No one knows what causes it. It happens all over the place and has for thousands of years. It is one of those mysteries no one can explain.
Amen to that, Twodees.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.