Lay off France, Chirac tells Israeli PM Sharon

Reuters ^

[Dallas]

PARIS, May 11 (Reuters) - French President Jacques Chirac warned Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Saturday of repercussions if Israel continued what Chirac called an "anti-French campaign" maligning France as anti-Semitic.

"The president objected strongly to the anti-French campaign currently being waged in Israel in an attempt to present France as an anti-Semitic country," spokeswoman Catherine Colonna said after Chirac telephoned Sharon.

"This campaign is unacceptable and cannot continue without repercussions," Chirac told Sharon, according to Colonna.

Chirac, re-elected in a landslide victory over extreme-right National Front leader Jean-Marie Le Pen last Sunday, phoned both Sharon and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat on Saturday.

He told Sharon that an anti-French campaign was being waged in Israel "at a time when the French people have massively demonstrated their rejection of racism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism", Colonna said.

France, home to a 600,000-strong Jewish community which is the largest in Europe, as well as around five million people of North African Arab origin, has had tense relations with Israel, which regards France as pro-Arab.

Relations between the two countries were strained further by France's growing criticisms of the policies of Sharon, who in turn was reported to have talked in recent months of "a dangerous wave of anti-Semitism" in France.

Last month, French Jews were subjected to vandalism at a Jewish cemeteries, arson attacks at synagogues and other institutions, and beatings, following Israel's military offensive in the West Bank.

[Mamzelle]

Like Sharon should be remotely afraid of the peeps from this feeble, limping, effeminate little frog?

[Cicero]

Is Chirac planning to fire his antisemitic ambassador to the United Kingdom? Or the antisemitic ministers who have been mouthing off so loudly? We don't need Sharon to tell us about the French. They have been convicting themselves out of their own mouths.

[contessa machiaveli]

i have a personal message for his highness, jacques chirac "f--- you". perhaps if he did a better job of reigning in the debris streaming into his country from the mid-east, criticism wouldn't be necessary.

[Cachelot]

"This campaign is unacceptable and cannot continue without repercussions," Chirac told Sharon, according to Colonna.

Translation: You Jews better shut up. We have a lot of you right here in our hands..

[ex-snook]

Seems like Chirac thinks Anti-Semitism and anti-Sharonism are two different things.

[DoughtyOne]

I'd say Chirac might think of addressing his own countrymen who's campaign has eclipsed Israel's, in the quest for the same goal. Now that Chirac has been aclaimed emperor of the decade, he doesn't need to address reality any more than he has in the past. What a relief that must be for him. Let's just hope for the French people that the next President of France doesn't want to just move on and forgive all of Chirac's criminality.

[jalisco555]

What repercussions? Will France vote against Israel in the UN? They already do. Will France make excuses for Palestinian suicide bombers but falsely accuse the Israelis of war crimes? They already do. Will the French army take on the IDF? It is to laugh!

[Congressman Billybob]

Threatening people when they tell the truth is about the most stupid policy that any national "leader" can possibly pursue. Chirac should realize how dumb his remarks make him, and France, appear to the outside world.

Here's the quick answer to Chirac: Phuck the Phrench and the cheval they came in on. And while you're at it, phuck Monsieur Chirac, as well.

Congressman Billybob

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[Reagan Man]

The continued anti-semitism shown throughout France and the physical attacks against Jews and their property, goes over the line of acceptable behavior and isn't how a civilized nation should act either.

Jacques Chirac sucks. As a nation, the French suck too.

[crystalk]

I think that now is the time that the writing is on the wall, and the French Jews must all leave that country or be punished along with it for its sins.

Since they love Muzzies so much, why don't they take in ALL of the Pallies, and send their 600M Jews to Israel. Or the USA.

Flee now before another synagogue burns.

[MissAmericanPie]

Sharon is lucky he kept his temper, Chirac might have surrendered France over the phone, and Sharon has enough on his hands with Israel.

[lodwick]

Sharon, "Boo!"

France, "We surrender."

[A Navy Vet]

Got cheese?

[Walkin Man]

France, what a shi**y little cheese-eating country.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

"The president objected strongly to the anti-French campaign currently being waged in Israel in an attempt to present France as an anti-Semitic country,"

If it walks like a duck...

[stands2reason]

LOL!! Next thing you know they'll be complaining to America that we think of them as "snooty".

[Drango]

I'm boycotting French Toast, French Fries and French Kissing.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

France, home to a 600,000-strong Jewish community which is the largest in Europe, as well as around five million people of North African Arab origin, has had tense relations with Israel, which regards France as pro-Arab.

Well, duh.

Might be a clue as to where to look for the vandals. Where is Inspector Cleauseau when you need him.

[stands2reason]

Oh yes, the attacks on the synagogues and Jews in the street are anti-Sharonism, not anti-Semiticism. Right.