France: No proof Hamas and Islamic Jihad are terror groups

Jerusalem Post ^ | 8/25/03 | Jerusalem Post

[Elkiejg]

France voices objections to placing Hamas and Islamic Jihad on the European Union's list of terror organizations, ynet reported Monday.

Diplomatic advisor to President Chirac, Maurice Gourdault-Montagne, is quoted to have said to the Israeli ambassador in France, Nissim Zvilli, that there is no proof that these two organizations are terror groups. "If we find that Hamas and Islamic Jihad are indeed terror groups opposed to peace, we may have to change the EU's stand," said Gordo. "However, we must not limit ourselves to one, clear cut, position."

Over the weekend, Zvilli met with Gordo, said to be Chirac's right-hand man, as part of Israeli lobbying efforts to include the two Palestinian organizations on the EU terror list. Two months ago, the EU added the Al Aksa Martyrs' Brigades and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestinian to its list, enabling European countries to freeze these groups' assets, and impose other sanctions upon them.

France, according to Gordo, is opposed to placing both Hamas and Islamic Jihad on the EU terror list, and believes Israel ought to deal with its terror threats through political, rather than military, channels.

Israeli Foreign Ministry officials expressed outrage at the French position. "Such an attitude is one of criminal negligence. It refuses to assume responsibility over the war against terror, and thus legitimizes terrorism."

[reagan_fanatic]

"Perhaps if Hamas went around targeting French nationals they'd think differently.
On second thoughts they probably wouldn't."

Of course they won't.
Why target one of your closest allies?

[smith288]

[HamiltonJay]

hahhaah I see, so in France, if you blow up babies on busses or in the streets, and openly take responsibility for it... You're not a terrorist... provided of course that your intended victims are Jewish....


Seems little has changed since the 1940s in France...

[Publius6961]

Assuming this is not a stealth Onion piece, or a cosmic joke, it raises a serious question and sounds a serious alarm.
Aliens must have gotten to the human water supply.

Madness (in the clinical sense) on a local political level is a curiosity, but harmless enough.
On a state level it is more serious and we can debate the necessity of justifying a recall when a politician bankrupts a state then whines that a group wants to "steal" "his" election.

On a national level we can elect a slimeball not once but twice and wonder why certain age-old concepts like "honor" and "treason" have virtually disappeared with sane people unconcerned by the results.

But when it starts happening on an international level and nuclear weapons and submarines and aircraft carriers and all sorts of nasties are not only real but wielded by an increasingly neurotic series of groups, it is time to take serious pause.

Can anyone in the world not actively engaged in murder, mayhem, destruction for its own sake and driven by a hopeless, justified feeling of inferiority and helplessness really have reservations about the nature of Hamas and Islamic Jihad?

The balance of power, which has kept us all in its grip for generations, seems to have been, all along, a balance between reason and madness. And if this report is true, it appears as if madness has won.

What is happening?

[Clara Lou]

Ah, the mighty, wonderful, we-know-better-than-you French. Can't handle a heat wave, can't handle the aftermath. What can they handle besides white flags?

[goldstategop]

The French can't credit the claims of Hamas and Islamic Jihad's own pressitutes either. Apparently the Israelis forged them to make the Islamofascists look bad.

[eclectic]

I cannot believe this crap. On second thought, it is France, the first islamic country of Europe...

[Publius6961]

La France, c'est le merde.

Please, we'll be accused once more of being uncultured and insensitive.

That would be la merde, please.

[keats5]

"However, we must not limit ourselves to one, clear cut, position."

You can't make this stuff up.

[kevkrom]

There's no proof that France is a civilized country.

I say Western Civilization should take a stand and declare that due to the lack of any positive contributions (and indeed, many negative ones) over the last 100 years or so, France should no longer be considered a part of Western Civilization.

[Publius6961]

The ultimate weapon: ignore them.

[ought-six]

The French. By far the most despicable people on the face of the earth. They are complete cowards and wimps. Some 10,000 of the wusses just died because the temperature got up around 100. Hey Frogs! Try Arizona for a day or so, or Chicago in July (which gets a heat index -- temperature and humidity -- of around 110 every year). Or, better yet, plop your sorry butts down in Louisiana or Mississippi for the summer. The French are totally wothless. They coddle terrorists, surrender at the least little provocation, and their women neither bathe nor shave their unerarms. Worthless people.

[Steel Wolf]

Very well said. Although I think that the Netherlands will be the first European state to fall to Sharia, not too long past that the French will fall as well. As amusing as it may be that a society would have so little collective will to live, France does possess nuclear weapons. They also possess no willingness to stand up to anyone tougher than Greenpeace. Islamic fundamentalists know weakness when they see it.

The Arab population in France is large, growing, and radicalizing fast. In another 20 years, they will be a huge chunk of the population, large enough to overthrow the government, or if nothing else to stage a very effective guerilla war. I wonder how the French will attempt to deal with their own insurgents, if not through military channels? Harsh language?

[ought-six]

The French. By far the most despicable people on the face of the earth. They are complete cowards and wimps. Some 10,000 of the wusses just died because the temperature got up around 100. Hey Frogs! Try Arizona for a day or so, or Chicago in July (which gets a heat index -- temperature and humidity -- of around 110 every year). Or, better yet, plop your sorry butts down in Louisiana or Mississippi for the summer. The French are totally wothless. They coddle terrorists, surrender at the least little provocation, and their women neither bathe nor shave their underarms. Worthless people.

[rrrod]

me.."THERE IS NO PROOF FRANCE IS A COUNTRY"

[cold_dead_fingers]

This cannot be true. If this were not so dangerous, it would be hilarious.

[Destructor]

"Islamic Jihad"

Duh!

[chilepepper]

not fit to wipe their own rear ends?

what makes you think that the frence ever wipe their rear ends?

[wasp69]

It brings to mind Ann Coulter's famous rant after 9-11 that we should invade France. Any chance Rummy can spare a division to get the job done??

No, but I think we could probably find a motivated pack of Cub Scouts to get the job done.

[Steel Wolf]

They'd probably say the same thing about a group called 'Death to France' or the 'French Islamic Liberation Front'. Wouldn't want to hurt anyone's feelings.