Posted on 07/26/2005 8:50:54 PM PDT by anotherview
By Diania Bahur-Nir
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has landed in Paris on Tuesday, where he will commence an official state visit and meet with French president Jacques Chirac.
Sharon was warmly received in Paris, and Israel’s ambassador in France, Nissim Zvili, said that “today we are rebuilding faith and open dialogue with France.”
The visit’s timing seems to be the product of a number of overlapping interests. France is close to national elections and is keen to show its influence on the Israeli-Palestinian sphere.
Prime Minister Sharon is, for his part, interested in creating "diplomatic credit" abroad for the disengagement program, by building ties with European leaders.
Sharon and Chirac will spend much of their time discussing the disengagement, as well as what will on the day after the pullout.
The two will also discuss topics such as the disarmament of Hizbullah, the withdrawal of Syrian forces from Lebanon, and the Iranian nuclear threat.
Diplomatic sources said that “relations with France have known highs and lows, and there’s no doubt that the warmth in relations is a very important thing which should now be advanced. The change in France’s relation to Israel comes from the disengagement program. They understand that this is the only game in town, and that the route to becoming involved in the area passes through Jerusalem. They also understand that an unbalanced policy has to be changed.”
In advance of Sharon’s trip to Paris, the prime minister gave a number of interviews to French press agencies in which he explained his call to French Jews to immigrate to Israel following a rise in anti-Semitism, a call that was interpreted by the French as an insult.
Diplomatic souces said that it “was clear that in France there is anti-Semitism, but Chirac is fighting hard against it, and the prime minister intends to thank him for that. The prime minister highlighted many times that he is interested in encouraging French Jews to move to Israel, and at the same time, he’s interested in encouraging all Diaspora communities to do so.”
Before Sharon’s arrival in Paris, the French interior ministry published encouraging statistics showing a 48 percent fall in anti-Semitic incidents this year. Some 290 incidents were recorded this year, as opposed to 561 in the previous year.
Around 330 French Jews immigrated to Israel on the same day that the statistics were published, a record number of immigrants in a single day.
(07.26.05, 23:44)
This says a lot about how safe French Jews don't feel and about how serious anti-Semitism in France has been recently.
A Stab In The Heart [Video]
IsraelNationalNews - A Video on Gush Katif [Video]
The Nature Of Bruce ~
Perhaps there are some homes there he can turn into casinos. Why, there are Jews everywhere to uproot for political advantage or cash. And now, one has to admit that Sharon is the expert in the subject.
No wonder Chirac wants dialog.
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French President Jacques Chirac (L) welcomes Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at the Elysee Palace courtyard in Paris, July 27, 2005. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon arrived in Paris on Tuesday where he will seek French pressure on Lebanon and Iran and help in urging the Palestinians to do more to disarm militant groups, officials said. Photo by Philippe Wojazer/Reuters
Truly indicative that Sharon has leaped headlong over unto the dark side. French pressure... what, he's brewing coffee?
CESMs
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