ZGram - 5/12/2002 - "Chirac lectures Sharon on name-calling"

[irimland@zundelsite.org]

ZGram - Where Truth is Destiny

May 12, 2002

Good Morning from the Zundelsite:

It sure is nice to see some resistance to the never-ending 
vilification techniques coming out of Jewish quarters.  According to 
an Associated Press release, posted on Ha'aretz, even France's 
president has had it with the shrieks. 


[START]


French president accuses Israel of anti-France campaign


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.

(Source: 
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=162410&contrassID=1&subContrassID=0&sbSubContrassID=0 
)

[END]

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

"A good catchword can obscure analysis for fifty years."

(Wendell Wilkie)