PARIS/JERUSALEM, 20 July 2004 — French President Jacques Chirac informed Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon yesterday “he is not welcome” in Paris after he urged all French Jews to leave the country immediately, Israeli television reported.
Meanwhile, French politicians and Jewish leaders denounced yesterday a call by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon for French Jews to emigrate immediately to Israel to escape what he called the “wildest anti-Semitism”.
Sharon made his remarks in a speech to visiting Jewish leaders in Jerusalem, despite acknowledging efforts to fight anti-Semitism led by President Jacques Chirac. His comments have soured the atmosphere as France tries to build ties with Israel.
The Foreign Ministry branded the comments unacceptable and said yesterday it was still awaiting an explanation, while an Israeli government spokesman sought to play down the row. “The French government has adopted a very tough line over these (anti-Semitic) incidents, but they continue to happen,” Avi Pazner told LCI television in French.
“That’s all (Sharon) said and there’s nothing particular about what he said, except that it has been reported in a totally unacceptable way,” he added.
However, parliamentary speaker Jean-Louis Debre, a member of Chirac’s governing UMP party, told Europe 1 radio Sharon’s comments were unacceptable and irresponsible.
“These are matters which distort reality ... and I think they are an expression of hostility toward our country,” he said. Sharon often calls on all the world’s Jews to migrate to Israel.
He acknowledged the French government was making efforts to stem anti-Semitism but added that the threat was so grave that French Jews should head for Israel without delay. But French leaders said Sharon’s remarks were ill-informed.
