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| French Jews support Israel
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Right-wing MP Claude Goasguen, is one of the few French political figures who is willing to participate in a solidarity visit in Israel
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PARIS (EJP)--- The French Jewish umbrella organisation, CRIF, organised a visit to Israel on Monday to show solidarity.
A delegation of over 70 Jewish community leaders arrived to Israel on Monday on a first support visit since current violence erupted in the north.
Headed by Joseph Zrihen, deputy chairman of the CRIF, the delegation joined a mission organised by the Israeli tourism ministry which will take in Haifa, Israel’s third largest city and currently one of Hezbollah’s main targets.
The CRIF is due to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, foreign minister Tzipi Livni and Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres.
The Jewish umbrella group announced that it would be joined in Israel by representatives of the main French political parties.
However, it seems unlikely that the CRIF will succeed in bringing major political figures to Israel, as most have expressed their reservation about the Israeli operations in Lebanon.
Reaction disproportionate
“Disproportionate”, the adjective used initially by foreign minister Douste Blazy to describe the Israeli raids against Hezbollah, is now employed by most political leaders.
Israel must not delude itself,” socialist MP and former minister Jack Lang declared on Sunday on the Jewish radio. “Using excessive force will not solve the problem. Israel’s reaction is disproportionate,” he said.
When asked what he would have done had he been the Israeli Prime Minister, Lang hesitated and then answered he was not the Israeli Prime Minister.
Most political leaders and media endorse the official stance of France, set out by President Jacques Chirac on his Bastille Day interview.
Chirac declared that Hezbollah and Hamas were “irresponsible” but that Israeli operations in Lebanon were “disproportionate”.
Chirac asked whether there was a will to destroy Lebanon, a former French colony.
France has called for an immediate cease-fire and for the application of UN resolution 1559.
Few French political figures are willing to participate in a solidarity visit in Israel today.
Right-wing MPs Claude Goasguen, Eric Raoult, Herve Mariton the mayor of Montpellier Helene Mandroux are among those who did make that choice.
Goasguen was in Haifa on Sunday with foreign minister Douste-Blazy when several missiles hit the city and its suburbs killing two Israelis.
“Philippe Douste-Blazy laid a wreath at the hangar of the train station where several people were killed last week and as we left the station we heard that dreadful alert indicating new missiles were about to hit the city,” Goasguen said.
“The minister was taken away to a shelter by his body guards.”
Various initiatives
The CRIF enabled several initiatives to show solidarity with Israel.
The mayor of Montpellier, which is twinned with Tiberias, visited the city and decided to hold a special city council meeting on Tuesday in order to launch support projects in favour of Tiberias’ inhabitants.
The mayor of Nancy decided his city would invite children from the Israeli twin town, Kiryat Shmona in August.
Other mayors, such as the mayor of Marseille Jean-Claude Gaudin, sent messages to Israeli and Lebanese cities.
Israeli tourism minister Isaac Herzog evaluated that the best way French Jews could support Israel was to visit the country and explain the Israeli position to the French media.
On 20 July, CRIF responded to that request and published, together with the European Jewish Congress and several other associations, a message in the main French newspapers, Le Monde, Le Figaro and Liberation, titled “Hezbollah is a threat to peace” detailing current events in the Middle-East and explaining the Israeli operations:
“If Marseille, twin town of Haifa where several inhabitants were killed, was bombed by terrorists would France remain passive?”
“The Lebanese people, taken hostage by Hezbollah must recover its sovereignty,” read the message.
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