I’ve always found Ariel Sharon necessary but untasteful, and his latest comments are an example of why. Now, I’ve repeatedly pointed out that anti-Semitism is alive in well in France and been highly critical of the French government for their inaction in the face of this threat. At the same time, Sharon’s comments were completely out of line. The Jewish people should have the right to settle wherever they wish, be it France, Israel, or the United States and be free from persecution. Sharon’s statement virtually demanding that French Jews move to Israel is simply wrong. The world cannot afford to abandon Europe to anti-Semitism once again. There must be a movement for change within Europe to counter the growing hatred from radicalized Muslims as well as the casual acceptance of anti-Semitism in many European countries.
Sharon has done a disservice to that movement, and his comments were extremely irresponsible. The interests of the Jewish people are not in allowing the spread of anti-Semitism, but in fighting it. Moving away is a form of surrender, and as Sharon should well know, capitulation to terrorism is a fool’s errand.
UPDATE: On the other hand, Jacques Chirac has put himself into the lead in the asshole race by banning Sharon from France. You mean a Jew isn’t welcome in France? Quelle surprise!
If French Jews want to make themselves safe again, the first thing they should do is demand that Chiraq resign…
Thank you Jay. You are totally right to accuse these two assholes of Sharon and Chirac. Their way of handling crisis, banning each other for any reason just isn’t right. I am really delighted to see that you can actually criticize Sharon. They should be locked out just like Arafat. No one needs corrupted and selfish politician like those.
On the topic of “antisemitism in France”, I would like everyone to understand , as several reports and Sharon stated it, that antisemitism in France is mostly coming from young muslims in relation to the situation in the Middle-east. Thus, the reason for this wave of violence is just the action of Sharon. These young guys are uneducated and usually stoned, and every incursion of Tsahal in Gaza will automatically create an aggression in Neuilly s/ Seine.
Letting the “security fence” (concrete doesn’t look like a fence to me…) be build will only create more anger from muslims around the world, when looking at the life of their fellow muslims in palestine. Even Australia had an anti-semitic violence explosion last week…
No one can condemn antisemitism in France while accepting occupation (or take-over) of palestinian territories.
The classic game of blaming the victim – itself an anti-Semitic argument. Exactly what do FRENCH Jews have to do with Ariel Sharon? So because Sharon does something, you excuse acts of violence against all Jews?
Last time I checked, Sharon was advocating the unilateral pullout from Palestinian territories.
Personally, I’m starting to wonder if Sharon isn’t right afterall. If this is representative of French attitudes, I sure as hell wouldn’t feel safe in France.
Good on you, Jay.
Sharon isn’t saying that Jews have no right to settle wherever they wish. If he was, he would advise Jews in the USA, Australia, etc to leave also. Of course, he has said no such thing.
It’s all very well to say that the world cannot afford to abandon Europe again, but its the Jews of Europe who will pay the price. The Jews were the canary in the coal mine during Europe’s last descent into barbarism. This time, they should get out before the cage door shuts.
Let us not forget that French Jewish organizations have publically stated OPPOSE Sharon’s statements. The French Jewish community is very diverse and also vigilent about the current situation. Obviously there are things that need to be addressed, but mass exodus is not the way to do it. There are large numbers of Jews who are proud to be Jewish and French. Why are their opinions usally left out when the US press covers this topic. Furthermore, why has there been very little coverage of the fact that the most recent insidious incident of anti-semitism on the train was a HOAX?? The woman responsible was pyschologically ill. There is very little balance when the American media covers the French Jewish situation. This is troubling because it is preventing a geunine discussion on the issue.
What’s Israel for, if not for Jews to move to in order to be able to live among civilized people? The world cannot afford Europe.
Hey Drago,
For the moment, the cage is being built on the other side of the atlantic (detention camps, extensive war, occupation, isolation…). If you don’t want to fall into barbarism, then Bush’s 19% budget cut for libraries isn’t really the best way…
The conclusion of WWII is not: “we have to save the jews whatever the cost is”, but instead: “we cannot let this happen again to anyone”. TODAY, the jews are doing it to palestinians (not the exact same thing, but it’s starting to look like it).
As far as I know, no jews are being deported in europe, and the political will of the EU is to oppose any data collection (that allowed nazis to find them rapidly). On the other end, look at US data protection policy…Who is closer to Germany version 1939?
“Last time I checked, Sharon was advocating the unilateral pullout from Palestinian territories.”
Oh really? Can we talk about this pullout when it will actually start, please? He’s been talking about it for months now, and the only thing that is really happening is more soldiers in the zone, more houses destructions, and more palestinian deaths. I wonder if Sharon should get a medal for stopping the occupation of a foreign country…
Or maybe he should get one for caring only for his population, and increase the “Lebenraums” for his race by grabing land on the neighbouring countries…Hitler would have supported the idea.
“If this is representative of French attitudes (What I, vincent, was saying), I sure as hell wouldn’t feel safe in France.”
Pardon me? Are you somehow implying that I could be anti-semitic? This is empty rethoric, because there was nothing implying that in what I wrote.
I warned you before, but you are way too “jewishing” for me (as my jewish friends told me you were). You’re just as stupid as any islamofascist: if someone doesn’t agree with you, it has to be because he is anti-semitic. Your views are the views of a minority of jews, who are ready to let everyone die around them to access their promised land. If you were a bit more open, you would understand that a religion that calls for its superiority and the death of others is nothing more than a vice.
Jews in France are mostly not supporting the invasion of Irak, nor Sharon’s stupidity with his unilateral actions and walls. There was jews in France long before the US was discovered, and there will be jews in France for a long period of time. There was a saying in Eastern countries in the beginning of the XX century: “happy like a jew in France”. Jews are part of our republic, and we will not let a bunch of politically motivated war-mongers send them to death in Israel. As far as I know, France is more secure than Israel for anyone, because there is no daily bombing.
Stop killing/supporting the killing of innocents in Gaza, and there will be no anti-semitism in France. French officials and population are doing whatever they can to destroy antisemitism, but with these dumb leaders of Bush and Sharon, it really ain’t easy. The action of Sharon don’t excuse any violence (in regard to french law), but it does justify it a lot (in muslims heart and souls). I’m sorry your short-term short-viewed point of view doesn’t allow you to realize what are the effects of globalisation…an action in a country CAN have an influence on another country…incredible!!!