Commentary on the Jews of Europe

Posted by:  Marla Singer

Posted on:  9/25/03

In his commentary entitled "The Jews of Europe", Dr. Gerhard Falk says something I can't let just go because he simply libels the French government. Here's the quote :

"These Arabs, with the implicit approval of the French government, attack Jewish community centers and assault Jews in the streets."

Well. I'm a French Jew personally... And I can't believe someone is still saying now in 2003 that the French government is "implicitly approving" the attacks on the Jewish community. Saying so is scandalous !

Well, last year's crisis has proven Americans in general have a really dark image of Europeans. I'm sorry to say so, but you know nothing of Europe ! And when we know nothing of something, we don't talk about it.

I don't deny, there has been some attacks from the French Muslim community on the French Jewish community two years before. France has been really scared by the raise of violence we've seen in our country. Actually, Chirac has been reelected because he wanted to fight hard against criminality. After 18 months in office, we can already say the job that has
been made by his domestic minister, Nicolas Sarkozy, has been a great success.

Actually, when Chirac and Sarkozy started their campaign to fight against criminality, some members of the Muslim community accused them of being motivated by racism against Arabs!

I'm sick of people generalizing from one small event and stating it proves the evil thoughts of politicians. No, Chirac doesn't hate Muslims, even if he had put more cops in Muslim neighbourhoods of French cities. No, Chirac doesn't hate Israel or Jews even if he had been opposed to the war against Iraq.

France is the third Jewish country in the world (after Israel and the US). France is the first Muslim country
in Europe (before Russia, Albania or Bosnia). France is and has always been a country of tolerance.  Actually, people are now thinking we've been too much tolerant and that was the reason why we had an increase in criminality before Chirac's reelection in 2002. France is certainly the most multicultural country of Europe and that even before the UK and Germany.

Things are not perfect. But saying the French government were "supporting implicitly" the attacks on the Jewish community is simply DISGUSTING.

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