French Jews call out FM on policies seen as endangering France-Israel ties

Cukierman also complained about the reception in March of Salah Hamouri, a member of a Palestinian terrorist group.

Published in Ottawa Jewish Bulletin June 3, 2015

In a rare rebuke, leaders of Jewish communities in France warned the nation’s foreign minister that France’s policies on Israel were ruining friendly relations between the countries.

The warning was made public last week when CRIF, the umbrella group of Jewish communities in France, published a letter sent to Laurent Fabius on April 21 by its president, Roger Cukierman.

The French “attitude toward Israel counters the friendly atmosphere created during the visit of President Francois Hollande to Israel and Ramallah,” Cukierman wrote. “While the United States, Britain, Germany and Japan oppose or abstain in votes hostile to Israel, France is the only major democratic power voting in favor of these resolutions.”

Last year, France voted in favor of passing six resolutions at UNESCO, the United Nations cultural and education branch, that CRIF deemed anti-Israel. One described the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron and the Tomb of Rachel in Bethlehem as Palestinian and primarily Muslim heritage sites, despite their significance to Jews… Read more.