The CRIF in action
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Published on 22 January 2005

CRIF’S PRESIDENT VISITS MAGISTRATES INSTITUTE

CRIF's President Roger Cukierman visited in Bordeaux (South West of France) the Ecole Nationale de la Magistrature (ENM), the higher education institute for magistrates. "The students of the ENM should be taught basic elements on Zionism, the Holocaust and anti-Semitism," said Cukierman during a meeting with the institution's Director Gilbert Azibert.


In a related issue, a Paris investigating judge decided not to press charges against a French Muslim leader who said during a demonstration, "Zionism is an ideology of apartheid. We combat it like we combat Nazism." The investigating judge took his decision following the Paris Prosecution's advice that the statement was a simple "expression of political criticism".


Mohamed Latreche is the leader of a radical Islamic French group called "Parti des Musulmans de France". During the same demonstration, he directly addressed French President Chirac and said, "You said the Jews are in France for over 2000 years. Do you really think we are going to wait for 2000 years before we speak up?"

Latreche is known for many borderline statements on Jews and Israel. Following Latreche's comparison of Zionism with Nazism, French Cabinet minister of Justice Dominique Perben "We cannot leave it at that. This person must stop it." The LICRA and CRIF sued Latreche and asked for the dissolution of his organization. The magistrates decided otherwise.