CRIF HOSTS THE PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

This visit enabled President Accoyer, who was accompanied by the presidents of the main parliamentary groups in the National Assembly from across the political spectrum and by the president of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Axel Poniatowski, to experience the closing days of Israel’s electoral campaign, to meet several leading Israeli figures, most notably President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. They were also able to visit Sderot and the towns in the South which are subjected to incessant rocket fire from Hamas. The delegation was also able to meet representatives of Israel’s French community.

In Ramallah, the delegation was able to meet several PLO-Fatah MP’s, Prime Minister Salam Fayad and the General Secretary of the PLO Executive Council, Yasser Abder Rabbo. A field visit in Gaza enabled the delegation to see first hand the state of the industrial zone, the sewage treatment plant and hospitals. A meeting was also programmed with the French Cultural Centre and a number of French NGO’s operating in the area. However, there was no contact with Hamas, which France considers to be a terrorist organisation with a heavy responsibility in the recent conflict.

The aim of this visit, explained the president of the National Assembly, was to put an end to the cycle of violence and obtain a cease-fire.

For Bernard Accoyer, Israel’s response had been disproportionate and to the detriment of the civilian population. In his opinion, peace will only be brought about by a political solution. This is going to be the main challenge for the new Israeli cabinet which, according to the president of the National Assembly, will have to refer to the Roadmap and to the spirit of Oslo, cease what he calls the “colonisation”, and work toward the existence of two States living side by side in harmony.

The president then took questions from the floor with great frankness and sincerity. Regarding the possibility of hanging a giant portrait of Guilad Shalit on the front of the National Assembly, even for only one day, his answer was negative, because it would open the door to polemical debates among MP’s who are from different political sensitivities.