To welcome Fadela Amara’s chief advisor, the Women in the City Committee, chaired by Natalie Cohen-Beizermann and Edwige Elkaim, was supported by CRIF President Richard Prasquier, Vice-President Meyer Habib, Francis Khalifat and Arie Bensemhoun, members of CRIF’s Executive Board, Bernard Gahnassia, member of the Steering Committee in charge of relations with politicians, Haim Musicant, General Director of CRIF, Marc Knobel, researcher and Eve Gani, in charge of development. The presence of these leading figures shows the importance given by CRIF to this meeting with the ministerial advisor.
Talking about Islam in France, Mohammed Abdi defined himself as a Muslim who “has faith”. He also has faith in a vigorous republicanism that with the pact and a willingness to compromise will grant the Muslim religion the space it deserves to counter extremist Islam. He believes that the Muslim religion in France is experiencing a historic process of secularisation, just as two centuries earlier the Catholic religion had moved into the private sphere. Unfortunately, “the Muslim Brotherhood wants on the contrary to “win points” and create in Europe the Muslim equivalent of “Christian Democracy”, to be able to proudly show to the Arab nations that are refusing them power”.
Questioned by CRIF President Richard Prasquier about the positive initiatives that CRIF might be involved in, Mohamed Abdi spoke of “best practice” that the Coexist programme had been, under the leadership, among others of the UEJF (French Jewish Student Union). Speaking on behalf of the Junior Minister in charge of Urban Policy, he said he would like to instate a more comprehensive “National Day for Respect”.
“CRIF is absolutely legitimate in fighting anti-Semitism” and “very often, anti-Zionism is a form anti-Semitism,” which draws from very old stereotypical roots, according to Mohammed Abdi.
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