The minister, in statements reported by Algerian daily El Khabar, referred to the “origins” of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, attributing the latter’s coming to power to the action of a Jewish lobby. He went on to inveigh against the visit of Algerian-born Jewish singer Enrico Macias, who was scheduled to accompany President Sarkozy on his state visit to Algeria next week.
CRIF is sickened by such grossly anti-Semitic statements, which recycle the myths conveyed by the Protocol of the Elders of Zion.
Such statements stir up hatred against the Jews and aim to set back any attempt to reconcile France with its former colony Algeria.
CRIF is expecting the Algerian authorities to clearly disavow these statements.
CRIF, for its part, will not give up seeking to deepen its dialogue with the Muslim world.
(Following the outrage triggered in France by Sherif Abbes's statement, Algerian President Abdelaziz Buteflika called President Sarkozy to distance himself from his cabinet minister.)
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