“I have fought for noble causes. Against anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism, for the duty of remembrance, for human rights. But all this has been the work of a team, together with Haïm Musicant and the Executive Committee,” he went on to add. The former president of CRIF recalled some of the innovations of this period, such as the newsletter, the Studies under the guidance of Marc Knobel and the creation of the Friends of CRIF Association. He also mentioned major events such as the 7th of April 2002, when 13 000 people gathered in Paris and many more in the provinces, the successful outcome of the case against the television network Al-Manar, which broadcasts anti-Semitic programmes and was subsequently banned in France, the political contacts with successive government administrations and with France’s political parties.
As for the criticism levelled at him, in particular for his stand with regard to Israel, he answered: “As French citizens we have to defend the need for a balance, for a balanced approach to Israel.” He also insisted that “Israel and Jerusalem are as precious to us as the apple of our eye. We have a religious bonding, an intense bonding and we have been raised to love the State of Israel.”
To conclude, what has struck him most is that “when you speak out loud and clear you are heard and respected.”
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