EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK

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The French Connection

"Moreover, extremist Muslims tend to ally themselves with
cts of hatred toward minorities permeate France. Jew
other
extremist groups Left and Right, and thus bring size,
hating is especially popular. But the French Jewish
breadth and market potential to a whole subculture of delu-
community, the largest anywhere after America and
sion and fanaticism."
Israel, isn't doing itself any favors. It is so quick to saddle
The case of the fake attack aboard a suburban train near
Muslim immigrants with the blame that the Muslims of
,Paris
on July 11 turned the initial waves of solidarity with the
France feel they, as a group, are being stigmatized as the
Jewish
community among Muslims to anger. Muslim leaders
aggressor.
perceived
Jewish and governmental overkill to anti-Semitism
I see both sides.
at the expense of racism against. Muslims and Arabs.
The Jews blame an influx of Muslims from Morocco,
Leblanc went on French TV to apologize for the hoax. She
Tunisia and other North Africa areas for making Jew hating
sought
forgiveness "from all those I tricked and hurt."
chic. Sadly, these new immigrants often attack Jews and
But
the
damage had been done.
Jewish interests like synagogues, schools and
In
accepting
the woman's unsubstantiated story, the Jewish
cemeteries. The attacks spur widespread pub-
community reacted to the lead of French President Jacques
lic outrage — to little avail. The upsurge is
Chirac, who said "the perpetrators of this shameful act" will
like a ticking time bomb.
"be tried and sentenced with the severity required."
The Muslims say the Jews blame them for
attacks before the perpetrators are known —
Climate Of Rage
like what happened in Paris on July 11. A
While the organized Jewish community rightly apologized for
23-year-old non-Jew told police she was
rushing to judgment against Muslims, Roger Cukierman,
mugged on a suburban train in full view of
president
of the CRIF umbrella group of French Jews, shared
ROBERT A. 20 people. Marie-Leonie Leblanc portrayed
keen
insight
with JTA. "If this was believed," he said, "it's
her knife-wielding attackers as four Arabs _
SKLAR
because
the
climate
permits it. The fact is that we live at a
and two Africans. She said they cut her hair,
Editor
time where there are hundreds of anti-Semitic attacks."
ripped her clothes and scribbled three
In one grave attack, yeshivah student Yisrael
swastikas on her stomach with a black marker. They
Yiftah,
17, was walking to an Epinay store when
also overturned a stroller carrying her baby. Jewish
attacked
by a man of North Africa descent shouting
leaders blamed a rising tide of anti-Semitism among
in
Arabic,
"God is great." The same man also
Muslim youth in working-class suburbs — until
attacked
non-Jews
in his June 1 spree, prompting
Leblanc admitted that there was no such attack and
Muslims to say it was a stretch to label the man
that she drew the swastikas herself.
anti-Semitic.
France experienced more anti-Semitic and racist
"The government has taken all sorts of measures
acts in the first half of this year than in all of 2003;
to
deal with this, and our synagogues are like
600,000 Jews live among a population of 59 mil-
fortresses,"
Sammy Ghozlan, president of France's
lion. Of 230 racist acts against people or property
National Bureau for Vigilance Against Anti-
so far in 2004, 135 were anti-Jewish; young
Cukierman
Semitism, told JTA. "They've even put on extra
.Muslims were often the assailants. Intimidation and
buses from railway stations so people don't walk
threats against Jews make up almost 75 percent of
around
at
night. What more can we do?"
the total reported. In contrast, anti-Semitic acts in 2003 were
Well,
French
courts can hand down harsher sentences.
down 37 percent.
When an unprovoked beating of a Jew lands a youth gang
Muslims are 9 percent of the French population. They rep-
member the "penalty" of writing about anti-Semitism, justice
resent the densest Muslim community in Western Europe.
indeed is disparaged.
Their number is nearly 10 times greater than that of French
In a speech against racism, hate and intolerance three days
Jews. To be fair, some French Muslims have pro-actively inte-
before
the Leblanc hoax, Chirac vowed to fight acts born from
grated into the mainstream culture and reject anti-Semitism.
"the darkest side of the human soul." He called not just for
But the vast majority have made Jews a scapegoat for their
exemplary court sentences, but also teachers who stress diversi-
ills, including the national jobless rate of nearly 9 percent.
ty and equality.
They're separatists, loyal to the radical sect of Islam. They con-
I like his bluntness: Teach school kids about fanaticism,
demn Israel for the Palestinians' plight.
exclusion, cowardice and abdication in the wake of extremism.
Ask them to demonstrate "our resolution, our common capac-
Worthy Primer
ity to live in harmony and respect one another."
A 2002 Commentary magazine article by Michel Gurfinkiel,
Time will tell if the French people embrace his vow. I fear
Jewish editor of Vizleurs Actuelles, a Paris weekly, identified
anti-Zionist
ranting within France and neighboring lands may
another class of French Muslims. They "are socially and politi-
be
too
much
to overcome.
cally quite well integrated, but still tend to embrace an all-
Complicating
matters was Israeli Prime Minister Ariel
Muslim ideology; who may frown on anti-Semitism, especial-
Sharon's July 18 call for French Jews to hurry aliyah in reac-
ly when directed at synagogue-going Jews, but nevertheless
tion to French Muslim "anti-Israel feelings and propaganda."
indulge in extremist rhetoric when it comes to Israel and the
The
remark enraged Chirac, but I found it refreshing, timely
Middle East."
.
and
in
step with what Israel.leaders should do.
Gurfinkiel's analysis is still a primer for understanding what
French
Jews can help themselves by not stereotyping their
French Jews confront. "Rational debate about the Israeli-Arab
fellow
Muslim
citizens.
conflict or the terrorist threat cannot easily be conducted in a
For their part, French Muslims, most importantly the
country where some.10 percent of the population and a larger
imams, must condemn Jew hating, period. By allowing forces
percentage of young people identify with the most radical ele-
within
their community that breed almost unconditional
ments in the Arab/Islamic world," he wrote.
hostility toward Jews or Israel, they cheapen their cause. I I
Ariel Sharon urges French Jews to make aliyah, page 28.

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