The Israeli media reported Thursday that French President Nicolas Sarkozy called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a "liar" in a private conversation with US President Barack Obama after France was sidelined on the Gilad Shalit deal.
Sarkozy told Obama at the G20 summit meeting in Cannes in October that he was fed up with dealing with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and called him a "liar". Sarkozy’s remarks were overheard by several journalists because translation devices were not turned off.
According to Haaretz daily newspaper quoting an Israeli official, Sarkozy met Jewish leaders two weeks ago at the Elysee palace and told them that his anger with Netanyahu was caused by events surrounding the French president’s personal efforts to secure Gilad Shalit's release.
Sarkozy offered Netanyahu that a French helicopter will fly Shalit from Egypt to an Israeli air base after his release from Hamas custody, but the Prime Minister rejected the offer.
According to the newspaper, France requested that the French ambassador to Israel, Christophe Bigot, participate in the welcoming ceremony for Gilad Shalit, who has dual Israeli and French citizenship, but Israel also refused that offer.
Sarkozy was very frustrated by Israel's refusal as well as by the fact that France did not get any credit for Shalit's release.
The French President might visit Israel in January in order to "clear all the misunderstandings" and demonstrate his long friendship with Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu.