Richard Prasquier, head of CRIF, the umbrella organization representing the French Jewish community in the political field, has expressed concern about the possible influence of violently anti-Israel leftist parties on Socialist candidate Francois Hollande if he is elected president on May 6 like polls seem to predict.
Prasquier says that both finalist candidates, incumbent President Nicolas Sarkozy, and Hollande "are declared friends of the Jewish community and strongly involved in the fight against anti-Semitism”.
They have also similar views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "But for the French Jewish community, appalled by the recent murders in the Jewish school in Toulouse, the issue of willingness to fight the new anti-Semitism that has developed under the mask of antis-Zionism will be an important one in the final decision," the president of CRIF wrote in Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz.
He added that the main question that arises in the Jewish community, in the case François Hollande becomes the President of France, "is the influence that might be exerted by those socialist leaders who have negative views towards the policy of Israel, and beyond them, by the leftist parties and the greens which express a deep hostility towards Israel, being at the forefront of every anti Israel showing, declarations or petitions."
Prasquier mentions in particular Jean Luc Melenchon, leader of the Leftist Front, the renewed communist party, who has called to vote for the Socialist candidate and "beat Sarkozy."
"A surge in the anti-Zionist manifestations is to be expected. The French Jewish community, which is, regardless of its political leanings, very close to Israel, will face these new challenges," Prasquier warned.
"Sarkozy has developed strong links with French Jewish community and has a deep knowledge of Israel and a deep sympathy for this country, which he uses sometimes for chiding the Israeli government," he insisted.
"France has become the major supporter of Israel in advocating firmness against Iran. The feelings of Francois Hollande towards Israel have always been clearly friendly, although they have not been spotlighted as much, and his stance towards the Iranian threat remains to be tested."
As for the high score obtained last Sunday by extreme-right National Front leader Marine Le Pen, daughter of anti-Semite party founder Jean-Marie, -she got almost 20 % of the votes and ended at the third position-, Prasquier believes that "they are not expected to exert any influence on the policy toward Jews in France."
"The Muslim and the immigration issues were at the forefront of their program and Marine Le Pen tried to cater to Jewish community as if the past of the National Front and the view of some of its still influent leaders had not been known," he wrote.
Prasquier believes that "there is no possibility" of political agreement between th National Front and Sarkozy’s party, the center-right UMP.

by: Joseph Byron

EJP