French Prime Minister Manuel Valls strongly condemned violent anti-Jewish attacks in Paris on Sunday during which pro-Palestinian protesters attempted to storm two synagogues after an anti-Israel demonstration.
“Such acts targeting places of worship are unacceptable. They are extremely grave et will always find a determined response from the authorities,” he said in a statement.
He said France ''will never tolerate the import of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on French soil.''
Paris Mayor, Anne Hidalgo, ''firmly'' condemned attacks against places of worship and appealed ''for calm in the face of tensions in the Middle East.''
An anti-Israel demonstration at the Bastille Square, sparked by Israel’s Operation Protective Edge against Hamas to stop rocket attacks from Gaza, quickly turned violent with protesters seeking out and attacking Jewish targets and screaming “death to the Jews” and “Hitler was right”, according to various testimonies. Two nearby synagogues were targeted by the protesters.
Signs in support of Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood were reportedly on display as well as a replica of a Palestinian rocket similar to those launched from Gaza at Israel in recent week.
Dozens of Jews praying for peace in Israel were trapped in the synagogue of rue de la Roquette while rioters threw stones and bricks. The people were able to leave the prayer center only after police intervention Sunday at 9 pm. Similar incidents occurred Sunday in another Parisian synagogue on rue des Tournelles, and on Saturday in Belleville.
A Jewish owned store on rue de la Roquette was trashed by 50 men with iron bars and a young man was hospitalized nearby, according to reports.
“I am profoundly shocked and revolted. This aggression towards the Jewish community has taken an absolutely unacceptable turn,” said Joel Mergui, president of the Central Jewish Consistory of France.
One French Jewish activist was quoted as saying: “French Jews are in serious danger.”
On Friday night, a firebomb was hurled at the entrance of a synagogue in Aulnay-sous-bois, a Paris suburb, the National Bureau for Vigilance Against Anti-Semitism (BNVCA) reported. No one was hurt.
BNVCA President Sammy Ghozlan warned that attacks against Jews may become even more frequent because of the conflict in Gaza.
“We have seen violence increase at periods of unrest in the Middle East, and this is no small part the result of incitement and anti-Semitism at demonstrations against Israel,” he said.
‘’It is absolutely scandaleous that people attack Jews and call to kill Jews because of the conflict,’’ said Sacha Reingewirtz, President of the union of French Jewish Students (UEJF).