Rififi Israel and the Jewish community in France? It would go unnoticed if
News J n ' had not written a whole page around June 2008: some friction arose between some Eminent community associations and the ambassador of Israel
in France:
Daniel Shek .
Background: For reasons that we would like to clarify following several associations, including the
Wizo , sent a letter to
Tzipi Livni , Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State
Israel, to complain about the attitude of the ambassador to Paris who basically would not have shown enough to this and preventing events organized by these associations.
In response, the Presidents of Major Jewish Institutions in France (CRIF
,
FSJU , Consistory, Alliance ,...) have published a whole page of thanks in
ActuJ flights to
Ambassador for the fantastic half of 2008 that France and Israel
experienced: Visit
State of Shimon Peres in France, state visit
of Nicolas Sarkozy in
Israel, Israel
guest the book fair, etc., etc. ...
What all this hiding?
There is the official version:
Ambassador Shek considers himself the ambassador of his country (thankfully), but only that. Yes and then?
Well we are in France in a country where the Jewish community believes that
Ambassador must also be representative
Israel to the Jews of France. And it is true that for many years, we have grown accustomed to seeing
Ambassador of Israel attend the gala dinner of the
Wizo of Bnai-Brith
, the anniversary of a particular suburban community or province.
But Daniel Shek
chose to direct its mandate more assertive towards the political and institutional French. Objective: to ensure that French diplomacy is more receptive to the Israeli view that the French people and gradually discovers a more positive image of Israel
, its culture and its environment. Mission accomplished, if one believes the success of the Book Fair, the increase of bilateral cultural and academic level or slight shift media journalists
when Israel is the one. But of course, by focusing its energy on France and its institutions,
Ambassador angered socialites. He shows little in the evenings
self-congratulatory and self-belief that the existence of the French diaspora is crucial for the survival of the state
Israel.
For let us be clear: if the American Jewish community remains a key unit for the interests of the State
of Israel, both in terms of fundraising
that influence the internal politics of states
United , we clearly can not be said of the France.
Numerically, the Jews of France are less numerous, less wealthy and their influence on the foreign policy of their countries is almost zero, despite the efforts of recurrent
CRIF.
If one takes the subject so cold, so there is absolutely no interest to major
Ambassador going Squandering
canapés with Nathalie Cohen-Beizerman , Chairperson of the WIZO
and one of the main protagonists of this micro-case
.
The official explanation is that these associations are upset and beside Embassy we said a little softer, but no one feels good.
Shek: a troublemaker "scandal" around? Is there another explanation? For that, we must explain what happened during the last general meeting of CRIF where Ambassador Chek was invited to present the results of the first half of 2008 in relations between France and Israel . Obviously, results extremely positive.
is the first time I saw Daniel Shek and I must speak confess that I was very positively surprised by the quality of his speech. Her French is perfect at the same time elaborated. His positions are nuanced and always argued. Of humor often. In short, we can honestly consider that Daniel Shek, by its presentation and its results is an excellent ambassador of Israel in France.
I expected after his speech to applause, compliments instead agreed to a largely sympathetic to notables.
Error! What I did not hear! Be aware: Speakers at the session of questions and answers were not happy of Sarkozy's speech to the Knesset. You see, he spoke of Jerusalem, refugees, etc, etc. ...
Doe who arrogated the right to speak on behalf of
"Jewish people of Paris" (I did not know that such an association was a member of the CRIF, you learn something every day ) to express its concern that Palestinian refugees meet the Israeli cities of Tel Aviv and Rishon Lezion like, he said, seemed to afford a doubtful sentence of Nicolas Sarkozy in his speech, another, although a member of the executive (! ) who submitted the idea preposterous to vote Sitting in a motion of support to the indivisibility of Jerusalem, or a long diatribe about the historic mistake that would be opening discussions with Syria on the Golan Heights.
Daniel Shek has more experience than me. Personally, I was pretty amazed. I did not hear in a meeting of CRIF also virulent criticism of Nicolas Sarkozy, in particular from people who have defended at all costs during the presidential campaign! But Daniy Shek apparently knew where he set foot. And, no pun intended, he fought tooth and nail. He almost comes to a comprehensive text commentary Sarkozy's speech to show how on most subjects there was convergence of views with the Israeli government.
He even diplomatically, of course, suggested to the leaders of the CRIF sometimes need not to react too impulsively, especially in the media, not to hinder the action of Israel, which is after all the element The most crucial in the case. For example, when the CRIF has produced a statement criticizing the President to invite Bashar Assad in the parade on 14 July, when Israel was just working indirectly with him.
short, weird, it seemed that part of the meeting CRIF had more in mind the protection of his own fantasies about Israel, that the primary interest of the latter represented by its ambassador.
All in all, it joins a classic thesis: when removing a Jew Judaism (little skullcaps to the General Assembly of CRIF) and the fight against anti-Semitism (how? We can not be indignant d an invitation to Bashar El-Assad to Paris?), what's left? The Holocaust? Yiddish folklore or Moroccan? Yes, a few things, but mostly it is instinctual and emotional attachment to Israel that ultimately makes no practical consideration on the future this country.
It could be that this initiative never seen before against an Israeli Ambassador to France is a direct consequence of a fear of identity: if the first representatives of Israel prevents us from scandal, to demonstrate, to produce press releases to defend the Jewish state, what do I get? A mere spectator of French Jewish world and advance very little used by the real actors of the conflict?
When I heard those glorious significant step into the breach to try to tell that Daniel Shek Sarkozy's speech to the Knesset was dangerous, I tried to find an adjective that describes precisely the feeling I felt. I did not take long to find it: pathetic.
