The leader of the French Jewish community, Richard Prasquier, has urged his fellow Jews to vote for France’s incumbent President Nicolas Sarkozy because “he has a deep knowledge of Israel and a deep sympathy for this country.”
Prasquier’s sole motivation for endorsing Sarkozy (who is also of “Jewish heritage”) is not because it is in France’s interest, but because of what a far leftist victory (by way of Francois Hollande) might mean for jews.
“I am worried by a possible victory by Francois Hollande. What would be the influence of “the leftist parties and the Greens which express a deep hostility towards Israel?” asked Prasquier, before answering: “I expect a surge in leftist and Communist manifestations of anti-Zionism.”
Many journalists in France have criticized Prasquier for daring to mention this rather than focusing on National Front leader Marine Le Pen.
“Le Pen is not expected to exert any influence on policies toward Jews in France” wrote Prasquier, because “there is no possibility of political agreement between.
“The Muslim community and immigration issues were at the forefront of their campaign. Indeed, Marine Le Pen even tried to attract Jewish voters as if the past of the National Front and/or the view of some of its still influential leaders had not been known.”
Several journalists, mainly from the weekly Marianne, which is vehemently hostile to Sarkozy, said the article shows that The official Jewish community organization, CRIF is “no longer against the far right so long as it doesn’t openly criticize Jews.
“When the National Front aggresses immigrants and Muslims, the man who represents French Jews doesn’t see anything deeply wrong and writes this to the people of Israel,” wrote Claude Askolovitch in an article called “CRIF loses its morals outside the Ghetto.”
