Interview with Francis Kalifat in l'Est Républicain : "Fighting the hatred that spreads on the Web"

For the new president of CRIF, this is the challenge ahead.

Internet is an exceptional tool for knowledge, but it is also a dangerous hate vector

Interview with Francis Kalifat, President of CRIF, published in l'Est Républicain June 18, 2016, by Patrick Perotto

"From the Righteous of Nancy to the living together today: what future for humanist and ethical France" is the theme of a conference organized this Monday, June 20, 2016, jointly by the City of Nancy and the representative council of Jewish institutions in France (Crif). Roger Cukierman, its president until the end of the month, and Kalifat Francis, his successor, will be present. The latter, first Sephardic elected as Crif president since 1969, discusses the current climate.

Is the living together threatened in France?

It is certainly threatened, yes. We know what difficulties are facing both the Jewish community and the national community nowadays. We need to go beyond the concept of "living together" to achieve the concept of "doing together". It's complicated, because the terrorist threat is at its highest level ever. The French Jews feel particularly targeted. They allready paid the price, in Toulouse and in Paris.

The whole French society must find the way to keep itself peaceful. At the time of the attacks, the politicians gave us the needed answers in words and deeds, but the Jewish community felt a a kind of indifference and it must feel listened by the whole national community again.

Can the Jewish community close itself ?

This risk is always to be feared, but if it occurs, is won't be our doing. The French Jews are afraid. On one hand, they are living in France, on the other hand, they are unable to send their children in regular schools. For example : in Seine-Saint-Denis area, there are no more Jewish children in public schools, because of the degraded climate. The Jewish families have no other choice.

One of the challenges is the fight against the ideas spread through the internet...

Internet is the main factor of antisemitism and radicalization. It is clear that we must find solutions, because society is drowned by hatred propagata on the Web. The responsibility lies with the broadcasters, who are very difficult to pursue. Hosted in the United States, anti-semitic sites invoke the 1st Amendment of the US Constitution, which guarantees total freedom of speech... Internet is an exceptional tool for knowledge, but it is also a dangerous hate vector. This is truly our challenge to come ... Read more.

Source : l'Est Républicain