CRIF REGRETS ILL-TERMED STATEMENT OF FOREIGN MINISTRY

This in essence implies that the Israelis were in part responsible for the profanations.

CRIF regrets this statement made on the day following the visit of Minister of Foreign Affairs Philippe Douste-Blazy to the region.

Upon his return from a trip to Israel and the Palestinian territories, Philippe Douste-Blazy declared on Radio RCJ, the Jewish community radio:

« “I had the opportunity of experiencing first hand the visit of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to Paris last July, a visit considered by all, but in particular by both French and Israelis, to have been a great success. The French media in particular welcomed the fact. More than ever, we know that Israel and France share the same values, values of peace and solidarity, universal values with respect to human rights. We shall be creating a Foundation to help our civil societies to get to know each other better. One thing is sure, bilateral relations have rarely been so good. According to the daily “Le Figaro”, Philippe Douste-Blazy, welcoming the Israeli withdrawal from the region, nevertheless underlined the fact that “the territories of the Gaza strip and the West Bank, including Jerusalem East, are for France inseparable”. Indeed, according to him, the withdrawal from the Gaza strip is merely a “first stage” to the “creation of a viable Palestinian State”, considering that the present disengagement is “evidence that the hope of peace can be reborn”, writes Le Parisien.

Concerning the Palestinian territories, Philippe Douste-Blazy has made the commitment on behalf of France to financial contribute to the economic development of the Gaza strip.
Touching on the issue of security, in particular at the borders, the French minister recalled that “the Israelis will not be able to continue to develop their different evacuation stages if on the opposite side there is no security” adding that this security “can only come from an efficient, controlled administration answerable to the Palestinian Authority.” He consequently proposed that France, in the context of the EU, should help with the training of the cadres of the police and judiciary.