#CRIF : The President of CRIF Francis Kalifat invited by Jean-Marc Ayrault, French Minister of foreign affairs

Francis Kalifat straightaway expressed anger and disappointment.

Anger towards the UNESCO vote on Jerusalem.  Under pressure from Palestinian, Arab and Muslim countries, an unjust and denial resolution was voted negating the millennium Jewish presence on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, the holiest site of Judaism,.

UNESCO's mission is to contribute to the development of Culture and Education. It went astray by enacting a revisionist and anti-Semitic text. The institution converts into an anti-Israeli court, resolution after resolution, under pressure from Arab and Muslim countries.

The President of CRIF then expressed disappointment and that of all French Jews. France chose abstention, while assurances had been given by the highest authorities of the State that it would oppose this resolution.

The Minister explained the reasons for the abstention of France by asserting that our country had worked for the reaffirmation of the importance of Jerusalem for the three monotheistic religions in this resolution. The Foreign Minister explained that France wants to maintain discussion with all parties, and that in "diplomatic language" abstention means disapproval.  He claimed that the vote of France probably decided other European countries initially determined to support the resolution and who ultimately abstained.

The President of CRIF stressed that forbearance on such a text was incomprehensible, and that France had missed the opportunity to affirm with courage its commitment to historical truth.  France should signify UNESCO that it diverts its role by adopting a biased political resolution, revisionist of the history of the Jews and of the Christians.

Francis Kalifat finally drew the Minister's attention on the new draft resolution of the UNESCO Heritage Committee on Jerusalem to ask France to intervene with the members of the committee (of which France is not comprised) to oppose the resolution.

Francis Kalifat told the Foreign Minister that he understood the associations calling for a rally on Thursday 27 in front of the Foreign Ministry to express their anger and incomprehension of the decision of our country.

Francis Kalifat was accompanied by Nathalie Beizermann and Marc Zerbib, members of the Executive Committee.