In this week's Canard Enchainé (see my note at the bottom of the diary about that paper), the following story is related by some French Socialists:
Deep unease in La Rochelle. The members of the Socialist Party delegation that accompanied François Hollande to Algiers on 8-9 July have retold the stunning conversations they've had with Algerian officials.
Starting with this horrific comparison by President Bouteflika:
The gas chambers used by the nazis against the Jews were a lot cleaner than the lime ovens used by the French to torture the fellagas.
Later, the President of the Algerian national assembly asks the first secretary of the PS:
Mr Hollande, we hear that the influence of Jews is very strong in your party. What do you intent to do to reduce it?
Hollande's reply:
The Socialist Party is a secular party where people are not assessed on their religion/religious beliefs.
Which brings back in mind this table from the recent poll on Muslim opinions which I discussed in a recent diary:
I focused on France when I posted my earlier diary, but the numbers about the opinion of Jews by Muslims pretty much everywehre else, and in particular in the Arab world, are disgraceful, disheartening and, frankly, unacceptable.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, whatever the rights and wrongs of the parties, has been used for too long by Arab governments as a wonderful excuse to distract their populations from their own shortcomings - red meat to hide their corruption, incompetence and brutishness. But this has instituttionalised anti-semitism and made it acceptable, indeed almost desirable in the public life of these countries.
It's a terrible shame, and something we should not forget as we criticise Israel (rightfully) for its own brutal and short sighted policies. It creates a background where Israel (also rightfully, despite their currently superior military strength) feels threatened, and it creates generations of Arabs who have known nothing but hate for Israle and the Jews.
Of course, the best way to solve this is for Israelis and Palestinians to make peace together, but it does not mean that we should not call out Arab leaders when they make such anti-semitic declarations.
As was discussed at the European Tribune, where this was originally posted, some Israelis or Jew conflate any criticism of Israel with anti-semitism. I am perfectly aware of this - and of course vigorously contest it, and would like to flag the following points:
(i) that the anti-semitism argument is abused by some does not mean that anti-semitism doesn't exist,
(ii) conversely, denouncing anti-semitism does not equal support of Israel's current policies,
With that said, recognising the very real institutional antisemitism in Arab countries is certainly useful to credibly criticizing Israel's policies.
Note: Le Canard Enchainé is a weekly French political and satirical paper which I have quoted in the past. It is extremely reliable and extremely well informed, and has been the source of many, if not most, of the great coups of investigative journalism in France in the past 30 years. It is also an excellent source for political gossip and insider comments. Its motto is "you lose freedom of the press only only when it's not used". It takes NO advertisement whatsoever, and yet is highly profitable. Sadly, it is not online. You can just take a peek at its front page here.
(No, I do'nt own shares, but I read it religiously every week)