France – Page 2

August 26, 2015 By Olivier Melnick 3 Comments

The Relentless Pressure of Palestinian Opportunism!

We are approaching the time of the year when the United Nations meet in New York at the end of September. This year, the General Assembly will meet from Sept 28-Oct 6. As in previous years, the Palestinian Authority will do anything in their power to push for recognition by the United Nations. Considering the plethora of resolutions against Israel–being accused of crimes against humanity towards the Palestinians–the vote should be a no brainer, right?

While it hasn’t happened yet, international recognition of Palestine is closer than ever before. Palestinian opportunism has a lot to do with that. But why are we closer in 2015 than we were in 2014? For this we have to review how much has happened since the last United Nations General Assembly of September 2014. Palestine currently holds a seat at the UN with a “non-member permanent observer” status.

Sweden was the first Western European country to officially recognize the State of Palestine in October of 2014. They joined the only two other EU countries that already had made that move; Malta and Cyprus. It is interesting to note that Sweden’s move took place only a few months after the end of the 2014 Gaza War, at a time that common sense should have dictated the opposite. Sweden has long been know for its near all inclusive tolerance of immigrants. This has of course not alleviated the current danger of extreme Islamism in the country.

There are currently 136 countries that have recognized Palestine, but each attempt at a UN vote has been vetoed by the United States. Today, only the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand and most of Europe are still resisting recognizing Palestine, although most of them would follow the United States if they chose to vote yes at the UN.

On April 1, 2015 (no joke here), the Palestinian Authority became an official member of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in La Hague, Netherlands. They [The Palestinian Authority] expect the ICC to investigate Israeli war crimes during the 2014 Gaza War. If the ICC does its job ethically, this is a move that could eventually backfire for the PA.

Of course, the Vatican also made the news as they joined Sweden when a treaty was signed between the Palestinian Authority and the Vatican in June of 2015 leading the Holy See to officially recognized Palestine. The treaty took fifteen years and three popes to be ratified, but it is now official. So much so that the current pope used the expression “angel of peace” in a conversation about Mahmoud Abbas.

Additionally, France has been working very hard for a while, preparing a draft for a UN resolution to be passed this coming September. The same France whose Prime Minister Manuel Valls said after the January 2015 terrorist attack that “France without Jews is not France”, seems very interested in throwing Israel under the bus. If one was to look at the level of anti-Semitism in France alone, the push for the recognition of Palestine would come as no surprise.

So now, the PA is again on the threshold of pushing for a United Nation recognition. Yet, in their neverending opportunism, they have come-up with one more ploy to force the UN into compliance. This one involves the raising and flying of two flags. This seems so insignificant, yet I think it is devious at best.

Around the time of the United Nation Assembly, Pope Francis is scheduled to make his first visit to America. There are only two “entities” that have the status of a “non-member permanent observer” at the UN; the Vatican and the Palestinian Authority. The latter has chosen to make a clear statement by requesting that both flags be raised and flown at the time of the pope’s visit. I doubt that the pairing of the flags have anything to do with respect for the pope or Catholicism. Instead, the Palestinian Authority decided to “piggy back” on the pope’s visit to make it very difficult to say no to one and yes to the other or even worse, no to both and offend the pontiff. It would appear that yes to both is the only outcome possible. Time will tell.

This might not appear to be a major political move, yet it is just one more small step towards a (not so) forced recognition of the Palestinian State by the world. Frankly the more dangerous aspect of this year’s attempt at recognition is the French push. It includes a proposal for a divided Jerusalem capital and Israel boundaries going back to pre-1967. If Mr. Obama chooses to back France on their proposed resolution, most if not all of the rest of the non-supporting countries would change sides. This would give instant validation to a group of people run mostly by terrorists and funded by anti-Semitic, anti-American states like Iran. Not to mention the fact that it would squish Israel further into the current Middle East vise– its aim being the complete eradication of the Jewish State.

We are only a few weeks away and there is still time to pray for a reversal of the Iran deal as well as again, a veto on the Palestinian State recognition by the UN. In the meantime, I cannot help but remember God’s promise that He would punish all those who go after Israel. America might not be in the Bible by name but it is clearly in the Bible by deeds. Punishment awaits those who turn their back on Israel (Genesis 12:3, Joel 3:2, Zechariah 12:9).

I will gather all the nations And bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. Then I will enter into judgment with them there On behalf of My people and My inheritance, Israel, Whom they have scattered among the nations; And they have divided up My land (Joel 3:2)

June 18, 2015 By Olivier Melnick 1 Comment

Is a France Without Jews Possible?

France is one of the oldest countries in the world, having a rich history that goes back to the sixth century BCE. It has seen the birth of many important figures such as Charlemagne, Napoleon and others. Additionally, the French language replaced Latin as the international language from the 17th century until the middle of the 20th century when it was replaced by English. There has been a Jewish presence in France for a very long time. To this day, the country has had a long love/hate relationship with its Jewish community. Even though the Jews have always had friends and will continue to do so in France, consider some of the following non-exhaustive tragic historical records:

• The First Crusade was organized by Pope Urban II in France in 1095.
• Accused of “Ritual Murder” during Holy Week, Jews were burned at the stake in France in 1187.
• The yellow badge of shame to identify Jews, known as “la rouelle” was introduced in France in 1215, later to be taken to new heights by the Nazis as the yellow star.
• 12,000 volumes of the Talmud were burned in France in 1242.
• Jews were repeatedly expelled from France in 1182, 1306, 1322, 1394 and 1453.
• The Dreyfus Affair took place in Paris in 1894, falsely accusing Jewish officer Alfred Dreyfus of treason.
• 78,000 French Jews were sent to their death in the Camps by the Vichy government of France during World War Two (1939-1945)
• There was a terrorist attack at Jo Goldenberg Jewish Deli in the Paris Jewish district in 1982 (6 deaths).
• Ilan Halimi was abducted and murdered in 2006.
• A Rabbi and three Jewish students died in the Toulouse Massacres of 2012.
• The Paris terrorist attack in January of 2015 claimed 17 lives (four Jewish people form the Kosher market).

I could obviously add a lot more to this somber list but these will suffice to make my point. France has a long reputation of anti-Semitism. The whole gamut of anti-Semitism is actually represented there from theological anti-Judaism to racial anti-Semitism to the new anti-Semitism, culminating in the current wave that I call End-Times anti-Semitism. In fact, anti-Semitism runs extremely deep into the French soil. It would be erroneous to put the blame simply on the Arab/Israeli conflict and the global ramifications that it has created. To be sure, Muslim anti-Semitism cannot be ignored, but it never was and never will be the sole root of the French anti-Semitic weed.

The latest outrage out of France is an apparent act of discrimination against an Israeli art professor wanting to bring students from Tel Aviv to both the Louvre museum and the Sainte-Chapelle church. When turned down for reservations, he applied again under two fictitious organizations from Abu Dhabi and Italy, only to be immediately accepted. In light of the level of animosity against Jews and Israel in France and the heavy involvement in the BDS campaign (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions), one is to wonder the real motives behind the refusal. An inquiry is underway. The Louvre has already rebooked the group and is claiming that their computerized booking system is incapable of any discrimination. Sainte-Chapelle is all done by hand and results from the inquiry are still pending. It could turn out that there was no malice in the process. I certainly hope so.

France’s prime minister Manuel Valls who delivered a poignant, gut wrenching speech against anti-Semitism and racism only days after the January terrorist attacks, has also pledged over 100 million euros towards the fight against anti-Semitism. But recognizing how bad a weed is, serves no purpose unless you actually pull the chocking weed from the ground. Additionally, if the soil isn’t properly fertilized, the weed can soon return stronger and deeper. France without Jews, according to Mr. Valls isn’t France at all. This might turn out to be a very hard sell for the prime minister.

I firmly believe that the vast majority of France, including the largest Muslim community in Europe couldn’t care less if the Jews leave. I also happen to believe that France is making a grave mistake by its nonchalant approach to the oldest hatred. French Jews are leaving in droves (7,200 made aliyah to Israel last year). They are taking with them culture, knowledge and creativity. As a result, this will undoubtedly create a void AND an imbalance in the French economy. Israel expects up to 10,000 more French Jews in 2015. This is all based on not experiencing any more terrorism and murders, something I am certain is unrealistic!

The Jewish community ceased feeling at home in France in 2006 after the Ilan Halimi murder. Since then, anti-Semitism has been on the rise. A France without Jews is very possible and is most likely to happen within the next 20 years or less. It really doesn’t matter if “France isn’t France without its Jews” because France has ceased from being France a while ago already ! We would be fools if we thought that France is the only European country losing its Jewish community in the 21st century. It is the first but certainly not the last.

On the other hand, it is encouraging to be reminded that God cares about Israel and the Jews–no matter where they are from. In His word, God is crystal clear about His unconditional love for Israel and the Jewish people. Even the Messiah comes from the Jewish people and it should also be clear that He is the only hope for Israel (Isaiah 52-13-53:12).

March 11, 2015 By Olivier Melnick 2 Comments

Is this an Aliyah or an Exodus for French Jews?

It has only been two months since the terrorist attacks in France led to the death of 17 people including four Jews in a kosher supermarket on the east side of Paris. Prime minister Manuel Valls delivered an emotional speech punctuated with rightful indignation in front of the French Assemblée Nationale, calling anti-Semitism “The symptom of a democracy in crisis”. French President François Hollande vowed to defend France’s Jews when he was recently quoted saying: “Jews are at home in France, it’s the anti-Semites who have no place in the republic, in protecting its Jews, the republic is protecting itself.”  In reality, French Jews continue to feel very uneasy in France. The assurance of safety seems to only be a façade. Even with 10,000 troops and police officers deployed all over France in front of key Jewish locations like schools and synagogues, French Jews do not feel properly protected. After all, it wasn’t long after the January attacks that some French soldiers were attacked by a man as they were guarding a Jewish site. Additionally, a Jewish cemetery was vandalized in northern Alsace and over 200 tombstones were destroyed. French Jews are scared and they are not alone. Other European Jewish communities have joined the French in their feeling of uncertainty. But there is no doubt that France leads the pack when it comes to immigration to Israel.

This unprecedented increase in immigration didn’t just happen because of the Paris attacks of January 2015. To be sure, the rise of anti-Semitism in Europe in general and France in particular has led to an exponential increase in the number of European Jews making Aliyah. But again, France is way ahead of all the other European countries. In 2012, about 2,000 Jewish people left France for Israel followed by 3,120 in 2013 (a 60% increase over 2012). Then in 2014, over 7,000 French Jews made Aliyah to Eretz Yisrael, making it the largest Aliyah out of France since the 1970s and the top country for Jewish emigration in 2014( the highest global number in 12 years). We must keep in perspective that this number of over 12,000 Jews out of France over the last three years all happened even before the events of January 2015.

Over 1,000 Jews have already left France for Israel in the first two months of 2015. Numbers could exceed 10,000 by the end of the year. This is of course if no other tragic act of anti-Semitism takes place in France, something I am unfortunately not willing to bet on. Here are some other frightening statistics from the Jewish People Policy Institute:

At least 15,000 French Jews are expected to make Aliyah by 2016. (possibly as many as 10,000 in 2015)
The Jewish Agency is planning for up to 120,000 French Jews to move to Israel in the next 4 years.
By 2030, over half of French Jewry could have made Aliyah.

Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky expressed his fears in the summer of 2014 in Paris while the Gaza War was taking place in the Middle East, and French Jews were already leaving in droves. He was quoted saying: “Something historic is happening, it may be the beginning of the end of European Jewry. I think it’s a tragedy for Europe, what is happening in France, the strongest of Europe’s Jewish communities, reflects processes taking place elsewhere in Europe. I keep asking people if Jews have a future in Europe.” 

I am afraid that Mr. Sharansky might have been right. We could be witnessing the start of the decline of European Jewry with the departure of the French Jews as some sort of “handwriting on the wall” of western European civilization. The question that I ask myself has to do with the numbers of Jews leaving or planning to leave in the next few years. While a few thousands already create a noticeable demographic shift, if we indeed see up to 100,000 Jews leave France in the next five years or so, we are not talking Aliyah anymore, we are talking exodus.

Not all French Jews will immigrate to Israel. Some will move to America, Canada and even the U.K, but those who choose to make Israel their new home will constitute a formidable demographic and economic challenge to region. Set aside the challenge, Israel will gain a pool of people that will undoubtedly contribute to its further developing. It will be a win/win situation for the French Jews and Israel.

The loser in all this will be Europe. Already demographically circling the drain, Europe cannot afford to lose its Jews. With the Jews still in Europe, we are already seeing the emergence of Eurabia as a result of the Muslim “demographic Jihad” of the last 50 years. Even though French government officials expressed their desire to see French Jews remaining in the country, If France cannot protect its Jews, it is only a matter of time before other people groups or minorities become a target.

If indeed we are in the infancy stage of a mass European Jewish exodus, there is much more at stake than the loss of a once thriving community. God was not speaking figuratively when He promised Abraham to bless those who bless him and the Jewish people and curse him who curses them (Genesis 12:1-3). God meant every word of it then and He means every word of it today. With its Jews leaving, France becomes even more vulnerable to her enemies. Isn’t it ironic that the very people that many have described as a curse actually are a blessing from God?

October 25, 2014 By Olivier Melnick Leave a Comment

France’s Anti-Semitism Reaches New Heights!

When it comes to European anti-Semitism, France is often leading the pack with both creativity and virulence. It is always with great sadness that I write about my country of origin and what appears to be its chronic descent into the bottomless pit of Jew hatred.
I recently chronicled a brief overview of French anti-Semitism in three parts (Part I, part II and part III), positing that it didn’t happen in a vacuum but grew over 2,000 years. The theological differences of yesteryear turned into laws, leading to warped thoughts, followed by actions and eventually culminating in the unnecessary death of millions of innocent souls.
The current Jewish community of France is getting organized to leave the country of “Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité”. Statistically, France might loose as many as 8,000 Jewish people in 2014. But this is much more than a statistic, it is symptomatic of a trend proving that France is no longer safe for Jews.
The pro-Palestinian stance taken by France is so prevalent that some have given-up on fighting it. They have decided to pack-up and leave. But not all Jews will depart the country that still holds the third largest Jewish community in the world.
One would think that having recovered from the Nazi invasion and the Vichy government, France would humbly but diligently endeavor to make its Jewish community feel welcome. On the contrary, I never cease to be amazed at the new ways that France will find to surpass its own despicable acts of Jew hatred.
It was only last July that a Paris street protest in favor of Hamas and Palestine turned sour and branched out towards the rue de la RoquetteSynagogue where 200 Jewish worshippers were gathered. By God’s grace a pogrom was averted, but until when?
Yet, just a couple of weeks ago, while the French government performs its usual hypocritical game of semantics to reassure the Jews of France that they are safe there, something took place to prove the opposite. At the end of the day, the old adage stating: “actions speak louder than words” still holds true.
France might have cringed at the recent Russian announcement to hold a social network “Miss Hitler” Beauty Pageant, but the ugly staunch of hypocrisy was present all along. President Hollande might appear to be the friend of Israel, yet prime minister Laurent Fabius is considering recognizing Palestine in a move unprecedented in the European Union (following Sweden and the UK).
The French president made a strong statement in 2012 in the company of Mr. Netanyahu at a ceremony remembering the Toulouse massacre victims. He said that: “the Jews of France must be aware that the republic will do everything it can to protect them and to give them security…Their security is in the national interest of all the French.” So where was Mr. Hollande when he needed to put his foot down to stop this recent despicable act of anti-Semitism?
It was just a couple of weeks ago that a man who killed Jews was honored in France, but not just remembered as a “victim”, “militant” or “martyr” for the cause of Palestinians, that of course would be an insult to many already. Instead, in order to make the Jewish people more secure in a very volatile France, a street was named after that man!
The man in question is Marwan Barghouti known as an arch-terrorist who since 2004 is serving five consecutive life sentences in an Israeli prison for the death of five Israelis. Barghouti still exercises much control over Fatah from his prison cell. He is credited for having led the first and second intifadas. He is seen by many as the most likely leader to replace Mahmoud Abbas who has exceeded his 4-year term by several years. Mr. Barghouti is a terrorist, a murderer and an anti-Semite.
The city of Valenton on the east side of Paris, in the Val-de-Marne regionjust recently named a street “Allée Marwan Barghouti” because, according to its communist mayor Mrs. Françoise Baud, Barghouti is: “the face of the unwavering resistance of the Palestinian people against the occupation, the crimes, the destruction, the apartheid and the colonization perpetrated by the Israeli government.”
As the street was inaugurated, a sign was revealed by the Mayor that read:Alley Marwan Barghouti, Palestinian deputy, activist, arbitrarily imprisoned in Israel, “The Palestinian Mandela” is an honorary citizen of Valenton.

I am still trying to understand how anyone can be “arbitrarily imprisoned” after killing five people? This decision by Françoise Baud was followed by a three-page letter she sent in response to some of the criticism she received. Unfortunately for most of my readers, the letter is in French but it comprises a series of excuses for the mayor’s action in the name of peace and of course a two-state solution. Additionally, Mrs Baud is trying to get her city council to adopt the Palestinian refugee camp of Balata near Nablus as a sister city to Valenton.
Barghouti, Abbas, Hamas and 80% of all Palestinians DO NOT WANT PEACE with Israel but all Jews dead. Has the mayor been misled, lied to or is she deceiving us into believing that Israel is the only problem in the way of true peace in the Middle East?
By elevating a terrorist to the status of hero, Valenton and I am afraid much of France have validated murder, terrorism and hatred against Israel and the Jewish people by proxy. If all it takes to get a street named after you in France is the murder of a few Jews, Mohammed Merah (the Toulouse massacres) will get his street soon and Hitler should get a highway or maybe even an airport named after him.
In the meantime, and for reasons that are becoming clearer by the day, Jews are leaving France in droves.

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