Tourists to be milked? (archive Photo)
Photo: Elad Kavalerchik
Tourism Ministry takes on French Jews
Jewish newspaper in France criticizes Israeli attitude toward French tourists; Tourism Ministry responds by boycotting paper
France-Israel diplomatic crises are hardly a rarity, but the latest row between a French newspaper and Israel’s Tourism Ministry has a new twist: This time, it’s the newspaper of the Jewish community.
In a front page editorial, editor Serge Benattar roundly condemned the experience of most French tourists in Israel, and said French Jews are taken for granted here.
The row started when the “Leibish” newspaper representing the French Jewish community criticized Israel’s attitude to French tourists, saying, “French Jews who go to Israel are suckers.”
In reaction, the Ministry of Tourism, decided to boycott the paper.
Response
By Serge Benattar
'I just don’t understand how it is possible that one of your journalists should write an article mostly about me, and my writings without getting in touch with me
“Israelis completely forget what we did for them these past few years,” he said. “To Israeli eyes, we are nothing but a milk cow to be squeezed to the last drop. Every time we get in a taxi, go to a restaurant or buy something in a shop, the price is established according to the look of the customer."
Ben Atar added: “It will take many years for non-Jews to feel safe travelling to Israel, but how long must we continue to be slaughtered just to pray at the Western Wall? Israel would be wise to take action to lower the level the anger in this community.”
The newspaper also criticized El Al Airlines, expensive air tickets and hotels in Israel, and said the Tourism Ministry prefers Scandanavian tourists to French Jews.
Letter of protest
In response, Tourism Ministry officials sent the editor a formal letter of protest, saying it would no longer pay for ads in the paper.
Ministry ads, along with private companies associated with the ministry, account for hundreds of millions of shekels annually.
Ben Atar eventually apologized for the article and promised to write articles painting Israel in a positive light - a decision that aroused ire amongst France’s Jewish umbrella organization, CRIF.
“When Arab countries want to boycott Israel, we fight the measures with all our might,” a CRIF spokesman said.
“French tourists continued to visit Israel during the toughest days of the intifada, and this newspaper has always, and continues to support Israel completely and without reservation. Taking away it’s source of income is absolutely wrong,” they said.
