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Photo: AFP
Sharon: Plans to thank Chirac for fighting anti-Semitism
Photo: AFP
France has renewed interest in the region
Photo: AP

Sharon set to meet with Chirac

Prime minister scheduled to arrive in Paris Monday to meet with French president, signaling improved relations between the two countries

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is scheduled to meet with French President Jacques Chirac Monday in the framework of a four-day diplomatic visit to Paris, his first trip to the country since taking office in 2001. 

 

Chirac and Sharon are set to discuss the pullout plan - its implementation and the day after - as well as disarming Hizbullah, Syria's withdrawal from Lebanon and the Iranian nuclear threat.

 

Government sources said the positive change in Israel and France's diplomatic relations is due to the pullout plan and France's renewed interest of involvement in the region.

 

"Israel's relations with France have had their ups and downs," one source said. "No doubt improved relations are an important issue and there is now an interest to do so….They (the French) also understand their unbalanced policy, such as their past patronage of Arafat, which must change."

 

Sharon: French Jews must make aliyah

 

Prior to his visit, Sharon gave a number of interviews to the French media explaining his reasons for encouraging French Jews to immigrate to Israel, namely increased anti-Semitism.

 

"It is obvious the phenomenon of anti-Semitism exists in France, and Chirac is one of its more important opposers," the source said. "Sharon plans to thank him for this."

 

"The prime minister has clarified on several occasions that he would like to encourage the aliyah of French Jews to Israel, in the same way that he would like to encourage other communities to make aliyah as well," he said.

 

The French interior ministry recently published encouraging information indicating a decline of 48 percent in the number of anti-Semitic incidents reported during the first half of the year, in comparison to the previous year.

 

Meanwhile, 330 French Jews immigrated to Israel Monday, the highest number in one day. 

 


פרסום ראשון: 07.26.05, 10:40
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