france may have done some work in libya but in any protacted battle with terrorists or another country, they fold like a cheap suit. US today is good for arms resupply, energy supplies and blocking russia if putin decides to intervene which he might. Though russia itself is threatened by iranian nculear handing it off to chechyn and dagestenai which they will, russia cann ot help itself making dumb decisions, plain dumb decisions. some of the gulf arab countries and even saudi arabia may look the other way. And kurdistan breaking off from iraq should be encouraged as that country would be a long term israeli ally with good location fo risrael. Given the problemmatic situation, israel should redraft its mid east demands for not only all of judea and samaria but 25% of Jordan east of the jordan river as historic and balfour mandated israel. The coming 3 wars will eliminate the west bank and gazan arabs due to iranian missiles.perhpas they should all leave now to save their necks.

French + "friend of Israel" = oxymoron

He said that he hates Netanyahu because he always lies.

What this article neglects is that Sarkozy is an IMPERIALIST and as such is only a friend as far it will further his ambitions. Sarkozy's ambitions clash head-on with the imperialist ambitions in the Eastern Mediterranean of the current Turkish government ,Israel's latest antagonist. To the extent that France is Israel's enemy's enemy,France is a friend of Israel...but no further. THREE CHEERS FOR ISRAEL!!!

Who was that built Iraq's nuclear power plant exactly? Who attempted to sell some more to Libya? Thanks but their actions are anything remotely close to friendly.

How? By voting to allow the ersatz "Palestine" Authority to join UNESCO? Despite their despicable record on each of education, culture and science? Or perhaps by declaring France's intent to abstain on the ersatz "Palestinian" doomed attempt to achieve statehood in the United Nations? If that is the hallmark of a "great friend," I am hard pressed to think of a great enemy.

It seems that the author completely forgot what is inconvenient for his thesis, if only the UNESCO vote. France was the only western country in the UNSC to vote for 'Palestine' in UNESCO vote. Even the British abstained! Then there is the continuous action of the Quai d'Orsay, equating Shalit's ordeal with Hamouri's sentence, the support of the division of Jerusalem and rejection of Jerusalem as capital city of Israel. There is also France's relationships with the former dictators of the Middle East and Maghreb, and weapon sales to these, despite being very aggressive to Israel. And now, Sarkozy insults PM Netanyahu like a schoolyard boy! Chirac was really anti-Israeli but Sarkozy is hardly better.

One of many problems with Europe's conduct vis-a-vis Israel, clearly exemplified in Sarkozy's rant against Netanyahu, is that Europeans act as if Israel is a leftist country similar with a consensus similar to theirs. Any Israeli who is not leftist must therefore be part of some right-wing fringe. What the Europeans don't understand is that the Israeli people are overwhelmingly non-leftist. In the last elections, over 54% Israelis voted for right-wing parties, or over 59% of Israeli Jews. A further 23% (25% of Jews) voted for centrist parties (not including the Independence party). That means that nearly 80% of the Israelis are center-right. According to all polls conducted so far, this number will only increase in the next elections. Even more tellingly, the only non-Arab party whose idea of leftism is similar to the European idea, is Meretz, which represents less than 3% of all Israelis or Israeli Jews. The Europeans don't seem to care about these figures, and keep acting as if any right-wing Israeli leader is the new Mussolini, or at the very least "a liar". I wouldn't be surprised if Sarkozy's view was shared by all Western European leaders. Maybe one days they will wake up, but it seems like too much to hope for.

...like a spoiled child that always wants its way, who is constantly getting itself in trouble, expecting the world to bail it out, with no thanks.

News flash for Mr. Bergman. The Shalits are one family in Israel and even so there is no evidence that Sarkozy's support was as crucial as you seem to think. Yes, of course Peres is your great hero and Bibi displays "lack of initiative" in kissing up to France. Maybe that's because he knows France has not been favorably disposed toward Israel for quite some time, nor is ever likely to be unless Israel displays the popular French "initiative" of total surrender.

Actually, President Sarkozy could have some friendly sentiment toward Israel itself, more than is believed. After all, there is some serious question about his background and ancestry.

...with Israel in "SHORT" order. He, representing France, will always stand on principal. Or a box. Or a ladder. And THAT is no SMALL thing.

was not an accomplishment in the eyes of many of us. France played a role in a botched one sided exchange for one soldier.

Why should Sarkozy, even if he detests Netanyahu, be an enemy of Israel? Since when Bibi stands for all the country? And what about all the Israelis who think that Netanyahu is a liar and a desaster - are all these Israelis anti-Israel, too? Was Merkel an enemy of Italy because she just thinks of Berlusconi as an ugly failure of a macho? Are all Obama-opponents anti-American? What a childish discussion!

The world politic is filled with liars. No one can be thrusted. Israel must first of all have the control itself, then hopefully other contries must understand the danger that the world is facing. The iranian death wish must be fulfilled by many nations.

thank you bbc/al jazeera spouter for your looney-lefty point of view which is so fashionable in the dying embers of this phase of the world... soon you'll be history though...

In the end, of what value was Sarkozy's support for Shalit's release? None whatsoever. French sympathy and 10 shekels may buy one a cup of coffee, but that's it. Of more significance is that France remains the driving influence behind the EU's "Mediterranean" policy, which basically amounts to aligning with the Arab agenda. France is today roughly 10% Muslim, with the latter outnumbering the Jews 10:1. Yes, France has been more vocal about the Iranian nuclear threat. Maybe that's because France too will be within Iranian missile range soon enough.

Who wholeheartedly support Israel but not Netanyahu or his policies. They are not one and the same and should be carefully considered by reasonable Israeli people.

#7 French built the Iraq's nuclear power plant but it's the same french who put the radio beacon inside to guide the israeli missile that destroyed the plant. The israeli attack made one dead the french guy who put the beacon. #8 #9 The Quai d'Orsay is managed by a bunch of french aristocrats, Christians in the old french tradition and for sure anti-Semites. The president change, the Quai d'Orsay stay. There is not one but two political lines with respect to Israel in France.

Apart from Shalit (so little so late) and Iran (so little so powerless) Sarkozy is always against the israeli interests. French Jews are disgusted with him and all he will do in the next few months will be to try to get back their vote. But he really can't stand Bibi and admires (and trust) Abbas and Fayed.

Shalit has French citizenship. BS article

Correction: Sarkozy's stance on the Shalit case comes from the fact that the youngster (or/and his parents) hold french citizenship (dual) as the french press has emphasized, and equally because Sarkozy attempted to win a 'mediator' (or diplomatic) victory as he's done elsewhere in the past ( Eastern Europe and the arab world come to mind as examples). Win-win situation, including with Israel. To say he is "a friend" of Israel is overstating it, as Sarkozy first and foremost looks after himself and no one else. French jews will tell you ( particularly on upcoming french elections and his banking on moslem voters), if any doubts.

There are some serious questions about your background and ancestry, too. Was your mother the town whore, and your "father" some drunken sailor with an extra five-dollar bill in his pocket?

On balance, I would prefer to see Lieberman as prime minister, but I will settle for Netanyahu over anyone else. Most reasonable Israelis agree. Sorry, but I'm just not ready to carve up Israel because the ersatz "Palestinians" promise "peace." They don't mean "peace." They mean "piece." If you do not recognize this, then you are a fool.

Understandably, he puts France above Israel, but Netanyahu should put Israel above France, and not risk Israel's security for French interests in the ME.

"La douce France", my birth country but ALSO the country of tens of thousands of murdered Jews...with centuries-old traditions of virulent & deadly antisemitism and persecution of Jews. Its "hallowed" tradition of betrayals of friends and allies is only surpassed by its shameless willingness to collaborate with its mortal enemies for ephemeral selfish gains viz. with the Nazis, with the Saddam-era Iraqis, with the Islamic oil-producing dictatorships & assorted Islamic private fiefdoms. That vile country is the very embodiment of profound dishonesty and hypocrisy on par with that of of its fellow EU "hench-countries" or even worse... How anyone could write anything positive about these mamzerim on a Jewish website is truly beyond comprehension...

...Quaddafi was kissed and licked and everything in paris, I prefer NOT having any friends such as petit nicolas.

Isn't it interesting that this totally misguided article never mentions the fact that Gilad Shalit was a French citizen. Instead Ronen Bergman would like to make it appear that Sarkozy got involved out of the goodness of his heart. Yeah, right.