President Isaac Herzog joined French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in Toulouse on Sunday to mark the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attack that claimed the lives of four people at a Jewish school in the city.
The Islamist terrorist attacks in the French cities of Toulouse and Montauban took place on March 19, 2012, and claimed seven victims in total — including 30-year-old Rabbi Jonathan Sandler and his sons 6-year-old Arié and 3-year-old Gabriel, as well as 8-year-old Myriam Monsonego.
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President Isaac Herzog and French President Emmanuel Macron lay a wreath at the monument commemorating the victims of the Toulouse terrorist attack
(Photo: GPO)
Herzog and Macron, accompanied by their wives, paid a visit to the scene of the attack at the city's Ohr Torah Jewish school — where they laid a wreath at the monument commemorating the victims of the attack, observed a minute of silence, and met teachers and students who were at the school on the day of the attack.
Former French presidents François Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy joined Herzog and Macron in meeting school principal Yaacov Monsonego and his wife Yaffa, whose daughter Myriam was among the victims.
"The Presidents heard from the families about their heavy loss, the challenges that have accompanied them over the past decade, and the strengthening of the Jewish community of Toulouse after the disaster, and they comforted them," the Government Press Office said in a statement.
A rally in Toulouse was also held against antisemitism and to support the victims of the attack.
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President Isaac Herzog and French President Emmanuel Macron visiting the Ohr Torah Jewish school in Toulouse
(Photo: GPO)
Upon his arrival earlier in the day, Herzog participated in a diplomatic working meeting with Macron in Paris.
At the start of their meeting, Herzog told Macron about the importance of the late Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky to Israel and the Jewish people, whose funeral was held in Israel on Sunday.