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Katzav's visit is the first by an Israeli head of state since 1998 |
French
protests greet Israeli president
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Several hundred people have protested in Paris against Israel's barrier
across the West Bank, in a demonstration to mark the start of a state visit to
France by Israeli President Moshe Katzav.
The protest late on Monday was supported by more than a dozen
political parties and associations, including the Greens, the Human Rights'
League, the Movement against Racism and for Friendship Between Peoples, the
France-Palestine Solidarity movement and the Coordination for Appeals for a Just
Peace in the Middle East. Protestors unfurled banners demanding: "Stop Israeli
state terrorism" and "Soldiers, settlers, go home". "State of Israel, criminal state. We want sanctions",
"Down with the wall, down with the occupation" and "Down with the
ghettos", the protestors chanted. Demanding wall destruction The organisers said in a statement: "We solemnly demand
that the president of the republic and the French government demand the
destruction of those portions of the barrier that have already been built and to
voice their opposition to a policy of force that mortgages all logic of peace in
the region." The visit by Katzav, the first by an Israeli head of state
since 1988, is expected to be dominated by the barrier issue and by the
perception in Israel that France is experiencing a surge in anti-Semitism. France president Jacques Chirac has already labelled the
barrier illegal, adding his voice to international concerns that the forced
separation of Israel from the Palestinian community in the West Bank will worsen
the Middle East conflict. Thorny issue
Palestinians
say the wall is a land Israel insists the wall is designed to keep out Palestinian While the barrier issue will likely prove a thorny issue
during Katzav's visit, both Israel and France were making efforts to smooth over
the often acrimonious argument on whether anti-Semitic attacks were on the rise
in France. "The French government is the only government in Europe
to That position marked a change from comments from other Israeli
officials who have contended that anti-Semitic incidents in France doubled last
year, despite official French figures showing the opposite. Anti-Semitism "I am told that in the streets of Tel Aviv, in newspaper
cartoons and in conversations, the image of France as an anti-Semitic country is
gradually spreading. These caricatures deeply hurt French people," he said. In a symbolic sign of friendship, officials have lined Paris's Katzav, who arrived shortly before midday aboard an El Al jet, Heavy security has been deployed for his visit, which will see Bilateral relations The Israeli president, who has a largely ceremonial position, Zvili said Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon may follow up Chirac's spokeswoman, Catherine Colonna, said: "Up to now,
the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and its repercussions have cast a shadow over
bilateral relations between France and Israel. This state visit will mark a
change in the relations between the two countries."
grab and a form of apartheid
"suicide bombers", but Palestinians argue it is a land grab and a form
of apartheid. Israel has said it will boycott an International Court of Justice
hearing into the matter that starts 23 February in The Hague.
really fight against - effectively, I hope - this phenomenon," the Israeli
ambassador to Paris, Nissim Zvili, told Europe 1 radio.
Champs-Elysees avenue with Israeli and French flags.
was greeted at the airport by French Foreign Trade Minister Francois Loos and
the main Paris rabbi David Messas, as French and Israeli national anthems were
played.
him meet Chirac later on Monday, then Prime Minister Jean-Pierre
Raffarin on Tuesday.
will also see parliamentary leaders and the French finance and
interior ministers, while his entourage of Israeli corporate chiefs will explore
business opportunities.
Katzav's visit to France with one of his own "towards April".
AFP