Israeli PM angers France with emigration appeal

French politicians and Jewish leaders denounced yesterday a call by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon for French Jews to emigrate immediately to Israel to escape what he called the "wildest anti-Semitism".

Mr Sharon made his remarks in a speech to visiting Jewish leaders in Jerusalem, despite acknowledging efforts to fight anti-Semitism led by President Jacques Chirac. His comments have soured the atmosphere as France tries to build ties with Israel.

The Foreign Ministry branded the comments unacceptable and said yesterday it was still awaiting an explanation, while an Israeli government spokesman sought to play down the row.

"The French government has adopted a very tough line over these (anti-Semitic) incidents, but they continue to happen," Avi Pazner told LCI television in French.

"That's all (Mr Sharon) said and there's nothing particular about what he said, except that it has been reported in a totally unacceptable way," he added.

However, parliamentary speaker Jean-Louis Debre, a member of Mr Chirac's governing UMP party, told Europe 1 radio Mr Sharon's comments were unacceptable and irresponsible.

"These are matters which distort reality ... and I think they are an expression of hostility towards our country," he said.

Mr Sharon often calls on all the world's Jews to migrate to Israel. He acknowledged the French government was making efforts to stem anti-Semitism but added that the threat was so grave that French Jews should head for Israel without delay.

France is home to western Europe's biggest Jewish and Muslim communities and has been troubled by attacks on Jewish people and property in recent years, some of it blamed on tensions stoked by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

But French leaders said Mr Sharon's remarks were ill-informed. "France is not Germany of the 1930s," said Julien Dray, spokesman for the opposition Socialist Party, referring to the Nazi persecution of Jews.

Defence Minister Michele Alliot-Marie said France boasted the "strictest legislation on all problems of racism" and French Jewish organisations distanced themselves from Mr Sharon's remarks.

"He should leave the French Jewish community to deal with its own affairs," said Theo Klein, honorary president of the CRIF umbrella group representing major French Jewish groups.

Israel has often accused France and the European Union of a pro-Palestinian bias over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Paris has been trying to strengthen trade and political ties with Israel, but that could be undermined by renewed tensions.

A spokesman for Mr Sharon tried to ease the strain on Sunday by saying the prime minister had praised France for its "strong stance" against anti-Semitism while blaming anti-Semitism in France on "a large Muslim populace who are hostile to Israel."

The Licra anti-racism group said it was "totally wrong and indecent to blame all of our Muslim compatriots for anti-Semitic acts and attacks committed by idiots who dishonour themselves." About 600,000 Jews and five million Muslims form part of France's population of 60 million.

The French Interior Ministry registered 67 attacks on Jews or their property and 160 threats against Jews in the first quarter of this year compared with 42 attacks and 191 threats in the last three months of 2003.