Every year in France, the Conseil Représentatif des Institutions juives de France (CRIF), the country's umbrella group for French Jewish organizations, holds an annual dinner in which politicos cement their solidarity with French Jewry.
This year the special guest, at the event held last Wednesday (7th March), was France's new President, Emmanuel Macron. He promised to fight the “scourge” of antisemitism, referred briefly to the controversy over republishing some anti-Semitic essays by Céline, one of France's greatest authors, but remained cagey on Jerusalem.
This year the special guest, at the event held last Wednesday (7th March), was France's new President, Emmanuel Macron. He promised to fight the “scourge” of antisemitism, referred briefly to the controversy over republishing some anti-Semitic essays by Céline, one of France's greatest authors, but remained cagey on Jerusalem.
Basil Benton’s recent essay at Alternative Right “Celine as an Expression of Jewish Power” (March 6th)” recently addressed the issue of republishing Céline's essays. Indeed, there is a growing witch-hunt in France.
"There are hatreds that are rising again; there are the worst kinds of crimes," Macron said at the annual dinner.
Marc Knobel, CRIF’s director of studies, focused on the controversy by blasting Céline's character.
"Céline was not a socialite anti-Semite, but a pro-Hitler anti-Semite," Marc Knobel, CRIF’s director of studies, told the Associated Press. "His pamphlets are appalling. They are crime-inducing."
With all due respect to Monsieur Knobel, Céline was more antisocialite, than "socialite."
Macron seemed to waffle on about Céline, because protecting the legacy of French culture and literature while appeasing the Jews can be an awkward fit.
"France," Macron said, "is free of “moral, historic, or memorial police," but added, "I don’t think we need these pamphlets."
The seeming contradiction is either a case of the usual doubletalk of politicians or officials who address large Jewish audiences.
Though CRIF leader Francis Kalifat encouraged Macron to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, as has US President Donald Trump and Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales, Macron called the move an “error.”
Macron has learned from predecessors that one must tread carefully with Jews, if one is to remain in good standing with them. Unfortunately, despite his best efforts, they remain skeptical of him. “Whether or not Macron’s good intentions translate into good policy remains to be seen.” Alas!
But while antisemitism is reported to be on the rise in France, the same scenario is also happening in Holland with a 40% rise. This comes after the Dutch Muslim Party refused to sign a statement condemning antisemitism. Whether it’s Céline in France or the Dutch Muslim Party’s reluctance to heartily endorse Jewish policy matters little. Whatever springboard can be used to discuss “antisemitism” will be used.
That there is a Dutch Muslim Party at all should be of more concern to both Jews or Gentiles!
In other J-news, a group of cynical Jews, led by Trump backer Sheldon Adelson, shrugged off the European Alt-Right’s supposed Anti-Semitism:
"Friends of Israel Initiative (FOII), has hailed the advent of what it calls the 'New Right' in Europe. It has even excused the 'flirtations with anti-semitism' on the part of some of the adherents of this new European alt-Right, so long as they support Israel."
Plus ça change!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Comments will be checked for spam, hate speech, and extreme low IQ before being published. I'm sure you understand.