Peres Advises Against Aliyah As Reaction To Antisemitism In France

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Shimon Peres, former president of Israel and long-time statesman, speaking to JTA from his Peres Center for Peace office, said he is confident in France’s ability to fight anti-Semitism on its own soil. Immigration to Israel, he said, should be encouraged for positive reasons, not as a response to persecution abroad.

“We call on Jews to immigrate to Israel when there’s no crime and no other reason. “I think Zionism is a movement of rebirth, not protest. Why should I have a negative reason? I have a positive reason.”

Peres was also very supportive of the French government’s ability and resolve to cope with anti-Semitism.

“When the French prime minister comes out so strongly against anti-Semitism, we support the French position,” Peres said, referring to Manuel Valls’ speech to the National Assembly of France last week, during which he decried anti-Semitism. “They don’t need assistance.”

“All of enlightened humanity needs to unite and put an end to the barbarism of terror,” he said. “We need to be among those who will take part in the worldwide, mutual, democratic effort to fight this danger to all of humanity.”

Peres has a long history of working with France, which might explain his optimistic view of their ability. He was the liaison with France when they supplied Israel with its first nuclear reactor and also was instrumental in acquiring state-of-the-art Mirage fighter jets until they imposed an embargo. In his warm relationship with France and for his undying efforts, President Sarkozy awarded him with the Legion of Honor in 2008.

Also during the interview, Peres criticized the International Criminal Court for opening an examination of Israel’s conduct during last summer’s war in Gaza. This was done at the behest of Mahmoud Abbas, after his unsuccessful resolution to have the UN unilaterally declare a Palestinian state, without negotiations. Peres said the ICC should investigate the conduct of Hamas, the terrorist organization that governs Gaza.

“There’s an organization called Hamas that murders and can’t make a claim on Israel,” he said. “Israel withdrew from Gaza, so they can’t say they’re freedom fighters.”

Peres’ comments have already drawn a negative reaction. Greek left-wing website ‘Expel Racism’ (Apelaste to Ratsismo) on January 10 published an opinion article in which the author equated the Marine Le Pen calling for the death penalty and Antonis Samaaras anti-immigrant speech with Peres’ solidarity with Charlie Hebdo. They blame Peres for hypocrisy on the grounds that Israel as imprisoned Palestinians. It should be noted that the same article claimed that Islamic fundamentalism is a product of Western Imperialism, of which Israel is a strong ally. Moreover the authors equate Islamophobia with genocidal anti-Semitism and have not even a word of compassion for the four Jewish men who were killed in the kosher grocery siege in Paris. Although “Expel Racism” condemns the murderous attack against “Charlie Hebdo”, it blames the newspaper for racism against Muslims. .

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