French Prime Minister: If Jews Flee, the Republic Will Be a Failure

[King_David]

The massacre at a kosher supermarket in Paris on Friday reinforced a fear, expressed openly and with distressing frequency by many in France’s half-million-strong Jewish community, that Islamist violence is compelling large numbers of Jews to flee. Already, several thousand have left over the past few years. But it is not merely the physical safety of France’s Jews that is imperiled by anti-Semitic violence, the country’s prime minister, Manuel Valls, argues, but the very idea of the French Republic itself. In an interview conducted before the Charlie Hebdo and kosher supermarket massacres, Valls told me that if French Jews were to flee in large numbers, the soul of the French Republic would be at risk.

“The choice was made by the French Revolution in 1789 to recognize Jews as full citizens,” Valls told me. “To understand what the idea of the republic is about, you have to understand the central role played by the emancipation of the Jews. It is a founding principle.”

Valls, a Socialist who is the son of Spanish immigrants, describes the threat of a Jewish exodus from France this way: “If 100,000 French people of Spanish origin were to leave, I would never say that France is not France anymore. But if 100,000 Jews leave, France will no longer be France. The French Republic will be judged a failure.”



http://m.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2015/01/french-prime-minister-warns-if-jews-flee-the-republic-will-be-judged-a-failure/384410/

[King_David]

1. I think for their safety, they should leave...

Pronto

[oberliner]

2. I disagree

I think France needs to get its act together and do more to clamp down on anti-semitism so that French Jews do not feel unsafe in their own country.

[yeoman6987]

3. I agree so much

It would be so disappointing if African Americans up and left the United States even though I wouldn't blame them in the least for the repulsive treatment they get from our country.....namely the police. Yes working together in France to fix the problem is best.

[King_David]

4. I think they must put their personal safety first

Why be a Martyr ?

[aranthus]

5. I understand the feeling, but I hope that they stay.

I think they have a responsibility as French citizens to stay and fight for their Republic. I agree with oberliner that the French government needs to do more to fight antisemitism, and I think that the French are motivated to do more. If the government and the rest of the French people do their part, then I think that French Jews should meet them half way. Don't let the terrorists win.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

7. I believe that is quite a defeatist approach, and

for somebody that doesn't approve of Netanyahu you certainly approve of his fear mongering, IMHO.

Also what you are agreeing with plays into the hands of the old racial stereotype, and those evil enough to use them, where Jews really don't belong.

You should really think that through a little more, IMHO.

[King_David]

8. I have these Jewish people's best interests in mind

Lots of times in history they gave remained in danger for far too long.

One of the major reasons Israel exists is for this very reason of safe haven for Jewish people and that goes for any Zionist leader and had nothing to do with Netenyahu.

I'm talking about my family, my people .

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

9. "safe haven for Jewish people..."

Something about putting all of one eggs into one basket comes to mind.

Probably not a safe thing to do for any people.

[King_David]

10. Your advising Jews /Zionists ?

Seriously?

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

11. Sounds both defeatest and fear mongering that Jewish people should run.

Stamping out radicalism/terrorism everywhere would be the smarter option.

[shira]

12. Fear mongering that Jews should run? Tell that to the Jews of the last....

....2000+ years around the world.

Staying put didn't work out so well for them.

If France can no longer protect its Jews, they're better off somewhere else. If not Israel, then America, Canada, Australia....

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

14. It's your opinion, dave, and IMHO

still very defeatist.

Would you argue fir shutting down schools when crazy people shoot them up, or would you promote tougher gun laws?

Would you argue that women should hide from crazies that target abortion clinics, or would you strengthen hate laws?

Would you ask the LGBTQ community to go back into hiding their sexuality from crazies who want to delegitimize them...hurt them, or would you ask them to stand up for themselves.

Progressive Democracies don't run and hide from their problems. They work to get rid of them to make life better for all.

[LeftishBrit]

6. It is their choice but I hope not too many leave

That really would be letting the terrorists win.

It is clear that French public opinion is overwhelmingly against such violence, and that the recent outrages have mobilized and hardened public opinion.

Terrorist and anti-Semitic outrages can happen anywhere, and the next time, it might be somewhere quite different.

It would be hypocritical for me to advise French Jews NOT to leave, given that I've always said that while France is far from the worst place for Jews, it isn't the best either, and that the UK is preferable from that point of view. But I don't think such decisions should be made in a panic.

If I were living in France as a Jew, I would certainly think of leaving; but I probably wouldn't, unless I had other reasons.

I would also worry if I were a French Muslim; there are likely to be backlashes from the LePen crowd, which is a bigger group than is comfortable (and also aren't the biggest fans of Jews, if it comes to that).

I hope that the unity shown yesterday can be preserved.

[shira]

13. 15,000 Jews to leave France for Israel, Jewish Agency says

...Some 7,000 French immigrants arrived in Israel in 2014, more than twice the 3,300 who came the previous year and an increase attributed to increasing levels of hostility Jews in France say they encounter. A stagnant French economy has been put forth as an additional factor.

The number of Jews leaving France for Israel has climbed steeply since 2012, when four people were killed in an attack on a Jewish school in Toulouse by another Islamist extremist.

A Jewish Agency spokesman said Mr Sharansky's prediction – made in an interview with the Jerusalem Post – was a "preliminary and not a definitive estimate".

It was born out by a dramatic leap in the number of calls from French Jews inquiring about emigration since last week's attack, the spokesman added.

"By lunchtime today (Monday), we received 600 inquiries when on a normal Monday we would expect only 400 for the entire day. Maybe not all of those people will emigrate but we are on course for a big increase," he said.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/11340173/15000-Jews-to-leave-France-for-Israel-Jewish-Agency-says.html