Israeli figures have leveled severe criticism about the statement made by the French ambassador in Israel, Jacques Huntzinger, who said “the terror attack in the US should not be mixed up with the terrorist activity by Palestinians against Israel.”

At a reception President Moshe Katzav held for the diplomatic staff in honor of the Jewish New Year, Ambassador Huntzinger told reporters: “We all condemn the terrorism Hamas and Islamic Jihad perpetrate here. But this terrorism is linked to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict which must be solved. One cannot compare this conflict to the tragic events in the US. Such a comparison would be politically irresponsible. Arafat must act to stop terrorism, but this conflict must be settled.”

As for the terror attacks in the US, the ambassador, who is considered an important friend of Israel, said, “We don’t know for certain if Bin-Laden is tied to the terror attacks and who is responsible for the tragedy in the US.”

The ambassador appeared upset and angry while making these statements, which he repeated twice.

The journalists were astounded by what he said and by the way he was behaving which was termed “clearly undiplomatic.” They repeatedly asked him about comparing terrorism to terrorism. And the ambassador angrily repeated what he said, while condemning the terror attacks by Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

The ambassador’s statements caused astonishment. A political source in Jerusalem said, “In a proper country such an ambassador would not stay one minute longer. Had that terror attack taken place at the Eiffel Tower, the French ambassador would have spoken differently.” The Foreign Ministry are requesting clarification from the French government.

The political establishment also had serious criticism for the French ambassador’s statements. President Moshe Katzav said, “I regret that Europe is trying to maintain a balance between Israel’s decision to foil terror attacks, and the terror attacks themselves. One cannot maintain such a balance. Whoever says such things gives terrorism legitimacy and a green light.”

Chairman of the [Knesset] Education Committee Zvulun Orlev (NRP) said, “This is a serious statement which seems to have anti-Semitic and racist elements. If the ambassador does not apologize, he should be sent home.” Michael Kleiner (Herut): “The French ambassador is the Peton for the year 2001, an anti-Semitic racist whose letter of accreditation should be rescinded immediately and who should be sent to packing to Paris. The justices who convicted Dreyfus would be proud of him.”

A source in the French Foreign Ministry said last night that the ambassador is a “great friend” of Israel, and that the Foreign Ministry officials in Paris say jokingly of Huntzinger that he is “hooked on Israel.” The French source said he believed that ambassador “simply slipped up in speaking.”

Lior El-Hai adds: This morning a joint Labor Party-Likud demonstration is to be held in Haifa in front of the French consulate to protest the ambassador’s statements and call for his return to France, and “to replace him with a more suitable ambassador.”

This artcile ran in Yediot Aharonot on September 14, 2001

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