An unusual controversy was at the heart of the annual dinner of the Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions (CRIF) on Wednesday. The organisation's leader, Richard Prasquier, sought to explain why he had defended a man who had aimed a comment described by some as anti-Semitic at former French Prime Minister Laurent Fabius. Georges Freche, a long-time president of the Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France and a former member of the Socialist Party, caused a stir last month when he said one shouldn't vote for Fabius because "he didn't look Catholic". Since Fabius is of Jewish descent, the remark was deemed by many to be anti-Semitic. Fabius was offended and the Socialist Party was shocked; but Freche revealed that he got a letter of support from none other than the leader of France's Jewish umbrella group. Prasquier said Freche was not anti-Semitic, even though he considered his latest remark to be intolerable. Freche, who was expelled from the Socialist Party in 2007, is not new to allegations of racism. He once made waves by claiming there were too many black players in France's national football team. Observers say Prasquier defended Freche because of his past support for Israel. Defending the Jewish state is one of the CRIF's main aims, as Prasquier repeated in his speech on Wednesday.
An unusual controversy was at the heart of the annual dinner of the Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions (CRIF) on Wednesday. The organisation's leader, Richard Prasquier, sought to explain why he had defended a man who had aimed a comment described by some as anti-Semitic at former French Prime Minister Laurent Fabius.
Georges Freche, a long-time president of the Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France and a former member of the Socialist Party, caused a stir last month when he said one shouldn't vote for Fabius because "he didn't look Catholic". Since Fabius is of Jewish descent, the remark was deemed by many to be anti-Semitic.
Fabius was offended and the Socialist Party was shocked; but Freche revealed that he got a letter of support from none other than the leader of France's Jewish umbrella group.
Prasquier said Freche was not anti-Semitic, even though he considered his latest remark to be intolerable. Freche, who was expelled from the Socialist Party in 2007, is not new to allegations of racism. He once made waves by claiming there were too many black players in France's national football team.
Observers say Prasquier defended Freche because of his past support for Israel. Defending the Jewish state is one of the CRIF's main aims, as Prasquier repeated in his speech on Wednesday.
