Europe: The Politics of Hate: Jews and Muslims Have Been the Victims of Racist Attacks in France. (Current Affairs)

Williamson, John, The Middle East

France's internal race relations have come under the spotlight recently following a series of well-publicised anti-Semitic attacks at the beginning of the year. Both the Jewish and North African Muslim communities of France have been targeted recently, causing widespread debate about racism within French society.

On 3 January, Rabbi Gabriel Farhi, son of the founder of the Jewish Liberal Movement of France (JLMF), was wounded in a knife attack at his Reform synagogue on Paris's Rue Petion, by a man wearing a crash helmet screaming "God is great" in Arabic. The following Monday, the Rabbi's car was set alight in the parking lot of his home. Eight months prior to these incidents the Rabbi's synagogue was set alight. Although the police at the time declared that the fire was caused by an ageing electrical circuit, the incidents in January--as well as threatening messages received …

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Publication information: Article title: Europe: The Politics of Hate: Jews and Muslims Have Been the Victims of Racist Attacks in France. (Current Affairs). Contributors: Williamson, John - Author. Magazine title: The Middle East. Publication date: March 2003. Page number: 22+. © 2009 IC Publications Ltd. COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group.

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