In a Jihad Watch exclusive, the incomparable Nidra Poller discusses the prevalence of antisemitism among Muslims in France:
Heard on Jewish radio this morning: an interview with the rabbi of the Sarcelles synagogue. He says that relations between the communities (meaning Muslim and Jewish) were fine until recently. The atmosphere got tense after the November riots, and has been particularly hostile since the Halimi case hit the news.
Dig that jihad logic! Muslims go on the rampage, burn cars, schools, fire stations, attack the police and, as a result, get angry at the Jews of Sarcelles. Muslims and their accomplices abduct, torture, and murder a Jewish man, so other Muslims beat up Jewish men in Sarcelles.
The rabbi has been with the congregation for three years. My hunch is that his predecessor made aliyah. I also have doubts about the good relations that prevailed until recently. When Roger L. Simon came to Paris a few short years ago, Bruno Lebeau took us on a tour of Sarcelles. We weren’t exactly in a Humvee but we did not mingle with the crowd. When you get out of the RER at Garges les Gonesse it is distinctly creepy Jewish Sarcelles is another world. Decades ago the atmosphere was carefree. Not today.
The rabbi gave some important details about this weekend’s antisemitic attacks. There were, in fact, three attacks within 24 hours. One victim had a broken nose, another had a dislocated soldier. The third, a young father, was attacked as he was putting something in his car trunk; his child was already in the car! The rabbi remarked on the cowardice of the thugs–four or five against one. In one incident some kids came by in the bus, saw the guys beating up a Jew, jumped out of the bus and joined the attack. Arrests have been made. Apparently the Jew-thrashers are Muslims from sub-Saharan Africa. One of them promised his victim, “we”re going to do you like they did Ilan.”
Youssof Fofana, the new role model in the banlieue?
The Sarcelles rabbi has reached out to the wider community, with good results. He wants neighbors to visit the synagogue, get to know the real Jews. “We are not all rich, we are not Tsahal.” The government has promised to provide more police, more surveillance cameras. The rabbi thinks it would be a mistake for young Jewish men to form a militia.
And I am wondering if it might not be a good idea for them to dress up in Tsahal uniforms. Or invite the US Marines to land in Sarcelles.
Chaib Zehaf, 42, was shot dead outside a bar in Oullins, near Lyon. Friends, family, and the Libération reporter who covered the story are furious that the crime has not been defined as racist. The victim’s cousin, who was wounded in the apparently unprovoked attack, claims the murderer shouted something like “F—k the Arabs,” before firing his gun. For some reason the police are treating the killing as a “simple” crime. The gunman was drunk.But somehow, once again, it’s all the fault of the Jews. Was the suspected gunman Jewish? No. He was a Frenchman named Jean-Marie Garcia. But friends, relatives, and neighbors are up in arms. When Jews are attacked in Sarcelles, it’s front page news. A Jew is murdered, and thousands of people demonstrate. Chirac recieves the victims of antisemitism but when an Arab is murdered because he is Arab, he gets no more consideration than a dog.
Well, the public should know more about this Jean-Marie Garcia and the motives for his heinous crime.
As for competition in victimhood, I think that every Jew in France would prefer to lose hands down.