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Last update - 09:21 13/07/2008 Gaza was not invited to Paris By Zvi Bar'el Tags: Israel, France "We Arabs have not been able to unite. How can we have a union with Scotland or Scandinavia or Israel?" You have to admit that Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi, who made this statement last week, is a perceptive man. His remarks were aimed directly at the Union for the Mediterranean, which convenes today with great pomp and circumstance in Paris. French President Nicolas Sarkozy's flagship project has already raised the hackles of half the countries of Europe - because of a feared split in the European Union - and half the states of the Mediterranean - because of Israel's participation in the conference. But Gadhafi's main opposition was to the colonialist approach embodied in the union, led by France, which - in his eyes - is taking parts of the Mediterranean and parts of Africa to create a framework that will be led, de facto, by European states. There is some justification for Gadhafi's anger, the most convincing proof for which comes, somewhat surprisingly, from Turkey. Ankara views the conference as a French maneuver aimed at blocking Turkey's entry into the EU, and not without cause. Sarkozy spearheads the opposition to bringing the large, unemployment-battered Islamic state, most of whose territory is in Asia, into the wealthy, Christian European Union. He even tried to pass legislation requiring a referendum in France on the addition of new EU member states, based on the assumption that French citizens would oppose the inclusion of more Muslims in the EU. The cultural gaps between Europe and Turkey, Sarkozy said, make Turkey more suitable to a different framework of nations, one that also has Arab members, than to full membership in the EU itself. Islam is the antithesis of democracy, declares France self-righteously, and Islamic states should know their place. Nevertheless, just who is the pillar of Turkish democracy? When Bernard Kouchner, Sarkozy's foreign minister, speaks of Turkey's army, he emphasizes its "very important role ... for democracy and the separation of mosque and state." In Turkey the army is responsible for protecting Ataturk's secular constitution, and the fact that Turkey's army has already carried out three military coups and is behind the current demand to shut down the ruling party does not disturb France. Neither does secular Turkey's 1974 invasion of Cyprus. When it's necessary to block the entry of Islam into Europe it is permissible to tear out and throw away a few pages from history. No wonder Turkey is very suspicious about the Union for the Mediterranean. Advertisement But ironically it is anti-Islamic France that is considered a friend of the Arab states. Sarkozy has taken some flak, admittedly, in the Arab press for his speeches of support for Israel and his other "demonstrations of love for the Zionists," but that does not stop Syrian President Bashar Assad from viewing him as a true friend, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak from visiting Paris, or Lebanon from taking him on as a partner. Religious faith or "culture gaps" are one thing, interests are another. It's not just about contracts and money, which of course have no color or smell, neither religious nor national. France is perceived as a friend of the Arabs because America is a friend of Israel. France's colonial history has been put into storage because American colonialism has come to the region. The U.S. invaded Iraq and Afghanistan and is holding the hand of Israel, which is keeping the Palestinians under a regime of occupation. France is no saint - it is afraid of Islam and its citizens view Arabs as an internal threat - but in comparison to Washington, Paris is pure as the driven sand. And now a "danger" is creeping toward this clear demarcation between Israel and the Arabs, France and America. Sarkozy's Union for the Mediterranean threatens to destroy this comparison, to draw Israel closer to the space in which the Arab states had felt relatively safe in terms of foreign relations. They are being asked to shake Israel's hand even before it solves its problems with the Palestinians, the Syrians and the Lebanese. They are being imprisoned in a Mediterranean circle with Israel, while the Arab circle to which they so forcefully belong is being threatened by Israel. Israel may be able to say with satisfaction that it succeeded in joining yet another framework with Arab members, that France is once again a close friend and that its position in the world has never been better. But when the conference in Paris is over, Israel will not return to agreements over fishing in the Mediterranean or joint marine rescue drills. Gaza, Ramallah, the Golan Heights, Hezbollah and Hamas will not disappear, and they, of course, were not invited to Sarkozy's presidential palace. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Gilad, forgive us On Rosh Hashanah, Noam Shalit says abduction happened 'on Olmert's watch.' Rosh Hashanah wishes Obama calls to achieve 'peace, security for Israel' on the Jewish High holiday.   1.   Israel is a friend to America? 09:46  |  Natallie Durson 13/07/08   2.   Israel, the modern democracy in danger in ME. 10:03  |  Aaron 13/07/08   3.   Why is it? 10:30  |  Jim 13/07/08   4.   #1 nutullies difficulties stem from word blindness 10:43  |  victor hardman 13/07/08   5.   Absolutely! 10:44  |  Tulip 13/07/08   6.   Sarkozy and France 10:44  |  sh 13/07/08   7.   Mr. Gadhafi unable to unite 10:47  |  Jim 13/07/08   8.   # 1 Natalie Durson 10:53  |  Jim 13/07/08   9.   nu. 1 11:30  |  F. Off 13/07/08   10.   #3 Aaron Israeli Democracy 11:31  |  Jim 13/07/08   11.   aaron 2 11:52  |  potobac 13/07/08   12.   victor hardman 4 11:56  |  potobac 13/07/08   13.   Natalie Durson, I agree Israel the Judas is no friend 2 Jesus 12:10  |  Yaakov Sullivan 13/07/08   14.   Natallie Durson seeing Judas as archetype of Jews in #1 12:12  |  Tulip 13/07/08   15.   Arabs & Israelis time to wake up !!!! 13:24  |  jack 13/07/08   16.   The French 15:06  |  Harvey (Chaim) 13/07/08   17.   The ignorance and arrogance of the French 15:30  |  Montrealer 13/07/08   18.   Reply to Number 2 15:32  |  Dani 13/07/08   19.   WHAT UNION? 15:39  |  indrajaya 13/07/08   20.   #1 Natalie 15:48  |  John Allen 13/07/08   21.   Bet you the Eiffel Tower is on their hit list 16:46  |  Harvey (Chaim) 13/07/08   22.   To Natallie: Thanks for coming out of the closet 17:07  |  Arie 13/07/08   23.   Gadhafi 17:11  |  Ralph 13/07/08   24.   To "Yaacov"-your own bible condemns you! 17:13  |  Arie 13/07/08   25.   Zvi Bar`el: Haaret is a friend of the Arabs because Jpos is a fri 17:15  |  Herbert Kaine 13/07/08   26.   Natallie Durson 17:15  |  Ralph 13/07/08   27.   don`t fool yourseves about the French 17:36  |  Lior Mizrahi 13/07/08   28.   YOU KNOW WHY HE IS A PERCEPTIVE MAN? 18:09  |  indrajaya 13/07/08   29.   Where did you get that nuclear arsenal Israel? 18:21  |  Auntie War 13/07/08   30.   Gaza not invited, but perhaps not forgotten, either 18:57  |  Morris Valentine 13/07/08   31.   #8 Natalie Durson We know the truth 19:02  |  H 13/07/08   32.   John Allen - Moses too would be locked up 22:42  |  Man 13/07/08   33.   better put.... 06:51  |  ravi 14/07/08   34.   FRANCE IS A FRIEND OF THE ARABS 09:59  |  Robert 14/07/08   35.   Ravi (you Shankar) All will become clear in the end. 11:06  |  Harvey (Chaim) 14/07/08   36.   Robert 34, PG No more Arab oil NOW, I`d rather freeze 11:09  |  Harvey (Chaim) 14/07/08   37.   France is glowing... 11:30  |  Maureen Ann 14/07/08   38.   sNARCOzy 21:22  |  Dan Hadan 14/07/08   39.   re: Israel is a friend to America? 23:29  |  GZB 14/07/08   40.   Natallie Durson # 1 re: friend of America 14:58  |  American in NY 15/07/08   41.   GZB #39 Israel is a friend to America? 15:09  |  American in NY 15/07/08   42.   #24, Arie...to Yaakov 22:15  |  Silvienne 15/07/08   43.   #39, GZB, you ask an easy question... 22:20  |  Silvienne 15/07/08

Read & React Prof. Sternhell: Supporters of occupation are not Zionist Responses: 177 Discontented Fatah politicos consider launching third intifada Responses: 93 Olmert: Israel must quit East Jerusalem and Golan Responses: 330 Gershom Gorenberg: The settlement movement began in self-deception Responses: 50 McCain camp: Claim that Palin endorsed Hamas is 'libel' Responses: 69 More Headlines 14:58 Syrian FM: We aren't supplying weapons to Hezbollah 14:55 Khamenei: Iran will never abandon Hamas, its holy warrior Haniyeh 09:20 U.S. stocks bounce as senate agrees to vote Wed. on bailout 14:00 Bahraini FM calls for Mideast forum that includes Israel, Iran 12:36 'How can the People of the Book be against books?' 14:02 Austria vote / When an efficient far-right meets a deficient center 15:55 Jewish World / I am warmly disposed toward Reform and Conservative Jewry 08:37 U.S. approves sale to Israel of 25 F-35 fighter jets 07:15 McCain camp: Claim that Palin endorsed Hamas is 'libel' 09:49 Haaretz.com: The year in review 07:55 Israel cuts U.S. cluster bombs for homemade self-detonating brand 00:19 Federal judge upholds right of U.S. terror victims in Israel to sue PLO 15:53 Will Israeli inventor's electric car be the smooth ride it claims to be? 14:04 Olmert: Israel must quit East Jerusalem and Golan 19:44 ANALYSIS / Olmert's epiphany is too little, too late Previous Editions Select Day 30 sep 29 sep 28 sep 26 sep 25 sep 24 sep 23 sep 22 sep 21 sep 19 sep 18 sep 17 sep

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