Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., July 25, 2008 Tamuz 22, 5768 | | Israel Time: 17:33 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 14:28 23/07/2008 Record 450 French immigrants to arrive at Ben Gurion Airport By Hannah Glass and Haaretz Service Tags: Jewish Agency, Israel  A record 450 French olim were to arrive at Ben Gurion International Airport Wednesday, on three special flights sponsored by the Jewish Agency and the AMI immigration association. The immigrants were to be welcomed in an official ceremony, where they were to be addressed by Jewish Agency Chairman Zeev Bielski, Immigration and Absorptiion Minister Eli Aflalo and AMI founder Pierre Besnainou. France has one of the largest Jewish communities outside of Israel, totaling nearly half a million people. Its population is second only to America's Jewish population, which has now exceeded 5 million. Advertisement Since 2000, there has been a marked increase in the number of French citizens immigrating to Israel, arguably due to the waves of growing anti-Semitism in the European state. Many French Jews say that they no longer feel comfortable or welcome in France, particularly within the working-class suburbs of Paris, where much of the tension has been focused. Last month, a Jewish teenager was brutally attacked in the 19th Arrondissement of Paris. That neighborhood, which has been the site of ongoing scuffles between North African Jews and Muslims living in Paris, was the same suburb in which 23-year-old Ilan Halimi was beaten and left to die a year before. During his visit to Israel last month, French President Nicolas Sarkozy vowed that France would always defend Israel in the face of any existential threat - a direct reference to Iran and its nuclear program, which he called unacceptable. A nuclear Iran is intolerable," Sarkozy said. "Anyone trying to destroy Israel will find France blocking the way." Related articles: Paris Jewish community leader concerned over mass aliyah Sarkozy to Knesset: Share Jerusalem with Palestinians Shimon Peres: The French-Israeli fairytale Bookmark to del.icio.us   The bigger apple Study shows Tel Aviv is more expensive to live in than New York. When bedbugs bite After 40 years' absence, Israel braces for return of the bedbug.   1.   Halimi`s place and the last beaten jewish youth`s place 14:48  |  CABESSA 23/07/08   2.   French Aliyah 15:58  |  Rich 23/07/08   3.   Welcome home! 16:13  |  Marc Brattman 23/07/08   4.   Perfect response to Hezbollah 16:14  |  Sherman 23/07/08   5.   450 Palestinains refugees replaced by Jews 16:37  |  Orhan 23/07/08   6.   Anyone trying to destroy Israel doesn`t only mean Iran 17:11  |  The Archives 23/07/08   7.   Orhan is a nut 17:45  |  Louis 23/07/08   8.   Orhan - You care that palis are in refugee camps 18:03  |  bob 23/07/08   9.   Aliyah 18:28  |  tom 23/07/08   10.   Just more proof 18:40  |  Arie 23/07/08   11.   Frenchies are disliked in Israel as well 18:46  |  David 23/07/08   12.   To David-the lefty attitude in TA has burned your mind 19:08  |  Arie 23/07/08   13.   Record 450 French Immigrants 19:50  |  gavriella bat-aviv 23/07/08   14.   GOOD, 450 RABBEL ROUSERS GONE! 19:50  |  GEORG 23/07/08   15.   #5, Orhan, thats becauses Arabs want that for themselves 19:57  |  David 23/07/08   16.   Orhan 20:29  |  Abu kamal 23/07/08   17.   And how many turned their back today? 20:35  |  Observer 23/07/08   18.   @GEORG 21:41  |  tom 23/07/08   19.   A result of Jews being tortured to death or attacked? 21:58  |  PETER SM 23/07/08   20.   Bienvenue 21:59  |  ERSB 23/07/08   21.   US tax money 22:17  |  najour 23/07/08   22.   #5 Orhan 22:27  |  THK 23/07/08   23.   #5- Orhan 22:31  |  THK 23/07/08   24.   Muslims are actually strengthening Israel 22:33  |  Judith 23/07/08   25.   georg 23:33  |  larry from maine 23/07/08   26.   450 FRENCHN OLIM 00:12  |  MONA 24/07/08   27.   NAJOUR Worry about the billions given to Arabs 00:25  |  PETER SM 24/07/08   28.   I hope you said goodbye to Jean Marie LePigPen 00:29  |  Conroy 24/07/08   29.   Toz 00:36  |  Aounist 24/07/08   30.   5 Orhan,this is standard zionist practice,since early 19th 00:50  |  lakshmi 24/07/08

Read & React Obama to PM: Iran action legitimate only if talks fail Responses: 105 Shmuel Rosner: The U.S. is not the president of Israel Responses: 14 Shin Bet head Diskin: Truce with Hamas unlikely to hold Responses: 43 Tali Fahima: Zakariya Zubeidi is the Shin Bet's whore Responses: 34 Rosner's Domain Barack Obama, the fashionable darling of the Israeli left The Lebanese are undercutting goodwill in Washington (WTR) Is Jimmy Carter 'tone-deaf' to Jewish sensibilities? (WTR) Will Lebanon pay the price for the prisoner swap deal? More Headlines 13:21 Iran convoy attacked reportedly while taking arms to Hezbollah 15:15 Report: PA mulling unilateral declaration of statehood 09:40 Obama to PM: Iran action legitimate only if talks fail 15:08 Matters of Deterrence / Shin Bet head Diskin: Cease-fire with Hamas unlikely to hold 10:56 IDF commander: We must deal with settler 'provocateurs' 11:12 FAA finds serious flaws in flight safety at Israeli airports 15:12 When it comes to psychometric exam, Haredi Jews do it better 16:25 Motor racing's Mosley sues German paper over Nazi-themed orgy claim 08:01 U.S. protests eviction of Arab family from East Jerusalem home 17:21 Tali Fahima: Zakariya Zubeidi is Israeli security service's whore 13:25 Palestinian killed as bomb explodes outside Christian cafe in Gaza 05:49 Scientist tells Israelis: Hang up your cell phones already 08:10 AG Mazuz: Olmert obstructing graft probes against him 22:27 Settler holds knife to IDF soldier's throat in West Bank riot Previous Editions Select Day 24 jul 23 jul 22 jul 21 jul 20 jul 18 jul 17 jul 16 jul 15 jul 14 jul 13 jul 11 jul

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