Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., August 21, 2008 Av 20, 5768 | | Israel Time: 23:25 (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 - 09:25 20/08/2008 C'est incroyable! Israelis gripe about French manners By Vered Lee Tags: France, Tourism, Tel Aviv  During the late-night hours the battle between Tel Aviv residents and French tourists can be most clearly observed: Locals used to waiting only a few minutes for a taxi watch helplessly as cabs carrying French tourists zoom by. "Those French, they're taking all the taxis," one Israeli grumbles. But Oded Dror, a cabbie who works for Castel taxi services, is thankful for the extra work. "There's a lot of work because of the French tourists," he says. "Personally, I don't like all this pressure. I'm stopped by French people all the time and find myself mostly being hailed by French youth. They are very loud, and sometimes condescending. But it will soon end. They are leaving at the end of August." France, with some 500,000 Jews, constitutes the third largest Jewish community in the world and sends more tourists to Israel than any other European country, according to Tourism Ministry data. Some 150,000 French nationals visited Israel between January and July, an increase of 10 percent over the same period last year. In Tel Aviv, Ben-Yehuda Street has been brimming with deeply-tanned French tourists since the beginning of August. They speak in their native tongue, and Hebrew is seldom heard. Advertisement Many French tourists flock to the Mazzarine, a cafe named after Rue Mazarine in Paris and located on Gordon Street. "Lots of French tourists come here," says Shimon Zohar, the owner of the cafe. "We are located on the way to the sea, and that's what they want: Sea, sea and more sea." Zohar's cafe is decidedly European in look and specializes in cakes. "This place reminds them of home," Zohar says. Meanwhile, Michel Cohen and his Parisian friends sit at a nearby cafe on Frischmann Street. Cohen, who is a doctor, arrived in Israel with his wife and three children at the start of the month and will be here until the end of August. "What do we do all day?" he repeats my question, looking rather amused by it: "Nothing. We drink coffee, gaze at people on the street, talk, go to the beach and eat at restaurants." Cohen says it was important for him to bring his children to Israel so they "get to know the country, Israeli culture and be in touch with the Jewish community." Despite his love for Israel, Cohen says he feels hostility from many of the Israelis he encounters on the street. "Israelis are rude," he complains. "Yesterday a woman at the beach asked me to move because I was blocking her view of the sea. I answered her in French even though I speak Hebrew, because I don't feel confident speaking Hebrew. Then she replied 'these French people, first let them study Hebrew before they come here.' I told her that the French are the only people who come here and she better be nice if they want us to come back. "I keep hearing Israelis talk about 'these French people' or saying 'we don't like the French.' It's very offensive. A vacation in Israel is expensive, but we come here with love. I do, however, know a couple of people who chose not to come here this year because of the Israelis' attitude and preferred going to Morocco or Tunis." During the conversation with Cohen the Israeli cafe owner suddenly approaches us and asks me with typical Israeli chutzpah whether I was interviewing him because he was a "French oligarch." Cohen looked away out of embarrassment. At times during the month of August the Tel Aviv beachfront can be easily mistaken for that of Marseille; French is almost the only language heard. "How much French can you stand?" a local suddenly says out loudly. She turns angrily to the person next to her whose skin is very tanned, one of the signature marks of French tourists and asks him, "Why do you all come here?" He responds in perfect Hebrew: "What do you want from me? I'm just tanned." Some, like restaurant owner Jackie Eiluz, have nothing but good things to say about the French wave of tourists: "It's a blessing," Eiluz says. "Sure, sometimes they come in hungry from the beach and fight over a table, but it's not like the Israelis are as polite as the British." Related articles: At state dinner with Sarkozy, Peres sees 'unparalleled' French-Israel relationship French, Israeli presidents see eye to eye on Iran Bookmark to del.icio.us   Tears of joy Shahar Zubari's bronze medal was Israel's first of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. 'Germ of corruption' Mahmoud Ahmadinejad repeats his prediction that Israel will be wiped off the map.   1.   Silly article 08:23  |  Rina 20/08/08   2.   In touch with Israeli culture 08:39  |  Rena 20/08/08   3.   French Tourist 09:05  |  Andy 20/08/08   4.   ALYAH 10:04  |  DANIEL 20/08/08   5.   Is it just the August heat? 10:12  |  Motic 20/08/08   6.   la vache qui rit 12:08  |  le diable 20/08/08   7.   This is News?? 12:17  |  Observer 20/08/08   8.   This is funny 13:20  |  lady from America 20/08/08   9.   mon dieu, quel scandale! 14:15  |  soggy liberal 20/08/08   10.   The French Jews spend their vacation in Israel 14:17  |  Shoshana Thomasson 20/08/08   11.   Israelis should worry about their *own* reputation 14:55  |  Raymond in DC 20/08/08   12.   The most indecent article 15:38  |  Azulay 20/08/08   13.   last sentence 15:42  |  jon 20/08/08   14.   Fleet Street 15:44  |  Sherlock Holmes 20/08/08   15.   The TRUTH 15:59  |  efff 20/08/08   16.   Excuse us being french 16:08  |  Jean-David Hamou 20/08/08   17.   French manners. 16:21  |  David Nigel Braham 20/08/08   18.   The French have improved a lot.L`hauteur n`est pas de rigeur 16:31  |  PETER SM 20/08/08   19.   All tourists behave the same 16:37  |  Jonas 20/08/08   20.   Israelis comments! 16:56  |  Ros 20/08/08   21.   #20 Ross 18:18  |  Dr Noam 20/08/08   22.   How Gauche 18:32  |  H 20/08/08   23.   Some Israelis are ride and arrogant as well..... 19:04  |  Dagma 20/08/08   24.   Get used to tourists 20:20  |  Jonas 20/08/08   25.   Did you mention Marseille ? 22:16  |  Shimon 20/08/08   26.   french manners 08:23  |  dominique kahtan 21/08/08   27.   French manners 21:44  |  Alec Saul 21/08/08   28.   French Tourists 22:36  |  Jeff 21/08/08

Read & React Ahmadinejad: Israel is a germ of corruption that will be removed Responses: 139 Israel warns nationals of Hezbollah kidnap threat abroad Responses: 37 Sheetrit: Israel must not attack Iran, except in line of defense Responses: 26 Meron Benvenisti: Israel's greatest fear is a one-state solution Responses: 72 More Headlines 20:05 Syria to Russia: Put your missiles on our soil 19:04 Livni: Time is running out for peace talks with Palestinians 16:28 State orders West Bank fence rerouted in favor of Palestinians 22:38 Prosecution to seek immunity for Talansky in U.S. 19:47 Israel removes West Bank roadblock outside Ramallah 21:32 Life of top television presenter threatened, possibly by 'psychic' interviewee 12:14 Jewish World / Britain is a good place to be Jewish 22:28 Jordan urges world to press Israel to halt E. Jerusalem excavations 13:50 Arab official: Iran presence on Gulf island as unacceptable as Israeli occupation 16:43 Egypt warns Hamas: Beware of Israeli strikes on your leaders 19:54 U.S. won't sell refueling jets to Israel, fearing strike on Iran 16:02 Happy birthday, Mr. President! Peres marks his 85th with trip to Negev 15:45 IDF troops detain unarmed Palestinan infiltrating from Gaza 16:00 Report: BBC charity gave cash to London bombers' bookstore Previous Editions Select Day 20 aug 19 aug 18 aug 17 aug 15 aug 14 aug 13 aug 12 aug 11 aug 10 aug 08 aug 07 aug

Special Offers Advertisement Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. Jewish Singles Personal Ads Find the love of your life on JDate.com MBA in Israel in English APPLY NOW! Limited spaces available Israel's Premier Real Estate Website www. israel-property.com Your vacation starts here Israel Travel Center Guaranteed Lowest Rates Hebrew Summer courses From $39.95 ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel

birthright Israel | Search engine marketing

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved