Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., December 04, 2007 Kislev 24, 5768 | | Israel Time: 09:25 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Rosner's Domain
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Advertising
Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File Hanukkah
French President Nicolas Sarkozy (AP)
del.icio.us
Digg It!  new
Last update - 09:09 29/11/2007
Algerian minister: Sarkozy in power thanks to Jewish lobby
By The Associated Press
Tags: Algeria, Jewish lobby, France 

ALGIERS - France's Foreign Ministry expressed surprise Wednesday about an Algerian government minister's remarks about a "Jewish lobby" being behind French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

The flap comes as Sarkozy is preparing to visit Algeria next week.

Mohamed Cherif Abbas, Algeria's minister for veterans, was quoted Monday in the daily El Khabar as saying that Sarkozy was brought to power by a "Jewish lobby that has a monopoly on French industry." Abbas also mentioned Sarkozy's "roots," an apparent reference to the French president's maternal grandfather, who was Jewish.
Advertisement
French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Pascale Andreani responded Wednesday: "We are surprised about these remarks that appeared in the press, which do not correspond to the climate of confidence and cooperation in which we are preparing the president's state visit."

She remained upbeat about the visit, however, saying it would show that relations "have progressed in many sectors."

The Dec. 3-5 visit will be Sarkozy's second to Algeria, the former jewel in France's colonial crown, since his election in May.

On Wednesday, Abbas told the Algerian state news agency APS that he "never had the intention .... of attacking the image of a foreign head of state." He did not deny making the comments.

In the original interview, Abbas also demanded that France repent for its past actions in Algeria.

Relations between the two countries have been strained in recent years, particularly since France's parliament passed a law in 2005 noting the "positive" effects of colonialism. The language was later removed, but a long-awaited friendship treaty between the two countries remains stalled.

More Jewish World news and features
Bookmark to del.icio.us
Muslim about face
A key U.K. Muslim group ends its boycott of Holocaust Memorial Day.
Calling all Aleppo Jews
Yad Ben-Zvi is calling for the return of centuries-old Aleppo Codex fragments.
  1.   He is right, in part 01:39  |  Europhile 29/11/07
  2.   "never had the intention...of attacking the image of a foreign 01:41  |  Jon 29/11/07
  3.   algerian minister and sarkozy 02:16  |  lorne 29/11/07
  4.   Muslims put Sarkozy in power in France 02:54  |  Genuine Tosefta 29/11/07
  5.   Let`s Hope That All This Talk About The Jews Controlling 03:12  |  Eli 29/11/07
  6.   More Crapola from Arab Lands 04:06  |  Brad 29/11/07
  7.   Why should such comments surprise anyone? 04:08  |  Conroy 29/11/07
  8.   The french foreign minister is also jewish,I believe,and could be 04:21  |  lakshmi 29/11/07
  9.   What incredible ignorance 05:09  |  Lynn 29/11/07
  10.   French president`s maternal grandfather was Jewish. 05:31  |  What`s in a name 29/11/07
  11.   What a pity 06:02  |  geoff 29/11/07
  12.   France and Algeria. 06:09  |  sandra chitayat 29/11/07
  13.   Arabs burned 100,000 cars in France before Sarkozy was elected 07:04  |  Genuine Tosefta 29/11/07
  14.   Haaretz is also supposedly Jewish yet it sides with Jews enemies 07:06  |  Genuine Tosefta 29/11/07
  15.   LOSERS.Nothing to do with riots past& present? 07:12  |  PETER S.M. 29/11/07
  16.   Holy Smoke! These Jews Control The Entire World 07:14  |  Martin Luther 29/11/07
  17.   Arabs burned 100,000 cars in France before Sarkozy was elected 07:17  |  Genuine Tosefta 29/11/07
  18.   Lakshmi.Sucide bombers,riots&throat cutters dont win you friends. 07:21  |  PETER S.M. 29/11/07
  19.   Lakshmi - The One Billion People in India Are Really 07:22  |  Eli 29/11/07
  20.   algerian antisemitism 07:32  |  michel 29/11/07
  21.   IDIOTIC MUSLIM LEADERS SOUND LIKE NAZIS RE; `JEWISH ROOTS` 07:43  |  Steve Randolph 29/11/07
  22.   lakshmi.how does election of anti Israel Chirac fit your theory? 07:53  |  PETER S.M. 29/11/07
  23.   Jews have learned 07:57  |  Adel 29/11/07
  24.   Lakshmi- Your Buddy Ahamdinejad is Also Jewish. He is Just 08:06  |  Eli 29/11/07
  25.   Muslims put Sarkozy in power in France w/their inherent violence! 08:08  |  Genuine Tosefta 29/11/07
  26.   lakshmi-# 3-What about the French Justice Minister Rachida Dati? 08:18  |  Daniel Leopold 29/11/07
  27.   Arab Lobby 08:45  |  Edifice 29/11/07
  28.   DOMESTIC POLITICS 08:51  |  Mark of Lewiston 29/11/07
  29.   I WONDER WHY PEOPLE SO UPSET ABOUT THE COMMENT 08:55  |  indrajaya 29/11/07
  30.   Double standard 09:04  |  American in Paris 29/11/07
  31.   bigotry, incitement, hatred, paranoia 09:06  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 29/11/07
  32.   Mark of Lewiston, your parallel is off base 09:09  |  American in Paris 29/11/07
  33.   U.S. house and senate not without guilt here 09:37  |  Swiss (Dino) 29/11/07
  34.   The Jewish Lobby works in mysterious ways 09:40  |  Daniel Leopold 29/11/07
  35.   Independent Algeria 09:55  |  Sarah 29/11/07
  36.   MOHAMED ABBAS : YET ANOTHER ISLAMO FASCIST 10:06  |  *!* Gill Ottine *!* 29/11/07
  37.   Lynn 10:14  |  Gina 29/11/07
  38.   Muslims! Stay in your wonderful Sharia countries 10:17  |  Genuine Tosefta 29/11/07
  39.   Accusing Jews 10:49  |  ChanahS 29/11/07
  40.   Swiss 10:51  |  Gina 29/11/07
  41.   Indrajaya # 29 10:54  |  ChanahS 29/11/07
  42.   #31 bigotry, incitement, hatred, paranoia(Cipora) 10:55  |  Roo 29/11/07
  43.   LAKSHMI India is an ally in the war on terror with Israel. 11:02  |  PETER S .M. 29/11/07
  44.   #13 Equally wrong 11:05  |  Outsider 29/11/07
  45.   Sarah#35... ON INDEPENDENT ALGERIA 11:19  |  Un Algerien 29/11/07
  46.   a spy? 11:22  |  wiseUP 29/11/07
  47.   #9 Lynn 11:23  |  Sarah 29/11/07
  48.   Genuine Tosefta#13..EXACT NUMBER WAS 425 CARS and NOT ALL "ARABS" 11:31  |  TrippleJump 29/11/07
  49.   #34 Lobbies 11:45  |  The instructor 29/11/07
  50.   "Minister for Veterens"??? 11:48  |  Stephen. 29/11/07
  51.   #36 Colonial past 11:53  |  The instructor 29/11/07
  52.   I regret what the Minsiter said... 11:57  |  Un Algerian 29/11/07
  53.   only truth hurts 12:12  |  hamastan 29/11/07
  54.   Brad, # 6 12:21  |  Newt 29/11/07
  55.   # 40 Gina 12:29  |  Swiss (Dino) 29/11/07
  56.   Daniel Leopold in Australia 12:33  |  Mohamed 29/11/07
  57.   God blessed them! 12:34  |  Dav 29/11/07
  58.   To hamastan 12:37  |  The Judge 29/11/07
  59.   It was Automobile Insurance Lobby that tired of nightly burnings 12:56  |  Alan 29/11/07
  60.   TRIPPLEJUMP Racism upsets you does it? 13:33  |  PETER S.M. 29/11/07
  61.   INDRAJAYA.How do you decide what is "a Jewish"? 13:36  |  PETER S .M. 29/11/07
  62.   Lakshmi...what? No cabal? 13:47  |  Lynn 29/11/07
  63.   # 61, PETER SM 13:57  |  indrajaya 29/11/07
  64.   Another crazy antisemitic Arab? - wow, that`s a novel situation 14:02  |  Neutral Observer 29/11/07
  65.   Eli,Peter SM&Lynn,Eli I like your sense of humour,at least your 14:20  |  lakshmi 29/11/07
  66.   La Figaro has reported 14:20  |  Chris Linthwaite 29/11/07
  67.   #63 INDRAJAYA. YOU said it was a FACT 14:32  |  Remi 29/11/07
  68.   Arabs too dim to run the world? 15:28  |  Roberto 29/11/07
  69.   # 63 # Sarkosy elected because of policies by the whole of France 15:44  |  # !# B.HEDDEM #! # 29/11/07
  70.   # 37 Gina ....I have yet to figure out 15:53  |  Lynn 29/11/07
  71.   # 47 Sarah....because it makes sense? 15:57  |  Lynn 29/11/07
  72.   # 51 # The Instructor Finds French Confusing 16:00  |  J.Escargot 29/11/07
  73.   Cipora J. Kohn # 31, has it perfectly right once again 16:02  |  Fortuna Benmayor 29/11/07
  74.   Google Sarkozy Mossad 16:07  |  Chris Linthwaite 29/11/07
  75.   No. 3 Lorne 16:07  |  sohel saheen 29/11/07
  76.   Nice dream Adel #23 16:16  |  Rory 29/11/07
  77.   Fake ("Genuine") Tosefta Alert 16:18  |  Tosefta 29/11/07
  78.   Fortuna Benmayor #73 Pot Kettle Black! 16:19  |  Roo 29/11/07
  79.   You know something 16:26  |  Gee 29/11/07
  80.   a pity indeed 16:30  |  Une Algerienne 29/11/07
  81.   Lakshmi # 65 - We All, from Time To Time Come Across A book, An 16:31  |  Eli 29/11/07
  82.