Tuesday 15 September 2009

"Israel Criminal State" masks sold at French Communist party event

PARIS (EJP)---Jewish organisations have denounced the sale over the weekend at a French Communist Party annual event of protection masks against the H1N1 swine flu marked with the mention “State of Israel.Criminal State."

In a statement, the National Bureau of Vigilance Against Anti-Semitism and the Councils of Jewish Communities of Seine-Saint-Denis condemned the initiative taken at the "Fête de l’Humanité" or Festival of Humanity, and particularly the sale by a Communist municipal councilor [Madjid Messaoudene] from the Paris suburb city of Saint-Denis, of anti-Israel masks.

T-shirts emblazoned with “Stop the Capitalist Flu” could also be seen at the stand [photo].

"This type of initiative is likely to lead to anti-Jewish acts," the organisations warned, recalling the fact that after an anti-Israel demonstration in Saint-Denis earlier this year nine petrol bombs were thrown against the local synagogue.

The Jewish groups demanded that security measures be taken around Jewish worship places in view of the High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and Yom Kippur.

In their statement, they also called on French Interior Minister "to use his authority so that elected officials of the Republic and in particular those of the Communist Party stop misusing their mandate to accuse and insult the Jewish state by inciting to hatred of Israel which leads to anti-Jewish act."

This year 600,000 people attended the Communist Party event at a huge park in the north of Paris near the suburb of La Corneuve.

Article by Joseph Byron at EJP

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