L’ambassadeur de France en Israël, Patrick Maisonnave, a été reçu vendredi 9 janvier 2015 par le Premier ministre Benyamin Netanyahou, à sa résidence à Jérusalem, qui a tenu à présenter ses condoléances au président Hollande, au peuple français, ainsi qu’aux familles des victimes de l’attaque contre Charlie Hebdo.
Ci-dessous les propos de l’ambassadeur Maisonnave :
“Thank you very much indeed, Prime Minister. Thank you deeply, with our hope for sympathy, for support, solidarity that you have expressed here Prime Minister. Also, your [unclear] this country. Respected people and the whole society in Israel that have expressed for its victims after the attack against Charlie Hebdo.
As you may be aware, there is an ongoing operation in France at the moment whereas it seems that the perpetrators of this crime may be arrested in the minutes or hours to come. There is a reasonable hope, I would say, that these two guys will be arrested.
Israel and the Jewish people, perhaps more than anyone else, have been suffering from terror. Last summer with the Hamas, in West Jerusalem and yesterday again in Jerusalem. You have been suffering from terror and from fanaticism and as a French, of course, I have in mind the victims of terror directed against the children of Sandler and Monsonego families in 2012, I have in mind the horror against Ilan Halimi in 2006.
Prime Minister, I know your deep admiration for “la fille des aufix de lumière.” I know that you like to quote Rousseau and Voltaire. I heard you many times. I know you have deep respect for freedom of conscience, freedom of opinion, freedom of the press that France has given to the world. And this is why I know, Prime Minister, that both our countries stand united to say no to terror, to fanaticism, no to fundamentalists, fundamentalism, no to Jihadism, and I know we are united to combat everywhere and as far is France is concerned yesterday in Afghanistan, today in Africa, today in the Middle East against Daesh. I know we stand united to say no to the fear, no to the hatred that encourage divisions and violence within our societies, but also between communities. And I know we stand united to say no to [unclear]. Islam is not the Jihad. And as democracies, I know that our first and most sacred task is protection and security of our citizens. I know you are deeply committed to this.
I also think that our second mission is to create the conditions of a fair and sustainable peace between the people in order to fight the roots of radicalism of fundamentalism of fanaticism wherever it is.
This is, as you know Prime Minister, the message of France.”
Emmanuelle ELBAZ-PHELPS
Attachée de presse
French Embassy in Israel
