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French - Israeli Relations
The election of French President Nicolas Sarkozy in May 2007 has led to a significant warming in ties between France and Israel, with France’s new leader stating that he would refuse to greet any world leader who doesn’t recognize Israel right to exist. [1]
Current diplomatic relations
In August, Sarkozy used his first major foreign policy speech to signal a shift from his predecessor, Jacques Chirac, casting himself as a "friend of Israel." [2] The Israeli public viewed Chirac as hostile towards Israel, particularly when Chirac stood steadfastly behind former Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat, especially during the first stages of the second Intifada. [3]
On Feb. 13, 2008, Sarkozy became the first president ever to speak at the annual dinner of CRIF (Conseil Représentatif des Institutions juives de France), an umbrella organization for French Jewry. The address was seen as a sign of newfound warmth between France’s Élysée Palace and French Jewry, whose place in French society has been shaken in recent years following a surge in anti-Semitic attacks. "Israel can count on a new dynamic to its relationship with the European Union," Sarkozy said. "France will never compromise on Israel's security." [4] On July 1, 2008, France is set to become the next president of the Council of the European Union.
Israel has welcomed the tough stance Sarkozy has adopted against Iran-backed Hamas and Iran-backed Hezbollah. [5] President Sarkozy has positioned himself as a possible peace intermediary, inviting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Syrian President Bashar al Assad to attend a Middle East conference in Paris on July 13. Olmert signaled that he would attend the meeting; Assad has not yet responded. [5a]
Economic relations
Since 2003, French exports to Israel have grown 10 percent to $ 683.000 (€1.06 billion) in 2006. France is Israel’s 11th greatest supplier of goods and represents Israel’s ninth largest market. France’s main export items are motor vehicles, plastics, pharmaceuticals, organic chemicals, aeronautical and space engineering products, perfumes and cosmetics.
France is the second-leading tourist destination for Israelis, after the United States, and the number of French people visiting Israel has grown considerably over the last few years. [6]
A Euro-Mediterranean free-trade zone is due to be launched in 2010, as envisaged by the 1995 Barcelona Process. The Mediterranean Union would have increasing involvement with the EU, eventually sharing common institutions. Sarkozy strongly supports the Mediterranean Union, counting Israel among its most important members. [7]
Cultural, scientific and technical cooperation
France’s cultural, scientific and technological cooperation with Israel is based on a bilateral agreement that dates back to 1959. Its origin is based on the existence of the high number of native French speakers in Israel (approximately 600,000 – 10 percent of the population). Considerable resources are devoted to this cooperation: $3.5M (€2.3M in 2007). [8]
There are numerous French cultural events that take place on a regular basis in Israel, and a new French Institute opened in Tel Aviv in June 2007. A Franco-Israeli secondary school opened in September 2007. In honor of Israel’s 60th anniversary of its independence, Israel was the official guest at the annual Book Fair in Paris in March 2008. [9]
Since 2004, six network research programs have been launched in medical and biological imaging, medical genetics, mathematics, agronomy and sustainable development, as well as bioinformatics, with nearly 100 researchers involved in each. New programs are expected to be introduced in the areas of cancer research, genomics, neuroscience, robotics and astrophysics. [10]
Overview of historical diplomatic relations, 1947-2007
Israeli-French relations have been characterized by dramatic upheavals during Israel´s 60 years of existence. After establishing diplomatic relations with Israel on May 11, 1949, France played an active role in strengthening the young state. [11] In the immediate aftermath of World War II, there was a sense of French sympathy towards Israel - undoubtedly influenced by the legacy of the Holocaust.
In the early years of Israel’s independence, France-Israel relations warmed gradually. Throughout the 1950s, French governments were mostly dominated by the French Socialist party, which was distinctly pro-Israel and Zionist. Leaders such as Prime Minister Guy Mollet, who also served as secretary-general of the Socialist party from 1946-1969, and Maurice Bourgès-Maunoury, minister of national defense in the 1950s, were unabashedly pro-Israel. This support was heavily motivated by a deep sense of sympathy towards the victims of the Holocaust and by a sense of ideological solidarity with the socialist-oriented Zionist left-wing that was in control in Israel at the time.[12]
The Algerian rebellion (1954-1962) provided common ground between the strategic interests of Israel and France, as French governments viewed Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, Israel´s sworn enemy, as the main instigator of Arab support for the rebels.[13]
With the active supervision of Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, his young protégées, Chief of Staff Gen. Moshe Dayan and then-Director General of the defense ministry, Shimon Peres, Israel cemented a strategic alliance with France, which led to the fateful cooperation during the Sinai campaign in 1956. France provided significant arms shipments to Israel, and, according to some reports, support for Israel’s alleged nuclear program. The strong relations were not just political but extended to the cultural sphere. The French ambassador to Israel at the time, Pierre Gilbert, was one of the most popular figures in Israel and spoke fluent Hebrew. [14]
The De Gaulle Era 1958-1969
French-Israel relations underwent a change during the presidency of French Gen. Charles De Gaulle from 1958 to 1969. At the beginning of De Gaulle´s administration, ties between the two countries appeared strong, as exemplified by the historic visit of Ben-Gurion in 1960 and the reception he received at the Élysée Palace. But in 1967, just before the Six-Day War when several Arab armies amassed on Israel’s borders, De Gaulle put brutal pressure on Israel to refrain from a military action.
In the face of Egyptian aggression towards Israel following the 1967 war, De Gaulle imposed an arms embargo on Israel, provided diplomatic support of the Arab side in the conflict and embarked on a tirade against Israel and Jews in November 1967, claiming that the Jews were arrogant– “an elite people, sure of themselves and domineering.” [15]
Shifting alliances: 1970-2007
The basic parameters of De Gaulle´s Arabist policy remained in place under presidents Georges Pompidou, Valéry Giscard d´Estaing, Francois Mitterand and Jacques Chirac. There were occasional changes of nuance such as in the days of Mitterand (1981-1995), a socialist who tried to present himself as more friendly towards the Jewish state while aligning himself with Palestinian policies. Pockets of support for Israel remained among some Gaullists, particularly right- wing Gaullists, conservatives from the center party and elements of the socialist party. Israel, however, became closely allied with the U.S. and ended its dependence on French arms. This shift cost the French arms industry a great deal of frustration as Israel´s own flourishing arms industry became a formidable competitor to France’s. [16]
By the late 1970s, the Israelis were increasingly concerned by French arms shipments to Saddam Hussein´s Iraq and Mohammed Gadaffi’s Libya. The French, pro-Arab tilt was compounded by the growing impact of the burgeoning Muslim population in France and the corresponding weakening of the impact of the Jewish population. Economic considerations impacted France’s Mideast relations during that time, as French dependence on oil from the Arab world increased. [17]
During Chirac´s 12-year rule (1995-2007), he became heavily involved in the formulation of French Middle Eastern policy, which was often marked by an anti-Israeli and pro-Arab stance.[18]
Footnotes
[1] „Sarkozy attacks Iran for its stance on Israel,“ YnetNews/Reuters, February 14, 2008,http://www.ynet.co.il/english/articles/0,7340,L-3506727,00.html
[2] Doland, Angela: „Sarkozy affirms alliance to Israel,“ The Washington Times, August 28, 2007,
http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070828/FOREIGN/108280059/1003[3] Hershco, Tsilla: „The French Presidential Elections of May 2007: Implications for French-Israeli Relations,“ The Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, May 29, 2007,
http://www.biu.ac.il/SOC/besa/docs/perspectives29.pdf[4] Lauter, Devorah: „Sarkozy heralds new era in France-Israel ties,“ Jewish Telegraphic Agency, February 22, 2008,
http://www.jewishjournal.com/home/preview.php?id=18961[5] „Olmert, Sarkozy see eye-to-eye on Iran,“ Agence France Presse, October 21, 2007,
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5g_74YQLtbfBsHrZI8yItJLNKGCMQ[5a] Assad , Olmert, invited by Sarkozy to Paris conference, Ya Libnan, June 11 2008,
http://yalibnan.com/site/archives/2008/06/assad_olmert_in.php[6] Ministère des Affaires étrangères et Européennes, December 5, 2007,
http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/country-files_156/israel-palestinian-territories_290/israel_2157/france-and-israel_4067/economic-relations_8269.html[7] Sitbon, Shirli: „France wants Israel in Mediterranean Union,“ The Jewish Chronicle, February 2, 2008,http://www.thejc.com/home.aspx?ParentId=m11s19&SecId=19&AId=57759&ATypeId=1
[8] Ministère des Affaires étrangères et Européennes, December 5, 2007,
http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/country-files_156/israel-palestinian-territories_290/israel_2157/france-and-israel_4067/cultural-scientific-and-technical-cooperation_8270.html[9] Ibid.
[10] Ibid.
[11] Ministère des Affaires étrangères et Européennes, Dec. 5, 2007,
http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/country-files_156/israel-palestinian-territories_290/israel_2157/france-and-israel_4067/political-relations_8267.html[12] Ministère des Affaires étrangères et Européennes, Dec. 5, 2007,
http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/country-files_156/israel-palestinian-territories_290/israel_2157/france-and-israel_4067/political-relations_8267.html[13] Ministère des Affaires étrangères et Européennes, Dec. 5, 2007,
http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/country-files_156/israel-palestinian-territories_290/israel_2157/france-and-israel_4067/political-relations_8267.html[14] Ministère des Affaires étrangères et Européennes, Dec. 5, 2007,
http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/country-files_156/israel-palestinian-territories_290/israel_2157/france-and-israel_4067/political-relations_8267.html[15] Ministère des Affaires étrangères et Européennes, Dec. 5, 2007,
http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/country-files_156/israel-palestinian-territories_290/israel_2157/france-and-israel_4067/political-relations_8267.html[16] “Press conference held by Charles de Gaulle: the second veto (Paris, 27 November 1967),” European Navigator. Retrieved June 17, 2008, from
http://www.ena.lu/press_conference_held_charles_gaulle_second_veto_paris_27_november_1967-022500135.html[17] Ministère des Affaires étrangères et Européennes, Dec. 5, 2007,
http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/country-files_156/israel-palestinian-territories_290/israel_2157/france-and-israel_4067/political-relations_8267.html[18] Ministère des Affaires étrangères et Européennes, Dec. 5, 2007,
http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/country-files_156/israel-palestinian-territories_290/israel_2157/france-and-israel_4067/political-relations_8267.html[19] Ministère des Affaires étrangères et Européennes, Dec. 5, 2007,
http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/country-files_156/israel-palestinian-territories_290/israel_2157/france-and-israel_4067/political-relations_8267.html
Topic: French-israeli relations (Read 420 times)