President Sarkozy will arrive in Israel on Sunday. According to a June
13, 2008 article (translation provided below) in the Arab media, based
on French sources, the American Jewish Committee=92s Paris
representative, Valerie Hoffenberg, visited Bethlehem on June 12,
2008, in order to do advance work for Sarkozy=92s stay during which he
will lay the cornerstone on a planned industrial park in Bethlehem.
Concurrently, he is expected to make serious demands of Israel that
will further the economic, diplomatic and strategic interests of
France and the Palestinian Authority.
But, who owns the AJC/France? Does the organization serve the
interests of French Jews? Is it the handmaiden of the French
government? Or is it a friend and mentor to the Palestinian
Authority? If the answer to one or more of these questions is =93yes=94,
do these divided loyalties spell conflict of interest?
The question is a reasonable one. Philippe Karsenty has accused the
AJC/France of thwarting his efforts to expose the al Dura hoax to the
light of day in two widely circulated letters to which the
organization has publically responded. An article detailing the
dispute was published in the Jerusalem Post. Karsenty accused the
AJC=92s Paris representative, Valerie Hoffenberg, of maneuvering behind-
the-scenes to block his access to government officials, and of arguing
that his contentions concerning al Dura had no merit.
Karsenty was sued for defamation by France=92s largest publically owned
and controlled television station and its acclaimed journalist,
Charles Enderlin, for his accusation that their re****t of the shooting
death of an Arab boy in Gaza, on September 30, 2000, by Israeli
soldiers was a staged hoax. He was found innocent on appeal on May
21, 2008.
AJC President, David Harris, dismissed Karsenty=92s charges, responding,
=93You might as well accuse us of passing nuclear secrets to the
Iranians.=94 France=92s Jewish community was ill-served by Harris=92s
cynical rejoinder, meant to undermine Karsenty=92s credibility, and to
deflect attention from the substance of his concerns, namely: whom
does American Jewish Committee represent? Jews? The French
government? Or the Arabs? Silence and inaction on the al Dura hoax
protects French diplomacy, costs Jewish lives, and gives aid and
comfort to Arab lies.
Concerning Valerie Hoffenberg=92s visit to Bethlehem on June 12, 2008,
the same question must be asked. Was she on a mission for the French
government, the Palestinian Authority or the American Jewish
Committee? The purpose of the visit was to facilitate the creation of
a French industrial zone in Bethlehem for the benefit of Arabs living
in Judea and Samaria. Obviously, French and Arab diplomatic, strategic
as well as economic interests are at stake. On the Arab side, vested
foreign economic interests in a future Palestinian state function to
make it a fait accompli irrespective of the success or failure of
negotiations with Israel. French and other foreign economic
investment and commitment to such a state, in advance of negotiations
and agreement with Israel, will increasingly box Israel into a corner
from which no exit is possible and further constrain her ability to
act in her own strategic and diplomatic interests. Is Valerie
Hoffenberg=92s involvement in this process suitable to her role as
representative of AJC/France?
The project has run into difficulty due to Israeli policies. Valerie
Hoffenberg met with the mayor and prefect of Bethlehem, as well as the
Council General of France, to strategize over wresting concessions
from the Israeli government in order to make the project a reality.
The land for the industrial zone has not yet been identified due to
difficulties created by the =93Israeli occupation=94.
The project=92s success depends on Israel. The French delegation in
which Valerie Hoffenberg participated was concerned specifically with
persuading (read pressuring) the Israeli government to remove
checkpoints erected to thwart terrorist attacks against Jews.
Furthermore, Israel is expected to supply land, water and power for
the industrial zone.
On whose behalf is Valerie Hoffenberg negotiating? If her goal is to
benefit the Palestinian Authority, can it be affirmed that she is
functioning in her capacity as representative of the AJC/France?
Perhaps French Jews would be more comforted if Hoffenberg were
negotiating to forestall as many concessions as possible rather than
endeavoring to pressure Israel to grant as many as possible.
Roadblocks save lives. Their removal spells death to future, but
inevitable, Jewish victims of Arab terrorists who will henceforth be
unhindered by the inconvenience of a stop and search.
Not all AJC donors and sup****ters would be pleased to know that, in
addition to being an obstacle to the truth in the al Dura case, its
Paris representative went to Bethlehem last week in preparation for
Sarkozy=92s forthcoming visit to Israel. It is reasonable to wonder
whether her role in easing Sarkozy=92s bargaining position on behalf of
French and Arab economic, strategic and diplomatic aspirations
constitutes a conflict of interest with her role in AJC/France.
Though David Harris may not be dealing nukes to Iran, his agent in
France is certainly dealing death to Israelis in furthering the
ambitions of their murderous peace partner. By all means, let=92s not
inconvenience the terrorists! Down with checkpoints!
*
Below is the article translated from the Arabic detailing plans for
France=92s industrial zone in Bethlehem.
http://www.elaph.com/ElaphWeb/Economics/2008/6/339246.htm
GMT 15:30:00 Thursday the 12th of June 2008
Osama Al-Issa
Sarkozy will lay the cornerstone during this month [i.e break ground]
France will build an industrial zone in Bethlehem
Osama Al-Issa from Bethlehem
French and local sources revealed today that President Nicholas
Sarkozy will lay down the cornerstone for an industrial zone that will
be built by France in Bethlehem at a later time of this month. And
thus the project of establi****ng an industrial zone in the Palestinian
city that is surrounded by walls and settlements goes into the
execution phase, despite the fact that it has till now not been
announced where the zone will be constructed. And the [selection of a
site] for the industrial zone has transformed into a conundrum in the
past months, because of the Israeli invasion's control over most of
the lands of Bethlehem that lies beside Jerusalem.
And Valerie Hoffenberg, the French president's envoy for the followup
of the Industrial Zone project, visited Bethlehem today and met with
the [Head of the district... not sure what official title this
translates to] Salaah Al-Ta'mari, and the vice mayor of Bethlehem
George Sa'aada, and the head of the Commercial Chamber in Bethlehem
Dr. Sameer Hazboun, and searched for methods with them to make the
industrial zone project succeed and which is supposed to be
established and in which a celebration of the laying of the
cornerstone with the presence of President Sarkozy will happen on the
24th of the current month.
And the French President's envoy was accompanied to Bethlehem by Allan
Rame the French Consul in Jerusalem, and Sebastian Farafe the Academic
Attache in the French Consulate, and Corin Evanesse, the president of
the company in charge of the feasibility study of the industrial zone,
and during the meeting several matters were discussed regarding work
in the industrial zone and ways to make it succeed so as to begin
constructing it so as to serve the Palestinian people.
And in the beginning of the meeting the [district head] Al-Ta'mari
informed the French delegation of the political and economic picture
in the district where he offered an explanation of the current
economic reality in Bethlehem, in which he valued the French effort
and vision that sup****ted the Palestinian people.
And Al-Ta'mari referred to Israel's control over Palestinian lands and
the difficulties that Palestinians face in finding a suitable piece of
land for the building of the Industrial Zone, pointing out to the
choking of areas A due to the siege that has reached the borders of
the city and of which nothing remains and as for Area B is controlled
by the invasion and the Israelis are trying to prevent any Palestinian
effort on it, and the Israelis forbid construction in the C areas that
are [totally under Israeli control].
And Al-Ta'mari stressed the Palestinian need for developmental
projects that help the Palestinian in the building of a strong and
advanced economy despite the cir***stances instead of offering aid and
assistance, especially in the agricultural, industrial, and tourism
fields.
And the French president's envoy said that the purpose of President
Sarkozy's coming visit to Bethlehem, and the laying down of the corner
stone for the establishment of the industrial zone, is "to establish
an industrial zone able to offer assistance to the Palestinian economy
and that be employed in all the fields of Palestinian industry,
therefore creating more employment op****tunities for the Palestinian
youth and give them hope", pointing out that the idea is based on
helping the Palestinians through partner****p with them at
work.
And the French envoy stressed that France will do all it can to help
the Palestinian people and improve the cir***stances of their daily
lives, clarifying that France, by the building of this industrial
zone, wants to send a signal to the entire world that the Palestinian
people can develop and construct, and that this French Palestinian
project will be a message for success so as to be a model adhered to
by all the countries of the world so as to help in the construction of
a large Palestinian economy.
And the French envoy said that she will present several issues with
the Israeli side concerned with the commencement of the execution of
the Industrial zone such as easing movement in Bethlehem and the
subject of providing the Industrial zone with sufficient electricity
and water, in the hope that the Israelis will fulfill the promises
they gave to facilitate and help the Palestinian economy.
And George Sa'adeh the vice mayor of Bethlehem valued the French
efforts in sup****t of Bethlehem and Palestine, expressing his hope
that other countries will follow this example and offer assistance
with Bethlehem through assistance in developing its industry and
economy.
And Dr. Sameer Hazboun the president of the Commercial Chamber said
that this was the first time an industrial zone's execution is
commencing, despite that the fact that Palestinians had heard many
times of promises to establish industrial zones that have yet to be
executed, and he expressed his belief that its execution will be a
lively initiative that will show the French and international
commitment to the Palestinian people.
And Hazboun valued the French vision and plan for the establishment of
this zone, pointing out that the industrial zone will need to
establish a large and permanent expo for the Palestinian industries
that will contribute in the promotion of these industries on one hand
and work on assisting Bethlehem economically by organizing days of
cooperation with the nations that are interested in visiting this
permanent expo.
And Hazboun called upon the French delegation to work on the necessity
of having a French commitment to assist in marketing the Palestinian
products and easing their movements through France's relation****ps
with the Israeli side which will help a lot in the Palestinian economy
and its development and growth.
Bethlehem is considered the [No.1] city in terms of tourism, and the
undeclared capital of Christianity, due to the presence of the Church
of Nativity which is thought to have Christ in it, but due to the
continuing Israeli siege the city and the rise in emigration to the
outside, the city has become poor.
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