(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara, today (Tuesday, 5 June 2018), met with French Jewish community leaders in Paris.
Prime Minister Netanyahu said:
"I am pleased to see all of you. This is a happy moment, 72 years of ties between Israel and France. These ties were critical in the first years of the state when our existence was not self-evident. It is never self-evident but always borders on the miraculous. We must act to ensure the miracle and France's assistance in the first years of a young Israel – in terms of weapons, planes and additional cooperation – will be forever etched in the chronicles of the nation. Shimon Peres spoke very often with me about those years and it was a great honor for both him and France.
This link is also a deep cultural link. And it is also a human link, thanks to the glorious Jewish community here, which has contributed greatly to both France and Israel. I am very moved by the fact that we have 180,000 immigrants from France. We are doing everything, not enough, to allow them, first of all, to reduce this awful bureaucracy, about driver's licenses and professional certificates. We have already done this for doctors and afterwards with pharmacists, and now we are working with nurses. But it must be in all professional fields that are recognized in France; they need to be recognized in Israel. There is no logic. This is not a question. It is a policy of fighting excessive bureaucracy and legalism. We are doing this step by step out of genuine love and admiration.
But, beyond this, there is also a different phenomenon that is disturbing to us, and this is anti-Semitism. Anti-Semitism in Europe in general and France in particular, these attacks, have ancient roots even though their expressions are new. Against this there needs to be one thing: Fight it. Fight, fight and fight. This is the policy, not just of this government and of this president, but also of previous presidents and governments and his is important. The main thing that must be understood is that it never ends with the Jews. Jew-hatred always spreads to a greater problem; therefore, it is possible to recruit others, for both moral reasons and the future of society. I know that this will come up in my talks today [with President Macron]."
Prime Minister Netanyahu added:
"Israel is working against the threat of radical Islam which threatens Israel and the entire world. We are thwarting awful terrorist attacks including here in France. Israel has blocked very many terrorist attacks in Europe and will continue to do so."