Avraham Azoulai
Avraham Azoulaiצילום: אלירן אהרון

The editor of the French Jewish newspaper Le Petit Hebdo, Avraham Azoulay discusses in an interview with Arutz Sheva the diplomatic conference to be convened in Paris on Sunday with the participation of foreign ministers, senior diplomats, and international organizations from 70 countries.

"French President Francois Hollande, like President Barack Obama, is reaching the end of his term of office and so he organizes a conference or passes a UN resolution that has no meaning. The conference in Paris will not only not help relations between Israel and Palestinians, but it will further spoil them and worsen the situation.

"Israeli media more excited than the French press about the Paris conference," says Azoulay. "In recent weeks it has not reached the newspaper headlines but I have no doubt that when Abbas arrives in Paris the media will portray him as a victim of the State of Israel. The French like victims."

Azoulay believes that the latest wave of terrorism in Paris and in Europe has not affected the media coverage of the French toward Israel: "The French did not make a link between the attacks in France or Venice or Berlin and the attacks in Israel. The French do not see terror in Israel as international terrorism, but as a result of the occupation."

Finally Azoulay said, "I would not send diplomatic representatives to the conference in Paris. In any case they will make decisions there without considering Israel. However, I would send experts to talk to the media outside and explain Israel's position."

This morning Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said at a meeting with Norwegian Foreign Minister regarding the Paris conference, "It's a rigged conference, rigged by the Palestinians with French auspices, to adopt additional anti-Israeli stances."