The decision to allow Al Manar, the Hizbullah station, to broadcast was "a shock for the French Jewish community," Roger Cukierman told CNN yesterday, as it "espouses the merits of terrorism." Cukierman is president of CRIF (Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France), a French Jewish umbrella organization.
A French governing agency, the CSA, admitted last week that Al Manar broadcasts were a threat to the public and in violation of an agreement to bar anti-Semitic broadcasts it signed last month. Despite this, the CSA rejected a government recommendation to stop Al Manar transmissions in November and granted the terrorist organization a new license to continue.
Cukierman accused France of bowing to pressure from Arab countries in allowing Al Manar to broadcast. Media officials from Lebanon warned France Friday that Lebanon might ban French stations if it takes Al Manar off the air.
A November 23 Al-Manar broadcast accused "Zionists [of] transmitting dangerous diseases such as AIDS through exports to Arab countries," according to Cukierman. Other broadcasts have showed "actors dressed as rabbis slitting the throats of children to get blood for matzos [unleavened bread eaten by Jews on Passover - historically a traditional target for infamous blood-libels against Jews - ed.]," he told CNN.
The CRIF has gathered more than 15,000 signatures for a petition against the broadcasts. Among those signing are leaders of France's leading political parties.
Opposition legislators in the French parliament criticized the government and called on it to ban the racist and anti-Semitic broadcasts. "I believe that the prime minister knows that he must put some order in this affair," opposition Socialist party legislator Donnedieu de Vabres said. "This is a grave situation."
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A French governing agency, the CSA, admitted last week that Al Manar broadcasts were a threat to the public and in violation of an agreement to bar anti-Semitic broadcasts it signed last month. Despite this, the CSA rejected a government recommendation to stop Al Manar transmissions in November and granted the terrorist organization a new license to continue.
Cukierman accused France of bowing to pressure from Arab countries in allowing Al Manar to broadcast. Media officials from Lebanon warned France Friday that Lebanon might ban French stations if it takes Al Manar off the air.
A November 23 Al-Manar broadcast accused "Zionists [of] transmitting dangerous diseases such as AIDS through exports to Arab countries," according to Cukierman. Other broadcasts have showed "actors dressed as rabbis slitting the throats of children to get blood for matzos [unleavened bread eaten by Jews on Passover - historically a traditional target for infamous blood-libels against Jews - ed.]," he told CNN.
The CRIF has gathered more than 15,000 signatures for a petition against the broadcasts. Among those signing are leaders of France's leading political parties.
Opposition legislators in the French parliament criticized the government and called on it to ban the racist and anti-Semitic broadcasts. "I believe that the prime minister knows that he must put some order in this affair," opposition Socialist party legislator Donnedieu de Vabres said. "This is a grave situation."
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Click here for our free Daily Newsletter from Israel