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Mix-Ansicht- French editor quits in Israel row - CRASH_GURU, 19.10.2004, 06:52
French editor quits in Israel row
-->French editor quits in Israel row
The head of news at a state-run French radio station has quit after causing an outcry with his criticism of Israel.
Promoting a book he has written, Alain Menargues of Radio France International called Israel a"racist" state.
His comments earned censure from the foreign ministry and were condemned by journalists' unions.
The row came as France's foreign minister visited Israel on a fence-mending mission. Relations between the countries have recently been at a low.
Mr Menargues has written a book, called Sharon's Wall, about the barrier being built between Palestinian and Jewish communities in the West Bank.
Undeterred
While publicising it, he said on television:"You say Israel is a democratic state, let me rapidly add that it is also a racist state.... The law of return only concerns Jews. What is the basis of Zionism? It is to make a state for the Jews."
The foreign ministry said his assessment was"unacceptable".
Mr Menargues was undeterred.
"Israel is a country like any other and like the others it must be criticised. There is no exception in my vision of the world, no country is above international laws," he was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.
Mr Menargues, a Middle East specialist who lived in the region for many years, was given the post of head of news in July.
RFI said on Monday it had accepted his resignation.
EU role
French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier was in Jerusalem on the same day, hoping to patch up relations with Israel.
Paris was upset when Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon called on French Jews to leave for Israel after a rise in anti-Semitic attacks in France.
Warum eigentlich, das ist doch keine so schlechte Idee...
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