200 French Jews move to Israel

Just 10 days after Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon enraged French leaders by urging France’s Jews to leave for Israel, a group of 200 French Jews arrived to start a new life in the Jewish state, with Sharon at Tel Aviv’s airport to greet them.

Emerging from the plane tonight, immigrants danced and sang.

Carol Ben Guigui, 41, carrying a little dog in her arms, said: ”In five or 10 years, all the Jews of France will be in Israel because of anti-Semitism.”

The group included 50 children and 55 university students, according to the Jewish Agency, the body that deals with immigration to Israel.

In his speech on July 18 to visiting Jewish American leaders, Sharon told them France was host to “the wildest anti-Semitism”.

“If I have to advocate to our brothers in France, I will tell them one thing, move to Israel, as early as possible,” he said.

The French Foreign Ministry called the remarks “unacceptable”.

French President Jacques Chirac also called on the Israeli prime minister to explain his remarks and said that until he did, Sharon would not be welcome in France.

Israel media later reported that Chirac has sent a message to Israeli President Moshe Katsav, saying he now considered the incident closed. Chirac’s office could not confirm the reports.