French foreign minister speaks out

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  • Reply 321 of 368
    newnew Posts: 3,244member
    Arafat wouldn't be the man he is today, if Israel hadn't treated the palestinians the way they've done for the last 30 years...



    to every action there is a reaction...
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  • Reply 322 of 368
    steve666steve666 Posts: 2,600member
    >Arafat wouldn't be the man he is today, if Israel hadn't treated the palestinians the way they've done for the last 30 years...

    to every action there is a reaction...<



    You mean the hospitals, universities, jobs, a higher standard of living than most of the arab world? Compare that to the Palestinians living in squalor in Lebanons refugee camps for 30 years. Israel treats Palestinians better than their Arab brothers do. If they could just withold their urge to kill they would've had their own State by now.........
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  • Reply 323 of 368
    andersanders Posts: 6,523member
    So because Apartheid South Africas black population had a better life materially speaking than the population in other african states they should just be happy and say "Thank you, Mr. PW Botha"?



    I hope Israel will have a "de Klerk" as leader soon.
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  • Reply 324 of 368
    [quote]Originally posted by New:

    <strong>Arafat wouldn't be the man he is today, if Israel hadn't treated the palestinians the way they've done for the last 30 years...



    to every action there is a reaction...</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Um no. I tend to blame Arafat's love for violence and terror. That's what drive him to become a terrorist.



    Where's the Palestinian Gandhi, MLK or Tutu?
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  • Reply 325 of 368
    newnew Posts: 3,244member
    Steve, over 40% of the palestinians now live bellow the UN povertyborder, that means they have less than a dollar a week to live for...



    Scott, Arafat hasn't beem the President of the palestinian people for 30 years has he? There wouldn't be any need for PLO if there was nothing to liberate...
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  • Reply 326 of 368
    [quote]Originally posted by New:

    <strong>Steve, over 40% of the palestinians now live bellow the UN povertyborder, that means they have less than a dollar a week to live for...



    Scott, Arafat hasn't beem the President of the palestinian people for 30 years has he? There wouldn't be any need for PLO if there was nothing to liberate...</strong><hr></blockquote>





    He's not the president now but I digress. Arafat creats need.
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  • Reply 327 of 368
    getafxgetafx Posts: 21member
    to Scott H-great posturing -are you a leftist posing as a rightist to create effing liberal reactions?

    th US fits yr claims well too- [quote] But anyway what the **** does USA care? They wont do any of the fighting. They wont solve any of the problems. They wont suffer any major impact due to any of it. <hr></blockquote>

    [quote] Well when the countries we need start bitching then we'll listen. We stopped listening to the liberal elite in this country when the blamed the US for 9-11. <hr></blockquote>-

    is that bitchin or bombing? & who did 911? Bin Laden th CIA pet? any Afghanis? or was it Saudis on board-US oil buddies that they are. Bush/Cheney are oil-soaked, & they're rapt that 911 has legitimized th presidency, sidelined consideration of economic & social problems, & made US control of world oil achievable. & wot's this? [quote] France allowed Arab terrrists to go unabated through France in the seventies as long as they promised not to attack French targets. Biggest bunch of pussies in the world.<hr></blockquote> well natch- th US happily has arrangements such as this with all kindsa nasty people, self-interest eh? hardly new or startling that...

    & while we're generalizing, howcum Americans ARE so fat whilst millions starve?
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  • Reply 328 of 368
    glurxglurx Posts: 1,031member
    <a href="http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=15022002-030120-7152r"; target="_blank">"What about he French"</a>
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  • Reply 329 of 368
    powerdocpowerdoc Posts: 8,123member
    I do not agree with everything with this article, but it worth the read.



    However i don't know the opinion of our elites, in order to know that you must belong to them. Our politics seems to be interested by our votes rather than our countrie since De Gaulle and perhaps Pompidou (but i was too young to know him).



    I agree with several things :



    - there is not enough people working there, only 60 % of the population vs US 75 % at the age of working work : , too many people try to have a life annuyty (my wife , is a Medical doctor, and she is upset by this people who only thinks of this, of course there is also people who want to work : luckily the situation is not desperate.



    - the weight of state is too heavy.



    - taxes prevent you to work harder (i have no interest to work much more than i do, the difference will be very little at the end)



    Personaly the dream of a Giant France via Europe does not exist, but it does not bother me : what is the difference to be the 1/ 60 000 000 part of a nation or the 1/ 300 000 000 part of Europe. I prefer that the leadership come from germany if it's fit well with my personal opinions. So perhaps our elite want to rule EU, but they are not alone, but i does not personaly bother me : where is my interest ?



    I only ask one thing ,preserve the cheese i love, not one of this plastic cheese i hate.





    Generally the healthy economic rules are dictate by europe to the states : aka the euro which brings obligations of gestion to the states.
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  • Reply 330 of 368
    pfflampfflam Posts: 5,053member
    This stupid article perpetuates the myth that France has somehow, en masse, turned against the US. It states that the French are reviling the US . . . I don't see this anywhere!!!!!



    Its just a typical US anti-French reactionary stance...... an over reaction to a clearly justifiable calling of Bush's rhetoric 'simplisme'. An excuse for Americans to drag out all the old cliche insults about the French so that we can feel superior.



    I'm so tired of this bullshiit: Americans have no reason to hate the French and the French shouldn't hate Americans (except for the fact that they are consistently rude while at Paris-Orly)
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  • Reply 331 of 368
    steve666steve666 Posts: 2,600member
    &gt;Steve, over 40% of the palestinians now live bellow the UN povertyborder, that means they have less than a dollar a week to live for...&lt;



    And I bet most of those Palestinians are the ones being 'taken care of' by Arabs. If they wanted so badly to improve their lot in life they should have long ago abandoned their dream of wiping out Israel and accepted the State Israel was offering. Arafat has to realize he has no power over the situation. If he thinks killing civilians again is going to help him he should know by now it ain't gonna happen.



    As for France, they declared Israels going into the camps to weed out weapons and terrorists as an 'act of war'. Harsh language from a country that has nothing to do in the area. Funny, I never heard France call Palestinian suicide bombings an 'act of war'............................................
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  • Reply 332 of 368
    pfflampfflam Posts: 5,053member
    I didn't know about France saying that . . . however it seems pretty obviouse that what is happening over there is War.
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  • Reply 333 of 368
    glurxglurx Posts: 1,031member
    Both sides are engaged in War, albeit a low-intensity one. Some Palestinian factions are also engaged in Terrorism.
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  • Reply 334 of 368
    powerdocpowerdoc Posts: 8,123member
    [quote]Originally posted by steve666:

    <strong>&gt;



    As for France, they declared Israels going into the camps to weed out weapons and terrorists as an 'act of war'. Harsh language from a country that has nothing to do in the area. Funny, I never heard France call Palestinian suicide bombings an 'act of war'............................................</strong><hr></blockquote>



    I did not hear that either. I expect you do not speak of this stupid french diplomat from London. On the radio i only hear the facts, they just say that the violence is increasing, but they do not speak of war. They comment this in a neutral way, each day it's a litany of murder by suicide bombers and retaliations, but just fact. It's possible that certain media of France are partial, but i just listen to France info with is a public radio information.



    France is not the ennemy of Israel, our jew community is 800 000 members, i do not consider them as a minority, just people who have a different religion, they are as french than me even if they have special relation with israel. Some of them are minister, like Fabius who was the french prime-minister some years ago and have chances to become president.



    However France has bad relations with Sharon, i did not like this man, and his accusations that the live in France is not safe for the jews and that Israel is ready to receive them.

    It's a joke, send Jews that use to live in France for centuries in a country where there is 250 israelians killed since Sharon is prime-minister (50 for Barak). Even the president of the council of the french's jew said in a diplomatical way that France was a safe place, even if they wish that the muslims leaders send a message of tolerance to the french muslims in order to stop some minor violence like the domages of a synagoge or a school.

    Saying that, Sharon only want to shut up the France mouth who try to be neutral, saying that we are antisemit. For me it's just bad politic.

    I must add that the second inkifada (revolt of stone) started when sharon went on the esplanade of the mosque : an act of pure provocation.



    I have great respect for Rabin and Barak, and i am angry with the palestinians because they did not take the chance that this man gave to them. I hate terrorism too, using terrorist is weakaning your ideal. however , Sharon is not the man of peace and security, israelians are becoming angry, security on Israel is in very bad way since he his in charge.



    Last point , Europe is involved in the treaty of peace of Oslo. Therefore we are involved a little.
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  • Reply 335 of 368
    steve666steve666 Posts: 2,600member
    &gt;israelians killed since Sharon is prime-minister (50 for Barak). Even the president of the council of the french's jew said in a diplomatical way that France was a safe place, even if they wish that the muslims leaders send a message of tolerance to the french muslims in order to stop some minor violence like the domages of a synagoge or a school.&lt;



    I don't consider that type of violence minor. France has many more Muslims than Jews and i believe that influences some of their policies.



    As for not hearing that said, it was reported in Newday, a newspaper on Long Island. It wasn't said by that Fench diplomat who called Israel a rotten country (who still has his job by the way-some diplomat)......................................... ......
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  • Reply 336 of 368
    arakageetaarakageeta Posts: 141member
    For what it's worth, the jewish population in the U.S. is a little more than 6,000,000-- roughly 2.2% (http://www.us-israel.org/jsource/US-Israel/usjewpop.html)



    Given powerdoc's numbers with demographic info from askjeeves (ask him "What is the population of France?") we find that the jewish population makes up 1.3%. I tried to verify powerdoc's numbers, but couldn't find any info (only willing to spend 10 minutes on this).



    I was suprised that the U.S. numbers turned out so low. I was expecting around 5% as a blind guess.
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  • Reply 337 of 368
    arakageetaarakageeta Posts: 141member
    And let us not forget, Arafat won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994.



    Who awards those anyway?
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  • Reply 338 of 368
    steve666steve666 Posts: 2,600member
    Most Americans support Israel not mainly because of its Jewish population but because conservative Christians believe Israel and Jerusalem should be controlled by the Jews. I believe its a biblical thing. In addition, even though there was rampant antisemitism here decades ago, assimilation into American culture has minimized any of that. Also, Jews are looked upon as being Western, of Western culture while Muslims are considered Eastern and thus more 'different' than Jews. You hear all the time of our Judeo-Christian Ethic.



    Also, Jews don't slaughter Americans, Muslims do <img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" />



    [ 03-04-2002: Message edited by: steve666 ]</p>
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  • Reply 339 of 368
    [quote]Originally posted by Arakageeta:

    <strong>For what it's worth, the jewish population in the U.S. is a little more than 6,000,000-- roughly 2.2% ...



    I was suprised that the U.S. numbers turned out so low. I was expecting around 5% as a blind guess.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    The number of Muslims is about to overtake the Jews in the US. That said, the US has some of the largest concentrations of Jews in the world outside of Israel. Where I live (West Hartford, CT) is one of them. They make great neighbors just so long as you aren't trying to kill them.
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  • Reply 340 of 368
    [quote]Originally posted by Arakageeta:

    <strong>And let us not forget, Arafat won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Yeah, for signing the Oslo accords which he didn't abide by. What a pathetic joke.
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