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PARTISAN REVIEW
mediators or negotiators inasmuch as they themselves have not
recognized Israel.
Kurzweil:
Do you find that there is more anti-Semitism in France
since this war in Lebanon?
Estier:
Anti-Semitism in France, as you know, doesn ' t exist and , at
the same time, is permanently with us . It doesn't exist in terms of
limitations, restrictions, or organized campaigns, as it does in the
Soviet Union . In France , it is always there in spirit, in the way
some people talk , as a form oflatent racism. But this racism isn't
expressed solely againstJews , it is also against blacks , Arabs . .. .
Some Frenchmen feel that anyone of a different religion or race is
inferior. This resurfaces periodically. During the Occupation , for
example, a certain number of Frenchmen were on the side of the
Nazis who persecuted the Jews . But they never would have admit–
ted it . This is a painful aspect of French life, though no worse
than ever. So it is inaccurate to talk of a resurgence of anti–
Semitism. Some splinter groups at the extreme Right , and news–
papers like
M inuit,
of course , make a profe ssion of anti–
Semitism and racism.
Kurzweil:
In the United States, there is a certain type of convergence
of Right and Left with respect to Israel and oil . The Right is
against Israel because of the oil interests and the Left for political
reasons . Therefore, they have to prefer the Arabs to the Israelis;
and because America supports the Israelis , well, they are both
called imperialists.
Estier:
In France it's somewhat different. I would say that the Right
is more anti-Arab than anti-Israeli. And if it has to proclaim itself
on one side or the other, it comes to the defense of Israel. And one
sees the forces of the far Right in France suddenly presenting
themselves as the most extraordinary defenders of the State of
Israel-even when they are anti-Semites . That's the case with
papers like
Le Figaro,
which present an impassioned defense of
Israel, when in fact they are simply more anti-Arab than they are
anti-Israel. Racism in France-the racism of the Right-in my
opinion, is directed much more against the Arabs : it is a racism
directed against the immigrants, against Algerians, Tunisians,
Moroccans, etc . And so , one sees people on the Right carrying a
torch in favor ofIsrael.
Kurzweil:
Does this pressure that part of the Left that is not in power
into a position more favorable to the Arabs?
