Head weasel Jacques Chirac says France is getting a bad rap for antisemitism: Chirac: France unfairly seen in Israel as anti-Semitic.

“France works relentlessly to combat the scourge of anti-Semitism,” he told Yedioth Aharonoth in an interview days before a visit by Israeli President Moshe Katsav.

“Israeli criticism of anti-Semitism in Europe singles out France,” he said. “I am surprised at this. I am told that in the streets of Tel Aviv, in newspaper cartoons and in conversations, the image of France as an anti-Semitic country is gradually spreading. These caricatures deeply hurt French people.

”No, France is not an anti-Semitic country. But we must remain highly vigilant. With the government, we lead a tireless struggle against anti-Semitic language and acts,“ he said.

He acknowledged there has been a ”resurgence of anti-Semitic acts“ in Europe in the past three years, which he termed ”revolting and unacceptable“ and which he linked to the Middle East conflict.

”People of Muslim descent across Europe react to events in the Middle East, and more specifically to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is a fact.”