'Anti-Semitic' French envoy under fire

[frigidmagi]

BBC

An international spat has developed over disparaging comments about Israel allegedly made by the French ambassador to London at a private dinner party.


He has no intention of apologising - he doesn't feel there is any need for him to do so

Yves Charpentier
French embassy
During a conversation about the Middle East crisis with the owner of the Daily Telegraph newspaper, Conrad Black, ambassador Daniel Bernard is reported to have spoken about "that shitty little country Israel".

The buffet party comment subsequently became the subject of a Daily Telegraph column written by Mr Black's wife, journalist Barbara Amiel, who depicted her guest as an anti-Semite.

The remark has since sparked outrage in Israel - where the prime minister's spokesman has described it as "a pure anti-Semitic expression" - and among pro-Israeli British MPs, who have penned demands for Mr Bernard's resignation.

'Geographically small'

Daniel Bernard
Mr Bernard allegedly made the comments at a buffet party
Mr Bernard has not denied the remark. Initially he said he could not remember making it, but later insisted that what he said had been thoroughly distorted.

He says he is outraged that a private discussion found its way into the media, but has made clear he does not intend to apologise.

"He doesn't feel there is any need for him to do so," the ambassador's spokesman Yves Charpentier insisted.

"In the course of the discussion the ambassador referred to 'little Israel' in the sense that it is geographically small, but that nevertheless the scale of the consequences is huge and the repercussions around the world are tremendous," Mr Charpentier said.

Strong words

But Israel was in no doubt that the remark was meant as a criticism of the country, quickly branding it anti-Jewish.

Sharon and Chirac
Israel and France have had their diplomatic ups and downs
"I don't know that he said it, but if he did, it's a pure anti-Semitic expression," said Raanan Gissin, spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

The French Government, he said, "should draw the conclusions of a senior representative of a nation making an anti-Semitic remark".

Labour MPs in Britain who are members of the Friends of Israel group announced that the remarks were "eerily familiar from the French".

"He should resign immediately and I am writing to President Chirac to demand that if he does not resign then he should be sacked," said Gwyneth Dunwoody, president of the group.

But in Paris, the foreign ministry stood by Mr Bernard, dismissing the charges of anti-Semitism as "malevolent insinuations".

Okay, honestly I wouldn't be surprised if he had said it. Is Isreal a little country? No shit it is sherlock. Calling it shitty is untrue however. Imagine a US diplomat calling England or Norway a shitty little country.

[Dark Silver]

Ok..so because he called Isreal a shitty little country, he's branded as a anti-Semite?

No offense to our Jewish/Isrealite posters, but what the fuck is your insane lil country thinking?

That isn't anti-semetic, he didn't say "that shitty little country Isreal, I hope they all fucking die, every one of those filthy jewish pigdogs". He just said it was a shitty lil country. And it is a lil country (surprise surprise).

Newflash to the media, not everything said is open for use and print in the media, ESPECIALLY if it's from a private dinner party. People should have a right to state opinions and talk without worry that every one of thier words will be printed and possibly distorted by some fucknut with a word processor program and a byline.

[frigidmagi]

It was a public dinner party. He is a public offical. He is a representive of a national government. If you cannot fucking control your fucking mouth, then you don't need to be a diplomat. There were no reporters hidden under the table cloth.

He has no excuse. He is a fucking moron.

And I looove this bullshit excuse "Well Isreal is little" YES LET'S IGNORE THE PART THAT'S ACTUALLY INSULTING! Calling someone's nation shitty is an insult. A so called professional diplomat should know better. Bet your fucking ass if the American ambassor had something like that about France they would have scream like we popped a wine bottle up their asses.

[Dark Silver]

It was a public dinner party. He is a public offical. He is a representive of a national government. If you cannot fucking control your fucking mouth, then you don't need to be a diplomat. There were no reporters hidden under the table cloth.

Ok, so my bad, misread, I thought it was a private affair.

He has no excuse. He is a fucking moron.

So loose lips automatically equals a moron now? Granted, he IS a diplomat, so he should at least be diplo-fucking-matic at public events. So that's granted.

And I looove this bullshit excuse "Well Isreal is little" YES LET'S IGNORE THE PART THAT'S ACTUALLY INSULTING! Calling someone's nation shitty is an insult. A so called professional diplomat should know better. Bet your fucking ass if the American ambassor had something like that about France they would have scream like we popped a wine bottle up their asses.

Yes, but he's NOT A FUCKING ANTI-SEMITE because he said Isreal is a shitty lil country!

If a American ambassador said "that shitty lil France" that doesn't make us Anti-French! It is a Ambassador stating a current opinion of France over a current event.

Everyone, even diplomates are allowed to have it. Now if the Diplomat had come out and said "fuck those schemeing underhanded Jews. We should nuke thier entire fucking country and throw them into the goolag." then I'd buy the anti-semite picture thier trying to paint.

[frigidmagi]

So loose lips automatically equals a moron now?

Diplomats are paid to know when to talk and what to say. They are also paid to know when not to talk and what not to say. In fact knowing when to shut up and what you don't say is more importent for a dilomat than most other skills. So yes, a loose lipped diplomat is a moron, just like a loose lipped spy is a moron.

A loose lipped plumber is not a moron, but then he's paid to fixed clogged up bathroom fixtures not to talk.

If a American ambassador said "that shitty lil France" that doesn't make us Anti-French!

Betcha money that's not how they see it. But I'll go into details for ya man. France, like alot of Euro nations has a long anti-semitism (the US and Canada aren't clean either to be fair), this was emflamed by a court decision to free a Nazi Collabortor in 2002 here
and reports of raising anti-semitic attacks from the BBC feel free to read the links attached to that report, this isn't isolated (it isn't just France either, Russia has it's own raising anti-foreigner and anti-sementic shit happening). The kicker is that French Jews have called for government protection... And as far has I know haven't recieved one bit beyond empty words. It's not just the Ambassor mouthing off that makes Isreal think that French men are anti-sementic, it's just the latiest piece in a pattern that for the Isrealis makes a very disburbing picture altogather.

[Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman]

It was a public dinner party. He is a public offical. He is a representive of a national government. If you cannot fucking control your fucking mouth, then you don't need to be a diplomat. There were no reporters hidden under the table cloth.

Ok, so my bad, misread, I thought it was a private affair.

Hold on, I thought it was a private dinner party too.

An international spat has developed over disparaging comments about Israel allegedly made by the French ambassador to London at a private dinner party.


He has no intention of apologising - he doesn't feel there is any need for him to do so

Yves Charpentier
French embassy
During a conversation about the Middle East crisis with the owner of the Daily Telegraph newspaper, Conrad Black, ambassador Daniel Bernard is reported to have spoken about "that shitty little country Israel".

[frigidmagi]

If you think a Private Dinner Party involves officals from several different nations and members of the press... Your defination of private is much different than mine.

[Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman]

If you think a Private Dinner Party involves officals from several different nations and members of the press... Your defination of private is much different than mine.

Well I don't know, I'm not sure what defines 'private conversation' in diplomatic relationship. All I know that the news implied the Frenchie ambassador didn't expect his private conversation to make its way to the media. So it's either the dinner party is actually a private one (as opposed to an 'official' diplomatic dinner), or the Mr. Bernard is really an idiot.

Regardless, I think the "Anti-Semite" accusation was misplaced. Frankly, I don't understand why an attack to the nation of Israel should be taken as an attack to the Jewish race. Noam Chomsky potrays Israel as a racist state. Now, isn't it a little bit ridiculous to accuse a Jew of being Anti-Semite?

[frigidmagi]

Noam Chomsky isn't excaltly an objective or honest voice. He's the guy who speaks out against trusts and various other capitialist ventures and then turns around and does them in his childern's name.

To be blunt, he's about has trustworthy as Moore.