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NEWS
Algeria Still Does Not Allow Entry of Jews Expelled With
the French
By Arnon Yaffeh, Paris
Algerian Prime Minister Abdelaziz Belkhadem denounced the
inclusion of singer Enrico Macias in the French President's
entourage during the official visit to Algeria scheduled to
take place in December. "I was unable to determine the
composition of President Sarkozy's entourage, but Macias the
Jew is still unwanted in Algeria," Belkhadem said last week.
Journalists closely aligned with Islam and conservative
figures in the ruling party, FLN, called him a Zionist,
though he is popular among the masses in Algeria.
Later, Enrico Macias said he had finally renounced the idea
of coming to Algeria on the advice of President Sarkozy who
wants to avoid any incident or misunderstanding during his
upcoming state visit to Algeria.
Macias was specially appointed as a consultant on the Union
of Mediterranean States Sarkozy is planning to set up in
order to justify bringing him into the government. The
conservatives in power hold a grudge against the Jews.
Following the campaign against bringing Macias along, most
journalists attributed to the Jews the massacre in
Constantine, the city he was expelled from 45 years ago.
Just of handful of Jews from Algeria have been able to
receive entry visas. Today the only remnant of the Jewish
community is neglected Jewish cemeteries. Botei
knesses have been converted to mosques or warehouses.
Based on his previous visit to Algeria Sarkozy concluded that
the government has changed its attitude towards Jews and
Israel. According to writer Yasmina Reza, Algerian President
Abdelaziz Bouteflika told him, "I belong to the generation
that strove to destroy Israel. We failed. I admire your
stance toward Israel, but you forget about the
Palestinians."
In Paris Sarkozy continues to nurture his relations with the
Jews and to struggle against those opposed to change. During
a special ceremony held at the Elysees, he awarded a Legion
of Honor to Consistoire President Joel Mergui. (The
Consistoire is the central committee for French Jewry.)
"We're working together so that the Jewish community will be
able to live in peace and security throughout France,"
Sarkozy told Interior Minister Michele Alliot-Marie and Paris
Police Chief Michel Gaudin, who were specially invited to the
ceremony. "Together we'll ensure that French Jews are able to
practice their religion and uphold their tradition," said
Sarkozy. "I will work toward this end and I will not tolerate
any form of antisemitism. As president my actions for the
sake of the Jews have not changed and will not change. I will
be close to them in the places where the [Jewish] community
exists."
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