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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| France seeking release of Israeli-French soldier |
| 2006-06-27 |
| France said on Monday it was seeking the release of an Israeli-French solider who was reportedly captured by an armed Palestinian group at the weekend, and had made contact with all parties involved. "We are in contact with all the concerned parties to find a solution to this situation," deputy foreign ministry spokesman Denis Simonneau told AFP. Simonneau confirmed an announcement by Israeli army radio that the 20-year-old solider, Guilad Shalit, had joint Israeli-French nationality and said French diplomatic services in Israel were already in touch with his family. "Our embassy (in Tel Aviv) and our consulate general in Haifa (northern Israel) are taking action... (and) have already made contact with his family by phone," Simmonneau said. France's ambassador to Israel, Gerard Araud, was expected to visit the family during the day, he added. An armed Palestinian group called the Popular Resistance Committees told AFP on Monday that it was holding the Israeli soldier, saying he was alive and in good health. The group claimed responsibility for the attack jointly with the armed wing of the governing Hamas movement and the previously unknown Army of Islam. |
| Posted by:Seafarious |
| #5 Darn it, there I was looking so clever, and someone who actually knows something about it had to go and show me up! (Thanks, liberalhawk -- I'd rather be educated (active verb) than right!) |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-06-27 17:39 |
| #4 TW, IIUC one of Shalit's parents was born in France, and under French law he can have dual citizenship. I dont know if Shalits parent is Sephardic or Ashkenazix, but many French Jews are Sephardim and very strongly Zionist, and moved to israel out of, you know, love for the dream of living in a Jewish state, and not due to any particular persecution. Im sure Shalits family appreciates any help from France. If Hamas were to use this to put the screws on France for money, I think theyd be making a huge mistake, alienating one of the few powers that can push the EU to a sympathetic position. This kidnapping was done, I think, to assert Hamas strength, to embarrass Abbas, and to get political concessions from Israel, not to collect pour boires from Paris. |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2006-06-27 10:00 |
| #3 The French have a long trail of asses to kiss and palms to grease starting in the banlieue mosques through Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, West Bank and Gaza. Pucker up mon amies. |
| Posted by: ed 2006-06-27 08:28 |
| #2 French-Israeli? I wonder how recently they left the Olde Country, and how likely they are to welcome the ambassador of the government that allowed them to be driven from their homes for this result. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-06-27 07:27 |
| #1 Intense negotiations are under way at this very moment. They are trying to come to an agreement on whether the payment will be in dollars or euros, and whether the money will go straight to the government or "to the people". |
| Posted by: grb 2006-06-27 03:22 |