France, birthplace of Marcel Proust and Jean Jacques Rousseau, producer of great wines and cheeses, and now home to some of the worst anti-Semitism in the free world. Synagogues have been burned down. Jewish schools have been torched. Hundreds of attacks against Jews have occurred, perpetrated mainly by French citizens of North African origin (Arab Muslims). As of yet, the French government and most citizens have done little to stop this wave of anti-Semitism, most likely as a result of political correctness, realpolitik, anti-Israel sentiments, and old attitudes which unfortunately die hard.

The Consistoire de Paris has compiled a long list of anti-Jewish acts in France. So has the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France (CRIF), “the umbrella body representing the organized Jewish community in France.” Carole Raphaelle Davis, writing for The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles, has been good enough to translate text describing some of these incidents into English:

A 14-year-old boy wearing a yarmulke came out of the Ourq metro station and was followed by two young men. They called him a "dirty Jew" and robbed him in front of a crowd of witnesses. The men knocked the boy down, beat him on the head and broke his nose. The boy begged for help from passers-by, who simply walked away.

In central Paris, a teacher from a Jewish school was beaten up by young men, who ripped the Star of David from the teacher’s neck and trampled her. They called her a "dirty Jew" and lit her hair on fire. They also told her, "We’re going to burn all you Jews."

A group of four young men interrupted a class in the auditorium of the University Medical School of Saint-Antoine in Paris. They yelled, "We’re going to kill all the Jews" and, "We’re armed and we’re going to take you all down."

When a Jewish student confronted the men they beat him and robbed him. The professor who was teaching the class said nothing and the men walked out without a care while the class looked on in silence. The dean of the University has been told of the situation but has not yet responded.

On the walls of the Rue Des Rosiers (in the Marais, the Jewish quarter), once again there are signs of the Star of David in yellow paint accompanied by the slogan, "And don’t forget the showers of Zyclon," referring to the gas used in Nazi death camps.

Also in Paris, a 12-year-old girl coming out of a Jewish school was attacked by two men. They beat her, held her down and slashed her face with a box cutter. They carved a swastika into her face and walked away. Her parents have filed a police report.

When Ms. Davis brings up Jew-hatred in France, she’s faced with denial and anger:

Even at my own dinner table, when I told a guest of my fears about living in Paris in such a climate of anti-Semitism, he insisted, "There is no anti-Semitism in France, don’t be ridiculous."

When I told him about everything I had read about the rising tide of anti-Jewish hatred, he told me I was being "influenced by the Jew lobby" and that whatever I was reading was "Jewish propaganda."

When I told him that among other papers, I was reading The New York Times, he said, "You know, The New York Times is a Jewish paper and Jews control all the media."

He said it with a smile, even knowing that I am a Jew. What made his comments especially chilling is that he is on the Catholic Board of Education of Paris.

French intellectuals, journalists, and politicians are trying their best to rationalize the heinous attitudes widely held in their country. They try to justify the violence against Jews in France. Instead of facing anti-Semitism head-on, they make apologies for the Arab/Muslim perpetrators. It is the “poverty, discrimination and oppression” of North African immigrants that drives them to anti-Jewish acts, these sophists say. Or it is?

Maybe there’s just a tad bit of realpolitik here. According to Haim Musicant, Director-General of CRIF,

I have to quote also the regrettable statements, exposed by a leading French daily, of a French academic and an advisor to the Socialist Party, Pascal Boniface, who made the Socialist leaders aware of Arithmetics 101: political decisions should be made according to simple accountancy rules, Arab votes outnumber Jewish votes by ten to one in France, explained Boniface.

And what kind of message are French government officials sending? Of course, there’s been lip-service paid to the situation, but is anything really being done? Remember what the French ambassador to Britain said in 2002?:

He called Israel a "shitty little country" and then asked, "Why should the world be in danger of World War III because of those people?"

Blame Israel for everything. That’s what the virulently anti-Israeli press is doing. And what is the French populace doing? According to the JTA, the French SOS Racisme organized a demonstration opposing anti-Semitism held on May 16 which “drew a paltry 10,000 marchers, according to police estimates.” This is in stark contrast to rallies in 1990 which garnered 400,000 demonstrators, and a march in 2002 which drew 100,000.

The French and Algerian soccer teams faced off in the World Cup several months ago. French citizens saw something they didn’t want to see:

However, when "La Marseillaise" - the French national anthem - was played, suddenly whistles and boos were heard. The high-ranking guests blanched. Throughout the game, the French fans from the North African countries whistled and booed every time the players of the French team touched the ball and sang songs to encourage the team from their native land. When the Algerians scored a goal, the immigrants cheered them.

And then came the moment that shook the French. In the 74th minute, immediately after the hosts scored their fourth goal, thousands of furious fans swarmed onto the field. They could not stand another defeat of Algeria by France, even if this was only in a friendly sporting context. Objects were thrown in the direction of the people in the VIP box and a beer bottle hit the minister of sport in the head. The children of immigrants, who were born in France, lay down on the grass wrapped in Algerian flags.

One would think that the French, known for their desire to preserve all things French, would have a least a modicum of interest in self-preservation. Apparently not.

Sadly, anti-Semitic sentiments are not unique to France. An Anti-Defamation League survey of Europeans showed that:

• 30% harbor traditional anti-Semitic stereotypes.
• 45% believe Jews are more loyal to Israel than their own country.
• 30% believe that Jews have too much power in the business world.
• 19% say Jews don't care about anyone but their own kind.
• 16% say Jews are more willing than others to use shady practices to get what they want.
• 39% of Europeans believe Jews still talk too much about the Holocaust.

This all is just French cowardice. They’re afraid of the hoards of Muslims that have flooded into their country. Instead of taking direct action to lay down the rule of law and make sure immigrants are assimilated with civilized values, they hide under their beds. They placate the angry hoards. They use political correctness to justify and/or hide their fears. And they turn back to the ages-old scapegoat, the Jews. If things keep going like they are in France, placation of Arab Muslims will accomplish nothing less than the destruction of everything the French hold dear.