David Levi's French supporters who established a branch of
Gesher for recruiting funds for the Israeli elections, are
dropping it as a result of his defection to Labor.
"Levi changed his suit, his garment and joined with the
Left," said one of them. Here most of the traditional Jews,
who stem from North Africa and the suburbs, are frustrated by
the disintegration of the Right, and support the Likud as
opposed to the Left, which they view as spouting alien, anti-
Jewish ideas. It is doubtful that David Levi will be able to
collect any more money here.
These Jews have a link with Israel, and fly back and forth to
it quite often, but are very discontented with the incidents
taking place in the country, as reported in the press. The
Jewish community is following the developments in Israeli
politics and the rise of the secular who have anti-Jewish
ideologies. In the meantime, they feel that the secular
leaders, Ron Milo, Meridor and Shachak, are masquerading, and
still haven't showed their true faces. It is estimated that
Netanyahu and Barak will succeed in exposing them during the
few months which remain until elections.
The anti-religious propaganda of the Leftist parties and the
courts are indicative of what can be expected. It is feared
that the battle, if it focuses on incitement against chareidi
Jews, will result in antisemitic incitement in Europe too.
The French press conveys every bit of information and every
statement against the chareidim.
Reports about the ruling of the judge from Jerusalem
regarding the recognition of Reform conversions received wide
coverage here, under the headline: "The Decision of the Judge
Will Exacerbate the Contention between the Reform and the
Religious in Israel."
The Financial Times presented the chareidim, which it
refers to as "ultra-Orthodox," as those who are "holding the
budget of the state hostage." The French weekly
Express publicized a series of photographs of Jewish
life, which included families in their homes in Bnei Brak,
and in the market. Underneath it were provocative captions
and comparisons to Moslem fanatics. The anti- chareidi
campaign in Israel enables Leftist circles to direct their
antisemitism against religious and chareidi Jews.
