Israeli may join Sarkozy's
cabinet
By Yaniv Salama-Scheer
Israeli paper Ha´aretz Online Edition, May 9, 2007
French ministerial candidate Arno
Klarsfeld.
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Arno Klarsfeld, the son of renowned Nazi-hunters Serge and Beate
Klarsfeld, is rumored to be the top candidate to become minister of
immigration and national identity when French President-elect
Nicholas Sarkozy chooses his cabinet in the coming weeks.
Klarsfeld, a 41-year-old lawyer, undertook several missions for
Sarkozy when he was interior minister, dealing with France's illegal
immigration problem.
Born in France, Klarsfeld aligned himself with Sarkozy and the
Right after he fell out of favor with French leftists when he
acquired Israeli citizenship in 2002 and joined the Border Police. He
served at checkpoints around Bethlehem.
When he worked for Sarkozy, Klarsfeld prepared reports on the
deportation of illegal immigrants and helped negotiate a deal to end
protests by homeless campaigners.
Klarsfeld has also undertaken several human rights cases,
campaigning to create international criminal courts on the genocides
in Kosovo and Rwanda. He has championed Jewish causes, representing
the Association for the Sons and Daughters of the Deported Jews of
France, who sought damages in their case against French Nazi
collaborator Maurice Papon, who died in February.
Because Klarsfeld has served as a mediator for Sarkozy and is
familiar with the region, some believe he could serve as a special
envoy for Sarkozy.
But officials from Sarkozy's party, the Union pour un Mouvement
Populaire (UMP), told The Jerusalem Post Tuesday no final decisions
had been made on ministerial appointments. They said they had not
heard speculation about Klarsfeld's appointment, as was first
suggested by Le Figaro, also on Tuesday.
According to one UMP official, although it is just conjecture at
this point, anything is possible. "He is charismatic and well-liked,
but you have to see if he is the best suited for the job," the
official told the Post.
As for Klarsfeld serving as a special envoy to the Middle East,
the official said Klarsfeld's IDF service could present a problem for
hard-liners and moderates in Syria, Lebanon and the Palestinian
Authority.
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Klarsfeld, when he served as a border
policeman.
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"Around 70 percent of Lebanese Frenchmen voted for Sarkozy, so
they also have a lot of expectations of him," the official said.
"When you're talking about Hizbullah, for example, they would have to
recognize that someone like Klarsfeld is first a French citizen, not
Israeli. They must recognize him officially, not
personally."
Klarsfeld has been outspoken in the past on the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and has said Palestinians were
responsible for some of the casualties of the Holocaust.
In an article he wrote in Le Monde in 2001, he said: "If the
persecuted Jews of Germany, Poland, Hungary and Romania had been
permitted to immigrate to Palestine... it is certain that the number
of Jews exterminated would have been far less."
Klarsfeld has also been outspoken on Palestinian statehood,
something he believes should become a reality, but that Israelis and
Palestinians should not be forbidden to live in each other's
territory.
"It is said that Jewish policies in the occupied territories are
an obstacle for peace. Maybe," he said. "But we can also turn the
question around and ask, Why can't Jews live in the West Bank and
Gaza while one million Arabs live in Israel?"
According to reports coming out of Paris, others being considered
to sit on Sarkozy's cabinet are outgoing Defense Minister Michele
Alliot-Marie and Alain Juppe, a former prime minister and foreign
minister. Both are seen as front-runners for the position of foreign
minister, though some suggest Juppe would rather be president of the
National Assembly.
"The Israeli's won't be happy, especially with Juppe," the UMP
official said. "Juppe is seen as very pro-Palestinian and has made
statements regarding Jerusalem that Israelis don't like. He has said
that Jerusalem is disputed territory and does not belong to Israel,
and he believes what he says."
Alliot-Marie has also evoked criticism over statements on the
region, with her condemnation of Israeli flyovers in Lebanon, which
the IDF said were efforts to deter Hizbullah from rearming in
violation of the UN brokered cease-fire.
"I think she learned her lessons about being too outspoken,
especially over matters in the Middle East," the official said. "All
statements regarding Israel must be carefully articulated and she
spoke without thinking and without proper information."
