Continuing his visit to France, Economics Minister Naftali Bennett on Monday wrote on his Facebook page that he was emotionally moved by his visit to sites where Jews experienced anti-Semitic attacks in the country. “Israel is the home and defender of the world's Jews,” Bennett wrote.
“I have been on a 24 hour trip to France, where I have seen the places where anti-Semitic attacks occurred,” he wrote. “Our Jewish brethren in France are in a complicated situation. In recent years, and more specifically in recent months, there has been a dramatic rise in anti-Semitic attacks here.”
Currently, he said, Muslims made up 15% of France's residents, “among them violent anti-Semitic groups. I have come to tell my fellow Jews that Israel, the Jewish state, is with them. We are working to help the wonderful immigrants settle more easily in Israel, but we are also committed to protecting the Jews who choose to remain behind in France.
“As far as I am concerned, Israel is not just the state of its citizens, but of all the world's Jews,” Bennett added. “We are responsible for all Jews everywhere.”
Bennett arrived in France on Sunday after several recent violent incidents against Jews in France. The most serious incident was an attempt by a Muslim mob to break into a synagogue in Paris in July. Muslim rioters surrounded Don Yitzchak Abarbanel Synagogue in the 11th arrondissement of Paris, and threw rocks into the house of worship. Large scale police forces were called to extricate the Jews.
Bennett participated in an event in the synagogue Sunday. “With this visit, we express our connection to our brothers in France and all of Europe,” said Bennett. “If others will not be here to defend you, the State of Israel will always be by the side of all Jews, whoever and wherever they are,” Bennett added.