Pro-Palestinian list to run in French European elections
By Lisbeth Kirk
The green, white, red and black of Palestine will be on display at next month's European Elections, when a pro-Palestinian party will seek election.
The new 'Euro-Palestine' party has been set up and may contend seats in up to three French constituencies
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"Peace in Palestine is our concern", Christophe Oberlin, who heads the group in Ile-de-France told Liberation.
"60 percent of Europeans think that Israel is the greatest threat to World peace", he added referring to a recent Eurobarometer poll set up by the European Commission.
Mr Oberlin, a Parisian surgeon aged 52, witnessed the conflict when travelling on missions in Gaza.
However, his previous political experience is limited to a mandate at a local municipality of Paris, where he was elected for the Socialist Party
The formation of the group is being taken as a sign of the strong sentiments among French people over the Mid-East conflict.
Anti-Semitism?
The Israeli government released figures earlier this year showing that 47 percent of anti-Semitic incidents in Western Europe take place in France.
Presenting the figures in Jerusalem in January, Israeli minister Natan Sharansky said, "the situation for Jews in France is very problematic. Last year, the number of anti-Semitic incidents doubled and 47 percent of anti-Semitic attacks in Western Europe took place in France".
The new Europe-Palestine list however refuses all allegations of anti-Semitism.
"It is the state of Israel, as it has functioned since 1967, that stirs new anti-Semitism", the historian Maurice Rajsfus said to Libération.
He added: "What is referred to as anti-Semitism is nothing but the reaction of young people, rejected by all sides, without any hope or future, who pose as avengers for suppressed Palestinians".
The election takes place on 13 June.
