Paris (AFP)

How to define antisemitism? The National Assembly on Tuesday adopted a government-backed proposal for a LREM resolution, but which resulted in a record of "marchers" oppositions, with some fearing that it would block any criticism of Israel's policies or "prioritize hatred." ".

The text, without binding value, was adopted by only 154 votes for (LREM and LR mainly), 72 against (left), and 43 abstentions. "We will play a little fire service," predicted the boss of the deputies LR Damien Abad.

Twenty-six LREM MEPs voted against - unheard of in the majority group since the CETA free trade agreement (9 against) -, 22 abstained, while 84 validated it.

These results were almost a relief among the LREM executives, after a stormy meeting in the morning and considering the fear of desertion from the Bourbon Palace.

Minister of the Interior Christophe Castaner welcomed with this vote "a strong symbolic gesture", considering that "it is saying things that we will do away with hatred", while 107 graves of the Jewish cemetery of Westhoffen were discovered Tuesday smeared with swastikas.

Several deputies lamented a "resurgence" of anti-Semitism, but there was not the hoped-for gathering around the motion for a resolution by Sylvain Maillard, LREM deputy from Paris and chairman of the Assembly's study group on Semitism.

On the contrary, his examination gave rise to a few bursts of voice and vehement words. Guillaume Larrivé (LR) denounced "hints of Islamo-leftism" in the hemicycle, while Meyer Habib (UDI-Agir) also targeted the left and a "double language of the majority". According to the French-Israeli MP, "the hatred of Israel is the new anti-Semitism".

The resolution reiterates the definition of the International Alliance for the Remembrance of the Holocaust (IHRA), already validated by the European Parliament and 20 countries including 16 of the EU, and supported by Emmanuel Macron in February before the Representative Council of the Institutions. Jews of France (Crif). The president then said he wanted to expand the definition of anti-Semitism to anti-Zionism.

"The rhetorical and physical manifestations of anti-Semitism are aimed at Jewish and non-Jewish individuals and / or their property, community institutions and places of worship," according to IHRA's definition.

This constitutes "an effective instrument ... in that it encompasses manifestations of hatred towards the State of Israel justified by the mere perception of the latter as a Jewish community", states the resolution .

After the vote, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz "hailed the decision of the French Parliament" and called on "other countries to follow the example of France".

Before, a group of 127 Jewish intellectuals, however, had considered the text "highly problematic" because it "equates (...) anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism". "Many victims of the Holocaust were anti-Zionists," he recalls in a World forum.

- "Categorize hatreds" -

In addition, the IHRA definition is "already used to stigmatize and silence critics of the State of Israel, including human rights organizations," says the group.

Like others, the president of the RN Marine Le Pen worried Tuesday of the risk that the resolution "can forbid to criticize Israel" - what its signatories and supports reject.

Another pitfall, raised by several deputies: why "categorize" the hatreds? France is an "indivisible" and "secular" Republic and we must legislate without distinction "religious", again recalled twenty-four "walkers" in a forum.

In response to these criticisms, Gilles Le Gendre accepted the request for a fact-finding mission "on the emergence and evolution of different forms of racism, and the answers to be given".

From now on, the Socialist deputies will table their motion for a resolution to "fight against all forms of (...) discrimination".

The number one of the PS Olivier Faure judged the moment of examination of the resolution LREM "particularly badly chosen".

Considering that the tools already exist to penalize anti-Semitism, the Socialists voted against the resolution, just as Communists and rebellious. According to their leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon, "to assimilate the criticism of Zionism to an anti-Semitic act" makes "guess a will of provocation that amazes".

Even the MoDem deputies mostly abstained, considering the "risky terrain".

© 2019 AFP