"Terrorism, here, there, same fight!" reads the banner of the Union of Jewish Students of France (UEJF) at the head of the procession. Israeli flags, a few yarmulkes, and a forest of signs reading "Solidarity with Israel against terrorism." This Monday evening, in Paris, at the call of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France (CRIF), several thousand people participated in a demonstration of solidarity with Israel and Israelis, struck by Hamas. A walk to the Place du Trocadéro, to see, at 20 p.m., the Eiffel Tower lit up in blue and white, the colors of Israel. At the same time, rallies were held in ten other major cities in France.
"Since I woke up, I have a panic fear of telling myself that I will go to this demonstration and that there will be only Jews, had confided the same morning, on France Inter, the philosopher and rabbi Delphine Horvilleur. I dream of telling myself that you don't have to be a friend of Israel to go there, you need to be an enemy of terrorism, an enemy of barbarism. That's the watchword."
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A message totally shared by Jérôme, a banking executive: "I'm not Jewish, but I have friends and colleagues who are," says the 40-year-old. " I can imagine their suffering, and I, like them, am very worried about the possible consequences of this tragedy in our country. Islamists have already paraded in several major European cities to glorify Hamas; We can't let them have the field! The French, the Israelis, we are fighting the same battle against the barbarians."Jean-Pierre, a Catholic, says he is "revolted": "God knows that I have understanding for the Palestinian cause, but the limits are totally exceeded," he says indignantly. Islamic fascism must be fought."
'Nothing can justify this'
Charles, 62, is "neither a believer nor a practitioner." But he has "four Jewish children," including a daughter who lives in Jerusalem. "I'm out of the community, it's rare that I demonstrate, but here, I had to come!" he says. It's really the Holocaust: we're at 800 dead! My ex-sister-in-law's daughter, Shiraz, 24, had her throat slit along with her boyfriend. Like Samuel Paty! Soon it will be France: look at July, the rioters burned schools, shops, next time they will kill!"
"Nothing can justify this," Sarkozy said, to applause on the arm of his wife Carla. "Sarko president!" the crowd shouts. Where is your Karcher?" Xavier Bertrand and Éric Ciotti came to "express their anger at this barbarity". As for the Socialist Olivier Faure, he was asked: "Do you condemn Mélenchon or is he still your friend? Are you going to get out of the Nupes?" He evades: "That's not the point today!" A man steps forward and yells, "Nupes out, they have pitted the barbaric terrorists against the people of Israel who are fighting for their survival!"
What bothers me a lot is that people have been kidnapped and killed because they are Jews. Once again
Muriel, a protester in Paris
"Present in very large numbers tonight at this march of solidarity, we want to recall that we are in total fraternal support with the Israeli civilian population, terribly wounded and bereaved by terrorism," said the Chief Rabbi of France Haim Korsia. He, too, is happy to see that there are "not only Jews" in the crowd. "The usual indolence in relation to distant tragedies has been shattered by the evidence of barbarism, the very one that struck France a few years ago like all the great democracies of the world," he analyzes. The unity of the nation is essential to carry the universal message of fraternity, as Emmanuel Macron has declared. We know from experience that violence in the world always has consequences on French society and therefore fear violent phenomena on our territory."
These horrific images of families kidnapped, children having their throats slit, women raped and tortured, they all have them in their minds. Samuel Sandler, whose son and two grandsons were murdered in 2012 in Toulouse, is deeply moved: "What bothers me a lot is that people have been kidnapped and killed because they are Jews. Again." A little further on, Muriel, a pensioner, says she is distraught: "It refers to a process of annihilation, and when you are Jewish and you have experienced this in your flesh..." "What happened this weekend threatens the Western world as a whole," says Nathalie. It's a war of civilization."