The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has harshly criticized remarks by former French Foreign Minister Roland Dumas who in an interview claimed that France’s Prime Minister Manuel Valls was “under Jewish influence” because his wife is Jewish.
Mr. Dumas made the remark in a televised interview on BFMTV on Monday.
“This bigoted remark by Mr. Dumas will only fan the flames of anti-Jewish prejudice,” said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director said in a statement.
“Conspiracy theories claiming invisible Jewish control of governments are among the pillars of anti-Semitism and a staple of modern-day anti-Semites.”
In ADL’s recent Global 100 Survey of anti-Semitic attitudes around the world, 46 percent of French respondents agreed with the statement, “Jews have too much control over global affairs” and 42 percent of those polled agreed that “Jews have too much control over the United States government.”
In its statement, ADL welcomed the widespread condemnations in France of Dumas’ remark, and praised the speech by French President Francois Hollande at Sarre-Union, where hundreds of Jewish graves were desecrated over the weekend.
Among the many commitments to protect the Jewish community and ensure a sense of security, President Hollande made clear that anti-Semitic acts are unacceptable in France.
“Anyone who commits anti-Semitic acts will be tirelessly pursued, arrested and sentenced,” he said. “The Republic will be stronger than hate.”