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CNN Live At Daybreak

Wave of Attacks on Jewish Targets Since Middle East Crisis Worsened

Aired April 08, 2002 - 05:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Outside of Paris, France someone through gasoline bombs at a synagogue. That makes three such attacks just over this past weekend. It's among a wave of attacks on Jewish targets since the Middle East crisis worsened.

CNN's Jim Bittermann says a rally yesterday in Paris was aimed at putting the spotlight on anti-Semitism.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was a weekend when the emotions of the Middle East echoed along the boulevards of Paris. Here, and elsewhere in France, tons of thousands of French Jews took to the streets to protest a rising tide of anti-Semitic violence.

(on camera): There have been reports of almost daily attacks, including over the weekend, when arsonists struck a Jewish sporting club in the southern city of Deluge (ph). And there was an attempt to firebomb a synagogue near Paris.

(voice-over): Organizers of the rally say they can count more than two dozen attacks on synagogues in recent weeks.

ROGER CUKIERMAN, JEWISH REP. COUNCIL: We want that this should end, and we want the government to take measures in this direction.

BITTERMANN: French politicians in this important election year marched along with the demonstrators and recalled that ignoring increasing attacks against Jews proceeded one of the most shameful moments: the deportation of thousands of Jews to Nazi death camps.

PIERRE LELOUCHE: It started the same way 60 years ago, starting to attack people in the streets because they wear a kippah. They are burning temples, they are burning schools, and I'm not going to let it happen.

BITTERMANN: But as united as the demonstration was against anti- Semitism, there was disarray about how far to go in supporting the government of Israel. Some pro Sharon supporters clashed with marchers opposed to the Israeli Prime Minister's aggressive moves in the West Bank. One policeman was stabbed trying to intervene. And cameramen and photographers were systematically threatened and attacked by some in the crowd.

More than 1,500 French police were mobilized for the demonstration, only barely keeping things under control. And in a country with the largest Islamic and Jewish communities in Europe, that could become increasingly problematic the longer conflict continues in the Middle East.

Jim Bittermann, CNN, Paris.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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