French far-right leader, Marine Le Pen announced that her immigration plan would include a demand that Israeli citizenship be forfeited by French Jews who possess it.
The announcement came as the Front National party leader spelled out her proposed tough positions on the matter, which would also require people give up dual citizenship if they possess a second passport from any country outside the European Union.
Speaking to France 2 TV, Le Pen was responded forthrightly when asked whether such a policy would be extended to French Jews in possession of an Israeli passport.
“Israel is not a European country and doesn’t consider itself as such,” she said before stating that failure to forfeit an Israeli passport would not result in citizens’ expulsion.
“Excuse me, but yes, (I would ask that of) them and others (persons with non-European citizenship). I’m asking the Israelis to choose their nationality. It doesn’t mean that if they don’t choose French nationality, they have to leave,” she said in appeared to be a potential contradiction.
Commenting on what she described as the problem of lack of assimilation on the part of immigrant and, Le Pen then underlined how she believed Jews differ.
“France can certainly accommodate foreign people on its soil long-term, those with foreign citizenship… as long as they respect French laws and French values, which is often a problem on the immigration issue. It’s not really a problem with Israel on this topic.”
But Israel was not the only country outside the EU that Le Pen had on her list of undesirables.
Indeed, while adding that dual citizens of the EU and of Russia, which she said is part of she termed the “Europe of nations,” will be exempted, she insisted that the ban will also apply to citizens of the US and North African countries.
Source: NAN
