Sharon is a punk, says ambassador
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The new French ambassador to Israel was involved in a diplomatic row yesterday after a report that he had called Israel a "paranoid country" and its Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, "a punk".
Silvan Shalom,Israel's Foreign Minister, ordered its embassy in Paris to seek official "clarification" of the report in Yedioth Ahronoth.
The newspaper's Paris correspondent, Boaz Bismout, said that Gerard Araud, who is yet to take up his post in Tel Aviv, made the remarks last week in a private conversation at a cocktail party for senior French diplomats given by Dominique de Villepin, the Foreign Minister. The report said M. Araud had "repeatedly" used the word "voyou" of Mr Sharon and had criticised the controversial fence being built to cut off the Palestinian territories.
The dispute may partly focus on the meaning of voyou - a term sometimes used by parents of misbehaving children. Mr Bismout's report says the French-Hebrew dictionary defines the word as "punk, thug, hooligan, criminal, crook".
An Israeli Foreign Ministry official said that if the remarks had been said as reported they were "severe". But he said the ministry was not going to rush to judgement before it had an official response from Paris.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments