Brussels, 26/06/2009 (Agence Europe) - France has officially protested to Israel after a member of its Consulate General staff in Jerusalem was assaulted by a policeman. A number of other incidents against the head of a West Jerusalem cultural centre and various instances of harassment would seem to suggest some kind of reaction to the stance adopted by France, which, within European Community bodies, has called for the EU to be firm on the issue of colonies in the Palestinian territories.
The member of consular staff - who holds a diplomatic passport - was insulted by police officers as he was driving in a vehicle bearing diplomatic number plates, a French Foreign Ministry spokesman said. He was then physically assaulted by an Israeli police officer in the centre of Jerusalem. “Following this serious and unacceptable incident, the Consul General of France in Jerusalem sent a letter of protest to the Israeli Foreign Office, along with a detailed medical report, in which we call for an investigation to establish the facts accurately. If the investigation confirms our information, we will call for sanctions to be taken against the police officer,” says a French Foreign Office press release. (F.B./transl.rt)