We are pleased to note that Yves Pallade’s lecture: “Anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism after Auschwitz” has been translated into French by Gilberte Jacaret and published in the French Jewish political and cultural review: Les Cahiers Bernard Lazare n°292-293 dated July-August 2008.

VISIT TO THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE AND THE ALSACE-LORRAINE REGION IN FRANCE
Report by Jean-Pierre Lambert, Vice-President BBF Alsace-Lorraine Region

On the 28th and 29th May, Yves Pallade, Director of F.A.N., visited Lodges in the Alsace- Lorraine region in France together with Jacques Jacubert, President of B’nai B’rith France.
The purpose of these meetings was to enable Yves to establish direct contacts with the Lodges in the East of France, reinforce B’nai B’rith connections with senior civil servants in the Council of Europe and in Strasbourg, that in the main deals with the issues of Human Rights.
This visit was organised by Gilbert Nerson, the official BB representative at the Council of Europe, and Jean Pierre Lambert, BBF Vice President and regional coordinator.

Regarding contacts with the Lodges, two meetings were organised, one in Strasbourg with the Alsace Lodges (René Hirschler and Emmanuel Levinas in Strasbourg, Alsace Paul Jacob in Mulhouse and Sheurer Kestner in Colmar) and the other in Nancy for the Lorraine Lodges (Jérusalem, Berr Isaac Berr, Elie Wurm in Nancy, Elie Bloch and Armand Kraemer in Metz).
During these meetings Jacques Jacubert opened the debate, speaking of the situation of B’nai B’rith France, followed by Yves Pallade who recalled the existing ties between anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism to a very attentive audience. Lively debates followed both speakers.

The visit to the Council of Europe facilitated important meetings with Alexandre Guessel, Deputy to the Director, Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights, Philippe Boillat, Director General of the Dictorate General of Human Rights and Legal Affairs, together with Christos Giakoumopoulos, Director, Dictorate of Monotiring in the same general management office and Zoltan Taubner, Director for external relationships together with Max Gilbert, Advisor from the same office.

The very gratifying exchange of views mainly concerned the preparation of “Durban II”;
Things could get out of control and worries our interlocutors: it is clear that certain countries and NGOs will seek to accuse Israel and get the notion of Human Rights to develop in a much more restrictive way, relegating people to the background in connection with local or religious traditions. Even if we are warned about this possibility and therefore more able to control the situation than we were in Durban, it is still possible that things get out of control. To avoid this, warning our national governments must be given high priority, and we must join progressive forces.

In conclusion, it was agreed with those we met in the Council of Europe that we would stay in contact and pass on all pertinent information to one another.