Dean of the Paris Grand Mosque warns Muslims and Jews against Le Pen’s maneuvers

Not caring about the criticism of the French far right, and on the eve of the first round of the legislative elections, the dean of the Grand Mosque of Paris, Chemseddine Hafiz, issued his last warning to the Muslim and even Jewish immigrant communities, urging them to enlist in order to block the way to Le Pen’s hateful party and prevent it from reaching the government palace of “Matignon”.
In a tweet on the account of the Grand Mosque of Paris on the “X” platform, Chemseddne Hafiz wrote warningly: “On the eve of these crucial elections, our nation is at a crucial crossroads. The choices we make will shape the features of our common future.” The rise of the “National Rally” party “(Le Pen’s party) and its promises to increase security, protect national identity, and restrict immigration require deep reflection on the impact of these policies on our society and economy.”
This warning is not considered the first of its kind by the Dean of the Grand Mosque of Paris, but it comes on the eve of a crucial legislative election in France, a matter that had caused great anger in the party led by Jordan Bardella, and whose strings were managed from behind the scenes by the Le Pen family, when he decided One of his deputies, Julien Odul, held the government responsible for what he considered interference by the Dean of the mosque, funded by Algeria, in French electoral matters.
For the Dean of the Grand Mosque of Paris, “such a project (the electoral program of Le Pen’s party) risks transforming our country into a tyrannical state, sacrificing social justice, integration and economic growth on the altar of fear and exclusion”. Therefore, Chemseddine Hafiz believes that “closing our doors, erecting barriers and isolating our social fabric” is not a solution to face the political dilemma that is knocking at the doors of the French, but rather going to the ballot boxes with force to block the path of those who have made hatred and hostility towards others the title of their political agenda.
What is interesting in this matter is that Jordan Bardella, who leads the “National Rally” party (formerly the National Front), which is charged with hostility to all that is Algerian, that is of Algerian origin, according to what “Echorouk” previously indicated that months ago, and this is given. The party leadership insists on ignoring this, considering it a political obstacle for the party, which is based on an aggressive racial philosophy charged with hatred and exclusion of others.
In an attempt to bring together the diaspora of French people of non-French origin, regardless of their religious and ethnic backgrounds, the Dean of the Paris Mosque addressed French voters, saying: “Let us not be divided by the irrational demons of hatred. As the Dean of the Grand Mosque of Paris, the place where many Jews were saved during the Second World War, I address my Jewish citizens, my friends, my neighbors and others: The enemy is not the Muslim. Islam is not your enemy. History testifies that over the centuries, the People of the Book have found refuge and respect in Islamic empires.
He added: “Wake up. If anti-Semitism is a reality, it is not limited to Muslims, just as Islamophobia is not limited to Jews. The continuation of hate speech does not mean that it becomes a reality.” These words are addressed to the non-Zionist Jewish community, because Le Pen’s party He is trying to separate the Jews from other religious communities by raising the banner of fighting anti-Semitism, which he was the first to practice on the ground and still is, in France against the members of this community.
The author of the article quoted a statement by former French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin to refute the far-right party’s closeness to the Jews, which said: “Our Jewish citizens will never be protected by the National Front, which is a xenophobic and racist party, even if it turns its hostility towards Muslims and Arabs in the current situation.” .
He also quoted journalist Anne Sinclair, who in 1945 quoted a German priest, Martin Niemöller: “When they came for the socialists, I said nothing, I was not a socialist. When they came for the Jews, I said nothing, I was not a Jew. Then they came to take me away. And there was nobody left to protest. Sinclair adds that she does not want anyone to one day say: “When they came for the Muslims, I said nothing.” Before concluding: “Go vote. Say no to hate”.