LAHORE: Prof Vincent Monteil, a renowned French scholar on Islamic studies said here yesterday [April 16] that France considered Israel an artificial state and a “bridgehead of imperialism”. Speaking on “Muslim politics of General de Gaulle of France”, a lecture organised by the local French Cultural Centre, Prof Monteil, a personal friend of the French President, said that France was of the view that Israel might win temporarily but ultimately she would lose.

He said the Arabs — whether Muslims or Christians — had been living in Palestine for the last 18 hundred years, while the number of Jews on that territory did not exceed 57,000 only 50 years back. He said the General Assembly of the United Nations gave away 54 per cent of Palestine territory to Jews, but immediately after the partition the Israelis expanded their territory by force and occupied 56 per cent of Palestine. In the last year’s war, Israel occupied more and “this is a simple and plain robbery”.

Explaining the present policy of France towards the Muslim World, Prof Monteil said immediately before Gen de Gaulle came into power, his country had no policy towards Asia, particularly Muslim states. In de Gaulle’s regime the relations of France were growing with the Islamic World.

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2018