French government condemns attack on Jewish family

Everything will be done to identify and arrest those who carried out this “foul” anti-Semitic attack, French interior minister Gérard Collomb stated.

French authorities and Jewish groups say a Jewish family was beaten, tied up and robbed in what the government described as an intentionally anti-Semitic act.

The Interior Ministry denounced the violence and offered support for the family and the Jewish community, saying Sunday that racism and anti-Semitism “have no place in the French nation.”

French interior minister Gérard Collomb said that those responsible will be punished “for this cowardly act (which) appears directly linked to the victims’ religion.”

“Everything will be done to identify and arrest those who carried out this foul attack,” he stated.

CRIF, an umbrella of French Jewish organizations, said the family in Livry-Gargan, outside of Paris, was held in their home while assailants robbed it.

The three attackers cut off the electricity, threatening their victims, “You are Jews, you have money. We take money from Jews to give to the poor,” reported Ynet.

In a statement, CRIF President Francis Kalifat urged authorities to step up security and take stronger measures against perpetrators of such acts.

French police said they are investigating the attack, which happened Friday, but would not provide details of the probe.

French Jews, who constitute the largest Jewish community outside of Israel and the United States, continue to leave France, mainly for Israel. Since 2006, 40,000 French Jews have left the Republic.

By: AP and World Israel News Staff