(JTA/Baltimore Jewish Times) Philip Carmel - Francois Zimeray always knew that his outspoken support of Israel was going to land him in trouble come election time, but Zimeray aides said the legislator was stunned after he was dumped at an April 17 meeting of the Socialist Party's national council. A member of the Party of European Socialists, the principal opposition party in the European Parliament, he consistently backed demands for an inquiry into alleged PA misuse of EU funds. Zimeray set up the Medbridge Strategy Center, a pro-Israel lobbying group that organized a visit to the Middle East last fall by 170 legislators from across Europe. "He is the only real friend of Israel among the Socialists in the European Parliament," said Roger Cukierman, president of the CRIF umbrella organization of French Jews.
2004-04-23 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive