Mayor Edward Koch accused French President Valery Giscard d’Estaing yesterday of “delivering Jews to the PLO.” He was speaking of the fatal bombing of a Paris synagogue last Friday.
Koch made his remarks in the course of greeting Yitzhok Berman, Speaker of the Knesset, who visited City Hall. During World War II, Koch said, “the French people and the government delivered French Jews to the Nazis. He (Giscard) is delivering Jews to the PLO and he should be ashamed of himself.”
Koch told reporters that he intended to make the same accusation when he speaks before the French-American Chamber of Commerce here today. “My position in this matter is public and I can’t express it strongly enough,” he said.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.