Sarkozy upsets Jewish group

Sarkozy has been kinder than many to the major Jewish organizations of France and the US, speaking personally as president at the CRIF's annual gala and numerous times to the AJC in Washington. And he has paid some political price for this, as evidenced by the firestorm over his Holocaust education proposal. But that hasn't stopped CRIF from denouncing his recent invitation to Syrian President Bashir al-Assad to the EU-UM launch:

Le CRIF déplore l'invitation adressée à Bachar Al Assad d'assister aux festivités du 14 juillet.

La France convie en effet à sa fête nationale, cette célébration des droits de l'homme, le président de la Syrie qui les bafoue en permanence.

Le CRIF rappelle que Damas soutient et abrite des organisations terroristes, pratique l'assassinat politique au Liban et ailleurs, et se targue de son alliance avec l'Iran qui cherche à se doter de l'arme nucléaire pour détruire Israël et déstabiliser ses voisins

Several days ago the group also attacked him for meeting with members of Hezbollah in Lebanon. Segolene Royal, with somewhat different motivations, joked likewise:

Rencontrer le Hezbollah : hier un crime, aujourd’hui un banquet.