Associated Press | 03.13.08
PARIS - Israeli President Shimon Peres on Thursday was inaugurating a Paris book fair that honors Israeli writers and is being boycotted by some Arab intellectuals and officials.
Peres was opening the annual fair at the end of a five-day state visit to France - a sign of French President Nicolas Sarkozy's effort to rebuild frayed ties with Israel.
The Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has urged its 50 member nations to boycott the fair. It says Israel should not be honored at a time of "siege" against the Palestinian people.
Sarkozy's spokesman called for calm.
"It is not books that we should fear," David Martinon said at a news conference Thursday.
Peres said earlier this week that anyone who would boycott the literary event "is punishing himself" in such a public act of faith.
Earlier, Peres met with the head of France's biggest employers union and visited a French Foreign Ministry exhibition about the origins of the state of Israel.
He planned to meet with former French President Jacques Chirac later Thursday.
Directions to Aidekman Campus
Copyright © 2010 The Jewish Federations of North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved