The philosopher Michel Onfray knocked out part of the left this Sunday. In a column, published in The Sunday newspaper, the essayist estimated that part of the left “appears its anti-Semitism to be anti-Zionism”. Guest of Jeanne Baron on Europe 1 this Sunday, the rebellious deputy Louis Boyard reacted.
“I find it quite unbearable,” he charges from the outset. “Anti-Semitism is not a word that can be used like that lightly. 2000 years of history. It’s been 2000 years that the Jews have been persecuted, all the time, until reaching the worst crimes that humanity has ever committed”, he then declared.
The question of “apartheid” in Israel
At the same time, on C-News, Michel Onfray did not change a comma of his remarks: “Part of the left signed a text which spoke of” apartheid “concerning Israel. (…) I am not sure that in apartheid countries, people are allowed to practice their religion if it is not the dominant religion. I felt that there was a great anti-Semitic tradition on the left side which was coming back.
At the microphone of Europe 1, Louis Boyard justified the signing of this text. “When we talk about apartheid vis-à-vis what is happening in Palestine, do you honestly think we would do it because we would have any problems whatsoever vis-à-vis our Jewish compatriots? Absolutely not,” he assured.
“These people are constantly insulting”
Before continuing: “When we ask these questions, we ask them because we are interested in the question of human rights, not because we would have any problem with a religion. is where I say he has to be careful what he says because anti-Semitism is a word with a heavy history.
The rebellious deputy then attacked the essayist more frontally. “Michel Onfray only exists through that. I sincerely wonder when Michel Onfray made any useful contribution to the public debate. He only lives on these themes”.
As for the debate around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Louis Boyard considers it more relevant to discuss it “with political leaders” arguing that in reality, the philosopher “does not want to have a debate on that”. “These people are constantly insulting (…). So let’s have a debate and I invite all the people who are listening to us, who may not agree with me, to look at what is happening there. Palestine is burning and Michel Onfray is looking elsewhere,” he concluded.