World

France Stirs A Mideast Storm

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

February 28, 2000 / 8:52 AM EST / CBS

After getting pelted with stones on the West Bank, France's Prime Minister Lionel Jospin faced the prospect Monday of what one minister called a "Parisian tempest" for referring to Iranian-backed Hezbollah guerrilla attacks as terrorism.

Jospin's socialist allies rushed to his aid Monday, but they were overshadowed by politicians and newspaper editorials that were critical of his controversial shift.

Socialist party chairman Francois Hollande and no fewer than four cabinet members went on radio and television to defend Jospin, picking up the baton from Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine, who hastily arranged a television interview on Sunday.

But far more numerous were the opposition politicians and editorialists lamenting Jospin's characterization of Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon as terrorists and predicting further strains in the "cohabitation" power-sharing scheme.

West Bank protests against Jospin, who was slightly injured in the head by Palestinian stone-throwers Saturday, went into their third day. Four demonstrators were injured in Bethlehem by Israeli police, who fired rubber-coated metal bullets and tear gas.

"The Socialist Party does not regret what he said," Hollande told Europe 1 radio. "There's a time in international affairs where you have to say what you think."

The press was full of editorials expressing shock and embarrassment that Jospin had dismayed France's close Arab partners and sparked a wave of protests in Lebanon and elsewhere in the Arab world.

"Jospin has created the most damaging fiasco since becoming prime minister," the daily France-Soir said.

The president traditionally takes the lead in France's foreign and defense policy and Chirac has been more pro-Arab, with especially close ties to Lebanon, than Socialists such as Jospin or the late President Francois Mitterrand.

Most commentators saw Jospin trying to score domestic points against Chirac in preparation for their expected face-off in the 2002 presidential election. "With just over two years to the presidential elections, the power-sharing relationship may well have entered a new, less peaceful phase," Le Figaro said.

The left-leaning Liberation wrote: "He created a diplomatic incident out of nothing -- a serious blow for someone who is seeking to convince people of his presidential credentials."

Jospin was reprimanded by Chirac over the weekend, saying by phone that the constants in French diplomacy, balance and impartiality, had been put into question.

Jospin, who has kept silent about the Middle East since his return on Saturday, was expected to speak out during question time in the National Assembly on Tuesday.