French presidential candidate honors deported Jews of World War II
Francois Hollande visits Holocaust museum, says Iranian threats are disturbing, but refrains from commenting on his policy toward Tehran
PARIS (AP) — French presidential candidate Francois Hollande has honored Jews who were deported during the Holocaust and expressed concern about Iranian threats toward Israel.
Hollande visited a memorial and museum to the Holocaust in Paris on Sunday and praised its work as crucial “for Jews and for humanity.”
Some 76,000 Jews were deported from Nazi-occupied France to concentration camps, and the overwhelming majority never returned.
Hollande said Iranian threats against Israel “disturb me,” but gave no indication of what his policy toward Iran would be.
Hollande, a Socialist, tops polls ahead of a May 6 runoff against conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy. Sarkozy has worked to improve French relations with Israel and taken a hard line against Iran.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.