Israel’s President, Shimon Peres, is to arrive in Paris on Monday for a five day state visit, the first by a head of state since the election of Nicolas Sarkozy in May 2007. According to Sarkozy’s spokesman, "the president wanted to make this honor to the president of the State of Israel in order to reaffirm the force of friendship which unites our two countries and our two people… It will also be a personal pleasure for the president of the Republic to receive Mr. Peres whom he knows well and whom he met several times and for whom he has a lot of respect and admiration.”
During his stay in France, Peres will visit the Paris international book fair as Israel is this year the guest of honor at this major cultural event. On the occasion of Peres’ visit, the major Jewish representative bodies will organize an event at the Palais des Congrès in Paris to celebrate French-Israel friendship. Several French and Israeli artists will perform during the event which is expected to be attended by 4,000 people. The Jewish community will also hold a memorial ceremony for the eight students killed in the recent terrorist attack at a rabbinical school in Jerusalem.
In an interview with the French newspaper ‘Le Figaro’, Peres said relations between France and Israel "could not be better" since the election of Sarkozy. "The president has given a new impetus to relations with Israel," he added.
