Special to WorldTribune.com

Abraham, Rabinovich, Washington Free Beacon

JERUSALEM — French President Francois Hollande did not want Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to come to Paris Sunday to participate in the march against terror so as not to divert attention from the theme of national unity the million-person event was intended to symbolize, according to Israeli media reports.

However, Netanyahu came anyway. [U.S. President Barack Obama did not attend.]

The French official who conveyed Hollande’s wish to Jerusalem said that Netanyahu’s presence and that of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, would “cause difficulties.” . . . France’s large Muslim population, it was believed, would find it difficult to identify with the march’s message of national solidarity if Netanyahu was present. And if he was not to be invited, protocol demanded that Abbas not be invited either. …

Hollande’s message was transmitted by his national security adviser, Jacques Audibert, to his Israeli counterpart, Yossi Cohen. When Cohen called Audibert back a few hours later saying that Netanyahu was coming, according to Haaretz, the French official was furious. He reportedly said that Netanyahu’s conduct would have an adverse effect on ties between the two countries as long as Hollande was president of France and Netanyahu was prime minister of Israel. However, when it became clear that Netanyahu was not backing down, Hollande telephoned him to issue a formal invitation. Abbas was then invited as well. …

Hamas condemned Palestinian President Abbas for participating in an event with Netanyahu, even though the two men appeared not to have had any contact. Hamas expressed disapproval of the attack on the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo that took 12 lives but made no reference to the killing of the four Jews. Abbas’ Palestinian Authority strongly condemned both attacks.

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  Hollande furious at Netanyahu for attending Paris march Obama skipped, LIFE, WorldTribune.com