"The war against Islamism is going to be a long one and the threat is still present," said Francis Kalifat at the 32nd annual political dinner of CRIF, the umbrella representative group of French Jewish institutions.

While noting that last year anti-Semitic acts and threats were in sharp decline, he stressed that ‘’since the year 2000 there has been no pause or ceasefire in the anti-Semitism curve. ''

" The anti-Semitic remarks, gestures and postures now hidden behind anti-Zionism,’’ he added. ‘’Anti-Zionims is nothing else than the contemporary expression of anti-Zionism, the hatred of Jews,’’ he added.

"Those who in France have a problem with the Jews and Israel almost always have a problem with democracy, the rule of law and individual freedoms," the president of CRIF said.

"I am not saying that all the Muslim French, all the supporters of the National Front and all the sympathizers of the extreme left are anti-Semites. I note that anti-Semites are overrepresented in these three groups. For this reason and because their programs are dangerous for France, Crif calls to block the extreme right and extreme left in the next (presidential) elections."

The dinner saw the presence of the main presidential candidates – elections will be held in late April with a run-off election in May if no candidate gets a majority- but not Marine Le Pen, leader of the extreme right National Front, who is leading in the polls, nor Jean-Luc Melenchon of the extreme-left. Both were not invited by CRIF.

Kalifat thanked French President Francois Hollande for the protection measures taken these last years for the Jewish community.

In his speech, Hollande reiterated his choice of making the fight against racism and anti-Semitism a ‘’national priority.’’

He also said France is committed to a two-state solution for the Middle East conflict.

He said a two-state solution ‘’is the only guarantee for Israel to remain a pluralist and democratic society”. ‘’As long there is no Palestinian State, there won’t be peace.’’

Before him, Francis Kalifat took the defense of Israel - "a democracy, a rule of law and a country of freedoms." ‘’The real problem is that the State of Israel is often treated separately and discriminated as a pariah state.’’