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Wednesday, October 09, 2002

Survey: Israel is number 2 threat to world peace, just after Iraq

By Yair Sheleg
Ha'aretz Correspondent

ISRAEL was ranked number two, just after Iraq, on a list of countries that threaten world peace, according to a recent survey conducted by French newspapers. Syria, Iran and Libya also appear on the list, albeit after Israel. The survey was conducted jointly by five local dailies in northwest France, which have a combined readership of about 175,000.

The list includes a total of 15 countries. Following Iraq and Israel were Afghanistan, the United States, Palestine, Iran, Pakistan, Algiers, and Libya in that order. Syria appears number 12 on the list.

A similar survey carried out a year ago ranked Israel "only" number four on the list of countries that threaten world peace.

"There is no doubt that distortions in the French media influence the survey," Deputy Foreign Minister Rabbi Michael Melchior said in reponse to the list. "Even if there is a legitimate criticism of Israel, in many cases we see a distortion of reality in the French media, which explains the absurd results of the survey. In any event, we do not apologize for our existence."

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