Consulate General of France in Jerusalem
Encyclopedia
The Consulate General of France in Jerusalem began its tumultuous history in the early 17th century. In 1535, the date of the first Capitulation
between France and the Ottoman empire, France was granted the right to appoint consuls
in the cities of the Empire. The Capitulations constituted the legal basis of the French protectorate
over the Holy Places
, Catholic
Christians, and by extension, Orthodox
Christians. In 1623, King Louis XIII appointed the first consul in Jerusalem "for the Glory of God and to relieve the pious pilgrims whom by devotion visit the Holy Places." The presence of consuls in Jerusalem was intermittent until 1843. Amidst the growing competition between European powers over the exclusive protectorate that France was entitled to exercise over Christians, the rank of the Consul in Jerusalem was raised to that of a Consul General in 1893.
Despite the abolition of France's protectorate over the Latins and the Turkish-ruled Holy Places in 1914, the Consulate General tried to maintain and expand its influence in Palestine. Since the creation of the state of Israel in 1948, the Consulate General of France in Jerusalem has held the status of a quasi-embassy. The Consulate is responsible for the area of the corpus separatum and the disputed territories. The Consulate’s districts include Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip
and the West Bank
. The Consulate General is independent from the Embassy of France in Tel Aviv
and does not have official diplomatic relations with Israel. All contacts with the State of Israel lie exclusively within the jurisdiction of the embassy in Tel Aviv. Since its establishment in 1994, the Consulate has been the French diplomatic representative to the Palestinian National Authority
.
by Suleiman the Magnificent
and Blaise de Montluc, Ambassador of King Francis I
to Constantinople
, France was granted the right to protect its subjects residing or trading in the Ottoman Empire
, the Christian Holy Places in the Empire, particularly those in the Holy Land
, and to appoint consuls
in the cities of the Empire. The capitulations constituted the legal basis of the French protectorate
exercised over the Holy places, Catholic
Christians, and by extension over Orthodox
Christians. France was then granted a special status in the Holy Land.
After an incident involving the Franciscan
s and the Armenians
at the Church of the Nativity
in Bethlehem, King Louis XIII
was called upon to restore the rights of the Latins. Louis XIII sent the French diplomat Louis Deshayes de Cormenin who achieved a certain success. It was then that King Louis XIII decided to appoint a Consul in Jerusalem "for the Glory of God and to relieve the pious pilgrims whom by devotion visit the Holy places
."
In accordance with the terms of the treaty, and following a series of negotiations of the French Ambassador in Constantinople, the first consul in Jerusalem was nominated in 1621 by King Louis XIII. The first Consul-General, Jean Lempereur arrived in Jerusalem in 1623. Dror Ze'evi describes in his book the circumstances of his arrival as follows :
"Bearing a royal Ottoman decree, he proceeded to the city with an impressive entourage, and finally presented his credentials to a haughty and reserved local qadi. He was allowed to reside in the Christian neighborhood, provided he would pay at some later date a sum of money promised in the decree."
But his presence was not well received by the local authorities. Jean Lempereur was later detained and deported to Damascus. He had to pay a large ransom to be released by his captor. His successors were equally ill-received, and their presence in Jerusalem became short and sporadic. For example, Jean Lempereur was consul for four years (1621–1625), and later replaced by Sébastien de Brémond (1699–1700) and by Jean de Blacas (1713–1714).
. England, Russia, Prussia
, along with other European countries, tried to expand their influence by extending their control over religious communities. As a result, France's protectorate over Christians became contested and rivaled. For example, in 1841, an Anglican
Bishop
was nominated in Jerusalem, which was considered to be a diplomatic victory for England and Prussia. In 1847, the first Russian Ecclesiastical Mission, headed by Archimandrite
Porphyrius Ouspensky, who later became Bishop, was sent to Jerusalem. Otherwise, European powers came to be represented by Consuls in Palestine. The appointment of a British consul in 1838 was followed by the appointment of a consul of Prussia and of Sardinia
in 1843, and by the appointment of an Austrian consul in 1849 and of a Spanish consul in 1854. Alphonse d'Alonzo, former attaché to the Consulate General of France in Jerusalem, wrote in 1901 that the Russian and the French Consuls were "irreconcilable rivals".
Amidst this growing competition between European powers, the Consul of France, Count Gabriel de Lantigny, decided to create Brothers of Christians schools and entrusted them to a Catholic congregation, known as the Lazarists. Later, when a Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem
was re-established in 1847, despite France's prior reluctance to the appointment of Giuseppe Valerga
as a Patriarch (mostly because he was a citizen of the rival Kingdom of Sardinia and the Grand Master of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre
, a Franciscan Order), the Consul General of France Helouis-Jorelle recognized Giuseppe Valerga's high distinction when he arrived in Jerusalem on January 17, 1848. The replacement of Helouis Jorelle by Emile Botta on November 1, 1848 marked the beginning of a period of collaboration between the newly appointed Consul and the Patriarch.
To maintain the primacy of the French representative in Palestine, his rank was raised to that of a Consul General in 1893.
France’s special status in the Holy Land and protectorate over the Catholics of Latin rite were internationally recognized in the Congress of Berlin
in 1878. It was then officially recognized by the Holy See
in 1888. In addition, through the Agreements of Mytilene and Constantinople, tax and custom privileges were notably granted to religious communities placed under the protection of France, thus enabling it to confirm its protectorate.
and the establishment of the British Mandate for Palestine, France lost its protectorate over the Holy Land, and the prerogatives of the Consul General were subsequently reduced. Catherine Niraud summarizes the situation as follows: "in early 1924, last vestiges of the protectorate exercised by France for four centuries – and unbroken except for World War I – over the 'Latin' Christians of the former Ottoman Empire disappeared. The era of the privileged French presence in Palestine and more specifically in Jerusalem (...) had come to a close."
communities strongly opposed the project and it was later abandoned. It was later revised and reborn in 1934 as a French-Hebraic high school, but was never fully utilized as a working institution. Two projects finally came to fruition when Amédée Outrey was Consul General of France in Jerusalem : the French Cultural Center and a chair of French Civilization at Hebrew University
were both opened during Outrey's mandate.
In a letter sent to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs
, the director of the French Cultural Center insisted on its neutrality amidst growing tension in Palestine. He wrote in 1935 :"I have the honor to inform you that in the present state of things, the center remains politically uninvolved. It is so true that it is considered pro-jewish by the Arabs and Germans, pro-Arab by the Jews, as far as the English are concerned, they seem to not care about our label and let us work in peace."
The French Cultural Center, located on Ben Yehuda Street in the new city of Jerusalem, was equipped with a library, and hosting conferences of French lectures by writers who came to Jerusalem. The establishment of this institution was deemed to be a success. The French cultural center was a major instrument in the diffusion of French culture.
near the Old City. The architect Marcel Favier was then selected to draw the plan of the new building. The Consul General at that time was very involved in the conception of the building as shown in the following excerpt :
"In a letter, sent to his ministry and dated from July 4, 1927, he (the Consul General) suggested to position the main facade of the building facing the walls of the Old City. He established a precise description of the different rooms, as he envisioned the offices on the ground floor having two distinct entrances and waiting rooms so as to strictly separate the public and visitors. The first floor (should) have a loggia and a veranda, a reception hall and private apartments. The upper middle floor (should) be reserved for the servants ; (...) He (also) suggested to use massive stone and to have a terrace roof. As far as the aspect was concerned, he plead for a simple style without decorations."
Construction of the building began towards the end of 1929 and was completed three years later in 1932. The imposing Neo-Renaissance style of the building was aimed at asserting France's prior influence in Palestine, at a time when France was being deprived of its ancient prerogatives by the Mandatory Powers.
The Consul General Amédée Outrey, aware of the role France could play on a cultural level, suggested in a letter sent to the Ministry in June 1938 that concerts of modern French music could be held in "the reception rooms in the Consular residence (that) offer the most pleasant context for artistic expressions.”
status, as a diplomatic entity attached to the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. The Consulate is responsible for the area of the corpus separatum and the territories that remain disputed. The Consulate’s district includes Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip
and the West Bank
. During the Jordan
ian administration of the West Bank and East-Jerusalem, the Consulate General of France in Jerusalem was not attached to the Embassy of France in Amman
. Today it is independent from the Embassy of France in Tel Aviv
and does not have official diplomatic relations with Israel. All contacts with the State of Israel are under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Embassy in Tel Aviv. Since the establishment of the Palestinian Authority in 1994, the Consulate General of France has been the French diplomatic representative to the Palestinian National Authority
. France maintains no official ties with Hamas
but admitted contacts with the ruling party of the Gaza Strip.
As a result of this unique status and of the complex political situation, in a city divided from 1948 to 1967 between Israel and Jordan, the Consul General had to cross Mandelbaum Gate
on a daily basis to reach the new premises of the Consulate General situated in East-Jerusalem - first in the French national domain of St Anne's church and later in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. The severance of diplomatic relations with Jordan from 1956 to 1962 made the situation yet more difficult to manage. King Hussein of Jordan
questioned the status of French schools and religious congregations in Jordan, and the political and economic privileges to which they were entitled. He tried to end the duality of foreign diplomatic representation by removing laissez-passer for diplomatic missions.
Since 1967 and the Israeli occupation of East-Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the function of the Consulate General of France has changed. Consulate operations in Jerusalem have been supported but have worsened in the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip, notably since Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip and the imposition of the blockade in 2007.
Diplomat
s, employees of the Consulate General and French artists have had difficulties in accessing the Gaza Strip, where the French Cultural Center has never ceased its operation. For example, fifteen French diplomats and consular employees were refused entry into the Gaza Strip in July 2009, where they were expected to celebrate the 14th of July.
Resolution 181 on November 29, 1947, "the city of Jerusalem shall be established as a corpus separatum under a special international regime and shall be administered by the United Nations".
France aspired to play a role in the international city of Jerusalem and to uphold its historical rights. Olivier Danino suggests that this concept of corpus separatum aimed to create a special status that would allow the Holy City to escape the control of Israel and the future Palestinian state and would allow France to preserve its historic prevalence in Jerusalem.
France has remained committed to the idea of the internationalization of Jerusalem and has not recognized any unilateral measure. France adopted on November 22, the 1967 United Nations Security Council Resolution 242
, calling upon Israel to cancel "all legislative and administrative measures and actions taken (...), including expropriation of land and properties thereon, which tend to change the legal status of Jerusalem” and “to rescind all such measures already taken and to desist forthwith from taking any further action which tend to change the status of Jerusalem”.
An expression of France's attachment to International law
can be found in the speech that President François Mitterrand
made to the Knesset
on March 1982. While emphasizing Israel's right to exist inside secure and internationally recognized borders, he called for a homeland for Palestinians
, which "for the Palestinians, can at the appropriate time mean a State... Because it is impossible to ask anyone to renounce their identity, nor to speak in their place."
During his visit to the Palestinian Territories in October 1996, a visit organized by the Consulate General of France in Jerusalem, President Jacques Chirac
addressed the Palestinian Legislative Council in Ramallah
. Indeed, he was the first foreign President to do so. On this occasion, he reiterated the position of France on Jerusalem and the conflict: "The whole world has its eyes on Jerusalem, the thrice Holy City. I can understand the passions it inspires. Its holiness, for the Muslims and the Christians, as for the Jews, cannot be dissociated from its existence as a city. That means that in order to retain its unique identity, its plurality must be preserved. The solution for Jerusalem cannot be solely religious, or solely national. It is necessary that freedom of access for the faithful, all the faithful, be guaranteed everywhere. And any idea of sovereignty, from whatever quarter, must be fitted into the framework of the negotiated compromise planned by the Oslo agreements."
Calling for a negotiated solution to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, President Nicolas Sarkozy
declared in a speech delivered to the Knesset on June 2008 that: "Israel’s security, on which France will never compromise, will be truly assured only when we see alongside her an independent, modern, democratic and viable Palestinian State".
Until a negotiated settlement is reached, the Consulate General of France will maintain the status of a consulate general and the functions of a quasi-embassy.
and Tunisia
. They lived in Jerusalem and for some of them in Israeli settlement
s in the occupied Palestinian territories
. The French-Palestinians were estimated at 1.5%. French members of Christian communities were estimated at 2%, while they constituted the majority of nationals in the early years of the history of the French Consulate in Jerusalem.
Regarding the visa application process, the access to the Consulate has become difficult for the Palestinians living in the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip, as they now need a permit to enter Jerusalem. As a remedy, the Consulate collects visa applications through the French Cultural Center in Gaza
.
Although France's protectorate over the Christians has ceased, France continues to enjoy honorable privileges. Tangible proof of its historic dominance is the liturgical honors rendered to the representatives of France in Jerusalem.
Catherine Nicault writes: "In terms of duties, France's representatives, the Ambassador in Constantinople and after 1843, the Consul General was obligated to assist the Latins in their disputes with or appeals to the Ottoman Authorities. (...) But the price paid for these efforts was rewarded since the representatives of France ruled over the Catholic clientele and during religious ceremonies held in the Holy Land, in particular in the Saint Sepulchre, were given carefully codified liturgical honors which made them the most eminent foreign dignitaries in Jerusalem."
Since 1843, the Consuls General of France in Jerusalem have been granted liturgical honors. The solemn entry ceremony, codified in a treaty signed by Aristide Briand, Minister of Foreign Affaires and Mgr Luigi Maglione, Apolistic Nuncio on December 4, 1926, has remained the same since then. A press release of the Consulate General of France in Jerusalem describes the latest solemn ceremony as follows:
Protection of religious communities
France has lost its protectorate over the Holy Places, but continues to protect religious institutions, in virtue of the agreements of Mytilene (1901) and Constantinople (1913). According to an agreement reached by France and Israel in 1948 (so-called Chauvel-Fisher letters), the rights and privileges entitled to French institutions should be maintained.
52 institutions fall under the jurisdiction of the Consulate General of France in Jerusalem: hospitals, free health centers, hospices, orphanages, research institutes, seminaries, high schools and religious congregations. This comprises 600 monks and nuns, the majority of whom live in the district of Jerusalem. In addition to a legal and administrative support, these institutions benefit from subsidies from the Consulate General. Additionally, the religious communities that receive the protection of the Consulate General administer France's national domains. There are four national domains that fall under the jurisdiction of the Consulate General and that are administered by French religious communities: Saint Anne Church, Abbey of Abu Ghosh, Church of the Eleona and the Tombs of the Kings, constitutes French enclaves in the Holy Land.
Before the creation of the Palestinian Authority in 1994, the Consulate Consulate had established cooperation with Palestinian NGOs, in the fields of education, culture, economics and finance, and health and humanitarian aid.
When Yasser Arafat
moved to Gaza City in July 1994, the Consulate General established official political ties with the Palestinian administration.
France's declared objective is to support "the creation of a viable, independent, democratic Palestinian state living in peace and security alongside Israel." To help achieve this objective, France strongly supports the peace process. France also supports an easing of the Gaza blockade, stating that it will serve the interest of all parties concerned in the conflict.
France also supports the establishment of the institutions of the future Palestinian State, in line with the spirit of the Paris International Donor’s Conference, that France had initiated to provide financial support for the construction of the future state of Palestine. France contributes significantly to financially support the budget of the Palestinian Authority. According to a press release from the Consulate General: "The Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority Salam Fayyad and the Consul General of France in Jerusalem Frederic Desagneaux signed on June 21, 2010 an agreement on a financial support of 23 million Euros by the French government to the budget of the Palestinian Authority for the year 2010." According to the French-Palestinian framework partnership document signed in Paris in December 2009, France will allocate 68 million Euros annually over a period of three years. French aid to the Palestinian Territories (200 million Euros over three years) will be devoted to support the water sector, urban infrastructure, municipal development and the private and health sectors.
The Consulate General has developed a large network of cultural centers in Jerusalem and in the Palestinian Territories. In addition to the French Cultural Center established in West-Jerusalem in the early 20th century, there are now four other cultural centers in: East-Jerusalem, Ramallah, Nablus and Gaza. They promote cultural exchange through lectures, art exhibition and musical events. They also offer language teaching programs.
The volume of cooperation in the development sector is significant. In 2005, the amount of development aid reached 400,000 Euros. It was multiplied by 4 between 2005 and 2008. The French Development Agency coordinates the implementation of financial aid. Since 2002, the French Development Agency has allocated 11 million Euros to support NGOs in Palestine.
World War I
In 1893 The Consulate was elevated to the status of Consulate General.
Consuls
From 1776 To 1790, Jerusalem comes under the authority of the "Consul General For Syria And Palestine", In Residence at Seyda.
From 1694 To 1699, Jerusalem comes under the authority of the "Consul for Palestine, Galilee, Judea And Samaria", In Residence In Syria
Capitulations of the Ottoman Empire
Capitulations of the Ottoman Empire were contracts between the Ottoman Empire and European powers, particularly France. Turkish capitulations, or ahdnames, were generally bilateral acts whereby definite arrangements were entered into by each contracting party towards the other, not mere...
between France and the Ottoman empire, France was granted the right to appoint consuls
Consul (representative)
The political title Consul is used for the official representatives of the government of one state in the territory of another, normally acting to assist and protect the citizens of the consul's own country, and to facilitate trade and friendship between the peoples of the two countries...
in the cities of the Empire. The Capitulations constituted the legal basis of the French protectorate
Protectorate of missions
Protectorate of Missions is a term for the right of protection exercised by a Christian power in an 'infidel' country with regard to the persons and establishments of the missionaries...
over the Holy Places
Holy places
Holy places, generally refers to the sites that a religion considers to be of special religious significance. They are usually places visited by pilgrims.-Baha'i:...
, Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
Christians, and by extension, Orthodox
Eastern Christianity
Eastern Christianity comprises the Christian traditions and churches that developed in the Balkans, Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, the Middle East, Northeastern Africa, India and parts of the Far East over several centuries of religious antiquity. The term is generally used in Western Christianity to...
Christians. In 1623, King Louis XIII appointed the first consul in Jerusalem "for the Glory of God and to relieve the pious pilgrims whom by devotion visit the Holy Places." The presence of consuls in Jerusalem was intermittent until 1843. Amidst the growing competition between European powers over the exclusive protectorate that France was entitled to exercise over Christians, the rank of the Consul in Jerusalem was raised to that of a Consul General in 1893.
Despite the abolition of France's protectorate over the Latins and the Turkish-ruled Holy Places in 1914, the Consulate General tried to maintain and expand its influence in Palestine. Since the creation of the state of Israel in 1948, the Consulate General of France in Jerusalem has held the status of a quasi-embassy. The Consulate is responsible for the area of the corpus separatum and the disputed territories. The Consulate’s districts include Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
and the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
. The Consulate General is independent from the Embassy of France in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
and does not have official diplomatic relations with Israel. All contacts with the State of Israel lie exclusively within the jurisdiction of the embassy in Tel Aviv. Since its establishment in 1994, the Consulate has been the French diplomatic representative to the Palestinian National Authority
Palestinian National Authority
The Palestinian Authority is the administrative organization established to govern parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip...
.
France's special status
Following the signing in 1525 of the first capitulationsCapitulations of the Ottoman Empire
Capitulations of the Ottoman Empire were contracts between the Ottoman Empire and European powers, particularly France. Turkish capitulations, or ahdnames, were generally bilateral acts whereby definite arrangements were entered into by each contracting party towards the other, not mere...
by Suleiman the Magnificent
Suleiman the Magnificent
Suleiman I was the tenth and longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, from 1520 to his death in 1566. He is known in the West as Suleiman the Magnificent and in the East, as "The Lawgiver" , for his complete reconstruction of the Ottoman legal system...
and Blaise de Montluc, Ambassador of King Francis I
Francis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
to Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, France was granted the right to protect its subjects residing or trading in the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, the Christian Holy Places in the Empire, particularly those in the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
, and to appoint consuls
Consul (representative)
The political title Consul is used for the official representatives of the government of one state in the territory of another, normally acting to assist and protect the citizens of the consul's own country, and to facilitate trade and friendship between the peoples of the two countries...
in the cities of the Empire. The capitulations constituted the legal basis of the French protectorate
Protectorate of missions
Protectorate of Missions is a term for the right of protection exercised by a Christian power in an 'infidel' country with regard to the persons and establishments of the missionaries...
exercised over the Holy places, Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
Christians, and by extension over Orthodox
Eastern Christianity
Eastern Christianity comprises the Christian traditions and churches that developed in the Balkans, Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, the Middle East, Northeastern Africa, India and parts of the Far East over several centuries of religious antiquity. The term is generally used in Western Christianity to...
Christians. France was then granted a special status in the Holy Land.
After an incident involving the Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
s and the Armenians
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
at the Church of the Nativity
Church of the Nativity
The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem is one of the oldest continuously operating churches in the world. The structure is built over the cave that tradition marks as the birthplace of Jesus of Nazareth, and thus it is considered sacred by Christians...
in Bethlehem, King Louis XIII
Louis XIII of France
Louis XIII was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1610 to 1643.Louis was only eight years old when he succeeded his father. His mother, Marie de Medici, acted as regent during Louis' minority...
was called upon to restore the rights of the Latins. Louis XIII sent the French diplomat Louis Deshayes de Cormenin who achieved a certain success. It was then that King Louis XIII decided to appoint a Consul in Jerusalem "for the Glory of God and to relieve the pious pilgrims whom by devotion visit the Holy places
Holy places
Holy places, generally refers to the sites that a religion considers to be of special religious significance. They are usually places visited by pilgrims.-Baha'i:...
."
In accordance with the terms of the treaty, and following a series of negotiations of the French Ambassador in Constantinople, the first consul in Jerusalem was nominated in 1621 by King Louis XIII. The first Consul-General, Jean Lempereur arrived in Jerusalem in 1623. Dror Ze'evi describes in his book the circumstances of his arrival as follows :
"Bearing a royal Ottoman decree, he proceeded to the city with an impressive entourage, and finally presented his credentials to a haughty and reserved local qadi. He was allowed to reside in the Christian neighborhood, provided he would pay at some later date a sum of money promised in the decree."
But his presence was not well received by the local authorities. Jean Lempereur was later detained and deported to Damascus. He had to pay a large ransom to be released by his captor. His successors were equally ill-received, and their presence in Jerusalem became short and sporadic. For example, Jean Lempereur was consul for four years (1621–1625), and later replaced by Sébastien de Brémond (1699–1700) and by Jean de Blacas (1713–1714).
A disputed status
The nineteenth century was marked by European powers' growing and conflicting interests in the LevantLevant
The Levant or ) is the geographic region and culture zone of the "eastern Mediterranean littoral between Anatolia and Egypt" . The Levant includes most of modern Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, the Palestinian territories, and sometimes parts of Turkey and Iraq, and corresponds roughly to the...
. England, Russia, Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
, along with other European countries, tried to expand their influence by extending their control over religious communities. As a result, France's protectorate over Christians became contested and rivaled. For example, in 1841, an Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
was nominated in Jerusalem, which was considered to be a diplomatic victory for England and Prussia. In 1847, the first Russian Ecclesiastical Mission, headed by Archimandrite
Archimandrite
The title Archimandrite , primarily used in the Eastern Orthodox and the Eastern Catholic churches, originally referred to a superior abbot whom a bishop appointed to supervise...
Porphyrius Ouspensky, who later became Bishop, was sent to Jerusalem. Otherwise, European powers came to be represented by Consuls in Palestine. The appointment of a British consul in 1838 was followed by the appointment of a consul of Prussia and of Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
in 1843, and by the appointment of an Austrian consul in 1849 and of a Spanish consul in 1854. Alphonse d'Alonzo, former attaché to the Consulate General of France in Jerusalem, wrote in 1901 that the Russian and the French Consuls were "irreconcilable rivals".
Amidst this growing competition between European powers, the Consul of France, Count Gabriel de Lantigny, decided to create Brothers of Christians schools and entrusted them to a Catholic congregation, known as the Lazarists. Later, when a Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem
Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem is the title possessed by the Latin Rite Catholic Archbishop of Jerusalem. The Archdiocese of Jerusalem has jurisdiction for all Latin Rite Catholics in Israel, the Palestinian Territories, Jordan and Cyprus...
was re-established in 1847, despite France's prior reluctance to the appointment of Giuseppe Valerga
Giuseppe Valerga
Giuseppe Valerga was the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem from 1847 until his death in 1872. He was the first resident Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem since the crusades. He held the title of one of the fathers of the First Vatican Council....
as a Patriarch (mostly because he was a citizen of the rival Kingdom of Sardinia and the Grand Master of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre
Church of the Holy Sepulchre
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, also called the Church of the Resurrection by Eastern Christians, is a church within the walled Old City of Jerusalem. It is a few steps away from the Muristan....
, a Franciscan Order), the Consul General of France Helouis-Jorelle recognized Giuseppe Valerga's high distinction when he arrived in Jerusalem on January 17, 1848. The replacement of Helouis Jorelle by Emile Botta on November 1, 1848 marked the beginning of a period of collaboration between the newly appointed Consul and the Patriarch.
To maintain the primacy of the French representative in Palestine, his rank was raised to that of a Consul General in 1893.
France’s special status in the Holy Land and protectorate over the Catholics of Latin rite were internationally recognized in the Congress of Berlin
Congress of Berlin
The Congress of Berlin was a meeting of the European Great Powers' and the Ottoman Empire's leading statesmen in Berlin in 1878. In the wake of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78, the meeting's aim was to reorganize the countries of the Balkans...
in 1878. It was then officially recognized by the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
in 1888. In addition, through the Agreements of Mytilene and Constantinople, tax and custom privileges were notably granted to religious communities placed under the protection of France, thus enabling it to confirm its protectorate.
End of the Protectorate over the 'Latin' Christians
With the end of the Ottoman Empire, the Consulate General of France in Jerusalem ceased to be placed under the authority of the Embassy in Constantinople. Following the San Remo conferenceSan Remo conference
The San Remo Conference was an international meeting of the post-World War I Allied Supreme Council, held in Sanremo, Italy, from 19 to 26 April 1920. It was attended by the four Principal Allied Powers of World War I who were represented by the prime ministers of Britain , France and Italy and...
and the establishment of the British Mandate for Palestine, France lost its protectorate over the Holy Land, and the prerogatives of the Consul General were subsequently reduced. Catherine Niraud summarizes the situation as follows: "in early 1924, last vestiges of the protectorate exercised by France for four centuries – and unbroken except for World War I – over the 'Latin' Christians of the former Ottoman Empire disappeared. The era of the privileged French presence in Palestine and more specifically in Jerusalem (...) had come to a close."
Restoring the status quo
Despite the official end of the French protectorate and a lesser role recognized by the ruling authority in Palestine, France was not inclined to diminish its influence in the region. Dominique Trimbur wrote "Paris and its representatives acted as if France still occupied the place of protective power which it had at the time of the Ottoman Empire." France sought to restore its traditional role in Palestine, to protect the Catholic communities. Dominique Trimbur stresses the role of Amédée Outrey, Consul General of France in Jerusalem from 1938 to 194, in restoring the status quo: "for him, it (was) first of all a matter of serving as the arbitrator of the communities and of avoiding absolutely any British interference in their affairs." Through the restoration of buildings (Abbey of Abu Ghosh), maneuvers to have posts of responsibility appointed to French people, and the attribution of medals to the directors of seminars devoted to France, Outrée tried to restore France's historic dominance.Cultural influence
France also sought to extend its influence through the diffusion of French culture throughout Mandatory Palestine. France aspired to open a lycée français, open to all races. However, in a context marked by heightened tensions between the Arab and Jewish communities, ZionistZionism
Zionism is a Jewish political movement that, in its broadest sense, has supported the self-determination of the Jewish people in a sovereign Jewish national homeland. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the Zionist movement continues primarily to advocate on behalf of the Jewish state...
communities strongly opposed the project and it was later abandoned. It was later revised and reborn in 1934 as a French-Hebraic high school, but was never fully utilized as a working institution. Two projects finally came to fruition when Amédée Outrey was Consul General of France in Jerusalem : the French Cultural Center and a chair of French Civilization at Hebrew University
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem ; ; abbreviated HUJI) is Israel's second-oldest university, after the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The Hebrew University has three campuses in Jerusalem and one in Rehovot. The world's largest Jewish studies library is located on its Edmond J...
were both opened during Outrey's mandate.
In a letter sent to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Foreign minister
A Minister of Foreign Affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign state. The foreign minister is often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that of the head of government . It is often granted to the deputy prime minister in...
, the director of the French Cultural Center insisted on its neutrality amidst growing tension in Palestine. He wrote in 1935 :"I have the honor to inform you that in the present state of things, the center remains politically uninvolved. It is so true that it is considered pro-jewish by the Arabs and Germans, pro-Arab by the Jews, as far as the English are concerned, they seem to not care about our label and let us work in peace."
The French Cultural Center, located on Ben Yehuda Street in the new city of Jerusalem, was equipped with a library, and hosting conferences of French lectures by writers who came to Jerusalem. The establishment of this institution was deemed to be a success. The French cultural center was a major instrument in the diffusion of French culture.
Construction of the new Consulate
From 1843, the successive Consuls began to voice dissatisfaction with their housing conditions in Jerusalem; they found the living situation unhealthy, precarious and cramped. Above all, the housing conditions did not reflect France's prior rank in Palestine. In 1910, thanks to a contribution of Count Michel de Pierredon, France acquired 5054 (m²) of land in the West side of Jerusalem, next to the King David HotelKing David Hotel
The King David Hotel is a 5-star hotel in Jerusalem, Israel. Opened in 1931, the hotel was built with locally quarried pink limestone and was founded by Ezra Mosseri, a wealthy Egyptian Jewish Banker. To this day the hotel remains one of the most prominent and prestigious hotels in Israel, and...
near the Old City. The architect Marcel Favier was then selected to draw the plan of the new building. The Consul General at that time was very involved in the conception of the building as shown in the following excerpt :
"In a letter, sent to his ministry and dated from July 4, 1927, he (the Consul General) suggested to position the main facade of the building facing the walls of the Old City. He established a precise description of the different rooms, as he envisioned the offices on the ground floor having two distinct entrances and waiting rooms so as to strictly separate the public and visitors. The first floor (should) have a loggia and a veranda, a reception hall and private apartments. The upper middle floor (should) be reserved for the servants ; (...) He (also) suggested to use massive stone and to have a terrace roof. As far as the aspect was concerned, he plead for a simple style without decorations."
Construction of the building began towards the end of 1929 and was completed three years later in 1932. The imposing Neo-Renaissance style of the building was aimed at asserting France's prior influence in Palestine, at a time when France was being deprived of its ancient prerogatives by the Mandatory Powers.
The Consul General Amédée Outrey, aware of the role France could play on a cultural level, suggested in a letter sent to the Ministry in June 1938 that concerts of modern French music could be held in "the reception rooms in the Consular residence (that) offer the most pleasant context for artistic expressions.”
The Consulate General : a unique sui generis status
Since the creation of the State of Israel and its recognition by France in 1948, the Consulate General of France in Jerusalem developed a unique sui generisSui generis
Sui generis is a Latin expression, literally meaning of its own kind/genus or unique in its characteristics. The expression is often used in analytic philosophy to indicate an idea, an entity, or a reality which cannot be included in a wider concept....
status, as a diplomatic entity attached to the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. The Consulate is responsible for the area of the corpus separatum and the territories that remain disputed. The Consulate’s district includes Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
and the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
. During the Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
ian administration of the West Bank and East-Jerusalem, the Consulate General of France in Jerusalem was not attached to the Embassy of France in Amman
Amman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
. Today it is independent from the Embassy of France in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
and does not have official diplomatic relations with Israel. All contacts with the State of Israel are under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Embassy in Tel Aviv. Since the establishment of the Palestinian Authority in 1994, the Consulate General of France has been the French diplomatic representative to the Palestinian National Authority
Palestinian National Authority
The Palestinian Authority is the administrative organization established to govern parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip...
. France maintains no official ties with Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
but admitted contacts with the ruling party of the Gaza Strip.
As a result of this unique status and of the complex political situation, in a city divided from 1948 to 1967 between Israel and Jordan, the Consul General had to cross Mandelbaum Gate
Mandelbaum Gate
Mandelbaum Gate is a former checkpoint between Israeli and Jordanian sectors of Jerusalem, just north of the western edge of the Old City along the Green Line...
on a daily basis to reach the new premises of the Consulate General situated in East-Jerusalem - first in the French national domain of St Anne's church and later in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. The severance of diplomatic relations with Jordan from 1956 to 1962 made the situation yet more difficult to manage. King Hussein of Jordan
Hussein of Jordan
Hussein bin Talal was the third King of Jordan from the abdication of his father, King Talal, in 1952, until his death. Hussein's rule extended through the Cold War and four decades of Arab-Israeli conflict...
questioned the status of French schools and religious congregations in Jordan, and the political and economic privileges to which they were entitled. He tried to end the duality of foreign diplomatic representation by removing laissez-passer for diplomatic missions.
Since 1967 and the Israeli occupation of East-Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the function of the Consulate General of France has changed. Consulate operations in Jerusalem have been supported but have worsened in the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip, notably since Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip and the imposition of the blockade in 2007.
Diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
s, employees of the Consulate General and French artists have had difficulties in accessing the Gaza Strip, where the French Cultural Center has never ceased its operation. For example, fifteen French diplomats and consular employees were refused entry into the Gaza Strip in July 2009, where they were expected to celebrate the 14th of July.
France's position
The status of the Consulate General of France in Jerusalem is determined by France's position regarding the sovereignty of Jerusalem and the Palestinian Territories. According to the United Nations General AssemblyUnited Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
Resolution 181 on November 29, 1947, "the city of Jerusalem shall be established as a corpus separatum under a special international regime and shall be administered by the United Nations".
France aspired to play a role in the international city of Jerusalem and to uphold its historical rights. Olivier Danino suggests that this concept of corpus separatum aimed to create a special status that would allow the Holy City to escape the control of Israel and the future Palestinian state and would allow France to preserve its historic prevalence in Jerusalem.
France has remained committed to the idea of the internationalization of Jerusalem and has not recognized any unilateral measure. France adopted on November 22, the 1967 United Nations Security Council Resolution 242
United Nations Security Council Resolution 242
United Nations Security Council Resolution 242 was adopted unanimously by the UN Security Council on November 22, 1967, in the aftermath of the Six Day War. It was adopted under Chapter VIof the United Nations Charter...
, calling upon Israel to cancel "all legislative and administrative measures and actions taken (...), including expropriation of land and properties thereon, which tend to change the legal status of Jerusalem” and “to rescind all such measures already taken and to desist forthwith from taking any further action which tend to change the status of Jerusalem”.
An expression of France's attachment to International law
International law
Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
can be found in the speech that President François Mitterrand
François Mitterrand
François Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand was the 21st President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra, serving from 1981 until 1995. He is the longest-serving President of France and, as leader of the Socialist Party, the only figure from the left so far elected President...
made to the Knesset
Knesset
The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
on March 1982. While emphasizing Israel's right to exist inside secure and internationally recognized borders, he called for a homeland for Palestinians
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
, which "for the Palestinians, can at the appropriate time mean a State... Because it is impossible to ask anyone to renounce their identity, nor to speak in their place."
During his visit to the Palestinian Territories in October 1996, a visit organized by the Consulate General of France in Jerusalem, President Jacques Chirac
Jacques Chirac
Jacques René Chirac is a French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. He previously served as Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and from 1986 to 1988 , and as Mayor of Paris from 1977 to 1995.After completing his studies of the DEA's degree at the...
addressed the Palestinian Legislative Council in Ramallah
Ramallah
Ramallah is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank located 10 kilometers north of Jerusalem, adjacent to al-Bireh. It currently serves as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority...
. Indeed, he was the first foreign President to do so. On this occasion, he reiterated the position of France on Jerusalem and the conflict: "The whole world has its eyes on Jerusalem, the thrice Holy City. I can understand the passions it inspires. Its holiness, for the Muslims and the Christians, as for the Jews, cannot be dissociated from its existence as a city. That means that in order to retain its unique identity, its plurality must be preserved. The solution for Jerusalem cannot be solely religious, or solely national. It is necessary that freedom of access for the faithful, all the faithful, be guaranteed everywhere. And any idea of sovereignty, from whatever quarter, must be fitted into the framework of the negotiated compromise planned by the Oslo agreements."
Calling for a negotiated solution to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, President Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
declared in a speech delivered to the Knesset on June 2008 that: "Israel’s security, on which France will never compromise, will be truly assured only when we see alongside her an independent, modern, democratic and viable Palestinian State".
Until a negotiated settlement is reached, the Consulate General of France will maintain the status of a consulate general and the functions of a quasi-embassy.
Consular duties
The Consulate General of France in Jerusalem's activities include protecting the interests of French citizens temporarily or permanently residing in Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, issuing passports, national identity cards and issuing visas to foreigners. The Consulate General of France estimates that the French community of Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip comprised 30,000 people in 2010. Of these, 10,000 were not registered at the Consulate General. The registered nationals at this Consulate general were mostly dual nationals, i.e. French-Israelis or French-Palestinians. The community was relatively young and comprised a large majority of French-Israelis. In 1996, the registered community was estimated at almost 9,000 people. The percentage of French-Israelis reached 95%, a majority of whom were originally from MoroccoMorocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
and Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
. They lived in Jerusalem and for some of them in Israeli settlement
Israeli settlement
An Israeli settlement is a Jewish civilian community built on land that was captured by Israel from Jordan, Egypt, and Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War and is considered occupied territory by the international community. Such settlements currently exist in the West Bank...
s in the occupied Palestinian territories
Palestinian territories
The Palestinian territories comprise the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, the region is today recognized by three-quarters of the world's countries as the State of Palestine or simply Palestine, although this status is not recognized by the...
. The French-Palestinians were estimated at 1.5%. French members of Christian communities were estimated at 2%, while they constituted the majority of nationals in the early years of the history of the French Consulate in Jerusalem.
Regarding the visa application process, the access to the Consulate has become difficult for the Palestinians living in the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip, as they now need a permit to enter Jerusalem. As a remedy, the Consulate collects visa applications through the French Cultural Center in Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
.
Religious duties
Liturgical honorsAlthough France's protectorate over the Christians has ceased, France continues to enjoy honorable privileges. Tangible proof of its historic dominance is the liturgical honors rendered to the representatives of France in Jerusalem.
Catherine Nicault writes: "In terms of duties, France's representatives, the Ambassador in Constantinople and after 1843, the Consul General was obligated to assist the Latins in their disputes with or appeals to the Ottoman Authorities. (...) But the price paid for these efforts was rewarded since the representatives of France ruled over the Catholic clientele and during religious ceremonies held in the Holy Land, in particular in the Saint Sepulchre, were given carefully codified liturgical honors which made them the most eminent foreign dignitaries in Jerusalem."
Since 1843, the Consuls General of France in Jerusalem have been granted liturgical honors. The solemn entry ceremony, codified in a treaty signed by Aristide Briand, Minister of Foreign Affaires and Mgr Luigi Maglione, Apolistic Nuncio on December 4, 1926, has remained the same since then. A press release of the Consulate General of France in Jerusalem describes the latest solemn ceremony as follows:
The procession started at Jaffa Gate where the Consul General (Frederic Desagneaux) was hosted by the Franciscans of the Custody who accompanied him to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. There, the Consul General greeted the superiors of the Greek, Franciscan and Armenian convents, guardians of the Holy Place, before going to the shrine where the gospel of the resurrection according to Saint Mark was proclaimed. The CustosCustosCustos is the Latin word for guard. It occurs in titles such as* Custos rotulorum, keeper of the rolls* Custos * Custos...
of the Holy Land, Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa, made a speech welcoming the Consul General and recalling the prominent role incumbent upon France in the region. After the ceremony, the procession proceeded on foot, through Via DolorosaVia DolorosaThe Via Dolorosa is a street, in two parts, within the Old City of Jerusalem, held to be the path that Jesus walked, carrying his cross, on the way to his crucifixion. The current route has been established since the 18th century, replacing various earlier versions...
in the Old City, towards Saint Anne Church, a national domain entrusted to the White Fathers. After being welcomed by Father Thomas Maier, superior of the White FathersWhite FathersThe missionary society known as "White Fathers" , after their dress, is a Roman Catholic Society of Apostolic Life founded in 1868 by the first Archbishop of Algiers, later Cardinal Lavigerie, as the Missionaries of Our Lady of Africa of Algeria, and is also now known as the Society of the...
, the Consul General reiterated the commitment of France to bear its responsibilities in the region, particularly in Jerusalem, on behalf of the spirit of peace and tolerance. The solemnity ended with the hymn Te DeumTe DeumThe Te Deum is an early Christian hymn of praise. The title is taken from its opening Latin words, Te Deum laudamus, rendered literally as "Thee, O God, we praise"....
sung by the brothers and sisters of the Abbey of Abu GhoshAbu GhoshAbu Ghosh is an Israeli Arab town in Israel, located west of Jerusalem on the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem highway. It is situated 610–720 meters above sea level. In 2010, it set the Guinness World Record for largest dish of hummus...
.
Protection of religious communities
France has lost its protectorate over the Holy Places, but continues to protect religious institutions, in virtue of the agreements of Mytilene (1901) and Constantinople (1913). According to an agreement reached by France and Israel in 1948 (so-called Chauvel-Fisher letters), the rights and privileges entitled to French institutions should be maintained.
52 institutions fall under the jurisdiction of the Consulate General of France in Jerusalem: hospitals, free health centers, hospices, orphanages, research institutes, seminaries, high schools and religious congregations. This comprises 600 monks and nuns, the majority of whom live in the district of Jerusalem. In addition to a legal and administrative support, these institutions benefit from subsidies from the Consulate General. Additionally, the religious communities that receive the protection of the Consulate General administer France's national domains. There are four national domains that fall under the jurisdiction of the Consulate General and that are administered by French religious communities: Saint Anne Church, Abbey of Abu Ghosh, Church of the Eleona and the Tombs of the Kings, constitutes French enclaves in the Holy Land.
Political duties
In addition to being the diplomatic representation to the Palestinian Authority, the Consul General is also the representative of France to UNRWA, the United Nation’s Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East.Before the creation of the Palestinian Authority in 1994, the Consulate Consulate had established cooperation with Palestinian NGOs, in the fields of education, culture, economics and finance, and health and humanitarian aid.
When Yasser Arafat
Yasser Arafat
Mohammed Yasser Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf Arafat al-Qudwa al-Husseini , popularly known as Yasser Arafat or by his kunya Abu Ammar , was a Palestinian leader and a Laureate of the Nobel Prize. He was Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization , President of the Palestinian National Authority...
moved to Gaza City in July 1994, the Consulate General established official political ties with the Palestinian administration.
France's declared objective is to support "the creation of a viable, independent, democratic Palestinian state living in peace and security alongside Israel." To help achieve this objective, France strongly supports the peace process. France also supports an easing of the Gaza blockade, stating that it will serve the interest of all parties concerned in the conflict.
France also supports the establishment of the institutions of the future Palestinian State, in line with the spirit of the Paris International Donor’s Conference, that France had initiated to provide financial support for the construction of the future state of Palestine. France contributes significantly to financially support the budget of the Palestinian Authority. According to a press release from the Consulate General: "The Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority Salam Fayyad and the Consul General of France in Jerusalem Frederic Desagneaux signed on June 21, 2010 an agreement on a financial support of 23 million Euros by the French government to the budget of the Palestinian Authority for the year 2010." According to the French-Palestinian framework partnership document signed in Paris in December 2009, France will allocate 68 million Euros annually over a period of three years. French aid to the Palestinian Territories (200 million Euros over three years) will be devoted to support the water sector, urban infrastructure, municipal development and the private and health sectors.
France's cooperation in the Palestinian territories
The Consulate General has a significant policy of cooperation in the Palestinian Territories in multiple fields: education, culture, economy and finance, health and humanitarian aid.The Consulate General has developed a large network of cultural centers in Jerusalem and in the Palestinian Territories. In addition to the French Cultural Center established in West-Jerusalem in the early 20th century, there are now four other cultural centers in: East-Jerusalem, Ramallah, Nablus and Gaza. They promote cultural exchange through lectures, art exhibition and musical events. They also offer language teaching programs.
The volume of cooperation in the development sector is significant. In 2005, the amount of development aid reached 400,000 Euros. It was multiplied by 4 between 2005 and 2008. The French Development Agency coordinates the implementation of financial aid. Since 2002, the French Development Agency has allocated 11 million Euros to support NGOs in Palestine.
Chronological list of Consuls and Consuls Generals in Jerusalem
Consuls Generals- Frédéric Desagneaux 2009–Present
- Alain Remy 2005–2009
- Régis Koetschet 2002–2005
- Denis Pietton 1999–2002
- Stanislas De Laboulaye 1996–1999
- Jean De Gliniasty 1991–1995
- Gilles D’Humieres 1988–1991
- Jean–Claude Cousseran 1986–1988
- Jean Gueguinou 1982–1986
- Bernard Lopinot 1978–1982
- Pierre Bitard 1975–1978
- Paul Henry 1970–1975
- Christian Fouache D’Halloy 1966–1970
- Lucien Lemoine 1963–1966
- Christian Marcotte De Sainte Marie 1960–1963
- André Favereau 1958–1959
- Marcel Laforge 1955–1957
- Bernard Rochereau De La Sabliere 1952–1954
- René Neuville 1946–1952
- Delegation of Free France from 1941 to 1946
- Guy Du Chaylard 1942–1946
- Henri Zimmermann 1941–1942
- Amédée Outrey 1937–1940
- Jacques D’Aumale 1928–1937
- Alphonse Doire 1926–1928
- Gaston Maugras 1924–1925
- Louis Rais 1919–1924
World War I
- George Gueyraud 1908–1914
- George Outrey 1905–1908
- Auguste Boppe 1902–1904
- Honoré Daumas 1902
- Ernest Auzepy 1898–1901
- Charles Ledoulx 1893–1898
In 1893 The Consulate was elevated to the status of Consulate General.
Consuls
- Charles Ledoulx 1885–1893
- Lucien Monge 1885
- Charles Destrees 1883–1885
- Adrien Langlais 1881–1883
- Salvator Patrimonio 1873–1881
- Ernest Crampon 1871–1873
- Joseph Sienkiewicz, Manager 1 October 1868 To January 31, 1872.
- Edmond De Barrere 1855–1871
- Paul– Emile Botta 1848–1855
- Joseph Helouis–Jorelle
- Edmont Barrère, Manager From 1 December 1844 To December 15, 1845
- Gabriel De Lantivy 1843–1844
From 1776 To 1790, Jerusalem comes under the authority of the "Consul General For Syria And Palestine", In Residence at Seyda.
- Jean De Blacas 1713–1714
- Sébastien De Bremond 1699–1700
From 1694 To 1699, Jerusalem comes under the authority of the "Consul for Palestine, Galilee, Judea And Samaria", In Residence In Syria
- Jean Lempereur 1621–1625