Israeli diplomat's wife snubbed for being Israeli
Wife of Israeli ambassador in Senegal requested not to take part in house party held for organization she vice-chairs after wives of Arab diplomats leave organization in protest of the attendance of an Israeli in the event.
The wife of Israel's Ambassador to Senegal Paul Hirschson, dropped out of a meeting for diplomatic spouses after pressure from wives of Arab diplomats led the hostess of the event and wife of the French ambassador in Senegal to ask her not to attend.
Jeanne Hirschson arrived in Senegal two and a half years ago with her husband and joined the Diplomatic Spouses' Organization, which conducts social activities such as fundraising for charity, site visits and meetings with the Senegalese public, with the support of the wife of the Russian ambassador to Senegal who was its president. In time, she was also appointed vice-president of the club, a position she left about a month ago.
Two weeks ago, Valerie Bigot, the wife of the French ambassador in Senegal and former French ambassador in Israel Christophe Bigot, held a social event for members of the organization in her home and invited Hirschson, who agreed to attend.
The day before the event, however, Hirschson got a phone call from Bigot who retracted the invitation.
"I advise you not to come because it is uncomfortable for many people to have you present. Your presence is problematic. Not everyone loves Israel," Hirschson was told.
Speaking to Ynet, Hirschson said it came as a complete shock.
"The wife of the French ambassador tells the wife of the Israeli ambassador not to attend the event just because she is Israeli. That's how I hear and that's how I understand it," she answered her.
Bigot responded by clarifying her request: "I'm not telling you not to come. I just think that if you come, it will not be pleasant for you. There might be conflicts. There might be people who leave. I am worried that the event will not go smoothly."
Hirschson, appalled, decided she would not attend an event where she was not wanted.
"It is very unpleasant, especially since the wife of the French ambassador was my friend and they served in Israel," Hirschson lamented, stressing she was therefore not angry at her, but felt sorry for her.
She concluded that she will continue her work in the organization until her husband ends his mission in August.
Her husband, though, decided to publicize the incident, chastising those responsible for his wife's humiliating treatment in a series of tweets, crediting Senegal's first lady Marieme Faye Sall, an honorary member of the organization, for objecting to previous attempts to exclude Israel from the organization's events.
Doesn't surprise or even bother that spouses of some Arab ambassadors to Senegal, who don't (yet) have diplomatic relations with Israel, object to the spouse of the Israeli ambassador being at diplomatic spouses' events. https://t.co/WKNBBM4olN
— Paul Hirschson (@paulhirschson) April 10, 2018
"What the French ambassador's wife did was unacceptable. It is not only humiliating, it is not proper—it is contrary to the constitution of the organization. I would understand if such a request came from the Algerians, but when it comes from (the wife of a) European ambassador, it's simply shameful," he told Ynet.
"Because Senegal is a friendly country that is 95 percent Muslim, it is easy for Europeans not to stand up for their principles and abandon Israel, even though my wife was very active in the organization for a year and a half and did a lot."
