France's newly-appointed ambassador to Israel termed Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon as a "lout" and said Israel was "paranoid" during a recent foreign office cocktail party in the capital of Paris, according to an Israeli daily.
One of the Tel Aviv-based newspaper, Yediot Aharonot's reporters, Boaz Bismut, said he had overhead a conversation between Gerard Araud, who is expected to take up his position next month, and two other veteran diplomats in the gardens of the Quai D'Orsay.
Bismut said he then introduced himself to the incoming ambassador, who told him, "You don't intend to write that," explaining that his remarks were made in the course of a private party.
However, the reporter wrote that he believed that the comments "were sufficiently serious" to warrant their publication. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
