France in flames, the real story
The article analyzes the wave of protests in France and challenges the Israeli narrative that views it as a 'Muslim revolt'. It argues that the protests stem from educational conditions, the cost of living, and the erosion of public services, with participants including students, workers, and trade unions. The article cites reports from Le Monde and academic studies on social disparities and a rigid education system.
The article examines the wave of protests in France and offers an alternative interpretation to the one prevalent in the Israeli public, which sees it as a 'Muslim revolt'. According to the article, the current protests grew around school conditions and connected to the struggle against the cost of living and the erosion of public services. Participants include students, workers, trade unions, and members of the Yellow Vests movement. The article cites a report in Le Monde on the October 17 protests, which distinguished between a large crowd that protested peacefully and groups that acted violently. Prof. Eric Bleisch explains the frequency of protests in France as stemming from a tradition of uprising, concentration of governmental power, and strong trade unions. Historian Moshik Temkin argues that when institutions do not allow political influence, pressure moves to the streets, as exemplified by Macron's pension reform. The article describes the French education system as rigid and hierarchical, citing PISA 2022 data on large gaps in mathematics between students from affluent and disadvantaged families. A 2021 IPP study found that candidates with names suggesting North African origin are 31.5% less likely to receive a response from an employer. The article emphasizes that the violence in the streets is severe, but presenting the events as a Muslim revolt replaces fact-finding with a racist story.