“I am not scared of the threats. I might not be brave but I’m no coward, primarily after my parent’s car was bombed and they received three mail bombs” Arno Klarsfeld is quoted as telling Yediot Achronot.

The issue at hand, the fact that the son of famous Nazi hunters Serge and Beate dared to speak out, to express his support for Israel during Operation Pillar of Defense, words that were found as highly offensive by the French Islamic population. He addressed a pro-Israel rally outside the Israeli Embassy, speaking of Israel’s right to defend herself, to fight against radical Islam.

The younger Klarsfeld, an attorney by profession, knows Israel. He made aliyah a decade ago, served in the border police and today, maintains dual French/Israeli citizenship. Growing up in the home that he did, he is no stranger to threats, but he is equally familiar with standing one’s ground and not backing down in the face of threats, not even threats of personal harm to himself.

His father, Serge, and mother, Beate, have both been highly decorated for bringing Germans and French collaborators to justice. Arno himself has received a medal from French President Sarkozy. Sarkozy appointed him to head France’s immigrant office in 2005, an authority that must deal with illegals in the country, most of whom happen to be Muslims.

“I received threatening telephone calls and SMS text messages. They threatened to throw acid in my face and to place a bomb in my car. They threatened to kill me. The internet is full of scorn and contempt for me and there are calls to get rid of me following my call of support for Israel.”

Klarsfeld is now in New York, and Yediot adds that upon his return to France, he will be assigned body guards as authorities are taking the threats against him seriously.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)