French President Francois Hollande on Friday referred to a deadly attack on a kosher market in Paris as an "anti-Semitic act" and urged France to remain "implacable" in the face of racism.
Hollande says hostage situation at kosher market in Paris was "an appalling anti-Semitic act." pic.twitter.com/50l0IEkRpQ— Mashable News (@MashableNews) January 9, 2015
His comments came after a gunman identified as Amedy Coulibaly stormed the market in eastern Paris, taking a number of people hostage and killing four people.
In a chilling telephone interview with a reporter from a local television station, Coulibaly reportedly said he had chosen the kosher store because he was "targeting Jews."
Coulibaly was later killed as French security forces raided the market. Authorities were still looking for a woman who had been identified as his wife, Hayat Boumeddiene, by Friday evening.
The Jewish community in France has been targeted in a number of violent attacks recently.
This year in Paris mobs attacked synagogues, synagogues have repeatedly been shot at, there have been anti-semitic rapes, and now hostages.— Ben Judah (@b_judah) January 9, 2015
Tablet Magazine has compiled a list of 25 attacks against France's Jewish community in 2014.
On Friday the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked Hollande by phone to tighten security at Jewish institutions.
"Our hearts are with the families of the victims. Israel offers you any help that France may need," Netanyahu was quoted as saying in the call.