Macron's "historic" move

 In an unprecedented move, French President Emmanuel Macron made a decision to attend the commemoration of the massacre of Algerians at the October 17, 1961 demonstration in Paris, on Saturday, becoming the first French president to participate in such an event, after weeks of tension between Paris and Algeria.

The Elysee said: "This is the first time that a president of a republic participates in the ceremonies commemorating the victims of the October 1961 events in Paris," adding that it is a "historic step in recognizing the facts that occurred on that day."

Historians estimate the number of victims of the repression of the Algerian demonstrations in 1961 at dozens, while the official toll does not speak of more than three deaths.

"This year, we commemorate the 60th anniversary of these tragic events. Emmanuel Macron wants to take new steps in order to recognize the crimes of French colonialism. He will also try to calm the tense French-Algerian relations after his recent statements," journalist Ali Boukhalaf told Al-Hurra.

And Le Monde newspaper quoted French President Emmanuel Macron as saying that the Algerian "political-military regime" had rewrote the history of the French colonization of Algeria on the basis of "France-hatred".

Macron was also quoted as questioning the existence of an Algerian nation before French colonial rule.

At the time, the newspaper "L'Expression" close to the authority said that Macron committed "an unforgivable perversion, which no previous French president committed," according to what AFP quoted the newspaper as saying.

But Nidal Choucair, professor of strategic communication and government relations in Paris, told Al-Hurra that President Macron's participation comes within the framework of his "continued efforts and policy since his election to try to turn a painful and dark page in the history of relations between France and Algeria."

After his comments, Algeria, which gained independence from France in 1962 after a bloody military conflict, accused Macron of interfering in the country's internal affairs.

On the second of this October, it summoned its ambassador to France for consultations after what it described as irresponsible comments attributed to the French president.