Brussels, 05/07/2010 (Agence Europe) - The “European Friends of Israel” group (EFI) has just announced that it has become a European lobby in favour of Israel and its economy (EUROPE 10173) and is kicking-off its persuasion campaign. According to a report by Maariv on 1 July, its leaders had a meeting with President Shimon Peres, with whom they discussed “the question of the worsening political climate in Europe with regard to Israel and the increase in the phenomenon of boycotts of products and businesses from Israel, developing throughout Europe”. Maariv also says that this phenomenon is gathering strength and that, “European investment funds are being withdrawn from Israeli companies for “ethical business reasons”, explains the publication (written in Hebrew) in a translation provided by various European Jewish community sites. Ronny Bruckner, “the leader of the lobby, MEPs and senior European businessman, called on President Shimon Peres, to intervene at the European Parliament”. Bruckner also called on the president to step up his action at the EU institutions and to make contact with the small European countries that have recently joined the EU, explains the newspaper. The EFI considers that “the boycott of Israeli exports could affect around 30% of these exports to Europe”. The organisation believes that there is a dangerous trend that aims to impose a total ban on the sale of Israeli products on certain European markets. In declarations reported by various sources, Michelle Goari, the EFI director, indicated that the pro-Israeli lobby had succeeded in countering a call for the new agreement in the aeronautical domain between Israel and the EU not to be ratified. We also learned that it was thanks to the EFI that the agreement was finally approved by a majority of 465 votes against 65.
The EFI is wondering whether it is the right time to submit a proposal to the European Parliament for harmonising standards between Israel and the EU because, given the current hostile atmosphere regarding Israel, it is afraid that it would be difficult to reach a majority of votes in favour of a proposal.
News stories coming out of Israel suggest that there was tension in the government following the “secret meeting” last week between the Israeli minister for trade and industry, Benjamin Ben-Eliezer (Labour), and the Turkish foreign affairs Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, when they attempted to reduce the increasing deterioration between the two countries, which have until now been allies. Since then, there has been confirmation that this meeting did indeed take place. The problem arose because the prime minister had not warned his foreign affairs minister, Avigdor Lieberman, a key member of the current government coalition. (F.B./transl.fl)