Brussels, 03/09/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 3 September, the European Commission distanced itself from comments made by Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht the previous day regarding Israeli policy in the Middle East and the influence of the Jewish lobby on US policy. In response to questions put to him on Flemish public radio (http://www.radio1.be ) on the occasion of the direct talks between Israelis and Palestinians in Washington, De Gucht said he was somewhat sceptical about the chances of reaching a peace agreement between the two parties, not just because of the split in the Palestinian camp between Hamas and Fatah but also because of the “tougher” Israeli position taken by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “who is definitely no dove of peace”. The situation is also complicated by the fact that “Jews - the believers as well as non-believers - all believe they are in the right”, De Gucht said. He went on to add that “it is difficult to combat this belief with rational argument”. “It is not easy to hold a rational conversation even with a moderate Jew” on Israeli policy in the Middle East, he said. “This is a particularly emotional issue” for the Hebrew people, concluded the former Belgian foreign minister, who also felt that the USA is the “only” country able to put any pressure on Israel but that the “Jewish lobby at Capitol Hill must not be under-estimated”. “It is the best organised lobby” operating in Washington with a true hold on the policy of the US administration, whether of Democratic or of Republican leaning, the commissioner said.
Karel De Gucht's straight talking comes in contrast to the more positive declaration published by Catherine Ashton on 2 September as Israeli-Palestinian talks resumed. “I look forward to the accomplishment of the negotiations within one year”, the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy said.
De Gucht's statements were condemned by the European Jewish Congress (EJC), which considers them to be “outrageously anti-Semitic”, and which is calling for an apology. “This is part of a dangerous trend of incitement against Jews and Israel in Europe that needs to be stamped out immediately”, the EJC states.
On Friday 3 September, the Commission spokesman publicly dissociated himself from Karel De Gucht, telling the press that the commissioner's remarks were his “own personal opinion and not that of the Commission”. Later during the afternoon, De Gucht published a written statement in which he says: “I regret that the comments I made have been interpreted in a sense that I did not intend”. “I did not mean in any possible way to cause offence or stigmatise the Jewish community”, he went on, underlining that anti-Semitism is fundamentally opposed to European values. (H.B./transl.jl)