Brussels, 05/11/2003 (Agence Europe) - In a press release, the European Commission announces that it will soon be organising a seminar in Brussels with Jewish organisations in order to try to understand the reasons for the disturbing response to the Eurobarometer survey on the countries which the Europeans consider to be a threat for peace, and which places Israel in the lead (EUROPE of 4 November, p.5, and 5 November, p.4).
Romano Prodi had already held a meeting on Tuesday, during his visit to New York, with very representative groups of the American Jewish community, including the Anti-Defamation League and the World Jewish Congress which, the press release states, greatly appreciated the declaration by the Commission President on the results of the survey. On this occasion, Mr Prodi told the press that the seminar in Brussels should make it possible to analyse what the survey brought to light even beyond the erroneous and tendentious issues and in order to work together to step any further development of this phenomenon (anti-semitism). The seminar should cover relations between European public opinion, Jewish communities, the State of Israel, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Speaking to the press in New York, Romano Prodi also said: "Italy is the only European country where the survey caused polemic".