EU trade chief apologizes for blaming Jews for blocking Mideast peace
European Jewish Congress demands retraction of Karel De Gucht's remarks in which he warned not to underestimate the Jewish lobby in Washington.
By The Associated PressThe EU's trade chief apologized Friday for blaming Jews and the Jewish lobby in Washington for blocking Mideast peace as the embarrassed EU head office quickly distanced itself from his comments.
Karel De Gucht, 56, said he did not mean to stigmatize Jewish people and stressed in a statement that anti-Semitism has no place in today's world. The remarks in a Thursday radio interview came as the U.S. formally convened the first direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians in nearly two years.
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European Commissioner for Trade, Karel De Gucht on June 30, 2010. |
| Photo by: AP |
The European Jewish Congress, an umbrella group, had demanded a retraction of De Gucht's remarks in which he maintained that Israel frustrates U.S.-led peace efforts and warned not to underestimate the Jewish lobby on Capitol Hill.
"That is the best organized lobby that exists there," the former Belgian foreign minister said in the interview with the Dutch-speaking VRT radio network.
"Don't underestimate the opinion ... of the average Jew outside of Israel," he said. "There is, indeed, a belief, I can hardly describe it differently, among most Jews that they are right. So it is not easy to have a rational discussion with a moderate Jew about what is happening in the Middle East. It is a very emotional issue."
Jewish groups warned that De Gucht's comments were part of a growing wave of anti-Semitism in Europe. Germany's central bank said Thursday it will ask a board member to step down for stereotyping Muslims and Jews. The official, Thilo Sarrazin said in a book published this week that Muslim immigrants in Europe cannot or will not integrate. He also has cited studies he says prove that all Jews share a certain gene - ideas he stressed in recent interviews.
European Commission spokesman Olivier Bailly told reporters" De Gucht made personal comments (that) do not reflect the EU attitude about the Middle East peace process."
Israeli and Palestinian leaders pledged Thursday in Washington in the first round of talks in two years to keep meeting at regular intervals, aiming to nail down a framework for overcoming deep disputes and achieving lasting peace within a year. The eventual aim is the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state beside a secure Israel.
At issue are the borders of an eventual Palestinian state, the political status of Jerusalem, and the fate of Palestinian refugees and security. Another major issue is the Palestinians' demand that Israel freeze all settlement activities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which the Palestinians want to be part of their future state.
De Gucht spoke in a 14-minute interview about the Middle East peace process, citing the isolation of the Gaza Strip and divisions among Palestinians as complicating matters. He also said the talks are overshadowed by the fact that Jewish politics have hardened.
In his Friday apology, De Gucht said he did not mean to cause offense or stigmatize the Jewish Community. "I want to make clear that anti-Semitism has no place in today's world and is fundamentally against our European values."
Moshe Kantor, of the European Jewish Congress called De Gucht's remarks part of a new wave of new anti-Semitism growing in Europe.
"It has somehow become acceptable to attack Jews through Israel, even at the highest levels," said Kantor. "The old anti-Semitic libels of the all-powerful Jewish cabals, the recalcitrant Jew and the irrational Jews only caring for their own, are remade to fit 21st- century hostility to the Jewish State."
The European Commission runs the EU's day-to-day affairs. It has 27 commissioners - one from each EU nation handling a particular area.
Many EU commissioners come to Brussels after careers in national politics, and with some regularity they make political statements that embarrass the EU head office.
This rarely leads to dismissal. In one exception, the entire EU executive resigned in 1999 when the then French commissioner, Edith Cresson, refused to quit after she was found guilty of financial mismanagement and cronyism.
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will his fate be the same as helen thomas?
this guy is getting blamed for telling the truth the jewish lobby in my country is out of control and killing americans in the middle east.
Great, really great! If you don't agree with me, then it is not easy to have a rational discussion with you!
And if you don't agree to Israels expansive politics you are an Anti-Semite, as if our common understanding of pulic international law wouldn't ban any expansion for all folks and all countries.
It goes to show that the EU commission is a dumping place for political losers (with the exception of Durão Barroso); I bet that when FM Amado (Portuguese social foreign minister and anti-Israel activist) finishes his commission he will end up there as well. It is true that a synecdoche is quite trendy: tp speak against Israel when in fact one wishes to bash Jews. Plain stupidity. And to say that anti-Semitism has no place in today's world is the same as saying that racism doesn't exist in today's world - how naïve can one be?
It's an uphill battle, isn't it? De Gucht apologised pretty quickly but I am sure that his colleagues shared his sentiments. The EU leads the campaign to delegitimize Israel by constantly accusing Israel of violating international human rights laws. Is it so surprising to hear that one of their commissioners thinks that the Mideast talks will be blocked by the 'Jews and the Jewish lobby in Washington'? Once again, it's the fault of 'the Jews'. The Arabs are blameless, of course - all they want is peace, you know the kind, real peace - without the Jews. The EU will be happy to help, if they could get away with this.
EU Commissioner of Trade, Karel De Gucht, had it right the first time. It is a bloody shame that he has been forced to apologize. And as to the Jewish lobby on Capitol Hill, if anything Mr. De Gucht understated their influence and control of American foreign policy.
I don't understand why Mr. De Gucht had to apologize. It is no offense to speak the truth, even if those spoken about happen to be insulted. He was right on the mark!
There is no group in the United States that is a greater champion of individual rights, separation of church and state, and equal treatment for all individuals whatever their race or religion the Jewish community. There is no group that was more supportive of the Mosque near ground zero than the Jewish community. In fact the leaders of the mosque worked closely with the JCC. But the ideals of most American Jews do not seem to extend to the treatment of Palestinians in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza Strip. Their emotional ties to Israel trump their devotion to equal rights and freedoms for all whatever their race or religion. With respect to the claim that the Jewish Lobby in the USA is one of the most power lobbies in Washington, how can there be any doubt about this claim? The only modification I would make is that he should have referred to the pro-Israel lobby (composed of Jews and right-wing Christians), not the Jewish Lobby.
AIPAC is listed as one of the most influential lobby organisations in the US. The name means ' Comittee for American-Israel Public Affairs'. Congressmen are under it's constant observation, especially concerning each election concerning decisions about Israel. Who strongly criticize Israel will rather likley face trouble with the lobby, just as Karel de Gucht faces them now. The lobby organisation is no secret club, but apublicly organized, effectivly working organisation. It has a neo-conservative, anti-islamic agenda and like any political, influential group should not be immunized against critics. It is not acceptable to make a tabou about AIPAC and it's influence, but of course, AIPAC does not stands for 'Jews in General', but did Karel de Gucht say anything likewise? AIPAC does contribute meaningful amounts to many election campaigns of American politicians. In former times the catholic church tried to make us to stop thinking and now we are not supposed to see the obvious, that expanding Israel boarders without any legal basis is making one thing totally impossible - peace. But don't worry go on blaming the Palestinians. That's not effective to make a change, but effective to keep your personal peace, otherwise you might be called to be an Anti-Semite, and that's really, really ugly.
Karel De Gucht is part of a rising tide of anti-Semitism in Sweden. In Malmo, the mayor, Ilmar Reepalu, recently blamed anti-Semitic rhetoric and attacks on Jews themselves. (To his credit he later apologized.) But in both cases, these Swedes showed their true colors. I sure hope one of these guys doesn't start accusing Swedish Jews of poisoning the water-wells and causing epidemics.
The apology is unnecessary. There is nothing anti-semitic here. This only gives Kantor the opportunity to whip up the same tired hysteria: "The old anti-Semitic libels of the all-powerful Jewish cabals, the recalcitrant Jew and the irrational Jews only caring for their own, are remade to fit 21st- century hostility to the Jewish State." If we acknowledge that AIPAC controls middle east policy in Washington, if we acknoweldge that they actively promote recalcitrance and irrationality among the Jewish community, we are 'anti-semitic'?!!! Tell me, Kantor, would condemnation of the psychopathic rabbis in the settlements who regularly advocate murdering non-Jews qualify as anti-semitism too? Just another 'blood-libel'? Rubbish!
lobbyists are there to educate, not push a harmful agenda onto other people. We must keep our lobbies ethical, just as we expect others to do the same.
Aipac is funding and promoting Israelian settlements. It's most popular represantatives, such as Malcom Hoenlein collected donations for settlements in the West-Bank.The settlements are illegal and can be considered as a fundamental hint to implement a Palestinian State. Therefore AIPACs influence is in deed rather questionable and it is no secret at all, that it is a very effictlivley and highly influential lobby group. Lobbies first of all promote their very own interest, which can be harmful for superior fields of interest or not. To much lobbying in general can undermine Democracy.
there is a massively powerful jewish lobby in Washington. AIPAC is recognized as the most powerful lobby along side rifles. It's stupid even trying to suggest it's racist to make mention of it.
try reading about the muslim arab lobby and how it courrupts top governemenr figures by giving them lavish post governement jobs .. its sickening to hear the same garbage drum beat about AIPAC .. compared to aarp and the nra, aipac is a joke
the pro-Israel lobby in Washington is a pretty effective one and pretty much controls USA policies in the Middle East. Having said this, the Jews earned it and nobody handed them a blank check. For peace in the Middle East to ever happen, which I doubt it will, the pro-Israel lobby machine in DC has to be dismantled.
Is another EU minister popping off in some anti semitic rant news any more. First we get trash like Catherine Ashton who never has a bad word for a terrorist and especially hamas. She is the #1 defender of resistance thinking, you know thats how terrorists justify shooting rockets at school yards. Now we have this joke, a trade minister who is an expert on lobbyists in america and of course only the jewish lobby which he sees as the root of all evil. In Germany, the EU offical has been repelaced by a Federal Reserve banker but no big deal, they all use the Euro so technically we can include that anti semite in the EU family. Pretty pathetic isn't it. And fashionable too. Look at the response by the head of EU .. as long as De Gucht's remarks are his personal opinions no need to walk them back. And all of this against a backdrop of radical islam threating the foundations of European society. Truth is remarks like De Gucht make no difference any more. We can't stop the anti semitism and it is so firmly ingrained in the European mindset that they won't stop it. All we can do is continue to expose these anti semites for who they are and continue to protect our people and homeland. Let the europeans deal with their muslims populations who hear these kinds of remarks as an excuse for violance. Maybe one day people like De Gucht will smell the coffee. Until then, Never Again.
And Mr. Kantor is a prime example of exactly what De Gucht is talking about. These usual canned responses of "anti-semitism, "targeting Jews" and the rest of it is another example of who is doing the real scapegoating here. The pro-zionist lobby in Washington is powerful and influential, along with a number of other very pwerful lobbies (i.e. pharmaceurticals. It operates in the open and its agnda is well known. They tolerate no criticism as legitimate. See the opposition to the moderat organisation J Street by many of the groups and individuals in the camp De Gucht is referring to. Ask any politican in Washington about the effectiveness of AIPAC on a congresspersons voting record when it comes to Israel. This is a lobby that is well organised, can call on its supporters through a network of Jewish organisations and it is very well funded. To attack the objectively valid statement by De Gucht and use terms like "blodd libel" and the rest of it, as if this fact was a myth perpetrated by the Voelkische Beobachter is absurd, but it is part and parcel of the agenda of the likes of foxman and his European counterpart, Kantor.
In 1995, the Rabin government was negotiating peace with the PLO. The right-wing feared this might come to fruition, so they acted: AIPAC pressured the US Congress to pass the Jerusalem Embassy Act, mandating moving the US embassy to Jerusalem, a city whose fate was to be determined by negotiations with the Palestinians. A nice ploy, opposed by the Israeli government as well as President Clinton. But they were powerless; the House and Senate passed the law by huge margins sufficient to over-ride a Presidential veto. Rather than embarrass himself, Clinton simply did not sign the law, but since then every US president had to sign a waiver every 6 months declaring that the move has to be delayed for national security reasons. Clinton, Bush, and Obama all signed numerous times. They need it like a pain in the neck, but it is a constant reminder that the Jews abroad do not need Israeli permission to undermine the peace process
"There is, indeed, a belief, I can hardly describe it differently, among most Jews that they are right." This man is very ignorant. Do Catholics, Moslems think they are wrong? Should I have a non-emotional discussion with him about the French-Flemish divide in Belgium? How do such morons get jobs? Sarah Palin would not make a remark that stupid
this man missed the enlightenment and forgot about the intercine battles within christendom between the lutheran sect and the othrodoxy in rome....and how the politicians likewise battle even today over who is right...it's as though this Belgian man never ventured into his neighboring Holland to discover the humanism of Erasmus! Send this moron back to school!
He observes that when discussing Israel, his experience has been that most Jews are not open to discussion when Israel is criticised or condemned for its actions.There is almost always a reflexive response. He is not saying that you would not find a very similar phenomenon among the Flemish/French or the Irish nationalists/unionists. And yes, Catholics have brought into question or even condemned their actions at periods in their history. Mulims are more like Jews in this regard, at least the more strident nationalist elements among them, with the difference being the Muslims think their "I'm always right" is divenely based becasue they think the have the perfect thing-Islam. Orthodox or religious/nationalist Jews are identical in their mindset except they don't care about non-Jews having what they think of perfect since what they have was only intended for Jews alone, ie the Land of Israel. There is no discussion about this. It is divinely given and has been destined for Jews and Jews alone. So De Gucht is absolutely correct.
Please show me the people who think they are wrong! Why single out the Jews for thinking they are right? -- except for the fact he dislikes and they inconveniently won't let themselves be sacrificed to the Islamic world.
..."would not make a remark that stupid"--but it wouldn't be for lack of effort.
..."would not make a remark that stupid"--but it wouldn't be for lack of effort.
There is, indeed, a belief among most Flemish that they are right. There is, indeed, a belief among most Vallons that they are right. There is, indeed, a belief of De Gucht that he is right.
too bad helen thomas didn't.