The Jewish Lobby revisited

Let's face it, no one really expects a major breakthrough in the latest round of Mid-East peace talks. And some are prepared to speculate as to the reason why. Like Karel de Gucht, for instance: the European Commissioner for Trade, and one of the highest ranking officials at the EU. Here he is on Belgian (Flemish) radio:

One should not underestimate, for instance, the [power] of the Jewish lobby, at Capitol Hill, the American parliament. It is the best organised pressure group there. In other words, one should not underestimate the grip the Jewish lobby has on US politics. Be it with the Democrats or the Republicans, there is little difference.

One should not underestimate the opinion - outside the lobby - of the average Jew who does not live in Israel. There is indeed among most Jews a faith [geloof] - I cannot think of a better way to put it - that they are right. And faith is something difficult to disprove with rational argumentation. It doesn't depend on them being religious or not. Even secular Jews [vrijzinnige] share the same faith of being right. It is therefore not easy, even for a moderate Jew, to talk about what's happening in the Middle East. It's a very emotional issue [for them]."

Moshe Kantor, the President of the European Jewish Congress, was not impressed:

Mr Kantor said such comments were part of “a dangerous trend of incitement against Jews and Israel in Europe that needs to be stamped out immediately.

"Once again we hear outrageous antisemitism from a senior European official."

He added: "The libel of Jewish power is apparently acceptable at the highest levels.

"The old antisemitic 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.

A European Commission spokesman said Friday the comments were personal.

"They do not represent the well known position of the European Commission and of the EU Council regarding the Middle East peace process and the resumption of direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians."

Mr De Gucht said in response to the criticism: “I regret that the comments that 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 added "Some of my best friends are Jews.“ "Antisemitism has no place in today’s world.”  

[via Solomonia]

Comments

[Noga]

An official of such highness and savvy speaks of "...the American parliament"? Why would anyone take him seriously after such a bloop?

_________

"And faith is something difficult to disprove with rational argumentation."

It's too ironic. Is he even listening to what he is saying?

Reminds me of this guy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22CGlF7l5MI

[DaninVan]

Would that what he said were true! We of the Ten Tribes persuasion have as many disparate (unfortunately) opinions on Judaism and Israel as is clearly illustrated by daily blog items.
For me, my pro-Israel stance has solidified with exposure to anti-Israel invective, mostly from the US ('celebrities' especially).
Why an EU Trade executive is offering his opinion on this subject needs to be answered.

[Noga]

"Why an EU Trade executive is offering his opinion on this subject needs to be answered."
________

It serves the same purpose as the phrase "Carthago delenda est" did for its reputed author, the Roman statesman Cato the Elder. He always ended his speeches with some variation of this expression even those which had nothing to do with Carthage.

It implies an insistent, relentless repetition of something. A credo, a declaration of jihadist faith. It is also a well known brain washing technique.

BTW, "the attitude of total warfare toward Carthage resulted in the utter destruction of the city at the end of the Third Punic War and the surviving inhabitants were sold into slavery. The modern legend that the city was sown with salt reflects the perceived savagery of destruction." (wiki)

Karel de Gucht will shed no tears of sorrow or repentance if Israel were to meet a similar end.

[Dom]

If you have the stomach for it, here is a letter sent to president-elect Obama from "Teachers against Occupation". It has 900 signatures from other academicians. No one calls this the "Anti-Israel Lobby".

http://www.teachersagainstoccupation.org/home/?p=13

If comparisons with South Africa leave you sick (as well as mention of Jimmy Carter), then here is a nice antidote:

http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/09/what_kind_of_academic_signs_th.html

[Mick H]

I couldn't make it all the way through the letter, but Gottheil's piece is interesting - especially about the women and gender studies signatories.

[DaninVan]

Only slightly off topic:
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.91cc350cfed23f483b23ec44acc183c7.201&show_article=1

Geez, ya think?! Here in Canada CBC takes no back seat to anyone when it comes to blatant bias; especially on the AGW and Palestinian files.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/6308691/CBC-Ombudsman-Admits-Liberal-Bias
http://www.newsrealblog.com/2010/06/08/anti-israel-bias-at-the-cbc-must-be-tuesday/
http://www.honestreporting.com/articles/critiques/Blaming_Israel_for_Abu_Ghraib$.asp
...we now return you to the regularly scheduled broadcast ;)