European Commissioner for Trade Karel De Gucht said Friday he regrets that the comments he made on the Jews "have been interpreted in a sense that I did not intend."
In a “personal statement” issued by the European Commission, De Gucht said: "I gave an interview yesterday to the Flemish radio. I was also asked about the Middle East peace talks. I gave my personal point of view. I regret that the comments that I made have been interpreted in a sense that I did not intend.”
He added: “I did not mean in any possible way to cause offense or stigmatise 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."
Earlier, a spokesman for the European Commission in Brussels said De Gucht's remarks are "personal comments"
"The comments 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," he said.
In the interview, Karel De Gucht, one of the most senior officials in the European Union, expressed his skepticism about the Washington talks, spoke about the power and influence of the Jewish lobby in the US and insinuated that Jews whether religious or secular are irrational when it comes to Israel and the Middle East.