Karel De Gucht, the European Commissioner for Trade. Photo: Evstafiev.

A high-ranking European Union politician is in the dock over claims that the “Jewish lobby on Capitol Hill” is strangling hopes for a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. Karel De Gucht, the European Commissioner for Trade, said there were “few reasons to think that there is this time more reason for success” and described the Jewish influence on American policy as “the best organised lobby [in Washington].” European Jewish Congress president Moshe Kantor said the Belgian’s comments were another example of “outrageous anti-Semitism from a senior European official.” The European Commission distanced itself from the remarks. De Gucht insisted he did not intend to offend Jews and added that anti-Semitism had “no place in today’s world.”