(NEWS) 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.

The 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."