In a series of damming comments on the EUpolitix Web site, Ariel Sharon strongly criticized European anti-Semitic sentiments, which he suggested were inherent on the continent. "What we are facing in Europe is an anti-Semitism that has always existed and it really is not a new phenomenon," Sharon said. "This anti-Semitism exists and what pushes it is a 'collective anti-Semitism’ that incorporates Israel into this equation."

Responding to a recent European Union poll which said some 60 percent of Europeans believe Israel to be the greatest threat to world security, the Israeli prime minister said that surging anti-Semitism across Europe was an attempt to undermine Israel’s right to defend itself against its enemies.

"There are anti-Semites who use the events in Israel and the argument that Israel uses excessive force and through this they are trying to compromise Israel's right to self-defense, thus there is a danger to Jews," Sharon said in the interview. He added that this provided the perfect opportunity for anti-Semites to hide behind.

More EU help required

Sharon believes there is no distinction in Europe between genuine anti-Semitism and a legitimate criticism of Israel’s policies. "We are talking about collective anti-Semitism," the Israeli premier said. "The state of Israel is the Jewish state and the attitude towards Israel runs accordingly."

He stressed the dangers of anti-Semitism and called on European nations to fight it in every way possible. He said he did not think EU governments were currently doing enough to tackle the problem, but reserved some praise for those countries that incorporate the fight against anti-Semitism into their national curriculum. "There is a need to teach, there is a need to explain, there is a need to remember what anti-Semitism caused in the past," Sharon said.

"Danger to Jews"

In his most controversial statements in the interview, Ariel Sharon turned his attention to Europe’s Muslim population, declaring that "an even stronger Muslim presence in Europe is certainly endangering the lives of Jewish people."

As he called on EU nations to do more, he added that the issue had become a political one because of the "huge number of Muslims, approximately 17 million," who live in Europe.

Praise for Italy

However critical of Europe at large, Sharon was full of praise for Italy, which currently holds the rotating EU presidency. He praised Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s government for its loyalty and for fighting the tide of negative opinion in Europe. "Today, during the Italian presidency, we can say that Europe’s policy is balanced," Sharon said.

Italian Deputy Prime Minister Gianfranco Fini, who is currently on a four-day official visit to Israel, yesterday denounced Italy’s Fascist past and involvement in the Holocaust. He also called on Europe to "uproot the weeds of anti-Semitism," which he said were still festering there. The visit is part of a personal mission for Fini, who is determined to cut his National Alliance party’s historical links to Fascism.

Fini was recently reprimanded by EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana for his public defense of a controversial barrier, known as the "security fence," which Israel is constructing inside the West Bank as an aid to "self-defense."

Construction controversy

The huge electronic security fence, which cuts many Palestinians off from social services, employment and even family, has met with sharp criticism among European Union states. It has been deemed a land grab by Palestinians, because it diverges in many places east of Israel's border into occupied territory.

But Israel argues that it is crucial for the protection of its citizens from suicide bomb attacks. In his interview, Sharon had a clear message for Europeans who don’t see eye to eye with his controversial construction plans: "If I am facing the question and the dilemma of whether to absorb European criticism or to add and contribute to the safety of Israeli citizens, I have no problem determining how to act."