Europeaser Union external affairs commissioner Chris Patten said that Israel is not welcome in the EU:
"What we are trying to do is find ways in which they [Israelis] can share our policies and our markets without sharing our institutions," he said.As one of our Israeli correspondents points out:
Patten's European ancestors callled this a "ghetto"UPDATE: A different Israeli correspondent e-mails:
Patten's remark suits Israelis' desire to share European markets without opening the borders to the free immigration of Europeans. A ghetto works both ways.Such are the feelings of a people with historical experience living under the auspices of Patten-style Europeans. Of course, the decision whether to actually apply to join the EU should be left up to the Israelis to debate amongst themselves. That the Europeasers don't even want them to apply speaks for itself. Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at December 28, 2003 02:17 PM
Several tears ago on c-span, I saw Patten for the first time, at a conference. The topic was whither US-EU relations, or something. I'd never heard of the man, but the look-down-his-nose, sorely tried yet so Mona Lisa smile patient attitude is the living embodiment of the EU diplomat; I hated him on sight, and only later learned how well he deserved it.
I'll stick with Marx (G), who wouldn't want to join a club that would have him as a member.
Posted by: Alene Berk on December 28, 2003 05:34 PMIf Israel joined the EU, would it then have to convert to the Euro? Is this something Israelis would want?!?
And would Israel really want to be subjected to the various rules and regulations churned out by Strasbourg and Brussels?
For that matter, what if Ariel Sharon or another Likudnik were elected, after joining? Would he face the same kind of pressures that were focused on Jorg Haider? (NO, I'm NOT saying that Sharon=Haider, what I am saying is that the EU has a poor record of respecting the election of one whose views do not match their own.)
Posted by: Dean on December 28, 2003 08:31 PMIsrael joining the EU is a braindead idea. The EU is a highly dysfunctional union that will join the Soviet Union on the trash heap of history in a few short years.
Israel should conclude a free trade agreement with the EU. Trade is the only thing of value the EU has to offer Israel. The last thing Israel needs is a pack of unelected anti-semetic bureaucrats dictating policies. Only a transnational socialist simpleton would urge Israel to join the EU.
Posted by: Reid on December 29, 2003 08:00 AMColor me ignorant, but isn't Israel on the wrong ... um ... continent? I can't picture them admitting Iraq, either.
Posted by: Xrlq on December 29, 2003 01:34 PM