Israel's image in Europe

The London- based al-Hayat daily said in its Sunday's issue that Israel's image as a whole is at the meantime in a phase of re-consideration in the mind of the ordinary European citizen. A reconsideration that not will be long, translated in the European capitals into a political position.

In its Sunday's commentary under the title " the ugly Israeli" the paper said that the image of the " Jew, the victim" has started to quickly loose its credibility in Europe and that the Danish position towards appointing the Israeli ambassador Karmi Geiloun and the Belgian position towards " Sharon" indicate that the European street at the meantime witnesses atmospheres of punishing Israel. In short, it is the ugly Israeli age. An age started in Europe, where Israel is not like in the past, above suspicions.

The paper added without the " Zionist sword " put on the necks of intellectuals, press and even ordinary people, known as anti-Semitism, and without the American element ( US support for Israel ) the feelings of hatred to Israel would have taken more fundamental dimensions.

Al-Hayat indicated that both Denmark and Belgium have broken the barrier of fear of criticizing Israel in the open and that it seems that this phenomenon ( of criticizing Israel) will become Israel's obsession in the current decade. Added to all these is the unanimous position of the European states at Genoa summit that Europe can no more stand " hand- tightened " while the security conditions have been deteriorating in the occupied territories.