Massimo D’Alema, anti-Israel’ Italian politician to become EU Foreign Minister ?

"What strikes me is that the most reasonable sectors of Israeli politics are not adequately supported by the more democratic Jewish world." (Massimo D’Alema)

With candidates like this one, the constant bickering and lack of consensus, no wonder European citizens are disappointed with the whole idea of the European Union ...

Source: article by Yossi Lempkowicz in the EJP

An Italian politician perceived as "anti-Israeli and anti-American" has emerged as frontrunner for the post of future EU Foreign Minister after British David Milliband killed off speculation that he would be interested, saying he prefers to serve for Britain.

Leftist Massimo D’Alema, a former Foreign Minister in the Italian government then led by Romano Prodi, is supported by the group of European Socialists and Social Democrats. But the designation of the new head of the EU foreign policy depends very much on who will become the first President of the European Union, a job created under the Lisbon Treaty, the EU’s reform blueprint which is expected to come into force on December 1. [...]

The current Swedish EU presidency under Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt has called for an emergency summit in Brussels next Thursday to settle the question of the designation of the two posts. Reinfeldt announced that after taking soundings from the other 26 heads of government this week, there was no sign of a consensus. [...] Gordon Brown is said to be still pushing for Tony Blair to be given the job of President but despite Europe’s Social Democrats backing for Massimo D'Alema, it is not clear if the Prime Minister, one of Europe's few Social Democratic Prime Ministers (as Labour party chief), will vote for him. The new eastern European member states are opposed to D'Alema because of his Communist past.

D'Alema, 60, is a member of Italy's main opposition party, the centre-left Democratic Party, but has apparently the backing of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. He was Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister from 2006 to 2008 after Romano Prodi’s center-left coalition, won the elections.

During that time, he was at the center of several polemics with the Italian Jewish community and Israel’s embassy in Rome for his stance and statements on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As Foreign Minister, "he didn’t miss a single occasion to criticize Israel", a Jewish community leader in Rome has said. "On several occasions he stated his position in favour of talks with Hamas and Hezbollah," according to Ricardo Pacifici. In 2007, D’Alema criticized the Jewish community by saying: "What strikes me is that the most reasonable sectors of Israeli politics are not adequately supported by the more democratic Jewish world".

According to The Guardian newspaper, the Israeli embassy in Brussels is understood to have voiced objections to a possible D'Alema appointment as foreign policy chief.