Politics

‘All Sorts of Terrible Circumstances’: EU Official Compares School Shooting to Israel’s Actions in Gaza

JERUSALEM (AP/The Blaze) — Israeli leaders on Tuesday denounced the European Union’s top diplomat for linking a deadly shooting attack at a Jewish school in France and Israeli military attacks that kill Palestinian children.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton later said her comments were “grossly distorted.”

At a conference on young Palestinian refugees Monday, Ashton spoke of children killed “in all sorts of terrible circumstances,” including the shooting in Toulouse, France, and events “happening in Gaza.”

Israel’s prime minister, defense minister and foreign minister all denounced the linkage. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that he was incensed by “the parallel between the pinpoint slaughter of children … and the Israeli military’s defensive surgical strikes against terrorists who use children as live shields.”

Gaza militants often operate within residential neighborhoods of the densely populated territory.

In her clarification, Ashton said her remarks referred to “tragedies taking the lives of children and around the world and drew no parallel whatsoever between the circumstances of the Toulouse attack and the situation in Gaza.”

Four people, including three young children, were killed in the attack in France.

Ashton has a famously thorny relationship with France. In 2010, the Independent reported that she was losing an “image war” with French critics:

The initial goodwill towards the 53-year-old appears to be ebbing amid her continuing lack of confidence during foreign policy briefings and ministerial meetings, when she is regularly eclipsed by her more seasoned colleagues. Spain’s Mr Moratinos – whose country currently holds the rotating EU presidency – has reportedly been venting his frustration during visits to Brussels when he has compared her negatively to Javier Solana, the political veteran who held the post of High Representative for a decade. Senior officials within her team complain that she “sticks to generalities”.

Her no-show in Haiti helped to tip what was just a mild undercurrent of consternation into a torrent of hostility. Her argument that “disaster tourism” would detract from vital humanitarian efforts was left looking silly when another senior EU official, Development Commissioner Karel De Gucht, was dispatched to the scene of the disaster. French newspapers seized on her absence, with the left-leaning daily Libération expressing outrage that Lady Ashton had returned to Britain to visit her husband and children on the same day that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Port-au-Prince. “It smacks of amateurism, even incompetence,” the paper wrote. France’s Europe Minister Pierre Lellouche deplored the “current void” left by Ashton. “The world does not wait for us,” he told French reporters. She also left herself open to further attacks over her decision to forgo an international aid conference for Haiti in Canada, leaving the media-savvy French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner to grab the limelight.

But supporters said criticism of what may have been an error of judgement is now degenerating into a personal character assassination. “The French seem to have it in for her. It is open to question how much of this is about her being British and a woman. And they have a huge guilt complex over Haiti anyway, which they might channelling through her. But it is becoming excessive,” said one senior diplomat, referring to a recent French article that alleged that Lady Ashton “switches off her phone after 8pm” and makes off to London every weekend to visit her husband and school-going child, instead of travelling the globe.

So this is hardly Ashton’s first gaffe, nor will it likely help her in whatever “image wars” she’s in now.

Comments (28)

  • babylonvi
    Posted on March 21, 2012 at 3:39pm

    The EU government = NWO Government. This organization is pure evil, followed closely be our own. They virtually ALL voted for the NDAA. Nuff said.

    Report Post » babylonvi  
  • Gary S
    Posted on March 21, 2012 at 7:18am

    With the look on her face, it appeared that someone pooped in her rice crispies

    Report Post »  
  • waspanglosaxon
    Posted on March 21, 2012 at 12:34am

    Apparently, the wanton and indiscriminate murder of children is always “terrorism” unless it’s performed by the Israeli armed forces.

    Report Post » waspanglosaxon  
    • adeleeeee
      Posted on March 21, 2012 at 2:51am

      @WASPANGLOSAXON
      I hate ppl bisect problems, ya, it is easier to the ppl who is lazy to think …
      Ya, blame all the death of Palestinian children in Gaza to Israel, good. The death tolls of Palestinian children in Gaza probably way larger than the number of children die in Toulouse.
      So your logic is based on the quantities of the death tolls of the children? There is a thing call “There is more to you than meets the eye.”
      Get the fact straight! Ignorant ppl is a cancer to this society.

      Report Post » adeleeeee  
    • Walkabout
      Posted on March 21, 2012 at 9:08am

      When a rocket launchers are used in a schoolyard, then there will be civilian casualties.

      However the civilian casualties are on the hands of the Palestinians & not the Israelis.

      Report Post »  
    • berlich
      Posted on March 21, 2012 at 10:26am

      Isreal could wipe out the Palestinians if that were their goal. The fact that they don’t shows a lot. The Israeli’s are under constant threat from countries that want them all dead and are trying to accomplish that end. You cannot negotiate with someone who wants you dead.

      Report Post »  
  • 00gabooga
    Posted on March 20, 2012 at 11:48pm

    Her comments, like her face, were grossly distorted.

    Report Post » 00gabooga  
  • kyrealtor
    Posted on March 20, 2012 at 11:05pm

    EU countries have murdered tens of millions of Jews in the past 1,500 years. Every country and every century has seen a massacre of Jews by Europeens. You want peace with Israel? It’s very simple: stop killing Jews! Stop helping terrorists kill Jews! God promises justice. It is often preceeded by years of patience and mercy, but justice against the Europeen and Arab Jew-killers will come.

    Report Post » kyrealtor  
  • Ivehadenoughtofthisgovenmentcrap
    Posted on March 20, 2012 at 10:53pm

    I’m so tired of the EU the UN and the Obama admin. blaming Israel for Gaza’s problems. Israel turned that land over in great shape so the palastineans could start a fresh. And what did these people do…destroy what the hard working people of Israel started and gave to them for peace. Peace my ass !!! I hope Israel takes it back. God gave the land to the Jews to begin with.

    Report Post » Ivehadenoughtofthisgovenmentcrap  
  • Attila_the_Hunney
    Posted on March 20, 2012 at 10:43pm

    Cathrine Ashton is the type of filth that not too long ago– undressed little children in camps, strapped them to boards, and shoved them into an inferno. Just another day at the office… An embarrassment to the female sex and very hard on the eyes.

    Report Post »  
  • SHOWMESTATEGUY
    Posted on March 20, 2012 at 9:12pm

    The British leftist are the most incompetent leftist in Europe. That’s really saying something considering all the leftist screw ups the Europeans have had to suffer.

    The only leftist’s comparable to the British are our own.

    Report Post »  
  • mdkrause
    Posted on March 20, 2012 at 9:00pm

    I’m glad you at the Blaze saw and reported on this, This is truly disgusting, I went to the EU site and read what she said, she is 100% in the tank for Gaza. This is Israel’s fault for the slaughter inside Syria, the rocket attacks in southern Israel, and of course the murder of the 4 in France. And she puts her opinion of how and what Israel should do and that in hidden political words “ GET OUT” She is one F—up B–ch. I will laugh my ass off as the EU money falls apart.

    Report Post »  
    • Tsoulliho
      Posted on March 21, 2012 at 7:54am

      If only Gaza would stop willingly harboring and supporting terrorists, Israel might finally start treating them more like fellow Human beings rather than dangerous but amazingly well treated prisoners of war!

      Report Post »  
  • jungle J
    Posted on March 20, 2012 at 8:44pm

    she is a liar and a fraud. Only the sane understand.

    Report Post »  
  • vtxphantom
    Posted on March 20, 2012 at 8:13pm

    After obama loses the Nov. election, I’d bet he tries the UN., or even the EU.

    Report Post »  
  • clingingtogodandguns
    Posted on March 20, 2012 at 8:09pm

    Is it me, are do all leftist women look like trolls.I think their so angry they don’t want anyone to be free of happy.Oh yea it’s always the Jews fought,look you trolls, please commit suicide, and do us all a favor.

    Report Post »  
  • Jaycen
    Posted on March 20, 2012 at 8:06pm

    Catherine Ashton seems like an indecisive Progressive Internationalist. It wouldn’t surprise me if she made an off-handed anti-Semetic comment and then refused to take responsibility for it.

    Report Post » Jaycen  
  • justangry
    Posted on March 20, 2012 at 8:03pm

    Hard to call it a gaff when you’re talking about school children. They‘re kids for Pete’s sake!!

    Report Post » justangry  
    • Walkabout
      Posted on March 21, 2012 at 9:14am

      Given her pallor, she looks like a person who would be naturally insipid.

      Report Post »  
  • lukerw
    Posted on March 20, 2012 at 7:55pm

    I would trust an EU Official less than Obama… who I do not trust at all!

    Report Post » lukerw  
  • Mateytwo Barreett
    Posted on March 20, 2012 at 7:51pm

    Meanwhile, back at the story. . Sound to like the EU is trying to overcome the US in not so recently- but certainly accelerated stupidity!! Is `it oneupsmanship or just total disregard for others. Where the he77 do these people come from? I can’t tell if its diarehea iof the mouth or constipation of the brain!

    Report Post » Mateytwo Barreett  
  • mathwonk
    Posted on March 20, 2012 at 7:30pm

    theblaze is a blatant propaganda site for rick santorum. indeed, a story was posted on the site by mytheos holt which was critical of santorum and it was quickly removed. the following is the link to the story that theblaze removed- http://www.theblaze.com/stories/santorum-or-cass-sunstein-government-should-create-incentives-instead-of-being-smaller/.

    Report Post »  
  • MAULEMALL
    Posted on March 20, 2012 at 7:29pm

    How easy they show thier true colors.

    Report Post » MAULEMALL  
    • Walkabout
      Posted on March 21, 2012 at 9:13am

      Ashton is not an evil person because of her actions. She is evil because of her omissions. She looked at the demographic trends of the Muslim world versus the Western one & decided to throw in the towel.

      The woman has no fight in her. She would would go through the motions of living as well as she can & please give her pension to her. She hopes to live out her old age in comfort before the put the Hijab on her.

      The woman looks positively ill. If she is a day under 60, then she has not taken care of her health & I believe that it affects her mental health and judgement.

      Given her pallor & lack of verve, she looks like a person who would be naturally insipid.

      Report Post »  

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