Israel, US, North Korea: ‘threats to world peace’

ISRAEL, the United States and North Korea are the greatest threats to world peace, according to a poll of EU citizens.

The three are even more dangerous than Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan, according to people questioned in the 15 states, including Ireland.

Even the British, who led the Iraq war with the US, see Israel, North Korea and the US as a greater threat than Iraq and Iran.

The telephone opinion survey has infuriated Israel with some senior figures accusing Europe of being anti-Semitic and questioning their role in the Middle East peace process.

The Israeli ambassador to Italy, Ehud Gol, was highly critical of the poll.

“It seems to me that the only aim of this poll was to denigrate Israel at a very delicate time and I think it will be much more difficult for Europe to fulfil its ambition to play a part in the peace process.

“The European Union, which shows sensitivity on human rights issues, would do well to stop the rampant brainwashing against and demonising of Israel before Europe deteriorates once again to dark sections of its past,” said Israel’s Diaspora Affairs Minister Nathan Sharansky.

The opinions of Irish people questioned was not much different from the EU average, although the order was slightly different with 66% seeing North Korea as the most dangerous country, 62% putting Israel next, and 60% placing the US in third position.

They were followed by Afghanistan (55%), Iran and Iraq (54%) and Pakistan (50%).

About 500 were questioned in each of the 15 states and the results were weighted to take into account the population of each country when computing the figures to give an EU average.

The European Commission released some of the survey last week, but held back the questions asking which countries posed a threat to world peace. They denied this was done to avoid embarrassment during the Madrid conference to raise money for Iraq.

The other findings of the poll were that EU citizens believe the US and British military intervention in Iraq was not justified; the United Nations and the provisional government should manage the reconstruction in Iraq; the United Nations should be the guarantor of security in Iraq; EU member states should help finance the rebuilding of Iraq, and give humanitarian aid.

They want more EU involvement in the Middle East peace process.