Stunning Ignorance

I don't understand how an ambassador can be this clueless:

The U.S. ambassador to Belgium, Howard Gutman, recently told a conference hosted by the European Jewish Union that Israel is to blame for growing anti-Semitism harbored by people of Muslim faith.

“A distinction should be made between traditional anti-Semitism, which should be condemned and Muslim hatred for Jews, which stems from the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians,” Gutman reportedly said, according to the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth. “He also argued that an Israeli-Palestinian peace treaty will significantly diminish Muslim anti-Semitism.”

At first you think, well at least he's ambassador to Belgium so what could happen; there's some kind of a waffle crisis and he drops the ball? But no, this is also Belgium, home of the EU's headquarters, so our ambassador's stunning ignorance is on display to muckity-mucks from all over Europe.

I really don't doubt that he could be this uninformed through innocent lack of interest in history. But antisemitism on his part could also explain it.

Anyway:



BTW- I'm aware that Gutman is a Jewish name. In fact, Gutman is the son of Polish immigrant and Holocaust survivor Max Gutman. But I stand by my speculation that he could be antisemitic. He could be Jewish like Obama is Christian. My guess: secular humanist.

I'm not sure if his father is still living but if so, Howard might want to ask him what the Jews did to piss off Herr Hitler in the 1930's.