Pullicino Orlando – ‘Israelis culturally European and fit for membership’

Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando has stood fast by his stand against Turkey's accession to the European Union, but believes Israel should be offered EU membership.

The MP, who last week poured cold water over Malta's warm reception of Turkey's chief EU negotiator by declaring he would not vote for Turkish accession, has retained his stand that Israel should become a member of the European Union.

"Comparisons are odious and it would be embarrassing to stay comparing one country with another," he told MaltaToday.

"[But] Israelis are culturally European since they are descendants of people who had emigrated to Israel from Europe during World War II."

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Pullicino Orlando, who said he is considering moving a private members' motion in Parliament for a debate on Turkey's bid for EU membership, had formed part of a delegation of MPs in a conference organised by the European Friends of Israel in 2011, a political initiative which aims to improve the overall relationship between the EU and Israel.

In an opinion piece published a year ago, the Nationalist MP had said he was in favour of an Israeli membership to the EU, arguing that the country's culture was "intertwined with the European culture."

Asked today what he believed constituted a 'European culture', he said a country's "rule of law" was a part of that particular make-up. "On Turkey I stand by what I said. I will not compare the two countries... my arguments on both sides still hold," he said, and added that Israel should have no difficulty in joining the European Union.

Pullicino Orlando also said that it was not fair to describe his arguments as "racists". "If I were a racist, would I suggest for Israel to become a European member?" he said.

Like Israel, many countries of mass migration are arguably European in ethnicity or in cultural outlook, like Australia or even Argentina. Conversely, Israeli citizens like Ethiopian Jews (Beta Israel) form part of an African strand of Hebrews and like Arab Israelis, have no link to the European diaspora.

Pullicino Orlando has previously argued that while Arab citizens in Israel must be given all the opportunities available to other Israeli citizens, "the EU should do its utmost to encourage the rapprochement necessary between the people who populate the strip of land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean."

"We would be in a better position to assist if we were to seriously consider inviting Israel to become a member of our union of European states. We would also, by doing so and facilitating Israel's entry into the EU, be giving a very clear sign to those whose ultimate political aim is the Islamisation not only of the Middle East but of Europe as well."

Pullicino Orlando came under fire from Turkey's chief EU negotiator Egemen Bagis who described his comments against Turkish membership as "childish and foolish".

The MP replied that even the "European People's Party, Angela Merkel and 70% of German citizens, Nicolas Sarkozy and 75% of French citizens are also against Turkey being accepted as a member of the EU for the same reasons I have put forward.

"If I'm 'childish and foolish', I'm in good company. Turkey's chief EU negotiator has an uphill battle due to his country's abysmal human rights record, notwithstanding the fact it has been a member of the Council of Europe since 1949. I wouldn't waste my time on puerile name-calling if I were in his position."