The Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, has used an interview with EUpolitix.com to claim that European leaders are not doing enough to tackle anti-Semitism and that they are biased against Israel.

He says: "The state of Israel cannot afford to deposit its destiny in the hands of the Europeans who are known for their unbalanced policy."

Asked about polls showing that a majority of Europeans regard Israel as a threat to world safety, Sharon says: "What we are facing in Europe is an anti-Semitism that has always existed and it really is not a new phenomenon.

"This anti-Semitism exists and what pushes it is a 'collective anti-Semitism' that incorporates Israel into this equation."