The EU or My Two Left Feet

I will continue this post later (as it is now 2am and I have a flight to catch in 6 hours) but I cannot stand the EU's lack of real politic. Stories like this really bother me, as they indicate Europe's lack of understanding on "the rules of the game". On the one hand, the EU is tragically poor at engaging Israel as it insists on shooting off moral-normative banter (e.g. decrying the seperation barrier in the UN GA this summer or France's declaration of Sharon as persona non grata in July) but at the same time the EU believe that negotiation with a self alienated terrorist group will somehow advance their cause.
It is like the classic Krusty the Clown line, "I said the quiet part loud and the loud part quiet." Well at least Mr. Solana departs early next year...