BRUSSELS (AP) -- The EU trade chief has apologized for blaming Jews and the "Jewish lobby" in Washington for blocking Mideast peace.

Karel de Gucht said Friday in a statement he did not mean to stigmatize Jews and wants to "make it clear that anti-Semitism has no place in today's world."

In an interview this week with Belgian radio, De Gucht blamed the "Jewish lobby" in Washington for hindering the Middle East peace process and said it was hard to have "a rational discussion" with moderate Jews about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

EU spokesman Olivier Bailly says De Gucht's "personal comments ... do not reflect the EU attitude about the Middle East peace process."