Ursula von der Leyen brought a new mascot to her annual State of the Union address to the European parliament: the Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney.

The leader of a plucky, like-minded liberal democracy, locked in an unsought trade war with its much bigger bully of a neighbour, Carney crossed the Atlantic and attended this flagship event of Europe’s political calendar to demonstrate his country’s shared values and desire to get closer to the EU. He was rewarded with a standing ovation and the first ever offer of an (invented) status of “associate member” of the EU.

The grand-sounding title is more a gesture of political support and reciprocal affection than any sort of binding engagement. The EU doesn’t have associate membership in its founding treaties. It does make association agreements with close countries, some of which eventually join the bloc. It also has partnership, trade and cooperation agreements with more distant friends – it had one with Russia, in happier times.

But using the “m” word in connection with Canada, which fails the geographical test for membership, may create an ambivalent precedent for the many Balkan and eastern European countries that are actually negotiating to join the bloc – and for the UK, which stormed out a decade ago but is now eager to get closer again.

Ukraine railed against any such “associate” status in May, when the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, floated the idea as a stepping stone towards eventual full EU membership. Western Balkan states that have been waiting more than two decades for accession want nothing to do with such a halfway house.

For Canada, though, the honorific title conveys a sense of European solidarity in its struggle with Donald Trump’s US, and a degree of closeness on fundamental values that responds to Carney’s seminal call at Davos in January for an alliance of like-minded “middle powers” to uphold as much as possible of the rules-based international order.

Carney’s presence in Strasbourg, and his applause for EU free trade, tech regulation and defence initiatives, made the EU look more desirable globally than it sometimes appears to angry European electorates tempted to vote for Eurosceptic populists in national elections next year. Von der Leyen must be hoping that a little of the Canadian prime minister’s stardust will rub off on the embattled European integration project, which faces headwinds not only from predatory great powers and hostile big tech but also from recalcitrant governments loth to share power and pool sovereignty in sensitive fields such as defence.

Closer cooperation with Canada and other like-minded powers such as India, Japan, Australia and New Zealand can amplify the EU’s global influence and help build alliances in defence of democracy, open rules-based trade and security of supply for critical raw materials. However, it cannot mitigate the urgent threats that Europe faces from increasingly reckless Russian aggression, nor be a substitute for a vengeful US that under Trump seems hell-bent on disengagement from European security.

Von der Leyen offered three initiatives to address these challenges. She proposed a new EU mechanism, aligned with Nato’s article 4 security consultations, to enable countries to trigger urgent EU consultations if they fall victim to so-called hybrid warfare – cyber-attacks, drone incursions, undersea cable cutting, railway sabotage, energy grid disruption and disinformation campaigns. It was time for a “counter-hybrid playbook”, she said, in which the EU moved beyond just boosting resilience and took a more robust approach to responding to covert warfare.

Whether all member states have the stomach to risk escalation by hitting back at Russia, even if such hybrid attacks start causing casualties, remains to be seen. EU and Nato members that have offensive cyberwarfare capabilities could and should be striking back now to set red lines for Moscow, for instance by putting Russian energy grids or airports out of action as a warning. But these are national measures unlikely to be aired or jointly approved in Nato or EU councils.

European countries have gone beyond sanctions to put Russia’s shadow fleet of rust-bucket oil tankers out of action – impounding them on safety or insurance grounds, as France and the UK have done episodically, and denying them passage through sensitive straits. But each action must be thought through, to achieve a deterrent effect rather than inviting ever bolder defiance by Vladimir Putin that could spiral into a wider war.

Von der Leyen’s other initiative, to be detailed in an updated European security strategy due next month, was to call for a European security council – including Ukraine, the UK and Canada alongside EU powers – to steer the continent’s expanding defence effort. Such a coalition of the willing, as I have advocated, could indeed provide top-level leadership and a crisis-management forum. The challenge will be to give it real levers of power, and avoid it becoming a talking shop.

Von der Leyen’s Canadian caper is welcome because it shows we have friends willing to link their destiny to ours in troubled times. But it is not in itself a solution to the continent’s urgent security problems.

By Paul Taylor is a senior visiting fellow at the European Policy Centre – Theguardian.com

L’article Opening the EU door for Canada is a harmless gesture. But it won’t fix Europe’s security crisis est apparu en premier sur World Opinion | Alternative Média.

The European Union has praised Spain’s « swift response » to the migrant crisis in Ceuta, following a meeting of the bloc’s interior ministers on Tuesday.

Around 72,000 migrants crossed into the Spanish territory in North Africa between 30 and 31 July, Spain’s Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said. He added that an estimated 70,000 have since been returned to Morocco.

At least 75 people died on the Spanish side of the border, while 11 deaths were reported in Morocco.

Tuesday’s meeting was called after several EU members expressed concern over Spain’s handling of the crisis, with Italy describing images from Ceuta as « shocking » and suspending its Schengen agreement with Spain.

Irish Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan, who chaired Tuesday’s meeting, said the EU stood in solidarity with Spain and that migration required « a united European response ».

The meeting had been expected to draw some tension, following earlier criticism of Spain from some EU nations.

On Thursday, Italy’s right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said such « uncontrolled immigration » was a security threat to Europe.

Italy suspended its Schengen zone agreement with Spain on free movement on Friday, but since the two countries do not share a land border, this would only apply, effectively, to flights – which appears simply to mean extra checks for passengers.

The Schengen agreement eliminates border checks and now encompasses more than 450 million people and 29 countries in Europe.

Finland and Denmark backed Italy’s move, while Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš urged a temporary suspension of Spain’s Schengen membership.

Italy, along with Denmark and 20 other nations, later sent a letter expressing their concern over the Ceuta migrant crisis.

In response, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said he had « serious concerns » about some European governments and pointed out that Ceuta was not part of the Schengen area.

While most had shown « support and solidarity », he said other European governments had chosen to attack Spain, « driven by prejudice, fake news, ignorance, or political interest ».

Speaking after the meeting on Tuesday, Grande-Marlaska said the Schengen zone had not been compromised and that he hoped Italy would lift any added controls « as soon as possible ».

Denmark’s immigration minister Morten Bødskov said he was « very satisfied » with Spain’s quick response, but added that the incident showed « it is absolutely crucial that we have control over the EU’s borders ».

Speaking afterwards, EU commissioner Magnus Brunner said the incident had been a « test » of European resilience and border security – which he said it had successfully « passed ».

Brunner added that the EU had offered Spain emergency financial support to strengthen its borders and manage the crisis.

It is unknown exactly what led the tens of thousands of migrants to cross from Morocco into Ceuta in a span of just a few hours last week.

Brunner said it is thought that the influx was fuelled by criminal networks and social media disinformation.

The crossings came after Spain’s Supreme Court ruled that migrants stopped at sea while trying to reach Ceuta or Melilla, another Spanish exclave, cannot be summarily returned to Morocco.

Moroccan authorities later said that it had warned Spain the ruling would cause « a problem », but Spain rejected this claim, with a government spokeswoman saying it had no evidence or intelligence « that alerted us to the magnitude of this unprecedented event ».

Spain’s interior minister said he was working « firmly » with Morocco to avoid further « violations » of Spain’s borders and added that any migrants still in Ceuta would be returned to Morocco as soon as possible.

Images from inside Ceuta on Tuesday showed crowds of migrants gathering near the beach to receive food, water and other aid. Some held makeshift banners with the word ‘asylum’ written on them.

Several people were also pictured sleeping on the beach and on streets across the city.

Concerns have been raised over the treatment of the remaining migrants, in particular of unaccompanied minors, with local media reporting some 800 children being held in facilities across the city.

Grande-Marlaska said the rights of all migrants, especially those underage, were being respected during the crisis, with Spain’s government allocating around 25m euros (£21.4m; $28.8m) to assist minors in Ceuta.

World Opinion + Agencies

L’article EU commends Spain’s ‘swift response’ to Ceuta migrant crisis est apparu en premier sur World Opinion | Alternative Média.

Throughout his two terms in office, Donald Trump hasn’t been shy to criticise – even to attack – Washington’s Nato allies.

But his latest suggestion – that failing to secure the Strait of Hormuz would be « very bad for the future of Nato » – implies an understanding of the alliance’s purpose that has already raised eyebrows.

« Nato was created as a…defensive alliance, » Gen Sir Nick Carter, former Chief of the Defence Staff, told the BBC on Monday.

« It was not an alliance that was designed for one of the allies to go on a war of choice and then oblige everybody else to follow, » he said. « I’m not sure that’s the sort of Nato that any of us wanted to belong to. »

Coming from a president who only two months ago was making strident claims to Greenland, the sovereign territory of a fellow Nato member, there’s more than a little irony in his latest remarks.

This perhaps helps to explain why some responses have been fairly blunt.

In Germany, a government spokesman said the war with Iran « has nothing to do with Nato », while the Defence Minister Boris Pistorius seemed to pour scorn on the idea that Europe’s modest navies could make a difference.

« What does Trump expect from a handful of European frigates that the powerful US navy cannot do? » he asked.

« This is not our war. We have not started it. »

But none of this should hide the fact that there’s now an urgent, and growing, need for a solution to the crisis in the Gulf. Iran’s effective blocking of the Strait of Hormuz – except for a handful of vessels carrying its own oil to allies like India and China – has left western governments scrambling to find a solution.

It may be a crisis triggered by Donald Trump’s decision to go to war, but it’s one that needs to be fixed quickly, before the impacts on the global economy get any worse.

But it’s already clear that there is no quick fix.

At his news conference on Monday, Sir Keir Starmer said conversations aimed at working out a « viable plan » were ongoing with the US, European and Gulf partners, but that we’re « not at the point of decisions yet. »

The prime minister referred to autonomous mine hunting systems which he said were already in the region.

With HMS Middleton, a mine countermeasures vessel (MCMV) back in Portsmouth for major maintenance, this is the first time in decades when no British mine-clearing ship is in the region.

Instead, the Royal Navy is expected to offer newly developed seaborne drones, designed to detect and neutralise mines without putting crews at risk.

But one of the problems Donald Trump is wrestling with is that minesweeping, once a core function of almost all navies, has long since ceased to be a top priority.

Tom Sharpe, a former Royal Navy commander, said the latest British technologies had yet to be tested in combat.

« We’re probably going to find out in the next few weeks whether or not it works, » he told the BBC.

Gen Carter said the last time western nations carried out a major de-mining operation at sea was in 1991, after Iraq mined the waters off Kuwait to prevent an amphibious landing in the first Gulf War.

« It took us fifty-one days to clear the mines », he told the BBC.

« No navy has invested in this at the scale that they should have done, least of all the Americans, » he added.

The US navy’s own Avenger-class specialised minesweepers, built with wooden hulls to avoid triggering magnetic naval mines, are all being withdrawn from service, replaced by Independence-class littoral combat ships which also use a variety of unmanned systems.

But it’s not just about minesweeping. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard is also capable of using armed fast boats, naval « suicide » drones and shore-based missiles to disrupt shipping.

Recent pictures, released by Iran’s Fars News Agency, appeared to show large numbers of boats and drones being stored in underground tunnels, suggesting that Tehran has long been preparing for just such a moment.

President Trump has suggested that keeping the Strait of Hormuz open – which he last night described as « a very small endeavour » – might involve attacks on the Iranian coastline.

He said he was looking for « people who are going to knock out some bad actors that are along the shore. »

The US has already targeted mine-laying boats at berth in Iranian ports, but it’s hard to see many of Washington’s allies being willing to follow suit, especially if this involves putting boots on the ground.

In an environment so full of possible dangers, it’s not surprising that countries are hesitating to get involved, preferring instead to call, as the UK government has, for de-escalation as the surest way of unlocking the Strait of Hormuz.

But with American and Israeli officials talking about a campaign that could last several more weeks, that doesn’t look like an immediate prospect.

In the meantime, could allies be persuaded to send ships to escort merchant vessels through the vital waterway?

« Germany will not participate with its military in securing the Strait of Hormuz, » Pistorius said on Monday.

EU foreign ministers are meeting on Monday, with a proposal to extend an existing EU naval mission in the Red Sea on the table.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas says changing the mandate of Operation Aspides would be the « fastest » for the EU to improve security in the Gulf.

The operation was launched in 2024 to help meet the threats to shipping posed by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.

It’s a modest mission, currently involving just three warships, and there does not appear to be a huge appetite among EU members to expand it. The Spanish and Italian foreign ministers have both expressed doubts.

Germany’s foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, said his government wanted to hear from Israel and the United States « when they believe they will have achieved their military objectives in Iran, » before discussing new security arrangements.

Of the major European allies, France’s Emmanuel Macron is perhaps the keenest to get involved, saying a week ago that he was trying to put together a coalition to escort vessels and guarantee freedom of navigation.

But he said this could only happen once the « hottest phase » of the conflict was over and a few days later, his defence minister, Catherine Vautrin said there were no immediate plans to send vessels into the Strait of Hormuz.

Former Royal Navy Commander Tom Sharpe said a potential escort operation would be much more complex than Operation Aspides, with threats coming from three directions: the air, surface and underwater.

« Unlike with the Houthis, where it was only an air threat, with Iran, you have all three and you want to try and shoot these things before they’re fired, » he said. « That’s not always possible. »

At the moment, President Trump’s somewhat shellshocked allies are hesitating outside the door marked « Iran involvement, » looking nervously at each other but conscious that inaction is not really an option.

Sir Keir Starmer said the solution needed to involve « as many partners as possible », but said British military personnel needed important reassurances before being deployed on a potentially dangerous mission.

« The very least they deserve is to know that they do so on a legal basis and with a proper thought through plan. »

As things stand, that plan does not exist.

World Opinion + Agencies

L’article Wary allies show there’s no quick fix to Trump’s Iran crisis est apparu en premier sur World Opinion | Alternative Média.

An exit poll carried out by polling company Ipsos, and paid for by the BBC, ITV and Sky says Starmer’s Labour Party will win the general election with 410 seats. The final outcome of the election should be clear by early on Friday.

Labour set to win a general election landslide with majority of 170, according to exit poll for the BBC, ITV and Sky

If the forecast is accurate, it means Keir Starmer will become UK prime minister with 410 Labour MPs – 326 seats are needed for a majority#BBCElection live ⬇️

— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) July 4, 2024

Labour is set to win a general election landslide with a majority of 170, according to an exit poll for the BBC, ITV and Sky.

To everyone who has campaigned for Labour in this election, to everyone who voted for us and put their trust in our changed Labour Party – thank you. https://t.co/q6yDNPnAbo

— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) July 4, 2024

If the forecast is accurate, Sir Keir Starmer will become prime minister with 410 Labour MPs – just short of Tony Blair’s 1997 total.

The Conservatives are predicted to slump to 131 MPs, their lowest number ever.

The Liberal Democrats are projected to come third with 61 MPs.

The Scottish National Party will see its number of MPs fall to 10, while Reform UK is forecast to get 13 MPs, according to the exit poll.

The Green Party of England and Wales is predicted to double its number of MPs to two and Plaid Cymru is set to get four MPs. Others are forecast to get 19 seats.

The exit poll, overseen by Sir John Curtice and a team of statisticians, is based on data from voters at about 130 polling stations in England, Scotland and Wales. The poll does not cover Northern Ireland.

At the past five general elections, the exit poll has been accurate to within a range of 1.5 and 7.5 seats.

If the exit poll is correct it will be a remarkable turnaround for the Labour Party, which had its worst post-war election result in 2019.

The Conservatives may avoid the wipe-out predicted by some opinion polls but their predicted result will be a devastating blow for the party after 14 years in government.

The Tory losses are likely to have been inflicted by the resurgent Liberal Democrats and Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, which looks set to win more seats than many polls predicted.

We will have to wait until the early hours, when the bulk of results start rolling in, to see if the exit poll is accurate.

Scotland’s former first minister Nicola Sturgeon said it was « not a good night » for the SNP, which is predicted to lose 38 seats, adding that she believed the prediction would be « broadly right ».

Labour’s predicted landslide would be just short of the 179 majority won by Tony Blair in 1997 and the party may achieve it on a smaller share of the vote than former leader Jeremy Corbyn won in 2017, according to Sir John Curtice.

But it will be seen as a vindication of Sir Keir Starmer’s efforts to change his party and move it back to the centre ground of British politics.

Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner told the BBC Sir Keir had done a « tremendous job » of transforming the the party but added « the exit poll is a poll so we haven’t had any results yet ».

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said: « It looks like this will be our best result for a generation. »

The Conservatives are on course for their worst election since 1906, when they got 156 seats.

Rishi Sunak had insisted he could still win right to the end despite failing to make a dent in Labour’s commanding opinion poll lead over the six-week campaign.

Conservative Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride told BBC Radio 4: « This is a very difficult moment for the Conservative Party. »

He says he is « very sorry » that the exit poll is projecting that a number of his colleagues will lose their seats. On keeping his own seat, he says « we will have to wait and see ».

On Wednesday – the day before the election – Mr Stride made headlines when he admitted he thought it was likely there would be a massive Labour majority, effectively conceding defeat.

Not an ‘existential catastrophe’ for the Conservatives

Tim Bale, a politics professor at Queen Mary University, says that while Labour’s predicted win was “very impressive,” the ruling Conservative party also did better than earlier opinion polls suggested.

“The Conservatives haven’t done quite as badly, it has to be said, as some of the polls during the campaign suggested. Some even suggested that it would go under 100 seats, it looks as if they’re going to pick up about 131…[but] it is a disaster for the Conservative Party but not an existential catastrophe,” Bale told Al Jazeera.

“I think they will be able to build back from this, how it will take for them to do this, however, is the big question”.

Bale added that the party has been in “chaos” since the Brexit referendum in 2016.

“None of the benefits the Conservatives so promised that would come about through Brexit have really materialised. So, I really couldn’t catch a nation if you like of circumstances which has led to this very, very bad result,” he said.

World Opinions + Agencies

L’article UK general election 2024: Exit poll points to Labour victory est apparu en premier sur World Opinion | Alternative Média.

Tensions are rising in France, home to one of Europe’s largest Muslim minorities, ahead of the snap election run-off.

Fatimata, a 22-year-old French Muslim woman, suddenly feels as though many of her compatriots are against her very being.

On Sunday, the far right led the first round of parliamentary elections and while it’s not yet clear if Marine Le Pen’s National Rally movement will form a majority after the July 7 run-off, many of France’s six million Muslims are, like Fatimata, paralysed with fear.

“I am feeling betrayed by France. Knowing that 10.6 million people voted for a party promoting the ban of the veil in the public space is hurtful,” she told Al Jazeera.

She represents the kind of French citizen that Le Pen’s party has long demonised.

She wears the hijab, she was born to foreign parents – Mauritanian and Senegalese, and she was raised in one of the banlieues, the impoverished suburbs circling Paris that are home to many immigrant and ethnic minority communities. She’s also a dual citizen.

Le Pen has called for the hijab to be banned in public spaces while Jordan Bardella, her protege who could become France’s next prime minister, has called the veil a “tool of discrimination”. He has railed against the populous banlieue north of Paris that he grew up in – Seine-Saint-Denis – and promised to ban dual nationals from some “the most strategic” state jobs if his party seizes power.

“I’ve experienced to the core the feeling of becoming a foreigner in one’s own country. I’ve experienced the Islamisation of my neighbourhood,” 28-year-old Bardella said in June.

Fatimata, a student, hails from Stains, a commune within Seine-Saint-Denis. It is possible that as a child, she may have walked past Bardella at a market or sat across from him in a cafe.

“I received French nationality when I was 13, and I can’t help to think that somewhere in my banlieue, there is a 13-year-old girl just like I was who won’t be able to achieve things because the first party in France is now the National Rally,” she said.

‘Compromising my future’

President Emmanuel Macron called the snap polls after suffering a humiliating defeat at the hands of the far right in the recent European Parliament elections. But his risky gamble has backfired.

While National Rally secured about a third of Sunday’s vote with 33.15 percent, the New Popular Front, a left-wing alliance, came second with 28.14 percent. Macron was left red-faced again, as his centrist alliance scored just 20.76 percent. Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets since to rally against the far right.

Elias, a 27-year-old who works in marketing, said many Muslims are considering emigrating from France if the National Rally ends up governing – a trend which has already taken hold among some professionals.

Earlier this year, the authors of a study titled La France, tu l’aimes mais tu la quittes (France, loving it but leaving it), conducted a survey of more than 1,000 people, interviewing 140 at length. They cited a “brain drain” of French Muslims quitting the country for jobs abroad because of the “harmful effects of Islamophobia”.

While a “valid” reaction to discrimination or the rise of the far right, Elias said he feels “torn”.

“If we all leave, who will continue to resist? I think it is important to stay, at least for the future generations,” said Elias, who has Algerian ancestry.

“What’s also making me very worried is the potential increase of police violence. There will probably be a surge of racial profiling and of violence, because the officers will feel protected and supported by the National Rally.

“I am scared for my little brother, who is 15 years old and who had his first police check when he was only 13.”

For Tiziri Messaoudene, an 18-year-old student of Algerian descent, it is Bardella’s position on dual nationals that is most frightening.

During a pre-election speech, Bardella justified his stance by evoking Russia’s war on Ukraine, saying, “Can anyone imagine a Franco-Russian working at the armed forces ministry today?”

“The National Rally is saying that dual-nationality holders will not be allowed to work in ‘strategic positions in the state’. This is compromising my future in this country. I am studying political science and would like to work in public affairs, so if this bill passes, would I have studied for nothing?” Tiziri said.

In Carpentras, Tiziri’s hometown in southern France, the National Rally scored 53.51 percent on Sunday.

National Rally was previously known as the National Front, the party founded in 1972 by Marine Le Pen’s father, Jean-Marie Le Pen. The movement has attempted to soften the hard-right image cultivated by Le Pen senior, who was known for, and convicted of, racist hate speech.

Rim-Sarah Alouane, a French legal expert, said it would be “theoretically impossible” for the National Rally to carry out some of its aims.

“The bill on the ban on the veil in the public space would infringe on the laïcité (secularism) principle, while the bill on the dual-nationality holders would infringe on the principle of equality between the citizens,” Alouane told Al Jazeera.

“Nevertheless, the National Rally is a political party like no other, which means that it could do exceptional things if it comes to power.

“So in theory, those bills are against the Constitution. But in practice, we will have to see if the supreme institutions of the country will play their roles as counterweights.”

She believes that a “long process of normalisation” lies behind the far right’s success.

Under Macron’s government, controversial bills such as the abaya ban, the so-called separatism law and recent measures on immigration have rocked marginalised groups.

“It’s an important thing to remember,” said Tiziri. “Even under Macron, we lived in a nauseating Islamophobic and racist climate, where scapegoats were the Muslims and the people from foreign origin.”

According to Benjamin Tainturier, a doctoral student at Sciences Po Paris who researches far-right discourse in the media, the National Rally’s rise can be linked to the “demonisation of the radical left”, especially of Jean-Luc Melenchon’s France Unbowed party, as well as shifting theories on racism.

“After 15 years, the National Rally has succeeded in changing the definition of what racism is, through replacing a colonial and essentialist racism by a more subtle form,” he told Al Jazeera.

Macron’s Renaissance party also “stigmatised its left-wing opponents, by using the same demonising tactics that were used against the far-right before”, he said.

While campaigning, centrist politicians adopted the slogan “Ni RN, ni LFI” (Neither National Rally, nor France Unbowed).

Looking ahead, Tainturier shares Elias’s concern that police-led discrimination could surge if the far right dominates the parliament.

“If the ruling power conveys the idea that it is acceptable to discriminate against people according to their origins, it could legitimise police violence and thus increase it,” he warned.

Meanwhile, Macron, who faces the prospect of awkwardly cohabiting with a far-right premier, is urging voters to get behind the centre, ominously warning of “civil war” if the hard right – or left – triumphs.

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA

L’article Elections. France’s Muslims fear for their futures as Le Pen’s far right party surges est apparu en premier sur World Opinion | Alternative Média.

The leaders of Norway, Ireland and Spain have said their countries will formally recognise Palestine as a state next week for the sake of “peace in the Middle East“, prompting Israel to immediately recall its envoys.

The three European countries will formally enact recognition on May 28 despite Israel’s warnings of the consequences.

Spain and Ireland said the decision was not against Israel nor in favour of Hamas, but rather in support of peace.

Israel reacted angrily, warning the move would mean more instability in the region and recalling its ambassadors to all three countries.

Both Hamas and its rival, the Palestinian Authority, have welcomed the recognition.

Norway was first to make its announcement Wednesday in a move co-ordinated with the other two countries.

Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said in an address that the move was « in support of moderate forces that are on a retreating front in a protracted and cruel conflict ».

« This is an investment in the only solution that can bring lasting peace in the Middle East, » he added, referring to the so-called two-state solution which would see an Israeli and a Palestinian state existing peacefully next to each other.

Ireland and Spain followed suit soon after.

« Today, we state clearly our unambiguous support for the equal right to security, dignity, and self-determination for the Palestinian and Israeli peoples, » Irish Foreign Minister Micheál Martin said.

The country’s Prime Minister Simon Harris later stressed that « Hamas is not the Palestinian people ».

« Today’s decision to recognise Palestine is taken to help create a peaceful future, » he said.

Mr Harris’s comments were echoed by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who said the move was « not against Israel, is not against the Jews ».

« It is not in favour of Hamas which is something that has been said. This recognition is not against anyone, it is in favour of peace and coexistence. »

Israel reacted to the announcements with fury. Foreign Minister Israel Katz said he was ordering the immediate return of the Israeli ambassadors to all three countries for « consultations ».

« Israel will not go over this in silence – there will be other serious consequences, » he said.

Mr Katz also said that the three countries’ ambassadors in Israel will be summoned for « reprimand talks », during which they will be shown a video of the abduction of female Israeli soldiers on 7 October.

Hamas, which controls Gaza and is currently at war with Israel, said Wednesday’s announcements would be a « turning point in the international position on the Palestinian issue ».

In a statement to AFP, Bassem Naim, a senior Hamas figure, said the « brave resistance » of the Palestinian people was behind the move.

Hamas’s rival, the Palestinian Authority (PA) – which controls parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank – said Norway, Spain and Ireland had demonstrated their « unwavering commitment » to « delivering the long overdue justice to the Palestinian people ».

Also on Wednesday, the Israeli military approved the return of Israeli citizens to the sites of three settlements in the occupied West Bank, which they had been banned from entering since 2005.

Israel’s parliament had voted to allow its citizens to return in March last year, but military permission was needed for the bill to be enforced.

Most of the international community considers the settlements illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this.

The issue of Palestinian statehood has vexed the international community for decades.

Since the 7 October attacks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has doubled down on his opposition to such a plan, saying the creation of a Palestinian state would compromise Israel’s security.

Israel’s foreign ministry said in a post on social media on Tuesday that recognising a Palestinian state would lead to more « terrorism, instability in the region and jeopardise any prospects for peace ».

About 1,200 people were killed in the unprecedented attacks on 7 October, when Hamas gunmen burst into Israel. They took 252 others back to Gaza as hostages.

Since then, more than 35,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Israel’s Gaza offensive, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

Most of the world already recognises the state of Palestine. Earlier this month, 143 of the 193 members of the United Nations General Assembly voted in favour of it joining the UN, something only states can do.

Before Wednesday’s announcements, only nine European countries supported Palestinian statehood and most of those took the decision in 1988 when they were part of the Soviet bloc.

Most other European countries, and the US, still believe recognition should come only as part of a long-term two-state solution to the conflict.

A White House spokesperson said US President Joe Biden was a « strong supporter » of the two-state solution, and believed « a Palestinian state should be realised through direct negotiations, not through unilateral recognition ».

Slovenia and Malta have also said recently that they were considering a formal recognition.

Norway’s prime minister also said on Wednesday that he hoped the recognition of Palestinian statehood by the three countries would bring renewed momentum to the peace talks.

Long-running negotiations in Cairo aimed at securing a truce and further hostage releases are currently stalled.

Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate. Earlier this week, the UN said food distribution in the southern Gaza city of Rafah had been suspended due to a lack of supplies and insecurity.

The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) recently applied for arrest warrants for Mr Netanyahu and Hamas’s leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, for war crimes. Both Israel and Hamas have condemned the move.

Israel says an offensive in Rafah is needed to eliminate Hamas but the international community has warned against it, saying it will greatly exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

World Opinions – Agencies

L’article Ireland, Norway and Spain to recognise Palestinian state.. Video est apparu en premier sur World Opinion | Alternative Média.

Europe and the US need each other and are « stronger together », the secretary-general of Nato has said.

Jens Stoltenberg was speaking at a ceremony marking the alliance’s 75th anniversary.

While the US provided Europe with security, he said it also needed the militaries, intelligence and diplomatic leverage of its European allies.

« I don’t believe in America alone just as I don’t believe in Europe alone, » Mr Stoltenberg said.

« I believe in America and Europe together in Nato, because we are stronger and safer together. »

The Nato chief’s remarks came as the alliance considered a €100bn (£86bn) five-year fund to provide long-term military support for Ukraine, so aid to Kyiv is not jeopardised by political changes either in the US or other Nato states.

A US package worth $60bn (£47bn) has been stalled in Congress for months because of resistance from Republican lawmakers, as well as Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who has spoken of ending the war « in one day ».

During his speech, Mr Stoltenberg said Nato must be « doing something right », as it had grown from 12 countries at its inception to 32. Its newest members Sweden and Finland abandoned their neutrality and joined the alliance as a result of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in response to the speech that relations between Russia and Nato had « slid to the level of direct confrontation » as the alliance was already « involved » in the conflict around Ukraine.

The Nato chief’s remarks came as the alliance considered a €100bn (£86bn) five-year fund to provide long-term military support for Ukraine, so aid to Kyiv is not jeopardised by political changes either in the US or other Nato states.

A US package worth $60bn (£47bn) has been stalled in Congress for months because of resistance from Republican lawmakers, as well as Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who has spoken of ending the war « in one day ».

During his speech, Mr Stoltenberg said Nato must be « doing something right », as it had grown from 12 countries at its inception to 32. Its newest members Sweden and Finland abandoned their neutrality and joined the alliance as a result of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in response to the speech that relations between Russia and Nato had « slid to the level of direct confrontation » as the alliance was already « involved » in the conflict around Ukraine.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters support for Ukraine within the alliance is « rock solid » and that he believes Ukraine will eventually become a member of Nato, Reuters reported.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told reporters at Nato headquarters that while he did not want to « spoil [Nato]’s birthday party », his country needed help in improving its air defences – specifically Patriot missiles.

« Saving Ukrainian lives, saving the Ukrainian economy and saving Ukrainian cities depends on the availability of Patriots and other air defence systems, » Mr Kuleba said.

Lacking air superiority and faced with formidable Russian defences, Ukraine’s counter-offensive ground to a halt last year and is now at risk of being outgunned on the front line in the east.

The US has given Ukraine more financial aid than any other Nato state- more than $44bn (£34bn) since the 2022 invasion, according to the White House in December. However, its aid has now become caught up in a political row months before the presidential election.

Republican candidate Donald Trump has often criticised the level of spending. He has also long complained that the US has shouldered a greater financial burden than the rest of the alliance.

Fewer than two-thirds of Nato members are on course to reach their 2% funding goal.

Highlighting the importance of Nato’s European allies to the US, Mr Stoltenberg noted it was America’s allies that came to its help after the 9/11 attacks in 2001. That was the only occasion that a key principle of the alliance has been invoked, in which an attack on one ally is seen as an attack on all.

Nato allies closest to Russia have stepped up efforts to boost their armed forces.

Norway is increasing its number of conscripted soldiers, while Denmark says it intends to extend conscription to women and increase the duration of service. Latvia and Sweden recently restarted military service, while Lithuania brought it back after Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.

Norway is increasing the number of conscripted soldiers, while Denmark says it intends to extend conscription to women and increase the duration of service. Latvia and Sweden recently restarted military service, while Lithuania brought it back after Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.

By Laura Gozzi – BBC News

L’article Analysis. Europe and US need each other, Nato chief Stoltenberg says est apparu en premier sur World Opinion | Alternative Média.

Southern Europe will continue to swelter next week as an intense heatwave shows no sign of abating.

Italy, Spain and Greece have been experiencing high temperatures for several days already.

The Italian health ministry issued a red alert for 16 cities including Rome, Bologna and Florence for the weekend.

The heatwave is expected to continue well into next week, with 48C (118.4F) predicted in Sardinia, according to Italian media.

The European record high of 48.8C (119.8F) was recorded in Sicily in August 2021.

The Italian weather service said the island will be at the « epicentre » of next week’s heatwave, which weather forecasters have dubbed Charon, after the ferryman who delivered souls into the underworld in Greek mythology.

Italy’s government has advised anyone in the areas covered by Saturday’s red alerts to avoid direct sunlight between 11:00 and 18:00, and to take particular care of the elderly or vulnerable.

In Rome, tour guide Felicity Hinton, 59, told the BBC the soaring temperatures combined with overcrowding has made it « nightmarish » to navigate the city.

« It’s always hot in Rome but this has just been consistently hot for a lot longer than normal, » she said.

« My tour guide friends and I are extremely stressed out. People have been fainting on tours and there are ambulances outside everywhere. »

Rome resident Elena, 62 told the BBC that she has noticed a « marked change » in summer temperatures since around 2003, and that they have been growing exponentially since.

Meanwhile, Greece has hit temperatures of 40C (104F) or more in recent days. The Acropolis in Athens – the country’s most popular tourist attraction – was closed during the hottest hours of Friday and Saturday to protect visitors.

In Spain, a forest fire on the island of La Palma has forced the evacuation of at least 500 people.

The heatwave is set to extend to the Balkans later next week – although several countries, like Serbia and Hungary, are already experiencing daily temperatures hovering around 35C (95F).

Periods of intense heat occur within natural weather patterns, but globally they are becoming more frequent, more intense and are lasting longer due to global warming.

Last month was the hottest June on record, according to the EU’s climate monitoring service Copernicus.

Extreme weather resulting from warming climate is « unfortunately becoming the new normal », the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has warned.

World Opinions + Agencies

L’article Europe heatwave: No respite in sight for heat-stricken southern Europe est apparu en premier sur World Opinion | Alternative Média.

La commissaire aux droits de l’Homme du Conseil de l’Europe Dunja Mijatovic s’est alarmée vendredi d’un « usage excessif de la force » envers les manifestants contre la réforme des retraites. Elle a appelé la France à respecter le droit de manifester. D’autres voix dénoncent des « violences policières ».

« Des incidents violents ont eu lieu, parmi lesquels certains ont visé les forces de l’ordre », a déclaré la commissaire dans un communiqué. « Mais les actes de violence sporadiques de certains manifestants ou d’autres actes répréhensibles commis par d’autres personnes au cours d’une manifestation ne sauraient justifier l’usage excessif de la force par les agents de l’Etat. Ces actes ne suffisent pas non plus à priver les manifestants pacifiques de la jouissance du droit à la liberté de réunion », a-t-elle poursuivi.

« Il appartient aux autorités de permettre l’exercice effectif de ces libertés, en protégeant les manifestants pacifiques et les journalistes couvrant ces manifestations contre les violences policières et contre les individus violents agissant dans ou en marge des cortèges », a-t-elle insisté.

Violences dénoncées

Ces derniers jours, des syndicats d’avocats et de magistrats ainsi que des politiciens de gauche ont dénoncé des violences policières lors des manifestations contre la réforme des retraites.

L’ONG Reporters sans frontières (RSF) a appelé vendredi le ministre de l’Intérieur Gérald Darmanin à « mettre fin aux violences policières contre les journalistes ».

Propos de Gérald Darmanin contestés

Dunja Mijatovic s’est par ailleurs inquiétée de l’interpellation et du placement en garde à vue de certains manifestants et de personnes se trouvant aux abords des manifestations, s’interrogeant sur « la nécessité et la proportionnalité des mesures dont elles ont fait l’objet ».

Dunja Mijatovic, commissaire aux droits de l’homme du Conseil de l’Europe, en 2021 [Aleksandra Szmigiel – Reuters]

« Le défaut de déclaration d’une manifestation n’est pas suffisant en soi pour justifier une atteinte au droit à la liberté de réunion pacifique des manifestants, ni une sanction pénale infligée aux participants à une telle manifestation », a-t-elle relevé, en référence aux propos de Gérald Darmanin.

Ouvertures d’enquêtes

Le ministre de l’Intérieur avait déclaré mardi que la participation à une « manifestation non déclarée » constitue un « délit » qui « mérite » une interpellation.

Gérald Darmanin a annoncé par ailleurs vendredi l’ouverture de 11 enquêtes judiciaires sur des violences policières présumées depuis une semaine dans le cadre de la mobilisation contre la réforme des retraites.

World Opinions – Agences

L’article Le Conseil de l’Europe s’inquiète de l’usage de la force contre les manifestants en France est apparu en premier sur World Opinion | Alternative Média.

Banks are a special type of organisation. They take deposits and lend these funds to borrowers over long periods. It is pretty remarkable when you think about it. Banks make loans over many years, but you and I can withdraw the savings that banks use to fund the loans instantly.

For banks to operate this franchise model profitably, they essentially rely on two ingredients. First, they need to earn a profit by charging higher interest on long-term loans than they pay on short-term deposits. This model has come under severe strain in recent years. Owing to high inflation now and lower expected inflation in the next few years, many banks currently pay more for deposits and other funds than they earn on long-term loans and other assets. This makes the traditional banking model loss-making and raises questions about what the assets of some banks are worth if they had to be sold now.

Second, trust in the viability of a bank is vital. Banks are inherently unstable due to the mismatch in the duration of loans and deposits. They cannot liquidate their long-term assets quickly enough when many depositors withdraw at once. Even safe banks, with ample liquidity and capital, risk collapse when trust evaporates and depositors withdraw en masse.

It is important to remember that Credit Suisse is subject to more stringent regulations and oversight than other banks. Silicon Valley Bank was compliant with liquidity and capital regulations. In fact, SVB was well capitalised compared with many of its peers. However, when trust in the solvency of a bank goes, its franchise may crumble quickly, and depositors at other banks start worrying about the safety of their deposits.

This is by no means a repeat of the 2008 crisis. Regulations ensured banks, particularly the largest ones, have more capital and therefore greater ability to absorb losses than they did in 2008. Banks have also been stress-tested to withstand quite significant losses in the value of their loan portfolio.

In the US, Biden has assured voters that no taxpayer money would go to at-risk banks, but trust in the system relies on such support

Fortunately, regulators can address trust issues by providing large, potentially limitless, liquidity to solvent banks that have suffered from an erosion of trust. Over the weekend, the Federal Reserve and other US regulators did just that when they acted decisively in providing a large amount of liquidity to US banks.

However, I was less encouraged by the authorities’ insistence that this was not a bailout and that no taxpayers’ money was used. In situations where trust in banking comes under strain, bailouts are needed to prevent much worse and, if designed well, taxpayer money need not be at stake.

Recent events starkly contrast statements made by Mario Draghi about 10 years ago when he was head of the European Central Bank. During the euro crisis, which many feared might cause a breakup of the euro with catastrophic effects on the global financial system, Draghi declared that the central bank “is ready to do whatever it takes” and added “believe me, it will be enough”. His comments are widely credited with having ended the immediate financial crisis.

As this current crisis rattles on, a statement by global regulators that they are ready to do likewise to stem instability would be very welcome. While this will not be the last banking crisis and lessons must be learned, history also tells us that “whatever it takes” will restore trust and stability.

By Jens Hagendorff is professor of finance at King’s College London – Theguardian.com

L’article Analysis. Unlike 2008, Credit Suisse and SBV haven’t been saved by governments. But let’s not make ‘bailout’ a dirty word est apparu en premier sur World Opinion | Alternative Média.