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☆ Responding to Pope, NATO Boss Says Ukraine Needs Weapons, Not White Flags
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( March | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - NATO boss Jens Stoltenberg made clear on Monday that he disagreed with Pope Francis’s comments that Ukraine should have the "courage of the white flag" and negotiate an end to the war triggered by Russia’s invasion. Asked about the pope’s remarks, the secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization told Reuters: "If we want a negotiated peaceful lasting solution, the way to get there is to provide military support to Ukraine." In an interview at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Stoltenberg said "what happens around a negotiating table is inextricably linked to the strength on the battlefield". Asked if his reaction meant now was not the time to talk about a white flag, Stoltenberg said: "It's not the time to talk about surrender by the Ukrainians. The Latest Photos From Ukraine View All 96 Images(Reporting by Andrew Gray; Editing by GV De Clercq)Photos You Should See View All 60 Images

Persons: Jens Stoltenberg, Pope Francis’s, Stoltenberg, Andrew Gray Organizations: NATO, Atlantic Treaty Organization, Reuters, GV De Locations: BRUSSELS, Ukraine, Brussels

☆ Trump Comments Show Europe Must Spend More on Defence, Latvia Says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

Trump sparked fierce criticism from top Western officials for saying that, as U.S. president, he had told an unnamed leader he would not protect countries that failed to meet NATO defence spending targets, and would even encourage Russia to attack them. "Many presidents have been saying for many years that in Europe, we - being a generally wealthy society - should invest more in our own defence," Karins said as he walked between events at the annual Munich Security Conference on Friday. Karins said part of Europe's response should be to continue to spend more on defence - a trend fuelled by Russia's seizure of Crimea in 2014 and full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Karins said Europe would still need the structures and coordination provided by the U.S.-led North Atlantic Treaty Organization for its forces to operate effectively together, as Europe was not a country with a single army. "We will still need NATO to help coordinate us."

Persons: Andrew Gray MUNICH, Donald Trump's, Krisjanis Karins, Trump, Karins, Andrew Gray, Jan Harvey Organizations: NATO, Latvian, Baltic, Reuters, Security, Treaty Organization Locations: Russia, U.S, Europe, Crimea, Ukraine

☆ Belgian PM Backs EU Bonds to Boost Defence Spending
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

By Andrew GrayBRUSSELS (Reuters) - Joint European Union borrowing could help fund higher defence spending but governments would still have to make tough political choices to sustain it, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said. To succeed, proponents will need to convince those traditionally sceptical of EU joint borrowing such as Germany, the Netherlands and Nordic nations. European defence spending has been on an upward curve since Russia first invaded Ukraine and seized Crimea in 2014. NATO said on Wednesday it expected defence spending by its European members would grow by $33 billion this year to $380 billion. Last year, NATO estimated Belgium would spend 1.13 % of GDP on defence in 2023, second lowest among NATO members.

Persons: Andrew Gray BRUSSELS, Alexander De Croo, Donald Trump, Kaja Kallas, Emmanuel Macron, Charles Michel, De Croo, Croo, Thierry Breton, Andrew Gray, John Irish, Alex Richardson Organizations: European Union, Belgian, NATO, Estonian, European, Reuters, Munich Security Conference, Nordic, European Defence Fund, EU Locations: European, Ukraine, Munich, Germany, Netherlands, EU, Russia, Crimea, Belgium, Europe, France, Paris

☆ Prague, Budapest Hold up EU Move to Sanction Violent Israeli Settlers
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in December he would propose similar measures. The EU has not spelled out what the sanctions would entail but officials have said they would include bans on travel to the EU. The EU has already imposed sanctions on Hamas following the Oct. 7 attacks and diplomats say more are in the pipeline. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Wednesday now was "definitely not the time" to sanction Israeli settlers, state news agency MTI reported. (Additonal reporting by Jan Lopatka in Prague and Boldizsar Gyori in Budapest; Editing by Nick Macfie)

Persons: Andrew Gray, John Irish, Josep Borrell, Israel, Peter Szijjarto, MTI, Jan Lipavsky, Jan Lopatka, Boldizsar, Nick Macfie Organizations: West Bank, West Bank ., EU Locations: John Irish BRUSSELS, PARIS, EU, Hungary, Czech Republic, Israel, Palestinian, Gaza, United States, Britain, Budapest, Czech, France, Prague

☆ EU Diplomat Says Defunding U.N. Palestinian Agency Would Be Dangerous
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-04 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

A string of countries, including the United States, Britain and Italy, have paused funding to the aid agency, which has opened an investigation into several of its thousands of employees and severed ties with those people. "Defunding UNRWA would be both disproportionate and dangerous," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell wrote in a blog post. Borrell said neither the European Commission, nor the EU's two biggest economies, Germany or France, had decided to end their contributions. In 2022, the EU was the third biggest donor to UNRWA, after the United States and Germany. "The lives of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, not only in Gaza, are at stake," Borrell said.

Persons: Kate Abnett BRUSSELS, Josep Borrell, Borrell, Kate Abnett, Andrew Gray, Sharon Singleton Organizations: UNRWA, European Commission, West Bank, UN Locations: Israel, United States, Britain, Italy, Gaza, EU, Germany, France

☆ U.S. Launches Retaliatory Strikes in Iraq, Syria; Nearly 40 Reported Killed
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +5 min

The White House said the United States had informed Iraq ahead of strikes. Baghdad later accused the United States of deception, saying a U.S. claim of coordination with the Iraqi authorities was "unfounded". The Syrian foreign ministry said the United States was fuelling conflict in the region in a "very dangerous way". The United States has assessed that the drone that killed the three soldiers and wounded more than 40 other people in Jordan was made by Iran, U.S. officials have told Reuters. Iranian advisers assist armed groups in both Iraq, where the United States has around 2,500 troops, and Syria, where it has 900.

Persons: Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, Timour Azhari, Joe Biden's, Nasser Kanaani, Rami Abdulrahman, General Douglas Sims, Biden, Lloyd Austin, Austin, Ebrahim Raisi, Radek Sikorski, Jordan, Roger Wicker, Enas Alashray, Adam Makary, Andrew Gray, Sabine Siebold, Tom Perry, Frances Kerry Organizations: United, Revolutionary Guard, U.S, Syrian, Human Rights, Joint Staff, Pentagon, U.S . Defense, Reuters, Republican, Senate Armed Services Committee Locations: Timour Azhari WASHINGTON, BAGHDAD, United States, Iraq, Syria, U.S, Iran, Israel, Gaza, Tehran, Lebanon, Yemen, Iraqi, Baghdad, Washington, Britain, Polish, Brussels, Al, Jordan

☆ EU Leaders to Pledge Continued Military Support to Ukraine at Summit - Draft Text
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union leaders will restate their determination to continue to provide "timely, predictable and sustainable military support" to Ukraine at a summit on Thursday, according to draft conclusions of the meeting. "The European Council also reiterates the urgent need to accelerate the delivery of ammunition and missiles," the draft text, seen by Reuters, also says. The draft summit conclusions leave open whether the leaders will also pledge to put another 5 billion euros for Ukraine aid into a fund called the European Peace Facility, which has been used to bankroll donations of weapons to Kyiv. EU members have been wrangling for months over the future of the fund's role in military aid to Ukraine, with Germany suggesting the focus should now be on bilateral aid from individual EU countries. The idea of pledging a further 5 billion euros is included in the draft text in square brackets - indicating it is still a matter of discussion.

Persons: Andrew Gray Organizations: Union, European, Reuters, Peace, EU, GV De Locations: BRUSSELS, Ukraine, Kyiv, Germany, Brussels, Hungary

☆ EU's Centre-Right Expects to Nominate Von Der Leyen for Second Term - EPP's Caspary
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

BERLIN (Reuters) - The European Union's main centre-right alliance will nominate Ursula von der Leyen for a second term as European Commission president at a congress in March if she wants to continue in the post, a senior EU lawmaker told Reuters. Von der Leyen, a German Christian Democrat, has not yet said publicly whether she wants a second stint at the helm of the EU executive after her current term expires later this year. "The EPP will nominate Ursula von der Leyen as its lead candidate for the European elections at its European Congress on March 6 and 7," Caspary said, adding, "If that's what she wants." Being nominated as the EPP's lead candidate would mean von der Leyen would also be its nominee for Commission president. Caspary's comments add strength to the widespread assumption among diplomats and officials in Brussels that von der Leyen will seek and receive a second term as Commission president.

Persons: Ursula von der Leyen, Von der, Daniel Caspary, Caspary, Leyen, der Leyen, Andreas Rinke, Andrew Gray, Nette Nöstlinger, Rachel More Organizations: BERLIN, Reuters, Christian Democrat, European People's Party, EPP Locations: Brussels

☆ Israeli, Palestinian Ministers to Attend Meeting Where EU Will Push for Peace
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-21 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Andrew GrayBRUSSELS (Reuters) - The Israeli and Palestinian foreign ministers are to meet their European Union counterparts on Monday as the EU considers potential steps toward a comprehensive peace between the two sides even as the war in Gaza rages on. Israel's Israel Katz and Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki will take part separately in a regular meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels largely devoted to the Middle East but also taking stock of the war in Ukraine. But both parties would be consulted at every step of the talks as delegates sought to draw up a peace plan, the document suggests. The internal document, seen by multiple news organisations including Reuters, makes clear one key goal of a peace plan should be the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, "living side by side with Israel in peace and security". EU officials acknowledge Israeli officials and diplomats currently display no interest in the so-called two-state solution but insist it is the only option for long-term peace.

Persons: Andrew Gray BRUSSELS, Israel's Israel Katz, Riyad al, Maliki, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Joe Biden, Andrew Gray, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: European Union, EU, Palestinian, League of Arab, Hamas, League of, United Nations, Reuters, U.S Locations: Gaza, Brussels, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Palestinian, EU, League of Arab, United States, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary

☆ EU Targets Six People Under New Hamas Sanctions Scheme
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union on Friday imposed asset freezes and travel bans on six people it said were linked to Hamas, under a new sanctions regime targeting the Palestinian militant group. The EU already listed Hamas as a terrorist organisation but moved to create a legal framework focused on the group after its deadly attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7. The Council listed those sanctioned as Sudan-based financier Abdelbasit Hamza Elhassan Mohamed Khair, Nabil Chouman, the former's son Khaled Chouman, senior Hamas financier Rida Ali Khamis, senior Hamas operative Musa Dudin and Algeria-based financier Aiman Ahmad Al Duwaik. "The new sanctions framework shall apply until 19 January 2025. A senior EU official earlier on Friday said the first batch of sanctioned individuals was linked to providing funds to the group.

Persons: Abdelbasit Hamza Elhassan Mohamed Khair, Nabil Chouman, Khaled Chouman, Rida Ali Khamis, Musa Dudin, Aiman Ahmad Al Duwaik, Josep Borrell, Benjamin Netanyahu, Tassilo Hummel, Sudip Kar, Gupta, Andrew Gray Organizations: European Union, EU, of, Hamas, U.S . Treasury Locations: BRUSSELS, Israel, Gaza, Sudan, Algeria, United States, Turkey, Saudi Arabia

☆ EU to Issue Firm Words at China Summit With Limited Expectations
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Dec. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Top EU officials will raise an array of concerns from Russia's invasion of Ukraine to trade irritants in a summit with Chinese leaders on Thursday that is expected to be long on firm words, but short on outcomes. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in the morning and Premier Li Qiang in the afternoon on their one-day visit to Beijing. There will be no joint statement from Thursday's talks, EU officials said, and they do not expect concrete outcomes from the first in-person EU-China summit since 2019. The European Union will also have questions on Chinese intentions towards Taiwan, but its focus will be on Russia's invasion of Ukraine. EU officials say the two sides could cooperate more on action to combat climate change and to promote biodiversity.

Persons: Ursula von der Leyen, Charles Michel, Josep Borrell, Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Thursday's, Joe Biden, Philip Blenkinsop, Andrew Gray, Laurie Chen, Grant McCool Organizations: European, U.S, The European, European Union Locations: BRUSSELS, Ukraine, EU, Beijing, China, California, Taiwan, Russia, North Korea, Brussels

☆ OSCE Meeting Causes Rift Over Whether to Share Stage With Russia's Lavrov
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

The United States and its allies are seeking to simultaneously keep the OSCE alive and hold Russia to account over its invasion of Ukraine. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna told reporters at a meeting with his counterparts from other NATO member states. Estonia had been due to take over the annually rotating OSCE chairmanship but Russia spent months blocking it. A last-minute deal for neutral Malta to take over the chairmanship must also be formally approved at Thursday and Friday's OSCE meeting in Skopje, hosted by the current chair North Macedonia. I think that is simply wrong," Latvian Foreign Minister Krisjanis Karins told reporters at the NATO meeting.

Persons: Andrew Gray, Francois Murphy, Ingrid Melander, Russia's Sergei Lavrov, Margus Tsahkna, Lavrov, Tsahkna, OSCE Michael Carpenter, Antony Blinken, Vladimir Putin, Helga Schmid, Krisjanis Karins, Humeyra Pamuk, William Maclean Organizations: Organization, Security, Cooperation, OSCE, Central Asia, Ukrainian Foreign, AS, United, U.S, Macedonian, United Nations General Assembly, NATO Locations: Ingrid Melander BRUSSELS, VIENNA, Baltic, Ukraine, Russia, Balkans, Central, United States, Estonian, Estonia, Malta, Skopje, Macedonia, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Moscow, West, New York, Latvian

[1/3] Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov disembarks from a plane upon his arrival at an airport ahead of a meeting of foreign ministers of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Skopje, North Macedonia, November 30, 2023. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna told reporters on Wednesday in Brussels where he attended a NATO meeting. The European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said he understood unease about Lavrov attending the meeting in Skopje, North Macedonia. But he said it was a chance for Lavrov to hear broad condemnation of Russia's war in Ukraine. I think that is simply wrong," said Latvian Foreign Minister Krisjanis Karins.

Persons: Sergei Lavrov disembarks, Russia's Sergei Lavrov, Margus Tsahkna, Lavrov, Josep Borrell, Borrell, Dimitar Kovacevski, OSCE Michael Carpenter, Antony Blinken, Helga Schmid, Krisjanis Karins, Humeyra Pamuk, Aleksandar Vasovic, Ronald Popeski, Francois Murphy, William Maclean, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Organisation for Security, Cooperation, Russian Foreign Ministry, REUTERS Acquire, Organization for Security, Baltic, OSCE, Soviet, NATO, Tass, Russian, North Macedonia's, Kremlin, AS, Ukraine, United, U.S, United Nations General Assembly, Thomson Locations: Europe, Skopje, North Macedonia, BRUSSELS, VIENNA, Ukraine, U.S, Russia, Estonian, Brussels, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, Belarus, United States, Moscow, West, New York, Latvian

[1/2] U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken disembarks from his airplane upon arrival at Brussels Airport in Brussels, Belgium, on November 27, 2023, as he travels to a NATO foreign ministers' meeting. "We've always said that this is a matter for Ukraine to decide," O'Brien said. At a press conference in Brussels on Monday, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said he expected alliance foreign ministers to "reaffirm NATO’s long-term support" for Ukraine. Turkey has informed NATO that its parliament will not complete ratification of the bid ahead of the meetings, sources told Reuters last week. Blinken will also represent the United States at a meeting of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe in Skopje, North Macedonia, this week, O'Brien said.

Persons: Antony Blinken disembarks, SAUL LOEB, Antony Blinken, James O'Brien, Blinken, we've, O'Brien, Biden, We've, Jens Stoltenberg, O, Brien, Stoltenberg, Simon Lewis, Daphne Psaledakis, Andrew Gray, Lisa Shumaker, Chizu Nomiyama, Deepa Babington Organizations: Brussels, NATO, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Ukraine, State Department, Biden, State, Eurasian, U.S . Congress, Germany's, Reuters, Washington, Organization for Security, Thomson Locations: Brussels, Belgium, Russia, Europe, Gaza, Israel, Washington, Ukraine, United States, Taiwan, Germany, Kyiv, Moscow, Belgian, Turkey, Hungary, U.S, Western Balkans, Kosovo, Skopje, North Macedonia

☆ Finland plans more measures to stop asylum surge from Russia border
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Anne Kauranen | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Finnish Border Guards escort migrants arriving at the Raja-Jooseppi international border crossing station in Inari, Finland, November 25, 2023. Some 900 asylum seekers from nations including Afghanistan, Kenya, Morocco, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria and Yemen have entered Finland from Russia in November, an increase from less than one per day previously, according to the Finnish Border Guard. Finland blames a change in Russian border protocol for the increase and calls this a hybrid attack. Finland infuriated Russia when it joined NATO in April, ending decades of military non-alignment, due to the war in Ukraine. If this continues, more measures will be announced in the near future," Prime Minister Petteri Orpo told a press conference.

Persons: Korhonen, Petteri Orpo, Ulf Kristersson, Orpo, Jens Stoltenberg, " Stoltenberg, Anne Kauranen, Anna Ringstrom, Andrew Gray, Louise Rasmussen, Terje Solsvik, Alison Williams Organizations: Finnish Border Guards, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Finnish Border Guard, Kremlin, NATO, Border Guard, Swedish, Frontex, Monday, European Union, Thomson Locations: Inari, Finland, Russia, Moscow, Afghanistan, Kenya, Morocco, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, United States, Ukraine, Sweden, EU, Brussels, Finland's, NATO, East, Africa, Belarus, Poland, Minsk, Helsinki, Stockholm

☆ Spain denounces 'indiscriminate' Gaza deaths, angering Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit meets with Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Belgium's Prime Minister Alexander De Croo to discuss the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Cairo, Egypt November 24, 2023. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also weighed in, saying the two European leaders had failed to spotlight what he called crimes against humanity committed by Palestinian militants of Hamas. Hamas fighters burst into Israel from Gaza on Oct. 7 in an attack Israel says killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians. Israel has bombarded Gaza and sent in troops and tanks in retaliation, killing about 14,000 Gazans, around 40% of them children, according to Palestinian health authorities. On Thursday, Sanchez met Netanyahu and Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Israel Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank.

Persons: Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Pedro Sanchez, Alexander De Croo, Mohamed Abdel, Sanchez, Eli Cohen, De, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Netanyahu's, Jose Manuel Albares, Albares, Isaac Herzog, Mahmoud Abbas, Inti Landauro, Ari Rabinovitch, Andrew Gray, Emma Pinedo, Charlie Devereux, William Maclean, Grant McCool Organizations: Arab League, Spain's, Belgium's, Hamas, REUTERS, Spanish, Belgian, Israel's, Palestinian, West Bank, Thomson Locations: Israel, Cairo, Egypt, Gaza, Rafah, Spain, Belgium, Spanish, Hamas, Ramallah, Belgian, Madrid, Jerusalem, Brussels

He said the EU had to show "more empathy" for the loss of Palestinian civilian lives in Israel's war against Hamas, launched in response to the deadly Oct. 7 cross-border assault by the Palestinian militant group. On the trip, which ended on Monday evening, Borrell heard Arab leaders and Palestinian civil society activists complain that the 27-nation EU was not applying the same standards to Israel's war in Gaza that it applies to Russia's war in Ukraine. EUROPE STRUGGLESAs High Representative for foreign policy, Borrell is charged with crafting common positions among EU members. It has largely limited itself to support for Israel's right to defend itself within international law and calls for pauses in fighting. Borrell, a veteran Spanish Socialist politician, last month declared that some of Israel's actions contravened international law - to the annoyance of some EU member countries.

Persons: Josep Borrell, Defence Margarita Robles, Isabel Infantes, Kibbutz Be'eri, Borrell, Israel's, Andrew Gray, John Irish, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: EU, Representative, Foreign Affairs, Defence, REUTERS, Palestinian, European Union, Ukraine, Hamas, Reuters, West Bank, United Nations, Spanish Socialist, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: Toledo, Spain, Ukraine, BRUSSELS, Israel, Gaza, Palestinian, Kibbutz, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, EU, United States, East, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Ireland, Belgium, France, Spanish

Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani attends a joint press conference with French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna (not pictured) at the Amiri Diwan, in Doha, Qatar November 5, 2023. It followed a report in the Washington Post published on Saturday that said a deal for the release of 50 hostages had been agreed. "The challenges facing the agreement are just practical and logistical," Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said at a joint press conference with European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell in Doha. "The deal is going through ups and downs from time to time throughout the last few weeks. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said no deal had been reached yet.

Persons: Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Catherine Colonna, Amiri, Imad Creidi, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman, Thani, Josep Borrell, Benjamin Netanyahu, Sheikh Mohammed, Andrew Gray, Aziz El Yaakoubi, Emelia Sithole, Hugh Lawson Organizations: Qatar's, French, REUTERS, Rights DOHA, Hamas, Washington Post, White House, Reuters, Qatari, European Union, Washington, Thomson Locations: Doha, Qatar, Palestinian, Israel, United States, Gaza

There's a lot of military people here, I just don't understand how this objective can be realised," Ayman Safadi said at the annual IISS Manama Dialogue security conference in Bahrain. Israel vowed to wipe out Hamas since its deadly Oct. 7 cross-border rampage into nearby Israeli communities. And we need to end that today, not tomorrow," said Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan. "Hamas cannot be in control of Gaza any longer," Borrell told the Manama Dialogue, an annual conference on foreign and security policy. The PA is deeply unpopular among Palestinians, perceived largely as a corrupt security subcontractor for Israel, and Israel is now under a hardline religious-nationalist government.

Persons: Ayman Safadi, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Brett McGurk, Joe Biden's, Prince Turki al, Faisal, Josep Borrell, Borrell, Mahmoud Abbas, Abbas, Fatah, Anwar Gargash, Enas Alashray, Michael Georgy, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: UAE, Hamas, Saudi Foreign, Israel, WHO, United Nations, Palestinian Authority, West Bank, European Union, West Bank ., United Arab Emirates, Thomson Locations: Israel, Gaza Gaza, Bahrain, Gaza, MANAMA, Palestinian, Manama, Gaza City, Regional, Saudi Arabia, GAZA, Saudi, U.S, UAE, Cairo

☆ Jordan minister doubts Israel can wipe out Hamas
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( Alexander Cornwell | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi attends a joint press conference with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken (not pictured) and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry (not pictured), in Amman, Jordan November 4, 2023. REUTERS/Alaa Al Sukhni/FIle Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMANAMA, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Jordan's foreign minister said on Saturday that he did not understand how Israel's goal of obliterating the Palestinian militant group Hamas it is fighting in Gaza could be achieved. "Israel says it wants to wipe out Hamas. We'll do whatever it takes to stop it" said Safadi at the IISS Manama Dialogue security summit in Bahrain. The Israel-Hamas war has reawakened long-standing fears in Jordan, home to a large population of Palestinian refugees and their descendants.

Persons: Ayman Safadi, Antony Blinken, Sameh Shoukry, Al Sukhni, Jordan, Alexander Cornwell, Andrew Gray, Kim Coghill, Michael Georgy, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: Jordanian, U.S, Foreign, REUTERS, Rights, West Bank, Thomson Locations: Amman, Jordan, Rights MANAMA, Gaza, Israel, Manama, Bahrain, The Israel

☆ Jordan Minister Doubts Israel Can Wipe Out Hamas
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

By Alexander CornwellMANAMA (Reuters) - Jordan's foreign minister said on Saturday that he did not understand how Israel's goal of obliterating the Palestinian militant group Hamas it is fighting in Gaza could be achieved. "Israel says it wants to wipe out Hamas. There's a lot of military people here, I just don't understand how this objective can be realized," said Ayman Safadi. We'll do whatever it takes to stop it" said Safadi at the IISS Manama Dialogue security summit in Bahrain. The Israel-Hamas war has reawakened long-standing fears in Jordan, home to a large population of Palestinian refugees and their descendants.

Persons: Alexander Cornwell MANAMA, Ayman Safadi, Jordan, Alexander Cornwell, Andrew Gray, Kim Coghill, Michael Georgy, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: West Bank Locations: Gaza, Israel, Manama, Bahrain, The Israel, Jordan

☆ EU's Borrell Tells Israel: 'One Horror Doesn’t Justify Another'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

MAGEN, Israel (Reuters) - EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell urged Israel on Thursday not to be consumed by rage in its response to last month's Hamas attack, declaring that "one horror does not justify another". Borrell made his remarks on a visit to Israel, speaking alongside Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen after the two men had visited Kibbutz Be'eri, a focal point of the Oct. 7 assault. "I understand your rage but let me ask you not to be consumed by rage. Speaking at a regional council building a short drive from the kibbutz, Borrell stressed the EU's solidarity with Israel and its support for the country's right to defend itself in line with international law. "But one thing is to defend Israel and another thing's to take care of the people in need," he added.

Persons: Josep Borrell, Borrell, Eli Cohen, Be'eri, Andrew Gray, Bart Meijer, Christina Fincher Organizations: Israeli, European Union Locations: Israel, Gaza

☆ EU foreign policy chief Borrell makes proposals for post-war Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Speaking to reporters after an EU foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels, he presented his proposals as saying "no" to three things and "yes" to three others. He should there should be "a Palestinian authority," which he suggested could be a "reinforced" version of the current Palestinian Authority that runs the West Bank, "with a legitimacy to be defined and decided upon by the (U.N.) Security Council". He said Arab countries would have to be more strongly involved in supporting this Palestinian Authority and that the EU should also be more involved in the region, particularly in building a Palestinian state. "There will be no solution without strong commitment from the Arab states, and that cannot be limited to money. We have delegated the solution of this problem to the United States," Borrell said.

Persons: Josep Borrell, Defence Margarita Robles, Isabel Infantes, Borrell, Andrew Gray, Christina Fincher Organizations: EU, Representative, Foreign Affairs, Defence, REUTERS, Rights, Union, Palestinian Authority, West Bank, Security, Thomson Locations: Toledo, Spain, Rights BRUSSELS, Gaza, Israel, Palestinian, Brussels, United States, Europe

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty/Serhii Nuzhnenko via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBRUSSELS, Nov 10 (Reuters) - A European Union plan to spend up to 20 billion euros ($21.4 billion) on military aid for Ukraine is meeting resistance from EU countries and may not survive in its current form, diplomats say. The debate over military aid comes as EU nations are also in discussions over a proposal to give Ukraine 50 billion euros in economic assistance. The EU is also facing challenges over other aspects of its military aid to Ukraine. SECURITY PACKAGESEU governments have stressed that long-term EU military aid must be coordinated with security packages that individual EU countries are negotiating with Kyiv, making it hard to settle on a price tag while those talks are ongoing. Some EU members have also argued they will struggle to make a big long-term pledge as domestic budgets are squeezed.

Persons: Nuzhnenko, Josep Borrell, I'm, Olaf Scholz, David Evans Organizations: Radio Free, Radio Liberty, REUTERS, Rights, Germany, EU, Peace Facility, Ukraine, Facility, Kyiv, Krisztina, Thomson Locations: Avdiivka, Ukraine, Donetsk region, Radio Free Europe, Rights BRUSSELS, Brussels, Russia, EU, Germany, Kyiv, Hungary, OTP

If accepted, EU officials expect formal accession talks with Kyiv to start next year. A top aide to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said Budapest would not support Ukraine's EU integration unless Kyiv changes its laws on minorities, in particular as regards education. "Moldova is firmly on the path for EU membership and we will continue working relentlessly towards this goal," the country's president, Maia Sandu, said in welcoming the move. The Commission said the EU should also begin membership talks with Bosnia and Herzegovina once a long list of extensive conditions are met. In 2020, Britain was the first country to ever leave the EU, a major setback for European integration following World War Two.

Persons: Yves Herman, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, Ursula von der Leyen, Von der Leyen, Viktor Orban, Maia Sandu, von der Leyen, enlargements, Andrew Gray, Yuliia, Olena, Alexander Tanas, Gabriela Baczynska, Nick Macfie, Sharon Singleton Organizations: REUTERS, European Union, European Commission, EU, Kyiv, Ukraine, Russia, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Brussels, Belgium, Moldova, Bosnia, Georgia, BRUSSELS, KYIV, Hungary, Kyiv, Hungarian, Budapest, EU, Moscow, Tbilisi, Herzegovina, Sarajevo, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Netherlands, Britain

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