Tag Archives: EU

By Murray Dobbin Imagine for a moment two societies living side by side. One has discovered the wheel and uses it. The wheel makes life easier for workers and boosts the economy for everyone. Prosperity reigns. The society next door is well aware of the wheel and watches as its neighbours move inexorably ahead, becoming wealthier, more efficient and healthier …

By Ramzy Baroud In terms of losses in human lives, 2014 has been a horrific year for Palestinians, surpassing the horrors of both 2008 and 2009, when an Israeli war against the Gaza Strip killed and wounded thousands. While some aspects of the conflict are stagnating between a corrupt, ineffectual Palestinian Authority (PA), and the criminality of Israeli wars and …

The EU on Monday said that it deplored Israel’s plans to build new settlement blocs on occupied Palestinian territory but denied that it planned to impose sanctions on Israel. There was “no plan of this type”, EU foreign affairs head Federica Mogherini said when asked about the issue. “I saw an article in Haaretz which apparently referred to an internal …

The European Union’s new foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini warned that a new wave of Palestinian-Israeli violence could kick off if peace efforts between the two remain deadlocked. Speaking in Jerusalem, where she was on her first trip since taking up the post, Mogherini said that there needs to be a real “urgency” to advance the stagnant peace process. “The …

European Union Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini on Monday stated that she would like to see a state of Palestine by the time her five year term ends. She added that for it to happen will require the EU to get more involved with the Middle East than it has been in the past. The former 41-year-old Italian foreign minister …

On Thursday, Sweden became the first major European nation to officially recognize the state of Palestine, as Palestinians were quick to hail the “historic” move while the Israelis denounced the announcement. “Today the government takes the decision to recognize the state of Palestine. It is an important step that confirms the Palestinians’ right to self-determination. We hope that this will …

The UN Security Council is set to hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday to talk about Israel’s plans to construct more settlement building in East Jerusalem. The talks were requested by Jordan after a letter from Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour, who had called on the council to “address this crisis situation in occupied east Jerusalem”. UN Undersecretary General for Political …

On Thursday, US President Barack Obama said that the US will intensify its sanctions in energy, finance and defense sectors to punish Russia for its “illegal actions” in Ukraine, as the EU said that it could lift the new sanctions if the ceasefire in Ukraine continues. In his statement, Obama said that the move will worsen the Kremlin’s deepening economic …

On Wednesday, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Russia had withdrawn almost all of its soldiers who had allegedly snuck across international borders to boost separatist forces in Ukraine, and promised greater autonomy for the separatists so that the fragile truce between the two could endure. Poroshenko’s comments come as EU envoys gathered in Brussels to discuss the new set of …

>On Monday, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko visited the flashpoint city of Mariupol, where sporadic conflict has rattled the three-day-old ceasefire between rebel forces and the government. The highly-symbolic visit to the port city came just before EU officials called for a new meeting to decide on sanctions against Russia if the truce fails. Poroshenko wore military attire for the visit …