Progress on terms of Brexit first: EU

File photo shows EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, right, welcoming British Secretary of State, David Davis, for a meeting at the EU headquarters in Brussels. (AP)
Updated 15 August 2017
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Progress on terms of Brexit first: EU

BRUSSELS: The EU reiterated Tuesday that it would not address the issue of Britain’s future partnership with the bloc post-Brexit until progress had been made on the terms of withdrawal.
Responding to a new British position paper released Tuesday, a European Commission spokesman noted Britain’s proposal for a temporary customs union after leaving the EU.
But, he added: “We will only address them once we have made sufficient progress on the terms of the orderly withdrawal.”
Britain’s membership of the EU customs union, which allows for the tariff-free movement of goods, will end along with its membership of the single market when it leaves the bloc in March 2019.
It wants to negotiate transitional arrangements to soften the effect of Brexit.
One option its Department for Exiting the EU suggested in a statement Tuesday is “a temporary customs union between the UK and the EU.” It will publish a full paper on that proposal later Tuesday.
The Brexit Ministry said Britain wanted to be able to sign trade agreements with non-EU countries during the transition period, though these would be implemented only at the end of it.
Brexit Minister David Davis told BBC radio on Tuesday that the transition period could last “something like two years” and would have to be over by the time of the next general election, which is set for 2022.
But a Commission spokesman insisted Tuesday that “an agreement on a future relationship between the EU and the UK can only be finalized once the UK has become a third country.”
“As Michel Barnier has said on several occasions, ‘frictionless trade’ is not possible outside the Single Market and Customs Union,” the EU spokesman said.
Barnier, the chief negotiator for the EU in the Brexit talks, later posted on Twitter that the EU would not budge on its Brexit stance.
“The quicker UK & EU27 agree on citizens, settling accounts and Ireland, the quicker we can discuss customs & future relationship,” Barnier tweeted.
Experts have warned that it will be extremely difficult to negotiate a new EU-UK free trade agreement before Britain leaves the bloc — particularly as Brussels has so far refused even to start trade talks.
The EU says there must first be broad agreement on three key issues: Britain’s financial settlement, expatriate rights, and the status of the border between British-controlled Northern Ireland and Ireland.
Britain will publish its proposals on the Northern Ireland border issue on Wednesday, before the third round of Brexit negotiations in Brussels at the end of the month.
The EU itself is currently working on another series of position papers, “including one on customs issues related to the orderly withdrawal of the UK,” the EU statement said, without indicating when it would be published.
The next round of Brexit negotiations between Britain and the EU is scheduled for the week beginning August 28.


Biden administration is giving $1 billion in new weapons and ammo to Israel, congressional aides say

Updated 15 May 2024
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Biden administration is giving $1 billion in new weapons and ammo to Israel, congressional aides say

  • The package being sent includes about $700 million for tank ammunition, $500 million in tactical vehicles and $60 million in mortar rounds, the aides said
  • Israel has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory

WASHINGTON: The Biden administration has told key lawmakers it is sending a new package of more than $1 billion in arms and ammunition to Israel, three congressional aides said Tuesday.
It’s the first arms shipment to Israel to be announced by the administration since it put another arms transfer — consisting of 3,500 bombs — on hold earlier in the month. The administration has said it paused that earlier transfer to keep Israel from using the bombs in its growing offensive in the crowded southern Gaza city of Rafah.
The congressional aides spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an arms transfer that has not yet been made public.
The package being sent includes about $700 million for tank ammunition, $500 million in tactical vehicles and $60 million in mortar rounds, the aides said.
There was no immediate indication when the arms would be sent. Israel is now seven months into its war against Hamas in Gaza.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the plans to move the package.
House Republicans were planning this week to advance a bill to mandate the delivery of offensive weaponry for Israel. Following Biden’s move to put a pause on bomb shipments last week, Republicans have been swift in their condemnation, arguing it represents the abandonment of the closest US ally in the Middle East.
The White House said Tuesday that Biden would veto the bill if it were to pass Congress. The bill also has practically no chance in the Democratic-controlled Senate. But House Democrats are somewhat divided on the issue, and roughly two dozen have signed onto a letter to the Biden administration saying they were “deeply concerned about the message” sent by pausing the bomb shipment.
In addition to the written veto threat, the White House has been in touch with various lawmakers and congressional aides about the legislation, according to an administration official.
“We strongly, strongly oppose attempts to constrain the President’s ability to deploy US security assistance consistent with US foreign policy and national security objectives,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said this week, adding that the administration plans to spend “every last cent” appropriated by Congress in the national security supplemental package that was signed into law by Biden last month.
 

 


Court probing Ukraine, Gaza wars vows to defy threats

Updated 15 May 2024
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Court probing Ukraine, Gaza wars vows to defy threats

  • Israel has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry
  • In May of last year Russia put Kahn on its list of wanted persons after the court issued an arrest warrant against President Vladimir Putin for his role in the deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia as part of the war

UNITED NATIONS, United States: The International Criminal Court prosecutor said Tuesday he will not be intimidated by threats as his office probes possible war crimes in Ukraine and Gaza.
During a UN Security Council meeting on his probe into war crimes in Libya, prosecutor Karim Khan was challenged by the ambassadors of Russia and Libya, who criticized what they called his inaction as Israel wages war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
“One wonders if the effectiveness of the ICC on this track is affected by the fact that a new bipartisan bill has been submitted to the US Congress to sanction ICC officials involved in investigating not only the US but also its allies,” said the Russian ambassador Vasily Nebenzia.
Nebenzia was alluding to news reports that a bill to this end has been submitted to the US Congress.
Khan responded by citing what he said were threats against him and his office to make him halt his probes.
“We will not be swayed, whether it’s by warrants for my arrest or the arrest of elected officials of the court by the Russian Federation, or whether it’s by other elected officials in any other jurisdiction,” Khan said.
In May of last year Russia put Kahn on its list of wanted persons after the court issued an arrest warrant against President Vladimir Putin for his role in the deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia as part of the war.
In early May Kahn’s office said on X that the court’s “independence and impartiality are undermined, however, when individuals threaten to retaliate against the court or against court personnel.”
It did not say where the threats are coming from.
“Such threats, even not acted upon, may constitute an offense” against the ICC’s “administration of justice,” the office warned, calling for an end to such activity.
The court made this comment after US and Israeli media reports which suggested the ICC prosecutor could issue warrants against Israeli politicians including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas leaders.
“We have a duty to stand up for justice, to stand up for victims,” Kahn said Tuesday.
“And I am fully cognizant that there are Goliaths in this room. There are Goliaths with power, with influence” he said.
He added: “We have something called the law. All I can do is say that we will stand up to the best of our ability. We will stand up by the law with integrity with independence.”
 

 


Sweltering heat across Asia was 45 times more likely because of climate change, study finds

Updated 15 May 2024
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Sweltering heat across Asia was 45 times more likely because of climate change, study finds

ENGALURU, India: Sizzling heat across Asia and the Middle East in late April that echoed last year’s destructive swelter was made 45 times more likely in some parts of the continent because of human-caused climate change, a study Tuesday found.
Scorching temperatures were felt across large swaths of Asia, from Gaza in the west — where over 2 million people face clean water shortages, lack of health care and other essentials due to Israeli bombardment — to the Philippines in the southeast, with many parts of the continent experiencing temperatures well above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) several days in a row.
The study was released by the World Weather Attribution group of scientists, who use established climate models to quickly determine whether human-caused climate change played a part in extreme weather events around the world.
In the Philippines, scientists found the heat was so extreme it would have been impossible without human-caused climate change. In parts of the Middle East, climate change increased the probability of the event by about a factor of five.
“People suffered and died when April temperatures soared in Asia,” said Friederike Otto, study author and climate scientist at Imperial College in London. “If humans continue to burn fossil fuels, the climate will continue to warm, and vulnerable people will continue to die.”
At least 28 heat-related deaths were reported in Bangladesh, as well as five in India and three in Gaza in April. Surges in heat deaths have also been reported in Thailand and the Philippines this year according to the study.
The heat also had a large impact on agriculture, causing crop damage and reduced yields, as well as on education, with school vacations having to be extended and schools closed in several countries, affecting thousands of students.
Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam broke records for their hottest April day, and the Philippines experienced its hottest night ever with a low of 29.8 degrees Celsius (85.6 degrees Fahrenheit). In India, temperatures reached as high as 46 degrees Celsius (115 degrees Fahrenheit). The month was the hottest April on record globally and the eleventh consecutive month in a row that broke the hottest month record.
Climate experts say extreme heat in South Asia during the pre-monsoon season is becoming more frequent and the study found that extreme temperatures are now about 0.85 degrees Celsius (1.5 Fahrenheit) hotter in the region because of climate change.
Internally displaced people, migrants and those in refugee camps were especially vulnerable to the searing temperatures, the study found.
“These findings in scientific terms are alarming,” said Aditya Valiathan Pillai, a heat plans expert at New Delhi-based think tank Sustainable Futures Collaborative. “But for people on the ground living in precarious conditions, it could be absolutely deadly.” Pillai was not part of the study.
Pillai said more awareness about heat risks, public and private investments to deal with increasing heat and more research on its impacts are all necessary to deal with future heat waves.
“I think heat is now among the foremost risks in terms of personal health for millions across the world as well as nations’ economic development,” he said.


Amsterdam university cancels classes after violence erupted at a pro-Palestinian rally

Updated 14 May 2024
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Amsterdam university cancels classes after violence erupted at a pro-Palestinian rally

  • Israel has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry
  • The protest was one of many that sprung up around Europe following rallies across college campuses in the United States

THE HAGUE: The University of Amsterdam canceled classes Tuesday and shut buildings for two days after the latest pro-Palestinian demonstrations over the war in Gaza turned destructive.
Protests continued to simmer at several European universities where students faced off with academic authorities on whether relations with Israel should be broken off or drastically reduced, as the death toll continues to climb during the seven-month Israel-Hamas war.
Overall, the protests in Europe have failed to reach the intensity of demonstrations at several US universities.
In the Netherlands, the board at the nearly 400-year old University of Amsterdam issued a statement saying it could not guarantee the safety of anyone on campus after a group of masked agitators barricaded doors and spray painted slogans on the walls.
The mayhem on Monday followed a peaceful walkout of staff and students against the Israel-Hamas war and the university’s response to earlier protests.
“They (the university) called in the police after people wouldn’t remove their face coverings but the police came in balaclavas,” political science professor Enzo Rossio told The Associated Press, describing Monday’s events. He had returned to his office following the walkout, only for the building to be evacuated minutes later.
While standing outside the building, Rossio said he and his wife, who also works for the university, were repeatedly hit by police with batons.
Last week, police used a bulldozer to evict demonstrators from an encampment established by students who want the university to cut ties with Israel. The protest was one of many that sprung up around Europe following rallies across college campuses in the United States.
Smaller demonstrations have taken place against the war, both at the University of Amsterdam and at other Dutch universities. But last week’s protest grew into the thousands, with demonstrators chanting slogans including, “Palestine will be free!” and “Cops off campus!”
Riot police were called in multiple times to end the demonstrations, leading to aggressive confrontations. “I’ve never witnessed this kind of violence,” history student Marin Kuijt said in an interview. Kuijt said he had regularly attended climate change marches and joined the walkout on Monday to protest against the university and police response.
After the walkout, some students set up tents inside buildings, intending to occupy the spaces until the university listened to their demands. According to the University of Amsterdam, the peaceful protest was “hijacked by violent elements” who left behind “wanton destruction.”
Higher education institutions in the Netherlands published guidelines on Tuesday for student protests. They include a ban on remaining overnight, occupying buildings and wearing face coverings. Last week, the University of Amsterdam already announced it would not hold talks with any protester who refused to show their face.
In a statement, Amsterdam Student Encampment, which is organizing some of the demonstrations, said it was concerned about outside elections causing destruction, saying it “overshadowed” the protests. The group is calling for more demonstrations at the university in the coming days.
Smaller students actions were held in Belgium, Greece and Italy, among other EU nations.

 


UK Mideast minister: Israel’s actions leaving its allies ‘pretty challenged’

Updated 14 May 2024
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UK Mideast minister: Israel’s actions leaving its allies ‘pretty challenged’

  • Lord Ahmad: Many are uneasy about adherence to international humanitarian law
  • UK FM opposes arms ban despite ‘grave concerns around humanitarian access issue in Gaza’

LONDON: The UK’s Middle East minister has warned that the war in Gaza is causing Israel’s allies numerous problems over allegations that it has broken international humanitarian law, the Daily Telegraph reported.

“I think Israel is really leaving many of its partners, including ourselves, pretty challenged on where we are currently on the issue of IHL, and how they are fulfilling their obligations,” Lord Ahmad told the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday.

“Israel has obligations. We are allies of Israel and as a constructive friend to Israel, we’d land these points very directly to them.”

On Sunday, UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron said an arms ban against Israel would not be “a wise path.”

In April, he said the UK’s stance on selling arms to Israel was “consistent with the advice that I and other ministers have received, and as ever we will keep the position under review.

“Let me be clear, though, we continue to have grave concerns around the humanitarian access issue in Gaza.”

UK law requires a ban on the sale of weapons to states that breach or fall short of adhering to international humanitarian law.

So far Canada, Japan, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands have suspended arms sales to Israel. The UK’s main opposition Labour Party called for a halt on exports this week.