Interesting observations ... there are certainly readers who can respond on the Israeli anomaly. No, the Netanyahu government is not "Marxist" and has no "friends," only clients for sharing tools of suppression, hacking and sophisticated instruments of war. The UAE as foremost example. Poland, Hungary, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Russia all share roots of Soviet era totalitarianism. Democracy is an alien concept. In times of uncertainty and threats, the leaders revert to what they know best. None of the Eastern European states have made the transition to full-fledged democracy. Western Europe founded the EEC, grew into the EU, but were forced by America under pressure from the NATO alliance, to speed-up expansion to the East. The result the EU and Western Europe are today less democratic, more right-wing populism and the racist undertone of colonialism has a revival. See FEAR Inc. and the propaganda promoting Islamophobia. As far as corporate media taken root in the US and Western Europe, the CIA and Operation Mockingbird is very much alive today. Repression and censorship ... so much easier with Big Tech.

30th Anniversary of Azerbaijan-Israel diplomatic relations marked in Los Angeles [_link] #Azerbaijan pic.twitter.com/xZ6XaCLbBx

— AZERTAC News Agency (@AZERTAC) March 9, 2022

Azerbaijan eyes aiding Israel against Iran | Reuters - 1 Oct 2012 |

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EU Policy. MEPs vote to rescind von der Leyen's controversial SME envoy pick | EuroNews |

Lawmakers at the European Parliament today (11 April) called to rescind the appointment of Markus Pieper as European Commission small business envoy, in a vote that passed 382 votes to 144.

The hiring has led to political cronyism allegations against Commission President Ursula von der Leyen - but it's not clear how much influence the lawmakers' vote will have over a decision taken by a separate EU institution.

The amendment proposed by MEPs from the Green, Socialists and Democrats, and centrist Renew groups - first reported exclusively by EuroNews last week - "questions whether the principles of merit, gender and geographical balance were taken into consideration" when selecting Pieper.

One of those MEPs, Daniel Freund (Germany/Greens), on Wednesday told lawmakers Pieper got the lucrative four-year posting because he's in the same German political party as von der Leyen, Germany's Christian Democrat Union.

The episode is "sad and shameful", Freund said, adding: "I don't know how we can explain it to voters."

The European Parliament plenary session has now formally agreed with Freund, and said the EU executive should re-launch the process to fill the post, which carries a €20,000-a-month salary, in a "truly transparent and open way".

A parallel amendment from Pieper's allies said that the process had been "formal, fair and multi-step" and that "assessment procedures ... should not be used for party or personal campaigning goals."

That amendment, from Ivan Štefanec (Slovakia/EPP), was not selected.

Addressing reporters immediately after the vote, European Commission Chief Spokesperson Eric Mamer said "the European Parliament is certainly within its role to vote the amendments it wishes", but added that the Commission has "institutional independence" in recruitment matters.

The Commission will respond to detailed points raised in the Parliament's resolution in due course in line with normal procedures, Mamer added, confirming that Pieper will start duties next week.

In Dutch parliament on question, "what is the end game of NATO and Zelensky?" Dutch caretaker PM Mark Rutte replied: "Do not overestimate Putin ... he is not a strong man ..."

Mark Rutte vindt de Russische president Vladimir Poetin geen "sterke man", zei hij dinsdagavond in een debat in de Tweede Kamer toen het ging over volhardendheid van Poetin in de oorlog in Oekraïne. [_link]

— De Telegraaf (@telegraaf) April 17, 2024

VERBATIM RECORD

2. Nik-ah-rah-goo-wa's factual claims do not withstand scrutiny. They are based on speculation and at times misrepresentation. To set the record straight, Germany has provided you with a set of core documents in the judges' folder. I will refer you to these documents in relatively quick succession but I will provide key points on the slides.
[...]
9. First, Germany has not defunded UNRWA. On 27 January, it took a temporary decision not to approve further funds to UNRWA operations in Gaza. This decision was taken in response to grave allegations that UNRWA staff were implicated in the terror attacks of 7 October: allegations that left the UN Secretary-General "horrified" and that continue to be investigated. Germany has since resumed its funding for UNRWA operations in the West Bank, Jordan, and elsewhere, committing a further €45 million. And already on 1 March, the very day Nik-ah-rah-goo-wa instituted proceedings, Germany agreed, in consultation with other EU Member States, to release a €50 million.
[...]
11. Third, quite apart from UNRWA, Germany has stepped up its support for Gaza. The information contained in Annex 10 of the judges' folder makes this abundantly clear. Annex 10 lists relevant actions and decisions taken by Germany since  27 January. It is by no means exhaustive, but it shows what has really been happening. I will have to be very selective, but would urge you to look at Annex 10 when you consider Nicaragua's claims. When you look, you will see that immediately after 27 January 2024, the German Government made available support to other humanitarian donors, such as UNICEF, the ICRC and the World Food Programme: an additional support now amounting to nearly €40 million, in addition to funds provided to UNRWA and to contributions via the EU and the regular UN budget.
[...]
A robust framework governing exports of military equipment
15. Mr President, permit me to begin with a comment about the German framework governing exports of military equipment, about which you have heard nothing from Nik-ah-rah-goo-wa. This is a robust framework. All German exports of military technology and equipment to Israel are subject to strict licensing requirements. Among these German law distinguishes between two categories: "war weapons" (Kriegswaffen) and "other military equipment" (sonstige Rüstungsgüter in the original German). "War weapons" comprise, for example, combat aircraft or tanks but also automatic weapons and certain corresponding ammunition and essential components. These war weapons require two licences before export under the War Weapons Control Act and under the Foreign Trade and Payments Act. The other category—"other military equipment"—is broad; it goes much beyond "weaponry" in the usual sense.
[...]

As vengeance and retaliation, Israel ventured into a long-time planned ethnic cleansing of the Gaza Strip and murderous bombardment levelling almost all homes, residential buildings and medical facilities of Palestinians. Not a single educational or UNRWA refugee facility is left functioning. The genocidal acts have so far killed an estimated 34,000 Palestinians and seriously wounded over 75,000. Victims are mainly families, women and children. Israel acts outside of International  law and refuses to heed the decisions from the ICJ Court in The Hague or Resolutions by the UN Security Council.

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David Cameron (BreXit PM) was speaking on Wednesday after meeting the Israeli president, Isaac Herzog, in Jerusalem, and is probably the first non-Israeli politician to admit that some kind of Israeli military reprisal is inevitable.

"It's clear the Israelis are making a decision to act," Cameron said. "We hope they do so in a way that does as little to escalate this as possible" and that is "smart as well as tough." [Source: TOI]

News headlines are wrong again ...

Baerbock and Cameron in Israel for talks to listen to Israel preaching vengeance

Have a peaceful cultural summer

Maastricht Debate 2024 | POLITICO & Studio Europe Maastricht |

Have a peaceful cultural summer

There's a hard-right tidal wave about to hit Europe - and it will only make the economic crisis worse [_link]

— davidrieff (@davidrieff) April 29, 2024