The EU's 27 states could adopt a proposal to suspend preferential tariffs with Israel, Portugal's Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel told The National, in what would be the bloc's first co-ordinated move against the Israelis over the Gaza war.
Speaking in New York shortly after Portugal's recognition of Palestinian statehood alongside a dozen other countries, Mr Rangel described it as a "huge step" and expressed regret at Israel's rejection of their decision.
Discussing Portugal's role as a "bridge builder", Mr Rangel answered "probably" when asked whether the EU council would adopt a proposal recently tabled by the EU Commission, the bloc's executive arm, to increase tariffs on imported commercial goods from Israel.
He said Portugal had worked closely with Denmark and Greece to find consensus that could pressure Israel to uphold international values.
Big states
The proposed measure would affect a little more than one third of Israel's exports to the EU, including fruit and rubber products. It would cost the Israeli economy, whose largest single trading partner is the EU, €227 million ($268) annually.
For the proposal to pass, it needs a qualified majority- 55 per cent of countries and 65 per cent of the population. That makes the support of major nations such as Italy or Germany crucial.
In a signal of Europe's increasing condemnation of Israel's war on Gaza, the EU Commission paused bilateral support to Israel worth at least $37 million this month. It also suggested sanctioning two extremist Israeli government ministers, Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, who support the settler movement.
The latest move, however, requires unanimous support to be adopted, which remains unlikely. A number of countries, including Hungary and the Czech Republic, remain supportive of Israel.
Last week, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he would clarify his position before an EU meeting in Copenhagen on October 1. His country is particularly scrutinised due to its reluctance to appear to be taking punitive measures against Israel over the Holocaust.
Portugal, for its part, supports both the EU Commission's proposals. "We are in favour of the measures that were announced by the Commission," Mr Rangel said. He added that his country has not taken unilateral measures against Israel – unlike Slovenia and Spain, which have already issued a visa ban on the two Israeli ministers – because Portugal is in favour of creating consensus within the EU.
Recognising Palestine should not be viewed as a punishment by Israel, Mr Rangel said. "We are a country that is a friend of Israel," he said. "So when we recognise Palestine, we are not doing anything against Israel. And so for us, we regret that the Israeli government has been essentially passing the message that two-state solution is not possible or is not desirable."
Mr Rangel suggested the three pillars of the French-Saudi initiative as a basis for a two-state solution, which was backed in a UN General Assembly vote last week by Portugal and more than 140 other nations.
They include Palestinian statehood recognition by western states and a disposition towards recognising Israel by Arab states that have not already done so. Also among commitments is a promise by the Palestinian Authority to reform its government and hold elections next year.
Mr Rangel said that while he understood the "frustration" caused by the absence of a Palestinian state on the ground, despite recognition, the French-Saudi road map could prevent further Israeli actions that undermine the two-state solution.
Highlighting "the displacement of people in Gaza Strip, or the expansion of settlements all across the West mark or East Jerusalem", he said: "This naturally is something that we have to stop in order to ensure that it is possible to create a state with all the capacity that any state in the world has."
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin
The years Ramadan fell in May
MATCH INFO
Everton 2 (Tosun 9', Doucoure 93')
Rotherham United 1 (Olosunde 56')
Man of the Match Olosunde (Rotherham)
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 194hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 275Nm from 2,000-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: from Dh155,000
On sale: now
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
SPECS
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F1 2020 calendar
March 15 - Australia, Melbourne; March 22 - Bahrain, Sakhir; April 5 - Vietnam, Hanoi; April 19 - China, Shanghai; May 3 - Netherlands, Zandvoort; May 20 - Spain, Barcelona; May 24 - Monaco, Monaco; June 7 - Azerbaijan, Baku; June 14 - Canada, Montreal; June 28 - France, Le Castellet; July 5 - Austria, Spielberg; July 19 - Great Britain, Silverstone; August 2 - Hungary, Budapest; August 30 - Belgium, Spa; September 6 - Italy, Monza; September 20 - Singapore, Singapore; September 27 - Russia, Sochi; October 11 - Japan, Suzuka; October 25 - United States, Austin; November 1 - Mexico City, Mexico City; November 15 - Brazil, Sao Paulo; November 29 - Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi.
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Difference between fractional ownership and timeshare
Although similar in its appearance, the concept of a fractional title deed is unlike that of a timeshare, which usually involves multiple investors buying “time” in a property whereby the owner has the right to occupation for a specified period of time in any year, as opposed to the actual real estate, said John Peacock, Head of Indirect Tax and Conveyancing, BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates, a law firm.
The%20specs
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A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
'Nightmare Alley'
Director:Guillermo del Toro
Stars:Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara
Rating: 3/5
if you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Seoul from Dh3,775 return, including taxes
The package
Ski Safari offers a seven-night ski package to Korea, including five nights at the Dragon Valley Hotel in Yongpyong and two nights at Seoul CenterMark hotel, from £720 (Dh3,488) per person, including transfers, based on two travelling in January
The info
Visit www.gokorea.co.uk
The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
