• Put forward a plan to resolve the conflict, including a clear time frame, together with the US, UN, Russia, and Arab League.
• Reiterate its position that it will not recognise any changes to the June 1967 boundaries [of Israel], that a Palestinian state should be "territory equivalent to 100% of the territory occupied in 1967", and that its capital should be East Jerusalem.
• Refuse to upgrade ties with Israel unless settlements are frozen. "The EU has always maintained that settlements are illegal, but has not attached any consequences for continued and systematic settlement expansion."
• Bring an end to the import of settlement products "which are, in contradiction with EU labelling recommendations, marketed as originating in Israel".
• Send a high-level delegation, including Lady Ashton, to East Jerusalem "as a matter of urgency to draw attention to the erosion of the Palestinian presence there, and report back to the EU with an agenda of proposals to arrest and reverse the deterioration of the situation on the ground". The situation in East Jerusalem, it says, is the "most critical flashpoint and greatest threat" to a peace deal.
Showing posts with label EU. Show all posts
Showing posts with label EU. Show all posts
10.12.10
The EU Will Toughen Up Against Israel
It is always former heads of states that adopt a tough stance against israel once they leave office. However, this is a group of former heads of EU states asking the union to adopt a consequentialist approach with Israel refusing any future upgrade in Israel-EU relations unless there is a total freeze in settlements.
14.6.10
EU And Others Raise Doubt On Flotilla Raid Inquiry By Israel
European Union governments tonight raised questions about the credibility of Israel's inquiry into the assault on the Gaza flotilla, while announcing that Israel was expected shortly to relax its blockade of the Gaza Strip.
From Haaretz: The government's efforts to avoid a thorough and credible investigation of the flotilla affair seem more and more like a farce.
The reasons for these doubts are numerous. One of the international observers, David Trimble, joined 'Friends of Israel' on the eve of May 31st, the day the Flotilla was attacked and the day Israel was on the offensive flooding news channels with lies. His Noble Prize is a fig leaf to his many biases. He should resign. The other observer, Ken Watkin, is a retired Canadian military lawyer.
Both observers will only sit at the inquiry without rights to participate in discussions and vote.
From Haaretz: The government's efforts to avoid a thorough and credible investigation of the flotilla affair seem more and more like a farce.
The reasons for these doubts are numerous. One of the international observers, David Trimble, joined 'Friends of Israel' on the eve of May 31st, the day the Flotilla was attacked and the day Israel was on the offensive flooding news channels with lies. His Noble Prize is a fig leaf to his many biases. He should resign. The other observer, Ken Watkin, is a retired Canadian military lawyer.
Both observers will only sit at the inquiry without rights to participate in discussions and vote.
14.1.09
Bolivia severes diplomatic ties with Israel, the rest of the world should follow
To protest Israel's war crimes In Gaza, Bolivia today announced that it is severing diplomatic ties with Israel. Evo Morales leads and other countries should follow. An action like this one is urgently required.
More on this from Jews Sans Frontières.
UPDATE: European plans to turn Israel into a "privileged" partner enjoying special political, diplomatic and trade links were frozen by Brussels today in protest at the Israeli onslaught in Gaza. OK, this doesn't match Bolivia's action but the EU has become a staunch supporter of Israel lately, following Israel's and the US mistreatment of Gaza and its population by blocking life sustaining aid. But this move by the EU is important, it makes clear that what Israel is doing in Gaza is unacceptable. There is another fact misrepresented in the western press and By Israel, It is Israel who broke the truce, and it did it right after signing it with Hamas. Israel strives for war. Watch the video and read the links below.
Talking about Israel's actions in Gaza, the mainstream press is presenting the war as Hamas's fault. But it is time for some cold statistics. I like cold statistics backing up reality as opposed to Israel's hype and mainstream media press biases. Read also here what Hamas's political leader in exile had to say about the current war to le Monde Diplomatique middle east expert Alain Gresh.
More on this from Jews Sans Frontières.
UPDATE: European plans to turn Israel into a "privileged" partner enjoying special political, diplomatic and trade links were frozen by Brussels today in protest at the Israeli onslaught in Gaza. OK, this doesn't match Bolivia's action but the EU has become a staunch supporter of Israel lately, following Israel's and the US mistreatment of Gaza and its population by blocking life sustaining aid. But this move by the EU is important, it makes clear that what Israel is doing in Gaza is unacceptable. There is another fact misrepresented in the western press and By Israel, It is Israel who broke the truce, and it did it right after signing it with Hamas. Israel strives for war. Watch the video and read the links below.
Talking about Israel's actions in Gaza, the mainstream press is presenting the war as Hamas's fault. But it is time for some cold statistics. I like cold statistics backing up reality as opposed to Israel's hype and mainstream media press biases. Read also here what Hamas's political leader in exile had to say about the current war to le Monde Diplomatique middle east expert Alain Gresh.
29.7.08
"Israel has won the European cup: a special relationship"
This is a very interesting article I translated lately to French for InfoPalestine. It is my third translation for this online magazine about Palestine and the Middle East.
It scrutinizes the relation between Israel and the EU and demonstrates with facts that the relation is gearing towards a special one in which there is no accountability toward Israel from the EU while at the same time the official language of this body is at odds with the facts. Historically, Europe was globally seen as more neutral in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but this is no longer true, the relations between the EU and Israel are becoming very much similar to those that exist between Israel and the US.
It scrutinizes the relation between Israel and the EU and demonstrates with facts that the relation is gearing towards a special one in which there is no accountability toward Israel from the EU while at the same time the official language of this body is at odds with the facts. Historically, Europe was globally seen as more neutral in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but this is no longer true, the relations between the EU and Israel are becoming very much similar to those that exist between Israel and the US.
Rupel, who chaired the EU-Israel Association Council meeting, the body overseeing the relationship, stated that the EU and Israel are "elevating" their relations to a new level of "more intense, more fruitful, more influential cooperation." Israel has now been granted the highest level of relations available to a non-member state...Until now, under the EU's Neighborhood Policy Israel was the only country without a subcommittee on human rights.
26.3.08
Sarkozy the anglophile
When I was a child in Lebanon I was told many funny stories having a central character Jeha. These stories are part of the folkore tradition but they are in fact universal. Jeha is simple minded, dumb, pathetic, and funny. One of these stories goes like this: Jeha broke the main water pipe connecting the village to the source and when asked why he answered: 'I did this to get people to talk about me'.
Sarkozy's politics, domestic and foreign, has been all about that. Even his marriage. The tension between France and Germany has been building since Sarko was elected. One has to browse one of the main German newspapers to realise that Germany doesn't like Sarkozy. This is a clear departure from France's traditional European alliances. Sarkozy doesn't like to be challenged and he wasn't going to be in good terms with Merkel, a woman, a daughter of a pastor and a former physics professor and researcher. Merkel is all subtelty, protestant rigorism, and old fashioned European rationalism. Sarko is emotional, not subtle and the contrary of a morally rigorous person. Sarkozy found his political model in Tony Blair and the British new labour. The man works by personal affinities away from rational judgement. And, like Jeha, Sarkozy is breaking the water pipe between Germany and France and trying to build another one with the UK. Will he succeed ? I doubt...But he will be surely talked about.
Sarkozy the anglophile. Is it genetic ?
Nicolas Sarkozy has kicked off his eagerly-anticipated visit to the UK by urging both counties to "move from being cordial to being friendly" as many of the British papers print naked pictures (nsfw) of his wife.
Related: Sarkozy strains French-German relations.
Sarkozy's politics, domestic and foreign, has been all about that. Even his marriage. The tension between France and Germany has been building since Sarko was elected. One has to browse one of the main German newspapers to realise that Germany doesn't like Sarkozy. This is a clear departure from France's traditional European alliances. Sarkozy doesn't like to be challenged and he wasn't going to be in good terms with Merkel, a woman, a daughter of a pastor and a former physics professor and researcher. Merkel is all subtelty, protestant rigorism, and old fashioned European rationalism. Sarko is emotional, not subtle and the contrary of a morally rigorous person. Sarkozy found his political model in Tony Blair and the British new labour. The man works by personal affinities away from rational judgement. And, like Jeha, Sarkozy is breaking the water pipe between Germany and France and trying to build another one with the UK. Will he succeed ? I doubt...But he will be surely talked about.
Sarkozy the anglophile. Is it genetic ?
Nicolas Sarkozy has kicked off his eagerly-anticipated visit to the UK by urging both counties to "move from being cordial to being friendly" as many of the British papers print naked pictures (nsfw) of his wife.
Related: Sarkozy strains French-German relations.
6.3.08
Iran's Nuclear Program: An Illusory Threat
What is never said or written about the new imperialistic wars is that the other point of view is never heard. And this is probably the most prominent feature of imperialism. These imperialistic wars are not only presented with the cover of Humanitarianism and security (first fallacy), but they are presented to us as the most covered of wars, with embedded journalists, images, and an orgy of commentaries (the second fallacy), ignoring, however, a simple ethical principle, the voice of the other. And the western press is accomplice in this voluntary censorship. I underatnd that people may not want to listen to AhmadiNejad, but why on earth should they listen to Bush ? Moreover, if we admit that the official voice should be dismissed, on both sides, I suppose there are journalists and educated people in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Iran. Are we hearing their voices ? No. We are only hearing the voices of those of them who tell only what the West wants to hear.
The new imperialistic wars have a new weapon, their self censored information machine...Total deafness...We are only hearing our own voices. For this reason I asked my friend blogger Homeyra to translate this opinion piece on the Iranian nuclear program by the Iranian ambassador to France.
UPDATE: March 11th, 2008. Here is the translation from Homeyra, slightly edited by myself.
Iran's Nuclear Program: An Illusory Threat. By Ali Ahani
In the last years some western countries' opposition has turned the Iranian nuclear program into a challenge, and the international community, for precise reasons, is facing an important responsibility.
This responsibility of countries and international organizations to bring a solution and to strengthen the international peace becomes greater as the discussion on the Iranian nuclear program has become increasingly disproportionate.
The Iranian nuclear program isn't about confrontation with the International community. Quite the contrary, the question is to know what are the International community members' expectations regarding the current international situation in terms of rights and responsibilities as it is necessary to grant countries with their legitimate and inalienable rights.
The dual attitude of a few countries hostile to the peaceful Iranian nuclear program, brings the international community to face a difficult task. As the will of the large majority of the members of the international community is to give diplomacy a chance.
No State can decide of the limits of diplomacy. Western countries opposing the peaceful Iranian nuclear program must remain faithful to the United Nation charter and to a peaceful solution of international questions, according to the principles of justice and international law. Their opposition has two negative consequences: it is scorning the absolute rights of the Iranian people and weakening international institutions.
According to AIEA documents and proofs, as well as the recognition of the American and other countries' intelligence services conducting nuclear enrichment activities, the Iranian program is a peaceful program.
Therefore nothing justifies a vote for a binding resolution increasing sanctions against the Iranian people. A peaceful nuclear program within the NPT charter is the legitimate and undeniable right of all members of the AIEA.
A vote in favor of a resolution increasing the sanctions against Iran will, not only lead to a reduced function of the AIEA as the only valid technical and judicial body of the UN, but also limit the chances of negotiations – going against the logical demands of Iran and the expectations of the international community.
All countries are bound to protect the power of the AIEA in the fulfillment of its goals with the due respect for its prestige. The weakening of the AIEA would lead to anarchy and international disorder. Not only there would be no distinction among right and duty, but the validity of international decisions and documents would be questioned.
Flawed information and wrong interpretations of Iranian nuclear program are the basis of some countries’ discriminatory and even hostile position toward the Iranian government and people.
Some Western States' hostile rhetoric and the escalation of sanctions were born from the illusions entertained by some on the Iranian peaceful nuclear activities. Part of the NIE report proves this aspect.
According to the recent report of Mohamed Elbaradei, only realism, along with taking into account the good faith and the sincerity of the IRI in its cooperation with the AIEA, should be the core of international efforts to end the discriminatory approach to the Iranian nuclear program, to respect the Iranian peoples’ rights, and to consolidate world peace and security.
All members of the international community are responsible to maintain world peace, to respect the United Nations charter, and to use all their forces in this direction.
Occuring events after the occupation of Iraq, the admission of occupying forces of the lack of basis of their claims regarding the existence of WMD's, have proved that the Iraqi people have been victims of this kind of illusions.
This experience has convinced most of the international observers that a country cannot be threatened because of some illusions and fabrications of false pretences and be considered as a rogue state.
Considering the Iranian pacific nuclear program, nuclear powers must respect the legal and technical expertise of the AIEA and restrain from exerting pressure and creating negative impacts on the logical and lawful process of the AIEA activities.
The people of the Middle-East have a positive view of France and of its stance toward them in the past, specially in the Iraq war. The French government and people wish to maintain their position in the Middle East. Today France has precious opportunities. The Middle East conflict, the political crises in Lebanon, regional evolutions in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the Iranian nuclear question are matters of great opportunities for the French government to show its leadership in the region. With will and realism, France could play a historic and decisive role as a responsible country.
Original Source in French:
May I remind you that the visit of Israeli president Shimon Peres is meant exactly to pull France in the other direction regarding the Iranian nuclear program and Sarkozy seems to be more than willing to go Israel's way ?
CENTCOM Commander William Fallon Resigns over tensions on his opposition to the white house war plans on Iran.
The new imperialistic wars have a new weapon, their self censored information machine...Total deafness...We are only hearing our own voices. For this reason I asked my friend blogger Homeyra to translate this opinion piece on the Iranian nuclear program by the Iranian ambassador to France.
UPDATE: March 11th, 2008. Here is the translation from Homeyra, slightly edited by myself.
Iran's Nuclear Program: An Illusory Threat. By Ali Ahani
In the last years some western countries' opposition has turned the Iranian nuclear program into a challenge, and the international community, for precise reasons, is facing an important responsibility.
This responsibility of countries and international organizations to bring a solution and to strengthen the international peace becomes greater as the discussion on the Iranian nuclear program has become increasingly disproportionate.
The Iranian nuclear program isn't about confrontation with the International community. Quite the contrary, the question is to know what are the International community members' expectations regarding the current international situation in terms of rights and responsibilities as it is necessary to grant countries with their legitimate and inalienable rights.
The dual attitude of a few countries hostile to the peaceful Iranian nuclear program, brings the international community to face a difficult task. As the will of the large majority of the members of the international community is to give diplomacy a chance.
No State can decide of the limits of diplomacy. Western countries opposing the peaceful Iranian nuclear program must remain faithful to the United Nation charter and to a peaceful solution of international questions, according to the principles of justice and international law. Their opposition has two negative consequences: it is scorning the absolute rights of the Iranian people and weakening international institutions.
According to AIEA documents and proofs, as well as the recognition of the American and other countries' intelligence services conducting nuclear enrichment activities, the Iranian program is a peaceful program.
Therefore nothing justifies a vote for a binding resolution increasing sanctions against the Iranian people. A peaceful nuclear program within the NPT charter is the legitimate and undeniable right of all members of the AIEA.
A vote in favor of a resolution increasing the sanctions against Iran will, not only lead to a reduced function of the AIEA as the only valid technical and judicial body of the UN, but also limit the chances of negotiations – going against the logical demands of Iran and the expectations of the international community.
All countries are bound to protect the power of the AIEA in the fulfillment of its goals with the due respect for its prestige. The weakening of the AIEA would lead to anarchy and international disorder. Not only there would be no distinction among right and duty, but the validity of international decisions and documents would be questioned.
Flawed information and wrong interpretations of Iranian nuclear program are the basis of some countries’ discriminatory and even hostile position toward the Iranian government and people.
Some Western States' hostile rhetoric and the escalation of sanctions were born from the illusions entertained by some on the Iranian peaceful nuclear activities. Part of the NIE report proves this aspect.
According to the recent report of Mohamed Elbaradei, only realism, along with taking into account the good faith and the sincerity of the IRI in its cooperation with the AIEA, should be the core of international efforts to end the discriminatory approach to the Iranian nuclear program, to respect the Iranian peoples’ rights, and to consolidate world peace and security.
All members of the international community are responsible to maintain world peace, to respect the United Nations charter, and to use all their forces in this direction.
Occuring events after the occupation of Iraq, the admission of occupying forces of the lack of basis of their claims regarding the existence of WMD's, have proved that the Iraqi people have been victims of this kind of illusions.
This experience has convinced most of the international observers that a country cannot be threatened because of some illusions and fabrications of false pretences and be considered as a rogue state.
Considering the Iranian pacific nuclear program, nuclear powers must respect the legal and technical expertise of the AIEA and restrain from exerting pressure and creating negative impacts on the logical and lawful process of the AIEA activities.
The people of the Middle-East have a positive view of France and of its stance toward them in the past, specially in the Iraq war. The French government and people wish to maintain their position in the Middle East. Today France has precious opportunities. The Middle East conflict, the political crises in Lebanon, regional evolutions in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the Iranian nuclear question are matters of great opportunities for the French government to show its leadership in the region. With will and realism, France could play a historic and decisive role as a responsible country.
Original Source in French:
May I remind you that the visit of Israeli president Shimon Peres is meant exactly to pull France in the other direction regarding the Iranian nuclear program and Sarkozy seems to be more than willing to go Israel's way ?
CENTCOM Commander William Fallon Resigns over tensions on his opposition to the white house war plans on Iran.
The top US military commander in the Middle East is stepping down days after a magazine profile reported he was trying to block US military action against Iran.
Admiral William Fallon, the head of US Central Command, was described in an Esquire article published last week as a lone voice within the administration arguing for restraint.
The article's author, Thomas Barnett, had predicted that if Admiral Fallon was pushed out of his job "it may well mean that the president and vice-president intend to take military action against Iran before the end of this year and don't want a commander standing in their way".
1.8.07
Sarkozy's Stolen Victories
Nicolas Sarkozy is a man constantly on the move. He practically hops around in his suit. He shrugs his shoulders, jerks his head and raises his eyebrows. In his manner, he likens a bouncing ball, full of energy but completely unpredictable. Since his election in early May, the French president has been ricocheting through European diplomatic circles like an out-of-control comet.
...The small-statured Sarkozy has assumed the role of the great statesman. Slapping shoulders, patting backs and distributing kisses, he leaves the impression of success in his wake. His approach is allowing the French to breathe a collective sigh of relief. After many years of near-paralysis, the country is assuming the leadership of an increasingly lethargic EU.
This, at least, is the impression Sarkozy would like to make. His European partners can only look on in speechless astonishment as Sarkozy rushes ahead. The crowing of the Gallic rooster is replacing the European anthem as Europe acquires a leader who has shown himself willing to flaunt tradition. His will, it appears, is the road to success.
There is only one problem: Sarkozy's victories are stolen victories. He is steadily co-opting successes which, in some cases, others have spent years diligently preparing. His policies are intended to radiate dynamism and energy. But in reality, he jumps from one issue to the next -- with apparently no system or coherence, but with a great deal of fanfare and fireworks... More...
...The small-statured Sarkozy has assumed the role of the great statesman. Slapping shoulders, patting backs and distributing kisses, he leaves the impression of success in his wake. His approach is allowing the French to breathe a collective sigh of relief. After many years of near-paralysis, the country is assuming the leadership of an increasingly lethargic EU.
This, at least, is the impression Sarkozy would like to make. His European partners can only look on in speechless astonishment as Sarkozy rushes ahead. The crowing of the Gallic rooster is replacing the European anthem as Europe acquires a leader who has shown himself willing to flaunt tradition. His will, it appears, is the road to success.
There is only one problem: Sarkozy's victories are stolen victories. He is steadily co-opting successes which, in some cases, others have spent years diligently preparing. His policies are intended to radiate dynamism and energy. But in reality, he jumps from one issue to the next -- with apparently no system or coherence, but with a great deal of fanfare and fireworks... More...
24.7.07
Sarkozy's Arrogance ou le show politique en continu
The word 'Arrogance' was used to describe France's foreign policy going its own way against Bush's decision to invade Iraq in 2003. It was 'arrogance' to the extent France was seen as opposing the empire. It was 'arrogance' to the extent the use of the word spoke about how the US and people in the US perceived France, a waning international power player. But in fact, France's Chirac and its industry, having made a long way with the Iraqi president and the Baathist Iraqi regime, were only following France's interests, its standing in the Middle East, and Chirac's longtime personal friendship with Sunni Arab leaders.
But the real meaning to Arrogance, its objective meaning, is not when a small scale country goes its own way in face of an empire. The real objective meaning for Arrogance is when a country goes its own way because it simply wants to go its own way, in disregard for others. In Diplomatic terms, this is called unilateralism and Bush has been practicing it at lenght, in all occasions. Arrogance is another word to define unilateralism in Politics. Still, one can argue that unilateralism might be O.K. if the unilateralist does not need others to accomplish his goals. France's president Nicolas Sarkozy has proved to be a bad unilateralist, exactly like GW Bush, they both disregard other states and need and manipulate other states to accomplish their goals. Not only Sarkozy is a unilateralist at home where he manages to be omnipresent in the media and where the whole state apparatus around him seems to be a pale extension of his persona, but he is starting to apply his method at the level of EU foreign diplomacy.
The moment EU diplomacy started to move positively on the dossier of the Bulgarian nurses, Sarkozy sent his wife on a mission to Lybia, without consulting with the country who led the negociations for the EU on this dossier, Germany. And when the death sentence was commuted to life sentence, and very shortly after to extradition, for the Bulgarian nurses and the Palestinian doctor, Sarkozy sent his wife again to fly the nurses back home. And with him, the French Press, attributing the merit to the French president and the EU, one can be sure that Sarkozy has taken French arrogance and disregard for others in foreign policy to new highs. The French press is cheering. Under the rubrique "Facts", Le Monde titles: 'The Élysées and the EU have liberated the Bulgarian nurses'. Sarkozy stepped in the dossier very recently, and the whole affair looks like Magic, but nobody seems to notice this !
But we all know by now that what Le Monde calls 'Facts' has become Spin under the good auspices of Alain Minc, Jean Marie Colombani, and Sarkozy. Of course, JMC is gone but the culture of Spin when it comes to Sarkozy seems to be present, or is it pure stupid nationalism and chauvinism ?
I looked today for another source on the facts surrounding the liberation of the Bulgarian nurses. The english edition of Der Spiegel online has a totally different story, so different that one wonders if the French press did not just published the official version given to it by the Élysées. Reading the English edition of Der Spiegel online today, not only I was ashamed of Le Monde because it gave us a doctored and unchecked story, and you have to read the German version of the events that led to the liberation of the Bulgarian nurses, but I was ashamed of being a French citizen. From a German perspective, Sarkozy has become the bully of Europe, bested only by Poland. He is running France's Foreign Policy in Europe and on the world stage unilaterally, looking for a showdown à deux with European and world leaders as a way to boost his image outside France. And our good press seems to be following, if we judge from the Bulgarian nurses story in Le Monde. Ironically, I read the same day that Rama Yade, Sarkozy's secrétaire d'État (junior minister) for Foreign Affairs and Human Rights wants to end France's arrogance on the world stage ? My advice to her is that she should start with her boss.
However, the biggest irritation for the European negotiators has been caused not by the tricksters in Tripoli, but rather by a close ally. The hyperactive French President Nicolas Sarkozy threatened to blow the entire deal with his unstoppable urge to get involved in the affair.
New to international diplomacy, he first sent his wife Cecilia on a conciliatory visit to the nurses and infected children -- in her official capacity as a "mother." Then he offered to mediate matters himself and announced a trip to Libya to meet with Gadhafi. It was a perfect opportunity for the Libyans to ask for more: How about the offer from France's "première dame" to modernize another hospital in Benghazi?
Steinmeier felt as if the overzealous French were jeopardizing his efforts and so he went directly to his negotiating partner Saif al-Islam. The German told him the deal was already done and dusted and there was nothing left to do. Other support could only be discussed within the context of future EU development projects.
But diplomats in Sofia and Berlin will only be able to breathe easy once the hyper French president returns from Tripoli. His wife Cecilia -- who was accompanied by Ferrero-Waldner -- made her second trip to Tripoli in two weeks over the weekend, paying a visit to Gadhafi. And Nicolas Sarkozy himself is expected in Libya on Wednesday.
...Nerves in Berlin are so frayed at the moment that even the surprise trip Sarkozy's wife Cecilia made to Libya last week caused a commotion. Élysée Palace announced she was visiting the five Bulgarian nurses sentenced to death for supposedly infecting 426 children with AIDS in her capacity as a "mother." Foreign Minister Steinmeier has been working doggedly behind the scenes to secure the release of the women, who are widely considered to be victims of a show trial. Officials in Berlin assumed that Sarkozy was trying to commandeer the whole process -- and take credit for it -- now that the nurses might be on the verge of being pardoned.
But one leading German foreign policy expert has advised officials in Berlin to remain calm in the storm of Sarkozy's provocations. Former foreign minister Joschka Fischer has pointed out that Sarkozy's predecessor Jacques Chirac took office in 1995 in far more explosive fashion -- with a nuclear bomb test in the South Pacific.
According to Bulgarian authorities, more than a dozen security services helped free the 5 Bulgarian nurses and the Palestinian doctor from Lybia. Even the Mossad is taking credit.
UPDATE: French Posturing Over Bulgarian Nurses: Why Did Cecilia Sarkozy Go to Tripoli ?
France, ummm...Sarkozy... to build Nuclear reactor in Lybia
Sarkozy's Lybia Nuclear deal: 'A European Disgrace'
From Qantara.de: A Lesson In Ruthless Special Interests Politics
Un portrait de Sarkozy dans Der Spiegel: Pas très flatteur
French's fascination with the Sarkozys
But the real meaning to Arrogance, its objective meaning, is not when a small scale country goes its own way in face of an empire. The real objective meaning for Arrogance is when a country goes its own way because it simply wants to go its own way, in disregard for others. In Diplomatic terms, this is called unilateralism and Bush has been practicing it at lenght, in all occasions. Arrogance is another word to define unilateralism in Politics. Still, one can argue that unilateralism might be O.K. if the unilateralist does not need others to accomplish his goals. France's president Nicolas Sarkozy has proved to be a bad unilateralist, exactly like GW Bush, they both disregard other states and need and manipulate other states to accomplish their goals. Not only Sarkozy is a unilateralist at home where he manages to be omnipresent in the media and where the whole state apparatus around him seems to be a pale extension of his persona, but he is starting to apply his method at the level of EU foreign diplomacy.
The moment EU diplomacy started to move positively on the dossier of the Bulgarian nurses, Sarkozy sent his wife on a mission to Lybia, without consulting with the country who led the negociations for the EU on this dossier, Germany. And when the death sentence was commuted to life sentence, and very shortly after to extradition, for the Bulgarian nurses and the Palestinian doctor, Sarkozy sent his wife again to fly the nurses back home. And with him, the French Press, attributing the merit to the French president and the EU, one can be sure that Sarkozy has taken French arrogance and disregard for others in foreign policy to new highs. The French press is cheering. Under the rubrique "Facts", Le Monde titles: 'The Élysées and the EU have liberated the Bulgarian nurses'. Sarkozy stepped in the dossier very recently, and the whole affair looks like Magic, but nobody seems to notice this !
But we all know by now that what Le Monde calls 'Facts' has become Spin under the good auspices of Alain Minc, Jean Marie Colombani, and Sarkozy. Of course, JMC is gone but the culture of Spin when it comes to Sarkozy seems to be present, or is it pure stupid nationalism and chauvinism ?
I looked today for another source on the facts surrounding the liberation of the Bulgarian nurses. The english edition of Der Spiegel online has a totally different story, so different that one wonders if the French press did not just published the official version given to it by the Élysées. Reading the English edition of Der Spiegel online today, not only I was ashamed of Le Monde because it gave us a doctored and unchecked story, and you have to read the German version of the events that led to the liberation of the Bulgarian nurses, but I was ashamed of being a French citizen. From a German perspective, Sarkozy has become the bully of Europe, bested only by Poland. He is running France's Foreign Policy in Europe and on the world stage unilaterally, looking for a showdown à deux with European and world leaders as a way to boost his image outside France. And our good press seems to be following, if we judge from the Bulgarian nurses story in Le Monde. Ironically, I read the same day that Rama Yade, Sarkozy's secrétaire d'État (junior minister) for Foreign Affairs and Human Rights wants to end France's arrogance on the world stage ? My advice to her is that she should start with her boss.
However, the biggest irritation for the European negotiators has been caused not by the tricksters in Tripoli, but rather by a close ally. The hyperactive French President Nicolas Sarkozy threatened to blow the entire deal with his unstoppable urge to get involved in the affair.
New to international diplomacy, he first sent his wife Cecilia on a conciliatory visit to the nurses and infected children -- in her official capacity as a "mother." Then he offered to mediate matters himself and announced a trip to Libya to meet with Gadhafi. It was a perfect opportunity for the Libyans to ask for more: How about the offer from France's "première dame" to modernize another hospital in Benghazi?
Steinmeier felt as if the overzealous French were jeopardizing his efforts and so he went directly to his negotiating partner Saif al-Islam. The German told him the deal was already done and dusted and there was nothing left to do. Other support could only be discussed within the context of future EU development projects.
But diplomats in Sofia and Berlin will only be able to breathe easy once the hyper French president returns from Tripoli. His wife Cecilia -- who was accompanied by Ferrero-Waldner -- made her second trip to Tripoli in two weeks over the weekend, paying a visit to Gadhafi. And Nicolas Sarkozy himself is expected in Libya on Wednesday.
...Nerves in Berlin are so frayed at the moment that even the surprise trip Sarkozy's wife Cecilia made to Libya last week caused a commotion. Élysée Palace announced she was visiting the five Bulgarian nurses sentenced to death for supposedly infecting 426 children with AIDS in her capacity as a "mother." Foreign Minister Steinmeier has been working doggedly behind the scenes to secure the release of the women, who are widely considered to be victims of a show trial. Officials in Berlin assumed that Sarkozy was trying to commandeer the whole process -- and take credit for it -- now that the nurses might be on the verge of being pardoned.
But one leading German foreign policy expert has advised officials in Berlin to remain calm in the storm of Sarkozy's provocations. Former foreign minister Joschka Fischer has pointed out that Sarkozy's predecessor Jacques Chirac took office in 1995 in far more explosive fashion -- with a nuclear bomb test in the South Pacific.
According to Bulgarian authorities, more than a dozen security services helped free the 5 Bulgarian nurses and the Palestinian doctor from Lybia. Even the Mossad is taking credit.
UPDATE: French Posturing Over Bulgarian Nurses: Why Did Cecilia Sarkozy Go to Tripoli ?
France, ummm...Sarkozy... to build Nuclear reactor in Lybia
Sarkozy's Lybia Nuclear deal: 'A European Disgrace'
From Qantara.de: A Lesson In Ruthless Special Interests Politics
Un portrait de Sarkozy dans Der Spiegel: Pas très flatteur
French's fascination with the Sarkozys
15.6.07
Current events in Gaza and the western Politic of isolation
The politic of isolation practiced by the US, Israel, and largely the EU, against the democratically elected Hamas government, has a direct responsibility in what is happening now in Gaza. This is the opinion of international experts, French, Norwegian and of the UN special coordinator for the peace process in Israel/Palestine.
International hypocrisy (In French)
Video
International hypocrisy (In French)
Video
Le Hamas se félicite d'avoir libéré la bande de Gaza "des hordes des traîtres"
LEMONDE.FR | 15.06.07
LEMONDE.FR | 15.06.07
© 
5.4.07
Torture and Terror: The descending spirale
The war on terror has reached now the horn of Africa with, in its trail, new accusations of renditions, secret prisons, and torture by the CIA and the FBI in US friendly countries. Citizens from 19 countries are being 'interrogated' by the US with the help of the rendition services provided by Kenya and the torture apparatus in Ethiopia and Somalia.
Since its beginning, the 'war on terror', as conceived by the US, is pulling western democracies in a spiraling moral descent which is becoming out of control. Many innocent citizens are caught in this spirale. Read here my post on why the methods used by the US and its allies in the 'war on terror' are doomed to fail.
UPDATE: European Union given war crimes warning over aid to Ethiopia and Somalia.
Bernard Kouchner and Bernard-Henri Lévy, the campaigners for Darfur, won't lift a finger for civilians tortured, illegaly detained, ethnically cleansed and assassinated in Somalia, neither for the genocide that is going on in Iraq under the watch of 150000 US soldiers and the genocide that id going on in Palestine at the hands of the Israeli army.
Since its beginning, the 'war on terror', as conceived by the US, is pulling western democracies in a spiraling moral descent which is becoming out of control. Many innocent citizens are caught in this spirale. Read here my post on why the methods used by the US and its allies in the 'war on terror' are doomed to fail.
UPDATE: European Union given war crimes warning over aid to Ethiopia and Somalia.
Bernard Kouchner and Bernard-Henri Lévy, the campaigners for Darfur, won't lift a finger for civilians tortured, illegaly detained, ethnically cleansed and assassinated in Somalia, neither for the genocide that is going on in Iraq under the watch of 150000 US soldiers and the genocide that id going on in Palestine at the hands of the Israeli army.
28.2.07
Irish bishops: Israel has turned Gaza Strip into a 'large prison'
The Associated Press via Haaretz, 27-02-07
''A group of Irish Roman Catholic bishops on Tuesday called into question Ireland's commercial ties with Israel, saying Israel has made the Gaza Strip "little more than a large prison" for Palestinians.
"Where there is evidence of systematic abuse of human rights on a large scale, as in the Occupied Territories, there are questions that must be asked concerning the appropriateness of maintaining close business, cultural and commercial links with Israel," said auxiliary Bishop of Dublin Raymond Field.
Field, chairman of the Irish Commission for Justice and Social Affairs (ICJSA), which advises Ireland's top Catholic clerics on social issues, described travel restrictions on Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza as an "injustice.""We are calling for an end to restrictions on family reunification, and an end to humiliating treatment of people at checkpoints," Field said in an ICJSA statement ahead of a meeting with Irish Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern.Field said restrictions, which Israel says protect it against Palestinian attacks, also make it difficult for Christians to worship at Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem."In effect, the communities of Bethlehem and East Jerusalem are forced to live divided by a 25 foot wall," said Field."We also intend to raise with Minister Ahern the intolerable situation that is the daily lot of the Palestinians who live in Gaza," Field said.
The ICJSA's statement also questioned the way in which the European Union handled its dealings with Israel."While we welcome cooperation between the EU and its neighbouring countries, nevertheless such cooperation should not be at the expense of a large segment of the indigenous population - in this case the Palestinians."
Occupied territories are a large lawless prison where Israel can enter any time, destructs, assassinates, demolishes, and shoots anybody it wants to shoot, and it has been doing so since the second intifada under the watch of the international community.
Read here the report of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs which monitors the Israeli occupation for movements of people, casualties, land theft, restrictions, demolitions, and damage to property, for the only month of November 2006.
See here a map of Gaza access as of march 2006, the situation has been worsening since.
Here you can find resources for other reports and maps monitoring the Israeli occupation and colonisation of what is left of Palestine.
The Segregation Map in the West Bank
Monitoring Israeli colonising Activities in the Palestinian West Bank and Gaza
''A group of Irish Roman Catholic bishops on Tuesday called into question Ireland's commercial ties with Israel, saying Israel has made the Gaza Strip "little more than a large prison" for Palestinians.
"Where there is evidence of systematic abuse of human rights on a large scale, as in the Occupied Territories, there are questions that must be asked concerning the appropriateness of maintaining close business, cultural and commercial links with Israel," said auxiliary Bishop of Dublin Raymond Field.
Field, chairman of the Irish Commission for Justice and Social Affairs (ICJSA), which advises Ireland's top Catholic clerics on social issues, described travel restrictions on Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza as an "injustice.""We are calling for an end to restrictions on family reunification, and an end to humiliating treatment of people at checkpoints," Field said in an ICJSA statement ahead of a meeting with Irish Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern.Field said restrictions, which Israel says protect it against Palestinian attacks, also make it difficult for Christians to worship at Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem."In effect, the communities of Bethlehem and East Jerusalem are forced to live divided by a 25 foot wall," said Field."We also intend to raise with Minister Ahern the intolerable situation that is the daily lot of the Palestinians who live in Gaza," Field said.
The ICJSA's statement also questioned the way in which the European Union handled its dealings with Israel."While we welcome cooperation between the EU and its neighbouring countries, nevertheless such cooperation should not be at the expense of a large segment of the indigenous population - in this case the Palestinians."
Occupied territories are a large lawless prison where Israel can enter any time, destructs, assassinates, demolishes, and shoots anybody it wants to shoot, and it has been doing so since the second intifada under the watch of the international community.
Read here the report of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs which monitors the Israeli occupation for movements of people, casualties, land theft, restrictions, demolitions, and damage to property, for the only month of November 2006.
See here a map of Gaza access as of march 2006, the situation has been worsening since.
Here you can find resources for other reports and maps monitoring the Israeli occupation and colonisation of what is left of Palestine.
The Segregation Map in the West Bank
Monitoring Israeli colonising Activities in the Palestinian West Bank and Gaza
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Since March 29th 2006