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May 17, 2021
Le Monde
Gaza under bombs, Biden under pressure, the voiceless EU
Israel continues to bomb the Strip, dozens of civilian deaths.
In the West Bank, Fatah militants join the revolt out of fear of losing legitimacy among the population in favor of Hamas.
In the US, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict highlights the tensions within the Democratic Party and highlights the contradictions of American diplomacy, which now supports the ceasefire after supporting Israel's right to defense with raids on Gaza
NYT
Violence flares up in the Middle East, Biden supports ceasefire
In conversation with Netanyahu Biden reflects reluctance to criticize Israel and the failure to date of diplomatic attempts to silence weapons. Israel continues raids to target Hamas targets
President Biden's carefully worded statement yesterday in support of a ceasefire between Israelis and Palestinians came amid growing pressure within his own party for the United States to take a more skeptical stance towards one of the most close allies. Biden's urgency to stop the fighting - hidden at the end of a summary of the call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - followed a shower of demands from Democratic lawmakers for the administration to speak out firmly against the escalation of violence. It reflected a different tone from what congressmen have sounded during previous clashes in the region,when most Democrats repeated their strong support for Israel's right to defend itself and called for peace, without openly criticizing its actions. The strongest push comes from the progressive wing of the party, whose representatives in the House, such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, in recent days have accused Israel of serious human rights violations against Palestinians and of establishing an apartheid state. . But these positions have anticipated widespread and concerted change among more traditional Democrats that may ultimately be heavier. A growing number of Democrats in Washington say they are no longer willing to give Israel a blank pass with the Palestinians. Gregory Meeks, New York Congressman, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee,said yesterday that it would ask the Biden administration to delay a $ 735 million tranche of high-precision weapons for Israel that was approved before tensions in the Middle East erupted. Meeks moved after several Democrats expressed concern about sending American weapons to Israel at a time when civilians are being bombed, including a building that housed the Associated Press. The day before, 28 Democratic senators - more than half of the party's parliamentary group - published a letter calling for a ceasefire. Leading the initiative was Senator Jon Ossoff, a Democrat from Georgia, 34, the face of a younger generation of American Jews in Congress.While Republicans launched statements openly blaming Hamas militants, the Democrats' appeal placed the burden on both sides to lay down their arms - and Biden to step in to call for a ceasefire.
Huffington Post
Increase condemnation of Israel's carnage in Gaza.
Tepid Biden on Ceasefire Publicly calling for
a ceasefire - as most Democrats in the Senate recently urged Biden to do - is not as effective as a behind-the-scenes conversation, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.
Psaki said last week alone there were 60 administration calls with "leaders in Israel and the Palestinian Authority".
After Psaki's press conference, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer joined the House call for a ceasefire.
National Review
Violence in Israel is the Price of Biden's Weakness, by Mike Pence
Many Americans who witnessed the recent bloodshed in Israel are puzzled by how quickly violence has erupted after years of calm. The answer is that President Biden and the Democrats in Congress have abandoned their unequivocal support for our ally Israel, encouraged our enemies, and turned their backs on the politics that had produced historic peace deals in the Middle East. Under the Trump-Pence administration, we made it clear to the world that America is with Israel. We have withdrawn from the dangerous Iranian nuclear deal brokered by the Obama-Biden administration, we have recognized Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights and the Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria.And President Trump has kept the promise made by countless Republican and Democratic politicians and moved the US Embassy to Jerusalem, the capital of the state of Israel. Last year, our administration brokered the Abrahamic Accords, the most significant breakthrough for peace in decades. But now, President Biden has sent a profoundly different message to the world. Instead of seeking peace through strength, he called for violence through weakness. Biden encouraged anti-Semitic terror groups like Hamas by avoiding Israeli leaders and restoring more than $ 200 million in aid to Palestinians that had been written off by the Trump administration. It unilaterally removed the Iranian-backed Houthis from the list of designated terrorist organizations. IS,worse still, he announced his intention to re-enter the Iran nuclear deal, destabilizing the entire region. Any lukewarm statement made by the Biden-Harris administration is based on a false equivalence between Israel and Hamas. One is a sovereign nation with a legitimate government and a trusted ally. The other is a terrorist organization. Biden has learned nothing from the tragic foreign policy mistakes made during his time as vice president. President Obama's thin "red line" in Syria, his decision to "drive from behind" in Libya and his sloppy withdrawal from Iraq created power gaps that were quickly filled by America's enemies.destabilizing the entire region. Any lukewarm statement made by the Biden-Harris administration is based on a false equivalence between Israel and Hamas. One is a sovereign nation with a legitimate government and a trusted ally. The other is a terrorist organization. Biden has learned nothing from the tragic foreign policy mistakes made during his time as vice president. President Obama's thin "red line" in Syria, his decision to "drive from behind" in Libya and his sloppy withdrawal from Iraq created power gaps that were quickly filled by America's enemies.destabilizing the entire region. Any lukewarm statement made by the Biden-Harris administration is based on a false equivalence between Israel and Hamas. One is a sovereign nation with a legitimate government and a trusted ally. The other is a terrorist organization. Biden has learned nothing from the tragic foreign policy mistakes made during his time as vice president. President Obama's thin "red line" in Syria, his decision to "drive from behind" in Libya and his sloppy withdrawal from Iraq created power gaps that were quickly filled by America's enemies.One is a sovereign nation with a legitimate government and a trusted ally. The other is a terrorist organization. Biden has learned nothing from the tragic foreign policy mistakes made during his time as vice president. President Obama's thin "red line" in Syria, his decision to "drive from behind" in Libya and his sloppy withdrawal from Iraq created power gaps that were quickly filled by America's enemies.One is a sovereign nation with a legitimate government and a trusted ally. The other is a terrorist organization. Biden has learned nothing from the tragic foreign policy mistakes made during his time as vice president. President Obama's thin "red line" in Syria, his decision to "drive from behind" in Libya and his sloppy withdrawal from Iraq created power gaps that were quickly filled by America's enemies.in Libya and its sloppy withdrawal from Iraq created power gaps that were quickly filled by America's enemies.in Libya and its sloppy withdrawal from Iraq created power gaps that were quickly filled by America's enemies.
USAToday
Biden
Kept
Several Trump Policies Intact
President Joe Biden never promised a total reversal of his predecessor's approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. And he blasted many of the Trump administration's decisions as "destructive" and "shortsighted. Yet, four months into his tenure, Biden left many of President Donald Trump's pro-Israel policies, leading to the frustration of many in Washington and in the Middle East.
Haaretz
In Israel, it is estimated that the "space of legitimacy" recognized to the country in the international community is shrinking. A source in Jerusalem told Haaretz that international pressure on Israel to reach a ceasefire is mounting. Although Biden expresses public support for Israel, senior administration officials make their remarks public calling for a ceasefire
Maariv
"Do not give in to the pressure and continue with all our strength"
In the south of the country, residents of the localities hit by Hamas rockets are asking the government to continue with operations in Gaza despite international pressure for a ceasefire. Israel refuses to stop the raids. Ashdot, Sderot, rocket launches continue
Netanyahu's political match, which conveys confidence in the continuation of coalition negotiations between Likud and Yemina, the center party led by Lapid, the prime minister in charge. Likud welcomed the statement by right-wing president Naftali Bennett that he will not join the change of government as a sign of calm in the right-wing camp. Sources close to Prime Minister Netanyahu say that in recent days the premier said that a fifth election could be preferable for Likud to the formation of a government in less than ideal conditions. However, Prime Minister Yair Lapid wrote in a Facebook post that "Hamas will not manage our lives. Its missiles will not determine the political process in Israel, they will not decide who will be in power by violent means.The right thing is an Israeli unity government. We will continue to work to build it. "
Jerusalem Post
No truce, Hamas and Israel continue to attack
As Israel fights in one of the most intense conflicts the country has experienced in recent years, the military is pushing as hard as it can to strike Gaza and stop Hamas from attacking. But while the army is strong on the front with Hamas, the country is torn apart by an internal war. Despite terrorizing residents of southern Israel, as well as those in the center of the country, Hamas has always been perceived as a loser. As much as it may disrupt everyday life in the Jewish state, Israel has always been able to force Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad to a ceasefire, and then gain a few months or years of relative tranquility. But in this round, no matter how many terrorists or structures are hit in Gaza, Hamas has wreaked havoc on all fronts.It has managed to move the battlefield from areas within its rocket range to the entire country, with riots rocking all corners of Israel. In the neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem and on the Israeli measures adopted for al-Aqsa, Hamas has managed to lay the foundations for a permanent conflict; this time it managed to join forces with the West Bank and the Arab-Israeli communities. Outrage over what is perceived as Jewish attacks in East Jerusalem and al-Aqsa, as well as protests against Israeli actions in Gaza, have been detonated and used to spark riots in Jerusalem, Lod and Haifa. The violence quickly spread to other cities. Arab residents attacked Jews on the streets and in their homes, burning synagogues and vandalizing large areas.They are images that bring to mind the 1929 riots against Jews across the British Mandate, when Arabs across the region committed pogroms against their Jewish neighbors. Hamas in this war has achieved what it wanted in recent years: unity through hatred. When this war in Gaza ends, and the violence in the streets is likely to die down, what will the state of the country be? How will Israel move forward? Faced with these great challenges, without a stable government yet, what tools will we have?When this war in Gaza ends, and the violence in the streets is likely to die down, what will the state of the country be? How will Israel move forward? Faced with these great challenges, without a stable government yet, what tools will we have?When this war in Gaza ends, and the violence in the streets is likely to die down, what will the state of the country be? How will Israel move forward? Faced with these great challenges, without a stable government yet, what tools will we have?
Israel Hayom
10 shots on the north brigade of Islamic Jihad.
The army operation in the Strip continues
Dead of wounds the victim of the lynching routes to Lod
AS
Allegri or Raul, the great decision
The Italian's experience places him as a favorite.
He has won 7 league titles and twice led Juventus to the Champions League final.
The Castilla coach is ten years younger and is a Real legend that he already knows well.
It led young people to win the Youth League.
Sport
Xavi arrives in Barcelona instead of Koman on the bench.
The former champion who landed from Qatar to negotiate with the blaugrana club, who has many doubts about whether to continue with the Dutchman
Marca
The words that marked the turning point in the championship
Simeone during the hydration break spurred the team that was losing against Osasuna, inviting calm: 'don't worry, the goal arrives. We have to be strong with the head. If we draw, we'll take the game. ' Atletico will play the last match on the field of Ronaldo's Valladolid, who are fighting not to be relegated, to defend the advantage over Real
From the editorial staff
RPP noticias (Peru)
Chile: historic victory for the independents and the left in the elections. They will write the new Constitution
Traditional parties have been cornered in the Constituent Convention that will create new rules of the game in Chile. Commenting on the devastating results was President Sebastián Piñera who admitted that his government and right-wing groups did not " adequately tune in to the demands and expectations of their citizens ".
The Chileans outside the political parties have promoted a process of change starting with the drafting of a new Constitution, conceding almost a third of the 155 seats in the convention that will write the new text in this weekend's elections.
Independent citizens defend different sensibilities such as feminism, the environment, education, social justice and health. Their candidacy is the first case in history in which the appointment of people outside the structures of traditional political parties has been allowed. Its success, linked to the social protests of October 2019, motivated citizens to participate directly in the construction of the new model of country that they claimed during the demonstrations.
"There is no doubt that we are experiencing a transversal defeat - Mario Desbordes, presidential candidate of the Renovacion Nacional told reporters - a defeat that must make us think. We have not been able to interpret the majority of citizens".
Milenio (México)
Mexican Andrea Meza wins the Miss Universe 2021 beauty contest
Andrea Meza has been crowned Miss Universe 2021. Originally from Chihuahua, she is the third Mexican to win a beauty contest; the first was Lupita Jones in 1991 and the second Ximena Navarrete, in 2018. The 26-year-old Mexican beat the Brazilian Julia Gama, who remained second, and the Peruvian Janick Maceta, third place.
At the event held at the iconic Hard Rock hotel and casino in Florida, Andrea Meza became the first Miss since 2019, the year in which South African Zozibini Tunzi was crowned, given that in 2020 the restrictions resulting from the global pandemic did not allow the development of the long-awaited international competition.
Each of the contestants had to answer a question in seconds. Meza in his final speech speaking in Spanish stated that "today beauty is not only in the way we see ourselves. Beauty is in our spirit, in our soul and in the values within each of us. Never allow anyone to tell you. that you have no value ". Andrea Meza has a degree in engineering, an activist for women's rights and gender equality. She is a tourism ambassador for her hometown Chihuahua and is part of a charity that raises funds for the most needy people in India, China and Indonesia.
Chi trarrà vantaggio dalla nuova cortina di ferro sul confine UE-Russia
L'introduzione di passaporti Covid (CovPass) e il trasferimento di dati su Sputnik V all’Autorità europea, apparentemente, si scontrano con la resistenza dei funzionari russi
The Covid Pass (Holiday Passport or CovPass) will soon become a reality for Europe. Germany is already introducing them before the summer holidays, which for most Länder start in the second half of June. They will be introduced in the form of an app on a smartphone. This program provides a comprehensive overview of a particular person's vaccination or the presence of antibodies in those who have been infected and cured. The Electronic Covid Passport, which is supposed to be in the form of a special program in all smartphones of citizens of EU countries, was developed, according to the German news agency N-tv, under the leadership of the US company IBM. It is adapted to German smartphones from Ubirch, Bechtle and Covdigital in Germany.
It is clear that the new rules introduced or planned will make it more difficult for people who have not been vaccinated with vaccines approved for use in the European Union to enter the EU. As we know, this also applies to the Russians, who almost entirely use national vaccines. Furthermore, the measures introduced unilaterally by the EU may in fact become a new Iron Curtain that significantly limits the access of Russian citizens to Europe.
This raises the traditional question of who is to blame and what to do. Apparently, we have to start from the fact that the idea of a covid passport did not find Kremlin approval from the start. Dmitry Peskov, the Russian president's press officer, said the Russian leadership is far from agreeing with other countries on the vaccination certificate. Events have now surpassed the views of Russian officials, but it is unclear whether their stance on the matter has changed. The discussion in this regard moves into the sphere of recognition in the West of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, which is the most widespread in Russia. The submission of the application is correct in principle, although without a formal point such as the introduction of the Covid passport in Russia,even the recognition of the Russian vaccine is insufficient to guarantee the freedom of movement of Russians across European borders.
For now, it is difficult to assess who is truly to blame for creating bureaucratic obstacles for Russians traveling to Europe: Russian officials or Russia's opponents in the EU. In principle, both sides could be interested in limiting contacts between Russians and Europeans.