EU foreign affairs chief: Israel has financed Hamas itself
EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell accuses Israel of having themselves "created" and "financed" the terrorist group Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The move was made during a speech at the University of Valladolid, according to El País. The purpose of the funding has been to weaken the Palestinian Authority that rules the West Bank, according to Borrell.
The accusations are not new, but have long appeared in the media and among the opposition.
By funding Hamas, the Palestinian factions are divided, making a two-state solution more difficult. Netanyahu has denied that has been the goal of his policy, but in 2019 he admitted in more general terms that "anyone who wants to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state must focus on strengthening Hamas."
Borrell's outburst comes with days left until EU foreign ministers are to have meetings with Israel, the Palestinian Authority and several Arab countries.
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Growing number of Democrats challenge Biden's Israel support
The Senate has so far stood behind President Joe Biden's unwavering support for Israel, but now it is beginning to develop into a place of opposition - even from some party colleagues, writes the Washington Post.
Several prominent Democrats have proposed or supported measures aimed at holding Israel accountable or changing US strategy, though they are unlikely to gain enough support to pass.
On Friday, five Democrats signed a proposal that would condition support for Israel. Meanwhile, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine is rallying support for the idea of stopping Biden from bypassing Congress when he sends arms to Israel, and Sen. Bernie Sanders rallied several party colleagues behind a bill to compel the White House to investigate potential Israeli human rights violations.
Even in the House of Representatives, opposition to Biden's Israel strategy is growing, writes Reuters. In a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, signed by 60 Democrats, the administration was urged to state clearly that the United States strongly opposes "the forced and permanent expulsion" of Palestinians from Gaza.
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Biden: Netanyahu is not completely against two-state solution
On Friday, Joe Biden and Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on the phone, AP writes. It was the first time in a month that the leaders had spoken - weeks in which the rift between the US and Israel seems to have widened.
The US is pushing Israel to work towards a two-state solution, but Netanyahu persists in his refusal. On Thursday, he gave a press conference where the message was that a Palestinian state is not relevant in any scenario, and that a prime minister "must be able to say no to his friends".
That statement was downplayed by Biden after Friday's call. Asked if a two-state solution is an impossibility with Netanyahu in power, the president said:
- No, it is not.
Netanyahu is not opposed to all such solutions, Biden said, according to Reuters, suggesting that a Palestinian state without armed forces could be a possibility.
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