EU infighting good for Israel?

[Semsem]

The EU are now fighting among themselves: Britain against France and Germany who want to dominate. I think this is good for us as it weakens a giant immoral hostile Jew bashing bully.

See article from BBC below:


Rows overshadow EU summit talks

Jacques Chirac is concerned about the successor to Romano Prodi
Tempers have frayed at a European Union summit designed to reach agreement on a new constitution and commission head.
The UK and France criticised each other over the slow progress of the deals which are crucial to the EU's future.

France said the UK was making too many demands for special treatment, while London opposes Paris's choice for a new European Commission president.

In a sign of progress at the Brussels summit, Germany and France said they would back a constitutional draft.

Agreement has also been reached on one of the issues that torpedoed constitutional talks last year - resistance by smaller nations to plans for new voting rules.

The new plan says measures must have the backing of at least 55% of EU states, representing at least 65% of the total population, in order to pass.

Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, said progress had also been made on picking someone to lead the European Commission.

But correspondents say a lot was left to be accomplished.

'Stop backsliding'

Late-night wrangles over a constitution and who should succeed Romano Prodi as commission president spilled over into the second day.

Catherine Colonna, a spokeswoman for French President Jacques Chirac, said France had been pushed as far as it would go over the constitution.


The UK disagrees with Germany's choice for commissioner
The UK is believed to have won concessions on its concerns such as preserving national vetoes.

Ms Colonna said: "We will not agree to further dilute what has been proposed by the Irish presidency. We have to stop the backsliding."

Her comments followed remarks on Thursday by Mr Chirac himself who said the EU had to "avoid being blocked by a single country" - seen by observers as a veiled attack on Britain for its threat to veto the constitution's text if it cedes power to Brussels in key areas.

A spokesman for UK Prime Minister Tony Blair hit back at that, saying: "It was unfortunate that President Chirac chose to attack our position before the negotiations had begun."

Correspondents note that spats between the UK and France are nothing new.

Commissioner debate


The UK is also at odds with both France and Germany over a successor to Mr Prodi.

France and Germany have backed Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, but Britain opposes him on the grounds that he could be too eager to make the EU more federal.

LEADING CANDIDATES
Guy Verhofstadt, Belgian PM
Jean-Claude Juncker, Luxembourg PM
Antonio Vitorino, EU Commissioner
Pat Cox, European Parliament President
Bertie Ahern, Irish PM
Chris Patten, EU Commissioner


Candidate profiles
UK attacks game playing
Among other candidates, a UK commissioner, Chris Patten, has been proposed - but President Chirac said he did not think it was a good idea to have a candidate from "a country which doesn't take part in all European policies".

Mr Blair's spokesman also attacked Germany for trying to link a deal on the constitution with the issue of the presidency, saying: "We are operating in a Europe of 25, not a Europe of six or two or one."

Mr Prodi is stepping down as head of the commission when his five-year term ends in October.

[MGB8]

Its not good for Israel.

Its good for EUROPE.

At least, all Europe that isn't France, Belgium, and Germany.

This triumverat is trying to expand their own power by artificially adding the power of Europe - hoping to use their majority status (as well as being able to count on the support of say, Luxemburg and Switzerland with very little population but votes, while they carry large populations) - and dominating the policy goals of states like Italy, Spain, Poland, and the UK.

Fortunately, most of Europe is wise to this, and is refusing to let it happen.

[Semsem]

I think it is good for Israel. A strong Europe will bully Israel more than a weaker divided Europe.

[Mediocrates]

How is a disjoint Europe any better for, or at least not as bad as, a unified Europe? Does Sweden check with Belgium on which cherry tomatoes to embargo?


Of course someone wise than I said "Antisemitism is really the only endevor which successfully unified Europe." So maybe their disunity is really factor of not agreeing on how to punish all the Jews rather than a disctraction from pursuing that goal. :p

At any rate - it seems to me that Europe's frictions are really a proxy for the coming conflict between nascent cryptofascist nationalism and Islamic radicalism, both of which have gained political traction there in recent years. One wonders what will happen if either some Le Pen inspired nationalist faction or some sharia inspired Islamic front gains a significant political leadership role in a major EU state. The Thirty Years War II? World War 2.1?

[Olivier]

"Europe infighting" is exagerated .... there is tension because we are about to get to something very important: the european constitution. It used to be blocked by poland and spain. But since then, the prime minister of poland resigned and the spanish pro-bush gvt was ousted by election, so the big blocking factors have been overcome and we're struggling over details.

The irish presidency stated today "we are very close to an agreement". It's quite about time.




// edit : as for "cryptofascist nationalism" and other posts in the same taste, I have come to think you actually believe what you say :p
I'm worried by the mix of ignorance and willingness to implement brute force you display.

[Mediocrates]

Yes I've read the drafts. They seem to have learned little about democratic mechanisms in the last 2 or 3 hundred years. The European Constitution is really a distillation of precise laws. It's really not a Constitution at all so much as a statute. And statutes are very hard to gain consensus on because they are laws instead of guiding principles. No one was ever inspired by or sworn fealty to, a parking meter.

[Olivier]

YESSSS

http://www.reuters.com/printerFriendlyPopup.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=5460330

EU on Brink of Historic Constitution Deal
Fri Jun 18, 2004 03:47 PM ET


BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union leaders were on the brink of an historic deal on a first constitution for post-Cold War Europe Friday, ending months of wrangling over power sharing in an enlarged 25-nation bloc.

Leaders wrapped up all outstanding disputes in private meetings and were to reconvene for a plenary session at 9:45 p.m. (1945 GMT) to approve the final charter, EU diplomats said.

"We are very close at this stage, we are really within a matter of minutes from an agreement," Irish Europe Minister Dick Roche, whose country holds the EU presidency, told reporters.

The leaders sought to conclude a new founding act for a union of 450 million citizens, freshly enlarged across the old Iron Curtain into former communist eastern Europe, to counter a wave of apathy and Euroskepticism highlighted by the record low turnout in last week's European Parliament elections.

(..)

LEADERSHIP

The constitution will give the bloc stronger leadership with a long-term president of the European Council and a foreign minister to represent it on the world stage, more powers for the European Parliament and more decisions taken by majority vote.

Britain fought a successful rearguard battle to preserve national vetoes on key policy areas such as taxation, social security, foreign and defense policy and criminal law.

France, Germany and the Netherlands found a last-minute compromise on how much-flouted EU budget deficit rules should be policed. But Poland and other Roman Catholic countries failed to secure a reference to Europe's Christian heritage.

The Irish circulated a final text to delegations which it said "constitute the basis for an overall and balanced agreement which should allow for the adoption of the draft Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe."

(..)

[Semsem]

Oh shucks. I love it when they argue among themselves.

[minusthejihad]

See, I told you Olivier gets off on this stuff (and Michael Moore). He did just have a digital orgasm!

[Phrozhen]

I think it is good for Israel. A strong Europe will bully Israel more than a weaker divided Europe.

Now how do we get them to squabble longer :D
The EU has a tendency to be very pro palistinian and indirectly anti Isreal.

[Semsem]

Now how do we get them to squabble longer :D
The EU has a tendency to be very pro palistinian and indirectly anti Isreal.

I am sure we can rely on G-d to arrange something. Everyone who harmed us mysteriously got their twopence / medicine. Anyway due to global warming by 2080 parts of Europe will sink so that should keep them pretty busy and out of mischief.

[Mediocrates]

What about the EU Neighborhood Program?

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1093229944965&p=1078027574121



A high level European Union delegation will hold one day of talks in Jerusalem Tuesday with Israeli officials over Israel's participation in the European Neighborhood Program.

Oded Eran, Israel's ambassador to the EU in Brussels, said the goal of these talks, the fifth round of negotiations, is to reach agreement on an action plan by mid-September for Israel's participation in this program.

According to European officials, the EU wants to wrap up negotiations with the first wave of countries to be involved in the project before the new European Commission takes office in November.

The European Neighborhood Program, also known as the Wider Europe initiative, is an initiative to upgrade the EU's relations with a circle of some 14 countries bordering the enlarged EU, with the ultimate goal being to allow free access to and from the EU of goods, services, capital and people from the countries involved in the initiative.

The action plan under discussion, Eran said, has two "baskets," a political basket and an economic one. Eran said that the EU has not raised any specific political demands, such as moving the security fence, but that the diplomatic issues are being discussed in a general manner.

"Europe wants to be a major player, not only second fiddle to the US," Eran said, adding that in European eyes, Israel views them as a secondary, unimportant player in the diplomatic process.

"In this context it is important there will be a dialogue that will include the diplomatic process, and other issues, such as human rights during the war on terror, and Weapons of Mass Destruction in the Mideast. In principle Israel accepts this idea, and is willing to have dialogue with each country alone, and with the EU as a body," Eran said.

Eran said the mechanism for this dialogue and the intensity of the dialogue, need to be worked out, but it is clear that neither side will accept dictates from the other.

European officials have explained that before admission to the initiative is granted, the candidate countries have to meet certain benchmark requirements on a number of political and economic issues. European officials have not hidden that Israel's involvement in the program will not be divorced from whether or not there is diplomatic progress in the Middle East.

Regarding the economic basket, Israel has submitted a proposal for participation in a number of different EU programs and institutions, which it is not now eligible for. Eran said that as of yet the Europeans have not been overly generous regarding the forums and institutions that will be open to Israeli participation.

Israel, along with Jordan, Moldova, Morocco, Tunisia and Ukraine are in the first wave of countries, along with the Palestinian Authority, to negotiate with the EU regarding participation in this program.

[Mediocrates]

In other EU news today....

http://www.euobserver.com/?sid=24&aid=17077
Homeless Palestinians to get EU support
12.08.2004 - 09:55 CET | By Lisbeth Kirk The European Commission has allocated 1.35 million euro to Palestinians whose homes in Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip were destroyed by the Israeli army.

During last May’s incursions into Rafah some 3,800 people were made homeless.

Water supply networks, sewage systems, and two schools will be rehabilitated.

The victims are also to receive cash assistance to replace household goods and belongings that were lost in the rubble, the Commission announced on Wednesday (11 August).

"The Israeli authorities must take urgent action to alleviate the suffering of the population in the occupied territories, where the humanitarian situation has alarmingly deteriorated over the past years", Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, Poul Nielson urged.

Over the past four years, more than 22,000 people have had their houses demolished by Israeli military bulldozers in the Gaza Strip.

It is the second time this year that the European Commission provides aid to victims of house demolitions in the Gaza Strip. In March, 1 million euro was granted.

The European Commission is one of the largest donors of humanitarian aid to the Palestinians.


http://www.euobserver.com/?sid=24&aid=17070
No evidence of EU money to fund Palestinian terrorism
11.08.2004 - 08:45 CET | By Honor Mahony The EU's anti-fraud unit has said that there is no evidence "to date" that EU aid to the Palestinian Authority has been used for illegal activities - including terrorism.

The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) has been investigating allegations that EU aid may have been used to fund terrorism since September 2003.

In a statement released on Tuesday (10 August), prompted by new media reports on the matter, OLAF said:

"The investigations are ongoing, therefore every interim finding may be subject to review. However, to date, the provisional assessment of OLAF is that there is no evidence that the EU non-targeted direct budget assistance was used to finance illegal activities, including the financing of terrorism."

The allegations centre on the years 2000 to 2002 and concerns non-targeted Direct Budgetary Assistance paid by the EU to the Palestinian Authority.

The fraud unit said that during its investigation, it had contacts with the "International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, representatives of third countries in the Middle East, audit firms and private sector sources".

OLAF's investigators have also been in contact with both the Israeli administration and the Palestinian Authority.

However, the organisation said it could not estimate how long the investigations would continue.

And just in case you were worried about why all those Africans are starving to death while they're being raped, hacked up and shot.......


http://www.euobserver.com/?sid=24&aid=17064
No genocide in Sudan, says EU
10.08.2004 - 09:08 CET | By Honor Mahony A delegation of EU officials has said that there are widespread killings in the Dafur region of Sudan but that the killings could not be qualified as genocide.

"We are not in the situation of genocide there," said Pieter Feith, an adviser to the EU's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, according to AFP.

"But it is clear there is widespread, silent and slow killing going on and village burning of a fairly large scale. There are considerable doubts as to the willingness of Sudan's government to assume its duty to protect its civilian population against attacks".

Mr Feith and his delegation had arrived in Darfur last Tuesday (3 August) for a five-day mission to evaluate how the EU can help implement a ceasefire in the western region.

The International Criminal Court defines genocide as the "systematic and planned extermination of a national, racial, religious or ethnic group" but whether to apply the term is often a political decision.

In contrast to US conclusions
The EU delegation's conclusion is in stark contrast to that of the US House of Representatives which last month said that the campaign of looting and burning by Arab militiamen against African village farmers is genocide.

The United Nations has set a three-week deadline for Khartoum to improve security and human rights in Darfur or it will face sanctions.

According to the international organisation, around 50,000 people have died in Dafur and over a million have been forced to flee from the homes since the fighting began early in 2003.

It was started by a rebel uprising in Darfur which led to a crackdown by Sudanese forces and an Arab militia known as Janaweed.

[Semsem]

It's a way to blackmail Israel with a carrot.