European governments won’t stray far from US position on Israel
European governments are largely sticking to positions adopted by the US and are reluctant to signal a change despite the carnage in Gaza, according to Al Jazeera’s senior political analyst Marwan Bishara.
“Where there is a will there is a way, but there is no will on the part of the European governments to go far from what the American position is,” he said.
“Most European powers since the war in Ukraine have been playing the role of a client of the United States than independent powers of their own, and the same goes with the situation in Gaza.”
Bishara said there is some “meagre” change from the British government like resuming funding to UNRWA that is welcome, but that is nothing compared to continuingwar on Gaza.
Bishara noted that the first step new UK Foreign Minister David Lammy took was to go to Israel and “have a photo-op with the criminal prime minister there”.
“Apparently, a British foreign minister needs to get the blessing of the prime minister of a country that is basically on trial for genocide and a prime minister that is being prosecuted by the top prosecutor of the International Criminal Court for war crimes,” he said.
But the UK and other European countries have been quick to warn their citizens to evacuate Lebanon and other countries as Iran and its axis of forces are preparing to launch retaliatory attacks on Israel.
“Whenever they make a serious move, it’s when there’s a security issue threatening their own nationals,” Bishara said.
Or economic interests, got to defend those shipping containers
Kamala Harris ‘does not support’ Israel arms embargo
The national security adviser for US presidential nominee Kamala Harris emphasises that she does not support putting an end to arms transfers to Israel amid the war on Gaza.
“She does not support an arms embargo on Israel,” writes Phil Gordon on X, adding that Harris will always be committed to protecting Israel as the country expects a retaliation by Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah to assassinations in Tehran and Beirut.
The statement comes amid calls for transparency on the stance of the incumbent vice president on US support for the deadly war. Harris has not personally commented on the arms transfers that have persisted despite US weapons being used to kill civilians in Gaza.
.@VP has been clear: she will always ensure Israel is able to defend itself against Iran and Iran-backed terrorist groups. She does not support an arms embargo on Israel. She will continue to work to protect civilians in Gaza and to uphold international humanitarian law.
— Phil Gordon (@PhilGordon46) August 8, 2024
F-22 Raptor fighter jets arrive in the Middle East
The US military says some of its best fighter jets have arrived in the Middle East as the region awaits a retaliation by Iran and its “axis of resistance” against Israel.
The “force posture changes” have also seen the US military bring in more troops and weapons, including aircraft carriers, destroyers and missiles to the region to defend Israel.
U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors arrived in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Aug. 8 as part of U.S. force posture changes in the region to mitigate the possibility of regional escalation by Iran or its proxies. pic.twitter.com/BuuzbUHu9s
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) August 8, 2024
