Macron says Trump ‘on the same page’ over West Bank annexation
French President Emmanuel Macron – despite having disagreements with Trump on Palestinian statehood – says the US leader has joined him in opposing Israel’s plan to annex most of the occupied West Bank.
“What President Trump told me yesterday was that the Europeans and Americans have the same position,” Macron said in a joint interview with France 24 and Radio France Internationale.
On Tuesday, Macron said only Trump had the power to put pressure on Israel to end its devastating war on Gaza. “There is one person who can do something about it – and that is the US president,” Macron said.
“And the reason he can do more than us is because we do not supply weapons that allow the war in Gaza to be waged. We do not supply equipment that allows war to be waged in Gaza. The United States of America does.”
US proposal to end Israel’s war on Gaza: ‘Not sure it shows realism’
US special envoy Steve Witkoff says a 21-point plan has been given to Arab and Muslim leaders on how to end Israel’s two-year war on Gaza.
Martin Griffiths, director of the Mediation Group International and a former top UN official, said it’s ominous that no Palestinians appear to have been consulted about the proposal.
“I think it was very telling that in the Steve Witkoff comments he made no mention of the Palestinians. I mean that is a red light, in my view, if you don’t include the people under consideration, and it tells us something profound about the possible plan,” Griffiths told Al Jazeera.
The 21-point outline has not been made public, but he speculated it could involve a short ceasefire. However, divisions are emerging, Griffiths noted, including on the two-state solution and Israeli threats to annex the occupied West Bank.
“It [the proposal] shows activism from the United States, but what I’m not sure yet is that it shows realism.”
UK seeks to block challenge to Palestine Action ban under anti-terrorism laws
The British government is trying to block the co-founder of pro-Palestinian campaign group Palestine Action from bringing a legal challenge over its ban under anti-terrorism laws.
Palestine Action has increasingly targeted Israel-linked companies in Britain, often spraying red paint, blocking entrances, or damaging equipment. It accuses Britain’s government of complicity in what it says are Israeli war crimes in Gaza.
The group was proscribed as a terrorist organisation in July, making it a crime to be a member, which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison. More than 1,000 people have since been arrested for holding signs in support of the group.
Huda Ammori, who helped found Palestine Action in 2020, was in July given permission to challenge the group’s proscription on the grounds that it was arguably a disproportionate interference with the right to freedom of expression.
Britain’s Home Office is asking the Court of Appeal to overturn that decision and rule any challenge to proscription should be heard by a specialist tribunal, rather than the High Court.
