Global

The European Union should harden its stance against Israel and follow in the footsteps of the United Kingdom and other Western allies by issuing sanctions against far-right members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Cabinet, Sweden’s foreign minister told Politico. Maria Malmer Stenergard said after meeting in Brussels with Kaja Kallas, the EU’s top diplomat, that the EU now needs to take a stronger position and increase pressure on the Israeli government.

A wave of right-wing sentiment is gripping the world, not least in Europe where right-wing parties that until yesterday were considered to be on the fringe of the political spectrum, are now knocking on the doors of government, if they are not in government already. It is no longer possible to dismiss this movement, nor to ignore it. The question needs to be asked why people are flocking to these parties. Migration is often cited as a reason, but whilst a factor, on its own this is not an adequate explanation. Thousands of people, who until recently voted for the centre-left, or centre-right parties – in Europe usually associated with Social Democrats and Christian Democrats – are now supporting parties, some of who have a pedigree in fascism and nazism. Yet many who vote for far-right and populist parties are neither fascists nor nazis. They are mostly decent working people, and their families, who are disillusioned by the political class, often described as the political elite, and are in desperation seeking something different.

On Wednesday (4 June), US President Donald Trump signed a new travel ban affecting 12 countries, including seven in Africa: Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Somalia and Sudan. Burundi, Sierra Leone and Togo also face partial restrictions. President Trump justified the ban as a national security measure aimed at protecting the United States from foreign threats. The ban is set to take effect on Monday (9 June).

The prominent Swedish climate activist, who is sailing with 11 other activists on an aid ship bound for Gaza, said that she felt she had no choice but to help, as “our governments are failing us”.

US President Donald Trump will attend the NATO summit in The Hague later this month, the White House announced on Tuesday evening (3 June). Trump had previously left it unclear whether he would attend the conference of the Western military alliance in the Netherlands. However, he had informed Prime Minister Dick Schoof (now outgoing) of his attendance, which the Dutch government had previously announced.