The blessing and the curse

By Georgi Gotev

In his UN speech on Friday (27 September), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu underscored that conflicts in the Middle East were a choice between "a blessing or a curse."

“We face the same timeless choice that Moses put to the people of Israel thousands of years ago as we were about to enter the promised land. Moses told us that our actions will determine whether we bequeath to future generations a blessing or a curse. And that is the choice we face today,” said Netanyahu at the beginning of his speech.

Standing on the podium of the UN General Assembly in New York, Netanyahu held two maps. In his right hand was a map of the Middle East with Iran, Iraq, Syria and Yemen painted in black and dubbed 'the curse' while in his left hand was a map showing countries painted green, including Egypt, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, and even India, termed 'the blessing.'

What was most conspicuous about both maps was the complete erasure of Palestine. There was no reference to its existence in the green 'blessing' map nor the black 'curse' one.

Netanyahu drew a direct link between 'the curse' and Iranian influence, stressing that Iran and its allies were the source of the ongoing conflict in the region. For example, he squarely blamed Iran for the violence that continues to unfold in Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen.

He cited Tehran's financial and military support to Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, and the Houthis in Yemen as evidence of its destabilising influence. Israel, he argued, was able to defend and avenge itself.

This ability was illustrated by the powerful strike that killed Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in southern Beirut, a couple of hours after his speech. Reportedly Netanyahu gave the order from his New York hotel room, just before heading to the UN headquarters.

After the pager blasts, this strike was the culmination of the elimination at record speed of most of the Hezbollah commanders. World leaders have warned against full-scale war in Lebanon. Even the US were reportedly unaware of the pager blasts or the strike aimed at Nasrallah, having told their Israeli friends that they were against an all-out war.

As the EU’s multi-million lender still faces pressure to review its lending policy in the defence sector, Robert de Groot, vice-president for defence, calls for using available cash first.

Austria's far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) secured victory in the general election for the first time in its history with 29% of the vote in Sunday’s elections (September 29), heralding a “new era” for Austria, according to leader Herbert Kickl.

While the National Rally (RN) has never been particularly influential in France and Brussels, Marine Le Pen and 26 other individuals must answer for "embezzlement of European funds" in a trial that could determine the presidential ambitions of the far-right party leader.

Germany's centre-right CDU (EPP) has urged the European Commission, led by fellow CDU member Ursula von der Leyen, to fund fences at the borders of Greece and Poland as new German border controls increase the pressure on countries of first entry.

An email sent to the European Commission and Parliament chiefs is expected to stir the waters ahead of the upcoming hearing of Greece’s commissioner candidate for the transport portfolio, Apostolos Tzitzikostas.

On Monday (30 September), the EU supreme court will hear arguments on whether the Danish law limiting the concentration of ethnic minorities in certain neighbourhoods violates EU anti-discrimination law.

Germany’s Justice Minister Marco Buschmann wants to reopen negotiations on the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) according to comments on Friday (27 September), one day after Germany and 16 other EU countries received a yellow card from the Commission for missing deadlines to transpose the rules.

Look out for…

• ETI and EPPA organises an online conference titled “Changing political group dynamics and decision-making processes in the European Parliament”
• The Wilfried Martens Centre launches a study on “Europe's Nuclear Dilemma: Evaluating the Need for a Common European Nuclear Deterrent” in Brussels, Belgium.
• The European Women's Lobby organises a hybrid conference on the launch of their report “ Cyberviolence against women”  in Brussels, Belgium.
• European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen attends the official ceremony for CERN’s 70th anniversary, in Geneva, Switzerland.
• European Commissioner Iliana Ivanova is having ministerial meetings in Skopje, North Macedonia.
• European Commissioner Didier Reynders meets Dutch Minister for Justice and Security David van Weel, in Brussels, Belgium.
• European Commissioner Vĕra Jourová speaks via video conference at the European Platform for Roma Inclusion Conference, in Brussels, Belgium.
• Jourová will also speak at the Warsaw Security Forum, in Poland.
• European Commissioner Nicholas Schmit participates in the event 'Berlin Global Dialogue: Building Common Ground', in Berlin, Germany.
• European Commission Executive Vice President Maroš Šefčovič receives Vice-President of the Paris Peace Forum and coordinator of the Jacques Delors Institutes, Pascal Lamy, in Brussels, Belgium.
• European Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen receives Liberian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sara Beysolow-Nyanti, in Brussels, Belgium.

[Edited by Rajnish Singh/Martina Monti]