Page 30 - bon-dia-aruba-20220602

A30 WORLD NEWS
Diahuebs 2 Juni 2022

Exit polls: Danish voters now want to join EU defense policy

By JAN M. OLSEN ance. For decades, Europe’s
Associated Press been a source of contention
COPENHAGEN, Den- in Denmark. In 1992, vot-
mark (AP) — Around two ers set back plans to turn the
thirds of Danish voters in European construction into a
a referendum Wednesday union by rejecting the Maas-
backed joining the Eu- tricht treaty amid widespread
ropean Union’s common opposition to a federal Euro-
defense policy, exit polls pean government that could
indicated, in a new exam- limit the sovereignty of indi-
ple of a European coun- vidual nations.
try seeking closer defense At an EU summit in Edin-
links with allies after Rus- burgh, Scotland, later that
sia’s invasion of Ukraine. year, European leaders agreed
on a text with tailor-made
TV2 broadcaster said that provisions allowing Danes
66.6% voted in favor of end- to ratify a revised treaty with
ing Denmark’s 30-year opt- four provisions.
out from EU defense policy They allowed Danes to stay
— which would have lim- out of a joint EU citizenship,
ited practical effect for either justice and home affairs, the
Denmark or the EU — and monetary union which al-
33.4% against. Public broad- lowed Danes to stay out of
caster DR had the figures at the euro and keep the krone,
69.1% for and 30.9% against. and defense.
The polls were published just searcher with the Danish It would be the first time that tried to misuse the war in The citizenship issue, which
after voting ended. Institute for International one of the four Danish opt- Ukraine to make the Danes said European citizenship
The referendum follows fel- Studies, said both moves outs from the EU’s Maas- feel that it is important that would not replace national
low Nordic Sweden and Fin- were “part of the same story,” tricht Treaty, which laid the we stand together,” said citizenship, has since become
land’s historic bids to join and would strengthen mili- foundation for political and Morten Messerschmidt, the irrelevant as other members
NATO — something to be tary cooperation on a conti- economic union, is scrapped leader of the opposition Dan- later adopted the same posi-
taken up at a summit next nent stunned by the war in by voters in Denmark. ish People’s Party and a lead- tion.
month. Ukraine. “A lot indicates that after 30 ing opponent of removing But the other provisions re-
NATO member Denmark The main effect of abandon- years Danes have decided to the defense opt-out. main intact despite efforts
joining the EU’s defense ing the opt-out will be that get rid of the defense waiver,” One of the founding mem- by successive government
policy would have a relatively Danish officials could stay Søren Pape, head of the op- bers of NATO, Denmark has to overturn them. In a 2000
modest impact on Europe’s in the room when EU col- position Conservative Party stayed on the sidelines of the referendum, Danish voters
security architecture, partic- leagues discuss defense top- told party members. EU’s efforts to build a com- decided to stay outside the
ularly compared to Sweden ics, and Danish forces can “I believe people have voted mon security and defense euro and 15 years later they
and Finland joining NATO. take part in EU military op- yes because of the war in policy in parallel with the voted to keep the exemption
But Christine Nissen, a re- erations. Ukraine. The ‘yes’ side has trans-Atlantic military alli- on justice and home affairs.

Israeli army kills Palestinian woman it says carried knife

JERUSALEM (AP) — Is- refugee camp in the southern Warasna was jailed from Jan- available to confirm the ac- with Israel, while others were
raeli troops shot and killed West Bank. No soldiers were uary to March after attempt- count. shot while allegedly throw-
a Palestinian woman in wounded. ing to stab an Israeli police The Palestinian Journalists’ ing stones or firebombs at Is-
the occupied West Bank The Palestinian Health Min- officer in the West Bank city Syndicate said Warasna had raeli troops in the West Bank.
on Wednesday who they istry identified the woman as of Hebron. worked on and off as a jour- But Abu Akleh, an unarmed
said had approached them Ghafran Warasna and said she The official, speaking on nalist for more than a decade. woman and at least two
while carrying a knife. was shot in the chest. The condition of anonymity be- Dream Radio, a local station people who were bystanders
Palestinian Prisoners’ Club cause he was not authorized in Hebron, said she was on were also among those killed.
The military released a photo said the 31-year-old had been to talk to the media, said she the way to their studio for Palestinians have carried out
of what it said was the knife released from Israeli prison attempted to stab the soldier a broadcast when she was dozens of stabbing attacks
she was carrying. It said the in April after serving three on Wednesday at “point- killed. in recent years, often against
soldiers were patrolling a months. blank range.” There were no Israeli-Palestinian violence Israeli soldiers. But Israel
highway near the Al-Aroub An Israeli security official said photos or videos immediately has intensified in recent has also faced criticism from
weeks with near-daily arrest rights groups who say secu-
raids by the Israeli military rity forces sometimes use
in the West Bank following a deadly force rather than ar-
string of attacks by Palestin- resting suspected attackers
ians that have killed at least or stop them with nondeadly
19 people. force.
Tensions have soared follow- Israel captured the West Bank
ing the killing in the West in the 1967 Mideast war and
Bank of Palestinian-Amer- the Palestinians want it to be
ican journalist Shireen Abu the main part of their future
Akleh, who worked for Al state. Nearly 3 million Pal-
Jazeera, and an Israeli ultra- estinians live under Israeli
nationalist march through a military rule in the territory,
Palestinian neighborhood in alongside a growing popula-
east Jerusalem. tion of nearly 500,000 Jew-
Recent weeks have seen at ish settlers who have Israeli
least 35 Palestinians killed citizenship. The last serious
by Israeli forces. Some were peace talks broke down more
gunmen killed in fighting than a decade ago.