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WORLD NEWS Diamars 4 OctOber 2022
EU, Israel hold high-level talks for first time in a decade

(AP) — The European frankly, than to avoid any prime minister until a Nov. 1
Union and Israel on Mon- contact. Certainly we dis- election, in which he is facing
day held high-level talks agree. Certainly we express a tough race against former
for the first time in a de- concern, but I think it’s more Prime Minister Benjamin
cade, with the Europe- positive to sit and discuss,” Netanyahu. Opinion polls
ans pressing Israeli Prime Borrell told reporters in indicate that even if Lapid is
Minister Yair Lapid about Brussels. able to form a new govern-
how to put a two-state ment, the next parliament,
solution to the conflict In his opening remarks at the like the current one, will be
with the Palestinians into meeting — led in Brussels dominated by hard-line par-
place. by Israeli Intelligence Min- ties that oppose Palestinian
ister Elazar Stern — Borrell statehood.
EU foreign policy chief Josep underlined the EU’s con-
Borrell welcomed the recent cern “about the continued At the U.N. General Assem-
support from Lapid — who tensions and violence on the bly last month, Palestinian
took part in Monday’s talks ground and the continuation President Mahmoud Abbas
by videoconference — for an of unilateral measures, such tries have also been reluctant of the West Bank is now in its said that “our confidence in
end to the conflict based on as settlement expansion, and to meet since then. 55th year. The last real peace achieving a peace based on
an Israeli and Palestinian state the security issues.” talks ended in 2009, and crit- justice and international law
living peacefully side by side. Lapid welcomed the meeting. ics say growing Israeli settle- is waning, due to the Israeli
It’s the first time the two sides “It is an important milestone ments in the West Bank and occupation policies.”
“This is also what we want have held an “Association in our improving relations. elsewhere undermine any Speaking a day after Lapid ad-
to push for. We want the re- Council” since July 2012. Is- This past year has seen some hopes for a two-state solu- dressed the assembly, Abbas
sumption of a political pro- rael and the EU signed an As- vast progress in our ties — tion. The Palestinians seek delivered a pessimistic assess-
cess that can lead to a two- sociation Agreement govern- and there is still so much all of the West Bank along ment of diplomacy, saying a
state solution and a compre- ing their ties in 1995, and the more that we can do,” he with Israeli-annexed east Je- “frantic campaign to confis-
hensive regional peace,” Bor- pact entered force in 2000. said, according to the speech rusalem and the Gaza Strip, cate our lands” persisted in
rell said. “We have to explore Talks were meant to be held released by his office. controlled by the Palestinian the generations-long dispute,
how we can put this into annually, but Israel canceled militant group Hamas, for a while the military “are kill-
practice.” a planned 2013 meeting over However, there is no short- future state. ing the Palestinian people in
the EU’s policy toward Israeli term prospect for peace. broad daylight” with impu-
“It’s better to sit and discuss settlements. Some EU coun- Israel’s military occupation Lapid is serving as caretaker nity.

US, Philippine forces hold combat drills to brace for crisis

(AP) — More than 2,500 forces he said could offend China Sea, and the northern that involve about 3,000 mili- defend the Philippines under
U.S. and Philippine ma- China. Philippines, across the Luzon tary personnel from the two a 1951 U.S.-Philippines Mu-
rines joined combat exer- Strait from Taiwan. sides, U.S. military officials tual Defense Treaty if Fili-
cises Monday to respond Called Kamandag, the Ta- said. pino forces, vessels or aircraft
to any sudden crisis in galog acronym for “Coop- Philippine Rear Admiral come under attack in the dis-
a region long on tenter- eration of the Warriors of the Caesar Bernard Valencia said U.S. Maj. Gen. Jay Bargeron puted waters.
hooks over South China Sea,” the drills involve 1,900 the exercises will focus on of the Japan-based 3rd Ma-
Sea territorial disputes U.S. Marines and more than enhancing coastal defenses rine Division said the simul- The ruling was issued by an
and increasing tensions 600 mostly Philippine coun- and are not directed against taneous exercises are aimed arbitration tribunal set up in
over Taiwan. terparts in mock amphibi- any country. at bolstering the defensive The Hague under the U.N.
ous assaults and special op- capabilities of the U.S. alli- Convention on the Law of
The annual military drills erations, U.S. and Philip- Japanese and South Korean ances with the Philippines the Sea after the Philippine
are the first major exercise pine military officials said. forces will participate as ob- and Japan “through realistic government complained in
between the longtime treaty America’s HIMARS missile servers but may join in disas- combined training.” 2013 about China’s seizure
allies under newly elected launchers and supersonic ter-response drills, he said. of a shoal off its northwest-
Philippine President Ferdi- fighter jets will take part in “These exercises will allow ern coast. China did not par-
nand Marcos Jr., military of- live-fire maneuvers that will The military maneuvers are our forces to strengthen in- ticipate, called the arbitration
ficials said. His predecessor, end on Oct. 14, they said. being held simultaneously teroperability and readiness decision a sham and contin-
Rodrigo Duterte, was an out- with combat exercises be- to ensure we are prepared ues to defy it.
spoken critic of U.S. security The venues include the west- tween U.S. Marines and Jap- to rapidly respond to crisis In addition to China and the
policies and frowned on mili- ern island province of Pala- anese army forces on Japan’s throughout the Indo-Pacif- Philippines, Vietnam, Malay-
tary exercises with American wan, which faces the South northern island of Hokkaido ic,” Bargeron said in a state- sia, Taiwan and Brunei have
ment. overlapping claims in the
“Our strength, resolve and busy waterway, where an es-
commitment to our allies timated $5 trillion in goods
and partners in the region are passes each year and which is
our most effective deterrent,” believed to be rich in under-
U.S. Marine Lt. Col. Kurt sea gas and oil deposits.
Stahl told The Associated
Press. “Together, we can de- Separately, U.S. President
ter potential adversaries from Joe Biden said last month
ever testing our capabilities that American forces would
or our relationships.” defend Taiwan if Beijing tries
to invade the self-ruled is-
In July, U.S. Secretary of land, sparking protests from
State Antony Blinken called China.
on China to comply with a The long-simmering sea dis-
2016 arbitration ruling that putes and the increasingly
invalidated Beijing’s vast ter- tense relations between Chi-
ritorial claims in the South na and Taiwan have become
China Sea and warned that key fronts of the U.S.-China
Washington is obligated to rivalry.