Europe's paradoxical support for Israel's attack against Iran
Calling for restraint and diplomacy, without condemning Israel or disavowing its strikes: France, the United Kingdom and Germany reacted on Friday, June 13, in a somewhat unexpected, even acrobatic manner, to the vast offensive launched by Israel against Iran.
One after another, the three European states – which, in 2015, were signatories with Iran, the European Union, the United States, Russia and China, of the agreement intended to limit the expansion of Iran's nuclear program, buried by Donald Trump three years later – supported Israel's "right to defend itself" in the face of what they see as an existential threat: The prospect of the Teheran regime possessing nuclear weapons. Until now, Paris, London and Berlin had tried, unsuccessfully, to talk Benjamin Netanyahu out of carrying out his threats in order to favor the diplomatic option.
No hard feelings. On Friday, the French, British and German leaders each called the Israeli prime minister to express their solidarity, despite the clear deterioration, at least for the first two, of their relations with Netanyahu because of the war in Gaza. "Israel has the right to defend its existence and the safety and security of its citizens. The aim must be to ensure that Iran does not develop nuclear weapons," said German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, speaking promptly. The British leader Keir Starmer emphasized in the afternoon Israel's "right to self-defense" and the "UK's grave concerns" regarding Iran's nuclear program.
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18 minutes ago
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She is concerned about the Trump administration's layoffs of staff at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the fate of immigrant communities and Trump trying to rule by executive order, she said. A woman wearing a foam Statue of Liberty crown brought a speaker system and led an anti-Trump sing-along, changing the words 'young man' in the song 'Y.M.C.A.' to 'con man'. 'I am what the successful American dream looks like,' said C.C. Téllez, an immigrant from Bolivia who attended the protest. 'I've enjoyed great success here in the United States, and I've also contributed heavily to my community. And if there was space for me, I think there's a way for everybody else to belong here as well.' Thousands gathered in front of City Hall, waving signs and listening to a Native American drum circle before marching through the streets. 'I voted for Donald Trump, now I regret that' As protesters passed National Guard troops or US Marines stationed at various buildings, most interactions were friendly, with demonstrators giving fist bumps or posing for selfies. But others chanted 'shame' or 'go home' at the troops. Amid signs reading 'They fear us don't back down California' and 'We carry dreams not danger, ' one demonstrator carried a 2-foot-tall (60-centimeter) Trump pinata on a stick, with a crown on his head and sombrero hanging off his back. Another hoisted a huge helium-filled orange baby balloon with blond hair styled like Trump's. A few blocks from City Hall, protesters gathered in front of the downtown federal detention centre being guarded by a line of Marines and other law enforcement. It was the first time that the Marines, in combat gear and holding rifles, have appeared at a demonstration since they were deployed to city on Friday with the stated mission of defending federal property. 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Marchers in the crowd that stretched for blocks along Fifth Avenue had diverse reasons for coming, including anger over Trump's immigration policies, support for the Palestinian people and outrage over what they said was an erosion of free speech rights. 'The existential crisis of this country' But there were patriotic symbols, too. Leah Griswold, 32, and Amber Laree, 59, who marched in suffragette white dresses, brought 250 American flags to hand out to people in the crowd. 'Our mothers who came out, fought for our rights, and now we're fighting for future generations as well,' Griswold said. Some protesters held signs denouncing Trump while others banged drums. 'We're here because we're worried about the existential crisis of this country and the planet and our species,' said Sean Kryston, 28. Governor Tim Walz and law enforcement encouraged people not to attend rallies 'out of an abundance of caution' following the shootings of the Democratic state lawmakers. Dozens of events were canceled, but tens of thousands still turned out for demonstrations in Duluth, Rochester and St. Paul, which included a march to the state Capitol. Walz canceled his scheduled appearance at the St. Paul event. Authorities said the suspect had 'No Kings' flyers in his car and writings mentioning the names of the victims as well as other lawmakers and officials, though they could not say if he had any other specific targets. Seda Heng, 29, of Rochester, said she was heartbroken by the shootings, but still wanted to join the rally there. 'These people are trying to do what they can for their communities, for the state, for the nation,' Heng told the Minnesota Star-Tribune. Crowds cheered anti-Trump speakers in Charlotte's First Ward Park before marching, chanting 'No kings. No crowns. We will not bow down." Marchers stretched for blocks, led by a group of people holding a giant Mexican flag and bystanders cheering and clapping along the way. Jocelyn Abarca, a 21-year-old college student, said the protest was a chance to 'speak for what's right' after mass deportations and Trump's deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles. 'If we don't stop it now, it's just going to keep getting worse,' she said. Naomi Mena said she traveled an hour to demonstrate in Charlotte to represent her 'friends and family who sadly can't have a voice out in public now' to stay safe. A rally at the Texas Capitol in Austin went off as planned despite state police briefly shutting down the building and the surrounding grounds after authorities said they received a 'credible threat' to Democratic state lawmakers who were to attend. Dozens of state troopers swarmed through the grounds about four hours before the event, but the area was later opened and the rally started on time. The building remained closed. The Department of Public Safety later said one person was taken into custody 'in connection with the threats made against state lawmakers" after a traffic stop in La Grange, Texas, about 65 miles (105 kilometres) east of Austin. State police did not detail the threat or immediately identify the person, but said there was no additional active threat. Tear gas, flash bangs and rubber bullets A demonstration of hundreds of people opened to 'War Pigs' by Black Sabbath playing over a sound system on the state Capitol lawn in Jackson. 'A lot of stuff that's going on now is targeting people of colour, and to see so many folks out here that aren't black or brown fighting for the same causes that I'm here for, it makes me very emotional,' said Tony Cropper, who traveled from Tennessee to attend the protest. Some people wore tinfoil crowns atop their heads. Others held signs inviting motorists to 'Honk if you never text war plans.' Melissa Johnson said she drove an hour-and-a-half to Jackson to protest because 'we are losing the thread of democracy in our country". Earlier in the day, thousands of protesters lined the streets in downtown Portland for several blocks, waving signs as passing cars honked in support. They marched around the city draped in American flags to the beat of drums and music. By late afternoon, a small group of demonstrators amassed across the river to protest in front of an ICE office where three people were arrested Wednesday night after starting a small fire against the building, police said. Federal immigration officers fired tear gas, flash bangs and rubber bullets in an effort to clear out the remaining protesters in the evening. Some protesters threw water bottles back and tended to each other's wounds. The police department wrote on X that the event was declared a riot. At least two people were detained and taken inside the federal immigration building.
