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US Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday is hosting a member of Israel’s wartime Cabinet in Washington on Monday.
Benny Gantz, a centrist, will sit down with several senior officials in the US government, in defiance of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who did not authorise the trip.
An official from Netanyahu’s far-right Likud party said Israel's PM had a “tough talk” with Gantz about the visit, highlighting the growing cracks within the Israeli Cabinet nearly six months into the country's war with Hamas.
In her meeting with Gantz, Harris plans to press for a temporary ceasefire deal that would allow for the release of certain hostages still held by Palestinian militants.
Israel has essentially agreed to the deal, according to a senior US official. It is now up to Hamas to decide, they added.
“Given the immense scale of suffering in Gaza, there must be an immediate ceasefire for at least the next six weeks, which is what is currently on the table,” Harris said on Sunday. “This will get the hostages out and get a significant amount of aid in."
Harris continued: “This would allow us to build something more enduring to ensure Israel is secure and to respect the right of the Palestinian people to dignity, freedom and self-determination.”
For his part, Gantz intends to strengthen ties with the US, bolster support for Israel’s war and push for the release of Israeli hostages, according to a second Israeli official.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t allowed to publicly discuss disputes within the Israeli government.
The meetings come amid US airdrops of aid into Gaza, just days after scores of Palestinians were shot and killed as they tried to get food from an Israel-organised convoy.
On Sunday, Harris called on Israel to “do more to significantly increase the flow of aid.”
“No excuses,” she said. “They must open new border crossings. They must not impose any unnecessary restrictions on the delivery of aid.”
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Support for the EU in the Baltic states is high.
In Lithuania, 79% of the population see EU membership as a “good thing”, 18% say it is neither "good nor bad" and only 2% believe it is “bad”, according to the latest poll from Eurobarometer.
Significant majorities in Estonia (67%) and Latvia (62%) also see membership of the 27-state bloc as positive, the same survey found.
There are many reasons why. The EU has brought multiple benefits to these tiny eastern European states, annexed by the Soviet Union until 1991. These include visa-free travel, economic development and human rights - to name just a few.
So why then would an, albeit tiny, minority oppose the EU?
Across Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, euroscepticism takes various forms and is shaped by factors unique to each country.
A view of the snow covered Vilnius as the sun sets, Lithuania, Monday, Jan. 4, 2016. The air temperature was -19 degrees Celsius.Mindaugas Kulbis/AP
In Estonia, Aleksandra Palkova from the Latvian Institute of International Affairs, says anti-EU sentiment mainly comes from the country’s Russian-speaking minority, who make up nearly a quarter of the population.
In what she calls a “generalistic perspective”, Palkova divides this group into two loose categories, though she stresses "significant variations" exist within each.
"There are the radical ones who support Russia. They are populist and fall for disinformation. Then there are neutral Russian speakers who cannot associate with either side, be it Western or Russian. They do not have any position."
Like eurosceptics throughout the bloc, the anti-EU fringe in Estonia claims the bloc undermines the country's sovereignty, with “Brussels dictating all the decisions”, according to Palkova.
In the 2023 elections, Estonia’s far-right Conservative People’s Party (EKRE) - whose current leader Martin Helme made a slogan of “blacks go back” in 2013 - won 17 seats in the country’s 101-seat parliament.
Though wanting to remain in the EU, EKRE wants to claw back power, cut bureaucracy and significantly reform Brussels.
Expert Palkova says a big issue throughout the region is that “certain parts of society” do not understand how the EU works.
She cites conducting focus groups with this “radical wing” in Estonia, who would routinely say they enjoyed EU benefits, notably the freedom of movement, but did not associate them with EU membership.
'We need to prepare for a possible collapse of the EU'
But Eurosceptic views can also be found across the Baltics, distinct from the Russian speakers or extremist anti-EU parties.
Lithuania’s National Alliance Party - which says its goal is the “survival of the Lithuanian nation” - is one example.
While believing that Lithuania should stay in the union, its founder Vytautas Sinica told Euronews that plans of further EU integration "were not just harmful, but might even cause the disintegration of the bloc."
Besides making independence increasingly “meaningless”, he criticised more centralisation as “dangerous” as it could cause the EU's disintegration by making "Italians, French, the Dutch or even the Germans want to leave", which in turn would harm Lithuania.
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"We need to prepare for the possible collapse of the EU and do everything to prevent it. A decade ago, in Lithuania, it was laughed at when someone said out loud that the EU might collapse. Then Brexit happened," he said.
An anti-Brexit demonstrator outside the Palace of Westminster, London, Monday, Dec. 14, 2020.Alberto Pezzali/Copyright 2020 The AP. All rights reserved
"Lithuania does not need the EU to collapse, it needs it to grow stronger. Only the strengthening should be more freedom for nations, not more integration," he added.
‘Now we are standing on two legs’
Lithuania’s National Alliance Party offers a nuanced take on euroscepticism, while remaining firmly committed to the EU. But there are other subtleties.
Owing to the minimal percentage of people in the Baltics opposing the EU, expert Palkova said anti-EU political parties often try to conceal themselves, knowing such views will make them unpopular.
In Latvia, the former ‘Eurosceptic Action Party’ rebranded itself as the ‘Action Party’ in 2008, after securing a meagre 0.37% in 2006 elections.
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“Eurosceptic parties need issues they can use against the EU that concern society. But since people in the Baltics are worried about Russia and economic benefits, which are covered by the EU, eurosceptic ideas don't really work."
"They don't have anything to pick up on."
Still, views towards the EU can evolve and change over time.
A German tank near Vilnius, Lithuania, 26/10/22.Mindaugas Kulbis/Copyright 2022 The AP. All rights reserved.
Palkova pointed to a “natural transition” occurring within the Baltics since they joined the EU in 2004
First, she says there was “full-speed integration”, as the three new members rapidly adopted EU legislation and “did everything to be among the core of the European Union."
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Then with Russia’s invasion of Crimea in 2014 - which galvanised attention to the EU’s eastern frontier - a second stage emerged where the states realised they had a say in Brussels.
Now the expert says things have moved to a third phase where some in the region are beginning to question their relationship with the EU, asking whether more integration is needed.
“There is this stage of integration where countries understand they have to think about their sovereignty and rights, often amid a small eurosceptic or far-right uprising. But that’s a natural process," said Palkova.
"It's just the natural logic of the EU and how it functions through history."
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Before the third and final day of the 2024 Tashkent Judo Grand Slam, Naser AL TAMIMI IJF General Treasurer and Ismoil Mahmadzoir President of the Tajikistan Judo Federation, signed an historic deal for Tajikistan to host this year’s junior world championships.
At -100kg, home favourite Muzaffarbek TUROBOYEV faced off against Matvey KANIKOVSKIY with the whole country behind him!
And he used his seemingly unstoppable trademark technique in the very first exchange of the match to score ippon!
The triumph was met by rapturous applause as the whole stadium beamed with national pride.
He was awarded his medal by Azizjon KAMILOV, Uzbekistan Judo Federation President.
“I really appreciate the support from my country, my family and coaches and I think it was the reason I won today.” said Turoboyev. “For athletes, you can always win and lose but thank god everything worked out today. I’ve won 2 gold medals in the Humo Arena, in big tournaments, this makes me really happy.”
At -78kg Rika TAKAYAMA took on Fanny Estelle POSVITE. It was Takayama who took the win in spectacular fashion!
She was awarded her medal by Vlad MARINESCU Director General of the IJF
“The crowd here in Tashkent were doing some great cheering with musical instruments.” said Takayama. I wasn’t sure if they were cheering for me or not, but it sure did motivate me.”
At -90kg Bulgarian Ivaylo IVANOV took on Theodoros TSELIDIS of Greece in a thrilling encounter! But it was TSELIDIS who managed to score two waza-aris to take the win!
Oybek KASIMOV General Secretary of the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan was on hand to award the medals.
At +78kg Xin SU took the win. First throwing, then pinning Ruri TAKAHASHI of Japan.
The medals were awarded by Ki-Young JEON Head Referee Director of the International Judo Federation.
At +100kg Hyoga OTA bested Tamerlan BASHAEV. The Japanese athlete scoring waza-ari deep into golden score!
The medals were awarded by Naser AL TAMIMI General Treasurer of the IJF.
The powerful Local Uzbek fighters made sure it was raining ippons on the tatami as supporters watched in awe.
The highlight was Davlat Bobonov taking a fantastic bronze medal with one of the best throws of the tournament!
Next week we’re in Linz! We’ll see you there!