Now, Spain and Ireland recognise Palestinian state

Smoke billowing over the Palestinian territory following Israeli bombardment on Tuesday. PIC/AFP

Relations between the European Union and Israel took a nosedive on Tuesday after diplomatic recognition of a Palestinian state by EU members Ireland and Spain, with Madrid insisting that sanctions should be considered against Israel for its continued deadly attacks in southern Gaza's city of Rafah. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz told Spain that its consulate in Jerusalem will not be allowed to help Palestinians.

Palestinians flee the area of Tal al-Sultan in Rafah with their belongings following renewed Israeli strikes on Tuesday. PIC/AFP

At the same time, the EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell threw his weight to support the International Criminal Court, whose prosecutor is seeking an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others, including leaders of the Hamas militant group. "The prosecutor of the court has been strongly intimidated and accused of anti-Semitism--as always when anybody, anyone does something that Netanyahu's government does not like," Borrell said.

Mossad chief ‘threatened' ICC lawyer over probe

The former head of the Mossad, Israel's foreign intelligence agency, allegedly threatened a chief prosecutor of the international criminal court in a series of secret meetings in which he tried to pressure her into abandoning a war crimes investigation, the Guardian can reveal. Yossi Cohen's covert contacts with the ICC's then prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, took place before her decision to open a formal investigation into alleged war crimes.

Israel allocates $24.5 mn to fight against int'l boycott

Israel's Ministerial Committee for Innovation Science and Technology Monday approved the allocation of 90 million Shekels ($24.5 million) for the fight against the academic boycott of Israel. The programme is titled "strengthening international collaborations in science and attracting researchers to academia and industry". Of the funds, 50 million Shekels ($13.6 million) is to promote bi-national research.

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