West Breaks Ranks: Allies Defy Trump, Back Palestinian Statehood
London, Ottawa, and Canberra join more than 150 nations in recognizing Palestine — a diplomatic earthquake that isolates Washington and tests Israel’s resolve.
The U.K., Canada, Australia and other countries on Sunday announced they will formally recognize Palestine as a state — a move that has long been opposed by the U.S. and Israel. “We recognized the State of Israel more than 75 years ago as a homeland for the Jewish people. Today we join over 150 countries who recognize a Palestinian State also. A pledge to the Palestinian and Israeli people, that there can be a better future," U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a speech on Sunday. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Sunday recognizing Palestine as a state "empowers those who seek peaceful coexistence and the end of Hamas." "This in no way legitimises terrorism, nor is it any reward for it. Furthermore, it in no way compromises Canada's steadfast support for the State of Israel, its people, and their security — security that can only ultimately be guaranteed through the achievement of a comprehensive two-state solution," Carney said in a statement. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Sunday that opening embassies and establishing diplomatic relations will be considered as the Palestinian Authority makes progress on its commitment to reform. “Already, crucial work is underway across the international community to develop a credible peace plan that enables the reconstruction of Gaza, builds the capacity of the state of Palestine and guarantees the security of Israel," Albanese said in a statement. The designation from U.S. allies follows Starmer's meeting with President Trump last week. After their meeting, Trump said he wanted the war in Gaza to end but disagreed with plans to recognize Palestine as a state. “I have a disagreement with the prime minister on that score," Trump said during a press conference. World leaders will meet for the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, with more countries, including France, expected to formally recognize Palestine as a state in the coming days. More than 140 of 193 UN member states already recognize Palestine as a state. French President Emmanuel Macron said in July France would announce the designation at the assembly, posting on X that recognizing Israel and Palestine will contribute to "the security of all in the region." Portugal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs also announced on Friday that it would formally recognize Palestine as a state.
Hazem Qassem, a senior spokesperson for Hamas, says the group’s decision to release Israeli-American soldier Idan Alexander from captivity was a “positive gesture”. He said this was not intended to signal that the group is open to renegotiating the Gaza ceasefire. This statement came after Washington proposed a “bridge” to extend the Gaza ceasefire, aimed at allowing more time for negotiations - Al Jazeera
Watch my brief, hot take analysis on the meaning of the recognition of Palestine as a state by major western powers…
US President Donald Trump spoke at a memorial service for Charlie Kirk, hailing the Conservative activist as a "giant of his generation" and said America is "a nation in shock and mourning", while Vice-President JD Vance said he "changed the course of history.” Tens of thousands of people gathered at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona to remember Kirk. The BBC’s North America editor said it felt more like a political rally than a memorial. Kirk's tearful widow Erika told the crowd she had forgiven the man accused of killing her husband. Trump shook hands with Elon Musk as he watched some of the service - it is the first time they've been seen together publicly since a falling out earlier this year. Kirk was shot and killed while speaking at a university event in Utah on 10 September. Tyler Robinson, 22, has been charged with murder - BBC
On Fox News Sunday Briefing, Donald Trump raises the curtain on his speech at UNGA 80 on Tuesday: he will boast about the “seven” wars he has ended (very debatable) and will push for an end to the conflicts in Ukraine and in Gaza. “I gotta get Russia and Ukraine, it’s horrible what’s happening. The hatred between Putin and Zelensky is very substantial. There’s a lot of bad blood. And of course Gaza is basic disaster. We gotta get that taken care of.”
President Donald Trump promised to reform American diplomacy. Insiders say he’s breaking it instead, to the point where he’s undermining his own global influence. Eight months into Trump’s second term, more than half of U.S. ambassadorships, an unusually high amount, are vacant. Most top State Department roles are filled on an acting basis, often by people with little relevant experience. Many U.S. diplomats, especially those overseas, are largely cut out of policy talks while struggling to implement administration orders they say are confusing. Many also are too afraid to speak up because they could be fired or lose a promotion under new rules that measure their “fidelity.” They’ve already seen thousands of their colleagues pushed out and many offices dismantled. POLITICO spoke to a dozen State Department officials, former diplomats and other U.S. officials with insight into the department, granting nearly all anonymity because of concerns they could be fired for speaking publicly. The overall impact of the changes remains unclear. But many diplomats said they feel both powerless and resigned to the circumstances. There’s a sense that if Trump’s political appointees don’t want diplomats’ advice, then fine — those appointees will have to deal with the legal and logistical fallout of whatever plan they order diplomats to carry out. The officials and diplomats interviewed said the Trump administration is reshaping the Foreign Service into a smaller, weaker force in international relations, one whose diplomats are mere implementers instead of originators of policy ideas. This is happening despite Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s stated plans to make his department more central to foreign policymaking. At one embassy, top officials have ordered the rank-and-file to discuss “anything remotely sensitive face-to-face,” one diplomat said. That comes amid chatter by staff that the State Department may have installed keystroke spyware to monitor embassy employees’ electronic communications, the diplomat said. The frustrations come amid rising concerns about the unusually large number of vacant ambassador positions. According to the American Foreign Service Association’s ambassador tracker, 110 of 195 ambassador roles are currently vacant - Politico
With artists from more than 20 countries and ambitions for a billion-plus viewers, Russia on Saturday revived its Intervision song contest, which Moscow hopes will compete with a "decadent" Eurovision. First held in the Soviet era and relaunched in February on President Vladimir Putin's orders, the concert-as-soft-power tool was held at an arena near the Russian capital. Vietnamese singer Duc Phuc was proclaimed the winner with a song inspired by a poem about bamboo. The performer, who won the Vietnamese version of reality TV series "The Voice" 10 years ago, emotionally thanked the audience "for every second" spent watching the competition, which lasted around four hours. Russia was banished from Eurovision, the song contest extravaganza born on the other side of the Iron Curtain, over its offensive in Ukraine. The Kremlin has pushed Intervision as a means to lay the anti-Western narratives on thick while striving for new cultural and political alliances. Twenty-three countries were originally slated to take part in the contest, including Russia's old Cold War foe the United States. But the US representative – Australian pop singer Vasiliki Karagiorgos, known as Vassy – had to pull out at the last minute because of "unprecedented political pressure from the government of Australia", the organisers said. No performers from an EU country took part - France 24
Ghislaine Maxwell was spotted heading to a yoga class in the first sighting of the convicted sex trafficker since she arrived at her new Texas prison. Maxwell—who was convicted in 2022 of conspiring with Jeffrey Epstein to abuse minors—appeared with chin-length, dark hair and was carrying an umbrella in photos published by the Mirror on Saturday. The disgraced society fixture was serving a 20-year prison sentence at a Federal Correctional Institution in Tallahassee, Florida, before she was quietly transferred last month to a minimum-security Federal Prison Camp Bryan in Texas—nicknamed “Camp Cupcake” for its relative comforts compared to other lock-ups. Maxwell’s transfer came after a 9-hour interview with the Department of Justice, sparking concerns among Democrats and Epstein victims about witness tampering. “Ghislaine helped destroy so many lives, and now she gets rewarded with a transfer to a country club prison,” one victim told the Mirror. “It’s a slap in the face to survivors. We’ve been left with scars that never heal, while she gets to do yoga and tend gardens while serving her time.” - Daily Beast
The journals….
