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I renewed my British passport this week. As I ripped open the yellow envelope holding the new and old passports, I had a very brief moment of warm nostalgia. Id been expecting to receive the new, non-European, dark blue, old-style British passport, that Brexiteers seem so fond of. Instead, rejoice! My new travel document was exactly the same shape and color of my old burgundy one.

Pedophiles and politics: Why is an alleged child rapist still in Israel?Ep. 53

But looking more closely, it wasn't an exact copy at all. A closer examination revealed that the words European Union, which had once been embossed above United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, have now been removed.

I was surprised how much those two missing words saddened me.

Im Jewish and British, Israeli and European, and Ive never felt any part of my identity needs clash with another. These are my roots, my family, my history, and now the hidden hand of a government has tried to erase a section of my identity.

The fear among British Jews that a government would be elected, lead by a politician whose party once the political home for many of them had, under his leadership, transformed into an institutionally anti-Semitic environment, has overshadowed what is now Britains imminent departure from the European Union.

But the relief at Jeremy Corbyns downfall last week in the General Election, with the Labour partys worst result since 1935, and the vindication of those who warned that a man who had throughout his career had rubbed shoulders with terrorists, blood libelers and Holocaust deniers should never be allowed close to the levers of power, has quickly been replaced with the dreary certainty that the reelected Conservative government is indeed going to get Brexit done, by the end of next month.

There are many ways to view the advantages and drawbacks of belonging to the EU, and the British Isles uneasy relationship with the adjacent continent goes back millennia. Brexit will not change that. But since we hear a lot of bad things about the EU, especially in Israel, some of them even justified, its important to remind ourselves that the EU has achieved something that Jewish communities, above all, have dreamt of for so many centuries. In the continent which saw more persecution and bloodshed of Jews, including the industrial genocide of our grandparents within living memory, the EU has achieved an unparalleled period of peace and prosperity.

No matter how much many of us may resent the intrusiveness and self-importance of the grandiose Eurocrats, the founders of the EU (backed by the military alliance of NATO) ushered in the most peaceful seven decades in Europes history and that meant also an end to the persecution and murder of Jews. It meant also a supranational commitment to upholding the fight against anti-Semitism, not just of the physical and violent kind, but also in any rhetorical or legal form.

A Europe in which no country discriminates against Jews, how unthinkable that would have been only 75 years ago, and in Communist Eastern Europe, only thirty years ago. And yet today it is a basic requirement of any nation wishing to belong to the EU.

Formal discrimination against Jews by government in todays Europe is unthinkable.

No, of course I dont think that the rolling back of Europes borders from Britain means that Jews will be discriminated there. Britain, after all, was the one European country where Jews were free and equal citizens throughout the entire 20th century, but it is an ominous development for Jews nonetheless.

While many British voters chose to leave Europe from perfectly understandable, if misjudged, reasons of repatriating control of internal affairs from Brussels, it is impossible to overlook that there was a distinctly xenophobic tone to the reasoning behind Brexit. At the moment this may not directly impact on Jews, but any turn toward nativism and hostility toward immigrants will ultimately also result in an increase in attacks on Jews. Whether or not this is comparable in the long-run to a government led by Corbynists, who have normalized anti-Semitism in entire sections of the British public, is impossible to say, and theoretical anyway. But it is a reason for concern.

But beyond Britain, Jews have an obligation of solidarity elsewhere, and weakening the EU, which is what Brexit is doing, will also weaken the protection of Jewish communities in other countries.

Just look at who is in favor of Brexit. Its main non-British cheerleaders are Donald Trump, a man who cant address a Jewish audience without resorting to crude anti-Semitic stereotypes, and Vladimir Putin, whose Kremlin bankrolls propaganda channels where various conspiracy theorists and Holocaust deniers are regular guests - and even hosts. And within Britain itself, Brexits supporters are not just on the right. Notorious left-wing Jew-baiter George Galloway (another host on the Kremlins Russia Today) hates the EU, and was a loud backer of Brexit.

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And then of course Corbyn himself, before becoming Labour leader, was an outspoken opponent of the EU as well. During the 2016 referendum, it was his unwillingness to campaign for remain that greatly contributed to the narrow win for leave. Its a wonderful irony that as leader, he was forced to support a second referendum in this election, greatly contributing to Labours defeat.

In the referendum, Jews instinctively understood where their interests lay; about two-thirds voted to remain, a much higher proportion than the national vote of 48 percent, and a fact that gives the lie to the claim that British Jews are overwhelmingly right-wing.

Maybe it shouldnt matter as much anymore. After all, the past 130 years have seen the European Jewish communities go from being nearly 90 percent of the entire global Jewish population to barely ten percent today, perhaps less. Diminished first by mass emigration to American and then decimated by the Holocaust.

But even in their shrunken size today, there are still proud Jewish communities across Europe and those of us who live elsewhere are still connected to the continent by centuries of glorious Jewish tradition and heritage. We mustnt ignore the fact that the enemies of the EU, on the far-right and far-left, see Jews as their enemies as well. Whatever it says on our passports, we cant escape our European roots.

Read this article:
Where theres hatred of the European Union, theres hatred of the Jews - Haaretz

Introduction

Evaluation subject, purpose and scope

This is the Final Report of the Evaluation of the European Unions humanitarian response to the refugee crisis in Turkey, covering the period 2016-2017. This ambitious mandate was undertaken by Landell Mills in partnership with Universalia Management Group and International Alert. The consortium was contracted by the European Commissions Directorate-General for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) to carry out the evaluation between April 2018 and February 2019.

This Final Report provides a synthesis of the evidence collected during the first three phases of the evaluation (inception, desk and field phases). The findings and conclusions were developed by the evaluation team, and then validated by DG ECHO. The recommendations were subsequently developed through a participatory process with DG ECHO (Brussels and Turkey).

Purpose and objectives

The overall purpose of this independent evaluation is to assess all Humanitarian Aid actions under the European Union (EU) Facility for Refugees in Turkey, including those that are ongoing, in order to inform future programming and funding under a second phase of the Facility. More specifically, the evaluation objectives were threefold:

The evaluation approach was designed to provide evidence-based judgment on the extent to whichthe humanitarian actions under the Facility have been effective and efficient; relevant to the needsof the refugee population; coherent both internally and with other EU instruments, donors andregional interventions (i.e. Regional Refugee & Resilience Plan (3RP)); and have achieved EUadded value. In addition, the evaluation also examines the sustainability of humanitarian actionswithin the Facility.

Follow this link:
Evaluation of the European Union's Humanitarian Response to the refugee crisis in Turkey - Final Report, July 2019 - Turkey - ReliefWeb

The European Union announced 3 million (almost 170 million Philippine Pesos) in further humanitarian funding to provide assistance to those most vulnerable populations in the country, both those affected by the most recent natural disasters and by conflict.

We commend the actions of the Philippine government, whose preparedness measures before typhoon Tisoy saved the lives of those residing near the coast and landslide-prone areas, said Janez Lenari, the EU Commissioner for Crisis Management. However, the number of people displaced from their homes due to natural disasters and conflict is still high and the EU is ready to help answer their more urgent needs.

The EU funding will support global humanitarian aid organisations in their actions to deliver immediate assistance to those most affected by typhoon Tisoy, which caused widespread damage in the southeastern part of Luzon, and by the earthquakes in Mindanao.

In the aftermath of Tisoy, also known as typhoon Kammuri, assistance will be provided through healthcare services, access to clean water and the distribution of emergency shelter materials, hygiene kits and essential household items that were lost in the disasters. Hygiene promotion activities are also being carried out to mitigate the spread of waterborne diseases. In addition, cash grants will be distributed to enable victims to sustain themselves during their displacement and to help victims restart their livelihoods.

In Mindanao, the funding will target both displaced people and returnees. It will focus on improving food security through humanitarian food assistance and the replacement or strengthening of lost and damaged livelihoods. Aid will also aim to provide better access to sources of potable water, sanitation and proper hygiene practices, as well as healthcare assistance.

Part of this funding will support Plan International and the International Organization for Migration and is coming from the EUs Acute Large Emergency Response Tool (ALERT), which allocated 800,000, and the EUs overall contribution to the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), which contributed 200,000.

Background

Typhoon Tisoy, the 20th tropical cyclone hitting the Philippines in 2019, has affected more than two million people and over 55,000 are still displaced. Some 484,000 houses have been damaged, out of which more than 63,000 have been completely destroyed.

During the months of October and December 2019, five major earthquakes hit Mindanao causing loss of life and significant damage to homes, schools and public buildings, and leaving more than 340,000 people in need of humanitarian assistance. The earthquakes have added stress to an already fragile population facing and armed conflict.

Since 1996, the EU has provided more than 124 million in humanitarian aid to the Philippines.

The acute large emergency response tool (ALERT) is used to respond to large natural disasters where over 100,000 people or over 50% of the population are affected. Depending on the type of disaster, the aim is to allocate funds within 24 to 48 hours of the onset of the emergency.

The Disaster Relief Emergency Fund, established in 1985, is supported by contributions from donors. Each time a National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society needs immediate financial support to respond to a disaster, it can request funds from the DREF. For small-scale disasters, the IFRC allocates grants from the Fund, which can then be replenished by the donors. The delegation agreement between the IFRC and the EU enables the latter to replenish the DREF for agreed operations (that fit in with its humanitarian mandate) up to a total of 3 million.

See the rest here:
The European Union provides additional 3 million in humanitarian aid to the Philippines - Philippines - ReliefWeb

Airbnb has won a court battle in the EU affecting how the company is regulated in the future. The EUs top court has ruled that Airbnb is not an estate agent but an information society service, meaning it can avoid certain responsibilities.

The challenge to Airbnb was brought by a French tourism and hotel association, but the decision from the Court of Justice of the European Union means the US company will continue to operate as an e-commerce platform, without being subject to property rules.

These include Frances tough Hoguet law, which could have led to criminal sanctions for Airbnb. The company could have also faced new constraints in other key markets like Amsterdam, Paris, and London. In response to the ruling, Airbnb told Bloomberg that it will move forward and continue working with cities on clear rules.

Airbnb is not the only tech firm to have confused lawmakers with how it should be regulated. In many cases, the choice sits between regulating these companies with the same rules that apply to their non-digital counterparts, versus regulating them like an e-commerce platform, which usually means lighter controls.

Uber is a firm thats faced similar challenges, but back in 2017 the same EU court ruled that the company is a transportation service, not a platform. The difference between Uber and Airbnb, says the court, is how much control Airbnb has over the services hosted on its platform. Airbnb allows property owners to set their own prices and rent their homes through other channels, while Uber controls pricing and automatically pairs up sellers and customers. In the end, the court wasnt convinced that Airbnb has a decisive influence over the accommodation offered on its platform, according to BBC News.

Despite Airbnb escaping Frances tough regulations, the association that originally brought the complaint, Frances Association for Professional Tourism and Accommodation, told Bloomberg the ruling was positive. We filed our complaint in 2015, and France has since introduced new regulations that apply also to Airbnb, said an official. Eventually Airbnb is going to be regulated in France, just not as a real estate agent at this point.

This new regulation might not be far away. Politico notes that the European Commissions president, Ursula von der Leyen, has said that the body hopes to revise the EUs e-commerce directive as part of a push to regulate online businesses.

Continue reading here:
Airbnb avoids tougher regulation in Europe after EU ruling - The Verge

The United Kingdom's general election this month settled the matter of Brexit: the UK will leave the European Union on January 31, 2020. It will then be up to the two sides to lay the groundwork for a future relationship based on mutual trust and shared interests.

BRUSSELS The end of the year is a time for closure and new beginnings. As 2019 winds down, that is certainly the case with Brexit. Following the victory of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the Tories in the general election this month, it is now clear that the United Kingdom will leave the European Union on January 31, 2020.

For many, including me, the occasion will be tinged with regret. But it also represents an opportunity to forge a new UK-EU partnership. And besides, things could have been much worse. Owing to the withdrawal agreement that was concluded this past October, a destructive hard Brexit has been averted.

Since the beginning of the Brexit negotiations, we on the EU side the 27 member states and the European Parliament have not strayed from the blocs core interests nor lost sight of the need for unity and solidarity. Our priority was first and foremost to secure the rights of European citizens, including by finding a solution for the people of Northern Ireland and Ireland, for whom the negotiations were about peace and stability, not just trade and the economy. Throughout the process, we have protected the EU single market and its guarantees for consumers, public and animal health standards, and safeguards against fraud and trafficking. But we also did our utmost to preserve a climate of trust between the EU and the UK, and to lay a solid foundation for a new partnership.

In accordance with its own wishes, the UK will no longer participate in EU institutions as of February 1, 2020. But it will remain in the single market and the customs union at least until the end of 2020. And the free movement of people between the EU and the UK will continue, which means that it will be business as usual for citizens, consumers, businesses, students, and researchers on both sides of the channel over the next year.

Moreover, with the transition period, there will be time to implement practical measures to guarantee EU and UK citizens rights, establish the customs and border arrangements agreed in Northern Ireland, and start to negotiate an agreement on the future relationship. But in the absence of a decision by the UK before July 2020 to extend the transition period which Johnson has ruled out a deal on the future relationship will have to be concluded in less than 11 months.

That will be immensely challenging, but we will give it our all, even if we wont be able to achieve everything. Never will it be the EU that fails on common ambition.

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Since it is the time for New Years resolutions, we should set three goals to achieve by this time next year. First, the EU and the UK must ensure that we have the means to work together and discuss joint solutions to global challenges. The UK may be leaving the EU, but it is not leaving Europe. As European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen recently put it, Whatever the future holds, the bond and the friendship between our people are unbreakable.From addressing climate change and promoting effective multilateralism, to defending our homelands and countering those who choose violence over peaceful solutions, we share essential interests and values.

That is why the EU will continue to engage positively with the UK, both bilaterally and in global fora such as the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, and the G20. Consider climate change. Next year, the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) will take place in Glasgow, Scotland. Setting ambitious targets will require a strong common position. If the EU and the UK cannot align on such a critical issue, there is little hope that others around the world will be able to do so.

Second, we need to build a close security relationship. Here, too, the UKs departure from the EU has consequences. The strong security cooperation that EU member states have put in place is linked to the free movement of people. It works because we have common rules, common supervision mechanisms, and a common Court of Justice. Because we trust each other and are assured that our fundamental rights are protected, we are able to share data extensively and implement integrated solutions.

The same degree of cooperation is simply not possible with a third country that is outside of the Schengen area. But neither the EU nor the UK can guarantee its security without looking beyond its borders and building alliances. Tackling terrorism, cyberattacks, and other attempts to undermine our democracies will require a joint effort. The lives of our citizens depend on our ability to count on each other. That is why there can be no trade-off on our mutual security. This should be an unconditional commitment from both sides. I know that the EUs high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, Josep Borrell, agrees.

Third, by this time next year, we need an economic partnership that reflects our common interests, geographical proximity, and interdependence. In the political declaration agreed in October alongside the withdrawal agreement, the UK government made clear that it will pursue a free-trade agreement with the EU, and rejected the idea that it would remain in the EU customs union. That means the UK and the EU will become two separate markets.

The EU including its trade commissioner, Phil Hogan will engage in these negotiations in a positive spirit, with the willingness to make the most of the short time available. But, like the UK, we will keep our strategic interests in mind. We know that competing on social and environmental standards rather than on skills, innovation, and quality leads only to a race to the bottom that puts workers, consumers, and the planet on the losing side. Thus, any free-trade agreement must provide for a level playing field on standards, state aid, and tax matters.

These are our three goals for 2020: to maintain a capacity to cooperate closely at the global level; to forge a strong security partnership; and to negotiate a new economic agreement (which, most likely, will have to be expanded in the years to come). If we achieve these three objectives, we will have made the most of the next year. As soon as we receive our mandate from the 27 EU member states, our team will be ready to negotiate in a constructive spirit with the UK a country that we will always regard as a friend, ally, and partner.

Read more:
Three New Year's Wishes for Britain and the EU | by Michel Barnier - Project Syndicate