International

'We want Europe not only in its generosity to help pay for the building of a Palestinian state, but also to take part seriously in decisions as to how we can put an end to the conflict with Israel and the Israeli occupation of our country. The Americans want to do this on their own, but as things stand nothing is happening to bring a solution closer.’ This was the clear message which SP Senator Tiny Kox, Council of Europe special rapporteur for Palestine, took from Palestine’s President Mahmoud Abbas at the end of his working visit.

The growth strategy presented today by the European Commission takes it further down the path of undermining social rights and the welfare state and is damaging to the European economy. No attempt is made to invest in the economy, in employment and innovation, according to Dennis de Jong who adds that ‘the worst of the crisis is not in the past as the Commission asserts. Unemployment is enormous, household debt and poverty are growing and self-employed people are taking blow after blow. The Commission is right to argue that the wealthier member states should now be doing more to stimulate domestic demand, but that means that governments must be given more space to invest and get rid of burdensome charges. This would restore consumer and business confidence. So this presentation is completely unbelievable.’