Dear Gideon, as you know, the EU and Israel have a lot that binds us. I value our dialogue and engagement, and I’m open to continue in that spirit, respectfully and constructively. Dialogue is the foundation of diplomacy, especially when differences arise. The EU is always committed to a constructive relationship with Israel.
To bring peace to the Middle East, the Two-State Solution remains the only viable path. The EU has condemned the illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank that make it increasingly difficult to get to that goal. That is the EU position.
March 9: "We're now totally independent of the Middle East. We don't need their oil."
April 1: "It doesn't really affect us. We have so much oil. We have tremendous oil and gas, much more than we need."
June 17: If I didn't agree to the MOU, we "would run out of reserves at about 4 weeks...we would really run out, and there'll be a time when you wouldn't be able to get it."
Today in Haaretz there is an article accusing Israel of being a terrorist state (plus committing crimes against humanity). It was not written by a Marxist member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
It was written by former Israeli PM Ehud Olmert.
Everyone understandably gets a bit nervous when an agent of Israel starts threatening -- I mean, "predicting" -- a major mass casualty terrorist attack on American soil just days after the American President announces a deal that enrages all of Israel.
Ironie der Geschichte: Der neue Optimismus zu Druck auf Putin wird durch die stärkere Position der Ukraine ausgelöst, weil die Ukraine macht, wovon Deutschland ängstlich abgeraten hatte: Krim angreifen, tief nach Russland angreifen, Moskau angreifen, Krieg nach Russland tragen.
Last night, our long-range sanctions once again reached the Moscow region – for the second time this week, the Moscow oil refinery was hit. Targets were also struck in the Rostov region and in temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. This is a fully justified response to Russian attacks on our cities and communities, and another important result of our warriors’ work against facilities that sustain Russia’s war machine. I thank our Defense and Security Forces of Ukraine for their coordinated efforts – the Security Service of Ukraine, the Unmanned Systems Forces, the Special Operations Forces, Defense Intelligence, and our missile brigade for their precision.
In recent days, all of our partners have noted the precision and effectiveness of our mid-range strikes and long-range sanctions. It is time the war ended, and Russia must take the necessary steps in diplomacy.
My friend Jamie Raskin is one of the most careful and principled people in Congress. So when he says the director of the FBI may be running a taxpayer funded slush fund, I pay attention.
Here is what he found.
Kash Patel directed more than $1 million in bonus payments to a small circle of agents in his inner circle and on his security detail.
Some were getting nearly $8,000 every two weeks on top of salaries that were already maxed out at the federal ceiling. A number of them collected close to $40,000 over consecutive pay periods.
The payments came so fast that the FBI’s bonus reserve accounts ran dry and some checks bounced.
So who got the money?
Agents on Patel’s so-called "director’s advisory team."
That is the unit created in 2025 and described internally as a payback squad, built to dig up dirt on the law enforcement officials who investigated Trump and his allies.
Raskin has given Patel until June 29 to account for every payment, every recipient, and any internal review of whether this was even legal.
Patel should answer for all of it.
https://t.co/HZPeRJ2Kqg
I am proud to be the first Democrat to take this pledge to reject money from AIPAC and affiliated groups, recognize the genocide in Gaza, and oppose aid to Israel and military sales that kill civilians.