Latest news with #Regev
Euronews
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Israel offers historic 'bigger picture of hope' and firm EU relations
In an extended interview with Euronews on Thursday, Israel's ambassador to the EU and NATO Haim Regev said Israel is in a 'tough war with Iran' not just to destroy its nuclear programme and missiles, but also to defend Europe, to save lives in Ukraine, and to create a space for opportunity and new hope in the Middle East. But Regev also made it bluntly clear that Israel 'is not negotiating with anybody on the Iran and Gaza threats', when asked about a reset with the EU over Iran following the convulsions of the Gaza crisis. 'We are now doing what is good for the state of Israel, removing the nuclear and missile threat and also on the other hand releasing the hostages from Gaza and eliminating the capability of Hamas to stay there," the ambassador expressed Israel's position in its ongoing dialogue with Brussels. "So it's not a matter of let's do and let's negotiate and give you that and get that. This is not the case here,' Regev said. Regev said Israel took action against Iran because it did not have a choice, 'to remove a direct threat to the state of Israel', addressing full frontal the fact that diplomacy, agreements and sanctions failed to work. When asked about regime change in Iran, the Israeli ambassador chose to underline that Israel's offensive in Iran is 'exceeding the original military plan, getting close to achieve all goals for this war'. As a result, Israel has the capability to act on multiple fronts to 'remove the nuclear and missile threat from Iran and the terror threat in Gaza,' according to Regev. But the effects of the decisive action against Iran go beyond the Middle East, Israel's top diplomat said, underlining that it is also set to protect Europe because 'Iran poses a threat also to Europe.' 'When people ask me, why not to solve it with diplomacy, I ask why does Iran need a 4,000-kilometre missile to reach Brussels and other places? For what do they need it? For what? Is there any threat that Europe poses to Iran militarily? Why is Iran developing this missile? Why is Iran promoting terror? Why is Iran supporting Russia,' Regev asked. Following up with a strong, unequivocal statement for Israel, the ambassador said that 'targetting Iranian missile facilities is saving Ukrainian lives, by harming Iran's ability to supply missiles and drones to Russia, contributing or diminishing their capability to harm Ukrainians through Russia because Iran is one of the big supporters of Russia's war with Ukraine.' When asked about Moscow's offer to mediate the Iran-Israel conflict, the ambassador dismissed the idea swiftly by saying 'right now we are not interviewing leaders for who is going to be the mediator.' Through all these developments, according to Regev, Israel sees this reality taking shape as 'an opportunity', due to what he calls 'our success'. 'For the first time in years, there is a hope for the people of the region," he said. In Israel's view, he explained, radical groups such as 'the Mullahs in Iran, the Houthis in Yemen, Assad in Syria, Hezbollah in Lebanon' controlled the regimes in countries surrounding Israel. 'The idea was let's speak with them, international community, let's try to reach an agreement, let's start to do something, let's start to appease them. It didn't work." "For the first time in a decade there is a hope for the people there, because see what's happening in Lebanon, see what's happening in Syria. And I hope that we'll see it in Iran. It's thanks to the Israeli operation on the ground,' said the Israeli ambassador, outlining his country's future Middle East policy vision. 'And maybe, not maybe, I'm sure that for the long run it will improve the situation on the ground for the people of the region. For the people of Israel, of course, but also the people in the region,' he said. But, he stressed, Israel 'is paying a price for that, we understand that this is something that we need to do once and for all, whatever price we will pay. This is right now an opportunity that we cannot stop in the middle,' he expressed the current Israeli decisive mindset. Israel now sees any future diplomacy in a different paradigm, contrary to the formats that attempted to contain Iran's nuclear programme over the last years. 'When Israel has removed most of the threat, we expect Europe and the international community will step in and verify that Iran is not going back to be a bad player,' he specified. Since Israel believes that the previous diplomacy formats failed leading to the current crisis, the ambassador underlined again and again throughout the interview the need for Europe and the international community to initiate a new framework in which 'diplomacy will play a role, but this time will be more concrete, practical with the specific outcomes.' 'Israel does not have any interest to go to a large-scale war and I'm not sure that also Iran is interested in that or their regime. So the best thing is to keep pressing Iran, put a strong stand by the international community and Europe, warning Iran." "They need to understand that nobody is standing with them, and there will be consequences for them to go for a larger scale. So I think it also depends on how the international community in Europe will react to this threat. Directly towards Iran,' the Israeli ambassador presented his government's view of the Middle East's post-war reality. Asked if negotiations can yield results now, the ambassador answered briefly: 'We are right now focusing on achieving the goal of our military operation.' 'But it needs to be followed by strong measures by the international community, including Europe. This time it should be strict. No nuclear, no missiles." "Without any loopholes or without any trying and attempts to overcome this sanction,' Regev outlined Israel's position on any future negotiation, 'when the war is over." Israel's ambassador to the EU chose to be equally clear and firm about his government's current interactions with the European Union on the crisis with Iran, saying 'we hear different tones, but at the end of the road we see and we feel the support.' The Israeli government has 'a continuous and intensive interaction' with the top EU institutions in Brussels, but 'of course it is complicated when it comes to have one position in the Union composed of 27 member states.' When asked if he perceives a reset over Iran after the political reactions over the Gaza crisis, Regev said, 'It depends on who you ask, it's the honest answer." 'There is a war right now and Israel is actually leading this war against Iran, that this is the war also for the benefit, for the long run of Europe. So this is not the time right now to examine or to push things or to try to put obstacles in the Israel-EU relations." "This is definitely not the time or the day after we got hit by rockets, with many dozens of civilians injured and killed. Right now it's time to focus on this war with Iran and this is what we expect that the EU will do,' Regev stated. But still, he chose to make it clear that the 'operation in Gaza is not related to Israel's relation with the EU, but it is related to what is happening on the ground' even if 'there is a group that pushes for reviewing and keeps putting the issue of Gaza on the table, while there are other groups that understand that this is not the time.' 'And this is what we try to do, to push more for the group and the actors that understand that this is not the time right now,' the ambassador seemed to urge the pro-Israel voices to speak up. 'There are still 53 hostages there, and they must be released before if we want to end this war. Second, as long as Hamas is there, controlling Gaza, we don't want to see them the day after." "So we want this war to end, like everybody. But we want the hostages back and we want to see that Hamas does not have any control. It's not only related to our relation with the EU, and we try as much as we can to explain this line,' Regev concluded. "We believe that the minimum thing Europeans can do is to very explicitly condemn Israel and stop their support for Israel," Iran's ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva Ali Bahraini said in an interview for Euronews. Bahraini said Europe's reluctance to condemn Israel's aggression and its inability to keep the nuclear deal (JCPOA) afloat have all contributed to the current intensifying hostilities between Iran and Israel, now in their seventh day. "The impunity which has been given to Israel is something which encourages that entity to continue committing new crimes. And this impunity is because of inaction by Europeans. By the United States and the Security Council," Bahraini explained. "We request and we ask Europe to push Israel to stop the aggression. Europe should play its responsibility to put an end to the impunity that Israel is enjoying. Europe should stop helping or assisting Israel financially, militarily, or by intelligence. And Europe should play a strong role in explaining for the United States and for Israel that Iranian nuclear technology is not something which they can destroy." Bahraini said that what he called Europe's "failures" would be presented to the foreign ministers of France, Germany and the United Kingdom – known collectively as the E3 – at talks in Geneva on Friday. They are meeting in Switzerland to discuss Iran's nuclear programme, which is at the heart of the current conflict with Israel. Iran was previously subject to an international nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which saw the country receive sanctions relief in exchange for strict limits on its nuclear activities. During his first term in office, President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the pact in 2018, slamming it as "the worst deal ever negotiated" and slapping new sanctions on Iran. Since then, the other signatories to the deal have scrambled to keep Iran in compliance, but Tehran considers the deal void and has continued with uranium enrichment, which at current levels sits at 60%. That's still technically below the weapons-grade levels of 90%, but still far above the 3.67% permitted under the JCPOA. Iran maintains that its nuclear programme is peaceful and purely for civilian purposes. Israel, on the other hand, says Tehran is working towards the construction of a nuclear weapon, which could be used against Israel. Bahraini told Euronews that there is still a window for diplomacy to reach a new nuclear deal, but first, the fighting with Israel has to stop. "For our people and for our country, now the first priority is to stop aggression, to stop attacks," he told Euronews. "I personally cannot imagine there would be a strong probability at the moment for a kind of diplomatic idea or initiative because for us it would be inappropriate if we think or talk at the moment about anything rather than stopping the aggressors," Bahraini pointed out. Parallel to the daily exchanges of missile and drone strikes that have taken place since last Friday, the conflict has also led to an escalating war of words, particularly between Trump and some senior figures in Iran. When asked by reporters on Wednesday whether he intended to bring the US military into the conflict to strike Iran alongside Israel, Trump said, "I may do it, I may not do it. Nobody knows what I'm going to do." While Trump appeared to avoid a direct commitment to military action, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu interpreted his comments as a show of support and, in a television address later on Wednesday evening, thanked Trump for "standing by us". Into that mix came Iran's mission to the United Nations, which said no officials from the country would "grovel at the gates of the White House" to reach a nuclear deal with the United States. Bahraini said it was clear to him that "the United States has been complicit to what Israel is doing now." He said Iran would respond very firmly if the United States "crosses the red lines" and said that strikes on the country had not been ruled out. "Our military forces are monitoring the situation. It is their domain to decide how to react," he said. "What can I tell you for sure is that our military forces have a strong dominance on the situation, they have a very precise assessment and calculation about the movements of the United States. And they know where the United States should be attacked," Bahraini warned. Bahraini also said that Iran has not requested any international support and is protecting itself independently. Iran funds a string of militant groups around the region, including Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Houthis in Yemen, and while they all have different aims and objectives, often the ideology that binds them is their anti-Israel position. When fighting with Israel broke out last week, there were concerns that Iran might demand these groups step up and fight alongside it, in return for the funding and training they have received from Tehran. So far, that has not happened. "At this stage, we are confident that we can defeat Israel independently and we can stop aggression without needing any request of help by anybody," Bahraini explained. "I personally believe that Israel is not an entity with which somebody can negotiate. The thing we have to do is to stop aggression, and we have to show Israel that it is not able to cross the red lines against Iran." "Israel is accustomed to committing crimes, and we think that we have stop it somewhere. We have to tell Israel that there is a red line," he concluded.
Euronews
a day ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Iran is also a threat to Europe, Israel's EU and NATO ambassador says
"Iran possesses a threat not only to Israel, (but also) to the region and to Europe," Israel's ambassador to the European Union and NATO, Haim Regev, told Euronews in an interview on Thursday. "They are involved in promoting terror, they are involved with provocation, they are involved in many, many acts. So they are already the main cause for instability in the region and for the world," he explained. Regev was speaking to Euronews as day seven of the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran shows no sign of ending. Early on Thursday, Iran fired 20 ballistic missiles at Israel, with one striking the Soroka Medical Centre inBe'er Sheva. The barrage from Iran appeared to be in direct retaliation for Israeli strikes on Tehran's nuclear infrastructure the previous day. "Iran has a clear plan for the annihilation of the state of Israel," Regev said. "In the last period, we saw that Iran is accelerating its programme, its plan, in two main aspects. First of all, its nuclear programme and second, production of missiles, surface-to-surface missiles. So we come to a point where we saw we need to act to remove this threat." Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran on Friday morning, killing several key figures from within the country's security apparatus and a number of nuclear scientists. The first wave of strikes, which involved around 200 fighter jets, took out at least four senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders, as well as hitting nuclear and military targets across the country. But Regev dismissed the idea that the main target of the IDF operation is regime change in Iran. "The target of this military operation is to remove the nuclear threat and the missile threat. As I mentioned, Iran has a concrete and operative plan. And this is the main goal of this, our military operation right now," he told Euronews. The conflict has also led to an escalating war of words, particularly between US President Donald Trump and senior Iranian officials. When asked by reporters on Wednesday whether he intended to bring the US military into the conflict to strike Iran alongside Israel, Trump said, "I may do it, I may not do it. Nobody knows what I'm going to do." While Trump appeared to avoid a direct commitment to military action, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu interpreted his comments as a show of support and, in a television address later on Wednesday evening, thanked Trump for "standing by us". Into that mix came Iran's mission to the United Nations, which said no officials from the country would "grovel at the gates of the White House" to reach a nuclear deal with the United States. And it's Iran's nuclear programme which sits at the core of the current military escalation. Iran was previously subject to an international nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) which saw the country receive sanctions relief in exchange for strict limits on its nuclear activities. During his first term in office, Trump withdrew the US from the pact in 2018, slamming it as "The worst deal ever negotiated" and slapping new sanctions on Iran. Since then, the other signatories to the deal have scrambled to keep Iran in compliance, but Tehran considers the deal void and has continued with uranium enrichment, which at current levels sits at 60%. That's still technically below the weapons-grade levels of 90% but is still far above the 3.67% permitted under the JCPOA. Iran maintains that its nuclear programme is peaceful and purely for civilian purposes. Israel, on the other hand, says Tehran is working towards the construction of a nuclear weapon, which could be used against Israel. "We, as democracy, when we go to a war, it's only if we do not have a choice or it was initiated by the other side. So we went to this war because we didn't see any other choice," Regev said. "Israel did not come here to solve the problem of the world. Israel come here to solve its own threat that come from Iran. But due to the success, I see here an opportunity." "And I hope that diplomacy will play a role, but this time will be more concrete, practical with the specific outcomes," Regev concluded. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that he is open to meeting with Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but only during a "final stage" of negotiations. "I am even ready to meet him [Zelenskyy] but only if it is some kind of final stage, o as not to sit there and divide something endlessly, but to put an end to it" Putin said on the sidelines of the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on Wednesday. Putin said that Russian and Ukrainian negotiators have agreed to hold another round of discussions after 22 June. Two rounds of direct peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv failed to make progress on ending Russia's full-scale invasion, now in its fourth year. "We are ready for substantive talks on the principles of peaceful settlement," Putin said. He highlighted that the previous negotiations had led to the exchange of prisoners and the bodies of soldiers killed in the conflict. Putin also reiterated his false claim that Zelenskyy is not Ukraine's legitimate president after his term expired last year. This accusation has been roundly rejected by Kyiv and its allies, as Ukraine's constitution makes it illegal for the country to hold national elections while it's under martial law. During the meeting with senior news agency editors, Putin also talked about the conflict between Israel and Iran, NATO, and Russia's relations with the West. In overnight attacks, Russia struck six Ukrainian regions, having launched 104 Shahed-type strike UAVs and various decoy drones. Of these, 40 were destroyed while 48 were jammed or disabled by electronic warfare, according to Ukraine's military In Kyiv, emergency workers recovered more bodies on Wednesday from the debris of a nine-story apartment building in the Solomianskyi district, which was destroyed by a Russian missile strike. The death toll from this latest attack on the Ukrainian capital has risen to 28. Officials reported that 23 of the victims were inside the building when it was hit and collapsed during what has become the deadliest Russian assault on Kyiv so far this year. The other five fatalities occurred in other parts of the city. The overnight assault from Monday into Tuesday was described by Zelenskyy as one of the largest attacks since the war began.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Israel may still have the Madleen aid boat. But organizers are already planning their next journey to Gaza
The Madleen, a boat seized by Israeli forces while en route to Gaza, might still be stuck in a port off the coast of Israel. But the activists who piloted it are busy planning their next attempt — albeit with a different boat. Named after a famous fisherwoman in Gaza, the Madleen set sail from Italy, aiming to deliver a symbolic amount of aid and draw attention to the plight of the enclave, which has been devastated by 20 months of war. It was the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC)'s 36th such expedition since 2008. But while the group waits to hear from officials on the boat's status, Zohar Chamberlain Regev, an FFC member, is in Sicily, fixing up a different boat for another expedition to Gaza. The group had attempted to sail this vessel, called the Handala, from Norway to Gaza in 2024. That trip ended early in Malta, as they felt the boat was too old to make the journey. But they'll soon attempt it again, from Sicily. "Our … main goal is to send a message of solidarity and encouragement to the Palestinian resistance, to the millions of people under occupation," Regev told CBC News. WATCH | Madleen Kolab says she was honoured the boat was named after her: Over the years, many of the FFC's boats have been seized by Israeli forces. Getting them back involves time in court — and even then it isn't guaranteed. The Madleen is the third boat for which Regev will have to appear in court. The Frankfurt-based Israeli citizen, who is its registered owner, says she hasn't yet heard anything from authorities. "But whenever they do [reach out]," she says, "I'll tell them that this boat was on its way to Gaza; they had no business taking it." The group's first five expeditions, which were all in 2008, were the only ones to successfully make it to Gaza and sail back out. From 2009 onwards, Regev says no boat has been able to reach the enclave's shores. "Some boats were rammed at sea and then rescued; some boats were returned by the occupation to their owners." She says the group has reused the boats that have been returned, or sold them to fund future activities. The aid on board typically doesn't make it into Gaza, either, the FFC says. Regev says she has no information on the supplies aboard the Madleen. Israeli authorities did not respond to CBC's requests for comment on the aid. But they previously told Reuters that it would be sent to Gaza through what they called "real humanitarian channels." Despite the many unsuccessful attempts, Regev says she is steadfast in the pursuit of the coalition's goals. "We do this because we appreciate the freedom that we have to actually do things," she said. "It's much more terrifying to me to think that there's a genocide going on, committed by my own people, and I sit here safely and do nothing." (Israel has consistently denied it is committing genocide in Gaza.) She didn't elaborate on the group's strategy for their upcoming trip. But she said the coalition will continue to try sailing its boats to Gaza until the Israeli blockade on the strip is lifted. For 31-year-old Madleen Kolab, the ocean has been her life since she was a little girl learning how to fish from her father. After he fell ill when she was 13, she assumed his position. She says she is the first and only fisherwoman in Gaza. "I was honoured that they wanted to use my name for the boat," she told CBC freelance videographer Mohamed El Saife, as they walked along the shore of a beach in Gaza City. The mother of four is pregnant with her fifth child, and says she can barely find food to feed her kids. The war has made it too dangerous for her to fish, she says, and she has trouble paying for essentials, as the cost of food in Gaza has skyrocketed. She had closely watched her namesake boat's journey, and had anticipated its arrival, along with its promised aid. "We were very sad when we heard the boat was intercepted," she said. "If the boat arrived, it meant life to us." Kolab sat on the sand as the tide washed in. Across the Mediterranean in Sicily, Regev was preparing her group's 37th flotilla to set sail. Though the two women are tied together by one cause, they live in strikingly different realities. "I hope that when it sails, the war will be over, the siege is broken," said Kolab, "and we can see it."
Mint
2 days ago
- Mint
Israel Begins Repatriation of Citizens Stranded By Iran Strikes
Israel is repatriating tens of thousands of its citizens stranded abroad after a flare-up in fighting with Iran, deploying emergency airlifts and ferries. Authorities are rationing flights as a precaution, wary that aircraft could be threatened by incoming missile barrages. The first planeload landed Wednesday at Ben Gurion Airport, Israel's main international gateway, bringing Israelis from Cyprus, where many had traveled from other locations to find an opportunity to return home. Two cruise ships are also under contract to bring people from the island, Transport Minister Miri Regev said. Israel says as many as 150,000 of its citizens were traveling abroad when it launched a surprise assault on Iranian nuclear and military targets on Friday, triggering an unprecedented exchange of fire. The rescue mission could take weeks at the current rate of return — 2,500 people a day by air, and around the same number by sea. When the tickets were offered online on Tuesday, they were grabbed within minutes, Israeli media outlets said. 'There's no reason to get stressed,' Regev said in a news conference, her remarks addressed to Israelis unable to return home. 'You're abroad. Have a good time. I know this is no simple matter.' Israel dispatched much of its civilian airline fleet abroad after fighting began, recalling some aircraft only after aviation risks had eased enough to permit a limited return to daytime operations. But Ben Gurion, outside Tel Aviv, and a smaller airport in the northern city of Haifa that is also partly operating, are still seen as potential targets for Iran. To discourage crowding, Israelis are banned from departing by air, with possible exceptions for medical or family emergencies, Regev said. Overland travel through neighboring Jordan or Egypt is possible, though Israel has issued a terrorism advisory against using those routes. Some private yacht owners have been offering to take Israelis to or from Cyprus, a 30-hour trip usually priced at around $1,000. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Morocco World
02-06-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
Hungarian Low-Cost Wizz Air Eyes Morocco Routes With New Israel Base
Doha – Hungarian low-cost carrier Wizz Air plans to establish a base at Ben Gurion Airport and may add routes from Israel to Morocco, according to Israeli Channel 13. This development comes as most foreign airlines have halted operations to Tel Aviv following Israel's genocidal campaign in Gaza carried out by Netanyahu's government. According to Channel 13, Israeli Transport Minister Miri Regev and Wizz Air's CEO have reached an agreement for the airline to open a base in Israel. This move represents a 'game-changing event' as Wizz Air operates a fleet of 230 aircraft, potentially leading to significant price reductions for flights. While Irish low-cost airline Ryanair announced last week the cancellation of all its flights until August, Wizz Air reportedly sees business potential in the absence of foreign carriers in Israel due to Houthi threats and larger regional instability due to the genocide. The airline plans to increase its passenger capacity from Israel by at least threefold. The expansion will include additional flights on existing European routes from Ben Gurion Airport and new destinations such as India, with Morocco also mentioned as a possibility. The agreement, expected to be signed in July, includes a condition from Minister Regev that Wizz Air operate domestic flights between Tel Aviv and Eilat. This also follows the suspension of flights between Morocco and Israel since October 2023, when Israel launched its brutal military assault on Gaza. Despite Regev's controversial visit to Morocco in February for a road safety conference, Israeli security officials dismissed reports about imminent resumption of direct flights. An Israeli security source told Mako news that flights could not resume while Morocco remains under a Level 3 travel warning. 'We will not take risks regarding the lives of Israelis,' the official claimed, citing what he called 'anti-Israel' demonstrations across Morocco. This stands in stark contrast to past reports showing an influx of Israeli tourists in recent years, with no reported incidents of anti-Jewish sentiment or attacks. Prior to October 2023, several carriers operated direct flights between the two countries, including Royal Air Maroc, El Al, Israir, and Arkia, connecting Tel Aviv with Marrakech and Casablanca. Morocco had been gaining popularity among Israeli tourists, with approximately 70,000 Israelis visiting in 2022 and numbers climbing toward 200,000 in 2023 before the Gaza genocide. Mounting challenges to Israeli aviation Israel's aviation sector currently faces serious challenges. Most foreign airlines suspended flights to Tel Aviv after a Houthi missile struck inside the grounds of Ben Gurion Airport on May 4. According to Israeli Channel 12, fewer than 25 airlines are still operating in Israel, compared to around 50 before the attack. The situation has stranded thousands of Israelis abroad, forcing Minister Regev to hold emergency meetings with heads of Israeli carriers to discuss solutions. Daily passenger traffic at Ben Gurion Airport has dropped to around 40,000 people per day, down from approximately 70,000 at the end of April. Foreign airlines are now demanding changes to Israel's passenger compensation laws before resuming flights. A group of 20 foreign carriers has urged the Transportation Ministry to declare a special security situation and temporarily limit passenger compensation rights to make flight resumptions more feasible. The airlines argue that Israel's 2012 Aviation Services Law was never intended to cover prolonged periods of state-led aggression and siege like the ongoing assault on Gaza, which began on October 7, 2023. The Hamas attack was a response to the Hebrew state's repeated violations at Al-Aqsa Mosque — and the broader context of occupation, displacement, and systemic injustice imposed on Palestinians since 1948 and even earlier. Read also: Israeli Government Approves Maritime Transport Deal with Morocco Tags: Morocco IsraelWizz Air
