“Palestinian-Israeli conflict erupts again…”

Fighters killed Israelis and abducted some of them in an unprecedented surprise attack during a major Jewish holiday on Saturday.

A stunned Israel said it is now at war with Hamas and launched airstrikes in Gaza, vowing to inflict an “unprecedented price.”

In an assault of startling breadth, Hamas gunmen rolled into as many as 22 locations outside the Gaza Strip, including towns and other communities as far as 24 kilometres from the Gaza border. In some places, they roamed for hours, gunning down civilians and soldiers as Israel’s military scrambled to muster a response. Gun battles continued well after nightfall, and militants held hostages in standoffs in two towns.

The conflict between Israel and Hamas has reached unprecedented levels in the wake of last weekend’s attack on Israeli territory, with no light at the end of the tunnel for the local population. For decades, they have watched helplessly as hopes fade for a solution that could stabilise the region in the short term.

Hugh Lovatt is an expert on the Middle East and North Africa at the European Council on Foreign Relations.

He said: “I don’t think either side has the will to end the fighting at the moment. And I don’t think going back to the way things were before that fighting is an option for either side right now.”

The European Union and the United States have tried unsuccessfully to bring Israel and the Palestinians closer together. Now, after Saturday’s attack, the two sides are further apart than ever.

Yossi Mekelberg, a professor of international relations and fellow at Chatham House, says Israel’s Middle Eastern neighbours need to take the lead: 

“You need the United States and the European Union, yes, but also the regional powers, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Bahrain. Then we also need new players. Let’s not forget that Saudi Arabia put the Saudi Initiative on the table in 2002, which resulted in the Beirut Declaration, for peace or normalisation in the region, in exchange for peace with the Palestinians. I think that’s still on the table.”

Yossi Mekelberg, meanwhile, says the terrible conditions inside the Palestinian Territories are to blame for the rise of the extremists:

“This was neglected and abandoned for years, while the situation worsened. We need to think about what context, what conditions have given power to the most extremists instead of trying to put it in the hands of those who want to live in peace.”

EU electricity reform

As European energy ministers gear up to meet on 17 October, France and Germany struggle to find a compromise.

After prices surged last winter, when gas and electricity bills “nearly doubled in all EU capitals”, the EU decided to take action.

In March, the European Commission proposed a reform “to boost renewables, better protect consumers and enhance industrial competitiveness”.

However, France and Germany are struggling to find a compromise and the clock is ticking as European energy ministers prepare to meet on 17 October in Luxembourg.

France wants ‘to regain control of the price’.

The disagreement is at the heart of the bilateral talks in Hamburg, which started on Monday, between the French and German governments.French President Emmanuel Macron promised “to regain control of the price of electricity, at the French and European level” in a speech at the end of September.

As gas electricity is much more expensive than nuclear electricity, France might be tempted to switch to a national system rather than a European one to be more competitive economically.

However, France is “confident” that it will reach an agreement with Germany on electricity market reforms, Macron said on Friday.

Siding with France are other pro-nuclear countries such as Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland, while Germany can count on the support of Austria, Luxembourg, Belgium and Italy.

Germany wants a massive extension of electricity grids on the continent so that it can import energy; France is banking on energy sovereignty and national production.

Malta:

‘A new airline, a new start: let’s not repeat past mistakes’ – MHRA

“Booking policies and procedures critical for successful transition to new Malta airline”.

The Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) refers to the transition to the new airline replacing Air Malta, set to fly on 31 March 2024, exactly 50 years less 1 day from the first flight of Air Malta on the 1 April 1974.

MHRA reiterates that a national Airline is a clear must for Malta and this not only for the tourism industry, but also for manufacturing industry that exports by air, for the stretcher cases that need treatment abroad, and a myriad other sector that are not catered for by the low-cost airlines.  MHRA will continue to lobby government and other authorities for a successful launch of the New Airline and to ensure as much of a seamless transition as possible.  

In this regard, everyone without exception is expected to contribute towards this success. It is therefore essential that with immediate effect flights on the new airline are open as from 31 March and a booking system and policy is in place to cater for bookings. If there are any regulatory matters to be dealt with MHRA expects those in charge to play their part efficiently and effectively in the shortest possible time. Managing this part of the transition will require not only the joint support and involvement of all stakeholders but equally important a proper communication channel with passengers and corporate clients. Malta and the new airline must avoid any possible misunderstandings or unnecessarily doubts.

MHRA emphasis that the success of the airline, rests entirely on keeping costs down particularly those associated with aircraft leasing, fuel, and human resources. There is no room for any leeway on costs – every single cost item must be challenged for the new airline to stand a chance of surviving. Nothing must stand in the way of ensuring the viability of the new airline.

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