Special edition: Israel's contentious annexation plan for the West bank

FRANCE 24 English

In this edition, we're focusing our entire programme on Israel’s planned annexation of settlements in the West Bank. The term ‘annexation’ is used when a state unilaterally incorporates another territory within its borders. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called these zones “an integral part of the historic Jewish homeland”. Palestinians say the plan is an “existential threat" and have threatened to respond with their own measures.

This latest move comes after US President Donald Trump last year presented a so-called “Middle East plan”, which allows Israel to annex 30 percent of this territory, which has been under illegal occupation – according to international law – since 1967.

Joining our programme to discuss this contentious issue is Dr Evan Cohen, former international media advisor to Israel’s prime minister, and Ashraf al-Ajrami, a former minister for the Palestinian authority.

But first here’s our report, which looks at the landlocked territory in question: the West Bank.

Palestinians rally against Israeli annexation as West Bank goes on Covid-19 lockdown

Issued on: 01/07/2020

A Palestinian man wears a mask during a rally against Israel's West Bank annexation plans in the Jordan Valley village of Bardala on June 27, 2020. © Jaafat Ashtiyeh, AFP

Text by:FRANCE 24

Thousands of Palestinians protested in Gaza on Wednesday against Israel's plans to annex parts of the West Bank, where Palestinian authorities announced a new five-day lockdown amid a worrying resurgence of the coronavirus.

Israel's centre-right coalition government had set July 1 as the date from which it could begin implementing US President Donald Trump's Middle East peace proposal.

While no major announcement was expected on the kick-off date, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said talks with US officials "were continuing on the application of sovereignty".

Netanyahu was also discussing annexation with his security chiefs, it added, noting that "further discussions will be held in the coming days".

In Gaza City, several thousand protesters gathered, some brandishing Palestinian flags and placards condemning Trump at a rally.

"The resistance must be revived," Gaza protester Rafeeq Inaiah told AFP. "Israel is afraid of force."

Smaller demonstrations were held in the West Bank cities of Ramallah and Jericho, attended by a handful of left-wing Israeli politicians opposed to annexation.

"We want to affirm our support for peace," former Labour party official Ophir Pines-Paz told AFP.

The Trump plan, unveiled in January, offered a path for Israel to annex territory and Jewish West Bank settlements, communities considered illegal under international law.

Netanyahu supports the Trump plan – which has been roundly rejected by the Palestinians – but the right-wing premier has not laid out his intentions for enacting the US proposals.

Hamas, the Islamist group that controls Gaza, fired some 20 rockets from the coastal Palestinian enclave into the Mediterranean Sea on Wednesday, a move aimed at dissuading Israel from moving forward, Hamas sources told AFP.

Hamas, which has fought three wars with Israel since 2008, says that Israeli annexations in the West Bank, which borders Jordan, would be a "declaration of war".

Growing global opposition

France's foreign minister said on Wednesday that any Israeli annexation in the occupied West Bank would be in violation of international law and would have consequences.

"Annexation of Palestinian territories, whatever the perimeters, would seriously throw into question the parameters to resolve the conflict," Jean-Yves Le Drian told a parliamentary hearing.

"An annexation decision could not be left without consequences and we are examining different options at a national level and also in coordination with our main European partners," he added.

Writing in Israel's Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper on Wednesday, Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that although he was a "passionate defender of Israel", he viewed annexation as "contrary to Israel's own long-term interests."

"Annexation would represent a violation of international law," he said.

Australia, in a rare criticism of Israel, warned against "unilateral annexation or change in status of territory on the West Bank".

Most European states and the United Nations oppose annexation, as do Gulf Arab states, with which Israel has increasingly sought warmer ties.

Jordan, one of only two Arab nations that has diplomatic ties with Israel, has warned that annexation could trigger a "massive conflict" and has not ruled out reviewing its 1994 peace treaty with the Jewish state.

Amnesty International's deputy Middle East chief Saleh Hijazi said: "International law is crystal clear on this matter – annexation is unlawful", adding that if Israel moves forward it "points to the 'law of the jungle.'".

Covid-19 second wave

Israel's defence minister and alternate prime minister Benny Gantz has said annexation must wait until the coronavirus crisis has been contained, amid a sharp spike in new Israeli and Palestinian cases.

The Palestinian Authority on Wednesday announced a five-day lockdown across the West Bank after total confirmed coronavirus infections in the territory more than doubled following the easing of previous restrictions.

"Starting from Friday morning, all governorates of the West Bank... will be closed for a period of five days," government spokesman Ibrahim Melhem said, adding that pharmacies, bakeries and supermarkets were exempt.

The latest data from the Palestinian ministry of health said that as of Wednesday morning, a total of 2,636 people had tested positive for Covid-19 since the illness was first recorded in the West Bank, compared with just 1,256 a week ago.

Last week, after the easing of a previous coronavirus lockdown in late May, Palestinian health minister Mai al-Kaila said the territory had entered a second wave of infections "more dangerous than the first".

Most infections were traceable to Palestinians working in Israel or Arab Israeli visitors to the West Bank, Kaila said.

There have been seven deaths from the virus in the territory.

Israel has also recorded a surge, with 25,547 confirmed cases on Wednesday morning, up around 15 percent from a week earlier.

The Palestinian Authority imposed a full West Bank lockdown after the first coronavirus cases were identified on 5 March, lifting it at the end of May.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

Germany, France urge Israel to reconsider West Bank annexation plans

The foreign ministers of France and Germany have demanded Israel halt plans to annex parts of the West Bank.

 Israeli spies have reportedly called for the plans to be expedited, with the world distracted the pandemic.


German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and his French counterpart, Jean-Yves Le Drian, have urged Israel to renounce its plans to annex parts of the West Bank.

"Our goal is still to prevent any annexation in violation of international law in the first place," said Le Drian, after meeting with Maas in Berlin on Friday.

The pair announced intensive talks between European Union partners and neighboring countries such as Jordan.

Maas said Israel's annexation plans were "of great concern" to him and Le Drian and that in the coming days, no effort would be spared to bring together the parties involved for talks.

Maas said the issue of annexation should be brought to the forefront once more, and that it was still possible to use "the opportunity and the time window" before a possible annexation.

Israel's new government is expected to present its strategy on July 1 for implementing the Middle East "peace plan" drawn up by the Trump administration. The plan allows for Israel to annex large parts of the West Bank, including the Jordan Valley, which Israel occupied in 1967.

Palestinians are completely opposed to the plan, fearing it will trigger a new wave of violence in the region.

Le Drian stressed that an annexation would increase "instability in the Middle East" and would violate international law. He said the two-state solution was still the only option, adding that close cooperation with European partners was necessary to achieve this goal.

Read more: UN panel: Israel annexation of West Bank 'violates international law'

Israel: Annex now, as world occupied with coronavirus

Israel's Ministry of Intelligence has reportedly compiled a document listing reasons for the immediate annexation of West Bank areas.

According to dpa news agency, the document finds that the support of US President Donald Trump means the timing is good.

"It is unclear what US support will look like after the November elections," the document reportedly says.

The ministry reportedly found that the threat of violence was low, with the Palestinian Authority and Hamas both against conflict and no expectation of "severe unrest" in Jordan.

It also found that the international community was preoccupied with the fight against the coronavirus.

On Thursday, Jordan's foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, unexpectedly visited the West Bank and warned against the annexation plans.

"Annexation is unprecedented for the peace process, and it will kill the two-state solution and will destroy all the foundations of the peace process,'" Safadi said after meeting with his Palestinian counterpart in the city of Ramallah.

He said the plans would "deprive all peoples of the region of their right to live in security, peace and stability."

aw/msh (AFP, dpa, Reuters, AP)


Germany rejects Israel's West Bank annexation plans as illegal
The German parliament has called on Israel to halt its plans to annex settlements in the occupied West Bank. However, it has ruled out the use of sanctions against Israel.


Germany called on Israel not to annex the West Bank on Wednesday, saying the plans were "in contradiction with international law."

The motion was brought in the Bundestag by the three parties in Chancellor Angela Merkel's broad coalition and was approved without opposing votes. All parliamentary groups, aside from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, warned that Israel's plans to annex parts of the West Bank would jeopardize Israel's security and hopes of a two-state solution.

Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the plan threatened the stability of the entire Middle East.

"Peace cannot be achieved by unilateral steps," Maas said.

In a dissenting voice, the AfD's Anton Friesen said the annexation was in Israel's national interest.

Read more: What will Israel's West Bank annexation plans mean for the region?

No sanctions

However, lawmakers said threatening Israel with sanctions over the matter would have "no constructive effect." 

The move, taken just as Germany takes over the EU presidency, greatly reduces the chances of European Union sanctions as it requires unanimous support from EU member states.

The document said, "Discussions on unilateral sanctions or threats of sanctions have no constructive effect" on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

Plans pushed back

Israel was due to begin annexing settlements in the West Bank and the Jordan Valley on July 1, but the US-backed plans have been pushed back. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said talks with his security chiefs were ongoing.

Annexation forms part of the plans of US President Donald Trump's administration, which also includes the creation of a demilitarized Palestinian state with a capital outside of Jerusalem. Palestinians have firmly rejected this plan. 

The EU has also strongly opposed the US plan, mounting a diplomatic campaign against the project. Germany's Maas traveled to Israel to raise concerns about the plans. 

Also on Wednesday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said any Israeli annexation would be a violation of international law and would have consequences.

"Annexation of Palestinian territories, whatever the perimeters, would seriously throw into question the parameters to resolve the conflict," Le Drian told a parliamentary hearing. "An annexation decision could not be left without consequences and we are examining different options at a national level and also in coordination with our main European partners." 

The UK chimed in as well, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson saying annexation would violate international law and harm Israel's drive to improve relations with the Arab world.

"Annexation would represent a violation of international law," Johnson said in an opinion piece for Yedioth Ahronoth, Israel's top-selling daily.

"Annexation would put in jeopardy the progress that Israel has made in improving relationships with the Arab and Muslim world," Johnson wrote, calling for justice and security for both Israelis and Palestinians.

Read more: How will Arab states react to Israel's annexation plans?

Protests in Gaza

Thousands of people in Gaza protested against the plans on Wednesday, some brandishing Palestinian flags and placards condemning Trump.

"The resistance must be revived," Gaza protester Rafeeq Inaiah told the AFP news agency. "Israel is afraid of force."

There were smaller demonstrations in the West Bank cities of Ramallah and Jericho, which some left-wing Israeli politicians attended. 

Meanwhile, Hamas, the Islamist group that controls Gaza, fired 20 rockets in the Mediterranean Sea as a show of force.

aw/sms (AP, AFP, Reuters, dpa)


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Palestinian rivals Hamas, Fatah threaten Israel's annexation plans
The rival groups have called for unifying resistance against plans to annex parts of the West Bank, long considered part of a future Palestinian state. But analysts say the show of unity is unlikely to result in action.


Rival Palestinian factions on Thursday pledged unity against Israeli plans to annex part of the West Bank.

"We will put in place all necessary measures to ensure national unity," said Jibril Rajub, secretary general of the Fatah Central Committee, in a virtual press conference with Beirut-based Hamas official Saleh al-Arouri. "Today, we want to speak in a single voice."

The Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has signaled its intention to move forward with plans to annex territory that has been set aside for a future Palestinian state. The territory in question includes Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

Israeli officials have suggested that the announcement would happen in July, but not before US President Donald Trump has given his approval.

Read more: What will Israel's West Bank annexation plans mean for the region?

The Trump administration has spearheaded a new plan to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, although many of its proposals violate internationally-recognized resolutions, such as border delineations for a UN-sanctioned two-state solution.

'Resistance'

Both Fatah and Hamas have outright rejected the US-led plan, saying it undermines the prospect of peace. Hamas' al-Arouri said the annexation plans would only serve to unify Palestinian resistance.

"We should put aside all differences and agree on a strategy," said al-Arouri. "We will use all forms of resistance against the annexation."

Read more: How will Arab states react to Israel's annexation plans?

However, Middle East analysts have suggested that the show of unity is unlikely to translate into broader cooperation between the rival factions.

"I doubt the annexation challenge will help these two factions to end their split and unify again," former Palestinian Authority official Ghassan Khatib told news agency AFP. "They'll agree about the significance of the annexation … but I don't think they'll go beyond that."
Since 2006, Hamas has been at odds with Fatah, which runs the Palestinian Authority, a body tasked with governing the Palestinian Territories.

That same year, Hamas won a majority in parliamentary elections, placing it in a position to lead the Palestinian government. However, fighting broke out between the two factions, eventually leading to armed conflict that forced Israel to withdraw from the Gaza Strip. Hamas has since been in control of the coastal enclave.

ls/rs (AFP, dpa)

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Pictures of toddler lying on the body of his dead grandfather spark outrage in India's Kashmir

A civilian was shot dead after an encounter between paramilitary police and militants in Indian-administered Kashmir. Pictures of the grandson sitting on the dead man's body sparked outrage in India's Kashmir.

#KASHMIR IS #INDIA'S #GAZA

Indian-administered Kashmir witnessed protests on Wednesday after a civilian was killed in the aftermath of a clash between militants and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), India's paramilitary police.

Hundreds of people protested at the man's funeral in the city of Srinagar, chanting "We want freedom" from India.

Bashir Ahmed Khan was allegedly shot dead by the CRPF. "Locals said that Khan was brought out of his car and shot dead by the forces," Farooq Ahmed, a nephew of Khan, told the AFP news agency.

Relatives and neighbors offer prayers at the funeral of Bashir Ahmed Khan
The police of India's Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) state refuted the family's claims. The police threatened "legal action against false reports and rumors."

A clash that led to social media furor 

Militants attacked a CRPF patrol party in the town of Sopore in Indian-administered Kashmir on Wednesday when they opened fire from the attic of a mosque. A member of the CRPF reportedly died in the attack.

According to local media reports, Khan was on his way to check a construction site in the town of Sopore in Indian-administered Kashmir, when he was dragged out of his car and killed by CRPF personnel.

The inspector general of Kashmir's police, Vijay Kumar, said during a press briefing after the incident that Khan was hit by a bullet when he was running to safety with his grandson.
Kumar added that Khan's family was blaming the CRPF for his death as they were "afraid of militants."

Indian security forces near the site where militants attacked the CRPF in Sopore
Khan's death triggered an uproar on social media when pictures of his 3-year-old grandson, Aayad, who was accompanying him, were circulated.

In the photos, Aayad is crying on the dead body of his 65-year-old grandfather. Khan's family has alleged that Aayad was placed on the dead body while someone took the photos.

Some police officers tweeted the photo of Aayad sitting on his grandfather's dead body.

The local police also shared a photo of Aayad with a police officer, after the incident. The police claimed that he was rescued from getting hit by bullets during a "terrorist attack in Sopore."

Amnesty India, the local branch of Amnesty International, a global human rights NGO, said that by revealing the identity of a minor who witnessed a crime, the local police had violated Article 74 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.

Kumar indicated in the press conference that someone within the police could have taken the photo of Aayad on the dead body. 

"Going to the operation area with mobiles is wrong. I will ensure police teams going for operations don't carry mobiles along as that may pose a threat to their lives. Whoever has shared his pictures will have to face action," he said.

Kumar further said that he could have disconnected internet services in the area after the incident, but didn't do it as he wanted to see "how people behave."

The National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), two of J&K's biggest political parties, called for a probe into the incident.

Omar Abdullah, the former chief minister of J&K, called out the police for filming and sharing the child's misery and pain.

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THE SWASTIKA IS NOT EVIL

Finland's air force removes the swastika from logo after almost a century

The Finnish air force command has dropped the swastika from its logo without making an announcement. The air force had been using the symbol since 1918.

Finland has changed the general staff ID and logo of its Air Force Command without making an announcement of the new logo.

While the new logo is a golden eagle and a circle of wings, the old logo had a swastika — a symbol deeply linked to Nazi Germany.

Teivo Teivainen, an academic at the University of Helsinki, first observed the change. Finland's air force had been using the swastika since 1918.

While the air force had stopped using the swastika on its planes after World War II, the symbol featured on unit emblems, unit flags and uniforms, an air force spokesperson told the BBC.

The spokesperson added that the logo of the Air Force Command and the Air Force service were made to match in January 2017 to a golden eagle and circle of wings, removing the swastika.

How did a symbol of anti-Semitism make its way to Finland?

The swastika entered Finland's air force through a Swedish nobleman, Count Eric von Rosen.

He had gifted a plane to the air force of Finland in 1918, with a blue swastika painted on it. Rosen used to consider the swastika a good luck charm.

EDMONTON SWASTIKA WOMEN'S HOCKEY TEAM 1916

https://www.messynessychic.com/2015/03/10/hockey-and-swastikas/

Subsequent planes in the Finnish air force continued to use the symbol, which eventually became associated with anti-Semitism after Hitler adopted the swastika for the Nazi party.

Rosen didn't have any Nazi associations in 1918, but eventually formed a connection to Nazi Germany through his brother-in-law, who was a personal friend of Hitler.

Why was the change made after almost a century?

Teivainen postulated that the change was made in 2017 because the swastika could potentially be used against the Finnish army and affect the attitude of young people towards the military. He added that Finland's neighbor Russia could also interpret the symbol as a sign that Finland is an enemy.

The logo of Finland's air force academy continues to feature the swastika symbol.

https://www.messynessychic.com/2015/03/10/hockey-and-swastikas/

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Hong Kong: Security law suspects to be tried in mainland

Hong Kong's legal system could not be expected to implement mainland laws, a Chinese official has said. Meanwhile, Hong Kong police have made its first arrest under the controversial new law.


Suspects arrested by China's new office in Hong Kong on charges of violating the city's new national security law could be tried in the mainland, a senior Chinese government official said on Wednesday.

The office abides by Chinese law and Hong Kong's legal system cannot be expected to implement the laws of the mainland, said Zhang Xiaoming, Executive Deputy Directors of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Offic

Read more: China's security law: The end of Hong Kong's semi-autonomous status?

The law, he added, would not be applied retrospectively. "This law is a birthday gift to [Hong Kong] and will show its precious value in the future," Zhang said.

Under the law, Article 55 says that China's national security office in Hong Kong could exercise jurisdiction over "complex" or "serious" cases.

Additionally, a Hong Kong police spokesman said that people who display pro-independence material will face arrest and prosecution under the new law.

The announcement comes a day after China approved the security law, which aims to punish secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces.

Under the new law, mainland security agencies will be based in Hong Kong for the first time officially, giving Beijing powers that extend beyond the city's local laws.

At the same press conference, Zhang rebuffed international criticism of the law, saying, "What's this got to do with you? It's none of your business."

He also said that the law was not meant to undermine Hong Kong's autonomy. "If what we want is one country, one system, it would have been simple," he said. "We are completely able to impose the criminal law, the criminal procedure and the national security law and other national laws on Hong Kong."

"Why would we need to put so much effort into formulating a national security law tailor-made for Hong Kong?"

Far-reaching legislation

Critics of the law have noted that it has a far-reaching application, and would allow for the arrest of people who violated the law outside of Hong Kong.

The law "has a very wide-ranging extra-territorial effect, which even goes beyond what the PRC system normally allows," Eric Cheung, a professor at the University of Hong Kong Law School told DW. "We can see that basically this new legislation can punish conducts which happened outside Hong Kong."

If a suspect is always outside of Hong Kong, authorities do not have very much power to do anything. "However, once the suspects set foot on Hong Kong's land, including transiting, in theory, the suspects can be arrested and prosecuted under the new law," said Cheung.

"This is really alarming that the law even put people outside Hong kong at risk of commiting crime under the new legislation," he added.

First arrests made

Hong Kong police moved to stop protesters gearing up for the first rally since the introduction of the law, while also making their first arrests under the new measure.

The first suspect to be arrested, the Hong Kong police tweeted, was held for holding a pro-independence flag at a rally to mark the 23rd anniversary of the former British colony's handover to China.

Police also said they arrested 30 people for unlawful assembly, violating the security, obstructing police and possessing weapons.

One metro station was closed, while officers used pepper spray as thousands gathered downtown for the demonstration.

Police, who earlier banned the protest, cited the new law when confronting protesters. "You are displaying flags or banners/chanting slogans/or conducting yourselves with intent such as secession or subversion, which may constitute offenses under the national security law," read an official message displayed on a purple banner.

Read more: China's Hong Kong security law sparks global outcry

Critics have said that the security law marks the end of Hong Kong's remaining autonomy.

The law also stipulates a ban on violators of the law standing for election, and greater oversight of non-governmental organizations and newsgroups.

Read more:Opinion: China to rule Hong Kong by fear with new national security law

The security office will "take necessary measures to strengthen the management of and services for organs of foreign countries and international organizations in the region, as well as non-governmental organizations and news agencies of foreign countries," Article 54 of the law says.

Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam praised the move, saying it was an "inevitable and prompt decision to restore stability in the society."

Beijing has said the law is aimed at just a few "troublemakers" and will not affect rights, freedoms or investors' interests. Some pro-China officials have said the law is aimed at sealing Hong Kong's "second return" to the mainland. The legislation came into force at 11pm local time (3pm GMT) on June 30.

lc/stb (Reuters, AFP)

Hong Kong police make hundreds of arrests under controversial new security law

Officers have arrested 370 protesters in Hong Kong, ten of whom were held for violating China's new security law. They also fired water cannons and pepper spray at demonstrators.


Hong Kong police made the first arrests under the controversial new national security law, and fired water cannons and pepper spray at protesters on Wednesday — the first full day the sweeping measures went into effect.

Police said that they arrested 370 people for unlawful assembly, violating the security law, obstructing police and possessing weapons. Authorities said ten people were arrested specifically for violating the new law.

One metro station was also closed, as thousands gathered downtown for the demonstration to mark the 23rd anniversary of the former British colony's handover to China.

Read more: Germany's Heiko Maas: Hong Kong security law 'extremely worrying'

Police, who earlier banned the protest, cited the new law when confronting protesters who had gathered at Causeway Bay, a popular shopping district and the site of several protests prior to Wednesday's demonstration.

"You are displaying flags or banners/chanting slogans/or conducting yourselves with intent such as secession or subversion, which may constitute offenses under the national security law," read an official message displayed on a purple banner.

The first person to be arrested under the new law was holding a flag that said "Hong Kong Independence," a violation of the security law, according to a police statement on Twitter.

Police also reported that they began arresting demonstrators after issuing multiple warnings.

Later on, a woman was arrested for carrying a sign with a similar message that displayed the British flag. "#HKpolice will take resolute enforcement action in accordance with #NSL," police tweeted.

Police also said that an officer had been stabbed in the arm by protesters, and posted a photo of a person with a wounded arm. "While the bystanders offered no helping hand, suspects fled," the department wrote.

A ban on calls for independence

Under the law, which took effect on Tuesday at 11pm local time (3pm GMT), any person taking part in secessionist activities such as shouting slogans or holding up banners and flags calling for the city's independence is in violation of the law, regardless of whether violence was used.

The law can target some of the actions seen at anti-government protests last year, including attacks on government offices and police stations, damage to subway stations, and the shutdown of the city's international airport. Acts of vandalism against government facilities or public transit can also be prosecuted as subversion or terrorism. The new security law will not, however, be applied retroactively, a senior Chinese official said Wednesday.

Read more: Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong steps down from pro-democracy group

Also on Wednesday, a Chinese government official said that those suspected of violating the law could be investigated in the mainland. Beijing's new office in Hong Kong abides by Chinese law, and Hong Kong's legal system cannot be expected to implement the laws of the mainland, said Zhang Xiaoming, Executive Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office.

"This law is a birthday gift to [Hong Kong] and will show its precious value in the future," said Zhang.

lc/stb (Reuters, AP, AFP)

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Date 01.07.2020
Related Subjects People's Republic of China, Hong Kong
Keywords Hong Kong, security law, China, Beijing, protests
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Trump brings back fireworks to Mount Rushmore; faces criticism

Fireworks detonate above the Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota on July 3, 2008. For the first time since then, the national memorial will host a fireworks display to mark the Fourth of July. File Photo by Mark I. Lane/U.S. Air Force | License Photo
July 1 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump is planning a triumphant return of Fourth of July fireworks at Mount Rushmore this weekend, but some activists and experts from South Dakota say they're not welcoming his visit.

Friday's event will mark the first time there's been a fireworks event at the national memorial since 2009. It was called off after that because of a mountain pine beetle infestation in the area, which left dead ponderosa pine trees susceptible to fire.

Trump is scheduled to attend, arriving in the state around 6:45 p.m. He, along with South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, plan to speak at the event, which will broadcast live on television and the Internet.

Fireworks are expected to begin around 9:30 p.m. Only those with tickets will be allowed to attend the event in person.

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Some critics have expressed concern about the potential for coronavirus to spread among the attendees.

Oglala Sioux President Julian Bear Runner told The Guardian he's worried about the influx of people to the area for the event.

"Trump coming here is a safety concern not just for my people inside and outside the reservation, but for people in the Great Plains. We have such limited resources in Black Hills, and we're already seeing infections rising," he said.

He said members of his and other Native American groups plan to protest Trump's visit to the controversial monument, which features the carved heads of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. Tribal leaders say the creation of the monument was a violation of existing treaties between the U.S. government and tribes that live in the Black Hills.

"The lands on which that mountain is carved and the lands he's about to visit belong to the Great Sioux nation under a treaty signed in 1851 and the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 and I have to tell him he doesn't have permission from its original sovereign owners to enter the territory at this time," Bear Runner said.

"It's going to cause an uproar if he comes here. People are going to want to exercise their First Amendment rights to protest and we do not want to see anyone get hurt or the lands be destroyed."

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Noem said 7,500 people attending won't be required to wear face coverings to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

"We will have a large event on July 3. We told those folks that have concerns that they can stay home, but those who want to come and join us, we'll be giving out free face masks, if they choose to wear one," she said during a Fox News appearance Monday.

"But we will not be social distancing."
South Dakota has 6,826 confirmed cases of the virus with 93 deaths as of Wednesday afternoon. The state reported 48 new cases Tuesday, with a new daily case trajectory trending downward after a 249-case high May 9, according to The New York Times' tracker.

Beyond the potential health risk, though, some are concerned the fireworks show could pose a threat to the surrounding natural environment. Cheryl Schreier, who was superintendent of the national memorial from 2010 to 2019, wrote an op-ed for The Washington Post, saying fireworks pose a danger to public safety, and natural and cultural resources.

She said that should there be a wildfire sparked by the fireworks or any other emergency during the event, it could be difficult to get adequate emergency services to the site in a timely manner.

"Thanks to an extremely dry summer, South Dakota faces a higher than usual risk of wildfires," Schreier wrote.

"While cities and communities across the United States are canceling their Fourth of July celebrations to adhere to social distancing guidelines and protect their citizens, Trump and Noem are actively encouraging people to gather together, all in service of an event which poses clear risks to both visitors and the environment.

"I urge them to reconsider this event for the health and safety of us all."

Meanwhile, back in Washington, D.C., the National Park Service and Interior Department planned an Air Force Thunderbirds and Navy Blue Angels flyover at the National Mall on Saturday.

Trump plans to make a speech on the South Lawn of the White House which will be aired on TV and the Internet. The capital's fireworks display is expected to begin around 9 p.m. and will be visible from both Washington, D.C., and northern Virginia.

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United States-Mexico-Canada agreement takes effect amid lingering issues, pandemic


The United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement, signed into law by President Donald Trump went into effect on Wednesday, amid lingering issues and the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo by Oliver Contreras/UPI | License Phot

July 1 (UPI) -- The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement went into effect on Wednesday rewriting the terms of trade between the three countries.

President Donald Trump signed the agreement in January to replace the maligned North American Free Trade Agreement of 1994 with the White House declaring that the deal will result in "stronger economic growth, more jobs for American workers and fairer trade for our country."

The USMCA mostly preserves duty-free trade and economic integration provided by NAFTA while adding new rules surrounding digital trade and altering what products can be traded across borders without facing tariffs.

"I'm sure glad it was renegotiated," Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said. "I'm not sure that I agree with the president that it was the worst agreement ever, but it needed to be renegotiated and part of it's because things like digital economy was never an issue 30 years ago."

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Even as the deal goes into effect, however, issues such as U.S. tariffs on metals and Mexican labor standards persist.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer expressed concern during a June 18 hearing before Congress about a surge of aluminum imports from Canada, leading to speculation that the United States may reinstitute 10 percent tariffs on aluminum it removed while negotiating the USMCA.

The Aluminum Association sent a letter signed by 15 CEOs and executives in the industry calling on Lighthizer and the administration not to reverse its decision on the tariffs.

"After all of the hard work that has gone into making the USMCA a reality, it would be a shame to move backward by reapplying tariffs or quotas on aluminum," said Aluminum Association President Tom Dobbins.

Further, changes to Mexico's labor rules to ensure workers were granted the freedom to form unions and negotiate better wages were included in the deal but have yet to clear their way through the Mexican legal system.

"What people have to understand is the changes required by USMCA, if it's to be real, are changing root and branch deeply entrenched systems of protection contracts ad phony unions," Rep. Andy Levin, D-Mich., said.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has also put a strain on the launch of the new deal as border closures to prevent the spread of the virus have slowed down trade.

Lighthizer pushed to have the deal take effect on Wednesday despite the pandemic to allow for the new rules to be enforced.

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