From Macron’s remarks on US-China-EU relations, to Chinese military drills over Taiwan, to unrest in Israel – this is what the continent has been talking about this week.

Manu “unfollows” Joe

In this tweeting world, as it was magnificently described by T.S. Eliot, French President Emmanuel Macron gave an interview raising significant questions about the transatlantic relationship, Taiwan and the concept of “strategic autonomy” for the European Union.

On his way back from China, in an allegoric and profane revisitation of the conversion of St Paul, Macron emphasised the need for Europe to develop independent capabilities that would enable the EU to become the world’s “third superpower” — alongside the United States and China, presumably. The “greatest risk” Europe faces, he said, is that the bloc “gets caught up in crises that are not ours, which prevent it from building strategic autonomy.”

Sounds familiar? Correct. In November 2019, Macron released a much-debated interview on NATO’s “brain death”. Now as then, he is isolated. At that time, freshly surviving the gilets jaunes crisis, Angela Merkel decided to leave the French President to his grandeur dream. Almost four years later, Macron felt the impellent need to visit China without coordinating a joint position at the EU level with Ursula von der Leyen and, paradoxically, to revive his foreign policy position on European autonomy. Your storyteller has a pretty good idea of how it will end. Errare humanum est, perseverare autem diabolicum.

Triggering show

Macron’s strategic dreams turned up their noses to many people in Washington, not only because it came somehow unexpected but especially after China’s increasing pressure on Taiwan. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen met with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Wednesday last week in California. The event was a picture-perfect rendering of U.S. – Taiwan unity sure to enrage Beijing. And – drum roll – it was a great success! China launched the drills on Saturday, leaving time for President Ing-wen to step off the aeroplane and enjoy the show: for the very first time, the Chinese navy appears to have simulated strikes by aircraft carrier-based warplanes on Taiwan; other drills focused on practising “maritime blockades” and “targeted ambush assaults on enemy mooring vessels” in the Taiwan Strait, as well as northwest, southwest and waters east of Taiwan. Last but not least, Beijing is allegedly planning to close Taiwan’s airspace from 16th April to 18th April amid military drills. China’s ruling Communist Party claims the self-governing democracy of Taiwan as its territory despite never having ruled it and has spent decades trying to isolate it diplomatically. It has not ruled out using force to take control of the island… yet.

Middle East’s ticking bomb

The Middle East is the headache the world doesn’t need right now. Last Thursday, there were violent scenes as Israeli police raided the al-Aqsa mosque in East Jerusalem, saying “agitators” had barricaded themselves and worshippers inside. Militants in the Gaza Strip later fired rockets at Israel, and its military carried out air strikes in response. The violent scene came just ahead of an overlap between the Islamic holy month of Ramadan and the Jewish Passover holiday. But the worst was yet to come. On Friday, two people were killed in a shooting attack in the West Bank, and later the same day, in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, a 36-year-old Italian man was killed, and five others were wounded in a car-ramming attack.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mobilised police reserves and Israel Defense Forces (IDF) members on Friday night after attacks in Tel Aviv and the West Bank, responding simultaneously with clear-cut military actions in Gaza, Syria, and Lebanon. After months of a political and social rift that has seeped into the Israeli army, Israeli deterrence seems to have been severely weakened to a point where Israel’s enemies feel comfortable enough to strike. It isn’t easy to foresee the forthcoming future of the area. Nonetheless, one thing is evident: it is now time for Israel to unite around the flag. For Israel’s allies, to stand with the only functioning democracy in the Middle East. And for the UN to go on with its blindfolded statements.