FirstFT: EU plans ‘consequences’ if Netanyahu continues to oppose two-state solution

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Good morning. We deliver you an unique story from Brussels to begin the week, with the EU urging member states to impose “penalties” on Israel if the nation continues to oppose Palestinian statehood.

The proposed risk, to be mentioned at a gathering of EU overseas ministers at this time, underscores rising unease at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s stance amongst lots of Israel’s western allies, because the civilian demise toll from its warfare in opposition to Gaza mounts, stoking instability throughout the Center East.

This weekend Netanyahu doubled down on his insistence that Israel ought to keep “safety management over the complete space west of [the river] Jordan”, territory that encompasses besieged Gaza and the occupied West Financial institution. He reiterated that place after a name with US President Joe Biden, who had earlier stated Netanyahu may very well be open to compromise.

In a doc circulated to capitals forward of at this time’s assembly and seen by the Monetary Occasions, Brussels proposed that EU member states ought to “set out the results they envisage to connect to engagement or non-engagement” with their proposed peace plan. The plan contains statehood for Palestine and mutual sovereign recognition — the so-called two-state resolution. Henry Foy has extra particulars.

And right here’s what else I’m watching at this time:

Africa public well being: The primary malaria vaccination marketing campaign for kids backed by the World Well being Group begins within the continent at this time, with almost 30mn jabs to be distributed within the coming months.

Financial knowledge: The EY Merchandise Membership publishes its winter financial forecast for the UK.

UK politics: Britain’s first Labour authorities beneath Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald got here into energy precisely 100 years in the past. A century later, opposition chief Sir Keir Starmer hopes to do the identical as he units a deadline to finalise the get together’s manifesto forward of this yr’s elections.

Be part of the FT’s Martin Wolf, Alec Russell and skilled visitors this Wednesday as they talk about the problem posed by migration to liberal democracies. Register totally free right here.

5 extra prime tales

1. Ron DeSantis has suspended his marketing campaign for US president and endorsed Donald Trump because the Republican nominee, simply forward of tomorrow’s New Hampshire major. The Florida governor stated many Republicans backed Trump, whereas Nikki Haley, the remaining aggressive candidate in opposition to the previous president, represented “a repackaged type of warmed-over corporatism”. Right here’s how Haley and Trump responded.

2. Macquarie has raised a report of greater than €8bn for its new European infrastructure fund within the newest signal of investor urge for food for essential belongings as companies search to revenue from transitions to cleaner power and provide chains which can be nearer to shoppers. The Australian group stated its seventh Europe infrastructure fund was the most important such automobile targeted on the continent. Learn the complete story.

3. ExxonMobil has filed a lawsuit to attempt to cease a shareholder local weather decision from going to a vote at its annual investor assembly. In a primary for the US oil main, Exxon is suing Observe This, an Amsterdam-based investor activist group, and Arjuna Capital, a registered funding adviser, in an try to dam their movement calling for quicker cuts in greenhouse fuel emissions.

4. All elements of the UK have suffered from financial stagnation since 2010, in line with a report printed at this time by the Centre for Cities think-tank, which charted the failure of successive Conservative governments within the wake of the monetary disaster to spice up city economies, elevate productiveness or slim regional divides. Listed below are extra findings from the analysis.

5. McKinsey head Bob Sternfels is going through inside resistance to his re-election after failing to clinch a second three-year time period on the primary spherical of voting for world managing companion. Greater than half of McKinsey’s 750 senior companions backed different candidates, in line with folks acquainted with the end result. Right here’s why he’s going through opposition.

The Massive Learn

Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine uncovered many vulnerabilities in US and European power provides, not least within the nuclear sector, the place greater than a fifth of the enriched uranium gas required to energy each areas’ nuclear fleets comes from Russia. For the US power sector, it was a name to motion. Utilities firms have spent two years stockpiling nuclear gas in case Russian provides are disrupted. On the similar time, Washington is endeavor a multibillion-dollar push to rebuild its nuclear provide chain.

We’re additionally studying . . . 

Chart of the day

The world’s most profitable hedge funds made their largest earnings on report final yr after punchy bets on inventory markets paid off when share costs surged.

Take a break from the information

“I simply went to Bridgwater and there should be 5 in about 50 metres,” wrote one Reddit person. How did Turkish barber outlets turn out to be so ubiquitous in Britain? Go on a (largely unscientific) mission with FT Journal’s Snigdha Poonam as she seeks solutions.

Extra reporting from Benjamin Wilhelm

An earlier version of this text incorrectly acknowledged that Germany’s central financial institution releases its month-to-month report at this time. It is going to as a substitute publish choose articles from the report on Wednesday and the complete report on Friday.