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French Minister for Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian speaks during a joint press conference with Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney, at Farmleigh House and Estate in Dublin on May 20, 2021. (PAUL FAITH / AFP)
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian warned on Sunday of the risk of “long-lasting apartheid” in Israel in the event that the Palestinians fail to obtain their own state.
Le Drian is one of the first senior French officials to use the term “apartheid” in reference to Israel, which has angrily denied any policy of racial discrimination.
The veteran politician made the remarks in an interview with RTL radio and Le Figaro newspaper, in reference to the clashes between Jews and Arabs that erupted in several Israeli cities during the latest conflict.
Ryanair CEO Says KGB Agents on Board Plane Hijacked by Belarus
On 5/24/21 at 7:31 AM EDT
The CEO of Irish airline Ryanair said he believed KGB agents were onboard the Lithuania-bound flight that was controversially diverted to Belarus, resulting in the arrest of an opposition journalist.
Journalist and activist Roman Protasevich, 26, was apprehended following the plane s landing in Minsk on Sunday. Protasevich who was based in Lithuania previously worked for Telegram channel NEXTA, which broadcast news and footage from the widespread protests that erupted following Belarus August 2020 election. He currently works for Telegram channel Belamova.
Ryanair s initial statement, issued on Sunday, said the diversion was due to a potential security threat on board, but that nothing untoward was found and authorities cleared the plane to depart together with passengers and crew. The first press release did not mention Protasevich.