Eurotopics.net

Israel has launched a major military operation in the West Bank; at least nine Palestinians have been killed so far, apparently including a Hamas fighter. The UN sharply criticised the operation for causing unnecessary loss of life and called for the protection of civilians. Israel has declared that it is looking for those behind an attempted suicide bombing on 18 August and has accused Iran of trying to establish a terrorist network in the West Bank.

Poland's state election commission has withdrawn the election campaign subsidy from the right-wing conservative PiS party and barred it from receiving government political party funding for three years. The commission found several points in the bookkeeping for last year's parliamentary election campaign to be questionable, in particular the misuse of state funds for party purposes. What are the consequences?

This Sunday's elections in the East German states of Saxony and Thuringia preoccupy the press across Europe. Commentators focus in particular on the fact that the AfD, which is classified as a suspected right-wing extremist party by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, is ahead in the polls in both states and stands to win around 30 percent of the vote. The high level of support for the new Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) is also noted.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer wants to open up a new chapter in relations between his country and Germany. However this new start does not aim to reverse Brexit, he explained during his inaugural visit to Berlin. Closer cooperation is planned, particularly in the areas of trade, defence and migration. Commentators consider what this means for the two countries and for Europe.