Good morning. Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people — that was the stark conclusion of a UN report released earlier this week.
Its devastating findings barely caused a ripple on either side of the Atlantic. In the US and the UK, the focus remained on Donald Trump’s unprecedented second state visit, including what the Ministry of Defence described as the largest guard of honour for a visiting head of state in living memory.
But while Keir Starmer and Trump looked up at the first-ever joint RAF and US air force flypast, what thoughts did they spare, if any, for Palestinians looking up at Israeli fighter jets as they battered the besieged strip?
Despite warnings from aid agencies, the UN and most of its allies, Israel has pressed ahead with a ground offensive in Gaza City. The US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, who joined Trump on the visit, had just given Israel the green light to proceed with the devastating incursion.
We are often told that only Washington has the power to stop the war in Gaza. But is that true? As the European Union considers unprecedented economic sanctions against Israel, I speak to Julian Borger, the Guardian’s senior international correspondent, about the levers Europe could pull, and why the growing academic consensus that Gaza is witnessing genocide is ramping up the pressure to use them. That is after the headlines.
Five big stories
Politics | Keir Starmer has sought to navigate a politically treacherous state visit by Donald Trump with an announcement of £150bn of US investment in the UK. As thousands of protesters voiced their anger in London, Trump was escorted by the king and queen through a first day that ended in a state banquet but kept him out of reach of his critics.
US news | Jimmy Kimmel Live! will be suspended “indefinitely” after comments he made about the killing of Charlie Kirk, ABC has announced, hours after the Trump-appointed chair of the US broadcast regulator threatened broadcasters’ licenses if action was not taken against the late night host.
France | About 800,000 people are expected to take to the streets across France as the country braced for one of its biggest strike days in recent years to pressure the new prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu, to rethink budget cuts and act on wages, pensions and public services.
UK news | Axel Rudakubana was discharged from mental health services six days before he murdered three young girls and stabbed several others at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club in Southport, it has emerged.
AI | Scientists have developed an artificial intelligence tool that can predict personal risk of more than 1,000 diseases, and forecast health changes a decade in advance.
In depth: ‘If it passes, it will be the most significant action against Israel’
The EU signed and enacted a trade deal with Israel in 2000. It has proved highly successful, with total trade between Israel and the EU reaching €42.6bn (£37bn) in 2024. But at the heart of this agreement lies a human rights clause that Israel is obliged to respect. (It’s worth revisiting my First Edition on how the peace process between Israel and Palestine opened up Israel’s economy while devastating Palestine’s.)
Earlier this year, Israel imposed a full blockade on Gaza, banning all humanitarian goods from entering the strip. That move prompted the Netherlands to launch an audit to assess whether Israel was complying with its human rights obligations. The EU concluded that Israel had breached those obligations in Gaza and the West Bank. In July, the bloc’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said the EU could consider “further measures”. Yet, it’s now September and meaningful change has yet to happen.
Until, perhaps, now. Yesterday, the European Commission formally proposed suspending free-trade arrangements on Israeli goods over the war in Gaza.
“If this package goes through, it would be the most significant international action taken against Israel,” Julian Borger told me.
“It will be hard for Israeli leaders to ignore it. The arrest warrants from the International criminal court and recognition of Palestine are symbolically important, but a limitation of the EU association agreement would be meaningful. The EU as a bloc is Israel’s biggest trading partner.”
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Super Sparta of the Middle East
Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, sparked alarm when he warned the country to prepare for mounting economic isolation. In his speech, Netanyahu painted a grim picture of Israel’s trajectory: a more heavily militarised society, but also a pariah state. He said Israel would become a “super Sparta” of the Middle East.
The speech was followed by Israel’s long-promised ground invasion of Gaza City. “The operation is pointless because they did not put any checks on the road going south, from Gaza City to al-Mawasi. So anyone could have gone down the road. It was, on the face of it, an exercise in futility. But, if the aim is to make Gaza uninhabitable, then it was quite effective,” Julian said.
When Netanyahu invoked the image of Sparta he perhaps wanted to convey strength – but spartan has another meaning: frugality. An unintended consequence of the incursion will be the impact on Israel’s finances. Unsurprisingly, stocks on the Tel Aviv stock market took an immediate dip after Netanyahu’s super-Sparta speech, and the shekel fell against the dollar.
“In response to the speech, 80 Israeli economists put out a letter that essentially said: ‘We’re going into the economic abyss with this war.’” Julian said.
Netanyahu hit back with claims the Israeli economy is resilient and strong. “I think it’s kind of hollow. The long-term trend is people who are qualified are leaving all the time. They are spending huge amounts on this war. In terms of government finance, they’re in a lot of trouble,” Julian explained.
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Divisions within the EU
The EU has been threatening further action against Israel for several years. The problem is that the member states cannot agree on what that action should be.
Julian explains that the current proposed suspension of the trade agreement involves two phases. The first is a vote among the commissioners, which is likely to pass. “Then there’s a second vote, where they need to get it through with a majority of EU member states. That’s a lot harder. Germany and Italy have been the major holdouts. If one of those switches, then it passes.”
While a spokesperson for Germany’s government said it has not yet decided on its stance toward EU proposals, it’s hard to see the country voting against Israel due to its historic ties. “If there’s a vote, it could be all about Italy. If it passes it would be huge. It’s true that nothing matters except America when it comes to arms supplies, but when it comes to the economy, the EU is the big player.”
The declaration from the UN that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza will have an impact on deliberations, Julian added. “For example, when we were writing stories, we said ‘UN legal experts say this is a genocide,’ but once you say ‘UN report [says it]’, it makes a lot of difference. So yes, they felt that report here in Israel.”
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The Israeli people v the Israeli government
Would the suspension of the trade deal force Netanyahu and his coalition to immediately change course? Julian isn’t sure. “The coalition will stick together because they want other things. The religious and nationalist right don’t care much about the economy because their priorities are political and religious. Netanyahu will do everything possible to keep them together.”
But, Julian added: “The centrist constituencies would feel the pain so maybe a coalition partner could pull out.”
A spiralling economy would also give new impetus to the growing anti-war movement in Israel. “You’d probably get a lot of protests on the streets. The Labour Federation would probably come out with strikes to pressure Netanyahu, who will try to hold on until 2026.”
So far that pressure from the protests has not worked. But Netanyahu’s panicked response to drops in the Israeli stock market suggests he may not truly believe in his apocalyptic “super Sparta” vision, and that rapid economic shifts could yet prove to be his achilles heel.
What else we’ve been reading
I always thought Succession had some of the most astounding casting since Girls – not least James Cromwell as Ewan, the principled thorn-in-the-side cousin of the Roys. So if you didn’t read it yesterday, David Smith’s excellent profile interview with the longtime activist is well worth a read today. Poppy Noor, deputy editor, newsletters
The number of adults collecting stuffed toys is, weirdly, on the rise. These toys aren’t decorating homes, but increasingly being worn out as a fashion item. Lucy Knight’s exploration of a “shoulder pal” makes for an incredibly amusing read. Aamna
Sometimes, her takes are just so … unexpected, I thought, when I read the headline on Arwa Mahdawi’s latest piece on Donald Trump. But alas, this one’s a satire – and a genuine laugh a minute (because sometimes if you don’t laugh, you will cry). Poppy
My most beloved item as a preteen girl was my S Club 7 box of goodies that included a lip balm. With the collapse of children’s spaces, online and in real life, it’s terrifying to see children parroting the language of beauty influencers and reaching for dangerous anti-ageing products that burn their skin. Aamna
The setup for this piece on the success of 00s electroclash, which starts with the image of Cilla Black grooving to a remixed version of Khia’s “My Neck, My Back …”, will never leave me. Poppy
Sport
Champions League | Liverpool led 2-0 early on but Marcos Llorente scored twice to peg them back – only for Virgil van Dijk’s header to secure victory amid more late drama. Harry Kane scored twice for Bayern Mucnich after an own goal from Trevoh Chalobah as Chelsea lost 3-2 in a sobering start to their campaign. Roundup
Athletics | Isaac Nader edged Britain’s Jake Wightman for 1500m gold after Josh Kerr’s injury, while Katie Moon claimed her third pole vault title at the World Athletics Championships.
Football | Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has pleaded not guilty to five counts of rape and one of sexual assault. The Villarreal and Ghana player is due to stand trial in November 2026.
The front pages
The Guardian leads with “PM banks on £150bn investment to placate critics of Trump visit”. The Metro has “Trump and circumstance”. “My respect for you and Britain” – the Express loves to see it and so does the Times: “We are kin, King tells Trump” (even though Charles is not Orange). Decently newsy line in the i paper: “Diplomat King urges Trump to stand up to Putin tyranny”. While Trump plays with the royals, the Financial Times keeps its eye on the fort: “Fed cuts rates by quarter point and signals further reductions this year”. The Telegraph reports on “Home Office charity’s guide for migrants to avoid deportation” and the Mail has “Now home secretary blasts lefty lawyers” as the paper revels in what it calls “delicious humiliation” of Keir Starmer. “Maddie suspect freed … Back on the streets” says the Mirror as Christian Brückner gets out of jail in Germany.
Today in Focus
Downfall of Jair Bolsonaro
Former Brazil president Jair Bolsonaro has been handed a 27-year sentence for an attempted coup – is there any way his political career can continue? Tom Phillips reports
Cartoon of the day | Nicola Jennings
The Upside
A bit of good news to remind you that the world’s not all bad
Music can express and shift emotions. Musician, artist, composer and producer Brian Eno also reckons it can inspire courage and galvanise people. On Wednesday, Eno led a gig at London’s Wembley stadium with appearances by Benedict Cumberbatch, James Blake and Palestinian artists including Elyanna (pictured above) to support Palestinian rights.
As he writes for the Guardian, he was inspired himself by a 1988 concert at Wembley stadium to celebrate the 70th birthday of Nelson Mandela. Conservative MPs organised a parliamentary motion against the BBC broadcasting the tribute to the South African, who had been “branded a ‘terrorist’”. It made, as Eno points out, Mandela a household name.
“What was once disputed can suddenly become suffused with moral clarity,” writes Eno, “with advocates for one side left stranded on the wrong side of history.” And so he hopes this Wembley concert in 2025 will give people courage to speak out, noting: “As the Egyptian-Canadian writer Omar El Akkad says, one day everyone will have always been against this.”
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Bored at work?
And finally, the Guardian’s puzzles are here to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.
