The Washington Post - Jennifer Hassan, Rachel Pannett and Sammy Westfall / Netanyahu dismisses cease-fire proposal, angering hostage families
 

• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to dismiss the cease-fire proposal backed by President Biden, angering the families of Israeli hostages who accused him of not honoring a key element of the plan: a full Israeli military withdrawal. 

• In a TV interview Sunday night, Netanyahu said he was open to some aspects of a hostage exchange but not the permanent cease-fire that Biden presented as part of what he described as the proposed Israeli deal last month. 

• “The intense phase of the war will come to an end very soon,” Netanyahu said. “But that does not mean that the war will be over.” He added: “I am willing to make a partial deal, which will bring some of the people back to us. That is no secret. But we’re committed to continuing the war after the truce.” 

• Netanyahu’s remarks came as Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant visited Washington, where he is meeting with U.S. officials to describe a new phase in the war in Gaza and escalating tensions in the north with Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. In a meeting with U.S. special envoy Amos Hochstein on Monday, Gallant said that “Phase C” of the war would have consequences on all fronts for Israel, according to a statement from Gallant’s office.

   

Financial Times - Henry Foy, Paola Tamma and Marton Dunai / EU seeks to insulate itself from Viktor Orbán’s vetoes
 

• European capitals are drawing up ways to insulate EU decisions from Viktor Orbán’s increasing use of vetoes as Hungary takes over the bloc’s rotating presidency on July 1. 

• The Hungarian prime minister in recent months blocked or delayed a record number of foreign and security policy issues that require unanimity, in part as a way to force access to EU funds frozen over rule of law concerns.  

• In response, the outgoing Belgian presidency of the EU council, which chairs ministers’ meetings and sets their policy agenda, has floated several options to circumvent or make it harder for Budapest to exercise its veto, according to a document seen by the Financial Times. 

• These include EU treaty provisions that allow for some decisions to be taken by a qualified majority instead of unanimity, as well as requiring more explanations from countries when they use their veto and clarifying the circumstances under which they can block policies.

   

Bloomberg / China Premier Warns Decoupling Will Lead to ‘Destructive Spiral’
 

• Chinese Premier Li Qiang warned of negative consequences for the world if nations part ways economically, while hitting back at criticism that his country’s industrial policy has led to overcapacity. 

• The “regressive actions of decoupling” would only “drag the world into a destructive spiral where the fierce competition for a larger slice ends up in a diminishing pie,” Li said at the World Economic Forum’s meeting Tuesday in the northeastern city of Dalian. “This is something we do not want to see.” 

• Li also mounted a defense of his nation against claims it is dumping cheap goods on the world, touting its prowess in science and technology for building “a broad stage for enterprises to pursue innovation and upgrade their products.” 

• “Exploration should not be seen as zero-sum game,” he added.

   

The Guardian - Ed Pilkington / Julian Assange leaves UK after striking deal with US justice department
 

• Julian Assange has been released from a British prison and is expected to plead guilty to violating US espionage law, in a deal that would allow him to return home to his native Australia. 

• Assange, 52, agreed to plead guilty to a single criminal count of conspiring to obtain and disclose classified US national defence documents, according to filings in the US district court for the Northern Mariana Islands. 

• Wikileaks posted on social media a video of its founder boarding a flight at London’s Stansted airport on Monday evening and Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese confirmed he had left the UK. The plane – chartered flight VJT199 – later landed in Bangkok for refuelling, officials at the Thai airport said. 

• Assange is reportedly travelling to a hearing on the island of Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands, where he will be sentenced at 9am local time on Wednesday (11pm GMT on Tuesday). According to Albanese, he is being accompanied by Australia’s high commissioner to the UK, Stephen Smith.

   

Our opinion reads for today:

• Foreign Policy - Jorge Guajardo / Western Protectionism Needs an End Date 
• Project Syndicate - Laurence Taubiana / What Does the EU Election Mean for European Climate Policy?