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Saturday, December 31, 2022

12/31 Links: Where is the Middle East heading now?; Israel calls UN 'morally bankrupt' as assembly refers 'occupation' to Hague court; Happy 50th anniversary of the Dry Bones cartoons

From Ian:

Dore Gold: Where is the Middle East heading now?
Dr. Ebtisam Al-Ketbi, who heads the leading research center in Abu Dhabi, the Emirates Policy Center, pointed out that the overlapping crises afflicting the Middle East have made strictly bilateral solutions completely ineffective, which drew the major players in the region to try the Baghdad II mechanism. Perhaps they were thinking about a Middle Eastern version of the Helsinki Process that drew in members of NATO and the Warsaw Pact in 1975 at the height of the Cold War.

But Iran was glued to a policy of exploiting its Islamic Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) units as its chosen instrument for spreading its regional influence – not multilateral mechanisms that the strongest party in the room was prepared to ignore. Over the last few years, Iran effectively employed its Houthi allies in Yemen to successfully strike the heart of Riyadh, shutting down for a period of time a significant percentage of Saudi Arabia’s oil production.

Indeed, a Houthi drone attack knocked out half of Saudi Arabia’s oil production in 2019. Iran did not pay a price for this bold action. Clearly, it had little incentive to restrict its behavior, given the tepid regional reaction. In fact, Jordan’s King Abdullah disclosed on CNN in July 2021 that Iranian drones had attacked Jordanian territory in increasing numbers.

For years, Tehran had built up a military presence in Lebanon and Syria. Now, Iran had been showing its interest in spreading its influence into Jordan as well. Jordan was known to be the locale of a number of Islamic holy sites that were significant to both Sunni and Shi’ite Islam. Iran sought to expand its tourism in Jordan to these areas. Some had been battlefields for early Islamic armies when they had their first military engagements with the Byzantine Empire. They were located near what is today the Saudi-Jordanian border.

Some Middle Eastern leaders hoped that today the Iranians could be placated. That might have been another reason to invite the Iranian president to the shores of the Dead Sea in Jordan. Israel will have to monitor very carefully what is happening with its eastern neighbors – both Iraq and Jordan. Israel has intercepted convoys of weaponry crossing from the Iranian border, by land, to Syria and Lebanon.

It is logical that Tehran redirects its efforts to create an alternative route via Jordan. If Middle Eastern states can block this axis as well, they can assure the security of the region. But it is not clear at this stage that they will be able to achieve this goal.
To combat antisemitism, collaboration is needed - opinion
With growing displays of hatred for Jews evident among extremists across the ideological spectrum, the space and passive support for antisemitism seem to be growing. Jews are feeling this on the streets of their communities around the world, with record-high levels of antisemitic incidents recorded in 2022.

What has the US done as a result?
In the US, this has prompted Jewish institutions to adopt a European model of stricter security, including armed guards, higher walls and increased surveillance.

These measures, while necessary from a safety perspective, serve as a demoralizing daily reminder to Jews about the concrete threats they face. To identify publicly as a Jew means putting themselves on the frontlines of a battle they did not seek.

Nevertheless, amid this darkening reality, there is also light. While hate against Jews increases, many allies are stepping up to the plate and being counted.

As CEO of the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM), a global coalition engaging more than 650 organizations and nearly two million people from different religious, political and cultural backgrounds in the common mission of fighting the world’s oldest hatred, I have witnessed the power of partnership over the past year.

Recently, in Athens, we had more than 60 mayors and other top municipal officials from all over the world convene with the singular purpose of sharing and learning best practices about how to fight antisemitism. One key speaker, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, lamented the fact that antisemitism had become “normalized” and “popular,” and he called out its perpetrators.

Also last month, at the height of the Kanye and Kyrie furor, CAM helped organize the second annual awards ceremony of the Omni-American Future Project, a collaborative partnership strengthening ties between the black and Jewish communities in the US. These are just two recent examples of how prejudice can be countered with the fostering of cross-communal understanding and harmony.

However, this may have been best exemplified by CAM’s final event of 2022, when on the first night of Hanukkah, in the heart of Manhattan, a non-Jewish street artist painted a massive mural of Tibor Baranski, a courageous Hungarian-American who brought light to the world at the darkest moment in human history by rescuing more than 3,000 Jews during the Holocaust.

Of course, the Jews are not facing a Holocaust today, but we are under attack from an expanding number of hostile sources. To beat this network of hate, we must build, joined by our friends and all good people of conscience, an unbreakable web of togetherness, fraternity and comradeship.

Our enemies are gaining in strength, but so are our allies, and we must remember this. To turn the tide of rising hatred, we must reach more people who will stand by our side and say, “Enough!”

This is how we combat antisemitism.
Happy 50th anniversary of the Dry Bones cartoons
Yaakov Kirschen drew his first Dry Bones cartoon for The Jerusalem Post’s January 1, 1973, edition, and he never stopped. For 50 years, Dry Bones cartoons have been a beloved part of the Anglo Jewish world. Many children of English-speaking olim (immigrants to Israel) grew up in homes with faded Dry Bones cartoons that their parents had taped to the wall. Dry Bones cartoons have been mailed, shared, quoted, and forwarded between English-speaking Israelis, Christian Zionists, and our far-flung and embattled Jewish communities in the Diaspora.

Kirschen has made the lives of Anglo olim easier and more meaningful, and to his fans all over the world he has spread a deeper and stronger feeling for Israel and Zionism.

The Dry Bones cartoonist, who has been called a “national treasure of the Jewish people,” has received many awards, such as the Nefesh B’Nefesh Bonei Zion Award and The Golden Pencil Award.


Israel calls UN 'morally bankrupt' as assembly refers 'occupation' to Hague court
The UN General Assembly has asked the UN's highest judicial body to give its opinion on the legality of Israeli policies in Judea and Samaria east Jerusalem.

The Assembly voted by a wide margin, but with over 50 countries abstaining, on Friday evening to send one of the world's longest-running and thorniest disputes to the International Court of Justice, a request promoted by the Palestinians and opposed vehemently by Israel.

While the court's rulings are not binding, they influence international opinion. It last addressed the conflict in 2004, when the Assembly asked it to consider the legality of an Israeli-built separation barrier.

Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour thanked countries that backed the measure. "We trust that regardless of your vote today, if you believe in international law and peace, you will uphold the opinion of the International Court of Justice, when delivered," Mansour said, going on to urge countries to "stand up" to Israel's new, hard-line government.

Israel didn't speak at the Assembly, which voted during the Jewish Sabbath. In a written statement beforehand, Ambassador Gilad Erdan called the measure "outrageous," the UN "morally bankrupt and politicized" and any potential decision from the court "completely illegitimate."

Friday's resolution asked the International Court of Justice, commonly known as the world court, to issue an advisory opinion on the legal consequences of Israeli measures it said are "aimed at altering the demographic composition, character and status of the Holy City of Jerusalem."

And it asks for an opinion on how all Israeli policies affect the legal status of its presence, "and what are the legal consequences that arise for all states and the United Nations from this status."

The vote was 87-26, with 53 abstentions. It followed approvals of the draft resolution in the assembly's budget committee earlier Friday and in the Special Political and Decolonization Committee on Nov. 11.

Israel carried out widespread behind-the-scenes lobbying efforts against the measure and decried the Assembly for voting after the Sabbath began Friday evening.
Palestinians Welcome UN Vote on Israel’s ‘Occupation’ as ‘a Victory’
The Palestinians on Saturday welcomed a vote by the United Nations General Assembly requesting that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) provide an opinion on the legal consequences of Israel‘s “occupation” of the Palestinian territories.

The Hague-based ICJ, also known as the World Court, is the top UN court dealing with disputes between states. Its rulings are binding, though the ICJ has no power to enforce them.

The vote on Friday nonetheless presents a challenge for Israel‘s incoming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who took office on Thursday at the head of a hard-right government that includes parties who advocate for West Bank lands to be annexed.

Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza and eastern Jerusalem – areas the Palestinians want for a state – in a 1967 war. Peace talks broke down in 2014.

“The time has come for Israel to be a state subject to law, and to be held accountable for its ongoing crimes against our people,” Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said.

Israeli officials have not yet issued a comment on the vote. It was condemned by Israel‘s UN envoy Gilad Erdan before it was held as the Jewish Sabbath began.

Senior Palestinian official Hussein al-Sheikh said on Twitter that the vote “reflects the victory of Palestinian diplomacy.” There were 87 members who voted in favor of adopting the request; Israel, the United States and 24 other members voted against; and 53 abstained.
UN Schedules Controversial Vote on ‘Occupied’ Territories on Shabbat; Israeli Ambassador Condemns the Move
Israeli ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Gilad Erdan slammed the UN General Assembly for scheduling a controversial vote on a resolution that would ask the International Court of Justice to issue an advisory opinion on the “occupied” Palestinian territories.

Israel will not attend Friday’s vote because it will take place during a session starting at 6pm, after observance of Shabbat begins in New York City, Israeli officials told The Algemeiner on Friday. The US Mission to the UN will vote against it by proxy on Israel’s behalf.

The resolution, first passed in November by the UN General Assembly Fourth Committee, asks the ICJ to rule on the “prolonged occupation, settlement, and annexation of the Palestinian territory.” The United States, Australia, Canada, Italy, Austria, and the Czech Republic voted against it, while others, including Russia, Belgium, Luxembourg, Ukraine, Bahrain, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates — Israel’s Abraham Accords partner — voted for it.

“No international body can decide that the Jewish people are ‘occupiers’ in their own homeland,” Edran said. “Any decision from a judicial body which receives its mandate from the morally bankrupt and politicized UN is completely illegitimate.”

Israeli officials had worked to ensure that Israel would be present for the General Assembly’s vote, but it was continuously delayed, being scheduled and rescheduled several times.

“The decision to hold a vote that deals with Israel on Shabbat is another example of the moral decay of the UN,” Erdan added, arguing that it “prevents Israel’s positions from being heard in a vote whose results are predetermined.”


Netanyahu, Zelensky spoke before Ukraine skipped UN vote on anti-Israel resolution
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky prior to the country’s decision Friday to skip the UN General Assembly vote to have the International Court of Justice weigh in on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Netanyahu’s office said Saturday.

According to a tweet by Zelensky, the two “discussed bilateral cooperation between our states, including in the security sphere and interaction on international platforms.”

Axios and Walla reporter Barak Ravid said he was told by Israeli and Ukrainian officials that Netanyahu had asked Zelensky to vote against the measure.

Ravid said Zelensky had wanted to know how Netanyahu intended to change Israel’s policy on providing his country with defensive aid to intercept Russian strikes using drones and missiles, but that Netanyahu would not commit to any steps.

This irked Zelensky, who decided not to vote against the resolution, but to miss the vote “in order to give a chance to the relationship with Netanyahu,” Ravid cited a Kyiv official as saying,

The measure ended up passing by a vote of 87 in favor, 26 against, with 53 abstentions. Israel knew in advance that it would pass in the Assembly, which is regularly able to muster votes for resolutions critical of the Jewish state, but Kan news said Foreign Ministry officials viewed the vote as something of an achievement for Israel, as the number of votes in favor had fallen since an initial committee ballot on the matter in November.

Kyiv’s support for the resolution in the committee last month sparked a diplomatic spat between Ukraine and Israel.


Ehud Barak: Gov’t shows ‘signs of fascism’; mass ‘non-violent revolt’ may be needed
Former prime minister Ehud Barak on Friday accused the new government led by Benjamin Netanyahu of working to bring down Israeli democracy and said it bore “the signs of fascism.”

Speaking at a memorial ceremony for his successor as IDF chief of staff Amnon Lipkin-Shahak, who died in 2012, Barak said that if the High Court of Justice proves unable to defend Israel and its democracy from the hard-right coalition, Israel’s citizens will have to stage “a non-violent revolt” to bring it down.

“As someone who knew Amnon [Lipkin-Shahak] well, I can surmise what he would say about this government — that it was sworn in legally but is clearly acting illegitimately,” said Barak, who defeated Netanyahu to become prime minister in 1999 and later served under Netanyahu as defense minister.

“This government is carrying out a coup in Israel before our eyes, with its racism, corruption, neutering of the justice system, politicization of the police and undermining of the chain of command in the IDF,” said Barak.

“Those seeking to extract themselves from criminal trials have joined forces with racist messianics who distort Judaism, Zionism and humanity,” he charged in an apparent reference to Netanyahu, who is on trial for graft offenses that he denies. “Together they are bringing down democracy.”

Barak spoke after President Isaac Herzog, at the same event, urged Israelis not to conclude that the country was doomed and to show more faith in the resilience of Israeli democracy.

Barak was far more critical of the coalition, a grouping of Netanyahu’s Likud, two ultra-Orthodox parties and three far-right parties, all of which have declared plans to drastically curb the capacity of the High Court to serve as a brake on government decisions and Knesset legislation.


The Israel Guys: Why 2022 Was the DEADLIEST YEAR for Palestinian in 20 Years?
The mainstream media has a horrific story to tell about violence in Israel. 146 Palestinians were killed in the Occupied West Bank in 2022, which is more violence than the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has seen in two decades. While it is tragic anytime someone is killed, we have to ask the media: are they telling the truth? The answer is yes, and no. You’ll definitely want to watch today’s program.

As we enter 2023, we have two New Year’s resolutions for you. First, don’t believe the mainstream media when it comes to Israel. Second, subscribe to The Israel Guys and share our channel with your friends and family! Our goal is to cut through the fog of the anti-Israel propaganda being spewed in the mainstream media to bring you the true and authentic stories of Israel.


Huge crowds of Palestinians mark Fatah’s 58th anniversary in Hamas-run Gaza
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians thronged a Gaza City park Saturday to mark the 58th anniversary of the founding of the Fatah party, a rare show of popularity in the heartland of the Hamas terror group, Fatah’s main rival.

The crowds turned Katiba Park into a sea of yellow flags and pictures of Fatah founders and leaders, including Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and his predecessor Yasser Arafat.

Hamas, which took over Gaza in a violent coup after routing pro-Abbas forces in 2007, permitted Fatah to hold the rally.

On several past occasions following the 2007 takeover, Hamas had blocked or restricted activities for Fatah.

While polls indicate Fatah is not that popular, the huge turnout could be seen as a rare opportunity to protest Hamas’ heavy-handed rule in Gaza.

The Islamic terror group has exhausted Gazans with heavy taxes amid record levels of unemployment and poverty.

The 2.3 million residents live under a crippling Israeli-Egyptian blockade that Israel says is necessary to stop Hamas from stocking up on weapons. Critics say the blockade amounts to collective punishment.

Founded by Arafat and other leaders in 1959, Fatah announced its birth when it launched the first armed attack against Israel from Lebanon on January 1, 1965.


Seth Frantzman: Is the once-prominent ISIS on the brink of total failure? - analysis
Egyptian security forces say they foiled a terror attack on a security checkpoint in North Ismailia governorate on Friday. The reports from Egypt said that the incident resulted in an exchange of fire between the security forces and the terrorists. Three Egyptian police were killed in the attack and others were wounded.

Two cars approached the checkpoint and a gun battle resulted, according to a report by the AFP. This is apparently a terror attack and it is also rare that such attacks penetrate areas outside of the Sinai peninsula. There has been no claim of responsibility, yet. Most reports note that ISIS has been waging attacks on Egypt for years and that ISIS could be behind it.

Al-Ain media in the UAE provided a deeper look into the attack. It says that the incident happened in a residential neighborhood called Al-Salam. Daily News Egypt said the incident happened near the El Saliheen Mosque. While one attacker was killed and another reportedly wounded, the others fled.

“The security services in Ismailia continue to pursue the perpetrators of the attack, and combed the area to search for the rest of the perpetrators who fled to the adjacent desert areas, while the entrances and exits of the governorate were closed,” Al-Ain media said.

Sources told Al-Ain that the operation and the thwarting of the attack appear to show that security forces are doing a good job preventing terrorism and that extremist groups like ISIS are suffering from failure and frustration. This analysis believes that terrorism in Egypt is “breathing its last breath.”

The theory is that ISIS now has only remnants of the terror cells it once had and that it is trying to prove it can still carry out attacks in areas of Egypt. If ISIS were successful it could “awaken” others. However, it has not been successful.


No, Iran Nuclear Deal Is Not Yet Dead and Russia Is Helping Iran Go Nuclear
Evidently the lethal nuclear deal that will enable Iran to have all the nuclear weapons it wants and missiles with which to deliver them -- and for which the Obama and Biden administrations have been pining for nearly a decade so that, most likely, Iran will not try them out on their watch but wait for somebody else's -- is not yet dead, according to reports from Israeli officials.

For the length of a coffee-break, there were rumors that, because the Iranian regime was sending drones to Russia to help crush Ukraine, the deal was – finally – off the table, supposedly for good. In what must be one of the shortest-lived policy decisions ever, that arrangement now seems off the table for good.

Meanwhile, the Iranian regime is not only sending drones to Russia to crush Ukraine, but other materiel as well.

By providing weapons to a major power such as Russia, the Iranian regime is asserting itself as a key player enjoying significant military power on the global stage.

Finally, we should not dismiss the idea that Russia will also help the Iranian regime to advance its nuclear program.

"I have a question for you – how does Russia pay Iran for this, in your opinion? Is Iran just interested in money? Probably not money at all, but Russian assistance to the Iranian nuclear program. Probably, this is exactly the meaning of their alliance." — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, The Jerusalem Post, November 4, 2022.

The question of course is: What does the Biden administration intend to do about it?


Rachel Riley dedicates MBE to those fighting against anti-Jewish racism after being named in New Year Honours list
Rachel Riley said she shares her MBE with those ‘fighting anti-Jewish racism’ as she is honoured for her efforts to raise awareness of the Holocaust and combat antisemitism.

The Countdown star and mathematician, whose mother is Jewish, has been honoured for her services to Holocaust education as an avid campaigner in the New Year Honours list.

The 36-year-old Oxford University graduate was a vocal critic of Labour’s handling of alleged antisemitism within the party and Jeremy Corbyn’s conduct while leader.

She wrote on Twitter on Friday: ‘Incredibly proud to have just been awarded an MBE for services to Holocaust education.

‘Grateful to everyone who has sent well wishes and support over the years.

‘This is very much shared with so many people who also dedicate their time and energy to fighting anti-Jewish racism.’


Washington Post Ignores Roald Dahl’s Own Admission of Antisemitism
The bizarre choice by the reporter to cite a character in a Dahl book “sail[ing] close to Jewish stereotypes” as the example of his hatred of Jews dramatically understates the extent and intensity of the author’s bigotry.

But the description of Dahl’s antisemitism controversies suffers from another problem. It suggests that beyond questionable characters in his books, Dahl’s relevant comments were just about his “anti-Israeli political views,” and that some felt it was just a cover for antisemitism.

Dahl didn’t criticize Israel to cover for antisemitism. Dahl used overt antisemitism while attacking the Jewish state. The opening quote, once again, demonstrates this, that he connected his “anti-Israel” views with his hatred of Jews. It’s also made apparent in some of Dahl’s other notorious antisemitic comments. For example, he claimed Israeli military activities in Lebanon were “very much hushed up in the newspapers because they are primarily Jewish-owned.”

Dahl continued: “There aren’t any non-Jewish publishers anywhere, they control the media – jolly clever thing to do – that’s why the president of the United States has to sell all this stuff to Israel.”

Ignoring all this, the Washington Post’s portrayal of Dahl suggests that there could be some dispute as to whether he was antisemitic or not, that it could just be people seeing a stereotyped character where there was no intent, or that he may have just been engaging in legitimate criticism of Israel. The actual record, however, shows that Dahl’s antisemitism was about as subtle as a sledgehammer, and his hatred of Israel was steeped in his hatred of the Jewish people.

So, why does the Post so aggressively avert its journalistic gaze and conceal the facts from readers? The truth has been widely reported elsewhere in the media and the family of Dahl themselves have apologized “for the lasting and understandable hurt” caused.

The Post seemingly can’t get much of anything right on Jew-hatred – and this instance underscores the glaring depth of the problem.


Majority of victims of antisemitic crime in NYC are ultra-Orthodox, Hasidic - report
Most antisemitic hate crimes against Jewish people in New York City were targeted at Orthodox or Hasidic Jews and were perpetuated by people from other minority groups, a new report has found.

The report was published by Americans Against Antisemitism and documents antisemitic crimes in New York City between April 2018 and August 2022.

Overall, 194 cases were recorded in those four years, with 154 being physical assaults and the other 40 verbal. 22% of crimes were committed by teenagers and 23% were committed by a group of two or more people.

An estimated 97% of the 194 hate crimes documented were carried out by people belonging to other minority groups. Furthermore, 94% of victims in antisemitic incidences in those four years were Orthodox or Hasidic Jews, the report stated.

Of those targeted, 52% identified as Hasidic Jews and a further 42% as Orthodox Jews. 4% identified as secular and another 2% as Modern-Orthodox. A further 0.5% identified as Reform and finally, 0.5% were Israelis who did not list a denomination.

Where did these incidences occur?
151 of all assaults occurred in just four Brooklyn neighborhoods - in Flatbush-Midwood, Crown Heights, Boro Park-Kensington and Williamsburg.

All the aforementioned neighborhoods are home to large and identifiable Jewish communities

The identities of perpetrators were documented in 99 different attacks. According to the report, 65% of perpetrators were Black, 16% Asian, 10% Hispanic and 3% were White.
CAA looks back on a year of achievements in the fight against antisemitism
While antisemitism remains at stubbornly and unacceptably high levels, as 2022 comes to a close, it is an opportunity to take stock of all that has been achieved in the fight against the world’s oldest hatred.

At Campaign Against Antisemitism, we are proud of the accomplishments that we have secured over the past year, thanks to your support. These include the following:
The Court of Appeal sent the anonymous antisemitic online troll Nicholas Nelson to eighteen months in prison after he was convicted following a pioneering legal strategy devised by Campaign Against Antisemitism and counsel to unmask and prosecute him. After he received an unduly lenient sentence, we successfully called on the Attorney General to refer him to the Court of Appeal, which agreed with us and sent him directly to prison.
Grenfell volunteer coordinator Tahra Ahmed, was jailed for eleven months after Campaign Against Antisemitism and CST sought her prosecution over her antisemitic claims that the fire was a Jewish ritual sacrifice on social media. We worked closely with police to secure her prosecution, which was years in the making.
The Hon. Piers Portman was refused leave to appeal and was jailed for four months and fined in connection with an antisemitic altercation with Campaign Against Antisemitism’s Chief Executive Officer, Gideon Falter. He was ordered to pay a fine of £10,000 and to pay compensation of £10,000, which Mr Falter has donated to Campaign Against Antisemitism.
The antisemite Alison Chabloz was sent to over five months in prison after being convicted once again under the Communications Act following action by Campaign Against Antisemitism.
Abdullah Qureshi was found guilty of an antisemitic hate crime after Campaign Against Antisemitism revealed that his plea deal with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had let him off aggravated hate charges. The CPS was forced to reinstate the charges following pressure from us, Shomrim and CST.
Neo-Nazi Ben John was sent to prison for two years after Campaign Against Antisemitism and others successfully called for a review of his unduly lenient sentence.
The co-founder of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Tony Greenstein, humiliatingly capitulated in his failed defamation case against Campaign Against Antisemitism for calling him a “notorious antisemite” as the Supreme Court refused to hear his appeal. Over the course of the proceedings, we bankrupted him and accordingly he could also no longer serve as a trustee of the Brighton Trust. Defamation cases are vital in establishing the legal basis for identifying antisemitism and calling it what it is.
Shining a light on the growing problem of antisemitism in Wisconsin
At Temple Beth El on the west side of Madison, students as young as 4 years old walk past armed guards on their way to school.

Following the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue massacre, the congregation's policy required Madison Police Department officers to be present at all on-site gatherings. In 2022, the same community participated in active shooter training led by staff from the Milwaukee Jewish Federation.

Antisemitism, a long-standing and furtive form of bigotry and hatred, has become increasingly commonplace across the United States, including in Wisconsin. While Jewish residents account for less than 1% of Wisconsin's population, the Milwaukee Jewish Federation reported a 459% increase in incidents of antisemitism around the state between 2015-2021.

Milwaukee Jewish Federation Executive Director Miryam Rosenzweig said the increasing severity of recent antisemitic incidents is even more concerning.

"Holocaust survivors came to this country because this was a place where you had freedom of religion," Rosenzweig said, "so the idea that we're talking about securing the physical spaces of Jews is really shocking."

Alan Klugman, executive director of the Jewish Federation of Madison, said antisemitism is exacerbated in Wisconsin due to an extremely divided political landscape.

"Politicians on the left and right are legitimizing hate rhetoric," Klugman said, "It feels more dangerous from the right because they promote violence, though the commentary from the left is just as painful."

Though antisemitic activity in America cannot be attributed to one cause, levels of antisemitism in the nation have historically correlated with political conflict. For example, in May 2021 the Anti-Defamation League reported a substantial surge in antisemitic incidents during then recent fighting between Israel and Hamas.

The global pandemic in 2020 fueled conspiracy theories that falsely linked Jews to the spread of COVID-19.
Thessaloniki Jewish monument vandalized by antisemitic graffiti
A Jewish historical monument on the campus of Aristotle University (AUT) in Thessaloniki, Greece was vandalized with antisemitic graffiti on Thursday. The monument, which commemorates a Jewish cemetery on the grounds that had been destroyed by the Nazi regime in 1942, was defaced with a red swastika.

“This act is an insult to the Monument that commemorates the 50,000 Jews of Thessaloniki who were exterminated in the Nazi camps and connects the modern image of the area with its history by reminding everyone the existence, for centuries, of the old Jewish Cemetery which was destroyed by the Nazis and their collaborators in 1942,” the Jewish Community of Thessaloniki said in a recently released statement.

The statement continued, “The immoral act of imprinting swastikas and other symbols associated with the Nazi ideology on the marbles of the monument is also the greatest disrespect and insult to the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, a place of Education, character and conscience formation.”

Symbols of hatred
The vandalism was not limited to a spray-painted swastika. The monument, which has been defiled with antisemitic attacks at least four times since it was put in place in 2014, was also marked with a red Celtic Cross, a known white supremacist symbol.

The Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece described the incident as "hideous" and noted the uptick in antisemitism both in Greece and across the globe.

“With the stain of the horrific Nazi swastika and a fascist-inspired graffiti we bid farewell to 2022, a year during which no incidents of vandalism of Jewish sites were registered in Greece. We condemn the unholy act of the vandals, followers of intolerance and antisemitism that express their hatred and fanaticism through the profanation of the memory of the Salonican Jews. No tolerance to antisemitism!”


Netanyahu offers condolences for death of former pope, recounts Israel visit
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered condolences Saturday evening over the death of former pope Benedict XVI, who died earlier in the day at the age of 95, and once visited Israel.

“On behalf of all the citizens of Israel, I send my deep condolences to the Christian world on the passing of Pope Benedict XVI,” Netanyahu said in a statement published by his office.

“He was a great spiritual leader who was fully committed to the historic reconciliation between the Catholic Church and the Jewish people, a tradition he continued in his historic visit to Israel in 2009,” the premier said.

“In my meeting with him, he spoke warmly about the common heritage of Christianity and Judaism and the values ​​that this heritage gave to all of humanity. We will remember him as a true friend of the State of Israel and the Jewish people,” Netanyahu added.

The German pope emeritus had been living a quiet life in a former convent inside the Vatican grounds since his shock decision to step down in February 2013.

His health had been declining for a long time, but the Vatican revealed on Wednesday that his situation had worsened, while his successor Pope Francis called for Catholics worldwide to pray for him.

On Saturday, the Vatican announced his death.

In the May 2009 visit to Israel and the West Bank, Benedict XVI was first greeted at Ben Gurion Airport by Netanyahu and then-president Shimon Peres, before traveling to Jerusalem.

In Jerusalem, a celebratory reception ceremony was held at the President’s Residence, and the pope later attended a ceremony at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial.

On the second day of his five-day visit, he visited the Temple Mount and the Western Wall in the capital’s Old City.

He also met with Israel’s two chief rabbis, visited several Christian sites in Jerusalem, and toured Nazareth in northern Israel.
UK Chief Rabbi to receive knighthood from King Charles III
British Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis is set to be granted a knighthood by King Charles III, as seen in the 2023 New Year's Honours List published on Friday evening.

The Honours List is a list of British nationals or Commonwealth citizens who have been selected to receive an honor for exceptional achievements or service. Honors will be granted either in the form of a knighthood or as an appointment to the Order of the British Empire or other gallantry awards.

The Honour List is published biannually, and it will be presented by King Charles III for the first time after the passing of Queen Elizabeth II earlier this year.

The highest honor that can be granted is that of Knighthood and it is typically granted for a pre-eminent contribution in any field of activity.

Rabbi Mirvis, whose official title is Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, will receive a Knighthood for his "significant services to the Jewish community, to interfaith relations and to education."

According to the official Honours List published by the British government, the Chief Rabbi has been a pioneer of interfaith activity since his days as a congregational rabbi.
From Albright to Yehoshua: 18 notable Jews who died in 2022
Every year brings the opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of well-known Jewish icons in every field and to mourn those we have lost.

Here are 18 Jews who died in 2022 and who leave outsized legacies in politics, the arts, sports, and everything in between.

Madeleine Albright
The “first woman secretary of state in the United States” label will always follow Madeleine Albright, especially because of her success in such a male-dominated field of policy.

But regardless of her gender, Albright’s moves as a part of Bill Clinton’s administration left a lasting mark on US peacekeeping efforts around the world. Crucial to her worldview was her refugee story, which she did not fully grasp until after her time in the limelight.

Her parents were Czech immigrants who had converted from Judaism to Catholicism and then Episcopalianism to avoid persecution before fleeing Europe. Albright did not like to talk about her parents’ choice to keep her in the dark, but when she did, it was in the voice of a blunt-edged diplomat who understood how the 20th century robbed some people of agency, and how they did what they had to do to reclaim it.

“I can’t question their motivation. I can’t,” she told The Washington Post in 1997.

Albright died on March 23 in Washington, DC, at 84.

James Caan
One of the leading movie stars of the 1970s, James Caan once said he was twice honored as New York City’s “Italian of the Year.”

It made sense, in a way: his fans were used to seeing him in tough guy roles, including one in arguably the most famous Italian gangster flick of all time, “The Godfather.”

But Caan was born to German-Jewish immigrants in Queens, where his father was a kosher butcher, before starring in movies such as “Brian’s Song,” “The Gambler,” and, later in his career, Will Ferrell’s hit comedy “Elf.”

His onscreen (and offscreen) persona did much to break stereotypes about weak, wimpy Jewish men.

“He’s in his own lane, Jew-wise,” Seth Rogen wrote in a 2021 memoir, calling Caan an unusually “scary Jew.”

Caan died on July 6 in Los Angeles at 82.

Bob Saget
A wholesome dad on network TV, and one of the raunchiest standup comedians in the business — few could boast a resume like Bob Saget’s.

Before he got to Hollywood, Saget honed his comedy as a misbehaving Hebrew school student at Temple Israel in Norfolk, Virginia.

“I go back and forth with my belief system, by the way. I’m not the best, most observant Jewish person you’ve ever met or talked to, and yet I’m Jewish and proud to be,” he once said.

After a short stint contributing to CBS’ “The Morning Program,” Saget was cast to play a morning show host on TV.

As Danny Tanner on “Full House,” Saget played a widowed dad and TV host raising three daughters in San Francisco with the help of his brother-in-law and his best friend.

Saget was also known for hosting “America’s Funniest Home Videos.”

The respected standup died in January at 65 from complications after blunt head trauma.




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