Tuesday, December 05, 2023

12/05 Links Pt1: Lahav Harkov: We must bear witness; Victor Davis Hanson: The Unhinged Among Us; Hamas drugged freed Gaza hostages to make them seem calm and happy

From Ian:

Lahav Harkov: We must bear witness
Two months after Hamas terrorists massacred, raped and kidnapped Israelis, there are still people who are trying to deny any of it ever happened.

Then, there are those who don’t deny October 7 happened, but they ridicule and downplay it. Being held hostage isn’t so bad, they say. The conditions were “reasonable.” No women actually testified to being raped.

Sadly, this form of evil is not new.

Jean-Paul Sartre wrote in his essay "Anti-Semite and Jew:"
“Never believe that anti-Semites are completely unaware of the absurdity of their replies. They know that their remarks are frivolous, open to challenge. But they are amusing themselves, for it is their adversary who is obliged to use words responsibly, since he believes in words. The anti-Semites have the right to play. They even like to play with discourse for, by giving ridiculous reasons, they discredit the seriousness of their interlocutors. They delight in acting in bad faith, since they seek not to persuade by sound argument but to intimidate and disconcert. If you press them too closely, they will abruptly fall silent, loftily indicating by some phrase that the time for argument is past.”

Those of us who do not delight in antisemitism, those of us who value the Jewish people and the spirit of every human being, created in the image of God, must bear witness. We must be armed with the knowledge of what Hamas did, in the face of the absurd arguments put forward with a straight face by those who hate us.

Today, I bring you articles for that purpose, so that we know the evil that Hamas committed on October 7.

The testimony in these articles is at times graphic and difficult to read, so I will provide a shorter preview than usual here, and link to further details.

Amid documented sexual violence, a new civil commission aims to hold Oct. 7 perpetrators responsible
As the Israel Police sifts through the massive quantity of evidence from Hamas’ massacre of Israelis last month, it’s working to build the case for charges of rape against many of the terrorists. Meanwhile, the founders of the Civil Commission on October 7th Crimes by Hamas Against Women, outraged at the silence from international women’s and humanitarian organizations, are documenting cases of Hamas’ use of sexual violence as a weapon against Israelis.
Victor Davis Hanson: The Unhinged Among Us
The “rules of war” are violated by Hamas daily. Such protocols require combatants to wear uniforms not to blend in with civilians, not to use them as shields, not to murder noncombatants, not to rape them, not to mutilate them, and not to execute civilians without trial.

Why then would millions ally themselves with this odious reincarnation of the SS?

Are they ignorant of the history of the Middle East?

Are they arrogant since few challenge their hate and threats?

Are they opportunists who feel mouthing anti-Western shibboleths gains them career traction in leftist-run media, academia, and popular culture?

Are they bullies who count on the Western silent majority remaining quiet as they disrupt lives, trash Western tolerant culture, and commit violence?

Like Hamas that they support, do they despise Jews? Why else do they express an existential hatred toward Israelis that they never display to any other group?

Those now on the street utter not a peep about the Sudanese Arab mass killers in Darfur, Chinese oppressors of the Muslim Uighurs, Russians targeting civilians in Ukraine, or ISIS, Syrian, and Yemeni murderers of fellow Muslims.

Yet all of these terrorist killers are guilty of the very charges the protestors falsely attribute to Israel. But they are all not Jewish—and that explains the pass given them by our anti-Semitic, pro-Hamas street.
NYTs: Accounts of Sexual Violence by Hamas Are Aired Amid Criticism of U.N.
Since the Oct. 7 attack, during which more than 1,200 people were killed and some 240 people were kidnapped, Israeli officials have accused the terrorists of also committing widespread sexual violence — rape and sexual mutilation — particularly against women.

Yet those atrocities have received little scrutiny from human rights groups, or the news media, amid the larger war between Israel and Hamas — and until a few days ago, they had not been specifically mentioned or condemned by UN Women, the United Nations’ women’s rights agency, which has regularly spoken out about the plight of Palestinian women and girls.

Israelis and many Jews around the world say they feel abandoned by an international social justice community — women’s groups, human rights groups, liberal celebrities, among others — whose causes they have supported in crises around the world.

On Monday, some 800 people, including women’s activists and diplomats representing about 40 countries, crowded into a chamber at U.N. headquarters in New York for a presentation laying out the evidence of large-scale sexual violence, with testimony from witnesses like Ms. Mendes and Mr. Greinman.

“Silence is complicity,” Sheryl Sandberg, the former Meta executive, told those assembled. She, along with Gilad Erdan, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, was among the event’s primary organizers. “On Oct. 7, Hamas brutally murdered 1,200 souls and in some cases, they first raped their victims,” Ms. Sandberg added. “We know this from eyewitnesses, we know this from combat paramedics, we would know this from some victims if more had been allowed to live.”

Hamas has denied that its fighters committed sex crimes, which it said would violate Islamic principles.

But ample evidence has been collected, like the bodies of women found partially or fully naked, women with their pelvic bones broken, the accounts of medical examiners and first responders, videos taken by Hamas fighters themselves, and even a few firsthand witnesses like a woman, in a video made public last month by police officials, who said she had watched Hamas terrorists take turns raping a young woman they had captured at a music festival, mutilate her and then shoot her in the head.

Meni Binyamin, the head of the International Crime Investigations Unit of the Israeli police, said in an interview that it had documented “violent rape incidents, the most extreme sexual abuses we have seen,” on Oct. 7, against women and some men. “I am talking about dozens.”

Israeli officials have not estimated how many women were sexually assaulted or mutilated. They say that overwhelmed forensic scientists had to focus at first on identifying bodies, rather than collecting perishable evidence of rape. Few victims or eyewitnesses survived, and fewer have spoken publicly.

Two people embrace in front of a group of people sitting in the background.

At the United Nations on Monday, Yael Richert, a superintendent with the Israeli police, presented video of witness interviews, including with a paramedic who said, “Shooting was targeted at sexual organs, we saw that a lot.”

Outside, hundreds of protesters accused the United Nations of a double standard when it comes to sexual violence; some chanted, “Me too, unless you are a Jew.”

The United Nations, and UN Women in particular, have become a primary focus — though hardly the only one — of mounting anger for their silence. Secretary General António Guterres immediately condemned the Hamas massacre, but not until late November did he issue a statement that the related sex crimes specifically must be “vigorously investigated and prosecuted.”


Professor Itay Pesach and His Team Treated the Returned Hostages Who Were Held Captive in Gaza
“We don’t tell these stories. Their stories are not mine to tell. We are caretakers and we are here for them and when the time is right they will tell their story, but when they do, I don’t think any of us will be able to sleep at night or sit in silence.”

Professor Itay Pesach and his team at the Schneider Children’s Hospital treated the returned hostages who were held captive in Gaza
.

Dr. Qanta Ahmed on StandWithUs Live TV - emergency briefing on Hamas' war on Israel
Dr. Qanta Ahmed, a journalist, physician, writer, and activist who recently returned from visiting the October 7 massacre sites in Israel, spoke with StandWithUs Israel's Executive Director Michael Dickson during December 3rd's emergency briefing on Hamas' war on Israel:




Visiting Gaza, Red Cross chief says suffering ‘intolerable,’ ICRC must see hostages

Why is It So Difficult for Israel to Decipher Hamas?
In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, I remember constant admonitions to try harder to “understand” al-Qaeda. While these admonitions usually came from Osama bin Laden’s apologists, this does not mean they were wrong. A better understanding of the jihadists might have helped to prevent the attacks, or to improve American responses. The same is true regarding Hamas, which, Michael Milstein explains, Israel seriously misread in the months before October 7:

Inside Hamas, there are no clear distinctions among social, military, and political activity; ambiguities are deliberately created to blur those distinctions. The questions raised in Israel over three decades and a half: is Hamas a terror organization, a political party, or a social movement? Answer: all of the above. Is it more Palestinian or more Islamic? Answer: it is both. Is there a difference between its political and military wings? Answer: this is another myth that the movement seeks to perpetuate.

Thus, for the last sixteen years Israelis came to describe an intense divide within Hamas between the polarized aspects of “resistance” (muqawwamah) on one hand and governance on the other, along with the claim that the movement assigns growing priority to the demands of the latter due to its new duties as a sovereign, and particularly the need to take care of the heavily burdened and needy Gazan population. In fact, during this past decade and a half Hamas deliberately avoided any such choice, and handled both poles with equal attention: managing the sewage in Gaza while also investing in a military buildup and preparation for a doomsday war with Israel.

The analysts and pundits still fail to understand that for Hamas, the duty of jihad is paramount. . . . Instead of cracking open the enemy’s logic, and carefully reading its value system which reflects a different model of rationality, many of the analysts and pundits were projecting their own logic upon [Gaza’s ruler Yahya] Sinwar, effectively playing chess with themselves.
Hamas Is Losing in Gaza, and Winning in the West
Contrary to Hamas’s hopes that it could follow October 7 with further attacks, or inflict massive casualties on the IDF within Gaza, its atrocities have only strengthened Israeli resolve and led to a so-far remarkably effective Israeli counterattack. Yet Hamas has succeeded at galvanizing massive anti-Israel demonstrations in the U.S., Australia, and Western Europe, along with the harassment of Jews in these countries. Asaf Romirowsky and Alex Joffe examine how a “red-green alliance” between the far left and Islamists has enabled this victory:

The fruits of decades of Muslim immigration, legal and illegal, into Europe are now fully revealed. This brought the establishment of parallel societies beyond the reach of governments.

In the United States, similar successes have long been underway at somewhat smaller scales, guided by Muslim Brotherhood figures linked directly to Hamas in some cases. The linkages among the Council on American-Islamic Relations, American Muslims for Palestine, Students for Justice in Palestine, the Muslim Students Association, and the Palestinian Youth Movement point to domestic elements implacably opposed to Israel that take advantage of American tolerance, albeit crying “Islamophobia” at every opportunity.

The red components, the dizzying array of seemingly disparate entities from the Democratic Socialists of America, Just Stop Oil, Black Lives Matter, the Palestinian Youth Movement, IfNotNow, Jewish Voice for Peace, and more, have been responsible for putting bodies into American streets. All are funded by the same array of far-left foundations and dark-money bundlers with the support of “human rights” nongovernmental organizations. . . . All act as foot soldiers, increasingly for one another’s causes, and all are increasingly unhinged and violent. They are all part of the same broad movement, anti-American, anti-Israel, and anti-Western.
IDF penetrates heart of south Gaza in ‘most intense day’ of ground op

Wesley Clark: Israel Can’t Do Much More to Protect Civilians and Still Eliminate Hamas

Israel making plans to flood Hamas tunnels with seawater, reports say

Palestinian rockets wound three Israelis

IDF officials: 15,000 likely killed in Gaza since start of war, 5,000 of them are Hamas

How the IDF is reducing civilian casualties in Gaza

‘We have no choice’: ‘Complex situation’ as Israel expands ground operations
IDF Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus says Israel’s expanding of ground operations is a “complex situation” as they have “no choice” but to fight Hamas if they want to defeat them.

Israeli military vehicles have entered the southern parts of the Gaza Strip as an Israeli commander claimed the army had almost completed its mission in the north.

The reports came soon after the Israeli military issued new orders to Palestinians in around 20 areas of central Gaza to move further south, posting maps online for people to access.

“We are indeed operating all over the Gaza Strip, wherever Hamas is, and we have indeed … in the weeks past asked Palestinian civilians to evacuate from the combat area in the north to other areas in the south,” Mr Conricus told Sky News Australia.

“What we are doing now is to, in a very detailed manner based on a high-resolution map of neighbourhoods in Palestinian cities, asking select areas of Palestinians to evacuate to other areas in order for them to be out of where the main fighting is being conducted.

“We understand that there are difficulties on the ground and we understand that there is great danger and discomfort for Palestinians.

“At the end of the day, we have no choice but to fight where the enemy is if we are to defeat the enemy and that is what we are going to do.”




Shifa hospital director criminally probed under emergency war rules

Israel: Tedros Is Lying About W.H.O. Being Told to Empty Gaza Warehouse

Detailed maps lead IDF intelligence to believe spies were used - report

Hamas raped men as well as women during October 7 attack: Investigators reveal how sex assault victims were tied up, stripped and mutilated as Israel launches its 'biggest ever criminal investigation'

‘Israeli female soldiers shot in crotch, vagina, breasts on October 7’

Hamas interrogated Israeli hostages on former IDF service - report

Hamas drugged freed Gaza hostages to make them seem calm and happy — Health Ministry

Hamas used rape and violence against women as a weapon of war on October 7th | Christina Lamb
“I interviewed one male eyewitness…this one woman who he said…haunts his dreams, that he watched being beaten and raped, gang raped by 8 to 10 men. And then they killed her.”

Sunday Times chief foreign correspondent Christina Lamb explains her horrific findings of mass sexual violence against women by Hamas attackers on October 7th.


UN Women staying silent ‘very strange’: Christina Lamb
Chief Foreign Correspondent for The Sunday Times, Christina Lamb, says it is “very strange” feminist groups, and the United Nations took so long to condemn Hamas’ violent attacks on women.

Women’s rights group UN Women have issued a statement condemning the Hamas terror group 57 days after the brutal attack.

They have come under scrutiny however for waiting that length of time to speak out.

“It was very strange that feminist groups, UN, and others around the world did not speak about it,” Ms Lamb told Sky News Australia host Piers Morgan.

“Right from the beginning, on the actual day Hamas was live streaming videos which made clear they were doing it.”


Institutions fall silent on 'repulsive' and 'heinous' acts of violence against Israeli women
Singer Deborah Conway has described some of the “repulsive” and “heinous” acts of violence against Jewish women on October 7 in Israel from Hamas.

Ms Conway said the silence on this issue of violence on this issue is “completely outstanding”.

“It was an extraordinary assault on October the 7th,” she told Sky News host Andrew Bolt.

“It is so repulsive; it is so heinous, and yet we’ve heard nothing from all the major institutions that are usually so noisy, so loud in this space.

“I feel like everybody has collectively lost their minds, and hopefully, the fog will lift at some point.”


House lawmakers accuse UN Women of disregarding Hamas attack

Global women's organizations have failed Israeli women - opinion

Sheryl Sandberg: UN silence ‘unacceptable’ for Israeli women, all women

Hillary Clinton gives candid reaction to Hamas apologists ignoring terrorists' sex crimes

The Commentary Magazine Podcast: Where Biden Fears to Tread Hosted by Abe Greenwald, Christine Rosen, John Podhoretz & Matthew Continetti
Why can’t Joe Biden face down the protestors on his left? Why is he hedging in his support of Israel? Why hasn’t he responded to Iranian attacks on the U.S.? Why doesn’t he give Ukraine what it needs to win? And why is he losing to Donald Trump? He’s afraid. Give a listen.
Caroline Glick: Kamala Tells Israel to Lose the War against Hamas
Kamala lays down the law by putting the blame on Israel, the US continues to hope for an illusory two-state solution while the Palestinian leadership and populace prove over and over how radical they truly are.


The Sean Hannity Show: Who's Protecting Our Children? - December 4th, Hour 3
Caroline Glick, JNS Senior Contributing Editor and Host of the Caroline Glick Show and Brigitte Gabriel, Founder & Chairman of ACT For America join to discuss the treatment of Israeli hostages, specifically the women - where are the women’s rights activists now? Are these young children and women, with broken pelvis’s from the gang rapes they have been subjected to not important? It appears even members of Congress are unable to condemn the savage attacks, as seen with Jayapal of Washington with Dana Bash of CNN
Ben Shapiro: For The Left, “Balance” Means Shrugging at Sexual Assault
Rep. Pramila Jayapal explains that she won’t condemn Hamas’ mass rape too much for the sake of balance; Iranian-backed forces attack American ships; and the Pope is fighting against fossil fuels again.


The Israel Guys: Hamas Breaks CEASEFIRE Launches Massive Barrage of Rockets On Israel
Hamas breaks the ceasefire with Israel attacking with rocket barrages in full force again. How did they get so many rockets ready to launch at Israel? Oh yeah, there was a negotiated ceasefire. . .The IDF is now hard at work back in Gaza rooting out more Hamas terrorists, and Joe Biden is finally recognizing that Israel is trying to avoid killing civilians in Gaza. . .Hold on. . . nevermind Kamala Harris says to scratch that!


Q & A, Hosted by Jay Nordlinger: Sharansky on the Present Crisis
Introducing Natan Sharansky, Jay Nordlinger calls him “the great dissident and refusenik; the Israeli politician; the Jewish leader; the human-rights activist.” In this episode of “Q&A,” Jay has Sharansky discuss October 7; the hostages; the role of Iran; the question of Russia; the position of the United States; the nature of antisemitism; and more. No one is better equipped to discuss these matters than Sharansky. A highly valuable conversation.


Thousands of Aussies UNITE against rise of Jew hatred

Israel upgrades travel warnings for Australia amidst rise in anti-semitism: Deputy Prime Minister assures safety despite concerns

‘It’s disgraceful’: Jewish school girls ‘unfairly targeted’ and harassed in Sydney
Sky News host Sharri Markson has revealed a heartbreaking incident where a group of 13-year-old Jewish girls were harassed at Westfield Bondi Junction in Sydney on Monday.

The group were wearing their Jewish school uniform and sitting in the food court when someone from the level above started throwing food at them.

A box also landed near them, which contained several swastikas etched and drawn on it.

NSW Police is now investigating the incident, and Westfield is currently analysing its security footage.

Ms Markson spoke to one of the girl’s mothers on Tuesday, who said her family won’t let anti-Semitism stop them from being “proud Jews”.

“This is nothing to do with Israel – this is the harassment and targeting of young Jewish school girls, all because they’re Jewish. It’s disgraceful,” Ms Markson said.

She said anti-Semitism needs to be a top priority for the Albanese government because “innocent Jewish Australians” are being “unfairly targeted”.


Sharri Markson calls for a review of media coverage of the Israel-Hamas war
Sky News host Sharri Markson is calling for a review of the media coverage surrounding the war between Israel and the Hamas terrorist group.

Ms Markson’s comments come after the ABC released a report into its coverage of the Voice referendum, which revealed the reporting was dominated by Yes voices and breached four editorial standards.

“I feel like they now need to do a review,” Ms Markson said.

“A similar review on coverage of the Israel-Hamas war.

“I can tell you the results will be much worse than the (Voice) referendum.”


'Incredibly distasteful': ABC's 'one-sided' interview on Israel-Gaza conflict slammed
Former ambassador to Israel Dave Sharma says he thought the ABC’s interview with Adelaide Writers’ Week Director Louise Adler was “one-sided”.

Ms Adler – a Jewish woman herself – discussed Israel’s military operation against Hamas in Gaza on the ABC, saying it is “incumbent upon humanity” to look at what’s happening in Gaza and to say, “we will not accept this, we will say no, not in our name”.

“It didn’t present different perspectives on this conflict,” Mr Sharma told Sky News host Sharri Markson.

“I thought the analogy of the Holocaust was incredibly distasteful and entirely wrong, factually.

“There is one party to this conflict who does want to commit genocide, and that is Hamas.”




British police investigating claim Jewish children were prevented from boarding a bus



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