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Sunday, January 14, 2024

01/14 Links: Pres. Herzog: A hundred days of war: Spirit of Israel will triumph over our enemies; Brendan O'Neill: These accusations of ‘genocide’ bring shame on humanity

From Ian:

Rail thin, scared to speak, but free: my daughter’s life after Hamas hostage ordeal
When his nine-year-old daughter Emily first came back home after nearly two months in Hamas captivity, Thomas Hand didn’t let her out of his sight. At night, he would sit up watching her sleep. Whenever she frowned, he’d wake her, worried she was having a nightmare.

The rare times that Emily went out with her two grown-up siblings, he’d put an electronic tracker in her pocket, so that he could follow her on his phone. Each day, he marvelled that she was really there, thin and exhausted, with matted hair and lice, rescued from an ordeal that defies comprehension.

Now, he knew, came the really hard part. Bringing the little girl who loved singing and dancing to Beyoncé back to herself — regaining the confidence she lost during the 50 days of horror she spent in Gaza. And, for himself and the rest of his family, trying to move back towards some sense of normality, in a country at war, with their lives forever changed. “When she first came back, we were very happy, but just heartbroken,” said Hand, 63, who is originally from Ireland and moved to Israel more than 30 years ago. “Her condition, she wasn’t physically injured at all. She wasn’t molested, she wasn’t hurt in any way. But just it was more on the mental side.”

A hundred days after the October 7 attacks, the former hostages, mostly women and children, who were released during the short pause in fighting in late November are reckoning again with life back in Israel. Many of them have lost family members, murdered or kidnapped in the initial attack by Hamas militants, or their homes; burned and looted.

At least 130 hostages are still being held in Gaza by Hamas. Among them are several children, including Kfir Bibas, who turned one this month if he is still alive, and his brother Ariel, who would be four. They were kidnapped with their mother, Shiri, and father, Yarden. Hamas has claimed that Shiri and the two boys were killed during an Israeli bombardment; the IDF said this has not been verified.

For the hostages who make it out, the road to recovery is slow, and can be fraught with setbacks.


Pres. Isaac Herzog: A hundred days of war: Spirit of Israel will triumph over our enemies
A hundred days have passed since life was halted, the skies darkened, and we, all of us, were exposed to a boiling and horrifying cauldron of terror and deep-seated hatred unleashed upon us.

One hundred days of a war forced upon us, a test for the entire nation. A test of our collective heart, courage, determination, righteousness, strength, mutual support, unity, and the values and principles that define us as a nation.

In these challenging times, we cannot help but reflect on the sacrifices of our daughters and sons, who fall as civilians and soldiers alike. Their bravery, their commitment, their love for life, and their dedication to ideals dear to us are a testament to the strength within all our hearts.

We must not nor cannot forget, not for a moment, the hostages and the missing. It is difficult to fathom an ordeal more arduous and painful than that of the families whose loved ones are in the hands of Hamas murderers. We all carry a prayer, echoing the words of the prophet: “And your sons and daughters shall return to their borders.”

We mourn the loss of the fallen heroes, their courage, sanctity of will, and self-sacrifice that permeated the fierceness of battle. We weep for the many lives, far too many, snuffed out brutally – victims of monstrous and antisemitic violence. Yet, we remember that even in the darkest hours, we witnessed the strength, courage, resilience, and compassion that define us as a people. We made a grave and painful mistake by not being ready. But the greatest mistake is that of the enemy.

A generation has proven itself heroic, undefeatable
The enemy, whose “great heroes” indiscriminately murdered, massacred, violated, and slaughtered infants, elderly, girls, boys, burned homes with people inside and committed the worst crimes against humanity.

An enemy for whom Hitler’s playbook, Mein Kampf, has pride of place in their homes, whose children’s summer camps were centers of murderous brainwashing and blind hatred. An enemy who thinks he knows us and belittles the bravery of our sons and daughters until he sees with his own eyes how “a people rise like a lioness and lift itself like a lion.”

The forces of courage within our midst have erupted in an inspirational manner.

We saw how the “TikTok generation” emerged as a generation of historic strength, whose bravery will be etched in the annals of Israeli history. I met with the fighters and commanders, the leaders on the front – made of steel, eager to engage the enemy, with the oath of “never again.”

We all witness the strength of communities and displaced families, the bravery of our wounded in hospitals, the unwavering faith and pride of the bereaved families, the volunteerism and mutual responsibility in Israeli society – Jews and Arabs alike – and the determination of our allies standing by our side, headed by the United States, and the Jewish communities around the world standing with us as one, sometimes at personal risk. No one can defeat such a people, such a united and determined nation.


Brendan O'Neill: These accusations of ‘genocide’ bring shame on humanity
The more you think about the genocide case against Israel, the more horrendous it becomes. First there’s the hypocrisy. It is an orgy of cant. Turkey has noisily joined the ranks of shameless governments pointing a collective finger at Israel. This is the same Turkish government that denies that its nation carried out the Armenian Genocide of 1915, when a million people were wiped from the face of the Earth. As part of a programme of tyrannical Islamisation, Armenian Christians were forced on to death marches in the desert during which unimaginable numbers perished. Now the genocide deniers are genocide judges. It would be funny if it were not so repulsive.

Turkey is providing ‘documents’ for South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice this week. ‘I believe that Israel will be convicted’, says Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. This is the same Erdoğan who locks people up for speaking of the Armenian Genocide. Article 301 of Turkey’s penal code, which forbids ‘insulting Turkishness’, has been used to prosecute people who mention 1915. Writers and publishers have been banged up for the sin of saying ‘Armenia’ and ‘genocide’ in the same breath. Now this tyrant who ruthlessly punishes discussion of his own nation’s genocide loudly accuses Israel of genocide. These are Kafkaesque levels of moral fraud.

The Organisation of Islamic Countries has likewise joined the genocide chorus against Israel. This includes Saudi Arabia. Fresh from its slaughter of thousands in Yemen. Surely it will be a cold day in hell before any nation takes lectures on violence from these fanatics who whip and kill their own citizens for such crimes as apostasy, homosexuality and being a woman who wants rights.

Iran has lined up with South Africa, too. It’s getting ridiculous now. Vastly more people have perished in Iran’s wars of the past 40 years than in the wars Israel has been involved in since 1948. Just last year Iran slaughtered hundreds of its own citizens for the crime of believing women are human beings. Kurds in particular got it in the neck. Masses were murdered. ‘They tried to wipe us out’, said one Kurd. For Iran to sit in judgment on any nation is a nauseating spectacle, an inversion of morality of Orwellian proportions.

Then there’s South Africa, the nation that brought the case against Israel. Its imperious judges reeled off charge after charge against the Jewish State at the ICJ this week. You’ll forgive my gagging. ANC-run South Africa is one of the most corrupt regimes in the world. The heirs to Mandela have catastrophically failed to make good his promise of a new, fair nation. South Africa under their rule has some of the highest rates of murder and rape in the world. Poverty is rampant. The ANC has massacred black workers who were merely campaigning for better pay. It failed to counter murderous pogroms against Zimbabwean immigrants. It presides over a country where, for millions, life is brutish and short. Perhaps it should save some of the fashionable sympathy it feels for the people of Gaza for its own long-suffering citizens.
South Africa's 'baseless' genocide claim against Israel after Hamas terror massacre
Israel’s military leaders say its operation to destroy the Hamas terror group is shifting from intense battles to more targeted operations. IDF Rear admiral Daniel Hagari has said the Israel Defense Forces are likely to use fewer ground troops in Gaza going forward.

Casey Babb from the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv says the Hamas leadership is increasingly the focus.

This next military phase comes as The International Court of Justice - the I-C-J has been asked to hear a case brought by South Africa as to whether Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza. It does not have the backing of most western countries including the US and the UK.

We spoke with Anne Herzberg, Legal Advisor at NGO Monitor who explained why Israel so vehemently rejects the accusation which it considers baseless. Starts 18:15


The shameless hypocrisy of putting world’s only Jewish state on trial for genocide
At the International Court of Justice in the Hague, Israel is on trial for genocide and, once again, is being judged by standards expected of no other country on earth.

The ICJ, in its 78-year history since its founding by the United Nations in 1945, has never issued a direct finding of genocide against any other country.

Not Syria, led by President Bashar al-Assad, where 500,000 people have been killed, including 55,000 children, 10 million refugees and displaced persons forced from their homes, 15,000 prisoners tortured and 100,000 civilians “disappeared” in the 12-year civil war since the Arab Spring uprising of 2011 against al-Assad’s dictatorship.

Not China, for its ongoing genocide of its Uyghur and other Turkic Muslim minority populations in Xinjiang province, including forced sterilizations and abortions, mass detentions of at least one million people, torture, rape, beatings, forced labour and forcibly removing children from their families. In 2021, Canada condemned China for committing genocide by a vote of 266 to 0 in the House of Commons.

Not Rwanda, where in 100 days from April to July 1994 between 500,000 and one million Tutsis, Twa and moderate Hutus were murdered by Hutu militias wielding machetes and rifles, while 150,000 to 250,000 women were raped and the world did nothing.

This double standard against Israel is hardly surprising given that the ICJ is the UN’s top court, where the General Assembly last year continued its annal ritual of passing twice as many resolutions against Israel as all other nations on earth combined.

In 2023, there were 14 resolutions passed condemning Israel compared to seven for all other countries on earth – one each for Iran, Syria, North Korea, Myanmar, the U.S., and two against Russia.

While South Africa last week made its case for a finding of genocide against Israel before the ICJ because of its ongoing military campaign against Hamas – which specifically calls for the genocide of the Jewish people in Israel and has pledged to repeat its terrorist attack of Oct. 7 until it achieves it – Israel cannot take Hamas before the same court.

That’s because Hamas is not a state and not subject to rulings by the ICJ.

But even if Hamas was a state, the UN General Assembly has consistently ignored the “casus belli” of this war – the reason it began.
JPost Editorial: Trial against Israel at the Hague showcases the absurd
It’s been 100 days. 100 days of war, worry, sorrow, and the absurd, the culmination of which took place on the global stage at The Hague.

Watching South Africa use extreme statements said by our politicians as though showing a highlight reel to paint Israel in a genocidal light was absurd. Watching Israel defend itself was equally as absurd, though perhaps one good thing it did was bring terms back to the vernacular of the general public, terms like “genocide,” “international law,” and “compliance,” long-held captive as empty slogans by the Left. Perhaps that awareness is worth it.

The absurdity is that we need to keep defending an offensive that we didn’t want, for a war we didn’t start, which has the potential to light up the rest of the region. The horrors, and the glee with which those horrors were carried out, were put on display this week ahead of the trial.

Some 1,200 of our people were murdered in one long continuous act of terror, and from then, as one Israeli news anchor put it in an interview earlier in the war, the clock began to tick, and very quickly ran out, it seems, on Israel’s legitimacy as a victim, on the rightful excuse it has to fight back.

South Africa’s arguments on Thursday proved that the clock has long since run out in the eyes of many in the international community; perhaps it never really existed in the first place. And, that the destruction and tragedy out of Gaza is so much more visibly powerful, a much more convincing narrative of victimhood; as though nuance cannot exist in this conflict.

Israel’s legal team flipped that narrative on its head, showing that South Africa effectively functions as the legal arm of the Hamas terrorists who carried out the massacres of October 7.

International law expert Tal Becker’s opening words at The Hague righted this absurdity: “If there have been acts that may be characterized as genocidal, then they have been perpetrated against Israel. If there is a concern about the obligations of states under the Genocide Convention, then it is about their responsibilities to act against Hamas’s proudly declared agenda of annihilation, which is not a secret, and is not in doubt.”


Former member of terrorist org. included in South African delegation to ICJ
Shawan Jabarin, the general director of Al-Haq, a Palestinian “human rights” organization, was observed as part of the South African delegation at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) last week. Jabarin, a former senior member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) – designated as a terrorist organization by Israel and around 30 Western countries – has a contentious history.

Jabarin's past includes convictions for his involvement with the PFLP and multiple prison sentences. The Israeli Supreme Court, in a 2007 ruling, described him as playing dual roles in both a non-governmental organization and a terrorist group. The Israeli Supreme Court described Jabarin as “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” in light of these dual roles, such as reportedly recruiting PFLP members into Al-Haq, a Palestinian NGO known for promoting the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

PFLP involvement in October 7
The PFLP, according to a report by Israel's Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, publicly claimed responsibility for the October 7 terror attack. This announcement came through messages on their Telegram account, urging participation in the "Tufan Al-Aqsa" campaign and reporting attacks on Israeli communities.

One message on Telegram called on "...our brave people in Palestine to actively participate in the Tufan Al-Aqsa campaign everywhere and by all possible means". The campaign related to a series of violent confrontations occurred between Palestinians and Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem in April. An hour later, they stated, "Fighters of the Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades continue to advance on several fronts towards the enemy settlements, shooting live fire at the Zionists, killing and wounding them."

Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli, commenting on Jabarin's inclusion in the South African delegation, tweeted, “Tell me who stands behind you, and I tell you who you are,” linking Jabarin to the PFLP. In a 2008 decision, the Israeli High Court reaffirmed Jabarin's status as a senior member of the PFLP.


‘No Jews, no news’ at the UNSC, says Israeli envoy
The United Nations Security Council spent Friday afternoon attempting to tackle a widening crisis in the Middle East.

With the Israel-Hamas war approaching its 100-day mark, Algeria was granted a briefing on Friday following its request for the council to meet over what it calls the threat of forced displacement of Gazans by Israel.

Later on Friday, the 15-member council discussed the escalating conflict in the Red Sea, ignited the incessant attacks on commercial vessels by Yemen’s Houthis.

Israel’s U.N. envoy chided the Security Council for its relentless focus on Israel’s effort to dismantle Hamas’ terror regime in Gaza. Addressing the body, Ambassador Gilad Erdan noted actual displacements taking place elsewhere around the world—actions that have not drawn a whisper from the council.

“As we speak, there are over one million Muslims being forcibly removed from their homes, all of their possessions taken from them as they face poverty, famine and disease. No, I am not talking about the situation in Gaza, but about Pakistan’s forced displacement of 1.3 million Afghans,” said Erdan.

He claimed that if blame for controversial actions cannot be laid at the feet of Jews, the council apparently doesn’t feel it is worthy of their time.

“Why does the forced displacement of Muslims from a Muslim country mean nothing to the Algerian representative and the council? I’ll tell you why: No Jews, no news,” said Erdan. “Over the past decade, 50,000 Christians in Nigeria have been butchered and hacked to death. Is this even a concern to the council?Again, no Jews, no news.”

While the United States’ ambassador to the United Nations criticized those Security Council members who “still cannot bring themselves” to condemn Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre, speak of those still being held hostage in Gaza or criticize ongoing rocket attacks by Hamas and Hezbollah against Israel, she also criticized rhetoric from some Israeli ministers.

“We unequivocally reject statements by some Israeli ministers and lawmakers calling for a resettlement of Palestinians outside of Gaza,” said Linda Thomas-Greenfield, claiming such statements are irresponsible and make securing a lasting peace more difficult.

At the same time, Thomas-Greenfield questioned why some council members have “refused to hold Hamas accountable for using civilians as human shields?”
Israel’s war against Hamas enters 100th day
Israel’s ground offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip continued on Sunday as the war entered its 100th day.

In Maghazi in central Gaza, an Israeli Air Force craft struck two armed terrorists attempting to attack IDF troops. In Atrata in northern Gaza, soldiers located and destroyed several launch pits used to fire rockets at Israeli territory.

IDF forces continued operations in the Hamas stronghold of Khan Yunis in the southern Strip, eliminating 16 terrorists in joint ground and aerial maneuvers throughout the city, and locating a tunnel shaft.

“Today, we approved plans for the Southern Command to continue the fighting and increase military pressure on Hamas,” IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said during a press briefing on Saturday.

It was this pressure that would lead to the “dissolution” of Hamas and the return of the hostages still being held by the terror group, he added.

“This pressure, and only it, has so far succeeded in bringing about the return of many abductees,” said Halevi, referring to the ceasefire with Hamas in November, during which the terror group released 110 hostages, mostly women and children.

The announcement comes as the IDF transitions from the second phase of the war—the high-intensity stage of surging ground forces throughout Gaza—to the third phase, involving more targeted operations, with a focus on southern Gaza.

IDF Gaza death toll rises to 188
The IDF announced on Sunday morning that Sgt. Maj. (res.) Andu’alem Kabeda, 21, from Kiryat Gat, had been killed in battle in the Gaza Strip. Sgt. Maj. (res.) Andu’alem Kabeda, 21, from Kiryat Gat. Credit: IDF.

Since ground operations began in Gaza on Oct. 27, a total of 188 soldiers have been killed; 522 have lost their lives in total since the start of the war on Oct. 7.

Over 700 rocket launchers destroyed
The IDF said on Friday that it has destroyed more than 700 Hamas rocket launchers since the beginning of the fighting in Gaza, and is working to completely destroy the terror group’s remaining launch capabilities.

Israeli forces operating in the Gaza Strip are confiscating many hundreds of rockets, including long-range rockets, in addition to uncovering and destroying rocket launchers, according to the IDF.


Israel-Hamas War: 9,000 Hamas terrorists killed so far in Gaza, IDF says
The IDF on Sunday published an extensive update on statistics related to the war to date.

Among the numbers was that the IDF has killed around 9,000 Hamas terrorists to date during the invasion of Gaza. Two out of Hamas's five brigade-level commanders have been killed.

19 battalion-level commanders have been killed, relating to 24 battalions, but some of those include replacements from the same battalion. Israeli, terror casualties in the North

Around 170 Hezbollah and Hamas-affiliated terrorists have been killed in the North.

It has also arrested 2,300, who have been interrogated by IDF Unit 504.

In addition, there have been a total of 30,000 IDF attacks on Gaza and around 750 on Hezbollah or other terrorists in the North.

522 IDF soldiers have been killed since October 7, 188 of them since the invasion started.

2,536 total IDF soldiers have been wounded. 1,476 have been lightly wounded, 672 moderately, and 388 seriously.

The IDF said that around 9,000 rockets have crossed into Israeli airspace from Gaza, while around 2,000 rockets fired by Hamas did not make it into Israel.

Besides Hamas, another around 2,000 rockets or anti-tank missiles have crossed into Israel from Hezbollah and another 30 or so from Syria.

The IDF has conducted 79,000 direct evacuation phone calls to Palestinians who did not evacuate when it had already dropped approximately 7.2 million leaflets, sent 13.7 evacuation warning text messages and also 15 million recorded evacuation messages.

The IDf has facilitated the transfer of 7,653 trucks carrying humanitarian aid that were inspected at the Nitzana and Rafiah crossings carrying 137,920 tons of cargo.
Israel can't end war without sealing southern Gaza corridor - Netanyahu
The Gaza Strip buffer zone along the Egyptian border known as the Philadelphi Corridor must be sealed to prevent arms smuggling, but no operational decision has been taken as to the best way to do so, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

“We cannot end the war without sealing this breach,” he said, because otherwise “we will eliminate Hamas, we will demilitarize Gaza” only to have arms flow back in through this southern breach.

He spoke about the corridor during a Saturday night press conference, hours after The Wall Street Journal reported that the IDF was planning a military operation near Egypt’s border with Gaza to seize control of that corridor.

Israel had controlled the small 14-kilometer corridor under terms set out by the 1979 peace treaty with Egypt, but it left that buffer zone area when it withdrew from Gaza in 2005.

Hamas built tunnels underneath Rafah crossing
Egypt maintains a crossing with Gaza at Rafah, but Hamas has built tunnels underneath that area to smuggle weapons into the Strip.

“There are several options” as to how to seal the breaches in that area, “but no decision has been taken, save for one - it has to be blocked,” he said.


IDF thwarts terrorist infiltration in Gush Etzion
Israel security forces on Sunday thwarted an infiltration attempt by armed Palestinian terrorists near the haredi community of Metzad, also known as Asfar, in Gush Etzion, south of Jerusalem.

A civilian security guard at a nearby agricultural outpost identified a suspicious vehicle and notified Israel Defense Forces soldiers, according to reports.

The terrorists subsequently broke through a roadblock and shot at the troops, who returned fire, killing one gunman and wounding another, the military said.

No Israeli casualties were reported in the terror incident.

IDF, Israel Police and Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) personnel detained 14 terrorism suspects overnight Saturday in a series of raids in Judea and Samaria, including two sisters of Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Arouri, who was killed in an airstrike in Beirut two weeks ago.

Dalal and Fatima al-Arouri were arrested near Ramallah in al-Bireh and Arura, respectively, on suspicion of inciting terrorism against Israelis, the IDF said on X.

Since the beginning of Israel’s war with Hamas on Oct. 7, Israeli forces have arrested more than 2,650 wanted Palestinians throughout Judea and Samaria, 1,300 of whom are affiliated with the terrorist group.

On Friday night, an IDF soldier was shot and moderately wounded when three Palestinian terrorists infiltrated the Jewish community of Adora in Judea. The victim, aged 34, sustained a bullet wound to the leg and was evacuated to the hospital in stable condition.

After a short manhunt, security forces killed the three Palestinians. Security forces found an M-16 rifle, several knives and firebombs on the bodies of the terrorists.


Hezbollah missiles hit moshav home, killing mother and son
Mira Ayalon, 76, and her son Barak Ayalon, 48, were killed as they ate breakfast by two anti-tank missiles fired from Lebanon on Sunday. Her husband, 74, is suffering from anxiety.

The Hezbollah terrorist organization took responsibility for the attack on the home in Moshav Yuval in the Upper Galilee. Barak Ayalon was a member of the community’s civilian emergency response team.

The Mount Hermon Regional Council said it “bows its head and shares in the sorrow and pain of the death of its beloved friend, a member of the emergency squad, Barak Ayalon, may his memory be blessed. In praying for the recovery of his parents who were injured in the security incident, the council, its employees, volunteers and the head of it strengthening the family in its difficult time.”

Ziv Medical Center in Safed reported that Mira Ayalon was rushed to the hospital in critical condition and succumbed to her wounds.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the death of the late Mira Ayalon. who was hit today in the afternoon by two anti-tank missiles that were fired into her home. We, the emergency squad, the settlement administration and the council bow our heads at her death. A separate announcement will be made regarding the funeral date,” the village of Yuval said in a statement.


Houthi capabilities dented but largely left intact after US-led strikes — report
US and British military strikes on Houthi-controlled sites in Yemen over the weekend largely left intact most of the Iran-backed rebel group’s ability to fire at maritime traffic in the Red Sea, according to a report Saturday.

Two waves of US-led strikes Friday hit more than 60 targets in 28 locations in response to weeks of attacks on commercial vessels traversing a vital strait near the mouth of the Red Sea. Another missile attack on Saturday was described as “follow-on action” by the US Central Command.

Citing two US officials, The New York Times reported Saturday that the volleys had degraded some 20 to 30 percent of the Houthi’s offensive capabilities, with much of the rest hidden and out of danger.

According to the officials, who were not named, some 90% of the sites targeted were damaged or destroyed.


Americans must demand release of fellow citizens from Hamas
Sunday we entered 100 Days of American citizens being held hostage by Hamas with little to no outcry or demand for their release by our government which is truly shocking. As a nation, we have seen the lengths to which our government is willing to go to secure the release of detainees, such as the $6 billion ransom paid to Iran in August for the release of five jailed Americans. It is incomprehensible that innocent civilians held by barbaric terrorists, including elderly men, women, and children, are not being given the same urgency and attention by the US government to bring them home.

For the past 100 days, innocent men, women, and children have been subjected to the horrors of captivity at the hands of Hamas, a group known for its brutality and disregard for human rights.

Israelis aren't the only hostages
It is important to highlight the fact that these are not just any hostages - they are American citizens, individuals who have the right to protection and support from their government. The United States has a long history of taking decisive action to secure the release of its citizens held captive abroad. In the case of these American hostages, it is unacceptable that the government has not demonstrated the same level of commitment to bringing them home.

Furthermore, the lack of pressure that the US should be demanding of humanitarian organizations such as the Red Cross to provide assistance and support to the hostages cannot be overlooked. The Red Cross, funded in part by American taxpayers, must provide aid to individuals in need, regardless of their nationality or the circumstances of their captivity. The fact that they have failed to visit the hostages and provide essential medical treatment which is going unspoken about is deeply concerning and raises questions both on our government’s commitment to bring them home and the Red Cross’s accountability to their humanitarian mission.

The lack of attention and urgency surrounding the plight of the American hostages is truly baffling. One would expect that the highest levels of the American government, as well as prominent humanitarian organizations, would be leading the charge to secure their release. Instead, there has been a worrying silence and a lack of action that is inexplicable in the face of such a grave injustice.

As concerned citizens, we cannot remain silent in the face of this injustice. We must demand that the American government and humanitarian organizations take immediate and decisive action to secure the release of the hostages. It is our duty to raise awareness of their plight and to use our voices to advocate for their rights and their freedom.


Turkish soccer team suspends Israeli player for dedicating goal to hostages in Gaza
Israeli soccer player Sagiv Jehezkel was suspended from Turkish Süper Lig club Antalyaspor on Sunday, after he celebrated a goal by expressing support for hostages held by the Hamas terror group in the Gaza Strip for 100 days.

After scoring the equalizer in Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Trabzonspor in the top Turkish league, the Israeli player made a heart sign with his hands to the camera, and showed the words “100 days. October 7” along with a Star of David symbol on his wristband.

Within an hour of the game, Antalyaspor announced in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that it was suspending Jehezkel “until further notice,” after fierce criticism from local fans and media in Turkey.

In a separate post on X an hour later, Sinan Boztepe, the president of the Turkish club, said that Jehezkel had “acted against the sensitivities of Antalya, Antalyaspor and our country.”

It was not immediately clear whether Jehezkel was suspended or fired from the soccer club, though Boztepe vowed to terminate his contract.


‘Ride for freedom marks 100 days of our people in captivity’
A mass solidarity ride kicked off at Tel Aviv’s Sylvan Adams National Velodrome on Sunday, with 136 riders, one for each hostage still being held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, marking the 100th day of their captivity.

The event was organized by the Israeli professional cycling team UCI WorldTeam Israel–Premier Tech, together with the Hostage and Missing Families Forum and the Israeli Cycling Federation.

Tens of thousands of cyclists around the world responded to Israel-Premier Tech owner Sylvan Adams’s call to join the ride in over 40 cities across the globe, including Barcelona, Paris, London, Melbourne and Los Angeles.

They were asked to tie yellow ribbons to their bikes and upload photos to social media with the #RideToBringThemHomeNow tag.

“It should be the imperative of all decent people that our hostages, taken illegally without regard to any conventional norms or legal rules, be released immediately,” Adams told JNS.

“We know from the hostages released to date that they suffered brutal physical and psychological abuse by their captors, and we fear for the fate of those still in captivity,” he added.

On Oct. 7, Hamas terrorists stormed Israel’s southern border with Gaza, destroying over 20 Israeli towns and villages, killing some 1,200 people and taking an additional 240 into Gaza.


Israel readies for possibility of pregnancies in female hostages raped by Hamas

travelingisrael: 10 Questions PRO-Palestinians Can’t Answer (Can You Prove Me Wrong?)



Argentine president to visit Israel next month
Argentine President Javier Milei will visit Israel in February, becoming the first Latin American leader to come to the Jewish state since the war against Hamas in Gaza began.

The solidarity trip, part of one of his first tours abroad since taking office in December, signals a major shift in Argentine policy towards the United States and Israel after decades of pro-Arab support.

A very public philo-semite who studies with a rabbi, Milei has pledged to move the Argentine embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

During his visit, which is scheduled for February 5-9, Milei is slated to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem and pray at the Western Wall. His office is also considering a tour of border-area kibbutzim attacked by Hamas during the terrorist group’s Oct. 7 massacre and are planning a meeting with Argentinians living in Israel who were among those targeted in the attack.

Netanyahu had invited Milei to Jerusalem in a congratulatory phone call last month and called him a “true friend” of Israel.
Daniel Greenfield: Wisconsin Gov. Evers Welcomed Imam Who Called for Killing Jews
After the Hamas atrocities of Oct 7, Imam Alhajie Jallow of the Madinah Community Center in Madison, Wisconsin offered a message of hate and genocide. (via MEMRI.)

Imam Alhajie Jallow said in an October 13, 2023 Friday sermon at the Madinah Community Center in Madison, Wisconsin and posted on the center’s YouTube channel, that the Muslim “brothers” in Gaza are heroes. He said that only Jihad could bring glory and victory to the Muslims, not contracts or agreements, and that every Muslim should be a soldier today. Alhajie continued to say that all the Jews will be killed, executed by the Muslims and that this is a divine promise.

“The only thing that can bring glory to this Islamic nation is the Jihad, which is mentioned in the Quran and the hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad. The only thing that can bring honor and glory to this nation is Jihad,” Imam Alhajie Jallow was quoted as saying.



“Our brothers in Gaza are heroes! By Allah, they are warriors, heroes, they are men, just like the Companions. They do not fear death.”

“Oh Jews, you unjust, criminal, corrupt oppressors – stop! You will all most definitely be killed. The Jews, the aggressors, the evil… You describe them, what they do.”

“By Allah, all of them will be killed by Muslims. They all will be executed by Muslims. They will all be killed, this is a divine promise that will inevitably be fulfilled. This is a promise from Allah and it is going to happen. They will all be killed. They will all be killed, and on that day, the believers will rejoice in Allah’s victory.”

Imam Alhajie Jallow was among the Muslim leaders operating in the state who were welcomed by Gov. Tony Evers to the Executive Residence for the first ‘Eid’ celebration.
Jill Stein, Cornel West Move for Muslim Vote as Biden Bombs Houthis
Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein and independent candidate Cornel West are making a play for the Muslim vote at the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ (CAIR) March on Washington for Gaza Saturday as President Joe Biden’s administration is bombing Houthis in Yemen.

As Israel’s response to Iran proxy Hamas’s October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks has divided the left, with some, including Biden, backing Israel and others calling for a cease-fire, the progressive candidates seem poised to capitalize politically on the fractured Democrat coalition by appearing at the pro-Gaza March in Washington, DC.

In her remarks, Stein called for a cease-fire and a halt to all aid to Israel – a position that contrasts starkly with Biden’s posture.

“We have a power to be instructing our elected officials what they need to do – that they need to stop the flow of weapons and money to apartheid Israel,” Stein told demonstrators. “We need to withdraw our advisors, our troops, our warships, our ammunition, and our weapons from the scene of the crime.”

Conversely, Biden said on the day of the attacks that his administration’s support for Israel’s security is rock solid and unwavering, and has requested $23.5 billion in humanitarian and military aid for Israel, though he wanted it be bundled with $61.5 billion for Ukraine and $7.4 billion for Taiwan.

Stein called on voters to sign a pledge “to stop genocide through our votes” by refusing to back “any candidate who supports genocide.”

“But we won’t stop there because they would love for us to be silent and just disappear. We are also saying we will support, we pledge to support candidates who are fighting to stop genocide for a ceasefire now and for an end to occupation and apartheid,” she said.




Shoah Business in Norway
The other day I caught up with a December 1 article whose blunt truth-telling put it a long distance away from Døving’s pro-Islam propaganda. The article notes that, according to a recent NRK poll, 82% of the approximately 1500 Jews currently living in Norway say “that experiences after the Hamas terrorist attack in Israel…have made them consider whether Norway is a safe country for Jews”; over 88% say that since October 7 “they have become more careful” about displaying symbols of their faith; nearly 83% “have refrained from saying that they are Jewish to avoid unpleasant experiences,” and 65% “have experienced expressions of anti-Semitism aimed directly at themselves or their loved ones.”

And who exactly has expressed this anti-Semitism? The group least cited by Norwegian Jews as expressing bigotry toward them, numbering slightly above 5%, is right-wingers. Leftist anti-Semitism is much more common, at 48%. And the group most cited as expressing Jew-hatred, at 63%, is – who else? – Muslims.​

That article’s refreshing frankness about Muslim anti-Semitism marks it as precisely the kind of item you should expect to find at the website of a place that calls itself a Holocaust Center. But no; the article was written by Rita Karlsen of Norway’s Human Rights Service (HRS) and published at that organization’s website. Interestingly, HRS’s rigorous research into the lives and views of Norwegian Muslims – an activity that began precisely because the women who founded HRS were seriously concerned about the domestic abuse suffered by Muslim women in Norway – has been smeared in several of Døving’s publications as an expression of sheer bigotry.

In her article, Karlsen notes that when asked about NRK’s poll results concerning Muslim anti-Semitism, the Holocaust Center’s senior researcher, Vibeke Moe – who has compiled the Center’s “last two surveys of anti-Semitism in Norway” – responded by saying that “[f]indings concerning ‘perpetrators’…must be interpreted with caution.” To be sure, Moe acknowledged that anti-Semitism is “widespread among Muslims in Norway, but attitudes are complex and the picture is complex. It is important that concern about negative attitudes in certain environments is handled in a way that does not create a basis for new generalizations and more hatred.”

Meaning what? Meaning let’s talk about anti-Semitism – but not Muslim anti-Semitism. Never, ever, ever. Yes, the Holocaust Center’s researchers are fully aware of just how virulent Muslim anti-Semitism is; but as far as they’re concerned, it’s vitally important to stick to the PC line that Muslims are always and only victims of bigotry, never bigots themselves.
'Boycott Israel': Communist city councilor interrupts Eurovision
During the pre-Eurovision Song Contest in Norway that took place on Saturday, a protest against Israel was carried out by Jorunn Folkvord, a member of the Oslo City Council on behalf of the communist "Red" Party.

It erupted toward the end of the first semi-final of the Eurovision pre-contest at the studios of the Public Broadcasting Corporation of Norway in Oslo.

"Boycott Israel"

Folkvord burst out wearing a shirt with the inscription "Boycott Israel".

After the protest, she said: "I feel good. It was teamwork and I was given the task of being the one who sees it. We wanted to reach many people with an important message - to boycott Israel in connection with the Eurovision final, but Norway also needs to stop the cruel war."

There was also a demonstration outside the hall by activists from "Action for Palestine" who called to prevent Israel from participating in the Eurovision Song Contest to be held in Sweden.
Israeli Spokesman Says “Pro-Hamas Marches” Send a Message to Terrorists



White House staff 'relocated' after pro-Palestinian rioters damage anti-scale fencing, hurl objects at cops

Canadian police arrest suspect who spat at, harassed Jews
SF Jewish restaurants targeted for boycott Fliers calling for a boycott of six Jewish eateries have been posted in various commercial areas in San Francisco, raising safety concerns for these businesses and the Jewish community.

Oren's Hummus in the South of Market neighborhood which proudly serves Israeli cuisine. But on Friday morning, when Randale Conner, the restaurant's general manager, opened up shop, he was greeted with the message "Do you condemn hummus?" spray-painted on the ground at the front entrance.

And on nearby utility poles, fliers were posted, calling for a boycott of six eateries: Oren's Hummus, Sababa, Hummus Bodega, Manny's, Sabra Grill and Taboun. They were described as Israeli food and and Zionist businesses in San Francisco.

"We were very shocked. The main thing is the safety of our team and people that work for us," Conner said he has 45 employees at the San Francisco location. He said three weeks earlier, similar fliers were posted on the windows of the restaurant's Palo Alto location.

Conner said the focus of this Jewish-owned business is solely on food, not politics,

"Oren's Hummus was created to just share the food from the region," Conner said. "We serve great hummus, and we do it well."

The fliers were also posted in front of other Jewish-owned businesses in various neighborhoods, including Chinatown.
'Genocide' graffiti found at Melbourne Jewish community center

Gil Troy: Can Zionism Save Academia?
In short, Israelis still live in a small, intimate society that runs on trust – and keeps generating hope in a virtuous spiral. When speaking with Jews and Arabs across Israel, I hear their complaints. Still, when I offer them an imaginary time-machine to go backwards, they admit that Israel 2024 is better than Israel 2004 which is better than Israel 1984, etc. etc. And few Jews would revert to pre-1948, pre-State vulnerability, especially after tasting what Jewish powerlessness feels like amid Palestinian savagery this fall. Jews don’t believe in Original Sin. Zionists see life as dynamic, progressive. They treat problems as mechanical, not systemic, challenges to solve, not curses you cannot break.

For much of 2023, many American liberals assumed their shared enmity toward Benjamin Netanyahu made them just like Israeli liberals. Indeed, Israeli liberals share American liberals’ desire for social justice, a high minimum wage, robust unions, equal rights for all, acceptance of LGBTQ+ lifestyles and peace.

But, long before Oct. 7, polls show that most Israeli leftists – like most Israelis – serve in the army, are supporters of capitalism who feared the judicial reform would threaten Israel’s prosperity, enjoy Friday night dinner with their families, have children or look forward to having them, fast on Yom Kippur, light Hanukkah candles and attend Passover seders. Studies show that more and more Ivy League liberals are unhappy, pessimistic, lonely, alienated, humorless, angry and scared of being cancelled. Israel’s patriotic traditionalist liberals are happy, optimistic individualists, often known for sharp senses of humor, with little tolerance for cancel culture. In short, Zionism created not just a New Jew but an old-new Patriotic liberal — more Jack Kennedy, the war hero and Cold War liberal, than Ibram X. Kendi.

Chaim Weizmann summed up Zionism by saying, “Miracles do happen, but one has to work very hard for them.” That can-do spirit helped create a remarkably successful state. It spawned an Israeli people who use history as a guide and anchor, not a set of handcuffs to earlier sins and blind spots. And it counters today’s Poisoned Ivy victimhood, defeatism, racialism, self-loathing, self-pitying groupthink.

Over a century ago, Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook articulated an integrated vision that remains remarkably compelling, on both sides of the Atlantic. His “Fourfold Song” starts with those who happily, healthily, sing a song of the self. Others sing a song of the nation, loving the whole Jewish nation. Some transcend borders, singing the song of humanity. And some are so spiritual, they sing a song of the eternal world-to-come. Kook, like most Zionists, most healthy democrats, and most Americans traditionally, embraced them all, “the song of the soul, the song of the nation, the song of humanity, the song of the world.” He, we, know that at our best, individually and collectively, they harmonize.

Since the 1880s, Zionists learned much about how to build a successful liberal democratic society from America. Today, can America’s most educated be open to learning some of those lessons from Zionists – and from their American predecessors too?
Jewish students more concerned about left-wing antisemitism in top US
Fifty-eight percent of Jewish students in the highest quartile of US colleges expressed significant concern about antisemitism coming from the political left, surpassing concerns about right-wing antisemitism which stood at 16%, according to a revealing study conducted by Brandeis University.

This study, titled "In the Shadow of War: Hotspots of Antisemitism on US College Campuses," was authored by Graham W. Wright, Sasha Volodarsky, Shahar Hecht, and Leonard Saxe of the Maurice and Marilyn Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies.

The research, which categorized fifty-one US universities into quartiles based on levels of antisemitic hostility, uncovered a stark disparity in the experiences of Jewish undergraduates. While 49% of students in the highest hostility quartile reported significant antisemitic encounters, only 10% in the lowest quartile shared similar experiences. Furthermore, 24% of students from the most hostile schools reported personal harassment due to their Jewish identity, compared to 14% in the least hostile environments.

The survey methodology involved an online survey of Jewish undergraduates who had applied to the Birthright Israel program, conducted from November 19 to December 11, 2023. Despite a modest response rate of 8.4%, the study provides insightful findings about the broader campus climates.

Besides the political dimension, the study also found that hostility towards Israel mainly came from fellow students rather than faculty or university administrators. In the most hostile environments, 79% of respondents faced hostility from other students, while 30% encountered it from faculty, and 15% from administrators.
How pro-Hamas rhetoric infected US high schools
A false version of history is being taught in American high schools, by American teachers, using American textbooks. It is pervasive and has been going on for decades. Here are examples:

World History: Patterns of Interaction (2009): "While the United Nations granted the Palestinians their own homeland, the Israelis seized most of that land, including the West Bank and Gaza, during its various wars."

This is false. In 1948 the UN partitioned Palestine according to UN Resolution 181 between Arabs and Jews.

"Because the Qur'an forbade forced conversion, Muslims allowed conquered peoples to follow their own religion."

This is false. Forced conversions were routine. The only other choices were exile, death, or a heavy tax.

"Based on the teachings of Jesus and a belief in one God - monotheism - Christianity began in Palestine about AD 30."

This is an attempt to associate the birth of Christianity with Palestine when Palestine did not exist.
US professor who called for 'global Jihad' on Israel, supported Hamas suspended
Oberlin College suspended its so-called “professor of peace” from his tenured position after it was revealed that the US Department of Education launched a probe into his antisemitism. In November and December, Iran International and the New York Post reported that Mahallati sexually harassed a student.

The dual American and Iranian citizen, Mohammad Jafer Mahallati, was formally stripped of his teaching post in November. The Jerusalem Post was the first news organization to report on the Iranian dissident campaign to oust Mahallati in 2020 for his alleged crimes against humanity.

In late September, the US Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced an inquiry into alleged rampant antisemitism at Oberlin College. “OCR will investigate whether the College failed to respond to the harassment of students based on national origin (shared Jewish ancestry)," wrote the OCR.

A history of antisemitism
Mahallati has a long history of stoking genocidal antisemitism, including calling for a global jihad against Israel during his tenure as Iran’s ambassador (1987-1989) to the UN.

According to Melissa Landa, a 1986 Jewish-American graduate of Oberlin College, who filed the OCR complaint in 2019 against the small liberal arts college, “Through his lectures and reading assignments, Mahallati glorifies Hamas and teaches his students to do the same. He also delegitimizes Israel by characterizing the Jewish state as a settler colonial endeavor.”

The US and the EU classified Hamas as a foreign terrorist organization. Landa said that “Mahallati should be fired.”

Amnesty International and the Alliance Against Islamic Regime of Iran Apologists (AAIRIA) accused Mahallati of using his position as the Islamic Republic of Iran’s ambassador to the UN in 1988 to cover up the regime’s massacre of 5,000 Iranian dissidents in the same year.


Russia's Chechnya constructs Palestinian village for Gaza war refugees Raisi declares victory over ‘defeated Zionist regime’



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