Monday, January 15, 2024

01/15 Links Pt1: Hostages Yossi Sharabi and Itai Svirsky reported dead in Hamas video; Bari Weiss: Why Are Feminists Silent on Rape and Murder?

From Ian:

Hostages Yossi Sharabi and Itai Svirsky reported dead in Hamas video
The Hamas terror organization announced on Monday that hostages Yossi Sharabi, 53, and Itai Svirsky, 38, had been killed in captivity. Noa Argamani, 26, is reportedly still alive.

The update from the Gaza-based Islamist terror organization comes in a video featuring Argamani, where the 26-year-old reported the death of her fellow hostages. Hamas has been teasing the announcement

The video followed Hamas's sequence of teased announcements, where they claimed that they would announce the fate of the three Israelis.

"I was located in a building," Argamani said in the Hamas video. "It was bombed by an IDF airstrike, an F16 fighter jet. Three rockets were fired. Two of the rockets exploded, and the other didn't. We were in the building with Al Qassam soldiers and three hostages: Myself, Noa Argamani, Itai Svirsky, and Yossef Sharabi.

"After the building we were in was hit, we were all buried under rubble. Al Qassam soldiers saved my life, and Itai's, unfortunately, we were not able to save Yossi's.

"After many days...two nights, Itai and I were relocated to another place. While we were being transported, Itai was hit by an IDF airstrike. He did not survive."

Hamas has a track record of engaging in psychological warfare.

"Itai Svirsky and Yossi Sharabi," Argamani added in the video. "They died because of our own IDF airstrikes. Stop this madness and bring us home to our families. While we are still alive, bring us home."
Chilling Hamas video asks viewers whether terrorists should kill Israeli hostages: ‘What do you think?’
Hamas released more sick video Monday featuring the faces of three Israeli hostages — and asking viewers for their opinions on whether the terror group should kill them.

“What do you think?” the Palestinian terrorists said of the captives, who include Noa Argamani, a Nova music-fest attendee kidnapped during the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7 and last seen being driven off screaming on the back of a motorcycle.

The Hamas clip then offers a trio of options for the innocent victims: all three are killed; “some are killed, some are injured,” or all three are spared.

The chilling propaganda footage was a follow-up to an undated 37-second clip the terror group released Sunday in which Argamani, 26, and fellow hostages Yossi Sharabi, 53, and Itai Svirsky, 38, pleaded with Israel to stop its offensive against Gaza — ending with the ominous message: “Tomorrow we will inform you of their fate.”




Eve Barlow: 100 Days
Yesterday, on the streets of London, Mohammed El Kurd praised October 7 in London to a sea of 200,000 yesterday and advocated for “more massacres”. El Kurd has trolled me on Twitter since 2021 from behind a block. He is a terrorism apologist posing as a freedom fighter and a “journalist”. Afterwards he took to Twitter to goad the Metropolitan Police’s official account for not arresting him. 100 days of this momentum against state aparatus.

It only took 100 days for a man to stand surrounded by hundreds of thousands advocating freely for the same thing that Hamas’s leaders advocate for in the United Kingdom. 100 days.

Joining him was Jeremy Corbyn, who attended the rallies and also offered his support to the Houthis.

Jeremy Corbyn is a lesson. The man praises terror groups and refuses to denounce his "friends" Hamas. He totally destroyed the Labour party, the party of the British working classes – and denied the British working classes a robust voting alternative to the Conservative party. He created a campaign rooted in propaganda and baseless slogans such as "for the many, not the few" and they were baseless because he didn't stand for his principles. He was focused on himself and his own agenda at the behest of the matters that actually concern the people he purported to represent. And that and that alone is why he lost the heart of the British working classes. Jeremy Corbyn is a fraud and he is a lesson. He is a lesson in what happens when society worships false idols who have zero moral backbone. In those instances, society loses as a whole. Stop worshiping false idols. Stop warping liberalism by hitching it to extreme ideologies. Stick to the bread and butter of the issues that matter to every day people.

People who care about people should care about the people held hostage in Gaza.

100 days.

The South Africans are masters of this propaganda and their attorneys at the ICJ this week were useful idiots. South Africa is the rape capital of the world. Women born there are more likely to be raped than to be able to read. There is more violent crime there than in Middle Eastern countries such as Afghanistan. South Africa is among the most racist countries in the world. And what are they committed to? Proving that it’s the fault of the Jews, basically. It took only 100 days for them to put Israel on trial for that which we just narrowly survived. 100 agonizing days.

100 days into the war, I want to make something clear, because it’s becoming more apparent that the end game here is reducing empathy for Jews as victims, and continuing to universalize the Holocaust as just a bad event that happened and had a terrible effect on the whole world. Let’s just set the record straight here. Preserving education around the Holocaust is one matter - and a serious matter at that. But. The context for Israel is not the Holocaust.

The Jews weren't gifted a country because we were persecuted. We returned to our indigenous homeland via a self-determination movement known as Zionism. Zionism is as old as Judaism itself, for in the Torah the Jews have always prayed to Israel and Jerusalem, and our genes have determined that we have direct lineage to the Levant, not to mention the overwhelming amount of archaeological evidence that exists there tying our history and our roots to the modern state of Israel. The Jews reclaimed one country as our homeland. That is the context for Israel. It is important to hold onto this in a post-October 7 world. The persecution of the Jews is not the root cause for Israel's legitimacy, and if the world decides that we’ve never been persecuted or that we deserved it, then that still doesn’t justify delegitimizing and dismantling our one country.

100 days, and Israel still has a right to exist because the Jews have a right to self-determine in our homeland. 100 days and we’re not giving up.
Bari Weiss: One Hundred Days of War
One hundred days ago, the world changed. October 7 has proven to be many things: the opening salvo in a brutal war between Israel and Hamas; an attack that could precipitate a broader, regional war; the beginning of a global, ongoing orgy of antisemitism; a moral test that many in the West have failed; a wake-up call regarding the rot inside the West’s once-great sensemaking institutions; a possible realignment of our politics.

Here at The Free Press, we’ve worked hard to capture the many threads of the story of October 7 and its aftermath, from life in wartime Israel and the reality on the ground in Gaza to the spillover effects in our newsrooms, classrooms, and lecture halls here in America. We’ve investigated the roots of the attackers’ hatred and their apologists’ moral relativism. We’ve looked at an unstable world through a wide-angle lens.

We’ve also tried not to lose sight of the acts of unspeakable barbarity that set all of this in motion. The Hamas terrorists who crossed into Israel killed 1,200 people and kidnapped 240 more. It was a day of mass murder, mass abduction, and mass rape, and we’ve spoken to families whose lives turned into horror stories 100 days ago today.

For many families, that nightmare still isn’t over. There are still 136 hostages in Gaza. Hamas has used the hundred-day milestone as an opportunity for macabre PR: yesterday they released proof-of-life videos of three hostages and announced that their fate will be revealed today.

Across the rest of the West, if not in Israel, the hostages have faded from view. And when it comes to the fate of the many young women abducted by Hamas and taken to Gaza, the silence from some corners has been deafening.

As Bari argues in a new monologue, the groups you would expect to care about these women and hostages—the prominent women’s organizations who protested loudly when it came to #MeToo, or Donald Trump, or Brett Kavanaugh—have said and done next to nothing about the murder, kidnap, and rape of Israeli girls.

What explains their silence—or worse, their downplaying and denial?
Bari Weiss: Why Are Feminists Silent on Rape and Murder?
One hundred days ago, the world changed. October 7 has proven to be many things: the opening salvo in a brutal war between Israel and Hamas; an attack that could precipitate a broader, regional war; the beginning of a global, ongoing orgy of antisemitism; a wake-up call regarding the rot inside the West’s once-great sensemaking institutions; a possible realignment of our politics.

One of the things it has also been is a test. A moral test that many in the West have failed. That test of moral conscience is a continuing one considering there are still 136 hostages in Gaza. Two of them are babies; close to 20 of them are young women.

Across the Western world, these hostages have faded from view. And when it comes to the fate of the many young women abducted by Hamas and taken to Gaza, the silence from some corners has been deafening.

Today on Honestly, Bari argues that the groups you would expect to care most about these women and hostages—the celebrity feminists who are always the first to speak up in times of crisis, the prominent women’s organizations who protested loudly when it came to #MeToo, Donald Trump, or Brett Kavanaugh, and the international, supposedly “nonpolitical” human rights organizations—have said and done next to nothing about the murder, kidnap, and rape of Israeli girls.

What explains their silence—or worse, their downplaying or denial?

When Michelle Obama, Oprah, Malala Yousafzai, Angelina Jolie, Kim Kardashian—and the rest of the civilized world—saw the kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls in Nigeria by Boko Haram in April 2014, within days they took to Twitter and demanded “Bring Back Our Girls.”

Why isn’t the world demanding the same now?

It’s been one hundred days in captivity: bring back our girls.




Speak to Israelis and you’ll understand why no-one is talking about two states
“Israelis don’t want to hear about the two-state solution and peace,” Daniel Meron said. “For now, this is too sensitive. We are feeling too raw. This doesn’t mean the issue won’t come back in a year or two. But for now we are aching, and of course, we are still at war.”

Meron, the deputy director of Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was addressing a delegation in Jerusalem consisting of British peers and MPs plus two journalists, one of whom was me. Organised by ELNET, an NGO that promotes ties between Israel and Europe on the basis of our shared interests and values, it proved to be an invaluable opportunity to assess the impact of the October 7 atrocities at close quarters, and to hear from a wide range of Israeli officials in widely differing fields.

I stayed on for several days after the delegation returned home, spending time in both the north and the south, reporting for the JC and talking to everyone I could. Diverse as my interlocutors’ backgrounds were, they all shared the message conveyed by Meron: that for the time being, the trauma experienced throughout Israeli society means serious consideration of the longer-term relationship between Israel and the Palestinians is almost impossible to contemplate.

For me as a reporter, the last three months have been difficult and frustrating. I’ve spent them writing about almost nothing except the Hamas attacks and their aftermath. Israel is a country I know well: I must have been there more than 20 times, but I have spent those months in England, feeling cut off from the unfolding story’s heart. Seeing the country first-hand again has deepened my understanding - and also brought home the depth of its political and psychological wounds.

The leader of the ELNET delegation was the former New Labour policy guru and Cabinet minister Lord Peter Mandelson, to whom it fell as Northern Ireland Secretary to handle the implementation of the historic Belfast Agreement brokered by Tony Blair, which brought Ulster’s Troubles to an end. Central to that, as he pointed out, were a degree of mutual trust, as well as a strong desire by all parties to end the violence.

Alas. Right now in Israel and the Palestinian territories, trust is a quality in short supply.

One of the bitterest aspects of the terrorist attacks is the fact that in Israel, there were no doughtier champions of a negotiated, two-state peace than many of the victims raped and butchered in the kibbutzim around Gaza where the terrorists did their worst.


After 100 days of war, Israelis show concern over endgame
The Israeli public feels a bond with the IDF and the majority oppose reinstating the Palestinian Authority in Gaza, an Israel Hayom poll conducted to mark the 100 days of war shows.

The figures also show that there is a slim majority (53%) in favor of an agreement to release captives in exchange for terrorists. In the survey, conducted by the Maagar Mochot research institute, 505 people were asked to rate the conduct of key figures.

Some 83% said they approved of IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received a 40% approval rating, with 57% disapproving of his performance.

National Unity Party leader Benny Gantz, who seems to have made the right choice by entering the government, gets a 67% approval rating compared to 28% who disapprove of him.

Israelis appear to be content with the performance of IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi. Some 71% approve, while 23% disapprove. Israel Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai is also ranked high with 61% approving of his conduct compared to 26% who disapprove of it.

Education Minister Yoav Kisch, whose ministry facilitated the transfer of evacuees from their homes to hotels, receives mixed reviews. Some 36% disapprove of his work while 40% approve of it. Some 65% of respondents said they approved of President Isaac Herzog’s conduct.


Majority of Israelis favor voluntary relocation of Gazans to other countries: poll
Minister of Intelligence Gila Gamliel laid out her plan for the day after the war at a conference organized by the Sovereignty Movement, headed by Land of Israel activists Nadia Matar and Yehudit Katsover, in collaboration with the Yesha Council.

The conference, titled “Lessons from Gaza – an end to the idea of two states,” held at the Bible Lands Museum in Jerusalem last Thursday, focused mainly on opposition to the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Over 1,000 people attended the event, and roughly another 5,000 participated online. According to a poll presented at the conference, in the wake of the October 7 massacre, an overwhelming majority (74%) also said they were against a two-state solution; 20% were in favor, and 6% had no opinion.

The poll, conducted by Direct Polls Ltd. for the Sovereignty Movement a day ahead of the conference, also asked: “Are you for or against voluntary transfer emigration of the residents of the Gaza Strip to other countries?” A clear majority – 76% – responded in favor; 16% were against, and 8% had no opinion.

Surprisingly, center-left voters from the Yesh Atid and National Unity parties, headed by Opposition leader Yair Lapid and Minister Benny Gantz respectively, responded similarly regarding the issue. Among the Yesh Atid voters, 61% were in favor of the emigration, 24% were against, and 15% had no opinion. Among those who voted for Gantz’s party, 71% were in favor, 18% were against, and 11% had no opinion.

As for a return to the Israeli Gush Katif communities that were destroyed in 2005 during the disengagement from Gaza, the poll showed that 86% of voters for the right -wing Religious Zionist and Otzma Yehudit were in favor, as were 63% who voted for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party and 83% of ultra-Orthodox Shas voters.Intelligence Minister Gila Gamliel, a longtime supporter of sovereignty over all of Judea and Samaria, addressed the conference on the issue of voluntary emigration. Indeed, she had already announced her plan for “the day after” on Oct 13, less than a week after Hamas’s barbaric massacre of 1,200 Israelis in southern Israel and the kidnapping of 240 others.

“Now is the time that we must try new solutions,” she told the audience. “It is clear that much has to change if any conceptions were proven wrong on the day of the pogrom of October 7...

“Every time Israel retreated from territory, it became a base for terror and bloodshed,” she said, stressing that Iran – through its proxies, including Hamas – is responsible for all the terrorism and conflicts in the Middle East, “from Gaza to Lebanon to the Red Sea” and the suffering of tens of millions of people throughout the region, not only Israelis.


Hamas Fighting in Civilian Clothes | Compilation
Straight from Hamas' and Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s social media: see what it looks like when terrorists are fighting on the battlefield in Gaza. One thing they all have in common? Rather than wearing uniforms, they’re dressed in t-shirts and jeans.

Terrorists disguising themselves as civilians during combat is one of the many ways they intentionally endanger the actual civilians around them. It’s a deliberate decision and a strategy to exploit the fact that they’re fighting a military that tries to prevent civilian casualties at every possible turn.

Wearing civilian clothes in combat is just one more despicable tactic in Hamas’ playbook.


Hamas Puts Everyone In Danger
The IDF and the people of Gaza have the same enemy— Hamas.


Gallant: Intense combat ends in north Gaza, south to follow ‘soon’
Eighty days after the Israel Defense Forces launched its ground offensive against Hamas, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced an official end to heavy combat operations in the northern Gaza Strip.

“The intensive maneuvering phase in the north of the Gaza Strip has ended, and in the south, it will also end soon,” Gallant said on Monday evening in a statement cited by Hebrew media.

“Some three months ago … we specified the stages of implementation and made it clear that the intensive maneuvering phase will last for approximately three months—in the north of the Gaza Strip, this phase has concluded,” added the defense minister.

According to Gallant, “In the south of the Gaza Strip, we will reach this achievement soon, and in both places, the moment will come when we move to the next phase.”

Earlier on Monday, the military’s largest regular-service armored division exited Gaza for rest and training, leaving three other divisions fighting Hamas.

Soldiers of the 36th Armored Division, which includes the Golani Infantry Brigade, and the 7th and 188th armored brigades, concluded their mission in Gaza on Monday with a ceremony near the border that included a flyover by Israeli Air Force helicopters.

“Golani Brigade, you are lions; you are the fighters of the Jewish people and the State of Israel. We are grateful for the privilege to have fought with you and alongside you from both above and below; we will always be with you,” IAF pilots told troops leaving the Strip.


Woman killed, 17 wounded in terrorist car-ramming and stabbing spree in Ra’anana
An elderly woman was killed and 17 people were injured, including at least seven children and teenagers, in a car-ramming and stabbing attack by two Palestinian terrorists in the central Israel city of Ra’anana early on Monday afternoon.

During the attack, the perpetrators — two West Bank Palestinians who were working in Israel illegally — seized three vehicles and rammed pedestrians in several locations in the city, also stabbing one or more of their victims, according to police, medics, and eyewitnesses.

Meir Hospital said a woman in her 70s, who arrived in critical condition, succumbed to her wounds. She was not immediately named.

The two suspects were named as Ahmed Zidat, 25, and Mahmoud Zidad, 44, both residents of the southern West Bank town of Bani Naim, close to Hebron. According to the Shin Bet, both had been blacklisted for entering Israel illegally numerous times in the past.

The attack began at about 1:30 p.m., as schools were dismissing students for the day.

According to reports, one of the terrorists attacked a woman driving a black jeep on the city’s Haharoshet Street, pulled her out of the car, and rammed it into three people.

The terrorist then got stuck and abandoned the car, before stealing a second vehicle and continuing down the street, ramming into more people.

“It all happened in a second,” a passerby who witnessed the start of the attack told Army Radio.

“We heard the noise of a crash, like a car bumping into another car,” Eden Arzi said. “We saw the driver go to stab a woman and she ran away, and [the driver] went and stabbed a 60-year-old man while there were a bunch of screams in the background, until he fell on the ground.”

Another witness told Haaretz: “I saw someone stab three people next to the mall, steal a car and run people over with it.”

The second terrorist, meanwhile, stabbed a woman driving a white car on the city’s central Ahuza Street, lightly injuring her, commandeered the car and rammed into numerous other people, before crashing into an electricity pole near a bus stop and fleeing on foot. The woman who later died of her injuries was hit in this incident, reports said, as were several children and teenagers.


IDF arrests nine Hamas members at Nablus university
Israeli forces raided An-Najah National University in Nablus (Shechem) in central Samaria overnight Sunday, arresting nine wanted suspects associated with the Hamas student cell who were hiding there.

“Many other suspects” were detained for questioning in the joint IDF-Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) operation, the army said. The Palestinian Wafa news agency reported that it was the first time in three decades that Israeli forces entered the campus.

Eight more wanted terrorism suspects were arrested in overnight operations throughout Judea and Samaria, and hundreds of thousands of shekels “destined for terrorist activity” were seized.

Furthermore, security forces destroyed two homes of Hamas operatives in Qalqilya, in western Samaria, as part of enforcement against illegal construction activity.

The illegal homes of Bassem Daud, a senior Hamas member, and Saleh Daud, who carried out two shooting attacks in 2015, were demolished in an operation involving IDF engineering forces, the Ephraim Brigade, the Civil Administration and police.

Meanwhile, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Sunday called on the government to strengthen the Palestinian Authority, despite its support for the Oct. 7 massacre and paying monthly stipends to the terrorists who participated in the mass murder.

“Hamas is trying to link up Gaza with Judea and Samaria and to rile up the area. We must prevent this in every way and deal with the issue of laborers and money. This could harm our ability to achieve our war goals,” his office said in a statement.

Gallant was referring to the issue of Palestinian workers from Judea and Samaria once more being allowed to enter Israel within the pre-1967 lines. They were restricted from entering the country after the Oct. 7 massacre out of security concerns. He was also referring to frozen tax funds that Israel collects for the P.A.


U.S. Strikes on the Houthis Were Strong, Proportionate - and Overdue
Some regional analysts are warning that the U.S.-led airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen risk igniting a wider Middle East conflagration. Precisely the opposite is true.

The Houthis already escalated the regional conflict by using the pretext of Israel's war with Hamas to launch unprovoked attacks against commercial ships traversing the Red Sea. The U.S. and its coalition allies had little choice but to mount a strong response. If the Biden administration could be faulted for anything, it is that the same effort taken sooner might have had greater effect.

The Houthis are one of several Iran-backed militias - others operate in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria - that have been attacking Israeli and U.S. targets as a way to support yet another Iran-backed militia, Hamas, in its war against Israel. The Houthis survive - and thrive - on never-ending conflict. Their official slogan is: "God is the Greatest, Death to America, Death to Israel, Curse Upon the Jews, Victory to Islam."

These airstrikes should at least temporarily disrupt the Houthis' capabilities, while leaving plenty more targets to hit if they continue their attacks.
What the Houthis Want, and How Not to Give It to Them
If the Iran-backed Yemeni militia isn’t interested in “human rights,” what does it seek by launching missiles at civilian vessels? Ari Heistein and Jason Brodsky explain:
Economic misery is not an aberration but a characteristic of the Houthi regime. [The terrorist organization’s] aim is not necessarily to make life worse for Yemenis but rather . . . to redirect Yemeni frustrations outward. The group needs to find a new “culprit” while Saudi bombing, the Houthis’ previous explanation for Yemen’s poverty, has been paused due to a multi-year ceasefire. A U.S.-led alliance is the perfect candidate for Houthi villainization, as it comports with the Houthis’ anti-Western ideology.

[In addition], the regime in Sanaa seeks to demonstrate its value to its sponsors in Tehran. They stand to benefit from proving their worth. For the Houthis, establishing that they are both competent and can deliver an excellent return on investment for Iran may translate into additional funding.

[Lastly], by targeting U.S. and Israeli interests in ways that are difficult to respond to, the Houthis are aiming to erode U.S. and Israeli prestige in the region. The Houthi worldview is summed up by the group’s signature “scream” or slogan, “God is the Greatest, Death to America, Death to Israel, A Curse upon the Jews, Victory to Islam.”

These considerations, argue Heistein and Brodsky, should inform America’s response:
[T]he U.S.-led anti-Houthi coalition should make efforts to surprise Sanaa and its patron in Tehran. That was the opposite of what happened when the Houthis received advanced warning before coalition strikes after an interminably long period of Western deliberation on taking action. The coalition should also seek to create uncomfortable dilemmas for the group and its sponsors while demonstrating to regional allies that they are better off standing up to the Houthis with U.S. backing than cowering to the radical Houthi regime.


US vessel hit by missile off coast of Yemen
An unidentified vessel was struck by a missile off the coast of southern Yemen, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) tweeted on Monday afternoon.

The British naval security company Embray said the vessel was owned by the United States and sailed under the flag of the Marshall Islands.

Mohammed Abdel Salam, the official spokesman for the Houthis, said that “the attacks on the ships heading to Israel will continue.”

According to a military source from Yemen who spoke to Qatar’s Al Jazeera network, the Houthis “attacked a ship in the Red Sea that was on its way to Israel. The attack was carried out after the ship did not respond to the warnings addressed to it.”

The incident occurred 95 nautical miles (almost 110 statute miles) southeast of Aden at 4:05 p.m. Yemen time. The vessel’s port side was hit from above by a missile.

“Vessels in the area are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO,” the incident warning stated.

Britain’s Royal Navy originally established UKMTO (UK Maritime Trade Operations), a naval reserve–manned office in Dubai, to coordinate information with merchant traffic in the Arabian Sea to help counter Somali piracy.


‘I don’t know if she’s cold or if she’s alive’: How families of Israel’s hostages are coping 100 days on
For the family and friends of the 132 remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza, the past 100 days have been an eternity. On October 7, when Hamas brought terror, horror and chaos to Israel, they seized an estimated 240 hostages and took them to the Gaza Strip. Yesterday, the agony of Israeli families deepened when Hamas said the fate of many remaining hostages had become unknown, and that some “may have been killed”.

The footage of the hostages being taken – among them children, the elderly and infirm – were some of the defining early images of the conflict. Alongside Israelis there were Thais and Filipinos, as well as Israelis with dual citizenship, including British nationals. Since the hostages were taken, 110 have returned, but the majority remain in captivity. Last week the Foreign Secretary, Lord Cameron, confirmed that two British nationals were still being held.

“We are very frustrated and fearful,” says Ashli Waxman, 38, a cosmetics entrepreneur whose cousin, 19-year-old Agam Berger, is one of the hostages still being held in Gaza. “Personally I’m angry, too. We are worried. It has been raining and cold in Israel and every time it rains I think of Agam. She’s in a tunnel, I don’t know if she’s wet, or if she’s cold or if she’s alive. I don’t know if she’s getting food or in the dark. We don’t know anything.

“On top of that, there’s the fear of sexual abuse. On October 7, everybody knows there was rape, but we also know from the released hostages that they talked about how people told them they were being sexually abused. With a 19-year-old girl, naturally that’s one of our biggest fears.”

Agam was on a kibbutz when she was taken hostage. “Agam means ‘lake’ in Hebrew,” says Waxman, “and she is how you would picture a beautiful, calm lake. She’s a beautiful young girl who volunteered with the less fortunate. She plays the violin. For her 19th birthday she wrote herself a letter in which she wished for peace and love and unity. She’s that good person, that very naive 19-year-old who believes in beauty and love in the world. She has a twin sister, so you can imagine how difficult that is for her, and two younger siblings of high-school age. The family has been torn apart.”


Biden, Blinken mark hostages’ 100th day in Gaza

The ICJ genocide case against Israel
What comes next
Several countries have openly supported Israel in the trial. U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said on Jan. 3 that the submission by Pretoria was “meritless, counterproductive, completely without any basis whatsoever.”

The government of Germany also supported Israel, saying it was defending itself from “inhuman attacks,” and that Berlin would intercede as a third party if the case went against Israel.

The governments of the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, as well as others, have also signaled their support for their Jewish state.

Many Muslim countries, however, have signaled their opposition to Israel in the trial. “I believe Israel will be convicted there. We believe in the justice of the International Court of Justice,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was quoted as saying.

An actual ruling on the case is expected to take years. However, the court is expected to issue a temporary ruling in the coming weeks or months.

“We can expect some sort of decision fairly soon,” Shalev told JNS. “To prove that Israel committed genocide is a tall order but to get some success in the temporary ruling the South Africans only have to prove that there is a case to be made. In that scenario the Israeli team has a tough job,” he added.

The court’s decision is subject to potential bias as it is composed of representatives from many countries, including authoritarian regimes that in the past have been accused of influencing the decisions of their representatives on the court.

In the current case, the court has representatives from Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Jamaica, Japan, Lebanon, Morocco, Russia, Slovakia, Somalia, Uganda and the United States, as well as from South Africa and Israel.

“There is no doubt that there is political pressure on some members of the court. One of the judges on the court is from Lebanon, a country where it is illegal to speak to an Israeli. I find it hard to believe that we are going to get an unbiased court ruling on this issue,” Shalev said.

Once a ruling is issued, the decision of the court is binding by international law. However, there is no enforcement mechanism.

“The impact of a ruling against Israel is not direct. The ruling will likely bounce over to the [U.N.] Security Council where America still has a veto, but it will make it a lot more difficult for countries to openly support Israel and as a result, it will make it a lot more difficult to prosecute the war,” Shalev explained.

“Overall, this trial can go in many directions. The court can directly intervene or uphold the Israeli defense. They can also request that more access to humanitarian aid be given. At this stage it is impossible to know,” he said.
NGO Monitor: Gaza Lawfare: Anti-Israel NGOs Abuse Courts in Pursuit of “Genocide” Charges
Lawfare (legal warfare), exploiting international legal frameworks and principles, is a major weapon in the political war against Israel. NGOs claim they are filing lawsuits and pursuing “war crimes” charges against Israelis to obtain “justice” for Palestinian victims. In reality, these cases are part of the larger campaign that seeks to demonize Israel in the international arena and to delegitimize responses to terror attacks against Israeli civilians.

In the aftermath of the barbaric Hamas massacre of October 7, rather than use law and international justice frameworks to support the victims of the atrocities, supposed human rights NGOs have sought to use lawfare to spread anti-Israel propaganda and to target allied support for Israel in an effort to harm the IDF’s ability to defeat Hamas. These NGOs have filed lawsuits against the United States, UK, and the Netherlands, seeking judgments that would force those governments to adopt BDS measures against Israel. The NGOs have also intensified their ICC lobbying. The legal basis for these lawsuits are exceedingly weak, if not frivolous, and may meet the threshold for sanctionable conduct in some of the jurisdictions.

The lawfare cases are an expansion of their campaigns since October 7, including numerous publications condemning Israeli anti-terror operations and leveling false accusations of “war crimes,” “crimes against humanity,” “genocide,” and “apartheid.”

United States – Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), Defense for Children International – Palestine (DCIP,) Al-Haq
On November 13, the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) filed a lawsuit on behalf of Defense for Children International – Palestine (DCI-P) and Al-Haq, alleging that Israel’s “mass killings,” “widespread and systematic attacks on infrastructure,” and “forced expulsion” amount to “genocide.” The NGOs demanded that the “President of the United States, the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of Defense adhere to their duty to prevent, and not further, the unfolding genocide of Palestinian people in Gaza,” as well as “take all measures within their power to prevent Israel’s commission of genocidal acts against the Palestinian people of Gaza.”

The lawsuit urged the court to “issue injunctive relief enjoining Defendants from aiding, abetting, enabling or facilitating Israel’s commission of genocidal acts against the Palestinian people of Gaza, including but not limited to: Enjoin Defendants from providing, facilitating, or coordinating military assistance or financing to Israel; from initiating, acting upon, continuing, expediting, or completing sales, transfers, or delivery of weapons and arms to Israel; and from proving military equipment and personnel, advancing Israel’s commission of genocidal acts.”

CCR is an American NGO that previously filed lawfare suits against Israel and Israeli officials (including Avi Dichter and Moshe Ya’alon) that have all been dismissed at the preliminary stages; promotes anti-Israel BDS campaigns; urges the U.S. government to stop providing military aid to Israel; presents an entirely biased and distorted view of the conflict; and accuses Israel of “war crimes” and “crimes against humanity.” CCR is funded by the Tides Foundation, Ford Foundation, and Open Society Foundations.

Both DCI-P and Al-Haq are tied to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a terrorist group designated as such by the US, EU, Canada, and Israel. On October 22, 2021, the Israeli Ministry of Defense declared Al-Haq and DCI-P as “terror organizations” because they are part of “a network of organizations” that operates “on behalf of the ‘Popular Front’.” (The PFLP participated in the brutal October 7 slaughter and is reportedly holding Israeli hostages.)
Caroline Glick: BREAKING: Israel on Trial in the Kangaroo Courtroom of the ICJ
Caroline Glick speaks with Professor of Law (Bar Ilan University, San Diego School of Law) Avi Bell on the inner workings of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and what the accusation of genocide from South Africa is really about.

If you want an understanding of what this trial is and means for Israel's future, you won't want to miss this.




Call Me Back PodCast: Haviv Rettig Gur (Part 2) – 100 Days into Israel’s ‘Forever War’
Hosted by Dan Senor
This past weekend, Israelis marked 100 days since the Hamas massacre — and 100 days that 136 hostages, of all ages, still remain captive in unimaginable conditions.

We resume our weekly conversation with Haviv Rettig Gur of THE TIMES OF ISRAEL to discuss where the war goes from here. Does it end? Can it end? How? And what has Israel learned about how to proceed?

This conversation is divided into two parts.

PART I focuses on what we are learning about Israel’s vulnerability now and going forward.

PART II focuses on what we are learning about the divide inside the Arab world in its reaction to these past 100 days, but also the reality that Israel may be in a ‘forever war.’


Israeli soccer player freed after incitement charge in Turkey
Israeli soccer player Sagiv Jehezkel (sometimes spelled Yehezkel), who plays for Turkish club Antalyaspor, was released from custody on Monday and is expected to leave Turkey immediately, Kan News reported.

Jehezkel was suspended from his team and was to face charges in court for incitement after showing support for Israeli hostages kidnapped by Hamas on Oct. 7.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry took credit for Jehezkel’s sudden release.

“For the last 24 hours, under the guidance of Foreign Minister Israel Katz, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs worked with all the relevant parties in Turkey in order to bring about the speedy release of Sagiv Jehezkel,” the ministry said in a statement.

“Turkey has become a dark dictatorship, working against humane values ​​and sports values,” Katz said.

“Whoever arrests a soccer player for an act of identification with 136 abductees who have been held for over 100 days by the terrorists of a murderous terrorist organization, represents a culture of murder and hatred,” he added.

Katz called on the international community to act against Turkey for threatening athletes. “Today it’s Sagiv Jehezkel, tomorrow it’s another athlete.”

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant accused Turkey of ingratitude following the incident, posting to X: “When there was an earthquake in Turkey less than a year ago, Israel was the first country to stand up and extend aid that saved the lives of many Turkish citizens.


Second Israeli soccer player runs foul of Turkish feelings with support for hostages
After Turkey’s decision Monday to deport Israeli soccer player Sagiv Jehezkel over a gesture in sympathy to Hamas-held hostages in Gaza he made during an on-field celebration of a goal, attention turned to a second Israeli player who also expressed solidarity with the abductees.

Soccer team İstanbul Başakşehir said it would open disciplinary action against midfielder Eden Kartsev for harming “sensitive values” in Turkey.

The drama over the two Israeli players began when Jehezkel, 28, a player for Antalyaspor, celebrated his equalizer goal in Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Trabzonspor in the top Turkish league by making a heart sign with his hands to the camera and showing his wristband, which bore the words “100 days. October 7” along with a Star of David symbol.

The 132 hostages remaining in captivity in the Strip have been held there for 100 days after being kidnapped by Hamas-led terrorists on October 7.

The gesture did not go down well in Turkey, a country that hosts top Hamas officials and whose leaders have taken a highly hostile approach against Israel during the ongoing war.


NHL expresses ‘significant concerns’ with Israel hockey ban
The National Hockey League has expressed “significant concerns” with the International Ice Hockey Federation’s decision last week to ban the Israeli national hockey team from an upcoming competition.

In a Jan. 10 announcement, the Zurich-based worldwide governing body for ice hockey said that it “has decided to restrict the Israeli National Team from participating in IIHF Championships until the safety and well-being of all participants (including Israeli participants) can be assured.”

The IIHF clarified on Friday that the ban only applies to an U20 (under 20 years old) men’s Division III world championship tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria, later this month and that meetings will take place to determine the policy of future tournaments. The puck is scheduled to drop on Jan. 22 and Israel was supposed to compete in the Group B round-robin with Bulgaria, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, New Zealand and Turkey.

The National Hockey League said in a statement on Saturday, “The NHL has significant concerns with the announcement from the IIHF on Wednesday regarding the Israeli National Team’s eligibility for, and participation in, upcoming IIHF events. We expressed those concerns to the IIHF and have attempted to get a better understanding of both the scope and underlying rationale for the decision that was made.”

The statement continued, “As we understand it, the decision is intended to be temporary in nature and rests solely on the IIHF’s overriding concern for the safety and security of all of its stakeholders, including both the Israeli National Team and other participating teams. Importantly, we also have been assured that the decision is not intended to be a sanction against the Israeli Federation and will not affect the Israeli Federation’s status as a full member in good standing with the IIHF.

“We urge the IIHF to take whatever steps necessary to address its concerns as expeditiously as possible so that Israeli National Teams are not unfairly excluded from future events for which they are eligible and have qualified.”

Mikhael Horowitz, an Israeli hockey player and CEO of the Ice Hockey Federation of Israel (IHFI), told The Canadian Jewish News that the move is “discriminatory and against the Olympic Charter and it will not be accepted by Israel.”


'Religious discrimination': Cricket South Africa strips Jewish player of captaincy
Sky News host Sharri Markson says Cricket South Africa's decision to remove Jewish player David Teeger from his captaincy of the under 19s was to "punish" rather than protect him.

Teeger had dedicated his Rising Star Award at a Jewish achiever ceremony to a South African family whose son was missing in Israel, sparking outrage and controversy.

“There was an inquiry to see if he had breached any codes, with complaints claiming his words were provocative because Palestinians were being killed by the Israeli army,” Ms Markson said.

“Teeger defended himself by saying it was his personal view that Israel has not committed genocide, war crimes or crimes against humanity. He was cleared of all charges and it seemed the matter was over."

On Friday, South Africa stripped him of his cricket captaincy, claiming they were protecting him and were only worried about his safety ahead of protests at tournament venues.

“They're not protecting Teeger, they're punishing him for being Jewish, for supporting a Jewish homeland – it’s clearly religious discrimination,” Ms Markson said.




Netanyahu thanks visiting Czech president for ‘unreserved support’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Petr Pavel, the president of the Czech Republic, in Jerusalem on Monday.

They were joined by Netanyahu’s National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi and diplomatic adviser Ophir Falk, and ambassador to Prague Anna Azari.

Netanyahu updated Pavel on developments in the war against Hamas and thanked him for the “unreserved support of the Czech government and the Czech people for the State of Israel and its just fight against the terrorist organization Hamas.”

The two leaders also discussed strengthening cooperation in the fields of security, energy, agriculture and innovation. A memorandum of understanding between the countries on cyber issues will be signed on Tuesday.

Earlier, Pavel met with President Isaac Herzog, who thanked Prague for sending the first senior government official to the Jewish state in the aftermath of Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre of some 1,200 people.

(On Oct. 10, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský was the first high-ranking politician to pay an official visit to Israel after the deadly attack.)

“Thank you for your support and efforts to see the hostages returned home,” said Herzog. “Thank you for being a voice of moral clarity in Europe and around the world.”
House speaker: Federal employees who walk out over Gaza ‘deserve to be fired’

Nikki Haley campaigns in Iowa with 'She Who Dares Wins' sweater from pro-Palestine designer and favorite of Kate Middleton who called Hamas terror attack 'revenge' for being 'trapped in massive prison'
Nikki Haley has campaigned in Iowa with a sweater by a pro-Palestinian celebrity designer who called the Hamas terrorist attack 'revenge' against Israel for being 'trapped in massive prison'.

The Republican presidential hopeful and former United Nations Ambassador first donned the $235 'She Who Dares Wins' Alice Temperley pullover during an on-camera interview in Cedar Rapids with KCRG.

The candidate, who is battling for second place in the caucus behind Donald Trump, also wore the green design on Saturday as she told her supporters to wrap up to get out to vote in the sub-zero temperatures.

Temperley, a favorite of Kate Middleton and Hollywood stars, sparked outrage in October when she expressed support for a Gaza ceasefire in a now-edited Instagram message in October.

The British designer went so far as to suggest that Hamas terrorists were justified in wanting 'revenge' against Israel.

In the post, Temperley said 'the West helped create Hamas through decades of torment and devastation in Gaza'.

Haley has been staunch in her support of Israel on the campaign trail, rejected any calls for a ceasefire and told Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu to 'finish' Hamas.

But her choice of designer has raised eyebrows after her social media response to the October 7 attacks that killed thousands of Israeli civilians.

In the post, Temperley continued: 'If you blow kids and their family's [sic] up and trap them in a massive prison with constant kidnapping and bombardment - then of course they are going to seek revenge and be very angry (as I would be in their position)

'No freedom, no rights and now genocide threatening 2.2 million people who are being refused aid, food and water.
Keir Starmer warns of rising antisemitism and vows never to let it take hold in Labour again
Sir Keir Starmer has warned of a rise in anti-Jewish racism as he vowed never to let antisemitism take hold in the Labour Party again.

The Labour leader said antisemitism had taken “a new shape” in the wake of Hamas’s October 7 terror attacks on Israel, with those who “hate Jews” hiding behind pro-Palestinian demonstrators.

Addressing the Jewish Labour Movement’s (JLM) conference on Sunday, Sir Keir said: “Let me assure you, we will never let antisemitism sneak back into the Labour Party under cover.



“I see no greater cause in my leadership than this. This is my role.”

It came as Sir Keir announced that ex-MP Luciana Berger would lead a review of the party’s mental health strategy, four years after she quit Labour blaming “a “sea of cases” of antisemitism.

She rejoined Labour as a member last year, and her appointment to the key role was announced on Sunday.

Ms Berger claimed that Labour had “turned a significant corner” under Sir Keir’s leadership.

The former MP, who served as a shadow health minister between 2013 and 2016, will present recommendations ahead of the next election on how Labour should fulfil its plan to tackle mental illness.

It is another sign of progress in Sir Keir’s drive to “tear out antisemitism” from the “roots” of the Labour Party.

Addressing JLM members, Sir Keir said he had “dragged [the] party away from that abyss”, adding that he would “never let Britain go anywhere near it either”.

“This country will be safe for you and your children,” he promised.


Keir Starmer officially junks Labour’s old policy on Palestinian statehood
Sir Keir Starmer has said that a future Labour government would not recongise a state of Palestine preemptively or unilaterally – but rather it would make the move as part of the peace process involving a number of nations.

Starmer said there was “no risk” that the party would return to the policy it inherited under the leadership of Ed Miliband and then Jeremy Corbyn, which was to recognise a Palestinian state on “day one” of a Labour government.

Speaking at JW3 on Sunday, Starmer told the JC that Labour was “committed to the two-state solution.” He said: “Recognition has to be part of a process, and an appropriate part of the process.”

Starmer said that the new position was the same one that Labour had held for years before Corbyn.

Starmer’s comments come after Labour’s National Executive Committee passed recommendations made by the party’s policy forum in October 2023 that they would “work alongside international partners to recognise the state of Palestine alongside the state of Israel, as part of efforts to contribute to securing a negotiated two-state solution.”

On Sunday, Labour’s shadow Middle East minister, Wayne David, said that the move marked a departure from “T-shirt politics”.

The shadow minister added: “We will recognise the state of Palestine at a point which will help the peace process once negotiations between Israel and Palestine and the others are taking place.”

“It’s not about the Labour government going, ‘right we recognise Palestine’, big deal!” David said. He suggested that the party’s previous position would have “counted for very little apart from antagonising some people”.

He went on: “We want to see a state of Palestine being established but there is not a state of Palestine now.”
Exclusive: Keir Starmer blasts Labour MPs questioning UK military action in Yemen
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said on Sunday that Labour members of parliament who have publicly denounced Britain’s military action against the Houthis in Yemen were “wrong”.

Speaking to the JC at the Jewish Labour Movement (JLM) annual conference at JW3, Starmer said that the “Labour Party front bench speaks with one voice” [on the war]. Starmer said, “I made it very clear what is and is not tolerable…I will never be shy of taking necessary action”.

Starmer said Labour MP Apsana Begum “was wrong” when she labelled UK action against the Houthis in Yemen as “shameful, deplorable, beyond unacceptable” at the anti-Israel rally on Saturday.

Starmer also said it was no longer Labour policy to recognise a Palestinian state on day one of government, although recognition of the state would be “an integral part of the peace process”. The Labour leader said: “We are committed to the two-state solution.”
Penny Wong is slammed by Jewish leaders over a controversial decision - as the Foreign Minister takes off on high-stakes diplomatic trip to Israel

Opposition ‘surprised’ by Albanese’s ‘uninterest’ in Penny Wong’s Israel visit
Sky News host Andrew Bolt says the opposition is as “surprised” as he is in Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s “uninterest” in who Foreign Minister Penny Wong meets during her trip to Israel.

“A lot of world leaders flew to Israel to show solidarity with it … our Prime Minister Anthony Albanese didn’t go to Israel,” Mr Bolt said.

“Our Foreign Minister Penny Wong … now she is going and to some Arabic countries and the West Bank as well, but once she is in Israel, she is not going to visit the sites of the mass murders,” he said.

“The Opposition is just as surprised as I am by Albanese’s uninterest in who Penny Wong does meet.”

Mr Bolt was joined by former president of the Victorian Liberals Michael Kroger to discuss Ms Wong’s visit to Israel.


‘Embarrassing’: Penny Wong to skip massacre sites during Israel visit
Australian Jewish Association’s David Adler has criticised Penny Wong for her “dereliction of duty” in choosing to not visit the October 7 massacre sites in Israel.

The Foreign Minister is currently en route to the Middle East to visit Jordan, Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

“She’s not just embarrassing the country,” Mr Adler told Sky News host Caleb Bond.

“This is a dereliction of duty.

“She has a duty to stand by our allies – she has a duty to inform herself and see firsthand what happened otherwise she might as well stay home and watch videos of what happened.”




‘Not my Foreign Minister’: Sharri Markson blasts Penny Wong over Israel itinerary
Sky News host Sharri Markson says we can only be ashamed of our Foreign Minister after her refusal to visit the sites of the October 7 Hamas massacre.

"She won't step foot in the kibbutzes, where frightened families were slaughtered in cold blood, where young women were raped and babies were killed or kidnapped," Ms Markson said.

Ms Markson said Penny Wong couldn't even articulate a reason when asked today.

"Tonight, I'd like to say to Israel, Penny Wong does not represent most Australians.

"She does not represent us when she criticises Israel and calls for a ceasefire, she does not represent us when she calls for restraint while the terror attacks are still unfolding, she does not represent us when she turns away from the bloodstained walls and floors where so many innocent Jewish families met their graves.




The Quad: “I Was with Him Until The End” The Untold Story of an Oct. 7th Fallen Hero
This week, the Quad speaks with Jessica Elter, girlfriend of Ben Shimoni. Shimoni heroically saved many people at the Nova festival before his car was ambushed by Hamas terrorists He was murdered and a passenger was kidnapped from his car. Jessica was on the phone with Ben the whole time and reveals new details of the harrowing story.

In addition, the Quad talk about Israeli unity right now: Does it really exist or the fissures in society from before Oct. 7th coming to the surface again?

And of course, Scumbags and Heroes of the Week!


The Israel Guys: BREAKING: New Plan Underway To Resettle Palestinians in the Gaza Strip (With Hebrew Subtitles)
Israel is talking of encouraging Gazans to immigrate elsewhere. US President Joe Biden stated that this would be a “big mistake” and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the idea is “unrealistic,”

Joshua takes a look at this and discusses the possibility of relocating Gazans to other countries.




Anti-Israel Protester Disrupts Abbott Event, Finds It's Not Good to Mess With Texans

British government to proscribe Hizb ut-Tahrir
The government is to proscribe Hizb ut-Tahrir as a terror group over its “celebration” of the October 7 attack and support for Hamas.

Since the start of Israel’s war with Hamas at the end of last year, the Islamist group’s leaders have called for “Muslim armies” to march on Palestine, while its supporters have chanted for jihad on the streets of London.

Later this week parliament will debate a draft order to outlaw Hizb ut-Tahrir, which would make belonging to, inviting support for, or displaying articles that indicate support for the group would be a criminal offence.

Affiliation with the group after 19 January could then be punished by a prison sentence of up to 14 years.

Any resources owned by Hizb ut-Tahrir may also be seized as terrorist property.

Germany, China, and many Arab countries have already banned the group.

Home Secretary, James Cleverly said: "Hizb ut-Tahrir is an antisemitic organisation that actively promotes and encourages terrorism, including praising and celebrating the appalling 7 October attacks.

"Proscribing this terrorist group will ensure that anyone who belongs to and invites supports for them will face consequences. It will curb Hizb ut-Tahrir’s ability to operate as it currently does.”

Following the October 7 attack, Abdul Wahid, an NHS GP who leads Hizb ut-Tahrir in Britain, was filmed declaring: “Brave mujahadeen, they gave the enemy a punch on the nose and it’s a very welcome punch on the nose.”

Asked on television last month if he would condemn the massacre of 1,200 Israeli civilians, he said: “I will defend the right of the Palestinians to resist occupation.

"When you look at what happened on the 7th of October as if that is the day everything started… the word terrorism has become so politicised… in India people who supported the Australian cricket team have been arrested under terrorist offences, in the West Bank people have been told if you reveal what happened in the prisons you will be arrested on terrorism charges.”


Tom Gross: People are sick of pro-Palestinian groups disrupting traffic, trains and city centers

Suella Braverman seen crying at pro-Israel demonstration which saw a man arrested for 'shouting anti-Semitic abuse' at supporters from a moving car as thousands gather in central London to mark 100 days since Hamas bloodshed
Suella Braverman was among the thousands who attended a pro-Israel demonstration in central London on Sunday to mark 100 days since Hamas launched its bloody October 7 attack.

Police said that a man was arrested for allegedly shouting 'antisemitic abuse' from a moving car near the rally, which was held in Trafalgar Square.

Protesters gathered with Israeli flags and posters calling for those who were taken hostage by Hamas and remain captive in Gaza to be returned home immediately.

The crowd chanted 'Bring Them Home Now' and '100 days in hell' as they highlighted the plight of some 136 people still being held captive after Hamas stormed southern Israel on October 7, killing around 1,200 and kidnapping 200.

Israel responded by declaring war on Hamas, vowing to destroy the group and rescue those taken hostage.

The devastating military campaign has seen almost 24,000 people killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas authorities. Just over 100 Israeli hostages have been returned home safely.

The former home secretary wiped away tears as she listened to speakers at the event, which she said she was attending 'to stand in solidarity' with Israel and demand the return of the hostages.

She said: 'It has been 100 days since innocent people have been taken hostage by the Hamas terrorists and we need to bring them home now.'

Various speakers took to the stage at the rally and were met with claps and cheers of support from those gathered.

In a video message played to the audience, President of Israel Isaac Herzog thanked the King for his support to the people of Israel.

He also thanked Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer.

He said: 'In the face of those who wish to scare us into silence, you've stood up and spoken out with clarity, pride and passion but it isn't only within the Jewish community, across every branch of British leadership... the truth reigns clear.

'In the name of the state and people of Israel, I thank you all.

'I want to thank His Majesty King Charles III. I want to thank Prime Minister Sunak. I want to thank the UK Government and I want to thank Opposition leader Starmer and his colleagues.'
Met investigating El-Kurd over ‘normalize the massacres’ remarks
London’s Metropolitan Police have launched a formal investigation into Palestinian activist and poet Mohammed El-Kurd over his remarks at an anti-Israel protest over the weekend, which were widely denounced as antisemitic incitement, the Met announced on Sunday.

In his speech to the Palestine Solidarity Campaign’s seventh “March for Palestine,” which took place on Saturday and saw over 200,000 protestors descend on the British capital, El-Kurd said, “We must normalize massacres as the status quo,” in what some saw as a reference to Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre of more than 1,200 people in Israel.

In his remarks, El-Kurd also called on marchers to “root Zionism out of our world” while describing all Hamas terrorists killed by Israel as “martyrs,” in possible violation of U.K. and Israeli law.

“We must de-Zionise…Zionism is apartheid, it is genocide, it is murder,” the Jerusalem-based activist exclaimed, denouncing the Jewish people’s movement for self-determination as a “death cult.”

“We must normalise arresting and deporting people like this,” tweeted British MP Robert Jenrick of the Conservative Party in response.

El-Kurd subsequently claimed he misspoke and accused critics of “willfully distorting” his words. “Lots of ppl reporting this speech to the police. Idgaf. Zionism is indefensible,” he added.

On Sunday, the Metropolitan Police announced that law enforcement officers were “assessing the matter and as part of that assessment will be seeking to speak to the individual concerned,” promising on X to “provide a further update in due course.”


Gary Lineker shares tweet calling for Israel to be removed from international football - prompting outrage from Tory MPs who blast Match of the Day star's credentials as a 'international diplomat and foreign policy expert'

Stephen Pollard: Intellectual titan Gary Lineker’s latest endorsement is his worst yet
I know, I know. I really should have better things to do with my time. But I have been thinking a lot about Gary Lineker’s thought processes.

Last week the Match of the Day presenter reposted a call on X (Twitter, to you and me) by the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic & Cultural Boycott of Israel calling for…oh go on, guess.

Yes! You got it: a boycott of Israel. In this case, the demand is for Israel to be barred from tournaments and games “until it ends its grave violations of international law… particularly its apartheid rule and the crime of genocide it is perpetuating in Gaza”.

It seems that Mr Lineker – I’m sorry, it really should be Professor Lineker – is an expert not just in modern history (you will recall how last year he attempted to school Simon Schama in Jewish history) but also now, we learn, in international law. And not merely an expert – but so brilliant an expert that he feels compelled to share his views with the world, lest we be deprived of that expertise.

Annoyingly for him, there are other people – fake experts, obviously – who have spent their careers studying, teaching and writing about the issues Lineker posts about. And these people – the sheer cheek of it – point out that Lineker is talking out of his…well, you know what I mean.

Last March Britain’s leading public intellectual – for how else ought we to describe a man of his titanic gifts? – took it upon himself to explain antisemitism to Sir Simon Schama. Lineker had posted his disagreement with Suella Braverman’s reference to “hate marches”, writing: “Marching and calling for a ceasefire and peace so that more innocent children don't get killed is not really the definition of a hate march.” Sir Simon responded: “Why would you have a ceasefire with terrorists (Hamas) whose leaders have explicitly said they want to do October 7 again and again until Israel is annihilated?”

Lineker upbraided the cheeky upstart who had had the temerity to question him: “Different point entirely. Doesn't make it a hate march.”

The previous December our intellectual hero had posted on the death in Nablus of Ahmed Daraghmeh, who was killed in a clash with Israeli soldiers. “How awful”, he wrote, while reposting a tweet accusing the IDF of taking Daragmeh’s life “treacherously". In fact Daraghmeh had died during an attack on Jews who had been visiting the site of Joseph’s tomb and was then mourned by Hamas as a mujahid – a fighter or warrior. But Lineker obviously knew better.


Hamas News Agency Celebrates Gary Lineker's Anti-Israel Retweet

Six anti-Israel activists arrested for alleged plan to disrupt London stock exchange
The Metropolitan Police arrested six members of the anti-Israel group Palestine Action on Sunday for allegedly plotting to disrupt and damage the London Stock Exchange.

The six are accused of planning to cause “damage and ‘locking on’ in an effort to prevent the building opening for trading,” according to police.

The six unnamed suspects, who remain in custody, range in age from 23 to 31. Three are women.

“These are significant arrests. We believe this group was ready to carry out a disruptive and damaging stunt which could have had serious implications had it been carried out successfully,” said Detective Superintendent Sian Thomas.

Thomas thanked the London Daily Express for tipping officers off about the plot on Friday. That information “was instrumental in helping us intervene successfully,” the superintendent said.


Pro-Palestine supporters gather outside Israeli Embassy in Canberra
Pro-Palestine supporters have gathered in front of the Israeli Embassy in Canberra.

The protesters could be seen waving both the Palestinian and South African flags.

This comes after South Africa launched a case against Israel in the International Court of Justice, claiming the country is committing genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza.

“So long as you, safe in your office, continue to murder entire bloodlines of Palestinians in their homes, in the streets, in hospitals,” one protester said.

“You, Israeli diplomats, you murderers, you will not be welcome here.”






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This blog may be a labor of love for me, but it takes a lot of effort, time and money. For over 19 years and 40,000 articles I have been providing accurate, original news that would have remained unnoticed. I've written hundreds of scoops and sometimes my reporting ends up making a real difference. I appreciate any donations you can give to keep this blog going.

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