Wednesday, April 03, 2024

04/03 Links Pt2: A Day that Will Live On in Infamy; Eve Barlow: Parasites; Protests in Amman are linked to Iranian goal to ‘swallow’ Jordan

From Ian:

A Day that Will Live On in Infamy
Today is a dark day for the Western world; a day that will live on in infamy. The decision by the United Nations Security Council to impose a ceasefire on Israel without condemning Hamas for instigating the current war, or insisting on the immediate return of hostages before a ceasefire begins, is surely one of great injustices imposed on a country since the creation of the United Nations in the wake of the Second World War.

Since its establishment in 1945, the United Nations has ostensibly aimed to be the fulcrum of global peace and security, intervening in conflicts to halt wars and foster negotiations. However, the decision today by the UN Security Council marks a stark departure from historical precedents. It is also galling hypocrisy to use Ramadan as a foil for this resolution, when Hamas deliberately chose a Jewish festival day as the date to launch its violent bloodbath against Jews.

These omissions are not just notable; they are literally unprecedented, except when it comes to Israel. In past interventions when the Jewish state wasn’t involved, the UN has repeatedly taken a more balanced approach, recognizing aggressions and violations of international law by all parties involved. This latest stance, with a resolution that is void of any condemnation of Hamas or demands for the return of hostages for there to be a ceasefire, raises questions about fairness and the underlying principles guiding the UN’s decisions in international conflicts.

Just by way of comparison, in January, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2722, which called for the maintenance of international peace and security in the face of Houthi attacks on commercial navigation in the Red Sea. The resolution unequivocally condemned the Houthi’s aggressive actions, including the seizure of the ship, Galaxy Leader, and its crew, emphasizing the vital importance of unimpeded maritime commerce and the exercise of navigational rights under international law. The resolution demanded an immediate halt to such attacks and called for the release of the seized vessel and its crew, highlighting the broader implications of these actions on global trade and regional stability.
Stephen Pollard: Only science fiction explains the UN’s parallel universe
See what I mean about parallel universes? Those who cite Hamas’ casualty figures are living in a parallel universe where 2+2 does not equal 4 but whatever Hamas declares it to be.

It's the same phenomenon over aid and the supposed famine that is engulfing Gaza as a result of Israel – in this other parallel universe – refusing to allow enough food or medical supplies in. (You hardly need me to tell you that the UN operates in a parallel universe. The UN Human Rights Council, after all, exists not so much in a parallel universe as in a deranged antisemitic fantasy world.)

The recent report by the UN’s Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Famine Review Committee (FRC) said that famine was likely by May in northern Gaza, and by July in other parts of the Strip. Last week, however, COGAT, the Israeli Defense Ministry body responsible for civilian affairs in the Palestinian territories (COGAT stands for Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories) demolished the “multiple factual and methodological flaws” in the IPC’s report, which was – of course – based on Hamas supplied figures.

For one thing, the IPC simply repeated as fact the Hamas health ministry’s assertion that less than one litre of water per person was available per day, when the actual figure is 20. COGAT has provided incontrovertible photographic and other evidence of between 150 and 200 aid trucks entering daily – what is actually an 80 per cent increase in food supplies since before October 7. The problem, as anyone who lives in our actual universe rather than the parallel one in which the Jews are trying to starve the Gazans, is that the UN’s own agencies in Gaza, and some of the aid organisations, have been unable to distribute supplies which are waiting on the Gazan side of the Kerem Shalom crossing for UN distribution by aid workers – in large part because of Hamas, which is deliberately pushing the narrative of starvation by the Israelis. And the UN, of course, repeats it as fact.

This week a series of pictures has emerged on social and Palestinian media showing markets in Gaza full of food – indeed there is now so much available that, as one vendor told reporters, "an average family can now buy products for a hearty meal with 100 shekels, compared to 200 shekels required for such a meal just a few days ago."

As 3 Body Problem shows, there are an infinite number of these parallel universes. The accusation, for example, that Israel is engaged in genocide, rather than in an astonishingly precise and carefully planned attempt to destroy a terrorist organisation, is patently the product of a parallel universe. You can, I am afraid, take your pick from many more.
Col Kemp: Civilian casualties aplenty inside war's foggy lens
The implication of that is whoever ordered and conducted the strikes believed the vehicles that were hit contained terrorists, suggesting incorrect intelligence or failure of surveillance, possibly compounded by human error. There are many variables. We don’t yet know whether those who conducted the strikes were acting according to IDF rules of engagement or were negligent. Sometimes soldiers and commanders behave recklessly or irresponsibly in all armies including the IDF.

Nor do we know whether accurate information on their movements was passed by the WCK staff or whether it was correctly understood by the IDF or shared with the strike commander. We do, however, know that differentiating between enemy forces and uninvolved civilians is made much more challenging by Hamas terrorists’ use of human shields, always moving and fighting in civilian clothes and sometimes using civilian vehicles such as ambulances and aid trucks.

Unfortunately, nightmares like this occur frequently in the fog of war, with its confusion, chaos, danger, death, destruction, mental overload, human pressure, and technical failure. For example, during President Biden’s withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, a US drone strike in Kabul mistakenly killed an aid worker and nine members of his family including seven children. General Mark Milley, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff explained: “In a dynamic high-threat environment, the commanders on the ground had appropriate authority and had reasonable certainty that the target was valid. But after deeper post strike analysis we conclude that innocent civilians were killed.” This strike also occurred as a result of a misidentified vehicle.

Another tragedy occurred in October 2015 when a US gunship attacked a hospital in Kunduz operated by Doctors Without Borders in which 42 staff and patients were killed and many wounded. The US attributed the incident to “avoidable human error compounded by process and equipment failures”, with the aircrew misidentifying the hospital as a Taliban-controlled building.

I have not had personal experience of the killing of innocent civilians but during different campaigns, I was involved with so-called “blue-on-blue” or “friendly fire” incidents, which are not dissimilar. They often occur in conditions of poor visibility or on difficult ground such as urban or wooded areas, when I know firsthand that it is all too easy to misidentify your own troops. Three soldiers from my own regiment were killed by a US air strike in Afghanistan in August 2007 due to human error by both the American strike commander and the British ground controller. The challenges of inherent battlefield chaos and consequent errors — which applies also to civilian casualties - is illustrated by estimates that suggest up to 25% of US casualties in war have been due to friendly fire.

I have no doubt the independent investigation will reveal the full facts and be made public. If there is intentional malice, breaches of IDF rules of engagement, or reckless behavior, individuals will be held accountable under military justice. Lessons will also be learned by the IDF to help them avoid repetition, although the unfortunate reality of war is that other tragic incidents will re-occur during this and other conflicts around the world, especially where terrorists use human shields. In this war in Gaza, there are two fail-safe means of preventing further major violence against civilians as well as soldiers. The first is for Hamas to surrender and release all the hostages. The second is the destruction of Hamas by the IDF.


Eve Barlow: Parasites
For whatever it’s worth, antisemitism has always been trendy in the moment and people with zero morals who are short-lived will use it to get ahead while they fake some moral purity, but history will always show that if you take that road you will only be remembered for your cowardice and evil. In years from now, the books will tell that The UN, UNRWA, The Women’s March, UNESCO, UNICEF, HRW, Associated Press, The Guardian etc, all got into bed with modern day Nazism and it will be the downfall of all who participated. Let this be a warning. Don’t touch it with a barge pole.

Oh I forgot Amnesty International and the Red Cross and every dumb celebrity who wore a red pin on the Grammy and Oscar red carpets. Who else did I miss?

Every day the so-called humanitarian shills of this earth could come online between vacations and fancy dinners to talk about real issues that impact the Jewish people who live on their doorsteps, but instead they choose to promote themselves while pushing down on the shoulders of the helpless whose lives will only be bettered and protected by a unified call for Hamas to release the hostages and stop the war. It's that simple. The antisemitism is preventing them from helping the people they purport to care for. It's pathetic, embarrassing and stupid, and it is destroying everything that they attach their names to. They promote antisemitism over humanitarianism.

The female hostages in Gaza are being subjected to sexual assault during their captivity. If this isn’t the primary concern for them, they can take the word “feminist” out of their goddamn mouths. Do they realize that the same online MRA communities (Mens Rights Activists) they claim to be fighting are mere lightweight versions of the Islamic regime of Iran, and its proxies, both offline and on?

Progressives! Yes I’m talking to you. You are correct about one thing. In the society you are ushering in, you will all be equal. You will all be equally suppressed and subjugated by the same autocratic power base, and none of you will have any rights to speak of.

I made this address today. Watch it. Share it. Send it to your most braindead friends. For your sake as well as theirs. They are going to destroy this world for all of us.

PLEASE. It will take five minutes.

If you want the war to stop, share this, and get your friends to understand what they have to do to promote peace. Because at the moment all they are doing is promoting war. Not peace. Your most progressive humanitarian friends wouldn’t know peace if an olive branch whacked them in the face. As for them choosing fringe communities of “good Jews” who represent less than 1% of us to be their allies and voice… Again, I’ve been to the Gaza envelope. Have they? I mean their schedules have been jam-packed full of normal life since October 7 so yeah, no.

Today the IDF accidentally killed seven aid workers in Gaza, and admitted to this tragic error and issued a statement. The uproar and outrage and incessant posting by the parasites was insufferable. It was an accident. Hamas, however, do not kill anyone by accident. Death for Hamas is a strategy. The entire Bibas family has been in capitivity for 180 days. These same puritans have said not a single word about Shiri, Yarden, Ariel and Kfir Bibas. Not one! What kind of humanitarian is that? Oh but the International Court of Justice says… Who gives a shit? Iran pays for that.

Victimhood is a mental disorder. It’s often associated with narcissistic personality disorder. A lot of narcissists work in human rights advocacy. I went to university with a fair few. They really like the sound of their own voice, and don’t like finding out they might be racists. They wear other people’s victimhood to further their own brands, because they’re cowards who would rather build their name on other people’s pain than search through their own and figure out how to survive. They can start by using their ears.
Europe’s policies to combat antisemitism have failed the ‘real world’ test
Across many the Continent’s capitals — and it must be said, mainly in those with significant Muslim populations — there are now regularly occurring protests where one can see Nazi images referring to Jews and images drawing parallels between Gaza and Auschwitz; one can hear calls for Jewish genocide and ethnic cleansing “from the river to the sea.”

Across Europe, one can find placards calling Jews terrorists; the blood libel of child killers is used regularly; death threats against rabbis are common; Jews are insulted on the street daily; and our children are cursed at. Europeans who have served in the Israel Defense Forces are outed in their communities via letter campaigns, saying a “child killer” is living next door to them. Flights arriving from Israel are tracked and met by protesters, and the Jewish Community President in Porto takes his child to nursery wearing a bullet proof vest.

These are just a few of the many, many examples of daily life for Jews in Europe today. And they answer any questions regarding the worth of all the plans and strategies that were put in place.

Regrettably, these measures currently have no visible or demonstrable practical application across Europe. Or, as one Dutch Jewish community president put it: “They aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on.”

So, what’s happening in the real world? Police departments are hamstrung in the face of openly antisemitic protests, unsure, and therefore unable, to stop public manifestations of hate. The courts, too, seem to have little to no framework available when it comes to prosecuting the antizionists and antisemites who have made our collective Jewish life here in Europe hell.

The result? Jew haters are emboldened because they can act with impunity.

Today, the number one cost for Jewish communities is security. Jews are largely on their own, footing the bill for private security and equipment — funds that could be used for Sunday schooling, community development or holiday celebrations. I should also add here that the EU just put out a call for funding the security of Jewish institutions, but the bloc’s bureaucracy is often so cumbersome that — as one prominent rabbi put it — “it’s like asking someone to fill out a lengthy insurance form while your house is on fire.”

In short — and let me be blunt — if governments aren’t prepared, or are unwilling, to turn words into action, all the plans and IHRA adoptions, the entire strategy will be useless.
Seth Mandel: Why Biden Can’t Please ‘Both Sides’ of the Israel-Gaza Debate
The Wall Street Journal carries a story today about how President Biden’s approach to the Israel-Hamas war increasingly alienates the supporters of each side. What it doesn’t say is that a president consumed with “both sides” of a war between our ally and a terrorist regime holding American hostages is the underlying problem.

The president wants the votes of a segment of his base who want him to intervene to save from extinction the barbaric terrorist organization that murdered Americans in cold blood and took other Americans hostage, using them as slaves, starving them, and sexually assaulting many of the women. But Hamas’s extinction is the only possible way to end the ongoing conflict, since the group exists to murder, kidnap, and rape—and says so daily.

Thus, Biden wants these voters to know that he’s sorry and he still loves them. But in order to please them, he would have to consign the Jewish state to the fate Hamas wants for it. Since the president is not a monster, he has thus far refused to do so.

At the same time, his sympathy for those with family in Gaza is appropriate. There are many innocents in the Strip facing hardship. The step he won’t take is to force Israel to lay down its arms before an enemy sworn to destroy it. That, too, is appropriate. Trying to reconcile the two is a fool’s errand.

On that note, Jeremy Ben-Ami, head of the progressive political lobby outfit J Street, has—stunningly, perhaps unintentionally—made a decent point. “Polarization on these issues between these communities is getting deeper,” Ben-Ami told the Journal. “Both sides deserve to have their rights and security and ultimately their freedom—that’s what the administration is trying to do—build a path towards that, and that’s not easy.”

When he says “both sides,” Ben-Ami is referring to Israelis and Palestinians. The problem for Biden is that Palestinian rights and security and freedom require the defeat of Hamas. The Palestinian Authority, which governs the West Bank, will at the very least sit with negotiators in a process designed to create a second state without eliminating an existing state, Israel. That is not something Hamas is willing even to consider, which is why at every stage of Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking efforts, Hamas acts as the intentional saboteur. When the sides are even willing to envision a coexisting future, Hamas begins shedding the blood of both Jews and Palestinians. It is not acting in Palestinian interests but rather the interests of its Iranian masters in Tehran.


MEMRI: Challenging The Dominant Radical Narrative Preached In Mosques Across The U.S. Regarding The Israel-Hamas War
In the aftermath of Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, in which 1,200 people were killed and hundreds were abducted, I have reviewed and analyzed hundreds of Friday sermons delivered by imams and preachers in mosques and Islamic institutions across the United States. By doing so, I was hoping to understand how these religious leaders framed the attack, Israel's response, and the subsequent U.S. reaction. I also sought to understand the narratives they have adopted, promoted and amplified, along with their proposals for resolving the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

Interestingly, almost all the sermons seemed to share similar themes in their framing of the attack, amplifying a single narrative which justifies[1] Hamas's attack[2] as a legitimate[3] act[4] that is based on the command of Allah and the teachings of the prophet Muhammad. Therefore, they did not condemn or hold Hamas responsible for killing and abducting civilians, including children and the elderly, and sexually assaulting several women.[5]

They did not condemn[6] Hamas for starting a war, miscalculating[7] Israel's response, using the Gazans as human shields, or causing the death of thousands of Palestinians and the destruction of large areas of Gaza. Instead, in their sermons, these preachers and imams focused on highlighting the similarities between Hamas' attack and the wars[8] fought by the prophet and his companions, demonizing Israel, narrating historical antisemitic stories attributed to the prophet Muhammad, founder of Islam, such as the hadith about the stones and the Gharqad Tree, and citing verses from the Quran that characterized Jews as corrupt,[9] treacherous, untrustworthy, and the killers of prophets.[10]

Moreover, they presented the conflict as part of an eternal[11] religious enmity[12] between Muslims and Jews that will ultimately end with the humiliating defeat of the Jews by Muslims and the liberation of Jerusalem and Palestine "from the river to the sea." Regarding U.S. support for Israel's right to defend itself and the sending of two aircraft carriers to the Middle East, some imams attributed the move to the antisemitic[13] conspiracy theory[14] that sees U.S. politicians and decision-makers as under the control of the Jews and the Zionist lobby.

I strongly disagree with their framing of the conflict and the promoted narrative for three reasons. Firstly, it is the declared narrative of the Muslim Brotherhood and of Hamas and their supporters that downplays and justifies Hamas's violations of Islamic concepts and principles in order to concentrate all efforts on attaining the ultimate goal of defeating Israel.

Secondly, these imams and preachers have disregarded, either due to their ideological bias or lack of knowledge, multiple interpretations of Quranic verses that offer different and opposing perspectives to their promoted framing and narrative.

Thirdly, the promoted narrative is the same old radical narrative, recycled for decades, that presents the Palestinians as victims, portrays the Jews as evil, insists on an all-or-nothing approach, lacks self-reflection, endorses the vicious circle of violence,[15] and rejects[16] peace and coexistence with Israel.

By challenging this narrative from within the Islamic perspective, I aim to demonstrate that this dominant narrative is a radical version promoted by Islamist groups, regimes, and organizations. I also hope that peace-loving, open-minded, and tolerant Muslims in the U.S. and around the world will question imams and preachers who portray Islam as a religion opposed to peace and coexistence, and who insist that it promotes hate, intolerance, and violence.
Congresswoman accuses Israel of ‘indiscriminate bombing campaign’
As Israel investigates an airstrike on Monday that killed seven aid workers, including an American, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) accused the Jewish state of an “indiscriminate bombing campaign” that “only results in further devastating loss.”

“The killing of humanitarian aid workers is shameful,” the ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee stated on Tuesday, the day after the attack.

“The Israeli government must exhaust all efforts to preserve and protect innocent civilians and humanitarian aid workers caught in the middle of this conflict,” DeLauro said.

Food must not be used as “a weapon of war,” she added, insisting that Israel allow “at least 500 trucks” with aid into Gaza daily.

“We also need an immediate ceasefire of at least six weeks and for hostages held by Hamas to be freed,” she stated.

On Oct. 7, DeLauro wrote of the “devastating” images coming out of Israel. “The abhorrent terrorist attacks by Hamas on civilians are unconscionable,” she wrote at the time. “I stand strongly behind our ally Israel and firmly support its right to defend itself.”

“We must end Hamas’s ongoing terror in the region to create a lasting peace,” she said on Oct. 31. “Everyone will be hurt if Hamas remains in control of Gaza. I strongly believe Israel has the right to defend itself and protect its citizens in accordance with international law.”


Tory local election candidate stands down after ‘jew pigs’ social media post emerges
A Conservative Party candidate has withdrawn from the forthcoming local elections after a social media post emerged in which he appeared to have used the words “jew pigs”.

Azmat Husain had been due to stand as the Tory candidate for Eccles in the city of Salford, Greater Manchester, in the May elections, with campaign material showing his name circulated in the seat.

But on Wednesday Husain confirmed to Jewish News that he had now stood down.

A Facebook post appeared to show that Husain, the current chairman of Salford Conservative Federation, had used the words “jew pigs” during an online discussion about settlers in the West Bank.

Jewish News understands that a complaint about Husain and the social media posted in 2021 had originally been made to the Tory Party over one year ago, and he had been suspended.

The result of the investigation conducted by the party is not known.

A Conservative spokesperson told Jewish News: “The Conservative Party has an established code of conduct and formal processes where complaints can be made in confidence. This process is rightly confidential.”
Kanye West says Holocaust fake, Hitler 'was great' in rants alleged in lawsuit
American rapper Kanye West made antisemitic and Holocaust-denying comments during bizarre tirades in front of employees and students at his school, according to a Tuesday lawsuit filed with the Superior Court of California against him by a former employee seeking compensation for alleged abuse, discrimination, breach of contract, and wrongful termination.

Trevor Phillips, who was hired by West to grow cotton and other crops in the Yeezy clothing line and a self-sufficient community, said that he had seen the rapper, also known as Ye, engage in antisemitic rants to his staff after his October 2022 social media tweets about Jews and the ensuing public turmoil.

“The Jews are out to get me,” said West. “The Jews are stealing all my money.”

According to the filing, West made these comments in front of students at his Donda Christian private school, and the staff didn’t respond, fearing for their jobs.

Phillips recounted how West was volatile, firing people from his organizations on a whim. A coach at the school was fired for sharing a “racist video” that purported to show people in Israel assaulting black people, Phillips said.

In a private meeting at the Nobu Hotel, West allegedly confided in Phillips that he believed that Jews were greedy and that he hated Jewish people.

“Hitler was great,” West allegedly said. “Hitler was an innovator! He invented so many things. He’s the reason we have cars.”

Phillips said that he challenged West’s characterization of Hitler by reminding him of the Holocaust, to which the celebrity said, “That was fake.”

“Hitler was a good person,” West continued, according to the suit. “Jewish people are bad, and they run America. And Chinese people run them.”

West blamed Jews for the collapse of his partnership with Adidas after he made a series of antisemitic comments.

“The Zionist Jews are out to get me. They are a part of human sex trafficking,” West allegedly said. “The Jews are working with Adidas to freeze up my money to try and make me broke! The Jews can’t stop me. Adidas can’t stop me. I will be the richest person in the world.”

During the same meeting, West warned that he was going first after “the Jews, then the gays.”

“Gay people are not true Christians,” West reportedly explained to Phillips. “And Gay people are controlled by Bill Gates so that they don’t have children for population control.”
EU condemns attack on Damascus mission that killed top Iranian generals
The European Union on Wednesday condemned an airstrike on the Iranian embassy in Damascus on April 1 that killed seven people and called on countries in the region to show restraint.

Iran blamed Israel for the attack, which killed two of its generals and five military advisers at its embassy compound in Damascus. Israel has not claimed responsibility for the strike, one of the most significant yet on Iranian interests in Syria.

“In this highly tense regional situation, it is imperative to show utmost restraint,” Peter Stano, a spokesperson for the executive European Commission, said in a post on X.

“The principle of the inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises and personnel must be respected in all cases and in all circumstances in accordance with international law.”

Iran has avoided direct conflict with Israel during the half-year war against Hamas in Gaza while supporting its allies’ attacks on Israeli and US targets.
Benny Gantz calls for early Israeli elections
Israeli Minister Benny Gantz called for the country to hold elections in September during a press conference on Wednesday evening.

This is the first time Gantz has called for new elections since joining the war cabinet following the Hamas attack on Oct. 7 that prompted the Israel-Hamas war. Moving elections up to September this year would bring a vote forward by two years.

“We must agree on a date for elections in September, towards a year to the war if you will,” Gantz said in a briefing. “Setting such a date will allow us to continue the military effort while signaling to the citizens of Israel that we will soon renew their trust in us.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has spoken out against the prospect of elections while the war is ongoing. He is facing significant domestic and international pressure over Israel’s war with Hamas and the government’s inability to secure the release of the roughly 100 hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza.

Netanyahu’s party, the Likud party, rejected Gantz’s call for September elections.

“At this fateful moment for the State of Israel and in the midst of a war, Benny Gantz must stop engaging in petty politics just because his party is disintegrating,” the party’s statement said, according to the Times of Israel. “Early elections will inevitably lead to paralysis [in the war] and [societal] division in addition to harming [the IDF’s goal to invade] Rafah and dealing a fatal blow to the chances of a hostage deal.”

Alternatively, opposition leader Yair Lapid believes the election should happen before September.
Federal court: Iran, Syria must pay $191 million for murder of Ari Fuld
The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ordered on Thursday that Iran and Syria pay $191 million for complicity in the murder of Ari Fuld, an American-Israeli killed by a Hamas terrorist in 2018.

Royce Lamberth, a senior judge and former chief judge on the court, held that Fuld’s estate and surviving family members are entitled to damages due to Iran’s and Syria’s roles as state sponsors of Hamas terrorism.

“The stabbing that killed Mr. Fuld was a tragic event, and money cannot fully account for the harm that these defendants have inflicted,” Lamberth wrote. “Iran and Syria have, once again, provided material support to Hamas and thereby facilitated the savage murder of a husband, father, son and brother to these plaintiffs.”

“The court’s ruling today cannot erase plaintiffs’ pain, but it can begin the process of affording them due compensation for their loss,” he added.

Richard Heideman, senior counsel at Heideman, Nudelman & Kalik, which represented Fuld’s estate and most of his family members in the suit, told JNS that the $191 million in damages is intended to compensate for the suffering of Fuld and his family but also to send a signal to Hamas’s sponsors.

“The court also went one step further and assessed punitive damages, as not only a punishment of Iran and Syria but also to send a loud and clear message that the court will not countenance the continued sponsorship by Iran and Syria of terror against Americans,” he said.
Temple Mount closed to Jews for remainder of Ramadan
The Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City will remain shuttered for non-Muslim visitors until after Ramadan, the Israel Police has informed Jewish rights activists.

Jews and other non-Muslims have been banned from ascending the Temple Mount since Friday, marking the third year in a row that access to Judaism’s holiest site has been limited over security concerns during the Islamic holy month.

The government-backed ban is expected to be lifted on April 14, the first Sunday after Eid al-Fitr, the Islamic holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, Israel’s Srugim online news outlet reported. That would amount to a 16-day closure.

Last year, the Temple Mount was shuttered to Jewish worshippers for 12 days during Ramadan; in 2022, the closure lasted 13 days.

Tom Nisani, the executive director of Beyadenu—Returning to the Temple Mount, noted in comments to Srugim that “there is not a single day of the year when the Temple Mount is closed to Arabs.”

“Instead of enforcing the security of those [Jews] who ascend, the Israel Police, the prime minister and the responsible minister [National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir] fold in the face of threats,” he added.
Most US Jewish parents say kids’ college choices affected by Oct. 7 — survey
An overwhelming majority of Jewish parents of high school juniors and seniors say the October 7 onslaught on Israel and its aftermath have affected which college their children plan to attend, according to a new survey commissioned by the Jewish campus group Hillel International.

Many families have ruled out schools over antisemitism concerns, the survey found, and a relatively small but significant proportion — 19 percent — said they are considering eschewing higher education for their children altogether.

The findings dovetail with a different survey, conducted by the BBYO Jewish youth movement and released in February, showing that two-thirds of Jewish teens said antisemitism on college campuses had become an important factor in their college choices. Some teens said they had changed their aspirations or plans for next year because of incidents on specific campuses since October 7.

The parents’ and teens’ anxiety has been fueled by prominent reports about antisemitic and anti-Israel activity on campuses during the Israel-Hamas war, which began after thousands of Hamas-led terrorists butchered 1,200 people in southern Israel and abducted 253 to the Gaza Strip.

Some of the incidents have prompted leadership changes, faculty protests, and federal investigations into specific schools.
Vandals remove Perelman donor’s name from Drexel University Jewish center
Vandals recently removed the name of a major Jewish philanthropist who donated $6 million to a Jewish student center at Drexel University in Philadelphia.

The act of erasing Raymond G. Perelman off of the Raymond G. Perelman Center for Jewish Life happened while the academic institution was closed last week, marking the end of the winter term.

His name still shows slightly on the red brick wall at the school known for its science, technology and engineering programs.

Drexel University president John Fry sent a statement to students on Tuesday about the incident, saying “it bears repeating that vandalizing centers of Jewish life and learning, defacing property with antisemitic graffiti, or ripping mezuzot off doorposts in residence halls does not constitute any legitimate form of protest. Such acts are antisemitic in their intent to disrupt Jewish life and intimidate our Jewish communities, and have no place at Drexel or in our democratic society.”

He added that “our policy of zero tolerance for antisemitism and all acts of intimidation, harassment and hatred remains in place.”

Drexel Public Safety and Philadelphia police are jointly investigating this incident, which was captured on video, as a hate crime.

Fry noted that “with Pesach starting in less than two weeks, we will continue to ensure that Jewish life, learning and holiday celebrations will always flourish at Drexel.”
Fears over ‘segregation’ of Jews at Glasgow university
Jewish students at the University of Glasgow have spoken of their distress after a British-Palestinian doctor who has praised terrorists was voted in as rector.

In response to the election of Ghassan Abu-Sittah, the university suggested that Jewish students could use alternative representatives, prompting allegations of “segregation”.

The doctor, who has been lavishly fêted by the British media for his work as a surgeon in Gaza, was elected to the position last week with the support of 80 per cent of voting students.

He has praised members of a proscribed terror group who flew into Israel on gliders and murdered six soldiers. He also sat beside a notorious plane hijacker at a memorial and delivered a tearful eulogy to the founder of a terror group that was later involved in the October 7 atrocities, the JC has previously revealed.

The University of Glasgow distanced itself from the election of Abu-Sittah, saying that Jewish students concerned about the new rector should turn to other officials to represent their interests.

Former Attorney General Sir Michael Ellis told the JC: “Glasgow University now reportedly want to offer alternative representation to Jewish students. Surely this is tantamount to segregation?

“It is impossible to imagine any other ethnic or religious group being separated off from fellow students in this way. How can it possibly be defended?

“The explosion of anti-Jewish racism at university campuses across the UK since Hamas’s October 7 pogrom should have acted as a wake up call to society.”
Concern for Jewish teachers as NEU members prepare to vote on anti-Israel motion
The largest teaching union in the UK will become an “uncomfortable” place for some Jews if an anti-Israel motion is passed at its annual conference in Bournemouth, former education minister Robert Halfon has said.

Concern for Jewish educators is mounting as the National Education Union (NEU) prepares to vote on a motion that accuses Israel of racist policies and blames the Jewish state for being the “main driver” of violence in Gaza.

Jewish teachers are facing hostility from their union, according to Halfon, who said: “If this motion was passed the NEU would be an uncomfortable place for some Jewish members.”

The NEU has faced sharp criticism in the past after emerged that its General Secretary, Daniel Kebede, urged a rally in 2021 to “globalise the intifada”.

Kebede is set to speak at an NEU event this week with Stop the War Coalition that will call on the UK government to "stop Israel’s war in Gaza [and] stop arming Ukraine”.

Kebede will address the fringe event alongside Anas Altikriti, who said in a video in November that hostage taking was a “very important part” of any “act of resistance” and that Israel was “mimicking” Nazis.

On Saturday, Kebede marched at the anti-Israel rally alongside activist Ismail Patel, who “saluted” Hamas for “standing up to Israel”, and Adnan Hmidan, who said he “loved” Hamas founder Sheikh Yassin. Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who presided over the party’s antisemitism crisis, was also in the line-up at the front of the march.
UCLA Med School Requires Students To Attend Lecture Where Speaker Demands Prayer for ‘Mama Earth,’ Leads Chants of ‘Free Palestine.’
In a mandatory course on "structural racism" for first-year medical students at the University of California Los Angeles, a guest speaker who has praised Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on Israel led students in chants of "Free, Free Palestine" and demanded that they bow down to "mama earth," according to students in the class and audio obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.

Lisa "Tiny" Gray-Garcia, who has referred to the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks as "justice," began the March 27 class by leading students in what she described as a "non-secular prayer" to "the ancestors," instructing everyone to get on their knees and touch the floor—"mama earth," as she described it—with their fists.

At least half of the assembled students complied, two students said. Gray-Garcia, a local activist who had been invited to speak about "Housing (In)Justice," proceeded to thank native tribes for preserving "what the settlers call L.A.," according to audio obtained by the Free Beacon, and to remind students of the city’s "herstory."

The prayer also included a benediction for "black," "brown," and "houseless people" who die because of the "crapatalist lie" of "private property."

"Mama earth," Gray-Garcia told the kneeling students, "was never meant to be bought, sold, pimped, or played."

So began a long and looney lecture that shocked some students at the elite medical school and has led to calls for an investigation. Wearing a keffiyeh that covered her entire face, Gray-Garcia, a self-described "poverty scholar," led the class in chants of "Free, Free Palestine" as faculty and staff looked on in silence, according to people in the course and contemporaneous text messages reviewed by the Free Beacon.



Even after condemning her ideas as 'racist' UCSF still employs medical prof who suggested that 'Zionist doctors' are a threat to patients
The University of California at San Francisco still employs a professor who said in a post on X in January that the “presence of Zionism in US medicine” should be examined.

”The presence of Zionism in US medicine should be examined as a structural impediment to health equity. Zionism is a supremacist, racist ideology and we see Zionist doctors justifying the genocide of Palestinians. How does their outlook/position impact priorities in US medicine?” UCSF Professor Dr. Rupa Marya wrote on Jan. 2.

UCSF revealed in response to a public records request filed by Campus Reform that Marya is still employed as a professor in the university’s department of medicine.

Marya is also an internal medicine specialist at UCSF Health.

It’s not the first time Marya discussed Zionism on her social media account, as Campus Reform reported.

”People acting like you can remove the Zionist from Zionism and sanitize it from its violent colonial ideological roots,” she wrote in November. “You can’t take the Nazi out of Nazism either. Learn history. Read about Zionism in their own words.”

UCSF initially released a statement in early January condemning the post, but didn’t mention Marya by name.
New federal complaint accuses UC Davis of failing to protect Jewish students
A new federal complaint takes aim at UC Davis, accusing the university of failing to respond adequately to a “pervasively hostile” atmosphere for Jewish and Zionist students.

The 29-page complaint, filed Monday with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, describes dozens of incidents, ranging from a professor of comparative literature stating that “all Israeli residents are legitimate targets” at an Oct. 18 campus event, to a Jewish student being told she could not work as a party DJ because of her support for Israel, to Jewish students getting “gagged at” while walking on the campus quad.

The complaint was filed by the StandWithUs Center for Legal Justice (SCLJ), a partner organization of StandWithUs, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit focused on supporting Israel and combating antisemitism.

The complaint alleges that UC Davis is violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which “prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance.” UC Davis administrators have responded to the alleged conduct “with indifference and a failure to enforce any policies to protect Jewish students,” the filing states.

It is only the latest complaint filed with the DOE describing deteriorating conditions at U.S. universities for Jews, Israelis or both since Oct. 7. A large number of campuses, including UC Berkeley, Harvard, MIT, Stanford, UCLA and Brown University, have been similarly accused.

UC Davis already faces a related federal investigation that became public in December.

Still, the new complaint is striking in its breadth, listing repeated expressions of support from pro-Palestinian activists at UC Davis for the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre and of Palestinian resistance “by any means necessary.” It also documents discrimination by student groups against anyone whom they perceive as “Zionists,” described in social media posts and at protests as genocidal, as liars, “settlers,” “colonizers” and “racist pigs.”

There have also been recurring protests at which demonstrators call for the elimination of Israel and commit acts of vandalism, according to the complaint.

Gabriel Gaysinsky, a Jewish student activist and elected member of the student senate, described the atmosphere for Jewish students, particularly those known to show even glancing support for the existence of a Jewish state in Israel.


Winnipeg Sun Publishes Letter Claiming October 7 Massacres Were “A False Flag Operation” By Israel
In what represents a significant lapse in editorial judgment, on April 2, The Winnipeg Sun published a letter to the editor which made unhinged anti-Israel conspiracy theories.

In the letter entitled: “Winnipeg Sun choose sides,” writer Glenn Holms alleged that the newspaper “is in full support of the Israel Mossad,” though he does not point out the basis for his curious accusation.

Before long, Holms launched into a conspiracy theory-laden screed, lambasting those who he claims “thinks it’s OK to slaughter thousands and thousands of innocent Palestinians because a small terrorist group reportedly killed just over a thousand.”

Aside from Holms’ gullible regurgitation of unverified and highly unreliable Hamas propaganda figures, his inclusion of the word ‘reportedly’ alongside mention of Hamas’ October 7 terrorist attacks in Israel makes clear that he is alleging that Hamas, the genocidal terrorist organization committed to Israel’s destruction, is apparently innocent.

But readers do not have to guess as to Holm’s true feelings; he soon articulates them explicitly.

“This reeks of a false flag operation. Israel has the most protected border walls in the world and the most sophisticated surveillance and intelligence system as well and we’re supposed to believe that a small handful of Hamas somehow circumvented all those safeguards and caused mayhem? Do you not think that it’s within the realm of possibility that Israel either allowed it, encouraged it or maybe those “Hamas terrorists” were really Mossad agents to gain sympathy from the world and then fulfilling their dream of obliterating Palestine and its people in order to have it all become Israel,” Holms wrote.


After comparing Israel to Nazi Germany, Turkey now seeking rapprochement – report
After months of anti-Israel rhetoric from the highest levels of government, Turkey now wants to improve relations with the Jewish state, Ma’ariv reported Tuesday.

Last week, when the Turkish Deputy Ambassador was summoned to the Foreign Ministry for an official reprimand, the Hebrew daily said that he told Director General Jacob Blitstein, “President Erdogan’s severe rhetoric against Israel stems from Erdogan’s political considerations in the local elections in Turkey.”

After they took place, he said, the president would want to improve ties, starting with both countries returning their ambassadors, who had been recalled just weeks into the Israel-Hamas war due to Turkey’s overt pro-Hamas stance.

Among his harsh condemnations of how Israel is conducting its battle against the terrorist organization, Erdogan has accused Israel of committing “crimes against humanity in Gaza,” said that “Netanyahu and his government are the Nazis of our time,” and threatened to “send [Netanyahu] to Allah to take care of him, make him miserable and curse him.”

The latter statement, made at an election rally last month, led to a previous summons of the Turkish Deputy ambassador to receive “a severe reprimand,” as Foreign Minister Israel Katz described it.

Erdogan has also bashed Western countries for supporting Israel, “a terror state,” he said, whose leaders should be tried for war crimes in the International Court of Justice.

The Turkish leader, whose religious beliefs are similar to those of Hamas, has long refused to label the Gazan group as terrorists and gives their leaders safe haven in his country.

Even after their slaughter of 1,200 people during their surprise October 7 invasion of Israel, the vast majority of them civilians, including infants and the elderly, he called Hamas a legitimate “resistance” organization that “we stand firmly behind,” in a speech to his parliament that garnered applause from the lawmakers.

On Sunday, Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party suffered its worst defeat since its founding two decades ago, losing in over a dozen mayoral elections countrywide.

These included major cities such as Istanbul and the capital, Ankara, whose incumbent Opposition mayors easily retained their seats. The secular Republican People’s Party, which received almost 38% support nationwide, also wrested away cities in more conservative and religious areas that had been Erdogan strongholds.

Katz posted to X that the resounding defeat was “a clear message to @RTErdogan: Incitement against Israel no longer works, find another horse [to ride on].”


MEMRI: Former Pakistani Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan Calls For Joint Flotilla Of Pakistani, Turkish, And Malaysian Navies To Be Sent To Gaza: 'Are Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif And Other Muslim Rulers Waiting For The Death Of The Last Palestinian?'
Former Pakistani Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan has urged the government of Pakistan to summon the U.S. ambassador in Islamabad and lodge a protest against "the American patronage of Israeli terrorism" in Gaza, according to a report in an Urdu daily. According to the report, titled "Is Shehbaz Sharif Waiting For The Death Of The Last Palestinian – Former Senator Mushtaq," the former lawmaker said: "Pakistan, Turkey, and Malaysia should send a joint naval fleet to deliver aid to Gaza where Palestinian children are dying of hunger."

Following is the text of the report published by Roznama Jasarat:[1]
"The newly elected patron of the Save Gaza Movement, former senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, said: Are Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other Muslim rulers waiting for the death of the last Palestinian? Mushtaq Ahmad Khan said that Gaza is being turned into a vast graveyard. [He demanded that] the American ambassador be summoned, and a protest letter be given regarding the American patronage of Israeli terrorism.

"[He called for] sending a joint flotilla of the navies of Pakistan, Turkey, and Malaysia to break the economic siege of Gaza and open up land and sea routes for humanitarian aid.

"He expressed these views while addressing a press conference with other leaders on the occasion of joining the Save Gaza Movement as a patron at the National Press Club on Friday [March 22]. On this occasion, the leadership of the Save Gaza Movement announced a sit-in at D-Chowk [of Islamabad] on March 24 to demand their rights.

"The former Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan demanded that the resolutions of the joint session of the National Assembly and Senate regarding Palestine be upheld. [He urged] Pakistan's top leadership, state, and institutions to fulfill their responsibility for the freedom of Palestine...

"He said that Pakistan, Turkey, and Malaysia should send a joint naval fleet to deliver aid to Gaza where Palestinian children are dying of hunger. It is essential to ensure evacuation of thousands of those who are severely ill from Gaza for their treatment. Pakistanis can accomplish this task if provided with the path.

"Pakistani wants to reach out to Gaza's patients and starving children. Twenty-seven children have died of starvation and America is patronizing Israeli terrorism. Protests are happening in Europe and the West. Are Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other Muslim rulers waiting for the last Palestinian to be martyred? A protest should be recorded by summoning the American ambassador."
MEMRI: In Urdu-Language Daily, Pakistani Writer Urges Afghanistan, Pakistan To Fight Israel: 'Why Doesn't [Pakistani Taliban Commander] Hafiz Gul Bahadur Fulfil This Longing For Jihad By Aiding The Hamas Mujahideen In Gaza?'
In a recent article in the Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Jasarat, Pakistani writer Abdul Tawab Shaikh wrote that Afghanistan and Pakistan should not waste their energy on the Afghan-Pakistan border, but use their resources instead to fight Israel in Gaza.

The article, titled "The Pakistan-Afghanistan Row – The Loss Of Bilateral Energy," follows a March 16-17, 2024, terrorist attack by Afghanistan-based Pakistani Taliban commander Hafiz Gul Bahadur on a Pakistani military checkpoint in the Mir Ali area of the mountainous Waziristan region that killed two Pakistani army officers and five soldiers. In retaliation, Pakistan's Air Force conducted airstrikes in Khost and Paktika provinces of Afghanistan, thereby causing further deterioration in the security situation on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

In his article, Abdul Tawab Shaikh took a pro-Pakistan position, but concluded that the two countries should not get into a conflict; instead, both countries, and terror commanders like Hafiz Gul Bahadur should fight Israel in Gaza.

Following are excerpts from the Roznama Jasarat article:[1]
"The [Military] Rulers Of Pakistan... Putting Into Practice The Quranic Principle That Life Requires Qisas [Retaliatory Punishment], Attacked The Camps Of These Terrorists In Afghanistan And Destroyed The Shelters Of These So-Called Brothers [Afghan Taliban]"

"The sacred month of Ramadan has the distinction of being the time during which the Quran was revealed. The first ten days of this month are called a period of blessing. In this period, the terrorists of Afghanistan, which is called an Islamic country, and which calls Pakistan an Islamic brother country, smashed an explosive-laden vehicle at a Pakistan military checkpoint in the Mir Ali area of North Waziristan, carrying out a suicide attack [on March 16-17, 2024].

"As a result of this, Lt.-Col. Kashif Ali, Captain Muhammad Badr, and five other soldiers were martyred. This was a big operation whose responsibility was claimed by commander Hafiz Gul Bahadur, who lives in Afghanistan along with his allies. At the funeral prayer of these martyrs, Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir, President Asif Zardari, the foreign minister, the interior minister, senior military officials, and civil servants, and the relatives of the martyrs, all took part. President Asif Ali Zardari said that the blood of our sons would not go to waste and a jaw-dropping response would be given.
MEMRI: Article In Urdu-Language Daily Alleges Jewish Conspiracy To Demolish Al-Aqsa Mosque: 'The Orthodox Elements Insist That The New Reconstruction Of This Temple Will Be Where Al-Aqsa Mosque And Golden Dome Are Situated'
In a recent article in an Urdu-language newspaper, Pakistani writer Masood Abdali argued that orthodox Jews want to revive the tradition of sacrificing an animal at the place where the Golden Dome and Al-Aqsa Mosque are situated, and that such a sacrifice will follow the construction of the Solomon's Temple at the same site.

In the article, titled "A Time Bomb Is About To Explode In Al-Quds [Jerusalem]," Masood Abdali also wrote that according to Hebrew historians, a spotless red cow must be sacrificed as ordered by God to the nation of Moses. He said that since such a red cow was not sacrificed, Allah punished the Jews by taking away their place of worship.

Following are translated excerpts from Roznama Islam article:[1]
"A Suspect Activity Is Also Becoming Unveiled On The American Media, Which Can Be Better Described As A Time Bomb For The Two Billion Sons Of Tawheed [Islamic Monotheism]"

"The right-thinking people of the world are perturbed over the bloodshed going on in Gaza. The destruction is also underway on the west bank of Jordan River next to the narrow strip of the Mediterranean Sea along the Sinai desert. Bombings, drone attacks, firing, arrests, and kidnappings have also turned the lives of 3,200,000 souls living here into a hell... Along with it, a suspect activity is also becoming unveiled on the American media, which can be better described as a time bomb for the two billion sons of Tawheed [Islamic monotheism]. To understand this, one must take a look at a corner of the history of Bani Israel [the children of Israel].

"In the verses 60-70 of Chapter Two of the Quran, a story is discussed, according to which, Allah had ordered the nation of Moses to sacrifice a cow. After questions and answers from the people, the sign of the animal was detailed: the cow was to be of middle age, playful, orange in color, and it was not to have been put to hard labor. Hebrew historians say that it was a red-colored female calf on whose skin there was no white or black hair.

"According to Jewish history, their first place of worship was established in 957 BCE and was called Solomon's Temple, which was demolished in 587 BCE by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. In 516 BCE, this place of worship was rebuilt at the same place... [following the Persian Conquest of Babylon]. In 70 BCE, the Roman Emperor Titus set this temple on fire.

"The day it happened was the ninth day of the month of Av in the Jewish calendar. On this basis, the Jews mark it as Av'BTish or 'the tragedy of nine.' On this occasion of mourning, a 24-hour fast and collective seeking of forgiveness is organized.

"According to a chapter... of the Torah or the Old Testament, also known as the Hebrew Bible, God ordered to sacrifice a red female calf who had not been put to hard work and on which there was no mark or defect. The Jewish rabbis say that due to the rejection of this order, Allah deprived the Jews of the central worship place as a punishment and this temple could only be rebuilt after the sacrifice.

"For a long time, a search had been underway for such a cow with these characteristics, but such a spotless calf whose skin had no hair of any other color could not be found anywhere. More recently, Yitshak Mamo, a rabbi from Jerusalem, began searching for this type of a calf. After searching in Jewish farms across the world, he could not find such a red cow.

"At last, however, at a farm in Texas in the United States, he found such a precious gem. But now the problem arose that according to the Israeli customs, the animal cannot be imported from America. The rabbi, giving religious reasons, brought five new-born calves of the cow as pets. These cows are being nurtured at a farm built on the land occupied in the West Bank."
MEMRI: Iran's Grand Plan: Bring Down The Jordanian Regime, Attack Israel From The East, And Thwart The Western-Sunni Normalization Project – And This Could Begin This Friday, Iran's Qods Day
Introduction
In recent days, the grand Iranian plan is emerging – the plan with which the Islamic revolutionary regime is continuing despite the killing, in Israeli air strikes, the senior command of its IRGC Qods Force in Syria and Lebanon. The upcoming stage of this plan involves bringing down the regime in Jordan, attacking Israel from the east while Israel is kept busy by Iran-backed resistance forces in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza. The political aim of this plan is to thwart the Saudi-American project of normalization with Israel.

Next in Iran's sights is the expulsion of American forces from Iraq, and the undermining of the Saudi kingdom and the Egyptian regime, as Iran actualizes the vision of its Islamic Revolution.

It is not clear whether the U.S. administration, which is currently preoccupied with the IDF's tragic mistaken killing of World Central Kitchen charity workers, is aware of events that could impact the continued U.S. presence in the region as well as America's international standing.

Iran's Messianic Vision: Exporting The Revolution, Eliminating Israel
Since its establishment, the Iranian revolutionary regime has been operating according to an systematic messianic ideological plan.[1] According to the regime's founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the seizure of power in Iran in 1979 was the starting point of Iran's "comprehensive Islamic Revolution" and of the concept of "exporting the revolution" – that is, spreading and instilling the Islamic Shi'ite revolution and its values across the regions of Sunni Arab hegemony in the Middle East – and that this will be the instrument for achieving Islamic unity.

The regime in Iran has never concealed its aims and aspirations: to have the Iranian Islamic Revolution take over the region, to bring down the West-facing moderate Arab Sunni regimes by "exporting the revolution," and to eliminate Israel, the "Little Satan" and the "cancerous growth," and liberate Jerusalem from it.

To achieve this, the Iranian regime uses its array of resistance axis militias, from Yemen to Lebanon and from Iraq to Azerbaijan, as an effective military arm for establishing its messianic vision. Iran's messianic revolutionary vision is embodied by the concept of Umm Al-Qura, "the Mother of the Villages," developed by Iranian thinkers (see MEMRI Inquiry and Analysis No. 1286, The Regional Vision Of Iran's Islamic Regime And Its Military-Political Implementation, Part I – The Ideological Doctrine: Exporting The Revolution; Iran As 'Umm Al-Qura') This vision camouflages Iran's efforts to expand Shi'ite hegemony in the Islamic world at the expense of the Sunni hegemony that has prevailed in the region for the past 14 centuries.

In effect, the Iranian regime uses each of its two aims to justify and achieve the other. For example, the Palestinians are, for the regime a means of achieving the aims of Iran's Islamic regime: a means for eliminating Israel and for "exporting the revolution," i.e. consolidating Shi'ite Iranian control of the region to replace the Sunni Arab dominance.


Seth Frantzman: Protests in Amman are linked to Iranian goal to ‘swallow’ Jordan - analysis
The Al-Ain report notes that the Brotherhood has plans to spread chaos in Jordan and Egypt. The timing reveals a “hidden” side of the story, which is the Brotherhood wants to heal its own internal divisions by “focusing on igniting the kingdom and occupying the group’s organizational bases with protests to cover up the differences and crises it faces.”

The Muslim Brotherhood was supposed to be dissolved officially in Jordan but it acts through its political arm the Islamic Action Front Party, the report says. The Brotherhood in Jordan has many factions and internal disputes due to its history, the article claims. This is also “attributed to the presence of Jordanians of Palestinian origin and others.”

The article says that a “shadow” movement has emerged which focuses purely on Palestinian issues. “This movement is led by the General Comptroller of the Brotherhood in Jordan Abdul Hamid Al-Thanibat (Thneibat),” and he has sought to increasingly back Hamas. “It is worth noting that the issue of the relationship with the Palestinian Hamas movement was considered one of the most important controversial issues among what is known as the shadow movement or Hamas organization in the Jordanian Brotherhood,” the article says. While the Brotherhood in Jordan says it has no organizational ties to Hamas, in fact the recent protests show how there are connections. “Head of the Hamas political bureau abroad, Khaled Mashal, called for escalation on the border with Israel in order to incite and inflame the situation in Jordan,” Al-Ain notes.

Mashal once resided in Jordan but was expelled in 1999. Hamas was accused of threatening the security of the Kingdom in the 1990s and Israel attempted to assassinate Meshal in Jordan in 1997, an incident that became an embarrassment for Benjamin Netanyahu during his first term as Prime Minister. Mashal visited the kingdom in 2012.

It now appears that Hamas and the Brotherhood want to weaken Jordan and hijack it amidst the chaos in the region. The article quotes a Jordanian writer begging the Brotherhood not to bring chaos into the kingdom. Some Jordanians want to pressure the government to act and others understand the group will lose if they increase their clashes with security forces.

“The more extreme movement (the Hamas organization in the Jordanian Brotherhood) raised the idea of the resignation of the representatives of the Islah Bloc, who represent the group and its political arm, the Islamic Action Front Party, in Parliament, so that the government would take stronger decisions regarding the war in Gaza,” the report notes. This is all about politics and pressure.

There are also other worrying developments. The group may want to “revive the popular army and arm Jordanians to fight a battle with Israel. It called on Jordanians to march to the borders of the occupied territories, previously made by the military leadership of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, and the leadership of the movement’s political bureau, headed by Khaled Mashal.”

The report links this to similar calls in Lebanon and Yemen regarding Hezbollah and the Houthis. It says that Iran has sought to open the borders of Jordan and Egypt to fighters who want to attack Israel as part of the “resistance axis.” Thousands of fighters in Syria could already attack Israel from the Golan, the report notes, but it correctly points out that the demand is focused on Jordan and Egypt “in order to achieve the axis goals of swallowing up the rest of the countries of the Arab region and subjecting them to the Iranian project, according to observers.” This “reveals that the Brotherhood in Jordan is working to put pressure on the Jordanian leadership to intensify the atmosphere in the street... that may lead to Jordan sliding into chaos.” It is a dangerous situation “which ultimately serves the Iranian project.”


'Our blood will not be exploited': Fatah attacks Iran over West Bank chaos
The main Palestinian faction in the West Bank on Wednesday accused Iran of trying to spread chaos in its territory and said it would oppose operations from outside that had nothing to do with the Palestinian cause.

Fatah, the movement that controls the Palestinian Authority, said it would not allow "our sacred cause and the blood of our people to be exploited" and said it would act against any interference from outside aimed at harming security forces or national institutions.

Israel has long accused Iran of helping Palestinian terror groups, including Hamas, the Islamist group in Gaza that led the October 7 attack on Israel and which has become more deeply entrenched in the West Bank over recent years.

Last month, the Israeli military said security forces had stopped advanced weapons, including anti-tank mines, from being smuggled into the West Bank.

Iran's influence in the West Bank
In the past, Iran has not denied providing support to the armed groups, saying whatever backing it gives is at the request of the Palestinians.

The statement from Fatah came as the Palestinian Authority has asked the United Nations Security Council to vote this month to make it a full UN member, a move that would add to mounting global pressure for a two-state solution with Israel.


London police: Attackers of UK-based dissident Iranian journalist fled the country
British counterterrorism police investigating the stabbing of a journalist who works for a TV channel critical of the Iranian government said on Tuesday that three suspects had fled the country within hours of the attack.

Pouria Zeraati, a presenter at London-based Iran International, was stabbed in the leg Friday afternoon outside his home in London. Police said Zeraati, who has been released from a hospital, was attacked by two men who fled in a car driven by a third man.

“We have established that after abandoning the vehicle, the suspects traveled to Heathrow Airport and have left the UK,’’ Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command, said in a statement late Tuesday. “We are now working with international partners to establish further details.’’

Police said that while the motivation for the attack is still unclear, Zeraati’s occupation, together with recent threats to UK-based Iranian journalists, triggered a counterterrorism investigation. Iran International, a satellite news channel that broadcasts in Farsi, has previously received threats due to its coverage of Iran.


Hinge and Tinder are swamped with anti-Zionism, say Jewish singles
Meet 26-year-old Amy. She’s single, likes puppies and is looking for a date on Hinge. But it’s not just good-looking men she’s after; she “goes crazy for a free Palestine” – at least that’s what her dating profile says.

Felicity tells singles on Hinge: “The way to win me over is: Having higher emotional intelligence than a turtle, loving spicy food and being pro-Palestine.”

Yosef says the “dorkiest thing about me is I write poems in my spare time”. Underneath these words is a photograph of him waving a Palestinian flag.

Lauren cuts to the chase by simply saying: “No Zionists”.

Lee wants to “make sure we’re on the same page about free Palestine”. So does Savanah. And Boris. And Michaela.

Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised that, like everything else in the world since October, dating has become an anti-Israel and anti-Jewish minefield.

But although there are some pro-Israel profiles, most of the messages flow in one direction: Jewish singles on Hinge tell the JC that between one in ten and one in three of their matches have something anti-Israel on their profile.

What’s more, while app algorithms are challenging to pin down, Jewish daters say that their matches have gone down since the war started and they think it’s got something to do with the “Jew” stamp on their profile.

Singles can tell prospective partners that they are Jewish on several of the main dating apps if they have set set that on their profile – it falls under the “religion” rather than “ethnicity” category. There is no setting for being anti-Israel, but daters have found other ways to broadcast their views.

The main apps all prefer active users; the more you use them and engage with profiles, the more the app understands who you’re interested in. So, what happens when Jewish singles are simply outnumbered by the sheer volume of anti-Israel profiles?
Pro Wrestler Competing in WrestleMania 40 Promotes False Anti-Israel, Anti-Zionist Narratives Online
Canadian professional wrestler Rami Sebei, one of the biggest stars in the WWE who performs under the ring name Sami Zayn, has regularly been “liking” antisemitic, anti-Israel, and anti-Zionist posts on social media while following accounts that promote false narratives about the Jewish state, The Algemeiner has learned.

The pro-Palestinian athlete, who is of Syrian descent, will challenge fellow wrestler Gunther for the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania XL on Saturday. Ahead of his appearance in the professional wrestling event, The Algemeiner discovered that Zayn follows an account on X/Twitter that shares daily antisemitic and anti-Zionist content, including comparisons between Zionists and Nazis and false accusations about Israel. The account is run by an “Anti Zionist Hebrew,” according to its bio.

Throughout several posts this week, Israel has been described as a terrorist country and liberal Zionism equated with the murdering of Palestinians. On Monday, the account shared a video of soldiers from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) kicking around a ball and wrote in the caption, “Israeli soldiers have some genocide fun time in Gaza playing with a football, most likely looted from displaced/murdered Palestinians.” On Tuesday, the account re-posted a message that said Israel is “like a mafia, launching hits on Palestinians like organized criminals.”

On March 15, another post on the X account said: “Am Yisrael Chai [a Jewish slogan that means ‘the people of Israel live’] will never again be a legitimate phrase, it has become merely an expression of genocidal ideology. Zionists have turned it into their own ‘Seig Hei,'” which is a reference to the Nazi salute.

On March 11, the account shared messages about Zionists having “a lust for blood and destruction.” The account was recently flagged by X as harmful but has not been shut down.


‘Missouri stands with Israel,’ says state senator, sponsor of ‘unequivocal’ support for Israel bill
Mary Elizabeth Coleman knew she was visiting her Christian faiths’ birthplace when she visited Israel last August. But beyond walking in the steps of Jesus, she also saw “why our country must stand with Israel in this dangerous part of the world,” she told JNS.

The Missouri state senator, who is currently running for Missouri secretary of state, introduced Missouri Senate Concurrent Resolution 24 on Jan. 11.

The bill, which “urges the U.S. Congress to offer full and unequivocal support of Israel for as long as it takes for Israel to bring justice for the unprovoked attacks on innocent civilians by Hamas,” passed the state Senate 30-0 on March 28.

“SCR 24 makes clear Missouri stands with Israel and condemns the brutal Oct. 7 terrorist attack by Hamas,” Coleman told JNS. “Supporting Israel is more imperative than ever as they strive to broaden the impact of the Abraham Accords and address the existential threats posed by Iran and its terrorist proxies.”

The resolution is concurrent with SCR 25, which “commends Israel for its cordial and mutually beneficial relationship with this state and the United States, supports Israel’s right to exist and further recognizes Jerusalem as the eternal capital of Israel.”

Coleman said she was proud to see the state Senate “come together and speak in one voice on the need to stand with our ally.” The resolution “calls on the United States Congress to provide financial support for Israel in their fight against Iran’s terrorist proxy, Hamas,” she added.

The bill had a second read in the state House on Tuesday. Coleman is working with colleagues there to pass it and “send a clear message to our congressional delegation that Missourians stand with Israel,” she said.

“The world is a dangerous place, but it’s safer when the United States builds on our robust relationship with our key international ally,” she told JNS.
Record-breaking number of Israelis featured on Forbes' 2024 billionaire's list
A record-breaking 42 Israelis were featured in Forbes' World Billionaires list for 2024, published earlier this week.

The list names Miriam Adelson, the widow of casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, as the world's wealthiest Israeli.

The Jewish mega-philanthropist recently purchased the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA. She still holds shares in Las Vegas Sands, the casino business that has generated most of her family’s wealth and allowed her to donate prolifically to Jewish and pro-Israel causes.

According to Forbes, Adelson's net worth is around $32 billion. He was placed 53rd on the list, a significant distance from other Israelis on the list.

Next on the list were brothers Eyal and Idan Ofer, whose business operations revolve around shipping and sports, with Idan holding a 33% stake in Spanish soccer giants Atletico Madrid, as well as an 85% stake in Portuguese outfit FC Famalicao.

Eyal Ofer is ranked 84th in the world with a $24 billion net worth, with his brother coming in at 120th with a reported net worth of around $15.8 billion.

Other Israelis featured in the list include Russian-Israeli sanctioned oligarchs Roman Abramovich and Vyacheslav Moshe Kantor, recently retired Check Point founder Gil Shwed, businessman Teddy Sagi, Arnon Milchen, and Amnon Shashoua.
Wiz founders earn way into billionaires club, bumping up Israelis on rich list
The Israeli founders of cloud security unicorn Wiz have been added to Forbes’ uber-exclusive roster of the world’s richest people, bringing the number of Israeli billionaires in 2024 to 36, up six from last year.

With a net worth of about $1 billion each, Wiz co-founders Assaf Rappaport, 40, Yinon Costica, 41, Ami Luttwak, 40, and Roy Reznik, 35, were added to the list. They were joined by fellow newcomer Roy Mann, 45, co-founder of Israeli work management firm Monday.com, with a net worth of $1.3 billion, in the list released late on Tuesday. Hotel owner David Fattal made it back on the list with a net worth of $1.3 billion, after being demoted a year earlier.

The highest-ranked Israeli was Miriam Adelson, 78, the widow of casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, who was listed as the 53rd-richest person in the world, with a net worth of $32 billion. Adelson is from Israel, but Forbes placed her in the US in its annual ranking of the world’s richest people, since she holds American citizenship and is based in Las Vegas.

Israeli-born Eyal Ofer, 73, the head of Ofer Global Holdings, was ranked the wealthiest person in Israel, listed at 84th place globally with a fortune of $24 billion derived from assets in the real estate and shipping industries.

His brother, Idan Ofer, 68, is the second-richest Israeli, in 120th place with $15.8 billion, generated from shipping interests. The Ofer brothers are the sons of the late Israeli shipping tycoon Sammy Ofer, who was once Israel’s richest man.

Igor Bukhman, 42, and his younger brother Dmitri, 38, owners of the gaming giant Playrix, were ranked 272nd in the list with $9 billion.


Unpacked: Did the Lost Tribe of Menashe End Up in India?
The mystery of the 10 Lost Tribes of Israel has captivated the imagination of societies around the world for centuries. Among the many communities who claim to descend from these Lost Tribes, the Bene Menashe, from a remote region of India, assert a profound connection to the tribe of Menashe, tracing their lineage back to ancient Israel.

Amidst a recent surge of unrest threatening centuries of peaceful existence, the Bene Menashe's story prompts critical reflections on Jewish identity and belonging.

Chapters
00:00 Intro
00:43 Origin story of the Bnei Menashe in India
01:47 Christian missionaries convert many Bnei Menashe
02:11 Return to Jewish roots
04:02 Reabsorption into the global Jewish community
04:49 A minority amidst ethnic violence
05:35 Aliyah, immigration to Israel
06:59 Discrimination against Bnei Menashe
07:30 The importance of Jewish unity


An unabashedly pro-Israel social-media platform in the non-Jewish world
Talk about an unorthodox voice for Israel at a time of global opprobrium.

He’s a 31-year-old London-born Roman Catholic of Polish and South African descent, who grew up in a conservative family, and who set up a PR firm in Warsaw that worked with Poland’s previous nationalistic government that clashed with Israel over the Holocaust.

He then created a “side project” to offer an alternative view of the news on social media for Central and Eastern European countries as opposed to the monopoly of the mainstream media.

Today, Stefan Tompson’s social-media platform, Visegrád 24, is one of the most popular X (Twitter) accounts on the Middle East with nearly 1 million followers. The account has grown so rapidly that it has hit 1 billion impressions a month, more than mainstream broadcasters, such as BBC World News on X.

At a time when world opinion is highly critical of Israel in the wake of the six-month-old war against Hamas terrorists in the Gaza strip, his platform is unabashedly pro-Israel. This has won him accolades from the State of Israel, where he was feted this week in Jerusalem.

“I didn’t expect that we would be such a lone voice in the non-Jewish world covering the conflict, and that so many European and American media outlets would either outright parrot Hamas propaganda or at least give them some form of legitimacy. So, once I started, I felt an obligation to stay on,” Tompson said Tuesday in an interview with JNS in Tel Aviv.

“It is absolutely shocking how the mainstream media has shaped the conflict and has given an unashamedly biased level of legitimacy to Hamas,” he said.


Matisyahu ascends to new heights in Jerusalem performance
American Jewish reggae star Matisyahu was in friendly territory on Tuesday night after being caught up in anti-Israel rage sparked by the Gaza war with show cancellations in recent months in his home country.

The 44-year-old former Chabadnik performed at Jerusalem’s Zappa at the Lab venue; the welcoming crowd swayed and smoked to 20 years of hits from the eclectic musician over two hours.

His son Laivy Miller, 19, who lives in Israel, opened the show. Matisyahu was accompanied by Israeli guest saxophonist Daniel Zamir and his band, Satlah. They played everything from classics such as “Aish Tamid” to his latest single “Ascent,” of which the video was filmed at the site of the Supernova music festival massacre and Gaza border communities.

On Wednesday night, Matisyahu gives his second and final show in the Jewish state at north Tel Aviv’s Ganei Yehoshua/Yarkon Park.

Matisyahu has made headlines in recent months as three dates on his recently completed U.S. tour were canceled because the venues said that they could not guarantee security due to anti-Israel protests. The cities were Tucson, Arizona; Santa Fe, New Mexico; and Chicago.

Following the Tucson and Santa Fe cancellations, Matisyahu wrote on social media that the venues decided to cancel the show “because they are either antisemitic or have confused their empathy for the Palestinian people with hatred for someone like me who holds empathy for both Israelis and Palestinians.”

Matisyahu was among those honored by Israeli Minister of Diaspora Affairs Amichai Chikli in Jerusalem on Sunday for his work combatting rising antisemitism since the Hamas-led massacre of Oct. 7.




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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 20 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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