Thursday, July 04, 2024

07/04 Links Pt2: The jihadi-leftist convergence; Anti-Zionism is antisemitism is anti-Americanism; The BBC busted with terrorist supporters again

From Ian:

Clifford May: The jihadi-leftist convergence
Why would atheist Communists support Islamists who shout “Allahu Akbar!” as they murder and rape?

Part of the answer, I think, is that Israel is seen, with justification, as America’s loyal ally and, beyond that, an outpost of Western values in the Middle East—despite efforts over the years by Israeli leaders to maintain amicable relations with Beijing, including by hiring Chinese firms to (can you guess?) bore Israeli highway tunnels.

In other words, anti-Zionism coincides with Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s broader goal: to diminish America as a serious superpower in a world that will be dominated by Xi’s CCP.

As America goes, so goes the West—and both Islamists and leftists want the West gone or at least made to submit. The Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini was candid, calling the 1979 Islamic Revolution that he led in Iran a fight “against the Western world.”

Now recall that, in 1987, Jesse Jackson led 500 protestors at Stanford University chanting: “Hey hey, ho ho, Western civ has got to go.”

Their complaint, or so they claimed, was that courses on Western civilization implied Western superiority that didn’t comport with “multiculturalism.”

University administrators—compliant then as now—replaced Western civ with courses on “Cultures, Ideas and Values,” and “Western imperialism and colonialism.”

These courses have stressed the ostensible sins of Europe and America, questioning the West’s foundational values of open inquiry, free markets, constitutional democracy and human equality.

Scant attention has been given to the empires of the Middle East, Asia, Latin America and Africa and their abhorrent practices (e.g., the Ottoman and Arab slave trades and Aztec child sacrifice).

Middle East studies departments were transformed into centers of “anti-Orientalist” activism, especially against Israel.

Meanwhile, ignored on most campuses, are the contemporary empire builders in Tehran, Moscow and Beijing.

Are there contradictions between jihadism on the one hand and the ideologies of the CCP and the woke left on the other? Carlos and his acolytes apparently think not.

In Revolutionary Islam, Carlos called on “all revolutionaries, including those of the left, even atheists” to accept the leadership of Islamists because they represent the only “transnational force capable of standing up against the enslavement of nations” given the collapse of the Soviet Union. (China’s relations with Washington were amicable 20 years ago.)

He predicted: “From now on terrorism is going to be more or less a daily part of the landscape of your rotting democracies.”
The antisemitic spring is over
The blind hatred of some Democrats, particularly Arab Americans and Muslims in Michigan, has led them to campaign against Biden because he supports Israel and its right to self-defense. Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face. Their actions could lead to the election of Donald Trump, who is pro-Israel but holds views that are anathema to their communities.

The amount of money spent in the Bowman race was unusual, but all “Squad” members knew they would become targets. Most, including the two regarded as antisemitic—Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Ilan Omar (D-Minn.)—are in safe seats, aligned demographically with their communities. Cori Bush in Missouri, however, is considered vulnerable and the next incumbent AIPAC hopes to defeat. Bush is facing St. Louis prosecutor Wesley Bell, who, like Latimer, is a moderate. The problem with Bush is not that she is pro-Palestinian; it’s that she is rabidly anti-Israel and pro-terrorist. She and Tlaib, for example, were the only two House members to vote against legislation that prevents members of Hamas and other related terrorist-affiliated groups from coming to the United States. A poll last week showed Bush trailing by one point after having an early double-digit lead.

After months of looking weak and fearful, it is past time for Jews and other supporters of Israel to exercise their muscles. The upcoming elections present opportunities to reinforce bipartisan support for Israel and send a clear message that antisemitism will not be tolerated in our political discourse or policies.

Most of the world would like Israelis to fight their enemies with their hands tied behind their backs. Antisemites here would like to bind our hands. We can’t let them.

Longtime California legislator and power broker Jesse Unruh once quipped, “Money is the mother’s milk of politics.” The pro-Israel lobby (millions of non-Jews support Israel, so “Jewish lobby” is a misnomer used by antisemites) should provide as much milk as needed to incentivize politicians to strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship. The pro-Arab lobby will attempt to do the same, but it has a significant disadvantage, not a shortage of resources but a lack of public support.

No other group apologizes for using whatever power they possess to advance their interests. In this case, the interests of the pro-Israel community coincide with those of most Americans and the U.S. government. As Harvard Law School professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz wrote in his book Chutzpah, “When the ‘Jewish Lobby’ defeats an enemy of Israel or of the Jews, we should proudly proclaim the victory of justice over injustice.”

Our message should be “Antisemites: We’re coming for you!”
Anti-Zionism is antisemitism is anti-Americanism
On the first day in American history, on the evening of July 4, 1776, Thomas Jefferson – if one might paraphrase his words – declared: Let there be inalienable rights to all mankind.

There was also a first day in modern Israeli history, on the afternoon of May 14, 1948, when David Ben-Gurion – in Israel’s Declaration of Independence modeled on the United States’s – declared that among these inalienable rights is the right of the Jewish people to be in their sovereign homeland.

Both Declarations drew on the same, common heritage of political rights that scholars have traced to the English Bill of Rights and the Book of Deuteronomy. Thus, a philosophical rejection of Israel’s Declaration of Independence and its right to exist is, at the same time, a philosophical rejection of America’s Declaration of Independence and its right to exist. Fundamentally, an attack on Israel is an attack on America.

Some scholars have found that America and Israel’s Declarations of Independence were racist, colonialist documents with a people’s “ancient” claims to their national lands based on fictional history and lies. Yet these Declarations were not meant for their academic analysis. They were written in the passion of the moment by countries and peoples fighting for their survival.

Of course, antisemites do not really care about any of this because they believe that Jews control both America and Israel anyway. Therefore, if I might update Jefferson’s words on America’s Independence Day, I hold this truth to be self-evident, that anti-Zionism is antisemitism is anti-Americanism.

College students use their self-governance in an anti-American way
I AM A Jewish graduate of the higher educational institution that Jefferson founded – the University of Virginia in Charlottesville – where neo-Nazis with tiki torches marched and shouted “Jews will not replace us!” on August 2017.

But not a single individual was ever found guilty of antisemitism. In the civil case Sines v. Kessler that followed, the Jewish plaintiff’s allegations of antisemitism were dismissed. The judge even acknowledged that the KKK Act of 1871, which was charged, protected racial grievances more than antisemitic grievances for white plaintiffs.

On June 28, Jewish students at Columbia University resorted to filing a complaint against pro-Palestinian protesters under the same KKK Act. They are unlikely to succeed because of the result in Sines v. Kessler from Charlottesville. Antisemitism is flourishing everywhere, it seems, and there is no one left to protect us on campus.

No one, that is, but Jefferson. I turn to him in this hour for what I am about to say with utmost seriousness.

Invoking Article III, Section 3, of the United States Constitution, I hereby allege that some college campuses across the United States have committed treason against the United States, by giving “aid and comfort” to its enemies and allowing antisemitism to thrive. To prove this, by law, I will need the testimony of two witnesses.

I call on Jefferson and his devoted friend, James Madison, author of the US Constitution and a fellow, founding board member of the University of Virginia.


David Collier: The BBC busted with terrorist supporters again
Abed Abubaker is a terrorist supporter. He publicly celebrates the murder of Jews and justifies the slaughter of civilians. His immediate family supports terrorism. His cousin is an Islamic Jihad terrorist. Abed’s best friend’s father was a Hamas enforcer. How did the BBC fawn over him and give him so much unchallenged airtime on at least four separate occassions?

So here is a legitimate question: How many times can the BBC produce fake news or be caught platforming terrorist supporters before it justifiably gets labelled as a Hamas propaganda website?

I have been doing what I can to highlight the most egregious examples my research uncovered – all that so one day – the BBC journalists and executives responsible for the catastrophic collapse of BBC standards and integrity – will finally be held to account for the tsunami of antisemitism they have helped to unleash.

Exhibit A was an entirely fabricated story about Gazan footballers – lies that were provided to the BBC by a terrorist supporting journalist that helped write the article.

Exhibit B was about how the BBC got caught pretending a child with severe underlying illnesses was healthy before October 7.

This latest example is exhibit C.

The non news story
Last November, BBC News ran a ‘non-news story‘ about a 14-year-old football supporter from Gaza who had his photo placed at Anfield stadium by Liverpool fans in a gesture of solidarity. The bridge had been built by his elder brother – Abubaker Abed – a young football commentator / journalist who lives in Deir al Balah in the Gaza Strip.

It was a non-story because there is no substance to it, and it typifies the Palestinian propaganda cause. It was a meaningless and blatant stunt put together between a propagandist in Gaza and an anti-Israel activist in Liverpool. You might expect to see the story being told in a student journal somewhere, or in a Facebook post. You wouldn’t expect to see it anywhere near the BBC website. But this is what activist journalists have reduced the BBC to. The BBC’s new expert

The propaganda stunt in early November introduced Abubaker Abed to the BBC – and it soon became apparent BBC journalists had him on speed dial. I found four separate BBC News interviews with him spread between November and February:

During these interviews:
24/11/2023 Five unchallenged minutes in which he describes massacres, atrocities, soldiers shooting civilians, and babies dying from a lack of food.
1/12/2023 Over six unchallenged minutes in which he is free to talk about ‘Israeli occupation forces’, massacres, atrocities and pushing lies about aid.
11/01/24 Seven unchallenged minutes in which he spreads stories about lack of aid, water, ongoing massacres of civilians and how they are reduced to eating bird food.
08/02/2024 Seven more unchallenged minutes in which he can say whatever he likes to the BBC audience without fear of contradiction.

During the interviews the BBC journalists repeatedly state how important it is to hear voices like Abubaker’s – so as to tell viewers what Gazans are really living with.


Department of Education Settles Antisemitism Complaints With CUNY
The City University of New York (CUNY), which has had numerous complaints of antisemitism—some predating the Israel-Hamas War—has settled with the federal Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR).

As part of the settlement for violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, the university’s board of trustees voted to create the Center for Inclusive Excellence and Belonging to foster understanding, oversee training and strengthen reporting and policy across the university’s 25 campuses.

“In the last year, there has been a growing call on higher education to create more outlets for students to engage in fruitful and productive conversations about their differences,” said CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodriguez in a statement. “These conversations are critical to ending hate and building understanding. CUNY is answering that call by creating this new center to consolidate our efforts to fight hate and improve dialogue. As one of the most diverse institutions in the nation, the university’s core mission is to provide an environment that is free from discrimination and hate.”

The settlement came as antisemitic incidents have significantly increased since the terrorist attack on Israel,with pro-Palestinian demonstrators often threatening and harassing Jewish students. The OCR investigated three cases of Islamophobia along with six involving antisemitism on five CUNY campuses, as well as civil rights violations by its central office. The campuses were: Queens College, Brooklyn College, Baruch College and its law and social work schools. As part of the agreement, CUNY will now more actively tackle antisemitism and other forms of discrimination and bigotry.

“Hate has no place on our college campuses—ever. Sadly, we have witnessed a series of deeply concerning incidents in recent months,” Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said in a statement. “There’s no question that this is a challenging moment for school communities across the country. “
Columbia University Jewish Alumni Say Administrators Are ‘Main Culprit’ of Campus Antisemitism
Columbia University’s Jewish Alumni Association blasted school officials as the “main culprit” of antisemitism on campus after newly released text messages showed administrators sneering at testimonies of anti-Jewish discrimination.

While in the audience of a May 31 alumni event, Columbia University Associate Deans Josef Sorett, Susan Chang-Kim, Matthew Patashnick, and Cristen Kromm exchanged text messages mocking and dismissing concerns of Jewish students. The messages, which called Jewish students “privileged” and “difficult to listen to,” have intensified discussions over whether the Ivy League campus has become a hotbed of antisemitism.

The newly released batch of text messages, which were publicized by the US House Committee on Education and the Workforce, incensed the Columbia Jewish Alumni Association. The organization stated that the university needs a “cultural shift” to create a safe environment for Jewish students.

“The further this unfortunate saga unfolds, the more it is clear that antisemitism runs deeper at Columbia than protests and encampments. When faculty talk, students listen,” the Columbia Jewish Alumni Association wrote in a statement.

“We know that administrators and professors are the primary culprits of Jewish students feeling threatened at Morningside Heights [the location of the school’s New York City campus] and that reality will not change until those responsible for this crisis are held accountable,” the alumni continued. “Columbia’s epidemic of antisemitism requires a cultural shift to fix it, one that involves honest conversations around how this crisis came to be, who perpetuated it, and what needs to change to ensure that the events of last spring are not repeated in the fall semester.”


Columbia Officials Admit Protest Rules 'Don't Work,' Mock Other Administrators in New Texts
Top Columbia University officials conceded in private that their rules for managing student protests "don't work," according to new text messages released this week by the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, raising questions about the school's commitment to keeping order on campus.

The messages, sent during a May 31 panel on Jewish life, reference the cards that Columbia administrators, or "delegates," have been handing out to protesters since last year in an effort to break up unauthorized gatherings. The cards instruct recipients to show their student IDs and notify them of possible sanctions, including a semester's suspension, if they don't pack up and leave.

But when a cochair of Columbia's anti-Semitism committee, David Schizer, told the panel that he'd "like to see" this tactic used more aggressively, officials in the audience dismissed the cards as a paper tiger.

"The delegate cards don't work," Matthew Patashnick, Columbia's associate dean for student and family support, wrote in a message to Cristen Kromm, the dean of undergraduate student life, and Susan Chang-Kim, the vice dean and chief administrative officer. His text earned a "like" reaction from Kromm, who in later messages used vomit emojis to refer to a Columbia rabbi's op-ed and suggested that allegations of anti-Semitism were driven by "$$$$."

Patashnick and Kromm did not respond to requests for comment. Columbia spokeswoman Samantha Slater declined to comment.

The messages indicate that some of Columbia's top officials believed that their disciplinary policies were insufficient to deter the disruptive protests that consumed campus in the wake of the Oct. 7 attacks, including the weeks-long encampment that led to the occupation of a major building, Hamilton Hall, in early May.

The university first distributed delegate cards last November when over 50 students staged a sit-in at Columbia's School of Social Work. It distributed the cards again in April after protesters took over the main campus lawn, called to "burn Tel Aviv to the ground," and drew outside agitators to the university's gates, which were eventually closed to protect students.

Columbia president Minouche Shafik nonetheless held off issuing suspensions for weeks as she attempted to negotiate with the encampment. A decisive crackdown did not come until May 1, after students stormed Hamilton Hall and briefly trapped a janitor inside.


Drexel University Professor Stole Signs From Synagogue, Police Say
A Drexel University professor allegedly participated in a mass theft of items from a synagogue in a suburb outside Philadelphia, a local NBC affiliate reported on Tuesday.

Mariana Chilton, 56, a professor of health management and policy at Drexel, has been accused of stealing pro-Israel signs from the Main Line Reform Temple in Lower Merion Township, traveling there from her neighborhood of residency, Wynnewood, Pennsylvania. Chilton allegedly drove the getaway car while two other accomplices, Sarah Prickett and Sam Penn — who is from New York — trespassed the synagogue and absconded with the loot.

“We are just taking them because we feel like it is a representative of genocide,” Chilton told law enforcement after being caught in the act, the report stated. She then, after offering to “just put them back,” refused to identify herself and comply with other lawful orders.

Video evidence provided by a local resident placed Chilton and her accomplices at the scene of the crime, and a Main Line Reform Temple official identified the signs recovered from her car as the temple’s property. That was enough for law enforcement to charge her with several offenses, including conspiracy and theft. She is also charged with driving without a license and not registering her vehicle.

In an open letter shared with The Algemeiner on Wednesday, Drexel University president John Fry said that Chilton “has been placed on administrative leave while the university evaluate all the circumstances surrounding the allegations in light of relevant policies while also assessing the impact on Drexel’s educational program.”

He added, “While Professor Chilton is entitled to the presumption of innocence, the alleged actions for which she has been criminally charged are deeply troubling.”


Committee to weigh up Senate inquiry into antisemitism on campus
A Coalition bill to establish a judicial inquiry into antisemitism at Australian universities will be examined by the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee .

A private member’s bill to establish a judicial inquiry was first introduced by Member for Berowra Julian Leeser into the House of Representatives on June 3 this year before Shadow Minister for Education Senator Sarah Henderson introduced a similar private senator’s bill on Monday.

“The Coalition is determined to do whatever it takes to stamp out antisemitism, in all its ugly forms, on Australian university campuses, just as we are determined to combat antisemitism across our nation,” Senator Henderson said.

“A senate inquiry will shine a light on the alarming increase in antisemitism at university campuses and demonstrate why a judicial inquiry is so important.

“This includes holding universities and the Albanese Government to account for failing to keep students and staff safe from hate and incitement, including infiltration by extremist groups such as Hizb ut-Tahir.”

Senator Henderson said the government’s racism study, to be undertaken by the Australian Human Rights Commission, “is woefully inadequate”.

Leeser said a Senate inquiry will affirm what we already know – “That a judicial inquiry into antisemitism in Australian universities is needed now.

“A judicial inquiry is the only way we can begin to tackle the scourge of antisemitism that has been plaguing our universities for years,” Leeser said.

“A judicial inquiry is the only way witnesses can give evidence about their experiences, free from reprisals. It’s the only way that university chancellors and vice-chancellors can be cross-examined and held to account for their failure to act at universities.

“This is so important because universities are the places where the next generation of leaders are formed. What is said and done in universities today creates the culture of Australia tomorrow.”


YouTube Rules Not to Remove Anti-Hamas, Israeli Song Despite Protests From Pro-Palestinian Activists, Employees
Decision-makers at YouTube have decided not to remove from the popular video platform a Hebrew-language rap song that expresses support for Israel’s ongoing military campaign targeting Hamas terrorists controlling the Gaza Strip, despite backlash from pro-Palestinian activists, WIRED magazine reported on Tuesday.

Following the deadly Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel, the Israeli rap duo Ness Ve Stilla released a song titled “Harbu Darbu,” which is derived from Syrian Arabic and in Hebrew slang refers to unleashing hell on one’s enemies. In the song, the rappers attack Hamas and call out some celebrities who have expressed support for the terrorist group or condemned Israel, including model Bella Hadid, singer Dua Lipa, and former Playboy model Mia Khalifa. All three women have accused Israel of “genocide” since the Oct. 7 attack.

Ness Ve Stilla also call for revenge against Hamas and the fellow Iranian-backed terrorist group Hezbollah. The rappers name Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, and top Hamas officials Mohammed Deif and Ismail Haniyeh, saying, “Every dog’s day will come.”

“Everyone who planned, everyone who supported, everyone who carried out, everyone who murdered, every bad person gets his punishment in the end,” they rap in the song. “We brought the whole army on you and I swear there will be no forgiveness … One, two, shoot.” They also describe Hamas supporters as the “Children of Amalek,” which is a reference to the ancient biblical tribe that tried to destroy the Israelites. “Amalek” has been used throughout history to describe Israel’s enemies.

The music video for “Harbu Darbu” has garnered over 25 million views on YouTube.

Pro-Palestinian activists and supporters, including YouTube employees, have criticized “Harbu Darbu,” claiming it incites “genocide,” violence, and hatred against all Palestinians and should be considered hate speech. They have also argued it could be removed for violating YouTube’s harassment policies. However, YouTube has allowed the song to remain on its website.

Management at the popular video platform concluded that the song’s lyrics target Hamas, not all Palestinians, and that as a US-designed terrorist organization, Hamas can be subject to hate speech on YouTube without violating the website’s policies, sources with knowledge about content moderation at YouTube told WIRED magazine. YouTube executives also reportedly determined that the song’s targeting of Hadid, Lipa, and Khalifa does not constitute harassment.
BBC London promotes ‘pinkwashing’ and ‘genocide’ smears
The BBC’s report makes no effort whatsoever to address that ridiculous “privileged position” claim or to inform readers what it means by “limited gay rights within Palestinian society”. BBC audiences are not informed that in fact members of that community face severe persecution – including execution – both in the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian Authority controlled areas.

Given the BBC’s record of very limited reporting on internal Palestinian affairs in general and LGBT+ rights in particular, it is unlikely that those getting their news from a media organisation which just a year ago censored a Hamas statement concerning the Jerusalem pride parade would be sufficiently informed on the issue of the lack of rights for gay Palestinians to be able to fill in for themselves the many blanks left by this BBC report.

The section quoting and promoting ‘Queers for Palestine’ is the only part of this report that promotes a political agenda, with other featured groups being a motorcycle club and a basketball club. Notably, BBC London chose to amplify smears such as ‘genocide’ and ‘pinkwashing’ without providing its readers with context essential for proper understanding of the story and the agenda of those promoting such baseless allegations.


Tom Gross Will new British PM Starmer be able to control the pro-Gaza left of his own party



PMW: PA: Hamas “brought hell on the Palestinian people,” serving their Iranian “masters”
Hamas serves their Iranian “masters,” dead Palestinians are just “human sacrifices” – official PA daily

“The Palestinian people did not want Oct. 7, and it was not consulted with about Oct. 7” – Abbas’ advisor

“One of the Hamas leaders... knows that the hell that his organization Hamas brought on the Palestinian people (i.e., Israel’s response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre) is more difficult and terrible than the first Nakba of 1948 (i.e., “the catastrophe,” of Israel’s establishment), yet he accuses the PA of treason and describes it as ‘protecting the security of Israel’”– official PA daily

Iran supports and “nurtures” Hamas and gives it “monetary and military aid,” “plotting” to create “an alternative” to the PLO and the PA – official PA daily

“Iran is dictating to Hamas what it wants” – Abbas’ advisor

Hamas “sentenced you [Palestinians] to death because they [Hamas] followed Khamenei and traded in your people” – Fatah

“Khamenei’s sin against the Palestinian people is unforgivable" – official PA daily

Hamas will “assassinate” any PA/Fatah affiliated Palestinian who will be part of Israel’s “alternative rule” in the Gaza Strip – official PA daily

Hamas is selfish – no Palestinian prisoner wants freedom at the price of tens of thousands of dead Gazan civilians – Fatah official

Iran never gave the Palestinian people anything, instead it funded Hamas, helping it to the coup in 2007 – Abbas’ advisor


Raped activist defies Taliban despite threat of video release
In a disturbing development, The Guardian has obtained video evidence showing the gang rape and torture of a female Afghan human rights activist in a Taliban-run prison. This revelation comes amid mounting reports of sexual violence against women and girls detained in Afghanistan.

The activist, who has since fled the country, claims the footage was later sent to her as a threat to silence her criticism of the Taliban regime. According to her account, shared with The Guardian and Rukhshana Media, she was arrested for participating in a public protest against the Taliban.

In the video, the woman is reportedly forced to undress and is then raped multiple times by two armed men. One of the assailants is heard saying, "You've been f*cked by Americans all these years and now it's our turn." The activist believes the attack was deliberately recorded to shame and silence her, and was threatened, "If you continue saying anything bad against the Islamic Emirate, we will publish your video."

This video evidence emerges as part of a broader pattern of alleged abuses. Last week, The Guardian published accounts of teenage girls and young women who reported being sexually assaulted and beaten after being detained under Afghanistan's strict hijab laws. In one particularly harrowing case, a woman's body was allegedly found in a canal weeks after her detention, with sources indicating she had been sexually abused before her death.

The United Nations special rapporteur on Afghanistan has recently reported suspicions of women facing sexual violence in detention. Since taking power in August 2021, the Taliban have imposed what human rights groups are calling a "gender apartheid" on Afghanistan's 14 million women and girls, severely restricting their rights and freedoms.

Zarifa Yaqubi, 30, told The Guardian she was imprisoned for 41 days in November 2022 after attempting to organize a women's movement. "They gave electric shocks and hit parts of my body with cables so that I would not be able to show in front of the camera tomorrow," she said, adding that she was tortured into admitting to taking money from foreigners to protest against the Taliban.


Germany's largest opposition party calls to designate IRGC as terror group
The largest opposition party in Germany has called for a dramatic overhaul of the country's approach to Iran. A current frontrunner in polls, the Christian Democratic Union is pushing for a tougher stance, including measures to weaken the Iranian regime and advocating for the European Union to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization.

The Iranian regime's long-standing record of funding global terrorism, destabilizing the Middle East, and threatening Israel's existence with support from Hamas and Hezbollah has been met with a policy of appeasement during the tenure of Angela Merkel, who led the CDU. Now, her own party appears poised for a significant policy shift.

A position paper on Iran, drafted by CDU lawmakers, advocates for a fundamental change in Berlin's s approach to Tehran, asserting that under its Islamist leadership, the Islamic Republic has become an unequivocal enemy of Germany across all domains. The time has come for Germany to act decisively and radically alter its stance toward Iran.

The paper outlines a strategy to weaken and isolate the regime to end its brutal oppression of its own people and mitigate threats to regional and global stability. Key proposals include pushing for the EU to designate the IRGC as a terror group and forming an anti-Iran coalition with moderate Arab states, including signatories of the Abraham Accords and Saudi Arabia.

Addressing Iran's nuclear ambitions, the CDU lawmakers call for a halt to the program. They propose that Germany, France, Britain, and the United States, in collaboration with other partners, develop a coherent and actionable strategy to prevent Iran's nuclear armament. The document advocates for imposing additional sanctions on Tehran and more rigorously enforcing existing commercial sanctions against countries that aid in their circumvention.

The policy paper also recommends taking action against clerics who persecute women in Iran and proposes banning any institution in Germany that serves as an information source or influence channel for the Iranian regime. As an immediate step, it calls for the closure of the Islamic Center in Hamburg.
Neo-Nazi found guilty of murder of Jewish classmate in California
Samuel Woodward was convicted yesterday of first degree murder and charges of hate crimes for the stabbing of a former Jewish classmate in 2018.

Blaze Bernstein, a gay, Jewish, college student, was visiting family in Sourthern California when he reconnected with Woodward, his former classmate, on Tinder.

Woodward has now been found guilty of Bernstein's muder, whom he stabbed and buried in a grave in a park in Orange County.

Woodward, who was active in the Neo-Nazi group the Atomwaffen division, was found to be motivated by homophobia and antisemitism. The group openly advocate for violence against black people, Jews, and other minorities, and has been named by researchers as the “most potentially violent neo-Nazi group in the US today”.

Concluding the trial, prosecutor Jennifer Walker emphasised the centrality of Woodward’s Atomwaffen ties to the murder. “This is a person focused on hate,” Walker said. “Not following, not being led by, influenced by, victimized by Atomwaffen — seeking it out.”

According to court testimony, Woodward was radicalised online as a teenager, joining the neo-Nazi group American Vanguard. Alongside a friend, he later joined the Atomwaffen Division, which believes Jews are orchestrating and benefitting from the downfall of “the white race”. Members of the group have been linked to several violent crimes.
Arabs attack Israeli MK’s grandmother in Paris suburb
The grandmother of Israeli opposition lawmaker Sharren Haskel (New Hope) was the victim of an antisemitic assault by “Arab thugs” outside Paris, the Knesset member told JNS on Thursday.

“After Oct. 7, there has been an explosion of antisemitism, targeting and attacking the Jews, resulting in physical attacks, death and rape of Jews in France,” Haskel told JNS, confirming a report by Israel’s Kan News public broadcaster on the incident, which took place earlier this week.

Two Arabs attacked the 88-year-old victim after she left her home in Val-d’Oise, just north of Paris, for a doctor’s visit, according to the report.

One of the assailants reportedly punched Haskel’s grandmother in the face, breaking her teeth and knocking her to the ground. After the fall, one of them was said to have continued to kick her in the back while shouting, “Dirty Jew, dirty old lady, this is what you deserve.”

Haskel told JNS, “She tried to hide it from my family because she was embarrassed and ashamed, but she couldn’t. It could have ended far worse. Today, she went to the hospital to be examined as part of her filing a complaint with the police.”

French authorities confirmed to Kan that a probe had been opened into the attack. In the complaint, the victim noted, “I think they saw my Star of David necklace, otherwise they wouldn’t know.” She had to seek medical attention for pain in her back, knees, shoulder and right wrist.

“I have no hope in the French authorities for treatment,” the younger Haskel wrote in a post on X on Wednesday, charging that the government led by French President Emmanuel Macron’s ruling Renaissance Party “allows blood libels to be spread against Israel, and as a result, the Jewish community suffers from violence, rape, murder.

“The Israeli government must lead the fight against the explosion of antisemitism,” Haskel said. “Jewish communities around the world are inseparable from us, and we have a great responsibility towards them.”
Israeli ambassador to France addresses rape of Jewish girl
Israeli Ambassador to France Joshua Zarka speaks to i24NEWS after the heinous rape of a Jewish 12-year-old girl, as well as major issues between Israel and France


Greek police arrest 7 over attacks in May on Israeli hotel and synagogue
Greece’s anti-terrorism police have arrested seven people over arson attacks against an Israeli-owned hotel and a synagogue in central Athens this year, police said in a statement on Thursday.

A 25-year-old Greek woman, two Iranians, aged 46 and 36, and an Afghan accomplice, 44, were arrested over a May 15 attack with a makeshift incendiary bomb on a building housing an Israeli-owned hotel and restaurant.

The four were accused of arson that could potentially put human lives at risk and of causing damage to foreign-owned property in a racially motivated attack.

In another incident on June 18, a 44-year old Greek man and a 26-year-old Afghan rode near a synagogue in Athens on a motorcycle and threw flammable material at its entrance causing fire, police said. A police official said a 30-year-old Iranian had been arrested as their accomplice.

The three were accused of arson, gun possession and robbery among other violations, the official added. Police have seized evidence including mobile phones found in a residence in Athens and a prison.

Five of those arrested have been detained and two have been released on restrictions while awaiting trial.

In March 2023, Greek police arrested two men suspected of being members of a group that planned an arson or bomb attack against an Israeli restaurant and the same synagogue in Athens. The Mossad praised Greece for foiling the attack, accusing Iran of orchestrating the operation.
Italian Airbnb host cancels Israeli family's booking with antisemitic insult
An Israeli family from Nes Ziona, planning a vacation in Europe, encountered antisemitism when trying to rent an apartment via Airbnb in San Vito di Cadore, northern Italy. The property owner canceled the reservation, leaving a note in Hebrew reading, "You can stay under the gas oven."

The family's father, who wished to remain anonymous and is identified as A., experienced the sudden cancellation after writing to the property owner, Lorenzo, on Airbnb, "We're a family of five and would be happy to stay at your apartment."

Lorenzo's response, seemingly translated via Google Translate, alluded to the method used by Nazis to exterminate Jews during the Holocaust.

"We're shocked," A. told Ynet. "We travel a lot and have always been recommended as clean and tidy guests. It seems hatred toward us due to our Israeli identity is once again surfacing, even among those who are supposedly tolerant and service-oriented."
‘Your Nazism Knows No Bounds’: Popular LA Restaurant Draws Backlash After Denying Service to Jewish Man
A popular restaurant in West Hollywood, California drew protests and widespread backlash online after it allegedly denied service to a Jewish man wearing a kippah.

Mauro Cafe is a small Italian restaurant and cafe in Los Angeles County often frequented by celebrities. On Sunday, a man wearing a kippah said he attempted to order a cup of coffee from the restaurant but was refused.

Video of the man walking into the restaurant before coming out and saying he was denied service because he looked Jewish went viral on social media this week.



“The owner, she says I cannot buy a coffee,” the man said in the video after walking out. When asked why he was refused service, he responded, “Because I look like I am Jewish.”

Although the owner of the restaurant, who has been identified as Evelyne Joan, appeared to turn the patron away, an employee of the restaurant later bought him a coffee, according to the video.

The incident sparked backlash among Los Angels’ Jewish community, prompting some to protest against antisemitism and discrimination more broadly outside of Mauro Cafe.



“Your Nazism knows no bounds,” one protester yelled.

“The owner of Mauro Cafe, Evelyn [Joan], does not demonstrate for any of the atrocities committed within walking distance of Israel!” another demonstrator said, calling out Joan for only protesting against the Jewish state.

“Apologize!” the activists demanded.

Social media users quickly noted that Joan has a history of protesting against Israel and Jewish sites. The nonprofit organization Jew Hate Database revealed that she participated in the violent anti-Israel demonstration outside of Adas Torah synagogue in the heavily-Jewish Pico-Robertson area of Los Angeles late last month.

In video posted to social media, Joan can be seen holding a microphone while preventing Jews from accessing the synagogue and shouting “Free Palestine” and “Shame on you!”


2 Israeli actors to star in Scorsese's series for Fox Nation
Fox Nation, a streaming service run by Fox News Media, announced in March a partnership deal with celebrated Oscar-winning filmmaker Martin Scorsese for an eight-part docudrama series "Martin Scorsese Presents: THE SAINTS", expected to air in November.

Scorsese, known for classic films like "Goodfellas", "The Wolf of Wall Street", and "Taxi Driver", will executive produce, host, and narrate the series. Created by Matti Leshem and written by Kent Jones, a frequent collaborator with Scorsese, the series dramatizes the stories of eight saints, including Joan of Arc, Mary Magdalene, and more. The series will be directed by Elizabeth Chomko.

According to the Israeli entertainment TV show "Erev Tov with Guy Pines," the Israeli actress and model Dar Zuzovsky is set to portray Mary Magdalene, Jesus' faithful follower. Israeli actor Amitai Kedar will also star in the series alongside Zuzovsky as King Herod, he revealed in an interview with Israel Hayom. Filming will begin in the upcoming 2 weeks in unique destinations such as Morocco.

"I've lived with the stories of the saints for most of my life, thinking about their words and actions, imagining the worlds they inhabited, the choices they faced, the examples they set," Scorsese said in March. "These are stories of eight very different men and women, each of them living through vastly different periods of history and struggling to follow the way of love revealed to them and to us by Jesus' words in the gospels. I'm so excited that this project is underway, and that I'm working with so many trusted and talented collaborators."

Casting Israeli-Jewish talents is notable in the current climate, as antisemitism surges worldwide and calls to boycott anything or anyone related to Israel in Hollywood are prevalent.
John Irving in Jerusalem: I’m pro-Israel, I’m pro-Jewish, and here for you
“I don’t just wish you all the best,” said the legendary novelist John Irving at the close of his event at Mishkenot Sha’ananim in Jerusalem on Wednesday night.

His warmly received talk was the fulfillment of a promise he made in late May, when the acclaimed novelist and screenwriter, known for such modern classics as The World According to Garp and The Hotel New Hampshire, was unable to attend the Jerusalem Writers Festival because he had contracted COVID, and said during an event on Zoom that he would visit Israel as soon as he was able.

“I sincerely believe you’re the bravest people I know. Keep doing this,” he said. A moment earlier, he had proclaimed, “I’m pro-Israel, I’m pro-Jewish, and I’m for you. That may not necessarily mean that I’m in favor of your present leader,” a comment which drew thunderous applause from the audience.

“Let me put it another way to you. I never stopped loving the United States, but I hated Ronald Reagan. In the Reagan years, I didn’t stop loving my country, I just knew they’d made a wrong decision.”

Irving recalled living in Austria during the time of protests against the Vietnam War. “It really pissed me off when the Austrians expressed themselves on the minutiae of the war, because they didn’t know enough. I was happy when they were opposed to the war – so was I – but when they spoke in detail, they didn’t know what they were talking about. Well, neither would I, speaking about your country.

“I listen to my Israeli friends and I listen to my many Jewish friends,” he said. “But I’m not qualified to talk about the small details here – it’s your country, it’s not my business. But I do think it’s my business to say I support you. I know who started the trouble,” he said, and his next words were drowned out by more applause. “But don’t expect me to know a third, a fourth, or a fifth of the small details that you know.”
A vision for the future: Observations of Jewish life and heritage in Morocco
On our way to participate in a multi-day conference in Morocco, representing ISRAEL-is alongside our P2P Abraham Accords partner, the Mimouna Association, I felt a deep sense of anticipation. This was my second visit to Morocco since October 7 with the ongoing mission of strengthening civil diplomacy between ISRAEL-is, which had previously led leadership programs between countries before the Gaza war. I looked forward to building meaningful bridges and connections, especially during these challenging times, to further strengthen our ties with our partners and civil leaders in Morocco.

Essaouira, a coastal town with ancient cobbled streets and salty sea air, played host to an extraordinary gathering. Representatives from 10 countries and Jewish student leaders from across Latin America converged there, not just for a conference but for a journey through time, culture, and identity. The conference, focusing on the Moroccan-Sephardi Jewish connection to Latin America, was a tapestry of shared history and a testament to the enduring spirit of cultural preservation. The event was generously funded by USAID, underscoring the importance of international support for cultural preservation and diplomacy.

The journey to Essaouira is one of historical significance. About two and a half hours west of Marrakesh, this town has long stood as a symbol of Morocco’s multicultural heritage. The conference was orchestrated by Mimouna, a local Muslim organization committed to showcasing and preserving Morocco’s Jewish heritage. Through their efforts, the richness of Morocco’s Jewish culture was woven into the contemporary fabric of the nation, presenting a powerful narrative of tolerance, acceptance, and coexistence.

Guardians of heritage
At the heart of this cultural preservation is Mimouna. Founded by El Mehdi Boudra and his partners, this organization has dedicated itself to educating the Moroccan public and students about the historical significance of Jewish culture in Morocco. In a region often marked by tension and conflict, their mission is both bold and necessary. Mimouna’s work emphasizes the shared history of Jews and Muslims in Morocco, promoting a vision of a diverse and inclusive society.

The conference in Essaouira was a culmination of these efforts. It was more than just an academic discussion; it was a living, breathing exhibition of cultural heritage. Jewish representatives and community leaders from across the globe, along with Jewish student leaders from Latin America, gathered to share their experiences and challenges. The event was a poignant reminder of the resilience of Moroccan Jews in the Diaspora and their ongoing struggle against rising antisemitism.
New Druze reservist association to tackle challenges faced by group - interview
“My name is Adiv Abo Asi. I am 40 years old, self-employed, married, and a father to a two-year-old girl,” he introduced himself. Since the very beginning of the war, Abo Asi has been serving in the IDF’s reserves. “I’m actually talking to you in my uniform,” he said with a smile. Abo Asi, who serves at the headquarters of one of the IDF’s units, is a captain in rank.

“I lived abroad, but from the 9th grade on, I studied in Jewish schools. So much of my daily life is more closely aligned to that of the Jewish community, as to the way of life in my village back home,” he said, referring to his hometown of Daliat al-Carmel.

“In my studies in high school and university and in my work as a senior manager at Fattal hotels in Eilat, 99% of the time, I was surrounded by my Jewish colleagues,” Abo Asi recounted.

“October 7 was a slap in the face that shook all of us,” he recalled. “The entire country got up on its feet and was ready to go and fight for the sake of everyone, including for us – the Druze sector.”

But then, when it became clear that the war would go on for a long time, Abo Asi started to feel what he described as a gap between the conduct of the Druze reservists and their Jewish counterparts.

“Some of my Druze reservist friends and I started a WhatsApp group that was meant for helping each other with military equipment – from sending helmets to finding connections in the army. As for myself, I was part of another reservist group, one that was mixed but with a Jewish majority, and I became aware of an intriguing difference between the attitudes in the two groups,” he explained.

"We, as Druze, are overly eager when it comes to fighting, even if it means sacrificing many things along the way. The percentage of recruitment of Druze reservists is among the highest in the country, as well as the percentage of combatants. We lost 11 officers and soldiers, young flowers picked too early, who protected all of us with their bodies. Being the small community that we are, these are very high numbers,” Abo Asi determined.

“Just like our Jewish counterparts, we put aside our lives, spouses, houses, businesses, and loans. We dropped everything when we were called to protect our home, our land, our family, and our country,” Abo Asi continued, adding, “But our over-eagerness and excitement often come at the expense of traits such as acting in a calculated way, tending to our other affairs, and making sure that whatever we set aside remains intact for when we come back.”

He said that the discourse that he was exposed to in the Jewish majority group revolved much more around the ways in which to manage life while simultaneously fighting in the war. “They were talking about this and that aid fund, submitting applications, and requesting aid from the state while all the while discussing the war,” he elaborated.

In juxtaposition, “In the all-Druze group, the talk was more about finding ways to overcome fighting exemptions, helping to find ways to guard towns and communities, locating military equipment – everything was about the war itself.”

“I ran a survey regarding the aid funds,” Abo Asi continued. “Out of 600 people in the group, only two knew what I was talking about. I was shocked and it opened my eyes to the fact that we are missing out on a basic and helpful attitude, which is all about how we can conduct regular lives during the war.”

“I do not feel comfortable discerning between Druze and Jews because we are brothers,” he added shyly. “But in the end, there is a difference in perceptions, and in our sector, there is probably a lack of awareness about the issue of life during war. Perhaps our situation would also be better if we learned from each other,” Abo Asi said.
Druze in Israel honor soldiers who paid ultimate price serving in IDF
Ariel Oseran reports from a special ceremony in northern Israel, where Druze families plant trees in honor of members of their community who were killed fighting in the war with Hamas and Hezbollah.




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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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