Tuesday, October 29, 2024

10/29 Links Pt2: The World Doesn’t Care About Your Partisan Politics; Trump or Kamala? Ben Shapiro and Sam Harris Debate; Don't Call It a Hate Crime Against a Jew

From Ian:

Seth Mandel: The World Doesn’t Care About Your Partisan Politics
American foreign policy is always something of a hostage to the domestic politics of the moment. While this might be the unavoidable byproduct of democracy, it can greatly distort our understanding of the world and the coherence of strategic planning.

The Israel-Iran-Ukraine-Russia linedance provides a steady stream of examples, but never has it brought as much clarity to the mismatch between U.S. partisan politics and American grand strategy as it has in recent days. Republicans tend to favor Israel but not Ukraine, and Democrats, the reverse. Our enemies, of course, see it very differently.

Just before the weekend, the Wall Street Journal broke the news that Russia has supplied the Houthis—the Iranian proxy in Yemen that has been shooting missiles at commercial shipping vessels in the Red Sea—with “targeting data” to help sink ships, kill civilians, and sabotage the supply chain. “The data,” the Journal explains, “was passed through members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, who were embedded with the Houthis in Yemen.”

That sentence is a handy organizational chart. The Houthis aren’t merely supported by Iran, the Houthis are Iran. And the Russia-Iran alliance has become so tight that Vladimir Putin is helping the Iranians retaliate against the U.S. and Israel for having the temerity to counter Hamas’s invasion of Israel, and, more specifically, for America’s modest support for Ukraine’s existence against Russia’s eliminationist war machine.

Russia wants to bleed Western resources in the Middle East because Moscow is bleeding resources in trying to destroy part of Europe. Russia is angry that it is bad at war, so it is making more war.

And birds without feathers flock together, so Moscow and Iran have expanded their partnership wherever possible. That includes Russia’s provision of air-defense systems to Iran and Iran’s provision of ballistic missiles to Russia.

Both of which took a literal hit over the weekend.

As the Times of London reports, one of Israel’s targets in its recent strikes included fuel mixers for missile production: “Early analysis of the impact of the strikes suggests that Iranian missile production has been badly affected, reducing Tehran’s ability to export weapons. Without the ability to mix fuel, Iran may be forced to appeal to China or other suppliers to help it restock, a process that could take many months.”

The Times saw the records for one Iranian missile delivery to Russia, in late August, about three weeks after Reuters reported that the two countries had signed a contract for Iran to provide several hundred to Putin’s forces. That could be delayed by as long as two years now.

And what of the air-defense systems provided by Russia to protect Iranian airspace? Gone. Israel destroyed one in April, and “on Saturday Israel systematically destroyed the remaining three S-300 batteries at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport and the Malad missile base.”

The fact that Iran might become dependent on China to rebuild its ballistic missile stock is another piece of the puzzle. China already buys most of Iran’s oil exports. Beijing has also been boosting Iran in the propaganda war, especially on social media where China has the largest user audience and a repressive censorship regime.
Author coming to St. Louis urges Jews to rethink alliances amid rising left-wing antisemitism
In Benjamin Ginsberg’s latest book, “The New American Anti-Semitism: The Left, The Right, and The Jews”, he urges Jews to “wake up” to the threat posed by left-wing antisemitism in the United States.

Ginsberg is the David Bernstein Professor of Political Science and Chair of the Center for Advanced Governmental Studies at Johns Hopkins University and the author, coauthor, or editor of 36 books.

The Jewish Light spoke to him in advance of his appearance at the St. Louis Jewish Book Festival at 1 p.m. Nov. 7. Some of the conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

What is the new American antisemitism you explore in your book?
“Most Jews are accustomed to right-wing antisemites, going back to the Nazis and the antisemitism of the right in Europe. What’s new for Americans – and I don’t think American Jews have quite wrapped their heads around this – is that the main antisemitic threat today comes from the left. We see thousands of students and some non-students screaming about Zionism in the streets of New York and Philadelphia and other cities. And I was horrified when I watched the testimony of the presidents of Harvard, Penn and MIT – let’s call them ‘The Three Stooges.’ They were not willing to say whether students running around screaming ‘death to the Jews’ are in violation of their campus speech code, and the reason for that is that they’re afraid of liberal forces on their campuses. I thought, ‘This is sort of the end of things as we know them.’ We are at a point in American history where people can be openly antisemitic, certainly on college campuses and some elements of the news media. It’s become possible once again – it hadn’t been for decades – to publicly criticize the Jews. So we need to rethink our position in the United States, and think about who our friends are and who our enemies are, before it’s too late.”

You argue that Jews in the U.S. should forge alliances with evangelical Christians and other Christian Zionists who vocally support Israel. Why are those alliances important?
“When I say to Jewish friends, ‘You should take seriously the Christian Zionists,’ they say, ‘Oh, no, they just want to convert us.’ I talked one couple into going to a little convention where you had Jewish leaders and Christian Zionist leaders. They came away amazed and said, ‘You know, these people do have some strange ideas, but basically they are incredibly supportive of Israel.’ And that’s right. We need people who support Israel; doctrinal differences we can argue about later. Liberal, well-educated Americans sneer at this, but it’s not to be sneered at: There are millions of Bible-believing Christians who view the creation of Israel – and the astonishing victory by Israel over its foes in the 1967 Israel-Arab war – as things that were predicted in the Bible. And they’ve put pressure on the U.S. government (to support Israel). I think Jews are always reluctant to shift their alliances, to realize that their friends of yesterday aren’t their friends today.”
Prof. Phyllis Chesler: Please answer my burning questions
Did you see Michelle Obama stump for Kamala Harris? She is really one angry woman. Her fiery appeal was to "y'all," and perhaps she mainly had black folk in mind. What do y'all think? What has Michelle got to be so angry about?

Obama? He's the former President who barely acknowledged his white mother and white grandparents who brought him up. In his first book, he focuses mainly on the black African father who abandoned him and never looked back. What kind of man does this? Did you ever notice this, ponder upon it? And why did he unleash Iran's evil power? Choose the mullahs to stabilize the Middle East?

Why do I keep doing it, reading the NYT? Am I a masochist? Do you read it too? Well, some of us have to keep up with the daily anti-Israel libels, the kind of lies that always, always, lead to violence and then to pogroms--and worse.

Yesterday, the NYT's described Israel's "foray" into Iran as "retaliatory" and as an example of "Israel's Shadow War." That's their lead front page story. Add to that an article that is sympathetic to Gazan cancer victims in Jordan who are facing psychological battles of displacement (five photos of them); two articles that are actually sympathetic to Iran (!!!), which praise the mullahs for their "muted response" and "restraint.

The largest state sponsor of global terrorism is described as a country that is "aware of its 'responsibilities for regional peace and security.'" Oh yes, there's another article about how outraged media groups are about the Israeli strikes that (inadvertently) killed journalists in Lebanon--Israel's actions are described as a "war crime," and as "deliberate aggression."

As usual, but Oh My God! Not a word about Iran's aggression and that of its' many terrorist proxies; no sympathetic photos of displaced Israelis, wounded Israelis, murdered Israelis. There are now 769 mostly very young soldiers and reservist fathers who were killed in battle; 891 civilians who've been murdered; 76 police officers and ISA agents who've also been murdered. There are 101 Israeli captives still being held hostage in Gaza. An offer of 100K for the release of each one, no questions asked, has led nowhere.


Chicago Police Don’t Charge Suspect With Hate Crime After He Shot Jewish Man and Reportedly Yelled 'Allahu Akbar’
A 22-year-old man was charged with over a dozen felonies Monday after shooting a Jewish man and firing at first responders in Chicago over the weekend, according to the Chicago Police Department. The suspect, Sidi Mohamed Abdallahi, reportedly yelled "Allahu Akbar" during the firefight but was not charged with a hate crime.

"The first thing is we have to find out who’s committing the crime. Secondly, we have to find out the motive for the crime," Chicago police superintendent Larry Snelling said during a press conference Monday afternoon. "We don’t just go in and assume that everything is a hate crime, but what we don’t do is rule out the possibility that it could be."

Abdallahi approached a 39-year-old man from behind Saturday morning and, without saying anything, fired several rounds, striking him in the shoulder, according to police.

The victim was an Orthodox Jew on his way to a nearby synagogue, Jewish United Fund of Chicago president Lonnie Nasatir told the Jewish News Syndicate. Nasatir said the neighborhood where the victim was shot has one of the city’s largest Orthodox Jewish populations.

Abdallahi shot at officers and paramedics when they responded to the scene less than 30 minutes later. Security footage shows the suspect exiting an alley and firing a single round. He reportedly yelled "Allahu Akbar" and then continued to fire. Police also told the Jewish United Front that Abdallahi shouted "Allahu Akbar," a local NBC affiliate reported.

Abdallahi was struck several times in the ensuing shootout and was taken to a hospital, where he remains in critical condition. No first responders were injured, though an ambulance was hit.

Abdallahi was charged with six counts of attempted first-degree murder, seven counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm at a police officer or firefighter, and one count of aggravated battery with a firearm.

Authorities have said the investigation is ongoing.
Chicago Jewish leaders ‘disappointed’ law enforcement downplaying antisemitism as motive in shooting
Jewish leaders in Chicago are urging the local prosecutor to upgrade the charge against a Muslim man who allegedly shot a Jewish man walking to synagogue on Saturday in West Rogers Park, home to one of the city’s largest Orthodox Jewish populations, to a hate crime.

The 22-year-old suspect reportedly yelled “Allahu Akbar” as he exchanged fire with police officers responding to the initial shooting.

“We’re very disappointed,” Shlomo Soroka, Agudath Israel of Illinois’ director of government affairs, told Jewish Insider. “I hope they add hate crime charges on later but regardless, even if there are technical reasons that they didn’t file hate crime charges, they have to understand what this really was — not even this specific incident — but what we have been saying for a long time, that the visibly Jewish community, which is the Orthodox community, is at grave risk. And it’s not just here in Chicago.”

Before the charges were announced, Soroka said that law enforcement was not doing enough to “reassure” the “anxious community.”

“Certain details around the incident are not being shared or reported with the public,” he said. “There’s a feeling that if this happened to a different community, it would be covered differently.”

In a statement on Monday, Debra Silverstein, alderman of Chicago’s 50th Ward, where the shooting occurred, said she was “very disappointed by this turn of events.”

Silverstein went on to say that she “strongly encourage[s] the Cook County State’s Attorney Office to prosecute the offender to the full extent of the law,” noting that “additional charges – including hate crime charges – can still be added.”

“I can assure you that law enforcement takes this incident extremely seriously,” Silverstein said.
Commentary PodCast: Don't Call It a Hate Crime Against a Jew A synagogue-goer is shot in Chicago over the weekend and the cops—and the media—seem unable to discern the motive of a gunman who shouted "Allahu Akbar." Why would this be the case? And why is the New York Times trying to talk people into feeling hopeful about Kamala Harris's chances with an article that offers no evidence they should have such hope?

Abbas in Russia: Israel is a ‘colonial project’
Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas recently claimed that Israel is a “colonial project” that would be defeated if Washington withdrew its support, Kan News reported on Sunday, quoting Russian state media.

The Kan News report cited an interview that aired on Russia-1 with Russia Today chief editor Margarita Simonyan, who met Abbas on the sidelines of last week’s BRICS summit, held in Kazan in central Russia.

According to Simonyan, the Palestinian leader told her over coffee, “We have an issue with the United States. They are the ones perpetrating everything. Who brought Zionism to this country? The colonizers.”

The Russian propagandist added, “He kept repeating this the whole time and explained that it’s America—if not for America, none of this [Israel] would exist. If America would stop supporting it, it would disappear.”

Simonyan said she told Abbas that “all journalists” working at Russia Today “have relatives who have died and continue to die in Palestine.”

When the RT reporter thanked Abbas for Ramallah’s support for Moscow amid its war with Ukraine, he was said to have responded, “What do you mean, ‘thank you’? It is our duty to support Russia.”

Though the P.A. is not a member of the BRICS alliance— which was founded in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India and China—Abbas attended the three-day summit at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In his speech, Abbas described the war launched by Israel in response to Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023 terrorist massacre as “the greatest catastrophe that the Palestinian people experienced after the Nakba [“catastrophe” of Israel’s establishment] in 1948.

“This is part of a plan to empty the territory of its people, especially now in northern Gaza where the occupation forces are resorting to starving the population there,” the P.A. leader claimed.
How Qatari money influences France’s anti-Israel policy
The recent feud between France, or better yet, President Emmanuel Macron and Israel, seems to have a basic and plausible catalyst: money.

Behind the calls for an embargo on arms deliveries to Israel, support for the useless or even malicious UNIFIL’s mission and neo-colonial strife to “protect” Lebanon, there are purely economic reasons. We are talking about both public and private economic interests.

France’s economy is currently facing significant strain, with implications that could reverberate across the European Union. The crisis centers around rising public debt, projected at over €3 trillion (or 112% of GDP), and a widening deficit, which the French government has struggled to curb despite various austerity measures. Inflationary pressures have exacerbated these issues, impacting everything from energy to food costs, while high public spending commitments in healthcare, pensions and social welfare strain the national budget further.

To address the crisis, France has proposed a 2024 budget aiming to reduce the deficit from 4.9% to 4.4% of GDP. However, the EU is closely monitoring this, as there are widespread concerns over France’s ability to meet fiscal targets amidst political and social challenges. The economic health of France is integral to the EU’s stability, and any significant downturn or fiscal mismanagement could have cascading effects on the bloc. A weaker French economy could slow down EU-wide growth, especially as Europe is already grappling with inflation, energy crises, and security concerns related to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Where can France find financial support? The rogue bloc.
Saudi Arabia must decide if a relationship with Israel is worth its while
The Saudis have also officially stated on several occasions since the Abraham Accords were signed that any normalization deal with Israel depends on solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. However, diplomacy is very different between what is played out in the public arena and what takes place behind closed doors.

MBS, the young and forward-looking Saudi prince, is known to be less patient than many of his older predecessors in Saudi diplomacy with the Palestinians. In January, he allegedly told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that he does not personally care about what he referred to as the “Palestinian issue.”

MBS’s vision to bring the kingdom into the 21st century and reduce its dependency on oil has given renewed hope for a Saudi-Israel normalization deal to become a reality.

Suppose Saudi Arabia diverts its focus from Israel to pursue a rapprochement with Iran. In that case, it risks undermining the very alliance that has the potential to secure long-term stability in the region. Instead of looking toward Tehran, Saudi Arabia should focus on deepening its engagement with Israel. The framework provided by the Abraham Accords offers a blueprint for cooperation.

Saudi Arabia must weigh the potential gains of relations with Iran against the far-reaching benefits of a strategic partnership with Israel. The lessons of the past are clear: Iran cannot be trusted to foster long-term peace. Instead, Riyadh should look toward Israel, a partner that has demonstrated its willingness to collaborate and innovate for a more peaceful future. Let us hope the Saudis do not squander this moment by turning toward those who have repeatedly shown that their interests lie in disruption, not peace.


Bill passes to prevent opening US consulate in Jerusalem to service
The Knesset passed into law on Tuesday a measure intended to prevent the opening of consulates in Jerusalem that are intended to service Palestinians in the West Bank.

The bill, proposed by MKs Ze’ev Elkin (United Right) and Dan Illouz (Likud), is an amendment to the quasi-constitutional Basic Law: Jerusalem the Capital of Israel. The bill says that the only diplomatic embassies in Jerusalem must be ones of states that are accredited to the State of Israel, meaning countries with diplomatic treaties with Israel.

The bill adds that Israel will encourage opening such embassies in Jerusalem.

The bill’s explanatory section states that the law only applies to new embassies; existing embassies will remain as they are. In effect, the bill will prevent the formation of a new consulate that will service Palestinians, as new consulates must now only service residents of Israel or officials tasked with interacting with Israel.

In a statement following the bill’s passing, Elkin recalled that during the previous government’s tenure, he had threatened to quit the coalition if a new US consulate were opened. He passed the bill “in order for the State of Israel not to find itself again under diplomatic pressure to open consulates.”

“Jerusalem is the eternal and undividable capital of the State of Israel, and we will not enable any other country to question our sovereignty over a unified Jerusalem. No pressure will deter us from maintaining this important principle,” Elkin said.

Illouz added, “Whoever questions [a unified] Jerusalem questions the very existence of the State of Israel, and we will not accept this. This law clarifies once and for all: Jerusalem is ours, and it is not for sale.”
Jewish culture in Britain is being silenced
Over the years, small cultural charities such as UK Jewish Film have become accustomed to the deafening silence and avoidance tactics of – largely publicly-funded – cinemas and arts organisations.

Since October 7, that situation has continued, but has become notably worse, particularly outside London.

It feels like a moment to share a little of what goes on behind the scenes, as well as what appear to be the favoured tactics of a politically-savvy cultural management class, which is quietly hastening the erasure of British-Jewish culture from many of our public spaces.


The task of organising the annual UK Jewish Film Festival nationwide tour, which is funded by the British Film Institute (BFI), is even more challenging this year. With a few noble exceptions, our publicly-funded, regional cinemas, are less than welcoming. Ironically, these are exactly the kind of cinemas that are receiving public funding to help ensure that all of Britain’s minorities are represented on their screens and reflected in their audiences. When it comes to Britain’s Jewish minority however, many cinema CEOs and cinema programmers feel impunity to exclude that minority. 



Sadly, that silence is our daily experience, and probably that of other outward-facing organisations in the community. Emails and chasers remain unanswered, phone calls are never returned. An appeal for help to our mutual funders in London might occasionally jump-start a breezy response along the line that our emails have been going to junk. This is invariably followed by more silence. 



That’s what appears to have happened with Cardiff’s largest publicly-funded cinema, Chapter, which, for the fifth consecutive year, are so “incredibly busy” that they don’t have time to respond, and cannot include one screening of a Jewish film in their programme.

This year, rather poignantly, they had the opportunity to include the sweet and lyrical new UK musical film Psalms, commissioned by UKJF, much of which is sung in the Welsh language by local Welsh actress-singer Llio Millward. How sad that this gentle Welsh-Jewish gem can have no place in Wales’ capital. Perhaps it’s no surprise that the country’s small Jewish minority feels increasingly excluded from cultural life and many are leaving for London.
Yisrael Medad: When the rape of language takes place
The phenomenon of playing with terminology—altering the original meanings of words, replacing intentions of expressions, mistranslating and reversing narratives—has become the weapon of choice of the anti-Zionists. Whereas in previous decades their propaganda was one of simply misleading, misquoting, misrepresenting and outright lying, today’s pro-Palestine cadres create a new vocabulary and fill terms with their preferred new definitions.

Not only has a new glossary of terms been fashioned, but those terms and words do not just describe a presumed political and sociological landscape. Rather, they act as armaments in a war of rhetoric with the ethos of pseudoscientific genuineness.

In Canada, a Cree Nation member Meghan Scribe wrote: “This is not to suggest that the matter of ethnic fraud is not important. Race-shifting belongs to an ecosystem of settler colonial violence present in both the Canadian and Israeli context.”

Max Blumenthal provides another example of phraseology founded on the distortion of the truth: “Israel’s Final Solution for Gaza was always clear to those of us who understood the essentially genocidal logic of Zionism … the expulsion of residents of the north at gunpoint and replacement of their refugee camps with Jews-only settlements.”

Israeli-born (sorry, British Mandate Palestine-born) professor Ronit Lentin is a prime example of what I would refer to as the crime of language rape. Her latest article, “Racial Regimes and White European Jewish Supremacy as Property,” includes the following language: Zionism is a racial regime; Israel is engaged in a permanent war against the Palestinians, which is a war of racialization; it dehumanizes colonized Palestinians; and it acquires territory from native ownership through the mobilization of technologies of violence.

This language is not meant to explain or even argue a point. It’s meant to whip up a frenzied public response based on a twist—that irrationality is truth. It lends a veneer of intellectualism whereas it is but supercharged agitprop.

Back in 2019, an issue of Israel Studies appeared devoted to the theme of “Word Crimes: Reclaiming the Language of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.” Its essays dealt with key terms in current critical scholarship on the conflict that anti-Zionists use on behalf of Palestine. Its editors sought to “restore academic integrity.” The use of “word crimes” was promoted as well as “linguistic transgressions.” It drew, of course, a harsh response. Since then, the situation has only worsened with academics, pundits and activists seeking even more negative imagery particularly the charge of “genocide,” despite its irrationality.


Hitler murdered my family — comparing him to Trump is a despicable lie
As the grandchild of four now-passed beautiful, loving, sweet Holocaust survivors, it’s hard to describe how painful it is for me to hear, read or type the name Adolf Hitler.

He is the monster that brutally murdered most of my family. And no one has ever come closer to completely wiping the Jewish people off of the face of the earth.

Nevertheless, I summon the strength to say his name here, very specifically to address those who find it all too easy to yell “Hitler!” for callously hyper-partisan reasons.

Such casual use of Hitler’s name and imagery is a despicable insult to the memories of my gassed-to-death great-grandparents, my many great uncles and aunts, and to all 6 million victims of this fiend’s incomparable genocidal brutality.

It is nothing short of psychotic to compare the architect of those atrocities to Donald Trump.

But it’s exactly what Eric Orts, a University of Pennsylvania law professor and former Paul, Weiss attorney, did on LinkedIn last week.

Orts, who specializes in ethics, posted a now-deleted image of Trump and Hitler side by side, followed by a shockingly absurd and unsupported demand that we can only avoid a Hitleresque scenario in the United States by voting in Kamala Harris.

I shudder to think how Orts might address students in his classroom who might dare to disagree with his rhetoric and believe — along with half of the country — that Trump is the better candidate.

After all, Orts has already used a comparison to Hitler to make his point.

If I were a 20-year-old, I’d probably be too scared to say anything that my professor had already declared would make me a fascist pariah.

But then, shutting down opposing views before they can even begin to sprout is the whole point, isn’t it? Any means to an end.
There was nothing ‘Nazi’ about Trump’s New York rally
In fact, Trump bragged from the podium that he was forging a multiracial, working-class coalition, hardly something associated with fascism. ‘We’re building the biggest, broadest coalition… including union workers and Border Patrol… police and firefighters… The Republican Party has become the party of inclusion’, he said. It is the Democrats’ condescension towards the working class, especially in the cultural sphere, that has driven many towards Trump.

Having no real proof of Nazism at work in the rally, the Democrats seized on some poor-taste comments from minor speakers who appeared earlier in the programme. Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe told some unfunny jokes about Puerto Ricans and blacks. One speaker called Harris ‘the Antichrist’. Another said she had ‘pimp handlers’. These were crass remarks, and while the Trump campaign distanced itself from these speakers, their appearance certainly reflected badly on the campaign. But off-colour comments from a few MAGA warm-up acts did not turn the entire event into a ‘carnival of grievances, misogyny and racism’, as the New York Times described the rally. Nor were they evidence that the crowd was comprised of Nazis.

When you think about it, it’s downright perverse for Democrats to make the accusation of Nazism against Trump supporters – especially in NYC, at this particular time. Inside the rally were many Jews waving Israeli flags, while speakers repeatedly expressed their support for Israel. Elsewhere in the same city, on the Upper West Side, you have students and faculty at Columbia University harassing Jewish students and expressing support for Hamas. And yet there’s been hardly a peep of criticism of those students from Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, for fear of losing their votes. And the Republicans are the fascists?

The charge of Nazism levelled against Trump rally-goers is a historically illiterate disgrace. By drawing this lazy comparison, the Democrats relativise and effectively minimise the extreme violence and oppression waged by Hitler and the Nazis against millions. It’s leveraging the revulsion people rightly feel about the horror of Nazism in the past in order to engage in cheap and cynical fear-mongering today.

In 2016, Hillary Clinton referred to Trump’s supporters as a ‘basket of deplorables’. Some say that cost her the election. In 2024, Harris and her surrogates like Hillary are at it again, now saying that half the country are a bunch of Nazis. It is hard to imagine how Harris will unite and lead all Americans, as she says she will do, when she holds millions of them in such contempt. For deploying the Nazi smear against the working-class people who have decided to give Trump another try, Harris and the Democrats deserve to lose again.
The Free Press: Trump or Kamala? Ben Shapiro and Sam Harris Debate.
We are just one week away from a presidential election that will decide if the next four years are helmed by Vice President Kamala Harris or former president Donald Trump, and many are still undecided. Some of them work at The Free Press.

So today, we are hosting a debate between two very smart people who represent each side of the choice that we are going to make a week from today.

Sam Harris is a neuroscientist, philosopher, best-selling author, and host of the podcast Making Sense. Today, he will explain why he is voting for Kamala Harris. On the other side, Ben Shapiro—lawyer, co-founder of The Daily Wire, best-selling author, and host of The Ben Shapiro Show—will explain why he is voting for Donald Trump.


Israelis prefer Trump over Harris by 68% to 17%, poll finds
An overwhelming number of Israelis (66%) prefer Republican presidential nominee and former president Donald Trump over Vice President and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, according to a Channel 12 News poll the findings of which were revealed on Monday.

The survey, conducted a week before the U.S. election, found only 17% of Israelis choose Harris, while another 17% had no preference.

Among voters for coalition parties, 93% chose Trump and only 1% Harris.

The results are nearly the reverse of those from a Sept. 9 poll by the Jewish Democratic Council of America, which found that 68% of U.S. Jews favor Harris with only 25% selecting Trump.

Israel is not a top priority for American Jews, according to the JDCA poll, falling behind democracy, abortion, the economy, climate change, national security, antisemitism, immigration and healthcare in a ranking of issues.

The Israeli Channel 12 survey also found that, were elections to be held in Israel today, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party would win 26 Knesset seats while Benny Gantz’s opposition National Unity Party would win 22.


Sanders pledges shift in US policy on Israel-Gaza conflict if Kamala Harris
Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) has pledged that a Kamala Harris presidency would bring a transformative shift in US policy toward Israel, promising efforts toward a Gaza ceasefire, humanitarian aid, and the rebuilding of Palestinian infrastructure. He also warned that a Donald Trump victory would deepen alliances with Israel’s right-wing leadership and lead to setbacks on issues from climate change to women’s rights.

In a message to his followers, Sanders promised that Harris would work with him to pursue a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of hostages, a surge in humanitarian aid, the stopping of settler attacks in the West Bank, and the rebuilding of Gaza for the Palestinian people.

“I promise you, after Kamala wins, we will together do everything that we can to change US policy toward Netanyahu,” Sanders said, expressing his confidence that Harris would approach the region with greater humanitarian priorities than her opponent.

Sanders highlighted his frustration with the administration’s support for Israel’s extensive military response following the October 7 Hamas attacks, which killed 1,200 Israelis and led to 250 hostages being taken captive. While he acknowledged Israel’s right to defend itself, he condemned what he described as an “all-out war” on Palestinians in Gaza, leading to 42,000 Palestinian deaths and severe damage to Gaza’s infrastructure, healthcare, and educational systems.

Addressing his supporters’ concerns about Harris’s stance, Sanders stated, “In the Senate, in Congress, the Republicans have worked overtime to block humanitarian aid to the starving children in Gaza,” while noting that Harris and Biden support increased humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Sanders drew a contrast between Harris’s stance and Trump’s endorsement of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom Sanders described as a “like-minded right-wing extremist ally” to Trump.


Satmar Chassidic rebbe in Kiryas Joel, NY, endorses Trump
Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum, the influential Satmar Chassidic rebbe of Kiryas Joel in Upstate New York, announced on Monday that he endorsed former President Donald Trump for president.

A mock Satmar ballot, which offered guidance in Yiddish for whom to vote for, provided to JNS showed votes cast for Democrats in nine of the 11 federal, state and local races. However, Trump received Teitelbaum’s approval, reportedly following discussions among the leadership of the Chassidic group.

An Israeli media report that JNS was unable to verify indicates that Satmar leadership was concerned about the possible implications for Jews if Vice President Kamala Harris becomes president.

The news of the Trump endorsement is a marked departure from Teitelbaum’s harsh criticism of “Trumpism” after Election Day in 2022.

“Trumpism became entangled in the Jewish camp,” Teitelbaum said at the time. “This Trumpism twisted the minds of so many Yidden,” he said, using the Yiddish word for Jews. “It brainwashed people, and that’s so painful.”

Teitelbaum and his brother, Zalman Leib Teitelbaum, both identify as the grand rabbi of Satmar, which their father led and before him was led by their grand-uncle. Zalman Leib Teitelbaum runs the Satmar community in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, N.Y.

Satmar Chassidim, who number some 100,000 worldwide, do not support the Israeli government or the modern Israeli state.


In 3-0 vote, court rules California violated law by discriminating against Jewish students
Orthodox Jewish parents of children with disabilities have attempted for decades to send their children to Jewish day schools in California. They were denied because while federal funding is available for private schools to provide critical support services, California lawmakers have banned money available for kids with special needs from being used at religious private schools, including Jewish ones.

In a 3-0 ruling on Monday, a federal appeals court effectively declared that California is violating federal law.

“We easily conclude that the nonsectarian requirement fails the neutrality test,” went an opinion authored by Judge Kim Wardlaw, and joined by Judge Morgan Christen and Judge Mark Bennett.

The federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was passed by Congress in 1975 to ensure that children with disabilities receive education that meets their required needs and provides federal funding to states for special education programs in public schools.

Since public schools cannot always meet those requirements due to a variety of reasons, federal and state law allows that money to be used in private and charter schools. However, in California, religious private schools were excluded from such usage.

On March 13, 2013, the offices of Becket Law filed a federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California “to ensure that religious parents can make sure their children with disabilities receive an education that is right for them and that religious schools are able to receive the critical support needed to educate students with disabilities.”

They lost the case on Aug. 10, 2023.
UNC chants of 'no more Hillel' met with cheers on campus
During a rally hosted by the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) on October 9, one speaker called for “an end to study abroad programs in Israel, academic research citing Israeli universities, and university divestment from Israel and Israeli-supporting companies.” The speaker continued, “No more Hillel.”

These words, it was reported by the student newspaper, The Daily Tar Heel, “were met with cheers from the crowd.”

SJP issued a statement to the newspaper that Hillel is “a fundamentally Zionist network masquerading as a Jewish campus organization.”

Hillel is a 100-year-old Jewish campus organization serving more than 180,000 students each year at more than 850 colleges and universities around the world.

Much of the organization’s programming focuses on Jewish learning, observing the Jewish holidays and Shabbat, arts and culture, and building the elements of a meaningful Jewish life.

A few days after the rally, UNC conducted its installation of its new chancellor. Demonstrators outside the academic hall where the installation took place chanted, “It is right to rebel, UNC burn in hell.”

One of the benefits of free speech is that when people say foolish things, everyone gets to see them be foolish.
L.A. Teachers’ Union Passes Resolution Calling for Arms Embargo on Israel
The United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA), the major teachers’ union in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), passed a resolution last week backing an arms embargo against Israel proposed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT).

The resolution, obtained by the Los Angeles Times, calls upon California’s Sens. Alex Padilla and Laphonza Butler, both Democrats, to back Sanders’s resolution in the Senate’s “lame duck” session after the November election.

The Times reported:
Union materials prepared for a board of directors meeting, which were obtained by The Times, state the rationale for taking such a stand: “the arms named have been used in violations of U.S. and international law, indiscriminately killing large numbers of civilians, many of them children.”

“As educators, we have watched for one year as Israel has decimated the education system for current and future Palestinians, destroying every university in Gaza and forcing children to attend school in refugee camps or not at all,” the document explaining the union’s rationale for the resolution states.Best online courses

The union did not immediately release the vote tally, but it passed easily among those members of the union’s House of Representatives who attended the virtual meeting, sources said. UTLA’s House of Representatives is its official governing body.


Reporter is either lying or ignorant about a Palestinian state
It’s not the first time he has made such a statement. In an article for the Times on November 24, 2023, Erlanger wrote: “Set up after the 1993 Oslo Accords, the Palestinian Authority was intended as a temporary administration on the way toward an independent Palestinian state.”

Yet in reality, there is not one word in the Oslo Accords about a Palestinian state.

Oslo I—the agreement that was signed by Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat on the White House Lawn in 1993—said in Article 1: “The aim of the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations within the current Middle East peace process is, among other things, to establish a Palestinian Interim Self-Government Authority, the elected Council, (the “Council”) for the Palestinian people in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, for a transitional period not exceeding five years, leading to a permanent settlement”—nothing about a state.

Oslo II, signed in 1995, used the exact same language in its Preamble. Again, there was no reference to a state.

And that was deliberate. Because when then-Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin presented Oslo II to the Knesset for ratification on Oct. 5, 1995, he directly addressed the question of a Palestinian state. He said he favored “a Palestinian entity … which is less than a state.”

Rabin then emphasized that “We will not return to the 4 June 1967 lines,” and outlined a number of areas that should be within Israel’s borders in a final settlement. He said Jerusalem, under Israeli rule, should include suburbs such as Ma’ale Adumim and Givat Ze’ev. He said the eastern border should be in the Jordan Valley. And he said Gush Etzion, Efrat, Beitar “and other communities” should be part of Israel.

Rabin’s position put him at odds with the advocates of a Palestinian state. They demanded that Israel return to the June 1967 lines. They demanded that a Palestinian state include all of those communities that Rabin mentioned should be part of Israel. And they demanded that the Old City section of Jerusalem, where the Temple Mount and Western Wall are located, also should be part of “Palestine.”

So, of course, the Oslo agreements could not refer to a Palestinian state. Rabin could not have asked the Knesset to ratify an accord giving up all the things he said he would not give up.

All of which leaves two possible explanations for Erlanger’s false statements in the Times about Oslo and Palestinian statehood. Both explanations are deeply disturbing.

One is that he has never read the Oslo Accords. This would, of course, constitute an extremely serious case of professional misconduct. To fail to acquaint himself with the most basic documents concerning a subject that he was writing about—and then to make such an incredible error out of sheer ignorance—could be grounds for dismissal.

The second explanation is perhaps even worse. It would be that Erlanger knows exactly what the Oslo Accords say, but he consciously chooses to misrepresent it in order to advance the statehood agenda.

Of course, statehood advocates were hoping that Oslo would lead to a Palestinian state. And by pretending that Oslo required such an outcome, they make it appear as if Israel is in gross violation of its treaty obligations. So that would fit perfectly with the theme of so many articles in The New York Times—namely, the idea that Israel is to blame for the absence of Middle East peace and creating a Palestinian state will bring everlasting tranquility to the region.

Not surprisingly, most Israelis see it differently. Even before the Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, polls consistently showed that most Israelis feared a Palestinian state would be used as a springboard to attack the Jewish state, especially at its most vulnerable nine-mile-wide points along the coast. After Oct. 7, the idea of a Palestinian state seems to most Israelis to constitute a direct threat to Israel’s existence.

But those who remain committed to the goal of a Palestinian state—apparently including journalists such as Steven Erlanger—seem ready to do anything, including misrepresenting major international agreements, in order to advance their scheme no matter what.
Twelve years of ‘escalation’ framing from the BBC’s Jeremy Bowen/a>
Those wondering whether or not Bowen had similarly portrayed Iran’s October 1st attacks on Israel with 181 ballistic missiles as an ‘escalation’ only have to refer to an article he wrote the following day titled “Bowen: Iran wanted to do real damage, and Israel’s response may not be as restrained as last time”. The word ‘escalation’ does not appear in that report in relation to the Iranian attacks. Instead, Bowen preferred to describe them as “retaliating”:
“Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps put out an announcement saying that they were retaliating to the killings of senior leaders in Hamas and Hezbollah, and warned that if Israel retaliated, in turn they would strike back.”

The word ‘escalation’ did however appear in a report by Bowen published the day after the previous attacks on Israel by Iran on April 13th – but, again, not in relation to Iran’s actions. In that report titled “Bowen: As Israel debates Iran attack response, can US and allies stop slide into all-out war?”, BBC audiences were told that the ‘escalation’ had begun on April 1st:

“This most recent escalation of the war that has spread across the Middle East since Hamas attacked Israel began two weeks ago, when Israel attacked Iran’s embassy compound in Damascus. The air strike, on 1 April, killed a senior general, his number two and other aides.”

Readers may recall that the ‘escalation’ narrative was also prominent in reports written by Jeremy Bowen between September 18th and September 24th concerning events in Lebanon.

“We are seeing yet another very large escalation by the Israelis.”

As we all know, the current war began on October 7th 2023 when the Iran-backed terrorist organisation Hamas attacked Israel, slaughtering hundreds of civilians and taking hundreds more hostage. The war’s northern front opened the following day when the Iran’s proxy in Lebanon, the terrorist organisation Hizballah, launched unprovoked attacks on Israel and it has continued with attacks by additional Iranian proxies in Yemen, Iraq and Syria as well as by Iran itself.

As far as the BBC’s international editor is concerned, however, only the actions of the country attacked by multiple terror actors on multiple fronts merit portrayal as ‘escalation’. And – as long-time readers may recall – there is in fact nothing new about that.

Twelve years ago, in November 2012, the IDF launched an operation in the Gaza Strip following weeks of Hamas rocket and mortar attacks against Israeli civilian communities. On the day that operation began, Jeremy Bowen appeared on BBC television to inform audiences that:
“The assassination of the head of the Hamas armed wing, Ahmed al Jabari, is a deliberate escalation by Israel“.

As was observed here at the time, the firing of hundreds of military-grade missiles at Israeli civilians before Jabari was eliminated was not deemed an ‘escalation’ by Bowen and his colleagues.

In other words, there is nothing remotely original about Jeremy Bowen’s employment of such uninformative and one-sided ‘escalation’ framing or his deliberate failure to distinguish between indiscriminate attacks on civilians and strikes on military targets. Sadly for members of the BBC’s funding public though, Bowen’s politically motivated narratives do not contribute to their understanding of the events he is supposedly reporting.
BBC COMPLAINTS ACKNOWLEDGES ‘UNFORTUNATE ERROR’ BUT FAILS TO CORRECT FINANCIAL TIMES DISHONESTLY TRIES TO TIE THE IDF TO US FAR-RIGHT EXTREMISTS

Media Downplay Central Israel Truck Ramming as Mere Traffic Mishap

Germany's left-wing 'Die Linke' Berlin party sees wave of resignations over antisemitism

MEMRI: Islamist Caliphate Movement Hiz Ut-Tahrir, Banned In Germany Since 2003, Marches On Hamburg Streets To Promote A Caliphate Via A Proxy, 'Muslim Interaktiv'

Ten Danish Muslim leaders refuse to attend Minister-called meeting on antisemitism

Antisemites should be deported from Sweden, refused citizenship, says MEP

MEMRI: Antisemitic Article In Qatari Daily Outlines A Sequel To Shakespeare's 'The Merchant Of Venice,' In Which The 'Cursed' Uncle Sam Sends The Jewish Shylock To Palestine To Further His Imperialist Objectives

Captagon crisis: Middle East’s $5.7 billion drug trade fuels Hezbollah

MEMRI: The Ayatollah's Reign Of Terror

Germany condemns execution in Iran of citizen accused of terrorism

Swastikas painted on Paris home where Holocaust survivor murdered in 2018
A troubling wave of antisemitism has surfaced in France, where a Jewish resident is enduring persistent threats in a building already marked by tragedy. Nancy is facing relentless antisemitic harassment, including death threats and Nazi symbols, in the same building where 85-year-old Holocaust survivor Mireille Knoll was murdered in 2018. Nancy has already filed multiple police reports.

The harassment has escalated in recent weeks, with perpetrators defacing the building’s common areas with swastikas and targeting Nancy’s personal space. Her door and mailbox have been vandalized with antisemitic death threats, some written in Arabic, while Nazi symbols and Stars of David have been scrawled across the corridor. French news channel BFM brought the case to public attention after visiting Nancy’s home and documenting the ongoing threats.

“The intimidation began with letters, then evolved to symbols appearing in the stairwell and elevator,” Nancy told BFM in a visibly distressed state. “About two weeks ago, threatening letters started arriving. I’ve already submitted six police reports and find myself at the police station every three days to follow up. My life has been completely disrupted. I can’t sleep, I feel lost, threatened, and anxious. I simply cannot comprehend how someone could target another human being this way.”

These incidents are unfolding at the same Avenue Philippe-Auguste address where Knoll was tortured and killed by two assailants, Yacine Mihoub and Alex Krimbikos, who stabbed her before setting her apartment ablaze. The French judiciary officially classified her murder as an antisemitic hate crime.


Boxing legend Floyd Mayweather visits wounded IDF soldiers at rehab center
Legendary boxer Floyd Mayweather paid a visit to Israel’s Belev Echad rehabilitation center, offering encouragement and support to soldiers wounded in the ongoing war. This is Mayweather’s fourth visit to the country since the war began, showcasing his commitment to those recovering from their wounds.

Belev Echad, the organization behind the rehabilitation center in Kiryat Ono, provides critical medical care, emotional support, and long-term rehabilitation services for soldiers severely wounded in battle. Mayweather, known globally for his undefeated record of 50-0 and world titles in five different weight classes, spent time with the soldiers, delivering words of encouragement and solidarity.

Addressing the soldiers on Monday, Mayweather expressed his admiration for their bravery and resilience.

“I see so many bright faces, so many beautiful people. You guys are brave warriors. I take my hat off to everyone in here that goes on that battlefield.” He emphasized teamwork and perseverance, adding, “You guys are team players. I’m proud of you all. Hold your heads up high, and just know every day is a blessing. You guys are true heroes and warriors, and I’m behind you 100%. I’ll be back, and you guys have my support.”

'Truly exceptional'
Moti Fried, who accompanied the boxing icon, expressed awe at Mayweather’s dedication, saying, “It’s simply unbelievable that he drops everything and comes here for the fourth time. He’s a legend in his field, and his love for Israel and the Jewish people is something truly exceptional.”

The founders of Belev Echad, Rabbi Uriel and Shevy Vigler, voiced their gratitude for Mayweather’s visit. “Floyd’s support and compassion mean the world to these soldiers,” Rabbi Vigler noted. “His visit lifts their spirits and reminds them that people across the globe are standing with them.” Vigler added, “Floyd’s connection to our soldiers speaks volumes. His presence here brings hope and a renewed sense of strength to those who have sacrificed so much for Israel.”




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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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