Thursday, November 07, 2024

11/07 Links Pt2: BHL on protesters: 'I believe they are fascists'; Irish Parliament Passes Motion Accusing Israel of ‘Genocide’ in Gaza; The Confused Kidnappers of Chaim Weizmann’s Statue

From Ian:

'I believe they are fascists': French intellectual Bernard-Henri Lévy on the Canadian anti-Israel protests
An ad for Israel Alone in the trade publication Shelf Awareness was recently pulled, with editors saying that a pro-Israel book would upset their readers. You’ve taken up many controversial causes, you have faced protests, criticisms and in 2008 you were targeted for assassination by Islamist militants. In terms of opprobrium you’ve faced throughout your life, how does it compare to what faces a Western intellectual who unapologetically champions the cause of Israel?

You put it very well. I’ve seen this kind of incident so much in my life that this is not going to intimidate me. When you’ve spent nearly two years in the Ukrainian trenches, when you’ve filmed Bakhmut or Chasiv Yar under bombardment, when you’ve seen comrades fall just a few metres away, do you really think a miserable little guy like this is going to scare me?

The issue, however, lies with American authors. Especially, the younger authors. Because there is nevertheless an extraordinary climate at play here. Here is a country, two countries in fact — Canada and the United States — that were once homelands for persecuted Jews around the world. Here are two countries that were possible refuges for all threatened Jews worldwide. And now, in these countries, it’s the very name of Israel — and, soon, that of the Jews — that is becoming unpronounceable.

A double bind. The First Amendment: Absolute freedom of speech. Antisemitism: one of these so-called “free” expressions has deadly consequences. This is where we are at. This is the situation of Jews in North America. All communities on the continent have the right to protection. All have the right to guard against provocations. Except one — the Jewish minority.

You have long argued that failure to defeat Vladimir Putin in Ukraine would have dire ramifications for the rest of the democratic West. Do you see Israel’s war with Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran and others as similarly being a bulwark between the West and illiberalism?

Of course. It’s the same thing. There would never have been the Gaza War if there hadn’t been the war in Ukraine. What I mean is that Iran would never have taken the initiative to unleash the dogs of Hamas if it hadn’t observed our timid response to Putin unleashing his own dogs on Ukraine.

Similarly, if we abandon Israel, if we allow Hamas or Hezbollah to claim victory, if we give them even an inch of victory and credit, then I predict that the year will not end without China invading Taiwan.

There is an axis of authoritarian powers. These are the five revanchist countries, the “five kings,” which I described in my book The Empire and the Five Kings. They form an unlikely alliance, but an alliance nonetheless. They observe each other. They spy on each other. When one scores a point, the second takes over, and the third rushes in and asserts its imperial ambitions. In this very precise sense, we can say that Israel, like Ukraine, is fighting a battle of civilization. The battle for rights. For democracy. The anti-totalitarian and anti-imperialist battle of our time.
Eugene Kontorovich: Anti-Israel actions taken by the Biden Administration in the Wake of Oct. 7th Massacre
Here is a list, in no order, of some of concrete ways the Biden-Harris Administration has undermined Israel and encouraged the Iranian Axis, even in the months after Oct. 7th - and how the Trump Administration can swiftly rectify it. 1) Making BDS government policy by creating a sanctions program aimed at Jews living in Judea and Samaria.

2) Preventing Gazans from fleeing conflict to increase pressure on Israel: the Biden Administration supported the Hamas/Egypt policy of keeping Gazans trapped in Gaza, the only people in the world not allowed to flee a conflict. Biden treated Egypt's border with Gaza like he should have treated America's with Mexico, and vice versa. Asylum seekers to America in any number, to Egypt in no number. Now Trump can flip the script.

3) Biden's "Four No's": By stressing the Iranian axis can pay no territorial price for its aggression ("no reduction in territory"), Biden gave Hamas and Hezbollah an insurance policy, and set the stage for them to threaten Israel again. Trump can make clear that invading neighboring countries is not guaranteed to be an at least break-even proposition.

4) Cancelling Trump's sanctions on the ICC, and then refusing to support bipartisan legislation holding ICC officials accountable after the sought to indict Israeli officials for defending the country from Hamas. Trump understands the ICC is simply the international version of the lawfare that has been directed at him.

5) Undermining the Pompeo Doctrine, which announced that Jews living in Judea & Samaria is not a war crime. Its schizophrenic to have this legal issue toggle with every administration. Now Congress can enshrine this position into law.

6) Protecting the @UN even as it justified Oct. 7th, and allowed one of its agencies, @UNRWA , to become a Hamas front, and @UNIFIL_ to be a defensive screen for Hezbollah. Trump can again defund UNRWA, but also end its immunity to lawsuits for supporting terror, and cancel UNIFL, saving American taxpayers hundreds of millions.
Seth Mandel: The Confused Kidnappers of Chaim Weizmann’s Statue
Although the story that Weizmann was rewarded for his service with the Balfour Declaration isn’t true—his biographer Jehuda Reinharz is adamant and convincing on this count—the connections Weizmann made and the favor he won in the eyes of the government certainly helped his later Zionist pleas find sympathetic ears. The Balfour Declaration was made on Nov. 2, 1917. The Palestine Action stunt at the University of Manchester was in protest of the 107th anniversary of this momentous document.

The chowderheads who kidnapped the busts of Weizmann and Dixon have thus demonstrated two important characteristics of the Western “pro-Palestine” movement.

The first is that, although much of this activism is taking place at universities, its practitioners are not learning anything about their supposed passion project. Any true champion of Palestine ought to be able to tell Chaim Weizmann from Harold Dixon.

The second is that, on top of their general ignorance is a deep loathing of the West and their fellow humans and the freedom they all enjoy. Weizmann was in that display case because he was a hero to Britain. I suppose I wouldn’t be shocked if the men and women of Palestine Action preferred Germany to have won the war, though their real German idols would only emerge a couple years after Weizmann helped save the world.

Recognition of the Weizmann-Dixon partnership is a tribute not to the state of Israel and the survival of the Jewish people but to the survival of the United Kingdom. This knowledge would not likely change Palestine Action’s actions. But it is a reminder that hatred of the Jews is part and parcel of the hatred of Jewish contributions to civilization, very much including freedom, democracy, scientific advancement, and academic institutions such as those taken for granted by masked poseurs who steal statues.


Israel: State of a Nation: Unprecedented Antisemitism | Jonathan Greenblatt on Jew Hatred in America
Antisemitism is on the rise throughout the United States, which has seen an “explosion” of anti-Jewish hate crimes since October 7, 2023.

Jonathan Greenblatt is the CEO and National Director of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), where he leads efforts to combat antisemitism, hate, and extremism. Since taking the helm in 2015, Greenblatt has focused on defending Jewish communities while expanding the ADL’s work to address broader issues of hate impacting society. A former advisor in the Obama administration, he is known for using technology and partnerships to amplify the ADL’s impact and create safer, more inclusive communities for Jewish people and all vulnerable groups.

Jonathan focuses on the theme of "a year of unprecedented antisemitism", leading up to the one-year anniversary of Oct 7, discussing last year's rise in campus antisemitism, key antisemitic trends post-Oct 7 from our research, and insights from his recent trip to Israel.


Irish Parliament Passes Motion Accusing Israel of ‘Genocide’ in Gaza as Dublin’s Hostility Toward Jewish State Mounts
The Irish parliament on Thursday passed a non-binding motion saying that “genocide is being perpetrated before our eyes by Israel in Gaza,” continuing Ireland’s fierce hostility toward the Jewish state since the latter was attacked by the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas last year.

As the measure passed, Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin said that the government intends to join South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) before the end of the year.

“The government’s decision to intervene in the South African case was based on detailed and rigorous legal analysis. Ireland is a strong supporter of the work of the court, and is deeply committed to international law and accountability,” Martin said in a statement.

“We are also committed to supporting and promoting a strict interpretation of the Genocide Convention to ensure the highest level of protection possible for civilians caught up in situations of armed conflict and to apply the highest standards of conduct on those engaged in conflict,” he added. “The government has insisted that both Israel and Hamas be held accountable for violations committed.”

Since December, South Africa has been pursuing its case at the ICJ accusing Israel of committing “state-led genocide” in its defensive war against Hamas in Gaza.

In January, the ICJ ruled there was “plausibility” to South Africa’s claims that Palestinians had a right to be protected from genocide. However, the top UN court did not make a determination on the merits of South Africa’s allegations — which Israel and its allies have described as baseless and may take years to get through the judicial process. Israeli officials have strongly condemned the ICJ proceedings, noting that the Jewish state is targeting terrorists who use civilians as human shields in its military campaign.

Pro-Israel advocates welcomed the ICJ ruling because it did not impose a unilateral ceasefire in Gaza and called for the release of the hostages taken by Hamas last Oct. 7. Rather than declare that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza and order the Jewish state to stop its military campaign in the Palestinian enclave, the court issued a more general directive that Israel must make sure it prevents acts of genocide.
Revealed: MPs debate Israel twice as much as they discuss the NHS
MPs have spent more than twice as much parliamentary time debating Israel than the NHS over the past year, the JC can reveal.

According to Parliament’s own online records, between October 7 last year and October 18 this year, MPs made 4,369 contributions in the chamber relating to Israel, in comparison to 1,895 on the NHS.

MPs also devoted far less time to talking about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, widely considered to be far more strategically significant for the UK, which was mentioned just 1,449 times.

The war in Sudan, in which 25 million people are said to be in dire need of humanitarian assistance, was discussed only 225 times.

The figures on parliamentary “contributions” – which are counted as a speech, an oral question or an intervention in a debate, both positive and negative – have prompted deep concern among politicians, and Jewish activists and leaders.

Former Labour MP Louise Ellman said: “The obsession with Israel and the Palestinians crowds out the space for debate on other hugely important issues. It sends a signal to media organisations that their own distorted and biased reporting – epitomised by the failure to label Hamas’ crimes as terrorism – is somehow legitimate.

“And, most worryingly, most of these debates do not explore the complexities of the situation. They all too often feed a narrative that robs the Israeli people of their humanity and permits the Palestinian leadership to deny their own responsibility.”

New Liberal Democrat MP Mike Martin also criticised the over-emphasis on Israel’s conflicts in a column for the JC, adding that when it comes to the UK’s security, and its strategic interests, Ukraine is far more important.

Russell Langer, director of public affairs at the Jewish Leadership Council (JLC), also condemned the way that parliamentary discussions “echo the imbalance” seen in non-stop Gaza street protests.

An example of positive contributions on the subject was Labour MP Mike Tapp’s statement on July 30, in which he argued that the government “should be helping Israel as much as we can to defend itself” from Iran-backed terrorist groups. By contrast, MP Zarah Sultana stated on the anniversary of October 7 that Israel’s actions in Gaza amounted to a “genocide”. The tendency to devote more time to Israel than Ukraine stands in contrast to the huge material aid that the UK has provided Kyiv in its fight against Russia.
NHS neurologist backs ‘armed struggle’ of Hamas
An NHS neurologist who backed Hamas’ “armed struggle” has prompted calls for the General Medical Council (GMC) to investigate the "growing trend" of medical professionals expressing support for extremism.

Dr Rehiana Ali, a doctor and former Parliamentary candidate, advocated for the “de-proscription” of terror groups under UK law – even after she was reported to the GMC for inflammatory posts.

A consultant neurologist who has worked in the NHS since 2003 and was registered as specialist neurologist in 2016, Ali described Hamas as "legitimate Palestinian resistance".

Her latest comments came after the Jewish Medical Council filed two complaints to the GMC against her – one before the UK election and another in August.

Since then, she has posted a string of disturbing statements. In a post last month she wrote: “Hamas are not terrorists and are legitimate Palestinian resistance… UK law was abused at the behest of the Israeli lobby” when Hamas and Hezbollah were proscribed, adding: "They need to be de-proscribed.”

Responding to a clip posted last month in which the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) chief, Ben Jamel, stated, “Israel has no right to defend itself” and “It is the Palestinian people who have a right to resist, including - as enshrined within international law - through armed resistance,” Ali suggested the law against Hamas was “ridiculous” and linked to a blog entry titled “Hamas are not terrorists - the Palestinian People have a legal right to armed struggle”.
UKLFI: Citizens Advice investigates allegations of internal discrimination and political activities
UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) requested the investigation into widespread breaches of the Charity Commission Guidelines and the Equality Act 2010 by staff at Citizens Advice. Many have been openly supporting Palestine at work, in breach of the organisation’s obligations to be neutral and impartial.

Jewish employees have raised concerns with UKLFI about the intimidating effect of working with colleagues who wear Palestine lanyards, use Palestine flags as backdrops for their virtual meetings, and call for boycotts targeting Israel.

Citizens Advice employees have circulated a petition calling for a boycott of Hewlett Packard (HP) products, following a call from the Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC), an organization whose members include designated terrorist groups such as Hamas and the PFLP.

UKLFI has pointed out that this petition, which is political in nature, violates CAB’s charitable objects, as outlined in the Charity Commission Guidelines, which prohibit charities from engaging in political activity unrelated to their charitable purpose.

Several other instances of political activism by Citizens Advice staff have been reported, including posts on social media by Citizens Advice employees, featuring pro-Palestinian messages and imagery.

UKLFI highlighted a specific incident where a Citizens Advice employee displayed a “Charity Workers for Palestine” banner, implying the organisation’s support for the Palestinian political cause. UKLFI has reminded Citizens Advice that these issues are outside the charity’s remit and breach the Charity Commission’s political impartiality guidelines.

UKLFI is also concerned about potential harassment under the Equality Act, particularly towards Jewish and Israeli staff. Jewish employees have reported being distressed by political symbols and messages supporting Palestine during virtual meetings, with some staff displaying Palestinian flags as meeting backgrounds or wearing lanyards featuring the flag.


Wikipedia Editors Add “Gaza Genocide” to “List of Genocides” Article
Wikipedia editors have officially added “Gaza genocide” to the “List of genocides” Wikipedia article following a discussion launched over the summer.

The list itself begins with “Gaza genocide,” where it states: “Israel has been accused by experts, governments, U.N. agencies and non-governmental organizations of carrying out a genocide against the Palestinian population during its invasion and bombing of Gaza during the ongoing Israel Hamas war. By March 2024, after five months of attacks, Israeli military action had resulted in the deaths of over 31,500 Palestinians – 1 out of every 75 people in Gaza – averaging 195 killings a day, and nearly 40,000 confirmed deaths by July. Most of the victims are civilians, including over 25,000 women and children and 108 journalists. Thousands more dead bodies are under the rubble of destroyed buildings. By March 2024, 374 healthcare workers in Gaza had been killed.”

The discussion over whether or not to add “Gaza genocide” to the list began in July; those in favor argued that it was only natural to include after an article title was changed from “Allegations of genocide in the 2023 Israeli attack on Gaza” to “Gaza genocide” earlier the month. They also argued that it fits the list’s inclusion criteria for “acts which are recognized in significant scholarship as genocides” and that other genocides on the list are considered controversial, such as Rohingya genocide and Darfur genocide. Those opposed to inclusion contended that the allegation that Israel is committing genocide in the Gaza Strip is too widely disputed to warrant mentioning it in a neutral voice (wikivoice) in the article, especially when the International Court of Justice has yet to make a ruling on the matter.

The discussion was a formal discussion known as a Request for Comment (RfC), where editors put in their “!votes” with their stated position and rationale on the dispute at hand; oftentimes, a closer (an uninvolved Wikipedian in good standing) renders a verdict on the discussion based on the numbers and the strength of site policy arguments. British Wikipedian Stuart Marshall ultimately closed the discussion in September, finding consensus in favor of inclusion based “on the strength of the arguments … and it’s not close … I discarded the argument that scholars haven’t reached a conclusion on whether the Gaza genocide is really taking place,” Marshall wrote. “The matter remains contested, but there’s a metric truckload of scholarly sources linked in this discussion that show a clear predominance of academics who say that it is. I discarded the argument that it is for the U.N. or the International Courts to decide what’s a genocide and what isn’t. This is Wikipedia, where we follow the scholarly sources.” Marshall rebuked an argument put forward in the discussion where an editor argued against inclusion by citing a piece from The Economist the editor claimed was “significantly more reliable than publications in ideologically captured fields like critical race theory, postcolonial studies, etc.” “The contention that ‘General-audience publications such as The Economist are actually significantly more reliable than publications in ideologically captured fields like critical race theory’ is not one that I lightly set aside. I hurled it aside with great force,” Marshall wrote. “We follow the scholars.”


District judge lets suit proceed that alleges Harvard didn’t curb Jew-hatred enough
Richard Stearns, a judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, ruled on Tuesday that a Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law suit against Harvard University, which alleges that the Ivy League school failed to stop antisemitism on campus, can proceed.

“This is a huge win for Jewish students, both at Harvard and across the country,” stated Kenneth Marcus, chairman of Brandeis Center and a former U.S. assistant education secretary in the George W. Bush and Trump administrations.

“Just as the House of Representatives report recently concluded, Judge Stearns recognized that Harvard failed to address antisemitism, and he flat out rejected Harvard’s disgraceful and continued attempts to gaslight Jewish students,” Marcus stated. “Harvard has repeatedly turned a blind eye to the egregious antisemitism gaining ground by the day on its campus.”

Marcus added that Harvard students have been threatened and assaulted, “both by students and professors.”

“Many avoid campus out of fear for their safety. Enough is enough,” he stated. “This lawsuit aims to hold Harvard accountable and force it to take the rights and safety of Jewish students seriously, and Judge Stearns’s ruling now clears the way for us to begin the important discovery process.”

The Brandeis Center chair added that “far too many universities have not responded effectively to the dangerous and rising antisemitism on their campuses, and we hope this important lawsuit sends a message to Harvard and all institutions that those days are over.”

According to the Brandeis Center, the judge recognized its “main and most important claim that Harvard left ‘cruel antisemitic bullying, harassment and discrimination’ unaddressed for years, pre- and post-Oct. 7.

“Brandeis Center attorneys argued ‘when Harvard is presented with incontrovertible evidence of antisemitic conduct, it ignores and tolerates it,’” the center stated. “Harvard attorneys urged the judge to dismiss the Brandeis Center’s complaint, however, Judge Stearns concluded Harvard took no reasonable action in response to the hostile environment and antisemitic incidents it knew about, and the Brandeis Center’s complaint warrants a hearing.”
Harvard Professors Cancel Classes as Students Feel Blue After Trump Win
At 7 a.m. on Wednesday, Sophia R. Mammucari ’28 woke up to a phone call from her mom — and the news that Donald Trump had been officially reelected.

“I still had some hope that she was going to win by a small amount. And then I woke up this morning, and that’s not what happened,” Mammucari said. “I probably cried for like an hour.”

On election night, students gathered at viewing parties hosted by friends, House tutors, the Institute of Politics, and the Harvard Republican Club to watch results roll in.

The next morning, they woke up to a somber campus.

When Samantha M. Holtz ’28 googled the presidential election’s outcome before her Wednesday morning swim practice, her “heart dropped a little bit.”

“Being at Harvard, I was surrounded by a lot of people who were very pro-Harris, so in my mind it was already a decided election,” Holtz said. “It was a little bit shocking to me.”

Luke P. Kushner ’27 said he was “really, really disappointed” by the presidential election results.

“Very early on in the night, it became pretty clear that it was going to go in the direction of Trump,” Kushner said. “I went to bed before they called it, and at that point I was pretty resigned.” ‘Space to Process’

In Harvard’s freshman dining hall Wednesday morning, Holtz joined a teammate to eat breakfast with College Dean Rakesh Khurana.

According to Holtz, Khurana told students to “let yourself feel a bunch of emotions about how this is going to impact us in the future, and listen to other people and how they feel about it too.”

Some professors also encouraged students to process in the aftermath of the election, adjusting course requirements in kind.


Three Charged With Hate Crimes and Conspiracy for Vandalizing Brooklyn Museum Leaders’ Homes
Three people have been charged with 25 counts, including making a terroristic threat as a hate crime, graffiti, and conspiracy, in connection with the vandalism of the home of Brooklyn Museum director Anne Pasternak, as well as those of three museum board trustees.

Taylor Pelton, Samuel Seligson and Gabriel Schubiner were charged for the June 2024 incidents, in which red paint was splashed across the front door and windows of all four residences. At Pasternak’s Brooklyn Heights home, a banner was hung between two columns that read: “Anne Pasternak / Brooklyn Museum / White Supremacist Zionist.” Beneath that statement, in smaller, red letters, were the words “Funds Genocide.” The homes of Brooklyn Museum board chair Barbara Vogelstein, board treasurer Neil Simpkins, aandas president and chief operating officer Kimberly Panicek Trueblood were also graffitied with anti-Zionist messages that night.

Surveillance footage near the four residences was used by investigators to identify the three individuals, and a stencil covered in red paint had a fingerprint which was also identified as belonging to Schubiner, according to a press release from the office of Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez.

The vandalism occurred around two weeks after a large pro-Palestine march ended in front of the museum, meeting with a protest held in the lobby. Protestors on both sides of the glass called for the institution to condemn the killing of Palestinians in Gaza and to divest from its financial ties to Israel. More than 30 people were arrested, leading some artists and activists to accuse the New York Police Department of brutality. In a statement to Hyperallergic, the museum said that the NYPD officers present at the protest “responded as best they could to the overwhelming crowds and heightened tensions,” and museum leadership had “reached out to the community affairs leadership at NYPD to discuss their actions on Friday and how we can focus on de-escalation going forward.”

Pelton of Astoria, Queens, was arrested in early August. Seligson, an independent videographer, was also arrested in August after being charged with two counts of criminal mischief with a hate crime advancement—a felony in New York.

“Acts of vandalism that target individuals in their own homes are a deeply disturbing violation meant to intimidate, terrorize, and instill fear,” Gonzalez added. “These defendants allegedly targeted museum board members with threats and anti-Semitic graffiti based on their perceived heritage. These actions are not protests; they are hate crimes, and we are deeply committed to holding accountable anyone who uses such unlawful tactics in Brooklyn.”

Other charges include making a terroristic threat, third- and fourth-degree criminal mischief as a hate crime, third- and fourth-degree criminal mischief, and making graffiti. Schubiner was formally informed of criminal charges by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun on November and released without bail. The District Attorney’s announcement said that Seligson and Pelton are expected to be arraigned next week.


Jewish Students ‘Brutally’ Assaulted at DePaul University in Chicago
Two Jewish students participating in a pro-Israel demonstration at DePaul University in Chicago on Wednesday were “brutally” assaulted by two ruffians who concealed their identities with masks.

“We are outraged that this occurred on our campus. It is completely unacceptable and a violation of DePaul’s values to uphold and care for the dignity of every individual,” DePaul president Robert Manuel said on Wednesday in a statement addressing the issue.

Manuel described how “masked attackers punched our students,” who were injured but declined medical treatment.

“We will continue to do everything possible to ensure DePaul is a safe and welcoming space for every member of our diverse university community. We recognize that for a significant portion of our Jewish community, Israel is a core part of their Jewish identity. Those students — and every student — should feel safe on our university campus. Our shared expectations and guiding principles make it clear that DePaul will not tolerate any acts of hatred or violence.”

Manuel confirmed that DePaul officials are working with the Chicago Police Department to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Jewish Alliance (CJA), a local nonprofit which promotes the welfare and civil rights of the city’s Jewish community, vowed to be advocates of the victims and continue raising awareness of antisemitism in the US.

“We are deeply saddened and outraged to report that two Jewish students were brutally assaulted at DePaul University today. This shocking act of violence is a stark reminder of the growing intolerance and antisemitism that cannot be tolerated in our society,” the group wrote on X/Twitter. “This is not just an isolated incident; it is a call to action for all of us. We must united to create a safe space for our Jewish community and stand against prejudice. This will not be the last you hear from us regarding this critical issue.”


Rep. Mast urges visa ban for British MP over alleged Hamas ties
Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL), in a letter sent earlier this week, urged Secretary of State Tony Blinken to block a member of the British parliament from entering the United States.

According to Mast, MP Naseem Shah of the U.K.’s Labour party spoke in 2021 on a panel organized by the Palestinian Return Centre, whose chair was sanctioned by the United States, which described him as a senior Hamas member in Europe.

Mast said that Shah had also raised money for the Friends of Al-Aqsa, members of which Mast alleged had worked with Interpal, a group the U.S. designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist group in 2003. The group’s founder has also met with Hamas leaders and praised terrorists.

“There is substantial public evidence that MP Shah has connections to known terrorist organizations,” Mast said. “It is imperative that the United States send a clear signal to the world that politicians who support terrorists are not welcome on American soil.”

Shah is scheduled to speak on Nov. 13 at a conference organized by the Muslim Public Affairs Council in Washington, D.C.; MPAC lists her as a “featured speaker” for the conference.

Shah was suspended from the Labour party in 2016 for a past social media post calling Israel to be “relocate[d]” to the United States. She also spoke at a 2021 rally where a speaker called for Israelis’ hands to be amputated.


Qatar behind antisemitic influencers like Dan Bilzerian, Chikli tells 'Post' - interview
Qatar is partially responsible for the increase in Diaspora antisemitism and X/Twitter is the most problematic social media platform, Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Minister Amichai Chikli said in a conversation with The Jerusalem Post about aliyah and hatred toward Jews.

Chikli spoke about the Diaspora Ministry’s launch of a new tool two months ago, which aims to combat antisemitism.

The AI-based system allows the ministry to monitor every social network and provide key details that prevent terror attacks against Jewish communities, as well as give indications of the level of antisemitism in various countries.

Chikli said the system also helps the ministry understand who the “engines of antisemitism” are, be they politicians or influencers or organizations.

The ministry’s tool enables them to understand who is spreading antisemitism, Chikli added, which is the first step to combating it.

According to Chikli, Canada and the US’s recent ban on the pro-Palestinian organization Samidoun – which is affiliated with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) – was partly due to reports published by the Diaspora Ministry and shared with the respective governments.

The ministry’s research department is currently doing the same with other groups such as Students for Justice in Palestine.


Vendor in Rome tells Jewish patron ‘Hitler was right’
A video clip circulating widely on social media has highlighted the concerning normalization of overt antisemitism on European streets, demonstrating how the multi-front war against Israel has emboldened public displays of anti-Jewish sentiment across the continent.

The footage, captured by an Israeli attendee at a vegan food festival in Rome, documents a charged confrontation at a vendor’s stall. “You are the disgrace of humanity. How dare you walk these streets? Get your hands off my counter. Leave immediately,” the vendor can be heard saying.

The Israeli patron, continuing to record the interaction, responds calmly: “I merely mentioned that I’m Israeli, and suddenly you’re blaming me for all the world’s problems.”

The vendor’s response escalates sharply: “Yes, precisely; I blame you, all Israelis, all Jews. Hitler was right. It’s a shame he didn’t complete his mission.”



Leading Italian newspaper La Repubblica shared the footage on its Instagram platform, reporting that festival organizers promptly removed the vendor from the event. The post garnered hundreds of thousands of views and generated extensive commentary.
Users claim rampant antisemitism on popular Chess.com application
Users have complained that one of the most popular global online chess applications is rife with antisemitism and anti-Israel abuse and the app is not doing enough to stamp it out, Channel 12 reported Sunday.

Chess.com has over 150 million users around the world and its app is available online from the Apple store and Google Play.

According to the report, there are thousands of examples of users changing their profile pictures to antisemitic themes such as swastikas or pictures of Hitler. Others have changed their usernames to phrases that are openly hostile to Jews.

A screenshot provided by Channel 12 showed one user called “jews_are_pigs” along with a picture of an Israeli flag being burned. The user joined the site in November 6, 2021, and the profile also carried a caption reading “Jews to Hell.”

Another example shown by the network included a user titled “HeroNazis.”

Chess.com said that it has zero tolerance for such abuse and is working to clean up the app.


Daniel Andrews issues bold ultimatum to Jewish community in rare public appearance: 'Defund them!'
Former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews has called on Jewish philanthropists to cut off funding to recipients who don't denounce antisemitism during a rare public speech.

He was awarded the Jerusalem Medal by the World Zionist Organisation, the Zionist Federation of Australia and the Zionist Federation of Victoria during a special presentation on Sunday night.

During his speech at the Melbourne event, a rarity since he stepped down as the state's longest-serving Labor premier a year ago, Mr Andrews urged the Jewish community to 'defund' organisations which refused to denounce antisemitism or showed support for Palestine.

Specifically, he called for charitable members to stop funding creative endeavours which have been silent or unsupportive of Israel since the Hamas attacks began on October 7, 2023.

The attacks claimed the lives of 1,200 people and launched continuing military operations from Israel against Gaza and Lebanon, which are understood to have killed more than 40,000.

'If people won't speak out against antisemitism, defund them. If people are happy to take your money while being antisemites, defund them,' Mr Andrews told event attendees, The Age reported.

'If you want to support Hamas, then get them to pay your bills, get them to fund your programs and build your buildings. I am serious. We are beyond tropes. Silence and much worse are only possible if there are no consequences.'

The former premier added the Jewish community was the most generous and 'no state has a better developed culture, endowment and philanthropic giving than Victoria'.


Famed YouTuber Pauses Interview to Confront Anti-Israel Protesters Outside NYC Office With Israeli Flag
YouTube star Casey Neistat stopped his interview with a fellow Jewish YouTuber and content creator at his office building in New York City recently to wave an Israeli flag outside a window of his office as anti-Israel protesters demonstrated outside.

Neistat, who has 12.6 million subscribers on YouTube, is a Jewish New York-based filmmaker, writer, blogger, director, and star of the 2010 HBO documentary series “The Neistat Brothers.” He co-founded a multimedia company called Beme that CNN purchased in 2016 for $25 million. He has talked openly on social media about being Jewish and his support for the Jewish community and Israel. He also condemned the “barbarism” carried out by Hamas-led terrorists during their deadly rampage across southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, in a YouTube video titled “Jew” that he published four days after the terrorist attack.

On Nov. 2, the Connecticut-born veteran YouTuber was a guest on the YouTube show “Created,” which is hosted by Jewish content creator Jon Youshaei. The interview took place in Neistat’s office in New York City, and toward the end of their conversation, anti-Israel protesters began loudly demonstrating outside the building. The noise interrupted the interview, and Youshaei addressed the situation on air.

“There’s a protest outside; we hear a lot of the noise,” said the host of “Created.” A second later, Neistat got up from his chair, grabbed an oversized Israeli flag he had in his office, opened the window in the room, and then proceeded to wave the flag outside as the anti-Israel protesters walked by. After the demonstrators left the street, Neistat brought his Israeli flag back inside.

“It’s always something in this city,” Neistat stated. “I think that was some sort of pro-Palestine march. They like to go down [the street] Broadway.” Explaining his decision to wave the Israeli flag outside of his window right as anti-Israel protesters walked by, he said, “You gotta show the love, you know … That was an anti-Israel march going down Broadway and when that happens I like to wave either my American flag, or an Israeli flag, or some combination of both.”

Youshaei afterwards asked Neistat how he feels speaking publicly about Israel despite how “polarizing” the subject is. Neistat replied that it is “challenging” at times.




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