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Sunday, November 17, 2024

11/17 Links: Why Jared Kushner’s return matters ; Yasser Arafat’s legacy: The death of Palestinian statehood; Senior Hamas officials in Turkey after leaving Qatar

From Ian:

JPost Editorial: Trump’s pro-Israel appointments: Dream team or a tightrope for Jerusalem?
One of the main missions of Trump’s team, and particularly his Middle East envoy, will be to expand the historic Abraham Accords that his first administration mediated, and bring Saudi Arabia into the fold to make it the most powerful bloc of nations in the region against the “Axis of Resistance.”

It is also likely to resuscitate the “Deal of the Century,” authored by a team headed by Trump’s senior adviser and Jewish son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

While Trump’s new team might go as far as supporting Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria and what former US ambassador David Friedman calls “One Jewish State” in his new book, it could also revert to the annexation of settlements combined with the establishment of a Palestinian state envisioned in the 2020 peace plan.

In April, the Biden administration signed $14.3 billion in emergency security assistance for Israel, and in September, approved an $8.7 billion aid package, including $3.5 billion for wartime procurement and $5.2 billion for defense systems such as Iron Dome and David’s Sling.

While Trump might maintain such a high level of security aid provided by the US to Israel, he could also cut it or use it as a way to pressure the Jewish state. This might become an issue for Israel in 2026, when the 10-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by former president Barack Obama expires.

Perhaps most important of all will be the Trump administration’s policy on Iran. High-level sources told The Wall Street Journal that the president-elect intends to reinstate his “maximum pressure” campaign against Tehran, under the leadership of its original architect, Brian Hook.

At the heart of Trump’s foreign policy is the aspiration to end wars and expand peace initiatives in conflict zones, including the Middle East, a policy endorsed by supporters of an isolationist “America First” policy such as JD Vance, who will be vice president.

The bottom line is that while Israel can allow itself to be pleased with the make-up of the new Trump team, it should also be cautious.
Why Jared Kushner’s return matters for Jews, Arabs, and Muslims alike
Kushner’s familiarity with regional stakeholders and proven track record align with this goal, positioning him as a bridge between America’s interests and the needs of the Middle East. Today, the need for hope and healing is greater than ever.

The horrific terrorist attack of October 7 and the ongoing conflict have deepened mistrust between Jews, Arabs, and Muslims. Too many innocent lives have been lost on all sides, and the wounds from terror and violence will not heal quickly. But even amid this pain, there remains an opportunity to restore what has been destroyed.

In a world increasingly connected through technology, there are avenues for people to communicate, trade, and cooperate in unprecedented ways. Kushner’s return to diplomacy could capitalize on these opportunities, using technology and economic partnerships to break down barriers of fear and rebuild trust.

His experience in creating the Abraham Accords shows he has both the vision and commitment to make peace achievable again, despite entrenched skepticism on all sides. For peace to truly take root, someone is needed who understands the nuances, respects the complexities, and believes in the region’s potential.

Kushner is uniquely positioned to play that role. His approach—focused on investment, partnerships, and realistic goals—offers a path to a future where cooperation replaces conflict and prosperity unites rather than divides. As new challenges emerge, his guidance could help stabilize the fragile gains made in recent years.

The Middle East is at a crossroads, and the future depends on leaders who can foster hope and progress across communities. Now, more than ever, we need someone who can bridge the divides and build a lasting foundation of trust and shared purpose.

Jared Kushner has proven he can be that bridge.
Mark Dubowitz and Eugene Kontorovich: Lame-duck Biden ramps up sanctions on Israelis — and eases up on terrorists
Last week, 88 congressional Democrats wrote a letter demanding that the Biden administration go out swinging, sanctioning Israeli government members as well as a mainstream Israeli NGO that reports on illegal Palestinian activities.

These members of Congress want Israelis sanctioned for their political views and activism; their suggested targets are not alleged to have committed any violent or illegal acts.

Once he takes office, President-elect Trump can quickly rescind these sanctions or let them expire — but in the meantime, a new precedent has been set: The US government is mainstreaming the goals of the anti-Israel left’s Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign.

Meanwhile, US allies including Canada and Britain have already imitated the Biden administration, imposing even more far-reaching sanctions on Jews in the West Bank.

State Department progressives may hope these countries will keep the fire burning — including through another UN Security Council Resolution in the coming months punishing Israel — while Democrats are out of power.

US citizens have filed a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Biden’s sanctions. Trump’s Justice Department should quickly move to settle the suit, and to direct the government to stop basing sanctions on unreliable information from highly politicized NGOs.

For its part, Congress should investigate the process behind the sanctions.

Finally, Trump should warn the lame-duck administration that expanding the sanctions program could spur him to keep Biden’s executive order in place — and use it instead against progressive groups with connections to the Palestinian terrorists who are destabilizing the West Bank.

After all, turnabout is fair play.
Trump said to lift all military restrictions on Israel on 1st day in office according to reports
Amid escalating tensions between Hezbollah and Israel, President-elect Donald Trump has promised to lift all restrictions and delays on the supply of military equipment and ammunition to Israel immediately after his inauguration, Israeli Channel 12 News reports.

The assurance from Trump’s team came as Israel is considering a 60-day cease-fire with Hezbollah, which would provide a window until Trump takes office and implements the promised changes.

Sources indicate that this commitment from Trump’s administration clarifies Israel’s willingness to temporarily halt military actions, with the understanding that support will resume without delay once Trump is in office.

Unnamed Israeli officials have confirmed the reports from Israeli media to Fox News Digital.

Currently, U.S. restrictions include an embargo on a certain weapons shipment and limitations on various combat-related equipment, even if they do not involve explosive ordnance. This embargo has impacted Israel’s defense capabilities, especially as the military now contends with active fronts in both Lebanon and Gaza, requiring strict control over ammunition and supply use.

This pledge to lift all military supply restrictions, starting from Trump’s first day in office, would allow Israel to replenish its stockpiles and alleviate current constraints. With the 60-day cease-fire, Israel aims to temporarily suspend hostilities until the new administration takes office, enabling a resumption of full military operations if necessary, without the existing limitations.

On Thursday, the U.S. ambassador to Lebanon submitted a draft truce proposal to Lebanon's Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri to halt fighting between armed group Hezbollah and Israel, two political sources told Reuters, without revealing details.


Seth Frantzman: Yasser Arafat’s legacy: The death of Palestinian statehood
Yasser Arafat died 20 years ago this month – November 11, 2004 – at the age of 75. He was born in 1929 in Cairo and was active in activism that led to the founding of the Fatah movement in 1959.

Fatah eventually became one of the major Palestinian factions that led to the formation of the Palestinian Authority in 1994.

The years since Arafat’s death have seen some major changes for the Palestinians. But in many ways, the failure of their cause over the last two decades is a result of the decisions of Arafat during the 10 years he presided over the PA.

This surely wasn’t the legacy he expected to have. Arafat likely thought he was leading the Palestinians toward statehood.

Spelling out Arafat's failures
In the wake of the October 7 massacre, it is unlikely they will have a state, and it is more likely the future will consist of an endless conflict that escalates and de-escalates every few years.

What went wrong? First of all, many people probably forget it has been two decades since Arafat’s death, a testament to how much he has been obscured by current events.

Arafat once held court in this region, meeting with leaders, showing up at international meetings with his keffiyeh, sometimes in sunglasses even when it was daylight, or with a paramilitary uniform – all part of a style choice very much in line with the 1960s and 1970s that helped form him.

To spotlight that history, CNN’s Christiane Amanpour recently presented this segment: “20 years after Yasser Arafat’s death, we revisit his complex legacy, his impact on the Palestinian quest for statehood, how world leaders reacted to his passing and what it meant for peace.”

What can we conclude looking back at Arafat’s legacy? As noted above, his rise to prominence came against the backdrop of the 1960s and 1970s.

Arafat tried to channel the fervor for “revolution” and “armed struggle” in the region, hoping that the Algerian war that forced the French to leave that country by 1962 would also have headwinds for the Palestinians. Unlike French Algeria, though, the Palestinians were divided and occupied in 1962 by the Egyptians and Jordan.

Initially, the war waged by the Palestinians was against the existence of Israel, not against the “occupation,” because the Palestinian national movement was a tool of countries such as Egypt to destabilize Israel. It wasn’t designed to “liberate” Jerusalem, because Jordan ran eastern Jerusalem and controlled al-Aqsa Mosque at the time.

Only after 1967 did things shift, and Arafat and his movement took on a new look: It claimed to be conducting a struggle against Israel in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.


Iran Rethinks Strategy amid Trump's Return to Power and Regional Shifts
In the past few weeks, Iran has faced a dilemma regarding the timing of its response to Israel's Oct. 26 counterstrike, in light of the outcome of the U.S. elections. The election results have clearly unsettled the regime in Iran.

Trump's previous term was marked by tough measures against Iran: the withdrawal from the nuclear agreement, the assassination of Qasem Soleimani, and the sanctions on oil sales, which hit Iran's economy particularly hard.

Trump's moves reflected his negotiation strategy of striking first and then forcing concessions from the other side, a strategy that, Iranian commentators say, sharply escalated U.S.-Iranian tensions.

Iran is today weaker and more vulnerable in economic, social, and security terms than it was in 2016. The war that began on Oct. 7 has undone decades of Iran's buildup of its proxies and its military.

Analysts believe Trump would enable Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to effectuate the total collapse of Hamas in Gaza and offer him freedom of action against Iran. While Trump is unpredictable, factors that clearly drive his Middle East policy include his unique personality; his close aides and his vice president; pro-Israel evangelical Christians; and his close ties with regional actors such as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) and Netanyahu. Tehran, therefore, is reconsidering its steps. The fear is that a further provocation of Trump might make him even more dangerous than four years ago.


Herzog canceled trip to climate confab because Turkey barred him from airspace — report
President Isaac Herzog reportedly canceled his planned visit to the United Nations COP29 climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, because Turkey refused to allow Israel’s state airplane, Wing of Zion, to fly though the country’s airspace.

Herzog’s office announced on Saturday that he was canceling his planned visit to Baku, saying the decision was due to “security considerations.”

However, according to a Sunday report on the Ynet news site, officials in Azerbaijan took exception to the suggestion that their country was not safe for Herzog to visit, and said the real reason for the cancelation was Turkey’s refusal.

Israeli officials were cited as saying that the cancelation was indeed due to security assessments, but that they at no point had said there was a security problem in Azerbaijan itself.

Azerbaijan, an Israeli ally, is bordered by Iran to the south, and a direct flight to Baku from Israel would either have to fly over Syria, Iraq and Iran, which is not possible, or over the Mediterranean Sea and through Turkey and Georgia.

According to the report, an Azerbaijani official said Israel and Turkey had engaged in “intensive negotiations through diplomatic channels that lasted for several days but did not yield results,” and ultimately Ankara refused to allow use of its airspace. President Isaac Herzog at a memorial for those killed on October 7 and in the subsequent war in Jerusalem, October 28, 2024 (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

The official added that Azerbaijan had guaranteed security for Israeli officials, as it has done successfully in the past, including for Herzog and an Israeli delegation in May, and that “it is not an exaggeration to say that Baku is one of the safest cities in the world.”

The rest of the Israeli delegation to the UN conference, which includes three ministers and dozens of officials, are attending as planned, and arrived in Azerbaijan on November 11. The Ynet report said that the delegation arrived in Baku via commercial flights through Georgia.
Senior Hamas officials in Turkey after Qatar says leadership unwelcome
Senior members of Hamas's leadership outside of Gaza have been in Turkey in recent days, Israeli state broadcaster KAN reported on Sunday.

This latest report comes after an American source confirmed to the news outlet earlier this month that Qatar had agreed to remove Hamas from its territory.

It is unclear whether the two reports are related, KAN added.

"You are not welcome here"
The American source spoke to KAN after an earlier report from the state broadcaster claimed that Qatar had told the terrorist group, "You are not welcome here."

Additionally, Reuters had also reported that the US was exerting pressure on Doha to expel Hamas weeks after the terror organization rejected the latest hostage deal/ceasefire proposal.

Further, Turkey has expressed sympathy for Hamas throughout the war.

In early August, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared a day of mourning after the elimination of Hamas political bureau leader Ismail Haniyeh. The Turkish embassy in Tel Aviv lowered its flag to half-mast to mark the occasion.

Earlier, in March, Erdogan stated that Ankara “firmly backs” Hamas, the Saudi outlet Arab News reported.

“No one can make us qualify Hamas as a terrorist organization,” he reportedly said during a speech in Istanbul. “Turkey is a country that speaks openly with Hamas leaders and firmly backs them.”


Turkey can’t be a mediator for any hostage deal – Israeli sources
Turkey can’t become a mediator for a Gaza hostage deal, Israeli sources told The Jerusalem Post after KAN News reported that a number of Hamas leaders had left Qatar for Turkey.

“I don’t know of any Turkish involvement, and I don’t think there could be,” one source told the Post.

Qatar, along with Egypt, have been the main mediators for a deal to secure the release of the remaining 101 hostages, together with the help of the United States.

Talks have largely been frozen since Hamas executed six of the hostages at the end of August, including Israeli-American captive Hersh Goldberg-Polin.

Donald Trump’s reelection to the US presidency on November 5 has made it more difficult for Biden officials to have the clout necessary to make a deal, given that President Joe Biden is set to leave the White House on January 20.

Hope was raised briefly last month that negotiations could resume in the aftermath of the Israeli assassination of Hamas Gaza leader Yahya Sinwar.

Hamas has rejected all offers
US officials said last week that Hamas had rejected all offers, including a mini-deal designed as a confidence-building measure toward a larger one.


Three arrested after flares fired at PM’s Caesarea home
Three suspects were arrested on Saturday night in connection with the launching of two flares at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s private residence in Caesarea earlier in the evening, the Israel Police said.

Netanyahu and his family were not home at the time of the incident, which the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) and police described as ” serious” and a “dangerous escalation.”

According to Channel 12 News, the suspects are anti-government protesters, one of whom is a senior officer in the Israel Defense Forces reserves.

Video of the incident posted to social media by Kan News appears to show the two flares were launched into the sky and not directly at the Netanyahu residence. Eyewitnesses confirmed that this was the case. Channel 12 reported that the flares fell in the yard of the house.

The incident took place during an anti-Netanyahu demonstration outside of his residence.


USAID announces $230m in Palestinian aid, adding to $190m from summer

The U.S. Agency for International Development, an independent federal agency, announced last week that it is giving another $230 million in aid to the Palestinian people, after having said over the summer that it was giving $190 million to the Palestinians.

JNS sought comment from USAID, which first posted the news last week but dated the release Nov. 17. USAID initially indicated that it would return a call from JNS on Friday but did not do so. It now dates its release Nov. 15.

“A significant chunk of this money, indirectly if not directly, funds Hamas,” wrote Michael Doran, a senior fellow and director of the Hudson Institute’s Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East.

USAID states that the new funding will “support economic recovery and development programs in the West Bank and Gaza.” (The Biden administration and some others refer to Judea and Samaria as the “West Bank.”)

“This significant investment highlights USAID’s commitment to improving the lives of individuals and communities in the region amidst challenging conditions,” the agency stated. It noted that it has “invested” more than $600 million “in economic support funding of the Palestinian people, in addition to the over $2.1 billion in humanitarian assistance since Oct. 7, 2023.”

“Our commitment to the Palestinian people remains steadfast,” stated Amy Tohill-Stull, the West Bank and Gaza mission director at USAID. “This funding demonstrates our resolve to support sustainable development and provide essential services that enhance the quality of life for all Palestinians and further reduce the influence of Hamas.”

The funding “aims to promote resilience among Palestinian communities, and will support a range of programmatic areas, including private sector and civil society strengthening, youth empowerment and education and community level priorities,” USAID said. “New initiatives focus on health recovery efforts in Gaza, trade and investment, improvements in water and wastewater access and management, construction of new youth centers and safe spaces, capacity building support for the East Jerusalem Hospital Network and strengthening of municipalities to deliver more effective, accountable governance.”


Mike Pompeo: Violent Attacks on Jews in Amsterdam Is Evidence the Evil of Oct. 7 Is Spreading Globally
I have often said that rising antisemitism is a serious indicator that cultures and civilizations are headed down the wrong path—this past week was a reminder of that. Following historic elections here at home, Americans were once again confronted by growing challenges on the world stage as the vile specter of antisemitism reared its ugly head once more, this time in the Netherlands, when groups of Israeli soccer fans were systematically targeted and attacked for their allegiance to the Jewish state and their Jewish identity. These attacks were followed up by large scale, illegal pro-Palestine protests, with protestors actively seeking confrontation with police forces. These events reveal a much deeper problem with Europe and Western civilization in general, and confronting it matters not only to those of us who believe that Israel has a fundamental right to exist as the Jewish nation state, but to the entire Western world and our way of life.

These attacks underline a troubling trend that has been intensifying since the October 7th attacks on Israel. The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (EUFRA recorded an increase of up to 400% in antisemitic activity since the outbreak of the war. Through the first half of this year, antisemitic incidents in the United Kingdom have more than doubled compared to the same time period last year, and in the United States, they have more than tripled since the October 7th attacks. Israel’s own Diaspora Ministry released a report just days ago confirming the sharp antisemitic turn in Europe, and last month, the United Nations General Assembly voted yet again to overwhelmingly sanction the nation of Israel – pushing a tired but dangerous myth that Israel is an occupying force sitting on stolen land.

It gets worse. The International Criminal Court (ICC), located at the Hague (just blocks away from where these recent attacks occurred) is currently in the process of issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This effort, led by special ICC prosecutor Karim Khan and his team, would charge Netanyahu as a war criminal because he and his nation have dared to do what is necessary to destroy the terrorists who raped, killed, and pillaged their way through southern Israel just over a year ago. Whether they aim to or not, these efforts only legitimize and encourage the kinds of attacks we saw over the weekend, and are also antisemitic.

I hope that Europe will follow America’s lead in confronting antisemitism. The election of Donald Trump, as well as delivering control of the House and Senate to Republicans, was, in part, a repudiation of rising antisemitism in our own country and a rejection of the political party that had shamelessly courted the votes of anti-Israel, antisemitic voters for years. Americans had watched a year’s worth of deplorable protests on college campuses, with students harassing Jewish students and supporting the very terrorists who perpetrated the worst attacks on the Jewish people since the Holocaust. They watched federal government workers stage walkouts in protest of the Biden Administration’s support for Israel following the Oct. 7th massacre. Americans have had enough.
Who attacked Israelis in Amsterdam? Some Dutch politicians can’t bring themselves to say
As the controversy over references to the religion and ethnicity of the scores of mostly young people who attacked Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer fans in Amsterdam on November 7 rocks the nation and even threatened to bring down the ruling coalition on Friday, two political debates on the subject were held in the past few days — one in the capital and one in the seat of parliament.

The first debate, dominated by left-wing parties, was held in the Amsterdam city council on Tuesday. The other took place the following day in the Second Chamber, the main body of the Dutch national parliament in The Hague.

In Amsterdam’s city hall (dubbed the Stopera, since it doubles as an opera house), with the help of center-left, far-left, and Islamist parties, Mayor Femke Halsema easily survived a no-confidence vote requested by right-wing opposition party JA21.

At that debate, the religious and ethnic backgrounds of the youths who attacked Israeli fans in the streets of the Dutch capital were mentioned only by a handful of center-right and right-leaning council members. There were frequent references, however, to genocide in Gaza and Islamophobia as causes for the unrest in the capital — though no Muslims were targeted in Amsterdam before, during, or after the attacks.

Israeli officials said 10 people were injured in the November 7 violence carried out by local Arab and Muslim gangs against Maccabi Tel Aviv fans, after a soccer match in the city. Hundreds more Israelis huddled in their hotels for hours, fearing they could be attacked. Many said that Dutch security forces were nowhere to be found, as the Israeli tourists were ambushed by gangs of masked assailants who shouted pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel slogans while they hunted, beat and harassed them.

One councilwoman, Nilad Ahmadi of the far-left and staunchly anti-Zionist party Vonk (meaning “Spark”), blamed Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency for the violence.

Overall, even though some council members warned against open antisemitism and were apprehensive about the fate of Dutch Jews, the blame was squarely shifted toward purported Maccabi Tel Aviv hooligans. This fits the narrative of the country’s major newspapers and television stations in the last few days, as well as remarks by Amsterdam police chief Peter Holla.


45 people being probed for violent crimes against Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam
Dutch police said Sunday they were probing 45 people for violent crimes in relation to violence against Israeli soccer fans following a match in Amsterdam earlier this month, with nine of them already identified and arrested.

“Because of the seriousness of the crimes, but also because of the social impact, we immediately scaled up to a special investigation team,” Dutch police chief Janny Knol said in a statement.

Police are “looking at all crimes committed in the run-up to the game and in its aftermath,” Knol said after violence in the Dutch capital before and after the Europa League match between Dutch club Ajax Amsterdam and Maccabi Tel Aviv on November 7 shook the country, resulting in several protests and a near-government collapse.

The number of suspects is expected to increase “based in part on the analysis of a large amount of footage,” police added.

Israeli officials said 10 people were injured in the Thursday night violence carried out by local Arab and Muslim gangs against Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer fans.

Hundreds more Israelis huddled in their hotels for hours, fearing they could be attacked. Many said that Dutch security forces were nowhere to be found, as the Israeli tourists were ambushed by gangs of masked assailants who shouted pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel slogans, while they hunted, beat and harassed them.

After the game, youths on scooters engaged in “hit-and-run” assaults on Maccabi fans, officials said. Some social media posts had included calls to “hunt Jews,” according to police.

Schoof said the attacks amounted to “unadulterated antisemitism.”

Amsterdam police chief Peter Holla said that, before the match, Maccabi fans burned a Palestinian flag, attacked a taxi and chanted anti-Arab slogans. Footage of the incidents was also widely circulated on social media.

“The investigation is in full swing,” Knol said on Sunday.

“It goes without saying, but I think it is good to emphasize that we are looking at all crimes committed in the run-up to the game and in its aftermath. Regardless of who the perpetrator or who the victim was,” Knoll added.

Muslim rights groups condemned the antisemitism, but have argued that the violence in Amsterdam was not one-sided.

Prime Minister Dick Schoof last week blamed the violence on people with “migrant backgrounds.”


The IDF's Plans for Security in Gaza without Military Rule
Hamas's demands for a ceasefire in Gaza before even considering any negotiation is delaying the end of the war.

While aid trucks enter Gaza from Israel, they face looting on the way to distribution centers, or they are intercepted by Hamas, crime families and profiteers who sell the supplies at inflated prices.

Hamas is trying to deflect IDF pressure by circulating reports of mass starvation.

Meanwhile, Hamas is recruiting teenagers, aged 14 to 17, to join its ranks as armed operatives.

Looking to the future, the IDF plans to maintain an intelligence-operational presence in Gaza - without full occupation, military governance or direct responsibility for humanitarian distribution.

To provide security for Israeli civilians, the IDF intends to maintain control over secure corridors, including the Philadelphi Corridor - to prevent external support to Hamas from Sinai, alongside a security buffer zone approximately a kilometer wide on Gaza's side of the border.

These corridors will enable intelligence operations that closely monitor activities within Gaza, aimed at detecting any Hamas attempts to rebuild its military capabilities.

The corridors would enable IDF forces to rapidly deploy to any area in Gaza where intelligence identifies renewed weapons production, rocket fire, or preparations for terror attacks and guerrilla operations by Hamas or other groups.
Seth Frantzman: Is the eastern front becoming serious with their attacks on Israel?
The Iraqi militias are keyed into the multi-front war Israel faces. They began their attacks in October 2023 after the Hamas massacre, focusing on US forces in Iraq and Syria and then expanding their attacks to target Israel. In recent months, as Hamas has faced losses and Israel began a ground operation in Lebanon against Hezbollah, they increased their attacks.

Iranian Ambassador to Iraq Mohammad-Kazem Al-e-Sadeq said over the weekend that “the Israeli regime is the source of insecurity and instability in the West Asia region,” according to Iranian state media. “Al-e-Sadeq made the comment on Saturday as he hosted Mohamed al Hassan, head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and the UN chief’s new special representative for the Arab country.”

Iran said it will continue to support Iraq while also backing militias in Iraq, which undermine the country’s independence and sovereignty. However, Iran claims it is backing Iraq’s “independence and sovereignty.”

HOW CAN the drone threat be countered? In the near term, the Israel Air Force is the main way. This can mean scrambling jets to shoot down the drones or using combat helicopters. The drones could be intercepted at a distance using these methods, but it requires having aircraft in the air. Air defense systems like the Iron Dome also work. However, a drone entering Israeli airspace, such as what happened on November 17, may fly over parts of Israel before being shot down, which can place areas of the country under threat.

Another way to shoot them down in the future would involve laser air defenses. However, as we have learned with the rocket threat, defending is not enough. The drone threat is complex and presents an increasing challenge. It has turned enemy militias into powerful entities because they now possess a kind of instant air force. In the past, Iraq didn’t threaten Israel with its air force; now, its militias do. The drones also have increased range and precision and are not always easy to detect.

It’s possible that if a ceasefire with Hamas or Hezbollah comes into effect, the drone threat could be reduced, as Iran’s proxies and pawns stop their attacks due to Iran’s orders. However, the threat will always be there, awaiting new orders. Iran uses the Iraqi militias to take the pressure off Hezbollah. The Palestinians can now create a drone threat whenever they choose new attacks. For instance, Hamas might choose a date in the future for a wave of attacks in the West Bank and coordinate with Iran or the Iranian-backed militias in Iraq.

Stopping this threat requires more careful study and thoughtful approaches. Iran is providing drones to Russia – a new way of war. As the drones increase in number and ability, they will present a new front against Israel that must not be ignored. In the long term, it isn’t enough for Israel just to defend itself. On October 7, 2023, Israel learned that being merely on the defensive enabled the enemy to choose the place and time for surprise attacks. The drone threat will exploit this time element in the future. Countering it is an imperative.
US Air Force honors crews that thwarted Iran’s April missile, drone attack on Israel
The US Air Force has honored pilots, aircrews and support personnel who helped thwart a massive Iranian-led rocket and drone attack on Israel earlier this year.

Airmen from the 494th Fighter Squadron and 494 Fighter Generation Squadron were recognized for their activities in intercepting hundreds of attack drones and rockets fired by Iran and from Yemen at Israel on April 13-14.

History was made during the ceremony — held last week at Britain’s Royal Air Force (RAF) Lakenheath station — when for the first time, a woman serving in the American Air Force was decorated with a Silver Star, the force’s third-highest award for valor, according to a Friday statement.

F-15E jets from RAF Lakenheath were “vital during the fight that intercepted and engaged aerial threats” and “fought in the largest air-to-air enemy engagement in over 50 years,” the statement said.

The jets, which though based in the UK had been deployed to the US Central Command’s region of responsibility, which includes Israel, flew 154 sorties during the night.

US President Joe Biden personally praised the service personnel in a direct phone call during the event.

The ceremony saw Air Force members receive “two Silver Stars, six Distinguished Flying Crosses with the valor device, four Distinguished Flying Crosses with the combat device, four Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Bronze Stars Medals, seven Air and Space Commendation Medals and seven Air and Space Achievement Medals,” the statement said.

The pair of stars went to F-15E instructor pilot US Air Force Maj. Benjamin Coffey and to F-15E instructor weapon systems officer US Air Force Capt. Lacie Hester.

Hester is the first woman in the US Air Force to receive the honor and only the 10th woman in the Department of Defense to have the decoration. US Air Force Capt. Lacie Hester, 494th Fighter Squadron F-15E weapon systems operator, is congratulated by fellow decoration recipients after receiving the Silver Star during a ceremony at RAF Lakenheath, England, November 12, 2024. (US Air Force photo by Senior Airman Olivia Gibson)

“The team engaged the enemy multiple times throughout the night despite having severe aircraft emergencies and while under falling debris at the expeditionary base caused by hostile fire from the enemy,” the statement said.

“Additionally, at great personal risk, Coffey and Hester engaged low-altitude one-way attack UAVs in the complete darkness of night with the air-to-air gatling gun of the F-15E after they expended all their air-to-air missiles,” it explained.

“We all fell into an execution rhythm: call, shoot, and confirm the target was destroyed before we moved on to the next task we had to accomplish to keep everyone safe,” said US Air Force Lt. Col. Timothy Causey, the 494th Fighter Squadron commander.


Israel-Lebanon: the peace agreement that should be an annex
One of the reasons was the fear of breaking the country’s gentle social fabric and leading to a civil war. And since about 50 percent of the LAF combat workforce are Shia who sympathize with Hezbollah, the reality on the eve of the current war was of collaboration between the two.

The LAF enabled the terror group to use its military infrastructures to spy on Israel Defense Forces soldiers and assist in concealing Hezbollah’s illegal military activity in south Lebanon. The price is being paid by the Lebanese people.

This is just one example to illustrate that Lebanon’s financial hardships are symptoms of a much deeper, rooted problem. They result from decades of shaky social cohesion, alarming corruption and mismanagement, which created a fertile ground for an Iranian takeover of land and political institutions. This means the emerging cease-fire agreement should be an annex to another, wider one.

An agreement in which the axis of countries designed to ensure security south of the Litany will undertake to assist in the rehabilitation of an entity that was once one of the pearls of the Middle East and today looks like its own shell.

The materialization of such a plan may be based on the spirit of Security Council Resolution 1559, which called for the respect of Lebanon’s independence and sovereignty and the end of foreign presence and militias in the country.

Practically, such a rehabilitation process must neutralize Iran’s influence on Lebanon and the LAF, including an institutional refusal to misuse ground crossing and the Hariri airport for smuggling Iranian soldiers and arms. It shall also be conditioned in a clear Lebanese denunciation and demilitarisation of Hezbollah as part of an effective monitoring process to ensure its inability to recover.

Alongside security, it needs to hold a solid financial element and direct a long-term economic plan based on strategic partnerships with allies who wish to see Lebanese prosperity, not control its assets. It could also insert accountability and sanctions mechanisms to prevent corruptive forces from taking advantage of Lebanese aid yet again.

Most importantly, it has to entail an honest realization that the future cease-fire agreement won’t magically solve the problem, as social processes take years.    

The current clash between Israel and Hezbollah may set the conditions for such a move. As of writing these lines, over 160 commanders have been killed in Hezbollah, including senior members of its leadership. This means that a significant obstacle that prevented Lebanon from applying sovereignty in parts of its southern territory is gradually removed.

But it is only the starting point, not the end. As the current cease-fire agreement is being negotiated, its content needs to express an understanding of the complex situation of Lebanon as a country and apply strategic rehabilitation mechanisms accordingly.

Learning from past mistakes will not only prevent the next war with Israel. It will set Lebanon free.
IDF Seeks Ceasefire in Lebanon on Its Terms
In Lebanon, the IDF is applying military pressure to advance an agreement for a reinforced UN Resolution 1701 that would reaffirm a demilitarized buffer zone along the border with Israel and throughout southern Lebanon up to the Litani River.

The IDF seeks to enforce the terms if the Lebanese army and UNIFIL do not fulfill their roles.

Although 80% of Hizbullah's rocket arsenal has been destroyed, its remaining capabilities are still enough to send millions of Israelis daily to shelters.

Hizbullah views this tactic as a means to wear down Israel's resolve and push it to relax its demands.

On Wednesday, IDF forces began advancing from the line of Lebanese border villages northward, aiming to demonstrate to Hizbullah that each passing day brings greater loss of assets.

The IDF is concentrating both ground and air operations on neutralizing launchers for short-range rockets.

The IDF's detection and interception capabilities for drones have significantly improved in recent days, with interception rates now nearly 90%.
While Hizbullah and Israel Are Fighting, Is Lebanon Imploding?
In September 2024, Israel began an offensive against Hizbullah, which had been attacking Israel with rockets since Oct. 8, 2023.

The IDF campaign is designed to enable the return of 80,000 Israelis who had been forced to abandon their homes.

Within a few months, Israel had succeeded in decapitating Hizbullah, eliminating most of its field commanders and killing its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, and his supposed successor, Hashem Nasr el Din.

The restraint that Israel had shown since the end of the Second Lebanon War in 2006 was replaced by intensive bombardments throughout Lebanon and by a ground incursion that erased 29 Lebanese villages, destroyed almost 40,000 apartments, and displaced more than 1.5 million inhabitants of southern Lebanon.

Some 400,000 Syrian refugees who had fled to Lebanon with the outbreak of the civil war in Syria returned to Syria.

Despite the destruction, parts of the Christian and Sunni parties and most of the Shia community are still siding with Hizbullah. At the same time, Lebanon is struggling to survive as a state.

As always, the Lebanese seek foreign intervention and aid to save them from themselves.

There is only a slim chance that any ceasefire agreement would be honored because of the unwillingness of any Lebanese administration to fight Hizbullah.

The writer, a special analyst at the Jerusalem Center, was formerly Deputy Head for Assessment of Israeli Military Intelligence.


IDF artillery battery moves into Lebanon for first time since withdrawal
For the first time since the IDF's withdrawal from Lebanon, an artillery battery was deployed overnight into Sunday morning for combat operations in southern Lebanon, significantly increasing the range of artillery fire into Lebanese territory.

Following the advancement of IDF troops to additional targets in Lebanon and engagements with Hezbollah's second line of defense, Division 36 decided to move a heavy artillery battery into Lebanese territory.

The regular battery, composed of male and female soldiers, is conducting heavy artillery strikes deep into the area, providing operational support for any scenarios encountered by maneuvering forces.

In recent months, fighters from the 282nd Artillery Brigade have been stationed on the northern border, targeting objectives with artillery fire to assist maneuvering forces. 411th "Keren" Battalion artillery battery joins the fray

Sources in Division 36 reported that in response to ground forces targeting new objectives, an artillery battery from the 411th "Keren" Battalion crossed the border into Lebanon and commenced operations. This deployment is intended to extend the artillery's firing range, deliver full support to maneuvering forces, and apply substantial firepower within the combat zone.


IDF soldiers Capt. Yogev Pazy, St.-Sgt. Noam Eitan, killed in Gaza
Capt. Yogev Pazy and St.-Sgt. Noam Eitan were killed while fighting in the Gaza Strip, the IDF announced on Sunday.

Capt. Pazy, 22, from Giv'ot Bar, St.-Sgt. Eitan, from Hadera, served in the Nahshon Battalion of the Kfir Brigade.

Both soldiers fell in northern Gaza.

In the incident in which the two fell, another soldier in the same battalion was severely wounded.

Additionally, both men were posthumously awarded their current rank.

Current toll of ongoing Israel-Hamas War
According to the IDF's current tally, the total number of soldiers killed on or since October 7 of last year is 798.

Some 376 of this number were killed since the start of the military's ground operations in the Strip on October 27.


Boy suffers blast wounds after Hezbollah rockets target northern Israel
Israel's Magen David Adom treated a 13-year-old boy who had suffered light blast wounds from Hezbollah rockets, with rocket sirens sounded in the North on Sunday afternoon, the emergency medical service reported.

The wounded 13-year-old was taken to the Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya along with a number of other victims suffering from anxiety symptoms.

Earlier, Hezbollah had fired some 15 projectiles into Israeli territory from Lebanon, the IDF reported.

In its statement, the IDF claimed that the projectiles either crashed in open areas or were intercepted.

The IDF identified the barrage after sirens sounded in the North between 4:21 p.m. and 4:23 p.m.

Shortly after sirens initially sounded in the area, MDA stated that response teams were en route to the area of a reported rocket strike.

Sirens additionally sounded in the Western Galilee area, where Hezbollah launched three drones into Israeli territory, the IDF said in a statement later Sunday evening.
'A moral blow': IAF strike kills Hezbollah media chief Mohammad Afif in Beirut - sources
An Israel Air Force strike on a building in central Beirut on Sunday killed Hezbollah's media relations chief Mohammad Afif, two Lebanese security sources told Reuters on Sunday.

Hezbollah later confirmed Afif's death.

Army Radio reported that the strike targeted Hassan Nasrallah's home in Beirut's Dahiyeh neighborhood.

A failed assassination attempt was carried out on this house in 2006. Since then, the house has been rebuilt and has been used for Hezbollah terror infrastructure, according to Army Radio. Evacuation warning

Before the strike, IDF Arab Media Spokesperson Avichay Adraee posted on X/Twitter a map of targets in southern Beirut that Israel was preparing to target.

The spokesperson's post explicitly pertained to the Haret Hreik and Burj al-Barajneh areas and warned local residents to immediately evacuate at least 500 meters from the buildings in question.

According to Reuters, the Israeli strike hit the Ras al-Nabaa neighborhood of Beirut, which, according to the news agency, did not receive evacuation orders.

The security sources said a building housing offices of the Ba'ath Party had been hit, and the head of the party in Lebanon, Ali Hijazi, told the Lebanese broadcaster Al-Jadeed that Afif had been in the building.

The Syrian Social Nationalist Party, another political party with ties to Hezbollah, said in a statement that Afif had been killed but gave no details of how or where. The Lebanese health ministry said the strike had killed one and injured three.

Ambulances could be heard rushing to the scene, and guns were fired to prevent crowds from approaching.


Imshin: Is there a surplus of food in Gaza? Gaza watcher Jacqui Peleg - @imshin on X - shares insights on the food situation in Gaza, based on videos posted on social media by Gazans.

Bernard-Henri Levy (WSJ): Antisemitism in America: My Campus Tour
How should we respond, a brilliant and distressed student of Ohio University asks me, to professors who tell us that Israel is a "colonial creation"?

You need to interrupt them. Impeach them. You need to treat them the way the students of May 1968 treated the most reactionary teachers.

Explain to these ignoramuses that half of the Jewish founders of Israel were indigenous and that, if the others did indeed often come from Europe, they weren't conquerors but refugees - escapees whom Europe regarded as garbage.
France to challenge ruling allowing Israeli firms to exhibit at defense shows
The French government has filed an appeal to challenge the authority of a court ruling allowing Israeli companies to participate in major defense exhibitions and arms shows.

In the appeal, the French government is challenging the authority of a Paris court to rule on matters of government policy in an attempt to annul a recent decision to permit Israeli companies to exhibit at current and future exhibitions in France, the Israel Manufacturers’ Association said.

The move comes after the Paris Commercial Court at the end of October ruled that the Euronaval arms show cannot keep Israeli companies from exhibiting at the event based on their nationality, and ordered organizers “to suspend the execution of the measures adopted against the Israeli exhibiting companies.” That’s after French President Emmanuel Macron had decided to ban Israeli firms from exhibiting at the naval arms show.

“We will not allow anyone to remove us or sideline us from the international defense stage,” said Israel Manufacturers’ Association President Ron Tomer. “It is clear to us that the latest appeal is an attempt to prepare the ground for the possibility of preventing us from participating in the prestigious Paris Air Show, but we will not let that happen.”

“We have recruited the best lawyers in France and will fight in any legal court until justice and equality prevail,” Tomer added.


Pope urges probe into Gaza ‘genocide’ accusations
Pope Francis has called for an international investigation into the possibility that Israel has committed genocide in its war against the Hamas terrorist group in Gaza, a charge that Jerusalem vehemently denies.

In excerpts from a new book published by Italian daily La Stampa on Sunday, the pontiff is quoted as saying that according to some experts, “what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide.”

The head of the Catholic Church continued, “We should investigate carefully to assess whether this fits into the technical definition [of genocide] formulated by international jurists and organizations.”

It marks the first time that Francis has publicly called for an investigation into the accusations of genocide. Israel’s Foreign Ministry did not respond to a request from Reuters for comment.

The book was written by Hernán Reyes Alcaide and titled “Hope never disappoints.” It is based on interviews with the pope.

His reported remarks drew a harsh rebuke from the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM), which said in a statement that the comments could cause harm to Jews.

“The State of Israel is currently facing a war of intended annihilation on seven fronts, and these remarks look like a possible opening of an eighth front, from of all places, the Vatican, which can also lead to the spilling of Jewish blood around the world,” Combat Antisemitism Movement CEO Sacha Roytman Dratwa said.

“For a pope who appears to prize even-handedness and peace, we see that the Jewish state once again appears to be the exception. We had hoped after Nostra Aetate in 1965 that the Jewish people would be seen as equal to all others around the world by the Catholic hierarchy, but these claims suggest otherwise, and out of all the conflicts and real genocides around the world, the national homeland of the Jewish people is once again singled out as a target for opprobrium.”

“The Catholic Church has a very troubling history of investigations into the conduct of Jews, which were frequently called Inquisitions,” continued Roytman Dratwa.


‘Morons 4 Palestine’: Pro-Palestine protesters crash Myer Christmas Window opening despite public backlash
A small group of pro-Palestine protesters have crashed the opening of Myer’s Christmas Windows despite the public backlash to their plans.

Myer’s Christmas Windows have been a feature of Melbourne since 1956, with approximately 1.4 million individuals and families visiting the attraction each year.

But on Friday, the Melbourne department store announced it was cancelling its grand opening of the displays due to a planned protest by Disrupt Wars, which had denounced Myer’s “share the joy” campaign and insisted there would be “no joy or frivolity while children in Gaza are massacred”.

News of the protest sparked a widespread public backlash, and with Victoria Police promising a “visible presence” at the event, Myer went ahead with a scaled-down unveiling at 7.30 am on Sunday.

About eight pro-Palestine protesters turned up to crash the event, with one brandishing a “Morons 4 Palestine” sign in an apparent swipe at Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan, who had described the protesters as morons only days earlier.

Other protesters waved Palestinian flags and held signs stating, “You look stupid staring at windows when kids are being murdered”.

Their chants included “bombs are dropping, while you’re shopping” and “Myer, Myer you can’t hide, you kill kids in Palestine”.

More than a dozen police were on hand to ensure families were not prevented from seeing the attraction, with protesters being told they would be moved on if they attempted to obstruct people’s view of the windows.
Protesters and police out in force as Myer throws open its Christmas windows | 7NEWS A splinter group of pro-Palestine activists crashed the opening of Myer’s Christmas windows, despite organisers cancelling the protest rally. Demonstrators clashed with police, and parents furious the children's event was targeted.

Firecracker injures 15 police officers on day of pro-Palestinian protests in Italy
15 police officers were treated in hospital after an explosive was thrown at them by anti-government protesters in Turin on Friday.

The incident happened after protesters, many of them students, tried to break through a phalanx of officers to reach police headquarters in one of the city’s main piazzas.

Police with batons and shields fought them back.

Protesters also attacked Italy’s national cinema museum, located inside the Mole Antonelliana, a domed building with a tall spire that is the symbol of Turin. Protesters tore down the Italian flag, an act which was condemned by museum staff.

“The Italian flag was torn down, some walls defaced, and museum staff were subjected to violence,” managers said in a statement.

Demonstrations were held across Italy for a mixed bag of causes on Friday: anger with the conservative coalition led by prime minister Giorgia Meloni, particularly its education policies, but also against the sale of arms to Israel.

Some waved Palestinian flags and in Rome, people carried a banner protesting against “a government of fascists and Zionists”.


Pro-Hamas Groups Planting Seeds of Domestic Terrorism in U.S.
A new report by the Capital Research Center (CRC) think tank says domestic terrorism may be the end game for the over 150 pro-Hamas groups operating on colleges campuses across the U.S. According to the report, "the movement contains militant elements pushing it toward a wider, more severe campaign focused on property destruction and violence properly described as domestic terrorism. It demands the 'dismantlement' of America's 'colonialist,' 'imperialist,' or 'capitalist' system, often calling for the U.S. to be abolished as a country."

The group most responsible for the anti-Israel protest movement is Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). Toolkits published by SJP herald Hamas for perpetrating mass casualties of civilians. SJP has endorsed Iran's attacks on Israel as well as its stated intention to overturn the U.S.-led world order. Other groups under its umbrella have called to "bring the intifada home." Pro-Hamas groups hope to create an army of revolutionaries willing to adopt Hamas's aims as their own.
Instagram the Intifada
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In June of 2022, Representatives Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Don Bacon (R-Neb.) were joined by 35 other colleagues in a bipartisan request to Attorney General Merrick Garland, Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas of the Department of Homeland Security, and Director Christopher Wray of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Their request was a call for federal law enforcement to investigate the malicious creation and use of “The Mapping Project.” The map provides information about Jewish businesses and people in and around the state of Massachusetts, and was created by anonymous activists who claim that their “interactive map illustrates some ways in which institutional support for the colonization of Palestine is structurally tied to policing and systemic white supremacy here where we live, and to US imperialist projects in other countries.”

The signatories of Representatives Gottheimer and Bacon’s letter to the Attorney General, DHS, and FBI enumerated their concerns as follows:

“We fear that this map may be used as a roadmap for violent attacks by supporters of the [boycott, divestment, and sanctions] movement against the people and entities listed… We ask that you investigate the use of the Mapping Project by extremist organizations, provide any necessary enhanced security for targets listed in the project, and work with social-media companies and Internet service providers to prevent its further distribution. We must not turn a blind eye to this dangerous incitement.”

Less than two years later, violent anti-Semitism and anti-Americanism have swept the nation, particularly on college campuses, led by a new project: Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). SJP has defaced monuments, occupied buildings, set up camps, clashed with police, called for an “Intifada” (i.e., armed rebellion), and continues to do so. SJP also remains openly supportive of Hamas, a terrorist group, and questions about SJP’s organization, leadership, affiliations, and funding abound but have largely gone unanswered. Figure 2. An SJP affiliate stands in front of the defaced statue of George Washington at an SJP encampment. George Washington University, Washington, DC — Photo by Mason Goad, May 2024

We sought to answer the first three of those questions—in regard to organization, leadership, and affiliations—by mapping out the Students for Justice in Palestine’s social network on Instagram, but unlike Students for Justice in Palestine and the creators of the aforementioned Mapping Project, we are not hiding behind anonymity. We are not calling for violence, the destruction of property, or the destruction of the United States and her government. Our efforts are intended to assist law enforcement and other investigative entities / interested parties (such as researchers like ourselves, or members of the public), who are rightfully concerned with SJP’s actions and rhetoric. We simply want to understand the organization of SJP, to identify SJP’s true leadership, and to determine the groups that SJP is most closely associated with and influenced by.

To accomplish this, we sampled 100 colleges and universities across the United States, as well as five geographic regions, and constructed a dataset of the “following” lists (as opposed to the “followers” lists) of 111 public accounts on Instagram that claim to be SJP chapters. Data collection and analysis took place from June to October of 2024, and while many of these accounts may have been deleted by their owners or removed by Instagram’s moderators since then, this new dataset provides the public with novel insights into Students for Justice in Palestine’s social network.


UC Berkeley advertises Lit course which praises Hamas as a 'revolutionary resistance force'
UC Berkley's Comparative Literature department advertised a course that described Hamas as "a revolutionary resistance force combating settler-colonialism" for Spring 2025. It has since adjusted the module's description online; however, it is unclear whether the course content will remain the same.

The course, titled "Leninism and Anarchism: A Theoretical Approach to Literature and Film," states it will explore the genocide of the "indigenous Palestinians by the Israeli Occupying Forces."

The course seemingly praises the "anarchist" practices of Hamas and other groups, saying they help "envision a better tomorrow."

UC Berkeley has since removed the course description.

Ynet contacted UC Berkeley, who said the description had been removed and the matter was being addressed.

A university official told Ynet, "While we can’t, as a matter of law, comment on personnel issues, generally speaking, we take our policies that prohibit using the classroom for political advocacy very seriously."

However, the official said it could not say more about the topic due to privacy laws.

Dismissing a lawsuit alleging campus antisemitism
Berkeley has tried on two separate occasions to get a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit alleging campus antisemitism.

The nonprofit Louis D. Brandeis Center For Human Rights Under Law sued UC Berkeley in November 2023, claiming officials have turned a blind eye to antisemitism.
Police refuse to prosecute over swastika sent to Jewish students because it is 'not offensive enough' - amid social media hate probe into columnist
Police refused to prosecute a man who sent an image of the Star of David intertwined with the Nazi swastika to Jewish students and activists because they deemed it was not offensive enough.

Cambridgeshire Constabulary decided that the image, which was sent to the Union of Jewish Students (UJS) and a leading campaigner against anti-Semitism, was not 'grossly offensive' and therefore not a crime.

Instead, the force classified the incident as a non-crime hate incident (NCHI), it was reported last night by the Telegraph.

The case came to light as Essex Police continue to investigate the Telegraph columnist Allison Pearson over an alleged Islamophobic social media post, which she claimed was being treated as an NCHI, but which the force said was being probed as a suspected criminal offence.

The Pearson case has revealed how thousands of NCHIs are now being recorded, including one made against a nine-year-old who called a fellow classmate a 'retard'.

Last night, it also emerged that an NCHI stays on a person's police file for six years, even if it is recorded against a child.

The record can stay on longer – for life – if the recording force decides to keep it. In the latest case, a man used his account on X to send offensive messages to the UJS and Alex Hearn, of Labour Against Anti-Semitism, last month.

The UJS had written online messages about the increase in anti-Semitism, particularly on university campuses.


Wikipedia labels ADL as unreliable source, while Al Jazeera given green light
Wikipedia now lists the Anti-Defamation League as a 'generally unreliable' source on antisemitism and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, while Al Jazeera - the Qatari-run media - is listed as "generally reliable."

The Wikipedia community's editors reached a consensus that the ADL as a source is "questionable" in most cases, and they say it should not be used except in "exceptional circumstances."

The guidelines also say that the ADL should never be used to provide information about a living person.

The ADL was seen to be unreliable on all matters relating to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and antisemitism.

The reason given was "significant evidence that the ADL acts as a pro-Israeli advocacy group and has repeatedly published false and misleading statements as fact, un-retracted, regarding the Israel/Palestine conflict."

Criticizing the move
In June, more than 40 Jewish groups signed a letter to the board of the Wikimedia Foundation, criticizing the then-possible classification of ADL as unreliable.

“Fundamentally, Wikipedia is stripping the Jewish community of the right to defend itself from the hatred that targets our community,” the groups wrote.

“We urge you to immediately launch an investigation into this decision and the motivations behind it, and to start the process for administrative reconsideration.”

Despite this, Al Jazeera continues to be "generally reliable."


Masked men with Nazi symbols march through Ohio, footage shows
A group of masked individuals brandishing Nazi symbols were filmed marching through Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday, footage circulating on social media showed.

The group can be heard in the video screaming racist slurs at a passerby while waving flags with swastikas.

“The Columbus community stands squarely against hatred and bigotry,” Mayor Andrew Ginther posted on X/Twitter.

“Together, we reject the cowardly display reported in the Short North earlier today,” he wrote.

ADL Columbus
Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Columbus released a statement following the incident, saying, “Today, we stand united in condemning the hateful and violent actions of Nazi groups in Columbus, Ohio.”

“We must speak out against hate and ensure that every person — regardless of race, religion, or background — feels safe and valued in our city," it added.

Mike DeWine, Ohio’s governor, has yet to release a statement.


'The Lost Orphan Boy': A treacherous journey from Yemen to the Promised Land
The novel The Lost Orphan Boy is filled with rich descriptions of life in Yemen and the difficulties and dangers that the Jews of Yemen encountered in making their way to Israel. It contains elements of romance, sadness, tragedy, and inspiration, and makes one appreciate the cultural and societal difficulties that Yemenite immigrants encountered when they came to Israel.

Historical fiction straddles two ends of the literary spectrum. On the one hand, the details and setting of the book reflect historical reality, while on the other, the characters, their dialogue, and what transpires can be entirely fictional, giving the author the freedom to have the characters act in different ways, as long as they follow the constraints of the period in which it is set.

The Lost Orphan Boy, which tells the story of a Jewish family in Yemen in the 1940s and their travails in Yemen and the State of Israel, fits the genre to a T. Author Benny Edvy has based the book on the real-life experiences of his father, who was born in Yemen, journeyed to Aden, and settled in pre-state Mandatory Palestine.

November 30 was designated by the Knesset in 2014 as an annual national day of commemoration for the 850,000 Jewish refugees displaced from Arab countries and Iran during the 20th century. In the early years of the century, the Jewish community in Yemen – one of the most ancient Jewish communities in the world – numbered over 50,000.

Today, the majority of Yemenite Jews live in Israel, and only a handful are said to have remained in Yemen. Particularly in this context, reading The Lost Orphan Boy spotlights the struggles of the Jewish communities in Arab lands, bringing them to the forefront of our national and personal consciousness.


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