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Thursday, December 05, 2024

12/05 Links Pt1: Amnesty International and Balaam’s Talking Ass; Cotton introduces bill to ban federal use of the term ‘West Bank’; ICC Reveals Its Moral Bankruptcy

From Ian:

Seth Mandel: Amnesty International and Balaam’s Talking Ass
There’s a reason for that. The report is a joke. It didn’t take long for people to find the part where Amnesty explained that in order to find Israel guilty of genocide, the organization had to literally redefine genocide.

The crime of genocide requires intent, which is difficult to prove. Raphael Lemkin, the father of the term, had in mind “a coordinated plan of different actions aiming at the destruction of essential foundations of the life of national groups, with the aim of annihilating the groups themselves” (emphasis added).

The fact that Israel, for example, moved a million civilians out of Rafah before killing a bunch of Hamasniks with very few civilian casualties is representative of Israel’s approach to this war and cannot under any reasonable circumstances even be mentioned in the same breath as “genocide.” Moving civilians out of harm’s way and allowing in regular caravans of food and medicine and other humanitarian items are actions that are mutually exclusive to genocidal intent. Without proof of genocidal intent, such intent can be determined if the only plausible explanation of the state’s actions is genocide. Obviously Israel’s conduct comes nowhere close to meeting that standard.

So Amnesty just changed the definition, insisting that “Amnesty International considers this an overly cramped interpretation of international jurisprudence and one that would effectively preclude a finding of genocide in the context of an armed conflict.”

So Amnesty International dissents from international law. That’s fine. Just be up-front about it: Amnesty is not accusing Israel of “genocide,” it is accusing Israel of a different crime which Amnesty has named “genocide,” just so it could use that word.

Amnesty International accused Israel of genocide and in the process acquitted Israel of committing genocide. It’s an age-old story—just less fun without the talking donkeys.
Brendan O'Neill: The genocide lie
Here’s the thing: even that would be in keeping with the combatant-civilian death ratio for most modern conflicts. Some studies claim that, from the 1980s onwards, around 75 per cent of deaths in war have been among civilians. Whether the proportion of civilian deaths in Gaza is 60 per cent, as some in Israel claim, or 80 per cent, as Israel’s critics claim, it is normal. Awful, yes. Truly awful. But there is no proof that Israel is carrying out anything other than war. And, what’s more, a war it has every right to fight. It was Israel that was attacked, by an army of Jew-haters, and its decision to crush that army of Jew-haters is understandable and just.

Accusing Israel of genocide is factually wrong and morally repulsive. It is a gross moral inversion. It was Israel that was subjected to a genocidal attack when the death cult of Hamas indiscriminately slaughtered more than a thousand of its people, and yet it is Israel that is called ‘genocidal’. It was Israel that was targeted by the worst act of racist violence of the 21st century so far – and the worst mass murder of Jews since the Holocaust – and yet it is Israel that is hysterically accused of pursuing the racial extermination of the Palestinians. The West’s activist class that seeks to prove its moral worth by noisily accusing Israel of ‘genocide’ ends up proving nothing more than its own unmooring from truth, reason and decency.

‘Genocide’ is a wildly overused term in the 21st century. Various wars are rebranded as genocides. We hear insane talk of a ‘trans genocide’, which is basically when you fail to use a person’s preferred pronouns. Horrendously, even the mistreatment of animals can be called genocidal these days – who can forget when the moral void that is PETA described your meat dinner as ‘the Holocaust on your plate’?

All this depthless relativism has the effect of minimising the importance of the crime of genocide. But the accusation of genocide against the Jewish nation is even worse. For here, the descendants of history’s worst genocide find themselves reimagined as genocidaires, as the very evil that once stalked them. This is a projection of the sins of Europe on to the victims of that sinning. It is a cynical effort by the European elite to morally absolve itself of the crimes of its ancestors by finding the Jews themselves guilty of the same crimes today. And so are they unburdened of historic guilt, even if the price of that unburdening is truth itself.

Howard Jacobson once asked why Israel, of all nations, is so often called genocidal. It’s because, he said, the aim of such hotheaded activism is not to oppose war but to ‘wound Jews’, to ‘punish them with their own grief’. That’s what I saw in that Led By Donkeys stunt: the further wounding of a historically wronged people by Western activists who value their own continued access to polite society more than they do the security of the Jewish State. The accusation against Israel of ‘genocide’ is not only wrong – it is reckless, cruel, self-serving and deserving of the firmest moral pushback we can muster.
Arsen Ostrovsky and John Spencer: How Amnesty International Became a Joke
That there have been civilian casualties in Gaza is tragic, but it is also the inevitable consequence of Hamas using its own people as human shields and embedding its military operations in schools, hospitals, kindergartens, and homes. Notwithstanding the complex challenge of operating in such difficult environment, the IDF has gone to extraordinary lengths, not seen in modern warfare, to abide by the principles of International humanitarian law and avoid harm to civilians in Gaza. This has included implementing historic measures to prevent civilian harm, such as advanced alerts to provide early warning and temporary evacuations, daily pauses of fighting, distributing maps to civilians, using precision weapons, as well are facilitating daily provision of aid.

In fact, to demonstrate just how utterly ludicrous Amnesty's accusation of genocide is, one only needs to see that, according to the CIA World Factbook, the population in Gaza has actually increased 2 percent in the last year. This is the very opposite of seeking to destroy, in whole or in part or in any way, a group of people.

Perhaps knowing it doesn't have a legal leg to stand on, Amnesty has resorted to manufacturing its own definition of genocide. Amnesty claims that the universally established and the sole accepted legal definition as outlined in the Genocide Convention of 1948 which requires the existence of intent is an "overly cramped interpretation of international jurisprudence and one that would effectively preclude a finding of genocide in the context of an armed conflict."

It's not just Israel that finds this redefinition ridiculous. In an absolutely scathing rebuke, even Amnesty's own Israel office has totally rejected Amnesty International's report, saying it was a "predetermined conclusion" based on "biased" and "artificial" analysis of the situation in Gaza and "motivated by a desire to support a popular narrative among Amnesty International's target audience."

If anyone is guilty of genocide here, it is Hamas. Not only does Hamas openly state that the destruction of Israel is its ultimate goal, as evidenced in their Charter, it acted out on those intentions on October 7, when Hamas massacred over 1,200 Israelis in a rampage that included raping, burning, mutilating, executing and abducting women and children. We've stood in the kibbutzim and communities in the south of Israel and saw first-hand the death and destruction. That is where the real attempted genocide occurred.

In an interview last year, shortly after the massacre, senior Hamas official Ghazi Hamad admitted that the terror group would repeat the October 7 massacre "again and again" until Israel was "annihilated," openly admitting the group's genocidal intentions. But Amnesty has completely disregarded this, instead absolving and whitewashing the heinous actions of Hamas.

The incoming Trump Administration should declare Amnesty a hate-group and adopt blistering sanctions against them, including withdrawing financial support and any cooperation with government agencies.

Regrettably, Amnesty International, once a storied human rights organization, has lost all credibility, becoming nothing more than a propaganda mouthpiece for the murderers and rapists of Hamas.


Cotton introduces bill to ban federal use of the term ‘West Bank’
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) introduced legislation on Thursday that would ban the federal government from using the term “West Bank” and instead use Judea and Samaria, the terminology preferred by Israel.

Formally titled the “Retiring the Egregious Confusion Over the Genuine Name of Israel’s Zone of Influence by Necessitating Government-use of Judea and Samaria (RECOGNIZING Judea and Samaria) Act,” the bill would prohibit government funds from being used to describe “the land annexed by Israel from Jordan during the 1967 Six-Day War” as the “West Bank,” except in international treaties and agreements.

“The Jewish people’s legal and historic rights to Judea and Samaria goes back thousands of years,” Cotton said. “The U.S. should stop using the politically charged term West Bank to refer to the biblical heartland of Israel.”

In a social-media post, he added that using the term “West Bank” is “a slap in the face to historical truth.”

“It’s time to call this region by its rightful name and stop playing into anti-Israel propaganda,” he said.

The Kingdom of Jordan promulgated the term after the 1948 Israeli War of Independence to describe the territory it controlled west of the Jordan River. Since the Six-Day War in June 1967, when Israel captured those territories, it has governed them as Judea and Samaria, and annexed the former eastern Jerusalem into the unified Jerusalem District.

The use of “West Bank” as opposed to Judea and Samaria is often viewed as a proxy for Palestinian and Israeli territorial claims and has also become a partisan issue in the United States, with many Republicans favoring Judea and Samaria while many Democrats using the phrase “West Bank.”

David Friedman, who served as U.S. ambassador to Israel in the first Trump administration, welcomed Cotton’s legislation on Thursday.

“Thank you, Tom Cotton, for standing with Israel, recognizing its biblical heritage and supporting one Jewish state,” he wrote.


Amnesty International slammed over report charging Israel with genocide: 'Double standards'
Critics have slammed a new Amnesty International report that claims Israel "has committed, and is continuing to commit genocide" against Palestinians in Gaza as poorly researched and highly politicized.

Taking issue with the report, Orde Kittrie, a law professor at Arizona State University, said Israeli "policies and actions do not fit the legal definition of genocide."

Kittrie, who is also a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital that "accusers must prove Israel is killing Gaza civilians intentionally and simply because they are Palestinian rather than as an unfortunate consequence of Israeli self-defense against Hamas and its fighters."

Critics condemned a new Amnesty International report that claimed Israel committed genocide. The group's secretary general Agnรจs Callamard presented her report on Israel’s war in Gaza during a press conference on Dec. 4, 2024, in The Hague, Netherlands. (Pierre Crom/Getty Images)

He noted that "Israel’s warnings and other steps to mitigate harm to Gazan civilians make clear Israel’s intent is not genocide but, far from it, to minimize civilian casualties while lawfully exercising Israel’s rights to free hostages, apprehend October 7 atrocity perpetrators, and protect Israel’s population from further attacks."

Danny Danon, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, criticized the report in a statement to Fox News Digital. "The only group to have ever shown bloodthirsty genocidal intent in this war is Hamas. With the support of Tehran, Hamas terrorists filmed themselves on October 7th executing, raping, pillaging and kidnapping their way through southern Israel.

"Israel never started this war, but Israel will never allow terrorists to get away with harming Israelis and Israel – and will do whatever it takes to bring back the 100 hostages still held in brutal captivity by Hamas," he said.

The Amnesty report titled "‘You Feel Like You Are Subhuman’: Israel’s Genocide Against Palestinians in Gaza," claimed it found sufficient basis to conclude that Israel has committed and is continuing to commit genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the organization said in a report published Thursday.

The use of the term "genocide" is "an extension of [Amnesty International’s] bias," David Adesnik, vice president of research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies told Fox News Digital. He charged that Amnesty International has never characterized the ongoing atrocities in Sudan and Ukraine or ethnic predation in Xinjiang as genocide, despite these being "cases where they’re sometimes far bloodier and where the racial or ethnic motive was often crystal clear." Adesnik says using that "term against Israel suggests a real double standard."

Adesnik, who has reviewed much of Amnesty International’s writing on the post-Oct. 7 conflict, noted that there "are only fleeting references to Hamas abusing civilian structures," such as "schools, mosques, [and] UNRWA buildings. What’s interesting is that they even dedicated a report to telling Ukrainian forces defending their own country to be careful not to endanger civilians by using civilian residences for a military purpose. And they don’t even bother doing that with Hamas."
Amnesty International genocide allegations are 'unfounded,' US State Dept. says
The State Department maintained it's continuing to find that allegations of Israel committing genocide in Gaza are unfounded as Amnesty International released its report on Thursday claiming there's enough evidence that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians.

"People are entitled to draw their own conclusions. We disagree with the conclusions of such a report," State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters during a news briefing on Thursday afternoon. "We have said previously and continue to find that the allegations of genocide are unfounded.

Reporters pressed Patel relentlessly over the Department's process for gathering information and the irrefutability of the Department's determinations.

Patel insisted civil society organizations like Amnesty International, human rights groups, and NGOs continue to play a vital role in providing information and analysis related to Gaza and "what's going on."

"But as I've said before," Patel said, "...that we do not, and have not concurred with these past findings regarding genocide."

However, Patel added, that does not change or alter the continued concern the US has as it relates to the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and it does not change the US' continued concern as it relates to the conflicts' impact on civilians and civilian casualties.


Andrew Fox: Amnesty International
Hamas fighters are legitimate targets. Israel has killed ~20k Hamas fighters, with many more wounded. Hamas omits this in their weekly fatality figures (which, of course, don’t stand up to the merest statistical scrutiny - my report on the fatality lists and their numerous flaws will hopefully be out in the next two weeks).

We can safely take Hamas’ reported “44k dead civilians” and bring that total down to 20k-ish at most. Still many people; still a tragedy. But is it legal?

Well, that depends on Israeli targeting. Were those civilians legally collateral damage? I don’t know and you don’t know. Will some of those targets have been struck in error? Almost certainly. War is ugly, confusing and clumsy, and intelligence is never perfect, no matter how much people seem to think it is like Call of Duty.

However: we also have well-documented and unquestionable Israeli attempts to remove civilians from the areas they are attacking (no matter how much their opposition frames that as “ethnic cleansing”). For example, they delayed the assault on Gaza City until a million people had fled South. Ditto, they delayed the Rafah assault for four months so that the humanitarian repercussions could be addressed.

The IDF and COGAT have facilitated over a million tonnes of aid into Gaza. Yes, a lot of it is stolen by Hamas; and yes, distributing aid in a war zone is always a challenge. None of that suggests a genocide is planned or is occurring. Provision of aid and evacuation of civilians are not, I suggest, the actions of an armed force determined to “destroy in whole or in part”.

So, we turn to “Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part”.

Even Hamas’ 44k dead civilians, out of 2.4m, disprove this. It’s a tiny number for the amount of munitions fired. Either the IDF are the worst shots on the planet, or they are not trying to kill civilians deliberately.

We are a year in to this war, and it is every bit as dreadful as all wars are. The conditions, whilst clearly appalling for Gazan civilians, are demonstrably not bringing about physical destruction to any greater extent than one would expect in a war zone of this nature and even the most recent reports say there is no famine.

No intent; no action: no genocide.

So why produce a 296 page document saying there is? Well, of course, nobody is really going to read it (especially not to page 101, where they realise the evidence presented does not meet the definition of genocide, so they happily redefine it). The whole point of this document is headlines, donors, and ratcheting the international pressure on Israel—to end the war, and ultimately save Hamas.

What a shame Amnesty International felt the need to degrade the seriousness of the world’s worst crime with this stack of distortions. They should feel thoroughly ashamed. But I am sure they will not when the donations from antisemites and the gullible roll in.


Amnesty Israel rejects parent group’s genocide allegations
The Israeli branch of Amnesty International on Thursday publicly rejected the claim by the group’s international headquarters that the Jewish state is perpetrating genocide against Palestinians.

“Amnesty Israel does not accept the main findings of the report by Amnesty International Global Movement which accuses Israel of genocide,” the Israel branch wrote in a statement.

The Israeli branch also said that there was “no dispute” among its members that “Israel’s actions in Gaza, carried out in response to the Hamas-led massacre against civilians in Israel on October 7, 2023, establish suspicions of widespread violations of international law and may amount to crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing.”

But, the Tel Aviv-based branch wrote, “Our careful analysis does not find that the findings meet the definition of genocide, as carefully formulated in the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.”

Amnesty Israel is a locally registered nonprofit that is legally independent of the London headquarters of Amnesty International.

The reaction came in response to a report published Thursday titled “‘You Feel Like You Are Subhuman’: Israel’s Genocide Against Palestinians in Gaza” on Amnesty International’s world website under the headline: “Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.”

Israel has roundly rejected the claim.

“The deplorable and fanatical organization Amnesty International has once again produced a fabricated report that is entirely false and based on lies,” the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem said in a statement.

The Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis (CAMERA) on Wednesday published a statement calling the Amnesty International charges “baseless and malicious.” David Litman, a senior analyst at CAMERA, told JNS that “Few have done more to erode confidence in the cause of human rights than Amnesty.”


Amnesty International Attacks Israel — and the Consequences Are Striking
The bigotry of Amnesty International is a direct reflection of its leadership. Agnes Callamard, Secretary-General of Amnesty International, has promoted false narratives, including a claim that former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres admitted to Israel’s role in the assassination of Yasser Arafat — one that Peres never made. Despite being exposed, Callamard refused to retract the false statement.

During her time as UN Special Rapporteur, she defended violent riots against Israel, including Hamas’ 2018 attempts to breach the Gaza-Israel border, calling it a legitimate exercise of free speech, despite clear evidence of violence.

She has also opposed Israel’s identity as a Jewish state, claiming the distinction between citizenship and nationality based on race is mind-boggling. Callamard’s stance reflects a deep-rooted bias against Israel in the Amnesty organization.

Recently, Amnesty joined over 250 organizations advocating for a global arms embargo on Israel, citing alleged violations of international humanitarian law. However, such measures ignore the realities of the conflict, where Israel must defend its citizens against a terrorist organization that prioritizes military objectives over civilian safety.

The influence of Amnesty International extends into university campuses, where student organizations often amplify its reports. Many universities in the US and Europe host events and fund programs aligned with Amnesty’s positions, contributing to a growing wave of anti-Israel sentiment among younger generations. As a result of Amnesty’s lies, college campuses are now polarized environments where Jewish and pro-Israel students frequently face unsafe situations — and the truth is being distorted for uninformed students.

Amnesty International’s disproportionate focus on Israel, coupled with its inflammatory rhetoric and selective reporting, undermines its mission to uphold universal human rights standards. By consistently framing Israel as a villain while neglecting the broader context of the conflict, Amnesty risks encouraging tension rather than fostering resolution.

For Israel, the stakes are not just reputational. Amnesty consistently shapes international opinion, drives policy decisions, and encourages campaigns that seek to isolate Israel diplomatically and economically. To ensure fair and effective advocacy, it is essential to hold organizations like Amnesty accountable for their biases, and demand balanced, context-rich reporting on one of the world’s most enduring conflicts.


Mark Goldfeder: Amnesty International literally redefined the legal term of genocide to suit their accusation, stripping the term of its actual meaning in the process.
.@amnesty international literally redefined the legal term of genocide to suit their accusation, stripping the term of its actual meaning in the process. The craziest part? They admit this in their report, correctly assuming that most people won't read all the way to p. 101: ๐Ÿงต

@amnesty This is not just a failure of factual accuracy; it is a willful misrepresentation of international law.

@amnesty in Bosnia v. Serbia (2007), the ICJ held that genocidal intent must be the only plausible inference drawn from a pattern of conduct.

@amnesty The court reaffirmed this high bar in Croatia v. Serbia (2015), stating that such intent must be “fully conclusive.”

@amnesty Under this standard, no reasonable observer could argue that Israel’s military actions—directed against Hamas, a terrorist organization explicitly dedicated to Israel’s destruction—constitute genocide.

@amnesty How does Amnesty get around this inconvenient fact?

THEY DON'T. Take a look at p. 101:

@amnesty "As outlined below, Amnesty International considers this an overly cramped interpretation of international jurisprudence..."

@amnesty Pardon my french, @amnesty, but who the hell are you?????
PMW: Amnesty’s latest libel: Projecting Palestinian crimes onto Israel
A fundamental tactic of Palestinian Authority (PA) hate-speech and incitement is to falsely accuse Israel of committing crimes of which the PA itself is guilty. As a result, Amnesty International, in the service of the PA, has taken words directly from the PA's lexicon of Jew-hatred and applied it to Israel in the title of its report on Gaza, ‘You Feel Like You Are Subhuman': Israel's Genocide Against Palestinians in Gaza. This is particularly insidious, as PA officials are the ones who teach that Jews are subhuman and preach genocide.

Subhuman:
The top religious figure in the PA, Mahmoud Abbas' advisor on Islam, has literally described Jews as "humanoids," as "Satan," and as "apes and pigs" while claiming that they are unrecognizable because they are in human form. The PA depicts Jews as the human manifestation of Satan as a result of their supposed evil and scheming against Muslims.

Mahmoud Abbas' Advisor on Religious Affairs Mahmoud Al-Habbash: "A group from among the People of the Book (i.e., Jews, Quran 2:109)… have left the path of humanity and followed Satanity... Satan does not have to be in the form of a demon, hidden, he can also be in your form, but [the Jew] he is Satan… Grazing herds of humanoids (i.e., Jews), of people or creatures that Allah created in the form of humans... "[Jews] whom Allah has cursed and He became angry and made them into apes and pigs" [Quran 5:60].

[Official PA TV, July 7, 2023; Sept. 30, 2022]

Genocide:
Official PA TV preachers, including PA officials, have prayed for the genocide of Jews at least three times just this year: "Kill them one by one, and do not leave even one."

PA Supreme Shari'ah Court Director Alaa Dweikat: "Strike the aggressive Zionists. O Allah, kill them one by one and count them one by one, and do not leave even one."

[Official PA TV, Oct. 25, 2024]

PA TV preacher: "O Allah, strike the thieving Jews… count them and kill them one by one, and do not leave even one."

[Official PA TV, Aug. 9, 2024]

PA Shari'ah Judge Abdallah Harb: "Allah, strike the aggressive Jews, count them and kill them one by one, and do not leave even one."

[Official PA TV Live, July 5, 2024]

In conclusion, the reader can see Amnesty's bias before even opening its report. By describing the Palestinians as feeling "subhuman" because of Israel's actions, Amnesty International misappropriates Palestinian hate speech, flipping the language to frame Israel as being guilty of the Palestinians' crimes.


Media Unquestioningly Parrot Amnesty Report Accusing Israel of Genocide
The Guardian even went as far as to preempt Israeli reaction to the Amnesty report, claiming it would “generate accusations of antisemitism,” effectively accusing Israelis and Jews of weaponizing antisemitism in bad faith.

AFP didn’t even bother to include any Israeli reaction to the report beyond the boilerplate line: “Israel has repeatedly and forcefully denied allegations of genocide, accusing Hamas of using civilians as human shields.”

The Washington Post quotes Paul O’Brien, executive director of Amnesty International USA who says: “What the law requires is that we prove that there is sufficient evidence that there is [genocidal] intent, amongst all the other complex intents that are going to exist in warfare.”

And this is the crux: The death toll and destruction in Gaza can be explained as an inevitable and tragic outcome of a war where Hamas have done everything possible to put Gaza’s civilian population in harm’s way. And Israel has taken every precaution to avoid civilian casualties while still allowing humanitarian aid to cross into Gaza.

The inevitable result of Amnesty’s approach is to turn every war into a genocide, thereby stripping the word of its true meaning.

Israel’s actions are not those of a state that shows intent to commit a genocide, and to charge Israel with such a crime shows just how divorced from reality Amnesty International and its cheerleaders are.

Sadly, the international media have given an unquestioning platform for this libel.


The International Criminal Court Reveals Its Moral Bankruptcy
The shocking announcement by the International Criminal Court (ICC) that it has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant is more than a perversion of international justice. It is an outrageous assault on the global order, and an attempt to destroy the leadership of free nations from within.

Never before has the international criminal system pursued the leaders of democratic countries in such a manner, as they are generally presumed to police their abuses through an independent judicial system. After these unjustified prosecutions, the world has taken a significant step backward from the diplomatic order that emerged after the Second World War.

In the first place, the issuing of these arrest warrants is a grotesque twisting of justice in the simple sense. Can anyone have forgotten why Israel found itself at war with the terrorist group Hamas in the Gaza Strip in the first place?

Israel unilaterally withdrew from the territory in 2005; two years later, in 2007, the terrorists of Hamas seized control from the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority by force in a brutal coup. After years of biding their time, on October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a massive, Iran-armed invasion of Israeli territory, in which they butchered 1,200 Israelis and foreign nations, committed grotesque acts of rape and torture, and took 251 living and dead victims (including 12 Americans) back to Gaza as hostages.

Israel launched a war against Hamas in response; it is a defensive war, meant to ensure that the events of October 7 — the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust — can never happen again.

Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office rightly compared the ICC persecution to the Dreyfus Affair, a 19th century incident in which France falsely accused a Jewish army officer of being a German spy, leading to his long-term imprisonment and an outburst of antisemitism.

The disgusting reality is that the ICC emerged out of a process that began with the world community’s resolute decision to prosecute the Nazi war criminals who slaughtered most of European Jewry. Now, the ICC has perversely used its mandate to attack Jews seeking to prevent another genocide against our people.


JPost Editorial: UN’s diplomatic failure: Why the two-state solution won’t bring peace to Israel
The truth is stark: the two-state solution has become a diplomatic euphemism for maintaining the status quo. While Yang stressed dialogue, he conspicuously omits any serious critique of the Palestinian Authority’s kleptocratic governance or Hamas’s terrorist regime in Gaza. No state should be expected to negotiate under fire, yet Israel is routinely pressured to do so as rockets fall on its cities and its citizens are slaughtered.

Yang’s comments praising the Palestinian struggle and decrying Israeli actions betray a glaring bias. While he stresses the importance of dialogue, he omits the fact that Israel has faced unrelenting attacks. The UNGA’s tendency to vilify Israel while excusing Palestinian extremism makes any serious discussion about peace a farce.

Reut Shapir Ben Naftaly, representing Israel on Tuesday, also called out the hypocrisy, stating that in the coming week, the Assembly would host three meetings focused on the Middle East, centered on resolutions that exhibit a “blatant disregard for the truth.” She emphasized that, following October 7, the UN’s deeply entrenched anti-Israel bias has been glaringly exposed.

Yang’s remarks, with their selective moral outrage, ignore the hundred-plus Israeli hostages still held in Gaza whose plight has been sidelined in global discourse. It seems the UN’s commitment to human rights skips over Israeli victims when crafting its narratives.

The planned June conference will likely follow the UN’s usual script: a parade of resolutions condemning Israel, sanctimonious speeches, and no real accountability for Palestinian leadership or their terrorist proxies. If the UN truly wanted to contribute to peace, it would focus on dismantling terror networks, ensuring that aid reaches civilians instead of fueling violence, and genuinely supporting Israel’s right to security.

The hypocrisy surrounding this upcoming conference is particularly apparent when considering recent history. As the UN decries Israel, it continues to fund entities and initiatives in Palestinian territories with little oversight, allowing resources to be siphoned into terror infrastructure (UNRWA anyone?).

The result? Billions in aid funneled into a society where martyrdom is celebrated, and peace is an afterthought. Meanwhile, Israel is expected to negotiate with a partner that not only denies its right to exist but actively seeks its destruction.

The UN was founded on the principle of safeguarding peace and protecting human rights. But its treatment of Israel underscores how far it has strayed from these ideals.

The June conference is a charade, a testament to the UN’s irrelevance in achieving peace in the Middle East. The organization has shown that it lacks both the will and the credibility to address the conflict. Israel, meanwhile, will continue to fight for its survival.


Seth Frantzman: The Israel-Hezbollah Ceasefire Doesn’t Mean An End To Conflict In The Region
The key question now is whether this is a wider trend across the region. In Lebanon, the IDF has carried out numerous airstrikes on Hezbollah since November 27, claiming the group is violating the ceasefire. Hezbollah is still moving rocket launchers and seeking to re-arm. Will this now become the new normal in southern Lebanon, with the IDF carrying out precision airstrikes?

Meanwhile, in Gaza, there are still up to 101 hostages held by Hamas. Some of these hostages are dead, including Omer Neutra, an American-Israeli dual citizen who the IDF recently said was killed on October 7. Hamas still holds his body. Incoming U.S. president Donald Trump has vowed to make Hamas pay a heavy price if the hostages are not released. Israeli politicians have welcomed this change of rhetoric, which they hope will reflect a shift in policy in Washington in January.

However, much can change before January 20. Syria serves as an example of how fast the course of events can shift. Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an opposition group that controls Idlib province in northwestern Syria, recently swept into Aleppo and tossed aside Syrian regime forces, who fled in disarray. How did this happen so suddenly? The Syrian regime was supposed to be solidifying itself, taking back areas, and normalizing ties with Arab states in the region after years of civil war that began there in 2011. Damascus is backed by Moscow and Tehran, but it was hoping to patch things up with Turkey and believed it might even be able to get the United States to withdraw from eastern Syria. During Trump’s previous administration, he had said he would withdraw troops who were involved in an anti-ISIS mission from Syria. Now, things have changed.

The shifting fortunes in Syria likely owe much to the hammering Hezbollah received from Israel. Hezbollah doesn’t have the men and materiel to help the Syrian regime the way it did back in 2013. Iran could rely on Iraqi militias to aid the Syrian regime. Iranian state media said on December 3 that Kataib Hezbollah had yet to decide if it would intervene in Syria. Iran’s narrative has been that the United States and Israel are somehow behind the setbacks for the Syrian regime. Iran views these developments as a threat to what it calls the “axis of resistance.”

While visiting Israel’s northern border, Defense Minister Katz threatened that if Hezbollah continues to violate the ceasefire, Israel would strike at Lebanese institutions: “there will no longer be any exemptions for the State of Lebanon. If until now we separated the State of Lebanon from Hezbollah—and the entirety of Beirut from Dahiyeh, which took very hard hits—this will no longer be the case.”

This is a crossroads for Israel, Lebanon, and the wider region. Wheels are in motion that will roll across a large swath of the Middle East. Iran has supplied Russia with drones for use against Ukraine. Russia backs the Syrian regime. Moscow may see a link between the fall of Aleppo and its own battles in Ukraine. If it wants the Syrian regime to return to Aleppo, it will need to shore it up with arms and equipment. Iran could bring in militias from Iraq, widening the war even more. Meanwhile, U.S. forces in eastern Syria, backing the Syrian Democratic Forces, appear also to be increasingly involved in clashes near the Euphrates River. Even in the wake of a fragile ceasefire, the region still stands on the brink of several more conflagrations.
Hezbollah begins rebuilding militarily, financially
The Lebanese Shi’ite terrorist organization Hezbollah has already begun rebuilding its military capabilities and financial operations, just over a week since a ceasefire with Israel went into effect after 13 and a half months of war.

While the IDF’s aerial and ground offensives severely degraded the Iranian proxy’s terrorist infrastructure and forces, according to U.S. intelligence estimates, Hezbollah has started recruiting new fighters, boosting domestic weapons production and looking for ways to continue smuggling arms in via Syria.

Reuters cited a senior American official, an Israeli official, and two U.S. lawmakers briefed on the intelligence in its reporting published on Wednesday.

According to the terms of the Nov. 27 ceasefire agreement, Hezbollah is prohibited from rearming.

Hezbollah lost more than half of its weapons stockpiles and thousands of fighters during the war with Israel, according to American assessments. However, it has not been destroyed, with the sources saying that it still has thousands of short-range rockets and will try to rebuild using weapons factories in neighboring countries with transportation routes into Lebanon.

One of the lawmakers told Reuters that Hezbollah has been “temporarily weakened” and its command-and-control capabilities diminished. However, the lawmaker notes, “This organization is built to withstand disruption.”

Washington is particularly concerned about Syria, where Turkish-backed jihadist terrorist groups recently launched offensives in Aleppo and Hama, in a major challenge to the Assad regime and its Iranian and Russian backers. Israel continues to target Hezbollah smuggling routes in Syria and at the Syrian-Lebanon border and to disrupt Iranian weapons shipments via Syria.
Palestinian Authority Says It Stands Together with Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Using Terror
The possibility of the Palestinian Authority (PA) becoming the umbrella for designated terrorist organizations is becoming more real.

On Tuesday, Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) reported that senior Fatah leader Jibril Rajoub declared that there is nothing standing in the way of unity between Fatah and Hamas, since Hamas’ atrocities of October 7th elevated it to the level of a national liberation movement like Fatah.

This declaration came on the heels of many similar statements by PA/Fatah leaders — both in support of unity with terror organizations, and explicit calls for terror.

Top Fatah official Abbas Zaki recently stressed this, stating that Fatah is “one unit” together with terror organizations Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and “every fighting faction” — in other words, anyone who carries out terror against Israel:
Al-Mayadeen TV host: “The meetings in Cairo between the Fatah Movement and Hamas Movement … The headline of these meetings is establishing a committee to manage the affairs of the Gaza Strip. Will this round of meetings be different?” …

Fatah Central Committee member Abbas Zaki: “Our delegation is setting out [to Cairo] with clearest understandings that it is impossible to take action for the Gaza Strip except with mutual agreement and understanding with the brothers in Hamas” …

There is no Palestinian disagreement now that people could exploit. We, Hamas, [Islamic] Jihad, and every fighting faction constitute one unit.”

[Al-Mayadeen TV (Lebanon), YouTube channel, Nov. 2, 2024]

A Jordanian journalist interviewed on official PA TV was even more explicit, demonizing Israel as “a satanic plant,” that should be attacked “with rocks, knives, and resistance by all means” — in other words, terror:
Jordanian journalist Ramadan Rawashdeh: “The [pro-Palestinian] noble-hearted in Britain and the world knew that [Israel] is a satanic plant in the region, which is not like us [Arabs] in terms of language, skin color, ethnicity, or customs …

Many invaders have come into this region and they were defeated. I am convinced that one day Israel will necessarily be defeated… [Israeli Prime Minister] Netanyahu said: ‘I will bring security to Israel.’ We need to bring about his failure with daily work, with rocks, knives, resistance – resistance by all means.”

[Official PA TV, Capital of Capitals – Amman, Nov. 14, 2024]

PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’ Advisor on Religious Affairs and Islamic Relations Mahmoud Al-Habbash: “The Palestinian people has no choice but to remain, stand firm, hold onto the land and the right, and resist with all possible capabilities at our disposal.

The occupation (i.e., Israel) and the aggression have left us no choice but to remain or die.”

[PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’ Advisor on Religious Affairs and Islamic Relations Mahmoud Al-Habbash, Facebook page, Oct. 8, 2024]
Hamas Threatens to ‘Neutralize’ Hostages if Israel Launches Rescue Operation
The Palestinian terrorist group Hamas said it had information that Israel intended to carry out a hostage rescue operation similar to one conducted in Gaza’s Nuseirat camp in June and threatened to “neutralize” the captives if any such action took place, according to an internal statement seen by Reuters on Wednesday.

In the statement dated Nov. 22, Hamas told its operatives not to consider what the repercussions of following the instructions might be and said it held Israel responsible for the fate of the hostages.

The statement, which a senior Hamas source told Reuters was circulated to its factions by the intelligence unit of the group’s military wing Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, did not say when any Israeli operation was expected to take place.

There was no immediate Israeli response to the statement. On Wednesday, Israeli media cited Defense Minister Israel Katz as saying pressure on Hamas was increasing and this time “we will really be able to advance a hostage deal.”

Israel‘s Nuseirat rescue operation on June 9 saw Israeli forces free four hostages, who had been held by Hamas since October 2023.

In the Hamas statement, the group told its operatives to “tighten” the living conditions of the captives and said this should be done in accordance with instructions issued after the Nuseirat operation.

In a section titled “recommendations,” Hamas also instructed its operatives to “activate neutralization orders … as an immediate and swift response to any adventure by the enemy.”

Hamas-led Palestinian terrorists kidnapped over 250 hostages during their invasion of and massacre across southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. About 1,200 people were killed in the onslaught, and thousands more were wounded.


IDF says top commander in Hamas internal security forces killed in south Gaza airstrike
An Israeli strike on Wednesday night in the southern Gaza Strip killed several Hamas operatives, including a top commander in the terror group’s internal security forces, the military said on Thursday.

Palestinian media reported that some 20 people were killed in the strike in the Israeli-designated humanitarian zone in the Khan Younis area, along with at least 19 others in other strikes across the Strip.

The IDF said it took numerous steps to mitigate civilian harm in the strike, including by using a precision munition, aerial surveillance, and other intelligence.

The military said that the Hamas commander, Osama Ghanim, was involved in “activity to suppress the citizens of Gaza and was responsible for detecting threats against Hamas from within the Strip.

“Ghanim held a key role in implementing Hamas’s brutal methods, which included conducting harsh civilian interrogations while violating human rights, suppressing residents suspected of opposing Hamas, and persecuting civilians from the LGBTQ+ community,” the IDF said.

Following the strike, the IDF said it had identified secondary blasts, indicating the presence of weapons in the area. Palestinian media published footage purportedly showing the strike.


Australian family mourns tragic loss of ‘beloved soul’
Fallen IDF soldier Zamir Burke.

The sorrow resulting from an Israeli military fatality in Gaza last Friday has hit home in Australia, where family and friends are mourning the loss of soldier Zamir Burke.

Staff Sgt. Burke, a 20-year-old Israel Defence Forces officer with Australian parents, was tragically killed during battle in northern Gaza.

Serving as a heavy equipment squad commander in the 601st Combat Engineering Battalion, he was struck by anti-tank fire while operating an armoured D-9 bulldozer. Another soldier was seriously injured in the attack.

Zamir’s mother Tammy Burke (nee Brill) was born in Israel but grew up in Melbourne, and his father Jesse (Yishai) Burke is from Sydney.

Tammy’s parents moved to Australia when Tammy was young, opening a pizza restaurant in the Melbourne suburb of Balaclava, and her mother Rutti taught at Beth Rivkah Ladies College.

Tammy attended Bnei Akiva and moved back to Israel after studying speech pathology at La Trobe University and met Jesse in Israel, where they married and had four children – Zamir and his three sisters.

On Israeli radio this week, one of Zamir’s sisters described her brother as a “yedid nefesh” – beloved soul.

AJN director Anna Pasternak spoke to Zamir’s Australian uncle Danny Brill who lives in Israel. He shared that Zamir had Australian citizenship and while he had never visited Australia, Zamir dreamed of travelling to Australia and East Asia when he finished his army service. “He wanted to see his parents’ roots,” Brill said.

On serving in the Israeli army, Brill noted, “He was extremely proud that the nature of his role was that you had to clear the way for other soldiers to be able to get through.

“Part of his job was to go through tunnels and his team was part of a team that found one of the one of the kidnapped hostages, and he was extremely proud about that.”

Zamir served in Gaza for around eight months.


PodCast: Israel’s multi-front war: The physical, legal, and narrative battleground
On November 18, the Macdonald-Laurier Institute hosted Arsen Ostrovsky for a compelling discussion on Israel’s conflicts with Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran, exploring the broader implications for Canada and global stability. In this episode, we’d like to share that discussion with you.

Arsen Ostrovsky is a distinguished expert in international law and human rights, and the CEO of the International Legal Forum: a global network combating extremism, terror, and antisemitism. His work has taken him to the United Nations (UN), the U.S. Congress, the British Parliament, and beyond, where he’s been at the forefront of advocating for justice in the face of rising global tensions. In this episode, Arsen delivers a comprehensive analysis of the multi-front war Israel faces spanning physical, legal, and narrative battlegrounds.

Interviewing him is the Macdonald Laurier Institute’s Senior Fellow Casey Babb, whose rich background in terrorism and international security ensures an incisive and thought-provoking discussion. Together, they explore the legal, ethical, and geopolitical dimensions of Israel’s ongoing struggle against terror and extremism, and the broader implications it carries for both Canada and the global community.
Call Me Back: Chaos in Syria: a win for Israel & US? – with Yonatan Adiri Hosted by Dan Senor
Over the past week, we have been monitoring developments in Syria, where there has been a significant escalation in its on-again, off-again, and now on-again civil war. Rebel forces, led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, launched a surprise offensive, swiftly capturing key areas in northwestern Syria, including 13 villages and the strategic towns of Urm Al-Sughra and Anjara. Two days later, the rebels had breached Aleppo, Syria’s second-largest city, marking their most substantial advance in years.

In response, Syrian government forces, supported by Russian airstrikes and Iran-backed militias, initiated counterattacks to halt the insurgents’ progress. The intensified conflict has resulted in significant casualties and displacement.

What does this tell us about major power shifts taking place in the region? Is it part of larger tectonic shifts taking place globally? And what does this mean for Israel?

To help us understand, our guest is Yonatan Adiri.

Yonatan Adiri is a leading Israeli digital healthcare entrepreneur, and was formerly the Chief Technology Advisor and a senior diplomatic advisor to the late Israeli president, Shimon Peres. He is the founder of Healthy.io, a digital healthcare startup, which he has been building for the last decade, and is now returning to public service.

Earlier in his career, Yonatan worked as an officer in the IDF Strategic Command – including when President Obama issued his “red line” in the summer of 2012 against the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria.
The Israel Guys: What the Mainstream Media Won’t Show You Inside of Gaza
Have you ever stopped and wondered why the only pictures you ever see of the Israeli Hamas war is of destroyed buildings in Gaza with children sitting on the rubble? Don't be fooled, it's all on purpose and it is disgusting deception to the very core. Don't believe the terrorists of Gaza or the 101 news networks all trying their level best to prop them up. The facts tell a completely different story: a story of Arab brutality against Israel and Israel's unwavering moral commitment to the high ground. Whether you believe me or not, stay tuned for the facts…


Hugh Hewitt: Rod Dreher talks with Hugh about the return of anti-Semitism

Israel facing a UN made up of ‘dictatorships’
Executive Council of Australian Jewry Co-CEO Peter Wertheim claims the UN is now made up of “dictatorships” making it difficult for Israel.

Australia has broken ranks with the US by backing a UN resolution for Palestinian statehood.

“Israel faces a United Nations that is made up, these days, predominantly of dictatorships and semi-dictatorships,” Mr Wertheim said.

“So, when it comes to votes, Israel is never going to be able to command the same sort of numbers as the opposite side of the argument.”


‘Caved to terrorism’: Chris Kenny slams Labor for ‘rewarding’ Hamas in UN vote
Sky News host Chris Kenny has slammed Foreign Minister Penny Wong for Australia’s stance in a United Nations vote which has “rewarded the murderous terrorists” of Hamas and Hezbollah.

The Albanese government has shifted more than two decades of its consistent position at the United Nations on two of three motions that addressed the war in the Middle East.

Australia voted in favour of a motion that supported an irreversible pathway to Palestinian statehood and also set up the framework for a conference to be held next year.

“The Australian abandonment of Israel, of Jewish Australians, and of strong democratic values on the international stage is almost complete now,” Mr Kenny said.

“The capitulation by the Albanese Labor government on the Middle East at the United Nations represents the abysmal appeasement of terrorism.

“Under Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Australia has rewarded the murderous terrorists of Hamas and Hezbollah with a public relations victory in the general assembly, breaking from Israel and the US, and voting in favour of a fanciful Palestinian state.


‘Disappointed and frustrated’: Mike Kelly blasts Labor after UN Palestine vote
Former Labor minister Mike Kelly has expressed his disappointment and frustration with the Albanese government’s handling of the Middle East conflict.

Australia has broken ranks with the US by backing a UN resolution for Palestinian statehood.

Mr Kelly told Sky News host Chris Kenny that Australia’s “diplomatic credibility” has been lost.

“The message hasn’t gotten across that the government is putting at risk our national security here and our social cohesion.”


Benjamin Netanyahu questions Australia’s role as ‘key ally’ after UN vote
Wordsmith and broadcaster Kel Richards discusses Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s slamming damnation of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, suggesting Australia may no longer be a ‘key ally’ to the state.

“The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu writing to our prime minister, the story says, quote,” Mr Richards said.

Mr Richards noted, ‘the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has strongly criticised the Albanese government over its retreating support for Israel’.


How the ALP has contributed to the rise of antisemitism in Australia
The ALP’s rhetoric around the Israel-Palestine conflict has been criticized for being overly sympathetic to Palestinian groups that have historically promoted violence and terror against Israel. By failing to unequivocally condemn the actions of Hamas and other extremist groups that incite hatred against Israel, the ALP inadvertently gives a platform to individuals and movements that spread misinformation and hatred.

The party’s frequent criticism of Israel’s self-defense measures, while remaining silent on the atrocities committed by these terror groups, is a form of moral equivalence that only serves to fan the flames of antisemitism in Australia.

The ALP’s attempts to appease their Muslim constituencies in Western Sydney electorates by downplaying or ignoring the rise of antisemitism and Israel-related issues reflect a disturbing political calculation. In their efforts to win votes, they have compromised on standing up for the values of democracy and the safety of Jewish Australians, choosing political expediency over moral clarity in the face of growing extremism.

Another troubling aspect of the ALP’s role in the rise of antisemitism is its failure to confront the growing influence of anti-Israel activists within its ranks. The ALP has allowed individuals with openly hostile views toward Israel to gain significant political influence.

This includes support for movements such as Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS), which not only harms Israel economically but also promotes a climate of hatred against Jewish Australians. When Labor leaders do not denounce these extreme voices within their own party, they contribute to a broader culture where antisemitism is normalized under the guise of political activism.

Furthermore, the ALP’s response to anti-Israel protests and rhetoric has been weak and inconsistent. Rather than taking a firm stand against the antisemitic actions of protestors who target Jewish institutions, individuals, and businesses, the ALP has often allowed such behavior to go unchecked.

This failure to protect the Jewish community from rising harassment and violence is both irresponsible and dangerous, signaling that the ALP values appeasing the extremes of political discourse over safeguarding the rights and safety of its citizens.

In conclusion, the Australian Labor Party’s policies and rhetoric have undeniably contributed to the rise of antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment in Australia. By distancing itself from Israel, giving a platform to those who seek to delegitimize the Jewish state, and failing to protect the Jewish community from rising hate, the ALP is undermining the values of freedom, democracy, and human dignity that Australia stands for.

It is time for the Australian public to hold the ALP accountable for their actions and ensure that the voices of hate are not allowed to dominate the political landscape.
Suspicious fire damages historic synagogue in Melbourne
A devastating fire ripped through the Adass Israel Synagogue in Ripponlea, Melbourne, early Friday morning, causing significant damage to the historic building.

The blaze, which the Australian police are investigating as suspicious, prompted a massive emergency response and has left the Jewish community in shock.

According to local reports, two individuals were wounded after two arsonists set it ablaze.

Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) crews were called to the scene around 4:10 a.m., finding the single-story synagogue engulfed in flames. According to ABC News, 60 firefighters and 17 firetrucks worked tirelessly to bring the fire under control within an hour. Assistant Chief Fire Officer Brayden Sinnamon praised the firefighters' efforts, noting that on the building and set it ablaze. "It was terrifying," a witness told 7News, adding that the attackers fled immediately after igniting the fire.

The two suspects broke into the synagogue through a glass window and were seen setting fire to flammable material inside, an eye witness recounted.

The synagogue, located on Glen Eira Avenue, sustained significant structural damage.


‘A disgrace’: Pro-Palestinian protest outside Sydney’s Great Synagogue criticised
Shadow Home Affairs Minister James Paterson has criticised a pro-Palestinian protest which took place outside Sydney’s Great Synagogue.

At least 73 pro-Palestinian activists gathered outside Sydney’s Great Synagogue on Wednesday, calling for sanctions on Israel.

“It’s astonishing to me that there is any Australian who thinks it’s appropriate to protest outside a synagogue, much less so that they would do so in a way that requires the people inside to go into lockdown out of fear for their safety,” Mr Paterson told Sky News Australia.


Jewish man who waved Israeli flag in front of pro-Palestine protest speaks out
Jewish community member Ofir Birenbaum has spoken out after he was moved on by police for allegedly disrupting a pro-Palestine protest outside a synagogue in Sydney.

The protest involved around 70 activists outside Sydney's Great Synagogue on Wednesday night.

The group, ‘Stop the War of Palestine’, led the group of activists outside the Great Synagogue in Sydney in order to protest an event held by the Israel Institute of Technology, Technion.


‘Sought to intimidate’: Mob chants ‘incendiary slogans’ at Sydney’s Great Synagogue
Sky News host James Macpherson discusses how “so-called activists” prevented Jewish Australians from leaving the Great Synagogue in Sydney’s CBD.

“Jewish Australians were barricaded in Sydney’s Great Synagogue last night after a noisy and aggressive pro-Palestinian group decided to protest on the street right outside,” Mr Macpherson said.

“Unable to safely leave their place of worship in the Sydney CBD because of people protesting about a conflict happening on the other side of the world.”




Trade unions use Nazi quote to promote solidarity with Palestinians
Two trade unions have refused to apologise after using a Nazi quote to promote solidarity with the Palestinian people.

The 1978 quote, by former Austrian president Kurt Waldheim, who participated in war crimes while serving in the Wehrmacht during the Second World War, said: “Events of these last years have made the world painfully aware that the Palestinian people and the recognition and implementation of their rights are the key to any solution in the Middle East.”

The British Association of Social Workers (BASW) and the Social Workers’ Union (SWU) included the quote in a statement to mark International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People on Friday.

After the JC raised the matter with the organisations on Friday, the statement was altered online to remove references to Waldheim, who had served as Secretary-General of the United Nations before attention was drawn to his war criminal past. The original version said: “Those words, spoken in 1978, could have been written today.”

Waldheim, who also served as Austrian foreign minister in the 1970s, was barred from entering the United States in 1987, while serving as the country’s president, after the Justice Department determined that he had participated in Nazi war crimes during the second world war.

He was the first head of state to be blocked from entering the United States.

SWU’s General Secretary John McGowan told the JC: “The statement was amended in all forums via SWU and BASW immediately after it was brought to our attention. Both organisations agreed to remove the quote and the quote pertaining to Kurt Waldheim was removed without delay.”
Sweden jails 3 over explosives planted at Israeli defense firm
A Swedish court on Thursday jailed three men for planting explosives outside an Israeli military technology firm in Gothenburg in June, the ruling said.

Two insulated flasks packed with plastic explosives were found outside the offices of Elbit Systems, known for its unmanned aerial systems, in Sweden’s second-largest city on June 4.

The national bomb squad removed the objects and no damage or injuries were reported.

Two men aged 24 and 17 were convicted of placing the bombs outside the building. The first defendant was jailed for seven years while the latter, who was 16 at the time, was ordered to spend one year and two months in juvenile care.

The pair “together and intentionally handled two explosive devices containing 3.3 kilos (7.3 pounds) of explosives, without permission. It occurred at the place and time the prosecutor claimed,” the Gothenburg district court wrote in its ruling.

The third suspect, aged 29, was found guilty of storing and handling the explosives in his home, but not of transporting them to his two accomplices as the prosecutor had claimed.

He was sentenced to four years and seven months behind bars.

All three defendants, who had received orders from unidentified individuals to carry out the attack, had denied the charges.

The Swedish intelligence agency Sapo in late May accused Iran of recruiting members of Swedish criminal gangs to commit “acts of violence” against Israeli and other interests in Sweden, a claim Iran has denied.

Elbit Systems was also targeted in a shooting incident by a 15-year-old on October 10, which resulted in no injuries and the teenager’s arrest, according to Swedish media.




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