Thursday, January 16, 2025

01/16 Links Pt2: Where are the righteous of Gaza?; UN’s anti-Israel biases can’t hide facts of terror; The Top 100 People Positively Influencing Jewish Life, 2024

From Ian:

Where are the righteous of Gaza?
During the Holocaust, even in areas where Nazi propaganda was dominant, there emerged righteous individuals who saved Jewish lives. Israel’s major Holocaust museum and education centre is Yad Vashem in Jerusalem. It records and honours 28,217 individuals with the title of Righteous Amongst the Nations. So where are the righteous in Gaza?

There have been reports of hostages being moved through various facilities and held by different militia groups and Gazan civilians. Freed hostages report being held in the homes of a doctor and a teacher employed by Unrwa. On three occasions Israel has conducted hostage rescue raids on residential premises.

There could be many hundreds or possibly thousands of Gazans who have some knowledge of the whereabouts of hostages.

To incentivise people in Gaza to assist, Israel has offered US$5 million per hostage and safe passage for resettlement. As hostages have been held in small groups, a successful release might mean multiple rewards. To most in Gaza this would be a truly massive fortune. But there have been no takers, none.

Perhaps the reaction to the conflict by nearby Arab Muslim countries assists in understanding what’s going on. Egypt, like Israel, has a border with Gaza. It is usual practice that a neighbouring country will take refugees during times of conflict. Poland, which shares a border with Ukraine , has over 1.5 million Ukrainian refugees. But Egypt has reinforced its border with Gaza and refuses to accept refugees.

Indeed, no other Arab Muslim country in the Middle East will accept their brethren in Gaza as refugees. There is no shortage of space and some are very wealthy but no refugee program for Gazans is entertained. Saudi Arabia has facilities to accommodate over 2 million for the annual Hajj pilgrimage but is assisting no one from Gaza.

There is an interesting biblical story which occurred not far away, namely the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. God told Abraham of the forthcoming destruction and that his nephew Lot who lived in Sodom would be saved. Abraham bargained with God for the cities to be saved if righteous men could be found. The bargaining began at 50 and cascaded down to 10. Alas, righteous men could not be found.

Israel has said the war could end with the release of the hostages and the surrender of Hamas. If there were righteous in Gaza to facilitate the release of the hostages, that would be enormously positive not only from a humanitarian perspective but in neutralising Hamas’ only major strategic lever.

The Australian Labor government takes a different view to the Arab Muslim world and thinks it is a good idea to bring in thousands from Gaza with minimal screening and to actively support the creation of a state of Palestine.

Gaza has been a de facto Palestinian state since 2005 and has proved to be a massively destructive failure. Historically, there has never been a sovereign state of Palestine. Never was, and post 7 October 2023, never will be.
Two-state solution all but dismissed by Trump confidant
A senior figure within US President-elect Donald Trump's innermost circle has recently said that the establishment of a Palestinian state was not under consideration. The source, who belongs to Trump's and his family's closest orbit of confidants and has carried numerous crucial assignments for him previously, made these comments during recent private conversations at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. The senior Trump-world persona offered no explanation for this position, simply stating that "it's clear this won't happen."

Notably, Trump in December spoke about what kind of Mideast peace he would back. "I support whatever solution we can do to get peace. There are other ideas other than two-state, but I support whatever is necessary to get not just peace, [but] a lasting peace. It can't go on where every five years you end up in tragedy. There are other alternatives," he said at the time.

On Tuesday, Mar-a-Lago hosted a Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast conference, bringing together Christian and Jewish participants as part of the effort to bolster Israel-US relations. American and Israeli speakers uniformly expressed firm opposition to both the establishment of a Palestinian state and any Israeli withdrawal from Judea and Samaria. They emphasized that both religious and security considerations make it imperative for Israel to maintain its presence in these territories.

In a related development, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, during his visit to Italy on Monday, addressed the ongoing discussion about a "Palestinian state," stating that "the two-state solution is a slogan and an illusion. A 'Palestinian state' in the heart of our country would be a Hamas terror state that would undermine stability in the entire region and severely harm Israel's security."
Jonathan Tobin: The pathetic finish to Joe Biden’s failed presidency
Gaslighting, censorship and antisemitism
His subsequent farewell address to the nation from the Oval Office was in some ways even more troubling. Sounding themes that were standard Democratic campaign rhetoric these past four years, he claimed that Trump and the Republicans were threatening democracy and instituting an “oligarchy” where the wealthy ruled and took away the rights of everyone else.

This was as ironic as it was untrue since it had been during his four years in office that the Democrats had completed their journey from its old stance as the party of the working people to one that is now solely aimed at protecting the interests of the credentialed elites.

Yet in the same speech, he lamented the end of “fact-checking” on Facebook, which was supposedly aimed at stopping “misinformation” but was really a censorship regime. Indeed, in his announcement and subsequent interviews about the decision, Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg confessed that it was a scheme largely driven by politics and used by the Biden administration to silence views on a wide range of issues that dissented from their policies.

As he had for four years, Biden was gaslighting the country. He claimed that his foes were against democracy. But it was his Department of Justice that prosecuted Trump, his chief political opponent. It treated Americans who differed from liberal orthodoxy on gender ideology, critical race theory or abortion as if they were domestic terrorists while largely ignoring the very real threat of Islamist terror.

Biden was no ideologue; he was an unprincipled politician who always followed his party’s fashion of the day, whether it tilted right, as it did in the 1990s, or hard left, as it has in recent years. Elected as a moderate who would restore normalcy to the nation, he took his cues from left-wingers on most domestic issues. That’s why he became a supporter of the woke catechism of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and imposition of it throughout the government.

His policies not only enabled the same leftist ideology that fueled the unprecedented post-Oct. 7 surge of Jew-hatred that happened on his watch. His inability to unreservedly condemn those who engaged in antisemitic agitation on college campuses and elsewhere was motivated by a futile effort to rally support from his party’s intersectional left wing that he previously done so much to appease.

Biden proved that having a half-century of experience in government is no guarantee of wisdom, political or ethical principles or an ability to learn from the past. He also showed what happens when weakness is treated as a virtue rather than a liability.

He leaves office as a forgotten man who, regardless of one’s opinion of Trump, was largely overshadowed by him even when his opponent was out of office. Though historians will likely treat him as an accidental president better remembered for his decline in office than any achievements, his mistakes must be remembered. As pathetic as his exit from the White House has been, the record of failure he leaves behind is his true legacy.


Melanie Phillips: Israel’s fight for civilisation | The Brendan O’Neill Show
Broadcaster and Times columnist Melanie Phillips returns to The Brendan O’Neill Show to talk about her new book, The Builder’s Stone: How Jews and Christians Built the West – and Why Only They Can Save It. Melanie and Brendan discuss why Islamism must be defeated, the ancient anti-Semitism making a comeback in Europe, and how to fill society’s god-shaped hole.


Israeli Top-Politician WARNING Europe on Open Borders
The Visegrad24 team has traveled to Israel for an interview with the Speaker of the Knesset (Israel's Parliament) Amir Ohana.

The Israeli top-politician warns Europeans that it's time to start taking security issues seriously and that countries should listen when their enemies say that they want to destroy them.

Mr Ohana also told Visegrad24 what he thinks Israel needs to do to tackle Hamas, Hezbollah and the Islamic Regime in Iran.

Mr Ohana previously held the posts of Minister of Justice and Minister of Public Security. He has served as the Speaker of the Knesset since 2022. He was born in 1976 in Beersheba to Maghrebi Jewish immigrants from Morocco. After serving in the IDF, he joined the Shin Bet (Israel's internal security agency) for 6 years before spending another 10 years working as lawyer. He became a Member of the Knesset in 2015.

00:00 - Introduction
02:02 - Listen to your enemies
03:10 - Clash of Civilizations
04:17 - Israeli-Arab relations
08:16 - Mass-immigration to Europe
11:53 - Western university students
13:53 - David & Goliath
15:03 - Scars of Oct. 7th
15:54 - Terror attacks in Europe
17:23 - EU learning from Israel
20:38 - Threats against Israel
25:00 - Israel a nationalist state?


UN’s anti-Israel biases can’t hide facts of terror
At the end of December, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) released yet another fundamentally flawed and thoroughly self-discrediting “thematic report”, entitled “Attacks on hospitals during the escalation of hostilities in Gaza (7 October 2023 – 30 June 2024).”

In this report, what caused the “escalation of hostilities” in Gaza after October 7, 2023 is left unmentioned. Also left unmentioned is why there has been “sustained combat in and around many hospitals,” in Gaza, with the implication being that the Israeli military may be intentionally attacking hospitals just for sport.

The report allows for the theoretical possibility that “Palestinian armed groups” could be using hospitals and medical units for military purposes, which, “if verified… would raise serious concerns that Palestinian armed groups were using the presence of civilians to intentionally shield themselves from attack.” The report then calls for “Independent and credible investigations” into the matter.

Yet there is overwhelming evidence, across decades, that Hamas and other Palestinian groups utilise medical facilities and ambulances in particular “to commit acts harmful to the enemy”. This is the vague and expansive phrase in international humanitarian law (IHL) that removes the legal protections to which hospitals and other medical units are otherwise entitled, albeit within the bounds of other IHL guiding principles such as proportionality, distinction and feasible precautions.

This evidence is not merely based on Israeli claims gleaned from interrogations and other intelligence, but includes years of international media and human rights NGOs reporting, independently corroborated US intelligence, Palestinian Authority assertions and, in the case of Al-Shifa Hospital, even footage released by Hamas and other terrorist groups themselves.

Ignoring such evidence typifies this report, which is so disingenuous it even refuses to correctly attribute responsibility for the infamous Al Ahli hospital parking lot explosion on October 17, 2023, implying it might be part of an alleged pattern of wanton Israeli attacks on hospitals. This is despite nearly every piece of open-source evidence as well as the intelligence agencies of France, Canada, the US and the UK pointing towards a misfired Palestinian rocket.

The report also blatantly misrepresents the relevant IHL provisions, even suggesting in its absurd “legal analysis” section that, contrary to all international legal precedent, even if Hamas leaders were using hospitals as bases of operations, this still would not justify any Israeli operations against those hospitals.

Such fabricated legal standards for Israel’s military conduct, coupled with misrepresentation of basic facts, render this thematic report – like almost everything produced by the United Nations on the current Gaza conflict – an activist anti-Israel document masquerading as analysis.




Chaos erupts at Antony Blinken’s final press conference as reporter is forcibly removed: ‘You should be in The Hague!’
Chaos erupted at Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s final press conference Thursday after an announced Israel-Hamas cease-fire and hostage deal, with State Department employees forcibly removing reporters who accused the cabinet official of allowing a “genocide” in Gaza.

State Department aides escorted Grayzone News journalist Max Blumenthal from the briefing room, while security guards dragged independent journalist Sam Husseini away, as Blinken was hailing the cease-fire agreement first pitched in May and set to take effect Sunday.

Both Blumenthal and Husseini were enraged that Israel’s war in Gaza after the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, which has lasted 15 months and killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, hadn’t ended sooner.

“Criminal!” Husseini screeched as three guards carried him out of the briefing room, according to footage posted on X. “Why aren’t you in The Hague! Why aren’t you in The Hague! Why aren’t you in The Hague!”

“You pontificate about a free press!” he erupted. “I am asking questions after being told by [spokesman] Matt Miller that he will not answer my questions.”

Husseini posted on his X account that he had “tried to ask a series of questions. Was carried out and handcuffed. Completely excessive force.”

Blinken had instructed the journalist to “respect the process” and promised he would have a chance to ask questions after he was done presenting.

“Everybody from Amnesty International to the ICJ [International Court of Justice] is saying that Israel is doing genocide and extermination and you’re telling me to respect the process?” Husseini shot back.

Just before Husseini’s exit, Blumenthal had interrupted Blinken and pelted him with questions.

“Why did you keep the bombs flowing when we had a deal in May?” he asked, according to video footage of the disturbance that he posted on X. “Why did you allow my friends’ homes in Gaza to be destroyed?”

The tentative Israeli-Hamas agreement will impose a 42-day cease-fire allowing Israeli and American hostages to be evacuated from the Gaza Strip in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners.

Thirty-three of the 100 hostages — seven of whom are Americans — will be set free in that first phase of the process.


Pro-terror Islamic organizations in the U.S. are active and growing
Maybe you were surprised to learn that the New Year’s morning Islamic terrorist massacre in New Orleans was committed by a Texas-born U.S. Army veteran who embraced ISIS ideology. You shouldn’t be.

You probably don’t even know that a Cape Cod man died after setting himself on fire near the Israeli consulate in Boston this past Sept. 11, having released a video saying, “We are slaves to capitalism … Free Palestine.” But that shouldn’t surprise you either. These are not random events. They are the result of a long-running Islamist campaign to radicalize Americans and undermine our country.

One under-acknowledged avenue through which Islamists in America invite an evil anti-West ideology is by establishing sham organizations that masquerade as humanitarian entities but are institutional fronts for terrorist groups.

Democrats opened the immigration floodgates to foreigners who, far from not sharing American values, seek to dismantle and destroy our Judeo-Christian way of life. Now safely ensconced within our borders, they’re capitalizing on liberal ignorance and establishing organizational mechanisms to import their hatred from abroad.

Democrats are refusing to penalize Islamist groups for peddling agendas rooted in Islamic radicalization and an anti-Western ethos. Liberal lawmakers may not have George Soros’s money, but they’re willing to use their legislative heft to protect groups that propagandize against America.

Late last year, the overwhelming majority of Democrats declined to vote in favor of a resolution that would grant the IRS greater authority to strip the tax-exempt status for non-profit groups that support terrorism.

With only 15 Democrats backing the measure that also alters the tax code so that American hostages returning home don’t incur financial penalties, The Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act passed the House in a 219-184 vote on the strength of Republican votes.

Instead of demonstrating distance with unsavory groups, such as the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), whose national chapter was named as an unindicted co-conspirator of Hamas in a 2009 terrorism financing case, liberal politicians have created conditions for normalizing extremism within the national public discourse.

CAIR’s Executive Director, Jordanian-born Nihad Awad, who moved to the U.S. as a university student, expressed his joy following Hamas’s barbaric Oct. 7 attacks against Israel.

And while CAIR was designated a terrorist organization by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2014, the Biden administration originally included the institution as a consultant in its 2023 National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism because, after all, what better way to combat antisemitism than to partner with a Jew-hating organization.

The fomenting of an Islamist ideology was initially brought here from abroad. Those importing such beliefs have grown creative and are now promoting hatred of our country by setting up terror shops that are cloaked in progressive dogma, preying on impressionable students, and exploiting vulnerable Americans.
CAIR slams Biden, praises Trump in welcoming hostage agreement
The Council on American-Islamic Relations praised the “long overdue” hostage-for-ceasefire-and-terrorists-release deal on Wednesday, saying it would prevent a “genocide in Gaza.”

The anti-Israel group, which blames the Jewish state for being attacked on Oct. 7, 2023, praised President-elect Donald Trump and slammed President Joe Biden in its statement.

“We welcome this long overdue ceasefire deal, which President Biden should have forced [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu to accept over a year ago instead of needlessly funding so much death and destruction,” stated Nihad Awad, executive director of CAIR.

“We commend President Trump for pushing for a ceasefire deal and reportedly warning Netanyahu that Israel, too, would face consequences for continuing to refuse to make a deal,” Awad stated. “We urge the incoming Trump administration to ensure that the Israeli government does not sabotage this ceasefire deal, and we also urge the administration to pursue the end of the occupation so that a just, lasting peace can prevail across the region.”

The Washington-based group’s leader added that “President Biden and his failed foreign policy team deserve zero credit for this belated deal.

“Instead of using U.S. leverage to secure this deal long ago, they spent over a year violating U.S. law and making a mockery of international law by using billions of American taxpayer dollars to fund the Israeli government’s war crimes and depriving the American people of critical services,” he said.

“The Biden administration’s legacy is soaked with the blood of countless Palestinian men, women and children, as well as an untold number of captives who have also been killed in Israel’s indiscriminate bombing campaign with U.S. support,” said Awad.
Virginia attorney general petitions court to enforce order against American Muslims for Palestine
Jason Miyares, the attorney general of Virginia, announced this week that his office had filed a petition to enforce a judge’s order from last July that a pro-Palestinian advocacy group with alleged ties to Hamas turn over closely guarded financial records that could shed light on its donor network — which has faced growing scrutiny in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks.

Miyares’ office said in a statement on Tuesday that American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), a nonprofit group headquartered in Virginia that he has been investigating in a probe of its fundraising operations, “has refused to comply” with a civil investigative demand for documents the group has long shielded from public view.

The petition “seeks AMP’s immediate compliance” with the demand, the statement said, reiterating that Miyares’ team has been requesting records as part of an ongoing investigation into allegations that the group “may have used” funds “for impermissible purposes, such as benefiting or providing support to terrorist organizations.”

In a major court ruling last summer, a Richmond judge rejected AMP’s effort to challenge the demand, ordering the group to “produce records” and denying its petition to narrow the focus of the probe, according to a statement from the attorney general’s office after the decision had been made.

But Miyares, a Republican who first launched his investigation shortly after Hamas’ attacks on Israel in October 2023, said that AMP has continued to drag its heels several months later.

“Despite the court denying AMP’s previous efforts to halt my investigation, they continue refusing to comply,” he said in a separate statement posted to social media on Tuesday, while calling the petition “necessary to ensure accountability and uphold the law.”


“The Dangerous Influence of Jackson Hinkle: Misinformation, Antisemitism, and Propaganda”
Over the past few years, Jackson Hinkle has emerged as a polarizing figure within the political and social media landscape. From his initial advocacy for progressive causes to his more recent association with controversial ideologies, Hinkle’s journey reflects the fluidity of political beliefs in the modern era. However, what stands out most is the extent to which misinformation, financial transactions, and questionable affiliations have shaped his narrative.

In my opinion, Hinkle’s rise to prominence has not been without consequence. While he began his activism as an environmentalist, his political views have shifted dramatically — adopting a blend of conservative and extremist positions, including his embrace of “MAGA communism.” This ideological fusion, coupled with his engagement in spreading misinformation, paints a picture of someone willing to blur the lines between truth and manipulation for the sake of gaining influence.

Hinkle’s show, The Dive with Jackson Hinkle, was banned from platforms like Twitch in 2022 due to its propagation of misinformation, particularly regarding sensitive global conflicts like the war in Ukraine. Additionally, during the 2023 Israel–Hamas conflict, his involvement in spreading false narratives drew criticism from various quarters, with The Jewish Chronicle labeling him one of the “most viral misinformation spreaders.” This kind of behavior not only erodes public trust but actively contributes to the dissemination of harmful and divisive content.

What’s more troubling is the alleged financial ties that Hinkle has reportedly had with extremist groups. Receiving money from terrorist organizations and using it to fund misinformation campaigns crosses a legal and ethical boundary. It’s clear that promoting such propaganda, especially when financial incentives are involved, can have severe repercussions. Many countries have stringent anti-terror financing laws aimed at curbing such activities, and if Hinkle is found to have engaged in this, he could face serious legal consequences.

Furthermore, Hinkle’s personal relationships — such as his engagement to Miss Russia 2022, Anna Linnikova — have also drawn scrutiny. There have been allegations that his ex-girlfriend, Linnikova, accused him of being manipulative and abusive, adding a personal dimension to his public controversies. While these accusations have not led to formal legal actions, they reflect a pattern of behavior that suggests someone willing to use personal connections for influence.

In my view, Jackson Hinkle’s trajectory highlights the dangers of unchecked influence, where misinformation can spread rapidly through digital platforms, feeding into radical narratives and extremist agendas. It’s a cautionary tale about the role social media plays in shaping political discourse and the ease with which individuals can manipulate information for their own gain.

As consumers of news, we must remain vigilant. The line between free speech and the spread of falsehoods is increasingly blurred, and individuals like Hinkle serve as a reminder of how quickly misinformation can spiral out of control. It’s vital that we question the sources, verify information, and understand the motivations behind the content we engage with online. Failure to do so leaves us vulnerable to manipulation, division, and harm.

In conclusion, Jackson Hinkle’s story is one of both influence and consequence — a reflection of the modern political landscape, where truth is often obscured, and misinformation can lead to dangerous outcomes. It’s a stark reminder of the power of digital platforms and the responsibility we all bear in shaping the discourse we engage with.I
Wikipedia is BROKEN (Hacked by pro-Palestinians)
If you want to hear everything I have to say on my Jerusalem tour (and if you like my videos and want to support my work), then you’re going to love my Jerusalem crash course


President Higgins's Holocaust speech questioned by Irish Jews after 'neglecting antisemitism'
Irish Jewish leaders have questioned the decision to have President Michael Higgins give the keynote address at an upcoming Holocaust Memorial Day Commemoration in light of concerns that he has ignored antisemitism within the country.

Irish Chief Rabbi Yoni Wieder warned that Higgins’s speech may “ring hollow for many Irish Jews” after he had “neglected even to acknowledge the scourge of contemporary antisemitism in Ireland, let alone do anything to address it.

“He has failed to take seriously the concerns put to him by representatives of the Jewish community,” said Wieder. “It is so important that Irish politicians and public figures come together to honor the memory of victims of the Holocaust. Yet the awful irony is that many of them are turning a blind eye to a troubling increase in anti-Jewish hatred in Ireland today.”

Wieder noted that in May, in the wake of a diplomatic row between the Israeli and Irish governments, Higgins told the Irish Examiner that the Israeli government’s claims of antisemitism in the country were a “PR [public relations] exercise.”

An appropriate choice?
Jewish Representative Council of Ireland member Maurice Cohen told The Jewish Chronicle on Monday that “It would be inappropriate for President Higgins to deliver the keynote speech at Holocaust Memorial Day.”

Cohen told the JC that Higgins had made several unsubstantiated remarks about Israel and seemed to prefer criticism of Israel and Israelis over advocating for peace in the Middle East. One such remark was a claim that Israel was aggressive against its neighbors and sought to establish settlements in Egypt.

In December, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar closed the Israeli embassy in Ireland, asserting that the Irish government had engaged in antisemitic rhetoric and actions to delegitimize and demonize the Jewish state.


Jeffrey Herf: Agitprop at the AHA
On January 5, members of the American Historical Association (AHA)—the leading professional organization for academic historians—voted at an annual meeting for a resolution that would “oppose scholasticide in Gaza.” The crime of scholasticide, Jeffrey Herf notes, was concocted in 2009 by UN functionaries specifically to condemn Israel for, supposedly, deliberately destroying Palestinian educational institutions. A group of historians’ conclusion that such a systematic pattern exists, based on the dubious evidence of various UN reports—without considering Israel’s own claims—is, Herf notes, a failure to exercise the most basic principles of the discipline:
Professional historians are frequently faced with the dilemma of assessing conflicting truth claims; an ability to scrutinize sources and evaluate their credibility is essential to the historian’s craft. What are the most reliable sources? Who is telling the truth and who is lying? . . . Israel’s antagonists never bother to engage with the arguments and evidence offered by Israel in its own defense.

But this lack of intellectual integrity is only the beginning of the problem:
The packed meeting erupted into cheers when proponents of the resolution approached the microphone and merely stated their names, and their statements evoked further cheers and standing ovations. When I described the historical scholarship that the resolution ignored and referred to the biased nature of UN reports, hissing and jeering filled the room. Celebratory chants of “Free, free Palestine!” rang out when the lopsided vote results were announced. An AHA discussion had degenerated into a political rally. The hatred of Israel and, yes, of those of us who defended it, was intense.

The public outside the universities and colleges may conclude that historians who vote for such resolutions are no longer credible as scholarly professionals in their own specialties.

Finally, adopting this resolution sends a clear message to anyone, Jewish or not, who supports Israel’s efforts to defend itself and rejects the propaganda war waged by Hamas and UN institutions. That message is: there is no place for you in the American historical profession and, if you are young or in mid-career, your chances of securing an academic position in a history department in the United States or advancing from your current position are zero. So you should probably get out of the profession.
UKLFI: Natasha Hausdorff ELNET Briefing
ELNET invite you to attend an exclusive live video briefing with Natasha Hausdorff.

One could argue that the multinational institutions initially constructed to bring law and order to a raucous world are being used to demoralise, attrition, and sanction Israel into oblivion.

In 2024, the ICJ, the ICC, and the UN General Assembly all took extreme measures and positions that meet the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism and anti-Zionism: they employed double standards to delegitimise and demonise Israel on a global scale and with far-reaching implications.

Just recently, at least 12 cases have been filed against Israel Defence Forces soldiers travelling abroad in nearly a dozen countries for their alleged roles in Gaza war crimes. While only one resulted in an investigation, these cases are of grave concern.

Lawfare has long been a weapon used against Israel, but is what we are now seeing a new and more dangerous stage in Israel’s battle for law and justice?

Please join us in hearing from Natasha Hausdorff, a globally renowned expert on public international law and national security policy, to learn more about the use of lawfare, its many manifestations, its implications, and its remedies.


UKLFI: Challenges to Academic Freedom This is a recording of a UKLFI Charitable Trust webinar held on 14 January 2025. The speaker is Professor Raphael Cohen Almagor and it is chaired by Natasha Hausdorff.

There has been a marked decline in academic freedom around the world, including in the UK. In this lecture, Professor Cohen Almagor discusses the meaning of academic freedom, the pressures academics face and current trends undermining academic freedom, integrity in research, openness and service in the public interest.

Supreme Court denies case from CUNY faculty alleging antisemitic union
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a case from six City University of New York professors who want to sever ties with the public school’s faculty union, which they say is antisemitic.

The high court listed “Goldstein, Avraham, et al. v. Professional Congress, et al.” on its slate of denied cases on Jan. 13.

The professors, who were not members of the union, argued that, under state law, they were required to accept the representation of the Professional Staff Congress, a 30,000-member union, despite its anti-Israel statements.

Nathan McGrath, president and general counsel for the Fairness Center, which represented the six professors, told JNS that “our clients should be proud of what they accomplished in the face of entrenched opposition.”

“Over three years of litigation, their successes included winning refunds of dues money that they alleged the union improperly took from them, causing a federal judge to limit how broadly New York’s Taylor Law could be interpreted and repeatedly exposing in the media the union’s actions that they consider to be anti-Israel and antisemitic,” McGrath said. “I know they will continue to stand up for their rights.”


BBC NEWS COVERAGE OF TERRORISM IN ISRAEL – DECEMBER 2024 & YEAR END SUMMARY
The Israel Security Agency’s report on terror attacks during December 2024 shows that throughout the month a total of 479 incidents took place in Judea & Samaria, Jerusalem and within the ‘green line’. The agency recorded 48 attacks with petrol bombs, 48 attacks using pipe bombs, 329 incidents of rock throwing, nine shooting attacks, 36 arson attacks, four stabbing attacks, two vehicular attacks and three attacks using IEDs.

129 attacks were thwarted throughout the month and 289 terror related arrests were made.

In addition, the report records 71 missiles launched into Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip and 191 missiles launched from Lebanon or Syria throughout December. The ISA report does not include casualties from attacks related to Operation Swords of Iron or Operation Northern Arrows.

Two people were murdered and nineteen injured in attacks in Judea & Samaria, Jerusalem and inside the ‘green line’ during December.

On the night of December 11th a twelve-year-old boy was murdered and three others were injured in a shooting attack on a bus near the Tunnels Checkpoint. That attack was reported on the BBC News website the following day:
BBC JERUSALEM BUREAU FRAMING OF THE ‘GAZA HOSTAGE DEAL’ STORY
On the afternoon of January 13th the BBC News website published a report by the BBC Jerusalem bureau’s Lucy Williamson which had its headline changed twice within around an hour.

Originally headlined “Hopes for Gaza ceasefire rise as pressure grows on Hamas and Israel” and later “Three things that have shifted towards Gaza hostage deal”, the report is currently titled “Three things that could make a Gaza hostage deal more likely”, with one section being particularly notable because of its framing of the issue at the core of the story.

The three factors which Williamson maintains could increase the chances of a “Gaza hostage deal” are Donald Trump’s imminent taking of office, “growing pressure on Netanyahu from his own military establishment” and the weakening of Hamas’ regional allies.
BBC REPORT ON NEW LEBANESE PRESIDENT OMITS RELEVANT INFORMATION
BBC editorial guidelines on ‘War, Terror and Emergencies’ state: “We should not adopt other people’s language as our own…”. Gritten’s portrayal of the purpose of Hizballah’s military force as being to “resist Israel” is not only blatant adoption of that terrorist organisation’s language but also erases from audience view the fact that the terrorist organisation’s aim – as stated in both its 1985 ’open letter’ and again in its 2009 ‘manifesto’ – is to ‘obliterate’ Israel.

The challenges facing Lebanon’s new president are considerable and if BBC audiences are to understand them – and consequent future events – they must be provided with accurate and impartial information which explains the decades of background to those challenges. That information cannot be complete without accurate portrayal of Hizballah as a terrorist organisation and the role it has played in pushing Lebanon to repeated crisis points (including the two-year “power vacuum” cited in Gritten’s report), as well as information concerning the failure of UNIFIL and the LAF to implement the UN resolutions which attempted to address some of those challenges decades ago.


Why Hizbullah Wants Lebanon's New President to Succeed
Joseph Khalil Aoun, head of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), is the new Lebanese president.

It would be in Hizbullah's interest for Aoun to succeed because his foreign backers are their only path toward funding reconstruction in the war-battered Shia south.

With Iran retreating across the region, Hizbullah can hardly rely on Tehran to help rebuild shattered towns and villages in its strongholds, making Aoun's connections to Gulf financiers absolutely critical.

With over 99,000 homes destroyed or damaged and around $2.8 billion in looming reconstruction costs across the country, Hizbullah's ability to facilitate the recovery of its community will be central for its political future.

Hizbullah's fundamental promise to be a guarantor of economic and political security for Lebanon's Shia may start to come apart as Lebanon suffers under the combined weight of economic disaster and the ravages of war.

Bowing to Western demands, at least in part, Hizbullah acted to keep its reputation to its base alive and well.


When a Daring IDF Strike Deep in Syrian Territory Challenged U.S.-Israel Ties
In September 2024, the IDF geared up for a high-stakes commando operation to destroy a clandestine precision missile factory established by Iran on Syrian territory. However, a significant concern loomed over the decision-makers in Jerusalem - the potential American reaction.

"As we approached the Syria operation, tensions with the U.S. were at a breaking point," an Israeli source reveals. "Throughout the conflict, the U.S.' primary concern was the possibility of opening a front against Iran and spiraling into a full-scale war. Their watchword was 'stability.' It was evident to me that an attack on the Iranian missile factory at this juncture would not sit well with the American administration. From their viewpoint, it was an absolute non-starter."

IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi believed coordinating the operation with the Americans was unavoidable. However, Israel's top political echelon had become convinced that if the White House got wind of the operation beforehand, American officials would staunchly oppose it and might even leak its existence to derail it.

The resolution to this dilemma, mirroring the approach taken throughout the tumultuous Israeli-American relationship during the war, centered on presentation. It was decided that Halevi would be the one to brief the Americans, starting with his close associate, CENTCOM commander Gen. Michael Kurilla. There was a perception that Halevi was viewed by the White House as a moderate and judicious figure, driven by professional considerations and inclined to avoid escalation with Iran. Halevi and Kurilla had developed a strong professional rapport over the course of the war, which had blossomed into a close friendship.

Halevi briefed Kurilla on the specifics of the Syrian operation and its necessity, allayed concerns about igniting a conflict with Iran, and requested that Kurilla relay the message to his superiors in Washington. The approach proved effective. The White House was persuaded not to obstruct the Syrian operation, and the rest is history.

During the war, collaboration between the two nations reached unprecedented levels, with the U.S. meticulously approving Israeli attack strategies, and senior White House officials participating in cabinet meetings and General Staff forums in Israel - a level of involvement previously unseen.

Yet there were instances where Israel executed critical operations without prior notification to the U.S. - such as the targeting of Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah - or took actions that directly contradicted the White House's explicit stance, as seen with the incursion into Rafah. Heated arguments between the two sides were not uncommon.

Despite these disagreements, Netanyahu viewed sustained American support for Israel as an invaluable asset. The Israeli political and security leadership unanimously agreed that without Washington's backing, Israel would be compelled to halt the war before achieving all its objectives.


JM Le Pen was a notorious Holocaust denier, an ally of Israel's enemies
Last week, Jean-Marie Le Pen—the founder and longtime leader of France’s far-right National Front—died at the age of ninety-six. In the past decade, his party, now renamed National Rally, has, under the leadership of his successors, moved away from his hostility to Jews, and even attracted some with its anti-immigrant stance. Jews should not be shedding any tears of Le Pen’s death, however, according to Freddy Eytan:
Le Pen is one of the Holocaust deniers who denounce “the imposture of the Jewish genocide.” The one-eyed politician had shown violent and aggressive hostility towards the Jews of France. On every occasion, particularly abroad and in Arab capitals, he spoke quite naturally of the “Jewish lobby,” of the “world Jewish power.” . . . He met several times with the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, supported the “butcher of Damascus” Hafez al-Assad and his son Bashar, as well as the head of the PLO Yasir Arafat, and condemned all the operations of IDF against Hamas.

In other words, for Le Pen—like his counterparts on the far left—there was complete unity between anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism. Eytan concludes with a cautionary note for Israel and organized Jewry:
In this context, we must be very careful and vigilant before establishing relations with leaders of European far-right political parties who wish to establish friendly relations with Israeli parties.
Another suspected anti-Semitic attack as two cars are torched and a home in an exclusive suburb is spray painted
Two cars in an affluent Sydney suburb have been torched and a house soaked in red paint in yet another suspected anti-Semitic attack to hit the city.

Multiple cars parked on Military Road in Dover Heights were spray painted with anti-Semitic slogans and two were set alight set alight around 4am.

A home in the exclusive eastern suburbs neighbourhood, where the average house price is over $5million, was also splashed with red paint.

Residents were awoken by a loud bang before coming out to see the flames engulfing the vehicles.

Neighbours told AAP they believe the attack to be a case of mistaken identity as Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin used to live at the targeted property.

Mr Ryvchin has been contacted for comment.

A crime scene has been established and police are calling on any witnesses to come forward.

Police said there were no reports of injuries.


First Australia antisemitism special op. arrest: Man made death threats to Jewish Group
A Sydney area man was charged Thursday for allegedly making death threats to Jewish organization members, the Australian Federal Police announced in a press release, making it the first arrest as part of the special operation launched in response to escalating antisemitic incidents in the country.

The 44-year-old Blacktown man was arrested at his home Thursday for death threats he made on the social media page of the Australian Jewish Association, which said on X Thursday that it had been working closely with AFP and the Avalite Special Operation Task Force.

The suspect was granted bail and will appear before Downing Centre Local Court on February 26, facing one count of using a carriage service to make a threat to kill, and one count of using a carriage service to menace, harass, or cause offence. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 10 and five years' prison respectively, said the AFP.

AFP Counter Terrorism and Special Investigations Command Assistant Commissioner Stephen Nutt said in a statement that "“Antisemites should be on notice. If you engage in antisemitic conduct, you will be investigated and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”


The Top 100 People Positively Influencing Jewish Life, 2024
In honor of The Algemeiner‘s 11th annual gala, we are pleased to unveil our 11th ‘J100’ list of the top one hundred individuals who have positively influenced Jewish life over the past year. Before you work your way through the list, we wanted first to share some of the thoughts that we discussed as we developed it. If we could group these ideas together, the first would be about creating lists, in general; then, what’s unique about lists and Judaism; some finer points differentiating our honorees from the organizations they lead; and important reflections on all those every-day and anonymous-to-us heroes we also want to celebrate without ever knowing their names. And, of course, to thank everyone who helped create the list and worked hard to put together our ‘J100’ gala.

Benjamin Netanyahu Israeli Prime Minister
Yoav Gallant Former Israeli Defense Minister
Dan Goldfuss IDF Major General
Donald Trump US President-Elect
Mike Huckabee US Ambassador to Israel
Ritchie Torres US Congressman
Javier Milei Argentine President
Geert Wilders Leader of the Dutch Party for Freedom
Pierre Poilievre Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada
Mike Johnson US Speaker of the House
John Fetterman US Senator


Algemeiner 11th Annual J100 Gala: Bari Weiss Introduces Douglas Murray
Esteemed journalist Bari Weiss introduces Douglas Murray at the The Algemeiner's 11th annual J100 Gala, held on January 14th, 2025 in New York City.


Algemeiner 11th Annual J100 Gala: Douglas Murray Accepts Warrior for Truth Award
Famed journalist Doulas Murray received the Algemeiner's Warrior for Truth Award at The Algemeiner's 11th annual J100 Gala, held on January 14th, 2025 in New York City.




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PROTOCOLS: Exposing Modern Antisemitism (February 2022)

    
 

 



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This blog may be a labor of love for me, but it takes a lot of effort, time and money. For 20 years and 40,000 articles I have been providing accurate, original news that would have remained unnoticed. I've written hundreds of scoops and sometimes my reporting ends up making a real difference. I appreciate any donations you can give to keep this blog going.

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