Sunday, April 06, 2025

04/06 Links: Hamas demanded $500m from Iran for destruction of Israel; John Lydon: 'Hamas are basically just Jew exterminators, that’s their only real purpose'

From Ian:

Jake Wallis Simons: It is now far past time to stop paying attention to the lies of Hamas
A year ago, I wrote about "the devastating proof that Hamas is faking its death figures." Last week, it emerged that Hamas had quietly dropped 3,400 "identified" deaths from its casualty figures, including 1,080 children. These deaths never happened, but they had been verified by the UN and parroted by gullible - or ideologically blinkered - media.

Further analysis of the data showed that among those old enough to be fighting for Hamas, 72% of the dead were male, a testament to the care and precision of the IDF on a battlefield often crowded with human shields.

Moreover, Hamas had unscrupulously included natural deaths in the list of supposed victims of the IDF, including infant mortality rates of around 780 each year. This amounted to 8,300 fatalities that any reporter acting in good faith would remove from the total.

If we take into account Israel's figures that 20,000 of the dead were combatants, that means about one civilian is killed for every fighter. This is a humanitarian feat that has never been equaled by any other army, in spite of the fact that Hamas herds its own people into the firing line. That is the true story of this war. But 98% of news reports repeat numbers provided by Hamas.

Every human life is sacred and it is macabre to talk about the grim arithmetic of death. But those on my side of the argument have no choice but to respond in such terms to the obsession with casualty numbers that has characterized coverage of this war. Do you have any idea how many civilians were killed when we destroyed Islamic State, or waged war in Afghanistan and Iraq? No? That tells you something.
Charles Not In Charge
REVIEW: 'Antisemitism in America: A Warning' by Chuck Schumer
Chuck Schumer can't catch a break. Not long after being sworn in as the first Jewish leader of the U.S. Senate, the Democratic Party came down with a bad case of anti-Semitism. It inspired him to write a book, Antisemitism in America: A Warning, in which he recounts how John F. Kennedy's assassination really dampened the vibe at his bar mitzvah the following day. The ceremony went ahead as planned, unlike Schumer's tour to promote his new book, which was postponed due to threats of protest from anti-Semites and other Democrats fuming about his refusal to pick a pointless fight with Donald Trump. That's just as well, though, because the senator's warning about anti-Semitism appears to lack a viable constituency.

Emily Tamkin is a perfect example. She's a Jewish foreign affairs reporter at the Washington Post and a former Schumer intern (back in 2009, so not some Gen Z weirdo). If she won't endorse Schumer's warning about the rise of anti-Semitism in America, including the violently expressed sympathy from liberal activists for Hamas terrorists after Oct. 7, who will? Alas, Tamkin was not a fan. "Reading it ... made me realize that I didn't want a warning on antisemitism," she writes in her review for the Post. "I wanted the highest-elected Jewish official in American history to meet a moment that has already arrived."

Among other things, Tamkin faults Schumer for failing to embrace a more intersectional approach to anti-Semitism, a criticism he foresees in the book by lamenting the liberal Jews who are reluctant to discuss anti-Semitism without also addressing "Islamophobia or racism or competing narratives in the Middle East." The Senate leader's condemnation of anti-Semitism on the left is unfair, Tamkin argues, not least because he refuses to condone the Hamas sympathizers who accuse Israel of committing "genocide" in Gaza. She devotes three whole paragraphs (of her book review) to complaining about Donald Trump. All told, it's a pretty good summary of why Schumer's warning to his liberal allies—"Be careful. Do not let passion overwhelm your better instincts."—is unlikely to prevail.

That's a shame, because Schumer makes an earnest and compelling argument, drawn from personal experience and family history, about the unique perniciousness of anti-Semitism, as well as the existential importance of Israel as a "place you can go where you can be safe and be Jewish." He documents how several factors that exist today, such as social unrest and the democratization of media, have consistently fueled a rise in anti-Semitism at various points throughout history. Your humble (and gentile) reviewer found these portions of the book enlightening and persuasive. It's even charming at times, as when Schumer recounts his first visit to Israel and the pride he felt upon seeing a "Jewish garbageman." Nevertheless, when the personal anecdotes give way to politics, Schumer writes like a career politician who has held public office since age 25—afraid to offend anyone, and pleasing no one in the process. The pages are littered with euphemisms and languid caveats, endless variations of the "to be sure..." paragraph in an ultimately futile effort to assuage his critics.

Schumer recalls how his own staff urged him not to speak out about anti-Semitism after Oct. 7, when Hamas terrorists committed the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, and the campuses of elite universities were overrun by supporters of this "justified" act of anticolonial "resistance." Speaking out was "politically risky," they warned. Schumer agrees, but doesn't really explain why. If he's correct that anti-Semitism on the left is confined to the "radical fringe," then what's the big deal? He barely mentions the avowed Hamas sympathizers currently representing his own party in Congress. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D., Minn.) he commends for allegedly regretting her anti-Semitic outbursts. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D., Mich.) he omits entirely.
Hamas demanded $500m from Iran for destruction of Israel
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz revealed, for the first time, communications between Tehran and slain Hamas leaders Mohammed Deif and Yahya Sinwar.

“This is definitive proof of Iran‘s support for Hamas’s plan to destroy Israel and for the October 7, [2023], massacre,” Katz said. “Deif and Sinwar demanded $500 million from the Quds Force commander to support the annihilation of Israel and the fight against the U.S.—and they got it.”

Katz visited the IDF’s Intelligence and Technological Systems Unit (AMASHT) on Saturday and received a briefing from unit commanders on its intelligence and operational activities.

“I’m here today visiting the AMASHT unit—a special unit established during the Swords of Iron war and composed of reservists with extensive civilian-sector expertise, who developed national-level capabilities that did not yet exist,” he said.

He added that this intelligence capability holds critical material physically collected from deep inside enemy territory, including Hamas archives, Hezbollah documents and other sensitive intelligence sources.

“Today I am presenting, for the first time, a transcript of conversations found in the tunnels of senior Hamas officials in Gaza, which proves a direct connection between Iran and Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Deif, as part of Iran’s support for Hamas’s plan to destroy Israel. The document shows they requested $500 million from the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force to help destroy the State of Israel,” Katz said.


John Lydon: 'Hamas are basically just Jew exterminators, that’s their only real purpose'
Public Image Limited played in Tel Aviv in 2010. Would he play Israel again?

“I played to real human beings, not a bunch of politicians. At that time, there were a lot of Arab nationals and they get the same rights as a Jew. The country is more mixed than you’re led to believe, it’s not just ‘Jews only’, far from it. There were lots of Muslims in the audience when I played there. That was special because no Muslim nation has invited me, not ever.”

But can he see why people object to it? “Unacceptable that you would find it unacceptable because you’re working on what you’ve been told rather than what you found out for yourself. The education system turns people indoctrinated rather than educated and they all seem to be flowing this one poisonous way that does not accept freedom of differences of thought. If you want diversity, accept diverse opinions, then talk about what is right or wrong.”

The day we speak, Trump posted an AI-generated video of hotels on the Gaza Strip. “A wicked sense of humour,” says Lydon, but hardly funny for the people living there? “I think as a citizen, I’d welcome the influx of money. Hamas are basically just Jew exterminators, that’s their only real purpose, they don’t correct the environment for its citizens. I think the citizens would be welcoming. Commerce, that’s what he’s introducing. Started out as a mad idea but there are some good possibilities there to end the troubles.”
2010: Johnny Lydon on boycotting Israel (NSFW)

How Hamas Turned Gaza into a Death Factory: Netanyahu Adviser Caroline Glick
This is the 30 minute TV version of Jan Jekielek’s interview with Caroline Glick. The longer-form version was released on Epoch TV on March 29, 2025.

Caroline Glick is a journalist, author, and recently, adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“The discussion that we’ve had about the war itself is just sort of blind to the basic realities of the situation. And that, to me, is the ground zero of all of the problems,” she says.

“The stronger Israel is, the more secure the United States is. I think that the more Israel is able to project its power in the region, the more stable the region is, because Israel is a fundamentally peaceful country that doesn’t seek war and does everything to avoid it. The more powerful Israel is, the less likely there are to be wars in the region.”

Glick breaks down Israel’s perspective on various developments in the region, from resuming wartime operations in Gaza, to the situation in Syria, to U.S. President Donald Trump’s strikes on the Houthis in Yemen.

“When somebody tells you that they want to kill you, you have to believe them—like, you have no choice. You have to take them at their word,” she says. “By showing [Gazans] that the only thing that they get from being with Hamas is death and destruction, and giving them an alternative, which is what the Trump plan does ... you have this opportunity to build a life in a different place.”

CHAPTER TITLES
0:00:00 - Introduction: The Fundamental Disconnect in War Discourse
0:00:13 - Caroline Glick: Background and Context
0:01:02 - Resuming Military Operations in Gaza: Israel's Perspective
0:04:26 - Addressing Civilian Casualties and Media Narratives
0:08:00 - Moral Equivalence and Fundamental Societal Differences
0:11:44 - Responding to Genocide Allegations
0:15:33 - Historical Context: Israel's Withdrawal from Gaza
0:18:35 - Military Strategy: Can the War Be Won?
0:22:10 - Closing Thoughts and Path Forward


ICC sent Hungary a request to arrest and surrender Netanyahu hours after his arrival
The International Criminal Court (ICC) sent a request to the Hungarian government to arrest and surrender Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to its detention center in The Hague, due to the arrest warrant issued against him by the court last year, it emerged on Sunday.

According to a report by Channel 12 news, the surrender request was sent several hours after Netanyahu landed in the country on Thursday, but the Hungarian government refused to comply, and promptly announced it was quitting the ICC.

In May 2024, ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan requested from the court that it approve arrest warrants against Netanyahu and then-defense minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The court approved the request in November 2024 and rejected Israeli appeals against them.

The warrants accuse the Israeli leader of directing attacks against the civilian population of Gaza and of using starvation as a method of warfare by hindering the supply of international aid to Gaza, during the current conflict with Hamas, which began with the terror organization’s onslaught against Israel on October 7, 2023.

ICC warrants require all member states of the court to detain and surrender the subject of the order to The Hague.

Netanyahu and the government have strongly rejected the allegations, pointing to efforts to facilitate the passage of large amounts of humanitarian aid into Gaza during the war, and insisting that the IDF does not deliberately target civilians.


Russia Arms Israel's Enemies
During Israel's recent ground offensive against Hizbullah, the IDF confronted the overwhelming presence of Russian-made weaponry inside southern Lebanon. Operating in Hizbullah-controlled territory, the IDF uncovered homes converted into makeshift arsenals, packed with advanced Russian arms. Crates filled with anti-tank missiles, mortars, and rockets - many marked with Russian export codes - provided evidence of a pipeline stretching from Moscow through Damascus, and directly into Hizbullah's hands.

The most concerning finds were sophisticated Kornet anti-tank guided missiles, capable of penetrating even the most heavily armored Israeli vehicles. Other lethal systems included Fagot, Konkurs, and Sagger missiles.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been pressing the case in Washington that any agreement to end the war in Ukraine and relaxes sanctions on Russia must include provisions to curb Russian military support for Iran and Hizbullah. Recent reports claim that Russian missile experts have been spotted at multiple Iranian sites, working closely with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to enhance Tehran's ballistic missile capabilities.
UK anti-Israel Labour MPs barred from entering Israel after airport interrogations
Two British parliament members who support anti-Israel policies were denied entry to Israel today, according to the population authority.

The Labour Party MPs, Abtisam Mohamed and Yuan Yang, were barred entry after questioning revealed that the purpose of their visit was “to document Israeli security forces and spread hateful rhetoric against Israel,” the population authority writes in a statement.

Mohamed and Yang landed in Israel at 2:30 p.m. on a flight from Luton, England, along with two of their aides.

While being interrogated, the two MPs — who both call for boycotting Israel — claimed to arrive as part of an official delegation on behalf of the UK parliament, but the claim was found to be false as no Israeli entity verified the arrival of such a delegation.

Interior Minister Moshe Arbel, therefore, decided to deny entry to all four individuals “in accordance with the law and ordered their removal from Israel,” says the population authority.
Badenoch and Lammy clash over Israel barring two Labour MPs
Kemi Badenoch has clashed with David Lammy over the foreign secretary’s criticism of Israel’s decision to deny two Labour MPs entry into the country.

Appearing on television on Sunday, the Tory leader attempted to defend the decision of the Israeli government’s move telling the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg countries must be able to “control their borders”.

Badenoch said she accepted Israel’s claim that Labour MPs Abtisam Mohamed and Yuan Yang were attempting to spread anti-Israel hate speech.Two Labour MPs denied entry to Israel and deported

And she said it was “shocking” and “significant” that there were Labour MPs that “other countries” would not allow in their country.

Responding to her comments, the Foreign Secretary posted on X:”Kemi Badenoch, it’s disgraceful you are cheerleading another country for detaining and deporting two British MPs.

“Do you say the same about Tory MPs banned from China? This government will continue to stand up for the rights of our MPs to speak their mind, whatever their party.”

In a post on X responding to the Foreign Secretary’s criticism, Badenoch added: “Unlike China, Israel is our ally and a democracy. A good Foreign Sec would be able to make that distinction.

“Perhaps Labour MPs could put UK national interest first and do their jobs instead of campaigning for airports in Kashmir or promoting Hamas propaganda in parliament.”


Australia: Heading for Jihadist Conflict
The apparent normalization of jihadist-Islamist radicals, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, became frighteningly real when a video revealed that two Muslim immigrant nurses working in a Sydney hospital boasted that one of them had "killed Israeli patients" and the other had sworn to "let them die."

After local Sheikh Wesam Charkawi declared his support for the two nurses, "Pro-Palestinian teachers led dozens of schoolchildren in chants of 'Allahu Akbar' outside a western Sydney public school" in support. Charkawi, who is employed by the New South Wales Department of Education, was "ordered to work from home after defending the two nurses in an Instagram post."

As has occurred in Scandinavian countries such as Sweden, or in many other countries in Europe, Islamic extremism in Australia is becoming brazen. When Salwan Momika, a Christian Iraqi immigrant who criticized jihad, was murdered in Sweden, the event was met online with applause.

Egyptian journalist Mouna Al-Hilmi explains that Islamic jihadist ideology exists for the precise purpose of eradicating Western civilization through world-wide "jihad to establish a global Islamic caliphate." Why, therefore, should Western nations be shocked when it becomes active and causes social chaos?

Perhaps Australia's Labour Party leaders might take cognizance of Netanyahu's explanation of why the dangerous ideology of Palestinianism should be rejected, and act to protect their citizens from Islamist terror for generations to come?


Czech embassy denies reported decision regarding Jerusalem move
The Czech Embassy in Tel Aviv on Sunday denied a Hebrew media report that a decision had been made to relocate the embassy to Jerusalem.

“No decision has been made in the Czech Republic in this respect,” the embassy told JNS.

Israel’s Ynet outlet on Saturday reported that Prague was preparing to shift its embassy to the capital of the Jewish state, potentially becoming the first European Union member state to do so.

A senior Czech official had recently informed an Israeli counterpart that the Czech government had already made the decision and that the move would take place “in the near future,” according to the report.

The move, if realized, would mirror the decision by U.S. President Donald Trump, who relocated the American embassy to Jerusalem in 2018.

The Czech Republic has long maintained warm relations with Israel. It opened cultural and economic offices in Jerusalem in 2018, later expanding its presence with a consular section. Following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, Prague has emerged as one of Israel’s most outspoken supporters within the European Union, frequently blocking anti-Israel initiatives.

Hungary, another central European country that is a close ally of Israel, has also expressed interest in moving its embassy to Jerusalem, but has so far refrained from leading such a shift within the European Union.


Report: U.S. Deploys Additional THAAD Missile Defense Battery in Israel
The U.S. has transferred an additional THAAD missile defense battery to Israel, as well as two Patriot missile batteries, the Saudi-owned Al-Hadath news channel reported Saturday.

THAAD is a platform with capabilities similar to Israel's Arrow system.

Brig.-Gen. (res.) Zvika Haimovich, former head of Israel's air defense array, said, "Each battery comes with dozens of interceptors, significantly adding to Israel's firepower."

"We saw about 200 intercepts during the last barrage from Iran, up from around 100 in April. We can expect even more in future scenarios involving Iran, and this addition improves our chances of defense."


IDF Has Killed 250 Hamas Terrorists in New Gaza Operation
The IDF has killed 250 Hamas terrorists since it renewed hostilities in Gaza on March 18, IDF Chief Spokesperson Brig.-Gen. Effie Defrin said Thursday.

He said attacks, mostly from the air force, would pave the way for more ground troops to enter deeper into Gaza.

He added that the IDF had targeted 12 senior Hamas officials, often with the help of the air force.


Inspectors Say More than 100 Chemical Weapons Sites Could Remain in Syria
More than 100 chemical weapons sites are suspected to remain in Syria, left behind after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, according to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which seeks to enter Syria to assess what remains of Assad's notorious military program. The sites are suspected to have been involved in the research, manufacturing and storage of chemical weapons. Experts are concerned about the potential for militant groups to gain access to poorly secured chemical weapons facilities.

"There are many locations that we don't know about because the old regime was lying to the OPCW," said Raed al-Saleh, the leader of the Syria Civil Defense, also known as the White Helmets. Nidal Shikhani, who leads the Chemical Violations Documentation Center of Syria and has worked with the OPCW for years, said his group had identified dozens of new locations based on interviews with Syrian government scientists living in Europe.
Israel Strikes 3 Airbases in Syria Where Turkey Intended to Deploy Forces
Israeli airstrikes hit three air bases in Syria where Turkey sought to deploy its forces as part of a planned joint defense pact with the new Syrian government. Turkish military teams in recent weeks visited the T4 and Palmyra air bases in Syria's Homs province and the main airport in Hama province. Another planned visit to T4 and Palmyra on March 25 was cancelled after Israel struck both bases just hours beforehand.

Strikes at T4 "destroyed the runway, tower, hangars and the planes that were grounded. It was a tough message that Israel won't accept the expanded Turkish presence," said a regional intelligence official who reviewed photographs of the damage. "T4 is totally unusable now," said a Syrian source who is close to Turkey. Syria's foreign ministry said Israeli strikes resulted in the near-total destruction of the Hama base.

Noa Lazimi, a researcher at the Misgav Institute for National Security, said Israel was concerned that Turkey could establish Russian anti-aircraft systems and drones at T4. "The base would enable Turkey to establish air superiority in this area, and this poses a serious concern for Israel because it undermines its operational freedom in the region."


Israel Advocacy Movement: Somali Muslim’s Shocking Confession to Israeli Jew



Shin Bet official on leave following proof of arbitrary arrests of Jews
The head of the Jewish Department in the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) suspended himself from active duty Sunday following the publication of a recording in which he appeared to admit that agents routinely arrested Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria without cause.

Following Kan News‘s publication of the recording of the officer identified only as A., Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Settlements and National Missions Minister Orit Strock sent a letter to the head of the National Security Council, Tzachi Hanegbi, demanding an urgent Security Cabinet meeting on the Shin Bet’s “abuse” of Jewish suspects and detainees in Judea and Samaria, as the ministers termed it.

In the recording published by Kan, A. is heard speaking with Avishai Muallem, former head of the Judea and Samaria Police District’s Central Unit, who was investigated after allegedly refusing to cooperate with the Shin Bet.

“We always want to arrest them for questioning, as many as possible. Look how Shin Bet interrogations are conducted with them. We arrest these jerks, even without evidence, for a few days. Put them in detention cells with mice,” the head of the Jewish Department says.

When Muallem protests against this statement, A. clarifies that “this is being handled by the Shin Bet office with the defense minister.”

“We’re starting to get in trouble, bro, they’ll tear us apart,” Muallem says, to which A. responds that they should have arrested suspects even earlier.


US envoy wraps Lebanon visit with firm message on Hezbollah, reforms
U.S. Deputy Special Envoy Morgan Ortagus concluded a two-day visit to Lebanon on Saturday, reinforcing Washington’s call for stronger state authority and economic reform amid heightened regional tensions.

Following meetings with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Ortagus reiterated U.S. demands for the Lebanese government to limit Hezbollah activity in the south and enhance border control with Syria, in line with U.N. Resolution 1701.

On Saturday, she also met with civil society representatives and economic advisors, signaling U.S. support for reform efforts tied to a potential International Monetary Fund agreement. Ortagus emphasized that future U.S. aid would be contingent on measurable progress in transparency and governance.

The visit underscores ongoing American engagement in Lebanon, with officials stressing the need for political neutrality and the empowerment of national institutions.


Dalia Ziada: We Are Living in Strange Times when the People Working Hard for Middle East Peace Are Persecuted
For four days now, I have been under the attack of Egyptian social media and traditional media. What is my crime? A photo that I created in two minutes using AI of four women from the Middle East (Arab, Iranian, Israeli, and Turkish) who are sitting happily together, drinking coffee, and smiling peacefully.

The campaign against me reached its peak when an official request to revoke my citizenship was submitted to the ministerial cabinet in Egypt. They want to strip me of my Egyptian citizenship and identity because I am calling for peace in the Middle East!

Sixteen months ago, I had to flee Egypt, running for my life from radical Islamists who wanted to kill me for not being a good Muslim, a moral assassination by state-supervised media outlets, and several legal claims accusing me of committing high treason and spying for the Israeli Mossad. What was my crime then? Condemning Hamas's horrific terrorist attack on Israeli civilians on Oct. 7, 2023, and supporting Israel's right to defend its people against an act of terrorism.

We are living in strange times when people practicing antisemitism and radicalism are so loud and proud, while the people working hard for Middle East peace are persecuted and despised! In case the Egyptian government goes crazy and decides to revoke my citizenship, I just want them to know: Your repetitive acts of injustice against me only make me stronger!


'Genocide is not a game:' BDS calls on gamers to boycott Xbox, Microsoft
Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement leadership called for gamers to forgo Xbox and other Microsoft gaming products on Thursday, as a means of pressuring the software giant into cutting ties with the state of Israel.

The official BDS organizing body called for supporters to cancel Xbox GamePass subscriptions, to not play Microsoft video game franchises, as well as all branded gaming products such as consoles and headsets.

"Microsoft Gaming, which includes Xbox consoles, Xbox game pass, Candy Crush, Call of Duty, Minecraft, and gaming accessories, makes up a considerable portion of Microsoft's profit," said BDS Movement. "By boycotting the Xbox brand, we're pressuring Microsoft to end its complicity in Israel's genocide, occupation, and apartheid against Palestinians."



BDS said that the Azure cloud and AI services were "central" to alleged Israeli actions against Palestinians, and the Israeli military was reliant on the systems.

"Genocide is not a game," said BDS.


Anti-Israel Activists Hijacked the ‘Hands Off’ Protests, Like They Do to Every Movement on the Left
Over the weekend, leftists across the country held what they called ‘Hands Off’ protests, their latest tantrum about Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and DOGE. Of course, before the day was over, the anti-Israel movement had hijacked the protests and the day, just as they always do.

This happens every single time, and it has been this way for years. We’ve been documenting it.

2016 – Anti-Israel activists already trying to hijack anti-Trump protests
2017 – Cornell Faculty “Take A Knee” protest hijacked, Professor leads chant of “Free Palestine”
2018 – Anti-Israel activists attempt to hijack Women’s March – again

That’s just three examples but there are many more and this weekend was no exception.



‘No Specific Memory’: Columbia University’s Armstrong Tells Feds She Can’t Recall Specifics of Any Anti-Semitic Incident on Campus
Former Columbia University president Katrina Armstrong told the federal government on Tuesday that she could not recall students calling for the destruction of the state of Israel. Nor could she recall hearing of allegations that students spit on their Jewish counterparts. Or that a member of the faculty had, in class, described Jewish donors to Columbia as "wealthy white capitalists" who "laundered" "blood money."

In fact, Armstrong, who sat for a deposition at the Department of Health and Human Services in connection with the Trump administration’s civil rights investigation into the university, didn’t seem to remember much of anything about her seven-month tenure as interim president of the embattled Ivy League school. The Washington Free Beacon obtained a transcript of that deposition.

"Sitting here, I have, you know, no specific memory of hearing that," Armstrong said regarding her recollection of student activists agitating for Israel’s demise, "but I recognize the concern about that and understand that."

The former Columbia president resigned last week, days after the leak of a transcript of an internal meeting in which she told faculty members that—despite the university’s public statements to the federal government—it would not in fact make several changes demanded by the Trump administration. The school said in a statement on Sunday—after the Free Beacon reached out for comment on this story—that, after discussions with her successor, Claire Shipman, "Dr. Armstrong has decided to take a sabbatical and spend time with her family." She had previously been set to return to her post as CEO of Columbia's medical center.

Over the course of the interview, the government pressed Armstrong about her familiarity with the university’s own Task Force on Antisemitism and whether the school had made any changes pursuant to its recommendations, as well as on whether and how the university planned to reform itself in the wake of the Trump administration’s decision to cut off more than $400 million in federal funding. She was also asked to explain just how much authority she had as interim president.

The testimony raises questions both about where authority at the university lies and about how, exactly, the Columbia board of trustees settled on Armstrong to lead the school in a moment of crisis after former Columbia president Minouche Shafik resigned last August, as the klieg lights trained on institutions of higher education and their leaders.
University Apologizes For Inaction After Student’s Antisemitic Abuser Pleads Guilty
Nearly a full year since college soccer player Noam Nedivi came forward with his story of antisemitic abuse, his university is apologizing for not only its failure to protect the student, but also actions that derailed his college experience.

Lawrence Technological University actually kicked Nedivi off his team and declined to protect him from a roommate who subjected him to months of antisemitic verbal and physical abuse. The Michigan school has now formally apologized after his former roommate and teammate, Zavier Chimienti, pleaded guilty to ethnic intimidation and misdemeanor domestic violence in October.

The ordeal, first reported by The Daily Wire nearly a year ago, included Chimienti harassing Nedivi with anti-Jewish slurs, Nazi salutes, and full-on physical abuse.

“Last year, a Jewish student reported verbal and physical antisemitic abuse committed by another student on campus,” LTU’s administration wrote in a press release. “The student’s complaint should have been handled better. In that way, we failed him and the LTU community, and caused unnecessary pain to our student. We apologize to our student for the hurt caused him [sic].”

Nedivi told The Daily Wire that he is relieved the situation has come to an end, but he’s far from satisfied.

“I am glad that most of the truth has come to light, but LTU’s campus was a hostile environment for me for more than a year after I reported Zavier’s harassment in my own campus apartment,” Nedivi said. “He was never suspended at any point, even after he pleaded guilty in state court.”


Hamas Grapples with Internal Chaos and Pay Delays
Hamas is facing major operational difficulties in Gaza following the targeting of numerous senior figures in its political bureau by Israel, Asharq Al-Awsat reported Thursday.

Israeli strikes have disrupted salary payments to Hamas government employees in Gaza, with political and military ranks receiving only 60% of their pay during the Eid al-Fitr holiday.


Ontario man convicted of advocating for genocide runs for parliament
An Ontario man who was convicted earlier this year for advocating genocide against Canadian Jews is running for parliament in the April general elections, according to Elections Canada.

Leslie Bory, who was sentenced in January, is confirmed as running in the Brantford-Brant South-Six Nations riding for the April 28 election. Antisemitism is at a record high. We're keeping our eyes on it >>

Bory has run in previous elections, and there is no legal restriction preventing convicts from running. He was given two years with credit for time served since his 2023 arrest, and another year of probation.

Friends of the Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) said it was alarming that Bory, who was convicted for promoting hatred, advocating genocide, and threatening law enforcement and federal officials, was an independent candidate.

"It’s highly disturbing that a man convicted of advocating genocide and spreading hateful rhetoric against Jewish people now has access to voters' personal information, including that of the very community that he targeted with calls for their mass murder," FSWC President and CEO Michael Levitt said in a statement. "This is a glaring blind spot in our electoral system and a serious security concern. Law enforcement and Elections Canada must implement safeguards to ensure the safety of all constituents in Bory's riding."

'Kill scumbags to protect our people'

FSWC said it had expressed concern to local police and sent a letter to Elections Canada about putting safeguards in place.

Bory has described to supporters how Jews seek to eliminate non-Jews in Canada and around the world, calling in one Bitchute comment for Canadians to "reverse the genocide move onto the murderers."

"Given the choice of letting Jewish scum kill us all or we kill all of the offenders Canadians will find it fashionable to kill scumbags to protect our people," he allegedly wrote in 2023.

According to Canary Mission, Bory called for supporter to take up arms, inviting them to his house were he had stored ammunition.


British Airways resumes Israel flights
British Airways resumed flights to Israel this weekend, becoming the latest major carrier to renew service suspended due to the Israel-Hamas war.

The move comes the week before the busy Passover and Easter travel season, when flights to Israel are heavily booked.

The British flag carrier’s red-eye flight from London’s Heathrow airport landed in Israel in the early hours of Sunday morning, while their morning flight to London left Ben-Gurion International Airport at sunrise.

El Al had offered service to both Heathrow and Luton airports throughout the war with multiple daily flights, but with high demand airfare had skyrocketed amid allegations of price gouging. Israir and the budget carrier Wizz Air also fly from Tel Aviv to the United Kingdom.

BA’s rival Virgin Atlantic has not yet resumed flights to Israel, and is only due to restart service in October.
Justin Bieber praises clip of up-and-coming Israeli singer in Instagram story
Pop star Justin Bieber shared a clip of Israeli singer Nati Livian and his younger sister performing Gracie Abrams’ “That’s So True,” writing: “I could listen to him all day.” The Instagram story spotlighted Livian, who recently competed on the Israeli talent show "The Next Star."

Livian, 26, from Ra’anana, comes from a Chabad family of 10 and is the son of an American mother and Italian father. He spent two years living in Los Angeles before returning to Israel following the start of the Iron Swords war in Gaza in October and later joined the show. While Yuval Raphael ultimately won the season, Livian garnered widespread attention. His sister, 18 years his junior, joined him for the duet that caught Bieber’s attention.

Bieber, who has been open about his recent mental health struggles, has been posting frequently to Instagram, where this latest story earned Livian a rare moment of international exposure.
NY street renamed after hostage Omer Neutra who fell in combat on Oct. 7
A dedication ceremony was held on Sunday to name a street in Plainview, Long Island, New York, after American-Israeli Omer Neutra, an IDF Captain who died on October 7.

The event honored Omer by dedicating "Captain Omer Neutra's Way."

"Following the ceremony, Omer's family recorded a video message ahead of tomorrow's meeting between President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu. Standing beside them during the statement were Adi and Yael Alexander, parents of American-Israeli Edan Alexander," the Hostage Families Forum confirmed in a statement.

Omer's parents, Orna and Ronen Neutra, stated, "We're standing here in Plainview, Long Island, New York, dedicating this street, Manetto Hill Road. It is now dedicated to Omer Neutra, after our son: Captain Omer Neutra's Way. And it's a tribute to his dedication to Israel, to the Jewish people."

"We're very blessed to have such a community.We're here calling on President Trump to do everything in his power, together, tomorrow, with his meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, to do everything to bring the 59 hostages home," they added.

"Among them, Edan Alexander - his parents are here - a brave IDF soldier that is known to be alive, and Omer Neutra, our son, to come and to get a proper burial in the land of Israel. It has to happen now. And we're calling on them to act swiftly and bring all the 59 hostages back home," Neutra's parents concluded.

Ronen and Orna Neutra had voiced their criticism of Israel’s decision to resume strikes in the Gaza Strip in March.




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