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Wednesday, April 30, 2025

04/30 Links Pt1: The Commons hearing that turned into a trial against Israel; US defends Israel at Hague; Australia is in Serious Trouble

From Ian:

Melanie Phillips: The Commons hearing that turned into a trial against Israel and its defenders
Aside from Thornberry’s confrontational behaviour, something else stood out. For some committee members, there were simply no facts that could dent their certainty that Israel was behaving like a rogue state.

When Hausdorff stated that the IDF observed higher standards of humanitarian law than any other army in the world – a view backed by numerous international military experts – Labour MP Alex Ballinger dismissed this as “outrageous” and “a staggering claim”. And he repeated the allegation by Israel’s enemies that its blockade of aid to Gaza was a clear breach of humanitarian law.

Hausdorff attempted to rebut this with facts and context – a huge amount of aid flooded into Gaza during the ceasefire that would last for months; reports of incipient famine had been found to be baseless; and the blockade was a desperate measure to force the release of the remaining hostages.

This was all swatted aside on the basis that all international legal bodies and aid organisations were saying Israel was behaving atrociously. So was Hausdorff really maintaining that she was right and they were all wrong? Well yes, she was. Because that’s the astonishing reality. And this is why.

There’s now an unchallengeable idea among the educated classes that trans-national legal bodies and laws stand for truth and conscience. Nations are held to be partisan in their own interests. Trans-national bodies are assumed to be disinterested and fair. But that’s not how it works at all.

Trans-national bodies – such as the UN or International Criminal Court – represent a world dominated by tyrannies and dictatorships, many of which want democratic Israel destroyed. That’s why the UN, particularly Unrwa (its agency for Palestinian refugees), seems to have been infiltrated by Hamas, appoints human rights abusers to its Human Rights Council and employs people with a record of antisemitic statements, such as the rapporteur on the “Occupied Palestinian Territories”, Francesca Albanese.

At a deeper level, the notion that developed after the Holocaust that international laws and institutions would deliver justice was fundamentally flawed. Law derives its authority from being passed by parliaments representing the will of the people. International laws and tribunals, which have no such inherent jurisdiction, lack that legitimacy and therefore inescapably become instruments of politics rather than law.

As Hausdorff stepped away from the committee table, Thornberry could be heard muttering under her breath “Extraordinary! Extraordinary!” What really is extraordinary is a level of hostility, double standards and deafness to facts when it comes to Israel that’s applied to no other conflict, cause or people in the world. Parliament should hold a committee hearing into that. Then Britain might start to regain the moral compass it has so conspicuously destroyed.
Douglas Murray: Steve Witkoff is fumbling foreign talks and dragging Trump down
No ‘hell’ unleashed
But there are still dozens of Israeli hostages (including one born in New Jersey) being held in the dungeons of Gaza. And when Trump has said that he would unleash hell on Hamas, he seems to have meant that he might encourage the Israelis to go back in on the ground in Gaza. That feels like a weak answer to a big question: what to do about Hamas? How to finish them off?

One reason why Hamas is not finished off is that they seem — again — to have run rings around Witkoff. Two months into his negotiations, in March, Witkoff admitted Hamas might have duped him into pretending it wanted a deal.

Hamas? Duped? A murderous death cult behaving unreliably? Whatever next.

Who could have expected that?

Except everybody.

Perhaps the problem is that one of the keys to unlocking the problem of Hamas is for America to put pressure on one of the terror group’s key funders and hosts — the terrorist-loving state of Qatar.

Yet you will be hard pressed to hear a single negative said about the terrorist-supporting state from Witkoff.

The Israel-Gaza war could end tomorrow if the Qataris felt even the most minimal pressure from America. But when they have done the least possible thing in negotiations, they get only salivating praise from Witkoff. Asked about them early in the stringing-along process, Witkoff memorably said the Qataris were doing “God’s work.” I’d hate to think how Witkoff imagines the devil if he sees ­angels in Qatar.

Envoy’s ‘Iran’ problem
But it is with the Iranian revolutionary government that Trump’s envoy is running into his biggest problem.

When Barack Obama was president, he signed the US into nuclear negotiations with the ayatollahs known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). It saw the US and various other allies being mercilessly mislead by the mullahs. Out of office, Trump rightly blasted the deal and removed America from the negotiations. He understood the West was being outplayed. He also understood that one of the best ­pieces of leverage anyone has over the revolutionary government in Iran is sanctions.

Trump snuffed out the mullahs’ economy and the revolutionary movement suffered. But then in 2020, Biden came in and gave the Iranians a cash windfall. Suddenly the Ayatollahs were rich again. Meaning that Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis were rich, too. None of which has worked out well for Israel or anyone else in the region.

Now it looks like Witkoff is being hooked by the ayatollahs into an “Obama” process. The Iranian regime is still racing for the bomb. Trump has said he wants a deal. But the ayatollahs are still riding high.

In Iran — as in Russia — this country’s foes have made a calculation. Trump himself has made great promises and great statements. But his negotiator has been hooked into negotiations. And the Kremlin, Iran, Qatar, Hamas and the rest of them have reckoned that they can string America along very nicely.

A few more weeks will become a few more months and then a few more years. And then — no Trump — and behold a weaker American leader who will lead America and the world into a far worse place.
Seth Mandel: France’s Yom HaZikaron Disgrace
Because it is Yom HaZikaron, let’s review why it matters a great deal if there’s any hint of a connection between an ornery horde of French lawmakers and the PFLP.

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine was created in the 1960s as a Marxist alternative to the more Islamist Palestinian nationalist groups. Its ideology is one reason it remains so popular with progressives abroad.

Among the PFLP’s more infamous attacks is the 1976 hijacking of an Air France plane that was diverted to Entebbe, Uganda—site of Israeli forces’ spectacular rescue raid a week later. The raid was commanded by Yoni Netanyahu, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s older brother, who was killed during the rescue.

In 2001, the PFLP assassinated Israeli Minister Rehavam Ze’evi in Jerusalem. Decades earlier, a PFLP splinter group pulled off a massively disproportionate prisoner swap with Israel, nearly overnight reshaping the Israeli-Palestinian conflict around a policy of kidnapping innocent Jews. That road led directly to Oct. 7.

But the PFLP didn’t merely bring us to the Oct. 7 status quo. It actively participated in that day and everything that followed. Most significantly, the PFLP appears to have held the Bibas family in captivity in Gaza, a particularly barbaric episode in a series of barbaric episodes.

From there, the PFLP has played on outsized role in the anti-Semitism crisis and the pro-Iran, China-backed meddling in domestic U.S. politics.

Democratic Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib was a keynote speaker at a conference in Detroit last year that was little more than a PFLP confab. This year’s version of that conference is using clips of PFLP terrorists in its advertisements.

And of course, the PFLP and its cutouts were a regular presence in the tentifada movement, the pro-terror encampments throughout American higher education that supported Hamas’s mass rape and slaughter on Oct. 7.

All of which raises a question: What country, besides Israel, is expected to welcome with open arms those who side with its enemies—enemies with whom it is currently still at war? It is difficult for me to understand why sending to Israel a delegation of government officials who want to see Israel destroyed isn’t a scandal for France rather than the Jewish state. The only explanation is the obvious: Israel, alone among the nations of the Western alliance of democracies, is simply expected to accept repeated public abuse from its friends. Even on Yom HaZikaron.


Man charged with terror offense for trying to break into Israeli embassy in London with a weapon
London’s police force charged a man today with a terror offense after he was detained trying to enter the grounds of the Israeli Embassy while in possession of what appears to have been a knife.

Abdullah Sabah Albadri, 33, has been charged with preparing “terrorist acts” and of two counts of possession of a pointed or bladed article, London’s Metropolitan Police force says in a statement.

The incident took place on Monday shortly before 6 p.m. when officers from the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command became aware of a man attempting to gain unauthorized access to the embassy’s grounds in Kensington in west London, police said.

Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Counter Terrorism Command, says that inquiries so far indicated that no one else was involved and that there was no wider threat to the public.

“Although the man has now been charged, we continue with our investigation and would urge the public not to speculate further at this time,” he adds.

Albadri is due to appear in court later today.
Swiss ban on Hamas to take effect in two weeks
A new Swiss law banning Hamas and groups linked to the Palestinian terrorist organization will come into force on May 15, the Swiss government announced on Wednesday.

The legislation, which was approved by parliament last December, gives Bern “the necessary tools to take action against Hamas activities or support for the organization in Switzerland,” the government said.

The law allows for preventive police measures such as entry bans or expulsions, and also makes it more difficult for the terrorist group to use Swiss banks as financial hubs for its activities, the statement noted.

In January, Ali Abunimah, co-founder and executive director of the anti-Israel Electronic Intifada website, was arrested by Swiss police ahead of a speaking engagement in Zurich.

Abunimah previously celebrated Hamas’s massacre in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, as an “anti-colonial operation.”

Zurich Canton Councilor Mario Fehr told the Neue Zürcher Zeitung, “We do not want an Islamist Jew-hater who calls for violence in Switzerland.”

The Swiss parliament on Dec. 11 approved a five-year ban on Hamas in response to the Oct. 7 invasion. The European country had previously only banned Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, which are on the United Nations’ list of designated terror organizations.

The Swiss Parliament has also voted to outlaw Lebanon’s Hezbollah terror group. Opponents, including the Swiss government, argued that the ban would violate Switzerland’s commitment to neutrality.

“If Switzerland now moves to ban such organizations with special laws, we must ask ourselves where and how the boundaries are drawn,” said Swiss Justice Minister Beat Jans during the parliamentary debate.
US plans to eliminate security post tasked with bolstering Israel-PA security ties
The US State Department is planning to eliminate the office of the US Security Coordinator (USSC) in Jerusalem, which helps bolster security coordination between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, a Trump administration official, congressional aide and third source familiar with the matter told The Times of Israel on Tuesday.

The cut is part of a broader reorganization of the State Department that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is advancing, which will see the shuttering of dozens of offices around the globe, the sources said. The move was first reported by the Axios news site.

The current USSC in Jerusalem, Lieutenant General Michael Fenzel, was informed last week that his position will be cut, with an announcement expected in the coming weeks, the congressional aide and a source familiar said.

The Congressional aide warned that the move could have destabilizing implications for the West Bank, as the USSC post has played a critical role in bolstering the PA security forces.

“This ultimately risks harming Israeli security,” the congressional aide added.

The US official clarified that the decision is not final until its announced but acknowledged that Fenzel’s position is among those on the chopping block. The official added that the move is a cost-cutting measure and not being made for policy reasons.


US defends Israel at Hague
The United States spoke in defense of Israel at the International Court of Justice on Wednesday, as the court heard arguments about the Jewish state’s obligations to provide humanitarian aid as the “occupying power” over the Gaza Strip, and Judea and Samaria.

Joshua Simmons, a lawyer in the office of the legal adviser at the U.S. State Department, urged the court to reject novel legal theories that international law might require Israel to work with specific U.N. agencies, such as the U.N. Relief and Works Agency.

“International law does not impose any unqualified obligations on an occupying power regarding all these entities, much less any particular entity,” Simmons told the court. “The General Assembly does not have the power to impose on Israel a perpetual obligation to cooperate with UNRWA.”

“This is a fundamental principle that is distinct from any obligations Israel or any U.N. member state might have toward a U.N. entity that it agrees to host,” he added.

In December, the U.N. General Assembly passed a Norway-sponsored resolution demanding that the Hague-based court, which is a subsidiary organ of the United Nations, issue an advisory opinion about Israel’s obligations to provide humanitarian aid to Palestinians via U.N. agencies.

The move followed Israel’s legislature voting in October to ban UNRWA after the Israeli government accused some 450 of its employees of working for terror groups, primarily Hamas, and of participating in the Oct. 7 attacks. The ban went into effect in January.

Simmons argued before the court that UNRWA’s associations with Hamas compromised the neutrality that the Geneva Conventions demand of humanitarian organizations, and that, contrary to what some other countries had argued, Israel does not have to cooperate with the agency.

“There are serious concerns about UNRWA’s impartiality, including information that Hamas has used UNRWA facilities and that UNRWA staff participated in the Oct. 7 terrorist attack against Israel,” Simmons said. “Israel, therefore, has ample grounds to question UNRWA’s impartiality.”

“Given these concerns, it is clear that Israel has no obligation to permit UNRWA specifically to provide humanitarian assistance,” he told the court.
Netanyahu expresses ‘heartfelt gratitude’ for Hungary’s ICC withdrawal
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed “heartfelt gratitude” after the Hungarian parliament officially voted to withdraw the country from the International Criminal Court on Tuesday.

“On behalf of the people of Israel, I want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Hungarian People’s Assembly for withdrawing from the corrupt International Criminal Court,” Netanyahu wrote on Wednesday. “The ICC’s actions against Israel and its elected leaders are a betrayal of the principles the ICC was established to defend.”

“Countries of moral clarity should take an example from Hungary and withdraw from the ICC,” he added.

Hungary first announced its intention to withdraw from the ICC at the beginning of April after hosting Netanyahu. Its withdrawal will make Hungary the only European Union member state that does not recognize the court’s mandate.

In November 2024, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for “war crimes” committed in the Gaza Strip.

The ICC Appeals Chamber reversed a ruling last week that had initially rejected Israel’s jurisdictional objections in November. While the court did not rule that the warrants would be suspended, the legal proceedings against Netanyahu and Gallant will effectively be put on hold until the lower ICC chamber holds additional hearings.
Amal Clooney could be barred from US under Trump sanctions over ICC case against Netanyahu: report
Amal Clooney could be barred from entering the United States — where she lives with her Oscar-winning husband, George, and their daughters — for her role in influencing the International Criminal Court to charge Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant with war crimes in Gaza.

The UK Foreign Office warned several senior barristers that they could be slapped with sanctions by the Trump administration for their involvement in the controversial case that saw the ICC issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant in November, the Financial Times reported.

Trump, 78, ordered ICC officials, employees and their immediate family members to be hit with financial penalties and visa restrictions after he sanctioned the ICC over the “baseless” warrants in an executive order signed in February.

ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan — who first pushed the court to issue arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant in May 2024 — is the only person from the high-profile case named in Trump’s executive action.
Senate Republicans aim to defund U.N. agencies that penalize Israel
A group of more than 20 Senate Republicans led by Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID) is set to introduce legislation on Wednesday that would strip U.S. funding from any United Nations agency that takes action to expel, downgrade, suspend or restrict Israel’s participation.

The Stand with Israel Act is co-sponsored by Sens. Tom Cotton (R-AR), Ted Budd (R-NC), Mike Lee (R-UT), James Lankford (R-OK), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Dave McCormick (R-PA), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Katie Britt (R-AL), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV), John Boozman (R-AR), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Josh Hawley (R-MO), John Barrasso (R-WY), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Jim Justice (R-WV), John Hoeven (R-ND), John Cornyn (R-TX), Rick Scott (R-FL), Ashley Moody (R-FL) and Deb Fischer (R-NE).

“Israel is one of America’s greatest allies, and under President Trump’s Administration, we will no longer tolerate — much less fund — the blatant antisemitism at the United Nations. This bill will send a clear message to the UN and any other antisemitic international organizations: if you want America’s money, you’ll need to respect our Israeli friends,” Risch, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement. “America will always stand with Israel.”

The legislation mirrors current U.S. law that cuts off funding to any U.N. agency that recognizes the Palestinian Authority as a full member state. Bipartisan lawmakers backed legislation in the previous Congress that would close loopholes in that provision, penalizing any U.N. body that upgraded the PA’s status short of granting it recognition as a member state.


UN report that absolves Albanese seems to belie Human Rights Office
After allegations surfaced that pro-Hamas groups funded a November 2023 trip to Australia and New Zealand for Francesca Albanese, the U.N. special rapporteur for Palestinian rights, the United Nations stated that everything was kosher about the trip.

“With respect to the Australia trip by the special rapporteur, her travel was funded by the United Nations,” the U.N. Human Rights Office told JNS last year.

A U.N. Coordination Committee of Special Procedures report, which was released on March 28, stated that the committee learned from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights that the regular U.N. budget covered Albanese’s travel to Australia “in line with applicable rules and regulations.”

Albanese, though, received “partial external funding for internal trips within Australia and New Zealand,” according to the report—external funding which the global body hadn’t previously disclosed.

Still, the report found nothing amiss there either. “It is common practice for organizers of conferences to cover the costs of mandate holders’ participation,” per the report, which noted that “mandate holders do not receive sufficient resources from the United Nations to implement their mandates.”

It added that advisers, like Albanese, ought to “exercise due diligence in assessing potential sponsorships from any organizations in a way that does not result in real or perceived conflict of interest.”

At a recent U.N. press briefing, Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for António Guterres, the U.N. secretary-general, said that “we support transparency in the activities of any official affiliated with the United Nations.”

Anne Herzberg, a legal adviser to NGO Monitor, told JNS that there is “tremendous secrecy in the entire special procedures process.”

“It’s very opaque,” she said.

It makes no sense for the United Nations to try to classify “external funding for internal travel” in a separate, more secretive category than the direct travel funding it provides from its regular budget, according to Herzberg.

“Everything should be disclosed,” she said.


Israel calls for international assistance to tackle raging Jerusalem fires
Israel is appealing for international support to help control fires that have broken out on Route 1, the main road connecting Tel Aviv with Jerusalem.

More than one hundred fire crews mobilised after the outbreak on Wednesday morning in the Jerusalem Hills area, which has rapidly spread with drivers abandoning their vehicles and fleeing on foot.

Greece, Italy, and Croatia are mobilising and sending aerial reinforcements.

Israeli defense minister Israel Katz has called on Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir to deploy the military, saying in a statement: “We are in a national emergency and we have to concentrate all available forces to save lives and take control of the flames.”

A “Red Torch” order, the highest level of alert in the fire service, has been declared and due to the intensity of the fire and the direction of the wind, the police have evacuated residents from the communities of Neve Shalom, Beko, Taoz and Nachshon, as well as a neighborhood in Beit Shemesh, the Latrun complex, Canada Park and the Hastkan Monastery.

Ynet reports that 12 people have been slightly injured from smoke inhalation.

The area’s Highway 1 is now closed to traffic with authorities calling the fire there “rampant” and posing a real danger to the public.

Nine people were rescued from vehicles there after being caught in heavy smoke, and footage shows drivers abandoning their vehicles from the flames. Several empty vehicles are burning at the scene.

For the first time in 77 years, Israeli local councils have Independence Day celebrations and torch-lighting events.
Israeli police arrest three in connection with Jerusalem-area fires
Israeli police reportedly arrested or detained three suspects in connection with fires that broke out on Wednesday near Jerusalem, amid soaring temperatures and fierce winds, and led to the cancellation of many Independence Day events.

The suspects, who were not identified or described in initial reports in the Israeli media, were arrested within several hours of the fires, which forced evacuations, road closures and the quashing of Israel’s state Independence Day torch-lighting ceremony.

According to widespread Hebrew media reports, the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) joined in the investigation into the fires, suggesting authorities believe the fires were the result of terrorist arson attacks.

Fires were also reported near Hadera and Israel’s Coastal Plain.

Halel Bitton, a reporter covering the fires for Channel 14, said that dozens of separate fires have been reported in the affected area.

Ahead of the arrests, calls to set fires in Israel proliferated on social media in Arabic, several individuals who monitor this discourse noted.

One banner, shared online by Ayelet Lash, an open source intelligence activist from Rehalim in Samaria, read: “Set fire to the earth beneath the settlers’ feet.” It featured a drawing of a man wearing a keffiyeh starting a fire near a field on a hill overlooking burning homes.

Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s national security minister, said on Wednesday that no fatalities have been reported from the fires.

Arsonists, he added, “should be treated as arch-terrorists for all intents and purposes, who tried to murder thousands of civilians, and accordingly, they should be brought to justice in the full severity of the law.” He reiterated his call for instituting the death penalty against terrorists.

“Police will continue their efforts to capture all those involved in the arson terror, and the incitement team will continue to locate the instigators and rioters,” he said.


Seth Frantzman: Shara’a’s Syria: Diplomacy rises, sectarian tensions boil
Why can’t he rein in the extremists? He comes from the camp that produced many of the extremists in Syria. Therefore, he has the power to rein them in because he is trusted by them.

Rudaw correspondent Dilkhwaz Mohammed visited the Damascus neighborhood of Jaramana on Tuesday this week, the Kurdish media Rudaw said. An armed Druze local told him, “the security situation is currently, as you can see, under our control.”

The Druze man, citing a proverb, said, “strife is asleep, and whoever awakens it is damned. Those pushing for strife are acting against the whole of Syria.” The Druze don’t want conflict. However, they are wary and they want to keep their arms.

“Our religious clerics in Suwayda, Mount Hermon, and elsewhere are working to prevent strife….We are against strife, and the spill of the blood of any Syrian, regardless of their religion, is heartbreaking and not acceptable to us," the local told Rudaw.

Syria seems to still tolerate extremists doing its dirty work
However, the government of Syria seems to still tolerate extremists doing its dirty work. The report said that “earlier in the day, a senior Druze source in Jaramana told Mohammed that armed men launched a multipronged push to enter Jaramana from multiple directions.”

The Syrian government’s state media has sought to prevent strife as well and emphasized the importance of the Druze community.

Syrian state media SANA also noted that “the Grand Mufti of the Syrian Arab Republic, Sheikh Osama Al-Rifai, stressed that every Syrian blood is forbidden, and any drop of blood from any member of this country is precious and should not be neglected, calling on Syrians of all sects to unite and renounce sedition and stay away from calls for revenge.”

The Syrian Foreign Ministry "affirmed its unwavering commitment to protecting all components of the Syrian people without exception, including the honorable Druze community, which has always been and remains an integral part of the Syrian national fabric. The statement stated that the Syrian government expresses its deep appreciation for the wise and responsible role played by a number of Druze sheikhs and leaders in extinguishing the fire of strife and preserving civil peace,” SANA noted.

However, it’s hard to put the genie back in the bottle once these clashes happen and people are killed. Damascus waited 48 hours too long, just as it did in March with the massacre in Lattakia. Shara’a will need to change tactics if he wants his government to thrive.
Seth Frantzman: Syrian attacks on Druze could be collision course with Israel
In Sahnaya in Syria, where there have been clashes, extremists were caught on video accusing Druze of being “Jews” and spreading hate and conspiracy against Druze in Syria. Al-Ain noted that “the Israeli announcement came after violence erupted that resulted in deaths in Druze-majority areas near Damascus, sparking clashes between Druze and Sunni residents. Israel views the new government in Damascus, which took power in December, as a growing threat on its borders and has pledged to defend Syrian Druze.”

The Syrian Foreign Ministry stated in a statement that Damascus "affirms its absolute rejection of all forms of foreign interference in its internal affairs." A Syrian Interior Ministry spokesman from Sahnaya said he had no indication of an attack in the town, Al-Ain noted. “The official Syrian news agency quoted a source in the Ministry of Health as saying that ‘outlaw groups targeting of civilians and security forces’ in the Sahnaya area resulted in 11 deaths and a number of injuries,” Al-Ain noted.

The reports in Syria say that six people were killed in Dara’a as well by snipers. “Thus, the sectarian clashes between armed men linked to the government and Druze have shifted to a new area near Damascus,” according to Agence France-Presse. The Syrian administration accuses people in Sahnaya of attacking a checkpoint of the Syrian security forces.

Turkey has condemned Israel’s operations in Syria in the past. US President Donald Trump has sought to reduce tensions between Israel and Turkey. Trump is a friend of Turkey’s president and he listens to Ankara’s concerns. However, Israel has said it will protect the Druze in Syria. Israel has also sought to do outreach to Kurds. The Kurdish-led SDF has agreed to integrate into the Syrian security forces after a meeting in early March. However if Damascus can’t control extremists then Kurds will not want to integrate and end up being harmed like Alawites and Druze. Extremists in Syria clearly are trying to exploit the situation to create genocidal calls against the Druze based on alleged “insults” to religion. This is a practice used by extremist Islamists all across the world.

Syria’s The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates affirmed its categorical rejection of all forms of external interference in its internal affairs, Syrian state media said on April 30. “The recent calls by outlaw groups that have participated in violence on Syrian soil to demand so-called ‘international protection’ are illegal and completely rejected,” SANA noted.

“Those appeals come from parties operating outside the framework of Syrian law, in a clear attempt to internationalize a situation that must be addressed exclusively within the institutions of the Syrian state. These actions represent a direct threat to the unity of the country and undermine national efforts to restore security and stability throughout the country,” the Syrian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also “affirmed its unwavering commitment to protecting all components of the Syrian people without exception, including the honorable Druze community, which has always been and remains an integral part of the Syrian national fabric.’

The statement also “stated that the Syrian government expresses its deep appreciation for the wise and responsible role played by a number of Druze sheikhs and leaders in extinguishing the fire of strife and preserving civil peace.”
Clashes erupt between Druze militias and pro-government forces in Syria
Sectarian tensions are flaring again in Syria after a series of clashes erupted in the Damascus suburb of Jaramana, a diverse area home to Druze, Christian, and Muslim communities. Reports indicate that 14 people were killed in fights between armed groups in the town.

The latest incident follows a March altercation in Jaramana in which local Druze militias killed two General Security Service members. In response to the previous round of violence, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to “prepare to defend” Jaramana. However, the IDF ultimately did not intervene. The conflict was later resolved through negotiations between local leadership and Syria’s Ministry of Interior. In contrast, this week’s escalation is more serious and could have broader implications.

The latest clashes started after an alleged audio recording was released of a Druze man insulting the Prophet Mohammed, sparking outrage amongst Muslims. The leaked recording spread on social media and was attributed to a leader in the Druze community, Marwan Keewan, who later denied involvement.

The Ministry of Interior issued a statement addressing the circulation of the audio file, emphasizing its concern and stating that “it had launched a thorough investigation.” Initial findings revealed that the” individual accused of making the offensive remarks had not been conclusively linked to the voice in the recording.” The statement also thanked citizens for their “sincere religious defense of the Prophet’s honor while urging everyone to adhere to public order and avoid actions—individual or collective—that could disrupt public safety or harm people and property.”

On April 29, additional fights erupted in the town of Sahnaya and Ashrafiyet Sahnaya, a Druze locality south of Damascus. A number of tribal forces affiliated with the Al Okeidat and Quran clans reportedly took part in the clashes against local Druze militias. Reports circulated at that time that groups from Syria’s Ministry of Interior and Defense were preparing to enter the area to calm things and deal with the “lawless groups,” a reference to the armed militias.

A source in the Syrian Ministry of Interior told Al Jazeera that 16 members of the General Security Service were killed in an attack on a security headquarters in Ashrafiyet Sahnaya. The source added that the attack came after armed reinforcements were blocked from entering or leaving the city.

Israel conducted a drone strike targeting an armed group allegedly preparing to attack the Druze militias in Sahnaya, describing it as a “warning operation” aimed at deterring further violence. Netanyahu and Katz said the strike was meant to send a clear message to Syria’s leadership to protect the Druze population. While Israel claimed no casualties occurred as a result of the strike, a Syrian Interior Ministry source told Reuters that one member of Syria’s new security forces was killed while trying to contain the violence.

Muwaffaq Tarif, the spiritual leader of the Druze community in Israel, urged Israel to intervene and stop what he described as a “massacre in the making” in Jaramana. “Israel cannot remain a bystander to what is happening right now in Syria,” Tarif said.


Is Trump getting played? Unpacking the latest negotiations with Iran | Israel Undiplomatic
Broadcast from the JNS International Policy Summit in Jerusalem, this episode explores Israel’s growing dilemma: how to respond to renewed U.S.-Iran negotiations under President Trump without jeopardizing national security or the special U.S.-Israel alliance. JNS senior contributing editor Ruthie Blum and former Israeli ambassador to the United Kingdom Mark Regev—both former advisers at the Prime Minister’s Office—analyze Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech at the summit, dissect his public and private messaging on Iran and examine the stark contrast between diplomatic restraint and military urgency.

Topics discussed include:
Netanyahu’s warnings about uranium enrichment and Iran’s nuclear intentions
Why any deal—even a “good” one—may be doomed to fail
The pressure Netanyahu faces from both allies and adversaries
Trump’s support for Israel vs. his preference for diplomacy
Whether Israel still has a viable preemptive strike window


Massive Iran port explosions: What are Israel's options moving forward? | True East
Recorded live at the JNS International Policy Summit, this special episode examines the historic moment facing Israeli leadership. With Iran accelerating its uranium enrichment and U.S. diplomacy failing to halt Tehran’s ambitions, IDF Spokesperson (Res.) Doron Spielman reveals exclusive perspectives from a variety of military experts—including Gen. Amikam Norkin, Brig. Gen. Amir Avivi and Lt. Col. Sarit Zehavi—to weigh in on whether Israel must strike unilaterally before the window closes.

Topics covered include:
The current state of Iran’s nuclear program
Whether U.S.-Iran negotiations are buying time—or empowering Tehran
Lessons from past Israeli strikes in Iraq and Syria
Hezbollah’s role in Iran’s regional power network
Strategic risks of inaction and what the IDF is prepared to do next


Eli Lake - Breaking History: How North Korea Got the Nuke As Iranian nuclear ambitions force their way back onto America’s agenda, it’s worth looking at the story of North Korea, the original ‘madman’ nation that bullied its way to the nuclear table.



Erin Molan: TV HOST destroys anti-Israel bias in 3 mins ‘doesn’t have a ‘right’ to defend itself-it has a DUTY!’
Israel does not only have the ‘right’ to defend itself… it has a DUTY to!

Terrorists trying to destroy a nation should not automatically put an onus on that nation to constantly have to publicly prove its worth or justify its existence.

The premise itself is deeply flawed… it’s a trap and the world must stop falling for it.




Nearly half of Senate Republicans sponsor ‘Stand with Israel Act’
Twenty-four Senate Republicans signed on to the Stand With Israel Act, which would cut U.S. funding for any United Nations agencies that “expel, downgrade, suspend or otherwise restrict the participation of the State of Israel.”

“Israel is one of America’s greatest allies, and under President Trump’s administration, we will no longer tolerate—much less fund—the blatant antisemitism at the United Nations,” stated Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

“This bill will send a clear message to the United Nations and any other antisemitic international organizations,” he stated. “If you want America’s money, you’ll need to respect our Israeli friends.”

The bill is structured based on long-standing legislation, which prohibits U.S. funding to any U.N. entity that elevates the Palestinian Authority to member-state status.

The U.N. General Assembly came close to doing that last year, granting the Palestinian Authority unprecedented rights for what it considers a “non-member observer state,” including to speak on any matter before the assembly and offering amendments to resolutions.

Washington vetoed a resolution to that effect in the U.N. Security Council.

“For too long, the United Nations has allowed antisemitism to fester in its ranks while taking billions from American taxpayers,” stated Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), a signatory to the new bill. “The Stand with Israel Act sends a clear message that America stands with Israel—and will hold the United Nations accountable.”
Nadler goes after rabbi for exposing Democrat’s antisemitism
When President Donald Trump put forward his new special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) urged Senate Democrats “not to provide the Trump administration with a single vote to confirm Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun.”

Nadler had opposed the Antisemitism Awareness Act, opposed Trump’s crackdown on campus antisemitism, opposed the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism and opposed defunding colleges that tolerate antisemitism.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), an Islamist group whose leader celebrated the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks, praised Nadler’s opposition to the Antisemitism Awareness Act, meant to protect Jewish students from campus Hamas supporters like the ones that the congressman had been defending in 2025.

So it’s not too surprising that Nadler now also opposes the new antisemitism envoy.

While many Jewish groups sent their good wishes to Kaploun, joining Nadler in his opposition to the new antisemitism envoy was the anti-Israel group J Street, which had lobbied for recognizing and funding a “Palestinian” government that would include Hamas.

What did the rabbi do to provoke the ire of the leftist congressman from Manhattan?

According to Nadler, “Rabbi Kaploun publicly claims that after Oct. 7, ‘Democrats refuse to even recognize the butchers of women and kidnappers of children as terrorists.’”

Nadler claims that this accusation is so “offensive,” “absurd” and “insulting” that it “does not deserve a response” but is “disqualifying.” The trouble is that the accusation is also true.

And it’s not only true of Nadler’s party, but of the anti-Israel congressman personally.

After Mahmoud Khalil, a key figure in the pro-Hamas riots at Columbia University, was detained for violating the terms of his stay in America, Nadler rushed to his rescue. He tweeted, posted and signed congressional letters. Nadler claimed that Khalil, who had described the Hamas murder of Jews as “armed resistance,” was solely being persecuted for his “speech.”
Senate committee to mark up Antisemitism Awareness Act, amid growing Democratic opposition
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee is set to meet on Wednesday to vote on the Antisemitism Awareness Act, in what could be a contentious meeting with a slew of potential amendments, some of which seek significant changes to the bill.

Wednesday’s vote will begin to reveal the extent of both parties’ opposition to the long-gestating legislation, which passed the House in 2024 but never received consideration in the Senate. The committee will also mark up the Protecting Students on Campus Act.

Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO), a HELP Committee member and co-sponsor of the AAA, told Jewish Insider that “about 50 different amendments” have been introduced, and it remains to be seen what the bill will look like at the end of the committee’s markup. As a co-sponsor, he indicated that he is inclined to support the bill.

“I haven’t seen the final [amendment] list, but they’re mostly trying to parse and divide people, as close as I could tell,” Hickenlooper said. “We’ll see how it ends up. I haven’t seen the final version. We’ve worked on it for a while.”

Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH), another HELP member, is also a co-sponsor.

Two additional Democrats on the committee, Sens. Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), had been seen as potential or likely votes in favor, but are now expected to vote against the legislation, a source familiar with the situation told Jewish Insider. Neither responded to requests for comment.

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT), who sits on the committee, said that he hoped that the committee was “going to have a good, robust amendment process,” but expressed concern about legislation he said would provide President Donald Trump additional authority — a concern cited by multiple Democrats.

“The administration is not sincere about combating antisemitism, their efforts aren’t on the level. In fact, they are setting back the cause of fighting antisemitism,” Murphy said. “They are engaged in a campaign to try to destroy higher education and they are using the issue of antisemitism in order to pursue a political agenda that has absolutely nothing to do with fighting antisemitism.”

“While on its face there’s a lot to like about this bill, we shouldn’t pretend that we’re handing powers to a president that is going to use them for good. This is a president who is intent on demeaning the cause of fighting antisemitism in service of a broader political agenda that involves destroying higher education completely in this country,” he continued. “I wish we had a president who didn’t view the issue of antisemitism as just a political opportunity for him to pursue a broader political agenda.”

The legislation codifies an executive order on campus antisemitism from the first Trump administration, which remained in effect during the Biden administration.
Progressive US Jewish organizations oppose controversial antisemitism bill
As the US’s Antisemitism Awareness Act heads to a Senate committee for a crucial vote, 10 progressive Jewish organizations have signed a letter opposing the legislation for representing an endorsement of the Trump administration’s “efforts to weaponize antisemitism.”

“Voting in favor of this legislation in this current political climate would represent an endorsement of the Trump administration’s escalating efforts to weaponize antisemitism as a pretext for undermining civil rights, deporting political dissidents, and attacking the fundamental pillars of our democracy, making the Jewish community and others less safe,” Tuesday’s letter read.

Republicans, meanwhile, added language meant to tamp down concerns by some lawmakers that the act would criminalize some expressions of Christian doctrine.

The bill drew free-speech concerns from both sides of the aisle last year when it sailed through the House but stalled in the Senate. On the left, critics charged that the bill’s enshrining of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism could bar legitimate criticism of Israel. Some on the right, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, said they opposed the bill because IHRA identifies the belief that Jews killed Jesus as antisemitic.

Now, the bill has been reintroduced by a bipartisan coalition of senators, including Jews — and it faces a vote in the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Wednesday in a changed political climate. US President Donald Trump’s administration, installed in January, has taken aggressive actions that it says are meant to stop antisemitism, drawing criticism from many of the bill’s Democratic sponsors as a result.

US Senator Chuck Schumer, who was the Senate majority leader until January, is a sponsor and made moving the bill forward a top priority in the last session of Congress. Schumer has since criticized Trump’s crackdown on campus antisemitism, signing a letter last week accusing his administration of using antisemitism as a “guise” to attack universities. (L-R) US representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) squeezes by representative Lauren Boebert (R-CO) ahead of US President Joe Biden’s third State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House Chamber of the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on March 7, 2024. (SHAWN THEW / POOL / AFP)

Some Democrats who previously said they supported the bill are now expected to vote against it over concerns about Trump’s approach to antisemitism, Jewish Insider reported.
Antisemitism Awareness Act’s future in question after committee postpones vote
Senators on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee postponed a final vote on advancing the Antisemitism Awareness Act after approving four amendments that could jeopardize GOP support for the bill and leave its future passage once again in question.

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), the committee’s chair and a major proponent of the legislation, told Jewish Insider after the meeting that he needed to postpone the vote because Republicans could not return to the committee room quickly enough to vote for it, with just minutes remaining before a two-hour cut-off to the meeting. Democrats refused requests to waive the two-hour limit.

“I couldn’t get my people back. And Democrats have limited debate until noon as an obvious tactic to defeat the bill,” Cassidy said. “They don’t care if Jewish students are harassed on college campuses. And so that is a procedural way in which, if you limit the two hours and we can’t get our votes back, then we can’t have the vote.”

Cassidy, who opposed all of the approved amendments other than a largely technical one he introduced, said that they were “problematic” and that he would have to survey other committee members to determine whether they would still support the bill.

He vowed in a statement after the hearing that he would continue working to pass the bipartisan legislation.

The approved amendments included one by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) stating that it is not antisemitic to use free speech rights to oppose the “devastation of Gaza,” and laying out a series of Sanders’ specific objections to the war and criticisms of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. All Democrats and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) voted in favor.

An amendment led by Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) would oppose the revocations of visas, detentions and deportations of students and faculty based on “protected conduct under the First Amendment.” All Democrats and Paul voted in favor.

A third, also led by Sanders, states that the legislation protects rights to distribute written material on campus or online; to carry out protests in adherence to schools’ time, place and manner restrictions; and to engage in “any speech that does not include true threats or incitement of violence, including such speech as communicated through guest speakers, materials used in a classroom or online, or classroom discussions or debates.” All Democrats, Paul and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) voted in favor.

A fourth, by Sanders, stated that no entity of the federal government can enforce a policy that would “compel” an educational institution to “violate the rights of a student, faculty, or staff member under the First Amendment.” All Democrats, as well as Paul and Collins, voted in favor.


Australia is in Serious Trouble
I am one of Australia’s most high profile criminal barristers. I have prosecuted and defended over 100 murder cases both in Australia and Hong Kong. I have witnessed the absolute worst of humanity, but nothing prepared me for the horrors of October 7 in Israel, or the shocking scenes at the Sydney Opera House just two days later, or the decision to accept almost 3000 Gazans from the most militarily fortified enclave in human history.

So I am sounding the alarm: Australia is in serious trouble. Our immigration system is out of control.

We have brought thousands of people, many with barely any vetting, with only retrospective security clearance, with politicised and expedited wait times, via provision of tourist rather than appropriate refugee visas, who don’t share our values, don’t respect our flag, don’t respect our way of life and have no interest in integrating. They do not want to coexist peacefully in Australia. The arrival of over. 2,922 virtually unvetted Gazans is a massive red flag.

Hamas, with several other terrorist groups operating in Gaza, along with civilians perpetrated and celebrated the atrocities, held and abused hostages, collaborated with and returned escaped hostages to terrorists.

Recall: Gazans are the civilians who democratically elected Hamas on January 25, 2006. The present war is the 5th Hamas has launched and continued to wage after their 2008-9, 2012, 2014, and 2021 wars. An entire generation of Gazans has been indoctrinated in Arab rejectionism, jihadist martyrology, and lethal Anti-Semitism, in large part through educational textbooks paid for by generous international aid. At further cost in humanitarian-donated construction supplies, and at an estimated $300 million per kilometre, Hamas directed the construction of over 700km tunnels under the 365-square kilometre strip, with 6,000 tonnes concrete and 1,800 tonnes steel, and the lives of over 160 child labourers reportedly lost to tunnel collapse or electrocution.

It is to those from this enclave, rife with extremist ideology, that Australia’s government has opened its doors.

And the warning signs are already here. Vitriolic, hate-fuelled rallies take over our streets almost every weekend, yet government leaders and police stay silent. Support, signs, symbols, rhetoric, the ideology and activities of terrorist groups are already here in Australia. Look at Europe, where imported extremism has led to violence, riots and entire communities torn apart. If we don’t act now, Australia will be next.
Greens deputy leader shares terror song on instagram
Deputy Greens leader Mehreen Faruqi has dug in her heels after her Instagram account shared a story with a song that celebrates terrorism.

The instagram story, which was re-shared by Faruqi, features an image of her standing at a rally in front of Palestinian and Lebanese flags and an image of a Greens how-to-vote card. It is tagged “Vote for Palestine”, “#1 Greens” and “@mehreenfaruqi And The Greens Standing Up For Palestine”.

The backing song, whose name translates to “Come on, walk with us to Palestine”, was created during the Gaza “Marches of Return” in 2018. The song encourages aggression against Israel, calls for martyrdom and praises the Hamas incendiary balloons unit “Sons of Zuwairi”.

The lyrics include the lines “We strike with the Shahadi [martyrs], the Army of Mohammed in the squares” and “In my country there is no empowerment except for the mujahideen”.

Spokesperson Sophie Calland of the political group Better Australia, who first raised the alarm over the instagram story, said, “Mehreen Faruqi’s video makes it crystal clear the stakes could not be higher for the Jewish community and for Australia.

“That’s why the Jewish community, more than most understand why the Greens should be put last this election.”

Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council research associate Dr Ran Porat said choosing a song which supports violence and hate and expresses support for terror was “unfortunate and disturbing”.

“Similar songs are popular amongst anti-Israel activists, and definitely do not lead to reconciliation and peace,” he said.

“Employing them as a political tool in Australia’s democratic elections sows division, undermines our social cohesion and represents an affront to the Jewish community.”


Neo-Nazi flyers target Caulfield Jewish Community
Neo-Nazi flyers titled “Giving the Jews everything they want” have been delivered to homes across Caulfield, Melbourne, an area with one of Australia’s highest Jewish populations.

It’s sparked widespread condemnation from community leaders and politicians.

The Zionist Federation of Australia (ZFA) said the pamphlets were authorised by the National Socialist Network, describing them as “flagrantly antisemitic and designed to unnerve the Jewish community.”

ZFA President Jeremy Leibler denounced the incident, stating: “Jewish people, like all Australians, have a right to feel safe in their own homes, and not under siege from extremists who want to do us harm.”

“Over the last 18 months, ridiculous and hateful conspiracy theories have been spread about Australian Jews. It’s dangerous, and it must be rejected by all Australians,” Leibler added.

Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) CEO Naomi Levin ihas called for stronger action against the man behind the flyers.

“Joel Davis, the individual who has authorised these pamphlets, should not be on the streets. This is the same person who stood on the steps of Victoria’s Parliament House and incited violence against our community, who is on bail in South Australia for displaying a Nazi symbol,” Levin said.

“This grotesque flyer is the latest in a string of dangerous and racist behaviour by Davis. This is not free speech. It is hate speech. Enough is enough”.

Liberal candidate Benson Saulo condemned the materials featuring a manipulated Liberal logo, saying, “There is no place for racism in Australia, and I am always proud to stand with the Jewish community and Israel.”

State MP for Caulfield, David Southwick, revealed that the flyers had been delivered directly to his office.

“Overnight, neo-Nazi flyers were letterboxed across Caulfield — a community with one of the largest Jewish populations in the country. My staff arrived at work this morning to find one slipped under my office door,” he said.




Eden Project drops Kneecap gig after outrage over ‘kill MPs’ and ‘up Hamas’ footage
Irish rap group Kneecap have been dropped from the Eden Project’s summer line-up following backlash over past comments appearing to incite violence and praise terror groups banned in the UK.

The 4 July show in Cornwall was cancelled after footage resurfaced from a 2023 gig showing a band member saying, “The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.” A separate clip from 2024 features another shouting “Up Hamas, up Hezbollah”.

Eden Sessions organisers confirmed, “Eden Sessions Limited announced today that the Kneecap show at Eden Project scheduled for 4 July 2025 has been cancelled. Ticket purchasers will be contacted directly and will be fully refunded.”

On Monday, the group apologised to the families of murdered MPs Sir David Amess and Jo Cox but insisted the remarks have been “exploited and weaponised”. In a statement they said, “We reject any suggestion that we would seek to incite violence against any MP or individual.”

Katie Amess, daughter of the late Sir David Amess, dismissed the apology as “absurd” and accused the band of “deflection of excuses”. “These words that they are using are extremely dangerous, and they have not acknowledged that.”

Downing Street echoed her view, branding the apology “half-hearted”, and said it “completely reject[s] in the strongest possible terms the comments they’ve made”.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed they are assessing both video clips. Ministers have urged Glastonbury organisers to reconsider the band’s inclusion in this year’s festival.


Police gain new powers to restrict protests near synagogues
A key amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill will empower police to stop protests likely to intimidate or discourage people from attending synagogues or other places of worship.

The legislative shift follows months of concern over pro-Palestinian demonstrations held near synagogues on Shabbat mornings, which some say have led congregants to stay away from services.

“Over many months, the Board of Deputies and CST worked closely with the police to show the cumulative impact of Palestine demonstrations going close to synagogues on Shabbat,” said a spokesperson for the Board of Deputies.

“Finally, on 18 January, this detailed approach helped the police to decide not to allow the demonstration to again impact on our synagogues. The change of route and police conditions were backed by the Home Secretary.”

That decision, to block a planned Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) march near the BBC headquarters due to its proximity to Central Synagogue, was seen as a landmark moment. It was followed by a meeting between communal groups and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, who introduced the amendment in March.

The provision, passed on Friday, allows police to impose conditions on protests “that may intimidate people and deter those people from accessing or carrying out religious activities at a place of worship,” according to the government.

It does not set a defined perimeter, leaving officers discretion to act on a case-by-case basis. Existing parts of the bill also outlaw the use of face coverings, climbing on statues, and the throwing of fireworks during protests.

Andrew Gilbert, Vice President of the Board of Deputies, said the update would have far-reaching benefits: “This amendment won’t just help our community but will help other religious communities too, whether a Christian community on a Sunday or a Muslim community on a Friday.

“It is so important in our community that we respect each other’s right to worship and celebrate our religion alongside our rights to peacefully demonstrate.”
Jewish LGBT+ charity pulls out of Pride in London over safety concerns
KeshetUK has announced it will no longer organise the Jewish bloc at this year’s Pride in London, accusing event organisers of failing to support the safety of Jewish LGBT+ participants amid a rise in antisemitism and hate crime.

The education and training charity said it had been left with no choice but to withdraw for a second consecutive year after Pride in London rejected multiple requests, including antisemitism awareness training for stewards.

British Jews, the group said, are not being given adequate reassurance that they would be “physically and psychologically safe” at the capital’s flagship LGBT+ event.

A Keshet UK spokesperson said, “British LGBT+ Jews deserve the space to celebrate our identity alongside all other LGBT+ people in the UK. We are hugely disappointed in Pride in London. We hope that Pride in London will reflect on the fact that, for two years now, KeshetUK has felt forced to withdraw.”

KeshetUK, which has coordinated Jewish participation in Pride for over a decade, said it first reached out in July 2024 but received no reply until early this year. A meeting finally took place only “a few weeks ago”, the group said.

At that meeting, KeshetUK made several requests, among them, antisemitism training for volunteer stewards, which it said were made “in good faith”. But all were turned down.

The charity said it “desperately” wanted to participate in Pride, describing the event as a “celebration of our dual identities as Jews and as LGBT+ people”. But in the absence of meaningful safety guarantees, it could not in good conscience encourage community members to attend.

While KeshetUK will not march this year, it confirmed that other Jewish LGBT+ groups are planning alternative events on the day and that further details would be shared soon.
Maryland rabbis, local Jews reject Jewish Voice for Peace convention in Baltimore
US Jewish community leaders in Maryland pushed back Wednesday against a national conference the anti-Zionist Jewish Voice for Peace activist group is holding this week in the state’s largest city, Baltimore.

Thirty Maryland rabbis signed a letter expressing “deep concern” about the conference and saying the group undermines Jewish identity. The event begins on Thursday and ends on Sunday.

JVP says its largest-ever National Member Meeting aims to help activists connect with each other and organize “to keep making our strongest possible contribution to the movement for Palestinian liberation, as well as the fight against fascism at home.”

Speakers at the conference include US Rep. Rashida Tlaib, activist Linda Sarsour and former US Rep. Cori Bush, according to JVP’s website. The group expects more than 2,000 attendees.

“JVP claims to represent the Jewish community and to support peace. We believe it is important to make clear that JVP is a fringe movement that does not speak for the majority of Jews, reflect Jewish values, or seek peace,” the rabbis’ letter says. “Rather, JVP demonstrates support for terror, disrupts public life and actively undermines the very essence of Jewish identity, faith and tradition.”

The letter cites statements from JVP chapters that supported Hamas’s October 7, 2023, onslaught in its immediate aftermath; backed Palestinian “resistance”; called for the “death of Israel”; and demanded an end to US defense aid to Israel on the day of the Hamas attack.

“By promoting a version of Judaism that minimizes or even erases the Jewish connection to Israel, the organization effectively seeks to undermine one of the most central tenets of our faith and identity,” the letter says. “JVP’s stance is a rejection of compromise and coexistence in favor of radical zealotry.”

“By misrepresenting who it is, who it speaks for, and what it believes, Jewish Voice for Peace undermines the Jewish people, principles of the Jewish religion, and our deep connection to Israel. We call upon the people of Maryland to be clear-eyed about what this group is,” the letter says.
Pro-Hamas protesters target solemn vigil at Toronto synagogue
Rebel News journalist David Menzies reports from the Beth Emeth synagogue in Toronto as pro-Hamas protesters attempt to disrupt a vigil for Israel's fallen soldiers and victims of terror.


Pierre Rehov: Palestine - The Invention of a Nation
Was there a country called "Palestine" before 1948? Who really are the Palestinians? What was the connection between Nazism, communism, and Palestinian nationalism? Why do media always take Palestinians side against Israel? And so much more. Everything in this film is factual and can be checked.


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"He's an Anti-Zionist Too!" cartoon book (December 2024)

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