Wednesday, June 11, 2025

06/11 Links Pt1: U.S. evacuates some personnel from Middle East; Five killed, multiple injuries in Hamas attack on GHF personnel; Labour’s sanctions on Israel are disgraceful folly

From Ian:

Trump Cannot Ignore the Latest Damning Evidence of Iran's Pursuit of Nuclear Weapons
The findings of the International Atomic Energy Agency report, which are being discussed at this week's IAEA meeting in Vienna this week, should certainly leave the Trump administration in no doubt about the extent of the duplicity that has long characterised Tehran's dealings with the IAEA over its nuclear ambitions.

The findings should also persuade Trump to adopt a more robust approach in his dealings with Iran.

This is not warmongering; this is peace-mongering – to prevent Iran from creating even greater devastation later.

Rather than persisting with his efforts to appease the ayatollahs, the publication of new damning evidence about Iran's clandestine nuclear weapons programme should persuade Trump that he has no serious option other than to confront Tehran over its deceitful nuclear activities, as well as its ballistic missile programme, also able to conventionally blackmail Iran's oil-rich Sunni neighbours, Europe and eventually possibly the US itself.
Seth Frantzman: From Europe to Asia: Why Israel’s defense tech is in high demand
Israel once used to sell more items to Africa and Latin America. Today, these regions account for only several hundred million dollars in exports. The reason that they make up less is not because the amount they acquire is less. They are acquiring around the same amount, but the overall exports of expensive items such as air defense for Europe are increasing. Therefore, the percentage acquired by Africa or Latin America is less. These countries don’t have large defense budgets, and they have less need for some of the big-ticket items. What they want are smaller, cheaper, innovative items.

Israel is excelling in exporting missiles and air defenses. This is obvious because Israel’s air defenses are likely the best and most battle-tested in the world. The last war saw thousands of projectiles intercepted, usually more than 90 percent of those that Israel sought to intercept.

That makes Arrow, David’s Sling, Iron Dome, and other systems, such as Barak and Spyder, necessary for global clients. Israel also makes the radar and other systems linked to these. The lasers are the latest innovation. In addition, Israel makes a number of types of missiles, from air-to-air missiles, to air-to-ground and also ground-to-ground missiles, such as the Lora. It also makes the Spike line of missiles and others.

While missile and air defense exports have increased, the number of drone exports appears to have decreased a lot in recent years. They once accounted for around a quarter of exports. Israel makes a number of drone lines from Elbit’s Hermes to IAI’s Heron. However, more countries now make drones. Also, Ukraine has shown that soldiers want to use smaller, cheaper drones in large numbers.

They don’t need large, expensive drones that can be shot down. Therefore, the world of drone warfare is shifting. Israel will need to catch up. One drone niche is loitering munitions that are sometimes defined as missiles, because they have a warhead. Israel makes a number of these unique systems. They are also increasingly battle-proven, not just in Israel but also by countries that acquired these systems.

Israel has also seen increasing success in the satellite and space field. This is because Israel is one of the few countries that are able to make sophisticated technology related to space and satellites. On other exports, Israel has stayed relatively stable. This includes radars as well as vehicles, as well as aircraft and avionics.

Israeli companies also make a number of key devices for observation and optics. The use of AI and new technology that enables help in identifying and classifying targets is important for these systems. In general, when it comes to things like ammunition and the maritime arena, Israel does not export a lot of systems as a percentage of the total. Israel is not a historic maritime power. Where Israel excels in the maritime sphere is in add-ons to ships, such as radar or the naval version of Iron Dome, or Typhoon gun systems.

A lot of the deals for Israel are big-ticket items such as Arrow. The ministry said that “more than half of the deals were valued at over $100 million.” Israel believes the recent war’s “operational achievements and the proven battlefield performance of Israeli systems have driven strong international demand for Israeli defense technology, concluding 2024 on a remarkably high note with record-breaking export deals.”

The ministry noted that: Significant tiers of defense exports included: “Missile, rocket, and air defense systems (48%), vehicles and APCs (9%), satellites and space systems (8%), radar and EW (8%), manned aircraft and avionics (8%), observation and optronics (6%), intelligence, information and cyber systems (4%), ammunition and armaments (3%), weapon stations and launchers (2%), C4I and communication systems (2%), drones and UAVs (1%), and maritime systems and platforms (1%).”
Telegraph Editorial: Labour’s sanctions on Israel are disgraceful folly
David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, has banned Itamar Ben-Gvir, the National Security Minister, and Bezalel Smotrich, the Finance Minister, from visiting the UK over comments they made on Gaza. Any assets in this country will be frozen.

It is true that these individuals are on the extremes, even in Israel where their support for expanding West Bank settlements is controversial. Both politicians are ultra-nationalists whose continued presence in Benjamin Netanyahu’s Cabinet is preventing the collapse of the coalition.

But after initially declaring support for Israel after the October 7 2023 atrocities, Labour is in danger of being seen to side with Hamas. Backbench MPs are agitating for a far tougher line than the suspension of trade talks or curbs on arms sales.

They want the UK to recognise a Palestinian state at a conference in New York later this month. That would be a serious mistake and perhaps Mr Lammy thinks he can head off party critics with limited action against individuals.

But where does it stop? The two ministers are not being targeted for something they have done but for what they have said. It is unprecedented for Britain to treat politicians serving in the government of a friendly power in this way. How will Mr Lammy feel if Israel now bans him for the criticism he has voiced?
Gideon Sa’ar declines phone call with UK counterpart
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Tuesday declined to take a phone call from his British counterpart, David Lammy, after the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on two Israeli cabinet ministers, a senior Israeli diplomatic source told JNS on Wednesday.

Lammy is believed to have called to discuss the decision of the United Kingdom, together with Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Norway, to ban entry to Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, according to the source. The reason for the ban was the minister’s ostensible incitement of “extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights,” as Lammy put it in an X post.

Sa’ar declined to take the call to underline Israel’s utter rejection of the move, which Sa’ar had described as an “unacceptable decision,” the source added.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the entry ban, writing on X: “These sanctions do not advance US-led efforts to achieve a ceasefire, bring all hostages home, and end the war”. He urged the nations to reverse the sanctions, adding that the United States “stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Israel.”

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee joined Rubio’s condemnation, describing the move as a “shocking decision” in an interview with the BBC.


Negotiating tactic or sign of action against Iran? U.S. evacuates some personnel from Middle East
The U.S.’ moves to evacuate some State Department personnel and military families from the Middle East are seen by experts as a potential sign of a U.S. or Israeli strike against Iran’s nuclear program — or, at least, a signal to Iran that the U.S. is prepared for such action, ahead of a planned round of nuclear talks with Tehran.

The moves come as President Donald Trump’s self-imposed deadline for the talks is approaching this week, and Trump has expressed public frustration with the lack of progress being made. The Washington Post reported that the talks expected for this weekend now appear unlikely to happen.

The State Department is drawing down personnel in Iraq, the department said, and the Pentagon is allowing for voluntary departures of military families from locations in the Middle East. The United Kingdom, separately, issued a maritime trade warning about a potential “escalation of military activity” in the Middle East.

Dana Stroul, the research director at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and former deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East, noted that the Trump administration had conducted mandatory drawdowns of State Department personnel in Iraq at the end of the first Trump administration. The Pentagon evacuations, she noted, are thus far optional.

“This was part of the Iran policy approach [during Trump’s first administration] to increase pressure on the Iraqi government to get attack[s] against U.S. forces to stop,” Stroul told Jewish Insider. “So some of the people making these decisions inside the Trump administration have prior experience with reducing our presence in the region as part of a pressure play against Iran.”

But, she added, a “reduction in military families in the Gulf is the first step military planners would want to take if they were trying to reduce risk to U.S. personnel before large-scale, significant military operations.”

“If you’re trying to minimize risk before significant military operations, this is what you do. But right now they’re voluntary, not ordered,” Stroul continued.
Iran Announces Test of Missile With Two-Ton Warhead Amid Threats of Attacks on US Outposts
Iran announced that it successfully test-fired an advanced missile equipped with a two-ton warhead, significantly ratcheting up its war machine amid nuclear negotiations with the United States and threats of attacks on U.S. military installations.

Iran hailed the missile test as "a new achievement in its military capabilities" as part of the country’s "broader efforts to enhance its military readiness and defense power amid ongoing regional tensions."

"Our most recent achievement came last week when we successfully tested a missile carrying a two-ton warhead, with excellent results," Iranian defense minister Aziz Nasirzadeh publicly disclosed on Wednesday after a cabinet meeting. "We have made very good progress in defense affairs. Our operational forces are fully equipped."

The test comes alongside U.S. preparations to evacuate embassy compounds in Iraq and other locations following Iranian threats.

Nasirzadeh promised earlier in the day that the Islamic Republic would attack American outposts across the Middle East if nuclear negotiations with the Trump administration stall.

"Some officials on the other side threaten conflict if negotiations don't come to fruition," the Iranian minister said. "If a conflict is imposed on us ... all U.S. bases are within our reach and we will boldly target them in host countries."

The State Department authorized preparations to evacuate its embassy compound in Iraq hours later, with officials citing "heightened security risks in the region." Non-essential personnel stationed in Kuwait and Bahrain will also leave their posts.

A State Department official confirmed to the Washington Free Beacon that some staff will vacate the embassy in Iraq, but would not disclose a specific reason for the decision.

"Based on our latest analysis, we decided to reduce the footprint of our Mission in Iraq," a State Department official said. "President Trump is committed to keeping Americans safe, both at home and abroad. In keeping with that commitment, we are constantly assessing the appropriate personnel posture at all our embassies."


State Department won’t clarify US position on Palestinian state
The U.S. State Department declined to clarify its position on a potential Palestinian state on Tuesday, following comments from Mike Huckabee, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, that such a state within the current Palestinian Authority-governed territory is unlikely “in our lifetime.”

Huckabee told Bloomberg that he doesn’t think a two-state solution remains U.S. policy, and that “unless there are some significant things that happen that change the culture, there’s no room for it.” He told the publication that Palestinians could settle in a Muslim country. “Does it have to be in Judea and Samaria?” he said.

Asked about Huckabee’s remarks, Tammy Bruce, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, said at the department’s press briefing on Tuesday that “I’m not going to characterize the ambassador’s remarks.”

“I’m not going to explain them or really comment on them at all,” she said. “I think he certainly speaks for himself. At the same time, of course, ambassadors are there and they’re working with their host country, but when it comes to American policy and certainly where the president stands, I’d suggest you call the White House.”

State Department officials have said that major cuts at the agency are intended, in part, to return power to embassies and regional bureaus, and to give ambassadors more sway, including to speak to the media without multiple layers of approval.

A White House official told JNS that “right now, the Trump administration is focused on releasing all of the hostages and ending the war in Gaza.”

“The region has been completely torn apart from this brutal war that began under Joe Biden and needs to be totally rebuilt with the help of Arab nations for all people to live peacefully, as the president has proposed,” the official told JNS.


‘Dangerous time to be a Jewish American,’ House speaker says at vigil for Israeli embassy staffers
They remembered Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday evening, as lawmakers of both political parties vowed to continue the fight against the Jew-hatred that has led to violence and the deaths of two young Israeli embassy employees on a Washington street earlier this month.

“It’s a dangerous time to be a Jewish American,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said at the beginning of a 30-minute vigil, which drew more than 100 people, on the House steps.

“Where is the outrage for these two young victims?” Johnson said. “We must stand up and protect our Jewish brothers and sisters.”

“Moments of challenge require more of us,” said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), who told the Jewish community that “we will not let you shoulder this burden alone.”

“In this country, antisemitism has been metastasizing like a malignant tumor, and we must all work together to eradicate this cancer,” he said.

The vigil took place a day after the House voted, 400-0, to once again condemn antisemitism after Jews, who peacefully marched for the release of the hostages in Gaza, were burned by Molotov cocktails in Boulder, Colo.; Milgrim and Lischinsky were gunned down after leaving a Jewish event; and the governor’s mansion in Harrisburg, Pa., was set ablaze after Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro had finished a Passover seder.

In all three cases, the perpetrators expressed solidarity with the Palestinians during a war that began Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel.


House speaker Johnson to address Knesset
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) will travel to Israel to address the Knesset later this month, the congressman said on Wednesday.

“It will be one of the highest honors of my life to address the Israeli Knesset at this fateful moment,” Johnson stated. “Our ties run deeper than military partnerships and trade agreements. We’re bound by the same beliefs, the same psalms and the same sacred pursuit of liberty.”

Johnson is scheduled to appear before the lawmakers on June 22.

“Today, the State of Israel and Jewish people around the world face grave threats, and it is our moral imperative to stand by our sister democracy,” Johnson stated. “As terror and vile antisemitic ideology threaten Western civilization, Israel must know that when America said, ‘Never Again,’ we meant it.”

Earlier this week, the House passed two resolutions in response to recent acts of violence against Jewish Americans, most recently when Molotov cocktails were thrown at marchers in Boulder, Colo., who were demanding the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza.

Last year, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accepted an invitation from Johnson and other congressional leaders and addressed a joint session of Congress.

Amir Ohana, the Knesset speaker, called Johnson “a great friend of the State of Israel and the Jewish people.”

“From the moment he was elected, he not only expressed his support through words but also took decisive action, even at the risk of his position, to support Israel in its most challenging moments,” Ohana stated. “I hold him in great esteem, believe he is highly deserving of addressing the Knesset, and look forward to hosting him and hearing his words to the nation.”


Seth J. Frantzman: The IDF in Gaza: “Gideon’s Chariots” Making Slow Progress
The overall picture in Gaza is complex. The IDF is moving slowly forward, mostly replicating tactics from earlier in the war. The units move with air support and eliminate threats as far from the soldiers as possible. Improvised explosive devices killed three soldiers on June 3 and a civilian contractor on May 29.

As the IDF inches forward a new humanitarian initiative has begun in southern Gaza. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation began delivering food to people on May 26. It has distributed more than seven million meals in eight days as of June 3, according to its interim director. The organization wanted to have four sites off the ground for delivering aid. These include three sites in southern Gaza and one in the Netzarim corridor. The goal is to rapidly expand the number of trucks moving aid to these sites from dozens to more than a hundred a day. The UN and other NGOs estimate Gaza needs more than 600 trucks of aid a day. Therefore the GHF initiative is a start to help feed half of Gaza or more. It began when Israel agreed to let aid back into Gaza, after having cut it off since March 1.

Now that the new aid sites are in place, there is an opportunity to move fast to exploit this new initiative. In addition, the military leader of Hamas in Gaza, Mohammed Sinwar, is dead from a mid-May airstrike. Among Gazans anger against Hamas is mounting, according to Arabic media reports. All this could also give a push to changing IDF tactics.

The challenge in coming months is to see if the IDF will change tactics and try to remove Hamas from the roughly 50 percent of Gaza it has held throughout the war. But so far such a change is not evident. For instance, after four IDF soldiers were killed in a building collapse in the first week of June, IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir “ordered a tightening of operational procedures” and reinforced a key directive for all forces: “advance as slowly as necessary to ensure troop safety and prevent further casualties.”

Settling in for a war of attrition may not be in Israel’s interests. Hamas is weakened but there are diminishing returns. At some point Israel will be the one paying the higher cost for a long war. As the war approaches its second anniversary there will be more questions about what the new offensive is accomplishing. It was supposed to be different from the 2024 campaign by holding ground. But holding half of Gaza and slowly demolishing infrastructure there may not be the solution. Even if Hamas does collapse it will leave behind chaos that will require the IDF to continue to control much of Gaza for the near future.

Gideon’s Chariots have not been fully unleashed in Gaza. If they remain idling the war will continue to resemble much of what has come before.


Five killed, multiple injuries in Hamas attack on GHF personnel
At least five people have been killed following a Hamas attack on a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) bus transporting over two dozen GHF team members, along with local Palestinians working side-by-side with the US GHF team, the foundation announced Wednesday night.

Several injuries have been reported, and the GHF also stated that team members may have been taken hostage.

The team was on their way to the Khan Yunis distribution centers at the time of the attack. Hamas has sent repeated threats to GHF workers, Gazans “This attack did not happen in a vacuum,” the GHF said in a statement, adding that Hamas has sent multiple threats to the team and workers, as well as the civilians receiving aid from the foundation.

Earlier this week, threatening texts that were sent by Hamas to aid workers operating in Gaza, saying that those who continue to partner with Israel's aid distribution will face severe consequences, were revealed.

“We are fully aware of everything you are doing, and all your movements are being monitored with extreme precision. You will not be forgiven for your involvement in projects that harm the dignity of our people and serve suspicious agendas under the guise of humanitarian work,” the message read.

“This is your final warning: Continuing down this path will have severe consequences, and you will bear full responsibility for the outcomes of your actions. Stop now, or else.”


GHF distributes 2.5 million meals in largest single-day delivery
The U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation stated it delivered roughly 2.5 million meals on Wednesday, its largest single-day delivery to date.

The total number of meals GHF has distributed is now reported at more than 16 million.

“My hope is that we will maintain our momentum and continue to provide additional food aid to Gazans,” said John Acree, interim president of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. “Our operations are improving, and I’m encouraged by our ability to provide a significant amount of aid on a daily basis. It proves that our system is working.”

The organization also stated it is “actively testing and adapting its distribution model to safely deliver the maximum amount of aid to the greatest number of people.”

In the same announcement, GHF also released a statement asking the media to verify their sources and clarify announcements from the organization.

“We continue to ask the news media to use caution in relying on unverified and unsubstantiated sources,” the organization stated. “There are fake Facebook pages and countless bad actors pushing out inaccurate information to aid-seekers and misinformation to the public, so please reach out to us if you have any information.”

“Further, it should be understood that the intended audience of our Facebook page is the people of Gaza, who seek updates that are logistical in nature,” it continued. “The Facebook page is not intended to communicate information beyond logistics.”

“It is also critical that news agencies take care not to confuse the public by reporting on GHF operations in the same breath as Israeli military operations far removed from distribution sites,” the statement read. “We realize this can be confusing as we are operating in an active war zone.”


Boston Consulting Group, Adviser to Qatar and China, Says US-Israeli Gaza Aid Project Violated Firm's 'Values'
The international consulting firm Boston Consulting Group (BCG) has spent years training Hamas-friendly Qatar’s government workers, including after Oct. 7. It agreed to endorse Chinese Communist Party principles in 2023 in order to secure a six-figure contract advising city officials in Beijing on artificial intelligence. Now, it’s apologizing—after "exiting" two partners who worked for an aid project in Gaza backed by the U.S. and Israeli governments.

BCG announced last week that it had fired two of its managing directors who were consulting for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a new American and Israeli-backed aid distribution program formed to prevent Hamas from intercepting international humanitarian supplies. CEO Christoph Schweizer wrote in a company-wide email that he was "sorry for how disappointing this has been to many BCGers around the world."

He also sent a message to BCG alumni, obtained by the Washington Free Beacon, that said the "humanitarian crisis and aid efforts in Gaza" have "come under scrutiny, raising serious questions about our role and how the work was approved." That work violated "BCG's direction, policies, and values—including our apolitical and humanitarian-focused stance in this conflict," Schweizer wrote, indicating that the firm was institutionally opposed to aiding the joint U.S.-Israeli initiative.


Richard Kemp: There are no ‘journalists’ in Gaza. Just Hamas propaganda operatives
Take a recent report from the well regarded NGO the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). It tears apart the notion that press freedom exists in Gaza.

According to the CPJ, journalists there have been subject to “detentions, assaults, obstruction and raids” going back to the start of Hamas rule almost twenty years ago.

While detailing numerous violent assaults on members of the press in Gaza, the analysis warns that violations by Hamas are “underreported”.

Some journalists who have been assaulted are believed to be too afraid to say anything at all; others have gone to the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS) but say they do not want to go public for fear of retaliation.

Note that both the CPJ and PJS are the staunchest critics of Israel. There can be no doubting the credibility and accuracy of their accounts on this matter. The picture they paint is light years removed from Munro’s suggestion of unencumbered press freedom in Gaza.

Some of the journalists in Gaza used by the BBC have been exposed as having deeply hateful views of Israel and Jews, making them entirely unsuitable as journalists.

Yet there is a problem that goes far beyond any individual, if Munro and other executives cannot understand the reality of reporting from Gaza.

TV producer Leo Pearlman has proposed the solution: “The BBC make a huge deal of adding to every news script from Gaza by saying that Israel doesn’t allow independent access for journalists.

“What it never says – and maybe should start doing – is that no journalist can operate freely in Gaza under Hamas control.”

Until they start doing so, Munro and his fellow BBC executives are not only deceiving audiences but also themselves.


FBI delegation in Israel to investigate October 7 crimes on US citizens
A delegation from the United States' Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recently arrived for a tour of the Gaza border communities to gather information and investigate crimes committed against US citizens during Hamas's terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

As part of the investigation, FBI representatives are working to obtain a full picture of the events from the crime scenes themselves.

US ongoing involvement in investigating Oct. 7
The agents' visit to the communities is an additional step in the US involvement in investigating the events of that day, particularly regarding the harm to Americans.

US officials have previously stated that the American administration views this as “a matter of paramount importance” and is committed to holding those responsible accountable. See more on
Two slain hostages returned from Gaza; 53 remain in Hamas captivity
Israeli security forces recovered the body of slain hostage Yair Yaakov and a second captive from the Khan Yunis area of the southern Gaza Strip, the Israel Defense Forces confirmed on Wednesday evening.

“The body of Yair Yaakov, as well as the body of another hostage, who were held hostage for 613 days in Gaza, have been recovered in a joint IDF and ISA military operation,” stated the IDF, using the acronym for the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) internal security service.

The name of the second slain hostage whose remains were recovered has yet to be publicly identified, pending notification of the family.

Yaakov was “brutally murdered by gunfire while heroically holding the door of the safe room in his home, trying to protect his family” in the border village of Kibbutz Nir Oz during the Hamas-led terrorist attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Oct. 7, 2023. He was 59 when he was killed, with the IDF confirming his death in February 2024.

Yaakov’s children, Yagil and Or, were kidnapped along with his partner, Meirav Tal, the military said, noting that the three were redeemed from terror captivity during the November 2023 ceasefire-for-hostages deal.

The operation was conducted on Wednesday by the IDF’s 36th Division, aka the Rage Formation, operating under its Southern Command. It was launched following precise intelligence gathered by the military’s task force for hostages, the Military Intelligence Directorate and the Israeli Security Agency (Shin Bet).


‘They would call me a Jewish dog, a Jewish pig and spit on me’
Around 100 days into his captivity in Gaza, there was a moment when Omer Shem Tov came very close to attempting to escape.

He could hear Israeli tanks above the tunnel where he had been kept for more than 50 days and his terrorist captors, were becoming even crueller – as was their wont when the IDF was in close proximity.

“They were treating me very, very badly, I was scared for my life and I started to think really deeply about escaping,” he recalls. “I sat up on my mattress and waited to see if anyone said or did anything. No one did. Then I stood up and still no one responded. There were about nine terrorists and they all appeared to be asleep.

‘So, I picked up the Kalashnikov that was next to one of them. My heart was pounding so fast and I didn’t know what to do. I knew that I would have to kill them all but I was scared that the weapon would jam and I couldn’t fire it, and they would kill me. So I put it down where I had found it and went back to my mattress. I was sweating so much it was hard to calm myself down.”

Sweet Omer, who was taken hostage when he was 20 and who spent 505 days in captivity, forced to cope with severe asthma, will possibly be best remembered as the hostage who kissed a Hamas terrorist during his exit “parade”. Now a film about his captivity, Home: Omer Shem Tov Speaks, has been made by Yoram Zak. On June 26, there will be a special JNF screening, sponsored by Mizrahi Tefahot Bank, featuring both Omer and Yoram, with profits going to help the Nova festival survivors.

Omer was at the Nova festival when he was taken hostage by Hamas alongside his friend Maya Regev and her little brother Itay. For the first 50 days the three were kept together in a flat but after his friends were released during the first ceasefire deal, he found himself alone and more scared than ever.

Most of his time was spent underground. At first, he was kept in a tiny tunnel and given just half a pitta bread or a single biscuit to eat daily. “They would curse me calling me a Jewish pig and dog and spit on me.”

A couple of months later, after the army left the area, he was moved again and left with three terrorists. Two of them grew to like him, it appears, as Omer made himself helpful, cleaning and even doing the cooking. But the youngest terrorist hated him and the fact that he had made a connection of sorts with the other two.

“For the next 400 days he was cruel for the sake of being cruel,” he says. “He wouldn’t let me sit down for second. He would demand that I bring him food or water. He would curse and spit at me, call me an animal. And they all made me carry their bombs.”


UKLFI: Natasha Hausdorff speaks to Simeon Myers about the Rule of Law, Lawfare, and Judea & Samaria.
In this episode of the Voice for Freedom Podcast, Simeon Myers and Natasha Hausdorff delve into the critical distinction between the rule of law and lawfare, particularly in the context of Israel. They discuss how lawfare is being used as a tool to manipulate public opinion and undermine democratic values, focusing on the role of international law and media in shaping narratives. The conversation addresses the implications for Western civilization, Israel's territorial claims, the situation in Gaza, the role of the international community, and the challenges of achieving peace amidst ongoing violence and misinformation. Natasha Hausdorff emphasizes the importance of understanding international law and the need for advocacy to counteract false narratives.


UNRWA feeds the ‘Palestinian delusion’ of no Jewish state
Former Israeli politician Dr Einat Wilf says UNWRA aims to ensure a two-state solution with Israel and Palestine “will never happen”.

Ms Wilf told Sky News host Chris Kenny that UNRWA keeps feeding the “Palestinian delusion” of no Jewish state.

“The violent and dangerous idea of return in the name of which the October 7 massacre was carried.”


‘Going overboard’: Australia imposes sanctions on Israeli ministers
Former Israeli ambassador to Australia Mark Sofer says Israeli politicians Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich are “going overboard” with their rhetoric.

This comes amid Australia’s sanctioning of said ministers.

“You’re right to, as you mentioned earlier, Andrew, that Ben-Gvir is generally considered to be more extreme than Smotrich, but frankly, they’re competing over the same political base,” Mr Sofer told Sky News host Andrew Bolt.

“In many ways … they’re going overboard, each trying to make a more outlandish statement than the other.”


"Ridiculous!" Two Israeli Ministers Sanctioned By UK For ‘Inciting Extremist Violence’
The UK has sanctioned two Israeli government ministers for “inciting violence” and abuses of Palestinian human rights, David Lammy has said.

Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s security minister and finance minister respectively, will be subject to a travel ban and asset freeze.

The UK is taking the action to ramp up pressure on Israel alongside Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway.

Mr Lammy said the two Israeli ministers had been “inciting violence against Palestinian people for months and months and months, they have been encouraging egregious abuses of human rights”.

Mike Graham discusses the story with Professor Eugene Kontorovich.


Sharri Markson: Albanese Government's decision to sanction Israeli ministers is juvenile and has serious implications
Lastly, as we all know, this isn’t an isolated incident. This is part of an established pattern under the Albanese Government of adopting a hostile anti-Israel foreign policy platform.

Before Albanese, Israel was one of Australia’s closest allies.

This government is treating the Jewish nation as a rogue enemy state.

AIJAC executive director Colin Rubenstein said it very well today in a statement.

“The Government appears to be acting at the behest of the obsessive anti-Israel activists who constantly scream for ever more punitive actions against Israel, and largely do not seek the two-state solution our government says it supports, but instead desire Israel’s ultimate destruction," he said.

While she was explaining her position, Senator Wong claimed to separate her foreign policy position on Israel from Jewish Australians.

She said the two were unrelated. This is farcical, naive and simply wrong. It indicates that she knows nothing of the racism Jewish Australians are facing or the reasons behind it.

What Senator Wong surely must know is that the Jewish community around the world is intrinsically connected to the state of Israel.

Zionism and Judaism are intertwined.

Israel is the only Jewish state in the world, and it’s the ancestral homeland of the Jewish people, who have lived there for thousands of years - even before Islam began.

The Albanese Government’s egregious and continued campaign against Israel is a betrayal of Jewish Australians.

It only encourages the campaign of hate towards Israel, towards Israelis, towards Zionists and, thus, towards Jews.

It sends a signal that in Albanese's Australia, vilifying Israel is not just tolerated—it’s applauded.

But this will not go unanswered. The Jewish community—and many Australians—see exactly what this is: a political stunt wrapped in moral posturing, doing real damage to the social fabric of our country.
‘They stand condemned’: Sharri Markson savages Albanese and Wong for Israeli sanctions
Sky News host Sharri Markon has issued her own symbolic sanctions against the “two most damaging figures” in the Albanese government: The Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister.

The Albanese government has faced mounting criticism over its decision to impose sanctions on two Israeli cabinet ministers over the Gaza War.

Domestic Jewish leaders, the federal opposition and key international allies have all questioned Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s decision to impose the sanctions.

“I sanction Wong and Albanese for their antagonistic and extreme rhetoric which, over the past 20 months, has only inflamed anti-Israel sentiment and contributed to the dangerous rise of antisemitism in our country,” Ms Markson said.

“They stand condemned. There can be no genuine social cohesion while our nation's leadership continues to pander rabid activists who hate Israel.”




‘Outrageous’: Chris Kenny blasts Albanese government for sanctioning Israeli ministers
Sky News host Chris Kenny says the Albanese Labor government has now demonstrated that it is “not interested” in democracy, freedom and security.

The Albanese government has faced mounting criticism over its decision to impose sanctions on two Israeli cabinet ministers over the Gaza War.

Domestic Jewish leaders, the federal opposition and key international allies have all questioned Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s decision to impose the sanctions.

“These are hardline views, not shared by most Israelis or the Netanyahu government, but they are legitimate views, held by democratically elected politicians in a nation that operates under the rule of law ... to sanction them is outrageous,” Mr Kenny said.


MDA Australia tricked into cancelling video talk by fake police letter
Magen David Adom in Australia was duped into cancelling a virtual speech by an Israeli-American entrepreneur after receiving a forged letter from anti-Israel campaigners falsely claiming to be from Victoria Police.

The letter, dated 9 June, warned the emergency medical charity it could face terrorism-related charges if it allowed Hillel Fuld to speak at a Melbourne fundraiser. Believing the threat to be genuine, MDA withdrew Fuld’s video appearance.

The letter cited the prior cancellation of Fuld’s visa by the Department of Home Affairs, which had already barred him from entering Australia in person.

His visa was revoked under section 128 of the country’s Migration Act on the grounds he posed a risk to the “health, safety or good order” of Australians, citing his “Islamophobic rhetoric” and alleged denial of “documented atrocities”.

Fuld, whose brother Ari was murdered by a Palestinian terrorist in 2018, has been banned from entering Australia for three years.

Speaking to Australian Jewish News, Fuld said: “Pro-Hamas activists sent a forged letter from the police department telling Magen David Adom not to even let me speak virtually. It was confirmed to be fake. These people are consumed with hatred. It’s totally insane.”


NYC Muslim Mayoral Candidate Calls for ‘No Go Zones’
No Go Zones have worked out great for London and Paris, New York City may be on the verge of trying its own experiment. Like London, it now has an Islamic mayoral candidate ready to marry leftist talking points with Islamist antisemitism and hatred of the country that he has settled and now occupies.

One of his agenda items? Getting the police out of ‘high-crime areas’.



What does that leave? No-go zones.

But remember, ‘no go zones’ don’t exist. They’re a right-wing Islamophobic conspiracy theory with no basis in reality. Certainly no prominent Muslim politician has promoted them as a public good.


From LA to Gaza, With Violence: Palestinian Flags, Molotov Cocktails, and a Media Blackout
On Friday, June 6, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) launched a series of coordinated raids across Los Angeles, detaining dozens of individuals accused of being in the United States illegally. The arrests—made at both workplaces and homes—sparked immediate backlash.

In the heavily Hispanic suburb of Paramount, where over 82 percent of residents identify as Latino, protests escalated quickly. Demonstrators hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at law enforcement, who responded with pepper spray, rubber bullets, and smoke canisters. Within days, the unrest had spread to downtown Los Angeles. On June 10, city officials imposed a curfew from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., and hundreds of arrests followed.

Similar protests emerged in other major cities—including New York, Chicago, Seattle, Denver, San Francisco, and Atlanta—though none matching the violence witnessed in LA.

The riots have dominated headlines across the U.S., fueling a national debate over immigration policy, the limits of federal authority, and the broader ambitions of the Trump administration’s security agenda.

But amid all this coverage, one detail has been quietly omitted—or perhaps deliberately brushed aside: the unmistakable role of pro-Palestinian activists in the riots. Not merely present—but masked, vocal, and often leading the charge in the most violent flashpoints.

Footage posted online shows rioters draped in keffiyehs and waving PLO flags as they attack police officers, torch cars and public property, and hurl Molotov cocktails.

One particularly disturbing video shows a crowd gathered on a highway overpass, waving a massive Palestinian flag and pelting police cruisers below with rocks—many in the crowd wearing the traditional Palestinian head covering.

In another image, a masked rioter wears a PFLP headband while hoisting a Mexican flag—a jarring emblem not of solidarity, but of how seamlessly the anti-Israel agenda has inserted itself into a protest about something else entirely.




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

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