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Wednesday, June 18, 2025

06/18 Links Pt2: The ‘America First’ Crew’s Complete Disregard for American Lives; Zohran Mamdani justifies “globalize the intifada” by saying the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising was an intifada.

From Ian:

Seth Mandel: The ‘America First’ Crew’s Complete Disregard for American Lives
As an American, I have a hard time shrugging this off. As an American, I find it increasingly difficult to even understand the psychology of those who can shrug it off. And as an American, I find it incomprehensible that the defenders of these innocent American victims are accused of being disloyal Americans.

“They were schoolyard bullies,” Trump said of Iran this morning. “But now they’re not bullies anymore.” He specifically mentioned the Iranians’ motto of “Death to America,” which was also their battle plan and organizing program. He seemed pleased that there were finally consequences for Iran’s long war on the United States, that there is a price to be paid for all Iran’s mischief.

And here is the most interesting part: The price Iran has paid has not, in fact, been steep or cruel and unusual. In the history of mankind, no nation’s civilians have been safer while an enemy state controls their airspace during a live war. There’s nothing really to even compare it to. We are watching something no one has ever watched before. Israel, in response to Iran’s pursuit of the destruction of the Jewish people, not to mention its role in the worst daylong mass murder of Jews since the Holocaust, took control of Iran’s airspace and used that to patiently eliminate the sources of the Iranian regime’s power to oppress its people.

Trump supports this. If it feels to the keyboard warriors of isolationism like there is a degree of pressure to support these strikes, that is because those who are comfortable with Iranian nuclear acquisition, which would grant the regime full immunity from all its ongoing crimes against America and Americans, are in the minority.

It is also because they must intuitively question, on some level, their own decision to draw the line in the sand right here. When Trump ordered the elimination of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in Syria in 2019, the handwringing from his MAGA supporters was muted. The same is true for the assassination of Qasem Soleimani, the Iranian terror general in charge of a global campaign to murder Americans. It was not cause for much in the way of hysterical warnings of apocalyptic warmongering.

The difference this time, of course, is Israel’s direct involvement. Most Americans seem to think this is a good thing—we have an allied nation willing to sacrifice to keep our common enemies down—but a few are uncomfortable for reasons they do not try very hard to disguise.

Whatever “America First” means, surely it ought not to mean a coldblooded heartlessness toward the victims of totalitarian terror, many of whom are Americans themselves. Nor should it mean an instinctive suspicion of anyone who seeks the defeat of America’s enemies.
John Ondrasik: My 2001 Hit Song, ‘Superman,’ Is for the Hostages in Gaza
I turned to “Superman,” hoping to remind the world that the hostages are people, not statistics. They are brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, husbands and wives. Music would bring out this shared humanity after the Jewish people experienced their worst trauma since the Holocaust, just like music uplifted an America shattered by 9/11.

“Superman” is a message of hope, solidarity and unity. Yet the unity of 2001 feels elusive. In response to my compassion for the hostages, I’ve been called a sellout and propagandist. For whom or what, I don’t know. I’ve been told I should “stick to music.” My new video with Alon’s family—shared by hostage families, supported by human-rights advocates, played in synagogues and town halls—triggered an onslaught of online vitriol.

“Superman” isn’t political. It’s emotional. It’s all of us. I can’t understand how connecting it to the obvious cause of Israeli hostages unleashed a torrent of hate from people who have never listened to the lyrics, never watched the video, and never cared to understand what this moment is truly about. To them, taking a stand—any stand—means choosing sides in someone else’s war. Yet the hostages aren’t political. This is a basic moral issue.

I’ve written political music before. When I released “Blood on My Hands” in 2021, condemning the botched U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, I expected blowback. I got it. But I accepted that because the song was overtly political. It pointed fingers, demanded accountability. It became the voice for veterans of the war in Afghanistan who were gutted by the withdrawal. Similarly, I wrote “Can One Man Save the World” to support Ukraine, and then recorded a video for it with a Ukrainian orchestra in the bombed-out Antonov airport. I chose a side, and again expected the criticism I received.

Yet there is no way to pick a side over Oct. 7. The horrors of that day stand alone. My critics believe that expressing empathy for one group means you must hate another. You have to either be “oppressor” or “oppressed,” though I’m not sure who Alon Ohel is oppressing from the tunnels of Gaza. In the face of these absurd labels, there’s no room for conversation, let alone reality.

When did we lose the ability to say “I see suffering, and I choose to respond with compassion”? How can anyone be reluctant to say a simple phrase like “Free the Hostages”? Would anyone prefer they stay put, starving and abused underground? When did we become so tribal that Americans could label a song dangerous, divisive or, worse, genocidal, simply because it refuses to dehumanize one side over the other?

Music is where we should be able to meet honestly without enmity. As I sing in “Superman,” I’m not naive. I know a song can’t stop a war, but it can start a conversation. It can open a heart. It can remind us that behind every headline is a human being who bleeds and loves and cries just like we do.
Rigged, Corrupt, and False: The UN Just Accused Israel of “Extermination"
The UN’s latest accusation of “extermination” against Israel is not just false—it’s the culmination of a rigged, corrupt process designed to shield terrorists and slander the Jewish state.

International law was created to protect humanity from horrors like genocide, mass murder, and systemic oppression. But what happens when those very laws are hijacked—used not to protect the innocent, but to cover for terrorists and smear their victims?

Welcome to the world of the UN Human Rights Council’s Commission of Inquiry on Israel, chaired by Navi Pillay. The COI’s latest June 2025 report accuses Israel of the crime of extermination—a grotesque inversion of reality that exposes the entire commission for what it is: propaganda in legal drag. The UN’s Permanent Inquisition

Unlike past UN inquiries that had defined time frames, this Commission of Inquiry is permanent. Established after the 2021 Hamas-Israel war, it was designed to create an endless cycle of condemnation against Israel, regardless of facts. The COI doesn’t just investigate events—it investigates Israel’s existence.

Its leadership? Activists pretending to be in judges’ robes.
Navi Pillay has long lobbied for sanctions against Israel and supports the antisemitic BDS movement.
Miloon Kothari publicly ranted about “the Jewish lobby,” comments so outrageous even the U.S. condemned them as “antisemitic, inappropriate, and corrosive.”
Chris Sidoti mocked accusations of antisemitism, claiming that “Jews throw around accusations of antisemitism like rice at a wedding.”

This is not impartiality. This is a rigged trial. The methodology behind the COI's latest report has raised significant concerns, particularly regarding its lack of transparency. The report relies heavily on anonymous testimony and unverifiable sources, with little to no forensic evidence to back up its claims.


Soldier killed in south Gaza as IDF pursues its ground offensive in shadow of Iran war
An IDF soldier was killed during fighting in southern Gaza on Wednesday, as fierce fighting continued throughout the Strip despite being overshadowed by Israel’s escalating conflict with Iran.

Staff Sgt. Stav Halfon, 20, of the 603rd Combat Engineering Battalion, from Petah Tikva, was killed by sniper fire in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, according to an initial IDF probe.

The military said later Wednesday that an IDF reservist with the 646th Reserve Paratroopers Brigade’s 8105th Battalion was also seriously wounded in southern Gaza, without elaborating on the circumstances.

The news comes two days after two other IDF soldiers, Cpt. (res.) Tal Movshovitz, and Staff Sgt. Naveh Leshem, were killed in separate incidents, also in Khan Younis. Halfon’s death brought Israel’s toll in the ground offensive against Hamas in Gaza and military operations along the border with the Strip to 433.

The IDF said Wednesday that it was continuing to push ahead with its ground offensive in Gaza even while resources and attention have been diverted to the exchanges of fire with Iran. Hamas claimed that more than 140 people had been killed in the Strip over the past day, including the now-daily claim that Palestinians seeking aid boxes were targeted by IDF troops.

The Israeli Air Force carried out strikes on over 75 targets in the Gaza Strip in the past day, IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said Wednesday.

“In the Gaza Strip, we are fighting according to a structured plan with four divisions,” he said.


GHF denounces false media narrative of Palestinians killed at distribution site
The U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation announced it had distributed over 30 million meals in the organization’s first three weeks, including over 3 million meals across three distribution sites on Wednesday.

However, the news was clouded by reports that the Israel Defense Forces killed dozens of Palestinians at a GHF distribution site, a claim the organization said is “categorically untrue.”

“To date, not a single incident has occurred at or in the surrounding vicinity of GHF sites, nor has an incident occurred during our operating hours,” the organization said in a statement. “Our distribution model is secure and designed specifically to prevent this kind of tragedy—even under extreme pressure.”

The incident instead occurred at a United Nations site near the area of Khan Yunis, according to GHF and later confirmed by the Associated Press, though the news organization cited casualty counts from the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. GHF officials stated they were “concerned by the role of the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, certain U.N. officials and Al Jazeera in promoting these false narratives.”

The IDF, which was operating near the area, stated they are “aware of reports regarding a number of injured individuals from IDF fire following the crowd’s approach,” and that “the details of the incident are under review.”

“The IDF regrets any harm to uninvolved individuals and operates to minimize harm as much as possible to them while maintaining the safety of our troops,” the military said.

“It is troubling that GHF is once again being blamed for an incident that occurred at a U.N. site,” the GHF statement continued. “If anything, this underscores the urgent need for the U.N. and other humanitarian actors to reassess their security and distribution protocols.”

GHF stated that the chaos in Gaza will continue until there is enough food in the region. In the meantime, “that chaos must be managed responsibly.”

“In Gaza’s current environment—marked by severe food shortages and widespread desperation—failing to solve for the reality on the ground is having deadly consequences,” the organization stated. “In this environment, accurate reporting is essential.”

“We urge journalists to verify facts before attributing incidents to GHF,” it continued. “GHF remains focused on its mission: to safely, quickly and effectively feed as many people as possible, every day. We urge the media to match that commitment with accuracy.”


Ben Shapiro DESTROYS Jon Stewart’s Take on the Iran Nuclear Deal and Israel
Ben Shapiro dismantles Jon Stewart's take on Iran, nuclear policy, and U.S. involvement in the Middle East.


travelingisrael.com: The JEW hating CNN and the antisemitic BBC. Just can’t stop lying about ISRAEL.
CNN and the BBC aren’t just getting it wrong—they’re deliberately pushing an anti-Israel, antisemitic narrative. While Israel defends itself against Iran’s nuclear and military aggression, these global media giants twist the story to portray the aggressors as victims and the Jewish state as the villain.

In this video, I break down real headlines from CNN and the BBC—and show you how they distort the truth, erase Jewish suffering, and give a free pass to the world’s most dangerous regime. From ignoring Iranian missile strikes on Israeli civilians to mourning for “beautiful Tehran” while Israeli women and children are buried in silence, the bias is undeniable.

The media war against Israel is real—and we must expose it in real-time.


‘At least they’re consistent’: Victorian police alienate Jews at pro-Palestinian protest
Sky News host Caroline Di Russo discusses the recent pro-Palestinian protests in Melbourne, where Victorian police were alienating Jews intending to counter-protest.

“Makes absolutely no sense to me … at least they’ve been consistent,” Ms Di Russo told Sky News host Andrew Bolt.

“The rules need to be applied equally to everyone.”




Tucker Carlson floats situation that warrants nuking Iran during fiery clash with Ted Cruz over Israel conflict
Right-wing pundit Tucker Carlson suggested that the US should contemplate nuking Iran if allegations are true that the theocratic regime has been conspiring to assassinate President Trump, during a fiery two-hour debate with Sen. Ted Cruz.

Carlson scoffed at Cruz (R-Texas) for confirming to him that Tehran has conspired to kill Trump and argued in disbelief that if those accusations are real, the US needs to respond with military force.

“This just seems like a huge headline and you’re acting like everyone knows this. I didn’t know that,” responded Carlson after having needled the Texas Republican for not knowing how many people live in Iran.

Iran-linked assassination plots against the president were widely reported last year during the 2024 election — including a murder-for-hire scheme in retaliation for Trump’s killing of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Major Gen. Qassem Soleimani in 2020 that was thwarted by the feds.

“I’ve never heard evidence that there are hit men in the United States trying to kill Trump right now. We should have a nationwide dragnet on this and we should attack Iran immediately,” Carlson added.

“Why aren’t we at war with them? Why don’t we just nuke Tehran if they’re trying to murder our president? There’s nothing you could do that would be worse for the United States than murdering Trump.”

The former primetime Fox News anchor sounded deeply skeptical that Iran actually tried to kill Trump and took steps beyond a mock video of the regime striking the real estate mogul on a golf course.

Cruz told Carlson that someone had been arrested in an assassination scheme against Trump, but the conservative personality was indignant and grilled him about why he wouldn’t back nuking Iran.


Zohran Mamdani says ‘globalize the intifada’ is expression of Palestinian rights
Zohran Mamdani, a leading candidate in next Tuesday’s New York City mayoral primary, refused to condemn calls to “globalize the intifada” during a new podcast interview with The Bulwark released on Tuesday, arguing the phrase is an expression of Palestinian rights.

In an exchange about antisemitic rhetoric on the left, Mamdani was asked by podcast host Tim Miller to share his thoughts on the phrase, which has been invoked at anti-Israel demonstrations and criticized as an anti-Jewish call to violence.

“To me, ultimately, what I hear in so many is a desperate desire for equality and equal rights in standing up for Palestinian human rights,” said Mamdani, a far-left assemblyman from Queens who has long been an outspoken critic of Israel. “And I think what’s difficult also is that the very word has been used by the Holocaust Museum when translating the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising into Arabic, because it’s a word that means struggle,” he said, apparently referring to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington.

He added that, “as a Muslim man who grew up post-9/11, I’m all too familiar in the way in which Arabic words can be twisted, can be distorted, can be used to justify any kind of meaning.”

“I think that’s where it leaves me with a sense that what we need to do is focus on keeping Jewish New Yorkers safe,” Mamdani continued, after noting that antisemitism is a “real issue” he plans to address if elected mayor. “The question of the permissibility of language is something that I haven’t ventured into.”


Holocaust Museum Condemns NYC Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani for Defending 'Globalize the Intifada'
The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum on Wednesday blasted attempts to "sanitize" the anti-Semitic slogan "globalize the intifada" as "outrageous and especially offensive to survivors" one day after socialist New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani invoked the museum to defend the phrase.

"Exploiting the Museum and the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising to sanitize 'globalize the intifada' is outrageous and especially offensive to survivors," the museum wrote in a Wednesday morning X post. "Since 1987 Jews have been attacked and murdered under its banner. All leaders must condemn its use and the abuse of history."

While the museum's post did not name Mamdani, the candidate during Tuesday's Bulwark podcast defended the phrase "globalize the intifada," a popular chant at anti-Israel protests that calls for violence against Jews worldwide.

The mayoral candidate is polling in second place behind former New York governor Andrew Cuomo (D.), who has called rising anti-Semitism "the most important issue" in the race. Cuomo has condemned calls to "globalize the intifada," saying that such slogans are "giving license to come after Jews."

Mamdani claimed during the podcast that the phrase "globalize the intifada" has been misunderstood. "To me, ultimately, what I hear in so many is a desperate desire for equality and equal rights in standing up for Palestinian human rights," he said. "And I think what's difficult also is that the very word [intifada] has been used by the Holocaust Museum when translating the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising into Arabic, because it's a word that means struggle."

"As a Muslim man who grew up post-9/11, I'm all too familiar in the way in which Arabic words can be twisted, can be distorted, can be used to justify any kind of meaning," Mamdani went on. He said he is uncomfortable with "the idea of banning" the phrases "globalize the intifada" and other anti-Semitic slogans such as "from the river to the sea," which calls for the destruction of Israel.

Mamdani, a state assemblyman from Queens and member of the Democratic Socialists of America, has long faced scrutiny over his anti-Israel stances.

Just a day after Hamas's Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel, Mamdani released a statement decrying "Netanyahu's declaration of war" and "the Israeli government's decision to cut electricity to Gaza." A week later, Mamdani took to the street and was arrested outside Sen. Chuck Schumer's (D., N.Y.) home in Brooklyn, demanding that Schumer stop Israel from retaliating against Hamas terrorists.

Mamdani has also refused to acknowledge Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state, expressed support for the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement, and declared that, if elected mayor, he will not visit the country.


Cuomo denounces Mamdani for defending calls to ‘globalize the intifada’
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo spoke out against Zohran Mamdani, his top rival in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary on Tuesday, for defending calls to “globalize the intifada” in a widely criticized podcast appearance this week.

“Yesterday when Zohran Mamdani was asked a direct question about what he thought of the phrase ‘globalize the intifada,’ he dismissed it as ‘language that is subject to interpretation,’” Cuomo said in a social media post on Wednesday. “That is not only wrong — it is dangerous. At a time when we are seeing antisemitism on the rise and in fact witnessing once again violence against Jews resulting in their deaths in Washington, D.C., or their burning in Denver — we know all too well that words matter. They fuel hate. They fuel murder.”

Mamdani, a far-left state assemblyman from Queens who is polling in second place behind Cuomo, has faced backlash over his comments in an interview with The Bulwark, where he characterized the slogan heard frequently at anti-Israel protests as an expression of Palestinian rights and invoked a prominent act of Jewish resistance to Nazi Germany to justify its usage, even as the phrase has been criticized as a call to violence against Jews.

“I think what’s difficult also is that the very word has been used by the Holocaust Museum when translating the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising into Arabic, because it’s a word that means struggle,” Mamdani said on the podcast, in an apparent reference to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington.

For its part, the museum, which rarely weighs in on domestic politics, dismissed Mamdani’s comments in a sharply worded social media post on Wednesday that did not mention him by name.

“Exploiting the Museum and the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising to sanitize ‘globalize the intifada’ is outrageous and especially offensive to survivors,” the museum said. “Since 1987 Jews have been attacked and murdered under its banner. All leaders must condemn its use and the abuse of history.”

Pressed to respond to the outage over his comments, Mamdani said in an emotional press conference on Wednesday that he is frequently targeted for his Muslim faith. “I try not to talk about it,” he said, choking up. “My focus has always been on making this a city that’s affordable, on making this a city that every New Yorker sees themself in,” he added, “and it takes a toll.”


CAIR Quietly Puts $100K Behind Zohran Mamdani’s Bid for NYC Mayor
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, the anti-Israel group whose leader said he was "happy" about Oct. 7, is quietly funding socialist Zohran Mamdani’s bid for New York City mayor.

The Unity & Justice Fund, which CAIR formed last year to expand its political influence, has contributed $100,000 to New Yorkers for Lower Costs, the largest PAC supporting Mamdani, according to campaign records. The money was split between a $25,000 gift on May 30 and a $75,000 donation on June 16.

In Facebook ads and mailers, New Yorkers for Lower Costs touts Mamdani’s pledges to "freeze the rent" in New York City and "make groceries less expensive," while casting him as a progressive alternative to campaign frontrunner Andrew Cuomo.

But the backing of the Unity & Justice Fund and other anti-Israel organizations suggests New Yorkers for Lower Cost’s true interest in Mamdani lies in his anti-Israel views. Mamdani has refused to acknowledge Israel’s right to exist and earlier this week defended the phrase "Globalize the Intifada," a rallying cry for violence against Jews worldwide.

CAIR launched the Unity & Justice Fund in order to "use money to protect the interests of the [Muslim] community," CAIR executive director Nihad Awad said in an interview last year. Awad gained national attention in late 2023 for stating he was "happy to see" Hamas attack Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

Other anti-Israel organizations and activists have donated to New Yorkers for Lower Costs. Anti-Semitic activist Linda Sarsour contributed $2,500 to the Unity & Justice Fund. End the Occupation, affiliated with the anti-Israel group IfNotNow, contributed $1,000 this week. The Truth Project, a New Jersey-based group that accuses Israel of "genocide," gave $10,000 to New Yorkers for Lower Costs on June 9, records show.

Mamdani, a member of both the Democratic Party and Democratic Socialists of America, trails Cuomo by double digits in most recent polls, but his campaign has gained steam in recent weeks following endorsements from progressive darlings like Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.). Amid Mamdani’s rise, a group supporting Cuomo called Fix the City recently spent $5.4 million on television ads that portray Mamdani as radical, highlighting his proposals to use New York’s subway system to house the homeless and his calls to defund police.
Zohran Mamdani has barely ever had a job, with just 3 years in the workforce — including his ‘rap career’ and a gig for his mom
Zohran Mamdani has barely ever held a job, admitted he’s a nepo baby and has no experience in local government, The Post has learned.

New York City Mayor candidate Mamdani – who has lived most of his life in subsidized housing – failed in his attempts to be a rapper, musician and managing previous political campaigns.

An analysis of the 33-year-old’s work history shows he has been employed for only approximately three years in the time between graduating college in 2014 and being elected to the New York State Assembly in 2020.

Behind the shiny social media posts of the progressive upstart there is little substance and no proof of success, critics point out.

“What does this guy know?” said political strategist Hank Sheinkopf. “He’s a make believe character who has no idea how the city works, how to run a jail, how to run a subway system and the biggest sanitation department in the country.

“Who would he even surround himself with? Children like him?”

Uganda-born Mamdani’s resume starts in 2014 after he graduated from Bowdoin College in Maine with a degree in Africana Studies.

He worked as an organizer for advocacy group MoveOn in Seattle four months. They want to create a “inclusive and progressive future,” according to its mission statement, which adds “We envision a world marked by equality, sustainability, justice, and love. “

He then spent two months at TexPIRG, an advocacy group in Texas, according to the New York Times, which cited his old resumes.

In 2015, he worked as music supervisor on “Queen of Katwe,” a Hollywood film about a chess prodigy from a shantytown on the outskirts of Kampala, directed by his mother, Mira Nair, an Oscar-nominated filmmaker.


Taoiseach Micheál Martin's office vandalised as details of 'personal threats' emerge
Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s office in Cork was vandalised overnight, the Irish Mirror can reveal.

Pictures shared online on Wednesday morning showed “Zionist pawn” written on the window and red paint on the front of the building.

A pamphlet was also fixed to the door of the office, making allegations against the Taoiseach and the Irish Government in relation to the conflict in Gaza.

On Wednesday morning, Gardai were collecting evidence at the office, which has several CCTV security cameras.

A spokesman for the Taoiseach confirmed to the Irish Mirror that this is the third such attack on the office in Turner’s Cross, Cork.

They also said that “personal threats” against Mr Martin had been made to the office in recent times as the spokesman condemned the attacks.

He said: “I can confirm there was an act of vandalism on the constituency office last night, this is the third such attack.

“Personal threats have also previously been sent to the office, warning the Taoiseach it will be made impossible for him to navigate in public spaces.


Kneecap rapper Mo Chara bailed after terror charge over alleged Hezbollah flag display
Mo Chara, lead vocalist of Irish rap group Kneecap, has been released on unconditional bail following a court appearance over a terrorism-related charge connected to his alleged display of the Hezbollah flag.

The 26-year-old rapper, whose real name is Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday accused of displaying an item in support of a proscribed terrorist organisation. The charge relates to footage from a November 2024 performance in London, in which he was allegedly seen draped in a Hezbollah flag while chanting “up Hamas, up Hezbollah”.

In the early 2000s the British government made a distinction between different ‘wings’ of both Hamas and Hezbollah, proscribing their military ‘wings’ while enabling their political ‘wings’ to continue operating in the UK. However, Hezbollah was proscribed in full in 2019 and Hamas in full in 2021, with the acknowledgement that there were no fundamental differences between different elements of the same terrorist groups.

Prosecutor Michael Bisgrove told the court that the case was “not about Mr Ó hAnnaidh’s support for Palestinians or criticism of Israel” and confirmed the defendant was “within his rights” to express political views. However, he said the charge related specifically to the promotion of a banned organisation. Irish rap trio Kneecap, known for their provocative lyrics and political activism. Photo taken from X

Ó hAnnaidh’s lawyer, Brenda Campbell KC, argued the court lacked jurisdiction and claimed the case should be dismissed, citing that the charge was filed more than six months after the alleged offence – a point the prosecution disputes.


Dublin School: We’re cancelling “pray for Palestine” day
One of the faster u-turns in Ireland in recent years was performed this week by a South Dublin Primary School.

On Monday, Mount Anville Primary School issued a letter to all parents informing “the school community” that Friday, June 20th, would be “Prayer for Palestine” day, during which the school would “focus on Palestine”.

The letter to parents said that the day in question would see the school talk about Palestinian culture, food, art, and geography. Parents were also informed that the day would be about “reaching out in compassion and solidarity” to “the innocent children of Gaza who are suffering unprecedented suffering and starvation”:

Gript Media understands that the letter provoked a strong and angry reaction from a section of parents within the school, who objected to the “one sided” and “political” nature of the proposed event. One parent said that the school’s proposal was particularly objectionable in the context of the suffering inflicted on Israeli children on October 7th 2023, which included the murdering of parents and grandparents in front of children’s eyes, as well as the kidnapping and subsequent murder of the Bibas children and their mother. Irish child Emily Hand was also kidnapped by Hamas that day.

Another parent raised concern about the event “indoctrinating” children, noting that the proposed event would “discuss the geography of Palestine, whatever that means, since there is no agreed geographical limit on the territory of a Palestinian state”. “The Palestinian Authority and Hamas both claim the entire land of Israel as being rightfully Palestinian”, the parent went on. “Does that mean that children were to be taught that Israel is illegitimate?”

A third parent noted that the focus on Palestine was unusual, given the vastly greater number of children at risk of starvation and hunger in Sudan. “This just feels nakedly political”, she said.


US State Department to vet social media of student visa applicants for signs of terrorist group support
The U.S. State Department announced on Wednesday changes in the procedures for vetting student visa applicants.

“It is an expectation from American citizens that their government will make every effort to make our country safer, and that is exactly what the Trump administration is doing every single day,” a senior State Department official said. “This is particularly true when it comes to our visa system.”

Amid a number of controversies involving the detention and proposed deportations of several foreign students deemed to be supporting Hamas and other terrorist organizations, which have brought about court challenges, the State Department announced that it is “helping to make America and its universities safer while bringing the State Department into the 21st century.”

Under new guidance issued to consular officers, a “comprehensive and thorough vetting” of all applicants for student and exchange visitor visas will include applications being “asked” to adjust their social-media privacy settings to allow for public viewing.

JNS has learned that applicants will be told that their failure to do so could be construed as an effort to evade or hide certain activity.

Consular officials are being told to look for “any indications of hostility toward the citizens, culture, government, institutions or founding principles of the United States,” JNS has learned.

“The enhanced social-media vetting will ensure we are properly screening every single person attempting to visit our country,” said the senior official.


“Unconscionable and unforgivable”: Gibson hasn't been absolved of antisemitism by former costar
Mel Gibson might be making movies again, but that doesn't mean all of Hollywood has forgiven him.

Jason Isaacs, who starred in "The Patriot" with Gibson, said he still can't consider Gibson a friend thanks to his infamous antisemitic rant in 2006. Isaacs, who is Jewish, revealed his animosity toward the Aussie actor in an interview with Vulture.

“He’s said and done some things that are unconscionable and unforgivable,” he told the outlet.

Isaacs told the magazine that his feelings about Gibson are complicated.

"He was very charming personally, and he’s intelligent and self-deprecating," he said. "I’m not saying I forgive Mel."

"The White Lotus" star gave Gibson a pass in person when the pair met at a charity event. Isaacs said that Gibson overwhelmed him with a litany of his troubles.

"I hadn’t seen him since that terrible antisemitic outburst when he got stopped by the police," he said. "I went, 'Rabbi Gibson, how are we?' He came up and he said, 'I was really drunk, man. I was trying to get him to hit me or shoot me or something. I’m having a terrible time.'"

In the moment, Isaacs found it tough to stay mad.

"He proceeded to unload some very personal things. He’s not my friend, but — maybe to my eternal shame — I forgave him instantly because he was there making himself vulnerable," he said.

Still, Isaacs doesn't believe a full absolution of Gibson's sins is appropriate.

"You can’t forgive everything from everyone," he said. "I have no idea what to do about him. But if he knocked on my door tonight and said, 'Look, my hotel’s canceled. Can I stay?' I’d say, 'Yes,' probably."


Cosmetics company founder claims Israel harvests children’s organs
The founder of a global cosmetics brand has shared a conspiracy theory accusing Israel of harvesting children’s organs.

Iraqi-American businesswoman Huda Kattan, head of Huda Beauty, posted the claim on her Instagram account on Tuesday, where she has more than 50 million followers.

Kattan launched the Dubai-based beauty brand with her sisters Mona and Alya in 2013. The company is now valued at around £888 million, with annual sales of £148 million. Its 140-product range is stocked by major retailers including Sephora, Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Selfridges, Boots and Cult Beauty.

In posts to the 4.7 million followers on her personal social media page, Kattan wrote: “Reminder that Israel has a booming organ trade from Palestinian bodies” alongside a video of Israeli anthropologist Meira Weiss, whose book ‘Over Their Dead Bodies’ claimed organs were taken from dead Palestinians between 1996 and 2002.

Kattan goes on to post a claim that Jewish settlers are “inbreds”.

In a veritable catalogue of reposts and posts after 7 October 2023, she accuses Israel of apartheid and reposts a claim that “Israel is murdering Palestinian children deliberately.”

Jewish News has contacted representatives for Huda Beauty, Boots, Harvey Nichols, Harrods, Selfridges, Sephora and Cult Beauty for comment.


Toyota designer called BBC employee ‘vile Jew’ and ‘little rat’
A Jewish employee at the BBC has been called a “vile Zionist Jew” and a “little rat” on social media by a senior employee at Toyota, the JC can reveal.

The comments directed at Raffi Berg, the BBC’s online Middle East editor, were just some of a catalogue of anti-Israel and antisemitic remarks posted by an X account which the JC understands to belong to Piotr Klarowski, who has worked for the automotive manufacturer for three years.

According to his public LinkedIn profile, Klarowski is a senior product experience designer at Woven by Toyota – a subsidiary of the Toyota Motor Corporation, responsible for developing future technology.

Based in Tokyo, Japan, Klarowski’s bio on X reads: “From The River To The Sea, Palestine Will Be Free. Israel, a settler-colonial, genocidal, Jewish, apartheid state has to be destroyed. BDS isn’t enough.”

In one tweet from March 27, 2025, in a response to a BBC article about Palestinians protesting in Gaza against Hamas, Klarowski allegedly wrote: “The little rat and Israel fanboy Raffi Berg, the Middle East editor at BBC, was definitely happy to publish this one.”

In another, from April 10, in response to a BBC article reporting on the violent treatment of some Palestinians in Israeli prisons, he said: “Is Raffi Berg, the vile Zionist Jew, supporter of Israel’s genocide and war crimes and the Middle East editor at BBC on his annual leave?”

Then, on May 31, the account posted a tweet asking if Berg, “the filthy Zionist Jew” was “finally sacked”.

And on April 8, the account described Berg as a “supporter of the genocide of Palestinians and other war crimes committed by the Israeli Zionist Jews,” and accused the BBC of having a “pro-Israel bias going way back”.

In January, the JC reported that Berg was intending to sue Owen Jones after an article by the columnist and activist led to a torrent of antisemitic abuse, including death threats.
Man claiming to be Messiah smashes up Milwaukee synagogue causing $100,000 in damages - interview
A “violent” and “destructive” individual has been arrested after vandalizing a Milwaukee synagogue on Sunday morning, causing $100,00 worth of damages, the shul’s rabbi told The Jerusalem Post on Monday.

Rabbi Gil-Ezer Lerer of Temple Menorah told the Post that the man had been on their radar for several weeks already, having caused damage a few weeks ago. Antisemitism is at a record high. We're keeping our eyes on it >>

“He would always tell me that he’s the messiah, but mainly, he’d do harmless things,” Lerer said.

A few weeks ago, the man left a manifesto with an address on it, which led the Milwaukee Police Department to arrest him.

He was very upset at the synagogue, telling the rabbi, “You got me arrested; I’m angry; I’m just the messiah.”
Maryland man charged with making ‘numerous’ threats against Jewish institutions
The federal government arrested Clift A. Seferlis, 55, of Garrett Park, Md., and charged him with sending “numerous” threats to Jewish institutions since March 2024.

“The defendant is alleged to have sent numerous written threats through the mail to Jewish organizations and entities located in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere,” the Justice Department stated on Tuesday.

“Many of these letters threaten the Jewish institutions and contain references to Gaza, Israel or events in which Jewish people were killed or otherwise attacked,” the department said. “The letters then suggest that the recipients might become victims of similar acts of violence.”

Per the criminal complaint, which JNS viewed, recent letters referred specifically to the gunman killing two Israeli embassy staffers outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington on May 22.

“I just wanted to say you are going to have to be more reliant than ever on your donors. But, at some point, that money too will become less and less,” the defendant allegedly wrote to a Jewish institution in Philadelphia.

The letter added that the hatred toward the institution, “and especially the nation of Israel, is at an all-time high and is only getting worse.” It asked the institution’s staff if, deep down,” it really cares “about what is going on in Gaza,” asking whether it would “take something” happening to the “beloved” institution “to make that happen.”

Other threatening letters, which Seferlis allegedly sent to a Jewish institution, referred to the latter’s “many big open windows,” “Kristallnacht,” “anger and rage” and a need in the future to “rebuild” the site after it is destroyed.
‘Go burn in an oven’: Florida man charged with antisemitic threats
Jackson Traylor, 26, of Dania Beach, Fla., is charged with sending “more than 10” threatening text messages to a Jewish person and concealing his identity by changing numbers.

Traylor allegedly did so over the course of nine months, according to an indictment that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland unsealed on Tuesday. (The Jewish victim lives in Maryland.)

The messages, sent between July 9, 2024, and April 10, 2025, include the statements, “Go burn in an oven like your ancestors,” “Burn in a god damn oven … Stupid jew” and “Hey Jew, been a while since we spoke. Let me burn you alive like your ancestors. Hail Hitler.”

The defendant faces up to two years in prison.


Birthright Israel evacuates 1,500 participants in ‘unprecedented’ op
Birthright Israel announced on Tuesday that it had launched an “unprecedented emergency operation” to evacuate nearly 2,800 young Jews stranded in Israel following the launch of “Operation Rising Lion” against Iran.

The first group, of 1,500 Birthright participants, departed Israel for Cyprus by cruise ship on Tuesday, the foundation announced. The 13-hour voyage across the Mediterranean was carried out under the protection of the Israeli Navy.

From Larnaca, the evacuees will continue on to their countries of origin, with U.S. participants being flown to Tampa International Airport on four wide-body planes chartered by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

Birthright participants from other countries will have separate travel arrangements made for them, with all transportation costs fully covered.

Priority in Tuesday’s evacuation was given to those nearing the end of their 10-day trip when the conflict erupted, “ensuring their safe and timely return to their home countries.”

“Today, we witnessed the true spirit of Birthright Israel—not only as an educational journey, but as a global family committed to the safety and well-being of every participant,” said Birthright Israel CEO Gidi Mark.

The sea voyage “was a complex and emotional operation, carried out under immense pressure, and we are proud to have brought 1,500 young adults safely to Cyprus,” the CEO noted in a statement.

“Our team continues to work around the clock to secure solutions for the remaining participants still in Israel,” said Mark.


Mossad Agent Tells Us The Mossad’s Biggest Secrets
Israel's national intelligence agency Mossad has long had the reputation of being one of world's most professional and cunning intelligence agencies.

Recent operations, such as the pager attacks against Hezbollah in Lebanon or building a drone base inside Iran before the attacks on the Islamic regime's nuclear facilities have only cemented that reputation.

Israel The Visegrad24 founder Stefan Tompson met in Tel Aviv with the former Mossad agent Avner Avraham to ask him which 5 Mossad operations he considers as the agency's most daring and well-executed plans.

The answers were the following:
1. Operation Finale (1960): Mossad agents captured Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann in Argentina and brought him to Israel for trial.​
2. Operation Diamond (1966): Mossad facilitated the defection of Iraqi pilot Munir Redfa, who delivered a Soviet-built MiG-21 jet to Israel, providing valuable intelligence.​
3. Operation Wrath of God (1972): In response to the Munich massacre, Mossad targeted individuals involved in the attack on Israeli athletes.​
4. Operation Moses (1984): Mossad orchestrated the evacuation of Ethiopian Jews facing famine and persecution, relocating them safely to Israel.​
5. Assassination of Ismail Haniyeh (2024): Mossad reportedly eliminated the Hamas leader in Tehran, showcasing its reach and precision.

00:00 - Introduction
00:51 - Catching Eichmann
03:06 - Flying out of Iraq
05:41 - Revenge for Munich
07:50 - Beach party in Sudan
09:50 - Haniyeh visits Tehran




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