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Monday, August 25, 2025

08/25 Links Pt1: The hostages are Hamas’s last cards to play – and it will never give them up; In Gaza, they film; in Sudan, they die: The politics of humanitarianism

From Ian:

In Gaza, they film; in Sudan, they die: The politics of humanitarianism
The UN-affiliated Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has published a report claiming “mass famine” in Gaza. The announcement made instant headlines worldwide. But behind the drama was a quiet, extraordinary shift in methodology. Instead of the accepted global standards for measuring malnutrition, the IPC downgraded its criteria, relying on mid-arm circumference instead of weight-to-height and lowering the threshold for acute malnutrition from 30% to just 15%.

These drastic changes appeared only in a footnote. However, the global media treat them as hard facts, blasting headlines that Israel is responsible for “starving Gaza.” Amnesty International has gone even further, accusing Israel of running a “deliberate starvation project.”

The real question is not about the numbers themselves but about perspective. Why does Gaza dominate the global stage while large-scale famines – such as the one unfolding right now in Sudan – barely register? The answer: political humanitarianism.

According to that very same IPC report, nearly 24 million Sudanese face food insecurity. Over eight million are in emergency conditions, and tens of thousands are already in famine. Unlike the disputed Gaza numbers, these are facts that no one contests. Yet, Sudan earns almost no front-page coverage, no mass demonstrations in Western capitals, and no urgent debates in the UN.

Why? Because Hamas has perfected the art of weaponizing human suffering. It blocks aid, manipulates data, and circulates shocking images, all to increase international pressure on Israel. Western media, predisposed to highlight Israel’s faults, plays along.

Sudan’s generals, by contrast, are not running a global PR campaign. There are no glossy NGO videos, no Hollywood stars hugging starving children, no UN resolutions on endless repeat. Most of all, there is no link to Israel or the Jews. The result: Mass death in Sudan remains invisible.
Sanders’s criticism of Israel helps its enemies
Every poll in the United States and Europe reflects a steep rise in antisemitism, nationally and globally. Antisemitism—the oldest hatred—has been around for millennia. It is currently being fueled by the rise of Western progressivism, Arab petrol-dollars and an anti-white ideology that lumps Jews as white oppressors of Palestinians.

The distorted treatment of Israel on the world stage can be exemplified by a recent TV interview between Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and CNN news anchor Dana Bash. Sanders, echoing Hamas propaganda, blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and not the terrorists for the situation in the Gaza Strip. Of course, Sanders showed no empathy for the remaining Israeli hostages being starved in Hamas’s tunnels. Nor did he show much compassion for Israel, which experienced the trauma of Oct. 7 and the Hamas-led massacre that included decapitating babies, raping and murdering women, and killing children in front of their parents; crimes against Jews that haven’t been seen since the Holocaust.

Sanders accused Netanyahu and Israel of “going to war against the entire Palestinian people” and being responsible for “some 60,000 who are dead, most of whom are women and children and the elderly.”

The senator has accepted the unsubstantiated figures that Hamas has provided, even though Hamas’s casualty figures do not differentiate between Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad fighters, the civilians they use as human shields, and Gazans executed for opposing Hamas or stealing food.

Asked if Hamas has any culpability, the Jewish senator’s response was no. Instead, he told Bash that “on top of all that human destruction … what Netanyahu does is impose a blockade preventing food to come in, and people are starving to death.”

Sanders’s assertion that Netanyahu is starving Palestinians in Gaza is a despicable lie. Hundreds of trucks filled with humanitarian aid at the Kerem Shalom border crossing have been turned over for distribution to the Gazans. Yet the United Nations, which is doing Hamas’s bidding, has done nothing but condemn Israel. Moreover, Israel has allowed food packages to be air-dropped into Gaza in coordination with the United States. Sanders should know all of this, but it appears he has chosen to ignore it for political reasons.
Bassam Tawil: Qatar's Muslim Scholars: Nothing More Important Than Killing Israelis
As far as Qatar's Muslim scholars are concerned... the war in the Gaza Strip did not start on the day Hamas launched its invasion of Israel. Rather, the war began the moment Israel fired back, and the only victims are the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, not those who were murdered, raped, beheaded and burned alive on October 7.

Several Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain have added Qatar's IUMS to their terrorism blacklists, saying it used "Islamic rhetoric as a cover to facilitate terrorist activities."

Needless to say, the scholars have not called on Hamas to release the Israeli hostages and accept a ceasefire that would end the war and the suffering of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Instead, the conference has unleashed scathing criticism of Israel for daring to defend itself against Hamas's terrorism.

For the Muslim scholars, boycotting and isolating Israel is more important than halting the death and destruction in the Gaza Strip. Their interpretation of Sharia laws and international humanitarian principles suggests that it is fine to sacrifice as many Palestinians as necessary for the sake of murdering Jews and destroying Israel.

The IUMS's position does not come as a surprise. Instead of urging Muslims to denounce terrorism and renounce violence, the organization, earlier this year, issued a fatwa (Islamic ruling) in which it called on all Muslims to wage Jihad (holy war) against Israel. The scholars want to see Muslims commit more massacres against Jews.

Once again, Qatar and Turkey have proven that their top priority is to promote the Muslim Brotherhood and its affiliates as part of the Islamists' Jihad to destroy Israel.... It is time for the Trump administration to call out Qatar and Turkey for their ongoing support for Hamas. It is also time for the US to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.

Once again, Qatar and Turkey have proven that their top priority is to promote the Muslim Brotherhood and its affiliates as part of the Islamists' Jihad to destroy Israel.... It is time for the Trump administration to call out Qatar and Turkey for their ongoing support for Hamas. It is also time for the US to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.


The hostages are Hamas’s last cards to play – and it will never give them up
It has been more than 675 days since October 7, 2023, at the time of writing, and after endless negotiations and military operations, we need to face the harsh and unfortunate reality that the hostages may not come back. Hamas is a radical terrorist organization and an Islamist jihadist group that will die for its cursed goals. A deal will happen only if Hamas finds it preferable to make a deal than to not make one. Unfortunately, after almost two years, it simply does not seem realistic.

Let's take a look at the last two deals: The first one was announced on November 22, 2023 – around 50 days after the start of the war. Hamas was feeling the pressure. The IDF had entered Gaza and from Hamas’s perspective, swapping several hostages for a greater number of terrorist prisoners held in Israel, in addition to a week’s pause in the fighting, was a good deal. Hamas had time to reorganize itself, making this deal seem profitable to it – it got to keep a significant number of the hostages and saw less pressure from Qatar and Egypt.

In the second deal, which was seven months ago, the situation was completely different; the IDF had already entered Rafah and held a significant part of the Gaza Strip. This time, Hamas gained two months’ pause in the fighting, more than 2,000 terrorists released – some of them with life sentences – and also much-needed humanitarian aid. And even then, the terrorist organization still holds 20 aces – 20 hostages who are still alive, including IDF soldiers and young men.

Hostages: Hamas's final cards to play
Israel has shown its full commitment to Hamas's elimination. In Hamas's eyes, if it loses those cards, it will be fully unprotected from the IDF, which, to some extent, avoided risking the lives of hostages by entering areas that were known to have hostages.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated several times that Israel will not accept any form of Hamas or Fatah rule in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas seems to be holding onto its last aces and is dragging progress on the deal, as stated by the US. Israel had accepted several proposals made by US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, but Hamas keeps making unacceptable demands for a near-total IDF withdrawal from Gaza – something that seems impossible after almost two years of the IDF fighting to ensure Israel’s security.

It seems that in all the previously pitched deals, Hamas didn’t have to lose all of its cards, and it gained more than it lost. But now, Hamas sees that its final cards are the most valuable, since they prevent – at least to some extent – Israel from a final major operation that would endanger the hostages.
Qatar presents 'new additions' to Gaza hostage deal, sources tell 'Post'
In recent days, Qatar has conveyed a series of “new ideas, as additions to the existing framework, in hopes that the new proposal will enable Israel to accept the framework,” two sources with knowledge of the matter told The Jerusalem Post on Monday.

According to the sources, the proposal is based on the framework for the release of 10 hostages presented last week. Israel has said it was only willing to discuss a framework that includes the release of all the hostages.

Israeli officials met on Monday with a delegation of working-level representatives from Egypt in an attempt to coordinate the start of negotiations for the release of all the hostages held in Gaza.

The officials said Israel was adhering to the conditions presented by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

PMO: Israel will only agree to full hostage deal
Israel would only accept a comprehensive deal that secures the release of all the captives at the same time, the Prime Minister’s Office said earlier this month.

“The Prime Minister’s Office clarifies that Israel will agree to a deal on condition that all the hostages are released in one go and in accordance with our conditions for ending the war, which include the disarming of Hamas, the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip, Israeli control of the Gaza perimeter, and the installation of non-Hamas and non-Palestinian Authority governance that will live in peace with Israel,” it said in a statement.

In the weeks after Netanyahu’s statement, protests calling on the government to reach a deal continued across the country.
Trump claims Gaza war to reach ‘conclusive ending’ in two to three weeks
US President Donald Trump on Monday claimed that the Gaza war will reach a “conclusive ending” in the next two or three weeks, saying that there was a serious “diplomatic push” underway to end the nearly two-year conflict.

“I think within the next two to three weeks, you’re going to have pretty good, conclusive — a conclusive ending,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

What Trump based his prediction on was unclear, given that Israel has indicated it is not interested in the phased ceasefire proposal that Hamas agreed to last week. Rather, the Israeli government has instead been moving ahead with plans to conquer Gaza City, which is expected to take at least several months.

Trump has repeatedly used a “two-week” timeline to predict when major developments will unfold, both at home and abroad —from the Russia-Ukraine war, to Iranian nuclear negotiations, to talks on tariffs — though it has often not held up. Earlier in the summer, Trump repeatedly predicted an imminent deal to free hostages that did not materialize.

He appeared to hedge Monday’s prediction regarding the Gaza war: “It’s a hard thing to say because they’ve been fighting for thousands of years. But I think we’re doing a very good job,” he said. “But it does have to end, but people can’t forget October 7,” the date of the 2023 Hamas-led massacre of some 1,200 people that launched the war

Trump’s comments come as pressure has mounted within Israel for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept a temporary ceasefire. Earlier this month, following Israel’s decision to move forward with the conquest of Gaza City, Hamas accepted a proposed agreement that would see 10 living hostages exchanged for Palestinian security prisoners during a 60-day truce that could be extended to a second phase if the sides agreed to terms on a permanent ceasefire.


Israel Is Coming For Hamas’s Final Battalions and they have NOWHERE Else To Run!

Netanyahu hails Hezbollah disarmament plan, pledges Israeli support
Israel stands ready to support Lebanon in its efforts to disarm Hezbollah, and to work together towards a more secure and stable future for both nations, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Monday.

The premier hailed Beirut’s early-August approval of a U.S.-backed plan as a “significant step” and a “momentous decision.” The plan directs the army to begin working toward the disarmament of Hezbollah and all other non-state armed groups by the end of 2025.

“If the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) take the necessary steps to implement the disarmament of Hezbollah, Israel will engage in reciprocal measures, including a phased reduction of IDF presence in coordination with the U.S.-led security mechanism,” said Netanyahu.

“Now is the time for both Israel and Lebanon to move forward in a spirit of cooperation, focusing on the shared objective of disarming Hezbollah and promoting the stability and prosperity of both nations,” the statement concluded.

The statement comes a day after Netanyahu reportedly met in Israel with U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack to discuss the situations in Syria and Lebanon.


Israel acknowledges mistaken killing of civilians in hospital airstrike
Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office issued a statement expressing its deep regret for the inadvertent killing of civilians in Gaza, including several journalists, at the Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis in the southern part of the Strip on Monday.

Reuters reported that at least 20 people were killed, including five journalists who worked for its outlet, the Associated Press and Al Jazeera, among others.

“Israel values the work of journalists, medical staff and all civilians. The military authorities are conducting a thorough investigation,” the PMO said.

“Our war is with Hamas terrorists. Our just goals are defeating Hamas and bringing our hostages home,” it added.

Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin, spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces, said: “I would like to be clear from the start—the IDF does not intentionally target civilians.”

He acknowledged there was an airstrike near Nasser Hospital and that there were reports of civilian casualties, including journalists.

Israel’s military is operating in an extremely complex reality, Defrin stated, in which Hamas terrorists deliberately use civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, as cover. They have operated from the Nasser hospital itself.


IDF admits mistaken attack on hospital killing journalists, other civilians
The IDF on Monday finally admitted mistakenly attacking Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, killing well-known journalists, including from Reuters, and as many as 14 others.

Next, the military admitted that the attack on the hospital was approved, meaning there was some Hamas target in place. It said it is probing the attack, meaning significant aspects of the attack and its results are viewed as a major mistake.

The IDF said it did not intend to harm journalists or innocent Palestinian civilians.

Earlier in the day, IDF sources told The Jerusalem Post the IAF was not in charge of anything related to any operation in that area. They said the “address” for managing any such attack would have been IDF Southern Command, which is headed by Maj.-Gen. Yaniv Asor, although different levels of officials approve targets of varying levels of sensitivity.

It appeared that the attack was carried out with shelling, although it was still unclear whether the shells were fired by a tank or by artillery, with no IDF sources denying this narrative.

In addition, the IDF did not deny that there were two separate rounds of fire on the hospital. The second round caused additional deadly harm to medical and media officials who came to the scene to try to assist after the first strike.


Seth Frantzman: An endless challenge in Gaza, from Nasser Hospital to Gaza City
The bombing of Nasser Hospital this week is an example of the problem. Nasser Hospital is in Khan Yunis. The IDF has cleared this area in the past. Then the IDF left and the area returned to Hamas rule.

“During the last week, the precise operation of the 98th Division and Shayetet 13 against the Hamas terrorist organization in the area of the Nasser Hospital was concluded,” the IDF said in February 2024. “During the operational activity, boxes of sealed medicines were found in the hospital with the names of Israeli hostages on them, large quantities of weapons were found, and about 200 terrorists and suspects in terrorist activities were detained.”

DESPITE THIS tactical success, the hospital and the area around it in Khan Yunis were returned to Hamas. Then the IDF had to retake Khan Yunis several times.

The IDF returned this May and June to retake areas it had already taken in 2024. Nasser Hospital, once cleared of terrorists, has reverted to become a war zone.

“Earlier today, IDF troops carried out a strike in the area of Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis,” the IDF reported Monday. “The chief of the General Staff [gave instructions] to conduct an initial inquiry as soon as possible. The IDF regrets any harm to uninvolved individuals and does not target journalists as such. The IDF acts to mitigate harm to uninvolved individuals as much as possible while maintaining the safety of IDF troops.”

The Nasser Hospital strike is a symbol of the larger challenge of Gaza City. That several months into Operation Gideon’s Chariots there are still threats in Khan Yunis illustrates that the IDF has not actually pacified or cleared the 75% of Gaza that it has claimed to control.

In many areas, Hamas continues to try to infiltrate back or has, in fact, already infiltrated. In some cases, such as Beit Hanun, an area was left in the rear and not even cleared until this July. Then, when it was cleared, the entire town had to be flattened to remove Hamas.

This has appeared to be the only method that is seen as working in Gaza. It means removing the civilians and then flattening urban areas.

The reason for this is because there is no alternative civilian authority that can be put in place to run areas where Hamas is cleared. That means the areas are either completely destroyed, or they revert to Hamas. There is no alternative being presented for Gaza.

The upcoming Gaza City offensive will present the IDF with the same problem. The assumption that it will take months to evacuate civilians indicates there is no thought given to providing the civilians an alternative to Hamas rule.

Instead, they will be moved to an area run by Hamas. This will lead to the same challenge that led to Nasser Hospital continuing to be in the crosshairs of war after 22 months, despite being cleared of Hamas in the past.


Censored tweet:
THESE WEREN’T REAL PARAMEDICS

They were PallyWood actors, dressed as hospital staff, presenting a hospital robe with fake blood on it for a propaganda video, while the 4 Journalists were filming the content.



IDF denounces Haaretz publisher’s call for commander to face trial
The Israel Defense Forces on Sunday condemned Haaretz publisher Amos Schocken’s demand that the International Criminal Court in The Hague probe OC Central Command Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth for alleged war crimes.

“The IDF condemns the inappropriate remarks against the commander of Central Command, who acts out of operational considerations and in accordance with the law, with the security of the State of Israel and its citizens as his foremost concern,” the military stated on Sunday night.

Earlier on Sunday, Schocken labeled Bluth a “war criminal,” writing on X that “The Hague must arrest him” for ordering the uprooting of trees near the site of an Aug. 21 terrorist shooting in Samaria.

According to the post by the Haaretz publisher, IDF soldiers moved to uproot “thousands” of olive trees in Al-Mughayyir after a terrorist from the village opened fire at a group of Jewish shepherds, wounding one.

The military confirmed on Sunday that “following the serious shooting attack near the village of al-Mughayyir and the terrorist’s escape into the village—along with a series of terror attacks originating from that same village—the IDF launched intensified operational activity in the area.”

As part of this activity, the statement continued, “vegetation was cleared from an area adjacent to the Allon Road, which the terrorist had used to escape the scene. The clearing was immediately necessary to eliminate a life-threatening danger posed by the vegetation that obstructed visibility and concealed enemy movement.”

In addition, “arrest operations and searches were carried out in the area of the village, during which the terrorist responsible for the attack was apprehended,” the army added.

Al-Mughayyir, located approximately 17 miles northeast of Ramallah and 21 miles southeast of Nablus, has in recent years become a major hub for terror activity. In 2024, the village’s main mosque broadcast a speech by Hamas propaganda chief Abu Obeida, in which he called on Palestinians to expand the terrorist group’s war to Judea and Samaria.


Publishing a video of his capture, Nimrod Cohen’s parents urge his immediate release
A previously unseen video of the capture of Nimrod Cohen, a solider taken hostage in the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, was released by Monday by his family, who called on the government to do everything they could to secure the release of the captives.

Following the publication of the video, Cohen’s parents, Viki and Yehuda, accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of passing up opportunities to free their son and the other 49 hostages held by Hamas in order to ensure his own political survival. The video’s broadcast, and their comments, come on the eve of a “day of struggle” by relatives of the captives meant to ramp up pressure for their release.

The footage was recovered by the IDF during ground operations in Gaza, and Viki Cohen told Channel 12 that she was first made aware of it about two months ago. The family previously claimed that the army was withholding publication of the video and said the IDF is still holding more footage of Cohen that it will not release.

“When I, as a mother, saw the video, I felt feelings of upheaval, fear, terror, that reminded me of October 7,” she told the network. “We don’t know Nimrod’s situation, what conditions he’s held in… We’re very worried and fearful for his fate.”

The video shows Cohen being pulled from a tank by Hamas gunmen and being marched on his feet toward the Strip by armed terrorists. A voice in the clip tells him that he will be returned to Israel and will not be harmed.

Previously aired footage from the attack showed Palestinians in civilian clothing standing on and around the tank while it was wreathed in smoke and flames, and the soldiers being dragged out by Hamas terrorists.

Cohen, 19 at the time of his capture, was the only survivor among four soldiers who were in a tank that was attacked by Hamas terrorists with RPG fire and explosive devices on the border on October 7. The three other soldiers, Omer Neutra, Shaked Dahan, and Oz Daniel, were killed by terrorists who abducted their bodies to Gaza.

The most recent sign of life for Cohen came in early March, when his family identified him in footage via a tattoo on his arm.


'We are fighting Jews, not Zionism,' Palestinian activist Ahed Tamimi declares
Palestinians are fighting Jews, not Zionism, Palestinian political activist and terrorist supporter Ahed Tamimi declared on an Arabic podcast earlier this month.

In March 2018, Tamimi was convicted on four counts of assaulting an IDF officer and soldier, incitement, and interference with IDF forces. She was sentenced to eight months in prison and eight months of probation.

Tamimi was arrested again in November 2023 on suspicion of inciting violence when she was a teenager, but was released nearly a month later as part of the temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas at the time in exchange for Israeli hostages.

“My definition of Judaism, ever since I was a child, has been that it is the same as Zionism,” Tamimi said. “There is no difference between them.” Jews 'can join me in the struggle against Zionism'

“If a Jew does not want their religion defined that way, they can join me in the struggle against Zionism.”

Tamimi highlighted her belief that “Judaism is an occupation” and that is how the religion should always be presented to Palestinian children. “We are fighting Jews, not Zionism,” she went on.

“We are superior to the entire world,” Tamimi said heatedly, “because we are the only ones in the world fighting injustice, at the expense of our lives, and the expense of our humanity.”


Media Watch email to Sky News revealed: How the ABC attacked the Netanyahu interview it failed to land
Dangerous anti-Israel groupthink has metastasised throughout every corner of the ABC.

The news division regularly quotes figures from terror group Hamas without any scepticism or qualification.

News boss Justin Stevens must believe those fond of paragliding into music festivals to rape and murder are somehow also sources of integrity when it comes to statistics.

Capable of mass murder but incapable of filing misleading paperwork.

And then there is Linton Besser's Media Watch, a program which could be exposing these issues and errors.

Instead, it has become a platform to attack a prominent Jewish journalist who dares push back against a strange, ideological virus gripping Australia.

My colleague Sharri Markson interviewed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week.

It made headlines around the world and led the news cycle in all serious Australian newsrooms due to the fact Netanyahu criticised Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

But if you only get your news through the ABC, you probably missed this story.

The news team gave it only the briefest of runs. On the ABC website, it was buried as the third item (15 paragraphs in) in a federal political briefing.

“Netanyahu will appear in a pre-recorded interview on Sky News Australia later tonight, where he's reported to have said Albanese's record was to be ‘forever tarnished by the weakness he showed in the face of these Hamas terrorist monsters’.”

Reported to have said? Apparently, the ABC journalist had some doubt over the authenticity of the filmed interview.

You would think Besser, who hosts a media scrutiny show, would ask his own company why it failed to properly inform Australians of a significant diplomatic row.

Instead, he turned his sights on Markson, and Sky News Australia, for daring to have the 16-minute conversation in a way he wouldn’t.


Israel must ‘eradicate’ Hamas before war can end
Nationals Leader David Littleproud says the Israeli government must “eradicate” the threat of Hamas before ending the war.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators have marched in huge numbers in cities and towns across the country to end the war in Gaza.

Early estimates suggest around 300,000 people took part in the 'Nationwide March for Palestine'.


Dr Adler Slams Labor - Outsiders
Former AJA President Dr David Adler was a guest on the Outsiders program on Sky News.

Dr Adler slammed the Albanese government over its outrageous decision to revoke the visa of Knesset member Simcha Rothman.




‘Delusional’: Bob Carr’s rhetoric stirs division in Australian communities
Former radio host Ray Hadley says former New South Wales premier Bob Carr’s recent rhetoric is stirring division within Australian communities.

“I think at best I can call him delusional over this,” Mr Hadley told Sky News host Sharri Markson.

“He talks about foreign influence; he’s been a cheerleader for China since he left politics and before.”


‘Out of order’: Tony Burke slammed over ‘highly offensive’ accusation of Israel
Former deputy prime minister John Anderson has called out Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke for his “highly offensive” accusation of Israel and its military.

Mr Burke has lashed out at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for calling Australia’s leader Anthony Albanese “weak”, saying “strength” is not measured by blowing people up.

“I think it’s right out of order for him to attack the IDF,” Mr Anderson told Sky News host Freya Leach.


Australia faces a ‘serious crisis’ under the pro-Palestinian movement
Sky News host Chris Kenny says Australia is in “a real crisis” about what the country stands for and how large numbers of pro-Palestinian protests highlight a “problem” which leadership is doing nothing to address.

“Proponents will say these protests were compassionate … marching to stop children and civilians being killed in Gaza,” Mr Kenny said.

“But the reality of the protest was very different, it always has been.”


Paul Weller threatens to sue accountants that cut ties over Israel views
Paul Weller, the frontman of The Jam, is threatening to sue his former accountants after they cut ties with him over his outspoken criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza.

In this discussion on Free Speech Nation, Jonathan Sacerdoti and Nicole Lampert explore:

Why Harris & Trotter ended their 30-year relationship with Weller
The legal claim that their decision amounts to unlawful discrimination
Weller’s belief that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, and why he feels compelled to speak out
The wider questions this case raises about free expression, political beliefs, and professional relationships




Reports: Hamas-aligned attacker allegedly stabs critic at Brussels demonstration
A 22-year-old Palestinian Arab man was critically injured Sunday evening after being stabbed during an anti-Israel demonstration in central Brussels, in what some reports allege may have been an attack by a Hamas supporter targeting the victim for criticising the terror group. The attack occurred near Zaterdagplein, close to the Brasserie de la Poste on Lakensestraat, during a protest that drew hundreds of participants.

The Brussels Capital Ixelles police confirmed the incident and reported that emergency services responded around 6:15 p.m. The victim was initially in a life-threatening condition but is now reported to be out of danger. A 21-year-old suspect was arrested at the scene. Authorities have opened an investigation into attempted manslaughter, and forensic teams have begun reviewing CCTV footage to clarify the circumstances surrounding the incident.

According to Ilse Van de Keere, spokesperson for the police zone, the suspect was taken into custody shortly after the attack. Witnesses described a quarrel escalating into violence, with the attacker reportedly mingling with the crowd before stabbing the victim.

The demonstration, which had been approved by the local municipality, began earlier in the day in Molenbeek and continued to Zaterdagplein, concluding outside the Brussels Stock Exchange. Protesters called for sanctions against Israel and an end to the presence of Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria.


Irish band Kneecap cancels US tour, including NYC date, over member’s trial for allegedly supporting Hamas
The controversial Irish rap group Kneecap has canceled its upcoming US tour — which included a New York City rooftop show — as one of its members prepares for trial for allegedly supporting Hamas.

The Belfast-based group said it would have to cancel its 15 tour dates, set to start Oct. 1, while Liam O hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, prepares to attend a court hearing in London in late September.

O hAnnaidh was charged under the Terrorism Act in Britain for waving Hezbollah’s flag during a show while allegedly yelling, “Up Hamas! Up Hezbollah!”

“Due to the proximity of our next court hearing in London to the first date of the tour, as the British government continues it’s [sic] witch-hunt, we will have to cancel all 15 tour dates in October,” the band wrote in a statement on social media.

“With every show fully sold out, to tens of thousands of fans, this is news we are sad to deliver,” the group continued, offering refunds.


Ottawa Pride parade dissolves after Palestinian demonstration blocks route
Hundreds of Palestinian supporters blocked the Capital Pride Parade shortly after it began Sunday afternoon, demanding parade officials come down and meet their “demands.”

Protesters gathered on Wellington Street near O’Connor, dancing to music while holding up signs and Palestinian flags. Many signs said “no pride in genocide.”

A giant pink-and-black banner read “all of us or none of us” and “stone wall was an intifada.” They also chanted slogans like “free, free Palestine,” “long live the intifada” and “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”

“We will not leave until our elected officials and Capital Pride come down and meet our demands,” said Masha Davidovic, a member of Queers for Palestine-Ottawa group.

The confrontation came after Capital Pride quietly took down its statement of solidarity with Palestinians this year, sparking criticism among some members of the community.




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