Saturday, September 13, 2025

09/13 Links: Amichai Chikli: Where there is faith, there is freedom; Qatar’s Double-Sided Diplomacy Crumbles in Israeli Airstrike

From Ian:

Amichai Chikli: Where there is faith, there is freedom
That same value—freedom—stands at the foundation of American identity as well. The Declaration of Independence opens with words about natural rights: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness … .”

Both the people of Israel and America know well that where there is no faith, there is no freedom; where there is no Divine presence, there can be no moral order. As America’s founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, expressed when they embraced the immortal words of the Protestant theologian John Ponet: “Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God.”

From here flows the profound bond between Israel and the United States. It is not merely an alliance of interests, but a partnership of essence. Israel and the United States are nations of liberty, standing as spiritual twins against the forces of tyranny, darkness and enslavement: in ancient times against the yoke of Pharaoh’s Egypt and the yoke of monarchical despotism, and in our own time against regimes of terror, fundamentalism and oppression.

Charlie Kirk was a man of faith who embodied the value of freedom. He breathed it and radiated it in every word and every deed. He understood that liberty is not an empty slogan but the very foundation of human existence—the precondition for any free and just society.

He naturally embodied the profound and unbreakable bond between Israel and the United States. He knew that freedom is the shared value at the heart of the connection between the ancient nation of liberty and the new nation of liberty.

At the very moment he shot—while seeking to advance those values through dialogue and persuasion—he was wearing a white shirt with a single word inscribed on it: freedom. That word was his testament and his call to action.

Now it is up to us to carry on the struggle and to stand together, Jews and Christians, Americans and Israelis, to ensure that liberty will triumph over the sword of Islamist fanaticism and over neo-Marxist tyranny disguised in a liberal mask.
Jonathan Tobin: Violence is the natural next step of academic intolerance
Just as the impact on Jews is but a sidebar to the threat that DEI and other toxic left-wing ideologies pose to America as a whole, so, too, is intolerance for supporters of Israel and Zionism, merely a warning that anyone who dissents from the prevailing orthodoxies on campuses is also in danger.

As Americans learned in the 1960s, when intolerant radicals found themselves stymied by their failure to convince the majority of people to agree with their ideas, some inevitably resorted to violence. The Weather Underground might have represented only a fraction of those who protested against the Vietnam War more than half a century ago. These days, however, the political culture, coupled with the internet and social media, all work to mainstream extremist thoughts in ways unimaginable in previous generations. The disturbing online reactions to Kirk’s death, similar to the December 2024 assassination of an executive of the United Health Care insurance company and attempts on Trump’s life, illustrate how this normalizes toleration and even support for violence.

In the bifurcated political culture of 2025, we already know that most Americans have stopped listening, watching or reading views with which they disagree. That leads some to conclude that anyone they don’t like is Hitler—someone who should be silenced, if not jailed or subjected to violence. That’s more than a threat to politicians and activists. It can also put a target on the back of anyone who seeks to express their views about the subjects that Kirk spoke about in the public square.

Put into perspective, that makes it clear that his killing isn’t just one more sign that vocal advocacy can be a dangerous profession. It’s also a warning that society is heading toward a reality in which all those who speak up for any cause that falls out of favor with the chattering classes, like that of Israel and opposition to antisemitism, can no longer think of themselves as safe from violence.

That makes the cause of free speech that Charlie Kirk championed, as well as the need to stop demonizing our political foes, not merely a matter of civility in public discourse. It’s a matter of life and death for American democracy.
The murder of Charlie Kirk and what it means for democracy
I spent years in homeland security and law enforcement, working to prevent violence and protect communities here at home. I saw firsthand how fragile order can be during the Boston Marathon bombing, when I witnessed the explosions and then helped manage the response and recovery when civic celebration on Patriots’ Day in Massachusetts was turned into carnage.

That experience showed me what I have seen again and again in my career as a police officer, prosecutor and homeland security and emergency management leader; the difference between chaos and civilization is not wealth or culture, but whether disputes are resolved by civil discourse and law rather than by force.

Law is the invisible contract that lets ordinary people speak freely, raise families and live without fear. Strip it away, and the violent abuse the peaceful, the strong prey upon the weak, the loud silence the thoughtful and society reverts to philosopher Thomas Hobbes’s description: nasty, brutish and short.

But violence does not appear from nowhere. It is prepared. It is justified. It is excused. First come the slanders, the delegitimization, the endless distortions that make hatred seem respectable. Then come the firebombs and bullets.

That is why I believe that CAMERA’s work is not ancillary to democracy but central to its defense. At CAMERA, the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis, we fight every day on the battlefield of words, exposing the lies that make violence thinkable, holding media accountable when bias and propaganda pave the way for bloodshed.

Kirk, who valued CAMERA, put his energy into argument and dialogue. On campuses and in public forums, he made his case openly and invited others to push back. In doing so, he served as a reminder that the democratic spirit is not about agreement but about the willingness to contend with one another through free speech. His murder is an assault on that spirit, and on the idea that free societies resolve their differences through debate instead of violence.

This is not a partisan matter. It is a civic one. Republics do not collapse because people argue too much. They collapse when people decide that silencing is easier than debating.

The violence against Jews was the canary in the coal mine. The murder of Kirk and the killings of Thompson and the legislators in Minnesota show the collapse spreading outward. These are harrowing injustices. They are also warnings. Our task now is to recommit to the habits of civilization: Law instead of force, debate instead of violence, truth instead of distortion.

Everything we cherish depends on whether we can.
Charlie Kirk’s murder and America’s moral rot
The list goes on, but the pattern is the same. First, an ideology that demonizes and dehumanizes one’s opponents; second, a perpetrator gripped by mental illness; and third, a public response that is not firm and united, but hesitant, sometimes even approving. Each equivocation signals to others that political murder is somehow acceptable.

It would be dangerous and negligent to ignore the rise in left-wing violence in America. Too many in the mainstream progressive culture not only embrace hateful ideologies but also tacitly approve of violent actions. Walk through the anti-America, anti-Israel, anti-Trump protests happening across the country, and you will see it plainly. At the same time, we must acknowledge that violence is not the exclusive domain of the left. The deeper crisis is that an entire generation is coming of age shaped by poisonous currents that cut across the political spectrum.

For years, many insisted that there was a wall between “online” and “real life,” as if what happened on social media stayed there. That wall has crumbled. Social media is not separate from real life; it is shaping minds, fueling hatred and making violence feel justified. It has given the world innovation and connectivity, but is being weaponized to spread lies, stoke hatred and brainwash its users.

What next? We can complain, or we can make a change. We must do better.

May Kirk’s memory be a blessing. May we honor his legacy by fostering respectful and substantive discussions with those we disagree with—because that is the only way to build a healthier society.


Qatar’s Double-Sided Diplomacy Crumbles in Israeli Airstrike
Many of the Gulf states want to align with the Saudis without becoming subservient. The United Arab Emirates is modernizing even faster than the Saudis and joined the Abraham Accords. Oman has positioned itself as a prime location for high-stakes diplomacy, and the Obama administration conducted its secret negotiations with Iran there. All of them want to stay close to the United States.

Qatar uses both strategies. It is a hub of international diplomacy, and it has given over $6 billion to American universities over the past four decades. Western businessmen and investors can live there with few problems, and Al Udeid Air Base is vital for the American military.

But there’s a dark side to its aspirations. Villains like Hamas and the Taliban live comfortably in Qatar. In the decade leading up to the World Cup it hosted in 2022, an estimated 6,500 South Asian laborers died there. Its TV channel, Al Jazeera, stirs up unrest in the region and spreads anti-American propaganda. At least one of its anchors celebrated the anniversary of Oct. 7, and several of its employees reportedly work for Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Al Jazeera alumni permeate the American media.

The Muslim Brotherhood and its Palestinian branch, Hamas, are a core part of Qatar's strategy. Turkey’s military is more capable than most Arab ones, but it is not wealthy and its Arab neighbors distrust it. Qatar, though, is Arab and has oil and gas money. Supporting the Muslim Brotherhood in countries like Egypt weakens the Saudi-led coalition; funding Hamas makes Qatar a leader in the anti-Israel world.

The relationship with the Muslim Brotherhood’s main enemy is another pillar of Doha’s plan. The Biden administration named Qatar a major non-NATO ally, which formalized a status Al Udeid gave it decades ago. Perversely, Americans who want to negotiate with Hamas and the Taliban prize Qatar’s ties to these adversaries.

Israel’s airstrike threatens to upset the Qatari strategy. Israel notified the U.S. military before launch. Defense Minister Israel Katz warned, "Israel's long arm will act against its enemies anywhere," which made Qatar’s safe haven much less desirable. Qatar still has money, and the other Gulf states must at least feign outrage at the bombing, but if it cannot protect its terrorist guests, it will lose an important source of influence.

Some of Hamas’s senior leaders seem to have survived this attack. Israeli ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter told Fox News, "If we didn't get them this time, we'll get them the next time." Before that interview, Trump "assured [the Qataris] that such a thing will not happen again on their soil." He also said, "I believe this unfortunate incident could serve as an opportunity for PEACE." Hamas’s leaders should prove him right, or pack their bags.
Netanyahu Posts Message Appearing to Confirm Hamas Leaders Survived Doha Strike
In a statement posted to social media on Saturday evening, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the Qatar-based leadership of Hamas, reiterating that the jihadist group had to regard for the lives of Gazans and represented an obstacle to ending the war and releasing the Israelis it held hostage.

The wording of Netanyahu’s message appeared to confirm that the strike targeting the Hamas leaders in Doha was not crowned with success.

“The Hamas terrorists chiefs living in Qatar don’t care about the people in Gaza,” wrote Netanyahu. “They blocked all ceasefire attempts in order to endlessly drag out the war.” He added that “Getting rid of them would rid the main obstacle to releasing all our hostages and ending the war.”

Israel is yet to officially comment on the result of the strike, which has incurred widespread international criticism.
Mossad did oppose the Doha strike – but not for the reasons being reported
Immediately after the surprising and unusual strike against senior Hamas officials in Doha, the capital of Qatar, sharp-eyed observers noticed that the announcement of responsibility came from the Shin Bet and the IDF through the Air Force, while the Mossad’s name was absent.

This immediately sparked a flurry of rumours suggesting that the Mossad had opposed the strike and therefore did not want its name mentioned as a partner in the operation.

It was true that Mossad chief David (Dedi) Barnea had objected to the strike. To be precise, however, he did not oppose the very idea of eliminating senior Hamas figures, nor the fact that the operation would take place on Qatari soil.

What troubled him was the timing. Barnea believed that a strike at this moment, on Qatari territory, could further endanger the 48 hostages — about 20 of whom are thought to be alive, while 28, according to Israeli intelligence, are believed to be dead.

Barnea was not alone. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. General. Eyal Zamir expressed reservations. So did Maj. General Nitzan Alon, head of the intelligence centre for prisoners and hostages, who also argued that, in the midst of negotiations— even if the chances of success were slim — it was unwise to strain relations with Qatar. After all, together with Egypt, Qatar had continued its efforts to mediate between Israel and Hamas. Even within the upper ranks of the Shin Bet, there were disagreements over the timing.

The reason why the Shin Bet (its English name is Israel Security Agency – ISA) received credit for the operation stems from two points. The first is that, for years, the Shin Bet has been active in counterterrorism not only in Gaza and the West Bank, but also beyond Israel’s borders. For example, it was involved in the targeted killings of senior Hamas officials in Lebanon – among them the deputy head of Hamas’s political bureau, Saleh al-Arouri, who was responsible for terror attacks in the West Bank and was eliminated in January 2024, three months after October 7. Furthermore, Shin Bet has a special unit in charge of tracking Hamas bases and headquarters worldwide.

Nevertheless, the cooperation between all three Israeli security and intelligence agencies is excellent, with very few turf wars. They share every piece of information and are present in each operation outside Israel. What is less known is the fact that a significant part of the risky and sensitive operations for which Mossad or Shin Bet take credit are actually conducted by unit 8200 of Aman – which is in charge of signals intelligence (SIGNIT), cyber-operations and code-breaking. Thus, 8200 was an important element in the preparations and intelligence collection ahead of the strike in Qatar.


Israel used fighter jets to strike Qatar from the Red Sea
Israeli forces targeted Doha-based Hamas officials using fighter jets they had sent to the Red Sea, according to a Friday report from The Wall Street Journal, citing several US officials.

The fighter jets used by the IAF above Red Sea waters included eight F-15s and four F-35s, according to the report, noting that no Israeli aircraft entered the airspace of surrounding Arab countries.

A reporter sent by the Journal to the Doha building that was hit saw that the middle floor and the ground floor's right side were largely destroyed.

Missile firing into space?
Israel hit Doha with long-range ballistic missiles, as Qatar is on the other side of the Arabian Peninsula from where the Red Sea is located, with the US officials telling the Journal that Israeli planes launched these missiles into space over Saudi Arabia at the Qatari capital. The report then said, citing the officials, that "space-based US sensors that detect infrared heat signatures picked up the launch and the trajectory of the missiles, confirming Doha as the destination." The missile firing into space was for Israel to avoid accusations by the Saudis that their airspace was violated, the report added.

Riyadh condemned the Qatar strike but made no mention of Israel firing missiles over their territory, with their foreign ministry saying that "Israel's persistence in its criminal transgressions and its blatant violation of the principles of international law and all international norms."


UAE bars Israeli defense firms from Dubai expo following strike in Qatar
The United Arab Emirates has blocked Israeli defense companies from participating in a major security exhibition in Dubai, a decision that Israeli officials view as a direct response to the strike on Hamas leadership in Doha earlier this week. For more stories from The Media Line go to themedialine.org

The notice was delivered on Wednesday morning to Israel’s Defense Ministry and simultaneously to executives of defense industries in the country. Officially, the UAE attributed the move to “security concerns,” but Israeli defense officials said they believe the measure is intended as a rebuke over the Qatar operation.

The Dubai Airshow, a high-profile defense and aviation exhibition, has been a regular platform for Israeli firms in recent years. Their absence this year marks a setback for Israel’s defense industry, which has sought to expand its reach in the Gulf region.

At the same time, UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed traveled to Doha to meet Qatari leaders in a show of solidarity. Jordan’s Crown Prince Hussein and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman are also expected to visit.

UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed sharply condemned Israel’s strike, calling it a “treacherous” and “cowardly” act that violated international law and Qatar’s sovereignty. “The UAE stands in solidarity with Qatar and supports all measures to protect its security,” he said.
Egypt revives NATO-style Arab force plan after Israeli strike in Qatar
Egypt is seeking to revive a joint Arab military force modeled on NATO, according to multiple Arabic-language reports on Saturday that link the move to the Israel-Hamas war and to an Arab-Islamic summit expected in Doha on Monday. For more stories from The Media Line go to themedialine.org

The sources include Lebanon’s pro-Hezbollah Al-Akhbar newspaper, which cited a government source in Cairo.

London-based Al-Quds Al-Arabi reported that President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is working to rebuild Arab backing for a rapid-reaction force that could deploy to protect any Arab state under attack, and said the proposal has been floated in recent diplomatic contacts ahead of the summit. The outlet framed the idea as a defensive umbrella rather than an escalation with Israel.

Palestinian outlet Ma’an carried similar details and said Cairo is discussing contributing around 20,000 Egyptian troops and seeking to place an Egyptian four-star officer in command, with Saudi Arabia as a principal partner if the plan advances. Ma’an characterized the discussions as ongoing.

Discussions are focusing on how such a body would operate, with Cairo stressing that it must be shaped in line with the demographics and military capacities of participating Arab countries.


Rubio Heads to Israel Amid Tensions Among US Middle East Allies
US President Donald Trump’s top diplomat, Marco Rubio headed to Israel on Saturday, amid tensions with fellow US allies in the Middle East over Israel’s strike on Hamas leaders in Qatar and expansion of settlements in the West Bank.

Speaking to reporters before departure, Rubio reiterated that the US and President Donald Trump were not happy about the strikes.

Rubio said the US relationship with Israel would not be affected, but that he would discuss with the Israelis how the strike would affect Trump’s desire to secure the return of all the hostages held by Hamas, get rid of the terrorists and end the Gaza war.

“What’s happened, has happened,” he said. “We’re gonna meet with them. We’re gonna talk about what the future holds,” he said.

“There are still 48 hostages that deserve to be released immediately, all at once. And there is still the hard work ahead once this ends, of rebuilding Gaza in a way that provides people the quality of life that they all want.”

Rubio said it had yet to be determined who would do that, who would pay for it and who would be in charge of the process.

After Israel, Rubio is due to join Trump’s planned visit to Britain next week.

Hamas still holds 48 hostages, and Qatar has been one of the mediators, along with the US, trying to secure a ceasefire deal that would include the captives’ release.

On Tuesday, Israel attempted to kill the political leaders of Hamas with an airstrike on Doha. US officials described it as a unilateral escalation that did not serve American or Israeli interests.

The strike on the territory of a close US ally sparked broad condemnation from other Arab states and derailed ceasefire and hostage talks brokered by Qatar.


National Post Editorial: Carney Liberals again side with Israel's enemies, fail to protect Canadian Jews
This week marked the 24th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, D.C., but it also provided a stark reminder of how the Canadian government has lost the moral clarity it once had, and failed to protect the victims of hate and extremism here at home, while turning its back on fellow democracies.

On Tuesday, Israel carried out an airstrike on Doha, Qatar, targeting senior Hamas officials who were responsible for the October 7 massacre.

Its message was clear: we will no longer allow the leaders of a terrorist organization whose stated purpose is to destroy us and has been holding Israeli hostages for nearly two years to receive safe harbour in other countries.

This is similar to the doctrine espoused by then-U.S. president George W. Bush after 9/11: “We will pursue nations that provide aid or safe haven to terrorism. Every nation, in every region, now has a decision to make. Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists.”

At the time, Ottawa sided with freedom and democracy over terror and religious fanaticism, sending troops into Afghanistan to topple the Taliban regime and root out the al-Qaida terrorists it was protecting. But this time, Canada’s response was far more meek — as it has consistently been since October 7.

Following the strike on Qatar, Prime Minister Mark Carney wasted no time condemning Israel and praising the dictator who has given asylum to those responsible for one of the worst terrorist attacks in modern history.

“Canada condemns Israel’s strikes in Qatar — an intolerable expansion of violence and an affront to Qatar’s sovereignty. Regardless of their objectives, such attacks pose a grave risk of escalating conflict throughout the region,” Carney tweeted from the prime minister’s official account.

He went on to praise Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for playing a “highly constructive role” in peace negotiations, despite failing to secure a lasting ceasefire for the past 23 months.

The prime minister’s latest condemnation of the Jewish state comes as violent hate crimes targeting Jews continue to escalate throughout the country.
From expulsion to charges of genocide: Spain’s animosity toward Jews endures
Spain’s Jewish population is small, around 50,000, but nearly 20 per cent of Spaniards are believed to have Jewish ancestry. Yet ignorance and prejudice about Jews runs deep. When classmates learned I was Jewish, their questions drew on centuries of antisemitism – from medieval myths (“Do you have horns?” “Didn’t you kill Jesus?”) to the gutter caricatures of Der Stürmer (‘Do all Jews have big noses?’).”

High school brought a new group of boys whose antisemitism escalated. For three years, they threw Nazi salutes, yelled “Heil Hitler,” scrawled swastikas, and told me to go gas myself – all while denying the Holocaust.

When I tried to explain that members of my family had been killed in the Holocaust, they laughed and called me a liar. Nobody defended me – not friends, not teachers. Once, after I complained to the director, he brought one of the perpetrators into his office with me and told us to “talk it out”. I was stunned. How do you “talk it out” with someone who wants you dead?

Looking back at my countless hours of history classes, I realize now that both the Inquisition and the Holocaust were barely mentioned. In 2013, just as I started school in Spain, the centre-right Partido Popular proposed making Holocaust education mandatory. The proposal never passed, and schools seemed relieved – free to go on skipping over this deeply uncomfortable chapter of history.

In my final year of high school, a major Auschwitz exhibition arrived in Madrid, featuring harrowing photos, personal objects from concentration camps inmates, and even a train car that had transported Jews to their deaths. My mother, along with Madrid’s small reform Jewish community, worked tirelessly to publicize it.

Naively, I suggested to my history teacher that our class should go. We were studying the world wars at the time, yet somehow the Holocaust had been omitted almost entirely. Though she expressed interest, nothing came of it, and we never went.

I left Spain in 2018, but I return often to visit my mother, who chose to make her home there. The magic of Madrid still moves me to tears, though sometimes they aren’t tears of joy, they are tears of sadness, for an antisemitism that has only grown.

If a country that once expelled its Jews fails to teach its children that history, the murder of six million in the Holocaust, and even the basics of Judaism and Jewish civilisation, how can the adults they become be expected to understand the conflict in Israel, the Jewish people’s deep roots in the region, or the danger of leaving antisemitism unchallenged? A nation that refuses to teach Jewish history fosters ignorance – and allows an old animosity toward Jews to endure.
Europe’s Iron Dome plans at risk over anti-Israel backlash
Europe’s plans to construct an Iron Dome-style missile and drone shield risks being scuppered by mounting anti-Israeli sentiment over the war in Gaza.

The German-led Sky Shield Initiative aims to create an air-defence dome stretching from Turkey to Finland as part of a massive Continental rearmament drive to face down Russian aggression.

It will use the German-made Iris-T and US Patriot surface-to-air batteries for its foundation, but for high-altitude interceptions its collaborators are planning to use the Israeli Arrow 3.

The Arrow 3, a joint programme between Israel and the US, is the world’s first air-defence system dedicated to shooting down hypersonic missiles and is capable of exo-atmospheric interceptions.

But its use in the plans for the Sky Shield is being called into question, with Europe and Israel at loggerheads over the Jewish state’s refusal to end the war in Gaza.

European nations, including Germany, have stopped exporting weapons to Israel, while Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, called on EU members to halt some trade over the war. There has also been a push towards recognising Palestine as a state.

In response, Israel could scupper Europe’s plans for its own Iron Dome. Jerusalem has a veto power on exports of its Arrow 3 missile – but it must have a sign-off by its Defence Exports Control Agency (Deca).

Deca is responsible for signing off on export licences for domestically produced weapons systems and military equipment, and says it does so in “consideration of other national interests”.
'A stain on Norwegian history': Jewish community leaders say state-backed groups fuel antisemtism
Norway has its own “Action Plan Against Antisemitism,” the first of which ran from 2016 to 2020, the second from 2021 to 2024, and now the new one, which will run from 2025 to 2030.

The Action Plan has admirable intentions: It aims to develop knowledge about racism, antisemitism, harassment, and discrimination, ensure security and right of expression regardless of ethnic origin or religion, and to improve the safety of children and young people. As part of the plan, funding is provided to a variety of organizations, such as the Norwegian Center for Holocaust and Minority Studies and the No Hate Speech Movement Norway.

However, these same organizations receiving money to combat antisemitism have instead helped to propagate it, members of the Jewish community told the Post. Whether by providing a platform only for anti-Zionist Jews, accusing Israel of genocide, or not combating hate against Jewish individuals, the organizations there to fight the fight have instead fueled the fire.

Institutional failures
Following October 7, a young Jewish person named A. was interviewed by No Hate Speech about their experiences of antisemitism, mentioning Zionism only briefly. The video was posted to No Hate Speech’s social media, and was soon met with a deluge of hateful and antisemitic comments. Instead of defending A., responding to the comments, or policing the comment section, No Hate Speech took down the video and apologized – not to A., but for posting the video.

According to the Action Plan, the organization has the “knowledge and skills necessary to identify hate speech, including antisemitism, and take action against human rights infringements online.” However, A.’s father’s dealings with No Hate Speech seem to suggest otherwise.

A.’s father told the Post that his child was distraught over what happened, so he rang No Hate Speech, which said it would put the video back up on Nakba Day, and that it would remove the mentions of Israel or Zionism.

“My child’s story about antisemitism has nothing to do with Nakba Day,” A.’s father said. “Instead of protecting Jews, they protected antisemites.”

The Post quizzed two of the three leaders of the No Hate Speech Movement Norway about the incident while in Oslo. One of the heads of the organization took responsibility for the incident, saying they “handled it poorly” and that there “was nothing controversial about A.’s feelings about antisemitism, even about Zionism.”

A. then said that the decision to remove the video “definitely” came from a fear of the loud anti-Israel voice.

“Having experienced the debate climate in Norway, the pro-Palestinian narrative is extremely strong and especially in the anti-racist movement. So we are trying to shed light on Jewish perspectives and antisemitism in the last years. It’s been extremely challenging in our experience.”

Throughout the conversation with No Hate Speech, the Post noted that Islamophobia was mentioned in the majority of responses to questions about antisemitism.

Likewise, when asked whether No Hate Speech was comfortable with letting Jews define anti-Zionism as antisemitism, she said “it’s not up to us to say what Zionism is; it’s up to us to give space for minority youth to share their own experiences with hate speech and how we can together combat that.” She went on to highlight that she knows many “young people that are Jews; some define themselves as Zionists, some don’t.”

Then there is the Holocaust Center, whose director, Jan Heiret, recently said it is likely Israel is committing a genocide in Gaza.

“Based on the fact that leading researchers are increasingly in agreement, it is likely that a genocide is taking place in the Gaza Strip, at least in a political and social sense,” Heiret told Aftenposten in June.

Louise Kahn, founder of Kos & Kaos: The Nordic Jewish Network, and Robert Hercz, the head of B’nai B’rith Norway also spoke of Heiret’s “distortion” when he chose to mention Gaza during his speech on International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2025.

“Many saw this as inappropriate, revitalizing the Holocaust and feeding the dangerous narrative that equates Israel with perpetrators of genocide,” Kahn told the Post.
Belgium PM attends concert of Israeli conductor disinvited by festival
Belgium’s Prime Minister Bart De Wever said Saturday he attended a concert by a German orchestra that was disinvited from a Belgian festival to show support for its Israeli conductor.

The cancellation of a planned performance at the Flanders Festival Ghent by the Munich Philharmonic over concerns about its Israeli future chief conductor, Lahav Shani, has triggered a storm of criticism and accusations of antisemitism.

De Wever, who had already criticized the move, said he travelled to the German city of Essen on Saturday to “strongly condemn” the decision, and express his appreciation for Shani in person.

“There will never, ever be any room for racism and antisemitism in this country,” he wrote on X, alongside a photo of himself shaking hands with Shani in a concert hall.

“I insisted on conveying this message to him personally and expressing my appreciation for his contribution to the power of music.”

The Ghent festival organizers said this week they had decided to scrap the performance because Shani had not “unequivocally” distanced himself from Israel’s government, whose ongoing war in Gaza against the Palestinian terror group Hamas has triggered international uproar.

The move has drawn criticism, including from Germany and Israel.
Top NHS doctor suspended over ‘anti-Semitic’ tweets
A leading NHS doctor at a north London hospital has been suspended over a string of allegedly “anti-Semitic” comments made online. An account which appeared to be linked to Dr Ellen Kriesels, a consultant paediatrician and clinical lead for community paediatrics at Whittington Health NHS Trust, described Hamas as “oppressed resistance fighters, not terrorists”.

Statements posted by the account also claimed the reaction to the October 7 attacks on Israel was “always trying to frame the Jews as victims. So ridiculous. So excruciating. So exhausting.”

The trust was alerted to the posts on social media following Dr Kriesels’s participation in a pro-Palestinian protest in London on Sept 6.

Some Jews ‘merely’ say that it was a progrom. Other Jews ‘merely’ say that it was anti-Semitic.

Always trying to frame the Jews as victims. So ridiculous. So excruciating. So exhausting.

She was pictured with a placard featuring a flag of Israel – with the six points of the Star of David marked with the words “rape”, “steal”, “cry”, “lie”, “cheat” and “kill”.

Dr Kriesels is under an internal investigation and is “not currently scheduled to be working”, according to the trust.

A source within the trust confirmed that she had been suspended.
Ben Shapiro: How Charlie Kirk Transformed America
We pay tribute to Charlie Kirk. Remembering how he made America better, remembering him as a friend, and carrying the torch for the values he stood for.


Charlie Kirk | Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO)
Ben Shapiro and Tim Alberta join Bill Maher to discuss the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.




Ricochet Podcast: A Turning Point
James and Charles discuss the political assassination of Charlie Kirk and the disturbing implications it has for a country founded on certain inalienable rights.


Over 10K posts tie Charlie Kirk’s murder to Israel as conspiracy theories explode online: ADL report
Antisemitic conspiracy theories have exploded on social media in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s killing — with thousands of posts blaming the assassination on Israel, according to an Anti-Defamation League report on Friday.

Since the 31-year-old conservative activist’s brutal killing on Wednesday, there have been over 10,000 posts on X alone linking it to Israel, the report said.

Kirk — co-founder of Turning Point USA, a conservative organization — became a major political figure for young, conservative men and an outspoken supporter of Israel, frequently speaking of his “love” for the nation and defending its actions in Gaza.

After he was fatally shot during a Turning Point event at a university in Utah, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mourned Kirk as a “lion-hearted friend of Israel.”

But video clips of Kirk lamenting intense backlash he faced over any questioning of the Israeli government have gained traction online in the days since his death.

In some clips, Kirk dismisses accusations of antisemitism against him, including for his support of the “replacement theory,” a conspiracy theory that suggests Jews are trying to replace white Americans with nonwhite immigrants.

Within hours of Kirk’s murder, “antisemites and promoters of false narratives seized the moment to attribute the incident to Israel or to blame Jews generally — a common example of how bad actors take advantage of breaking news events and tragedies,” the ADL said.


UN obsessed with Gaza: Why the Security Council ignores far worse humanitarian crises
Dozens of meetings and hours of discussions have taken place at UN headquarters since the war began regarding the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.

While Israel has acknowledged the situation is exceptional and difficult, an examination of UN World Food Programme (WFP) data against UN discussions reveals staggering disparities between the severity and scope of the crisis and the Security Council's disproportionate focus on it.

The WFP operates in 120 countries worldwide, including 17 designated as "emergency" situations — among them "Palestine." According to the data, 5.5 million Palestinians live in Gaza and the West Bank, with an estimated 640,000 facing starvation. This compares to approximately 215.9 million people at risk in other countries designated as "emergencies." Beyond emergency cases, dozens of additional countries where the WFP also operates house hundreds of millions of people at various risk levels.

The WFP says $334 million is needed this year for required operations in Gaza and the West Bank. This emergency situation greatly preoccupies the UN Security Council (UNSC): since November 2023, the UN Security Council has held at least 60 discussions on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, during which serious accusations were leveled against Israel.

The figure is more than triple that of Sudan, the second most-discussed country, where the UNSC has convened just 19 times on an emergency affecting 24.6 million people — roughly 38 times the number impacted in the top-ranked case.

This is also six times more than in Haiti, where conditions are alarming: 5.7 million face acute hunger out of a population of approximately 11.77 million, yet Haiti ranks third with 10 discussions over the past two years.


IDF says 280,000 Gaza City residents have left; high-rise said used by Hamas hit in strike
Tens of thousands more Palestinians evacuated Gaza City over the past day, the Israeli military said on Saturday afternoon, bringing the total number of those who left the area in recent weeks to around 280,000, according to Israel Defense Forces estimates.

Gaza’s Hamas-run civil defense agency, however, reported a much lower figure, saying fewer than 70,000 had managed to leave.

“The actual number of displaced people from Gaza to the south is approximately 68,000 only,” civil defense spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP.

Around one million Palestinians were estimated to be residing in Gaza City before the IDF began to prepare for its major offensive aimed at conquering the major city and defeating the remaining Hamas fighters and infrastructure in the area.

Earlier in the week, the IDF ordered all of Gaza City to evacuate immediately ahead of the planned offensive, and has continued dropping leaflets ordering residents of certain neighborhoods to urgently flee ahead of attacks.

Civilians have been instructed to head for an Israeli-designated “humanitarian zone” in the Strip’s south. The vast majority of Gaza’s roughly 2 million residents have been displaced at least once since the war there was sparked by the Hamas onslaught in southern Israel on October 7, 2023.

The UN and aid groups have warned that displacing hundreds of thousands of people will exacerbate the dire humanitarian crisis. Sites in southern Gaza where Israel is telling people to go are often overcrowded, according to the UN, and it can cost money to move, which many people don’t have.

Leaflets dropped on Saturday read: “The Israeli army is operating with very intense force in your area and is determined to dismantle and defeat Hamas. For your safety, evacuate immediately via Al-Rashid Street to the south of Wadi Gaza. You have been warned.”

Shortly after issuing the warning, the IDF bombed a high-rise tower in the area, continuing its recent pattern of leveling tall buildings in Gaza City, which it says are used by Hamas for surveillance, as sniper posts, and to store weapons.

According to the military, Hamas placed military infrastructure in the building that it struck Saturday, adding that the terror group used it to advance attacks on IDF troops in the area.
IDF hits 500 Hamas targets amid push into Gaza City
The Israel Defense Forces is continuing widescale strikes on Hamas terrorist infrastructure across the Gaza Strip, hitting around 500 targets as part of “Operation Gideon’s Chariots II” amid a ground offensive into Gaza City.

This week, the IDF carried out five waves of strikes in Gaza City, with the first three concentrated on the Daraj Tuffah and al-Furqan neighborhoods, and the last two expanding to al-Shati and deeper into al-Furqan.

As part of the strikes, the IDF said it destroyed observation and sniper posts, buildings containing tunnel shafts, weapons depots and other Hamas assets.

And on Saturday, the IDF struck a high-rise building that was used by the Hamas terrorist organization in the area of Gaza City, the army said.

“Within the building, Hamas established military infrastructure used to advance and execute terrorist attacks against IDF troops in the area,” the statement continued.

The military added that extensive measures were taken ahead of the strikes to minimize the risk to civilians.

“The IDF will continue to step up targeted strikes, guided by precise intelligence, to damage Hamas infrastructure, disrupt its operational readiness and reduce the threat to our forces as preparations advance for the next stages of the operation,” the military said.

In preparation for receiving displaced residents in southern Gaza, the IDF is expanding Crossing 147 to increase the flow of aid into the designated humanitarian area.

The project, carried out by the Southern Command and COGAT (the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories unit), includes paving new routes and enlarging the goods-handling zone.

Once completed, the crossing will be able to accommodate 150 trucks a day—triple its current capacity—with an emphasis on food shipments.


Visegrad24: A TOUGH Conversation About GAZA | Andrew Fox
One year ago, Andrew Fox and Stefan Tompson travelled to Gaza today. Now the former British Army officer and associate fellow at the Henry Jackson Society sits down with Visegrad24 founder for a follow up conversation about the Israel-Hamas War.

Together they discuss the war in Gaza, the reality of aid distribution, Hamas’s military capabilities, Israel’s strategy, and how media narratives and disinformation shape public opinion in the West.

0:00 Intro
1:20 Gaza Aid
3:26 GHF vs UN
6:20 Starvation
9:50 Devastation
18:10 Hamas Reality
20:46 Take the Win
23:25 Pro-Israel?
27:05 Identity Politics
30:32 Radicalised
34:00 Media & Perception


Is Peace Impossible After Gaza? | Unpacked
In the 1990s, peace felt possible. Leaders shook hands, crowds cheered, and hope filled the streets. But after years of terror and betrayal, most Israelis now believe peace is a fantasy.

And yet, a handful still choose hope. They push for dialogue, for connection, for a future bigger than fear. So is peace a fantasy—or the only future worth imagining?

Chapters
00:00 Intro
00:42 Personal experience with terror
02:02 2nd Intif@da
02:47 The post-Oslo peace industry
03:52 Post-October 7 peace activists
07:03 Opposition to the peace process
08:05 Anti-Israel radical Islam
10:52 How to deal with Hamas
12:50 Interfaith dialogue
14:21 Opinions in Palestinian society
15:39 The importance of education
16:21 Hopes for the future
18:07 Visions for the future
20:38 Egypt-Israel peace treaty
22:59 Will things get worse first?


Ep. 10: How Can Israel Prevent Another October 7?
On this week’s episode, Lahav and Asher interview Israeli-American journalist Yaakov Katz, co-author of the new book While Israel Slept: How Hamas Surprised the Most Powerful Military in the Middle East. Yaakov exposes in detail the intelligence and strategic failures that enabled the Hamas attack, and just as importantly- the lessons that Israel must learn in order to avoid another October 7-scale disaster.

Yaakov also discusses his work as co-founder of the Middle East-America Dialogue (MEAD) policy forum, a unique platform bringing together leaders from the U.S., Israel and across the Middle East, including from countries with which Israel has no formal ties.

In the first part of the episode, Lahav and Asher discuss the implications of the latest terror attacks in Jerusalem, the debate over applying Israeli sovereignty to parts of Judea and Samaria (West Bank), and the proposal put forward by President Trump to end the war in Gaza.




Israel Advocacy Movement: Palestinian Caught Lying About The Nakba



Over 100,000 march in London anti-immigration rally with Israeli flags and Charlie Kirk tributes
More than 100,000 demonstrators rallied Saturday in central London at a mass protest against immigration, organized under the banner “Unite the Kingdom.” The event was spearheaded by anti-Muslim campaigner and self-described Zionist Tommy Robinson.

Waving British and English flags, the crowd marched along Whitehall toward Parliament, chanting slogans such as “Send them home,” “Stop the boats” and “Save our children.” Some participants carried Israeli and U.S. flags, as well as red MAGA hats associated with U.S. President Donald Trump. Placards honoring Charlie Kirk, the pro-Israel American conservative activist who was shot dead on Wednesday in Utah, were also visible. A suspect in the killing was arrested on Friday.

"We want our country back, we want our free speech back on track," said Sandra Mitchell, a supporter attending the rally. "They need to stop illegal migration into this country.”

Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, described the protest as a celebration of free speech and called on participants to remain peaceful. He has a strong following online and counts figures such as Elon Musk among his supporters. “We believe in Tommy,” Mitchell added.

A counter-protest organized by the group Stand Up to Racism drew about 5,000 participants to another section of Whitehall. More than 1,000 police officers were deployed to maintain order, with barriers set up to create a buffer zone between the opposing groups.


Spain’s Vuelta disrupted again by anti-Israel protesters ahead of race’s last leg
Saturday’s stage of the 2025 Vuelta a España, which has seen numerous disruptions caused by anti-Israel demonstrators, did not escape entirely without more protests, with riders having to bypass a large group of protesters on the road with 18 kilometers remaining.

During stage five’s team time trial, protesters waving Palestinian flags halted an Israeli-owned team.

Protests targeting the Israel-Premier Tech riders have repeatedly seized the limelight at the Vuelta, Spain’s version of the Tour de France, in which over 180 cyclists pedal 3,100 kilometers (1,900 miles) through rural Spain’s sleepy back-roads. Six of the last 10 days of racing have been either cut short or interrupted, with over 20 people detained by police.

Stage 11 in Bilbao, Spain, was stopped with three kilometers to go due to protesters blocking the road, while stage 16’s finish line was changed mid-race to the 8 kilometers-to-go banner.

Spanish authorities have deployed extraordinary security measures for Sunday’s final stage into the capital, in the hope that the Vuelta can come to its scheduled finish.
Thousands of anti-Israel demonstrators in Berlin protest against ‘Gaza genocide’
Thousands of people gathered in front of Berlin’s landmark Brandenburg Gate on Saturday, demanding an end to “the genocide in Gaza” as well as a halt to arms deliveries to Ukraine.

Around 12,000 people joined the rally in the center of the German capital condemning Israel’s offensive in Gaza, according to police figures.

But the far-left BSW party, which had called the demonstration, estimated turnout at 20,000 people, making it one of the largest pro-Palestinian rallies in Germany in recent months.

Marie Atwan, a 20-year-old student, told AFP that she had come from Hamburg to join the rally to demand “a complete halt to German arms deliveries” to Israel.

Not banning those weapons sales amounted to supporting “the genocide in Gaza,” she said.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced in August that Berlin — Israel’s second largest arms supplier — had suspended sales of arms to Israel that could be used in the war against the Hamas terror group in Gaza.

Merz announced the German arms embargo amid broad European condemnation of the Israeli security cabinet’s recent approval of a plan to conquer Gaza City in October.
New Zealand Jews ‘concerned’ as thousands march for Hamas-ruled Gaza
About 20,000 people marched through New Zealand’s biggest city on Saturday, calling on their government to impose sanctions on Israel.

The protest, titled “March for Humanity,” began at 9:30 a.m. local time in Auckland’s Aotea Square, and made its way through the Central Business District to Victoria Park, The New Zealand Herald reported.

Demonstrators could be seen hoisting Palestinian flags. One man, Innes Fisher, told the Herald, “It’s so good to be around people who have the same point of view …, being here, you know you are doing something.”

A Jewish woman addressed the marchers, saying: “The Palestinian people have opened me with open arms. … I will walk with you every step of the way toward justice,” the newspaper reported.

A counter-protest led by the Destiny Church movement was diverted by police to Victoria Street, the report noted.

Police said there were no incidents to report, as roads reopened in the city center when the marchers assembled in Victoria Park.
Israeli professor’s online lecture to NY college disrupted with shouts of ‘kill all the Jews’
An Israeli law professor’s online lecture to a New York City college this week was disrupted by shouted slurs such as, “Kill all the Jews,” and, “Go back to Auschwitz,” The New York Times reports.

The event was held over Zoom and hosted by Queens College, part of the New York City public university system. It was open to the public, the report says.

The professor, Yofi Tirosh, was delivering a lecture on the rights of women and sexual minorities in Israel.

“There’s nothing for Palestinians in this protest,” she tells The Times. “It doesn’t do anything for the cause of ending the war.”

The college condemns the incident and is investigating.


West Bank home of Basel Adra, activist and Oscar-winning director, raided by IDF
Palestinian Oscar-winning director Basel Adra said that Israeli soldiers conducted a raid at his West Bank home on Saturday, searching for him and going through his wife’s phone.

The Israel Defense Forces said the raid occurred after two Israelis were injured by stone-throwing in the area.

Israeli settlers attacked his village, injuring two of his brothers and one cousin, Adra told The Associated Press. He accompanied them to the hospital. While there, he said that he heard from family in the village that nine Israeli soldiers had stormed his home.

The soldiers asked his wife, Suha, for his whereabouts and went through her phone, he said, while his 9-month-old daughter was home. They also briefly detained one of his uncles, he said.

As of Saturday night, Adra said he had no way of returning home to check on his family, because soldiers were blocking the entrance to the village and he was scared of being detained.

The military said in response to an inquiry that it had received reports that “a number of terrorists hurled stones at Israeli civilians near at-Tuwani.” As a result of the stone throwing, two Israelis were injured, it said.

Following the reports, the IDF said it dispatched troops to the scene, “and they are currently scanning the area and questioning suspects.”
IDF seals homes of Palestinian terrorists behind deadly Jerusalem shooting
Israeli troops sealed the West Bank homes of the two Palestinian terrorists who carried out a deadly shooting attack in Jerusalem last week, the Israel Defense Forces said Saturday, in anticipation of their planned demolition.

The two gunmen, Mohammad Taha, 21, from Qatanna, and Muthanna Amro, 20, from Qubeiba, murdered six people and wounded over a dozen others at Ramot Junction on Monday before being killed by an off-duty soldier and armed civilians.

As a matter of policy, Israel demolishes the homes of Palestinians accused of carrying out deadly terror attacks. The homes of the two gunmen have already been surveyed for a potential demolition.

Sealing the homes of attackers is often a replacement or stopgap for demolishing them.

In general, the demolition process takes several months, as the High Court must address appeals by the family, and security forces often wait for an optimal time to enter Palestinian cities or neighborhoods for the operation.

In the past week, the IDF said troops also detained over 20 suspects in the hometowns of the terrorists and scanned over 700 sites. In addition, the Civil Administration, a Defense Ministry body under COGAT, demolished illegal structures in the two villages.


PLO factions hand over more weapons amid Lebanese disarmament push
The Lebanese army received weapons from PLO factions outside of Lebanon’s largest refugee camp on Saturday, a Palestinian official said, as part of a push by the government to disarm non-state groups.

Abdel Hadi al-Asadi, of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), said the umbrella group conducted “the operation of delivering new batches of weapons.”

The Lebanese army confirmed that it received “five truckloads of weapons from the Ain al-Hilweh camp in Sidon,” the largest in Lebanon, and “three trucks from the Beddawi camp in Tripoli.”

“The delivery included various types of weapons, shells, and ammunition,” the army said in a statement.

An AFP journalist near Ain al-Hilweh reported Lebanese army vehicles posted around the camp, preventing anyone from approaching.

The densely-populated Beddawi camp, near the northern city of Tripoli, was hit last year by Israeli strikes that killed a Hamas commander, his wife and two daughters, according to the Palestinian terrorist group.

In Beddawi, an AFP journalist saw three covered trucks leaving the camp, with Lebanese army vehicles waiting for them outside.

Hamas and its ally Islamic Jihad, both not part of the PLO, which has begun handing over weapons, have not announced plans to disarm in Lebanon.

Lebanon hosts about 222,000 Palestinian refugees, according to the United Nations agency UNRWA, with many living in overcrowded camps outside of the state’s control.

During a visit to Beirut in May, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas agreed with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun that weapons in Lebanon’s Palestinian refugee camps would be handed over to the Lebanese authorities.


In face of rising antisemitism, Amsterdam’s Portugese synagogue celebrates 350 years
King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands joined members of the Portuguese Jewish community on Sunday to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the Portuguese Synagogue in Amsterdam.

In the face of rising antisemitism in the country, the king stood as synagogue leaders said the prayers for the State of Israel, Israel Defense Forces soldiers, and the hostages held by Hamas.

After the ceremony, he spoke with Netherlands Chief Rabbi Binyomin Jacobs and members of the Jewish community about the history of the community and the synagogue. He also met with young people to discuss the community’s future.

A number of musical compositions were performed at the event, including a version of the liturgical song “Adon Olam” sung at the consecration of the synagogue in 1675, according to the local Jewish news site, jonet.nl.

The Portuguese Synagogue, also known as the Esnoga, is one of the most important and iconic Jewish landmarks in Europe. Opened in 1675 by Sephardic Jews who had fled persecution in Portugal and Spain during the Inquisition, it was the largest synagogue in the world at the time, reflecting the prominence and prosperity of Amsterdam’s Jewish community in the 17th century.

Designed by architect Elias Bouman, the synagogue is built in the style of a large classical hall. It is still in use by the local community, and has retained its original interior, preserved in full.

To this day, it has no electricity or heating. It is illuminated only by its high arched windows and hundreds of candles in brass chandeliers, and heated only by the warmth of those inside.

Earlier in September, the synagogue commemorated its anniversary with a candlelight concert. A lecture series is being held this week, with discussions about such historical figures as the synagogue’s founder, Rabbi Isaac Aboab da Fonseca, and Samuel Sarphati, a Dutch Jewish physician, philanthropist, and urban planner who this year was named the greatest Amsterdammer of all time.




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Elder of Ziyon - حـكـيـم صـهـيـون



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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