Israel does not play the victim: The brutal reality of Hamas’s war
Civilian victims of terrorism now number nearly 6,000. And Hamas’s cruelty is not theoretical: the organization has been seen seizing newborns in front of their mothers. In this war alone, thousands of Israeli soldiers have been wounded. Some have lost limbs, yet they return to fight with courage and resilience.NGO Monitor: UK Coordination and NGO Funding Continued Despite Hamas Terror Designation
Hamas operates without uniforms, using human shields—including children—and emerging from underground tunnels to strike without warning. In Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, young mothers have given birth after their husbands were killed in combat; on Oct. 7 alone, at least 30 births occurred under such circumstances. Over the years, Israel has counted 4,520 widows and 1,354 children orphaned by war.
For those willing to look beyond Hamas’s statistics and the selective images on Al Jazeera, the human toll is crystal clear. Mothers attend funerals recounting their children’s aspirations—a son volunteering with autistic children, a daughter painting like a young Raphael, a young couple whose love is now tragically interrupted.
These lives were devoted to preserving Israel, a small democratic country, the homeland of the Jewish people, surrounded by hatred: anti-gay, anti-women and anti-Western sentiment.
And yet, even amid this devastation, Israelis leave cemeteries with heads held high. They cry, but with pride, understanding that their struggle is not only for survival—it is for the survival of values, of civilization, of hope.
Hamas does not protect Gaza. Hamas exploits Gaza. Hamas enslaves Gaza. The world must finally see the truth: Israel is fighting for its life, its people and its future.
The victims of Hamas are not statistics—they are mothers, fathers, sons, daughters and friends. And their courage, like that of all Israelis, deserves recognition, solidarity and unwavering support.
The internal Hamas documents reviewed by NGO Monitor reveal deeply troubling engagement between the UK government and the Hamas-led regime in Gaza, despite the UK’s formal designation of Hamas as a terrorist organization in November 2021 and a stated policy of non-contact. (This expands on previous revelations by NGO Monitor, showing the UK’s acquiescence to Hamas’ involvement in a UK-funded cash assistance program in Gaza, and belies the UK’s denials).Laser-Focused: What Iron Beam Means for Israel, its Enemies, and the US
In addition, UK-funded NGOs have engaged with Hamas officials and stressed that UK funding and NGO activity would remain unaffected by the designation.
Rather than isolating Hamas and restricting funding that could be exploited by a terrorist regime, the UK government appears to have reassured Hamas authorities of continued cooperation and funding, with little to no conditionality or oversight. As illustrated in the documents, the UK does not appear to take vetting procedures seriously and did not screen local partners, staff, or beneficiaries regardless of terror ties.
This conduct undermines the credibility of the UK’s counterterror policies and raises serious concerns about the transparency and accountability of taxpayer-funded aid. By signaling that the terror designation carries no operational consequences, these interactions assist and legitimize proscribed terrorist organizations.
Western missile defenses are top-notch, but they are also expensive. The roughly 200 interceptors American and Israeli forces launched in June cost about $1.5 billion. This is certainly better than the alternative of hostile missiles raining down on civilians, but it is unsustainable over a long war. The Ukrainians have resorted to using shotguns and machine guns against Russia's massive arsenal of drones to save their scarce supply of air defense missiles.Let There Be Laser Light By Abe Greenwald
Iron Beam solves that problem. Instead of firing an interceptor—or in some cases, several—to shoot down a missile that costs a fraction of the interceptor, Iron Beam fries the incoming weapon with lasers at about two bucks a shot. In other words, air defense can be not only effective, but also cost effective.
Laser defenses will be particularly helpful for small, compact countries like Israel. The United States and many of its larger allies cannot fully secure their skies with laser weapons, but they can protect key targets. If, for example, American laser systems become powerful enough to stop China's long-range missiles from hitting aircraft carriers and key installations in the Pacific, then many of China's vaunted "assassin's mace" weapons will be much less valuable.
Other technological transformations will follow in short order. Armed drones were highly unusual only five years ago, and now the Russians and Ukrainians field millions of them. Iron Beam and related technologies will make many of these drones unusable, which will prompt militaries to find new ways to attack their enemies. American companies like Anduril, Epirus, and Saronic are already peering beyond this technological horizon to develop the sci-fi gizmos that will dominate battlefields in the future.
The U.S. military depends on its technological edge to deter and, if necessary, defeat its enemies, but that edge has been blunted. The Trump administration is trying to force the Pentagon to move at the pace of technological change. For example, War Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed the Army to purchase and field new capabilities with utmost speed.
America's national security depends on the success of this effort. The ongoing wars in Europe and the Middle East show that many old technologies still have their value. But the slow get left behind—and die there.
Via the Commentary Newsletter, sign up here. We desperately need good news, and we’ve got some. On Wednesday, Israel’s Defense Ministry announced that its “Iron Beam” laser-defense system is operational and will be deployed throughout the country over the next few months.
In fact, Israel already used a smaller laser-defense system to shoot down 40 Hezbollah drones last year. But Iron Beam goes far beyond what was operational then. Unlike the smaller Lite Beam, Iron Beam can also shoot down mortars, rockets, and missiles.
Iron Beam is meant to augment, not replace, Israel’s current air-defense. But it beats the non-laser systems on multiple fronts. First off, there’s the cost. Every time Israel uses Iron Dome to fire off an interceptor missile, it costs roughly $50,000. For the Arrow system, it’s $2 million. Iron Beam costs only a few dollars per shot of laser light.
And because the beam travels so fast, it can take out aerial threats well before they reach Israeli skies. That high speed also means that the IDF will know very quickly whether it hit a target. If not, they can keep firing until they succeed. The system can even hit multiple targets simultaneously. And in using a beam of light, there’s no risk of running out of ammunition.
The hope is that Iron Beam’s ability to take out so many incoming threats while in enemy territory will result in far fewer warning sirens and trips to bomb shelters.
There are three versions of the system in all, each suited to different challenges: the short-range and mobile Lite Beam, the more powerful but less mobile Iron Beam M, and the most powerful but stationary Iron Beam. Israel will surely continue to refine and innovate these systems, and perhaps develop a version that can be mounted on aircraft.
Hamas publishes archive photo of remaining 48 hostages, labeling them each as 'Ron Arad'
Hamas’s Izzadin al-Qassam Brigades published a photo on Saturday of all 48 remaining hostages on Saturday, in which each hostage was labeled with the name “Ron Arad” and given a number.
The terrorist organization said that this is the hostage's farewell photo ahead of the operation in Gaza City.
On Thursday, Hamas issued a statement saying that the hostages were spread throughout the perimeter of Gaza City, and that their lives would not be guaranteed as long as Israel continues its military operation in Gaza.
“Your hostages are scattered within the neighborhoods of Gaza City, and we will not be concerned for their lives as long as Netanyahu has decided to kill them," the Thursday statement read. "The initiation of this criminal operation and its expansion means that you will not retrieve any hostage, neither alive nor dead.”
This was the first statement released under the name “the Leadership of the Hamas Military Wing” rather than by the organization’s spokesman Abu Obeida, reinforcing Israeli assessments that he was killed.
Ron Arad was taken hostage by Shia militia Amal in Lebanon and was possibly transferred to Iran. There’s been confirmation of his death but also no sightings. For decades. https://t.co/0WiKZKAJaE
— Heidi Bachram 🎗️ (@HeidiBachram) September 20, 2025
NYPost Editorial: Get set for the UN’s week of obscene Israel-bashing lies
This week’s United Nations General Assembly will be a gala of hypocrisy and hate, as the world’s worst tyrants, sycophants and cowards gather to unload all their scorn and bad faith at Israel.
Blaming the Jewish state for most of the world’s ills is UN routine even in times of peace; with the IDF beginning the final stages of its campaign to drive Hamas out of Gaza, the hate will be all the louder, the lies the more outrageous.
At center stage will be the endless insistence that Israel is committing “genocide” and imposing “famine” in Gaza.
The global propaganda apparat started hurling the twin accusations the instant Israel began responding to the Oct. 7, 2023, terror attacks. After nearly two years, shouldn’t someone be able to produce at least a few shreds of actual evidence of mass starvation and a vast drop in Gaza’s population?
Instead, the Israel-bashers have radically redefined both terms to make the “crime” fit the lack of evidence.
By the longstanding UN definition, genocide has always involved the “intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.”
Israel has never shown any such intention: It’s waging war on Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the other terror groups that have long controlled Gaza, and some civilian are inevitable in any war — but the civilian toll in this war is unprecedentedly low.
Another “genocide” oddity: The IDF consistently warns civilians of areas it’s about to target and gives them time to move out before it strikes.
Also: The Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health now puts total Palestinian deaths in the war at 65,000, up from 42,000 a year ago — meaning the second year of this “genocide” took roughly half the lives of the first year.
A slowdown in fatalities is a pretty weird result if Jerusalem had the least intent to destroy the people of Gaza.
This also takes the air out of the “famine” claims: Even if all these deaths were from starvation, it wouldn’t be enough to count as famine — and in fact the Gaza health ministry is only reporting about one death a day from hunger.
🚨 BREAKING: Mike Waltz CONFIRMED as U.S. Ambassador to the UN - and he’s bringing a sledgehammer.
— Jews Fight Back 🇺🇸🇮🇱 (@JewsFightBack) September 20, 2025
This is the man who said:
“We MUST allow Israel to destroy Hamas. Otherwise it all repeats.”
He’s not just representing America. He’s representing the truth. pic.twitter.com/rDNQDpXrF1
A useful reminder that “Palestine” has always been an obsession for the left, thanks to relentless Soviet subversion operations. Starmer, Carney, Macron et al are in that tradition, but it has been turbocharged by billions in state-backed propaganda, and social media. https://t.co/hmeayhhEUh
— Andrew Fox (@Mr_Andrew_Fox) September 20, 2025
🔗 You can read full report here: https://t.co/n4pUW2u6HJ
— Arsen Ostrovsky 🎗️ (@Ostrov_A) September 19, 2025
Starmer rewarding murderers with Palestine recognition, say hostage families
In the letter, the hostage families wrote to Sir Keir: “Your regrettable announcement of the UK’s intention to recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly has dramatically complicated efforts to bring home our loved ones.Nearly nine out of 10 Britons do not back Starmer’s Palestine recognition
“Hamas has already celebrated the UK’s decision as a victory and reneged on a ceasefire deal. We write to you with a simple plea – do not take this step until our loved ones are home and in our arms.
“The best way to end this terrible war is for Hamas to release all of the 48 remaining hostages. Those who are alive for rehabilitation and those who are not, for proper burial. We implore you to use the UK’s relationships with countries across the region to apply maximum pressure upon Hamas.”
Ilay David, one of the signatories, said recognition was a “bad idea” and made the release of his brother Evyatar, the 28-year-old hostage seen emaciated in a Hamas video last month, less likely.
“It harms the negotiations,” he said. “It is bad for Gazans, bad for the hostage. Any form of recognition from nations like the UK is a bad idea. The timing is wrong. We have to say, ‘Until the hostages are home and Hamas de-weaponises we cannot recognise anything. It is the wrong move right now.
“We want to meet with Starmer but he refuses to meet with us. I want him to look into my mother’s eyes, into my brother’s eyes on that video, and promise that he will do whatever he can to make sure my brother survives.
“Giving this recognition is like saying to Hamas: ‘It is OK you can keep starving the hostages, you can keep using them as human shields.’ This kind of recognition gives Hamas power to be stubborn in negotiations. That is the last thing we need right now.”
Almost nine out of 10 Britons do not back Sir Keir Starmer recognising a Palestinian state without conditions, a poll has found.
The survey by JL Partners suggests almost 90 per cent of the population does not support the Prime Minister’s decision, which he is expected to announce on Sunday.
Just 13 per cent of Britons support Palestine being recognised without any conditions, a figure that dropped to 11 per cent among Labour voters.
A majority of the public – 51 per cent – also opposes recognition while Hamas still controls Gaza and has not released any hostages.
According to the poll, 40 per cent of Britons separately believe a condition of statehood should be Hamas agreeing to a ceasefire and releasing hostages.
It also found that 17 per cent oppose recognition in any circumstances and 52 per cent believe granting statehood rewards terrorists by giving them what they want.
INTERESTING 🔴
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) September 20, 2025
71% of French people oppose immediate recognition of a Palestinian state
38% would only accept it after the release of hostages and the elimination of Hamas, Crif reports https://t.co/HVLGz1BgCX pic.twitter.com/jcAkzHHQjY
France wants to recognize a "palestinian" state!
— Hamas Atrocities (@HamasAtrocities) September 20, 2025
In which French colony should this new state be established?
❓ French Guiana
❓ Guadeloupe
❓ Martinique
❓ Mayotte
❓ Réunion
❓ New Caledonia
❓ French Polynesia
❓ Saint Barthélemy
❓ Saint-Martin
❓ Saint-Pierre and Miquelon… pic.twitter.com/vHZl2GzRaM
Members of US Congress write letter to Anthony Albanese urging him not to recognise a fictitious 'State of Palestine'.
— Australian Jewish Association (@AustralianJA) September 20, 2025
They note the rising levels of antisemitism and threaten punitive measures against Australia for undermining US foreign policy.
The Albanese Government are… pic.twitter.com/hRZzP13hpt
Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez crosses dangerous red line in ‘atomic bomb’ remark
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s recent remark that “We do not have atomic bombs to stop Israel” is not just another harsh political statement. It is a crossing of a red line that places Spain at the center of an international scandal.Qatar demands apology for Doha strike, Israel return to hostage deal negotiations
This is not a case of clumsy wording or rhetorical exaggeration; it is an implied threat against the State of Israel, a sovereign nation fighting for its right to exist against terror and violence.
Should Israel understand from his words that if Spain possessed nuclear weapons, it would consider using them against Israel? Sánchez has never issued such threats toward Iran’s murderous ayatollah regime, which openly calls for Israel’s destruction.
In recent weeks, Sánchez has led unprecedented moves against Israel: declaring an arms embargo, supporting boycotts, and leveling false accusations of “genocide.” Yet his latest statement, which refers to Spain’s military capacity vis-à-vis Israel, while invoking the notion of “atomic bombs,” is reckless and resonates not only in newsrooms but also in diplomatic corridors worldwide.
Instead of working to secure the release of hostages held by terror groups, he chooses to direct his fire at Israel – the victim, not the aggressor.
His words are especially disturbing in light of his silence regarding the hostages. Rather than using his international standing to demand their immediate release, Sánchez embraces an anti-Israel narrative that legitimizes terror. Every statement that blurs the line between innocent hostages and murderous terrorists strikes at human dignity and deepens the suffering of their families.
Sánchez has also announced that his government is advancing an arms embargo against Israel due to the war in Gaza, and that Madrid will bar ships and aircraft carrying weapons or military supplies to Israel from Spanish ports and airspace.
Qatar has demanded that Israel apologize for the strike on Hamas leaders in Doha and return to the mediation table to negotiate a new ceasefire-hostage deal with Hamas, two sources familiar with the demands told N12 on Saturday.
Doha, an ally of both Hamas and the United States, has been the main mediator between the Gaza-based terror group and Jerusalem. Previous agreements, hostage rescue missions, and the identification of hostage remains in Gaza have left 48 Israelis captive in Gaza out of the initial 251 abducted on October 7, 2023.
The Trump administration acknowledged that a new hostage deal would be challenging to achieve without intervention from Doha. However, Qatar has expressed its deep frustrations at the Jewish state following a strike in its capital earlier this month. Israel struck Hamas leaders after months of stalled talks.
Hamas sought international guarantees for a complete end to the war, allowing the terror group to stay armed and in power in Gaza, in exchange for the release of the hostages.
The Qataris want compensation???? How about they compensate Israel for hosting the terrorist leaders who orchestrated the October 7 Massacre and are still holding hostages!!! https://t.co/YvtXUtCSsn
— Eylon Levy (@EylonALevy) September 20, 2025
Erdogan senses blood with the world completely against us, barring the US. So he’s that typical opportunist and wants to take advantage and rebuild the old Ottoman Empire. He’s always wanted to have his own empire. But he will fall on his sword if he comes for us. Big time. https://t.co/tchzMyVLTA
— Cheryl E 🇮🇱🎗️ (@CherylWroteIt) September 20, 2025
Erdogan can scream all he wants that Jerusalem is Arab.
— Jews Fight Back 🇺🇸🇮🇱 (@JewsFightBack) September 19, 2025
Netanyahu answered: It’s Jewish.
Greece’s Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis agrees:
“History proves it. Jerusalem is the Jewish holy city. The UN denying that is like denying Greece’s ties to Greek heritage.” pic.twitter.com/S8Db8lHvB2
Seth Frantzman: Presence of armed anti-Hamas groups growing in Gaza, reports indicate
Small armed anti-Hamas resistance groups are emerging in Gaza, recent reports indicate.IDF arrests over 75 terror suspects in Judea and Samaria
Regional media is taking notice of the groups, including in the Gulf, where the official line is that Hamas should not play a role in Gaza. In the UAE, Al-Ain media has a report on September 20 noting “Small armed groups are emerging in Gaza, but the crisis is much bigger: There is a local, regional, and international consensus in the Gaza Strip that Hamas cannot be part of any future solution for the Strip.”
This builds on previous reports that at least one armed group is backed by Israel and has a foothold against Hamas in Gaza.
Combating Hamas with opposing groups
The concept of using clans and tribes against Hamas goes back to the early days after the October 7, 2023 Hamas massacre. However, this strategy has not been extremely successful as the groups remain small. Hamas continues to control the lives of around 2 million people in Gaza. Around 500,000 of those people were recently forced to evacuate Gaza City due to the recent IDF offensive there.
Yasser Abu Shabab was the first militia leader named as a possible anti-Hamas local leader. He had previously been mentioned in 2024 in the context of gang activities. The Washington Post described Shababa as a “tribal strongman.” The report said, “Yasser Abu Shabab, a militia leader, has set up a base in a part of southeastern Gaza that is under the control of the Israel Defense Forces.”
Shabab was said to be part of a large Bedouin tribe, and reports at The New Arab accused him of setting up “collaborator villages” in southern Gaza. This is part of the terminology that one must wade through in discussing these armed groups. Are they “collaborators” with Israel, or tribesmen, or anti-Hamas groups with wide appeal?
The Al-Ain report is important because it provides some context for how the region may greet these groups. Tribal and clan groups usually cannot control much territory. The US tried empowering Sunni tribes during the “awakening” in Iraq against the insurgency in the first decade of the 2000s. It only succeeded for a short time.
The Israel Defense Forces, together with the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), arrested in the past week more than 75 Palestinian terrorist suspects in Judea and Samaria, the military said on Friday.Egypt threatens to send troops, aircraft to Sinai Peninsula after Gazan displacement
Israeli troops operated in dozens of Palestinian villages, the IDF noted. The soldiers are being deployed in Jewish communities, on roads and elsewhere in the area ahead of the Jewish holiday season.
Among those detained were 10 terrorists involved in terror activity in the city of Qabatiya, south of Jenin, 13 terrorists engaged in attacks against Israeli civilians and security forces in the Bethlehem area, and nine Hamas operatives and arms dealers in the Tulkarem and Salfit regions, western and central Samaria, the army added.
All detainees were transferred to the Judea and Samaria District Police and the ISA for further handling.
The IDF found and confiscated a “Carlo-style” weapon in the Qabatiya area as well as additional weapons and ammunition in the Tulkarem and Salfit areas, the military said.
The Carlo is a cheaply made submachine gun that is relatively easy to assemble. The Palestinian terrorists who claimed the lives of six Israelis in the mass-shooting attack in northern Jerusalem earlier this month reportedly used Carlo weapons.
Also on Friday, Israeli security forces arrested in Samaria a group of terrorists who had attempted to launch a rocket from the Ramallah area the previous week, the IDF said.
An Egyptian military official reportedly told Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Akhbar on Saturday that a potential Egyptian military action would include doubling the number of Egyptian soldiers and transferring weapons and aircraft to the Sinai Peninsula, with the source adding that it hopes to act as a "deterrent to Tel Aviv."
The military official told the source that “instructions for a plan to deal with any emergency include not shooting at any Palestinian approaching the border, and dealing with the matter exclusively according to humanitarian standards.”
The military official told the source that “instructions for a plan to deal with any emergency include not shooting at any Palestinian approaching the border, and dealing with the matter exclusively according to humanitarian standards.”
Egypt's State Information Service denied this, and claimed that the increase in soldiers in the area was to secure its border "against all threats, including terrorist operations and smuggling."
SIS also added that "Egypt is fully committed to maintaining the peace treaty with Israel, given that it has never violated any treaty or agreement throughout its history."
The source added that “displacement to the border poses a direct threat to Egyptian national security and requires a different military situation from the current one.”
Cairo, through contacts with US officials, has also expressed its “displeasure with repeated Israeli reports on allegations that drones are being used to smuggle weapons to Hamas through Egypt," al-Akhbar quoted them as saying.
The IDF confirms carrying out an airstrike in the Khardali area of southern Lebanon earlier today, saying it killed a Hezbollah operative who was carrying out surveillance on Israeli troops.
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) September 20, 2025
"The terrorist took part in attempts to gather intelligence on IDF troops in southern… https://t.co/vszZ1WgS0Y pic.twitter.com/ZOvS1bXc5K
COGAT accuses Hamas of opening fire on UN vehicles, preventing new UN aid route
Hamas prevented the opening of a new humanitarian route to deliver aid across the southern Gaza Strip by firing at UN vehicles, the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) said on Saturday.
The UN vehicles were reportedly stolen, and terrorists placed sandbags on the route to prevent new attempts to deliver aid.
In response, Head of COGAT Major-General Ghassan Alian said, "Hamas proves time and again that it has no interest in the well-being of the residents of the Gaza Strip, but only in its terrorist motives.
“Even as the State of Israel works together with the UN and international organizations to expand the scope of humanitarian aid, Hamas is desperate to thwart this, thereby once again abandoning the residents it claims to represent and enslaving them to ensure its survival. I strongly condemn the attack on UN workers by Hamas. We will not allow Hamas to once again create false narratives of a crisis in the Gaza Strip, and we will continue to expose its cruelty."
Hamas sabotaging aid in Gaza
Sharing images of the damaged vehicles, COGAT condemned Hamas for “deliberately trying to thwart the adaptation of humanitarian infrastructure in the southern Gaza Strip, while directly harming the efforts of international aid organizations and their staff, in order to create a crisis that will exert international pressure on Israel to stop the operation in Gaza City.” The announcement
comes a day after UNICEF admitted that “armed individuals,” named by COGAT as members of Hamas, stole humanitarian aid trucks filled with baby formula in Gaza City.
Head of COGAT, Major General Ghasan Alyan:
— COGAT (@cogatonline) September 20, 2025
"Hamas proves time and again that it has no interest in the well-being of the residents of the Gaza Strip, but o
nly in its terrorist motives. Even as the State of Israel works together with the UN and international organizations to… https://t.co/vjfNKcXwdp
Today's GHF Operational Update:
— Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (@GHFUpdates) September 19, 2025
➡️ More than 168 million meals distributed to date
➡️ Over half a million meals delivered today
“The people of Gaza come to our sites each day with trust and with gratitude. That trust matters. If the Palestinian people can place their… pic.twitter.com/VUqFjSdObX
At our Women’s Only distributions, women, children, the elderly, and disabled individuals have safe and dignified access to aid.
— Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (@GHFUpdates) September 20, 2025
Here’s scenes of a regular day at GHF: pic.twitter.com/9ANVS4R0uS
We organize Women’s Only distributions to guarantee women and children safe and dignified access to aid.
— Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (@GHFUpdates) September 19, 2025
This woman has returned to collect aid from our sites more than 30 times. pic.twitter.com/0hkYQbfmvs
Egyptian Broadcaster Ahmed Moussa: Hamas, Not Israel, Behind Gaza Starvation
— Eye On Antisemitism (@AntisemitismEye) September 20, 2025
Hamas is hijacking aid,profiting from it,sacrificing civilians to sustain its rule.
world leaders have to stop empowering Hamas,& dismantling its influence to end the sufferings pic.twitter.com/1o1hL4XEXE
What we can learn from Charlie Kirk's assassination for Rosh Hashanah
Last week, conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated while speaking at Utah Valley University. A young life ended, a family shattered, and a public voice silenced – not by counter-arguments, not by debate, but by bullets.
The symbolism is terrifying. Our world is aflame with intolerance. Disagreement has become dangerous. We no longer argue – we cancel. We no longer debate – we destroy. If persuasion fails, the gun speaks.
As Jews gather for Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, this tragedy should pierce our conscience. The sound of the shofar is not a nostalgic ritual. It is an alarm clock for a sleeping world. It calls us to awaken from indifference and demand a different way: the way of civility.
The collapse of everyday respect
The Torah commands us to love our neighbor as ourselves (Leviticus 19:18). Rambam explains that this includes speaking kindly, showing honor, and offering simple gestures of respect. The Talmud praises Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai for greeting every passerby with a warm “shalom,” even gentiles in the marketplace (Berachot 17a).
Contrast that with our public square today. We honk instead of waiting. We push in line. We curse at drivers and snap at cashiers. Social media magnifies the contempt: insults replace dialogue, dehumanization replaces dissent.
It is tempting to see Kirk’s assassination as an extreme aberration. But assassinations do not emerge in a vacuum. They grow out of an environment where civility has decayed, where contempt becomes habitual, and where hatred becomes normalized.
“Would it have killed someone to get up there, since they all want to talk about their politics… just to say we had a political assassination this week and that’s wrong?"
— 𝔸η𝐓 (@AntSpeaks) September 20, 2025
Huge respect to Bill Maher for talking about this! 💯pic.twitter.com/Fq0IEJke5G
May you live a life so extraordinary, so courageous, and so true, that your enemies hate you as much as they hated Charlie. Their hatred consumes them and and is now apparent to the world. https://t.co/vjI8cQcucD
— Andrew Kolvet (@AndrewKolvet) September 20, 2025
Israel Advocacy Movement: Palestinian’s Attack on Israel Backfires… Exposes Palestinians Instead
Israel Advocacy Movement: Anti-Zionist RAGED Against Israel… 30 Mins Later This Happened
That's right. A nonstate armed group like Hamas has no legal basis to engage in hostilities, which means they're not conferred with combatant privilege and the 1949 Geneva Conventions aren't activated (including GCIII involving POWs) except for common article 3.
— Dr. Brian L. Cox (@BrianCox_RLTW) September 19, 2025
So no one Hamas…
Watch the things that Mark Levin, former US Deputy Attorney General, said >> https://t.co/dsXDxxelzS
— Eye On Antisemitism (@AntisemitismEye) September 20, 2025
Senator Warren should fire whichever staffer is making her tell more porkies than fit in a pork barrel.
— Eylon Levy (@EylonALevy) September 20, 2025
In the past month, 106,000 tons of humanitarian aid have entered Gaza through Israeli crossings, aboard 5,200 trucks. 94% of that was food.
Stop lying! https://t.co/tzS12yenc3 pic.twitter.com/mQBiy1ZISZ
Mercy Morganfield’s deranged tirade continues … is it a wonder the Woman’s March disengaged over its venomous antisemitism? pic.twitter.com/CCKXMNaWPl
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) September 20, 2025
“Wake up, wake up.” - A select few from a UN body with known biases and legitimate accusations of antisemitism against them have decided there’s a genocide.
— 𝔸η𝐓 (@AntSpeaks) September 20, 2025
Bernie Sanders is a dinosaur....
And yes, I agree with Nioh. It’s so ridiculously cringe that my face has contorted in… https://t.co/hwdZJzCFrV
Hacks—starring “as a Jew” Hannah Einbinder—put out a casting notice for people who can “authentically portray members of the Hasidic Jewish community.”
— The Persian Jewess (@persianjewess) September 19, 2025
Only problem is they film on Rosh Hashana — a high holy day when Hasidic Jews don’t work or touch electricity.
Yes, really. pic.twitter.com/inG1dW7Pr5
Another European useful idiot who thinks the colors of the 1958 Arab Federation flag mean “land, exile, and blood.” She really believes she knows our history better than we do.
— Dan Burmawi (@DanBurmawy) September 19, 2025
This is the flag of Sharif Hussein bin Ali’s revolt against the Ottoman occupation, and here are the… https://t.co/Lnd2OxO8IT
Dutch MP wears a "Palestine shirt" and was asked to leave she came back and was wearing a watermelon shirt and said it was in-fact representing Palestine resistance
— Grifty (@TheGriftReport) September 19, 2025
In-fact it represented the murders Hamas terrorists committed on October 7th that they called "resistance"
It's… pic.twitter.com/HDVTwuhkm0
Look at these two photos. Now imagine the banners were hidden. Most far-leftists would probably assume the darker-skinned woman represents Palestine and the fair-skinned woman represents Israel.
— shay 🇮🇱🇺🇸 (@judeanceo) September 20, 2025
But it’s the opposite.
This reveals something CRUCIAL about how outsiders project… pic.twitter.com/X7Rb5YLJEE
Pro-Palestinian vandals deface heritage sites in Melbourne and Athens
Pro-Palestinian activists carried out two high-profile acts of vandalism and protest over the weekend, targeting major cultural landmarks in Australia and Greece.
In Melbourne, demonstrators defaced the Hochgurtel Fountain outside the Royal Exhibition Building, a UNESCO World Heritage site, spraying graffiti calling to “Sanction Israel” and “Free Gaza.”
They also dyed the fountain’s waters red and splashed a child statue in red paint, an apparent reference to civilian casualties in Gaza.
Melbourne Mayor Roshena Campbell condemned the vandalism, telling the Daily Mail that “enough is enough. Defacing public property does nothing to change the situation in Gaza, but it does cause real damage at home.”
Meanwhile, in Athens, members of Greece’s Communist Party (KKE) and its youth wing (KNE) unfurled banners on the cliffs of the Acropolis reading: “Stop the genocide; No cooperation with the murderous state of Israel; Free Palestine.”
Dozens of activists waving red flags denounced Israel, the United States, NATO and the European Union, demanding recognition of a Palestinian state within the 1967 lines with eastern Jerusalem as its capital.
The Athens protest followed a wave of anti-Israel demonstrations across Greece during last month’s so-called “Day of Rage.”
Leftist thugs defaced the UNESCO World Heritage listed fountain at Melbourne’s Royal Exhibition Building today with “FREE GAZA” graffiti.
— Drew Pavlou 🇦🇺🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼 (@DrewPavlou) September 20, 2025
“Your universe has no meaning to them. They will not try to understand. They will be tired, they will be cold, they will make a fire with… pic.twitter.com/JjsREieOkf
Another panelist was James Kilgore — a former member of the Symbionese Liberation Army, the same domestic terrorist group that kidnapped Patty Hearst. https://t.co/5ie3BFPezF
— Stu Smith (@thestustustudio) September 20, 2025
THIS IS HILARIOUS 😂 🤣😂
— Grifty (@TheGriftReport) September 20, 2025
Hamas supporter asked a man in drag what his message would be to Israel and was shocked at his answer 😭😭
This massively backfired🫢 pic.twitter.com/haphrIy1Yt
Update: antisemite Tahsanul Hoque is no longer employed with Comcast. https://t.co/nNncSXHI4K
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) September 20, 2025
🧵Israel DID NOT kill 31 journalists in Yemen. It killed “Yemeni army staff" as article admits—specifically Houthi media operatives at Houthi sites. Houthis are a US-designated terrorist group. Geneva & US War Manual are clear: media personnel in the military are COMBATANTS. 1/ pic.twitter.com/fJ6Uoh6Vfd
— Aizenberg (@Aizenberg55) September 20, 2025
Geneva Article 79 commentary makes clear that members of armed forces that are “connected with information"— like “staff of the Yemeni army’s official news outlet” (i.e. Houthi terrorists) are NOT protected as journalists. US War Manual agrees, see both key sections below: 3/ pic.twitter.com/nSzwYNTNvK
— Aizenberg (@Aizenberg55) September 20, 2025
The @pressfreedom lists these 31 killed as journalists. They link to a Yemeni source (Mardasak) that decries the killing but then openly admits they were the "mouthpiece of the Houthi army" !! By international law they ARE NOT protected journalists. https://t.co/DHRedO5Xgt pic.twitter.com/QS8NWXRJbf
— Aizenberg (@Aizenberg55) September 20, 2025
"Unprecedented massacre of journalists" 🤡 pic.twitter.com/tzwO2lTDCf
— Eitan Fischberger (@EFischberger) September 20, 2025
I watched 2 minutes of BBC on Gaza. Here's what I learned:
— Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry (@pegobry_en) September 19, 2025
- 100% of inhabitants of Gaza are innocent women and children who are starving to death as we speak purely because of the evil actions of Israel; 100% of the buildings in Gaza are a school or a hospital or a refugee camp… https://t.co/t8H4PvBBHd
Incredible, just incredible
— Michael Elgort (@just_whatever) September 20, 2025
Are you familiar with the street “shell game”? It's a basic street scam. Here The @guardian is engaged in similar activity
Look at this headline first (pic 1)
15 out of 16 killed in Gaza are civilians, and add – “DATA SUGGESTS”. But whose exactly… pic.twitter.com/8gOUSxTMgb
Palestinian Hamas-aligned journalist Mustafa Ayash arrested at Netherlands airport
Palestinian journalist Mustafa Ayash was arrested at Schiphol airport, Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf reported Saturday, citing pro-Palestinian organizations.
Mustafa Ayash founded Hamas-affiliated news outlet Gaza Now, which has been sanctioned by both the United States and the United Kingdom for supporting Hamas.
Ayash, an Austrian national, is reportedly set to be deported to Austria, according to Gaza Now.
Ayash has been placed on a travel ban under counter terrorism sanctions by the United Kingdom, according to the British government.
The United States Office of Foreign Assets Control placed Ayash on a list of Specially Designated Nationals. A March 2024 US Treasury press release listed Ayash and Gaza Now as "key financial facilitators involved in fundraising for Hamas."
Ayash and Gaza Now held the fundraisers after Hamas's October 7 Massacre under the guise of raising money for humanitarian aid, but the donations were allegedly being funneled towards support for Hamas.
🚨BREAKING: The Hamas-linked Gaza Now channel reports that its founder, Mustafa Ayyash, was arrested in the Netherlands & is expected to be transferred to Austrian authorities.
— Leslie Kajomovitz (NEW) (@kikas6652) September 19, 2025
He is in the list of "dead journalists" & was already arrested in Austria back in March 2024! https://t.co/XowL6fXQg8
All these deaths will be attributed to Israel btw https://t.co/w1zEPQOh3e
— Nicole Lampert (@nicolelampert) September 20, 2025
Hamas, you might recall, is totally fine with explosives brainwashed teenagers though. https://t.co/2ljpka6AQ5
— Saul Sadka (@Saul_Sadka) September 20, 2025
Iran halts IAEA cooperation after Europe triggers UN sanctions snapback
Iran’s top security body said Saturday that action by Britain, France and Germany to reimpose UN sanctions will “effectively suspend” its cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog.
“Despite the foreign ministry’s cooperation with the (International Atomic Energy) Agency and the presentation of plans to resolve the issue, the actions of European countries will effectively suspend the path of cooperation with the agency,” the Supreme National Security Council said in a televised statement.
The announcement comes after the Security Council voted on Friday to reimpose frozen UN sanctions after the European governments activated the “snapback” mechanism in a decade-old nuclear agreement, accusing Iran of non-compliance.
The vote means that the sanctions, which were suspended in return for curbs on Iran’s nuclear activities set out in the 2015 deal, will take renewed effect on September 28 unless Iran can persuade the council to relent in the next week.
Tehran said the action by the European powers undermined months of engagement with the IAEA aimed at resuming monitoring and ensuring compliance with international rules.
Earlier this month, Iran and the IAEA reached an agreement in Cairo that would have allowed inspections of Iranian nuclear sites to resume.
Iran had suspended them after Israel and then the United States attacked its nuclear facilities in June in a sweeping assault on Iran’s top military leaders, nuclear scientists, uranium enrichment sites, and ballistic missile program Israel said was necessary to prevent the Islamic Republic from realizing its avowed plan to destroy the Jewish state.
Tehran has criticized the IAEA for failing to condemn the Israeli and US strikes.
The European governments have said they will not delay the reimposition of UN sanctions unless Iran resumes full cooperation with the IAEA and reopens nuclear talks with the United States, which have been suspended since June.
How many Arabs lived in “Palestine” before the establishment of the State of Israel 🇮🇱?
— Eye On Antisemitism (@AntisemitismEye) September 20, 2025
A timeline with historical sources:
🔸In 1785, Constantine Francois Volney describes the "ruined" and "desolate" state of the country: "We with difficulty recognized Jerusalem... The… pic.twitter.com/Up7E7AllRK
"He's an Anti-Zionist Too!" cartoon book (December 2024) PROTOCOLS: Exposing Modern Antisemitism (February 2022) |
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