Thursday, December 04, 2025

12/04 Links Pt1: Why Trump's Gaza Plan is Not a Peace Deal; Trump to announce transition to Phase II of Gaza deal, 'Board of Peace' by Christmas; The World Will Not Help Israel with Hamas;

From Ian:

Seth Mandel: No, Americans Don’t Really Think Israel Is Guilty of Genocide
The key here is that genocide requires intent to destroy not just civilians but the specific population, and to judge something as genocidal requires one to determine that genocide is “the only inference that could reasonably be drawn from the acts in question.”

This is part of why the claim that Israel committed genocide was so unserious: Definitionally, a genocide did not take place. There are plenty of other words that can be used to describe the war, but “genocide” has been indisputably ruled out unless one changes the definition of the word, as some NGOs tried to do. But again, that would also be an admission that Israel was innocent of the charge.

Israel’s civilian-to-combatant fatality rate was unprecedentedly low for urban warfare, and the intent issue becomes absurd when you remember that Israel sent its military into Gaza to rescue hostages that Hamas refused to return.

But back to the poll. Even the response that Israel intentionally harms civilians doesn’t necessarily meet the definition of genocide. So if about 8 in 10 don’t think Israel is intentionally harming civilians, it’s likely that about 9 out of 10 don’t think Israel committed genocide.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t warning signs for Israel and its supporters, even in the IGC poll. Just because respondents don’t believe Israel committed genocide doesn’t mean they approve of Israel’s actions. As one can see, the poll shows plenty of criticism of Israel’s prosecution of the war.

Moreover, in the IGC poll—as in virtually every such survey—the trend is clear: Younger Americans of either party are tougher on Israel than their elders. But there is still a wide partisan gap: The farther left one goes on the spectrum, the more likely are respondents to assume ill intent on Israel’s part.

Another notable aspect of the poll is that there is a ton of uncertainty among respondents, so presumably a fair number are persuadable in one direction or another. Uncertainty regarding Israel’s intent is incompatible with a finding of genocide.

Two lessons. One, by definition the people who accuse Israel of genocide are feigning a certainty they almost surely don’t or can’t possess, at least from afar and during the war. As a rule, beware such people, especially when they are rewarded professionally for their dishonesty.

Two, anti-Israel activists have killed the concept of genocide. They have turned it into just another descriptive term meaning one side lost the war badly. There will continue to be victims of actual genocide in the world, and they will all be harmed by the “genocide” fraud perpetrated by professional anti-Zionists.
Khaled Abu Toameh: Why Trump's Gaza Plan is Not a Peace Deal
In the eyes of Hamas and other Palestinian terror groups, the plan is nothing but another temporary ceasefire, not different than previous ones reached between Israel and Hamas over the past two decades.

Those who think that Hamas, by agreeing to Trump's "peace plan," has abandoned its desire to eliminate Israel or has softened its position toward Israel are unfortunately dead wrong.

Hamas leaders have stressed their opposition to the involvement of any non-Palestinians in the future administration of the Gaza Strip.

Hamas has also made it clear that the role of any international troops should be limited to monitoring the ceasefire and safeguarding the borders of the Gaza Strip, not to disarming the terror groups and their military infrastructure.

Hamas's remarks are a not-so-veiled threat that they intend to launch terrorist attacks against members of any international force that tries to disarm the terror groups in the Gaza Strip.

That is doubtless the major reason most Arabs and Muslims appear reluctant to dispatch soldiers to the Gaza Strip: they do not want a direct confrontation with Hamas and the other terror groups operating there.

To understand the mindset and intentions of Hamas, it is crucial that one pay attention to what the terror group says in Arabic, not what some of its leaders tell US envoys in meetings behind closed doors.

Regrettably, there can be no peace, security, or stability in the area if Hamas and its allies are left standing on their feet and preparing for more massacres against Israel.
Is Gaza Peace Plan on the Verge of Crumbling?
"Everything is stuck," a senior Israeli defense official told me this week. Because diplomats have failed to capitalize on the disarray of Iran and its allies, "all the fronts in the Middle East are still open," he warned.

Most of Gaza's population is still controlled by Hamas, Lebanon hasn't fully regained its sovereignty from Hizbullah, and Iran is rebuilding its battered military.

The Middle East is still waiting for a stable "day after." Other than the release of all living Israeli hostages from Gaza, most of the goals of Trump's peace plan appear stillborn.

Nations that had volunteered to join the international force have been backing away, and donor countries are refusing to begin reconstruction projects until there's security in Gaza.
Prof. Efraim Inbar: The World Will Not Help Israel with Hamas
Hamas is tightening its grip on the half of Gaza that it controls and rebuilding its military infrastructure. It is difficult to imagine Hamas voluntarily disarming or relinquishing control. Israel must be prepared to "do the dirty work" for the civilized world and finish off what remains of Hamas's evil in Gaza. This is not a boxing match that can be won on points. Israel must win by a knockout.

Israel cannot claim victory while Hamas remains in Gaza. Israel must therefore seek American backing to resume fighting in order to implement the Trump plan. Repeated military defeats have not altered the Palestinians' fundamental opposition to the existence of the Jewish state. There is no "day after" if Hamas remains as an armed presence in Gaza.

Every regime that has a peace agreement with Israel - Egypt, Jordan, the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco - despises Hamas. All of these states, as well as Saudi Arabia, view the Muslim Brotherhood and its financial patron Qatar as a threat to their regimes and a destabilizing force in the region.


Trump to announce transition to Phase II of Gaza deal, 'Board of Peace' by Christmas
US President Donald Trump is expected to announce Gaza's "Board of Peace" and the transition to the second phase of the US-backed Gaza deal in the next three weeks, Axios reported on Thursday, citing two US officials and a Western source familiar with the details.

"All of the different elements are pretty well advanced. It's all moving ahead, and the aim is to announce it before people break for the holidays," Axios reported, citing the Western source.

The "Board of Peace" will reportedly include approximately 10 Arab and Western leaders and will work alongside an international executive board composed of former British prime minister Tony Blair, Jared Kushner, US envoy Steve Witkoff, and other senior officials from contributing countries.

"The equation will be IDF out of Gaza but Hamas out of power," Axios cited the Western source as saying. "The moment of truth will come in the next few weeks."

Mediators are attempting to reach an agreement with Hamas regarding ended its governance of the Gaza Strip and its disarmament, according to Axios.

The current discussion will reportedly have the terror group lay down its heavy arms first, and only afterward call for the group's handover of its lighter weapons.
Body of Thai citizen Sudthisak Rinthalak returned to Israel
Israeli authorities on Thursday morning confirmed that the remains recovered from the Gaza Strip the previous evening belong to murdered Thai national Sudthisak Rinthalak, whose body had been held captive in Gaza since the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre.

Authorities informed Rinthalak’s family that arrangements for returning his body to Thailand will be made in coordination with the Thai embassy in Israel.

“The Israeli government shares the deep sorrow of the Rinthalak family, the Thai people and all the families of the slain abductees,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.

Jerusalem and the entire Israeli security establishment are “determined, committed and working tirelessly” to bring home the remains of Israel Police counter-terror officer Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, the last remaining hostage in Gaza, the statement continued.

“The Hamas terrorist organization is required to fulfill its obligations to the mediators and return him as part of the [ceasefire] agreement’s implementation. We will not compromise on this and will spare no effort until we bring him home to Israel,” the PMO said.

According to the IDF, Rinthalak was killed during the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attacks and his body was taken to the Gaza Strip, where it was held by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization. He worked in agriculture and was abducted from the orchards of Kibbutz Be’eri.

Rinthalak was 42 at the time of his death, which was officially confirmed on May 16, 2024. He is survived by his brother Thaphon, his father, Thongma, and mother, On.

He was born and raised in the town of Rattanawapi in Nong Khai province, northeastern Thailand, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

Rinthalak “worked in agriculture for many years before arriving in Israel in 2017 as part of a foreign worker employment program. He was employed on farms in the Gaza border region and was regarded as hardworking and well-liked by his coworkers,” the forum said.

“The IDF expresses its deep condolences to the families, continues to make every effort to return the remaining deceased hostage, and is prepared to continue implementing the agreement,” the military said.


The story of Staff Sgt. Ran Gvili, the last hostage in Gaza
Seven hundred and ninety days after the deadliest massacre in Israel’s history, which led to the abduction of hundreds of civilians, Staff Sgt. Ran Gvili is now the last hostage still held in the Gaza Strip.

Gvili, a 24-year-old Israel Police Special Patrol Unit (Yasam) volunteer from Meitar, fought with extraordinary courage on Oct. 7, 2023. When the massacre began, he left his house, put on his uniform and headed out to fight. About 10 days before he had broken his shoulder, and was waiting for surgery, yet he still chose to join the battle.

During the battle near Alumim, he rescued about 100 people who had fled the Nova music festival and killed 14 members of the Hamas terrorist organization before he was abducted.

A panel of experts ruled in January 2024 that Gvili was no longer alive.

On the morning of the attack, as his family entered their shelter, he walked out and returned moments later in uniform.

“Rani told us he would not let his friends fight alone, and that even with the fracture he could still hold a handgun,” said his father Itzik. “I will never forget the look in his eyes. It was as if he was saying, ‘This is what I have waited for my entire life.'”

Gvili headed to the Beersheba police station, joined the forces headed toward Alumim, and was shot in the arm and leg during the fighting.

“First to go out, last to return,” his mother, Talik Gvili, wrote Thursday on her Facebook page. A few weeks earlier, his sister Shira described the family’s anguish, uncertainty and determination. “Each day that passes and Rani does not come back makes us panic more. If he still has not returned, then where is he? Who knows what is happening to him?” she said.


Israel's New Preemptive Doctrine Collides with Trump's Vision for Syria
Where Washington sees Syrian President Ahmed al-Shaara as a leader to cultivate, Israel sees a security vacuum in southern Syria. The region today is a tangle of actors, many of them hostile to Israel: remnants of Hamas's Syrian branch, elements of the Lebanese Muslim Brotherhood, scattered jihadist networks, clan-based militias, and Iranian-aligned groups moving weapons toward Lebanon. Turkey has also expanded its influence in the region, backing Sunni factions.

Israel learned the hard way on Oct. 7, 2023, what happens when it does not take immediate action to handle threats building up on its borders. The resulting trauma has hardened Israel's instincts on every front. Deterrence is no longer considered sufficient. Preemption is the new default mode.

In Syria, this doctrine has led to a set of quiet but consistent operations - similar to those routinely conducted in Judea and Samaria - to capture terrorist suspects and prevent terrorist infrastructure from taking root near Israel's communities on the Golan Heights. Israel cannot afford to take a hands-off approach to what is happening in southern Syria so close to its border.

The differences regarding the proper policy toward Syria between Israel and the U.S. cannot be wished away. Washington wants Israel to slow down - to give diplomacy a chance and avoid steps that could undermine a leader the White House is courting. Israel wants Washington to understand that a stable Syria is today more aspiration than reality, and that security cannot be outsourced to a government still struggling to enforce its authority or to international mechanisms that rarely function.

Israel supports diplomatic engagement with Syria and understands the administration's goals. But until the new Syrian government can reliably ensure that jihadist factions, Iranian proxies, and Hamas-linked networks cannot operate along the frontier, Israel will continue to act preemptively - to prevent having the border become a launchpad for the next Oct. 7 massacre.
Netanyahu: Agreement with Syrians Possible with "a Good Spirit and Understanding"
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said Tuesday:
"After October 7th, we are determined to defend our communities on our borders, including the northern border, and to prevent the entrenchment of terrorists and hostile actions against us, to protect our Druze allies, and to ensure that the State of Israel is safe from ground attack and other attacks from the border areas."

"What we expect Syria to do, of course, is to establish a demilitarized buffer zone from Damascus to the buffer zone area, including, of course, the approaches to Mount Hermon and the summit of Mount Hermon."

"We hold these territories to ensure the security of the citizens of Israel, and that is what obligates us. In a good spirit and understanding of these principles, it is also possible to reach an agreement with the Syrians, but we will stand by our principles in any case."
Netanyahu vows to visit NYC despite Mamdani’s arrest threat
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that he will “of course” visit New York, despite threats by Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani to have him arrested under an International Criminal Court warrant.

“I’ll come to New York,” the premier asserted in an interview via video link from Jerusalem with journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin at The New York Times DealBook Summit. “Yes, of course I will.”

Asked by Sorkin, a New York Times financial columnist and the founder of DealBook, if Israel’s longest-serving prime minister would want to talk to the 34-year-old democratic socialist, Netanyahu said, to laughter from the audience gathered at Jazz at Lincoln Center in Manhattan, that he would be open to the meeting if Mamdani “changes his mind and says that we have the right to exist, that’ll be a good opening for a conversation.”

Mamdani said on the campaign trail and after the election that he would seek to enforce a 2024 International Criminal Court arrest warrant against Netanyahu if he set foot in the city. The Muslim, left-wing politician, who has built his brand around harsh criticism of Israeli policies and opposition to Zionism, refuses to recognize Israel as a Jewish state.

Legal experts say it is unclear whether a New York mayor has authority to enforce ICC warrants, and an arrest is seen as unlikely. Israel and the United States are not members of the ICC.

During the nearly 30-minute conversation on a wide range of topics, Netanyahu denounced the ICC arrest warrant against him over alleged war crimes in Gaza and noted that ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan has temporarily stepped aside amid sexual misconduct allegations.


IDF confirms death of Hamas battalion commander, deputy
The commander of Hamas’s Eastern Rafah Battalion, as well as the deputy commander, were among four terrorists eliminated by Israeli forces on Sunday, the Israeli Defense Forces Spokesperson’s Unit said on Thursday.

The incident took place on Sunday, and the identities of the slain terrorists were confirmed following an intelligence analysis.

The battalion commander was identified as Muhammad Jawad Muhammad al-Bawab, “who oversaw the planning of the infiltration of the battalion’s terrorists into communities in the southern Negev during the [Oct. 7, 2023] massacre,” the military said.

His deputy commander, Ismail Kanaan Abd al-Hay Abu Labdeh, helped oversee the invasion, according to the IDF.

The third terrorist, Abdullah Azi Ahmed Hamad, operated as a security guard for the battalion’s senior commanders and was the son of Ghazi Hamad, a senior member of the Hamas political bureau.

The fourth and final terrorist was identified as Tawfiq Khaled Tawfiq Salem, a commander of a regional Hamas platoon.

The IDF noted that together with the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), it has eliminated more than 40 terrorists in the area of the underground terror infrastructure in eastern Rafah.

“IDF troops in the Southern Command remain deployed in accordance with the ceasefire agreement and will continue to operate to remove any immediate threat,” the military’s statement concluded.

Jerusalem has reportedly been facing U.S. pressure not to kill the dozens of terrorists barricaded inside the Rafah tunnel network, which falls within IDF-controlled territory under the U.S.-brokered ceasefire.


Gaza militia leader Yasser Abu Shabab killed
Yasser Abu Shabab, the leader of the Popular Forces militia who openly challenged Hamas in recent months, was killed in the Gaza Strip on Thursday.

Israeli security sources told local media that he was pronounced dead as he was being evacuated to Soroka Medical Center in the southern city of Beersheva. It was not immediately clear who was behind the killing.

Abu Shabab, who commanded a force of several hundred armed men, has accused Hamas of looting aid supplies and fostering chaos and corruption. Hamas accused him of treason and being an Israeli proxy.

Palestinian sources reported in late May that a new armed force was taking control of food trucks in Rafah in southern Gaza. The militia was led by Abu Shabab, who previously served time in a Hamas prison.

According to Hamas-linked circles, he was able to break out following an Israeli airstrike during the war and subsequently took command of a group estimated at 100 to 300 armed men.

The Abu Shabab clan belongs to the large Tarabin tribe, one of the most powerful in the Gaza Strip. Members of the tribe cooperated with the Islamic State terrorist organization during the past decade as part of the smuggling trade between Gaza and the Sinai Peninsula, in which Hamas also played a major role. The clan itself does not hold ideological affiliation with the Islamic State.
Seth Frantzman: Yasser Abu Shabab's killing raises questions about Israel's militia strategy in Gaza - explainer
For the IDF, the chance to have some local Israeli-backed groups in Israel’s Yellow Line Zone might help reduce the need for large numbers of Israeli troops. On the other hand, these groups are armed, and they might turn on each other or themselves. Hamas can infiltrate them.

The nature of mercenaries and gangs, or even clans and tribes, is that they will go where the weather blows. They may want guns or money. They may simply want to preserve their fiefdom.

Gaza is made up of a large number of people in a layered society. Some Gazans are from the people who lived in Gaza before 1948. These groups tend to be rooted in the land and are often non-Hamas. There are also Bedouin tribes and clans. The tribes are sometimes related to those in the Negev and Sinai. Some fled Israel in 1948-1949 or even in the 1950s. Others have been in Gaza for a hundred years, migrating around until the borders forced them to live in one place.

Hamas has often relied on the camps in Gaza for manpower. It is strongest in Khan Younis and the Central Camps, as well as Rafah and Jabaliya, Shuja'iya, and parts of Gaza City. As such, there are areas that are on the periphery where Israel-backed militias operate. However, these groups are lightly armed, and even though they may have some vehicles, they are not ready to rule Gaza or even their areas.

The rise and fall of Abu Shabab is a lesson. Although some reports saw hope in him in June and July during Gideon’s Chariots and the GHF Initiative, this was largely an illusion. The various militias are not ready to confront Hamas. They are not professionally trained. They are the result of a short-sighted Israeli policy that doesn’t seem to want to see a legitimate and stable Gaza governance emerge.

The US wants to see governance and an international stabilization force. However, Israel does not want to see the Palestinian Authority rule Gaza. This leads to chaos and to working with small, relatively local, or weak militias.

It is unclear if Abu Shabab will be replaced or if this will break the militia. The fact that the killing happened apparently in the safe “Green Zone” area behind the Yellow Line in Gaza is a concern. It shows the chaos that militias cause and the threats that can emerge. Hamas is celebrating today because once again, a short-sighted tactic has not replaced them.


IAF strikes Hezbollah terror targets in Lebanon
The Israeli Air Force on Thursday afternoon conducted a round of airstrikes on Hezbollah terrorist targets in Southern Lebanon.

The operation targeted several weapons storage facilities “located in the heart of civilian populations, the military said. “This is another example of Hezbollah’s cynical use of Lebanese civilians as human shields and its operations from within civilian assets.”

The presence of the Hezbollah sites violated the Nov. 26, 2024, ceasefire understandings between Jerusalem and Beirut, the army stated. “The IDF will continue to act to remove any threat to the State of Israel.”

Before the aerial strikes, steps were taken to reduce the chance of harm to noncombatants, including “warning the population, use of precision munitions, aerial observations and additional intelligence information.”

The attacks occurred about an hour after the IDF warned residents of two Lebanese towns to stay clear of Hezbollah infrastructure.

“In the near future, the IDF will strike military infrastructure belonging to the Hezbollah terror organization across Southern Lebanon, in order to address Hezbollah’s prohibited attempts to rebuild,” said Col. Avichay Adraee, head of the Arab Media Branch in the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit.


John Spencer: Israel's Conundrum: Can Hamas Ever Be Eradicated from Gaza Terror Tunnels?
Concerns over the fragility of the Gaza ceasefire continue to grow – at the heart of it, a complex battlefield with unique challenges.

The sophisticated Hamas terror tunnel network in Gaza has reshaped military operations, with battles below often more important than the battles above.


From Headlines to Courtrooms: How Narratives Become Lawfare with Natasha Hausdorff.
David Cohen, CEO of The Algemeiner, interviews “the indomitable Natasha Hausdorff, a London-based barrister whose clarity on international law and moral courage in the public arena have made her one of the most compelling defenders of Israel on the global stage”.
The ICC, the ICJ, and the Battle for Truth – Barrister Natasha Hausdorff Explains the Fight.


ANTISEMITISM AND ANTI-ZIONISM
This is a recording of UKLFI Charitable Trust's webinar on Antisemitism and Anti-Zionism with Michal Cotler-Wunsh and Natasha Hausdorff, held on Wednesday 3 December 2025.

Martin Luther King reputedly said: “When people criticise Zionists, they mean Jews.” In this webinar Michal Cotler-Wunsh and Natasha Hausdorff examine the relationship between antisemitism and anti-Zionism – identity or overlap? cause and effect? vicious circle? euphemism or evasion?


The Brink: ‘It’s activism masquerading as journalism’: Former Sky newsreader and director of BBC TV speak out
In this episode of The Brink, we’re joined by Colin Brazier, former Sky News presenter, and Danny Cohen, former Director of Television at the BBC, for an insider look at how Britain’s media lost its way.

Drawing on decades inside Sky and the BBC, Colin and Danny explain how activism crept into journalism, how impartiality was replaced by ideology, and why both institutions now struggle with trust, bias, and credibility. From the BBC’s coverage of Israel and Gaza to Sky’s embrace of “woke” newsroom culture, they reveal the internal pressures and moral failures driving today’s media crisis.

The conversation explores how younger journalists have brought activist politics into the newsroom, the decline of objectivity, and the collapse of impartial standards once taken for granted. We also discuss the future of broadcasting. From the rise of GB News and independent media to the growing influence of social platforms and algorithms that shape what the public sees.

This is a rare, revealing, and deeply honest conversation about the state of British journalism and whether our media can ever win back the public’s trust.




Coleman Hughes: Nick Fuentes Knows Exactly What He’s Doing.
Nick Fuentes has slipped into the mainstream by presenting one version of himself to popular podcast hosts and another to his base.




Pro-Palestine Groups Plan Mass "National Day of Action" in Support of Venezuela
A coalition of pro-Palestine organizations is mobilizing demonstrations in more than 40 states this Saturday, December 6, to protest potential U.S. military action against Venezuela, marking an escalation of the solidarity movement between pro-Palestine activists and the Maduro government. The flagship protest is set for noon at the White House in Washington, D.C., with other demonstrations planned at federal buildings, state capitols, and public squares nationwide.

Initial endorsers of the “National Day of Action” include The People’s Forum, CODEPINK, Palestinian Youth Movement, Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL), and the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) — the political organization of New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani.

Several of these groups are under congressional scrutiny. The House Ways and Means Committee is investigating The People’s Forum over alleged ties to entities linked to the Chinese Communist Party, while CODEPINK faces similar investigations from multiple congressional committees, including the House Oversight Committee and the House Committee on Natural Resources.

The Party for Socialism and Liberation has drawn particular controversy following the May 2025 shooting deaths of two Israeli embassy staffers outside Washington’s Capital Jewish Museum. The shooter, Elias Rodriguez, had documented history with PSL.

The protests come as the Trump administration has deployed approximately 15,000 troops and naval assets around Venezuela. President Trump recently stated that land strikes would begin “very soon” and called for Venezuelan airspace to be “closed.”
Canadian Non-Profit Joins PFLP and Hezbollah-Linked Groups to Seek Arrest of Former Israeli Leaders
On December 3, 2025, the Hezbollah-linked Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF), Canadian Lawyers for International Human Rights (CLAIHR), and the PFLP-linked Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), jointly filed a criminal complaint with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Section of the Department of Justice.

The groups urged Canadian authorities to investigate former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni for alleged war crimes during Operation Cast Lead in Gaza during 2008-2009, and to issue warrants for their arrest.

The complaint came hours before both former Israeli leaders appeared at Roy Thomson Hall as part of the Munk Debates series.

HRF’s Alleged Ties to Hezbollah
The Hind Rajab Foundation, founded in Belgium in September 2024, was established by Dyab Abou Jahjah and Karim Hassoun. Founded in late 2024, HRF operates without financial transparency, disclosing no donor information or funding sources.

Jahjah described himself in a 2003 New York Times profile as a “very proud” former member of the Hezbollah terrorist group who “had some military training.” He was arrested by Belgian authorities in 2002 for inciting Arab riots in Antwerp and has repeatedly pledged allegiance to Hezbollah and Hamas on social media. In 2024, he wrote that he met with former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in 2001.

According to a watchdog report published by the International Legal Forum and National Jewish Advocacy Center, Abou Jahjah is linked through his brother to Soafrimex, a Lebanese-Belgian trading company raided by Belgian authorities in 2003 over money laundering and tax fraud. The United States subsequently designated Soafrimex owner Kassim Tajideen an “important financial contributor to Hezbollah.” The report further alleges that Abou Jahjah co-owns a Lebanese real estate company with Saleem Sleem, a lawyer whose firms have been sanctioned by the U.S. for Hezbollah affiliation.

Israeli security sources allege that Abou Jahjah maintains numerous family and business ties to Hezbollah’s financing network. The watchdog report identifies HRF as “part of Hezbollah’s extensive business networks tied to families and local diaspora connections across Europe, Latin America, and Africa,” supporting operations through “used car exports, counterfeit goods, and commodity trades.”
Jury finds two men accused of ‘Khaybar’ chant not guilty of inciting racial hatred
Jewish communal organisations have expressed frustration after two men who allegedly chanted an infamous slogan citing the massacre of Jews were found by a jury to be not guilty of intent to stir up racial hatred.

Video footage from an anti-Israel demonstration in May 2021 near Hyde Park showed a group of men, part of a wider anti-Israel protest, chanting “Khaybar Khaybar, ya yahud, Jaish Muhammad soufa yaʿoud”. The chant translates as “Jews, remember the battle of Khaybar, the army of Muhammad will return”, and cites a 628 CE battle where Jewish tribes in Arabia were exterminated by Muslims.

Khaldoun Ahmad El-Ali and Mohammad Jihad Al Safi, were both charged by police in April 2023 with behaviour “likely to stir up racial hatred”.

However, this afternoon a jury at Isleworth Crown court found El-Ali and Al Safi not guilty of incitement to racial hatred under section 18 of the Public Order Act of 1986, which refers to “using threatening/abusive/insulting words or behaviour or displaying written material with intent/likely to stir up racial hatred.”

Andrew Gilbert, Vice President of the Board of Deputies, said:
“This morning, Board of Deputies representatives met Sarah Jones MP, the Minister of State for Policing and Crime. One of the topics under discussion was the difficulty of making laws relating to specific chants, which have not been included as part of the government’s intended new Crime and Policing Bill. This specific subject will now be put into the review of public order and hate crime legislation, under the leadership of Lord Macdonald, launched in the wake of the Heaton Park Synagogue terror attack.

“Today’s verdict is a prime example of an apparent lack of certainty within the law, relating to a chant which is widely seen in the Jewish community not just as an expression of hate, but as the celebration of past violence against Jews and the promise of violence to come.”

A CST spokesperson said: “This verdict is extremely disappointing and we will be asking the CPS for their view of the outcome.”




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

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