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Tuesday, May 19, 2026

05/18 Links Pt2: László Nemes Says an “Orgy of Antisemitism” Is “Overtaking the West”; Israeli ambassador: J Street a ‘cancer within Jewish community,’; Rashida Tlaib’s Nakba Denial

From Ian:

Ruthie Blum: Bill Maher deserves praise, not gratitude, for telling the truth about Israel
For a full eight minutes, he let the hypocrites have it, highlighting the fact that “no one blinks” when an editor from the progressive magazine The American Prospect calls Israel a “brainwashed psychopathic death cult that might need to be nuked to save the human race.”

He then pointed out that Jew-bashing is the one thing that the left and right have in common these days, mentioning Tucker Carlson, on the one hand, and The New York Times, on the other. Though he failed to bring up the Gray Lady’s latest blood libel—penned by Pulitzer Prize-winner Nicholas Kristof, who printed the lunatic lie that Israel trains dogs to sodomize Palestinian prisoners—he did stress that ignoramuses on both sides of the spectrum see Israel as “the only country in the world doing anything bad.”

Yes, he said, taking a dig at the condition of education in the United States, “I see why the meathead manosphere and the Code Pink people are on the same page, because they both went to high school in America and they don’t know anything.”

Unfortunately, according to Maher, “Jew-hatred isn’t just acceptable now; it’s cool. Celebrities love it and make it trendy.”

Ditto concerning cowardly politicians, whom he chastised for “indulging, rather than correcting, their brainwashed-by-TikTok constituents who now have an unfavorable view of Israel,” and for “not telling their woke idiots that Israel isn’t a colonizer or an apartheid state or committing genocide.” Oh, and for not admonishing the younger generation, “If you brats had to spend a week anywhere in the Middle East other than Israel, you would understand what liberalism is not.”

The above are snippets of his lengthy rant, the rest of which was equally unflinching. Given the political, sociological and cultural climate he was describing so accurately, it’s not surprising that the clip exploded—shared widely on social media by pro-Israel influencers and broadcast on Israeli TV channels.

As worthy of praise as Maher might be for his wise and witty words, however, something is disturbing about the elation they elicited. It’s one thing to give credit to those brave enough to tell the truth about Israel and antisemitism. It’s quite another to be grateful for it.

Indeed, Jews shouldn’t need to treat intellectual honesty as heroism. Nor does it behoove us to grab any morsel of sympathy with the hunger of a hostage.

It’s the height of irony that we can fight fearlessly against enemies on the battlefield, yet recoil in the face of defamation and delegitimization—and bow at the feet of defenders like Maher.
László Nemes Says an “Orgy of Antisemitism” Is “Overtaking the West”
Legendary Hungarian filmmaker László Nemes has spoken plainly about “an orgy of antisemitism overtaking the West.”

In a new interview with The Guardian published on Monday, the acclaimed director discusses bringing his latest World War II venture — a biopic on the French resistance hero Jean Moulin — to the Cannes Film Festival, but much of the piece centers on what Nemes describes as a “puritan, moralising, self-righteousness” looming over Hollywood.

Nemes, who won an Oscar in 2016 for Son of Saul, begins by considering reaction to the award-winning film, as well as 2025’s Orphan. The former follows a day-and-a-half in the life of an Auschwitz concentration camp prisoner, while the latter is about a young Jewish boy’s search for his missing father, as he instead unveils the truth of his mother’s survival of the Holocaust.

Nemes tells the U.K. publication about Son of Saul‘s award success: “I don’t even think it would make the [Oscar] shortlist today. Because of the politicisation of cinema, because anything that’s Jewish is now considered… Nobody would touch it with a 10ft pole.”

Orphan, which he says was “ignored” at last year’s Venice Film Festival, failed to nab an Academy Award nod for best international feature, and has so far not landed a U.S. distribution deal: “You should be able to talk about these things without being ostracized,” he continues, saying he feels “a little bit” ostracized by the industry: “Even some response [to Orphan] from the media smells of an ideological standpoint.”

On widespread boycotts of Israeli film institutions — a pledge last year objecting to the war in Gaza featured names such as Olivia Colman, Ayo Edebiri, Mark Ruffalo, Yorgos Lanthimos, Emma Stone and 1,300 others — Nemes tells The Guardian that he believes it to be “anti-humanist regression.”

He adds: “Because it’s not identified as this, I think it’s very effective at spreading. And one of its very potent vectors has been antisemitism… The Jew has always been [cast as] the sort of internal enemy, and I think now [the idea of] the Jew as the internal enemy of the West has reached the dimensions of European antisemitism before the takeover by the National Socialist [Nazi] party.” When asked by journalist Jonathan Freedland if he thinks antisemitism is now at its worst since Nazi Germany, Nemes responds: “I think it’s getting there.”

He describes it as an “obsession with Jews” and says, referring to Orphan‘s struggle to find a distributor, “People [would] ask me about Gaza, instead of, you know, asking about the movie. [They ask] if I signed this or that petition.”
New York Times Blames Jews For Antisemitism—In Obituary of ADL Chief Abe Foxman
The New York Times used its obituary of the longtime national director of the Anti-Defamation League, Abraham Foxman, to promote the false narrative that Israel’s own actions in Gaza have worsened antisemitism.

The Times claims that "bigoted attitudes worldwide only mushroomed as a result of Israel’s response to a Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, that killed more than 1,200 Israeli civilians and soldiers."

It went on, "The Palestinian death toll of more than 60,000 and videos broadcast worldwide of the destruction of Gaza’s buildings and of starving children set off a shift in American public opinion, with more Americans siding with the Palestinians. There was also an upsurge in antisemitic incidents."

Blaming Jewish behavior, rather than antisemites, for antisemitic incidents and attitudes is textbook antisemitism. The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism includes among its possible examples of antisemitism, "Accusing Jews as a people of being responsible … even for acts committed by non-Jews." The Times passage meets at least two elements of former Soviet refusenik and former Israeli deputy prime minister Natan Sharansky’s "three Ds" definition of antisemitism—demonization and double standards, if not delegitimization.

In addition, it’s not even accurate that the Israeli self-defense actions, which involved killing Hamas terrorists and imposing pressure that ultimately led to the release of hundreds of live and dead hostages being held by Hamas, created the antisemitism or even any public opinion shift against Israel. The "shift in American public opinion," overstated though it has been, to the extent that it exists at all, has been driven not by Israeli actions but global trends of secularization, a rise in militant Islam, and by an intense international social media and propaganda campaign by outlets and platforms of foreign governments, individuals, and organizations—Qatar, Turkey, China, Iran. The timing predated Israel’s post-October 7 actions in Gaza, as evidenced by a former editor of The New Republic, Peter Beinart, publicly abandoning Zionism in July of 2020, by the Harvard Crimson in 2022 editorially endorsing a boycott of Israel, by the Harvard student organizations that came out with their letter on October 7, 2023, stating, "We, the undersigned student organizations, hold the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all unfolding violence" and "the apartheid regime is the only one to blame."


JPost Editorial: Louder than noise: Noam Bettan let music, not politics, define his performance
On Saturday night in Vienna, Noam Bettan walked onto the Eurovision stage carrying the hopes of Israeli fans on his shoulders. He also carried the weight of another year in which Israel’s place in the competition had been openly challenged, debated, and, in some quarters, opposed outright, leading to the boycott of the competition by five countries – Spain, Slovenia, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Iceland.

Bettan delivered a complete performance with the song “Michelle”. He was vocally assured and visually polished on stage, marking his second flawless outing of the week, following a strong semifinal during which boos were heard.

Bettan earned Israel second place overall. More telling, perhaps, was the public response. Israel received 220 points from the televote, briefly rising to first place during the voting sequence.

It is the third consecutive year that Israel has performed strongly with the public. Eden Golan finished second in the televote in 2024. Yuval Raphael went one step further in 2025, winning the public vote outright. And now Bettan has finished near the very top.

Three different artists with three very different songs, and yet the same outcome. Millions of viewers hold Eurovision where it should be – as a singing competition to enjoy rather than a platform to accentuate political views.
‘I don’t know what would have happened if we’d won’, says Israel’s Eurovision chief
The head of Israel’s Eurovision delegation has said he felt a sense of relief that Noam Bettan’s entry was pipped to the post last night amid an increasingly hostile atmosphere in the hall.

“At that moment when we led and it wasn’t clear if Bulgaria would overtake us, the booing from the crowd was immense, and I am not ashamed to say — it turned into violent booing toward the Israeli delegation,” Yoav Tsafir told Channel 12, adding: “I don’t know what would have happened if we had won”.

The director noted that until the announcement of the results, the atmosphere towards the Israeli delegation was better compared to the two previous contests. “There was a positive change, with no huge expressions of hate,” he claimed, adding that behind the scenes “there was a huge appreciation” towards Noam Bettan and his song Michelle, pointing out that even the juries awarded him with 123 points, placing him 8th.

Bulgaria’s Dara won her country’s first Eurovision title with the song Bangaranga, securing a total of 516 points, while Bettan finished in second place with 343 points. “Noam is a true professional, a strong guy with positive energy, a bit spiritual, and it all together leads to a perfect performance. We are very proud to bring joy to Israel in these days,” Tsafir said, adding that Bulgaria did a “terrific job”.

Dara stood out as one of the only Eurovision artists who publicly supported Bettan’s performance, by liking his rehearsal clip on social media and refusing to take it down despite intense pressure. During the finals, the Bulgarian delegation even asked Israeli commentators to highlight her support for him during the broadcast.

“Logically, second place is best but, in your heart, you always want to win,” Tsafir admitted, and expressed concerns regarding Israel’s ability to host the Eurovision and provide security and the future of the contest, as five countries boycotted it due to Israel’s participation. “The booing in the hall was so immense, and it symbolises something…. We must ask why [it happens]? We must tell Israel’s story better to the world,” he added.
Eurovision's Noam Bettan meets with President Isaac Herzog
An hour after accepting the credentials of five new ambassadors to Israel, President Isaac Herzog on Monday welcomed an ambassador of a different kind - Noam Bettan, Israel's ambassador of song.

Only two days earlier, Bettan had won second place at the annual Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, despite protest demonstrations against Israel, boos, and pro-Palestinian placard and flag bearers, thus bringing pride and glory to Israel and a huge boost to his career.

It would appear that, newswise, Eurovision holds far greater interest for the Israeli media than the state’s bilateral and multilateral relations.

Only three reporters attended the presentation ceremonies, along with fewer than half a dozen press photographers.

However, more than 20 press representatives were present when Bettan arrived with his entire Israeli Eurovision entourage. Herzog asked them all to introduce themselves and share their experiences. The word “wow” was repeated several times. Appreciation was voiced for the camaraderie and team spirit.

Bettan said he had been uplifted by the sense of unity and solidarity and therefore had been able to give his performance his best shot.


I was so sick of anti-Semitism in Britain I moved to Germany
Germany has one of the only growing Jewish populations in Europe, thanks to the refugee Soviet population and continued Israeli migration to Berlin, which, along with Lisbon, is a preferred destination for Israeli emigrés.

Despite living in Berlin, I still have enormous affection for the UK and come back often. Most of my family and half my friends are there, as is my writing career. I love Germany, but I am often homesick and also sick with worry now after the latest violent attacks on Jews minding their own business in Golders Green.

So what can be learnt from the German response? There is a clear understanding that hatred can pervade a society through cultural projects, and that state support for these is a privilege and not a right. Berlin recently added a waiver that recipients of the senate cultural funds must not promulgate anti-Semitism.

The German state has also added a waiver to the citizenship application process, explicitly stating that Israel has a right to exist, so that the acceptance of a German passport becomes a mark of shame for those committed to its destruction.

None of these strictures makes it impossible to sharply criticise Israeli government policy and military decisions, but they do set clear terms to prevent that criticism from tipping over into calls for annihilation.

There are already mechanisms that allow Britain to combat anti-Semitism more forcefully, but they haven’t been applied vigorously yet. I hope this will change with the raft of reforms announced by Sir Keir Starmer last week, though it remains to be seen whether these will be effective.

There is a balance to be struck between the treasured freedoms of the British people and the need to protect an embattled minority who are sick of being singled out, and this should be manageable without the country of my birth being transformed into a police state.

I still want to come home to Britain one day, but for the time being, I, along with the rising number of Jews who emigrate each year, will be holding my breath and watching closely.
'Some Things Are Just Not Forgivable': Hamawy Is Denounced by 1993 World Trade Center Bombing Survivors Who Are Appalled a Friend of the Blind Sheikh May Soon Be in Congress
Victims and survivors of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing reacted with shock and horror at the possibility—if not likelihood—that a close associate of the "Blind Sheikh" terrorist mastermind who inspired the attack may soon be a member of Congress.

Adam Hamawy, a Princeton plastic surgeon, is a frontrunner in a crowded Democratic primary to replace retiring Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D.) in New Jersey's deep-blue 12th Congressional District—despite his years-long friendship with Omar Abdel-Rahman, the Muslim extremist cleric who was sentenced to life in prison for his role in the 1993 bombing.

The February 1993 blast killed 6 people and wounded more than 1,000. Rahman, better known as "the Blind Sheikh," went on trial in 1995 for his role in the attack. Hamawy was a defense witness in the spectacular trial and described the terrorist as a "leader of the community" on the campaign trail just last week.

He also claimed he never heard Rahman discuss terrorism or violence, even though he took a 13-hour road trip in 1991 with the Blind Sheikh to a Detroit conference called "Toward a Global Islamic Economy in Detroit," which featured multiple extremist speakers talking about jihad and infidels.

"I would never vote for Hamawy because of this and again, saying that as a lifelong Democrat and someone who really wants to keep New Jersey blue, I would find another Democrat to vote for even if it meant writing in someone. I could not with a clear conscience ever vote for this man. Nor would I encourage anybody else to. Some things are just not forgivable," Michael Macko, a retired fashion consultant who lives in Morristown, told the Washington Free Beacon.

Macko's father, William Macko, worked at the World Trade Center as an assistant chief mechanical supervisor. He was killed by the blast while on his lunch break in the basement of the north tower.

"These are people being associated with the very horrific killing of my father. Whenever I see things like this it's hard because your immediate reaction is just unbelief," Michael Macko continued.

"Maybe he didn't know how bad the sheik was," Macko said of Hamawy, "but I would find that hard to believe given his closeness to him."

Memories of the 1993 bombing, when a terrorist bomb exploded in the underground parking garage of the north tower, have been obscured by the horror of the 2001 attacks that brought both towers down. But survivors of the 1993 attack say they are still suffering.
Nicholas Kristof’s words vs. Nicholas Kristof’s work
Kristof also knows that some journalists, especially those writing “opinion journalism” like himself, can disseminate weaponized, unsubstantiated stories. He reflected in his memoir:
Journalism is wildly inconsistent: Good journalism has never been better, yet much punditry has rarely been so reckless. Many people who call themselves journalists—especially in the opinion world—seem to have no standards whatsoever. They hear it and they broadcast it, write it or tweet it, without any serious effort to verify the information or to be fair. Journalists have power, and some simply enjoy wielding it as a weapon. Bullying shames our profession, and so does the rush to judgement and excoriation that often characterizes opinion journalism. Readers and listeners, you deserve better. (p. 425)

So said the man whose explosive column appears in the opinion section. In his piece on sexual abuse, Kristof is the epitome of the reckless pundit who simply reports what he hears, weaponizing the unverified account. On one thing, he is right: Readers and listeners deserve better.

In his memoir, Kristof admitted he made many grave mistakes during his career and that he otherwise produced not-so-great reporting. Especially notorious is the 2014 Somaly Mam controversy, when he vigorously promoted a Cambodian woman he presented as an anti-sex-trafficking activist and described as “the Harriet Tubman of Southeast Asia’s brothels.” It later emerged that Mam apparently fabricated parts of her story, and Kristof was forced to apologize to readers, publishing a mea culpa column titled, “When Sources May Have Lied.”

Addressing the fiasco, Kristof defended journalists’ mistakes:
We journalists write while hunched over our laptops of deadline with incomplete information while battered by salvos of lies. We must be comfortable with imperfection, because our work is full of it.

Myriad mistakes punctuate my career. I stumbled badly in my column by writing about the FBI “person of interest” who some agents suspected of involvement in the anthrax attacks; he was later declared innocent. Likewise, I wrote about a Cambodian woman, Somaly Mam, whose claims of having been a sex slave are now suspect. In other columns, I was too credulous, or too glib, or too simplistic. (Chasing Hope, p. 422)

Kristof owned his own record of being abjectly false and producing subpar reporting. He does not have a choice. But he also comes up with a poor excuse regarding why journalists (read: him) make mistakes.

He previously brushed off allegations of double standards in his coverage of Israel, saying that applying higher standards to Israel’s actions is justified since the country receives substantial U.S. aid. But in a 2024 interview about his book, Kristof conceded that double standards and antisemitism exist in “people’s narratives” at least “in some cases.”
Nick Kristof’s incendiary Israel abuse claims spark civil war at New York Times: ‘I’m sick of being embarrassed’
A civil war has erupted inside the New York Times over Nicholas Kristof’s explosive column alleging widespread sexual abuse of Palestinians by Israeli prison guards.

Staffers at the newspaper are questioning whether some of the most incendiary claims, including an allegation that Israel trains dogs to rape Palestinian detainees, would have ever cleared the paper’s newsroom standards, according to Puck News.

The internal backlash has grown so intense that one Times journalist vented to Puck: “I am sick of being embarrassed by the Opinion section.”

The controversy centers on Kristof’s May 11 opinion essay, “The Silence That Meets the Rape of Palestinians,” which included graphic allegations from Palestinian detainees who claimed they were sexually assaulted, raped with objects and abused by Israeli prison guards, interrogators and settlers.

The column immediately ignited outrage from pro-Israel critics, sparked denunciations from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and triggered threats of a libel suit against the Times.
Los Angeles DA calls judge’s ruling in Stanford protest case ‘antisemitic’
One of the highest-profile Jewish prosecutors in the country is accusing a Santa Clara County judge of issuing an antisemitic ruling in a case involving a 2024 pro-Palestinian protest at Stanford University.

In a May 11 speech in the state capital, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman called it “unacceptable” that the judge removed Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen, who is Jewish, from the prosecution.

Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Kelley Paul disqualified Rosen on May 7, ruling that he had compromised the prosecution by publicly labeling the incident antisemitic when the charges didn’t include a hate crime allegation.

In an interview with J. after his speech at the Jewish California legislative summit, Hochman described it more specifically.

“I think if you are discriminating based on the fact someone’s Jewish, there’s a word for that. It’s called antisemitism,” Hochman told J. “I think this judge, in trying to be fair and impartial, has actually ended up being antisemitic in her own ruling.”

During his speech to about 700 attendees, Hochman compared Paul’s decision with a hypothetical parallel involving a Black prosecutor.

“If it was a black DA calling out racism, there is no planet in the universe in which this judge would have said that out loud,” Hochman said. “But when it happens to a Jewish DA, all too often we are way too quiet.”
City Hall is accused of 'turning a blind eye' after BBC presenter embroiled in anti-Semitism row is picked to host youth awards event
City Hall has been accused of 'turning a blind eye' after a BBC presenter embroiled in an anti-Semitism row was appointed to host a London youth awards event.

A source involved with the London Youth Assembly claimed organisers behind the London Youth Achievement Awards used 'very stringent' vetting processes over politically sensitive comments made by those involved in the event.

But the source questioned why Eddie Nestor had allegedly been approved to host this year's ceremony despite apologising for remarks branded anti-Semitic during the 2024 mayoral elections.

The source claimed City Hall and London Assembly officials had raised concerns over comments made by another presenter linked to the awards because of the 'political sensitivity'.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, the source said: 'If City Hall is such stringent vetting processes, why is this something that they did not pick up on which I doubt.'

The source added: 'There's definitely not an oversight. They've chosen to turn a blind eye.'

The London Youth Achievement Awards were launched to recognise young people aged between 11 and 18 who have 'done phenomenal things', according to the source.

The insider claimed Jewish attendees and participants could feel uncomfortable at the event given current sensitivities around anti-Semitism.

'At a time when there is such political sensitivity [around] anti-semitism, City Hall shouldn't have overlooked this,' the source said.
Commentary Podcast: Bye Bye Bibi?
It's Monday, and we are joined by our friend Dan Senor to discuss the looming election in Israel and the prospects of an Israeli government without Bibi Netanyahu, the signs that hostility might resume in Iran in light of ongoing Iranian intransigence, and Senator Bill Cassidy's loss in the Louisiana primary.
J Street a ‘cancer within Jewish community,’ Israeli ambassador says
Yechiel Leiter, the Israeli ambassador in Washington, referred to J Street as a “cancer within the Jewish community” on Monday.

Speaking at a National Task Force to Combat Antisemitism meeting at Museum of the Bible in Washington, Leiter said that “the worst thing about J Street is it’s duplicitous.”

“How can you be pro-Israel and advocate for an arms embargo on a state that’s fighting a seven-front war against Iranian proxies?” the ambassador said.

J Street, a liberal Jewish organization that bills itself as “the political home for pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy Americans,” recently reversed course on its support for U.S. security funding for Israel by calling for an end to U.S. aid to Israel, including programs like Iron Dome.

Leiter said that the group’s motto couldn’t be squared with its opposition to the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or its support for members of Congress, who have voted to block arms sales to the Jewish state.

“If they said that they were pro-Palestinian, I wouldn’t have a problem meeting with them,” Leiter said. “I meet with pro-Palestinian groups.”

“But when you come and say in such a two-faced manner, ‘We’re pro-Israel, we’re pro democracy,’ there’s a democratically elected government in Israel,” he said. “You don’t like Netanyahu, make aliyah, vote in the next election and express yourself. Don’t say you’re ‘pro-democracy’ and decry and defy the position of the democratic government of Israel.”
Seth Mandel: Rashida Tlaib’s Nakba Denial
Every year around this time, Democratic Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib introduces a resolution mourning the failure of the combined Arab armies to ethnically cleanse Israel of Jews.

The term “nakba” was initially coined by Arab intellectuals after the Israeli War of Independence to give a title to the Arabs’ defeat at the hands of the Jews. Over time, it has been changed to mean the “catastrophe” of the flight of some Arab Palestinians, eviction of others, and internal displacement of still others in 1948 and 1949.

This evolution of the term followed the embrace by Palestinian Arab nationalists of a strategy of coopting Jewish suffering, first and foremost the Holocaust. The belief was, and is, that by mimicking the Jews, their maximalist cause will gain legitimacy. (Their minimalist cause doesn’t need any such shenanigans to gain legitimacy, for if they wanted their own state alongside Israel they could have it. But their greater cause of kicking out all the Jews is much less sympathetic.)

But the nakba’s newer definition was intentionally elastic, and now it has come to mean: Israel bad.

As is always the case, an ideology that puts Israel’s harm first puts Palestinian welfare lower on the list, if it makes the list at all. And thus we have this year’s nakba resolution, a bizarre document that undercuts supposed “pro-Palestinian” advocacy.

First of all, the choice of Nakba Day itself is revealing: May 15, the day the Arab armies invaded the state of Israel to try to drive the Jews out of their homeland. May 15 is a commemoration of a declaration of total war against the Jews. This attempted war of annihilation cost the Arab Palestinians dearly. It was catastrophic, you might say.

In reintroducing her annual Israel bad resolution, Tlaib repeats a common talking point: “The Nakba did not end in 1948, but continues to this day.” This, of course, diminishes the intended gravity of the nakba; no one claims, by comparison, that the Holocaust continues to this day, even if there is violent anti-Semitism in Germany.
Leading NYC Jewish orgs shun Mamdani Shavuot event after Nakba video
Two of New York City’s leading mainstream Jewish organizations will skip a pre-Shavuot gathering at Gracie Mansion on Monday evening — with one directly pointing to a controversial video Mayor Zohran Mamdani posted to his official social media channels on Friday as the reason for refusing to participate.

The UJA-Federation of New York and Jewish Community Relations Council-New York, two of the largest groups serving the city’s nearly 1 million Jewish residents, will not participate in the Jewish Heritage Month event the mayor is hosting, a development first reported by the New York Post.

Leaders of both groups slammed the mayor’s decision to share a taxpayer-produced “Nakba day” video that they complained omitted key facts about the creation of Israel

JCRC-NY CEO Mark Treyger described the video and its oversights as a culmination of what he characterized as a broader failure of the mayor to forcefully condemn pro-Hamas and pro-Hezbollah demonstrations outside synagogues and through the streets of Jewish neighborhoods.

“That was certainly a choice that he made, and it certainly did not advance understanding. What it did is inflame tensions that were already inflamed,” Treyger told Jewish Insider, noting that Friday also saw federal authorities foil an alleged terror plot against a New York synagogue.

“We are just not receiving the type of leadership that New Yorkers deserve at this moment to lower the temperature, to bring people together, and to affirm that this is a City Hall that wants to be there for all New Yorkers, including Jewish New Yorkers,” Treyger said.

UJA-Federation of New York did not speak directly to the video, but said that its rejection of the mayor’s invitation to the Monday evening gathering sprang from his rejection of Israel’s legitimacy.

“UJA-Federation of New York will not attend tonight’s Jewish American Heritage Month event at Gracie Mansion being hosted by a mayor who denies a central pillar of our heritage — the State of Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people,” the group said in a statement to Jewish Insider.


Mamdani doubles down on Nakba video, brushes off snubs to his ‘Jewish Heritage’ event
Mayor Zohran Mamdani doubled down on his video commemorating “Nakba Day” as criticism from Jewish organizations mounted Monday.

Hizzoner downplayed The Post’s report on Sunday that at least three high-profile leaders of mainstream Jewish groups were rejecting invitations to his “Jewish Heritage” event at Gracie Mansion Monday evening over his anti-Israel rhetoric.

“My message to Jewish leaders across the city is that my door is always open, that I look forward to welcoming a number of those leaders to Gracie Mansion this evening through Shavuot,” Mamdani told reporters at an unrelated press conference in The Bronx.

“It is part of a commitment to be the mayor for everyone, and that means a mayor for those who voted for you, who didn’t vote for you, who didn’t vote at all, and that also means that there will be times where you will meet New Yorkers at an event, at a specific conversation out on the street, and I look forward to all of those interactions,” he added.

One of the local leaders snubbing the mayor’s event, Mark Treyger, the CEO Jewish Community Relations Council, which organizes the city’s Israel Day Parade, specifically called out Mamdani for his anti-Israel message sent out Friday evening, just before Jewish New Yorkers observed Shabbat.

National Jewish groups also expressed outrage over the post about the displacement of Palestinians during the creation of Israel in 1948, noting it omitted key historical context. Inea Bushnaq, a Nakba survivor, speaking in a video.

“Using City Hall resources to post a one-sided video about Israel’s founding — omitting the UN partition plan, the Arab rejection, the reasons that many Palestinians left, the many who stayed and the 850,000 Jewish refugees forced to leave Arab lands — isn’t commemoration. It’s propaganda,” The Anti-Defamation League of New York and New Jersey railed in a post to X Monday morning.

“Releasing it right before Shabbat isn’t leadership. It’s provocation,” the group added.


D.C. mayoral contender Janeese Lewis George campaigns with embattled councilman with antisemitic history
Trayon White, a member of the Washington, D.C. Council with a history of promoting antisemitic conspiracy theories, was expelled from the Council last year as he faced federal bribery charges before being voted back in months later.

Now, weeks before a heavily contested mayoral election in Washington, White is hitting the campaign trail with Councilmember Janeese Lewis George, a leading Democratic mayoral candidate who voted with the rest of her colleagues on the Council to expel White.

“We don’t agree on everything, but we agree on most things,” White said at a weekend event with Lewis George, video of which was shared on social media. He encouraged his supporters to vote for her in the Democratic primary on June 16, which will all but decide the election in the heavily blue city.

Lewis George spoke highly of White in her speech, saying that when she first joined the Council in 2021, White offered to mentor her.

“You’re somebody who deserves to be shown love for the love that you give to everybody else,” Lewis George said at a weekend event with White. “D.C. loves you. I love you.”

White posted a video on his Facebook page in 2018 attributing a recent snowstorm to “the Rothschilds controlling the climate to create natural disasters” and made similar comments at a municipal planning meeting, prompting an uproar from fellow councilmembers and the local Jewish community.

He said that he did not know that such language about the Rothschilds was an antisemitic conspiracy theory, and he attempted to make amends with the Jewish community by attending a Passover Seder, meeting with community leaders for bagels and going on a tour of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. But White left the museum tour early, without explanation, driving further criticism.


Man arrested after ‘Jews gonna get beheaded’ video in East London
Police have confirmed they have made an arrest after widespread anger at a video circulated on social media showing a man in East London saying “Jews gonna get beheaded one by one” while talking about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

In the footage, viewed thousands of times on Friday, an individual is seen saying “Free Palestine…from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” following that by saying “You Jews…are gonna get beheaded one by one, you dirty Jews.”

In a statement on Monday, a Met police spokesperson said: “A man has been arrested after a video of a hate crime, taking place on Friday, 15 May on Whitechapel Road, Tower Hamlets, was reported to police.

“The man, aged 18, was arrested on Monday, 18 May on suspicion of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause fear of immediate unlawful violence and using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour likely to cause or provoke immediate unlawful violence.

“He remains in police custody. Enquiries are ongoing.

“We understand that incidents like this cause significant concern and we take all reports incredibly seriously. Hate crime of any kind has no place in our communities.”

The Shomrim Jewish community group (London North & East), had posted the footage of the incident on Friday, described it as a “horrific video circulating on social media showing a gentleman threatening to behead Jews and much more”.

Shomrim went on to say it was “aware of the fact that the Orthodox Jewish community is exceptionally concerned about these threats” and said it was “working closely” with the police in relation to the footage.
California man faces 10 years in prison for allegedly assaulting Jewish man in Los Angeles in 2024
Zaid Gitesatani, 28, of Carlsbad, Calif., was arrested on Monday after a federal grand jury indicted him earlier this month on a hate-crime charge stemming from the assault of a Jewish man outside a Los Angeles synagogue, the U.S. Department of Justice said.

Prosecutors allege that Gitesatani punched the victim outside Adas Torah Synagogue, an Orthodox congregation in the city’s Pico-Robertson neighborhood, on June 23, 2024, during a protest against an Israeli real estate event held at the synagogue. Anti-Israel groups, including CodePink, the Palestinian Youth Movement and WESPAC Foundation, organized the demonstration.

“Every American deserves to live without fear of violence based on who he is or how he worships,” stated Harmeet Dhillon, assistant U.S. attorney general for civil rights. “The Justice Department is committed to vigorously prosecuting such crimes of hate and violence.”

According to the indictment, Gitesatani traveled to Los Angeles to attend the protest. Prosecutors said he approached the victim from behind as the man walked his dog near the synagogue and punched him in the jaw, causing pain, redness and swelling, before retreating into the crowd.

Federal authorities said, later the same day, Gitesatani posted a video screenshot of the assault to Instagram, and wrote, “Whooped the Zios today, and we took their flag,” and “I swung good on them.” He also posted two photos of himself displaying bruised knuckles following the assault, prosecutors stated.


Israeli defense-tech company secures $10.7 million contract with US to supply AI-powered system
Israeli defense tech developer Smart Shooter has secured a $10.7 million contract with the US Army to supply its AI-powered SMASH fire control systems, the company announced this week. The deal will provide American soldiers with advanced "one-shot, one-hit" technology designed as a counter-drone weapons system.

The contract comes amid increased efforts to defend frontline troops against the rising threat of small, low-cost drones. By integrating artificial intelligence and computer vision into soldier-mounted sights, the SMASH system allows even non-specialist infantry to lock onto and neutralize fast-moving aerial targets, according to the company's statements.

Smart Shooter CEO, Michal Mor, stated in the company’s announcement of the agreement that, “as drone threats evolve in scale, accessibility, and complexity, armed forces increasingly require proven, field-ready systems that can be rapidly deployed and effectively operated at the tactical edge.”

This latest contract builds on a $13.4 million contract signed in May 2025 between Smart Shooters and the US Army with the US Department of Defense's premier army-led task force, JIATF-40. SMASH systems are expected to be delivered in the third quarter of 2026, according to a statement from Smart Shooter.

“We remain committed to supporting US military requirements with reliable solutions that enhance precision, survivability, and mission effectiveness,” she added in the company's announcement.
Elon Musk lauds Israeli innovation as ‘No. 1 in the world’
Elon Musk, the owner of Tesla and SpaceX, lauded Israeli innovation as “No. 1 in the world,” in a live, virtual appearance at the Samson International Smart Mobility Summit in Tel Aviv on Monday.

“I’m a huge admirer of the innovation coming out of Israel. I think it is objectively true that Israel punches high above its weight for population,” Musk said, when asked if he had a message for Israeli innovators.

“My hat is off to Israel for just how much incredible innovation … I’d say innovation per capita, Israel must be No. 1 by far in the world,” Musk added.

Musk had originally been scheduled to attend the conference, which was slated to take place in March, in person as the guest of honor; the conference was postponed due to the war with Iran.

The conference is hosted by the Israeli Ministry of Transport and Road Safety and convenes business leaders, innovators, policymakers and academics to discuss technologies in the field of smart mobility. Speakers this year included Transportation Minister Miri Regev; Mobileye CEO and President Amnon Shashua and Michael Granoff, the founder and managing director of Maniv Mobility.


First Somaliland ambassador in history presents credentials to Herzog
Somaliland’s first-ever ambassador to a foreign country presented his diplomatic credentials to President Isaac Herzog on Monday.

Dr. Mohamed Hagi, appointed in February, has been serving as adviser to Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, and was an architect of Israel-Somaliland relations.

Israel in December became the only country in the world to recognize Somaliland’s independence — something the territory has been seeking since declaring its autonomy from Somalia in 1991.

“We have built a great relationship,” Hagi said, according to the President’s Residence, “which is a strategic one that will pave the way forward on many things in all domains, whether that is development, political cooperation, security cooperation, and, of course, the people-to-people relationship.”

Hagi said that Somaliland’s people “very much appreciate that Israel became the first country to recognize Somaliland in 1960, and again, after 35 years of independence and sovereignty, Israel again became the first country that recognized Somaliland.”

“Our relationship is unique because it’s not just about two governments, it’s about the people of Israel and the people of Somaliland,” he continued. “In Somaliland, you can see lots of Israeli flags and people waving them in the streets and in rural areas as well.”


‘Hitler, you didn’t win, I won’: Windermere Boy Harry Spiro dies aged 96
Tributes are being paid to much loved Holocaust survivor Harry Spiro who has died aged 96.

Born in Piotrków Trybunalski, Poland, in 1929, Harry was 10 years old when the Nazis invaded and his family were sent to Piotrków Trybunalski, the first Jewish ghetto established by the Nazis, where he was forced to work at the glass factory.

After the horrors of Buchenwald, Rehmsdorf and the death march to Theresienstadt, Harry was liberated in 1945 at the age of 15, the only member of his family to survive the Shoah.

Of the 700 children survivors brought to the UK, Spiro was one of the 300 (including girls) known as the Boys, brought to Windermere’s Calgarth Estate to rebuild their lives. Many of them, including the late Sir Ben Helfgott and Harry Olmer, went on to establish the 45 Aid Society.

Spiro went on to work for many years as a tailor before opening his own shop and dedicating himself to Holocaust education.

Writing in tribute, The Lakes School in Windermere said: “Harry’s story is one of unimaginable loss and remarkable resilience. Harry came to Windermere and began rebuilding his life on the Calgarth Estate, where The Lakes School now stands. Here, after everything he had endured, he found safety, care and hope for the future.

“Through sharing his experiences, he ensured that young people understood not only the horrors of the Holocaust but also the importance of kindness, tolerance and standing against hatred.

“At The Lakes School, we recognise the enormous impact survivors like Harry have had in keeping history alive for future generations. His courage in continuing to tell his story, despite the pain it carried, was an extraordinary act of humanity and service to others. We extend our deepest condolences to Harry’s family, friends and all who were touched by his life and legacy. Thank you, Harry.”

Maurice Helfgott, chair of World Jewish Relief and writing on behalf of the Helfgott family said: “We were so very sad to receive the news that Harry passed away and at the very same time so grateful for the life and love of a true legend. Harry’s kindness, loyalty, and calm humility was always wrapped in that cheeky smile and piercing blue eyes.





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