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Former Lebanese President Michel Aoun Criticizes Hizbullah: One Party Cannot Make Decisions About A Conflict With Israel; Lebanon Has No Obligation To Defend Gaza 24 February 2024 By: MEMRI Former Lebanese President Michel Aoun criticized Hizbullah in a February 19, 2024 interview with OTV [Lebanon], saying that "one party cannot make the decision about a conflict all by itself ." He continued: " We have a government that claims to be the ruler, but in fact, it is not. " Aoun stated that the Lebanese front with Israel should not be linked with Gaza, because Lebanon has no agreement to defend Gaza, he suggested that " perhaps the Arab League could do something. " Interviewer 1: "What are Lebanon's limits in the conflict with Israel? To what extent should Lebanon enter the conflict with Israel? Some think we should fight to the end in support of Gaza, while others say that our southern border is where our national sovereignty ends. Michel Aoun: "A section of the Lebanese people has made a decision, all by itself, whereas the other Lebanese are not a party to this. The government is silent. It does not take a clear stand. This reflects helplessness rather than resolve." Interviewer 2: "Are you against linking the Lebanese front to the Gaza front?" Aoun: "Yes. We have no treaty with Gaza. Lebanon is not connected to Gaza by an agreement, so…" Interviewer 1: "We have no mutual defense agreement [with Gaza]…" Aoun: "Perhaps the Arab League could have done something." Interviewer 2: "But some people say that if Lebanon had not intervened in that war, its turn would have come, sooner or later, so this is more of a preemptive move than an act of support for Gaza." Aoun: "This is just an opinion. There are not indications of this. Perhaps instead of pushing the danger away from us, getting into this war only aggravates it." Interviewer 2: "In light of this, who gets to decide? Some people say one thing and other people say the opposite." Aoun: "The people who are fighting are calling the shots. The man who entered this war is the one who makes the decisions, as long as the Lebanese government does not make as decision, on behalf of the Lebanese people. You can see it. The [mediators] are in touch with Hizbullah." Interviewer 2: "So everything has to be on the table in all future discussions." Aoun: "First of all, it has to be on the Lebanese table. One party cannot make decision about a conflict like this all by itself. We have a government that claims to be the ruler, but in fact, it is not." <- Previous Read full article Next -> More Insights 7 Ways Hamas Exploits Palestinian Civilians in Gaza Antisemitism defined: Why opposing the Jewish people's right to self-determination is antisemitic What You Need to Know About Israel’s Humanitarian Aid To Gaza Fatah responds to Hamas criticism of new formation of PA government ‘without consulting Hamas’ Surprise jump in Gazan support for 2-state solution, while still in favor of Oct 7 attack Hamas' Most Horrific Weapon of War: 5 Takeaways from UN Report on Sexual Violence Against Israelis Latest Video Clips The History of Israel This Muslim Israeli Woman Is the Future of the Middle East Natasha Hausdorff responds to the content of the House of Commons Gaza Debate. Its time to face the hard truth that you're being played as a sacrificial fool by terrorists. Peace cannot be achieved with those who desire war and jihad instead. 'Awful Things Happening In Israel Nothing To Do With British Jews'

October 7th October 7th Impact on the West Antisemitism United Nations Women's Organizations In the Streets Media Education

Stop Pierre Krähenbühl's Appointment as Head of the Red Cross 28 January 2024 By: ActionNetwork This is not an April Fools’ joke. On April 1st, 2024, Pierre Krähenbühl, the disgraced former chief of UNRWA, will take over as the director-general of the International Red Cross. The core principle of the Red Cross is neutrality. Yet when he headed UNRWA, Krähenbühl demonstrated extreme bias against Israel. On repeated occasions during his tenure, UN Watch urged Krähenbühl to end the rampant incitement to terror and antisemitism by UNRWA teachers. Yet Krähenbühl turned a blind eye. He allowed teachers of hate to incite with impunity, indoctrinating a generation of Palestinians to hate Jews. In November 2019, Krähenbühl was forced to resign from UNRWA over allegations that he and other managers were engaged in corruption, abuse of power and ethics violations. The scandal was so damning that Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands and New Zealand at the time suspended their funding for UNRWA. After he quit, Krähenbühl’s supporters suggested that he had been cleared of the charges, and that he had been the victim of a conspiracy between Washington, Jerusalem and a pro-Israel Swiss foreign minister. However, an investigation by Swiss newspaper Le Temps, and a former UNRWA ethics inspector, confirmed the opposite. It is reckless for the Red Cross to appoint as its leader someone who remains tainted by a major scandal of corruption, abuse of power and ethics violations. The Red Cross under its current leadership is already biased against Israel. The last thing that the Red Cross needs at the moment is a new corrupt, biased official at its helm. Tell the Red Cross: rescind the appointment now. Stop Krähenbühl. <- Previous Read full article Next -> More Insights 7 Ways Hamas Exploits Palestinian Civilians in Gaza Antisemitism defined: Why opposing the Jewish people's right to self-determination is antisemitic What You Need to Know About Israel’s Humanitarian Aid To Gaza Fatah responds to Hamas criticism of new formation of PA government ‘without consulting Hamas’ Surprise jump in Gazan support for 2-state solution, while still in favor of Oct 7 attack Hamas' Most Horrific Weapon of War: 5 Takeaways from UN Report on Sexual Violence Against Israelis Latest Video Clips The History of Israel This Muslim Israeli Woman Is the Future of the Middle East Natasha Hausdorff responds to the content of the House of Commons Gaza Debate. Its time to face the hard truth that you're being played as a sacrificial fool by terrorists. Peace cannot be achieved with those who desire war and jihad instead. 'Awful Things Happening In Israel Nothing To Do With British Jews'

Public protests and criticism of Hamas in the Gaza Strip during recent months 6 March 2024 By: Terrorism-info During the past three months, in light of the continued fighting, public criticism of the Hamas government and leadership has increased significantly in the Gaza Strip compared to the protests in the first months. The expanding activities of the IDF forces in Khan Yunis, Gaza City and the central Gaza Strip, the continuation of IDF and Israeli Air Force attacks throughout the Gaza Strip, the increase in the number of casualties and the heavy damage caused to infrastructure and buildings, the lack of food, the plight of the residents, especially the displaced persons, as well as the discourse about a military operation in Rafah, brought residents into the streets to demonstrate against Hamas. At the protest demonstrations, which are mostly held during the day, for the most part Gazans express their anger at their situation and at senior Hamas officials, especially Isma’il Haniyeh, head of Hamas’ political bureau, and Yahya al-Sinwar, head of the Hamas political bureau in the Gaza Strip. The demonstrations highlight the growing frustration and despair among the Gazans living under the Hamas administration . They are angry at having to pay the price of the war while senior Hamas officials live in luxury in hotels abroad, while those who are in the Strip hide in tunnels. Most of the protesters call for the overthrow of the Hamas government and emphasize their desire to live a life of self-respect and support their families with dignity. An analysis of the demonstrations indicates that currently they are local and sporadic, apparently organized spontaneously. They are not held particularly frequently, only a few per month, and are attended by a few hundred people. Apparently Hamas is not trying to stop them, possibly because it does not currently regard them as endangering its status. Furthermore, Hamas [falsely] claims that most of the demonstrations do not represent the feelings of the population and are fabricated or directed by Israel. Meanwhile, because of the complaints, Hamas is clearly making attempts to correct the situation. For example, in response to complaints about the high price of food, the Hamas ministry of the interior appointed committees to monitor prices and prevent price gouging. The committees’ operatives examine prices, mainly in Rafah, where the majority of the population is concentrated, and masked, walk in the streets armed with clubs and guns, and supervise the markets. Criticisms are also posted on the social networks. However, at the moment there are relatively few threads, managed by a handful of people with a limited number of followers. Criticism deals mainly with two topics: harsh criticism of the conduct of senior Hamas officials inside and outside the Gaza Strip, and a description of the Gazan population’s appalling situation. So far, the number the protests is small and they do not endanger the Hamas administration. However, as time passes and Israel’s military pressure increases in the Gaza Strip, and as a result the humanitarian crisis worsens and the lack of food and shelter for the residents increases, the protests will continue and most likely increase. It is also possible that the approaching month of Ramadan, which begins on March 11, 2024, will further increase the public’s sense of want and its frustration, and therefore the extent of the protests. <- Previous Read full article Next -> More Insights 7 Ways Hamas Exploits Palestinian Civilians in Gaza Antisemitism defined: Why opposing the Jewish people's right to self-determination is antisemitic What You Need to Know About Israel’s Humanitarian Aid To Gaza Fatah responds to Hamas criticism of new formation of PA government ‘without consulting Hamas’ Surprise jump in Gazan support for 2-state solution, while still in favor of Oct 7 attack Hamas' Most Horrific Weapon of War: 5 Takeaways from UN Report on Sexual Violence Against Israelis Latest Video Clips The History of Israel This Muslim Israeli Woman Is the Future of the Middle East Natasha Hausdorff responds to the content of the House of Commons Gaza Debate. Its time to face the hard truth that you're being played as a sacrificial fool by terrorists. Peace cannot be achieved with those who desire war and jihad instead. 'Awful Things Happening In Israel Nothing To Do With British Jews'

Bloodbath? The Ratio of Civilian Casualties in the Gaza War 1 February 2024 By: Mid East Journal The discussion around civilian casualties in the Gaza conflict raises complex moral and ethical questions about warfare. In every armed conflict, including the ongoing situation in Gaza, the issue of collateral damage, or unintended civilian deaths, is a significant concern. Despite efforts to target militants, the reality of militants operating within civilian populations in Gaza makes some level of civilian casualties seem inevitable. Comparatively, data suggests that the civilian death toll in Gaza is relatively low when compared to other recent urban conflicts. However, the accuracy of these figures is debated, as the Gaza Health Ministry, controlled by Hamas, does not distinguish between civilian and militant deaths, which could skew the numbers. Technological advancements have led to more precise military strikes, contributing to a decline in civilian death rates over time. Yet, the shift to warfare in dense urban areas increases risks to civilians. Historical data shows varying civilian death rates across different conflicts, with the Israel-Hamas conflict not appearing as an outlier when considering the ratio of civilian to combatant deaths. Analyzing the ratio of civilian casualties per bomb dropped provides another perspective. For instance, the civilian fatality rate in Gaza is lower than in other conflicts like the battle for Mosul or the Russia-Ukraine war, based on the number of munitions used and reported civilian deaths. However, the reliability of civilian casualty data from Gaza is questioned due to the lack of transparency and potential inclusion of militant deaths in civilian death counts. This ambiguity complicates efforts to accurately assess the proportionality of force used in the conflict. Despite Israel's argument that its actions are justified under international law due to threats from Hamas, the debate over the proportionality and justification of the conflict remains, with the true impact on civilians difficult to ascertain fully. The discussion underscores the tragedy of loss and the complexities of modern warfare, where the distinction between combatant and civilian casualties is often blurred, and the justification of actions is heavily debated. <- Previous Read full article Next -> More Insights 7 Ways Hamas Exploits Palestinian Civilians in Gaza Antisemitism defined: Why opposing the Jewish people's right to self-determination is antisemitic What You Need to Know About Israel’s Humanitarian Aid To Gaza Fatah responds to Hamas criticism of new formation of PA government ‘without consulting Hamas’ Surprise jump in Gazan support for 2-state solution, while still in favor of Oct 7 attack Hamas' Most Horrific Weapon of War: 5 Takeaways from UN Report on Sexual Violence Against Israelis Latest Video Clips The History of Israel This Muslim Israeli Woman Is the Future of the Middle East Natasha Hausdorff responds to the content of the House of Commons Gaza Debate. Its time to face the hard truth that you're being played as a sacrificial fool by terrorists. Peace cannot be achieved with those who desire war and jihad instead. 'Awful Things Happening In Israel Nothing To Do With British Jews'

Investigation: The antisemitism that Oct. 7 unleashed in Canada 22 February 2024 By: Global News Canada A Global News investigation explores Canada's dramatic spike in antisemitic hate. Agunman shoots at a Montreal Jewish school. A Jewish-owned grocery store is set on fire in Toronto. In Ottawa, police disrupt an alleged terrorism plot against the Jewish community. The Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel has sparked a dramatic surge of antisemitism across Canada, according to a Global News investigation based on documents, interviews and figures compiled from police forces. Homes, businesses, schools, places of worship, neighbourhoods and institutions have all been targeted in what community leaders are calling an unparalleled spike in hate crimes against Jews. In addition, Canadian intelligence reports warn that Jewish community centres, day schools, synagogues and grocery stores are among the “possible targets” of “increasingly likely” extremist attacks. Antisemitic incidents have jumped in every major city, police figures show. (The government defines antisemitism as a “certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews.”) In Toronto, they more than doubled to 132 last year, while those against the larger Muslim population grew to 35 from 12, and the LGBTQ2 community was targeted 66 times. Reports of antisemitism also increased more than twofold in Halifax, to 18 from seven in 2022, according to police. Alberta’s two biggest cities saw a rise to 45 from 25 the year before. Most were in Calgary, where there were 27 incidents, up from 15, while in Edmonton the numbers went from 10 in 2022 to 18 — with 15 of those occurring after Oct. 7. Ottawa’s Jewish population numbers just 15,000 in a city of one million, but was the most targeted group for hate, accounting for one out of every five incidents in the capital last year. On the West Coast, there were more antisemitic hate crimes in Vancouver after Oct. 7 than in all of 2022, which the city’s police department attributed to the Israel-Hamas conflict. “We are living in unprecedented times,” said Nico Slobinsky, Pacific Region vice-president at the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs. “We have seen the mainstreaming of antisemitism.” “We see it in public spaces, in private spaces. We see it in the workplace, in schools, on university campuses. We see it sometimes being manifested even in interpersonal relationships with people you consider your friends.” 1. Bullets, Firebombs and Hate Just one per cent of the country’s population, Canadian Jews were already disproportionately the victims of hate crimes before Hamas launched its armed assault, and the Israeli military responded in Gaza. But something happened after Oct. 7 that has brought it into the open in ways uncharacteristic of a diverse nation that prides itself on tolerance and the embrace of multiculturalism. “It’s almost like a world gone mad,” said Rabbi Menachem Karmel, principal at Yeshiva Gedola, a Jewish elementary school in Montreal’s Côte-des-Neiges neighbourhood. On Nov. 9, bullets hit the school entrance. Three days later, it happened again. Students were not in class at the time and there were no injuries, but the community was taken aback. The shootings caused “a lot of panic,” said Karmel. Police have not made any arrests. The school has had to install security cameras and floodlights. The incident was among 131 antisemitic hate incidents in Montreal between Oct. 7 and Jan. 30, according to police. It is also the kind of attack that intelligence officials caution about in documents obtained by Global News that assess the potential for violence in Canada stemming antisemitism and the Israel-Hamas conflict. In intelligence briefs released under the Access to Information Act, the Canadian government’s Integrated Terrorism Assessment Centre said violent extremists were spreading antisemitic rhetoric. Using social media as their “main pathway,” extremist influencers have praised Hamas and disseminated antisemitic content and conspiracy theories that incite violence, according to an Oct. 12, 2023 report. “The narratives encourage hate crimes, violence and terrorism,” said the report, titled Canada: Trends Influencing Antisemitic Violent Extremism. A report issued two weeks later predicted the Israel-Hamas conflict would “exacerbate the current steady increase in hate crimes targeting the Jewish community in Canada.” “Violent rhetoric celebrating the Oct. 7 attack and encouraging like-minded individuals to conduct lone actor attacks could inspire individuals to conduct attacks targeting Israeli interests or the Jewish community,” it said. The grandson of Holocaust survivors, Karmel said he was glad his grandparents were not around to witness the turn of events in Canada. “To see this happening again, it’s terrifying,” he said. “It’s hatred.” 2 - The Restaurant and the Flag Marcus Stiller has never lived in Israel, but as a Canadian Jew, he hung an Israeli flag in the window of his Vancouver restaurant, Fish Café. “I’m very loud and proud,” he said in an interview. The flag caused no problems until after Oct. 7, when his restaurant began to receive a string of negative online reviews, one accusing him of supporting genocide. Stiller, whose grandfather fled Greece during the Italian fascist occupation, said he doesn’t mind reviews, good or bad. But this was clearly not about his food or service. Like Jewish business owners in Toronto and Montreal, he was being singled out over the Hamas-Israel conflict. Things escalated when, on Nov. 19, he found a swastika and a far-right slogan painted on a wall behind the restaurant. Next, he found a photo in his mailbox — a picture of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s head cropped onto a uniformed Nazi with a swastika shoulder patch. “This is how things start,” Stiller said. “I’m not scared,” he added. “I am concerned, obviously, about the antisemitism. And I’m a little bit more concerned about my staff’s safety than mine.” “But I’m not going to take the flag down.” 3 - The Preacher In a room above a massage parlor that advertises “sexy hot” staff, Younus Kathrada stood at a microphone delivering a sermon about a “religious war” against “filthy zionists.” When he was done, his worshippers exited the building into a winter afternoon in the B.C. capital, and mingled on a sidewalk facing a graffiti-covered concrete factory. Approached by Global News as he walked to his car, Kathrada did not respond to allegations by Jewish groups that he is spreading antisemitism. But the Saudi-trained 60-year-old has long faced complaints over the weekly lectures he leads in Victoria and posts on social media channels. Since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israelis, he has claimed the conflict is a “jihad,” and those killed fighting would be rewarded with 72 virgins . “We pray that Allah grants them victory over the criminal Jews ,” he said in a recent Friday sermon that was later posted on his Facebook page. A Victoria-area city councillor has asked police to investigate Kathrada’s videos. Jewish groups have also filed police complaints. “Younis Kathrada preaches hate. There’s no other way to say it,” said Slobinsky, the CIJA Pacific Region vice-president. The Victoria Police Department said it had received a report about Kathrada that was being investigated by its hate crimes coordinator. A South Africa-born preacher, Kathrada has never been charged, and has denied promoting hatred or inciting his followers to do anything more than adhere to his version of worship. In the days after Oct. 7, he posted questions online he said a news reporter had asked him, and provided responses. “Do you think your comments are hate speech? Response: Are they serious?! Not a single word of what I have posted is hate speech,” Kathrada wrote. Canada’s hate crimes laws exempt good faith religious expression from prosecution. The Bloc Quebecois introduced a private members bill in November that would scrap that as a defence. The B.C. Prosecution Service updated its hate crimes policy on Friday to define as “prohibited acts” the public incitement of hatred, and the wilful promotion of hatred and antisemitism. The changes recognized that “hate crimes can cause grave psychological and social consequences that may impact one’s own self-worth, inclusion and belonging, as well as personal and collective safety.” Meanwhile, a Global News investigation has found that the non-profit group that runs Kathrada’s prayer centre has received government funding. The city of Victoria acknowledged it had given $5,000 to Muslim Youth of Victoria, which operates Kathrada’s Dar al-Ihsan Islamic Centre. The money came in 2021 and 2022 from the city’s Cultural Infrastructure Program for local non-profits that “own or operate cultural facilities.” Government records also show that a federally regulated charity, the Islamic Society of B.C., gave $2,288 to Muslim Youth of Victoria. Neither group responded to requests for comment. Kathrada became leader of the Dar al-Ihsan Islamic Centre, run by Muslim Youth of Victoria, in 2018. His weekly videos soon attracted attention. The Middle East Media Reserarch Institue (MEMRI ), a U.S. group that monitors online extremism, began issuing reports on Kathrada that same year. Since then, MEMRI has issued 60 reports on him, including one that quotes him preaching that non-Muslims are “enemies,” and not to associate with them. “I want our children to understand this well: the non-Muslims are the enemies of Allah, therefore they are your enemies,” he said in one of the videos. In another video , he said that “people of faith hate the Yahud because of their disbelief in Allah.” He defined Yahud as “Zionists, Zionist Jews, whatever you like.” Yahud is the Arabic term for Jews. “If you do not hate the opponents of Allah you have no faith,” he continued. “Having said that, once again, we have not ever called toward violence toward others.” The government’s Integrated Terrorism Assessment Centre took note of Kathrada in a 2020 report obtained by Global News. Under the heading “Online proliferation of incitement,” it cited his sermon about the beheading by French extremists of school teacher Samuel Paty , whom he called a “filthy excuse for a human being.” Slobinsky said religious leaders had an obligation to unite people, rather than to sow division, and that words have consequences. “Words carry meaning and words can scare people, can affect their sense of safety, their sense of belonging and the sense of mental well-being,” he said. “The speech that Younus Kathrada uses is highly inflammatory and derogatory towards Jews. Nobody should be, listening to what he says.” Sent a series of questions, Kathrada did not respond directly, but later wrote on Facebook that he was being harassed by “lazy misfits” who “twist people’s words.” “Corporate media is anti-Islam, anti-Muslim and straight up dishonest. I urge them to hold their breath for a response,” he wrote. 4 - Campus Unrest Immediately after the Hamas attack, the University of Toronto’s Centre for Jewish Studies opened its doors for community members, so they had a place to grieve. “They sat here and they all just cried together, because they were concerned and worried about their loved ones in Israel,” said Anna Shternshis, the centre’s director. “But also, and this is a heartbreaking part, because they couldn’t find empathy in our university community, from colleagues, from friends, from strangers.” Although Israelis were the victims of the Hamas attack, with 1,200 dead and more than 250 taken hostage, that seemed quickly forgotten, particularly on campuses. As students began to protest in support of Palestinians, Shternshis said Jews found their suffering largely ignored and began to ask: “Are these protests condemning us?” Jewish students said in interviews they felt targeted, and spoke about threats and intimidation, as well as a lack of support from administration. “I personally have felt safer in a bomb shelter than in the streets of Montreal,” said Ora Bar, a Concordia University student who grew up in Israel. Last November, Bar was part of a group that set up a display in support of Israelis taken hostage by Hamas. A pro-Palestinian group put up its own table nearby. Videos taken at the time show a student shouting at the Jewish group, then grabbing their Israeli flag. A brawl erupted. Three were injured and a 22-year-old student was arrested. Across town, a University of Montreal sessional lecturer was suspended after he was allegedly videotaped at a protest calling a Jewish student a whore and telling her to “go back to Poland.” “We’ve been threatened on campus by students, by fellow students. These students have been emboldened by professors,” said Eitan Kovac, who witnessed the incident. “They have this feeling we’re agents of the state of Israel somehow. How is that the case?” A Palestinian student leader said his group had asked members not to engage with Jewish students at Concordia. “We don’t want the escalation. We don’t want tensions on campuses,” he said. At a recent demonstration in Montreal, protesters decried both antisemitism and Islamophobia, which has also increased in major cities, although not to the same level, except in Edmonton. They said stopping the war in Gaza would resolve the problems on campuses. “What is happening now, it could lead to much more tension,” one said. “So it needs to end.” 5 - 'It's really hard to wrap our heads around' On Feb. 12, pro-Palestinian protesters amassed outside Toronto’s Mount Sinai hospital, which was founded by the Jewish community a century ago. Demonstrators climbed up scaffolding outside the building and onto a ledge, waving a Palestinian flag, while others loudly chanted slogans beneath a “HOSPITAL, Quiet” sign. Shimon Fogel, CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, said even when anger is directed at Israel, it is often rooted in antisemitism. “Israel has for many years now become the proxy for the Jewish people,” said Fogel. “And for many who hold hostile views, presenting them or characterizing them as hostility towards Israel is easier, and more politically correct, than simply giving expression to hatred towards Jews.” “But really, from our experience they’re one and the same,” he said. “There is a reason the Jews are being targeted on the streets of Toronto or Vancouver or Montreal. There’s a reason that schools and synagogues are being firebombed,” Fogel added. “And it’s because the antipathy is for the Jewish people, and the Jewish state is only an extension of the Jewish people, not something, independent and separate.” What concerns Fogel is not only the hatred that has found voice since Oct. 7, but where it is coming from, notably progressives who had partnered with the Jewish community on issues such as LGBTQ2 rights. “It’s really hard to wrap our heads around, the kind of alliances that are beginning to take shape,” he said. “So in addition to being anxious about the hate being directed to us, we are profoundly puzzled by these alignments.” The past few months have hit particularly close to home for those who lived through the Holocaust. In a statement issued by the Toronto Holocaust Museum, 19 survivors spoke of a “seismic shift” since Oct. 7. “Our children who were raised to believe that they were far from the horrors of 1930s Germany are recognizing that the cycle of Jew hatred is not over,” they wrote. To Fogel, what distinguishes the current wave of antisemitism from the past is the role of government and police. “Back then, it was driven by government and by officialdom within Germany,” he said. “Here we see that the political sector, law enforcement, civil society by and large, has been unequivocal in its support for the Jewish community and its condemnation of what the Jewish community has been experiencing.” The Mount Sinai hospital protest was condemned by the mayor, premier and prime minister. Toronto Police opened an investigation, and increased patrols along the city’s hospital row. The response has been lacking in many respects, “but the will and the determination to protect the community, to stand with the community, I think, has been articulated and expressed by all levels of government,” Fogel said. “And certainly by law enforcement, who have in many respects done a remarkable job in signaling that they don’t just have the Jewish community’s back, that they will be standing side by side and in front of the Jewish community as they have to contend with these particular threats and challenges.” <- Previous Read full article Next -> More Insights 7 Ways Hamas Exploits Palestinian Civilians in Gaza Antisemitism defined: Why opposing the Jewish people's right to self-determination is antisemitic What You Need to Know About Israel’s Humanitarian Aid To Gaza Fatah responds to Hamas criticism of new formation of PA government ‘without consulting Hamas’ Surprise jump in Gazan support for 2-state solution, while still in favor of Oct 7 attack Hamas' Most Horrific Weapon of War: 5 Takeaways from UN Report on Sexual Violence Against Israelis Latest Video Clips The History of Israel This Muslim Israeli Woman Is the Future of the Middle East Natasha Hausdorff responds to the content of the House of Commons Gaza Debate. Its time to face the hard truth that you're being played as a sacrificial fool by terrorists. Peace cannot be achieved with those who desire war and jihad instead. 'Awful Things Happening In Israel Nothing To Do With British Jews'

Israeli Soccer Player in Turkey Suspended and Charged Over Hostages Solidarity Expression 14 January 2024 By: Time Turkey has charged an Israeli professional soccer player for the Turkish soccer club Antalyaspor with inciting hatred after he referenced the ongoing Israel-Hamas war during a match in the coastal city of Antalya on Sunday. After scoring a goal against rivals Trabzonspor, Sagiv Jehezkel celebrated by showing to the cameras and crowd his bandaged wrist, which had “100 days,” a small Star of David, and “7.10” written on it—a reference to the number of days that Israeli hostages have been held captive by Hamas since the Palestinian militant group’s attack on Israel on Oct. 7. <- Previous Read full article Next -> More Insights 7 Ways Hamas Exploits Palestinian Civilians in Gaza Antisemitism defined: Why opposing the Jewish people's right to self-determination is antisemitic What You Need to Know About Israel’s Humanitarian Aid To Gaza Fatah responds to Hamas criticism of new formation of PA government ‘without consulting Hamas’ Surprise jump in Gazan support for 2-state solution, while still in favor of Oct 7 attack Hamas' Most Horrific Weapon of War: 5 Takeaways from UN Report on Sexual Violence Against Israelis Latest Video Clips The History of Israel This Muslim Israeli Woman Is the Future of the Middle East Natasha Hausdorff responds to the content of the House of Commons Gaza Debate. Its time to face the hard truth that you're being played as a sacrificial fool by terrorists. Peace cannot be achieved with those who desire war and jihad instead. 'Awful Things Happening In Israel Nothing To Do With British Jews'

Many Iranians Despise The Regime's Support For Palestine 3 March 2024 By: MEMRI Iranian Islamic Scholar Mohammad-Taghi Akbarnejad: Many Iranians Despise The Regime's Support For Palestine; Khamenei Must Stop Supplying Palestine With Military Support; If Iran Continues On This Path – The Regime Will Fall Director of Jurisprudence and Islamic Civilization Institute Mohammad-Taghi Akbarnejad discussed the Iranian regime's support of Palestine in a December 23, 2023 interview with DidarNews (Iran). He said that a large part of the Iranian population despises the regime's support of Palestine. Akbarnejad suggested that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei stop stating that he wants to wipe Israel off the face of the earth, stop supplying weapons to Gaza, and stop providing military support to the Palestinians. He said that this will lift the sanctions off Iran. Akbarnejad said that Iran is at a "very dangerous crossroad," and if it continues on the same path, it will collapse and the regime will fall". Mohammad-Taghi Akbarnejad: "Our people have shown that they want to support the oppressed of the world, but at what price? What have we done that caused a significant part of our population to despise the support of the Islamic Republic of Iran for Palestine? You see where we have brought our people?" "The logic of the Quran about helping others is like a natural spring. Once the spring starts to flow, it irrigates the trees around it first. If it had more water to spare, it would irrigate other trees and gardens. If we try to divert the water away from the trees around the spring to other places, we cause division, and divert from the logic of Quran. My point is that our people feel that the regime is not focused on them". "I believe that if Mr. Khamenei was asked today to sacrifice his life, his possessions, his family, and his honor for his people, he would not think twice. He would definitely do it. I know Mr. Khamenei to be this kind of person. Unfortunately however, I have reached the conclusion that the focus of Mr. Khamenei's policy is outside of [Iran's] borders". "If today the world asks Mr. Khamenei to back down a little on the issue of Palestine – that he no longer uses the slogan of wiping Israel off the face of the earth, that he will not give more weapons to Gaza, and no longer support the Palestinians militarily...Give them diplomatic support as much as you can, but do not get involved militarily, and back down from the slogan of erasing Israel". "In return, all the sanctions [against Iran] will be lifted, and we will have a clean slate. Iran will be able to resume all forms of cooperation with the world. This will give the Iranians some breathing room again". "My feeling is that Mr. Khamenei would not accept such an offer. Why? Because for him, the Palestinian cause has become the cornerstone of the Islamic Republic". "When the focus of your policy-making is erasing Israel and saving Palestine, and you are not willing to budge a little even when your people are suffering so much, you have to pay the price, and the sanctions are the price. It results in living in [unstable] security conditions". "For the past 45 years, our people have lived in such security conditions. The way we have acted is an indication that the regime's number-one priority is its own survival." "I feel that today our country is at a very dangerous crossroad. Very dangerous. If we continue on the same path as before, our collapse is certain. I am sad to say this but our collapse would be certain – the regime will fall and God only knows what will happen to our country. The policies of the Islamic Republic in the last 40 years have caused many [countries] to become our enemies". "This nation can only tolerate up to a certain limit. It can persevere up to a certain point, but it will explode when the threshold is crossed, and then it will be too late to do anything." <- Previous Read full article Next -> More Insights 7 Ways Hamas Exploits Palestinian Civilians in Gaza Antisemitism defined: Why opposing the Jewish people's right to self-determination is antisemitic What You Need to Know About Israel’s Humanitarian Aid To Gaza Fatah responds to Hamas criticism of new formation of PA government ‘without consulting Hamas’ Surprise jump in Gazan support for 2-state solution, while still in favor of Oct 7 attack Hamas' Most Horrific Weapon of War: 5 Takeaways from UN Report on Sexual Violence Against Israelis Latest Video Clips The History of Israel This Muslim Israeli Woman Is the Future of the Middle East Natasha Hausdorff responds to the content of the House of Commons Gaza Debate. Its time to face the hard truth that you're being played as a sacrificial fool by terrorists. Peace cannot be achieved with those who desire war and jihad instead. 'Awful Things Happening In Israel Nothing To Do With British Jews'

Hamas Official On Al-Jazeera Website: October 7 Was Scaled-Down Model Of Palestine's Final War Of Liberation. 24 January 2024 By: MEMRI Hamas Official On Al-Jazeera Website: October 7 Was Scaled-Down Model Of Palestine's Final War Of Liberation; Palestinians Have Proved 'With Blood And Bodies' That Their Only Option Is To Resist Until Liberation And Return Are Achieved. On January 16, 2024, Bassem Na'im, a member of Hamas' political bureau and former health minister in the Hamas government, published an article on the Al-Jazeera website about the October 7 terror attack by Hamas. He stated that the attack was a critical turning point for the Palestinian cause on national, regional, and international levels. Na'im described the attack as a "scaled-down model of the final war of liberation" against Zionist occupation, demonstrating the feasibility of Israel's defeat, the liberation of Palestine, and the return of refugees. According to Na'im, the October 7 attack showed that resistance is the only option for Palestinians, necessitating new leadership that moves away from the "disastrous experience" of the Oslo Accords. He claimed the attack had significant achievements regionally and internationally, including thwarting the normalization plan between Saudi Arabia and Israel, raising global awareness of the Palestinian cause, and exposing Israel as "a merciless and murderous monster." Na'im argued that no security or stability would be achieved in the region or beyond until the Palestinian conflict is resolved and Palestinians receive their rights. He stated that the attack provided the Arab and Islamic nation with a strategic opportunity to present a different model for managing global affairs, contrasting Western failures. He emphasized the shift from a unipolar to a multipolar world order and the role of the Global South in this new landscape. The article suggested rebuilding Palestinian political institutions and national enterprise to reflect recent changes and represent the aspirations and sacrifices of the Palestinian people. Na'im also mentioned a potential political process leading to the elimination of Zionist occupation, establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, and return of refugees in accordance with international resolutions. <- Previous Read full article Next -> More Insights 7 Ways Hamas Exploits Palestinian Civilians in Gaza Antisemitism defined: Why opposing the Jewish people's right to self-determination is antisemitic What You Need to Know About Israel’s Humanitarian Aid To Gaza Fatah responds to Hamas criticism of new formation of PA government ‘without consulting Hamas’ Surprise jump in Gazan support for 2-state solution, while still in favor of Oct 7 attack Hamas' Most Horrific Weapon of War: 5 Takeaways from UN Report on Sexual Violence Against Israelis Latest Video Clips The History of Israel This Muslim Israeli Woman Is the Future of the Middle East Natasha Hausdorff responds to the content of the House of Commons Gaza Debate. Its time to face the hard truth that you're being played as a sacrificial fool by terrorists. Peace cannot be achieved with those who desire war and jihad instead. 'Awful Things Happening In Israel Nothing To Do With British Jews'

Qatar Is The Trojan Horse In Washington, D.C. 12 February 2024 By: MEMRI Qatar has failed President Biden again: Hamas's answer to proposed deal was, as the immediate reaction from the president and Secretary of State Antony Blinken showed, "over the top"[1] and "absolute non-starters,"[2] respectively. This happened because Qatar is not pressuring Hamas. It sees itself as a mere go-between.[3] Qatar isn't pressuring Hamas despite the fact that in reality, Qatar is the lifeline of Hamas – its hope, its future, its power to continue to fight and to hold the hostages. Qatar built Hamas from a small organization into a military and political power. It took pride in its training of "Hamas security officials."[4] Attempting to justify its pro-terrorist policy, Qatar said that it was the Americans who had asked it to maintain lines of communication with Hamas. However, Qatar did something different, and above and beyond what it was asked: It opened an office and headquarters in Doha for Hamas, and gave Hamas leaders safe haven in the country. Without Qatar, Hamas is doomed. And why should Qatar pressure Hamas? The Biden administration is happy with it anyway. President Biden needs a political victory for his reelection: One such victory would be to finish the war with a peace process that begins with a new hostage release deal and allows for Biden's plan to take off with the participation of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Jordan, and the Palestinian Authority. This is the plan that the New York Times' Thomas Friedman and The Washington Post' s David Ignatius are promoting. But the administration and veteran journalists such as Friedman and Ignatius all seem oblivious to the fact that this formula cannot work with Qatar as the pillar of the American foreign policy and presence in the Middle East. The administration is even ignoring the violations of U.S. law by Qatar, which hired a former CIA official, Kevin Chalker, to spy on U.S. lawmakers Senator Ted Cruz, Senator Tom Cotton, Representative Mario Diaz-Balart, and Representative Ed Royce, who is former chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, due to their opposition to Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood.[5] The administration believes that Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt will join in a process in which Qatar is the leader. This will never happen. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are Qatar's sworn adversaries. In 2017, they declared a full boycott on Qatar, in an attempt to stop its pro-Iran and pro-terrorism policies. And America saved Qatar from that boycott. Qatar is the ticking bomb that will blow up any peace process, because it stands for Hamas. In fact, it is part of another bloc – the anti-U.S. bloc comprising Hamas, Hizbullah, the Houthis, Iran, Russia, and China (even on the issue of Taiwan, Qatar sides with China).[6] How can Qatar be regarded as a non-NATO U.S. ally with its record of supporting terrorist Islamic organizations and movements? The other bloc – Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the Palestinian Authority, Egypt, and Israel – does not even know it constitutes a bloc. Frustrated by America's alliance with Qatar and its building of its policy with it – Saudi Arabia and the UAE are gradually moving toward the anti-American bloc, BRICS, which includes Russia and China. Why would Saudi Arabia and the UAE stand by America when America is repeatedly betraying them? Qatar is the ticking bomb in Biden's hands. And even though his election campaign is focusing on other matters, the Israel-Hamas war and its regional repercussions are a major issue that can contribute significantly to either success or failure. Continued reliance on Qatar could tip the scale towards failure. This is not a political assessment. It is a Middle East studies assessment, and it is built on MEMRI's work over 25 years. Qatar is the Wahhabi sponsor of all Islamist terrorist organizations and movements, and of the Muslim Brotherhood in particular. Surely, President Biden and Secretary of State Blinken have heard this in private from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt. President Biden can ask Richard Clarke, counterterrorism advisor to Presidents Bill Clinton and George H. W. Bush, who revealed Qatar's role with regard to 9/11 through its hiding of Khalid Sheikh Muhammad (KSM), the future mastermind of those attacks, in Doha in 1996. When the FBI came to arrest him and told only the Emir, KSM disappeared within hours. He can ask David Cohen, the former U.S. Treasury undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, who said that financiers of terrorism are in Qatar,[8] and ask also the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), whose records show that Qatar is financing Islamist terrorism.[9] He can ask Egypt, where Qatar's tool of foreign policy, its Al-Jazeera network, brought down President Hosni Mubarak, to be replaced by the Muslim Brotherhood president, Mohamed Morsi. He can look at who Qatar stands with in Libya (the Islamist side). He can see who Qatar stands with in Tunisia (Tunisia's Muslim Brotherhood-linked Ennahda Movement). He can check where Qatar stands in Sudan (on the side of the pro-Muslim Brotherhood general). He surely remembers who stood by the Taliban in 2021 – Qatar, up to the very day in August 2021 when the Taliban took over Afghanistan and brought down the regime of the democratically elected non-Islamist President Ashraf Ghani, and also killed 13 U.S. soldiers. Even Islamist militias in northern Mali are supported by Qatar.[10] It is mindboggling that the U.S. administration is ignoring Qatar's record of criminal support for Islamist movements and terrorist organizations. How can it possibly consider Qatar an ally? The only one that President Biden should not ask about Qatar is Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, who shrewdly allowed Qatar to build Hamas with billions of dollars over a decade. He did this to allow the growth of a power that would counter the Palestinian Authority so that he himself would not need to negotiate with it. Netanyahu said as much in his speeches to his own party: "Whoever objects to the creation of a Palestinian state should support the funneling of money from Qatar to Hamas."[11] He violated Israeli and international anti-terrorism laws by allowing the money from Qatar, a state sponsor of terrorism, to reach Hamas, recognized as a terrorist organization across the West – thereby transforming this violation into a policy – until it exploded in his face. Indeed, Netanyahu is now fighting Hamas – but until October 7, he was in a semi-alliance with Hamas via Qatar, allowing all the Qatari billions to flow to Hamas and deluding himself that he was buying off Hamas's leaders and creating a political arrangement (hasdara in Hebrew) with them.[12] This myth about an arrangement with Hamas (hasdara ) came from the Prime Minister. Current Chief of Staff Gen. Herzi Halevy, at the time commander of the southern command, went to Qatar with Mossad director Yossi Cohen to ask for more money for the entity that was to kill his soldiers.[13] Little did Halevy realize the consequences of what he was doing. The entire Israeli administration, political and military, bought into this delusion, that today is called "the conception," and it came from the prime minister on down. That is, until it ended on October 7, 2023. (MEMRI documented this alliance and attacked it in many articles. I personally wrote a piece warning of "The bloody wedding of Netanyahu and Qatar"[14] and in another piece, published August 31, 2023, I issued a early warning about the war coming in September or October.[15] ) By keeping Qatar as a player, Netanyahu is deceiving the Biden administration and blowing up its hopes for a peace process, as well the minimal hope for another hostage deal. Netanyahu is fighting Hamas but allowing the absolutely necessary humanitarian aid to be seized by Hamas operatives. President Biden will fail, not because of Netanyahu but because of Qatar, which is retaining Hamas as a player for the future as well. Because no Israeli will agree to any peace plan with Hamas, whether officially or unofficially, even if and when Netanyahu is replaced as prime minister. Many think that the U.S. is giving Qatar this major role because CENTCOM is based there, and that if Qatar is pressured, CENTCOM's freedom to operate will be impacted. This is not true. CENTCOM is totally independent, and all it would take is for the U.S. to hint that it has other potential locations for CENTCOM in order to scare the Qataris into really helping the U.S. – which until now they have been betraying. The U.S. should have applied such pressure at least to save the American hostages – after 32 Americans were killed on October 7 by the Hamas-Qatar alliance. Without stripping Qatar of any ability to play a role in the crisis in the Middle East, the war will not end any time soon, and Islamist terrorism will continue to flourish in the West even more than in the Middle East. Moreover, Qatar's continued involvement in Middle East politics will raise the chances of turning the Gaza war into a regional war. And there will be no "day after." This is the service that Qatar is providing to Russia, China, and Iran: ongoing instability directed against America. Qatar is the Trojan horse in the U.S. administration. It is winning the global battle for Russia, China, and Iran. Will the administration ever realize this? By: Yigal Carmon is President and Founder of MEMRI. <- Previous Read full article Next -> More Insights 7 Ways Hamas Exploits Palestinian Civilians in Gaza Antisemitism defined: Why opposing the Jewish people's right to self-determination is antisemitic What You Need to Know About Israel’s Humanitarian Aid To Gaza Fatah responds to Hamas criticism of new formation of PA government ‘without consulting Hamas’ Surprise jump in Gazan support for 2-state solution, while still in favor of Oct 7 attack Hamas' Most Horrific Weapon of War: 5 Takeaways from UN Report on Sexual Violence Against Israelis Latest Video Clips The History of Israel This Muslim Israeli Woman Is the Future of the Middle East Natasha Hausdorff responds to the content of the House of Commons Gaza Debate. Its time to face the hard truth that you're being played as a sacrificial fool by terrorists. Peace cannot be achieved with those who desire war and jihad instead. 'Awful Things Happening In Israel Nothing To Do With British Jews'

The relationship between Hamas and the civilian population in Gaza October 7th War in Gaza In a Nutshell The relationship between Hamas and the people in Gaza is complicated. After the October 7th attack and the war in Gaza, people started feeling differently about Hamas. Reports say that Hamas has done things like stopping people from leaving dangerous areas, taking aid meant for the people, and not giving them safe places during attacks. Instead, Hamas has been more focused on making tunnels for its fighters. A top Hamas leader said that it's not their job to protect the people in Gaza, but the UN's and Israel's. This has made many people in Gaza upset and disappointed. They are dealing with tough living conditions and feel let down by Hamas, which is supposed to be in charge. This situation shows a big change in how people in Gaza feel about Hamas. The full story References Related Videos Full Story The Full Story The relationship between Hamas and the people in Gaza is complicated. After the October 7th attack and the war in Gaza, people started feeling differently about Hamas. The relationship between Hamas and the civilians in Gaza is marked by a combination of support, resentment, and exploitation. While Hamas has historically enjoyed popularity in Gaza and the West Bank, the aftermath of the October 7th attack and the subsequent Gaza war has led to a shift in public sentiment. Reports reveal that Hamas has employed tactics such as preventing civilian evacuations, shooting at civilians attempting to flee, stealing humanitarian aid meant for Gazans, and failing to provide bomb shelters for civilians. Instead, Hamas has focused on building extensive tunnel networks for the protection of its fighters, not civilians. A top Hamas official openly declared that the responsibility for defending Gazan civilians lies with the UN and Israel, not Hamas. This stance has intensified anger and disillusionment among Gazans, who face the wrath of Israeli forces while being deprived of basic protections and aid by their governing body. The growing resentment is compounded by the harsh humanitarian conditions in Gaza, exacerbated by the conflict and Hamas's coercive tactics against its own people. This complex dynamic reveals a dichotomy within Palestinian society, where initial support for Hamas's defiance is now contrasted with frustration and despair over the ongoing suffering, destruction, and Hamas's oppressive actions against civilians. References References How anger is growing against Hamas in Gaza Hamas Terrorists Continue to Prevent Civilian Evacuation in Gaza How anger is growing against Hamas in Gaza Gaza woman tells Al-Jazeera Hamas stealing all the aid Hamas Official Mousa Abu Marzouk: The Tunnels In Gaza Were Built To Protect Hamas Fighters, Not Civilians; Protecting Gaza Civilians Is The Responsibility Of The U.N. And Israel Related Videos Reletaed Videos Gaza City is different. Something about responsibility Have you ever wondered where is all the money sent to the people of Gaza? Gaza's Unfiltered Reality: The Untold Story The son of a Hamas leader share why Hamas is responsible for the war. Douglas Murray says what others are too scared to admit about Gaza Load More

October 7th Impact on the West Supporting Hamas Supporting Israel Rise in Antisemitism The West is Next