Anti Israel Anti Jew

Jewish Democratic Group Rejects Minnesota Lawmaker Over Anti-Israel Statements
Aug 19, 2018
Omar, who has labeled Israel as an “apartheid regime” that has “hypnotized the world,” is favored to take a seat in Congress after winning her Democratic primary in Minnesota.
By: JNS.org
Minnesota state lawmaker Ilhan Omar, who has labeled Israel an “apartheid regime” that has “hypnotized the world,” is favored to take a seat in Congress after winning her Democratic primary on Tuesday in a heavily Democratic district in her state.
She will face Republican Jennifer Zielinski in November.
If Omar wins, she would replace another Israel critic, Rep. Keith Ellison, who is running for Minnesota state attorney general. Ellison, the Deputy Chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), is known for associating with anti-Semitic Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.
Omar isn’t the only Muslim American critical of Israel running for Congress. In Michigan last week, Rashida Tlaib won her primary and runs unopposed in November. She has called for cutting US assistance to Israel, which she has stated is “discriminatory”—a move that has been condemned by groups like the Jewish Democratic Council of America (JDCA).
MORE https://unitedwithisrael.org/jewish-democratic-group-rejects-minnesota-lawmaker-over-anti-israel-statements/?

Netanyahu Praises Late Kofi Annan for Fighting anti-Semitism, Holocaust Denial
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/netanyahu-praises-kofi-annan-as-someone-who-fought-anti-semitism-1.6388457?utm_campaign=General&utm_medium=web_push&utm_source=Push_Notification
Following the former UN chief's death in Switzerland Saturday, tributes were paid from around the world
Noa Landau and Reuters Aug 18, 2018 9:03 PM
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan speaks with former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni at United Nations headquarters, August 16, 2006.AP
Former UN chief Kofi Annan dies at age 80
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu eulogized the late Kofi Annan Saturday, former Secretary General of the United Nations, "as an accomplished man in the international arena and as someone who fought anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial." 

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Netanyahu offered condolences to Annan's wife, Nane Maria Annan, and the late diplomat's three children.

Following Annan's death in Switzerland on Saturday, tributes were paid from around the world.

The Foreign Ministry praised him as "a pillar of multilateral diplomacy, Nobel Prize laureate and statesman who devoted his life to achieving world peace, reducing poverty and fighting child mortality.
 
File photo: UN Secretary General Kofi Annan arrives at Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv, Israel, Aug. 29, 2006. AP

"During his term, Annan opposed attempts to delegitimize Israel, fought strongly against Holocaust denial and supported the 2006 U.N. initiative for Holocaust Memorial Day," the statement continued. "The State of Israel extends its condolences to Secretary General Annan's family."

"In many ways, Kofi Annan was the United Nations. He rose through the ranks to lead the organization into the new millennium with matchless dignity and determination," said UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

Former U.S. President Barack Obama eulogized Annan as "a diplomat and humanitarian who embodied the mission of the United Nations like few others. His integrity, persistence, optimism, and sense of our common humanity always informed his outreach to the community of nations. Long after he had broken barriers, Kofi never stopped his pursuit of a better world, and made time to motivate and inspire the next generation of leaders." 

U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said Annan "devoted his life to making the world a more peaceful place through his compassion and dedication to service. He worked tirelessly to unite us and never stopped fighting for the dignity of every person." 

British Prime Minister Theresa May called Annan a "great leader and reformer of the UN, he made a huge contribution to making the world he has left a better place than the one he was born into." 

"Kofi Annan never gave up working for the good in the world," said German Chancellor Angela Merkel. "[He] knew how to get people engaged, and became a role model, especially for young people all over the world."

Former Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat walks with former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's after they concluded talks in Gaza, October 10, 2000
Former Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat walks with former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's after they concluded talks in Gaza, October 10, 2000\ Ahmed Jadallah/ REUTERS
Russian President Vladimir Putin also issued a statement, saying: 

"Many years of the life of this remarkable person and great politician were devoted to the service of the United Nations. Heading the UN at a difficult time, he did a great deal to realize the purposes and the goals of the organization, strengthening its central role in world affairs. His personal contribution to building the UN's peacekeeping potential, as well as in the settlement of a number of regional conflicts, was particularly significant. 
I sincerely admired his wisdom and courage, his ability to make balanced decisions even in the most difficult, critical situations." 

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif lauded Annan as a "towering global leader and an unwavering champion for peace, justice and rule of law. Rest in peace my dear old friend." 

Nana Akufo-Addo, the president of Ghana, where Annan was born when it was still known as the Gold Coast, said: "Consummate international diplomat and highly respected former Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. Kofi Annan was the first from sub-Saharan Africa to occupy this exalted position. He brought considerable renown to our country by this position and through his conduct and comportment in the global arena. He was an ardent believer in the capacity of the Ghanaian to chart his or her own course onto the path of progress and prosperity."

Pictured: The day Jeremy Corbyn gave a speech at wedding of a Holocaust 'denying' PLO man... fresh outcry amid ongoing anti-Semitism row
Labour leader spoke at alleged Holocaust 'denier' Husam Zomlot's wedding
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6051125/Pictured-Day-Jeremy-Corbyn-gave-speech-wedding-alleged-Holocaust-denier.html
Mr Zomlot caused outrage in 2014 when he said Israel were fabricating stories
He made inflammatory remarks shortly after IS posted a beheading video
By GLEN OWEN DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR FOR THE MAIL ON SUNDAY
PUBLISHED: 23:01, 11 August 2018 | UPDATED: 23:01, 11 August 2018
Jeremy Corbyn was embroiled in a fresh anti-Semitism row last night after it was revealed that he gave a wedding speech for an alleged Holocaust ‘denier’.

The Labour leader, who has been battling to contain the furore which has been raging in his party for weeks, paid tribute to Husam Zomlot, who was at the centre of a furious row when he appeared to suggest that Israel had ‘fabricated’ the Holocaust.

Mr Zomlot, 44, told the BBC in 2014: ‘They [Israel] are fabricating all these stories about beheading journalists in Iraq… as if they are fabricating also the story of the Holocaust, that it happened in Europe.’

It triggered an outcry among Jewish groups, although Mr Zomlot strongly denied that he meant that details of the Holocaust had been fabricated. He said his words were meant to convey that Israel was using both the Holocaust and the murder of Western journalists by Islamic State to ‘justify its murder of Palestine’. +3
Jeremy Corbyn spoke at alleged Holocaust ‘denier’ Husam Zomlot's wedding, five years before the MP became Labour leader

Mr Zomlot, 44, told the BBC in 2014: ‘They [Israel] are fabricating all these stories about beheading journalists in Iraq… as if they are fabricating also the story of the Holocaust, that it happened in Europe’ +3

He made the inflammatory remarks shortly after IS posted a video of the beheading of an American photographer James Foley.

Mr Zomlot has also said Israel was founded on the ‘skulls of our nation’ and accused the country of an ‘ethnic cleansing campaign’.

A picture obtained by The Mail on Sunday shows Mr Corbyn speaking at Mr Zomlot’s marriage to wife Susan, five years before the MP became Labour leader.

Corbyn's wreath at Munich terrorists' graves: Photos show...

Corbyn in fresh anti-Semitism storm as 2013 video emerges of...
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Mr Zomlot, who now heads the general delegation of the PLO to the United States, met Mr Corbyn when he was the ‘Ambassador-at-Large’ at the Palestinian Diplomatic Mission in the UK a decade ago. When Mr Corbyn addressed the Palestine Solidarity Campaign national conference in 2010, he was applauded for describing Zomlot as his ‘close friend’ and for thanking him for his ‘work in support of the solidarity movement’.

A Labour Party spokesman said: ‘Jeremy has been a longstanding supporter of Palestinian rights. He supports a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict and a negotiated settlement that delivers peace and security for both peoples.

Mr Zomlot, pictured here at an anti-Israel demo in 2015 where a swastika is clearly visible, now heads the general delegation of the PLO to the United States +3
Mr Zomlot, pictured here at an anti-Israel demo in 2015 where a swastika is clearly visible, now heads the general delegation of the PLO to the United States

‘Husam Zomlot is a leading Palestinian political figure and effectively ambassador to the US, having played the same role in Britain.

‘He has made clear he is not a Holocaust denier – and did so in the same BBC broadcast that is the subject of controversy.

‘Jeremy attended his wedding in London in 2010, along with a wide range of British and other international diplomats.’

Yesterday it was revealed that Mr Corbyn had attended a service to honour Palestinian ‘martyrs’ at a cemetery in Tunisia, just feet from the graves of terror leaders linked to the Munich massacre in 1972.

Mr Corbyn has battled to contain the row over alleged instances of anti-Semitism by friends and followers and has been accused of failing to tackle anti-Semitic elements within his party.

https://israelunwired.com/british-prime-minister-just-destroyed-the-labour-party-for-its-anti-semitism/
British Prime Minister just DESTROYED the Labour party for its anti-Semitism
By Leah Rosenberg - July 25, 2018 23544 0
In response to an MP’s questions, British Prime Minister, Theresa May, slammed the Labour party for its anti-Semitism. She also defended Israel!
VIDEO
SussexFriendsIsrael
@SussexFriends
WATCH-ICYMI
Question from Helen Whately during PMQ’s earlier this afternoon on the IHRA and Labours refusal to adopt it greeted by mass chorus of ‘shame’ directed towards the Labour benches!
8:14 PM - Jul 18, 2018
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Anti-semitism is Racism
British MPs were given the floor to ask the Prime Minister questions. They stood up to the test.

MP Helen Whately asked the Prime Minister, “31 member countries of The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance have an agreed definition of anti-Semitism. Does my right honorable friend agree that ALL political parties should adopt this definition and its examples without amendments or omissions?”

PM Theresa May agrees that all political parties should indeed adopt this definition. Furthermore, she calls out the Labour Party for wanting to change the definition of anti-Semitism. She said, “The Labour Party is trying to redefine anti-Semitism to allow people to say that Israel is a racist endeavor.”

The British Prime Minister loudly declared, “Anti-Semitism IS racism. The Labour party should accept that.” This is a very important statement from a world leader. Just because it is obvious does not mean that it is not necessary to say it loud and clear.

Why is it a Question?
It makes you wonder – why is the idea of anti-semitism even a question? The fact that people still discuss changing the definition of anti-Semitism is a very disturbing notion. It is shocking that the Labour Party is so enveloped in such hatred! This seems like a political discussion that should not be relevant anymore. It is very shocking that this is still possible in London in 2018.

Why is the Labour Party supportive of calling Israel a “racist endeavor?” At least the British Prime Minister openly addresses the Labour Party for the anti-Semitic party that it is.

PM Theresa May isn’t afraid to say it like it is. She sees this as an example where enough is enough. The Labour Party simply has to stop its abhorrent anti-Semitism.
Will anyone else in the world call them out?

Anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism, and you’ll never again question why
By Avi Abelow -  June 27, 2018 6670 0
Anti-Zionism is inherently, essentially and necessarily anti-semitic. This video gives the simple explanation to understand why that is.
https://israelunwired.com/anti-zionism-is-anti-semitism-and-youll-never-again-question-why/
WATCH
What is Zionism?
Zionism is the belief that the Jewish people have the right to self-determination in their homeland of Israel. Basically, Zionism is about the legitimacy of the existence of the State of Israel as the state of the Jewish people. It is that simple.

Anti-Zionism is the idea that Israel has no right to exist. That the Jewish people have no right to a land of their own in their acnestral homeland.

Anti-Zionism is not a criticism of Israel, it’s the negation of Israel.

Anti-Zionism is the movement to use political, economic and moral pressure to wipe the one and only Jewish state off the map. Instead, it strives to replace Israel with an Arab majority country called “palestine”.

Anti-Zionism singles out the one and only Jewish nation-state that it shouldn’t exist.

Singling out of Jews
This singling out of Jews is anti-semitic. All nations of the world have the right to self-determination but Jews? That is anti-semitic, pure and simple.

The anti-Israel crowd preaches that Zionism is a movement of Jewish supremacy. Nothing can be further from the truth. Zionism is a movement about equality for the Jewish people after thousands of years of persecution and inequality as a minority in other countries.

Israel haters prefer that we remain a minority under the rule of others rather than have the right to self-determination. That we can only remain a minority under the terms of other majorities, but never be the sovereign in our own country. That is political inequality, only demanded of Jews.

That is anti-semitism.

A New World
For thousands of years Jews have faced persecution and we are finally sovereign in our own homeland able to protect ourselves. The Israel haters want to take that ability away from us. All others have the right to self-defense but the Jews.

That is anti-semitism.

Well, the haters better get used to the fact that we are not going back in time.  The world is a different world and the Jewish State is here to stay.

The world will be more free with equality for all when it is realized that the basis of all the Israel hatred is pure anti-semitism. Because anti-Zionism is exactly that.

Wave of Anti-Israel Resolutions Passes in Spain with Help of Far-Left Parties
Pushed by far left-wing politicians, BDS has made inroads in Spanish municipalities, but pro-Israel activists end the anti-Israel motions in the court of law.

By: Shiri Moshe, The Algemeiner

A “wave” of municipal resolutions hostile to Israel have passed in Spain in recent weeks, following riots in the Gaza Strip and changes in the Spanish political landscape.

The latest declaration, approved by the City Council of Pamplona last Monday, calls on the Spanish government and European Union “to impose an immediate military embargo” on Israel, and blacklists all the country’s officials as “persona non grata” in the city.

The measure passed with the support of Basque nationalist factions and the far-left anti-austerity Podemos party, with the conservative Navarrese People’s Union standing in opposition. The Socialist Party of Navarre — a branch of Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) — abstained.

The PSOE has helmed the Spanish government since earlier this month when it led the ouster of conservative Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy with a no-confidence vote. Its minority government is reliant on the support of Podemos — the third-largest party in parliament — as well as Basque and Catalan secessionists.

Yet before assuming power, the PSOE supported a measure passed in May by the autonomous province of Navarre, which called on the Spanish government to break ties with and sanction Israel over its “criminal repression of the Palestinian population.”

Advanced by activists from Podemos, the declaration expressed support for the “right of return” of Palestinian refugees of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and their five million descendants to Israel. It also endorsed the “Great Return March” led by the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas near Gaza’s border with Israel, which drew international attention on May 14 after more than 60 Palestinians — the majority claimed by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad as members– were killed by Israeli troops.

While some Palestinians were filmed throwing firebombs, burning tires, and flying flaming kites during the riots — and the IDF released footage of Hamas gunmen trying to enter Israeli territory — the Navarre resolution described them as “peaceful.”

Aggressive BDS Advocacy
The clashes are seen as one of the main drivers behind what the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) campaign in Spain called a “wave” of municipal resolutions against Israel, which recently passed in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Terrassa, and Badalona.

The measures were brought forward with the support of Podemos, which started aggressively advocating for BDS when it first gained access to municipal power after the 2015 elections, the head of the Spanish pro-Israel group ACOM told the Algemeiner.

Formed in 2014 by Pablo Iglesias, a former adviser to late Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez, the party has been accused of receiving funds from Iran and Venezuela, though Spain’s Supreme Court has rejected opening a criminal investigation into the allegations. Iglesias — who serves as a host of the show Fort Apache on HispanTV, a Spanish-language news channel owned and operated by Iran — has denied any wrongdoing.

He previously addressed the seeming paradox of espousing progressive politics while working at a TV station operated by an Islamic theocracy, whose female presenters are required to wear headscarves, by noting, “the Iranians are interested in the spread of a leftist discourse in Latin America and Spain because it affects their opponents. … For me, whoever does politics has to assume contradictions, and we are willing to ride them.”

The Podemos chief, who in a TV interview earlier this month called for firmer action against “an illegal country like Israel,” oversees a party whose leaders maintain “anti-Israelism at the very core of their priorities,” said ACOM president Angel Mas.

Guided by Ramallah
The group’s campaign found a notable degree of success on the municipal level in recent years.

“In Spain there are tens of groups and brands, many of them empty shells with the sole purpose of attracting legitimacy and public funding, coordinated by another … shell that receives direct guidelines from Ramallah,” Mas explained.

To date, “about 100 local governments — municipalities and provinces — have adhered to BDS,” he continued. “So far, we prevented many of them from voting the motion, explaining the real motives of the BDS campaign and advising of the legal consequences — for the municipality and personally for the city councilors — of doing so.”

“When we failed, we presented cases to the Spanish courts,” Mas noted. “So far we have won 33 cases … and lost none.”

Among these are two high court rulings in 2016 and 2017 that found BDS amounted to unconstitutional discrimination.
https://www.patriotnewsalerts.com/melania-trump-calls-for-compassion/?utm_medium=ci&utm_source=push&utm_campaign=pna
Nonetheless, Mas — who was sued earlier this year by the Committee for Solidarity with the Arab Cause, which accuses him of inciting hatred and intimidating Spanish municipalities with threats of legal action — warned that the anti-Israel motions can have significant implications.

“When they are passed all municipal documents [bear] the BDS seal, municipal companies and related interests are informed and instructed, posters are distributed for the retailers in the city,” he said. “It aims at creating a true Juddenfrei area where you would walk into a restaurant that says in its door ‘this is a space free of Israeli apartheid.’ Everybody understands this is a euphemism for ‘Jews are not welcome here.’”

High Level of Misinformation and Bias
Mas indicated the motions are not only aimed at Israel, “but also against any Spanish citizen associated or sympathetic to the Jewish state.”

“If I were to deal personally with any of those municipalities they would demand from me a public rejection and denunciation of Israel as a genocidal state,” he said.

While Spain has previously come under scrutiny for its “widespread” funding of groups that support the BDS campaign, Israel remains “an afterthought for the Spanish public opinion,” Mas observed.

“But the level of misinformation and bias from academia, arts and media is very large,” he added. “BDS positions itself as a humanitarian movement and it is important to unmask them for what they really are.”


Hamas Launches At Least 12 Rockets at Israeli Communities Overnight
https://unitedwithisrael.org/hamas-launches-at-least-12-rockets-at-israeli-communities-overnight/
In the wee hours of the morning Wednesday, Hamas launched a barrage of rockets from the Gaza Strip towards Israeli territory. There were no reported injuries or damage.

By: United with Israel Staff

Israelis living in proximity to the Gaza Strip spent another sleepless night in bomb shelters when at least 12 rockets were fired early Wednesday morning at the city of Sderot, the Sha’ar HaNegev, Hof Ashkelon, Sha’ar HaNegev and Eshkol Regional Councils. The attacks occurred between approximately 1:45 a.m. and 4 a.m.

There were no injuries or damage reported.

The IDF’s Iron Dome Aerial Defense System intercepted three explosive projectiles.

“The Hamas terror organization will bear the consequences for facilitating terror and instability,” the IDF stated.

The IDF announced that Israelis were free to resume their regular routines, despite the violent night.

“The Hamas terrorist organization will bear the cost of terrorism and instability,” the IDF spokesperson said in a statement.

https://unitedwithisrael.org/watch-munichs-mayor-takes-on-israel-hater-roger-waters/?utm_source=pushengage&utm_medium=push_notification&utm_campaign=pushengage
WATCH: Munich’s Mayor Takes on Israel Hater Roger Waters
Former Pink Floyd lead singer Roger Waters is locked in a battle with Munich’s mayor over stoking hatred of Israel.

Munich’s Mayor Dieter Reiter is locked in a battle with former Pink Floyd frontman Roger Waters over his intense hatred of the Jewish state.

Reiter has vowed to block Waters’ performances in the city over Waters’ support of BDS and anti-Semitism.

Waters routinely calls for a boycott of Israel during live performances and sends balloons shaped like pigs with Stars of David into the crowd. The mayor, on the other hand, has led the charge against the BDS movement in Germany.

Reiter is working to ensure that anti-Semitism and BDS have no place, anywhere in Germany.
WATCH 1.05 MINS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=wEOahRLHVBI 

UN shocked by Ex-Muslim peaker "If Israel Did Not Exist, You Would Have No One to Blame"
https://www.freespeechtime.net/2018/02/un-shocked-by-ex-muslim-peaker-if.html  

Extraordinary Moment of Truth in the U.N. 
UN Human Rights Council was shocked by Ex-Muslim Son of Hamas Founder: "If Israel Did Not Exist, You Would Have No One to Blame". 
Muslim countries hijacked the UN and use it to attack Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East. 
Iran stones women, Saudi Arabia beheads them but the UN condemns Israel. 
Britain, the US and Australia should stop funding the UN. 
The U.N. General Assembly elected Qatar, Congo and Pakistan to its top human rights body, joining existing members such as Saudi Arabia, China, Cuba and Venezuela.

Speech at UN Human Rights Council, Sept. 25, 2017: 

"Thank you, Mr. President. I take the floor on behalf of UN Watch. 
My name is Mosab Hassan Yousef. I grew up in Ramallah as a member of Hamas. 

I address my words to the Palestinian Authority, which claims to be the “sole legitimate representative” of the Palestinian people. 

I ask: where does your legitimacy come from? 

The Palestinian people did not elect you, and they did not appoint you to represent them. 

You are self-appointed. 

Your accountability is not to your own people. This is evidenced by your total violation of their human rights.
In fact, the Palestinian individual and their human development is the least of your concerns. 

You kidnap Palestinian students from campus and torture them in your jails. 

You torture your political rivals. The suffering of the Palestinian people is the outcome of your selfish political interests. You are the greatest enemy of the Palestinian people. 

If Israel did not exist, you would have no one to blame. Take responsibility for the outcome of your own actions. 

You fan the flames of conflict to maintain your abusive power. 

Finally, you use this platform to mislead the international community, and to mislead Palestinian society, to believe that Israel is responsible for the problems you create. 

Thank you." 
UN Watch

https://israelunwired.com/the-muslim-who-is-tired-of-the-double-standard-against-israel/
WATCH This Muslim’s opinion of the double standard against Israel is not normal
By Avi Abelow -  June 20, 2018 6349 0
This secular Muslim is fed up with the double standard against Israel. This short video of his highlights the crime of the world community in ignoring real atrocities and wrongfully focusing on Israel.

Double Standard
“This secular liberal social democratic Muslim says it’s time all of us stopped this disproportionate singling out of Israel in its legitimacy. Israel has a right to exist. Like any other nation in the world. If you are going to question Israel’s right to exist then let’s question Australia’s right to exist. Let’s question America’s right to exist. Both were colonial projects. Pakistan’s right to exist. That was also a colonial project. Indeed there even was no such thing as the country of India before English colonialism.

Empires
“The Brits, we, have left our mark on the world. The entire world at one time, the sun didn’t set on the British Empire. The entire world has been shaped by the British Empire. Before that by other empires. Whether it be the Romans or others. The Arabs had an empire. The Ottoman Turks had an empire.

Of course, history is full of empires doing unjust and uncaring things. But the world as we have now is carved up into nation-states. And Israel is one of those nation-states. And it’s enough with this double standard of accepting America’s right and legitimacy and Australia and Pakistan and India and every other nation in the world, yet constantly singling out Israel as somehow being a delegitimate state.”

“I’m tired of it. I’m tired of the double standard.”
“Frankly it’s frustrating because it constantly serves as a distraction to the conversation from very real genocidal problems, such as the problem in Syria and Iraq with ISIS, and the unraveling of the Middle East. Which Israel pales into comparison, when you look into that particular problem there. Why do I say I’m frustrated? Believe it or not, last year in 2016, there were more UN resolutions condemning Israel than a potential genocide unfolding in South Sudan, Iran, Syria, Iraq, ISIS, North Korea and Russia. There were more UN resolutions condemning Israel in 2016 than all of those countries combined.”

Correction
The only thing that people might misunderstand from this video is thinking that Israel is a colonial state, like America, Australia, India etc. Israel is not a colonial state. Israel is the ancestral homeland of the Jewish people for more than 3,000 years. Jews have prayed for centuries to return to the land of Israel. Jerusalem was first established as our capital by King David, in the days of the Bible.

So don’t ever let anyone tell you that Israel is a colonial state.

Shashi Naidoo received multiple death threats amid fierce online backlash to her anti-Hamas, pro-Israel comments. Fearing for her life, she apologized. 
https://unitedwithisrael.org/south-african-model-receives-death-threats-after-denouncing-hamas-defending-israel/?utm_source=pushengage&utm_medium=push_notification&utm_campaign=pushengage
By: The Algemeiner

A South African media personality said she received 10 death threats amid fierce online backlash to her comments calling the Gaza Strip “a sh*thole of immense proportions.”

Shashi Naidoo first drew controversy on Saturday after getting into a debate with an Instagram follower who criticized a photo she uploaded with Black Coffee, a South African DJ who drew the ire of the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaign by performing in Israel in April.

According to screenshots of her now-deleted comments, the model rejected accusations that Israel was an “apartheid state” and argued that the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas was responsible for poor living conditions in Gaza.

“Hamas, the elected government of Gaza, which even Taz agrees is a terrorist organisation, refuses to acknowledge Israel’s right to exist and is hell bent on its destruction,” she noted during the exchange. “[T]his has been clearly articulated inter alia in its manifesto, on air by its leaders and by virtue of the fact that they indoctrinate their children to hate Jews, have monetary incentive programmes to kill Jews and celebrate [the] death of innocent Israeli men, women and children.”

“Taz makes reference to Gaza being a ‘toxic waste dump’,” Naidoo continued. “No question Gaza is a sh*thole of immense proportions. Why? Because instead of using the millions of USD it gets in foreign aid to provide food housing, schools, hospitals and other infrastructure to help its citizens, it uses it to build terror tunnels and rockets to pursue its ambition of annihilating Israel.”

Tearful Video Apology
The model’s comments set off a firestorm of criticism on social media, prompting her to issue a public apology on Instagram Stories, the Sunday Times reported.

“I work very closely with a lot of Muslim people and I admire many aspects and traits of the Muslim community in general, they are extremely moral, have great values and have unbelievable discipline towards their religion, which is a beautiful thing,” Naidoo wrote in part. “I am extremely sorry about the statements I have made, unfortunately my comments came from very little knowledge of the political standing as I am not a political figure or even follow politics.”

She also shared a tearful video apology later in the day, saying she had received multiple death threats.

“The apology I made today was very sincere, I assure you of that, but I’ve already received 10 death threats today and a lot of backlash and I am sincerely sorry,” Naidoo said.

Several sponsors nonetheless decided to cut ties with the model, with Bellagio Jewellers pledging on Monday not to use her as a brand ambassador in the future.

The hairstyling company Glampalm similarly said on Saturday that it does not share or appreciate Naidoo’s “political stance.”

She was also rebuked by Adila Dhorat, who designs conservative clothing for women.

“In light of recent statements made by Sashi Naidoo on Instagram, with regards to the Palestinian situation, I have decided to withdraw her as an ambassador for my brand and disassociate my brand from her completely,” the designer wrote on Saturday. “Israel is an Apartheid state that is perpertrating [sic] a genocide of untold proportions on the helpless people of Gaza and the West Bank.”

‘Biggest Hit Will Be on her Businesses’
In wake of the controversy, South African entertainment commentator Phil Mphela told HuffPost South Africa that the “biggest hit will be on her businesses.”

He observed that Naidoo’s comments — which appeared to have been thought out — would likely not sink her career.

“We are all in this business just one tweet away from being vilified or burnt at a stake,” Mphela said. “I don’t think she will hold the same esteem with the Muslim community any more, but she will bounce back.”

Naidoo is not the first public figure to draw outrage in South Africa for her views on Israel. In May, radio host Gareth Cliff came under fire from social media commentators for denouncing Hamas-led riots by the Israel-Gaza barrier on May 14. More than 60 Palestinians were killed by Israeli troops that day, the majority of whom were claimed by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

The South African government — ruled by the African National Congress (ANC) — recalled its ambassador to Israel over the incident.

In a December conference attended by Hamas officials, the party voted to downgrade South Africa’s embassy in Israel to a “liaison office” in an “expression of support to the oppressed people of Palestine.”

WATCH: The Proof that Anti-Zionism is Anti-Semitism
 Recommended by
So you think anti-Zionism is different than anti-Semitism? Think again.

Anti-Zionism is not merely criticism of Israeli policies, but the ideology that the Jewish state should not exist. Anti-Zionists use political and economic pressure to work toward their goal of wiping the State of Israel off the map.

Anti-Zionism is nothing less than the modern-day version of old-fashioned anti-Semitism.

Don’t believe us? Watch this video and think again:

Antisemitism = Antizionism
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWqmEY6uK1Y&ab_channel=StandWithUs

Why Do Anti-Semitic US Islamists Get a Free Pass?
https://clarionproject.org/why-do-anti-semitic-us-islamists-get-a-free-pass/
Home > Political Islam > In the US > Public Issues > Why Do Anti-Semitic US Islamists Get a Free Pass?
BY MEIRA SVIRSKY Thursday, May 17, 2018 
 Sarsour walks onto the stage to deliver the commencement address
Linda Sarsour walks onto the stage to deliver the commencement address at CUNY. (Photo: TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)
All too often of late we’ve seen American Islamists voicing their support for anti-Semites, if not calling for the outright killing of Jews or accusing Israel of creating ISIS.

A number of Islamist spiritual leaders especially were outed by MEMRI (the Middle East Media Research Institute), as in the case of New Jersey Imam Aymen Elkasaby, who, from his pulpit, called Jews “apes and pigs” and prayed to Allah to kill them “down to the very last one.”

So many were outed as such that another New Jersey imam, Mohamed Moussa, announced he was starting workshops to train U.S. imams on how to avoid incitement and hate speech. As MEMRI again documented, “Imam Moussa warned that there are ‘institutions of Islamophobia’ with ‘budgets in the millions, whose only job is [to monitor] us.’”

(That’s certainly pesky when you want to spew anti-Semitism.)

And, of course, no one could forget how sharia-apologist and self-styled champion of women’s rights Linda Sarsour teamed up for the Women’s March on Washington with Palestinian terrorist Rasmea Yousef Odeh, who was convicted of involvement in two fatal bombings in Israel.

Now we hear of more prominent American Islamists supporting yet another virulent anti-Semite, the newly-elected prime minister of Malaysia, 92-year-old Mahathir Muhamad, as reported by the Investigative Project on Terrorism.

Muhamad’s history of anti-Semitic remarks is well documented.

In 2003, at the Organization of the Islamic Conference summit in 2003 in Kuala Lumpur, Muhamad said, “1.3 billion Muslims cannot be defeated by a few million Jews. There must be a way. And we can only find a way if we stop to think, to assess our weaknesses and our strength, to plan, to strategize and then to counterattack. We are actually very strong. 1.3 billion people cannot be simply wiped out. The Europeans killed six million Jews out of 12 million. ”

More recently in 2012, he wrote, “Jews rule this world by proxy.”

He also said, “I am glad to be labeled anti-Semitic.”

Yet we see Hussam Ayloush, executive director of CAIR (the Council on America Islamic Relations) in Los Angeles for the last 20 years, tweeting about Muhamad’s “historic victory” in Malaysia (with no mention of his bigotry).

Similarly, Mongi Dhaouadi, the former director of CAIR-Connecticut and supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood, posted about Muhamad — a video by the Qatari-based Islamist network Al-Jazeera (again with no mention of Muhamad’s anti-Semitism).

Unfortunately anti-Semites seem to be getting a free pass these days in the U.S. (witness the Anti-Defamation League being booted from the group of Starbuck’s “diversity” training advisers due to the objections of two other advisers – hate-filled anti-Semite Louis Farrakhan and his supporter Tamika Mallory, one of Linda Sarsour’s co-leaders of the Women’s March.)

If, in all these incidences of anti-Semitism, anti-Muslim rhetoric was substituted, my guess is that they would all be red-flagged immediately.

Israel First TV Programme 65 - Anti - Israel NGO Organisations/BDS
Israel First TV Programme
Published on 6 May 2018

Israel First TV Programme 65 - Martin Blackham talks with Shaun Sacks from NGO Monitor about  Non Government Organisations (NGO's) and other Human Rights Organisations on their anti-Israel stance. Shaun made Aliyah (Jewish Immigration) from South Africa in 1998. Prior to joining NGO Monitor Shaun was market manager for McAfee, one of the worlds premier computer security companies, and project major for Netsource, an Israeli firm that provides specialized technology services. In his role at NGO Monitor Shaun has provided testimony before parliamentary committees in Holland, Finland and Denmark. For more information or to get involved in the work of NGO Monitor visit: https://www.ngo-monitor.org  For more information about the Israel First TV Programme visit: www.israelfirst.org To contact the programme email: info@israelfirst.org

Israel First TV Programme 65 - Anti - Israel NGO Organisations/BDS
WATCH  28 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Rkn4VhM-es&sns=fb&ab_channel=IsraelFirstTVProgramme

Home   »  Current Issues   »  Society
Anti-Semitic Politicians in America TodayAnti-Semitic Politicians in America Today
The rise of anti-Semitism in America can also been seen in the political sphere.
by Dr. Yvette Alt Miller 
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Patrick Little says he’s dedicating his life to exposing Jews who supposedly “control” the United States. He “woke up to the Jewish question” and has described himself as “counter-Semitic” who wants the United States to be “free from Jews.” Little is running for California’s U.S. Senate seat and defeat four-term Senator Diane Feinstein, whom Little describes as a “Zionist (expletive)”.

Patrick Little

In the past, such extreme anti-Semitic views might have rendered Little politically toxic, but today Little is a viable candidate. He’s leading the pack of ten Republican challengers who hope to unseat Sen. Feinstein. The California Republican party has disowned Little, and forcibly removed him from its state convention this past Saturday. Delegates describe how Little spat on the Israeli flag. Despite this type of offensive behavior, Little continues to enjoy public support and remains Sen. Feinstein's leading challenger in the polls. If he wins the June 5 primary, he could face Sen. Feinstein in the general election in November.

While it’s highly unlikely Little would win the general election, the fact that’s running at all - and that he’s being taken seriously as a candidate by millions of California voters - has many American Jews on edge. In recent months, several politicians and candidates across the political spectrum have voice overtly anti-Semitic views that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago.

Representing the American Nazi Party
One might think that having led the American Nazi Party would disqualify a candidate for serious consideration in Chicago today, but the Republican primary election of March 20, 2018, proved otherwise. Arthur Jones, a former leader of the American Nazi Party who currently heads an anti-Semitic white-supremacist movement, has long been a nuisance candidate in Illinois’ 3rd Congressional District, representing portions of Chicago and its southwestern suburbs. On March 2018, Jones ran unopposed as the only Republican candidate on the primary ballot, and won. He’ll now head off against incumbent Rep. Dan Lipinski on November 6.
MORE http://www.aish.com/ci/s/Anti-Semitic-Politicians-in-America-Today.html?s=mm

Abbas’s ‘Apology’ for Anti-Semitic Rant Widely Rejected
https://unitedwithisrael.org/abbass-apology-for-anti-semitic-rant-widely-rejected/?utm_source=pushengage&utm_medium=push_notification&utm_campaign=pushengage
May 6, 2018
Abbas
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Many are rejecting Abbas’s “apology” for his recent anti-Semitic tirade at the Palestinian National Council as insincere, saying he shows no signs of recognizing the Jewish state.
By: The Tower
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s apology for his widely criticized anti-Semitic remarks was rejected as insufficient by a number of commenters on Twitter, most notably former Knesset member Einat Wilf.

Wilf, who is a leading thinker about Zionism, observed on Friday, “Key point to understand in #Abbas apology: For Palestinians, there is no such thing as a Jewish PEOPLE. There are only those of Jewish FAITH. Those can be awarded respect, as long as they do not insist on their right, AS A PEOPLE, to a sovereign state in their ancestral homeland.”

Abbas’s apology, which was published in both English and Arabic, read, “If people were offended by my statement in front of the PNC, especially people of the Jewish faith, I apologize to them. I would like to assure everyone that it was not my intention to do so, and to reiterate my full respect for the Jewish faith, as well as other monotheistic faiths.”

The Palestinian leader added, “I would also like to reiterate our long-held condemnation of the Holocaust, as the most heinous crime in history, and express our sympathy with its victims…Likewise, we condemn antisemitism in all its forms, and confirm our commitment to the two-state solution, and to live side by side in peace and security.”

On Sunday at a meeting of the Palestinian National Council, Abbas had attributed persecution of Jews, including the Holocaust, to their “social behavior,” such as money-lending. He was roundly condemned for the comments and on Thursday an editorial in The New York Times condemned the remarks as “vile” and called on Abbas to step down.

A ‘Non-Apology Apology’
However, Robert Satloff, the executive director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, dismissed the apology, “Ahhh, the old “if you were offended, I am sorry” non-apology apology. Sorry, when true colors show, it’s not so easy to hide them again, Mr. #Abbas. #Holocaust #Palestine #Israel”

Abraham Foxman, former director of the Anti Defamation League, tweeted, “President Abbas: apology is too little too late. You have no credibility left as a leader or partner for peace. Time to move on !”

In the same vein as Wilf, Victor Shikhman wrote, “Abbas ‘apology’ continues to insult Jews by promoting yet another Arab anti-Zionist trope – that Jews are a “faith,” not a people. Further, Holocaust condemnation too easy. Abbas must acknowledge history of Arab oppression & violence against Jews in MENA.” Shikhman was apparently referring to Abbas’s speech in which he denied that Arabs ever oppressed Jews over the past 1,400 years.

Israel’s Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman also dismissed the apology and called Abbas “a wretched Holocaust denier who wrote a doctorate on Holocaust denial and later published a book about Holocaust denial.” Liberman punctuated his remarks with “apology not accepted.”

The United States has asked the United Nations Security Council to condemn Abbas’s remarks. The proposed statement would express the council’s “serious concern”  about the remarks, which were described as including “vile anti-Semitic slurs and baseless conspiracy theories, and do not serve the interests of the Palestinian people or peace in the Middle East.”

New Campaign Targets New York Times’ Anti-Israel Bias
https://unitedwithisrael.org/new-campaign-targets-new-york-times-anti-israel-bias/?Looking out their office windows, NY Times editors and writers see a massive billboard that reads: “The New York Times At it AGAIN: Defaming Israel with distorted ‘news.’”

By: JNS and United with Israel Staff

The Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA) unveiled a giant billboard this week outside the offices of The New York Times, criticizing the major daily newspaper for its biased coverage against Israel.

Looking out their office windows, editors and writers now see a massive billboard that reads: “The New York Times at it AGAIN: Defaming Israel with distorted ‘news.’ Stop the bias.”

“The billboard represents the collective voice of hundreds of thousands of people frustrated at the Times’ shoddy reporting and bias against Israel,” says Andrea Levin, executive director of CAMERA. “We’re inundated with complaints about The New York Times—and for good reason.”

Since the beginning of 2018, the Times has published so many egregiously factual errors that CAMERA created what it calls a “New York Times Line,” a timeline that tracks the newspaper’s errors on Israel. It provides a visual counterpoint to the Times‘ own recent ad campaign that lauds the paper as the arbiter of truth.

“Numerous examples of error-ridden articles at the Times have been documented by CAMERA analysts,” says Levin.  She added that “there are years when the coverage seems more attentive to objectivity and balance, and other times when opinion pours into the ‘news’ and editors allow this—and refuse to correct clear-cut factual errors. We seem to be back in one of those periods.”

“All we ask is that the Times live up to its own standards of accuracy and accountability,” stated Gilead Ini, a senior research analyst at CAMERA. “The New York Times can and should provide excellent journalism, but unfortunately, its coverage of Israel right now is often marred by errors, bias and significant omissions. In the recent Gaza violence driven by Hamas—to mention just one instance—the Times termed the barrages of fire bombs, rocks and attempts to tear down the border fence an ‘experiment with nonviolent protest.’”

CAMERA has documented coverage over many years, including a detailed analysis in its monograph, Indicting Israel: New York Times Coverage of the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict.

In 2013-14, the organization also rolled out a billboard campaign across New York City focused on bringing attention to biased coverage of Israel by the Times.

The current billboard, located in a high-trafficked setting, will be seen by an estimated 100,000 passersby a day.

“Once again, readers won’t be silent when Israel is maligned by the publication,” Levin added.

History of Anti-Israel Bias
The prominent newspaper has been roundly and repeatedly criticized for its anti-Israel bias, and even one of its editors admits – it’s a real bias.

Asked in a recent interview about what the most common complaint is about the paper’s opinion coverage, Andrew Rosenthal, editor of the Times‘ opinion pages, said it’s “that we’re anti-Israel.”

A 2014 study published by CAMERA shows the Times is nearly seven times more likely to publish pieces critical of Israel than of the Palestinians. The analysis also revealed that the newspaper is twice as likely to publish opinion pieces predominately supporting the Palestinian cause — in relation to which side deserves more sympathy or criticism — than articles supporting the Israeli narrative.

One Times opinion editor, Matt Seaton, admitted last year that the newspaper has a policy of veering away from criticism of Palestinians.

http://www.aish.com/jw/s/The-Dangers-of-Being-a-Jew-in-France-Today.html?s=mm
Aish.com interviews a number of Jews living in France. Their future is precarious.
by Dr. Yvette Alt Miller 
“It’s suddenly become more dangerous.”

That view, shared with Aish.com in a series of recent interviews with French Jews, sums up the feeling of many French Jews today. Life in France has been difficult for its 500,000-strong Jewish minority for many years, but recently things have become worse.

A string of gruesome anti-Semitic attacks and murders has French Jews on edge. Many point to the 2012 murder of three children and a teacher in front of a Jewish school in Toulouse by an Islamist fanatic as a turning point, shocking the community and making many Jews feel they’re in extreme danger.

The four Jews murdered in Toulouse.

Some French Jews cite a series of marches and attacks on Jewish synagogues and property in 2014, with mobs openly shouting “death to the Jews” in the streets of Paris as a turning point. For others, it was the 2015 attack on a Paris kosher grocery store that killed four Jewish shoppers. That same year saw two large-scale terror attacks in Paris, targeting Hebdo magazine and then concert-goers and cafe patrons in central Paris. In the months following thousands of French Jews fled, moving to Israel as well as other countries such as Britain. In the past 15 years, approximately 150,000 Jews left France, most settling in Israel.

Now, two recent murders have some French Jews debating their future yet again. On April 4, 2017, Sarah Halimi, a 65-year-old Jewish grandmother and teacher, was murdered by an Islamist neighbor who broke into her apartment, beat her and threw her from her balcony. Witnesses reported hearing him shout, “I’ve killed my Jew!” after her murder.

More than 300 French dignitaries and stars denounce a “new anti-Semitism” marked by “Islamist radicalization”.
On March 23, 2018, Mireille Knoll, an 85-year-old Holocaust survivor was murdered – beaten and her body set alight – in an anti-Semitic attack.

On Sunday Le Figaro released a manifesto signed by more than 300 French dignitaries and stars denouncing a “new anti-Semitism” marked by “Islamist radicalization”.

A silent march in Paris honoring Mireille Knoll, an 85-year-old Holocaust survivor who was murdered in her apartment.

“We demand that the fight against this democratic failure that is anti-Semitism becomes a national cause before it’s too late. Before France is no longer France,” the manifesto reads co-signed by a wide swath of politicians and celebrities. “In our recent history, 11 Jews have been assassinated – and some tortured – by radical Islamists because they were Jewish,” the declaration said. They also accused the media of remaining silent on the matter.

“It’s suddenly more dangerous. There have been three killings in less than one year where elderly people have been killed just because they were Jewish,” explains Robert Popoular, a distinguished physicist living in the leafy Paris suburb of Bourg-la-Reine. “These crimes aren’t motivated by greed or a desire to rob. It’s hatred against the Jews.”

Dr. Popoular, 64, would seem to be miles away – literally and figuratively – from the crime that’s ravaging some immigrant-heavy neighborhoods. His upscale suburb contains a small Jewish community, and Dr. Popoular works in a rarefied atmosphere of highly-educated scientists. Yet in recent years he’s noticed that the traumatic events targeting Jews go unremarked by his non-Jewish neighbors and colleagues. “I haven’t heard them discussing it. French people vaguely know they’re hate crimes but they don’t care,” he explains.

“You can no longer wear a kippah on the streets.”
“You can no longer wear a kippah on the streets,” says Ilan Schreiber, a Paris resident who works in the medical supply business. An Orthodox Jew, Ilan 35, is used to wearing a kippah but these days he feels the need to cover it with a hat when he’s outside or at work. “In France, it’s best not to show being Jewish outside,” he explains. The risk of attack from Muslim immigrants is just too great.

When Dr. Popoular recently visited the United States and bought t-shirts from Northwestern University Hillel, he gave them to his wife and daughter with the caveat that they never wear them outside. “If you show external signs that you’re Jewish, today it’s a provocation,” he says. “You are putting yourself at risk.”

One Jewish official voiced this fear in 2016 after a kippah-wearing teacher was attacked by an Islamist teenager wielding a machete outside of a Jewish school in the southern French city of Marseille. Zvi Ammar, head of the organized Jewish community in the city, advised Jews to hide their kippot “until better days” arrive in France. Two years later, many French Jews are still waiting – and are beginning to despair that a day when they can once again openly show their Jewishness in France will ever come.

Recently, some French Jews note a positive change in the atmosphere. Back in 2012, when the Jewish school in Toulouse was attacked, there was a feeling that this was a “Jewish problem” only, explains Ilan Schreiber. Since the large-scale attacks in Paris two years ago, he feels there is now more of an understanding of the dangers of Islamist terrorism. “French people can understand what the Jewish people are feeling.”

Judith Garmon, a 40 year old living in the Paris suburb Bonneuil-sur-Marne, concurs. The mood of Jews in France has fluctuated wildly in the past few years, she notes. Since the May 2017 election of Emmanuel Macron, many French Jews have been optimistic about the future, noting that the French Government seems to be taking anti-terrorism measures seriously. Jewish schools and synagogues are currently guarded by soldiers and vigilance for terrorist plots remains high.

These extraordinary security measures are reassuring “but at the same time it gives you the feeling of not being secure,” explains Ms. Garmon. Her four young children attend Jewish schools and she notes that seeing military personnel there sends the not-so-subtle message that Jewish children are in extreme danger.

Ironically, this wary mood in France guarding against radical Islam and terrorism has the unintended consequence of making life harder for many French Jews. Laicite, or secularism, is a core legal concept in France, ensuring the separation of church and state. As France enforces secularism ever more strongly in an attempt to stamp out Islamic fanaticism, Jewish practice has been caught up in the push to stamp out extremism.

In 2004, France banned “conspicuous” religious symbols in schools and government buildings. Designed to deter Muslim women from wearing headscarves, the law also banned Jews from wearing kippot in official buildings. A lesser-known emphasis on laicite in France has caused even more headaches for French Jews in recent years: scheduling college exams on Saturdays.

“Before, the rabbis were speaking to the universities, saying please can you make some exception,” explains Ilan Schreiber. The answer was often yes. Today that leniency is past. “If you don’t take the exam on Shabbat now, you get a zero.”

Observant Jewish students are increasingly opting to look at studying elsewhere, often in Israel.

By some estimates, 150,000 French Jews have left in the past 15 years.
French students who move to Israel help make up an extraordinary number of Jews who are choosing to leave France for the Jewish state. Between 2014 and 2017, about 20,000 French Jews have made aliyah, or moved to Israel, most from the Paris region. By some estimates, 150,000 French Jews have left in the past 15 years.

For those who remain, an internal migration is taking place in France. Jews living in immigrant-heavy suburbs that are plagued with high crime and high levels of anti-Semitism are relocating to more secure parts of France. To get a sense of just how bad things can be in areas with large Muslim communities, some French Jews point to a 2017 book published in France by Bernard Ravet, a former principal at a prestigious high school in the southern French city of Marseille. Even though his was a state run school open to all, Mr. Ravet revealed that he routinely advised Jewish families not to send their children to his school because he could not guarantee their physical security among anti-Semitic Muslim students.

About 30% of Jewish families in France send their children to Jewish schools

“Most of the people from our shul are living in Jerusalem now,” notes Jose Fein. His four children have also moved to the Jewish state. “Even twenty years ago my kids didn’t want to stay in France,” he remembers. “It wasn’t even a question.”

Like many middle aged French Jews, Mr. Fine and his wife find themselves without family in France. “I should have made aliyah 30 years ago,” he says with emotion. “My parents are in Israel, my sisters are living in Israel. My shul...most of the people are living in Israel.”

For those Jews who remain in France, the future seems precarious.
“Now all French Jews have family in Israel,” concurs Ilan Schreiber, whose sister and brother live in the Jewish state. Dr. Popoular, who describes his family as well integrated into French society, notes that his son is a successful physicist and his daughter is a lawyer, yet he doesn’t see a future for them in France. “I hope they won’t stay.” He wants them “just to be safe” and increasingly he feels that this means leaving France.

Young Jews making Aliyah. Photo credit: Shmulik Almany

As more and more Jews move from France to Israel, the growing French community in the Jewish state exerts a pull of its own. Israel’s booming economy, good Jewish schools and strong community also present a lure to some French Jews.

For those Jews who remain in France, the future seems precarious.

“I love France, I want it to be okay here,” notes Ilan Schreiber, saying he feels French in his mindset and way of life. But if he felt his young children weren’t safe or couldn’t have a full Jewish life in France any more, he’d leave for Israel. Asked if he feels there is a future for Jews in France, Ilan notes he’s not completely sure: “It may be too late.”

UK man convicted of hate crime for Nazi-salute dog video
 April 24, 2018
UK man convicted of hate crime for Nazi-salute dog videoMark Meechan leaves court. Andrew Milligan/PA via AP)

Convicted of publishing “grossly offensive” material, a Scottish man who filmed a dog appearing to give Nazi salutes was fined.
By: AP
A Scottish man who filmed a dog appearing to give Nazi salutes was fined 800 pounds ($1,200) on Monday after being convicted of a hate crime, in a case that has sparked a debate about the limits of free speech.

Mark Meechan filmed his girlfriend’s pug responding to phrases such as “sieg heil” by raising its paw and posted the footage on YouTube in 2016.

Meechan — a comedian and video blogger who uses the name Count Dankula — said the stunt was meant as a joke, but he was convicted last month of posting “grossly offensive” material.

A judge at Scotland’s Airdrie Sheriff Court imposed the 800-pound fine Monday. Sheriff Derek O’Carroll said the video “contained menacing, anti-Semitic and racist material.” The dog was filmed responding to “Gas the Jews,” a phrase repeated 23 times in the video, O’Carroll said.

The judge said that while the right to freedom of expression is very important, “in all modern democratic countries the law necessarily places some limits on that right.”

Outside court, Meechan, 30, said his conviction set a “really dangerous precedent” for free speech and he would appeal. His conviction drew expressions of concern from comedians such as Ricky Gervais. Several far-right commentators also championed Meechan’s right to post the video.

Meechan, whose Youtube channel bears the description “offensive social commentary in an accent you won’t understand,” said Scottish authorities have ignored the context of the dog video.

“It’s the juxtaposition of having an adorable animal react to something vulgar that was the entire point of the joke,” he said.

MORE https://worldisraelnews.com/uk-man-convicted-hate-crime-nazi-salute-dog-video/?

Germany gets first anti-Semitism czar as it grapples with how to keep Jews safe
https://www.timesofisrael.com/germany-gets-first-anti-semitism-czar-as-it-grapples-with-how-to-keep-jews-safe/?utm_source=germany-gets-first-anti-semitism-czar-as-it-grapples-with-how-to-keep-jews-safe&utm_medium=desktop-browser&utm_campaign=desktop-notifications
Felix Klein acknowledges that it is not always safe for Jewish men to wear a kippah in the streets amid a rise in anti-Semitic attacks, mostly from Muslim immigrants
By RAPHAEL AHREN
Today, 11:34 pm
Felix Klein at the 'Berlin wears a kippah' protest, April 25, 2018 (courtesy BMI)
While Germany is generally safe for Jews, Jewish men should be careful before donning a skullcap in public, the country’s incoming anti-Semitism czar said this week, echoing controversial remarks from a German Jewish leader amid a rise in anti-Semitic attacks, mostly from Muslim immigrants.

In an far-ranging interview with The Times of Israel, Dr. Felix Klein also said the recent increase in anti-Semitic violence on German streets is due to a “brutalization of our political culture,” arguing that the beating of an Israeli last week in Berlin proved that German Jews’ concerns about the major influx of Muslim and Arab refugees were legitimate.

Calls for boycott of Israel and denouncing the country as an “apartheid state” can be considered anti-Semitic, Klein said further. On the other hand, the far-right nationalist Alternative for Germany party — shunned by Jerusalem and Germany’s organized Jewish community — has problematic views of the Nazi era but cannot be considered anti-Semitic as a whole, he posited.

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Asked if a Jew can wear a kippah in public without fear, Klein, who was recently appointed the German government’s first special envoy for Jewish life and combating anti-Semitism, replied: “In principle, yes. But not always.”

Jews can generally feel safe on Germany’s streets, even when they are recognizably Jewish, he went on.

“But they have to be vigilant. It’s not entirely without danger; one has to be alert. In the end, everyone has to assess the risks for himself. The danger is there. But I wouldn’t necessarily agree with those who say it’s absolutely impossible to show one’s Jewishness in public in Germany.”

Klein’s comments came just a few days after an Israeli man wearing a kippah was beaten with a belt in Berlin by a man yelling “Yahudi,” Arabic for Jew. Adam Armoush, a 21-year-old Arab-Israeli, later said he donned the traditional Jewish head covering as an experiment, trying to disprove his friend who believed it was dangerous to wear a kippah in public.

In response to this incident and other anti-Semitic attacks over the last few months, the leader of Germany’s local community, Joseph Schuster, on Tuesday advised Jews not to wear a kippah in large cities.

His warning sparked some backlash from religious figures, who argued that concealing one’s Jewishness would play into anti-Semites’ hands.

On Wednesday evening, the Jewish community in Germany’s capital organized a “Berlin wears a kippah” protest in front of the Fasanenstrasse Jewish community center.


Felix Klein address the ‘Berlin wears a kippah’ protest, April 25, 2018 (courtesy BMI)
Klein, who addressed Wednesday’s rally, will formally take up his new post on May 2. For the last four years, he served as the German Foreign Ministry’s liaison to the country’s Jewish community, which included representing Berlin to US-Jewish groups or the International Holocaust Remembrance Authority.

His new job has a more domestic focus, such as coordinating the government’s various efforts to combat anti-Semitism and promoting awareness of issues of Jewish concern within Germany.

“I always had a lot of sympathy for the Jewish world. Already in school I had Jewish friends, some of who I remained in contact with,” Klein said. He visited Israel for the first time in 1986, as a 16-year-old, when his orchestra group sent a delegation from his home town of Darmstadt to Haifa.

“The multicultural atmosphere in Haifa fascinated me from the very beginning. I thought, that’s a land that’s worth being involved with,” he recalled. “Since then I’ve been fascinated by the country and have had a lot of sympathy for the Jewish world and Israel especially of course.”

Klein’s appointment to his new position, located in the Interior Ministry, followed the recommendation of Germany’s Jewish community, and was widely welcomed.

“His appointment was an excellent choice,” Israel’s ambassador to Israel, Jeremy Issacharoff, told The Times of Israel on Wednesday. “It’s an important position with an important mandate. He’ll have our fullest cooperation.”

Katharina von Schnurbein, the European Union’s coordinator on combating anti-Semitism, has been working with Klein in his previous job and said she was looking forward to continuing the cooperation in his new position. “He understands the complexity of fighting anti-Semitism, is bold and has the trust of the Jewish community — an excellent choice,” she told The Times of Israel.

Yes, the situation got worse
A career diplomat — he has served in Italy and Cameroon and had several positions at Foreign Ministry headquarters in Berlin — Klein addresses questions about anti-Semitism with a great degree of diplomatic prudence, though he does not seem to want to sugarcoat the issue.

“Anti-Semitism has many facets. Unfortunately, it can be found also in the center of society,” he said, citing a recent study that says that one in five Germans harbors anti-Semitic attitudes.

“Therefore, you cannot say that it exists only on the fringes. There is a connection between this finding and the number of anti-Semitic hate crimes that are coming from the fringes. They are committed by people on the extreme right, of course, but also increasingly by Muslims.”


People take part in the “Berlin wears kippa” event, with more than 2,000 Jews and non-Jews wearing the traditional skullcap to show solidarity with Jews on April 25, 2018 in Berlin after Germany has been rocked by a series of anti-Semitic incidents. (AFP PHOTO / Tobias SCHWARZ)
Klein also does not try to deny that things are currently not looking positive.

“There is a tendency — anti-Semitic sentiment is more openly expressed,” he said. “Anti-Semitism among Muslims and the extreme right and left existed before. But it is being expressed more unashamedly. Yes, the situation got worse. It has many causes, but is mainly due to the brutalization of our political culture and the way people treat each other in our society.”

Klein is not denying that the situation was exacerbated by the influx in 2015 of about a million mostly Muslim refugees and migrants from the Middle East. German Jews have long warned that many of the new arrivals hail from countries where hatred of Jews and of the State of Israel were taught from an early age.

Muslim high school students react to the depiction of the horrors of the Holocaust in exactly the same way that Christians or non-believers do

“These concerns are legitimate,” Klein said. “The events of the last week showed that there are concrete reasons for it,” he added, referring to the anti-Semitic attack on the Arab-Israeli man in Berlin. “That must spur us into examining this problem and not simply ignoring it. However, I’d like to point out that Jewish institutions needed police protection even before 2015.”

The German government’s decision to allow 1 million refugees was borne out of a humanitarian emergency, Klein explained.

“At the time, Joseph Schuster, the head of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, pointed out the views on Israel and Jews that these people have and the problems that come with that. He was right, unfortunately. But given the circumstances at the time, the government’s decision is understandable. Now this will have to be an incentive for us to tackle the integration of these people.”


File: Refugees who arrived by train from Salzburg, Austria, wait on a platform at the central station in Munich, Germany, on September 6, 2015. (Photo by Sven Hoppe/dpa via AP)
Anti-Semitism does not necessarily have something to do with a person’s religion or ethnicity, Klein posited.

“It’s mostly a question of education, not of religion or ethnic background,” he said. “Schools are already taking classes to memorial sites, and I’ve been told that Muslim students don’t react differently than their non-Muslim peers. Muslim high school students react to the depiction of the horrors of the Holocaust in exactly the same way that Christians or non-believers do.”

But it’s not only Arab and Muslim anti-Semitism that troubles German Jews. The rise of the nationalist Alternative for Germany party, known by the acronym AfD — has the local Jewish community worried about a renaissance of traditional right-wing anti-Semitism.

Klein understands the concern yet stressed, “The AfD as a whole is not anti-Semitic. But it tolerates anti-Semitic slogans some its members make, without any consequences. That’s unacceptable.”


Supporters of the Alternative for Germany party react after exit poll results were broadcast on public television at an election night event in Erfurt, eastern Germany, during the general election on September 24, 2017. (AFP Photo/dpa/Martin Schutt)
Klein declined to comment on Israel’s government policy not to have contacts with the AfD. “It’s Israel’s right to have this position. That’s all I want to say about this.”

However, if Jerusalem were to reconsider its stance and embrace the the AfD — which is currently the third-largest faction in the Bundestag — he would also take another look at the issue.

“I observe very carefully what the Israeli government does in order to combat anti-Semitism. Its policy vis-a-vis problematic parties is a key part of this, clearly. In the end, Israel needs to know for itself how it tackles this problem. Having said that, Israel’s position would influence my own analysis of this matter.”

Is calling Israel an apartheid state anti-Semitic?
The borders between legitimate criticism of Israel and anti-Semitism are sometimes difficult to define, Klein said. Calling Israel an “apartheid state,” for instance, is anti-Semitic because it equates Israel’s democratic system with an illegitimate regime, he argued. “Such sweeping statements are unacceptable and, yes, they’re also anti-Semitic.”

The anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement also belongs in that category, according to Klein.

“Yes, BDS is anti-Semitic. It’s an anti-Semitic organization. But it’s not so easy to declare it illegal, due to German law, which makes it very difficult to outlaw certain organizations. The leaders of BDS know exactly how to operate in order to evade being banned. But we do have some municipalities that no longer offer its event halls for groups affiliated with the BDS movement,” he said.

At the same time, not everything BDS does is necessarily anti-Semitic, he allowed.

“They also point out problematic things regarding the Israeli government’s treatment of the Palestinians. Generally, I think that people who want the help the Palestinians would help them much more if their criticism weren’t so loaded with anti-Semitism but focused more on facts, so that there would be discussion about the content of their criticism.

“But as is stands now, regarding BDS, the focus is on our duty to condemn anti-Semitic rhetoric,” he added. “Like this, we don’t manage to actually get to the original political debate, which is hopefully that they actually want — to promote the legitimate interests of the Palestinians.”

Jeremy Corbyn: What I’m doing to banish anti-Semitism from the Labour Party
https://www.standard.co.uk/comment/comment/jeremy-corbyn-what-i-m-doing-to-banish-antisemitism-from-the-labour-party-a3821961.html
JEREMY CORBYN 
1 day ago 
The Evening Standard
AFP/Getty Images
Anti-semitism is a poison that must be challenged wherever it raises its head, across Europe and at home. Hatred and bigotry towards Jewish people has no place in our society, whether on the streets or online. And that of course goes for the Labour Party too.

Today I am meeting leaders of the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council to discuss working together to tackle both old and new forms of anti-Semitism. 

We have a particular duty to lead the fight against anti-Semitism in and around our party and movement. Jews have found a natural home in the Labour Party since its foundation, and been central to our movement.

The party has a long and proud record of standing against anti-Semitism. Jews belong in the Labour Party and we are utterly committed to making it a safe and welcoming place for them. 

But we must also face the uncomfortable fact that a small number of our members and supporters hold anti-Semitic views and attitudes, which need to be confronted and dealt with more rapidly and effectively.

The evidence is clear enough. Labour staff have seen examples of Holocaust denial, crude stereotypes of Jewish bankers, conspiracy theories blaming 9/11 on Israel, and even one member who appeared to believe that Hitler had been misunderstood.

So let me be clear. People holding those views have no place in the Labour Party. They may be few — the number of cases over the past three years represents less than 0.1 per cent of Labour’s membership of more than half a million — but one is too many.

We are taking action. In the past fortnight more than 20 individuals have been suspended from party membership, and more are being investigated. But we have not done enough to get to grips with the problem, and the Jewish community and our Jewish members deserve an apology. My party and I are sorry for the hurt and distress caused. 

luciana-berger16.jpg
Protest: Labour MP Luciana Berger speaks out at an anti-Semitism march last month (Getty Images)
We must strive to understand why anti-Semitism has surfaced in our party, which has always stood for equality for all and opposed racism and discrimination.

As I indicated in my letter last month to the Board of Deputies and the Jewish Leadership Council, there are two particular contemporary sources. First, individuals on the fringes of the movement of solidarity with the Palestinian people can stray into anti-Semitic views. 

The struggle for justice for the Palestinian people and an end to their dispossession is a noble one — just as a genuine two-state solution is essential to lasting peace in the Middle East. But when criticism of or opposition to the Israeli government uses anti-Semitic ideas — attributing its injustices to Jewish identity, demanding that Jews in Britain or elsewhere answer for its conduct, or comparing Israel to the Nazis — then a line must be drawn. 

Anti-Zionism is not in itself anti-Semitic and many Jews themselves are not Zionists. But there are also a very few who are drawn to the Palestinian question precisely because it affords an opportunity to express hostility to Jewish people in a “respectable” setting. Our movement must not be a home for such individuals.

Second, there are people who have come to see capitalism and imperialism as the product of conspiracy by a small shadowy elite rather than a political, economic, legal and social system. That is only a step from hoary myths about “Jewish bankers” and “sinister global forces”.

I have no truck with any attempt to divide the Jewish community into the ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ sort of Jews
These views do no service to the struggle for a just society. Instead, they reproduce the sort of scapegoating that we recognise when directed at ethnic or religious minorities. 

Anti-Semitism was responsible for the worst crimes of the 20th century. According to a survey conducted last year by two leading Jewish community organisations, anti-Semitic views are held by a minority in Britain, and are more likely to be found on the right of politics. But we did not look closely enough at ourselves.

READ MORE
Corbyn: I'm sorry Labour has failed to tackle anti-Semitism
I also believe our party’s structures, built to service a far smaller membership than we have now, have been simply not fully fit for purpose when it has come to dealing with complaints about anti-Semitism. 

The problem has been aggravated by social media, which is where most of the instances of abuse appear to take place. Some high-profile cases have also been delayed by legal proceedings, and the reforms proposed by Shami Chakrabarti two years ago to make our response more effective were not fully implemented.

That is why our new general secretary Jennie Formby has, on my instruction, made it her priority to get on top of this problem and ensure that all complaints are dealt with swiftly and fairly, with investigations resourced as necessary. She will be setting out her plans in the coming weeks, including the appointment of a new legal adviser, and we are already taking action in many cases.

We will also embark on a programme of political education to deepen Labour members’ understanding of what anti-Semitism is and how to counter it.

When members of Jewish communities express genuine anxieties we must recognise them as we would those of any other community. Their concerns are not “smears”.

I want to engage with the full range and diversity of Jewish organisations and have no truck with any attempt to divide the Jewish community into the “right” and “wrong” sort of Jews. Debate and pluralism are abiding characteristics of the Jewish community, and I celebrate them both within and without the Labour Party.

I hope that by taking the steps outlined, Labour will be reconnecting with our finest traditions of solidarity and equality. We stand with any community beleaguered or subject to hateful prejudice.

We cannot and will not fail our Jewish brothers and sisters now



https://www.thejc.com/corbyn-jlc-meeting-what-really-happened-1.463018
How the Corbyn Board of Deputies meeting collapsed into excuses
Stephen Pollard reveals what went on behind the closed doors of the Labour leader's office
(Photo - @BoardofDeputies / Twitter)
The mood music, to coin a phrase, in advance of tonight’s meeting between Jeremy Corbyn and Jewish community representatives was not good. It could hardly have been, when the meeting only came about because of an unprecedented demonstration last month in Parliament Square.

This afternoon, Mr Corbyn published a decent enough apology in the Evening Standard, in which he went further than ever before in appearing to have some grasp of the issues (even though it contained the odd assertion that anti-Zionism is not antisemitic).

But Mr Corbyn's years of giving support to antisemites mean that his words alone are meaningless. He will be judged only on actions.

Which is why today’s meeting was so important.

Had he offered some substance, it would have dispelled the idea that his behaviour and words over the past few weeks have only been about neutralising a damaging political issue rather than a genuine desire to grapple with a deep-seated problem for the hard left.

Because Mr Corbyn’s own political career is critical to this. He has allied with antisemities in Hamas (describing them as being dedicated to social and political justice); he has given money to a Holocaust denier, Paul Eisen; he has worked for Press TV. The list goes on. 

So the real question about today’s meeting was whether Mr Corbyn would offer real substance – whether he would commit to genuine action and, perhaps even more important, show that he was open to the suggestion that he could himself learn. Whether, to be blunt, he could accept that there is a valid issue as to how he might himself have contributed to the hard left’s issue with antisemitism.

It is clear from the formal statements from the Board of Deputies and Jewish Leadership Council after the meeting that this was not a genuine attempt to tackle antisemitism but rather a meeting designed to solve a political problem – that Labour is now viewed as having an issue with antisemitism.

But formal statements are only so useful. I have now pieced together much of what went on in the lengthy (well over an hour) meeting. And the picture is even more damning.

The meeting opened with Jonathan Arkush, President of the Board of Deputies, raising the community’s key points, to which Mr Corbyn gave a warm response. “He was warm and personable,” according to one account of the meeting.

“But when it came to proposals for concrete action there was absolutely nothing. Nothing. The bottom line is that we got nothing from the meeting. Not a thing.”

Another source said that the opening of the meeting set the tone, with the party’s representatives – Jennie Formby and Seumas Milne - entirely concerned with process.

After Mr Corbyn’s opening remarks, he passed over to Ms Formby, the new Labour Party General Secretary, who gave a “day by day account of the processes she followed and the bits of paper she has signed”.

As one source present at the meeting put it: “They think it’s all about process, that process is all that matters. Process is what they offer and it’s the excuse they give why they can’t do anything”.

Jonathan Goldstein of the JLC told Mr Corbyn that his parents had attended their first ever demonstration last month in Parliament Square. When they were nearby they were jeered by supporters of the Labour leader. “Why won’t you stop these people?”, Mr Goldstein demanded.

“It’s not in my name”, Mr Corbyn replied.

“So why are you not saying that loud and clear, with the passion you have shown over the Windrush scandal?”, Mr Goldstein responded.

Mr Corbyn is said to have shrugged.

When Mr Arkush raised the issue of appointing an independent ombudsman to deal with allegations, the Labour leader said he did not have the authority to take such action.

As a source put it: “Every time you ask him to do something he finds an excuse and relies on process.”

Tellingly, Mark Gardner of the Community Security Trust raised Mr Corbyn’s friendliness towards Hamas and Hezbollah, pointing out that the reason Jewish buildings in the UK have long had to have such severe security measures is that in 1994 Hezbollah had blown up the AMIA centre in Argentina. “You have”, Mr Corbyn was told directly, “done nothing to deal with Muslim antisemitism.”

In response, Mr Corbyn again simply “shrugged it off.”

Finally, the issue of Chris Williamson was raised. The Labour MP is scheduled to appear on a platform with Jackie Walker, currently suspended by the Labour Party. When asked if he would order Mr Williamson not to go ahead, Mr Corbyn said he had no power to do so. “But you can simply tell him that he mustn’t do it”, he was told.

This is the crux of it. Hiding behind procedural excuses gives the game away. If Mr Corbyn was serious about tackling antisemites he would tell Mr Williamson that if he goes ahead with the meeting with Ms Walker then Mr Corbyn will denounce him for it.

But you and I both know he would never, ever do that.

Which says everything.