IsraeliGaza border

2024-04-25

survivor Natalie Sanandaji was doxxed on Tuesday in an unnamed Telegram group, she stated in a post to X the same day. The post, which labeled Natalie as a "target," leaked several important pieces of personal information that could put her in danger. Since surviving the Oct 7 terrorist attack at the nova festival I have made it my life’s mission to speak out against Hamas and be a voice for all those who no longer have a voice since that horrific day, all those who were murdered and taken hostage. This photo is just one of… Her home address was leaked, along with her personal and professional email as well as her phone number. Her major social media accounts were also posted with instructions to report her as "dangerous," "extremist," and an "impersonator." Her Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter accounts were also included in the post. Pictures of the participants of the Nova party who were murdered and kidnapped by the terrorist organization Hamas on October 7, 2023 are displayed at the site of the Nova music festival massacre, in Re'im, near the Israeli-Gaza border, November 28, 2023 (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90) In her post, Sanandaji called out the poster and said, "This photo is just one of many examples of people trying to silence me. But I won’t stay silent." Sanandaji survived the massacre at the Nova Music Festival during the October 7 attacks due to the help of a civilian rescuer. She was , who dropped everything on October 7 to help evacuate civilians from the festival. Sati and his truck helped save many lives as he ferried survivors out of the area. "If it weren't for Moshe, I wouldn't be here today," said she said after meeting him again in December. Sanandaji joined the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) as the public affairs officer and has been instrumental in helping combat hate in the US. She was also in a lawsuit filed in the US against UNRWA for alleged financial support for Hamas. They sought damages under the Alien Tort Statute, which gives US courts jurisdiction for acts committed in violation of international law, such as anti-terrorism financing treaties. This is only one of a series of lawsuits in the US resulting from the October 7 massacre. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-24

The US is unlikely to impose sanctions on the , at least not in the meantime, Ynet reported Wednesday afternoon, citing Israeli officials.  The expected withdrawal from the plan to issue sanctions comes after intense pressure from Israeli leaders. The fact that Israeli leaders from across the political spectrum, from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Opposition leader Yair Lapid, expressed opposition to the planned sanctions pushed the US to take a step back from the pending decision, according to the report. "The reasonable assessment is that we will be able to convince the Americans not to impose these sanctions," said several Israeli sources to Ynet. A senior Israeli official told Ynet that the by the harsh reactions from both Israeli politicians and the public in Israel to the planned sanctions. Israeli leaders reportedly promised US officials that the problematic incidents attributed to Netzah Yehuda would be dealt with. Israeli soldiers from the Netzah Yehuda Battalion patrol near the Israeli-Gaza border, October 20, 2023. (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90) In response to reports that the US intended to sanction Netzah Yehuda, Prime Minister had said he would "fight with [this decision] all [his power]," calling it " the height of absurdity and a moral blow" in a statement published on X Saturday night. Opposition leader Yair Lapid also said in a statement on X that the sanctions are a "mistake" and Israel "must act to cancel them." On Friday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at a press conference that he has made "determinations" on the issue of cutting military aid to specific Israeli army units accused of human rights violations in the West Bank before October 7. Unnamed US officials told Israeli media on Saturday that Blinken would sanction the Netzah Yehuda Battalion. The sources stated that the American sanctions would prohibit the transfer of US military aid to the Netzah Yehuda Battalion, will prevent its soldiers and officers from taking part in training with the United States military, and will prevent the soldiers from this unit from participating in activities that receive American funding. The sanctions are based on a 1997 law by former Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy, which prohibits the United States from providing military aid or training to security forces, the military, or the police when there is reliable information about human rights abuses. On Thursday, the American investigative website ProPublica reported that a special committee of the American State Department, which investigated allegations of human rights violations in the West Bank, forwarded recommendations a few months ago to Blinken to impose sanctions on several units of the IDF and the Israel Police and to prevent them from receiving American funding. The Netzah Yehuda Battalion was originally established as a special military unit for haredim (ultra-orthodox), in which all of the soldiers and officers were men. Over the years, in light of the low number of haredim who enlisted in the IDF, the unit also began to include extremist youth who held far-right positions and were not included in other combat units in the IDF. Journalist Amos Harel reported in Haaretz in September 2022 that the US State Department began an investigation into the Netzah Yehuda Battalion following several incidents in which soldiers from the battalion were involved in violence against Palestinian civilians. Barak Ravid contributed to this report. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-22

US Secretary of at a press conference last Friday addressed questions about his department’s recommendations to cut military aid to specific Israeli army units accused of human rights violations in the West Bank before October 7. Blinken stated that he “has made determinations” on the issue, promising to disclose these decisions publicly soon. This statement followed the bipartisan passage of a $95 billion security assistance package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan by the US House of Representatives. Unnamed US officials told Israeli media that Blinken would sanction the n. This decision stems from the battalion’s history of human rights violations against Palestinians in the West Bank. If confirmed, this would mark the first US sanctions against an Israel Defense Forces unit for activities in the West Bank. The sources indicated that the sanctions would block American military aid, bar soldiers and officers from US Army training, and prevent participation in US-funded activities. Experts from the US State Department’s Israel Leahy Vetting Forum based their recommendation on the Leahy Laws, landmark legislation that prohibits providing military assistance to entities committing human rights violations with impunity. Previously, this law has blocked numerous foreign police and military units in Cambodia, Colombia, and Mexico from receiving US aid. The Media Line inquired about the sanctions’ implications with Prof. Yuval Shany, the Hersch Lauterpacht Chair of Public International Law at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. “The implications of the decision suggest that the US administration believes this IDF unit is involved in serious human rights violations. Apart from the immediate impact on the unit’s ability to receive training and equipment through US foreign assistance, this casts a negative light on the perception of the IDF’s investigative and disciplinary processes.” Israeli soldiers from the Netzah Yehuda Battalion patrol near the Israeli-Gaza border, October 20, 2023. (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90) explained that sanctioning the Netzah Yehuda Battalion would imply the to hold this unit accountable for its actions. “The Leahy amendment has an explicit exception for effective domestic judicial response, which is not being relied upon in this case. Both of these developments could have wider implications for how foreign nations assess the compatibility of assisting Israel with their own international law obligations, especially regarding the duty to ensure compliance with international humanitarian law. Additionally, it may affect their willingness to trust investigations and prosecutions conducted by the IDF legal [Military Advocate General] corps. This could also influence the complementarity analysis conducted before the International Criminal Court, determining whether the Israeli legal system is willing, can investigate and prosecute international crimes.” The Media Line also interviewed Yehuda Shar, a former soldier of the Netzah Yehuda Battalion. “Netzah Yehuda operated in Gaza, Judea, and Samaria in the last few years in particularly challenging areas against a brutal enemy. The battalion has hundreds of successful operations. Right now, Israel is fighting Hamas, so it’s not helpful to be pointing fingers,” Shar said. “We can’t be comfortable when a friendly country imposes sanctions against Netzah Yehuda. Then tomorrow, they might want to do the same to other battalions. Israel’s allies need to understand that Netzah Yehuda is bringing large numbers of ultra-Orthodox volunteers to the IDF and that bringing in more religious soldiers to the army has been a central debate in Israeli democracy. Most of these ultra-Orthodox soldiers come to the army at great personal expense, so we expect the Israeli government to help us, and we hoped the US [would], too. America is a strategic ally, but they don’t understand the situation. If there was any misconduct, the IDF is prepared and willing to investigate,” concluded Shar. The Media Line reached out to the IDF, which declined to comment. A spokesperson for the Netzah Yehuda Battalion informed The Media Line that the unit had not taken a stance on the sanctions pending an official announcement from the US government.  ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-21

(Warning: This story describes deeply disturbing events and testimonials in graphic detail.) An attempted arrest of scooter riders who were riding without a helmet on Herzl Street in Tel Aviv on Saturday evening turned into a confrontation between the police officer and one of the riders - Ron Levit, 29 years old from Jaffa - who claimed to be post-traumatic after surviving the .  In the footage obtained by Walla, Levit was seen shouting at the policeman: "I was in Nova, my friends were murdered." "We were riding a scooter, both of us , and the policeman asked us to stop. I came to get off the bike path towards the sidewalk, and he thought we were going to run away or run him over, as he said," Levit said in a conversation with Walla and shared: "When I was attacked, like how he attacked me, I get all the post-trauma, it's not the first time." Levit continued: "He asked me to identify myself; I told him that I lost all my things at the Nova festival. I told him to write down my number, but he insisted. I started to leave; I didn't understand what he wanted. I told him that I didn't want to run away or anything. He strangled me and beat me." "In Nova, I ran away for five hours while they were shooting at me - since then, I haven't really recovered," Levit shared with Walla, "During the incident, I wanted to show the policeman the psychiatrist's documents. Even if I committed a traffic violation, there's no reason for him to treat me like that. I've been to many demonstrations in my life…but this time it's different - there's no reason for the policeman to act like that. He behaved in a scary, inhuman way. If he's acting like that, he shouldn't be Levit added.People visit the site of the Nova music festival massacre, in Re'im, near the Israeli-Gaza border, December 31, 2023 (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90) In the footage, Levit was seen being pushed by the policeman who tries to handcuff him and demands: "Give me your hands." Levit replies: "For what?" followed by the policeman telling him that he refuses to be arrested. The argument at this point became heated, with Levit raising his voice and shouting: "I don't refuse. Publicly, I don't refuse anything. What do you want from me? Move from me. What do you want? I'm post-traumatic. I was in Nova, what do you want? Documents from a psychiatrist? Take a document from a psychiatrist. Move away from me. You maniac, my friends were murdered." Levit's friend also intervened and turned to the policeman: "He saw his friends shot up on the floor." Levit continued: "What are you stopping me for? Move. You have no heart. Get off me; I will not attack you; you are attacking me. What are you, a Palestinian Arab? What are you?" At this point, the confrontation became violent, and the policeman knocked Levit to the ground to handcuff him. Those present at the scene who saw the confrontation approach and try to separate and calm Levit. "What is he doing? I'm not breathing?" Levit shouted as the officer tried to glue him to the ground. A passerby approached and tried to calm Levit down as well. The policeman turned to him and asked him to help him identify him. "I want to identify him, give him a report, and release him - that's what I want. The guy is drunk; he's had alcohol." Police later stated: "During the course of directing traffic and regulating traffic lights, the policeman spotted an electric scooter rider riding without a helmet, which is against the law. With him was an additional person, which is also against the law. The policeman signaled the rider to stop when he intended to warn him and explain the inherent dangers, but the rider did not slow down and tried to run away from the policeman." "In doing so, he got stuck in a pole. The rider was asked to identify himself but tried to avoid the policeman and leave the scene while swearing at the policeman and a strong smell of alcohol wafting from him," the police added. "During a breathalyzer test, the rider failed the test several times - which reinforced that he was drunk and the suspicion that he was riding in this condition and committed a severe violation of the law. Finally, the rider was identified, and a report was filed. Regarding the argument that he is a survivor of Nova, we note that every citizen is obliged to act according to the law and identify himself as a police officer." ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-30

Can a business recover VAT on war security expenditure? In many countries that have VAT or similar taxes, a business can claim back VAT on business expenditure but not private expenditure.  So is war security expenditure business or private? The Israeli CPA Institute took this dilemma to the Israeli VAT Authorities and now has an answer.  The Israeli VAT Authorities have just published a “Confirmation (Ishur) about the treatment of security expenses incurred by 45 and other settlements near the Gaza Strip (“Security expenses in Kibbutzim and settlements by the Gaza Strip border” from the Finance Ministry/VAT Branch March 18, 2024.) In short, up to two thirds of the input VAT on war security expenses may be claimed back on VAT returns in the usual way in the 45 settlements. This is good to know but leaves open several questions – see below. Following is an overview of the Confirmation. After the and multiple threats to civilians by the Gaza border, civilians were ordered on October 12 to evacuate an area which was then closed off, on October 17 last year. But security standby teams (Kitot Konanut) remained operational in the evacuated areas, resulting in security expenses guarding the plants/enterprises, repairing them, and fuel and maintenance for patrol vehicles. Israeli soldiers walking next to the destruction caused by Hamas terrorists in Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, 2023, near the Israeli-Gaza border, in southern Israel, November 21, 2023. (credit: CHAIM GOLDBEG/FLASH90) Related expenses included: flashlights, ceramic body armor, tactical clothing, generators, security cameras, boots, helmets, tactical vests, electricity for the security HQ, water, tools, panels, armory, office equipment, and fire extinguishers for the security standby teams.  All the listed 45 settlements (see below) are registered for Israeli VAT purposes as authorized dealers (Osek Morshe).  Clarification was needed whether the 45 settlements are entitled to recover input VAT on such war security expenditure. Input VAT is the VAT imposed on goods sold on goods sold to a business or imported by a business and services rendered to a business. Input VAT is not deductible unless the inputs (supplies) were used in a taxable sale transaction subject to VAT (VAT Law Secs. 1 & 41). What about inputs put to mixed use, partly for taxable sales, partly not so?  Here the Confirmation quotes rules in the VAT Regulations regarding mixed supplies (VAT Regulations Sec.18). The regulations allow input VAT to be claimed pro rata to business usage. Where the business usage is indeterminate, the Regulations allow two possibilities. These two possibilities are more normally applied to company car expenses where the car is used for a mixture of business and private purposes. Israelis don’t need to keep milage/kilometer travel logs. Instead, where any asset or service is used mainly for business purposes, the business may deduct (claim) 2/3 of the input VAT on related expenses. But where any asset or service is used mainly for private purposes, the business may claim 1/4 of the input VAT on related expenses. The Confirmation is valid until any amendment is made to the VAT Law or regulations. The VAT Confirmation says that security standby teams guard all of a settlement, both parts used for business purposes and “municipal” purposes. But the use is deemed to be mainly for business purposes. Therefore, the 45 settlements concerned are entitled to claim 2/3 of the VAT on security expenses they incur. This assumes that the parties concerned are not related to each other. Related parties are not defined. No time limit is stated. The 45 settlements listed in the Confirmation are: Avshalom, Ohad, Or Haner, Beeri, Bnei Netzrim, Bror Hayal, Gevim, Gavram, Dorot,  Dekel, Zikim, Holot, Yivul, Yad Mordechai, Yesha, Yated, Kisufim, Kfar Aza,  Carmia, Kerem Shalom, Mivtahim, Magen, Miflasim, Nava, Nahal Oz, Nir Yotzhak, Nir Oz, Nir Am, Nirim, Ntiv Haasara, Sofia, Saad, Ein Habesor, Ir Hashalosha, Alumim, Amioz, Pri Gan, Tzohar, Reim, Sdeh Nitzan, Sdeh Avraham, Shlomit, Shokeda, Talmi Eliahu, Talmi Yosef. Comments So now we know that two thirds of the input VAT on may be claimed back on VAT returns in the usual way in the 45 settlements. No mention is made regarding places elsewhere in the North and across Israel. But tax rulings are meant to be used as examples. No mention is made of the income tax side – is war security expenditure deductible for income tax purposes? If so, can any resulting losses be offset as business losses against other income that year or business income in future years? To what extent? The two thirds rule is a VAT rule not an income tax rule.    As always, consult experienced tax and legal advisors in each country at an early stage in specific cases. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-27

The alleged detainment and verbal abuse of two survivors at the Manchester airport on Sunday was the subject of debate in the UK House of Commons on Tuesday, with North Hampton MP Sir Michael Ellis demanding to know if "Jews and Israelis are still welcome to enter this country?" "The terrorist attack on the 7th of October on Israel has provoked widespread antisemitisim in this country and around the world," Ellis said to fellow member and Minister of State for Development and Africa Andrew Mitchell. "The latest manifestation of this was at Manchester airport yesterday [sic] where a Border Force apparently did not want Israeli Jews to enter this country." Ellis demanded accountability for the detainment of Neria and Daniel Sharabi, who had not only survived the but had reportedly saved dozens of lives by administering medical aid and using weapons from a disabled tank to fend off Hamas terrorists. Ellis read an alleged quote of the Border Force officers that interrogated the brothers for two hours, in which they explained they had questioned them "they had to make sure that you are not going to do what you are doing in Gaza over there." "Blaming all Jews for the action of their country is obviously antisemitic these are people in uniform acting for this country as border force officers," said Ellis. "It is a disgrace beyond all proportion, their detention was clearly unlawful for several hours, they're being offered free legal representation -- which I would urge them to take up." Mitchell agreed that the alleged incident was "Outrageous, shocking, and disgraceful" and said that it "is now being investigated, and the home secretary has personally assured that he will be investigating it."People visit the site of the Nova music festival massacre, in Re'im, near the Israeli-Gaza border, December 31, 2023 (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90) Home Secretary James Cleverly told the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester and Region on Monday night that "We do not tolerate antisemitism or any form of discrimination. This incident will be handled in line with our disciplinary procedures.” Neria Sharabi told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday that he and his brother had come to Manchester to share their experiences with the local Jewish community, and when the Border Force officers heard this, their attitude changed and the survivors were detained. The survivors alleged aggressive and antisemitic treatment by the officers, who admonished them saying "I've made the decision, and you're coming in. Let us do the checks that we need to do and keep quiet...we're the bosses, not you." The Sharabi brothers had also hoped to tell British Jews about their new non-profit for helping other October 7 survivors with therapy, and supporting them in traveling to share their own stories. Neria said that he didn't want to come back to the UK after his experience, and wasn't certain that they would be sending other survivors to the country.  ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-27

A strategic collaboration between ISRAEL-is and the embarks on a poignant mission, extending support to families of hostages of Spanish-speaking origin, while reaching out for the first time to Latino leadership and influencers in Houston, Texas. Houston, home to one of the largest and most influential in the United States, with over 2.3 million individuals comprising 40% of the city’s population, stands as a testament to the cultural, economic, and social prowess of these communities. These leaders serve as pillars of progress for Houston and as beacons of inspiration for Latino communities nationwide. At the forefront of this mission is Amos Horn (42), a Latino youth educator and tour guide originally from Argentina, who lives in Israel. His efforts to free his two kidnapped brothers, Yaniv (45) and Eitan (37), kidnapped on October 7 from , added a deeply intimate layer to the cause. This double tragedy struck deep, resonating with countless families still grappling with the anguish of hostage situations, sometimes with more than one family member held captive. My personal connection to the cause, through Amos’s father and former colleague of mine, Itzik Horn, at the Sderot Media Center that I led over a decade ago, whose health situation is deteriorating, added an intimate layer to the mission’s purpose. The fate of the Horn brothers remained shrouded in uncertainty, with sporadic glimpses of life emerging months after their disappearance. Hostage witnesses released towards the end of November spoke of their staggering weight loss (20 kg.), casting a grim shadow over their well-being. Since then, there has been no sign of life. Amos bravely shared his family’s ordeal at various forums, from diplomatic gatherings to meetings with Houston’s legislative and Latino influencers.  He painted a vivid picture of his brothers’ zest for life, reminiscing about their shared love for soccer matches, music concerts, and full-time uncle duties to Amos’s young children, highlighting the infectious joy both brothers brought to Kibbutz Nir Oz. Israeli soldiers walking next to the destruction caused by Hamas terrorists in Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, 2023, near the Israeli-Gaza border, in southern Israel, November 21, 2023. (credit: CHAIM GOLDBEG/FLASH90) Despite the primary focus of our mission on engaging policymakers, media outlets, and influential figures within the Latino community, we made a deliberate effort to connect with Jewish teen leaders as well. It was during one of these interactions that Amos shared a touching anecdote about the upcoming Purim holiday. He recounted how his brothers had taken on the responsibility of organizing the Purim spiel – a traditional performance aimed at uplifting the spirits of their community at Kibbutz Nir Oz.  To illustrate this cherished memory, Amos passed around a photograph of his brothers dressed up for the Purim festivities, alongside the Kedem-Siman Tov couple, murdered in the October 7 massacre along with their three young children aged two to five years old. Reflecting on my experience upon arriving in Houston, a stark reality greeted me as I tuned into the news channels from my hotel room. A vociferous Gaza ceasefire demonstration unfolded during the Houston mayor’s annual tradition of addressing the Muslim community during the iftar of Ramadan, marking the 25th year tradition. The protest, marked by its aggressive interruption of the mayor’s speech, highlighted discontent over the mayor’s stance on refusing to advocate for a ceasefire in Gaza.  Despite the disruptive behavior of some demonstrators, it’s noteworthy that over 2,000 attendees chose not to participate in the protest, underscoring the resilience of the broader community and the significance of the occasion. The Israeli consul general in Houston, Livia Link-Raviv, emphasized in a recent meeting with diplomats from foreign countries the ongoing challenges facing the consulate, including regular demonstrations outside its offices that disrupt normal operations. These protests have even led to the cancellation of planned events, such as those in New Mexico and during our mission in Houston, where pressure from extreme groups against participation in specific gatherings led to annulments of events, notably an evening with young Republicans. This mission arose at the same time as increased international pressure, especially emphasized in the statement of US Secretary of State Blinken claiming that 100% of the population in Gaza is at severe levels of acute food insecurity. This is known for a fact to be disinformation, whose sole purpose is to blame Israel for Gazans’ conditions instead of the aid distribution challenges in Gaza, which is controlled by Hamas’s terrorist regime.  According to COGAT, Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, since the beginning of the war, Israel has allowed the entry of more than 17,400 aid trucks into the Gaza Strip, which include more than 10,300 trucks containing more than 218 thousand tons of food. For context, the average daily number of trucks carrying food to the Gaza Strip before the war was around 70, and the average since the beginning of March is over 125 – an 80% increase.  This new blood libel in practice allows for the prolongation of the fighting and the obfuscation of the war crime of holding 134 hostages under inhumane conditions. The German consul at the meeting of diplomats, after hearing first-hand Amos’s story, emphasized the urgent need to balance the narrative by making the voices and stories of the families of the hostages heard, putting the survivors and witnesses of the events of October 7 at the forefront, to be heard by the general public.  It was emphasized that such narratives often lack the attention needed to provide a balanced perspective – while acknowledging the importance of Holocaust education, where survivors and eyewitnesses play a central role in shaping the narrative and fostering significant change. Nevertheless, buoyed by the unwavering support of Latino leadership, the mission persists.  Amos’s narrative strikes a chord, prompting advocacy efforts to amplify the voices of hostage families on a national stage.  As Texas’ Hispanic/Latino population continues to burgeon, the significance of such collaborations grows exponentially, promising a future where diverse voices shape the narrative of unity and resilience. The writer is foreign affairs manager of ISRAEL-is, an NGO. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-25

Two survivors of the Supernova festival massacre were detained, berated, and treated with suspicion by UK Border Patrol Officers at Manchester Airport on Sunday, the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester and Region claimed on Monday. The two Jewish brothers, according to JRC, still suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, were allegedly detained by the Border Patrol after the officers saw their Israeli passports and the pair had explained that they had come to the UK to speak to the Manchester Jewish community about their experiences as terrorism survivors and for their non-profit to help fellow victims. The officers allegedly said that they had to detain and interrogate the survivors for two hours because "they had to make sure that you are not going to do what you are doing over there." JRC chief executive Marc Levy said that this comment proved the officers abused the survivors because they were motivated by "antisemitic intent." Levy said in a letter to the Manchester Airport Group that they were in possession of a video that showed the Israelis were not argumentative. Still, the border officer allegedly spoke in an aggressive, "unnecessary and demeaning tone," telling them to "keep quiet, look at me, are you clear with that? We are the bosses, not you."People visit the site of the Nova music festival massacre, in Re'im, near the Israeli-Gaza border, December 31, 2023 (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90) "For clarity, the individuals were attending the music festival when terrorists attacked, murdering hundreds of innocent civilians,"  Levy wrote in the letter. "Instead of fleeing, the brothers, one of whom is a medic, remained at the festival site to save others, combat the terrorist, and treat the wounded." Levy demanded that the airport investigate the matter and ensure that Israeli passport holders are not subjected to similar discrimination. JRC said on social media that the airport acknowledged the incident and recognized the severity of the allegations. JRC also called on UK Home Secretary James Cleverly and the UK Home Office to address the issue. This is a developing story.  ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-25

Maj.-Gen. (res.) , former commander of the West Bank division, spoke Monday morning with Anat Davidov and Udi Segal on 103FM. Tibon discussed the difficult security situation throughout the October 7 attacks in the various arenas and sharply criticized the government's performance. Regarding the northern arena, he claimed that "[Israel] needs to do two things - on the civilian level, we need to establish a body similar to the Takuma administration to take care of the northern citizens. They have been out of their homes for six months, businesses have been destroyed, and farms and entire settlements have been damaged.  We now need a director who is a civil servant, not a political figure, because, at this moment, there are no answers from anyone, and the personal cost is very high. Currently, no one is taking care of them." Tibon, clearly furious, stated that the current "government is not functioning, [with the only consideration it holds] is that it has 64 mandates so that Netanyahu can stay in power- this is full neglect of the people affected by this war. "These people need answers; all of those who hold ministerial positions are irresponsible, and [personally] I would start with that [issue] before talking about what is being done in Lebanon." The destruction caused by Hamas terrorists in Kibbutz Nahal Oz, near the Israeli-Gaza border, in southern Israel, October 20, 2023 (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90) Switching gears to the southern campaign against Hamas and the Rafah issue, Tibon continued by saying that "the problem in is not the Hamas battalions. "These are not the first-tier battalions, but the issue is the Philadelphia axis. How can Israel reach a solution where it has effective control in the area but also by cutting off supply pipes Hamas holds in the Sinai Peninsula? "We are no longer in a situation of war within the Gaza Strip; we are in a situation of ongoing security. There was a strategic mistake in the campaign- we did not have a clear strategy." On October 7, Tibon heroically fought with the security forces in Nahal Oz to save his son's life, eliminating Hamas terrorists around his house and rescuing him and his granddaughters. "From a situation where we were attacked and our people slaughtered, the whole Western world was in our favor. We have reached a situation where we have an arms embargo. The pictures the world sees are not from Beeri or Kfar Aza but of the hungry children within the Gaza Strip." Concluding his remarks, Tibon stated that multiple clear objectives need to be achieved. These include returning the hostages, preventing Hamas from controlling the Gaza Strip, returning security to Israeli , and resuming prosperity in the Western Negev." ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-17

Latin American mayors and governors visited Israel in a on Wednesday amid rising antisemitism in their home regions, organizer Combat Antisemitism Movement said. Participants of the four-day visit included Governor of Panama City Governor Carla Britannia Garcia Borace, Maldonado, Uruguay Governor Enrique Andres Antia Behrens, of La Paz, Honduras Mayor Jose Anibal Flores Ayala, Colina, Chile Mayor Isabel Margarita Valenzuela Ahumada, and Mayor Juan Fernando Lopez Fuentes of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. The delegation visited , and the Supernova festival massacre site. The leaders also spoke with local Israeli authorities about possibly twinning their cities with Israeli cities. CAM said that the trip came as were raising the alarm regarding a "tsunami" of antisemitism in Latin America.People visit the site of the Nova music festival massacre, in Re'im, near the Israeli-Gaza border, December 31, 2023 (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90) “At a time of rising antisemitism globally, to have so many prominent local and regional leaders from Latin America serves as an antidote to hate,” said CEO of CAM Sacha Roytman. "We believe in the importance of harnessing local leadership to fight hatred of Israel. Governors and mayors have a unique ability to proactively confront antisemitism at the local level, knowing their communities most closely.” ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-15

A Jewish man was attacked at the screening of the 'Nova' documentary at the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Chicago on Monday. The man chose not to identify himself, but he agreed to be interviewed by ABC News regarding what happened leading up to and during the attack. The event that streamed the documentary about the devastating Hamas attack at was met with dozens of anti-Israel protestors who blocked the entrance of Chiago's Logan theatre  The protesters began by shouting at the attendees of the event, saying things such as "shame on you." However, the protest escalated when a Jewish man who tried to enter the screening passed by. The Jewish man entered the screening of the documentary holding a small Israel flag in his hand.  "I did not say anything to anyone as we walked up. I did not look at anyone or give anyone the finger. I simply walked up, holding an Israeli flag," the victim of the attack said. Protestors began with an attempt to yank the flag out of the man's hands and then proceeded to attack him as a group.People visit the site of the Nova music festival massacre, in Re'im, near the Israeli-Gaza border, December 31, 2023 (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90) "I was completely surrounded. They started punching me in the head." Although he was not seriously wounded from the attack, the victim of the incident remarked on his fear for the future Jewish generations living in a year where "I think it's disgusting that you cannot walk down the street and be Jewish in 2024," the victim said. He also remarked that those who were protesting outside would have benefited from coming to the screening of the documentary. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-09

In her day job, she brings back radiant smiles. Dr. Esi Sharon-Sagie is director of the Oral Rehabilitation Post Graduate Program at the Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Dental Medicine. She is heralded for her keen eye for aesthetics, her gentle touch, and her devotion to detail. At 49 and now a leader, she’s teaching a new generation of dentists how to return teeth to health, function, and beauty. A studio full of before-and-after photos of joyous patients documents her success. Then there’s her other job. Sharon-Sagie is also the newly appointed head of the Dental Division of Identification and Forensic Science of the Israel Police. The work itself isn’t new; Sharon-Sagie has been volunteering in this unit for 14 years. Her job is to identify bodies and human remains that cannot be identified using face recognition, fingerprints, or DNA. She had heard a lecture about dental forensics and decided that she had the strength to do what seemed like sacred work. “Sometimes teeth are the only part of a person that connects them to their past lives,” she says. Our teeth are unique. They have individualized characteristics such as dental fillings, extractions, surface structure, and root configuration. The gaps between them also matter. When she started, Sharon-Sagie had only one reservation: she couldn’t check the bodies of children. Her daughters were little, and she didn’t think she could handle the emotional impact of examining baby teeth. Now that they are older, she does that, too. Israeli soldier around the destruction caused by Hamas terrorists in Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, 2023, near the Israeli-Gaza border, in southern Israel, October 30, 2023 (credit: Chaim Goldberg/Flash90) Over the years, she has helped identify unknown bodies and fatalities in human or natural disasters. After the 2010 Carmel Forest fire, she helped identify the 44 people burned to death. She also helped identify the bodies of the 10 students killed in the flash flood in Israel’s South in 2018, saving the parents the horror of looking at the “beautiful young people” and finding their own loved ones. The job of a forensic dentist is never easy, she says. It requires respectful dedication to the dead and their living relatives. and the months that followed have presented challenges of a different magnitude. Early in the morning of Oct. 7, Sharon-Sagie was lacing up her sneakers in her Jerusalem home for a day-off run. Slim and athletic, with a long brunette ponytail and the few first light touches of silver, she regularly runs half-marathons. But that morning, alerts on her cellphone stopped her in place. No running today, she told her husband, Tomer, a researcher at who always accompanies her. Instead, while listening to the increasingly terrible news, she used her morning energy to take down the family sukkah. Then came rocket alerts in Jerusalem and notices from her police division to be ready for a possible call-up. She got ready to leave, but the work could only begin the following day. There were so many bodies. They needed to be retrieved as quickly as possible, even under gunfire and missile attacks, so they wouldn’t be stolen. The next day, Sharon-Sagie reported for duty at the near Ramle. A tent for anxious families was already full. She tried not to look at the anguished faces that would make it too hard for her to do her work. She put on her protective clothing. Sharon-Sagie closes her soft hazel eyes as she describes the hundreds of body bags waiting on platforms. A granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, she carefully uses the Hebrew word dargashim, the same Hebrew term used to describe the wooden bunks in concentration camps. “You have to put everything aside, including your emotions, to do this work faithfully,” she says. “No mistakes allowed.” Soldiers have dental X-rays and give samples of DNA on induction, but there is no easily available source of dental records for civilians. They need to be gathered from private dentists, health fund dentists, and clinics all over the country. Sharon-Sagie’s predecessor in this position had gone on holiday before the massacre and was on a ship, but she spent her time on deck, aiding from afar. In Shura, Sharon-Sagie headed a team of 62 dentists, including 26 from her faculty. “Every single one has the heart, soul, and desire to give of themselves to do this work. Hundreds of others volunteered to assist us, but you need special training, and we didn’t have the time and resources to train them,” she says. Soldiers and civilians who regularly volunteer came to help and did a grisly preliminary job, investigating the body bags to make sure the forensic dentists had received both head and body. An unprecedented number of men and women were decapitated. Knowing the gender helps in the identification process. “We opened the body bags to see the gender, but often the bodies were so mutilated, we couldn’t tell,” Sharon-Sagie explains. Neither were the faces intact; jaws were decimated and teeth knocked out. Sometimes, they would receive a carefully gathered plastic bag of tooth chips. They worked straight through the nights. Limited time and the desperate needs of the families pressed them on. Taking breaks only after their eight-hour shifts, the hands-on dentists used all their contacts to contribute to the ongoing effort to find dental records. “We worked 24/7 around the clock, knowing how important this work was. Outside, the families were waiting, counting on us to make the identification, rightfully impatient for answers. But this is slow work,” she says. As the days went on, more bodies were found while the IDF took full control of the areas where the Oct. 7 massacre took place. Some were covered with so many maggots that the floor in the examination room swarmed with them. Other times, flies buzzed in their faces. “The smell of death is always with you, but you get used to it,” she says, her voice even softer. “The work is urgent, and you have to be systematic and focused, with daily goals and marking achievements.” For three months, the teams worked non-stop, eventually identifying all of the deceased. They are still called in to identify more bodies about which they are prohibited from speaking. From where does she have the fortitude to go on? “We in Shura keep in mind that we’re doing hessed shel emet [compassionate concern and kindness of the living for the dead]. I keep telling myself that I’m a dentist; I know how to do this. It’s my privilege to do this work for my people.” But the strain has changed her. “I haven’t been able to listen to music since Oct. 7,” she says. “I draw strength from my family, sitting at the Shabbat table with my husband and children. My husband always drives me back and forth from Jerusalem to Shura to give me support. And when I’m there with my team, I feel comfort in their comradeship and dedication, as we all know the scope of the challenge and the shared pain.” Says this Israeli expert on smiles: “Ironically, sometimes, when our team is successful after working hours on a very hard case, even I find myself sort of smiling.”  The writer is the Israel director of public relations at Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America. Her latest book is A Daughter of Many Mothers.  ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-09

The United Nations report on the sexual violence of October 7 is not upsetting because of the lack of international response, it is upsetting because Israel is stuck between a rock and a hard place, and the report only exemplifies that. A team on a mission to Israel, led by the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, uncovered substantial evidence confirming that individuals, including fatalities, hostages, and survivors from October 7, were the victims of sexual abuse and rape perpetrated by terrorists. The release of this report marked the first occasion on which an international organization has substantiated Israel’s claims following October 7. The team found “clear and convincing information that sexual violence, including rape, sexualized torture, cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment, has been committed against hostages.” They bore witness to a “pattern” that “may be indicative of some forms of... s and degrading treatment” in which “victims, mostly women, [were] found fully or partially naked, bound, and shot across multiple locations.” Blood in houses when Hamas terrorists infiltrated Kibbutz Be'eri, and 30 other nearby communities in Southern Israel on October 7, killing more than 1400 people, and taking more than 200 hostages into Gaza, near the Israeli-Gaza border. (credit: EDI ISRAEL/FLASH90) The report, however, is missing the most crucial form of evidence: firsthand survivor testimonies. While Patten and her team spoke to friends, family, and witnesses and were presented with mountains of video and photographic evidence, they were not able to interview survivors. Their testimonies – which these women are still emotionally unequipped to give – are sorely missing from the report. Additionally, before the report was even formally released, Foreign Minister Israel Katz had already summoned the Israeli ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, back to Israel for “consultations” after condemning UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres because he “did not order the convening of the Security Council in light of the findings, in order to declare Hamas a terrorist organization and impose sanctions on its supporters.” The following day, Katz said that Guterres was “working to diminish the serious report he himself commissioned on Hamas’s sexual crimes.” There are several issues with this response.  First of all, and most obviously, when exactly did Katz expect Guterres to respond? Does a report not need to be publicly released before one publicly responds to it? Secondly, and more importantly, the report was not strong enough for any organization to responsibly take further action in consequence, and that is because of the missing testimonies and the crucial forensic evidence that was reduced to ashes when the victims were set aflame. We cannot change this lack of testimony in the coming days, weeks, months, and possibly years. The acute trauma of experiencing such extreme sexual violence ultimately shatters one’s being. It tears its victims apart, sets them aflame from within, and leaves them feeling as charred as those murdered. So how could we, as people who care for one another, as a nation that worries about the victims in its ranks, demand that they speak up? Even if it is to drill the evidence into the world’s mind until it ultimately recognizes the horrific crimes committed against Israeli women – and, indeed, men – that is too big a burden and it can come from no one but them. Nevertheless, since this is evidence we cannot provide at present or assumedly even in the immediate future, despite the report presenting evidence that Israelis were indeed brutalized on October 7, it ultimately looks worse for Israel. This is because, without the solidified first-person evidence that Patten and her team came to witness, the anti-Israel crowd now has more fuel than ever to claim that Israel is inventing these allegations. After all, what have they been telling us this whole time? “Give us proof.” That, of course, is a disgusting statement unto itself. There is no other conflict in which you would ever imagine that the world would look at victims of rape, gang rape, and necrophilia and demand to see evidence. It is the lowest form of disrespect to sexual assault victims worldwide. This two-sided coin is a tricky one.  On the international side, compassion and understanding must be exhibited because these Israelis are victims of being told that they are spewing falsehoods.  On the Israeli side, there needs to be an understanding of the international hesitancy and a fight to bring to light that which is verified, that which is clear and exact, and that which, beyond a doubt, proves to the world precisely what the massacre of October 7 really happened. The writer is managing editor of The Jerusalem Post’s website, JPost.com. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-07

The Knesset International Relations department's spokesperson reported that the Committee on Human Rights Chairman in the European Parliament, Udo Bullmann, ended his visit to Israel on Tuesday. During the visit, Bollman held a series of meetings with members of the Knesset and families of the hostages. He toured the village called Gaza, where he saw the houses from which and met with their families. He also visited the Knesset, went to where the Re'im party was, and watched the horror movie from October 7. "Release the hostages from Gaza immediately and unconditionally" during his visit, Bullmann emphasized the importance of a swift release of the hostages in Gaza, who have been there for 153 days now. Nonetheless, Bullmann also called for a ceasefire and an increase in . "We hope that a solution to the tragedy will be found, which will lead to a regional solution," he added. Pictures of the participants of the Nova party who were murdered and kidnapped by the terrorist organization Hamas on October 7, 2023 are displayed at the site of the Nova music festival massacre, in Re'im, near the Israeli-Gaza border, November 28, 2023 (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90) The chairman of the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Security Committee, MK Yuli Edelstein, criticized Bullmann for the fact that the hostages in Gaza do not receive visits from the Red Cross, and there is no certainty as to whether they were given medication. "I was imprisoned in the Gulag, and there I received better conditions than the hostages in Gaza," stressed Edelstein. MK Edelstein also noted that and harms the Gazan population. The chairman of the Committee for the Advancement of the Status of Women, MK Panina Tamano Shata, asked the Bullmann to hold a discussion in the Committee for Human Rights in the European Parliament, which he chairs, on the subject of the mangled state of human rights during the events of October 7. MK Tamano Shata told Bullmann about the sexual crimes committed that day. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-07

Esther Cunio, a 90-year-old Argentinian grandmother living in Kibbutz Nir Oz, was spared by after she mentioned she came from the same country as soccer player Lionel Messi, according to a new documentary titled Voces del 7 de octubre - Latino Stories of Survival. Cunio went viral after being forced to take a photo with her would-be masked On October 7, two Hamas terrorists invaded her community and killed, kidnapped, or wounded approximately a quarter of the Kibbutz residents.  Cunio was questioned by the terrorists on the whereabouts of her relatives but redirected the conversation to discussions on soccer.  She credits her survival to her conversational skills and informs her abductors that she was born in the same place as Argentinian soccer player Lionel Messi.  The destruction caused by Hamas terrorists in Kibbutz Nir Oz, near the Israeli-Gaza border, in southern Israel, October 19, 2023. (credit: ERIK MARMOR/FLASH90) One of the terrorists informed Cunio that he was a big fan of Messi, and that was when he made her pose for the infamous photo. Eight of Cunio's extended family members were kidnapped to Gaza, and two David and Ariel Cunio, grandchildren of Esther, are still being held in Gaza. Cunio's story will be told alongside other stories of Latino-Israeli October 7 survivors.  The film is currently in the production stages and being developed by Fuente Latina, a nonprofit organization for Spanish-speaking media covering Israel. “This documentary is unique as it spotlights the Spanish-speaking community in Israel and conveys their stories of horror and heroism from the Hamas attack to millions of Hispanics worldwide,” said Leah Soibel, CEO and Founder of Fuente Latina. “The film is critical as it preserves these testimonies for future generations, ensuring the truth is not distorted or forgotten, as is the case with past events,” she said.  "Documenting the narratives of the October 7 Hamas attacks from the viewpoints of Spanish-speaking immigrants has been an extraordinary privilege. Our film aims to preserve the lessons of history while leveraging the strength of our shared humanity in the battle against terrorism, said Tony Hernandez, the film's director.  Funds are being raised for the production. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-05

will work with Israel-based entertainment studio SIPUR to broadcast a documentary titled "We Will Dance Again" about the which took place on October 7 and was considered one of the most gruesome of the attacks.  The documentary is set to reveal never-before-seen footage and provide an in-depth look at the events that occurred during the attack.  The decision for BBC to produce such a film comes as an unexpected move following previous claims of anti-Israel bias since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war.  The documentary is planned to be divided into three parts, showing a timeline of the events before, during, and after the attack.  In addition to footage of the attack, the documentary will include interviews with soldiers, journalists, and researchers who were on the scene of the attack and will describe the horrific events that they witnessed. People visit the site of the Nova music festival massacre, in Re'im, near the Israeli-Gaza border, December 31, 2023 (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90) BBC has received thousands of complaints about its coverage of the Israel-Hamas war. wrote a letter to The Telegraph that provided  instances in which BBC's coverage of the war contained “institutional bias” and "antisemitism."  For instance, the network has avoided referring to the October 7 massacre as a terrorist attack. Despite past criticism of BBC's bias, this documentary will graphically depict the events that took place during the Nova festival at the hands of the Hamas terror organization.  The documentary will contain graphic images taken that have shocked the producer and director of the documentary Yariv Mozer.  "Nothing prepared me for the harsh images showing the remains of the massacre," Moser explained.  "My duty as a documentary maker is to bring to the world the testimonies and horrific stories of the survivors of this massacre. To shed light on the young women and men whose only sin was their passion for music, love, and freedom," he concluded. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-02-17

‘Israel has the right to defend itself” is a line declared by American presidents and world leaders since Israel’s founding in 1948. The declaration is usually made when Israel finds itself in armed conflict with an enemy and Israel’s allies want to stand alongside Israel in its latest struggle against its foes. The line is meant to be supportive, and Israel is always appreciative of its allies reaffirming its rights, but it also highlights the opinion of many that Israel is an illegitimate country that shouldn’t have the right to defend itself. For over 2,000 years, even before their exile, the Jewish people felt the persecution of the non-Jewish world. Through crusades, forced exiles, pogroms, and an eventual Holocaust, the Jewish people suffered the inability to defend themselves. Millions of Jews died, and tens of millions experienced indescribable trauma due to the lack of a national defense. Early Zionists started their movement to ensure that a Jew would never face persecution again without a national defense to come to their aid. The State of Israel is the achievement of the Zionist dream of creating a nation where the Jewish people can defend themselves against their enemies. As crossed over the Israeli-Gaza border on Oct. 7 to brutally murder, rape, and kidnap innocent Jewish people, the world was shocked and responded by coming to Israel’s defense. US President Biden and other world leaders expressed their disgust with the Palestinian attack and the savagery displayed. Support was expressed even in corners not usually friendly to Israel. It seemed that the world finally understood how pervasive Israel’s haters were.  Unfortunately, not every voice was supportive. There were Israel-haters who still couldn’t see the error of their positions even after the massacre. They insisted the world understand the Palestinian attacks “in context.” Dearborn, Michigan Mayor Abdullah Hammoud tweeted, “Israel’s decades of illegal military occupation and imprisonment of Gaza make peace impossible and tragic violence inevitable. Israel has trapped millions of Palestinians in Gaza in what is recognized by the international community as the world’s largest open-air prison. Failure to recognize this context is the inability to comprehend what is unfolding overseas.” Jews around the world identified with the attack in Israel as if it were an attack on themselves in their own towns. They felt vulnerable, and the safety that the State of Israel provided them seemed to disappear overnight. Many gentiles recognized the extent of just how far-reaching the effects of the October 7 attacks were on the global Jewish community. They stood up in support of local Jews, joined them in their synagogues, prayed for the Israeli hostages, and donated to those who needed help in Israel. As Israel began its defensive attacks in Gaza, antisemitic voices around the world began getting louder. Demonstrations against Israel broke out even before Israel retaliated for the attacks, and they became more ferocious after Israel’s defense began. Hate was displayed on America’s college campuses more than anywhere else. America and most of the global Jewish world watched in horror as three college presidents testified in front of Congress about antisemitism on their campuses. A banner displaying photos of hostages kidnapped on the deadly October 7 attack on Israel by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas hangs on a fence, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Tel Aviv, Israel (credit: SUSANA VERA/REUTERS) Congresswoman Elise Stefanik asked President Dr. Claudine Gay, “Dr. Gay, does calling for the genocide of Jews violate Harvard’s rules on bullying and harassment?” While the answer was an obvious yes, Gay replied that the context was important: “The rules around bullying and harassment are quite specific. And if the context in which that language is used amounts to bullying and harassment, then we take – we take action against it.” Advertisement Later in the hearing, Stefanik asked University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill if calling for the genocide of Jews constitutes bullying or harassment, and President Magill answered using context as well. “It is a context-dependent decision, Congresswoman,” she said. As Stefanik’s time came to a close, she stated that calling for the genocide of Jews should violate any of conduct and that it does not depend on the context. As leaders, politicians, and commentators analyzed the Congressional testimony, a few themes were shared by people of all backgrounds. They were shocked that calling for the genocide of any other race, nation, or people would be acceptable or not even considered a violation of a code of conduct and would require context to define it as bullying or harassment. It seemed that Jewish people were being held to a different standard than everyone else. Congress then passed a resolution that “strongly condemns the testimony of University of Pennsylvania President Elizabeth Magill, Harvard University President Claudine Gay, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology President Sally Kornbluth and their failure to clearly state that calls for the genocide of Jews constitute harassment and violate their institutions’ codes of conduct.” Many people argue that context shouldn’t play a role in understanding attacks on Israel or antisemitism. They understand that Hammoud’s tweet that the Oct. attack must be “recognized in context” and the university presidents’ explanation that characterizing antisemitic calls for Jewish genocide as harassment is a “context-dependent decision” are wrong. They argue that hate is hate, rape is rape, and harassment is harassment, and they’re correct. There is context that matters when it comes to understanding the attacks against Israel, the subsequent war that Israel is waging in Gaza, and the antisemitic calls being voiced around the world. The context is the history of persecution that Jews have faced for over 2,000 years and the need for a Jewish state to protect the Jewish people from further persecution and attacks. Oct. 7 was hardly the first time that the Jewish people and the State of Israel were attacked. Like any nation, the Jewish people have the right to defend themselves and their country. These are the tenets of Zionism and the only context that matters when understanding the war in Gaza. The writer is a Zionist educator at institutions around the world and recently published a new book, Zionism Today. ...قراءة المزيد

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