Connect with us

RSS

Hamas Rejects US-Egyptian-Qatari Invite to Ceasefire Talks

Hamas leader and Oct. 7 pogrom mastermind Yahya Sinwar addressing a rally in Gaza. Photo: Reuters/braheem Abu Mustafa

JNS.org — The Hamas terrorist group on Sunday announced that it will not attend a final round of negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release agreement set for this Thursday.

Israel immediately accepted last week’s invitation by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar to attend the meeting, which is to take place in either Cairo or Doha. Despite Hamas deciding not to send representatives to the talks, the mediators are still planning on holding them, Kan News reported.

In its official statement, Hamas said, “The movement calls on the mediators to present a plan to implement what was agreed upon by the movement on July 2, 2024, based on [US President Joe] Biden’s vision and the UN Security Council resolution.”

The statement went on to say that the mediators “should enforce this on the occupation [Israel] instead of pursuing further rounds of negotiations or new proposals that would provide cover for the occupation’s aggression and grant it more time to continue its genocide against our people.”

A senior Israeli official involved in the negotiations told Axios that the Hamas statement is “a tactical move ahead of a possible attack by Iran and Hezbollah and in an attempt to get better terms for the deal.”

The official added: “If Hamas won’t come to the table, we will continue decimating their forces in Gaza.”

The Hamas announcement comes after Israeli sources told CNN on Sunday that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar has indicated to Egyptian and Qatari mediators that the terrorist group is interested in ending the 10-month war sparked by the Hamas-led invasion of the northwestern Negev on Oct. 7.

Biden said during an interview with CBS News on Sunday that he believes that a Gaza ceasefire is still possible before he leaves office.

“Yes. It’s still possible. The plan I put together, endorsed by the G7, endorsed by the UN Security Council, et cetera, is still viable. And I’m working literally every single day — and my whole team — to see to it that it doesn’t escalate into a regional war. But it easily can,” the president said.

The threat of a wider war is at its highest point since the Oct. 7 massacre, with both Iran and Hezbollah vowing to attack Israel after the killings two weeks ago of Hamas terror leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah senior commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut.

Amid concern about a regional conflagration, Israel’s Channel 12 reported that US officials are pushing their Israeli counterparts to finalize a deal as soon as possible.

US, Egyptian, and Qatari leaders released a statement on Aug. 8 calling jointly for an immediate conclusion to talks between Israel and Hamas about a ceasefire and hostage release agreement.

“It is time to bring immediate relief both to the long-suffering people of Gaza as well as the long-suffering hostages and their families,” the three stated. “The time has come to conclude the ceasefire and hostages and detainees release deal.”

The statement, signed by Biden, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, called on both sides to resume urgent talks on Aug. 15 in either Doha or Cairo.

The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office stated almost immediately that it would send a negotiating delegation next Thursday. “Pursuant to the proposal by the US and the mediators, Israel will — on Aug. 15 — send the negotiations team to a place to be determined in order to finalize the details of the implementation of the framework agreement,” it said.

The post Hamas Rejects US-Egyptian-Qatari Invite to Ceasefire Talks first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

Continue Reading

RSS

‘Explode Everything’: Jordanian Charged for Threats to Bomb US Businesses Perceived to Support Israel

An American flag waves outside the US Department of Justice Building in Washington, DC. Photo: Al Drago via Reuters Connect

US law enforcement officials have arrested and charged a Jordanian national who allegedly attacked an energy facility and threatened to bomb businesses that he deemed supportive of Israel, the Justice Department announced on Thursday.

According to federal prosecutors, the alleged crimes of Hashem Younis Hashem Hnaihen, 43, began earlier this summer, with his vandalizing small businesses in Orange County, Florida, and leaving “Warning Letters” addressed to the US government in which he vowed to “destroy or explode everything here in America. Especially the companies and factories that support the racist state of Israel.”

As other anti-Israel agitators have done, Hnaihen concealed his face with a mask, which complicated efforts to identify him.

In late June, according to the Justice Department, Hnaihen breached an energy facility in Wedgefield, Florida, where he “smashed” scores of solar panels and damaged other “electronic equipment.” The spree of infrastructure sabotage lasted “for hours,” the department added, destroying $700,000 worth of technology. In his last alleged act, in early July, Hnaihen left a final warning letter at an industrial propane gas distribution depot located in the city of Orlando. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department arrested him on July 11.

“We allege that the defendant threatened to carry out hate-fueled mass violence in our country, motivated in part by a desire to target businesses for their perceived support of Israel,” US Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement on Thursday. “Such acts and threats of violence, whether they are targeting the places that Americans frequent every day or our country’s critical infrastructure, are extremely dangerous and will not be tolerated by the Justice Department.”

FBI Director Christopher Wray added,” Violence and destruction of property to threaten and intimidate others will never be tolerated. The FBI and our partners will work together to pursue and hold accountable those who resort to violence.”

Hnaihen faces five charges, four related to his threatening letters and one for wreaking havoc on the energy facility, crimes for which he may, if convicted, spend the rest of his natural life in prison. His “Warning Letters” alone, each of which carries 10-year maximum sentences, would keep him behind bars for 40 years, at which time he will be an octogenarian. His fifth charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

The 43 year old is not the first person whose alleged anti-Israel or anti-Jewish actions prompted the involvement of the federal government.

On Monday, the Justice Department announced that former Cornell University student Patrick Dai, who threatened to perpetrate heinous crimes against members of the school’s Jewish community after Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre across southern Israel, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison.

Last October, Dai raised the possibility of antisemitic violence at Cornell when he posted several statements calling for murdering Jews and raping Jewish women on a popular social media forum. In addition to threatening the lives of Cornell’s 3,500 Jewish students, who are 22 percent of the school’s student population, the posts threatened an attack on a campus kosher dining hall — named 104West  — affiliated with the Steven K. And Winifred A. Grinspoon Hillel Center.

“Gonna shoot up 104 west… Allahu akbar! from the river to the sea, palestine will be free! glory to hamas! liberation by any means necessary!” one of his posts said. Another read, “If I see a pig male jew i will stab you and slit your throat. if i see another pig female jew i will drag you away and rape you and throw you off a cliff. if i see another pig baby jew i will behead you in front of your parents [sic].”

The Justice Department said Dai also vowed to “bring an assault rifle to campus and shoot all you pig Jews.”

“The defendant’s threats terrorized the Cornell campus community for days and shattered the community’s sense of safety,” Carla Freedman, US attorney for the Northern District of New York, said in a statement on Monday. “My office will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute threats and acts of violence motivated by antisemitism and hatred of any kind.”

Follow Dion J. Pierre @DionJPierre.

The post ‘Explode Everything’: Jordanian Charged for Threats to Bomb US Businesses Perceived to Support Israel first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

Continue Reading

RSS

Israeli father uses his daughter’s experiences with cancer to help other families

Fifteen years ago, Oded Grinstein’s infant daughter Shani was diagnosed with a rare cancer. The doctors in Israel were world-class, and the facilities were state-of-the-art, but there was a lack of experience within the medical system for dealing with this particular cancer. Grinstein and his wife found a doctor at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center […]

The post Israeli father uses his daughter’s experiences with cancer to help other families appeared first on The Canadian Jewish News.

Continue Reading

RSS

Connecticut State Rep. Who Attacked Primary Opponent for Being Jewish Loses by More Than 25 Points

Connecticut state representative Anabel Figueroa. Photo: Screenshot

Connecticut State Rep. Anabel Figueroa lost overwhelmingly in her Democratic primary this week after attacking her opponent for being Jewish.

Figueroa, who was the incumbent in the race and represents parts of the city of Stamford, lost 62.6 percent to 37.4 percent on Tuesday to her Democratic primary challenger Jonathan Jacobson, who is Jewish.

Jacobson’s ethnic background became an issue in the race after Figueroa attacked him for being Jewish.

“The Hispanic vote is going to determine on Aug. 13 who will win to represent or who will continue to represent you,” Figueroa said in a Spanish-language interview filmed on July 28. “We cannot permit a person who is of Jewish origin, of Jewish origin, to represent our community. It’s impossible.”

The comments were met with widespread backlash.

The Stamford Democratic City Committee (DCC) called on Figueroa to resign.

“The use of this blatant antisemitic and anti-democratic language is abhorrent, unacceptable, and contrary to our shared values as Democrats,” it wrote in a statement. “The sentiments expressed by Representative Figueroa in that video contradict the statement she issued yesterday in response to the antisemitic Facebook post shared by a DCC member, who is also one of her supporters.”

One of Figueroa’s supporters, who is also a member of the Stamford DCC, had reportedly made antisemitic remarks about Jacobson as well.

The statement concluded, “This shameful behavior not only demonstrates a lack of integrity and character but makes Anabel Figueroa unfit to serve in office, and we call on her to resign immediately as a member of the Stamford Democratic City Committee.”

The Connecticut branch of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) wrote on X/Twitter: “Rep Figueroa’s statement was outrageous and her apology equivocal. To accuse Jewish politicians of being unable to represent all constituents is unacceptable.”

In response to the condemnations, Figueroa issued an apology.

“I am deeply sorry to those in the Stamford and Jewish communities that I have offended,” she said. “I have multiple Jewish people working on my campaign, and antisemitism has no place in Stamford — again, I apologize.”

She then explained the original sentiment behind her comments.

“My message is that we need leaders who represent our districts. There is almost no Latino representation in Hartford, and I am currently the only Latina State Representative in Southern Connecticut,” Figueroa said. “There is a strong Latino community in the 148th district, and I will ensure their voice is at the table and never leaves it. This has nothing to do with religion, and as a bilingual speaker, I misspoke when describing my opponent’s background. I am deeply and sincerely sorry.”

Jacobson said the real reason he won the election was not due to her comments, but rather to policy differences.

“Ultimately, her hate, that’s not what lost her the election; her hate is not what won me the election,” he said, according to the New York Times.

The post Connecticut State Rep. Who Attacked Primary Opponent for Being Jewish Loses by More Than 25 Points first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

Continue Reading

Copyright © 2017 - 2023 Jewish Post & News