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A Hanukkah Lesson for Modern-Day Israel: Internal Divisions Can Destroy Our State
The “Hanukkah Forever” postage stamp is unveiled at Temple Emanu El in Orange Village, Ohio, on Oct. 20, 2022. Second from left is designer Jeanette Kuvin Oren. Credit: Courtesy Jeanette Kuvin Oren.
Hanukkah, celebrated annually on the 25th of Kislev, preserves the historical memory of the dramatic events of 164 BCE. That year, Judah the Maccabee purified the Temple and restored Jewish worship to the center of the national life.
However, the holiday did not mark the end of our struggle for independence — but rather one of its early high points. In reality, the journey to full Jewish independence required another 20 years of fighting and diplomacy. During this time, Judah the Maccabee fell in battle, but not before forging a historic alliance with Rome.
Ultimate independence was achieved by Judah’s brother, Simon, in 142 BCE. Simon not only secured the independence of Judea, but also established the illustrious Hasmonean dynasty, which ruled the Jewish kingdom for 79 years.
The peak of the Hasmonean reign occurred during the rule of Queen Alexandra (Shlomtzion), whose era brought relative cultural and economic prosperity to the kingdom. However, this prosperity was short-lived. After her death, a bloody succession war erupted between her sons, Hyrcanus and Aristobulus, and their supporters. This fratricidal conflict marked the swan song of the Hasmonean kingdom, culminating in Roman intervention and the end of Judea’s independence in 63 BCE.
Hanukkah is not just a story of liberation from foreign oppression; it is also a lesson in internal unity and a warning against domestic divisions. During the Hasmonean period, civil strife tore the nation apart from within, providing the Romans with an opportunity to seize control of the kingdom.
Similarly, today, the State of Israel, celebrating 76 years of independence, faces challenges that threaten its internal cohesion.
For example, the issue of drafting ultra-Orthodox Jews into the IDF raises questions about equality in sharing the burden and the balance between religion and state. Judicial reform debates spark contentious arguments about the character of Israeli democracy versus its judicial system. Settlements and disagreements over the establishment of a commission of inquiry into the events of October 7th further strain the public sphere.
Yet the October 7th tragedy also underscored the necessity of unity. These events exposed our vulnerabilities but also our strength as a nation, when we awaken to the dangers of internal divisions and the need to stand united against external threats.
Hanukkah is not merely a historical memory; it is a warning sign and a call to action. It reminds us that our independence should never be taken for granted, and that internal threats can be as dangerous as external enemies.
From the Hasmonean struggles, we learned that prosperity and national security depend on unity. The era of Queen Alexandra demonstrated the achievements possible through cooperation, while the civil war that followed illustrated the destructive power of division.
Today, as we face challenges from within and without, we must remember this lesson. The events of October 7th sharpened the focus on the need for national unity in confronting our enemies. If we fail to learn from history, we risk repeating its mistakes. We must set aside our differences and remember our shared goal: preserving the national home for us all.
May we draw wisdom from the past, strengthen the bonds between the diverse segments of our society, and work together for a better and safer future. Like the Hasmoneans, may we continue building our state with faith, hope, and love. Wishing all of Israel a joyous Hanukkah, and may we always remain one victorious family.
Itamar Tzur is an Israeli scholar and Middle East expert who holds a Bachelor’s degree with honors in Jewish History and a Master’s degree with honors in Middle Eastern Studies. As a senior member of the “Forum Kedem for Middle Eastern Studies and Public Diplomacy”. Tzur leverages his academic expertise to enhance understanding of regional dynamics and historical contexts within the Middle East.
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Minneapolis Mayoral Candidate Omer Fatah Criticized Israel After Oct. 7, Accused Jewish State of ‘Genocide’ in Gaza
State Senator Omar Fateh announces his candidacy for Minneapolis mayor during a press conference at City Hall, surrounded by supporters holding campaign signs.
Minneapolis mayoral candidate and Democratic Socialist Omar Fateh, who recently secured the Democratic–Farmer–Labor (DFL) Party’s endorsement for mayor of Minneapolis, is drawing scrutiny over his statements regarding Israel amid a heated mayoral campaign.
Fateh’s victory at the DFL convention shattered expectations when he amassed a majority of delegate votes, surpassing incumbent Mayor Jacob Frey, who is Jewish. Moreover, Fateh’s unexpected victory has also drawn fresh attention towards his views on Israel-Palestine.
Following the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attacks on Israel, Fateh published a letter that was broadly critical of the Jewish state and called for an “immediate ceasefire.” Fateh drew an equivalency between Israel’s defensive military operations and the Hamas slaughter of 1200 people and abduction of 250 others.
“ I am overwhelmed with sorrow for the victims of this violence as well as anger towards both the Israeli Government and Hamas who have senselessly injured and killed thousands of people in a matter of days,” Fateh wrote.
“In the aftermath of the most deadly Hamas attack in Israeli history, which resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Israeli civilians, we have seen Israel respond with horrifying acts of violence and deprivation against the Palestinians of Gaza as well as an uptick in settler violence in the West Bank. Since the Hamas attacks, Israel has cut off water, power, fuel, food, and medicine to over two million people,” Fateh continued.
Critics also point to a protest vote Fateh cast in the March 2024 Minnesota presidential primary. He chose “uncommitted” rather than supporting President Joe Biden, citing dissatisfaction with the administration’s position on Israel’s conflict with Hamas. He warned the Democratic party that unless policy shifts dramatically on Israel, progressive ballots wouldn’t be guaranteed.
“With deep remorse for the actions of our country’s federal government, which shows no signs of wavering in its commitment to unconditional military and political support for Israel’s genocide in Palestine, announcing that I will be voting uncommitted on Super Tuesday,” Fateh wrote on X/Twitter.
Fateh and his supporters rebut these allegations, arguing his positions stem from advocacy for equitable policy and human rights, rather than animus toward Jewish people or Israel as a state.
Jewish and moderate voters have expressed concern that Fateh’s positions might undermine communal trust or openness to diverse city constituencies. At the same time, progressive activists and Somali-American communities, a key component of his support base, see his positions as principled and grounded in solidarity with marginalized groups.
Fateh’s growing influence in Minneapolis politics comes amidst Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani’s political ascent in New York City. Recent polls suggest that the success of the two Democratic Socialists point to a possible generational shift within the Democratic party which is increasingly shaped by left-wing views on economics and Israel.
The Minneapolis general election is set for November 4, 2025.
The post Minneapolis Mayoral Candidate Omer Fatah Criticized Israel After Oct. 7, Accused Jewish State of ‘Genocide’ in Gaza first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Cruz Introduces Bill to Counter Violent Antisemitic and Anti-ICE Protest Groups
US Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) speaking at a press conference about the United States restricting weapons for Israel, at the US Capitol, Washington, DC. Photo: Michael Brochstein/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect
Legislation introduced in the Senate on Tuesday by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) would empower Department of Justice prosecutors to use rioting as part of RICO (racketeering) charges to disrupt organizations fueling violence at college protests and demonstrations against President Donald Trump’s mass deportation policies.
Cruz described how the Stop Financial Underwriting of Nefarious Demonstrations and Extremist Riots (Stop FUNDERs) Act intended to target international threats.
“Every American has the right to freedom of speech and peaceful protest, but not to commit violence. Domestic NGOs and foreign adversaries fund and use riots in the United States to undermine the security and prosperity of Americans,” Cruz said. “My legislation will give the Department of Justice the tools it needs to hold them accountable, and I urge colleagues to pass it expeditiously.”
Elevating the organization of violent protest riots to a RICO offense will enable joint liability and group prosecution, conspiracy charges, asset forfeiture, and enhanced criminal penalties, according to its proponents.
Co-sponsors of the bill include Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Josh Hawley (R- Mo.).
“Radical, left-wing groups who fund acts of violence, coordinate attacks against law enforcement, and spearhead the destruction of property must be stopped.” Cornyn said. “This legislation would add rioting to the list of racketeering offenses to crack down on this lawless behavior while ensuring the First Amendment rights of free speech and peaceful protest are protected.”
Last year, schools saw anti-Israel campus protests that in some cases devolved into riots, including at University of Texas at Austin, University of Florida, Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania and California State University, Los Angeles.
On Thursday, Cruz put forward another bill intended to counter domestic subversion by radical organizations. He reintroduced the Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act of 2025 which would designate as a terrorist group the Islamist fountainhead founded by Hassan al-Banna in 1928, triggering the ability for the government to freeze assets, ban visas, and make support for the organization illegal.
Domestic groups associated with the Muslim Brotherhood such as the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Muslim American Society (MAS) may also face increased government investigations. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, and Austria have already criminalized the Muslim Brotherhood.
In 2014, the UAE designated CAIR and MAS as terrorist organizations due to their roots in the Muslim Brotherhood.
On Friday, Cruz wrote on X, “The Muslim Brotherhood is a terrorist organization. American allies in the Middle East and Europe have already labeled the Brotherhood a terrorist organization, and the United States should do the same. Let’s get this done.”
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Europe Sees Sharp Rise in Attacks Targeting Israelis Amid Growing Antisemitism
Anti-Israel protesters march in Germany, March 26, 2025. Photo: Sebastian Willnow/dpa via Reuters Connect
Across Europe, Israelis are facing a disturbing surge of targeted attacks and hostility, as a wave of antisemitic incidents — from violent assaults and vandalism to protests and legal actions — spreads amid rising tensions following recent conflicts in the Middle East.
On Wednesday, a group of Israeli teenagers was physically assaulted by dozens of pro-Palestinian assailants — some reportedly armed with knives — on the Greek island of Rhodes.
This latest antisemitic incident took place after the Israeli teens left a nightclub, when a group of pro-Palestinian individuals followed them to their hotel and violently attacked them, leaving several with minor injuries.
According to police reports, the group of 20 Israeli tourists were seen shouting pro-Israel slogans at a bar, which provoked a response from around 10 pro-Palestinian supporters who began calling them “murderers.”
This latest attack came less than a day after pro-Palestinian protests at the port of another Greek island, Syros, forced an Israeli cruise ship to cancel its stop, leaving around 1,600 Israeli passengers stranded and raising safety concerns.
Around 300 protesters gathered at the dock, waving Palestinian flags and holding banners reading “Stop the Genocide” and “No AC [Air Conditioning] in Hell,” while chanting antisemitic slogans.
Last week in Athens, a group of pro-Palestinian activists vandalized an Israeli restaurant, shouting antisemitic slurs and spray-painting graffiti with slogans such as “No Zionist is safe here.”
The attackers also posted a sign on one of the restaurant’s windows that read, “All IDF soldiers are war criminals — we don’t want you here,” referring to the Israel Defense Forces.
Since the Hamas-led invasion of and massacre across southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, antisemitic incidents have surged to alarming levels across Europe. This recent attack is just one of the latest in a wave of anti-Jewish hate crimes that Greece and other countries have witnessed in recent months.
In Switzerland, a series of antisemitic attacks in Davos, a town located in the eastern Swiss Alps, has caused significant concern and outrage within the local Jewish community.
Jonathan Kreutner, secretary general of the Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities (SIG), informed the newspaper Jüdische Allgemeine of three incidents believed to have been carried out by the same individual.
Local law enforcement is now investigating an unidentified assailant who verbally harassed a Jewish couple at a local store in Davos, spat on them, and physically attacked them in an attempt to force them out.
This same individual is alleged to have later spat on another elderly Jewish couple and insulted a Jewish person on a bus while making threatening hand gestures.
In Germany, four masked individuals vandalized a Jewish restaurant in Freiburg, southwest of the country, on Monday by throwing eggs at its windows and inside the premises.
In Berlin, the planned launch event for a new restaurant by Israeli chef Eyal Shani and entrepreneur Shahar Segal was canceled over the weekend amid an anti-Israel protest.
The restaurant Gila and Nancy, originally set to open this week, will now launch in about three weeks following a surge of online campaigns and boycott calls targeting Israeli-owned businesses.
In Belgium, two IDF soldiers were arrested and interrogated by local authorities following a complaint filed by the Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF), an anti-Israel legal organization dedicated to pursuing legal action against IDF personnel.
According to HRF, the soldiers attending the Tomorrowland music festival were accused of involvement in war crimes.
The organization said they were seen waving the flags of the IDF’s Givati Brigade, which has been “involved in the systematic destruction of civilian infrastructure in Gaza and in carrying out mass atrocities against the Palestinian population.”
In France, airport authorities acknowledged a breach of protocol earlier this month after a staff member was filmed chanting “free Palestine” while inspecting passports, reportedly of passengers from Israel.
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