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British deputy prime minister: Activists haven’t communicated that ‘Jewish lives matter’
(JTA) — Liberal activists have not stated with “moral clarity” that “Jewish lives matter” in the wake of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, Britain’s deputy prime minister said during a television appearance on Sunday.
“I have to say to you that I am a bit disappointed, that if you look at the moral indignation and the clarity that we saw after the murder of George Floyd in the United States with the Black Lives Matter movement, we haven’t seen, across civic society, the same kind of moral clarity showing that Jewish lives matter,” Oliver Dowden said on a Sky News show.
“I think that is a cause of hurt to the Jewish community and it is something that disappoints me as well,” he added.
Dowden also represents the Hertsmere constituency outside of London in Parliament, a district with one of Britain’s largest Jewish populations. He told host Trevor Phillips that “that community are fearful right now,” especially in response to massive pro-Palestinian protests in London and other cities that he said have been intimidating to British Jews.
Phillips asked if Dowden was saying “Jews don’t count,” a phrase popularized by British-Jewish comedian David Baddiel.
“I think there is lot of hate in those marches. when you have people chanting ‘jihad, jihad’ or ‘from the river to the sea,’ that is intended to send intimidation,” Dowden said, referencing a term used by some pro-Palestinian activists that is widely interpreted as a call for the complete removal of Israel.
He added that many Jewish students do not feel safe on campus right now in the United Kingdom.
“Now that is not an acceptable state of affairs,” Dowden said.
Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets of London in recent weeks to protest Israel’s bombing of Gaza in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks. Six people were arrested at one on Saturday for disorderly conduct, including throwing fireworks at police, and “racially motivated crimes,” according to the BBC.
Dowden expressed “grave concern” for an upcoming pro-Palestinian rally planned in London next weekend that will coincide with the commemoration of Armistice Day, a tribute to the end of World War I. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and others in his government have called the timing of the rally “disrespectful” but have stopped short of calling for its ban.
Dowden also discussed his government’s efforts to rescue British nationals trapped in Gaza. He said 100 Brits crossed into Egypt in recent days and more could follow. British nationals are also believed to be among the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
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The post British deputy prime minister: Activists haven’t communicated that ‘Jewish lives matter’ appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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Putin Speaks to Trump, Condemns Israel’s Strikes on Iran, Kremlin Says
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian meet in Moscow, Russia, Jan. 17, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke to US President Donald Trump for 50 minutes on Saturday, condemning the Israeli military operation against Iran and expressing concern about the risks of escalation, the Kremlin said.
“Vladimir Putin condemned Israel’s military operation against Iran and expressed serious concern about a possible escalation of the conflict, which would have unpredictable consequences for the entire situation in the Middle East,” Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters.
Trump, for his part, described events in the Middle East as “very alarming,” according to Ushakov. But the two leaders said they do not rule out a return to the negotiating track on Iran’s nuclear program, Ushakov said.
On Ukraine, Putin told the US leader that Russia was ready to continue negotiations with the Ukrainians after June 22, according to state news agency RIA.
Trump reiterated his interest in a speedy resolution to the conflict, the Kremlin aide said.
Putin also congratulated Trump on his 79th birthday.
The post Putin Speaks to Trump, Condemns Israel’s Strikes on Iran, Kremlin Says first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Sunday’s US-Iran Nuclear Talks Cancelled, Oman Says
FILE PHOTO: Oman’s Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi attends a meeting with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia July 11, 2023. Photo: Natalia Kolesnikova/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
The latest round of US-Iran nuclear talks scheduled for Sunday in Muscat will not take place, Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said on X on Saturday. Oman has been mediating the talks.
Albusaidi’s statement came a day after Israel launched a sweeping air offensive against Iran, killing commanders and scientists and bombing nuclear sites in a stated bid to stop it building an atomic weapon.
A senior official of US President Donald Trump’s administration, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed Sunday’s talks had been cancelled.
Washington, however, remained committed to the negotiations and hoped “the Iranians will come to the table soon,” the official said.
The post Sunday’s US-Iran Nuclear Talks Cancelled, Oman Says first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Iran Says Talks with US ‘Meaningless’ After Israel Attack, But Yet to Decide on Attending
USA and Iranian flags are seen in this illustration taken, Sept. 8, 2022. Photo: REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
Iran said the dialogue with the US over Tehran’s nuclear program is “meaningless” after Israel’s biggest-ever military strike against its longstanding enemy, but said it is yet to decide on whether to attend planned talks on Sunday.
“The other side (the US) acted in a way that makes dialogue meaningless. You cannot claim to negotiate and at the same time divide work by allowing the Zionist regime (Israel) to target Iran’s territory,” state media on Saturday quoted foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei as saying.
“It is still unclear what decision we will make on Sunday in this regard,” Baghaei was quoted as saying.
He said Israel “succeeded in influencing” the diplomatic process and the Israeli attack would not have happened without Washington’s permission, accusing Washington of supporting the attack.
Iran earlier accused the US of being complicit in Israel’s attacks, but Washington denied the allegation and told Tehran at the United Nations Security Council that it would be “wise” to negotiate over its nuclear program.
The sixth round of US-Iran nuclear talks was set to be held on Sunday in Muscat, but it was unclear whether it would go ahead after the Israeli strikes.
Iran denies that its uranium enrichment program is for anything other than civilian purposes, rejecting Israeli allegations that it is secretly developing nuclear weapons.
US President Donald Trump told Reuters that he and his team had known the Israeli attacks were coming but they still saw room for an accord.
The post Iran Says Talks with US ‘Meaningless’ After Israel Attack, But Yet to Decide on Attending first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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