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Canada’s crackdown on online antisemitism is an example worth following, says the Jewish head of Australia’s Online Hate Prevention Institute
“Antisemitism 2.0.”
That’s what Andre Oboler, CEO of Australia’s Online Hate Prevention Institute, calls what is happening on online social media platforms today.
“Prior to 2008, it did not exist because the platforms did not exist,” he said. “It’s a different world today.”
Oboler, who was in Winnipeg January 27-28 to speak about online antisemitism at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, spoke with The CJN about the growing threat of online antisemitism in Australia and around the world.
Since Oct. 7, his institute, which monitors online hate, has seen a 400 percent rise in antisemitism on social media platforms.
“The biggest increases are in the platforms dominated by the far right,” he said. “But it is growing everywhere.”
While the Australian government and police forces are actively addressing antisemitic attacks on synagogues and Jewish schools and businesses, they dedicate almost no time or effort to online antisemitism, he said.
On this day 13 years ago the @OnlineHate Prevention Institute was founded. pic.twitter.com/7skyXzt4Jn
— Andre Oboler (@oboler) January 23, 2025
Oberler, who is Jewish, appreciates those responses—he understands the fear being felt by the 117,000 or so Jews in Australia. “There is an antisemitic act somewhere in the country almost on a daily basis now,” he said.
In January, police in Sydney reported they foiled a possible antisemitic attack when a trailer with explosives was discovered. Cars and homes have also been vandalized with swastikas and other graffiti.
But those physical manifestations of antisemitism are made possible by the hate people see online, he added.
“Antisemitism online normalizes it,” he said, noting this is also of concern to Muslims in Australia. “People become conditioned to accept it.”
While governments in Australia are increasing the physical security for the Jewish community, they aren’t doing much about what is happening online. “Nothing is being done to address hate towards whole communities on social media,” he stated.
The Australian Jewish community is also not taking the challenge seriously, he said, noting they are more focused on antisemitism in mainstream media. While that’s important, the mainstream media is not where most younger people get their news and information, he said.
“The impact of social media on those people is not fully recognized by the community,” Oboler said.
The social media platforms aren’t much help either, since they have become reliant on artificial intelligence to decide what is hateful and what isn’t.
“Many times it decides it isn’t hate speech when it’s clearly antisemitic,” he said, adding the only recourse is try to connect with an human being to draw attention to the hateful posts.
In 2023, Facebook and Instagram stopped allowing links to news stories in protest of Bill C-18, the Online News Act, which mandated that digital companies pay news organizations when readers reach a link to a news story.
The recent decrease in fact-checking at Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, only makes the challenge even greater, Oboler said.
For this reason, the Facebook ban on posting news from mainstream media outlets in Canada is “ridiculous,” he stated.
“There’s no block on sharing disinformation and hate, but there’s a ban on professional journalism that can correct disinformation and counter hate,” he said.
Oboler praised the Online Harms Act, which the Liberal government had proposed before Parliament was prorogued.
The act, which has died on the Order Paper in the House of Commons due to prorogation, sought to hold online platforms accountable for harmful content and require them to create safety measures to protect users.
The bill had been criticized by the Opposition Conservatives for curbing free speech and adding a costly layer of bureaucracy.
For Oboler, the proposed legislation is a model for Australia to follow—and he hopes it can be resurrected in the future in Canada.
Ben Carr, Liberal MP for Winnipeg South Centre, isn’t sure that will happen. “Even if we do go back, I’m not sure the government would survive long enough for it to pass,” he said.
According to David Cooper, vice-president for government relations for the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), the organization remains concerned about online hate directed at Jews in Canada and all other targeted communities.
“While gaps need to be filled in Canada’s legislation, we urge our leaders and authorities to enforce all existing laws to protect Canadians from the impacts of hatred and radicalization,” he said.
The post Canada’s crackdown on online antisemitism is an example worth following, says the Jewish head of Australia’s Online Hate Prevention Institute appeared first on The Canadian Jewish News.
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Trump Should Be Wary of the Mirage in Doha
US President Donald Trump meets with the Emir of Qatar during their bilateral meeting on May 21, 2017, at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Photo: Official White House Photo/Shealah Craighead.
As President Donald Trump prepares for his upcoming visit to Doha — the first by a sitting US president in more than two decades — he enters a carefully staged production. For Qatar, this is not just diplomacy; it’s branding.
Trump’s presence lends prestige, legitimacy, and a headline-grabbing affirmation of Qatar’s role on the global stage. But behind the polished welcome and rehearsed talking points, lies a regime whose actions often contradict its polished image.
Qatar has spent years cultivating influence not only in the Middle East, but across American institutions. Its strategy is subtle but pervasive. Billions have flowed from Doha into elite US universities, think tanks, lobbying firms, and real estate. Qatar is not merely investing in buildings or research — it’s investing in narrative control. From Ivy League campuses to policy roundtables in Washington, Qatari money shapes conversations, funds sympathetic analysis, and quietly steers public discourse in ways that protect its interests. This is soft power with sharp consequences.
In foreign policy, Qatar plays all sides. It hosts the largest US air base in the region, while maintaining open relationships with the Taliban, Hamas, and Iranian proxies. It markets itself as a mediator, yet many of the conflicts it “mediates” are ones in which it has a direct stake.
Its state-funded media outlet, Al Jazeera, speaks the language of press freedom while pushing deeply polarizing content across the region. These contradictions are not accidents — they are part of a broader strategy to appear indispensable to every player while being accountable to none. Trump, who built his political rise on challenging the foreign policy establishment and calling out global hypocrisy, should approach this visit with clear eyes.
He understands the cost of being used by regimes that speak the language of partnership while pursuing their own agendas behind closed doors. The president’s base expects candor, not ceremony. If this trip is to reflect the “America First” principles that Trump championed, it must not devolve into a PR victory for a country that has long evaded scrutiny.
Qatar’s defenders often point to its utility: its role in negotiating hostage releases, its open channels to groups no one else will speak to, its deep financial ties to the West. But utility is not the same as alignment. Hosting US troops does not entitle a regime to impunity. Providing access does not absolve complicity. Qatar’s ongoing ties to Hamas, framed as pragmatic diplomacy, have done little to disrupt the cycle of violence in Gaza. Its outreach to Iran has served its own hedging strategy, not American stability. These are not alliances — they are wagers.
This visit offers Trump the chance to reset expectations. He does not need to provoke or insult his hosts, but he must be direct. What has Qatar done to earn the deepening of strategic ties? Has it reined in the ideological extremism enabled by its networks? Has it improved transparency in its financial systems? Has it addressed legitimate concerns about its influence over American educational and policymaking institutions?
These are not hostile questions — they are the basic inquiries any serious leader should ask before elevating a partner.
Moreover, Trump must recognize how this visit will be used by Doha — not just regionally, but in Western capitals and media. Qatar excels at turning symbolism into leverage. A handshake becomes a headline, a summit becomes a signal. Trump’s image is powerful, and the Qataris know that projecting friendship with him bolsters their credibility far beyond the Gulf. But friendship requires mutual honesty, not staged harmony. If the visit glosses over core contradictions, it sends the wrong message — not just to Qatar, but to other authoritarian states watching closely.
While this trip is not focused on Israel, the implications are inescapable. Qatar’s longstanding support for Hamas — and its ambiguous stance toward normalization — reflect a broader refusal to take a definitive stand on peace. Its aid to Gaza, while framed as humanitarian, often functions as leverage over a population held hostage by its rulers. Trump does not need to lecture his hosts on Israel policy, but he must not ignore the regional impact of Qatar’s actions either. Any meaningful US-Qatar partnership must include a commitment to ending double-dealing with violent actors.
Qatar is not just a small Gulf state with money — it is a global operator with a sophisticated PR engine and an appetite for influence. From campus lecture halls to Capitol Hill, its footprint in American life is larger than most citizens realize. That influence deserves scrutiny, not celebration. Trump’s visit should be used to clarify boundaries, not blur them.
This moment gives Trump a choice: lend his brand to a carefully choreographed narrative, or reaffirm the disruptive clarity that has defined his foreign policy. Qatar needs Trump more than Trump needs Qatar. That leverage should be used not to flatter, but to demand more — more transparency, more accountability, and more alignment with the values that the US claims to defend.
Amine Ayoub, a fellow at the Middle East Forum, is a policy analyst and writer based in Morocco. Follow him on X: @amineayoubx
The post Trump Should Be Wary of the Mirage in Doha first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Exposed: The AP Sells Pictures By Photojournalist Identified as Hamas Terrorist, Kissed by Sinwar
Yahya Sinwar, head of the Palestinian terror group Hamas in Gaza, in Gaza City on April 14, 2023. Photo: Yousef Masoud / SOPA Images/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect
The Associated Press sells photos by a Gazan photojournalist whom Israel identified as a Hamas terrorist, an HonestReporting investigation revealed on Tuesday, in what legal experts say may be considered material/financial support of a designated foreign terrorist organization in violation of US law that prohibits such conduct.
Hassan Eslaiah was targeted and wounded in an Israeli strike on southern Gaza in early April, with the IDF publicly identifying him as a member of the Hamas Khan Younis Brigade who has been posing as a journalist.
This should have come as no surprise to the AP, which officially cut ties with the Gazan freelancer after our November 2023 exposé of his infiltration into Israel during the October 7 massacre, which also brought to light a photo of former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar kissing him on the cheek.
However, the agency still offers for sale on its global platform more than 40 photos taken by Eslaiah inside Gaza during October-November 2023. Their prices range between 35 and 495 U.S. dollars.
HonestReporting has reached out to the AP for comment.
Hassan Eslaiah (r) with former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar (l)
Whether Eslaiah still gets royalties when his remaining photos are purchased is unclear, but the credit he gets on a respected news outlet is certainly a reputation booster. And either way, AP can still make money off of his propaganda for Hamas:
Legal Questions
Disturbingly, AP staff seem to have known about Eslaiah’s Hamas links years before October 7, 2023. According to documents released in a US lawsuit in early April, they were worried about his reliability since 2018, but still used his work.
The AP is also the only Western agency that still platforms Eslaiah’s tainted work. Reuters and Getty Images have removed his content due to HonestReporting’s public campaigns, which proved effective even before his confirmation as a Hamas member.
But now, the AP must explain and follow suit. This is no longer just an ethical violation, but possibly also a legal one, particularly if US authorities come to determine that Eslaiah is sufficiently connected to Hamas and/or acts of terrorism.
Legal experts told HonestReporting that in purchasing Eslaiah’s content, the AP may well be in direct violation of anti-terrorism laws or financial sanctions enforced by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). These laws prohibit transactions with entities or individuals that are on terrorism-related lists, and these regulations extend to payments for content or goods. Violation of OFAC sanctions has the potential to result in both civil and criminal penalties, including hefty fines and possible imprisonment. Purchasing the material and continuing to publish Eslaiah’s work, with direct attribution, may also be a violation of Section 2339B of Title 18 of the United States Code, which makes it a federal crime to knowingly provide material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization.
In December 2023, following HonestReporting’s exposure of photojournalists who infiltrated Israel on October 7, 14 state attorneys general wrote a letter to The New York Times, AP, CNN, and Reuters calling them out for using hires with ties to Hamas and reminding them that providing material support to terrorists and terror organizations is a crime.
The letter specifically mentions the case of Hassan Eslaiah and ends by calling on the media outlets to “ensure that you are taking all necessary steps to prevent your organizations from contracting with members of terror organizations. We urge you in the strongest terms to take care that your hiring practices conform to the laws forbidding material support for terror organizations.”
Subsequently, it may be time for US Attorney General Pam Bondi to take an interest.
The AP is based in New York. Will the Attorney General consider the possibility that, despite this warning, the AP may have been providing material support for a terrorist organization, even by continuing to feature the “work” of an alleged Hamas member who may have used it as a cover?
We think the answer is clear, if not legally, then morally. The AP should do the right thing, apologize, and remove all of Eslaiah’s content, unless they want to continue being associated with a terror-linked “journalist.”
HonestReporting is a Jerusalem-based media watchdog with a focus on antisemitism and anti-Israel bias — where a version of this article first appeared.
The post Exposed: The AP Sells Pictures By Photojournalist Identified as Hamas Terrorist, Kissed by Sinwar first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Anti-Israel Singer Kehlani’s NYC Concert Gets Cancelled After Mayor Faces Pressure
Kehlani walking on the red carpet during the 67th Grammy Awards held at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA on Feb. 2, 2025. Photo: Elyse Jankowski/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect
An upcoming New York City concert featuring Israel-hating, American singer Kehlani was canceled late Monday after organizers faced mounting pressure from New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
The webpage for the “Pride With Kehlani” benefit concert has also removed from the website of the City Parks Foundation. The privately-funded non-profit organization was hosting the performance, set for June 26 in Central Park, as part of its SummerStage festival series and in celebration of June being Pride Month. The concert was being produced and presented by Live Nation, which reportedly selected Kehlani for the performance.
SummerStage released a statement on Monday explaining its decision to call off Kehlani’s performance. According to the statement, the mayor’s office contacted concert organizers and expressed concerns about “safety and security issues” at the event, especially in light of Cornell University’s recent decision to cancel a performance by Kehlani, “as well as security demands in Central Park and throughout the City for other Pride events during that same time period.”
“We strongly and emphatically believe in artistic expression of all kinds. However, the safety and security of our guests and artists is the utmost importance and in light of these concerns, the concert has been cancelled,” SummerStage said. “SummerStage is proud to be a platform for artists from around the world to perform and make arts accessible for all New Yorkers in their neighborhood parks. While artists may choose to express their own opinions, their views may not necessarily be representative of the festival. SummerStage events are intended to bring together all sectors of the New York City community and we look forward to welcoming more guests throughout the summer.”
Mayor Adams’ administration also threatened to pull the licenses for all SummerStage shows if Kehlani’s concert was not canceled, according to a letter sent to the City Parks Foundation that was obtained by New York Post.
Kehlani released a music video last year that opens with the message “Long live the Intifada,” a phrase that incites violence against Israel and the Jewish community. She has attended pro-Palestinian rallies, accused Israel of genocide, and shared numerous anti-Israel and anti-Zionist posts on social media. In one Instagram post, she wrote: “Dismantle Israel. Eradicate Zionism.” She also shared on social media a post that called for Israel to be removed off the map and replaced with “Palestine.” Kehlani recently claimed that she is not antisemitic.
“I am not antisemitic, nor anti-Jew. I am anti-genocide. I am anti-the-actions-of-the-Israeli-government,” she stated in a video posted on Instagram and TikTok.
Congressman Ritchie Torres, who pushed Mayor Adams to take action and have Kehlani’s Central Park concert canceled, applauded the move by SummerStage to call off the show. “Antisemitism becomes unacceptable only when we, as a society, have the courage to reject it—clearly, consistently, and without compromise,” he wrote on X.
SummerStage is the city’s largest free outdoor performing arts festival. It presents more than 80 free and benefit concerts each summer.
Kehlani has not publicly responded to the cancellation of her New York City concert.
The post Anti-Israel Singer Kehlani’s NYC Concert Gets Cancelled After Mayor Faces Pressure first appeared on Algemeiner.com.