Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), one of the most strident anti-Israel lawmakers in the US Congress, defeated Don Samuels on Tuesday night in the Democratic primary for Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District.

Omar notched a decisive victory over Samuels, winning the race by roughly 13 percentage points. She received 56.2 percent of the vote compared to Samuels’ 42.9 percent.

“I am incredibly honored by this victory tonight,” Omar said to her supporters at a Minneapolis restaurant on Tuesday night. “I am honored to represent the people who welcomed me and my family as refugees to this incredible state.”

The congresswoman expanded on the margins of her 2022 reelection bid, in which she defeated Samuels by a narrow 2.1 percentage points.

Omar will represent the Democratic Party in the general election, where she will face off against Republican nominee Dalia Al-Aqidi — a pro-Israel, Iraq-born journalist, in November. Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, which comprises Minneapolis and local suburbs, has consistently supported Democrats in the past, and Omar is expected to easily defeat her opponent.

Omar’s victory breaks a losing streak this election cycle for members of the so-called “Squad” — a cohort of progressive, anti-Israel members of the US House of Representatives. Reps. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) and Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) both lost their Democratic primary races to pro-Israel opponents in June and July, respectively.

Notably, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) did not heavily invest financial resources in Tuesday’s election. AIPAC, a major pro-Israel lobbying group, helped oust both Bowman and Bush by financially supporting their opponents. The group spent a staggering $14.5 million and $9 million to defeat Bowman and Bush, respectively.

In the months following Hamas’ slaughter of roughly 1,200 people throughout southern Israel on Oct. 7, the left-wing lawmakers have adopted a more adversarial posture toward the Jewish state. The Democratic electorate has simultaneously grown increasingly less supportive of Israel, according to recent polling.

Both advocates and critics of the Jewish state watched Omar’s race closely, considering it a potential indicator of whether anti-Israel views are still an electoral liability within the Democratic Party.

Since being elected to Congress in 2018, Omar has emerged as a harsh critic of Israel. She has accused the Jewish state of committing “ethnic cleansing” in Gaza and erecting an “apartheid” government in the West Bank. The lawmaker has also publicly declared support for the boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement (BDS), an initiative which seeks to turn the Jewish state into an international pariah as a first step to its eventual destruction.

Omar was among the first members of Congress to call for a ceasefire between Israel and the Hamas terrorist group in Gaza, arguing that the Jewish state’s military operations “indiscriminately” killed Palestinian civilians.

The post US Rep. Ilhan Omar Cruises to Victory in Primary Race, Ending Anti-Israel ‘Squad’ Losing Streak first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

Canada on Sunday officially revoked the charitable status of two Jewish nonprofit organizations that allocate funds to support projects in Israel, including the Jewish National Fund Canada, a move that JNF Canada described as a “wrong and unjustified decision” allegedly influenced by antisemites.

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) made the announcement regarding JNF and the Ne’eman Foundation Canada in notices posted in the Canada Gazette, the government’s official newspaper. CRA said the charities failed to meet parts of Canada’s Income Tax Act but did not elaborate further.

JNF announced in late July that it filed a lawsuit in the Federal Court of Appeal to contest the CRA decision, saying that the agency’s review process “was flawed and fundamentally unfair.” The Jewish group is also arguing that there is “reasonable apprehension of bias” in the audit that CRA conducted. They claim the CRA was pressured by antisemites and anti-Israel activists to revoke the group’s charitable status, and that it “was an important consideration” for the CRA when it decided to take action against the charity.

“As a Zionist-inspired organization, JNF Canada has many vociferous antisemitic detractors who we believe have influenced the decision-making process in this matter,” the nonprofit explained in a released statement. “We believe that arguably there is a reasonable apprehension of bias on the part of the CRA. This evidence of bias comes from the CRA’s own records, which show that the public pressure on the CRA and the Minister of National Revenue to revoke JNF’s status was an important consideration within the chain of authority at the Charities Directorate. A review of the record would leave a reasonable person with the impression that this pressure resulted in a biased decision.”

JNF Canada said it has evidence that the Charities Directorate was monitoring campaigns and comments made by those who are opposed to the group’s support for the Jewish state, specifically the anti-Israel nonprofit organization Independent Jewish Voices Canada (IJV), which has been involved in four complaints against JNF Canada.

“Given the current environment, the CRA’s decision will be seen as a victory for anti-Israel and antisemitic movements and groups,” the pro-Israel group added.

In a Q&A shared on its website on Aug. 1, JNF Canada said CRA claims the Jewish group “has failed to exercise adequate direction and control” over its primary intermediary in Israel, which is Karen Kayemeth Le’Israel (KKL). The Israeli organization focuses on developing the land of Israel “for a sustainable future,” “strengthening the bond between the Jewish people and its homeland,” and “supporting Zionist and environmental education,” according to its website.

In the aftermath of the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre in southern Israel, KKL-JNF provided support to communities impacted by the terrorist attack, raised funds, and bought ambulances and equipment for community emergency squads, The Jerusalem Post reported. KKL-JNF also established a special scholarship program that provided NIS 4,000 (roughly $1,075) to thousands of college students who were living in the Gaza border communities or Sderot at the time of the Oct. 7 attack.

JNF Canada explained that CRA usually takes certain measures, like negotiating compliance agreements or invoking sanctions, before drastically revoking an organization’s charitable status. But, in its dealing with JNF Canada, the CRA “not only skipped steps 1-3, it also refused to enter into a dialogue with us and to entertain our suggestions of new objects for our charity or to discuss a compliance agreement,” the Jewish group said. “We maintain that the CRA erred both in fact and in law and that the process was flawed and unfair, which is why we have ended up in court.”

JNF Canada also maintains that it has addressed CRA’s concerns about its work with KKL by taking steps such as reducing the number of its projects with the group and engaging in a compliant agreement with the Israeli charity.

“KKL works for JNF Canada, just like any other agent that we utilize. JNF Canada selects the projects we wish to support and we always have direction and control over all of the funds as we reimburse expenses upon receipt of valid expense reports. In short, we have addressed the CRA’s concerns.”

JNF Canada’s National President Nathan Disenhouse said in a released statement: “Similar to other charities that support the needs of children, workers, and vulnerable communities we would expect CRA to work with, not against, our charity. Our position is that it is unjust for CRA to revoke a charity because a charitable object that it accepted almost 60 years ago is now no longer considered to be a valid charitable object.”

“It is simply unjust to close a charity supported by over 100,000 Canadians based on reversing a decision the CRA made in 1967,” he continued. “Today’s legal appeal will allow JNF Canada’s concerns to be considered before an impartial legal process.”

Independent Jewish Voices Canada applauded the CRA’s revocation.

“It means Canadian tax money will no longer subsidize the JNF’s illegal support of Israeli apartheid,” the group said. It accused JNF of being compliant in “colonization, occupation and apartheid,” and added that while JNF will appeal the CRA’s decision, “we will again fight every step of the way to make sure they never use this loophole to finance Israeli crimes again.”

The Ne’eman Foundation did not respond to The Algemeiner‘s request for a comment about the CRA’s decision.

According to its website, the Ne’eman Foundation “supports projects that reduce or eliminate poverty, advance education, religion and quality of life, and promote charitable initiatives for community development in Israeli communities.” It provides a “secure financial link” between Israel and Canada and helps Israeli nonprofits build their donor bases in Canada.

With offices in Toronto and Israel, the foundation says it offers Canadians with a wide selection of tax-deductible projects in Israel “that are monitored to guarantee that allocated funds are used accordingly and comply with the requirements of Canadian tax legislation.”

The post Canada Revokes Charity Status of Jewish Nonprofits Supporting Israel first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

During a recent discussion in Florida, two judges delved into International Humanitarian Law and the laws of war from an Israeli perspective, focusing specifically on the October 7 Hamas massacre.

Judge Roy Altman, the youngest District Court judge ever appointed in the Southern District of Florida, and Senior Judge Robert Scola of the Florida Southern District Court, reflected on an educational trip to Israel that included 14 Federal judges. They also discussed the personal impact of witnessing the aftermath of the October 7th massacre, focusing on the historical significance and the power of human resilience.

Judge Altman shared his personal experiences witnessing the tragedy at Kibbutz Be’eri, located three kilometers from the Gaza border. Over 120 homes were damaged or destroyed, resulting in approximately 100 lives lost, and 40 hostages taken from their homes into Gaza. The community had been known for its progressive beliefs in fostering peace by aiding Palestinians through initiatives like offering employment opportunities and medical assistance.

During their visit to Israel, the judges also honored the victims of the Nova festival massacre, and saw the devastation of the attack firsthand. Judge Altman shared a poignant moment when a grieving mother, overwhelmed by inconsolable sorrow for her lost son, was gently guided away from a memorial mound by her family members.

Amid the sorrow and grief, the judges were uplifted by a group of 50 women who were singing Hatikvah arm in arm. They invited them to join.

Judge Altman said, “In the spot where more Jews were butchered than at any other place on Earth since the Holocaust, these women had left whatever they were doing that day and driven two hours on a bus to the South to sing not of vengeance or vindictiveness or hatred, but of hope — hope for each other, hope for the country, hope for the land for which they and their ancestors had fought for thousands of years. A people who are deserving of our love, our admiration, and our support.”

Judge Scola, who is not Jewish, expressed his gratitude for his first visit to Israel, highlighting the warm reception from Israelis towards US government officials. He was also impressed by the unity and resilience of the Jewish people.

“Whether in the Diaspora or in Israel, when faced with an existential external threat, Israelis from all political persuasions — left, right, and center — understand the importance of setting aside their political divisions and focusing on their survival,” Scola shared.

Judge Scola viewed a 47-minute video of the Hamas massacre that left him deeply traumatized. He said that it “was the longest 47 minutes of my life.” The horror of inhumanity and the evident joy displayed by the terrorists while mercilessly slaughtering innocent civilians left a lasting impression on him.

Reflecting on their trip honoring the memory of all the October 7 victims, survivors, and their families, the judges said that it served as a testament to recognizing the resilience and spirit of the Israeli people in the face of adversity, and that they were proud to stand with the Israeli people.

Ayelet Raymond is an Israel activist, and the creative force behind the @Kosher Barbie character and social media personality.

The post Two American Judges Witnessed the Devastation of October 7 Firsthand in Israel first appeared on Algemeiner.com.