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How Do Progressive College Protestors Justify Support from Hamas and Iran?
Pro-Hamas demonstrators at Columbia University in New York City, US, April 29, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs
“Dear university students in the United States of America, you are standing on the right side of history. You have now formed a branch of the Resistance Front and have begun an honorable struggle in the face of your government’s ruthless pressure — which openly supports Zionists.”
This was the tweet from Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei earlier this week, which had been viewed 11 million times at the time of writing.
What Khamenei tweeted — and he has recently evolved into a regular, almost obsessive tweeter — marks a disturbing trend: the increasing alignment of progressive groups in the United States with regimes and movements that starkly contrast with the values they claim to uphold and be fighting for.
Being hailed by Iran is not something a progressive activist in the West — concerned with freedom of speech, LGBTQ rights, women’s rights, the right to protest, and the dangers of autocracy — should want on their resume.
It’s not just Iran. Hamas has also gone on record to support the protests. In April, Hamas spokesperson Izzat Al-Risheq accused President Biden of “violating the individual rights and the right to expression through arresting university students and faculty members for their rejection of the genocide to which our Palestinian people are being subjected in the Gaza Strip at the hands of the neo-Nazi Zionists.”
And the love affair goes both ways. At an anti-Israel protest at Stanford University, the FBI was called in after a protester was seen wearing a Hamas headband. Meanwhile, at the Columbia protests, students chanted “Hamas, we love you. We support your rockets too.”
In recent years, detailed analyses by political scientists and historians have highlighted the developing partnership between far-leftists and Islamic extremists — an alliance that has escalated exponentially since October 7th. The studies reveal how far-leftists and Islamic extremists have found common ground in their vehement opposition to alleged Western imperialism, capitalism, and perceived global dominance. This unlikely alliance is driven by a shared narrative of victimhood that compels them to resist a common enemy: the liberal democratic values of the West.
British author and academic Dave Rich, who serves as the Director of Policy at the Community Security Trust in the UK, has tackled the eager support for antisemitism by the far left.
In his 2016 book The Left’s Jewish Problem: Jeremy Corbyn, Israel and Anti‑Semitism, he argues that “the far-left’s willingness to overlook, and even embrace, the antisemitism inherent in Islamic extremism stems from a shared narrative of victimhood and oppression.” This is why this unlikely alliance often resorts to anti-Semitic tropes, suggesting that a shadowy Zionist elite controls global politics and economy, thereby oppressing the downtrodden.
Clearly, the alliance between far-leftists and radical Islamists is utterly misguided. Firstly, for progressives, it is a betrayal of the fundamental values of human rights and equality that are the trumpeted mantras of this group. By aligning with regimes and movements that oppress women, persecute minorities, and suppress free speech and freedom of expression, these keffiyeh-toting protestors are contradicting the very principles they claim to champion.
Additionally, it is ridiculous for Islamic extremists to align with progressives, given their deep-seated opposition to the progressive values of secularism, gender equality, and LGBTQ rights.
Astonishingly, progressive activists are willfully ignoring the historical and ongoing violence perpetrated by Islamists, not just against Israelis and Jews — which they might support — but against Muslims, Christians, gays, and women. Aligning yourself with organizations and regimes that glorify and celebrate terror and violence, as was so starkly evident in the GoPro footage taken by the Hamas terrorists on October 7th, is about as egregious a blatant disregard for the sanctity of human life as is possible. How do progressives explain that to themselves?
Finally, this absurd partnership has succeeded in perpetuating harmful antisemitic myths that do nothing but fuel division and hatred. Isn’t progressivism meant to be about fostering solidarity and mutual understanding? Surely progressives recognize that in their eagerness to oppose Western policies, they are aligning themselves with individuals and entities whose values are fundamentally at odds with their own.
This week’s Torah portion Bechukotai contains a section that provides a stark warning about the consequences of either upholding or forsaking Divine commandments and foundational principles. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, in his commentary on Bechukotai, explains that the blessings and curses detailed in this portion are not just historical but serve as a moral and ethical compass for future generations. He explains, “The Torah warns us that societies are built on moral foundations. When those foundations are eroded, societies begin to unravel.”
Never has this warning seemed more relevant than today. With each passing week, we are witnessing Western society unravel more and more, and there appears to be no end in sight.
While my own ideals and views are right-of-center and conservative, I recognize the critical importance of debate and a marketplace of ideas that includes a robust left-of-center element. But somehow, somewhere, the left seems to have lost its compass. Aligning with regimes and movements that fundamentally contradict their values is not merely a perilous path; it is a sure route to destruction and devastation.
There is a saying in Jewish tradition: “Woe to the wicked, woe to their neighbors.” If you are connected to the wicked, that makes you wicked. The drift on the left towards aligning with Iran, Hamas, and other extremist entities is a clear example of the dangers of ignoring these timeless warnings.
There have always been crazy extremists on the far left — not just on the far right — whose views were abhorrent, and whose actions repulsive. But they were a small fraction of their group as a whole. The recent alarming growth on the left of those who totally sympathize and blindly identify with the views that define Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Muslim Brotherhood demands a deep rethink.
It is crucial for well-meaning activists for the Palestinian cause to reconsider their position and to return to their foundational values of justice, freedom, and human dignity, lest we all face the consequences of their misguided actions. It is not too late, but we are not far off from a point of no return. Let us do everything we can to make sure that never happens.
The post How Do Progressive College Protestors Justify Support from Hamas and Iran? first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Hamas Says No Interim Hostage Deal Possible Without Work Toward Permanent Ceasefire
Explosions send smoke into the air in Gaza, as seen from the Israeli side of the border, July 17, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Amir Cohen
The spokesperson for Hamas’s armed wing said on Friday that while the Palestinian terrorist group favors reaching an interim truce in the Gaza war, if such an agreement is not reached in current negotiations it could revert to insisting on a full package deal to end the conflict.
Hamas has previously offered to release all the hostages held in Gaza and conclude a permanent ceasefire agreement, and Israel has refused, Abu Ubaida added in a televised speech.
Arab mediators Qatar and Egypt, backed by the United States, have hosted more than 10 days of talks on a US-backed proposal for a 60-day truce in the war.
Israeli officials were not immediately available for comment on the eve of the Jewish Sabbath.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement on a call he had with Pope Leo on Friday that Israel‘s efforts to secure a hostage release deal and 60-day ceasefire “have so far not been reciprocated by Hamas.”
As part of the potential deal, 10 hostages held in Gaza would be returned along with the bodies of 18 others, spread out over 60 days. In exchange, Israel would release a number of detained Palestinians.
“If the enemy remains obstinate and evades this round as it has done every time before, we cannot guarantee a return to partial deals or the proposal of the 10 captives,” said Abu Ubaida.
Disputes remain over maps of Israeli army withdrawals, aid delivery mechanisms into Gaza, and guarantees that any eventual truce would lead to ending the war, said two Hamas officials who spoke to Reuters on Friday.
The officials said the talks have not reached a breakthrough on the issues under discussion.
Hamas says any agreement must lead to ending the war, while Netanyahu says the war will only end once Hamas is disarmed and its leaders expelled from Gaza.
Almost 1,650 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed as a result of the conflict, including 1,200 killed in the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on southern Israel, according to Israeli tallies. Over 250 hostages were kidnapped during Hamas’s Oct. 7 onslaught.
Israel responded with an ongoing military campaign aimed at freeing the hostages and dismantling Hamas’s military and governing capabilities in neighboring Gaza.
The post Hamas Says No Interim Hostage Deal Possible Without Work Toward Permanent Ceasefire first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Iran Marks 31st Anniversary of AMIA Bombing by Slamming Argentina’s ‘Baseless’ Accusations, Blaming Israel
People hold images of the victims of the 1994 bombing attack on the Argentine Israeli Mutual Association (AMIA) community center, marking the 30th anniversary of the attack, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, July 18, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Irina Dambrauskas
Iran on Friday marked the 31st anniversary of the 1994 bombing of the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association (AMIA) Jewish community center in Buenos Aires by slamming Argentina for what it called “baseless” accusations over Tehran’s alleged role in the terrorist attack and accusing Israel of politicizing the atrocity to influence the investigation and judicial process.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on the anniversary of Argentina’s deadliest terrorist attack, which killed 85 people and wounded more than 300.
“While completely rejecting the accusations against Iranian citizens, the Islamic Republic of Iran condemns attempts by certain Argentine factions to pressure the judiciary into issuing baseless charges and politically motivated rulings,” the statement read.
“Reaffirming that the charges against its citizens are unfounded, the Islamic Republic of Iran insists on restoring their reputation and calls for an end to this staged legal proceeding,” it continued.
Last month, a federal judge in Argentina ordered the trial in absentia of 10 Iranian and Lebanese nationals suspected of orchestrating the attack in Buenos Aires.
The ten suspects set to stand trial include former Iranian and Lebanese ministers and diplomats, all of whom are subject to international arrest warrants issued by Argentina for their alleged roles in the terrorist attack.
In its statement on Friday, Iran also accused Israel of influencing the investigation to advance a political campaign against the Islamist regime in Tehran, claiming the case has been used to serve Israeli interests and hinder efforts to uncover the truth.
“From the outset, elements and entities linked to the Zionist regime [Israel] exploited this suspicious explosion, pushing the investigation down a false and misleading path, among whose consequences was to disrupt the long‑standing relations between the people of Iran and Argentina,” the Iranian Foreign Ministry said.
“Clear, undeniable evidence now shows the Zionist regime and its affiliates exerting influence on the Argentine judiciary to frame Iranian nationals,” the statement continued.
In April, lead prosecutor Sebastián Basso — who took over the case after the 2015 murder of his predecessor, Alberto Nisman — requested that federal Judge Daniel Rafecas issue national and international arrest warrants for Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei over his alleged involvement in the attack.
Since 2006, Argentine authorities have sought the arrest of eight Iranians — including former president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who died in 2017 — yet more than three decades after the deadly bombing, all suspects remain still at large.
In a post on X, the Delegation of Argentine Israelite Associations (DAIA), the country’s Jewish umbrella organization, released a statement commemorating the 31st anniversary of the bombing.
“It was a brutal attack on Argentina, its democracy, and its rule of law,” the group said. “At DAIA, we continue to demand truth and justice — because impunity is painful, and memory is a commitment to both the present and the future.”
31 años del atentado a la AMIA – DAIA. 31 años sin justicia.
El 18 de julio de 1994, un atentado terrorista dejó 85 personas muertas y más de 300 heridas. Fue un ataque brutal contra la Argentina, su democracia y su Estado de derecho.
Desde la DAIA, seguimos exigiendo verdad y… pic.twitter.com/kV2ReGNTIk
— DAIA (@DAIAArgentina) July 18, 2025
Despite Argentina’s longstanding belief that Lebanon’s Shiite Hezbollah terrorist group carried out the devastating attack at Iran’s request, the 1994 bombing has never been claimed or officially solved.
Meanwhile, Tehran has consistently denied any involvement and refused to arrest or extradite any suspects.
To this day, the decades-long investigation into the terrorist attack has been plagued by allegations of witness tampering, evidence manipulation, cover-ups, and annulled trials.
In 2006, former prosecutor Nisman formally charged Iran for orchestrating the attack and Hezbollah for carrying it out.
Nine years later, he accused former Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner — currently under house arrest on corruption charges — of attempting to cover up the crime and block efforts to extradite the suspects behind the AMIA atrocity in return for Iranian oil.
Nisman was killed later that year, and to this day, both his case and murder remain unresolved and under ongoing investigation.
The alleged cover-up was reportedly formalized through the memorandum of understanding signed in 2013 between Kirchner’s government and Iranian authorities, with the stated goal of cooperating to investigate the AMIA bombing.
The post Iran Marks 31st Anniversary of AMIA Bombing by Slamming Argentina’s ‘Baseless’ Accusations, Blaming Israel first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Jordan Reveals Muslim Brotherhood Operating Vast Illegal Funding Network Tied to Gaza Donations, Political Campaigns
Murad Adailah, the head of Jordan’s Muslim Brotherhood, attends an interview with Reuters in Amman, Jordan, Sept. 7, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Jehad Shelbak
The Muslim Brotherhood, one of the Arab world’s oldest and most influential Islamist movements, has been implicated in a wide-ranging network of illegal financial activities in Jordan and abroad, according to a new investigative report.
Investigations conducted by Jordanian authorities — along with evidence gathered from seized materials — revealed that the Muslim Brotherhood raised tens of millions of Jordanian dinars through various illegal activities, the Jordan news agency (Petra) reported this week.
With operations intensifying over the past eight years, the report showed that the group’s complex financial network was funded through various sources, including illegal donations, profits from investments in Jordan and abroad, and monthly fees paid by members inside and outside the country.
The report also indicated that the Muslim Brotherhood has taken advantage of the war in Gaza to raise donations illegally.
Out of all donations meant for Gaza, the group provided no information on where the funds came from, how much was collected, or how they were distributed, and failed to work with any international or relief organizations to manage the transfers properly.
Rather, the investigations revealed that the Islamist network used illicit financial mechanisms to transfer funds abroad.
According to Jordanian authorities, the group gathered more than JD 30 million (around $42 million) over recent years.
With funds transferred to several Arab, regional, and foreign countries, part of the money was allegedly used to finance domestic political campaigns in 2024, as well as illegal activities and cells.
In April, Jordan outlawed the Muslim Brotherhood, the country’s most vocal opposition group, and confiscated its assets after members of the Islamist movement were found to be linked to a sabotage plot.
The movement’s political arm in Jordan, the Islamic Action Front, became the largest political grouping in parliament after elections last September, although most seats are still held by supporters of the government.
Opponents of the group, which is banned in most Arab countries, label it a terrorist organization. However, the movement claims it renounced violence decades ago and now promotes its Islamist agenda through peaceful means.
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