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Israel’s Fight is America’s Fight
Pro-Hamas protesters in front of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City’s Upper East Side neighborhood. Source: X/Twitter
JNS.org – Israel is on the front lines of a war against the U.S. launched by Islamic radicals led by the Iranian regime and its proxies, including Hamas.
Hamas and its supporters are not only antisemites. They also hate all non-Muslims, the West in general and especially the U.S. Their ultimate goal is to conquer the world and kill or oppress all those who do not accept their interpretation of Islam.
In the U.S., supporters of Hamas and its sponsors have placed the country under siege. They shriek their support of the Houthis, who attack U.S. shipping and naval forces in the Red Sea. They violently disrupt or attempt to disrupt time-honored American celebrations and holidays, such as public Christmas tree-lighting ceremonies, the New York City Thanksgiving parade and the Times Square New Year’s Eve festivities. They close down bridges, tunnels and roads during rush hour. They pollute once-proud U.S. campuses with racist violence. At a recent violent “demonstration” in New York City, a Hamas supporter spewed the “n-word” at the police officers who arrested him. The anti-Americanism of these thugs is as strong as their antisemitism.
There have also been reports that these pro-terrorist “activists” are well-paid and coordinate their efforts, directly or indirectly, with Hamas and its cohorts. Hamas is a U.S.-designated terrorist organization and materially supporting it or providing it with services is prohibited under the law (18 USC 2339). Local laws also apply, which accounts for some of the arrests that have been made.
These pro-terrorist campaigns have no legitimacy whatsoever and no place in the public square. This is obvious given the policies they support. For example, besides supporting the genocide of Jews, they are also viciously misogynistic. Women under the Hamas regime are legally second-class citizens. Domestic physical and emotional abuse is rampant and honor killings regularly occur.
In addition, Hamas is virulently racist. It still labels thousands of people of African origin “slaves.” They reportedly live in a ghetto area of Gaza called Al-Abeed, meaning “The Slaves.”
There is also rampant child abuse, child labor, sexual exploitation of children and slavery in Gaza.
In other words, Hamas supporters are projecting their own evil beliefs and practices onto others, such as their false accusations of genocide against Israel. While supporting genocide themselves—as well as racism, misogyny, slavery and child abuse—they spew blood libels at the Jewish state.
Thankfully, the American people have woken up to the danger posed by Hamas and its Iranian supporters. Recent polls report that an overwhelming majority of Americans support Israel in this war.
It is time for the Biden administration to stop pandering to Hamas’s American supporters. They may be strident and vocal in their demands for an unconditional ceasefire and the elimination of Israel, but they do not represent a majority of American voters.
The mistakes being made by the Biden administration are similar to those made by Jimmy Carter when he was running for reelection in 1980. Carter faced similar challenges and his weak response to the Iran hostage crisis and equivocal support of Israel because of his disdain for what he viewed as Menachem Begin’s right-wing government are eerily akin to the errors being made by the current administration.
The results of Carter’s folly speak for themselves: His share of the Jewish vote dropped from 71% to 45%. He lost decisively to Ronald Reagan and the rest is history.
Recent polling suggests that Biden should avoid Carter’s mistakes. For example, Sen. John Fetterman (D-Penn.) has seen his support rise since he disregarded concerns about alienating his progressive base and came out strongly in support of Israel.
This is the time for Reaganesque determination and action, not Carteresque appeasement. America’s military response to Houthi aggression was a good start, but more is necessary to prevent further attacks by the Iranian regime and its proxies. The U.S. must project its overwhelming power in order to reestablish deterrence.
Hamas and its cohorts must be prevented from committing any further atrocities and acts of aggression. The only way to do this is to unequivocally support total Israeli victory.
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‘Never Again Means Now’: Trump Issues Proclamation Recognizing Holocaust Remembrance Day
US President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office, on the day he signs executive orders, at the White House in Washington, DC, March 6, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
US President Donald Trump issued a proclamation on Wednesday night recognizing Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day, also known as Yom HaShoah, acknowledging the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis during World War II.
“On Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, and during this week of solemn remembrance, we honor the blessed memories of the six million Jewish men, women, and children who were viciously slaughtered by the genocidal Nazi regime and their collaborators — one of the bleakest hours in human history,” Trump said in a statement.
Yom HaShoah is dedicated to remembering the six million Jews who were murdered during the Holocaust, along with millions of other victims of the Nazi genocide. The somber annual commemoration, which is observed primarily in Israel and by Jewish communities worldwide, typically falls in April or May, on the 27th of Nisan in the Hebrew calendar.
“During these Days of Remembrance of Victims of the Holocaust, we reflect upon the dark affront to human dignity posed by Nazis,” Trump said. “We cherish the eternal memories of all those whose lives were lost to the deadly scourge of anti-Semitism. Above all, we vow to never forget the atrocities of the Holocaust. We declare that never again means now.”
Trump emphasized the continued threat of antisemitism, particularly in the wake of the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, terror attacks on Israel. He warned of what he described as a surge in antisemitic incidents in the United States, especially on college campuses, which he referred to as “leftist, anti-American.”
Reaffirming his administration’s commitment to tackling antisemitism, Trump pointed to an executive order he signed that ordered the federal government to combat anti-Jewish harassment with all necessary legal force. This includes investigating antisemitic discrimination and, in some cases, deporting resident aliens who break US laws.
“The poison of antisemitism tragically still exists,” Trump said, pledging to confront hatred and discrimination.
During his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump vowed to deport non-citizens who express support for Hamas and other antisemitic terrorist organizations. He has also promised not to import refugees from “terror-infested” parts of the world, deeming them hotbeds of antisemitism and anti-American sentiment.
“We will deport the foreign jihad sympathizers, and we will deport them very quickly. And Hamas supporters will be gone,” Trump said during one campaign stop. “If you hate America, if you want to eliminate Israel, then we don’t want you in our country. We really don’t want you in our country.”
The administration has come under intense scrutiny for apprehending and revoking the visas of non-citizens who have participated in pro-Hamas demonstrations, arguing that they pose a national security threat to the US. Moreover, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it will monitor social media platforms for antisemitic speech and conduct as a basis for denying permanent residency status and immigration benefits. However, critics of these efforts argue that the Trump administration’s crackdown on antisemitism has undermined free speech rights.
The post ‘Never Again Means Now’: Trump Issues Proclamation Recognizing Holocaust Remembrance Day first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Meta Israel Launches Fifth Annual Holocaust Remembrance Day Instagram Project With Israeli Celebrities
Eden Golan meeting with a Holocaust survivor as part of the initiative “Sharing Memories.” Photo: Provided
Meta Israel launched on Wednesday its fifth annual Holocaust remembrance project in which prominent Israeli public figures share testimonies of Holocaust survivors on their Instagram accounts, in an effort to connect their stories with younger generations in honor of Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day.
“Sharing Memories,” an initiative that started in 2020, will include this year testimonies of Holocaust survivors who were impacted by the Hamas massacre on Oct. 7, 2023. Some of the survivors are residents of communities near the Israel-Gaza border and were directly affected by the Oct. 7 attack. Twenty of their stories were posted on social media as an Instagram Reels by 20 Israeli celebrities, including actors, singers, models, reality stars, and social media influencers. These well-known individuals met with the Holocaust survivor they with paired with, listened to their story during an intimate conversation, and documented the survivor’s testimony in a video they then uploaded on their Instagram page.
This year’s participants include model Eden Fines; Eden Golan, Israel’s representative in the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest; influencer and entrepreneur Einav Booblil; Olympic bronze medalist and judoka Peter Paltchik; “The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem” stars Hila Saada and Yuval Scharf; reality television star Yiftach Ramon and singer Valerie Hamaty. The leading Israeli figures have more than 7 million Instagram followers combined. As part of “Sharing Memories,” a special meeting was also organized in Munich between Munich-born Holocaust survivor Charlotte Knobloch and Daniel Peretz, the goalkeeper for Israel’s national soccer team and FC Bayern Munich who currently lives in Germany.
The videos created for “Sharing Memories” were uploaded on the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day, which began Wednesday night. This year, the content will also be broadcast throughout Ben Gurion International Airport. QR codes at boarding gates and check-in counters will allow travelers to scan and view the full videos. The clips will additionally be shown on EL AL in-flight entertainment systems, both inbound and outbound flights to and from Israel, during the week of Holocaust Remembrance Day.
As part of a collaboration with Yes, the Israeli broadcast satellite television provider, all project videos will also be available for viewing in Israel on STING+ and yesVOD.
“For five years now, we’ve had the privilege of meeting with Holocaust survivors who open their hearts and share the most painful moments of their lives, so we can remember, learn, and carry their stories forward,” said Adi Soffer Teeni, vice president and general manager of Meta Platforms in Israel. “But this year, perhaps more than ever, we understood that their story is not only one of survival; it’s one of resilience and rebuilding. The Holocaust survivors did not just endure the horrors, they built lives: they came to Israel, raised families, created communities, and built a future. Now, their stories of rebuilding take on renewed meaning. More than ever, we can draw strength from their testimonies: how to rise after horror, hold on to hope, and choose optimism and life. This is not just remembrance. It’s a legacy for the next generation.”
One Holocaust and Oct. 7 survivor highlighted in “Sharing Memories” is Bella Haim. Born in Poland in 1938, she survived the Holocaust by hiding in an orphanage until the end of World War II. Haim lives in Kibbutz Gvulot and is the grandmother of Yotam Haim, a resident of Kibbutz Kfar Aza who was kidnapped by Hamas and taken to the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, 2023. She met with Israeli rap duo Ness & Stilla, who created the song “Harbu Darbu,” to share her story of survival. She also played for the musicians the last voice message she received from her grandson mere moments before he was taken hostage. He later escaped captivity but was accidentally killed, along with two other hostages, by IDF troops in December 2023.
Mirjam Beit Talmi Szpiro, 90, endured her father being murdered by the Nazis in Germany in 1935. She survived the Holocaust in hiding and now lives in Kibbutz Zikim. She survived the Oct. 7 attack, by sheltering in her safe room. She met with Israeli actor Yehuda Levi to talk about her experiences for the “Sharing Memories” initiative.
The project also highlights the survival story of Arale Dvir. He was born in Poland and escaped to Siberia on a freight train before fleeing to Uzbekistan, where his mother and sister died. Upon his arrival in Israel, he was adopted by a family in Kibbutz Sa’ad, where he survived the Oct. 7 Hamas attack. He still lives in Kibbutz Sa’ad and met with Israeli content creator Einav Bublil to share his story for the project.
Knobloch, who met with Peretz in Munich, shared memories of Kristallnacht, the infamous Nazi assault on the German Jewish community on Nov. 9-10, 1938. After surviving the Holocaust, Knobloch returned to Munich and, alongside her father, she reestablished the Jewish community there, which is now the largest in Germany. The city’s Jewish Center was inaugurated in 2006, and it includes kindergartens, schools, a Jewish museum, and a grand synagogue.
Other well-known Israeli participants of this year’s “Sharing Memories” initiative include Adi Himelbloy, Adva Dadon, Daniel Shalibo, Eitam Dror, Alin Golan and Liam Golan, Ifat Hilleli Avraham, Moran Tarasov, Neta Barzani, Roi Harel, Yarden Harel. The Holocaust survivors who took part in this year’s project are Adela Moreno, Arie Pinsker, Gideon Lotan, David Sivor, Dina Shmueli, Tommy Shaham, Yona Amit, Yoske Hershkovitz, Yechiel Frenkel, Lea Balint, Miriam Harel, Nina Aviov, Naftali Rosendorn, Aliza Landau, Tzipora Grant, and Sara Perry.
“Sharing Memories” is a collaboration between Meta Israel and Shem VeNer (Our 6 Million), a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the memory of the Holocaust for future generations. The project has already featured more than 100 creators, artists, and influencers. Content shared on social media as part of the “Sharing Memories” campaign has garnered over 40 million views in Israel and around the world.
“We are proud to take part in this year’s project to honor Holocaust survivors, listen to their stories, and preserve their living testimony for generations to come,” said Ruha Vaknin Sha’ar, CEO of Our 6 Million. “As their numbers dwindle, our responsibility grows.”
The post Meta Israel Launches Fifth Annual Holocaust Remembrance Day Instagram Project With Israeli Celebrities first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Spain Scraps Purchase of Israeli Bullets After Internal Pressure
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez speaks to the media on the day of his meeting with Ireland’s Prime Minister Simon Harris to discuss recognizing a Palestinian state, in Dublin, Ireland, April 12, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne
The Spanish government has unilaterally cancelled a contract to purchase ammunition rounds for its police force from an Israeli firm, a government source said on Thursday, ceding to pressure from its hard-left junior coalition partner Sumar.
Spain, a long-time critic of Israel’s policies in the Palestinian territories, pledged in October 2023 to stop selling weapons to Israel over its war with Hamas in Gaza and last year widened that commitment to include weapons purchases from Israel.
However, on April 17 as Spaniards geared up for the Easter holiday weekend, the government filed paperwork confirming the deal on the government tenders website.
The purchase, worth 6.6 million euros ($7.53 million), includes the acquisition of more than 15 million 9-mm rounds from Israel’s IMI Systems, owned by Elbit Systems and represented in Spain by Guardian LTD Israel.
The decision drew a sharp rebuke on Wednesday from coalition partner Sumar, with one of the groups within Sumar, Izquierda Unida, threatening to withdraw from the minority coalition government.
The Interior Ministry responded that it had been advised by the state attorney that breaking the contract would mean paying the full amount without receiving the shipment.
On Thursday, a government source said it had decided to stick to its October 2023 commitment not to provide Israeli companies with arms or revenue flows “and nor will it do so in future.”
The source said the Israeli company would be denied permission to import the defense material by the Spanish authorities on “public interest” grounds, the Interior Ministry would rescind the contract and government lawyers would respond to any subsequent legal claims.
Internal divisions over defense spending have already rattled the ruling coalition, threatening to deprive Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez of precious votes in parliament to pass legislation.
On Tuesday, Sanchez further angered Sumar, a platform of left-wing parties that controls five ministries led by deputy premier Yolanda Diaz, by announcing a wider plan to boost defense spending by 10.47 billion euros to meet NATO targets.
The minority government has struggled to pass legislation since securing a new term by cobbling together an alliance of left-wing and regional separatist parties in 2023.
($1 = 0.8767 euros)
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