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Jewish Musician Denounces ‘Dreadful Display of Extreme Intolerance’ by Anti-Israel Protesters
Deborah Conway and her Willy Zygier performing during a pro-Jewish rally organized by the Christian-led “Never Again Is Now” movement to stand against hate and antisemitism and to support Jewish community. Photo: Alexander Bogatyrev / SOPA Images via Reuters Connect
Jewish Australian rock singer-songwriter Deborah Conway and her guitarist-husband Willy Zygier condemned the group of anti-Israel protesters who on Saturday night repeatedly disrupted their concert in Australia, during which an audience member broke a wine glass and threatened one of the demonstrators with its shattered stem.
“It was a dreadful display of extreme intolerance,” the musical duo said in part. “We were all confronted with a micro example of civilizational breakdown, but the forces for civil discourse triumphed in the end.”
The Tasmanian Palestine Advocacy Network (TPAN) organized an anti-Israel rally outside The Playhouse Theatre in the city of Hobart where Conway and Zygier were performing. TPAN said after the rally that “an anonymous group of absolute legends” protested inside the venue, disrupting the concert a number of times.
One male protester held a Palestinian flag from the second floor of the auditorium and loudly called on the room and Conway to condemn what he described as Israel’s “murder,” “genocide”, and “war crimes” in the Gaza Strip, referring to the ongoing war targeting Hamas-led terrorists in Gaza who are responsible for the Oct. 7 massacre in southern Israel. The protester was escorted out of the venue by security and the concert proceeded as planned. A female protester then stood up by the stage and called out to Conway, criticizing her support for Israel and its “ethnic cleansing.” The activist was then confronted by a female audience member who smashed a wine glass on the stage, held its glass stem towards the protester’s face, and yelled, “Get out! Get out!” The protester was escorted out by security shortly afterward and could be heard saying, “You’re fu—ing hurting me.”
Once again, the performance resumed until a third protester stood up and repeated, “Free, free Palestine” before being thrown out of the auditorium by security and theater staff. Videos from the scene showed audience members heckling the protesters before each of them were escorted out of the venue.
Conway and Zygier said the pro-Palestinian activists should realize their actions will not help further their cause or bring an end to the ongoing war in the Middle East. “Calling Deborah genocidal, responsible for deaths etc & other ridiculous lies does your cause no good,” the musicians wrote in a Facebook post. “None of it is true but somehow your movement have convinced themselves, and others, that ruining our careers will ‘Free Palestine.’ It’s the stuff of crazed ideologues.”
“Going down the path of characterizing Israel as an illegitimate state is a recipe for endless war and a constant path of misery for Arab & Jew,” they added. “It is a convoluted history with terrible mistakes on all sides but the demonization of people on either side will also bring misery to Australian shores. We understand people are inflamed and passionate and powerless but excoriating the other, bringing violence is counter productive. For f—k’s sake Hobart is as far from the Middle East as you can get.”
The husband and wife also said they sympathized with their audience on Saturday night because they “got a whole lot more in their evening’s entertainment than they bargained for (& paid for). So did we.”
“We applaud their bravery for their attempts to protest the protesters. Except with the caveat that going down the path of violence is unhelpful to say the least,” the musicians concluded, referring to the incident with the broken wine glass. “And we really hope that they have enough of a memory of the show itself that will outlast the ugliness that we all had to endure. That’s a frail hope but we cling to it.”
The anonymous group of anti-Israel activists from the concert said in a released statement on Monday that they were protesting “in solidarity with Palestine” and in protest of the theater’s decision to host a musician who “made hateful statements about Palestinians” in an interview last year. They claimed Conway used “violently racist, dehumanizing language that normalizes genocide.” They also said that the moment in which an audience member confronted one of the protesters with the stem of a broken wine glass “shows how normalized this rapid leap to violence is by supporters of the racist and colonial Zionist project.”
During the interview referenced by the group, which took place in December, Conway was asked about her thoughts on how Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are suffering during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. The interviewer said “innocent people, lots of kids” are being negatively affected by the war.
“It depends what you call kids,” Conway responded. “You see 16-, 17-year-olds, young boys, totting rifles. Unfortunately Hamas recruits boys that are not men yet. There are a lot of young people dying but I believe the responsibility for that lies pretty squarely with Hamas who have embedded themselves in the civilian population, who have not allowed Gazans to move south when Israel asked them to — they actually murdered some people who tried to move.”
During the same interview, Conway denounced antisemitism targeting the Jewish community in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 massacre. She also commented on Israel launching its military campaign in response to the Oct. 7 attacks, saying: “I don’t believe that Hamas can be allowed to continue to use Gaza as an operations base. War is awful and atrocious,. People get killed, it’s horrible, and I think Hamas has embedded themselves in such a way to use Palestinians as a human shield for their operations.”
On May 19, Conway and Zygier performed at a pro-Israel rally in Melbourne organized by the Christian-led movement “Never Again Is Now” to show solidarity with the Jewish community facing hate and antisemitism. Shortly after the Oct. 7 attacks, Conway performed on stage wearing colors of the Israeli flag. She later said she did so because “that was my way of saying, ‘I’m a Jew. I’m proud to be a Jew [and] I support the right of Israel to exist.’”
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Iran, Russia Conduct Naval Drills, High-Level Talks as Tehran Seeks Support Ahead of Nuclear Talks With the West
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi speaks during a meeting with foreign ambassadors in Tehran, Iran, July 12, 2025. Photo: Hamid Forootan/Iranian Foreign Ministry/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS
Iran and Russia launched a joint naval drill in the Caspian Sea this week, signaling closer military ties just days before Tehran resumes talks with the United Kingdom, France, and Germany in a bid to prevent the reinstatement of UN sanctions.
The joint maritime rescue and security drill, dubbed CASAREX 2025, marks a show of force and cooperation between Iranian and Russian forces, coming just weeks after Israel — with support from the United States — launched an airstrike campaign targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The three-day exercise, which began Monday, includes participation from the Iranian Navy, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, Iran’s Law Enforcement Command, and the Russian Navy, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
On Friday, Iran is expected to resume nuclear talks with Germany, France, and Britain — collectively known as the E3 — after the trio threatened to reinstate UN sanctions on Tehran by activating the “snapback” clause of the 2015 nuclear deal if no new agreement is reached by the end of August.
Officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the 2015 nuclear accord between Iran and several world powers, from which the US withdrew in 2018, imposed temporary restrictions on Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
Iran has warned it will take action if sanctions over its nuclear program are reinstated, without specifying what those measures might be.
“The snapback mechanism is meaningless, unjustifiable, unethical, and illegal,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said during a press conference.
Baghaei also reaffirmed that the Islamist regime has “no plans to hold talks with the US in the current situation.”
Following the 12-day war with Israel, Iran has sought to rebuild its damaged nuclear sites and strengthen its military capabilities by relying on support from Russia and China amid growing international pressure.
On Tuesday, Tehran held talks with Russia and China to bolster their alliance as sanctions threats mount and nuclear negotiations approach.
“We are in constant consultation with these two countries to prevent activation of the snapback or to mitigate its consequences,” Baghaei said during a Monday press briefing. “We have aligned positions and good relations.”
In a Fox News interview aired Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reaffirmed that Iran will not abandon its uranium enrichment program, despite recent Israeli and US strikes on its nuclear facilities.
“We cannot give up enrichment because it is an achievement of our own scientists. And now, more than that, it is a question of national pride,” the top Iranian diplomat said. “Our enrichment is so dear to us.”
Last week, Araghchi met with Russian and Chinese officials at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) security forum, where he called for closer strategic coordination and collective resistance to counter mounting pressure from the West.
China, a key diplomatic and economic backer of Tehran, has moved to deepen ties in recent years — signing a 25-year cooperation agreement, holding joint naval drills, and continuing to purchase Iranian oil despite US sanctions.
Russia has also expanded its ties with Iran to counter Western influence in the Middle East and mitigate the impact of US sanctions. For example, Russia pledged earlier this year to fund the construction of new nuclear power plants in Iran as part of a broader energy partnership that also includes a major gas deal between the two countries.
However, both China and Russia largely held back more concrete and robust support for Iran during the recent conflict with Israel, opting for cautious diplomacy rather than direct backing.
The post Iran, Russia Conduct Naval Drills, High-Level Talks as Tehran Seeks Support Ahead of Nuclear Talks With the West first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Israeli MMA Fighter Wants to Fight Muslim Boxer Who Chased Jewish Man in NYC
Natan Levy steps on the scale for the official weigh-in at the UFC Apex for UFC Fight Night – Font vs Vera on April 29, 2022 in LAS VEGAS, United States. Photo: Sports Press Photo via Reuters Connect
Israeli mixed martial artist Natan Levy challenged Muslim YouTuber and lightweight professional boxer Adam Saleh to a fight after videos circulated online of the latter chasing a Jewish, Israeli man through a New York City park while wearing boxing gloves and shouting “Free Palestine.”
The incident in Washington Square Park began when the Zionist Israeli, live streaming his interaction with Saleh, twice told the boxer “I f–king hate Palestine, I hope they [Palestinians] all get murdered.” He further said about Palestine: “They’re losers; we are going to win.” When Saleh accused Israel of committing genocide during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, the Israeli replied, “Genocide? It’s a war. It’s not a genocide.”
The angry boxer then offered to fight the man in the park, but his opponent declined and said he would only fight Saleh in a gym instead of illegally in the park. Saleh agreed to take their altercation to a gym, but the man shortly afterward backed out of the fight. Saleh then rallied together a group of locals and told them the Israeli man “supports people killing kids, he hates Palestine.” Saleh and his group of supporters chanted “Free Palestine” repeatedly and Saleh again challenged the man to a fight in the park. He also accused the man of being “definitely Israeli” because the latter said he felt like Saleh was trying to assault him.
As seen in multiple videos on social media, Saleh then put on a pair of boxing gloves and told the Jewish man, “Fight me now or get the f–k out of here.” The man tried to get away from Saleh but the boxer ran after him, chasing him throughout the park. One of Saleh’s teenage family members, who was among the people who chased the Israeli through the park, said: “This is what Israelis do — they run.” Park officials eventually intervened to stop the incident and help the Israeli man exit the park safely, but not before Salah gathered together even more parkgoers – roughly 15 people – to chant “Free Palestine.”
In response to the incident, Levy asked in an Instagram post on Monday: “Adam Saleh, Are you man enough to fight when you don’t outnumber an untrained guy at the park? Let me know where and when. Am Israel Chai.”
Levy’s post included a video with footage from the incident in Washington Square Park and also another incident from December, in which Salah tried to remove an Israeli flag from a Jewish-owned coffee shop in New York City and chanted “Free, free Palestine” inside the establishment. Levy’s video on Monday also shows private messages that he and Saleh exchanged on Instagram about last week’s incident before the Muslim boxer blocked Levy.
“Adam Saleh, I see it makes you feel like a big man to chase Israelis in the park and harass older people at a kosher restaurant,” Levy said in the clip he shared on Instagram this week. “I tried to talk to you civilly on Instagram but you played the victim and then blocked me. Now, you’re a boxer and I’m a real fighter. So I got an offer for you. If you have a problem with Israelis, Jews, Zionists … you tell me where and when, and I’ll meet you. See you soon [sic].”
“Saleh, I’m in your city, man. I’m in New York at the park, but you’re nowhere to be found,” Levy said. “I called you out but no response. You were brave when it was five-on-one but now that it’s just one-on-one, man-t0-man. Let me know where and when we can meet and settle this.”
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Iran Says It Agrees to Visit by IAEA Technical Team in Coming Weeks
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi arrives on the opening day of the agency’s quarterly Board of Governors meeting at the IAEA headquarters in Vienna, Austria, Nov. 20, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Lisa Leutner
Iran has agreed to allow a technical team from the UN nuclear watchdog to visit in the coming weeks to discuss relations between the International Atomic Energy Agency and Tehran, Iran‘s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on Wednesday.
“The delegation will come to Iran to discuss the modality, not to go to the [nuclear] sites,” he told reporters during a visit to New York for meetings at the United Nations.
The IAEA had no specific comment on his remarks, but said IAEA chief Rafael Grossi was “actively engaging with all parties involved in the Iran nuclear issue.”
The IAEA has said it is essential for it to be able to resume inspections in Iran following air strikes by Israel and the US last month that aimed to destroy the country’s nuclear program in a bid to stop Tehran building a nuclear weapon.
Tehran denies seeking a nuclear weapon and says its nuclear program is solely meant for civilian purposes.
“Our Atomic Energy Organization is assessing, actually, the damages to the nuclear installations, and we are waiting to receive their report. In this regard, it’s a very dangerous work. We do not know what has happened there … because of the risks of the radiation,” Gharibabadi said.
Diplomats have in particular raised concerns about the fate of some 400 kg of highly enriched uranium stocks, which Iran has not updated the IAEA on.
Gharibabadi said the IAEA has not officially asked about the fate of those stocks and that Tehran “cannot say anything now because we do not have any valid and credible report from [Iran‘s] Atomic Energy Organization.”
Any negotiations over Iran‘s future nuclear program will require its cooperation with the IAEA, which angered Iran in June by declaring on the eve of the Israeli strikes that Tehran was violating non-proliferation treaty commitments.
Gharibabadi said he would travel to Istanbul to meet with Britain, France, and Germany on Friday. They, along with China and Russia, are the remaining parties to a 2015 nuclear deal that the US quit in 2018. Under the deal, sanctions on Iran were eased in return for restrictions on its nuclear program.
Separately, Tehran and Washington have this year held five rounds of nuclear talks mediated by Oman. Gharibabadi said these are focused on negotiating transparency measures by Iran with regard to its nuclear program and the lifting of US sanctions.
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