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Netanyahu Calls for ‘Demilitarized, Deradicalized’ Post-War Gaza, Proposes ‘Abraham Alliance’ in Speech to US Congress

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses a joint session of the US Congress in Washington, DC on July 24, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Craig Hudson

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu broadly outlined his vision for the future of Gaza after the Israel-Hamas war ends, emphasized the necessity of maintaining a strong US-Israel relationship, and proposed a new Middle Eastern security alliance in a speech to a joint session of the US Congress on Wednesday.

Netanyahu called for a complete revamping of Gaza’s government, suggesting that a “civilian administration” of Palestinians should run the war-torn enclave. Stressing that Israel has no plans of occupying Gaza, the Israeli prime minister suggested that “regional partners” could help maintain a “demilitarized” version of the enclave. He expressed hope that Gaza, which is ruled by the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, would become “deradicalized” over time. 

“Gaza should have a civilian administration run by Palestinians who do not seek to destroy Israel. That’s not too much to ask,” Netanyahu said. 

Hamas launched the ongoing war in Gaza with its Oct. 7 invasion of southern Israel. During the onslaught, Hamas-led Palestinian terrorists massacred 1,200 people and kidnapped over 250 hostages. Israel responded with a military campaign aimed at freeing the hostages and dismantling the military and governing capabilities of Hamas, whose leaders have vowed to carry out attacks similar to the Oct. 7 pogrom “again and again.”

“A new generation of Palestinians must no longer be taught to hate Jews, but rather to live in peace with us,” Netanyahu continued. “Israel does not seek to resettle Gaza, but for the foreseeable future we must retain overriding security control there to prevent the resurgence of terror, to ensure that Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel.”

The vast majority of Palestinians in both Gaza and the West Bank still support Hamas’ Oct. 7 onslaught in southern Israel and don’t believe the terrorist group engaged in war crimes, according to recent polling.

Beyond Gaza, Netanyahu also explained his vision for the broader Middle East, stating that a regional security alliance with the support of the US could help Israel and its neighbors mitigate threats from Iran, the chief international sponsor of Hamas. Leaders of both Iran and Hamas routinely call for Israel’s destruction.

Comparing the current state of the Middle East to post-World War II Europe, Netanyahu underlined the importance of regional cooperation “to counter the growing Iranian threat.” The Israeli premier suggested his proposed defense pact be named “The Abraham Alliance” — a reference to the Abraham Accords, which normalized Israel;s relations with several Arab countries and were brokered with the help of then-US President Donald Trump in 2020.

“The new alliance I envision would be a natural extension of the groundbreaking Abraham Accords,” Netanyahu said. “Those accords saw peace forged between Israel and four Arab countries, and they were supported by Republicans and Democrats alike. I have a name for this new alliance. I think we should call it ‘The Abraham Alliance.’”

The Israeli leader also emphasized the importance of the US and Israel working together to defeat Iran and its “terrorist proxies.” He warned that Iran plans on targeting the United States for destruction if it succeeds in its goal of eradicating the Jewish state, underscoring the necessity of the two countries continuing their relationship.

Netanyahu continued, claiming that Iran maintains the goal of “exporting the Iranian revolution” across the entire world. The dismantling of Hamas would be a “powerful blow to Iran’s axis of terror,” Netanyahu argued.

“This is not a clash of civilizations. This is a clash between barbarism and civilization,” he declared.

“For Iran, Israel is first, America is next. So when Israel fights Hamas, we’re fighting Iran,” the Israeli premier added. “When we fight Hezbollah, we’re fighting Iran. When we fight the Houthis, we’re fighting Iran. And when we fight Iran, we’re fighting the most radical and murderous enemy of the United States of America.”

Netanyahu also called for the United States to resume the full shipment of offensive arms to Israel, arguing that it would help Jerusalem finish the war faster.

“I deeply appreciate America’s support, including in this current war, but this is an exceptional moment. Fast-tracking US military aid could dramatically expedite an end to the war in Gaza and help prevent a broader war in the Middle East,” Netanyahu said. “Give us the tools faster, and we’ll finish the job faster.”

The Biden administration paused some offensive arms shipments of bombs to Israel back in May. Though US President Joe Biden insists that he still supports the Jewish state’s effort to defeat Hamas, he argues that these weapons kill too many Palestinian civilians. Israel insists that these weapons are necessary for the Jewish state to completely dismantle Hamas’ military operations in Gaza, including its underground tunnel network.

During his address, Netanyahu also discussed Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist attacks in Israel, declaring that the massacre will “forever live in infamy” for citizens of Israel much like the 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbor or the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks have for Americans.

The Israeli premier took a moment to honor the approximately 250 hostages taken captive by Hamas on Oct. 7. He invited Noa Argamani, a hostage who was freed during an Israeli rescue mission last month, to attend the speech. Several families of American hostages also attended the congressional address. Netanyahu promised that he “will not rest until all of your loved ones are home.” He stated that Israel is engaged in “intensive efforts” to secure the release of the remaining captives in Gaza. 

During his speech, Netanyahu showered praise on the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for their work in helping to defeat Hamas. He slammed critics of the IDF, touting research from military expert John Spencer that claims Israel has the lowest civilian to combatant casualty ratio of any urban war in history. Instead of unsubstantiated allegations of “genocide,” the IDF should be “commended,” Netanyahu argued.  

The Israeli premier specifically highlighted the bravery of an Israeli soldier from Ethiopia who “ran eight miles” to the frontlines of the Israel-Gaza border area on Oct. 7 to combat the invasion. He also heaped praise on a Muslim Israeli soldier who helped defend a kibbutz attacked by Hamas and two other IDF soldiers who were maimed while fighting Hamas. 

Netanyahu took a swipe at anti-Israel protesters, claiming that they are standing on the side of “evil” and calling them Iran’s “useful idiots.” He referenced US Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines’ recent warning that “actors tied to Iran’s government” have encouraged and provided financial support to rampant protests opposing Israel’s defensive military operations against Hamas in Gaza.

Netanyahu thanked Biden for lending military support and aid to Israel, including dispatching two military aircraft carriers to the Middle East “to deter a wider war.” He praised Biden for making a personal visit to Israel during the nation’s “darkest hour.” Touting his 40-year friendship with the US president, Netanyahu thanked Biden for labeling himself a “proud Irish American Zionist.”

Netanyahu also thanked Trump for spearheading the Abraham Accords, moving the US Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, and recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, a strategic region on Israel’s northern border previously controlled by Syria. He also condemned the recent assassination attempt on Trump, arguing that political violence “has no place” within democracies.

The post Netanyahu Calls for ‘Demilitarized, Deradicalized’ Post-War Gaza, Proposes ‘Abraham Alliance’ in Speech to US Congress first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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Iran Accused of Targeting Jews at Home and Abroad as 14 Nations Condemn Assassination Plots

People walk near a mural of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, amid the Iran-Israel conflict, in Tehran, Iran, June 23, 2025. Photo: Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS

Britain, the United States, France, and 11 other allies issued a joint statement on Thursday condemning a rise in Iranian assassination and kidnapping plots in the West, as a new report warned Tehran has been intensifying efforts to target Jewish communities abroad.

On Tuesday, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released a report detailing Iran’s systematic violations of religious freedom, both domestically and through operations targeting individuals abroad.

Within Iran, despite officially recognizing Judaism, the Islamist government also “publicly demonizes Jews as enemies of Islam, denies and distorts the history of the Holocaust, [and] surveils Jewish houses of worship,” the report said.

By promoting such antisemitic views and permitting assaults on Jewish sacred sites throughout the country, “authorities have nurtured a hostile environment in which Iranian Jews feel increasingly threatened.”

According to the report, Iran is also “directly engaging criminal networks abroad to carry out attacks against Jewish targets and make Jews in Europe unsafe,” especially in the aftermath of the recent 12-day war with Israel.

The study revealed that the Iranian regime continues to promote and incite antisemitism abroad — through criminal networks, social media, and online platforms — and has actively recruited gangs across Europe “to carry out attacks on Israeli embassies and Jewish sites, including houses of worship, memorial centers, restaurants, and community centers.”

On Thursday, Western allies condemned a surge in assassination, kidnapping, and harassment plots by Iranian intelligence services targeting individuals across Western countries, urging Iranian authorities to immediately halt these illegal activities.

“We are united in our opposition to the attempts of Iranian intelligence services to kill, kidnap, and harass people in Europe and North America in clear violation of our sovereignty,” the joint statement read.

The new report and joint statement came as Iran continued to defy international demands regarding its nuclear program, facing mounting pressure and new US economic sanctions aimed at compelling a return to nuclear talks.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that “the road to negotiation is narrow” in the wake of the recent conflict with Israel and the United States.

Araghchi also insisted that Washington must agree to compensate Iran for the losses suffered during last month’s conflict if it hopes to bring Tehran back to the negotiating table.

“They should explain why they attacked us in the middle of … negotiations, and they have to ensure that they are not going to repeat that [during future talks],” the top Iranian diplomat said. “And they have to compensate [Iran for] the damage that they have done.”

However, Araghchi also reaffirmed that a deal would be off the table as long as US President Donald Trump continued to demand that Iran commit to zero uranium enrichment.

“We can negotiate, they can present their argument, and we will present our own argument,” Araghchi said. “But with zero enrichment, we don’t have a thing.”

On Wednesday, the United States announced a new round of economic sanctions targeting Iran and entities tied to its oil trade, as part of continued pressure on the Islamic Republic “until Tehran agrees to a deal that promotes regional peace and stability, and abandons all aspirations for nuclear weapons.”

As for negotiations with Europe, Araghchi said during the interview that Tehran would walk away from the talks if European powers continued on their current course, accusing them of failing to honor their obligations under the 2015 nuclear agreement.

“With the Europeans, there is no reason right now to negotiate because they cannot lift sanctions, they cannot do anything,” the Iranian diplomat said. “If they do snapback, that means that this is the end of the road for them.”

Under the terms of the UN Security Council resolution enshrining the 2015 accord — which imposed temporary restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for large-scale sanctions relief —international sanctions could be reimposed on Iran, restoring all previous UN economic penalties including those targeting Iran’s oil, banking, and defense sectors, through a “snapback” mechanism that would take about 30 days. France, Britain, and Germany have warned they would reinstate UN sanctions on Tehran if no new agreement is reached by the end of August.

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ADL Files Civil Rights Complaint Against Baltimore City Public Schools, Alleging Rampant Antisemitism

Baltimore City Hall is seen in Baltimore, Maryland, US, May 10, 2019. Photo: Stephanie Keith via Reuters Connect

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has filed a Title VI civil rights complaint against Baltimore City Public Schools (BCPS), alleging that officials refused to respond to allegations of antisemitism in a manner consistent with US federal law.

“All schools have a fundamental obligation to maintain a learning environment that protect students from discrimination,” ADL vice president of litigation James Pasch said in a statement announcing the action. “On this essential measure of keeping its Jewish students safe from harassment and intimidation, Baltimore City Public Schools have failed.”

Jewish students allegedly experienced relentless bullying in BCPS, where students pantomimed Nazi salutes, treated campuses as a canvas for Nazi-inspired and antisemitic graffiti, and sent text messages threatening that the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas will be summoned to kill Jewish students the bullies do not like. Teachers behaved even worse than students, the complaint said. At Bard High School, an English teacher performed the Nazi salute three times and later admitted to administrative officials that he did so intentionally to harm “the sole Jewish student” enrolled in his class. Following the incident, he suggested that the student unregister for his class because the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would be discussed in it.

In every case, according to the complaint, BCPS officials “slow-walked” investigations, deflecting parents’ inquiries into their status with bureaucratic spin even as they denied Jewish students justice. Moreover, the ADL continued, BCPS was first notified of an antisemitism problem on its campuses over a year before Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, massacre across southern Israel stoked anti-Jewish hatred. The ADL alleged that the school system’s refusing to take action constituted a textbook example of a violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which forbids public schools receiving federal funding to treat students unfairly on the basis of race, ethnicity, or shared ancestry.

“Parents of Jewish students in Baltimore have pleaded repeatedly with BCPPS to take decisive action to stop the harassment of and discrimination against their Jewish children. Their pleas have been ignored,” the complaint said. “Jewish students and parents have filed more than a dozen reports with BCPS. In each case, the schools have labeled these weighty allegations as ‘inconclusive’ and appear to have taken action against the perpetrators.”

The ADL is calling on the school system to take imminent, remedial steps to address antisemitism, including adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, requiring BCPS officials to undergo trainings on the history of antisemitism and how to fight it, and additions to school curricula which educate students about the history of anti-Jewish bigotry and its harms.

Antisemitism in K-12 schools is receiving increased attention, notably in California, after years of falling under the radar.

In April, a civil rights complaint filed by StandWithUs and the Bay Area Jewish Coalition alleged that the Santa Clara Unified School District (SCUSD) in California allows Jewish students to be subjected to unconscionable levels of antisemitic bullying in and outside of the classroom.

The 27-page complaint, filed with the US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR), described a slew of incidents that allegedly fostered a hostile environment for Jewish students after Hamas’s Oct. 7 atrocities set off a wave of anti-Jewish hatred across the US. SCUSD students, the compaint said, graffitied antisemitic hate speech in the bathrooms, vandalized Jewish-themed posters displayed in schools, and distributed stickers which said, “F—k Zionism.” All the while, district officials enabled the behavior by refusing to investigate it and blaming victims who came forward to report their experiences, according to the complaint.

“SCUSD has allowed an egregiously hostile environment to fester for its Jewish and Israeli students in violation of its federal obligations and ethical responsibility to create a safe educational space for all students,” Jenna Statfeld Harris, senior counsel and K-12 specialist at StandWithUs Saidoff Legal, said in a statement at the time. “SCUSD leadership repeatedly disregards the rights of their Jewish and Israeli students. We implore the Office for Civil Rights to step in and uphold the right of these students to an inclusive education free from hostility toward their protected identity.”

In March, the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law filed a civil rights complaint which recounted the experience of a 12-year-old Jewish girl who was allegedly assaulted on the grounds of the Etiwanda School District in San Bernardino, California — being beaten with a stick, told to “shut your Jewish ass up,” and teased with jokes about Hitler. According to the court filings, one student admitted that the behavior was motivated by the victim’s being Jewish. Despite receiving several complaints about the treatment, a substantial amount of which occurred in the classroom, school officials allegedly declined to punish her tormentors.

“While an increasing number of schools recognize that their Jewish students are being targeted both for their religious beliefs and due to their ancestral connection to Israel, and are taking necessary steps to address both classic and contemporary forms of antisemitism, some shamefully continue to turn a blind eye,” Brandeis Center founder and chairman Kenneth Marcus said in a statement at the time of the filing.

Follow Dion J. Pierre @DionJPierre.

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France, Spain Locked in Diplomatic Dispute Over Removal of French Jewish Teenagers From Flight

A Vueling aircraft approaches landing at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport, as Vueling employees prepare for strike, in Barcelona, Spain, Nov. 2, 2022. Photo: REUTERS/Nacho Doce

The forced removal of French Jewish teenagers from a flight in Spain has triggered political outrage in France, after their group leader was handcuffed by Spanish police and a government minister insulted the teens as “Israeli brats.”

French ministers Aurore Bergé and Benjamin Haddad have sharply criticized Spanish Transport Minister Óscar Puente’s comments and denounced the Spanish government’s overall response to the incident.

Earlier this week, Puente referred to the group of teenagers as “Israeli brats” in a post on X, which he quickly deleted after it went viral and sparked widespread condemnation.

The French ministers issued a strong rebuke of the remarks for “equating French children who were Jewish with Israeli citizens, as if this in any way justified the treatment they were subjected to.”

“At a time when antisemitic acts have been on the rise across Europe since the terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, in Israel, we call on Vueling [the airline of the flight in question] and the Spanish authorities to fully investigate and clarify the events,” Bergé and Haddad said in a statement.

“We will never accept the normalization of antisemitism. We will always stand with our fellow citizens who suffer from antisemitic hatred, and we will never compromise,” the French officials continued.

Last week, a group of 50 French Jewish students was forcibly removed from a plane in Valencia — reportedly for singing in Hebrew — an incident that resulted in the arrest of their summer camp director, who has accused Spanish law enforcement officers of using excessive force against her.

According to her lawyer, she was left with bruises on her legs, arms, and body after being harshly handcuffed and placed in an arm lock.

“No action justified the disembarkation or the excessive and brutal use of force by the Civil Guard against the young woman, who has just been notified of 15 days of total incapacity to work,” Bergé and Haddad said in a statement.

The Spanish low-cost airline Vueling denied the allegations, insisting the incident was not related to religion but rather that the group was causing a disruption.

In a statement, the airline asserted that the group was removed because of its members’ “highly combative attitude that was putting the safety of the flight at risk.”

After meeting with the group’s counselor on Tuesday, Bergé and Haddad said she denied the official version of events, emphasizing that the crew was hostile from the beginning and that the group’s removal and the Civil Guard’s response were unjustified.

The children, aged 10 to 15, are members of the Kineret Club — a summer camp for Jewish families run by the Matana charitable association — which had just concluded their trip in the coastal resort town of Sant Carles de la Ràpita, between Valencia and Barcelona.

According to local reports, the children were singing in Hebrew while boarding the plane to return home, which prompted a hostile response from the crew.

Witnesses reported that the group stopped singing at the crew’s request and complied quietly with boarding instructions, yet airport police still intervened and ordered them to disembark.

Other passengers on the plane who witnessed the incident reported that staff made antisemitic remarks toward the group, including one employee who allegedly referred to Israel as a “terrorist state.”

Last week, amid an ongoing investigation into the incident, French authorities reached out to the CEO of Vueling and the Spanish ambassador to France to assess whether the group was subjected to religious discrimination.

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