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Olympian Who Smeared Jewish Teacher Loses Challenge to Defamation Suit
US Olympic fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad (right) in Times Square in Manhattan, New York, US, Jan. 30, 2018. Photo: Andrew Kelly via Reuters Connect
A New Jersey appellate court last month rejected a challenge to a defamation lawsuit brought by a Jewish public school teacher who said she was the victim of a smear campaign in which an Olympian accused her of Islamophobia following an innocuous interaction with a student.
According to the Lawfare Project, on Oct. 6 2021, Tamar Herman, who has served the New Jersey township of Maplewood for over two decades as a second grade teacher, drew back the hood of a female student’s sweatshirt during class, having assumed, because it was covering her eyes, that something unrelated to the day’s lesson had captivated the student’s attention. Herman knew that the student was a practicing Muslim whose wardrobe included the hijab and assumed the article was worn on that day. Discovering that it was not and that she unintentionally revealed the student’s hair, Herman, according to court documents, “immediately and gently brushed the hood back” and apologized.
The incident was soon forgotten, and the student did not protest. Herman continued her lesson.
Herman was blindsided the following day, when Ibtihaj Muhammad, an Olympic fencer and author whom she knew, published on social media an allegedly defamatory video in which she described the incident as an intentional disrobing of a Muslim girl motivated by racism and Islamophobia.
Incidentally, Muhammad tied her discussion of the incident to promoting her recently published book, The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family.
But Herman had believed that the issue was settled. Earlier that day, her principal had told her that the child’s parent had called and agreed Herman’s drawing back the student’s hood was a “misunderstanding.” But Muhammad’s hundreds of thousands of followers on social media had been moved by the Olympian’s claim that Herman subjected the child to “humiliation,” “trauma,” and “abuse” and flooded the South Orange Maplewood School District with letters and complaints, many of which brimmed with antisemitic tropes and violent threats.
Muhammad also, allegedly, “grossly” embellished the details of the incident, according to court documents, saying that Herman and the student engaged in a struggle over the hood which ended in Herman’s proclaiming that “her hair was beautiful and she did not have to wear hijab to school anymore” — none of which happened, attorneys said. However, Muhammad’s version of what occurred nevertheless gained acceptance as fact, and before the end of the day on Oct. 7, 2021, Herman was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the school district’s investigation. Law enforcement entered the picture as well, with the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office considering criminal charges. Meanwhile, the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) publicly denounced Herman as a bigot.
An ordeal ensued which has forever altered Herman’s life and besmirched the 20 years she devoted to public service. A progressive Democrat who, in the words of her attorneys “celebrated diversity,” she reveled in teaching students of all backgrounds and forging close relationships with community members from different ethnicities and faiths. She even befriended Muhammad, as they both attended the same gym.
“They also discussed how holding a sporting event in Israel between people of different religions could build cross-culture understanding,” court documents said. “As well, prior to the events at issue in this action, Herman expressed support for Muhammad specifically, and Islam generally, online, where the two were Facebook friends … Herman’s affinity and respect for Muhammad was perhaps best evidenced by Muhammad’s prominent place in Herman’s classroom and its surroundings: Herman had a poster of Muhammad displayed in the hallway outside Herman’s classroom on a special class bulletin board of character traits and accomplishments, and the class studied Muhammad as an example of perseverance, persistence, dedication, overcoming obstacles, overcoming adversity, and achieving excellence in spite of it all.”
Herman’s legal counsel soon realized during its investigation of the case that something else was at play. On the night Muhammad posted her video, the student’s mother, Cassandra Wyatt — who also knew Muhammad personally — told everyone she could on social media that her perception of the classroom incident changed upon her learning that Herman was Jewish.
“I JUST FOUND OUT THAT THE TEACHER IS JEWISHHHHHHHHH
,” Wyatt, who also proclaimed that she stood to benefit financially from the controversy, wrote on Facebook. “That’s why I believe she did it now I’m furious…I had no understanding she been in her class a month now…Nowwww [sic] I’m not speechless nor mute I 44nderstand [sic] nowwww…SHE’S JEWISH OO SUS GOT A PROBLEM ON HER HANDS.”
Given the rhetoric of the mother — as well as that of the father, Joseph Wyatt, who once allegedly said, “The Jews, the Semitics, they run Hollywood — Muhammad should have declined to promote a severely biased narrative to her thousands of followers, according to Herman’s lawyers. They added that the Olympian has refused to retract any of the claims she made.
“The malicious defamation campaign against Ms. Herman was a calculated, antisemitic effort to harm a respected member of the community, motivated by her Jewish identity,” The Lawfare Project’s chief operating officer, Benjamin Cyber, said in a press release. “Ms. Muhammad must be held accountable for the significant trauma she has inflicted. The Lawfare Project commends Bochner PLLC for their exceptional legal work and collaboration with us to pursue justice for Ms. Herman.”
With last month’s ruling, the case can now proceed to discovery.
“We are very pleased with yesterday’s Appellate Division rulings,” Edward Paltzik and Erik Dykema, two attorneys representing Herman, added. “Ms. Herman’s meritorious case against Ms. Muhammad will now proceed, as it should, on a path to trial. The court correctly found that we properly pleaded our defamation case against Ms. Muhammad. We knew all along that this would be an arduous and long process, but Ms. Herman is a woman of remarkable character and resolve. As well, this victory would have not been possible without the ongoing instrumental collaboration of The Lawfare Project.”
Follow Dion J. Pierre @DionJPierre.
The post Olympian Who Smeared Jewish Teacher Loses Challenge to Defamation Suit 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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