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Pittsburgh Jewish Federation deletes Twitter/X account after being hacked by pro-Palestinian activists
(JTA) – Pro-Palestinian hackers briefly took over the Pittsburgh Jewish Federation’s feed on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Hours later, after retaking control, the federation deleted its account on the platform. The federation said the hack impacted its Facebook account as well.
The hack took place less than two weeks after the deadliest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, in Israel, and just days before the fifth anniversary of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, which was the worst antisemitic attack in American history.
“I’m appalled by the clear hacking of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s account,” wrote. Sheila Katz, the CEO of the National Council of Jewish Women, who drew attention to the hack in a post on X. “The audacity is truly egregious. If anyone understands the impact of violence & trauma inflicted upon Jews, it’s them. They’ve already endured far too much.”
Jewish communal officials have been on the alert for cyber attacks since Hamas’ invasion of Israel, which killed 1,400 and wounded thousands more. More than 3,700 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s ensuing war on the terror group in the Gaza Strip.
Before dawn on Thursday, the hackers replaced the banner photo of the federation’s social media feed with a Palestinian flag emblazoned with the phrases “Free Palestine” and “Stop the Genocide.” The hashtags #JewsAgainstGenocide and #FreePalestine were added to the bio blurb on the feed, “Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s vision is a flourishing community where everyone feels included & supported.” An appended link led to an Egyptian Red Crescent donation page.
Officials of the federation quickly reassumed control of the feed, and as of later Thursday morning, a photo of a family had replaced the Palestinian flag and the hashtags were removed. The link to the federation’s web page was restored.
By the afternoon, however, the account was deleted. Its profile was blank and a form message read, “This account doesn’t exist. Try searching for another.”
“We made a strategic decision to take down our Twitter page,” a spokesperson for the organization told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. In an earlier statement, a spokesperson said, “We can confirm that our Facebook and Twitter accounts were accessed by unauthorized parties and are now recovered and secured. We are not aware of other active threats at this time.”
Before being deleted, the Pittsburgh federation’s Twitter page appears to have been inactive for a year or so. The federation’s Facebook page is more active, and includes statements and actions in solidarity with Israel amid its war with Hamas.
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The post Pittsburgh Jewish Federation deletes Twitter/X account after being hacked by pro-Palestinian activists appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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Lebanon Must Disarm Hezbollah to Have a Shot at Better Days, Says US Envoy
Thomas Barrack at the Brooklyn Federal Courthouse in Brooklyn, New York, U.S., November 4, 2022. Photo: REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo
i24 News – Lebanon’s daunting social, economic and political issues would not get resolved unless the state persists in the efforts to disarm Hezbollah, the Iranian proxy behind so much of the unrest and destruction, special US envoy Tom Barrack told The National.
“You have Israel on one side, you have Iran on the other, and now you have Syria manifesting itself so quickly that if Lebanon doesn’t move, it’s going to be Bilad Al Sham again,” he said, using the historical Arabic name for the region sometimes known as “larger Syria.”
The official stressed the need to follow through on promises to disarm the Iranian proxy, which suffered severe blows from Israel in the past year, including the elimination of its entire leadership, and is considered a weakened though still dangerous jihadist outfit.
“There are issues that we have to arm wrestle with each other over to come to a final conclusion. Remember, we have an agreement, it was a great agreement. The problem is, nobody followed it,” he told The National.
Barrack spoke on the heels of a trip to Beirut, where he proposed a diplomatic plan for the region involving the full disarmament of Hezbollah by the Lebanese state.
The post Lebanon Must Disarm Hezbollah to Have a Shot at Better Days, Says US Envoy first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Report: Putin Urges Iran to Accept ‘Zero Enrichment’ Nuclear Deal With US
Russian President Vladimir Putin meets Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of a cultural forum dedicated to the 300th anniversary of the birth of the Turkmen poet and philosopher Magtymguly Fragi, in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Oct. 11, 2024. Photo: Sputnik/Alexander Scherbak/Pool via REUTERS
i24 News – Russian President Vladimir Putin has told Iranian leadership that he supports the idea of a nuclear deal in which Iran is unable to enrich uranium, the Axios website reported on Saturday. The Russian strongman also relayed the message to his American counterpart, President Donald Trump, the report said.
Iranian news agency Tasnim issued a denial, citing an “informed source” as saying Putin had not sent any message to Iran in this regard.
Also on Saturday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that “Any negotiated solution must respect Iran’s right to enrichment. No agreement without recognizing our right to enrichment. If negotiations occur, the only topic will be the nuclear program. No other issues, especially defense or military matters, will be on the agenda.”
The post Report: Putin Urges Iran to Accept ‘Zero Enrichment’ Nuclear Deal With US first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Syria’s Al-Sharaa Attending At Least One Meeting With Israeli Officials in Azerbaijan
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa speaks during a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron after a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, May 7, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq/Pool
i24 News – Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa is attending at least one meeting with Israeli officials in Azerbaijan today, despite sources in Damascus claiming he wasn’t attending, a Syrian source close to President Al-Sharaa tells i24NEWS.
The Syrian source stated that this is a series of two or three meetings between the sides, with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani also in attendance, along with Ahmed Al-Dalati, the Syrian government’s liaison for security meetings with Israel.
The high-level Israeli delegation includes a special envoy of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, as well as security and military figures.
The purpose of the meetings is to discuss further details of the security agreement to be signed between Israel and Syria, the Iranian threat in Syria and Lebanon, Hezbollah’s weapons, the weapons of Palestinian militias, the Palestinians camps in Lebanon, and the future of Palestinian refugees from Gaza in the region.
The possibility of opening an Israeli coordination office in Damascus, without diplomatic status, might also be discussed.
The source stated that the decision to hold the meetings in Azerbaijan, made by Israel and the US, is intended to send a message to Iran.
The post Syria’s Al-Sharaa Attending At Least One Meeting With Israeli Officials in Azerbaijan first appeared on Algemeiner.com.