RSS
Progressive US ‘Squad’ Lawmakers Condemn Israel’s Strikes Against Hezbollah, Silent on Nasrallah Assassination
US Reps Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) and Ilhan Omar (D-MN) hold a news conference after Democrats in the US Congress moved to formally condemn President Donald Trump’s attacks on the four minority congresswomen on Capitol Hill in Washington, US, July 15, 2019. Photo: Reuters / Erin Scott.
The most vocal critics of Israel in the US Congress have been silent on the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, a notorious terrorist committed to the Jewish state’s destruction.
Members of the so-called “Squad” — a coalition of lawmakers with progressive policy positions on issues ranging from economics to foreign affairs — have not issued statements responding to the death of Nasrallah. However, these lawmakers — including Democratic Reps. Rashida Tlaib (MI), Ilhan Omar (MN), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY), Cori Bush (MO), Jamaal Bowman (NY), Summer Lee (PA), and Ayanna Pressley (MA)— have repeatedly ripped Israel over its defensive military operations against the Hezbollah terrorist group in Lebanon. Many of them have also called for an arms embargo to be placed on Israel amid its military operations against both Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Both Islamist terrorist organizations are backed by Iran, which provides them with weapons, funding, and training.
Beyond not directly addressing Nasrallah’s killing in an Israeli airstrike last week in their statements, the lawmakers also did not respond to requests for comment on his death and their silence on it.
Tlaib, the sole Palestinian American woman in Congress, has accused Israel of waging an “indiscriminate” bombing campaign in Lebanon. She slammed Israel for supposedly “expanding” its “genocidal campaign” from Gaza into Lebanon. Tlaib wrote that “the US government are conspirators to the war criminal Netanyahu’s genocidal plan,” referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and urged the Biden administration to place an arms blockade on the Jewish state.
However, the anti-Israel firebrand did not mention the Jewish state’s successful elimination of Nasrallah.
Meanwhile, Omar issued a statement condemning Israel’s strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon, arguing that they serve to escalate tensions within the region. She similarly urged the Biden administration to withhold arms from Israel, accusing the Jewish state of recklessly endangering civilian lives. Omar, like her progressive contemporaries, did not mention Hezbollah’s repeated attacks against Israel that prompted the Israeli strikes. She also did not mention Israel’s successful assassination of several Hezbollah high-ranking officials, including Nasrallah.
“It is imperative we use every single tool to de-escalate tensions. Just as President Biden stated, a ‘full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest.’ A full-scale war would have catastrophic implications for everyone, especially for Lebanese and Israeli civilians who would bear the brunt of this war and dramatically increase the risk of regional conflict involving the United States,” Omar wrote. “If we are serious about preventing the escalation of this conflict, we must use our leverage to cut off military aid to stop the violence both in Lebanon and Gaza. We cannot continue to stand idly by while innocent civilians are being bombarded with our tax dollars.”
Pressley, a congresswoman who has accused Israel of enacting “apartheid” against Palestinians, has not mentioned the death of the Hezbollah leader either. However, she has repeatedly condemned the Israeli military operations against the Iran-backed Lebanese terrorist group. Comparing Lebanon to Gaza, she urged the US federal government to prevent the Jewish state from prosecuting its war against Hezbollah.
“Israel’s indiscriminate bombing, forced displacement, & war crimes in Gaza have been beyond devastating. This must not be repeated in Lebanon. We must de-escalate and the US must stop sending offensive weapons,” Pressley posted on social media.
However, on Tuesday, in the immediate aftermath of Iran attacking Israel with a barrage of missiles, Pressley accused the Jewish state of exacerbating tensions in the Middle East by dismantling Hezbollah.
“Netanyahu’s invasion of Lebanon is putting millions of people at risk, forcing thousands to be displaced, and inciting a regional war. The escalating violence must end. In Lebanon, in Gaza, and across the region,” Pressley wrote.
Ocasio-Cortez, one of the most steadfast opponents of the Jewish state in Congress, has also not issued a statement on the killing of Nasrallah. However, Ocasio-Cortez criticized the recent attack on communications devices used by Hezbollah terrorists for “seriously injuring and killing innocent civilians.” Israel is widely believed to be behind the operation, although Jerusalem has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility. The congresswoman did not mention that the pager attack primarily harmed Hezbollah members.
“This attack clearly and unequivocally violates international humanitarian law and undermines US efforts to prevent a wider conflict,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote.
Meanwhile, Lee warned that Israel’s attacks on Hezbollah could trigger a “regional escalation of war.” She cautioned that Americans could be “dragged into another endless war abroad” and urged the US to implement an “arms embargo now.”
Bush and Bowman also made no official statements regarding the death of Nasrallah. However, each one condemned Israel’s military operations against Hezbollah.
“A ceasefire and arms embargo are urgently needed to end the violence & save lives. By failing on both fronts and sending additional troops to the Middle East, the Biden Administration is further fueling more death & destruction. Our communities do not want more endless wars,” Bush wrote.
Bowman accused Israel of arbitrarily “terrorizing” the civilians of Lebanon. The congressman notably did not mention Hezbollah.
“Israel’s playbook is all too familiar: indiscriminate bombing and widespread civilian carnage. Reports are emerging that Israel is considering a full-scale ground invasion of Lebanon. This is unacceptable,” Bowman wrote.
Bush and Bowman, two of the most virulently anti-Israel forces in Congress, lost their recent primary campaigns in races heavily defined by their opposition to the Jewish state.
Hezbollah has fired barrages of rockets, missiles, and drones at northern Israel almost daily following the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas-led Palestinian terrorists on the Jewish state’s southern region. Since then, both sides have been exchanging fire constantly while avoiding a major escalation as war rages in Gaza to the south.
About 80,000 Israelis have been forced to evacuate their homes in northern Israel and flee to other parts of the country amid the unrelenting attacks from Hezbollah.
Israel began a blistering campaign against Hezbollah two weeks ago, launching a wave of airstrikes that have crippled the Iran-backed terrorist group’s leadership. Many observes believe Israel wants to establish a demilitarized buffer zone between the Jewish state and Lebanon, aiming to decrease violence from non-state actors such as Hezbollah.
The post Progressive US ‘Squad’ Lawmakers Condemn Israel’s Strikes Against Hezbollah, Silent on Nasrallah Assassination first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
RSS
Mother of Infant Among Six People Killed in Terror Attack in Central Israel, Many More Wounded
Israeli forces stand near the scene of a shooting attack in Jaffa, Israel, Oct. 1, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Ammar Awad
A mother with a nine-month-old baby in a carrier was among six people killed in a terror attack in Jaffa, central Israel, on Tuesday evening. Her baby was rescued by another passenger and rushed to the hospital.
The woman, a resident of the nearby city of Bat Yam, was returning home from work on the light rail with her son when Palestinian terrorists opened fire on the train she was riding. They also gunned down several people along Jerusalem Boulevard and carried out a stabbing attack in the nearby Aza Street.
In addition to the six killed, 19 people were injured, several critically.
The terrorists were identified as Muhammad Rajoub and Hassan Muhammed Tamimi, from the West Bank city of Hebron. They were neutralized by a local security guard.
Minutes after the attack, all cell phones across Israel received an unprecedented message reading: “Emergency alert: Extreme,” instructing people to head into safe rooms and bomb shelters ahead of a massive missile strike from Iran.
Over 180 ballistic missiles were launched in the attack, but the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that it intercepted many with Israel’s Iron Dome and David’s Sling air defense systems.
Iranian officials said that 90 percent of the missiles reached their targets, a claim that does not seem to be corroborated by facts on the ground.
One person was killed in the missile strike, a Palestinian from Jericho. One Israeli was injured by falling shrapnel.
Dozens of local residents gathered on Jerusalem Boulevard, Jaffa’s main artery, in the wake of both attacks.
“The Iran attack was scary, but the terrorist attack was way scarier,” said Hussein Dakar, the owner of a nearby kiosk.
The post Mother of Infant Among Six People Killed in Terror Attack in Central Israel, Many More Wounded first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
RSS
Shooter Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for Attempted Murder of Jewish Men Leaving LA Synagogue
An American flag waves outside the US Department of Justice Building in Washington, DC. Photo: Al Drago via Reuters Connect
A gunman who shot two Jewish men as they exited a synagogue in Los Angeles was sentenced to 35 years in prison on Monday, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced.
In February 2023, Jaime Tran, 30 — an affiliate of the “Goyim Defense League” hate group — went on an antisemitic shooting spree, attempting to murder two Jewish men in the Pico-Robertson section of Los Angeles. Prior to the crimes, Tran called Jews “primitive” and told a former classmate, “Someone is going to kill you, Jew” and “I want you dead, Jew.” According to the Justice Department, he even described himself as a “ticking time bomb,” broadcasting his murderous ideations to all who knew him.
Opting against fighting the federal government’s case against him, Tran pled guilty in June to four charges the DOJ described as “hate crimes with intent to kill” and “using, carrying, and discharging a firearm” in the commission of an act of violence. His sentencing on Monday ensures that he will not again be free until the year 2059.
“After two years of spewing antisemitic vitriol, the defendant planned and carried out a two-day attack attempting to murder Jews leaving synagogue in Los Angeles,” US Attorney General Merrick Garland said on Monday. “Vile acts of antisemitic hatred endanger the safety of individuals and entire communities, and allowing such crimes to go unchecked endangers the foundation of our democracy itself.”
He continued, “As millions of Jewish Americans to prepare to observe the High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the Justice Department reaffirms its commitment to aggressively confronting, disrupting, and prosecuting criminal acts motivated by antisemitism, or by hatred of any kind. No Jewish person in America should have to fear that any sign of their identity will make them the victim of a hate crime.”
Los Angeles Police Chief Dominic Choi added, “While this sentencing cannot fully restore the sense of safety stolen from the two victims and the Jewish community, it is a decisive step towards justice and a clear message that such acts of hate and violence will not be tolerated.”
The Tran case is not the first involving an antisemitic hate crime that the Justice Department has resolved this year.
In August, it announced that former Cornell University student Patrick Dai, who threatened to perpetrate heinous crimes against members of the school’s Jewish community after Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre across southern Israel, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison.
Last October, Dai raised the possibility of antisemitic violence at Cornell when he posted several statements calling for murdering Jews and raping Jewish women on a popular social media forum. In addition to threatening the lives of Cornell’s 3,500 Jewish students, who are 22 percent of the school’s student population, the posts threatened an attack on a campus kosher dining hall — named 104West — affiliated with the Steven K. And Winifred A. Grinspoon Hillel Center.
“Gonna shoot up 104 west… Allahu akbar! from the river to the sea, palestine will be free! glory to hamas! liberation by any means necessary!” one of his posts said. Another read, “If I see a pig male jew i will stab you and slit your throat. if i see another pig female jew i will drag you away and rape you and throw you off a cliff. if i see another pig baby jew i will behead you in front of your parents [sic].”
Follow Dion J. Pierre @DionJPierre.
The post Shooter Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for Attempted Murder of Jewish Men Leaving LA Synagogue first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
RSS
Trump Issues Statement on Iranian Attack Against Israel, Blames Biden and Harris for ‘Non-Existent’ Leadership
Republican presidential candidate and former US President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at the Forum River Center in Rome, Georgia, US, March 9, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Alyssa Pointer
Former US President Donald Trump issued a statement on Tuesday addressing Iran’s decision to launch a barrage of ballistic missiles targeting Israel, accusing the Biden administration of exhibiting a lack of leadership.
Trump, the Republican nominee for US president, lamented that Iran’s attack on Israel indicated that “the [w]orld is on fire and spiraling out of control.” He argued that neither US President Joe Biden nor Vice President Kamala Harris, his Democratic opponent in the 2024 presidential race, were sufficiently defending Israel from Iran or its proxy groups.
“We have a non-existent President in Joe Biden, and a completely absent Vice President, Kamala Harris, who is too busy fundraising in San Francisco,” Trump wrote on social media.
“When I was president, Iran was in total check. They were starved for cash, fully contained, and desperate to make a deal,” Trump continued. “Kamala flooded them with American cash and, ever since, they’ve been exporting terror all over, and unraveling the Middle East.”
Harsh US sanctions levied on Iran under the Trump administration crippled the Iranian economy and led its foreign exchange reserves to plummet. Trump and his Republican supporters in the US Congress have criticized the Biden administration for renewing billions of dollars in US sanctions waivers, which had the effect of unlocking frozen funds and allowing the country to access previously inaccessible hard currency.
US intelligence agencies have for years labeled Iran as the world’s foremost state sponsor of terrorism, noting it devotes significant sums of money and weapons each year to supporting proxies across the Middle East such as Hamas and Hezbollah.
Trump warned that under the stewardship of Biden and Harris, “war,or the threat of war, is raging everywhere” and that America stands on “the brink of World War III.”
“You wouldn’t trust Joe or Kamala to run a lemonade stand, let alone lead the Free World,” Trump wrote. “It is no surprise that Iran desperately wants Kamala Harris to be president, because they know as long as she is in power, they can take advantage of America. That is why they have tried to target me.”
Last week, Trump was briefed by US intelligence officials “regarding real and specific threats from Iran to assassinate him in an effort to destabilize and sow chaos in the United States,” his campaign said in a statement.
Trump has touted his former administration’s support for Israel as a centerpiece of his 2024 campaign. During his single term in office, Trump recognized Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, a strategic region on Israel’s northern border previously controlled by Syria. He also moved the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, recognizing the city as the Jewish state’s capital, and the Trump administration helped to broker the Abraham Accords, which normalized Israel’s relations with four Arab countries in 2020.
Trump has made numerous overtures to the Jewish community in recent months, attempting to win over a significant share of the traditionally-liberal voting bloc. He has delivered speeches at various events catered toward the Jewish community, including the Republican Jewish Coalition. The former president also co-hosted an event focusing on antisemitism at his Trump National Golf Club Bedminster alongside prominent Jewish donor Miriam Adelson.
On Tuesday, Iran launched over 180 missiles at Israel in a direct attack as retaliation for Israeli strikes on Iran’s terrorist proxies across the Middle East. Most of the missiles were shot down, and according to reports there was only one casualty from the barrage.
The post Trump Issues Statement on Iranian Attack Against Israel, Blames Biden and Harris for ‘Non-Existent’ Leadership first appeared on Algemeiner.com.