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Societies That Hate Jews Endanger Every Single Citizen
Pro-Hamas protesters outside the Garfield Park Conservatory in Chicago, Illinois on Tuesday, May 21, 2024. Photo: Ron Sachs via Reuters Connect
My father was not what you would call a philosemite. At the dinner table, he complained bitterly about the Jewish employee who supervised him when he got a job at a defense company, after his career as an insurance salesman ground to a halt in his late 40s.
My father would repeatedly refer to the Jewish man in obscene and racist terms, as my brother and I would look down at our plates. Our mother would remonstrate with him from across the dinner table, to no avail. To be fair, my father spoke about one of his Irish Catholic colleagues in similarly bigoted language, but the phrase he used to describe his Jewish supervisor was much worse than the man with the Irish last name he also disdained.
But for all the contempt my father expressed for his Jewish supervisor, he was a Zionist. Part of his Zionism was rooted in his admiration of Israel’s success, but it was also rooted in a desire not to repeat the horrors of World War II.
Dad knew full well that German Jew-hatred was a major factor in starting a war that cost 60 million people their lives. His own father, who returned from World War I a profoundly wounded human being, cried like a baby at the kitchen table in Harrisville, New Hampshire, when he learned of the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. He had a premonition that he was going to lose one of his two sons in the ensuing war.
“And he did,” dad said. My father’s older brother, who joined the Marines when he was 17, died on Iwo Jima in early 1945 at the age of 20. “He saw three pitched battles by his 19th birthday,” Dad would say. “Tinian, Saipan, and Iwo Jima.”
Consequently, my father had a visceral and supernatural fear of antisemitism and the chaos it introduced into the world. That’s why he supported Israel. Anything that made it harder to kill Jews was a good thing — not just for Jews, but for non-Jews as well.
He vocalized his support for Israel when the UN General Assembly passed the “Zionism is Racism” resolution in 1975. “What do they think they’re doing?” he asked. “Don’t they remember?” He viewed the Arab world’s open expression of hostility toward the Jews as a people as a harbinger of catastrophe — not just for the Jews, but Arabs as well. The past few decades of the region’s history confirm this assessment.
Three decades after his death, my father would be shocked to see the growing prevalence of antisemitism in American society where, according to the FBI, Jews are by far and away the most likely targets of violence because of their identity. For him, no patriotic American could hate the Jews as a people because to do so would be to side with the forces that turned Europe into a disaster zone in the mid-20th century. “Don’t they remember?” he would ask. (No Dad, they don’t, and I’m sorry.)
My father, a lifelong Republican, would be shocked at Tucker Carlson’s efforts to portray Hitler as something less than the world-ending villain he was in a recent interview. As shocking as it is to hear such an assessment, this interview was preceded by a flood of commentary from the left portraying Israel — not Hamas — as the villain in the aftermath of the October 7 massacre. In sum, the left and the right have contributed to the diminishment of what used to be a strategic asset that kept the crazies from power in the West: Contempt for Jew-haters.
Despite his disdain for his Jewish supervisor, my father understood that those who hate Jews cannot and should not be trusted. Maybe this is something French military officer Georges Picquart understood during the Dreyfus Affair, which rocked France between 1894 and 1906. Picquart was no philosemite, and according to The New York Times, was “casually antisemitic.”
Nevertheless, he spent a year in jail as a result of his role in the ultimately successful effort to absolve Alfred Dreyfus, a Jew, falsely charged with spying for the Germans in the 1890s.
Picquart’s efforts did not just help the falsely accused Dreyfus, or French Jews, but France itself. As long as France falsely blamed Dreyfus for espionage, France would be unable to acknowledge who the real threat was — Ferdinand Esterhazy, who had been spying for the Germans for years. Blaming Dreyfus the Jew obscured the real problem: a general air of incompetence in the French military establishment — an incompetence that played a huge role in France’s disastrous defeat at the hands of Hitler’s armies in the mid-20th century.
The truth is that as long as elites blame Jews for problems in the societies they lead, they will remain unable to confront the source of the threats to their well-being.
But there is hope. When my father died after a long period of confronting his demons — and helping others to do the same — hundreds of people showed up at his wake. A man in his fifties came through the reception line and offered me and my brother condolences over our father’s death.
“I worked with your dad,” he told us. “I learned so much from him. He was a really good man. He was very kind to me.”
“What’s your name?” my brother asked. He told us. We both shook his hand earnestly and thanked him before he moved on to speak to our mother. My brother and I struggled to keep our mouths from opening in shock as we looked at one another. It was the Jewish supervisor our father had routinely vilified at the dinner table years before. Wide-eyed, we nodded at one another before extending our hands to the next mourning well-wisher, awash with astonishment and gratitude.
Dexter Van Zile is managing editor of Focus on Western Islamism, a news site published by the Middle East Forum. His opinions are his own.
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Switzerland Moves to Close Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s Geneva Office Over Legal Irregularities
Palestinians carry aid supplies received from the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in the central Gaza Strip, May 29, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Ramadan Abed/File Photo
Switzerland has moved to shut down the Geneva office of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US- and Israeli-backed aid group, citing legal irregularities in its establishment.
The GHF began distributing food packages in Gaza in late May, implementing a new aid delivery model aimed at preventing the diversion of supplies by Hamas, as Israel continues its defensive military campaign against the Palestinian terrorist group.
The initiative has drawn criticism from the UN and international organizations, some of which have claimed that Jerusalem is causing starvation in the war-torn enclave.
Israel has vehemently denied such accusations, noting that, until its recently imposed blockade, it had provided significant humanitarian aid in the enclave throughout the war.
Israeli officials have also said much of the aid that flows into Gaza is stolen by Hamas, which uses it for terrorist operations and sells the rest at high prices to Gazan civilians.
With a subsidiary registered in Geneva, the GHF — headquartered in Delaware — reports having delivered over 56 million meals to Palestinians in just one month.
According to a regulatory announcement published Wednesday in the Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce, the Federal Supervisory Authority for Foundations (ESA) may order the dissolution of the GHF if no creditors come forward within the legal 30-day period.
The Trump administration did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the Swiss decision to shut down its Geneva office.
“The GHF confirmed to the ESA that it had never carried out activities in Switzerland … and that it intends to dissolve the Geneva-registered branch,” the ESA said in a statement.
Last week, Geneva authorities gave the GHF a 30-day deadline to address legal shortcomings or risk facing enforcement measures.
Under local laws and regulations, the foundation failed to meet several requirements: it did not appoint a board member authorized to sign documents domiciled in Switzerland, did not have the minimum three board members, lacked a Swiss bank account and valid address, and operated without an auditing body.
The GHF operates independently from UN-backed mechanisms, which Hamas has sought to reinstate, arguing that these vehicles are more neutral.
Israeli and American officials have rejected those calls, saying Hamas previously exploited UN-run systems to siphon aid for its war effort.
The UN has denied those allegations while expressing concerns that the GHF’s approach forces civilians to risk their safety by traveling long distances across active conflict zones to reach food distribution points.
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Key US Lawmaker Warns Ireland of Potential Economic Consequences for ‘Antisemitic Path’ Against Israel
US Sen. James Risch (R-ID) speaks during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Washington, DC, May 21, 2024. Photo: Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman James Risch (R-ID) issued a sharp warning Tuesday, accusing Ireland of embracing antisemitism and threatening potential economic consequences if the Irish government proceeds with new legislation targeting Israeli trade.
“Ireland, while often a valuable U.S. partner, is on a hateful, antisemitic path that will only lead to self-inflicted economic suffering,” Risch wrote in a post on X. “If this legislation is implemented, America will have to seriously reconsider its deep and ongoing economic ties. We will always stand up to blatant antisemitism.”
Marking a striking escalation in rhetoric from a senior US lawmaker, Risch’s comments came amid growing tensions between Ireland and Israel, which have intensified dramatically since the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Those attacks, in which roughly 1,200 Israelis were killed and more than 200 taken hostage, prompted a months-long Israeli military campaign in Gaza that has drawn widespread international scrutiny. Ireland has positioned itself as one of the most vocal critics of Israel’s response, accusing the Israeli government of disproportionate use of force and calling for immediate humanitarian relief and accountability for the elevated number of Palestinian civilian casualties.
Dublin’s stance has included tangible policy shifts. In May 2024, Ireland formally recognized a Palestinian state, becoming one of the first European Union members to do so following the outbreak of the war in Gaza. The move was condemned by Israeli officials, who recalled their ambassador to Ireland and accused the Irish government of legitimizing terrorism. Since then, Irish lawmakers have proposed further measures, including legislation aimed at restricting imports from Israeli settlements in the West Bank, policies viewed in Israel and among many American lawmakers as aligning with the controversial Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
While Irish leaders have defended their approach as grounded in international law and human rights, critics in Washington, including Risch, have portrayed it as part of a broader pattern of hostility toward Israel. Some US lawmakers have begun raising the possibility of reevaluating trade and diplomatic ties with Ireland in response.
Risch’s warning is one of the clearest indications yet that Ireland’s policies toward Israel could carry economic consequences. The United States is one of Ireland’s largest trading partners, and American companies such as Apple, Google, Meta and Pfizer maintain substantial operations in the country, drawn by Ireland’s favorable tax regime and access to the EU market.
Though the Trump administration has not echoed Risch’s warning, the remarks reflect growing unease in Washington about the trajectory of Ireland’s foreign policy. The State Department has maintained a careful balancing act, expressing strong support for Israel’s security while calling for increased humanitarian access in Gaza. Officials have stopped short of condemning Ireland’s actions directly but have expressed concern about efforts they see as isolating Israel on the international stage.
Ireland’s stance is emblematic of a growing international divide over the war. While the US continues to provide military and diplomatic backing to Israel, many European countries have called for an immediate ceasefire and investigations into alleged war crimes.
Irish public opinion has long leaned pro-Palestinian, and Irish lawmakers have repeatedly voiced concern over the scale of destruction in Gaza and the dire humanitarian situation.
Irish officials have not yet responded to The Algemeiner’s request for comment.
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Israel Condemns Iran’s Suspension of IAEA Cooperation, Urges Europe to Reinstate UN Sanctions
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar at a press conference in Berlin, Germany, June 5, 2025. REUTERS/Christian Mang/File Photo
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on Wednesday condemned Iran’s decision to halt cooperation with the UN’s nuclear watchdog and called on the international community to reinstate sanctions to curb Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
“Iran has just issued a scandalous announcement about suspending its cooperation with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency),” Saar wrote in a post on X. “This is a complete renunciation of all its international nuclear obligations and commitments.”
Last week, the Iranian parliament voted to suspend cooperation with the IAEA “until the safety and security of [the country’s] nuclear activities can be guaranteed.”
“The IAEA and its Director-General are fully responsible for this sordid state of affairs,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote in a post on X.
The top Iranian diplomat said this latest decision was “a direct result of [IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi’s] regrettable role in obfuscating the fact that the Agency — a full decade ago — already closed all past issues.
“Through this malign action,” Araghchi continued, “he directly facilitated the adoption of a politically-motivated resolution against Iran by the IAEA [Board of Governors] as well as the unlawful Israeli and US bombings of Iranian nuclear sites.”
The Parliament of Iran has voted for a halt to collaboration with the IAEA until the safety and security of our nuclear activities can be guaranteed.
This is a direct result of @rafaelmgrossi‘s regrettable role in obfuscating the fact that the Agency—a full decade ago—already…
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) June 27, 2025
On Wednesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian approved a bill banning UN nuclear inspectors from entering the country until the Supreme National Security Council decides that there is no longer a threat to the safety of its nuclear sites.
In response, Saar urged European countries that were part of the now-defunct 2015 nuclear deal to activate its “snapback” clause and reinstate all UN sanctions lifted under the agreement.
Officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), this accord between Iran and several world powers imposed temporary restrictions on Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
During his first term, US President Donald Trump withdrew from the deal and reinstated unilateral sanctions on Iran.
“The time to activate the Snapback mechanism is now! I call upon the E3 countries — Germany, France and the UK to reinstate all sanctions against Iran!” Saar wrote in a post on X.
“The international community must act decisively now and utilize all means at its disposal to stop Iranian nuclear ambitions,” he continued.
The time to activate the Snapback mechanism is now!
I call upon the E3 countries- Germany, France and the UK to reinstate all sanctions against Iran!
Iran has just issued a scandalous announcement about suspending its cooperation with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy…— Gideon Sa’ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) July 2, 2025
Saar’s latest remarks come after Araghchi met last week in Geneva with his counterparts from Britain, France, Germany and the European Union’s Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas — their first meeting since the Iran-Israel war began.
Europe is actively urging Iran to reengage in talks with the White House to prevent further escalation of tensions, but has yet to address the issue of reinstating sanctions.
Speaking during an official visit to Latvia on Tuesday, Saar said that “Operation Rising Lion” — Israel’s sweeping military campaign aimed at dismantling Iran’s nuclear capabilities — has “revealed the full extent of the Iranian regime’s threat to Israel, Europe, and the global order.”
“Iran deliberately targeted civilian population centers with its ballistic missiles,” Saar said at a press conference. “The same missile threat can reach Europe, including Latvia and the Baltic states.”
“Israel’s actions against the head of the snake in Iran contributed directly to the safety of Europe,” the Israeli top diplomat continued, adding that Israeli strikes have set back the Iranian nuclear program by many years.
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