RSS
‘Too Many Decent People Are Quiet’: Rallies Against Rising Antisemitism Held in Berlin, Brussels
A protester wrapped in an Israeli flag at a rally against antisemitism at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. Photo: Reuters/Lisi Niesner
Thousands of people took to the streets of Berlin and Brussels on Sunday in two demonstrations protesting the surge in antisemitic activity in Europe since the Oct. 7 Hamas pogrom in southern Israel.
In Berlin, police reported that 3,200 people had attended a march from the Tiergarten to the Brandenburg Gate, although organizers independently estimated that nearly four times that number had turned up. One of the speakers at the rally, the writer Michel Friedman, who also previously served as a president of the Central Council of German Jews, received loud applause when he declared, “Too few people have come.”
Friedman’s concern was echoed by Hubertus Heil, the federal government’s Minister of Labor. “Too many decent people are quiet,” Heil declared. “We don’t need a decent, silent majority. We need a clearly loud majority that stands up now and not later. Antisemitism must end.”
Attendees also heard from Bärbel Bas, the president of the Bundestag, Germany’s parliament, Israeli Ambassador Ron Prosor, and pop singer Roland Kaiser. The current president of the Central Council of German Jews, Josef Schuster, offered a bleak appraisal of the situation facing the more than 100,000 Jews in Germany, saying, “Sometimes I don’t recognize this country. Something is out of joint.”
Antisemitic incidents have risen precipitously in Germany during the last decade, with new records being reached in the weeks since the Oct. 7 Hamas pogrom in southern Israel. Data published last month by Rias, a federally-funded antisemitism watchdog, revealed nearly 1,000 incidents — 29 per day — since the Hamas atrocities.
A pro-Hamas counter-demonstration at the same time as the rally attracted 2,500 people, according to police. No arrests were made.
Separately, more than 4,000 people gathered in Brussels — the seat of the European Union — for a demonstration against antisemitism initiated by the Coordination Committee of Jewish Organizations of Belgium, the Forum of Jewish Organizations, and the Belgian League Against Antisemitism.
Participants waved signs declaring “You don’t have to be Jewish to fight antisemitism” along a route that passed both the Great Synagogue in the Belgian capital and its Jewish Museum.
Among the speakers at the Brussels event was Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission. “There should be no place for this hatred, especially here in Europe. And nothing justifies the rise of antisemitism. No war, no political argument can excuse it,” she stated.
Joël Rubinfeld, president of the Belgian League Against Antisemitism, told the protesters that Belgium had witnessed “a huge increase” in antisemitic hatred since the Oct. 7 atrocities.
“We are living in a very complicated period,” he said, adding that the rally sent “a message to the Jewish community of Belgium to tell them that they are not alone.”
The post ‘Too Many Decent People Are Quiet’: Rallies Against Rising Antisemitism Held in Berlin, Brussels first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
RSS
US Reportedly Shares Intelligence with New Syrian Leadership to Counter ISIS Threats
Syria’s de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, waits to welcome the senior Ukrainian delegation led by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, after the ousting of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad, in Damascus, Syria, Dec. 30, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi
i24 News – The United States has begun sharing classified intelligence with Syria’s new leadership, led by Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an Islamist group formerly designated as a terrorist organization, reports the Washington Post.
This unexpected collaboration comes in the wake of HTS overthrowing the Assad regime last month and reflects heightened US concerns about a potential resurgence of the Islamic State (ISIS).
According to sources, US intelligence recently helped thwart a planned ISIS attack on a prominent Shiite shrine near Damascus.
Despite this cooperation, US officials stress that the intelligence-sharing arrangement does not signify full support for HTS, which has a controversial history of extremism.
HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, previously known by his militant alias Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, has made efforts to project a more moderate image, pledging to protect Syria’s religious minorities and stabilize the country.
However, skepticism remains about HTS’s ability to govern effectively and sustain efforts against ISIS.
The Biden administration, before leaving office, maintained HTS’s terrorist designation while easing sanctions on Syria to facilitate humanitarian aid. As the new US administration under President Donald Trump takes shape, questions loom about the future of American involvement in Syria and the ongoing military presence aimed at preventing an ISIS comeback.
The post US Reportedly Shares Intelligence with New Syrian Leadership to Counter ISIS Threats first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
RSS
Hostages Missing from Hamas’ Release List
A birthday cake for Kfir Bibas, who is a hostage in Hamas captivity. Thursday, January 18, 2024. (Photo: Debbie Weiss)
i24 News – The second phase of hostage releases between Israel and Hamas has sparked deep frustration and grief among the families of those still held captive.
Two hostages—Arbel Yahud and Agam Berger—were notably excluded from the list of those to be freed on Saturday, despite earlier agreements prioritizing the return of civilians.
Arbel Yahud, 29, and Agam Berger, 20, both captives since the October 7 attack, were not included in the list of four hostages expected to be released.
Yahud, from Kibbutz Nir Oz, was taken along with her partner, Ariel Cunio, whose family was freed in November. Yahud’s brother, Dolev, was later found dead in June after he was killed while trying to aid the wounded. Agam Berger, from Holon, was captured while stationed at Nahal Oz. Her family identified her in a video released by Hamas, showing her in pajamas being taken away in a vehicle after she called her father to alert him of the gunfire.
The omission of these two hostages has led to heightened concerns and calls for action from Israeli authorities, who are now exerting pressure on Hamas and mediators to honor the terms of the release agreement. Israeli officials reaffirmed their commitment to continue with the broader agreement, but warned that the failure to meet the agreed terms could harm future releases.
Adding to the grief, the Bibas family expressed their devastation when they learned that Shiri Bibas and her children, who were abducted from their Nir Oz home on October 7, were also absent from the second release list. In a heartfelt message shared on Saturday, the Bibas family shared their anguish: “Even though we were prepared for it, we were hoping to see Shiri and the children on the list that was supposed to be the civilian list.” The family voiced concerns over their loved one’s safety and questioned why, despite grave fears for their lives, their relatives were not included among the civilians due to be returned.
The Bibas family’s message emphasized their belief that the public must continue to demand answers, adding, “Thank you, dear supporters, for not giving up, for continuing to pray, to hope and to demand answers.
The post Hostages Missing from Hamas’ Release List first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
RSS
Liri Albag, Karina Ariev, Naama Levi, and Daniela Gilboa Return to Israel After 477 Days of Captivity
A combination picture shows Israeli hostages Karina Ariev, Naama Levy, Liri Albag, and Daniela Gilboa, soldiers who were seized from their army base in southern Israel during the deadly Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas, in these undated handout pictures. Photo: Courtesy of Bring Them Home Now/Handout via REUTERS
i24 News – After 477 harrowing days in captivity, four young Israeli women—Liri Albag, Karina Ariev, Naama Levi, and Daniela Gilboa—have finally returned home.
The release took place Saturday morning in Gaza’s Palestine Square, under a carefully staged scene orchestrated by Hamas.
The four women, who served in a military observation unit in Nahal Oz, were handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Before their release, they were made to wear uniforms provided by Hamas and were paraded on a platform in front of a crowd of activists. Forced to smile and wave, the women endured the ordeal under the watchful eyes of Hamas fighters.
Once the formalities concluded, the women walked to waiting ICRC vehicles, accompanied by representatives of the organization. Upon reaching Israeli forces, IDF medical teams immediately conducted examinations. At the meeting point, the first female officers who greeted them informed the women that their families were watching live. Overcome with emotion, the former hostages smiled at the cameras, sending heartfelt gestures to their loved ones.
Footage later released by the IDF captured a poignant moment: the four women removing the uniforms given to them by Hamas and embracing Israeli officers. These emotional scenes underscored the end of a long and grueling chapter in their lives.
The women were transported to the Reim reception center, where their families eagerly awaited them. After 477 days of separation, the reunions were deeply moving, marking a moment of relief and joy.
However, the release was not without complications. A fifth military observer, Agam Berger, remains in captivity, and Hamas failed to uphold its agreement to release civilian hostage Arbel Yahud, who was originally included in the liberation group. The breach of terms has drawn widespread condemnation, intensifying efforts to secure the release of those who remain captive.
This momentous event brings a mix of celebration and determination, as Israel continues to work tirelessly for the freedom of all hostages still held in Gaza.
The post Liri Albag, Karina Ariev, Naama Levi, and Daniela Gilboa Return to Israel After 477 Days of Captivity first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login