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Vicious Anti-Israel Display and Magazine Allowed at North Carolina Public School
Carrboro High School in North Carolina recently allowed their library to feature an anti-Israel display, which included large messages proclaiming, “RESISTANCE IS JUSTIFIED WHEN PEOPLE ARE OCCUPIED” and “FREE PALESTINE.” To many Jews, seeing the phrase “resistance is justified” is deeply troubling because it condones and justifies Hamas’ use of rape and sexual violence, torture, murder, and hostage-taking.
Included in this public school display was a call for students to “Learn about the Boycott, Divest, and Sanctions movement” (BDS) against Israel, and a list of companies to boycott that included Starbucks, Airbnb, Coca-Cola, Hewlett Packard, and Burger King, the latter referred to as “APARTHEID KING.” Part of the display was presented in both English and Spanish.
A student group that prepared the display indicated on social media that it was active on Dec. 15. Multiple sources told me that the display was taken down after students, families, and community members protested.
I have met with more than a dozen local parents and current Carrboro high school students, who told me that two student clubs, the Student Socialist Alliance and the Zine club, were responsible. The prominent placement of the anti-Israel display in the school’s library likely left some students, staff, and community members believing that these views may have been endorsed by the school and district.
I have worked full-time in the public schools as a speech-language pathologist for the past 24 years. I have never seen, and cannot imagine, a display that vilifies an entire group of people being allowed anywhere on school grounds. For example, would such a display attacking Egypt, Honduras, Ethiopia, or South Korea be allowed? I highly doubt it. But for some reason, when it comes to Israel and the Jews, someone in authority permitted the display.
A student-created anti-Israel zine, or homemade magazine, was placed in the school’s library, and appeared to be part of the anti-Israel display. The creators of the zine are the Student Socialist Alliance and the Zine club.
The zine states, “The US military and police are terrorist organizations, so is the state of Israel and the IDF [Israeli Defense Forces].” It also says, “Israel is NOT a Jewish state.” The zine refers to Israel as “racist,” “colonial,” and an “apartheid” state, and accuses Israel of “genocide” and “ethnic cleansing.” A student told me that they saw possibly hundreds of these zines being distributed at Carrboro High School in ways that interrupted ongoing school activities. Another student told me the zine is being passed around school and that there may be as many as four versions. I have seen two different versions of the zine.
Carrboro High School allowed the display despite the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools hate speech protocol, which clearly states, “Hate speech is more than just harsh words. It can be any form of expression intended to vilify, humiliate, or incite hatred against a group or class of people.”
Without question, the anti-Israel display at Carrboro High School was a form of hate speech. It vilified Israel and its Jewish majority population. Parents and students that I met with are thankful the display was removed, but remain frustrated that Carrboro High School would ever permit such hate speech in their library in the first place.
A group calling itself the Carrboro High School (CHS) Organizing Alliance posted a series of anti-Israel slides on Instagram using the school logo on each slide. In these slides, Hamas is called a “liberation group;” the slides also say that “Zionism… can only lead to genocide.” In a slide comparing Israelis to Nazis, students wrote, “We should support all anti-imperialist movements, especially those that seek to destroy one of the most brutal concentration camps of all time: the Gaza strip.” According to the US Department of State, “Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis” is one example of antisemitism.
Sources tell me that school officials instructed the students to remove the logos. It appears that the entire Instagram account was deleted.
On February 8, students at Chapel Hill High School and Carrboro High School held a “For A Free Palestine: WALK-OUT AGAINST GENOCIDE” that took place during the school day. Many Jewish parents kept their children home that day out of fear for their mental well-being and safety. The Zine club posted a dismissive meme on Instagram, saying, “I’M NOT SORRY OUR PROTESTS BOTHER YOU, YOUR APATHY BOTHERS ME.”
Chapel Hill High principal Steven Sullivan sent parents an email the day before the protest, writing, “We are aware of some social media posts circulating among students (and adults) that encourage a ‘Walk-Out Against Genocide’ … we identified and met with students who are organizing the event in order to discuss concerns and reach an agreement on expectations.” Sullivan continued, “We have made abundantly clear that any vitriolic rhetoric during a peaceful protest will not be permitted.”
There is consensus among most, but not all, parents I spoke with that Chapel Hill High has handled this situation much better than Carrboro High. Multiple sources tell me that a Jewish Student Union at Chapel Hill High may have made part of the difference, as well as specific teachers who actively sought to support and check-in with Jewish students.
Multiple sources — which include parents, students, and community members — believe that some anti-Israel Carrboro High School faculty members are purposefully influencing and abetting this disruption. Some parents are considering filing lawsuits to ensure that Jewish students are treated equally and respectfully, and given a safe learning environment. Some parents are pursuing a Title VI complaint.
The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools need to uphold and enforce their hate speech policy for all students — including Jewish students.
Peter Reitzes writes about issues related to antisemitism and Israel.
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Brooklyn Nets Select Israeli Basketball Players Ben Saraf, Danny Wolf in NBA Draft
The opening tip between the Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards, at Barclays Center, in Brooklyn, New York, Dec. 13, 2020. Photo: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
In a landmark night for Israeli basketball, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf were selected in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft by the Brooklyn Nets, marking the first time two Israeli players have been drafted in the same year.
Saraf, a 19-year-old guard known for his explosive athleticism and creative playmaking, was taken with the 26th pick. A standout with Maccabi Rishon LeZion and a rising star on Israel’s youth national teams, Saraf gained international attention with his electrifying scoring and commanding court presence.
With the 27th pick, the Nets selected 7-foot center Danny Wolf out of the University of Michigan. Wolf, who holds dual US-Israeli citizenship and represented Israel at the U-20 level, brings a versatile skill set, including sharp passing, perimeter shooting, and a strong feel for the game. After his name was called, Wolf grew emotional in an on-air interview, crediting his family for helping him reach the moment.
“I have the two greatest brothers in the world; I have an unbelievable sister who I love,” Wolf said. “They all helped me get to where I am today, and they’re going to help me get to where I am going to go in this league.”
The historic double-pick adds to the growing wave of Israeli presence on the NBA stage, led by Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija, who just completed a breakout 2024–25 season. After being traded to Portland last summer, Avdija thrived as a starter, averaging 16.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. In March alone, he posted 23.4 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game, including two triple-doubles.
“I don’t think I’ve played like this before … I knew I had it in me. But I’m not really thinking about it. I’m just playing. I’m just free,” Avdija told reporters in March
With Saraf and Wolf joining Avdija, Israel’s basketball pipeline has reached unprecedented visibility. Israeli President Isaac Herzog called the moment “a national celebration for sports and youth,” and Israeli sports commentators widely hailed the night as “historic.”
Both Saraf and Wolf are expected to suit up for the Nets’ Summer League team in July. As the two rookies begin their NBA journey, they join a growing generation of Israeli athletes proving that their game belongs on basketball’s biggest stage.
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Iran Denies Any Meeting With US Next Week, Foreign Minister Says
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi attends a press conference following a meeting with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia, April 18, 2025. Photo: Tatyana Makeyeva/Pool via REUTERS
Iran currently has no plan to meet with the United States, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Thursday in an interview on state TV, contradicting US President Donald Trump’s statement that Washington planned to have talks with Iran next week.
The Iranian foreign minister said Tehran was assessing whether talks with the US were in its interest, following five previous rounds of negotiations that were cut short by Israel and the US attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The US and Israel said the strikes were meant to curb Iran’s ability to create nuclear weapons, while Iran says its nuclear program is solely geared toward civilian use.
Araqchi said the damages to nuclear sites “were not little” and that relevant authorities were figuring out the new realities of Iran’s nuclear program, which he said would inform Iran’s future diplomatic stance.
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Ireland Becomes First European Nation to Advance Ban on Trade With Israeli Settlements
A pro-Hamas demonstration in Ireland led by nationalist party Sinn Fein. Photo: Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne
Ireland has become the first European nation to push forward legislation banning trade with Israeli communities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem — an effort officials say is meant “to address the horrifying situation” in the Gaza Strip.
On Wednesday, Irish Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Simon Harris announced that the legislation has already been approved by the government and will now move to the parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade for pre-legislative scrutiny.
“Ireland is speaking up and speaking out against the genocidal activity in Gaza,” Harris said during a press conference.
The Irish diplomat also told reporters he hopes the “real benefit” of the legislation will be to encourage other countries to follow suit, “because it is important that every country uses every lever at its disposal.”
Today Ireland becomes the first country in Europe to bring forward legislation to ban trade with the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Ireland is speaking up and speaking out against the genocidal activity in Gaza.
Every country must pull every lever at its disposal. pic.twitter.com/Z4RTjqntEY— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) June 24, 2025
Joining a growing number of EU member states aiming to curb Israel’s defensive campaign against the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, Ireland’s decision comes after a 2024 advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared Israel’s presence in the West Bank and East Jerusalem illegal.
The ICJ ruled that third countries must avoid trade or investment that supports “the illegal situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”
Once implemented, the law will criminalize the importation of goods from Israeli settlements into Ireland, empowering customs officials to inspect, seize, and confiscate any such shipments.
“The situation in Palestine remains a matter of deep public concern,” Harris said. “I have made it consistently clear that this government will use all levers at its disposal to address the horrifying situation on the ground and to contribute to long-term efforts to achieve a sustainable peace on the basis of the two-state solution.”
“Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory are illegal and threaten the viability of the two-state solution,” the Irish diplomat continued. “This is the longstanding position of the European Union and our international partners. Furthermore, this is the clear position under international law.”
Harris also urged the EU to comply with the ICJ’s ruling by taking a more decisive and “adequate response” regarding imports from Israeli settlements.
“This is an issue that I will continue to press at EU level, and I reiterated my call for concrete proposals from the European Commission at the Foreign Affairs Council this week,” he said.
Last week, Ireland and eight other EU member states — Finland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden — called on the European Commission to draft proposals for how EU countries can halt trade and imports with Israeli settlements, in line with obligations set out by the ICJ.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar condemned the latest move by European countries, calling it “shameful” and a misguided attempt to undermine Israel while it faces “existential” threats from Iran and its proxies, including Hamas.
“It is regrettable that even when Israel is fighting an existential threat which is in Europe’s vital interest — there are those who can’t resist their anti-Israeli obsession,” the top Israeli diplomat said in a post on X.
It is regrettable that even when Israel fighting an existential threat which is in Europe vital interest – there are those who can’t resist their anti-Israeli obsession.
Shameful! https://t.co/lxm9qm8sM1— Gideon Sa’ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) June 19, 2025
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