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Amazon will not pull antisemitic movie promoted by Kyrie Irving, says Jewish CEO
(JTA) – Bucking weeks of public pressure from Jewish groups, celebrities and the Brooklyn Nets, Amazon will not stop selling an antisemitic documentary on its service that was promoted by NBA star Kyrie Irving.
The company’s CEO Andy Jassy, who is Jewish, said Wednesday that Amazon had no plans to remove or add a disclaimer to “Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America,” whose Amazon link Irving ignited a firestorm by tweeting about it earlier this month. Amazon had previously considered whether to add a disclaimer.
“As a retailer of content to hundreds of millions of customers with a lot of different viewpoints, we have to allow access to those viewpoints, even if they are objectionable — objectionable and they differ from our particular viewpoints,” Jassy told the audience at the New York Times DealBook Summit.
Jassy drew a distinction between the film, which promotes antisemitic conspiracy theories about the relationship between Jews and Black people, and content that he said “actively incites or promotes violence or teaches people how to do things like pedophilia.” With the latter, he said, decisions to remove content are “more straightforward.”
The e-commerce giant had been internally debating whether to remove the film for weeks, according to reports in Variety. It had been uploaded to the site independently via a program called Prime Direct, which allows user-generated content to be sold on the site’s streaming services.
Irving’s tweet — which shared an Amazon link to the documentary without further comment — came on the heels of more explicitly antisemitic behavior from rapper Kanye West and sparked the ire of the Anti-Defamation League and the Nets, who eventually solicited an apology from the athlete. Nike ended a sponsorship deal with Irving following the tweet. Black Hebrew Israelites, a group whose ideology is promoted in the film, rallied to Irving’s defense.
But critics ranging from ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith to Spotify podcaster Joe Rogan questioned why Amazon was escaping scrutiny for providing the film on its platform.
The ADL has since called on Amazon to do so, and was joined by the American Jewish Committee and a chorus of entertainment figures including Jewish celebrities like Mila Kunis and Mayim Bialik and Jewish studio managers like Haim Saban and Ben Silverman.
According to the Variety report, the ADL’s activism may have been one reason why Amazon declined to take action, as it would be “difficult from an optics perspective,” the outlet wrote, to bow to the demands of a Jewish group amid so many public figures declaring that Jews control the media.
Amazon has in the past removed books promoting pedophilia from its site after news reports, and after the Jan. 6, 2021, attempted insurrection at the U.S. Capitol it removed the white-supremacist novel “The Turner Diaries,” which contains violent antisemitic fantasies and is often used as a hate-group recruiting tool.
After briefly banning Adolf Hitler’s “Mein Kampf” in 2020, the site then reinstated it while adding a disclaimer to the version sold on its site reading, “As a bookseller, we think it is important to offer this infamous work because of its historical significance and educational role in the understanding and prevention of anti-Semitism.” This version of the manifesto also includes an introduction written in the 1990s by the ADL.
Jassy’s position on the film is the latest example of major tech leaders debating their hands-off stances when it comes to moderating antisemitic content on their sites. In 2020, Meta’s Jewish CEO Mark Zuckerberg pledged to remove Holocaust denial from Facebook, reversing an earlier stance that said it wasn’t the company’s place to do so. More recently, newly minted Twitter CEO Elon Musk has taken steps to loosen previous restrictions of antisemitic content on the social media site, including by reinstating Kanye West’s account.
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The post Amazon will not pull antisemitic movie promoted by Kyrie Irving, says Jewish CEO appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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Israel Court Extends Detention of Gaza Flotilla Activists
Activist Saif Abu Keshek, a member of the Global Sumud Flotilla detained by Israel, sits at a magistrate’s court for a detention extension hearing in Ashkelon, southern Israel, May 3, 2026. REUTERS/Amir Cohen
An Israeli court has extended by two days the detention of two activists arrested aboard a Gaza-bound flotilla that was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters near Greece, their lawyer said on Sunday.
Saif Abu Keshek, a Spanish national, and Brazilian Thiago Avila were detained by Israeli authorities late on Wednesday and brought to Israel, while more than 100 other pro-Palestinian activists aboard the boats were taken to the Greek island of Crete.
A court spokesperson confirmed that their remand had been extended until May 5.
The governments of Spain and Brazil issued a joint statement on Friday calling their detention illegal.
The activists were part of a second Global Sumud flotilla, launched in an attempt to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza by delivering humanitarian assistance. The ships had set sail from Barcelona on April 12.
Israeli authorities requested a four-day extension of their arrest on suspicion of offenses that include assisting the enemy during wartime, contact with a foreign agent, membership in and providing services to a terrorist organization, and the transfer of property for a terrorist organization, said rights group Adalah, which is assisting in the activists’ defense.
Hadeel Abu Salih, the men’s attorney, said that the two deny the allegations. Their arrest was unlawful due to a lack of jurisdiction, she told Reuters at the Ashkelon Magistrate’s Court after the hearing, adding that the mission was meant to provide aid to civilians in Gaza, not to any militant group.
Abu Salih said that Abu Keshek and Avila were subjected to violence en route to Israel and kept handcuffed and blindfolded until Thursday morning.
Asked for comment, the Israeli military referred Reuters to the Israeli foreign ministry, which said that staff were compelled to act to stop what it described as violent physical obstruction by Abu Keshek and Avila. All measures taken were lawful, it said.
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Israel Initiates Project to Counter Drone Threats in Sweeping Military Upgrade Plan
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu participates in the state memorial ceremony for the fallen of the Iron Swords War on Mount Herzl, Jerusalem on Oct. 16, 2025. Photo: Alex Kolomoisky/POOL/Pool via REUTERS
i24 News – Israel is moving forward with a new initiative to counter drone threats, as part of a broader strategy to expand military capabilities and reduce reliance on foreign defense suppliers, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
The drone project, ordered several weeks ago, is already in development, with officials preparing to review its initial progress. While details remain limited, the effort reflects growing concern over the increasing use of unmanned aerial systems in regional conflicts.
Netanyahu framed the initiative within a wider defense doctrine centered on “strengthening and independence,” emphasizing the need for Israel to maintain a decisive military edge. He noted that Israel is acquiring two squadrons of advanced fighter jets, including the F-35 Lightning II and the F-15IA, to reinforce its air superiority.
“These aircraft strengthen Israel’s overwhelming air superiority,” he said, referencing recent military operations as evidence of that advantage. He added that Israeli pilots are capable of operating at long range if necessary.
Alongside procurement, the government is planning a major expansion of domestic defense manufacturing. Netanyahu announced that Israel will allocate an additional 350 billion shekels ($95 billion) to the defense budget over the next decade, aiming to produce more of its own armaments and reduce dependence on foreign countries.
He also pointed to future ambitions to develop advanced aircraft domestically, describing the effort as potentially transformative for Israel’s defense industry.
The drone defense program, though still in early stages, is expected to become a key component of this strategy. Netanyahu acknowledged that the project will take time to fully develop but stressed that it is actively being pursued.
Despite the evolving nature of the threats, he reiterated Israel’s long-standing objective of maintaining military superiority across all domains.
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Iran Presents US 3-Step Plan to Move from Ceasefire to End of War
Atomic symbol and USA and Iranian flags are seen in this illustration taken, September 8, 2022. Photo: REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
i24 News – Iran has reportedly submitted a new draft agreement to the United States outlining a three-stage framework aimed at de-escalating regional tensions and restructuring oversight of its nuclear program, according to reporting from Al Jazeera.
The proposal was allegedly delivered via Pakistan and combines military, maritime, and nuclear commitments with a long-term regional security vision.
The first phase calls for transforming the current ceasefire into a permanent end to hostilities within 30 days, alongside a regional non-aggression pact that would include Iran’s allies and Israel. It also proposes steps such as gradually reopening the Strait of Hormuz, easing maritime restrictions on Iran, and reducing military activity in surrounding waters.
The second phase focuses on Iran’s nuclear program. It reportedly includes a freeze on uranium enrichment for up to 15 years, followed by a return to limited enrichment at 3.6%, in line with earlier international agreements.
The draft explicitly rejects dismantling Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. It also outlines possible arrangements for existing uranium stockpiles, including export or reprocessing, and calls for a structured sanctions relief mechanism tied to compliance milestones.
The final phase envisions broader regional engagement, with Tehran proposing a strategic dialogue between Iran and Arab states to establish a comprehensive security framework across the Middle East.