At least 272 times. That’s how often Doctors Without Borders accused Israel of “genocide” in social media posts following the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023. Beyond the obviously disproportionate emphasis, the NGO, known in French as MSF (Médecins Sans Frontières), added its considerable voice to a political campaign in which the label genocide is reinterpreted uniquely for Israel, and in which the evidence is cynically manipulated.
As this and many other activities demonstrated, MSF has abandoned its mission of medical neutrality in joining virulent anti-Israel campaigns and abdicated its credibility, as a <a href="https://ngo-monitor.org/reports/ngo-malpractice-msf-doctors-without-borders-and-the-gaza-genocide-campaign/">new detailed research report from NGO Monitor</a> documents.
MSF repeated the false genocide accusation obsessively in press briefings, via actions by regional branches, and across social accounts. At least 272 times. It did not apply the label to Russia’s war in Ukraine nor to massive and indiscriminate regime bombing in Syria. Its focus cannot even be attributed to the centrality of Israel and Gaza in Western media; MSF all but ignored Hamas’ taking of Israeli hostages, referencing them as primary subjects in only three posts across all its international feeds – less than 1.1% of its “genocide” accusations.
To further anti-Israel narratives, MSF egregiously violated its claims of “strict adherence to humanitarian principles, independence, and medical ethics” following the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023. This would be concerning on its own, but it is especially horrific coming from a long-respected medical aid group.
“Genocide” is a consequential term. Coined by Jewish scholar Raphael Lemkin in the shadow of the Holocaust to denote its unprecedented evil, the label has rightly been sparingly employed, necessitating thresholds of mass carnage and, according to Lemkin, the “intent to destroy.”
In the Gaza conflict, there is clearly no intent on the part of Israel, other than to prevent Hamas from perpetrating another October 7-like calamity. Nevertheless, from the earliest moments of the Israeli response, MSF advanced increasingly defamatory labels for Israeli actions while consistently whitewashing Hamas’ crimes. MSF’s first social media post hours into the Hamas invasion – as hundreds of terrorists were still rampaging across southern Israel, murdering civilians, carrying out sexual atrocities, and taking hostages – was an <a href="https://x.com/MSF/status/1710665419164373462">unverified accusation</a> that Israel had caused the death of a nurse and an ambulance driver, dryly referencing a backdrop of “escalation between Israel and Gaza.”
Its press release on October 8 attempted <a href="https://www.msf.org/msf-performs-surgeries-donates-supplies-gaza-amid-overcrowded-facilities">to focus attention</a> on Israeli aggression and Gazan victimhood – again, as Hamas terrorists were still present in Israel. The statement included a casualty count provided by the Hamas-controlled Gaza Ministry of Health, and only briefly mentioned the Israeli death toll, without addressing the Hamas assault.
MSF’s role as a primary source of misinformation came to an early head on October 17, when a large explosion occurred in the vicinity of Gaza’s Al-Ahli hospital. Within a very short time, the NGO issued and intensely promoted a <a href="https://www.doctorswithoutborders.ca/msf-condemns-bombing-of-ahli-arab-hospital-in-gaza/">press release</a> quoting Dr. Ghassan Abu Sittah, an MSF doctor who called the event “a massacre,” and who was paraded across Western media as an expert eyewitness to this ostensible example of “Israeli brutality.” In <a href="https://quillette.com/2025/12/10/the-humanitarian-mask-medecins-sans-frontieres-doctors-without-borders-gaza-israel/">further MSF-arranged interviews</a>, he used the event to accuse Israel of “systematically destroying Gaza’s health infrastructure,” and called it the moment he decided that Israel’s military campaign “stopped being a war, and became a genocide.”
But subsequent government analyses by the United States, Canada, and France, as well as an investigation by the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/23/pageoneplus/editors-note-gaza-hospital-coverage.html">New York Times</a>, concluded that the damage to the hospital was minimal and had been caused by a misfired Palestinian Islamic Jihad rocket. Yet MSF never retracted or amended its claims, so that anyone using its reports and posts would continue to conclude that Israel was to be blamed for a “massacre.”
This trend of knee-jerk Israel demonization mounted as the war continued. In an <a href="https://www.msf.org/letter-gaza-un-security-council">open letter</a> to the UN Security Council on December 4, 2023, MSF International President Christos Christou accused Israel of “incessant and indiscriminate warfare,” and argued that “subjecting an entire population to collective punishment is a war crime under International Humanitarian Law” – assertions far beyond the purview of this ostensibly medical NGO. In October 2024, MSF <a href="https://www.msf.org/israel-and-allies-must-bring-year-long-war-gaza-end">accused Israel</a> of “unmitigated slaughter” without acknowledging Hamas’ exploitation of medical facilities (<a href="https://ngo-monitor.org/reports/hamas-misuse-hospitals-docs/">documented in depth</a> by NGO Monitor).
And in December 2024, MSF graduated to “genocide.” The NGO published a <a href="https://www.msf.org/life-death-trap-gaza-palestine">report</a> entitled “Life in a Death Trap,” framing Israel’s campaign to return its hostages and eliminate the Hamas threat as “crushing an entire population under bombs and rubble,” “ethnic cleansing,” and attempting “to unravel the very fabric of society in Gaza.”
MSF did acknowledge that it “do[es not] have legal authority to establish intentionality,” a core requirement for any finding of genocide. No matter, MSF decided: “our firsthand observations…are consistent with the descriptions provided by an increasing number of legal experts and organizations concluding that genocide is taking place in Gaza.” The only legal body MSF referenced, though, was the International Court of Justice (ICJ) – and MSF’s version markedly misrepresents the ICJ’s <a href="https://www.ajc.org/news/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-latest-international-court-of-justice-action-in-the-case">provisional</a> ruling, which did not actually make any determination on whether genocide had occurred.
MSF was founded in order to provide medical assistance to those most in need. Its recent behavior, however, has undermined that goal, stripping away the organization’s benevolent facade. Humanitarians do not ignore the actions of terrorist organizations. And humanitarians do not spread heinous allegations of “genocide” against the victims of hardened and unrepentant terrorist groups.
___
Prof. Gerald M. Steinberg is founder and president of the NGO Monitor research institute.

PALESTINIAN-ISRAEL-CONFLICT-AID-MSF

War Propaganda Is Bad Medicine From This Medical NGO

anti-Israel

Doctors without Borders

DW Opinion

Palestine

California State University, Northridge, is facing a wrongful termination lawsuit from an employee who alleges he was fired “because of his political views against antisemitism and advocacy on behalf of Jewish students and faculty.”
Sam Lingrosso, the university&#8217;s former Director of Academic Employees Relations, says in a <a href="https://peterlawgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/2025-08-11-First-Amended-Complaint_Conformed-4.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">complaint</a> that his December 2024 firing was the result of his efforts to assist Jewish faculty who raised safety concerns related to on-campus antisemitism in the wake of Hamas&#8217;s October 7 attack on Israel, especially near its one-year anniversary. According to a news release, Lingrosso is seeking damages under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act.
“CSUN had a duty to protect their Jewish faculty members and ensure a safe learning environment, free of threats and harassment,” Eyal Farahan, an attorney with the Peter Law Group, which filed the complaint, said in a statement. “Sam’s work should have been celebrated but, instead, he was unlawfully terminated in violation of multiple California statutes that protect employees from harassment.”
The 2023 attacks led to a surge in anti-Israel activism and antisemitic incidents on college campuses throughout the United States. The demonstrations, which ranged from encampments to protests, raised major red flags for Jewish students and staff on those campuses.
In the complaint, it outlines how Lingrosso asked campus police to “facilitate a safety plan” for a professor who raised concerns about “unsettling remarks written on posters he had displayed outside his office depicting American hostages in Israel” and voiced concerns that Jewish students had of “harassment or violence” in the wake of “pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus.”
Attorneys for the plaintiff wrote in the complaint that Interim Associate Vice President for Faculty Affairs Christina L. Von Mayrhauser had given “unwarranted criticism” and undermined Lingrosso, saying it was “a direct consequence of Plaintiff’s proactive efforts to protect the safety and well-being of Jewish faculty and students.” In one incident, the aforementioned professor sent an email to &#8220;Jewish faculty and allies&#8221; thanking Lingrosso for his efforts to improve address safety concerns, but Von Mayrhauser allegedly took issue with a line in the professor&#8217;s message.
&#8220;The contrast between Plaintiff’s decisive actions and others’ inaction — particularly in Professor Katz’s statement that Plaintiff &#8216;has been focused on DOING things rather than talking about them&#8217; — was interpreted by Von Mayrhauser as a direct affront to her leadership. Her reaction was marked by visible displeasure and indignation, as she viewed the email as an attack on her authority and an attempt to undermine her credibility within the institution,&#8221; the complaint states.
Farahan added that campus leadership &#8220;failed to take meaningful action to confront hate and ultimately fostered a climate of indifference and fear&#8221; amid serious antisemitism woes at universities nationwide.
The university disagreed with the claims made in the lawsuit in a statement to The Daily Wire on Monday afternoon.
“California State University, Northridge is aware of a legal complaint filed by a former at-will employee. These spurious allegations are completely unfounded and the University will vigorously defend against them. The University remains committed to maintaining an inclusive and supportive environment for our entire campus community,&#8221; the university said in a statement.

1497993_me-ucla-pro-palestinian-protest_JEY

Lawsuit Alleges University Met Jewish Safety Advocacy With ‘Unwarranted Criticism’

antisemitism

California State University

Education

Jewish

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer issued an ultimatum Tuesday, saying that the United Kingdom will recognize a “state of Palestine” if Israel does not meet certain conditions, including agreeing to a ceasefire and ending the conflict in Gaza.
Starmer threatened to formally recognize &#8220;Palestine&#8221; at the United Nations General Assembly in September if the conditions were not met.
“We will make an assessment in September on how far the parties have met this step, but no one should have a veto over our decision,” Starmer said. “So this is the way forward.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
My statement on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and our plan for peace including the recognition of a Palestinian State. <a href="https://t.co/aMUCNwJb9z" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/aMUCNwJb9z</a>
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) <a href="https://twitter.com/Keir_Starmer/status/1950236096341676348?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">July 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
He laid out several conditions, including ending the &#8220;appalling situation in Gaza,” agreeing to a ceasefire, committing to “a long-term sustainable peace,” reviving the prospect of a two-state solution, and not annexing areas in Judea and Samaria, also known as the West Bank.
Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, responded to Starmer’s announcement, pointing out that Israel has agreed several times to ceasefires which are typically rejected by Hamas.
&#8220;Israel has already agreed many times to a ceasefire,” Danon <a href="https://www.jfeed.com/news-israel/israel-britain-palestinian-state-dispute">said</a>. “No virtual recognition and no UN decision will change the basic fact that there are those who fight extremist forces, and there are those who bow their heads and ignore them.”
He added that Israel will do “everything necessary to bring home the hostages and defeat Hamas.&#8221;
Starmer also added that Israel must allow the “U.N. to restart the supply of aid,” although there is a large pile-up of UN aid inside Gaza that is in the process of being distributed.
“Yesterday I discussed this with President Trump and we’re mounting a major effort to get humanitarian supplies back in by air and U.K. aid has been airdropped into Gaza today,” he said.
President Donald Trump reportedly told reporters on Tuesday that Starmer did not discuss recognizing a Palestinian state during their meeting on Monday. Trump added that putting pressure on Israel right now rewards Hamas, <a href="https://x.com/BarakRavid/status/1950255370074488933" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Axios&#8217;s</a> Barak Ravid.
Starmer&#8217;s announcement comes after French President Emmanuel Macron <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/macron-announces-plans-to-recognize-palestine-as-hamas-upends-ceasefire-talks?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Macron+Announces+Plans+To+Recognize+%E2%80%98Palestine%E2%80%99+As+Hamas+Upends+Ceasefire+Talks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> that France will formally recognize a Palestinian state this September, without conditions.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the United States rejected Macron’s plan, claiming it “only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace.”
“It is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th,” Rubio added.
Netanyahu <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-blames-hamas-for-ceasefire-collapse-says-terror-group-wants-to-die?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Blames+Hamas+for+Ceasefire+Collapse%2C+Says+Terror+Group+%E2%80%98Wants+To+Die%E2%80%99" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fired back</a> at Macron, claiming the announcement “rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became.”
“A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel — not to live in peace beside it,” Netanyahu added. “Let’s be clear: the Palestinians do not seek a state alongside Israel; they seek a state instead of Israel.”
This week, the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-administration-boycotts-un-publicity-stunt-conference-on-palestinian-statehood?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Administration+Boycotts+UN+%E2%80%98Publicity+Stunt%E2%80%99+Conference+On+Palestinian+Statehood" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United States boycotted</a> a United Nations conference co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia promoting the two-state solution on Monday, calling the event a “publicity stunt” and an “insult.”
“This week, the U.N. will serve as host to an unproductive and ill-timed conference on the two-state solution in New York City,” State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said in a statement. “This is a publicity stunt that comes in the middle of delicate diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.”
France failed to get all conference participants to recognize a Palestinian state during the conference, <a href="https://www.jpost.com/international/article-862647" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Jerusalem Post </a><a href="https://www.jpost.com/international/article-862647" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a><a href="https://www.jpost.com/international/article-862647" target="_blank" rel="noopener">.</a>

NATO Leaders Attend 2025 Summit In The Hague

United Kingdom Threatens To Recognize ‘State of Palestine’ If Israel Doesn’t Agree To Ceasefire

Gaza

Hamas

Israel

United Kingdom

The Trump administration says it boycotted a United Nations conference promoting the two-state solution on Monday, calling the event a “publicity stunt” and an “insult.”
“This week, the U.N. will serve as host to an unproductive and ill-timed conference on the two-state solution in New York City,” State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said in a statement. “This is a publicity stunt that comes in the middle of delicate diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.”
Bruce said the conference will “prolong the war, embolden Hamas, and reward its obstruction and undermine real-world efforts to achieve peace.”
Instead of participating, Bruce said the United States will continue leading efforts to end the fighting and deliver a permanent peace.
“Our focus remains on serious diplomacy: not stage-managed conferences designed to manufacture the appearance of relevance,” she said.
The boycott comes after President Donald Trump drew attention to what he described as “real starvation” in Gaza.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@POTUS</a> on Gaza: &#8220;We&#8217;ll be helping with the food &#8230; We&#8217;re also going to make sure that they don&#8217;t have barriers stopping people &#8230; We can save a lot of people. That&#8217;s real starvation. I see it, and you can&#8217;t fake that.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/zcFiVYCxrE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/zcFiVYCxrE</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1949819811401273583?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">July 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
“We&#8217;ll be helping with the food,” Trump said. “We can save a lot of people. That&#8217;s real starvation. I see it, and you can&#8217;t fake that.&#8221;
Bruce also criticized French President Emmanuel Macron <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/macron-announces-plans-to-recognize-palestine-as-hamas-upends-ceasefire-talks?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Macron+Announces+Plans+To+Recognize+%E2%80%98Palestine%E2%80%99+As+Hamas+Upends+Ceasefire+Talks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">for announcing</a> that France will formally recognize a Palestinian state this September during the United Nations General Assembly, claiming the move was “welcomed by Hamas.” She added that such announcements obstruct ceasefire negotiations and undercut diplomatic efforts to end the war in Gaza.
“As Secretary Rubio has made clear, this effort is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th and a reward for terrorism,” she said. “It keeps hostages trapped in tunnels.”
Netanyahu <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-blames-hamas-for-ceasefire-collapse-says-terror-group-wants-to-die?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Blames+Hamas+for+Ceasefire+Collapse%2C+Says+Terror+Group+%E2%80%98Wants+To+Die%E2%80%99" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fired back</a> at Macron, claiming the announcement “rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became.”
“A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel — not to live in peace beside it,” Netanyahu added. “Let’s be clear: the Palestinians do not seek a state alongside Israel; they seek a state instead of Israel.”
The conference, co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France, was rescheduled from June to July due to Israel’s war with Iran, according to <a href="https://www.jns.org/us-boycotts-un-conference-on-two-state-solution-calling-it-publicity-stunt/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jewish News Syndicate</a>.
During the opening remarks, United Nations Secretary-General <a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-862170" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Antonio Guterres</a> said that participants “must ensure that it does not become another exercise in well-meaning rhetoric.”
“The path to peace starts with recognizing the state of Palestine and preserving it from destruction,” Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa said. “The rights of all peoples must be respected, the sovereignty of all states must be ensured. Palestine, and its people can no longer be the exception.”
There has never been a Palestinian state. Prior to Israeli occupation, Judea and Samaria were occupied by Jordan, and Gaza by Egypt.
Israeli Minister of Finance <a href="https://x.com/bezalelsm/status/1948477377576600027" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Betzalel Smotrich said</a> France’s announcement provides a “compelling reason” to apply Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria.
“I thank President Macron for providing yet another compelling reason to finally apply Israeli sovereignty over the historic regions of Judea and Samaria, and to definitively abandon the failed concept of establishing a Palestinian terrorist state in the heart of the Land of Israel,” he wrote. “This will be our fitting Zionist response to the one-sided pressure and coercive measures led by President Macron and his allies.”
Last week, Israel’s Knesset voted in favor of a declaratory resolution in support of applying Israeli sovereignty to Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley in a vote of 71-13.
“The Knesset affirms that the State of Israel has a natural, historical, and legal right to the entirety of the Land of Israel – the ancestral homeland of the Jewish people,” the resolution <a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-862007" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reads</a>. “The Knesset calls upon the cabinet of Israel to act promptly to extend Israeli sovereignty, including law, jurisdiction, and administration, over all areas of Jewish communities, in all its forms, in <a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-861776" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley</a>.”
More than 500,000 Israelis live in Judea and Samaria.

Donald Trump

Trump Administration Boycotts UN ‘Publicity Stunt’ Conference On Palestinian Statehood

Emmanuel Macron

United Nations

French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Thursday that France will formally recognize a Palestinian state this September during the United Nations General Assembly.
In <a href="https://x.com/EmmanuelMacron/status/1948462359468802252" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a post on X</a>, Macron framed the move as part of a broader effort to fulfill France’s commitment to “a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.”
The announcement comes just hours after talks for a ceasefire and hostage deal fell through due to Hamas not acting “in good faith,” <a href="https://x.com/SEPeaceMissions/status/1948427713687040473" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> Special Envoy for Peace Missions Steve Witkoff.
“We will now consider alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza,” Witkoff wrote. “It is a shame that Hamas has acted in this selfish way.”
Macron outlined five key priorities: ending the war in Gaza, securing the release of hostages, delivering humanitarian aid to Gazans, demilitarizing Hamas, and rebuilding the Gaza Strip.
Macron wrote that it is “essential to build the State of Palestine, ensure its viability, and enable it, by accepting its demilitarization and fully recognizing Israel, to contribute to the security of all in the Middle East.”
“There is no alternative,” he added.
Macron said his decision followed commitments made to him by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Abbas is currently in his 20th year of what was originally a four-year term.
France is the most influential European country to recognize a Palestinian state, joining more than a dozen others — including Spain, Norway, Ireland, and Sweden. All told, over 140 countries have recognized a Palestinian state.
Israel has strongly opposed the establishment of a Palestinian state in Judea and Samaria, also known as the West Bank and Gaza, and says doing so now would reward the terrorists who murdered over 1,000 Israelis on October 7, 2023.
“Macron’s recognition of a Palestinian state after the October 7th massacre isn’t diplomacy; it’s moral collapse,” Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett <a href="https://x.com/naftalibennett/status/1948467824974070119?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1948467824974070119%7Ctwgr%5Edf79465ad3901908a5438dac8f5558f2b354374c%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jpost.com%2Finternational%2Farticle-862175" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted to X</a> in response. “It rewards mass murder and tells Islamist terrorists: kill Jews, and the world will hand you a state. This shameful decision will be tossed into the dustbin of history.”
There has never been a Palestinian state. Prior to Israeli occupation, Judea and Samaria were occupied by Jordan, and Gaza by Egypt.
Israeli Minister of Finance <a href="https://x.com/bezalelsm/status/1948477377576600027" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Betzalel Smotrich said</a> France&#8217;s announcement provides a &#8220;compelling reason&#8221; to apply Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria.
&#8220;I thank President Macron for providing yet another compelling reason to finally apply Israeli sovereignty over the historic regions of Judea and Samaria, and to definitively abandon the failed concept of establishing a Palestinian terrorist state in the heart of the Land of Israel,&#8221; he wrote. &#8220;This will be our fitting Zionist response to the one-sided pressure and coercive measures led by President Macron and his allies.&#8221;
On Wednesday, Israel’s Knesset voted in favor of a declaratory resolution in support of applying Israeli sovereignty to Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley in a vote of 71-13.
“The Knesset affirms that the State of Israel has a natural, historical, and legal right to the entirety of the Land of Israel – the ancestral homeland of the Jewish people,” the resolution <a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-862007">reads</a>. “The Knesset calls upon the cabinet of Israel to act promptly to extend Israeli sovereignty, including law, jurisdiction, and administration, over all areas of Jewish communities, in all its forms, in <a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-861776" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley</a>.
More than 500,000 Israelis live in Judea and Samaria.

European Union Leaders on Day Two of Summit

Macron Announces Plans To Recognize ‘Palestine’ As Hamas Upends Ceasefire Talks

Judea and Samaria

Steve Witkoff

West Bank

An influential Arab leader in Hebron, the West Bank’s largest city, is facing violent threats after proposing to break from the Palestinian Authority and join the Abraham Accords as an independent emirate seeking peace with Israel.
A source close to Sheikh Wadee’ al-Jaabari told The Daily Wire that the leader has received several violent threats since declaring his intentions in an interview with <a href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/new-palestinian-offer-peace-israel-hebron-sheikh-emirate-36dd39c3">the Wall Street Journal</a> published on Saturday.
Al-Jaabari, 48, is a leader of Hebron’s most influential clan, representing hundreds of thousands of Arabs in the area. He is reportedly backed by 21 other sheikhs who together represent about 554,000 people in the Hebron region, which has a population of roughly 700,000.
Despite the threats, al-Jaabari and his allies believe they have the Palestinian Authority outmanned and outgunned, thanks to his militia and the backing of the other sheikhs’ followers, according to the source.
The sheikhs told the Journal that it would take between one day and one week to remove the Palestinian Authority from Hebron.
The sheikh’s announcement comes just ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s White House <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/israeli-prime-minister-benjamin-netanyahu-to-visit-the-white-house?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Israeli+Prime+Minister+Benjamin+Netanyahu+To+Visit+The+White+House">meeting with</a> President Donald Trump. The sheikhs hope to gain support from both leaders for their new approach to achieving peace.
In a blow to the idea of a two-state solution, al-Jaabari signed a letter to the Israeli government outlining a path for peace and recognizing Israel as a Jewish state. 
“We want cooperation with Israel,” al-Jaabari told the Journal. “We want coexistence.”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/american-veterans-injured-in-grenade-attack-while-distributing-aid-in-gaza?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=American+Veterans+Injured+In+Grenade+Attack+While+Distributing+Aid+In+Gaza">AMERICAN VETERANS INJURED IN GRENADE ATTACK WHILE DISTRIBUTING AID IN GAZA</a>
The sheikh is known for breaking from the anti-Israel model of the Palestinian Authority and is often friendly to Israelis. In any such agreement with Israel, the sheikhs would prioritize fighting terrorism.
The letter, addressed to Israel’s Economy Minister Nir Barkat, was signed by four other leading sheikhs, many of whom remained anonymous in the Wall Street Journal article but are also facing violent threats.
“The Emirate of Hebron shall recognize the State of Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people,” the sheikhs wrote in the letter, according to the Journal. “[A]nd the State of Israel shall recognize the Emirate of Hebron as the Representative of the Arab residents in the Hebron District.” 
The establishment of an Emirate of Hebron would separate the Hebron region from the Palestinian Authority, which has never recognized Israel as a Jewish state.
Al-Jaabari says the Palestinian Authority, which is centralized in Ramallah, “doesn’t represent the Palestinians” and that the traditional clan governance of the Arab people in the region is a more sustainable alternative.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-has-been-clear-for-14-years-that-iran-cannot-have-a-nuclear-weapon?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Has+Been+Clear+For+14+Years+That+Iran+Cannot+Have+A+Nuclear+Weapon">TRUMP HAS BEEN CLEAR FOR 14 YEARS THAT IRAN CANNOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON</a>
As an independent emirate, al-Jaabari envisions his region would join the Abraham Accords to pursue peace and economic cooperation with Israel. His plan calls for Israel to initially grant 1,000 work permits to Arabs from Hebron, many of which were revoked after Hamas’s October 7 attacks. Al-Jaabari hopes that the number will eventually grow to 50,000. He also plans to pursue the creation of a joint economic zone near the Israel-Hebron security fence to employ tens of thousands.
In response to the letter being brought to light, other members of the al-Jaabari family <a href="https://x.com/khaliljeries/status/1941885184934035556?s=46&amp;t=ghpHusspWPjTMisXwpsMaA">disavowed the sheikh</a> Sunday night, noting that he currently lives outside of Hebron.
“The Al-Jaabari family has long been rooted in the defense of Palestinian national principles, including the right of our people to self-determination and the protection of our land from the river to the sea,” the family members wrote, adding that they call on the public to not engage with al-Jaabari. 
Shortly after, the sheikhs supporting the Emirate of Hebron released a <a href="https://x.com/ElliotKaufman6/status/1941920513292406935">statement</a> accusing al-Jaabari’s extended family members of being “institutionally connected to the PA,” according to Wall Street Journal reporter Elliot Kaufman.
“This response stems from a natural and understandable concern that if Sheikh Jaabari’s initiative fails, the PA-aligned connections of certain leading members of the large clan could be severely damaged, potentially causing irreversible harm to the already fragile social fabric.”
The statement goes on to note that the “vast majority” of the al-Jaabari family “stand firmly behind Sheikh Wadee’ Jaabari and his historic, just, and necessary initiative to dismantle the Palestinian Authority and establish the Hebron Emirate.”
In a second statement, the sheikhs claimed that the Palestinian Authority has been in “complete panic” and has been arresting their family members to avoid making their intentions to make peace with Israel public.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/california-epa-employee-charged-with-threatening-jews-attempting-to-provide-guns-and-money-to-isis?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=California+EPA+Employee+Charged+With+Threatening+Jews%2C+Attempting+To+Provide+Guns+and+Money+to+ISIS">CALIFORNIA EPA EMPLOYEE CHARGED WITH THREATENING JEWS, ATTEMPTING TO PROVIDE GUNS AND MONEY TO ISIS</a>
Israelis living in the West Bank, also known as Judea and Samaria, have praised the idea of an Emirate of Hebron. 
“This is a break in the narrative of the Palestinian Authority,” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fulfilling-biblical-prophecy-group-of-israelis-restore-king-davids-family-tomb">Yishai Fleischer</a>, the international spokesperson for the Jewish community of Hebron, told The Daily Wire. “These sheikhs are putting their lives on the line for this plan.”
Fleischer praised the group for refusing to tolerate terrorism, a stark difference from the Palestinian Authority’s “pay to slay” program, which has paid terrorists and their families for committing suicide attacks on civilians, including Americans.
“This plan is the end of the rule of the thuggish PA that tortures people and brainwashes kids to jihad,” Fleischer added.

Templates-25

Prominent West Bank Sheikh Faces Violent Threats After Proposing Peace With Israel

Benjamin Netanyahu

Middle East

News

Palestinian Authority

Senator Bernie Moreno (R-OH) in a Thursday <a href="https://www.moreno.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Bondi-Bowser.pdf">letter</a> called for Attorney General Pam Bondi and Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser to investigate the horrific murder of two Israeli embassy staff as an act of domestic terrorism.
Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Milgram, 26, were exiting an event for young Jewish professionals, where they were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/israeli-embassy-staff-murdered-by-unidentified-shooter-outside-capitol-jewish-museum?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=13&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Two+Israeli+Embassy+Staffers+Murdered+By+Keffiyeh-Wearing+Man+Shouting+%E2%80%98Free+Palestine%E2%80%99+In+DC">shot</a> at close range by 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez of Chicago, who is now in custody.
Moreno, who has positioned himself as a staunch supporter of Israel, mourned the loss of the young couple: “As members of the Jewish community gathered in our nation&#8217;s capital this week from all over the world, their worst fears became reality.”
“Last night, this young couple, with the rest of their lives in front of them, was gunned down by a terrorist screaming ‘Free Palestine,’” Moreno said.
Lischinsky had bought a ring and planned to propose to Milgram in Jerusalem next week.
Moreno demanded immediate action from the DOJ and D.C. police: “The violence against Jews must stop.”
“In light of this horrific attack, I respectfully request you immediately launch an investigation into this hate crime and act of domestic terrorism. The city of Washington D.C. must also conduct a full review of the security failures that allowed this terrorist attack to happen,” Moreno said.
U.S. law enforcement appears to be moving in this direction, with FBI Director Kash Patel on Thursday characterizing the attack as “act of terror” and “targeted anti-Semitic violence.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Last night’s act of terror has the full attention of the FBI. Targeted anti-Semitic violence is an attack on our core values and will be met with the full weight of federal law enforcement. The individual responsible will be held accountable, and the Bureau will continue pursuing…
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/1925580650381238714?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Moreno further <a href="https://www.adl.org/resources/report/audit-antisemitic-incidents-2024">emphasized</a> the urgency of addressing antisemitic violence, noting, “In 2024, the nation saw the highest number of antisemitic incidents in almost 50 years,” in addition to the “344 percent increase in antisemitic incidents over the past five years and an 893 percent increase over the past 10 years,” per the Anti-Defamation League.
Moreno requested that authorities “launch an investigation into this hate crime and act of domestic terrorism, prosecute the heinous murderer to the fullest extent of the law,” and report to his office a review of &#8220;all protocols to identify how this security failure occurred.”
“Religious liberty is the very foundation of the origins of our great nation. We must do everything we can to stop hate crimes, domestic terrorism, and antisemitism in America, including prosecuting those who commit domestic terrorism and hate crimes, fully funding the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, and appropriating funds to the Department of Justice for grants to states for law enforcement to protect our religious institutions against acts of terror,” Moreno concluded.

Senator Demands Feds Investigate Israel Embassy Shooting As Domestic Terrorism

Anti-Semitism

Bernie Moreno

Crime

Department of Justice

domestic terrorism

Pam Bondi

U.S.

A Boston hotel owned by an infamous slumlord cancelled two Passover meals at the last minute. It hosted anti-Israel Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib instead.
The Iris Hotel Boston in Brookline — a Boston suburb with a large Jewish population — was supposed to host two Passover Seder meals on Saturday evening. But just two days before the dinners were set to take place, the hotel canceled, a source involved with coordinating the events told The Daily Wire.
The Seders had been referenced on a schedule for staff posted in the hotel, which was reviewed by The Daily Wire.
After canceling the events, the hotel hosted a private screening of a film about Palestinians with Tlaib, a member of the far-left “Squad.” A staff member at the hotel confirmed to The Daily Wire that Tlaib was at the hotel on Saturday night.
One of the hotel’s owners, Anwar Faisal, is a major Tlaib donor who has been criticized for renting “slums” to college students. Boston Magazine <a href="https://www.bostonmagazine.com/2013/12/31/anwar-faisal-worst-landlord-boston/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">once claimed</a> Faisal’s buildings had “as many rats under his roofs as undergraduates.”
Upon welcoming Tlaib, the Iris Hotel flew a Palestinian flag under an American flag on its flagpole, though the flag appears to have been mistakenly hung upside down.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-909359" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Image-from-iOS-4-266x576.jpg" alt="" width="266" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Image-from-iOS-4-266x576.jpg 266w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Image-from-iOS-4-138x300.jpg 138w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Image-from-iOS-4-708x1536.jpg 708w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Image-from-iOS-4.jpg 738w" sizes=" (max-width: 266px) 100vw, 266px" /></div>
Sosi Rochel, who was invited to the Passover meal, told The Daily Wire she was disappointed it was cancelled.
“My family and I were excited to be invited to a Passover meal at a non-Jewish establishment located in the heart of Brookline’s Jewish community,” Sosi Rochel said.
“Once we heard what happened and saw the Palestinian flag flying outside at the same time, we were disappointed and asked the hotel what happened. They gave a very canned statement and did not take our concerns seriously.”
Sosi Rochel, who asked to withhold her last name for fears of retribution, said she feels like it is a “jab for the hotel to choose to support a congresswoman with a history of antisemitism over its own local community.”
A spokesperson for the Iris Hotel’s management company, Wagner Hospitality Management, declined to give The Daily Wire a statement more than “your tip is incorrect” and that “the Iris Hotel has no further comment on past events that took place at the hotel.”
In a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/wagnerhospitality/posts/pfbid0QK8Vn1u9SjNS6Dr6jaNt9iXzjjqfTw7CRRWqiMQCiAm8KgK1JWRwg7kygruLxNu7l" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post on its public Facebook page</a>, Wagner Hospitality Management wrote that the flag was flown as a “sign of respect” during Tlaib’s “brief stay to honor her heritage.”
“This flag should not be a contentious symbol and we would show the same respect for any dignitary choosing to stay with us regardless of their heritage or ethnicity,” the management company posted.
The post added that the flag was “only there for that day” and “has nothing to do with politics.”
“We have many Jewish guests staying at our hotel and we respect everyone,” Wagner Hospitality Management wrote.
According to public records, the Iris Hotel is owned by Adil Lamtioui and Anwar Faisal. Faisal, a well-known Palestinian figure in Boston, has been dubbed a notorious slumlord for his mismanagement of rental properties, many of which are leased to college students. Faisal has also used his status as a wealthy immigrant as a defense in housing court, Boston Magazine reported.
According to FEC records, Faisal donated the maximum campaign contribution of $3,300 to Tlaib in her primary and general election in 2023. Also in 2023, he gave an additional $5,000 to the Rooted in Community Leadership PAC, which is affiliated with Tlaib.
Tlaib <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-house-votes-to-censure-democrat-rashida-tlaib-for-supporting-genocide-of-israel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was censured</a> by the House of Representatives shortly after Hamas’s October 7 massacre of Israeli civilians for “promoting false narratives regarding the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and for calling for the destruction of the state of Israel.” Tlaib, a Palestinian-American has used her platform to routinely espouse antisemitic and anti-Israel viewpoints.
“It is abhorrent that in 2025, Jewish Americans continue to be the targets of vicious antisemitism,” Sam Markstein, the spokesperson of the Republican Jewish Coalition, told The Daily Wire.
“The hotel in question should be ashamed, and its owners owe the Jewish community of Massachusetts an apology and answers as to why they abruptly canceled Passover celebrations with virtually no notice and welcomed deranged antisemite Rashida Tlaib to their property with open arms,” Markstein added.
Liora Rez, the executive director of StopAntisemitism, told The Daily Wire that the hotel’s cancellation is a new low.
“For a hotel to cancel a Jewish religious event in order to host one of America’s most notorious antisemites isn’t just offensive — it’s a staggering new low, and a blatant act of complicity in hate,” Rez said.

Rashida Tlaib

After Canceling Passover Seder, Boston Hotel Welcomes Anti-Israel ‘Squad’ Member Rashida Tlaib

The man suspected of setting the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion on fire while Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family were sleeping was motivated by his hatred for Israel, a 911 call reveals.
After 38-year-old Cody Balmer set fire to the mansion in the early hours of Sunday morning, he called the police to tell them he would not take part in [Shapiro’s] plans for what he wants to do to the Palestinian people,” <a href="https://www.pennlive.com/crime/2025/04/arson-suspect-targeted-pa-gov-shapiro-for-what-he-wants-to-do-to-palestinian-people-search-warrant.html?outputType=amp">Penn Live</a> reported.
Balmer added that he wanted to “stop having my friends killed” and that “our people have been put through too much by that monster.” Police reportedly say Balmer appeared to be reading from a script, based on his intonation and cadence.
“You all know where to find me. I’m not hiding, and I will confess to everything that I had done,” Balmer said.
Balmer targeted Shapiro “based upon perceived injustices to the people of Palestine” and because of Shapiro’s faith, according to a warrant for his devices signed Tuesday by Corporal Benjamin Forsythe of the Pennsylvania State Police, Penn Live reported. The warrant reportedly does not cite the evidence that Shapiro was targeted for being Jewish.
Balmer’s storage unit in Swatara Township reportedly had stickers of South American Marxist revolutionary Ernesto “Che” Guevara inside a toolbox.
Police <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25896483-balmer-criminal-complaint-and-affidavit-mdj-klein/">documents</a> reveal that Balmer admitted to harboring “hatred towards” Shapiro and planned on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/arson-suspect-planned-on-beating-josh-shapiro-with-hammer-police?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Arson+Suspect+Planned+On+Beating+Josh+Shapiro+With+Hammer%3A+Police">beating him with a hammer</a> if he encountered the governor during the attack, where he allegedly threw two Molotov cocktails into the Harrisburg home.
The attack, which did significant damage to the governor’s mansion, led to police waking and escorting Shapiro’s family from the home. The attack took place hours after the Shapiro family finished their Passover Seder meal.
Balmer has been charged with eight crimes, including attempted homicide, aggravated arson, burglary, reckless endangerment, terrorism, and multiple counts of aggravated assault. He faces over 100 years in prison.
Balmer turned himself in to the police shortly after his ex-girlfriend alerted authorities that he was responsible. Balmer admitted to the attack and told police that he knew people could be harmed, according to a police affidavit.
“He advised on the date in question he removed gasoline from a lawn mower and poured it into Heineken Bottles he found at his residence,” the police affidavit says. “Balmer advised he walked for approximately one hour from his residence to the Governor’s Residence to throw his homemade Molotov cocktails into the residence.” 
Balmer’s mother <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/josh-shapiro-governors-residence-harrisburg-fire/">told</a> the media that her son was “mentally ill and he went off his medication.”
Police were dispatched to Balmer’s home in January 2023 to respond to a report of domestic violence. When police arrived, Balmer told them he attempted suicide with a “bottle full of pills” and got into a fight with his wife and 13-year-old son, according to an affidavit from the Penbrook police department.
Balmer’s wife said he hit the boy and punched her in the face and bit her hand, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/14/politics/cody-balmer-shapiro-arson-suspect-invs/index.html">CNN reported</a>. His wife added that another 10-year-old son was elbowed in the chest multiple times, and had his already-broken leg stepped on. 
Balmer was reportedly charged with three counts of simple assault at the time, but it is unclear whether he entered a plea. The case is ongoing.

Pennsylvania Governor Shapiro’s Residence Set On Fire In Suspected Arson Attack

Arsonist Arrested For Attack On Josh Shapiro Hated Israel, 911 Call Reveals

Josh Shapiro

Pennsylvania

Israeli Minister of Finance Betzalel Smotrich announced Sunday that Israel plans to create a “special Emigration Administration” to support President Donald Trump’s plan to relocate Gazans.
“We are creating a special Emigration Administration,” Smotrich <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/smotrich-government-establishing-migration-administration-for-gaza-exodus/">said</a> during a meeting of the Knesset Land of Israel Caucus. “In order for the tremendous price our nation has paid and their tremendous determination not to devolve into yet another round of fighting the same war again, we must grab this opportunity with both hands, adopt the plan that has been floated by the US President.”
The authority is being prepared under the leadership of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Minister of Defense Israel Katz, according to Smotrich, who added that “budgetary constraints will not stand in the way.”
The authority’s first task will be working with the Trump administration to identify countries to absorb Gazans. Smotrich noted that such a plan would be complicated because even if 5,000 people were relocated each day, it would still take a year for emigration to be completed.
“The logistics are complicated because we have to know who the émigré’s are, where each one is going, what the needs are, and more,” he said.
More than 100 participants discussed and proposed practical steps to execute Trump’s plan for voluntary Gazan emigration and promote long-term stability in the region during the Knesset <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/EjLdWdQFw3k" target="_blank" rel="noopener">caucus session</a> titled, “The New Middle East: The Plan for Voluntary Migration from Gaza.”
“Things that seemed impossible for many years are now completely legitimate topics for policy initiatives,” Caucus co-chair MK Yoel (Yuli) Edelstein said during the session. “We must not squander the opportunity to take the right steps toward the new Middle East we are discussing. I am pleased that we have convened to think together about the ways to build implementable programs that once seemed beyond imagination.”
Co-chair MK Simcha Rothman called Trump’s plan a “common sense revolution.”
“Time is of the essence and the clock is ticking; we must speak loudly and clearly in positive language — not only what must not be, but what must be,” Rothman said, adding that those who act against Trump’s plan for emigration are “collaborating with Hamas.”
MK Limor Son-Har-Melech, who is also a co-chair of the caucus, called for “large-scale Jewish settlement of Gaza, the restoration of Jewish life there, Jewish children once again playing in the streets of Gaza.”
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-he-wants-to-permanently-relocate-all-gazans-in-meeting-with-netanyahu" target="_blank" rel="noopener">previously said</a> he does not support Israel building settlements in Gaza again, because he thinks Gaza isn’t a place for anyone to live until the reconstruction plan is complete. Several Jewish settlements were present in Gaza until 2005, when Israel removed 8,600 Israeli residents from their homes as part of its disengagement from Gaza.
Other participants included Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, Smotrich, Minister of Settlement Affairs and National Projects MK Orit Strock, and former Minister of National Security MK Itamar Ben-Gvir.
Strock said that even if Hamas is subdued in Gaza, the strip still poses a threat to Israel.
“Even if we subdue Hamas as a civil and military leadership, so long as we do not enable the majority of the population of Gaza to emigrate we will not remove the threat,” Strock said. “That is what we must do and I say as a member of the government and the cabinet — this government will take responsibility.”
Israel Ganz, who heads the Binyamin Regional Council in Judea and Samaria, also known as the West Bank, called for Hamas members in his area to be removed because of the security risk.
“This is a historic moment for the  State of Israel: We have an American president in office who is encouraging us to think out of the box,” Ganz said. “We don’t need any other suggestions — we need only to get to work! The time has come for the Israeli government to take active steps toward implementing President Trump’s vision.”
Ben Gvir, who has become the boogeyman to Western media due to his hawkish, right-wing views, pointed out that he has proposed the plan before Trump.
“Since the beginning of the war, I have said repeatedly that the only &#8216;day after&#8217; solution for the Gaza Strip is to encourage voluntary emigration,” he said. “At first I was ridiculed, but today it is clear to everyone that this is the only realistic solution. Encouraging voluntary emigration is the order of the day. Government of Israel — Forward, to action!”
The Knesset Land of Israel Caucus is the largest in Israel’s parliament, with 80 Knesset members.
Israel <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hamas-ignores-deadline-to-release-hostages-israel-cuts-off-electricity-to-gaza" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cut off electricity</a> to Gaza following Hamas ignoring a Saturday deadline to release more of the 59 hostages still in captivity.
Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/israel-to-cut-electricity-in-gaza-immediately-energy-minister-says/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a> on Sunday, adding on <a href="https://x.com/elicoh1/status/1898756463222260177" target="_blank" rel="noopener">X</a>, “I have now signed an order to cut off electricity to the Gaza Strip immediately. Enough with the talk, it’s time for action!”

Kamal Adwan Hospital after Israeli attacks on Gaza

Israel Announces Plans To Create An ‘Emigration Administration’ To Relocate Gazans

A D.C. court has ordered prominent anti-Israel activists to pay a rabbi $182,000 for falsely accusing him in court of &#8220;stalking&#8221; after he prayed at the Israel embassy, which they staked out for months in a protest.
Hazami Barmada, who “<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230604221715/https://www.aspendigital.org/person/hazami-barmada/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">held</a> several high-level positions at the United Nations&#8221; and in 2023 &#8220;joined the faculty of George Washington University,” and Atefeh Rokhvand, founder of Teachers Against Genocide, abused the court system by seeking a restraining order against Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld, the Superior Court of the District of Columbia’s Domestic Violence Division ruled last week. The restraining order could have essentially prevented the rabbi from coming near the Israel embassy, because the pair was leading an around-the-clock protest there.
Video contradicted statements in the activists&#8217; legal filings and showed that the rabbi had peacefully prayed at the embassy while Barmada mocked him through a megaphone, Judge John McCabe <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.267988/gov.uscourts.dcd.267988.36.1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> last week in a previously unreported ruling. Far from being scared of the so-called stalker, Barmada ridiculed his presence at the embassy as “hilarious,” he found.
“There is no evidence that Respondent ever threatened the Petitioners. There is no evidence that he ever followed, monitored or placed them under surveillance. The only times he ever saw them was at the location of the protests on three occasions (only two with regard to Ms. Rokhvand). The evidence suggests that his presence on those occasions was not an attempt to locate Petitioners or any other particular individuals; he was going to the embassy to pray,” the ruling said.
After Hamas&#8217; October 7, 2023 terror attack, Barmada and Rokhvand led virtually permanent <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/immigration-agent-who-celebrates-hamas-is-using-paid-leave-from-dhs-to-threaten-military-officials">protests</a> at Israel&#8217;s embassy in Washington and outside the home of former Secretary of State Antony Blinken. &#8220;Hazami Barmada is 40 years old. She received an MPA degree from Harvard University’s Kennedy School and has worked at the Aspen Institute,&#8221; the ruling said. &#8220;She stated that she sometimes protested at the home of (now former) U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken in northern Virginia, at times throwing fake blood in the direction of motor vehicles entering or exiting his home.&#8221;
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As experienced protesters who routinely engage in abrasive behavior against others — activities which they defend as free speech — they would have known that the rabbi’s actions were also permitted, the judge said. As a result, he ordered the pair to pay Herzfeld’s legal bills under the anti-SLAPP Act, which aims to discourage “lawsuits filed by one side of a political or public policy debate aimed to punish or prevent the expression of opposing points of view.”
The anti-Israel activists sought charges against the rabbi alleging that he had stalked them based on three dates where he was present at the embassy. But on one day, Rokhvand was not even present, and “Barmada’s description in her petition of the events of March 21 did not accurately describe what had occurred,&#8221; the judge wrote.
&#8220;It was only upon observing the video evidence that the Court was able to clearly see that the Respondent’s activities were not even directed at the Petitioner in particular (other than his agreeing with her that inhumanity is awful no matter who is to blame), that Petitioner Barmada and her fellow protesters were far louder and more confrontational than Respondent, and that Petitioner Barmada was not in any way intimidated by the Respondent as she remarked about how &#8216;hilarious&#8217; he and his companions were while speaking into a megaphone,” the ruling said.
<div id="attachment_881179" style="width: 615px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-881179" class="size-large wp-image-881179" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/megaphone-605x576.png" alt="" width="605" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/megaphone-605x576.png 605w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/megaphone-300x286.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/megaphone-768x731.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/megaphone.png 1416w" sizes=" (max-width: 605px) 100vw, 605px" />Barmada with megaphone / Instagram</div>
On the second day, the rabbi drove by in a car and asked through the window, “Why do you support the raping of innocent women?” The judge wrote that “The Petitioners may very well have been offended by what the Respondent said on May 2, just as the Respondent was likely offended when Petitioner Barmada called him a Nazi and a supporter of terrorizing children on March 21, 2024. However, as Petitioner’s own attorneys asserted&#8221; in justifying their own conduct, &#8220;these comments, while offensive, are constitutionally protected.”
In the third instance, on May 7, Rokhvand claimed the rabbi “went through my stuff.” The judge said video showed he had “simply directed his companion to take photographs of [a] basket of ear plugs,” which the rabbi said protesters were using to shield their own ears while subjecting others to excruciating noise levels. The judge added that the basket was not even near Rokhvand.
In May, the rabbi filed a <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.267988/gov.uscourts.dcd.267988.1.0.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">civil lawsuit</a> in federal court alleging that Barmada and Rokhvand damaged his hearing by having their comrades blast a siren at him after he came to the embassy on a religious holiday to pray for the release of Hamas&#8217; hostages. &#8220;The physical attack consisted of using speakers, sirens, and other sound-emitting devices to produce siren-like sounds in the range of 95-100 decibels—more than 1,000 times the noise level permitted under D.C. law— with the purpose and intent to injure Rabbi Herzfeld,&#8221; it said.
<div id="attachment_762931" style="width: 445px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-762931" class="size-large wp-image-762931" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/07/blinken7-435x576.jpg" alt="Outside Blinken's home / Instagram" width="435" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/07/blinken7-435x576.jpg 435w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/07/blinken7-227x300.jpg 227w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/07/blinken7-768x1017.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/07/blinken7.jpg 840w" sizes=" (max-width: 435px) 100vw, 435px" />Outside Blinken&#8217;s home / Instagram</div>
The next week, the protesters filed the action in city court against Herzfeld.
In an email to The Daily Wire, Barmada and Rokhvand suggested that that the rabbi&#8217;s lawyer, Steven Lieberman, was being greedy, saying the $182,000 figure was &#8220;over-inflated legal fees.&#8221;
&#8220;We were shocked by the tone and findings outlined in the subsequent order granting outrageous legal fees. Albeit ultimately deemed &#8216;protected speech,&#8217; the evidence at trial showed Rabbi Herzfeld and his cohorts, on multiple occasions, came inappropriately close to females and made offensive and vile remarks to intimidate them, e.g. &#8216;why do you support rape,'&#8221; they said. &#8220;We will appeal, and look forward to a final ruling on the matter.&#8221;
The statement was sent through their lawyer Asim Humayun, who on Instagram has called for a “registry for Americans in IDF” and said he wears a Palestinian flag pin as a “piece of s—t repellant.” One picture shows that Media Benjamin, a prominent CodePink activist known for hounding pro-Israel congressmen, attended a hearing in the stalking case.
After the D.C. judge granted a temporary restraining order against the rabbi early in the case, Humayun posed smiling with Barmada, writing: “We had to take out a restraining order against a rabbi who keeps coming and harassing us, has wrongfully sued us, and lied about us in the news. We won’t be silenced!”
Herzfeld may be able to collect on the $182,000: despite Barmada presenting herself as a tent-dwelling radical at the around-the-clock protest in front of Blinken’s home, she apparently lives in a $1.5 million house with an indoor pool, according to the address in court records.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/soros-prosecutor-wont-shut-down-pro-palestinian-encampment-outside-antony-blinkens-home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Soros Prosecutor Won’t Shut Down Pro-Palestinian Encampment Outside Antony Blinken’s Home</a>

Hazami Barmada (center) and Atefeh Rokhvand (right) protesting the Israel embassy / Instagram

Anti-Israel Activists Ordered To Pay $182,000 After Falsely Accusing Rabbi Of Stalking

D.C.

A tenured Columbia University law professor says she was effectively terminated after an investigation found she discriminated against Jewish and Israeli students.
Katherine Franke, who was investigated after she gave an interview claiming that Israeli students were harassing students on campus, on Friday announced she was retiring and <a href="https://ccrjustice.org/sites/default/files/attach/2025/01/Statement%20from%20Katherine%20Franke.docx.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released a statement</a> criticizing the university.
“For the last year and a half, as students at Columbia University and across the globe have protested against the Israeli government’s genocidal assault on Palestinians after the October 2023 attacks, a response that has resulted in horrendous devastation in Gaza, I have ardently defended students’ right to peaceful protest on our campus and across the country,” Franke began her statement. “I truly believed that student engagement with the rights and dignity of Palestinians continued a celebrated tradition at Columbia University of student protest.”
She said she had been “targeted” for her “support of pro-Palestinian protesters – by the president of Columbia University, by several colleagues, by university trustees, and by outside actors.”
“This has included an unjustified finding by the University that my public comments condemning attacks against student protesters violated university non-discrimination policy,” she added.
Those <a href="https://www.democracynow.org/2024/1/25/columbia_palestine_protest_attack" target="_blank" rel="noopener">public comments</a>, however, suggested Israeli students were the ones harassing other Columbia students, particularly Palestinian students.
“So many of those Israeli students, who then come to the Columbia campus, are coming right out of their military service,” she said in January 2024. “They’ve been known to harass Palestinian and other students on our campus.”
In that interview, Franke also repeated the false allegation that Israeli students had sprayed anti-Israel protesters with skunk spray, with Franke claiming they were hospitalized due to a “chemical attack.” She also claimed the students responsible were part of Columbia’s dual degree program with Tel Aviv University – but they weren’t.
“The students were able to identify three of these exchange students, basically, from Israel, who had just come out of military service, who were spraying the pro-Palestinian students with this skunk water,” Franke said in her interview with the leftist organization “Democracy Now.”
The “chemical attack” was actually a non-toxic gag spray from Amazon, and Columbia paid $395,000 to a Jewish student after it suspended him for the incident.
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Other professors at Columbia Law filed a complaint against Franke following this interview, arguing that Franke “harassed members of the Columbia community based on their national origin,” <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/probe-finds-columbia-university-professor-discriminated-against-israeli-students/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to The Times of Israel</a>. The investigation determined that Franke violated the school’s anti-discrimination policy during her interview and also violated school policy regarding retaliation by revealing to a reporter the name of a professor who reported her. On social media, Franke also targeted the professors who filed the complaint.
“As made public by parties in this matter, a complaint was filed alleging discriminatory harassment in violation of our policies,” Columbia said in a statement to the Times. “An investigation was conducted, and a finding was issued. As we have consistently stated, the University is committed to addressing all forms of discrimination consistent with our policies.”
Franke also supported the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which aims to harm Israel economically for perceived slights while targeting no other nation for similar or worse aggressions.
Protesters at Columbia and other Ivy League universities have promoted open calls for violence, the Times previously <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/columbia-student-group-retracts-apology-of-member-who-said-zionists-deserve-to-die/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. As The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/columbia-university-giving-day-donations-plunge-nearly-30-following-anti-israel-protests" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>, these student protests likely caused Columbia’s annual “Giving Day” donations to plunge nearly 30% in 2024.

Columbia University Anti-Israel Protest

Columbia Professor Retires After Investigation Found She Discriminated Against Jewish Students

Columbia University

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