WEDNESDAY’S “NEWS OF THE WEEK IN REVIEW”
Contents: | Weekly Quotes | Short Takes | On Topic Links
On Topic Links
American Muslim Woman Destroys Muslim Congresswoman for Antisemitism: Leah Rosenberg, Israel Unwired, Mar. 7, 2019 — Dr. Quanta Ahmed is not afraid to speak out against the new congresswoman, Ilhan Omar. Video.
Morrison: The CBC Used My Son to Attack Israel: Rabbi Howard Morrison, Canadian Jewish News, Mar. 7, 2019 — At the end of my recent sabbatical in Israel, I was sent a CBC article that featured a beautiful photograph of my son, Yonah, in his IDF uniform.
WATCH: Israel Unveils Official Song for Eurovision 2019: United With Israel, Mar. 11, 2019 — Israel just released the complete version of its representative’s official song, which is called, “Home.”
Journalist Turned Politician Caroline Glick Turns the Spotlight on Blue and White Party, Israeli Left: Avraham Shmuel Lewin, JNS, Mar. 13, 2019 — Caroline B. Glick, a senior columnist at Breitbart News, was the senior contributing and chief columnist for The Jerusalem Post until she decided to run for the Knesset in the upcoming April national elections.
WEEKLY QUOTES
We are having this debate because of the language one of our colleagues… that suggests Jews like me who serve in the United States in Congress and whose father earned a purple heart fighting the Nazis in the Battle of the Bulge, that we are not loyal Americans? Why are we unable to singularly condemn antisemitism? Why can’t we call it antisemitism and show we’ve learned the lessons of history?” — Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) called on the House to pass a resolution that would “singularly condemn” antisemitism in the wake of Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-Minn.) recent controversial comments on U.S.- Israel relations. (The Hill, Mar. 7, 2019)
“We are three Jewish members of the US House of Representatives. One of us served 20 years as an officer in the US Navy, deploying six times in defense of our nation. She is married to a Navy veteran. Another is the father of a current Navy officer who in his first two years of service deployed three times for his country. One is the grandson of a World War II veteran who fought the Nazis and is married to a woman whose grandparents lost their entire family in the Holocaust. Our loyalty to our country runs deep. That is why we were disappointed by the comments of our colleague Congresswoman Ilhan Omar suggesting supporters of Israel “push for allegiance to a foreign country.” — Brad Schneider (D – ILL), Elaine Luria (D – Va) and Josh Gottheimer (D- NJ), responding to Democratic Congresswoman Ilham Omar’s blatantly antisemitic charges that Jewish support for Israel is indicative of dual loyalty, and that Jewish money is behind US support for Israel. (CNN, Mar. 8, 2019)
“I thought yesterday’s vote by the House was disgraceful because … the Democrats have become an anti-Israel party. They’ve become an anti-Jewish party and I thought that vote was a disgrace and so does everybody else if you get an honest answer… and that’s too bad.” President Donald Trump, responding to the Democratic Party’s watered-down resolution condemning all forms of hatred rather than antisemitism alone, particularly Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omer’s remarks. (RealClearPolitics, Mar. 8, 2019)
“When we see acts of antisemitism … antisemitic words that translate into violence, of course we are concerned we are looking back to a much more horrific past… To deal with antisemitism you need to deal with many things on the ground in Europe; in places where it exists. And it’s not only in Europe, we have seen acts in Latin America and in America. So, I think we need to think about how we use education, how we get some regulation of cyber space in terms of how people’s messages are proliferated and how antisemitic themes are perpetuated in these areas, how we bring this to not only schools but to universities or cultural institutes.” — Israeli ambassador to Germany Jeremy Issacharoff responding to reports of a 60 percent rise in violent attacks on Jews in Germany. (DW News, Mar. 1, 2019)
“We write to affirm our longstanding opposition to an academic boycott of Israeli academic institutions and/or individual scholars. Our commitment to continued engagement and partnership with Israeli, as well as Palestinian colleagues, colleges and universities is unwavering. We believe a boycott of this sort poses a direct and serious threat to the academic freedom of our students and faculty…including debate and discourse regarding conflicts in the Middle East.” — Chancellors of all 10 campuses of the University of California signed a statement very close to one suggested by the AMCHA Initiative, a privately-funded national group dedicated to fighting on-campus antisemitism that repudiates the Students for Justice in Palestine SJP aim of singling out Israel among all other nations. (California Focus Syndicated Column, Feb. 4, 2019)
“For a Christian, any form of antisemitism is a rejection of one’s own origins, a complete contradiction. In the fight against hatred and antisemitism an important tool is interreligious dialogue, aimed at promoting a commitment to peace, mutual respect, the protection of life, religious and the care of creation.” — Pope Francis meeting with a delegation of 35 leaders from the American Jewish Committee (AJC) (WIN, Mar. 10, 2019)
“Only when our neighbors are convinced that our strength and our presence here are irrefutable facts, only then some of them will be persuaded to make peace with us, and we are fully advancing this recognition and agreement process with our remaining neighbors, not with all of them, but with most of them. We are doing this with extensive segments of the Arab and Islamic world in an expedited normalization process, only part of which the public can see. We are also holding this process in secret, and Israel is currently in contact with half a dozen important Arab and Islamic countries, which up until recently were hostile to Israel.” – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaking at a state memorial ceremony in Jerusalem for the late former Prime Minister Levi Eshkol. (Algemeiner, Mar. 12, 2019)
“The Golan is not disputed. It is in the hands of Israel and will always remain in the hands of Israel. My goal is to try to explain this to the administration.” South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsay Graham said from a cliff overlooking Syria, where Syrian flags could be seen fluttering in the distance on buildings damaged in the country’s civil war. (WIN, Mar. 11, 2019)
“Iran is trying to circumvent the sanctions through covert oil smuggling over maritime routes, and to the extent that these attempts widen, the navy will have a more important role in blocking these Iranian actions. I call on the entire international community to stop Iran’s attempts to circumvent the sanctions by sea, and of course, by any (other) means.” — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told naval officers, claiming that Israel could respond by acting against Iran. (Reuters, Mar. 6, 2019)
“European political leaders have fought tooth and nail to promote Iran business activities that responsible European business leaders simply do not want. At the same time, these European politicians are doing very little if anything to protect businesses from outright theft of their names and trademarks. UANI will continue to work to flag Iran’s dirty business dealings and practices for responsible law-abiding European companies like Bürkert.” – United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) President David Ibsen after detecting apparent fraudulent behavior by Amitis, a large Iranian company with known ties to a U.S.-sanctioned Iranian entity, the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC). (Solstice, Mar. 12, 2019)
“It’s our honor to be against the enemy of the nation, the enemy of the azan, the enemy of the land, and the enemy of the state. They directly attack our independence and our future, disrespecting our flag and our prayer.” Turkey’s Islamist President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in remarks quoted by Turkey’s Anadolu news agency redoubling his attack on the women’s rights activists who last week defied a state ban by marching on International Women’s Day. (Algemeiner, Mar. 11, 2019)
SHORT TAKES
U.S. ZIONISTS URGE TRUMP TO WITHDRAW CONTROVERSIAL LEGAL OPINION (Washington) — With Trump’s Deal of the Century in the offing, an anti-Israel legal opinion in the State Department has surfaced, which outlaws all Israeli communities over the Green Line. CUFI, which speaks for 4 million Christians, as well as the RCA and ZOA, are urging the Administration to rescind the controversial document. The fear is that Israel will be in a disadvantageous position if the “Deal of the Century” is published and an official pro-Arab legal opinion, negating all settlements, remains intact. (Arutz Sheva, Mar. 10, 2019)
POLL: BLUE AND WHITE LOSING POWER, RIGHT-WING BLOC GROWING (Jerusalem) — A new poll showed that if elections were to be held today, the right-wing bloc would be able to form a coalition – even though the left-wing Blue and White party would be the party with the most votes. The poll, conducted by the Dialogue Institute and supervised by Professor Camil Fuchs, notes that the Blue and White party would receive 31 Knesset seats, with the Likud following close behind with 28. The Labor party would grow to 10 seats, with the United Right and the Arab Hadash-Ta’al would each receive eight Knesset seats. Both the New Right and the Ashkenazic-haredi UTJ party would receive 7 Knesset seats, while the Sephardic-haredi Shas party would drop to five. Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon’s Kulanu party, the left-wing Meretz party, Moshe Feiglin’s Zehut party, and the Arab Ra’am-Balad, would receive four seats each. MK Orly Levi-Abekasis’ Gesher party and former Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman’s Yisrael Beytenu party do not pass the electoral threshold. (Arutz Sheva, Mar. 9, 2019)
BOTH NETANYAHU AND HAARETZ FEAR FEIGLIN RISE IN POLLS (Jerusalem) — Netanyahu says he is very concerned about the possibility that Moshe Feiglin’s Zeihut party would not pass the threshold, thus potentially costing the right its majority. This suggests that the prime minister considers Feiglin an integral part of the right-wing bloc – but that’s not necessarily so. The fact is Feiglin could get into the Knesset and still challenge Netanyahu’s majority. To date, the latest surprise of Israel’s politics has avoided declaring his allegiance to either side. For what it’s worth, Feiglin has declared both Netanyahu and Gantz a strategic catastrophe. (Jewish Press, Mar. 11, 2019)
PALESTINIANS LAUNCH MISSILE WARHEAD INTO ISRAEL USING BALLOON (Gaza) — A balloon launched from Gaza carried an anti-tank missile warhead into Israel, representing a new stage in the airborne attacks that have remained a key feature of the Hamas terror group’s nearly year-long “March of Return” riots along the Israel-Gaza border. (WIN, Mar. 9, 2019)
TERRORIST WHO STABBED RAFI LISKER IN EFRAT CAPTURED 2 YEARS LATER (Israel) — The Shin Bet, in cooperation with the IDF and Israel Police, arrested Hamas-affiliated Ayman Muhammad Ali Fughara, 27, the perpetrator of a Friday night, December 2016 stabbing attack in Efrat in Gush Etzion, during which local resident Rafi Lisker was wounded, sustaining multiple knife wounds to the back. (Jerusalem Press, Mar. 11, 2019)
SOUTH AFRICA TO GO AHEAD WITH ISRAEL EMBASSY DOWNGRADE: PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA (South Africa) — Speaking to the parliament in Cape Town, Ramaphosa said South African International Relations and Cooperation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu was working on implementing a decision by the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party to lower diplomatic ties with Israel. At the end of a conference in December 2017, the ANC decided to downgrade its diplomatic mission in Tel Aviv to a liaison office in an expression of “practical support” for the oppressed Palestinian people, warning Israel that it should pay the price for its “human rights abuses and violations of international law.” (Press TV, Mar. 9, 2019)
‘JEXODUS’ GROUP HELPS JEWISH MILLENNIALS LEAVE DEMOCRATIC PARTY (New York, Florida) — A new movement called “Jexodus” was launched at the beginning of March, while Democrats announced their candidates for the 2020 presidential election. Jewish millennials started the group because they said they are tired of the Democratic party’s “blatant disregard for antisemitism.” Leading the charge for Jexodus is Elizabeth Pipko, who is serving as the group’s national spokesperson. (WIN, Mar. 8, 2019)
FRENCH JIHADIST CONVICTED OF MURDER FOR BRUSSELS JEWISH MUSEUM MASSACRE (Brussels) — A Belgian court found 33-year-old Mehdi Nemmouche, a Frenchman suspected of working for the Islamic State group guilty of gunning down four people at a Jewish museum in 2014, making him the first European foreign fighter to be convicted of terror offenses. An Israeli couple and two staffers at the museum in Brussels were killed on May 24, 2014. Nemmouche was sentenced to life imprisonment. (WIN, Mar. 8, 2019)
NEW EINSTEIN MANUSCRIPTS REVEALED, SCIENTIFIC AND PERSONAL (Jerusalem) – The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU) unveiled 110 new manuscript pages, most of which have not been displayed before, and which shed light on the scientist and the man behind the science. One of the founding fathers of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Einstein bequeathed his personal and scientific writings to the university. (WIN, Mar. 8, 2019)
EX-KKK LEADER: ILHAN OMAR THE MOST IMPORTANT MEMBER OF CONGRESS — Embattled house democrat Ilhan Omar of Minnesota won the backing of former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard David Duke, amid an ongoing scandal over allegations Omar repeatedly peddled in antisemitic tropes during dustups with fellow lawmakers. (Arutz Sheva, Mar. 4, 2019)
UK JEWISH GROUPS PRAISE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION’S DECISION TO INVESTIGATE LABOUR ANTISEMITISM (London) — Prominent UK Jewish groups praised the Equality and Human Rights Commission for its decision to open an investigation into antisemitism in the Labour party. Polls have shown the overwhelming majority of British Jews consider far-left MP Jeremy Corbyn an antisemite and Jewish groups have long complained that the Labour leadership has failed to address the issue. (Algemeiner, Mar. 7, 2019)
AMID ANTISEMITISM CRISIS IN PARTY, MODERATE UK LABOUR FIGURES FORM DISSIDENT GROUP (London) — Amid the UK Labour party’s ongoing antisemitism crisis, a group of 160 moderate Labour figures have formed an independent faction that dissents from the party’s direction under its far-left leader Jeremy Corbyn. The new Labour faction is headed by deputy party leader Tom Watson, who has been outspoken against antisemitism. In February, Watson announced that he was personally taking control of the party complaints process in order to deal with the issue. (Algemeiner, Mar. 12, 2019)
SWARTHMORE COLLEGE STUDENTS ENDORSE BDS FOLLOWING CAMPAIGN CALLING FOR PALESTINIAN STATE ‘FROM THE RIVER TO THE SEA’ (Pennsylvania) – In a closed meeting, the Student Government Organization voted in favor of a resolution introduced by members of the school’s Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) club, which supports the Palestinian-led boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) campaign. The measure calls on the college and its Board of Managers to divest from companies accused of involvement in violations of international law in Israel and the Palestinian territories, ranging from American aerospace company Boeing to Israel’s largest bank, Bank Hapoalim. (Algemeiner, Mar. 7, 2019)
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY STUDENT GOVERNMENT REJECTS BDS (New York) — After a four-hour intense meeting consisting of more than 150 onlookers, the Columbia College Student Council failed to reach the two-thirds majority needed to pass the BDS proposal, similar to one in 2017 that also proved unsuccessful. (JNS, Mar. 11, 2019)
IRANIAN HACKERS HIT HUNDREDS OF COMPANIES IN PAST TWO YEARS (Tehran) — Cyberattacks linked to Iranian hackers have targeted thousands of people at more than 200 companies over the past two years, Microsoft Corp. said. This is part of a wave of computer intrusions from Iran that researchers say has hit businesses and government entities around the globe. (WSJ, Mar. 6, 2019)
HARD-LINE CLERIC TO HEAD IRAN’S JUDICIARY (Tehran) – Ebrahim Raisi, an Iranian cleric known for his role in condemning thousands of political prisoners to death in the 1980s will take leadership of Iran’s powerful judiciary, in a move that is expected to keep the post under the influence of hard-liners. (WSJ, Mar. 6, 2019)
SEN. JIM INHOFE SEEKS TO DRIVE STAKE THROUGH IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL (Washington) — The chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee said he will push to ensure the U.S. never rejoins the 2015 Iran nuclear deal negotiated by former President Barack Obama and repudiated last year by President Trump. The Oklahoma Republican told reporters he intends to include language in the next defense authorization act to cement Mr. Trump’s decision to pull out of the deal and reinstate harsh economic sanctions on Tehran. Iran and the U.S. partners in the original deal — China, Russia, Germany, Britain and France — are struggling to keep the agreement alive in the face of mounting American economic pressure. “The Iranians are waiting to reestablish the deal that [Obama administration John Kerry made,” Mr. Inhofe said. “They’re all assuming [Mr. Trump will] be out of office, so everyone’s dragging their feet.” (Washington Times, Mar. 6, 2019)
JEWISH PHILANTHROPIST BECOMES BRAZIL’S RICHEST PERSON (Rio De Janeiro) — Joseph Safra, 81, who is considered the richest banker in the world by Forbes magazine, has taken over the number one richest position in Brazil from entrepreneur Jorge Paulo Lemann. The bank that bears his name announced in early February a net profit of near $2 billion in 2018, helping to increase his fortune. Safra is a leading philanthropist in Brazil’s 120,000-strong Jewish community. Born in Lebanon, his Lebanese/Syrian family’s banking connections date back to Ottoman times. (JTA, Mar. 3, 2019)
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION REQUESTS NO TAXPAYER ASSISTANCE TO PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY, GAZA (Washington) — The Trump administration requested in its 2020 budget proposal that the U.S. continue not giving any taxpayer assistance to the Palestinian Authority-controlled areas of Judea and Samaria, nor to the Hamas-controlled enclave in Gaza. The administration requested that U.S. assistance to Israel remain at $3.3 billion. (Jewish Press, Mar. 11, 2019)
NVIDIA TO BUY ISRAEL’S MELLANOX FOR $6.8 BILLION IN A DATA CENTER PUSH (New York) – The all-cash offer of $125 per share represents a premium of 14 percent to Mellanox’s Friday close. Shares of Mellanox rose more than 8 percent and Nvidia shares rose more than 4 percent Monday. The deal follows a competitive bidding process, which according to sources familiar with the matter included rival chipmakers such as Intel. CNBC reported in November that Xilinx was also part of process. (CNBC, Mar. 11, 2019)
