YOM HASHOAH 2022- APRIL 27 – 28
The Here and Now of Holocaust Remembrance: Ruthie Blum, JNS, Apr. 26, 2022 — It is of tragic relevance that anti-Jewish Arab riots, rocket fire and hate-filled solidarity protests around the world have upstaged the lead-up to Yom Hashoah, which begins on Wednesday evening.
“Those that have changing values in line with the interests of their Roman [western] leaders” would also fail to “liberate” Jerusalem” (in an apparent reference to the Palestinian Authority and Arab countries.) — ISIS spokesman in a statement published in the Islamic State’s official media platform, Al-Furqan. He also called the two recent terror attacks in Israel committed by Arab Israeli ISIS supporters “inspirational.” (Cleveland Jewish News, Apr. 18, 2022)
“Friday was successful at the operative level and ended with about 470 violent Arab rioters being arrested. The arrests were a response to the mass violence on the Temple Mount. The problem is that after orders from the political leadership, the police were forced to let them go. Unfortunately, we are paying the price for this ineffectuality today.” — MK Yoav Kisch (Likud) tweeked. (Israel Hayom, Apr. 17, 2022)
“The Biden presidency is in a real crisis. The Biden presidency is a crisis. The superpower of the world is absent a real leader, and the major outlets of the American media, the thought and opinion leaders in government and academia, maintain a dangerously discreet silence. Biden, it is reported, has said he will run again in 2024. This surely is a delusion. The real question is whether he will last the current term. And, should he not, many in American politics are unhappy with the prospect that should Biden’s difficulties cause him to resign, Kamala Harris, his constitutional understudy, is standing nervously in the wings. It is a sad and embarrassing time for the United States.” – Conservative commentator Rex Murphy. (National Post, Apr. 20, 2022)
“President Voloydmyr Zelensky was asked, in the context of what happened in Bucha and elsewhere in his country, if he thinks the world actually means it when they say ‘never again’. . .’I don’t believe the world after we’ve seen what’s going on in Ukraine’, he said. ‘We don’t believe the words.’ … anyone who suggested that the post-second world war order would not permit the systematic slaughter of innocent civilians is lying. …” – political columnist Robyn Urback. (Globe and Mail, Apr. 20, 2022)
“Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated.” — Elon Musk in a statement announcing the deal to purchase Twitter that is estimated to be worth about $44 billion. (NY Times, Apr. 25, 2022)
“It is not an exaggeration to say that the future of civilization is hanging in the balance and that Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter … represents a potentially significant turning point. … We are in the advanced Internet age McLuhan foresaw: Thoughts and people that disagree with the socialist academic elites are erased from view. Twitter, of course, has become an important part of our public Square, and it has been at the very center of these efforts to erase conservatives from the conversation while lionizing and defending liberals. … If Musk is successful at helping the Internet transcend the current state of organized inattention by acquiring Twitter, then he will stop the Drift in its tracks.” – Kevin A. Hassett, senior adviser to National Review Capital Matters. (National Review, Apr. 21, 2022)
“Our modern concept of international criminal law derives from the world of two lawyers from Lviv, Ukraine. Hersch Lauterpracht and Raphael Lemkin are the originators of the concepts of crimes against humanity and genocide. … [They] lived on the same street in Lwow (Lviv), attended the same law school with the same professor and were both forced to flee their city because of rising antisemitism in the 1930s. They subsequently became instrumental in laying the foundation for our present day commitment to international justice for political and military leaders who willfully commit violence against civilians.” – Canada’s former foreign affairs minister Lloyd Axworthy. (Globe and Mail, Apr. 21, 2022)
“[Disney attacked Florida’s no sex teaching to young kids law] not to serve its shareholders, enhance is profitability or align itself with its vast and politically diverse customer base. This was, shockingly, an iconic American brand making itself into a free-floating weapon of woke cultural politics in response to the social and political influence of a small number of vocal progressives. Like so many companies before, Disney calculated the risk/reward of gratuitously taking up a leftwing political and cultural fight and considered it all reward, no risk. The Florida legislature [revoking Disney’s unique autonomous municipal status] decided to convince it that it was wrong. … This fight could have welcome effects [if] it convinces other corporations that there’s a potential price o be paid for joining woke mobs.” – Conservative political commentator Rich Lowry. (NY Post, Apr. 22, 2022)
ISRAEL SEALS EREZ CROSSING ‘UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE’ FOLLOWING ROCKET ATTACKS (Jerusalem) — Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories announced the closure of the Erez Border Crossing between Israel and Gaza, following the launch of two rockets at Israel by Gazan terrorists on Friday night. The border crossing is to remain shut from Sunday until further notice, pending a security situation assessment. (JNS, Apr. 24, 2022)
PALESTINIANS INSTIGATED TEMPLE MOUNT VIOLENCE, UN ADMITS(NYC) — UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland corroborated Israel’s account of recent Temple Mount violence during a briefing for the UN Security Council. The Norwegian diplomat stressed that Israeli forces only entered the Al Aqsa Mosque after the rioting Palestinians had “barricaded” themselves inside. Wennesland also praised Israeli officials for “reiterating [their] commitment to upholding the status quo and ensuring that only Muslims would be allowed to pray on the holy esplanade.” (United With Israel, Apr. 26, 2022)
JORDAN ‘SALUTES’ PALESTINIAN RIOTERS ON TEMPLE MT., SUMMONS ISRAELI ENVOY FOR REBUKE (Amman) — Jordan’s prime minister lashed out at Israel over the ongoing clashes at Jerusalem’s Temple Mount compound between Israeli security forces and Muslim worshipers. Addressing a session of the Jordanian parliament, Bisher al-Khasawneh hailed Palestinian rioters and used notably hostile language to condemn “Zionist sympathizers” and what he called Israel’s “occupation government.” (Times of Israel, Apr. 18, 2022)
IT’S ALL THEATER: ISRAELI POLICE ACTION ON TEMPLE MOUNT COORDINATED WITH EGYPT AND JORDAN (Jerusalem) — Israel’s actions on the Temple Mount last week took place after Israel first notified Egypt and Jordan, a senior Palestinian Authority source said. Senior members of the Israeli defense establishment, including representatives of the Israel Police, apparently met with senior members of the Jordanian Waqf ahead of the start of Ramadan and discussed a number of possible scenarios in light of intelligence information accumulated in Israel about Hamas and the Islamic Jihad’s plans. (Jewish Press, Apr. 24, 2022)
ISRAEL’S 2ND ASTRONAUT LANDS SAFELY BACK ON EARTH(Jerusalem) — The crew of the Ax-1 crew on the Dragon spacecraft safely landed on Earth on Monday. The craft carried Eytan Stibbe, Israel’s second astronaut. Stibbe blasted off to space on April 8 on the Space X Axiom mission, and spent the following weeks on the International Space Station. (Israel National News, Apr. 25, 2022)
GERMANY’S LARGEST NEWSPAPER: JEW-HATING MUSLIMS SHOULD BE TREATED LIKE NAZIS (Berlin) — Bild am Sonntag, the best-selling European newspaper, declared that the hatred of Jews by radical Muslims is “a shame for this country.” The editorial, written by the editor in chief Johannes Boje, followed what the newspaper described as “an aggressive antisemitic agitation against people of the Jewish faith – in the middle of Germany” (Jewish Press, Apr. 24, 2022)
RUTGERS JEWISH STUDENTS HARASSED BY ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTORS DURING PASSOVER (NYC) — Jewish Students at Rutgers University were harassed by protestors attending an anti-Israel rally held during Passover. According to the StopAntisemitism advocacy organization, the “Defend Al Aqsa Defend Palestine” protest that was organized by the campus chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) took place on Friday afternoon, the 7th day of Passover, at the Rutgers-New Brunswick Brower Commons building. (Israel National News, Apr. 25, 2022)
MARVIN CHOMSKY, DIRECTOR OF THE INFLUENTIAL TV MINISERIES ‘HOLOCAUST,’ DIES AT 92 (Santa Rosa) — Thanks to Chomsky, who died March 28 in Santa Rosa, California, at the age of 92, “Holocaust” showed millions of people — including around 20 million Germans — that the Holocaust did indeed happen. When it aired in the United States and West Germany, the four-part miniseries attracted upwards of 120 million viewers and helped spark broad public dialogue around the causes and consequences of the genocide of European Jews. (JTA, Apr. 19, 2022)
BEN FOSTER FIGHTS FOR HIS LIFE IN ‘THE SURVIVOR’ (LA) — Born Jewish in Poland, Haft was sent to Auschwitz after the Nazi Germans invade in September 1939. There, he met an especially brutal Nazi named Dietrich Schneider—played by an impressive Billy Magnussen in a new HBO film called “The Survivor”—a self-serving mentor who bet and made money off Haft’s numerous bouts. Haft went to fight more than 70 Jewish prisoners. His directive was “you fight until one man can no longer get up.” The drama is based on the book by his son, Alan Haft, Harry Haft: Survivor of Auschwitz, Challenger of Marciano. It was made into a knockout movie that leaves a lasting punch to the heart, debuting on April 27—Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day—streaming on HBO Max. (JNS, Apr. 18, 2022)
91-YEAR-OLD JEWISH SURVIVOR OF NAZI-OCCUPIED MARIUPOL DIES DURING RUSSIAN SIEGE (Mariupol) — Vanda Obiedkova was 10 years old when German troops occupied Mariupol, a strategic port city in the south of Ukraine, in 1941. Nazi soldiers began rounding up the city’s Jewish population, but the little girl escaped arrest by hiding in a basement. She survived the war. More than eight decades later, once again trapped in a basement as Russian forces bombarded the city for weeks, Obiedkova lost her latest battle. She was 91. (Washington Post, Apr. 21, 2022)
DISAPPOINTMENT: QUEENS U FACULTY REJECTS IHRA (Kingston, Ont.) — Queens University’s faculty voted to oppose the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of Antisemitism. More than 1,600 Jewish students and Hillel Kingston stood up to the Queens University Faculty Association to advocate for the adoption of the definition. 60% of voting faculty rejected adopting the IHRA definition – representing a failure in recognition of the urgent crisis experienced by Jewish students on university campuses. (Times of Israel, Apr. 22, 2022)
ARIZONA VOTES TO ADOPT IHRA DEFINITION OF ANTISEMITISM (Phoenix) — HB 2675, which passed last week by a vote of 49-4, ensures that the IHRA definition will be considered by state authorities when they investigate incidents of crime or discrimination. The IHRA definition has been adopted or endorsed by 865 entities worldwide, including 37 countries, and the US Departments of Education and State. Other states that have adopted the definition include Florida, Iowa, South Carolina and Tennessee. Only a few days before the Arizona vote, The Ohio State University also adopted the IHRA definition. (Israel Hayom, Apr.24, 2022)
UNIVERSITY THAT FIRED JEWISH PROFESSOR WHO REPORTED ANTISEMITIC INCIDENTS VIOLATED HIS ACADEMIC FREEDOM, PANEL FINDS (McMinnville) — The American Association of University Professors concluded that Linfield University, a private school in McMinnville, violated academic freedom guidelines when it fired tenured English professor Daniel Pollack-Pelzner a year ago. The report also said the university “contributed to a culture of abuse” by its actions. Linfield fired Pollack-Pelzner shortly after the professor went public with his accusations against the school’s president, Miles K. Davis. He accused Davis of making multiple antisemitic comments to faculty. Pollack-Pelzner also accused the school of covering up reports of sexual assault and instances of swastikas and other hateful messages painted on campus. (JTA, Apr. 19, 2022)
FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON DEFEATS FAR-RIGHT RIVAL MARINE LE PEN IN RUNOFF VOTE (Paris) — France has re-elected its centrist President Emmanuel Macron with a comfortable margin after a closely fought campaign, handing a major defeat to the far-right populist Marine Le Pen and reaffirming the country’s place in NATO and the European Union for the next five years. (Globe and Mail, Apr. 24, 2022)
BERLIN UNDER FIRE OVER ARMS FOR KYIV (Kyiv) — Olaf Scholz’s government this week pledged euros 1 billion ($1.36 billion) to supply Ukraine with weapons to fight Russia’s assault on the Donbas. However, Berlin quietly removed heavy weapons, including tanks and armoured personnel carriers, from a shopping list agreed with Kyiv. Scholz’s government defended its actions and said it was in talks with NATO and European Union partners to supply the weapons in question. (National Post, Apr. 22, 2022)
SYRIAN FIGHTERS READY TO JOIN NEXT PHASE OF UKRAINE WAR (Damascus) — Brig. Gen. Suheil al-Hassan’s division are among hundreds of Russian-trained Syrian fighters who have reportedly signed up to fight alongside Russian troops in Ukraine including Syrian soldiers, former rebels and experienced fighters who fought for years against the Islamic State group in Syria’s desert. So far, only a small number appears to have arrived in Russia for military training ahead of deployment on the front lines. (ABC News, Apr. 26, 2022)
