Daily Briefing: WEDNESDAY’S “NEWS OF THE WEEK IN REVIEW”

MEDIA-OCRITIES OF THE WEEK

Al Jazeera Anchors Continue Tradition of Praising Terrorist Attacks: Hany Ghoraba, IPT News, Apr. 26, 2022

“When terrorists randomly attacked Israeli civilians in recent weeks, some surprising voices reacted with horror. … To top anchors on Qatar’s state-owned Al Jazeera network … the attacks were cause for celebrations and praise. “The martyrdom of the attacker of the Tel Aviv operation, the Palestinian computer expert, the son of Jenin camp, Ra’ad Hazem, after he made the Israelis taste humiliation and so they spent a dark night of terror imprisoned in their homes, while an entire army of thousands of Israeli soldiers pursued him for 9 hours, he freely wandered until he reached Jaffa,” Al Jazeera host Ahmed Mansour wrote April 8. … Meanwhile, Al Jazeera‘s most senior anchor, Gamal Rayyan, used Hazem’s Tel Aviv shooting spree to warn countries that have relations with Israel. “The Tel Aviv operation is a lesson to the normalization regimes: Israel will not protect you as it can hardly protect itself #Palestine.” … Algerian senior Al Jazeera anchor Khadija Ben Guenna, connected the terrorist attacks to the historic Negev Summit brought foreign ministers from Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and the United States to Israel on March 29. “In 7 days, 11 Israelis were killed, coinciding with the summits of shame [Negev Summit],” she wrote. … Al Jazeera later published a hagiographic profile of Hamarsha on its Arabic language website hailed him as “the Silent Resistance fighter. “He (Hamarsha) was known for his great ambition, gentleness, and wide relations with people,” the article said. It quoted his father, who said Hamarsha “was not one of those young people looking for the passion and amusement of life.”

The Left Blames Tucker Carlson for Buffalo Shooting as a Censorship Excuse:  Stephen L. Miller, Washington Examiner, May 16, 2022

“After an 18-year-old alleged gunman stormed a Buffalo grocery store and killed 10 people, it took the national media apparatus about two minutes to point the finger at conservative media, specifically Fox News and Tucker Carlson. The alleged shooter left an online manifesto with eerie echos of the Christchurch shooting in New Zealand and the shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas, spouting off about the “Great Replacement” theory (the antisemitic theory of world-controlling Jews purposely transporting large amounts of immigrants into the United States to change the racial makeup of the country). But journalists on Twitter and national news outlets took it a step further, pointing the finger squarely at Fox News and Tucker Carlson with the sole purpose of conflating the antisemitic theory peddled online with the very real concerns of an open immigration policy that right now is causing a historic influx of migrants across the southern border, as well as human trafficking and narcotics. … Journalists know exactly what they are doing in conflating these two ideas, as do Democratic politicians. …  Make no mistake that this is a growing sentiment on the political Left, and that includes the corporate media. In the alleged shooter’s own manifesto, he slanders Fox News as being run by Jews and part of the global replacement theory conspiracy. He never mentions Tucker Carlson. He also disowns the conservative movement, labeling it corporatism, and echoes the sentiments of the far Left when it comes to eco-fascism. But none of this is useful to a media that see this as an opportunity to regain the narrative on policing speech online after having their favorite toy in Twitter taken away from them….”

WEEKLY QUOTES

“The Jewish community of the UAE shares in the profound sadness of the passing of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi.  Our deep sympathy and heartfelt condolences go out to the Al Nahyan Ruling Family and the people and residents of the UAE on the loss of our President. May he rest in eternal peace. Under the blessed reign of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and its Federal and Emirate leadership, our Jewish community has experienced unprecedented flourishing among the many communities of the UAE. The vision and legacy of his father Sheikh Zayed have lived through His Highness Sheikh Khalifa. We take our place among the other faith communities of the UAE in mourning his passing and commemorating his leadership. We pray that the people of the UAE be granted solace and fortitude to bear this great loss. May the memory and legacy of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan always be a blessing. “– Statement of the Jewish community on the passing of the president of the UAE.  (Jerusalem Post, May 15, 2022)

“The real war I’m advocating for is the gentiles vs the Jews. We outnumber them 100x, and they are not strong by themselves.” — An 18-year-old wearing military gear and live streaming with a helmet camera opened fire with a rifle at a supermarket in Buffalo, killing 10 people and wounding three others Saturday in what authorities described as “racially motivated violent extremism.” The suspect posted a 180-page “manifesto” online prior to the attack expressing hatred for Jews, declaring support for the Nazi ideology, and supporting the antisemitic “Great Replacement” conspiracy theory.  (United With Israel, May 15, 2022)

“Afghanistan has had laws that mimic the new ones, But this time, disobedience will be treated as a criminal offense not just for women, but for male friends and relatives as well. For further reassurance that heir laws will be abided by, male ‘guardian’ will now be punished for allowing women to leave the house without the mandated attire” – journalist Amarachi Amadre on the reimposition of the full head- to-toe burka attire, exclusion of women from education, and punishment of their male guardians as well for their infractions. (National Post, May 13, 2022)

Speaking in an interview with conservative radio show host Hugh Hewitt last month, former Attorney General William Barr suggested that suppressing the [Hunter Biden] laptop story might have affected the 2020 presidential elections. “The intelligence officials suggesting that it was Russian disinformation in order to essentially keep a cork in it until after the election. I do think that that, given how close the election was, you know, I think that that probably affected the outcome, or at least is a very distinct probability of that.”  (Epoch Times, Apr. 30, 2022)

ARAB STUDENTS ARRESTED FOR ‘NAKBA DAY’ ASSAULT ON JEWS IN TEL AVIV (Tel Aviv) — Israeli police arrested Arab students accused of physically assaulting Jewish activists protesting the Nakba Day ceremony held at Tel-Aviv University. The Arab world observes Nakba Day on May 15 each year to lament the “nakba” (‘catastrophe”) of the establishment of the Jewish state. (United With Israel, May 15, 2022)

ISRAEL EXPOSES HAMAS SUPPORTERS AMONG TEMPLE MOUNT GUARDS (Jerusalem) — Six Palestinian guards working on the Temple Mount were expelled over their support for Hamas.  They were replaced by 12 others within the framework of current Israeli-Jordanian understandings. The disclosure came as the Prime Minister’s Office denied media reports that Israel had acceded to Jordanian demands for an expanded presence at the Jerusalem holy site, including 70 additional security guards. (United With Israel, May 11, 2022)

REPORT: RUSSIANS FIRE ON IAF CRAFT IN SYRIA FOR THE 1ST TIME (Moscow) — Air defense systems operated by Russian officers opened fire at Israeli aircraft operating in Syria for the first time. The alleged incident occurred when IAF aircraft carried out an operation in western Syria. The Syrians activated their air defense systems, which missed the Israeli planes. As the planes turned back towards Israel, the Russian S-300 systems were activated and launched. Russia has supplied Syria with four S-300 batteries. However, only Russian officers can operate the batteries. According to the report, while a missile was fired from the S-300 battery, the missile did not achieve a radar lock on any of the Israeli aircraft and did not pose a threat. All aircraft returned to Israel safely. (Israel National News, May 16, 2022)

ISRAELI NAVY CAPTURES GAZANS SMUGGLING MATERIALS FOR HAMAS’ WEAPONS PRODUCTION (Jerusalem) — Israeli security forces successfully thwarted a naval smuggling network that imported components to produce weapons for terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli Navy then captured the smugglers during one of their attempts to import materials used for Hamas’ military buildup.  (Jewish Press, May 11, 2022)

FOR FIRST TIME IN ISRAEL’S HISTORY, HIGH-TECH EXPORTS ACCOUNTED FOR MORE THAN 50% (Jerusalem) — For the first time in Israel’s history, high tech exports accounted for more than 50% of the country’s exports in 2021, now standing at 54%, while in another first, more than 10% of all Israelis now work in the high-tech industry, according to a report by the Israel Innovation Authority titled “The State of High-Tech 2022.” According to the report, Israel is a global leader in the percentage of citizens working in the high-tech field with 362,000 in the industry who represent 10.4% of the country’s workforce. (JNS, May 13, 2022)

DEFENSE MINISTRY APPROVES CONSTRUCTION OF OVER 4,000 HOMES IN JUDEA AND SAMARIA (Jerusalem) — The Defense Ministry that authorizes construction in the West Bank approved plans for the construction of 4,427 housing units in Judea and Samaria. All 25 plans on the register were submitted to the Civil Administration’s planning subcommittee, of which more than half received final approval for construction. While some of the projects are for settlements near the Green Line, other approved plans are for settlements in the heart of Judea in Samaria. (Israel Hayom, May 12, 2022)

HISTORIC: MEET 4 AMERICAN SISTERS WHO SERVE TOGETHER AS IDF LONE SOLDIERS (Boston) — A Jewish family from Boston made history when its fourth and youngest daughter decided to serve in the IDF as a Lone Soldier alongside her three older sisters, the first time that a family from the U.S. has four daughters serving simultaneously. Just a few days after Israel celebrated its 74th year of independence, Y., 18, enlisted to serve, with the assistance of the Friends of the IDF (FIDF) – Nefesh B’Nefesh Lone Soldier Program. Y. joins the 45 Massachusetts-based Lone Soldiers currently defending the State of Israel. (United With Israel, May 12, 2022)

IRAN LIED: UN ADMITS TEHRAN HID NUCLEAR SITES, WON’T COME CLEAN (NYC) — The head of the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, announced that “Iran has not been forthcoming in the type of information we need from them.” He made the comments during a webstream address to European Parliament committees. Grossi was specifically addressing uranium particles found at three undeclared nuclear sites in Iran, which indicate that Iran had nuclear material there that it refused to disclose to the IAEA. (United With Israel, May 12, 2022)

JORDAN’S KING ABDULLAH COMES TO WASHINGTON (Amman) — On Tuesday, the White House announced that Biden will host King Abdullah II of Jordan on Friday.  Jordan is the home of the terrorist Ahlam Tamimi, the self-admitted mastermind behind the 2001 Sbarro massacre that killed 15 people, mostly schoolchildren, including 2 Americans. A third American has been in a coma ever since. In 2017, the US Department of Justice unsealed federal charges against Tamimi, declaring her an FBI Most Wanted Terrorist for conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction against US nationals, and requested her extradition. Jordan refused.  Rep. Gregory Steube (R-Fla.) and Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) introduced the  H.R.7527 – Recognition of the 1995 Jordan Extradition Treaty with the U.S. Act that restricts US aid to Jordan until the extradition treaty the two countries signed in 1995 is recognized. The legislation specifically calls for Tamimi’s extradition. (Jewish Press, May 16, 2022)

‘FREE PALESTINE’: YESHIVA STUDENT ASSAULTED IN THIRD ANTISEMITIC ATTACK IN BROOKLYN IN FIVE DAYS (Bklyn) — A yeshiva student was assaulted in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, the third antisemitic attack in the New York City borough since last Friday. The unnamed student was surrounded by five males who punched him in the face. One of the assailants reportedly yelled “Free Palestine” during the assault. (Algemeiner, May 11, 2022)

FALLOUT FROM HOLOCAUST MUSEUM SNUB OF FLORIDA’S GOVERNOR DESANTIS RESULTS IN SOME FUNDS REMOVED (NYC) — Two leading Jewish conservatives blasted New York City’s Museum of Jewish Heritage–A Living Memorial to the Holocaust in a Wall Street Journal op-ed on May 6, claiming that museum staff told them they could not hold an event there if Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was invited to speak. The op-ed, titled “Persona Non Grata at a Holocaust Memorial,” was authored by former U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor Elliott Abrams, along with Eric Cohen. They serve as the chairman and CEO, respectively, of the Tikvah Fund, a conservative Jewish think tank that wanted to host its annual Jewish Leadership Conference at the museum. (Jewish Press, May 11, 2022)

NAZI WEAPONS SITE IS TO BE FILLED WITH THE SOUNDS OF JEWISH-COMPOSED MUSIC (Berlin) — The New York Philharmonic will hold three performances next week at the Usedom Music Festival, which presents concerts in the turbine hall of the Peenemünde Power Station in Germany. Peenemünde was built by the Nazis as a V1 and V2 rocket test and nuclear development site. Some of those rockets rained down on Western Europe in the closing stages of World War II. A performance scheduled for May 21 is also set to feature famed violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter. (JNS, May 13, 2022)

AUSCHWITZ SURVIVOR, 98, WINS SIMON WIESENTHAL PRIZE FOR HOLOCAUST EDUCATION (LA) — Lily Ebert, 98, was born in Hungary in 1923 and deported in 1944 to Auschwitz-Birkenau, where her mother, younger brother and sister were killed. After four months in the camp, Ebert and two of her other sisters were transferred to a labor factory. She was liberated by U.S. troops and eventually moved to the United Kingdom. Her great-grandson, Dov Forman, created a TikTok account for her several years ago so she could tell young people today about her experiences. Ebert has since garnered more than 1.9 million followers. (JNS, May 13, 2022)

         FOR FURTHER REFERENCE

Russian Soldier Pleads Guilty at War Crimes Trial to Killing Ukrainian Civilian:  CBC News, May 18, 2022 — A Russian soldier accused of war crimes in Ukraine pleaded guilty on Wednesday to killing an elderly unarmed civilian. Vadim Shishimarin, a 21-year-old Russian tank commander, entered his plea in a Kyiv district court hearing its first war crimes trial against a Russian soldier who took part in Moscow’s Feb. 24 invasion.

Biden Approves Plan to Redeploy Several Hundred Ground Forces Into Somalia:  Charlie Savage and Eric Schmitt, NY Times, May 16, 2022 — President Biden has signed an order authorizing the military to once again deploy hundreds of Special Operations forces inside Somalia — largely reversing the decision by President Donald J. Trump to withdraw nearly all 700 ground troops who had been stationed there, according to four officials familiar with the matter.