“In recent months, Jenin has become a safe haven for terrorism, and from that haven came vicious attacks against Israeli men, women and children. Last night, Israeli soldiers tried to reach undetected the most legitimate target on the planet – people who would annihilate our country. Israeli soldiers are doing everything to avoid civilian casualties as Israel does everything to exercise its right to self-defense.” – PM Benjamin Netanyahu during a speech at the US Embassy’s Fourth of July Party. (WIN, July 3, 2023)
“The Government views with utmost concern the displays and waves of antisemitism sweeping over France. We strongly condemn these attacks and we support the French government in its fight against antisemitism.” — PM Benjamin Netanyahu condemning attacks on Jewish targets in the riots across France. (Jerusalem Post, July 2, 2023)
“There’s a great pandemonium here. Three nights that we haven’t slept because of the explosions from the firecrackers of the young people who are rioting in the city and because of the police response. We are not able to go to restaurants because everything is closed. There isn’t a living soul on the street since being in the city center feels dangerous.” — Dan Lilty, a resident of Marseille, describing how the riots that have hit France are affecting the Jewish community. He added that Jews are not the only ones affected negatively by the riots. “The rioters only want to steal and riot on the streets without differentiating who stands before them.” (United With Israel, July 3, 2023)
[In an exclusive Fourth of July column, Prime Minister Netanyahu reflects on July 4, 1976 – the day Israeli forces, including his brother Yoni, landed in Entebbe and liberated 103 hostages.] “The days leading up to July 4, 1976, were filled with anticipation. For me and my fellow Israeli students in Boston, the American Bicentennial celebrated the birth of liberty in the modern world. Tall ships sailed into Boston Harbor. Families were planning their long weekends. Picnics abounded. It would have been a glorious day for me and the other Israeli students at MIT, too, but it was marred by the news we had received earlier in the week of the hijacking of an Air France plane. Then, on the morning of July 4, breaking news swept the entire world. On the day America celebrated its Bicentennial, Israeli commandos carried out one of the most daring rescues in modern times. An Israeli force had landed in Entebbe, liberated 103 hostages and flew them back to Israel. The report added that “one officer was killed.” My elation over the rescue was abruptly cut short. Why did they say “officer”? Normally they would say “soldier”. (Jerusalem Post, July 4, 2023)
“If you will, the president of the United States just welcomed the prime minister of India, a certainly flawed democracy with serious religious and civil rights abuses. He just welcomed Jordan’s King Abdullah to the White House—not exactly the paradigm of a democratic country. If MBS [Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia] indicated that he would want to come to Washington, he would receive a warm welcome. This boycott… undermines the [U.S.-Israel] relationship.” — Former ADL director Abe Foxman on Tuesday slamming U.S. President Joe Biden for his “boycott” of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (WIN, June 28, 2023)
“Sure looks like “the integrity of the Justice Department” needs investigating, Mr. AG. At a minimum, we know that Justice somehow let the statute of limitations expire without charging Hunter over his nonpayment of taxes on his Burisma windfall, likely his worst tax crime. Is that routine department practice? And that Justice had Hunter’s laptop (fully verified) by early 2019 — but never gave the crack IRS team access to it. Is keeping its own investigators in the dark on crucial leads really how the department treats other cases, Merrick? Plus, of course: Is it really standard practice to quash lines of investigation if they might lead to the president? Congress has a duty to swear in Garland, Weiss and other prosecutors from the case and grill them on these damning revelations. Meanwhile, the courts must prevent Hunter’s plea deal from getting finalized as long as the integrity of this investigation (at least) remains a conspicuous joke.” – Editorial commenting on whistleblower Gary Shapley comments on the DOJ and FBI political interference in the Hunter Biden investigation. (NY Post, June 29, 2023)
“Our tax institutions, of course, are based on the real deterrence of a disinterested, uncompromised Internal Revenue Service. Without it, the income revenues of the United States are existentially threatened. So far, any negative reputation of the IRS has rested with natural complaints that it is too zealous in hounding out American taxpayers in all walks of life. Or citizens often object that the IRS must enforce a tax code that is innately unfair. But not until now, has the IRS itself ever been under a shadow of such corruption? Has it been in the past ever found to have applied so blatantly and deliberately one standard of tax enforcement to elites and quite another to everyday Americans? Again, if that charge of unequal treatment in tax compliance were to prove true, then Humpy-Dumpty like, the entire American system of revenue collection would shatter. In other words, millions of Americans might shrug, “If Joe Biden, President of the United States and his criminally minded son, can get away with avoiding millions of dollars in taxes, then should not I, a nobody, at least have the right to avoid hundreds of dollars in taxes?” So the Bidens, along with Attorney General Merrick Garland and the FBI, are treading on dangerous ground in imperiling a hallowed American tradition—one vital to the very governance and operation of the United States.” – Victor Davis Hanson (American Greatness, July 3, 2023)
“Decades later, the right-wing is reviving that same playbook (The Southern Strategy), this time with Muslim-Americans and trans people. Hear me out, the GOP is trying to recruit Muslim-Americans, a community that makes up less than two percent of the population, against another tiny marginalized group of Americans, transgender people. Just to summarize, the right-wingers, the conspiracy theorists, the birthers, they now want us to forget the years they spent fear mongering about Muslims and Islam. Ten years ago, standing against Sharia law was the key GOP litmus test. Now that litmus test seems to be how fervently you oppose transgender people.” – MSNBC host and former White House press secretary Jen Psaki accusing Republicans of using Muslim-Americans to attack transgender Americans. Her explanation as to why Muslim protested Maryland’s largest school district decision to not allow parents to opt out their children from books and lessons that have certain LGBTQ lessons that they find objectionable. (Real Clear Politics, July 2, 2023)
TERROR IN TEL AVIV: AT LEAST NINE WOUNDED IN STABBING, RAMMING ATTACK (Tel Aviv) — At least nine Israelis were wounded in a combined car-ramming and stabbing on Pinchas Rosen Street in Tel Aviv on Tuesday afternoon. Footage shared on social media showed the assailant dead at the scene. After running people over, the terrorist got out of the vehicle and reportedly managed to stab one of the victims in the neck. A civilian at the scene shot the terrorist. (Jerusalem Post, July 4, 2023)
SOLDIER KILLED AS JENIN OPERATION WINDS DOWN AMID SPORADIC FIGHTING (Jenin) — An Israeli soldier was killed after being shot in the West Bank city of Jenin on Tuesday evening, as Israeli forces began to withdraw from the area, nearly two days into a major operation. The Israel Defense Forces said the soldier, a non-commissioned officer from the elite Egoz commando unit, was treated at the scene, before being taken to a hospital in Israel, where he was declared dead. He was not immediately named. IDF spokesman Rear ADM. Daniel Hagari said the soldier was shot while securing the beginning of the military’s withdrawal from Jenin. (Times of Israel, July 5, 2023)
IDF CHOSE TO LET SYRIA MISSILE THROUGH, DETERMINED IT SAFE TO DO SO – SOURCES (Jerusalem) — The IDF decided to allow the Syrian missile which exploded in the South to traverse most of the country, calculating from its trajectory that it did not need to be shot down earlier, sources said on Sunday. According to the sources, there was no error in Israel’s air defense systems and so there will be no probe into why the missile was allowed to travel over 180 km (111 miles) from the closest border with Syria and over 400 km (240 miles) from Homs. (Jerusalem Post, July 2, 2023)
KNESSET PANEL ADVANCES BILL TO END ‘REASONABLENESS’ TEST FOR POLITICIANS’ DECISIONS (Jerusalem) — A controversial bill to shield elected officials from judicial scrutiny over the “reasonableness” of their decisions could come for its first of three Knesset floor votes as early as this coming Monday, after the parliamentary committee preparing the bill approved it for the plenum on Tuesday. The Knesset’s Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee readied the bill after only five discussions, held over the past nine days, and despite criticism from experts and the opposition. (Times of Israel, July 4, 2023)
ISRAELIS PROTEST AT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AGAINST JUDICIAL OVERHAUL PLAN (Lod) — Thousands of protesters attempted to bar access to Ben-Gurion Airport on Monday, in the latest effort to bring Israel to a halt by opponents of the government’s judicial reform initiative. Organizers called for demonstrators to arrive in convoys and gather en masse at Terminal 3, which is used for most international departures and arrivals. At least four protesters were arrested for blocking the primary road to the hall. (VIN News, July 3, 2023)
ISRAEL TO BUY ANOTHER F-35 SQUADRON IN $3B. DEAL (Jerusalem) — Israel will move forward with purchasing a new squadron of U.S.-made F-35 stealth combat jets in a $3 billion deal, the Defense Ministry announced on Sunday. The purchase of 25 additional F-35s from the Maryland-based Lockheed Martin would bring Israel’s fleet of stealth jets to 75. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant approved the purchase on the recommendation of Israeli Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi. (VIN News, July 2, 2023)
ISRAEL PROMOTES STATUS AS ‘TECHNOLOGICAL SUPER-POWER’ WITH NEW PROGRAM FOR BUDDING ENTREPRENEURS (Jerusalem) — The Israel Innovation Authority announced on Monday the launch of a new campaign for its “Tnufa” (Ideation) program, targeting budding entrepreneurs seeking to develop ideas into businesses. The goal of the initiative is to help develop and crystallize technological ideas to enable entrepreneurs to decide whether to start a business and raise private equity or find business partners and continue developing their business plans. (United With Israel, July 3, 2023)
US CONGRESS DEMANDS INFO ON SUSPENSION OF SECURITY CLEARANCE FOR ENVOY TO IRAN (Washington) — The chairman of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee demanded Friday that the State Department produce more information about the suspension of Robert Malley, the US special envoy for Iran’s security clearance. Rep. Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican, said the Biden administration owed Congress a full explanation for Malley’s clearance and his being placed on unpaid leave. Malley said Thursday that he was on leave from the Biden administration due to a review of his security clearance. Malley has led administration efforts to revive the faltering Iran nuclear deal and resolve issues related to detained Americans in Iran, but has not been active in his job for weeks. “These reports raise serious concerns both regarding Malley’s conduct and whether the State Department misled Congress and the American public,” McCaul said in a letter to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. (Times of Israel, July 1, 2023)
BRANDEIS U PRESIDENT APOLOGIZES FOR AD CALLING SCHOOL ‘ANYTHING BUT ORTHODOX’ (NYC) — Brandeis University’s president has apologized to the school’s Orthodox Jewish student group for a university ad that called the school “anything but Orthodox.” The two-page spread, which appeared in The New York Times Magazine last week, drew the ire of Orthodox Jews and others on social media, who called it offensive. (JTA, July 3, 2023)
THOUSANDS OF KOSHER FOOD LOVERS TURN OUT FOR THE FIRST-EVER KOSHERPALOOZA FESTIVAL AT MEADOWLANDS (Meadowlands) — At the first-ever “Kosherpalooza” — a kosher food festival geared toward consumers — savvy attendees knew best to strategize: First, sample everything on the “dairy” side of the convention center (lattes, ice cream, cheeses, pasta, fresh goat and sheep’s milk), and then cross over to the “meat” side, where steak tartare, charcuterie, deli meats, chicken soups and crispy steak tacos awaited. Kosherpalooza was first announced in March, just weeks before the kosher trade show, Kosherfest, announced that it was ending its 33-year run. Kosherfest organizers said they shuttered the trade show due to changes in the industry — as kosher food goes mainstream, supermarket buyers became increasingly likely to buy kosher products at general trade shows — as well as a shift in attendance: While the ranks of professionals had dwindled at Kosherfest, there was increasing interest from individuals and social media influencers. (JTA, June 29, 2023)
CALIFORNIA JEWS ARE MOST TARGETED RELIGIOUS GROUP, NEW GOVERNMENT REPORT SAYS (LA) — Members of California’s Jewish community are the group for most targeted for hate crimes motivated by religion, according to a new report by the state’s Attorney General office, which has tracked data on religious-bias crimes since 1995. According to the report, antisemitic hate crimes increased by 24 percent in 2022, with 189 counted — 37 more than occurred in 2021. (Algemeiner, July 3, 2023)
JEWISH QUOTAS WERE AT THE HEART OF SUPREME COURT AFFIRMATIVE ACTION RULING (Washington) — Harvard’s 20th-century antisemitic Jewish quotas were a key part of the Supreme Court’s decision to gut affirmative action on Thursday, as the winning litigant and two conservative justices cited them in the landmark case. The 6-3 decision Thursday, authored by Chief Justice John Roberts, bars universities from using race as an explicit factor in considering admissions, but allows race to be cited by applicants in essays describing their life experiences. (JTA, June 30, 2023)
ALAN ARKIN, JEWISH ACTOR WITH UNCOMMON VERSATILITY, DIES AT 89(LA) – Alan Arkin, who became the sixth-oldest winner of the best supporting actor Oscar in 2007 for his part in “Little Miss Sunshine,” died Thursday at his home in San Marcos, Calif. He was 89. Over a nearly seven-decade career, he imbued comic roles with pathos and serious roles with a touch of sardonic humor. He was working until nearly the end of his life, co-starring with Michael Douglas from 2018 to 2019 in Chuck Lorre’s Netflix comedy series “The Kominsky Method.” That role, as agent Norman Newlander, earned him two consecutive Emmy Award nominations. (JTA, June 30, 2023)
RUSSIA LABELS MOSCOW’S FORMER CHIEF RABBI A ‘FOREIGN AGENT’ (Moscow) — Russia has labeled Pinchas Goldschmidt, the former chief rabbi of Moscow, a “foreign agent” a year after he left the country and refused to pledge his support for the war in Ukraine. The designation cannot be contested in court and bars those assigned it from participating in many aspects of public life in Russia. The Russian government expanded the definition last year amid a crackdown on dissent following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and it has threatened to apply the label to the Jewish Agency for Israel, which helps Russian Jews emigrate. (VIN News, July 3, 2023)
PARIS-AREA HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL VANDALIZED AMID UNREST FOLLOWING POLICE KILLING OF A TEENAGER (Paris) — A Holocaust memorial in a suburb of Paris was defaced late last week amid widespread protests of the police killing of a French teen. The memorial in Nanterre — the inner-ring suburb where the teen, who has been identified only as Nahel, lived with his family — was spray-painted with anti-police slogans on Thursday, during the third night of protests across Paris following the police shooting, which was caught on video. Some of the nightly protests have been accompanied by rioting and vandalism that have damaged businesses, cars and public spaces. (JTA, July 3, 2023)
ZELENSKY: UKRAINE HAS KILLED 21,000 WAGNER MERCENARIES ON EASTERN FRONT (Kyiv) — Ukrainian troops have killed some 21,000 Wagner Group mercenaries and wounded another 80,000 along the eastern front of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed in an interview with a Spanish news outlet on Sunday. (Jerusalem Post, July 2, 2023)
SATELLITE PHOTOS, REPORTS SUGGEST BELARUS IS BUILDING AN ARMY CAMP FOR WAGNER FIGHTERS (Belarus) — Satellite images analyzed by The Associated Press on Saturday showed what appeared to be a newly built military-style camp in Belarus, with statements from a Belarusian guerrilla group and officials suggesting it may be used to house fighters from the Wagner mercenary group. The images provided by Planet Labs PLC suggest that dozens of tents were erected within the past two weeks at a former military base outside Osipovichi, a town 230 kilometers (142 miles) north of the Ukrainian border. A satellite photo taken on Jun. 15 shows no sign of the rows of white and green structures that are Clearly visible in a later image, dated Jun. 30. (VIN News, July 2, 2023)