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Rumor Mill: Jeff Bezos’ Alleged Bid for Howard Stern’s Palm Beach Estate Sparks Speculation

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Rumor Mill: Jeff Bezos’ Alleged Bid for Howard Stern’s Palm Beach Estate Sparks Speculation

Edited by: TJVNews.com

In the luxurious enclave of Palm Beach, Florida, where whispers of extravagance and opulence abound, the latest talk of the town revolves around a rumored real estate transaction involving two titans of industry: Jeff Bezos and Howard Stern, as was recently reported in The New York Post’s “Page Six.”

According to insiders familiar with the matter, speculation has been rife that Jeff Bezos, the billionaire founder of Amazon, made a jaw-dropping attempt to acquire Howard Stern’s prestigious Palm Beach residence for a staggering $300 million, according to the information in the Page Six report. The whispers of this potential transaction have sent shockwaves through the affluent community, with residents and observers alike captivated by the notion of one high-profile figure acquiring the property of another.

Fueling the rumors further, Palm Beach magazine Palmer recently posted a cryptic blind item on Instagram, hinting at the culmination of Jeff Bezos and his partner Lauren Sanchez’s house hunt with the purported purchase of a sprawling 2-acre oceanfront estate owned by another prominent local couple, as was detailed in the Post’s Page Six. The post, under the title “Rumor Has It,” tantalizingly suggested that the sale price could surpass the eye-watering sum of $300 million, adding to the intrigue surrounding the supposed transaction.

However, when confronted with inquiries about the alleged sale, conflicting accounts emerged. Indicated in the Post’s Page Six report was that one local source vehemently denied the rumors, asserting that Howard Stern had rebuffed Bezos’s advances, declaring the property not for sale, even at an exorbitant offer of $500 million. This assertion adds a twist to the narrative, suggesting that Stern may have declined a substantial windfall in favor of retaining his prized residence.

Sources close to both Jeff Bezos, aged 60, and Howard Stern, aged 70, have also refuted the rumors, dismissing the speculation as entirely unfounded. The Post’s Page Six report also noted that despite the fervent chatter circulating among Palm Beach’s elite circles, these insiders maintain that there is no truth to the purported real estate deal, quelling the speculation surrounding the potential acquisition.

Instead, Bezos has made headlines for his acquisitions on the coveted Indian Creek Island, where he recently purchased three mansions for a combined sum of $237 million, a staggering display of his immense wealth and penchant for luxurious living, as was affirmed in the Post’s Page Six report.

Meanwhile, Howard Stern, the iconic shock jock and former “America’s Got Talent” judge, has reportedly refuted the rumors of Bezos’s interest in his Palm Beach property, according to sources familiar with the situation, Page Six reported. Stern, known for his outspoken nature, has purportedly informed his close associates that there is no truth to the speculation surrounding Bezos’s supposed bid for his sprawling oceanfront estate.

Stern’s own real estate ventures have been the subject of speculation as well. In 2013, he reportedly acquired a lavish Palm Beach property for $52 million through a trust, embarking on extensive renovations with his wife Beth Stern, estimated to cost around $13 million, as was reported by the Post’s Page Six. The couple’s investment in their Palm Beach abode calls attention to the allure of the coastal enclave and the desire for unparalleled luxury among the elite.

The allure of Palm Beach and Indian Creek Island extends beyond their picturesque landscapes to the exclusive communities that inhabit them. The information contained in the Page Six report revealed that Indian Creek, often dubbed the “Billionaire Bunker,” boasts an array of high-profile residents, including NFL legend Tom Brady, political power couple Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, and smooth crooner Julio Iglesias. Bezos’s presence among this elite cohort further cements the island’s reputation as a playground for the ultra-wealthy.

Despite their disparate backgrounds and lifestyles, Jeff Bezos and Howard Stern share a curious coincidence: they both celebrate their birthdays on January 12, the Post’s Page Six noted. Beyond this shared quirk, the two luminaries occupy different spheres of influence, yet find themselves entangled in the intrigue of Florida’s elite real estate market.

As the rumors swirl and speculation mounts, the truth behind Bezos’s property pursuits and Stern’s real estate holdings remains shrouded in mystery. Whether these whispers ultimately materialize into concrete transactions or dissipate into the ether of celebrity gossip, one thing remains certain: the allure of luxury living in Florida’s most coveted enclaves continues to captivate the imagination of the rich and famous.

 

 

IDF making final preparations for Rafah invasion, completing Gaza war

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Flames and smoke billowing after an Israeli air strike on the city of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, May 13, 2021.(Flash90/Abed Rahim Khatib)

By World Israel News Staff

After a number of delays, Israel is preparing for a ground invasion of Rafah, which is widely considered the last Hamas stronghold in the Gaza Strip.

According to a report from Hebrew-language Channel 12 News, the incursion into Rafah will mark the final stage in the ongoing Swords of Iron War.

The Biden administration is finally authorizing an Israeli operation within the city, after good-faith efforts by Israel to establish a ceasefire and hostage release deal were reportedly rejected by Hamas, according to the report.

Israel believes that Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar and at least four of the terror group’s battalions are currently hunkering down in Rafah. Numerous Israeli hostages are also likely being held in the city.

“Hamas was hit hard in the northern sector. It was also hit hard in the center of the Strip. And soon it will be hit hard in Rafah, too,” Brig. Gen. Itzik Cohen, told Kan News on Tuesday.

‘WE WANT TO STAY HERE’ – GAZANS IN ISRAEL WITH HOSPITALIZED KIDS
“Hamas should know that when the IDF goes into Rafah, it would be wise to raise its hands in surrender,” he said.

“Rafah will not be the Rafah of today… There won’t be weapons stockpiles there. And there won’t be hostages there” after the IDF incursion, he added.

The first phase of the operation will see Israel distribute additional humanitarian aid to the north of the Strip, where Rafah’s civilian population will be evacuated.

In Khan Younes and other central areas of the Strip, Israel will strengthen essential infrastructure, such as electricity, sewage and water.

The Israeli army will also work to ensure that medical services are available to those leaving Rafah and southern Gaza. The IDF will establish field hospitals, providing additional support to local medical centers.

Satellite imagery recently revealed that Egypt is setting up a massive tent city in the Sinai Desert, presumably to house refugees from Rafah who will enter Egyptian territory, rather than going to the central and northern regions of the Strip.

The United Arab Emirates is also providing support for additional tents, and Israel’s Defense Ministry has reportedly purchased some 40,000 tents to house displaced Gazans.

Columbia U’s President Minouche Shafik Must Resign!

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Columbia’s President Minouche Shafik testified before a congressional House committee over the failed university’s response to a burgeoning Jew hatred. Credit: AP Photo/Miriam Zuhaib

Columbia U’s President Minouche Shafik Must Resign!

In recent events at Columbia University, a disturbing scenario has unfolded, demonstrating a severe lack of leadership and a troubling indulgence of extremist positions that threaten the very fabric of a respected academic institution. President Minouche Shafik, who initially showed resolve by involving the NYPD to address the occupation by “pro-Palestine” protestors, has since displayed an alarming reversal in stance that raises serious concerns about the administration’s priorities and its commitment to the entire university community.

President Shafik, despite an impressive resume that spans top positions in global institutions such as the Gates Foundation, the London School of Economics, the Bank of England, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund, appears ill-equipped to handle the escalating tensions on campus. Her approach to the current crisis—marked by a deference to protestor demands to the detriment of the broader university community—suggests a leadership style that is overly conciliatory and lacking in the decisiveness required in times of institutional crisis.

The rhetoric used by President Shafik in her public statements—expressing sorrow and calling for dialogue and compromise—while noble sounding, fails to address the immediate needs of the university to maintain order and protect its values. It is clear that the protesters are not interested in dialogue; their refusal to engage with the administration’s calls for conversation shows a disregard for compromise. The current administration’s inability to enact more robust measures has only emboldened this faction at the expense of the entire Columbia community.

The escalation of the protest into a more permanent encampment, with participants reportedly adopting openly pro-Hamas rhetoric and issuing dire warnings to Jewish students, represents not just a failure of university policy but an affront to the principles of safety, inclusion, and academic freedom. Such developments are not only unacceptable but deeply troubling in an institution that prides itself on a diverse and open academic environment.

It is particularly concerning that these protestors are being seemingly privileged over other students. The university’s decision to shift entirely to remote learning as a response to the protests unjustly penalizes students who have paid for, and rightly expect, an in-person educational experience. This decision, while perhaps intended as a measure to maintain safety and order, effectively rewards disruptive behavior and sets a dangerous precedent.

Furthermore, the decision to transition to remote classes as a response to the protesters’ threats rather than addressing the root cause of the disruption is a classic example of enforcing what is known as the “heckler’s veto.” This term describes a situation where a speaker’s right to freedom of expression is curtailed to prevent reactions from the heckler. In the context of Columbia, it translates to prioritizing the demands of a loud minority over the rights and needs of the majority of students and faculty who wish to continue their educational and professional activities without interruption.

Moreover, the sidelining of voices like that of Shai Davidai, an Israel-born assistant professor at Columbia’s business school, is emblematic of a larger issue. Reports that his keycard was deactivated under the guise of safety concerns suggest a selective silencing of dissenting views. This is not only a breach of the academic duty to foster dialogue and debate but also a potential violation of individual rights within the university. Every member of the Columbia community should have the right to free movement and free expression within the campus, conditions that are foundational to the academic mission and critical to personal development and intellectual exchange.

For years, Columbia has been at the forefront of academic freedom, a principle that has allowed diverse and often controversial viewpoints to be explored and debated. This freedom is foundational to any institution dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. However, the presence of faculty members who espouse radically anti-Israel sentiments, such as the late Edward Said and, more recently, Professor Joseph Massad and lecturer Kayum Ahmed, raises serious questions about where the line is drawn between academic freedom and the fostering of a hostile environment.

The recent comments by Professor Massad, celebrating violent attacks, and the teachings of lecturer Ahmed, labeling Israel a “colonial settler state,” go beyond the bounds of academic debate and venture into the realm of incitement. These statements do not contribute to understanding or solving the complex issues of the Middle East but rather polarize and radicalize opinions without offering a constructive path forward.

The role of the university is not to serve as an echo chamber for extremist views but to encourage a broad spectrum of opinions where scholarly debate can thrive. This means promoting an environment where differing views are expressed within a framework of respect and understanding, not through the lens of bias and discrimination.

The behavior of students who adopt violent methods of protest and the faculty who support such actions must also be addressed decisively. Academic freedom should not be confused with a license to intimidate or suppress the free speech of others. When the academic environment turns hostile, it not only undermines the principles of free speech and free thought but also betrays the academic mission itself.

This situation at Columbia requires immediate and decisive action. President Shafik and the Columbia administration need to reaffirm their commitment to the entire university community, not just a vocal faction that seems to espouse increasingly radical views. The university should be a beacon of learning and leadership, standing firm against any form of extremism, including anti-Semitism, which has no place in an institution of higher learning or anywhere else in society.

What Columbia needs now is not a leader who stands by as essential values are trampled upon but one who can assert authority and restore order. The role of a university president is not just to promote dialogue but also to uphold the law and ensure the safety and well-being of all students and staff. This includes making difficult decisions, such as involving law enforcement to clear unlawful encampments and taking disciplinary actions against those who disrupt the academic and social order, be they students or faculty.

The call for President Shafik’s resignation is a stark indication of the need for new leadership—a leadership that understands the profound responsibility of managing one of the world’s leading universities and upholding the principles of justice and equality unequivocally. This change, however drastic, may be necessary to restore trust and ensure the safety and academic integrity of Columbia University. It is time for Columbia to reclaim its place as an institution not only of learning but of moral courage and inclusive values.

The Dark Side of Real Estate: The Debate Over Anti-Money Laundering Rules

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(Image courtesy Pexels)

The Dark Side of Real Estate: The Debate Over Anti-Money Laundering Rules

Edited by: TJVNews.com

Earlier this year, the U.S. Treasury Department made headlines with its proposal to impose stricter anti-money laundering regulations on sectors previously under less scrutiny—investment advisers and the real estate industry, as was recently reported in The Wall Street Journal.  This move, aimed at curtailing the infiltration of illicit funds into the U.S. economy, has sparked a debate among professionals within these sectors. While there is a general consensus on the importance of thwarting money laundering, the path to achieving it appears contentious, particularly over who should bear the burden of these new regulatory measures.

The Treasury’s initiative seeks to address what many experts consider significant vulnerabilities in the United States’ defenses against money laundering. Indicated in the WSJ report was that historically, stringent requirements have been placed on banks and money transmitters, which are mandated to vet customers thoroughly and report any suspicious activities to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). However, recent incidents have highlighted how private funds and real estate transactions can also serve as channels for laundering illicit funds, prompting a reevaluation of regulatory scopes.

Despite these concerns, many from the investment and real estate sectors are pushing back against the proposed rules. They advocate for regulations that are as narrow as possible and suggest shifting the responsibility for implementing these checks to other parties within their industries, according to the information provided in the WSJ report. This perspective stems partly from concerns about the potential financial and operational burdens that comprehensive compliance could impose.

Industry feedback has been pouring into FinCEN, with some questioning the proportionality of the response to the perceived risk. For instance, Andreessen Horowitz, a heavyweight in the venture capital community, has openly criticized the proposed regulations for investment advisers. In their correspondence to FinCEN, the firm argued that the new rules would lead to “expensive and duplicative regulation” without significantly advancing law enforcement goals or mitigating the risk of illicit financial activities, as per the information contained in the WSJ report. They contend that there is scant evidence to suggest that venture capital firms are a frequent target or conduit for money laundering activities, proposing that such firms be exempt from the new rule.

A significant focus of these efforts has been on broadening the scope of oversight to include investment advisers and the real estate industry, two areas perceived as potential weak spots in the financial system’s defenses against illicit activities.

The initiative to bring investment advisers under FinCEN’s anti-money laundering (AML) supervision initially emerged in 2015. However, according to the WSJ report, this proposal met with considerable resistance from the industry, leading to its eventual shelving. The industry’s concerns were primarily about the practical implications of implementing such regulations, which many viewed as onerous and possibly redundant.

Fast forward to the present, FinCEN has revisited this initiative, reflecting an evolving understanding of the risks and a desire to tighten the loopholes that have historically allowed illicit funds to permeate through the U.S. economy. The Managed Funds Association (MFA), representing the interests of the investment funds industry, acknowledges the necessity of FinCEN’s goals but remains cautious. The report in the WSJ said that while they noted that the latest iteration of the investment adviser rule marks an improvement over the 2015 proposal, the MFA has expressed reservations about its design and execution. Particularly, they have called for more clarity on how the rule would apply to advisers managing pooled investment vehicles, suggesting that the anti-money laundering reporting obligations should be shifted to the fund administrators, given their direct relationship with the funds rather than the individual investors, the WSJ report added.

Similarly, in the real estate sector, where transactions often involve multiple parties and complex layers of ownership, the need for clear and effective regulatory guidance is pronounced. Detailed in the3 WSJ report was that FinCEN’s recent proposals aim to address these complexities by introducing requirements for certain parties in residential real estate transactions—particularly those involving cash purchases or non-traditional financing—to file reports if the buyer is a legal entity or trust.

To allocate responsibility for compliance, FinCEN has suggested a “cascade” method, where the duty to report could fall on various participants depending on their role in the transaction. The WSJ also reported that at the forefront are professionals providing settlement services, followed by those underwriting the buyer’s title insurance policy. This method is designed to ensure that at least one entity involved in the transaction has a clear mandate to monitor and report suspicious activities, thereby fortifying the system’s overall integrity.

The challenge for FinCEN lies in balancing the imperative to safeguard the financial system with the practical and economic realities faced by those in the investment and real estate sectors. The bureau’s approach indicates a shift towards more nuanced regulations that consider the specific functions and relationships inherent in different types of financial activities.

The WSJ report noted that a significant aspect of these efforts includes tightening the scrutiny on the real estate sector, particularly focusing on all-cash transactions which have historically been a blind spot for regulatory oversight.

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has voiced strong opposition against placing the burden of verifying the source of funds for real estate transactions on agents and brokers. In their communication to FinCEN, they argued that requiring agents and brokers to obtain sensitive financial information from clients could not only place them in difficult ethical and professional positions but could also expose them to potential dangers, as was noted in the WSJ report. The real estate transactions often involve large sums of money, making stringent vetting processes not only cumbersome but potentially risky if personal safety is compromised in high-stake deals.

 

Concurrently, the American Land Title Association (ALTA), representing the title and settlement industry, echoed similar concerns about the proposed rule’s practical implications. They pointed out that the vast majority of title companies are small businesses, with over 90% classified as such according to the Small Business Administration, the WSJ reported.  ALTA has argued that the financial and administrative burden imposed by the proposed rules would be particularly challenging for these smaller entities. They suggested that instead of title companies, escrow agents or attorneys might be better positioned to handle the AML responsibilities, given their roles in managing the financial aspects of real estate transactions.

Independence Title, a title insurance company operating in Texas, provided a concrete example of the operational challenges posed by enhanced AML regulations. The company, which handles thousands of residential transactions monthly, highlighted the significant costs associated with compliance. Particularly, they noted the drastic increase in the number of reports filed to FinCEN—from almost none prior to 2021 to over a hundred in 2023, according to the WSJ report. This increase followed the implementation of geographic targeting orders which require title insurance companies to identify the beneficial owners in all-cash real estate purchases above certain thresholds in specified areas, including major cities in Texas such as San Antonio, Dallas, and Houston.

The company stressed that to comply with these orders, it had to significantly expand its compliance team and upgrade its technological systems to adequately track and report transactions deemed suspicious, as noted in the WSJ report. This adaptation involves not only a financial outlay but also a diversion of resources from other business areas, impacting overall business efficiency and service delivery.

Among the diverse voices contributing to this dialogue, anticorruption groups stand out as fervent advocates for broadening the scope of these rules.

A notable participant in this discourse is the FACT Coalition, which, in a recent letter, emphasized the necessity of extending anti-money laundering checks to foreign investment advisers and family offices, the WSJ reported. This call reflects a broader sentiment within anticorruption circles, urging FinCEN to ensure that its regulations possess the widest possible reach.

While FinCEN does not individually respond to each comment it receives, the agency carefully considers this feedback in the formulation of its final rules. However, this process is not swift, often spanning several months before tangible outcomes emerge. According to the WSJ report, a spokesperson for the Treasury acknowledged the ongoing review of comments, affirming that the diverse perspectives shared by various stakeholders, including industry players and advocacy groups, are pivotal in shaping more robust and effective regulations.

In recent years, FinCEN has found itself increasingly burdened with new mandates and responsibilities. Despite its modest size, this Treasury bureau serves as a linchpin in the nation’s anti-money laundering efforts and financial intelligence gathering. However, the WSJ report said that the agency has faced challenges in keeping pace with its expanding role. The report added that directors and proponents of FinCEN have actively lobbied Congress for increased funding, citing staffing shortages and resource constraints as impediments to executing the ambitious regulatory agenda envisioned by lawmakers.

The significance of FinCEN’s role has further escalated in the context of geopolitical events. Against the backdrop of Russia’s incursion into Ukraine, both the Biden administration and lawmakers have turned to the Treasury’s arsenal of tools to impose sanctions and punitive measures, the report in the WSJ indicated. This reliance calls attention to the critical role FinCEN plays in safeguarding national security and combating illicit financial activities.

In tandem with its proposed regulations on real estate and investment advisers, FinCEN is undertaking the formidable task of establishing a comprehensive corporate ownership database. Detailed in the WSJ report was that this database aims to centralize information on the ownership structures of millions of corporate entities across the United States. Lawmakers anticipate that this initiative will enhance efforts to combat money laundering and curtail the exploitation of entities such as limited liability companies by individuals with nefarious intentions, including Russian oligarchs with ties to President Vladimir Putin.

 

Hamas offers 5-year ceasefire in exchange for Palestinian statehood

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Hamas official (YouTube/MEMRI/Screenshot)

By World Israel News Staff

A senior Hamas official said the terror group is open to a five-year ceasefire and would be willing to lay down its weapons should an independent Palestinian state be established along the borders of pre-1967 Israel.

Khalil al-Hayya told the Associated Press in Istanbul that Hamas would disarm should a two-state solution come to a fruition, but added that the terror group would become part of a Palestinian army.

“All the experiences of people who fought against occupiers, when they became independent and obtained their rights and their state, what have these forces done? They have turned into political parties and their defending fighting forces have turned into the national army,” al-Hayya said.

Referencing stalled negotiations aimed at bringing about an end to the fighting in the Gaza Strip, al-Hayya doubled down on Hamas’ refusal to release hostages without a long-term ceasefire.

“If we are not assured the war will end, why would I hand over the prisoners?” he said.

MEDIA IGNORES STARTLING PALESTINIAN PUBLIC OPINION SURVEY
Al-Hayya also claimed that Israel’s offensive in the Strip had left the majority of the terror group’s fighters and weapons stockpiles intact.

The Israeli army has “not destroyed more than 20% of [Hamas’] capabilities, neither human nor in the field,” al-Hayya told AP. “If they can’t finish [Hamas] off, what is the solution?”

The Hamas representative said that the terror group would partner with the Palestinian Authority, its longtime political rival, in order to form a government for a newly-established Palestinian state.

Notably, al-Hayya said that said state would encompass both the Gaza Strip and Judea and Samaria – meaning that the Israeli government would need to conceding that territory.

Israeli officials have long held that transferring Judea and Samaria to the Palestinians, and presumably evacuating the some 500,000 Israeli citizens in that region, is a non-starter.

 

Airlines will now be required to give automatic cash refunds for canceled and delayed flights

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San Antonio International Airport: Ranked eighth, San Antonio’s airport enhances the overall layover experience for travelers. Credit: flysanantonio.com

(AP) The Biden administration issued final rules Wednesday to require airlines to automatically issue cash refunds for things like delayed flights and to better disclose fees for baggage or canceling a reservation.

The Transportation Department said airlines will be required to provide automatic cash refunds within a few days for canceled flights and “significant” delays.

Under current regulations, airlines decide how long a delay must last before triggering refunds. The administration is removing that wiggle room by defining a significant delay as lasting at least three hours for domestic flights and six hours for international ones.

Airlines still will be allowed to offer another flight or a travel credit instead, but consumers can reject the offer.

The rule will also apply to refunds of checked-bag fees if the bag isn’t delivered within 12 hours for domestic flights or 15 to 30 hours for international flights. And it will apply to fees for things such as seat selection or an internet connection if the airline fails to provide the service.

 

Complaints about refunds skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic, as airlines canceled flights and, even when they didn’t, many people didn’t feel safe sharing a plane cabin with other passengers.

Airlines for America, a trade group for large U.S. carriers, noted that refund complaints to the Transportation Department have fallen sharply since mid-2020. A spokesperson for the group said airlines “offer a range of options — including fully refundable fares — to increase accessibility to air travel and to help customers make ticket selections that best fit their needs.”

The group said the 11 largest U.S. airlines issued $43 billion in customer refunds from 2020 through 2023.

The Transportation Department issued a separate rule requiring airlines and ticket agents to disclose upfront what they charge for checked and carry-on bags and canceling or changing a reservation. On airline websites, the fees must be shown the first time customers see a price and schedule.

 

The rule will also oblige airlines to tell passengers they have a guaranteed seat they are not required to pay extra for, although it does not bar airlines from charging people to choose specific seats. Many airlines now charge extra for certain spots, including exit-row seats and those near the front of the cabin.

The agency said the rule will save consumers more than $500 million a year.

Airlines for America said its members “offer transparency and vast choice to consumers” from their first search.

The new rules will take effect over the next two years. They are part of a broad administration attack on what President Joe Biden calls “junk fees.” Last week, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced that his department will let state officials in 15 states help enforce federal airline consumer protection laws.

Watch: Migrants Brawl Outside Hotel in New York, Swing Sticks, Bats, Belts

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(screenshot from social media )

Paul Roland Bois (Breitbart)

A band of migrants brawled outside of a Midtown hotel in New York City where they were seen fighting with sticks, belts, bats, and even traffic cones.

“At least a dozen asylum seekers squared off Sunday afternoon outside The Row hotel on Eighth Avenue, with one out-of-control migrant seen swinging a bat menacingly at the mob before one of the combatants is taken to the ground and pummeled by four others,” reported the New York Post.

“At least two men are seen wearing bicycle helmets as the two sides square off in the middle of the street — even as motorists stream by in the middle of the brawl,” it added.

A migrant later ran up behind another and seemed to knock the helmet off his head. Footage capturing the moment went viral on X Wednesday.

It remains unclear as to what started the fight.

The Row Hotel represents one of the dozens of hotels that have been converted into shelter for migrants seeking asylum in New York, a majority of whom were bussed from the U.S. Southern border.

As Breitbart News reported, a pair of murders in Michigan, allegedly at the hands of migrants, may be enough to tip the scales away from President Joe Biden toward former President Donald Trump in the next election if certain trends continue.

“Strategic National CEO John Yob, whose firm had some of the most accurate polling in 2016, suggests a pair of murders in Michigan, allegedly at the hands of illegal aliens, will drive Michiganders toward former President Donald Trump,” said the report.

“In a memo published Tuesday, Yob says the analysis was difficult to write given the circumstances, but notes it is necessary as a pollster ‘to determine the impacts of current events on our political system,’” it added.

Paul Roland Bois directed the award-winning Christian tech thriller, EXEMPLUM, which can be viewed for FREE on YouTube or Tubi. “Better than Killers of the Flower Moon,” wrote Mark Judge

Netanyahu Denounces Anti-Semitic Surge in U.S. Amid Campus Protests

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Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu holds a press conference at the Ministry of Defense in Tel Aviv on February 29, 2024. (Nimrod Klikman/POOL)

Netanyahu Denounces Anti-Semitic Surge in U.S. Amid Campus Protests

Edited by: Fern Sidman

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed grave concerns about the abundantly clear “anti-Semitic surge” across the United States, particularly highlighted during recent university campus protests , as was reported on Wednesday in The Times of Israel. His remarks come at a time when tensions are palpably high, with pro-Hamas activists increasingly vocal in their criticism of Israel’s military actions against Hamas in Gaza.

The situation on U.S. university campuses has become increasingly fraught. Jewish students and faculty report that the demonstrations, ostensibly aimed at protesting Israeli policy, have devolved into episodes of anti-Semitic harassment and even outright calls for violence against Jewish individuals, as was noted in the TOI report.  According to these reports, some activists have not only protested Israel’s policies but have also voiced support for Hamas’s actions, including the tragic massacre of 1200 Israeli civilians on October 7.

Netanyahu’s statement draws a dire comparison, likening the current climate to the anti-Semitic atmosphere of pre-Holocaust Nazi Germany, particularly within German universities. “Anti-Semitic mobs have taken over leading universities,” Netanyahu stated, according to the TOI report.  He described scenes of protesters calling for the “annihilation of Israel” and launching personal attacks against Jewish students and faculty, which he characterizes as reminiscent of one of history’s darkest periods.

In his video message, the Prime Minister emphasized the dangerous potential of unchecked anti-Semitism, which not only threatens Jewish communities but also presages broader global conflict. “We have to stop anti-Semitism because anti-Semitism is the canary in the coal mine,” he explained, as per the information in the TOI report.  According to Netanyahu, the rhetoric used by some protesters goes beyond anti-Israel sentiments, extending to “Death to America,” signaling a broader anti-Western sentiment.

Netanyahu’s call to action is clear: he seeks an unequivocal condemnation of these anti-Semitic behaviors and rhetoric, which he asserts must be addressed promptly to prevent any further escalation that could have wider repercussions. His comparison to historical events serves as a somber warning of the potential dangers of allowing such sentiments to spread unchecked.

The response to Netanyahu’s message has varied, with supporters asserting the need for a strong stance against any form of hate speech and anti-Semitism, while critics argue about the complexities of conflating anti-Israel sentiment with anti-Semitism. However, the Prime Minister’s message calls attention to a profound concern regarding the safety of Jewish students and the broader implications for Jewish communities across the globe.

 

At Columbia University in New York City, a significant development occurred in the ongoing saga of anti-Israel protests that have gripped the campus. The university administration and protesting students engaged in extended negotiations concerning the dismantling of numerous tents that had been set up as part of an anti-Israel encampment, as was explained in the TOI report.

The university extended a critical deadline by 48 hours, initially set for midnight. This extension was granted in a bid to foster continued discussions and was heralded as a sign of “significant progress” by university officials. The TOI also reported that this development came as similar protests began to spread to other U.S. colleges, including the University of Southern California, signaling a national wave of student activism focused on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The student group Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a coalition of pro-Hamas student organizations, has been at the forefront of the protests. They communicated that while the university had extended the deadline for negotiations until 4 a.m. on Friday, there was no explicit agreement yet to dismantle the tents. Indicated in the TOI report was that the talks reportedly hit a snag late Tuesday when Columbia allegedly threatened to clear the encampment forcibly, involving the New York Police Department or even the National Guard. However, the TOI report added that the university later issued a written commitment that withdrew any such threat, as confirmed by Columbia spokesperson Ben Chang, who clarified that there was “absolutely no basis” for claims regarding the involvement of the National Guard.

While the right to protest is fundamental in democratic societies, the nature of some of these protests—particularly when they involve allegations of anti-Semitism or support for groups like Hamas—raises serious ethical and safety concerns that universities must address.

IAF strikes Gaza launch pads after rockets fired at Israel on Passover

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IDF in Gaza. (Twitter Screenshot)

By JNS

Israeli Air Force fighter jets destroyed two Hamas rocket launchers embedded in a humanitarian zone in southern Gaza, the army said Wednesday, as the war started by the terrorist group entered its 200th day.

The Israel Defense Forces said the launch pads were loaded with rockets and were struck before they could be used to attack the Jewish state.

 

The strike in the heart of a humanitarian zone was carried out following efforts to prevent harm to civilians, the military added.

 

On Tuesday morning, as Israelis celebrated the Passover holiday, air-raid siren sounded in the southern border communities of Ashkelon, Sderot and Zikim, sending close to 190,000 people running for shelter.

Four rockets were intercepted. In Sderot, a storage shed burned down after it was hit by shrapnel.

There were no people in the structure, which had been under renovation since it was hit by two Hamas rockets on Oct. 7, and no injuries were reported.

Hours later, two more rockets were fired towards Kibbutz Zikim. One was intercepted while another fell short inside the Strip.

Iran-backed Islamic Jihad claimed the attacks, which originated from northern Gaza.

The IDF said it responded with artillery fire towards the launch sites.

In addition, IAF jets struck rocket launchers and other terrorist infrastructure in the Beit Lahia area in the northern Gaza Strip.

During the first day of Passover, soldiers of the IDF’s Netzach Yehuda Battalion carried out intensive counterterror raids in Beit Hanoun in the northeast Strip that included close-quarters combat, the army said.

 

During one encounter with terrorists on Monday, Sgt. First Class (res.) Salm Alkreshat, 43, from the Bedouin community of Abu Rabia, a tracker in the Gaza Division’s Northern Brigade, was killed.

 

Meanwhile, the IDF’s Nahal Infantry Brigade continued targeted ground operations in the central Gaza corridor, neutralizing terrorist squads and destroying infrastructure.

The IDF is preparing to begin its ground operations in the southernmost Hamas stronghold of Rafah “very soon,” beginning with the evacuation of over a million Palestinian civilians, Israel’s Kan News public broadcaster reported on Tuesday evening, citing U.S. officials.

Jerusalem has repeatedly emphasized that telling Israel to refrain from operating in Rafah is equivalent to demanding that it lose the war.

 

According to Israel, the final four Hamas battalions, composed of some 3,000 terrorists, are holed up in the city along the Egyptian border.

Many of the 133 hostages still in the hands of Hamas after 200 days are believed to be held in Rafah.

Two captives were rescued from the city by special forces in a military operation in February.

Argentina asks Interpol to arrest Iranian minister over AMIA attack

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Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi. (Twitter screenshot)

By JNS

Argentina has asked Interpol to arrest Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi due to his alleged role in the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center in Buenos Aires that killed 85 people and wounded more than 300 others.

Argentina previously accused Vahidi, a former senior official in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, of being one of the masterminds of the terrorist attack, and sought his extradition.

Earlier this month, the Court of Cassation in Buenos Aires issued a ruling blaming Iran for bombing the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina on July 18, 1994, using its terrorist proxy Hezbollah.

In February, Argentine President Javier Milei arrived in Israel for a wartime visit, reiterating his pledge to move his nation’s embassy to Jerusalem and opening a new chapter in bilateral relations.

The three-day solidarity trip, one of his first tours abroad since taking office two months ago, signaled a major shift in Argentina’s foreign policy towards the United States and Israel after decades of backing Arab countries.

Milei has said that he would work to designate Hamas as a terrorist organization, noting that Argentines were among the 1,200 people taken hostage by Hamas on Oct. 7.

In March, the Jewish state and people worldwide marked the 32nd anniversary of the Iranian-sponsored Hezbollah bombing of the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires.

At 2:15 p.m. on March 17, 1992, a powerful explosion rocked the building housing the diplomatic mission, killing 29 people, including three Israeli embassy personnel and six local embassy employees, and wounding 242 other civilians.

In May 1999, the Argentine Supreme Court finally accused Hezbollah of that attack and issued an arrest warrant for top terrorist commander Imad Mughniyeh (who would be assassinated in Damascus in 2008).

An Israeli probe, whose findings were made public in 2003, showed that the highest levels of the Iranian regime had authorized Hezbollah to carry out the bombing.

In February, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) visited the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina building to honor those killed and wounded in the summer of 1994.

Rubio also memorialized prosecutor Alberto Nisman, the Argentine attorney and chief investigator of the 1994 terrorist attack, who was found dead at his home in Buenos Aires in 2015, reportedly murdered, before he could reveal his findings.

Columbia University descends into pure racist hatred

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By Hugh Fitzgerald, Frontpage Magazine

Details on Columbia University’s descent into pure racist hatred be found here: “‘Burn Tel Aviv to the ground:’ Calls for violence continue at Columbia,” by Michael Starr, Jerusalem Post, April 21, 2024:

In another Instagram video, in which a poster of Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine secretary-general Ahmad Sa’adat can be seen in the background, anti-Israel activists sang, “Oh Hamas, our beloved, strike, strike Tel Aviv.”

These students on Instagram display a PFLP official on a poster in the background, while they sing about a different terror group, Hamas, calling on its operatives to engage in a genocidal attack on Tel Aviv: “Oh Hamas, our beloved, strike, strike Tel Aviv.”

Either they couldn’t find a Hamas poster to use or, more likely, they can’t tell the difference between Hamas and the PFLP.

As the counter-protesters returned to their dormitories, Students Supporting Israel Columbia video showed that they were taunted with calls of “Jews” and told to “go back to Poland.”

The word “Jew” is now considered, in the antisemitic atmosphere in which we now live, an insult.

And note the constant insinuation that Jews in America don’t belong, that they must leave and “go back to Poland” or “go back to Europe.”

Jews don’t belong here, and they don’t belong in “Palestine.”

So let them go to some place in eastern Europe with their bagels and lox, and leave us, real Americans such as Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib and Professor Joseph Massad, alone.

Oh, we almost forget — there is always the Jewish Republic of Birobidzhan, in the godforsaken middle of Siberia.

Just the place for Jews to settle, and read their Talmud undisturbed.

One Jewish counter-protester tried to stop the activists from setting an Israeli flag on fire, according to SSI. In another video, a Jewish student was splashed with water.

Within Our Lifetime leader Nerdeen Kiswani, after her wedding, managed to enter the campus despite it being allegedly locked down.

Kiswani led the crowd in a chant in a video published by Students for Justice in Palestine Columbia, saying “There is only one solution, Intifada revolution.”

In a video published by Palestinian Youth Movement NYC, they chanted, “Zionism will fall, brick by brick, wall by wall, Israel will fall” and called “US imperialists, number one terrorists.”

Uptown 4 Palestine published videos of activists proclaiming in Arabic that “From the water to the water (a reference to the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea), Palestine is Arab.” (The chant is an alternate version of the chant “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”)

As of now, Zionism will not “fall.” Israel goes from strength to strength.

The Start-Up nation continues to produce unicorns, as Israeli scientists and entrepreneurs make advances in cybersecurity, solar energy, electric batteries, anti-missile defense systems, medicines and medial equipment, and much more.

Israelis have more companies listed on our Stock Exchange than any other foreign country except China.

Jews from Europe are making aliyah in ever-increasing numbers, undeterred by the current violence.

Israel’s military is ranked as the fourth most powerful, in the world, after those of the United States, Russia, and China, and ahead of the UK, France, and Germany.

It has made startling advances in military hardware, including the anti-missile defense systems David’s Sling, Iron Dome and, to be introduced into service next year, Iron Beam, a laser-based system that will cost only $2 for each lethal laser hit.

And despite having had to fight, in its young life, four wars for its very survival (in 1948, 1967, 1973, and 2023-24), and many smaller campaigns against terror groups, including the PLO, Hamas, PIJ, PFLP, and Hezbollah, Israel has been ranked as the “fourth happiest nation,” after three Scandinavian countries, Finland, Sweden, and Denmark.

Quite a list of achievements for such a young, small country with hardly any natural resources, that is surrounded by enemies.

What will the next 75 years bring?

Those protesters at Columbia, UNC-Chapel Hill, Berkeley, Harvard, Rutgers, and a hundred sundry other colleges, will yip and yap, and issue their bloodcurdling threats about burning down Tel Aviv and removing Jews from America, but they have had no discernible effect except, one hopes, to get themselves expelled from the schools that heretofore have coddled them.

As for the IDF, it must now finish the dismantling of Hamas, by attacking its four last intact battalions in Rafah.

Once that is accomplished, it must then proceed to destroy Hezbollah’s stockpiles of rockets and missiles in Lebanon.

The last, and most important task, for the IDF is to destroy Iranian nuclear facilities so that there is no chance that Iran will be able to build a nuclear weapon.

It’s a formidable To-Do List, but when has Israel ever failed at the tasks it sets itself?

Biden meets 4-year-old Abigail Edan, an American who was held hostage by Hamas

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(AP) — President Joe Biden met Wednesday with Abigail Edan, the 4-year-old American girl who was held hostage in Gaza for several weeks at the start of the war.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the White House meeting with Abigail and her family was “a reminder of the work still to do” to win the release of dozens of people who were taken captive by Hamas in an Oct. 7 attack on Israel and are still believed to be in captivity in Gaza.

Abigail, who has dual Israeli-U.S. citizenship, was taken hostage after her parents were killed in the attack and was released nearly seven weeks later. She was the first U.S. hostage freed by Hamas as part of a deal with Israel to exchange hostages for Palestinian prisoners early in the war. Abigail turned four during her time in captivity.

“It was also a reminder in getting to see her that there are still Americans and others being held hostage by Hamas,” said Sullivan, who attended Biden’s meeting with the girl and her family. “And we’re working day in, day out to ensure all of them also are able to get safely home to their loved ones. ”

Israel says the militants are still holding around 100 hostages and the remains of more than 30 others

Biden spoke to the girl soon after her release in November. Thursday’s meeting was one of mixed emotions for the president.

Sullivan noted that Abigail and her two siblings were “still living with the tragedy and the trauma” of their parents being killed on Oct. 7.

“Abigail, of course, is living with the trauma of being held captive for many weeks,” he added. “But this was a moment of joy as well, because she was able to be returned safely to her family. ”

Biden’s meeting with Abigail came as Hamas on Wednesday released a recorded video of an Israeli American still being held by the group.

The video was the first sign of life of Hersh Goldberg-Polin since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel. It was not clear when the video was taken.

Goldberg-Polin, 23, was at the Tribe of Nova music festival when Hamas launched its attack from nearby Gaza. In the video, Goldberg-Polin is missing part of his left arm.

Witnesses said he lost it when attackers tossed grenades into a shelter where people had taken refuge. He tied a tourniquet around it before being bundled into the truck.

Sullivan said U.S. law enforcement officials are assessing the video but declined further comment.

USC Campus Explodes in Violence as Pro-Hamas Protesters Set Up Encampment & Call for Israel’s Destruction

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USC Campus Explodes in Violence as Pro-Hamas Protesters Set Up Encampment & Call for Israel’s Destruction

Edited by: Fern Sidman

Videos: Scott Jacobs

On a typically sunny Wednesday in Los Angeles, the serene campus of the University of Southern California (USC) became the epicenter of heightened tensions as pro-Hamas student demonstrators clashed with local law enforcement and campus security.  The protests, part of a larger wave of demonstrations across the U.S., spotlighted the Marxist revolution that is taking place on college campuses with the focus of their wrath being Israel and Jews everywhere.

The demonstrations at USC aimed to challenge the university’s financial ties with Israel, reflecting a broader call for institutional accountability amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. NBC News in Los Angeles reported that as the day unfolded, what began as an occupation of Alumni Park, dubbed the “Gaza Solidarity Occupation,” quickly escalated into a scene of confrontation.

By late afternoon, USC had taken the precaution of closing its campus gates, a response to the growing unrest. Notifications were sent out, urging anyone coming to campus to be prepared to show an ID. NBC News in Los Angeles indicated that this decision came as students set up encampments within the park, signaling their intent to not only protest but to occupy the space.

USC Campus on Sunday 4/21

 

Visibility of the clash reached a wider audience as footage from NewsChopper4 showed LAPD and campus police working to dismantle the makeshift encampments. Around 5:30 p.m., authorities issued a dispersal order—a pivotal moment that marked a significant escalation from protest to confrontation.

As tensions peaked around 6:00 p.m., some demonstrators resorted to throwing objects, including rocks and water bottles, at police officers, leading to a forceful response from law enforcement. Accoridng to the report on NBC News in Los Angeles, the LAPD’s engagement with the protesters culminated in approximately 73 arrests by 7:30 p.m. The charges, according to police reports, were primarily related to unlawful assembly and resistance against the dispersal order.

NBC4  in Los Angeles also reported that protesters, defying law enforcement orders, linked arms and continued their chants, signaling their determination to persist with their cause. This act of defiance, coupled with the ensuing police response, set the stage for a complex interaction between the right to protest and the responsibilities of maintaining campus safety.

As protesters made their intentions clear, the scene at USC grew increasingly charged. Law enforcement, including officers from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), responded by assisting the USC Department of Public Safety, as was noted in the NBC4 in Los Angeles report. This collaboration came after the university issued a call for assistance due to the escalating situation. The university also sent out alerts to students and faculty, warning of “significant activity at the center of the UPC campus.”

Amid the unfolding drama, one Jewish student, Coby Russo, shared his personal unease with NBC4, illustrating the palpable tension that affected not just the participants but also the bystander students. Russo described his physical and emotional turmoil as he arrived on campus, compelled to conceal his hamsa—a symbol of his identity—out of fear for his safety. NBC4 reported that his distress was compounded by anxious calls from his parents on the East Coast, calling attention to the broader impact of the protest on the USC community.

While Russo expressed a commitment to remain at USC despite his fears, another student highlighted the motivations driving his participation in the demonstration. This juxtaposition of experiences illustrates the multifaceted nature of campus demonstrations, where diverse student backgrounds and beliefs lead to varying perceptions of the same event.

Jacob Wheeler, a current USC student and former NBC4 intern, noted the rising tensions on campus, which had been simmering for weeks following a valedictorian controversy that had earlier sparked debate. Wheeler observed that the demonstrators, comprising both students and community members, were deeply passionate about their cause. NBC4 in Los Angeles reported that he also pointed out that the intensity of the protests was creating a palpable sense of unease among Jewish students, who felt the atmosphere was becoming increasingly hostile.

As calls to sever financial ties with Israel gain momentum, similar protests have taken root in several prestigious institutions such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and California State Polytechnic, Humboldt.

Amidst this wave of activism, security concerns have risen sharply. FBI Director Christopher Wray, in an interview with NBC News’ Lester Holt, highlighted efforts by the FBI to coordinate with college campuses. NBC4 in Los Angeles reported that the focus is on raising awareness about anti-Semitic threats and potential violence that could emerge in connection with these protests.

 

 

 

 

Pro-Palestinian protests sweep US college campuses following mass arrests at Columbia

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(AP) — Columbia canceled in-person classes, dozens of protesters were arrested at New York University and Yale, and the gates to Harvard Yard were closed to the public Monday as some of the most prestigious U.S. universities sought to defuse campus tensions over Israel’s war with Hamas.

More than 100 pro-Palestinian demonstrators who had camped out on Columbia’s green were arrested last week, and similar encampments have sprouted up at universities around the country as schools struggle with where to draw the line between allowing free expression while maintaining safe and inclusive campuses.

At New York University, an encampment set up by students swelled to hundreds of protesters throughout the day Monday. The school said it warned the crowd to leave, then called in the police after the scene became disorderly and the university said it learned of reports of “intimidating chants and several antisemitic incidents.” Shortly after 8:30 p.m., officers began making arrests.

“It’s a really outrageous crackdown by the university to allow the police to arrest students on our own campus,” said New York University law student Byul Yoon.

“Antisemitism is never OK. That’s absolutely not what we stand for and that’s why there are so many Jewish comrades that are here with us today,” Yoon said.

The protests have pitted students against one another, with pro-Palestinian students demanding that their schools condemn Israel’s assault on Gaza and divest from companies that sell weapons to Israel. Some Jewish students, meanwhile, say much of the criticism of Israel has veered into antisemitism and made them feel unsafe, and they point out that Hamas is still holding hostages taken during the group’s Oct. 7 invasion.

Tensions remained high Monday at Columbia, where the campus gates were locked to anyone without a school ID and where protests broke out both on campus and outside.

U.S. Rep. Kathy Manning, a Democrat from North Carolina who was visiting Columbia with three other Jewish members of Congress, told reporters after meeting with students from the Jewish Law Students Association that there was “an enormous encampment of people” who had taken up about a third of the green.

“We saw signs indicating that Israel should be destroyed,” she said after leaving the Morningside Heights campus. Columbia announced Monday that courses at the Morningside campus will offer virtual options for students when possible, citing safety as their top priority.

A woman inside the campus gates led about two dozen protesters on the street outside in a chant of, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!” — a charged phrase that can mean vastly different things to different groups. A small group of pro-Israel counter demonstrators protested nearby.

University President Minouche Shafik said in a message to the school community Monday that she was “deeply saddened” by what was happening on campus.

“To deescalate the rancor and give us all a chance to consider next steps, I am announcing that all classes will be held virtually on Monday,” Shafik wrote, noting that students who don’t live on campus should stay away.

Protests have roiled many college campuses since Hamas’ deadly attack on southern Israel, when militants killed about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took roughly 250 hostages. During the ensuing war, Israel has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to the local health ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between combatants and non-combatants but says at least two-thirds of the dead are children and women.

On Sunday, Elie Buechler, a rabbi for the Orthodox Union’s Jewish Learning Initiative at Columbia, sent a WhatsApp message to nearly 300 Jewish students recommending they go home until it’s safer for them on campus.

The latest developments came ahead of the Monday evening start of the Jewish holiday of Passover.

Nicholas Baum, a 19-year-old Jewish freshman who lives in a Jewish theological seminary building two blocks from Columbia’s campus, said protesters over the weekend were “calling for Hamas to blow away Tel Aviv and Israel.” He said some of the protesters shouting antisemitic slurs were not students.

“Jews are scared at Columbia. It’s as simple as that,” he said. “There’s been so much vilification of Zionism, and it has spilled over into the vilification of Judaism.”

The protest encampment sprung up at Columbia on Wednesday, the same day that Shafik faced bruising criticism at a congressional hearing from Republicans who said she hadn’t done enough to fight antisemitism. Two other Ivy League presidents resigned months ago following widely criticized testimony they gave to the same committee.

In her statement Monday, Shafik said the Middle East conflict is terrible and that she understands that many are experiencing deep moral distress.

“But we cannot have one group dictate terms and attempt to disrupt important milestones like graduation to advance their point of view,” Shafik wrote.

Over the coming days, a working group of deans, school administrators and faculty will try to find a resolution to the university crisis, noted Shafik, who didn’t say when in-person classes would resume.

U.S. House Republicans from New York urged Shafik to resign, saying in a letter Monday that she had failed to provide a safe learning environment in recent days as “anarchy has engulfed the campus.”

In Massachusetts, a sign said Harvard Yard was closed to the public Monday. It said structures, including tents and tables, were only allowed into the yard with prior permission. “Students violating these policies are subject to disciplinary action,” the sign said. Security guards were checking people for school IDs.

The same day, the Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee said the university’s administration suspended their group. In the suspension notice provided by the student organization, the university wrote that the group’s April 19 demonstration had violated school policy, and that the organization failed to attend required trainings after they were previously put on probation.

The Palestine Solidarity Committee said in a statement that they were suspended over technicalities and that the university hadn’t provided written clarification on the university’s policies when asked.

“Harvard has shown us time and again that Palestine remains the exception to free speech,” the group wrote in a statement.

Harvard did not respond to an email request for comment.

At Yale, police officers arrested about 45 protesters and charged them with misdemeanor trespassing, said Officer Christian Bruckhart, a New Haven police spokesperson. All were being released on promises to appear in court later, he said.

Protesters set up tents on Beinecke Plaza on Friday and demonstrated over the weekend, calling on Yale to end any investments in defense companies that do business with Israel.

In a statement to the campus community on Sunday, Yale President Peter Salovey said university officials had spoken to the student protesters multiple times about the school’s policies and guidelines, including those regarding speech and allowing access to campus spaces.

School officials said they gave protesters until the end of the weekend to leave Beinecke Plaza. The said they again warned protesters Monday morning and told them that they could face arrest and discipline, including suspension, before police moved in.

A large group of demonstrators regathered after Monday’s arrests at Yale and blocked a street near campus, Bruckhart said. There were no reports of any violence or injuries.

Prahlad Iyengar, an MIT graduate student studying electrical engineering, was among about two dozen students who set up a tent encampment on the school’s Cambridge, Massachusetts, campus Sunday evening. They are calling for a cease-fire and are protesting what they describe as MIT’s “complicity in the ongoing genocide in Gaza,” he said.

“MIT has not even called for a cease-fire, and that’s a demand we have for sure,” Iyengar said. ___

Perry reported from Meredith, New Hampshire, and Collins reported from Hartford, Connecticut. Associated Press writers Steve LeBlanc in Boston and Susan Haigh in Hartford contributed to this report.

Hamas releases propaganda video showing Israeli- American Hersh Goldberg-Polin alive, His Family Responds

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By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Hamas has released a propaganda video showing Israeli hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin alive and speaking to the camera.

Since October 7th, Hamas has sent out a number of these videos, which many media outlets do not have access to or do not wish to publish to avoid participating in Hamas’s strategy of psychological warfare.

In the video, he sends love to his family and criticizes the Israeli government and unloads on Netanyahu for the fact he is still in Gaza.

Below is the uncensored video, TJV NEWS decided to publish.

 

 

It should be kept in mind that released hostages have reported that they were coached into saying certain things under duress.

UPDATE:

A response video features Hersh’s parents, Rachel and Jon Goldberg-Polin saying, “Seeing the video of Hersh today is overwhelming. We are relieved to see him alive but we are also concerned about his health and wellbeing as well as that of all the other hostages and all of those suffering in this region.”

They added, “We are here today with a plea to all of the leaders of the parties who have been negotiating to date. This includes Qatar, Egypt, the United States, Hamas and Israel: be brave, lean in, seize this moment and get a deal done to reunite all of us with our loved ones and end the suffering in this region.”

They concluded, “Hersh, we heard your voice today for the first time in 201 days and if you can hear us, we are telling you, we love you, stay strong, survive.”

Hersh Gold0berg-Polin’s mother, Rachel Goldberg-Polin, was included in this year’s Time magazine annual list of the “100 most influential people” for her global campaigning efforts to secure the release of her son and all the hostages in Gaza.

Pleading for her son’s return, Rachel Goldberg-Polin has met with world leaders including US President Joe Biden, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Pope Francis.

Goldberg-Polin’s family also launched a social media campaign called “Bring Hersh Home.“

 

 

Time described Goldberg-Polin on Wednesday as “one of the most visible advocates for the hostages and their families” when the magazine unveiled her inclusion in its annual list.

“Hope is mandatory,” she said in a recent interview. “I believe it, and I have to believe it, that he will come back to us.”

‘We Are Being Manipulated’: Professor Explains How China Is Spreading Pro-Hamas Sentiment On College Campuses

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[Screenshot/X/JuliannaFrieman]

By  Julianna Frieman (Daily Caller)

New York University (NYU) professor Scott Galloway explained how he believes China is spreading pro-Hamas sentiment on college campuses Tuesday on “Morning Joe.”

Pro-Palestinian protesters have recently occupied tents on college campuses including Columbia University and New York University (NYU), sparking confrontation between New York Police Department (NYPD) officials and demonstrators. Galloway told MSNBC that he thinks young Americans are being “manipulated” by content on TikTok, a popular social media platform with roots in China.

“What might sound paranoid to those who might not [unintelligible], I think we are being manipulated, specifically youth, through their frame through the world is TikTok,” Galloway said. “If you look at TikTok, there are 52 videos that are pro-Hamas or pro-Palestinian for every one served on Israel. I think that we are being manipulated. I think that Americans are easier to fool than to convince they’ve been fooled. But if I were the CCP, I’d be doing exactly the same thing. I think social media is sowing division and polarization in our society.”

 

TikTok has been in the spotlight recently as the House of Representatives passed legislation in March that would force Chinese company ByteDance to sell TikTok in order for the app to remain operational in the U.S. Since then, the Senate voted Tuesday in favor of a foreign aid package including a provision that could lead to a TikTok ban, which is expected to be signed into law by President Joe Biden soon.

Galloway said that the reason college students are spreading pro-Hamas sentiment is “complicated.” He said young people have a proclivity to distance themselves from what older people believe, adding that students “conflate” the conflict in the Gaza Strip to the Civil Rights Movement.

“I think it’s complicated,” Galloway said. “I think, one, people have a healthy gag reflex on what people our age think. And I think that’s healthy. Two, I don’t think Israel has draped itself in glory over the last 20 or 30 years. They shifted to kind of being kind of a David to the Goliath.”

“I also think that incorrectly, students on campus conflate the Civil Rights Movement with what is going on in Palestine and have digressed, unfortunately, because of an orthodoxy promoted by me and my colleagues that there are oppressors and oppressed. And the easiest way to identify oppressors is how white and how rich they are,” he continued. “Fairly or unfairly, Israel is seen as ground zero for whiteness and how wealthy they are.”

Columbia University canceled in-person classes Monday and announced that all classes at its main campus will be held remotely for the rest of the semester.

 

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