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A Timeline Tracing Columbia University’s Descent into Anti-Semitic Anarchy

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A Timeline Tracing Columbia University’s Descent into Anti-Semitic Anarchy

By Lieba Nesis

The escalating antisemitism at Columbia University where cries to “Kill Jews” and replay the October 7th Hamas massacre 10,000 times have sent shockwaves throughout the world. The vandalism and violence currently occurring as protestors took over the Hamilton Hall building at 12 AM Monday evening, April 29th, after being given a 2 PM deadline to vacate without Mayor Eric Adams or Columbia president Minouche Shafik taking action is inexplicable. How did this two-week chaos evolve?

 

While the encampments may have began at 4AM Wednesday April 17th as hundreds of students pitched tents to coincide with President Minouche Shafik’s disastrous three hour Congressional testimony-this antisemitic hate has been brewing for years. Starting with the current president Minouche Shafik who denied in her testimony that “long live the intifada” and calls to wipe Israel off the map were antisemitic.  She readily criticized the only Jewish professor Shai Davidai by condemning his behavior and saying he had harassed 50 students; failing to mention it was all social media related as he called out antisemitic students on Twitter after the University failed to take action. Shafik and her three collaborators Claire Shipman, David Schizer and David Greenwald were not under oath for the House Committee on Education and Workforce testimony ensuring there will be no criminal consequences for their continued perjury.

Shafik denied that any anti-Jewish protests had occurred on campus in the past six months: as she was quickly contradicted by all three panelists with Claire Shipman recounting Jewish students being targeted at Columbia Law School on admitted students day.  Shafik also told Congressman Jim Banks she was unaware of Columbia’s antisemitic Social Work orientation materials that included a glossary where Ashkenormativity was defined as a “system of oppression that favors white Jewish folx.”  More bad news was a recent New York Post article where Yale Professor Ahmed Mobarak accused Shafik of intellectual theft and plagiarism as she removed a co-author’s name from a 1994 research paper. Despite Columbia’s bedlam on April 24th its Board of Trustees said they “strongly support” Shafik as “someone who takes a firm stance against hatred, harassment and discrimination”.

The festering Jew hatred at Columbia has been brewing for nearly a decade. In 2018 Holocaust Scholar Elizabeth Midlarsky’s office was vandalized and spray-painted with swastikas and the word “Yid”.  Nobody was arrested and the attacks increased with four antisemitic attacks in 2020 and no action by Columbia.  Former esteemed President Lee Bollinger who was forced to step down in 2023 after 21 historic years at Columbia was a hardline Israel supporter voting against BDS and raising the alarm bells  in March 2020 against the “anger, hatred, demonization and invidious discrimination” he was witnessing against Jews on campus-one of the reasons he was forced to resign. Since Shafik took reign in October 2023 the school has become a cesspool of Jew hate. The events leading up to April 17th’s chaos reveal its inevitability as hate groups Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) and Within Our Lifetime (WOL), along with 94 other Jewish hate groups on campus, have been running things at Columbia since October 7th. An October 5th post from SJP Columbia saying “we are back first general meeting to be announced soon stay tuned” as a map showing an eradicated Israel and the Arabic words  for “Violence, Revolution” appear in the background reveal they had prior knowledge of Hamas’s October 7th massacre.

Columbia’s protests are far from organic having been funded by Jew haters George Soros, Wall streeter Felice Gelman, The Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and former orthodox Jew Howard Horowitz from WESPAC. Some of the groups members are Jewish as they held a seder and shabbat meal at the encampment while calls for the genocide of Israel could be heard in the background.  The escalation over the past six months can be traced to the university’s inaction as actual terrorists are currently entrenched on campus as reflected by this timeline:

October 4th- Dr. Minouche Shafik is inaugurated as president with little fanfare-3 days later the anti-Jewish mayhem begins

October 5th-SJP Columbia warns of violence and revolution two days before the Hamas massacre and starts planning its demonstrations as it knows an attack is brewing

October 7th-1200 innocent Israeli civilians are killed while many are raped, beheaded and mutilated with over 250 hostages taken

October 9th- SJP  and JVP Columbia sign a letter praising Hamas and its massacre as an “unprecedented historic moment” and saying they are in full solidarity with Palestinian resistance

October 11-A 24-year-old Israeli student hanging pro-Israel fliers is assaulted on the Columbia campus

October 12-the biweekly threatening protests of SJP and JVP begin as Columbia is forced to close its campus to the public early in the day due to the aggression of the Palestinian groups with Jewish student Caroline Smith saying she felt “dispirited” and unsupported from the University. Professor Shai Davidai raises the alarm bells to Columbia’s leaders that an out-of-control antisemitism is going unchecked. Being that the school is private property they are allowed to limit free speech especially when it calls for the destruction of Israel and should have shut down on campus protests at this stage

October 23- Columbia calls off its annual Giving Day where alumni contribute money due to the dueling protests between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian

October 30-Over 100 Columbia professors sign a letter defending students who backed the October 7th terror attack and further call Israel an apartheid state

Nov 1-Shafik announces the creation of a task force to combat antisemitism after violent anti-Israel protests become habitual

November 10th-Columbia suspends SJP and JVP for holding an unauthorized school walkout and “repeatedly violating University policies relating to holding campus events” as an unlawful sit-in at the Social Work school is held.  The anti-Israel organizations continue to hold protests and form under a new group called Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD) without any oversight basically functioning as before the suspension

 

Nov 14-400 students rally on campus to protest the termination of SJP (Students for Justice in Palestine) and JVP (Jewish Voice for Peace): while 200 faculty members walk out the next day to protest SJP and JVP’s suspension

December 5th-House Committee calls on leaders of Harvard, U of P, and MIT to answer for antisemitic demonstrations. President Minouche Shafik reveals her disregard for the unfolding crisis as she travels to the UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai-shouldn’t this hearing have been a priority?

January 19-another unlawful anti-Israel protest is held. Two Jewish students spray harmless fart spray at venomous participants and are the only Columbia students in this whole morass to be expelled until May 2025.

March 21-A Columbia University Task Force set up to combat antisemitism refuses to settle on a definition allowing rampant anti-Jewish chants such as “from the River to the Sea Palestine will be Free” and “Long Live the Intifada” to permeate the University

March 24-a culmination of hundreds of anti-Israel events peaks with a scary March 24th “Resistance 101” event at Columbia’s Q House-an LGBT special interest community at the University-hosted by CUAD and 94 other student groups.  Charlotte Kates a member of terror group Samidoun along with Khaled Barakat a Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine activist join “Within Our Lifetime” Founder Nerdeen Kiswani who calls for Israel to be wiped off the map. These three terrorists praise Hamas’s October 7th”resistance” along with Hezbollah and exhort attendees to employ armed resistance against Israel-essentially using Columbia’s grounds to recruit domestic terrorists. Aidan Parisi, a graduate student in Columbia’s School of Social Work, who organized the event is suspended but refuses to vacate his dorm.  His suspension is later lifted as he becomes a leader at the current Gaza Solidarity Encampment. The other three students organizers also have their suspensions lifted.  There are a couple of major student agitators on campus including Parisi, Khymani James, Cameron Jones, Maryam Alwan, Maryam Iqbal, and Mahmoud Khalil. Had they been suspended initially most of the radicalism would have been contained.

April 7-Shafik finally sends out a letter acknowledging the Hamas “terror attack” in Israel as her April 17th Congressional hearing draws closer-fooling no-one.

April 17-Hundreds of students pitch tents on the South Lawn of Columbia at 4 AM. Hours later Shafik along with her idiotic supporting staff appear in Washington for the House Committee Hearing where they admit they can’t even define antisemitism.  It becomes clear she not only doesn’t care about antisemitism but allows it to thrive under the guise of free speech. Shafik admits professors Joseph Massad and Mohamed Abdou who praised Hamas’s atrocities continue employment while Jewish professor Shai Davidai is being investigated. While Professor Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman is immediately fired in 2022 for an innocuous tweet containing a photo of a Sudanese model and saying her dark skin was a “beautiful sight to behold” professors who advocate for the killing of Jews continue to retain employment. Shafik allows the dangerous encampment to endure. Enabling the sprinklers to douse the tents, calling university security to block the protestors are all actions she declines to take

April 18-Shafik finally calls the NYPD who arrest 108 students who are all released from custody hours later with their suspensions also dropped along with any notation on their records. Shafik once again shows her gross incompetence as she remains in Washington at a Bezos Earth Fund dinner while chaos ensues at Columbia. She later complains she was unable to eat due to repeated phone calls.

April 19-Students arrive with more tents on the West lawn along with an escalation in aggression as Shafik remains paralyzed. Terrorist leader Nerdeen Kiswani joins the encampment to celebrate her wedding as she calls for the eradication of Israel and revolution.

April 21-Columbia Chabad Rabbi Eli Buechler tells 290 Jewish students in a Whatsapp chat they should leave because they are no longer safe in the face of extreme antisemitism and anarchy

April 22-Professor Shai Davidai is refused entry to Columbia campus while Hamas sympathizer Mohamed Abdou who Shafik claimed was fired socializes with protestors on campus along with Hamas massacre photographer and participant Motaz Azaiza and disgraced actress Susan Sarandon.  At the encampment Arab movies are watched, Arab prayers are held, and leader Khymani James tells zombie like students to form a  human chain to block Zionists seeking to enter. That same day hundreds of professors sign open letters denouncing the suspension of students and join a walkout as they rally on campus to back the antisemitic protests. Among these professors is currently employed Joseph Massad who praised October 7th as “astounding” and “awesome” in a much condemned article. Shafik says the school needs a reset as she encourages students to learn online and faculty to work remotely-basically meaning Jewish students should stay far away. Major Columbia contributor Robert Kraft halts donations due to “virulent Jew hate”

April 23-Speaker of the House Mike Johnson appears on Columbia campus where he is vigorously booed. He denounces the rampant Jew hatred, demands Shafik resign and threatens to urge Biden to call the National Guard

April 24-Shafik extends the Monday night deadline-requiring student encampments to pack up-until an unknown time. She fails to utilize Eric Adams offer of the NYPD or Hochul’s offer of the National Guard. Feckless Eric Adams as usual fails to take charge of the chaotic situation. Shafik makes some half-assed deal to remove a couple of tents and some outsiders from the encampment but ultimately proves her presidency is an unmitigated disaster. Due to Columbia’s success Jew hatred has spread to over 40 colleges but has largely gone untolerated at other universities as NYU boards up its campus and arrests of students at Emerson, USC and UT Austin later follow.  The feckless Board of Trustees at Columbia say they strongly support Shafik for her “firm stance against harassment.”

April 25-Congresswoman Ilhan Omar joins her supposedly suspended 21-year-old Barnard attending daughter, Isra Hirsi, on campus.  Omar calls it an honor to see the anti-war encampment firsthand

April 26-Columbia bans the leader of the Gaza encampment, Khymani James, from campus after a January video resurfaces of him telling a Columbia administrator Zionists “don’t deserve to live.” Whether he is suspended or expelled from the school is unclear.  This dangerous individual not being kicked out in January is astounding as he is both head of Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD) and a major force in the “peaceful encampment” who forced “Zionists” out. Once again Columbia chooses to back the aggressors as its Senate votes for a resolution that accuses the administration of violating academic freedom and breaching the due process rights of antisemitic students and professors. Additionally, an investigation of the administration begins.  Representative AOC visits the encampment and poses for selfies.

April 28-The tents and virulent anti-Jewish chants continue despite a supposed deadline to leave campus four days prior. Students continue to demand Columbia divest from Israel while calling for a Gaza ceasefire.  Columbia’s mayhem strikes fear in the heart of every university as they rethink their entire playbook on permitting protests as crackdowns become increasingly aggressive. Jewish hate spreads to UCLA, Emerson and U of T.

April 29-Students are given a 2 PM deadline to vacate the tents or otherwise suspensions will ensue. Once again “fired” antisemitic teacher Mohamed Abdou is seen at the campus protest. Students flout the deadline and continue aggressive anti-Israel chants. Columbia professors don yellow and orange vests as they use their bodies to protect Jew-hating students

12 AM that day April 30-Students  see little consequences for their violence so they break windows and barricade themselves in Columbia’s Hamilton Hall.  Once again grossly incompetent hard-partying Mayor Eric Adams fails to use the NYPD despite the requirement that in “exigent circumstances” they must be called. Students who oppose the barricades are assaulted and maintenance workers are temporarily held hostage. Columbia is in full lockdown. The May 15th graduation is in jeopardy as are the Jewish student lives! Hamilton Hall continues to be barricaded for the entirety of the day

Judge Merchan Holds Donald Trump in Criminal Contempt for Gag Order Violations, Threatens Jail Time

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Jane Rosenberg/Pool Photo via AP

Wendell Husebo(Breitbart)

New York County Judge Juan Merchan has ruled that former President Donald Trump violated a gag order during his trial, holding him in criminal contempt and threatening him with jail time for any further infractions.

Merchan also ordered Trump to remove the “seven offending posts” from Truth Social.
“Defendant is hereby warned that the Court will not tolerate continued willful violations of its lawful orders and that if necessary and appropriate under the circumstances, it will impose an incarceratory punishment,” the judge wrote in the order:

ORDERED, that Defendant pay a $1,000 fine for each of the nine violations of this Court’s lawful order by the close of business on Friday, May 3, 2024; and it is further ORDERED that Defendant remove the seven offending posts from Defendant’s Truth Social account and the two offending posts from his campaign website by 2:15pm Tuesday, April 30, 2024.

Merchan had the authority to send Trump to jail for up to 30 days for allegedly violating his gag order. Democrat Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg backed down from asking the judge to jail Trump for allegedly violating the order, according to court reporters.

 

Trump appeared to call Bragg’s bluff. Trump said in April that it would be a “GREAT HONOR” to become a “modern-day Nelson Mandela” in the “clink” for speaking the truth about Merchan.

The gag order prevents Trump from making public comments about witnesses participating in the trial, counsel other than Bragg, “members of the court’s staff and the District Attorney’s staff, or … the family members of any counsel or staff member, if those statements are made with the intent to materially interfere with … counsel’s or staff’s work” on the case. It also encompasses prospective jurors.

“The gag order has to come off,” Trump previously told reporters outside the Manhattan courthouse. “People are allowed to speak about me, and I have a gag order, just to show you how much more unfair it is.”

“They can say anything they want,” Trump said about his political foes. “They can continue to make up lies and everything else. They lie. They’re real scum. But you know what, I’m not allowed to speak.”

“So why am I gagged about telling the truth?” Trump questioned. “I’m only telling the truth. They’re not telling the truth.”

Bragg charged Trump with 34 felonies in the criminal case concerning alleged election interference and a legal retainer paid to Michael Cohen. The trial is the first-ever criminal trial of a president of the United States. Trump could face jail time if convicted.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (Michael M. Santiago/Getty)

A majority of Americans doubt Trump’s criminal trial will conclude with a fair outcome, a CNN poll on Friday found. Increasing numbers of Americans see the criminal trial of Trump as irrelevant to his fitness for reelection, the CNN poll further found, while only 13 percent believe Trump is being treated the same as other “criminal defendants.”

Only about one-third of American adults believe Trump did anything illegal regarding the case, an AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found Tuesday.

The case is New York v. Trump, No. 71543-23, in the New York Supreme Court for New York County.

Wendell Husebo is a political reporter with Breitbart News and a former GOP War Room Analyst. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality. Follow Wendell on “X” @WendellHusebø or on Truth Social @WendellHusebo.

Columbia University to Expel Pro-Palestinian Protesters Occupying Hamilton Hall, School Under Lockdown

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(TJV) Columbia University has declared that pro-Palestinian protesters who have occupied Hamilton Hall on its campus will be expelled, according to a recent statement. The university stated that the protesters had escalated the situation by damaging property, breaking doors and windows, and blockading entrances. Consequently, the students who remained in the encampment are facing suspension, with restrictions from academic and recreational spaces, limited to accessing only their individual residences, and seniors being ineligible to graduate, ABC News reported

Video footage depicted protesters at Columbia’s Manhattan campus locking arms in front of Hamilton Hall, carrying furniture and metal barricades, and breaking through a glass door. Hamilton Hall holds historical significance as a center of campus protests throughout history, notably during a 1968 Civil Rights and anti-Vietnam War protest. An Instagram post from protest organizers renamed the hall “Hind’s Hall” in honor of Hind Rajab, a child allegedly killed by the Israeli state.

Despite several 911 calls, the NYPD has not intervened, as Columbia University has not requested assistance. The campus remains closed to non-essential personnel, with restricted access for specific dorm residents and essential employees.

The student protesters demand divestment from businesses with ties to Israel, likening the situation in Gaza to apartheid in South Africa. Columbia University has suspended negotiations with the protesters and initiated measures to ensure campus safety and a smooth commencement ceremony.

President Minouche Shafik expressed disappointment in the lack of consensus and emphasized the importance of celebrating the graduates’ achievements. Students who refuse to leave the encampment face suspension until June next year, losing access to campus facilities, housing, and healthcare.

Protester Sueda Polat criticized the university’s inflexibility and arrogance, expressing willingness to resume negotiations if divestment from Israel is considered. Columbia University, however, affirmed its decision not to divest from Israel, acknowledging the discomfort experienced by some Jewish students and affirming its commitment to creating a welcoming environment for all community members

Trump Slams Netanyahu’s Leadership, Says He ‘Rightfully Has Been Criticized’ For Oct. 7 Attacks

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Former President Donald Trump stated that Jews who vote for Democrats “hate their own religion.” (AP Photo/Meg Kinnard)

(DCNF) Former President Donald Trump criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his leadership and said his hopes for a two-state solution have evaporated during a Time Magazine interview published on Tuesday.

Terrorist group Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing over 1,200 civilians and kidnapping hundreds of others, with Netanyahu coming under fire since the attack and subsequent conflict. Trump said the criticism directed at Netanyahu over the attack is justified and also attacked the prime minister for being skittish on helping with the assassination of Iranian Qasem Solemaini, former head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’, during his presidency.

 

“Well, I had a bad experience with Bibi,” Trump told Time. “And it had to do with Soleimani, because as you probably know by now, he dropped out just before the attack. And I said, ‘What’s that all about?’ Because that was going to be a joint and all of a sudden, we were told that Israel was not doing it. And I was not happy about that. That was something I never forgot. And it showed me something. I would say that what happened on — the October 7 should have never happened.”

“I think it’s had a profound impact on him, despite everything,” Trump added. “Because people said that shouldn’t have happened. They have the most sophisticated equipment. They had —everything was there to stop that. And a lot of people knew about it, you know, thousands and thousands of people knew about it, but Israel didn’t know about it, and I think he’s being blamed for that very strongly, being blamed.”

Trump also complimented Netanyahu’s rival and war cabinet member Benny Gantz, but neglected to comment on whether he would prefer to work with him over the current prime minister if the former president is reelected. However, he said he believes others could be effective leaders of the country.

“And I will say this, Bibi Netanyahu rightfully has been criticized for what took place on October 7,” Trump added.

Trump previously held the belief that a two-state solution could be possible for Israel, but now believes it will be extremely difficult, the former president told Time.

 

All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact [email protected].

Netanyahu on ICC investigation: ‘Historic scandal and antisemitic hate crime’

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(A7 )Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video statement today (Tuesday) in which he addressed the threat by the International Criminal Court in The Hague to issue arrest warrants against senior Israeli officials and said that this would be a distortion of justice and history.

Netanyahu began by addressing the plans for the IDF to enter Rafah to eliminate the last Hamas battalions in Gaza. “We will enter Rafah because we have no other choice. We will destroy the Hamas battalions there, we will complete all the objectives of the war, including the return of all our hostages,” he said.

Netanyahu added: “There are many forces trying to prevent us from doing this. Recently another force joined them – the International Criminal Court in The Hague. This court has no authority over the State of Israel.”

“The possibility that he will issue arrest warrants for war crimes against IDF commanders and political leaders, this possibility is a scandal on a historic scale.

War Cabinet meeting canceled amid infighting over Rafah

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir at the Knesset, March 6, 2023. Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90.

(JNS) A meeting of the Israeli War Cabinet scheduled for Tuesday evening was canceled amid coalition infighting over a possible hostages-for-ceasefire deal with the Hamas terrorist organization.

The proposal currently being discussed with Hamas reportedly includes significant compromises by Israel and, for the first time, Jerusalem is considering ending the war in the Gaza Strip.

New terms conveyed to Egypt include a willingness to discuss the “restoration of sustainable calm” in Gaza, a demand that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously dismissed as “delusional.”

A Hamas source told Saudi Arabia’s Al-Arabiya on Tuesday that Israel responded “to some degree” to its demand for a “permanent ceasefire.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Netanyahu met privately with Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir after the latter threatened to withdraw his party’s six lawmakers from the governing coalition.

“I concluded a meeting with the prime minister [that took place] at my request,” Ben-Gvir said in a video statement posted to X, explaining that he urged Netanyahu to conquer the last Hamas stronghold of Rafah, continue the war and reject flawed deals with the terrorist group.

“The prime minister heard these things, promised that Israel would enter Rafah, promised that the war would not end and promised that there would be no reckless deal,” said the Otzma Yehudit Party leader.

“I think the prime minister understands very well what it will mean if these things do not happen,” Ben-Gvir said.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich skipped a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, instead calling a gathering of the seven lawmakers from his Religious Zionism Party at the Knesset.

“Accepting the deal on the table amounts to the undeniable raising of a white flag and a victory for Hamas,” Smotrich told reporters, calling on Netanyahu not to let Hamas leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar “humiliate us again.

“This is exactly what Sinwar planned to achieve when he set out to butcher us—accepting this agreement while postponing the occupation of Rafah is the fulfillment of his victory plan, which is Israel’s surrender plan,” added the finance minister.

Following the faction meeting, Smotrich declared to journalists that he is “ready to pay the political price” to prevent the “existential danger” posed by the return of Hamas terrorists to northern Gaza and the release of murderous Palestinian terrorists from Israeli jails.

“A government that submits to international pressure, stops the war in the middle, avoids immediate entry into Rafah and returns to Egyptian mediation proposals that leave Hamas existing in any configuration will instantly lose its right to exist,” he said.

On Sunday, Smotrich had already warned that the government headed by Netanyahu will lose its legitimacy to govern if it accepts the “humiliating surrender” proposed to Hamas through Egypt.

In a video message, Smotrich urged the premier to order the Israel Defense Forces to immediately enter Rafah “with all its might.”

Netanyahu on Tuesday claimed that the IDF will be ordered to enter Rafah irrespective of the outcome of the ongoing talks with Hamas.

“The notion that we will stop the war before achieving all of its goals is out of the question,” said the premier during a meeting at his office in Jerusalem with the Heroism Forum, which represents bereaved IDF families, and the Tikva Forum for Families of Hostages.

The military “will enter Rafah and eliminate the Hamas battalions there—with or without a deal—to achieve total victory,” he claimed.

Netanyahu said he stressed to the families his commitment to achieving “all of the objectives of the war, including the return of all of our hostages.

“We will enter Rafah because we have no other choice,” the prime minister said. “We will evacuate the civilian population so that we can focus on the terrorists, as we have done until now.”

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

Many of the 133 hostages still in the hands of Hamas more than 200 days after the Oct. 7 massacre are believed to be held in Rafah. IDF special forces rescued two captives from the city in February.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, a member of the broad Security Cabinet, said Saturday that the offensive in Rafah would be suspended if a deal to free some of the hostages held in the coastal enclave is secured.

The War Cabinet has three members—Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Galant and Minister-without-Portfolio Benny Gantz—and three observers: Minister-without-Portfolio Gadi Eizenkot, Shas Party chairman Aryeh Deri and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer.

Biden’s Pier in Gaza To Cost $320 Million

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Washington Free Beacon Staff

The U.S. military’s cost estimate to build a pier off Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid has risen to $320 million, a U.S. defense official and a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The figure, which has not been previously reported, illustrates the massive scale of a construction effort that the Pentagon has said involves about 1,000 U.S. service members, mostly from the Army and Navy.

Still, the cost has roughly doubled from initial estimates earlier this year, according to a person familiar with the matter.

“The cost has not just risen. It has exploded,” Sen. Roger Wicker (Miss.), the top Republican on the Democratic-led Senate Armed Services Committee, told Reuters, when asked about the costs. “This dangerous effort with marginal benefit will now cost the American taxpayers at least $320 million to operate the pier for only 90 days.”

Democratic president Joe Biden announced the pier in March as aid officials implored Israel to ease access for relief supplies into Gaza over land routes. By opening a second route for aid, this one by sea, Biden administration officials hope to avert famine in northern Gaza.

The terror group Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, prompting Israel’s military campaign against the group in the Gaza Strip.

Wicker and some other lawmakers have questioned whether the Gaza pier is a worthwhile endeavor, particularly given the risk that U.S. military personnel could become targets of Hamas militants.

“How much will taxpayers be on the hook once—or if—the pier is finally constructed?” Wicker asked. “For every day this mission continues, the price tag goes up and so does the level of risk for the 1,000 deployed troops within range of Hamas’ rockets.”

Concerns about the threat to American troops getting caught up in the Israel-Hamas war were underscored on Thursday as news emerged of a mortar attack near the area where the pier will eventually touch ground. No U.S. forces were present, however, and they were miles offshore—beyond mortar range.

Biden has ordered U.S. forces to not step foot on the Gaza shore.

The pier will initially handle 90 trucks a day, but that number could go up to 150 trucks daily when it is fully operational. The United Nations said last week that the daily average number of trucks entering Gaza during April was 200 and that there had been a peak on Monday of 316.

A senior Biden administration official said last week that humanitarian aid coming off the pier will need to pass through Israeli checkpoints on land.

That is despite the aid having already been inspected by Israel in Cyprus before being shipped to Gaza. Israel wants to prevent any aid getting to Hamas fighters that boosts their war effort.

The prospect of checkpoints raises questions about possible delays even after aid reaches shore. The United Nations has long complained of obstacles to getting aid in and distributing it throughout Gaza.

The United Nations has appealed for $2.5 billion to try and meet the most urgent needs of the people living in the Gaza Strip between April and December.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart; additional reporting by Idrees Ali and Michelle Nichols; editing by Jonathan Oatis.)

Turkish tourist shot dead after stabbing Israeli officer, policewoman injured in Samaria car ramming

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By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Two terror attacks occurred early on Tuesday afternoon; A policeman in Jerusalem’s Old City was stabbed and mildly wounded by a Turkish tourist and a terrorist rammed a car with security forces inside in Barta’a, Samaria.

A 30-year-old policeman sustained mild injuries after being stabbed by a Turkish tourist on Sultan Suleiman Street in Jerusalem’s Old City.

The terrorist was eliminated after being shot by other police on the scene.

The terrorist was identified as Hassan Skalanan (34) who entered Israel by way of Jordan through the Allenby Bridge.

Following the attack, all entrances to the Temple Mount were closed.

Magen Dovid Adam reported that the patient was taken to the hospital at 12:32 pm and said the policeman was fully conscious with stab wounds on his upper body.

Jerusalem District Commander Superintendent Doron Turgeman, arrived and began collecting evidence, including the knife that was found at the scene.

The police “praised the operational response of the fighters who worked to neutralize the terrorist professionally and immediately.”

In addition, Superintendent Turgeman said his department would investigate the circumstances of the attack.

Around the same time, in Northern Samaria, there was a terrorist car ramming attack against security forces.

The driver of the vehicle collided with another vehicle with security forces in it while they were investigating a car they suspected was stolen.

The terrorist driver was neutralized by gunfire.

At around 12:40, the MDA team evacuated a 21-year-old policewoman to Hillel Yaffe Hospital in Hadera in a mild-moderate condition, fully conscious and suffering from bruises on her limbs.

Student sues Columbia for not following own policies

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By Batya Jerenberg, World Israel News

A Jewish student filed a class-action lawsuit Monday against Columbia University for its failure to abide by its own policies and safeguard its students’ right to safety and equal access to education.

C.S. alleged that there is an “extreme element” among the anti-Israel protestors who have been roiling the campus for months who are “not just expressing dissent; they have and are continuing to commit acts of violence, they are intimidating and harassing Jewish students and faculty members, they are inciting demonstrators to engage in hate speech and also commit acts of violence, which has been taking place, and they have even called for terrorist attacks against the United States and the State of Israel.”

The sophomore specifically noted the violations of Columbia’s Code of Conduct at the tent protest that began 12 days ago.

“Since its formation, the encampment has been the center of round-the-clock harassment of Jewish students, who have been punched, shoved, spat upon, blocked from attending classes and moving freely about campus, and targeted by pro-terrorist hate speech,” the lawsuit said.

Instead of removing the illegal encampment, the administration said that students who don’t feel safe on campus can learn remotely. This discriminates against the law-abiding, Jewish students, the lawsuit said.

They get “a second-class education where they are relegated to their homes to attend classes virtually, stripped of the opportunity to interact meaningfully with other students and faculty and sit for examinations with their peers.”

The student is demanding a court injunction to compel Columbia to enforce its policies, in addition to compensatory and punitive damages that will be determined at the trial.

Meanwhile, the university sent an email out to all students Monday night informing them that it has begun suspending those who would not leave the encampment, as it had threatened numerous times but not followed through.

This was part of the “next phase of our efforts to ensure safety on our campus,” the notice said.

The administration immediately weakened its stance by adding that those who now left and signed a form stating that they would abide by campus rules from then on would be able to complete the semester as normal.

It also provided an explainer on how to appeal their suspension.

The school has yet to allow the New York Police Department back into the campus as it did once, in order to arrest the students and outsiders who set up the encampment in a show of support for Hamas that demanded that Columbia divest from the Jewish state.

Taking the opposite tack than that of the New York Ivy League school, the University of Texas at Austin on Monday brought in local police to help it dismantle numerous tents of its own anti-Israel protestors following several warnings that it would not tolerate their violation of school guidelines.

While doing so, the school said in a statement, “Baseball size rocks were found strategically placed within the encampment.” This indication that the danger of physical violence on campus had been real was in line with “extensive online threats” the university said it had received from protest organizers on Saturday.

Several arrests were made during the police action.

Anti-Israel Protesters Seize Administrative Building at Columbia University

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Elizabeth Weibel (Breitbart)

Anti-Israel protesters involved in an encampment at Columbia University took over an administrative building early Tuesday morning.

Video footage posted to X showed anti-Israel protesters carrying barricades into Hamilton Hall, an academic building on the university’s campus.

In its Telegram channel, Within Our Lifetime (WOL) Palestine posted an announcement calling for protection of the anti-Israel encampment on the campus.

“Student organizers have called on everyone to come to Columbia TONIGHT and defend the encampment after administration’s threats this morning,” the group wrote in a post on the channel.

Other videos posted to X showed anti-Israel protesters smashing the glass doors of Hamilton Hall, as people can be heard chanting, “Disclose. Divest. We will not stop, we will not rest.”

Anti-Israel protesters who occupied Hamilton Hall were photographed hanging pro-Palestinian posters from the windows of the building.

Protesters were videotaped hanging a banner from the windows of the building that read, “Intifada,” as anti-Israel protesters can be heard chanting, “Free, free, free, free, Palestine. From the river to the sea…”

The takeover of Hamilton Hall by pro-Palestinian protesters comes after the university announced it was suspending students after previously asking protesters involved in the anti-Israel encampment to leave by 2:00 p.m.

An initial encampment was started on Columbia University’s campus on April 17. The next day several students were suspended, and hundreds of protesters involved in the encampment were arrested.

Columbia University had removed the initial encampment, but since then, it has returned.

Since the start of the encampment at Columbia University, others have been established at the University of California Los Angeles, Yale University, Harvard University, George Washington University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, among others.

 

Breitbart News reached out to Columbia University for a statement but did not receive a response back by the time of publication.

Israeli chosen as student body president of Columbia amid anti-Israel protests

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Maya Platek

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Israeli student Maya Platek was selected as student body president of Columbia University even amid intense anti-Israel protests on campus.

Platek will serve as president of the student body for the 2024-2025 academic year.

She declared her determination to fight for the rights and safety of Jewish students and is a member of Students Supporting Israel (SSI), an organization whose stated name is to support pro-Israel voices at Columbia.

Following a successful election, Platek gave a speech during which she said, “I am an Israeli rising senior and was recently elected as the Student Body President at Columbia University.”

She added, “As Columbia hits a peak of antisemitism and anti-Zionism, I am honored to have been elected as next year’s Student Body President. More than ever before, it is critical that our voices are heard and our safety is protected.”

In the past week and a half, violent anti-Israel protests have shaken the Manhattan campus, with a rabbi recommending that Jewish students depart campus and stay at home.

Following a congressional hearing on Columbia’s administration’s handling of antisemitic incidents, president Minouche Shafik declared that there would be hybrid learning-both in-person and remote classes-until the end of the semester.

Many Jewish students criticized the move as penalizing Jewish students rather than the anti-Israel students and faculty who were creating an unsafe environment.

Platek called out those responsible for fostering antisemitism on campus, and said, “Our classmates and professors choose to manipulate history in order to demonize us as people have done all throughout history.”

She added, “They choose to rewrite our identity in order to justify terrorist regimes. They choose to cheer in our pain and in our suffering, and they choose to delegitimize the only Jewish state in the world when there are dozens of Christian and Muslim ones.”

“They choose to advocate for our removal from this campus over our nationality. That is discrimination,” Platek declared.

Netanyahu reportedly ‘stressed’ over ICC arrest threat, seeks US support

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Photo Credit: AP

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Israeli Prime Minister is reportedly “abnormally stressed” and “frightened” over the possibility of being arrested by the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague and is seeking US diplomatic support, as reported by Ben Caspi of Maariv.

Netanyahu has been engaged in non-stop phone calls over the past few days, particularly with US President Joe Biden to prevent an ICC arrest of him and other Israeli officials for their role in the war between Israel and Gaza.

Among other reasons, an ICC arrest is dreaded because it would signal a major deterioration in Israel’s global standing.

The reason for the urgency is the suspicion that ICC’s prosecutor, Karim Khan may issue warrants for the arrest of Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi this week.

Although Netanyahu said such an arrest would create a “dangerous precedent” he insisted that it would not influence his policy for conducting the war.

“We will never stop defending ourselves. Whereas decisions of the court in the Hague will not affect Israel’s actions, they would be a dangerous precedent threatening the soldiers and officials of any democracy fighting criminal terrorism and aggression,” he said on Friday.

Israel is not a member of the ICC and doesn’t recognize its jurisdiction, although the Palestinian territories were accepted as a member state in 2015.

In October 2023, Karim Khan warned that the ICC had jurisdiction to try war crimes allegedly committed by Israel or Hamas during the war.

Khan said he is actively investigating alleged war crimes in Gaza.

The ICC currently has 124 permanent members and can prosecute individuals for war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and aggression.

The current Gaza case in the ICC is separate from the genocide charges in the ICJ, or the International Court of Justice.

South Africa’s Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor told MSNBC, “I believe that the ICC needs to make a decision as to whether in terms of war crimes, are they being committed. They must make the decision, same as they did with the Russian president.”

Houthis Claim to Down American Reaper Drone over Yemen

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In January 2021, the Houthis were designated by the Trump administration as a terrorist organization. However, in early February 2021, shortly after entering office, the Biden administration removed the Houthis from the terrorist list. On January 12, 2024, President Biden said: “I think they (the Houthis) are terrorists.” Credit: AP

John Hayward(Breitbart)

The Iran-backed Houthi terrorists of Yemen claimed this weekend to have brought down a $30 million U.S. Reaper drone, the third one in six months if confirmed.

The Houthis have also resumed attacks on international shipping after a brief operational pause, with several strikes reported in the Red Sea over the weekend.

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) confirmed on Sunday that an MQ-9 Reaper drone “crashed in Yemen.” DoD said the cause of the crash is under investigation.

The Houthis claimed on Saturday to have destroyed the MQ-9 with a surface-to-air missile as it flew near their stronghold in Yemen’s Saada province.

The terrorists backed up their claim with video footage of what they claimed was the missile launch and intercept. A man could be heard reciting the Houthi slogan as the missile was fired: “Allahu akbar, death to America, death to Israel, curse the Jews, victory to Islam.”

The video concluded with the Houthis parading debris from the destroyed alleged drone. Some of the pieces were stamped with the logo of General Atomics, the company that manufactures Reapers, and appeared to have valid serial numbers. The authenticity of the video could not otherwise be confirmed.

The Houthis also claimed on Saturday to have attacked a Panama-flagged oil tanker called the Andromeda Star with ballistic missiles.

The Houthis said the Andromeda Star is owned by British interests, but, in fact, it was recently sold to an owner in the Seychelles and was traveling from Russia to India, presumably with a cargo of Russian oil.

The Houthis have promised safe passage through the Red Sea to Russia, China, and Iran, while they attack other ships to pressure Israel to halt its military campaign against Hamas.

RED SEA – NOVEMBER 20: (—-EDITORIAL USE ONLY – MANDATORY CREDIT – ‘HOUTHIS MEDIA CENTER / HANDOUT’ – NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS—-) A screen grab captured from a video shows that cargo ship ‘Galaxy Leader’, co-owned by an Israeli company, being hijacked by Iran-backed Houthis from Yemen in the Red Sea on November 20, 2023. (Photo by Houthis Media Center / Handout /Anadolu via Getty Images)
A screen grab captured from a video shows that cargo ship “Galaxy Leader,” co-owned by an Israeli company, being hijacked by Iran-backed Houthis from Yemen in the Red Sea on November 20, 2023 (Houthis Media Center / Handout /Anadolu via Getty Images)

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the Houthis launched three anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs) into the Red Sea, apparently targeting the Andromeda Star and another ship, the Antiqua/Barbados-flagged tanker Maisha.
According to CENTCOM, the Andromeda Star suffered “minor damage” from the attack but was able to “continue its voyage.” A missile landed in the “vicinity” of the Maisha but did not damage the ship. No injuries were reported.

Terror chief Abdel-Malik al-Houthi told a crowd of demonstrators in the Houthi-controlled capital of Yemen, Sana’a, that rumors of his forces running low on weapons because of U.S. and coalition airstrikes were false. He claimed the Houthis would prove this by extending their campaign of terror attacks into the Indian Ocean, as well as the Red Sea.

Cindy Adams’ Grand HS Diploma Ceremony: A Star-Studded Evening of Celebration & Surprises

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screenshot

Cindy Adams’ Grand HS Diploma Ceremony: A Star-Studded Evening of Celebration & Surprises

Edited by: TJVNews.com

Cindy Adams, the renowned gossip columnist known for her decades-long career at The New YorkPost, celebrated a unique milestone at her 94th birthday party: receiving her high school diploma. According to a recently published report in The Post’s Page Six, in an event marked by both sentiment and triumph, the diploma was presented by New York Governor Kathy Hochul, making the occasion a notable intersection of state recognition and personal achievement.

Born and raised in New York City, Adams has often shared with friends and readers alike that despite her sharp wit and encyclopedic knowledge of the celebrity world, she never graduated from Andrew Jackson High School in Queens, as was reported by The Post. The reason, as whimsical as it sounds, was a failure in home economics—a class that required her to sew her own graduation dress. Adams’ journey through this academic hurdle was fraught with challenges. Destined for college at the tender age of 15, she faced an unexpected roadblock when the school insisted that graduation candidates produce their own white lawn dresses, a task at which Adams admittedly had no skill.

The situation escalated when, despite her mother hiring a professional to complete the dress, the school principal denied Adams her diploma on the grounds that she hadn’t personally made the dress. This denial not only prevented her graduation but also barred her from proceeding to college as planned. The Post reported that upon reflection of the incident, Adams once wrote, “I was set for college at 15. But Andrew Jackson High required females to make their own white lawn graduation dress in home etc. I can’t sew. After my mother paid a pro to finish it for me, the principal said: ‘She didn’t make her own dress, she can’t graduate.’ So: No diploma, college, graduating high school. I’m living proof that you can’t get anywhere without a college education.”

Despite this setback, Adams’ career was anything but hindered. She became an iconic figure in journalism, renowned for her insightful and often sharp-tongued gossip columns that entertained and informed New Yorkers for generations, as per the information in The Post report. Meanwhile, her high school eventually closed its doors in 1994, yet the story of her denied diploma lingered as a peculiar footnote in her storied life.

The effort to award Adams her diploma gained momentum thanks to the advocacy of some of her influential friends who worked behind the scenes for years. These efforts, however, were met with bureaucratic hesitance as officials insisted she take the General Educational Development (GED) test instead. The Post report indicated that it wasn’t until Governor Hochul stepped in that Adams was finally able to receive her diploma, officially making her a member of the class of 1946, albeit 78 years later.

This belated recognition is more than just a correction of a long-standing oversight; it is a testament to the resilience of a woman who, despite educational setbacks, rose to the top of her field and became a legend in her own right.

Surrounded by a who’s who of political, media, and entertainment figures, Adams celebrated not just her 94th birthday but also a long-awaited academic accolade. The report in the Post explained that in a touching tribute to her storied career and vibrant life, Adams was presented with a high school diploma, completing a chapter that began more than seven decades ago.

The diploma, awarded under her maiden name Cynthia Heller, was presented by New York Governor Kathy Hochul in a private and dignified ceremony at Adams’ apartment. As per the information contained in the Post report, the degree included not only the diploma itself but also a plaque featuring an image of her alma mater, Andrew Jackson High School, and a “Discharge Card” dated May 1, 1946, symbolizing her official completion of high school requirements. A source described the event to Page Six as “very classy,” highlighting the elegance and personal nature of the celebration.

The guest list for Adams’ birthday and diploma ceremony read like a roll call of New York’s elite. Revealed in The Post’s Page Six report was that among those in attendance were former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, current NYC Mayor Eric Adams, and a spectrum of celebrities from various fields, including filmmaker Woody Allen, civil rights activist Al Sharpton, political commentator Kellyanne Conway, television host Bill O’Reilly, and CNN anchor Don Lemon. Each guest added a layer of prestige and recognition to the event, calling attention to Adams’ significant impact on both the media landscape and the broader cultural fabric of New York.

Adams, ever the epitome of humor and zest, told attendees about her age with her characteristic flair: “I’m size 8, 5-foot-4, 118 pounds, 34B bra size, and I was there when the Egyptians were putting up the pyramids,” the Post’s Page Six quoted Adams as saying. This quip not only lightened the mood but also reflected her timeless ability to engage and entertain an audience.

The celebration was further graced by the presence of soap opera legend Susan Lucci, Fox 5 New York’s Rosanna Scotto, and a host of other prominent figures including Matilda Cuomo, mother of Andrew Cuomo, economic commentator Larry Kudlow, billionaire businessman John Catsimatidis, former NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer, New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd, News Corp CEO Robert Thomson, and New York Post Group Editor-in-Chief Keith Poole, according to the Post report.  Each toast and greeting conveyed a deep respect and admiration for Adams’ contributions to journalism and public life.

 

MTA Sets Date for Controversial Congestion Pricing Plan Amid Legal Battles

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Pixabay

MTA Sets Date for Controversial Congestion Pricing Plan Amid Legal Battles

Edited by: TJVNews.com

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) of New York has marked June 30th as the commencement date for its much-debated congestion pricing plan. According to a recently published report in the New York Post, this initiative mandates a $15 daily fee for drivers entering Manhattan south of 61st Street, with higher charges imposed on larger vehicles. The plan aims to alleviate traffic congestion in the heart of Manhattan and generate substantial revenue for the MTA’s deteriorating infrastructure, potentially exceeding a billion dollars annually, as was noted in the Post report.

The primary objective of the congestion pricing plan is to reduce vehicular traffic in one of the most densely populated areas of New York City, thereby mitigating environmental impact and improving air quality, the Post report explained.  Additionally, the fees collected would provide a crucial financial lifeline for the MTA, which has long struggled with budget deficits and infrastructure issues.

However, the initiative has encountered significant opposition. Critics argue that it disproportionately affects certain groups, particularly suburban commuters and those who rely on vehicle transportation due to the lack of viable public transit options in their areas, as was indicated in the Post report. The imposition of a daily fee is seen by these critics as an unfair tax on drivers who might not have other transportation alternatives.

The rollout of the congestion pricing plan is not yet guaranteed on the slated date due to ongoing legal challenges. New Jersey has filed a lawsuit in federal court, claiming that the MTA’s evaluation of the toll’s impact inadequately considered the effects on drivers from the Garden State and failed to address certain environmental consequences,  ccording to the information provided in the Post report.  This legal action spotlights the inter-state friction that the plan has exacerbated, given the significant number of New Jersey residents who commute to Manhattan for work.

In addition to the lawsuit from New Jersey, local opposition has been robust. The United Federation of Teachers (UFT), a prominent teachers’ union in New York, and Vito Fossela, the Staten Island Borough President, are actively challenging the plan in court. The Post reported that the UFT filed a lawsuit set for arguments in mid-May and its involvement calls attention to the widespread concern over the plan’s impact, extending beyond logistical and financial issues to encompass broader social justice and equity considerations.

The report in the Post noted that their efforts highlight concerns that the congestion pricing could have unintended negative impacts on specific communities, including potential health effects on residents of areas such as Staten Island, who may see increased traffic and pollution as drivers seek alternative routes to avoid the tolls.

State Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton of Staten Island and State Senator Jim Skoufis of Orange County have also voiced their strong opposition to the plan. Scarcella-Spanton labeled the MTA’s oversight of the potential health impacts on Staten Islanders as “abhorrent,” the Post report said.

Scarcella-Spanton also emphasized the dual burden of financial strain and health risks posed by the plan, condemning what she sees as a “blatant disregard for the health and well-being” of her constituents, the Post report added.

Senator Skoufis raised issues regarding the lack of reliable public transportation alternatives for his constituents in Orange County. According to the report in the Post, he pointed out the impracticality of the current transit options, where train schedules can have gaps as long as six hours, making it difficult for everyday workers such as teachers, police officers, and sanitation workers to maintain their schedules without relying on personal vehicles.

Both Skoufis and Scarcella-Spanton broke ranks with their Democratic colleagues earlier this year during votes for new nominees to the MTA board, signaling their deep dissatisfaction with the direction of the MTA’s policies.

Despite these challenges, Governor Kathy Hochul has defended the congestion pricing plan, arguing that it is essential for raising critically needed funds to maintain and upgrade New York City’s public transportation system. However, recent polls indicate a significant lack of public support, with approximately 63% of voters expressing disapproval of the plan, as was indicated in the Post report.

 

King Charles III’s Funeral Plans Updated as Speculation Mounts Over Health Concerns

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King Charles III was diagnosed with a form of cancer and has begun treatment. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

King Charles III’s Funeral Plans Updated as Speculation Mounts Over Health Concerns

Edited by: Fern Sidman

In British society and the corridors of power, a pressing question looms large: Just how sick is King Charles III?  According to a detailed report that appeared on Thursday on The Daily Beast web site, the answer remains shrouded in mystery and whispers of the monarch’s declining health have ignited a flurry of speculation and concern.

Recent conversations with associates of the king paint a grim picture of his health, with expressions of somber resignation and murmurs of “It’s not good” echoing through the halls of power. The report in the Daily Beast indicated that despite mounting apprehension, officials within the royal circle have remained tight-lipped, deflecting inquiries and opting to maintain a veil of secrecy around the king’s condition.

Formal requests for comment on the matter from reputable sources, including The Daily Beast, have been met with resounding silence from the king’s camp. While his aides have steadfastly adhered to their stance of refraining from providing a “running commentary” on his health, the lack of transparency has only fueled speculation and heightened concerns.

The king’s disclosure earlier this year of a cancer diagnosis, albeit without specifying the exact type, has only added to the uncertainty surrounding his health. The report in The Daily Beast indicated that while ruling out prostate cancer, the nature and severity of his condition remain shrouded in ambiguity, leaving many to ponder the implications for the monarchy and the nation at large.

Reports suggest that King Charles III has been undergoing regular visits to London for radiotherapy treatment, a course of action typically employed in the treatment of various types of cancer. However, the Daily Beast also reported that the extent to which this treatment has alleviated or exacerbated his condition remains a matter of conjecture.

As the leader of a hereditary monarchy, King Charles III occupies a unique position of authority, with his health status carrying significant implications for the continuity and stability of the monarchy, as was explained in The Daily Beast report. While his office may seek to shield his prognosis from public scrutiny, the inherent public interest in his well-being calls attention to the magnitude of the situation.

Reports from sources within the royal circle suggest that detailed plans for King Charles III’s funeral, codenamed Operation Menai Bridge, are being regularly updated and reviewed by government officials. As was noted in The Daily Beast report, the plans have been described as a comprehensive document akin to a “lessons learned” review and this meticulous assessment aims to identify areas for improvement based on the handling of Queen Elizabeth’s funeral and to ensure seamless execution in the event of the king’s passing.

While the Cabinet Office, responsible for state funerals, declined to comment to The Daily Beast on the specifics of the Operation Menai Bridge document, the routine nature of such preparations shines a spotlight on the gravity of the situation. With the prospect of losing the reigning monarch looming large, officials are leaving no stone unturned in their preparations for the inevitable, the report added.

Behind the scenes, friends of the royal family and insiders are grappling with the stark reality of King Charles III’s declining health, with genuine concern and sadness permeating their conversations. Despite efforts to maintain optimism, there is a palpable sense of distress at the prospect of losing the king sooner than anticipated.

One longtime friend of the family, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed to The Daily Beast the serious nature of the situation, acknowledging the severity of the king’s illness while expressing hope for his recovery. The sentiment echoed by this source reflects the delicate balance between acknowledging the gravity of the situation and maintaining a sense of optimism amidst uncertainty.

Adding to the sense of foreboding, reports have emerged of officials routinely reviewing copies of the extensive Operation Menai Bridge document. As was noted in The Daily Beast report, with meticulous attention to detail, preparations are underway to ensure that King Charles III’s funeral proceeds with the dignity and precision befitting the occasion.

Dubbed Operation Menai Bridge, the funeral plan for King Charles III follows a long-standing tradition within the royal family of assigning bridge-based codewords to funeral preparations. The report on The Daily Beast web site noted that while Queen Elizabeth’s death plan was famously known as “Operation London Bridge,” the choice of Menai Bridge holds symbolic significance, as it is a dramatic suspension bridge connecting the island of Anglesey with the Welsh mainland.

Insiders privy to the planning process emphasize the routine nature of reviewing and updating the funeral plans, stressing the importance of ensuring readiness in light of the king’s cancer diagnosis, the Daily Beast report explained.  While the circulation of these plans may evoke a sense of urgency, it is regarded as standard protocol to maintain preparedness for all eventualities.

Former staffers and sources with connections to serving courtiers offer insights into the meticulous attention to detail that characterizes Operation Menai Bridge. Indicated in The Daily Beast report was that for those involved in the planning, it is not merely an emotional undertaking but a solemn duty performed with the utmost seriousness and professionalism.

Senior officials responsible for coordinating royal funerals approach their task with precision and dedication, drawing upon the success of past events, such as Queen Elizabeth’s funeral, to set a high standard for future ceremonies, the report in The Daily Beast affirmed. Every aspect of the plan is scrutinized and refined to ensure smooth execution, with a focus on honoring the dignity and legacy of the monarchy.

The military plays a pivotal role in the execution of royal funerals, with the Household Division, under the leadership of Major General James Bowder, taking the lead, the Daily Beast noted. The involvement of multiple regiments, including the Parachute Regiment, illustrates the scale and complexity of the operation, highlighting the comprehensive preparations underway to uphold tradition and protocol.

According to insiders familiar with the planning process, the funeral arrangements for King Charles III represent a significant logistical challenge, requiring detailed preparations for both ceremonial and security aspects, The Daily Beast reported. From the ceremonial proceedings to the complex security measures, every aspect of the event must be carefully orchestrated to ensure its smooth execution.

The ceremonial end of the funeral is just the beginning of a comprehensive security operation, given the attendance of numerous VVIPs from around the world. Security measures range from missile defense systems to safeguarding against potential lone wolf attacks.

Heading the coordination efforts is the Earl Marshal, Edward Fitzalan Howard, the Duke of Norfolk. As the most senior dukedom in the land, the Earl Marshal’s role is hereditary and carries significant responsibility in overseeing royal ceremonies and events, according to the information provided in The Daily Beast report. With a track record of success, including the coordination of Queen Elizabeth’s funeral and coronation, the Duke of Norfolk is poised to lead the preparations for King Charles III’s funeral with expertise and diligence.

Despite the sensitive nature of the topic, hints of the possibility of King Charles III’s passing in a shorter timeframe than widely anticipated have surfaced in the UK press, as was indicated in The Daily Beast report. Notably, the Daily Mail’s Ephraim Hardcastle column hinted at this possibility on February 22nd, reflecting the undercurrent of speculation surrounding the king’s health.

However, amidst whispers and hints, a remarkable silence shrouds the topic in the British press, despite occasional allusions in certain columns.

One such instance arose in Hardcastle’s column, where cryptic references to Prince William’s plans for changes to the accession process hinted at a shifting landscape within the royal family. Noted in the Daily Beast report was that suggestions that Prince William’s envisioned reforms could face an expedited timeline, possibly preceding a general election and a new Prime Minister, hinted at a sense of urgency in the corridors of power.

Further fueling speculation, the column delved into Prince William’s contemplations about his destiny, referencing past conversations where he described his future as akin to “prison walls,” according to The Daily Beast, Against the backdrop of King Charles III’s health concerns, these musings took on added significance, hinting at the weight of impending responsibilities.

Despite such tantalizing tidbits, the British press maintains a conspicuous silence on the matter, adhering to strict laws governing medical privacy and the dissemination of personal information. The report in the Daily Beast suggested that even with a purported diagnosis such as bladder cancer, the stringent regulations render any disclosure virtually impossible, leaving the public to decipher clues and read between the lines.

Meanwhile, foreign media, unbound by the same constraints, have offered veiled insights into the royal family’s inner turmoil. The Daily Beast observed that Tina Brown’s commentary in the New York Times sheds light on the profound impact of King Charles III’s health on the succession timeline, suggesting that Prince William and Princess Catherine may find themselves thrust into the spotlight sooner than anticipated, disrupting their aspirations for a period of private family life.

While the exact type of cancer afflicting the king remains undisclosed, his frequent trips to London for treatment suggest a regimen involving radiotherapy, according to a cancer expert who spoke to The Daily Beast but preferred to remain anonymous.

Radiotherapy, a treatment conducted using specialized equipment, stands distinct from chemotherapy, which can be administered with more commonplace medical tools, the report explained,  Often, these therapies are employed in conjunction to combat cancer comprehensively.

Despite the lack of official updates from the palace, subtle indicators hint at the monarch’s health status. The Daily Beast also reported that following a spirited public appearance at Easter, where he engaged with well-wishers outside St George’s Chapel in Windsor, King Charles III has retreated from the public eye, sparking speculation about his well-being.

Observers note a gaunt appearance during sporadic sightings, such as his journeys to London for treatment, where he is chauffeured in a ceremonial-style vehicle with conspicuous windows, according to The Daily Beast report. However, a glimmer of hope emerged as the king attended church in Scotland, showcasing resilience amidst his health battle.

The trajectory of King Charles III’s recovery will likely be illuminated by key upcoming events on his calendar. The official birthday parade, Trooping the Color, slated for June 15, holds significance as a potential gauge of his progress. Additionally, The Daily Beast report indicated that rumors continue to swirl about his attendance at the prestigious Royal Ascot horse racing festival later in June, suggesting optimism regarding his health.

Moreover, the report in The Daily Beast said that plans for a state visit to Australia followed by participation in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa, scheduled for mid-October, remain underway, indicating a determination to fulfill royal duties despite health challenges.

Christopher Andersen, a renowned royal writer, revealed to The Daily Beast the behind-the-scenes process that every senior royal undergoes in planning their final send-off.

Andersen emphasized that the solemn task of funeral planning extends beyond the king himself; it encompasses every senior member of the royal family, including Prince William and Prince Harry. Revealed in The Daily Beast report was that even during their teenage years, the young princes were entrusted with selecting music, flowers, prayers, and individuals to participate in their own funeral ceremonies. This morbid reality serves as a constant reminder to royals of the inevitable spotlight that will accompany their passing.

In the case of King Charles III, whose reign is projected to be relatively short, according to The Daily Beast report, the revision of funeral plans is a routine practice rather than a determinant of his health prognosis. The Daily Beast report emphasized that Andersen cautioned against conflating funeral preparations with speculation about the duration of the king’s reign, emphasizing the need for transparency from the palace regarding his condition and prognosis.

The absence of official updates from the palace has fueled gossip and conjecture, creating fertile ground for conspiracy theories to flourish, as was suggested in The Daily Beast report.

While the macabre fixation on death may pervade discussions surrounding royal funeral preparations, Andersen’s insights highlight the pragmatic approach taken by senior royals to ensure that their final farewells reflect their wishes, the Daily Beast reported. In an era marked by heightened public scrutiny, transparency and honesty from the palace are essential to navigate the delicate balance between privacy and public interest. Until then, speculation will persist, casting a shadow over the future of the monarchy and the health of its reigning sovereign.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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