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Greenberg Traurig, National Jewish Advocacy Center, Schoen Law Firm, & Holtzman Vogel Represent American & Israeli Victims of Hamas Oct. 7 Terrorist Attack in Lawsuit

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Posters with photos of people kidnapped by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023. (Shutterstock)

 

Edited by: TJVNews.com

Representing a group of victims of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terror attack on Israel, global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP, the National Jewish Advocacy Center, the Schoen Law Firm, and the Holtzman Vogel law firm have filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern Division of Virginia, Alexandria Division, against AJP Educational Foundation Inc. a/k/a American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) and National Students for Justice in Palestine (NSJP).

The lawsuit, which seeks compensatory damages for nine American and Israeli victims of the attack in which Hamas killed 1,200 people and took 240 people hostage, alleges that AMP and NSJP work in the United States as collaborators and propagandists for Hamas. Hamas is a United States designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. The suit also notes that AMP and NSJP are merely the current version of several prior entities that were already determined by the U.S. government to be supporters of Hamas.

“I couldn’t be prouder of our firm for taking on this important representation. It is an honor to lend our voice and resources to this fight in support of plaintiffs who have suffered greatly at the hands of terrorists,” said Richard A. Rosenbaum, Executive Chairman of Greenberg Traurig. “We have assembled a formidable team who will make certain that the strong evidence showing the defendants have violated the rule of law is presented in an American courtroom. Our team will work tirelessly to hold these organizations accountable for their actions carried out in concert with terrorists.”

The suit alleges AMP and NSJP responded on Oct. 8, 2023, the day after the horrific atrocities perpetrated by Hamas, by participating in the terrorist’s propaganda to justify its appalling brutalities. AMP and NSJP answered Hamas’s “call for mass mobilization” by disseminating a manifesto and plan of attack. This manifesto confirms that “AMP and NSJP are not merely organizing to assist Hamas’s ongoing terror campaign abroad—they are intentionally extending their aid to fomenting chaos, violence, and terror in the United States.” In this manner, the groups acted to support and further the goals and directives of Hamas.

Further, the lawsuit states that “Plaintiffs—survivors of Hamas’s October 7 terrorist attack, family members of those murdered by Hamas, civilians still under fire from Hamas’s ongoing terrorism, and persons displaced by Hamas’s ongoing terrorism—have been, and continue to be, injured because AMP and NSJP knowingly provide continuous, systematic, and substantial assistance to Hamas and its affiliates’ acts of international terrorism. AMP and NSJP are thus liable to Plaintiffs for the damages they incurred because AMP and NSJP aid and abet Hamas’s terrorism.”

“Since Oct. 7, our country has witnessed a shocking rise in anti-Semitism, verbal and physical threats against Jews on our campuses and in our streets, vandalism, blockades, economic disruption, illegal encampments, and hostile takeovers of academic buildings—largely and concertedly directed by Hamas and its collaborators, American Muslims for Palestine and National Students for Justice in Palestine. Until now, they have seemingly operated in a world without consequence. With this lawsuit, we will hold Hamas’s collaborators accountable for their actions and show them and those in sympathy with them that no one is above, or beyond, the rule of law. As the son of one of the youngest survivors of Auschwitz, I am proud to be part of the team seeking vindication for our clients. We look forward to presenting the evidence to the judge and jury,” said Scott J. Bornstein, Senior Vice President of Greenberg Traurig.

Richard A. Edlin, Vice Chair of Greenberg Traurig, notes: “It is deeply ironic that the same people carrying signs saying ‘Death to America’ and ‘Death to Jews’ claim they are protected by free speech. They are not. Free speech has never included the active support of terrorism, and it has never protected the destruction of private property or the brutalization of innocent men, women, and children of many faiths, not just Jews. In the defendants, we confront an American problem, as well as a Jewish problem. We cannot—and through this lawsuit, we are saying we will not—allow the infiltration of Hamas-directed hatred, violence, and intimidation anywhere we can prevent it. If the defendants believe they can set up operations in America to create a mass culture of fear, threats, violence, and intimidation to undermine our cherished educational institutions, affect our governmental policies, and force Hamas’s evil ideology on American or Israeli soil, they are about to find out how mistaken they are.”

“As a lawyer with a long history of fighting antisemitism, I am proud to sign my name to this important lawsuit,” said Brad Kaufman, Co-President of Greenberg Traurig.

According to Mark Goldfeder, the CEO and director of the National Jewish Advocacy Center, “This case is very simple: When someone tells you they are aiding and abetting terrorists—believe them.”

Jason Torchinsky, a partner at Holtzman Vogel who also represents the victims, emphasized that “[t]he chaos we are seeing at American colleges and universities has been well planned and organized, and National SJP’s work to support the end goals of Hamas needs to be exposed and stopped. We hope this lawsuit sees justice for our clients.”

The group of American and Israeli victims have experienced a wide spectrum of physical and emotional injuries.

“It is time that Hamas and all of its agents, like AMP and NSJP, be held responsible for their horrific actions,” the victims said in a joint statement. “We want to go on record to expose these groups for the terrorists they are and make certain that they are stopped from operating in the United States and other countries they infiltrate.”

Professor Anat Alon-Beck’s decision to join the lawsuit was motivated by personal experiences of harassment as an Israeli American corporate law professor. She wants to prevent this from happening to others on campuses. She is concerned about the alarming rise in antisemitism, demonization, delegitimization and dehumanization of Israel and the United States.

About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig, LLP has more than 2750 attorneys in 47 locations in the United States, Europe and the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia. The firm is a 2022 BTI “Highly Recommended Law Firm” for superior client service and is consistently among the top firms on the Am Law Global 100 and NLJ 500. Greenberg Traurig is Mansfield Rule 6.0 Certified Plus by The Diversity Lab. The firm is recognized for powering its U.S. offices with 100% renewable energy as certified by the Center for Resource Solutions Green-e® Energy program and is a member of the U.S. EPA’s Green Power Partnership Program. The firm is known for its philanthropic giving, innovation, diversity, and pro bono. Web: www.gtlaw.com.

About the National Jewish Advocacy Center: The National Jewish Advocacy Center, Inc. is a nonprofit organization committed to our mission to advocate for the Jewish nation and the Jewish state as prisms through which people from all walks of life can learn about the dignity of difference, the power of coexistence, and the strength that comes from tolerance. NJAC is a thought leader in the field of combatting antisemitism with a demonstrated ability to innovate creative legal solutions and substantively support them. Web: https://jewishadvocacycenter.org/.

About Schoen Law Firm: David Schoen is a solo practitioner focusing on civil rights litigation and criminal defense work and has for many years represented victims of terrorism. David is the recipient of the American Bar Association’s national Pro Bono Publico award and the U.S. District Judge David Nelson public interest award for his civil rights work. Web: https://schoenlawfirm.com/.

About Holtzman Vogel: Holtzman Vogel specializes in navigating sensitive, high-stakes regulatory and litigation matters for the country’s most prominent individuals, corporations, and advocacy organizations. The firm is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with offices strategically located in Virginia, Florida, and Arizona. The firm and its lawyers are continuously ranked by the nation’s most trusted legal guides including Chambers USA, Best Lawyers and Best Law Firms, Super Lawyers, POLITICO, Washingtonian, among others. For more information, visit www.holtzmanvogel.com

NY Times Admits:  Palestinian State Already Exists (In All But Name)

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Credit: AP

NY Times Admits:  Palestinian State Already Exists (In All But Name)

By: Moshe Phillips

It was just a throwaway line in a recent New York Times article about developments in the Arab world. But boy did those eight words pack a wallop—about Israel, the Palestinian Arabs, and the entire Arab-Israeli conflict.

On April 29, three Times correspondents—Vivian Yee, Vivian Nereim, and Emad Mekay—were reporting from multiple Arab capitals about pro-Hamas rallies held in different countries. When they reached the subject of Jordan, in the sixth paragraph, they wrote that “Jordan’s government [is] caught between its majority-Palestinian population” and its relations with the United States and Israel.

Wait a minute! Jordan has a “majority-Palestinian population”?

This is not the first time that the New York Times has mentioned this fact. But it’s an important reminder that this little fact is actually a very big deal.

Our media and academic elites never define terms when doing so would be politically inconvenient. So we don’t know exactly how the Times defines “Palestinian” when it comes to residents of Jordan. But let’s just take it at face value: it must mean a person who considers himself “Palestinian,” based on the fact that he or his grandparents or his great grandparents once lived in a country called “Palestine.”

For the sake of this discussion, let’s leave aside some of the more controversial aspects of being “Palestinian.” Like the fact that there is nothing—historically, culturally, religiously, or linguistically—that makes a “Palestinian” different from a Syrian. Like the fact that for many decades, the people now called “Palestinians” insisted that they were not Palestinians, just Arabs or Southern Syrians. Or like the fact that “Palestinian” nationalism arose only as an anti-nationalism, that is, a way to fight Israel and Zionism.

Let’s just focus, for now, on the simple question of how Jordan could have a “majority-Palestinian population,” and what that means. During the period of the British Mandate, from 1917 to 1948, the country was called “Palestine” in English, and “Eretz Yisrael” in Hebrew. (That was also true for some years prior to 1917, but I’m speaking here about the modern era.)

So technically, anybody who lived there could have been called “Palestinian.”

Then in 1922, the British decided to unilaterally alter the region’s geography. They sliced off the eastern 78% of  the Palestine Mandate and proclaimed the existence of a new country, called “Transjordan,” that is, The Other Side of the Jordan.

The very fact that its name is based on negative—that it’s not on That Side of the river—instead of on something having to do with the nature of its residents, illustrates how arbitrary and artificial the country’s creation was. Later, the Saudi tribe that the British installed as the country’s rulers, the Hashemites, decided to change name again, this time to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Again, the willy-nilly changing of its name shows how inauthentic the country was, and is.

So the people who were “Palestinian” from 1917 to 1922 suddenly became “Trans-Jordanian” in 1923. Then later they became “Jordanian.” But then again, maybe not—because according to the Times, the majority of the country’s population is still “Palestinian,” for some unexplained reason.

Why does any of this matter? Because it all goes to the heart of the concept of nationalism. Why is France called “France”? Because the majority of the people there have a common, and unique, history, and language.

Why is Germany called “Germany”? Because most of its residents likewise have a unique history and language.

If the majority of people in France were not ethnically Frenchmen, there would be no reason to call it France. If the majority of people in Germany were not ethnic Germans, it wouldn’t be Germany.

So how is it that Jordan has a majority of a different ethnicity, Palestinian, yet the country is still “Jordanian”?

The answer is that it’s all a big word-game. “Jordanian” and “Palestinian” are both inauthentic terms. Neither group has a genuine national history in the country—when the British took over, they found a hodgepodge of local tribes with no unifying national identity, and no linguistic bond any different from the language spoken in all the surrounding countries.

There was never any substantive difference between being Jordanian and being Palestinian. Both countries, and both identities, were created for reasons of political convenience and advantage. And if a “Palestinian” state were to be established, that would also be for a narrow political purpose—the purpose of putting a deadly time-bomb right on Israel’s border.

But there’s no reason to create a Palestinian state when one already exists. According to the New York Times, Jordan, which used to be called Palestine, still has a majority of “Palestinians.” Well, that’s the central ingredient for statehood. All they need is one democratic election for the majority to choose a leader who would call the country according to the self-identification of the majority of its residents.

Of course that’s not going to happen, because the king of Jordan will never permit an election. Kings don’t do that sort of thing. Democracy is like poison to monarchies and dictatorships.

But whether or not the disenfranchised “Palestinian majority” in Jordan is ever granted democratic rights, the fact remains that they already have a large, independent, sovereign Palestinian state. It just happens to go by a different name.

(Moshe Phillips is a commentator on Jewish affairs whose writings appear regularly in the American and Israeli press.)

 

 

 

NYPD: Funding for Pro-Palestinian ‘Encampments’ Comes from ‘Around the World’

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Members of a negotiation team speak during a press conference on Friday, April 26th near a pro-Hamas encampment at Columbia University. Credit: AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura

By Joel B. Pollak

New York Police Department (NYPD) Deputy Commissioner of Public Information Tarik Sheppard told Fox News‘ Neil Cavuto on Thursday that pro-Palestinian “encampments” at many universities are run by “outside agitators” with funds from “around the world.”

Sheppard said that the NYPD was “very confident” that “outside agitators and influencers” have been present at protests in the city. Often, these “professionals” manage to escape arrest.

“They may just fly in for a day or two, and leave,” he said, adding that they “travel around the country” between protests.

Sheppard added: “And they have funding. They are funded by private individuals around the world sometimes.” He said that students are often easily manipulated by the professional activists to join radical, often illegal, protests.

As Breitbart News noted, one veteran activist, Lisa Fithian, was allegedly seen this week at the site of the Columbia University protests, which ended with a violent occupation of a university building, and intervention by the NYPD.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has been silent about the organizations, activists, and donors behind the protests. A lawsuit filed this week alleges that some of the organizations involved, such as Students for Justice in Palestine, are acting as propaganda arms for the Hamas terrorist organization that carried out the October 7 terror attacks in Israel.

Sheppard said that local officials have been in contact with different universities, but did not mention the DOJ.

Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of the recent e-book, “The Zionist Conspiracy (and how to join it),” now available on Audible. He is also the author of the e-book, Neither Free nor Fair: The 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.

Report: Turkish terrorist traveled to Israel with official delegation

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(JNS) The Turkish terrorist who carried out an attack in Jerusalem this week, moderately injuring an Israeli policeman, was visiting the Jewish state as part of an official delegation organized by Ankara’s Ministry of Religion, the HaKol HaYehudi news outlet reported on Thursday.

Hassan Saklana, 34, an imam (Muslim prayer leader) from Urfa in southeastern Turkey, stabbed a Border Police officer outside the Old City’s Herod’s Gate on Tuesday after entering Israel through Jordan a day earlier, according to reports.

Urfa, a city of almost 600,000 people near the Syrian border once known as Edessa, is known as a hotbed of Islamic radicalism.

HaKol HaYehudi said Saklana left the delegation, which was staying at the New Capitol Hotel in eastern Jerusalem, and carried out his attack.

Ankara’s Ministry of Religion regularly sends official delegations to Israel as a way to establish a Turkish presence throughout the country’s capital, including in the Old City, the Temple Mount and the nearby Tomb of Samuel.

Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the future of such tours in the wake of the attack.

Turkey’s Minister of Religious Affairs, Ali Erbaş, in March called on Muslims to boycott Israeli products in solidarity with “our brothers and sisters” in Gaza, where the Israel Defense Forces are fighting Hamas.

The top cleric also claimed that “grandchildren of Holocaust survivors are massacring Muslims” in Gaza and called on the entire Islamic world to unite against the Jewish state, according to Turkish media reports.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has shown extreme hostility to Israel since the Hamas-led massacre of Oct. 7 in which thousands of Israelis and foreign nationals were killed, wounded and kidnapped, with widespread atrocities documented.

Why is the pro-Palestinian encampment craze sweeping our colleges?

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An anti-Israel encampment at NYU. (Twitter Screenshot)

By Robert Spencer, Frontpage Magazine

Campus fads come and go, but we’ve come a long way from swallowing goldfish, stuffing as many people as possible into phone booths, and the ever-popular drinking until you pass out.

The latest craze among college kids is, as Sen. John Fetterman (D-Penn.) indelibly put it, “living in a pup tent for Hamas.”

No sooner do cops clear out one encampment than another one springs up, and it looks as if they’re going to be with us for the rest of this semester and may even be revived once the universities reconvene next fall.

This is, however, not even close to being a spontaneous phenomenon. The groundwork for what we’re seeing now has been laid for years.

Not only is it not spontaneous, it’s clearly orchestrated from outside the colleges and universities where the encampments have sprung up.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has acknowledged that “professionals” were involved in the Columbia University encampment.

Another sign that this isn’t exactly a grass-roots movement is the fact that a large number of the pro-Hamas protesters have identical tents.

Which well-heeled leftist bought them? We don’t know and may never know, but someone certainly appears to have done some buying in bulk.

Still, the movement needed foot soldiers. The cadres had to be recruited and indoctrinated.

That has been the work of the Middle East Studies Association (MESA), the professional organization of Middle East Studies professors at colleges and universities nationwide.

MESA, whose members dominate the Middle East Studies faculties of most colleges and universities in the United States, says that it is “a non-profit association that fosters the study of the Middle East, promotes high standards of scholarship and teaching, and encourages public understanding of the region and its peoples through programs, publications and services that enhance education, further intellectual exchange, recognize professional distinction, and defend academic freedom.”

That strikes all the right notes, but as you likely suspect, the reality is not so noble and high-minded.

MESA is a far-left, pro-jihad activist organization that is dedicated to providing an academic sheen to Marxist agitprop and Palestinian jihad propaganda.

To see what MESA busies itself with doing, scan the 25 items that are currently on the front page of the news section of the MESA website.

Two stories are pinned to the top of the page; one of them is actually on the side of genuine justice and human rights, decrying the Iranian Islamic regime’s dismissal of professors who supported the recent Woman, Life, Freedom protests in Iran.

The other pinned story, however, is entitled “Campus Climate Resources,” which gives the initial impression that it’s propaganda about the myth of human-caused climate change; it’s actually about the “climate” on campus regarding support for the Palestinian jihad against Israel.

MESA here offers an assortment of links to this article denouncing the alleged “repression of protest on campuses,” the alleged “targeting of Palestinian students in Israeli universities,” and the like.

One of these linked articles carries this headline: “MESA Board Joint Statement with CAF [MESA’s Committee on Academic Freedom] regarding the ongoing genocidal violence against the Palestinian people and their cultural heritage in Gaza.”

Trump is Better for Palestinians

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The first of Donald Trump’s four criminal trials will begin April 15, a Manhattan judge ruled Monday.
By Rich Berdan
President Joe Biden finds himself in the corner of the sandbox when the mainstream media calls him out for his dithering on the anti-Semitic demonstrations across universities in America by politically conflating Islamophobia on the same level. The escape hatch for Biden’s media friends to prop him up is a growing narrative that if you do not like Biden’s bungling policy in supporting both Israel and Gaza, then you will be aghast on what former President Donald Trump will do to inflict pain on the Palestinians if he is elected.
Let’s seriously look at the two leaders who have a track record as President on who will be best to solve the tinderbox in the Middle East. It is clear that there are two very different approaches by both presidents.
Trump had removed the ISIS caliphate threat, tightened the noose on Iran through sanctions that cut off weapons flowing to their terrorist proxies and significantly reduced Iranian regimes pursuit of nuclear weapons, he swiftly authorized 51 tomahawk missile strikes against Syrian and Russian military infrastructure in Syria for the use of chemical weapons, he cut off funding to the Palestinians for rewarding families of suicide terrorists and their unwillingness to recognize Israel, his first visit abroad was to Saudi Arabia to solidify relations with America, and he moved the embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.
Trump’s actions resulted in four Arab countries entering into an unprecedented economic and cultural relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords. The former president did not waver on principle and was resolute in carrying a big stick to protect American interests while ensuring change took place in the Middle East that culminated in a relatively peaceful presidential term. Trump was not the warmonger that many touted and nor should American’s be manipulated into thinking he will be if elected again.
On the other hand, President Biden reversed much of the Trump foreign policy by reinstituting aid to the Palestinians that essentially propped up Hamas terrorists, he allowed for billions of dollars held up in foreign banks to be released to Iran along with removing Trump’s sanctions on Iranian oil to fund Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, he interfered in Israeli politics in an attempt to remove Prime Minister Netanyahu, shipping routes to the Suez Canal are threatened, he ruined strategic relations with Saudi Arabia, and overseen a complete mess of America’s withdraw from Afghanistan. Biden’s actions sent a sent a clear signal to Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran that America is weak under this president and now is the optimal time to move against Israel and the West.
Hamas now had the means and support from Iran to inflict a gruesome attack on Israel that has culminated in the poor people of Gaza suffering the consequences for their actions, and the rise of a disgusting, well funded, and orchestrated anti-Semitic
demonstrations throughout American campuses. Not only did Biden’s actions cause war to break out during his term, but mayhem on the home front not unlike the Nazi brownshirt youth persecuting Jews in Germany.
Regardless of who is running against Biden’s, his dismal leadership and miscalculated political decisions should essentially disqualify him from winning the general election. Throw in inflation and cost of living, an open border bringing in drugs killing Americans and potential terrorists, and billions of dollars being sent to Ukraine to fight a war of his own doing; and he should not even be considered as the Democrat presumptive nominee. Good for Republicans but at what cost to the country. Democrats still have a chance to throw him out before their convention.
Well, who would be better to lead peace in the Middle East and see the war between Israel and Hamas come to an end that leads to Israeli security and the rebuilding of Gaza? If any reasonable person seriously weighs the results of the past two administrations, it is not even close. The narrative by some in the media that Trump would be worse for the Palestinians living in Gaza than a vacillating Biden holds no water.
What would Trump do on day one? He would likely begin to telegraph his expectations prior to taking office in a similar manner to former president Ronald Reagan who made it clear to the Iranians that he would start bombing upon taking office if the American hostages were not released by Iran in 1980.
Conventional wisdom must be thrown out under Trump. Perhaps he will have a plan that leverages a Marine Strikeforce being sent into Gaza to rescue the hostages or see the belligerents take up a one-time offer that removes the terrorist threat without being annihilated, rebuild the Gaza Strip with Middle East countries lined up with oil revenues, and Saudi Arabia brought into the Abraham Accords while isolating Iran. Trump will provide Israel with the assurance to stand down and the loss of life in Gaza will cease.
One can only hope that this situation will be resolved before the election however under Biden, one should expect further conflict in the region. Trump’s hard negotiations is best for a Palestinian and Israeli future.

Netanyahu is facing the greatest challenge of his life

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Israel is preparing to escalate its military campaign against the Hamas organization in the Gaza Strip, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. Credit: AP

By Yaakiov Katz

He has been known as the “Teflon prime minister’ and the politician who seems to always find a way back from the clutches of defeat. And while Israel’s longest-serving prime minister has faced numerous challenges over the last 30 years since he catapulted to the top of the Likud list, none have been as dire as the situation Benjamin Netanyahu faces right now.

Yes, he has lost elections, but none of them had the potential to end with the establishment of a state commission of inquiry that would most definitely find him responsible for some of the failures that led to the October 7 Hamas massacre. Yes, he has faced tough decisions in the past, but none had the potential to bring down his government while he is at his weakest point in the polls, on trial for corruption charges, will soon need to take the stand himself, and is about to face street protests never seen before in Israel.

He has been through a lot, but nothing like this.

The dilemma he and the government face is not one to envy. One option is to make a deal (assuming it is even possible) with Hamas to save as many of the hostages as possible and, in exchange, postpone an offensive in Rafah, potentially losing the coalition at the same time. The other option is to find a way to prevent a hostage deal (assuming Hamas doesn’t reject it first) and enter Rafah, raising the ire of the public that wants to see the hostages return as well as the international community, which has already said it will not support such an operation.

While the coalition will remain intact in such a case, National Unity leaders Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot will quit the government, setting off a spark that will lead to unprecedented street protests against the government, making what we saw during the judicial reform look like child’s play. This, too, will be hard to overcome.

Each option has its advantages and disadvantages. Agreeing to the hostage deal will come at a steep price. It will include the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners and a suspension of the war for an extended period. Nevertheless, it is the right decision, it is the just decision, and it will bring Israel some closure that it desperately needs. While the world has moved on from October 7, Israelis have not. Every day, when they look at the pictures of the hostages it is a reminder of the gaping hole that is still open in their hearts.

On the other hand, not going into Rafah will keep Hamas strong and potentially in power in the Gaza Strip. According to IDF estimates, Hamas has approximately four or five battalions that are still standing in Rafah, amounting to about 15,000 armed men. This is in addition to the terrorist infrastructure it has there – command centers, arms caches, and, of course, the tunnels it operates along the border with Egypt, which until a few months ago were still bringing in advanced weaponry into the Strip.

Not damaging that infrastructure or eliminating those fighters almost definitely means that Hamas will remain in control of Gaza. It will have the weapons and the men enabling the terrorist organization to restore its control over the parts of Gaza that Israel will vacate, as seen recently in the north, where, after Israel pulled back its forces, Hamas returned and fired rockets.

Netanyahu is trying to keep it all together without letting either side down – his political base, which wants a continued offensive in Gaza and for the IDF to enter Rafah, and the public, which wants to see the hostages released – as well as the Americans, who want this war to be over. It is a hard balancing act that no one in his shoes has ever had to do because no prime minister had overseen such a disaster while on trial, tanking in the polls, and facing street protests for more than a year.

The one recent comparison would be to Ehud Olmert, who, in the aftermath of the Second Lebanon War, faced calls from reservists to resign and established a state commission of inquiry and then police investigations, which eventually forced him to step down. But Olmert was not indicted and not on trial while in office. On the other hand, what Olmert showed was the ability of a prime minister to remain in power even after a war that was viewed as a failure. He stayed on for another two and a half years.

That is why, despite everything that is happening, it would be a mistake to write off Netanyahu. It is hard now to see how he can overcome this struggle, but his political demise is not at all a done deal. With that said, there is no underestimating the challenges he now faces. The keys to his political future and his potential freedom lie in the hands of two people who cannot exactly be counted on – Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir, a pair for whom rational political thinking does not always apply. However, there is no reason to feel sorry for Netanyahu. He created this mess. He legitimized Ben-Gvir as a cabinet minister and a coalition partner. Yes, he would not have had a government without the former Kach rabble-rouser, but he was warned plenty of what to expect if he got into bed with him.

At the end, though, this should not really matter. Instead, what should matter is the future of the State of Israel, the resilience of its people, and the message that will be sent in both cases – if we, as a nation, prioritize the return of the hostages or if we do not and prioritize an operation in Rafah.

These are the kinds of decisions that showcase the ethical standard of a nation and will not only go down in history but also send a message that will resonate globally. As the son of a historian, Netanyahu, a history enthusiast himself, knows this. He knows that Ben-Gvir and Smotrich are unlikely to take up more than a few paragraphs when this period of Israeli history is chronicled for the generations to come.

However, the choices he makes now possess the potential to create ripple effects throughout the military, Israeli society, and the broader Jewish community for decades to come. The responsibility rests squarely on his shoulders.

Brown University Caves to Anti-Israel Mob; First to Consider Divestment

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screenashot

Joel B. Pollak(Breitbart)

Brown University caved to radical anti-Israel demonstrators this week, promising that the university’s governing body would consider voting on divestment from Israel if the activists would dismantle their encampment on campus.

According to the Jerusalem Post, that makes Brown the first university to consider divestment from Israel.

In December, 41 anti-Israel activists were arrested after occupying an administration building. In April, activists took over an area of campus known as the Main Green, prompting concern from local Jewish leaders and clergy, who noted that some chants used by activists on and off campus were antisemitic, calling for the elimination of Israel.

Instead of enforcing university policies, Brown — like Northwestern University — decided to capitulate to the mob.

The Brown Daily Herald reported:

The Corporation, Brown’s highest governing body, will vote on divestment from companies affiliated with Israel at its October meeting following an agreement between encampment organizers and University administrators this afternoon. Organizers announced the agreement at a rally.

Organizers have agreed to clear the Main Green encampment by 5 p.m. today and not hold any unauthorized protests through Commencement, which ends May 26. Students in the encampment, which began last Wednesday, have been calling on the University to divest from companies with ties to the Israeli government and drop the charges against the 41 students arrested in a Dec. 11 University Hall sit-in. Charges against the 41 arrested students will not be dropped at this time.

…

Students will still face disciplinary proceedings for their involvement in the encampment, the agreement states.

While campus rabbis expressed relief that the encampment was being dismantled, other local Jewish groups reacted in alarm. Rabbi Ron Fish of the Anti-Defamation League’s New England chapter accused Brown of “validating a movement rife with antisemitism and hate.” Noting that Brown had opposed divestment in the past, he said that Brown’s deal would simply create incentives for more radical protest and “antisemitic harassment” of Jews.

“This story is not yet over but this is a sad chapter and a dark day for Brown University,” he concluded.

Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of the recent e-book, “The Zionist Conspiracy (and how to join it),” now available on Audible. He is also the author of the e-book, Neither Free nor Fair: The 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.

 

Stanford Jewish students photograph anti-Israel protester wearing Hamas headband

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Man at Stanford University wears Hamas headgear (X screenshot)

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Two Jewish students at Stanford University took a picture of an anti-Israel protester wearing a Hamas headband outside of the demonstrators’ encampment.

The green headband with white Arabic letters is identical to those worn by Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas.

As the photo went viral, the Jewish students spoke to Fox News Digital, but on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.

“We were just in shock that somebody could be like that in the middle of our campus,” one of them said.

“I only went up to take the photo because I was there with my friend,” they continued.

“We thought about going up to him and saying something, but then we figured it wasn’t worth it and, if anything, it might just be dangerous,” they stated.

In a statement on Wednesday, Stanford University said, “We have received many expressions of concern about a photo circulating on social media of an individual on White Plaza who appeared to be wearing a green headband similar to those worn by members of Hamas.”

It continued, “We find this deeply disturbing, as Hamas is designated a terrorist organization by the United States government. We have not been able to identify the individual but have forwarded the photo to the FBI.”

WATCH: NETANYAHU COMPARES CURRENT ANTISEMITIC COLLEGE MOBS TO NAZI GERMANY
Stanford, like many university campuses in the United States, has been hit with anti-Israel demonstrations and an encampment has been set up in the White Plaza located on campus.

Just days after Hamas invaded Israel, murdered 1,200 Israelis, kidnapped 250, and raped and tortured many others, Stanford University students hung bedsheets outside of their windows with signs expressing support for Hamas.

On the sheets were written the words “the illusion of Israel is burning,” and slogans urging Hamas to defeat Israel “by any means necessary.”

Columbia Student Groups Hold ‘Autonomous Rally’ Outside Campus, Project ‘Escalate for Gaza’ Message on Hamilton Hall

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Collin Anderson-FREE BEACON

The Columbia University student groups behind the “Gaza Solidarity” encampment held what they called an “autonomous rally” outside campus, where they projected the words “Escalate for Gaza” on the side of Hamilton Hall, the building protesters stormed and occupied earlier in the week.

“Palestine Organizers” from Columbia and City University of New York held a Wednesday night press conference outside of CUNY’s campus, where they shared their “experiences” from the police sweeps that occurred on both campuses roughly 24 hours prior.

Protesters then traveled a mile down Amsterdam Avenue to Columbia’s campus, where keffiyeh-clad individuals lit flares, waved Palestinian flags, and chanted “Gaza” and “free, free, free Palestine.” One attendee was filmed holding a sign that read, “Resistance by any means necessary.” Later on in the evening, protesters projected images onto the side of Columbia Hall, reading, “Escalate for Gaza,” “Israel bombs Columbia pays,” and “Columbia funds genocide.”

The demonstration shows that Columbia president Minouche Shafik’s battle with unauthorized student protesters is far from over, even after Shafik deployed New York City police to break up the “Gaza Solidarity” encampment and to remove those who seized and occupied Hamilton Hall.

The morning after Tuesday night’s sweep, Columbia University Apartheid Divest issued a statement pledging to come back “stronger, smarter, and better prepared to stand our ground” and to “continue building a student movement that will take back our campuses.”

“Our people arrested today will soon be free and ready to fight again with even greater insight into the oppressor’s tools and weaknesses,” the group wrote. Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine issued a similar statement, which called to continue “the struggle for Palestinian liberation.”

“The student intifada will live on,” the statement said.

Both groups were behind the “Gaza Solidarity” encampment that plagued the school for roughly two weeks. They were also behind the Wednesday night rally.

Columbia did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The student groups had help in organizing the rally from Within Our Lifetime, the anti-Semitic activist organization based in New York City that was banned from Instagram over posts that lauded terrorism against Jews.

Within Our Lifetime promoted the rally on X, formerly Twitter, sharing a flyer with the event’s details under the caption “ALL OUT TONIGHT FOR CUNY & COLUMBIA.” Footage from the rally also shows Within Our Lifetime organizer and Harvard University graduate student Abdullah Akl leading chants.

During a Palestinian “Land Day” protest in New York City last month, Akl led a chant to “strike, strike Tel Aviv. Abu Obeida, our beloved.” Obeida, a Hamas terrorist, is the spokesman for the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the Hamas military wing that led the Oct. 7 terror attack on Israel.

Akl has also used his social media accounts to call for “intifada” against Jews, contend that “there is no state called Israel,” and encourage his followers to “teach your children that the Zionist entity is an enemy,” the Washington Free Beacon reported in January.

In addition to Akl, Columbia University Apartheid Divest has long collaborated with Within Our Lifetime’s founder, Nerdeen Kiswani.

Kiswani was one of three featured speakers at the infamous “Palestinian Resistance 101” event held on Columbia’s campus in March. Kiswani and other speakers routinely called for violence against Jews and praised Hamas and Hezbollah. At one point, Kiswani urged students to openly laud Oct. 7 and Palestinian “resistance,” even as she acknowledged that Hamas is “considered a terrorist organization.”

“Don’t acquiesce to the idea [of], well, ‘Oh, they’re considered a terrorist organization, so we shouldn’t talk about resistance,” Kiswani said. “We’re kind of like the test subjects or the guinea pigs. We’re going to put ourselves out on the line, and you know, if people are okay with it, then they’ll jump on it later.”

“We have the right to return home,” she said, “and we will get that right by any means necessary.”

Columbia banned Kiswani from campus over her participation in the event. Weeks later, however, she made it through the university gates to give a speech to student protesters in the Columbia encampment.

 

AUTO RACING: Formula One goes to Miami, NASCAR to Kansas

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AP

NASCAR CUP SERIES
AdventHealth 400

Site: Kansas City, Kansas.

Schedule: Saturday, practice, 5:05 p.m., and qualifying, 5:50 p.m.; Sunday, race, 3 p.m. (FS1).

Track: Kansas Speedway.

Race distance: 267 laps, 400.5 miles.

Last year: Denny Hamlin won after starting eighth.

Last race: Hamlin held off a hard-charging Kyle Larson over the final, thrilling laps and wiggled through lapped traffic to win by about a quarter of a second Sunday at Dover.

Fast facts: The victory was the third of this season for Hamlin, tying William Byron for the most this year, and fourth if you count the exhibition race in Los Angeles. … Hamlin led 136 of the 400 laps but remains just fourth in points, trailing Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports by 49, Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Martin Truex Jr. by 18 and Hendrick’s Chase Elliott by 16. … Byron is sixth, 62 points behind Larson. … Larson was second, followed by Truex., Kyle Busch and Elliott. … Hendrick drivers (five) and Gibbs drivers (four) have won nine of 11 races thus far. Ford remains winless through 11 races.

 

Next race: May 12, Darlington, South Carolina.

 

NASCAR XFINITY SERIES
Last race: Ryan Truex won at Dover for the second straight year, giving the younger brother of Martin Truex Jr. the only NASCAR victories of his career. He now has two wins in 194 career starts over the three national series.

Next race: May 11, Darlington, South Carolina.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

NASCAR TRUCK SERIES
Heart of America 200

Site: Kansas City, Kansas.

Schedule: Saturday, practice, 12:05 p.m., qualifying, 12:35 p.m., and race, 8 p.m. (FS1).

Track: Kansas Speedway.

Race distance: 134 laps, 201 miles.

Last year: Grant Enfinger won after starting 11th.

Last race: Kyle Busch overcame a series of late restarts and led 112 of 167 laps to win for the sixth time in the truck series at Texas and the 20th time overall on the 1.5-mile layout.

 

Fast facts: Points leader Christian Eckes and non-title contender Kyle Busch are the lone multiple race winners through seven events. … Eckes leads Corey Heim by two points and Ty Majeski by 12 in the points race. … Heim is the only driver to have finished in the Top 10 in all seven races. He also leads with five top-five finishes.

Next race: May 10, Darlington, South Carolina.

Online: http://www.nascar.com

FORMULA ONE
Miami Grand Prix

Site: Miami Gardens, Florida.

Schedule: Friday, practice, 12:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, Sprint, 4 p.m., and qualifying, 4 p.m.; Sunday, race 4 p.m. (ESPN).

Track: Miami International Autodrome.

Race distance: 57 laps, 191.584 miles.

Last year: Max Verstappen won after starting ninth.

Last race: Verstappen, the three-time defending champion, started from pole for his fourth victory in five races this season and his 23rd in the last 27 extending through last season.

Fast facts: Verstappen has started on the pole in all five races this year. … He’s led 202 of the 219 laps he’s raced. … Carlos Sainz Jr. won the only race Verstappen didn’t.

Next race: May 19, Imola, Italy.

Online: http://www.formula1.com

INDYCAR
Last race: Scott McLaughlin won his second straight race at Barber Motorsports Park, giving Team Penske a much-needed triumph just days after IndyCar erased Josef Newgarden’s victory and disqualified McLaughlin from the season opener.

 

Next race: May 11, Indianapolis, Indiana.

Online: http://www.indycar.com

NHRA DRAG RACING
Last event: Justin Ashley won in Top Fuel and Matt Hagan won in Funny Car in Concord.

Next event: May 19, Elwood, Illinois.

Online: http://www.nhra.com

WORLD OF OUTLAWS
Next events: May 1, Jacksonville, Illinois; May 3 & 4, Rossburg, Ohio.

Online: http://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars

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This story deletes reference to Xfinity racing in Kansas.

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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/AutoRacing

British Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Terror Charges for Showing Support for Hamas on Whatsapp

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West Yorkshire Police officer Mohammed Adil, 26, leaves Westminster Magistrates' Court in central London, Thursday May 2, 2024, after he admitted two counts of publishing an image in support of Hamas, which is banned and designated a terror group in the U.K., the Independent Office for Police Conduct said. (Victoria Jones/PA via AP)

(AP) — A British police officer pleaded guilty Thursday to terror charges for showing support on social media for Hamas, which is designated a terror group and banned in the U.K.

West Yorkshire constable Mohammed Adil admitted sharing two images on WhatsApp supporting the group three weeks after Hamas and other Palestinian militants stormed into Israel on Oct. 7 and killed about 1,200 people and seized some 250 hostages.

Adil, 26, pleaded guilty in Westminster Magistrates’ Court to two counts of publishing an image in support of a proscribed organization in violation of the Terrorism Act.

In messages shared on WhatsApp stories with nearly 1,100 contacts, Adil posted images of a fighter wearing a Hamas headband, prosecutor Bridget Fitzpatrick said.

“Today is the time for the Palestinian people to rise, set their paths straight and establish an independent Palestinian state,” an Oct. 31 post said, apparently quoting the leader of Hamas’ military wing.

A second post on Nov. 4 was said to quote a Hamas military spokesperson.

Two other police officers who were concerned by the images reported Adil to superiors, Fitzpatrick said. He was arrested in November and has been suspended from the force.

“I accept that at the time of the offending you were of good character,” Chief magistrate Paul Goldspring told Adil, though he said he may impose a prison term when he is sentenced June 4.

Adil was released on bail.

‘Election Interference’: Bragg Case Gag Order Puts Unprecedented Limitations On Trump Campaign

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

By Henry Rodgers (Daily Caller) 

Allies close to former President Donald Trump are furious with the gag order imposed on him and his campaign by New York State Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, telling the Daily Caller it is hamstringing his campaign like no other has been before.

On Tuesday, the start of week three of Trump’s Manhattan trial, Merchan held the 2024 Republican presidential nominee in contempt of court and issued a $9,000 fine for repeatedly violating a gag order. Merchan has also threatened jail time if Trump continues to violate the order.

Trump and his campaign have been barred from speaking about Matthew Colangelo, a lead prosecutor in the case who spent two years serving in the Biden administration’s Department of Justice (DOJ) as acting associate attorney general. After working near the top of the DOJ under Attorney General Merrick Garland, Colangelo joined the Manhattan District Attorney’s office as senior counsel in December 2022.

Many have raised questions about Colangelo’s move from DOJ to work in the Manhattan DA’s office at the same time District Attorney Alvin Bragg was investigating Trump for a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels. (RELATED: Meet The Former Biden DOJ Official Who Jumped Ship To Prosecute Trump)

Bragg, who ran for office on convicting Trump as Manhattan District Attorney, indicted Trump on 34 counts of falsifying business records, all of which the former president plead not guilty to.

Trump and his campaign are also not allowed to speak about his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, or the jury. Cohen, who is a key witness in the case, has come under fire for discussing the case on TikTok while raising money for himself.

These limitations apply to the entire campaign, tying the hands of the Trump political operation to fight back on a critical issue in the presidential race, one source familiar with the situation told the Caller.

“The gag order says it applies to the president himself, and then it prevents him from instructing or ordering anybody else to do it. So, legally, that basically applies to anybody who works for him. And since he is considered basically the chairman of the campaign or the top dog on the campaign, the campaign applies to everybody who is on campaign staff.”

The source also said they know Democrats are watching Trump’s every move, including his social media posts and campaign website, and described the gag order as “probably the most explicit example of campaign interference, where you’re actually telling your campaign … what they can and can’t say.”

“The Democrats are following very closely, whatever is said on TRUTH social, whatever is posted on the campaign website, and then it’s immediately getting filtered up to Alvin Bragg who has very easy channels of communication, which are pretty firmly established between the Democrats and in his office,” the source familiar said.

The restrictions are unlike any placed on a presidential campaign before in American history and put Trump on the back foot, Mike Davis, founder and president of the Article III Project, told the Daily Caller.

“This unconstitutional and un-American gag order is yet another weapon used by Biden and his henchmen to silence his chief political rival, President Trump. Michael Cohen and others can go make money trashing Trump, yet he can’t respond due to this illegal gag order,” Davis said. “So as a result, all of Trump’s opposition can run roughshod over him without worrying about what Trump will say to counter their arguments. This gag order sets a dangerous precedent moving forward.”

The source familiar echoed that sentiment, stating the order “greatly prohibits” the ability of the campaign to fight back.

“The campaign can’t go out there and defend him from those attacks. The campaign can talk about the case, sure, but they can’t respond to the direct attacks against him, which is totally outrageous,” they said. “So it does not only violate the president’s First Amendment rights, but it’s a direct assault on the campaign and their ability to fight this trial in the middle of the election.”

The source familiar added that the gag order should embolden Trump’s supporters and allies who are not tied to the campaign to stand up for him, since Trump and his campaign legally cannot.

 

Garrett Ventry, a Republican strategist, said Democrats cannot beat Trump at the polls so they are now interfering with the election instead. He also mentioned that Merchan donated to Biden, and that Bragg campaigned on putting Trump in jail.

“Judge Merchan’s gag order against President Trump is wildly unconstitutional and it is the peak of election interference. The entire campaign they’re running against President Trump has been lawfare. They can’t beat him at the polls,” Ventry said. “Joe Biden’s numbers are tanking and we’re even seeing collusion, with the former number three at Joe Biden’s DOJ being one of the prosecutors on this case in the Manhattan DA’s office.”

“Think about this, too. Alvin Bragg ran his entire entire campaign on putting Donald Trump in jail even before these charges ever happened. So you have an unfair prosecutor, you have a Democrat judge who donated to Joe Biden, you have a pretty much Democrat jury pool all going after President Trump. People who hate him,” he continued. “He can’t expect a fair trial now and now he’s not even allowed to and his campaign is not even allowed to speak back and fight out against the Democrat law fair.” (RELATED: Prosecutor Paints Trump Manhattan Case As ‘Election Conspiracy’ During Opening Statement)

The source familiar with the situation explained that a key part of the gag order is on the “potential participation” of witnesses, because it’s unclear to the campaign if and when certain witnesses will be called.

Another source told the Caller that it’s “a pretty firm bet” that Cohen is going to be called as a witness, saying “he’s the only ‘eyewitness’ to this entire case. Without him, they don’t have a case.”

 

“Judge Merchan’s unconstitutional gag order is an egregious violation of President Trump’s First Amendment rights and a direct assault on our campaign in the middle of the election. Unfortunately for Joe Biden and his corrupt Democrat cronies, their unprecedented weaponization of our government is backfiring, Americans see the truth about this sham show trial, and President Trump will ultimately win on November 5th,” Karoline Leavitt, National Press Secretary for the Trump campaign, told the Caller in regards to the gag order.

 

Ventry also said that Republicans in Congress “need to step up” and “use every tool and measure they have” to defend Trump and hold these “rogue judges and prosecutors accountable for blatant election interference and an unconstitutional gag order.”

House Judiciary Chairman Rep. Jim Jordan sent a letter Tuesday to Attorney General Merrick Garland, regarding Colangelo, requesting documents and communications from Colangelo’s tenure at the Biden DOJ.

The Caller obtained a copy of the letter before it was sent. Jordan demanded a number of personnel files related to Colangelo’s hiring, employment and termination at the DOJ, a number of documents and communications from January 2021 to December 2022, and documents and communications related to Trump or his organization.

NYU: Over half arrested for anti-Israel riots not tied to school

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Plywood walls erected outside Gould Plaza on the campus of New York University after pro-Palestinian protests, April 23, 2024. Credit: quiggyt4/Shutterstock.
(JNS) Less than half of the pro-Hamas protesters arrested at New York University last week after refusing to vacate the campus were members of the academic institution, the university said on Wednesday.’

Of the 133 protesters arrested on April 22 at Gould Plaza on campus, 65 were students, faculty or other employees of NYU, located in the Greenwich Village neighborhood on the west side of lower Manhattan. It is the largest private university in the United States by enrollment.

“I never thought that as president I would need to rely on the NYPD to secure the safety of our community,” President Linda G. Mills said in the statement.

Mills added that several buildings on campus had to be locked down that evening for security reasons.

At Columbia University in northern Manhattan’s Morningside Heights neighborhood, Hamas supporters who were not students or staff were involved in violent protests, according to the city’s mayor.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, speaking on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Wednesday, revealed that “outside agitators,” including one whose husband was convicted for terrorism, played a key role in the anti-Israel and antisemitic protests at Columbia.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said on Wednesday it was unclear how many of the 280 arrested at Columbia were outsiders.

NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and Counterterrorism Rebecca Weiner said at a news conference on Wednesday alongside Adams, that going through the names of those arrested to determine whether they are affiliated with the universities will “take time.”

Yom HaShoah Message

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Yom Hashoah. Bushko Oleksandr/Shutterstock.

Yom HaShoah Message

By:  Rabbi Dr. Bernhard Rosenberg

I have taught Holocaust studies for most of my life on the high school and college level. When I discuss the Holocaust and God, I share many possible views. In truth, after having written numerous books on the subject I don’t have an answer. I cannot in good conscience believe that the Jewish people were punished, because if I believe that, then I would not be a Rabbi, and probably be an atheist. One and a half million priceless Jewish children were murdered. What was their sin? The answer I give myself and others is that mankind caused the Holocaust, not God. . It is the only answer I can live with.

Yet I just read Rabbi Avigdor Miller’s “Divine Defense of Hashem Madness In The Matter of the Holocaust ” and I remembered my father telling me the Shoa is predicted in the Chumash, the Tocha Hah. The Holocaust according to some occurred because of sinat chinum , hatred of each other This is now occurring in ISRAEL and AMERICA FOR THE ENTIRE WORLD TO SEE. .  The neo-Nazis and anti-Semites are having a field day watching Jew fight Jew. We are not only democrats and republicans, We are Americans. We are told that both temples were destroyed because of sinat chinum.  If someone attacks you with horrible comments, delete them, instead of having an ongoing tread of insults.

My students ask me “Can the Holocaust happen again?” My answer is a definite yes. A number of nuclear bombs thrown at Israel by its enemies would annihilate the Israeli population. One is naïve to believe that anti-Semitism does not exist throughout the world. If we have learned anything from the Shoah, it is that it is possible for a madman to arise who wants to annihilate the Jewish people. Never fool yourself into believing that you are safe anywhere. We must always be alert and fight against prejudice wherever it may exist. Jew-hatred is an obsession like no other.

Anti-Semitism simply won’t go away. Hamas is obsessed with murdering Jews and destroying Israel rather than building anything. Even a cursory examination of the cruel attacks on Oct. 7 reveals the obsessive nature of our foe’s implacable hatred. Please do not call this horrible war a Holocaust.   However, the ramification of this war is the same as the Holocaust.  Many will seek all their lives for survivors not knowing they are dead or alive. Iranian leadership in responding to criticisms of its program to acquire nuclear weapons, sounded much like Hitler when they proclaimed, “Israel must be wiped off the map!” and that the Holocaust is a “myth!”

What’s most amazing to me is that this war with Amalek continues—that the world is still so concerned with the fate of Israel and the small number of Jews in the world who do not even amount to a percentage of error when calculating the world’s population. The rhetoric is apocalyptic, even Biblical. Why care about Israel and the Jews? It must be a spiritual struggle of the generations. The Torah then has been proven to be incredibly wise in warning us never to forget or worse, to underestimate Amalek the anti-Semite—no matter how he may appear. I predict the college demonstrations on behalf of Hamas and against Jews and Israel on college campuses and other places will BECOME WORSE AND MORE WIDESPREAD, we must have JEWISH UNITY TO FIGHT THEM.

Courage Amidst Conflict: Maximillian Meyer’s Stand Against Anti-Semitism at Princeton University

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rinceton freshman Maximillian Meyer, 19, has been standing up against antisemitism on campus. Courtesy of Maximillian Meyer

Courage Amidst Conflict: Maximillian Meyer’s Stand Against Anti-Semitism at Princeton University

Edited by:  Fern Sidman

Amid the historic archways and tranquil courtyards of Princeton University, a concerning wave of anti-Semitism has unsettled the storied Ivy League institution, challenging its commitment to diversity and safety. According to recently published report in the New York Post, at the heart of this turbulence is Maximillian Meyer, a 19-year-old Jewish student who has become both a symbol of resistance against anti-Semitism and a target for his stance.

Maximillian Meyer’s ordeal began in the aftermath of the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7, when the normally peaceful campus climate shifted dramatically. Meyer recounts the shock of seeing Hezbollah flags—a symbol associated with the designated terrorist organization—on campus, an emblem he never expected would appear in such an esteemed academic setting, as was reported by the Post.  This event was a jarring signal to many Jewish students, including Meyer,  that the atmosphere at Princeton was changing.

Meyer’s personal challenges have been significant. He has faced physical confrontations, including being shoved by a student who supports terrorist ideologies. Furthermore, the Post report indicated that his  academic focus has been disrupted by the constant presence of anti-Semitic chants and terrorist imagery around campus, contributing to a sense of insecurity and alienation.

Despite these adversities, Meyer has been a vocal advocate for the Jewish community at Princeton. His efforts to rally his peers began quietly but grew in intensity as he organized groups to attend school council meetings, participate in counter-protests, and voice a pro-Israel stance, as was noted in the Post report.  Meyer articulated a message of unity and defiance, emphasizing that no amount of provocative chants could undermine the spirit or significance of the Jewish students at Princeton. This initial gathering marked a significant moment of mobilization, asserting a collective Jewish presence in the face of growing hostility.

These activities have not only highlighted the issues at hand but have also tested the bonds of friendship and alliance within the university.

The situation reached a critical point when Meyer learned of plans to establish a Columbia-esque encampment at Princeton. Viewing this as a potential escalation of the tensions already present, he issued a call to action, urging his fellow students to stand united in opposition to what he views as a spreading of harmful and divisive sentiments on campus, according to the information in the Post report.

As the day unfolded, Meyer was confronted with the harsh reality of anti-Semitic rhetoric permeating his campus—echoes of what had been happening at other universities, the report in the Post said. Chants calling for an “intifada revolution” and the display of terrorist imagery deeply disturbed him, signaling that what he had initially faced was not an isolated incident but part of a broader, more alarming trend. This escalation prompted Meyer and others to recognize the need for a more organized response to anti-Semitism at Princeton.

The establishment of the encampment became a turning point for Meyer and his peers. Initially, only a handful of students stood with him. However, as the situation intensified, more Jewish students joined, bolstered by Meyer’s leadership and resolve. Indicated in the Post report was that the numbers grew, reflecting a rising concern and a collective willingness to stand up against anti-Semitism. Meyer’s approach—directly naming and confronting anti-Semitic actions and rhetoric—resonated with many, helping to galvanize a stronger, more visible Jewish student movement.

Meyer’s strategy extended beyond protests and public demonstrations. When the Princeton University Student Government called for a last-minute vote to potentially condemn the arrests of campus demonstrators—a motion that worried some about possible extreme language—Meyer was prepared, as was revealed in the Post report. He organized a significant turnout at the meeting, ensuring that the voices of Jewish students were heard and considered. This show of force was crucial in influencing the discussion and ensuring that any statements made did not further exacerbate tensions or bias against the Jewish community.

The atmosphere at Princeton grew more charged when protesters occupied Clio Hall. In response, Meyer took a stand outside the building, using a megaphone to demand that the university enforce Title VI regulations, which protect individuals from discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance, according to the information provided in the Post report. During this confrontation, the intensity of the situation became apparent when a protester physically shoved Meyer and screamed in his ear.

The situation reached a personal climax following an unsettling encounter with Professor Max Weiss. The Post reported that after Meyer publicly criticized a poem Weiss read at a pro-Palestinian demonstration as “anti-Semitic” and heckled him during a speech, Weiss approached Meyer in a manner that was caught on camera and described by Meyer as “unnerving.” The professor’s greeting, “Hi Maximillian, it’s lovely to meet you finally,” accompanied by a glaring look, highlighted the tense and confrontational atmosphere enveloping campus relations.

The situation intensified when Meyer was handed a copy of the poem “I Am You” by Palestinian writer Refaat Alareer. The poem, which Weiss has read multiple times at campus demonstrations, sharply criticizes the transformation of Jews from “victims” to “victimizers,” a narrative that deeply troubled Meyer, as per the Post report. With “Free Palestine” scrawled across the poem handed to him, Meyer interpreted this gesture as a threatening message, signaling that his outspoken stance would lead to continuous surveillance and opposition from certain segments of the campus community.

Being at the center of such a fervent debate has taken a significant toll on Meyer. He describes the impact of the ongoing campus demonstrations and the anti-Semitic undertones he perceives in them as “all-encompassing,” the Post report said. The stress and constant focus on these issues have profoundly affected his ability to concentrate on his studies, a sentiment that reveals the deeper personal struggles faced by student activists who challenge prevailing campus sentiments.

Meyer’s activism has reshaped his social landscape significantly. “When you speak up in the way that I am you quickly learn who your true friends are, and sometimes they come from the most unexpected of places,” Meyer shared with The Post. This experience has called attention to the complex interplay between personal convictions and social relationships, revealing the supportive—and sometimes surprising—networks that emerge during times of conflict.

As Meyer continues to navigate his challenging role as a spokesperson for Jewish students at Princeton, his experiences offer valuable lessons on the importance of resilience, advocacy, and the pursuit of dialogue in the face of adversity. Universities across the nation watching Princeton’s handling of these tensions may find themselves reassessing how they cultivate an environment of respect and understanding among a diverse student body. The story of Maximillian Meyer is a call to all stakeholders in educational institutions to strive for campuses where free speech is upheld, and all students can pursue their academic and personal growth without fear.

 

 

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