ISRAEL / (IINO)
SCREAMS BEFORE SILENCE Full Video [57:00] A documentary film on the sexual violence committed by Hamas on October 7th, Screams Before Silence is a documentary film led by American businesswoman Sheryl Sandberg, that explores the sexual violence by Hamas during the Hamas-led attack on Israel, on 7 October 2023, including events at the massacre at the Nova Festival and abductions to the Gaza Strip.
With soldiers’ help: How settlement movement leader Daniella Weiss entered the Gaza Strip
A military jeep picked up Daniella Weiss, without authorization of the top brass, and took her into a closed military zone in Gaza where she scouted out potential locations for a Jewish community.
Nov 21, 2024, 3:55 PM (GMT+2) Israel National News – A Kan News expose’ revealed new details about settlement movement activist Daniella Weiss’s visit to the Gaza Strip without the knowledge of the IDF Chief of Staff or the commanding officer of the Southern Command.
Last week, on the afternoon of November 13th, Weiss, the head of the Nahala settlement movement and one of the leaders of Gush Emunim, entered the Gaza Strip with the help of members of the military despite the area being a closed military zone which civilians are not allowed to enter.
According to the details that were revealed, Weiss and her people toured the Gaza border to scout out locations where the pioneers could enter when the time came. To inspect locations that they would designate as “points of settlement” in the Gaza Strip, the group walked along the border, and at one point, managed to cross it and enter a little bit into Gazan territory.
Near the Netzarim Corridor in central Gaza, Weiss contacted military officials who are close to her and serve in the area and they sent a military jeep that collected her and her people and took them to the site where the town of Netzarim stood before the 2005 disengagement, deep in the Gaza Strip.
After the tour, the jeep took them back to Israeli territory, not through the formal exit from the Netzarim Corridor to avoid the formal inspection done to everyone who enters and exits the Strip.
The IDF commented on the report: “The entry of Daniella Weiss to the Gaza Strip is not known and was not authorized by the required officials.”
ICC issues arrest warrants for PM Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Gallant Hezki Baruch
ICC issues arrest warrants for PM Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Gallant for ‘crimes against humanity.’
Nov 21, 2024, 2:15 PM (GMT+2) Israel National News – The International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague issued arrest warrants this afternoon (Thursday) against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister of Defense, Yoav Gallant.
The ICC explained that there is reasonable belief that Netanyahu and Gallant committed war crimes.
The announcement statement that Netanyahu and Gallant “bear criminal responsibility for crimes, including shared participation in acts committed with others – war crimes of starvation as a method of warfare and crimes against humanity, including murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts.”
In addition, “Netanyahu and Gallant each bear individual criminal responsibility as civilian superiors for the war crime of intentional attack against a civilian population,” it was written.
Since Hamas did not formally confirm the death of Mohammed Deif, the ICC also issued an arrest warrant against him.
Former Prime Minister, Naftali Bennet, commented on X that, “The ICC arrest warrants are a mark of shame not of Israel’s leaders but of the ICC itself, and its members. On October 7th, Hamas brutally attacked Israel, murdering, burning alive and raping over 1200 Israelis. Israel is fighting back the most just of wars against pure evil.”
“All Israelis, left and right, stand behind the war whose goals are to release the kidnapped Israelis, demolish Hamas and restore security to Israel. Shame on ICC.”
President Isaac Herzog said that, “Taken in bad faith, the outrageous decision at the ICC has turned universal justice into a universal laughing stock. It makes a mockery of the sacrifice of all those who fight for justice – from the Allied victory over the Nazis till today.
It ignores the plight of the 101 Israeli hostages held in brutal captivity by Hamas in Gaza. It ignores Hamas’ cynical use of its own people as human shields. It ignores the basic fact that Israel was barbarically attacked and has the duty and right to defend its people. It ignores the fact that Israel is a vibrant democracy, acting under international humanitarian law, and going to great lengths to provide for the humanitarian needs of the civilian population.
Indeed, the decision has chosen the side of terror and evil over democracy and freedom, and turned the very system of justice into a human shield for Hamas’ crimes against humanity.
This cynical exploitation of the international legal institutions reminds us once again of the need for true moral clarity in the face of an Iranian empire of evil that seeks to destabilize our region and the world, and destroy the very institutions of the free world.”
Related articles:
- Ministers in Israel respond to the ICC decision
- Senate Majority Leader-elect threatens ICC with sanctions
- Israel challenges impartiality of judge
- I can’t stop thinking about the Amsterdam pogrom
TRAVESTY OF JUSTICE: Feldstein Is Indicted With Severe Charges, Could Be Imprisoned For Life
November 21, 2024 9:55 am The Yeshiva World – On the same day that the ICC carried out a travesty of justice by issuing arrest warrants to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant for committing “war crimes,” the leftist judicial system in Israel carried out a travesty of justice by indicting Eli Feldstein and a second suspect, a Chareidi noncommissioned IDF officer, with extremely serious charges that can carry a punishment of up to life in prison.
The final decision was made by Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara, who decided to indict Feldstein for transferring classified information with intent to harm state security and obstruct judicial proceedings. A second suspect who hasn’t been named was also charged with serious offenses related to state security. Additionally, the prosecution will request that the court detain both suspects until the conclusion of legal proceedings, which could take several years.
Feldstein was accused of leaking a classified document from the IDF to the Bild German newspaper. However, the “classified” information he leaked was that the leftist protests against Netanyahu and the government harm the chance for a hostage deal, information that is true and has been confirmed by Shin Bet head Ronen Bar. The question is why was the IDF hiding that information from Netanyahu? And how did Feldstein harm Israel by leaking the information?
An even more pressing question is why the State Prosecutor’s Office chose to focus so much time and effort on this leak when hundreds of other leaks have been ignored.
Earlier on Thursday, starting from the late morning hours, thousands gathered to protest outside the courtroom in Tel Aviv, where the hearing regarding Feldstein and the officer was held.
Likud ministers Shlomo Karhi and Amichai Shikli participated in the demonstration and even spoke there. Karhi spoke alongside the wife of the officer who was later indicted, saying: “I want to ask the honorable court one simple question. If the officer you are discussing today had transmitted information to the prime minister on the night of Simchat Torah when none of the intelligence agencies did so and had saved the people of Israel from the terrible massacre, wouldn’t you have awarded him a commendation?”
He concluded his remarks with a sharp statement against the trial: “Last Shabbat, we read about the laws of Sodom, where they adopted distorted values of justice and morality. I call on you not to judge those who showed responsibility for Israel’s security according to the laws of Sodom!”
Diaspora Minister Amichai Shikli said, “Complete politicization of a disturbed and irresponsible judicial system. This is a travesty that cries out to the heavens. Where is the Association for Civil Rights?”
Channel 12 News reporter Yaron Avraham wrote: “I truly hope for the prosecution’s sake that this incident is backed by solid evidence, because on the surface it smells bad.”
Yisrael Hayom reporter Amir Ettinger wrote: “The prosecution accuses Feldstein of leaking a secret with the intent to harm state security, a charge that carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. In my humble opinion, it’s hard to understand the prosecution’s exaggeration.”
Army Radio reporter Yuval Shegev briefly expressed his opinion in a post he published on his ‘X’ account: “Wild exaggeration.”
Binyamin Ashkenazi from Walla wrote: “I think the prosecution is climbing a super tall tree by accusing Feldstein of leaking a secret with the intent to harm state security – this is a crime of intent, and the prosecution will at least argue in court that Feldstein should have foreseen the damage to the state. I think a court will not go along with them on this.”
Channel 14 journalist Moti Kastel reacted: “What is happening today in the hearing regarding Feldstein – the maneuvers, the shifting of hearing times, the transfer of floors and rooms in the district court, playing with the emotions of the families and the audience, the twisting of justice and the leaks – simply unfathomable.”
Liran Tamari from Ynet wrote: “Just here to reiterate: A defendant from Beit Shemesh who spied for the Iranian intelligence was released from custody by the Jerusalem District Court.”
Kan’s Dov Eichler wrote: “The supreme authority to determine what constitutes the security interest of the State of Israel is the elected level and not the military-security-legal level. It’s again that tremendous clash in the power struggle that has been ongoing for years between the authorities. Feldstein and the IDF officer are just foot soldiers in this war. Their chances aren’t high – unless the executive authority (the government) wakes up.”
Chareidi journalist Avi Ravins responded: “Two indictments today – in The Hague and in Israel. Both are political, both against those who safeguard Israel’s security. Feldstein, who according to legal experts should have only received a reprimand, and Netanyahu and Gallant who fought for the survival of the state. Netanyahu was right: ‘The people are not stupid’ – we see exactly what is happening here.”
Shas chairman Aryeh Deri wrote: “Filing an indictment for a clause that carries a life sentence and a request for detention until the end of proceedings is a complete loss of proportion. We are talking about two young men who stumbled but did not intend to harm state security. I hope the court restores justice and reason to the case.”
[Ed.: Keep in mind that some of the staff (a few of the writers,) at The Yeshiva World are left-wing democrats. This means reversal of the truth in many of their published articles. Unfortunately, Israel does not have a death penalty for treason.]
Jerusalem Court Orders Palestinian Authority To Pay Millions to Sbarro Bombing Victims
November 19, 2024 7:15 pm The Yeshiva World – The Jerusalem District Court has ruled that the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) must pay tens of millions of shekels in compensation to victims of the 2001 terrorist bombing at the Sbarro pizzeria in central Jerusalem, according to a Channel 12 report.
The August 9, 2001, suicide bombing, one of the deadliest attacks of the Second Intifada, claimed the lives of 16 civilians, including seven children, and injured 130 others.
The court’s decision is based on evidence of the PA’s longstanding policy of financially compensating terrorists and their families. This precedent-setting ruling could potentially pave the way for victims of the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, massacre to also seek financial restitution from the PA.
The court’s ruling came in response to two lawsuits filed by victims of the 2001 attack, marking the culmination of a two-decade legal battle. The decision relied on an April 2022 Supreme Court ruling, which established the PA’s liability for terrorist acts due to its practice of paying stipends to security prisoners and the families of attackers.
Justice Isaac Amit, in the 2022 ruling, wrote that the PA’s payments to convicted terrorists and those killed during attacks constituted an acknowledgment of responsibility for their actions. “[The PA] expresses its consent to their actions, in a manner that takes responsibility for the acts. This justifies that [the PA] will be assigned personal and direct responsibility,” Amit stated.
Channel 12 reported that the compensation could be drawn from funds Israel has been withholding since 2018 from monthly tax revenues it collects on behalf of the PA.
NEW DETAILS: Flares At PM’s Home “Most Extreme Case Since Rabin’s Assassination”
November 20, 2024 12:16 pm YWN – The gag order on the details of the investigation into the suspects who fired flare bombs at the house of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in Caesarea was lifted on Wednesday, revealing that the incident was a thoroughly planned “military” operation.
The details, published by Channel 12 News, reveal that the suspects, Rear Adm. Ofer Doron (res.), Amir Sadeh, and Itai Yafeh, longtime anti-Netanyahu rioters, whose names were released for publication on Tuesday evening, planned the incident for about three weeks. They operated like members of a military cell, carrying out surveillance around Netanyahu’s residence and monitoring the locations of security cameras in the area to plan a route that wouldn’t expose them to the cameras.
They gathered extensive intelligence and made meticulous and detailed logistical preparations for firing the flares. Doron procured the pyrotechnic equipment and distributed it to the others.
On that Motzei Shabbos, the suspects, led by Doron, drove to Caesarea, parked their vehicles on a side street, and began walking toward the target, moving in crouched positions to avoid exposure. When they reached about 200 meters from Netanyahu’s house, Doron instructed the other suspects to position themselves and even guided them on how to launch the flares “at a 60-degree angle.” Two suspects launched the flares while Doron and another man videoed them on their phones.
The launch was successful, and the flares landed in the area of Netanyahu’s house, one of them in the yard of the house. They left the scene immediately afterward, and at one point, they decided to split up after noticing a police car in the area, which was patrolling there without any connection to the incident.
According to a Lahav 433 senior official, the investigation began that night: “The Shin Bet provided technological tools that allowed us to track the suspects,” he said, adding that the launch of the flares, which are designed to be used as maritime distress flares was extremely dangerous. “A flare launched at sea in the open sea is a limited tool but in this context, it was a clear and immediate danger.”
“This is an incident we expect the State Attorney’s office to handle with a detention process until the end of the proceedings. It was planned as a meticulous military operation. This is the most extreme case against a symbol of government since the assassination of Rabin. If the incident is not treated with the utmost severity, it could send a dangerous message to the public.”
Trump: Messiah? Or Part of the Swamp?! [11:22:08]
November 19, 2024 Israel News Talk Radio | “The Tamar Yonah Show”
The implications of the recent U.S. presidential election on Israel’s security, and regarding Donald Trump, it will have to wait to be seen if Trump is the Free World’s ‘Messiah’, or part of the swamp.
Featured Guests:
Jonathan Pollard, A former U.S. Navy intelligence analyst who served 30 years in prison for providing classified information to Israel for its defense, -information that should have been given to Israel as an American ally. Now living in Jerusalem, Jonathan is a passionate advocate for Israeli sovereignty.
Francisco Gil-White – A political anthropologist and former professor who focuses on the influence of media and power elites in shaping Western democracies. To visit his website, go to: www.ManagementOfReality.com
In today’s discussion, Jonathan Pollard and Francisco Gil-White speak with Tamar Yonah and explore the implications of the recent U.S. presidential election on Israel’s security, particularly in relation to its ongoing conflict with Iran and its proxies. With the geopolitical landscape shifting, they discuss if there will be any major change of policy in the Middle East.
US, Italy Must Prevent George Abdallah’s Release From French Prison Rami Chris Robbins
French prosecutors have warned that if released, he might attack again. Opinion.
Nov 17, 2024, 11:00 PM (GMT+2) Israel National News – On Friday, a French court ordered the conditional release of a pro-Palestinian Arab terrorist who assassinated two US Army officers and an Israeli diplomat between 1982 and 1984. The killer, Georges Ibrahim Abdallah, was involved in dozens of other attacks.
Abdallah was convicted in France in 1987. He was sentenced to two life sentences for murdering US Colonel Charles R. Ray and Israeli Diplomat Yaacov Barsimantov. In 1984, he was also extradited by Italy where three of his operatives likely killed U.S. General Leamon R. Hunt.
Since then, Abdallah has remained defiant. He was without remorse at 11 parole hearings dating back to 1999. French prosecutors have warned that if released, he might attack again.
Despite this fact, French courts have sought to release Abdallah as far back as 2013. When the US objected, French interior minister, Manuel Valls, blocked Abdallah’s parole. His new parole date is now set for December 6, 2024. This time, there are no signs of renewed US intervention or even interest.
The United States needs to act now. If it cannot persuade France to cancel the parole, the US has a valid claim to charge Abdallah with Ray and Hunt’s murders. The US has always extended extraterritorial jurisdiction upon those who murder US officers, diplomats, and service members abroad.
Although superseded by newer statutes, 18 USCS § 1114 was the law when Abdallah killed our servicemen. It has no statute of limitations for murder.
It therefore seems that the US has to once again finish a job for the French. Charge Abdallah with his crimes. Extradite him. Convict him in a US court.
I reached out to the US Justice Department to see if they had plans to stop Abdallah’s release, coordinate with the French, or explore extradition. They have not responded.
Italy also has a right to extradite Abdallah as Hunt’s assassination occurred in Rome. If the US does not act, Prime Minister Georgia Meloni should. Italy issued an extradition order for Abdallah to France in 1984. Inquiries to the Italian State Police and Prime Minister Georgia Meloni office did not receive responses.
Israel could also pursue extradition, but the French are currently imposing an embargo of armaments to the Jewish State. They would probably embargo a convicted terrorist next (Excuse the black humor).
Two cold-blooded murders
On January 18, 1982, Abdallah ambushed US Army Colonel Charles R. Ray on the street of Paris. Ray was serving as a military attaché in Paris. At 9:00 a.m. Abdallah shot Ray point-blank in the back of the head with a pistol as he walked to his car. Ray was a Vietnam veteran, married, and had two children.
Twelve weeks later, on April 3, 1982, Abdallah’s girlfriend and co-conspirator, Jacqueline Esber, shot Israeli diplomat Yaacov Barsimantov five times outside his family’s Paris apartment. Barsimantov, 42, was stationed in Paris along with his wife, eight-year-old daughter, and son Avi. In an act of bravery, his son, 17 at the time, chased the armed assassin into the Paris Metro.
In a subsequent search of Abdallah’s and Esber’s Paris hideout, Police found a Czech-made 7.65-caliber pistol, 55 pounds of explosives, two rockets, and submachine guns and other weapons. The pistol was a ballistics match with the weapon that killed Barsimantov and Ray.
Other evidence tying this evil duo to the crimes included a lease for the apartment where they stored the pistol and other weapons. In an act of overconfidence or stupidity, Esber had signed the lease. Further, the duo opened a Swiss bank account used to pay for the weapons and the rent. Their fingerprints were everywhere. Abdallah’s handwriting was found on a map in a stolen getaway car. He had written down the street address of one of the victims.
For French leftists who question the conviction there is also the matter of a very public confession. Abdallah and Esber were members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). Abdallah also founded and led the Lebanese Armed Revolutionary Faction (LARF). Under his orders, LARF publicly accepted responsibility for murdering Ray, Barsimantov, and later Hunt.
Abdallah was arrested and convicted. Esber escaped to Lebanon. She was convicted by a French court in absentia. She evaded justice and died in 2016.
And another:
General Hunt was gunned down outside his temporary home in a Rome suburb on February 15, 1984. Hunt was then supervising the peacekeeping operation in the Sinai Desert created in 1978 following the Camp David Accords.
As Hunt and his driver were waiting for a gate to open, three gunmen emerged from a Fiat across the street. They opened fire. One jumped on the trunk of Hunt’s car. Although it was an armored vehicle, the terrorist got a lucky shot through the upper edge of the rear window, killing Hunt.
While LARF claimed responsibility for the attack, General Hunt’s assassination is supposedly more complicated. That is because another group, the Italian Red Brigades, also claimed credit.
In fact, the two terror groups were connected. Abdallah’s LARF was known to be a hired gun among the fraternity of violent communist, anti-Israel, and Anti-American terror groups in the 1980s. Both the CIA and the US State Department have confirmed links between them. The CIA also confirmed many of the conclusions of the French and Italian courts in a report declassified in 2018.
Neither Abdallah, nor anyone else, has ever been charged in connection with General Hunt’s murder. Isn’t it time for an American jury to decide?
LARF also claimed responsibility for three other attacks on Americans, including the unsuccessful assassination of acting U.S. Ambassador to France Christian Chapman in 1981, the wounding of U.S. Consul General Robert Homme in Strasbourg in 1984 and the attempted bombing on U.S. Embassy staffer Roderick Grant in 1982. All told, Abdallah and LARF’s body count reached 12, and 250 wounded.
Even though a French anti-terrorism prosecutor subsequently said he will try and appeal the court’s order to release Abdallah, France is not a reliable anti-terrorism partner. Regardless of how that appeal goes (assuming it is filed at all), The US and Italy should intervene now.
US intervention before Abdallah’s December 6 release will cost nearly nothing. It will also send a strong message that The US neither forgives nor forgets when our servicemen and our allies are murdered by our enemies on foreign streets.
Pro-Palestinian Activist Convicted of Murdering American and Israeli Has Been Released from Prison Despite Never Regretting Killings By Jack Davis
November 18, 2024 at 5:14 pm The Western Journal – A French court said Friday that a terrorist who has spent the last 40 years in jail for killing two diplomats, one of whom was an American, should be released.
The court said Lebanese terrorist Georges Ibrahim Abdallah, a pro-Palestinian activist, should be set free on Dec. 6 on the condition that he leaves France, according to Reuters.
France’s anti-terrorism prosecutor said it will appeal, according to France 24.
Abdallah was a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, according to an Agence France Presse dispatch published by the Times of Israel.
Abdallah was convicted in the shooting death of U.S. military attaché Charles Robert Ray in 1982.
He also was linked to the murder of Israeli diplomat Yacov Barsimantov.
Barsimantov was killed by a woman wearing a white beret, who shot him in the head in front of his wife and children.
Reuters reported that Abdallah was also implicated in the 1984 attempted murder of American Consul General Robert Homme in Strasbourg.
U.S. officials opposed releasing Abdallah, but Lebanon argued he should be freed, France 24 reported.
This year marked the 11th effort Abdallah, 73, has made to be released.
Abdallah has never expressed any regret, saying he was a “fighter” and not a “criminal”
The terrorist group founded by Abdallah claimed that it carried out four deadly attacks in France during the 1980s.
Abdallah was arrested in 1984 after surrendering to police, claiming Mossad agents were after him.
Earlier this year, 2022 Nobel Literature Prize winner Annie Ernaux said his detention “shamed France.”
In October, a protest advocating his release attracted 2,000 people, according to the AFP.
PM Netanyahu Slams Joe Biden’s Policies, Says President Threatened To Abandon Israel
November 18, 2024 8:30 pm Yeshiva World News – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a pointed critique of the Biden administration’s policies during a speech in the Knesset on Monday, highlighting disagreements over major decisions in Israel’s ongoing war against Iran and its proxies.
Netanyahu alleged that the United States had opposed Israel’s military actions at critical junctures in the conflict. “The US had reservations and suggested that we not enter Gaza,” he said. “It had reservations about entering Gaza City, Khan Yunis, and, most critically, strongly opposed entry into Rafah.” He also accused the Biden administration of threatening to withhold weapons if Israel proceeded with its offensive, saying, “President Biden told me that if we go in, we will be alone.”
Netanyahu also took aim at US advice following drone and missile attacks from Iran. “We were told by our friend that there is no need to respond,” he said. However, Israel responded independently, targeting Iranian air defense systems and missile production capabilities. “Sitting and not reacting is not acceptable,” Netanyahu argued.
Addressing attempts to negotiate a ceasefire in Lebanon, Netanyahu dismissed the significance of diplomatic agreements, stating, “The important thing is not the piece of paper.” He argued that systematic action was necessary to neutralize Hezbollah’s ability to threaten Israel. “This is not only our reaction but our ability to prevent Hezbollah from building up its power,” he said.
Netanyahu’s speech was repeatedly interrupted by opposition lawmakers and protesters in the gallery displaying posters of hostages held in Gaza. He assured the Knesset that efforts to secure their release remained a priority. “I met with aides and members of security services until 3 a.m. last night to discuss new ways to get hostages home,” he said. Netanyahu also called for a crackdown on leaks from the cabinet and negotiating teams, which he claimed were hampering efforts to reach a deal.
Netanyahu expressed frustration with the lack of investigations into leaks from the negotiating team, contrasting this with the ongoing inquiry into the alleged theft of IDF intelligence documents. Former aide Eli Feldstein remains in custody over accusations of leaking sensitive materials to the press. While Netanyahu did not directly reference the case, he implied selective enforcement in investigations, saying, “How can it be that leaks causing immense damage to the State of Israel are not investigated? Nobody has been arrested for those leaks.”
Catholic Pope Calls For Investigation into Israel’s ‘Genocide’
November 18, 2024 Jewish Breaking News – Pope Francis has called for an investigation into alleged acts of genocide by IDF forces during the ongoing wars against the Hamas and Hezbollah terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, according to an upcoming book.
On Sunday, the Italian daily La Stampa published excerpts from Hernán Reyes Alcaide’s new book, Hope Never Disappoints. Pilgrims Towards a Better World, which is set to be released on Tuesday.
Among the excerpts published Tuesday were quotes attributed to the Vatican pontiff in which he is said to have cited claims by “some experts” accusing Israel of genocide, and backing an investigation of IDF war conduct.
“According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide,” Pope Francis is quoted as saying.
“We should investigate carefully to determine whether it fits into the technical definition formulated by jurists and international bodies.”
Pope Francis has already publicly castigated Israel’s war against Hamas and Hezbollah, calling the IDF’s actions “excessive” and “immoral.”
“Defense must always be proportionate to the attack,” the pope told reporters in September.
“When there is something disproportionate, one shows a tendency to dominate which goes beyond what is moral,” he continued.
Even operations which are essentially defensive can be “immoral actions” if they are “excessive,” Pope Francis argued.
Later on Sunday, the Combat Antisemitism Movement slammed Pope Francis’ remarks, comparing it to the historic “Inquisitions.”
“The State of Israel is currently facing a war of intended annihilation on seven fronts, and these remarks look like a possible opening of an eighth front, from of all places, the Vatican, which can also lead to the spilling of Jewish blood around the world,” said CAM CEO Sacha Roytman Dratwa.
“For a Pope who appears to prize even-handedness and peace, we see that the Jewish State once again appears to be the exception.”
“It would behoove Pope Francis to choose his words more carefully because they bring to mind a horrific and bloody history of Catholic religious leaders attacking Jews for the enjoyment of others in public at tribunals and Inquisitions where the Jew would always be found guilty regardless of the facts.”
[Ed.:
Iran Signals Nuclear Talk Readiness as Trump’s Shadow Looms Large
November 18, 2024 Jewish Breaking News – In what analysts are calling the “Trump Effect,” Iran has signaled its readiness for nuclear negotiations with Western powers.
“We believe the window for diplomacy is still open, albeit for a short time, provided the other parties demonstrate genuine willingness. Without such commitment, we will pursue an alternative course,” Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday on state television.
The foreign minister’s expiration date warning comes as the international community faces a critical October 2025 deadline. Under current UN Security Council Resolution 2231, Western nations can rapidly reimpose or “snap back” sanctions if Iran violates nuclear agreements. But after October 2025, this powerful enforcement tool disappears as restrictions on Tehran’s nuclear program automatically expire.
Araghchi said the European powers will most probably try to use the snapback mechanism to restore sanctions against Iran over the next year and warned that the regime is “prepared for any scenario.”
“If confrontation becomes inevitable, we are ready to face it,” he said. “Similarly, if cooperation is possible, we are prepared to embrace that path as well.”
Tehran’s diplomatic offensive gained momentum Thursday when President Masoud Pezeshkian met with IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, expressing willingness to address “alleged ambiguities” about Iran’s “peaceful” nuclear activities.
However, the timing appears far from coincidental.
The Financial Times reports that Trump’s incoming administration is preparing executive orders to intensify existing sanctions and implement new restrictions on Iran’s oil exports as part of a “maximum pressure” strategy similarly employed during his first term. While Araghchi claimed it was “too early to analyze” Trump’s approach, he noted that Trump’s nominees display a “radical tendency” in their support for Israel.
Meanwhile, controversy continues to swell over a reported meeting between Trump ally Elon Musk and Iran’s UN envoy. While Tehran dismisses these reports as fabricated, neither Musk nor Trump’s team has denied them, fueling speculation about back-channel communications.
