#Chicago Alderman Burke’s remarks “smack of blatant anti-semitism and are both ignorant and repugnant”

Posted on April 18, 2021 by ArchitectGuy

CHICAGO SUN TIMES
Feds say Burke made a ‘distasteful’ comment about Jewish people as authorities investigated him
by Jon Seidel
April 21, 2021

In the midst of an alleged scheme at the heart of his racketeering indictment, Ald. Edward M. Burke (14th) allegedly made a comment about Jewish people that federal prosecutors now say was both “distasteful” and evidence of his corruption. Explaining why he needed to leverage his position on the City Council to get tax work for his private law firm as part of the renovation of the Old Main Post Office, Burke allegedly made the comment that, “Well, you know as well as I do, Jews are Jews and they’ll deal with Jews to the exclusion of everybody else unless … unless there’s a reason for them to use a Christian.” READ MORE

Posted in Jewish, Politics | Tagged , | Leave a comment

“In heartfelt interview, Lucy Aharish describes barrage of criticism over her marriage to actor Tsahi Halevi, says their child will make his own decisions on Judaism”

Posted on April 18, 2021 by ArchitectGuy

TIMES OF ISRAEL
Arab Israeli TV anchor opens up on vicious responses to her interfaith marriage
by Staff
April 18, 2021

Lucy Aharish, a prominent Arab Israeli media personality and outspoken critic of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, gave a heartfelt interview over the weekend in which she spoke candidly about her marriage to Israeli actor Tsahi Halevi (of “Fauda” fame), the recent birth of their first child, the difficulties of life in Israel as an interfaith couple, and the barrage of hateful comments they receive, mostly online. Aharish and Halevi’s wedding in 2018 drew widespread condemnation from the Israeli right, with politicians weighing in and some ministers publicly berating them at the time. READ MORE

Posted in Islam, Israel & Middle East, Jewish, Politics | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Among Klein’s “xenophobic and racist statements” were critical remarks about revered, untouchable figures on the left, including George Soros, Barack Obama, and Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar

Posted on April 18, 2021 by ArchitectGuy

PJ MEDIA
Leftists try to cancel Zionist leader for criticizing Tlaib and Omar, and noting that BLM Is antisemitic
by Robert Spencer
April 17, 2021

The Boston Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), a coalition of Jewish organizations, is set to meet on April 27 to decide whether or not to expel the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) over charges that it is “white supremacist.” Of course, everyone to the right of Pol Pot is a white supremacist these days, as far as the left is concerned. The real sin of ZOA’s national president Mort Klein is that he dared to criticize leftist powerbrokers and to point out that Black Lives Matter (BLM) is not the saintly organization of establishment media myth, but a viciously hateful and anti- Semitic group. Simply telling unwelcome truths about people and causes the left idolizes gets you lumped in with the KKK in this insane age. READ MORE

Posted in Israel & Middle East, Jewish, Politics | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Israel’s mandate on mask wearing outdoors officially lifts on Sunday; masks must still be worn in public places indoors

Posted on April 15, 2021 by ArchitectGuy

TIMES OF ISRAEL
Israel lifts outdoor mask requirement, fully opens schools Sunday, as COVID ebbs
by Staff
April 17, 2021

With fewer than a hundred new coronavirus cases diagnosed Friday, and just 201 Israelis in serious condition with the virus, Israel was set Sunday to lift the requirement for wearing masks outside, and to fully reopen all schools. The latest Health Ministry figures showed 95 new cases were diagnosed on Friday, accounting for just 0.7% of the 14,182 samples tested. There were 2,680 active cases, and the death toll since the start of the pandemic stood at 6,315. The ministry also said 5,341,887 Israelis have received at least one coronavirus vaccine dose and 4,965,696 have received two shots. READ MORE

Posted in Israel & Middle East, Politics | Tagged | Leave a comment

France’s top appeals court confirms that #JewishLivesDontMatter

Posted on April 15, 2021 by ArchitectGuy

ALGEMEINER
‘Now We Can Torture and Kill Jews With Impunity’: Fury Among French Jews as Top Appeal Court Rejects Criminal Trial for Killer of Sarah Halimi
by Ben Cohen
April 14, 2021

The family of Sarah Halimi — the French Jewish woman brutally murdered in her Paris apartment by an intruder who bellowed antisemitic slogans as he beat her relentlessly — lost their final court attempt to have her killer tried on Wednesday, as the country’s top appeals court upheld an earlier decision that he could not be held criminally responsible because his intake of marijuana on the night of the killing had rendered him temporarily insane. The decision means that Halimi’s accused murderer, 31-year-old Kobili Traore, will never have to stand trial in a French court for his act. READ MORE

Posted in Islam, Jewish, Politics | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Iran hopes to stoke fear that its “breakout timing” is shrinking and thereby increase pressure on the Biden administration to reenter the #IranDeal before time runs out

Posted on April 15, 2021 by ArchitectGuy

JINSA
Iran’s Newest Nuclear Steps Won’t Make Up for Delays Caused by Explosion
by Blaise Misztal and Jonathan Ruhe
April 15, 2021

Iran’s Newest Nuclear Steps Won’t Make Up for Delays Caused by ExplosionIran has attempted to make up for an April 11 explosion at its Natanz enrichment facility by announcing new nuclear advances: enriching uranium to 60 percent and installing an additional 1,000 advanced centrifuges. Though these moves are designed to regain leverage and convince the United States to grant Iran sanctions relief, neither of these announcements will, for now, materially accelerate Iran’s ability to sprint for a nuclear weapon. Instead, the explosion at Natanz appears to have set back Iran’s “breakout” clock — the amount of time needed to produce enough weapons-grade uranium for a single nuclear weapon — by roughly two months. READ MORE

Posted in Islam, Israel & Middle East, Politics | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Rep. Betty McCollum’s bill conditioning Israel aid is being backed by several left-wing groups such as J Street, IfNotNow, Jewish Voice for Peace and Americans for Peace Now

Posted on April 15, 2021 by ArchitectGuy

JNS
AIPAC Blasts Bill Proposed by Minnesota Rep. McCollum to Condition US Aid to Israel
April 15, 2021

AIPAC blasted a new bill introduced by Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.) that would condition U.S. aid to Israel to ensure that no tax dollars contribute to alleged civil-rights and human-rights abuses against Palestinians. The proposed legislation, “Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act,” is similar to prior bills McCollum has introduced, reported The Hill. This one would bar the use of American aid for detaining Palestinian youth, destroying Palestinian homes or property or annexing Palestinian-owned land…In a series of tweets, AIPAC said it opposes the anti-Israel bill that “would condition aid to Israel, undermine U.S. interests and make peace less likely.” READ MORE

JEWISH INSIDER Five other Democrat members of Congress have signed on as co-sponsors so far Reps. Bobby Rush (D-IL), Danny Davis (D-IL), Andre Carson (D-IN), Marie Newman (D-IL) and Ilhan Omar (D-MN) — have signed on as cosponsors as of 4 p.m. Wednesday, according to a McCollum spokesperson.

AIPAC ALERT The United States provides security assistance to Israel because it advances American interests and helps ensure the Jewish state has the means necessary to defend itself—by itself—against growing threats. Reps. Ted Deutch (D-FL) and Michael McCaul (R-TX) are circulating a letter for signature that reinforces the bipartisan consensus that aid to Israel serves American interests. Please urge your representative to sign the Deutch/McCaul letter. Click this link to send an automatic letter to your congressman.

Posted in Israel & Middle East, Jewish, Politics | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

“The death in Jerusalem of the 86-year-old leader has robbed the Jewish world of one of its towering figures at a time when it is particularly ill-equipped for such a loss”

Posted on April 15, 2021 by ArchitectGuy

JNS
The moral courage of Isi Leibler
by Melanie Phillips
April 15, 2021

The death in Jerusalem of Isi Leibler at the age of 86 has robbed the Jewish world of one of its towering figures at a time when it is particularly ill-equipped for such a loss. Leibler, who was head of the Australian Jewish community before he immigrated to Israel, became a multi-millionaire global Jewish leader who was influential for decades on the international stage. His efforts helped pave the way for diplomatic relations to be established between Israel and China and for full diplomatic relations between Israel and India. READ MORE

Posted in Israel & Middle East, Jewish, Politics | Tagged | Leave a comment

Progressive Democrat takes to House floor with speech honoring Israel on its 73rd birthday

Posted on April 15, 2021 by ArchitectGuy

ALGEMEINER
Israel Reminds Us That It Is Possible to Overcome’: Ritchie Torres Gives Israeli Independence Day Speech From House Floor
by Staff
April 16, 2021

US Congressman Ritchie Torres took to the floor of the US House of Representatives Thursday to mark Israel’s Independence Day. “Israel embodies the resilience, the ingenuity, the can-do come back spirit of humanity at its best,” said the New York Democrat in remarks from the House floor, at the end of a day marking Israel’s 73rd year of independence. Torres — a progressive Democrat who was elected to represent New York’s 15th Congressional district in 2020 — has cast himself as part of the “long tradition of Zionism on the left,” and cautioned against “deep strain of antisemitism” found in some left-wing quarters. READ MORE

Posted in Israel & Middle East, Jewish, Politics | Tagged | Leave a comment

Professor Gil Troy: “Why I am a Zionist”

Posted on April 15, 2021 by ArchitectGuy

UNPACKED
Professor Gil Troy’s essay “Why I am a Zionist”

Posted in Israel & Middle East, Jewish, Politics | Tagged , | Leave a comment