On Friday, 3/22, Congress passed, and President Biden signed into law, numerous major pro-Israel provisions in its annual appropriations bills, including more than $3.8 billion in funding for Israel. Yet the House went on break without passing the bipartisan national security supplemental bill. This week the US also abstained from voting on a ceasefire resolution at the UN.
Someone should remind world leaders that a ceasefire takes two. Hamas rejected Israel’s 6 week ceasefire offer which was based on exchanging 40 hostages for 700 Palestinian terrorist prisoners. This means that the ground invasion of Rafah will likely start soon.
Afghanistan
U.S. adds 12,000 special immigrant visas for Afghans; advocates say more needed
There are 130,000 applications still unprocessed. https://www.voanews.com/a/us-adds-12-000-special-immigrant-visas-for-afghans-advocates-say-more-needed-/7542185.html
Iran
Iran Update -The Iran Update provides insights into Iranian and Iranian-sponsored activities abroad that undermine regional stability and threaten US forces and interests
Iraq
Why America is still failing in Iraq: “The groups that Washington targeted [in the Middle East] have not gone away. Instead, they have flourished, becoming even more powerful within their countries and the wider region. Washington has proved itself unable to tackle the true sources of these groups’ power, https://www.foreignaffairs.com/iraq/why-america-still-failing-iraq
Israel
Israel Has Created a New Standard for Urban Warfare. Why Will No One Admit It? https://www.newsweek.com/israel-has-created-new-standard-urban-warfare-why-will-no-one-admit-it-opinion-1883286Meanwhile Israeli school buses are bulletproof. Let that sink in... Damage Done: How Al Jazeera’s Fake News Harmed Israel’s Reputation In Less Than 24 Hours Gaza
Gaza Fatality Data Has Become Completely Unreliable https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/gaza-fatality-data-has-become-completely-unreliable
FYI Islamic Jihad used the maternity ward at Shifa as their HQ. Let that sink in...
Lebanon
Hizbullah Continues Rocket Fire on Northern Israel (Jerusalem Post) Hezbollah started firing into Israel on 10/7 The Coming Conflict with Hizbullah (Center for Strategic & International Studies)Hezbollah has been shelling Israel almost daily. Over 55,000 Israelis remain evacuated from their homes near the Lebanon border
UK
Mob Rule Shuts British Museum over Palestinians (Daily Mail-UK)At Manchester Airport: 2 survivors of the Nova Festival were detained by the Border officers, with the unbelievable line “we have to make sure u are not doing in England what your people are doing in Gaza”, is under investigation https://news.sky.com/story/israel-hamas-war-investigation-after-allegation-two-7-october-survivors-were-questioned-by-border-force-staff-because-they-were-israeli-13101940U.S. and UK sanction individuals, companies who fundraised for Hamas https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/us-sanctions-online-site-gaza-now-founder-allegedly-108557254Gaza Doctors at Center of Harrowing BBC Report Are Long-Time Supporters of Hamas (Mail on Sunday-UK)BBC refuses to use the word terrorism when covering Hamas but used it to describe Russian attackers. Also, BBC and others have been posting photos of a starving child in Gaza that is actually suffering from a chronic conditionUN
UN appoints Saudi Arabia as the chair of a UN commission to promote gender equality and empower women around the world.Switzerland refuses to reinstate funds to terror-infested UNRWA The Human Rights Establishment For too long, human-rights groups have been granted a free pass to serve as society’s watchdogs without first proving they are fit to bark. https://sapirjournal.org/friends-and-foes/2024/03/the-human-rights-establishment/------------------------------------
On campuses and in schools this week
------------------------------------
Berkeley Unified School District The wave of antisemitism directed at California children in grades K-12 in Berkeley has resulted in the filing of a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. https://brandeiscenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Brandeis-Center-ADL-Complaint.pdf
At Columbia University the heads of Samidoun – an organization that was banned from Germany for its ties with terrorism – held a recruitment event https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1772078222772949306.html A spokesperson for Columbia said, “We are investigating this matter and will not tolerate violations of university policy.”
In case you missed the Son of Hamas, Mosab Hassan Yousef, event at Columbia, watch the event by clicking on the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAmUh1PbI6IStamford University the college is a factory of unreason
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/03/stanford-israel-gaza-hamas/677864/
Rutgers University facing probe by House Committee on Education & the Workforce for failing to protect its Jewish students, faculty & staff from pervasive antisemitism on its campuses.
University of Manitoba reinstated Students Supporting Israel club. Thanks to all who wrote to the university. https://mailchi.mp/ssimovement/save-the-date-ssis-7th-national-conference-announcement-6277589
Vanderbilt University Suspends Anti-Zionist Protesters After Building Takeover, Multiple Arrests Made
The Reynolds Journalism Institute at the Missouri School of Journalism awarded AP a photojournalism award for a brutal picture taken by a terrorist that includes Shani Louk's body. To me, it's like awarding Nazi film makers at the concentration camps an award for journalism or giving a medical prize to Mengele.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
This week, Daniel Gilboa turned 20 today in captivity. She should be celebrating her birthday with her loved ones, not underground in a Hamas tunnel, spending every waking moment in fear.
--------------------------------
Uriel Baruch was kidnapped from the Nova party when he was on his way home. This week, it was learned that he died in Gaza. Uriel left behind his wife Racheli, two children, parents Naomi and Amir, and three brothers. His body is held by Hamas as a bargaining chip!
