Jews are being murdered today because of anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism and incitement to terrorism, not because of Palestinian frustration over stalled peace talks, Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked told foreign ambassadors in central Israel on Friday.
Her comments came on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, marked on January 27 every year, the date of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp in 1945.
Shaked, of the right-wing Jewish Home party, told attendees at a memorial service at Kibbutz Tel Yitzhak, near Netanya, that it is clear that Israel is not the problem in the troubled Middle East, but rather the solution, Israel Radio reported.
She urged the ambassadors to join the war against incitement, terrorism and racism.
“The fact that the world closes its eyes to Iranian aid to the genocide in Syria, and chooses to repeatedly condemn the only country in the Middle East that really values human life is a sign of the world’s double standard and its unwillingness to deal with evil,” she said.
The European Union’s foreign affairs chief, Federica Mogherini, said Thursday that the world had a “responsibility to remember” the millions of Jews and others murdered in the Holocaust during World War II, and also warned that racism and anti-Semitism were on the rise.
In a press statement, Mogherini said that “anti-Semitism has not disappeared, and European Jews have too often come under attack,” while “discriminations based on religion and on ethnicity are worryingly on the rise.
The new president of the European Parliament on Wednesday urged calm over threats of resurgent anti-Semitism on the continent, calling on local Jewish communities to remain vigilant, but not fearful.
Speaking at an International Holocaust Remembrance Day event at its Brussels headquarters, Antonio Tajani, who replaced Martin Schulz as the European Parliament president last week, said “no Jew should be forced to leave Europe.”
However, other speakers at the event countered that Jewish fears were indeed justified, with former British prime minister Tony Blair warning that “any sense of security is false.”
Tajani, a veteran Italian politician, told attendees that “Europe has always been able to draw lessons” from its sordid past. “But unfortunately, anti-Semitism is not an issue of the past,” he added.
Singling out deadly terror attacks against Jews in Toulouse, Paris and Brussels, the EU parliament head condemned the violence “against Jewish people — only because they wear a kippah.”
“It is important to remain vigilant, but not to be afraid,” he said.
But as Tajani called for Jews to remain in Europe, the head of the European Jewish Congress said the future of European Jewry was increasingly in doubt.
Since the Holocaust, “two generations of Jews grew up believing they had a home in Europe, like anyone else. But that is now changing,” said Moshe Kantor.
“We European Jews want to remain in Europe and be loyal to it, as we have always been. Even after [the] Holocaust, we didn’t give up on Europe. But today, our young generations have doubts about their future on the continent,” he said.
“We count on Europe to continue to show its loyalty to us. Loyalty to the idea that Jews have a future here in Europe,” he said. But not “behind high walls, bulletproof glass” or the other safety measures European Jewish communities have been forced to adopt, he added.
“We cannot and should not live this way,” he said.
Blair said he was “ashamed” by a string of anti-Semitic attacks in London over the weekend, while warning that “any sense of security” among Jews in the face of rising anti-Jewish hatred was “false.”
“These acts of anti-Semitism are here and now, even in Britain in the last few days,” said the kippah-clad Blair — who serves as the chairman of the European Council on Tolerance and Reconciliation.
“I’m ashamed to say there have been such acts perpetrated against the Jewish community,” he said.
The former prime minister was referring at least three incidents in north London on Friday and Saturday — including a swastika-daubed brick hurled into a Jewish home, a family pelted with eggs, and swastika graffiti next to the words “Heil Hitler” and “F*** Jews” painted on a residential building.
Kantor, who according to The Independent was set to meet Pope Francis on Friday and warn about the threat of anti-Semitism in the face of rising populism in Europe, characterized the threat against the Jews in Europe as “unique.”
“Unlike any other minority, we are not just a target of the far-right but also of the far-left, as well as Islamists. Few would believe, but we have seen cooperation and coordination between these… groups on one issue only: Jews,” he said.
“This is the new anti-Semitism, without limits, without borders, with multiple identities and political homes,” he said.
In a new threat to the West, the Islamic State on Tuesday debuted on social media a commercially available drone dropping small bombs with pinpoint accuracy onto Iraqi targets in and around Mosul.
The new capability raises the specter that the Islamic State one day could attack urban areas from the air, not just on the ground. The U.S. military is alarmed by the terrorist army’s quick technological advances and is evaluating more than 20 systems to detect and destroy its drone air force. Other systems already have been rushed to the war.
The attacks were depicted in a lengthy Islamic State propaganda video showing its terrorists in intense street battles to hold the city of Mosul. Included is aerial footage of a Chinese Skywalker X8 drone, which is available on Amazon, striking clusters of Iraqi soldiers, tanks and buildings.
The video shows that the Islamic State can assemble, arm, launch and guide drones, and find specific targets. The explosions appear relatively small but deadly. Remote pilots were able to hit a tank turret and the dead center of a troop concentration.
Rep. Duncan Hunter, California Republican, said the drone video shows that the Islamic State has made a progression in delivering improvised explosive devices. The militants have gone from buried IEDs to vehicle-borne IEDS to airborne IEDS.
Tomorrow, Friday January 27, 2017, is the Annual March for Life. The March for Life Rally will take place at noon on the grounds of the Washington Monument, near the corner of 15th Street and Constitution Avenue. Following the Rally, the March will begin on Constitution Avenue between 15th and 17th Streets at approximately 1:00 pm. The March for Life was founded in 1973, when a group of pro-life leaders gathered at Nellie Gray’s home in Washington, D.C. to express concern that the first Anniversary of Roe v. Wade would come and go with no recognition. On January 22, 1974 the first March for Life was held on the steps of the Capitol. Pro-lifers have been Marching for Life every year since.
A Counter-Protest to Oppose the March for Life has been organized by RefuseFascism, the NYC Revolution Club, Stop Patriarchy and other organizations. They announced the counter-protest and their goal to “not let this march go through DC without resistance “via social media here.
“Friday, January 27 at 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM EST – Oppose the so-called ‘March for Life’ which should be called the March for Female Enslavement & Forced Motherhood. Join with members of RefuseFascism.org, NYC Revolution Club, Stop Patriarchy… as we gather in front of the steps of the Supreme Court with banners, signs, chants…to not let this march go through DC without resistance.”
Oath Keepers suggests that March for Life participants be aware of their surroundings, especially considering the recent violent protests during the Presidential Inauguration only 6 days ago. While the riots that occurred during the Inauguration Parade were not instigated by the same groups promoting the counter-protest, the groups involved with those riots are still hostile and still present in Washington, DC. Movement in groups is highly recommended.
Individuals dressed in all black with face coverings, like those pictured above, are most likely intent on more aggressive actions than simply blocking or impeding the march. Should you encounter these individuals, we suggest you not engage with or debate them and immediately move away and inform police. The Washington DC Police has arrested more than 230 of these “Black-bloc” anarchists over the past week for rioting and other offenses.
Please be safe and have a great March for Life!
Additional advice from Stewart Rhodes, Founder of Oath Keepers:
The standard tactic of the Black Block/Anti-Fascist anarchists is to try to surround an individual and then sucker punch them from the side or the rear. Accordingly, march participants should organize themselves into groups of at least four to eight. A group of a dozen is even better, with all in that group committed to staying together, and looking after each other. The more able-bodied males should pair up into buddy teams and assign themselves as the protectors of the less able bodied and vulnerable participants in their group. During our recent deployment of volunteer Oath Keepers security teams at the Inauguration, we advised those who were going to assume the duty of being “sheepdogs” to work in teams of four to eight, if possible, and to blend in with the crowd. If you can arrange that, all the better, but if not, at least go in teams of two able bodied males who will look after an assigned group of marchers. In the context of a march, it would be a good idea to have any such volunteer security teams dispersed throughout the march procession, and to position themselves between march participants and any potentially violent “counter-protesters.” If you have dual band HAM radios, or FRS radios, bring them, so you can easily communicate if separated.
Be sure you know the location of the nearest police officers at all times, so you know where to go if you need help, or where to move toward if under attack. Most of the “anarchists” are young punks who like to sucker punch people when they are not looking, rather than looking for a stand up, face-to-face fight with able bodied men. Keep that in mind. They all dress alike, in black, so they can step out of the mass of black clothed rioters, commit a crime, and then blend back into the mass.
Scottie clarke keeps putting out great stuff,check out his latest u tube.It's "refreshing" to her that he brings up Daniel 12.....please rest with me on the bench to save are strength for battle.
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