Israel

A package aimed at giving $17.6 billion to Israel failed to pass the House of Representatives on February 6. The bill, seen as a political ploy by many Democrats and by President Biden, had been facing a veto threat from the White House, which is pushing for Congress to consider Israel aid as part of a larger $118 billion supplemental security package. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) unveiled the standalone Israel bill, known as the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, over the weekend, which was introduced by Rep. Ken Calvert (R-California).

U.S. threats have given genocidal terrorists a respite as the media continues to demonize Israel and enable antisemitism. But the war isn’t over yet.

(April 8, 2024 / JNS) Perhaps Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wasn’t blowing smoke. After the announcement of a withdrawal of Israel Defense Forces troops from southern Gaza, he pledged that a date had been set for an offensive into Rafah to complete the job of destroying Hamas’s last remaining active military units. If true, that would mean the assumption that the Israeli retreat from Gaza signaled the end for all intents and purposes of the war that Hamas began on Oct. 7 was, at best, premature.

The routine for most Israelis since October 7, 2023, has been: Get up in the morning, immediately review the news, breathe again when no soldiers were lost or terrorist attacks were promulgated, go to beit knesset if you are so inclined, go to work with one eye or ear on the media, get through the day – and begin the next. Many days involve going to a funeral of a fallen “Hero of Israel” or visiting those who have suffered losses or are waiting for the return of hostages. The war in Gaza grinds on and the rockets, drones, RPGs, and antitank weapons scream towards civilian targets in the North, the Red Sea, and Eilat. Uncertainty and anxiety are the norm. But as a society, Israelis are determined to reach our goals: the return of the hostages and the destruction of Hamas. This is an existential battle, and it must be won. With G-d’s help, it will be won.

Millions of Jews and non-Jews participated in the Passover Seder this year and listened to the age-old question: “Why is this night different from all other nights?” – usually posed by the youngest member at the table. For many, the answer was obvious. With Israel involved in a bitter war, anti-Semitism raging in the United States and Europe, and more than 130 Jewish and non-Jewish hostages in the hands of Hamas and their terrorist co-conspirators, the atmosphere at the Seder was unprecedented in our lifetime.

Tel Aviv, ISRAEL– When the devastating news of October 7 reached the US, the response was immediate. But it wasn’t just reserve soldiers and ex-patriot Israelis boarding EL AL’s planes. For thousands of Diaspora Jews, prayers and donations were simply not enough–they had to come to Israel in person to show their love and solidarity.

 Campus Chaos Abounds

On campuses of public universities like CUNY, and of “elite” private institutions such as NYU, Columbia  and Harvard, chaos abounds. Student activists, supported and incited by outsiders, occupy large swatches of these ivory towers preventing unobstructed passage, freedom of speech and access to class for their fellow students. Violent actions such as looting, destruction of property and bodily harm to pro-Israel students  accompany protests in support of the Palestinians.