[IsraelTimes] Adam Erkan, 20, allegedly assaulted two students in November; one of the students says he’s afraid of attending classes on campus because of antisemitic threats against him
One of the men who allegedly beat two Jewish DePaul University students after one showed support for Israel last November has been charged with a hate crime.
Adam Erkan, 20, has been charged with two counts of aggravated battery and hate crime, the Cook County State Attorney’s Office announced this week.
The arrest comes as DePaul’s president has been summoned to testify in Congress about antisemitism on his campus. Robert Manuel is scheduled to appear on May 7 before a House committee that set the tenor for federal scrutiny of antisemitism on college campuses in the aftermath of Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
The arrest also comes two weeks after the students who were allegedly attacked in November, Max Long and Michael Kaminsky, filed a lawsuit against DePaul, saying that the Jesuit university failed to protect Jewish students on campus.
DePaul denounced the attack when it was reported, saying the school was “outraged” and was working with Chicago police to find the perpetrators and determine whether the individuals “targeted our students because of their Jewish identity.”
On Thursday, the school said Erkan was not affiliated with DePaul and expressed gratitude to law enforcement. “Acts of hate and violence have no place at DePaul,” the school said in a statement. “We condemn antisemitism in all its forms and stand in solidarity with those affected by this reprehensible act.”
Long is an IDF reservist who was in Israel when Hamas attacked. He operates a nonprofit that aims to help lone soldiers — those who move to Israel from abroad without their families to enlist in the IDF. Since October 7, amid growing criticism of the IDF and backlash against its soldiers abroad, he has worked to bring reservists to college campuses to share their stories.
On his own campus, he made a habit of draping himself in an Israeli flag and holding a sign that said, “Come talk about Israel with an IDF soldier.” He was engaged in that work outside DePaul’s student center in November when two masked individuals allegedly shouted antisemitic remarks and proceeded to punch him. Kaminsky then allegedly stepped in to help Long. The students declined medical treatment at the scene, DePaul said, but Kaminsky discovered a fractured wrist that required surgery, while Long said he had suffered a concussion with long-lasting effects.
Following the attack, several Jewish organizations protested on DePaul’s campus to demand action against antisemitism. Last month, the school barred a Chicago pro-Palestinian activist group, Behind Enemy Lines, from its campus. And the nonprofit Lawfare Project, representing Jews seeking civil rights redress, took up the Jewish students’ case.
Kaminsky and Long’s lawsuit against DePaul alleges that the school failed to protect the students despite a pattern of prior threats and harassment against Long. The lawsuit alleges that, since the attack, students have posted fliers describing Long as “wanted” and accusing him of being an “IDF butcher.” He told local news that he was so fearful of physical attacks that he dropped a course that required him to be on campus.
Now that one of the alleged perpetrators has been arrested, Kaminsky — a criminal justice major who recently received the “Student Activist of the Year” award from the Combat Antisemitism Movement — said he felt some relief.
“I think there is a little sigh of relief knowing that one of the two violent perpetrators who went out of their way to attack two Jewish students is now off the streets for the time being,” Kaminsky told ABC News following Erkan’s arrest.
A judge has ordered the man accused of attacking two Jewish students on DePaul University's Lincoln Park campus to be detained. Adam Erkan, 20, is facing aggravated battery and hate crime charges nearly five months after the attack.
Chicago police allege it was Erkan, a student studying cybersecurity at Triton College, who beat students Max Long and Michael Kaminsky, one of them an Israeli soldier, late last year, leaving them with a concussion and broken wrist.
Video shows that violent encounter from Nov. 6. It shows two masked men beat and knock down Long and Kaminsky.
The two said they were advocating for conversation outside the university's Student Center about the Israel-Hamas War.
On Thursday, a judge ordered Erkan to be detained in Cook County Jail until his next hearing April 22 in Skokie, calling him a danger. Judge James Costello said he couldn't think of a scenario to release Erkan and guarantee students' safety.
In court, prosecutors spelled out the details of Erkan's movements in what the judge deemed a "concentrated plan."
Prosecutors said Erkan, cloaked in a ski mask, initiated a conversation with Long. The second suspect, who remains at large, knocked Long to the ground, unconscious, prosecutors said. As that happened, prosecutors say Erkan beat Kaminsky, and they say both attackers continued to beat Long and Kaminsky before running off.
Prosecutors say Erkan and his co-assailant's sprint from campus was captured on surveillance video. Some of the clothes the second man is seen wearing, they say, were found in a trashcan nearby, and video shows Erkan's SUV speeding off.
Erkan has hired a private attorney.
His father, who lives in New Jersey, was also in court Thursday.
Prosecutors said Erkan was seen near the scene in a car registered to his father, and that's partially how he was tracked down. Prosecutors said Erkan's father identified his son in surveillance video in February. The vehicle was traced to Hoffman Estates.
Another suspect remains at large, who was in Tinley Park for part of the day of the attack, prosecutors said. Erkan and the other suspect spoke on the phone that day, prosecutors said. Police have a warrant for Erkan's phone and watch, but have not yet been able to access them.
Erkan has been ordered not to have contact with the victims or witnesses in the attack. He has no prior criminal history, his attorney said.
[IsraelTimes] Internal State Department cable says online profiles of relevant travelers should be searched for ‘potential derogatory information relating to security issues’
The Trump administration on Thursday ordered a social media vetting for all US visa applicants who have been to the Gaza Strip since January 1, 2007, an internal State Department cable seen by Reuters showed, in the latest push to tighten screening of foreign travelers.
The order to conduct a social media vetting for all immigrant and non-immigrant visas should include non-governmental organization workers as well as individuals who have been in the Hamas-ruled enclave for any length of time in an official or diplomatic capacity, the cable said.
“If the review of social media results uncovers potential derogatory information relating to security issues, then a SAO must be submitted,” the cable said, referring to a security advisory opinion, which is an interagency investigation to determine if a visa applicant poses a national security risk to the United States.
The cable was sent to all US diplomatic and consular posts.
The move comes as US President Donald Trump’s administration has revoked hundreds of visas across the country, including the status of some lawful permanent residents under a 1952 law allowing the deportation of any immigrant whose presence in the country the US secretary of state deems harmful to US foreign policy.
The cable, dated April 17, was signed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said in late March that he may have revoked more than 300 visas already.
A State Department spokesperson declined to comment on internal communications when asked about the cable, but said every prospective traveler to the US undergoes extensive interagency security vetting.
“The Trump administration is focused on protecting our nation and our citizens by upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process,” the spokesperson said, adding that all visa applicants are continuously vetted.
“Security vetting runs from the time of each application, through adjudication of the visa, and afterward during the validity period of every issued visa, to ensure the individual remains eligible to travel to the United States,” the spokesperson added.
Trump officials have said student visa holders are subject to deportation over their support for Palestinians and criticism of Israel’s conduct in the war in Gaza, calling their actions a threat to US foreign policy interests.
[IsraelTimes] The United States issues new sanctions targeting the International Bank of Yemen, citing its financial support for the Houthis, the Iran-backed rebel group that has waged attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea and against Israel, a Treasury Department statement says.
The US is also sanctioning IBY leaders or officials, the statement says.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Kirill Semenov
[REGNUM] Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks on Thursday with the Emir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, at which the parties discussed the situation in the Middle East, the Ukrainian crisis and bilateral cooperation.
At the beginning of the narrow-format meeting, Vladimir Putin emphasized that relations between Russia and Qatar are strengthening. Qatar, according to the president, is one of Rosneft's key partners. About $1 billion has been invested in Russia through the RDIF (Qatar has invested more than $13 billion in total), but "there are much greater prospects," the Russian leader noted. He recalled how Qatar assisted in obtaining the right to host the Winter Olympics in Sochi, while Russia helped Qatar organize the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The president expressed gratitude for Qatar's assistance in prisoner exchanges, although the Ukrainian crisis was not discussed in detail, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov said. "Gratitude was expressed to the Qatari side for assistance in prisoner exchanges, but the topic of Ukraine was not discussed in detail," Peskov told reporters.
THE FATE OF BASES IN SYRIA
The Syrian problem received more attention.
In particular, the Emir of Qatar informed the Russian President about recent contacts with the Syrian leadership:
"As for Syria, a few days ago President al-Sharaa was in Qatar, and we spoke with him about the historical and strategic relations between Syria and Russia. He is interested in building relations between the two countries based on mutual respect."
President Putin, in turn, said that the situation in Syria, which has been rocked by sectarian violence in recent weeks, is of serious importance to Russia. According to Vladimir Putin, there are many problems in the SAR: political, security-related, and purely economic.
“We would like to do everything to ensure that Syria, firstly, remains a sovereign, independent and territorially integral state, and we would like to discuss with you the possibility of providing assistance to the Syrian people, including humanitarian assistance,” he addressed the emir.
In this context, it is important to pay attention to the possibility of using Russian military bases in Syria as humanitarian hubs. In this way, Moscow will be able to change the attitude towards these facilities of that part of the Syrians who opposed Assad and perceived Russian bases exclusively as an element of his support.
Now it is possible to redirect them to humanitarian supplies for Syrians who still need external assistance, including supplies of essential goods and products and food, given the difficult economic situation in the country.
Khmeimim, along with Russian ones, can also receive heavy Qatari C-17 aircraft with humanitarian aid, which will be completely safe at the base itself, and can then be distributed throughout the country.
Thus, the use of Russian facilities to organize humanitarian programs will also change the perception of Russia’s presence in Syria.
In fact, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke about using Russian bases as humanitarian hubs back in January.
GAZA AND IRAN
The two leaders also discussed the situation in the Gaza Strip, where Qatar played a key role in brokering a three-phase ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in January.
Israel resumed its offensive in the enclave in March, and talks to restore the ceasefire have so far failed to produce a breakthrough.
"Qatar, in its role as a mediator, will seek to bring together different points of view in an attempt to reach an agreement that will end the suffering of the Palestinian people," Sheikh Tamim said.
The Russian President, in turn, told the Emir: "We know that Qatar is making very serious efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Unfortunately, the initiatives put forward, including by you, have not been implemented - peaceful people continue to die in Palestine, which is an absolute tragedy of today."
Against the backdrop of events in Gaza and the ongoing violence there, humanitarian cooperation between Russia and Qatar in Syria may be supplemented by other initiatives in the area of resolving Middle East conflicts, and official representatives of Russia have also drawn attention to this.
In particular, on the eve of the emir's arrival, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov told journalists: " The region is full of conflict potential. And Qatar plays a very large and important role in attempts to resolve many situations."
It is significant that during the visit of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad to the Russian capital, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also arrived.
It is possible that the Emir of Qatar may also convey to the Americans some message from the Iranian side regarding the second round of Iran-US talks to be held in Oman. It may be supported by the views of Moscow and Doha.
MEDIATION AS A PILLAR OF FOREIGN POLICY
The Russian-Qatari dialogue in Moscow can also open a new page of closer cooperation in the field of mediation and conflict resolution. Russia and Qatar could exchange the experience that both countries have. At the same time, the Russian side also has something to learn from the Qataris, who have already accumulated much more experience in such matters and developed an effective methodology.
Qatar's approach to mediation as one of the main pillars of international activity is enshrined in the state's constitution. Doha positions itself as the "Mecca of the oppressed", on the one hand, providing a refuge for various political forces, and on the other, actively participating in the peaceful resolution of disputes between states and organizations.
At the same time, in its mediation activities, the State of Qatar relies on two main foundations: strategic interaction and tactical neutrality.
Strategic engagement means that the relationship with the parties mediated by Doha does not end with the signing of a reconciliation or normalization document. Qatar uses its mediation to cement the strategic nature of its ties with them and continues to develop cooperation in all areas, having gained trust during the mediation.
The second aspect is tactical neutrality, which helps the state to gain this trust. While taking an active position on international platforms, supporting some and condemning others, Qatar must be neutral in the negotiating room and offer options that will suit all parties.
According to the Qataris, mediation is not about providing a platform; it is about proposing and promoting ideas to the parties and backing up words with actions.
In particular, the credibility of Qatar as a mediator in the dialogue with the Taliban was reinforced by the fact that Doha was able to evacuate 120,000 foreigners and supporters of the ousted regime of Ashraf Ghani from Afghanistan. That is, Qatar demonstrated its capabilities and influence, and its mediation efforts became even more credible.
It is also worth recalling that Qatar's mediation efforts extend far beyond the Middle East and include Africa (Congo-Rwanda, Chad, etc.) and even America, where in 2023 Doha acted as a mediator between the US and Venezuela on the exchange of prisoners.
UNDERSTANDING QATAR
The visit of the Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad to Moscow, among other things, should bring the parties closer to an even greater understanding and consideration of each other’s interests.
Let us recall that 10-15 years ago, the attitude in Russia towards Qatar was rather negative, many media outlets accused Doha of supporting radical forces in the Middle East, and, conversely, Doha believed that Russia was almost the main enemy of the Islamic world. Now, Russia and Qatar have gotten to know each other much better, and such accusations, if they can be heard, are only heard from the margins.
In this case, it is significant that the exclusion of the Taliban movement from the list of terrorist organizations occurred during Tamim bin Hamad's visit to Moscow. In fact, Moscow and Doha have a common vision of what the "Afghanistan of the future" should look like, and intend to push the Afghan authorities toward reforms and the formation of an inclusive government.
At the same time, Qatar can offer its own successful model of “Islamic democracy” as a “non-Western type” civil society that is based on traditional values and can be an example for Afghanistan.
Since 1995, democracy has permeated all spheres of Qatari society: government ministers and other public officials have taken the initiative and replaced appointed bodies with elected ones where possible, for example in ministerial councils. This has led to talk of a “festival of democracy” (Ayd aldimukratiyyah) sweeping Qatar.
The reforms also affected women's rights, giving them the right to participate in elections and be appointed to government positions. Qatar granted them voting rights at the same time as men in connection with the 1999 elections to the Central Municipal Council. These elections, the first in Qatar, were deliberately held on March 8, 1999, International Women's Day. Finally, on April 29, 2003, the emirate held a referendum on the country's new Constitution.
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad, the current Emir of Qatar, to whom Hamad bin Khalifa handed over power in 2013, has continued his father's line in foreign and domestic policy.
MODERATE ISLAM AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO AUTHORITARIANISM
Since the 1970s, Qatar has been turning into a “Mecca of the oppressed.” Doha has been inviting Islamic scholars and preachers to its country, including those from Egypt, who were persecuted there but were able to reconcile the tenets of Islam with modernity without destroying the Islamic system.
Sheikh Hamad and then Sheikh Tamim tried to invest in Islamic values such as freedom of religion, freedom of speech and pluralistic socio-political discourse between the emir and the public.
As a result, Doha has not only been able to free itself from the ultra-conservative influence that until recently emanated from Saudi Arabia by overcoming entrenched social norms, liberalizing education and the labor market, and introducing civil liberties, but has also been able to formulate its own ideological justifications for how transformation should be carried out in the Arab and Islamic world as a whole.
Therefore, the state system of Qatar itself, based on religious values, fully meets the demands of modern society. Although Qatar provides for the death penalty for adultery or apostasy, there have been no cases of such death sentences recorded in the country.
And in general, death sentences in Qatar, unlike in the KSA, are extremely rare and are imposed only for particularly serious criminal offenses, despite the large list of acts that provide for the death penalty. The only death sentence in the 21st century was carried out in 2020 for murder.
The emirate also has a punishment of 100 and 40 strokes of the stick for "illegal sexual relations" or for drinking alcohol. But although such regulations exist, they are almost never implemented, since their application is extremely difficult due to numerous medical contraindications, and usually after a medical examination they are replaced by fines.
In fact, Qatar’s role in the events of the “Arab Spring” most clearly shows what principles Doha relied on after Hamid bin Khalifa Al Thani became its ruler, whose line was continued by Emir Tamim bin Hamad.
Qatar's policies during the Arab Spring were neither ideological nor religious, but pragmatic. Qatar's ties to Islamists evolved from the emirate's tradition of providing political asylum to persecuted people and the country's attempt to diversify its foreign policy.
Moreover, there was a widespread belief among senior policymakers in Qatar that moderate political Islam provided the only functional opposition to authoritarianism.
So, when the existing socio-political order of the Arab world collapsed, Qatar perceived Islamist groups as the only available force capable of filling the socio-political void left by failed regimes – at least temporarily.
Qatar is now operating under the same premise as it tries to help Syrians build a post-authoritarian future by calling on the forces in power in Syria to embrace pluralism, civil liberties and socio-political integration.
***
Qatar's role in the region remains extremely important. Despite its small size, it can indeed be considered a regional power based on its political weight, resources, and ability to advance its own interests.
And what is especially important for Moscow is that Doha is pursuing an independent foreign policy, developing and strengthening ties with the United States and Turkey, Iran and Afghanistan, Venezuela and Congo, while the Russian Federation is one of the important points of support for Qatar in the region and the world and will remain so in the foreseeable future.
Whew! Unexpected sense from the British government.
[IsraelTimes] Britain’s attorney general has rejected a request by pro-Palestinian groups to arrest Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, a statement by the top diplomat’s office reads.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy has informed Sa’ar of the decision, the statement says, which adds that Sa’ar has no intention of shortening his visit to the United Kingdom.
Funny how Kadyrov's name did not appear on the regnum.ru article on the meet between Putin and Qatar
[KavkazUzel] Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov acts as an informal mediator in relations with Islamic states, but has little leeway in building personal relationships with Middle Eastern leaders.
As the "Caucasian Knot" wrote, the options for cooperation with Syria were voiced by Ramzan Kadyrov as part of a PR campaign by the Russian authorities, who are trying to save face after the fall of the Assad regime, analysts pointed out.
On April 17, Ramzan Kadyrov was present among other Russian officials at the talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Emir of Qatar Tamim al-Thani. Kadyrov did not disclose his role in the event, noting that the situation in Syria and the Gaza Strip, as well as cooperation in the energy sector, were discussed.
"The talks that took place contributed to the further strengthening of relations between the Chechen Republic and the state of Qatar. We will continue to make efforts to expand the partnership on a mutually beneficial basis," the head of Chechnya said in a post on his Telegram channel today.
Chief researcher of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences Dmitry Mikulsky, professor of the National Research University Higher School of Economics, specialist in comparative law and Islamic law Leonid Syukiyanen and political scientist Ruslan Kutayev shared their conclusions about what lies behind Ramzan Kadyrov’s participation in the negotiations between Vladimir Putin and the Emir of Qatar Tamim Al Thani with a correspondent of the “Caucasian Knot”.
Dmitry Mikulsky believes that the head of Chechnya is an important figure in Russia’s relations with the countries of the Middle East.
"Ramzan Kadyrov's presence at the talks with the Emir of Qatar is explained by several factors. Kadyrov acts as an informal mediator in relations with Islamic states. This is part of the Russian "soft power" strategy, where Chechnya is positioned as an example of successful integration of a Muslim region into the Russian state. Kadyrov does have personal ties with the elites of the Persian Gulf countries, which have been built over the years through religious, cultural and economic contacts. In particular, he has repeatedly met with representatives of the royal families of Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, and has also attracted investments from these countries to Chechnya," Mikulsky said.
In October 2024, Ramzan Kadyrov paid an official visit to Saudi Arabia, where he met with Prince Turki bin Mohammed bin Fahd bin Abdul Aziz. That same month, Kadyrov attended Putin's talks with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The regional leader reported this on his Telegram channel.
In his opinion, Kadyrov’s position in Middle Eastern diplomacy has limited independence.
"He acts within the framework of Russia's overall foreign policy strategy, but at the same time has little freedom of maneuver in building personal relationships. But the Middle East countries perceive him as a representative of Russia, possibly with a special status. But everyone understands that without the Kremlin's support, other states will not show such an attitude towards him. That is, the lack of support from the Kremlin will mean the lack of privileges from the Middle East countries," Mikulsky noted.
"A publication specializing in investigative journalism published an article, with references to sources in power and information from colleagues, about the deterioration of relations between Kadyrov and the Kremlin . According to the publication, the reason for the discord was information about negotiations between the head of Chechnya and representatives of Middle Eastern Muslim monarchies about the future of Kadyrov's assets and the safety of his family members."
Amid reports of deteriorating relations between Kadyrov and the Kremlin, his participation in the talks underscores his importance to the Kremlin, the expert explains. "Kadyrov's participation in talks at such a high level indicates that his role remains significant for the federal center. This shows that, despite possible periods of tension in relations with the Kremlin, which some publications have reported, Kadyrov continues to play an important role in Russian foreign policy, especially in relations with the Islamic world. His presence at the talks with the Emir of Qatar is not just a symbolic gesture, but recognition of his practical role in dialogue with Muslim monarchies," Mikulsky said.
Leonid Syukiyanen notes that the Kremlin decided to use Kadyrov’s connections in negotiations with Qatar.
"Chechnya is one of the important republics within Russia, where the majority of the population is Muslim. The leader of this republic is perceived as a representative of Russian Muslims and a defender of Muslim interests. He probably already has established relations with representatives of Qatar, which is why he was invited to the negotiations," he told the "Caucasian Knot."
According to him, the head of Chechnya is perceived as a representative of the Kremlin, and not an independent entity in international relations. "He acts within the framework of Russia's general policy in the Middle East. He cannot pursue his own independent policy. As for personal connections, all diplomats and politicians establish personal contacts during negotiations, but as soon as they lose their status, personal connections also weaken," Syukijänen noted.
He believes that Kadyrov's role has always been significant for the Kremlin. "Everyone has disagreements. I don't think that in this case they affected Kadyrov's importance for the Kremlin. He enjoys the support of the federal center, which recognizes that Kadyrov can be useful in negotiations, and he is invited," Syukijanen said.
Kadyrov is the face of the Islamic society of Russia, believes Ruslan Kutayev . "Kadyrov, who has considerable money, has long been connected with (Middle Eastern) emirs. But above all, he is significant because he is the person closest to Putin among the Muslims of Russia, whom the Russian president completely trusts. Sometimes he is given such instructions on foreign policy issues that Putin does not trust even to (Foreign Minister Sergei) Lavrov. This is the reason why he was invited to the negotiations," he told the "Caucasian Knot".
Kutayev does not believe that Kadyrov has ever conducted an independent policy. "He is comfortable in the position of a representative of the Kremlin. He will never independently do something that the Kremlin might not like. The countries of the Middle East perceive Kadyrov as a politician loyal to the Kremlin," the political scientist noted.
In his opinion, the information about the deterioration of relations between Kadyrov and the Kremlin is not true. "Kadyrov is entrusted with tasks that neither the FSB nor any other security agency could carry out. The security forces simply do not like Kadyrov's influence," Kutayev emphasized.
Namaz is the physical act of Islamic prayer.
[KavkazUzel] The ban on namaz in the Andropovsky District of Stavropol is "open discrimination and legal lawlessness," the head of Chechnya said today, commenting on the document that has already been cancelled by the district authorities. He suggested that the authorities of other regions build more mosques if they do not want namaz in the street.
As the "Caucasian Knot" wrote, the letter about the inadmissibility of public prayers as uncoordinated mass events was erroneous, the authorities of the Andropovsky District stated. There are no restrictions on religious rites in the region, a representative of the Stavropol authorities assured.
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said today that he "read with indignation the letter from the administration of the Andropovsky municipal district of Stavropol Krai" about the "inadmissibility of public prayer" and the threat of fines. "This is not just a bureaucratic paper - this is open discrimination and legal chaos," he wrote on his Telegram channel.
He recalled the large number of Muslims in Russia and their participation in the SVO. "These people do not ask for anything extra. They want one thing - for their faith to be respected," Kadyrov said.
According to him, the geographical location of Stavropol also determines the special attitude towards Muslims. "Stavropol Krai is part of the North Caucasus Federal District, surrounded by republics with a Muslim majority. <...> In such conditions, such statements from the authorities sound not just illiterate, but absurd and dangerous. Instead of strengthening peace and mutual respect, the officials themselves are throwing up artificial reasons for inciting hatred," the head of Chechnya said.
According to him, "if the authorities do not want Muslims to perform namaz on the streets, then let them facilitate the construction of mosques."
Kadyrov spoke on behalf of all Muslims. "I and millions of Muslims across the country are outraged by such actions. This undermines interethnic trust and provokes discord. Such things must be stopped harshly and in a principled manner," he concluded.
Let us recall that this is not the first time Kadyrov has tried to speak on behalf of all Muslims. Thus, earlier Kadyrov got involved in the issue of building a mosque in Moscow in order to show himself as the main defender of Muslims in Russia and to demonstrate his increased influence, although formally he has no right to interfere in events taking place in another region, noted human rights activists and a Caucasus expert interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot".
Against the backdrop of social media and media reports about the authorities' intention to allow the construction of a mosque near the Holy Lake, where an Orthodox church is already located, protests against the construction of the mosque began to take place in Moscow in early 2023, with MMA fighters, including Maksim Divnich, taking part. And on April 3 of that year, a video was published online in which people in military uniform, identifying themselves as participants in the military operation in Ukraine, promised to fight with those involved in the construction of the mosque. The video does not indicate the nationality of the military, but social media, in particular the YouTube channel "Morning of February", claims that the statement was made on behalf of Chechen security forces.
In the summer of 2024, statements by the head of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation Alexander Bastrykin regarding migration policy and the religious subtext of the terrorist attacks in Dagestan caused bewilderment among Muslims, said political scientist Ali Magamadov. The head of the Investigative Committee is primarily dissatisfied with the migration policy, said human rights activist Alexander Verkhovsky. The controversy between Kadyrov and Bastrykin showed the claims of the head of Chechnya to the place of the protector of all Muslims, said a teacher from Grozny.
[Daily Mail, where America gets its news] Male asylum seekers who are single and healthy will be deported back to Greece after arriving in Germany, a top court has ruled.
The Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig decided that migrants will not face inhumane or degrading conditions if they were sent back.
Judges were ruling on a case of both a 34-year-old man born in northern Gaza and a 32-year-old Somali national, both of whom were granted protection status in Greece.
The court determined that while migrants in Greece receive little to no access to state support, young, able-bodied men should be able to deal with the circumstances there.
Robert Keller, one of the judges, said that the ruling was ultimately based on whether refugees in Greece had access to 'bread, bed and soap'.
He said: 'That's not much, we know that.
'It's a tough benchmark.'
The ruling accepted that waiting times for documents and a lack of support were issues for asylum seekers in Greece.
[IsraelTimes] As a Jewish woman, Levana has always been anxious about using taxis in France, especially when alone. Those concerns were compounded after the outbreak of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in 2023.
“Since October 7, things have become really complicated, the doubts and the fear are really much more intense,” said the 37-year-old French-Israeli.
But that was before. For some time now, Levana has found peace of mind in a new taxi application called Monite.
“Someone told me about this app, I tried it, and what a joy it is to feel safe. It’s priceless,” said Levana, who now uses it all the time in France.
Launched last September by three Franco-Israelis, the app, similar to Uber, offers rides with taxi drivers who have a command of Hebrew and are familiar with Jewish culture.
“Many [Israelis] told us that it had become complicated to travel abroad, that they were afraid to say that they came from Israel and felt a bit of insecurity,” said Ilan Amar, one of Monite’s co-founders.
The app also quickly became popular in the greater French Jewish community due to a rise in already rampant antisemitism.
“The Jewish population of France wasn’t necessarily our specific target,” said Amar. “But in the end, our app was a breath of fresh air for Jews in France who feel unsafe. Unfortunately, it reveals a huge problem in France.”
[IsraelTimes] NYT reports that memo filed by Marco Rubio says Mohsen Mahdawi also engaged in ‘threatening rhetoric and intimidation of pro-Israeli bystanders’
Mohsen Mahdawi, the Palestinian anti-Israel student protest leader arrested on Monday during a citizenship appointment, should be deported because his activism undercuts efforts to end the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has argued in a memo.
The argument contained in the memo, written last month and obtained by the New York Times, adds to the rationales offered by Rubio and other Trump administration officials for why they are seeking to deport non-citizen pro-Palestinian activists.
The memo cited the same Cold War-era law that Rubio used to argue that another Columbia pro-Palestinian activist, Mahmoud Khalil, was eligible for deportation because his campus activities were at odds with US foreign policy about antisemitism.
While the Biden administration talked about it, but they never did anything serious to enforce their pretty words.
A judge accepted Rubio’s argument after a hearing that Khalil’s lawyers called “charade of due process.”
Mahdawi and Khalil were prominent figures in Columbia’s coalition of anti-Israel protesters, Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD). The group led protests on campus that included harassment of Jewish students, an unauthorized protest encampment, building takeovers, clashes with police and property damage. CUAD has called for the “eradication of western civilization,” distributed Hamas material on campus, backed calls for violence against “Zionists” and said that “violence is the only path.”
The Mahdawi memo, according to the New York Times report, describes another foreign policy goal that Rubio said the protester was undercutting: ending the war in Gaza.
President Donald Trump has said he wants the war being fought there between Israel and Hamas to end, and he pressed the sides for a ceasefire and hostage release deal shortly after taking office. That ceasefire ended on March 18, a few days after Rubio reportedly filed the Mahdawi memo, and Israeli officials thanked Trump for permitting their return to fighting.
The memo also accused Mahdawi of engaging in “threatening rhetoric and intimidation of pro-Israeli bystanders,” according to the report, which said the memo did not offer evidence for the claim.
Mahdawi, who was born and raised in a Palestinian refugee camp in the West Bank, spoke out against antisemitic rhetoric at a Columbia rally in November 2023, the Columbia Spectator student newspaper reported at the time. He also denounced antisemitic speech among pro-Palestinian protesters during a December 2023 appearance on “60 Minutes.”
That’s nice. What did he say in Arabic, and in private protest-organizing sessions? Did he ever object when his fellows in the protest group harassed Jews, Zionists, and the Israel-curious?
Jewish and Israeli students told Haaretz, the Israeli newspaper, that they experienced Mahdawi as a bridge-builder fostering dialogue between student groups on either side of Columbia’s protest movement.
What was there to discuss? One side thought the other deserved to be horribly killed, the other side wanted to live side by side in peace. And how did Haaretz, which prides itself on being the New York Times of Israel, manage not to find any of the many Columbia University Israelis and Jews who disagreed with the protests?
“He talked about Palestinian suffering, but also the importance of understanding Jewish trauma, the Holocaust and the intergenerational toll of violence,” Sahar Bostock, an Israeli doctoral candidate at Columbia, told the newspaper. “He said acknowledge this to have a chance at peace.”
Mahdawi’s lawyers are citing his relationships with both Palestinian and Israeli students in his defense. He also has support from lawmakers in Vermont, where he has been living, including Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Becca Balint, who are Jewish.
…but both are first creatures of the Left, which means their disapproval of Bibi Netanyahu’s Israel makes them functionally anti-Zionist.
Hundreds of members of Jewish Voice for Peace,
…founded by Hamas BDS activist, Hatem Bazian, while its social media managers live in Lebanon, and a large chunk of its funding comes from the Soros foundation…
an anti-Zionist group, rallied for the release of Mahdawi and other student activists Monday outside of an ICE office in New York.
His arrest came after far-right
…it should be in scare quotes, not of the Left is not the same as far right…
pro-Israel groups lobbied against Mahdawi to authorities. Rubio’s memo is dated just days before Betar, one of the groups, said it had “reason to believe” that Mahdawi was “on the short list of those who will shortly be deported.”
[IsraelTimes] Republicans in the US Congress announce an investigation into Harvard University, accusing it of flouting civil rights law in an escalation of US President Donald Trump’s attacks on elite institutions.
The lawmakers write to the world-renowned education and research establishment demanding documents on its hiring practices, diversity programs, and last year’s pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel campus protests.
The letter — signed by House Oversight Committee chair James Comer and House leadership chair Elise Stefanik — came with Trump seeking unprecedented levels of control over the country’s oldest and wealthiest university.
Comer and Stefanik castigate Harvard President Alan Garber for rejecting demands for supervision by the White House, which has canceled $2.2 billion in funding and threatened further reprisals.
“Harvard is apparently so unable or unwilling to prevent unlawful discrimination that the institution, at your direction, is refusing to enter into a reasonable settlement agreement proposed by federal officials intended to put Harvard back in compliance with the law,” they tell Garber.
“No matter how entitled your behavior, no institution is entitled to violate the law.”
[IsraelTimes] The White House is starting to rebuild the National Security Council with aides it believes are staunchly aligned with US President Donald Trump’s agenda after six people were ousted earlier this month, CBS News reports, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Retired US Army Colonel Derek Harvey is expected to be named senior director for intelligence, while Michael Jensen, a retired Air Force veteran, is also likely to join the NSC, the report adds.
[KhaamaPress] An Afghan teen in the U.S. admitted to planning a terrorist attack on Election Day, prompting serious federal security investigations.
“It’s a fair cop, officer. I dunnit and I’m proud.”
Abdullah Haji-Zada, an 18-year-old Afghan with permanent U.S. residency, has confessed to receiving weapons and ammunition for a planned terrorist attack on U.S. election day. The U.S. Department of Justice confirmed the confession on Thursday, April 17.
Is it some sort of rule that one can’t confess until age 18 and therefore legally adult? Because when he was arrested last October he was still 17…
According to court documents, Haji-Zada and another Afghan citizen, Nasir Ahmad Toohidi
…previously in our archives as Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi. The two are brothers-in-law, Tawhedi being married to Zada's sister, Maria Haji Zada. But she filed for divorce in January after their second child was born — I guess she doesn’t want to be shackled to a jailed jihadi. Oddly enough, Mr. Tawhedi’s younger brother was picked up a week later in France for exactly the same thing, because once arrested the authorities can access your devices, including your secret Telegram messages plotting parallel mayhem for Allah…
27, had planned a terrorist attack in Oklahoma. They had obtained two AK-47 rifles and 500 rounds of ammunition, intending to carry out the attack in support of ISIS during the November 2024 elections.
Haji-Zada was arrested in October 2024 alongside Toohidi. Under a plea agreement,
Haji-Zada faces a sentence of up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Upon completion of his sentence, he will be deported and will lose his permanent residency and asylum eligibility.
Toohidi, still in custody, faces charges of material support for ISIS and weapons-related offenses. If convicted, he could receive up to 20 years in prison for each charge.
Su Bai, the head of the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Security Division, stated that the confession shows the U.S. commitment to countering terrorist threats and holding perpetrators accountable.
The investigation was led by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in Oklahoma, with support from federal and local agencies. This collaboration underscores the importance of joint efforts in tackling domestic terrorism.
The arrest and confession highlight a concerning trend of radicalization within the U.S. by foreign nationals. Authorities are increasingly vigilant in preventing potential attacks, especially during high-profile events such as national elections.
Find the leak, guys. This kind of thing was common during the Biden administration, but now it is completely unacceptable.
[IsraelTimes] The leak to the New York Times
...which still proudly claims Walter Duranty's Pulitzer prize... of details of a planned Israeli-American strike on Iranian nuclear facilities is likely to harm ties between Jerusalem and Washington, unnamed security bigshots tell Channel 12 news.
The massive joint attack, proposed by Israel, discussed with US officials, and intended for next month, was blocked by US President Donald Trump ...dictatorial for repealing some (but not all) of the diktats of his predecessor, misogynistic because he likes pretty girls, homophobic because he doesn't think gender bending should be mandatory, truly a man for all seasons... , according to the report, with Trump instead opting for the negotiations with Iran ...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence. The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan. The abbreviation IRGC is the same idea as Stürmabteilung (or SA). The term Supreme Guide is a the modern version form of either Duce or Führer or maybe both. They hate JewsZionists Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol... that began last weekend.
"The details that were leaked are dramatic, and [theleak is] likely to harm the intimate relations with the US Administration," the sources are quoted as saying.
"The core of the secret as regards Iran was revealed," the officials say, in reference to the planned attack, including "the method by which it would be carried out, the timing, coordination mechanisms, and the element of surprise."
"This constitutes real damage to Israeli interests in facing Iran."
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Just reporting the General Details of the Battle plans contents, places the NYT in violation of 18 US. Code § 798 - Disclosure of classified information.. Some people (Editor and staff) could be looking at hefty $$$,$$$ fines, imprisonment up to 10 years, or both.
[IsraelTimes] Adam Boehler says he could resume direct talks with Hamas, after they fell apart in March amid Israeli pushback; claims offer he made in those talks was coordinated with Jerusalem
The Trump administration’s hostage envoy Adam Boehler speculated on Wednesday that the lone living American-Israeli hostage in Gaza is in “a decent place,” asserting that Hamas wouldn’t be “dumb” enough to harm him, as doing so would lead the US to “come after” the terror group.
Of course they are that dumb. But it’s a pretty threat, regardless.
“Because I think that Hamas is not dumb… Edan [Alexander] is in a good place… Because if Edan gets sick, if Edan has a cold, guess who’s getting blamed? Hamas,” Boehler told Al Jazeera. “I hope no hair on his head is hurt, or we’re going to come for them, and it’s not going to be pretty. So I believe Edan is fine.”
The comments came four days after Hamas released a propaganda video in which a gaunt and emotional Alexander
…suggesting that wherever he is, it’s not a decent place, nor is he unharmed…
pleaded with the Israeli and US governments to secure his release, after over a year and a half in captivity.
On Monday, Hamas claimed to have lost contact with the operatives holding Alexander in Gaza following an Israeli strike. It has not provided further updates on the matter.
Two bad ideas in two sentences, O Hamas.
The interview was Boehler’s first on the Israel-Hamas conflict in several weeks, following uproar in Jerusalem over unprecedented direct negotiations he held with Hamas officials to release Alexander and the bodies of four other American-Israeli hostages.
Israel found out about those talks after the fact, leading Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer to hold an angry call with Boehler, knocking him for negotiating on Israel’s behalf without keeping Jerusalem in the loop, an Israeli official told The Times of Israel last week.
But Boehler said in the Wednesday interview that the offer he made in early March for the five American hostages was “coordinated with Israel.”
A spokesperson for Dermer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Boehler’s offer included the release of 100 of the remaining 300 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences in Israeli jails in exchange for Alexander, the Israeli official said last week, confirming reporting from The New York Times.
“I gave Hamas an offer. It was an offer that was decided in the United States, it was coordinated with Israel,” Boehler told Al Jazeera. “Hamas, at that time, wasn’t able to get there. Then Steve came out and talked about something else, and then [Hamas] came and accepted my offer.”
Hamas on March 14 announced that it was prepared to release Alexander and four other dual nationals. By then, though, Boehler’s direct channel with Hamas had all but fallen apart. Its existence had been leaked by Israel on March 5 in order to sabotage the envoy’s effort, a US official told The Times of Israel at the time.
Even US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Boehler’s talks a “one-off,” while Witkoff avoided speaking out in Boehler’s defense, even though the latter’s talks were fully coordinated with him. Instead, Witkoff sought to advance his own hostage release proposal, which was transmitted through Qatari and Egyptian mediators. That indirect channel has yet to bear fruit, though.
Boehler gave a series of interviews on March 9 seeking to defend his direct talks with Hamas, but the TV appearances only further angered Netanyahu’s inner circle, leading Dermer to urge his US counterparts to sideline the Trump envoy, the Israeli official said.
Dermer’s effort initially appeared to work, as Boehler rescinded his nomination to become the US special presidential envoy for hostage affairs on March 19. But on Wednesday, Boehler went public with the news that he had been given a slightly different title — special envoy for hostage response.
The new position doesn’t come with the rank of ambassador, but it also doesn’t require Senate confirmation, and grants him a broader mandate, allowing him to assist Americans held wrongfully abroad who don’t meet the legal definition of “hostage” or “wrongfully detained.”
With his spot in the Trump administration seemingly secure, Boehler said “it is possible” that his direct talks with Hamas could resume.
He argued that the Trump administration is principally in favor of the direct negotiation approach, explaining that it makes for faster communication with “no confusion.” The US envoy pointed to the direct talks that Washington has held with Iran and Russia, noting that negotiations with the Kremlin have led to the release of two Americans.
He urged Hamas in the Al Jazeera interview to negotiate with more urgency “and identify an offer that they know Israel and the United States can accept, and end this.”
“Hamas knows exactly where we stand, and they’re welcome to put something together that meets our criteria with hostages,” Boehler added.
He urged Hamas to release all 59 remaining hostages — 24 of whom are believed to still be alive — unilaterally.
“The fighting would end immediately if the hostages are released,” Boehler said, adding that this would allow for the rehabilitation of Palestinians to move forward.
Israel has said it will only agree to end the war if Hamas’s military and governing capabilities have been dismantled, snubbing Hamas offers to release all of the hostages at once in exchange for a permanent ceasefire.
Boehler, for his part, also called for Hamas to “disarm” and defended Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza.
He also characterized the recent protests of thousands of Palestinians throughout Gaza against Hamas as “very impressive and beautiful to see.”
“It shows that moderate people in those regions are real good people [who are] willing to put their lives at risk,” he said.
[IsraelTimes] Medical official sparks controversy online after speaking out against terrorists’ attempts to use Khan Younis’s Nasser Hospital, revealing that he has been ‘openly threatened’
Mohammed Sakar, head of the nursing department at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, published a very unusual post on his Facebook account last week.
In his post, the doctor, who also serves as a spokesperson for the hospital, hinted that he had been threatened by Palestinian Islamic Jihad due to his refusal to let the terror group’s operatives enter and use the hospital.
“As head of the department, I exerted all efforts to reopen the hospital and I succeeded… in serving the wounded,” Sakar wrote. “I made sure that the hospital wards were used only for patients, and not for displaced persons… In this way, I managed to keep the hospital safe and avoid threats of closure.”
Now, he revealed, “I’m being openly threatened, even though I explained to those who came to my office that all the steps I took were to protect the hospital,” he continued. “God will not forgive you.”
The post included a photo of a note Sakar had apparently received that read: “Dear one, you have crossed the line, take heed! – Saraya al-Quds,” referring to the military wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group.
The post was deleted a few days after it was published, and since then, Sakar has not posted again on Facebook or appeared in the media.
Sakar’s public disclosure was a rare instance of a medical professional in Gaza addressing attempts by terror groups to infiltrate hospitals. By numerous accounts, these efforts are commonplace in most hospitals in the Strip.
Throughout the war, Israel has repeatedly sent troops into hospitals to root out terror infrastructure and gunmen. It has also offered evidence of the facilities’ regular use by terror groups as bases of operations due to their protected status. But little testimony has come willingly from Gazans themselves.
The Times of Israel connected with another doctor at Nasser Hospital who wished to remain anonymous due to safety concerns. He refused to say if he had also been threatened, due to the subject’s sensitivity. He only said: “Regarding threats, these are things that the hospital’s management should deal with. We, the medical teams, are not involved in politics.”
Sakar’s public post sparked online reactions from Gaza residents. Mustafa Asfour, a Gaza City resident who was previously detained by Hamas and claims his brother was beaten by Hamas members after criticizing them on social media during the war, wrote on his X account: “Dr. Mohammed Sakar received threats from mercenaries belonging to Islamic Jihad because of his opposition to armed men inside the hospital. Every mercenary organization has thieves around it, and it wants to take the land into its own hands and play with people’s lives as it pleases.”
Another Gaza City resident, writing on X under the name Abu Malek al-Azzi, said: “The head of nursing at Nasser Hospital is receiving threats from spies and the impure offspring of [former Iranian Supreme Leader Ruhollah] Khomeini… People and the Sakar family must shoot anyone who attacks their son.”
In the days following the publication of Sakar’s post, another incident suggested tensions in Gaza hospitals tied to Hamas’s attempts to utilize them. At the beginning of the week, rumors spread online that the Al-Amal Hospital in Khan Younis, run by the Red Crescent Society, had closed its doors and that doctors were on strike in protest of attempts by Hamas operatives to enter the hospital. Photos were shared showing the hospital shuttered and empty of patients. However, the next day, the Red Crescent in Gaza denied that the hospital had closed.
Such incidents come amid growing internal criticism of Hamas in Gaza during the renewed war and Israel’s prevention of humanitarian aid from entering the Strip, which has severely impacted Gaza’s population.
EVIDENCE OF DUAL USE
Over the past year and a half, the Israeli military has conducted ground raids on the vast majority of hospitals in the Gaza Strip, in some cases more than once. According to the IDF, battles took place in many of the hospitals, and following the raids, hundreds of individuals were detained on hospital grounds. Ammunition and weapons were also discovered inside the hospitals, and detainees reportedly testified during interrogations that the hospitals had been used as shelters by terrorist organizations.
In April 2024, the IDF said it conducted a raid on the Shifa Hospital, during which it said it killed 200 terror operatives and arrested another 500. Among those killed and detained were top commanders in Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Valuable intelligence was also seized, the IDF said at the time.
The IDF launched in December 2024 an operation at Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza after identifying that Hamas operatives had returned to the area. Later, the IDF released interrogation footage of a Hamas operative detained by troops at Kamal Adwan, in which he said the terror group used the medical center as a shelter.
Last month, Israel struck a surgical wing of Nasser Hospital and killed two people, one of whom was senior Hamas figure Ismail Barhoum. According to the IDF, Barhoum was appointed as Hamas’s prime minister in the Strip after his predecessor, Issam al-Da’alis, was killed on March 18 during the surprise Israeli attack that ended the ceasefire.
On April 7, 2025, Israel struck a nearby communications compound, injuring Hassan Asleh, a journalist close to Hamas who had documented the October 7 attack. Palestinian media reported that other journalists were killed. The compound, adjacent to the hospital, has existed since the beginning of the war and has been regularly used by journalists in Gaza.
Released hostages have also testified that they were held in hospitals at certain points.
MORE THAN 30 HOSPITALS FOR 2 MILLION PEOPLE
According to UN reports, before the war began, following Hamas’s October 7 surprise attack, there were around 35 hospitals in Gaza. However, this number is not fixed and tends to fluctuate, due to the existence of small medical clinics, some of which are counted as hospitals.
Currently, according to sources familiar with the humanitarian situation in Gaza who spoke to The Times of Israel, 14 government hospitals are operating under Hamas control in the Strip, in addition to 14 field hospitals established during the war with international funding from humanitarian organizations and Arab states. Many hospitals were damaged and closed during the war.
This represents a relatively high number of hospitals per capita for a population of 2 million. In comparison, Israel, with a population of approximately 9.9 million, has about 20 general hospitals and a few additional hospitals without emergency departments.
The large number of hospitals in Gaza is due to donations from countries and non-profit organizations that established many of them, and the absence of a modern administrative body that will push to unite the hospitals into larger medical centers. Nonetheless, the current situation has allowed terrorist organizations to operate within many of these sites.
MOUNTING PRESSURE
Despite all this, hospitals in Gaza continue to function as medical centers, staffed by doctors, nurses and medical personnel throughout the war, according to numerous reports and testimonies, some from foreign medical staff.
According to the Israeli humanitarian organization Doctors for Human Rights, hundreds of Gaza medical staff — doctors, nurses and other hospital workers — have been arrested over the past year and a half, about 150 of whom are still held in Israel. Dr. Iyad al-Bursh, who spoke with The Times of Israel, was arrested during IDF operations at Shifa Hospital last year and was held in Israel for 10 months before being released without charges. He says he does not know why he was arrested.
Al-Bursh told The Times of Israel that there is a severe shortage of medicine due to Israel’s decision not to allow humanitarian aid into the Strip beginning in early March, and that the situation in northern Gaza is even worse. Additionally, bombings and raids have caused hospitals in Gaza to either shut down or function only partially. Shifa Hospital itself was largely destroyed in a military raid against terror operatives during the war and, according to al-Bursh, is currently operating on a very limited scale.
Al-Bursh asserted to The Times of Israel that he has not received any threats from any entity during his work at Shifa. “The medical establishment in Gaza cares for the doctors and medical staff and overcomes obstacles,” he said, referring to the civil infrastructure in Gaza controlled by Hamas.
The ICRC is outraged that on 16 April an ICRC premises in Gaza was struck and damaged by an explosive.
This is the second such incident in three weeks; another premises in the area was struck by a tank shell on 24 March. pic.twitter.com/B3l1jutHrW
[IsraelNationalNews] More than 1000 bereaved families have signed a letter contradicting the various calls to end the war from various groups of IDF soldiers.
A group of families of soldiers who fell in the Swords of Iron War, previous wars, and terror attacks have come out against the recent calls to refuse military service and end the war. A letter signed by over 1,000 bereaved families stresses that the war cannot end before all of its objectives are achieved including the return of the hostages, the elimination of the Hamas terror group, and a long term plan ensuring that Gaza can no longer pose a threat to the State of Israel. The Gvura (Heroism) Forum, which includes families of hundreds of soldiers who fell in the Swords of Iron War organized the letter. They were joined by other bereaved families, including from the Nova festival massacre, Operation Protective Edge, other wars, and victims of terror attacks.
"A year and a half ago, a cruel and evil enemy launched a surprise attack carrying out murders, rapes, and kidnappings against our people. Men, women, children, and infants were burned, raped, and kidnapped in what was the single deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. Immediately thereafter, we were forced into an existential war to bring justice to the perpetrators and defend our future as a nation. This war set out with the aim to bring back our hostages and to restore safety in our country’s south, north, and throughout the land. Hundreds of thousands of Israeli citizens were forced to flee from their homes to safety. Now we must stand up and say ‘Never Again.’ Never again will Israel allow its citizens to face another massacre or our enemies to threaten one. There has been much progress in the war but the mission is not yet complete. Ending the war now would represent a serious blow to Israel’s security and make it only a matter of time until the next massacre, G-d forbid.”
“We cannot end the war before achieving all of its aims including the return of the hostages, the elimination of the Hamas terror group, and ensuring that Gaza can never pose a threat to the State of Israel. Our loved ones went out to war to achieve victory, safety, and security. Tragically, they did not come home. It is our duty to see their will fulfilled.”
The letter concludes with a message of support for the government, “We stand with the Government of Israel and its leadership – do not accept a partial victory. We must keep going until the war is won.”
[IsraelTimes] Hundreds of former IDF soldiers, including senior officers and bereaved families of fallen soldiers, join calls on the government to prioritize a hostage deal — even if it means ending the war in Gaza, according to a Ynet news report.
A letter signed by 458 former members of the Golani Brigade urges the immediate return of the hostages, even at the expense of the cessation of fighting.
Signatories include former IDF Intelligence chief Maj. Gen. (res.) Uri Sagi, former Central Command head Maj. Gen. (res.) Ilan Biran, and Maayan and Ron Kehati, whose son Sgt. Gur Kehati was killed in Lebanon in November.
Another letter, signed by 315 former members of reconnaissance and infantry units, states: “This is the top-priority mission, these are the values that guide us, and this is our moral duty as a nation. This is a call to save lives.”
Most of the signatories are not currently serving in the reserves, Ynet notes.
According to the Wall St. Journal, Hamas is so deep in financial collapse, it can no longer afford to pay its fighters or government staff—salaries have been cut off entirely.
So Israel is taking land away from Hamas, choking them financially, taking out its… pic.twitter.com/EpPwuPbGZO
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Leonid Tsukanov
[REGNUM] Recently, Jordan's special services managed to hit the jackpot. In the northwest of the country, an underground workshop for the production of missiles and drones was uncovered and liquidated. The General Intelligence Directorate (GID) captured 16 people. The scandal exposed Jordan's problems, which at first glance seemed forgotten.
And while some are looking for clients abroad or among disgraced political movements, others are turning their gaze to the royal court.
AWAY FROM EVERYONE
Authorities say the plotters planned attacks using missiles and drones and stockpiled explosives to fill them, including C4 and SEMTEX-H plastic explosives.
Moreover, they were clearly not amateurs - the ammunition discovered in underground workshops was clearly created by engineers familiar with the latest trends in rocket engineering.
The production line was set up in the northwest of the country, away from prying eyes.
It was not possible to assess the real scale of production - the underground workers managed to destroy some of the property before the Jordanian security forces launched an assault.
However, an arsenal of several newly manufactured missiles was almost untouched. At least one of them was fully equipped and ready to launch.
And although the flight range of the seized warhead is estimated skeptically (literally ten kilometers), the immediate proximity of the production facilities to the Jordanian-Israeli border greatly increased the risk of an attack on border settlements and checkpoints of the Israeli army from the territory of the kingdom.
THEY BLAMED HAMAS
GID operatives are in no hurry to reveal all their cards and are very vague about the results of the raid. At the official press conference, it was stated that the conspirators had been "under surveillance" since 2021, and active measures against them began last year.
The liquidation of the "rocket factory" was the final stage of a multi-year operation. The nationality of the detainees is also not disclosed. It is only reported that most of the conspirators were Muslims, and some of them were trained in Lebanon.
However, even this fragmentary information was enough for Jordan's neighbors to draw their own conclusions. The Israeli press, which was among the first to learn of the scandal, named Hamas members as the owners of the destroyed underground factory, apparently latching onto the conspirators' Lebanese trips.
Moreover, the Israelis threw a “glove” in Amman’s face, accusing the authorities of “turning a blind eye” to the activities of emissaries of hostile forces on their territory, and the Palestinian refugees living there of preparing new attacks on the territory of the Jewish state.
However, it was mainly opposition media that made such revelations. The right-wing media in Israel, loyal to the government, preferred to present the topic in the most vague way possible and without far-reaching conclusions.
This is understandable: Jordan is still considered by the Israeli government as one of the promising places for resettlement of Gaza residents. However, Amman sees large Palestinian settlements as a hidden threat to the country's stability and is in no hurry to make a deal.
Official Tel Aviv does not want to spoil its own diplomatic game by further inflaming tensions between the royal court and the Palestinian communities.
POSSIBLE "SET-UP"
The Hamas version may be the main one, but it is far from the only one.
The Jordanians themselves are more willing to place the blame on the Muslim Brotherhood* group. True, this version comes from the lips of civil servants; law enforcement officials do not give a clear answer.
The version seems quite coherent. Especially since the representatives of the group (until recently they were a serious political force in the kingdom) have already tried several times in different ways to overthrow King Abdullah II from the throne.
And in 2020, official Amman forced the Muslim Brotherhood* to cease operations in Jordan, thereby publicly insulting them.
Egypt also agrees with the thesis about the involvement of this organization in the conspiracy. True, Cairo balances between the Israeli and Jordanian interpretations of events, recalling that Hamas also emerged at one time as a separate cell within the Brotherhood*, but over time the paths of the two forces diverged.
And with the onset of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, friction began between yesterday's allies. Today's protests in Gaza are being stirred up, among others, by supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood*, and Hamas' counterintelligence has reported at least three arrests of the group's agents of influence in the enclave.
In this regard, Egyptian security officials consider the scandal with the rockets an attempt to frame Hamas and further complicate its position.
THE DISGRACED PRINCE
The scandal has rocked Jordanian society, becoming the biggest in recent years.
Moreover, in the official press release, the intelligence services named the goal of the foiled plot as “damaging national security, chaos and destruction within the kingdom.” So the security forces are directly saying that the target of the hypothetical missile attacks was not Israel at all.
Behind the scenes, for the first time since 2021, the name of the disgraced Prince Hamza ibn Hussein, the younger brother of the Jordanian king and heir to the throne until 2004, was heard again.
Hamza gave way in line to the king's son, Hussein ibn Abdullah, but was believed by many courtiers to have been hurt by his nephew's rapid rise.
Others also say that Hamza fears reprisals after the hypothetical death of his august brother, who has already complained several times about health problems.
It is the king's brother who is considered the main beneficiary of the failed coup of 2021. At that time, the conflict between the royals was quickly resolved, and the prince avoided public accusations of organizing the rebellion, although some of his close associates were imprisoned.
However, from that moment on, his every move has been closely monitored by Jordanian intelligence services, and he himself remains a prisoner of the “golden cage” and almost never leaves his native palace, with the exception of rare public court ceremonies.
The current emphasis in Jordanian law enforcement statements on the events of 2021 is a worrying signal for Hamza. It is possible that the scandal will be used by opponents of the disgraced prince to further push him away from the court and finally deprive him of any claims to the throne.
And here it is not so important who the Jordanian law enforcement officials declare the "owner" of the liquidated underground factory: Hamas or the Muslim Brotherhood*. If even an indirect connection with the prince is discovered, his "golden cage" may well become an iron one.
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[IsraelTimes] Jordanian authorities have banned a weekly anti-Israel protest from taking place today, for the first time since the Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response... war began following the October 7, 2023, Hamas ..a regional Iranian catspaw,... assault on Israel, the Kan public broadcaster reports.
According to the report, the protest was canceled in part due to the recent discovery of a Moslem Brüderbund plot to launch a rocket and drone attack on the kingdom.
The Moslem Brüderbund and its close ally Hamas have been accused of fomenting the weekly anti-government street protests in Jordan amid the war in Gaza.
Citing unnamed sources close to Hamas, Kan reports that the decision by Jordanian authorities to cancel today’s protest was also taken in light of the "charged atmosphere" and increasing "incitement against activities in support of Gaza."
[IsraelTimes] Three-stage proposal would reportedly see Tehran temporarily cap enrichment at 3.67%, transfer highly enriched uranium to 3rd country, boost UN oversight at nuclear facilities.
That is deliberately insulting. Screw it — release the Bibi.
[IsraelTimes] More from the Iranian official speaking to Reuters:
Tehran’s red lines “mandated by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei” can not be compromised in the talks, the official says.
He says those red lines mean Iran will never agree to dismantle its centrifuges for enriching uranium, halt enrichment altogether, or reduce the amount of enriched uranium it stores to a level below the level it agreed to in the 2015 deal that Trump abandoned.
It will also not negotiate over its missile program, which Tehran views as outside the scope of any nuclear deal.
“Iran understood in indirect talks in Oman that Washington doesn’t want Iran to stop all nuclear activities, and this can be a common ground for Iran and the US to start a fair negotiation,” the source says.
Iran said today reaching a deal with the United States was possible if “they demonstrate seriousness of intent and do not make unrealistic demands.”
Top US negotiator Steve Witkoff, in a post on X on Tuesday, said Iran must “stop and eliminate its nuclear enrichment” to reach a deal with Washington.
[VANGUARDNGR] The United States will roughly halve the number of troops it has deployed in Syria to less than 1,000 in the coming months, the Pentagon said Friday.
Washington has had troops in Syria for years as part of international efforts against the Islamic State ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems.... (IS) group, which rose out of the chaos of the country's civil war to seize swaths of territory there and in neighboring Iraq over a decade ago.
The brutal jihadists have since suffered major defeats in both countries, but still remain a threat.
''Today the secretary of defense directed the consolidation of US forces in Syria— to select locations,'' Pentagon front man Sean Parnell said in a statement, without specifying the sites where this would take place.
''This deliberate and conditions-based process will bring the US footprint in Syria down to less than 1,000 US forces in the coming months,'' he said.
''As this consolidation takes place— US Central Command will remain poised to continue strikes against the remnants of (IS) in Syria,'' Parnell added, referring to the military command responsible for the region.
President Donald Trump ...So far he's been unkillable, and they've tried.... has long been skeptical of Washington's presence in Syria, ordering the withdrawal of troops during his first term but ultimately leaving American forces in the country.
As Islamist-led rebels pressed forward with a lightning offensive last December that ultimately overthrew Syrian president Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad Leveler of Latakia... , Trump said Washington should ''NOT GET INVOLVED!''
''Syria is a mess, but is not our friend, & THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT,'' Trump, then the president-elect, wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Posted by: Fred ||
04/19/2025 00:00 ||
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[Rudaw] The Kurdish-led administration in northeast Syria (Rojava) announced on Wednesday the handover of four individuals affiliated with the Islamic State ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems.... (ISIS) to a visiting UK delegation, during a meeting that also emphasized continued British support.
"One British woman and three children affiliated with ISIS families were handed over in accordance with an official handover document signed by representatives of both the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES) and the United Kingdom," the Kurdish-led administration said in a statement.
DAANES stated it would continue cooperating with the UK and all countries that have citizens and children in areas under its jurisdiction, particularly concerning the repatriation of ISIS-linked individuals.
The UK delegation was led by Mary Shockledge, head of the Syria office at the British Embassy in Beirut, and was received by Fanar al-Kaeet, co-chair of the DAANES Department of Foreign Relations.
Thousands of people with suspected ties to ISIS are currently held in the al-Hol and Roj camps in Hasaka province. The camps are held by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) - the force that spearheaded the fight against ISIS in Syria.
Al-Hol is the larger of the two, currently housing 34,927 individuals linked to ISIS. These include 15,861 Syrians, 15,681 Iraqis, and 6,385 third-country nationals, according to official data obtained by Rudaw English from the camps’ supervisor.
The UK delegation also reaffirmed London’s commitment to the "long-term defeat of ISIS" through continued coordination with the US-led coalition, as well as ongoing humanitarian support.
"The UK remains at the forefront of humanitarian response efforts, with extensive humanitarian programs aimed at mitigating protection risks to civilians, improving conditions in camps, and building resilience," the statement said.
"The UK will continue working with both the new Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to support an inclusive political process," it added, quoting Shockledge, who also welcomed the recent political agreement between the SDF and Syria’s interim government.
On March 10, Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa and SDF commander Mazloum Abdi signed a political agreement aimed at integrating the SDF into the Syrian state apparatus. The deal includes formal recognition of the Kurdish population as a core component of Syria, a nationwide ceasefire, and the return of displaced persons to their homes.
Will the Hayat Tahrir al Sham government (formerly Al Nusra, before that Al Qaeda in Iraq and Syria) next want to reintegrate ISIS personnel from the SDF prison camps into HTS ranks? That should be much easier, as they share the same root philosophy, having split a decade ago only on who would head the caliphate effort…
In a further sign of shifting UK policy toward Syria, the UK Treasury in early March lifted sanctions on Syria’s central bank and 23 other banking, commercial, and oil entities whose assets had been frozen for six years. It also pledged £200 million to provide food, healthcare, and education in Syria.
"We will continue to do all we can to help those in need," Shockledge said, according to the statement.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
04/19/2025 00:00 ||
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#1
Let me get this straight...the UK government is bringing ISIS members back to London, and we didn't even get a photo op of them drinking a 72 Virgin Margarita?
[IsraelTimes] Paleostinian Authority President the ineffectual Mahmoud Abbas ...aka Abu Mazen, a graduate of the prestigious unaccredited Patrice Lumumba University in Moscow with a doctorate in Holocaust Denial. While no Yasser Arafat, he has his own brand of evil, just a little more lowercase....> arrived this afternoon in Syria for his first visit since the fall of the Assad regime.
He met with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa.
No details have been released from the meeting as of yet.
”Hey, buddy — want a new cell phone? For you, special price!”
[IsraelTimes] A Hezbollah official says the Iran-backed terror group categorically refuses to discuss handing over its weapons to Lebanon’s army unless Israel withdraws completely from the south and stops its “aggression.”
A ceasefire agreement in November ended more than a year of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, sparked by the group’s incessant attacks on Israel amid the Gaza war, including two months of open warfare that decimated the group’s leadership.
Israel says the five points it continues to hold in south Lebanon are critical to ensuring northern residents’ safety. It also continues to carry out airstrikes in Lebanon in response to what it says are violations of the ceasefire.
“It is not a question of disarming,” Wafiq Safa says in an interview with Hezbollah’s Al-Nur radio station. “What the president (Joseph Aoun) said in his inauguration speech is a defensive strategy.”
Safa, said by experts to belong to the movement’s most radical faction, says Hezbollah has conveyed its position to Aoun, who on Tuesday said he sought “to make 2025 the year of restricting arms to the state” alone.
In his interview, Safa asks: “Wouldn’t it be logical for Israel to first withdraw, then release the prisoners, then cease its aggression… and then we discuss a defensive strategy?”
“The defensive strategy is about thinking about how to protect Lebanon, not preparing for the party to hand over its weapons.”
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for 
..a regional Iranian catspaw,...
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling 
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling 
...aka Abu Mazen, a graduate of the prestigious unaccredited Patrice Lumumba University in Moscow with a doctorate in Holocaust Denial. While no Yasser Arafat, he has his own brand of evil, just a little more lowercase....
