LOOK FOR THESE CITIES TO REALLY COME AGAINST ISRAEL. THE 10 BIGGEST GENICIDAL COCKROACH MUSLIM CITIES IN CANADA.
MARK 13:8
8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:(ETHNIC GROUP AGAINST ETHNIC GROUP) and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.
LUKE 21:11
11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places,(DIFFERNT PLACES AT THE SAME TIME) and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.
Elam (IRAN IN THE BIBLE) passed into the hands of the Persians" (A.H. Sayce).
Jeremiah 49:35-39
35-Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the chief of their might.
36-And upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and will scatter them toward all those winds; and there shall be no nation whither the outcasts of Elam shall not come.
37-For I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies, and before them that seek their life: and I will bring evil upon them, [even] my fierce anger, saith the LORD; and I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them:
38-And I will set my throne in Elam, and will destroy from thence the king and the princes, saith the LORD.
39-But it shall come to pass in the latter days, [that] I will bring again the captivity of Elam, saith the LORD.
Ezekiel 32:24
24-There [is] Elam and all her multitude round about her grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which are gone down uncircumcised into the nether parts of the earth, which caused their terror in the land of the living; yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the pit.
EZEK 38:4-13
4 And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:
5 Persia,(IRAN,IRAQ) Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
6 Gomer,(GERMANY) and all his bands; the house of Togarmah (TURKEY) of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.(AFRICAN MUSLIMS,SUDAN,TUNESIA ETC)
7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.
8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.
9 Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.
10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:
11 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,
12 To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.
13 Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?(OIL IS IN SPOIL-I BELIEVE THATS WHY RUSSIA,ARAB/MUSLIMS MARCH TO ISRAEL)
EZEK 39:11-21
11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog a place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers on the east of the sea: (EAST OF THE DEAD SEA IN THE JORDAN VALLEY) and it shall stop the noses of the passengers: and there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude: and they shall call it The valley of Hamongog.(CEMETARY OF THE HORDE)
12 And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land.
13 Yea, all the people of the land shall bury them; (ALL AVAILABLE ISRAELS WILL BURY THE RUSSIA,MUSLIM HORDE) and it shall be to them a renown the day that I shall be glorified, saith the Lord GOD.
14 And they shall sever out men of continual employment, (NUCLEAR PROFFESIONALS) passing through the land to bury with the passengers those that remain upon the face of the earth, to cleanse it: after the end of seven months shall they search.(SO BY THE SOUNDS OF IT AFTER 7 MONTHS THE NUKED RUSSIA,MUSLIM HOARDES BONES WILL STILL BE FULL OF RADIATION, SO VISITERS TO ISRAEL WILL JUST PUT A SIGN BY THE BONES.NOT TOUCH THEM.OR THEY WOULD STILL GET RADIATION POISONING FROM ISRAEL NUKING THEM 7 MONTHS EARLIER.SO THE SIGN GOES BY THE BONES.THE NUCLEAR PROFFESIONALS WILL PICK UP AND TAKE THE BONES TO THE JORDAN VALLEY BURIAL SITE.
15 And the passengers that pass through the land, when any seeth a man’s bone, then shall he set up a sign by it, till the buriers have buried it in the valley of Hamongog.(VALLEY OF GOGS HORDES)
16 And also the name of the city shall be Hamonah.(MEANING CITY OF THE HOARDE) Thus shall they cleanse the land.
17 And, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD; Speak unto every feathered fowl, and to every beast of the field, Assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh, and drink blood.(RUSSIA,ISLAMIC HORDE)
18 Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bullocks, all of them fatlings of Bashan.
19 And ye shall eat fat till ye be full, and drink blood till ye be drunken, of my sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you.
20 Thus ye shall be filled at my table with horses and chariots, with mighty men, and with all men of war, saith the Lord GOD.
21 And I will set my glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon them.
ZECHARIAH 14:12-13
12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their eyes shall consume away in their holes,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB)(BECAUSE NUKES HAVE BEEN USED ON ISRAELS ENEMIES)(GOD PROTECTS ISRAEL AND ALWAYS WILL)
13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.(1/2-3 BILLION DIE IN WW3)(THIS IS AN ATOMIC BOMB EFFECT)
1 OF 3 GOD GAVE THEN OVER TO
1-PROMISCUOUS SEX AMOUNG EACH OTHER.
ROMANS 1:24
24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: (THE 60S FREE SEX)
2 OF 3 GOD GAVE THEM OVER TO
2-SODOMITES - MEN LUSTING MEN, AND WOMEN LUSTING AFTER WOMEN.
ROMANS 1:26-27
26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
3 OF 3 GOD GAVE THEM OVER TO
3-A DEPRAVED MIND-ANY SIN GOES.
ROMANS 1:28-31
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER GOD GAVE THEM OVER TO THESE 3 DEPRAVED ABOMINATION SINS?
OH OH NOAHS DAY. WHAT HAPPENED IN NOAHS DAY. THE WHOLE WORLD WAS JUDGED BY WATER.
GENESIS 6:7,17
7 And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
17 And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.
GENESIS 7:4
4 For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.
GENESIS 8:16
16 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.
WELL THE SODOMITES PICKED THE RIGHT SIGN OF A RAINBOW FOR JUDGEMENT. THE SODOMITES TRYED TO STEAL GODS SIGN THAT THE WHOLE EARTH WILL NEVER DIE FROM FLOOD WATERS AGAIN. BUT THE JUDGEMENT THIS TIME IS GOING TO BE BY FIRE.NOT WATER.
2 PETER 3:7
7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
GENESIS 6:11-13
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.(WORLD TERRORISM,MURDERS)(HAMAS IN HEBREW IS VIOLENCE)
12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence (TERRORISM)(HAMAS) through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
IDF chief warns Israel ‘preparing offensive in north,’ as Hezbollah attacks persist-Halevi meets troops on Lebanon border amid ongoing skirmishes with terror group; anti-tank missiles cause damage to homes in Metula-By Emanuel Fabian-and Agencies 2 May 2024, 12:54 am
During a visit to the Lebanon border, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said the military was preparing for an offensive against the Hezbollah terror group, which continued to carry out attacks on northern Israel on Wednesday.“You are doing an excellent job of operational defense in the north, and we are preparing for an offensive in the north,” Halevi said to reservists of the Etzioni Brigade at an undisclosed location on the border with Lebanon, in remarks published by the military.The remarks were made following an assessment Halevi held with the chief of the Northern Command, Maj. Gen. Ori Gordin, the commander of the 146th Division, Brig. Gen. Yisrael Shomer, and other officers, the IDF said.Speaking with the reservists, Halevi also said the IDF’s campaign in the Gaza Strip would continue “with strength.”“Its objectives are both to restore security to the communities near the Gaza Strip and to bring the hostages back home securely,” he said.The visit to the Lebanon border came amid repeated Hezbollah attacks on northern Israel amid the war in Gaza, including on Wednesday.Israel has threatened to go to war to force Hezbollah away from the border if it does not retreat and continues to threaten northern communities, from where some 70,000 people have been evacuated to avoid the fighting. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for four separate attacks throughout Wednesday, including anti-tank missile fire on the largely evacuated border community of Metula, causing damage to homes.The IDF said no injuries were caused in the attack, and troops shelled the launch sites in southern Lebanon with artillery.Israeli fighter jets also struck two buildings used by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon’s Ayta ash-Shab and Marwahin on Wednesday evening, the military said.Earlier in the day, another site belonging to the terror group in Tayr Harfa was hit, the IDF added.In separate strikes overnight, fighter jets struck Hezbollah positions in five different areas of southern Lebanon, the military said Wednesday morning. The IDF said observation posts, buildings, and other Hezbollah infrastructure were hit in Khiam, Kafr Kila, Blida, Odaisseh, and Mays al-Jabal.It published footage of the strikes.Since October 8, Hezbollah-led forces have attacked Israeli communities and military posts along the border on a near-daily basis, with the terror group saying it is doing so to support Gaza amid the war there.So far, the skirmishes on the border have resulted in nine civilian deaths on the Israeli side, as well as the deaths of 11 IDF soldiers and reservists. There have also been several attacks from Syria, without any injuries.Hezbollah has named 290 members who have been killed by Israel during the ongoing skirmishes, mostly in Lebanon but some also in Syria. In Lebanon, another 56 operatives from other terror groups, a Lebanese soldier, and at least 60 civilians, three of them journalists, have been killed.On Tuesday, French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné was in Israel as part of a larger regional diplomatic trip in an effort to broker a de-escalation in the conflict on the border, and with Paris trying to act as an intermediary.Following a series of meetings in Lebanon on Sunday, Séjourné told journalists that France “is refusing to accept the worst-case scenario” of a full-scale war in Lebanon. “In southern Lebanon, the war is already here, even if it’s not called by that name, and it’s the civilian population who’s paying the price,” he said.A French diplomatic official who spoke on condition of anonymity said the purpose of Séjourné’s visit was to convey France’s “fears of a war on Lebanon” and to submit an amendment to a proposal Paris had previously presented to Lebanon for a diplomatic resolution to the border conflict.On Tuesday, Séjourné said that a number of modifications had been put to Israel following those consultations in Lebanon. “I call on Israeli authorities to take a public position on these French plans that will enable us to move to the next stage,” he said in an interview with Reuters.“A number of proposals that we made to the Lebanese side have been shared (with you),” Sejourne said ahead of a meeting with Foreign Minister Israel Katz in Jerusalem.”We have a relationship with Lebanon, 20,000 citizens there, and the war in 2006 was particularly dramatic for them.”Séjourné said the basis of the proposals was to ensure that the 2006 UN Resolution 1701 was implemented. Resolution 1701 required that Hezbollah withdraw its forces north of the Litani, a provision the Iranian proxy has ignored.Earlier this year, Séjourné presented a written proposal to both sides that included Hezbollah’s forces pulling back 10km (6 miles) from the Israeli border and Israel halting strikes in southern Lebanon. The proposal also looked at long-term border issues and was discussed with partners including the United States, which is making its own efforts to ease tensions and exerts the most influence on Israel.Hezbollah has maintained it will not enter any concrete discussions with Israel until there is a ceasefire in Gaza, where the war between Israel and Hamas has entered its seventh month.Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
Op-ed: Day 208 of the war-All eyes, still, on Hamas-As Israel, the US, the hostages await Hamas’s response to an ‘extraordinarily generous’ Israeli offer, it is a sickening reality that Sinwar’s terror group still holds the key to what is unfolding-By David Horovitz-Today, 3:47 pm-MY 1,24
This Editor’s Note was sent out earlier Wednesday in ToI’s weekly update email to members of the Times of Israel Community. To receive these Editor’s Notes as they’re released, join the ToI Community here.We would appear to be in the midst of a particularly fateful period for Israel, the hostages in Gaza, and the war to destroy Hamas.As I write, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is holding a series of meetings here with the Israeli leadership, having publicly declared that Israel has made an “extraordinarily generous” offer to Hamas for a hostage-truce deal, and urged Hamas to quickly accept it.The terms of that offer have not been publicly confirmed, but are widely reported to provide, in a first phase, for the release of 33 living hostages who meet a so-called “humanitarian” designation — women, children, men over 50, the wounded and sick. This would be carried out in return for the release by Israel of something in the region of 1,000 Palestinian security prisoners, many of them serving life terms for murder, in the course of a 40-day halt in the fighting, the return of displaced Gazans to their homes, and a partial IDF troop withdrawal. During that first phase, negotiations would also begin on a process for achieving sustainable calm in Gaza.A second phase, if reached, would see the release of the rest of the living hostages, in return for many more Palestinian security prisoners, the finalization of an agreement for sustained calm in Gaza, and the full withdrawal of the IDF. In a third and final phase, there would be an exchange of bodies, and the start of implementation of a multi-year rehabilitation plan for Gaza, with Hamas barred from rebuilding its military infrastructure.As ever, much of the devil is in the details, and many of those details are unclear. Would the IDF be able to prevent the return of Hamas to northern Gaza in the first phase of the deal, which would undo a key achievement of the war? Would the IDF be able to resume fighting after the first phase is completed, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the security echelons have said it must, in order to dismantle Hamas’s four battalions in Rafah? Is the talk of sustainable calm a euphemism for the end of the war? While the far-right component of his coalition is warning him against the deal and threatening to deprive him of a governing majority, Netanyahu would appear to have the political numbers to approve it should he so desire. Among the ministers in the war cabinet, National Unity leader Benny Gantz has said the government must go ahead with a deal to secure the release of hostages provided it is not explicitly conditioned on the ending of the war — and the reported terms would seem to avoid that explicit conditioning. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant is believed to be of a similar mindset. And the prime minister would almost certainly be able to muster a majority in the full cabinet — the body that voted 35-3 to formally approve the weeklong hostage-truce deal in November.Threats by the likes of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir to take their far-right parties out of the coalition need not be terminal for Netanyahu’s government. Opposition Leader Yair Lapid has repeatedly pledged to provide the Knesset votes to ensure the coalition is not brought down over this kind of hostage deal.Netanyahu is entirely capable of presenting the terms as advancing, or at the very least not contradicting, all three of his declared goals for the war — the destruction of Hamas as a military and governing force, the return of the hostages, and the prevention of a fresh terrorist threat in postwar Gaza. He has insisted in recent days that the IDF will enter Rafah whether or not there is a deal, and would presumably continue to make that assertion.For him to say no would be, rather absurdly, to reject terms his own negotiators could only have advanced with his and his war cabinet’s approval. It would defy the United States, and would put at risk the Biden administration’s ongoing support. But a no should not be ruled out, especially as Netanyahu, a serial breacher of political alliances, will have little faith in Lapid’s assurances of Knesset support, and no reason to believe that Yesh Atid’s backing would extend beyond the lifespan of the deal.All of the above, however, depends on Hamas’s response to the terms.Hamas’s Gaza chief Yahya Sinwar may determine that matters are playing out just fine without a deal: Most of Israel’s troops have long since withdrawn from Gaza.There is immense international pressure on Israel not to launch a ground offensive in Rafah, where he may well be hiding, and he may believe that he and Hamas can survive the war, rearm and prepare for more and worse October 7 attacks. Israel is under assault across its northern border by Hezbollah. Iran is closing in on the bomb.Substantial parts of the international community are increasingly intolerant of Israel’s right to self-defense; increasingly intolerant, indeed, of Israel, and, in fact, of Jews — a turn of global events that fully accords with Hamas’s avowed genocidal aspirations for the Jewish people-Substantial parts of the international community are increasingly intolerant of Israel’s right to self-defense; increasingly intolerant, indeed, of Israel, and, in fact, of Jews — a turn of global events that fully accords with Hamas’s avowed genocidal aspirations for the Jewish people.Saying no, or raising objections, Sinwar may further conclude, will only heighten internal Israeli infighting — again, music to his ears.On the other hand, the terms of the deal as published would appear to offer him and his much-depleted but still functional forces guaranteed survival in the short term, the opportunity to claim victory and, potentially, he may believe, the chance to rise and fight again.Again, it should be stressed, the terms of the deal as widely reported are unconfirmed and unofficial.The Biden administration’s interest in advancing the deal is clear: It wants to see the hostages released and a process for ending the war. It wants Hamas marginalized, Gaza calmed and rehabilitated, and Israelis able to live safely alongside the Strip. It believes a deal will also reduce the likelihood of escalation on the northern border, where tens of thousands of Israelis cannot return to their homes.It seeks to bolster the alliance against Iran that contributed critically to thwarting almost all of Iran’s unprecedented missile and drone fire at Israel last month. It would hope to capitalize on the deal by chivvying Israel and Saudi Arabia toward normalization, in a process that will require Israel to moderate the government’s emphatic opposition to any substantive progress toward Palestinian statehood.It wants to restore calm to university campuses, and reduce spiraling antisemitism. And it sees all of that helping to enable its own reelection.Some of these are grand long-term goals, some of them highly improbable — certainly with this Israeli government. Doubtless, the administration would not be too unhappy were the Netanyahu coalition to fall en route, though it is anything but clear that a markedly more moderate Israeli leadership would succeed it.But for now, the US, the mediators, Netanyahu and his government, the families of the hostages and the hostages themselves, await Hamas’s response to that “extraordinarily generous” Israeli offer.Two hundred and eight days after it invaded Israel, slaughtered 1,200 people and abducted 253, it is a sickening reality that Hamas still holds the key to what is unfolding.
Netanyahu tells Blinken he will not agree to end war on Hamas as part of hostage deal-PM tells visiting US secretary that potential truce won’t forestall Rafah operation; Blinken reiterates US opposition to incursion, says Hamas ‘standing in the way of a ceasefire’ By Lazar Berman-Today, 2:07 pmUpdated at 4:58 pm-MAY 1,24
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday that he would not accept an end to the war in Gaza as part of a potential hostage deal, an Israeli official told The Times of Israel.“He told Blinken that we are interested in reaching a deal, and determined to topple Hamas,” said the official.Israel conveyed its latest offer to Hamas through Egyptian mediators late last week, and is expecting a response Wednesday evening, an Israeli official told The Times of Israel.Netanyahu also told Blinken during their meeting in Jerusalem that a hostage deal with Hamas does not mean an invasion of Rafah would be avoided, the Prime Minister’s Office told The Times of Israel.“The Rafah operation does not depend on anything,” said the PMO. “Prime Minister Netanyahu made this clear to Secretary Blinken.Meanwhile, Blinken “reiterated the United States’ clear position on Rafah,” said State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller.The US readout did not say exactly what that position is, but the Biden administration has been firm in its opposition to a Rafah operation without a credible plan to evacuate civilians, even calling a move into the southern Gaza city a “red line.”The US readout said that Blinken “emphasized that it is Hamas that is standing in the way of a ceasefire.”In his meeting with President Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem earlier in the day, Blinken expressed similar sentiments, placing the blame squarely on Hamas for the failure to reach a hostage deal since November.The Gaza terror organization is “the only reason that that wouldn’t be achieved,” said the top US diplomat, who is in Israel for the seventh time since the massive Hamas attack on October 7.“No delays, no excuses,” said Blinken. “The time is now.”A report from the Lebanese news outlet al-Akhbar indicated that Israel’s offer would see at least 33 hostages released in the first phase, followed by later stages that would establish a sustainable calm and possible full withdrawal of IDF troops.The first stage of the deal, to last 40 days, reportedly involves a gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from parts of the Strip in order to allow the movement of humanitarian aid and the return of civilians to their homes.The Prime Minister’s Office declined to comment on the report.Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said that Blinken’s comments blaming the terror group for a failure to reach a deal were an attempt to put pressure on it and acquit Israel.Abu Zuhri also told Reuters that the group was still studying the recent truce offer.In a change of tune from recent criticism of Israeli policies, Blinken also blamed Hamas for the suffering of Gazan civilians: “We also have to be focused on people in Gaza who are suffering in this crossfire of Hamas’s making, and so focused on getting them the assistance they need — the food, medicine, the water, the shelter.”In a public statement ahead of their meeting, Herzog blasted the potential issuing of arrest warrants against Israeli leaders by the International Criminal Court in The Hague.“Our enemies and other elements are trying to undermine the entire process by using international legal forums that were established in order to have a world order that pursues peace, and pursues the values and norms that we all believe in in the modern world,” said Herzog. “Especially the efforts done at the International Criminal Court.”“Israel has a very strong legal system, very strong adjudication and law enforcement system, and it has pursued legal steps from the highest authorities in this land [against] any other citizen,” said Herzog.Blinken arrived in Israel on Tuesday evening following visits to Jordan and Saudi Arabia.The top US diplomat was set to meet Defense Minister Yoav Gallant at the Kerem Shalom Crossing and National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi at Ashdod Port in the afternoon to examine humanitarian aid flowing through to Gaza.Washington has intensified its pressure on Hamas to reach a deal — a message pushed by Blinken during his tour.“Now it’s on Hamas,” Blinken told reporters in Jordan. “No more delays, no more excuses… We want to see in the coming days this agreement coming together.”A truce is “the most effective way to relieve the suffering” of civilians in the besieged Gaza Strip, he told reporters near Amman.Blinken saw off a first Jordanian truck convoy of aid heading to Gaza through the Erez Crossing reopened by Israel, and urged a redoubling of the aid efforts.“It is real and important progress, but more still needs to be done,” he said.Israel has drastically increased humanitarian aid to Gaza since the deadly April 1 strike on World Central Kitchen aid workers, but the situation remains dire. The vast majority of residents have fled their homes and the United Nations has warned of looming famine.A US-built floating pier on Gaza’s coast is expected to be completed later this week, said Cyprus, to receive aid arriving through a “maritime corridor” via the eastern Mediterranean nation.Blinken said the pier would “significantly increase the assistance” but was not “a substitute” for greater overland access.It is believed that 129 hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7 remain in Gaza — not all of them alive — after 105 civilians were released from Hamas captivity during a weeklong truce in late November, and four hostages were released prior to that.Three hostages have been rescued by troops alive, and the bodies of 12 hostages have also been recovered, including three mistakenly killed by the military.The Israel Defense Forces has confirmed the deaths of 34 of those still held by Hamas, citing new intelligence and findings obtained by troops operating in Gaza.One more person has been listed as missing since October 7, and their fate is still unknown.
Israel opens Erez crossing to Gaza aid for first time as Blinken tours border-IDF renovates destroyed pedestrian terminal into north Gaza to allow in trucks; secretary of state says relief effort improved but still falling short, visits Kerem Shalom, Nir Oz-By Michael Bachner, Emanuel Fabian-and Agencies Today, 10:03 pm-MAY 1,24
Israel on Wednesday reopened the sole crossing on the northern edge of the Gaza Strip for the first time since it was attacked by Hamas on October 7, allowing aid trucks to pass through the Erez checkpoint following US demands to do more to get aid into the Strip.The development came as US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken toured Kerem Shalom, the main crossing through which humanitarian aid has flowed from Israel into Gaza in recent months, and Ashdod Port from which much of the aid is sent to the enclave.He said that while aid to the Palestinian enclave has been increased, more needs to be done.The top American diplomat also paid a short, previously unannounced visit to Kibbutz Nir Oz, which was ravaged by Hamas’s October 7 onslaught, with 38 residents killed and 72 kidnapped to Gaza — some of whom have since returned — out of its population of some 400.Residents haven’t since returned to the kibbutz, which still largely lays in ruins, with many buildings torched and damaged.Reopening the Erez crossing — which normally facilitates the passage of people, not supplies — has been one of the main pleas of international aid agencies for months, to alleviate the humanitarian situation which is believed to be most severe among the hundreds of thousands of civilians in Gaza’s northern sector.The checkpoint was largely destroyed by the Hamas terror group during its October 7 onslaught on southern Israel. Nearby, inside Gaza, the army later found a massive Hamas tunnel wide enough for a car to drive through.The military said some 30 trucks carrying food and medical supplies from Jordan entered northern Gaza via Erez on Wednesday, undergoing a “careful security inspection” before entering.The Israel Defense Forces said it had carried out engineering work in the area for the pedestrian crossing to be used to process trucks. It said the engineering forces “constructed inspection and protection infrastructure in the area, as well as paved roads in Israeli territory and in the Strip, enabling the entry of aid to the northern part of the Strip, while strengthening the defenses of the [Gaza border] communities in the area.”The crossing, at the terminus of a major highway, is the closest to Gaza from Israel’s Ashdod Port, where some humanitarian aid is being shipped to.Col. Moshe Tetro, head of Israel’s Coordination and Liaison Administration for Gaza, said he hoped the crossing would be open every day, and help reach a target of 500 aid trucks entering Gaza daily. That would be in line with pre-war supplies entering the enclave and far more than it has received during the last seven months.“This is only one step of the measures that we took in the last few weeks,” he told reporters.Earlier in the day, Jordan’s foreign ministry complained that two of its aid convoys carrying food, flour and more aid were “attacked by settlers,” without giving details of what happened, but adding that both convoys managed to continue on their journey and reach their destination.Activists from the Tzav 9 Israeli group, which opposes humanitarian aid to Gaza as long as Hamas doesn’t free the 133 hostages it is holding there, attempted Wednesday morning to block aid trucks in various spots throughout the country.A statement from the group said the goal was to have Blinken arrive at the Kerem Shalom crossing and not find any trucks there. The campaign didn’t appear to have succeeded as the IDF declared part of the trucks’ route and the crossing area a closed military zone.Honenu, a right-wing legal aid agency, said four men who had “blocked aid trucks going to Gaza” as they were passing near the West Bank settlement of Ma’ale Adumim were arrested by police, which said damage was dealt to several trucks and their content.The Jordanian government condemned the incident and said it held Israeli authorities fully responsible for ensuring the protection of aid convoys and international organizations.‘Progress on aid real, but must be accelerated’At Kerem Shalom, Blinken toured the crossing area and observed the inspection procedures alongside Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and other defense officials, who briefed the US diplomat and his team on the IDF’s humanitarian efforts in Gaza. They also told him of actions taken to prevent mistaken attacks on aid workers, following the incident in which seven members of the World Central Kitchen group were killed.The Kerem Shalom crossing was closed after October 7, when Israel imposed a strict blockade on Gaza, but reopened to limited traffic in December, making it the main entry point for aid coming from Israel.Israeli officials can inspect 55 trucks every hour at Kerem Shalom and work from morning to sunset, said Shimon Freedman, international media spokesperson for COGAT, a Defense Ministry body that acts as a liaison to the Palestinians.Israel has sought to demonstrate it is not blocking aid to Gaza, especially since US President Joe Biden issued a stark warning to Netanyahu, saying Washington’s policy could shift if Israel fails to take steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering and the safety of aid workers.Tank fire echoed from Gaza as Blinken got his first up-close view of the Strip six months into the war. The compound at Kerem Shalom, bordered by thick concrete walls, is where aid trucks bound for Gaza are held for inspection, a process that aid groups have complained has been a major bottleneck. Israel has said the holdup is later in the process, in the UN’s distribution mechanism.Later in the day, Blinken toured Ashdod Port, through which international aid has been arriving by sea and handled before departing to Gaza, inspecting the procedure.Accompanied by Israeli National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi, Blinken said that progress on improving humanitarian access to Gaza is real but, given the immense need in the Palestinian enclave, it needs to be accelerated.Blinken said one of the remaining challenges was to make sure delivered aid gets distributed inside the Strip, and that deconfliction with humanitarian groups must happen on a “unit level.”He also reiterated that the US “cannot and will not support a major military operation in Rafah absent an effective plan to make sure that civilians are not harmed, and we’ve not seen such a plan.”“At the same time, there are other ways — and in our judgment, better ways — of dealing with the real ongoing challenge of Hamas that does not require a major military operation” in Rafah, Blinken said.The US has urged Israel not to launch its planned offensive on Rafah, where Hamas leadership and many of the hostages are believed to be held, but also where some 1.5 million civilians have been sheltering as the war has devastated the rest of the Strip.Netanyahu said Tuesday that he remained intent on sending troops into Rafah, whether a deal is reached or not.The war was sparked by Hamas’s October 7 attack, in which some 1,200 were murdered in Israel, mostly civilians, and 253 were kidnapped into Gaza amid rampant sexual violence and acts of horrific brutality.The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says that more than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in the subsequent war in the Strip, but the number cannot be independently verified and is believed to include both Hamas fighters and civilians, some of whom were killed as a consequence of the terror group’s own rocket misfires.The Israel Defense Forces says it has killed over 13,000 terrorists in Gaza, in addition to some 1,000 who were killed inside Israel on and immediately following October 7. The army also says 263 soldiers have been killed since the beginning of the ground operation.
Polish police investigate arson attack on Warsaw synagogue-No significant damage done to house of worship in incident, and none hurt
By AFP and ToI Staff Today, 2:03 pm-MAY 1,24
Polish authorities on Wednesday condemned an attempted arson attack against a Warsaw synagogue.Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, quoting the country’s chief rabbi, said that “someone tried to set fire to the Nozyk synagogue with a Molotov cocktail.”“Thank God no one was hurt,” the minister added in a post on X, the former Twitter.An AFP journalist who went to the scene saw a black stain across a window that appeared to have been caused by flames. But there was no major damage to the synagogue.Poland’s chief rabbi, Michael Schudrich, could not be immediately contacted. Warsaw police said they had investigators at the scene.Sikorski’s message questioned who would have carried out the attack on the 20th anniversary of Poland’s membership of the European Union.“Maybe the same ones who scrawled the Stars of David in Paris?” he said.French prosecutors started an investigation after several dozen Jewish symbols were daubed on buildings in Paris in October as tensions increased with Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, which erupted with the terrorist organization’s unprecedented attack, in which 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed and 253 were taken hostage.France believes that Russian security services were behind the vandalism, an official French source said, but Russia denied any involvement.
Pentagon says floating Gaza aid pier more than 50% complete-Announcement comes 6 days after massive construction effort began, aimed at easing humanitarian crisis in Strip-By Agencies and ToI Staff 2 May 2024, 12:47 am
The temporary pier being constructed by the US military to increase humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza is more than halfway complete, the Pentagon said Wednesday.The start of construction was announced on April 25, and US officials have said the pier will be operational sometime early this month.“As of today, we are over 50 percent complete on setting up the pier,” Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh told journalists.“The floating pier has been completely constructed and set up. The causeway is in progress,” she added.Plans for the pier — which the Pentagon said earlier this week would cost at least $320 million, nearly double the initial estimate — were first announced by US President Joe Biden in early March as aid officials implored Israel to ease access for relief supplies into Gaza’s overland routes.The Pentagon has said the massive construction effort involves about 1,000 US service members, mostly from the Army and Navy.The port sits just southwest of Gaza City, a little north of a road bisecting Gaza that the Israeli military built during the fighting. The area was the territory’s most populous region before the Israeli ground offensive pushed over 1 million people south toward the town of Rafah on the Egyptian border.Israel’s military offensive against Hamas, in response to the Palestinian terror group’s egregious assault on Israel on October 7, has devastated the Gaza Strip and plunged its 2.3 million people into a humanitarian crisis. Whether the pier will ultimately succeed in boosting humanitarian aid is unclear, as international officials warn of a risk of famine in northern Gaza.Israel recently stepped up efforts to deliver aid by land and opened up new ground routes, including opening the pedestrian Erez Crossing to aid trucks for the first time on Wednesday. Washington has said aid delivery has increased significantly in recent weeks, but that more is needed.The pier will initially handle 90 trucks per day, but that number could go up to 150 trucks daily when it is fully operational. The United Nations said last week that the daily average number of trucks entering Gaza during April was 200.A senior US official said last week that humanitarian aid coming off the pier will need to pass through Israeli checkpoints on land.That is despite the aid having already been inspected by Israel in Cyprus before being shipped to Gaza. Israel wants to prevent any aid from getting to Hamas, boosting the terror group’s war effort.
LOOK FOR THESE CITIES TO REALLY COME AGAINST ISRAEL. THE 10 BIGGEST GENICIDAL COCKROACH MUSLIM CITIES IN CANADA.
Discover the 10 Best Muslim-Friendly Cities in Canada-2024-04-28 by Hafiz M. Ahmed
Canada is renowned for its multicultural diversity and welcoming nature, making it an ideal destination for Muslim travelers and residents seeking a community that respects and embraces Islamic culture. From coast to coast, several cities stand out for their Muslim-friendly amenities, including mosques, halal restaurants, and vibrant cultural festivals. If you’re looking for a Canadian city that caters well to the Muslim community, Discover the 10 Best Muslim-Friendly Cities in Canada with this guide. Let’s explore these top destinations that make living and traveling a truly inclusive experience!
10 Muslim-Friendly Cities in Canada
1. Toronto, Ontario
Toronto is not only the largest city in Canada but also one of the most multicultural cities in the world. It boasts a significant Muslim population, numerous mosques, including the impressive Islamic Foundation of Toronto, and countless halal dining options. The city hosts several Islamic events annually, such as the Reviving the Islamic Spirit convention, which draws thousands of attendees from across North America. Additionally, neighborhoods like Scarborough and Etobicoke offer vibrant Muslim communities with shops and businesses catering to Islamic dietary laws and fashion.
2. Mississauga, Ontario
Adjacent to Toronto, Mississauga is home to one of the largest concentrations of Muslims in Canada. The city features many mosques, including the prominent ISNA Islamic Centre. The Mississauga Halal Food Fest attracts visitors from all over the GTA, showcasing a variety of halal cuisines, and demonstrating the city’s commitment to accommodating Islamic dietary needs. Mississauga’s Muslim community is active and highly integrated into the fabric of local society.
3. Vancouver, British Columbia
Vancouver is known for its scenic beauty and laid-back lifestyle, and it’s also becoming increasingly popular among Muslim residents and visitors. The city offers a range of halal-certified restaurants and several mosques, with the oldest being the Masjid Al-Salaam. Vancouver’s Muslim community is diverse, with many cultural resources, including annual events like the Eid Festival at the Pacific National Exhibition.
4. Calgary, Alberta
In the heart of Alberta, Calgary has a growing Muslim population, supported by facilities like the Baitun Nur Mosque, one of the largest mosques in Canada. The city hosts numerous halal eateries and grocery stores. Each year, Calgary’s Muslim community celebrates Eid at the Calgary Stampede grounds, which is a testament to the city’s inclusive spirit.
5. Edmonton, Alberta
Edmonton is another Alberta city that ranks highly on the list of Muslim-friendly cities in Canada. It is home to several mosques, including the impressive Rahma Mosque. The city’s annual Islamic Heritage Month celebrations highlight Edmonton’s commitment to celebrating and learning about Muslim culture and contributions.
6. Ottawa, Ontario
As Canada’s capital, Ottawa boasts an array of cultural institutions that include Islamic culture and history. The Ottawa Muslim Association is very active, and the city has several mosques, including the Ottawa Mosque. Ottawa’s annual Muslim Summer Festival brings together people from all backgrounds to celebrate Islamic culture, food, and music.
7. Winnipeg, Manitoba
Winnipeg may be known for its harsh winters, but its warm community makes up for it. The Manitoba Islamic Association is a cornerstone of the community, providing various services and events. The city’s Muslim population benefits from several halal food markets and dining options, ensuring that halal food is easily accessible.
8. Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a growing city with a significant Muslim population and several mosques, including the Hamilton Downtown Mosque. The city has a robust network of Muslim organizations and hosts events that promote Islamic culture and understanding, making it a welcoming environment for Muslim families.
9. London, Ontario
Not to be confused with its UK namesake, London, Ontario, has a thriving Muslim community with multiple mosques, including the London Muslim Mosque, which is one of the oldest in Canada. The city’s Western University offers programs and support groups for Muslim students, and there are numerous halal restaurants throughout the city.
10. Halifax, Nova Scotia
Rounding out the list is Halifax, which offers a scenic oceanfront and a growing Muslim community. The Ummah Mosque and Community Center is the hub of Islamic life in the city. Halifax’s annual Multicultural Festival includes Islamic countries and showcases their food, dance, and music.These cities are not just places where Muslim families can feel at home; they are also spots where the Islamic culture is celebrated and integrated into the broader Canadian fabric. Each city offers unique opportunities and experiences that make it stand out as a top destination for Muslim residents and travelers alike. Whether you’re seeking a vibrant community, educational opportunities, or just a place where you can practice your faith freely and enjoy halal delicacies, these cities welcome you with open arms. So, when planning your next move or visit to Canada, consider these welcoming cities that rank as the best Muslim-friendly cities in the nation. Discover the 10 Best Muslim-Friendly Cities in Canada and find the perfect place for your family or your next adventure.
A MESSASE FROM THE ARAB GENICIDAL COCKROACHES IN LONDON CANADA TO THE WORLD.
🇵🇸 NATIONWIDE COORDINATED ACTIONS FOR PALESTINE ✊ Over the last week, students from across Canada have occupied buildings, held sit-ins, disruptions and mobilisations in a united student front demanding our institutions divest from genocide. Half a year into Isr*el’s assault on the people of Gaza, we reiterate that there will be no business as usual during a genocide. The students united will never be defeated, and we call on the administrations of the University of Toronto, McGill University, Concordia University, Western University, Emily Carr University, the University of British Columbia, and York University to listen to their students and divest from entities sustaining the occupation, genocide, and apartheid of Palestine.
Pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrate outside of major roadway near University of Waterloo-By Mark Douglas-Posted May 1, 2024 07:17:08 AM.Last Updated May 1, 2024 10:52:24 AM.
A demonstration in support of Palestinians, and the university students in the U.S. and Canada staging encampments, took place over the roadway in front of the University of Waterloo at the height of the Wednesday morning rush hour.A rally called “Stand with Gaza & Solidarity with Students in the U.S. for Palestine” was set up on the street at 170 University Avenue at the ION train tracks. About six protestors appeared with signs reading “Ceasefire now,” “Solidarity with students for Palestine” and “All universities BOMBED by Israel in Gaza.”The organizer, Tamara Lorincz, a Ph.D. student at Wilfrid Laurier University, said the protest was a roadside action and wanted to publicly acknowledge that there are students who are in solidarity with other protesting students on campuses in the United States and parts of Canada.“We support what the American students are doing, occupying their universities, calling for an end to the genocide and also calling on their universities to divest from war and weapons,” said Lorincz.CityNews 570 reached out to the University of Waterloo on multiple occasions, but so far the school has sent no statement directly commenting on this rally, or about the growing trend on American and Canadian campuses where students set up encampments in protest of Israel’s war in Gaza.Canadian universities with such encampments include McGill and Concordia in Montreal, and the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.Lorincz said she does not know of any plans for encampments to be established on the campuses of either UW or Laurier and that their group is concerned about the “violence inflicted by police” against students on American university campuses.“We want our universities here in Waterloo to speak out, to condemn the genocide and to stop investing in weapons production, supporting war and to be on the side of peace,” said Lorincz.Montreal police said they have received McGill University’s request to dismantle the Pro-Palestinian encampment on its campus and are evaluating “different avenues” to respond.The Universities of Toronto and Ottawa has cautioned students against starting an encampment.
Canadian Provinces And Territories By Muslim Population-The Baitunnur mosque of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community located at 4353 54 Avenue NE, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Image credit: Robert Thivierge/Wikimedia.org-The Baitunnur mosque of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community located at 4353 54 Avenue NE, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Image credit: Robert Thivierge/Wikimedia.org
By 2011, having officially surpassed the one million mark, Muslims made up approximately 3.2 percent of the total Canadian population.Two-thirds of all Canadian Muslims live in just two cities: Toronto and Montreal.Nunavut and Yukon, two of Canada’s three territories, have the lowest Muslim population at just ninety people combined.The indigenous peoples of Canada were the first to practice religion in the country. When the European colonizers arrived, one thing they brought with them was their Christian faith. By the early 1970s, almost ninety percent of the entire Canadian population was Christian. Practicing such a dominant religion, it seeped into almost every corner of society, including the national anthem: God keep our land, glorious and free! Today, Christianity remains the most adhered to religion in the country, but over the past couple of decades, Islam has quickly grown to become the second largest.Immigration And The Diversification Of Religion-People with colorful posters gathered at Yonge & Dundas to support the incoming Syrian refugees into Canada during a solidarity rally on November 22, 2015 in Toronto,Canada. Image credit: Arindambanerjee/Shutterstock.com-In 1971, under Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, Canada officially became the first country to create a policy advocating for multiculturalism, a promise that the country values all peoples and cultures. While Canada is certainly not immune to xenophobia, it has provided a home for Muslims and other minorities that is by far safer than many other western countries.By the 1980s, immigration had skyrocketed, particularly due to an influx of refugees. Individuals and families were coming from all over in search of better opportunities and security not available in their countries of origin. With such a dramatic increase in different cultures, the country experienced a religious shift. While Christianity—and all its denominations—is still the dominant religion today, it is now only practiced by 55 percent of the adult population. This is still a staggering number, however, when compared to the 8.8 percent of Canadians whose faith lies elsewhere: Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, and Islam.
A History Of Muslims In Canada
With 1.8 billion followers, Islam is the second-largest religion in the world. Muslims are people who practice Islam. The first Muslims in the Great White North can be traced back to the 1850s, when one family made their home in Upper Canada. Over the next hundred years, the Muslim population slowly continued to increase. This number did not truly spike until the 1970s and 80s, in part due to the Immigration Act of 1976 which lifted some of the restrictions on immigration from non-European countries. In a twenty year span, it jumped from 5,800 Muslims to 253,265.By 2011, having officially surpassed the one million mark, Muslims made up approximately 3.2 percent of the total Canadian population. These individuals and families came from Pakistan, Iran, Lebanon, and Somalia, among many other countries.Provinces By Muslim Population-The majority of Canadian Muslims live in two provinces. 61 percent live in Ontario alone; that is a total of 581,950 Muslims which makes up 4.6 percent of the province’s overall population. The French province of Quebec has the second-highest concentration with approximately 243,430 Muslims, 3.2 percent of their population.Because most immigrants originally come from cities, very few move to rural regions. As a result, over 95 percent of all Canadian Muslims live in urban areas. Community also plays a large role in choice of home. Understandably, immigrants often choose to settle within proximity of other people who share their culture and language. This creates a higher concentration of certain demographics in specific locations. For instance, two-thirds of all Canadian Muslims live in just two cities: Toronto, which has a Muslim population of 424,930, and Montreal, at 221,040. Given these numbers, it might not be shocking to learn that only ten cities in Canada have more than 15,000 Muslims.Alberta is the province with the third-highest Muslim population. Some of the earliest Canadian Muslims moved out west after Prime Minister Wilfried Laurier expressed his desire to populate that part of the country. Wanting to firmly establish their culture in Edmonton, the local Muslims opened the first Canadian mosque in 1938. For the next several decades, Alberta’s Muslim population continued to steadily grow. Today, 113,445 Muslims call the province home.Ontario, Quebec, and Alberta are the only three Canadian provinces to have a Muslim population over 100,000 people. British Columbia has the fourth largest at 79,310 people. Interestingly, Nunavut and Yukon, two of Canada’s three territories, have the lowest population at just ninety people combined.The Future Of Muslims In Canada-The Muslim population in Canada is only expected to grow. By 2030, the number of Muslims will double, reaching approximately 2.7 million. This will be a direct result of future Canadian-born generations and of continued immigration, with most people coming from Algeria, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. The preference in urban settings is also expected to remain unchanged.Back in 2011, when the population first hit one million, some commentators predicted that Canada would have its first Muslim Prime Minister within a decade. This has not happened, but perhaps in another ten years it will and stand as a true testament to Canada’s multicultural spirit.Canadian Provinces And Territories By Muslim Population
Rank Province/territory Number of Muslims % share of Muslims in the total province/territory population
1 Ontario 5,81,950 4.60
2 Alberta 1,13,445 3.18
3 Quebec 2,43,430 3.15
4 British Columbia 79,310 1.83
5 Manitoba 12,405 1.06
6 Saskatchewan 10,040 1.00
7 Nova Scotia 8,505 0.94
8 Northwest Territories 275 0.67
9 Prince Edward Island 660 0.43
10 New Brunswick 2,640 0.36
11 Newfoundland and Labrador-1,200-0.24
12 Nunavut 50 0.16
13 Yukon 40 0.12
Katz: President is 'antisemitic and full of hatred' Colombia to sever ties after months of panning Israel as ‘genocidal’Foreign minister accuses Gustavo Petro, country’s first leftist president, of ‘standing alongside vile monsters who burned babies, raped women,’ ending decades-long relationship-By AFP, Lazar Berman-and ToI Staff Today, 11:21 pm-MAY 01,24
Colombian President Gustavo Petro said Wednesday his country will cut diplomatic ties with Israel, describing the country’s leader as “genocidal” over the war against the Hamas terror group in Gaza.“Tomorrow, diplomatic relations with the State of Israel will be severed… for having a genocidal president,” Petro told a May Day rally in Bogota. It was unclear if he had meant to refer to President Isaac Herzog, who serves in a largely symbolic role, or to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has directed the war effort.In Jerusalem, Foreign Minister Israel Katz fired back that the leftist leader was “antisemitic and full of hatred.”“History will remember that Gustavo Petro decided to stand alongside the most vile monsters that history has ever known, who burned babies, murdered children, raped women and kidnapped innocent civilians,” Katz wrote on X.“The relations between Colombia and Israel were always warm,” Katz continued, “and no antisemitic president full of hatred will change that.”Petro has repeatedly lambasted Israel’s actions in Gaza, refusing to condemn Hamas’s October 7 onslaught — in which some 1,200 people were murdered and 253 taken hostages, mostly civilians. Just three days after the massacre, he likened top Israeli officials to Nazi Germany.The move will spell an end to a seven-decade relationship that was historically one of Israel’s closest in Latin America, underpinned for years by robust arms sales to Bogota, making it one of the main providers of arms to Colombia’s military.Israel halted security exports to Colombia after Petro accused Defense Minister Yoav Gallant of using language about Gazans that was similar to what the “Nazis said of the Jews” shortly after October 7. Bogota then ordered Israel’s envoy to leave.Petro, Colombia’s first leftist president, has also asserted that “democratic peoples cannot allow Nazism to reestablish itself in international politics.”He had likened Israel to the Nazis even before he was elected president last year.In February, Petro said the deaths of dozens of Gazans in a scramble for food aid “is called genocide and recalls the Holocaust.”The Israeli military had dismissed as “baseless” accusations of intentional harm during that incident.In March, Petro threatened to cut off ties if Israel didn’t comply with a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, drawing more rebuke from Jerusalem. Colombia’s armed forces, engaged in a decades-long conflict with leftist guerrillas, rightwing paramilitaries and drug cartels, have long relied on Israeli-made weapons and aircraft.The country has a history of strong diplomatic and military relations with Israel and the United States. It established ties with Israel in the 1950s.Petro had previously come out in support of Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who also invoked the ire of Israel for saying its Gaza campaign “isn’t a war, it’s a enocide.” Colombia and Brazil supported South Africa’s complaint against Israel to the International Court of Justice in The Hague, alleging the Gaza war amounted to a breach of the Genocide Convention.Fellow Latin American country Bolivia cut diplomatic relations with Israel on November 1.The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza has claimed that since the start of the war, 34,568 people have been killed, mostly civilians. These figures cannot be independently verified and, according to Israel, include at least 13,000 Hamas fighters. Another estimated 1,000 terrorists were killed in Israel during the October 7 onslaught.
Students chant: With love not fear, divestment is getting near-Brown becomes first US university to consider divesting from Israel-Pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel protesters clear encampment on campus after coming to agreement with university administration-By AFP and ToI Staff Today, 10:16 am-MAY 1,24
Brown University reached an agreement on Tuesday with students protesting the war in Gaza that would see them remove their encampment from school grounds in exchange for the institution considering divesting from Israel.The move represents the first major concession from an elite American university amid relentless student protests that have paralyzed campuses across the country, divided public opinion and led to hundreds of arrests.In a statement, Brown president Christina Paxson said students had agreed to end their protests and clear their camp by 5 p.m. local time Tuesday and “refrain from further actions that would violate Brown’s conduct code through the end of the academic year.”In turn, “five students will be invited to meet with five members of the Corporation of Brown University in May to present their arguments to divest Brown’s endowment from ‘companies enabling and profiting from the genocide in Gaza.'”The board will vote on the proposal in October.Student protesters jumped for joy upon hearing the news of the deal and chanted “with love not fear, divestment is getting near” before beginning to remove their tents.“We are ending (the encampment) knowing that we made a huge victory for divestment at Brown, for this international movement and a victory for the people of Palestine,” said Brown student Leo Corzo-Clark.The university, located in Providence, Rhode Island, “has come to the table to listen to our demands and to listen to its students and to consider divesting from war, divesting from death, divesting from occupation,” said Sam Theoharis, another student protester.The campus demonstrations have posed a major challenge to university administrators across the country who are trying to balance commitments to free expression with complaints that the rallies have veered into antisemitism and hate speech.In her statement, Paxson said, “The devastation and loss of life in the Middle East has prompted many to call for meaningful change, while also raising real issues about how best to accomplish this.”But she added: “I have been concerned about the escalation in inflammatory rhetoric that we have seen recently and the increase in tensions at campuses across the country.”In a statement on Monday, Columbia’s president Minouche Shafik said that the university would not divest from Israel but would invest in Gaza as the protests at the New York university continued in full force.
Biden condemns protesters’ use of the term 'intifada' Police clear anti-Israel protesters from Columbia U’s Hamilton Hall after standoff
School president said there was no other way to restore order; two other universities reach deals to end encampments, with one agreeing to hear demands for divestment from Israel-By Agencies, ToI Staff and Jacob Magid-Today, 3:58 amUpdated at 8:49 am-MAY 1,24
Police cleared 30 to 40 people from inside Columbia University’s Hamilton Hall on Tuesday night after protesters against Israel occupied the administration building in New York earlier in the day.Hundreds of New York Police Department officers acted after the school’s president said there was no other way to ensure safety and restore order on campus and sought help from the police. The occupied building had expanded the demonstrators’ reach from an encampment elsewhere on the Ivy League school’s grounds.The scene unfolded shortly after 9 p.m. as police, wearing helmets and carrying zip ties and riot shields, massed at the college’s entrance. Scores of officers climbed through a window to enter the occupied building, streaming in over a ramp raised from the top of a police vehicle to get inside. Multiple protesters were taken into custody and taken away from campus on buses.The confrontation occurred more than 12 hours after the demonstrators took over Hamilton Hall shortly after midnight Tuesday, spreading their reach from an anti-Israel tent encampment elsewhere on the grounds that’s been there for nearly two weeks.Students had vowed to fight any eviction from Hamilton Hall.The police action happened on the 56th anniversary of a similar police action to quash an occupation of Hamilton Hall by students protesting racism and the Vietnam War.“After the University learned overnight that Hamilton Hall had been occupied, vandalized, and blockaded, we were left with no choice,” the school said of the police action, adding that school public safety personnel were forced out of the building and one facilities worker was “threatened.”Prior to the arrests, the campus in the heart of New York City, usually accessible to passersby, was sealed off, with police erecting barricades, an AFP journalist saw.Columbia University officials had threatened academic expulsion of students who seized and occupied the classroom building as the standoff between administrators and activists on the Manhattan campus intensified.“Students occupying the building face expulsion,” Columbia’s office of public affairs said in a statement, adding that the protesters were provided “the opportunity to leave peacefully,” but instead declined and escalated the situation.The occupation began overnight when protesters broke windows and entered Hamilton Hall, where they unfurled a banner reading “Hind’s Hall,” symbolically renaming the building for a six-year-old Palestinian child allegedly killed by the Israeli military in Gaza.Outside the building — the site of various student occupations on the Ivy League campus dating back to the 1960s — other protesters blocked the entrance with tables, linked arms to form a barricade and chanted pro-Palestinian slogans.A day earlier, the university said it had begun suspending students who defied a deadline for vacating a tent camp that has become a focal point for dozens of student demonstrations around the US expressing opposition to Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.“The encampment has created an unwelcoming environment for many of our Jewish students and faculty and a noisy distraction that interferes with the teaching, learning and preparing for final exams,” the university said in a statement on Monday.After the occupation, a Columbia University spokesperson said the protesters had chosen to escalate an “untenable situation” and that the school’s top priority is safety and order on campus.“The work of the university cannot be endlessly interrupted by protesters who violate the rules. Continuing to do so will be met with clear consequences,” spokesperson Ben Chang said in a statement.The October 7 attack on southern Israel by Hamas terrorists from Gaza, and the ensuing Israeli offensive on the Palestinian enclave, have unleashed the biggest outpouring of student activism since the anti-racism protests of 2020.Protesters are demanding that Columbia meet three demands: divestment from companies that support Israel’s government, transparency in university finances, and amnesty for students and faculty disciplined for their part in the protests.University President Nemat Minouche Shafik this week said Columbia would not divest from finances in Israel. Instead, she offered to invest in health and education in Gaza and make Columbia’s direct investment holdings more transparent.At some recent rallies, protesters have been met with counter-protesters accusing them of fomenting anti-Jewish hatred. The pro-Palestinian side, including some Jewish activists opposed to the Israeli actions, say they are being unfairly branded as antisemitic for criticizing Israel’s government and expressing support for human rights.In dealing with the protests, university officials have struggled to strike a balance between allowing freedom of expression and stamping out hate speech.The issue has taken on political overtones in the run-up to the US presidential election in November, with Republicans accusing some university administrators of turning a blind eye to antisemitic rhetoric and harassment.White House spokesperson John Kirby on Tuesday denounced non-peaceful forms of student protests, calling the occupation of campus buildings “the wrong approach.”“Hate speech and hate symbols have no place in this country,” Kirby added. “A small percentage of students shouldn’t be able to disrupt the academic experience… for the rest of the student body.”Biden against ‘intifada’ US President Joe Biden condemned protesters’ use of the term “intifada” during the latest spate of demonstrations, the White House said.For Israelis, the Arabic word “intifada,” literally “uprising,” evokes memories of mass waves of deadly terror attacks in 1987-1993 and again in the early 2000s.Extremist protesters have regularly called for a renewed intifada against Israel and for “globalizing the intifada” in protests that have wreaked havoc across campuses in recent weeks.Biden “condemns the use of the term ‘intifada,’ as he has the other tragic and dangerous hate speech displayed in recent days,” White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said in a statement. “President Biden respects the right to free expression, but protests must be peaceful and lawful.”“Forcibly taking over buildings is not peaceful – it is wrong. And hate speech and hate symbols have no place in America,” Bates added.Biden also opposed the takeover of Hamilton Hall at Columbia University by anti-Israel protesters, the White House said.“The president believes that forcibly taking over a building on campus is absolutely the wrong approach. That is not an example of peaceful protest,” Kirby said during a press briefing.The College Democrats of America, the US Democratic Party’s student organization, released a statement in support of the protests, calling the actions of the protesters “heroic.”“There is nothing more American than the right to protest peacefully for what is right,” the statement read, commending “the bravery of students across the country who have been willing to endure arrests, suspension and threats of expulsion to stand up for the rights and dignity of the Palestinian people.“Our position is clear: We stand with those protesting for peace and we find all calls for violence, such as those against Jewish and Muslim students, wrong,” the statement said. “Those spreading hate have no place in the movement for peace.”Arrests in California, deals elsewhere-Students at dozens of campuses from California to New England have set up similar tent encampments to demonstrate their anger over the Israeli operation in Gaza.At Cal Poly Humboldt University, police early on Tuesday swarmed the campus, where students were occupying a school building, and starting detaining people, local media reported. Some 25 people were said arrested.Police on Monday had declared the protest an unlawful assembly and warned people they faced arrest if they did not disperse.According to The New York Times, protesters at Humboldt had taken over Siemens Hall and redubbed it “Intifada Hall,” spraying graffiti inside and vandalizing the campus president’s office.Learn from the working class poor students of Humboldt Cal Poly, who are currently being held in county jail, and radiate with pride in your most difficult moments of repression. Show no remorse, show no regret. Keep your head up high, you are doing this for Palestine. ???? pic.twitter.com/2emmDhQKs5— Jersey Noah ???? (@JerseyNoahx) April 30, 2024-Civil rights groups have criticized law enforcement tactics on some campuses where police have clashed with protesters and have used chemical irritants.Police detained about 30 protesters at their encampment at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill early on Tuesday, according to a university statement, noting that students had trespassed into classroom buildings overnight.At the University of Texas at Austin, police arrested dozens of students whom they hit with pepper spray at a pro-Palestinian rally on Monday.Northwestern University reached an agreement with demonstrators that will see them take down their “Gaza solidarity encampment.” The students agreed to take down all but one of the nearly 100 tents erected on the school quad since Thursday. In exchange, Northwestern agreed to take several steps to expand student engagement in the school’s financial investments.Northwestern also agreed to fund the tuition of five Palestinian undergraduates and hire two visiting Palestinian faculty members in addition to providing a temporary space on campus for Middle Eastern and Muslim students until their existing house finishes renovation.Jewish and pro-Israel groups slammed the agreement.“Today, Northwestern University declared itself a safe space for antisemitism,” the Israeli Consulate in Chicago tweeted. “We are appalled by Northwestern’s decision to turn its back on Jewish and Israeli students who have been targets of hateful harassment and intimidation. This decision rewards the pro-terror, anti-Israel, and anti-America aggressors on campus.”Brown University in Rhode Island also reached a deal, with students removing their encampment from school grounds in exchange for the institution listening to their arguments for divesting from Israel.The move represented a first major concession from an elite American university.In a statement, Brown President Christina Paxson said students had agreed to end their protests and clear their camp by 5 p.m. local time Tuesday and “refrain from further actions that would violate Brown’s conduct code through the end of the academic year.”In turn, “five students will be invited to meet with five members of the Corporation of Brown University in May to present their arguments to divest Brown’s endowment from ‘companies enabling and profiting from the genocide in Gaza,” she said.Meanwhile, The Washington Post reported that a Jewish student is suing Columbia University for failing to provide adequate protection for Jewish students. According to the report, the lawsuit claims Columbia allowed the protests to drive Jewish students off campus rather than take steps to ensure their safety.The decision by the faculty to offer remote learning for students who felt unsafe as a result of the protests created “two very different educational experiences for Jewish and non-Jewish students,” the report cited the lawsuit as stating.
