1337 - 19th Oct 2023

19 October 2023 • 4 Cheshvan 5784 • Issue 1337

Amit Shani, 16

Ariel Bibas, 4

Dafna Elyakin, 14

Eitan Yahalomi, 12

Ela Elyakim, 8

Ema Konio, 3

Avigail Idan, 3

Aviv Katz Asher, 2

Emilia Aloni, 5

Erez Kalderon, 12

Look at these faces Itay Regev, 18

Kfir Bibas, 9 months

Liri Albag, 18

Mia Leimberg, 17

Mika Angel, 18

Natalie Raanan, 17

#BringThemBack campaign keeps children kidnapped

by Hamas in the hearts and minds of the world

Nave Shoham, 8

Noam Avigdori, 12

Noya Dan, 13

Noya Sharabi, 16

Ofir Engel, 17

Ofry Brodutch, 10

Ohad Zachri Monder, 9

Or Yaakov, 17

Oria Brodutch, 4

Raz Katz Asher, 4

Sahar Kalderon, 16

Tamir Nimrodi, 19

Tchelet Fishbein, 18

Yagil Yaakov, 13

Yuly Konio, 3

Yuval Angel, 11

Yuval Brodutch, 8

50+ pages of reports and analysis inside

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Jewish News 19 October 2023

ISRAEL AT WAR

Images of kidnapped ki Images of the children kidnapped by Hamas terrorists have been projected at iconic locations across the capital including Baker Street, The Tate Modern and Wembley Stadium.

The #BringThemBack campaign is led by a group of “concerned global citizens” who have joined forces across major cities including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Miami.

In an effort to raise awareness, all the images being projected are of the children, who have now been held hostage for 12 dreadful days.

A spokesperson from the campaign told Jewish News: “The calculated kidnap of ninemonth-old Kfir and other children has shocked and sickened the humane world.

“Our hearts and those of all good people around the globe bleed at the thought of what those beautiful children and the nearly 200 kidnapped innocents are going through.

“We are determined to keep their faces in the public consciousness and won’t rest until each and every one of the hostages is home.

We hope that this campaign at prominent locations across London and the rest of the world encourages all to join this effort.”

Members of the #BringThemBack group have focused their attention on securing marquee billboard sites that can both be seen by the largest number of people possible and also not be taken down by potential saboteurs.

Baker Street Underground station

Wembley Stadium, where the FA refused to light up the arch in the colours of the Israeli flag last we

...AND CAMPAIGN GOES DIGITAL TOO

As part of the #BringThemBack advertising operation, the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) has been using digital billboards and mobile advertising trucks to display the faces of those kid-

napped by Hamas. Among them are four-year-olds Ariel and Raz, five-year-old Amelia and 12-yearold Eitan.

CAA kicked off the campaign this week across the streets of

Shoppers pass the image of Ariel, age 4

London and will be rolling it out nationwide. Its chief executive Gideon Falter said: “We have joined the efforts by Jews all around the world to show the faces of those kidnapped by Hamas

in the worst single antisemitic atrocity since the Holocaust.

“The actions of Hamas are all but indistinguishable from those of ISIS. While the BBC may not be able to bring itself to call this

Images of Hamas captives Amelia, 5, and Ariel, 4, passing by Buckingham Palace

terror, we know that the British public has a strong sense of right and wrong.

“This is why we have put the faces of those taken into captivity where nobody can fail to see them.

“Decent people across the country will see the innocents taken hostage by Hamas terrorists and share in our urgent desire to bring them back home.”

Image of Eitan, age 12, at Waterloo

19 October 2023 Jewish News

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ISRAEL AT WAR

ids seen across London

Tate Modern

eek, was one of the iconic buildings to display a picture of one of the missing

New Oxford Street

London Bridge

All Souls Church, near the BBC

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Jewish News 19 October 2023

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ISRAEL’S SHIELD EMERGENCY APPEAL UNITE TO PROTECT LIVES We urgently need your support for our emergency relief effort, called “Israel’s Shield.” This initiative represents our significant commitment to relocate over 2,000 people, including families, babies, children, and the elderly who have survived the recent massacres.

Your support and solidarity serve as the solid foundation upon which we will construct a safer and more resilient Israel for all.

WITH YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT, WE ARE RESOLUTE IN PROVIDING THE FOLLOWING: ∙ Safe Bus Transportation ∙ Lodgings & Daily Hot Meals ∙ Childcare & Babysitting Services ∙ Daily Engaging Activities ∙ Grief Counselling & Trauma Therapy ∙ Distributing much-needed clothing, shoes, toilettries, and basic necessities

DONATE NOW

Charity number: 290371 www.migdalohr.org.uk/israels-shield IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER PLEASE CONTACT US contact@migdalohr.org.uk Follow us at @migdalohruk Migdal Ohr is Israel’s largest non-profit welfare and educational network providing critical services and life-changing programmes to nearly 12,000 vulnerable Israeli children annually since 1972.

19 October 2023 Jewish News

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WE ARE STANDING UNITED WITH ISRAEL – AMIT FRASER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Dear Community, In these challenging times, my heart aches for the innocent lives lost in Israel, and my thoughts are with their grieving families. We stand in solidarity with our brave soldiers and are deeply disturbed by the recent kidnappings, especially of women, children, and the elderly.

Migdal Ohr, as always, is a beacon of hope for Israel in response to these profound challenges.

As the nation’s largest welfare charity, our mission remains unwavering to provide essential support to children in need, especially during the turmoil of war.

Regrettably, the recent war has brought immeasurable grief to countless families, with the brutal actions of terror casting a long shadow of sorrow. In response, Migdal Ohr initiated “Magen Yisrael” (Israel’s Shield), an emergency relief effort, with a commitment and a promise to safeguard those who are most vulnerable.

The initiative has already achieved significant results; so far, we’ve successfully relocated over 2,000 people from decimated Kibbutzim and towns in the South, providing shelter, food, transportation, and grief counselling.

I’d like to express our gratitude to our donors for their incredible support, and I outline the impact of their donations: ∙ Provided lodgings, food, and essentials to families from Bnei Netzarim, Neve, and surrounding towns ∙ Sent various medical supplies, including mattresses and blankets, to all hospitals to support the medical staff and injured soldiers ∙ Set up daily camps for children with special needs who are unable to stay home ∙ Students helped prepare care packages for the soldiers which we distributed across Israel Today, I extend my heartfelt appeal to you. We need your support to secure the safety and future of these families and to stand as a testament to the indomitable spirit of Am Israel.

Your support brings hope, and we’re grateful for your commitment. Together, we provide comfort and security to those in need and strengthen Israel’s future.

Shabbat Shalom!

Am Israel Chai.

Amit Fraser Executive Director

Thank you for your incredible support!

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Jewish News 19 October 2023

ISRAEL AT WAR

Islamic Jihad rocket caused hospital blast Israel has confirmed a failed rocket fired by Islamic Jihad hit a hospital in Gaza on Tuesday evening, killing scores of people, writes Jotam Confino in Tel Aviv.

The Hamas-run health ministry initially blamed Israeli airstrikes for hitting the Al-Ahli Hospital, and claimed some 500 Palestinians had been killed.

The IDF responded on Wednesday morning by presenting what it said was indisputable evidence a rocket fired by Islamic Jihad caused the mass explosion.

IDF released videos showing rockets failing to enter Israel at the time of the explosion, while stressing an Israeli airstrike would have left a big crater in the ground, which wasn’t the case.

IDF also released an intercepted alleged phone conversation between Hamas members shortly after the explosion, in which they admitted it was Islamic Jihad’s rocket that hit the hospital.

Spokesperson Daniel Hagari said Hamas knew “with absolute certainty it was a rocket launched

by Palestinian Islamic Jihad”.

“According to our intelligence, Hamas checked reports and understood it was a Palestinian Islamic Jihad misfire, then launched a global media campaign with inflated numbers of casualties,” Hagari said.

“It is impossible to know what

Scenes from the aftermath of the explosion, with wards ablaze and the injured being taken away

happened as quickly as Hamas claimed they knew. That should have been an initial warning sign.”

Hagari also stressed the buildings surrounding the hospital were left undamaged, which was another sign that it had not been hit by an Israeli airstrike.

Channel 12 later broadcast a video allegedly showing the exact time rockets were being fired from Gaza, with one of them falling right above the hospital in Gaza, causing the explosion.

Channel 12 said prime minister Netanyahu had been shown the video and had looked at it carefully ahead of his meeting with US president Joe Biden in Tel Aviv.

Netanyahu issued a statement on Tuesday evening as the story about the explosion went viral, saying: “The entire world should know: It was barbaric terrorists in Gaza that attacked the hospital in

Gaza, and not the IDF. Those who brutally murdered our children also murder their own children.”

Meanwhile, Israel’s President Herzog lashed out at the international media for running the Hamas version of the story on Tuesday evening, which was blaming Israel for the tragedy.

“Shame on the media who swallow the lies of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, broadcasting a 21stcentury blood libel around the globe,” Herzog said. “Shame on the vile terrorists in Gaza who wilfully spill the blood of the innocent.

“Never before has the choice been clearer. Israel is standing against an enemy made of pure evil.

If you stand for humanity, for the value of all human life, you stand with Israel.”

Islamic Jihad dismissed the claims, saying Israel was “spreading (contradicting) ver-

sions (of events)”. It noted Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Lior Ben-Dor “saying the hospital houses weapons and the explosion occurred from where these were launched, while the army says the explosion was the result of a failed launch by the Islamic Jihad”.

Neither Islamic Jihad nor Hamas has provided evidence Israel was behind the explosion.

Despite this, a number of riots and demonstrations broke out around the Middle East following the explosion and accusations against Israel, including in Jordan and Lebanon.

Hamas called on Palestinians in the West Bank to attack Israelis in response.

The terrorist group also urged the “expulsion of the ambassadors of the Zionist entity [its standard reference to Israel] in all Arab and Islamic capitals.”

CHECK, VERIFY AND WAIT UNTIL YOU GET FACTS ANALYSIS

BY BARRISTER GARY GRANT The knee-jerk reaction on Tuesday evening from major news broadcasters to accept, without verification, propaganda spewing from Hamas shrills and then blazing headlines such as “Israel strikes hospital” across our screens, is an example of confirmation bias.

Too eager to publish information that fits a narrative of “evil Israel”, they immediately publish these Hamas claims with near “I told you so” glee – only to start backtracking when evidence begins to emerge that the explosion was likely to have been caused by an Islamic Jihad rocket misfiring.

By then it is too late. The rage has spread like wildfire, endangering Jews round the world. If, and as is now looking more likely, when a full investigation eventually concludes the hospital blast was nothing to do with Israel, nobody will care. The damage has been done. As the proverb goes: “A lie can be halfway around the world before the truth has got its boots on.”

The two BBC headlines appearing in this context also merit scrutiny. While readers of the first headline will most likely take away as a fact the claim that “Hundreds killed in Israeli strike on Gaza hospital”, the later correction merely reports Israel’s denial with a perceptible raise of eyebrows.

As is often quoted, in the fog of war truth can be the first casualty. That is precisely why our national broadcasters need to honour the huge responsibility and duty upon them to get it right.

Or, just as importantly, if they do not know the facts, to say so rather than inflame the world by parroting Hamas’ public relations lines. It must stop now.  Gary Grant is a London-based barrister

Biden in Israel: ‘You are not alone’ US president Joe Biden arrived in Israel on Wednesday to offer his support for Israel against Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza, writes Jotam Confino in Tel Aviv.

Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Biden’s visit was “deeply, deeply moving,” calling it the first time a US president had visited Israel during a war.

“It speaks to the depth of your personal commitment to Israel. It speaks to the depth of your personal commitment to the future of the Jewish people and the one and only Jewish state,” Netanyahu told Biden.

The prime minister also stressed the war in Gaza this time around will be different because Hamas is a “different kind of enemy”.

“While Israel seeks to minimise civilian casualties, Hamas seeks to maximise civilian casualties. Hamas wants to kill as many Israelis as pos-

Joe Biden meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

sible and has no regard whatsoever to Palestinian lives. Every day, they perpetrate a double war crime: targeting our civilians while hiding behind their civilians, embedding themselves in the civilian population and using them as human shields,” he said.

Biden again condemned the

“appalling, terrorist assault, brutal, inhumane” atrocities committed by Hamas last week, but applauded the decision by Israel to form an emergency government.

“This cabinet came together and is standing strong, standing united. And I want you to know you are not alone.

You are not alone,” he said.

Biden was scheduled initially to move on after his talks with Netanyahu to Amman in Jordan for a summit meeting with Egypt’s president Al-Sissi, Jordan’s King Abdullah and Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas. That was cancelled after the Gaza hospital explosion.

In his meeting with Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, Biden also commented on the explosion, saying: “It appears that it was done by the other team.”

Israel said it would present the evidence it has gathered to the US to convince the world it wasn’t behind the explosion.

Biden’s visit to Israel puts a focus on applying pressure to Hamas to release some 200 hostages, including American citizens, from Gaza. Biden was also discussing efforts to open Egypt’s Rafah border crossing with Gaza to allow humanitarian need in.

Earlier this week, US secretary of state Antony Blinken said Israel had agreed to formulate a plan to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Biden’s presence in Israel was also seen as a sign to Iran and Hezbollah, both of which have threatened Israel with war should the bombings of Gaza continue.

Biden has stressed repeatedly the US will not stand idly by if any of Israel’s enemies “take advantage” of the situation. “I have one word for you; don’t,” Biden said.

Meanwhile, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has raised doubts about the feasibility of a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict.

Cleverly said: “I have seen absolutely nothing in the behaviour of Hamas during the terrorist attack and since the terrorist attack that gives me any confidence at all that they would respect a ceasefire.”

19 October 2023 Jewish News

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Dear Friends of Israel, We are reaching out to you with an urgent appeal for help.

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Thank you for supporting Shaare Zedek Medical Centre and helping to save the lives of people from across Israel.

Professor Ofer Merin Director General of Shaare Zedek Medical Centre, Jerusalem

020 8201 8933 shaarezedek.org.uk

Hope for Israel

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ISRAEL IS AT WAR.

OUR PEOPLE ARE UNDER ATTACK.

UNITED JEWISH ISRAEL APPEAL ujia.org

United Jewish Israel Appeal is a registered charity no. 1060078 (England & Wales) and SC 039181 (Scotland).

6972 UJIA Emergency Briefing 2023 JN DPS (Week Two) v2.indd 1

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Over the coming days, weeks and months we will work with our long-standing partners in Israel to meet critical needs and to prepare for long-term recovery efforts.

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Israel needs you now.

TO DONATE NOW TO THE COMMUNITY APPEAL, VISIT UJIA.ORG OR SCAN THE QR CODE BELOW.

18/10/2023 11:44

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ISRAEL IS AT WAR

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19 October 2023 Jewish News

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ISRAEL AT WAR

chiefs PM: ‘Existential blow Business raise $100m aid to very idea of Israel’ Rishi Sunak has described the 7 October attack as “an existential strike at the very idea of Israel as a safe homeland for the Jewish people”, writes Lee Harpin.

Also addressing the House of Commons on Monday, Labour leader Keir Starmer stressed Westminster was “united” over its response to the Hamas atrocities.

The prime minister told the Jewish community directly: “I understand why it has shaken you to your core. And I’m sickened that antisemitic incidents have increased since the attack.”

Sunak used his speech to urge Israel “as a friend” to take “every possible precaution” to protect civilians as it pursues Hamas, adding: “I repeat President Biden’s words: as democracies we are stronger and more secure when we act according to the rule of law.”

Sunak described his conversations with Benjamin Nentanyahu where he said he urged Israel to avoid civilian casualties. He also said he recognises this is a moment of “great anguish” for British Muslim communities who are “appalled” by what Hamas did, and fearful of the response.

Sunak said he wished to highlight three things the government was doing in response, including deploying RAF aircraft and the Royal Navy to stop the supply of further arms to the region and to help with the humanitarian effort.

Sunak at a London shul last week

He said the government was increasing spending on humanitarian aid to the Palestinians by £10 million and pledged to step up UK diplomatic efforts “to sustain the prospects of peace and stability in the region”.

Sunak said he had also spoken to Mahmoud Abbas, the leader of the Palestinian Authority.

Starmer told MPs “As in any time of grave crisis, it is crucial that this House speaks with one voice.

“In condemnation of terror. In support for Israel in its time of agony and for the dignity of all human life. Because Mr. Speaker, Hamas do not wish to see peace in the Middle East, they just want to see Israel wiped off the map.”

The Labour leader added: “I do not want Britain to be a place where Jewish schools are closed, Jewish children stay at home out of fear and Jewish families feel compelled to hide their identity.

“And I do not want Britain to be a place where British Muslims feel they have to apologise for the actions of people who do not act in their name.

“We cannot allow community cohesion in our country to be destroyed. ” Lib Dem leader Ed Davey said he was concerned the “forced evacuation” of a hospital in Gaza was a breach of international humanitarian law.

Alicia Kearns, the Conservative chair of the Commons foreign affairs committee, also urged Sunak to appoint a special envoy for the peace process, as she expressed concerns about the scale of the Israeli response.

Left-winger Richard Burgon condemned the Hamas attacks but then suggested what Israel was doing in Gaza amounted to “the collective punishment of Palestinian civilians”.

The Leeds MP also urged the PM to encourage Israel to stop what could be “war crimes”, while Sunak stressed Israel’s right to defend itself.

Earlier both the House of Commons and House of Lords observed a minute’s silence to remember those murdered and injured as a result of the “terrorist attacks on Israel by Hamas”.

A team of Israeli entrepreneurs and executives are looking to raise $100 million to support children who lost one or both of their parents in the terror attack by Hamas.

They have established the Israeli Children’s Fund – a voluntary initiative that aims to provide financial and emotional support for those from birth to the age of 20.

The ICF has made a commitment of $100,000 for each orphaned child coupled with mentorship and support.

The fundraising target is $100 million from donors.

The ICF team comprises a team of startup founders in Israel and the US plus a number of experienced non-profit leaders and executives.

Among them is Amit Rosenzweig, CEO of Ottopia. He said: “When we embarked on this project, we had the tragedy and the humanitarian crisis following the brutal Hamas terrorist attack firmly in our hearts and minds. These children, now forced into a harsh reality, represent our collective future, and we are committed to doing everything in our power to help them overcome and thrive.”

Board issues help guide for parents The Board of Deputies has published a guide for parents of Jewish children and Jewish teachers at non-Jewish schools on how to tackle animosity amid a “surge of antisemitism” triggered by the current conflict in Israel.

Outlining what constitutes antisemitic or anti-Israel comments, the guide suggests responses to difficult questions, including: “Why are the Jews killing innocent Palestin-

ians?” The guide then advises: “No Jewish person should feel unsafe in the UK, especially in a school environment. Comments may be made to your children about the situation in Israel and they may be asked questions which are difficult.”

The guide explains that while ‘Free Palestine’ as a phrase itself may not be an antisemitic slogan, “chanting it at a Jewish pupil or teacher may well be”.

ENEMY WHOSE SOLE PURPOSE IS TO KILL

BY LIOR KANTOR

FORMER IDF NEWSDESK SPOKESPERSON It’s been 12 days since 1,400 Jews were brutally massacred in their homes, 200 held hostage by Hamas and some 3,000 injured. More than 20,000 people have received word that a close family member has been slaughtered. More than two million people know someone who has been savagely murdered. More than nine million people are now asking themselves: “Could it be me next?” Let that sink in.

I have always been pro a two-state solution. I never wanted occupation for any civilian population. Gaza has not been occupied by Israel since 2005. Israel controls its airspace and naval borders because it has to, as well as two other border crossings (the third is with Egypt), through which we have been providing food, medical supplies and gas for years.

The same Israel that absorbs thousands of rockets from Gaza on its civilian population has also been supplying Gaza this whole time.

With my own eyes, I saw trucks being delivered into the strip amid a deadly operation in 2014.

This, while Hamas seizes funds and humani-

tarian aid provided by world nations for civilians, and utilises them for weapons and ammunition.

I have also seen pilots on a mission to bombard rocket launchers turn around because civilians were spotted onsite. I have seen soldiers hug Palestinian children and give them food.

I have seen the most moral army in the world, within a nation that saw 10 days ago that it is not facing war or a military that is threatening land or borders but a battle against humanity.

Israel is now fighting the face of evil Family of kidnapped Israeli teenager Maya Shem for the rest of the world, and rest but for some reason, Israel, a nation whose assured, they will spare no one.

If the US had been infiltrated by thousands whole history revolves around survival and of terrorists from Mexico, who brutally mur- self-defence, is expected to show a propordered 49,650 civilians (the equivalent in pro- tionate response. What is proportionate in the portion to the US population), would they con- face of Hamas or ISIS, organisations whose sole purpose is to kill? What is proportionate tinue to supply them with humanitarian aid?

After the attack on Pearl Harbour, where when the IDF adheres to international warfare 2,400 soldiers were killed by the Japanese, rules, while Hamas has no limits?

While Israel tries, with warnings and evacuthe US responded with a nuclear weapon that ations, to avoid civilian casualties, the terrorkilled 200,000 civilians.

After 9/11, the deadliest attack in the his- ists hide behind children, schools, hospitals tory of the United States, the US began a war and temples. Egypt, Jordan, Iran, Syria, and which lasted from 2001-2021 with Al Qaeda Qatar are more than welcome to invite Palesin Afghanistan estimated to have caused the tinians to their countries, to help get a Palestinian administration in power. Much like the deaths of 176,000 people.

No one celebrated or excused those attacks, Israeli government’s treaties and friendships

with other Arab nations, the nation would embrace an amicable relationship with its neighbours. We have just one condition – don’t kill our civilians.

Israel, a sovereign nation that has always been the first to send assistance to every disaster-struck area, now needs the support of the world, so that such acts of horror won’t happen to anyone else, no matter their faith, religion or race. There is a reason Israel has peace treaties and amendments with most of the world’s nations, while Hamas is supported only by Qatar and Iran, the biggest enemies of the Western world.

I have much criticism for the Israeli government, which I have been proclaiming for years, but I can’t help but think that while I have been protesting for a more liberal, inclusive government to take better care of my LGBTQ and Arab friends, Gazans have been protesting to kill me.

Israel has to defend its civilians and its borders. If any of the “Free Palestine” callers have any idea how Israel should free Palestine and continue to exist, please, enlighten me.

Or better yet, get your governments to welcome Palestinian civilians, to open your gates to them. But no, no one brings them in because no one wants the terror that unfortunately follows and we are currently understanding.

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ISRAEL’S DARKEST DAYS

Ofcom suspends director STAMFORD HILL SCHOOL ATTACK over her anti-Israel posts Ofcom, the media and communications watchdog, has suspended its own “director of online safety supervision” after a series of online comments she posted about Israel on her private Instagram account were made public, writes Jenni Frazer.

Fadzai Madzingira, who was appointed to the Ofcom role only in May this year, describes herself as “a Zimbabwean, a Black Feminist, a student of decolonisation”.

On the Black Lives Matter site she has “liked” posts which describe the UK government’s support for Israel

in the “ethnic cleansing and genocide of Palestinians”.

An Ofcom spokesperson told Jewish News: “Having

as “a vile colonial alliance”.

Another post which won her approval stated that ships from Britain’s Royal Navy fleet working in the Middle East were taking part

reviewed these comments, we’ve suspended this colleague, pending further investigation.”

Fadzai Madzingira and Ofcom’s website

Academic statement ‘stinks’ A Jewish senior academic at Goldsmiths, part of London University, has denounced a statement by the Goldsmiths branch of the University and College Union (GUCU) on Israel and Gaza, saying “the stench of murderous antisemitism clings to it”.

Senior sociology lecturer David Hirsh has called for the college’s senior management to suspend contact with the GUCU executive, saying “it is not appropriate for the college to legitimise the GUCU executive and to do quotidian business with it, while the stench of murderous antisemitism clings to it as it does.”

The statement specifically omits any mention of Hamas in what it describes as “the violence in Palestine/Israel”.

Instead it says in a preface “international Humanitarian Law upholds that the category of ‘civilians’ is opposable to

Police in Hackney are investigating incidents of vandalism at two Jewish schools and buildings in Stamford Hill after red paint was thrown over doors and gates. The area has a large strictlyOrthodox community, writes Adam Decker.

In the first attack, Vishnitz Girls’ School on Amhurst Park, which has 446 students, was targeted, with sources saying several pupils arriving in the morning were so upset that they ran home.

The vandal, wearing a mask and a hooded coat while carrying an umbrella, was captured on closed circuit TV daubing the school just before 6am. Paint was thrown over four parts of the school building, including the front door.

Beis Chinuch Lebonos Girls’ School, a few hundred yards away, was also hit in the early hours a few days later with paint thrown over a security gate, which stopped the vandal reaching the buildings.

Representatives said Hackney Police were “taking it very seriously, working with head teachers and giving them the support they need”, adding that Vishnitz Girls’ School was in discussion with the Community Security Trust about enhancing security.

Pinter Trust director of public affairs Joel Friedman said: “We’re all very shocked by what’s happened in Israel. We feel closely associated with it as most of us have family members who live in Israel. We’re worried about hate crimes against the Jewish community, especially after these two schools were vandalised, and we’re worried about what lies ahead.

“We are thankful to the police for increasing their presence and feel we need all the support we can get at the moment, because people are feeling very anxious. The Orthodox community in Stamford Hill is obviously very visibly Jewish, so there is a greater risk of course.

“But we are proud of our good relations with the local Muslim community – something Rabbi Pinter championed. We hope and pray for peace.”

Goldsmiths at London University and sociology lecturer David Hirsh

that of ‘combatants’ and the deliberate killing, imprisonment and collective punishment meted out to civilians amounts to war crimes.

“We are committed to a future where every life is sacred and all people live in freedom and safety.”

But the statement continues: “The offensive launched from Gaza must be understood within the context

of 16 years of Israel’s draconian land, sea and air military blockade of the Gaza Strip that has restricted over two million civilians and their access to food, fuel and medical aid, alongside the intensification of attacks by both Israeli forces and armed Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank.”

In rebuttal, Dr Hirsh says: “The statement naturalises the

7 October pogrom (“the offensive launched from Gaza”) as a response to the alleged Zionist crimes of settler colonialism, apartheid and occupation.

“These phrases, in this context, do not shed any light, but function to designate Israel as criminal in its essence.

“In this way, any kind of violence against any Israelis is justified and de facto supported as self-defence.”

Pictures from the school attack in Stamford Hill

I WAS AT KFAR AZA BEFORE HELL LET LOOSE

BY LOUISE ELLMAN

FORMER MP FOR LIVERPOOL RIVERSIDE It’s hard to believe that a little over a month ago I was part of an LFI delegation visiting Kibbutz Kfar Aza. The group, led by Sharon Hodgson, MP for Washington and Sunderland West, included prospective parliamentary candidates Dan Tomlinson, Jake Richards, Melanie Onn, Jo Platt, Graeme Downie and Primesh Patel.

We travelled across Israel and spent time in Ramallah, talking to Palestinian activists.

We held discussions with Israelis and

Palestinians seeking a better future by working together.

Yet the horrendous events of the past few days have made our visit to Kibbutz Kfar Aza our outstanding memory.

We were shown round Kfar Aza by an impressive and personable third-generation kibbutznik.

Her knowledge, commitment and friendliness made a wonderful impression on us.

We walked round Kfar Aza, ate in the kibbutz dining room and spoke to kibbutzniks.

We walked to the security fence separating Israel from Gaza, understanding the vulnerability of the situation while we heard how constant shelling from Gaza affected

everyday life. Yet it was a profound shock to hear that Hamas’s murderous attack on Israel and the Jewish people had left Kfar Aza as a scene of massacre with residents murdered, taken hostage or missing.

This was part of a catastrophic event reverberating across the Jewish world: the biggest loss of Jewish life in a single day since the Holocaust.

The formidable challenge facing Israel now is to rescue the hostages and deal once and for all with the genocidal Iranian-backed Hamas.

This is the group whose charter states that Jews control the world and that “there will be no peace until the Muslims kill the Jews”.

Israel has not only the right but a duty to

defend its people against the terrorist threat posed by Hamas by dismantling its military infrastructure and installations.

Israel must continue to take all possible steps to protect civilians, a task made formidable by Hamas deliberately and cynically using civilians as human shields.

Hamas should be recognised for what it is – a deeply antisemitic terrorist organisation for whom peace with Israel is anathema.

The answer to the tragic conflict between Israelis and Palestinians lies in a two-state solution, with an independent Palestine alongside a secure Israel.

Hamas’s actions of 7 October make this objective even harder to achieve, but we must not lose sight of it.

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ISRAEL AT WAR

Top UK Muslim clerics condemn Hamas attacks in key statement Some of Britain’s most senior Muslim leaders have said they “denounce Hamas’ killing and abduction of innocent people” on 7 October and steered clear of apportioning blame for the Gaza hospital killings, writes Justin Cohen.

In a timely and significant intervention by leading Muslim clerics in the UK on the war between Hamas and Israel, they say in a statement seen by Jewish News that they “unequivocally condemn the killing of civilians” in both Israel and Gaza.

Signed by some of the most influential figures in the British Muslim community, it includes condemnation of the IDF’s “excessive” use of force and calls for humanitarian aid to be let into the Gaza Strip.

In the statement, the 15 imams and scholars say they urge “restraint from Israel”, saying: “We denounce Hamas’ killing and abduction of innocent people on 7 October as well as the Israeli military’s subsequent use of excessive force.”

The statement is significant

The five coffins of the Kotz family, killed in their home in Kibbutz Kfar Azza

because, until now, there has been a perceived reluctance from some representatives of the British Muslim community to criticise publicly Hamas’ actions for fear of being seen to be criticising all Palestinians.

The religious leaders, however, are careful in their statement to draw a distinction, saying: “The complete siege of Gaza has resulted

in immense suffering and recent actions are intensifying a humanitarian crisis of untold proportions upon Palestinians, who are not responsible for the actions of Hamas.”

As the number of anti-Jewish incidents increases across Europe, the faith leaders say they “utterly condemn all acts of antisemitism or

Islamophobia that have taken place on our streets here in Britain,” adding that “no one should feel unsafe in their own neighbourhoods and in this country”.

The statement goes on: “Mutual respect and dialogue between Muslim and Jewish communities at home and abroad, along with a shared commitment to peace, justice, and the safety of all communities are ever more important.

“We also affirm the right of communities across the country to show their solidarity and support for both Palestinians and Israelis caught up in this conflict, in line with British laws [on] freedom of speech and protest.” In concludes: “We pray for peace and justice and for an end to this cyclical conflict.”

Among those signing the letter is Qari Asim, the imam of the Makkah Masjid Mosque in Leeds who, until last year, was the deputy chair of the government’s Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group.

Another was Shaykh Ibrahim

Mogra, a senior imam from Leicester and former assistant secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain.

This week, Mogra stood alongside the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg of Masorti UK to condemn the “deplorable” incidents of antisemitic hate crimes on British streets.

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ISRAEL AT WAR

Missing British teen Yahel confirmed among the dead One of two teenage British sisters has been found dead after Hamas terrorists stormed their family home in Israel, murdering their mother, writes Lee Harpin.

Relatives confirmed on Tuesday Yahel Sharabi, 13, was no longer missing after they were informed her body had been found.

Her sister Noiya, 16, is still missing while their mother, Lianne, 48, originally from Bristol, was killed in the attack on Kibbutz Be’eri.

Lianne was described by her family in the aftermath of the murder as “a beloved daughter, sister, mother, aunt and friend who enriched the lives of all those lucky enough to have known and loved her.

“She lived a beautiful life and will be sorely missed by the heartbroken family and friends she leaves behind,” the family said.

The girls father Eli, 51, is also missing and his brother Yossi was seen being driven away by gunmen from his neighbouring home in the kibbutz, about two miles from the Gazan border.

Lianne moved to Israel when she was aged 19.

The girls’ uncles, Raz Matalon and Sharon Sharabi, had earlier told how they received a series of panicked messages from Lianne on 7 October in which she told them she

could hear gunshots outside their home. The uncles told MailOnline: “She wrote that she heard gunshots outside her home. That people were screaming and calling in Arabic. And people running all over.

‘So they stayed in the safe room until they heard the terrorists had entered the house and tried to open the door.’”

It was at this moment all communication from Lianne and her family ceased, leaving her family waiting in vain for any news of their loved ones.

Meanwhile the body of another missing Israeli woman, Sylvia Ohayon was also confirmed to have been found on Tuesday.

The terrible news emerged as two relatives of Ohayon had spoken to media in the UK, pleading for more to be done to bring the hostages captured by Hamas home.

Reut Mayor had said: “My 60-year-old aunt was kidnapped from her home in Kibbutz Be’eri on Saturday morning while she was in her safe room.

“She had mentioned to her daughter on the phone she had heard people speaking Arabic inside her home.”

Mayor revealed the aunt’s phone signal had been picked up inside the Gaza Strip on Monday.

Earlier on Tuesday, the UK-based

Yahel (left) and her mother Lianne (centre) were killed by Hamas terrorists on October 7. Noiya (right) is still missing (Family handout)

relatives of Israelis kidnapped by Hamas had held a meeting with Labour leader Keir Starmer, shadow foreign secretary David Lammy and other members of the shadow cabinet. Also among the delegation was Limor Sella Broyde who has 12 family members missing.

Foreign Office minister Andrew Mitchell said the government was “extremely concerned” about British hostages being held by Hamas following the attacks and “we pray that they are alive”.

Mitchell told BBC Breakfast: “We mourn the six British hostages we know who have died and we are extremely concerned about the fate and the state of the other 10.”

He also told Sky News: “We pray that they are alive.”

Mitchell was unable to elaborate on the efforts to secure their release, but insisted to LBC: “The entire resources of the British government are involved in doing everything we can to get our citizens back.”

At least 1,400 people, many of

them civilians, were killed and thousands more injured in the 7 October coordinated Hamas attacks.

More than 2,700 Palestinians have since died after Israel launched air strikes on Gaza and cut off fuel, water, food and medical supplies from entering the cramped territory, which is home to more than two million people.

British officials were working to secure the opening of the Rafah crossing to allow Britons to flee to Egypt and for humanitarian aid to get into Gaza.

On Israel’s role, Mitchell told Times Radio: “It’s both a moral and a practical responsibility. We stand absolutely four-square behind Israel’s right to defend itself, but all of us want to see the fighting contained.”

Mitchell told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme US president Joe Biden’s visit to Israel could prove a “significant fillip” to getting humanitarian relief through.

The US president was travelling to Israel and Jordan this week amid concerns the war between Israel and Hamas could spiral into a wider regional conflict.

As well as his talks in Israel, Biden was expected to meet King Abdullah of Jordan, Egyptian president Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas.

WE ARE DESPERATE – NO ONE Senior cleric offers himself KNOWS WHERE THEY ARE up in exchange

The family of an Israeli-American couple from Kibbutz Nir Oz are desperately trying to find out what has become of them — “but no one knows where they are”, writes Jenni Frazer.

Arad Haggi is the Londonbased nephew of Gadi and Judy Haggi, aged 73 and 72, who had lived on the kibbutz for around 30 years.

Judy, an English teacher, had made aliyah from Toronto many years previously, while her husband, a highly-talented one-time musician and skilled chef, was Israel-born but had spent much time in America. The couple both had dual nationality.

Arad Haggi said: “They were both retired and had taken to long early-morning walks in the fields around the kibbutz. On 7 October, they were out for their usual walk when Judy texted

Judy and Gadi Haggi

my cousins (the couple had four adult children) that they were under heavy rocket fire, and they had to hide in the fields.

“That was at about ten to seven. Ten minutes later, Arad said: “Judy was texting the kibbutz security, saying, please help us, Gadi has been shot by terrorists, and I am wounded too.

“Please help us, get us out of here if you can.”

But by that time, Arad told Jewish News, “the kibbutz was overrun by terrorists. They had only one bullet-proof ambulance and it had been set on fire. That was the last text.

“Judy did manage to make a short video clip and send that, and according to that clip, [people searching for the couple] recognised where they had been when she sent the text.”

On Monday — 9 October — the army went to look for the couple.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, Arad said, “civilians searched, but nobody knows where they are”.

The family has tried to locate Judy and Gadi by phone, and there is “a possibility” Judy’s phone might be in Gaza.

But the relatives say they know the couple were both badly wounded, and Arad says “we don’t have any clue” as to what has happened to them.

Arad — who was supposed to have been be in Israel at this time — is doing his best from London to get his aunt and uncle’s story out there. His sister and cousins are in Israel and, he says, the Americans are helping. And he is hopeful that with newly-developed face-recognition software, it might be possible to identify them in any hostage videos which Hamas puts on line.

“They were creative,” Arad says. “They believed in peace, they were artists. I’ll never give up telling people about them.”

for hostages

Pope Francis’ representative in the Holy Land has said he is willing to exchange himself for Israeli children taken hostage by Hamas and held in Gaza.

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, made his comment in response to a question during a video conference with journalists in Italy.

“I am ready for an exchange, anything, if this can lead to freedom, to bring the children home. No problem. There is total willingness on my part,” he said.

“The first thing to do is to try to win the release of the Israeli hostages, otherwise there will be no way of stopping (an escalation). We are willing to help, even me personally,” he said.

He stressed, however, that neither he nor his office had so far had any direct contact with Hamas.

“You can’t talk to Hamas. It is very difficult,” he added.

18 Jewish News 19 October 2023

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ISRAEL AT WAR

‘This terrifying video is still all we have. We pray Shiri and her beautiful boys are still alive’ Shiri Bibas and her two young sons are among 199 people being held by Hamas. Here, her desperate cousin Yifat Zailer gives Michelle Rosenberg a sense of her family’s nightmare Of all the unspeakably brutal moments of Saturday 7 October, the appalling scene of terrified Israeli mother Shiri Bibas clutching her two young sons to her chest while being kidnapped by Hamas is among those perhaps most etched into the minds of the world.

Shiri, her husband Yarden, their two beautiful red-headed young boys, four-year-old Ariel and nine-month old Kfir, and Shiri’s parents, Yossi and Margit Silberman, were all taken from Kibbutz Nir-Oz. On Monday evening Shiri’s cousin, Yifat Zailer, 37, spoke to Jewish News from her home in Tel Aviv about what the family is going through.

“I still can’t believe it,” she says.

“It’s surreal. Every night, I read our last note to them.”

At 6.30am on that Shabbat morning, Yifat heard the red alert for rockets in her Tel Aviv home.

She grabbed her children and went to their safe room.

“I have a minute and a half to get to the shelter. Shiri and her family have 10 seconds because they are so close to the border. The first thing I did was to send Shiri a message.”

Some 400 men, women and children lived at Kibbutz Nir-Oz. Only 160 survived.

“The others are either dead or kidnapped, Yifat says. “I haven’t heard anything since Saturday. We only know, through the army, that they are there. In Gaza.’

Yifat reads out the messages she sent to her cousin. “Close the doors, hope you are OK. You can come to Tel Aviv and have a sleepover.” Shiri responded with a heart emoji. At around 10am, Yifat messaged again. There were no further replies.

Dana, Shiri’s sister, lives on another kibbutz. “Dana called me,” says Yifat. “We’d already been hearing some things on the news.

“Dana said something had happened to Shiri but couldn’t tell me.

She was in the safe room. I could hear she was terrified. She said,

‘Please find my parents’. I called everyone I know, people in the army, trying to find out where my uncle and aunt were.”

While she did this, Yifat was sent a picture by a friend. It was the image we have since all seen and been shocked by. Shiri, holding her two babies, looking terrified. They’d been kidnapped into Gaza.

“This was my worst nightmare,” says Yifat. “There is a full video. You can see her very clearly.

The kids are super quiet. They’re not even crying. We didn’t know whether her husband was killed or not. All we knew was that we had a video of her alive. It’s all we have. We hope she is still alive.”

Later on that morning, around 11am, “we knew that horrible Shiri Bibas holding four-year-old Ariel (also pictured right) and nine-month-old Kfir things had the army a long time to get there expedite their release, but the and hands. happened. but we will ask the questions after. impending ground invasion by the Since then, We didn’t They were left alone and the most IDF scares her. this is the know the horrible nightmare happened.

‘I’m scared they’ll be hurt,” only proof of magnitude “The most horrendous thing she says. “They are people who life that we but when the is that they took the videos and were living their lives, sleeping in have and no army entered uploaded them on to social media. their bed on a Saturday morning. new informathe kibbutz, I Shiri Bibas Raping a young girl and uploading On the holy day of Shabbat. They tion.” managed to get in with husband touch with a friend “We don’t know were caught by surprise.

No one it.

Burning a baby and uploading Yarden who told me they are where they are,” Yifat was there for eight hours. It took it. Killing innocent people. Kidmissing. They weren’t dead continues. “We don’t know napping innocent people. Raping people in front of their children how they are being treated. because their bodies weren’t discovered.”

Whether they are separated. My isn’t helping Palestine.

Yifat reveals it took almost aunt has Parkinson’s and it’s now “Today it is us. Tomorrow can three days to confirm that Shiri almost a week without her meds be anywhere else in the world. For years we have said Israel has the and I can’t even imagine the pain. and her children were not among the dead, because there were so I don’t know if the baby was fed. right to defend itself and now you many bodies to identify. Some He needs formula. I can’t stop know from what. And my family were so badly burnt they are still thinking about them. All day, all is paying the worst price. And I want them back. And we need night, I sleep maybe two hours not officially identified.

Then it was confirmed. They a night. I speak to everyone who the support of the world to put were in Gaza. wants to hear the story. We spoke pressure on the Arab leaders to the embassies because Yifat pauses. of the world to finish this in the best way possible so no my uncle is Argentinian “I can’t cry any more,” she says. and my aunt is from Peru.

“I have spoken about it so many one gets hurt on either side.

“The narrative has to Hamas won’t let the Red times. On Monday we received the Cross into Gaza. There’s a image of Yarden. He’d been recchange. I see what’s going on in London. They see the lot of stories.” ognised by a journalist who saw She’s compiled a video of him on a motorcycle, crying, with pictures of the (beheaded) Yifat Zailer (left) her family to support global a head injury. He’s surrounded by babies. These can’t be justiwith her cousin, efforts to raise awareness terrorists and being driven into fied as actions to free PalesShiri Bibas tine. This is Hamas.” of their kidnapping and Gaza. There’s blood on his face

20 Jewish News 19 October 2023

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ISRAEL AT WAR

Hamas transforming into ISIS was beyond our worst fears

BY SIMON WALTERS

UK’S AMBASSADOR TO ISRAEL I arrived in Israel for my posting as British ambassador at the end of July. Having spent most of my career in the region and three years living in Jerusalem at an earlier stage of my career, I was well aware of the threats facing Israel. I have worked in environments where terrorism was a daily fact of life, indeed I grew up in one – Northern Ireland during the 1970s and 1980s. But the events of 7 October are a horrifying reminder that even terrorists can sink to new depths. Hamas already had a lot of blood on its hands and has long been listed in UK law as a terrorist organisation, but I don’t think anyone had appreciated that they had begun to model themselves on savagery of ISIL. I have seen and heard how this horror has affected so many in Israel. There are few people who are not touched by it. And travelling to Ofakim, near Gaza, with the Foreign Secretary last week, I saw examples of astonishing bravery and fortitude by those who had come face to face with the terrorists.

Even now as Israelis work to identify the dead and missing, Hamas continues to fire missiles into cities and towns across Israel.

I have had to run to the bomb shelter twice while writing this article.

For any country this would be intolerable.

As Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and others

have said, the UK is unequivocal in its condemnation of Hamas’s barbarism, and stands shoulder to shoulder with Israel and the Jewish community.

These events have obviously impacted the British Jewish community directly. We have tens of thousands of British citizens living in Israel, and some were caught up in the attacks. Supporting them is our prime mission in the embassy - we stopped all routine work immediately after the attacks and have focused all our efforts on helping Brits who are affected and working with Israeli colleagues to provide assistance where we can.

In recent days, a lot of our staff have been working on assisting the return of Brits who wish to leave. There are always challenges with complex operations such as this - there’s a lot that has to happen behind the scenes to bring in both charter flights and military aircraft, and then to get passengers securely on board. I’m pleased to say that as I write this, we have managed to facilitate flights for most of the people who wanted to leave. A plea from me: if you’re a British citizen in Israel, please register your presence through the link on the FCDO travel advice page.

This helps us enormously to identify and support those needing help.

Another important issue that’s occupying my time is the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Together with colleagues at the British Consulate in Jerusalem, we’re working hard to ensure British citizens can leave there too and that aid can get in. As announced, the UK is increasing its humanitarian support for Gaza. But it’s not easy.

We must remember throughout all this that ordinary Palestinians are also victims of

Ambassador Simon Walters donating blood in Israel to help with the relief effort

Hamas’s terror. Hamas is the greatest threat to the Palestinian peopleindiscriminately using women and children as human shields.

We’re also absolutely committed to supporting Israel. Israel has an impressive set of capabilities to deal with this challenge, but we are standing by to help where we can, and we’re engaged in efforts to ensure tensions across the region don’t increase.

We steadfastly support Israel’s right to defend itself, in line with international humanitarian law. It is vital that Israel continues to minimise civilian casualties as the conflict goes on.

Despite everything, I remain hopeful for happier times. There are so many positive stories to tell about Israel, so many opportunities for our two countries to learn from each other, and grow together.

The main piece of work on my desk before this attack was on bringing together medical researchers from the UK, Israel and other countries in the region to find ways to deal with the health consequences of climate change. Important work – and we must not let the terrorists distract us from it.

I earnestly look forward to getting back to that.

Soldier’s brother offers support

Lt. Hadar Goldin, whose body has still not been returned by Hamas after more than nine years

The brother of an IDF soldier taken hostage in Gaza nine years ago is supporting families going through similar experiences since the 7 October attacks, writes Joy Falk.

Chemi Goldin’s brother Hadar Goldin was a Lieutenant in the elite Givati Brigade when he was kidnapped and killed in fighting in Gaza in August 2014, two hours after a ceasefire took effect. He was 23.

Along with another soldier, his body taken into the tunnel network by Hamas militants, leaving his family in the town of Kfar Saba in the dark as to his fate. Eventually they learned that he had died. His body is still to be returned.

Speaking to Jewish News this week, Chemi, 40, who now lives in Jerusalem, said it was important for the families of those taken hostage last week to remember that they are not alone, and that there is support available, not least from other families.

“Ever since 2014, we became a family with those whose dear ones were kidnapped and held in Gaza,” he said.

“Now there are 200 who are kidnapped and held by Hamas, mostly civilians – I never imagined it would go up that high.”

“It’s families, it’s relatives, it’s neighbours… I’ve had so many WhatsApp messages. It’s a very sad and complicated situation, but it’s important to speak out about it.

“Jewishly-speaking, bringing back the hostages is the biggest mitzvah.

Internationally-speaking, holding hostages is a clear breach of international humanitarian law. You just don’t do that. You don’t keep hostages. But they [Hamas] have, and it includes children and disabled people.”

Regarding those hostages being held in Gaza currently, Chemi said it was “important for the world to support Israel and to support us in bringing the

hostages back”.

Addressing the families whose loved ones have just been taken, he said: “We are one big family when it comes to terror and when it comes to Hamas. It’s very important not to be silent, to show the world what Hamas is doing, and put global pressure on them.

“It’s one of the most difficult things in life to know that your loved ones are being held captive, not knowing their situation, not knowing what’s going to happen next, not knowing what the terrorists are doing to them.

“We can speak as a group, be a family, and make sure that Israel – in this war – will make it a primary mission to bring the hostages back.”

Chemi said Hamas “takes pride” in taking hostages, adding: “It’s what terrorists do”. With that in mind, they often broadcast images and video online, he said, but they also withhold information as well.

19 October 2023 Jewish News

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ISRAEL AT WAR

4,000 log on for emergency online community briefing More than 4,000 people tuned in to watch a special emergency communal briefing convened by the Jewish Leadership Council (JLC), the Board of Deputies, Bicom, UJIA and the Community Security Trust (CST), writes Jenni Frazer.

Together with an updated briefing by the British-born former Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spokesman, Lt-Col Peter Lerner, in uniform again to convey Israel’s story to the world’s media, each of the organisations spoke about how they are responding to the crisis in Israel.

Marie van der Zyl, president of the Board of Deputies, opened the event and said that people had been “rightly outraged” at the continuing determination of the BBC not to call Hamas terrorists. As the national broadcaster, she said, “they need to set an example”.

Claudia Mendoza, chief executive of the JLC stated things bluntly: “This is a war against the Jewish people.” But she, like Mark Gardner of the CST, had a central message for the Jewish community: “Please engage responsibly.”

This means making sure claims of attacks in Israel or the UK are carefully verified before being shared more widely. Mark Gardner gave examples of “fake news” such as the apparent antisemitic attack on a kosher restaurant in Golders Green, which was, in fact, a burglary, or

Mark Gardner of the CST was one of many communal leaders taking part in the briefing

a knife-wielding individual in the same area – there was no knife, Gardner said, and the person had mental health issues that were nothing to do with Israel.

The CST chief executive said his organisation would not have advised schools to close or that people should hide their Jewish identities. But he said: “This is not another cycle of violence in the Middle East, this is war,” and he outlined the high level of co-operation and

support from police and government at the most senior levels.

He said arrests were being made, which would not have been the case only two weeks ago, and revealed that three counterterrorism officers had been stationed at CST headquarters all week in order to act immediately on information relating to antisemitic attacks.

Giving a real-time assessment of the situation in Israel, Lerner was brutally realistic

about Israel’s failures. “The stark reality is that Israel failed the people of southern Israel in its inability to identify prior to the attack what Hamas was planning,” he said, citing a failure in intelligence, a problem with the Gaza barrier “which did not prevent infiltration into Israel, and the last line of defence, our troops on the ground itself, who were taking cover because of the rockets [being fired from Gaza]”.

But Lerner said there were “many stories of immense bravery” and that while the IDF had begun to regain control in the south, there were still pockets of Hamas resistance.

Richard Pater, director of Bicom, based in Israel, said it was important to keep the hostage story at the top of the media agenda.

UJIA’s chief executive, Mandie Winston, said the charity’s first step on 7 October was to ensure the safety of the 377 young adults taking part in long-term programmes in Israel and, where necessary, move them to other locations.

Her colleague Emily Pater from UJIA Israel thanked UK Jews for their ongoing support.

Keith Black, chair of the JLC, paid tribute to the politicians, police and civic authorities who had offered their support and help. There was, he said, “one message from our community to Israel – your fight is our fight. You are not alone”.

24 Jewish News 19 October 2023

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ISRAEL AT WAR

‘Glorify Hamas and risk jail’ warn prime minister and home secretary Rishi Sunak has warned that glori- showed two individuals with what the protest made its way to Whitefying Hamas in the UK may result in appeared to be images of paragliders hall, close to Downing Street, a stuck to the back of their jackets – but one-minute silence in memory of jail sentences, writes Lee Harpin.

Speaking after the weekend when it was unclear if they were aware of it. all killings in the region was proptens of thousands of pro-Palestine Hamas sent terrorists on paragliders erly observed.

More than one thousand officers supporters attended a demonstra- before carrying out their massacre.

Police later confirmed making 15 were deployed by the Metropolitan tion in central London – at which Jeremy Corbyn was cheered as he arrests and nine officers were treated Police for the march, with warnings that anyone showing support for accused Israel of committing “war for injuries sustained after clashes.

Jewish News also witnessed Hamas, a designated terror organisacrimes” in Gaza – the prime minister said: “Hamas is a proscribed terrorist groups of males who covered their tion in the UK, faced arrest.

Officers confirmed to Jewish organisation; it’s very clear under the faces with balaclavas to hide their law, the support and glorification of identity while raising Islamist flags. News they had scrutinised flags Hamas is illegal, and those offences Police were later seen ordering them raised during the protest to see are punishable with up to almost 14 to remove their face coverings to whether they contained statements that breached the law. identify themselves. years in jail.

In a letter sent to chief constables Thousands of Palestinian flags “But it’s not just about Hamas, more broadly actions that incite vio- were waved as speakers mocked in England and Wales earlier this lence or stir up religious hatred and Home Secretary Suella Braverman’s week, Braverman had told senior racial violence are also not accept- suggestion last week that waving the officers to consider whether chants such as “From the river to the able and that’s why, as I said, sea, Palestine will be free” there’s no place in our society should be understood as an for that type of hatred and expression of violence. division, and it will be met But the Home Secretary’s with the full force of the law comments only seemed to where it happens.” encourage protesters to use Protesters arrived for the chant with increased the demonstration, which frequency. Senior lawyers took place exactly one week have told Jewish News that after Hamas terrorists murbecause “from the river to dered, raped and butchered the sea” is open to different men, women and children in interpretations, it would be southern Israel, holding ban“extremely difficult” to press ners including one stating charges against most people “Unconditional Support Palestinian Resistance Against Sickening: Paraglider pictures on protesters’ coats who continue to use the chant.

The Zionist Entity”.

Video footage on social media There were regular chants of flag could be a criminal offence.

Flares were also set off in the from the demonstration appears to ‘From the river to the sea’ as the protest set off from outside the BBC’s colours of the Palestinian flag as show two men chanting Khaybar speakers said Israel was carrying out Khaybar Ya Yahud – a reference to a headquarters in the capital.

Others on the rally raised plac- a “second Nakba [catastrophe]” with 628 CE massacre against Jews.

In his speech delivered from a ards branding Israel a “racist” and its military response to the terrorist an “apartheid” state. Sky News later atrocities committed by Hamas on stage set up by protest organisers in Whitehall, Corbyn condemned showed footage of a man joining the Saturday, 7 October.

No one on the march appeared to the “murder and killings”, including protest being urged not to display be holding a banner condemning the the “young people who died in the what appeared to be a Hamas flag.

Another post on social media terror group’s actions, although as Negev desert” and “the young people

Jeremy Corbyn speaking at the pro-Palestine demonstration

killed by Israeli forces in Gaza at the moment” – but he failed to single out Hamas for condemnation.

“It is right to condemn the killings, it is right to condemn the targeting of civilians, which is, of course, a war crime within international law,” Corbyn said. But he added: “It is also right to condemn the occupation of Palestine by Israeli military forces.”

Accepting that “terrible things” had taken place, he said: “None of us are here to condone killing, none of us are here to condone occupation, none of us are here to allow this assault on the people of Gaza and the people of the West Bank.”

Ending his speech he said: “To the political leaders of this country, do not condone war crimes…. if you believe in international law and human rights then you must condemn what is happening in Gaza by the Israeli army.”

Saturday’s protest was organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Friends of Al Aqsa, Stop the War Coalition, Muslim Association

of Britain, Palestinian Forum in Britain and Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament groups.

One protester, Marsha, admitted to Jewish News the “killings hadn’t helped the Palestinian cause”. But she insisted: “We need to blame those really responsible for creating the problem, and that’s Britain. The Balfour Declaration is the reason we are where we are today. Too many people in Britain don’t understand that.”

One man, who gave his name as Yusaf, said he “did not want to comment” about Hamas’ massacre. “All I know is that Israel is committing genocide again,” he said. “We need to call that out.”

The pro-Corbyn Jewish Voice For Labour group also attended. Katy Colley, a pro-Palestine campaigner from Hastings, told reporters she was Jewish and that “Palestinians have been screaming for decades – no one has listened”.

Similar marches were held in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee.

50,000 blue Shabbat candles JOURNALISTS FROM BBC ARABIC ‘TAKEN OFF AIR’ handed out at schools and shuls Almost 50,000 blue Shabbat candles have been handed out to schools, synagogues and households across the UK as part of an “incredibly unifying” initiative to show solidarity with Israel in the wake of the Hamas attacks.

Social media was awash with images of the blue candles on Friday afternoon, accompanied with the hashtag #lightforisrael and a call for people to “do a mitzvah for Israel and bring light into the world”. Family education charity Seed, which came up with the idea, said that many who col-

lected candles revealed they had either never lit Shabbat candles before, had not lit them in a long time, or were not usually careful to light at the designated time, but had a desire to do so thanks to this initiative.

More than 150 volunteers helped collect the candles from suppliers, pack them with prayer cards and deliver them to stockists across London and Manchester.

Seed’s Jessica Boxer, head of fundraising and communications, who co-organised the effort with Rabbi Peretz Goldstein of Seed

Borehamwood, said: “We have been overwhelmed and humbled by the response and by the display of unity and love.”

One of the many thousands who participated described it as “a simple idea, but thought-provoking and meaningful”, adding: “I lit mine with great pride and deep sadness at the reason for them.”

Rebbetzen Shoshana Landau of Barnet shul said: “Many people from the Barnet community who don’t normally come to shul came to my door to pick up the candles.

It was an incredibly unifying.”

Jewish News understands that journalists working for the BBC Arabic service have been ‘taken off air’ pending an investigation.

As reported by Jewish News, six reporters and a freelancer – including a senior broadcast journalist – are accused of anti-Israel bias, backing Hamas over attacks on Israel, with one describing them as “a morning of hope”.

The claims centre on messages posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, including the liking of a video of bodies and kidnapped people loaded onto a Jeep captioned

as a “proud moment” and another saying Zionists “will live as a thief and a usurper”.

A spokesman for the BBC said: “We are urgently investigating this matter.

“We take allegations of breaches of our editorial and social media guidelines with the utmost seriousness, and if and when we find breaches we will act, including taking disciplinary action.”

26 Jewish News 19 October 2023

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ISRAEL AT WAR

JW3 hosts emotional GUARDIAN DROPS CARTOONIST BELL community memorial Attendees included A moving and emotionLabour Party chair ally charged community and shadow women’s memorial event for Jewish and equalities secvictims and those of all retary Anneliese faiths and nationalities Dodds, Leeds North murdered in the Hamas West MP Alex Sobel, terrorist attacks saw JW3’s former Board of Depmain auditorium full to uties president Vivian capacity on Monday night, Goldman and barwrites Lee Harpin. rister and Finchley The event, opened and Golders Green

by JW3 chief executive parliamentary candiRaymond Simonson, saw date Sarah Sackman.

Rabbi Lea Muhlstein, Partnered with Rabbi Jeremy Gordon and Jewish News, an Rabbi Jordan Helfman overflow room lead the audience, which allowed more people included a number of MPs, to attend, with donain prayer, while youth Photographs of the kidnapped displayed as Limor Sella tions to Magen David movement group mem“We are going to need our Adom encouraged. bers took to the stage to read poems.

New London Synagogue Rabbi In a brave address Limor Broyde, brothers and sisters around the from Beerotayim, spoke of her pain world to help us rebuild. We are Jeremy urged all in attendance to with 12 members of her family, going to come back stronger. That reach out to their own MPs and ask them to do everything they could to including some who had just arrived is our obligation.”

The memorial was organised secure the unconditional release of to celebrate the last day of Simchat by groups including the New hostages, particularly children.

Torah, taken by Hamas terrorists.

Amir Tibon, an Israeli jour“I came here from Israel on Israel Fund, Yachad, Arzenu, Sunday,” she told the audience, “and Habonim Dror, the Jewish Labour nalist also spoke candidly about I return tomorrow, to a battlefield Movement, LJY-Netzer, Masorti his own escape from the Hamas Judaism, Noam, Progressive terrorists on Kibbutz Nahal Oz, and to my husband and three kids.” the closest place in Israel to Gaza.

Broyde, one of a group of relatives Judaism and RSY-Netzer.

Media interviews in the afterAn advance notice recognised campaigning to raise the efforts to bring home those captured, said she 7 October as “the worst tragedy to math of 7 October had already called on “all democracies around befall the Jewish people since the detailed how Tibon’s retired army Shoah” but stipulated as well as general father had been among the world to unite” to free hostages.

She added: “It’s hard to compre- “memorialising the victims of the those to save him from the massacre, hend. It doesn’t matter if you lose heinous attacks on Jews” the cer- after he drove from Tel Aviv to team one or 12, your heart is bleeding. emony would also “honour victims up with IDF soldiers combing the It’s time to come together as a of the attack from all faiths and kibbutz for terrorists so they could retake it. nationalities”. community.

The Guardian has not renewed its contract with cartoonist Steve Bell after his artwork depicting the Israeli prime minister was “pulled” from publication.

Bell confirmed his sketch of Benjamin Netanyahu in the wake of the Hamas attack on Israel had been “spiked” by the publisher.

The image showed the Israeli prime minister preparing to operate on his own stomach wearing boxing gloves, where an outline of the Gaza Strip could be seen with the caption “Residents of Gaza, get out now”.

Aspokesperson for Guardian News and Media said: “The decision has been made not to renew Steve Bell’s contract. Steve Bell’s cartoons have been an important part of The Guardian over the past 40 years – we thank him and wish him all the best.”

Bell posted a series of tweets saying he had received a “strangely

cryptic message” during a phone call with Guardian staff referencing a “pound of flesh” after he first submitted the cartoon.

The artist said he had responded saying: “I’m sorry, I don’t understand, I said and received this even more mysterious reply: ‘Jewish bloke; pound of flesh; antisemitic trope’.

Clearly it was self-evident, anybody could see it…” It has been reported that a pound of flesh could be in reference to Shylock, the Jewish moneylender in Shakespeare’s The Merchant Of Venice.

“It is getting pretty nigh impossible to draw this subject for the Guardian now without being accused of deploying ‘antisemitic tropes’,” Mr Bell previously said on Twitter.

Mr Bell’s final cartoon for The Guardian showed Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s “decision to scrap HS2 leg” on 4 October.

The Steve Bell cartoon that the Guardian refused to publish

ISRAEL IS TRULY IN A NO-WIN SITUATION

BY DAVID PATRIKARAKOS

JOURNALIST & AUTHOR

The atrocities Hamas committed have already entered history – and the collective Israeli psyche. Nothing, or more pertinently, nobody, is beyond its savagery. Men, women, children, even babies – shot, stabbed, burned, maimed and murdered. We heard it; we saw it – and we were able to not because we discovered or unearthed it, but because the people who did it filmed it.

In my last book War in 140 Characters: How Social Media is Reshaping Conflict in the Twenty-First Century, I look at the last all-out Israel-Hamas war, 2014’s Operation Protective Edge, which began following the Hamas kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teenagers in the West Bank.

The war lasted over a month and a half – the longest in Israel’s history, though I believe it may well be surpassed by what is about to come. Jerusalem has mobilised

inadequate. You’d rather have the dead around 350,000 men, more than Russia children back. had when it launched its all-out invasion of It’s not just that so many civilians Ukraine in February of last year. were killed, but that the world saw it. We What struck me then, and it does now, saw the crying women ripped from loved is that Israel-Hamas confrontations are ones; the children hysterical with terror. wars in which the military outcome on It made us recoil with disgust, but it also the battlefield is predetermined. Hamas punched a hole through Israel’s reputacannot defeat Israel; Israel cannot lose to tion for almost preternatural competence.

Hamas. So why all the blood?

Then there are the hostages, who will The answer is that victory here resides most likely have to paid for, most likely in different arenas. The traditional parathrough the mass release of Hamas prisdigm is clear. Hamas cannot outkill Israel, oners in Israeli jails. but what it can do is provoke Israel to kill Hamas has scored itself a victory and we all saw it And, of course,, as the pendulum so many Palestinians that the world damns swings, the Gazan casualties will rise; the in order to compete. It is caught between bad it. Hide your terrorists in schools and condemnation will come down across large choices – tragedy in the classic sense. For the apartments and then brandish their corpses parts of the world. Hamas will once more get Gazans, too, of course. to the world when the inevitable Israeli its day in the global spotlight.

This time, though, Hamas scored such a response comes. Hope that political pressure People will not soon forget the images of resounding success on the ground that we bears down on your enemy. Hope that the terror. The death toll numbers higher than arms flow dries up; hope that sanctions come. can say it has already won. Israel will go in in any attack on Jews since the Shoah. And and destroy much of Gaza – though we must It’s imperfect, but the best weapon Hamas we saw it. We saw it. This is conflict for our hope it does so with the minimal civilian loss realistically has. century – live and in real time. of life that is humanly and humanly possible.

This is the central paradox here: the more But the damage is done. “successful” Israel is, the more it loses. The • David Patrikarakos is a British author, Any actions now, bar something more the people of Gaza suffer, the more journalist and war correspondent, best known utterly unprecedented, will be largely Hamas wins. What can Israel do? Certainly as the author of ‘War in 140 Characters’ punitive, which is warranted but ultimately not allow more of its own people to be killed

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19 October 2023 Jewish News

‫בס”ד‬

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28 Jewish News 19 October 2023

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Israel is in crisis Help us respond The Shalva National Crisis Response Center is open and caring for hundreds of evacuees from Israel's South.

To Donate:

www.shalva.org

19 October 2023 Jewish News 29

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ISRAEL AT WAR

Outpouring of community unity Unprecedented social media engagement, volunteer-led soup kitchens, fundraising, care packages and university campus briefings, Michelle Rosenberg reports on how the Jewish community is standing proudly with Israel

A Jewish community vigil in Westminster

From vigils, collections of essential goods and fundraising, to sending care packages for soldiers on the front lines in the war against Hamas, Jewish News has spoken to communal charities and organisations working both in the UK and on the ground in Israel.

Manna Meir Panim says their centres across Israel are working over-time to provide for those whose lives have been upended by the war, including people evacuated from the Gaza border. Gabriel Blauer, executive director for the Manna UK branch of Meir Panim says: “Supported by an army of volunteers they are preparing daily, thousands of hot meals and care packages for soldiers in Southern Israel.

Our campaign at www.mannauk.org has raised over £60,000 so far.”

Daniel Burger, chief executive at Magen David Adom UK says its international arm needs £250,000 in additional funds each day to run at full operational capacity.

These are for items such as tourniquets, blood bags and blood screening kits, as well as replacing 300 ambulances destroyed or beyond economic repair.

He says: “MDA UK is able to send funds raised to MDA Israel within just a few days to ensure our donors’ funds truly are saving lives immediately. I remain bowled over at the support of our donors including a Muslim medical aid organisation.”

Marc Levy, chief executive of the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester & Region says the community has been sharing the same national campaigns from all the main bodies.

“Jewish communities across Greater Manchester have been strong and united in

their support of Israel and condemnation of the atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists.

We commend the charities and individuals who have raised funds and goods for so many important organisations at this difficult time”.

Shalva UK tells Jewish News they are in need of “necessary supplies” including food, clothes and toiletries, as well as the provision of therapy hours for those sheltering at Shalva.

Gaby Hirsch, CEO Shalva UK says: “I have spoken with some of the families who were evacuated earlier this week and they are truly remarkable and so appreciative of the safe haven they have been given at Shalva.”

The UJIA Israel at War Community Appeal is raising funds to provide an immediate response to Israel’s needs.

A spokesperson tells Jewish News: “In 1948, 1967, 1973, through waves of terror and crises, UJIA has been there for the people of Israel.

And we are there for them today.”

The charity has set up The Jewish Agency Victims of Terror Fund, and are treating victims of trauma, providing emergency preparedness in the north and Shabbat meals for those evacuated away from home.

A spokesperson from Progressive Judaism says it is “encouraging people to donate via UJIA, MDA, NIF (New Israel Fund) and IMPJ (Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism).

Myisrael says: “Our emergency appeal has raised over £300,000 through UK and worldwide donations. We have had 766 donors who have given to this appeal since Sunday 8th October.” Donate here.

StandWithUs UK says the organisation is here to “support the community and our students to counter the exponential rise in

antisemitism and Israel misinformation” It has set up the ‘Israel Support Centre’ to help provide the necessary support and mentorship to individuals and groups across the UK. A spokesperson said: “In just 7 days, we have reached over 2,500 people in person, our social media engagement has tripled, and those asking us for information and the tools to support Israel is truly unprecedented. Every day we are visiting schools, university campus, synagogues and other communal organisations to deliver expert briefings and workshops.

Weekly webinars with top experts in the field of intelligence and security have been used to ensure people are informed with accurate and up-to-date information.”

Lana Saffrin Betesh, Chair of StandWithUs UK tells Jewish News: “We would like to thank all our supporters for their incredible and continuous support. It has been a testament to the strength of the community, and what we can achieve. Now more than ever, our educational efforts are vital to winning this battle over dangerous ideological narratives which have seemed into mainstream discourse”The New Israel Fund says its crisis appeal for emergency work to provide safety for all communities in Israel is “raising hundreds of thousands of pounds from hundreds of donors, including dozens of new donors moved to support Israel at this devastating time.”

David Davidi-Brown, chief executive of the New Israel Fund, said: “Throughout this harrowing time it has been heartening to see huge generosity to enable the work of my Jewish and Arab colleagues in Israel who moved rapidly to shelter and provide for those fleeing the kibbutzim, towns and Bedouin villages attacked by

Hamas; prevent violence in mixed cities; and expand trauma support services.”

Michelle Barnett, director of social action charity GIFT, told Jewish News: “In response to the tragic events that took place in Israel on 7th October, GIFT put out a call for help; and in less than 24 hours over 1,200 people across London and Manchester dropped off over 2 tonnes of essential items for Israel, worth over £28,000 which is being flown out this week.

Barnett says that 1,000 ‘thank you’ cards have been written and decorated by primary and high school students to accompany the essential items. This week over 400 people made up almost 1,000 pairs of Tzitzit to be sent out to Israel for those on the front line.

500 people have joined a GIFT4Israel London Whatsapp group focused on volunteering opportunities, packing essential items & helping with logistics, getting much needed items to Israel.

GIFT’s Operation Hug sent toys, welcome packs and welcome signs for displaced families that were flown to the UK from Israel last week. GIFT’s next imminent collection will be going out via DHL shipping and they will be collecting specific requested items for civilian families. Details of this collection will be posted on GIFT’s website - jgift.org Over £70k has been raised for Israel through GIFT’s GIFT4 Israel link. Donations are going directly to their Israel branch to purchase medical equipment & essential items for displaced families and those who need it most.  Call To update Jewish News on the incredible work your communal organisation is doing, email community@jewishnews.co.uk

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ISRAEL AT WAR

Friends’ tribute to ‘pure’ Benji Friends and former teachers of British-Israeli Benjamin Trakeniski have paid tribute to the young man they described as “positive, pure, kind-hearted”, writes Adam Decker.

Known as ‘Benji’ to friends, the 32-year-old is understood to have been killed by armed Hamas terrorists after going to help evacuate wounded civilians at Kibbutz Be’eri, one of the hardest hit communities after the attack.

Benji, who was living in Tel Aviv, was engaged to Israeli tattoo-artist Rotem – and the couple were due to get married in April next year. Rotem, instead, read out her wedding vow at his funeral last Thursday.

His friend in Israel, who did not want to be named, attended the funeral. They said: “Benji was the most positive, pure and kind-hearted person. He was all about helping others and in this heroic way he also died by saving many lives at the Be’eri fighting.

“Benji and his fiancée Rotem were supposed to get married in April. At the funeral, she read the vow she was supposed to read at the wedding, as a eulogy.”

They added: “People were sobbing. Hearing a father say Kaddish for his child is the worst and most heart-breaking thing in the world. Rotem’s speech was so touching. She read it in tears and we were all crying with her.”

It is understood that Israel’s former National Security Minister Avigdor Kahalani, who served in the armed Brigade 7 Unit, the same unit as Benji, also spoke at the funeral – hailing his “values”.

Lecturer Tommy Steiner, who teaches at the Reichman University in Herzliya, also attended the funeral in Israel.

He tweeted about his former student, saying: “Just heard

Benjamin Trakeniski with his sister and mother

a former student, Major Benji Trakeniski was killed by Hamas while defending civilians. Never met in person, he took my seminar during COVID, but we had lengthy phone and zoom sessions.

“Will remember his smile, curiosity and humour. May his memory be a blessing. RIP, Benji.”

Messages have been sent to his mother Liz, a former student at JFS, the largest Jewish school in Europe.

UK POLL ON VIEW OF THE CONFLICT Two-thirds of the UK population (66%) consider Hamas is a terrorist organisation, while 6% believe it is not, a new poll has shown, writes Lee Harpin.

But Britons are divided on how the UK has approached the Middle East crisis sparked by the Hamas terrorist attacks.

One in five Britons feels the UK should be more critical towards Israel than it has been in the wake of the conflict, the YouGov poll has found. While 16 per cent believe the government should be more supportive to Israel, and nearly a quarter say the balance is “about right.”

More than four in 10 participants (44%) believe that Israel does not try to minimise harm to civilians when it makes strikes in Gaza.

The You Gov poll of 3,800 adults showed Labour voters are “significantly more likely” than Conservative voters to say the UK should be more critical towards Israel – 39% compared to 11%.

Tory voters were found to be almost twice as likely than their Labour counterparts to

say the UK should be more supportive towards Israel than it has been – 23% to 12%.

But the poll also showed that the majority of Labour and Tory voters would favour a stance that helped “both” Israel and the Palestinians.

The poll was conducted last weekend.

Meanwhile, on the media front, more than 1,500 complaints have been received

by Ofcom after Kay Burley made comments about the Palestinian ambassador on her show.

The Sky News journalist, 62, allegedly misrepresented comments made by Husam Zomlot, according to the complainants.

The media watchdog said a total of 1,537 complaints were made after Breakfast With Kay Burley on 10 October.

During the programme, Burley asked: “Will the shadow foreign secretary (David Lammy) sit with the Palestinian ambassador, appearing with him, at an event, given that the Palestinian ambassador basically said, the last couple of days, that ‘Israel had it coming’?”

BBC REPORTER QUITS ‘I stand with you over OVER ‘MILITANT’ LABEL loss of innocent life’ with the stance that the BBC has taken and don’t agree with the statement they put out.”

While he believes the BBC has done a decent job of covering the Hamas atrocities, he said: “They’re using the wrong terminology – and that can be dangerous and misleading… it can mean the wrong messages are spread, and I believe that they’re damaging towards my people and my community.”

Abrahams said: “Hamas are not militants, they’re not freedom fighters…

You have to question the BBC. They say they’re impartial, but to not use the word ‘terrorist’ itself violates impartiality… Words are fundamentally important, and [BBC director-general] Tim Davie is ignoring the government and ministers on this.”

The Derby University graduate described the broadcaster’s decision as “out-dated and nonsensical” and said he felt the organisation would have to change its stance sooner or later. “They’ve read the room very badly. No one is above change.”

Abrahams said he conveyed his decision to BBC Radio Derby’s sports editor, who was “very understanding and supportive”, adding that he had “received messages of support from others working at the BBC across the corporation”.

Noah Abrahams believes the BBC is ‘nonsensical’ A young reporter who quit the BBC this week over its reluctance to call Hamas “terrorists” has said he thinks it is only a matter of time before the national broadcaster changes tack.

Noah Abrahams, 22, who has freelanced as a sports reporter at BBC Radio Derby since 2021, said: “I’ve taken a moral stand and made a huge career decision here, but I do not agree

Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf MSP has been widely praised after speaking out in solidarity with the Jewish community at a synagogue service, while his wife’s family fear for their own safety in Gaza.

As tragic events continue to unfold in Israel, the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities and the Glasgow Jewish Representative Council (GJRC) held a service of solidarity in Giffnock Newton Mearns Synagogue.

More than 500 members of the community, parliamentarians, civic and faith leaders and guests joined together to reflect on the events of the past week when innocent civilians in Israel were subjected to a barbaric attack by Hamas.

GJRC president Timothy Lovat opened the service by stating powerfully: “Israel may be our homeland, but Scotland is our home. Let’s live and pray together in peace and harmony today, tomorrow, and forever,” and invited the mother of Glasgow-born Bernard Cowan, who was murdered in Israel the previous Saturday, to light a memorial candle in his memory.

The First Minister addressed the congregation and stated unequivocally: “I stand in solidarity with Scotland’s Jewish community, who have lost members of their community in the senseless and horrific attacks we witnessed last Saturday in Southern Israel.

“I want to send my condolences to the victims and the families of all those affected by this desperate situation. At a time of great sorrow

Humza Yousaf hugs Bernard Cowan’s mother

and sadness, I want you to be in no doubt whatsoever that I, and the Government I lead, stand with you and with all communities who are mourning the loss of innocent life.”

Yousaf also spoke of his fears for his wife’s family in Gaza, and joined with the community in praying for an end to the pain caused to so many. He was hugged by Lovat as the audience applauded his heartfelt speech and he also embraced the mother of Hamas victim Cowan.

The senior rabbi in Scotland, Rabbi Moshe Rubin of Giffnock Newton Mearns Synagogue, gave a moving address, sharing how difficult the days had been since he led the congregation over Simchat Torah.

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19 October 2023 Jewish News

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Going, going, nowhere.

Unlike the big banks, we’re not closing our branches.

A good way to bank.

If we have a branch in your town or city, we’ll still be there until at least 2026. Big banks: Lloyds, Bank of Scotland/Halifax, NatWest, Barclays, Santander and HSBC. Source: link.co.uk/initiatives/bank-branch-closures. Nationwide Building Society. Head Office: Nationwide House, Pipers Way, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN38 1NW.

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PLEASE STEP UP FOR AT RISK CHILDREN IN ISRAEL As the atrocities and depravity continue to emerge, Israel is mobilised to defend herself.

Among those called up to serve are more than half of the staff of our Youth Villages, almost all our male graduates and many of the females. Those that remain are not only caring for their own traumatised families, but also for Israel’s most vulnerable children.

Many of our graduates and current students do not have families to check in on them and make sure they are safe. This responsibility falls to our dedicated staff. The Youth Villages are the only family that they have.

One of our graduates has lost his life. May his memory be a blessing. Another is among the missing from the desert dance party. May he be found and returned safely. One more graduate is one of only two survivors in his entire army unit.

So many of the children we care for come to us with trauma. Whether from violent homes or as recent refugees from war zones in Ukraine, we are working hard to provide them with therapeutic support while maintaining some semblance of a normal childhood.

Our Youth Villages are also hosting over 200 displaced families from the south.

We desperately need your help. Your donation will help us fund therapists, activities and security guards for the children living in our Youth Villages and will provide emotional and practical support for our graduates who are fighting to defend Israel.

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19 October 2023 Jewish News

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33

ISRAEL AT WAR

Expats in Kiryat Gat rally to support IDF soldiers Together with his wife and two children (they have since had one more), Ariel Shapiro made aliyah from Edgware in 2018. They initially moved to Ramat Beit Shemesh before settling in Kiryat Gat in 2021, writes Jenni Frazer.

Almost 180 families from the UK, US, South Africa, Australia and Israel now live in a suburb of the southern Israeli town called Carmei Gat. It is currently just outside of the Israel Defence Forces’ (IDF) declared military zone and a 35-minute train ride from Tel Aviv.

Speaking exclusively to Jewish News on the British expat community’s resolute determination to support the IDF soldiers battling Hamas terrorists, he says: “Life in Israel is never easy, but the last week has been one of the toughest in recent history.

“Reserve soldiers were called up at a moment’s notice following Hamas’ horrific and barbaric terror attack in southern Israel, many leaving vital items at home. The IDF has rarely worked at the capacity it is now and, as such, lacks the resources to ensure that those on the front lines have everything they need for a prolonged period of time.”

But, he says, communities across the country stepped up to provide essential equipment and supplies to those keeping Israeli citizens safe on the front lines.

Soldiers pack up boxes of pizzas to deliver them to ‘Lone Soldiers’ in the north of Israel

PALESTINIAN-AMERICAN ‘Liars!’ screams CHILD KNIFED TO DEATH demo at the BBC Police in the Chicago suburb of Plainfield arrested a man on Saturday for killing six-yearold Palestinian-American boy Wadea Al-Fayoume and wounding his mother, a violent act police attributed to Islamophobia and “the ongoing Middle East conflict”.

The killing is being investigated as a hate crime and brought home fears of violence against Palestinian and Muslim Americans in the wake of Hamas’ invasion of Israel and Israel’s subsequent war in Gaza.

The act has drawn condemnation, including from President Joe Biden, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, both of whom are Jewish and multiple Jewish organisations.

“There is no humane world that can and should tolerate the murder of an innocent child because of his identity,” Mayorkas said in a statement. “The tragic events in the Middle East, begun by the brutal terrorist attacks by Hamas, have brought ideologies of

Wadea Al-Fayoume

hate to the fore across the world – notably antisemitism and Islamophobia.”

The killing has spurred fears of an increase in antiArab and anti-Muslim violence, including expressions of concern by Biden and J.B. Pritzker, Illinois’s Jewish governor. A group of Chicago area rabbis attended young Al-Fayoume’s funeral.

The BBC was booed during a rally in central London against its reporting over the Israel-Hamas conflict, with speakers from the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) and UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) taking part.

Hundreds of protesters joined the event outside Broadcasting House on Monday evening, with the crowd stretching up to Regent Street.

Protesters shouted “don’t pay the licence”, “shame” and “Hamas is Isis” as they heard from podcaster Jonny Gould.

TalkTV presenter Andre Walker told the crowd: “For now all of us must be Israeli.

All of us must be Jewish”, as he held an Israeli flag.

The National Jewish Assembly hosted the rally in collaboration with the UKLFI, CAA and the European Jewish Association.

The BBC has said it has given “careful consideration” to all aspects of its coverage of the Israel-

Hamas conflict.

Speaking about its decision not to describe Hamas as a terrorist organisation, it said: “The BBC, along with many other UK and global news organisations, does use the word ‘terrorist’, but attributes it.

“We have made it quite clear to our audiences that Hamas is proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the United Kingdom and other governments.”

A banner at the protest

A group of dedicated volunteers organised, sponsored or packed 800 Shabbat meals, more than 50 meals and flowers for the elderly and local women whose husbands are away on army duty.

Additionally, they have sent 5,000 shekels’ worth of rain tents to soldiers in the north, 30 boxes of high tech and tactical equipment to bases near Lebanon, 60 boxes of protein bars to Hermon, sourced equipment for five bases including 1,000 vests and 5,000 G-Shock watches and provided 200 ‘Lone Soldiers’ in the north with pizza.

Shapiro says: “All of these initiatives have been made possible through a community member, who used her Instagram platform to fundraise, funds raised by Kii NYC, and from generous donations through the community’s Michael Levin Base fundraising link, which has received more than 50 donations from supporters based in the USA, UK, Canada, Israel and Hong Kong.

“Israel’s communities and Jews worldwide are coming together to ensure the State of Israel’s survival on an unprecedented scale.

• If you would like to contribute to future initiatives to help those keeping Israel safe, you can do so here – https://causematch.com/Israel-atWar/friendsofcarmeigat

ANTI-ISRAEL PROF TRIBUNAL STARTS An academic facing criticism over his comments about Israel said attempts have been made to “confuse antiZionism with antisemitism” as an employment tribunal began over his sacking.

Professor David Miller received criticism for views he allegedly expressed while working at the University of Bristol.

The professor of political sociology was sacked by the institution in October 2021 after a disciplinary hearing found he “did not meet the standards of behaviour” expected by university staff.

Miller launched employment tribunal proceedings claiming unfair dismissal, breach of contract and discrimination or victimisation on grounds of religion or belief.

Supporters of Miller have previously complained his dismissal amounted to “an attack on academic freedom”.

The tribunal could become a test case as the academic attempts to argue his antiZionist stance is a protected

philosophical belief, his lawyers said. As the tribunal hearing began in Bristol on Monday, Miller insisted antiZionism was not the same as antisemitism, and was not a “racist set of ideas”. Miller told the tribunal he had been “antiracist” since he was a teenager.

He added that it was impossible for a Zionist state such as Israel to be non-racist, and described Gaza as an “open air prison”.

Previously employed as professor of sociology at the universities of Bath and Strathclyde, Prof Miller told the tribunal the University of Bristol was aware of his views on Zionism and Israel before hiring him.

Prof Miller drew controversy during a lecture at the university in 2019, when he said the Zionist movement was one of five pillars driving Islamophobia in the UK, the tribunal heard.

The University of Bristol subsequently received a complaint from the CST. The employment tribunal continues.

34 Jewish News 19 October 2023

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ISRAEL AT WAR

Charities in Israel at maximum capacity Adam Agmon who volunteered at WIZO’s Ahuzat Yeladim for a year and police detective Yakir Bluchman, a graduate of WIZO Youth Village Nachlat Yehuda, also lost their lives.”

MDAUK took the unprecedented deciWIZO is aiding and housing refugees from sion to break Shabbat and yom tov to the south of Israel who have been displaced, launch a fundraising campaign within a caring for the children of medical profesfew hours of the terrorist attack. Every sionals, providing safety and mental health single penny is being sent to Israel, support for hundreds of youth in its care and where MDA is running at 100 percent sending food and supplies to soldiers. capacity at a cost of £250,000 per day.

All educational institutions in Israel are Since the beginning of the war, MDA shut, but over 300 at-risk youth remain in forces have treated thousands of people, WIZO’s youth villages and other institutions. including MDA personnel who were involved WIZO is now operating centres in or near in saving lives. About 1,400 MDA ambulances, hospitals so medical professionals can devote including bulletproof ambulances, are themselves to their life-saving work. manned by MDA volunteers and employees.

The Youth Village in Petah Tikvah is welMDA has collected over 31,000 units of blood coming families evacuated from the south of from volunteer donors and MDA helicopters Israel while The Parents Home in in Tel Aviv have carried out dozens of missions to evac- MDA ambulance arrives at Ben Gurion airport is providing temporary shelter for the evacuuate wounded civilians and soldiers from the ated elderly who need specialised butz and when they couldn’t they blew it up. out of storage and also air freighted south to hospitals throughout the country. housing. A telephone hotline pro“We meed more ambulances to fulfull the Three of our medics have been murdered - one more over from the USA . vides everything from emotional WIZO is fullly operational demand,” says MDAUK CEO Daniel Burger. was shot at in an ambulance, which is a deliberate support for women and men in spite of staff being called up “Eight of our vehicles have been blown up. The flouting of the Geneva Convention.” whose partners have been called MDA has brought some ‘retired’ vehicles for reserve duty, “Devastatingly, terrorists tried to steal one to inflitrate the kibup to reserve duty, to helping with many volunteers and graduates shopping and WIZOUK has comof WIZO schools have been killed, mitted to provide at least one mobile says WIZOUK CEO Maureen Fisher. bomb shelter for the Youth Villages.

“Among them was Bar Tomer, a volunMyIsrael supports 18 charities in teer in our second-hand shops, who was Bar Tomer Israel. “Most of these have reverted at the music festival and went missing to lockdown working practices and then found murdered. She was with her I, too, am working from my dining friend Noam Shalom who also died.” room table with my kids at home,” Maureen has paid tribute to may says project co-ordinator Eli others who lost their lives. Tomer Rudolph. “One of the organisaSegev, 30, a nephew of a WIZO tions which has been hardest hit staff member who was murdered is Family Net in Ashkelon, which at the festival. Alezander Masli, supports very poor families. There is a graduate of WIZO Ni Ha’Emek – an immediate need for laptops so that who made aliyah from Ukraine with kids can be schooled at home and also his family only a few years ago, was Adam Agmon for people to keep in touch with the killed in the line of duty, as was Captain Youtam Ben-Basat, son of one of the chief outside world. Beit Daniella, an organisation administrators of two WIZO youth villages that helps children who have been institutionHe used to say: and Sgt Schager Taka, 21, graduate of WIZO alised, has had to shut its premises because it Nachlat Yehuda. Paratrooper Brigade Sergeant does not have a central shelter. We are helping to fund one but even when we have the money it can take 45 days to build it.”

In most cases immediate needs are being met by the local municipality so MyIsrael is Increasing our learning careful to send funds where they are needed most. “We are receiving hundreds of requests.

We are also aware that we need to hold money back because we know more help will be needed down the line – for example mothers will need Praying together respite days and therapy. One of our projects, Click, organises actitvites for the elderly and we have utilised this to prepare activity kits for chldren in the south. The therapy animals we work with are hugely distressed by all the sirens and we are providing therapy dolls for Undertaking acts of loving children. kindness “We have also used funds to provide for soldiers who got called up and didn’t have time to pack anything – they need mattresses, coffee pods, portable chargers even simple medical supplies like paracetamol and ibuprofen. We even For Boys & Girls, 4 - 18 had a request from a dad to supply a birthday present to his child who was evacuated.”

Soldier receiving supplies from MyIsrael

by Louisa Walters louisa@jewishnews.co.uk

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ISRAEL AT WAR

Jewish doctor was called ‘baby-killer’

by Jenni Frazer jenni@jennifrazer.com @Jennifrazer

A London doctor who is a close relative of a terror victim of the recent Hamas attacks was allegedly accused last week – on Hamas’ “Day of Rage” – of being a “baby killer” by another doctor in a hospital where he works.

The verbal attack, which is now the subject of a hospital inquiry and which the other doctor denies, is part of an escalating level of antisemitism reported by doctors and healthcare professionals (HCP) around the country.

So far, at least 14 doctors have declared, in answer to a poll launched on Sunday night by the UK Doctors Anti-Racism Group, that they “have personally experienced antisemitism from UK healthcare professional colleagues”, and that number is said to be rising.

In an open letter to the employers of all UK healthcare professionals, the UK Doctors AntiRacism Group says some doctors “have experienced escalating antisemitism from UK healthcare professional colleagues, both online and in person, which is causing growing levels of concern and fear, not just for themselves, but also for patient safety”. The letter says that “bearing

in mind Hamas is a proscribed group” in the UK, notice should be given “across the NHS and all healthcare providers” reminding staff of how to respond “if they are being bullied and harassed

by NHS colleagues, including those colleagues displaying extremist views and behaviour”.

The doctor involved in the verbal showdown with another doctor said he had been sitting in a hospital coffee room, having a conversation with a colleague who, knowing of his close links with Israel, had asked how he was. He began telling him about a relative, who had been a victim of the terror attacks by Hamas. Suddenly, he said, they were interrupted by a junior doctor of Australian-Iraqi background, “who said he supports Hamas and it was justified resistance. I thought he was joking at first because it was so extreme.

“Then I understood and I said, ‘You’re not joking, are you?’ He said, ‘No, there can’t be a Jewish state.’ Then he called me a baby-killer and other usual anti-Jewish tropes.”

The consultant, who reported the matter to his hospital, the police and Community Security Trust, said “matters had degenerated into a shouting match”. None of the other consultants said they heard anything, while the junior doctor, according to the consultant, “had given a statement saying he denied the remarks and

Doctors and healthcare professionals report an escalating level of antisemitism

was a supporter of peace in the Middle East”.

The letter comes at the same time as a complaint from Muslim doctors and organisations saying they are “deeply concerned to see communication from a troubling number of NHS leaders sharing a one-sided narrative and not reflecting the immeasurable loss and impact of the conflict on innocent lives across both sides… some of these statements do a disservice to NHS commitments to equity and diversity”.

No one complaining about antisemitism was ready to be identified. Much of the abuse appears to be, although one doctor spoke of a receptionist who said “she didn’t feel sorry for [Jewish people] because you celebrate the killing of Egyptian babies at Passover”.

A consultant in a north of England hospital said there was one extreme pro-Palestinian

member in a group of Facebook doctors who are also mothers, who repeatedly made controversial posts. “There are lines like ‘the Israeli army kills babies’, which are allowed to go unchallenged,” she said.

Meanwhile, a paediatric nurse has asked for help in reporting online abuse relating to Israel.

This nurse, who has close family in Israel, said: “For the first time I have begun to feel unsafe as a Jewish person.”

One of the doctors in the UK Doctors AntiRacism Group said there was a considerable degree of support from sympathetic colleagues in the health service.

But, this doctor told Jewish News, the level of abuse, particularly online, was extremely concerning. “The anguish and fears among Jewish HCPs is palpable and growing”.

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ISRAEL AT WAR

Sevenfold increase in antisemitic incidents Antisemitic incidents in the UK have increased by almost 600 percent since Hamas’ terror attack on Israel, according to the latest Com-

munity Security Trust (CST) figures, writes Joy Falk.

The trust said it had recorded 320 incidents between October 7 and 16,

CST personnel on duty in the UK after the Hamas attack in Israel

a sevenfold increase on the 47 over the same period last year.

CST said 15 of the 320 incidents recorded were assaults, 14 referred to damage to Jewish property and 244 were related to abusive behaviour, with 86 taking place online.

Examples of antisemitic incidents included in the 581 percent rise included a threat made over the phone to a kosher shop in Liverpool, saying “We are coming to get you”.

The slogan “Free Palestine, kill Jews” was shouted at the heart of a Jewish community in London.

Two Jewish schools in north London were vandalised with red paint in what has been called by CST director of policy Dave Rich “a disgraceful attempt to intimidate and harass” the community.

Tweeting CCTV footage of a masked figure spraying the paint

on the outside of the bnuildings, Shomrim Stamford Hill said one school was targeted on Thursday and a second on Monday morning.

In a blog post on Monday, the trust said: “These are all instances of anti-Jewish racism, wherein offenders are targeting Jewish people, communities and institutions for their Jewishness.

“In many cases, these hateful comments, threats to life and physical attacks are laced with the language and symbols of pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel politics.

“Even compared to periods of previous conflicts, these statistics are unprecedentedly high.

“The last time a significant spike in antisemitism related to events in the Middle East was recorded occurred in May 2021.

“During the first 10 days of that

escalation, 298 antisemitic incidents were reported to CST. Across the first 10 days of the conflict in July 2014, we recorded 82.

“Bear in mind, when comparing these to the 320 anti-Jewish hate incidents recorded since Saturday 7 October, the figures for 2021 and 2014 are final totals including all late-reported incidents, whereas the current total of 320 incidents is only provisional and will almost certainly increase further.”

The Jewish security group added: “CST will not stand for this anti-Jewish hatred and nor should anybody else. We urge everyone who experiences or witnesses antisemitism to report it to police and to CST so those who are trying to intimidate and threaten our community can be investigated, arrested and prosecuted.”

CONFLICT IN GAZA COULD INSPIRE TERRORISM WE PROTECT IN UK, WARNS MI5 BOSS

The conflict in Gaza could inspire terrorist acts in the UK, the head of MI5 has warned.

MI5 director-general Ken McCallum joined his counterparts from the Five Eyes intelligence services – the UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand – at an event hosted by the FBI on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters, McCallum said MI5 was paying “very close attention” to events in the Middle East. He said: “There clearly is the possibility that profound events in the Middle East will either generate more volume of UK threat and/or changes in shape in terms of what is being targeted, in terms of how people are taking inspiration.

“Terrorists can draw inspiration not just from things they see happening inside the UK but things they see happening in the Middle

East or on the continent or elsewhere.

“So we would be silly not to be paying very close attention, and we are.”

McCallum said MI5 was particularly focused on Iran, with concerns the nation may be emboldened by the conflict in Gaza. “We have obviously been concerned about Iran’s behaviour in the UK for a long time,” he said.

“The past 18 months or so have been a particularly intensive phase of Iran-generated threat on UK soil. Plainly, events in the Middle East sharpen the possibility that Iran might decide to move into new directions.

“I wouldn’t rule out the possibility that could include the UK, but we are already operating at a high level of Iran-generated threat.”

He added: “For the most part, the activity we’ve seen backed by Iran in the UK for the

Ken McCallum (right) with fellow intelligence chiefs at the FBI-hosted event in California

last 18 months or so has been targeted at the regime’s own internal enemies, dissidents, Farsi media organisations. Not exclusively, but predominantly. Clearly one of the things on our minds is, might the Iranian targeting intent shift in response to events elsewhere.”

Meanwhile, foreign nationals commit-

ting acts of antisemitism or other hate crimes in the UK should have their visas revoked, according to former home secretary Sajid Javid, who told the Commons: “May I ask the prime minister to consider urgently an immediate and specific policy of revoking the visas of any foreign national that commits an act of antisemitism or any other hate crime?”

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ISRAEL AT WAR

Three crucial conversations for the future of peace and justice

BY PROFESSOR DEEPAK MALHOTRA HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL

This was initially published by Professor Malhotra as an independent article on LinkedIn. It is being reprinted here with his permission in slightly edited form.

Israelis. Palestinians. Jews. Muslims. Everyone is angry. Everyone is afraid. And everyone feels their legitimate fears and grievances are being ignored – and turning a blind eye to acts of injustice is not only immoral but dangerous.

These sentiments are not new, but in the aftermath of the most horrific attack on Jews since the Holocaust, they have taken on an intensity and urgency we have rarely if ever seen. That people would disagree and debate about all aspects of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not a surprise. Nor does anyone think someone who has a very strong opinion on the conflict is suddenly going to change their mind.

What can be surprising is when you feel the people you most expected or needed to stand by your side on an issue that seems morally unambiguous are suddenly hesitating to do so. For example, when a Jewish student asks classmates to denounce Hamas and the conversation does not go at all as hoped or expected.

This is much harder for people to accept.

I think it might be useful to understand one reason this happens, and what you might be able to do about it. This post, due to its timing and content, might seem most immediately relevant to my friends, students, and colleagues who are Jewish, for whom their disappointment with “allies” is verging on exasperation, and the pain of it is bleeding into outrage.

But this is, ultimately, a post about how all sides of this (or any) conflict, who feel they are not being heard, understood or supported, might be more effective. The tendency in such moments is to assume your allies are cowards, or fence-sitting for political reasons, or just don’t care enough. Of course, all these can be factors, but in my experience it is usually something quite different that is most at play.

Understanding what is going wrong in these conversations might help us become better at dialogue and building moral consensus.

Take the example of the most recent attack

by Hamas. Why, when one might expect moral clarity and universal condemnation of the horrors Hamas has perpetrated, are people instead stuck disagreeing, debating and demonising one another? Why do so many of our Jewish students, friends and colleagues feel disappointed with how others in their social networks are responding – or refusing to respond – to the call for a clear statement condemning Hamas?

I, for one, can unequivocally say that I condemn, without reservation, the inhumane, wicked, and unjustifiable acts of Hamas. They cannot be excused.

Why then, when my Jewish friends, colleagues, or students say this, do others in the room not immediately and unanimously echo

In memoriam – at some point the path to future peace in the region must begin

the same sentiment? Why do others sometimes hesitate, or argue. or suggest the answer is more complicated? The thing to understand is even when you ask a question as seemingly straightforward as “Isn’t what Hamas did completely unjustifiable?” it has the power to trigger three separate conversations – and when that happens, you will start talking past each other.

Conversation #1 is about whether what Hamas did is inhumane and unjustifiable.

Conversation #2 is about whether the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a complicated affair that requires a careful and honest acknowledgment of the role everyone, including Israel, has played in the past.

Conversation #3 is about what the Israeli government should or should not do in response to the attacks. For example, isn’t it essential that Israel respect international law and human rights when it retaliates?

For the moment, you were just trying to have Conversation #1, and your hope was that at this time of maximal pain and fear, others would find it easy to agree that the targeted and barbaric murder of civilians by Hamas is categorically wrong and must be condemned.

Yes, there are reasons also to have Conversation #2 or #3, but does it have to be at the precise moment when you’re simply asking someone to acknowledge that “killing babies is wrong” and to condemn such acts (whether perpetrated against Jews or anyone else)?

As someone who has devoted much of his life to Conversations #2 and #3 – as someone who knows that only by understanding the roots of conflict (and honestly examining how each side has perpetrated injustice) is it possible to solve problems effectively and in accordance with our values – I understand the importance of these other discussions and debates.

However, I don’t think this means one cannot take a moment (or hopefully longer) to

acknowledge Conversation #1 when someone brings it up. The point is not even that Conversation #1 must always be had before #2 or #3, just that it deserves some space and time.

I am equally sure we should never shy away from “explaining” what happened and why – nor allow ourselves to be bullied into adopting a one-sided (e.g. only pro-Israeli) perspective on the history of this or any other conflict.

I happen also to believe Israel has a right to defend itself and its citizens, but that does not mean I will excuse or condone retaliatory acts that ignore human rights and international law – something that might already be happening; nor will I be bullied into an absolutist “you are either with us or against us” modality.

Why then, even with people who agree what Hamas did was terrible and unacceptable, do conversations get derailed? Because the two sides are coming into the conversation with different underlying concerns.

I think what my Jewish friends, colleagues, and students want others to know is that they deeply believe – are convinced – now is the time to sit shiva as one global community and say some things are never acceptable or excusable.

Meanwhile, I think people who respond by shifting the discussion to Conversation #2 or #3 (“well, we have to see the conflict in context”) are instead working to ensure any acknowledgment of the evil perpetrated

by Hamas does not minimise or forget the suffering Palestinians (or others) have experienced. They also worry their acknowledgment will be seen as tacit support for whatever Israel’s government will do in retaliation—and many people are not ready to go that far.

But both sets of concerns can be met. It might be possible for both sides to get what they need from the dialogue – in fact, it will be easier for each to get what it wants if it accommodates the genuine concerns and fears of the other.

Here are a few suggestions that might make such conversations more effective — and less likely to lead to disappointment or outrage.

It is important for everyone to be having the same conversation at the same time. It does not help if you are attempting Conversation #1 and others are having #2 or #3. It helps to clarify and coordinate on the scope of the discussion.

If you are starting Conversation #1, it is more likely to go well if the other side knows you are also open to the other two conversations; this makes it less likely others feel it’s their job to interrupt continually and advocate or lobby for what you seem to be ignoring.

It never helps when the other side feels they are being judged—or being bullied into having a conversation on your terms—regardless of which position you take. Even when bullying seems to work, at best you can achieve temporary compliance, not true commitment.

Most people I know who are saddened or offended by the lack of support they are experiencing simply wanted their friends, colleagues, professors, employers and/or universities to agree with the first of these statements – to offer a clear condemnation of Hamas.

Unfortunately, the way this request or demand is conveyed can sometimes make the other side feel they are being asked to sign on to far more, leading to reactance, resistance or hesitation – the more demands you make, the less likely you will get the one you most want.

Some might bristle at these suggestions.

A Jewish person might ask: “Why should I have to navigate conversations so carefully? It should not be so hard for people to say that the killing of babies is evil.” A Palestinian might ask: “Where was this discussion and these suggestions, when Palestinians are being killed? Both fair complaints and there are probably others.

But the purpose of this post is simply to point out whether you’re incensed by what Hamas has done in Israel or by what Israel has done in the West Bank or Gaza, if you want to have more productive conversations this might be a more effective approach.

Where should these conversations start?

In the aftermath of a tragedy like this, starting with #1 makes sense, taking a moment to agree what Hamas did should not be allowed to happen again—not to Jews, not to Palestinians, nor any group of people.

With Israel’s response in Gaza already raising concerns, Conversation #3 also cannot wait. We need to ensure the Israeli government does not feel licensed to take actions that will make matters worse. And, of course, a case could also be made for prioritising Conversation #2 (i.e. discussing the roots of the conflict and seeing current events in context).

All the conversations are crucial if we are to do what is necessary to create a better world for future generations of Jewish Israelis, Arab Israelis and Palestinians alike. We cannot give up on that goal.

We must all try, yet again, despite so many past failures and disappointments, to build a future that will provide peace and justice for all of humanity, not just for any one group. For that to happen, effective dialogue will be essential, and we can all do better in that domain.

www.jewishnews.co.uk

19 October 2023 Jewish News

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42 Jewish News 19 October 2023

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43

ISRAEL AT WAR

‘The silence from the music industry has been deafening’ A senior music manager in London has described the “deafening silence” of artists and entertainment industry commentators in the wake of the Hamas terrorist attack in Israel who, he said, had “gone quiet” about the atrocity.

Colin Lester, who manages stars such as Craig David, said many were sympathetic in private but were scared to speak out publicly against Hamas for fear of conflating – or being seen to conflate – terrorists with Palestinians.

Lester, 63, is an advisory board member of Creative Community for Peace (CCfP), which works with artists to educate them on antisemitism and the situation in the Middle East, promoting the arts as a bridge to peace. In this capacity, the work means he has conversations with British musicians.

“I am disappointed how UK artists have gone quiet on this situation,” he told Jewish News three days after the attack. “I’ve spoken to artists and it’s deeper than they just don’t want to post about it. A lot of them are very frightened.”

He said based on his private conversations in recent days, artists “do want to publicly condemn what Hamas did, but they think the second they do, people will feel that they’re condemning the Palestinian people as a whole, and they’ll get absolutely slammed for it, from [Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions] BDS and such.”

Lester, who raises money for Holocaust

tinian people and don’t want to be seen to be ‘leaving’ the Palestinian people” by criticising Hamas,” said Lester, who was awarded an OBE in 2020 for services to the music industry and to charity.

“I think it’s about education. With the Manchester Arena or Bataclan [theatre] attacks, they felt it was straightforward to show sympathy but, with this, they feel that they’d be seen to be condemning the Palestinian people.”

Asked if any artists had spoken out against Hamas, Lester said there were “a lot of electronic dance music DJs and artists who had come out in support of Israel”.

In part, this was because Scenes of panic and confusion at the rave as terrorists launch their attack the Supernova Succot party at Kibbutz Re’im, where 260 charity The ‘45 Aid Society, said there was “a from sharing misinformation young Israelis were killed and lot of confusion between the Palestinian people about the war and do whatever dozens of others were taken hos– many of whom want peace with Israel – and is in their power to urge the tertage, was “the kind of event where Hamas terrorists, who are the ruling body in rorist organisation to return the their music would have been played Gaza”, adding that the difference is something innocent hostages to their families”.

Colin Lester at … that side of the industry has come Asked if he felt music industry stars about which the CCfP tries to educate artists.

He said they “feel it’s very difficult for them to were refraining for personal or professional rea- out in great support”.

On the whole, however, Lester said “artists speak out against one without people thinking sons, Lester said he could not speak for others, but felt that it was more about a personal choice had been very slow to come forward, and espethey’re speaking out against the other”.

The CCfP board this week called on the and less to do with worries that comments cially those people whose lives are spent posting – bloggers and people like that – they’re silent… entertainment community “to speak out force- might affect sales.

“A lot of artists do sympathise with Pales- and it’s absolutely deafening”. fully against Hamas, to support Israel, to refrain

LISTEN WHEN MONSTERS SEEK TO MURDER not to inform them about the nature

BY JAMES SMITH peace of Hamas, who advocate a policy of genocide

PRESIDENT & CO-FOUNDER OF THE NATIONAL HOLOCAUST MUSEUM

In coming days Israel will likely invade Gaza, aiming to eradicate Hamas and defend itself from terrorism. It will be a challenging operation with a vast network of underground tunnels protected by human shields, both Israeli hostages and innocent Palestinians. As the situation evolves rapidly, the 7 October pogrom in which Hamas murdered over 1,400 people must be called what it is: an act of terror, by terrorists.

What does it matter, so long as the BBC describe the atrocities (which they have)? It matters because when the BBC accept that the British who died in the Manchester Arena in 2017 and Australians murdered in Bali in 2002 were victims of terrorism, yet imply 260 Jewish festival-goers slaughtered in Israel were not, the corporation becomes complicit in the hideous view that Jewish youth, the disabled, elderly and even Jewish babies could be legitimate targets of a military campaign by Hamas.

That’s relevant because members of Fatah’s Central Committee have praised the action and indicated they will work with Hamas to replicate it in the West Bank.

When people accuse Israel of genocide in Gaza, media organisations do a disservice to

against Israelis and Jews. Some protesters must know this already, as they chant in the streets of London “From the River to the Sea” meaning the land of Israel, between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean sea, will be emptied of Jews.

“How many people listened to what the Nazis were saying?”, my late Holocaust survivor friend Waldemar Ginsburg used to ask.

We have learned that when political leaders say they will exterminate a group of people, especially in a context of sustained conflict, it is prudent to believe them.

Revolutionary movements can begin in violence and migrate away from it. Not so Hamas, an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, founded in 1987 just before the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) verbally renounced violence in 1988.

In the period up to the 1993 Olso Accords, Hamas established itself as a reaction to the secular PLO’s recognition of Israel’s right to exist.

The first intifada between 1988 and 1993 was not initiated by Hamas, but their co-founder Ahmed Yassin exploited the unrest and called for suicide bombings in Israel, a hallmark of a terrorist organisation. Killed in an Israeli strike, he is esteemed today as their spiritual founder.

Matters had not been going Hamas’ way in recent years. Even with Iran’s support, it was unlikely to defeat Israel’s military or achieve its aims of genocide against the Jewish people.

After a quarter-century in which only two Arab states recognised Israel’s right to exist, change was in the air.

Israel, the US and the UAE at the signing of the Abraham Accords

Arab nations forming relations with Israel are not selling out the Palestinians. On the contrary. They are committed to a safe and prosperous homeland for Palestinians.

If a trend of growing ties continued between Israel and Arab nations, Israelis could begin to feel secure, while their new partners would bring considerable leverage to advance a twostate solution. Investment in a viable Palestinian state would herald a new era in which both Israelis and Palestinians could flourish.

Until 7 October, some dared to hope such peace was a possible trajectory.

Israelis and Palestinians compromising and thriving as neighbours is anathema to Hamas and Iran because this would require acceptance that Israelis have a right to exist.

Nazi hunter Simon Wiesnthal’s motto was justice, not vengeance. The most powerful

way to defeat Hamas is for the invasion of Gaza to be achieved while upholding international humanitarian law, with as much compassion for the Palestinian child as for vengeance for the blood of Israel’s children.

At the same time, a withdrawal arrangement and Marshall-type plan to rebuild Gaza should be planned and announced. This could be undertaken with the cooperation of Arab states prepared to acknowledge Israel’s right to exist, with a promise to restore peace and prosperity for Palestinians once Hamas is gone.

In times of fear, if we allow our humanity to be eroded, the terrorists win. Hate never defeats hate but breeds more hate. The greatest legacy of Holocaust survivors like Waldemar is not that they survived to tell their story. It is that they defeated the aims of the Nazis when they preserved their own humanity.

44 Jewish News 19 October 2023

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45

ISRAEL AT WAR

FA ‘influenced’ by Arab club owners to not light up Wembley Israeli international footballers spoke out this week against the sport’s failure to recognise the atrocities inflicted against Israeli civilians by terror group Hamas, writes Sandy Rashty.

Former Celtic player Nir Bitton has said the international community needs to realise Palestinians need to be free – “but not from Israel, we need to free Palestine from the terrorist organisation that is Hamas.”

Bitton, who played for Celtic for nine years, is still searching for family members – while the cousin of Maccabi Tel Aviv winger Dor Turgeman was killed at the Supernova music festival massacre in Re’im. Bitton, who now plays for Maccabi Tel Aviv, has spent the week attending the funerals and shivas of victims of the attack, many of them children.

Speaking out against the failure to recognise the scale of the violence, which left more than 1,300 Israelis dead – with many more missing or kidnapped by Hamas in Gaza – he said:“Everyone in Israel knows someone who was directly affected by what happened.

“My wife’s cousin went cycling last Saturday in the Gaza Strip

Nir Bitton, inset, reiterates that the war is not between the Palestinians and Israelis but against a terrorist group. Above: The Wembley arch last Friday

border area; since then we have not heard from him.

“Either his body has yet to be identified or he has been taken hostage. My teammate Dor Turgeman lost his cousin Amit Levy, who was murdered at the party in Re’im.

There are so many of these stories.”

Reacting to criticism of the Football Association’s refusal to light up Wembley in the colours of the

Israeli flag, the midfielder said the issue affected many sporting organisations. “They are taking their own side. In football, they have contributors, investors, club owners from Arab countries which, in my opinion, is a significant factor and has a lot of weight on influencing their decision and the position they adopted.”

Meanwhile the chair of the Football Association’s Faith in Football

group, Rabbi Alex Goldberg, has resigned and has told the FA that the group will no longer continue to work with it, in protest at the FA’s stance.

In an impassioned letter to the chief executive of the FA, Mark Bullingham, Rabbi Goldberg said he was “profoundly disappointed in the FA’s decision not to have a specific tribute during the upcoming

matches against Australia and Italy at Wembley Stadium, to the victims of the worst single atrocity committed against Jewish targets since the Shoah”.

Rabbi Goldberg, who has worked with the FA for 16 years, told Bullingham that “it’s imperative our responses and actions are unequivocal in their support for the victims of such atrocities.”

WE MUST SUPPORT ISRAEL IN ITS TIME OF PAIN

BY ANNE CLARKE

LONDON ASSEMBLY MEMBER FOR BARNET & CAMDEN The events of 7 October in Israel sickened the world, with shockwaves reverberating across the UK’s Jewish community.

Hamas slaughtered entire families and took hostage elderly people – these are crimes that nobody can ever justify and which we all must condemn.

Israelis are still uncovering the full extent of the murderous rampages, sadistic killings and kidnappings wreaked by Hamas terrorists against innocent civilians.

Indeed, the scale and cruelty of these massacres evoke the darkest days of Jewish history – of terror, pogroms and the Holocaust.

Earlier this year, I was in Israel as part of a Labour Friends of Israel delegation. Revelations about what happened at Kibbutz Kfar Aza – somewhere we visited – have been particularly harrowing.

Like many people in north London, I am heartbroken: worried about the people we know, about what happens next and the

shameful spectre of a spike in antisemitic hate crimes here at home.

I utterly condemn the appalling vandalism and antisemitism against the Jewish community. Those responsible should face the full force of the law, as should anyone using events in the Middle East as an opportunity to threaten Jewish Londoners.

We must, and will always, stand against antisemitism, wherever it raises its ugly head, and however people seek to justify it.

Amid the pain, we must also be crystal Councillor Anne Clarke (centre) on a Labour clear about what has happened here: an Friends of Israel delegation to the country unprecedentedly brutal terrorist attack by an are tragic. Innocent Gazans will also need aid antisemitic group against the Middle East’s and humanitarian support. only democracy.

We must always remember that the fight We must support the state of Israel and her people in this unprecedented moment of terror, must be against the terrorists of Hamas, not the people of Gaza. pain and suffering.

Last week, at the Labour conference in Israel has the right to defend itself against Liverpool, the party took a firm stance in these attacks, which we must recognise and support of Israel. affirm as others yet again seek to delegitimise More than a thousand people turned out to the world’s only Jewish state. pay respects at a vigil at the Labour Friends of Israel should make every effort to avoid Israel reception, attended by the entire shadow civilians being put in harm’s way by Hamas, which has contempt for the lives of Palestinians cabinet, and addressed by Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves, David Lammy and Yvette Cooper. and Egypt must open humanitarian routes.

Again and again, the speakers condemned The deaths of innocent civilians in Gaza

those on London’s streets seeking to justify or even celebrate Hamas’s terrorist crimes, pledging to support action against them.

I was deeply moved to participate in a moment’s silence in the conference hall for the victims of the attack.

And in his conference speech, Keir received a standing ovation for his condemnation of “the senseless murder of men, women and children, including British citizens, in cold blood by the terrorists of Hamas”, as well as for Israel’s “right to defend her people”.

There is still work to be done, but these are signs of just how far Labour has come under the leadership of Keir Starmer in returning to its historic position as an ally of the Jewish community and as a friend of Israel.

At this dark moment, I welcomed the affirmation that a Labour government would finally proscribe the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps as a terrorist organisation, undermining Iran’s ability to support terrorist proxies such as Hamas.

In the coming weeks, the Labour Party will continue to stand up for Israel against those who seek its destruction and will always stand up against antisemitism.

46 Jewish News 19 October 2023

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47

ISRAEL AT WAR

‘We had to look at Hamas videos to find our friends’ Not going to Supernova Succot on 7 October saved Raz Yadai Gantz’s life.

But life for him and others will never be the same again, writes Brigit Grant Raz Yadai Gantz went to three funerals on Friday. His pale face glistens in the dim light because he is crying. He apologises.

The 30-year-old DJ has had a day few could imagine, yet he says sorry, because he is struggling to say the names of his dead friends. The friends he will always remember being dressed for a party, who are now wrapped in shrouds in the ground.

Moving between cemeteries at Moshav Sdei Hemed, Petach Tikva and Jerusalem, Raz went to pay his respects and sob for Matan Lior, Naor Levi and Michael Vaknin. He freezes when he says the third name and looks at the ground. “Michael had a twin brother, Osher. We knew he was dead, but thought Michael was still alive. Then we got the message that he, too, was not with us any more.”

The infrequency of levayas is one of the privileges of youth, and that is true even in Israel, where grief is in the soil. But 7 October brought such ineffable grief there is no noun to quantify it, and there will be more.

Matan Lior, the sound engineer at the Supernova festival, was only 36 and his friends, all of similar age, gathered around his grieving family on Friday. Raz recited every word of the father’s eulogy almost verbatim, focusing on the fact that Matan was third generation in a family of soldiers. “Grandfather, father and son had been in the army and survived without becoming mishpacha shekula, the family who lost a soldier. Then his father said, ‘But this is what we have now become.’”

Naor Levi was murdered at Supernova.

Known professionally as DJ AudioPhiller, he was working the decks at the festival. He and Raz had a shared love of Trance music with international followings.

“He was a great artist, intelligent – a light on earth,” says Raz, and his words were echoed by mourners at his funeral. Some wore the shirts of his football team, Hapoel Tel Aviv; others from the Trance community wept when his favourite song was played.

‘A light on earth’: DJ Naor Levi

DJ Raz Yadai Gadai (far right) surrounded by those he mourns (clockwise from top left): Matan Lior, Noa Argamani (inset), Naor Levi, Michael and Osher Vaknin and Shani Louk

“After his mother spoke, she asked everyone to applaud one last time for her son, who came to this world to bring happiness and joy with his music, and touched so many people.”

A friend mentioned the applause on Naor’s Facebook page, writing: “It was insanely powerful. We must have been heard in heaven.”

Raz dreads his phone ringing. Every call and text brings more questions. “We have friends across the world who want to know what is happening, to know if we have found someone.

I can’t say the words. I can’t,” he says, his sobs guttural and the emotions so raw. He is des-

Last act of bravery: Matan Lior

perate to know about his friend, Shani Louk, 22, a German Israeli who was kidnapped and later seen unconscious in video footage. “Only two weeks ago I was sitting with her in her apartment,” says Raz, who also wants to know about Noa Argamani. “We lost contact when she was taken. It was her birthday two days ago.”

The torment of not knowing has been so intense for Raz and his friends that they are searching Hamas videos to see if they can spot people. “Can you believe it? We did that. And we saw friends. Lying dead.”

Matan’s girlfriend also spoke at the funeral and shared the moment when the joyous party turned from exhilaration to terror.

Matan was in control of sound. He had brought his huge speakers, the ones he would climb to set up. The Trance community is full of progressive, peace-loving people. But then the terrorists came. Matan and his girlfriend along with others ran to their cars. But all the vehicles leaving at the same time created a block at the exit. No one could move.

“Matan could see that the terrorists were waiting by the exit. He got out and ran back to the mic by his speakers. He shouted for everyone to get out and run for their lives. Then the terrorists arrived over the field on hang-gliders.”

The sound man’s act of bravery is humbling and Raz knows he could have been there as he goes to every festival, and this was the first time the Brazilian Universo Paralello psy-trance festival had been staged in Israel.

But Raz went camping in the north of Israel instead. The unconscious decision saved his life. A life he says will never be the same. “Not for anyone who was there and survived. That anyone survived is a miracle as no one came to help for hours. The terrorists even had time to dismantle Matan’s speakers and stole them.”

Raz looks away, then up at the sky. “Do you hear the rockets?” He lifts his phone and turns the screen to the splayed flames against the Iron Dome. “Our movement is about psy electronic music, peace and love,” says Raz. “It’s the antithesis of hate and murder. There were people from 29 countries at the festival. From Brazil, Canada, Nepal… it wasn’t a Jewish event. How did it become a massacre of innocent people?

It wasn’t a political move. The only measure of Hamas’ success right now is the amount of Israeli Jewish blood that will be spilled! Hamas has no compassion for their own people. They are making it difficult for the residents to exit [Gaza]. They want them to serve as a human shield against IDF attacks.”

The Facebook pages belonging to the victims, the kidnapped and the soldiers, including those about to risk their lives, are full of entries made when they were on the beach, with family or embracing someone. On 29 September, Naor posted the flyer for Supernova and wrote: “Happy Succot holiday our loved ones. We send you and everyone around you good energy and blessings with joy and happiness. At this exact time next week everyone will be smiling.”

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51

JN LIFE

‘It wasn’t the build up we wanted, but it was the simcha everyone needed’ Weddings and barmitzvahs went ahead last weekend with increased emotion and lots of flag waving.

By Louisa Walters

I

sraeli military reservists Elinor Yosefin and Uri Mintzer tied the knot in a spontaneous wedding ceremony the day after the Hamas terroist attack, before they had to report to their respective units. The rabbi offociating said that it was rare for a couple to wed on the brink of heading to war, and that “this union showcases the resilience of their relationship and their deep love for each other, their homeland, and the Jewish nation.”

Similar sentiments were felt at simchas here in the UK last weekend.

Josh, 29, married his fiancée Lara, 28, at Courthouse Hotel Shoreditch on Sunday.

Josh is head of fundraising at MDA UK and as soon as he heard about the terror attacks, he got straight to work on an appeal. “Far from having a romantic pre-weding yom tov weekend together, I was totally in the thick of it and we were increasingly distressed by the news. As the week went on it really did not feel like our wedding week and we began to question how it would be. Then we started to get the drop outs - Israeli family members who couldn’t come and others who were on holiday in Israel and couldn’t get back.

Our rabbi told us: ‘By having your wedding you are on the front line fighting Hamas – doing what they don’t want you to do. You shouldn’t feel sorry about celebrating – you should celebrate even harder. You shoud celebrate for all those who can’t.’

“It wasn’t the buildup we wanted but it was the simcha everyone needed. I was conscious that the wedding shoudn’t turn into a protest or a vigil, but nevetheless we wanted to mark what is going on.

Ironically we were always having Israeli food and a full Israeli music set but we brough in the Israeli flag and danced with it at the end.”

Lara’s mum Susan says: “It had been a hideous week and I think the guests were so ready to celebrate and spread simcha to all those who couldn’t. We hadn’t intended to sing Hatikvah but it happened, with such heartfelt emotion.”

“The prospect of going to a wedding, and

Evan, Oren, Brian, Daniella, Aeden and Thea Green

Charli and Jonny

sister lives near Ashkelon and her parents were there visiting her. “We really did not know if they would get back in time but they managed. I told our rabbi that I felt bad hosting a simcha but he said, ‘We need to shine the light and show that we will carry on.’

I have no words for how special Shabbat was.

The shul was so full that people were standing.

Everyone wore blue and white - I don’t know if that was planned or just a coincidence but it was amazing.

We requested to sing the Hatikvah in shul and I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house. Friends who were originally unable to come because they were due to be in Israel asked if they could The Israeli flag at Lara and Josh’s wedding now come, so we ended up with even more people than who are experiencing the in particular of dancing to upbeat music, we had planned. The DJ same issues and feelings felt daunting during the week leading up to brought Israeli flags and the as I am and be celebrait,” says Georgia, who went to a wedding in ruach when we were dancing tory together. There was London. “But once the day came, I suddenly and waving them was increda sense of camaraderie and felt so privileged to be able to celebrate such a ible – a totally elevated feeling.” bullishness amidst all the special and happy Jewish event.

Next month Leanne and horror. I particularly noted I knew I’d be surrounded by people who Josh and Lara Dudi, both 27, are holding a party the rabbi saying at the chuppah know exactly how I’m feeling - because they’re to celebrate their engagement. “We that celebrating simchas and happy feeling the same. While we made sure the have been debating whether or not to moments are even more important at a bride and groom had the wedding of their go ahead, “ says Leanne, “but we are and we time like this.” dreams and that the event felt relatively will be donating 50 percent of any financial Daniella and Brian’s son Aeden was ‘normal’, we also took a few moments to pause gifts to support IDF soldiers, Israeli charibarmitzvahed at Yavneh college. Daniella’s and reflect. There was a poignant, emotional ties and displaced families. We wanted to do minute’s silence and singing something to help.” the Hatikvah in unison with Wedding planner Michelle Jacobs of 200 wedding guests was Elegante by Michelle J says: “One of our incredibly meaningful and couples is getting married next weekend and a beautiful, special mark of we are in full final planning mode. Against respect and allegiance.” the very sad backdrop – and we are all Charli, 28, married feeling it – a simcha gives the opportunity to Jonny, 29 at The Landbring family and friends together for a few mark. “There was an electric hours of celebration and joy. atmosphere throughout “As an industry we have all – more or less the wedding,” says Jonny. unanimously – taken a business break from “Everyone celebrated social media. harder than ever and really “Instead of showcasing our work, our posts came together - it was truly have been in support of Israel. However I am amazing.” starting to see this change over the past few Daniel, who went two Georgia and fiancé Tom Dudi and Leanne days as sadly we settle in to the current situaweddings at the weekend, says: tion, possibly for the long term.”

“It was so good to see friends

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19 October 2023 Jewish News 53

www.jewishnews.co.uk

JN LIFE

The determined chief executive of UK Jewish Film tells Brigit Grant why the festival must still go on

“

Michael Etherton

T

hey don’t want to be forgotten.

They don’t want to be pushed aside. And they don’t want all their cultural achievements to be thrown in the bin.” Michael Etherton, chief executive of UK Jewish Film, could not be more emphatic in his support of the Israeli actors and directors who have films at the forthcoming festival.

“They want to feel solidarity beyond Israel,” Etherton continues. “To know that people are still interested in what they are doing, and it’s broader than that, because the film festival is about coming together.

“It’s an opportunity to express our resilience and that’s a very, very important message that we need to give as the Jewish community to the wider public.”

The UK Jewish Film Festival, now in its 27th year, is scheduled to begin on 9 November with a gala screening of One Life, starring Anthony Hopkins, the true story of Nicholas Winton’s rescue of 669 CzechJewish children.

But following the horrific events in Israel on 7 October which led to the deaths of more than 1,400 citizens and 199 people being taken hostage to Gaza, the notion of staging a cultural Jewish festival has raised questions – not least for Etherton, who is a strident supporter of Israel and its creative people, many of whom have

Dana Ivgy

Ania Buckstein and Dana Ivgy in The Other Widow, directed by Ma’ayan Rypp

Yariv Mozer

made the 30-plus films and documentaries in the festival line-up.

Thus after careful consideration and discussion, the chief executive emerges defiant and wants the community to do the same: “We can’t be forced behind locked doors by terrorists. We are Britain’s oldest ethnic minority community and we have to be able to express ourselves and step up... all of us, and that includes the festival.”

And he has been spurred on by the fact “everybody we have invited so far is still coming”. By Ania Bukstein everybody he means the Israelis too, including leading actresses Dana Ivgy and Ania Bukstein who star in Ma’ayan Rypp’s debut feature The Other Widow.

“Dana Igvy is the most recognised awardwinning actress in Israel and she has been on the phone all the time to us because she is determined to come,” Etherton notes.

“She wants her films to be out there. It’s the same for Ania Bukstein. Not one of the filmmakers who are our guest speakers has said they’re uncomfortable to attend and I think that’s admirable. I just hope we can support that and be resilient. We just have to be – it’s not a time for the community to be invisible.”

Soad Saki, who was a huge star in her native Egypt and across the Arab world in the 1940s.

With the actors strike still on, Etherton knows SAG members are not allowed to attend the festival, so there will be none of the lead actors for the One Life screening. However, he says, “we will have stars, because lots of the children Nicholas Winton rescued are coming.

As much older adults obviously now, but that will be special, particularly as we screened the Winton documentary at the Tricycle years ago and he came with his daughter, Barbara, and Esther Rantzen, so One Life isn’t just a screening, it’s personal.”

An Israeli film, Eitan Green’s My Daughter.

My Love starring Shtisel’s Sasson Gabay closes the festival on 19 November in a final show of allegiance to a country in mourning.

“Of course, I don’t know what’s going to happen in the coming weeks. None of us does,” Etherton says. . “But we will do everything in our power to help the Israeli artists be here. Obviously, security is a big issue and we will be stepping it up considerably.

“Lots more security also means it will be a bit slower getting into films than it has been in the past.

“But that has to happen because we want the community to come. I think that’s the message!”

Rabbi Mordechai Vardi

Among Israeli guests planning to attend is Rabbi Mordechai Vardi who is doing a Q&A following the screening of Barren, his film about a young Orthodox couple’s struggle to have a baby. The UK premiere of The Devil’s Confession:The Lost Eichmann Tapes brings documentary director Yariv Mozer, who will be in conversation with The Guardian columnist Jonathan Freedland, while Israeli director Iris Zaki will talk about her Hebrew and Arabic documentary Egypt, A Love Song, about the complicated relationship between Jewish andArab identities and Zaki’s late paternal grandmother, legendary singer and actress Iris Zaki

ukjewishfilm.org/

54 Jewish News 19 October 2023

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55

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Fun, games and prizes

THE JEWISH NEWS CROSSWORD 1

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ACROSS 1 Virtually (11) 9 Quick wash (5) 10 Cooking of a particular country (7)

SUGURU Each cell in an outlined block must contain a digit: a two-cell block contains the digits 1 and 2, a three-cell block contains the digits 1, 2 and 3; and so on. The same digit must not appear in neighbouring cells, not even diagonally.

WORDSEARCH

CODEWORD

The listed units and measurements named after people can all be found in the grid. Words may run either forwards or backwards, in a horizontal, vertical or diagonal direction, but always in a straight, unbroken line.

In this finished crossword, every letter of the alphabet appears as a code number. All you have to do is crack the code and fill in the grid. Replacing the decoded numbers with their letters in the grid will help you to guess the identity of other letters.

D R K E T P L A N C K C R E L

I W V S S G D

O A O B S N

I

A

I

15 9 22

E O

9

U V G F E N S L S H E

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L P O E R W B T M R D

5

O F A H R E N H E M D A S R G H P

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9 12

T R O F U A E B U E O

4

L A T A U Y L

C R E

16

N F S O Y R N E H A T

15

AMPERE

EINSTEIN

GRAY

PLANCK

BEAUFORT

FAHRENHEIT

HENRY

RUTHERFORD

COULOMB

FARAD

OHM

VOLT

CURIE

GILBERT

PASCAL

WEBER

Last issue’s solutions Crossword ACROSS: 7 Unjust 8 Orange 9 Quiz 10 Oaf 11 Crib 12 Negate 14 Enrage 16 Scraps 19 Goggle 21 Sump 23 Ink 24 Rout 25 Fourth 26 Refuge.

DOWN: 1 Infuse 2 Buzz 3 Strobe 4 Coffee 5 Talc 6 Ageing 13 Aga 15 Rig 17 Coupon 18 Smiths 19 Go-kart 20 Lounge 22 Perk 24 Raft.

5 8 9 3 2 6 4 7 1 8 4 3 2 1 5 9 6 7 6 9 8 7 3 4 1 5 2

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B 1

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See next issue for puzzle solutions.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1

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Sudoku 4 3 6 7 1 9 8 5 2 5 6 1 9 8 7 3 2 4 1 7 3 2 9 5 6 4 8

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B A N T C R M T R S N I

16 10

3

T I

12

6

4 1 6 8 1 5 3 7 2 8 3 1 6 7 1 4 8 9 4 2 5 6 2 1 9

DOWN 2 Forest guards (7) 3 Move stealthily (5) 4 White heat (13) 5 Sentient (7) 6 Mendacious (5) 7 Person at the wheel of a lorry (5,6) 8 Disgrace (11) 14 7-a-side game (7) 15 Hierarchical (3-4) 17 Momentary slip (5) 19 Cockerel bred for eating (5)

19

20

Fill the grid with the numbers 1 to 9 so that each row, column and 3x3 block contains the numbers 1 to 9.

11 Devalue (7) 12 Irate emotion (5) 13 Neutral, objective (13) 16 Small bay (5) 18 Pilot’s cabin (7) 20 Solve (7) 21 Picture in an album (5) 22 Trying to be helpful (4,7)

6

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O B

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Suguru 7 1 2 5 4 8 9 6 3 2 9 7 6 3 4 8 5 1 4 2 5 1 8 6 3 7 9

1 2 1 3 4 3 3 4 5 2 5 2 2 1 3 1 4 1 3 4 5 2 3 5 1 2 1 4 1 2 5 4 3 2 3 4

3 2 4 1 4 5 4 1 3 2 3 2 5 2 4 1 4 1 1 3 5 2 5 3 2 4 1 3 4 2 1 3 2 5 1 3

All puzzles © Puzzler Media Ltd - www.puzzler.com

Wordsearch

Codeword

P Y S E W B O I B R N D I S A O R N E G B C

SPASM EV I CT B L C E L S ANORAK AS S I S T T U R S Q E COG NAC T E NURE H H B R AWL E D A I S C OZONE F S QUARRY EXT ENT U J A C E O AMO U N T M E M B E R D L G E L Y ME T E R I DL ED

V I L D T L R I D H R

F A M I L Y J G R O M E M Q U S T G P E S H E R A E N U V T A E E U N I A O J W Q S G L C O L O H U O H K N A L T C I E T P A F O W E E K E N D R A N S T T R A N C I S U M S A

19/10

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