Middle East

White House Studies Blanket Pardons for Trump’s and Patel’s Political Enemies

The Biden administration is having internal discussions led by White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients and legal counsel Ed Siskel about issuing preemptive pardons for political figures presumed to be on FBI Director-designate Kash Patel’s enemy list, according to Politico and The Washington Post. [SDJW staff]

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Antisemitism, Business & Finance, California, International, Israel, Middle East, News Media, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Trump to Hamas: Release the Hostages or There Will Be All Hell to Pay

Regarding the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump issued a threat on social media calling for them to be released before he assumes office Jan. 20, 2025, or “there will be all hell (his emphasis) to pay in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against humanity. Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America.” {SDJW staff]

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International, Israel, Middle East, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Bill Introduced to End Federal Funding to Universities that Support BDS

Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-New Jersey) and Virginia Foxx (R-North Carolina) on Tuesday introduced a bill requiring a cut-off of federal funds to any institution of higher education that engages in a commercial boycott of Israel. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel, Middle East, News Media, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

The Jewish Citizen: Israel and Hezbollah Agree to a Ceasefire

Israel’s Security Cabinet on Tuesday approved “in principle” a ceasefire with Lebanon, requiring Hezbollah forces to move north of the Litani River, about 18 miles from Israel’s border, while Israel would withdraw its forces to south of the border.  [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel, Middle East, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

OpEd: Ghahremani’s Execution Underscores Iran’s Persecution of Jews

The story of Arvin Nathaniel Ghahremani is a haunting reminder of the challenges faced by Jews in Iran. In 2022, at the age of 18, Ghahremani found himself in a violent altercation that would ultimately cost him his life, not because of justice, but because of systemic prejudice.  [Miriam Gershenson]

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Antisemitism, Israel, Middle East, Miriam Gershenson, Staff and Bylined Contributors

The Jewish Citizen: Chabad Rabbi Slain in the United Arab Emirates

The body of murder victim Chabad Rabbi Zvi Kogan was recovered Sunday in the United Arab Emirates, and that nation’s Interior Ministry announced the arrest of three suspects, giving no further details. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Business & Finance, California, Donald H. Harrison, Israel, Jewish Religion, Middle East, News Media, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

The Jewish Citizen: U.S. Congress Members Express Alarm over Turkey Cozying up to Hamas

Eleven Jewish members of Congress are among 39 urging “immediate classified briefings” from Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines on the implications of Turkey providing a haven for the leaders of Hamas. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel, Middle East, News Media, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Mordechai Kedar: West’s Individualism, Secularism clash with Mideast’s Religiosity, Tribalism

Kedar also shed light on the complex alliances and rivalries shaping the region. He highlighted the strained relationship between Iran and its proxies, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, which has been exacerbated by Israel’s recent military successes. He predicted that the Middle East’s geopolitical landscape could shift further after January 20, aligning with potential changes in U.S. administration policies [Miriam Gershenson]

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Israel, Middle East, Miriam Gershenson, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Israeli Scholar Proposes ‘8-Emirates Solution’ for Palestinians

Dr. Mordechai Kedar, a Middle Eastern affairs expert, is no stranger to innovative and bold proposals for resolving long standing regional conflicts. Among his most discussed ideas is the 8-State Solution, or as he quickly clarifies, the “8 Emirates Solution.” During our conversation, he provided an in-depth explanation of the concept, grounded in his extensive experience and understanding of Middle Eastern geopolitics and sociology. [Miriam Gershenson]

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Israel, Middle East, Miriam Gershenson, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Israeli Scholar Explains Religious Conflicts Between Jews and Muslims

Kedar emphasized that Islam views Judaism as having been nullified twice—first by Christianity and then by Islam itself. This ideological framework, Kedar argued, underpins much of the hostility toward Israel and the Jewish people in the Middle East today. According to this belief, the existence of Jews with their own land, military, and rights is an incomprehensible anomaly to the Islamic world. [Miriam Gershenson]

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Antisemitism, Israel, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Miriam Gershenson, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors

OpEd: Standing Together Through It All

Then there are the times when you are trying to get into a parking garage and the pro-Palestinians surrounding your vehicle are bashing their fists on your car doors, banging on your car window, chopping huge protest signs on your hood, and then laying it on your windshield so you cannot see to drive forward. [Barrett Holman Leak]

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Antisemitism, Barrett Holman Leak, Israel, Lifestyles, Middle East, Opinion, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

The Jewish Citizen: 14 Jewish Congressmembers Want House Ethics Committee to Release Gaetz Report

Nearly 100 Democratic members of the House of Representatives have urged the House Ethics Committee, which meets on Wednesday, to publicly release its report on former Rep. Matt Gaetz, whom President-elect Trump has nominated for the job of U.S. Attorney General. Prior to Gaetz’s resignation from Congress last week, the committee had been investigating Gaetz for sex and drug offenses, among other allegations. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Antisemitism, Donald H. Harrison, Israel, Middle East, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA