‘Pro-Israel' label does not do radical list-makers justice
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As a progressive Zionist, I believe in Israel's right to exist. However, I find the policies of its current government abhorrent and believe Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his extreme right-wing government are destroying Israel.
Betar promotes a narrow vision of Zionism that alienates many Jews and Israelis who believe in democracy, coexistence, and pluralism. At a time when antisemitism has become commonplace, it is crucial that newspapers be careful about how organizations like this are portrayed.
Thea Breite
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Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
West Bank mayor urges action as illegal entries into Area A endanger lives
"Failure to enforce the law that prohibits Israelis from entering Area A could lead to the next attack, which I want to prevent," the mayor of Karnei Shomron said. In Israel, traffic is everywhere, but in the West Bank, traffic can be deadly. A car stuck in traffic is literally a 'sitting duck' for a shooter, Molotov cocktail thrower, or rock thrower on the hunt. To bring attention to the problem, the mayor of Karnei Shomron, Yonatan Kuznitz, 'moved his office' to the entrance of Kalkilya. He says the problem begins with the big red sign. Kalkilya is a sizable Arab city designated as 'Area A' that borders Kfar Saba as well as Jewish villages like Alfei Menashe and Tzufim, beyond the Green Line. A big red sign in front of every Area A village reads, 'The Entrance for Israeli Citizens is Forbidden, Dangerous to Your Lives, and is Against Israeli Law.' Why, then, asks Kuznitz, are there hundreds of cars filled with Israeli Arab citizens clogging access to the checkpoint, blocking the turnoff to Kalkilya and causing standstill traffic in both directions that sometimes snakes up all the way up Route 55 to the Maale Shomron circle. Especially on Fridays, Saturdays, and holidays like Eid al-Adha (June 6-8), Arab-Israelis enter Kalkilya to visit with relatives and shop in the tax-free Area A city where the prices are much lower than on their side of the Green Line. If entry to the city of Kalkilya is prohibited to Israeli citizens, asks Kuznitz, why are Arab-Israeli citizens exempt from the law? The sign doesn't lie. Area A is dangerous for Israeli citizens. Last year, Amnon Muchtar, a 67-year-old Israeli man from Petah Tikva, was shot and killed in Kalkilya on June 22, 2024, while purchasing produce for his vegetable stall. Two months later, an Israeli Jew was shot and seriously wounded near a car repair shop in the same Palestinian Authority-controlled city. 'After the war, another crossing, Maavar Ayal (near Kochav Yair) was closed,' explains Kuznitz. 'This was the standard crossing for cars and for PA workers who worked inside the Green Line. Visiting Israeli Arabs used to get in through that crossing as well. Since the crossing has been closed, traffic has been building. Especially with Tulkarm and Jenin experiencing army operations and becoming a war zone, Israeli Arabs avoid it. Since Kalkilya is the closest and safest place for to shop and bring family, the visiting crowds have increased.' When Kuznitz confronted the army, they indicated that it was inhumane to keep Arab Israelis from visiting their families. Kuznitz suggested putting cameras in the entrances to Kalkilya and fining the Israeli cars that enter. This was opposed by the legal system, which won't let that happen because a law like that must apply to all cars crossing, not just Israeli Arabs. "The next attack is around the corner - it's time to stop and enforce the illegal entry of israeli citizens into Palestinian villages in Area A,' he wrote in a Facebook post. "Failure to enforce the law that prohibits Israelis from entering Area A could lead to the next attack, which I want to prevent," Kuznitz clarifies. 'The massive entry of Israeli citizens into Palestinian villages every weekend leads to enormous congestion at the crossings, which creates huge traffic jams without any security on the roads. Vehicles stand in traffic jams for hours, in a threatening and intimidating environment. Standing on the road for hours without security is fertile ground for the next attack, God forbid." Kuznitz said, "The ones responsible for prohibiting the entry of Israelis into Area A is the IDF. The time has come to change the military directive on the subject, a decision that must be made at the highest levels in the army. We must understand that this problem creates immediate dangers for the residents of the entire central Samaria region,' warns Kuznitz. "I call on the most senior officials in the IDF to change their approach and not allow Israelis to enter Area A, which is against the law." "I moved my office here, on Highway 55 near the entrance to Kalkilya, a central location where crowds of Israeli citizens come every weekend for shopping trips and family visits, to put an end to a phenomenon that endangers the residents of the area and threatens all Israeli citizens. It's time to stop this now." Tzufim, the town closest to Kalkilya (besides Kfar Saba, which is only separated from the by Route 6) has a checkpoint which is strictly monitored by the army. All non-residents who are not visiting specific families are prohibited from entering. Tzufim's strict rules do not allow a detour for those seeking to avoid the Maavar bottlenecks. While work being done on the roads include a project to double the road going from the Jit junction on Route 55 down to where 55 merges into Route 444, a bypass road beyond the town of Nabi Elias, another bypass road in Huwara and one under construction in the stretch of 55 that goes through the town of Funduq, where three were killed, and eight injured in January 2025 when armed terrorists ambushed a bus, an example of traffic aiding and abetting terrorist attacks. While bypass roads do not restrict Arab drivers, but reroute traffic away from busy pedestrian-filled main thoroughfares. Kuznitz points out that in the West Bank, where roads are shared, traffic can create security problems. He blames the army, but the army shifts the blame to the Civil Administration, who, in spite of the law, look the other way when Arab-Israeli civilians show up at Area A checkpoints. An army spokesperson declined to comment on the situation, although he confirmed that the law against entering Arab villages in Area A applies unilaterally to all Israeli citizens, not just Jews. When asked why, then, Arab-Israeli citizens are being permitted to enter Area A cities, the army spokesperson suggested speaking with the Civil Administration spokesperson. Upon contacting the Civil Administration spokesperson, they suggested contacting the Army spokesperson. And this, says Kuznitz, is precisely the problem. No one is taking responsibility for the unfair and potentially dangerous situation. On June 4, Mayors Eliyahu Gafni of Emmanuel, Uziel Vatva of Kedumim, Yonatan Kuznits of Karnei Shomron, Israel Ganz of Yehuda/Shomron, and Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan, all submitted a letter warning that illegal entries into Area A place residents of the area at risk and endanger public order. 'We request that immediate action be taken to stop illegal entries into Area A and to include drastic measures to enforce order and security in the area, including increased patrols by the army and police to prevent illegal access and reduce the severe traffic congestion.' Kuznitz called upon the IDF and security authorities to strictly enforce the ban on entry into Area A. He added, 'Effective enforcement is not only a matter of law — it is a matter of life and death. We must act now to protect our residents and prevent a tragedy before it happens.'
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Boulder attack suspect faces 118 state-level criminal charges
Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty addresses the media outside the Boulder County Justice Center in a June 5, 2025 press conference. (Screenshot from City of Boulder livestream) The man accused of attacking a group of demonstrators with incendiary devices on Boulder's Pearl Street Mall returned to court on Thursday, where prosecutors charged him with 118 criminal counts that could add up to a prison sentence of hundreds of years. The suspect, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, appeared for a brief administrative hearing at the Boulder County Jail. A preliminary hearing in his state case was set for July 15. Three victims in the attack remained hospitalized as of Thursday, Boulder officials said, while other victims met with law enforcement at the Boulder County Justice Center. Authorities have identified a total of 15 victims in the attack, some of whom experienced an attempted assault and did not sustain injuries. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty said in a news conference following the hearing that the charges against the defendant include 14 counts of attempted murder with intent, and 14 counts of attempted murder with extreme indifference. Other charges include attempted assault, the use of an incendiary device and the attempted use of an incendiary device, as well as an animal cruelty charge for a dog that sustained injuries during the attack. 'The charges reflect the evidence that we have regarding this horrific attack that took place, and the seriousness of it,' Dougherty said. The suspect allegedly told police that he targeted a demonstration on Boulder's Pearl Street Mall held by Run For Their Lives, which organizes events calling for the immediate release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, because he wanted to 'kill all Zionist people.' He also faces a federal hate crime charge, and is set to make his first appearance in federal court on Friday. Additional federal charges are expected to follow. Federal authorities say the suspect, a Colorado Springs resident, was living in the U.S. unlawfully after overstaying a visa that expired in 2023. A federal judge in Denver has temporarily blocked the deportation of his wife, Hayam El Gamal, and their five children, after the Department of Homeland Security announced that it had taken them into custody and was 'processing (them) for removal proceedings from the U.S.' Dougherty said that he was 'absolutely committed' to fully prosecuting the defendant in the U.S. 'Obviously, making sure he remains in the country is a top priority, so that he can be fully prosecuted and held fully responsible,' Dougherty said. 'And I know the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Federal Bureau investigation and the Boulder Police Department — not to speak for them, but I think we're all equally committed to that goal.' Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn said during Thursday's press conference to expect enhanced security and a 'very visible law enforcement presence' at Sunday's Boulder Jewish Festival, which was planned long in advance of the attack and will take place on the same block of the Pearl Street Mall where it occurred. 'We are bringing in SWAT elements, we will have drones, we will have a lot of people there,' Redfearn said. 'We want people to feel safe, we want people to feel at ease, and right now the best way we can do that is ensure that we have a large number of officers there to be ready to respond to anything.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
New York Post
9 hours ago
- New York Post
Zohran Mamdani's anti-Israel stance disqualifies him AND anyone who supports him
Zohran Mamdani couldn't even pretend he supports Israel's right to exist as actually Israel: Bad as everyone was on stage at the first Democratic mayoral debate, he disqualifies himself with that stance alone. And, incidentally, exposes anyone who endorses him as perfectly fine with promoting antisemitism. That includes not only Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who's tried to distance herself a tad from her most viscerally antisemitic Squad-mates but still endorsed Mamdani the day after the debate, but also state Sen. John Liu, who announced his support even as he insisted they disagreed on Israel. Sorry, John: When Jews are being gunned down in our nation's capital, and firebombed at a peaceful Boulder vigil, it's no time to set aside that difference. As for the debate, it was a mess of an event the Campaign Finance Board set up: Too many candidates onstage jockeying for time; too many moderators doing the same — producing an obsessive focus on 'differences' most voters don't care about. At least they got to the Gaza war near the end of the two-hour affair, with a discussion that led Mamdani to declare, 'I believe Israel has a right to exist' — but when the moderator prompted, 'As a Jewish state?' he replied merely, 'As a state with equal rights.' As others quickly pointed out, that's not Israel's right to exist at all. 'There are 22 Arab Muslim states. In Mamdani's world, there isn't room for one Jewish state. He doesn't want a Jewish State,' notes Joseph Potasnik of the New York Board of Rabbis. Mamdani's dodge comes as no surprise; he has proudly denounced the war against Hamas and his Democratic Socialists go even further, with one faction even cheering last month's Jew-targeting DC assassin. No, this isn't the only reason for New Yorkers to reject Mamdani's candidacy; his 'free stuff' agenda would devastate the city's housing stock and indeed its entire economy. But the Israel issue counts big: Mamdani wouldn't even put his name on an Assembly resolution denouncing the Holocaust. Early voting starts June 14; primary day is June 24: If you're a registered Democrat, make a point of supporting only your picks among the other candidates.
