Israel Board Gaza-Bound Activist Aid Boat, Detain Greta Thunberg
Israel intercepted a boat heading for the Gaza Strip on Monday and detained Greta Thunberg along with other pro-Palestinian activists.
Activists from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition chartered the sailboat
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New York Post
31 minutes ago
- New York Post
Inside Israeli Embassy shooter Elias Rodriguez's fan club
Elias Rodriguez is accused of brutally murdering two Israeli embassy staffers — but a sick fan club cheering on his action is growing around him. A twisted online community has exploded supporting the suspected terrorist: Writing him letters in jail, petitioning for his release, and celebrating his crime as part of the so-called 'global intifada.' The Post infiltrated several popular Telegram channels which circulate op-eds, petitions and even stickers in support of the accused murderer. 8 Elias Rodriguez was arrested for allegedly shooting Yaron Lichinsky and Sarah Pilgrim in May. Katie Kalisher via Storyful Rodriguez, 31, is charged with shooting Yaron Lichinsky, 28, and Sarah Pilgrim, 26, late on May 21 as they were leaving a Young Diplomats Reception held at the Capital Jewish Museum in DC. The victims, who were a couple, both worked at the Israeli Embassy. Chicago native Rodriguez is now charged with two counts of first-degree murder and is being held in jail as prosecutors determine a full list of charges against him. Depraved Rodriguez, who had ties to radical left-wing groups, reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack that night while chanting 'Free Palestine' which has since made him the subject of praise online. A video of Rodriguez's arrest posted to Resistance News Network, a pro-Palestinian Telegram channel with more than 165,000 followers, received tremendous positive attention. 404 users reacted with a heart-on-fire emoji, and 192 more with a salute emoji. 8 A message posted to the Tariq el-Tahrir Youth and Student Network Telegram channel encouraged members to post stickers of Rodriguez 'everywhere.' Telegram Individuals on the Tariq el-Tahrir Youth and Student Network Telegram channel were encouraged to print out stickers of Rodriguez and to 'distribute them everywhere! Long live the armed anti-imperialist resistance!' Especially disturbing strings of comments about Rodriguez and racist hate directed towards Lichinsky and Pilgrim were left by members of GAZA NOW IN ENGLISH, a Telegram channel with more than 200,000 members. An image of Rodriguez posted to the channel the day after the attack praised him for, 'in a moment of courage, [deciding] to make his voice heard and [confronting] the murderers with boldness,' despite both of his victims being entirely innocent diplomats. 8 Stickers of Elias Rodriguez were circulated on Telegram groups to be downloaded by users. 8 Reactions on Telegram to Lichinsky and Pilgrim's murder were viciously antisemitic. Telegram 'Great man even though he's a Christian/atheist worm,' one channel member responded. Another wrote, 'Blessed… two zionists off to their promised land in HELL!!!' 'Go go go rodriguesz [sic], another shooter are welcomed,' a third user wrote. Another said, 'This should happen all over the world in each and every country.' Responses to a photo of the two victims were equally depraved. Heart emojis, Palestinian flags, poop emojis, and inverted red triangles, used by Hamas in military footage to indicate an Israeli target before an attack, littered the comment section. 'Welcome to hell,' someone emboldened by their anonymity wrote. Another chimed in, 'Those things are not 'people' they are demons.' 'Thank you… let all iarelist [sic] and zionist be killed,' a commenter added. 'Killing jews ia [sic] service to humanity. Kill more of these terrorist children killers,' someone wrote. 8 Many users on the GAZA NOW IN ENGLISH Telegram channel celebrated the murders. Telegram Multiple Telegram channels, including the United Liberation Front for Palestine and Resistance News Network, circulated a petition to free Rodriguez, written by the anonymous Free Elias Rodriguez Organizing Committee. 'Elias Rodriguez's targeted attack on two israeli [sic] diplomatic staff on May 21, 2025 was a legitimate act of resistance against the zionist state,' it reads, condoning murder on US territory for political ends. 8 Rodriguez's image was photoshopped onto a Palestinian flag, superimposed with a hammer and sickle. Telegram They compare Rodriguez to alleged United Healthcare CEO killer Luigi Mangione, 'whose alleged actions,' the petition argues, 'also helped to balance the scales of justice.' 'We are saying that such counter-violence is legitimate. It is justice. Elias Rodriguez's act was fully justified, at that place where legal and moral duties meet.' 8 Several Telegram groups circulated a petition to free Elias Rodriguez from prison. Telegram Jewish groups have warned that many channels like these are actually seeded and fuelled by Hamas to spread its anti-Israel propaganda. 'The Telegram app has a channel where anyone can find English translations of propaganda from groups like Hamas. It's not necessarily like there's a menu of options from Hamas, it's not that official. They just create online spaces where people can access and circulate their propaganda. 'It serves Hamas by portraying them as a legitimate resistance instead of the bloodthirsty terrorists that they are. It has dangerous consequences and makes people feel like they are not alone in their resistance, which can make them more damaging,' Oren Segal, the Anti-Defamation League's SVP for Counter-Extremism and Intelligence, recently told The Post. 8 A 'zine' version of Khaled Barakat's op-ed was circulated for download on several channels. Telegram Telegram groups, including Resistance News Network, the Tariq el-Tahrir Youth and Student Network, and United Liberation Front for Palestine, which were identified to The Post by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies as especially extreme channels, have also shared an especially inflammatory op-ed celebrating Rodriguez. The piece is written by Khaled Barakat, an individual identified by the US Department of Treasury as a Specially Designated National for his association with the designated terrorist organization Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Published originally in Arabic in a Lebanese newspaper, the piece has been converted into a 'zine' form that Telegram users are circulating in a printable PDF form. Barakat's message reads: 'Rodriguez's operation represents a cry in the face of the American system, and a message that resistance is … an identity, and an ethical and political stance that allows for no compromise.'
Yahoo
38 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Consortium of foreign ministers to sanction two Israeli officials
June 10 (UPI) -- A group of five foreign ministers announced jointly Tuesday that they will put punitive measures into effect for a pair of Israeli government officials for allegedly provoking violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. The foreign ministers of Australia, New Zealand, Norway, Canada and the United Kingdom said through a press release that Israel's Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich and Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir "have incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights." "With today's sanctions, we are sending a clear message that the continued expansion of settlements and acts of extremist settler violence in the West Bank are unacceptable and pose serious obstacles to peace and the realization of a two-state solution," said Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand in a Canadian version of the release. "We resolutely stand with the Israeli and Palestinian peoples and their right to live in peace and security, with dignity and without fear," she added. "Extremist rhetoric advocating the forced displacement of Palestinians and the creation of new Israeli settlements is appalling and dangerous. These actions are not acceptable," continued the joint statement. The ministers also pointed at the two for inciting settler violence against Palestinians with "extremist rhetoric" that they purport calls for Palestinians to be pushed out of their homes, and also inspires human rights abuses, and furthermore discards the idea of having two states. "We are steadfastly committed to the two-state solution, which is the only way to guarantee security and dignity for Israelis and Palestinians and ensure long-term stability in the region, but it is imperiled by extremist settler violence and settlement expansion," the ministers said. "The measures announced today do not deviate from our unwavering support for Israel's security," the ministers added, and they still condemn the attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, but is solely targeted at Smotrich and Ben-Gvir. "Today's measures are targeted towards individuals who in our view undermine Israel's own security and its standing in the world," the statement continued. "We continue to want a strong friendship with the people of Israel based on our shared ties, values and commitment to their security and future." The statement concluded with another reminder, that the ministers also recognize the situation in Gaza, and "continue to be appalled by the immense suffering of civilians, including the denial of essential aid." The five ministers concluded with the insistence that Palestinians are not to be removed from two-statehe West Bank, and that they will keep working with Israel to find a ceasefire, to get all hostages home and get humanitarian aid to Gaza, and said "We want to see a reconstructed Gaza no longer run by Hamas and a political pathway to a two state solution." Israel's foreign minister Gideon Saar has since responded to the statement, and said his country's government will meet next week to discuss a response. "It is outrageous that elected representatives and members of the government are subjected to these kind of measures," Mr. Saar said.
Yahoo
38 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Europe heaps harsh sanctions on Russia, saying ‘strength is the only language' Moscow understands
The European Union announced a new package of sanctions against Russia on Tuesday, saying that Moscow's daily deadly attacks against Ukraine show that it is not interested in peace – despite recent diplomatic efforts. The new package – the 18th since Russia launched its full-scale unprovoked invasion against its neighbor in 2022 – is designed to further target the Kremlin's ability to make money from its oil and gas production. The proposal includes lowering the price cap on Russian oil exports from $60 to $45 per barrel and introducing a full transaction ban on Russian banks and financial institutions in third countries that help Russia circumvent existing sanctions. The EU said it is also proposing a ban on the use of Russian energy infrastructure, forbidding any EU operator from engaging directly or indirectly in any transactions that involve the Nord Stream pipelines. The new package will need to be approved by the EU's 27 member states. That could be complicated given previous concerns raised by some more pro-Kremlin governments, such as Hungary and Slovakia, about further sanctions targeting Russia. While both those countries have previously threatened to block new rounds of sanctions, so far they have ultimately voted in favor of them. The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said the sanctions were necessary 'because strength is the only language that Russia will understand.' 'We want peace for Ukraine. Despite weeks of diplomatic attempts, despite (Ukraine's) President (Volodymyr) Zelensky's offer of an unconditional ceasefire, Russia continues to bring death and destruction to Ukraine. Russia's goal is not peace, it is to impose the rule of might. Therefore, we are ramping up pressure on Russia,' von der Leyen said at a news conference in Brussels. The leaders of Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Poland last month told Russian leader Vladimir Putin to agree to a 30-day ceasefire or face possible 'massive' sanctions. Putin ignored the ultimatum, proposing instead 'direct talks' between Moscow and Kyiv. But two rounds of talks in Istanbul, Turkey, have made it clear Russia is sticking to its maximalist demands that would essentially equate to Ukraine's capitulation. 'Russia's ability to continue the war is equal to its ability to sell their oil and bypass financial barriers,' Zelensky said Tuesday night, calling the European sanctions package 'an important step' and also condemning the lack of similar measures from the United States. 'Russia has been constantly increasing the number of munitions in its strikes. This is a steady trend, and it means that Moscow is not afraid of anyone in the world,' the Ukrainian leader added. 'Putin wants to continue killing and is taking advantage of the fact that he is not getting a strong response. He does not hear Washington. And this speaks volumes to the world, to everyone.' Explaining why the EU has targeted Russia's energy sector, the Commission chief said oil exports still represent one third of Russian government revenues. 'We need to cut this source of revenue,' she said. The oil price cap was introduced by the EU and G7 countries in December 2022. The cap, which applies to Russia's seaborne oil exports, prohibits Western companies from providing shipping, insurance and other services needed to export the fuel unless it is priced below the threshold. By enforcing a price cap, the EU and its allies have tried to diminish a key source of revenue for the Kremlin while still allowing its oil to flow to the global energy market – because cutting Russia's supplies completely could destabilize the market and cause prices to shoot up. Von der Leyen said on Tuesday that the price cap needs lowering because global oil prices had fallen since the cap was first introduced and now trade 'very close' to the $60 level. The price of a barrel of Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, has dropped 18% since the price cap on Russian crude took effect on December 5, 2022. It was trading at almost $68 a barrel late morning Eastern Time (ET) on Tuesday. The bloc also wants to harden sanctions on Russia's banking sector. Shortly after the invasion, the United States, EU, Britain and Canada jointly banned some Russian banks from the SWIFT messaging service – a high-security network connecting thousands of financial institutions around the world. That has made it far more difficult for those banks to send and receive money from abroad. Now, the Commission wants to go a step further and prevent any EU operator, such a a business, from conducting a transaction with a list of sanctioned Russian banks. It also plans to add another 22 of Moscow's banks to that list. Additionally, the bloc wants to extend the transaction ban to financial institutions in third countries that help Russia circumvent existing sanctions. Von der Leyen said the latest package of sanctions will also broaden the current ban on materials and technologies that can be exported to Russia, adding: 'We want to make sure that Russia does not find ways to modernize its weapons with European technologies.' The sanctions will also include new measures against 22 Russian and foreign companies providing direct or indirect support to Russia's military and industrial complex. CNN's Victoria Butenko contributed to this report.
