Latest news with #Shapira
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump must do more to help hostages, says family of Briton killed on Oct 7
Donald Trump, the US president, should not focus his rescue efforts solely on American hostages, the father of a British-Israeli man killed on Oct 7 has said. Aner Shapira, 22, died during a battle with Hamas fighters outside the Nova musical festival while he sheltered with 26 other young Israelis. Despite being unarmed and dressed in just a T-shirt and sandals, Mr Shapira, an off-duty soldier, fought off the terrorists for over 30 minutes by throwing out seven live grenades they had tossed into the bomb shelter he was hiding in. An eighth device fatally wounded him. His parents' renewed plea for the return of all Israeli hostages comes after the release of Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old US citizen, who was freed following direct talks between US officials and Hamas, controversially leaving Israel out of the process. Credit: Telegram/@southfirstresponders Asked whether he trusted Mr Trump more than Israel's leaders to bring about the return of the hostages, Mr Shapira's father Moshe, 54, said: 'The Americans have the ability to rescue people. Sadly, it's not enough to rescue non-American citizens. 'I would have liked to see Trump bring us more hostages. The one government that brings back the hostages, that's the one that should get the credit.' Pressed on whether he believed Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, would secure the release of Israelis held in Gaza, he said: 'We hope. We are begging to see results. The most important thing now is to bring the hostages back. 'I believe that he'll be convinced that this is the wish of the Israeli people. We are a nation that searches for peace and life, not death.' Aner Shapira grew up in the quiet south Jerusalem neighbourhood of Talpiot. He was a keen pianist who recorded his own music in the hope of being a professional musician – often singing about social justice and unity between people. 'He always took a stand', his mother Shira, 50, said. 'If he saw something was not right he felt it was his business to make it better.' When he was in the city's centre, Moshe recalled, he would ask for the names of police officers searching African immigrants for their permits – quizzing them on whether they only stopped them because they were black. Mr Shapira was off duty from his elite combat unit on that fateful Saturday in October. His parents first heard the news about their son's acts from the two people who fled the shelter thanks to his heroism. 'We got a phone call from a female survivor who said: 'It's because of him that I'm alive. He's a hero',' Moshe said. Days later, they received a call from the father of another survivor, who said Mr Shapira had thrown out grenades from the shelter. 'He said: 'Thanks to [Aner] my son is alive'.' However, it was not until video footage emerged that the Shapiras' friends believed the incredible story was true. 'They didn't believe us', Shira said. 'When the videos went viral people told us how amazed they were by what he did. We said: 'We told you!' But they said: 'We didn't believe you'.' In three-hour-long audio footage recorded from the shelter by a woman killed by Hamas, people sheltering described Aner as a 'fighter', Shira said. At one moment, she said, Mr Shapira threw out an unexploded RPG shell from the shelter and people said: 'That is our protector.' Speaking following the launch of an album of Mr Shapira's unreleased songs to celebrate what would have been his 24th birthday, Shira added: 'In the last hour of his life, he chose to be the man like he believed everyone should be: to save lives and care for others that he didn't even know.' The album is called Looking for Love and can be streamed on YouTube. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Cornell student details gathering 5K signatures, raising $28K to drop anti-Israel singer ‘Kehlani'
The president of a pro-Israel group at Cornell University said his organization worked hard to drop anti-Israel singer Kehlani from an end-of-the-year concert at their school. "Everybody has the right to free speech," Netanel Shapira, president of Cornellians for Israel, told Fox News Digital Friday in an interview. "They can say what they want," he added. "The difference here with Kehlani is that her statements are not just anti-Israel, they're just vehemently against Israelis, Jewish people. She spews hate. It's not like a political stance. So that immediately triggered our response, and we immediately reached out to the administration from different fronts, not just from Cornellians for Israel's perspective, from all Jewish communities around the school, people reached out to the administration." Pro-israel Students At Cornell Rip University For Hosting Israel-hating Singer At Upcoming Concert Kehlani has shared numerous anti-Israel messages in her music and on social media in recent years, including a call for an "intifada." One post of hers read, "it's f--- Israel from the top of my lungs. Idc [I don't care] about the f----- threats. DISMANTLE ISRAEL. ERADICATE ZIONISM." Read On The Fox News App Shapira mobilized his organization, Cornellians for Israel, and other friendly organizations on campus, to circulate a petition to get Kehlani removed from headlining Cornell's annual "Slope Day" concert, an event that celebrates the end of the school year. "We kind of took things into our own hands and said, we have to, you know, institute a campaign to pressure the administration and show them that, hey, we Jews and we pro-Israel members of the community are very disappointed in the fact that the school could bring a performer who's this hateful towards us," Shapira said. As concerns about Kehlani were being shared, Shapira said a defining time of the effort came when Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff held a townhall with Jewish students to hear their concerns. "One of the most powerful moments of the story was, he asked, given how hateful her comments have been towards your community, how many of you would not be willing to come to Slope Day," Shapira said. "And the entire room of like close to a hundred people raised their hands. And sort of I could tell on his face, in that moment, that he realized, this administration messed up, something has to be done." Click Here For More Coverage Of Media And Culture In a statement released Wednesday, Kotlikoff said, "Unfortunately, although it was not the intention, the selection of Kehlani as this year's headliner has injected division and discord into Slope Day." "For that reason, I am rescinding Kehlani's invitation and expect a new lineup for a great 2025 Slope Day to be announced shortly." Shapira said that the efforts of the students to cancel Kehlani brought in about 5,000 signatures and raised over $28,000. "The administration kind of had to start paying attention once that started happening," Shapira said. The senior at Cornell University said that once the school announced that Kehlani was being canceled, and that the funds would not be needed for another performer, they gave the option to the donors to get their funds back. "We're super grateful to the whole community," Shapira said. "Almost everyone said, keep the money. You guys did an amazing job, that kind of thing. So we're very grateful as an organization for that." Instead, the funds will be used to host pro-Israel events and speakers. When reached for comment, Cornell University referred Fox News Digital to Kotlikoff's earlier statement announcing the rescinding of Kehlani's invitation. In a video posted on Instagram on Saturday, Kehlani said "I am not antisemitic." "I know you've seen Cornell University cancelled my show, and now there are attempts at other cancellations on top of the cancellations I've already experienced over the past year. If you want to cancel me from opportunity, stand on it being because of your zionism. Don't make it anti-jew. This a played out game. All this because we want people to stop dying. I hope this helps," she wrote in the post with her video. Fox News Digital also reached out to representatives for Kehlani for comment, but did not immediately receive a article source: Cornell student details gathering 5K signatures, raising $28K to drop anti-Israel singer 'Kehlani'
Fox News
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Cornell student details gathering 5K signatures, raising $28K to drop anti-Israel singer ‘Kehlani'
The president of a pro-Israel group at Cornell University said his organization worked hard to drop anti-Israel singer Kehlani from an end-of-the-year concert at their school. "Everybody has the right to free speech," Netanel Shapira, president of Cornellians for Israel, told Fox News Digital Friday in an interview. "They can say what they want," he added. "The difference here with Kalani is that her statements are not just anti-Israel, they're just vehemently against Israelis, Jewish people. She spews hate. It's not like a political stance. So that immediately triggered our response, and we immediately reached out to the administration from different fronts, not just from Cornellians for Israel's perspective, from all Jewish communities around the school, people reached out to the administration." Kehlani has shared numerous anti-Israel messages in her music and on social media in recent years, including a call for an "intifada." One post of hers read, "it's f--- Israel from the top of my lungs. Idc [I don't care] about the f----- threats. DISMANTLE ISRAEL. ERADICATE ZIONISM." Shapira mobilized his organization, Cornellians for Israel, and other friendly organizations on campus, to circulate a petition to get Kehlani removed from headlining Cornell's annual "Slope Day" concert, an event that celebrates the end of the school year. "We kind of took things into our own hands and said, we have to, you know, institute a campaign to pressure the administration and show them that, hey, we Jews and we pro-Israel members of the community are very disappointed in the fact that the school could bring a performer who's this hateful towards us," Shapira said. As concerns about Kehlani were being shared, Shapira said a defining time of the effort came when Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff held a townhall with Jewish students to hear their concerns. "One of the most powerful moments of the story was, he asked, given how hateful her comments have been towards your community, how many of you would not be willing to come to Slope Day," Shapira said. "And the entire room of like close to a hundred people raised their hands. And sort of I could tell on his face, in that moment, that he realized, this administration messed up, something has to be done." In a statement released Wednesday, Kotlikoff said, "Unfortunately, although it was not the intention, the selection of Kehlani as this year's headliner has injected division and discord into Slope Day." "For that reason, I am rescinding Kehlani's invitation and expect a new lineup for a great 2025 Slope Day to be announced shortly." Shapira said that the efforts of the students to cancel Kehlani brought in about 5,000 signatures and raised over $28,000. "The administration kind of had to start paying attention once that started happening," Shapira said. The senior at Cornell University said that once the school announced that Kehlani was being canceled, and that the funds would not be needed for another performer, they gave the option to the donors to get their funds back. "We're super grateful to the whole community," Shapira said. "Almost everyone said, keep the money. You guys did an amazing job, that kind of thing. So we're very grateful as an organization for that." Instead, the funds will be used to host pro-Israel events and speakers. When reached for comment, Cornell University referred Fox News Digital to Kotlikoff's earlier statement announcing the rescinding of Kehlani's invitation. In a video posted on Instagram on Saturday, Kehlani said "I am not antisemitic." "I know you've seen Cornell University cancelled my show, and now there are attempts at other cancellations on top of the cancellations I've already experienced over the past year. If you want to cancel me from opportunity, stand on it being because of your zionism. Don't make it anti-jew. This a played out game. All this because we want people to stop dying. I hope this helps," she wrote in the post with her video. Fox News Digital also reached out to representatives for Kehlani for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Yahoo
Berlin man jailed over anti-Semitic attack on Jewish student
A 24-year-old man from Berlin has been sentenced to three years in prison for an attack on a Jewish student. The Tiergarten District Court found the defendant, formerly a fellow student at the Free University of Berlin, guilty of grievous bodily harm and found anti-Semitism was the motive for the attack. Prosecutor Tim Kaufmann, who had demanded a sentence of two years and four months for the defendant, said the attack on student Lahav Shapira was an example of "anti-Semitic violence." "Lahav Shapira was attacked because he is Jewish and campaigned against anti-Semitism," Kaufmann added. Shapira, now 32 years old, was attacked outside a bar in the central Mitte district on February 2, 2024. The defendant admitted following Shapira as he left the venue and attacking him, arguing that the act was "not about politics" but due to Shapira's behaviour in a WhatsApp group and his tearing down of a poster at the university. The 24-year-old, whose parents are from Lebanon, apologized to Shapira shortly before the verdict was handed down. "I am sorry to have caused you pain," he said. According to the verdict, the defendant knocked down Shapira with his fist and kicked him in the face, leaving the Jewish student with a complex facial fracture and a brain haemorrhage. Shapira appeared as a witness earlier in the trial, explaining how he was forced to "lock himself at home for several weeks" after suffering severe injuries.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Yahoo
Spaniel stolen by Hamas rescued by Israeli military
A Cavalier King Charles spaniel feared abducted by Hamas in the Oct 7 attacks has been rescued in Gaza 18 months later. The female dog, called Billy, is reported to have run towards Israeli troops operating in the southern city of Rafah after hearing them speaking Hebrew. The three-year-old pet belongs to Rachel Dancyg, whose ex-husband Alex Dancyg was abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz and murdered in captivity. Notices were put up after the massacre and a website was launched dedicated to finding the dog, which went missing after the Hamas attack on the kibbutz, but nothing was heard until its reappearance a year and a half later. The soldier reported to have found Billy was Aviad Shapira, who has served more than 300 days in Gaza since the beginning of the war between Israel and Hamas. He told Israel's Channel 12 that Billy ran into his arms when he and his unit were operating in Rafah, which has been cleared of civilians by the Israel Defense Forces to become part of a 'buffer zone'. The soldier said that he cared for the dog for four days, then insisted on being allowed to take it out of Gaza. Billy spent Passover Seder, the traditional Jewish dinner, with Mr Shapira and his family, and was then taken to a vet. It was at this point that the animal was found to have a microchip implant, confirming it belonged to the Dancyg family. The dog was due to be reunited with its owner on Wednesday. Yaron Maor, Ms Dancyg's son-in-law, told Ynet, an Israeli news outlet: 'We are in complete shock and overwhelmed with emotion to see her tomorrow. We didn't believe she had survived. 'We got the kids another dog of the same breed. Now the two dogs will live together with us. It's a miracle from heaven.' The website dedicated to finding Billy said: 'Our beloved Billy was the heart of the cousins' gatherings at Grandma's house. We love her and miss her dearly.' The story came to light after the account of Billy's rescue was posted on Facebook. Hanoch Daum wrote: 'Want to hear a story? A is in the reserves in Gaza. 'A purebred dog came out of the rubble and came to him. He took her and today we checked her and she has a chip. 'She is from Nir Oz. She heard Hebrew and came out. We are trying to call the owner. I pray that someone will bring her back.' Nir Oz, 400 metres from the Gaza perimeter, was one of the hardest hit communities on Oct 7, with 117 of its 400 residents either kidnapped or killed. A picture shows Mr Shapira standing in the ruins of Rafah, his face obscured, holding the dog. The city has now been absorbed into Israel's expanded buffer zone, thought to comprise around one third of the entire Gaza Strip. At least 11 Palestinians have been killed in the military assault there since Tuesday, according to the Hamas-controlled health ministry in Gaza. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
