EXCERPTED from David French’s column in today’s NY Times. French is former editor of the late William Buckley’s National Review. The column is brilliant. As is French. The ends do not justify the means. The Trump administration — acting entirely on its own and without seeking congressional approval — decided it was in the best … Continued
By Leah Levane
The last family in the Palestinian village of Yanoun left their home last week, joining a growing list of communities that have been erased from existence through the establishment of Israeli “shepherding outposts” in their place.
After the Bondi Beach attack the French paper Le Monder published an opinion piece by Israeli-French sociologist Eva Illouz, entitled: “Global anti-Semitism has made the whole world a place where Jews are not welcome.”
It was left to Orient XXI to publish a rebuttal by Gilbert Achcar, reposted below.
By Leah Levane
Guardian Editorial on Trump’s coup in Venezuela. The global reaction, especially in Europe, has – with honourable exceptions – been shockingly muted. That’s not due to Mr Maduro’s sins, but fear of Mr Trump’s wrath. The strong reaction from the UN’s secretary general, António Guterres, was welcome, but this episode underscores the institution’s growing irrelevance
Peter Beinart’s immediate reaction to Trump’s kidnapping of Nicolás Maduro is a strong and forthright condemnation. It is wrong, period.
Nor will not stay abroad, merely strengthen the lawlessness people in the US are experiencing at home…
As Keir Starmer stands mute while Donald Trump trashes international law and global norms in Venezuela, Tribune magazine reminds us that Starmer is currently busy reneging on any commitment he may once have had to civil liberties here in the UK.
In three short posts, MJ Rosenberg looks at the orchestrated wave of attacks on Zohran Mamdani.
Israel has no compunction interfering in the affairs of other countries.
Latest is the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, bovver boots and all, accusing Zohran Mamdani of pouring “antisemitic gasoline on an open fire.” It follows an October statement that he “excuses terror and normalizes antisemitism” and “stands with Jews only when they are dead.”….
By Leah Levane
Billionaires raised fortunes against him. The president threatened to strip his citizenship. Mainstream synagogues slandered him as the spawn of Osama Bin Laden and Chairman Mao. But today, Zohran Mamdani became the first socialist mayor of New York City. For all the hysteria, when I look at Mamdani, I didn’t see some radical departure from the past. I see him as the heir to an old and venerable Jewish tradition – that of Yiddish socialism – which helped build New York.
By Leah Levane
Mamdani’s Inaugural speech in full includes: And if for too long these communities have existed as distinct from one another, we will draw this city closer together. We will replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism. If our campaign demonstrated that the people of New York yearn for solidarity, then let this government foster it. Because no matter what you eat, what language you speak, how you pray, or where you come from—the words that most define us are the two we all share: New Yorkers.
By Leah Levane
This is an important but harrowing read focusing on the experience of Palestinian American Mohammed Ibrahim, aged 16, who was incarcerated and tortured by Israel. He is one of many young Palestinians (see, eg here. Mohammed was starved, beaten and left with diseases; he feared he would never be freed. The author makes the point that his freedom was almost certainly because of the pressure from international campaigners and we are left wondering what is happening to other young Palestinian prisoners who do not have dual nationality.