Jewish Agency Claims Significant Increase in Anti-semitism

Jewish protesters in Austin carry a banner against Zionism (EPA)
Jewish protesters in Austin carry a banner against Zionism (EPA)
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Jewish Agency Claims Significant Increase in Anti-semitism

Jewish protesters in Austin carry a banner against Zionism (EPA)
Jewish protesters in Austin carry a banner against Zionism (EPA)

The number of attacks against Jews has doubled in various countries of the world, especially in the US, France, Britain, Germany, and other European countries since Oct. 07 and the ongoing war on the Gaza Strip, according to a report by the Jewish Agency.
The report said the attacks were “anti-semitic,” but it did not address the attacks on Arabs and Muslims in Western countries, who are Semites and are subject to attacks from local extremist right-wing forces.
The attacks against Muslims and Arabs have doubled since Oct. 7 and the Israeli war against Gaza.
The report also did not distinguish between the protests against the Jews and that against war, the massive destruction, and mass killing in the Strip, in an intentional move to portray the Jews as victims and present the attack on Gaza as a defense.
The report, issued on the eve of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, reported that 2023 witnessed a 10% rise in attacks on Jews, but these attacks jumped to record proportions with the outbreak of war; it increased by 337% in the US, 410% in France, 512% in Britain, and 320% in Germany.
Globally, the number of attacks increased by 235%.
For example, the report monitored the following events in the United States in 2023: a 1,200% increase in the number of posts on social media calling for violence against Jews and Israelis and a 540% rise in the number of warnings about planting an explosive device in Jewish headquarters.
Polls showed that 54% of Jewish university students in the US said they do not feel safe since the war in Gaza.
It stated that the practices carried out by several young men who participated in the Hamas attack on Jewish towns had devastating effects, leading to a wave of anger worldwide.
But when Israel responded with war on Gaza and terrifying pictures of civilian victims in the Gaza Strip began to spread, demonstrations of solidarity with the Palestinians broke out.
As a result, Jews, Arabs, and Muslims were subjected to attacks by extremists.
The Israeli government began to consider public protests against military practices as anti-Semitic.
Israel ignored the protests against its war on the enclave. Many Jews denounced the attacks on Palestinians, raising the slogan “Not in our name,” refusing to wage such a war against civilians in the name of the Jews.



Iraqi PM Rejects Foreign Calls to Dismantle PMF

Iraqi PM Mohammed Shia al-Sudani receives Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto and his accompanying delegation in Baghdad on Saturday. (Iraqi prime minister’s office)
Iraqi PM Mohammed Shia al-Sudani receives Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto and his accompanying delegation in Baghdad on Saturday. (Iraqi prime minister’s office)
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Iraqi PM Rejects Foreign Calls to Dismantle PMF

Iraqi PM Mohammed Shia al-Sudani receives Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto and his accompanying delegation in Baghdad on Saturday. (Iraqi prime minister’s office)
Iraqi PM Mohammed Shia al-Sudani receives Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto and his accompanying delegation in Baghdad on Saturday. (Iraqi prime minister’s office)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani stressed his rejection of “foreign dictates or pressure” calling for the dismantling of the pro-Iran Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).

Speaking to state television, he said the PMF was turned into a state institution according to a 2014 law that was ratified by parliament.

“It is unacceptable to make demands and impose conditions on Iraq, especially when it comes to dismantling the PMF,” he declared.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had stirred controversy during a meeting with Sudani earlier this month when he called for dismantling the PMF and other armed factions.

Meanwhile, the Iraqi security and defense committee urged the recruitment of more soldiers to the army as Baghdad warily eyes the developments in Syria in wake of the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

Iraq is bracing for a possible fallout from the ouster on its own country, especially with the possibility of the reemergence of the ISIS terrorist group.

The Defense Ministry is in need of 25,000 to 30,000 recruits, said the security and defense committee, noting that no new members have been recruited since 2017.

Sudani said his government was assessing the situation in neighboring Syria and will take the necessary measures as developments unfold there.

He stressed the need to help the Syrian people run their country’s affairs without any foreign meddling or infringement on Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.