Maccabee Task Force

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier delivered a clear message against antisemitism, including a warning that Jew-hatred is increasingly disguised as criticism of Israel. Legitimate criticism of Israeli government policies is not hatred, but trying to deny the Jewish people’s right to self-determination and Israel’s right to exist is. At a time when Jewish communities across the world are facing rising hostility, it matters when leaders draw this distinction clearly and speak out against Jew-hatred. Thank you, President Steinmeier, for making that message heard on a global stage.

Four school buses used to transport Jewish children in Brooklyn were vandalized with swastikas and antisemitic messages, prompting the NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force to open an investigation. The buses, serving local Jewish schools in Williamsburg, were spray-painted with Nazi symbols alongside hateful messages targeting Israel and the Jewish community. No arrests have been reported, and investigators are reviewing the incident. Targeting the buses that carry Jewish children to school is an act of intimidation aimed at an entire community. No child should have to encounter Nazi symbols and antisemitic attacks on their way to school.

University of Michigan Hillel is condemning an antisemitic message shared by a member of the university’s Chi Psi fraternity in a group chat. The message mocked the Holocaust by suggesting “HallowCaust” as a possible Halloween party name and using the phrase “gassed up” to describe the event. The message trivialized one of history’s greatest atrocities and demonstrated a disturbing disregard for the suffering of the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust. Hillel has called for transparent accountability and public condemnation from university Greek life leadership. Mocking the Holocaust is not humor or a party theme. It is an attack on Jewish trauma and memory, and a profound disrespect to the victims and survivors whose experiences should never be trivialized. Universities and student organizations must make clear that antisemitism in any form has no place in campus life.

Federal prosecutors have charged four additional defendants in an alleged coordinated campaign of threats, vandalism, and intimidation targeting Detroit’s Jewish community, University of Michigan leadership, law enforcement, and others perceived to have ties to Israel. The superseding indictment brings the total number of defendants charged to 12. According to prosecutors, the alleged campaign targeted the Jewish Federation of Detroit, University of Michigan officials, a campus police lieutenant, a student, and businesses perceived to be connected to Israel. Investigators allege that conspirators broke windows, vandalized property, threw glass jars containing noxious chemicals into family homes, and marked homes and workplaces with red inverted triangles and other symbols associated with Hamas. Prosecutors say the broader objective was to intimidate the University of Michigan and other institutions into severing perceived ties with Israel, with threats of escalating retaliation if their demands were not met. These are allegations, and the defendants are entitled to due process. But no one should have to fear threats against their home or family because they are Jewish, support Israel, or are merely perceived to have a connection to it. Political disagreement never justifies threats, intimidation, vandalism, or violence.

When asked to choose between Israel and the Islamic Republic of Iran regime in the event of another war, a young Somalilander did not hesitate. “Israel is our brother who has not betrayed us, so we are always shoulder to shoulder with them.” His words reflect the strong solidarity being expressed by many in Somaliland toward Israel and the growing relationship between the two nations. At a time when Israel faces hostility and pressure from across the region, it is meaningful to hear voices from the Muslim world speak openly about friendship, loyalty, and standing together. Friendship is measured not only in words, but in who stands beside you when it matters. Thank you, Somaliland.

After surviving 505 days in Hamas captivity, Omer Shem Tov returned to the site where his life changed forever to thank @BoyGeorge for standing with Israel. Omer was kidnapped from the Nova music festival on October 7 and endured hundreds of days of brutal captivity in Gaza. Speaking to Boy George on what was only his second visit to the memorial site since coming home, he emphasized how much the singer’s solidarity means, especially at a time when publicly supporting Israel can come with significant professional and personal consequences. Boy George chose to use his international platform to remember the victims of October 7, stand with survivors, and bring their stories to audiences around the world. He expressed that what frightened him most was the people trying to deny the massacre. Thank you, Boy George, for showing up, speaking out, and standing with the Nova community. And thank you, Omer, for reminding the world why that solidarity matters.

US President Donald Trump says the United States will end its $4 billion in annual military aid to Israel by the end of 2026, under an agreement he says he reached with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump argued that Israel no longer needs the financial assistance, while emphasizing that the United States would continue selling weapons to Israel and provide help if needed. The existing 10-year US-Israel military aid agreement, worth $38 billion, runs through 2028. It remains unclear how the proposed change would be implemented, and there has been no official public confirmation of the details from Netanyahu’s office. Israel has long been one of America’s closest strategic allies. Its intelligence, military technology, and operational capabilities contribute to the security of both countries. The future of US-Israel defense cooperation deserves serious discussion, grounded in the mutual strategic value of the alliance.

For the first time, the investigative documentary UNraveling UNRWA was screened inside United Nations headquarters, with dozens of diplomats in attendance. The film examines UNRWA’s 75-year history and the serious controversies surrounding the agency, including allegations of corruption, Hamas infiltration, and the involvement of UNRWA personnel in terrorism. It draws on archival material and interviews with former UNRWA officials, researchers, and other experts. The screening was organized by Israel’s delegation to the UN under Ambassador Danny Danon, bringing these questions directly before diplomats representing the international community. And those questions are not theoretical. A UN investigation found that nine UNRWA employees may have been involved in the October 7 attacks and terminated their employment. More recently, a U.S. government investigation referred more than 100 current and former UNRWA employees for possible suspension or debarment over alleged participation in October 7 and/or affiliation with Hamas’s military wing. For years, Israel has warned about Hamas’s exploitation of UNRWA personnel and facilities. The scale of the allegations now demands serious scrutiny, transparency, and accountability. An agency entrusted with educating children and delivering humanitarian aid cannot tolerate personnel who participate in terrorism or maintain ties to terrorist organizations. When credible evidence emerges, it must be investigated—and those responsible must be held accountable. As Ambassador Danon said ahead of the screening: “This is a reality that can no longer be ignored.”

As the UK government moves to strengthen protections against antisemitism in schools, it is facing a legal challenge over its decision to encourage schools and colleges to adopt the IHRA working definition of antisemitism. The Good Law Project has sent a pre-action letter to the Department for Education, arguing that use of the definition could restrict freedom of expression and legitimate criticism of Israel. The government’s decision followed Sir David Bell’s independent review of antisemitism in English schools and colleges, which found antisemitism to be a significant and growing problem. Nearly three in five Jewish pupils aged 16-19 surveyed said they had experienced or witnessed antisemitism. The IHRA definition is a non-legally binding framework intended to help identify antisemitism, including contemporary forms involving Israel. It also explicitly states that criticism of Israel comparable to criticism directed at any other country is not antisemitic. Critics of the definition argue that some of its examples could discourage legitimate political speech. Supporters say it gives educators clearer tools for recognizing when criticism of Israel crosses into antisemitism. Jewish students deserve schools where antisemitism is recognized and confronted, while legitimate political discussion remains possible. The challenge now is ensuring that schools can do both.

Former Israeli Ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer expressed that Israel’s partnership with America serves America’s own national interests, but a leader who refuses to serve America’s interests is the most dangerous of them all. In a newly shared video, Dermer discusses the possibility that a future US president may be hostile toward Israel. He argues that this is something that can be addressed by demonstrating the critical value of its intelligence and security cooperation with the United States. What concerns him far more is the prospect of an anti-American president in the White House. His point is that the US-Israel alliance isn’t about political leaders or personal affinity. It’s built on shared strategic interests, intelligence, technology, and security. The relationship benefits both countries. Understanding that mutual value is essential to preserving it, regardless of who is living in the White House.

An extraordinary show of solidarity with Israel in Lima, Peru. 🇵🇪🇮🇱 Tens of thousands of people gathered for the March of Life, bringing together evangelical Christians, members of Peru’s Jewish community, and friends of Israel to honor the memory of the Holocaust, stand against antisemitism, and express their support for Israel. Thousands of miles from Jerusalem, the gathering sent a powerful message: Israel and the Jewish people have friends around the world who refuse to remain silent in the face of antisemitism and hatred. At a time when Jewish communities around the world are confronting rising hostility, displays of solidarity like this matter. Thank you to the people of Peru – and especially the evangelical Christian community that turned out in such extraordinary numbers — for standing with Israel and the Jewish people. 🇵🇪🇮🇱❤️

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar hosted Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister Zhaslan Madiyev in Jerusalem. The deputy PM is leading a high-level delegation of more than 50 senior government officials and representatives of state-owned companies. Madiyev is the most senior Kazakh official to visit Israel in a decade. The visit includes a meeting of the Israel–Kazakhstan Joint Economic Committee, alongside discussions with Israeli leaders and institutions working in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, space, innovation and technology. Following President Isaac Herzog’s and Foreign Minister Sa’ar’s visits to Kazakhstan earlier this year, this high-level delegation reflects growing momentum in the relationship between the two countries. From diplomacy to innovation and economic development, Israel and Kazakhstan are furthering functional partnerships in areas of opportunity for both nations.

A disturbing antisemitic image involving a student at Merrick Avenue Middle School on Long Island is now under police investigation. The photo, recently posted to social media, shows a large swastika drawn across the student’s back alongside an explicit anti-Jewish message. According to NBC New York, the student said the markings were drawn by friends while he was asleep over the summer. After the image surfaced online, school officials took disciplinary action and notified Nassau County Police. Detectives have since visited both the school and the student’s home, and the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District says it is cooperating with the investigation. Whatever the circumstances in which the image was created, swastikas and messages expressing hatred toward Jews cannot be dismissed as harmless behavior or a joke. Young people need to understand what these symbols and words represent, and schools and communities have a responsibility to confront antisemitism when it appears.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has reached a settlement with the U.S. Departments of Justice and Education resolving 18 active civil rights investigations and a separate Justice Department compliance review, including scrutiny of antisemitism on campus. Under the agreement, UNC must provide mandatory antisemitism training to all students, faculty, and staff; strengthen procedures for responding to antisemitism complaints; ensure Jewish and Israeli students are protected under its nondiscrimination policies; and sanction student groups that engage in antisemitic discriminatory conduct. The university must also report antisemitism and race-discrimination complaints to federal officials on a quarterly basis and maintain oversight of its compliance through December 31, 2028. The agreement does not constitute an admission of wrongdoing or liability, which UNC expressly denies. But it does establish concrete obligations for how the university must prevent and respond to unlawful discrimination. Jewish students deserve to learn in an environment where their safety, dignity, and equal treatment are protected. Universities have a responsibility to take antisemitism seriously and to act when Jewish students’ civil rights are threatened.

The two pilots who helped bring FlyDubai flight FZ1073 safely to the ground after the attempted mid-air terror attack have finally been identified. Henson Steven of Fiji and Rowan Tooth of South Africa were travelling as off-duty pilots when the cockpit attack unfolded on September 30. After Captain Smit Machchhar was brutally attacked and brave Israeli passengers intervened to overpower the assailant, Steven and Tooth took control of the damaged aircraft and successfully landed it in Saudi Arabia. Both men have now been honored by the UAE with the prestigious First Class Order of Zayed II for their extraordinary courage and professionalism. This was a remarkable chain of bravery involving people from different countries including an Indian captain who fought to protect his passengers, Israeli passengers who risked their lives to stop the attacker, and two pilots who safely landed the aircraft.

The President of the Republic of Somaliland Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Cirro has formally received the credentials of Michael Lotem, Israel’s first-ever ambassador to Somaliland, at a ceremony in Hargeisa. The appointment follows Israel’s historic recognition of Somaliland as an independent state in December 2025, marking another milestone in the development of diplomatic relations between the two countries. From formal recognition to diplomatic representation, the beginning of a deeper partnership between Israel and the Republic of Somaliland is taking shape.

At Harvard, UN Watch Executive Director Hillel Neuer pressed Professor Patrick Vinck on a basic question about UNRWA: Who, exactly, has been held accountable? Vinck argued that while individual UNRWA employees had been problematic, the institution itself was a different matter, saying that an investigation had “cleared UNRWA.” When Neuer asked which investigation and who had been cleared, Vinck acknowledged that he did not want to “engage in litigation of all the numbers and facts.” Those numbers deserve attention. In June, the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Inspector General referred 101 current and former UNRWA employees for suspension or debarment consideration over alleged participation in the October 7 attacks and/or affiliation with Hamas’s military wing. Those referred included school principals, teachers, counselors, security personnel, and other UNRWA employees. There are also longstanding questions surrounding senior figures in UNRWA’s education system. Suhail al-Hindi, a former UNRWA school principal and Gaza staff-union leader, was eventually removed after his election to Hamas’s political leadership became public. Fathi Sharif, who headed UNRWA’s teachers’ union in Lebanon, was suspended in 2024 over alleged conduct violations; after his death, Hamas identified him as its commander in Lebanon. UN Watch argues that these cases reflect a much deeper institutional failure and has repeatedly questioned what UNRWA leadership knew and when. Whatever one thinks of UNRWA’s broader humanitarian role, these allegations cannot simply be waved away. An organization entrusted with educating children and administering billions of dollars in humanitarian assistance must be subject to serious scrutiny. When employees are credibly accused of participation in terrorism or affiliation with terrorist organizations, there must be transparency, investigation, and accountability.

Footage of Sir Patrick Stewart speaking at a press conference in Tel Aviv in 2012 is circulating after his passing, reminding us of the special connection he developed with Israel during his first visit. The Star Trek and X-Men legend shared that after finally deciding to visit Israel, he found himself not wanting to leave. He even wrote at the time about how much he would miss the country. More than a decade later, those words carry a special meaning. Israel will remember his visit and the warmth he expressed toward the country. May his memory be a blessing. 🕯️

There’s no substitute for experiencing Israel firsthand. A Korean travel creator recently visited Israel and shared his journey, offering viewers a glimpse of the country beyond the headlines: its ancient history, vibrant culture, beautiful landscapes, and everyday life. With direct flights between South Korea and Israel expected to resume in March 2027, more opportunities will open for people to discover the country for themselves. Israel’s story is far richer and more complex than the narratives often portrayed from afar. Everyone, regardless of nationality, background, or faith, deserves the opportunity to experience it firsthand. 🎥: Israel In Korea

The University of California is asking a federal judge to dismiss a Justice Department lawsuit accusing UCLA of failing to protect Jewish and Israeli faculty and staff from antisemitic discrimination and harassment. The lawsuit, filed in February under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, alleges that UCLA allowed a hostile work environment to develop after October 7 and failed to adequately prevent or address antisemitic conduct targeting Jewish and Israeli employees. According to the Justice Department, employees reported threats, antisemitic chants, disruptions of classes and academic events, barriers to accessing parts of campus, and other forms of harassment and discrimination. In its motion to dismiss, filed this week, UC argues that the government’s case overlooks the steps UCLA has taken to support Jewish employees and address antisemitism on campus. The court has not yet ruled on the motion. Whatever the outcome of the litigation, Jewish faculty and staff deserve the same right as anyone else to work, teach, and participate in university life without antisemitic harassment or discrimination.