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.