Friday, June 13, 2025

By: Sivan Hilaie ~ Ynetnews

Thursday, 12 June 2025 | Argentine President Javier Milei, a staunch supporter of Israel, delivered a fiery speech Wednesday evening before the Knesset, declaring solidarity with the country in its war against Hamas and denouncing what he called the “barbarism” of the October 7 terror attack, as well as announcing moving the Argentinian embassy to Jerusalem in 2026. 

Milei’s remarks came during a special session of the Israeli parliament held in his honor, during a state visit to Israel that began with a prayer at the Western Wall and included meetings with top Israeli officials. 

“Unfortunately, I do not have the good fortune of visiting Israel during peaceful times,” Milei said. “On October 7, the people of Israel were victims of a barbaric attack. We thought we had finally ended such barbarism, but the tragedy woke us from that dream.” He added that four Argentine nationals remain in Hamas captivity and vowed that Argentina would continue to press for their release.

The libertarian leader, known for his blunt rhetoric and comparisons to US President Donald Trump, warned that Western democracies are now under siege. “Whether we like it or not, the West is being tested. Various forms of barbaric tyranny are attacking us and have no relation to democracy,” Milei said. He also took a swipe at climate activist Greta Thunberg, who was deported from Israel on Tuesday after trying to reach the Gaza Strip on board a yacht accompanied by several other celebrities, accusing her of seeking media attention while Israelis and Argentinians are held in “subhuman” conditions. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who paused his corruption trial earlier in the day to meet Milei, spoke hoarsely at the session. “Javier, you are a true friend,” Netanyahu said. “We both woke up with sore throats. The question is, who infected whom? But we also ‘infect’ one another with friendship—both personally and between our nations.” 

Netanyahu praised Milei’s actions on the international stage, including Argentina’s sharp shift in diplomatic voting patterns at the United Nations. “This cooperation between our countries is strengthening, and your visit will only deepen it,” Netanyahu said, noting that 12,000 kilometers [7,456 mi] separate Argentina and Israel but “our hearts are close.”

 The Israeli leader also emphasized Milei’s vocal support during what he called a just war against terrorism. “For 20 months, we have been fighting human monsters,” Netanyahu said, referencing the October 7 massacre. “You said clearly: ‘We stand with you in the fight against the forces of darkness.’ This is a just war like no other. Terror seeks to drag us back to the darkness of the Middle Ages, and we will fight it with all our might.” 

In a lighter moment, Netanyahu joked with Milei about Argentina’s legendary soccer stars, asking, “Who is number 10—Maradona or Messi?” Milei laughed, and Netanyahu quipped, “That could start a serious brawl.” 

Netanyahu lauded Argentina’s role in Jewish history, calling it a refuge for Jews fleeing persecution in the 19th century. He also praised Milei’s economic reforms, saying they were not miracles but the result of “courage and a deep understanding of economic freedom.” 

Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana opened the session, which Arab lawmakers did not attend. He introduced Milei and hailed his libertarian battle cry, “Viva la libertad, carajo,” calling it a sincere declaration of belief in personal freedom as the cornerstone of a thriving society. 

Milei canceled a planned tour of the City of David due to illness but met with survivors of Hamas captivity and families of Argentine hostages, including the Bibas family. His visit is expected to conclude Thursday with a return to the Western Wall.

During the visit, Milei is expected to announce the launch of the first direct flights between Buenos Aires and Tel Aviv since the capture of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann in 1960. He is also set to reiterate Argentina’s plan to move its embassy to Jerusalem, a promise he first made during a previous visit to Israel.

By: Daniela Ginzburg ~ Ynetnews

Wednesday, 11 June 2025 | "We've been kidnapped, we call on our governments to help rescue us"; "an act of piracy by Israel"; "they sailed to Gaza in Palestine, not Israel"; "their arrest is illegal"—these are just some of the headlines appearing in hundreds of thousands of social media posts and even in some newspapers and news sites worldwide, following the saga involving Greta Thunberg and her flotilla delegation, who were detained by Israeli forces before reaching the shores of Gaza. 

Even though the IDF acted in accordance with international law when it detained the 12 activists; although even the International Criminal Court in The Hague does not dispute the legality of Israel’s longstanding naval blockade on Gaza; and despite the clear right of a sovereign state to intercept individuals attempting to unlawfully enter an active war zone under its jurisdiction—propaganda, misinformation and outright lies continue to gain traction among millions around the world, regardless of how many memes mocking the incident go viral. 

Israel’s official response pulled out all the stops. A photo of Greta smiling as a soldier handed her a sandwich and a bottle of water achieved its intended effect. Other images and videos showing IDF soldiers distributing food and water to the activists also spread widely on social media, drawing thousands of shares and comments.

For a moment, it seemed that might be enough. Whether due to widespread fatigue in Europe with the young climate activist, or the transparent PR nature of the voyage and its preordained outcome, or the IDF’s effective neutralization of the incident—it briefly appeared that Israel had the upper hand. 

The Refusal to be Deported was Expected 

But then came the deportation process, and once again the narrative flipped. While Greta is already back in Europe after signing her deportation papers—along with four other members of the delegation—eight others, including outspoken anti-Israel French member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan, who was previously deported from Israel, refused to sign. 

Those who declined deportation, including Hassan, were placed in custody for 96 hours at the Givon detention facility for illegal entrants. After that period, they can be deported with or without their consent. Yet these four days of detention are more than just a bureaucratic matter—they are being used as a political stage. 

Over the course of these 96 hours, under the gaze of cameras and with the backing of anti-Israel propaganda networks, Hassan is transforming herself into a martyr, a victim of the "occupation" and a "colonial system of oppression." She knows exactly what she’s doing. Every hour at Givon is another opportunity to generate headlines, attract sympathy and spin a narrative that Israel has long struggled to counter. 

Refusing to sign the deportation order isn’t a principled stand—it’s a calculated tactic designed to provoke another confrontation, to generate that “winning” image of forced deportation or allegedly inhumane treatment. For her, every additional day in custody is valuable currency on social media. 

One example: Hassan posted on her X account, “We need your help in widely sharing this post by tagging the heads of state of team members, demanding their immediate release. Call on the relevant authorities to demand the immediate release of the entire team from Israel.” This, from a European lawmaker who fully understands she is not being forcibly held—and who has personally refused to leave. 

Time for a More Assertive Israeli Media Strategy 

This is precisely where Israel’s public diplomacy efforts must ramp up. Not just by issuing delayed responses or publishing good images after the narrative has already been shaped—but by leading the conversation. Because this incident is far from over. Without a timely, strategic, visually driven response—especially one that leverages Instagram, TikTok, and X—Israel is poised to lose the battle for public opinion once again, despite having all the tools to win it this time. 

It's essential to recognize: social media is not just another platform—it is today’s primary battlefield. What happens online right now carries more weight than any court ruling in The Hague or press briefing in Jerusalem. Virality trumps facts, and a single manipulative hashtag can erase days of carefully crafted messaging. It’s time to understand the new rules—and play by them. 

Let’s say it plainly: part of the problem is that official Israel still acts as if it’s playing chess, while its adversaries are fighting in an MMA [mixed martial arts] ring. No rules, no red lines and one clear goal—to take Israel down in the court of global public opinion. 

This gap between a measured response and a chaotic reality continues to hurt Israel. When Hassan posts a photo from the detention center, it will reach millions instantly. When Israel publishes a clarification or a photo from the same facility, it might—at best—reach the IDF spokesperson’s Twitter feed. That’s not enough. It doesn’t work. 

The Solution: a Content Army and an Aggressive Media Front 

If Israel wants to change the game, it must create a dedicated digital diplomacy unit that operates in real time, around the clock—not just with multilingual spokespeople, but with a full “army” of content creators, video editors, and social media experts who understand each platform and know how to reach audiences in Europe and the US in ways that actually resonate. 

Short videos, focused infographics, eyewitness accounts—everything needed to fight for public opinion where it’s actually being shaped. Yes, it’s that urgent and that important. Because public perception ultimately drives policy—and influences it. In an era where the battle for legitimacy is just as crucial as the one on the ground, public diplomacy must operate like a full-scale military campaign. 

Right now, it appears Israel is simply asleep at the wheel.

By: JNS

Wednesday, 11 June 2025 | A Palestinian state in Judea and Samaria probably won’t happen “in our lifetime” and is no longer Washington’s goal, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said on Tuesday. 

“Unless there are some significant things that happen that change the culture, there’s no room for it,” Huckabee told Bloomberg, adding that a culture shift is unlikely to take place “in our lifetime.” 

When asked by Bloomberg if an independent Palestinian state is the goal of the Trump administration, the diplomat responded: “I don’t think so.”

A Palestinian Arab state does not necessarily need to be established in Judea and Samaria, he stated, insisting that Palestinian self-governance in another Muslim country “should be and could be on the table.” 

“Israel has a little narrow strip of real estate,” he continued. “Muslim-controlled countries have 644 times the amount of land that Israel does. So when people say that Israel needs to give up something, you kinda scratch your head and say: ‘OK, let me see if I get this right,'” he said. 

“If the idea is that Israel needs to carve out more and more land, maybe that’s why they’re resistant to that,” the American ambassador added. 

Several countries have recently moved ahead with the recognition of a Palestinian state in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip, including Spain, Norway and Ireland. 

In early 2024, Israel’s Knesset [parliament] plenum voted 99-11 to back a Cabinet decision to reject any unilateral recognition of Palestinian statehood. 

All coalition members and most lawmakers from Zionist opposition parties voted to support a Cabinet statement against “international diktats regarding a permanent settlement with the Palestinians.” 

The Israeli government has recently warned some key European nations that any unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state could prompt Jerusalem to extend sovereignty over parts of Judea and Samaria. 

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer reportedly told France, the United Kingdom and other countries that one-sided moves could lead Israel to annex Area C and legalize outposts. 

US President Donald Trump is not expected to announce a decision on Israeli sovereignty in the nearby future, Huckabee told JNS on April 28. 

“Those are important questions,” the ambassador acknowledged in a conversation following his keynote address at the JNS International Policy Summit, “but for the president, getting the hostages home, especially our Americans, is front and center above everything else.” 

He went on to say that there was “certainly time for that discussion, but right now, our priority is seeing the hostages safely returned, ensuring the Iranians are no longer aspiring to nuclear weaponry designed to murder and kill. Then we’ll take on the other issues.”

By: JNS

Monday, 9 June 2025 | The Israel Defense Forces’ new Hasmonean Brigade made history on Sunday by becoming the first ultra-Orthodox unit to enter the Gaza Strip, according to Channel 12 reporter Amit Segal. 

The unit joins the fight against Hamas amid a fierce debate over exempting Haredi [ultra-Orthodox] yeshiva [religious school] students from military service that is threatening Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition. 

The infantry brigade was established after the Supreme Court, sitting as the High Court of Justice, ruled on June 24, 2024, that “there is no legal framework that allows for a distinction between yeshivah students and others designated for military service.” 

This effectively abolished the previous exemption claimed by Haredi men based on religious observance, which had expired the previous year. 

Directly following the ruling, and as of March of this year, the government issued draft notices to more than 10,000 Haredim. Only a few hundred answered the call. Further plans were drawn up to send notices to an additional 14,000.

 Despite stiff political and social opposition from within Haredi society, the Hasmonean Brigade, the first all-Haredi combat unit, was opened in January 2025 and drafted approximately 50 recruits and 100 reservists, with long-term plans to enlist up to 4,000. 

The brigade was named after the dynasty that began after the Jews threw off the yoke of Hellenistic rule in the Maccabean Revolt (167 BC to 141 BC) against the Seleucid Empire. 

The brigade requires recruits to follow a strict halachic lifestyle—that is, one in keeping with Jewish law. Observant Jews serve as commanders. 

Brigade enlistees were asked to sign a document accepting its rules. One clause states that recruits will at all times maintain a religious way of life, be careful to use “clean” speech, keep beards and sidelocks throughout their service if they entered the army with them and wear Sabbath clothes during Sabbath prayers and meals “as is customary in ultra-Orthodox society (and even a suit and a hat).” 

All the courses and training for soldiers in the brigade will be conducted internally to avoid mixing with non-Orthodox units, a nod to a concern among many ultra-Orthodox.

By: Elisha Ben Kimon ~ Ynetnews

Tuesday, 10 June 2025 | The Israeli military launched a naval strike on Yemen early Tuesday, targeting military infrastructure at the port of Hudaydah controlled by Iran-backed Houthi rebels, in what it said was the first such operation of the war carried out by missile boats. 

According to the Israel Defense Forces, the strike came in response to repeated Houthi missile and drone attacks on Israeli territory. “The strikes were conducted following the aggression of the Houthi terrorist regime toward the State of Israel, including the launch of surface-to-surface missiles and UAVs toward Israeli territory and its citizens,” the IDF said. 

The military said it aimed to stop the use of the port for military purposes, calling it “a hub for the transfer of weapons” and “a further example of the Houthi terrorist regime’s cynical exploitation of civilian infrastructure to advance terrorist activities.”

“The port, which has been previously targeted by Israel over the past year, continues to serve terrorist purposes,” the IDF said. It added that the operation was preceded by “advanced warnings... to mitigate the risk of harm to uninvolved civilians in the area.”

A senior Houthi official, Nasr al-Din Amer, responded to the attack in a post on X. He confirmed the strike was carried out by Israeli naval forces and involved two missiles that hit the pier at Hudaydah. Amer said the operation came after Houthi political chief Mahdi al-Mashat warned that any renewed Israeli airstrikes would be countered by Yemen’s air defenses. 

Amer also cited earlier US media reports quoting American military sources, which claimed that US F-35 jets narrowly avoided being hit by Houthi fire. “Have Yemeni skies now been closed to American, Zionist, and other aircraft?” he asked. “The coming days will answer these and other questions.” 

The Houthis have repeatedly launched missiles and drones at Israel since the outbreak of the war in Gaza. On Monday, the group fired another missile toward Israel, but it failed to reach its target and did not trigger air raid sirens. The most recent Houthi projectile to activate alarms came last Thursday, when a ballistic missile was intercepted over Jerusalem during protests in the capital and in Tel Aviv. 

Reiterating its warning, the IDF said: “In light of the Houthi terrorist regime’s repeated use of Hudaydah port for terrorist activity, the IDF warns those present at the port to distance themselves from the area.” It added, “The IDF is determined to continue operating against anyone who poses a threat to Israel wherever necessary.”

By: Sharon Kidon ~ Ynetnews

Thursday, 12 June 2025 | The Australian government has revoked the tourist visa of US-Israeli tech entrepreneur, pro-Israel commentator and Ynetnews contributor Hillel Fuld just days before he was due to appear at public speaking events in Melbourne and Sydney. 

The decision cites concerns that Fuld’s presence in Australia may pose a risk to “community harmony,” based on his social media commentary about the Israel-Hamas war. 

Fuld, who holds dual citizenship in the United States and Israel, was scheduled to speak on June 12 and June 16 at events hosted by Magen David Adom Australia, the local branch of Israel's national emergency medical service. The Department of Home Affairs cancelled his visa without prior notice, invoking a rarely used discretionary power that allows for the immediate revocation of a visa while the holder is outside the country.

Speaking from Israel, Fuld said he was blindsided by the move. “I found out through a journalist,” he said in an interview. “No one from the Australian government even contacted me. I still haven’t received an official explanation.” 

Behind the scenes, internal documents from Australia’s Department of Home Affairs paint a clearer picture. The government claims Fuld’s presence in the country could pose a “risk to the Australian community,” citing his social media activity, including posts that deny reports of casualty numbers coming from Hamas authorities in Gaza and comments perceived as Islamophobic. 

Fuld Rejects the Accusations

“I have never incited violence or hatred,” he said. “I speak out against terrorism and antisemitism. If that’s controversial, then we have a much bigger problem.” 

According to the internal assessment, Australian immigration authorities were concerned that Fuld’s speeches could “incite discord” and potentially stoke community tensions, especially toward the Muslim population. The department specifically noted that some of his online statements had been received as inflammatory by segments of the public. 

Fuld, however, argues that the move is politically motivated. “I think it’s pretty clear this is not about public safety,” he said. “It’s about silencing a pro-Israel voice, plain and simple. They’re responding to pressure from people who don't like what I have to say.” 

Australian Jewish leaders have expressed concern over the cancellation, calling it a dangerous precedent. One source familiar with the case said, “We now have a situation where expressing support for Israel—even in the context of defending a country from terror—can be treated as a threat to the public.” 

The Department of Home Affairs also pointed to a discrepancy in Fuld’s visa application: in 2018, he declared dual US-Israeli citizenship, but in 2025, he listed only US citizenship. While not cited as the reason for cancellation, this omission was referenced as showing a “disregard” for immigration rules. Fuld calls the accusation “petty.” 

“I filled out the form as an American. That’s how I travel. This wasn’t some elaborate deception.” 

Now barred from entering the country, Fuld must decide whether to request a revocation of the cancellation—an option available to him under immigration rules, though one with no guarantee of success. If the decision stands, he could be banned from receiving another visa for three years. 

Still, Fuld says the bigger issue isn’t personal. “I’m not worried about me,” he said. “I’m worried about what this says about Australia. That a democratic country can ban someone for defending Israel and calling out Hamas—that should scare anyone who cares about freedom.” 

Asked whether he would try to return to Australia, Fuld paused. “I would love to come back. But only if I can speak freely.”

By: Andrew Bernard ~ JNS

Tuesday, 10 June 2025 | The worldwide Jewish population grew by 870,000 in the decade from 2010 to 2020, according to the Pew Research Center’s global religion survey released on Monday. 

The analysis of worldwide religious trends looked at self-reported religious belief, except in Israel, where the surveyors used the government’s population register. 

“The number of Jews around the world grew by 6%, from an estimated 14 million in 2010 to nearly 15 million in 2020,” the researchers wrote. “That’s fewer than the estimated 16.6 million Jews who were alive in 1939 prior to the Holocaust.” 

Those numbers notably exclude those who might identify ethnically as Jewish but who report being religiously unaffiliated, agnostic or atheist. 

A Pew survey that used a broader definition of Jewish identity, which included both religion and ethnicity, found about 1.8 million more Jews in the United States than Monday’s report did. 

Much of the increase in the Jewish population from 2010 to 2020 came in Israel, where the number of Jews grew from 5.76 million to 6.78 million. The number of Jews in Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean declined during that decade by about 200,000. 

The Jewish populations of North America and Asia grew by a small number. 

The Pew researchers combined data from more than 2,700 censuses, surveys and population registers, covering about 99.98% of the world’s population in 201 countries and territories. 

Globally, they found that Islam was the fastest-growing religion from 2010 to 2020, gaining more than 300 million adherents to reach a global population of more than 2 billion. 

Christianity remains the largest worldwide religion for now, with just under 2.3 billion believers, but Pew found 40 countries where the Christian population declined by more than 5% and only one, Mozambique, where it increased by that much. 

“Countries where the share of Christians fell are scattered throughout every region of the world, but many are in Europe and other Western or English-speaking places where Christian majorities have been shrinking for decades,” the researchers wrote. 

“This change is largely driven by high rates of Christian disaffiliation,” they said, including “by people becoming religiously unaffiliated as adults after having been raised as Christians in childhood.” 

As a result, religious Christians are no longer a majority in the United Kingdom, Australia and France, with religiously unaffiliated people accounting for more than 40% of the population in each of the three. The religiously unaffiliated are now a majority of the population in the Netherlands and New Zealand. 

‘Change not Evenly Distributed’ 

Despite concerns from some right-wing parties in Europe about mass migration from Muslim countries, the Pew researchers found modest growth of Islam on the continent over the past decade, though it was concentrated in some countries more than others. 

“Overall, the share of Europe’s population that is Muslim grew by less than 1 percentage point, to 6% in 2020,” they wrote, “but the change was not evenly distributed.” 

“In Sweden, where government policies toward Syrian refugees were generous, Muslims grew to make up 8% of the country’s inhabitants,” they wrote, which was “up 4 percentage points, or roughly double the share of Sweden’s population that Muslims had been in 2010.” 

“The Muslim share was more stable in other European countries,” they wrote. “For example, in Germany, where then-Chancellor Angela Merkel’s welcoming stance toward Muslim refugees in 2015 was highly controversial, Muslims grew by about 1 percentage point as a share of the country’s population, making up 7% of the country’s residents in 2020.” 

Islam is growing faster in North America than any other part of the world, according to Pew, with a 52.3% population increase from 2010 to 2020, though the total population numbers remain small. 

Some 4.05 million Muslims lived in the United States in 2020, up from 2.77 million in 2010, fewer than the number of Buddhists and Jews.

By Andrew Bernard, Mike Wagenheim ~ JNS

Friday, 6 June 2025 | The US State Department announced on Thursday that it imposed sanctions on four judges at the International Criminal Court [ICC] in The Hague, marking the first time that the United States has used that punitive tool against justices at the independent tribunal. 

The department stated that judges Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza of Peru, Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Reine Alapini-Gansou of Benin and Beti Hohler of Slovenia would be sanctioned for their role in investigating Israel and the United States. 

“As ICC judges, these four individuals have actively engaged in the ICC’s illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America or our close ally, Israel,” Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, stated. “The ICC is politicized and falsely claims unfettered discretion to investigate, charge and prosecute nationals of the United States and our allies.” 

“This dangerous assertion and abuse of power infringes upon the sovereignty and national security of the United States and our allies, including Israel,” Rubio stated. “The United States will take whatever actions we deem necessary to protect our sovereignty, that of Israel and any other US ally from illegitimate actions by the ICC.” 

According to the State Department, Bossa and Ibáñez Carranza ruled to authorize the ICC’s investigation into the conduct of US personnel in Afghanistan, while Alapini-Gansou and Hohler ruled to authorize ICC arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, then the defense minister. 

The ICC told JNS that it “deplores” the sanctions and stands fully behind its personnel. 

“These measures are a clear attempt to undermine the independence of an international judicial institution which operates under the mandate from 125 states parties from all corners of the globe,” the court stated. “Targeting those working for accountability does nothing to help civilians trapped in conflict. It only emboldens those who believe they can act with impunity.” 

In February, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing sanctions on any ICC official attempting to investigate, arrest, detain or prosecute US citizens or the citizens of any US ally that has not consented to ICC jurisdiction, or signed onto the court’s Rome Statute, including Israel. 

The White House named Karim Khan, the court’s prosecutor and a British national, as the first target of those sanctions for his role in investigating Netanyahu, Gallant and Israel’s alleged commission of “war crimes” in Gaza. 

Khan took indefinite leave in May amid an investigation into whether he committed sexual misconduct. 

The Wall Street Journal reported last month that Khan asked his accuser to drop her charges against him, so he could issue an arrest warrant for Netanyahu. The warrant’s timing raised suspicions that Khan’s decision was calculated to deflect attention from the sex scandal, which came to light internally a few weeks earlier, it said. 

The sanctions against Khan had reportedly ground the Israeli investigation to a halt, with his losing access to his UK bank accounts and his work email. 

Trump had previously imposed sanctions on ICC officials during his first administration, and the Biden administration imposed sanctions in December on a Russian judge for alleged human-rights violations. Thursday’s action marks the first time Washington has sanctioned ICC judges. 

“We do not take this step lightly,” stated Tammy Bruce, the State Department spokeswoman. “It reflects the seriousness of the threat we face from the ICC’s politicization and abuse of power.”