Weekly roundup of world briefs

Israel’s Security Cabinet to meet following killing of Hamas, Hezbollah leaders

(JNS) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was set to convene Israel’s Security Cabinet on Wednesday afternoon following the targeted killing of Hezbollah’s No. 2 in Beirut and the killing, allegedly by the Jewish state, of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

The Security Cabinet, which is responsible for defense-related decisions and composed of senior ministers, was scheduled to meet at 4 p.m. at the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv.

A strike by the Israeli Air Force in Beirut on Tuesday night killed Fu’ad Shukr, a top Hezbollah commander responsible for Saturday’s rocket barrage that killed 12 children in the Israeli Golan Heights, as well as a 1983 bombing that killed 241 U.S. service personnel in Beirut.

Hours later, Hamas “political” leader Ismail Haniyeh died when a missile hit his Tehran guest house. An Iranian source told Lebanon’s Al-Mayadeen daily, which is close to Hezbollah, that the strike “was carried out using a missile launched from country to country, not from within Iran.” The Israeli government has yet to comment on the incident.

Visiting troops operating the IDF’s Arrow air- and missile-defense system on Wednesday, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant discussed “operational assessments for the future,” the Defense Ministry said.

“The operation tonight in Beirut was precise and professional. We do not seek war, but we are preparing for all possibilities,” Gallant told soldiers.

“You have an extremely important role in defending the citizens of the State of Israel and protecting our country against aerial threats,” the minister said, adding that the Arrow has been “essential” in protecting the Jewish state against threats posed by Iran and its regional proxies.

Israeli wounded in Judea terror attack

By JNS Staff

(JNS) — An Israeli man was seriously wounded on Wednesday morning in a terrorist attack at Okfim Junction on Route 60 near Kiryat Arba, on the outskirts of Hebron in Judea.

The assailant arrived at the scene by car and fired at the victim, a man in his 50s, from his vehicle before getting out and stabbing him, according to the military.

The victim was reportedly driving with his daughter and another teenaged girl who had hitched a ride. Neither of the girls were injured in the attack.

The IDF is searching for the terrorist, who was reportedly shot and wounded by security forces but managed to flee the scene.

Magen David Adom emergency medics evacuated the victim to Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem in serious condition.

On Tuesday evening, IDF forces foiled an attempted Palestinian terrorist attack close to the Beit Einun interchange near Hebron.

Troops killed the terrorist after he tried to stab them, according to the military. No Israeli casualties were reported.

Judea and Samaria saw a dramatic rise in Palestinian terror attacks in 2023 compared to the previous year, with shootings reaching their highest level since the Second Intifada of 2000-05, according to the IDF.

White House aware of Haniyeh’s death

(JNS) — The White House said early Wednesday that it was aware of the death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, but did not comment further.

“The White House has seen the reports of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh being killed in Iran, a spokesperson said but declined to immediately comment further,” according to CNN.

Meanwhile, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Wednesday in the Philippines that a wider war was not inevitable and that the United States would defend Israel if attacked.

Haniyeh’s death comes as a U.S. delegation led by Brett McGurk, the White House’s top Middle East adviser, is in Saudi Arabia to discuss the situation in Yemen and the recent escalation between Israel and the Houthis.

State Department urges US citizens to leave southern Lebanon, border with Syria

(JNS) — The U.S. State Department raised its travel warning for Lebanon to Level 4—the highest level—on Wednesday, urging citizens not to travel to the country. Those who are in southern Lebanon and on the country’s border with Syria should depart immediately, Foggy Bottom said, amid increasing tensions with the Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group in Lebanon.

“If you are in Lebanon, be prepared to shelter in place should the situation deteriorate,” Foggy Bottom said, of Lebanon. “The U.S. embassy strongly encourages U.S. citizens who are already in southern Lebanon, near the borders with Syria and/or in refugee settlements to depart.”

In northern Israel, “the U.S. embassy strongly recommends that U.S. citizens do not travel within 2.5 miles of the Lebanese and Syrian borders,” the State Department added. “Cross-border rocket, missile and drone strikes continue to impact this area daily and have resulted in casualties. The Israeli authorities already restrict travel to these areas.”

The revised travel warnings came amid reports in Hebrew media that leading U.S. and British airlines told passengers that they were canceling flights to Tel Aviv due to the threat of all-out war.

Delta and British Airways reportedly canceled flights until Friday, and United Airlines reportedly did so until Tuesday.

On Wednesday night, Hezbollah announced that its secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah would outline the terror group’s response to Israel’s killing of top commander Fuad Shukr in a public address on Thursday.

Hezbollah has vowed to respond forcefully to the Israeli military action against it, which was a retaliation for the rocket attack that killed 12 children in the Golan Heights town of Majdal Shams on Saturday.

US airlines cancel flights to Israel

(JNS) — United and Delta Airlines announced Wednesday that they are suspending flights to Tel Aviv due to escalating security tensions in the Middle East.

The decision by the two American legacy carriers follows the back-to -back assassinations of a top Hezbollah leader in Lebanon and the Hamas political leader in Iran, and again leaves Israel’s flagship El Al as the only airline offering direct service to and from the United States. 

“Beginning with this evening’s flight from Newark Liberty to Tel Aviv, we are suspending for security reasons our daily Tel Aviv service as we evaluate our next steps,” United Airlines said in a statement sent to JNS.

“We continue to closely monitor the situation and will make decisions on resuming service with a focus on the safety of our customers and crews,” it added.

The statement did not mention when the flights would resume.

Delta Airlines said it was suspending its daily flight to Israel through August 2 “due to the ongoing conflict in the region,” but noted that the flights can be rebooked on partner airlines El Al and Air France.

Most foreign carriers had suspended serviced to Israel following Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre and the ensuing war, but then slowly resumed service this spring.

Israel ups security at public events for Netanyahu, ministers

(JNS) — The Israel Security Agency has instructed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and government ministers to take extra security precautions at public events, Channel 12 reported on Wednesday.

The security instructions come against the backdrop of preparations for an Iranian response to the assassination of Hamas terror leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran early Wednesday.

“As part of the instructions given to Netanyahu and the ministers, any participation by them in a mass event requires a protected, close and immediate space. At the same time, the head of the ISA Ronen Bar issued a direct order, according to which every tour conducted by the prime minister and ministers requires his personal approval,” according to the report.

Israeli embassies were also instructed to raise their alert levels and for ambassadors and diplomatic representatives to keep a low profile amid fears of an Iranian attack abroad.

The security establishment estimates that the Iranian response will occur in the coming days.

Rice University faces Title VI investigation, got ‘C’ on ADL report card 

(JNS) — The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) will review Rice University in Houston for a complaint of discrimination involving shared ancestry, it announced on Tuesday.

In March, according to the student newspaper The Rice Thresher, a student filed a discrimination complaint with the Texas school’s Office of Access, Equity and Equal Opportunity, leading to the postponement of a vote by the Student Association to divest from Israel.

Simon Yellen, a junior at Rice’s Duncan College, reportedly said at a meeting of the student Senate that “nearly every other university that has passed a resolution like this is currently under investigation by the Department of Education for violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.”

U.S. News & World Report has ranked Rice as one of the nation’s top 20 private universities. The Anti-Defamation League gavethe school a C on a recent report card evaluating the problem of antisemitism at colleges across the country.

David Leebron, the former university present and second Jewish one, told the Houston-based Jewish Herald-Voice in May that he was “deeply concerned about antisemitism on our campus and deeply concerned about the ignorance that so many of the protesters are manifesting—about both Jewish history and the history of Israel.”

Leebron said “this notion that 7 million Jews should be driven out of Israel, I do find antisemitic. The history is deeply complicated and stretches over 3,000 years.”

JNS contacted Rice and requested a copy of the letter the school received from the OCR but did not receive a response at press time. It typically does not provide reasons for the opening of investigations into potential violations of Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

Israel committed to hostage talks with Hamas, Gallant says

(JNS) — Israel remains committed to reaching a hostages-for-ceasefire deal with Hamas, “especially at this time,” Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Wednesday, speaking hours after the terrorist organization’s “political” leader was killed in a Tehran strike attributed to the Jewish state.

During a phone call with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Gallant stressed that “especially during these times, the State of Israel is working to achieve a framework for the release of hostages,” according to a readout of the conversation.

Gallant also “expressed his deep appreciation to Secretary Austin for his personal commitment to Israel’s security, including his public support of Israel’s right to self-defense.”

One hundred and fifteen hostages, both living and dead, remain captive in Gaza, almost 300 days after Hamas’s Oct. 7 invasion. Dozens are believed to be alive, an official involved in the talks said last month.

Hamas has demanded that Israel accept an immediate ceasefire and withdraw all forces from Gaza, a demand that Jerusalem has rejected.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told lawmakers at the Knesset on July 17: “We are determined to return all our hostages. The key is pressure, pressure and more pressure.”

Families of the captives still held by Hamas expressed mixed feelings on Wednesday morning over Haniyeh’s killing, as many were unsure how it would affect an expected breakthrough in hostage negotiations.

California boosts Nonprofit Security Grant Program to $76 million

(JNS) — California announced plans to increase grants for bolstering security at nonprofits and religious organizations to $76 million in funding through the California State Nonprofit Security Grant Program.

“An attack against any community is an attack against our entire state and our values. Every Californian deserves the ability to worship, love, and gather safely, without fear of hate,” said California Gov. Gavin Newsom in a statement on Tuesday.

He said this round of funding seeks to aid “high-risk organizations” in protecting against “violent attacks and hate crimes.”

The grant program provides a range of security enhancements and upgrades, including reinforced doors, gates, high-intensity lighting, access control systems and inspection systems.

Recent data points to an increase in hate crimes carried out against Jewish, Muslim and LGBTQ+ communities in 2023.

Jesse Gabriel, a California assembly member, and state senator Scott Wiener serve as budget chairs for the California legislature.

“Despite facing significant budget challenges, the California Legislature will continue to stand firm in our commitment to supporting vulnerable communities targeted by hate,” Gabriel and Wiener said in a statement. “We have no doubt that this funding will continue to make a major difference in protecting the Jewish community and all communities targeted by hate.”

Since the inception of the program in 2015, the state has awarded $152,750,000 in state funding to 924 community groups. 

Foxx gives Columbia a week to send documents, threatens subpoenas

By David Swindle

(JNS) — After “continued failure” to provide priority documents about Jew-hatred to the House Education and the Workforce Committee, Columbia University has a week to do so before the committee issues subpoenas, according to Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), the committee chair.

In a letter to the Columbia president and the co-chairs of the university board, Foxx noted that the committee began investigating the school in February, and requested documents that month and in every subsequent one since.

“On July 9, committee staff communicated to Columbia the committee’s concern over the ‘unsatisfactory and limited nature of Columbia’s production, including Columbia’s ongoing failure to produce documents from long-requested custodians,’” Foxx wrote. Among other issues, “Columbia filled much of its production with documents of limited value, with 1,780 pages consisting of lists of signatories to a publicly available petition, for example,” she added.

“The documents and communications requested by the committee are necessary to understand Columbia’s response to antisemitism and inform the committee’s consideration of potential legislation concerning antisemitism at postsecondary institutions,” Foxx wrote.

She gave Columbia until noon Eastern time on Aug. 8 to provide the requested documents. “If this is not promptly rectified, the committee is prepared to compel their production,” she wrote.

A Columbia spokesperson told JNS that the university received Foxx’s letter and is reviewing it. “We are committed to combating antisemitism and all forms of hate,” the spokesperson said.

Brandeis Center calls Title VI settlement with North Carolina State University a ‘step forward’

(JNS) — The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law announced a settlement with the school on Thursday, following an early mediation process through the U.S. Department of Education to address a complaint about campus antisemitism.

The student who filed the complaint had reported multiple incidents of harassment the university had failed to address, including a tunnel filled with swastikas and someone screaming at her “Death to Jews! Death to Zionists!”

Brandeis reported that NCSU will implement a non-discrimination policy aligning with the 2019 Executive Order 13899 and North Carolina’s House Bill 942 (also known as the Shalom Act) which utilizes the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism.

NCSU will also revise training for students and staff, as well as conduct a campus survey to assess the depth of the antisemitic threat.

Kenneth L. Marcus, founder and chairman of the Brandeis Center, called the settlement “a significant step forward in our efforts to combat antisemitism on college campuses.” He said that the agreement “paves the way for meaningful change on both NCSU’s campus and on college campuses throughout the country.”

Robin Pick, senior counsel at the Brandeis Center said that “by committing to combat antisemitism in accordance with Executive Order 13899 and North Carolina House Bill 942, which apply to training, education, recognizing, identifying and combating antisemitic hate and discrimination, NC State has the opportunity to be a leader and a model for other universities in the fight against antisemitism.”