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→Notes part III: Jan 6, 2026+
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Muslim radicals call for the execution of a cardinal in Iraq.
By Elizabeth Owens, Zenit, January 5, 2026.
A single word, spoken from the pulpit on Christmas, has placed one of the Middle East’s most prominent Christian leaders under mounting pressure. Cardinal Louis Raphaël Sako, Patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church, is facing an escalating campaign of intimidation in Iraq and neighboring Iran after remarks from his Christmas homily were lifted out of their pastoral context and reframed as a political provocation.
At the heart of the controversy lies the Arabic term commonly rendered as “normalization.” In his homily, Cardinal Sako employed the word as part of a spiritual appeal for healing after years of conflict: a call for social stability, restored trust among citizens, and reconciliation between families, communities and the Iraqi nation as a whole. According to the Chaldean Patriarchate, the intent was unmistakably religious, rooted in the Christmas message of peace and renewal, and entirely detached from regional geopolitics.
Yet in Iraq’s highly charged environment, language is never neutral. The word “normalization” has become politically radioactive, often used as shorthand for normalizing relations with Israel, an issue that can ignite immediate outrage. Critics seized on that association, recasting a pastoral exhortation as an alleged endorsement of forbidden political positions. Within hours, online narratives transformed a Christmas message into accusations of political betrayal.
The Patriarchate responded swiftly, stressing that the homily had no political content and explicitly rejecting claims that Cardinal Sako was advocating normalization with Israel. Officials reiterated that the message focused on peace, national cohesion and the dignity of Iraq, themes that have long marked the patriarch’s public ministry. The clarification, however, did little to stem the backlash….
Cardinal Sako’s own reported response underscores both the gravity of the moment and the depth of his commitment to his country. “If they want to put me on trial and execute me for the sake of Iraq, so be it,” he is quoted as saying. The remark, stark and unsettling, reflects the precarious position of Christian leaders in a region where theological language can be repurposed as political evidence, and where calls for peace may carry personal risk….
[https://zenit.org/2026/01/05/muslim-radicals-call-for-the-execution-of-a-cardinal-in-iraq/ Zenit]
____
U.S. Calls Attack on Ilam Hospital “Clear Crime Against Humanity”.
January 6, 2026.
The United States government has strongly condemned the recent assault by Iranian security forces on a hospital in Ilam, calling it a “clear crime against humanity.” U.S. officials described the incident as a brutal and unlawful attack on a medical facility during ongoing nationwide protests in Iran.
In a post on the U.S. State Department’s social media accounts, the department shared graphic images of the raid and denounced the actions of Iranian security personnel, saying, “Hospitals are not battlefields.
These measures by the Islamic Republic regime are a gross violation of international law and show a complete disregard for human life.”
The criticism comes amid widespread unrest in Iran, where protests have entered their second week and security forces have intensified their crackdown following deadly clashes in the city of Malekshahi.
In response to the protests, Iranian security forces stormed Imam Khomeini Hospital in Ilam, the provincial capital in western Iran, where many injured demonstrators were receiving medical treatment.
According to local information obtained by IranWire, this was not the first attempt by security forces to breach the hospital. On the night of January 4, security forces surrounded the facility while protesters wounded in clashes in nearby Malekshahi were being treated inside.
Witnesses reported that doctors, nurses, and patients’ family members attempted to block the entrances to protect those sheltering in the hospital. Local eyewitnesses said security forces repeatedly entered the hospital compound, breaking down doors and attempting to seize wounded protesters.
Some medical staff and visitors resisted the intrusion, preventing full access to the wards. Several of the seriously injured, including individuals in critical condition or unconscious, remain hospitalized.
During unrest in Malekshahi County, near Ilam, at least seven protesters were killed when security forces opened fire on demonstrators.
Local sources identified the victims as Reza Azimzadeh, Fars (Farez) Aghamohammadi, Mostafa Aghamohammadi, Mehdi Emami-Pour, Mohammad Bazoneh, Mohammad Moghaddasi, and Latif Karimi.
Citizens and human rights activists have expressed outrage on social media and in international forums, describing the hospital raid and the broader suppression of protests as violations of international humanitarian law.
The U.S. condemnation adds to growing international pressure on Tehran as the protest movement continues to spread across Iranian cities and provinces
[https://iranwire.com/en/news/147344-us-calls-attack-on-ilam-hospital-clear-crime-against-humanity/ IranWire]
_____
U.S. Calls Attack on Ilam Hospital “Clear Crime Against Humanity”.
January 6, 2026.
The United States government has strongly condemned the recent assault by Iranian security forces on a hospital in Ilam, calling it a “clear crime against humanity.” U.S. officials described the incident as a brutal and unlawful attack on a medical facility during ongoing nationwide protests in Iran.
In a post on the U.S. State Department’s social media accounts, the department shared graphic images of the raid and denounced the actions of Iranian security personnel, saying, “Hospitals are not battlefields.
These measures by the Islamic Republic regime are a gross violation of international law and show a complete disregard for human life.”
The criticism comes amid widespread unrest in Iran, where protests have entered their second week and security forces have intensified their crackdown following deadly clashes in the city of Malekshahi.
In response to the protests, Iranian security forces stormed Imam Khomeini Hospital in Ilam, the provincial capital in western Iran, where many injured demonstrators were receiving medical treatment.
According to local information obtained by IranWire, this was not the first attempt by security forces to breach the hospital. On the night of January 4, security forces surrounded the facility while protesters wounded in clashes in nearby Malekshahi were being treated inside.
Witnesses reported that doctors, nurses, and patients’ family members attempted to block the entrances to protect those sheltering in the hospital. Local eyewitnesses said security forces repeatedly entered the hospital compound, breaking down doors and attempting to seize wounded protesters.
Some medical staff and visitors resisted the intrusion, preventing full access to the wards. Several of the seriously injured, including individuals in critical condition or unconscious, remain hospitalized.
During unrest in Malekshahi County, near Ilam, at least seven protesters were killed when security forces opened fire on demonstrators.
Local sources identified the victims as Reza Azimzadeh, Fars (Farez) Aghamohammadi, Mostafa Aghamohammadi, Mehdi Emami-Pour, Mohammad Bazoneh, Mohammad Moghaddasi, and Latif Karimi.
Citizens and human rights activists have expressed outrage on social media and in international forums, describing the hospital raid and the broader suppression of protests as violations of international humanitarian law.
The U.S. condemnation adds to growing international pressure on Tehran as the protest movement continues to spread across Iranian cities and provinces
[https://iranwire.com/en/news/147344-us-calls-attack-on-ilam-hospital-clear-crime-against-humanity/ IranWire]
_____
Explosive Allegations Rock Trump Administration
Explosive Allegations Rock Trump Administration.
Morgan Ortagus Has a Lebanese Boyfriend with Ties to Hezbollah.
Morgan Ortagus Has a Lebanese Boyfriend with Ties to Hezbollah.
Morgan Ortagus stands accused of spending time with a Hezbollah-shadowed Lebanese tycoon, sparking her abrupt administrative leave and igniting fears of compromised U.S. secrets in the volatile Middle East arena.
Morgan Ortagus stands accused of spending time with a Hezbollah-shadowed Lebanese tycoon, sparking her abrupt administrative leave and igniting fears of compromised U.S. secrets in the volatile Middle East arena.
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______
Gaza's Millionaires After October 7: Hamas-Linked Aid Thieves Networks Showcase Millions of Dollars Allegedly Raised in Donations, While Gaza Residents Received Nothing of the Donations | Watch 🎥 (The Scoops) [1.8.26].
[https://t.me/haskupim/152588 On Telegram]
Watch: Gaza's millionaires after October 7 – This is how a class of aid thieves was built under the auspices of Hamas.
While the residents of Gaza are presented to the world as “humanitarian victims,” a corrupt stratum is exposed that is enriching itself with millions – with donations, in collaboration with Hamas, and under the protection of terrorism.
David Feuchtunger.
19th of Tevet, 5768 (January 8, 2026)
In the two years that have passed since the October 7 massacre, a particularly serious phenomenon has become clearer: a new class of “millionaires” has emerged in the Gaza Strip, those who lived in absolute poverty before the war – and who are now displaying mountains of cash in dollars and euros on social media.
These are entities that have established huge donation networks, mainly in Europe and Arab and Muslim countries – including Turkey, the Middle East, Asia and North Africa. The funds were collected under the familiar title of “humanitarian aid”: food, shelter, medicine and help for civilians in Gaza. In practice, as evidenced by the documentation and testimonies, the vast majority of the money does not reach those in need at all.
The method is consistent and outrageous: A man, woman, or child from Gaza is filmed receiving a sum of money for a video. Immediately afterward, almost the entire amount is taken from them, leaving only crumbs in their hands. The real money flows into the pockets of the organizers, who continue to present themselves as “philanthropists” and solicit additional donations from around the world.
Security sources estimate that this activity does not take place without permission. These “millionaires” pay huge sums to Hamas – sponsorship fees – in exchange for protection, freedom of action, and permission to operate in the Gaza Strip. Thus, the humanitarian aid funds effectively become another financing mechanism for the terrorist regime.
The recently released video, in which one of those officials proudly displays millions of dollars, is just the tip of the iceberg. While the citizens of Gaza continue to live in poverty and hardship, a small and corrupt elite is becoming ostentatiously rich – under the eyes of the international community.
[https://www.jdn.co.il/news/2553924/ JDN]
____
Glasgow University rector backed violence and Hamas terror, tribunal hears.
Ghassan Abu-Sittah, a surgeon, is facing a medical hearing over his social media activity and other published commentary.
By Ian Leonard. January 7, 2026.
A world-leading plastic and reconstructive surgeon re-posted antisemitic and pro-terrorism messages on social media, a medical tribunal heard.
[https://www.thejc.com/news/uk/glasgow-university-rector-backed-violence-and-hamas-terror-tribunal-hears-lc8vm7oi TheJC]
____
Muslim radicals call for the execution of a cardinal in Iraq.
By Elizabeth Owens, Zenit, January 5, 2026.
A single word, spoken from the pulpit on Christmas, has placed one of the Middle East’s most prominent Christian leaders under mounting pressure. Cardinal Louis Raphaël Sako, Patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church, is facing an escalating campaign of intimidation in Iraq and neighboring Iran after remarks from his Christmas homily were lifted out of their pastoral context and reframed as a political provocation.
At the heart of the controversy lies the Arabic term commonly rendered as “normalization.” In his homily, Cardinal Sako employed the word as part of a spiritual appeal for healing after years of conflict: a call for social stability, restored trust among citizens, and reconciliation between families, communities and the Iraqi nation as a whole. According to the Chaldean Patriarchate, the intent was unmistakably religious, rooted in the Christmas message of peace and renewal, and entirely detached from regional geopolitics.
Yet in Iraq’s highly charged environment, language is never neutral. The word “normalization” has become politically radioactive, often used as shorthand for normalizing relations with Israel, an issue that can ignite immediate outrage. Critics seized on that association, recasting a pastoral exhortation as an alleged endorsement of forbidden political positions. Within hours, online narratives transformed a Christmas message into accusations of political betrayal.
The Patriarchate responded swiftly, stressing that the homily had no political content and explicitly rejecting claims that Cardinal Sako was advocating normalization with Israel. Officials reiterated that the message focused on peace, national cohesion and the dignity of Iraq, themes that have long marked the patriarch’s public ministry. The clarification, however, did little to stem the backlash….
Cardinal Sako’s own reported response underscores both the gravity of the moment and the depth of his commitment to his country. “If they want to put me on trial and execute me for the sake of Iraq, so be it,” he is quoted as saying. The remark, stark and unsettling, reflects the precarious position of Christian leaders in a region where theological language can be repurposed as political evidence, and where calls for peace may carry personal risk….
[https://zenit.org/2026/01/05/muslim-radicals-call-for-the-execution-of-a-cardinal-in-iraq/ Zenit]
____
Glasgow University rector backed violence and Hamas terror, tribunal hears.
Ghassan Abu-Sittah, a surgeon, is facing a medical hearing over his social media activity and other published commentary.
By Ian Leonard. January 7, 2026.
A world-leading plastic and reconstructive surgeon re-posted antisemitic and pro-terrorism messages on social media, a medical tribunal heard.
[https://www.thejc.com/news/uk/glasgow-university-rector-backed-violence-and-hamas-terror-tribunal-hears-lc8vm7oi TheJC]
____
"The Haredi citizen is the most discriminated citizen in the country - and therefore the most neglected": Dr. Yoav Heller in an interview
In a charged interview with Eli Gotthalf on "Kikar FM", Dr. Yoav Heller, chairman of the "Fourth Quarter" movement, claims that the death of the child Joseph Eisenthal, z"l, is not only a human tragedy, but a warning sign of a civil contract that has fallen apart | "The State of Israel is talking to mechanisms and activists - not to the Haredi citizen himself" (Kikar FM) .
Kikar haShabbat |1.8.26 08:34
The death of the boy Yosef Eisenthal, may his memory be blessed, left behind not only deep pain, but also a trail of difficult questions. Among the chorus of voices heard in the days following the event, one voice stood out, unusual in its sharpness and the discomfort it created: Dr. Yoav Heller, chairman of the "Fourth Quarter" movement.
[https://www.kikar.co.il/kikarfm/haredi-society-civic-contract Kikar]
_____
"Our blood is cheap! One law for the Kaplan and one law for the Haredim" | The angry announcement - and the judge's outrageous claim.
The Jerusalem faction sent a particularly angry message today after the court's decision to release the driver who ran over the late Yosef Eisenthal to house arrest | "One law for Kaplan [- radical leftists. Ed.] - and another law for the Haredim," the faction members wrote, clarifying: Haredim blood has been cheap | The full message sent by the faction members after Judge Bar Asher's outrageous decision (News, Haredim)
bassl
Beni Solomon.
Kikar haShabbat |1.8.26 06:53
[https://www.kikar.co.il/news/t8jn0g Kikar]
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Watch | Minister Eliyahu's speech that infuriated Arab MKs: No other people commits terrorism like you, in the entire world.
Yitzhak Bialik. 01.08.26
Minister Amichai Eliyahu's speech infuriated Arab MKs, after he asked them why the Arab sector, in the whole world, is more violent than other ethnicities and sectors. During the speech, the Arab MKs were expelled from the plenary.
Minister Eliyahu said in response to the video: "The hard truth must be told as it is."
[https://0404.co.il/article/1110712 0404]
Minister Amichai Eliyahu to the angry Touma-Suleiman - Look at the savagery in your villages.
January 08, 2026.
Knesset Plenum – Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu
Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu:
Mr. Chairman – Mr. Acting Chairman, my fellow Knesset members, while we're here clucking our tongues, Minister Ben-Gvir has just gone down south to restore some order — something the State of Israel has desperately needed for many years.
In Arab society, there is violence — disproportionate violence compared to any other society or culture.
Only — only — in places where there is a policy of moderate Islam, which is very firm against the barbarism growing in Arab society, only there is there quiet.
Calls from the floor…
Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu (continuing):
The terrorism in Arab society…
Walid Al-Hawashla (Ra'am):
…
Chairman Nissim Vaturi:
Walid Al-Hawashla, first warning.
Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu:
I'm sorry it bothers you, but the terrorism in Arab society is a result of your education…
It's a shame you refuse to look reality in the eye.
Chairman Nissim Vaturi:
Walid Al-Hawashla, you didn't say anything yesterday about "light foot on the gas" by the Arab driver, so calm down.
Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu:
I want to tell you, MK Walid, that I travel on Highway 6 quite a lot. A gang of criminals rides there on motorcycles, without a rear license plate, without license plates at all, popping wheelies, showing off…
Walid Al-Hawashla:
…
Chairman Nissim Vaturi:
Walid Al-Hawashla, third warning. Please leave.
(MK Walid Al-Hawashla leaves the plenum hall)
Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu (continuing):
Why doesn't this happen in other sectors? Why doesn't this happen among other communities? You — stop throwing responsibility onto others. Take responsibility for your education. Take responsibility for the values you teach. You incite against the State of Israel. What did you think would happen?
Aida Touma-Suleiman (Hadash-Ta'al):
…Shut up, at least shut up.
Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu:
This is not racism.
(Later – MK Aida Touma-Suleiman is also removed after repeated warnings)
Key statement:
“The truth is that no other people commits terrorism like you commit terrorism, not in Israel — in the entire world…
This is a cultural question.”
Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu (closing section):
Change the education. Change the culture. See how much illegal weaponry there is in your society.
Rely on the values of Abraham our father [patriarch] and not on the madness of radical Islam. Abraham our father is also your father — a man who loves peace, pursues peace, opens his home to guests, not to massacre, murder, and rape, not to family honor killings.
I'm not saying this cynically. You have a lot of work to do within yourselves — not just here in Israel, but throughout the world. But here it's even worse, because here for years we ignored it.
Thank God, we have a police minister who is doing wonders, restoring trust, straightening the backs of the police officers. Thank you very much.
(Verbatim-style translation of the heated Knesset exchange • January 7, 2026).
The Three Hundred and Fifty-Fourth Session of the Twenty-Fifth Knesset.
Wednesday, 18th Tevet 5786 (7th January 2026).
Jerusalem, Knesset, 11:00 AM
[https://fs.knesset.gov.il/25/Plenum/25_ptm_10632811.doc]
[https://justsayingitoutloloud.blogspot.com/2026/01/minister-amichai-eliyahu-to-angry-toma.html Just Sayin']
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Hamas missile lands near hospital.
Missile launched towards Israel from near Gaza City misfires, IDF strikes back.
Israel National News.
Jan 8, 2026, 11:58 AM (GMT+2)
A missile launched from Gaza fell near a Gazan hospital, the IDF confirmed Thursday morning.
"A short while ago, a projectile was identified from the area of Gaza City toward the State of Israel," the IDF stated. "The projectile fell within the Gaza Strip territory near a hospital."
"Shortly after, the IDF precisely struck the launch point.
"The IDF strongly condemns any attempts by terrorist organizations to execute terrorist attacks against IDF troops and the State of Israel."
[https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/420593 INN]
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Sa'ar on Aleppo clashes: 'Contradicts promises of a new Syria'.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said that "the attacks by Syrian regime forces on the Kurdish minority in Aleppo are serious and dangerous." Sa'ar added: "The international community in general and the West in particular have a debt of honor toward the Kurds who fought bravely and successfully against ISIS. Systematic and murderous oppression of various minorities in Syria contradicts the promises of a 'new Syria'."
Itamar Eichner|01.08.26 01:40
[https://www.ynetnews.com/article/kigg54cig YNet]
Sa’ar: Silence amid Syrian regime-Kurdish clashes emboldens Damascus
The international community “has a debt of honor to the Kurds” for their role for fighting ISIS, the Israeli foreign minister said.
JNS Staff.
(Jan. 8, 2026 / JNS)
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Thursday urged the international community not to remain silent in the wake of renewed clashes between Syrian government forces and Kurds in the city of Aleppo.
[https://www.jns.org/saar-silence-amid-syrian-regime-kurdish-clashes-emboldens-damascus/ JNS]
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Israeli president reopens kibbutz kindergarten hit by Hezbollah missile.
“We were here during the darkest days. We walked among the ruins and felt immense pain,” Isaac Herzog said.
JNS Staff.
(Jan. 8, 2026 / JNS)
[https://www.jns.org/israeli-president-reopens-kibbutz-kindergarten-in-hit-by-hezbollah-missile/ JBS]
_____
Rocket launched from northern Gaza City landed near IDF positions in the Strip, no injuries.
Hamas launched a rocket from northern Gaza City, which landed in the Gaza Strip area near IDF positions. There are no injuries.
Yoav Zitun|01.08.26 04:07
[https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hyly7x9h7 YNet]
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Iran unrest: Protesters chant 'Death to Khamenei,' topple Soleimani statue.
Protesters chant “Death to Khamenei" and destroy Soleimani statue as anti-regime demonstrations in Iran continue.
Elad Benari
Jan 8, 2026, 5:15 AM (GMT+2)
[https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/420574 INN]
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Australia launches royal commission into Bondi Beach shooting.
PM Albanese bowed to mounting pressure for answers after the antisemitic attack.
JNS Staff.
(Jan. 8, 2026 / JNS)
Australia will launch a royal commission to investigate the terrorist shooting attack at a Dec. 14 Chanukah event at Sydney’s Bondi Beach that left 15 dead, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Thursday.
Officials and critics had demanded the high-powered federal inquiry into the antisemitic attack.
“I’ve repeatedly said that our government’s priority is to promote unity and social cohesion. And this is what Australia needs to heal,” Albanese told reporters in announcing the inquiry.
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry welcomed Albanese’s announcement, with the organization’s president, Daniel Aghion KC, saying that Canberra “made the right decision” and that “this is the only way that Australia’s time-honored standards of decency and fairness can be upheld.”
The ECAJ “will cooperate fully” with Virginia Bell, the judge appointed to lead the royal commission, “and will make every effort to ensure that the full force of the community’s views and experiences of antisemitism in various sectors of society are brought to the forefront of the inquiry.”
Aghion added that the commission, among other advisable actions, should “examine key drivers contributing to antisemitism in Australia, including ideological, political and religious extremism; and assess the adequacy of government, law enforcement and institutional responses.”
[https://www.jns.org/australia-launches-royal-commission-into-bondi-beach-shooting/ JNS]
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Illlegal Arabs arrested for ripping mezuzahs off doorposts.
Illegal Arabs from Hebron suspected of removal and theft of mezuzahs in central Israel.
Israel National News.
Jan 8, 2026, 11:31 AM (GMT+2)
JaffaPA ArabsBat
[https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/420591 INN]
______
Arab Who Infiltrated Israel And Tore Down Dozens Of Mezuzahs Arrested.
January 8, 2026.
[https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/israel-news/2496408/arab-who-infiltrated-israel-and-tore-down-dozens-of-mezuzahs-arrested.html YWN]
______
Gazan rocket fired at Israel falls short, hits near hospital.
The IDF struck the launch site, targeting the second Hamas ceasefire violation in the past 24 hours.
(Jan. 8, 2026 / JNS)
Palestinian terrorists fired a rocket toward Israel from the Gaza City area, which is under Hamas control, on Thursday.
“The launch fell within the territory of the Gaza Strip, near a hospital,” the Israel Defense Forces said. “In a rapid closing of the circle, the IDF struck the launch point in a targeted manner.”
The IDF said it “views with great severity any attempt by terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip to carry out terror plots against IDF forces and the civilians of the State of Israel.”
It was Gazans’ second ceasefire violation in the past 24 hours.
[https://www.jns.org/israel-kills-key-hamas-terrorist-after-gaza-ceasefire-violation/ JNS]
Ceasefire?
Failed Rocket Launch from Gaza City Lands Near Hospital.
According to the Israel Defense Forces, the failed launch originated from Gaza City and was intended for Israeli territory but malfunctioned and fell short, detonating inside Gaza near a hospital. No injuries in Israel were reported.
Judah Pe'er.
Jan 8, 2026 04:33
A rocket launched from the Gaza Strip exploded inside the enclave on Thursday in what Israel described as a serious violation of the ceasefire agreement.
[https://www.jfeed.com/news-israel/gaza-rocket-launch-failure JFeed]
____
Lebanese army claims first phase of Hezbollah disarmament complete.
The military said it has completed the first stage of a five-phase plan to remove weapons from all non-state armed groups.
Joshua Marks.
(Jan. 8, 2026 / JNS)
The Lebanese Armed Forces said Thursday it has completed the first phase of its national disarmament plan, expanding its control in the country’s south as part of efforts to “extend the state’s authority exclusively through its own forces over the entirety of Lebanese territory.”
In a statement, the army said it had “achieved the objectives of the first phase” of the plan, which focused on “expanding the Army’s operational presence, securing vital areas, and extending operational control” in the South Litani Sector, excluding land “that remains under Israeli occupation.”
Israel continues to hold five strategic hilltop positions inside Southern Lebanon along the border, citing the need to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding its attack capabilities near Israeli communities.
The “Shield of the Homeland” (Dir al‑Watan) plan is the Lebanese army’s official five‑phase roadmap to disarm all non‑state militias in Lebanon, with a focus on Hezbollah.
Lebanese Armed Forces commander Gen. Rodolphe Haykal and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said on Dec. 20 that the military was finishing the first phase of its disarmament plan.
[https://www.jns.org/lebanese-army-claims-first-phase-of-hezbollah-disarmament-complete/ JNS]
______
Laurie Cardoza-Moore: “Tucker appears to have Vance in a trance'.
Zionist Christian Evangelical leader Laurie Cardoza-Moore criticizes US Vice President's lack of response to the antisemitism emerging from the right.
Israel National News.
Jan 8, 2026, 5:17 PM (GMT+2)
Zionist Christian Evangelical leader Laurie Cardoza-Moore and President of Proclaiming Justice to the Nations blasted US Vice President JD Vance for what she described as his "inability to take a moral, Christian stance on antisemitism." Her comments come in light of an interview that the Vice President did on Tuesday on CNN commentator Scott Jennings’ podcast.
The host of the award-winning Christian television program “Focus on Israel", which reaches a global audience of two billion, said: “Tucker appears to have Vance in a trance. It’s time for JD Vance to take a moral, Christian stand on antisemitism. There is no place for double-talk on this matter. You don’t get to condemn hatred, while befriending the haters. This is not a time to turn the other cheek. The scourge of Jew Hatred must be banished from the conservative movement before it destroys it from within."
She continued: “Mr. Vice President, you invoked Christian teachings about judging people by their actions, yet you appear to be blindsided by the hatred and actions of people like your friend Tucker Carslon. A clear line needs to be drawn in the sand on what is and is not acceptable. This is not about canceling people; it’s about advocating for the Judeo-Christian values upon which our Republic was founded."
Cardoza-Moore then doubled down on what she described as the grifters and Jew Haters on the woke right: “It is time for the White House to make it clear that grifters and Jew Haters like Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens and Nick Fuentes have no place in the Conservative movement. Their views and content are an abomination to God and trample on our Constitution."
“As President Trump has proven time and again, putting America First means standing with our allies in the face of adversity and not vilifying our own countrymen because of their color or creed. America First means American values first."
Laurie Cardoza-Moore was among the first Evangelical leaders to condemn Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens as anti-Semites. Carlson personally called Cardoza-Moore to beg her walk back her statements, which she only increased as his public Jew Hatred increased. Last year, the Founder of Proclaiming Justice to the Nations made international headlines by resigning from the Heritage Foundation’s Anti-Semitism Taskforce over their stance on Carlson.
[https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/420607 INN]
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Kidnapping is only wrong when the victims are not Jewish babies.
Remember: It is unacceptable to demand the release of babies, such as the Bibas brothers, as long as those babies are Jewish. You can deface the posters asking for their release. But is it perfectly acceptable to demand the release of mass murderers who are not Jewish. Opinion.
Gary Willig.
Jan 8, 2026, 5:30 PM (GMT+2)
Kidnapping is wrong, except for Jewish civilians and children. Kidnapping them is fine. That’s the only takeaway from the disparate responses to the mass kidnappings of civilians and children on October 7, 2023 and the capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro and his wife by US forces over the weekend.
Don’t expect the people who went around ripping down and tearing up the posters of the Israeli hostages and drawing Hitler mustaches on kidnapped Jewish toddlers to act the same with Maduro. They are far more likely to be protesting against Maduro’s arrest and trial. Jewish children are Hitler, you see, while corrupt socialist dictators are innocents.
International law is apparently nothing more than a tool to protect dictators with the blood of countless people on their hands, not a tool to protect innocent people, or at least not Jews.
Case in point:
UN “Special Rapporteur" Francesca Albanese, who called Maduro’s arrest “a lethal blow" to international law. She is far more animated and concerned with protecting Maduro, who violated human rights on a massive scale for over a decade, than with protecting the innocents and the children who were abducted by Hamas. Her response to the mass slaughter and the mass kidnappings in southern Israel was not to appeal to international law on behalf of the victims, but to Tweet on October 7, as the massacre was ongoing, that 'Today’s violence must be put in context.’
We need to "understand" the people who murder and kidnap Jewish babies. There’s a “context" to that, you see, because they are Jews, and that makes it all right. There is apparently no “context" to Maduro’s capture, because whatever his crimes, he is not a Jew. That makes it wrong to kidnap him.
35 of the kidnapping victims were children under the age of 18, including Avigayil Idan (3 years old), Emily Hand (9), Ofri (10), Yuval (9), and Uriya Brodetz (5), Ariel (4) and Kfir Bibas (9 months), Ohad Munder (8), Hila Rotem (12), Agam (17), Gal (11), and Tal Goldstein-Almog (9), Ella (8) and Dafna Elyakim (15), Yagil (12), and Or Yaakov (16), Yuval Engel (10), Amit Shani (16), Ofir Engel (17), Yahel (3), and Naveh Shoham (8), Noam Avigdori (12), Emilia Aloni (5), twins Yuli and Emma Cunio (3), Eitan Yahalomi (12), Sahar (16) and Erez Calderon (12), Raz (4) and Aviv Asher (2), Aisha Zaidna(17), Mia Lemberg (17), Noam (17) and Alma Or (13), and Gali Tarshansky (13).
Where was Albanese’s vaunted “international law" when these teenagers, children, toddlers, and babies needed it? Why did their kidnappers deserve “context" when those who arrested Maduro do not?
Albanese rushed to write a book defending Hamas immediately after these children were abducted, co-opting a phrase made famous in one of the most explosive antisemitic episodes of the 19th century, “J’Accuse." Two months after the massacre, she condemned a call on Hamas to release all of the hostages, including all of the children, “unacceptable."
It was an act of such monstruous evil that it is still shocking over two years later.
Don’t expect any such condemnations of calls on the US to release Maduro. It is unacceptable to demand the release of babies in diapers as long as those babies are Jewish. But is it perfectly acceptable to demand the release of mass murderers who are not Jewish.
Kfir Bibas was 10 months old and his brother Ariel was 4 years od when they were murdered in cold blood by their captors. Kfir had not learned to walk or talk. He and his brother were never put on trial, nor could they have been. Their lives were snuffed out by monsters who declared themselves to be the judge, jury, and executioners of all Jews for the crime of being born Jews.
But since Albanese’s version of “international law" allows the kidnapping and murder of Jews, it is far worse for Maduro to be tried in an actual court of law for crimes he actually committed than it is for Jewish children to be kidnapped and murdered before their first birthday.
Spare us your crocodile tears. Any “law" that condemns the punishment of mass murderers and protects brutal dictators while abandoning and allowing the kidnapping and murder of children and babies who are born into the “wrong" ethnicity is no law. It is pure evil. It is barbarism pretending to be law
[https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/420608 INN]
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Qatar is biggest foreign funder of US colleges, per Education Department.
“Every single dollar given by our adversaries comes with strings attached,” Rep. Tim Walberg told JNS. “Enough is enough.”
Aaron Bandler.
(Jan. 8, 2026 / JNS)
Qatar has been the largest source of foreign funding for U.S. higher education institutions, according to data displayed in a new U.S Department of Education portal.
The portal, which went live on Jan. 2, explains that, under Section 117 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, federally funded universities are required to disclose, twice annually, any gifts and contracts from a foreign source that are worth at least $250,000 in a calendar year.
Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.), chair of the House Education and Workforce Committee, told JNS that “our college campuses are being flooded with foreign cash, but every single dollar given by our adversaries comes with strings attached.”
“America’s adversaries exploit these financial ties to steal research, spread divisive propaganda, push indoctrination and undermine free speech,” Walberg said.
“Enough is enough,” he added. “The Trump administration is making the reporting of foreign funds easier and more transparent so we can protect our students and the integrity of American education.”
[https://www.jns.org/ed-department-portal-finds-qatar-highest-source-of-foreign-funding-to-us-colleges-universities/ JNS]
New Federal Data Shows Terrorism-Loving Qatar Has Poured $6.6 Billion Into U.S. Higher Education.
January 8, 2026.
The U.S. Department of Education’s newly launched foreign-funding disclosure portal is placing a spotlight on the role of Qatar in American higher education, revealing that the Gulf state is by far the largest foreign source of funding for U.S. colleges and universities.
According to data published on the portal, Qatar has provided approximately $6.6 billion in gifts and contracts to American higher education institutions—far more than any other foreign country. Germany followed with $4.4 billion, England with $4.3 billion, China with $4.1 billion, Canada with $4 billion, and Saudi Arabia with $3.9 billion.
The portal was created to enforce Section 117 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, which requires federally funded universities to disclose, twice annually, foreign gifts and contracts totaling at least $250,000 in a calendar year. The reporting tool was rolled out as part of a broader push by the Trump administration to increase transparency around foreign influence on U.S. campuses.
Among the institutions receiving Qatari funding, Cornell University topped the list with roughly $2.3 billion, followed by Carnegie Mellon University at $1 billion, Texas A&M University at $992.8 million, and Georgetown University at $971.1 million.
Kenneth Marcus, chairman and CEO of the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law and a former assistant U.S. secretary of education for civil rights, said the scale of Qatari funding raises unavoidable questions about influence.
“It is hard to imagine that this amount of money doesn’t imply some amount of influence,” Marcus told JNS. “And it’s fair to ask what kind of influence Qatar is obtaining in exchange for its money.”
Overall, the portal shows that foreign governments and entities have provided $62.4 billion in contracts and gifts to 527 U.S. colleges and universities, underscoring the scope of foreign involvement in American higher education.
Announcing the portal’s anticipated launch in December, U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon said the initiative was long overdue.
“After years of neglect by the Biden administration, the new portal will assist our institutions of higher education in fulfilling their statutory responsibilities,” McMahon said, adding that it would help protect national security by improving compliance.
[https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/israel-news/2496592/new-federal-data-shows-terrorism-loving-qatar-has-poured-6-6-billion-into-u-s-higher-education.html YWM]
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GAO report finds ‘gaps’ in State Department reporting on UNRWA textbooks.
The independent agency found the State Department “omitted required information,” missed deadlines and reported inaccurate information about UNRWA schools to Congress.
Andrew Bernard.
(Jan. 8, 2026 / JNS)
The U.S. Government Accountability Office released a report on Thursday finding that the U.S. State Department failed to properly inform Congress about efforts to reform Palestinian textbooks.
[https://www.jns.org/gao-report-finds-gaps-in-state-department-reporting-on-unrwa-textbooks/ JNS]
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Tens of thousands take to the streets
President Trump warns US will "hit Iran very hard" if Iranian regime kills protesters. Internet and phones cut off in the Islamic Republic. Groups report at least 45 dead in riots so far.
Israel National News
Jan 9, 2026, 12:55 AM
[https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/420619 INN]
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German Jewish leader: AfD in government could trigger mass Jewish emigration.
Germany’s top Jewish leader warns that AfD participation in government would make Jewish life untenable, as rising polls for the far-right party spark deep concern ahead of key state elections.
Israel National News.
Published: Jan 9, 2026, 1:09 AM (GMT+2)
[https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/420631 INN]
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