Liora Argamani, whose daughter Noa was held captive in Gaza for 246 days following the October 7 Hamas atrocities attack, died Tuesday after a prolonged battle with brain cancer. Argamani's final wish – to see her daughter one last time – was granted just three weeks before her passing after Israeli forces rescued Noa in a daring raid to free 4 Israeli hostages in Gaza in early June, marking a poignant end to a story that captivated Israel and the world.

The 61-year-old nurse, who had traversed continents in pursuit of a dream, found her final solace in the arms of her daughter Noa – a young woman whose 246-day ordeal as a hostage in Gaza had become emblematic of a nation's anguish.

"Liora spent her final days alongside her daughter Noa, who had returned from captivity, and her close family," the hospital said in a statement that seemed to capture both relief and sorrow in equal measure. The family's request for privacy underscored the deeply personal nature of their loss, even as it played out on an international stage.

The story of the Argamanis is one of stark contrasts – of joy and despair, of reunion and separation. Liora, born in the bustling city of Wuhan, China, had come to Israel in 1994 for what was meant to be a brief professional sojourn. Instead, she found love in the desert city of Beer Sheva, marrying Yaakov and giving birth to their only child, Noa.

Noa Argamani, 26, was among the approximately 240 people taken hostage when Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on southern Israel on October 7. She was attending the Nova music festival near the Gaza border when the attack occurred, an event that has since become synonymous with the tragedy of that day.

For 246 days, as negotiations for hostage releases ebbed and flowed, Liora Argamani's condition deteriorated. Her plea became a rallying cry for many Israelis, who saw in her story the human toll of the ongoing crisis.

It was Noa who became the center of a national vigil after her abduction from the Nova music festival on that fateful October day. As the weeks turned to months, Liora's private battle with cancer became inextricably linked with the public campaign for her daughter's release.

In a video that would later be seen by millions, Liora made a heartrending appeal. "I'm now a cancer patient, brain cancer. I don't know how much time I have left," she said, her eyes reflecting a mixture of determination and despair. "I want to be able to see my Noa at home."

Her words, directed at world leaders and humanitarian organizations, carried the weight of a mother's love – a force that seemed to transcend the boundaries of politics and conflict. "Noa, I want to tell you, if I don't see you - know that I love you the most," Liora said, her voice breaking with emotion. "The whole world loves you."

At a rally marking 100 days of captivity, Liora's frail form belied her inner strength as she addressed a sea of supporters. "Noa has been in Hamas captivity for 100 days, and I don't understand how this can be," she said, her words a mixture of gratitude for public support and incomprehension at the ongoing ordeal.

The long-awaited reunion came in the twilight of Liora's life. Noa, along with three other hostages, was finally released. The moment they shared – a wordless embrace in a hospital room – became a powerful symbol of closure, not just for the Argamani family, but for a nation scarred by conflict.

Amnon Regev, Noa's cousin, captured the bittersweetness of the moment in an interview. "Noa can't communicate with Liora, but she said she wanted one last hug, and I think she got it," he said. "This is her victory and all of ours."

As news of Liora's passing spread, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum released a statement that seemed to encapsulate the complex emotions of the moment. "We bow our heads in deep sorrow," it read, acknowledging both the personal loss and the broader context of ongoing captivity for others.

In the end, Liora Argamani's story is more than a footnote in a larger conflict. It is a reminder of the human cost of war, the strength found in adversity, and the enduring power of a mother's love. In her final days, Liora achieved her heart's desire – to hold her daughter once more. In doing so, she provided a moment of catharsis for a nation in need of healing.

As Israel mourns Liora Argamani, her legacy serves as a poignant reminder of the personal tragedies that often unfold in the shadow of geopolitical strife. In life and in death, she embodied the resilience of the human spirit – a beacon of hope in troubled times.

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IDF fighter jets struck a weapon manufacturing site and a rocket launcher belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, in retaliation for arson balloons launched toward Israeli territory in the past two days.

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According to security sources and witnesses in Gaza, the Hamas facilities hit were west of Gaza City and in the northern Strip, with no immediate reports of casualties.

Incendiary balloons from Gaza caused fires in southern Israel's Eshkol region on Saturday and Friday.

Israeli jets destroyed Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip overnight Thursday, too, in response to cross-border arson attacks.

Video: IDF Spokesperson's Unit

The IDF warned in a statement that it "will continue to retaliate against any further terrorist activity in the Gaza Strip."

On May 21, Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire following 11 days of conflict. Since then, Palestinian terrorists from Gaza have sporadically launched arson balloons across the border, causing fires in Israel's fields. Egyptian, Qatari and United Nations mediators have been working to shore up the fragile ceasefire.

Also on Saturday, a Palestinian man was shot in Judea and Samaria after clashes broke out in the area between Palestinians and Israeli security forces.

According to the IDF, soldiers were trying to disperse rioters when a Palestinian man threw an explosive device at them from a rooftop, to which they "responded with fire… to eliminate the danger."

The Palestinian Health Ministry identified the slain man as Mohammad Fareed Hassan, 20, from Qusra village near the city of Nablus.

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The Jewish community of Belgium expressed concern after the government announced Wednesday it would withdraw army protection from Jewish institutions across the country, without providing an alternative or assigning the responsibility to the Belgian police force.

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In response, European Jewish Association Chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin sent a letter to Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden asking to reconsider the decision.

In his letter, he pointed out that the announcement coincided with "the time when antisemitic incidents are at their peak."

"The Belgian government invested and continues to invest great effort in protecting Jewish neighborhoods and institutions, and we are grateful," Margolin wrote. "But despite these efforts in the year of the coronavirus, and especially as a result of the Israel-Gaza conflict last month, we have seen a significant increase of threats and attacks on Jewish in Belgium and all of Europe."

Michael Freilich, a Jewish member of the Belgian parliament, has called on the government to provide an alternative to the army's protection due to the rise in antisemitic incidents. He is currently working on obtaining a special budget to safeguard Jewish institutions across the country.

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Palestinian rioters once again took to the streets of Jerusalem's Shimon HaTzadik neighborhood (also known as Sheikh Jarrah) on Tuesday.

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Arab residents of the area accosted two members of the right-wing Religious Zionist Party – Bezalel Smotrich and Orit Strook – who came to visit the neighborhood.

Footage shows one Arab man scream at Smotrich, "Get out of here, son of a b****. You are garbage, there is nothing for you to do here. You cockroach, get out of here."

Eventually, two police officers, who were nearby, intervened and dispersed the growing crowd.

In May, Palestinians used contested homes in Sheikh Jarrah as the pretext to launch hostilities against Israel. This led to 11 days of war between Hamas and Israel, as well as to a series of violent clashes between Arab Israelis and the police.

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The United States, one of the nations that was hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic, seems to be returning to normal, having reopened its shops and airports and lifted the mask mandate. And yet, another plague is already rearing its head: antisemitism. 

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Antisemitic content has become widespread on social media, and synagogues, Jewish institutions and anyone who is easily identifiable as a Jew have become prime targets. 

Several weeks ago, at the height of tensions due to the Israel-Gaza conflict, 31-year-old Joseph Borgen was assaulted by a group of pro-Palestinians in New York. 

"I tried to shield myself with my arms, so much so that my joints still hurt. I have almost recovered physically, but mentally it is much more challenging, I admit," he told Israel Hayom. 

Borgen was on his way to a pro-Israel rally in Times Square, having attended a similar march the week before. 

"Everything was very peaceful during the first march. A week later, on my way to the second rally, I stepped out of the train station and was waiting for my friends when I saw from the corner of my eye that someone was running towards me.

"Before I could do anything, I found myself surrounded by a group of people who began kicking and punching me, spraying me with pepper spray. I wrapped my head with my arms to protect myself. In those moments, I thought I was going to die." 

Q: How could they tell you were Jewish? 

"Because of my kippah. I was not holding an Israeli flag, nor did I say anything in Hebrew. I simply wore a kippah, as I am doing right now." 

The attack was filmed by several bystanders. Footage showed Borgen beaten mercilessly until the arrival of the police. He was taken to the hospital and discharged a few hours later. Several of the attackers were arrested, some managed to flee the scene. 

In response to the attack, a major pro-Israel march was held in Long Island, where Borgen grew up. He was invited to share his story, which he also retold in dozens of interviews with the media. 

Q: Some leaders are advising Jews not to wear symbols that make them identifiable as Jewish. What is your opinion on this? 

"I don't think anyone should be hiding their Jewish identity. I continue to wear a kippah. What happened makes me more cautious, I keep looking over my shoulder to make sure everything is alright. But if there is another pro-Israel march, I will be happy to participate in it, wearing a kippah. I will take more precautions, perhaps going with more people, so I will not be a lone target. However, I will not hide the fact that I am Jewish and that I support Israel. 

"Hiding our Jewish identity is the last thing that we should be doing. That is what they are trying to achieve. No one should worry about leaving their home just because they are members of a minority, it doesn't matter if you are Black, Asian or Jewish.

"We must persevere, be strong, and show that we are Jews and we support Israel. At the same time, we mustn't pretend current times aren't challenging. The person who attacked me is walking around freely. His surroundings perceive him as a hero, and he might repeat his actions and hurt other Jews. It is disturbing to think that he is not in prison now, but I am trying to move on."

Borden's words describe the experience of most American Jewry. For years, the community turned a blind eye to the spread of antisemitism, saying, "something like this would never happen in the United States." But the latest conflict between Israel and Hamas has awoken a dormant type of antisemitism in the US, one that American Jewry can no longer ignore. 

It began rearing its head in the early 2000s, and American Jewry blamed "the other side." When Barack Obama was president, the Right accused him of spreading hate against Israel, and therefore the Jews. When Donald Trump took office, left-wing Jews accused him of Neo-Nazism and white supremacy, and blamed him for the 2018 synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh and the attack in the Poway synagogue in 2019.  

Although such political disagreements continue to this day, all Jews – no matter their religious affiliation or political views – agree on the matter of antisemitism: that the uptick is unprecedented and worrisome, that Jews abroad are perceived as responsible for Israel's actions and that left-wing political echelon is silent when it comes to Jew-hatred. 

As for the Jewish leaders themselves, most of them stay silent too. Twenty-three Jewish congressmen from the democratic party were outraged over the antisemitic statements made by Muslim representative Ilhan Omar, who, essentially, expressed support for Hamas. The congressmen held two secret meetings to discuss the matter, but could not agree on condemning Ohmar publicly. In contrast, President Joe Biden condemned the rise in antisemitism. So did representatives of the Republican party, considered Israel's main supporters. 

The Anti-Defamation League, which works to fight discrimination against Jewish in the US, tallied 305 antisemitic incidents in May 2021 alone, double the number compared to the year before. According to the organization, "the most dramatic year-over-year increase was in the category of assault, which rose from zero in May 11-31, 2020, to 11 in the same period in May 2021. There is evidence that at least seven of the antisemitic assaults were motivated by anger over the conflict in the Middle East."

Its report listed incidents such as pro-Palestinian supporters accosting diners in Los Angeles, after they confirmed they were Jewish, and screaming "You should be ashamed of yourselves"; a stranger assaulting a Jewish man in Las Vegas with cries of "Jews are baby killers" and "are not going to exist"; a Jewish high school student in New Orleans, who was harassed by a fellow student for wearing a kippah and was told to "take his dirty Jew hat off"; and antisemitic chants in Arabic during a pro-Palestinian rally in Washington, such as "Oh you Jews, the army of Muhammad shall return."

According to the report, the number of antisemitic attacks tripled in the last eight years. It went from 751 assaults in 2013 to 2,204 attacks in 2020. It is clear that an even higher number will be recorded in 2021. 

In response to the alarming spike in antisemitism, American Jewry took to the streets to support Israel and stand up to discrimination, with hundreds of rallies held across the States. 

On June 3, more than 200 people gathered at the Holocaust memorial in Miami Beach for an inter-faith march called "No hate. No fear," organized by the Jewish Federations of North Florida. Many more were expected to arrive, but "perhaps the public has grown tired from the large number of such rallies," one of the organizers said. On the other hand, "maybe some worry that such a rally might turn into a conflict with pro-Palestinian supporters." 

The local Jewish community, which boasts 123,000 members, is unlike any other in the US: a third of them were born abroad and immigrated from Russia, Israel, Canada or France; the ultra-Orthodox community has a much more significant presence compared to other areas in the US; and even Jews who are Democrats are ardent supporters of Israel. 

A day before the march, a Jewish student told Israel Hayom that the Instagram account of a local Jewish business was flooded with antisemitic and anti-Zionist comments and the door of her own college dorm room was vandalized with a swastika and the word "Nazi." 

The situation got so bad that even Aaron Keyak, US President Joe Biden's "Jewish engagement director," tweeted: "It pains me to say this, but if you fear for your life or physical safety, take off your kippah and hide your Magen David."

One of the speakers at the pro-Israel march was Jake Solomon, president and CEO of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. He said in an interview with Israel Hayom after his speech that "several Jewish buildings and objects were vandalized recently, and security footage recorded someone spitting on a menorah outside a local synagogue. All instances happened in broad daylight and in public spaces." 

When asked whether it was dangerous to walk in the street wearing a kippah, Solomon hesitated, but answered no. 

"Nevertheless, I do know people who prefer to put on a baseball cap instead of a kippah. If you do wear a kippah, most likely, you will not be a target for an attack, it is not an incident that happens every day. The situation here is not as bad as in New York.

"And yet, things have gotten much worse over the years, both in terms of the number of assaults and the feeling of unsafety among Jews. The current spike in antisemitism is a cause for concern. The beginning of 2021 has set a worrisome precedent for the rest of the year. 

"Social media is making things even worse: everyone is exposed to the demonization of Israel and cannot distinguish between antisemitism and criticism. It's become a trend to stand up against Israel. We're talking about the same people who are supposed to preach empathy, like the Black Lives Matter movement or [other] organizations that fight discrimination or support human rights or LGBTQ rights. Why are they not speaking up against antisemitism?"

Q: Do public leaders speak up against it? 

"Not at all. The number of public leaders who have spoken out against Israel is 100 times higher than those who condemned the antisemitic assaults."

Q: What do you think all this means for the future of American Jewry? 

"There are people who say that what's going on today reminds them of the time before the war [World War II] in Germany. People see what happened in Britain and France. Most of their Jews moved to Israel, but we are not there yet. 

"I speak to people in the community, and they are very much aware of what is going on, both on a personal and a security level. I've studied history and know what happened in Germany in the 1930s. Whoever does not pay attention now, will pay the price later on."

Gabriel Groisman is the mayor of Florida's Bal Harbour, who also came to speak at the march. A few weeks prior, a Jewish family in his city was verbally assaulted by Palestinians who drove by in a car and screamed antisemitic slurs, such as "Hitler was right" and "the Jews killed Jesus." 

In his speech, Groisman called on all American Jewry to stand up to such discrimination. 

"We must put political differences aside," he said. "These differences are unimportant when worshippers in synagogues are being attacked and verbally assaulted. We must unite in order to stand up to our enemies. We must fight for the truth, we must fight for our place in the beautiful American democracy, and we must fight together for our Jewish homeland, the state of Israel, and its place in the world. 

"We must continue to teach our children about our roots, religion, history, land and country, and how to defend ourselves physically and intellectually. History has taught us that things can escalate quickly, and if we become complacent, we become vulnerable. We are being asked to hide the signs that make us identifiable as Jews, but we must stand up to that."

In an interview with Israel Hayom, Groisman said, "I think our response must be vocal, proud, strong and unapologetic, to make sure antisemitism doesn't rise to a level we don't want it to. We are not at a time yet when Jews cannot live in the US, but our golden age seems to have come to an end. 

"The attackers and their supporters want to destroy our Jewish identity and our support for Israel and convince us that they are not antisemites, that they only oppose Israel and Zionism. 

"The general approach in the community is to avoid confrontation, but that is not how I was raised. My approach is to be tough and vocal. To run away from the problem or hide in your room when you are confronted on campus will not help you in any way. The Jewish community here is very small, and it cannot allow internal disagreements to take place here. 

"I'm Republican. Jewish mayors that spoke before and after me are Democrats. When it comes to the subject of antisemitism, we see eye to eye. We speak every day and work together. When it comes to hurting Jews, all politics are put aside." 

Q: What can you say about the Jews who take part in inciting hatred against Israel? Like the Jewish editors of the infamous New York Times front page, which featured the children casualties of the operation in Gaza? 

"In the 10 years that I've been fighting antisemitism, I learned to deal with white supremacy, BDS, Muslims who hate Israel. But the hardest thing is to stand up to Jews who speak out against their own people. That is why I say that the responsibility is, first and foremost, on us."

African-American Democratic Representative Evan Shields also attended the rally. 

"It is crucial to show our solidarity with the Jewish community at times when antisemitism in the US is on the rise," he told Israel Hayom. "For me personally, it's essential to be here not just as someone who is active in the community, but as a Christian, a Baptist and an African-American.

"I grew up in Alabama. There in the 1960s Martin Luther King understood that we need to connect and show solidarity with other communities in order to increase support for our cause in the whole world. One of the most important things he did was invite rabbis and Jewish leaders.

"It worries me that not enough members of my community came here today. That is why I am here with my wife. We both think that time has come to revive the connection between the Black and Jewish communities. The two need each other. That is why I also understand how important my presence here today is." 

Q: What do you think about those who draw parallels between the Black Lives Matter movement and the Palestinians? 

"I fully support Israel. If someone was launching rockets into my home, I would protect myself and my family with everything I have. It's true that many in the Black community identify with the Palestinians, but our struggles are not similar. We, the Black community, are fighting for civil rights in this country through making connections in a peaceful way. The Palestinians, many of whom support Hamas, are very different from us in this matter." 

Another march in response to antisemitism was held on June 6 in St. Petersburg, on the other side of Florida. It took place outside the local Holocaust museum, which had recently been vandalized with a swastika and the words "Jews are guilty." 

Ten days after the incident, the museum's executive director, Elizabeth Gelman, still struggles to make sense of such hatred. 

"They don't know my stance on Israel and its actions, and it doesn't even matter. The very fact that this institution deals with the Holocaust somehow makes it ok to target it." 

Gelman grew up in Chicago and moved to St. Petersburg in 2015. 

"It's one of America's most diverse cities. When it comes to elections, the difference between the support Democrats or Republicans receive is always minute, and everybody lives alongside each other in peace. It's an open and empathetic community.

"Several buildings were vandalized with swastikas, but it was the first time "Jews are guilty" was sprained on one of them, which is such an antisemitic statement. When I found out about it, I felt the ground disappear beneath my feet. We are all heartbroken, because the community in this city is better than that. 

"Many contacted us to show support – the municipality, the police, elected officials. But the fact that there's been an increase in such incidents this year is alarming. It seems that the perpetrators are just looking for a reason to incite hatred, and the conflict in Gaza was one such reason. I live in Florida, not in Israel, and I have no way to influence what happens there. And yet, people here are also attacked. Why? Because they are Jewish. 

"I ask Holocaust survivors who come to speak at the museum, what their message is to the world. Many of them say that such an atrocity will never happen to anyone else. Their message is for the Jews, but not only. One of the take-away messages from the Holocaust is the importance of standing up to antisemitism, thoroughly. We must not leave space for such hatred."

The Florida Holocaust Museum receives 150,00 visitors every year. Interestingly, the museum does not display horrifying images from the Holocaust. 

"We want to make sure children can come to the museum and connect to the message, and not get lost among the graphic images that might leave them traumatized," Gelman explained. 

"There was always antisemitism in the US, under the radar, and people knew there were things that couldn't be said. Lately, they began to say things they would have never dared in the past. And it's not just against Jews. It's also Asians, African-Americans, Hispanic people, immigrants. 

"In 2017, we had to hire armed security because the museum received threats from civilians, the very people we serve. It made me cry, because the purpose of this place is to give people hope for the future, to educate and make sure things like that never happen again. And yet they are." 

Q: What is your take-away from the situation? 

"There is so much hatred in the world, it is terrifying. The Jewish people alone are not capable of dealing with antisemitism. We need allies, we need to connect with other communities that are also discriminated against, and get to the root of antisemitism – hatred. Often people don't realize that they act or speak in a way that is antisemitic. Some don't even know what it means that someone is Jewish. 

"It might sound naive, but what would be an alternative? I chose to be naive. This is my hope for the future. This is my outlook, and that is the message the museum would like to send." 

Q: What about making aliyah? 

"I have visited Israel, but am not thinking of moving there. I am an American Jew and a citizen of the world."

Antisemitism is no stranger in the ultra-Orthodox area of New York either. Due to the nature of their clothing and customs, Jews here have long gotten used to discrimination, more so than in any other area. 

There have been hundreds of incidents of cursing, assaults, car break-ins and attacks on Jews in Brooklyn. The religious way of life does not allow for members of the community to hide their Jewish identity, and they feel local authorities do not respond effectively to attacks. 

S. is an Orthodox Jew who lives in Brooklyn. His 18-year-old son and nephew have recently been attacked by a group of Muslims on Shabbat. S. asked to remain anonymous out of fear his family would be targeted again. 

"They were attacked by three young Muslims. They punched them in the face, back, all of their body, really.

"The attackers demanded that they say 'Free Palestine,' but didn't succeed, because my son and nephew fought back. They then went to their cars to bring cricket bats to hit the boys, but fled. Then, out of nowhere, a Muslim Uber driver stopped his car. My son and nephew were worried he was one of the attackers, but he convinced them his intentions were good. The boys got in the car and he took them a few streets away to safety. That is how they were saved." 

The day before his interview, S.'s daughter and her friend were verbally abused in Times Square after several people noticed they were Jewish, based on their clothing. 

"They cursed them and said 'Stupid Jews' and 'Get the hell out of New York,' and more. I don't hear politicians speaking up. Most of them, even the Jewish ones, keep silent," S. said. 

Yochonon Donn is an opinion writer at Mishpacha magazine and a member of the Karlin-Stolin Hassidic dynasty. He said antisemitic attacks were happening all the time and swastikas were spray-painted on Jewish buildings almost daily. He has instructed his children not to leave the house after it gets dark. 

"Here, nearby is located the electoral district for Senator Chuck Schumer, the leader of the Democratic majority in the Senate. He is a Jew who has gotten to the most distinguished position in American history. In an interview with a Jewish radio station a few days ago, he described himself as 'the protector of Israel,' and behind the scenes, he tries to strengthen his connection with the community and help with budget and other things. 

"But publicly, Schumer dares say nothing, because he is afraid that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a popular congresswoman with the progressive leftists in his party, who also lives in this district, will challenge him and win. He saw what happened to Eliot Engel, a veteran congressman, who lost to a young and progressive competitor, and he is worried that if he speaks up in support of Jews in an obvious way, he will lose his young voters. 

"When is the only time they [the Left] speak out against antisemitic attacks? Only if there was an attack at that time, or in that same place, on another minority. So, for example, if one mosque was vandalized and ten Jews were brutally attacked, the Left will say, 'we condemn all incidents' and briefly mention the Jews. With them, there is no such thing as condemning an antisemitic attack alone."

Elhanan Popko works as a teacher at two Jewish schools in Manhattan. He teaches students techniques to deal with panic attacks. 

"Paradoxically, those students who learn in public schools, with non-Jewish classmates, are more stressed. During the Israel-Gaza conflict, some were told, 'You are a Jew, I don't want to sit with you.' In contrast, those who study in Jewish schools have had no such interactions."

Rabbi Moshe Hauer, who heads one of the most powerful Jewish institutions in the United States, the Orthodox Union, said he expected a "clear condemnation of attacks on Jews. Without justifications of the other side, without context, without mentioning other minorities. We are working hard to better protect the community and to make sure that the right things are being said. 

"We live in a world that has fewer values. People react with rage to so many things. They perform violent acts publicly. Polarization is growing. Politics separate people, who no longer feel connected or responsible for each other. That is why they allow themselves to do things that would never have been done in the past, and it doesn't matter to them whether they are breaking windows in Jewish buildings in Manhattan or those of the Capitol. This is how I see the current events."

Ari Lamm, the chief executive of Bnai Zion, which fosters inter-faith connections, said he had never before seen this much antisemitism in the streets.

"To see such things in our little city, a rally against Israel – I have never seen such a thing. Or for the city council to be afraid to put up an Israeli flag, which goes against their own decision a few months back. This is true antisemitism. And the daring of Israel haters to come to Jewish and Hassidic areas to protect, unheard of. 

Q: What do you think brought about a change? 

"The United States has a tendency of projecting its own story on the rest of the world. The latest conflict between Israel and Hamas was presented here as the conflict between white people and African Americans. You and I know that this is not the case, for many Jews have a Sephardi background. In no way are we talking about whites against black, it's not even about Jews vs. Arabs, for the Israeli public is made up of so much more than Jews alone. 

"Journalist Matti Friedman explained, in an article he published recently, that when the US gained independence, a classic hero was a white cowboy, with blonde hair and blue eyes.  

"Things have changed, because today's American hero is dark-skinned, so Israel is perceived as the strong white oppressor. The American understanding has nothing to do with reality in Israel. The US is projecting its own misdeeds onto Israel and others. And this is crucial, because Israel is paying the price for that now."

Q: What do you think the current rise in antisemitism means for the future of the US? 

"There is a tremendous difference between previous exiles of the Jewish people and the current exile in America. In all of the previous ones, we were dependent on the regime or the country that hosted us for protection. They enjoyed that which we contributed, and got rid of us when they felt like it. America is the first one to host Jews, because it needs us more than we need her, because the country is based on the notion of equality before God. It is a Jewish idea, that comes from the Bible and our sages."

Q: What if things escalate? 

"At any moment, I can join my family, parents and sister, who live in Israel. My community, synagogue and army are always waiting for me there." 

But before moving to Israel, many Jews chose to move to Florida, which is considered to have lower taxes, a more efficient local government and a safer place for Jews. 

"The police are weak in New York, because of the liberal approach of the governor and the mayor," said Lamm. "Florida has a strong police, and much fewer potential attackers." 

In New York, Israeli ambassador to the US and United Nations Gilad Erdan held a meeting with the heads of major Jewish organizations, due to the rise in antisemitism and as part of a diplomatic campaign he leads at the UN.

Erdan's goal is to have the UN adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's working definition of antisemitism – namely that Jews should not be held responsible for events in Israel, but also that antisemitism and anti-Zionism are two sides of the same coin – and to submit a resolution against Holocaust denial at the UN General Assembly.

He has also called on countries to boycott the UN event marking the 20th anniversary of the World Conference on Racism in Durban, which featured antisemitic messages. As an alternative, the ambassador is planning to hold an alternative conference that will deal with all kinds of racism, including antisemitism.

"During the operation in Gaza, we saw an alarming outbreak of the disease of antisemitism, which has been on the rise in recent year," Erdan told Israel Hayom. "The fact that the leaders of prominent Jewish organizations have united to discuss and battle it together only emphasizes the harsh reality and the need to step up and fight against Jew-hatred."

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The Jewish community in France has an illustrious history. The first to be emancipated in Europe, Jews have made it into the crème de la crème of French society. They have become influential figures in politics, academia, economics, entertainment, and more. And yet, the same community that 30 years ago experienced its golden age in France is now experiencing a momentous period of distrust. 

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Three weeks ago, France's high court ruled not to prosecute Kobili Traore, a Muslim man who killed his Jewish neighbor Sarah Halimi in 2017. 

Why? Traore smoked a lot of marijuana before the murder, and that made him "not responsible for his actions," the court decided. More than 7,000 people gathered at the Trocadero Square in Paris in protest of the ruling and to seek justice for the victim. 

Unfortunately, the Halimi case is the latest of a series of antisemitic events that have caused a rift between France and its Jews. 

In 2003, Jewish French DJ Sebastian Selam was killed by his Muslim neighbor and childhood friend Adel Amastaibou, who was sent to a psychiatric infirmary. In 2006, Ilan Halimi was kidnapped, tortured, and murdered by a group of Muslims. In 2012, an Islamic State terrorist opened fire in a school in Toulouse and killed Rabbi Jonathan Sandler, his two sons, 5-year-old Arie and 3-year-old Gabriel, as well as 8-year old Myriam Monsonego. In 2015, Elsa Cayat, a columnist for the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, was killed by two French Muslim brothers, along with 11 other employees. Two days later, a terrorist opened fire in the Hypercacher kosher supermarket in Paris and killed Yohan Cohen, Philippe Braham, François-Michel Saada, and Yoav Hattab. In 2018, Holocaust survivor Mireille Knoll was killed in her home by a young Muslim. 

According to data published by the French Jewish community's security service, there was a 50% decrease in the number of antisemitic incidents in 2020 (399 compared to 697 the year before), but there was almost no decrease in the number of physical assaults on Jews (45), despite the coronavirus pandemic and multiple lockdowns.  

Add to that the most recent uptick in antisemitism in the wake of the Israel-Gaza conflict. Thousands of Muslims took to the streets of Paris and marched in areas heavily populated by Jews. The local government banned the protests for fear of them turning into violent riots, but to no avail. Some 4,200 policemen were deployed to the streets of Paris to disperse any illegal gatherings and arrested dozens. All Jews were advised to close their businesses early and not to wear distinguishably Jewish signs outdoors. Authorities advised them to stay at home on Shabbat altogether. Local synagogues, which haven't even returned to full functioning because of the coronavirus pandemic, reduced their activities even more. 

Besides the fear of being targeted for an attack, French Jewry feels that they are being betrayed by the local government, especially law enforcement, and the elite, which created an alliance between the Left and Islam. And it is not the first time something like this has happened. It took France 40 years to officially admit the role it played in the Holocaust, and the public conversation on this matter still continues. 

When in 1980 Arab terrorists carried out an attack at a synagogue in Paris, killing Israeli citizen Aliza Shagrir and three non-Jewish passers-by, the government condemned the "terror attack against Jews that went to the synagogue and innocent Frenchman who were walking by." 

It has been more than 30 years, and France still has not prosecuted the suspect, a Canadian citizen of Lebanese origin. In November 2014, he was extradited to Canada. 

The two Palestinian terrorists, suspected of bombing the Chez Jo Goldenberg Jewish restaurant in Paris' Marais district on 9 August 1982 that killed six people, still live in Jordan and Ramallah. 

The high court's decision not to prosecute Halimi's killer is the latest in the series of breaches in the trust between French Jewry and the government. 

Some of the French Jews that were interviewed for this article asked not to be mentioned by name. Even though what they said is published in Israel, in Hebrew, they are afraid that their neighbors or co-workers would find out and trouble would ensue. Others were cautious in how they expressed themselves and could not speak their mind freely. That alone is enough to make one understand the feeling of terror French Jews experience daily. 

Many admitted they don't see a bright future in France. The country, in their opinion, is already in a civil war. It is being waged by the French and Muslims, and it will only get worse. Some 60,000 French Jews have already immigrated to the Jewish state in recent years, and thousands more moved to the United States, Britain, and Australia. The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic prompted even more Jews to look for options elsewhere. 

And yet, many also said they felt like a civil war was lurking around the corner in Israel as well. They feel trapped.

Nicole (pseudonym) is in her early 50s. She has been working for many years in a prominent French media outlet. The media's deliberate disregard of the Halimi case is something she experienced personally. 

"For four years, the media did not deal with the murder at all. We did not call on investigations. We did not write opinions on it. There was complete silence on the affair. The public media has a way of thinking that makes certain subjects invisible. It's a kind of censorship that has taken over our work without anyone having said anything to us officially.

"In editorial meetings, each time, a different reason came up as to why the affair should not be addressed. First, because it happened around the presidential elections, they said they didn't want to strengthen Marine Le Pen and her political party out of fear that she would win. Then they said they weren't sure that the murder had antisemitic motives. 

"After President [Emmanuel] Macron himself announced that the murder stemmed from antisemitism, they said that experts should be the ones to determine whether the killer was in a psychotic state or not, and that professionals did not disagree on the matter. It felt like the approach was dictated by those in charge.

"A few days ago, out of nowhere, we received instructions to emphasize the large number of casualties in the Gaza Strip compared to the low number in Israel, especially the number of Palestinian children injured. People who work in the news don't even dare to write articles on what's going on on the Israeli side, because they know that they will immediately be labeled as "fascists," especially if you are Jewish.

"Nor do they dare offer articles about the war that is already being waged in the suburbs [of Paris] by immigrant communities, the assaults on policemen, and the threat to their lives and the lives of their families.

"In the last few years, there emerged a private kind of media, especially TV channels, that do report these things and have an open dialogue about what is happening in France, including the Halimi case and its serious consequences. Two parallel worlds have been created: the public media that ignores reality and a few [private] media outlets that reflect reality and are growing more and more popular."

Q: How can you continue working in such an environment?

"I feel very lonely at work, because I think differently than others. I didn't have the courage to ask why no articles were written about Sarah Halimi, and every day I felt like I was exploding.

"I'm thinking about making aliyah to Israel, but it is not simple. I am not sure that I will find a job there, that my standard of living there will be the same as here. Many Jews [from France] have immigrated to Israel and returned, because life was difficult for them there. If you don't have strong economic support, it is difficult to integrate into Israeli society. So I will continue to deal with the situation here until it becomes impossible."

"Jews live well in France," said Isaac Touitou (48), who is the principal of the Jewish ORT school in Montreuil in the eastern suburbs of Paris. Some of France's worst terrorist attacks took place not far from the school. Many Muslims live near the institution and anti-Israel demonstrations are often held in front of the building. As a result, the school looks more like a fortress. The main entrance is surrounded by concrete barriers, and the school has a strict visitors policy. 

Interestingly, the school also has non-Jewish students, including Muslims. The decision to accept these students was unwelcome by many parents who were worried their children would be exposed to Islamic religious missionaryism.

Touitou continued: "The government – both Left and Right – under presidents [Jacques] Chirac, [Nicolas] Sarkozy, [Francois] Hollande, and Macron - supports the community. There is no antisemitism on the part of the state. You can live as a Jew here, eat in kosher restaurants, go to Jews schools. Jewish life is prosperous here, all of its streams."

Many ORT students have relatives in Israel, yet very few make aliyah. Touitou and his wife both have relatives in the Jewish state as well, but do not plan to move. 

"Although, there are places, especially around Paris, where Jews feel unwanted, and they move to certain neighborhoods within Paris or close to it. There are waves of antisemitic attacks – insults, curses, physical assaults. There are also dramas, like the murder of Sarah Halimi, Ilan Halimi, the massacre in Hypercacher. Jews are a good target for those who want to carry out terrorist attacks. But it comes in waves, and then normal life resumes. 

"People in the Jewish community experience the situation differently, depending on where they live, whether they were a kippah or not. We try to get young people to come into daily contact with people from different backgrounds and learn together. We also have Muslim teachers. We have brought Muslim students on trips to Israel. We organize trips to concentration camps in Poland."

Q: And yet, security measures in the school are at their peak. 

"We have to be careful. We had antisemitic graffiti sprayed on the front of the school. There are antisemitic attacks on students, usually robbings, due to the common perception that Jews are rich. They wait for children outside of school, take their cellphones, credit cards.

"When there is a crisis in the Middle East, we immediately feel the tension. And yet, a quarter of our students are not Jewish, they are Muslim and Christian. There is a lot of mutual respect, and we want to maintain that. This approach worries those who want to close themselves off in their communities. This worries certain families."

Touitou said the Halimi murder shocked the Jewish students at the school. 

"They do not understand how such a thing could happen. There is a strong sense of injustice. They talked about someone [else] who threw a dog out of the window and was sentenced to a year in prison, and meanwhile, Sarah Halimi's killer might not go to jail at all.

"The entire Jewish community has felt abandoned in recent years. The attack in the school in Toulouse was a traumatic experience for me personally. It's an awful thing, to enter a school and kill children. 

"The murder of Ilan Halimi was a terrible thing too. When neo-Nazis desecrated dozens of Jewish graves in the small town of Carpentra in the south of France in 1990, hundreds of thousands, led by then-president Francois Mitterrand, took to the streets to protest. There is no such response to recent murders. 

"However, there is a certain change in the French public's opinion: as long as only the Jews were a target for terrorism, they quickly returned to their routine of disregard. After the major terrorist attacks in Paris in 2016, the attitude of the French society began to be more understanding and sympathetic.

In any case, "I do not see an end to this community. Many of our friends do not intend on moving to Israel. Some people return from Israel, because of the difficulties of integrating there." 

On the day of the interview, ORT students were sent home earlier than usual. "We received information about an anti-Israel demonstration in Sarcelles, and we do not want students who live there to get into trouble," Touitou said. 

Mark Botbol (53) is the branch manager of Hypercacher. He began working at the supermarket after the terrorist attack that took place there. 

"After the attack, the relationship with the Muslims even improved," he said. "People came to express sympathy. There are Muslims who come to shop here specifically to show that they stand by us." 

The supermarket has many visitors, ranging from religious Jews to Muslim women in their traditional hair covering. According to Botbol, "80% of the employees in the store are Muslims. Most of our neighbors are Muslims, and so are many of our customers. The relationship with them is excellent." 

Q: It doesn't reflect the situation in its entirety, does it? Antisemitic attacks do happen. 

"Yes, but rarely. But there are extremists in every religion, including by us, the Jews. Because of the terror attack, security in our store was increased, there is round-the-clock surveillance here. You will not see the French guards here. They are dressed as civilians. Many cameras were also installed. There is no way to prevent another attack, but if I gave into fear, I would never leave my home. If I am not mistaken, it is also not the Israeli way to do things, to stay at home."

Arie Abitbol (40) is the Regional Director for France at the Jewish Agency for Israel. He moved to the Jewish state in 1998, "not out of necessity, but out of Zionism." He stressed that not all those who make aliyah from France do so because they have to, but due to a deep connection to their homeland. 

"In Israel, they only speak of Jews in France in terms of antisemitism. I see a community that is very committed to Israel and what is happening there. Judaism here is very Zionistic. Those who live in the more bourgeois quarters of Paris do not experience antisemitism, and still, a lot of people from there move to Israel," he said. 

Speaking of the Halimi murder case, Abitbol pointed out that the French media ignored more than just that. 

"The beheading of the teacher who showed his students cartoons of [Prophet] Muhammad and the murder of policemen also dropped very quickly from the public agenda.

"France has a problem dealing with the dilemma of immigrants and their attitude to France, the authorities, the police, the Jews. They cover it all up. Many French people say that just like the murder of Sarah Halimi is being covered up, so are many other things. It is no longer just the Jews' problem."

Another challenge, according to Abitbol, is the government's latest efforts to curb Muslim religious separatism, of which the Jews are the "collateral damage." 

"Because they are worried that they will be accused of favoritism, they [the government] has also cut financial support for Jewish organizations, which is crucial for maintaining Jewish identity." 

According to Abitbol, living as a Jew in Europe is becoming increasingly more difficult. 

"In Switzerland, Jews are more limited already. In Belgium, kosher slaughter was banned. If France joins in with such an approach, we will have to import kosher meat from Argentina or Poland, and that will be much more expensive. 

"There is a real concern for Jewish identity in France. The level of intermarriage here stands at about 50%. It's an entire generation that's disappeared. Some become more and more religious; others run away from religion."

Gabriel Blum (26), a native of Paris, attended a Jewish school growing up. He was in 12th grade when the terror attack in Toulouse happened. 

"I began to ask myself what I was doing in life. Why I go to synagogue, why I put on tefillin. I came to Israel alone to yeshiva, and I fell in love with the country and stayed.

"After finishing my studies in yeshiva, I enlisted in the IDF, I was a fighter and then a commander. Instead of serving for a year and a half, as new immigrants do, I served three years. My entire family made aliyah after me. Today I live in Petach Tikva."

Blum is a Jewish Agency emissary who traveled back to France as part of the Israeli Experience program, which brings thousands of Jewish students to Israel each year to help fortify their Jewish identity and connect them with Israeli society. 

Haim Musicant (69) is the deputy president of B'nai B'rith in France. He described the latest Israel-Gaza conflict as a "shock to the Jews of France." 

"Only a few weeks ago everyone was praising Israel for how it was handling the coronavirus pandemic, and the Abraham Accords … French Jews had a feeling that Israel is strong, that nothing can happen to it … And suddenly, missiles from Gaza are launched into Jerusalem and elsewhere, and Israeli Arabs are burning down the country. 

"We have no certainty about our future here [in France], and now there is also anxiety and distress about the situation in Israel.

As for the situation in France, "There is a feeling that the police in France do not know how to handle what is happening here, and judges rule that criminals are victims. Many Jews feel they are no longer protected. There is an anti-Jewish Muslim coalition that hides behind anti-Israelism.

"Next year will be the presidential election. Last time, Macron managed to defeat Marine Le Pen. In a year, his ability to govern will be judged, as is his ability to deal with the coronavirus and his personal security situation. The Macron government seems to be in a panic. The younger generation is going to vote for Le Pen. 

Surprisingly, "the one who stands by Israel today is actually Le Pen herself. She realized that if she wanted to come to power, she had to change her image and stop being her father's daughter."

Le Pen's father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, is the founder of the far-right National Front party. He has been accused and convicted several times at home and abroad of xenophobia and antisemitism. 

"As we move away from the Holocaust, the past loses its centrality. The young generation doesn't care that Le Pen's father was an extreme leftist and worked together with Nazi collaborators. They do not live with a sense of guilt because of the Holocaust, and have no positive image of Israel.

"Even Jews tend to say: we tried the right with Chirac and Sarkozy. We tried the left with Hollande. We tried the center with Macron. And they did nothing. What is left? Marine Le Pen. 

"Jews in France are less than one percent of the population. They feel isolated and ask themselves what to do. There is general confusion and fear. France is afraid of itself and the Muslims, and Jews ask themselves who will protect them. 

"French politicians used to have Jewish advisors. Today their advisors are Muslims. After the Second Intifada, French Jews became Jews in France. They do not know whether to leave or wait a little longer." 

Q: How about making aliyah? 

"I am not sure French Jews have the courage to take their future into their own hands. They know their situation here is not great, but they are afraid to leave. Life is still good here, France is a prosperous country. Israel is like a dream that cannot be attained. One needs money to live there, a profession, knowledge of Hebrew. The events in the last few weeks have made making such a decision even more difficult.

"In 1968, with the feeling of euphoria that followed the Six-Day War, all the leaders of the Jewish community in Strasbourg immigrated to Israel. Perhaps if all the leaders of the Jewish community in France took such a step, it would affect the members of those communities."

Nissim Isvy (58) is the principal of the Ozar Hatorah religious school in Sarcelles in the northern suburbs of Paris. He was born in Casablanca, Morocco, and his family moved to France in 1973. Almost fifty years later, he feels he still does not belong in France. 

"The feeling is that we are not in our country and that we should leave. But that is also what Jews in Israel are told. So we're not home anywhere."

Ozar Hatorah has much less security compared to ORT. Students here do not get attacked outside of school, nor does the school receive worrisome phone calls. In the city itself, however, there have been assaults on Jews. 

"Since the Second Intifada, one can murder a Jew in France because he is a Jew – in a school, in a supermarket, at home. The Arab-Israeli conflict has made its way to Europe, especially to France.

"I lived in an Arab country, I experienced a lot of hatred there. I was afraid to go to the grocery store under our house because every time we were called "dirty Jews." Arabs would spit when they saw us. 

"When we moved to France, we felt we had finally reached a place where we would feel more secure. The same situation that happened in Morocco is being repeated here. 

"We did not wait for the attacks to encourage students to move to Israel. We work on the bond with Israel daily, not just after tragic events. The connection to Israel should not be affected by short-term emotions. I also plan to immigrate to Israel, but I do not know if it will be less dangerous there. There are 200 million Arabs around you. Is that calming?"

Moroccan-born French historian Georges Bensoussan was one of the first ones to warn of the Arab-Muslim antisemitism in France in a book he published in 2002. He was and continues to be boycotted in France due to his academic views on the matter. 

"The dividing line among French Jews in terms of experiencing antisemitism is connected to each person's individual situation," he said. 

"Firstly, there is an economic dividing line: a Jew in Sarcelles felt the danger 20 years ago, and a Jews who live in Paris' bourgeois neighborhoods will need 15 more years in order to understand the new face of antisemitism.

"There is also a Sephardic-Ashkenazi dividing line, which is must stronger than people think. Ashkenazis live with the memory of the Holocaust, while Jews who came here from North Africa are much more open and happy. 

"The level of religiosity is also a dividing line: children who go to Jewish schools and Jews who go to synagogues are clear targets for antisemitism. Whoever does not have a Jewish appearance, is not observant, who has an Ashkenazi name and lives in a bourgeois neighborhood, cannot understand what antisemitism is. 

"They don't know the Arab world, they have not heard of the Farhud pogroms in Iraq, and therefore, when they talk about Arab antisemitism, they don't understand what they are talking about. Moreover, compared to the Holocaust, Arab antisemitism does not look terrible.

"Here in the neighborhood, there are Jewish schools, students walk around in kippahs and do not see an atmosphere of terror," said Bensoussan, whose interview was conducted not far from where the Halimi murder occurred. 

"The situation is worrying. In modern history, there always were Jews who chose to look the other way and not see the situation for what it is. The rise of Arab antisemitism caused Jews to congregate with themselves and separate from French society. 

Just "thirty years ago, France had a self-assured Judaism, an integral part of French society. Now people are afraid and have become invisible. They are scared to stand up for Israel, remove mezuzahs from the doors of their homes, teachers recommend students not to wear kippahs in public. 

"The initiative of the Jewish lawyers to bring the Halimi case before a court in Israel, in the hope that justice will be served there, is a disaster. It should be brought before the European Court of Human Rights. To go with it to an Israeli court is to say that the Arabs in France took us out of French society. That's unacceptable."

The lawyer of Sarah Halimi's sister, Gilles-William Goldnadel, disagreed. 

"I would have preferred that the French legal system to bring justice. I know the decision to turn to an Israeli court stemmed from desperation, but our client, Sarah's sister, is an Israeli citizen and is asking to respect the law of her country when it comes to antisemitic crimes. The law allows the prosecution of people who committed such crimes outside Israel. 

"This affair is another expression of the denial of the existence of criminal Muslim antisemitism in France. We are experiencing an incredible disregard of antisemitism and the suffering it causes Jews."

David (pseudonym) is in his late fifties. He lives in the suburb of Saint-Mandé, east of Paris, an area where many Jews have moved to in recent years. 

"We live in a nice ghetto here. Large Jewish ghettoes are developing on both sides of Paris, in the west and the east. Here, 40% of residents are Jewish. Entire buildings. People know each other, go to the same synagogue, there are Jewish stores, during holidays, people walk around wearing kippahs in the street. It feels like a neighborhood in Tel Aviv.

"But we are all very well aware that we are in a very secluded place. The question is how long it will last. 

"In my opinion, the French are showing more understanding of our situation. Do they realize that what is happening in Israel is what's in store for France too? I think so. The violence from the Arab-Muslim communities is an intifada that stems from frustration and anger at the French society. It has nothing to do with what is happening in Israel. Until recently, the French refused to see this. 

"There are places where Jews are afraid to go. When they leave the ghetto, they encounter antisemitism. My daughter went to a school located 500 meters from Hypercacher. She was deeply affected by the attack there, decided she had no future here and immigrated to Israel."

Rosine Serafin (42) is the secretary-general of the Association of Liberal Jews of Toulouse. She believes in the future victory of collective conscience, logic and humanism. She moved to Israel at the age of 22, during the Second Intifada, but moved back to France two years later. 

"I wanted a quieter life to start a family," she said. 

"I think the increase in violence against Israel, in France and elsewhere, is the result of the positive image that Israel has had in recent years. The successful handling of the coronavirus pandemic, the Abraham Accords, the flourishing democracy in an area filled with civil wars, innovation, agricultural aid to Africa.

"The extremists want to destroy this image and to restart the collective manipulation, according to which Palestinians are the victims and Israelis are the criminals. Violence will not win. The future is with all the good things Israel does for humanity. I will return to Israel with my children."

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In one of his first interviews since coming out of hiding, Hamas' Gaza leader Yahya Sinwar predicted the ongoing conflict with Israel was not going to end. 

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"The battle between us and Israel will continue forever," he told VICE News.

Echoing the general Palestinian terrorist group's radical approach to any form of reconciliation with the Jewish state, he went on to explain he could not see peace ever being a real possibility because Israel was "occupying our land, displacing our people, confiscating land and attacking sacred places."

Several weeks ago, Sinwar completely disappeared from the public eye during the 11-day flare-up with Israel, which began after Hamas fired rockets on Israeli cities. Throughout Operation Guardian of the Walls – as Israel has called the campaign against Hamas – he was nowhere to be seen, emerging only after the ceasefire had been declared. 

In his interview to Vice News, he explained that Hamas entered the latest round of violence "to deliver a message to the Israelis; just a message," all but confirming he had failed to anticipate the full-fledged hostilities that erupted following the first rocket attack on Israeli cities in mid-May. 

"We just wanted to send a message to the Israelis that we will not allow them to take over Al-Aqsa Mosque, Jerusalem, or the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood [in the Israeli capital]," he said. " This is what will define the near future," he said, after being asked if another escalation was just around the corner. 

When he was asked about whether war crimes had been committed by Hamas during the fighting, Sinwar said the terrorist organization was acting in self-defense. 

"Israel – which possesses a complete arsenal of weaponry, state-of-the-art equipment and aircrafts – intentionally bombs and kills our children and women ... That's not the same as those who defend themselves with weapons that look primitive in comparison. If we had the capabilities to launch precision missiles against military targets, we wouldn't go after cities." 

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Israel was once again targeted by a UN Human Rights Council on Thursday, with the organization's chief, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Verónica Michelle Bachelet, choosing to focus on Israel's actions rather than on Hamas.

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The remarks came as the UN's top human rights body opened a one-day special session to discuss the "the grave human rights situation" in Gaza, the West Bank and east Jerusalem. Bachelet said Hamas' indiscriminate rocket fire during the conflict was also a clear violation of the rules of war.

The UN high commissioner for human rights detailed to the Human Rights Council the "most significant escalation of hostilities since 2014" that left devastation and death in the Gaza Strip before a cease-fire last week.

The 11-day war killed at least 248 in Gaza. In Israel, 12 people also died.

"Air strikes in such densely populated areas resulted in a high level of civilian fatalities and injuries, as well as the widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure," Bachelet said.

"Such attacks may constitute war crimes," she added, if deemed to be indiscriminate and disproportionate in their impact on civilians. Bachelet urged Israel to ensure accountability, as required under international law in such cases, including through "impartial, independent investigations" of actions in the escalation.

She also derided tactics of Hamas that included locating military assets in densely populated civilian areas, and firing rockets from them.

"These rockets are indiscriminate and fail to distinguish between military and civilian objects, and their use, thereby, constitutes a clear violation of international humanitarian law," Bachelet said. "However, the actions of one party do not absolve the other from its obligations under international law."

She cautioned that unless the "root causes" of the violence are addressed, "it will certainly be a matter of time until the next round of violence commences with further pain and suffering for civilians on all sides."

Israeli Ambassador Meirav Eilon Shahar said Hamas had fired 4,400 rockets at Israeli civilians from "from Palestinian homes, hospitals, and schools. Each one of these rockets constitutes a war crime."

"What would you do if rockets were fired at Dublin, Paris, or Madrid," she asked.

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At a special session of the Jordanian Parliament to discuss the recent conflict between Israel and Hamas, Jordanian lawmakers called to annul all agreements with the Jewish state.

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During the session, which was aired on Palestine TV on May 17, Jordanian MP Safaa Momani said that the Jews, as "slayers of the prophets," could not be trusted.

"We, the Arabs and the Muslims must support [the Palestinians] for real, rather than make do with condemnations. We must annul all the accords and agreements because the Jews are the slayers of the prophets, who have betrayed all the pacts and contracts. From the beginning of time, they had no respect for treaties. They violated their pact with the Prophet Muhammad, so why do we expect them to abide by their promises? All our agreements with them should be annulled," said Momani.

MP Saleh al-Armouti saluted Hamas, which he said had "restored our honor and our glory, in light of the Arab, Islamic, and international apathy."

The Arab regimes had neglected the Palestinian cause, he said, adding, "Why don't you reach out to Hamas? Power to Hamas is power to the Jordanian state."

MP Firas al-Qudah called for the "Zionist enemies" to be targeted worldwide.

"This is a message to all the honorable people in the world. They should treat the Zionist enemies with reciprocity. They should target them wherever they may be, in any corner of the world. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, and the blame lies with whoever started it," said al-Qudah.

The Jews, "Allah's curses upon them," are "the humiliated people, and not the Chosen People, as they claim," said MP Suleiman Abu Yahya. Moreover, he said, "The Jews are cowards."

"The video footage we see from inside Palestine attests to that. The diapers that the Israeli soldiers wear attest to that. May Allah curse them and their diapers," he said.

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MP Salamah al-Bluwi accused Israel of committing war crimes in "occupied Palestine," heaping curses on the "criminal Zionists, the sons of apes and pigs."

"Our conflict with the Jews is of a historical, religious nature. The Jews do not abide by any agreement, contract, or pact," said al-Bluwi.

MP Zoheir al-Saideen said, "There can be no peace with this enemy. With these enemies there must be no peace or negotiations because they are lowlifes who violated their pact with the Prophet Muhammad."

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org

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Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi summoned to his office Thursday the French Ambassador to Israel Eric Danon to protest anti-Israel remarks made earlier in the week by France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.

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Le Drian was interviewed by French media and said that the chances for a two-state solution were dwindling and Israel was in danger of becoming an apartheid state.

Ashkenazi said that Le Drian's remarks were "unacceptable and unfounded" and added that the Jewish state expected its friends not to make irresponsible statements that encourage extremists and anti-Israel elements.

The Israeli foreign minister expressed concerns over the rise of antisemitic incidents in France and stressed that he expected its leaders to condemn them and take measures to battle antisemitism.

"Israel is a democratic, law-abiding country, and I strongly protest any attempt to challenge this fact," Ashkenazi said.

"France has demonstrably ignored all the measures taken by Israel to prevent the situation from deteriorating, and the foreign minister's remarks, in effect, reward extremists and terrorist organizations, particularly the terrorist organization Hamas," he said.

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