World

Israel's president releases blistering statement on US university encampments: 'Resurgence of antisemitism'

Published

2 weeks ago

May 2, 2024

Israel's president releases blistering statement on US university encampments: 'Resurgence of antisemitism'

Israel’s president weighed in on the massive antisemitic encampments that have sprouted up at elite colleges and universities across the United States, condemning the “masked cowards” who “smash windows and barricade doors.”

Israeli President Isaac Herzog addressed those in the Jewish community on these campuses and around the world that feel victimized by the demonstrations.

“In the face of violence, harassment, and intimidation, as masked cowards smash windows and barricade doors, assault the truth and manipulate history, together, we stand strong,” President Herzog said in a video address.

“As they chant for infitada and genocide, we will work together to free our hostages held by Hamas and fight for civil liberties of the entire free world and our right to believe and belong and the right to live proudly, peacefully and securely as Jews and as Israelis anywhere,” he added.

UCLA FORCED TO MOVE TO REMOTE LEARNING AMID ANTISEMITIC PROTESTS, ENCAMPMENT ON CAMPUS

Israel’s president weighed in on the massive antisemitic encampments like the one at the University of California, Los Angeles, which police and other law enforcement officers cleared on May 2, 2024. (Photo by ETIENNE LAURENT/AFP via Getty Images)

Herzog’s address comes as a multi-agency group of law enforcement officers on Thursday moved onto the University of California, Los Angeles campus to remove an anti-Israel encampment that was declared unlawful.

“We see prominent academic institutions, halls of history, culture and education, contaminated by hatred and antisemitism fueled by arrogance and ignorance, driven by moral failings and disinformation,” Herzog said. “We watch in horror as the atrocities of Oct. 7 against Israel are celebrated and justified. We hear you. We recognize your heroic effort. We are with you. We are here for you.”

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“Dear sisters and brothers, to our friends on campuses and in Jewish communities across the United States and all over the world, to those who stand by and defend the Jewish people and the state of Israel, to all people of good will, the people of Israel are with you,” he continued. “We hear you.”

Herzog added: “We see the shameless hostility and threats. We feel the insults, the breach of faith and breach of friendship. We share the apprehension and concern.

President Herzog’s comments come as anti-Israel agitators formed an encampment on the campus of UCLA in Los Angeles. (Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images)

His comments come just days before Holocaust Remembrance Day, which will be recognized on Monday, May 6.

UCLA FALLS TO ANARCHY AFTER COUNTERPROTESTERS CONFRONT ANTI-ISRAELI ENCAMPMENT: ‘HORRIFIC ACTS OF VIOLENCE’

“Together we will overcome this resurgence of antisemitism. Do not fear. Stand proud. Stand strong for your freedom. Israel stands with you. Israel cares for you,” Herzog concluded.

Police officers move in on anti-Israel encampment at UCLA

Police officers detained anti-Israel protesters who chanted antisemitic remarks and slogans on the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in Los Angeles. (ETIENNE LAURENT/AFP via Getty Images)

In contrast, Iran has expressed support for anti-Israeli demonstrations that have erupted across elite U.S. colleges and universities.

Last month, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian defended the hundreds of students who have been arrested at UCLA, Columbia University, the University of Southern California, UT-Austin and others for disrupting campus facilities and trespassing.

“The suppression and harsh treatment of the American police and security forces against professors and students protesting the genocide and war crimes of the Israeli regime in various universities of this country is deeply worried and disgusted by the public opinion of the world,” the foreign minister said on X, according to a translation.

He added: “This repression is in line with the continuation of Washington’s full-fledged support for the Israeli regime and clearly shows the dual policy and contradictory behavior of the American government towards freedom of expression.”

Police at UCLA faced off against a left-wing mob on Thursday morning, when officers dismantled an anti-Israel encampment and took agitators into custody.

Officers wearing riot gear knocked down a plywood barrier surrounding UCLA’s Dickson Plaza, where the anti-Israel encampment was being held, entered the area and began conducting arrests throughout the morning.

World

John Stamos Shares Full House Reunion Photo With Olsen Twins in Honor of Bob Saget’s Birthday

Published

2 hours ago

May 18, 2024

Press Room

John Stamos Shares Full House Reunion Photo With Olsen Twins in Honor of Bob Saget’s Birthday

Full House Cast Reunion With Mary-Kate, Ashley Olsen — Bob Saget Tribute

World

Climate activists glue themselves to Munich airport runway, pausing traffic

Published

3 hours ago

May 18, 2024

Press Room

Climate activists glue themselves to Munich airport runway, pausing traffic

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A group of climate protesters have been arrested in Germany after breaking into an airport and gluing themselves to the runway.

Six activists broke through security fencing at Munich airport in the German state of Bavaria on Saturday, according to the news outlet dpa.

Approximately sixty flights were canceled after the half-dozen protesters glued themselves to the tarmac, forcing officials to temporarily close the airport.

CLIMATE ACTIVISTS ARRESTED FOR BLOCKING AIRSTRIP IN MASSACHUSETTS

Climate activists lie on an access road for runways at the Munich airport. German officials and local media say authorities closed down Munich airport temporarily after six climate activists broke through a security fence and glued themselves to access routes leading to runways. ( (Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/dpa via AP))

An additional fourteen flights into Munich were forced to divert to other nearby airports to avoid the disruption.

Climate protest coalition Last Generation took credit for the stunt, claiming it was intended to draw attention to the German government’s inaction on the airline industry’s environmental impact.

CLIMATE GROUP TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR US OPEN CHAOS, OFFERS WARNING: ‘NO TENNIS ON A DEAD PLANET’

Munich Germany Bavaria Airport Climate Activists Protest Glue Runway

Climate activists stuck to a runway access road at Franz-Josef-Strauß Airport early Saturday morning. Climate protection activists paralyzed Munich Airport after breaking into the inner area of the airport grounds. The activists from the group Last Generation were protesting flying, the most polluting form of transportation, said the German news agency dpa on Saturday. (Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/picture alliance via Getty Images)

All six protesters were arrested and charged by law enforcement.

“Trespassing in the aviation security area is no trivial offense. Over hundreds of thousands of passengers were prevented from a relaxed and punctual start to their Pentecost holiday,” German Airports Association General Manager Ralph Beisel told dpa.

Police and firefighters stand on a runway access road at Franz-Josef-Strauß Airport around climate activists who have stuck themselves there. According to their own statements, members of the so-called Last Generation had planned to enter the airport grounds in order to block at least one of the two runways. (Photo: Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/dpa (Photo by Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/picture alliance via Getty Images))

“Such criminal actions threaten air traffic and harm climate protection because they only cause lack of understanding and anger,” German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser wrote about the protests on social media platform X.

The Munich incident was just one of many similar protests around the world against air transportation. Last Generation has performed at least two similar airport disruptions in Germany since last year.

World

Russian court seizes two European banks’ assets amid Western sanctions

Published

4 hours ago

May 18, 2024

Press Room

Russian court seizes two European banks’ assets amid Western sanctions

Freezing hundreds of billions of dollars in lenders’ assets was part of dispute over gas project halted by sanctions.

A Russian court has ordered the seizure of the assets, accounts, property and shares of Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank in the country as part of a lawsuit involving the German banks, court documents showed.

The banks are among the guarantor lenders under a contract for the construction of a gas processing plant in Russia with the German company Linde. The project was terminated due to Western sanctions.

European banks have largely exited Russia after Moscow launched its offensive on Ukraine in 2022.

A court in St Petersburg ruled in favour of seizing 239 million euros ($260m) from Deutsche Bank, documents dated May 16 showed.

Deutsche Bank in Frankfurt said it had already provisioned about 260 million euros ($283m) for the case.

“We will need to see how this claim is implemented by the Russian courts and assess the immediate operational impact in Russia,” the bank added in a statement.

The court also seized the assets of Commerzbank, another German financial institution, worth 93.7 million euros ($101.85m) as well as securities and the bank’s building in central Moscow.

The bank is yet to comment on the case.

In a parallel lawsuit on Friday, the Russian court also ordered UniCredit’s assets, accounts and property, as well as shares in two subsidiaries, to be seized. The ruling covered 462.7 million euros ($503m) in assets.

UniCredit said it “has been made aware” of the decision and was “reviewing” the situation in detail. The bank was one of the most exposed European banks when Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine, with a large local subsidiary operating in Russia.

It began preliminary discussions on a sale last year, but the talks have not advanced. Chief executive Andrea Orcel said UniCredit wants to leave Russia, but added that gifting an operation worth three billion euros ($3.3bn) was not a good way to respect the spirit of Western sanctions on Moscow over the conflict.

Russia has faced heavy Western sanctions, including on its banking sector, since the start of the war in Ukraine. Dozens of US and European companies have also stopped doing business in the country.