Weekly roundup of world briefs

French parliament rejects resolution calling Israel ‘apartheid’

(JNS) — After a group of far-left members of France’s National Assembly put forward a measure labeling Israel an “apartheid state,” the lower house of Parliament rejected it by a margin of 199 to 71.

“We can only reject the use of the term apartheid to describe the situation in Israel,” Laurence Boone, French secretary of state for European affairs, tweeted. “This term carries a heavy load, attached to terrible suffering and bruised memories.”

“We commend France’s National Assembly for voting overwhelmingly to reject a resolution that would have falsely applied the ‘apartheid’ label to Israel,” wrote the American Jewish Committee. “France remains a close friend and vital partner of the Jewish state, a pillar of the Israel-Europe relationship.”

We commend France’s @AssembleeNat for voting overwhelmingly to reject a resolution that would have falsely applied the «apartheid» label to Israel.

France remains a close friend and vital partner of the Jewish state, a pillar of the Israel-Europe relationship.

And the European Jewish Congress expressed “deepest gratitude” to the assembly members, “who voted against the false and damaging label of apartheid being attached to Israel and had the courage to denounce its anti-Zionist nature,” and added, “Today, France sent a powerful message of solidarity with Israel and in favor of fairness.”

Arguing for the resolution, Jean-Paul Lecoq, of the Communist Party, said that “the settlement policy is contrary to international legality” and “legally comes under a situation of apartheid.” He called the Israeli government “an institutionalized regime” that is “aimed at the oppression of one group over another,” and called for France to recognize “the state of Palestine.”

Jérôme Guedj, of the Socialist Party, rejected Lecoq’s invocation of “apartheid,” calling it an effort to “racialize and essentialize” the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and Aurore Bergé, president of the Renaissance party, called the measure “defamation,” declaring, “France is the friend of Israel.”

Birthright sees 40 percent decrease in summer trips due to rising travel costs

(JNS) — On Monday, the day after nonagenarian philanthropist Charles Bronfman said, “Next year, we will raise a glass and say ‘Mazal tov!’ because the (Netanyahu) government won’t be,” Birthright Israel, which he funds, announced that it will send 40 percent fewer young people to Israel in 2023 compared to last year.

The program, which is nearly 30 years old, pointed to increased inflation and travel costs for the drop.

This year, Birthright will bring 12,658 young Americans and Canadians on free, 10-day educational trips to Israel between mid-May and September. Last summer, that number was 18,358.

“The inflation that has hit much of the global economy and the rising costs of travel post-COVID have driven up Birthright Israel’s expenses,” stated Birthright Israel CEO Gidi Mark. “Without offsetting donations, thousands of applicants in the future will be denied the chance, as were thousands this summer, to experience a Birthright Israel trip. We feel terrible about that, but we had no choice.”

Birthright currently has a waiting list of 20,000 young Jews, he added.

Nearly two-dozen Jewish camps make ‘Newsweek’ list

(JNS) — As Jewish families finalize summer plans for their kids, many can take pride in knowing that 23 Jewish camps made Newsweek’s 2023 list of the 483 best U.S. summer camps.

All 483 are accredited by the American Camp Association. Another 17, to round out the list of 500, are still under review, according to Newsweek.

Camp Simcha, a division of Chai Lifeline that serves children with blood diseases and other severe illnesses, was honored to make the list, according to director Nachman Maimon.

“This recognition is a testament to the tireless efforts and unwavering dedication of the entire Simcha team to providing our campers with a unique and unforgettable experience,” he stated.

Jewish camps of all the major denominations made the list, including Camp Kalsman (Reform) in Arlington, Wash.; Camp Ramah in California (Conservative); and Camp Chaviva (Orthodox) in Ellenville, N.Y.

Nine camps associated with Jewish Community Centers were also listed in California, Colorado, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, New York and Washington.

“With over 12,000 summer camps across the United States, it can be daunting for parents to search for, vet and select the best camp for their kids,” Newsweek global editor Nancy Cooper wrote.

The list draws on social-media reviews and a survey of 15,000 parents.

‘The Iran deal is dead. Washington must move on,’ says Mideast expert

(JNS) — On the fifth anniversary of the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal the Foundation for the Defense of Democracy’s senior fellow Behnam Ben Taleblu says reviving it remains unlikely.

Signed in 2015, the deal was one of the major foreign-policy achievements of former President Barack Obama in an effort to hold nuclear weapons at bay and attempt to normalize ties with the Islamic regime.

Ben Taleblu, an expert on Iran, said: “Five years on, the JCPOA continues to have been the wrong decision at the wrong time: a premature lifeline thrown to the Islamic Republic when multilateral economic pressure had been working.”

Taleblu rejected the idea that former President Donald Trump’s choice to extricate America in May 2018 from the Obama administration’s signature policy agreement had in any way accelerated Iran’s nuclear efforts.

He said, “To think everything is a reaction to May 8, 2018, is to fundamentally fail to understand why Iran wants a nuclear weapon or at least weapons option to begin with. … Not only did the JCPOA fail to put Iran’s nuclear program in a box, but it failed to withhold relief until it could verify Iran’s program was entirely peaceful. This is precisely why the atomic archive, and more, were missed.”

Taleblu described the JCPOA as “a mere Faustian bargain.”

He pointed out that despite the ongoing goal of the Biden administration to reinvigorate the deal these past three years, Tehran’s demands of the West have caused an impasse in international talks.

Netanyahu told Biden officials Israel would respond to Gaza rocket fire

(JNS) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told two senior Biden administration officials in Jerusalem that a response to rocket fire from Gaza terrorists was planned, a day before the start of the IDF “Operation Shield and Arrow” against Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

In a meeting on Monday with White House Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa Brett McGurk and Special Presidential Coordinator for Global Infrastructure and Energy Security Amos Hochstein, Netanyahu said in general terms that an operation was imminent.

He received a supportive response from the American officials.

Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant decided on the operation after Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists fired more than 100 rockets last week at Israel.

The targeting of the three senior PIJ terrorists killed in Gaza on Tuesday in Israel Air Force strikes was originally planned for Friday but was delayed due to technical reasons.

The three men were plotting additional terrorist attacks against Israel, a senior diplomatic source authorized to speak on behalf of the government said.

“Israel clarified in the past and clarifies again that whoever initiates terrorist attacks against us will not be forgiven. We will protect the citizens of Israel everywhere and with full force,” he said.

The Security Cabinet was not briefed before the mission due to fear of leaks to the media, the source said. Instead, Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara gave the green light to Netanyahu and Gallant to proceed with the operation.

The senior White House officials flew from Saudi Arabia to Israel on Monday to brief Netanyahu on the talks that U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan held with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman the previous night.

‘Operation Shield and Arrow’ seeks to re-establish Israeli deterrence

By Yaakov Lappin

(JNS) — The Israeli Air Force surprised Palestinian Islamic Jihad early on Tuesday with a series of strikes and targeted assassinations in the Gaza Strip.

The move represents an effort by Israel to reestablish deterrence after PIJ fired 104 rockets and terrorized southern Israeli residents on May 2 and 3 in response to the death of 45-year-old PIJ Israeli security prisoner Khader Adnan, who had been on a three-month hunger strike.

Maj. Nir Dinar, head of the IDF’s International Press Department, told JNS that “Operation Shield and Arrow” sends the message that Israel will not tolerate a situation in which PIJ feels it can launch mass attacks on its civilians at will.

Israel is also seeking to differentiate between Hamas and PIJ—just as did in its 2022 “Operation Breaking Dawn” and in the 2019 “Operation Black Belt.” During those operations, Hamas left PIJ, which had decided to escalate attacks on Israeli targets, to face the consequences on its own.

A key question going forward is whether Hamas will act in the same manner now.

Dinar noted that the Iranian-funded PIJ is a proxy of Tehran and said that all of the PIJ operatives targeted in “Operation Shield and Arrow” had recently engaged in terrorist activity. They had also been planning attacks on Israelis in the near future, including in Judea and Samaria, he added.

He described PIJ’s presence in Judea and Samaria as “significant,” noting that it has attempted to launch many terror attacks, some of which have been successful.

The IDF is investigating reports of civilian deaths due to “Operation Shield and Arrow,” including of family members of the targeted terrorists, said Dinar, adding that the military regrets the deaths of any noncombatants.

The operation had dealt a “severe” blow to the Gaza-based terror group, said Dinar.

“The IDF will choose when and how to retaliate … we won’t be subject to PIJ’s formulas,” he stated.

The Israeli military has declared a special situation on the home front and called on all civilians to be attentive to instructions from the Home Front Command.

On Israel’s 75th, Hadassah identifies 18 ‘must know’ American Zionist women

(JNS) — Actor Mayim Bialik—of “Blossom” and “The Big Bang Theory” fame, and more recently, host of the popular TV game show “Jeopardy!”—and Melissa Weiss, executive editor of Jewish Insider, have been identified by Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, as two of the “18 American Zionist Women You Should Know.”

The group is “building bridges, making an impact and shaping the future of Zionism,” according to Hadassah.

Each is “doing essential work,” stated the organization’s CEO Naomi Adler. “They are educating Jews and non-Jews about what Zionism is and is not and advocating for Zionism in the U.S. and around the world. Everyone who cares about Israel should know their names.”

As for Weiss, she tweeted that “it’s an honor to be included on this list.”

Israel’s Noa Kirel advances to Eurovision final with ‘Unicorn’ performance

(JNS) — Israeli pop star Noa Kirel on Tuesday advanced to the Eurovision 2023 final with her performance in Liverpool of her song “Unicorn.”

She will compete on Saturday night to become the fourth Israeli to win the song contest since becoming the first non-European country to participate in the annual event in 1973. The last Israeli to take the top prize was Netta Barzilai in 2018 for her song “Toy.”

“There is no excitement quite like this!” Kirel said in a statement after the results were announced. “I felt like every one of you was with me. I promise to do everything — and I mean everything — to keep making the people of Israel happy in the grand final.”

Kirel co-wrote “Unicorn” alongside Doron Medalie, Yinon Yahel and May Sfadia.

Also advancing to the final: Croatia, Moldova, Switzerland, Finland, the Czech Republic, Portugal, Sweden, Serbia and Norway.

The 22-year-old from the central Israeli city of Ra’anana performed her song hours after Israel eliminated three top Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist leaders in the Gaza Strip. The country prepared for possible rocket fire in retaliation on Tuesday night, but it was a quiet night with no immediate reaction from Palestinian terrorists, who vowed revenge.

“Security is the most important thing at the moment, and I hope that the contest will hearten citizens of Israel. My heart is with them, and I will do everything I can so that the people of Israel are proud of me,” Kirel said in a statement ahead of the contest.

Ukraine won the competition last year but was unable to host the event due to the ongoing military invasion of the country by Russian forces. Last year’s runner-up the United Kingdom is hosting on behalf of Ukraine.

Israeli military evacuates thousands of Gaza-area residents

(JNS) — Thousands of Israelis living near Gaza have been evacuated since Tuesday’s targeted killings of three top Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists in the Strip.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant approved the evacuation in anticipation of retaliatory rocket fire from terrorist factions in Gaza.

Evacuees are being bused to hotels, hostels and guest houses throughout Israel, where they will be able to stay for three days, with the possibility of an extension depending on the security situation.

Many other Gaza-area residents have temporarily relocated to other parts of the country on their own initiative.

“The program is operated by the local authorities and allows every resident of the localities near the Gaza border to go on a respite with the aid of the state in guesthouses, specified in advance by the authorities,” the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

According to the Israel Defense Forces, no rockets were fired from Gaza overnight. The army said, however, that restrictions would remain in place for residents close to the coastal enclave.

The Education Ministry on Wednesday announced that no classes would be held in communities within 45 km. (25 miles) of the Gaza Strip. The directive affects about 300,000 students in 35 local authorities.

According to the instructions of the IDF Home Front Command, public gatherings in these areas near the Gaza Strip will remain limited to 10 people in an open area and up to 100 people in a building.

With the possibility that rocket fire could again reach central Israel, public bomb shelters were opened in Tel Aviv as well as Givatayim, Ramat Gan and other municipalities.

Despite Gaza op, Jerusalem Day flag march to proceed as planned

(Israel Hayom and JNS staff via JNS) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed that the Jerusalem Day flag march proceed as planned—that is, along its traditional route through the Old City’s Muslim Quarter—despite the current confrontation with terror groups in the Gaza Strip.

In a document that will be discussed at the upcoming Cabinet meeting, Netanyahu wrote, “This is not a dramatic decision, but a continuation of the norm in a sovereign country. Just as the sun rises every morning, so the parade will continue in its usual format.”

A source familiar with the matter said that Netanyahu gave “an unequivocal directive to hold the parade as planned. Hamas will not tell us whether or how to march in Jerusalem.” 

The police have been instructed to report on the necessary security arrangements to ensure the safety of the participants.

Last year, Israel’s Jerusalem Day celebrations, including the Flag March through the Old City, took place mostly without incident. The national holiday marks the reunification of Israel’s capital following the Six-Day War in 1967.

The day’s main event is the traditional “Flag March” procession, in which tens of thousands of Jews, almost entirely young religious Zionists, dance and march along two routes. Both start from Sacher Park in Jerusalem and then diverge, with the men heading to the Damascus Gate through the city’s Muslim Quarter while the women march to the Jaffa Gate. They meet at the Western Wall plaza, where they celebrate with music and dancing.

The 2021 march was the pretext for a barrage of rockets launched by Hamas on Jerusalem that led to an 11-day war between Israel and Gaza-based terror groups.

This is a version of an article originally published by Israel Hayom.