Author: AFSI Staff

The US House of Representative broadly condemned hate after a dispute over anti-Semitic comments made by Congresswoman Ilhan Omar. While Omar was originally named in the first resolution, the Democrats, led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, caved in to radical Congresswomen Omar, Rashida Tlaib and Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez by changing to resolution to condemn all hate. Omar’s name was not mentioned in the final resolution.

Pelosi stated that she did not believe Omar understood the “weight of her words” or that they would be seen by some as anti-Semitic. We remind everyone that Omar graduated from an American college and most certainly understood what she was saying when she was spewing anti-Semitic tropes. Omar’s connection to radical terror groups further confirms exactly what she intended to say.

“The Democrats have become an anti-Israel and anti-Jewish party,” said U.S. President Donald Trump.

Senator Ted Cruz plans to introduce a resolution condemning anti-Semitism.

Earlier this week: Rep. Zeldin tweeted: “House Dem Leadership should bring H.Res.72 to a vote to condemn the anti-Israel & anti-Semitic hate infiltrating US politics, college campuses & the halls of Congress. Now has 100 cosponsors.” – @RepLeeZeldin. Zeldin also reiterated a call to remove Rep. Omar from the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

It should be noted that Rep. Omar’s name is not mentioned in the House Resolution 72.  Read the full resolution HERE.

What’s the latest?: The House vote on the resolution to condemn anti-Semitism has been delayed. Now Democrats scramble to rewrite the motion to include all forms of prejudice and progressives. The Democrats in true hypocritical fashion have come to the defense of their embattled colleague.

Keeping track: On Monday, 12 pro-Israel groups delivered a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Eliot Engel, urging for the removal of Rep. Ilhan Omar from the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

AFSI is among the 12 groups that signed the letter. American Jewish organizations NOT among the 12 signers: AIPAC, NORPAC, JNF, AJC, & ADL.

President Trump criticizes House Democrats for not taking a stronger stand against anti-Semitism; blasts Omar for her disgraceful comments.

In the halls of Congress, “why isn’t antisemitism afforded the same treatment?” tweeted Ambassador David Friedman who weighed in on this issue.

Some Democrats find their patience with Omar is running on low.

Laurie Cardoza-Moore says Omar may be in violation of a federal statue for raising funds for two Muslim Brotherhood charities.

He was born in Poland and immigrated to Israel in 1933. A proud Zionist, he represented the Haganah. Prwyes was an avid supporter of Jews settling in the Land of Israel and sacrificed his life for the values ​​he believed in.

Do you know his story and why he’s being honored now? Arutz Sheva article HERE.

It’s a first and we love it! Beresheet, the Israeli spacecraft took its first selfie in space. Taken roughly 20,000 miles away from Earth, it shows the Southern Hemisphere and a clear shot of Australia in the background.

Beresheet is scheduled to land on the Moon on April 11.

In the image, a plaque that was installed at the front of the spacecraft features the Israeli flag and the message “Am Yisrael Chai.”

A legislative initiative for the U.S. to recognize Israel’s sovereignty in the Golan Heights was introduced into Congress this week.

Lori Lowenthal Marcus’ excellent article clearly defines and substantiates why Israeli Sovereignty over the Golan Heights matters.

·     Israeli control of the Golan Heights is a bulwark against Iranian and Russian efforts to dominate the Middle East

·     The Golan Heights provides perfect snipers’ nest

·     The Syrian civil war has dramatically expanded the roles and types of terrorist groups in the region

·     Diplomatic integrity

·     Practical application if the bill becomes law.

AFSI’s Spring Mission will visit the Golan and see this first-hand! Come with us!!

“If Israel does not act to reverse the trend, the number of mosques at the Temple Mount compound will stand at five.” ~ Nadav Shragai, Ariel Kahana, Daniel Siryoti, Israel Hayom Staff

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued an order to remove equipment from the Temple Mount’s Gate of Mercy site and to disallow prayer there.

The structure was recently furnished and renovated with the goal of using it as permanent prayer area for Muslims. The Waqf, the authority that oversees Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem announced it also appointed an imam for the site.

Following recent illegal activity on the Temple Mount, Israeli police arrested the Waqf authority head and other Waqf leaders. This is not enough. Israel needs to enforce order WITHOUT COMPROMISE and not allow a Muslim takeover.

The UN Human Rights Council (HRC) issued its report on the protests in Gaza accusing Israel of ‘war crimes.”

The IDF website has a Q&A with factual information that disputes the UN report HERE.

PM Netanyahu fully rejected this hypocritical report. ~ Arutz Sheva

Foreign Minister Israel Katz responded as follows: “The ‘absurdity theater’ of the Human Rights Council has produced another hostile, false and biased report against the State of Israel…based on false information in which the facts were not even examined and whose sole purpose is to discredit the only democracy in the Middle East and to harm its right to self-defense against the terror of a murderous organization.”

Katz concludes with, “No party can deny Israel the right to self-defense and the duty to protect its residents and borders from violent attacks.  Those who push Gaza residents into fences, including women and children, are Hamas, whose declared goal is the destruction of the State of Israel and are thus the ones responsible.”

The Anti-Defamation League, AIPAC, the American Jewish Committee and the Israel Policy Forum were all quick to condemn Otzma Yehudit’s merger with the Jewish Home Party. This was a move by PM Netanyahu to boost his right-wing coalition ahead of April 9 elections. Words such as ‘racist’, ‘Judeofacists,’ ‘reprehensible’ and having ‘hate-filled rhetoric’ were used to describe Otzma Yehudit.

Noticeably absent: not one word was stated about mergers on the Israeli left, especially among Israeli-Arab parties, who oppose the existence of the Jewish state.

To denounce Otzma Yehudi members with hateful stereotyped rhetoric is pure blasphemy. American Jewish organizations should stay out of Israeli politics, allowing PM Netanyahu and the Israeli citizenry to determine their own path.

Earlier this week the Yesha Council applied pressure with an appeal to American Magen David Adom (MDA) donors to not allow ambulance stations to be closed. The Yesha Council planned to post ads concentrating on Jewish media in America.

MDA’s planned closure of ambulance stations in Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley this weekend would have left these large areas without adequate emergency medical care.

AFSI is happy to report that MDA has since decided to suspend their decision, at least for one month.

A source of national pride for Israel, this historic endeavor of Space IL’s launch is privately funded. It will also be the least expensive launch to the moon paving the way for commercially viable travel to the moon. Successful lift off from Cape Caneveral, Florida took place Thursday night.

Beresheet spacecraft was placed in Earth orbit, then begins a seven-week trip under its own power to reach the Moon and touch down on April 11 in a large plain.

Keeping track: Beresheet successfully completed its first maneuver toward the moon after detaching from its launcher and completing its planned orbit of Earth.

On this same subject, we like Rabbi Michoel Green’s Arutz Sheva OpEd.