Category: Articles

Today was an important day for American students studying in Israel. Two weeks ago, a hero of the Jewish people, Ari Fuld, was brutally murdered by a Palestinian Arab in an act of terror. Ari was a champion of Israel both on the battlefield and on social media. A master educator, Ari was able to show his followers the truth about life in Israel, and in particular, Judea and Samaria.

AFSI’s new program, If Not Us, is dedicated to showing American students the truth about Israel’s rights to Judea and Samaria and its fair treatment of the Arabs who live under Israel’s control. By ignoring the narratives, If Not Us takes students into the heart of the land and shows that Israel has nothing to hide. Today, If Not Us led an educational and inspirational trip to the places most important to Ari.

The day started in Israel’s capital, where students heard from Ari’s father, Rabbi Yonah Fuld, and brother, Hillel Fuld. The students then traveled to the spot where Ari saved lives and stopped the terrorist who fatally wounded him. Hearing form Gush Etzion’s spokesman, Josh Hasten, the students understood what happened in this act of terror…and why. During a Q & A session with master advocate, Avi Abelow, the students sat in Oz V’Gaon, a park built to answer another tragic terror attack, and were able to ask the crucial questions to understand the conflict. Israel’s rights to Judea and Samaria and the need for Israeli sovereignty were discussed at length.

The day ended with a trip to Ari’s Synagogue in Efrat. The students joined the community for Mincha and sat in Ari’s row, looking at the majestic view he enjoyed while he prayed. The students were challenged to make up for the Jewish people’s lost voice and take on a part of Ari’s large efforts. With a Torah lesson to end the day, these American students left with a sense of pride and determination to defend their land.

Twenty-three year old Ofir Dayan is the only daughter of Israel’s Consul General in New York, Dani Dayan. Ofir Dayan is using her connections to push pro-Israel advocacy at Columbia University.

Read about what she is doing HERE.

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres spoke Wednesday at a high-level forum to combat hatred against Jews that was held on the sidelines of the General Assembly.

Guterres said that modern antisemitism expressed “itself in attempts to delegitimize the right of Israel to exist, including calls for its destruction, using the pretext of the situation in the Middle East to target Jews and Jewish symbols.”

Guterres further stated, “This is tribalism run amok. Not only are their vile views coming into the mainstream, but the mainstream unfortunately, sometimes, is coming to them.”

It’s a breath of fresh air to finally hear the top UN official issue a strong statement at a major public forum in support of Israel. With that said, we would like to see the truth about Israel positively transform every UN member nation and every individual affiliated with the UN.

Arutz Sheva reported last week that 55 members of Congress will ask President Trump to allow Americans born in Jerusalem to have “Jerusalem, Israel,” written as their birthplace in their US passports.

This would fully implement the administration’s policy of recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

University of Michigan Associate Professor John Cheney-Lippold is feeling the heat now for denying a student’s request to write a letter of recommendation for a semester-long study-abroad program in Israel. He claimed he could not write the letter because of a departmental decision supporting the BDS movement.

It should be noted that the school’s administration itself does not allow its departments or any part of the school to boycott or divest from Israel, according to University of Michigan spokesperson Rick Fitzgerald.

It’s obvious that the professor’s personal politics are getting in the way of his professional decision making – it’s also called a conflict of interest – and he must answer for it!

“Guilty are the politicians who signed the Oslo Accords, which placed a confederacy of low-life gangsters, the PLO, on equal footing with Israel, a nation founded through Divine promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This nation led by Moses, conquered by Joshua, were commanded, by Moses, to “never break down before the enemy.” (Deuteronomy)” Read Jack Engelhard’s Arutz Sheva OpEd HERE.

Ari Fuld, a 45- year old American Israeli, was stabbed to death in a terror attack on Sunday. He was from the Efrat settlement, a father of four and grandson of a Holocaust survivor.

Shortly before noon on Sunday, a Palestinian teenager stabbed Fuld outside a shopping mall near Efrat, at the Gush Etzion Junction south of Jerusalem. Despite his wounds, Fuld chased and shot at his attacker before collapsing to the ground.

Moshe, Ari’s brother, described him as a man of strong convictions who stood his ground against all odds. A scholar, with a sense of fun, Ari loved his family, his country and his religion. Fuld was the Assistant Director of Standing Together, an organization that supports IDF soldiers.

May the entire family be comforted among all the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. May they know no more sorrow.

Tributes are pouring in for Ari, plus today’s recommended/related reading:

“He was an advocate for Israel who fought to spread the truth about Israel.” Read PM Netanyahu’s tribute HERE.

“Ari Fuld was a passionate defender of Israel and an American patriot.” Ambassador David Friedman pays tribute.

“Ari Fuld – May G-D Avenge His Blood” tribute by Nadia Matar and Yehudit Katsover.

“Remembering Ari Fuld: Miracle in Lebanon.” Read Yael Mermelstein’s September 2007 tribute to Ari Fuld.

“Palestinian Teenage Murderers – The PA-Poisoned Generation,” PMW’s article by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik.

There is a video of Arab children being prepared for war against Israelis that is fair warning that Ari Fuld will not be the last victim of Arab terror. It’s long past time to take action against the root causes and the indoctrination which is instilled in the children at the earliest ages and cannot be unlearned. Watch the video HERE.

We agree with the Women in Green. “His memory should be perpetuated by settlement and the application of sovereignty. Any other response would not reflect his strong Jewish identity.”

September 13 marks the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Oslo Accords.

In his Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) article, Itamar Marcus tells us that if you listen to what the other side said it gives you the answers to five basic questions regarding the Oslo Accords.

The answers also illustrate the fact that for the other side Oslo was no more than a first step in advancing PLO-PA ideology.

In 2011, a Rutgers University “event” ended up being a threat to Jewish students and was no more than a cover up to drum up support for BDS. When a formal complaint was filed with the US Department of Education, the Obama administration dismissed it and refused to consider an appeal.

And Rutgers did nothing to protect Jewish students.

The Trump administration is now taking anti-semitism cases seriously. It will reopen the case brought by a Zionist group against Rutgers University, claiming the college allowed a hostile setting for Jewish students. In addition, Assistant Secretary of Education for Civil Rights Kenneth Marcus will seek a working definition of anti-semitism, one that is widely used by governmental agencies.

AFSI applauds the Trump administration once again for doing the right thing.

It’s really true that Jews have no better friend than President Trump. Don’t let anyone tell you differently.

The Times of Israel reports that the US State Department confirmed Monday it was ordering the closure of the Washington mission of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, citing that the Palestinians were not supporting “direct and meaningful negotiations” with regard to peace talks with Israel.

Prime Minister Netanyahu commented: “The US took the correct decision. Israel supports these actions that are meant to make it clear to the Palestinians that refusing to negotiate will not bring about peace.”

“The United States made the right move.” The National Council of Young Israel (NCYI) today issued the following statement regarding the United States’ decision to close the PLO’s Washington office.

AFSI is asking everyone to contact John R. Bolton, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, to thank him for his part in this decision andhttp://@AmbJohnBolton to let him know that we would like to see the “Permanent Observer Mission of the State of Palestine to the United Nations” (formerly the PLO Mission) in New York City closed as well. Contact John Bolton HERE or on Twitter: @AmbJohnBolton.