Day: February 18, 2024

Tlaib Vote Shows That the Barbarians Aren’t At the Gates; They’re in Congress

ROBERT SPENCER | 5:02 PM ON FEBRUARY 16, 2024
SEE: https://pjmedia.com/robert-spencer/2024/02/16/tlaib-vote-shows-the-barbarians-arent-at-the-gates-theyre-in-congress-n4926514; republished below in full, unedited, for informational, educational, & research purposes:
AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib
One of the most open-and-shut issues in the history of the United States came before Congress Wednesday, and any decent human being had every reason to expect that the vote on it was unanimous. One of the wise solons present, however, decided, no doubt after a sober period of soul-searching, to have her vote simply record the bare fact that she was present and not her affirmation or rejection of the issue at hand. That righteous and thoughtful lawmaker was Rashida Tlaib (D-Ramallah), and the issue at hand was a condemnation of Hamas for the rape of captive Israeli women.

If you’re wondering how anyone in his or her right mind could have any hesitation about condemning savage mass rapes, it’s only because you haven’t been overcome by the Jew-hatred that has since Oct. 7 become fashionable among leftists and that has for decades been deeply rooted among the supporters of the Palestinian jihad against Israel. The winsome and patriotic Tlaib is, of course, both a deeply committed leftist and a supporter of the Palestinian jihad, so her vote was no real surprise. Still, it sends a chill down the spine to realize that the barbarians aren’t at the gates; they’re in Congress. 

Jewish News Syndicate (JNS) reported Wednesday that the House “voted unanimously, 418-0, to condemn Hamas terrorists for rape and sexual violence on Oct. 7.” Rep. Lois Frankel (D-Fla.), who introduced the bill, H.Res.966, noted that “on Oct. 7, Hamas terrorists attacked Israel, mercilessly killing 1,200 people; raping, mutilating, burning and assaulting their victims to inflict physical and psychological pain, unleashing trauma that continues to plague a grieving Israel. The brutality was planned and calculated.” No fair-minded person could disagree, and so Frankel’s resolution gained co-sponsors from the other side of the aisle, including Reps. Mario Díaz-Balart (R-Fla.) and Jen Kiggans (R-Va.).

JNS noted that H.Res.966 “condemns all rape and sexual violence ‘as weapons of war,’ including those Hamas committed on and after Oct. 7; calls on all countries to criminalize rape and sexual assault and hold both state and non-state armed groups accountable for such attacks; and tells international groups to ‘unequivocally condemn the barbaric murder, rape, sexual assault and kidnapping by Hamas and other terrorists on and since Oct. 7 and hold accountable all perpetrators.’” 

It affirmed U.S. “support for independent, impartial investigations of rape and sexual violence committed by Hamas on and since Oct. 7” and reaffirmed a “commitment to supporting survivors of rape and sexual violence, including those brutalized on and since Oct. 7.” Who could object? Rashida Tlaib.

Frankel, clearly aware that some among her fellow leftists sided with Hamas despite its barbarity, added, “Sadly, Hamas’s savagery has been met with a shrug—and even denial—from many corners of the world. Our resolution loudly and clearly condemns all rape and forms of sexual violence as weapons of war, including those acts committed by Hamas terrorists on and since Oct. 7.” One of those who was ready with a shrug and denial was Tlaib, who stood out as the lone member of the House of Representatives who could not bring herself to condemn Hamas’ rapes and so voted “present.”

Related: WATCH: Yet Another Video Surfaces, Making Ilhan Omar’s Real Allegiance Even Clearer

Tlaib apparently calculated that a "yes" vote on this resolution might be seen as a condemnation of Hamas and its jihad against Israel, and unlike her colleague among The Squad, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-Swizzle Stick), Tlaib couldn’t bring herself to go on record in such a manner. Another Squad member, the Somalia-First Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Mogadishu) likewise registered her dissent but in a less immediately obvious way: she simply didn’t vote at all.

How could either Tlaib or Omar think that this bill was even remotely controversial? The answer to that is clear: their hatred of Israel is so intense that they just don’t have any problem with what Hamas did on Oct. 7, and they don’t want to alienate the hordes of anti-Israel demonstrators across the country who have been increasingly open about their unhesitating support for the jihad terror group.

In this, Tlaib and Omar represent a further coarsening and degeneration of an already degraded American body politic. Mass migration, the anti-assimilation ethos among the migrants and their supporters, and the left’s war against patriotism have brought an unprecedented ugliness into American politics, as the standards of civility and of civilization itself that endured for over two centuries have been eroded under the heavy pressure of multiculturalism, anti-white racism, revisionist history, and far-left agitprop. 

Now we have elected representatives in Congress who can’t bring themselves to condemn rape. And it’s going to get worse.

The Media Is Covering Up Key Facts About the Lakewood Church Shooter’s Motivations

ROBERT SPENCER | 11:42 AM ON FEBRUARY 16, 2024
SEE: https://pjmedia.com/robert-spencer/2024/02/16/the-media-is-covering-up-key-facts-about-the-lakewood-churchs-shooters-motivations-n4926495; republished below in full, unedited, for informational, educational, & research purposes:
AP Photo/LM Otero
When Genesse Ivonne Moreno opened fire at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Houston last Sunday, establishment media reports had the typical focus: she was schizophrenic, possibly thought of herself as a man, yet was still able to buy a gun with no problem, and the real problem is that Texas has no red flag law. While there can be little doubt that Moreno was severely deranged, the media reports are ignoring elements of the story that shed light on Moreno’s motives. Now, why might that be?One reason is that the left’s favorite religion is involved. Moreno made a donation to Lakewood church in 2020 but doesn’t appear to have been a committed church member, or at least a consistent one. ABC News reported Tuesday that Walli Carranza, Moreno’s former mother-in-law, said that “when she first met Moreno, the young woman wore a hijab and said she practiced Islam.” It was also widely reported that Moreno’s AR-15 was emblazoned with a sticker reading “Palestine” and that “antisemitic writings” were found among her possessions, but nevertheless, as ABC put it, “a motive remains under investigation.”Yet Moreno’s own writings on Telegram, which she posted under the handle “Die Israel,” have been ignored. The ADL paused from its defamation of defenders of Israel who aren’t doctrinaire leftists long enough to take notice of them, but the establishment media, as dedicated as ever to concealing anything that might portray Islam in a negative light, passed them by. Moreno, noted the ADL, “expressed support for a range of antisemitic, anti-Zionist and extremist beliefs and praised U.S.-designated terrorist groups, including Hamas and Hezbollah.”  

And that was just the beginning. Moreno also referred to Osama bin Laden as “uncle” and “made several posts in which she expressed a desire to kill Jews and wage jihad.” These included one on Oct. 21, 2023, when “she posted a video of herself shooting at a target that included a drawing of a Star of David.” Then on Dec. 23, 2023, she wrote: “I always knew I had a purpose to do for Islam and Christianity. We must all come together Christians need the heart that they had back in the day back in the revivals of the old age. But this time to kill all Jews. #warjihad #mywarjihad.”

In the same vein Moreno wrote on Jan. 3, 2024, “I call on all Muslim college people [to] invite me to the next pro-Israel rally I will have two surprises in support of PALESTINE.” The marginal coherence of this sentence is in line with Moreno’s schizophrenia, but her threat is nevertheless clear.

Nor was it isolated. On the same day, Moreno also wrote: “ALLAH is willing, I will .... Jews to send my message to Walli Carranza. Don't worry my MUSLIMS brothers I am pass [sic] the threat phase. I'm in planning mode. Please don't message me private trying to stop me.” This suggests that as recently as last month, Moreno still thought of herself as a Muslim, not a Christian. Carranza’s statement that Moreno was a Muslim when she first met her implies that the shooter later discarded Islam, but if she had done so, she had apparently taken it up again.

Five days after that, Moreno wrote, “Death to Jews in America!” She meant it: on Jan. 15, 2024, Moreno posted a photo that indicated she was planning an attack. It showed her, looking determined and angry, holding her “Palestine” AR-15. The caption read: “In a month they going to get polished.” 

The ADL notes that she “also shared content from Resistance News Network (RNN), a radical anti-Zionist English-language Telegram channel that promotes violence against Israel. RNN’s posts include the explicit promotion of U.S. State Department-designated foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs) such as Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), as well as many images of individuals with guns and the depiction of rockets being fired at Israel. RNN also provides English translations of communiques from Hamas’ Al Qassam Brigades and the Iranian-funded Hezbollah terrorist group.”

Related: CNN Worries That Muslim Migrant Gang Rape in Italy Will Bolster the ‘Far Right’

Moreno also posted commentary from “Hamas, Hezbollah, Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), Ansar Allah (The Houthis) and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).” This material included “a propaganda poster from Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades depicting a wounded Israeli soldier along with the caption, written in both Arabic and Hebrew: ‘We warned you and you did not take heed.’ The text of the Telegram message, which according to Moreno’s channel appears to be translated from Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade, reads, ‘There is no safety for you on our land.’”

Genesse Moreno appears to have been genuinely mentally ill. This should not, however, prevent authorities from acknowledging that she also thought of herself as an Islamic jihadi. The two categories are not mutually exclusive. Yet while we would be hearing no end of it if Moreno had turned out to be a “right-wing extremist,” as it is, we’re unlikely to hear very much about her ever again.

Turkey: Man responsible for shaping Erdogan’s Middle East policy says ‘there is no such state called Israel’

  BY 

SEE: https://www.jihadwatch.org/2024/02/turkey-man-responsible-for-shaping-erdogans-middle-east-policy-says-there-is-no-such-state-called-israel; republished below in full, unedited, for informational, educational, & research purposes:

Erdogan’s Turkey, which wants to destroy Israel, is an ally of the U.S., and Israel itself is an ally of the U.S. One of these alliances is in serious danger, and the worries are not in Istanbul.

“‘Israel must be destroyed,’ said chief Middle East advisor to Turkey’s President Erdogan,” by Abdullah Bozkurt, Nordic Monitor, February 15, 2024:

The person responsible for shaping Turkey’s foreign policy in the Middle East in the office of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been revealed to have called for the destruction of Israel, as uncovered by a Nordic Monitor investigation.

Sefer Turan, a 62-year-old pro-Iranian Islamist and a chief advisor to the Turkish president, has openly denied Israel’s right to exist, stating, “We must consistently and at every opportunity inform the public that there is no such state called Israel.”

Turan’s remarks were made in June 1997 during a panel discussion concerning the closure of the Palestine Solidarity and Friendship Association (Filistin Dayanışma ve Dostluk Derneği, FDD) by Turkish authorities. The FDD was identified as a front organization sponsored by the Iranian mullah regime in Turkey, aimed at channeling funds to armed Palestinian jihadist groups, organizing rallies against Israel and promoting antisemitism in Turkey.

Turan, one of the architects of the FDD, vehemently criticized the government’s decision to shut down the organization. He also condemned the peace initiatives launched in Madrid in 1991 that aimed to foster peace between Israel and Palestine, along with several Arab nations. The Madrid conference, co-sponsored by the US and the Soviet Union, eventually resulted in the signing of the Oslo I Accord in 1993 and the peace treaty between Jordan and Israel in 1994.

“We must openly reveal our identity and, if necessary, endure the risks,” Turan emphasized, further stating, “Nothing ends with the closure of the FDD.”

The driving force behind the creation of the FDD was a propaganda magazine named Yörünge, which received funding from the Iranian regime and was operated by pro-Iranian Turkish Islamists. Some members of this group had undergone training by Iranian intelligence in handling arms and explosives. Turkish authorities took action against the magazine, shutting it down and initiating criminal investigations and indictments against its staff.

The application for the establishment of the FDD was initially approved on July 1, 1995, during a preliminary process and later endorsed by the Interior Ministry in November 1995. However, a month after approval, the ministry requested that the FDD halt its operations until the Cabinet reviewed the application, citing concerns regarding the mention of international operations in the founding charter, which fell under the discretion of the Cabinet. On May 7, 1997 the government officially notified the FDD of its closure.

The FDD board members included Ahmet Varol, Remzi Çayır, Rıdvan Kaya, Nurettin Şirin, Fikret Özdemir and Ahmet Ağırakça, several of whom had longstanding ties with the Iranian Islamist Revolutionary Guards Corps Quds Force.

In fact, both Turan, working as chief aide to Erdogan at the time, and Şirin were suspects in a confidential investigation into the Quds Force network between 2011 and 2014. During this period their phones were tapped under court order as investigators sought to uncover an Iranian intelligence network in Turkey. The investigation aimed to determine any plots targeting Israeli, Jewish and Western interests in Turkey….

More than 30 UNRWA employees actively participated in October 7 jihad massacre

  BY 

SEE: https://www.jihadwatch.org/2024/02/more-than-30-unrwa-employees-actively-participated-in-october-7-jihad-massacre; republished below in full, unedited, for informational, educational, & research purposes:

UNRWA must be shut down. If it continues after this, the entire UN should be shut down.

“More than 30 of UNRWA’s employees actively participated in October 7,” Jerusalem Post, February 16, 2024:

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced on Friday the details of 12 UNRWA employees who are members of Hamas and participated in the October 7 massacre.

Gallant told reporters that Israel has intelligence that more than 30 of the organization’s employees actively participated in the murder spree, assisting in the kidnapping of civilians and soldiers.

He presented data, according to which 12% of the 13,000 UNRWA employees are connected to terrorist organizations in Gaza, and 1,468 of the employees are even active in them.

Gallant presented a video to the reporters taken by security cameras at the Erez crossing on October 7, in which you can see how the medics of the Palestinian “Red Crescent” helped to evacuate a wounded Nukhba terrorist.

The UNRWA employees hold various innocuous positions in the organization from social worker to school counselor, to math teacher….

Churches Conceding to Mainstream Culture with Pastor Brandon Holthaus