Eye on Extremism: July 7, 2025
Top Stories
Independent: July 7 attacks were watershed moment for head of Met’s counter-terrorism squad
The July 7 2005 attacks were a watershed moment for the now-head of the Metropolitan Police’s counter-terrorism squad, who drove to London to help in the aftermath of the atrocities and remained in the capital for the next two decades. In 2005 Commander Dominic Murphy had been an officer in Hertfordshire for 12 years and had trained as a bomb scene examiner before the attacks on the transport system that killed 52 people and injured hundreds more.
Reuters: Hezbollah weighs scaling back its arsenal in wake of Israel conflict
Hezbollah has begun a major strategic review in the wake of its devastating war with Israel, including considering scaling back its role as an armed movement without disarming completely, three sources familiar with the deliberations say. The internal discussions, which aren't yet finalised and haven't previously been reported, reflect the formidable pressures the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group has faced since a truce was reached in late November. Hezbollah's Syrian ally, Bashar al-Assad, was toppled in December, severing a key arms supply line from Iran. Tehran is now emerging from its own bruising war with Israel, raising doubts over how much aid it can offer, a regional security source and a senior Lebanese official told Reuters.
CEP Mentions
SVT: The expert: "Activity clubs are wolves in sheep's clothing"
The so-called activist clubs, in which a young close relative of a minister was active, have grown rapidly in Sweden. Alexander Ritzmann, senior advisor at the Counter Extremism Project in Berlin, has mapped the movement from its beginnings in the United States.
Süddeutsche Zeitung: Espionage and sabotage on behalf of the mullahs
Terrorism expert Hans-Jakob Schindler of the Counter Extremism Project (CEP) recognizes a pattern in such cases: While Iranian authorities previously relied on trained fighters from the Shiite Hezbollah militia for espionage and attacks in Germany, the Revolutionary Guards or the Quds Force are increasingly using individuals from the organized crime (OC) sector, including, in one case, even Hells Angels bikers.
Analysis
Times of Israel: After brief hiatus, antisemitism in Australia rears head with Melbourne attacks
A pair of attacks on Jewish targets in Melbourne on Friday night show that Australia’s antisemitism problem continues to grow, despite brief glimmers of calm, Jewish community members said over the weekend. “We’re starting to see outright calls for the death and murder of Jews become normalized on Melbourne’s streets,” Jeremy Leibler, president of the Zionist Federation of Australia, told The Times of Israel on Sunday. “There has been a transition from coded slogans like ‘From the river to the sea’ and ‘Globalize the intifada’ to explicit incitement with the chant ‘Death to the IDF.'”
France 24: Should France’s incel threat be treated like terrorism?
An 18-year-old Frenchman was detained and charged on July 1 with being part of a terrorist criminal enterprise. Amid reports of an increase in masculinism – a belief in the supremacy of men and advocacy of outmoded gender roles – among young men, it is the first time that French anti-terror authorities have launched an investigation into someone for activities linked to the "involuntary celibate” (incel) movement.
United States
Reuters: US revokes foreign terrorist designation for Syria's HTS
President Donald Trump's administration has revoked the foreign terrorist organization designation for al-Nusrah Front, also known as Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, according to a State Department memo filed on Monday, a major step as Washington moves to ease sanctions on Syria. The June 23 dated memo was signed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and was published in a preview of the Federal Register before official publication on Tuesday.
NBC News: Trump to meet with Netanyahu at the White House as Israel and Hamas discuss ceasefire
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu touched down in Washington early Monday ahead of a White House meeting with President Donald Trump about a ceasefire deal that could pause fighting in Gaza. “We are working to achieve this deal that is being talked about,” Netanyahu told reporters before he departed Sunday, adding, that he thought Trump “can definitely help advance this outcome, which we all hope for.”
Newsweek: Warning Issued Over 'Explosion' of Neo Nazi Clubs in US
A warning has been issued over the increasing number of neo-Nazi clubs in the United States. According to the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism (GPAHE), there has been an "explosion" in the number of active chapters of neo-Nazi Active Clubs (ACs) in the U.S. and other countries. The group is raising alarm about this trend, calling it a "growing transnational threat."
The Guardian: Revealed: the far-right, antisemitic men’s club network spreading across US
A nationwide US network of dozens of far-right, men-only fraternal clubs has what members describe as “literally hundreds” of participants who include past and currently serving military personnel, lawyers, civil servants, and prominent antisemitic influencers, a Guardian investigation can reveal. The Old Glory Club (OGC) – which has at least 26 chapters in 20 US states and until now has drawn little attention – exemplifies the alarming rise of organized racist political groups in the past few years but especially during the rise of Donald Trump and his return to the White House.
Socialist mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani appears to defend al Qaeda fiend Anwar al-Awlaki — and blame America for turning the prostitution-loving cleric into a terrorist — in newly surfaced tweets. Al-Awlaki, who was born in New Mexico to Yemeni parents, became a prominent imam at mosques in San Diego and Virginia, eventually interacting with three of the heinous Sept. 11, 2001, hijackers there, US officials have said.
Unilever is reportedly cutting off millions of dollars in funding to the Ben & Jerry’s charitable foundation after it refused to provide audit documents about donations to pro-Palestinian groups, escalating an internal dispute between a corporate parent and its left-leaning subsidiary. Peter ter Kulve, head of Unilever’s ice cream division, informed Ben & Jerry’s executives via email that the foundation’s trustees “have continued to resist basic oversight” and are not cooperating with requests from corporate auditors, according to the news site Semafor.
Time: Trump Speaks Out After Using Term Widely Considered to be Antisemitic: ‘Never Heard That’
President Donald Trump has spoken out after sparking criticism for using a term widely considered to be antisemitic during a speech. Addressing a crowd in Iowa on Thursday, Trump used the term “Shylock” when discussing his now-signed “Big, Beautiful Bill.” When approached by a reporter on Friday about his use of the term that’s “widely viewed as an antisemitic” phrase, Trump was asked if he intended for the word “to be used in that way.”
BBC: Trump's 'Shylock' comment draws outcry from Jewish groups
US President Donald Trump has drawn criticism from Jewish groups after he used an antisemitic term at a rally. Trump described some bankers as "Shylocks" at the event in Iowa. He said afterwards he did not realise it was considered offensive. Shylock is a ruthless Jewish money lender in Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice.
NBC News: Trump uses antisemitic slur in remarks promoting his 'big, beautiful bill'
President Donald Trump used an antisemitic slur to describe exploitative bankers during a speech Thursday as he touted congressional passage of his massive domestic policy bill. Trump made the remark in Des Moines, Iowa, at what was billed as an event by a nonpartisan group to kick off celebrations for next year's 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. But Trump's campaign-style speech quickly took on a partisan tone, with the president expressing "hate" for the Democrats who voted against his "big, beautiful bill."
Half of registered voters in New York City say knowing that Zohran Mamdani supports boycotting Israel and has declined to condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada” makes them less likely to vote for him in November’s mayoral election. But a third said knowing Mamdani’s positions on the two issues made them more likely to vote for him, according to the poll released Thursday by American Pulse Research and Polling.
Jewish Telegraphic Agency: Court says family of Boulder ‘Free Palestine’ firebomber can be deported
A federal court ruled that the family of the man who firebombed a demonstration in Boulder, Colorado in support of the Israeli hostages can be deported. The suspect, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, who is an Egyptian national, and his wife and five children were living in the United States illegally. The family was detained by ICE two days after the June 1 attack.
Belgium
Jewish News Syndicate: Samidoun added to Belgium’s extremism watchlist, first step toward ban
Samidoun: Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network will be added to the OCAD (Orgaan voor de Coördinatie en de Analyse van de Dreiging, or Coordination Unit for Threat Analysis) database—Belgium’s official registry for tracking terrorism, extremism and radicalization, the Belgian government has announced.
Iran International: Belgian parliament committee backs IRGC terror listing, MP says
A Belgian parliamentary committee has approved a resolution backing the designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, MP Darya Safai said on Wednesday. Safai, a lawmaker of Iranian descent, said the vote in the foreign affairs committee marks a key step in her long-standing campaign to hold the IRGC accountable for its role in international terrorism and domestic repression.
Croatia
The Croatian singer Marko Perkovic, who is known for his far-right sympathies, led nearly half a million concertgoers in a pro-Nazi salute in Zagreb on Saturday night. During the concert — billed as the largest in Croatia’s history — Perkovic played one of his most popular songs which begins with the pro-Nazi “For the homeland — Ready!” salute.
France 24: Croatia govt lashed over 'disgraceful neo-fascist Woodstock'
A massive concert in Croatia by a singer notorious for his pro-Nazi sympathies was branded a "neo-fascist Woodstock" Monday, with the opposition calling it a "global disgrace" that the prime minister was photographed with him beforehand.
European Union
Iran International: UK report warns of Iranian plots as Italy reveals covert influence network
A parliamentary report in the UK is set to warn that Iran remains one of the gravest state-based threats to British security, according to The Telegraph, while a separate investigation in Italy has uncovered a vast influence network supporting the Islamic Republic. “The Telegraph understands the findings will conclude that Iran remains one of the biggest state-based threats to the UK, in the same bracket as China and Russia,” the article said ahead of the release of the Intelligence and Security Committee’s report, based on classified intelligence and interviews with British agencies.
Germany
Deutsche Welle: Germany seeks direct talks with Taliban on deportations
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has called for an agreement with the Taliban to receive Afghan convicted criminals deported from Germany. The Taliban took over Afghanistan's government in August 2021 following the NATO withdrawal. Since then, Germany has not had official diplomatic ties with the Taliban government, which it did not recognize as legitimate. Last year, Germany flew Afghans who had been convicted with crimes to Afghanistan. The deportation took place after secret negotiations with mediator Qatar. "My idea is that we make agreements directly with Afghanistan to enable repatriations," Dobrindt said in an interview with the German magazine Focus. "We still need third parties to conduct talks with Afghanistan. This cannot remain a permanent solution," he added.
ARD: Attacks in Budapest: Further charges against suspected left-wing extremists
The Federal Public Prosecutor General has brought charges against further suspected left-wing extremists. This was confirmed to MDR Investigativ by several people familiar with the case. The six defendants are accused, among other things, of being part of a left-wing extremist criminal organization. The suspects are also accused of causing grievous bodily harm and attempted murder and are said to belong to a group that is alleged to have carried out attacks on right-wing extremists in Budapest in February 2023, among other things. The group was known as the "Hammer Gang" or "Antifa East", among others.
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is now Germany’s largest opposition group and even topped several opinion polls – briefly putting it ahead of now-Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s center-right party – in the weeks after February’s federal election. At the same time, the AfD is facing growing calls for an outright ban, most recently from another major political party.
DPA: Far-right German AfD leader says talk of ban reminds her of Nazi erav
The leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, Alice Weidel, said she feels reminded of "dark times" by the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) push for a possible ban on her party. "So we have seen this: Adolf Hitler - oh, here comes the name - he was the first to ban other parties, restrict press freedom," Weidel told journalists on Saturday on the sidelines of a retreat of the party's parliamentary group in Berlin.
Poland
Politico: Poland’s Tusk tells far-right vigilantes on German border to go home
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Friday warned nationalist vigilantes patrolling the German border to stand down, calling their actions illegal and disruptive, as his government grapples with rising tensions both on the frontier and within his ruling coalition. The warning follows Warsaw’s decision to temporarily reinstate border checks with Germany and Lithuania starting July 7, citing an unsubstantiated spike in migrants being pushed back by German authorities.
Romania
Romania’s far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) has surged to a record-high 40.5% in voting intention for parliamentary elections, according to the second edition of the Informat.ro – INSCOP Research Barometer conducted between June 20–26. The poll shows AUR clearly leading the political landscape, with significant distance from other major parties, such as the National Liberal Party (PNL) at 17.3% and the Social Democratic Party (PSD) at only 13.7%. The barometer, a monthly survey commissioned by news platform Informat.ro in partnership with the Strategic Thinking Group think tank, is based on telephone interviews with a representative sample of 1,150 Romanian adults and carries a margin of error of ±2.9%.
Russia
Amu: Women’s coalition condemns Russia’s Taliban recognition as embrace of repression
A coalition of women’s protest movements has condemned Russia’s recognition of the Taliban, calling it the endorsement of a regime responsible for sweeping human rights abuses and the systematic oppression of women. In a sharply worded statement released Sunday, the Independent Coalition of Women’s Protest Movements of Afghanistan described Moscow’s move as “shaking the bloody hands of human rights violators.”
Spain
Euractiv: Spanish centre-right leader ready to work with far-right Vox
The Spanish opposition People's Party (PP) would not apply a ‘cordon sanitaire’ to the far-right Vox party in government, PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo said on Sunday. At the close of the two-day PP Congress in Madrid, where Núñez Feijóo was re-elected with almost 100% of the votes, the right-wing opposition leader made it clear that he does not exclude governing with Vox, Spanish news agency Servimedia reported.
Switzerland
Associated Press: Switzerland indicts 2 men on terrorism-related charges
Swiss federal prosecutors on Monday announced an indictment of a Kosovar and a Swiss-Macedonian dual national on terrorism-related charges and spreading the ideology of the banned extremist group Islamic State. The 36-year-old Kosovar and the 33-year-old dual national, who were not identified by name, are suspected of having carried out indoctrination, financing and recruitment of the Swiss chapter of a “Kosovar terrorist organization” over the last decade, mostly in the Geneva area, the Swiss Attorney General’s office said.
United Kingdom
More than 20 people were arrested Saturday on suspicion of terrorism offenses after protesters gathered in central London in support of Palestine Action. The protest in Parliament Square came hours after the pro-Palestinian activist group was banned in Britain under anti-terrorism laws.
BBC: Priest, 83, arrested at Palestine Action protest
"The law does not have an age limit", the head of the Metropolitan Police said after an 83-year-old retired priest was arrested for supporting a banned protest group. Reverend Sue Parfitt from Henbury in Bristol was arrested on the same day the group was outlawed. She was attending a demonstration in Parliament Square, London, on Saturday.
BBC: 'Surviving 7/7 terrorist attacks changed my life'
On 7 July 2005, London's public transport system was targeted by four suicide bombers who killed 52 people and injured more than 700 during the morning rush hour. Bill Mann, 60, survived the attack and recounts how it changed his life completely.
For many in the British Muslim community, the tragedy of 7 July 2005 lives long in the memory. The bombings sent shockwaves through the nation but also marked a turning point that left many grappling with grief, fear and a new scrutiny of their identity. Twenty years on, feelings of suspicion, isolation and hostility experienced in the aftermath of the attacks have, for some, only worsened after decades of UK counter-terrorism policies, and a political landscape they say has allowed Islamophobia to flourish.
The Guardian: Iraq war ‘made extremists of people’: ex-police terrorism chief looks back at 7/7
Foreign policy was a driver behind the 7 July 2005 attacks on London , with the atrocity leaving a “soul-destroying” legacy of a rise in hate, a former head of counter-terrorism has said. Neil Basu said governments needed to accept that foreign policy, such as Britain’s stance on the Israel-Gaza war, could have a direct effect on domestic security.
BBC: How MI5 piled falsehood on falsehood in the case of neo-Nazi spy who abused women
When the BBC revealed that MI5 had lied to three courts, the Security Service apologised for giving false evidence - vowing to investigate and explain how such a serious failure had occurred. But on Wednesday, the High Court ruled that these inquiries were "deficient", ordering a new "robust" investigation. A panel of judges said they would consider the issue of contempt of court proceedings against individuals once that was complete.
BBC: Comic Hunter appears in court over alleged antisemitic posts
Comedian Reginald D Hunter has appeared in court over alleged antisemitic social media posts. The US stand-up comic, 56, is accused of three counts of sending an offensive communication on three different occasions to Heidi Bachram on X, formerly Twitter, on 24 August, and 10 and 11 September last year.
Jailed terrorists are teaching their fellow prisoners to make bombs as part of a 'skills exchange' taking place inside British prisons, a report has warned. Gang members are said to be sharing their own knowledge in return, from how to exploit the dark web and launder money to advice on obtaining weapons for use in attacks.
New York Times: Pro-Palestinian Activists Lose Appeal Against U.K. Government Ban
A pro-Palestinian protest group has been banned as a terrorist organization by the British government, putting it on the same legal footing as the Islamic State and Al Qaeda in the first use of far-reaching security laws in response to property damage. The group, Palestine Action, which has targeted Israel-linked defense companies and vandalized military planes at Britain’s largest Royal Air Force base, lost a legal bid to temporarily delay the law, and it is set to go into effect at midnight local time.
Afghanistan
Amu: Taliban impose widespread restrictions on Muharram observances
Taliban have imposed severe restrictions on Muharram rituals this year, banning photography and limiting public observances across several provinces, including Kabul, local sources said. Sources in Kabul, Herat, Balkh, Bamiyan and Ghazni told Amu that Taliban authorities curtailed ceremonies and prohibited the use of cameras during Ashura day, which was Sunday, and other mourning rituals, part of the Islamic calendar’s most sacred month for Muslims.
Amu: Afghans decry Russia’s recognition of Taliban as betrayal of human rights and national will
Citizens and rights advocates across Afghanistan have condemned Russia’s recent decision to recognize the Taliban rule, calling it a betrayal of the Afghan people and a blatant disregard for human rights violations committed under Taliban rule. Many Afghans say the Taliban lack both public and legal legitimacy and argue that formal recognition ignores the will of the population, particularly women and civil society actors who have been systematically excluded from political and public life since the group returned to power in August 2021.
Afghanistan International: Resistance Groups Behind 72 Anti-Taliban Attacks In 3 Months, Says UN
Armed opposition groups in Afghanistan conducted at least 72 attacks against Taliban forces between February and April 2025, according to a new report by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). The report, released this week, states that the National Resistance Front claimed responsibility for 56 of the attacks, while the Afghanistan Freedom Front claimed 16. The Afghanistan Freedom Movement also reported three attacks, all of which occurred in April.
Afghanistan International: Gunmen Kill Aga Khan Foundation Religious Affairs Official In Badakhshan
Armed men have shot and killed Fazl Ahmad Paeez, head of Religious Affairs for the Aga Khan Foundation in the Zebak district of Badakhshan province, local sources told Afghanistan International. According to eyewitnesses, unidentified gunmen stormed Paeez’s home on the evening of Friday, 4 July, forcibly dragged him outside, and executed him. Graphic images obtained by Afghanistan International show his bloodied body at the scene.
Gaza Strip
Jerusalem Post: Why Hamas can keep fighting without Iran, and what that means for Israel
The war against Hamas has become the longest in Israel’s history. It began with the horrific massacre of October 7 and has since expanded to include Hezbollah’s strikes on the northern front, forcing mass evacuations that have yet to be reversed. By physical metrics, such as territory held, enemy losses, and weapons neutralized, Israel appears to hold the advantage. Hamas and Hezbollah have been significantly weakened; Syria’s regime has collapsed; and Iran has lost key military leaders and critical infrastructure. But diplomatic influence tells a different story.
BBC: Hamas security officer says group has lost control over most of Gaza
A senior officer in Hamas's security forces has told the BBC the Palestinian armed group has lost about 80% of its control over the Gaza Strip and that armed clans are filling the void. The lieutenant colonel said Hamas's command and control system had collapsed due to months of Israeli strikes that have devastated the group's political, military and security leadership.
A controversial U.S.-backed aid group proposed building camps called “Humanitarian Transit Areas” inside - and possibly outside - Gaza to house the Palestinian population, according to a proposal reviewed by Reuters, outlining its vision of "replacing Hamas' control over the population in Gaza." The $2 billion plan, created sometime after February 11 for the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, or GHF, was submitted to the Trump administration and recently discussed in the White House, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Iran
Reuters: Iran's Khamenei attends public event after weeks of war with Israel
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei attended a religious event on Saturday, according to a video carried by state television, after reports that he was in a "secure location" since the start of a 12-day air war with Israel in which top Iranian commanders and nuclear scientists were killed. The video carried by state media showed dozens attending a ceremony to mark Ashura, the holiest day of the Shi'ite Muslim calendar, standing chanting as Khamenei entered a hall where many government functions are held. For apparent security reasons, Khamenei had issued pre-taped messages during the war which started on June 13, and avoided public appearances.
Kurdistan 24: 'Israeli Plot to Kill Me Failed,' Says Pezeshkian
Iranian President Pezeshkian told Tucker Carlson that Israel attempted to assassinate him, linking it to efforts to derail Iran-U.S. diplomacy. He denied pursuing nuclear weapons, welcomed IAEA talks, dismissed U.S. sleeper cell claims, and affirmed Iran’s openness to dialogue.
Iran International: Five Kurdish men sentenced to death over 2022 protests, rights group says
Five Kurdish men detained during the 2022 protests in Iran have been sentenced to death by a revolutionary court in the city of Urmia, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) said on Monday. According to the group, the five men — identified as Ali Ghasemi, Pejman Soltani, Kaveh Salehi, Rezgar Beikzadeh Babamiri and Tifur Salimi Babamiri — were arrested for participating in demonstrations in the cities of Bukan and Baneh during the Women, Life, Freedom protests, ignited over the death of a 22-year-old woman in police custody.
Iran International: Iran moves detained French couple to undisclosed location, family says
Iran has transferred French nationals Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris to undisclosed locations after they survived explosions during Israeli strikes on Tehran’s Evin prison on June 23, their family told Iran International. “Iranian authorities don't tell [us] where they are being held,” Cécile’s sister Noémie told Iran International on Friday.
Iran International: Iran sentences protester to death on charges including plot to kill Khamenei
An Iranian-Kurdish prisoner jailed in connection with the country’s 2022 nationwide protests has been sentenced to death on several charges including plotting to kill Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, his daughter told Iran International. Rezgar Beigzadeh Babamiri, a 47-year-old farmer and father of three from the Kurdish city of Bukan, was arrested in April 2023 in connection with the nationwide Woman Life Freedom protests sparked by the death in custody of 22-year old Mahsa Zhina Amini.
Israel
New York Times: Where Do Israel-Hamas Truce Negotiations Stand?
Officials from Israel and Hamas were holding talks to end the war in Gaza for the second consecutive day on Monday in Doha, Qatar, as President Trump and Arab mediators intensified their efforts to broker a cease-fire. Israel and Hamas appeared to be closer to a truce than in recent weeks, but they were still wrangling over the terms of a deal that would see the release of hostages held in Gaza.
A new report, the most comprehensive one compiled to date on sexual violence by Hamas on October 7, 2023, is set to be published this week by the Dinah Project, a research and legal initiative led by Professor Ruth Halperin-Kaddari of Bar-Ilan University. It presents extensive evidence that Hamas systematically and extensively used sexual violence as a weapon during the murderous terrorist attack. The report relies on new testimonies from hostages who returned from Gaza, victims of sexual violence, eyewitnesses, mental health professionals, and rescue workers.
Reuters: Israel to send delegation to Qatar for Gaza talks despite 'unacceptable' Hamas demands
Israel will send a delegation to Qatar on Sunday for talks on a possible Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal, although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the changes requested by Hamas to a ceasefire proposal were unacceptable. Palestinian group Hamas said on Friday it had responded to a U.S.-backed Gaza ceasefire proposal in a "positive spirit", a few days after U.S. President Donald Trump said Israel had agreed "to the necessary conditions to finalize" a 60-day truce. "The changes that Hamas seeks to make to the Qatari proposal were conveyed to us last night and are not acceptable to Israel," Netanyahu's office said in a statement late on Saturday. The prime minister's office added that the delegation will still fly to Qatar for talks over a possible deal to "continue the efforts to secure the return of our hostages based on the Qatari proposal that Israel agreed to."
Jewish News Syndicate: IDF steps up Samaria anti-terror raids by 90%
Israeli security forces have increased their counter-terrorism raids throughout Samaria by more than 90%, the commander of the Israel Defense Forces’ Samaria Brigade, Col. A., said over the weekend. During a meeting with civilian security guards of Jewish communities in the area, Col. A. also revealed that the security forces’ activities have led to a decrease of 75% in stone-throwing attacks, Arutz 7 reported.
Lebanon
Reuters: US 'unbelievably satisfied' with Lebanon reply to proposal on disarming Hezbollah
A U.S. envoy said on Monday he was "unbelievably satisfied" with Lebanon's reply to a U.S. proposal on disarming Hezbollah, following meetings in Beirut held hours after Israel launched new air strikes and a cross-border incursion. Envoy Thomas Barrack's proposal, delivered to Lebanese officials during his last visit on June 19, would see Hezbollah fully disarmed within four months in exchange for Israel halting air strikes and withdrawing troops from posts in south Lebanon they still occupy following a war last year.
Naharnet: Qassem says Hezbollah ready for both peace and war
Hezbollah chief Sheikh Naim Qassem said in speech broadcast Sunday to mark Ashoura’s last day that his group will “continue the resistance” and “will not be part of legitimizing occupation in Lebanon.” “We will not accept a humiliating normalization … and these people do not accept disgrace and surrender,” Qassem stressed.
Naharnet: Barrack urges Lebanon to seize 'opportunity' and 'historic moment'
U.S. envoy Tom Barrack on Saturday called on Lebanese leaders to seize what he called a "historic moment" to achieve reforms and the disarmament of armed groups, days before his second visit to the country to receive Lebanon's response to a U.S.-proposed paper. "Lebanon’s hope awakens!!! The opportunity is now. This is a historic moment to supersede the strained confessionalism of the past and finally fulfill Lebanon’s true promise of the hope of 'One country, one people, one army,'" Barrack said in a post on the X platform.
Jewish News Syndicate: IDF slays Hezbollah Radwan Force terrorist
Israel’s military said on Saturday that it had killed a terrorist in Hezbollah’s special operations Radwan Force in Aynata, southeastern Lebanon, as part of ongoing efforts to counter threats on the northern border. In a separate operation, the Israel Defense Forces and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) confirmed that they killed Qasem Salah al-Husseini, a Lebanese terrorist affiliated with the Quds Force, the branch of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that specializes in unconventional warfare and military intelligence operations, during a strike on July 3 in Kafr Sil, south of Beirut.
Naharnet: Reports: Aoun and Berri warn Hezbollah over US paper as Arabs talk to Iran
The ongoing Arab contacts for finalizing Lebanon's response to the U.S. paper intensified over the past hours and involved Iran, a diplomatic source told Al-Jadeed TV on Saturday. Al-Arabiya's Al-Hadath channel earlier reported that the Lebanese Presidency "sent a warning to Hezbollah in the morning on the need to send a response to (U.S. envoy Tom) Barrack's ideas."
Yemen
Israel’s military launched airstrikes early Monday targeting ports and facilities held by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who responded with missile fire targeting Israel. The strikes came after the Houthis attacked a Liberian-flagged ship in the Red Sea that caught fire and took on water, later forcing its crew to abandon the vessel. On Monday afternoon, the claimed the attack, which saw missiles and explosive-carrying drone boats set the vessel ablaze in the Red Sea.
The crew of a Greek-operated bulk carrier hit by gunfire, drones and missiles in the Red Sea on Sunday were forced to abandon the vessel and were rescued by a passing ship, maritime security firms said, in an attack they said resembles that of Houthi militants. The assault, off the southwest coast of Yemen, on the Liberian-flagged vessel Magic Seas, was the first such incident reported in the vital shipping corridor since mid-April.
Jerusalem Post: Israel strikes Houthi ports across Yemen, 'Galaxy Leader' ship
The IDF struck three Houthi-controlled naval ports, a power station, and a ship used for terror purposes docked in Yemen early Monday morning. The Israel Air Force attacked the Hodeidah, Ras Issa, and Al-Salif ports. In a statement, the IDF noted that these three ports were "used by the Houthi terrorist regime to transfer weapons of the Iranian regime that are used to carry out terrorist plots against the State of Israel and its allies." Defense Minister Israel Katz said that the strikes were part of an IDF operation to eliminate Houthi terror infrastructure in Yemen.
Kurdistan 24: Ansarullah Praises Khamenei’s Role in Israel Conflict
Houthis' envoy Ahmad al-Imam praised Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei as “the strong fortress of the Islamic Ummah,” calling Iran’s recent conflict with Israel a victory for all Muslims. His remarks follow Israeli strikes on Houthi sites in Yemen amid rising regional tensions.
India
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday told fellow Brics leaders that terrorism remains the "most serious challenge" to humanity and must be condemned universally, not selectively. Speaking at the 17th Brics Summit’s Peace and Security session, PM Modi said the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir was a blow not only to India but to all of humanity.
Pakistan
Amu: Pakistan says it is in no rush to recognize Taliban following Russia’s move: Report
Pakistani officials say they are in no hurry to recognize the Taliban rule in Afghanistan, emphasizing that any decision on formal recognition will be guided solely by national interest, following Russia’s recent move to do so. Speaking to the Express Tribune, Pakistani officials described Moscow’s recognition of the Taliban as “unsurprising,” noting that Russia had long signaled its willingness to accept the Taliban as the political reality in Afghanistan.
Sudan
Daily News Egypt: Sudan Accuses UAE of Shielding RSF “Terrorism” on International Stage
Sudan’s Foreign Ministry has sharply criticized the United Arab Emirates, accusing it of using diplomatic platforms to shield the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which Khartoum labels a terrorist group responsible for atrocities and war crimes amid the country’s ongoing conflict. In a strongly worded statement issued Saturday, the Sudanese government alleged that Emirati officials had taken steps during last week’s Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) meetings in New York to block language condemning the RSF and to undermine international solidarity with Sudan’s transitional government.
Australia
Associated Press: Alleged arsonist charged over fire at Australian synagogue
A man was charged Sunday over an arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue in an apparent escalation of antisemitic violence in Australia’s second-most populous city. Angelo Loras, 34, appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court Sunday charged with arson, endangering life and property damage. He was also charged with possessing a “controlled weapon” on Saturday when he was arrested. The charge sheet does not say what that weapon was.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators in Melbourne, Australia, chanted “Death to the IDF” at a rally Sunday, two days after a spate of violent attacks on Jewish targets including a synagogue and businesses with ties to Israel. Local police ramped up their presence at the rally after the attacks Friday night, which included the arson of a synagogue while more than 20 Jews were gathered for a Shabbat dinner inside.
“It is definitely getting worse for Jews [in Australia],” Alex Ryvchin, the co-chief executive officer of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ), told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday. Ryvchin spoke to the Post just two days after a man attempted to set fire to a centuries-old historic synagogue in East Melbourne. Twenty people were inside the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation synagogue but did not suffer injuries as a result of the incident, according to the Victoria Police.
Ynet: Surge in antisemitism shakes Jewish community in Australia
Zionism Victoria President Elyse Schachna added, “This violent extremism is seeping into every layer of our society, destroying the multicultural fabric of Victoria we were once so proud of. We must be clear: the pogrom that took place on Friday night, at both an Israeli restaurant and a synagogue, proves it’s never just ‘anti-Israel’—it’s always antisemitic.”Eyal Mark, a Melbourne resident and head of the ARZA Australia organization, spoke to Ynet on Sunday about the incidents, expressing hope that they don’t signal a continuing escalation. “There was a brief sense of calm but now two events in a short time have raised concerns. We expect focused and effective action,” he said.
Jerusalem Post: Australia's Victoria to start anti-hate task force after Melbourne synagogue arson
Australia's Victoria state will set up an anti-hate task force to help frame laws giving police more powers to tackle violent protests as it probes an alleged arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue when worshippers were inside, it said on Monday. There were no injuries to the 20 people inside the East Melbourne Synagogue, who fled from the fire on Friday night, the latest in a series of incidents targeting the Jewish community.
A mob of pro-Palestinian protesters vandalized an Israeli-owned restaurant in Melbourne on Friday evening, just minutes after a nearby historic synagogue was targeted in an arson attack while worshippers were inside, Australian authorities said. About 20 anti-Israel protesters stormed the Miznon restaurant at around 8:30 p.m. local time, with the Herald Sun citing witnesses who said the mob chanted “Death to the IDF.” Rap duo Bob Vylan led a crowd in shouting the same phrase at the Glastonbury festival in England days earlier. The protesters — many of them masked — hurled furniture and food at the restaurant, shattering one of its outer windows as customers dined both inside and outside.
Associated Press: Congregation flees after arsonist sets fire to an Australian synagogue door
An arsonist set fire to the door of a Melbourne synagogue and forced the congregation to flee on Friday, seven months after criminals destroyed a synagogue in the same Australian city with an accelerant-fueled blaze that left a worshipper injured. A man doused the double front doors of the downtown East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation and set it alight around 8 p.m., a police statement said on Saturday. Around 20 worshippers sharing a meal to mark the Shabbat Jewish day of rest evacuated through a rear door and no one was injured, police said.
Technology
Fast Company: Here’s how far-right extremists hide in TikTok’s earworms
Far-right extremists are exploiting TikTok’s “use-this-sound” feature as a Trojan horse for hate speech, with most of the offending videos staying online for months, according to new research published in arXiv, Cornell University’s preprint server. Marloes Geboers of the University of Amsterdam and Marcus Bösch at Heinrich-Heine University in Düsseldorf scraped thousands of clips from German, British, and Dutch TikTok feeds. They found that over three-quarters of videos using extremist audio were still accessible four months after they were first captured.
Spectrum News 1: Jewish father, daughter express concerns on rise in antisemitism on social media
The American Jewish Committee's most recent “State of antisemitism in America” survey found that 67% of American Jews saw or heard antisemitic content on social media in 2024. Like many teenagers, Shawna Polster spends a lot of time on social media. “I’m on Instagram and Snapchat every day,” Polster said. “Talking to my friends or scrolling on reels.” She is Jewish and is noticing a recent increase in antisemitic conspiracies and misinformation online. “Even a reel that just has the slightest to do with being Jewish, people will make the comments antisemitic and spreading false information and conspiracy theories about that,” she said. According to the American Jewish Committee, 82% of people ages 18-29 saw antisemitic content on social media in 2024. Pro-Israel journalist Gil Hoffman said its affecting young Jewish people’s lives negatively.
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