News from August 24 to August 30
The University of Delaware Chabad, the Republican National Convention, and the Israel-UAE deal
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The University of Delaware Chabad burned down in arson attack:
What happened? On Tuesday, firefighters responded to a fire at the University of Delaware Chabad that caused a significant amount of damage–estimated at $150,000-$200,000–to the building. Although the Delaware state fire marshall’s office has determined that the fire was intentional, the police department has said that they have found no indication of a hate crime. Thankfully, the 45 firefighters at the scene managed to put out the blaze in an hour, despite facing “a number of complicating factors,” including the building layout and construction hazards. Local police have opened a criminal investigation.
The University of Delaware’s Chabad. Source: Aetna House/New York Post
How have people reacted? Newark (Delaware) Mayor Jerry Clifton said, “It is heartbreaking to learn the fire at the Chabad Center was set intentionally. This is a sickening act of hostility that threatens the safety and security of our inclusive, welcoming neighborhoods. My thoughts are with the Jewish community and those affected by this tragedy.”
Former Vice President and current Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden tweeted, “This news is deeply disturbing — as an alum of @UDelaware and as an American. We need a full and swift investigation into what happened Tuesday night. With anti-Semitism on the rise across the country, we all have a moral obligation to speak out and give hate no safe harbor.” President Trump has not commented on the incident.
A student-led fundraiser has already raised $460,866 from 8,300 donors. You can find the fundraiser here. (The students raised more than $3,000 while I was writing this newsletter!)
Republican National Convention speaker canceled after antisemitic tweet:
What happened? The Republican National Convention (RNC) canceled a scheduled appearance by Mary Ann Mendoza, a woman whose son was killed by a drunk driver who was an illegal immigrant, after she retweeted a thread filled with antisemitic conspiracy theories to her 40,000 followers. Though she apologized for “not paying attention to the intent of the whole message,” she has spread antisemitic conspiracy theories before. She has claimed that George Soros and the Rothschild family were using immigrants to create a global government. Mendoza also said that public health experts advising people to wear masks are part of the “Soros playbook.”
Is that all that happened at the RNC? Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made headlines for delivering a speech at the convention from the rooftop of the King David hotel in Jerusalem. The speech was controversial because it may have violated State Department rules on using taxpayer money for partisan events (and because secretaries of state usually do not participate in party conventions). Congressman Elliott Engel, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, announced that he plans to hold Secretary Pompeo in contempt over his “alarming disregard for the law.”
What else? Jewish leaders condemned RNC speakers for using language with antisemitic undertones. Jason Stanley, a Jewish professor of language at Yale University, criticized Senator Tim Scott’s use of the terms “Manhattan elites” and “Hollywood moguls” as they are often used as dog whistles for Jews. Yahoo News reporter Alexander Nazaryan levied similar accusations against Kimberly Guilfoyle for using the term “coastal elites,” which the Anti-Defamation League has said is not necessarily an antisemitic phrase but may resonate with extremists. Another speaker, Abby Johnson, had a history of antisemitic allegations as Campaign Against Antisemitism accused her of “softcore Holocaust denial” in 2017 for comparing an pro-abortion politician to Adolf Hitler.
Jewish singer Leonard Cohen’s estate is also “exploring legal options” after the RNC played Cohen’s “Hallelujah” twice, despite being denied permission to play the song.
On another note, President Trump and other speakers, including Vide President Mike Pence, Ivanka Trump, Nikki Haley, and others, raised the President’s pro-Israel credentials. Specifically, they mentioned President Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, The United States’ withdrawal from the Iran Deal, and the assassination of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Qassem Suleimani.
Further reading: https://www.jweekly.com/2020/08/27/rabbi-aryeh-spero-a-longtime-right-wing-republican-blesses-rnc-and-president-trump/
Israel-UAE normalization deal update:
What happened? On Saturday, Emirati President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan announced that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) would formally end its boycott of Israeli products on Saturday. The boycott, established by a 1972 law, had aligned the UAE with the rest of the Arab world, which refused to normalize relations with Israel until it agreed to a long-term peace arrangement with the Palestinians. Al Nahyan’s decree is significant because it will set the stage for direct economic cooperation between the two countries.
Anything else? On Monday, Israeli airline El Al will fly its first direct flight between Tel Aviv and Abu Dhabi carrying American officials, including Senior Advisor to the President Jared Kushner, National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien, and Assistant to the President and Special Representative for International Negotiations Avi Berkowitz, among others. Israel has also requested that Saudi Arabia grant El Al permission to fly over its airspace. If granted, it would cut the flight time down from nine hours to three hours.
Another story to follow over the next week: Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will preside over a meeting with the leaders of the foremost Palestinian factions, including Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, two long-term rivals of his Fatah party. The meeting could mark a significant change in the Palestinian arena. Recent attempts at reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas have stalled, but Palestinian leaders say this meeting will represent the “launch of a joint national position to thwart the Deal of the Century.”
Further Reading: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-emirates-usa/trump-adviser-sees-more-arab-muslim-partners-for-israel-after-uae-deal-idUSKBN25Q07A
Other headlines:
Stabbing victim Rabbi Shai Ohayon laid to rest: ‘He was humble, kind and quiet’ (TOI) (For context, a rabbi and father of four was killed in a suspected terror stabbing in Israel on Thursday. The suspect has been apprehended.)
Majority of American Jews in Full Page New York Times Ad: “Unequivocally: Black Lives Matter.” (“Joint letter signed by over 600 multiracial Jewish denominations, organizations, and synagogues represents over half of Jewish people in America”)
Kenosha’s rabbi on graffiti at her synagogue: ‘What’s happened these last few days is not about us’ by Ben Sales (JTA)
10-page summary of new Movement for Black Lives platform contains no mention of Israel, 4 years after divisive condemnation by Ben Sales (JTA)
National NAACP takes control of Philly chapter after antisemitic post by Marcy Oster (JTA)
Hezbollah's Nasrallah: For every operative killed we will kill one soldier by Anna Ahronheim (JPost) (Interestingly, a report out of Lebanon suggests Israel has deployed fake, robotic soldiers on its border)
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