Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu landed in the American capital on July 22 one day after U.S. President Joe Biden withdrew his re-election bid. Days beforehand, an Iranian drone was launched by the Houthis from Yemen and killed an Israeli in Tel Aviv. That same day, the World Court condemned Israel’s presence in the West Bank as “illegal.”
All the while, hostilities towards Israel and Jews worldwide continue to grow as death threats against Israeli athletes escalated ahead of the July 26 opening ceremonies of the Paris Olympics.
A modified Iranian explosive drone launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels smashed into a Tel Aviv apartment building a short distance from the U.S. consulate, killing 50-year-old Yevgeny Ferde. The Iran-backed terror proxy controls parts of the country, including the nation’s capital. The Houthis have launched more than 200 lethal drones and missiles into Israel since Oct. 7 and also targeted and hit commercial ships in the Red Sea—one of the world’s most vital shipping routes. They have attacked American ships; they consider America an enemy to be destroyed.
Israeli leaders showed remarkable restraint against the Houthi provocations until the fatality. The Israeli Air Force responded by striking a Houthi-controlled port where arms shipments from Iran arrive. Netanyahu stated, “Our response makes it clear to our enemies that there is no place that the long arm of Israel will not reach,” in what is considered a warning to Iranian leaders.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently cautioned that Iran is closer than ever to producing a nuclear weapon: “Iran is funding, arming and directing its terror proxies in their attacks on Israel and the wider world.” Israeli Defense Force Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said that “we will not allow Iran and its proxies to terrorize our civilians.”
Ironically, Jewish kings once ruled Yemen. King Abu Karib As’ad converted to Judaism around 380. The Himyarite Kingdom’s conversion helped create unity. Judaism became the state religion.
It lasted until the kingdom was conquered by Christians in 525, and later, by Muslim invaders.
In 1900, there were about 50,000 Jews in Yemen. After years of discrimination and persecution, Israel’s “Operation Magic Carpet” from 1949 to 1950 brought nearly all remaining Yemenite Jews home. Only one remains: The Houthis imprisoned Levi Marhabi for allegedly assisting in smuggling a Torah scroll out of the country.
World court rules against Israel: ‘Modern-day blood libel’
The U.N. International Court of Justice issued a non-binding ruling against Israel’s control of the West Bank and parts of Jerusalem. The ICJ deemed Israel’s presence as “illegal” and called for it to end. The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations “condemned in the strongest terms the ruling from the ICJ that is rife with antisemitism and anti-Israel bias. The accusations in the ruling amount to a modern-day blood libel.”
The Conference condemnation noted that Israel holds these territories because the Egyptian, Jordanian and Syrian militaries waged a war of annihilation against the Jewish state in 1967. The organization also cited how the ruling will “hinder peace between Israelis and Palestinians” because the ICJ decision ignored previous negotiations. The court’s ruling was a response to a draft resolution made, in large part, by two dozen countries that refuse to have diplomatic relations with Israel. The court’s president is virulently anti-Israel.
Israel’s prime minister responded: “The Jewish people are not occupiers in their own land—not in our eternal capital Jerusalem, not in the land of our ancestors in Judea and Samaria.” Much of the world considers the West Bank and eastern Jerusalem, including Judaism’s holiest sites, to be illegally occupied. Israeli governments from the left to right consider Judea and Samaria—the ancestral and historical lands of the Jews, now often called the West Bank—disputed territory.
Despite the historical, cultural and religious significance of the West Bank, Israeli governments have agreed to hand over virtually all of the land to create a Palestinian state in return for a peace agreement. Palestinian leaders—from Yasser Arafat in the 1990s to Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas today—have rejected numerous offers in favor of terror attacks against Israelis in the hopes of destroying Israel, “from the river to the sea.” A senior Hamas official announced during a recent visit to China that it signed a national unity agreement with Fatah, the political party of Abbas.
Terrorists target Israeli Olympians: ‘We will repeat Munich’
In a brazen attack at the 1972 Munich Olympics, Palestinian terrorists assassinated 11 Israeli athletes and coaches. The devastation and memories live on in the minds of Israel’s current Olympians. Fears of attacks are starting to transpire: French police arrested a man attempting a knife attack in the name of Hamas. Recently, a group threatened that it plans to “repeat Munich 1972 by harming any Israeli presence at the Olympics,” while citing an anti-Jewish trope. Israeli government security agents will protect its athletes during the Games. Iran condemned the “reception and protection” of Israeli athletes.
Adidas chose to employ outspoken anti-Israel model Bella Hadid for its retro sneaker campaign highlighting the 1972 Olympics. Shlomit Romano, daughter of murdered weightlifter Josef Romano, expressed her “deep disappointment over the company’s insensitive and distressing decision.” The German athletic apparel company found itself in hot water again less than two years after cutting ties with Kanye (“Ye”) West for making antisemitic remarks and a soccer jersey-Nazi symbolism controversy in April. Adidas decided to “revise” its campaign, apologized for “any upset or distress” and removed Hadid from the campaign. She is considering legal action.
The anti-Israel BDS movement is also targeting Israeli Olympians. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CIAR) and the Palestine Olympic Committee are among the organizations and individuals continuously calling to ban Israeli participation. Months ago, the head of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) rejected the pleas. But that did not stop a French politician from stating that “Israeli athletes are not welcome in Paris.” A government minister condemned his “obvious antisemitic remarks.”
The longtime head of the Palestine Olympic Committee and leader of the campaign to boycott all Israeli athletes and teams previously praised the IOC for rejecting a moment of silence for the victims of the 1972 kidnapping and eventual slaughter: “It must not be a cause for divisiveness and for the spreading of racism.” The IOC did not honor the deceased Israelis until nearly 50 years later at the opening ceremonies of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics—held in an empty stadium because of the pandemic. In contrast, the Israeli Olympic delegation commemorates the 11 murdered Israelis at every Olympics. This year’s ceremony will be held at a private, secure location because of death threats to Israeli athletes.
The Israeli delegation departed for Paris on “a national mission” to make Israelis “feel pride and happiness just for a moment.” There are 88 Olympians hoping to repeat the historical success of the last Olympics when Israel won four medals, including two golds, bringing the nation’s historic total to 13 medals—three of them gold. Gymnast Artem Dolgopyat is defending his gold medal in the floor exercise. He became world champion on Oct. 7, the same day of the brutal Hamas terrorist attacks in southern Israel: “I finished the day as the world champion, but my mind and my heart were at home.”
Marathoner Lonah Chemtai Salpeter, a non-Jewish Kenyan who became a professional runner after moving to Israel, is one of Israel’s flag-bearers at the opening ceremony. Current wrestling world champion American Amit Elor, whose parents are Israeli, stated: “I’m wrestling for the U.S., but in my heart, I’m also wrestling for Israel.” Jewish athletes represent multiple countries.
Points to consider:
- Yemen is one example of the many Islamic countries that expelled all of its Jews.
The Jewish community in Yemen dwindled from 50,000 in 1900 to only one today, who is currently imprisoned for attempting to leave Yemen with a Torah scroll. Escalating violence, discriminatory laws and forced conversions led to Israel’s “Operation Magic Carpet”—the rescue of 49,000 Jews from 1949 to 1950. In Iraq and Egypt, the government and local citizens subjected Jews to pogroms, property confiscation and mass expulsions. These acts of ethnic cleansing uprooted ancient Jewish communities, erasing their millennia-old presence. Only remnants of these once-vibrant communities remain, bearing witness to a tragic chapter of forced migrations and lost heritage.
- Civilians suffer under Iran-backed terrorist dictators.
Iran-backed terrorist groups wreak havoc on the civilians under their control: Yemenites under the Houthis, Lebanese under Hezbollah and Gazans under Hamas. The Houthis have created widespread famine, disease and displacement. Hezbollah’s dominance in Southern Lebanon and in the country’s political leadership has led to economic collapse and military conflicts. The Oct. 7 Hamas massacre resulted in the destruction of infrastructure and massive civilian casualties. These proxy terror groups prioritize Iran’s geopolitical interests over the welfare of the local population, resulting in humanitarian crises, violence and instability. The civilian toll reveals the destructive impact of Iran becoming a nuclear power and further dominating the region.
- Ancient anti-Jewish blood libels are re-branded for modern times.
Antisemitic blood libels—historically used to justify violence against Jews—continue to morph to fit the needs of those who target and persecute Jews. Medieval accusations, such as the myth that Jews used Christian blood for religious rituals, have transformed into contemporary conspiracy theories. Now, these libels manifest in claims that Jews or Israelis spread diseases, harvest Palestinian organs and use Palestinian blood in religious rituals. Social media amplifies these dangerous lies, reaching a global audience with unprecedented speed. These modern blood libels fuel attacks and discrimination, perpetuating the world’s oldest hatred.
- Virulent anti-Jewish hatred is present even in sports.
Blatant acts of discrimination against Israeli athletes are becoming normalized, especially at the Olympics. An Algerian judo athlete withdrew to avoid facing an Israeli opponent at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. The Lebanese Olympic judo team refused to practice next to Israelis until a temporary barrier was erected at the 2012 London Olympics. An Iranian swimmer refused to compete in the same pool as an Israeli at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Indonesia lost the right to host the under-20 soccer World Cup after calls to ban the Israeli team, and Malaysia denied visas for Israelis to compete at the 2016 World Championships. This behavior highlights the pervasive nature of antisemitism, extending even into arenas meant to foster international unity and goodwill.
- Israeli athletes symbolize the Olympic spirit of promoting peace and friendship.
Israeli athletes embody the Olympic ideals of peace, friendship and mutual respect, often overcoming political and social challenges to compete on the world stage. Their participation in the Olympics is a testament to their resilience and dedication to sportsmanship. Despite facing hatred and political hostility, Israeli athletes strive to build bridges through their performances. Instances of Israeli athletes offering handshakes and engaging in friendly exchanges with competitors from countries without diplomatic relations with Israel highlight their commitment to the Olympic spirit. These gestures of goodwill and sportsmanship serve as powerful reminders of the unifying power of sports, transcending political and cultural divides to foster worldwide harmony and understanding.