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Criticizing Netanyahu Isn’t Anti-Semitism—It’s a Moral Obligation

In the months since October 7, when Hamas carried out a brutal and inexcusable attack on Israeli civilians, the world has watched in growing horror as the Israeli government—led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—has unleashed a campaign of destruction across the Gaza Strip that has few modern parallels. Entire families wiped out. Schools and hospitals reduced to rubble. Aid convoys bombed. Journalists silenced. Over 65,000 Palestinians killed, the vast majority of them women and children, according to the United Nations and humanitarian groups.

And yet, as calls for accountability and restraint rise, Netanyahu’s response has been consistent and cynical: any criticism of Israel is labeled “anti-Semitism.”

This is not only intellectually dishonest—it’s dangerous. It cheapens the real, rising threat of anti-Semitism globally by weaponizing it as a political shield for a government engaging in what many experts now consider war crimes.

Let me be clear: Anti-Semitism is real. It is a hatred that has haunted Jewish communities for centuries and led to unimaginable atrocities, including the Holocaust. But the demand for human rights and dignity for Palestinians is not born from that hatred—it is born from the very lessons that the Holocaust taught the world.

What Netanyahu’s government is doing in Gaza—dehumanizing a civilian population, forcing displacement, destroying infrastructure, and killing indiscriminately—is not a defense of the Jewish people. It is a betrayal of Jewish values, international law, and basic human decency.

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WSJ Epstein/Trump Exclusive Is a Big Dud. But Where Did It Come From?

We already knew that Donald Trump was acquainted with Jeffrey Epstein. The two were both young New York City multi-millionaires back in the day and ran with some of the big dogs in a big town. There are photos of Epstein with Trump and his then-girlfriend, Melania. So one wonders why it would be BLOCKBUSTER news on the pages of the Wall Street Journal that Trump received an invitation to Epstein’s 50th birthday before anyone with a badge and gun knew the financier was a sick pervert.

No, really, that’s the big news from the Journal that has been leaking out through social media rumors all day long. 

The Journal reports in an exclusive story that Trump wrote Epstein a bawdy note for his 50th and drew a picture. It was allegedly contained in a 50th birthday album compiled by Epstein’s girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, and shown to the Journal by someone acquainted with this information. 

Trump told the Journal that no, that ain’t me: 

This is not me. This is a fake thing. It’s a fake Wall Street Journal story. I never wrote a picture in my life. I don’t draw pictures of women. It’s not my language. It’s not my words.

Now, it’s not as if Donald Trump isn’t capable of trash-talking. You saw what he said about Rosie O’Donnell. And, being a multi-married man who, in his youth, went to Studio 54 with the beautiful people, Trump’s been a loud and proud New Yorker for decades. That he may have attended a big-timer’s 50th isn’t news. 

My colleague at RedState, Joe Cunningham, observes that the note wasn’t even authenticated:

Here’s what the Journal doesn’t tell you: They provide no evidence that this letter was authenticated. No handwriting analysis. No chain of custody documentation. No forensic verification. Just their word that they “reviewed” it among Justice Department documents.

The paper admits they don’t know “how the letter with Trump’s signature was prepared,” yet they’re comfortable plastering it across their front page anyway. If you can’t verify authenticity, why publish it at all?

Cunningham also notes that the Journal failed to consider the context of when this alleged note appeared.

This alleged letter dates to 2003—a full three years before any criminal allegations against Epstein became public. Palm Beach police didn’t begin investigating Epstein until March 2005, and he wasn’t arrested until 2006. In 2003, Epstein was viewed as a successful financier who threw lavish parties attended by politicians, academics, business leaders, and celebrities.

The birthday album reportedly included letters from Leslie Wexner (billionaire retail mogul), Alan Dershowitz (prominent attorney), Harvard economists, and others. 

Of course, the Trump administration promised full transparency on the documents detailing Epstein’s skulduggery and perversions, so it was a shock when reporters were told by the attorney general that there wasn’t much, if anything, to see here. Today, Trump told reporters that he’s told AG Pam Bondi to release everything she can. 

However, it’s what could be behind the Journal story that’s most interesting. 

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The Atomic Nightmare, Then and Now

No kid is under a desk anymore — and isn’t that strange when you think about it? After all, when I “ducked and covered” like Bert the Turtle at school in the 1950s by huddling under my desk as sirens howled outside the classroom window, “only” (and yes, I do need to put that in quotation marks, since it was distinctly two too many even then) two countries, mine and the Soviet Union, had nuclear weapons; and only two atomic bombs, all too charmingly dubbed “Little Boy” and “Fat Man,” had ever been used (with devastating effect) on August 6th and 9th, 1945, against the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, slaughtering somewhere between 110,000 and 210,000 people. Imagine that, and imagine as well that the atomic weaponry of today is wildly more powerful and destructive than those two bombs, that nine countries now possess such weaponry, and that my own country is planning to continue to “modernize” its nuclear arsenal to the tune of an estimated $1.7 trillion (no, that is not a misprint) or more in the coming decades.

And my country, along with Israel, also a nuclear power, just launched a series of devastating (non-nuclear) attacks on Iran, supposedly to prevent it from becoming the 10th country to possess nuclear weapons (though it seems distinctly unlikely that the Iranian regime was even trying to produce such weaponry).

All in all, consider it the post-modern equivalent of a miracle that, 80 years after those atomic bombs were dropped on Japanese cities, such weaponry has never again been used, even as it has continued to grow ever more powerful and spread around the planet.  After all, since the 1980s, it’s been known that a nuclear war between two powers (like India and Pakistan) could cause a global “nuclear winter” that might all too quickly result in the equivalent of the long-term major extinctions of this planet’s past history.

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HUGE: Trump Orders Release of Sealed Epstein Grand Jury Testimony

In a stunning move Thursday, President Donald Trump ordered Attorney General Pam Bondi to release sealed grand jury testimony related to Jeffrey Epstein—a move that completely blows up the narrative that Democrats have been pushing for weeks now.

The directive comes amid growing bipartisan pressure over the administration’s handling of the Epstein investigation, with critics demanding transparency and accountability—something that was in short supply under the Biden administration.

Trump is making good on his promise to peel back the curtain on what he’s repeatedly called a massive cover-up to protect the powerful. 

“Based on the ridiculous amount of publicity given to Jeffrey Epstein, I have asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval,” Trump posted to Truth Social. “This SCAM, perpetuated by the Democrats, should end, right now!”

The release of grand jury records could mark a turning point in the long-stalled Epstein saga—and deliver a political earthquake that many in the establishment hoped would never come.

Many Trump supporters have demanded full transparency after the FBI and Justice Department released what they claimed was the final word on Jeffrey Epstein—insisting that there’s no client list and that Epstein’s 2019 jailhouse death was a simple suicide. Unsurprisingly, the so-called “final statement” only fueled more skepticism, especially among conservatives who have long suspected a cover-up to protect politically connected elites—many of them Democrats—and Democrats pounced on the GOP infighting.

Epstein moved in powerful circles that included Trump, Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew, and a host of other celebrities and billionaires. But while the media fixates on Trump, they continue to downplay or outright ignore Epstein’s well-documented ties to Clinton and other high-profile Democrats. Meanwhile, Ghislaine Maxwell sits in prison, convicted of trafficking minors to—well, no one, according to the official narrative.

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The Wall Street Journal Drops ‘Hit Piece’ on Trump Claiming He Wrote “Bawdy” Letter to Epstein Depicting Naked Woman

The Wall Street Journal dropped a ‘hit piece’ on President Trump on Thursday evening.

According to the hit piece published by The Wall Street Journal, President Trump wrote Jeffrey Epstein a “bawdy” letter for his 50th birthday depicting a naked woman.

President Trump denied he wrote the letter.

Ghislaine Maxwell allegedly prepared a ‘special gift’ and collected letters written from Trump and other people.

“Maxwell collected letters from Trump and dozens of Epstein’s other associates for a 2003 birthday album, according to documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal,” The Wall Street Journal reported.

“Pages from the leather-bound album—assembled before Epstein was first arrested in 2006—are among the documents examined by Justice Department officials who investigated Epstein and Maxwell years ago, according to people who have reviewed the pages. It’s unclear if any of the pages are part of the Trump administration’s recent review,” WSJ reported.

“The letter bearing Trump’s name, which was reviewed by the Journal, is bawdy—like others in the album. It contains several lines of typewritten text framed by the outline of a naked woman, which appears to be hand-drawn with a heavy marker. A pair of small arcs denotes the woman’s breasts, and the future president’s signature is a squiggly “Donald” below her waist, mimicking pubic hair,” The Wall Street Journal reported.

Later Thursday, President Trump said he is going to sue The Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch.

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Massive Attack announce alliance of musicians speaking out over Gaza

Massive Attack, Brian Eno, Fontaines DC and Kneecap have announced the formation of a syndicate for artists speaking out about Israel’s military assault on Gaza, who they say have been subjected to “aggressive, vexatious campaigns” by pro-Israel advocates.

Posting on Instagram, the musicians said their aim was to protect other artists, particularly those at early stages of their careers, from being “threatened into silence or career cancellation” by organisations such as UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI).

UKLFI reported the band Bob Vylan to the police for leading a chant of “death to the IDF [Israel Defense Forces]” during their Glastonbury set and officers are investigating. It also reported the BBC for broadcasting the set. Bob Vylan have subsequently had several scheduled appearances cancelled after UKLFI sent letters.

Mo Chara of Kneecap was charged with a terrorism offence, accused of displaying a flag at a gig in support of the banned organisation Hezbollah after being reported to the police by UKLFI. Kneecap also had gigs cancelled after interventions by UKLFI.

While those actions were made public, UKLFI is also believed to have contacted other musicians, people and organisations connected with them without publicising the fact.

The post shared by Eno and others on Instagram says: “The scenes in Gaza have moved beyond description. We write as artists who’ve chosen to use our public platforms to speak out against the genocide occurring there and the role of the UK government in facilitating it.

“We’re aware of the scale of aggressive, vexatious campaigns operated by UKLFI and of multiple individual incidences of intimidation within the music industry itself, designed solely to censor and silence artists from speaking their hearts and minds.

“Having withstood these campaigns of attempted censorship, we won’t stand by and allow other artists – particularly those at earlier stages of their careers or in other positions of professional vulnerability – to be threatened into silence or career cancellation.”

They encourage other artists to contact them to make a collective stand on demands including an immediate and permanent ceasefire, immediate unfettered access to Gaza for recognised aid agencies and an end to UK arms sales and licences to Israel.

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US To Fund and Build a Fast Boat Base for the Philippines on the South China Sea

The US will fund and construct a base for fast boats for the Philippine military on the South China Sea amid heightened tensions between Manila and Beijing over disputed rocks and reefs in the area.

The base will be built on the west coast of the Philippine island province of Palawan and is expected to be completed by the first quarter of the 2026 fiscal year. According to USNI News, the base will house five boats, including both “assault boats” and rigid-hulled inflatable boats, which will be constructed by the US-based company ReconCraft.

The USNI report said that the base will be situated approximately 160 miles east of Second Thomas Shoal, a major source of tensions in the maritime dispute and the site of collisions and encounters between Chinese and Philippine vessels. Despite the distance, the Philippine military frequently deploys small boats to the disputed reefs, and the US project will give them a more effective way to do that.

It’s unclear how much the project will cost the US, but it’s the latest in a series of US-funded military construction projects in the Philippines. In 2023, Washington and Manila signed a deal to expand the US military presence in the country, and the US has also been increasing military aid to the Southeast Asian nation.

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After Foreigners Banned From Swiss Pool, Season Ticket Sales Surge And Police Incidents Stop

After all foreigners were banned from a Swiss swimming pool in Porrentruy over violence, sexual harassment and constant disturbances, Swiss visitors to the pool and employees are generally expressing happiness with the move.

The ban, which came about after “French youths with a migration background” continuously caused problems at the pool and in pool bathrooms, including sexual harassment of young girls. The situation even sparked international headlines.

However, the Swiss paper 20 Minuten reported a surge in season ticket sales after the ban was put in place.

“It went very well. Citizens have rediscovered the bathing establishment with the peace and quiet that comes with it,“ said Lionel Maître, the municipal councilor for tourism and leisure in Porrentruy. “We have seen an increase in season ticket sales as citizens have finally regained the long-awaited sense of security. There have been no problems and no new bathing bans since then.”

Maître said that it had become increasingly noticeable that the perpetrators had Arabic names.

Apollo News also reported that the need for security has suddenly disappeared since the ban on foreigners.

“People were climbing over the fence. They didn’t respect us – not even the security guards,” said Luna Lando, a lifeguard at the Porrentruy outdoor pool. She said her daily routine is now transformed.

“It’s much quieter now,” said Luna in an interview. “There’s no need for security anymore.”

“We wouldn’t have been able to come here anymore if the measures hadn’t been introduced,” Vieira da Silva Aurelie, a swimming instructor from another pool in Switzerland, told German newspaper Welt.

According to Welt, there were repeated thefts at the location, women were whistled at, and boys and men touched girls inappropriately. One mother stated she had forbidden her daughter from visiting the pool due to safety fears.

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Medvedev condemns western ‘treachery,’ says preemptive strikes possible amid rising tensions with NATO

Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev warned on 17 July that Moscow must be prepared to deliver preemptive strikes against the west if necessary.

Speaking to TASS on the 80th anniversary of the Potsdam Conference, Medvedev said, “The west’s treacherous nature and its warped sense of superiority are still evident. And we should therefore act accordingly, responding in full or even delivering preemptive strikes if need be.”

Reflecting on the historical lessons of 1945, Medvedev added that the conference – attended by the leaders of the USSR, US, and UK after their victory in World War II – revealed that relations with the west must not be based on illusions. He accused former Soviet allies of violating the decisions made at Potsdam, implying that today’s NATO-aligned nations continue to betray post-war agreements.

Medvedev’s comments follow a string of escalatory statements made by US President Donald Trump and plans to deliver new weapons to Kiev.

A Financial Times report on 15 July revealed that Trump, during a 4 July phone call, encouraged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to strike deep into Russian territory. According to sources, Trump asked, “Can you hit Moscow? Can you hit St. Petersburg too?” Zelensky allegedly responded, “Absolutely. We can if you give us the weapons.”

Trump announced on Monday a series of steps aimed at pressuring Moscow to end the war with Ukraine. This includes “massive” supplies of US weapons and assistance, among them Patriot air defense systems. 

The Kremlin, through spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, also signaled it is analyzing US President Donald Trump’s recent threat to impose 100 percent secondary sanctions on countries purchasing Russian exports unless Moscow agrees to a peace deal within 50 days.

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Ukrainian Proposal to Trade WWII Corpses for Living Prisoners is Beyond the Pale – Ex-DoD Analyst

The callousness of the Ukrainian offer to exchange the exhumed remains of Russian WWII soldiers for Ukrainian military prisoners is “hard to imagine,” former US Department of Defense analyst Karen Kwiatkowsky told Sputnik.

“It also suggests that there are not enough current Russian soldiers dead or captured to match those Ukrainians dead or held as POWs by Russia,” Kwiatkowski notes.

This offer, and other similar acts perpetrated by the Ukrainian side, “ensure Ukraine’s future will even more impoverished, less free, and even more widely held in contempt by the world community.”

Kwiatkoswki also lamented the West’s inability to “get its data and intelligence right regarding Ukraine,” and argued that “such willful ignorance on the US and NATO side kills more Ukrainians, and degrades Ukraine as desperate acts and offers such as this one become normalized.”

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