Militia-like pro-Palestinian gangs attack Jews across US, West – analysis

SETH J. FRANTZMAN

The militia-style of ISIS, now under the Hamas banner, appears to have come to more western countries under the guise of pro-Palestinian activism.

‘Long live the Intifada’: Palestinians and pro-Palestinian supporters protest against Israeli attacks on Gaza amid days of conflict between the two sides, in Brooklyn, New York, US, May 15, 2021. / (photo credit: RASHID UMAR ABBASI / REUTERS)

Attacks on Jews from London to California now appear to be a series of systematic assaults by groups of far-right style pro-Palestinian men organized in militia-like groups. They have included convoys of cars calling on people to rape Jewish women and targeted attacks on Jews eating dinner or working in areas known to have high levels of Jews. This is not spontaneous or random, Jews have been targeted for two weeks under the guise of the war in Gaza.

Here is what we know about some of the groups of men in militia-like targeted attacks on Jews across western countries. In Canada men went to Cote-Saint-Luc, where there is a sizable Jewish community, and yelled antisemitic comments. Two were arrested. The violence against Jews in Montreal appears not to have been covered well, but attackers were armed and sought out Jewish neighborhoods.

In Edmonton, reports say that men went to a Jewish area near Beth Israel Synagogue shouting “free Palestine” and seeking out Jews. They asked people “do any Jews live here.” People went to the west end of Edmonton also “seeking Jews,” according to reports.

In New York City, the militias targeted the Diamond District where the JTA notes there are many Jewish-owned businesses. “One person was burned when two fireworks were thrown from a car.” Some American Jews feel the need to remove their kippahs or Star of David necklaces or even Mezuzahs.

In one week in the US there were 193 antisemitic incidents. In most of the world there were zero violent antisemitic incidents. While attacks on Jews are common in the US and New York in particular, there was a major rise. The types of incidents also point to a similar trend of young aggressive men riding around in cars seeking out and attacking Jews. It is different from the series of recent attacks on synagogues in Riverdale which was done before the conflict and for which one person was arrested and then released without needing to pay bail. Progressive Jewish activists said that having police protect Jews places of worship could be racist because Jews are “white.” That was before the recent series of attacks.

In another convoy of vehicles, the JTA story by Ben Sales says that “pro-Palestinian men in a caravan chased an Orthodox Jewish man.” The militias hunted down Joseph Borgen, who was wearing a kippah, and beat him in Manhattan. The article notes that “Waseem Awawdeh, 23, has been arrested in connection with the beating and charged with a hate crime, gang assault and other charges.”

The attacks in New York are done by men with faces wrapped in khaffiyah’s, similar to how militants wrap their faces in Gaza or Iraq. The men sometimes wear military-style clothes as well, one man can be seen with what looks like a tactical vest. In another video posted online, a car with a Palestinian flag appeared to do donuts at Washington Square Park in New York.

In Los Angeles, a convoy of pro-Palestinian militia-types attacked Jewish people at a sushi restaurant. It is being investigated as a hate crime. The convoy in this case included numerous large men who appeared to search for and target Jews. Video from Times Square showed numerous angry aggressive men, some with Palestinian flags, trying to attack a pro-Israel event.

Many of the men covered their faces, wrapped in black cloths, balaclavas or scarves. Another video shows gangs of men swinging fists and attacking those they think are Jews. These are gangs of men, almost no women present, who set out to find Jews and assault them. There is no pretense of this being a protest. The men dress as militants, not protesters. The use of the car convoy, with megaphones and men hanging out windows, is a relatively new phenomenon and appears systematically planned across numerous cities in western countries.

Another pro-Palestinian gang sought to target Teaneck, New Jersey, where many Jews live. They planned it for Shabbat on May 22.

Many incidents are occurring. Alex Zeldin whose handle is @Jewishwonk wrote “I wore my kippah on my way to get the last of my groceries on the Upper West Side ahead of Shabbos. Just had a pair of teens follow me for a block yelling antisemitic slurs and making threats.”

In Germany a report at the Guardian notes “most violent incidents were in the southern Berlin district of Neukölln, where demonstrators who had gathered to show solidarity with Palestinians burned Israeli flags, chanted anti-Israel slogans and flew Hamas banners.”

The German anti-Jewish attacks may have been fueled from Ankara where the pro-Hamas ruling party has used its diaspora for years to increase extremism. In Mannheim there were arrests made for hate speech. “In Cologne, a further pro-Palestine protest drew 800 participants, twice the number, before police broke it up. There were also large gatherings in Hamburg, Leipzig, Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Hanover, where calls were made for the dissolution of Israel.”

At a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Gelsenkirchen one fascist yelled out “s**t Jews.” At the same demonstration, that targeted a synagogue, Turkish flags were flown. Israeli flags have been burnt. In Munich a man was called a “Jewish pig” and attacked, although it was not clear if it was linked to anti-Israel incidents. Now synagogues need protection.

In the UK, the pro-Palestinian militias organized a convoy of cars from Bradford that was seen with Palestinian flags on it “touring Jewish areas of north London,” according to the Jewish Chronicle. At least one person shouted “F**k the Jews, rape their daughters”. More attacks on Jews were planned. Several arrests were made. The JC reported that “the CST said it had been ‘deluged’ with reports from St John’s Wood, Hendon, Hampstead, Golders Green, and Swiss Cottage in Finchley Road.” Four men were arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated public order offenses.

By May 21, after most of the worst violent incidents had occurred, there was a coordinated campaign among some on the far-left who had been inciting against Israel during the conflict to condemn the attacks. US Senator Bernie Sanders wrote that “we’ve recently seen disturbing antisemitic attacks.”

Congress member Ilhan Omar wrote that the attacks were “horrific and unacceptable. Nobody should face threats and harassment based on their religion or ethnicity.” Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wrote on May 22 wrote “we will never, ever tolerate antisemitism here in NY or anywhere in the world. The recent surge in attacks is horrifying. We stand with our Jewish communities in condemning this violence.”

If Not Now wrote “We condemn in the strongest terms the antisemitic acts in recent days. These isolated incidents don’t represent the Palestinian rights movement, which is grounded in values of freedom and justice, not hate and bigotry.”

Since the Gaza conflict began, many anti-Israel progressive Jewish activists in the US have written on social media about the need to distance themselves from Israel. They argue that “we’re creating, flourishing, safe, Jewish lives” in the US and that to defeat Israel the diaspora needs to create inclusive communities.” It does not appear any of these groups protested physically against the antisemitic militia attacks.

There is a difference between the ostensibly progressive anti-Israel voices or pro-Palestinian demonstrators and the militant militia-like pro-Palestinian convoys of men who adopt the tone, aggression and comments of far-right militias. These types of militant groups, their dress, manner and actions, are common in Iraq, Hamas in Gaza and other places. These are properly called far-right style groups, either Islamists or Palestinian nationalists. No investigation has been launched seeking to analyze why this conflict resulted, only several days after it began, in systematic attacks on Jewish communities and areas from Germany to the UK, Canada and the US.

In previous conflicts in Israel there have been large anti-Israel rallies. However, the use of car convoys, megaphones and groups of men seeking out Jews and beating them while targeting Jewish areas appears to not only support a pattern of targeted hate violence, but also similar methods and means.

It also appears that the coordinated attacks knew the location of large Jewish communities, systematically seeking them out in Montreal, Edmonton, New York, Los Angeles, London and places in Germany. This was not a series of pro-Palestinian demonstrations that happened to include some antisemitism. This was convoys of cars filled only with men going to Jewish areas, with the men covering their faces, and shouting anti-Jewish abuse and attacking people. Within days of the conflict the methodology appeared to be a message of “find the Jews, get the Jews in your local community.”

Who organized this and how it was disseminated across different communities thousands of miles from each other is unclear. That it appears to be militia-style hate crime sectarian violence is clear. These attacks were not about Israel. They were about ethnically cleansing the streets of London, Canada, the US and other countries of Jews and anyone who wears a kippah or works in a Jews areas or goes to synagogue. Convoys of men waving flags calling to “rape their daughters” is what ISIS did in Iraq. The militia-style of ISIS, now under the Hamas banner, appears to have come to more western countries under the guise of pro-Palestinian activism.

There were no rallies like this in Russia, Poland, Ukraine, Hungary, Vietnam, South Korea, Singapore, India, Japan or many other non-western countries. This is something that happened in mostly English-speaking countries, such as the US, Canada and UK, the countries that claim to be tolerant, democratic and against hate. There have been no large protests against the attacks.

Over 130 Hollywood Elites Sign Open Letter Against Israel Conflict Misinformation on Social Media

Shiryn Ghermezian

The Hollywood sign in Los Angeles, California. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

More than 130 members of the entertainment industry have signed an open letter calling on celebrities and influencers to stop spreading false information about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“We call on our colleagues and friends in the entertainment community to stop posting misinformation and one-sided narratives that only work to inflame the conflict instead of bringing about peace,” the May 14 open letter stated. “When lives are at stake, we all bear responsibility to unite rather than divide. Incendiary language only benefits those at the extremes who have no interest in peace. Our thoughts are with all Israelis and Palestinians who are experiencing unfathomable levels of fear and violence, and hope for the day when both peoples can live side by side in peace.”

The letter’s signatories include KISS  frontman Gene Simmons, Grammy Award-winning artist Michael Bublé, songwriter-producer Diane Warren, “The View” co-host Meghan McCain, actress Selma Blair, actress Emmanuelle Chriqui, Disturbed frontman David Draiman, actor David Mazouz, and singer Matisyahu, among many others. It was published by Creative Community for Peace, an apolitical, non-profit entertainment industry organization.