Tag: Israel-Hamas War

Self-Described ‘Hamas Operative’ Allegedly Behind Antisemitic Vandalism in Pennsylvania Leaves Jail on $50,000 Bail

Tom Pappert
Mohamad Hamad

Court documents from the U.S. District Court in Western Pennsylvania reveal alleged antisemitic vandal Mohamad Hamad was released on a $50,000 bond by Magistrate Judge Kezia O.L. Taylor after he paid a $50,000 unsecured bond on Thursday.

Hamad was charged in on October 25 with committing vandalism at two Jewish community buildings in Pittsburgh alongside an alleged associate named Talya Lubit, with both facing one count of defacing and damaging religious real property and one count of conspiracy.

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Dave McCormick Endorsed by The Jewish Voice as Poll Shows Tie in Pennsylvania Race Against Sen. Bob Casey

Tom Pappert
Dave McCormick

Republican U.S. Senate nominee Dave McCormick received the endorsement on Wednesday of The Jewish Voice, calling him the Pennsylvania candidate capable of ensuring the “Judeo-Christian right to Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness for all.”

McCormick received endorsement amid the release of polling showing him statistically tied with his opponent, three-term incumbent Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), and as the Republican has repeatedly argued the Biden-Harris administration and Casey have failed to adequately support Israel and Jewish faithful in Pennsylvania.

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Rep. Summer Lee Slammed for ‘Victim Blaming’ by Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh for October 7 Statement

Tom Pappert
Summer Lee

Representative Summer Lee (D-PA-12) and other Pittsburgh-area Democrats were condemned on Monday by the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh for their joint statement marking the one-year anniversary of Hamas’ attack on Israeli civilians, noting the statement failed to name the terrorist group or note the conflict began after their unprovoked incursion into Israel.

Lee posted the statement on Monday to her account on the social media platform X, revealing Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey and Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato joined her in the statement. Lee wrote the signatories, “mark one year since the October 7th attacks with hearts big enough to grieve those killed one year ago and those massacred in the year since.”

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Report: More Than 50 Jihadist Cases in 29 States Show ‘Persistent Terror Threat’

The Center Square
Arizona Border

A new report published by the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security states that “foreign jihadist networks and homegrown violent extremists” represent a “persistent terror threat to America.”

It identifies more than 50 cases in 29 U.S. states between April 2021 and September 2024, including dozens of attempts to provide material support to Islamic designated foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs), ISIS, Hezbollah and al Qaeda, with individuals receiving military type training from ISIS and Hezbollah, and committing fraud.

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Sen. Bob Casey Opposes Effort to Block Funding for Israel amid Accusation He ‘Failed to Stand’ with Jewish Pennsylvanians

Tom Pappert
Sen. Bob Casey

Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) on Monday declared his opposition to the proposal by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) to block $20 billion in aid to Israel, reportedly calling it “reckless and irresponsible” in a statement.

The senator’s statement came after Sanders introduced legislation that would block a $20 billion arms deal with Israel, which Sanders called “immoral” and “illegal” under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and the Arms Export Control Act.

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Poll Shows Jewish Voters in Pennsylvania Breaking for Trump After October 7 Attacks, Campus Protests

Tom Pappert
Trump Supporters

Greater numbers of Jewish voters living in Pennsylvania are reportedly planning to vote Republican in November, with  former President Donald Trump seeing a double-digit increase in his support since 2020, according to a poll conducted by the Teach Coalition and Honan Strategy group and released by the New York Post on Wednesday.

Pollsters reported that Vice President Kamala Harris ahead with Jewish voters in Pennsylvania, with 49 percent of their vote. However, they found the former president was within single digits of the Democratic nominee, with Trump receiving the support of 42 percent of Pennsylvania’s Jewish voters.

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Biden Claims Netanyahu Not Doing Enough to Secure Release of Hostages in Israel Ahead of Pennsylvania Rally with Harris

Tom Pappert
Joe Biden in the Indian Treaty Room

President Joe Biden on Monday said Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not doing enough to secure the release of hostages in brief remarks made after the recovery of the bodies of six who were captured by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, including U.S. citizen Hersh Goldberg-Polin.

Biden made the remarks ahead of his Monday rally in Pennsylvania with Vice President Kamala Harris, who Republicans have suggested was influenced by concerns of antisemitism within the Democratic Party when she passed over Governor Josh Shapiro and instead picked Governor Tim Walz to complete her presidential ticket.

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Pennsylvania U.S. Rep. Summer Lee ‘Alienating Whole Communities’ over Israel and ‘Anti Police Agenda,’ Says GOP Challenger James Hayes

Tom Pappert
James Hayes and Summer Lee

Republican U.S. House candidate James Hayes told Outside the Beltway host John Fredericks on Thursday that Representative Summer Lee (D-PA-12) is “alienating whole communities” with her positions on Israel and “anti-police agenda” that leaves communities less safe.

Hayes told Fredericks, who is publisher of The Pennsylvania Daily Star, that Lee’s public remarks caused new excitement and enthusiasm for his Republican candidacy in the district that President Joe Biden carried with a 20-point margin.

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Analysis: Americans Say 2024 Race is About the Issues Not Candidates Puts Biden at a Sharp Disadvantage

Admin
Joe Biden

The mainstream media is running with the headline that the latest Fox News poll shows Former President Trump two points behind President Joe Biden – a difference well within the margin of error – but the poll also reveals an edge for Trump on a majority of electoral issues. In addition, a majority of voters say the race in November will be about the issues, not about the candidates, a finding that could significantly favor Trump.

The poll does show Trump has lost a modest amount of ground since his conviction earlier this month, however, he remains up significantly with key groups of swing voters compared to 2020. The data continues to show Biden in a deep deficit with minorities and young voters but clawing his way back up with older voters and whites.

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Pennsylvania Democrat Claims Buying Israel Bonds Risky Due to Gaza War, Hackers

Tom Pappert
Eric McClelland

Erin McClelland, the Democratic nominee to become the next Pennsylvania Treasurer, raised concerns about foreign policy, credit worthiness and hackers to explain why she would not use state money to buy Israel Bonds in remarks published Tuesday.

McClelland won her party’s nomination after establishing herself the only candidate opposed to Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity’s decision to purchase $20 million in Israel Bonds, and in remarks to the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle, claimed Garrity and other Republicans are inappropriately taking sides in a foreign conflict while neglecting financial and security ris

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One Pro-Palestine Protester Arrested at New Anti-Israel Encampment at University of Pittsburgh

Tom Pappert
University of Pittsburgh protesters

One pro-Palestine protestor was arrested on Sunday night after a new anti-Israel encampment was constructed at the University of Pittsburgh earlier that day.

The Office of Safety and Emergency Management at Pitt has confirmed on Sunday evening that the Cathedral of Learning remained “closed until further notice” on Monday due to “a protest in the vicinity” of the building.

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Biden Support Craters Among Arab Voters in Pennsylvania over President’s Handling of Israel-Hamas War in Gaza

Tom Pappert
Palestine Protesters

Support among Arab voters in Pennsylvania for the campaign to reelect President Joe Biden has collapsed, with former President Donald Trump now polling higher with the demographic, according to polling data released Thursday.

The poll included “900 Arab voters in four key states: Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Virginia,” according to the Arab American Institute, which commissioned the poll.

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John Fetterman Campaign Donates to Pennsylvania Treasurer Nominee Despite Apparent Disagreement over Israel

Tom Pappert
John Fetterman PA Treasurer Candidate

The political campaign committee for Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) donated $1,000 to Erin McClelland, the Democratic nominee for Pennsylvania Treasurer who said she would not have invested in Israeli Bonds after the October 7 terrorist attacks by Hamas.

While Republican Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity reportedly has more than $700,000 heading into the general election, Spotlight PA reported McClelland only has about $67,000.

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Drexel Anti-Israel Encampment Dissolves as University Calls Philadelphia Police

Tom Pappert
Protesters Leaving After Police Come to Drexel University

The anti-Israel encampment at Drexel University disbanded early on Thursday after President John Fry asked the Philadelphia Police Department to assist with clearing the protestors.

After Fry warned protestors the university planned to act shortly before 5 a.m., the encampment was reportedly cleared by noon, with law enforcement telling 6 ABC that protestors “picked up their belongings for the most part and left by their own free will,” and evidence suggested police would “be able to complete this operation without having to make any arrests, any use of force, anything of that nature.”

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Emory University President Admits Anti-Israel Encampment Remarks ‘Not Entirely Accurate’ amid No Confidence Vote

Tom Pappert
President Gregory Fenves

The president of Emory University on Monday acknowledged he was “not entirely accurate” in his reporting of the number of university “community” members who participated in an anti-Israel encampment last week.

Emory University President Gregory Fenves made the new remarks about the Thursday protest after Emory faculty members arranged a no confidence vote against him that will conclude on Friday.

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Protesters Brought Children to ‘Gaza Liberation Encampment’ at Virginia Tech Prior to Arrests, Video Shows

Tom Pappert
Virginia Tech pro-Palestine protest

Activists who participated in the “Gaza Liberation Encampment” at Virginia Tech brought children to the ill-fated protest before dozens of protesters were arrested by police, suggests video posted to social media on Sunday. 

One video that surfaced on the social media platform X on Sunday after police ordered protesters to leave the encampment included a child who led the protesters in a chant. The video was captioned to ask police whether they are scared by children.

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James Carville Viciously Mocks Young People Who Don’t Just Roll Over and Vote for Democrats

Admin
James Carville

Democratic strategist James Carville on Sunday mocked young voters who are struggling with whether they will vote for the Democratic Party.

President Joe Biden’s support among young voters has been declining since even before the Israel-Hamas war commenced in October. Carville on an episode of “James Carville Explains” chided young voters for not committing to vote for Democrats, asserting that Republican and conservative control of the country will lead to them not having any rights for the remainder of their lives.

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