UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN - JUDENFREI?

 

It seems impossible today, as a Jew, to be able to criticize the policies of the nation state Israel while not accepting that it and all Jews should be driven off the planet. That is the situation brewing at the University of Cape Town, (UCT), South Africa. The environment has led to a highly significant reduction in the number of Jewish students that attend, reaching between 20 to 30 percent for the greater part of the twentieth century.  Now it is roughly 1.3 percent.

 UCT now reflects the antisemitic sentiment that is permeating the world. It is quite ok to recognize that Americans can carry on in America even though it is common cause that their current government is corrupt and tending towards authoritarianism. However, all Jews within and without Israel are to be put on the cross as a result of the cabal of Bibi Netanyahu.

THE  OVERALL  PICTURE 

By any standards the fight at UCT, South Africa around antisemitism and Zionism these past years is unique. It appears like a satire of a mob operation. The "territories" include the definition of antisemitism, a boycott of Israeli academics, and a suspended and then installed Professor, (Mendelsohn). Then there is an intertwined trio, with common philosophies. Central to all three is the CEO, (Yach), of the massive Mauberger Foundation. She has connections with the founder, (Sooliman) of a Gift of the Givers organization, who was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University. The third string is the governing Council of the University where the aforementioned CEO is a key member and which is ultimately responsible for all UCT policy such as the granting of Honorary Doctorates. 

There is now ensuing ongoing litigation between the Professor and The University Council and 31 individuals in their personal capacities as a result of the Council resolutions. Added to that is litigation within the Mauberger Foundation itself. The complaint alleges illegal and fraudulent behavior of the CEO, Dianna Yach and two allies.

This unbelievable saga must also be seen in the context of the extraordinary power that Public Universities have in our modern day society and the hubris exhibited by them.

THE TIME LINE

June 22, 2024: The University Council passed a number of resolutions on antisemitism and Israel. Their resolve had been hardened by the UCT Senate backing. The gist of their decisions  is that they axed the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. (IHRA) definition of antisemitism which is generally accepted by every major university in the world. They instituted an academic boycott with any institution that had any contact with the Israeli Defense Force or the military establishment. As the latter is central to Israeli society this virtually axed any involvement with Israeli academics. 

August 2024: Professor Adam Mendelsohn entered a complaint in the Western Cape High Court against the University Council and 31 individuals in their personal capacities. Principally he wanted the two resolutions negated for a whole host of reasons including illegality of the process, personal political beliefs posturing as policy, failure to involve stakeholders and withholding of the outcomes of such policies.

November 2024: Following a number of accusations by colleagues against History Professor Mendelsohn, the then head of the Isdore and Theresa Cohen Chair of Jewish Civilization and the Director of the Isaac and Jessie Kaplan Centre for Jewish Studies and Research and the nominated head of an integrated History Department, was suspended. 

Ostensibly this was on the basis of an independent investigation conducted by Zola Mcaciso of MS Inc. The report in fact exonerated Mendelsohn and to this day the Council have refused to release the full report. 

Needless to say this whole issue has been added to the amended litigation. Mcaciso has entered two sworn statements one contradicting the other. She has maintained that her altered statement was as a result of pressure from the Council. 

2025:  A slew of additional allegations by Mendelsohn, amicus briefs for both parties and sworn statements were added to the court docket. These included amicus briefs from Council members indicating the opposing viewpoints within that body, one particularly from Diane Yach who was the glue that connected the conspiracy. The Freedom of Speech Association entered a strong brief in support of the Plaintiff, Mendelsohn. Perjury on the defendants’ side has been alleged. Plaintiff now had arguments to allege that his illegal suspension was on the basis of his August 2024 litigation.

December 22, 2025:  By this time this conflict was a cause celebre on the internet and some conventional media in SouthAfrica. An article published by the South African Broadcasting Corporation of a UCT Convocation Meeting reflects an opinion of a well read columnist. This piece was published and republished earlier. The author is renowned for her critiques of socio-political issues. Convocation is principally made up of alumni.

The Pincer, (the name of the column), by Lerato Mokeona, (a pseudonym), “How UCT became the frontline of a new ideological purge”.

"At UCT convocation…. the word Zionist is a convenient code for Jew… This is not about Gaza it is about the quiet expulsion of Jews from public life….UCT did not have a debate, it exercised a purge…….Jews that do not renounce their identity are not welcome here……history offers many lessons but this one is cruel, Kristalnacht the 2025 edition…. This is not liberation politics….The bitter irony…..Jews contribution to UCT’s excellence over the years has been immense…..this is not a debate about the Middle East….this a campaign against Jewish legitimacy…UCT has simply become the latest battleground….”

December 2025: The three Judge Panel stated that they would consider the Mendelsohn case and would rule when ready. By American standards this is rocket speed. 

March/April 2026:  University of Cape Town Graduation Ceremony where Dr. Imtiaz Sooliman was awarded an honorary doctorate in philosophy. Recipients of these honors reflect the value system and philosophy of a University. His philanthropy in “Gift of the Givers” is undisputed.  He was blunt on his goal as stated on October 25, 2025 at UCT.

“….we had to break the fear we have to break the money and we had to break this the antisemitism, and we know that antisemitism is used to shut you up. So if we stand up against Zionists and they say your’e antisemitic I am 5000 percent antisemitic”. Dr. Sooliman is not on the same page democratically, "I don’t follow international law or human law….I break laws all the time…breaking the law is laws of the West…..”

Jay H. Ell has deliberately left all his references to his faith that he perceives allows him to verbalize his policies. Jay H. Ell condemns the usage of religion as a rationale for all racist behavior. Similarly he renounces the religious violence of the Israeli settlers against the Palestinians on the West Bank.

Dr. Sooliman's organization, Gift of the Givers, received a grant from the Council member Dianna Yach, CEO of the Mauberger Foundation. He is associated with Ms. Reeza Isaacs head of the Financial Committee  of the UCT Council. Both of whom voted for his honor.

April 29, 2026: Professor Mendelsohn finally delivered his inaugural speech as the integrated Professor of History at UCT.

 

The bulk of his message, as a historian, was devoted to the story of the Jews. In the last quarter he quoted some of Dr. Sooliman’s conspiracy theories about Jews and Zionists. In addition to the students voting with their feet he reported that, “….Many Jewish staff despair at the campus climate; the accumulation of slights, insults and ugliness; the ease with which tropes about Jewish money and power as well as other stereotypes are mouthed by colleagues….”

May 4, 2026:  Litigation initiated by family members,  brother Dereck and cousin Steven Levy against the takeover of the Mauberger Foundation by Dianna Yach.

Ms. Yach allegedly forced out two family members and replaced them with allies Igshaan Higgins and Brian Figaji. The Plaintiffs claim that she and her allies failed to follow the provisions of the Mauberger Foundation where the allocation of funds are 50 percent to Israeli entities, 25 percent to South African Jewish Organizations and a similar amount to non Jewish entities. The plaintiffs show that for a number of years the allocation to Israel was far below and that several Jewish entities in South Africa were axed. They further alleged that there was blatant fraud which they back up with forensic evidence. They called for the three to be labelled “Delinquent Directors”. This designation in South Africa is the kiss of death for any further position of trust in any organization or company and can have broad financial implications.  

June 18,2026: Papers were delivered on a Ms. Megan Choritz, a member  for “South African Jews for a Free Palestine", where Professor Mendelson alleged defamation. She claimed inter alia that, he was, “Islamophobic….a supporter of Israel’s genocide in Gaza….should be deplatformed…..looks and sounds exactly like antisemitism…”

July 2026: The outcome of all the litigation is still pending.

DONOR OUTCOME OF UCT’S RESOLUTIONS.

As Mendelsohn’s original complaint alleges, the powers that be withheld the financial implications of their decisions to the full UCT Council where their resolutions were only carried by 14 votes to 13. A remnant of strong Jewish involvement still remains in the donor class to UCT. In fact that is where most of the money is derived from. The tradition established by Alfred Beit way back to start UCT is still ongoing. The most generous donor The Donald Gordon Foundation immediately withdrew their 200,000,000 Rand grant as it was subject to the University sticking to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism. Their offer of an additional 500,000,000 Rand for an Academic Hospital was withdrawn. The Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, an American based fund - the Dells too are Jewish - have axed their 50,000,000 Rand grant. (All in all close on $50,000,000 which goes a long long way in South Africa). It is interesting to note that Dr. Sooliman’s Gift of the Givers nor Ms.Yach’s Mauberger Foundation were listed as meaningful donors.

The Vice Chancellor and Principal of UCT, Mosa Moshabela, went to Parliament to complain about these losses but hasn’t received the money for the shortfall.

AT THE END OF THE DAY

In the irony of all ironies the offer of the Academic Hospital has been made to the University of Stellenbosch, where Jewish students are now electing to attend. Stellenbosch in times gone by was the epicenter of apartheid. It is where the mocking nickname “Ikey” was used for all students at UCT because of their high enrollment of Jews. How times change.

Assuming Dr. Sooliman is correct will South Africa take 8,000,000 Jewish refugees of all colors and with some fundamentalists like him? In 1938 with impending doom for Jews, 38 countries met at Evian, France. Not one of them accepted to take one more Jew above their overall  immigration quota.

UCT is not quite Judenfrei yet.

Jay H. Ell has a conflict of interest. It will be noted at the side of this blog that he was, a columnist at UCT in his student days.

CAN THE JEWS SURVIVE ?

Dating from the 139 BCE Roman expulsion from then, Judea, up until the middle of the twentieth century the Jews have accepted their fate of being violently attacked as the scapegoats for economic downfalls and libels such as they kill children for their blood for religious purposes. In earlier history it was because, "They  killed Christ", (Blog:“IT IS ALWAYS THE JEWS”). They customarily responded by either emigrating to countries that would accept them or at worst “walked like lambs to their slaughter”. 

There has, once again, been a world wide resurgence of antisemitism. This was exponentially exacerbated by the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israeli citizens. The anger has been fueled ever since by the Israeli Prime Minister, Netanyahu's Gaza/Lebanon ongoing response, then further inflamed by the Trump war with Iran. The aforementioned events intensified the hatred against the Jews outside of Israel in the diaspora as well. The fact that Trump has publicly abandoned Netanyahu in anticipation, perhaps, for blaming him for their joint failure opens the door for his cult to agree “It is always the Jews”.

 This decade's long antisemitism has not occurred in a vacuum. The circumstances of a changing world paradigm - the fourth industrial revolution - has created the economic uncertainty that has historically needed someone to blame - a role the Jews have often filled. Jews, however, respond differently today, than they have historically. 

The question still remains how can they survive this latest blitzkrieg? Who is a Jew is often defined not by Jews so why do they stick their necks out when history has shown that they just get chopped off ? What motivates them to “overachieve”? What are the answers to the antisemites’ criticisms?  

One has to look at the culture the Jews are raised in to realize why this tiny group has outlived its would be conquerors. In this narrative the Hebrew Bible and the culture it generated will be utilized as a background to their inheritance. Psychoanalyst Carl Jung would have called it “collective unconsciousness” but he would have missed the mark as this practice is far from unique to the Jews.

THE WORLD AS IT CURRENTLY IS AND ANTISEMITISM

With the world wide web various demographics, political viewpoints and cultures for example have become instantaneously connected. While related groups stretch across the planet stoking up fear and hate, the nation state is still the only viable entity to govern defined geographical populations.  Illogically all the citizens are judged by the statements and actions of its leader. 

However a nation state’s political system and it's head can change rapidly. Nowhere was this better illustrated recently when overnight autocratic Hungary morphed into a democracy. Hungary’s Orban came into power 16 years ago scapegoating the world famous liberal Jewish billionaire, the Hungarian born George Soros, for its then woes. Some Jews in Hungary backed Orban as the antisemitism prevailed accepting “The Faustian” bargain of “ersatz” support of Israel. What is that worth now?

President Trump, even though he claimed that some of the Charlottesville marchers who chanted  “The Jews will not replace us” were “good people”, is supported by many Jews.  He "alone" concurred with Netanyahu that Iran was an existential threat. Trump now frustrated at the stalemate in the Iran war, admitted a shouting match with Netanyahu, calling him, “F-king crazy”. Trump made it clear, “That I call the shots”.

Trump volunteersd on CNBC, "How a Jewish person can vote for a Democrat is beyond me because I have been the best President in Israel.... I was at 99 (percent) ". This is reminiscent of the philosopher of apartheid, Prime Minister Hendrick Verwoerd, who wryly reflected, " (the fact that) during the last election so many Jews favored the Progressive Party and so few the Nationalist Party did not past unnoticed". Verwoerd also blamed South African Jews for Israel's vote against apartheid at the United Nations.

While the final outcome of the war is not decided, Iran has been transformed into a major world player while Israel no longer has bipartisan support in America, being condemned by not only the extreme right and left but also by members of both political parties. Vice President, J.D. Vance stated, “... the Iran Deal is a home run for the American People whether Israel likes it or not”. 

The famed political scientist, Timothy Snyder, regards the Hungarian precedent as highly relevant to other authoritarian regimes. Autocratic Trump’s government has one third public acceptance while at least seventy- five percent of Israelis, including the Arab citizens are against Netanyahu’s cabal. Jay H. Ell has written screeds against both but supports the nation states of Israel and America while fighting the soaring prevalence of antisemitism in the diaspora. While there was universal condemnation of the Nazis, Germany is now regarded as a mainstay of world democracy, so the old order can and does change.

There has been the hysteria created by the antisemite Nigel Farage’s performance in the recent United Kingdom elections. How short memories are. Farage, who is an Orban and Trump supporter, won the 2016 Brexit referendum with 52 percent of the vote on the same issues that Trump triumphed in 2016. Ironically, the UK's problems are largely as a result of Brexit.This time round Farage won 8 of the 630 seats in the House of Commons. (That is just three more than the Green Party). His success in local elections was a vote of no confidence in the current lack luster UK government. However the self same voters had little confidence in his Reform Party governing the country. 

So while the diaspora's antisemitism has risen once again resulting in individuals being fearful and gathering places such as synagogues and schools requiring security to prevent further hate crimes and murders, no one realistically foresees pogroms or holocausts. Nor whatever government Israel has at the moment the nation state will just not fade away - is Iran volunteering to take 8,000,000 Jewish refugees?

CHANGE IN THE JEWISH ATTITUDE TO IDENTITY AND NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Ever since the Warsaw Ghetto uprising in 1943 and the establishment of the State of Israel, Jews actively have fought back. They have become more aggressively involved in the politics of the diaspora, (Blog:“IT IS ALWAYS THE JEWS”). The political Post WW11 Jewish religious leaders in the diaspora rather than shut up have screamed out loudly about their identity. Some Rabbis in addition to proclaiming their belief system have involved themselves in the national political arena. 

Chief among the national figures was the Chabad Lubavitcher Rebbe Schneerson who post war called for the creation of communities to welcome all Jews and replace hate with love. Within 75 years of the holocaust over 2,500 such communities exist all over the world even in exotic places such as the base of Mount Everest. He is remembered for advising Shirley Chisholm the first black woman in the House of Representatives, who the Southern Democrats had hoped to marginalize by sending her to the Agricultural Committee. Schneerson told her she had the unique opportunity to involve Republican Bob Dole in dealing with the agricultural surplus to start the food program to the poor which in spite of Trump survives to this day.

The mystical Rabbi Abraham Heschel, an escapee from the holocaust, marched literally next to Martin Luther King, “felt his legs praying”. The charismatic Rabbi wrote several religious texts and books, a few which centered around the prophets where his philosophy to life was anchored.

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Rabbi Jonathan Sacks of the British Commonwealth, philosopher and economist, was persuaded by The Rebbe to become a theologian. He became prominent on the world inter faith and secular stages.  He authored three dozen books and was awarded the Templeton Laureate in 2016. The latter filled the gap of Nobel Prizes by creating an award for fulfilling the “Spiritual dimension of life’. He joined the company of such as the Dalai Lama, Jane Goodall, Solzhenitsyn and Mother Theresa. Although an advisor to several British Prime Ministers he refused to make any political statement other than that he favored the two state solution for the conflict with the Palestinians.

In addition the international voices against anti semitism are loud and clear, headed by Government leaders such as Starmer of Britain, Macron of France, and Mertz of Germany. In America in spite of the exponential increase in hate crimes there are still four Jews who are credible candidates for the 2028 American Presidential election.

 It is crystal clear that those who support the nation state of Israel and attack the policies of the Netanyahu cabal are not antisemites. However there is a difficulty in confronting most Jew haters as invariably they deny being just that. The famed Israeli author, the late Amos Oz, argued, “First they told us to go to Palestine. Now they are telling us to get out!”

WHAT ARE THE RESPONSES TO THE ARGUMENTS OF "ANTISEMITES"? 

For starters Jay. H. Ell notes that as a general rule anyone in any religion believes that it is the “chosen”. As the Jewish religion was the first monotheistic religion that worshipped a 

G-D outside of the Universe they are no exception. Jews whether they are believers or not, secular or religious, Zionists or not, are raised in the culture of the Hebrew Bible, - all 29 “books”. It is important to note according to the latter that the Jews only formed a nation in the second book Exodus. In the first book, Genesis, all people are “born in the image of G-D”.

The reason that Jews including those who are not Zionists and/or disagree with the current actions of Israel are able to be labelled “the aggressors warmongers” is that the first time since biblical times they have a nation state. However the disagreement against Israel's policies is no reason to kill congregants in a synagogue in Pittsburgh or shoppers in a Kosher butchery in Paris. 

The Jews all being capitalists and communists threats at the same time is Hitlerian. Ironically in America the Trump administration is the first to be buying chunks of public companies. The argument that those in the diaspora have dual loyalties is selective bias. In Chicago the Irish dye the river green on St. Patrick’s Day, the Italians flood the streets in Little Italy and on National Day, the Mexicans celebrate Cinco de Miao. None compare with the Polish who have three major celebrations - a massive Constitution Day Parade, Flag Day and a three day Polonia Festival over Labor Day weekend When the Iranian soccer team played in Los Angeles who did one think the largest concentration of Iranian immigrants cheered for? None of the latter gets two column inches. 

This year the Israeli Independence Day evoked much controversy even in New York City which has the largest Jewish population in the world. The phenom newly elected Mayor Zohran Mamdami ostentatiously boycotted it being the first mayor to do so. (One in five Jews voted for him). He also berated the American Israeli Political Action Committee, (AIPAC) as a “monster”. Needless to document that citizens of every other heritage have at least American lobbyists to Congress and they are not regarded as “monsters”. 

There are Jewish political activists of all stripes some even claim that they have “found Zion” in their own countries. In the Torah, (The first five books of the Hebrew Bible), the Israelites are instructed 32 times to “love the stranger as you too were strangers in Egypt”. With regard to being a religion of “obey” the word does not appear once in their liturgy. Rather it is “listen or hear”. There are three types of leaders in the Hebrew Bible, Kings, Priests and Prophets. The latter speak truth to power. The law is divine law and in Exodus it is not foist on the former slaves till “the people” accept it. Even so the leaders often argue with G-D who on occasion takes their point. The Torah is to be updated every generation while all post biblical texts are endless arguments as to how interpret the law. 

Finally with regard to “overachievement” it is a function of many variables including insecurity and portability. (It is a feature too of Asian immigrants). Freud might have argued it was to win favor with mothers, Rene Girard would have maintained it was all about sibling rivalry and Jung was convinced that there was a collective unconsciousness. 

A most important factor however is the tenet that education is a means as well as an ends. The Chabad Rebbe referred to earlier has the American National Education Day named after him.  Rabbi Sacks explained “When Moses gathered the slaves after their liberation from Egypt he does not promise, as the right might do - a past, that never was or what the left might proclaim - a utopia that never can be”. Rather he instructs them “to tell your children”. Today the event is celebrated as Passover where the feature is for children to ask questions.

AT THE END OF THE DAY

The century's old conspiracy emanating out of Russia at the turn of the twentieth century, "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" is surfacing again. Jews apparently control the world. If that was true then they wouldn't be in the predicament they are in now. Nevertheless as history has shown they will survive. 

Netanyahu and the current government is not for long. Bibi's survival parallels Trump - as leader he was responsible for October 7. Even more so as he transferred to Hamas two billion dollars from Qatar over the years. Yet Netanyahu like Trump refuses to take responsibility for their individual major catastrophes - Trump, being January 6.

Why is it the world empathizes appropriately with the Iranian citizens and has virtually no recognition of the hundreds of thousands in the streets of Israel protesting from January 2023 against one or other of Netanyahu's actions?

IT'S ALWAYS THE JEWS

The resignation letter of Joe Kent as The Director of The National Counter Terrorism Center, outlined that he could no longer serve because there had been no intelligence pointing to Iran as an "imminent threat" which Trump had claimed was his rationale for his war actions. The event has created a political stir. Kent’s rationale was bizarrely laced with anti zionism and antisemitism, exacerbating the current existing anti Israeli and antisemitic mood in America and throughout the world. 

  Within a week Kent was making appearances with the leading two anti semites in a MAGA splinter movement, Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens. The latter is not some fringe group it is a powerful sector within MAGA. Carlson is a frontrunner for 2028 Republican Presidential nomination. They are coupling antisemitism with a deeply unpopular war. So once again the problem was a world wide conspiracy of Jews - It’s always the Jews.

Scapegoating “The Hebrews” is a time worn successful strategy. This even though it glosses over the fact that there are stark differences among The Jews who, today, represent 0.02 of the world’s population. Conflating American Jews with Israelis, for starters, is simplistic to say the least.The populations are culturally different and in both countries face vast differences politically. Their religious make up is monumentally different. Of the fifteen million Jews roughly less than half are in America and the rest are in Israel. American Jews too, are deeply splintered tending to analyze the situation in terms of the human devastation wreaked while the Israelis view this war as an existential threat to their existence. On both sides of the world, however, they are those who still hope for a two state solution while others are determined to neutralize those whose central constitutional tenet is to kill all Jews. For "progressive" Jews it is hard to stomach the tragedy being visited on populations.

In America both Stephen Miller “Trumps brain”, who daily spews out fascist tropes and Chuck Schumer the leading opposing Democrat in the Legislature, are Jewish. Much like President Trump, Bibi Netanyahu’s approval rate is about forty percent in Israel while 68 percent of Jewish Americans give Netanyahu “negative” marks. Two of Trump’s most prominent benefactors are Jewish, Larry Ellison and Miriam Adelson as are Democrat top donors like George Soros and Michael Bloomberg. Presumably they all met in tunnels to hatch the plot. 

TRUMP ENSNARED BY JEWSH CONSPIRACY?

Joseph Kent who is a MAGA extremist deluxe weaponized antisemitism via Bibi Netanyahu, the Jew, who is apparently the only person on earth who can tell Donald Trump what to do. Peace loving Trump who has been bombing boats, instigating coups in Venezuela, threatening to colonize by force if necessary, Greenland and Cuba and having already bombed Iran, needed only one final visit from the Prime Minister of Israel to trigger him to go to war. Trump incidentally maintains that he has ended 8 wars which to put at its kindest is an exaggeration.

Thus it is Israel and the American Jews with their lobby, AIPAC, (American, Israeli Public Affairs Committee) that are really responsible for America’s involvement. One might have thought that the Epstein files, Trump’s own newly found imperial aspirations would have had more than something to do with his decision making or whatever financial motives that there have been alleged. Those could be airplanes or crypto dealings that have been attributed to him and his family, including the chief negotiator with Iran, son in law, Jared Kushner. The latter incidentally according to the conspiracy mongers is the manipulator behind American war mongering. It appears move obvious that he is far more steeped in his Property Development Company than politics per se. Also there was Pete Hegsheth, Rupert Murdoch and Mohammed Bin Salmon.....

Now Kent’s boss in the Counter Terrorism world is Tulsi Gabbard an alleged Russian asset that has always been dead against a war with Iran. Ms. Gabbard was fiercely cross examined in the Senate by Jon Ospovat, a Jew, to take responsibility for the fact that she provided Trump with Intelligence that Iran did not prove an "imminent threat" to anyone.  She demurred and hummed and ha’d explaining that Trump was the decider. Explicit in Ospovat’s line of questioning was that Trump lied in his decision to go to a “needless” war, by ignoring the intelligence that Iran was not an “Imminent threat”. Incidentally Governor Pritzker of Illinois, a Jew and a leading contender for the Democratic nomination for Presidency has condemned the illegal war proclamation pointing out that was not what Trump ran on. 

KENT HIS LETTER AND THE MAGA SPLIT

Joe Kent is really on the far end of the MAGA  spectrum believing in the conspiracy that the Israelis killed Charlie Kirk. (This is such patent nonsense on its face because the late Kirk was an admirer of Israel and claimed that it was a visit to Israel that inspired him to form his highly successful “Turning Point”). 

So Kent in his parting letter to Trump and not his immediate supervisor Secretary Gabbard began,”It is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful lobby,………..(and) high-ranking Israeli officials and influential members of the American media”. Kent went onto pointing out that it was the latter that had spread information about Iran’s imminent threat to subvert Trump’s “America First”. For what it’s worth Trump has stated that he was the initiator of this war and Netanyahu has “verified” that Trump is the boss and when he calls it off its over. Kent further submitted  that his wife was killed in Iraq which was a “war manufactured by Israel”. This is such misinformation although it lets, George W Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolpowitz and all the neocons off the hook.

Trump was quick to disassociate himself, “He, (Kent), was weak on Security and it’s a good thing that he is out”. It may not come as a surprise to some but Joseph Kent is being investigated by the FBI for revealing classified information. According to reports this began before he announced his resignation. Such appears to be the unhappy fate of anyone who opposes Trump.

HOW DO MATTERS STACK UP NOW

MAGA  is split and anti semitism a key part of the narrative. Podcasters, Tucker Carson, Candace Owens and Megyn Kelly didn’t need Kent to persuade them of the “evil” of  the semites. They are pro Kent boots and all while MAGA podcasters Mark Levin, Ben Shapiro and LorrI Loomer are Jewish and strongly pro Israel. Thus far Trump supports the latter especially Loomer who has almost direct access to the President. Mark Levin, in turn has been praised by Trump. The Christian Evangelical wing of MAGA are still supportive of Israel and anything Trump may decide is necessary,  

The center piece of the whole administration campaign against the Ivy League Universities is that they allowed anti semitism to run unabated on their campuses. Incidentally anti zionism and anti semitism has been rampant in the “liberal” universities and has recently been addressed with litigation by the LC Brandeis Center for Human Rights. A highly rated Documentary "October 8" focussed on the campus uprisings.

 So for the moment the official Trump Administration line is aggressively against antisemitism and pro Israel. The big battle will start in the November Midterm Primaries and get really colossal for the 2028 Presidential Primaries of the Republican Party. Already there is an out and out young antisemite who is a contender for the Party’s nomination for the Florida Governorship.

Israel has steadily lost unconditional support from the Democratic Party. The process has been relatively slow and really dates to back to when Netanyahu snubbed President Obama and at the Republicans' invitation attacked him and his Iranian nuclear deal at a joint session of Congress. Ironically if Trump hadn’t pulled out of the Obama multinational accord with Iran on it’s nuclear facilities there might not be a war today. The younger generation are focussed more on the conditions in Gaza and are buying into the narrative of the “oppressor and oppressed”. AIPAC’s money is a no - no with almost zero pull in the Democratic Party, in spite of Kent's assertion.

In general America is in sync with a world wide trend veering to overt anti semitism mostly claiming not to be the latter rather being anti zionist. However this distinction is more often than not blurred. There have been massive rallies,violence and deaths starting on October 8, 2024. The documentary entitled "October 8" has been produced which details the convulsive explosion of anti - Israel and antisemitism just the day after the slaughter of civilians.

OCTOBER 7 AND THE AFTERMATH

October 7 heralded the most bestial savage barbaric attack on Israeli citizens by Hamas, one of Iran’s three major proxies, the others being Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen. Like Iran the latter are all have constitutionally the destruction of Israel and all Jews. The proxies’ fighters are all embedded in the population and while in the past Israel held back this time they were determined resulting in the most pathetic scenes captured on TV. Israel was accused of genocide but they are convinced that Hamas must be disarmed and Hezbollah crushed, not to mention the nuclear threat posed by Iran.

Two sides of the coin were now on display Israel was determined to eradicate the existential threat to its existence and the humanitarian plight of the Palestinians caught in the middle. Just in case there isn't enough going on, "The Settlers"  attacking Palestinians on the West Bank is causing justifiable opprobrium.  It is a fair conclusion that Israel are losing the public relations war as the internet generally is supporting South Africa prosecuting them at the International Court of Justice for genocide and crimes against humanity.

A BIT OF HISTORY

In 1948 the United Nations divided the British Mandated territory of Palestine between the Jews and Palestinians. Immediately Israel was attacked by Arab nations all of which they are no longer at war with. Post 1948 can be almost divided between before Netanyahu and after him. Before several attempts were made to fulfill the UNO mandate of partition all of which were kiboshed by the heads of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, (PLO). 

After the assassination of Israeli peacemaker Yitchak Rabin in 1995 Netanyahu’s influence grew and grew. In fact Rabin’s widow accused him of creating the environment that led to her husband’a death.  In the interlude prior to the reign of Netanyahu, Ariel Sharon's  effort at coexistence was to unilaterally hand over the Gaza territory to the Palestinians, (2005). It was believed that the Palestine Liberation Organization would take over administration and coalesce it with the West Bank. The PLO lost the election to Hamas and the rest is history. 

There were the Peace Talks in 2008 where Ehud Olmert came excruciatingly close to a resolution. But in the end  PLO Mahmoud Abbas rejected the generous deal with East Jerusalem as capitol and almost complete Israeli withdrawal from the West bank.

With the Arab nations no longer attempting to annihilate Israel and the PLO neutralized on the West Bank, Iran took over the mantle with its proxies. 

HOW COME TRUMP?

Trump injected himself into the region by axing the multinational nuclear deal with Iran in 2018. In 2020 he assassinated a key Iranian military figure. He also declared himself on the side of Israel by accepting Jerusalem as the capitol of Israel and moving the US Embassy there. 

In 2026, according to Trump, Iran were near to creating a nuclear weapon. Negotiations were entered into with the Iranians which Trump broke off. His stated reason was an “imminent nuclear threat” and that is where we came in. Joseph Kent maintained that was not true and it was the Jews that conned Trump into war. It’s always the Jews. One fact for sure is that the conduct of the war is in Trump’s purview. If this escalates out of control Trump is to blame but there is very little doubt who he will accuse. 

AT THE END OF THE DAY

As the late Chief Rabbi Sacks sagely opined, "What starts with the Jews never ends with the Jews".