‘Day of rage’ fear paralyzes the West

This Friday October 13, governments around the world received a warning from Israel: look out for yourselves, look out for your Jewish citizens, as terrorism may reach your soil.

The Israel National Security Council and Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommended that all Israelis abroad remain cautious, “keep away from the demonstrations and protests and — if necessary — check with local security forces regarding possible protests and disturbances in the area.”

“Against the background of Operation Swords of Iron,” the agencies said in a joint statement, “Hamas leadership has called on all of its supporters around the world to hold a ‘Day or Rage’” against Jews around the globe. “It is reasonable to assume that there will be protest events in various countries that are liable to turn violent,” the statement followed.

The message comes after a fiery speech earlier this week from former head of Hamas, Khaled Meshaal, who is based in Qatar. In it, he called for  “demonstrations” this Friday in support of the attack on Israel. Additionally, the former leader called for Muslims throughout his region to “send a message of anger,” showing their support for Palestine, joining the efforts directly even. Furthermore, he requested a response “to the Zionists and their criminal leaders and what they wrought, and to the Americans who came to their aid.”

Meshaal called for the “Ummah to engage in battle,” for scholars of jihad to “practice what [they] preach” and for sympathizers to fight as “jihad is an individual responsibility.”

The “Day of Rage” labeling has received some criticism from pro-Palestinian activists, who suggest that there was no call for terrorism abroad. Still, countries around the world are taking caution, as protests could lead to increased altercations.

This morning alone, after Emmanuel Macron banned pro-Palestinian protests in France, a teacher was killed and two others were injured, as a perpetrator stabbed them, screaming “Allahu Akbar.” In China, a staffer in the Israeli Embassy was assaulted and an investigation is underway.

Synagogues, Jewish-owned businesses and schools throughout the world are on alert, with many receiving protection from their governments.

–Juan P. Villasmil

On our radar

SCALISE OUT, JORDAN IN? Representative Jim Jordan beat Representative Austin Scott 124-81 in a secret ballot to be nominated House speaker. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise announced he was dropping out of the speaker’s race yesterday.

MENENDEZ INDICTMENT SAGA ROLLS ON New charges allege that from 2018 to 2022, New Jersey senator Bob Menendez and his wife, among others, “conspired, confederated and agreed together and with each other to have a public official [Menendez] act as an agent of a foreign principal, to wit, the Government of Egypt.”

NEOCON MAXING Senator Lindsey Graham from South Carolina called for the US and Israel to bomb Iranian oil refineries, even when the White House hasn’t openly ascribed responsibility to Iran for the Hamas attacks. 

Burgum bops Vivek for ‘antisemitic rhetoric’ 

Businessman and presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy made headlines for saying that Israel has outsized sway in American foreign policy and that “financial and corrupting influences” help explain why American policymakers are pro-Israel.

His fellow GOP rivals are not amused: when I asked Doug Burgum, the well-coiffed North Dakota governor, in Nashua, New Hampshire, about Ramaswamy’s rhetoric, he emphasized the need to show his “incredulous” face.

Burgum is pro-Israel not because anyone paid him to be, but because “Israel is one of our strongest and most important allies.” This week in particular, with American citizens slaughtered by Hamas terrorists, makes that all the more salient, despite what Burgum called Ramaswamy’s “antisemitic rhetoric.”

Still nursing an ACL injury, Burgum wheeled around an adoring crowd, but said that he’s still the fastest candidate in the race — and that he’s not going anywhere.

Voters in states such as New Hampshire, and not “the punditry,” should have the final say, Burgum says — with only a few months left, that’ll happen before the governor’s ACL is likely fully healed.

–Matthew Foldi

Nancy Mace busted by the Capitol Hill fashion police

With her vote to oust Kevin McCarthy as speaker, Nancy Mace has made herself the pariah of the House. And after donning a red, Scarlet Letter-style “A” on her chest to reflect this as she headed into House GOP meetings this week, she caught the ire of the Capitol Hill Fashion Police too.

One of her colleagues intimated the “A” must stand for “attention” — and lamented that “there wasn’t enough bling” on it and that “a light-up version would’ve been better.”

In a Congress filled with all but literal skeletons, Mace stands out for her relative youth. One staffer had no problem with her choice of outfits this week. “She’s concerned about showing off her two personalities, and I’m not just talking about two political personalities,” he told Cockburn. Another staffer told us that Mace should have instead sported a “T” for “traitor.”

“Everything about her is fake, I’m told,” the Daily Wire’s Brent Scher noted.

–Cockburn, from his gossip column

From the site

Fergus Butler-Gallie: The meaning of Friday 13
William A. Jacobson: It can happen at Harvard

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