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Almost 30 terrorists, including in Gaza, get Israeli gov’t benefits
Israeli Defense Exports Hit Record $13B in 2023
(JNS) – Israeli defense exports reached a record $13.073 billion in 2023, according to the Israeli Defense Ministry. Defense exports have doubled over the last half decade, with over a third (36%) of the export agreements over that timeframe having been signed last year.
“Israel continues to succeed in its international cooperation and industrial defense exports even during a year marked by war,” said Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Monday. “This is a reflection of the capabilities and creativity of our industries and our people,” he added.
While Israel’s military industries are primarily focused on providing the country’s defense establishment with the capabilities to support the Israel Defense Forces and protect citizens, “they are also continuing to pursue areas of cooperation and exports to international partners,” he said.
2023 was the third consecutive record-breaking year for defense exports, with Israel’s various defense industries signing hundreds of significant contracts worldwide. Notably, the export of air defense systems reached a significant milestone, accounting for 36% of the total deal volume, up from 19% in 2022.
Significant tiers of defense exports included: Missile, rocket and air defense systems (36%), radar and electronic warfare (11%), weapon stations and launchers (11%), manned aircraft and avionics (9%), ammunition and armaments (8%), observation and optronics (5%), vehicles and armored personnel carriers (5%), intelligence, information and cyber systems (4%), drones (4%), C4I and communication systems (4%), satellites and space systems (2%) and maritime systems and platforms (1%).
The exports went to Asia and the Pacific Region (48%), Europe (35%), North America (9%), Latin America (4%), Abraham Accords countries (3%) and Africa (1%).
Agreements over $100 million accounted for 40% of all deals, from $50-100 million 17%, up to $50 million 23% and agreements up to $10 million 20%.
The ministry said it has led a national effort to strengthen security-strategic relations worldwide, expand defense exports to new markets, remove bureaucratic barriers and reduce regulation.
“Nations worldwide are recognizing the success of Israeli defense systems, especially in air defense, appreciating their crucial role in safeguarding citizens,” said Defense Ministry Director-General Maj. Gen. (res.) Eyal Zamir.
“Since the onset of the war, the Ministry of Defense has invested tens of billions of dollars in domestic procurement. This strategic approach is expected to further boost our global defense export,” he added.
The World Does Not Want Israel to Win the War Against Hamas
By Fred Fleitz (American Greatness)
The daring Israel Defense Forces (IDF) rescue mission on June 8 that freed four Israelis taken hostage by Hamas during its October 7, 2023 terrorist attack against Israel was a pivotal event that should have shifted global opinion about the war in Israel’s favor by illustrating the shocking malevolence of Hamas and how little it values human life.
Unfortunately, this did not happen.
The IDF freed four hostages who Hamas was holding in apartment buildings, using the residents as human shields to prevent them from being freed. In addition, so-called “innocent” Palestinian civilians were incarcerating hostages in their apartments, with Hamas reportedly paying them to do so.
Abdallah Aljamal, a Gaza-based journalist, held three Israeli hostages captive in his home. Aljamal, who was killed in the IDF raid, wrote many stories slamming Israel for human rights violations in the war and killing Palestinians. He also was a spokesman for Hamas.
Desperate to prevent the hostages from being brought back to Israel by the IDF team, Hamas fighters attacked the team as it left the apartment buildings with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades. The IDF team defended itself and Israel was forced to conduct airstrikes to defend the hostage extraction.
Arnon Zmora, an officer of the IDF’s elite Yamam counter-terrorism unit, was shot and critically injured by Hamas terrorists guarding three of the four hostages.
This was a great victory for Israel and demonstrated that it will not abandon its people taken hostage by Hamas terrorists. Hamas holding hostages in crowded civilian areas and its ferocious firefight against the IDF rescuers demonstrated how little Hamas values human life and confirmed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar’s belief that more Palestinian civilian deaths work to his advantage.
But most of the world saw the IDF raid differently. Israel was criticized for the large number of Palestinian civilian casualties in the raid, even though many were caused by Hamas fighters firing on IDF forces in a civilian area. The mainstream media and Western politicians cited, without question, exaggerated Palestinian casualty figures from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry. U.S. and European media described the raid as a “deadly hostage rescue.” Some Western media outlets tried to downplay the fact that Hamas was engaged in hostage-taking by claiming the hostages had been “released” rather than “freed.”
A CNN commentator asked an Israeli official whether Israel had informed Palestinian civilians of the raid in advance to limit civilian casualties. The official replied that Israel did not. Israel was also criticized for the raid because it might set back a U.S.-led effort to reach a ceasefire.
The U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said the IDF raid might have been a war crime. Middle East media outlets were even worse, describing the raid as an Israeli “atrocity.”
After offering tepid support for the IDF raid, the Biden administration proceeded on June 10 to submit a resolution to the UN Security Council that endorsed its three-phase cease-fire plan for the Israel-Hamas War. The resolution passed overwhelmingly. Israel has not taken a clear position on the resolution and probably will not honor this deal because it would prevent Israel from destroying Hamas and would allow the terrorist group to rule Gaza after the war ends.
But it was Hamas that derailed the ceasefire deal by demanding a permanent ceasefire and a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza before it released the remaining hostages—a condition that Israel will never agree to.
Further complicating U.S.-Israel relations over the war, the Biden Administration has discussed holding direct talks with Hamas without Israel and mediated by Qatar to free five American hostages. These talks would also pressure the Netanyahu government to accept the U.S. ceasefire deal. Such talks—if they occur—would probably include a discussion of implementing a two-state solution peace plan, an idea Israeli officials have repeatedly rejected in the aftermath of the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attack.
Incredibly, led by the Biden administration, Israel is increasingly isolated in its war to defeat Hamas and defeat the Hamas terrorists, who conducted the worst attack against the Israeli people since the Holocaust. The world has blamed Israel for rescuing its people. It also has held Hamas blameless for how its tactics of holding hostages in crowded civilian areas and firing on the IDF rescue team near large numbers of civilians resulted in a large number of civilian casualties.
And despite how this firefight demonstrated that Hamas fighters remain well-armed and dangerous, the Biden Administration—desperate to end the war because it is hurting Biden with his progressive base—is pressing Israel to accept a ceasefire deal that will prevent it from destroying Hamas and could allow it to resume governing Gaza.
The conclusion here is clear. The world does not care about the deadly October 7 Hamas terrorist attack. It has no interest in holding Hamas accountable for this atrocity. Spineless politicians and journalists can’t deal with photos and TV images of this war that Hamas started. They just want the war to end at all costs, even if Israel’s security is put at risk. The world does not want Israel to win.
This means that Israel’s leaders will need to press on alone to defend their nation against Hamas and other threats until there is a new president in the White House who stands firmly with the Israeli people. Hopefully, that will happen next January.
Fred Fleitz is vice-chair of the America First Policy Institute Center for American Security and editor of “An America First Approach to U.S. National Security,” available from Amazon.com. He previously served as National Security Council chief of staff, CIA analyst, and a House Intelligence Committee staff member.
White House stresses Gazan pain on Islamic holiday, contradicts Israel’s war aims
(JNS) President Joe Biden on Sunday wished Muslims in the U.S. and the world best wishes on Eid al-Adha, a Muslim holiday, taking the opportunity to stress his sympathy for the “suffering” of Gazan civilians and reiterating policy positions at odds with Israeli war aims.
“This year, Eid al-Adha comes at a difficult time for many Muslims around the world. In Gaza, innocent civilians are suffering the horrors of the war between Hamas and Israel,” the president said in a statement.
“Too many innocent people have been killed, including thousands of children. Families have fled their homes and seen their communities destroyed. Their pain is immense,” he added.
The president said his administration is “doing everything” it can to end the war, a goal in opposition to Israel’s stated war aims, which include the complete destruction of Hamas, the Gaza Strip-based terrorist group responsible for the mass murder of some 1,200 Israelis and the kidnapping of more than 250, of which roughly 120 remain in captivity.
Biden also emphasized his administration’s commitment to the two-state solution, also in opposition to Israel’s position that a Palestinian state would be a reward for terrorism.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Israel last week amid the Biden administration’s efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and avoid a wider war against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Blinken met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, as well as President Isaac Herzog, former War Cabinet member Benny Gantz and opposition leader Yair Lapid.
According to a U.S. readout of the meeting with Netanyahu, Blinken “reiterated that the United States and other world leaders will stand behind the comprehensive proposal outlined by President Biden that would lead to an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages, and a significant and sustained increase in humanitarian assistance for distribution throughout Gaza.”
Blinken was said to have emphasized the importance of preventing the conflict from expanding further, claiming that the proposed deal with Hamas “would unlock the possibility of calm along Israel’s northern border and further integration with countries in the region.”
The secretary updated Netanyahu on plans for the “post-conflict period, emphasizing the importance of those efforts to providing long-term peace, security and stability to Israelis and Palestinians alike.”
Eid al-Adha celebrates the “Sacrifice of Ishmael,” a reversed version of the biblical story of the “Sacrifice of Isaac.” In the Islamic re-telling, Abraham shows his obedience to God through his willingness to sacrifice Ishmael, not Isaac.
Netanyahu Disbands War Cabinet After Opposition Leaves; Security Cabinet Takes Over
By Joel B. Pollak(Breitbart)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu disbanded the War Cabinet on Monday, allowing the Security Cabinet to take over most of its functions, following the departure last week of opposition politician Benny Gantz and his party.
The War Cabinet had been formed when Gantz brought his party into an emergency national unity government in the fall. It remained subordinate to the Security Cabinet, but allowed the coalition to hash out decisions and differences.
As Breitbart News reported, Gantz left last week and now opposes the Netanyahu government from the outside, amid calls for new elections. Gantz faced pressure from his own base to oppose Netanyahu instead of continuing to work with him. The Biden administration also has been pushing for new elections to remove Netanyahu, whom it sees as an obstacle to the White House’s plan for an Iran nuclear deal and a Palestinian state (which most Israelis now oppose).
The Times of Israel reports that right-wing politician Itamar Ben Gvir, the national security minister, who had been excluded from the War Cabinet, was clamoring to join it in Gantz’s place, which hepd push Netanyahu to end it.
“Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant will hold small ad hoc consultations with other relevant officials to make key decisions on the war, while seeking final approval from the wider security cabinet,” the Times reports.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of the recent e-book, “The Zionist Conspiracy (and how to join it),” now available on Audible. He is also the author of the e-book, Neither Free nor Fair: The 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.
Illegal Alien Arrested in Rape, Murder of Maryland Mother
By Virginia Allen(Daily Signal)
An illegal alien from El Salvador has been arrested on charges of raping and murdering a Maryland mother of five.
Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez, 23, crossed the U.S. southern border illegally in February 2023, according to Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler. Six months later, in August 2023, Hernandez is suspected of attacking, raping, and killing Rachel Morin while she exercised on the MA & PA Heritage Trail in Bel Air, Maryland, about 30 miles northeast of Baltimore.
“We are 1,800 miles away from the southern border and the American citizens are not safe because of failed immigration policies,” Gahler said during a press conference Saturday, directing this remark specifically to “1600 Pennsylvania Ave and to every member of both chambers of Congress.”
These kids are without their mother because Joe Biden refuses to secure the border and keep this murderer the hell out of our country. https://t.co/nzDmzZIuPy
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) June 16, 2024
“This is the second time, in just two years, that an innocent Harford County woman has lost her life to a criminal in our country illegally,” the sheriff said.
On Aug. 5 last year, Morin’s boyfriend reported her missing after she did not return home from a walk. Her body was found off the trail in a culvert on Aug. 6.
An investigation was launched, which gained national attention, and involved local, state, and federal authorities. A breakthrough came in the case about three weeks ago, on what would have been Morin’s 38th birthday, when DNA evidence led to the identification of Hernandez in the case.
In March of last year, Hernandez is also suspected of attacking a “9-year-old girl and her mother during a home invasion … in Los Angeles,” Gahler said during the press conference. The El Salvadorian has ties to “known gangs,” according to the sheriff, and is also wanted in his home county for a woman’s murder.
“Victor Hernandez did not come here to make a better life for himself, or for his family, he came here to escape a crime he committed in El Salvador. He came here and murdered Rachel, and God willing, no one else.”
Authorities arrested Hernandez in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Friday night.
“Rachel’s murderer is no longer a free man and, hopefully, he will never have the opportunity to walk free again,” Gahler said, later noting that the extradition process from Tulsa to Harford County is underway but could take several weeks.
Morin’s five children are “without their mother because Joe Biden refuses to secure the border and keep this murderer the hell out of our country,” Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., said in a post on X Saturday.
“The Biden Administration owes justice to Rachel Morin’s family and to so many families across our country for allowing violent migrant crime to run rampant in our communities,” Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., said on X Saturday night.
Patricia Morin, Morin’s mother, delivered brief remarks during the press conference, thanking the authorities who tracked down and arrested the suspect in her daughter’s murder.
“I am so grateful that they have brought us to this place,” Patricia Morin said, “because at some of the points during this, I didn’t think that we were ever going to have an end,” she said, before turning and applauding the officers.
Gahler said Hernandez will not be deported before answering for his suspected crimes in the U.S., adding, “he’s going to spend, God willing, the rest of his days behind bars.”
Israel mulls establishing new settlements in retaliation for Palestinian statehood recognition
By David Rosenberg, World Israel News
Israel is considering a number of possible moves to boost Jewish towns in Judea and Samaria as a response to the decision by several European states to unliterally recognize Palestinian statehood, the Prime Minister’s Office announced Monday.
According to a statement released by the PMO Monday afternoon, Israel’s Security Cabinet discussed on Sunday measures which could be adopted to bolster Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria, as part of Israel’s response to one-sided recognition of Palestinian statehood.
“The Security Cabinet discussed steps to strengthen settlement in Judea and Samaria, including in response to the countries that unilaterally recognized a Palestinian state after October 7, as well as a series of responses against the Palestinian Authority following its actions against Israel in international bodies,” the Prime Minister’s Office said.
No final decision was taken Sunday, however, as Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara requested that a vote be delayed until the proposals are fully assessed.
“The Defense Minister and the Attorney General requested additional time to comment on several of the proposed clauses. The Prime Minister instructed that all of the proposals be submitted to a vote at the next Security Cabinet meeting.”
In recent weeks, four European states including Ireland, Norway, Spain, and Slovenia all unilaterally recognized Palestinian statehood, without a final status agreement between the Palestinian Authority and Israel.
Israel’s Foreign Minister, Israel Katz (Likud), condemned the move, calling it a reward for terrorism, given that the recognition came just months after the Gaza invasion of Israel on October 7th.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a member of the Security Cabinet, last month called on the government to green light 10,000 new housing units in Judea and Samaria in response to the unliteral recognition of Palestinian statehood.
Smotrich has also proposed establishing entirely new Israeli towns in Judea and Samaria – one for each country that recognizes Palestinian statehood.
In addition, Smotrich advocated for the cancellation of travel passes for Palestinian Authority officials.
Feds open probe into death threats against Jewish students at California university
By World Israel News Staff
The federal government has launched a probe of a California university, amid accusations school administrators ignored rampant antisemitism on campus, including death threats against Jewish students.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has opened an investigation into a federal complaint filed by the The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law alleging Chapman University failed to take action after antisemitic harassment and exclusion of Jewish students in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The case involves antisemitic incidents allegedly perpetrated by Chapman Students for Justice in Palestine (CSJP) and its members.
CSJP is a local chapter of a national anti-Jewish hate group, with the stated goal of “dismantling Zionism on college campuses.”
After the October 7th Hamas massacre, actions by CSJP and its members included removing a Jewish student from the group because of his shared Jewish ancestry and making heinous death threats against a different Jewish student.
The complaint specifically details several instances when the University failed to address antisemitic conduct by CJSP targeting Jewish students.
First, was the exclusion of a Jewish Chapman student with a Jewish sounding surname when he attempted to join the group in September 2022 to learn about CSJP’s perspective.
In October of 2022, he was removed from the listserv and effectively denied admission to the group.
He was similarly rebuffed by CSJP when he renewed his attempts to join the group in October 2023 after Hamas’ terrorist attacks in Israel. CSJP failed to confirm his RSVP to a teach-in event and later denied him entry to the in-person event held on campus.
This also happened with several other students who are Jewish or have Jewish-sounding names, who sought to attend the teach-in event, but did not receive the confirmation needed for admission by CSJP and therefore were barred from attending.
The second incident detailed in the complaint started on November 12, 2023 when a CSJP member sent a death threat to one of the Jewish students who was excluded from CSJP, after she responded to a social media post in which he called for “death to all Israelis who follow Zionism.”
The student then asked the CSJP member if he wanted her dead. He responded “f*** yeah I want you and all Zionist trash bags dead the f*** kinda question is that?” The CSJP member then sent her a barrage of harassing messages accusing her of not being a real Jew and alleging that “Zionism is terrorism.”
Texas Democrat Candidate Charged with Sending Himself Racist Messages
By Paul Roland Bois(Breitbart)
Taral Patel, a Democrat candidate for Fort Bend Precinct 3 Commissioner in Texas, has been arrested and charged with Online Impersonation and Misrepresentation of Identity after he allegedly sent fake hate messages to himself on social media.
The Texas Rangers arrested Patel after he allegedly spent months sending racist and demeaning comments to himself while impersonating a “supporter of incumbent Republican Commissioner Andy Meyers,” per Fox News.
“According to the arrest record for Patel, the investigation was launched in October 2023 after Meyers requested authorities to look into who was responsible for the vitriolic comment made at Patel,” noted the outlet.
Patel even went as far as to use the real image of a Fort Bend resident as a profile picture for one of the hateful commenters without the individual’s consent.
In one particular Facebook post, Patel shared some of the alleged hateful comments to his supporters, saying they represented a “deep and misguided fear” in the Republican Party.
“As your Democratic candidate for County Commissioner, I am always open to criticism of my policy positions and stances on issues,” Patel said. “However, when my Republican opponents supporters’ decide to hurl racist, anti-immigrant, Hinduphobic, or otherwise disgusting insults at my family, faith community, colleagues, and me – that crosses a line.”
Fort Bend County Republican Party Chairman Bobby Eberle called Patel’s alleged behavior “deeply concerning.”
“Whether Republican or Democrat, such tactics should be unequivocally condemned by all who value integrity and accountability in politics,” Eberle said in a statement. “This is not a partisan issue, and the good people of Fort Bend County should be able to trust that when allegations are made, they are sincere.”
“Fort Bend County residents deserve better leadership than someone who will create a fake account and post manufactured racist attacks — attempting to turn neighbor against neighbor — for political gain,” he added.
Paul Roland Bois directed the award-winning Christian tech thriller, EXEMPLUM, which has a 100% Rotten Tomatoes critic rating and can be viewed for FREE on YouTube or Tubi. “Better than Killers of the Flower Moon,” wrote Mark Judge. “You haven’t seen a story like this before,” wrote Christian Toto. A high-quality, ad-free rental can also be streamed on Google Play, Vimeo on Demand, or YouTube Movies. Follow him on X @prolandfilms or Instagram @prolandfilms.
Far-right gains in Europe: Good for the Jews?
(JNS) Far-right parties made dramatic gains in the June 9 European parliamentary elections. Israel supporters celebrated, anticipating the exit of some of the worst purveyors of anti-Israel hatred. Even so, European Jewish Association (EJA) chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin advises caution.
While acknowledging that he isn’t sorry to see “the biggest antisemites” exit Europe’s parliament and saying he understands the excitement of many about the right-wing gains, Margolin told JNS that “the rise of far-right parties is something that requires all of us to be really careful; to analyze very carefully the situation.”
While Europe’s right has expressed support for Israel, that doesn’t necessarily translate into support for European Jewish life. “Many of them and, of course, many of their supporters, hate Jews no less than they hate Muslims,” he said.
It’s “absolutely” possible there could arise a situation where a far-right party’s rise will be good for Israel but bad for the Jews of that country, he said.
While many far-right parties support Israel, almost all, with the notable exception of Hungary’s Fidesz Party headed by Viktor Orbán, oppose ritual slaughter and circumcision.
Clinging to its values is what sustained the Jewish people for 3,000 years, Margolin noted, but those values are not congruent with far-right European values.
EJA is still sifting out those political actors it can work with from those it cannot. “We need to analyze what are the policies of the different political parties,” said Margolin. “We could work with some of them, but it has to be in a very specific, very practical, very detailed way.”
Margolin expressed hope that Israel will understand and support European Jewry’s point of view in the same way that European Jewry supports Israel. If a politician or party is supportive of the local Jewish community, but attacks Israel, “we don’t consider him Jewish friendly,” Margolin noted. “It should be vice versa.”
European Jewish Association Chairman Menachem Margolin addresses the EJA’s conference in Amsterdam, June 3, 2024. Photo by Yoav Dudkevitch.
The Spanish government, for instance, takes pride in its local Jewish community, but condemns Israel to the point of recognizing a Palestinian state. “Ask every Spanish Jew: what do you think about the government? They will tell you this is an antisemitic government. Why? Because of all the hatred expressed towards Israel,” he said.
The EJA considers friendly governments those that make Jews feel welcome, support Jewish culture, protect Jewish institutions, combat antisemitism and back Israel.
Margolin’s choice for a model European leader, from a Jewish perspective, is Hungary’s Orbán. While Margolin acknowledges that Orbán is considered a “troublemaker” by Europe’s leadership, Hungary embodies “exactly how and what we expect from every European country,” he said.
Hungary is committed to combating antisemitism, provides financial support to the community, offers strong support for Israel, and, above all, values freedom of religion, he explained.
Echoing comments he made at EJA’s recent annual conference in Amsterdam, in which he called on Israel to prepare for a mass influx of Jews as antisemitism skyrockets across the continent, Margolin told JNS, “The situation in Europe is getting worse and worse.”
If European governments call it quits on freedom of religion and refuse to go “the extra mile” to protect their Jewish communities, then it’s time for European Jewry to pack its bags, he said.
A drastic decrease in antisemitic attacks could be achieved in six months, he added. It’s a matter of enforcement, he said. Train police to identify antisemitic acts and swiftly sentence—“not in five years”—those who commit anti-Jewish crimes. Jews don’t bother reporting hate incidents because they consider it a waste of time. They don’t believe the authorities will do anything about it, said Margolin.
Margolin doesn’t yet expect any major changes from the election results. Despite the right’s gains, the centrist parties retained their hold on power.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is likely to win a second term, observers say, as her European People’s Party scored the most seats.
Where more profound changes may arise is on the national level, said Margolin. France’s National Rally Party racked up impressive gains in the European parliament elections, leading French President Emmanuel Macron to call for snap national elections to be held on June 30 and July 7.
“Most important is to see what’s going to happen in the countries, in France, in Germany,” Margolin said. “We cannot know yet what to anticipate.”
Critical IDF Intel Systems Were Down on Morning of Oct. 7
(JNS) – Critical computer systems used by the Israel Defense Forces’ elite 8200 intelligence unit broke down on Oct. 6 and were only repaired some 90 minutes before Hamas launched its cross-border massacre, Israel’s Channel 12 News reported on Saturday.
The report, which revealed limited information on the alleged computer failure due to military censorship rules, claimed the systems only came fully back online after the attack was already underway.
A former intelligence official told the broadcaster that “if the system had been working at those hours, it is very likely that dramatic information would have arrived that would have changed the intelligence picture.”
Unit 8200, the IDF’s signal intelligence unit, considered the “eyes of Israel,” is part of the Military Intelligence Directorate, known in Hebrew by the acronym AMAN. The unit is responsible for some 80% of the information gathered and produced for all intelligence branches.
Channel 12 cited an internal organization that claimed the information about the computer error was conveyed to the commander of Military Intelligence, Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva, and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, as well as Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) director Ronen Bar.
he informed the Chief of Staff of his request to terminate his position and retire from the IDF,
Two months ago, Haliva announced his resignation from the military, to be effective after the completion of operational investigations into Oct. 7 and an overlap process with a replacement. He added that under his command, the Intelligence Directorate “did not live up to the task it was entrusted with.”
Halevi has signaled he will step down after the war against Hamas ends.
Meanwhile, the commander of Unit 8200, Brig. Gen. “Y.,” has refused to take any blame for the Oct. 7 failure, saying last year his team provided all the necessary intelligence. In May, the unit promoted two of its officers, drawing criticism from within the army.
Last week, a three-member audit team from the army’s General Staff infiltrated the Unit 8200 intelligence base at the Glilot military camp in Ramat Hasharon. The three posed as officers and entered directly through the guard house without being challenged.
“For nearly three hours, they roamed the base unhindered, reached operational compounds, collected hundreds of classified documents and data material from secret computers,” according to a Ynet report.
If the three had been enemies, they could have caused severe damage to the base’s infrastructure, soldiers and staff in what would have constituted a huge blow to the IDF and Israel, the news site noted.
Ford Foundation Sends Millions to Organizations That Have Celebrated Oct. 7 Terrorist Attacks
Shortly after Oct. 7, the president of the Ford Foundation, Darren Walker, issued a statement on the foundation’s behalf. Walker, who has been lauded by Laurene Powell Jobs as an “optimist,” a “realist,” and a “prophet who speaks truth to our world’s most troubling demons,” announced that the Ford Foundation would bankroll “immediate humanitarian relief efforts in Gaza and the Middle East.”
“Administered by our colleagues in the Middle East and North Africa regional office,” Walker said, “the resources will go to partners in the region to provide life-saving support and other essential needs to the affected Palestinian civilians in Gaza.” The statement referred to “tragic events” that had occurred in Israel and Gaza but made no mention of who was behind them, instead expressing concern for the “anguish, pain, and suffering that countless families are experiencing in Gaza at this moment.”
While the country’s leading universities have been under the microscope since Oct. 7, the nation’s top foundations have largely evaded scrutiny. Both, however, sit atop multibillion-dollar endowments and exert enormous influence on American politics and public policy: The Ford Foundation alone oversees the disbursal of approximately a billion dollars a year.
Where is that money going? A review of grants disbursed by the Ford Foundation’s team overseeing the Middle East and North Africa, led by Cairo-based regional director Saba Almubaslat, shows that several of the foundation’s grants have gone to organizations whose employees, events, and projects celebrated Hamas’s Oct. 7 terrorist attack and decried the “Zionist entity.” They make little effort to disguise their hostility to Jews and the state of Israel.
The foundation’s support for such organizations stands in stark contrast with Walker’s denunciation of Henry Ford, the foundation’s founder and a notorious anti-Semite. Walker described the Ford Motor Company founder last year as “one of the twentieth century’s most virulent American antisemites” and argued that “all of us engaged in building a fairer, more just America ought to embrace our responsibility to speak out about this ancient strain of inequality—this category of caste—exactly as we call out racism, sexism, ableism, and homophobia.”
Yet the Ford Foundation, under his leadership, has funneled more than $6.3 million since 2015 to two organizations—the Jordan-based Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD), which is geared toward mobilizing “the untapped potential of … societies in the Arab region,” and Action for Hope, a Lebanese non-governmental organization devoted to providing “cultural development and cultural relief programs” to populations in distress—that are fanning the flames of the ancient hatred.
The leaders of ARDD have not exactly made their views a secret. In November 2023, the organization’s executive director, Samar Muhareb, expressed “gratitude to the martyrs of Palestine because they have shed light on many important issues,” according to a press release summarizing her remarks at an event.
The organization held a panel discussion in November 2023 featuring a speaker, Dr. Anis Al-Qassem, who argued in favor of Palestinians’ “right of self-defense” up to and including acts of terrorism. In fact, Al-Qassem argued, that category should not apply to “the Palestinian resistance.” Rather, the idea that Palestinian “resistance” constitutes terrorism is a “lie marketed by the United States and the occupation.” He urged a lawsuit against the “Zionist entity” in the International Criminal Court, according to a press release from ARDD summarizing his remarks.
Muhareb’s X feed is a troubling series of posts alternately justifying terrorism and denouncing the Jewish state for combating it. Most recently, she retweeted a post from U.N. special rapporteur Francesca Albanese eviscerating Israel for rescuing four civilian hostages from Rafah. On Oct. 7, she retweeted a post arguing Hamas’s terrorist attack needed “to be put in context” given “six decades of hostile military rule.” A week later, Muhareb shared a post that accused the children of Holocaust survivors of perpetuating genocide in Gaza.
In January, she posted a photo of a group of Jordanian schoolchildren during “dress like a super hero day.” Most of the children, Muhareb noted without a hint of disapproval, came dressed as Hamas terrorist Abu Obeida, now sanctioned by the United States and the European Union for committing “widespread sexual and gender-based violence in a systematic manner” and “using it as a weapon of war” on Oct. 7.
Another Ford Foundation project has fanned the same sort of rhetoric in the arts. Action for Hope, the Lebanon-based non-governmental organization of which the Ford Foundation and George Soros’s Open Society Foundations are founding donors, published a collection of poems titled, “This is Gaza.”
Written amid what it describes as the “Israeli bombardment of Gaza,” several of the poems are dated Oct. 7, Oct. 8, and Oct. 12, before the sustained Israeli bombing of Gaza began. In fact, the collection includes a poem from Gazan writer Mahmoud Joudah dated Oct. 7, the day of the Hamas attack, in which Joudah declares, “Glory to you, Homeland that never dies.” He continues, “Today, Gaza soars in the sky … they have left us nothing but to explode, and so we do.”
While the collection is full of violent imagery depicting the suffering of Gazans, not one of the 22 poems featured makes mention of Hamas, its attack on Israel, or the murder and kidnappings of Israeli civilians.
Action for Hope touted the success of the publication, saying in the introduction that it amassed upwards of 7 million views on social media. “The videos and the texts were published widely on social media … and they reached a wide audience of more than 7 million viewers by the beginning of 2024.”
The Ford Foundation approved another $400,000 grant for the organization after the publication of the poetry collection, the latest installment of over $4.1 million it has sent the group since 2015. The Ford Foundation has sent $2.2 million to ARDD across three grants since 2017.
Action for Hope characterized Joudah’s Oct. 7 poem as “a responsive comment to the desperation of Gaza” rather than as praise for the Hamas attack and told the Washington Free Beacon that its “This is Gaza” project “aimed to provide a space for artists from Gaza to express themselves in line with our fundamental commitment to freedom of speech.”
At the head of the Ford Foundation’s grantmaking for the Middle East and North Africa is Almubaslat, whose social media postings and public writings mirror those underwritten by the Ford Foundation in Action For Hope’s collection.
On her personal blog, Almubaslat has, since Oct. 7, published poems in which she appears to justify violence to achieve “freedom” and sanction the use of Hamas tunnels to gain freedom. She also explicitly derides the notion that Israel is waging a war of self-defense, according to a translation of the blog commissioned by the Free Beacon.
“Dig tunnels with the remains of your bones that connect the earth to the sky. Flee through them to the light. Stay there,” she wrote in a poem dated Oct. 18.
“There is no palace outside Gaza,” an Oct. 24 post reads. “Everything out there has joined hell and decided to break the scale of justice by a decision and kill freedom under the pretext of self-defense.”
The poems also betray a dim view of the West. An Oct. 13 poem captures an exchange between a mother and sister in Gaza and their son and brother, respectively, based in an unidentified location in the West. “We resist so that the sun may grow from our land every morning. We fight so that olives may bear hope from our soil,” the sister writes to her brother, Ahmed.
“They put a mark on my forehead. My tan is an accusation. My name is an accusation. My identity is an accusation,” Ahmed writes in reply. “All of it makes my blood permissible if a voice came out and said ‘Ah.’ They say it will not be erased until I acknowledge them and forget who I am. I will load their guns with my screams to shoot them.”
Almubaslat took her blog down after the Free Beacon reached out for comment. She did not respond to the request.
A Ford Foundation spokeswoman, Tolu Onafowokan, said the foundation “strongly repudiates any calls for violence, hate speech, racism, antisemitism, or Islamophobia,” adding, “If our grantees make statements that are not aligned with the foundation’s values, we take appropriate action, which may include termination of grant funding.” She did not respond to a request for comment about whether the foundation would continue to fund ARDD and Action for Hope.
Action for Hope and ARDD are both part of Ford Foundation’s Building Institutions and Networks (BUILD) initiative, which includes a subset of grants specific to the Middle East.
Since its launch in 2015, BUILD has worked to “advance social inclusion and reduce inequality in all its forms,” according to the foundation’s website, and the foundation committed to spending $1 billion on BUILD grants between 2016 and 2021 and another $1 billion in 2022.
Onafowokan noted the foundation’s support for organizations devoted to combating anti-Semitism, including the Anti-Defamation League, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, and the American Society for Yad Vashem, and said the Ford Foundation had “initiated grants to organizations working to provide mental health, social services, and housing to the families of hostages of the October 7 terrorist attacks.”
Iran’s fingerprints on Oct. 7 massacre ‘well-documented’
By Israel Kasnett, JNS
When thousands of Hamas-led terrorists murdered some 1,200 Israeli men, women and children on Oct. 7 and kidnapped hundreds of others, it further exposed how Iran supported and funded Hamas and continues to foment regional unrest.
In a U.S. State Department briefing on Oct. 23, a senior defense official said it is “well-documented” that Tehran has supported Hamas and “other partners and proxies across the region” including Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen through “funding, equipping, guidance and direction.”
The official noted “when you see this uptick in activity and attacks by many of these groups, there’s Iranian fingerprints all over it.”
At the same time, the Palestinian Authority is adamant that no outside parties exploit the Palestinian suffering in Gaza.
Earlier in June, P.A. chief Mahmoud Abbas hit back at remarks made by Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, praising the Oct. 7 attack.
Speaking at a ceremony on June 3 marking the 35th anniversary of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s death in Tehran, Khamenei praised Hamas’s unprecedented assault “as a huge blow to Israel,” saying it disrupted plans by Israel and the United States to change the regional dynamics.
The Iranian regime also reportedly claimed that the Oct. 7 attack was intended, among other things, to avenge the [U.S.’s January 2020] killing of [IRGC Quds Force commander] Qassem Soleimani.”
The P.A. immediately responded to Khamenei’s comments, saying that the Palestinian people are the first to be affected by the ongoing Israeli war in the Gaza Strip.
UNRWA STAFF STEALING AID FROM GAZANS
In a statement carried by the official WAFA news agency, Abbas’s office said such comments are “clearly” aimed at sacrificing Palestinian blood and destroying Palestinian land.
These comments “will not lead to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital,” the office said.
“The Palestinian people have been fighting and struggling for a hundred years, and they do not need wars that do not serve their ambitions for freedom and independence and for the preservation of Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian sanctities,” the P.A. stressed.
“What we want is an end to the occupation, not policies that do not serve the national goals,” the statement claimed.
Meddling in internal affairs
Khaled Abu Toameh, an award-winning Arab and Palestinian affairs journalist, told JNS this is “not the first time” the P.A. has criticized Iran for meddling in the internal affairs of the Palestinians, especially supporting Hamas in the Gaza Strip and some armed groups in the West Bank (Judea and Samaria).
In December, IRGC spokesman Ramazan Sharif declared that Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack was revenge for killing Soleimani. His comment led the Palestinians to respond with anger.
In similar comments, Mahmoud al-Habbash, Abbas’s adviser on religious affairs and Islamic relations, accused Iran of seeking a foothold in the Palestinian territories, saying, “Tehran is sacrificing the blood of the Palestinian people for its own interests.”
In comments to the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV earlier in June, al-Habbash responded to Khamenei’s statements, saying, “Iran has no right to assess what happened on October 7.”
Michael Milstein, head of the Palestinian Studies Forum at the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies at Tel Aviv University, told JNS, “This is the second or third time the Palestinians have reacted in a tough manner against Iranian announcements regarding the war in Gaza.”
According to Milstein, “These events reflect the deep hostility of Sunni Arabs, including Palestinians, against the Shi’ite axis and the Iranians. Hamas enjoys military support but even the organization cannot ignore deep ideological and religious gaps.”
Eyal Hulata, a former Israeli national security adviser, has also pointed to “Iranian fingerprints on both potential [Hamas] planning and motivation, in light of attempts to normalize [Israel’s relations] with Saudi Arabia.”
In January, Israeli Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology Gila Gamliel said in an interview with JNS, “The fingerprints of Iran can be found on every conflict now underway in the Middle East, from Gaza to Lebanon to the Red Sea.”
Meanwhile, Abbas has consistently refused to fully acknowledge or condemn the Oct. 7 attacks.
‘Giving Israel an excuse’
Abu Toameh said that “while the P.A. and Abbas himself have thus far refrained from publicly condemning the October 7 atrocities, Abbas recently criticized Hamas for allegedly giving Israel an excuse to attack the Gaza Strip.
“The P.A. has also refrained from calling on Hamas to release the Israeli hostages or relinquish control over the Gaza Strip,” Abu Toameh continued.
“In private, Abbas and some P.A. and Fatah officials have lashed out at Hamas for initiating the war with Israel and bringing a new Nakba to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.”
Since Oct. 7, the P.A. has expressed direct support for Hamas’s actions.
In May, al-Habbash posted a threat on his Facebook page, warning that the Oct. 7 massacre could “repeat itself 100 times, and perhaps even more seriously,” according to the Palestinian Media Watch research institute.
In November, Jibril Rajoub, a senior official in the Palestinian Authority’s ruling Fatah faction, expressed support for the Oct. 7 massacre and warned of a similar attack in Judea and Samaria.
According to Abu Toameh, “There are some officials in Ramallah who continue to talk about the possibility of forming a unity government with Hamas.”
They believe that Hamas “is going nowhere and will continue to have a presence in the Gaza Strip the day after the war,” he told JNS.
“That’s why the P.A. is careful in its public positions towards Hamas. The P.A. is also aware that many Palestinians continue to support Hamas,” he said.
WATCH: Joe Biden Appears to Freeze, Obama Escorts Him Off Stage During Star-Studded Fundraiser
(Breitbart) President Joe Biden appeared to freeze while on stage during a star-studded fundraiser on Saturday night and was seen being led off the stage by former President Barack Obama.
Biden and Obama attended the Los Angeles fundraiser, along with celebrities such as George Clooney, Julia Roberts, late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, Jack Black, and Jason Bateman, among many others. Before the fundraiser, it was reported that the Biden campaign had raised more than $28 million.
Biden freezes before Obama grabs his arm and leads him off stage. Yikes! 😳 pic.twitter.com/nCgAGitoQ6
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 16, 2024
“Biden freezes before Obama grabs his arm and leads him off stage,” the Republican National Committee’s account on X posted. “Yikes!”
Video footage on social media showed Biden and Obama standing on the stage as the curtains were drawn open, revealing musicians playing behind them. Biden can be seen facing the side of the stage while clapping his hands, before turning to face the audience in front of the stage.
Biden froze again last night and had to get escorted out by Obama. Is this normal? pic.twitter.com/EJzDag2OQR
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) June 16, 2024
Obama can be seen giving a few small waves to the crowd before taking Biden’s arm to indicate they should walk off the stage. As the two are walking off stage, Obama is seen keeping his hand on Biden’s back.
“Biden froze again last night and had to get escorted out by Obama,” the X account End Wokeness wrote. “Is this normal?”
“Can you feel the energy?” Pradheep J. Shanker, a radiologist and contributor with National Review wrote in a post on X.
“Obama has to grab his hand to signal it’s time to move and then has his hand on his back the entire time to guide him off stage,” another person wrote. “Biden is not okay. They’ll all tell you not to believe your eyes, but my gosh is this obvious.”
A Rasmussen Reports poll taken May 28-30 found 57 percent of voters feel that Biden “is getting less and less mentally sharp,” while 33 percent of voters disagree.
The poll also found that 60 percent of the corporate media have been trying to cover up Biden’s mental decline.
A Harvard-Harris poll from March found that out of 2,111 registered voters, 57 percent had doubts about Biden’s mental fitness after being asked if they felt the president was mentally fit to serve another term. Forty-three percent expressed that Biden “is mentally fit.”
Controversy in Antwerp: The Intersection of Art, Politics, and Anti-Semitism
Controversy in Antwerp: The Intersection of Art, Politics, and Anti-Semitism
Edited by: Fern Sidman
A recent incident at Antwerp’s Monty Hall has sparked significant controversy and backlash, highlighting the complex interplay between politics, art, and anti-Semitism. According to a report that appeared on Sunday in The New York Post, the director of the publicly funded arts center, Lana Willems, canceled a planned event by the Tachkemoni Jewish School, citing Israel’s actions in Gaza as the reason for her decision. This move has ignited a heated debate on the appropriateness of such actions and their broader implications.
On June 27, Monty Hall was set to host an event organized by the Tachkemoni Jewish School. However, Willems rejected the school’s request, expressing her horror at what she described as a “genocide” in Gaza. The information provided in The Post report said that in her communication with the school’s administration, Willems stated, “We look with horror at the genocide that is currently taking place in Gaza. We also work closely with several Palestinian artists who are also suffering from the occupation. For these reasons, we cannot currently respond to a rental request from an organization for which we see links with present-day Israel.”
The reaction to Willems’ decision was swift and severe. Rabbi Menachem Margolin, chair of the European Jewish Association, condemned the move as an act of blatant racism and anti-Semitism. As per the Post report, he called on Antwerp to terminate Monty Hall’s public funding, arguing that the decision unfairly targeted innocent Jewish schoolchildren for a conflict happening thousands of kilometers away.
“This is naked discrimination based on a conflict thousands of kilometers away on the most innocent of all, Jewish schoolchildren,” Rabbi Margolin told the Jewish News Syndicate, according to the Post report. “If it is allowed to stand, the message is simple: ‘Jews, you are second-class citizens, and you are to be punished for events elsewhere.’”
This incident raises critical questions about the role of cultural institutions in political conflicts. While it is not uncommon for arts centers to take political stances, the cancellation of a school event due to geopolitical issues represents a troubling precedent. It suggests that individuals, especially children, can be held accountable for the actions of a nation with which they may have no direct connection.
In response to the widespread condemnation, Willems issued a public apology on June 9. The report in The Post affirmed that she expressed regret for allowing an international conflict to influence the daily lives of Jewish children. This apology, while a step towards addressing the immediate fallout, does not fully mitigate the broader concerns about anti-Jewish discrimination and the politicization of cultural spaces.
“I made errors in the initial communication with the school, for which I have explicitly apologized to them,” Willems stated, according to The Post report. She admitted to prematurely and incorrectly establishing a connection between the school and the Israeli government, which she cited as the basis for her decision not to cooperate with the event.
The situation in Antwerp is not an isolated incident. It closely mirrors a similar controversy that unfolded at The Royal Concert Hall of Amsterdam the previous month. There, officials canceled an event featuring the Israeli Jerusalem Quartet, only to reverse the decision following protests and condemnation from Amsterdam’s Jewish community leaders and Holocaust survivors, according to the Post report.
Cultural boycotts, particularly those targeting Israel, are often intended to express solidarity with Palestinians and protest against Israeli policies. However, these actions can have unintended consequences, including alienating and discriminating against Jewish individuals and organizations that have no direct connection to the Israeli government.
In the case of Monty Hall, the decision to cancel the Tachkemoni Jewish School’s event was based on a perceived association with the Israeli state, a connection that Willems later admitted was falsely and prematurely made, the report in The Post said. This raises ethical questions about the criteria used to determine participation in cultural events and the potential for anti-Jewish discrimination based on nationality or assumed political affiliations.
The backlash from the Jewish community in Antwerp, similar to the response in Amsterdam, calls attention to the profound impact these decisions can have on local communities. Such incidents contribute to a sense of alienation and second-class citizenship among Jewish communities. The perception that they are being held accountable for the actions of the Israeli government can foster feelings of insecurity and mistrust, undermining the social fabric of multicultural societies.
The Hidden Dangers of Energy Drinks: What You Need to Know About Cardiovascular Health
The Hidden Dangers of Energy Drinks: What You Need to Know About Cardiovascular Health
Edited by: TJVNews.com
Energy drinks have become a staple for many seeking a quick boost of energy to combat fatigue and stay alert. These carbonated beverages, often marketed as the perfect solution for late-night study sessions, demanding workdays, or intense workouts, promise to deliver a surge of energy and enhanced focus. However, the New York Post reported that recent research has illuminated a darker side to these popular drinks, revealing serious health risks that could outweigh their temporary benefits.
Energy drinks typically contain a potent combination of refined sugar and high levels of caffeine. While these ingredients can effectively stave off drowsiness and improve concentration, they come with significant downsides. The high sugar content not only contributes to the erosion of teeth but also poses long-term risks to mental health. According to the information provided in The Post report, studies have linked the consumption of energy drinks to an increased risk of mental health issues, including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, anxiety, and even suicidal thoughts, particularly in younger consumers.
One of the most alarming findings concerns the impact of energy drinks on cardiovascular health. Ingredients such as taurine and guarana, common in many energy drinks, have been shown to disrupt cardiovascular function, as was reported by The Post. This disruption can lead to arrhythmia, or an irregular heartbeat, which significantly raises the risk of cardiac arrest.
A recent study by researchers at the Mayo Clinic examined the case studies of 144 patients who survived sudden cardiac arrest. The Post report indicated that they found that approximately 5% of these survivors had consumed an energy drink prior to their life-threatening episode. Although this percentage might seem small, it underscores a potential risk that should not be ignored.
Dr. Michael J. Ackerman, the lead author of the study and a genetic cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic, cautions that while the relative risk is small, the absolute risk of sudden death after consuming an energy drink is even smaller, the report in The Post said. Nonetheless, he advises patients with known genetic heart diseases that predispose them to sudden death to carefully consider the risks and benefits of consuming such drinks.
Professor Peter Schwartz, director of Italy’s Center for Cardiac Arrhythmias of Genetic Origin and Laboratory of Cardiovascular Genetics, supports these findings. The Post reported that he emphasized that the observed risks are not merely coincidental but indicate a genuine association between energy drink consumption and serious health issues. Schwartz’s stance further solidifies the argument that these beverages pose a tangible risk to heart health, especially for individuals with pre-existing conditions.
For the average consumer, the occasional energy drink may seem harmless, but these findings suggest that regular consumption can lead to significant health problems, the Post report noted. The immediate benefits of increased alertness and energy are overshadowed by the potential for long-term harm, including dental issues, mental health problems, and severe cardiovascular events.
Given the evidence, it is crucial for individuals, particularly those with underlying health conditions, to weigh the risks and benefits of energy drinks. Alternatives such as natural stimulants, healthy sleep habits, and balanced diets can provide safer ways to maintain energy levels without jeopardizing health.
Caffeine Content: A Comparative Analysis
Caffeine is a key ingredient in energy drinks and is also found in various other beverages like coffee and tea. The caffeine content in these drinks varies widely:
A typical cup of coffee contains approximately 100mg of caffeine.
Energy drinks can range from 80mg to 300mg of caffeine per serving.
Panera Bread’s now-discontinued “Charged Lemonade” contained a staggering 390mg of caffeine and was linked to a near-fatal cardiac arrest in a teenager.
While caffeine in moderate doses can have beneficial effects, such as increased alertness and heart rate, the high concentrations found in energy drinks raise concerns about their safety, particularly when consumed in large quantities or by individuals with pre-existing health conditions.
The Benefits and Risks of Caffeine
Caffeine, when consumed responsibly, offers several health benefits. Drinking black coffee, for instance, has been associated with weight loss and a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and type 2 diabetes, the Post report indicated. However, these benefits are largely attributed to moderate caffeine intake, typically found in regular coffee, rather than the excessive amounts present in many energy drinks.
In contrast to the potential benefits of caffeine, the refined sugar and artificial sweeteners in energy drinks pose significant health risks. According to The Post report, Dr. Belinda Griffiths of The Fleet Street Clinic highlighted the detrimental effects of these sweeteners on blood glucose levels. They provide a short burst of energy followed by a sharp drop, which can negatively impact mood and increase hunger, leading to overeating.
Moreover, refined sugar and artificial sweeteners can disrupt the gut biome, leading to a range of digestive and metabolic issues, the Post report added. This impact on gut health further underscores the risks associated with regular consumption of energy drinks.
The Real Takeaway
Given the evidence, the safest and most beneficial approach to caffeine consumption is through natural sources such as coffee and tea, which provide moderate caffeine levels without the harmful additives found in energy drinks, the report in The Post explained. By opting for a cup of coffee over an energy drink, individuals can enjoy the alertness and health benefits of caffeine without exposing themselves to the risks associated with high sugar and artificial sweeteners.