An anti-Israel student group at Georgetown University's law school planned to hold an event on campus headlined by a Palestinian terror group member convicted for his role in the killing of a 17-year-old Israeli girl.

But the event was postponed by the university. Now, a Jewish legal advocacy group is calling on the law school to formally cancel the event. 

Flyers on campus, captured in images taken by a Georgetown law student and shared with Fox News Digital, show that Georgetown Law Students for Justice in Palestine organized an event with Ribhi Karajah for Feb. 11. 

"Palestinian Prisoners, an evening with Ribhi Karajah, student activist and former political prisoner," the flyer states, adding that Karajah will speak to students about his "arrest, detention, and torture in the Israeli military judicial system." 

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Karajah, a U.S. citizen, was arrested, along with two members of the U.S.-designated terror group the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), and spent 3½ years in prison for his involvement in an August 2019 roadside bombing that killed a young Israeli named Rina Shnerb and seriously injured her father and brother. Karajh was informed of intimate details of the attack by associates within the PFLP and subsequently admitted in a plea agreement he did nothing to stop it. 

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Karajah also spent several months in an Israeli prison in 2017 while attending Birzeit University, a school known to be a hotbed for terrorist sympathizers. According to Jewish activist Adar Rubin, the director of mobilization at End Jew Hatred, Karajah has promoted PFLP leadership on social media and spoken at PFLP-sponsored events. 

While the student group cited inclement weather on social media as the reason for postponing Karajah's event, it said in a statement that, two days before the event, the law school instructed the student group to postpone the event so that the university "could conduct a thorough investigation into serious safety and security concerns that had arisen in connection with the event." 

Now, The Lawfare Project, a legal advocacy group that supports students facing antisemitism on campus, is calling on the university to cancel the event. In a letter sent to the dean and vice dean of Georgetown's law school Wednesday, The Lawfare Project cited federal law against providing material support for terrorism.

"Under 18 U.S.C. § 2339A, the term ‘material support or resources’ includes, but is not limited to, expert advice or assistance, lodging, training, personnel, and services. The U.S. Supreme Court, in Holder v. Humanitarian Law Project (2010), upheld a broad interpretation of this statute, ruling that even seemingly benign support, such as providing a platform to an FTO member, can further terrorism and violate federal law," The Lawfare Project said in its letter to the dean of Georgetown's law school, William Treanor. 

"By permitting Karajah to speak on its campus, GULC risks providing material support to a known terrorist operative. … The fact that this event was organized by a recognized student group does not absolve the university of liability."

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The Lawfare Project is also calling for Georgetown to reveal whether any law school administrators were aware of Karajah's affiliation with the PFLP before approving the event. As of Thursday, the group told Fox News Digital it had not heard back from the university. 

During Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent trip to the nation's capital, he met with several U.S. college students and recent graduates who have been at the front of rising anti-Israel sentiment on college campuses. During the discussion with these students, Netanyahu was told about the event by Julia Wax Vanderwiel, founder and president of Georgetown Law Zionists. 

"[Netanyahu] had a very visceral reaction to my speech," she told Jewish Insider. "He’s appalled [about the upcoming event]. He said he knows exactly who [the murdered 17-year-old] is. He’s met the family. He said that we need to stay strong. He genuinely listened, cared and wants something done."

Vanderweil added in comments to Jewish Insider that Karajah's "presence on our campus threatens the security of all Jewish students."    

As I write these words, my heart is heavy. For almost 500 days, I've lived in a nightmare that no mother should ever endure. My son, Alon, spent his 24th birthday earlier this week in the dark tunnels of Hamas, chained, tortured and abused – his second birthday in captivity.

Alon is my eldest son. He has two younger siblings. He is beautiful, with blond hair and bright green eyes. He's also an incredibly talented pianist and a sensitive young man with many dreams yet to fulfill. Alon is a people person – I am always inspired by his ability to connect with others and build deep bonds. I miss his smile, his voice, his sense of humor, and our conversations about life. I miss just having him with us, watching him make his way in the world with his characteristic determination and curiosity.

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On Oct. 7, 2023, Alon attended the Nova music festival. When the attack began, he and others sought refuge in what we now tragically call the "death shelter." Out of 27 people hiding there, only seven survived. Four were kidnapped: my son Alon, Or Levy, Eliya Cohen and Hersh Goldberg-Polin. Or was just released this past weekend, Eliya is set to be released later this month, and Hersh was tragically executed in captivity. And my son? Despite his severe injuries and deteriorating condition, he is not even included in the current phase of releases.

This past Saturday, when I watched the release of Or Levy – who was kidnapped together with Alon – along with Eli Sharabi and Ohad Ben-Ami from captivity, I collapsed. Something that hadn't happened to me once in the past 16 months. I burst into tears that I couldn't stop for hours. It was so shocking to see them and the terrible state they were in, so emaciated, pale, with sunken eyes. I tried to imagine my Alon, my beautiful boy. How does he look now? 

That same evening, to my great joy, I received a message – the first sign of life since Oct. 7. Along with this came the horrifying descriptions of the conditions in which he is being held. He was with Or and Eli throughout their time in captivity. He has been restrained with iron shackles during his entire captivity, limiting his movement. He has a severe injury to his eye, with a foreign body lodged in it, leaving him able to see only shadows. There are also shrapnel embedded in his arms and neck that have been left untreated. He, like the others, receives barely one piece of bread per day. Almost 500 days in complete darkness.

And he is still there – not even included in the current phase of the deal. How is my son, chained and wounded, not considered a "humanitarian case"? 

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I am deeply grateful to President Trump for his extraordinary efforts in securing the hostage deal. In a matter of weeks, he achieved what seemed impossible, bringing many of our loved ones back home. His unwavering stance has been clear and powerful – all hostages must be released, and they must be released now. He understands they have no time left. There are still about 20 living hostages, including my son, who aren't included in the first phase of releases. 

President Trump has already proven he can make the impossible possible. Our hope for Alon's return, and the return of all remaining hostages, rests strongly with him. These efforts, alongside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's work, have reunited families and saved lives. 

Alon’s great-grandfather survived Auschwitz, weighing just 38 kilos when liberated. He came to Israel and built a beautiful family. Perhaps it's this resilient DNA that keeps Alon alive now, as he endures conditions that echo the darkest chapters of our people's history. But how can we, in 2025, allow such suffering to continue?

The tunnels where my son is held are dark, but our determination to bring him home must shine brighter than ever. I refuse to let Alon mark another birthday in captivity. I refuse to let him become another statistic in this brutal saga. Bring them home now. Bring my son home now. Before it's too late.

The Shoah Museum in Rome has acquired a piece by reserved contemporary pop artist aleXsandro Palombo after it was defaced in an apparent act of antisemitism.

The mural, which depicts Liliana Segre and Sami Modiano, the last two Italian survivors of Auschwitz, was defaced multiple times and even erased by vandals.

Segre and Modiano are shown in striped clothing under green bullet-proof vests with yellow Stars of David on them, and there are even representations of the serial numbers tattooed on them by the Nazis. The perpetrators vandalized Segre and Modiano’s faces, as well as the stars on their chests, but left the numbers on their arms untouched.

"They took away my face, my identity, they erased the yellow star, but they left the number tattooed on my arm," Segre said.

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Palombo eventually reproduced the piece, and it is now part of the museum’s permanent collection.

"Art is the highest expression of freedom, and repeatedly attacking a work that portrays two survivors of Auschwitz highlights how the very value of democracy and all our freedoms is in danger," Palombo said in a statement. "The gesture of courage and resistance of the Shoah Museum of Rome and the Italian Jewish community is a great and precious lesson in civilization for all of us, who responded to the antisemitic violence and hatred of these new forms of social and cultural terrorism with a powerful action of the Risorgimento."

Palombo has made several pieces honoring the Holocaust, and his other works have not been spared from vandalism.

A piece entitled "Arbeit macht frei," which shows Hungarian writer and Holocaust survivor Edith Bruck wrapped in an Israeli flag was also defaced, with much of the flag being erased. The title of this mural is the same phrase the Nazis put on the gates of Auschwitz, and it translates to "work makes you free."

Bruck told Italian newspaper La Stampa that she was saddened but not surprised by the vandalism, saying that "antisemitism is a tsunami."

The mural of Bruck has also been acquired by the Shoah Museum in Rome.

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Another one of Palombo’s pieces that was vandalized was entitled "Halt! Stoj!," which depicted Segre, Modiano and Burk alongside Pope Francis, who is outfitted with a cross and a sign reading "antisemitism is everywhere." The four are depicted as Simpsons characters, a common motif for Palombo. While the image of the pope was not damaged, vandals defaced the Stars of David on the three Holocaust survivors.

Palombo, a contemporary pop artist and activist, used pop culture references in his artwork, including celebrities and cartoon characters from the Simpsons and Disney. One of his most iconic works is the "Simpsons deported to Auschwitz," which shows Marge, Homer, Maggie, Bart and Lisa before and after the concentration camp, referencing the emaciated state of Holocaust survivors liberated from Nazi camps.

An Israeli student who attended graduate school at Harvard dealt with hostility due to his religious identity and found himself at odds with a professor who compared the idea of the Jewish state to "White supremacy." 

Matan Yaffe is a founder of an organization that helped Israel's Bedouin Muslim population and came to Harvard so he could gain the skills to further his mission of Tikkun Olam or "healing the world." It didn't take long after his arrival for the trouble to begin. 

"Pretty soon on the first day, there were already hints that something was kind of off," Matan Yaffe told Fox News Digital. 

Yaffe, 40, accepted a scholarship to attend Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government in June 2022. Having founded Desert Stars, a non-governmental organization (NGO) that provides educational and employment opportunities to Israel’s Bedouin community. He was excited to attend the Ivy League school to gain skills he could apply back home. 

Yaffe, an IDF officer, said his first impressions of Harvard were positive, but when he entered the Kennedy School’s "Organizing: People, Power, Change," course taught by Professor Marshall Ganz, he immediately became aware that his Israeli identity would become an issue.

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Yaffe is barred from discussing Professor Ganz by name per the terms of a settlement Harvard just reached with the Brandeis Center, which represented the father of five along with other Israeli and Jewish students, but Ganz is named in the lawsuit.

Yaffe decided to team up with two other Israelis on a project entitled "Organizing a growing majority of Israelis acting in harmony building on a shared ethos of Israel, as a liberal Jewish democracy being a cultural, economic and security lighthouse."

The professor summoned the Israelis to his office and informed them that their project was "offensive" and were told they needed to change topics or face "consequences," Yaffe claimed. Ganz allegedly felt that the phrase "Jewish democracy" was at issue and likened the concept to "White supremacy."

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Yaffe was aghast that his project, or homeland for that matter, could be compared to White supremacy, especially since he was hoping his research could help him return to the NGO world to help make Israeli society more inclusive. 

"48% of the world’s nations define themselves by religion or ethnicity including all the Muslim states," Yaffe said in the tense meeting. "I asked him if he ever forced a student to change topics before, and he said no. The whole thing was bizarre," he told Fox News Digital.

The meeting concluded with Yaffe telling the professor that his behavior was antisemitic.  

The entrepreneur said that he and his Israeli classmates were then subjected to a campaign of silencing from the professor. When a fellow classmate offered harsh criticisms of their homeland, they asked to be able to respond.

"You’ve already done enough damage," the professor allegedly replied. Yaffe asked the professor if he would prefer if the three Israeli students dropped his course, Ganz allegedly said he would.

Despite the professor’s seeming antagonism towards the Israeli students, Yaffe and his project-mates attempted to foster dialogue with their classmates regarding their home country. The three Israeli students invited their classmates for a dinner where they could freely discuss any issues they had about Israel or their project. While not all students attended, Yaffe said the dinner went well. 

Yaffe and his Israeli classmates persisted in their choice of project, but were denied the opportunity to present in front of the class, the only students denied the opportunity to do so. Ultimately, the Israeli students all received grades that they felt were unjustly lower than their average. 

"Harvard is the top of the academic world, you’d think it would be a very safe place to share their ideas," Yaffee told Fox News Digital.

While Yaffe felt that being an older student with life experience in the military and the business world helped protect him from what could have been a very traumatic experience, he felt compelled to fight back against what happened so a younger, more vulnerable student would never have to endure what he did. 

"I’m relatively a lucky guy, I have many anchors in my life. I have kids, a wife, a state that I love. What would happen if I didn’t have all of these anchors, if I was a 20-year-old Jewish guy growing up in America not holding the identity of Israel as a backbone, and suddenly I became very alarmed. I understood that many people that might not have the anchors that I have, this kind of incident could be very traumatic on the personal level," Yaffe said.

An independent investigator concluded that the Harvard Kennedy School created a "hostile learning environment" for the Israeli students. Harvard accepted the finding's conclusions. 

Harvard settled with the Brandeis Center on Tuesday. As part of the settlement, the university agreed to adopt the International Historical Remembrance Association’s definition of antisemitism.

"This is a very strong settlement, and a huge win. Not only will this have a major impact at Harvard University and the university’s stature, it will have a huge influence throughout American higher education," Brandeis Center Founder and Chairman Ken Marcus told Fox News Digital. 

Fox News Digital reached out to Harvard and Professor Ganz for comment, but did not immediately hear back. 

Anti-Israel protesters say they spray-painted the front of a Columbia University building and "cemented" the sewage lines of another building to mark the one-year anniversary of a Palestinian girl who was killed by Israeli forces in 2024.

Three groups, in a joint post, uploaded a video to social media on Wednesday showing evidence of their defacement, while Columbia University says it is working with law enforcement to investigate the incident, which included "disturbing, personal attacks."

The video shows the front of the Henry R. Kravis Hall building at the university’s Business School in Manhattan being doused and then covered with red spray paint.

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The walls of the women’s restroom at the university’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) building were also spray-painted with an image of Hind Rajab, the 6-year-old who died during Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza.

The protesters also sprayed the words "Keren eat Weiner" with a drawing of feces. The message relates to Rebecca Weiner, the NYPD’s deputy commissioner for intelligence, who also serves as an SIPA adjunct professor.

The protesters also claimed to have clogged the toilets with cement.

"One year ago, the world failed Hind. But today and every day we owe Hind, all our martyrs, and ourselves, action," the defiant post reads. "So today we acted. Inspired by Hind, and the bravery of every Palestinian child who has faced down Israeli genocide for the last century - whether they threw a Molotov at a checkpoint, a rock at a tank, or made a call for help. So long as they resist, so must we."

The women’s restrooms on the fourth, sixth, 14th, and 15th floors of the SIPA building were "vandalized with a cement-like substance causing the toilets to clog," according to an internal email by the university, cited by the Columbia Spectator. 

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In the video, a gray watery substance is seen in a toilet.

"Early this morning, Columbia Business School’s main entrance was sprayed with red paint in an act of vandalism," the university said in a statement. "Vandalism of a University building in an attempt to disrupt our academic mission and intimidate or harass our community will not be tolerated. We will provide updates as they become available."

The three anti-Israel groups — the Palestine Solidarity Working Group, Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD) and @nycresistswithgaza — bragged about the vandalism and wrote that they targeted the Henry R. Kravis Hall building because they say it is "one of Columbia's most recent violent gentrification projects into Harlem."

"The construction of which was conditioned on the creation of Columbia's Apartheid Global Center in ‘Tel Aviv.’ We will not allow this land-grab to go unchallenged."

They said that the SIPA building was targeted because it was the first Columbia institution to expel a student for their support for "Palestinian liberation," which is run by Keren. 

When a mob of anti-Israel protesters stormed the iconic Hamilton Hall academic building at the university in April during the campus protests, they rebranded it "Hind’s Hall," after Rajab. The group unfurled a banner with "Hind’s Hall" emblazoned on it and at the time they described her as a "Gazan Martyr."

Rajab was killed as she and her family were fleeing Gaza City when their vehicle was shelled.

The attack killed her uncle, aunt and three cousins, with Rajab and another cousin surviving. She contacted the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) to ask for help while noting that they were being attacked by an Israeli tank. 

And then there was a burst of gunfire. She screamed and fell silent. But after the organization sent an ambulance, it lost contact with the crew.

Twelve days later, the ambulance was discovered, blackened and destroyed. The two medics were dead and Rajab. Her cousin also died. 

The Palestinian Red Crescent accused Israeli forces of targeting the ambulance as it pulled up near the family’s vehicle. The organization said it had coordinated the journey with Israeli forces as in the past.

Wednesday's incident came on the same day President Donald Trump ordered a law enforcement crackdown on antisemitism on college campuses, including removing pro-Hamas activists with student visas from the country,

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

An Israeli restaurant in Brooklyn was vandalized over the weekend in what New York City Mayor Eric Adams is calling a "despicable act of antisemitism." 

The New York City Police Department told Fox News Digital that its Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating after the phrases "Israel steals culture" and "Genocide cuisine" were found painted on the exterior of Miriam early yesterday morning. 

"This was a despicable act of antisemitism at Miriam, a beloved Israeli restaurant in Park Slope," Adams wrote on X, sharing images of the restaurant’s front door covered in red paint. 

"As mayor of the city with the largest Jewish population outside of Israel, I am particularly heartbroken by this evil act. Make no mistake, the NYPD is investigating and will find those responsible," he added. 

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The restaurant said it was "sadly vandalized with messages of hate," but "we refuse to let this darken our spirit." 

"Miriam stands for inclusivity and unity and bringing people together through the shared love of delicious food and warm hospitality. We celebrate the diverse flavors of the Mediterranean, where cultures intertwine and stories are shared," it wrote on Instagram. "We will continue to be a safe place where everyone feels welcome. Join us in spreading love, not hate." 

A second Miriam location in Manhattan’s Upper West Side neighborhood was vandalized in 2022, according to the New York Post. 

Owner Rafi Hasid decided to open the Brooklyn location on Sunday with the messages still painted on the glass, the newspaper reported. Three masked individuals reportedly were seen targeting the property around 3 a.m. Sunday. 

"I want the people to see it. I don’t want to wash it right away. People should see... that things like that happen," Hasid told the Post. 

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The NYPD told Fox News Digital that as of Monday morning, "there are no arrests, and the investigation is being handled by the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force." 

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Rep. Ritchie Torres, both Democrats from New York, posted messages of support for Miriam in the wake of the incident. 

"I visited Miriam this evening, the Brooklyn restaurant that experienced despicable vandalism last night. I met with the owner, the workers, and their patrons," Schumer wrote on X. "I told them I stood with them, and that vandalizing a restaurant because the owner was Jewish was outright antisemitism. Period. Hate has no place in New York." 

"Jew-hatred will find no refuge in the City of New York," Torres added. "A hate crime against the Jewish community is a hate crime against all of us." 

Universities and colleges across the US have experienced a rise in antisemitic and anti-Israel activity since Hamas’ brutal attacks on Oct. 7. Anti-Israel agitators have staged massive protests, disrupted courses and events, and set up encampments. However, it's not just the students who are involved, it's also the faculty.

Columbia Business School associate professor Shai Davidai is calling on President Donald Trump to issue an executive order to stop institutions that hire professors who support US-designated terror organizations from receiving federal funds.

In a repost from the account Documenting Jew Hatred on Campus at ColumbiaU, Davidai urged Trump to act.

"I think it’s time for the president to sign a very simple executive order: no federal funds to private institutions that hire professors who support U.S.-designated terrorist organizations," Davidai wrote.

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Davidai believes Columbia is in violation of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and "should not receive federal funding" based on the hiring and elevating of terror group-supporting faculty.

"For the past 15 months, we have seen open support for the annihilation of the State of Israel," Davidai told Fox News Digital. "Not just criticism of the government of Israel, but the existence of Israel and Israelis on university campus both by students but also by professors."

However, Davidai emphasized that this is not just an Israeli issue, it’s an American issue. He notes that the agitators often echo the rhetoric of the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps, seeing Israel as "little Satan" and America as "big Satan."  

"This is anti-Americanism. They hate America, and they say so, it’s not me putting words in their mouths."

Columbia University became a hotbed of anti-Israel and antisemitic activity following the Oct. 7 attacks, even drawing national attention as then-President Minouche Shafik was grilled by lawmakers about the situation. Despite a change in university leadership, anti-Israel agitators are still active on campus.

Last week, anti-Israel agitators disrupted a course called the Modern History of Israel, which was being taught by Avi Shilon, a visiting professor from Israel’s Tel-Hai Academic College. Tel-Hai has faced the threat of Hezbollah attacks due to its location near Israel's northern border.

"Just like Hezbollah would not let him teach his class in Israel, the Hezbollah supporters here in New York City just barged into his class and would not let him teach," Davidai said.

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Columbia did not respond to a request for comment. However, after the incident, interim President Katrina Armstrong issued a statement.

"Today a History of Modern Israel class was disrupted by protesters who handed out fliers. We strongly condemn this disruption, as well as the fliers that included violent imagery that is unacceptable on our campus and in our community. No group of students has a right to disrupt another group of students in a Columbia classroom. Disrupting academic activities constitutes a violation of the Rules of University conduct and the nature of the disruption may constitute violations of other University policies," the statement reads.

"We will move quickly to investigate and address this act. We want to be absolutely clear that any act of antisemitism, or other form of discrimination, harassment, or intimidation against members of our community is unacceptable and will not be tolerated."

FIRST ON FOX– A Jewish Israeli Ph.D. student at the University of California Berkeley (UCB) is suing her local United Auto Workers-affiliated union (UAW) over its alleged discrimination against Israeli and Jewish union members in order to advance an anti-Israel agenda on campus. 

Karin Yaniv filed suit on Friday against her local UAW chapter, alleging she and other Israeli Jews were excluded from full union participation based on their ethnicity. The suit alleges union members acted in a hostile, discriminatory and antisemitic manner, which her lawyers say is a violation of the Civil Rights Act and California law. 

"The union's anti-Israel agenda has created a hostile work environment for many of us on campus," Yaniv told Fox News Digital. "They discriminated against Israeli members, including myself, from union activities and on top of all of that, they're going after our academic freedom. This targeted abuse based on our nationality and religion is antisemitic, and I want to hold them accountable in court for their actions."

"The hostility and abuse was directed only at the Israeli members and was clearly targeted at or because of their national origin, race, and religious faith in violation of Title VII," the federal lawsuit reads. "The Union’s support for, and participation in, these protests fostered an atmosphere of hostility and terror for Israeli Jews, such as Yaniv, who felt ostracized, targeted, and unsafe."

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UAW, which officially stands for the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, is one of the largest unions in North America, with members in broad sectors of the economy, including academics. UC Berkeley has been a hotspot for anti-Israel sentiment and antisemitic demonstrations, especially following the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attack. Yaniv's lawyer said the lawsuit is an attempt to shine a light on the union's alleged role in supporting anti-Israel campus protests.

In recent years, its members have been coordinating and supporting anti-Israel and antisemitic activity on campus, with union leaders allegedly encouraging members to attend anti-Israel rallies and walkouts. 

The suit charges that the union shared resources with pro-Palestinian campus organizations to advance the "Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions" (BDS) agenda against Israel and allegedly regularly kept Yaniv and other Israeli Jews off of union communications, including activities related to BDS activities.

"Now they want to institutionalize that, they have a long-term solution to get us out of here," Yaniv said. 

As a Ph.D. student (or postdoc), Yaniv was represented by the union whether she was a dues-paying member or not. But, following Oct. 7, she said she decided to get more involved and become a paying member so she could engage in dialogue with leadership in the wake of the attack. 

"The union released a statement within days after the October 7th atrocities that felt like a stab in the back for many of us," she said. "They blame what happened on Israel, they did not condemn Hamas, they did not call for the release of the hostages. That was a painful moment for many of us in Jewish communities on campus."

"We tried to engage in dialogue with them to change that statement or understand our point of view and how we can work together, but we failed, and this lawsuit is about ending my union's antisemitic culture," she added. 

The statement from the union's executive board criticized the "decades-long violent occupation of Palestine that has led to this escalation of horrific violence," saying it mourned the deaths of Israelis and Palestinians while condemning Israel's "far-right government."

One Israeli member of the union, Yael Nidam, had family members who were kidnapped by Hamas in the Oct. 7 attack, and she says when she spoke out against the conduct of the union and the targeting of Israeli academics like herself, union members laughed, interrupted her and wrote "LMFAO [laughing my f---ing a-- off]" in the meeting’s Zoom chat. Yaniv maintains that union officials did nothing to stop any of the abusive incidents. 

"She [Nidam] was talking as a peace activist about how to bring us together, [but] people laughed at her," Yaniv said. "This is not new to me. It happened when Israeli friends of mine spoke, people laughed. But when it happened to Yael, it just felt like this disrespect became a structural culture of antisemitism and discrimination."

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"Union officials and members used certain slang like ‘LMFAO’ at Union meetings, and Yaniv believes that Union members and officials did so purposefully in an effort to mock the Israeli members through language they would not understand," the lawsuit states. 

In April 2024, as part of UCB's infamous pro-Palestinian encampment, union leadership established its own "Union Village" in an attempt to legitimize the encampment in the eyes of university administrators, the lawsuit claims. 

"The Gaza encampment prominently featured antisemitic symbolism and rhetoric on banners and signs, including the inverted red triangle that has been used by Hamas to identify military targets and was famously used during the Holocaust to mark political prisoners of concentration camps," the lawsuit reads. "The Union did not condemn this antisemitic symbolism or rhetoric and, in fact, established the Union Village in the vicinity of the banners and signs."

"Leadership of the university and administration wanted to portray this encampment as something [done by] outsiders and not really students," Yaniv said. "But the union came to the rescue, put a union village there alongside the violent rhetoric … [and] violent signs that remind me of Hamas propaganda. It really felt unsafe."

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Yaniv also claimed the union shared information and resources with outside groups like the pro-Palestinian group, Bears for Palestine, which was responsible for shutting down a speaking event for an Israeli attorney and policy advocate, referring to him as a "genocidal murderer" spreading "Zionist propaganda," according to the lawsuit.

Yaniv's lawyer, Danielle Susanj, who serves as executive vice president of the nonprofit law firm the Fairness Center, told Fox News Digital that the lawsuit "makes clear that instead of condemning it [antisemitism] or even being neutral, the union is choosing a side, and it's very clear what side they're choosing."

"Both federal civil rights law, the Civil Rights Act and California law prohibit discrimination on the basis of race or religion or nationality and so we think in this situation, the union has done all three," she added. 

The suit is seeking damages and attorney fees. 

She said unions are accountable for how they treat members and that they are subject to the same laws as many employers, preventing them from discriminating based on race, religion or nationality. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act says it is unlawful for a "labor organization" to "discriminate against… any individual because of his race, color, religion, sex, or national origin."

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"Karin bravely stepping forward and kind of shining a light on what's going on here really has revealed, at least at UC Berkeley, how much support for a lot of what we saw happening on college campuses in the last year and a half, at least at Berkeley," she said. 

Yaniv said she and other postdocs tried to go to the administration about their experience in the hopes they would address the harassment, but the answer from the university was that their hands were tied when it comes to union activities.

"October 7th brought a lot of difficult emotions and I didn't expect to see what I saw," Yaniv said. "I did not expect to see the union align themselves with Hamas or against Israel's existence. It was really unexpected, it was a stab in the back for a lot of us."

Fox News Digital reached out to UAW's national and local Berkeley chapters for comment. A university spokesperson said it was a legal dispute unrelated to the school.

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Fox News' Chris Pandolfo and Ashley Economou contributed to this report. 

TEL AVIV - The Trump administration will do more than its predecessor to combat the tidal wave of Jew-hatred unleashed by Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, Israeli Minister for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Amichai Chikli told Fox News Digital. 

Chikli noted that, when confirmed, the new U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, former Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., will enter into one of the epicenters of the global assault on the Jewish people and their state.

"We saw Stefanik at the hearing on campus antisemitism in Congress," he said, noting that once confirmed as a senior member of the Trump administration she will be "stationed in one of the most hostile arenas: the U.N." Chikli added that she's "A warrior against antisemitism, we are very happy with her appointment."

STEFANIK TOUTS GRILLING COLLEGE ADMINISTRATORS IN SENATE CONFIRMATION HEARING

In December 2023, Stefanik was widely praised during a congressional hearing on the explosion of antisemitism at American universities. She asked the presidents of Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania and Massachusetts Institute of Technology if calling for genocide against Jews violated their codes of conduct.

A year later, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson unveiled the U.S. House of Representatives Staff Report on Antisemitism, compiled by six congressional committees.

Chikli told Fox News Digital four actionable measures to curb the phenomenon: "Enforcing strict compliance with Title VI to prohibit discrimination and address antisemitism on campus; withholding federal funding to institutions that boycott Israel or tolerate antisemitic behavior; requiring universities to disclose foreign contributions and tightening government oversight; and revoking funding and tax exemptions for groups and universities that propagate antisemitism or support terror-related activities."

"This report from the speaker of the House shows that this [Trump] administration is highly committed to countering antisemitism," Chikli said.

In her new role, Stefanik has also promised to fight Jew-hatred at Turtle Bay, which she described as a "den of antisemitism."

TRUMP'S UN AMBASSADOR PICK ELISE STEFANIK COULD SAVE TAXPAYERS MILLIONS IF TAPS MUSK-RAMASWAMY 'DOGE'

"Even before the barbaric terrorist attacks by Hamas on Oct. 7, the U.N. has continuously betrayed Israel and betrayed America, acting as an apologist for Iran and their terrorist proxies," Stefanik said in November after her nomination.

During her Senate confirmation on Tuesday, she said the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), a conduit for international aid to the Palestinians, should be "at the bottom of the list" of organizations to receive American funding.

In January 2024, then-President Joe Biden halted funding to UNRWA after Israel released evidence that the agency's staff participated in the Oct. 7 massacre. 

According to Chikli, UNRWA effectively serves as Hamas's educational system, which in turn makes it the engine fueling antisemitism throughout Gaza and Palestinian-administered territories in the West Bank, known by Israelis as Judea and Samaria.

"It takes a village to raise a child, and it takes a village to raise a terrorist. And if you put a child in UNRWA schools, you can be sure that he will graduate with the mindset of a terrorist," Chikli told Fox News Digital.

NEW REPORTS CLAIM UNRWA WORKS WITH TERRORISTS, TEACHES HATE AS AGENCY HITS BACK AT CRITICS

"[Palestinian children] will learn to admire suicide bombers, Hamas Nukhba terrorists who butchered innocent people. They go to schools named after terrorists, with textbooks that include math problems about how many Israeli soldiers were attacked or how many stones were thrown at them," he continued.

"That is why it is critical to make sure UNRWA is shut down," he added. 

In October, the Israeli parliament banned UNRWA from operating in the Jewish state. The law takes effect on Jan. 30.

A spokesperson for Israeli Opposition Leader Yair Lapid told Fox News Digital that "the government and the international community has had 90 days to find alternatives to UNRWA."

He declined to say whether Lapid was in contact with the Trump administration to discuss "day after" plans once UNRWA ceases operations. 

In August, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini confirmed the probable involvement of at least 19 UNRWA employees in the Oct.7 massacre, saying that "the evidence – if authenticated and corroborated – could indicate that the UNRWA staff members may have been involved in the attacks."

He later confirmed that at least nine UNRWA staffers were fired after an internal probe.

UNRWA Director of Communications Juliette Touma told Fox News Digital that "we are committed to staying and delivering [aid] in the occupied Palestinian territories, including the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, until we cannot."

"UNRWA has the most robust systems in place in comparison to other United Nations agencies when it comes to the adherence to the principle of neutrality with regards to our programs that we do and our staff," she said. 

Asked whether the organization has put together a plan for ongoing operations once the Israeli ban kicks in, she said, "We have not."

Ayelet Samerano’s son, Yonatan, was kidnapped by a terrorist who also reportedly worked for UNRWA on Oct. 7, 2023. A video of the terrorist dragging Yonatan's lifeless body into a car went viral. 

"I will not let it go. I am pressuring the government very hard for the law, which passed in the Knesset, to be implemented," Samerano told Fox News Digital. "I didn’t know UNRWA before, but then I investigated and found many documents that prove it's involved in terror. That they were involved in taking hostages on Oct. 7 and holding kidnapped Israelis in their homes and buildings means there is no reason for this organization to continue to exist."

"We must ensure that UNRWA will be replaced by another organization that will help the Gazans and make sure terror does not infiltrate them," she continued. "People outside of Gaza and interested in real peace must teach a new curriculum that will create opportunities for Gazans, not terror."

Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon told Fox News Digital that Stefanik is "a staunch ally of Israel and of the Jewish people."

"She leads with moral clarity and a strong commitment to justice and truth," he said. "I am looking forward to working with her at the U.N., where the demonization and distortions about Israel are out of control."

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., attacked the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) for defending what she claimed was a "Heil Hitler salute" by X CEO Elon Musk on Monday.

Musk spoke at an inauguration event for President Trump at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. where he excitedly addressed the audience.

"This is what victory feels like! And this was no ordinary victory, this was a fork in the road for human civilization… I just want to say thank you for making it happen, thank you. From my heart to yours," Musk told the roaring crowd of MAGA faithful. The SpaceX CEO placed his hand over his heart, then reached out to the crowd.

Several news outlets and commentators quickly accused Musk of giving a Nazi salute. However, the ADL wrote on X later that it believed it was just an enthusiastic gesture.

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"This is a delicate moment. It’s a new day and yet so many are on edge. Our politics are inflamed, and social media only adds to the anxiety. It seems that @elonmusk made an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute, but again, we appreciate that people are on edge. In this moment, all sides should give one another a bit of grace, perhaps even the benefit of the doubt, and take a breath. This is a new beginning. Let’s hope for healing and work toward unity in the months and years ahead," the ADL wrote.

The ADL's mission is "to stop the defamation of the Jewish people, and secure justice and fair treatment to all."

Ocasio-Cortez didn’t believe the statement and accused the organization of defending a Nazi salute.

"Just to be clear, you are defending a Heil Hitler salute that was performed and repeated for emphasis and clarity. People can officially stop listening to you as any sort of reputable source of information now. You work for them. Thank you for making that crystal clear to all," Ocasio-Cortez wrote.

Fox News Digital reached out to the ADL for a comment.

ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt previously criticized Ocasio-Cortez and other "Squad" House members in 2023 for their extreme positions on the Israel-Gaza war.

"I think Rashida Tlaib has been so marginalized in her own district. And like, AOC, I don't even see her in the media anymore. I think these individuals with their radical ideas have marginalized themselves," Greenblatt told Fox News Digital at the time.

AOC BLISTERED AFTER RESPONSE TO ELON MUSK SAYING SHE'S 'JUST NOT THAT SMART'

"So, I just think AOC doesn't matter that much. She's one of 430-something people, or Tlaib or Ilhan Omar, and we don't need to assign them any more influence because already you see that their influence has waned and weakened in the last few years as their positions have become more radical, and they've reduced their ability, I think, to reach a wider audience," Greenblatt continued. "There are extreme voices on all sides. Let's leave them on the fringe where they belong."

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As the new U.S. Congress convened, the 98 hostages being held by Hamas – including seven Americans – must be an immediate priority. 

The fact that the 118th Congress failed to secure the release of American citizens held for over a year in Hamas dungeons in Gaza will forever remain a stain on its record. The 119th session would do well to advocate for their release in actions and not just words. 

Our newly elected officials should wield the full power of both chambers to support President-elect Trump’s sentiments that there will be "hell to pay" if the hostages aren’t released by his inauguration and follow up with those that defy the demand of the president. 

7 US HOSTAGES STILL HELD BY HAMAS TERRORISTS AS FAMILIES PLEAD FOR THEIR RELEASE: 'THIS IS URGENT'

While the negotiations with Hamas flow mostly through the Oval Office, Congressional bodies such as the Foreign Affairs, Finance, Appropriations, and Judiciary committees, as well as individual House leaders, must play a more crucial role in demonstrating there is no daylight between the incoming administration and Congress on the topic of U.S. hostages.

The Senate’s Foreign Affairs Committee will undoubtedly play a key role as the only committee with jurisdiction to deliberate and report on treaties submitted by the president to the Senate for consideration. The committee can directly summon ambassadors involved in the hostage negotiations such as those representing Qatar, Turkey, and Egypt, to demand to know why U.S. citizens are still being held hostage. It can also make direct correlation between countries actively seeking with the U.S. long-term strategic defense treaties as in the case of Saudi Arabia to actively supporting the release of American hostages.

As for the Judiciary Committee, it has a critical role in providing oversight over the Department of Justice and the agencies under the department's jurisdiction, including the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security. 

Forty-seven U.S. citizens were killed by Hamas during the brutal Oct. 7, 2023 attack, and the judiciary should enforce indictments of those individuals accused of supporting the murder of Americans abroad who are being hosted by U.S. allies such as Turkey and Qatar. 

Furthermore, the committee should further expand the Anti-Terrorism Act, enabling families of victims to sue in a civil court commercial entities connected to these crimes. This would send a clear message: beware those that believe they can support terrorist activities unnoticed. It should also hold the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) accountable, demanding it puts timely and significant sanctions on entities supporting terrorist organizations.

CEASE-FIRE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS GETTING CLOSER AMID CONCERNS TERROR GROUP REARMING IN GAZA

The Senate Appropriations Committee also has a role to play as defined by the Constitution, which requires "appropriations made by law" as a condition for expenditures made by the U.S. Treasury. In other words: Follow the money. Countries seeking U.S. financial aid should be unreservedly respectful of U.S. demands, especially on the topic of unlawful detention of Americans. For example, in September, the committee approved $1.3 billion in aid to Egypt. Such aid should have been conditioned on Cairo destroying all tunnels leading from Egypt into Gaza, which were used to transfer the very weapons utilized to kill U.S. citizens and to take them hostage.

The new Congress has a moral and legal obligation to ensure the return of the seven American hostages. What power does a global superpower have if it cannot even secure the release of its citizens from a floundering terror group? It must show its commitment in the "House of the People" via all of its political, financial, and judicial levers in order to help bring the American and all the other hostages home. 

By taking a more vigorous approach vis a vis countries and commercial entities that have a proven capability of influencing Hamas, the U.S. will demonstrate its commitment to its citizens and its unwillingness to tolerate terrorism and human rights abuses. 

As we and countless others watch and wait, hopeful for the return of our loved ones, it is imperative that the U.S. with the active support of Congress act decisively, and without delay. I have a dream that next week, when I attend President Trump’s inauguration, he will say he secured the release of all of the U.S. hostages, just like President Reagan did at his inauguration in 1981.

Dozens of American college students visited Israel and the United Arab Emirates over the winter break, where they witnessed first-hand the successes of the historic Abraham Accords amid ongoing campus tensions at home as the war in Israel continues. 

Forty-three undergraduate students from across the country participated in a 10-day trip to Israel and the UAE over the winter semester break through the Israel on Campus Coalition’s Geller International Fellowship, Fox News Digital learned. The students met with business leaders, academics and political leaders to discuss and experience Middle East culture, as well as see first-hand the importance of the Abraham Accords, which were brokered under President-elect Donald Trump’s first administration in 2020. 

"Witnessing the successes of the Abraham Accords first hand with a group of college students who are passionate about peace and coexistence, in an era where dialogue on American college campuses like my own is sparse, has been a poignant and critical reminder of what the future of the Middle East can hold," Columbia University senior studying the Middle East, Eden Yadegar said in comment to Fox News Digital. 

"Peace, security, and coexistence are not distant ideals, but a reality on the ground thanks to the United States, Israel, and the UAE. The future of the Middle East is here and it’s bright, and I am incredibly grateful to the Israel on Campus Coalition for providing me with the opportunity to engage in these critical conversations and experiences."

TRUMP'S HISTORIC ABRAHAM ACCORDS WOULD BE BOLSTERED WITH MILITARY 'EXCHANGE PROGRAM' UNDER BIPARTISAN BILL

The Abraham Accords are a historic peace agreement brokered by the U.S. in 2020 between Israel and the UAE. As part of the agreements, the UAE and Bahrain recognized Israel’s sovereignty and established full diplomatic relations. It marked the first time Israel had established peace with an Arab country since 1994 with the Israel-Jordan peace treaty. 

"This historic diplomatic breakthrough will advance peace in the Middle East region and is a testament to the bold diplomacy and vision of the three leaders and the courage of the United Arab Emirates and Israel to chart a new path that will unlock the great potential in the region," Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed said in a joint statement at the time. "All three countries face many common challenges and will mutually benefit from today’s historic achievement."

BIDEN HAS 'REPEATEDLY HELD ISRAEL BACK,' SAYS ABRAHAM ACCORDS NEGOTIATOR

Students who participated in the fellowship met with experts such as Israeli politician and diplomat Ruth Wasserman Lande and Middle East expert and lecturer Dan Feferman to discuss entrepreneurship and coexistence in the Middle East following the peace deal, as well as experts such as the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ senior fellow Jonathan Conricus and Saudi YouTuber Loay Alsharef to discuss diplomacy and peacebuilding under the accords. 

WHAT I SAW IN ISRAEL REVEALS ABRAHAM ACCORDS IN ACTION

"The Geller International Fellowship highlights the promise of the next generation of pro-Israel leaders and their potential to strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship and advance the principles of the Abraham Accords," Israel on Campus Coalition CEO Jacob Baime told Fox News Digital. "Thanks to the generosity of Martin and Lauren Geller, this program provides students with a deeper understanding of Israel's complexities and a foundation for informed advocacy. These fellows return to campus with a renewed sense of purpose and a commitment to sharing their experiences. This fellowship reflects ICC's ongoing work to strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship and develop new leaders."

The Israel on Campus Coalition is a U.S.-based organization that works to inspire American college students and pro-Israel college groups to "see Israel as a source of pride and empower them to stand up for Israel on campus." 

University of Southern California senior studying public policy, ​​Aidan Bloomstine, said in a comment to Fox Digital that the trip was "the opportunity of a lifetime" that reignited his optimism "that one day this region will live in peace and prosperity."

BIDEN ADMIN SHOULD LOOK AT ABRAHAM ACCORDS-TYPE INITIATIVE WHEN HAMAS TERROR REGIME IS DEFEATED

"Those foundational principles were perfectly displayed on this trip. Hearing the successes of the diplomatic and economic cooperation firsthand from Emiratis and Israelis shows us a well-paved path for peace in other areas of the region," the ICC fellow continued. 

University of Michigan Ross School of Business senior Sam Heller echoed Bloomstine that the fellowship and trip abroad was "one of the most transformative experiences," especially after war broke out in Israel in 2023, which soon led to anti-semitism on U.S. college campuses and repeated anti-Israel protests. 

"Being surrounded by like-minded campus leaders, all deeply committed to ensuring that truth prevails in these challenging times since the 10/7 Hamas massacre, has been both inspiring and reassuring. It has given me confidence that the next generation of leaders in our country will continue to champion Western values and steadfastly support America's closest ally, Israel. I am incredibly grateful to ICC for the opportunity to engage experts on the Israel-Palestine conflict and professionals dedicated to advancing peace in the Middle East. I eagerly anticipate watching this remarkable cohort of young leaders evolve into the policy," Heller said. 

KT MCFARLAND: TRUMP'S ABRAHAM ACCORDS ARE SO SIGNIFICANT, EVEN 'A BIDEN ADMIN CAN'T SCREW IT UP'

Agitators and student protesters flooded college campuses nationwide last school year to protest the war in Israel, which also included spiking instances of antisemitism and Jewish students publicly speaking out that they did not feel safe on some campuses. 

Protesters on Columbia University’s campus in New York City, for example, took over the school's Hamilton Hall building, while schools such as UCLA, Harvard and Yale worked to clear spiraling student encampments where protesters demanded their elite schools completely divest from Israel. 

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Terrorist organization Hamas launched a war in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which initially fanned the flames of antisemitism on campuses in the form of protests, menacing graffiti and students reporting that they felt as if it was "open season for Jews on our campuses." The protests heightened to the point Jewish students at some schools, including Columbia, were warned to leave campus for their own safety. 

On Penn's campus, Fox News Digital exclusively reported in May that anti-Israel radicals were passing around multiple guides directing agitators on how to break into buildings, "escalate" protests, create weapons and even administer first aid.

The sponsors of the program, Martin and Lauren Geller, highlighted in comments to Fox Digital that the fellowship bolsters the next generation to strengthen the principles outlined in the Abraham Accords. 

"The Geller International Fellowship is more than a program—it is an educational investment in the next generation of leaders committed to strengthening the U.S.-Israel relationship and the principles of the Abraham Accords. We are honored to partner with Israel on Campus Coalition, whose exceptional leadership ensures that students gain a transformative understanding of Israel's heritage, innovation, and resilience and to prepare these talented individuals to be leaders in the pro-Israel movement on campus as well as in their communities. Supporting this fellowship is a privilege, and we are inspired by the impact these students will have as advocates for Israel on campuses and beyond," the couple said. Martin Geller is the founder and chairman of wealth management firm Geller & Company. 

ANTI-ISRAEL AGITATORS TERRORIZE AMERICANS: SEE 2024'S MOST EXTREME MOMENTS

Ahead of Trump’s election win over Vice President Kamala Harris last year, the former and upcoming president said on the campaign trail to expand the Abraham Accords if re-elected. Trump is set to be inaugurated as the nation’s 47th president on Jan. 20. 

 "If I win, that will be an absolute priority: just getting everybody in. It’s peace in the Middle East. We need it, and it’s very important. It will happen," Trump said of the Abraham Accords during an interview with Saudi outlet Al Arabiya in October.

Former Israel Defense Forces Major Sagi Dovev spent 20 years training young soldiers in Israel's military before retiring two years ago to start his own organization. But when he woke up on the morning of October 7, 2023, he knew everything had changed.

"Sirens were everywhere. I knew exactly what was going on because I'm in many WhatsApp groups for professional security," Dovev told Fox News Digital. As he witnessed the atrocities broadcast live to social media by Hamas terrorists that day, he knew war had begun.

On his way to base, friends started calling to tell him that his soldiers had been wounded and were being sent to Sheba Medical Center. Dovev said he immediately turned around and headed to the hospital where he saw helicopters dropping off dozens of wounded soldiers "every few minutes."

He ended up staying with one of his soldiers that day as he was rushed into surgery to have his leg amputated. But Dovev realized he couldn't leave these soldiers behind. 

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"When I got called back to base to train at the base, I said, I cannot leave the soldiers here at the hospital. I have to stay here and train them here," he recalled. "And that's what I've been doing since October 7."

Dovev, a close combat and resilience trainer who formerly served as a special operations close combat head trainer in the IDF, has spent over a year now volunteering day and night at Sheba Hospital, helping wounded soldiers regain their strength and sense of purpose after being injured in the ongoing war in Gaza.

"It became even more than a job," he explained.

Dovev shares inspirational videos on his social media accounts showcasing the incredible journeys these young men and women have gone through to recover not just their physical strength, but their mental strength, in dealing with devastating injuries from the war.

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He shares stories like that of Elisha Medan, who lost both of his legs from an explosion that killed four of his teammates and critically wounded four others.

"But his spirit is high and his resilience is strong. He wants us to stay united (inside and outside Israel) and fight together for the future of Israel. I really hope we are going to see him one day soon, leading this country," Dovev wrote alongside a video of Medan training with Dovev.

Stories like Dor Almog, a young soldier who was the sole survivor after 21 of his teammates died in a terrorist attack. Dovev shared how Almog went from being hooked up to a ventilator after the attack last January to learning to walk again to training in Krav Maga by that summer.

Or stories like Gaya Zubery's, the first female soldier severely wounded in Gaza.

"Only a month and a half after completing her training, Gaya was severely injured while rescuing soldiers from a tank hit by an RPG in Saja’iyya. Gaya was injured in both legs and was airlifted in critical condition," he wrote in the social media post.

"During five months of rehabilitation, Gaya underwent numerous surgeries but maintained her fighting spirit. Her determination and resilience are truly inspiring. Gaya never wanted to be a hero; she simply wanted to save lives. Even after her injury, she says she would do it all over again," Dovev said.

"I started teaching them how to fight again. How to walk again, how to fight without a leg. How to punch without a leg. How to control their body to learn their new bodies. And that became a big thing," Dovev explained to Fox News Digital.

"This is what made them feel like warriors again. Because one day they are elite fighters or elite professional athletes, and the next day they need someone to help them take a shower or help them go to the bathroom. They have to learn their new bodies, how to become resilient again. And they do," he continued.

Sometimes that means sitting by the beds of these soldiers and offering words of encouragement while they remain unconscious.

"We start building it from scratch, from their lowest point," Dovev said, saying each person's journey to rehabilitation can take several months to a year's time.

The proud Israeli feels his calling is to help these soldiers feel strong again and to share their stories with the world, even as anti-Israel sentiment has spread across the globe since the October 7 attacks.

The war between Israel and Hamas remains a divisive issue in the U.S., particularly on college campuses, where protest encampments took over several elite universities last spring.

Dovev, who has seen firsthand the costs of war, offered blunt criticism of students participating in anti-Israel protests.

"Ignorance is not an excuse," Dovev said. "If any other group was targeted, no one would say, 'it's not a big deal.' But, this is a big deal."

"They don't know the situation," he said of his interactions with students at encampments. "They can't even point to where the river or the sea" is, referring to the antisemitic phrase frequently chanted at protests.

Dovev sees the fight against Hamas as a fight to preserve not only his people but the freedoms of the entire western world.

"This is the only Jewish land and this is what we are fighting for and this is what we are dying for. For this country, for democracy, for the Jewish people, for the western world."

"Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East," he said, inviting critics of Israel to come visit Tel Aviv and see the difference for themselves. "Yet if they come to Gaza, they will be thrown off the roof in five minutes if they are LGBTQ."

Dovev warned Americans, "You don't want this radicalism to come to the United States. It has already begun. Look at Canada. Look at Europe. We have to stop the spread of Hamas and Hezbollah and ISIS."

Israel and Hamas once again appear to be inching toward a ceasefire that could wind down the 15-month war in Gaza and bring home dozens of Israelis held hostage there, the Associated Press reported earlier this week.

Both Israel and Hamas are under pressure from outgoing President Biden and President-elect Donald Trump to reach a deal before the Jan. 20 inauguration. But the sides have come close before, only to have talks collapse over various disagreements.

Last week, Trump was asked about the threats he first levied in early December at the Hamas terrorist organization that has continued to hold dozens of hostages, seven of whom are American, in Gaza.

Israel says about a third of the remaining nearly 100 hostages have died, but believes as many as half could be dead, the Associated Press reported.

Trump told reporters that "all hell will break out" if the hostages have not been freed by the time he enters office.

The Associated Press and Fox News' Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.

The Biden administration is illegally sanctioning American citizens in Israel and the West Bank, a federal lawsuit filed Thursday claims.

The National Jewish Advocacy Center, Inc. (NJAC), along with Zell Aron & Co. and Marcus & Marcus LLC, filed a federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Thursday, challenging the Biden administration’s Executive Order (EO) 14115. 

The lawsuit is the second of its kind against what lawyers argue are unconstitutional, unprecedented sanctions against Jewish people living in Israel and the West Bank, including American citizens like plaintiffs Levi Yitzchak Pilant and Issachar Manne. 

Following the Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel, President Biden signed an executive order (EO) in February 2024, imposing sanctions on "persons undermining peace, security, and stability in the West Bank." 

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Biden said, in announcing the EO, that "the situation in the West Bank-in particular high levels of extremist settler violence, forced displacement of people and villages, and property destruction-has reached intolerable levels and constitutes a serious threat to the peace, security, and stability of the West Bank and Gaza, Israel, and the broader Middle East region."

As a result, the sanctioned individuals have had their bank accounts frozen, credit cards canceled and faced an inability to conduct basic life activities. Critics say the move allows the administration to sanction Jews in Israel who disagree with the administration’s policies, which they believe to be a violation of the constitutional rights of U.S. citizens in Israel and their supporters in America. 

EO 14115 authorizes financial sanctions on "foreign person[s]" who take actions that conflict with the Biden administration’s policy in Judea and Samaria, also known as the West Bank, but the lawsuit argues that the only individuals these provisions have been applied to are Jews. 

"When you apply a double standard to sanction only Jewish people, and when you punish Jews for the simple act of being Jewish in a place where you do not want them to be, there is a word for that, and it is not pretty," NJAC CEO Mark Goldfeder said. 

Additionally, the lawsuit criticizes the State Department for its lack of investigation into the alleged claims, arguing that they instead relied almost entirely on biased reports made by radical anti-Israel groups full of demonstrably false allegations. 

Pilant was sanctioned on Aug. 28, 2024, for "malign activities outside the scope of his authority" including leading "a group of armed settlers to set up roadblocks and conduct patrols to pursue and attack Palestinians in their lands and forcefully expel them from their lands." 

The lawsuit maintains that he has never engaged in violence against Palestinians at any time. 

"The State Department’s accusations are entirely false and appear to be based on a ‘comprehensive dossier’ submitted just a few days prior to the sanctioning by Democracy for Arab World Now ("DAWN"), an organization whose board members have ties to the extremist Muslim Brotherhood and have praised Hamas, and which failed to even get Plaintiff Pilant’s last name right," the lawsuit states. 

In fact, the lawsuit noted that the State Department has acknowledged that Pilant is a bona fide security official of the Israel government authorized to counter threats to the safety of Israeli citizens and was in active army service when organizing patrols and roadblocks as part of a government mission. 

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Manne and the "Manne Farm Outpost" was also sanctioned by the State Department on July 11, 2024, for establishing the farm "on pastureland belonging to the Palestinian community," arguing "settlers from this outpost regularly attack community shepherds and prevent their access to pastureland through acts of violence." 

His lawyers, however, argue he has "never appropriated, nor has he sought to appropriate, land under private Palestinian ownership or otherwise designated by the Israeli government as private or restricted." In fact, he has a general policy to graze his herd of approximately 130 sheep in areas that are not owned by private individuals, be it Israelis or Palestinians. 

Both Pilant and Manne argue that, as a result of the sanctions, they've had their bank accounts and credit cards frozen, are unable to make mortgage payments and have suffered from harm to their finances and reputations. 

Fox News Digital previously covered a similar lawsuit filed by a group of Israelis against the administration, challenging the constitutionality of the first-of-its-kind sanction regime, but this is the first challenge to the sanctions order brought by sanctioned individuals. The plaintiffs are U.S. citizens who allege that the sanctions violate their Due Process and Equal Protection rights. 

George Mason University Law School Professor Eugene Kontorovich, who served as NJAC legal consultant and member of the legal team in the first legal case challenging the sanctions, said the government's actions are based on a shocking idea that certain land is inherently "Palestinian." 

"American Jews are having their bank accounts frozen and their lives turned upside down for no better reason than that people who think they have no right to live in the West Bank have pointed fingers at them," he said. 

Kontorovich previously argued that "violence" is defined by anti-Israel groups and can be applied to Jews who defend themselves in the face of a Palestinian attacker in an "arbitrary" way by relying on data from the website of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), categorizing acts of self-defense by Jews and anti-terror operations by the Israel Defense Forces as settler violence, according to the lawsuit. 

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For example, the suit states, after a Palestinian was shot dead after breaking onto a Jewish farm in the northern West Bank armed with a knife and explosives, the UN labeled him a victim of "settler violence."

"This is all the more striking because there are thousands of Palestinians who have engaged in terrorist attacks on Jewish civilians that unquestionably threaten the ‘peace, security, or stability of the West Bank,’" the lawsuit adds. 

In 2024, there were 1,040 major Palestinian attempts on Jewish life: 689 firing attacks, 326 explosives, 13 stabbings, 9 driving attacks, 2 suicide attacks, and 1 kidnapping, according to the lawsuit. There were 231 successful attacks resulting in 46 killed and 337 wounded.

Matthew Mainen, litigation counsel at NJAC, added that the Biden administration’s "lazy and clearly politically motivated EO undermines Israel’s security by sanctioning individuals like Levi Yitzhak Pilant, an IDF officer who is the first line of defense in his community, and Issachar Manne, a Jew who dares to defend himself and his land from terroristic incursions." 

"That the administration did not even bother to check if these individuals were U.S. citizens before sanctioning them as ‘foreign persons’ exposes a sad vendetta that we are now seeking to rectify," he said. 

Fox News Digital reached out to the State Department for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

Kai Höss walks to the podium every Sunday at a small church in Germany to share a message of salvation and God’s grace and forgiveness. 

He’s the lead pastor at the Bible Church of Stuttgart, a non-denominational church that serves the English-speaking international community as well as U.S. service members and their families who are stationed in the area.

He’s also the grandson of former Auschwitz Commandant Rudolf Höss, a Nazi official who oversaw the mass murder of an estimated 1.1 million people, the majority of them Jews, at the notorious extermination camp in southern Poland.

Höss spoke with Fox News Digital from his home in Germany to share his thoughts on antisemitism today and how he reconciles his Christian faith with what his grandfather did nearly 80 years ago.

He was raised in a non-Christian home with non-believing parents, but his Grandma Caroline was a believer who "understood Christ" and the Gospel. 

"I thought she was really weird," Höss admitted.

He graduated from school, trained as a chef, joined the military and then studied hotel tourism management. He worked abroad for roughly 20 years, spending most of his time with big-name hotel chains like Sheraton and Shangri-La.

"I was a young urban professional full of myself, in love with myself, you know, Rolex, golden Amex, Mr. Cool, going to clubs, out every night. That was my life," he said.

It wasn’t until a medical operation went wrong that he turned his life around. He found a Bible in the hospital room, initially telling himself that he wasn’t going to read it, but continued book by book.

He was saved in Singapore in 1989. "God saved a wretch like me, you know? And that's what he does. And it never stops. His grace abounds," Höss said. 

The father of four openly speaks about his family’s past and his salvation and goes to schools to share his story and speak out against antisemitism.

Höss was in sixth or seventh grade when he discovered that Rudolf Höss was his grandfather, which left him feeling deeply ashamed.

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"I didn't go around telling people, 'Hey, you know, I'm the grandson of the greatest mass murderer in human history,'" he told Fox News Digital. "So, I just kept it quiet."

After he became a Christian, he felt compelled to share his grandfather’s dark legacy and share a message of forgiveness, grace and reconciliation. He shared his testimony at a U.S. military retreat in Germany, where he was embraced by a Jewish military officer whose family had been murdered in Auschwitz.

"I started thinking, ‘How can I give something back? How can I do something to’ – I know I can't make it undone. I can’t reverse history, but I thought, you know, I can do something. I can just love them and what I can do, I can proclaim the truth from God's word to Christians," Höss said. 

Through Jesus Christ, he believes God's grace is able to redeem even the darkest past. 

When speaking to students in Germany, Höss addresses antisemitism by drawing connections between the past and the present, specifically referencing World War II, his grandfather’s role and the power of hate.

He explains the concept of social Darwinism, which was used by the Nazis to justify their belief in racial superiority. He explains how Darwin’s theory of evolution was misapplied to humans, leading to the idea that certain races were "stronger" and more "superior" than others and thus had the right to dominate or eliminate "weaker" races.

Höss emphasized that this false ideology fueled much of the hatred against Jews, along with other marginalized groups, during World War II.

He connects his presentations to social media platforms today and how TikTok, for example, can be highly influential, especially with its short, emotionally charged clips. He warns students about the danger of being swayed by superficial or biased content, emphasizing the importance of thinking critically and not simply swallowing information "hook, line and sinker" without considering the deeper truths or questioning the narrative.

"One of my friends called it TikTok mentality, TikTok brains, you know, you get these endorphins, you get these, you know, little hormone boosts every time you see a little clip. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. And then it gets so addictive, right? And people get filled with the wrong idea. They don't look for deeper truth. They don't analyze," he told Fox News Digital.

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Höss reacted to anti-Israel protests that erupted on U.S. college campuses after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel, noting how much of the support for violence on campuses comes from people acting emotionally, often without a full understanding of the historical and political complexities of the situation.

Julia Wax, a Georgetown University law student, told "Fox & Friends" in the wake of Oct. 7 that college campuses are a "hostile environment" for Jewish students. 

"People are scared to go to class. You have to sit next to classmates who are posting antisemitic rhetoric, who are promoting rallies that spew antisemitic rhetoric. People are scared, and the universities are not doing their part, and they're not stepping up, and they're staying silent," Wax said.

Höss told Fox News Digital he hears people chanting "From the river to the sea," but if you ask them what that river or sea is, "they have no idea." "They want to be part of something. They feel good about it. They get the basic message, the narrative. They've never really questioned both sides of the coin, so they don't really have the full information. They're not really interested because, again, it's emotional. It's an emotional response."

He critiqued how people, driven by ideologies or emotional narratives, can turn hatred into action, leading to harm and violence against others.

"We get infiltrated by ideas, ideologies, thoughts, emotions. And then we start going all for it. We go right out there, and we turn these thoughts into actions. And one of them is hatred and hatred turning into bloodshed. And that's exactly what we see on the campuses. We see people are willing to go out for this idea and do bad things. I mean, [they] don't realize that this Jewish person there is just, you know, a normal person like they themselves," Höss said.

"He's made of flesh and blood, right? He's a student. He's just a normal person. And here I hate someone because of something a government did somewhere on the other side of the planet, you know? And is everything that happened right? Perhaps not, you know, in that whole conflict there," he added, referring to the Israel-Hamas war. "I hope they're going to come to a point now where this whole thing sort of slows down and people can help."

Höss and his father traveled to Auschwitz three years ago when they were filming the HBO documentary "The Commandant’s Shadow." They met with Holocaust survivor Anita Lasker-Wallfisch in her home and came to terms with Rudolf Höss’ murderous past. 

"We pray for her," he added. "And I feel so privileged and thankful, humbled that we were allowed to go there and my dad and I and just see her and spend time with her. A person that had suffered so much under my grandfather's cruel, cruel system in that concentration camp."

Höss has plans to speak at a synagogue in Freiburg, Germany, in January as part of the commemoration services for the 80th anniversary of Auschwitz’s liberation. 

"[It’s] an amazing opportunity to speak up and to be part of something like that," he told Fox News Digital.

Dear President-elect Donald Trump,

My name is Ofri Bibas Levy. While you may not know me personally, you have surely heard of my brother Yarden Bibas, his wife Shiri, and Ariel and Kfir, their two red-headed children who have captured hearts worldwide. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented you with a photo of young Ariel holding his drawing of Batman, with the words "I'm flying and saving people who are stuck in a hole"—just as he and so many others remain trapped today.

These children and their parents lived an ordinary family life—a busy routine of parents with two young children—until they were taken from us more than a year ago. There is still hope: intelligence confirms that more than HALF of the 100 hostages still in captivity are alive, but their time is rapidly running out. My family members are among those we can still save, but only if we act now.

On Oct. 7, 2023, they were violently torn from their daily lives. Yarden, their father, made the heartbreaking choice to separate from his family in a desperate attempt to protect them, but despite his efforts, his young sons Ariel and Kfir were kidnapped along with their mother, Shiri. The footage of their abduction—showing the terrified children clutched in their mother's arms—became a haunting symbol of Hamas's cruelty. Two months later, Hamas's brutality reached new depths when they released a psychological warfare video showing them tormenting Yarden in captivity, cruelly telling him his wife and children were dead—trying to break his spirit.

Recently, the world marked International Children's Rights Day, a commemoration first initiated by the Rev. Charles Leonard of the Universal Church in Chelsea, Mass., 168 years ago. On this significant day, the United Nations adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child—a powerful convention that places children's well-being above all other considerations. This declaration binds all of us to protect children from torture, exploitation, abuse, and neglect.

Where is this commitment to these young children? Our shy, cheerful little Ariel was forced to mark his fifth birthday in Hamas tunnels, under the watchful eyes of murderous terrorists, far from the family and friends who love him. For over a year, we've been tormented by not knowing the conditions endured by him and his baby brother Kfir. Kidnapped when he was just nine months old, Kfir has already spent his first birthday in captivity and will soon mark his second birthday this January in terrorist hands—if we don't act quickly enough. Time is of the essence—while we know many hostages are still alive, their conditions deteriorate with each passing day. These innocent men, women, and children are fighting to survive under horrific conditions, making every moment of delay not just painful, but unforgivable.

I turn to you, Mr. Trump, in desperation and plea: Help us where we have all failed. Use your unique, uncompromising, and creative approach to bring Kfir, Ariel, Shiri, and Yarden back to us. Returning all 100 hostages from Gaza is not just morally and ethically right—it's our human obligation. 

After so many agonizing months, there are finally talks of a deal. We must seize this opportunity to secure the release of all hostages held by Hamas—the men, women, elderly, and children—and reunite them with their families. Time is of the essence to push this deal forward, and the return of the hostages is a prerequisite for stability in the Middle East. There will be no peace until we bring them home: the living—who constitute more than half of those taken—for rehabilitation, and the dead for proper burial.

We appreciate the efforts of the American administration and others over the past year, and we ask you, President-elect Trump, to lend us your voice and your hand so that Kfir and Ariel can celebrate their next birthday at home with us and their friends. It is their right and our duty. So many precious lives can still be saved.