Category: Religions

THE HYPOCRISY AND BRAINWASHING OVER GAZA

Israeli withdrawal from Gaza exposes  horrific global hypocrisy and silence of those who ‘claim’ to be pro-Palestine.

By Jonathan Feldstein

The recent days of October 2025 in Israel have been filled with heart wrenching euphoria mixed with cautious optimism, and foreboding.  After two years in unspeakable conditions and captivity, Hamas has released all the 20 living hostages who have returned home to begin a long process of physical and emotional recovery.  Predictably, Hamas has also violated the terms of the agreement to release all the bodies of the 28 remaining hostages. As of this writing, most still remain in the terrorists’ clutches and one of the bodies that they released was not that of a hostage – a ploy they have done before. It’s noteworthy that each of the coffins released needs to be scanned first for explosives before beginning the process of identification of the remains and autopsies.

These are violations of the terms of the agreement that Hamas signed, another form of psychological terror, fitting well in the Islamic practice of taqiya – lying to “infidels”.

At the same time, Israel has agreed to release 2000 terrorists, hundreds of whom serving multiple life sentences for maiming and murdering Israelis. The pain and suffering from the family members of the victims is palpable, as is the fear that any of us could be these terrorists next victims. Or one might rise to become a leader like Yahya Sinwar who masterminded the October 7 attack and massacre, and who was released in a previous deal to free one kidnapped Israeli soldier over a decade ago.

We are also witnessing something only slightly less horrifying: the silence of Hamas supporters around the world who have been chanting for a ceasefire and to protect Gazans for the past two years, even before the slaughter of Hamas terrorists on October 7-8, 2023, was put down.  It’s not new, but flies in the face of anyone claiming to be pro-Palestine (whatever that means), using any made-up reason to blame Israel for the suffering of Gazans, but turning a blind eye to the fact that all the Gazans’ suffering is a direct consequence of Hamas using them as human shields.

Now that Israeli troops have withdrawn from Hamas controlled population centers, what we’re witnessing today is a horrific hypocrisy met by silence of those who claim to be “pro-Palestine”. Hamas has not only not disarmed per the deal, but has undertaken widespread executions in broad daylight across Gaza, ostensibly to eliminate collaborators, but mostly to exert their control and continue to instill fear among Gazans. The gruesome public executions are witnessed and filmed by hundreds.

Sin City. The true nature of Gaza that the world shuts its eyes to – a closeup of a huge crowd of civilians watch an execution in public in Gaza City. Videos showing Hamas carrying out execution – style killing in Gaza

The world remains silent!

  • Why are these executions happening?
  • Why are people standing around watching, filming, and not resisting?
  • Why is the world largely silent?
  • Why is there no widespread media outrage calling out Hamas as the inhuman brutal Islamic terrorist organization that it is?
  • Why are there not a plethora of public statements from world leaders and celebrities who have protested against Israel?
  • Why are there no “Free Palestine” hashtags in response to these executions?

Because without Israel to blame, the actual suffering of Gazans isn’t worth a tweet. Because nobody really cares about Gazans. Their ire is more against Israel rather than pro anything.

With Israeli troops withdrawn and a ceasefire in place, even the UN now admits there’s enough food in Gaza for three months. What happened to the “famine” narrative? The UN’s hypocrisy underscores that there never was one, but it was just another lie, ingested by a world smacking its lips to villainize Israel.

Gazan ‘Humanity’. The world stands silent while other pro-Palestinian activists justify as Hamas militant grabs a Palestinian suspected of collaborating with Israel, before being executed in Gaza City, August 22, 2014. (Photo: Reuters/Stringer)
 

The veil has been lifted.  No famine and Hamas executing Gazans. But wait, there’s more.

Of the alleged “genocide” Hamas claims that 67,000 have been killed since October 7, 2023.  Other than the fact this this conflates several thousand terrorists who were killed that day, and tens of thousands more in targeted combat, the Hamas numbers are not verifiable. Nevertheless, if we’re to believe that number, it’s now also reported that 58,000 of them were terrorists…that’s an 86% ratio, the lowest proportion of civilian to combatant casualties in any war in history. Ever.

If Israel attempted a “genocide”, then Israel executed the most failed genocide ever. It’s astounding how many bought into the “genocide” lie, and who are now silent.

Comprending the Incomprehensible. British historian Simon Sebag Montefiore laments that while the October 7 2023 Hamas attack resembled “a medieval Mongol raid for slaughter and human trophies,” academics, students, artists, and activists “have denied, excused, or even celebrated the murders….”

With Hamas streaming the deliberate killing of Gazans, the veil is lifted. Why are there no:

– “Free Palestine” outcries

– no pleas to save Gazans from Hamas?

Because it was never about freeing “Palestine” but excoriating Israel.

That fraudulent brainwashing has been nothing less than psychological manipulation designed to make the world hate Jews even more. To make Jew-hatred acceptable. Through their vile protests, in which people were paid to partake and instigate others, they have made the world think that the Jews are the Nazis. But in fact, it’s the deliberate mass brainwashing of millions of eager gullible people, and the literal execution of perceived opposition and enemies of their regime, it’s clear that they are the Nazis. Their ideology is what is genocidal.

October 7th was the single deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust and somehow, the narrative was twisted. Israel and Jews have been blamed for all of it, and the world actually believed it. If you’re reading this, please take the time in the coming weeks and months to dig deeper. To understand. Not to accept the reflexive blame of Israel that will continue to come from the four corners of the world, and which has always been a lie. Do not accept the silence as so many Gazans continue to be tortured by Hamas. Have the courage to speak out against abhorrent false information.

The threats are real, to Gazans, to Israel and to the West.  The enemy is the same. Please take time to understand, and speak up. The deal reached, and already violated by Hamas, is not a peace deal, but an agreement to see the end of active combat and release of all the hostages – dead and alive.  Hopefully.

Gazan ‘Justice’. A graphic clip, which ABC NEWS has verified shows several men in Gaza City being forced to kneel in the middle of a large gathered crowd as they are about to be executed in public by high-powered weapons.(Planet Labs PBC)

Please pray for the hostages and their loved ones, that they should have full physical and emotional rehabilitation. Pray for the families of those who have been killed as they, hopefully, received their loved ones remains and begin to find closure. Pray for Israel, and its continued safety and security and, if needed, success in continuing to eliminate Hamas threats.




*Feature picture:  Hamas militants kill seven suspected collaborators with Israel in a public execution in Gaza City.



About the writer:

Jonathan Feldstein ­­­­- President of the US based non-profit Genesis123 Foundation whose mission is to build bridges between Jews and Christians – is a freelance writer whose articles appear in The Jerusalem Post, Times of Israel, Townhall, NorthJersey.com, Algemeiner Jornal, The Jewish Press, major Christian websites and more.





While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).

THE DRUZE AND ISRAEL – A COVENANT IN BLOOD

Israel is and always has been short of friends.

Today, Jews across the world are finding themselves alone, ostracized and vulnerable.

One people that have stood by Israel sacrificing life and limb since 1948, is the country’s Druze community, who through thick and thin, war after war, have thrown in their lot with the destiny – and fate – of Israel. In the current Israel-Hamas war, Druze have fought and died alongside their fellow Jewish soldiers in the IDF as they have done in all previous wars.

Today, the Druze in southern Syria, family to the Druze of Israel, are under attack with regime forces aiding Syrian Bedouins in perpetrating atrocities – including the summary execution of Druze civilians.

Israel could not sit back, particularly as Israel’s Druze community’s leadership has appealed to Israel to save their people across the border in turbulent Syria from slaughter.

Lay of the Land fully supports Israel’s efforts to help save the Druze of Syria.



Why Israel helps the Druze in Syria





While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).




SOUTH AFRICA SHOULD TREAD VERY CAREFULLY WHEN IT COMES TO JIHADIST TERRORISM

Why should a minority foreign import be allowed to determine the future of the majority?

By Kenneth Moeng Mokgatlhe

I was taken aback by the Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) when it accepted the application of the Shariah-based political party called the Islamic State of Africa (ISA). This application was forwarded by a man who is not new to controversy. Farhad Hoomer was arrested in 2018 after he was accused of being involved in the deadly attack at the Imam Hussain Mosque in Verulam,  a town 24 kilometres north of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, however, his charges were later withdrawn.

The name Islamic State of Africa raises a serious concern as it suggests that Hoomer may be associated with Islamic State (ISIS or Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) designated as a terrorist organisation by the United Nations (UN) and many countries around the world, including Muslim countries.

Hoodlum Hoomer. Farhad Hoomer and four others were arrested at a warehouse in Mayville, Durban in June 2021 where police seized more than 5,000 rounds of ammunition, handguns, an AK-47, a bolt action rifle with a scope and a cellphone jammer. Charges were later dropped against Hoomer and his co-accused. (Photos: SAPS)

This terrorist organisation needs no introduction in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) as it continues to cause chaos in Mozambique where South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has been involved to stop the Jihadi terrorism unleashed by a group known as Islamic State of Mozambique (ISM).

The accusations by some Western politicians that Africa  – to some extent – is an enabler of growing terrorism on the continent could be true. Countries such as Sudan and Chad have allowed the Islamic organisations to operate in their countries, at times offering their countries as covers for wanted terrorists such as Osama Bin Laden.

The ideology and political aims of South Africa’s new party, ISA, does not in any way align with the country’s constitution. Just as the founder, Hooker, has said, its constitution makes it very clear that it will implement Shariah law – a legal and moral framework within Islam derived from the Quran and Islamic tradition. The chaotic scenes deriving from the Middle East and Asia are entirely caused by the proponents of this belief, who are convinced that the whole world should be forced, through violence, to follow Islam. 

Farhad has visions of getting far ahead. Durban businessperson Farhad Hoomer – accused by the US of leading an “Isis cell” – denies being a terrorist but says his goal is the establishment of an Islamic caliphate and he is willing to take up arms to achieve his goals. He sees democracy as a form of “evil, tyranny and enslavement”. 
 

What Hoomer should understand is that South Africa is and will forever remain a secular state, which has a greater respect for all religions and has always allowed everyone to practice their religion. Section 15 of the South African Constitution guarantees to all the “freedom of conscience, religion, thought, belief, and opinion.” With South Africa being a predominantly Christian country – a legacy due to its colonial past – it is not nor will ever be a religious state. From this vantage point, it does not make sense that a minority Islamic sect could be allowed to determine the future of the majority. 

Spearheading Sharia. Farhad Hoomer who wants his new political party, the Islamic State of Africa (ISA), to be part of South Africa’s political landscape said in an interview with the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime “Will I fight for Sharia? I would say yes.”
 

The concern here is not whether this Sharia-based party’s application to the Electoral Commission would be approved or that Hoomer may not even get a parliamentary seat, but about the principle. The IEC was not supposed to even entertain the application of Farhad Hooler which would be a green light to import violence to South Africa. Just on our doorsteps in Mozambique, our brothers and sisters are terrorised by similar Islamic groups. 

South Africa is also harbouring immigrants and refugees who are running away from the Middle East and African countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Central African Republic (CAR), Mali, Burkina Faso, Togo, Nigeria, and many others.

Potential Import. In South Africa’s northern neighbour Mozambique, residents near Macomia in Cabo Delgado province, gather after their village was attacked in 2024 by the Islamic State group. (Photo: AFP/Getty Images)

According to the Middle East Africa Research Institute (MEARI), South Africa has been and remains a source of funding for many terror activities across the African continent. There are Islamic State-loyal cells inside our country who are acting as middlemen by consolidating all the funds from all related terror organisations to generate income. MEARI further observes that Somalia and South Africa are financial hubs of all Islamic State cells or provinces as they are called, the money is then pooled inside South Africa and laundered across East Africa through an intricate network that finances the Islamic State’s activities in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Tanzania, and Mozambique.

Frying Pan into the Fire. Fleeing civil wars, these refugees from Somalia, the DRC and Burundi camp outside the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) offices in Cape Town, South Africa in 2019 fearing for their lives due to local xenophobia. (Photo: Ashraf Hendricks/GroundUp)

Recent terrorist encounters in Djibouti and Mozambique should sound alarm bells for South Africa to neither associate nor tolerate any Islamic State related organisations to operate on its soil. To do so will only create a conducive environment for radical Islamic terrorism to thrive in a country that has absorbed so many illegal migrants from across the African continent.

On a matter of principle, South Africa’s Electoral Commission should not have entertained the application of ISA whose party platform is both foreign to South Africa’s political, cultural and social ethos and most certainly at odds with the country’s internationally acclaimed liberal constitution.

As much as we respect religious nations, we are not a religious state and do not wish to become one.

Islamic State of Africa eyes 2026 LGE: Farhad Hoomer
https://www.youtube.com/embed/yIKTYw_WyCE





About the writer:

Kenneth Moeng Mokgatlhe is a political writer and researcher based at Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Israel.








While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).

LESSONS FROM MY FRIEND’S EXECUTION IN IRAN’S EVIN PRISON

Nearly executed like her cellmate affords understanding of the depravity and dangers of the Teheran regime.

By Marziyeh Amirizadeh

This year, more than ever, it’s impossible not to think about the execution of my best friend, Shirin Alamhooli on May 9, 2010. I met Shirin in Iran’s notorious Evin Prison where I had been arrested and sentenced to death by hanging because of converting to Christianity, a “crime” the Islamic regime calls “apostasy” and which carries a death penalty.  I was arrested in March 2009. Shirin had already been in prison for some time as a political Kurdish prisoner.

Iranian Injustice. This photo of Shirin Alamhooli was taken by the writer while in Evin Prisonm Teheran. Shiran was executed on May 9, 2010. (Photo: Marziyeh Amirizadeh)

As a Christian, I had many people advocating for my freedom from the first day, and miraculously, I was released that November, and then came to America where I have become a proud citizen. Unfortunately, neither the world nor the terrorist Islamic regime cared about the life of a 28-year-old Kurdish woman.  Shirin spent months being brutally tortured: repeatedly kicked in her stomach, bashing her head against the wall until she passed out, hanging her from the ceiling for hours on end, and beating her with a cable. They would only stop the torture for the Islamic prayer, to dedicate their savage acts to Allah. To satisfy him.

For months Shirin could not walk because the skin was torn from the bottom of her feet during the torture. Most of the time we would sit together and from a small window looked at the mountains beyond the walls of prison. She would sing a beautiful Kurdish song. She wished just to walk to the mountains freely, to fly away like a bird one more time.

At The Mercy Of Evil Men. Pakhshan Azizi, a Kurdish political prisoner and former aid worker, faces the confirmation of her death sentence by the Iranian Supreme Court.

We ate and talked together almost daily. She asked me to promise her that if I got released and she didn’t, to never stop fighting against the evil Islamic regime.

From the first day of my release, I started fighting for her release, even though I remained in mortal danger myself. I will never forget that horrific day I got a call from one of my cellmates still in prison:

“Marzi, Shirin was executed.”

…. then uncontrollable crying.

I felt like I died. I hung up the phone, and for a few hours I felt as if all my internal organs had frozen. My whole body froze. I could not move, talk, or think.

Along with my roommate, Maryam, with whom I had also been arrested and sentenced to death and then released, we went outside the prison with Shirin’s brother, pleading just to get her body to bury her with dignity. The prison authorities lied. They told us her body had been sent to the cemetery. We rushed there and they said they never received Shirin’s body. We returned to Evin Prison, begging them to give us her body. They refused, mocking us. Today, nobody knows her burial place, if she even has one.

Even 15 years later, Shirin’s execution is one of the most painful things in my life.  Growing up in the Islamic Republic, there were many.  This year we must take a lesson from her murder, as the Islamic regime remains the greatest threat to the US, and the world. I am pained that those leaders in my adopted country, which I love and am so grateful for, are being deceived by the notion that the ayatollahs can be rationalized with, that negotiation is anything more than a fool’s errand.

Indeed, the Iranian Islamic Republic cannot be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon – ever, under any circumstances. Negotiation will only give them time to bury their centrifuge deeper, and to hide the enriched uranium that has no civilian purpose. To be clear: if the Islamic Republic is able to acquire a nuclear weapon, they will use it.  They will threaten the US and Israel, the “Great Satan,” and the “Little Satan.” They will establish a nuclear umbrella that will let them blackmail and terrorize the rest of the world.  There is no doubt about this, yet too many in the West don’t realize it.

While all this is horrible, and is threatening, and cause enough to do everything possible to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, no less horrible is the cancerous threat of spreading of their evil, extremist Islamic ideology: in the US and the rest of the world. A nuclear bomb can kill millions instantaneously, but their dangerous ideology infects the whole world, spreading like a virus, and destroying and threatening millions from within over decades.

Condemned to Die. For 46 years, the gallows of the Islamic Republic have claimed countless women’s lives.

My friend Shirin is evidence of that. Arrested, tortured, and executed, she was one of millions of Iranians alone who are victims of this extremist ideology. While no level of torture is out of bounds in the Islamic Republic, according to their strict following of Islamic laws, it’s not allowed to execute a virgin. It is a known practice for women like Shirin, and others, that before being executed they are brutally raped, taking the level of obscenity beyond imagination. That’s another example of why negotiations are futile, and they can never be trusted.

I was supposed to be one of its victims too.  Outside Iran, through its terrorist proxies around the world including Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, the Syrian Assad regime, Kataib Hezbollah, and more, millions of others have been killed and maimed.  Vast “no-go” neighborhoods of major European cities have become dangerous cesspools of Islamic hate.

The US and the world must be saved from this threat. But there’s another reason as well. For more than 46 years, 85 million Iranians have been held captive, hostage to the ayatollahs -victims of their lies. They have been repeatedly let down by the West looking to make a deal.  The worst of these examples was President Obama who, while I was in prison, not only abandoned the Iranian people during the Green Movement, but sent billions of dollars to Iran, thinking that he could pay off the ayatollahs. Still today, Iranians consider Obama as having betrayed them.

Revelations from the Inside. In Captive in Iran, two courageous Iranian women – the writer and a former cellmate on death row in Evin Prison who made it out alive – recount their experiences in one of the world’s darkest places.

There have been reports of Islamic Republic, today, offering the US billions in contracts to rebuild Iran, but that is nothing more than extortion. In fact, the US can achieve unlimited potential and billions in contracts rebuilding Iran by doing everything possible to bring down the Islamic regime, making Iran and Iranians free, and eliminating the world’s greatest source of terror and war.

This is what needs to be done. While it cannot bring back Shirin, it will at least fulfill her wishes for a free Iran, and those of so many others who have suffered their brutality.



*Feature picture: Shirin Alam Holi, born in 1981 in a small village near Maku, executed in Evin Prison on May 9th 2010 after passing one year and nine months in prison. She was charged for cooperating with Pajak (Iranian branch of PKK) on Nov. 29th 2009 and sentenced to death. (Photos: Marziyeh Amirizadeh)



About the writer:

Marziyeh Amirizadeh is an Iranian American who immigrated to the US after being sentenced to death in Iran for the crime of converting to Christianity.   She endured months of mental and physical hardships and intense interrogation. She is author of two books (the latest, A Love Journey with God), public speaker, and columnist. She has shared her inspiring story throughout the United States and around the world, to bring awareness about the ongoing human rights violations and persecution of women and religious minorities in Iran, www.MarzisJourney.com.  Marzi also is the founder and president of NEW PERSIA whose mission is to be the voice of persecuted Christians and oppressed women under Islam, expose the lies of the Iranian Islamic regime, and restore the relationships between Persians, Jews, and Christians. www.NewPersia.org





While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).

AN UNEXPECTED FIFTH SON

A first encounter at a Passover seder left this Capetonian enriched by the experience.

By Tim Flack

This year, I found myself at a Passover Seder table for the first time in my life. I hadn’t planned on it. A kind friend asked if I had ever been to one – not being Jewish – and when I said no, she quietly arranged for me to attend the annual Seder at the Gardens Shul.

I knew that the Gardens Shul – also known as the Great Synagogue – had been established in 1841, making it the oldest Jewish congregation in South Africa.

The Garden Shul in Cape Town, South Africa with Table Mountain to the right.
 

I went alone, and to be honest, I was nervous. I had never been to a synagogue before. I went through the necessary security checks and felt completely out of place. I’m a big guy in a white kippah sruga (knitted yarmulke/skullcap) and a star of David on it, (I picked this kippah because I’m an unashamed Zionist, but that’s another story) with a yellow ribbon pinned to my shirt and a full Japanese tattoo sleeve. I knew I stood out.

I made my way up the stairs to the Seder Hall and sat at the first table I saw with open seats. There were two couples sitting there, around my age, and they welcomed me warmly. Just as I sat down, my blood sugar dropped sharply. I’m diabetic, so I explained what was happening. Someone quickly handed me grape juice and some water, and I managed to stabilize. That small act of kindness set the tone for the entire evening.

The Seder was led by Rabbi Osher, and I listened and took part in a tradition that has been observed for more than 3,000 years. I was quietly taking it all in and trying my best to follow, we had gotten to the 4 sons, someone leaned over during the reading and said something that stopped me in my tracks. They said, “You’re the Fifth Son.” I didn’t know what that meant entirely, I do now.

Inside the Gardens Shul, Cape Town.

If you know the Passover Haggadah, you’ll know it speaks of four sons. The wise, the wicked, the simple, and the one who does not know how to ask. But there is also a powerful teaching from the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. He spoke of a Fifth Son, the one who is not at the table at all.

He may be disconnected, unaffiliated, uncertain if he belongs, or unaware there’s even a place for him. The Rebbe taught that it is not enough to engage with those already present. That there is a responsibility to reach out to those who are absent, to find the Fifth Son and bring him in, regardless of background or circumstance. It is an act of inclusion, of compassion, and of spiritual responsibility.

That night, I was that son. Not because I was missing, but because someone made sure I was invited. It truly was special.

Preparing the tables for a Passover seder at the Gardens Shul.

Rabbi Osher and his wife introduced themselves to me and were incredibly welcoming. So was everyone else I met. There was no suspicion. No hesitation. Just warmth and generosity. I came in quietly, and I left quietly, but I will never forget being welcomed into something so meaningful and sacred.

To the couples that allowed me to sit with them, thank you for making me feel like I belonged. To the Gardens Shul community, thank you for allowing me to be part of such an important tradition.

I may have slipped in and out of the room quietly. But I will always stand with the Jewish people. Your story, your values, and your courage have left a mark on me.

You have a friend in me. Always.



*Feature picture: The Garden Shul in Cape Town, South Africa with Table Mountain to the right.





About the writer:

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Tim Flack is the CEO and Head of Comms and Public Relations and founder of Flack Partners PR, a boutique public relations firm in Cape Town, South Africa. Tim specialises in providing tailored communication strategies for businesses in the political, safety and security, and small business fields.






While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO)

CATHOLICISM AND THE KEFFIYEH

Response of a Catholic to the Pontiff’s visually symbolic embrace of terrorism.

By Michael McKenna

Many a bible verse defines the gospel message of Christmas to embrace:

honour, love, respect, support and peaceful coexistence for the greater good of all

The emphasis here is on ALL humanity.

Following on from this context, I was taken aback when seeing a photograph in an article I stumbled upon featuring the nativity display during the traditional Vatican’s ‘Christmas Tree’ ceremony at St Peter’s Square. It featured Pope Francis sitting next to the display of baby Jesus lying on – a keffiyeh!

Distorting Jesus. Highlighting a false ‘Palestinian’ association to the birth of Jesus,  Pope Francis nevertheless prays before the ‘Nativity of Bethlehem 2024’ in the Vatican, during the private audience with donors of the nativity scene and the lighting of the Christmas tree ceremony on December 7, 2024. (Andreas Solaro/ AFP)

I took strong exception to this politically orchestrated inclusion of the Keffiyeh which Google included in its description:  

“A popularized black-and-white keffiyeh associated with revolutionary purpose of Palestinians”

This contrived scenario begs the question:

“Why specifically incorporate this particular keffiyeh or why portray something politically symbolic in such a display”?

Why commensurate with the Pope’s general Christmas message of the virtues listed above, he allows himself to be associated with the contrived keffiyeh? He knows only too well that this iconic apparel can be associated with confrontational, violent and negative interpretations that both offends and insults what we, as Christians, believe what our Lord Jesus represents?

Pontif and Politics. Portraying Jesus as a Palestinian is historically inaccurate. Jesus was born and died a Jew in Roman-occupied Judea, a historical reality that cannot be ignored or reinterpreted to fit modern political agendas.

As a Catholic, I felt uncomfortable by the Pontiff’s handling of this sensitive situation as it indirectly inflames that which we strive to accomplish, namely, to embrace, unite and respect everyone’s beliefs, whist seeking common ground in establishing an endearing and peaceful understanding for one another.

The appearance of Pope Francis in this compromised political position certainly raised the ire of many Catholics and Christians who are still questioning the Pontiff’s intentions and the Vatican’s overall approach to world peace and understanding amongst nations. Many continue to echo their rejection of this representation with a hope that such a display does not by association, taint Christian scriptures and practice.

To underline the point, would a particular religious faith in an “act of solidarity”, highlight during a prominent religious occasion, display something highly controversial and politically provocative, particularly during the global political and religious climate we find ourselves in?

Catholic Controversy. Speaking at the event, a wheelchair-bound Pope Frances opened the annual nativity scene at the Vatican featuring the traditional Palestinian national scarf draped on Jesus’s cradle, which had been created by Palestinian artists from Dar al-Kalima University in Bethlehem. Following controversy, the kaffeiyeh was later removed.

Engaging in serious discussion with a fellow Christian, he expressed, with sound reasoning and sadness, the fall of our faith, defining it as an “International sport playground beyond comprehension” being utilised as a platform to humiliate, attack us, to encourage, mock and to advance a world order contrary to our Christian beliefs. I look forward to all fellow Christians’ response to this development whilst seeking common respectful ground for all faiths and religions worldwide.



About the writer:

Michael McKenna , from Harare, Zimbabwe joined the advertising world in 1984 (… progressing to an “Assistant Creative Director 1990). His voice-overs featured on a number of advertisements flighted on both television and radio (also mimicking accents such as Indian, West Indian, Australian and others in some advertisements) , and a year later, commenced as a presenter on Air Zimbabwe’s sponsored weather report on national television. In 1990, Michael joined what was then “BOP TV”, where he continued with voice-over work for adverts, progressing to continuity presenting on television, news/sports presenting on “Radio Bop” and eventually, presenting live news, current affairs programmes and events. Michael has worked as a marketing co-ordinator for a top auditing firm in Johannesburg, following which he joined ENCA (“E-News Channel Africa) presenting Sport News. He has also worked in radio for HOT 102.7 as a News Presenter, and is currently with “Chai FM” in Johannesburg presenting an afternoon community/current affairs show as well as presenting news on the station.





While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).




PINKWASHING OR PROGRESS?

A Gen Z perspective on Gay Rights in the Middle East

By Blessing Mathabela

Pinkwashing critiques are loud, but in the Middle East, Israel’s queer rights progress is speaking louder! “Pinkwashing” is a term that often comes up when discussing Israel’s LGBTQ+ rights record. Critics argue that Israel uses its progressive stance on queer issues to deflect attention from its treatment of Palestinians. While this critique potentially holds some truth, it overlooks an important reality: in the broader Middle East, where queer rights are virtually non-existent, Israel’s progress in this area stands out. That doesn’t mean Israel is perfect, but it’s not pinkwashing to recognise the strides it has made towards the advancement of queer rights.

Critics of Israel’s pinkwashing are quick to point fingers, but where are the solutions for the LGBTQ+ people suffering in countries where simply existing as queer is a criminal act?

Homosexuality and Hypocrisy.  In the Palestinian territories, homosexuality is considered a taboo subject with LGBTQ people experiencing persecution and violence, while in neighbouring Israel, LGBTQI individuals enjoy a high degree of rights and freedoms incomparable anywhere else in the Middle East. Same-sex relationships in Israel have been legal since 1988.

LGBTQ+ RIGHTS IN ISRAEL

Israel, for all its faults, is more progressive when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights than many of its neighbours. In Israel, LGBTQI individuals enjoy a higher degree of rights and freedoms compared to many countries in the Middle East. Same-sex relationships have been legal since 1988, and the country boasts a robust legal framework for LGBTQI individuals, including protections against workplace discrimination. Israel also has a thriving LGBTQI community, with Tel Aviv widely regarded as one of the most LGBTQI-friendly cities in the world. The city hosts one of the largest Pride events in the region, attracting both local and international visitors. In addition, LGBTQI Israelis have the right to adopt children, access IVF treatments, and even serve openly in the military. However, while progress has been made, challenges remain, especially within conservative religious Orthodox Jewish communities which maintain traditional views on gender and sexuality. Arab communities in Israel, particularly Palestinian Arabs, also tend to hold conservative views on LGBTQ+ issues, influenced by traditional cultural and religious norms. Many Arab citizens of Israel are Muslim or Christian, and in these communities, homosexuality is often seen as taboo due to conservative interpretations of Islam and Christianity. As a result, LGBTQ+ individuals in these communities often face significant social stigma, familial rejection, and discrimination. While Israel provides legal protections for LGBTQ+ people, including in its civil courts, the cultural acceptance of LGBTQ+ individuals is still limited within many Arab communities, leading to challenges for queer Palestinians in living openly.

LGBTQ+ RIGHTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

In most Middle Eastern countries, LGBTQ+ individuals face extreme persecution. In Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, same-sex relationships are punishable by imprisonment, torture, and sometimes even execution. In these countries, being queer is not just illegal – it’s life-threatening. Israel may have a complicated history with its treatment of Palestinians, but when it comes to queer rights, it’s miles ahead of its neighbours. There is no denying that Israel’s queer community has more legal rights and visibility than queer people in countries like Saudi Arabia, where LGBTQ+ people face extreme danger just for existing. Yet, the conversation around pinkwashing too often ignores this harsh reality for millions of queer people across the region.

How Queer! Totally incoherent are the  Queers for Palestine  at anti-Israel rallies. Ostracized and persecuted in Palestine as in most Arab counties throughout the Middle East, is it any wonder that their slogans have been widely satirized with variations like “Chickens for KFC” or “Blacks for the KKK”.

PALESTINIAN LGBTQ+: CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE

It’s crucial to remember that queer Palestinians are not exempt from the oppression faced by LGBTQ+ in the broader Middle East. In Palestinian territories, homosexuality remains illegal, and LGBTQ+ individuals often face rejection from their families and communities. The situation is further complicated by the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, where queer Palestinians are caught between the struggle for liberation and the struggle for their own rights within their communities.

For Palestinian queers, the pinkwashing debate can feel like another form of erasure. While their struggle is often overshadowed by the political conflict, queer Palestinians are doubly oppressed: both by the larger societal and political systems around them, and by the discriminatory attitudes towards queerness within their own communities. This isn’t just about Israel – it’s about the broader regional context where queer people, regardless of nationality, are facing unimaginable hardships.

CRITICISING PINKWASHING WITHOUT SOLUTIONS

Critics of pinkwashing often focus on Israel’s use of LGBTQ+ rights to distract from its treatment of Palestinians, but they rarely offer concrete solutions to improve the lives of queer people in the Middle East. Yes, Israel’s policies towards Palestinians need attention, but that doesn’t mean we should ignore the suffering of queer people in countries where being LGBTQ+ can result in imprisonment, violence, or worse.

Accusations of pink-washing are easy to make, but they fail to address the real problem: queer people in the Middle East are living under constant threat. So, while critics focus on the political strategy behind Israel’s queer-friendly policies, they miss the larger issue—how do we protect queer people in the region? Without offering actionable ideas to improve the situation, these criticisms are just noise.

Crazy Crowd. One of the many memes that the “Queers for Palestine” spawned highlighting just how incompatible the values of the Western left are with the Islamic right they so readily champion. (Source: X)

THE BIGGER PICTURE: REAL CHANGE, NOT DISTRACTION

While pinkwashing may be a valid critique, we need to keep it in perspective. The real issue is that queer people in the Middle East – whether Israeli or Palestinian – are facing violence and oppression. It’s time to stop letting the debate distract from the larger issue at hand. Instead of engaging in finger-pointing, let’s focus on what needs to change: the way queer people are treated in countries where their existence is criminalised.

If critics want to challenge Israel’s use of LGBTQ+ rights for political purposes, they need to come up with real solutions for the queer people who are suffering right now. It’s not enough to call out one country’s strategy without addressing the systematic abuse queer people face throughout the region.

Hang ’Em High. Hamas and Hezbollah’s major sponsor, Iran,  has executed between 4,000 to 6,000 gay, lesbian, and bi people since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, many of them in public like this hanging from a crane. ​​(Source: The Algemeiner)

As a South African, I recognise the value of a constitution that explicitly protects the rights of the LGBTQI+ community. In a country where equality is hard-won and deeply ingrained in our laws, it’s a privilege to live in a space that doesn’t treat sexual discrimination as an afterthought. This is something we should not take for granted, especially when so many Queer people worldwide are still fighting for their basic rights. From my perspective, I can appreciate Israel’s progress on queer rights, given the harsh realities faced by the LGBTQI+ community in Palestine and the other neighbouring countries. We must ensure that our advocacy is not limited to criticism alone but translates into meaningful action to protect the LGBTQI+ community everywhere.

Until the fight for global queer rights is truly universal, Israel’s steps forward in this area deserve recognition.


Israel’s 9/11 | Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO)






About the writer:

Blessing Mathabela is a passionate gender justice advocate and a third-year B.Ed student majoring in English and Social Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits). With a strong commitment to creating inclusive and equitable spaces, Blessing has held leadership roles as the Deputy Chairperson of the School of Education and as a Secretary on the All-Residences Sub-Council. She has also volunteered at the Gender Equity Office at Wits, where she worked to amplify marginalised voices and challenge systemic injustice. A dedicated feminist, Blessing is driven by her mission to empower others and advocate for social change both on and off campus.





While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).

IRAN’S WAR ON WOMEN

Wherever the Islamic Republic of Iran’s influence extends, human rights diminish, freedom contracts, and women are forced into submission.

By Catherine Perez-Shakdam

The arrest of a female student in Tehran, who courageously stripped down to her underwear in protest against the Islamic Republic of Iran’s oppressive dress codes, is yet another grim illustration of the regime’s endless war against personal freedom. Amnesty International’s urgent call for her immediate release highlights the brutal lengths to which the authorities of the Islamic Republic will go to maintain control over their citizens, especially women. Yet this event is far from an isolated episode within Iran’s borders. The Islamic Republic’s repressive ideology has metastasized far beyond Tehran, extending its reach to every corner of the so-called Shia Crescent, leaving a trail of intimidation, violence, and oppression in its wake.

Iran Exposed. The young woman student stripped in protest after being assaulted for improperly wearing a hijab in violation of Tehran’s strict modesty laws.(Photo credit: SCREENSHOT/X/VIA)

The Islamic Republic’s abuse of its own population is no new phenomenon, and women, in particular, have been subjected to some of its worst excesses. This young student – harassed, humiliated, and assaulted by security forces for defying Iran’s enforced veiling laws – was simply the latest target of an autocratic theocracy that cannot tolerate even the faintest sign of individual autonomy. But to see this as merely a domestic issue is to underestimate both the ambitions and the reach of the Islamic Republic of Iran. This Islamic regime has turned repression into an exportable doctrine, refining it over decades and passing its brutal model on to allies and proxies across the Middle East.

Iranian student arrested after removing clothes at university

Consider Iraq, where militias aligned with the Islamic Republic of Iran terrorise activists, particularly women and minority groups, in a grotesque attempt to recreate the ideological stranglehold seen in Iran. Or Lebanon, where Hezbollah has systematically embedded the Islamic Republic’s worldview into Lebanese society, harnessing anti-Israel sentiment to deflect from the group’s own suffocating grip on the country. In Syria, Iran-backed forces have crushed any glimmer of democratic reform in favour of endless brutality and conformity to Tehran’s model. And in Yemen, the Houthis – armed and ideologically shaped by the Islamic Republic – have left ordinary Yemenis with little freedom and less hope, forcing the same script of obedience and control onto yet another suffering populace.

Women behind Bars. It was not too long ago that Iranian women were banned from entering stadiums as seen here as young girls watch a practice session of Iran’s national soccer team from behind the railings. (Photo: Morteza Nikoubazi/Reuters)

The disturbing consistency here is undeniable: wherever the Islamic Republic of Iran’s influence extends, human rights diminish, freedom contracts, and women, in particular, are forced into submission. But what’s particularly insidious is how the Islamic Republic cloaks this brutality. The regime has long relied on anti-Zionism as a powerful smokescreen, deflecting attention from its own abuses. By positioning itself as the “defender” of the Palestinian cause, the Islamic Republic has managed to rally international support and galvanise its base. Yet this posturing is a fraud. Anti-Zionism serves merely as a tool to distract from the regime’s very real war on freedom within its own borders and across the region.

Defiance. Says Masih Alinejad, an Iranian-American journalist, author, and women’s rights activist who the IRGC attempted to assassinate, commented on X: “In Iran, a student harassed by her university’s morality police over her ‘improper’ hijab didn’t back down. She turned her body into a protest, stripping to her underwear and marching through campus – defying a regime that constantly controls women’s bodies. Her act is a powerful reminder of Iranian women’s fight for freedom. Yes, we use our bodies like weapons to fight back a regime that kills women for showing their hair.” 

The Islamic Republic’s calculated embrace of anti-Zionist rhetoric is not about solidarity; it’s about survival. For the regime, casting Israel as the enemy diverts attention from the crimes it commits daily against its own citizens. When people are focused on an external foe, they’re less likely to question the oppression and corruption of their own rulers. But the cost of this tactic is high, and it is borne by countless women, minorities, and dissenters across the Middle East who find themselves as pawns in the Islamic Republic’s grand narrative.

It’s time we look beyond the Islamic Republic of Iran’s self-styled image as a regional “resistance” force. The tragic case of this young student in Tehran, stripped of her dignity and denied her freedom for a simple act of protest, is a stark reminder of the true face of the regime. Her experience mirrors that of women and activists across the territories where the Islamic Republic’s proxies hold sway. This is not a war confined to Iran’s borders; it’s a transnational crusade against individual freedom and autonomy, exported through fear, repression, and force.

Targeting Women. Iranian teenager Nika Shakrami, killed after her arrest during protests in Iran, seen here on a cell phone, October 6, 2022. (Photo: AFP)

For too long, the West has failed to see through the Islamic Republic of Iran’s duplicity. Anti-Zionism may be a convenient political tool for Iran, but it is a mask for a regime that fears freedom, despises dissent, and punishes those who dare to defy it. If we are serious about supporting human rights and democracy, we must confront the Islamic Republic’s oppressive influence head-on, challenging both its domestic abuses and the exported doctrine that has left so many in fear and desperation.

Warpath against Women. Mahsa Amini, the 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman who was arrested for allegedly violating Iran’s mandatory headscarf law died in police custody in 2022,  sparked worldwide protests against the country’s conservative Islamic theocracy.

The international community owes it to this young woman – and to every individual in Iran and across the region who still dares to seek freedom – to see through the Islamic Republic’s narrative for what it is: a sham. The Islamic Republic of Iran’s ideological warfare against Israel has never been about justice; it has been a calculated device to sustain a regime that survives by denying others their rights. The Islamic Republic’s war on women, on minorities, and on basic freedoms is not just Iran’s problem. It is a cancer that has spread through its proxies and threatens all who stand for the right to be free.

The time for understanding the Islamic Republic of Iran’s duplicity is over; the time to expose it is now.


Video evidence shows multiple arrests after regime launched draconian campaign against women and girls




About the writer:

A co-founder and director of UK-based media and consultancy company  ‘Forward Strategy’, Catherine Perez-Shakdam is a frequent contributor to i24NEWS, Al Jazeera, the BBC, The Jerusalem Post, Politico, the Daily Express, and the Daily Mail.
In 2021, Chatherine gained international attention when news broke of her decade-long infiltration of the Iranian regime, during which she was able to gain access to the highest echelons of the regime’s inner circles. Despite the danger following being labeled an ‘enemy of the state’ by Iran, Catherine utilized her extensive knowledge and close-encounter insight to expose a system that had long operated under a shroud of secrecy. Her revelations have provided a unique perspective on Iran’s actions, challenging its narrative and exposing the true nature of its operations.



Feature picture: AI Generate image courtesy of Catherine Perez-Shakdam





While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).

WHAT, WHY AND WHERE – THE MAJDAL SHAMS MASSACRE

The massacre of Druze children on the Golan, Israel mourns while world ignores.

By Jonathan Feldstein

In case you missed the news, Saturday afternoon Israel time, Hezbollah fired a rocket from one of its bases in southern Lebanon at Israel’s Golan Heights region, a region heavily populated by Druze residents. Tragically it hit a soccer pitch killing 12 kids and injuring many others.

In doing so, the Iranian-backed Islamist terror group committed many crimes over and above the wanton murder. As Prime Minister Netanyahu so poignantly articulated in his address to the US Congress last week:

 “This is not a clash of civilizations. It’s a clash between barbarism and civilization.”

The main differences in this latest attack on the Golan were the number of casualties, and the fact that they were Druze, not Jews.  

Sight of Slaughter. The football pitch in Golan Druze village of Majdal Shams where kids were playing and then struck by missile fired by Hezbollah from Lebanon.

Over nearly 10 months, in addition to Hamas firing thousands of missiles and drones from Gaza, slaughtering 1200, raping and sexually mutilating many, and kidnapping more than 250 people to Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon has also fired thousands of rockets, missiles and drones at Israel, killing and wounding scores. Both are demonic. But Saturday’s attack was the largest number of casualties at any one time, from any one incident.

All of Israel is enraged.

Honoring Druze Fallen. A tree is planted in Ahihud Forest on July 2, 2024 in memory of fallen Druze soldier, Maj. Jamal Abbas, a company commander in the Paratroopers Brigade who was killed on Nov. 18, 2023 in the Gaza Strip. (Photo: Giorgia Valente/The Media Line)

Despite the magnitude of this massacre, cutting short Netanyahu’s US trip, many around the world may not have heard about it because with Arabs killing Druze rather than Jews killing Arabs, mainstream media was less interested. The facts complicated the preferred media narrative of blaming Jews!

The distance of the weapon fired at Israeli territory was so short that the 12 dead children, and dozens of others injured, did not have the time to get to one of the portable bomb shelters placed along the site of the soccer field where they were enjoying a quiet Saturday afternoon during their summer vacation.

Druze are an Arabic speaking minority. Their religion is somewhat secretive. While it is derived from Islam, they do not consider themselves Muslim, revering the biblical figure Jethro  (Moses’ father-in-law) as their prophet. As such, they are often discriminated against within the Arab/Islamic world and have a tradition of being loyal to the countries where they reside.

In Israel, they are loyal citizens, serving in the IDF, achieving senior ranks militarily and throughout Israeli society, often in numbers that are disproportionately high to their small percent of the population. Many Druze have fallen in the line of duty. Israeli Druze consider themselves to be cousins of the Jewish people, partly with their reverence for Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses.

Grieving Together. IDF Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi (center), at the soccer field in Majdal Shams, meeting with Druze community leader Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif (2nd left), local council representatives, and senior IDF officers.

Most Druze in the Golan find themselves in a complex situation not being Israeli citizens (their choice) but rather permanent residents following the Six Day War in 1967, when Israel took control of the Golan from Syria. Since Israel applied full Israeli sovereignty over the Golan, now fully recognized by the US, many Druze remain fearful to take Israeli citizenship lest they be accused of endorsing Israeli sovereignty and being seen as “traitors” in Syria to which this Golan community, historically, was once loyal to.

But make no mistake about it, the Golan Druze never want the Golan returned to Syria and as ties to Syria fade with time, are increasingly turning to Israel for citizenship. Israel views them as integrally part of the country, and their well-being and defense is no less important than for all the rest of the nearly 10 million Israelis. The massacre at the Golan Druze village of Majdal Shams was a shock to ALL Israelis.

Terror from Lebanon. A youth from the Druze community weeps over a makeshift memorial at the football pitch for the 12 children and teens killed in a rocket strike on a soccer field, in the village of Majdal Shams, in the Golan Heights, Monday, July 29, 2024. (Photo: AP Photo/Leo Correa)

While loyal to their respective countries and their governments, Druze are also fiercely tribal. Like Jews, when Druze anywhere suffer, Druze everywhere care. Of course, we have seen that clearly among the Israeli Druze since Saturday’s massacre, publicly advocating for the well-being of all Druze. But now, we are also seeing support from Syrian and Lebanese Druze who are publicly and unequivocally calling out Hezbollah, their supporters and, by implication, their own countries which have allowed this Iranian-backed Islamic extremists to gain strength and threaten them.

Hezbollah is armed and funded by Iran’s Islamic regime. Like Iran, Hezbollah does not distinguish between children or adults, soldiers or civilians, Jews, Moslems, Christians or Druze. On Saturday, Hezbollah terrorists brutally attacked and murdered a dozen Druze children and wounded dozens more, children whose only crime was going out to play soccer. Hezbollah knew full well they were firing their weapons at the second most populated city in the Golan. The carnage was no accident. It’s laughable that they and their Islamist defenders have gone out of their way not only to deny responsibility, but blame Israel.

Comrades-in-Arms. Family and friends of Cpt. Wassem Mahmoud attend his funeral service in the Druze village of Beit Jann, on June 16, 2024. Mahmoud was killed in battle in the southern Gaza Strip. (Photo: David Cohen/Flash90)

The expectation of an Israeli response against Hezbollah was overwhelming, but with the concern that it might escalate the situation with Hezbollah and even Iran. Israelis and Druze in Lebanon are understandably nervous.

Events following have only affirmed the concerns and nervousness as the region braces for an escalation of unpredictable proportion.

Lest the Druze of Majdal Shams fall through the cracks with nobody around the world to care and advocate for them, the Genesis 123 Foundation has launched a campaign to show love and compassion, to express condolences from all over the world, and help materially however we can. (Visit: Love.genesis123.co)

From Yesterday to Tomorrow. Concerned back then, Druze men look out over the border between Israel and Syria near Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights on February 14, 2014. What will the future bring? (Photo: AP/Oded Balilty)

People of conscience can send prayers and condolences that will be printed and delivered to the families. Just as the Druze in Israel are loyal, an essential part of the diverse Israeli mosaic, Israel’s friends around the world can show their love and support today for the grieving families now, and no matter what comes next by way of the war that may escalate tomorrow.



*Feature picture:
Burying Children. Mourners attend the funeral in Majdal Shams of Druze children killed by a Hezbollah rocket fired from Lebanon, July 28, 2024. (Photo by Ayal Margolin/Flash90)



About the writer:

Jonathan Feldstein ­­­­- President of the US based non-profit Genesis123 Foundation whose mission is to build bridges between Jews and Christians – is a freelance writer whose articles appear in The Jerusalem Post, Times of Israel, Townhall, NorthJersey.com, Algemeiner Jornal, The Jewish Press, major Christian websites and more.





While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).

SHEMA YISRAEL IN THE BLACK FOREST

A visit by two Israeli tourists to Germany’s Black Forest revealed  more surprises than could ever have expected

By Motti Verses

A few years ago, before Covid, my longtime friend, a PR expert and writer, Itzhak Rabihiya, shared with me a story of one of his very special clients. A group of Christians from Germany, had brought  in 2019 to Jerusalem a 120-kg gilded golden menorah. Modeled after the menorah depicted on the Arch of Titus in Rome, the replica of the Temple candelabra measured 150 cm. The Germans raised  €120,000 with private donations to fund the initiative and at the time explained their motivation:

“The church never returned the holy candelabra back to the Jewish people and we want to make amends. By our bringing of this iconic and historically so symbolic menorah, we are conveying a public message towards the Jewish people and asking for forgiveness. It’s our way of returning after 2000 years, the menorah from Rome to Jerusalem.”

Enlightening Relations. Prior to Covid, a 120-kg. gilded menorah, a replica of the Temple candelabra was brought from Germany to Israel in 2019. (Photo courtesy ‘Christians For Israel- Germany’)

I must say that this surprising initiative – which they termed “The Menorah Project” – was hard for me to fully comprehend. Anyway, over the years, the story turned into a fuzzy memory until a week ago, when Rabihiya and myself participated in a media trip that included visiting tourist attractions in Germany’s Black Forest. “You’re not going to believe this,” said Rabihiya. “You remember those Christian Germans and the menorah project from a few years back, well; they heard we were in their neighborhood and have invited us to visit.” Intrigued, we accepted the invitation and made the necessary arrangements.

Deep in the Schwarzwald, Germany’s Black Forest is a picturesque region with enchanting attractions. Known for its dense, evergreen forests and picturesque villages, it is often associated with the Brothers Grimm fairy tales and the cuckoo clocks.

It was a late afternoon and we programmed our vehicle’s GPS to the town of Altensteig. Certainly not a destination for the average tourist but to us visiting Israelis, it would prove an experience that I will always cherish! We planned to meet a woman, Delly Hezel, the power-house behind the Christian Germans group, supporting Israel. The forest suddenly thinned out when the small town came into sight. Our destination was a quiet street in a modest neighborhood. Delly opened the front door of her apartment and welcomed us in with a wide smile. Inside the living room, her decorations blew my mind.

Stunning Surprise. Standing in the kitchen in front of the large poster of the Jewish prayer ‘Shema Yisrael’, (l-r) Itzhak Rabihiya, Delly Hezel and the writer in the apartment in Altensteig in Germany’s Black Forest. (Photo courtesy Motti Verses)
Illuminating Encounter. The gigantic board of ‘Shema Israel’ in Delly Hezel apartment in Altensteig with seven stick candelabra in front. (Photo courtesy Motti Verses)

There were flags of Israel hanging on the windows; pictures and sculptures of Jewish menorahs, a gigantic board of ‘Shema Israel’, copious souvenirs from Israel and wherever I looked, symbols of Judaism. Her welcome and warmth was so touching especially during these turbulent times of rising global antisemitism and to discover such a heartfelt connection in the heart of Germany’s Black Forest, was so overwhelmingly.

Friend and Family. Delly Hezel, a powerful force behind the Christian Germans group supporting Israel says: “I have been coming to Israel regularly for over 15 years. My friends no longer see me as just a friend, but as part of their family. We experience joy and sorrow together, and it is especially in times of need that we stick together the most.”  (website: www.csi-aktuell.de)

Who are they – these surprise supporters of Israel tucked away in Germany’s Black Forest? Founded 26 years ago at the time when Israel celebrated its 50th Independence Day, ‘Christians for Israel – Germany’ initiates projects for Israel, raising 1 million Euro every year. However, since the October 7th massacre, the involvement has intensified. Many protests and gatherings in support of Israel have been held in Berlin as well as in their region. A website “Israel at war” that shows ways to support Israel was created and survivors of the massacre were hosted by the group in the Black Forest to help with their recovery process. Delly has visited Israel seven times since the war started to show support. Additional organization members joined, embracing the motto:

‘Be present MORE in Israel, NOT less’

Partnering with the Jewish National Fund (JNF), Keren Hayesod and the Jewish Agency, since the massacre, ‘Christians for Israel-Germany’ have raised over 600.000 Euro in support of Israel.

Christians for Israel-Germany

A short time after our arrival, Markus Neumann,the organization’s energetic deputy, joined us, and told us to climb into the waiting vehicles as we were being hosted for dinner in Bondorf, a small pastoral village, a half-an-hour drive east of Altensteig. The host was Luca Hezel, Delly’s son, head of ‘Christians for Israel- Germany’.

Climbing the stairs to the penthouse apartment, leaving our shoes outside, we were warmly greeted by Luca, his wife Sonja and their two small blonde children Avi and Noa. For a brief moment, I thought Sonja and Luca were the busy ones in the kitchen. During the drive, I had imagined a dish of Bratwurst, a type of German sausage made from pork, beef, or veal. That culinary imagery faded rather quickly when I saw who was really busy in the kitchen! To our complete surprise, it were two Israelis, Avishay Argentaro from Kfar Aza, the kibbutz near Gaza that had been turned into a site of carnage on October 7, and his friend Zadok Aktzin from Ben Shemen, a moshav in central Israel.

Argentaro’s story left us breathless.

Sizzling Shakshuka. Avishay Argentaro from Kibbutz Kfar Aza prepares the dinner in Bondorf. The pan on the right is sizzling with Shakshuka. (Photo courtesy Motti Verses)

He related how on October 7, he together with his wife and their two children, they survived nearly 22 hours of terror. During these torturous hours, they hid in the dark, heard terrorists shooting around them and received messages of cries for help from their friends and neighbors. A few weeks later, Argentaro – who previously had participated in the ‘Chef Games’ television program – decided to embark on a culinary venture where he visits homes, cooks for the residents and talks about life on his kibbutz, where he has lived all his life.

Quite amazingly, long before the massacre of October 7, 2023, Argentaro and the ‘Christians for Israel-Germany’ had built up an endearing and enduring relationship for “Already some 12 years.” Now however, it was Argentaro first time in Germany and after our unexpected evening, he was set to culinary engage with local  German communities in the Black Forest by cooking dinners and speaking about life in Israel.

Taste of Israel. Our Israeli dinner in the Black Forest included homemade Hummus, Shakshuka, baked cauliflower, Israeli salads and other familiar dishes enjoyed daily in Israel. (Photo courtesy Motti Verses)

“The diners will enjoy my gastronomy, but I will also tell them my story of October 7th and what Israel has been going through since,” he said. Argentaro’s dinner in the  Black Forest started with the Birkat Hamazon (‘grace’) and all the participants followed with “Amen”. The meal included homemade Hummus, Shakshuka, baked cauliflower, Israeli salads and other familiar dishes we enjoy daily in Israel. It was certainly an evening to remember.

“It will be a sign on your hand” Exodus 13:9. ‘Christians For Israel-Germany’ have produced two bracelets that expresses “Our solidarity with the Jewish people and Israel in this time of distress! They should also help to remind us of two commandments of the hour: “Never again is now!” and “Germany on Israel’s side!“

Delly’s admiration of Judaism and the people of Israel is remarkable. I wanted to understand why, with so much passion for the Israel and Judaism, she doesn’t convert.  She explained:

“I believe in Hashem, Abraham, Izik and Jacob and also in Jesus. But not as a God like Christianity is believing. I believe Jesus was a Rabbi with followers. For me he is the Messiah and when he comes, we can ask him if it is his first visit or his second. This is the only difference we have.”

Blue and White in Black Forest. Abundant Israeli flags at a German rally for Israel in the Black Forest. (Photo courtesy ‘Christians For Israel-Germany’)

The Black Forest may well be an area full of surprises for tourists but for us two visiting Israelis, our experience with the wonderful people of Christians for Israel-Germany was something I can only describe in biblical parlance – It was a ‘Revelation’!



* ‘Christians for Israel –  Germany’ website: www.csi-aktuell.de

** Linkdin:




About the writer:

The writer, Motti Verses, is a Travel Flash Tips publisher. His travel stories are published on THE TIMES OF ISRAEL  https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/author/motti-verses/. 
And his hospitality analysis reviews on THE JERUSALEM POST, are available on his Linkedin page LinkedIn Israelhttps://il.linkedin.com › motti-verse…Motti Verses – Publisher and Chief Editor – TRAVEL FLASH TIPS
And his hospitality analysis reviews on THE JERUSALEM POST, are available on his Linkedin page LinkedIn Israelhttps://il.linkedin.com › motti-verse…Motti Verses – Publisher and Chief Editor – TRAVEL FLASH TIPS





While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).