WHAT THE POT ADVOCATES DON'T WANT ANYONE TO KNOW

Dirty habit millions admit to daily linked to 'silent' liver disease that can kill with no warning signs

 

By Cassidy Morrison 

 

Daily Mail

Jul 7, 2025 

 

 

 

Around 62 million Americans 12 and older have used marijuana in the past year and approximately 18 million people use it daily 

 

Once believed to have minimal long-term side effects, cannabis has now been found to increase the risk of deadly liver damage. 

A team from the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research conducted a randomized double-blind clinical trial – the gold standard for scientific research – involving more than 200 people.

Researchers mainly watched for dangerous liver enzyme spikes in people who consumed cannabis. 

They found eight CBD users developed spikes above the safe threshold, with seven dropping out due to liver concerns between weeks three and four. However, everyone's liver tests normalized after quitting CBD. 

CBD comes from the marijuana plant, but does not contain THC, the psychoactive chemical that causes a high. The legal substance comes in gummies, tablets, and oils and is generally used to treat aches and pains, though its efficacy is still in question. 

Marijuana, which induces a mind-altering state and euphoria, has long been thought of as a relatively harmless substance with fewer side effects and risks than alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs. 

Around 62 million Americans 12 and older have used marijuana in the past year and approximately 18 million people use it daily. 

Chronic cannabis use may affect memory and motivation, while acute use raises heart rate. Some studies link long-term use to heart attack and stroke risks. Rarely, heavy use causes severe, painful vomiting, which can often only be relieved by hot showers. 

 

CBD is legal and doesn't contain any of the chemical tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is what makes cannabis illegal 

CBD pain relief products don't work and may be harmful to health, according to research by scientists from Bath and Oxford who found it is no better than a placebo at relieving pain

 

Long-term marijuana use has come under the microscope in recent years on the heels of nationwide laws and ballot measures that legalized marijuana use in adults for medicinal and/or recreational use. 

Researchers said: ‘There are knowledge gaps surrounding potential health risks associated with CBD at doses consistent with unregulated consumer products, including liver damage and male reproductive harm.’

Eight of the participants were given 2.5mg of CBD per 2.2lbs of their bodyweight twice a day. They showed higher levels than normal of liver enzymes, which help speed up chemical reactions in the body for metabolism and digestion.

High levels of liver enzymes can damage liver cells, and in the study, nearly five percent of participants met the criteria for drug-induced liver injury. 

However, their enzyme levels returned to normal within about a week after stopping CBD.

Healthy people in the study were randomly assigned either CBD – 151 people – or a placebo – 50 people – for 28 days twice a day.

The study’s main goal was to see how many people had liver enzyme levels (alanine aminotransferase or aspartate aminotransferase) spike to at least three times the normal limit while taking the substance.

Liver damage accumulates often without the person knowing, though elevated liver enzymes can cause fatigue, yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, and abdominal pain. 

Subjects did not display symptoms. 

 

Polling firm Gallup said the 50 percent of Americans who have tried weed marked a 2 percentage point increase from the last time they canvassed the nation at the start of 2022

The United States of Weed 

Seven people showed signs of possible liver damage from the treatment—two at the three-week mark and five after four weeks—leading them to stop the study early.

Healthy volunteers were screened, then stayed overnight at the clinic before starting 28 days of taking either CBD or a placebo at home.

They returned for checkups on days seven, 14, 21, and 28, with a final follow-up on day 35. 

Blood tests tracked liver health and hormones throughout, including testosterone and thyroid levels, compared to the placebo group.

Two people had to drop out at week three due to enzyme levels up to five times higher than normal and high white blood cells, while five people dropped out a week later due to enzyme levels greater than five times higher than normal.

Liver enzyme levels began to climb by week three and peaked one or two days after people stopped taking CBD before eventually returning to baseline levels.

CBD did not cause any changes to testosterone level and thyroid function.

While this study only assessed short-term CBD use, the delayed onset of elevated liver enzymes—which occurred without noticeable symptoms—suggests potential risks could still exist with longer-term use, even at doses at or below 5 mg per 2.2lbs per day.

Their findings were published in the JAMA Internal Medicine. 

Liver damage progresses silently, allowing harm to go undetected without regular blood test monitoring or discontinuing CBD.

In rare cases, drug-induced liver injury could lead to liver failure or require a liver transplant, but it often reverses if the cause is stopped - such as a certain medication. 

There are about 14 to 19 cases per 100,000 people - or 2.7 to 3.8million. 

CBD is popular, with a 2023 study showing that about a fifth of Americans are using it, often at high doses. 

A survey that same year of more than 5,600 people found nearly a quarter of them consumed more than 200mg daily.

‘This clinical trial is part of the FDA efforts to understand the safety of CBD products and inform discussions about safeguards and oversight to manage and minimize risks with CBD products,’ the researchers concluded. 

‘These findings may have important implications for consumers who may otherwise be unaware of potential safety risks.’

BLACK BITCH SAYS THE GIRLS DESERVED TO DIE BECAUSE THEY WERE AT A 'WHITES ONLY CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIAN CAMP'

Reverend boyfriend of Houston mayoral appointee breaks silence to disavow 'inappropriate' Camp Mystic flood comments

 

By Brittany Chain 

 

Daily Mail

Jul 7, 2025

 

 

Sade Perkins vented her frustrations against the 'whites only Christian camp' hours after a heavy deluge ripped through Camp Mystic in Hunt on the Fourth of July 

 

A Texas reverend has issued a damning statement disavowing his girlfriend after she criticized a camp where 27 little girls and their counselors perished in floodwaters.

Reverend Colin Bossen, a senior minister at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston, issued a statement to congregants on Monday slamming cruel comments made by his partner Sade Perkins about the Fourth of July weekend tragedy.

Perkins condemned the 'whites only conservative Christian camp' and said MAGA loyalists 'would be saying they deserve it and that it's God's will' if the children who died were Latino or LGBTQI.

When she was publicly denounced for her comments, she doubled down in a series of increasingly unhinged videos, first blaming Trump for the once-in-a-generation floods and then addressed 'racism and white supremacy.'

In a statement obtained by DailyMail.com, reverend Bossen slammed his partner's remarks and reassured congregants he disagreed with her.

'My partner Sadé Perkins has made comments on social media regarding the horrific flooding that devastated Camp Mystic,' he wrote.

'I want to be clear that I disavow her comments.'

Reverend Bossen accepted that even though 'she was not speaking on my behalf or on behalf of my congregation... her comments have caused harm to many who are experiencing terrible loss and anxiety.

 

Reverend Colin Bossen, a senior minister at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston, issued a statement to congregants on Monday slamming cruel comments made by his partner Sade Perkins about the Fourth of July weekend tragedy

A Texas reverend has issued a damning statement disavowing his girlfriend after she criticized a camp where 27 little girls and their counselors perished in floodwaters

Entire cabins were swept away during the floods while others were severely damaged (pictured)

 

'I believe strongly that all people have inherent worthiness and dignity. 

'Her comments were not in the spirit of the Unitarian Universalist values centered around love that my congregation and I share.'

He said he was 'deeply sorry for the harm' Perkins has 'caused to the Camp Mystic families and the members of the community of Central Texas and along the Guadalupe River who are grieving or anxiously awaiting word about their loved ones. 

'I apologize to my congregation who has experienced harm because of her comments. I will continue to work to repair the harm this incident has caused.'

The board president of the church, Joan Waddill, also issued a statement trying to distance her church from Perkins' controversial remarks.

'Like everybody in Texas, indeed any person who has heard of the terrible loss of life along the Guadalupe River, we are shocked and saddened by the enormity of our loss,' she said.

'Our core values include a belief in the interconnected web of life and the value of every individual. Thus, we find ourselves in mourning.'

Waddill said Perkins 'is affiliated with our church, but not a member or on our staff' when referring to the 'offensive remarks on social media about these deaths' she made.

 

The 13 girls and two counselors who were staying in Camp Mystic's Bubble Inn cabin (pictured) when the catastrophic floods hit on Friday morning were swept away. At least 12 of their bodies have since been found

Perkins had slammed the 'whites only conservative Christian camp' and said MAGA loyalists 'would be saying they deserve it and that it's God's will' if the children who died were Latino or LGBTQI

Rescue operations are underway but as the tragedy stretches into a fifth day, finding survivors is becoming less likely

 

'She was not speaking for the church, but only for herself. Indeed, her comments contradict the core values of our church.

'We are horrified to be associated with these comments. 

'We extend a hand to this person to try to help her recognize the insensitivity of her behavior while we extend our other hand and what help we might provide to the families who have been devastated by these deaths.'

Perkins issued her first critique of the camp just hours after the heavy deluge ripped through in the early hours of the Fourth of July, sweeping away cabins which housed primarily eight and nine year old campgoers and their counselors.

'I know I'm going to get cancelled for this, but Camp Mystic is a white-only girls' Christian camp,' she raged on TikTok as girls were still missing.

'They don't even have a token Asian. They don't have a token black person. It's an all-white, white-only conservative Christian camp.'

Perkins was admonished by Houston Mayor John Whitmire, who said he would take steps to remove her from the City's Food Insecurity Board. 

'The comments shared on social media are deeply inappropriate and have no place in decent society, especially as families grieve the confirmed deaths and the ongoing search for the missing,' Whitmire said.

 

Reverend Bossen accepted that even though 'she was not speaking on my behalf or on behalf of my congregation... her comments have caused harm to many who are experiencing terrible loss and anxiety'

Furniture lies on the floor in a damaged room, following flooding on the Guadalupe River, at Camp Mystic

A view of a building missing a wall in the aftermath of deadly flooding at Camp Mystic

 

Whitmire said steps were being taken immediately 'to remove her permanently from the board' and vowed he 'has no plans to reappoint her.'

But Perkins had no regrets after being publicly scolded by the mayor, instead doubling down on her extraordinary attack on the camp.

'You people are f**king crazy, you people are insane,' she said of her critics. 'And the video is still up and I still stand behind - 10 toes down on the motherf***ing ground.

'That s**t is racism and white supremacy, period. 

'If it was Hispanic kids, if it was LGBTQ kids that got swept away y'all wouldnt give a f**k and them same MAGA people would be saying they deserve it and that it's God's will, so f**k all y'all.'

Addressing Mayor Whitmire's comments head-on, Perkins said: 'Mayor Whitmire is a piece of s**t.'

She blamed Trump, Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick for the tragedy, describing it as 'totally preventable.'

She complained she had become 'the scapegoat to cover up for the f***up of a flood', instead arguing the 'reason' for the natural disaster was 'of course your friendly MAGA Trump up there in the White House.' 

 

Renee Smajstrla (left), 8, and Janie Hunt (right) were tragically killed in the flood

Fast rising and moving floodwaters ravaged Texas over Fourth of July weekend

 

'I did not cause the flood, nor did I cause the failure from the National Weather Service and FEMA. Those were done by design, by the Lieutenant, and by the Governor, and your f***ing President,' she said. 

In all, at least 104 people perished in the flash flooding, including 27 campers and their counselors.

Another 10 campers and one counselor, 19-year-old Katherine Ferruzzo, remain missing.

A tragic photo of 13 campers and their two counselors has emerged from Camp Mystic, showing a group of girls who were inside one of the cabins which was swept away in the unprecedented floods.

Renee Smajstrla, eight, Janie Hunt, nine, and Alabama native Sarah Marsh, 8, all perished when the camp was washed away by the flood waters. 

Best friends Lila Bonner, 9, and Eloise Peck, 8, were also killed in the devastating flooding.

The bodies of Anna Margaret Bellows, 8, Lainey Landry, 9, and camp counselor Chloe Childress were recovered on Sunday evening. 

Camp Mystic director Richard 'Dick' Eastland, 70, was also among the casualties. He died while trying to rescue campers from the biblical rushing waters as they struck his grounds.

The camp director's wife, Tweety, was found safe at their home. The Eastlands have owned and operated Camp Mystic since 1974, and many viewed him as a father figure at the camp.

 

 

Best friends Laila Bonner (L) and Eloise Peck were also tragically killed

Windows in the cabins were shattered and the interiors were completely covered in mud

 

Beloved director of Camp Mystic, Richard 'Dick' Eastland (pictured), 70, died while trying to save his campers 

 

'It doesn't surprise me at all that his last act of kindness and sacrifice was working to save the lives of campers,' The Kerrville Daily Times guest columnist Paige Sumner said in a tribute to Eastland. 

Governor Abbott said the banks of the Guadalupe River, where some 750 girls had been staying when the floodwaters hit, had been 'horrendously ravaged in ways unlike I've seen in any natural disaster.'

'The height the rushing water reached to the top of the cabins was shocking,' he said on X after visiting the camp on Saturday.

Photos show the summer camp was destroyed after the deadly floodwaters wrecked the grounds.

Windows in the cabins were shattered and the interiors were completely covered in mud, with campers belongings in disarray.

Camp Mystic was due to celebrate its hundredth year, and has a long and illustrious history as the camp of choice for well-off families in Texas.

The daughter of multiple governors and former First Lady Laura Bush are just some of the alumni. 

Nine-year-old Janie Hunt, who perished in the floods, was the great-granddaughter of late billionaire William Herbert Hunt, whose brother was the founder of the Kansas City Chiefs. 

IT AIN'T A GONNA HAPPEN IN THE WOKE NFL, BUT I'M 110 PERCENT WITH TRUMP ON THIS ONE

Bring back the Redskins! Donald Trump claims Washington's NFL team should NEVER have scrapped 'offensive' former name

 

By Eric Blum 

 

Daily Mail

Jul 7, 2025

 

 

Donald Trump wants to bring back the Washington Redskins team to the NFL franchise 

 

Donald Trump wants to bring back the Washington Redskins, the 'offensive' team name that was scrapped by the American capital city's NFL franchise in 2020. 

Trump was in the White House when the Redskins name was originally changed, on the back's of the George Floyd protests during the final summer of his first term in the Oval Office.   

Former owner Dan Snyder was forced to make the change, originally to the Washington Football Team for two seasons, when sponsors like Nike and Amazon threatened to boycott the team without a switch. 

In 2022, the team was re-branded as the Washington Commanders, with the fan base unhappy with the final result of the new moniker for years. 

Now, Trump, who has a checkered history with the NFL, has weighed in on the gridiron franchise's new name, with it playing home games less than 15 miles from the White House.  

'Well, you want me to make a controversial statement? I would,' Trump said when asked if the Commanders should change their name back to the Redskins. 'I wouldn't have changed the name.'

 

President Trump said he would not have changed the name

The 'offensive' team name was scrapped in 2020 and later changed to the Commanders

 

'It doesn't have the same ring to me. Winning can make everything sound good. So if they win, all of the sudden, the Commanders sounds good. But I wouldn't have changed the name.' 

In 2016, the Washington Post found that only one in every 10 Native Americans were offended by the Redskins' moniker. 

In recent months, the team has attempted to combine the old and the new, including a logo of a Commanders-style W with a feather coming out from it, part of the iconic Redskins design. 

Trump's claim about winning is a decent shout, as no Commanders fan was unhappy to embrace the team's best season in 30 years in 2024. 

Washington made the NFC Championship Game with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels before falling to eventual Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles. 

Expectations are as high for the Washington football franchise heading into a season as they have been since George H.W. Bush was in the Oval Office, six Presidential administrations ago.  

Other teams in professional sports have stayed tied to their Native American-adjacent nicknames, including the Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Braves. 

The Cleveland Guardians rose from being the Cleveland Indians, in a move that was much more popular out of the gate in Ohio than the two changes in Washington. 

 

Last year, Jayden Daniels led the Commanders to their best season in more than 30 years

Fans have hoped under the team's new ownership to see a return to the Redskins nickname

Following decades of demands to change the name, former owner Dan Snyder (L) dropped 'Redskins' in 2020. New owner Josh Harris (R) has been asked by fans to change it back.

 

Trump was asked back in April, as the franchise negotiated a stadium deal to play home games once again within the District of Columbia, if a name change would be tied with any contract.    

'Now Washington, the Redskins, perhaps that's a little different, a little different,' he said. 'I think it's a superior name to what they have right now,' he also volunteered.

He added that, 'we're about bringing common sense back to this country.' 

Following Snyder's sale of the franchise to Josh Harris, fans have lobbied the new owner to revert to the old name.

Additionally, the Native American Guardians Association - an organization which vocally opposes the removal of Native American mascots - launched a petition to bring the name back.

After Trump was re-elected, many fans hoped that he could somehow force the team or the NFL to bring the 'Redskins' name back.

However, as both the NFL and the Commanders are private businesses, Trump has no authority to force a name change.

ISRAEL HAS A FEW FRIENDS AMONG BRITISH POLITICINS

Senior British party official calls sanctions on Israel 'gift to Hamas'

Richard Tice, deputy chairman of Reform UK party leading in polls, attacks government's treatment of Israel and links antisemitism rise to immigration patterns.

 

by Nissan Shtrauchler 

 

Israel Hayom

Jul 7, 2025 

 

Member of Parliament Richard Tice

 

According to every poll in Britain, if elections were held Monday, the largest party (29-35% support) would be Reform UK, a right-wing party opposing immigration and close ties with Europe, considered part of the populist right on the continent, led by Nigel Farage. 

The party's deputy chairman, Member of Parliament Richard Tice, is a staunch Israel supporter who defends its actions in British media. Recently, he noted that "the scariest thing in the British House of Commons is speaking up for Israel." In an interview with Israel Hayom, he explains how, in the short time since Labour's rise to power, public opinion is shifting rightward and supporting a party the public previously shied away from.

What do you think about the current government's treatment of Israel?

"The government is wrong regarding Israel. On the one hand, Labour says Israel has the right to defend itself, but on the other hand, many MPs are anti-Israel and sometimes even antisemitic. They talk about alleged 'genocide' by Israel, but Israel is fighting Hamas, which wants to eliminate it. If anyone has an ambition for genocide, it's Hamas. Sadly, there's a war, but the goal is to remove Hamas from power and return the hostages. Hamas can stop the war immediately if conditions are met. It bothers me that the UN and human rights organizations like UNRWA adopt Hamas' rhetoric and fake news. Britain should stop funding UNRWA, which shows sympathy for Hamas. Labour conducts misguided policy toward Israel because of pressure from party MPs, and that's unfortunate."

What about the threat of a weapons embargo and sanctions on Israeli ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich?

"Sanctions on weapons transfers to Israel are ridiculous, and they're a gift to Hamas. It's a serious mistake. The best way for a ceasefire is to pressure the UN and Hamas to force them to release the hostages. A government under our leadership would not only continue transferring weapons to Israel in full, but it would also focus on defense-related trade agreements so we can provide meaningful protection to British citizens. Regarding sanctions on Israeli ministers – it's a bad idea."

What do you think about the threat by some European Union countries to suspend the trade agreement between Israel and the EU?

"The European Union is going the wrong way – pressure should be on the UN and Hamas. Take Donald Trump's proposal that the US take ownership of the Gaza Strip and turn it into a luxurious Riviera. Immediately, everyone opposed it, but where are the alternative ideas? How do they want to solve the Gaza problem? If you don't like the plan, propose an alternative solution that excludes Hamas from the picture. The European Union should stand with Israel and help find a real solution, not act against it."

Britain showed signs it wants to recognize a Palestinian state; what do you think about the issue?

"You can't recognize a state managed by a terror organization. Our focus should be on removing Hamas from power in Gaza because as long as Hamas is in power, a two-state solution for two peoples has no chance."

What about Israel's preemptive strike on Iran?

"Britain should thank Israel and the US and support any additional action needed to ensure Iran never develops nuclear weapons capability."

Less than a year after Labour rose to power in a historic victory and the Conservative party collapsed, polls show the British public is already disappointed. Voters are seeking an alternative that will address economic problems, illegal immigration, and integration difficulties of immigrants.

How do you explain your significant jump in polls?

"We're aware of British citizens' concerns about the arrival of many immigrants with low education affecting housing, education, and schooling costs. Politicians lie that these are people immigrating legally, but many arrive illegally and receive apartments, money, and means of living at taxpayers' expense, with higher crime rates. This creates anger. There's also anger about the 'NET ZERO' plan (zero greenhouse gas emissions) designed to reduce air pollution, but it creates heavy costs and increases the cost of living. Both Conservatives and Labour brought Britain to a bad state and caused poverty and poor quality of life. We offer solutions that will improve people's lives."

While most of Europe moves rightward, last year's elections in Britain moved leftward. Now, things seem to be changing quickly and dramatically. What explains the rightward shift among Britons?

"The Conservatives collapsed because they lied, didn't address poverty, and flooded Britain with uneducated immigrants. We have the highest tax in 17 years, large debt, and low growth – we're heading toward bankruptcy. We come from a business background and need to cut welfare. Our values are family, work, and country. Those who are able to work will go to work, and those who are unable to work will not receive generous welfare benefits. There are almost 6 million people without work and a government saying we need more immigrants. Right and left is an old concept – the government's job is to give people security. If not, they'll throw you out."

Is there a connection between rising antisemitism and greater immigration of people from the Middle East, North Africa, and Muslims in general?

"There's a major rise in antisemitism in Britain after October 7, and most people born in Britain fear it, including me too. We need to act against antisemitism in the sharpest way. The answer to your question is yes. Britain was founded as a country with Christian, Western values with tolerance toward minorities, and part of our worldview is that antisemitism is against the law, and we must act against it in the clearest way. Those who don't understand our tradition, don't respect our values, and act against our worldviews their place isn't with us. You can keep your tradition and religion, but you're supposed to speak our language, respect our laws and values, work, take part in building the country, respect others, and keep the law."

What's your future? Will you be a leading party or create political paralysis?

"We'll win the next elections and form a government to save Britain from business and values failure. We need to return people to being proud Britons who believe in the country's values. We need to understand that money doesn't grow on trees, and you need to work to exist. Celebrate the possibility that you can do it in our country. Those who live here should be proud to be British and appreciate the fact they live in a free and advanced country that can provide citizens security and opportunities to develop and grow in all areas of life."

Will Reform UK be a good friend of Israel in the future and fight antisemitism?

"I work every week to achieve these goals – better connection to Israel and fighting antisemitism. I have Israeli friends and hope to visit Israel soon. We aim to be good friends with all countries that prioritize the well-being of their citizens and strive to make the world a better place. In this, Israel is different from its enemies. We see what Hamas does to Palestinians and what it invests its money in, while Israel protects its citizens and contributes to developments that benefit people worldwide."

DEBUNKING THE GENOCIDE CRAP

New study debunks Gaza genocide claims with facts and figures

Military historian Prof. Danny Orbach speaks with Israel Today about facts, propaganda, and the battle for public opinion.

 

Israel Today

Jul 7, 2025 

Gaza residents enjoy the seashore on a hot day in Gaza City, July 4, 2025.

 

 

Prof. Danny Orbach, lead author of the study and a military historian at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, spoke openly with Israel Today Editor-in-Chief Aviel Schneider about his findings and the seemingly futile struggle against a global propaganda machine. In an in-depth conversation, it became clear what many have long suspected: international reporting on Israel is deeply shaped by entrenched biases. Facts, figures, and analyses often fail to penetrate a morally-charged narrative. 

 

Yet Orbach is convinced that the fight for Israel’s truth must be waged not only on the battlefield but also – perhaps primarily – in the media. Losing public perception ultimately means losing the political legitimacy of one’s actions.

The study’s starting point includes a widely noted document by Israeli historian Dr. Lee Mordechai that includes a comprehensive collection of reports, videos, and allegations of supposed war crimes by the IDF in the Gaza Strip. The researchers combined quantitative analyses with forensic material, primary sources, and historical comparisons.

Their conclusion: There is no evidence whatsoever of a deliberate starvation strategy or systematic attacks on civilians by Israel. On the contrary, the Israeli military took unprecedented protective measures, such as issuing early evacuation orders for entire neighborhoods.

More aid than before the war

“Not only was humanitarian aid to Gaza not halted, it was actually increased,” emphasizes Prof. Orbach. Contrary to the often-cited figure of “500 trucks daily,” an average of only 73 food trucks per day entered the Gaza Strip before the war. During the war, particularly in 2024, the average rose to 109 per day – an increase Orbach sees as a “factual refutation of the starvation narrative.” Local food production was also factored in. There can be no talk of deliberate starvation of the civilian population.

In other words: During the war, Palestinians were supplied with more food per day than before the war. This is a fact – meaning people in the Gaza Strip suffered more hunger under their own Hamas regime than during the war.

Orbach acknowledges: “Israel took measures to minimize civilian casualties – and these cost us significant military disadvantages.” Safe zones were designated, large-scale evacuations were carried out, and surprise effects in military operations were sacrificed – at the risk of allowing Hamas to move fighters and weapons from place to place. A BBC Verify review found that only 1.2 percent of documented deaths by January 2025 occurred in areas designated as safe – evidence of Israel’s caution.

The study highlights Israel’s evacuation strategy: “As far as we know, no other army worldwide has informed civilians in advance about attack routes and timeframes – a measure that sacrifices the military element of surprise but serves to protect non-combatants.”

A key focus of the study is the examination of circulating death toll figures. While international reports cite up to 100,000 victims, Orbach points to the official figures from the Gaza Health Ministry: approximately 55,000 deaths. However, these numbers are not independently verifiable and contain “obvious manipulations” – particularly in the categorization of women and children.

The study identifies two systemic issues in humanitarian reporting that distort the picture. First, a “humanitarian bias” – the tendency of NGOs not only to report but to shape political narratives, often leading to exaggerated, alarmist portrayals. Second, the inability of such organizations to operate independently in authoritarian regimes. Prof. Orbach recalls post-Gulf War Iraq, where death tolls were deliberately manipulated – a scenario he does not rule out for Gaza.

Orbach is particularly critical of a study by renowned statistician Michael Spagat, which, through interviews with 2,000 families in southern Gaza, estimated around 75,000 direct war deaths and 8,000 indirect deaths. Orbach highlights significant methodological flaws. The interviewed Palestinian families were not always representative of the broader population, often being families of fallen “martyrs” (terrorists, referred to as shahidim). Additionally, no names or ID data were collected, and there was no verification of reported deaths.

These figures were further amplified by Israeli journalists like Nir Hasson of Haaretz, who extrapolated globally, stating: “If there were 75,000 Palestinian deaths and 8,000 indirect deaths by January 2025, it will soon reach 100,000.” As a result, the 100,000 Palestinian death toll went viral – but is factually incorrect.

Even if Spagat’s data were taken seriously, Orbach notes they show no signs of famine. “In a real famine, young children die first – that wasn’t the case here,” he explains. Thus, dire predictions by UN organizations like the IPC, which forecasted a “catastrophic famine” for 2024, did not materialize. “These predictions simply did not come true.”

Do you think Michael Spagat will engage with your study? – “Maybe. We sent him a series of questions. He knows us, as he even allowed us to use one of his Iraq graphs. But he hasn’t responded yet,” says Prof. Orbach.

A recurring issue is the low visibility of corrections. For example, UNRWA corrected its claim that aid deliveries had dropped by 70% – but the media barely reported this, while the original misinformation continued to circulate globally, even reaching the International Criminal Court.

The study’s authors do not shy away from Israel’s mistakes. They admit that between March and May 2025, aid stoppages were deliberately used as leverage – a “serious mistake,” as Orbach emphasizes, but not part of a long-term strategy.

The incident at the GHF distribution centers, where numerous civilians died, is also addressed in the English version: Orbach speaks of “criminal negligence by individual IDF commanders.” He criticizes the insufficient use of non-lethal means in such a complex war zone but acknowledges Israel’s security dilemma: “You can’t expect aid deliveries to get through while remaining unprotected.”

What was Israel’s biggest mistake? – Orbach responds with surprising self-criticism: “Israel failed to communicate its humanitarian efforts in an internationally understandable way – for example, that more food was delivered to Gaza during the war than before.” He adds: “The term ‘military administration’ triggers panic in Israel – but without Arabic-speaking liaison officers, misunderstandings arise. Soldiers interpret every encounter as a confrontation.”

But how can this be conveyed to the public? The Palestinian media strategy relies not on facts but on emotions – and it works. Orbach knows this but has no answer. Crying children, empty plates, desperate mothers – these strike straight at the heart. Yet, this manipulates the reality in Gaza into a narrative of famine and even genocide. His own research, by contrast, is sober, fact-based, and scientific. “We’re not PR people. Our goal is to enable an informed discussion – nothing more.” He describes the struggle with public perception as a game of “Whac-a-Mole,” a repetitive and often fruitless task: “No sooner do you debunk one accusation than the next one pops up. It’s an endless battle against a vast propaganda network.”

The study addresses one of the most explosive accusations of our time: the international claim that Israel is committing genocide in the Gaza Strip. The authors – Prof. Danny Orbach, Dr. Yagil Henkin, Dr. Yonatan Buxman, and lawyer Yonatan Braverman – combine expertise in military history, war law, and quantitative conflict research. Their investigation is considered the most comprehensive and methodologically rigorous attempt to date to subject the genocide allegations against Israel to scientific scrutiny. Israel has often explained itself poorly – while its adversaries excel at manipulating images and terms. What remains is a sober, forensic perspective on a deeply emotionally charged issue. The latest study lays facts and figures before the international community – whether they will be heard remains to be seen.

LIBERALS ARE PISSED OFF AT THE NEW YORK TIMES - YES, AT THE NEW YORK TIMES - FOR MAKING PUBLIC MAMDANI'S SCAM

Mamdani and the consequences of woke racial classifications

The Democratic mayoral candidate claimed to be an African-American when applying to college. The danger of the Marxist racialization of society goes beyond that minor scam. 

 

By Jonathan S. Tobin 

 

JNS

Jul 7, 2025

 

 

The New York Times committed an act of journalism recently, and many of its readers—and its staff—lost their minds. It reported the fact that Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Party’s candidate for mayor of New York City, whose campaign successfully pitched him to the public as the Muslim-American and Indian-American candidate, had claimed to be an “African-American” on one of his college applications.

Since the partisan liberal readers of the Times are not used to seeing articles about the hypocrisies of their side’s standard-bearers, the story has provoked an avalanche of left-wing rage. The subsequent cringe-inducing efforts of the paper to justify bringing to the attention of the public something that would—if it had been done by a Republican and conservative—been considered a heinous offense by the same people who are angry about it being made public speak volumes about our bifurcated political discourse.

What’s the real issue?

The Times’ story has engendered a lively debate about journalistic standards (the information came to them via what is likely to have been an illegal Internet hack of private records), as well as what is considered acceptable when classifying an individual’s race. While these points are worth discussing, the dustup about which boxes the 33-year-old checked off 15 years ago when applying to school has obscured something far more important than what is essentially a minor scam.

What this kerfuffle should remind us of is the terrible consequences of the imposition of the woke catechism of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) on American society. Insisting that Americans are all essentially defined by race and ethnic origin—whether it concerns college admissions, hiring employees, determining government funding and a host of other categories—is part of a Marxist effort to create a permanent race war between those deemed “people of color,” who are always victims, and “white” oppressors, who are always in the wrong. In seeking “equity” between these groups rather than equal opportunity, which is the polar opposite, past injustices are not being redressed as much as the entire debate creates new ones.

An argument can certainly be made that Mamdani shouldn’t be blamed for trying to game the system. The truth, however, is that not only is he a hypocrite. His plans for transforming New York City into an economic experiment in socialism, coupled with his support for anti-Jewish and anti-Israel positions and organizations, flow from the same sort of toxic ideas that produced the application form that is now being criticized for his answers. The issue isn’t so much whether or not Mamdani lied about being an African-American, but that the “progressive” doctrines that he champions are a singular threat to the racial peace and the future of the United States.

Should the Times have reported the leak of Mamdani’s application?

There is an argument that since the information was obtained by an illegal hack, it shouldn’t have been reported. But that is a standard that the mainstream press has never applied to any story that served its ideological or partisan agenda, dating all the way back to the Vietnam War and the Pentagon Papers. Why should it be used now, when it portrays someone on the left in a less-than-flattering light?

Who’s the racist?

But that begs the question of whether or not it is OK to talk about anyone’s racial background. It should be noted that in July of last year, the Times itself judged President Donald Trump’s discussion about then-Vice President Kamala Harris’s mixed racial background by a very different standard. At the time, the paper portrayed his comments asking whether someone who had also identified as Indian-Asian was authentically African-American as not merely unfair but something that invoked a “haunting and unsettling history” of racism.

Apparently, the Times does not consider it racist to raise the question of whether Mamdani is African-American.

If you think “African” is a geographic construct, then Mamdani did nothing wrong. Considering that he was born in Uganda to parents who were Gujarati Indians who subsequently immigrated to the United States, Mamdani is African. But most Americans, especially those who identify as African-American—and when using the term for consideration of both entry to academic schools and funding purposes—consider the term to apply to black people. 

And so, they take a very different view of it. They see it as someone trying to gain an advantage by claiming an identity not fairly applicable in this instance. After all, no one on the left, including Mamdani, thinks that it’s acceptable for Elon Musk, a white person born in South Africa, to call himself African-American. Incumbent New York Mayor Eric Adams, himself a native black New Yorker, spoke for many in the African-American community who regarded the application as racial (and potentially, financial) fraud.

The problem with Mamdani’s application was not so much a case of cultural appropriation as it was a system that allows wealthy people to gain an advantage over middle- and working-class Americans by means of identity politics. As a person of South Asian origin and a Shia Muslim, Mamdani was part of ethnic, racial and religious minority groups. But as the son of a successful, Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker and a tenured professor at Columbia University, he is also a child of privilege in terms of income and access to the educational system. Mamdani was seeking to be chosen for admissions at Columbia over other applicants who didn’t check as many boxes on the DEI list of favored minorities.

That’s both unfair and increasingly unviable in a country where so many Americans fit into more than one racial or ethnic category. And whether or not that’s true, a country where we are primarily defined by skin color or our ethnic or religious origins is one in which freedom is replaced by a destructive woke race consciousness.

As it happened, Mamdani wasn’t accepted at Columbia and instead spent his college years at Maine’s Bowdoin College, where he led the chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine—an organization that doesn’t merely support the destruction of the State of Israel, but also routinely engages in antisemitic blood libels and incitement.

Discriminatory racial policies

This is, after all, the same man who now advocates for charging those who live in “whiter” neighborhoods with higher property taxes than those who live elsewhere, an inherently discriminatory and racist proposal. He’s also the same person who supports the Palestinian war on the existence of the one Jewish state on the planet because he considers it unacceptable for Jews to have their own nation, a standard he and other “progressives” don’t apply to any other people or country.

Nor are these isolated positions. They are part of a mindset, often articulated by his Marxist father and mother, who joined an effort to prevent Gal Gadot from appearing at the Oscar Awards ceremony simply because she is Israeli, that sees both America and Israel as illegitimate settler-colonialist states.

The self-avowed Democratic Socialist’s campaign shouldn’t be judged because he was someone who tried to play the DEI intersectional race game to his advantage when he was a teenager. He is a person whose entire life and political career revolve around an attempt to impose these toxic ideas on every aspect of society.

The consequences of such policies have already been made obvious by the events of the last 21 months since the Hamas-led Palestinian Arab attacks on southern Israeli communities on Oct. 7, 2023. Mamdani cheered on pro-Hamas mobs on college campuses that targeted Jewish students for intimidation and violence. They did so because they had been indoctrinated in the left’s big lies about Israel being a “white” racist settler-colonialist “apartheid” state, as well as because they believed the biased coverage of the post-Oct. 7 war in legacy corporate media like the Times.

This is exactly the problem that President Trump is trying to grapple with in his conflicts with elite institutions like Harvard University and Columbia. It’s not just that these schools are being given billions of dollars in federal funds while illegally discriminating against Jews by tolerating or encouraging antisemitism.

A progressive threat

The progressive capture of major institutions of American life, like the arts and education, didn’t so much enable the surge of antisemitism as make it inevitable. Yet the leftist culture that produced Mamdani not only threatens Jews; they are but the canaries in the coal mine. The assault on the canon of Western civilization that Mamdani’s Marxist beliefs embody is a problem that transcends the peril it poses to Jews.

A New York in which the candidate’s ideas prevail is one in which racial division is paramount and the values of individual liberty that are the foundation of the American republic are trashed. And since his fellow Democratic Socialists Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) lead a faction that seeks to control not just New York but the national Democratic Party, this is a problem that should concern all Americans.

Zohran Mamdani’s college applications shouldn’t matter, but race-hucksters and DEI racists like him aren’t just hypocrites. The controversy that the scrutiny of this period of his life produced highlights exactly why leftist ideologues like him are a threat to everyone.

ISRAEL NEEDS ANOTHER PRESIDENT, NOT ANOTHER PRIME MINISTER

The message that Herzog shouldn’t be conveying

The Israeli president’s official role is to represent the face of the country abroad and foster national unity at home. But his partisanship is getting in the way. 

 

By Ruthie Blum 

 

JNS

Jul 6, 2025

 

 

Israeli President Isaac Herzog

 

In a post on X on Friday, Israeli President Isaac “Bougie” Herzog expressed appreciation for the United States on its 249th birthday.

“To the American people, from your proudest and most steadfast friends, the Israeli people, I send my warmest wishes and congratulations on the Fourth of July,” he began. “We stand side by side, shoulder to shoulder in the defense of freedom and liberty. We join you in celebrating your Independence Day as a symbol of these shared values.”

So far so good.

“I send special thanks to my dear friend, [U.S. President Donald Trump],” he continued. “Mr. President, Israel will never forget your courage, clarity and moral resolve in standing firm against the Iranian nuclear threat, in launching the Abraham Accords and expanding the circle of peace in the region, and your demand and action to bring home our hostages. Fifty innocent people remain in captivity in Gaza. They must all come home as soon as possible.”

He concluded, “Happy July 4th! God bless the United States of America, and the unbreakable bond between our nations.”

His message was appropriate, given the occasion. His reference to the current context—the “12-Day War” and potentially additional normalization agreements—was fitting. Yet something was missing from his tribute. And it wasn’t accidental.

No, Herzog’s words were carefully crafted to omit mention of the Israeli government and its leader, Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu. Apparently, even nodding to their crucial part in the “unbreakable bond” between Washington and Jerusalem—let alone heroic operations against the Islamic Republic; gargantuan efforts at peace-making with Arab neighbors; and incessant attempts to free the hostages, most of whom were released through dangerous deals with the devil—was too difficult for Herzog.

Far easier for him was to punctuate his ode with a reminder of the “50 innocent people who remain in captivity in Gaza” and the imperative that “they must all come home as soon as possible.”

The implication was that only Trump, through his “courage, clarity and moral resolve,” can make this happen. You know, since Bibi and his coalition have been mere bystanders, if not actual hindrances, to the rescue of the hostages and defeat of Iran’s global terror machine.

Anyone who thinks this is a case of unfair nitpicking at Herzog’s little gesture should note that it comes ahead of Bibi’s meeting on Monday at the White House. The purpose of the summit is for the pair to figure out the best possible way to achieve the goals that both are seeking.

As was evident from the amazing secrecy with which the two leaders colluded to carry out a joint attack on Iran’s nuclear capabilities—with Israel launching strikes on June 12 and the United States capping them off 10 days later—much of what goes on in the Oval Office next week won’t be immediately revealed. Forget the “scoops” that undoubtedly will be peddled by the likes of self-anointed “insiders” Barak Ravid and Ronen Bergman; they’re usually wrong.

What’s clear is that Trump and Netanyahu share and promote a concept that Herzog and others of his ilk avoid if not shun: Peace through strength. You know, defeating one’s enemies.

In fact, Trump just released a new set of fragrances that he named “Victory 45-47.” The perfumes are called that, he explained on Truth Social, “because they’re all about winning, strength and success—for men and women.”

Which brings us back to Herzog, who would do well to buy a bottle

Two days prior to his July 4 post, he addressed a group of Israeli National Defense College course cadets. What he said to them was bad enough; that pride in his remarks caused him to publicize them on social media should be sufficient to disqualify him as the ceremonial figure voted by the Knesset to “represent the face of the country abroad and foster national unity at home.”

Oozing pathos, he recounted, “I am returning from condolence visits to four bereaved families. In one of the visits, I entered a home where … two families were gathered—two cousins: one killed on Oct. 7, and the other killed last week. You leave the homes of these wonderful families and ask yourself: How long will this bloodletting continue? Yes, it has accompanied us since the dawn of our existence, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take concrete steps to change the reality.”

Finally, he said, “The role of leadership now is to come up with more and more ideas. I trust the chief of staff [of the Israel Defense Forces] and the plans he is presenting, and I support him. I also trust that we will think ahead; we are an original people with an exceptional security system. This is not a dichotomy of ‘continued bloodletting or surrender’—it’s not one or the other.”

Someone ought to inform Herzog that the only “bloodletting” going on is that directed at Israeli civilians and soldiers. After all, he acknowledged that it has “accompanied us since the dawn of our existence.”

So, how dare he suggest that we haven’t taken sufficient “concrete steps” to change the situation? It’s all we’ve been doing since time immemorial—certainly since the establishment of the Jewish state.

The answer is that Herzog, though holding an ostensibly non-partisan position, hails from the defunct, land-for-peace Labor Party. Obviously, the notion that there’s always some new avenue to explore to stop our enemies from murdering us is still ingrained in him. Equally ensconced is an unwillingness to credit this right-wing coalition with, well, anything.

It’s why he stressed his trust in the chief of staff, after asserting something vague about the country’s “leadership” needing to come up with “more and more ideas.”

The worst bit, however, was his claiming that the “dichotomy” isn’t “bloodletting or surrender.”

Which entity did he mean? Was he saying that Israel is doing the bloodletting and that surrendering isn’t the only way to stop it? Or was he talking about the enemy?

We don’t know for sure. But there’s no question that the terms “Israeli victory” and “enemy defeat” didn’t cross his lips. Lucky for us, it’s Bibi, not Bougie, navigating the landscape.  

MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY ... THE JEWS ARE ABOUT TO CONQUER THE WORLD

The fear of Jewish success

As Israel succeeds and continuously defeats its enemies one by one, a fear arises among many non-Jews that the Jewish people are getting too powerful. 

 

By Rabbi Uri Pilichowski 

 

JNS

Jul 7, 2025

 

Israeli F-15I fighter jets fly toward Iran during "Operation Rising Lion” in June 2025.

 

Even before the war with Iran started, Israel’s opponents, enemies and even friends have criticized Israel more than ever in recent months. What has brought on this increased criticism?  

One week before Israel’s war with Iran started, the U.N. Security Council held a vote on a resolution calling for an “immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire” between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, the release of all the hostages and unhindered aid access across the enclave. It was well-known that America would veto the resolution, and it would fail, so why did Israel’s enemies and friends bother with it?

In June, the leaders of Spain, France and Italy voiced criticism of Israel’s war in Gaza and called for a ceasefire—one that would inevitably leave Hamas in power. Then the United Kingdom, France and Canada warned Israel they would take “concrete actions” if it continued an “egregious” expansion of military operations in Gaza. Then the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia and Canada imposed personal sanctions on Israeli Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich and Minister of Internal Security Itamar Ben-Gvir. 

As Israel began its war with Iran, voices began calling on Israel to restrain itself and questioning the justification for Israel’s attacks. Just as Israel began to win in Iran, French President Emmanuel Macron called on Israel to “urgently end strikes which are increasingly targeting targets unrelated to Iran’s nuclear and ballistic-missile program.” 

It is dangerous to generalize about large groups of people. Making sweeping statements about any group of people runs the risk of inaccuracies. These types of conclusions can also be highly offensive, especially if they are accusatory or derogatory suppositions. At the same time, there are consistent phenomena that express themselves by large groups of people that are impossible to ignore.

After 21 months of a steady stream of criticizing Israel, the intensified level of criticism by world leaders this month is curious. The increased level of criticism can be explained in different ways. One theory suggests that there is latent global antisemitism that is always present. This widespread antisemitism is always a factor, but mostly never reveals itself. There are times when it rears its head in public displays.

The Jewish sages taught about this phenomenon, declaring Eisav sonei es Yaakov, meaning the “descendants of Eisav” (Esau)—gentiles—will always hate the descendants of Yaakov (Jacob). The meaning of the sages’ teaching isn’t that all gentiles hate all Jews all the time, but rather, antisemitism is a factor that is always present among some gentiles. 

Part of this suppressed antisemitism is a fear of a Jewish takeover of the world. Gentiles have always noticed the Jewish tendency to historically succeed in finance, science and technology. Many non-Jews have had a long-standing fear that Jews have the skills and ability to conquer them. This is the source of the writing and success of publications such as The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, which capitalize on this fear and exploit it. Most non-Jews aren’t conscious or aware of underlying antisemitism within them, although many certainly do and embrace it. 

As Israel succeeds and continuously defeats its enemies one by one, a fear arises among many people that the Jewish people are getting too powerful. The nations all maintain Israel can exist and defend itself, but as soon as it begins to succeed, that latent fear of Israel conquering the world comes to the fore and expresses itself in calls for restraint, ceasefires, and accusations of occupation, apartheid and genocide. Israel must learn to simultaneously ignore those accusations while assuring the world that its sole goal is the security of its people. 

This latent antisemitism can explain another criticism levied against Israel that has been seen more recently. In Israel’s recent war with Iran, voices that had a long history of supporting Israel and calling for an attack on Iran suddenly changed their minds and became critical of Israel’s attack and opposed America’s support of Israel. It was at the point where Israel was experiencing its greatest success that these voices became unjustifiably critical, if not slanderously accusatory. Of course, the historically anti-Israel voices also came out against Israel’s attacks. 

Those opposing the war used buzzwords like “constitutional issues,” “America first,” or “anti-war.” These are normally legitimate concerns, but in the case of Israel’s attacks on Iran and America’s support for them, they were being used as smokescreens. Holocaust survivors, scholars, and educators frequently teach the Nazis’ method of cloaking their hate in “respectable” excuses. When it comes to criticism of Israel, those same tactics, disguised but unmistakable, are being employed by today’s antisemites.

The Israel critics are quick to argue that comparisons to Nazi Germany are exaggerated and disproportionate, and they trivialize the Holocaust by unfairly equating modern anti-war activism with Nazi ideology, but when the same phenomena present themselves, it’s irresponsible to ignore them. 

These same critics might argue that the charge of antisemitism to those who oppose Israel’s actions in Gaza, Lebanon, Iran and the other fronts of the wars of the past 21 months unfairly lumps all anti-war advocates together, implying most or all opposition to American support of Israeli military conflicts is antisemitic.

They could point out that legitimate concerns about war, such as loss of life or economic costs, don’t necessarily stem from anti-Israel bias. The answer to those opponents is true, but again, when the exact same phenomena present itself, it’s irresponsible to ignore it. 

Some people challenge the assertion that, in general, opposing Israel’s actions and policies equates to antisemitism. They argue that criticizing Israel’s policies or its role in these conflicts is a political stance, not inherently a hatred of Jewish people. That can be true, but not when a pattern develops among the same group of politicians and pundits of reflexive criticism of Israel. 

No one should ever claim that every anti-war stance is antisemitic. But when the same crowd consistently and reflexively demonizes Israel in an almost knee-jerk reaction while staying silent on other global conflicts, the double standard alarms that alert Israelis to claims that extend past hypocrisy to outright antisemitism. 

It’s important to recognize the people who are reflexively anti-Israel for what they are—antisemites or self-hating Jews. These people are obsessed with Israel because it’s the Jewish state, and they have a latent fear of Jewish conspiracy theories coming true. It isn’t comfortable attributing normally valid criticism and viewpoints to antisemitism, but when patterns develop, it reveals itself to be the reality.