The IDF on Thursday morning confirmed the overnight airstrike in southern Lebanon that killed a senior Radwan Force commander. The elimination was carried out by a drone that targeted the commander’s vehicle as he was driving. “An Air Force aircraft, directed by Division 91, attacked overnight in the Derdgha’iya area in southern Lebanon and killed the terrorist Ahmed Adnan Bajija, a battalion commander in Hezbollah’s Radwan Force,” the IDF spokesperson stated. “During the war, he advanced and carried out numerous terror attacks against the citizens of the State of Israel and IDF forces. In recent months [during the ceasefire], he has continued to advance terror attacks against the Israeli home front, posing a threat to the State of Israel and its citizens.” On Thursday morning, the IDF eliminated three Hezbollah terrorists who were transporting weapons in southern Lebanon. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
After Israeli leftists spent hours protesting on the streets this week and threatening a civil war, the coalition succeeded in passing a judicial reform bill overnight Wednesday. No other country in the world has a judicial selection process like Israel, with a leftist echo chamber responsible for electing its judges, shackling the elected government. And the bill that passed overnight, a watered-down version of the original bill, is not enough to change the composition of the courts and its authoritarian power – it is only a tiny baby step to correcting what is wrong with the judicial system and restoring autonomy to the government. All the bill does is slightly change the makeup of the Judicial Selection Committee, which is comprised of three Supreme Court justices, two representatives of the Israel Bar Association (IBA), two ministers, and two MKs. The bill replaces the two IBA members with two public representatives [lawyers], one appointed by the coalition and one by the opposition. The bill will only go into effect in the next Knesset. But the leftists don’t allow facts to affect their unbalanced behavior, and the opposition boycotted the vote, walking out of the plenum as it took place. They desperately tried to link the vote to the plight of the hostages, claiming that the coalition is too busy with the bill to worry about bringing the hostages home, and vowed to repeal the bill in the next government. The Yesh Atid party and the left-wing Movement for Quality of Government promptly submitted petitions against the bill to the Supreme Court minutes after it passed. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar slammed the opposition in a speech from the Knesset plenum, saying: “You’re trying to incite Am Yisrael and threatening a civil war over this?!” Sa’ar began by condemning the opposition’s lies and hypocrisy, commenting that it’s rare, throughout the world, that the opposition has the right of veto on all judicial selections. “But who is opposing this bill in the Israeli Knesset? The opposition.” “And not only does it oppose it, it describes this law in apocalyptic terms. What are you screeching about? What are you condemning? The preservation of the status of Supreme Court justices as selectors at the gates of a closed members’ club? You already agreed to this in March 2023.” “What are you protesting? Against the removal of the Bar Association from the committee? You already agreed to that. You are certainly the first opposition in the entire world that opposes granting power to the opposition to select judges.” “And for this, you’re seeking to incite Am Yisrael and threatening a civil war!? It’s no wonder that the public isn’t responding and isn’t going out to the streets in the numbers it protested before.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
Israel will move its clocks forward by one hour overnight Thursday, marking the start of daylight saving time (DST). The switch will take place at 2 a.m., with the time jumping to 3 a.m. The six-hour time difference between Israel and the US for the past several weeks will now revert to a seven-hour time difference. DST will remain in effect until standard time resumes on October 26, 2025. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Wednesday that U.S. President Donald Trump’s auto tariffs are a “direct attack” on his country and that the trade war is hurting Americans, noting that American consumer confidence is at a multi-year low. Trump said earlier Wednesday that he was placing 25% tariffs on auto imports and, to underscore his intention, he stated “This is permanent.” “This is a very direct attack,” Carney responded. “We will defend our workers. We will defend our companies. We will defend our country.” Carney said he needs to see the details of Trump’s executive order before taking retaliatory measures. He called it unjustified and said he will leave the election campaign to go to Ottawa on Thursday to chair his special Cabinet committee on U.S. relations. Carney earlier announced a CA$2 billion ($1.4 billion) “strategic response fund” that will protect Canadian auto jobs affected by Trump’s tariffs. Autos are Canada’s second largest export, and Carney noted it employs 125,000 Canadians directly and almost another 500,000 in related industries. “Canada will be there for auto workers,” he said. Trump previously granted a one-month exemption on his stiff new tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada for U.S. automakers. The president has plunged the U.S. into a global trade war — all while on-again, off-again new levies continue to escalate uncertainty. The Conference Board reported Tuesday that its U.S consumer confidence index fell 7.2 points in March to 92.9, the fourth straight monthly decline and its lowest reading since January of 2021. “His trade war is hurting American consumers and workers and it will hurt more. I see that American consumer confidence is at a multi-year low,” Carney said earlier while campaigning in Windsor, Ontario ahead of Canada’s April 28 election. The tax hike on auto imports starting in April means automakers could face higher costs and lower sales. Trump previously 25% tariffs on Canada’s steel and aluminum and is threatening sweeping tariffs on all Canadian products — as well as all of America’s trading partners — on April 2. “He wants to break us so America can own us,” Carney said. “And it will never ever happen because we just don’t look out for ourselves we look out for each other.” Carney, former two-time central banker, made the earlier comments while campaigning against the backdrop of the Ambassador Bridge, which is considered the busiest U.S.-Canadian border crossing, carrying 25% of all trade between the two countries. It plays an especially important role in auto manufacturing. Carney said the bridge carries $140 billion Canadian dollars ($98 billion) in goods every year and CA$400 million ($281 million) per day. “Now those numbers and the jobs and the paychecks that depend on that are in question,” Carney said. “The relationship between Canada and the United States has changed. We did not change it.” In the auto sector, parts can go back and forth across the Canada-U.S. border several times before being fully assembled in Ontario or Michigan. Ontario Premier Doug Ford said, whose province has the bulk of Canada’s auto industry, Ford said auto plants on both sides the border will shut simultaneously if the tariffs go ahead. “President is calling it Liberation Day. I call it Termination Day for American workers. I know President Trump likes tell people ’Your fired!” I […]
The Social Security Administration is partially backtracking on a plan that would require all new and existing beneficiaries to travel to a Social Security field office to verify their identity. The Social Security Administration on Wednesday said that people applying for Social Security Disability Insurance, Medicare, or Supplemental Security Income who are not able to use agency’s online portal, can complete their claim entirely over the phone instead of in person. Other SSA applicants will still be required to verify their identities at a field office. The changes will apply to all beneficiaries beginning April 14th, instead of the previously announced date of March 31st. “We have listened to our customers, Congress, advocates, and others, and we are updating our policy to provide better customer service to the country’s most vulnerable populations,” said Lee Dudek, SSA’s acting commissioner of Social Security in a statement. Dudek added that delaying the policy start date will help officials train employees on new procedures. Last week SSA announced a plan to require in-person identity checks for millions of new and existing recipients while simultaneously closing 47 field offices in 18 states. The new requirements would have impacted anyone who needed to verify their bank information, as well as families with children who receive Social Security benefits and cannot verify certain information online. The changes are intended to combat fraud and waste within the system, which President Donald Trump and officials in his administration have claimed are widespread. The policy change has sparked furor among lawmakers, advocacy groups and program recipients who say the Trump administration is placing unnecessary barriers in front of an already vulnerable population. AARP’s Chief Advocacy and Engagement Officer Nancy LeaMond said the Wednesday announcement “is a good first step by the Social Security Administration to respond to the concerns of AARP, our members, and older Americans everywhere about plans to discontinue phone service for critical Social Security customer service needs.” “Merely delaying the implementation of this change is not enough, though,” she said. “SSA should take a deliberate approach to its proposed changes to customer service that seeks public input, follows a clear communication plan, and allows a reasonable timeframe for compliance.” Roughly 72.5 million people, including retirees and children, receive Social Security benefits. Trump’s nominee to lead the SSA faced questions Tuesday at his confirmation hearing about efforts by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency to close field offices and cut back on phone service at the beleaguered agency. Frank Bisignano, was called to account for recent upheaval at the SSA, which has taken center stage in the debate over the usefulness of DOGE cuts to taxpayer services and their effect on the social welfare program long regarded as the third rail of national politics. A Wall Street veteran and one-time defender of corporate policies to protect LGBTQ+ people from discrimination, Bisignano has since 2020 served as chairman of Fiserv, a payments and financial services tech firm. He told CNBC in February that he is “fundamentally a DOGE person” but “the objective isn’t to touch benefits.” When asked during the hearing whether Social Security should be privatized, Bisignano responded: “I’ve never heard a word of it, and I’ve never thought about it.” (AP)
The U.S. Education Department reopened online applications Wednesday for income-driven repayment plans for student loan borrowers. The applications had been taken down in response to a February court ruling, which blocked the Biden administration’s Saving on a Valuable Education Plan and parts of other income-driven repayment plans. The materials’ removal had complicated the renewal process for borrowers already enrolled in repayment plans. The American Federation of Teachers had filed a lawsuit seeking to force the department to accept and process applications for repayment plans. Delays in processing applications held up relief for borrowers including those enrolled in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, said Persis Yu, deputy executive director for the Student Borrower Protection Center, which represented the plaintiffs. “Every day these applications go unprocessed deprives borrowers of critical time toward PSLF relief and financial stability,” Yu said. The Trump administration needed to revise the income-driven repayment plan application in order to comply with the February ruling, said James Bergeron, acting under secretary at the Education Department. While the online application was down, officials said there were no disruptions to the paper application process. Income-driven repayment plans take a borrower’s finances and family size into account when calculating monthly payments, but borrowers must periodically demonstrate they still qualify. When forms were unavailable, some borrowers were unable to complete that process. Advocates for borrowers encouraged them to be prepared for delays in processing as the department begins accepting applications again. “Looking at the application today, it does appear that everything is back online,” said Sabrina Calazans, executive director of Student Debt Crisis Center. “Borrowers should still apply for the plan that works for them.” She said borrowers should continue to plan for how to tackle their student debt, despite the Trump administration’s dismantling of the Education Department. Not paying back loans or meeting payments can result in delinquency and defaults. “We have heard a lot of people say that if the department is going away, so do their loans. That is not true,” Calazans said. AFT President Randi Weingarten said in a joint statement with the Student Borrower Protection Center that the government “took a step because of our lawsuit to restore some borrowers’ rights” but that many borrowers are still being met with “red tape, backlogs and dead ends.” The Education Department’s Federal Student Aid office has been hit hard by layoffs, with more than 300 FSA jobs eliminated. The Trump administration has said the cuts won’t affect students and families. (AP)
A Heartbreaking Reality Can you imagine? A baby who already has a family waiting for her, parents longing to bring her home, yet she remains in a hospital simply because of money. Right now, little Rivkah is lying in a hospital bed, waiting for the moment she can finally be held by the parents who have already chosen her. Sarah and Yossi are ready to welcome her into their home with open hearts, embracing her Down Syndrome and everything that makes her the precious Neshama she is. But there is one thing standing in their way: the staggering cost of adoption! And Rivkah isn’t the only one. Right now, six other Jewish babies are waiting—each with a loving family ready to care for them, daven for them, and raise them in a Torah-filled home. But without help, these families cannot afford the overwhelming legal and adoption fees standing between them and their child. It’s heartbreaking. It shouldn’t be this way. And we have the power to change it. Click here to help Every Jewish Baby Matters – This is a Mitzvah Like No Other For years, Sussie Weiss and her team at Branches Adoption Network have been working tirelessly to make sure Jewish children with special needs are placed in loving, frum homes. They do everything possible to help birth parents keep their children, but when that’s not an option, they make sure these precious Neshamos are not left behind! They can’t do it alone – your urgent help is needed Click here to help The cost of legal fees, paperwork, medical expenses, and adoption services is simply too much. Without immediate support, these babies will remain in hospitals or state foster care instead of being in the warm embrace of a Jewish home. This Is Where You Come In As a community, we take care of our own. Every dollar you give is not just tzedakah—it is a lifeline. It is the difference between a child growing up without a home and a child being raised with Torah, Shabbos, and the love of a Jewish family. You can be the one to bring Rivkah home. Will you help? Will you be the reason she finally has a family? Click here to help This is your chance to perform an eternal mitzvah. Donate now. Because no Jewish child should ever be left alone. Because together, we can make a difference!
Argentina’s government has announced the full declassification of all state-held files on Nazi fugitives who sought refuge in the country following World War II. The decision, confirmed by Cabinet Chief Guillermo Francos, comes under the direct orders of President Javier Milei, signaling a long-overdue reckoning with one of Argentina’s darkest chapters. “These are historical records that must be available to the public,” Francos declared, confirming that the archives will include classified government records, banking transactions, and Defense Ministry documents. The move will finally shed light on how some of history’s most notorious Nazi war criminals evaded justice and lived comfortably in Argentina for decades, protected by political alliances and secret networks. The declassification order follows a February 17 meeting between Milei and U.S. Senator Steve Daines, a close ally of President Donald Trump, who has long advocated for the release of these documents. It also comes just a day after the government announced it would declassify files on Argentina’s military dictatorship (1976-1983), a move that signals Milei’s push for radical transparency on historical atrocities. Argentina has long been infamous as a sanctuary for high-ranking Nazi officials, many of whom arrived under the Perón government in the late 1940s, using escape routes known as “ratlines.” Among the most infamous fugitives was Adolf Eichmann, a key architect of the Holocaust, who lived under a false identity in Buenos Aires until his daring capture by Mossad in 1960. Josef Mengele, the “Angel of Death” of Auschwitz, also hid in Argentina for nearly a decade before escaping to Paraguay and Brazil, where he died in 1979. Erich Priebke, the SS commander behind the Fosse Ardeatine massacre in Italy, lived undisturbed in Bariloche until his discovery and extradition in the 1990s. For decades, Argentina’s complicity in sheltering war criminals was an open secret, yet much of the truth remained buried in government archives. Now, the long-hidden records will finally be revealed, providing answers, accountability, and potentially justice—albeit decades late—for those who protected these monsters. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
A massive atzeres tefillah led by Sephardi Gedolei HaTorah, Chachamim and Rabbanim will be held on Thursday against the draft decree looming over the Olam HaTorah in Eretz Yisrael. The atzeres, which will take place at 3 p.m. at the intersection of Rechov Yechezkel and Rechov Shmuel HaNavi in Jerusalem, will be headed by Zakein Roshei HaYeshivos HaGaon HaRav Moshe Tzadka, who will deliver the main address. The atzeres is being held to daven against the decrees of Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara and the Supreme Court against the Olam HaTorah, especially the recruitment decree. Sephardi Rabbanim are particularly worried about the Supreme Court’s ruling mandating the recruitment of bnei yeshivos as they are concerned the draft law will disproportionately affect Sephardi youth. One of the advertisements for the atzeres, titled “לא תקום פעמיים צרה” reminded the Sephardi sector about the hundreds of thousands of Sephardi Jews who were cut off from Torah and mitvos after moving to Israel in the 1950s. “But then, with the great mesirus nefesh of Sephardi Gedolim and Chachamim, who established mosdos chinuch, shuls, yeshivos, and kollelim, the Sephardi Olam HaTorah slowly grew and flourished once again.” “But now…the authorities want to cut the Eitz HaChayim down and throw the young generation into the melting pot of the army, which will not only stop the wonderful growth but will chalilah lead to the secularization of the next generation.” “לא יקום ולא יהיה! It’s enough what happened in the past. It’s enough that tens of thousands of Sephardim are still far from the Derech HaTorah and you want to chalilah destroy the embers saved from the fire? No and no! Under no circumstance will we allow the same tzarah to occur again!” Another advertisement for the atzeres features a letter from HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef, z’tl, and HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Kaduri, z’tl, stating that it is an issur chamur for any frum bochur, even if they are currently not enrolled in a yeshivah, to join the army.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
רצועות – STRAPS OF TEFILIN ARE תשמישי קדושה זהירות שלא לגרור רצועות התפילין על הארץ ובפרט בשעת הנחתן וסילוקן THEY HAVE SANCTITY – AND MAY NOT BE LEFT TO TOUCH OR BE DRAGGED ON THE FLOOR !! THEY ARE NO DIFFERENT THAN A CHUMASH OR SIDDUR. הנהגות מהחזו״א זצוק״ל ע״י הגר״ח קניבסקי זצוק״ל ״הי׳ מדקדק בשעת כריכת התפילין שלא תגרר הרצועה על הארץ״ (footnote from Rav Chaim Kanevsky zt”l) ״וע׳ משנ״ב סי׳ כ״א סקי״ח גבי ציצית דהוי ביזוי מצוה, וכ״ש כאן שהן תשמישי קדושה״ The Chazon Ish was extremely careful when donning Tefilin that the straps should not drag on the floor” ובדינים והנהגות מבואר (או״ח פ״ג אות י״א), שאף לאחרים הזהיר להימנע מכך״, וכן הורה רבנו (דעת נוטה ח״ג תשובה י״ד) והעידו (אורחות רבנו ח״א עמ׳ מד) ״שהי׳ פעם שהתפלל בישיבת בית יוסף והי׳ בחור אחד בקצה ביהמ״ד שנגעו רצועות התפילין שלו בארץ, ורץ אליו החזו״א ממקומו בקצה השני של ביהמ״ד להעיר לו על כך״. “The Chazon Ish was mindful to call people’s attention to this. On occasion he once davened in a Yeshiva and noticed a student at the far end of the Bais Hamedrash whose Tefilin straps were touching the floor. He ran from where he was standing to that student to call his attention to this impropriety.”
Scott Bessemer responds to Chuck Schumer’s ridiculous claim that the Trump administration is seeking to ‘kill’ Social Security: “Senator Schumer seems a little discombobulated these days.”
Following a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip on southern Israel this evening, the IDF issues an evacuation warning for Palestinians in the Gaza City area, where the projectile was fired from.
Sali Berisha, the embattled leader of Albania’s opposition Democratic Party (DP), has enlisted the services of Chris LaCivita, a prominent U.S. political strategist and co-manager of President Donald Trump’s successful 2024 campaign. The announcement, made earlier this month, has sparked widespread speculation that Berisha’s decision is a calculated attempt to leverage Trump’s influence to lift U.S. sanctions imposed on him in 2021 for alleged corruption—a designation that has severely tarnished his political standing. Berisha, a former Albanian president and prime minister, revealed LaCivita’s involvement during a press conference in Tirana, framing it as a strategic partnership to bolster the DP’s campaign ahead of the country’s parliamentary elections in May. However, political analysts view the hiring as a cynical ploy to curry favor with Trump. Berisha has been vocal about his hope that Trump will reverse the “persona non grata” status imposed by the Biden administration, which barred him and his family from entering the U.S. due to accusations of “significant corruption” during his 2005-2013 tenure as prime minister. The sanctions, upheld by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, were seen as a blow to Berisha’s credibility, and he has since claimed they were orchestrated by his rival, and billionaire philanthropist George Soros. The move has raised eyebrows given the Democratic Party’s reported financial struggles, with questions lingering over how it can afford LaCivita, whose services reportedly earned him $22 million during Trump’s campaign. Adding to the skepticism is the stark contrast between Berisha’s predicament and the stance of Albania’s current government under Edi Rama. Rama, leader of the Socialist Party since 2005 and prime minister since 2013, has cultivated a strong pro-Western image, fostering close ties the United States and Israel. He has also been a reliable partner in NATO, a vocal supporter of U.S. foreign policy, and an advocate for Israel in international forums—positions that align seamlessly with Trump’s “America First” agenda. “Rama’s Albania is already a steadfast ally of the U.S. and Israel,” noted Dr. Ana Gjoka, a political science professor at the University of Tirana. “Berisha’s narrative that Rama is a ‘Soros puppet’ hostile to American interests doesn’t hold water when you look at the current government’s track record.” Gjoka suggested that Berisha’s hiring of LaCivita might instead be an attempt to outmaneuver Rama by appealing directly to Trump’s personal affinity for loyalty and deal-making. The timing of LaCivita’s involvement coincides with a broader resurgence of Berisha’s political fortunes. After years of internal party strife following his U.S. sanctioning, he regained control of the DP in 2024 and now positions himself as the chief opposition figure. Yet his legal troubles persist: in September 2024, Albania’s Special Prosecution Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) charged him with corruption over a construction deal allegedly benefiting his son-in-law, a case he and his family vehemently deny. As the May elections approach, Berisha’s alliance with LaCivita could amplify his campaign’s visibility, but it also risks alienating voters wary of foreign influence in Albanian politics. For now, the opposition leader appears to be betting on a Trump card—literally and figuratively—to reshape his future, both at home and abroad. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Nine bereaved families who lost their loved ones, IDF soldiers, in the October 7 massacre and during the war, have petitioned the Supreme Court to join as respondents to the petitions seeking to overturn the dismissal of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar. The petition expresses the families’ wishes to support the decision of the Israeli government and ensure that it will be implemented, ending Bar’s term. The petition states. “October 7 was a severe failure on the part of the Shin Bet,” adding that “thousands of terrorists infiltrated Israeli territory without a warning from the Shin Bet despite the fact that it had much information in its hands.” The request details a series of serious failures found in the Shin Bet’s investigations, including ignoring extensive and detailed warnings, a lack of sufficient intelligence response on the night before the massacre, and the failed personal conduct of the Shin Bet chief himself. In the letter, the families described their children who fell while trying to protect the communities of the Gaza border area and military outposts with their bodies – soldiers, male and female, who they say fell because of an undeniable intelligence failure. “Mr. Bar not only headed the organization – he himself made the critical decisions on the night of the tragic surprise attack,” the request stated. The letter further states that “the government’s loss of confidence in Bar is real, serious, and known to all,” and emphasizes: “If the government and the Shin Bet chief cannot work together, it is clear who should go. Not the government elected by the public, but the one who failed in his role.” The letter warns against trying to overturn the government’s decision using hollow legal arguments: “The government, which is responsible for the security of citizens, believes that it has no confidence in the Shin Bet chief – and there is no legal consideration that can force it to continue to cooperate with him.” The families also spoke out against those who petitioned the Supreme Court – left-wing public associations and opposition MKs. “They did not pay the price of failure, they did not lose their children. Our position must be heard.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Wednesday that four U.S. soldiers who went missing while training in Lithuania have died, but that he did not yet know the details. A U.S. official would say only that the four soldiers were involved in a training accident. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, would not comment on the status of the soldiers. Lithuania’s military said later on X that the deaths were not yet confirmed and that a rescue operation was “intensively ongoing.” “Four United States soldiers and one tracked vehicle have gone missing during an exercise at a training ground in Lithuania. At the moment, there is no evidence or information confirming the death of the troops,” the Lithuanian Armed Forces said in the statement. Rutte said during a trip to Warsaw that he had received word of the deaths of the four soldiers while he was delivering a lecture, and that his thoughts were with their families and with the United States. “This is still early news so we do not know the details. This is really terrible news and our thoughts are with the families and loved ones,” Rutte told reporters in Warsaw. A statement from U.S. Army Europe and Africa public affairs in Wiesbaden, Germany said the soldiers were conducting scheduled tactical training at the time. Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT reported that four U.S. soldiers and vehicle were reported missing Tuesday afternoon during an exercise at the General Silvestras Žukauskas training ground in Pabradė, a town located less than 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the border with Belarus. The Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are all NATO members and have often had chilly ties with Russia, a key ally of Belarus, since declaring independence from the Soviet Union in 1990. Relations soured further over Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has been one of the most outspoken supporters of Ukraine in its fight against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces. (AP)
Jewish residents of Norway increasingly fear seeking medical care due to growing anti-Israel sentiment among healthcare workers, Yisrael Hayom reported. Norway, which rewarded the Palestinians for the October 7 massacre by recognizing a Palestinian state, has one of the most anti-Israel governments in the world. In a letter to health authorities, Jewish leaders in Norway warn that in a situation not seen since World War II, Jews are hiding their identities in medical settings. “Shortly after October 7, 2023, alongside growing anti-Israel mobilization among segments of healthcare workers, health institutions, and medical experts, several members of the Jewish community expressed concern that they would feel uncomfortable seeking medical treatment and fear they wouldn’t receive optimal care if they revealed they were Jewish,” the letter states. “This is a situation we haven’t experienced since World War II.” Dr. Rolf Kirschner, a Jewish physician with 45 years of experience in Norway’s public health system and a member of the Norwegian Medical Association, stated in the letter: “People don’t dare wear Jewish symbols like the Star of David when going for examinations, and Jewish patients fear having their names called aloud in waiting rooms out of concern that caregivers or others will discover they are Jewish.” “Some Jewish patients were alarmed when they encountered healthcare professionals displaying overtly political posters and pamphlets expressing support for Palestinians, and they’re afraid to complain about this for fear of negative reactions from medical staff on whom their health depends,” Kirschner added. “The letter calls on health services, relevant organizations, and the government to ensure Jews feel comfortable in hospitals and don’t fear approaching and receiving medical care, or hide their identity in hospitals.” “The unions should inform their members that healthcare professionals need to remain neutral in the workplace and not display political symbols. They should make it clear that union members are prohibited from participating in political demonstrations at the workplace.” On Alpeleg, an Israeli-Norwegian who has lived in Norway for over 30 years, warned that the current problems reflect deep-seated issues. “The Norwegian health system has a problematic past and present which is undoubtedly tainted by political influence,” he said. “Norway assisted the Nazis in deporting Jews to extermination camps, and today it is the only Western country that refuses to recognize the murderous organization Hamas as a terrorist organization. As a Jewish resident of Norway, I feel deep concern about the influence of politics on the ethics and professionalism of the healthcare system.” The Jewish population in Norway is tiny, with only 1,500 registered Jews nationwide, with 800 residing in Oslo. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
