How Latin America’s anti-Zionist Jews are standing against Israel’s war in Palestine

Special How Latin America’s anti-Zionist Jews are standing against Israel’s war in Palestine
In Argentina, the Latin American country with the largest Jewish community, Judies X Palestina (Jews for Palestine) has been active since 2021 but gained momentum during the current conflict. (Supplied)
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Updated 11 April 2024
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How Latin America’s anti-Zionist Jews are standing against Israel’s war in Palestine

How Latin America’s anti-Zionist Jews are standing against Israel’s war in Palestine
  • Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina have the largest Jewish populations in Latin America
  • Israel’s heavy-handed tactics have severely divided Latin America’s Jewish community

SAO PAULO: The war in Gaza has generated unprecedented reactions in Latin America, with the consolidation of broad pro-Palestine coalitions.

As part of such movements, countries such as Brazil, Argentina and Mexico have seen the emergence of anti-Zionist Jewish groups, formed by activists who reject their Zionist upbringing.

In Argentina, the Latin American country with the largest Jewish community — estimated at 200,000 at least — Judies X Palestina (Jews for Palestine) has been active since 2021 but gained momentum during the current conflict.




In Argentina, the Latin American country with the largest Jewish community, Judies X Palestina (Jews for Palestine) has been active since 2021 but gained momentum during the current conflict. (Supplied)

“There are few anti-Zionist voices in Argentina. Most journalists who used to criticize Israel have been silenced by the Zionist lobby in the media,” group member Ivan Zeta told Arab News, adding that the power of Zionist institutions is high in Argentina so many pro-Palestine Jews are obliged to use aliases to avoid persecution, as he has done.

“The current government (led by right-wing President Javier Milei) is totally aligned with Israel.”

Although he was born and raised as a Roman Catholic, Milei has been studying the Torah, and declared on several occasions his intention to convert to Judaism. His first international trip as Argentina’s president was to Israel.




Argentina's President Javier Milei (R) embraces Israel's President Isaac Herzog during a tour around Kibbutz Nir Oz — one the places targeted by Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip during the October 7, 2023 attacks — in southern Israel on February 8, 2024. (AFP)

Zeta said the 2001 economic crisis led many Argentinian Jews to move to Israel. That process further strengthened ties between Argentina’s Jewish community and Israel.

“We know people who used to criticize Israel’s stance on the Palestinians, but due to the fact that they have relatives there, they feared for their families on Oct. 7 (when Hamas attacked Israel) and have partially accepted the idea that Israelis are the victims now,” said Zeta, who has family members who live in Israel.

A distant cousin of his is among the Israelis kidnapped by Hamas.

“That doesn’t affect me in a direct way because I don’t know her, but part of my family supports a stronger Israeli offensive against Gazans because of her kidnap, and I had conflicts with them,” Zeta said.

INNUMBERS

• 60,000 Jews living in Mexico.

• 200,000+ Jews living in Argentina.

• 120,000+ Jews living in Brazil.

Family quarrels are common for most members of Judies X Palestina. Some of them even had to cut ties with all their relatives after taking a pro-Palestinian stance.

Their colleagues try to help them and give them psychological support, Zeta said, adding that verbal abuse is common on social media as well.




Demonstrators take part in a rally in support for the Palestinian people in front of the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires, on October 9, 2023, after Israel imposed a total siege on the Gaza Strip. (AFP)

The group — formed by more than 50 activists, mostly from Buenos Aires — has been enthusiastically welcomed by other pro-Palestine movements, most of them composed of people of Arab descent and left-wingers.

“They’re grateful for our presence. With us there, marching side by side with them, there are less accusations of antisemitism against them,” Zeta said.

In Brazil, a group called Vozes Judaicas por Libertacao (Jewish Voices for Liberation), formed in 2014, has been galvanized since the start of the current conflict.




Protesters carry posters from Coletivo Vozes Judaicas pela Libertação at the last pro-Palestine event in São Paulo, Brazil. (X: @ajuliaarara)

“Those initial members met again during pro-Palestine marches at the end of 2023. We’re now well-organized, with weekly meetings and several activities,” member Daniela Fajer told Arab News.

About 30 Brazilian Jews are directly involved in the network, mostly in Sao Paulo. In Rio de Janeiro, there is another anti-Zionist Jewish movement.

“Since we released a statement in defense of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (who was condemned by Zionists after he criticized Israel’s military operations and compared the mass killing of Palestinians to the Holocaust), more and more people have been interested in joining us,” Fajer said.




Palestinians check the destruction in the aftermath of an Israeli strike the previous night in the Jabalia camp for Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip, on November 1, 2023. (AFP/File)

Vozes Judaicas is part of Sao Paulo’s Front in Defense of the Palestinian People, and helps the committee organize pro-Palestine marches and public activities.

“Most members had a Zionist education and visited Israel during school. Most had to break up with Zionist relatives. I only talk to half of my family nowadays,” she told Arab News.

Some activists worked as teachers in Jewish schools and lost their jobs due to their criticism of Israel.

The Jewish community has been continuously attacking the group on social media. “They insult us and call us traitors. It’s like we can’t be Jews and anti-Zionist,” Fajer said.




Activists calling for a "Free Palestine" demonstrate in Cali, Colombia, on October 13, 2023, in support of Palestinians amid Israeli air strikes on Gaza in reprisal for a surprise Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. (AFP)

Brazilian journalist Breno Altman knows well how strong Zionist pressure can be. The son of a leftwing anti-Zionist, he saw when his late father’s car was set on fire in 1982 during a protest against the Sabra and Shatila massacres of Palestinian refugees.

“My father was leading a demonstration when that attack happened. The criminals were never identified, but we suspected they were far-right Zionists,” Altman told Arab News.

Since October, he has been continuously denouncing Israel’s atrocities in Gaza. The website he founded years ago, Opera Mundi, is hosted by a major Brazilian news portal and disseminates critical views about the Israeli operation — something that the South American country’s press generally fails to do.


READ MORE:

How pro-Palestine digital activists in Latin America are offering an uncensored view on Gaza

Latin American Muslims criticize regional interfaith leaders over stand on Gaza war

Are Latin American countries forming a pro-Palestinian bloc?

How Latin America’s Indigenous groups are showing solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza


Altman has been subjected to a hate campaign, and is being sued by a Jewish institution in Brazil for his comments. He has also received threats on social media, including death threats.

“I filed a police report about a threat discovered by a news website. They said they wanted to cut off my fingers and break my teeth,” Altman said.




Journalist Breno Altman (4th from right) is pictured with members of the Articulação Judaica de Esquerda  (Jewish Left Articulation) during an event on April 6 at the Sarau Palestine in Santa Teresa, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The event also featured the participation of congresswoman Jandira Feghali. (X: @AJEOficial)

Nevertheless, he thinks that more and more people, including Jews, are aware of the “genocide perpetrated in Gaza and of the problems of Zionism.”

He added: “The groups of anti-Zionist Jews are still a minority, but they’ve been able to successfully express their dissenting stances on social media.”

Altman recently published a book called “Contra o Sionismo: Retrato de uma Doutrina Colonial e Racista” (“Against Zionism: A Portrait of a Colonial and Racist Doctrine”), and has been traveling to launch it in a number of cities.

“Many students are attending the events. Some Jews told me things like, ‘I used to be a Zionist, but I changed my mind after seeing your comments,’” he said.




Demonstrators carry the Venezuelan and Palestinian flags during a rally in support of Palestinians in Valencia, Carabobo state, Venezuela, on October 13, 2023. (AFP)

In Mexico, where around 60,000 Jews live, the Zionist movement is not as strong as it is in Brazil and Argentina, Enrique Rajchenberg, a member of Jews for Palestine in Mexico, told Arab News. Nonetheless, he said, he and his colleagues face insults and threats.

Many anti-Zionist Jews are part of pro-Palestine collectives in Mexican universities, and academic movements have been very active in promoting marches, conferences and cultural activities, Rajchenberg said, adding: “We organize talks with students and labor unions.”

Jews for Palestine demands that all university presidents in the country cut ties with academic institutions in Israel




Mexican citizens take part in a demonstration outside the Israeli Embassy in Mexico City on October 12, 2023, to show their support to Palestinians and against Israel's military operations in Gaza. (AFP)

The group is also asking Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, and other progressive counterparts in Latin America, to cancel any military collaboration with Israel.

“Lopez Obrador is among the Latin American progressive leaders with the weakest stances on the genocide in Gaza,” Rajchenberg said.

“Mexico has strong economic ties with the US, and strong condemnation of Israel would certainly create problems for him.”

The new Jewish anti-Zionist movements in Latin America have been seeking and establishing connections with each other and with similar groups worldwide. “Our goal now is to create a Latin American network of anti-Zionist organizations,” Zeta said.
 

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Indian police seize books by Islamic scholar in Kashmir

Indian police seize books by Islamic scholar in Kashmir
Updated 6 sec ago
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Indian police seize books by Islamic scholar in Kashmir

Indian police seize books by Islamic scholar in Kashmir
Officers did not name the author but store owners said they had seized literature by the late Abul Ala Maududi
Plainclothes officers began raids in the main city of Srinagar on Saturday

SRINAGAR, India: Indian police in disputed Kashmir have raided dozens of bookshops and seized hundreds of copies of books by an Islamic scholar, sparking angry reactions by Muslim leaders.
Police said searches were based on “credible intelligence regarding the clandestine sale and distribution of literature promoting the ideology of a banned organization.”
Officers did not name the author but store owners said they had seized literature by the late Abul Ala Maududi, founder of the Islamist political party Jamaat-e-Islami.
Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence from British rule in 1947, and both claim the Himalayan territory in full.
Rebel groups, demanding Kashmir’s freedom or its merger with Pakistan, have been fighting Indian forces for decades, with tens of thousands killed in the conflict.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu-nationalist government banned the Kashmir branch of Jamaat-e-Islami in 2019 as an “unlawful association.”
New Delhi renewed the ban last year for what it said were “activities against the security, integrity and sovereignty” of the nation.
Plainclothes officers began raids in the main city of Srinagar on Saturday, before launching book seizures in other towns across the Muslim-majority region.
“They (police) came and took away all the copies of books authored by Abul Ala Maududi, saying these books were banned,” a bookshop owner in Srinagar, who asked not to be identified, told AFP.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said it was “the latest step in a series of measures to crush dissent and to intimidate the local people.”
“They must be given freedom to read the books of their choice,” spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan said.
Police said the searches were conducted “to prevent the circulation of banned literature linked to Jamaat-e-Islami.”
“These books were found to be in violation of legal regulations, and strict action is being taken against those found in possession of such material,” police said in a statement.
The raids sparked anger among supporters of the party.
“The seized books promote good moral values and responsible citizenship,” said Shamim Ahmed Thokar.
Umar Farooq, Kashmir’s chief cleric and a prominent leader advocating for the right to self-determination, condemned the police action.
“Cracking down on Islamic literature and seizing them from bookstores is ridiculous,” Farooq said in a statement, pointing out that the literature was available online.
“Policing thought by seizing books is absurd — to say the least — in the time of access to all information on virtual highways,” he said.
Critics and many residents of Kashmir say civil liberties were drastically curtailed after Modi’s government imposed direct rule in 2019 by scrapping Kashmir’s constitutionally enshrined partial autonomy.

Trump is living in a Russian-made ‘disinformation space,’ says Ukraine’s Zelensky

Trump is living in a Russian-made ‘disinformation space,’ says Ukraine’s Zelensky
Updated 19 February 2025
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Trump is living in a Russian-made ‘disinformation space,’ says Ukraine’s Zelensky

Trump is living in a Russian-made ‘disinformation space,’ says Ukraine’s Zelensky
  • Trump suggested Tuesday that Ukraine was to blame for the war on its territory
  • Talks between top American and Russian diplomats in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday sidelined Ukraine and its European supporters

KYIV: Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday that US President Donald Trump is living in a Russian-made “disinformation space” as a result of his administration’s discussions with Kremlin officials.
Zelensky said he “would like Trump’s team to be more truthful.”
He made the comments shortly before he was expected to meet with Keith Kellogg, the US special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, who arrived in Kyiv on Wednesday. Kellogg will meet Zelensky and military commanders as the US shifts its policy away from years of efforts to isolate Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump suggested Tuesday that Kyiv was to blame for the war, which enters its fourth year next week, as talks between top American and Russian diplomats in Saudi Arabia sidelined Ukraine and its European supporters.
French President Emmanuel Macron was to hold a videoconference on Ukraine later Wednesday with leaders of over 15 countries, mostly European nations, “with the aim of gathering all partners interested in peace and security” on the continent, his office said.
Key European leaders held an emergency meeting in Paris on Monday after they felt they had been sidelined by the Trump administration.
Trump’s comments are likely to vex Ukrainian officials, who have urged the world to help them fight Russia’s full-scale invasion that began Feb. 24, 2022.
Trump also said at Mar-a-Lago that Zelensky’s rating stood at 4 percent.
Zelensky replied in a news conference in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv that “we have seen this disinformation. We understand that it is coming from Russia.” He said that Trump “lives in this disinformation space.”
Trump also suggested Ukraine ought to hold elections, which have been postponed due to the war and the consequent imposition of martial law, in accordance with the Ukrainian Constitution.
Zelensky questioned claims, which he didn’t specify, that 90 percent of all aid received by Ukraine comes from the United States.
He said that, for instance, about 34 percent of all weapons in Ukraine are domestically produced, over 30 percent of support comes from Europe, and up to 40 percent from the US
The battlefield has also brought grim news for Ukraine in recent months. A relentless onslaught in eastern areas by Russia’s bigger army is grinding down Ukrainian forces, which are slowly but steadily being pushed backward at some points on the 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line.
Trump told reporters at his Florida residence Tuesday that Ukraine “should have never started” the war and “could have made a deal” to prevent it.
Kellogg said his visit to Kyiv was “a chance to have some good, substantial talks.” Zelensky was due to travel to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday but canceled his trip in what some analysts saw as an attempt to deny legitimacy to the US-Russia talks about the future of his country.
American officials have signaled that Ukraine’s hopes of joining NATO in order to ward off Russian aggression after reaching a possible peace agreement won’t happen. Zelensky says any settlement will require US security commitments to keep Russia at bay.
“We understand the need for security guarantees,” Kellogg said in comments carried by Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne Novyny on his arrival at Kyiv train station.
“It’s very clear to us the importance of the sovereignty of this nation and the independence of this nation as well. ... Part of my mission is to sit and listen,” the retired three-star general said.
Kellogg said he would convey what he learns on his visit to Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to “and ensure that we get this one right.”


Philippine ministerial delegation tours Middle East for trade, agriculture deals

Philippine ministerial delegation tours Middle East for trade, agriculture deals
Updated 19 February 2025
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Philippine ministerial delegation tours Middle East for trade, agriculture deals

Philippine ministerial delegation tours Middle East for trade, agriculture deals
  • Mission led by Department of Trade and Industry and Department of Agriculture
  • 26 major Philippines exporters are touring Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar and the UAE

Manila: In an effort to strengthen the Philippines’ trade presence in the Middle East, a government-led business mission is touring Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar and the UAE to explore new market opportunities for the country’s agricultural and non-food products.

Running from Feb. 7-21, the mission, which includes 26 major Philippine exporters, is organized by the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Agriculture.

The mission began with a visit to Doha, followed by Amman and Riyadh, and is now concluding its final leg in Dubai.

“The DTI and DA partnership seeks to enhance the global competitiveness of Philippine agribusiness by streamlining value chains, promoting value-added processing and ensuring compliance with international standards. This approach is designed to help exporters navigate regulatory requirements and overcome market entry challenges in the Middle East especially, in Saudi Arabia,” Raymond Balatbat, the Philippine ambassador to Riyadh, told Arab News.

“The mission aims to expand market access and promote Philippine agricultural and fisheries exports, as well as non-food products, particularly personal care products. Given the identified sectors, which have high export potential in the Middle East, the DTI partnered with the Philippine Embassies in Doha, Amman, Riyadh and the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai as well as local chambers of commerce in setting up the business matching activities. The exporters have scheduled meetings with potential local buyers and distributors in each country.”

In Saudi Arabia, the Philippine delegation engaged in multiple business matching missions, including meetings with the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and retail giants such as Lulu, Manuel Supermarket and Abdullah Al-Othaim Markets.

The mission also made progress in Amman, leading to agreements with Jordanian distributors, especially in the sectors of food and agribusiness, including halal-certified products, processed food and beverages, personal care and cosmetics.

“The matching process was conducted through pre-arranged business-to-business meetings, supermarket scanning and sales calls,” said Angeli Payumo, consul and head of the political and economic section of the Philippine Embassy in Amman.

“On Feb. 10, the 21 representatives of the 12 Philippine exporters visited five of the leading supermarkets in Jordan to gain an in-depth understanding of the Jordanian market. On Feb. 11, a B2B matching event was held at the Amman Chamber of Commerce.”

During the Amman visit, the Philippine delegation held consultations with the Jordan Food and Drug Administration, and the Ministry of Agriculture on import regulations, halal certification and efforts to ease trade barriers.

In the UAE, the mission is focused on meetings in Dubai to explore partnerships in trade and distribution.

“Market scanning activities in Dubai have provided insights into consumer preferences and buying behavior, highlighting a strong demand for high-quality halal-certified food products, healthy and organic alternatives, and convenience-driven packaged goods,” the DTI’s Export Marketing Bureau said in a statement to Arab News.

“The preference for sustainable and ethically sourced products is also growing. These findings will guide Philippine exporters in refining their offerings and marketing strategies to better cater to Middle Eastern consumers.”

The delegation is also taking part in the 2025 edition of Gulfood — one of the Gulf region’s biggest food exhibitions, which takes place in Dubai from Feb. 17-21.

This year’s focus of Philippine exhibitors is on premium food products and brand recognition activities.

“From Gulfood 2025, we expect that we will be able to secure high-value trade deals, expand market access for Philippine exporters, and strengthen relationships with regional distributors and retailers,” the Export Marketing Bureau said.

“The event is expected to influence the future direction of Philippine exports by identifying emerging opportunities in the Middle Eastern market and encouraging more Philippine businesses to explore export ventures in the region.”


Macron to host new emergency talks on Ukraine

Macron to host new emergency talks on Ukraine
Updated 19 February 2025
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Macron to host new emergency talks on Ukraine

Macron to host new emergency talks on Ukraine
  • On Monday, Macron convened key European leaders as well as NATO and EU chiefs for emergency talks to agree a coordinated response to Washington’s shock policy shift on Russia

PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron was set on Wednesday to host a new meeting on Ukraine in a bid to coordinate a European response to what he called an “existential threat” from Russia amid a shock policy shift in Washington.
US president Donald Trump has stunned the European Union by indicating he is ready to resume diplomacy with President Vladimir Putin after three years of Russia’s war against Ukraine and discuss the fate of the pro-Western country over the heads of not only Europe but also Kyiv.
On Monday, Macron convened key European leaders as well as NATO and EU chiefs for emergency talks to agree a coordinated response to Washington’s shock policy shift on Russia.
Several smaller European countries including Romania and the Czech Republic were reportedly aghast at not being invited despite being strong supporters of Ukraine, so Macron said he would convene a new meeting Wednesday.
In an interview with French regional newspapers on Tuesday, he said he planned to meet “with several European and non-European states.”
The talks were set to take place Wednesday afternoon, with most participants taking part by video link, according to the Elysee.
“Russia poses an existential threat to Europeans,” Macron said.
France has been one of Ukraine’s main Western backers since Russia unleashed its full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022.
In the interview, Macron appeared open to the idea of sending forces to Ukraine but emphasized this could take place only in the most limited fashion and away from conflict zones.
Paris was not “preparing to send ground troops, which are belligerent to the conflict,” he said.
But France was considering, with its ally Britain, sending “experts or even troops in limited terms, outside any conflict zone.”
Macron also tried to put a brave face on days of head-spinning US declarations, suggesting that Trump “can restart a useful dialogue” with Putin.
Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Wednesday Macron planned to meet with party leaders “very soon” to discuss Ukraine.
“It is very important that all French people and their elected representatives fully grasp the gravity of the situation we find ourselves in and the difficulty of some of the choices we will have to make,” he told broadcaster RTL.
“Russia has decided to make enemies of us, and we must open our eyes, realize the scale of the threat and protect ourselves.”
He acknowledged past mistakes in dealing with the Kremlin and said it was time to act.
“If we do nothing, if we remain blind to the threat, the front line will move ever closer to our borders,” added Barrot.


Kremlin says Putin and Trump could meet before end of February, agencies report

Kremlin says Putin and Trump could meet before end of February, agencies report
Updated 19 February 2025
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Kremlin says Putin and Trump could meet before end of February, agencies report

Kremlin says Putin and Trump could meet before end of February, agencies report
  • The talks in Riyadh were the first time US and Russian officials met to discuss ways to halt the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War Two
  • Kyiv has said it will not accept any deal imposed without its consent

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump could meet as early as this month, although a face-to-face meeting will take time to prepare, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday, according to Russian news agencies.
Peskov said the US-Russia talks held on Tuesday in Riyadh were a “very, very important step” toward reaching a settlement on the Ukraine war, nearing its third year.
“In order to carry out, figuratively speaking, resuscitation measures, diplomats will now begin to work in light of the agreement (Russian Foreign Minister Sergei) Lavrov reached yesterday with (US Secretary of State Marco) Rubio,” Peskov was quoted by state media as saying.
“But this is the first step...Naturally, it’s impossible to fix everything in one day or a week. There is a long way to go,” he added.
The talks in Riyadh were the first time US and Russian officials met to discuss ways to halt the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War Two. No Ukrainian or European officials were invited. Kyiv has said it will not accept any deal imposed without its consent.