Apology of the day

[yankeedoodle]

NY Education Department apologises after antisemitic newsletter sent to public schools
The letter included a 'toolkit' instructing how to boycott pro-Israel organisations and accused the Jewish state of committing genocide
https://www.thejc.com/news/usa/new-york-antisemitic-newsletter-public-schools-j0nyoygw

[yankeedoodle]

Oh, dear...when will the world ever learn that the words "never again" must never again - even temporarily - be spoken, unless you are a jew. 


A temporary billboard displayed by Nike was meant to inspire runners in the 2025 London Marathon, April 27, 2025.

Nike apologizes for marathon ad using the Holocaust phrase 'Never Again'
The billboard used a black and red color scheme and the phrase "Never Again. Until Next Year."
https://www.jta.org/2025/04/28/global/nike-apologizes-for-marathon-ad-using-the-holocaust-phrase-never-again

Sneaker maker Nike has apologized for using the phrase "Never Again" in a billboard placed along the route of Sunday's London Marathon.

Critics of the billboard — featuring a red background and large black letters reading "Never Again. Until Next Year" — lambasted the company for using a phrase often used by Jews and others as a reminder to heed the lessons of the Holocaust.

"The idea that @Nike would make light of the holocaust using Hitler-red imagery in a post-October 7th world is stunning," the activist Jewish investor Bill Ackman wrote on X.

"I don't believe for a second there was any ill malice, but please understand the concern with using the words 'Never Again,' what they represent and why this was in poor taste," tweeted Arsen Ostrovsky, an attorney and pro-Israel activist.

In its apology, obtained by the Forward, Nike said the temporary billboard was part of a campaign to "inspire runners and the copy was based on common phrases used by runners." The phrase was meant to echo runners who often swear off long races immediately after completing one, only to return for another round later.

"We did not mean any harm and apologize for any we caused," the company said.

Nike is not the first entity to court controversy for using an otherwise common term that at least since the 1960s has been associated with calls to prevent another Holocaust. In 2018, survivors of the deadly school shooting in Parkland, Florida, took the hashtag "#NeverAgain" to promote their national gun control campaign. The phrase has also been used in protests against Donald Trump's Muslim ban during his first term, in remembrance of Japanese internment during World War II and recalling the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.

In some of those cases, the adopters were at least directly or indirectly referencing the Holocaust and using "never again" as an injunction not to repeat the kinds of actions that lead to intolerance and genocide.

Writing in the conservative British magazine The Spectator, the columnist Jonathan Sacerdoti said he was stunned when he first saw the billboard in London.

"It would have taken just one set of discerning eyes, one solitary voice, one 'sensitivity reader' to raise a gentle objection," wrote Sacerdoti, whose column last week focused on Holocaust remembrance. "Did not a single Jew suggest that it might be inappropriate? Did not a single non-Jew, with a grasp of history or an awareness of today's climate, flag it? If not, why not? Was this ignorance, carelessness, or a chilling indifference? Either way, the result is insulting and profoundly distasteful."

[yankeedoodle]

For a change, here's an article about a jew being forced to apology.

Cifu apologized in a statement that referenced the team's majority owner family.

"Two days ago, I posted regrettable and inflammatory comments on social media," he said. "My behavior does not reflect the standards of the Florida Panthers organization and the Viola family. I sincerely apologize to all those affected by my comments. I am committed to working with the NHL to amend my actions."

Jewish NHL owner suspended after social media spat with fan he called an 'anti-semite loser'
Florida Panthers minority owner Doug Cifu tweeted "Israel now and forever" and referred to Canada as the "51st state."
https://www.jta.org/2025/05/14/sports/jewish-nhl-owner-suspended-after-social-media-spat-with-fan-he-called-an-anti-semite-loser

Florida Panthers minority owner Doug Cifu has been suspended indefinitely by the NHL after a social media spat with a fan that included discussion of the Israel-Hamas war and accusations of antisemitism.

Cifu, a vice chairman and part-owner of the defending Stanley Cup champions since 2013, is Jewish and had five Israeli flag emojis in the bio of his X account, which has since been deactivated.

On Sunday night, during the Panthers' playoff victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs, a Toronto fan replied to one of Cifu's posts by asking, "Hey, what's worse, using headshots to win a series or using starvation as a weapon to win a war?"

The "headshots" comment appeared to be a reference to several upper-body hits from Panthers players, including one that forced Toronto's goalie out of a game earlier in the series. The latter comment refers to Israel's halt on the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza. Aid organizations say the stoppage could lead to imminent famine.

Cifu replied, "Actually being a whiny dope anti-semite is clearly worse. Loser."

The fan shot back: "Not approving of using starvation as a weapon makes me a bigot?"

Then, Cifu replied again, this time referencing President Donald Trump's musings about making Canada the 51st U.S. state: "Eat shit 51st state anti-semite loser. Israel now and forever. Until ever [sic] last Hamas rat is eliminated."

Cifu made his account private on Monday, and then deactivated it. On Tuesday, the league announced its suspension.

"The NHL has concluded that Mr. Cifu's X posts were unacceptable and inappropriate," the league said. "As a result, Mr. Cifu has been suspended indefinitely from any involvement with the Club and the NHL. An in-person meeting will be scheduled with Mr. Cifu and the Commissioner at a date to be determined."

Cifu apologized in a statement that referenced the team's majority owner family.

"Two days ago, I posted regrettable and inflammatory comments on social media," he said. "My behavior does not reflect the standards of the Florida Panthers organization and the Viola family. I sincerely apologize to all those affected by my comments. I am committed to working with the NHL to amend my actions."

The NHL, which has a large Canadian fan base and many Canadian players, did not clarify which of Cifu's comments it deemed "unacceptable and inappropriate." The league's commissioner is Gary Bettman, who is Jewish and has been involved in efforts to combat antisemitism.

Some Jewish fans took issue with what they perceived as the silencing of a pro-Israel voice. One Jewish hockey-focused account called the suspension "outrageous," and another Jewish account said the NHL was "targeting" Cifu in a post that has gone viral.

"This is a disgrace," the account @Awesome_Jew_ wrote. "At a time when antisemitism is surging globally, the NHL has decided that Jews must stay silent — even when facing hate and defending themselves against genocidal terror."

[yankeedoodle]

Gary Lineker 'apologises unreservedly' for sharing post about Zionism that included picture of a rat
'I would never share anything antisemitic,' claimed Match of the Day presenter
https://www.thejc.com/news/uk/gary-lineker-apologises-unreservedly-for-sharing-post-about-zionism-that-included-picture-of-a-rat-kbaiqjir

[yankeedoodle]

Boston Consulting Group's CEO apologises over role in controversial Gaza aid group
Christoph Schweizer says there were "process failures" in the firm's decision, two partners fired.
https://trt.global/world/article/4cca448a525c

Boston Consulting Group's CEO apologised to staff and admitted that there were "process failures" in the company's decision to help design and run a controversial Israeli-backed group, Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), to deliver aid to Palestine's Gaza, reported The Washington Post.

According to The Washington Post, Christoph Schweizer said the firm had fired two partners involved in the Israeli-American effort and launched a "formal investigation" to ensure "this does not happen again."

In the email, he wrote: "I deeply regret that in this situation, we fell short — of our own standards and of the trust that you, our clients and our broader communities place in BCG. I am sorry for how deeply disappointing this has been to many BCGers around the world."

In an official statement, the first said that it agreed in October 2024 to provide "pro bono support to help establish an aid organisation intended to operate alongside multilateral efforts to deliver humanitarian support to Gaza."

The letter is the latest fallout from the decision by Israel and the United States to bypass the UN and channel the delivery of essential aid through the GHF, "an opaque entity that has limited aid delivery to a few distribution hubs overseen by US private security contractors in coordination with the Israel Defence Forces (army)".

Last week, the firm announced that it had ended its participation in the GHF amid intense criticism about its operations. The Washington Post first reported on the firm's withdrawal, saying it withdrew personnel from Tel Aviv in late April.

The GHF has been facing criticism from the UN and other aid groups, who expressed concerns about the independence of the programme.

In Rafah, a crowd of Palestinians come under gunfire while trying to collect food from distribution hubs. The incident left nearly 50 dead and over 300 injured. Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UN Palestinian relief agency, referred to this as a "death trap."

The Israeli government has dismissed criticisms and hailed the project as a success.

According to The Washington Post, "most humanitarian groups backed out of the project because of their concerns about Israeli oversight and the militarisation of aid. Others have rejected the new system based on practical assessments that the GHF cannot operate at the scale required to address Gaza's hunger crisis, where more than two million people are at risk of starvation after Israel barred the entry of food, water and humanitarian aid for nearly three months".

Explaining the role played by the Boston group, The Washington Post said their consultants played a critical role in designing and maintaining the business operations of the GHF and regularly met with Israeli officials, according to three people familiar with the GHF, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the matter.

"It's the operational and analytical rigour behind the foundation," said one person close to its operations. "They mapped the value chain and pinpointed costs. Without BCG, you don't have the full picture."

A BCG spokesperson confirmed that two senior partners had been terminated for overseeing "unauthorised work" related to the foundation on Thursday. They were identified as Matt Schlueter, a managing director and senior partner in BCG's defence and security practice, and Ryan Ordway, who also worked in BCG's public sector defence and security practice.

[yankeedoodle]

BBC apologises for article claiming Jews spit on Christians in 'holiday ritual'
The corporation was also forced to correct a piece seemingly linking a group of 'fanatical Jews' to the 9/11 terrorists
https://www.thejc.com/news/uk/bbc-apologises-jews-spit-christians-holiday-ritual-xzh0xzjt

[yankeedoodle]

SATIRE FROM KEVIN BARRETT

Musk Apologizes to Trump, Blames Ketamine
https://truthjihad.com/2025/06/11/musk-apologizes-to-trump-blames-ketamine/

Dissociated Press

Billionaire drug addict Elon Musk apologized yesterday to malignant narcissist Donald Trump, saying he "went too far" attacking Trump, and blaming ketamine addiction for his untoward tweets.

"That was the ketamine tweeting, not me, saying Trump was in the Epstein files," Musk explained. "If it weren't for my drug addiction, I would never say that Trump rapes little girls, brags about grabbing women's private parts, publicly lusts for his own daughter, lies like he breathes, and generally has the manners and morals of a purple-ass baboon."

Taking another snort of ketamine, Musk continued: "Unfortunately, due to my drug addiction, I can't stop myself from blurting out the hideous truth about that repulsive snake-oil salesman Donald Trump, the most unqualified president not only in US history but quite possibly world history, except that some countries have prime ministers instead of or in addition to presidents, and none of those PMs have ever been quite this ridiculous either."

After a brief digression about ketamine causing Tourette-style coprolalia, followed by another couple of snorts, the red-eyed drooling Tesla/X owner brandished his middle finger with a reflexive involuntary twitch, screaming: "F*cking d*ckhead Donald Trump can take those g*dd*mn  Epstein files and shove them up his *ss! F*ck Trump!! F*ck his filthy f*ing ass to h*ll and back! Sh*t p*ss f*ck p*ssy-ass Donald f*ing Trump!"

Reached at his Underage Hooker Center in the third sub-basement beneath Mar-a-Lago, Trump shook his head sadly, denied Musk's allegations, and urged his former friend to eschew ketamine and drink copious quantities of Diet Coke instead.

[yankeedoodle]

Bosnian minister apologises after gathering of top rabbis turned away over claim it would 'justify genocide'
Borjana Krišto said she 'regretted' that the conference had been cancelled following comments from one of her ministerial colleagues
https://www.thejc.com/news/world/bosnian-minister-apologises-gathering-european-rabbis-conference-gk4d4c92

[yankeedoodle]

Swedish far-right party apologizes for its past links to Nazis and antisemitism ahead of elections
In March, Amichai Chikli, the Israeli minister of Diaspora affairs, invited a member of the Swedish Democrats to speak at the International Conference on Combating Antisemitism.
https://www.jta.org/2025/06/27/global/swedish-far-right-party-apologizes-for-its-past-links-to-nazis-and-antisemitism-ahead-of-elections

The far-right nationalist party Swedish Democrats apologized Thursday for its past links to Naziism and antisemitism ahead of the country's national elections next year.

The public apology, which included a study commissioned by the party that found Nazi and antisemitic views were pervasive in its publications and functions throughout the 1980s and 1990s, underscores efforts by the party to become more aligned with mainstream Swedish voters.

"That there have been clear expressions of antisemitism and support for National Socialist ideas in my party's history I think is disgusting and reprehensible," said Mattias Karlsson, a member of the Swedish parliament and former leader of the Swedish Democrats, at a news conference.

"I would like to reiterate the party's apology, above all to Swedish citizens of Jewish descent who may have felt a strong sense of insecurity and fear for good reasons," Karlsson continued.

The Swedish Jewish community estimates that there are roughly 20,000 Jews in Sweden, according to the World Jewish Congress.

The historian hired to lead the study, Tony Gustafsson, said that the far-right party had first emerged from neo-Nazi and white supremacist organizations in the 1980s, but had distanced itself from that ideology beginning in 1995, the year that current party leader Jimmie Akesson joined the Sweden Democrats.

The Swedish Democrats' announcement comes months after the Israeli government ended its longstanding boycott of the party, along with similar parties in France and Spain, despite criticism they have drawn from Jewish groups over antisemitism and ties to Europe's Nazi past.

In March, Amichai Chikli, the Israeli minister of Diaspora affairs, invited a member of the Swedish Democrats to speak at the International Conference on Combating Antisemitism.

"Antisemitism is a growing problem in Europe due to Muslim immigration," Chikli said at the time, according to the Jerusalem Post. "The European right wing parties have a point, because they realize the problem and are presenting a solution... They understand the challenge of radical Islam and they are willing to take the necessary steps."

[abduLMaria]

I got a 3 day ban on Reddit for saying that most Jewish people are not Semitic.

[yankeedoodle]

Tim Davie says sorry to Jewish community for airing 'offensive and deplorable' Glastonbury gig
'High risk' performances will no longer be streamed live on BBC following musician's 'death to IDF' chant
https://www.thejc.com/news/uk/tim-davie-says-sorry-to-jewish-community-for-airing-offensive-and-deplorable-glastonbury-gig-yei5twtp

[yankeedoodle]

Acting Columbia president Claire Shipman apologizes for texts suggesting removal of a Jewish trustee
"The things I said in a moment of frustration and stress were wrong. They do not reflect how I feel," Shipman said.
https://www.jta.org/2025/07/03/united-states/acting-columbia-president-claire-shipman-apologizes-for-texts-suggesting-removal-of-a-jewish-trustee

The acting president of Columbia University apologized to members of the school community Wednesday after leaked text messages showed she had suggested the removal of a Jewish trustee.

"The things I said in a moment of frustration and stress were wrong. They do not reflect how I feel," Claire Shipman wrote in a private email obtained by Jewish Insider and referring to an exchange that occurred before she was named acting president.

The apology comes after the House Committee on Education and Workforce sent a letter to Shipman Tuesday lambasting her for leaked correspondences in which she criticized Shoshana Shendelman, a Jewish member of Columbia's Board of Trustees and vocal critic of the university's handling of antisemitism allegations.

Columbia faced intense pressure from the federal government to address allegations of discrimination by some Jewish and Israeli students.

In the messages, which were dated from 2023 and 2024, Shipman also separately suggested the appointment of an "Arab on our board."

""I have apologized directly to the person named in my texts, and I am apologizing now to you," Shipman wrote in Wednesday's email. "I have tremendous respect and appreciation for that board member, whose voice on behalf of Columbia's Jewish community is critically important. I should not have written those things, and I am sorry. It was a moment of immense pressure, over a year and a half ago, as we navigated some deeply turbulent times. But that doesn't change the fact that I made a mistake. I promise to do better."

"One thing I hope salacious headlines will not obscure — my deep commitment to fighting antisemitism and protecting our Jewish students and faculty. Board members who have worked with me for more than a decade know that antisemitism, and the culture on our campus, was a priority well before October 7th, as do colleagues at the university, and personal friends," the email continued.

Shipman also included a link to the steps the school was taking to address antisemitism on its campus as the school enters its fourth month of negotiations with the Trump administration after the federal government cancelled $400 million in grants to the school over campus antisemitism in March.

[yankeedoodle]

Netanyahu apologizes to Pope for bombing church
Israel's PM has expressed "deep regret" over the "stray ammunition" that struck Gaza's only Catholic house of worship
https://www.rt.com/news/621674-netanyahu-gaza-church-pope/

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued an apology in a phone call with Pope Leo following the shelling of Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza, which killed three people, including the local priest, and injured ten others.

The incident occurred on Thursday when an Israeli tank fired a round at the church compound, which was serving as a refuge for hundreds of displaced Palestinians, including children and people with disabilities. The IDF described the strike as unintentional and said it is under review.

On Friday, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III were granted unprecedented access to Gaza to tour the damaged church.

Netanyahu also personally called Pope Leo to express regret over the "stray ammunition" incident and to convey "Israel's heartfelt condolences to the families of those hurt."

Twitter link: https://twitter.com/IsraeliPM/status/1946232995716776366?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1946232995716776366%7Ctwgr%5E8abe59fd6802193f24e973cdbfceb513af39c872%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rt.com%2Fnews%2F621674-netanyahu-gaza-church-pope%2F

During the conversation, Pope Leo reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire and urged protection for places of worship, the faithful, and civilians across Gaza and Israel.

Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza in October 2023 following a deadly Hamas incursion, in which over 1,200 Israelis were killed and hundreds taken hostage.

Since then, the IDF has reportedly killed nearly 57,800 Palestinians, most of them women and children, leading to accusations of genocide being levied against the Israeli leadership.

In October 2023, just days after the conflict began, the Israeli army similarly bombed the Church of Saint Porphyrius, killing at least 18 people.

A week later, the enclave's third Christian house of worship, the Gaza Baptist Church, was damaged in a deadly strike on al-Ahli Arab Hospital, which Israel blamed on a "misfired" Palestinian rocket.

The Vatican described the situation in Gaza as "dramatic," while in Washington, President Donald Trump was reportedly "upset" by the attack and called Netanyahu to discuss the incident. Despite the apology, airstrikes resumed on Friday, with at least 14 more Palestinians reported killed across the enclave.

[yankeedoodle]

Reform UK's Zia Yusuf apologises after apparently 'liking' antisemitic tweet calling Tory rival a 'traiterous Zogbot'
The former party chair claimed that the like was an accident and was done by one of his staff with access to his account.
https://www.thejc.com/news/politics/reform-uk-zia-yusuf-jenrick-zogbot-antisemitic-tweet-k8i923go

[yankeedoodle]

Texas Democrat apologises for comparing electoral district change to the Holocaust
https://www.thejc.com/news/usa/texas-democrat-apologises-jolanda-jones-redistricting-holocaust-wly7wmon

[yankeedoodle]

British music festival apologizes after cutting mics of Irish band that displayed Palestinian flag
The Victorious festival says it is making "a substantial donation" to Palestinian aid after drawing a backlash.


Róisín "Mary" Barrett, Charles Hendy, Andrew Hendy and Ken Mooney of The Mary Wallopers wave a Palestinian flag on the stage of the Victorious festival after their microphones were cut, Aug. 22, 2025 in Southsea, England.

A British festival has apologized and pledged "a substantial donation" to Palestinian aid after sparking an outcry by cutting the amplification of an Irish band that displayed a Palestinian flag in violation of the festival's rules.

The Victorious music festival in Portsmouth, England, had aimed to head off possible controversies after a summer festival season marked by uproars over performers' displays of Palestinian solidarity and anti-Israel sentiment. It told bands that they were not permitted to display flags during their sets.

So when the Mary Wallopers, an Irish folk band, attached a large Palestinian flag to a speaker at the start of their set on Saturday, festival staff intervened. Video that the band shared shows a staffer taking down the first flag after exchanging words with one of the band members.

Lead singer Andrew Hendy had kicked off the set by telling the crowd, "Free Palestine, and f–k Israel" to applause. According to the video, after Hendy calls attention to the flag removal and calls for the audience to leave, the band's microphones are cut. The group members remain on stage for some time, restoring the removed Palestinian flag and waving others.

"We playing or what?" guitarist Charles Hendy asks someone off-screen after approaching the back of the stage. The answer: "You're not playing until the flag's removed."

Andrew Hendy then discovers that a banjo is still amplified and leads a continued "Free Palestine" chant through it.

The festival initially put out a statement saying that the band had "used a chant which is widely understood to have a discriminatory context," without specifying what it was. But after other bands backed out and the Mary Wallopers released its video, the festival issued a new statement, apologizing and saying that it had not intended to quash expression.

"We didn't handle the explanation of our policies sensitively or far enough in advance to allow a sensible conclusion to be reached," Victorious said in the statement. "This put the band and our own team in a difficult position which never should have arisen. We would like to seriously apologise to all concerned."

It added, "We absolutely support the right of artists to freely express their views from the stage, within the law and the inclusive nature of the event."

Other bands came to the Mary Wallopers' aid during their own performances.

"If someone was punished for flying a flag, that is wrong and they deserve an apology," Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig, who is Jewish, said during the band's set later on Saturday after saying he had heard about the controversy but did not have all the details. "The terrible suffering of the Palestinian people deserves all of our sympathy."

The incident adds to a growing number in which British acts have rallied audiences in pro-Palestinian chants. The U.S. State Department canceled the visas of the group Bob Vylan after its lead singer led Glastonbury festival attendees in chanting "Death to the IDF" in June. The Irish post-punk band Fontaines D.C. projected the message "Israel is committing genocide" during a performance in Spain later that month.

The string of incidents began when the Irish act Kneecap displayed a projection reading "F–k Israel" at Coachella in the United States in April. A Kneecap member, Mo Chara, has since been charged with an act of terrorism in the United Kingdom for displaying a Hezbollah flag during a concert.

The band, which is soon to start a near sold-out U.S. tour, led its own "Free Palestine" chant at a festival in Paris on Sunday, where it performed despite pressure on the festival to drop the act.

[yankeedoodle]

After drawing BDS backlash, progressive Jewish writer Peter Beinart apologizes for speaking at Tel Aviv U
Beinart's apology, too, has drawn fierce criticism.
https://www.jta.org/2025/11/28/israel/after-drawing-bds-backlash-progressive-jewish-writer-peter-beinart-apologizes-for-speaking-at-tel-aviv-u

Peter Beinart began his first social media post after his latest speaking engagement with an apology.

"By speaking earlier this week at Tel Aviv University, I made a serious mistake," the progressive Jewish writer posted on X, a day after a scheduled appearance at the Israeli school.

The morning before, he had defended his plans, saying he saw "value in speaking to Israelis about Israel's crimes." Now, he said, "I let my desire for that conversation override my solidarity with Palestinians, who in the face of ethnic cleansing, apartheid and genocide have asked the world boycott Israeli institutions that are complicit in their oppression."

Beinart's apology came in the face of steep criticism from some on the anti-Israel left, where Beinart has long been one of the most prominent Jewish voices. The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel, a founding member of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, publicly and privately called on Beinart to cancel his talk, and he endured a bruising volley of castigation online.

Emphasizing that he had not been paid for his speech, Beinart said he had been motivated by wanting to influence Israeli Jews as he said he had with American Jews "with whom I strongly disagree, both to listen and in hopes of changing their minds." But he said he had come to understand that he could have done that without speaking at an Israeli university, and that he had erred by not consulting Palestinians when making his plans.

"It's embarrassing to admit such a serious mistake," Beinart wrote. "I dearly wish I had not made this one, which has caused particular harm because international pressure is crucial to ensuring Palestinian freedom. This was a failure of judgment. I am sorry."

PACBI did not publicly respond to Beinart's apology. But the mea culpa ignited a wave of criticism of its own from Jewish and pro-Israel voices who said it typified an absolutist ethos in the progressive pro-Palestinian movement that they have long denounced.

"The dynamics of the radical left, especially the American one (which draws on puritanical patterns) demonstrated here include social pressure, incessant border-drawing, threats of boycotts, repeated demands to confess sins, and the perception of confession as a submission that redeems the guilty from the fate of traitors to the revolution," tweeted the Israeli scholar Tomer Persico, who is currently on the faculty of the University of California, Berkeley. "This is a political-social space that is purist to the point of self-destruction."

An Israeli trauma psychologist said Beinart's apology reflected a stance she had seen before from abused women or people trapped in cults. "They start treating ordinary acts of agency — talking to someone outside the circle or forming a judgment on their own — as betrayals that must be confessed," wrote Orli Peter in a widely viewed post. "This isn't moral clarity; it's fear wearing the mask of conscience."

Some said Beinart's apology landed in a historical pattern in which Jews who have sought to ally themselves with antisemitic movements are cast out themselves, sometimes with mortal consequences.

"No Jew is ever good enough for the Jew-hater," tweeted the Scottish Jewish pundit Ben Freeman. "The goal posts are always moved. The Jew is always left begging for acceptance. They are the ultimate parvenu. Always seeking approval, never gaining it. A Jewish tragedy if ever there was one."

Some moderate pro-Palestinian voices also weighed in critically. "This is truly embarrassing and deeply self-deprecatory behavior," tweeted Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, a Gazan emigre who is critical of much of contemporary pro-Palestinian activism and who himself spoke to an Israeli news organization this week.

"Asking for forgiveness because you spoke to Israeli students who belong to your tribe, are your people, and part of your community is not going to make you more liked, accepted, or embraced by the rabid elements of the 'pro-Palestine' movement and the BDS cultists who have long stopped viewing their efforts as a tactic and devolved into demonizing Jews, Israelis, and Zionists as the actual end goal," Alkhatib added.

Before his apology, Beinart had spoken to a number of Tel Aviv students, including some who attended because they disagree with his views on Israel. Gabi Schiller, a social media activist who has worked at the pro-Israel advocacy group StandWithUs, wrote that some of her Tel Aviv University classmates had spoken with Beinart after his talk to challenge him on his ideas, including his promotion of a one-state solution.

"Putting aside the content of what they discussed, what took place in that moment was inherently valuable, despite how much I oppose Beinart's stances: the exchange of opinion and ideas in an academic space in a respectful way," Schiller wrote on Instagram, where she posts under the account name Yehudim Omrim. The experience, she said, was "increasingly impossible on North American campuses around domestic politics and certainly around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict where anti-normalization has become the new litmus test to be permitted into social spaces."

[yankeedoodle]

Guy Pearce Apologizes After Reportedly Sharing Antisemitic Posts on Social Media
https://www.msn.com/en-us/movies/news/guy-pearce-apologizes-after-reportedly-sharing-antisemitic-posts-on-social-media/ar-AA1Rn0jr

Guy Pearce has apologized after reportedly posting "misinformation and falsehoods" on social media while showing his support of Palestine.

According to Jewish News, the actor reportedly posted content featuring white nationalist and far-right political activist Nick Fuentes. Other posts reportedly claimed that the "top three pornography companies are owned by Jewish people," blamed Israel for the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and accused Israeli officials of orchestrating Charlie Kirk's murder.

Pearce also reportedly shared posts from an account dubbed Corefitnessbynaz2. According to Jewish News, the posts read: "Remember, when Zionists tell you Islam will destroy America... While several major Las Vegas casinos/hotels that have caused gambling addictions, debt and prostitution were created and owned by Jewish Zionists... The Zionists (not Jews) want you to fear the people who stand against the corruption they are creating."

Reached by Jewish News, Pearce offered an apology.

"It has been brought to my attention that, in my support of Palestine, I have inadvertently re-posted articles, and/or statements, that have contained misinformation and falsehoods," the actor said. "I am aware how sharing inaccurate content can cause confusion and distress; for this I am deeply sorry. I will certainly endeavor to be more diligent in future to verify anything I share online."

Pearce has been vocal about his support of Palestine. Earlier this year at the Oscars, where he was nominated for his role in The Brutalist, the actor paired his tuxedo with a small pin that depicted a white enamel dove embossed with "Free Palestine."

And at the Cannes Film Festival in 2024, he wore a pin depicting the Palestinian flag, which resulted in an uproar after it was discovered that Vanity Fair France photoshopped the pin out of an image that ran on its website. "As the Palestinian people are already suffering great trauma and loss due to the vengeful regime of Netanyahu, it is most unfortunate that a reputable publication like VF attempts to eliminate support that I or anyone chooses to offer," Pearce told CNN at the time.

A spokesperson for the Campaign Against Antisemitism acknowledged Pearce's apology to the Jewish News but noted that it's watching to see if he backs up his words with meaningful change.

"Guy Pearce has a long track record of amplifying material that pushes some of the most toxic antisemitic conspiracies," the spokesperson said. "His posts have not been harmless activism; they have spread ideas that sit firmly within the canon of classic antisemitism. His apology is a step in the right direction, and it is right that he acknowledges the damage that misinformation can cause. But apologies are easy to give after the fact. What matters now is whether he genuinely changes his behavior and stops promoting this kind of content.

"Agents, studios and commercial partners will be watching closely. They must think very carefully about the figures they endorse, and whether Guy Pearce's actions - not just his latest words - demonstrate that he is a responsible person to be associated with."

It's not the first time that Pearce has found himself apologizing for social media posts. In 2023, he was criticized for a series of posts about casting involving trans actors.

"A question – if the only people allowed to play trans characters r trans folk, then r we also suggesting the only people trans folk can play r trans characters?" Pearce wrote at the time. "Surely that will limit ur career as an actor? Isn't the point of an actor to be able play anyone outside ur own world?"

Pearce deleted the tweets and apologized: "I see that raising the question of gender identity within the casting process on a platform like Twitter was not a good idea. For that I apologise, enormously. The point I wanted to raise was one about defending the definition of acting and nothing more."

The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to Pearce's reps for additional comment.

[yankeedoodle]

Mamdani says NYPD commissioner apologized after her brother called him 'enemy' of the Jewish people at gala
Jessica Tisch's billionaire brother made remarks at Manhattan charity gala just weeks before Mamdani's inauguration
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/mamdani-says-nypd-commissioner-apologized-after-her-brother-called-him-enemy-jewish-people-gala

[yankeedoodle]

Rams' Puka Nacua apologizes after performing antisemitic touchdown dance

A jew caused all this trouble for this football player:

"When I appeared the other day on a social media live stream, it was suggested to me to perform a specific movement as part of my next touchdown celebration," Nacua said in a statement on Instagram. "At the time, I had no idea this act was antisemitic in nature and perpetuated harmful stereotypes against Jewish people. I deeply apologize to anyone who was offended by my actions as I do not stand for any form of racism, bigotry or hate of another group of people."

During the live stream, the Pro Bowl wideout told Ross he would celebrate his next touchdown by spinning an imaginary ball and flexing. Ross suggested one addition: He instructed Nacua to look into the camera, hunch his shoulders and rub his hands together in a manner that evokes stereotypes of Jewish people and greed.

Ross, who is Jewish, calls the gesture his "Jewish dance" or "Jewish emote." In previous streams, he has taught the stereotypical gesture to other celebrities — some of whom promptly add their own antisemitic twists. Ross, a streamer who has been criticized for platforming controversial figures such as Andrew Tate and Nick Fuentes, asked Nacua to perform the dance Tuesday, and Nacua agreed.

Full story here: https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/rams-puka-nacua-apologizes-after-performing-antisemitic-touchdown-dance/ar-AA1SCFdY

[yankeedoodle]

Atlanta Jewish Film Festival apologizes for selecting anti-Zionist juror to judge human rights films
The festival said it could not remove the panelist because judging was already underway.
https://www.jta.org/2026/02/25/united-states/atlanta-jewish-film-festival-apologizes-for-selecting-anti-zionist-juror-to-judge-human-rights-films

The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival apologized and announced it would review its internal processes after the Israeli consulate withdrew its support over an anti-Zionist juror.

The Israeli Consulate in the Southeastern United States withdrew its support for the annual festival Friday after learning one of the student jurors in the human rights category "shared antisemitic and anti-Israel content," the consulate said in a statement.

The film festival Friday acknowledged the consulate's decision on Friday and issued an apology on Sunday, saying that it "fell short" in assessing jurors.

"Recent conversations within the Jewish community have made clear that the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival fell short in our internal processes regarding the recent jury matter," the festival said in its Sunday night statement. "This situation has surfaced clear deficiencies, gaps, and adherence issues in our existing organizational processes and policies, including those related to antisemitism, BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions), and cultural boycotts."

But the festival said that because the juror selection process had already been finalized, the juror at issue could not be removed ahead of the festival, which runs through March 15.

Neither the festival nor the Israeli consulate named the juror, but local media reporting identified him as Anwar Karim, a film student at Morehouse College and a Spike Lee Fellow at the Gersh Agency.

Karim's social media presence and film portfolio include discussion of the war in Gaza. In one video, a political poem titled "Devil's Work," Karim raps over news clips and social media videos from Gaza, sometimes preceded by parallel images from the Holocaust. In the same video, he draws in other social justice issues like cobalt mining in Congo and the war on drugs. Images in the video include a photo of the Starbucks logo with bloody Israeli flag stickers a shrinking Palestine map, and archival clips of prominent Black and anti-Zionist intellectuals like Angela Davis and Stokely Carmichael.

"As a Jewish film festival, we have a responsibility, particularly at this fraught time, to stand firmly against antisemitism and to affirm the Jewish people's right to self-determination," the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival said in its Sunday statement.

Karim did not respond to a request for comment.

Consul General Eitan Weiss told Southern Jewish Life that when the consulate saw Karim wearing a green keffiyeh in his festival program photo, they were surprised, did some research on the juror, and gave the festival some time to address the issue before deciding whether to withdraw its support.

Then, in a statement issued on Feb. 20, the festival said it had "concluded that the student could participate appropriately within the structure of our deliberations." The consulate announced its withdrawal the same day.

Six documentaries are up for the human rights prize, including profiles of Raoul Wallenberg and Henrietta Szold, a chronicle of a sex abuse scandal in an Australian Orthodox community and the history of a Jew who successfully took on Henry Ford's antisemitism. Two films deal directly with Israel: One tackles abortion there, while the other examines UNRWA, the United Nations agency supporting Palestinian refugees that Israel says has undermined efforts at peace.

The other two jurors in the human rights category are the executive director of an organization that promotes LGBTQ stories in film and a senior director at the Carter Center, the human rights institute founded by President Jimmy Carter.

Since Oct. 7, festivals have become a battleground for activism in the Israel-Gaza war, becoming a point of contention among jurors, panelists, and contestants. In 2024, an Albany book festival canceled a panel with a Jewish author after two of her co-moderators refused to share the stage with her because of her "Zionist" beliefs. In January, Australia's Adelaide Book Festival collapsed entirely after nearly 200 writers said they would boycott the program when a Palestinian-Australian author who justified "armed struggle" was disinvited from the festival. And this month, the Berlinale film festival was embroiled in tensions after its jury president, the director Wim Wenders, responded to a question about Gaza by rebuffing calls to criticize Israel.

[yankeedoodle]

Yorkshire landlord apologises after 'Golders Greed' team wins pub quiz
The incident at The Crown, in Boston Spa, shows the 'normalisation' of antisemitism, campaigners have claimed
https://www.thejc.com/news/uk/yorkshire-landlord-apologises-after-golders-greed-team-wins-pub-quiz-p4erugu0

The landlord of a pub in West Yorkshire, which failed to act when a team calling itself "Golders Green should be Golders Greed" won its regular quiz has apologised for not preventing them from using the antisemitic name.

The name was read out without objection or sanction at The Crown in the village of Boston Spa, promoting a complaint from a local.

The complainant, who was not Jewish, said: "This was absolutely outrageous, and is both insensitive and racist towards innocent British Jews.

"How was this allowed in our local pub? Which member of staff felt this insensitive and damaging team name was acceptable? This type of public victimisation perpetuates ill feeling and alienation towards a minority group. To be blunt, it incites hatred.

"The Crown is clearly not an inclusive establishment. What Jew could ever feel welcome or safe there. Shameful!"

In response, the pub's manager said he was "reviewing the incident with the quiz team and staff to ensure greater care is taken over team names and language used during future events".

"We are very sorry that this team name caused offence and distress," he added. "The name should not have been accepted, and we take concerns about discrimination and inclusivity very seriously.

"At the time, it appears the significance and implications of the wording were not properly recognised by those running the quiz, but that does not lessen the impact it may have had on customers and members of the community.

"We want all customers to feel welcome and safe in the pub regardless of background or religion, and we appreciate you raising this with us."

A spokesperson for the Campaign Against Antisemitism said: "This is plainly racist. It shows just how normalised racism against Jews has become in Britain.

"This is not a performative protest or hate march or anonymous online abuse: it's normal people doing normal things at the local pub, and casually incorporating antisemitism, and nobody bats an eyelid.

"Everyone knows now that abusing Jews carries no consequences. Worse still, it has become cool. Not for the first time in history."

[abduLMaria]

God Jews whine a LOT.

[yankeedoodle]

Organizers of London Israeli real estate fair apologize after West Bank properties surface despite denials
A vendor told JTA she had passed ostensibly interested attendees information "under the table."
https://www.jta.org/2026/06/17/global/organizers-of-london-israeli-real-estate-fair-apologize-after-west-bank-properties-surface-despite-denials

Organizers of the Great Israeli Real Estate Event held in London on Sunday have apologized amid revelations that the event showcased offerings in the West Bank, contradicting their assurances that it would not.

The owner of a real estate agency that had a booth at the event, meanwhile, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that she had obscured the name of a city in the West Bank from a poster but also passed "two flyers under the table" to attendees who expressed interest in properties in contested areas of Jerusalem.

Ahead of the event, the organizers along with the synagogue that hosted the event and the Board of Deputies of British Jews publicly rejected claims by pro-Palestinian activists that properties beyond Israel's internationally recognized borders would be promoted.

They had faced sharp pressure over the claims from dozens of British lawmakers and the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and had to find a new space after the venue that was initially set to host the event pulled out abruptly.

Following a protest outside the synagogue where the event took place, the Board of Deputies' acting president, Adam Cohen, said the event organizers had "publicly refuted claims that it was marketing real estate over the Green Line" separating Israel from the West Bank and alleged that the claims were being used to justify antisemitism.

The "false pretenses seem to be little more than an excuse to harass and intimidate members of the Jewish community," he said.

The Board of Deputies declined to comment on the subsequent revelations that West Bank properties were advertised at the event.

But the organizers, who have staged similar events in the United States, issued a statement to the U.K.'s Jewish News that both apologized for mentions of West Bank settlements in a brochure distributed at the event and rejected the idea that British Jews should face constraints in where they are offered property.

"We would like to re-emphasise that the venue made it clear to us that we were not in any way to promote the sale of Israeli real estate over the Green Line, and all participating vendors agreed to abide by that requirement," the statement said. "At the same time, we believe it is outrageous that in this day and age, anyone would seek to deny British Jews the right to purchase property anywhere in the world, whether in Paris, New York, or Israel."

The statement also described social media claims that "stolen Palestinian land" was being sold at the event. "These allegations are simply untrue. No one at the event promoted or spoke about properties in the 'disputed territories', such as Givat Zeev or Kfar Eldad," two West Bank settlements, the statement continued. "Their mention in the event brochure was made in error for which we apologise."

The revelations came after attendees photographed flyers promoting West Bank settlements and posted them on social media.

The Guardian reported that it had obtained brochures from the event advertising properties not just in Givat Ze'ev and Kfar Eldad but also in Ma'ale Adumim and Teneh Omarim in the West Bank and Ramat Eshkol and Givat Hamatos in East Jerusalem.

Guy Zilberman, a member of the pro-Palestinian group Jewish Anti-Zionist Action, posted a video showing footage from inside the event where he received brochures from companies selling homes in several of those locations. He said a salesman "directly offered us properties in 'Judea and Samaria,'" the Israeli term for the West Bank.

The footage showed Zilberman then revealing himself in a conference room and denouncing the event while exhorting attendees in Hebrew not to steal, before being removed by security.

Twitter link:  https://x.com/declassifiedUK/status/2066838196441293194?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2066838196441293194%7Ctwgr%5E8799fce6efa10ae3f67bd6dffcc5e2aabbc8a0e2%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jta.org%2F2026%2F06%2F17%2Fglobal%2Forganizers-of-london-israeli-real-estate-fair-apologize-after-west-bank-properties-surface-despite-denials

An unnamed member of Jewish Anti-Zionist Action told Sky News, "I visited Tivuch Shelly's stall and was given a leaflet advertising properties in Ma'ale Adumim, which is an illegal West Bank settlement."

The locations cited highlight the complexity of Israel's geography — and the pressures facing those trying to sell property in the region.

The U.K. considers expansions of Israeli settlements as a violation of international law, posing potential legal challenges to efforts to sell homes there. The United States does not consider the settlements illegal, making real estate events there less vulnerable to legal scrutiny even as they have drawn fierce protests.

Settlements that are part of the municipality of Jerusalem, such as Ramat Eshkol and Givat Hamatos, pose another wrinkle. While Israel recognizes that the West Bank is disputed territory, it does not consider any part of Jerusalem as such. East Jerusalem was incorporated into the State in1980, and under Israeli law both West and East Jerusalem form the state's complete and undivided capital.

Ma'ale Adumim, meanwhile, is a city of approximately 40,000 that is located in the West Bank and has long been seen as likely to remain under Israeli control if a Palestinian state is created through negotiations in the future.

Tivuch Shelly's owner and founder, Shelly Levine, told JTA in a phone interview that her company never actively promoted properties in Ma'ale Adumim at the event. She said the words "Ma'ale Adumim" were covered up with tape on their booth.

But she said they gave out "two flyers under the table" with Ma'ale Adumim properties because the company had received emails in advance of the event from people who said they were specifically looking for properties in that area. She said she did not recall the names of the people but said she had handed over the brochures "in a bag and we told them they were not allowed to take them out or look at them in this building because we are not selling Ma'ale Adumim at this event."

Levine said she now believes those emails were "a setup" to trick her into sharing incriminating material that could be handed to the media.

Unless people went to Tivuch Shelly's website, Levine said, "Nobody would know that we advertise in Ma'ale Adumim. We did not break our word to the event organizers; we posted no brochures, put nothing out on our tables."

Even before the revelations, the lead-up to the event had been fraught for weeks, with the original venue pulling out of hosting less than 48 hours before Edgware Synagogue agreed to host it. And while the venue remained secret until less than 24 hours before the event, almost 1,000 demonstrators showed up outside the synagogue — from both the pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel camps.

Despite police being deployed to the scene to keep the groups separate, 14 people were arrested, including seven pro-Israel and six pro-Palestinian supporters, for offenses including ncluding violent disorder, assault and public-order offenses.

More than 100 members of parliament and peers wrote to Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper ahead of the event, calling on her to halt the event because selling properties in the West Bank is a violation of international law.

On Tuesday, Cooper told members of Parliament that the government had asked a national regulator to look into complaints connected to both the advertising of the event and promotional material.

"We have asked the authority to urgently look into the matter and reassure us that, if there is any evidence of the advertising or promotion of property in illegal settlements at that event or any others, it will uphold the law, regulations and guidance that apply," Cooper said in response to a question from a local lawmaker about why the government had allowed the Great Israeli Real Estate Event to go on.

"It is extremely important that those standards are met in the UK, and that is exactly why we have raised the matter so seriously with the Advertising Standards Authority," she continued.

That was not enough for Zack Polanski, the anti-Zionist Jewish leader of the Green Party, who sent a letter later on Tuesday to Khan demanding action, including from London's police force.

"This needs to be escalated to the Metropolitan Police Service immediately," Polanski wrote. "Anything less fails to reflect the seriousness of the situation."

[yankeedoodle]

Adidas apologizes for campaign with Israeli veteran amputee after calls to boycott
The campaign faced backlash from pro-Palestinian activists who referenced Gaza's high number of amputees.
https://www.jta.org/2026/09/08/global/adidas-apologizes-for-campaign-with-israeli-veteran-amputee-after-calls-to-boycott

Adidas has apologized for featuring an Israeli former soldier and amputee in a campaign advertising its service for people with missing legs, which sparked calls for a boycott.

Shalev Biton, who lost his left leg during the 2021 Israel-Gaza conflict, appeared in a promotional video for the sportswear company's Single Shoe service. The program was introduced in Europe earlier this year to allow amputees to buy just one shoe.

The campaign, filmed in Hebrew, showed Biton trying on a single sneaker at a store in Israel and running outside. It did not mention his army service or how he lost his leg. Biton was in a military vehicle that was hit by a missile while on a protective patrol of villages on the Israeli side of the Gaza border, according to Israel's Channel 12.

After the video circulated widely online, pro-Palestinian activists called for a boycott of Adidas, referencing Gaza's high number of amputees created by Israeli attacks since October 2023.

Adidas apologized for the campaign on Monday in a statement on the Adidas Arabia Instagram account.

"We recognize that an image used in a recent local activation has raised concerns and strong reactions," the company said. "It was never our intent to cause offence, and we apologize for anyone affected. We acknowledge the concerns that have been raised and are taking the feedback seriously."

The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI), part of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, said the apology from Adidas was insufficient and demanded that the company "immediately remove the Israeli soldier from all Adidas promotional material and channels."

"Those 'affected' are millions of Palestinians living under Israel's ongoing genocide in Gaza, its illegal military occupation of Palestinian territory, and its decades long settler-colonial apartheid regime," PACBI said in a statement.

Biton said on his Instagram account that he received "an insane wave of hate" over recent days. In an appeal for support, he told viewers, "I want to feel that you are here with me."

Gaza has recorded over 5,000 limb amputations due to traumatic injuries, according to a May report from the World Health Organization. The United Nations reports that it has the highest number of child amputees per capita in the world.

Adidas weathered another controversy in 2024 for advertising sneakers based on a model first released during the 1972 Munich Olympics, when 11 Israeli athletes were killed by a Palestinian terrorist group. The company faced backlash from Israel and various Jewish groups for choosing Bella Hadid, a Palestinian-American model and vocal pro-Palestinian advocate, to front the campaign. Adidas subsequently dropped Hadid, prompting criticism from pro-Palestinian voices.

Adidas and Biton could not immediately be reached for further details.

[abduLMaria]

Gaza has recorded over 5,000 limb amputations due to traumatic injuries, according to a May report from the World Health Organization. The United Nations reports that it has the highest number of child amputees per capita in the world.

the problem is, most of those amputations were performed WITHOUT ANAESTHESIA

making PissraHell plainly Sicker than { French Word }.