This is an Argentum Post Flash News Digest [Nr. 31]

The mainstream media continues to generally act as if real news such as if the mere existence of the non-Zionist, Palestinian rights respecting, decent, devoted, and noble Torah universalist values abiding Neturei Karta International Orthodox Jews is not real, and therefore largely ignores more than a thousand of them who,  along with others,  have now twice protested Netanyahu’s appearance in Washington.

The first time this writer met the NK organization members in Washington, DC was when Netanyahu grotesquely and disrespectfully entered our  Congress building via an intrusion by collusion  with 47 Republican Tea Party right-wing extremist neocons who, were hell-bent on sabotaging the now successful “P5+1” nuclear agreement with Iran.

At that time the Tea Party leader, Senator Cotton of Arkansas and Netanyahu used fake news to charge Iran with being an “existential threat” to Israel, while in reality it has the largest number of Jews of any state in the Middle East, outside of Israel, who live in Iran happily and assimilated.  There are some 30 thousand assimilated Jews living in Iran and some 13 synagogues in Tehran.

Senator Cotton had the temerity – and the ignorance – to then add that Iran is out “…for regional dominance…” and that “…the proof thereof is that they already conquered Tehran…” (?!).   He obviously did not know what he was talking about in his hate and fear incitement hysteria since, as everyone knows, Tehran is the capital of Iran.

So, with this foreword, the Argentum Post reproduces the report of the demonstration by these friendly and peaceful Orthodox Jews against any solution which will not be just for the Palestinians and hence will not contribute but detract from any peaceful resolution.

Orthodox Community Protests in Washington as Netanyahu Meets President Trump

February 16, 2017 – Washington DC

Over 1000 religious Jews, including leading rabbis, scholars and rabbinical students held a protest outside the White House this Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017 as Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu arrived to meet with President Trump.

The protesters hailed from many American cities, primarily from New York State. Their purpose was to send the President and the American people a clear message that Netanyahu and his country don’t represent them, and that in fact, the State of Israel is currently persecuting religious Jews for their refusal to serve in its army.

“Numerous Orthodox Jewish boys and girls are currently serving time in Israeli prisons for their religious principled refusal to enlist in the Israeli Defense Force,” said Rabbi Aron Jacobowitz, spokesman for the group. “Our rabbis taught that it is absolutely forbidden to fight in the Israeli army.

“Religious Jews lived peacefully amongst their non-Jewish neighbors in the Holy Land for hundreds of years. Unfortunately, approximately 100 years ago the Zionist movement came with the goal of creating their own state, in violation of the Torah. According to the Jewish religion, Jews are forbidden to create a state of their own or to fight any wars; therefore the State of Israel is in total violation of Judaism. We oppose the Israeli government’s provocations against its neighbors, of which army actions are a major part.  We will never serve in the army of a state that we do not recognize, and we will not participate in actions that violate Judaism.

“Furthermore, the new draft law is a deliberate attempt by the Israeli government to secularize the young generation of Orthodox Jews. They have stated openly that they don’t really need these boys in the army, and their purpose is only to assimilate them into their culture. And the vast majority of them end up forsaking their religion.

“Religious Jews who stand up for their beliefs are being brutalized. The police break into people’s houses in the middle of the night, drag them out and throw them into prison for months and even years. Those who protest peacefully against the arrest of these youths are beaten murderously. This is a violation of international law! The United Nations has passed resolutions affirming the rights of conscientious objectors.

Rabbi Jacobowitz gave the keynote speech at the demonstration, in which he made the above points and then summarized the latest Israeli police brutality. “Only last Friday night,” he said, “one thousand religious Jews came out to recite their prayers in the street in front of the Prison Compound in Jerusalem, where several conscientious objectors are being held. The police attacked the peaceful demonstrators, arresting 112 people and injuring countless others. They beat them brutally with clubs and brass knuckles, and then trampled on them mercilessly. 28 people had to be hospitalized, some with eye injuries and others with broken arms and legs. Knowing that no Orthodox Jew would be filming the attack on Friday night, the police they let out all their anger on the worshippers.”

Several others speeches were given in Yiddish, including one by Rabbi Alter Kaufman, a member of the Jerusalem Orthodox community. Throughout the demonstration, a large video screen displayed clips of recent violence by Israeli police against peaceful protestors.

The protest culminated with a march around White House grounds, passing Blair House, the presidential guest quarters where Netanyahu was staying. It ended at 17th Street, where buses were lined up to take the protestors home.

Following is a Drop Box link to footage of the protest and of the recent violence by Israeli police, which may be used free of charge for news reporting