Hen Mazzig's offensive moral equations

About 2 months ago, the leftist homosexual journalist Hen Mazzig, who already did something bad enough by attacking Abigail Shrier for defending girls, Jewish or otherwise, from LGBT operations similar to the violence Hamas committed on October 7, 2023, wrote apologia for Muslims in Gaza in the Jewish Exponent where he says they shouldn't be "displaced" from the Gaza strip, obscuring that they disqualified themselves of the privilege of remaining:

I grew up on stories of exile. My family was forced out of Iraq and Tunisia for being Jewish — homes stolen, communities erased and history rewritten. To this day, too many people insist it was “voluntary migration,” as if nearly a million Jews in Arab lands simply woke up one morning and decided to leave behind centuries of roots, culture and history.

I’ve spent years pushing back against that erasure, making it clear that my family — and so many others — were forced to leave. And yet, today, I see a disturbing echo of that same denial. The same people who overlooked Mizrahi Jews’ suffering are now casually advocating for the forced displacement of Palestinians as “the only option” to deal with Hamas’ terror.

I get the disgusted feeling he's implying right-wingers "overlooked" eastern Jews' plight? Well that's awfully rich coming from somebody who doesn't seem to have much respect for women. This certainly obscures how the Menachem Begin government did its best to help people of such backgrounds, and suggests Mr. Mazzig's political leanings are impeding his ability to appreciate that. Of course, it's also possible he's implying the left as of now is advocating for moving out what Mazzig blatantly calls "palestianians", and can't stand if anybody on his end of the spectrum is supporting what's best worked on, which is to send away products of Islamic indoctrination who tragically were all on Hamas' side 2 years before, to a distance that would be best remained at.

Reactions to President Donald Trump’s statement last week about removing Palestinians from Gaza ranged from some voices applauding it as a necessary step — one online commentator even told me it was time to “try something new to solve this conflict” — to anti-Israel activists using it as “evidence” of Israeli intentions, to extremists on both sides seizing it to justify their absolutist solutions for this conflict.

I see things differently, because I don’t have to imagine what forced displacement does to a people. I see it in my own family, even 75 years later. My grandmother still speaks of Baghdad — not just as a city, but as her other homeland that was taken from her. The trauma of being uprooted never left her, nor did the deep pain of knowing that an entire world of Jewish life in Iraq was erased in a single generation. Yes, we rebuilt. Yes, Israel gave my family refuge. But what was lost can never be fully regained.

This is what’s missing from the argument that Palestinians would be “better off” leaving Gaza — that they would have safer, more comfortable lives if they were resettled elsewhere. It’s the same logic that was used to justify the expulsion of Jews from Arab lands. And while my family may have found security in Israel, that doesn’t mean the original trauma was justified. Nor does it account for the cultural and communal annihilation that came with it.

This entirely obscures the evils of Islam, which I sadly guess Mr. Mazzig isn't even the slightest bit willing to acknowledge, and even if he studied the Koran's contents, chances are it makes no difference to him. He continues with his shoddy obfuscations:

The destruction of Gaza under Hamas’ rule is undeniable. But forced displacement doesn’t solve that problem — it only ensures that the pain and resentment of this war will last for generations. I am not blind to the fact that anti-Zionists today demand the ethnic cleansing of Jews from Israel. Not only is that hateful, but it fundamentally denies the Jewish people’s historic connection to the land of Israel. That’s racism. And it’s unacceptable.

Indeed, the loudest voices in the “Free Palestine” movement aren’t calling for a two-state solution. They’re not talking about peace. They want Israel gone. They want Jewish sovereignty erased. They don’t see Oct. 7 as an atrocity — they see it as a model.

But you don’t fight anti-Zionist eliminationism with eliminationist rhetoric of your own. You don’t counter the fantasy of erasing Israel by proposing the same for Gaza.

That’s not strength. That’s surrender — to the idea that this is a zero-sum war where one side must be erased for the other to survive.

And I guess it's weakness to look for the cause of the hatred driving Muslim adherents, right?

I am not talking about efforts — if they exist — to give Gazans who wish to seek refuge elsewhere the ability to do so. That is their right. I am talking about the fantasy that all Palestinians in Gaza will be wiped out or relocated to some as-yet-undetermined place, as if that were a serious solution.

Of course, the plan to displace Gazans that Trump floated, alongside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week, is unlikely to end up getting carried out.

Let’s be honest: Relocating Palestinians from Gaza is never going to happen. No Arab country will get on board. Saudi Arabia rushed to release a statement making it clear they won’t normalize relations with Israel without a Palestinian state. Egypt and Jordan have always said they won’t take in Palestinians from Gaza. No American administration — least of all one that ran on ending wars and tightening borders — will commit troops to enforce it or open the gates to Palestinian refugees.

This is political theater.

And this is defeatism on Mazzig's part. Mainly because the Jordanian king has so far shown the willingness to take in children of families who need medical care, and there are more who'll be relocating to Indonesia. But Mazzig, in all his moral equivalence, won't show any appreciation, will he? And of course, he avoids any reference to the Religion of Peace. He definitely doesn't speak of it negatively. And he doesn't seem particularly interested in making a case for sending a message to Arab countries that they should take in these so-called palestinians, whose very name draws from one given to Israel by the Roman empire, and Mazzig obscures that entirely.

We’ve seen this play before. Netanyahu and Trump previously dangled West Bank annexation only to “concede” it in exchange for the Abraham Accords. Now, Trump is floating this logistical insanity — likely knowing it will never happen — to position himself as the only one who can “negotiate it down.”

But here’s the real danger: While world leaders understand this is just bluster, the people watching — especially online — think it’s real. And that’s a serious threat to us.

Because Mr. Mazzig wants it to be. He's obviously anti-Trump, just like he's anti-Netanyahu. And if he thinks western conservatives are the root cause of all evil, and can't acknowledge even liberals make mistakes, that's just the problem Mazzig has failed to prove he can rise above.

Because when these extreme ideas enter the mainstream, they don’t just fade away. They stick. They fuel conspiracies. They get used to paint all Jews as complicit in a plan that doesn’t even exist. And once again, we become the scapegoat.

Political leaders pushing these ideas aren’t protecting Jews. They’re making us targets. Jews deserve better than to be associated with unrealistic, cruel proposals that will almost certainly never happen but will absolutely be used against us.

And if there’s one thing I know from my family’s history, it’s that displacement only creates new wounds; it does not heal old ones. The Jews who were expelled from Arab lands never found justice, and Palestinians won’t either if they are forcibly removed from Gaza.

Hamas started this war. Hamas is responsible for this war. But the people in Gaza shouldn’t have to pay for a tyranny that rules over them with an iron fist. Many of them, as we’ve seen from footage throughout this war, oppose Hamas and do not want to live under their control.

And we deserve better than to have leftists like Mazzig lecture us with cowardice. This reeks of blood libels anti-Israel propagandists use, to imply that Israel is literally guilty of tyrannizing Gazans entirely without justification. And ignores all the barbaric acts committed in the name of the Religion of Peace, to say nothing of how many Muslims in Gaza were indoctrinated with Hitler's Mein Kamph, translated into Arabic. That Mazzig apparently obscured such horrific discoveries speaks volumes, and the same goes for how he obscures the celebrations the Gazan Muslims had after October 7, 2023. The Islamofascists in Gaza also celebrated September 11, 2001, and Mazzig doesn't dwell on that either. What does that say about what kind of person Mr. Mazzig is?

The more we entertain the idea that one side must be erased for the other to live, the further we get from any future that isn’t defined by endless war.

There are no magic wands here. No shortcuts. And no amount of forced migration — of Jews or Palestinians — will bring the peace we all deserve.

The only way forward is to dismantle Hamas, empower Palestinian leaders who reject extremism and invest in a long-term solution where both peoples can live with security, dignity and self-determination — without adding to the traumas that must be overcome another episode of ethnic cleansing like what my family experienced.

And the more we vehmently refuse to discuss the content of the Koran/Hadith, and vehemently refuse to acknowledge that the modern claim of a "palestinian state" was an anti-Israel fabrication, the less likely we are to solve a terrible problem. Oh, and has Mr. Mazzig ever spoken in defense of black Africans who were victim of Islamofascism in Africa? Or victims of honor murders? He also doesn't seem particularly concerned about Islamic hostility to homosexuality, this despite Mazzig himself being homosexual. He also obscures how Gaza is really Israeli land, and this makes him no better than say, the phony conservative Ed Morrissey.

Mazzig has only proven himself one of the biggest hinderances to Israel, and if he hasn't apologized to the aforementioned Shrier, that's another serious error he's made.

Muslim adult man marries 8-year-old girl

Robert Spencer points to an awful incident of recent where a grown Muslim man forcibly married an 8-year-old girl, using the Koran to justify his actions:

Yet another child has been married because of Islamic laws that no one wishes to admit exist, much less counter in any way.

The BBC reported recently that “an eight-year-old girl, who had been missing for six months, was found living with a man who said he was her husband.” This man, identified as Sheikh Mahmoud, “initially said he was solely teaching the girl the Quran. But after legal complaints were filed, he changed his statement, saying he had married the girl with her father’s consent.”

He did this based on Islamic law: “When asked by the BBC how he justified marrying an eight-year-old, Sheikh Mahmoud said that the traditions of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad, along with that of the Shafi’i school of thought, allowed child marriage.” The BBC, as woke as ever, and thus determined to defend the image of Islam in every possible way, begged to differ: “After the BBC questioned his reasoning – citing opposition from numerous Somali Islamic scholars – Sheikh Mahmoud maintained that he would not abandon the marriage.”

The BBC’s “opposition from numerous Sunni Islamic scholars” notwithstanding, Sheikh Mahmoud is not some extremist or eccentric. He is acting upon standard, basic Islam. Islamic tradition records that Muhammad consummated his marriage with (i.e., raped) Aisha when she was nine, and the resultant fact that child marriage and the sexualization of children are taken for granted in wide swaths of the Islamic world: “The Prophet wrote the (marriage contract) with Aisha while she was six years old and consummated his marriage with her while she was nine years old and she remained with him for nine years (i.e. till his death)” (Bukhari 7.62.88). Muhammad was at this time fifty-four years old. Numerous other early Islamic traditions state the same thing.

Marrying young girls was not all that unusual in Muhammad’s time. But because, in Islam, Muhammad is the supreme example of conduct (cf. Qur’an 33:21), he is considered exemplary in this even today. For that reason, Article 1041 of the Civil Code of the Islamic Republic of Iran states that girls can be engaged before the age of nine, and married at nine: “Marriage before puberty (nine full lunar years for girls) is prohibited. Marriage contracted before reaching puberty with the permission of the guardian is valid provided that the interests of the ward are duly observed.”

Don't expect the BBC to actually champion the girl in distress, however. It's an almost forgone conclusion news outlets like them will soon sweep this under the rug again, and in doing so, allow repulsive perversions like these to continue unopposed for years to come. This is utterly disgusting, and it must be addressed by anybody who seriously cares about the well being of young girls.

Florida files indictment against Andrew Tate and his brother

The influencer Andrew Tate, who's notoriously a convert to Islam, and recently supported Hamas, is now facing charges of abuse in the state of Florida:

Florida has opened a criminal investigation into Andrew Tate and Tristan Tate after the brothers arrived in the state last week. The Tates had left Romania after the country lifted travel restrictions on them following an indictment.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier revealed the investigation during remarks to a reporter on Tuesday afternoon.

“These guys have themselves publicly admitted to participating in what very much appears to be soliciting, trafficking, preying upon women around the world, many of these victims coming forward, some of them minors,” he said. “You know, people can spin or defend however they want, but in Florida, this type of behavior is viewed as atrocious. We’re not going to accept it.”

“They chose to come here and set their feet down in this state, and we’re going to pursue every tool we have within our legal authority to hold them accountable,” he continued. “So we are in the process today, we have secured and executed subpoenas and warrants, and we’re going to continue to move forward with full force of law.”

This can be a good way to make clear conservatives don't find these two monsters even remotely acceptable. It wouldn't be shocking if the other Tate were also a convert to Islam. They should serve a prison sentence for their crimes, though it's regrettable that so far, any connections they have to the Religion of Peace are being obscured. That's wrong, and anybody who cares should point out that most disturbing detail about them.

Noa Argamani was held hostage in house of al-Jazeera photographer

One of the Israeli Hostages that was Rescued yesterday during the Joint-Operation in Central Gaza, 26-Year-Old Noa Argamani was being held Captive in the Home of Abdallah Aljamal, a Photojournalist and Writer/Editor for both Al-Jazeera and the Palestinian Chronicle. During the… pic.twitter.com/1755PL8X9X

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) June 9, 2024

According to this information, the now thankfully rescued Argamani was held prisoner in a house run by an al-Jazeera journalist:

According to a report by the Arab media, former Israeli hostage Noa Argamni, who was rescued in a daring raid by the National Counter-Terrorism Unit on Saturday, was apparently held captive for 8 months in an Al-Jazeera cameraman's house. "26-Year-Old Noa Argamani was being held Captive in the Home of Abdallah Aljamal, a Photojournalist and Writer/Editor for both Al-Jazeera and the Palestinian Chronicle, " Open Source Intelligence Monitor said in a recent post on the social media platform X.

Amid escalating tensions with Qatar over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet voted unanimously to close Qatari television network Al-Jazeera's operations in Israel, after Israel's parliament recently passed a law allowing the temporary closure of foreign broadcasters considered a threat to national security during the ongoing war against Hamas.

This continues to speak volumes about what even news "journalists" can be like, and do. If the monster who enslaved Argamani and others was killed in the raid, he's no loss.

In related news, while Almog Meir was rescued, it's sad to learn that his father died before he may have heard the thankful news of his son's rescue:

In a tragic turn of events, Yossi Meir, 59, father of hostage Almog Meir Jan, died just hours before his son was rescued in the daring Israeli raid in the Nuseirat Refugee Camp in the Gaza Strip. Almog's parents were divorced, and his father lived in Kfar Saba.

Family members tried to reach him when they learned of Almog's release from Hamas captivity but were unable to make contact. When IDF representatives arrived at his home to deliver the joyful news, they discovered his body.

Family members arrived at his Kfar Saba home after learning of his death. His sister Dina shared, "He died of cardiac arrest, he died from grief. He didn't get to know that his son was released from captivity." His sister-in-law Yaffit added, "He constantly sat by the television to stay updated on what's happening with his son, but sadly he didn't make it. His sister visited him on Thursday, and he probably passed away at night, and we didn't know."

Very sad. And we have Islam and its apologists to blame for all this. On which note, Argamani and the other hostages were forced to read the koran while in captivity:

The hostages who were freed from captivity during Saturday’s rescue operation in Nuseirat told the medical teams that they were emotionally abused while in captivity and that the terrorists forced them to read the Quran and learn Islamic rulings.

It's to be hoped they'll describe all that without reservations in future interviews, because everyone needs to know what the koran says about non-Muslims, sexual violence and jihadism, in example.

One of the abductees was an advocate for "palestine"

As some horrifying footage of what Hamas terrorists did to women they'd abducted came out, a writer at the Jerusalem Post points out that one of the women who was taken hostage by Hamas in Gaza was a far-left advocate who supported the "palestine" fabrication:

"I have friends in Palestine." These words, spoken by Naama Levy, an Israeli soldier and peace activist, that were uttered to her Hamas captors while her face was covered in blood, underscored the tragic irony of her abduction. Levy, who dedicated her young life to promoting peace and understanding between Israelis and Palestinians, was brutally kidnapped during the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

At 19 years old, Levy should have embodied the hope for a future in which Israelis and Palestinians could coexist peacefully. But this did not come true; on the contrary. Raised in Ra’anana near Tel Aviv, she became deeply involved with Hands of Peace, an organization committed to fostering dialogue and mutual understanding among young people from both sides of the conflict. Through this program, she participated in workshops, dialogues, and activities aimed at breaking down barriers and building bridges between communities long divided by hatred and violence.

The absurdity of Levy’s situation is heart-wrenching. Here is a young woman who, despite the profoundly entrenched conflict, chose to extend a hand of friendship and understanding to her Palestinian peers. Her dedication to peace and justice was not just theoretical; it was deeply personal and active. She fought for the rights of Palestinians, believing in a shared humanity and a better future for all.

Yet, on that fateful day in October, this same dedication was met with unimaginable violence. Levy was abducted from the Nahal Oz kibbutz military base. Footage of her abduction showed her in distress, injured, and forcibly taken by Hamas terrorists. In a cruel twist of fate, the very people she fought to understand and support became her captors, not because of her actions or beliefs, but simply because she was Jewish.

Something to consider: she could've been attacked even she weren't Jewish, and there have been tons of women in the past of different ethnicities who went miles out of their way to advocate for adherents to Islam, only to be betrayed in the worst ways possible. Most disgusting is how such propagandists emphasize moral equivalence, and worst, completely obscure the Religion of Peace being a motivating factor behind Arab violence. This is exactly what led to the tragedy, and the paper's writers predictably don't have the courage or the honesty to bring that up. Does that mean they see nothing wrong with taqqiya (deception) either? That's another problem nobody like her ever considered. She probably never even championed the cause of Arab women who were threatened with honor murders for doing something unacceptable under the Religion of Peace.

This whole issue also reminded me of advocate Ysabella Hazan, who, it was reported a few months ago, was supporting Islamic causes:

She is also an advocate for non-Jewish causes and people. Hazan was part of a planning committee that organized a vigil for Muslims to honor the victims of the 2019 mass shooting at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand that killed 51 and injured many others.

She also spoke on behalf of the Uygur Muslims outside the Chinese consulate in Montreal.

Now I don't think it's good what China's been doing to the Uygurs, and the shooting in NZ was a bad thing too, but it's awfully dangerous to associate with followers of the Religion of Peace, when one considers its hostility to Jews and women, and to think the Uygurs are any different is being naive. There have been times in the past when Uighers and their supporters did some very offensive things, and to ignore atrocities committed by Muslims in China will only prolong a terrible issue.

And has Hazan ever advocated for Armenians who've been harmed by Islamofascism? If not, she's only making a joke out of her advocacy job. It should noted the imam at the Christchurch mosque even blamed Israel for the shooting, and the whole notion they're going to literally change based on Hazan's support only perpetuates naivity. Seriously, I think Hazan has some reevaluation to do, and tragically, she probably won't.

ICC threatens Israeli leaders with arrest warrants, uses moral equivalence as justification

The Intl. Criminal Court's again proving useless by threatening to issue arrest warrants for Israeli leaders, and it's entirely possible that by sharp contrast, they won't do the same with Hamas leaders, no matter what moral equivalence they're using to shield their plans for Israeli politicians:

Prosecutor Karim Khan of the International Criminal Court (ICC) formally requested arrest warrants on Monday for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and several leaders of the genocidal Hamas terrorist organization.

Khan equated Israel’s self-defense operations against Hamas in Gaza to the widespread atrocities committed in Israel by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, explicitly calling the self-defense operation to uproot Hamas from Gaza, a territory it has controlled since 2007, “criminal.”

[...] Khan requested warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant as well as several high-ranking Hamas terrorists: terror chief Yahya Sinwar, “political” leader Ismail Haniyeh, and the “commander-in-chief” of Hamas’s al-Qassam Brigades, Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al-Masri.

Despite what's stated above, it's unlikely they'll actually follow through seriously on warrants against Hamas overlords. This is offensive in the extreme how differences are being blurred between Israel and the Islamofascist enemy, and all via a man who may have visited the site of the tragedy last year, yet clearly was not changed one bit by what he saw. Khan should not enter Israel again if this is how he behaves.

His positions have already drawn condemnations for the damage they've caused millions of years ago:

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the decision by International Criminal Court (ICC) chief prosecutor Karim Khan on Monday to seek warrants against him and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over the war in Gaza.

Khan also announced that he would pursue indictments against three Hamas leaders. Still, the unprecedented prosecution would place Israel on a morally equivalent level with Hamas and delegitimize defenes against terror.

Netanyahu posted videos in Hebrew and English. The English version follows below (via Prime Minister’s Office):

Mike Pompeo's also responded:

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Monday that President Joe Biden should restore President Donald Trump’s 2020 sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), which Biden reversed soon after taking office, in April 2021.

The sad thing, however, is that not all foreign governments are opposing this kangaroo court act, and even the USA's under Joe Biden can't be trusted to actually oppose this convincingly, even though the ICC's more than willing to go after American military officials over similarly trumped up accusations. What the European governments supporting this move are doing hurts European citizens too by extension. That aside, this all makes clear why the ICC is worthless, and has doubtless been for a long time. No sane person should support them in any way, and it's entirely possible the ICC could go after 911 Families too, given the chance.

50 creators who worked on Batman call for release of Israeli infant hostage whose family wore T-shirts of the Masked Manhunter, & Doonesbury cartoonist depicts Hamas properly

Something most remarkable was performed by quite a few comics contributors, old and new, who've had writing/art/editing credits on Batman over past years, as the Times of Israel reports:

Fifty creators of the iconic Batman superhero character signed a petition urging the governments of Egypt and Qatar to press for the release of Yarden and Shiri Bibas along with their two red-haired sons, Ariel and Kfir. All four family members have been held hostage in Gaza since October 7.

The family was kidnapped from Nir Oz by Hamas terrorists on October 7, a day that saw 3,000 terrorists infiltrate southern Israel to massacre 1,200 Israelis — most of them civilians — and kidnap 253 people into the Strip. Mother Shiri and her sons were captured separately from her husband Yarden.

One of the iconic images of the family that has been circulated since their capture shows the four wearing Batman apparel. Ariel, 4, is a dedicated fan of the Gotham City protector.

The petition was sent to Egyptian and Qatari ambassadors in Washington, DC, on April 12. The effort was organized by Dr. Rafael Medoff, historian and director of the David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies.

“These comics creators have spent decades developing a hero who fights for the innocent and stands as a beacon of hope for his community, and we’re trying to channel that spirit through this effort,” Medoff told The Times of Israel. [...]

Some of the Bibas petition’s high-profile signees include Mike Carlin, DC’s head of animation; longtime DC publisher Paul Levitz; and former president of Warner Animation Sander Schwartz.

The petition was also signed by some of Batman’s veteran writers, including Chip Zdansky and Mark Waid. Leading artists from the franchise who signed include Mark Bagley, Dan Jurgens, Denys Cowan and Amanda Conner, the celebrated artist behind the Joker’s girlfriend, Harley Quinn.

“As members of the community of Batman writers and artists, we are contacting you concerning the young Batman fan who was taken hostage by terrorists and held in Gaza since last October 7,” said the creators.

“Moved by the many anecdotes of Ariel’s affection for the iconic character who has become a symbol of hope and justice for so many, we implore your governments to exercise all possible leverage on Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad to immediately release the Bibas family, and all the Israeli hostages, from captivity,” said the petition.

Well this definitely is amazing, considering how quite a few of these same creators, even the veterans, have taken such a lenient position on Islam in the past, and on that note, maybe it'd be a good idea to remind everyone why they still have fences to mend, and not just in the sense they've acted as apologists for the Religion of Peace in some way or other.

For example, Levitz, when he was in charge of DC comics, vehemently refused to greenlight Frank Miller's story that later became Holy Terror, yet Levitz had no issue going ahead with a collaboration with the Kuwaiti publishers of a propaganda comic called The 99. Waid was once involved in the writing of the storylines that led to Age of Apocalypse in X-Men, which drew a bizarre moral equation between Israel's officials and the PLO. Zdarsky's quite a woke leftist ideologue himself, as is writer Andrew Farago, the museum curator who attacked Comicsgate and blocks even Jewish X posters who could support the hashtag. Jurgens once wrote an apologia tale for Islam in the pages of Superman, as did Mike Grell in Iron Man during the early 2000s, and should it be mentioned it's ludicrous and offensive how a lethal villainess like Harley Quinn is being depicted with a Jewish background? After all, chances they'd do something similar with a Moslem character are next to nothing.

The writers who signed onto Wyman Institute's petition who do impress me more are Chuck Dixon, Ann Nocenti and even Steve Englehart. The latter 2 are leftist, to my knowledge, but unlike a lot of modern ones, seem to recognize the advantage of avoiding divisive statements, on social media or otherwise.

No stranger to Batman lore, Medoff penned an essay for a book called “Theology and Batman.” One of the book’s central themes is the theodicy — or sense of redemption — Batman brings to the world by vindicating goodness over evil.

Many of the creators of Batman, Superman and other superheroes were of Jewish descent. Quite a few books and essays have been written about how these creators were influenced by Jewish history while at their drawing boards.

Yes, but whatever the background of the creators, those of more recent times aren't exactly helping matters, if the latter of these 2 examples says something:

Earlier in 2024, an issue of DC’s “The Penguin” remembered that Bruce Wayne — Batman’s alter-ego — is Jewish. The moment came when Bruce Wayne referenced his handkerchief as being a Hanukkah gift from his father to his mother.

In a “Batwoman” reboot released in 2006, the character Kate Kane — Batwoman’s alter-ego — was reintroduced as a Jewish, lesbian cousin of Batman, demonstrating how comic artists both shape and reflect their times.

And they don't think this is even remotely insulting to the intellect the Kane character's depicted as lesbian solely for woke brownie points? And implying Wayne could have some Jewish ancestry (in some past renditions, it was established his ancestry was from Scotland), will not work if the writing is as woke as it's become lately. To imply Bruce is even bisexual only damages the character's image/reputation all the more, and is an embarrassment to Bill Finger and Bob Kane's legacy. Let us be clear. Those writers and artists who've joined Dr. Medoff's petition did the right thing. But unless they can prove they're repentant, and writers like Jurgens and Grell won't boomerang back on apologia for Islam tomorrow, what good is this project going to do in the long run? Add to this the unlikely scenario any of these creators will show the courage and altruism to work on a comics project tackling Islamic terrorism, and that's another frustrating issue right there.

Besides the above news, Dr. Medoff tells on Israel National News how Doonesbury cartoonist Garry Truedeau's acknowledged that Hamas is evil, and mocked them in his newspaper strips:

One of America’s most beloved newspaper comic strips has dared to poke fun at Hamas. Get ready for controversy!

In the latest Sunday installment of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Doonesbury strip, a fictional anti-terrorist fighter—known as “the Red Rascal”—bursts into the bedroom of an actual Hamas leader, Ismail Haniye, who is living in Qatar.

The cartoon shows Haniyeh enjoying luxurious accommodations, and identifies him as “one of three Hamas leaders worth billions, who enriched themselves with donor money intended for impoverished Gazans!”

Garry Trudeau, the writer and artist of Doonesbury, has dared to acknowledge a fact about the Hamas leadership that most of the mainstream news media prefer to ignore. [...]

What makes this Doonesbury strip even more interesting is that Trudeau has been strongly critical of Israel in the past. His view of Hamas is not motivated by any kind of built-in pro-Israel bias.

Not only that, but Trudeau has been extra sensitive concerning Muslim reactions to controversial cartoons, such as the one about Mohammed that was published in the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in 2015. Islamist terrorists responded to that cartoon by massacring twelve members of the magazine’s staff.

Trudeau accused Charlie Hebdo of engaging in “hate speech.” He argued that the magazine's publication of the cartoon was unjustified because it constituted "attacking a powerless, disenfranchised minority."

But the Doonesbury creator can’t count on any of his past statements to protect him from a furious reaction to his criticism of Hamas. Pro-Hamas extremists in the United States are not known for their ability to calmly and rationally discuss differing points of view—especially when somebody reveals uncomfortable facts about their heroes.

Obviously, it's to be unfortunately expected Islam's sympathisers will react poorly and horrifically. Why, they could act the same way towards any and all of the above Batman contributors, and that too will be terrible, if God forbid it happens. Of course, one must wonder at this point if creators like Trudeau are repentant for the harm they caused by blaming the victims in horrible incidents like that in France. If not, then while it's amazing on the surface he'd attack Hamas as the evil entity they are, any failure to acknowledge he was wrong to blame Charlie Hebdo and other victims of Islamofascism in France ruins everything. I do vaguely recall at least a few Doonesbury strips that were negative to Israel, and so it sure has taken Trudeau a lot of time to show the courage to acknowledge that jihadist organizations like Hamas and PLO are barbaric evil incarnate.

So far, if there's one notable name connected with Batman stories whom I couldn't find on the Wyman petition, it's Frank Miller. How odd. Is he really that stupidly regretful for penning Holy Terror back in 2011 that he doesn't have the guts to participate in a project like Medoff's now? Well it's honestly disgraceful, IMO. Come to think of it, when even far-leftists like Kurt Busiek, Ron Marz, Dan DiDio, Joe Quesada, Gail Simone and Axel Alonso can't even contribute, that too has got to be saying something. This isn't just something that should involved Batman contributors, but all sorts of comics creators, even those more into independent productions. I'd strongly suggest Medoff try to contact them as well, and try to convince them to put aside all their vehement leftism and recognize why the message he's sending here is important for all to uphold, not just anybody who's worked on the Masked Manhunter. Calling for release of the hostages - many of whom have doubtless been subjected to torture and sexual violence - is surely the most important part of this whole tragedy.

Government approves memorial day for October 7, 2023

The Israeli government unanimously approved a rememberence day for October 7, 2023, when the Hamas committed their horrifying bloodbath and sexual violence last year:

The government unanimously approved a National Day of Remembrance to be held every year on the 24th of the Jewish month of Tishrei, to commemorate the October 7th massacre and the Sword of Iron War.

On the first anniversary, a ceremony will be held also on the secular date – October 7th, 2024.

The National Day of Remembrance will be marked annually with two state ceremonies: a ceremony at 11:00 a.m. in memory of those killed in the war, and a ceremony at 1:00 p.m. in memory of the civilians murdered in hostilities.

This year, in light of the fact that the 24th of Tishrei falls on Saturday, the ceremonies will take place on Sunday, the 25th of Tishrei, and so forth every year that the 24th of Tishrei falls on Shabbat (Saturday).

Those who voted in favor did the right thing. It's terrible, of course, that the horrifying incident had to happen, and now one more antisemitic tragedy's been scarred into history. But that's exactly why it's vital to remember these horrible incidents in order to try and prevent more from happening in the future.

Holocaust survivor explains how the Hamas bloodbath is much worse

A 90-year-old Holocaust survivor says the Hamas bloodbath on October 7, 2023 is worse in many ways, because of the savagery involved:

In the run-up to International Holocaust Day, Arutz Sheva - Israel National News spoke with Miriam Schlisser, the heroine of the children's book 'Papusha', on her feelings since the heinous October 7th massacre.

She believes that what the Hamas terrorists did on the morning of October 7th was even more atrocious and horrific than the Holocaust.

"The murderous Germans were intelligent and gentle. Yona, my husband, carried his brother on the Death March. They would walk at night and rest during the day. He weighed thirty kilos and carried another thirty kilos. If he had put him down, the Germans would not have beaten him, but fired a bullet through him and left him on the side of the road, where someone would collect him and transfer him to a mass grave."

On the other hand, Miriam says, the Hamas terrorists "got their hands dirty, cut off the head of a soldier and sold it. This is sadism. This is worse than the Holocaust," she says and recounts that when her brother found himself in Birkenau without any family members with him, he asked a Polish Jew where his parents were, and this person pointed towards the chimney. "They didn't shoot them. They poisoned them with gas and then pushed them into the crematorium to be burned. But they didn't get their hands dirty like the Hamas. To open a pregnant woman's stomach and take out the fetus is not something done by any human being."

She's got a vital point. While what the National Socialists did was abominable, anybody who'd commit graphic gore is taking mass murder to a whole new level. The Hamas has thus made themselves into the National Socialists of the 21st century, as has anybody who supports their barbarism. Of course, a century before that, there was also a massacre in Hebron in 1929, which preceded what happened on October 7, 2023. And that too must be pondered.

Rescued child hostages suffered serious traumatic effects

The child hostages who were rescued from Hamas captivity suffered awful psychological effects, as doctors pointed out:

Doctors working with children who were hostages held by Hamas after the October 7 massacre of 1200 Israelis are discovering how traumatic the ordeal for the children was and how much it has affected them.

The children seized by Hamas ranged in age from 10 months to 18 years old. Some were held alone. Israeli doctors found that most of the children had lost between 10% to 15% of their body weight, The Wall Street Journal reported.

But the behavior that the doctors found most unsettling was that the children spoke in whispers, slowly gathering the courage to ask if they could look out the window or open a door, Efrat Bron-Harlev, chief executive of the Schneider Children’s Medical Center, said, adding, “They looked like shadows of children.” He said that when the famished children were asked why they ate in such small quantities, they answered they had to save some for later.

“I’ve never seen anything like that before,” Renana Eitan, chair of psychiatry at the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, said. “We feel as a group that we have to rewrite the textbook.”

Adult hostages who were released back to Israel said the Hamas terrorists who seized the children routinely gave them benzodiazepines and other drugs to keep them quiet; many of the children, now used to the drugs, have trouble sleeping.

It goes entirely without saying that the jihadist monsters who carried out such a horror story have really caused repulsive damage to children as much as to adults, and now, these children, while safe again, are going to sadly have a hard time growing up. Especially if they've been orphaned.

Update: here's also some news on how the attempt to rescue 3 hostages sadly killed by friendly fire was a disaster.

Update 2: there's also some troubling news about several thousand Muslim workers who were allowed over the "green line" in Judea/Samaria to attend work in Israel.

IDF undermines war against Islamic terror by penalizing soldiers who did Hanuka prayer through mosque loudspeaker

The IDF's made a lot of accomplishments lately in dealing with Islamic terrorism after the Hamas' bloodbath on October 7. But what the Israeli army's doing here does not help matters:

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced Thursday that it had suspended several soldiers who were seen in a widely-shared video singing Hanukkah songs through the loudspeaker of a minaret on a mosque during a counter-terror operation in Jenin.

Jenin, a Palestinian Authority-controlled city in the West Bank known as a hotbed for violent terrorism, has been the target of an IDF operation lasting for two and-a-half days.

[...] In his evening briefing, IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said (via IDF translation):

I wish to address the unusual footage published today from the Jenin mosque. IDF soldiers are required to act professionally in accordance with the spirit of the IDF and its values. This is how the overwhelming majority of soldiers act; we will not compromise the IDF’s conduct. Anyone who does not conduct themselves according to IDF values will face corresponding measures.

The soldiers involved were suspended. Israel’s Sephardic Chief Rabbi also denounced the soldiers’ behavior, according to the Times of Israel, and told the IDF to remind soldiers “that they must not harm the religious sentiments of the adherents of other faiths.”

So they're going soft on the very Religion of Peace that indoctrinated all Islamofascists who took part in the bloodbath to commit heinous crimes. That's simply unacceptable, and the IDF owes the soldiers an apology for resorting to the very same PC narrative many others have made the mistake of committing.

After October 7, some leftists hopefully changed their view of Muslims

In this Wash. Free Beacon article, they interview a leftist "peace activist" who appears to have changed after her experience with the jihadists from Gaza who also invaded her household on October 7:

Irit Lahav, 57, was a peace activist who believed in the decency of the Palestinian people. Then, on Oct. 7, ordinary Gazans joined in a terrorist attack that left more than one in four of her neighbors in Kibbutz Nir Oz dead or abducted.

For many members of Nir Oz and other Israelis, the atrocities of Oct. 7—and particularly the broad participation of the Gazan public in the day—destroyed their faith in coexistence with the Palestinians.

Lahav, a manager at a travel company, long participated in peace demonstrations. In recent years, she volunteered for an Israeli charity called Road to Recovery, driving Palestinian children from the border of the Gaza Strip, less than two miles from her home, to Israeli hospitals for life-saving medical care.

"We thought that Palestinians are good people. All they want is peace and prosperity," Lahav told the Washington Free Beacon in an interview from a hotel in this Red Sea resort city where she and most of her community were temporarily relocated. "It's just that Hamas is forcing them to be in this aggressive situation."

When terrorists first shook the door of her safe room on Oct. 7, Lahav was sure that she and her 22-year-old daughter were about to be killed. But a makeshift lock she had fashioned out of an oar and a vacuum cleaner thwarted three separate break-in attempts. The women lay in the darkened room for about 10 hours listening to sounds of automatic gunfire and grenade explosions. At one point, they heard a group of teenagers robbing their house.

Later, Lahav learned from other Nir Oz survivors that Gazan women and children as young as 10 years old had followed Hamas terrorists into the kibbutz, looting, helping the armed terrorists, and apparently enjoying themselves.

"Basically it was sort of an invasion of a community," Lahav said. "That's why for me, I cannot say this was a Hamas action. No, for me, this was a Palestinian action. A whole community had come to our kibbutz, took our things, stole stuff, killed people, and kidnapped others."

"Am I thinking about myself being foolish until now?" Lahav added. "Maybe. But more is that I'm disappointed in them, that they're so cruel, have no values, really lost their human values."

During Israel's ongoing war to destroy Hamas, 40 of the hostages taken from Nir Oz have been released, while 30 remain in Gaza. Several other hostages have been declared dead in recent weeks, bringing the total number of people killed from Nir Oz to 46.

While it's good to know she's changed her mind about what people like her still call a "palestinian people", it remains to be seen if any of these presumably no-longer-peace-activists recognize that Islam played a very horrific major role in the bloodbath of October 7. And what would Lahav say if "settlers" of background more religious than hers were the victims? Lahav should publicly renounce all associations with anyone who until now supported Islamic savages. And she'd do well to consider how many women in Europe, in example, have fallen victim to Islamofascism as well. Many on the left now owe a serious apology.

More news coverage of the horror of sexual violence Hamas inflicted on October 7

Here's another report (via Front Page), repulsive as can be, about the sexual violence the Hamas committed along with graphic gore on October 7 this year:

Israeli investigators probing the fallout of the brutal October 7 attacks have found evidence that men as well as women suffered sexual violence and rape at the hands of Hamas and Islamic Jihad attackers, activists have claimed.

Yael Sherer, a spokeswoman for Israel's Survivors of Sexual Violence advocacy group, said there was physical evidence as well as eyewitness accounts of sexual violence perpetrated against both sexes amid the attacks.

'There was sexual violence and rape in these communities in the south of Israel... we have a few living survivors - not a lot - of both genders. It didn't only happen to women, it happened to men as well,' she told BBC Radio 4.

'Aside from finding bodies of people who were murdered, a lot of the bodies were mutilated... terrorists made sure to disgrace these people and dishonor them,' she added.

It comes as Israeli police opened up the biggest investigation into sexual violence and crimes against women ever in the nation.

The leader of the investigation, Shelly Harush, said: 'It's clear now that sexual crimes were part of the planning and the purpose was to terrify and humiliate people.'

Police have collected thousands of statements, photographs and video clips that have been called unbearable to watch from a mother's perspective and include 'girls whose pelvises were broken they had been raped so much'.

The irony in this is that those Hamas jihadists who raped men were bound to be homosexual. In which case, there's definitely a contradiction when it comes to homosexuality and Islam. Is that why some of the most antisemitic LGBT ideologues aren't against the Religion of Peace?

The official entry begins, and could last a considerable amount of time

The IDF's official entry into Gaza has begun, and will obviously not end within a fortnight:

They’re heading into Gaza. Israeli forces, which have been amassing along the border for days, finally went into the Hamas-controlled area to wipe out the terror group. This operation goes beyond past ground assaults—Israel seems poised for the long haul, occupying the area until every Hamas terrorist is eliminated.

The IDF announced today that the next phase has begun and that ground troops are now operating in Gaza.

Make no mistake, this will be a long war. It could last years, as there are reportedly 40,000 Hamas terrorists waiting in terror tunnels to attack IDF forces. Israeli military units had conducted raids into Northern Gaza ahead of the main assault, taking out terrorists, defensive structures, and anti-tank positions. The latest incursions involved tanks and heavy equipment that laid the groundwork for the larger invasion force. This massive operation comes in the wake of Hamas' brutal invasion earlier this month.

With Iran's assistance, the invasion comes after Hamas launched a devastating and barbaric terror attack from Gaza on October 7. Over 1,000 Israelis were murdered. Torture, rape, and kidnapping were also inflicted upon the civilian population, where we saw whole families slaughtered by these radical Islamic animals. Babies were beheaded and set on fire.

It's firmly clear this operation will last a considerable length of time. But the end result will hopefully be one we can be relieved and proud of, and the tunnel network is one of the biggest problems other than the troglodytes dwelling there that must be eliminated. And we must avenge the sadistic murders that occurred on October 7.

What Larry Hama says following the Hamas bloodbath against Israelis

I dicovered veteran GI Joe comics writer Hama commented on the Hamas abominations against Israeli victims on the 12th of October, with the following: And I may as well post the text plain below too, along with some screencaps:

How do certain people equate deliberately murdering children and decapitating babies with the targeting of terrorist infrastructure that results in collateral death of civilians? How do you ignore intent?

I'd really like to appreciate that he recognizes that gory murders of infants are repulsive and inexcusable. But then, he dampened the impact with a response to somebody offering a perceptive viewpoint. First, what the respondent says:

Because the pathological belief that the Palestinians are oppressed underdogs rather than what they are- a generalized menace to the region.

A very perceptive viewpoint. But, what did Hama say in return? This is, quite honestly, disappointing:

I think the Palestinians have as legitimate a beef as Native Americans. And I think the current Israeli government should not be confused with the Israeli people. Every single Israeli I know personally hates Netenyahu. Nothing good has ever come of partition. It is a complex issue, rife with what-aboutisms, and bad players on both sides. But, the creeps who are cheering for people who cut the heads off infants are pieces of shit in my book. We dealt with Calley and Medina. If you don't police your own bad apples, you are no better than them.

I wonder why he doesn't have the courage to verify whether the Israelis he knows are as left-wing as he is? That's the problem with men of his sort, they won't look beyond those they already know, nor do they consider what the Koran's built upon. He also takes a viewpoint that ignores a sizable majority elected the parties comprising the current Israeli government, denies any validity to Israel's historical residency in areas like Gaza, and even clearly buys into the propaganda first begun in the mid-20th century of a "palestinian people" of Arab/Islamic background. He might also want to consider even Indians of the north American continent have blame to shoulder for being part of slavemongering against Blacks. But if he believes in the vitality of policing your own side, does he have any complaints about how leftists are failing to do so, when there's universities allowing horrific movements to dominate there, and turning their backs on Jewish targets? Not to mention the continuing deterioration of USA cities under Democrat control, including New York City, and even Philadelphia and Chicago, to name but some. Hama's apparent disinterest in considering all these issues and commenting on them unambiguously is only prolonging the problem. Which includes even Ta-Nehisi Coates, who signed onto a letter supporting Hamas. If Hama's worried about whether the left pays attention to its own, will he complain how this despicable man was/is still allowed to write mainstream comics? The commentor said:

The problem with the Palestinians as a group is they have backstabbed every Arab government thar ever tried helping them out. Jordan invited them in, and they thanked King Hussein by almost getting them into another war with the Israelis then trying to assassinate him twice. Black September, 1970. Then Jordan's expulsion of the PLO dumped them in Lebanon, which started their civil war and doomed them as a country. The Egyptians already have a jihadi problem and rightfully refuse to import more. So the Palestinians have to accept, but won't, that their own leaders have sold them out for fifty years, Arafat alone having stole billions, Hamas and Hez are Iranian puppets, and they're going to get used as cannon fodder in a war that may get them all killed. Which sucks, but even the Israelis who felt bad for them don't care after this.

While there are some impressive points to be made here, I still can't help but wonder if even this particular respondent isn't as well-informed as he could be, which dampens the impact of this too as a result. Another said:

It's impossible to empathize with anyone that commits the atrocities that Hamas has committed. I just don't see where they see this going. What support they had is surely reduced as the world unites by the horrors committed.

It definitely should be, but there's still alarming portions who support these abominations around the world, even in Britain, and that's just the beginning. It's also crucial to consider how the Democrats welcomed delegates like Rashida Tlaib into their ranks. Here's another reply to Hama:

Everything I know about the region and its troubles pointed to fault on BOTH sides....UNTIL....Saturday's events and the following days... I was willing to listen to both sides....I'm not now. Murdering babies...nearly 40 babies I'm told, means that any complexity in the issue just got a whole lot simpler....fuck Hamas....light them up.

One more person so far says:

I believe people cherry pick the facts that fit the narrative they want it to be

Something leftists like Hama have to consider. His continued associations with the left in any way after horrors like this only makes this all the more galling and deplorable, and will not improve the situations at hand. I've got a sad feeling that despite all he says, he won't ever travel to Israel specifically to meet with anybody considered right-wing, let alone religious/Zionist, may not even meet with victims of Islamic terrorism, nor will he ever study the Koran's contents, or even publicly condemn far-leftists unambiguously. All because his stature as a GI Joe writer, or even the most significant writer for Wolverine's 1st volume, is apparently so important he must remin within the left's "good graces" for eternity. At least, that's what people like him seem to believe.

Comics creators showing solidarity with Israel after Hamas bloodbath on October 7

The Hamas jihadist organization in the Gaza strip launched a horrifying attack on southern Israel this weekend, murdering hundreds and even taking women and children hostage. Following this, it's good to find there are comics creators who're showing their support for Israel in such an awful time. For example, Billy Tucci:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Billy Tucci (@billy_tucci)

Update: Tucci seems to have erased his post on X, but did provide one on Instagram.

And there's also Bryan Hill and Mark Sable on Instagram:

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A post shared by Bryan Edward Hill (@bryanehill)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mark Sable (@marksable)

Sable, however, runs the atrocious gauntlet of moral equations, and visiting the Old City of Jerusalem isn't going to alleviate the problem. It sounds like he's buying into the same propaganda "journalist" Heidi MacDonald does. Let's not forget Sable once penned Graveyard of Empires, which was pretty fishy.

While I appreciate if liberal creators are voicing solidarity, this begs a vital question as to whether they'll continue to support the Democrats, seeing how their policies appeasing Iran with billions of dollars played a part in leading to this catastrophe. Seriously, anybody who continues to support such a movement after all the trouble they caused, which'll have a most traumatizing effect for years to come, and damage that'll take epochs to clean up, isn't making a very convincing effort to prove they're willing to defend Israel properly.

It now remains to be seen if more in the comics industry proper will be willing to not just support Stan Lee, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster's Israeli brethren, but also shun those who've voiced hostility, like Saladin Ahmed, who no longer seems to be on social media, as the following indicates:

Readers and friends, this account is now inactive.

I'll be on other platforms sporadically, but am mostly backing off social media.

Stay in touch via
newsletter: https://t.co/p6A7tnPG2x
gmail: emailsaladinahmed
my reps: Jim Ehrich/RBEL + Jennifer Jackson/DMLA

with love
Saladin

— Saladin Ahmed (@saladinahmed) July 6, 2023

And per this screencap, look who else appears to have fled X/Twitter lately:

G. Willow Wilson, the writer who developed what became Marvel's form of Islamic propaganda in the past decade, the Muslim Ms. Marvel, is no longer using the platform. And that's good. The less such people involved in comics writing using these social media outlets, the better. But surely even more vital a query is whether the industry as a whole will shun them now, after all the harm they caused over the years, along with another writer named Sana Amanat. And better still, is the comics industry as we know it now willin to combat the issue of Islamic terrorism in the pages of four-color press?

Update: one more cartoonist who's voiced solidarity with Israel is Bosch Fawstin:

Once you understand that Jew-hatred is a fundamental part of islam, you understand that nothing Jews say or do can provoke Muslims any more than they are already provoked against Jews.

And raping and beheading Israelis is not "resistance" you savage "palestine" apologists.

— Bosch Fawstin (@TheBoschFawstin) October 8, 2023

And that's a very vital point the left-wing creators in comicdom would do well to consider, if they really want to prove they respect the memories of Siegel, Shuster, Lee and Kirby.

Update 2: one more left-wing, anti-Israel comics writer who appears to have fled X is the following:

Nadia Shammas, who even had the gall to put a PLO flag on her account. It'll be very fortunate if she no longer posts on X any more than Ahmed and Wilson.

Update 3: here's one more by Bill Willingham:

My thoughts and prayers are with Israel today.

My thoughts are these: Destroy Hamas completely this time, so thoroughly that nothing can rise from the ashes.

My prayers are these: Then look to Hamas’ supporters, in Iran, in Qatar, here in America, and everywhere else.

— Bill Willingham (@BillWillingham) October 7, 2023

While I've had my disagreements with Willingham in the past, I do appreciate this.

Remember Beslan

In Chechneya, Jihadist took over a school, assaulted and raped children, forced them to drink urine, and were responsible for the deaths of 334 people, including 156 children.

Beslan: They knifed babies, they raped girls


"THE full horror of the Russian school atrocity began to emerge yesterday as traumatised children told horrific tales of stabbed babies and brutal rapes. It has also emerged that scores of the 323 who died - including many children - had been shot in the back. While despairing soldiers and rescue workers moved among the growing pile of body bags, it was revealed that an 18-month-old baby had been repeatedly stabbed by a black-clad terrorist who had run out of ammunition.

Other survivors told how screaming teenage girls were dragged into rooms adjoining the gymnasium where they were being held and raped by their Chechen captors who chillingly made a video film of their appalling exploits. They said children were forced to drink their own urine and eat the petals off the flowers they had brought their teachers after nearly three days without food or water in the stifling hot gym. Their stories came as Russian officials warned that the final death toll of the siege of Middle School No 1 at Beslan in North Ossetia - in which up to 1,200 people were held captive - was likely to be more than 400.