Jewish groups

A former bodyguard for a Hamas leader was granted British citizenship before being arrested over an alleged plot to carry out a terror attack against Jews in Europe, according to a report. The case is likely to intensify scrutiny of UK security vetting and citizenship procedures for people with ties to militant groups.

Jewish advocacy groups are protesting Benjamin Netanyahu's address at the United Nations in New York. The demonstrations come as the Israeli prime minister speaks to the General Assembly amid ongoing controversy over Israel's policies and the war in Gaza. Organisers say they want to signal that not all Jewish communities back his government's positions, though details of the groups and scale of the protests were not specified.

A federal court ruling has cleared the way for a Jewish charter school to open in Oklahoma. The decision is significant because charter schools are publicly funded, raising unresolved questions about the separation of church and state. The case is expected to draw further legal challenges as other states and religious groups watch closely for its implications on publicly funded religious education.

A renewed push for religious charter schools is drawing attention, centering on the Ben Gamla Jewish charter school proposal in Oklahoma alongside the St. Isidore Catholic case. Supporters argue states cannot exclude religious groups from charter programs, while opponents warn the move blurs the line between church and state and could reshape publicly funded education across the country.

An opinion piece argues that pro-Israel lobbying groups are losing their influence over U.S. electoral politics, but warns they will fight to hold on to it. The author, writing from a Jewish perspective, says American Jews are watching closely and that the community's future depends on waking up to these shifts. The piece reflects an ongoing debate on the left about money, advocacy and Middle East policy in American elections.

A 94-year-old Jewish human rights barrister has been arrested in the UK on suspicion of supporting Palestine Action, the proscribed direct-action group. The arrest of such an elderly, prominent figure has drawn significant attention, with many questioning the breadth of UK terrorism legislation that makes expressing support for the group a criminal offence.

The World Jewish Congress says its Representative to the UN in Geneva and Director of Diplomacy delivered a statement under Agenda Item 7 of the UN Human Rights Council. Item 7 is the council's standing agenda item concerning Israel and the Palestinian territories, one of the most contentious parts of the council's programme. The organisation shared the intervention as part of its regular diplomatic advocacy on behalf of Jewish communities worldwide.

Troy Jackson, Maine's Senate president, has apologized for comments that generalized the views of Jewish Mainers on the war in Gaza. He said his remarks wrongly suggested Jewish residents hold a single position on the conflict. The apology comes amid heightened sensitivity around political statements on Israel and Gaza, with community groups and lawmakers watching language carefully.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Councilwoman Nithya Raman disagreed on Gaza and whether the term genocide applies to the conflict, during a forum hosted by the Jewish Federation. The split highlights divisions among local Democratic leaders over the Israel-Hamas war and the language used to describe its toll on civilians.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and her challenger, Congresswoman Laura Raman, voiced differing positions on the Gaza conflict during a forum hosted by the Jewish Federation. The exchange highlighted how the Middle East conflict has become a point of division in the Los Angeles mayoral race, drawing attention from voters and community groups following the debate.

Reports say parts of Israel's settler movement are preparing to return to Gaza, decades after settlements there were dismantled in 2005. The claims follow the war between Israel and Hamas and growing calls among some Israeli groups to re-establish a Jewish presence in the territory. Observers warn such a move would inflame tensions and conflict with international positions on Gaza's future.

World Jewish communities are calling on the incoming United Nations Secretary-General to confront antisemitism within the global body. In coordinated statements carried by Jewish publications in the United States and internationally, community groups are urging the next UN leader to reform institutions and rhetoric they say have enabled anti-Jewish bias at the organisation. The appeals come as the UN prepares for a transition in leadership.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and councilmember-Nithya Raman rival appears at a mayoral forum addressing Jewish Angelenos. The two officials spoke to members of the city's Jewish community, discussing issues relevant to that constituency as part of ongoing civic engagement ahead of the election cycle.

A new analysis argues that the wave of Arab-Israeli normalization agreements across the Middle East has not reduced terrorism targeting Jews, and that diplomatic ties alone cannot counter antisemitic violence. The piece contends that governments pursuing normalization must pair recognition with concrete action against extremist networks and antisemitism. Jewish advocacy groups have repeatedly warned that normalization deals, while significant, do not address underlying security threats.

A judge's decision has cleared a path for a Jewish charter school in Oklahoma, according to Oklahoma Watch's Education Watch. The ruling advances a contested effort to establish a religiously affiliated charter school, a question that has drawn national attention over the boundaries between religious education and publicly funded charter programs in the United States.

A mayoral forum hosted by a Jewish community group was dominated by discussion of Israel-Palestine, with candidates pressed on the conflict and related local concerns. The event reflects how international Middle East politics increasingly shapes local election campaigns, with candidates' positions on the issue becoming a deciding factor for many voters.

Zohran Mamdani has put forward a plan to address antisemitism that Jewish organizations say is inadequate because it does not confront anti-Zionism as part of the problem. Groups have voiced dissatisfaction with the proposal, arguing it sidesteps a central issue. Critics say the plan reflects Mamdani's own positions on Israel, which have drawn scrutiny throughout his political rise.