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Antisemitism Physical Acts Spike 18% In 2019, COVID Only Worsening It

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Physical acts of antisemitism spiked by 18 percent in 2019 compared to 2018, according to Tel Aviv University Kantor Center’s annual report.

There were 456 total incidents reported in 2019, 169 were physical attacks, 129 targeted personal property, 77 targeted cemeteries, 53 synagogues, and 28 community centers and schools.

Moshe Kantor, the Center’s founder, shared that they’re also seeing a spike in antisemitism amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a significant rise in accusations that Jews, as individuals and as a collective, are behind the spread of the virus or are directly profiting from it,” Kantor said.

A man in Columbus, Ohio recently walked through the city touting a sign characterizing a Jewish person as a rat that read “THE REAL PLAGUE.”

“The man holding the atrocious antisemitic rat sign from this weekend’s Columbus, Ohio rally has been confirmed to be the same person from a Detroit 2019 Pride Rally, a member of the National Socialist Movement,” StopAntisemitism.org said in a tweet Monday.

Liora Rez from StopAntisemitism.org provided SaraACarter.com with a flier that a man was distributing to homes in Washington D.C.’s Dumbarton neighborhood in Georgetown. The homes in the area are located within walking distance of a local synagogue, Kesher Israel.

The man pictured above was distributing the hate-filled fliers that blamed the Jewish people for the virus and its spread.

With the observance of Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day being this week, antisemites also didn’t miss the opportunity to promote #Covid48 on Twitter comparing the Jewish state to the virus.

The propaganda “clearly identifies a revival of the medieval ‘blood libels’ when Jews were accused of spreading disease, poisoning wells or controlling economies,” Kantor said, adding that the recent sensation is “consistent with the rise of antisemitism over the last few years.”

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China

Pentagon Report Reveals China’s Rapid Nuclear Expansion, Doubling Previous U.S. Estimates

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China’s nuclear arsenal has surged to over 500 warheads—more than double the previous U.S. estimate—according to a newly released Pentagon intelligence report. This “rapid expansion” is raising alarm among U.S. officials as Beijing aggressively accelerates its military capabilities and steps up hostilities toward allied states in the Pacific.

The Daily Caller News Foundation reports that in 2020, the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) assessed that China had amassed roughly 200 nuclear warheads and projected that the count could reach 400 by 2030. But the latest findings show China has already far exceeded that estimate, and the Pentagon now believes China could have over 1,000 operational warheads by 2030.

According to the report, China’s current nuclear build-up represents the most rapid and ambitious modernization effort in its history, indicating the nation’s long-term strategy for sustained competition with the U.S. and signaling an operational readiness for intensified strategic concepts. China’s arsenal, composed of various nuclear warheads, can be launched from a range of platforms, including submarines, ground-mobile systems, and aircraft. The DIA report also notes that China is building additional facilities for the production of fissile materials to further scale up its nuclear arsenal.

The report suggests that China remains committed to a “no first use” nuclear policy—meaning it would only launch a nuclear strike in retaliation. However, China’s “launch-on-warning” policy enables it to strike back preemptively if it detects an incoming attack.

“China is fielding new nuclear capabilities at a faster pace than at any time in its history,” the DIA report reads, emphasizing the military’s objective to achieve parity with the U.S. nuclear arsenal. Despite Beijing’s statements about maintaining a defensive posture, the Pentagon warns that China’s rapid nuclear advancements could lead to an increased risk of miscalculation.

The Pentagon report highlights China’s growing capability and confidence, suggesting that Beijing’s bolstered nuclear deterrence over the next decade could embolden its leaders. This, in turn, increases the risk of miscalculations and escalations as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) builds up the capability to counter the U.S. across various domains.

A spokesperson from the Chinese Embassy in the U.S. downplayed concerns, pointing to America’s extensive nuclear arsenal as a primary security risk. “China is committed to a defensive nuclear strategy and a policy of ‘no first use’ of nuclear weapons and keeps our nuclear capabilities at the minimum level required by national security,” the spokesperson told the DCNF.

The report also reflects a lack of transparency in U.S.-China relations, with military talks largely suspended since 2022 and only resuming recently. This limited communication between the nations further fuels apprehension within the international community.

China’s nuclear expansion aligns with its broader military ambitions under President Xi Jinping, who has ordered the PLA to be prepared for a possible invasion of Taiwan by 2027. Although the U.S. maintains a “strategic ambiguity” policy toward Taiwan—meaning it does not disclose how it would respond to a Chinese invasion—the potential for conflict has heightened as China’s military power grows.

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