Cauldron of Terror Hamas, Israel and the World - Five Hundred Days in Gaza Podcast

Hello from Kensington Security Consulting, where we bring education to national security. This is Mark Silinsky, welcoming you to an audio cast that supplements a video cast. Today, we will provide updates on some issues we discussed in my upcoming book, “Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel and the World.” We will start with Kensington Updates, which cover issues we discussed earlier. Update - Eurovision Let’s begin with the Eurovision contest. Once again, Israel placed second, for the second consecutive year. Not bad. There are usually more than two dozen countries. This year, five countries boycotted the contest because Israel took part. Spain’s leader, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, said, “Our position is clear and unequivocal: until the barbarity ceases, neither Russia nor Israel should participate in any international competition.” Ireland neither participated in nor broadcast the contest, blaming Israel for killing too many Palestinians and targeting journalists in Gaza. It was much the same for Iceland with the curious explanation that, “The Song Contest and Eurovision have always had the aim of uniting the Icelandic nation, but it is now clear that this aim cannot be achieved and it is on these program-related grounds that this decision is taken." If you understand this, I envy you. How does Eurovision unite the Icelandic nation? I didn’t know that the Icelandic nation was divided. Is there a large Palestinian population there? I read the communique a few times, and I think that something was lost in translation. The Dutch kept away, too. They cited "severe humanitarian suffering in Gaza, the suppression of press freedom, and the political interference during the last Eurovision Song Contest." The severe humanitarian suffering in Gaza. Yes, Gazans suffer, though reasonable people could debate whose fault it is. Press freedom. Well, the press is not free to partner with Hamas operatives in terrorist attacks or to provide them with shelter or intelligence operations. That is too. Yes, yes. On the last point, political interference during the last Eurovision contest, presumably in 2025, is new to me. The Dutch did not explain what that interference was. Slovenia boycotted the program in a rage and would not air it on its television. Instead, they offered a program on Palestinian suffering. Well, these were the stated reasons. Was there more to the decisions? I don’t know if Israel cheated in Eurovision, as the Dutch claimed. But who cheated? Israeli leaders or a few low-level operatives? Israel's national broadcaster received a formal warning from Eurovision for encouraging viewers to cast 10 votes for their act, a move deemed a breach of competition rules designed to prevent voting manipulation. Is there something to this? I don’t know. Are other participating countries held to the same standards? Also, Turkey occupies Cyprus and has dislodged the Greek populations. Does that ever come up? What is important here? These are my thoughts. OK, the boycotters lost one this year. Israel participated and did very well. But there is next year and the year after. Each year, the continent becomes increasingly Islamic and restive. There are few Jews left in Europe, and many are leaving. So politicians have good reason to partner with the growing constituencies. The new left of the 1960s and 1970s has been reborn in Europe and the United States. Its adherents despise Israel, too. This is the green-red alliance, about which we have spoken many times on other podcast channels. So efforts to boycott and ostracize Israel in Europe are likely to accelerate. But Israel placed second two years in a row, largely through popular voting. Did Israel cheat, as some Europeans claimed? I don’t know. Where is the proof? Those Eurovisonistas who boycott or despise Israel were certainly on the lookout for cheating. There have been Eurovision contests for 70 years, and guardrails against cheating have evolved over time. If you have evidence of cheating, please let us know. So, assuming there was no massive and effective cheating, many Europeans wittingly voted heavily for Israel’s song. Why? My speculation is no better than yours. But Israel, once again, fueled a massive wave of public enthusiasm that translated into votes. Israel takes Eurovision very seriously. Eurovision’s results are decided by a split voting system. Half of each participating country’s score comes from a professional five-member music jury, while the other half comes from viewers voting at home via phone calls, text messages, and the Eurovision app. Each country awards points separately for jury and public votes, with the audience vote often dramatically reshaping the leaderboard during the live final. I can’t explain it any better than that, but I think I got it right. Well, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s “hasbara” office – Israel’s overseas information unit – aggressively promoted voting. The Irish Times and several European intellectuals made much of this, as though he had done something wrong. Well, what is wrong with that? What am I missing here? When the Olympics were important, national leaders promoted some innocuous jingoism. “Support your team. Support your country.” That sounds harmless to me. Let’s look at the New York Times' reporting on this issue, since the Times is a powerful opinion-maker. At least one article cast Israel as engaged in warfare. One sentence reads, “Governments are not supposed to intervene in the voting. Eurovision is a contest for public broadcasters and singers, not governments.” What do they mean by “intervene?” Are government employees under an implicit gag order? If so, who says so? Does the Times make the rules? If Israel didn’t break or bend the rules, how can we explain Israel receiving 33.34% of the Spanish public vote, about 48,000 votes, last year? Spanish leaders despise Israel. Just look at Sanchez's public statements. I don’t know how Israel’s song took so many Spanish votes, but the song may have had something to do with it. The story goes that in 1958, gangly Texan Harvey Van Cliburn, fresh out of Juilliard, performed brilliantly at the Tchaikovsky competition. The jury was certain he had won but needed Khrushchev's approval. This was at the height of the Cold War. “Comrade Khruschev, what should we do?” “Does he deserve the prize?” asked the Soviet leader. “Oh yes, absolutely.” “Then give him the prize.” And that is what they did, making him an international sensation and the pride of Texas. Well, in the same vein, maybe Spaniards liked Israel’s song, Michelle. That is possible. Also, maybe some used this to protest the Sanchez government, which is loudly anti-Israel. Maybe some Spaniards cast it as a sympathy vote for Israel. Maybe it is a bit of all of these. My final thoughts. I have no evidence that Israel did anything wrong. Where is the proof of cheating? There was great national enthusiasm in Israel for participating by singing and voting. Isn’t that what Eurovision wants? Sometimes countries have good years in the contest. ABBA shone in 1974 with “Waterloo.” Britain had some good years, and in 2026, it charted dead last. European musicians have good times and bad. But what are your thoughts? If you think Israel cheated, please let us know, and we will respond on a videocast.             Dogs and Prisoners Well, let’s turn from song to savagery. We examine columnist Nicholas Kristof’s claims that Israelis systematically tortured captive Arabs in Israeli prisons. Victims were raped and sexually tortured. Quite a claim, considering the alleged rapists were both Homo sapiens and canines. You heard his charges by now. Well, as of late May 2026, Kristoff has not walked back his claims of Israeli prison torturers and dog rapists. He stands by his sources, which were primarily the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor and several individuals with dubious backgrounds. Kristof acknowledged, “There is no evidence that Israeli leaders order rapes. But in recent years they have built a security apparatus where sexual violence has become, as a United Nations report put it last year, one of Israel’s ‘standard operating procedures’ and ‘a major element in the ill treatment of Palestinians.’” The Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor added that it concluded that Israel employs “systematic sexual violence” that is “widely practiced as part of an organized state policy.”             He bases his claims on the credibility of the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, so let’s take a look. The founder and chairman, Ramy Abdu, is fixated on Israel and its alleged sexual deviancy. In a 2023 social media post, Abdu shared a map of Israel marking locations where he claimed sex offenders lived. The map was nonsense. It was discredited but remained online for a long time. Abdu also claimed that photographs of victims of the Syrian civil war were of Gazans. Who is the chairman of Euro-Med’s board? Richard Falk, about whom we have a profile in Cauldron of Terror. This man is far from neutral or objective and is deeply supportive of radical Palestinians. He is the personification of the Green-Red alliance, about which we have discussed extensively in other podcasts. Does this mean that Euro-Med’s claims are necessarily false? No, but where is the proof? As more information comes in about Kristoff’s claims, we will keep you informed.             The Yellow Pig of Padua             We will leave you with a picture of the embattled yellow pig of Padua. A few weeks ago, we had a podcast about a dustup between a senior Muslim man and a deli owner in Padua, Italy. The Muslim man demanded that the owner remove the offending pig from public view, claiming the plastic pig was an affront to all Muslims in Padua. As of this writing, the pig still stands proudly in the window, visible to all who pass by. My view is that this incident, by itself, is not especially important. But it is part of an avalanche of demands by Muslims in Europe. If the pig is defenestrated, other concessions will follow. Mark my words. This wraps up videocast four, in which we provided an update on Eurovision 2026, Kristoff’s claims about Israeli prison brutality, and the notorious yellow pig of Padua. Nothing in this videocast represents the official position of the United States. Until next week, on behalf of Kensington Security Consulting, thank you for listening.

Hello and welcome to Kensington Security Consulting, where we bring education to national security. This is Mark Silinsky. In this podcast, we will look at the founder of Hamas, Sheik Yassin, and examine the current controversy over capital punishment in Israel. Both are explored in my upcoming book, Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel and the World. So who is Ahmed Yassin, and why was he important? He created and led Hamas, and that is why he is important. He had a difficult but accomplished life, though his accomplishments were reviled by Israelis, which is why the IDF killed him. In some ways, he was an unconventional leader who overcame many challenges. First, he was a quadriplegic. He claimed that he was performing handstands on a beach in Gaza as a small boy when he snapped his neck. This bound him to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. It also forced him to advance himself through his intellect, which he did. Always studious, he studied English at Cairo University and later became a popular teacher in Gaza.   He found a home in the Islamic Brotherhood, which we have discussed at length on podcasts and in Cauldron of Terror. The Brothers led a broad-based effort to return Muslims to the principles of Islam’s first generation of leaders. In the 1960s, he led the Gaza branch of the Brotherhood. At the time, Gaza was part of Egypt, which clamped down on the Brothers' recruitment and social agitation. Egypt imprisoned him for a few months in 1965, hoping he would cool down. He continued to agitate.   A few years later, Yassin's Brotherhood began to build its influence by organizing and funding schools and medical clinics, a hallmark of the Brothers. He used this to call Muslims to Islam. Then he called his associates to violence. As future Hamas leader Khaled Mashal recounts, "In 1983, we carried out our first military experience under the leadership of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin; the 1983 organization sought to gather weapons to prepare groups for military training and launch the jihad project." Yassin himself has been directly tied to Hamas terrorism. Arrested in 1984, Yassin told Israeli authorities that he founded an organization intent on "fighting non-religious [Palestinian] factions in the territories and carrying out jihad operations against Israel."  Released in a 1985 prisoner exchange, Yassin hatched a 1989 plot to kidnap and murder Israeli soldiers and negotiate the exchange of their bodies for the release of Hamas prisoners. Yassin was arrested again after the abduction and murder of Israeli soldiers and was sentenced to two life terms for his role in these killings. Yassin was again released from prison in 1997 as part of a deal with Jordan's King Hussein, following Israel's botched attempt to assassinate Khaled Mashal in Jordan. Palestinian security forces placed Yassin under house arrest several times between 1998 and 2000 in an effort to curb Hamas's terrorist efforts to undermine the peace process. Since then, Yassin has played an increasingly active role in coordinating and financing Hamas attacks. In a well-known March 2000 case, Palestinian security officials arrested several members of Yassin's entourage, including two bodyguards, and uncovered explosives (intended for an attack against Israel) hidden in a kindergarten in Gaza's Shati refugee camp. Yassin was again released from prison in 1997 as part of a deal with Jordan's King Hussein, following Israel's botched assassination attempt on Khaled Mashal in Jordan. Palestinian security forces placed Yassin under house arrest several times between 1998 and 2000 to curb Hamas's terrorist efforts to undermine the peace process. Since then, Yassin has played an increasingly active role in coordinating and financing Hamas attacks. Yassin is also directly linked to the one documented case of operational crossover between Hamas and al-Qaeda. A Hamas activist receiving religious instruction in Pakistan was recruited in February 1998 for military training in al-Qaeda's camps in Afghanistan. So, what was he like? He is a martyr and an inspirational figure for many Palestinians and other Muslims. An Israeli security officer interrogated him for over 12 years. They met at his home in the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City after his arrest in May 1989 and his trial before a military court. The Israeli was struck by his saintly status, and his followers obeyed his instructions immediately and unquestioningly. For both his admirers and his enemies, Yassin cut a respectable figure.   Bottom Line:   Yassin brought Hamas from obscurity to prominence after splitting from Arafat in 1994, when the Nobel Prize-winning PLO leader accepted a two-state solution. Yassin demanded that all Israeli land be surrendered to Palestinians and ordered a wave of suicide bombings. In response, Israel decided to eliminate him. In March 2004, a drone spotted him being wheeled to prayer and targeted him with an invisible laser. Helicopters launched three Hellfire missiles, one of which hit him directly, killing him and nine others. Many Palestinians idolized him, while Israeli authorities wondered whether they had created a martyr who would inspire future generations of Palestinians. All this is discussed in Cauldron of Terror, which will be available this summer.   Capital Punishment   Let’s look now at capital punishment in Israel. For those who have followed this controversy, you may have assumed, as I did, that there was no capital punishment in Israel, except for Adolf Eichmann. In practice, this was the case, but not in law. Execution was on the books for murder until 1954, when it was abolished for ordinary murders. It remained an option, however, for mass murder in time of war or against humanity. Judges rarely imposed death sentences, and when they did, those sentences were commuted to life imprisonment. Then Hamas and other organizations would kidnap Israelis and hold them for prisoner exchanges, as they did for Yasin. After October 2023, many Israelis began to view these exchanges more favorably, and some demanded the reinstatement of the death penalty. A successful push began to pass a law reestablishing the death penalty for those convicted by Israeli military and criminal courts. The bill states its purpose, "to establish the death penalty for terrorists who carried out murderous terror attacks, as part of the fight against terrorism." It further states that "a person who intentionally causes the death of another with the aim of harming a citizen or resident of Israel, with the intent of rejecting the existence of the State of Israel, his sentence shall be death or life imprisonment, and only one of these penalties." Predictably, the bill drew both praise and scorn. The main objection to the bill is that it is racist. Opponents argued that it was unethical, unconstitutional, and discriminatory, favoring Jewish Israelis over Palestinians. This is a no-nonsense law that mandates the death penalty in most cases. Only if the court determines that there are "special reasons" can it commute the death penalty to life in prison. Beyond the charge of racism, many Israelis oppose the death penalty. They believe Israel is too moral for it, as many Europeans and Americans do. Israelis also remember that the first execution took the life of an innocent man. In 1948, Meir Tobianski, an army officer, was falsely accused of espionage and executed for treason. He was posthumously exonerated. The second execution occurred in 1962, when Israel executed Adolf Eichmann. Few mourned his death.  Israel’s Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, the main driver behind the bill, had some fun with it. He declared that he dreamed of hanging terrorists and that he was “dying to see the bill passed.” Get it? Well, an Arab Knesset member, Ahmad Tibi, shouted that Ben Gvir needs a psychiatrist immediately, adding: ‘Usually, people wish for a better future and love with a birthday cake, but these people sanctify hatred and death.’ Israelis formed a group against the death penalty called “L’hayim – Israelis against the Death Penalty.” L’hayim means “to life.” Proponents respond that they are through with the peacenik-kibutznik efforts. After October 2013, many Israelis looked to stronger anti-terrorist measures, and capital punishment was among them.   So, when can we expect the first executions? The death penalty law won't be applied retroactively or to alleged perpetrators of the October 7 terror attacks. Opponents will throw everything they have at derailing the executions. Under the plan, the Israel Prison Service will carry out the death sentence within 90 days of sentencing. The prime minister may delay it for up to 180 days. The condemned will hang. Here are some of my thoughts. People who oppose the death penalty period, oppose this bill, and some civil rights organizations underscore the racist elements against Palestinians. The first point makes sense to me. Most Western states oppose it for many reasons. Fair enough. But is it really racist? Is it written anywhere in the bill that Jews are exempt? Certainly, most of the terrorists are Muslim. But there are also hard-left terrorists who have been convicted. If the hangman pulls the door on a disproportionate number of Palestinians, it is because a disproportionate number of terrorist murderers are Palestinian. It makes sense to me that Palestinians would do most of the air dancing because most of the Palestinians do the killing. But I would like your opinion. Our last issue is … unconventional. We at Kensington Consulting are indebted to the Palestinian Authority for expanding our awareness of Israeli tactics in Gaza. In Cauldon of Terror, we examined Israeli battle tactics used to destroy Hamas. We thought we were thorough and that our analysis was rigorous, but we overlooked a four-legged, mobile weapon designed to attack children and the infirm. We thank our stars that the PA brought it to the world’s attention. These are Israeli super rats. They are giant rats engineered through advanced genetic mutation in Zionist research labs. Mighty Mouse doesn’t have anything on these guys. Palestine Broadcasting Corporation Director in the Gaza Strip Rafat Al-Qudra: "These rodents are genetically engineered. Clearly, they were deliberately introduced into the Gaza Strip, so that they would attack the tents of the uprooted people and attack the weak. These rodents – if I tell you they are the size of a cat… These rodents are large and attack the weak, meaning they attack children and the elderly, particularly diabetics… A woman who did not feel that a large rat -... [it] ate the toes of her foot, and she did not feel it, but only felt some wetness and was shocked to discover she had lost part of her leg… I am almost sure that this is part of the occupation's (i.e., Israel's) war against the Gaza Strip." This comes from Fatah-run Radio Mawtini, Facebook page, April 28, 2026. Thank you very much, Radio Mawtini. Rest assured, we will share this with our diabetic listeners planning to go camping in Gaza. This concludes this podocast. Nothing in this or any videocast or podcast represents the official position of the United States government. We value your comments, especially those about the rats. Until our next episode, goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting.

Hello and welcome to Kensington Security Consulting, where we bring education to national security. This is Mark Silinsky. In this podcast, we will look at the founder of Hamas, Sheik Yassin, and examine the current controversy over capital punishment in Israel. Both are explored in my upcoming book, Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel and the World. So who is Ahmed Yassin, and why was he important? He created and led Hamas, which is why he is important. He had a difficult but accomplished life, though his accomplishments were reviled by Israelis, which is why the IDF killed him. In some ways, he was an unconventional leader who overcame many challenges. First, he was a quadriplegic. He claimed that he was performing handstands on a beach in Gaza as a small boy when he snapped his neck. This bound him to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. It also forced him to rely on his intellect, which he did. Always studious, he studied English at Cairo University and later became a popular teacher in Gaza.   He found a home in the Islamic Brotherhood, which we have discussed at length on podcasts and in Cauldron of Terror. The Brothers led a broad-based effort to return Muslims to the principles of Islam’s first generation of leaders. In the 1960s, he led the Gaza branch of the Brotherhood. At the time, Gaza was part of Egypt, which clamped down on the Brothers' recruitment and social agitation. Egypt imprisoned him for a few months in 1965, hoping he would cool down. He continued to agitate.   A few years later, Yassin's Brotherhood began to build its influence by organizing and funding schools and medical clinics, a hallmark of the Brothers. He used this to call Muslims to Islam. Then he called his associates to violence. As future Hamas leader Khaled Mashal recounts, "In 1983, we carried out our first military experience under the leadership of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin; the 1983 organization sought to gather weapons to prepare groups for military training and launch the jihad project." Yassin himself has been directly tied to Hamas terrorism. Arrested in 1984, Yassin told Israeli authorities that he founded an organization intent on "fighting non-religious [Palestinian] factions in the territories and carrying out jihad operations against Israel."  Released in a 1985 prisoner exchange, Yassin hatched a 1989 plot to kidnap and murder Israeli soldiers and negotiate the exchange of their bodies for the release of Hamas prisoners. Yassin was arrested again after the abduction and murder of Israeli soldiers and was sentenced to two life terms for his role in these killings. Yassin was again released from prison in 1997 as part of a deal with Jordan's King Hussein, following Israel's botched attempt to assassinate Khaled Mashal in Jordan. Palestinian security forces placed Yassin under house arrest several times between 1998 and 2000 in an effort to curb Hamas's terrorist efforts to undermine the peace process. Since then, Yassin has played an increasingly active role in coordinating and financing Hamas attacks. In a well-known March 2000 case, Palestinian security officials arrested several members of Yassin's entourage, including two bodyguards, and uncovered explosives (intended for an attack against Israel) hidden in a kindergarten in Gaza's Shati refugee camp. Yassin was again released from prison in 1997 as part of a deal with Jordan's King Hussein, following Israel's botched assassination attempt on Khaled Mashal in Jordan. Palestinian security forces placed Yassin under house arrest several times between 1998 and 2000 to curb Hamas's terrorist efforts to undermine the peace process. Since then, Yassin has played an increasingly active role in coordinating and financing Hamas attacks. Yassin is also directly linked to the one documented case of operational crossover between Hamas and al-Qaeda. A Hamas activist receiving religious instruction in Pakistan was recruited in February 1998 for military training in al-Qaeda's camps in Afghanistan. So, what was he like? He is a martyr and an inspirational figure for many Palestinians and other Muslims. An Israeli security officer interrogated him for over 12 years. They met at his home in the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City after his arrest in May 1989 and his trial before a military court. The Israeli was struck by his saintly status, and his followers obeyed his instructions immediately and unquestioningly. For both his admirers and his enemies, Yassin cut a respectable figure.   Bottom Line:   Yassin brought Hamas from obscurity to prominence after splitting from Arafat in 1994, when the Nobel Prize-winning PLO leader accepted a two-state solution. Yassin demanded that all Israeli land be surrendered to Palestinians and ordered a wave of suicide bombings. In response, Israel decided to eliminate him. In March 2004, a drone spotted him being wheeled to prayer and targeted him with an invisible laser. Helicopters launched three Hellfire missiles, one of which hit him directly, killing him and nine others. Many Palestinians idolized him, while Israeli authorities wondered whether they had created a martyr who would inspire future generations of Palestinians. All this is discussed in Cauldron of Terror, which will be available this summer.   Capital Punishment   Let’s look now at capital punishment in Israel. For those who have followed this controversy, you may have assumed, as I did, that there was no capital punishment in Israel, except for Adolf Eichmann. In practice, this was the case, but not in law. Execution was on the books for murder until 1954, when it was abolished for ordinary murders. It remained an option, however, for mass murder in time of war or against humanity. Judges rarely imposed death sentences, and when they did, those sentences were commuted to life imprisonment. Then Hamas and other organizations would kidnap Israelis and hold them for prisoner exchanges, as they did for Yasin. After October 2023, many Israelis began to view these exchanges more favorably, and some demanded the reinstatement of the death penalty. A successful push began to pass a law reestablishing the death penalty for those convicted by Israeli military and criminal courts. The bill states its purpose, "to establish the death penalty for terrorists who carried out murderous terror attacks, as part of the fight against terrorism." It further states that "a person who intentionally causes the death of another with the aim of harming a citizen or resident of Israel, with the intent of rejecting the existence of the State of Israel, his sentence shall be death or life imprisonment, and only one of these penalties." Predictably, the bill drew both praise and scorn. The main objection to the bill is that it is racist. Opponents argued that it was unethical, unconstitutional, and discriminatory, favoring Jewish Israelis over Palestinians. This is a no-nonsense law that mandates the death penalty in most cases. Only if the court determines that there are "special reasons" can it commute the death penalty to life in prison. Beyond the charge of racism, many Israelis oppose the death penalty. They believe Israel is too moral for it, as many Europeans and Americans do. Israelis also remember that the first execution took the life of an innocent man. In 1948, Meir Tobianski, an army officer, was falsely accused of espionage and executed for treason. He was posthumously exonerated. The second execution occurred in 1962, when Israel executed Adolf Eichmann. Few mourned his death.  Israel’s Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, the main driver behind the bill, had some fun with it. He declared that he dreamed of hanging terrorists and that he was “dying to see the bill passed.” Get it? Well, an Arab Knesset member, Ahmad Tibi, shouted that Ben Gvir needs a psychiatrist immediately, adding: ‘Usually, people wish for a better future and love with a birthday cake, but these people sanctify hatred and death.’ Israelis formed a group against the death penalty called “L’hayim – Israelis against the Death Penalty.” L’hayim means “to life.” Proponents respond that they are through with the peacenik-kibutznik efforts. After October 2013, many Israelis looked to stronger anti-terrorist measures, and capital punishment was among them.   So, when can we expect the first executions? The death penalty law won't be applied retroactively or to alleged perpetrators of the October 7 terror attacks. Opponents will throw everything they have at derailing the executions. Under the plan, the Israel Prison Service will carry out the death sentence within 90 days of sentencing. The prime minister may delay it for up to 180 days. The condemned will hang. Here are some of my thoughts. People who oppose the death penalty period, oppose this bill, and some civil rights organizations underscore the racist elements against Palestinians. The first point makes sense to me. Most Western states oppose it for many reasons. Fair enough. But is it really racist? Is it written anywhere in the bill that Jews are exempt? Certainly, most of the terrorists are Muslim. But there are also hard-left terrorists who have been convicted. If the hangman pulls the door on a disproportionate number of Palestinians, it is because a disproportionate number of terrorist murderers are Palestinian. It makes sense to me that Palestinians would do most of the air dancing because most of the Palestinians do the killing. But I would like your opinion. Our last issue is … unconventional. We at Kensington Consulting are indebted to the Palestinian Authority for expanding our awareness of Israeli tactics in Gaza. In Cauldon of Terror, we examined Israeli battle tactics used to destroy Hamas. We thought we were thorough and that our analysis was rigorous, but we overlooked a four-legged, mobile weapon designed to attack children and the infirm. We thank our stars that the PA brought it to the world’s attention. These are Israeli super rats. They are giant rats engineered through advanced genetic mutation in Zionist research labs. Mighty Mouse doesn’t have anything on these guys. Palestine Broadcasting Corporation Director in the Gaza Strip Rafat Al-Qudra: "These rodents are genetically engineered. Clearly, they were deliberately introduced into the Gaza Strip, so that they would attack the tents of the uprooted people and attack the weak. These rodents – if I tell you they are the size of a cat… These rodents are large and attack the weak, meaning they attack children and the elderly, particularly diabetics… A woman who did not feel that a large rat -... [it] ate the toes of her foot, and she did not feel it, but only felt some wetness and was shocked to discover she had lost part of her leg… I am almost sure that this is part of the occupation's (i.e., Israel's) war against the Gaza Strip." This comes from Fatah-run Radio Mawtini, Facebook page, April 28, 2026 .Thank you very much, Radio Mawtini. Rest assured, we will share this with our diabetic listeners planning to go camping in Gaza. Be sure to keep your shoes on when you sleep. We at Kensington have started our first contest. This is for the best graphic of an Israeli super rat. Now, if you have a verified picture of these things, you are a shoo-in for first prize. I think it is a hoax, which is why we invite you to use your imagination and AI skills. Remember, they are the size of cats, muscular, stealthy, and mean. Oh yes, they are intelligent. They only go after Palestinians. Nasty things. The winner will get a free signed copy of Cauldron of Terror . This concludes our second videocast, and we welcome your comments. Nothing in this or any videocast or podcast represents the official position of the United States government. We value your comments, especially those about the rats. Until our next episode, goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting.

Hello from Kensington Security Consulting, where we bring education to national security. This is Mark Silinsky, welcoming you to an audio cast that supplements a video cast. Today, we will update on some issues we discussed in my upcoming book, “Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel and the World.” Let’s begin with a musical theme, the 2026 Eurovision contest. In Cauldron, we looked at the challenges of Israel’s participation in that contest. Anti-Israel sentiment was in full force in Europe, and there were many protests and efforts to derail Israel’s participation. Well, it didn’t work. In fact, Israel’s song came in second place out of 26 countries. Yuval Raphael’s “A New Day Will Rise” swept the hearts and gained the votes of the judges. Well, this surprised many participants and observers, many of whom asked if Israel is so hated among the masses, why did its national song place so high?  Sure, the song’s power and beauty may have propelled it up the scale. Voters may have completely distanced themselves from political considerations. Didn’t the American Van Cliburn win the Tchaikovsky Competition in 1958 in Russia during the height of the Cold War? Yes. He certainly did, and, by all accounts, it was exclusively on his merits. So, it may have been the same with Miss Raphael. It may also have been that some of the voters knowingly or unknowingly cast a sympathetic vote for her country and her cause. What do you think? In any case, she certainly outperformed expectations. Now, let’s turn to this year’s Eurovision contest. First, it is much calmer than last year’s. There was no OFFICIAL Palestine flag, though many placards bore its image. There is no national flag because there is no Palestinian state. Many contestants and former contestants have protested Israel’s participation. Five countries have withdrawn from this year’s contest, which is taking place in Vienna. Past winners have returned their trophies. Certainly, it is their right to do so. But last year’s throngs of keffiyeh-wearing protesters who spat invectives and threats just aren’t there today, marking the 70th contest. This year, 35 countries are participating, including, as usual, Israel. Israel has participated in the Eurovision contest since 1973 and has won four times, most recently in 2018. In 2024, in Malmö, Sweden, and 2025 in Basel, Switzerland, many protesters loudly demanded that Israel be sent home. Many non-Israeli contestants kept away from the Israeli performer, and some were rude and hostile. Artists caught on film as being polite and friendly to Israelis requested that the footage be purged lest their image be tainted. There is some of that this year, but not as much heckling, badgering, or threatening. Some individuals were seen giving a “thumbs down” gesture toward the Israeli team, but that is their right, and they did not disrupt the performers. Some reporters noted that few Israeli contestants frequented Vienna’s celebrated coffeehouses. I really don’t know. But one coffeehouse, the MQ Kantine, a modern, artsy café, now features falafel, bagels with lox, and kosher wine, with small Israeli flags hanging from the ceiling – and a police officer outside its door. At the café, volunteers take turns monitoring for potential trouble. This is what the owner said, “My feeling is that Austria, to a certain degree, has learned from its history. Which is why the support for Israel is a lot more normal than it is in other countries.” Well, the champion was announced on May 16, and Bulgaria took the crown! Dara sang “Bangaranga,” a catchy tune, which was voted number one. And Israel? It was voted number two. Things went much better for the shunned Israelis than people predicted. We would certainly like your thoughts on this. Well, let’s turn from song to savagery. In May 2026, Israel released a comprehensive study of the systemic sexual violence inflicted on Israeli men and women on October 7, 2023. The report, titled “Silenced No More,” details a two-year investigation that drew on more than 400 testimonies and nearly 2,000 hours of visual analysis, documenting 13 patterns of violence, including gang rape, sexual torture, and forced nudity. We will not go into details, which are sickening and as morbid as you can imagine. We included some of the atrocities in “Cauldron of Terror.” Instead, we turn to columnist Nicholas Kristof’s claims published in the New York Times, which preempted the publication of “Silenced No More” by several days. The exegesis of his claims is that Israelis systematically tortured captive Arabs in Israeli prisons. Victims were rapes and sexually tortured. Quite a claim, would you agree?  Of course, he had proof to substantiate these claims.  Well, the source he used was the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor and several individuals with dubious backgrounds. Kristof acknowledged, “There is no evidence that Israeli leaders order rapes. But in recent years they have built a security apparatus where sexual violence has become, as a United Nations report put it last year, one of Israel’s ‘standard operating procedures’ and ‘a major element in the ill treatment of Palestinians’ added the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor that concluded that Israel employs “systematic sexual violence” that is “widely practiced as part of an organized state policy.” So, according to Kristoff, the United Nations is an unbiased, neutral arbitrator in the Gaza conflict, as is the Med Human Rights Monitor. Really? Well, we invite you to read our take in “Cauldron of Terror” on the neutrality of the United Nations and other self-described human rights organizations. Because we are very skeptical of many of these claims, I would like to single out one in particular. As you may have anticipated, this is the charge that Israeli prison officials have trained dogs to hmmm, we have to be careful here, to …. Well…to penetrate Arab prisons, but not with their teeth. I know the imagery here is difficult. Sick, you might say. But this is the claim made by Kristoff. As of this writing, Kristoff stands by what he wrote. This is what Kristoff wrote, "With encouragement from a handler in Hebrew (an Israeli prison), the Gaza-based journalist said, the dog mounted him. They (IDF soldiers) were using cameras to take photos, and he heard their laughs and giggles. He tried to dislodge the dog, but it penetrated him.” If he wanted attention, he sure got it. In fact, he was deluged with uninvited commentary and queries. Is it possible for a dog to do that? We know that Israel has trained dogs for anti-terrorist activity. This includes attacking, barking, and signaling, but not, well… you know. Are there manuals for this, or are there training tapes? Kristoff doesn’t say. Did he verify if this was even possible, or if there were verified accounts of this happening anywhere in the world? He didn’t say. Let’s look at what some experts say. Here, I quote, “Dogs cannot anatomically rape humans. As a physician, I thought I would just point that out. Why are antisemites such idiots?" a US-based physician, Dr. Sheila Nazarian, wrote on X. David Frum, a writer for The Atlantic and host of The David Frum Show, noted that the American Kennel Club attests it's an impossibility for dogs. Journalist Eli Lake claims that Kristoff’s story “doesn't pass muster.” He quotes Brandon McMillan, a three-time Emmy-winning host of CBS's Lucky Dog. Lake wrote, "The story of trained rape dogs does not hold up. Let's start with what is known about the biology of male dogs. Their penises are small and thin. They become erect only when they smell the pheromones of a female dog in heat." To this, Kristoff responded, "To those who say that canine rape is impossible, despite the many Palestinians who have described it, I'd note that at least three different medical journal articles discuss rectal injuries in humans from anal penetration by dogs.” Well, I have no knowledge of this issue, so I tried to determine whether a dog could have committed the alleged crime. I used the search engines on several dog magazines, including Modern Dog Magazine, Whole Dog Journal, K9 Magazine, and Dogger. I entered the terms needed to determine whether a dog can do that, but found nothing. Also, it was very awkward for me to type the necessary words, so I abandoned the effort. If anybody has views on this, particularly if you are a dog trainer Let’s turn from dogs to other animals, equally aggressive and deadly. The Palestinian Authority claims that Israel developed giant rats in high-tech labs and unleashed them in Gaza to prey on the infirm and attack children and women. These muscular rats, the size of cats, targeted diabetics in particular. This was hardly the first accusation that Israel used rats. According to the Palestinian Authority, in 2008 the Zionists released “genetically modified” or “chemically resistant” super-rats into the Old City of Jerusalem to drive out Arab residents. They were not afraid of cats or poison and possessed an incredible ability to distinguish Arab homes from those of Jews, of whom there are also many in the Old City. Then there are wild boars. In 2012, wild boars in the West Bank, which the Zionists released, trashed Palestinian Arab crops and terrorized villagers. They were trained to distinguish Jews from Arabs and targeted only Arabs. Very intelligent animals. For animals of lesser intelligence, such as donkeys, sheep, and cows, Israeli intelligence attached eavesdropping and recording devices and cameras to monitor farm life in Arab villages. The Palestinian Authority did explain why Israelis have a continuing interest in Arab farm life. But there you have it. Then there are hyenas that attack Palestinians in the Jordan Valley. They were released by the Israelis to cause terror and death. In 2016, residents of Hebron cornered one and stoned it to death.  Let’s not forget the squirrels. These, like donkeys, sheep, and cows, are equipped with surveillance devices. Well, you can draw your own conclusions. But I think these are hoaxes. Some animals can be trained for combat. Sure, there are war dogs, and we discuss them in Cauldron of Terror in the chapters on tunnel warfare. During World War Two, the Soviets used bomb-carrying dogs to crawl under Panzers and detonate themselves. The British give a Dick Award to animals who have fallen in service. Some of the stories are very moving.  So, I am sure that Israelis have used animals in war. You bet. But designing super-rats the size of large cats to kill Arab children? Or releasing boars to rampage through Arab villages? Until someone provides evidence, I say there are hoaxes.

Hello from Cauldron of Terror, a product of Kensington Security Consulting. We will look at the Hamas-Israel war, the subject of our upcoming book, Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel, and the World. Let’s begin by examining and updating the profile of Vlada Patapov, known to the world as the “Lady in Red.” Who is she? You may have seen her on television or social media, running for her life across the desert plain at the Nova Music Festival on October 7, 2023. Her panicked, desperate look quickly circulated around the world. Her red shawl became instantly iconic, earning her a moniker. The twenty-something Vlada darted to safety, unlike more than 393 revelers who were pursued by Hamas gunmen and shot dead, some begging for their lives. Hamas gunmen stormed the Nova music festival, killing and taking 40 people hostage. Much of her story is unique, but much of it is common among survivors of that day. First came shock, then awareness, then a response to the attack. Nova’s attendees were in shock because they couldn’t make sense of what was happening. They saw paragliders approaching but didn’t realize they were Hamas operatives. Then came the pop, pop, pop, and the screams. That was when awareness gripped them. They were under attack, and the enemy was killing anything that moved. The party was over, and the response came quickly. Run, hide, plead, or fight if you can. OK. Let’s set the stage for the attack. The attack on Nova was last-minute. Hamas likely had no prior knowledge of the Nova Festival, as it was initially scheduled for October 6th. The Nova music festival, or Supernova Sukkot Gathering, was an open-air trance music festival held in the Re’im area in Israel’s western Negev desert. Many Supernova attendees who paid $100 per ticket were tickled about the warmth, sounds, and friendship they anticipated. “Nova is like a family,” says a 26-year-old Tel Aviv bartender. “I bartend at many festivals, and Nova is different. People had been preparing for this party for weeks. Everyone knows each other. It was like magic.” This was to be a party of electronic dance music, which has flourished in Israel since the late Eighties. Festivals and packed crowds are the norm, thanks to a temperate climate and a shared desire to chill out. “There’s no DJ in the world who doesn’t like to come to Tel Aviv — the great people, the great weather. You can party more than in any other city in the world.” Does this sound a little like Woodstock 1969? There was likely little electronic music at Woodstock, and Crosby, Stills, and Nash did not perform at Nova. At Nova, partiers are fans of psychedelic trance, or psytrance, the intense, celestial dance-music subgenre. A veteran British DJ explained, “The music is based on a philosophy of life. It’s Woodstock with electronic music. It’s that kind of mentality: a hippie culture, but the music is different. These are the sweetest people. They would never harm anybody.” Ukrainian-born Vlada was among the partygoers. This Ashdod-based wedding planner and mother of one decided at the last minute to attend the festival in southern Israel with her partner, Matan, and a friend, Mai. They came, danced, and sang, and then the killing began. The “sweetest people, who would never harm anyone,” were randomly raped, shot, and mutilated. More than 100 were abducted. We detail the party massacre in Cauldron of Terror, so we won’t go into detail here. As for Vlada, she was separated from her friends and watched helplessly as people were hunted down and killed. 'So Mai and I started running again, and that's when you see me in the video get into the car of my angel, a man called Yosef Ben Avu. He stopped and told us to get in, and we did, all the while shooting was going on.' There were eight of us in the car. It was a Kia Picanto, and we were all on top of each other. I called Matan and told him I was OK, and he said he had been picked up as well and was safe.” Vlada and Mai eventually made it to the safety of an army base at Tze'elim, while Matan went to one 20 minutes away at Orim. She said: 'The whole thing had lasted three hours, but it went by so quickly. The longest part was waiting at the base before I could be picked up and go home and see my daughter Romi, and I gave her the biggest hug ever.' During the attack, her primary concern was staying alive for Romi. “She will be four soon, and for a quarter of her life she has known only war. When Romi hears the sirens, she is so scared that she starts crying,” Patapov explained. "If I had one wish, it would be to have told everyone at the festival one hour before Hamas attacked that something was going to happen, so everyone could have gotten away. I've been in therapy and counseling, like many of the others who were there, and I find that speaking to people helps me cope with what happened that day. If I had one wish, it would be to have told everyone at the festival one hour before Hamas attacked that something was going to happen, so everyone could have gotten away.' I survived, but others weren't so fortunate. I think about that. It weighs on my mind. I am still traumatized by what happened a year later. I've been receiving therapy and counseling, like many of the others who were there, and I find that speaking with people helps me cope with what happened that day." She is battling PTSD and survivor's guilt. For over a year, she agonized over the hostages. Last year she recalled, “But it's the hostages who are still there that I feel for the most, and their families as well, the little babies still there a year later. Who would have thought we would still be in this situation a year later?” All the hostages would be returned, alive or dead. But the PTSD? That certainly remains a recurring theme in this podcast series and the upcoming book, Cauldron of Terror. Thank you for listening to this podcast, Cauldron of Terror channel. The book will be available for purchase in summer 2026. Nothing in this podcast or any Kensington podcast reflects the official position of the United States government. Thank you for listening. Until our next podcast, goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting.

Welcome to an excerpt of Cauldron Of Terror Gaza, Hamas, Israel, and the World, written by Mark Silinsky and published by Pen and Sword. This is presented by Kensington Security Consulting, which brings education to national security. This episode profiles Moshe Dayan, his accomplishments, and his influence on Arab-Israeli relations. Who was Moshe Dayan? Yossi Argaman, an Israeli military historian, offered, "In all the years of Israel's history, there has not existed a military hero or dominant figure like him. Moshe Dayan symbolized the national and military rebirth and the revitalization of Jewish strength, the myth of the Jewish fighter. He climbed so high that he became a kind of god. His clerks at the Ministry of Defense even dressed like him. He would walk around in a brown suede coat, and everyone followed suit. He had a magical influence. I don't remember anyone, not even military heroes, who had such an influence and who were elevated to such heights on a national level". High praise indeed, and this view was widely shared. But how does this esteemed legacy relate to the Hamas-Israel conflict? First, let’s look at the man and his enduring ideas. Born in 1915, he lived in the country’s first kibbutz and, in 1936, joined the Haganah. The British arrested and imprisoned him for a time. In June 1941, he lost his left eye in battle in Lebanon, after which he wore a distinctive eye patch. He formulated a doctrine for both conventional and insurgent warfare. His ideas still influence Israel today. Long before becoming a legend, he worked under his military mentor, the controversial yet effective British officer, Orde Wingate, who developed an innovative tactic for hunting and eliminating Arab militants, especially those attacking civilians. Wingate taught and inspired Dayan to lead his men from the front and to strike the enemy where and when it’s least expected. He also advised Dayan to respect Arabs who avoided hostilities. Wingate valued intelligence, and both focused on action-oriented soldiers. Dayan’s ambivalent attitude toward the Arab population developed during his service with the British. He took orders from Ode Wingate and was determined to understand Arab customs and ceremonies. While serving in the Wingate-led strike units, he learned to be tough yet respectful toward Arabs in Palestine. In the 1950s, he developed tactics against insurgents that reflected Wingate’s methods. He shaped the Israeli Defense Forces' culture first as chief of staff during the 1956 campaign and later as defense minister through both the 1967 and 1973 conventional wars. However, before, between, and during these major conflicts, the IDF carried out ‘Current Security Operations,’ small military actions against the Arab insurgency. His crowning achievement was his performance in the 1967 war, which strengthened his reputation. After 1967, the IDF faced the challenge of managing the population in the West Bank and Gaza. Moshe Dayan developed policies for the population from the founding of the IDF through the critical period after 1967; his ideas and practices in counterinsurgency have become a tradition in themselves. Dayan and Open Bridges Dayan’s policy of ‘open bridges’ aimed to maximize economic and political freedom while minimizing interference in daily life. First, it emphasized cooperation and accommodation with the Arabs. He did not present a specific plan to resolve the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. He was openly opposed to annexation because that would either force Israel to make the Arabs full voting citizens or keep them in a quasi-Apartheid state of lesser citizenship. In hindsight, this policy seems to have been effective. There was stability for nearly 20 years despite Israel's expansion of housing in the occupied territories. However, his governance faced criticism. First, many religious Jews were disappointed and resentful because they were denied full access to the Temple Mount, which also serves as a holy site for Muslims. In June 1967, Israeli paratroopers captured the Old City, the Western Wall, and the Temple Mount—the holiest site in Judaism—all of which are located within. As Defense Minister, Dayan, a secularist, blocked access to accommodate Arabs. A major complaint was that Jews could not pray at the Mount, and that the Arabs, whom Dayan sought to appease, were ungrateful. Some critics went further, arguing that this accommodation could be seen as a sign of weakness. The second criticism of Dayan was related to the first: his approach to Arabs regarding the Temple Mount. This criticism was broader and questioned the perspective he used to view Arab-Israeli relations. After October 2023, his earlier policies were widely condemned as naive and harmful to Israel. Given his stature and legendary status, Dayan’s view of accommodation carried significant weight. His critics accused him of promoting a “peacenik” policy with those committed to wiping out Israel. To support their claims, critics pointed to Dayan’s policies and rhetoric. They sometimes misattributed his eulogy at Roi Rotberg’s 1956 funeral. Terrorists from Gaza murdered and mutilated a young Kibbutznik, and Dayan delivered a eulogy in which he urged his fellow Jews to show compassion toward Arabs rather than revenge. His critics interpreted his speech as weak and naive. However, the core message was far from spineless. He advised showing compassion while staying vigilant. He said, “Let us not be deterred from seeing the loathing that is inflaming and filling the lives of the hundreds of thousands of Arabs who live around us. Let us not avert our eyes lest our arms weaken. This is the fate of our generation. This is our life’s choice: To be prepared and armed, strong and determined, lest the sword be stricken from our fist and our lives cut down.” Are these the words of a pacifist? However, after the October 2023 attack, his speeches and conversations were carefully examined. In a speech Dayan gave in 1969, he also clarified that he did not blame Arab hostility on supposed “forcible dispossession.” He said, “We purchased the land from Arabs and set up Jewish villages where there had once been Arab villages.” In response, his critics contended that Muslim hostility was fueled by a deadly hatred of Jews and a desire to remove their presence from the area. Some claim that Dayan used his influence to promote his secular and naive “peacenik” policy, which they say jeopardized Israeli security and, in turn, led Hamas to launch its attacks in 2023. But what do you think? We value your opinion. This concludes the reading of the biography "Cauldron of Terror: Gaza, Hamas, Israel, and the World" by Mark Silinsky, published by Pen and Sword. If you enjoyed listening, please consider subscribing. The book will be available online or at major bookstores worldwide in summer 2026. This reading does not represent the official position of any agency or individual within the United States government. On behalf of Kensington Security Consulting, thank you for listening.

Hello and welcome to Cauldron of Terror - Hamas, Israel and the World - 500 Days in Gaza. The author is Mark Silinsky, president of Kensington Security Consulting where we bring education to national security. Today’s episode looks at some of the drama associated with the Israel-Hamas tragedy. Among the more interesting and theatrical characters is 66-year-old Christopher Gunness, a BBC journalist and communications specialist who served as director of advocacy and communications, and chief spokesperson, for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) from 2007 to 2020. Both the BBC and UNRWA are key players in Gaza. Gunness was born in Trinidad to an Indian father and an English mother and was educated at Oxford University, after which he joined the BBC World Service. From there, he took employment at UNRWA, focusing on Palestinian issues. And this is where his service becomes controversial and relevant to our podcast. Critics, including watchdog groups, highlighted the UN's tight and often disguised connections with Hamas. They also reveal the BBC’s role in information operations that, in their view, skew a general perception of Israel and lionize Hamas operatives. This is a subject of our upcoming book, Cauldron of Terror. How does this relate to Christopher Gunness? In his capacity as communications spokesperson for UNRWA, Gunness has a loud and credible voice in casting global opinion. He described his job as a necessary burden. “I knew it was probably the toughest UN spokesman job on the planet – but I didn’t know exactly how tough it was going to be, because the job really is a lightning rod for a lot of the totally understandable anger that is felt about the UN in general – not just UNRWA -- on the Israeli side and the Palestinian side.” It took an emotional toll on him. He broke down on Al Jazeera, relating an Israeli attack. "What is happening in Gaza, particularly to the children, is an affront to the humanity of all of us. If this had happened in the UK the Security Council would be meeting in emergency session. The injustice of it all is enough to make any heart burst.” So, he turned to art as a catharsis and a means of broadcasting the plight of Gazans. He became dramatic. He was literally dramatic. In fact, he was a one-man show. As a playwright and single actor, he cast himself as a warehouse in Gaza that is blown to bits by Israeli artillery. ''I am a Warehouse,'' begins with a slideshow of alleged Israeli atrocities – buildings reduced to rubble, kids scrambling for cover, mothers wailing over corpses, snarling teenagers. Standard fare. Then, for 40 minutes he addresses the audience in the persona of a warehouse in the process of disintegration and incineration. He explains, 'I am a dying warehouse, the victim of an excruciatingly painful fire that burned me down.'' This human-warehouse is clearly in writhing agony as Israeli artillery shells, some loaded with white phosphorous, set him aflame. The contents of the warehouse also perish. The facility stored food, medicine, basic health items, and other humanitarian supplies “pass through me”, the warehouse explains, adding, “I am a lifeline to a society behind bars”. The British newspaper The Guardian liked it, and so did many others. But it didn’t get rave reviews in Israel. By all accounts, there were no standing ovations. In Tel Aviv, the opening show was heckled, and 20 of the 100 ticket holders walked out. Other performances in Tel Aviv and Haifa were canceled. The UN was protective of its employee. Its webpage pleaded, “His Twitter account is carefully watched. His every word is deconstructed and parsed for nuance and intent. He is indefatigable in his advocacy for the five million Palestinian refugees in the Middle East who are the responsibility of UNRWA. A regular voice in media coverage of the Palestine conflict, Mr. Gunness has been reviled and revered for his dogged commitment to easing their plight.” Mr. Gunness stood by his artistry. ''This is about as far away from propaganda as I think you can get. 'It is a genuine attempt to tell a story in an apolitical way.'' Apolitical? Many would dispute that. Some would ask, “If this is not political drama, what is?” Unfortunately, it is difficult to find out because we could not find it on YouTube or any other social media. Maybe you have seen it. If so, please give it a review. We at Kensington welcome your opinion. This concludes a podcast from “Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel and the World – 500 Days in Gaza. Nothing in this podcast represents the official position of the United States government. On behalf of Kensington Security Consulting, thank you for listening.

Hello from Cauldron of Terror, presented by Kensington Security Consulting, where we bring education to national security. Today, we will discuss the general friction between Italy’s Muslim and non-Muslim communities and Rome’s policy towards Hamas. Until the American-Israeli war on Iran, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had positioned Italy as one of the more pro-American European states and less hostile to Israel than most. Immediately after the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, she expressed sympathy for the Israeli victims. She then vacillated and called for a de-escalation of hostilities. She feared a heavy-handed Israeli response in Gaza would engulf the Middle East in a broader war. She said, "Although our starting points are far apart, our interests overlap perfectly: that what is happening in Gaza does not become a much wider conflict, a religious war, a clash of civilizations." She, along with France and Germany, called on the European Union to impose ad hoc sanctions against Hamas and its supporters. In her words, "The swift adoption of this sanctions regime will enable us to send a strong political message about the European Union's commitment against Hamas and our solidarity with Israel." Her tone towards Israel gradually became less supportive. Meloni faced pressure from a pro-Hamas, left-wing Muslim political coalition in Italy that organized pro-Hamas protests across the country. Hamas’s ties to left-wing parties were revealed in a series of investigations in 2025. They coordinated and promoted anti-Israel riots and harassment of Jews. In December 2025, Italian authorities arrested nine people linked to three charitable organizations on suspicion of raising millions of euros in funds for the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Among those arrested was Mohammad Hannoun, president of the Palestinian Association in Italy, prosecutors said, describing him as the “head of the Italian cell of the Hamas organization.” There is no clear line between attacks on Israel and anti-Semitic harassment. For a recent example, let’s go back to 1944. Italy had switched its allegiance. Mussolini was out of the picture, and Italy was now fighting with the Allies. One Allied unit that fought enthusiastically was the 5,000-man Jewish Brigade. They were pitted against the Germans and fought ferociously. In April 2026, Italian leaders invited descendants of that Brigade to participate in the Milan Liberation Day march, which celebrated the expulsion of German forces from Italy. This was not new. The children and now grandchildren of the Brigade marched proudly, hoisting placards bearing the Star of David. But in 2026, things were different. Thousands of Italians from the far-left pro-Hamas coalition descended on the Brigade’s marchers, blocked their path, and began hurling curses and insults, including: “Zionists out of Milan” “Long live Hitler.” “You’re lucky you’re not soap bars” Police required the Brigade marchers to leave the parade and disband. The stated reason was that their presence posed a menace to public safety. Emanuele Fiano, a Jewish former Italian MP, said bluntly: “We were kicked out. I can’t describe it any other way.” For Emanuele Fiano, an Italian politician and former president of the Jewish Community of Milan, this was his 50th march; his first had been with his father, carrying signs about the concentration camps. This is one example among many that underscores tensions between Muslims and non-Muslims in Italy and across the continent. Muslims have become a strong political bloc, and Italian authorities have grown increasingly sensitive to issues that offend Muslims. Pork is one such issue. Some of the tensions appear almost comical, but they add up to create an undercurrent of social friction. For example, in Padua, Muslim leaders demanded that a plastic pig displayed in a delicatessen’s window be removed. “A Muslim elder declared that the presence of a pig was inappropriate.” The deli’s proprietor responded that the offending swine promoted his pork sandwiches. The pig is yellow, stationary, and clearly a facsimile of a real pig. It could not be mistaken for a living pig. While many Muslims declared that the pig was, in their words, “in poor taste,” the deli owner has stood his ground and said it will stay where it is. As for the courts, they have ruled that there is no legal basis for defenestrating the pig. As of this writing, the standoff continues. On a related note, there are reports of young Italian women strolling with leashed pet pigs. What gives? Muslims traditionally consider pigs unclean, so these women believe walking with a pig keeps away predatory male attention. Videos flooded social media, showing women confidently walking their pigs down the street—some even dressed them in pink bows. But some investigators have dismissed stories about leashed pigs in Muslim areas of European cities, particularly in France, as fake news. A reporter from MSN followed a woman walking a pig in Paris, but she could not confirm any connection to Islam. The reporter speculated that these pig tales were hoaxes by Europeans who disliked Muslims. These false claims were barbs of soft aggression meant to stir resentment against Muslims. The only confirmed strolling pet pigs in Italy were Dior the Piglet and Hansel the Lamb, which is an odd name for a pig. Real or not, funny or not, the angst over pigs is another example of cultural friction in Europe today. What to do about these cultural tensions? In October 2025, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni proposed a series of nationwide laws to address the immigration challenge. She looked to municipal regulations in Italy as models for broader laws. First, the Islamic face covering would be banned. Under the draft legislation, individuals found violating the ban could face fines ranging from €300 to €3,000. This is proposed for security reasons. Criminals hide behind face masks, and clever lawbreakers could pose as burka-clad women. Second, coerced marriages would be banned. Italian leaders announced that they would protect women, particularly girls, from being forced to marry men they were not attracted to. Third, radical clerics could be expelled more easily. In October 2024, Italian authorities expelled a Pakistani imam, Zulfiqar Khan, who had publicly endorsed Hamas and disseminated hateful rhetoric. Fourth, there have been municipal bans on prayer gatherings. Some leaders view these gatherings as an expression of collective political power and as an obstruction to vehicle and pedestrian traffic. A fifth and challenging suggestion is to promote European beachwear as Muslim swimming attire, particularly the burkini. Melonia called fully draped women swimmers. She characterized clothed swimming as an unacceptable form of “Islamisation”, threatening community standards. Related to this is the sixth plan, which involves canceling women-only pool events. A privately organized pool party for Muslim women in Limbiate was canceled in July 2023 after a politician labeled the event a “female segregation party.” The cancellation reflected a national concern that Islamic migration is increasing male-female segregation after much progress has been made in breaking down sex barriers. The seventh plan is to restrict mosque expansion. Authorities in cities throughout Italy are concerned about large and small mosques mushrooming throughout the country. This bill would restrict the conversion of garages and warehouses into mosques. Will all of these proposals be turned into law, and will they be enforced? This is the subject of future podcasts. Perhaps the most alarming concern is violence and its place in Muslim-non-Muslim relations in Europe. Some recent killings illustrate the difficulty of determining how much of this violence is connected to religion. One example concerns a North African migrant who decapitated a homeless woman in Florence. This may have nothing to do with Islam. Italian police described the suspect as a “young man from North Africa and known to suffer from mental health problems,” and said the pair were seeing each other and shared a makeshift shelter in the area. What were his motives? We don’t know, despite having read several articles. By all accounts, he was a drug-addled, homeless criminal. His motives may have had nothing to do with his religion. However, the police's statements do not address this issue. Robert Spencer, a critic of Islam, opined that the claim of mental illness would “be significantly more credible if it weren’t the fallback excuse that European authorities so frequently use for jihad activity. They do not admit the existence of Islamic jihad, and many have decided to classify jihadis as mentally ill. This does not, however, make the global jihad disappear.” This concludes this podcast. Hamas’ connection to Europe is explored in greater detail in our forthcoming Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel, and the World, available for purchase in summer 2026. Nothing in this or any of our podcasts reflects the official position of the United States government. Until our next podcast, thank you for listening, and goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting.

Welcome to an excerpt from Cauldron of Terror: Gaza, Hamas, Israel, and the World, written by Mark Silinsky and published by Pen and Sword. This is presented by Kensington Security Consulting, which offers education on national security. In this excerpt, we will focus on one incident from October 7 that shocked Israel and parts of the Western world. It was a celebration of violence where a young Hamas operative boasted to his mother, father, and the world about his murders of men, women, and children. This episode is titled, “The Jewish woman is dead.” October 7, 2023, was a pivotal day in Israeli history. It was not a military operation; it was a massacre with 1,500 Hamas and Jihad terrorists infiltrating Israel to kill as many people as possible. Operatives went house-to-house, killing men, women, and children, sometimes burning entire families alive. In a gruesome ritual, they danced and sang over bodies. One participant in this slaughter was Mahmoud Afana, and one victim was Liraz Assulin. Mahmoud Afana came to world attention when he called his parents to boast that he had murdered ten Jews. With uncontained joy, he gushed to Mom and Dad that he killed 10 Jews! These are direct words of the exchange. “Dad… I killed [them] with my own hands. Your son killed Jews.” The father replies ‘May God protect you.’ The terrorist repeats himself over and over again, then addresses his mother. ‘I swear… I killed 10 with my own hands.’ The terrorist’s mother can only finally muster, ‘May God bring you home safely.’ While the father adds, ‘I wish I was with you.’ Afana underscored, ‘Mum, your son is a hero,’ he insists. ‘Kill, kill, kill!… Open WhatsApp on your phone and see how I killed them.’ This exchange was one of many collected on that day from call recordings, security cameras, Hamas terrorists’ body cameras, victim dashboard cameras, Hamas and victims’ social media accounts, and cellphone videos taken by terrorists, victims, and first responders. Israeli authorities crafted a documentary mixed with these exchanges and showed it to journalists. Later, Israel showed it to the United Nations. The disturbing conversation in which Afana repeatedly boasted about his killings became public two and a half weeks after the massacre, when it was presented during a United Nations Security Council session. And what about his victims? They did not capture the headlines worldwide. This author cannot verify whether Afana killed 10 Jews, 5, or 15. His claim might have been mostly bragging, but it is very likely that he killed some, including Liraz Assulin. The 38-year-old woman was dancing and enjoying the pulsating music at the Nova Festival when a Hamas operative shot and killed her. Then, Assulin acquired her cell phone. Did he kill her himself, or was she dead or dying when he took her phone? We will probably never know. We do know that he gleefully participated in the mass shooting at the festival. We also know that Liraz Assulin had a full life, mourned by those who knew her. With her friends, she went to Nova and never came back. For several days, her fate was unknown. Was she alive and kidnapped or dead and unidentified? On 9 October, her body was found. Who was she? She was single, had no children, and had five siblings. She was a CPA and an MBA, served as head of accounting at the Neto Group, and, in addition, acted as a board member of Tamar Water Consortium. Liraz was known for saying “Always be smiling” and “Life is good.” On the day of her death, her sister called her to see if she was alive. She was not, and her probable killer had her phone. Afana answered her sister’s call by saying, “The Jewish woman is dead.” Her killer would die, too, by an Israeli airstrike, nearly two years later Remembering her life and death, someone remarked, “She will always be remembered as a blessing, someone who cherished life. Mahmoud, meanwhile, has now joined the ranks of Goliath, Haman, Titus, Hitler, and Sinwar—all of whom sought to wipe out the Jewish people, and all of whom failed. Never forget how this ugly war began: with an attack on those who cherish life by those who worship death. This is a battle between good and evil, and good will prevail. Liraz, may you rest in the palm of God. May the angels carry to you the news: justice has been served.” ` This concludes a profile from "Cauldron of Terror Gaza, Hamas, Israel, and the World," by Mark Silinsky, published by Pen and Sword. If you enjoyed this, please consider subscribing to continue listening to this podcast. The book will be available for purchase in early spring 2026. This reading does not represent the official position of any agency or individual within the United States government. On behalf of Kensington Security Consulting, thank you for listening.

Hello and welcome to Cauldron of Terror. In today’s episode, we look at the Swedish celebrity activist Thunberg, whom we feature in our upcoming book, “Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel and the World – 500 Days in Gaza.” The episode is titled “Greta – The Swedish Nightingale.” How have Ms. Thunberg’s activist energies, or Greta’s as she is known worldwide, been channeled to the Middle East? Who listens to her voice, and has that voice made a difference in world opinion and among national decision-makers? First, who is this famous Greta of Sweden? Born in 2003, Greta Tintin Eleonora Ernman Thunberg soared to international fame in 2018, at age 15, when she organized a school strike in front of the Swedish parliament to protest, among other issues, climate change. She accused the West of indifference to environmental and humanitarian concerns. By her account, her passion for activism was initially sparked by school walkouts in the United States following the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida. She certainly gained the attention she sought. Time Magazine named her Person of the Year for 2019, making her the youngest recipient of that title. Among the many honors bestowed on her is the naming of a species of beetle, “Nelloptodes gretae.” She has spoken around the world and before the United Nations. She earned these and myriad other honors despite significant childhood disabilities. At age 11, she was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), and selective mutism. She has been open and candid about these challenges, particularly her Asperger’s. All this has earned her a legion of admirers. In February 2019, 224 academics signed an open letter of support, stating that they were inspired by Thunberg's actions and by the schoolchildren who went on strike to demand social justice. Thunberg’s influence is sometimes called the “Greta effect.” It certainly increased public awareness of climate change. And her views on the Middle East? They are very clear. She despises Israel and took her cause and herself to the high seas in solidarity with Palestine. She and other social justice activists sailed on the Global Sumud (Arabic for “steadfastness”) Flotilla in September 2025 to break Israel’s blockade of supplies into Gaza. It began with quite a fleet of 50 boats setting sail from Barcelona. It was quite an adventure, and Greta claimed that her craft was harassed by an unidentified drone. There is no evidence that this occurred. When she and her crew crossed into Israeli waters, they were intercepted by the Israeli Navy. They were not given a particularly warm reception, but neither are there any confirmed reports of abuse. Israel's Foreign Ministry filmed the event, and footage proved that Greta and others were handed water and a life jacket. Greta was also given a turkey sandwich. Announced an Israeli spokesman, "Greta and her friends are safe and healthy." But there was a very serious moment in this nautical drama. The Israelis wanted the passengers and crew to watch a 43-minute movie consisting almost entirely of videos taken by Hamas members on October 7, 2023, showing them raping, mutilating, and murdering Israelis. However, Greta Thunberg and her pro-Hamas collaborators refused to watch the movie. So, what did the world think of all this? There was divided opinion. A Hizbullah-affiliated media outlet hailed her heroism and lamented the perceived attacks on her character. The article read, “Greta, who was once applauded at the United Nations, is now insulted, arrested, and forced to kiss the Israeli occupation’s flag. The West, which sanctified her as a symbol of the ‘new moral consciousness,’ found itself facing a mirror exposing its hypocrisy.” The article underscored Thunberg’s statement, “No climate justice without human justice.” However, other observers slammed the flotilla as yet another publicity stunt. They accused her of skippering a “selfie yacht.” The food the flotilla brought amounted to less than a truckload, compared with the 11 million meals Israel provided to Gazans in the two weeks before. Senator Lindsey Graham snickered about Greta’s intent to break the blockade, saying, “Hope you can swim.’ Other comments were more shrill. Journalist Christine Douglass-Williams opined, “Greta Thunberg’s trip to Gaza is more leftist idiocy and an exhibit of the left’s alliance with Islam. Even prior to October 7, Greta Thunberg was posting pro-jihad and anti-Israel propaganda on X. Her distribution of this propaganda only intensified following October 7.” And more barbs followed on social media. Mike wrote, “Yes, she has become a pathetic little demented dwarf. She’s gonna spend the rest of her sad life skating by on her virtue-signaling glory days as a leftist environmentalist. David M agreed. “If the globalists decided to roll out a teenage Swedish girl as their spokesperson, they could have chosen a good-looking, typical Swedish blonde girl, not a nasty little midget with self-professed mental disorders. Maybe they approached all the normal Swedish girls & none of them were stupid enough to do it.” ….and the comments get worse. Well, it's clear that Greta has both admirers and detractors. Did she boost the plight of the Palestinians? The food was of no consequence. Did the publicity help? We at Kensington have no evidence of that. Much of the world is tired of Greta. Most see her, at best, as a pathetic figure who has become increasingly bitter. It is unlikely that many people wish her harm. But it is likely that many would like her to seek psychological help, pause her activism, and reflect on her behavior. That is the way we at Kensington see it. This concludes this episode of Jihad and the World. Greta’s profile appears in our upcoming book, “Cauldron of Terror, which will be available in summer 2026. Nothing in this or any other Kensington podcast represents the official view of the United States government. Until our next podcast, goodbye, and thank you for listening.

What was it like to be an ISIS captive? It was agonizing, based on the verified accounts of those who endured captivity. Western captives were often more valuable to ISIS. They were displayed for propaganda and forced to repeat fabricated crimes. They also served as a source of sick amusement for their ISIS captors, as described in Jihad and the West -Black Flag over Babylon. One survivor, Nicolas Henin, recalled that he and others were forced to provide musical entertainment. Those in captivity were made to sing a parody of "Hotel California" retitled "Hotel Osama." The song had a morbid twist: "you will never leave/if you try, you will die." His captors were known as the Beatles because of their British accents. The four British ISIS recruits were cruel even by ISIS standards. They were linked to 27 abductions and the murders of four Americans—journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, and aid workers Kayla Mueller and Peter Kassig. The Beatles starved their captors. Hénin said of one American captive, "at first sight looked like somebody at a Nazi concentration camp." As for James Foley, he suffered from "intense torture" and had his ribs broken. He described the Danish journalist Daniel Rye Ottosen as "a shadow of a man... so badly tortured that he was mentally and physically diminished". Wounds on his wrists were "so deep you could see his bones." Imprisoned Spanish journalist Javier Espinosa endured similar degradation and physical punishment. Mohammed Emwazi, known as Jihadi John, reveled in his sadism. Once, he was taunted while holding a blade to his neck. “Feel it? Cold, isn’t it? Can you imagine the pain you’ll feel when it cuts? Unimaginable pain. The first hit will sever your veins. The blood mixes with your saliva.” “The second blow opens your neck. You wouldn’t be able to breathe through your nose at this stage, just through your throat. You’d make some amusing guttural sounds — I’ve seen it before, you all squirm like animals, like pigs. The third blow will take off your head. I’d put it on your back.” Espinosa met fellow captive American hostage Peter Kassig, an Army Ranger-turned-aid worker who was murdered by the Beatles. Espinosa said he suffered more than others. “His account was filled with awful memories.” Kassig told him, “When they realized I was American and that I had been a soldier in Iraq, they went crazy. They hung me from the roof and started beating me. They took me up to the balcony and left me hanging in the void by a foot. I thought they were going to execute me right there.” Espinosa was released in March 2014 after being held captive for 194 days. Espinoza described the constant psychological torture inflicted by the Beatles. Their will to resist was broken through beatings and starvation. They were also brainwashed with a false sense of security through mock executions. Having survived pretend killings, they developed a false sense of security that made them more compliant. Dr. Jonathan Myers Dr. Jonathan Myers has studied the Beatles and their torture, as well as Hamas. He notes the pride in the torturing, mutilation, and murdering of their victims. “Even for war, these acts and the aberrant manner in which they were conducted were of an unprecedented nature. He compared them to the Hamas murders of 2023. All the while, too, displaying happiness as they carried out their heinous acts. It’s an inversion of morality and the worst kind of deviant behavior.” Dr. Myers explains the mindset of the Beatles and the Hamas operatives who enjoyed their slaughter in October 2023. “Sadistic Personality Disorder (SPD), is a condition where individuals derive pleasure—sexual or otherwise—from the humiliation or suffering of others, achieving dominance and control, or inflicting pain. Factors that promote SPD include feeling a sense of injustice in life, experiencing repeated abuse, trauma, or personal failure, or growing up in poverty and seeing no way out.” Dr. Myres opines that the Beatles and Hamas filmed the torture to create disgust, fear, and a loss of spirit in the observer. It was a performative tactic. “The victims were all Satan in the terrorists’ eyes, and in destroying that ‘cosmic evil’ – or debasing it – they took an abnormal pride in the butchery they carried out.” Our latest book, Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel, and the World, will be available for purchase in July 2026. This podcast does not reflect the official position of the United States government. Until next time, goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting.

Welcome to an excerpt of Cauldron Of Terror Gaza, Hamas, Israel, and the World, written by Mark Silinsky and published by Pen and Sword. This is presented by Kensington Security Consulting, which brings education to national security. This is one of many individuals connected to Hamas or Israel who are profiled in Cauldron. In this profile, we focus on Jonathan Andrew Cleveland Brown, a man in his forties and a professor of Islamic Civilization at Georgetown University. He holds the Alwaleed bin Talal Chair of Islamic Civilization at Georgetown University. Brown is an advisor to the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research, where he previously served as Director of Research. He certainly has an academic background, having graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown and earned a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. He has published over six books on Islam and speaks and reads Arabic. He is a passionate convert to Islam who defends his adopted faith. He openly boosts Islamic doctrine. Regarding slavery, which is permitted in Islam, he states, “I don’t think it’s morally evil to own somebody.” In 2023, he clarified his support for Islamic slavery, saying: “I’m not going to say that the Quran allows something evil” or that Muhammad, who owned slaves, “did something morally evil.” He certainly has an eclectic identity. He claims to be a descendant of President Grover Cleveland, as his name suggests. He has also married into a prominent Palestinian activist family. His father-in-law is Sami Al-Arian, who was indicted on 17 counts under the Patriot Act. The jury was deadlocked, and Al-Arian was deported in April 2007. Brown married his daughter, Laila, a journalist for Al Jazeera. Jonathan Brown, like the family he married into, is a vocal critic of Israel. He repeatedly accused Israel of “indiscriminate bombing” of civilians in Gaza. On December 15, 2024, during Israel’s war against Hamas terrorists, Brown posted on X: “Israel is engaged in genocide, and everyone knows it. This will be that state’s legacy.” He has often repeated that theme on social media. About the 1,200 Israelis, Brown wrote: “Israel has been engaged in a genocidal project for decades. I’m a full professor.” In March 2024, he followed that up with “Israeli security forces are lunatics. Israel is insanely racist.” In fact, he is very active on X, which has led to problems. One of the recent conflicts that brought him unwanted attention was his casual attitude toward the victims of the Muslim rape gangs. British politician Rupert Lowe stated: “There is a link between the rape gangs and one particular religion — we have seen it again and again and again at our inquiry. That religion is Islam. As a country, we must have the courage to face up to that fact.” On X, Brown told the politician to “Get over it.” Brown stood his ground and did not withdraw his advice. Readers responded with a flood of insults against the professor. Here are some from X: Be the smart one wrote:  “Calling yourself an Islam expert but telling raped British girls to 'get over it' isn't smart. It's sick. White leftists like you protect rapists, not victims.” MAGA member from NY wrote, “We went from "Believe Women" on every accusation, no matter if it was true or false, to "get over it" when talking about roaming gangs of Muslim men in the UK raping teens and young women so fast my head is spinning.” Brigitte Gabriel wrote, “He needs to be fired. This is disgusting.” Cilantro wrote, “Easy fix: The Federal government should ban hiring graduates from that school. It will purge itself or go away. (Prediction: it will not purge itself) Other observers highlighted the influx of Middle Eastern money into Georgetown. Since 2005, Georgetown University has received over $1 billion from Qatar and at least $20 million from Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal. Brown holds the Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Chair of Islamic Civilization at Georgetown’s Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding. One cynic remarked, “While the Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding purports to build bridges of understanding between Muslims and Christians, it is actually a center for Islamic apologetics and the defamation and destruction of foes of jihad violence and Sharia oppression of women. Brown’s own public stances are an abundant illustration of this.” His perceived sniffing away of the rape of British girls was poorly timed. Brown faced scrutiny for a 2017 lecture, which was criticized for defending slavery and non-consensual sex with slaves in Islam. He apologized and said his lecture was not intended to endorse such practices. Then came his professed hope that Iran would strike a military base after U.S. bombings. Brown certainly has his defenders. What do his students think about him? According to Rate My Professor, he has a 3.8 rating on a five-point scale. Of 52 ratings, nearly half, 25, gave him a rating of 5, which is the rating of “awesome. Only three respondents gave him a 1 for “awful.” He is also supported by The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which bills itself as the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization. When Georgetown disciplined Dr. Brown for wishing that Iranian bombs land on American targets, CAIR came to his rescue by pleading to the Georgetown president that he reverse his decision to discipline him. Finally, Brown explained, “I deleted my previous tweet because a lot of people were interpreting it as a call for violence. That’s not what I intended. I have two immediate family members in the US military who’ve served abroad and wouldn’t want any harm to befall American soldiers… or anyone!” This concludes the reading of the biography "Cauldron of Terror - Gaza, Hamas, Israel, and the World" by Mark Silinsky, published by Pen and Sword. If you enjoyed listening, please consider subscribing. The book will be available online or at major bookstores worldwide in summer 2026. This reading does not represent the official position of any agency or individual within the United States government. On behalf of Kensington Security Consulting, thank you for listening.

Hello from Cauldron of Terror - Hamas, Israel, and the World. The author is Mark Silinsky of Kensington Security Consulting, which provides education on national security. Today’s episode is called “Roger Waters and Medea Benjamin – Pretty in Pink.” It examines two colorful characters. Roger Waters “We, the ordinary people of the world, hugely outnumber the Israeli scum and the ruling Elites in the West. We stand alongside our brothers and sisters in Iran in the fight to end the occupation, oppression, and genocide in Palestine.” Roger Waters For listeners over 50, the name Roger Waters is instantly recognizable. You likely know some of his songs by heart. Some songs were rebellious, while others were gentle. Pink Floyd blasted onto the London music scene in 1965 and stayed on the charts for over a decade. The iconic album The Wall was released in 1979. Waters, one of the group’s veterans, continues to make music and stir controversy. Like many entertainment celebrities, he is an activist. A very loud one, and his perennial hobby horse is Israel. He is certainly not alone, but his theatrical flair has drawn the attention he sought. He appeared publicly in a Nazi uniform and performed with a giant inflatable pig bearing a Star of David on its side. The balloon also features words and symbols such as “kyke” [sic], “scum,” “follow the money,” and dollar signs. Waters is particularly incensed by the “religious supremacism” he attributes to “the Jews.” He says that “supremacy of all kinds is the key to understanding why people behave in these extremely evil ways, like the Israelis have done for the last 75 years and are continuing to do so with the support of the American empire, including my country, the United Kingdom, which is part of the American empire.” “And it’s deeply, deeply depressing to me.” He repeatedly assures his fan base and others that, in his words, “I am not an antisemite.” But not everyone is persuaded. Polly Samson, the wife of his former Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour, who has known Roger Waters for decades, is credited with texting, “Sadly, Roger Waters, you are antisemitic to your rotten core. Also a Putin apologist and a lying, thieving, hypocritical, tax-avoiding, lip-synching, misogynistic, sick-with-envy, megalomaniac.” It doesn’t help his cause that so many of his comments are captured on tape and that his cavalier insults annoy his bandmates more than he realizes. Given all this, it surprised few that he wanted to weigh in on the joint American-Israeli attacks against Iran in 2025 and 2026. The Pink Floyd bassist texted, “March 1st, 2026, is day two of WW3. We, the ordinary people of the world, hugely outnumber the Israeli scum and the ruling Elites in the West. We stand alongside our brothers and sisters in Iran in the fight to end the occupation, oppression, and genocide of our brothers and sisters.” This was a broadside against Israelis and Western elites, presumably Americans. He speculated that Donald Trump might have him assassinated. His contempt is not limited to Donald Trump. He loathed his predecessor. Iranian media referred to Waters as a “political expert” and quoted him on the Russian channel RT as saying, "Biden (is a) warmongering servant of the oligarchy that rules the United States of America and will continue to be so for however long he remains the president of the United States. He's not to be trusted on anything.” On his television show, Piers Morgan unsuccessfully pressed Waters to condemn Iran. On his show, he said to the 82-year-old rocker: "(Roger) You like to stand up for one of the world's worst regimes in Iran and pretend that the only reason people there are protesting is because of the economy, and that's because of sanctions put on it by other countries, wrongly, because they don't prop up any terror groups. "So, when I look at your worldview, I don't see a guy - with all due respect, Roger - who's standing up for the voiceless and powerless. I see somebody trying to prop up terrorists and powerful dictatorships and regimes." That is what Piers said. Medea Benjamin There is another “pink” in this podcast beyond Pink Floyd. This is Code Pink, cofounded by Medea Benjamin. The website touts Code Pink’s involvement in many causes. These include Justice for Palestine, U.S. Out of Africa, China is Not our Enemy, Peace in Ukraine, and, for our purposes today, No War on Iran/Peace with Iran. The site requests, “Tell Congress we don’t want ANY troops sent to the Middle East, we want a complete halt in military equipment and aid to Israel, and we want peace with Iran. Over 60% of Americans want to stop arming Israel, and Americans certainly do not want to go to war with Iran. No more endless wars, we want peace!” The website offers an “action toolkit” that is not easily accessible. But Ms. Benjamin and Code Pink call people of conscience to “Gather a group of people - reach out to your local anti-war coalition to broaden your base. Check out our basic events checklist. Gather your signs, art, chants, and other striking visuals. Review the CODEPINK Statement of Nonviolence. Take action! Host a rally, a street teach-in, a sit-in at your representative’s office, or something even more creative. Demand no war on Iran!” As for the woman herself, Medea Benjamin has much in common with Roger Waters. She finds a kindred spirit in Waters’ focus on Israel as a central force of the world’s evil. Born Susan Benjamin in 1952 on Long Island to Jewish parents, she changed her name to that of the Greek mythological woman who killed her children to spite their father, who loved them. At Tufts University, she threw herself into left-wing activism. In the early 1980s, this trust-fund woman of privilege lived in Cuba and married the black coach of the country’s basketball team. But she was jailed and deported after rubbing Fidel’s regime the wrong way. On her return to the United States, she pursued a slew of anti-American causes. Like Waters, Benjamin is highly theatrical. In 2024, during Israel’s war against Hamas, she appeared on video wearing striped pajamas that evoked the German concentration camps. She said, “I’m wearing these pajamas that are supposed to symbolize the concentration camp and the people in the Holocaust who died of starvation, to say people are starving right now in Gaza.” She makes similar claims about the U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran today. For those interested in her perspective on this war, please read Code Pink's webpage. For those seeking a more critical account of her advocacy, consider her profile on the Canary Mission website. For those interested in a sympathetic account of Roger Waters' politics, his videos are widely available online. His comments are very easy to access. Please consider watching the 37-minute film titled “The Dark Side of Roger Waters.” This concludes this episode. Our upcoming book, Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel, and the World, will be available for purchase in July 2026. This podcast does not represent the official position of the United States government. Until next time, goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting.

Dogs have been integral to armies throughout history. Ancient warriors deployed them to intimidate and attack enemies, with civilizations such as the Romans and Vikings relying on their canine companions. Over time, dogs became not just combatants, but also mascots and friends to soldiers. The United States Army officially commissioned dogs in 1942 with the creation of the Canine Corps. The Army partnered with civilians to house and train the dogs. After basic training, the dogs were assigned to soldiers and then deployed to units. The Soviets also mustered up dogs and sometimes assigned them suicide missions. Dogs would have satchels of explosives strapped to their back. Then, as per training, they crawled under German panzers where their bombs were detonated. The Germans caught on quickly and gave orders to kill all dogs they saw in Russian combat zones. Other armies used dogs for military and non-military purposes. Soldiers recovering from physical or psychological trauma enjoy the devotion and snuggle factor of their four-legged friends. All this brings us to Hamas and the Israeli Defense Force (IDF). Dogs are highly valued in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Their training, care, and combat-related activities are treated with seriousness and affection. Many of these dogs have served in Gaza, and some have made the ultimate sacrifice in combat. The Israeli Canine Corps, known as the Oketz unit, comprises Belgian Malinois dogs, each with a specialized role. Some are trained to detect explosives, while others are skilled at identifying various threats. Many of these dogs are also used to track terrorists. In Gaza, they played a crucial role in navigating the complex network of tunnels to locate the enemy. In the Oketz unit, each dog is assigned a specialized role: some are trained to sniff out explosives, others to locate hidden threats and tunnel entrances, and others to track and apprehend terrorists. The Oketz unit’s expertise has been essential for years, and their capabilities are now being utilized in the streets of Gaza and within Hamas’s extensive tunnel system. The word Oketz means sting. Joining Oketz is a challenge for both soldier and dog. Soldiers are rigorously tested and, if selected, pair with a dog. Both go through training where they work and bond. Both train on agility courses and in simulated battlegrounds. Israeli war dogs served with distinction during the October 2023 war with Hamas. Oketz was scrambled and sent with their human partners to Gaza and kibbutzes where they showed bravery. An Israeli officer recounts his loss and love for Nero, who served in a commando unit to hunt down terrorists. The officer relates, “'A dog who was with one of our men went into a house. He revealed the location of two terrorists, was hit by a burst of gunfire from them, and was killed. 'That's how the men in the force realized that there were terrorists in the house, and human lives were saved.” And Ziggy was there when it counted, too. Another Israeli tells Ziggy’s story. "I remember exactly what happened - I entered the house with the 101st Battalion of paratroopers and engineering soldiers. We scanned the first floor, and I insisted that my devoted dog, Ziggy, also scan the second floor of the residence. As soon as he came down the staircase of the house in Khan Younis, the terrorists shot at him, and Ziggy was killed on the spot. My heroic and beloved dog Ziggy, who was close to me for a year and a half, saved my life and the lives of the other soldiers. Thanks to him I'm sitting here and talking to you.” Some dog stories, in fact, many dog stories, have happy endings. One is the warm rescue of Billy, a three-and-a-half-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, who was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7. Billy was probing for food in the rubble of Rafa when he heard Hebrew being spoken. A soldier embraced him and cared for Billy. Billy’s microchip paired him with his caretakers at a kibbutz, leading to a joyous reunion. .....Hamas and Dogs Hamas uses dogs in its operations, though it is not known to have any training program. Rather, Hamas encourages dogs to wander around Israeli units in the hopes that they would attract and distract IDF dogs. After the IDF secured Gaza, they came across hungry and abandoned dogs. There was a campaign to save the dogs in Israel, and it was successful. Many found loving new homes. Several American soldiers who served in Israel during the Iron Swords adopted dogs and, working with NGO friends, took them back to the United States. Today, the dogs — Rocky, Ghost, Amy, Rak, Pak, Serge, Baby Face, Smokey, Kylie, and Shekel have a happy home in the USA This concludes this episode of Jihad and the World. If you enjoyed it please consider subscribing. Our latest book, Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel and the World – Five Hundred Days in Gaza, will be available for purchase in the summer of 2026. Nothing in this podcast reflects the official position of the United States government. Until our next podcast, goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting

Hello from Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel, and the World – 500 Days in Gaza. This podcast discusses topics and figures mentioned in the book Cauldron of Terror, which will be published in the summer of 2026. The author is Mark Silinsky of Kensington Security Consulting, and today’s episode focuses on Britain and its challenge of balancing free speech with respect for the sensitivities of the country’s Islamic and pro-Hamas communities. This is a key theme in several chapters of Cauldron of Terror. Today, we head to northern Yorkshire in Britain, where we meet Pete North, a man in his late 40s who has issues with Hamas, Muslims, and Palestine. He is very open and outspoken about his contempt for all three. His tweets “f_Hamas, f–k Palestine” and “f–k Islam earned him an arrest by the Yorkshire police. It also gained him support from people who share his opinions and from those who hold on to what little free speech remains in Britain. This is what happened:             Peter North posted a meme on social media using the F word three times in reference to Hamas, Islam, and Palestine. In response, police knocked on his door at 9:30 on XXX September 2025 to arrest him and take him to the police station. Two officers informed him that he was under arrest under section 19, which relates to spreading racial hatred. One officer explained, “So you've posted something online that we believe is spreading racial hatred." However, according to North, the police refused to disclose the offending post. Was it on "Twitter or Facebook?" Responded a policeman, "Well, I can't explain too much. It's just to give you the context beforehand.” "What, you're taking me away now?" "Yes, so you're under arrest..." "In the middle of the night, over a tweet?" "I am, unfortunately." And off North went to the police station, where he was interrogated. North recalled, “The officer in the interview said, ‘Well, firstly, let’s start with the meme. You posted a meme that said f—k Hamas,’” North claimed. “I said, ‘yeah, I did post a meme that said f—k Hamas, because Hamas are a proscribed terrorist organisation internationally, including in Britain.“ ‘Just so we’re on the same page, you do know who Hamas are?'” “And he just … shook his head,” North continued, claiming the officer was just as clueless when he asked if he knew about the horrors committed by Hamas on Oct. 7. “He was totally oblivious,” he claimed. “If you’re going to arrest people for memes, you probably need to pay more attention to current events.” North was later released without charges after a lengthy interrogation and has since accused authorities of trying to “terrorize” people into being politically correct online. I was held in a holding area for some time before being taken for an interview. During the interview, to my shock and disgust, I had to explain to the interviewing officer what Hamas is. He was completely unaware. It seemed he didn't know what happened on 7/10. One of the questions was “Do you know who Tommy Robinson is?”—followed by “Are you aware that he was the first person to post this meme?” North responded that he did not believe that is what happened. North then explained that Hamas is a proscribed terrorist group in the UK. In his words, “The Palestine flag is the flag of Islamo-leftist revolution, and the agenda it represents is committed to the extermination of Jews. If you want to stand in support of that, you should go to a Muslim country. As it happens, many Muslim countries would lock you up—both for supporting Hamas and for protesting.” North expressed his disgust towards the police, stating: "I'm disgusted by the police because they could have handled this in an orderly, civil manner, but instead they chose the maximum intrusion, and it was essentially like being treated as an act of terrorism. "They were trying to find evidence that I intended to stir up racial hate with it, which is unbelievable. It's crass. The meme itself is controversial, but controversy isn't illegal, and it simply reflects my opinion.” North did not back down. In fact, he double-downed. “I feel quite strongly that what political cartoons and memes I post on social media is none of the police’s business. Nobody should be facing police inquiries for posting memes on Twitter. “The whole point of this exercise is not to win convictions. It’s to terrorize people like me into thinking twice about posting spicy memes.” North received support on social media. On Jihad Watch, many followers offered comments like these: “Is this Communist China? Why do the people here speak English? From MihaiI, “I have a genuine question for every police officer in the UK: Is this what your ancestors fought and died for? One said, “Hamas is a terrorist group. Are the police defending Hamas now? Lou C. asked, “When are the police in the UK going to wear Brown Shirts? This is the same path followed by the Nazis in late 1930s Germany... The UK is done. Put a fork in it.”             Tee Dee asked, “Since when did hamas become a race???”             Said one Briton, “ISLAM GO HOME. You're not welcome and never were.”   Well, North was released by the police on unconditional bail but maintains that the tweet in question remains 'a sentiment I wholly endorse.' He continued: "I'm quite shaken by the whole thing right now. I haven't slept and probably won't. I've always known my tweets could be a bit spicy, but being snatched by a goon squad at night for a 'F*** Hamas' meme is just breathtakingly outrageous and absurd. My wife was mortified. She was left alone after I was taken out of the house and was in tears, but she is very stoic and is my rock." When asked if he regretted his post, he responded: 'I don't regret at all expressing my solidarity for the principle of free speech. Not at all, because it was an act of solidarity with Tommy Robinson, who had been hauled over the coals for posting that meme.” Thank you for listening to this episode of Cauldron of Terror. What are your thoughts on Pete North and the current situation in Britain? We want to hear from you. The book Cauldron of Terror – Hamas, Israel, and the World – 500 Days in Gaza will be available for purchase in July 2026. This podcast does not reflect the official position of the United States government. Until next time, goodbye from Kensington Security Consulting. 

Welcome to an excerpt of Cauldron Of Terror Gaza, Hamas, Israel, and the World, written by Mark Silinsky and published by Pen and Sword. This is presented by Kensington Security Consulting, which brings education to national security. This is the fourth excerpt from chapter two - Hamas and the Intifadas   The First Intifada   The term ‘Intifada’ refers to large-scale, coordinated, and ongoing Palestinian attacks against Israeli targets over a specific period. The First Intifada began in December 1987 after a collision between a truck driven by an Israeli and a car driven by a Palestinian, which resulted in four Palestinian deaths. Israeli authorities believed the incident was an accident; however, many Palestinians saw it as an act of revenge. Soon, Palestinian anger erupted in the streets of Gaza and the West Bank, leading to what became known as the First Intifada. Some leaders in the West Bank were surprised, as the PLO’s leadership had been exiled to Tunis and had lost some influence over the Palestinian population.   Violent attacks and nonviolent protests occurred within the civil administration and schools, led by the Unified Leadership of the Uprising (UNLU). Stone-throwing became more prevalent during the First Intifada, fueled by prominent media coverage. Photos of children throwing stones at Israeli soldiers and tanks became iconic, boosting public support for Hamas. Gaining media sympathy became a key and effective strategy during the Second Intifada, earning it the nickname ‘War of Stones.’ Violence decreased around 1993, when Arafat signed the Oslo Accords, a partial peace deal with Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Hamas rejected the ceasefire and carried out periodic suicide bombings. Seven years later, a new intifada would begin.   The Second Intifada – Blood-Red Miniature War   The Second Intifada began in 2000 after Ariel Sharon visited Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, a site sacred to both Jews and Muslims. Sharon had many monikers, one of which was the ‘Bulldozer.’ He was short, broad, and audacious in war. He was recognized as a skilled and bold soldier who helped lead the IDF to victory after initial setbacks in the October 1973 War. Like Moshe Dayan, he was born in Mandate Palestine and became involved in arms at an early age. Throughout his life, he fought in all of Israel’s wars, including the War of Independence. Like many Israeli general officers, he played a political role and helped establish the Likud Party in 1973. He was a hawk, but he changed when he became Prime Minister in 2001.   In any event, his visit to the Temple Mount sparked widespread protests, demonstrations, and suicide bombings, leaving nearly 1,000 Israelis killed or wounded in Palestinian terror attacks. Many Israelis believed their lives had not improved since 1993 and felt disillusioned after the failed Camp David summit in July 2000.   One of the most notorious attacks of the Second Intifada was the bombing of a hotel in Netanya, known as the Passover Seder Massacre of March 2002. Thirty people, primarily older adults, some of whom had survived the Holocaust, were killed, and dozens were maimed and injured when a Hamas suicide bomber detonated his explosive. Palestinian operatives from Hamas and Fatah, who helped plan the attack, received multiple life sentences. The families of the attackers were awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars.               Other horrific attacks made international headlines for their brutality. In August 2001, a suicide bomber detonated his device at the Sbarro pizza restaurant in Jerusalem in the early afternoon, when pedestrian traffic was at its peak. The attack killed 16 people, including seven children. Scores of others were maimed and disfigured. One of the injured remained in a coma for 22 years before she died in June 2023. Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack. A female conspirator, who disguised herself as a Jewish tourist to enter the restaurant, bragged about her participation. She was released from prison in 2011 in an exchange for Hamas’ abducted Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit.               In April 2003, two British-born operatives of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade entered Israel from Jordan. One tried to enter Mike’s Place, a popular nightclub in Tel Aviv near the United States Embassy. The security guard stopped him from entering the club, and the bomber detonated himself, killing three people and injuring 55. His accomplice’s suicide bomb failed to go off, and he was dead.                In response to the attacks, Israeli forces targeted militant strongholds in Bethlehem, Jenin, Nablus, Qalqilya, and Ramallah – areas that had been under Palestinian control for years. The operation uncovered 23 bomb-making facilities. In 2004, Israel assassinated Yassin, and the Second Intifada ended sometime the following year. However, sporadic terrorist attacks continued. In late 2008, Israel launched Operation Cast Lead to weaken Hamas. The outcome was uncertain; Hamas was not defeated and may have even grown stronger after the attack. Once again, the conflict drew significant support from the Palestinian public. However, some observers argue that the Intifada did not succeed. While the suicide bombings stopped, so did the Intifada, without any noticeable gains. As a result, some assessed Hamas’s use of terror as a failure, since Israel did not surrender.   The Third Intifada – the Global Intifada   The term ‘Global Intifada’ was created well before the October 2023 attack, but became more popular afterward. The term is slang and carries different, nuanced meanings for those who use it. However, the refrain is mostly used as a call for the violent elimination of Israel. Some protests have been peaceful, many have been loud, and some have involved varying levels of violence.   Global Intifada has become a rallying cry at protests worldwide since October 7, 2023. Notable locations include Times Square, the Consulate General of Israel in Manhattan, central London, Harvard University, and Crown Heights, New York, a neighborhood with a large Jewish community. It has been shouted at many American universities. This slogan has been adopted by various anti-Israel activist groups, including Within Our Lives. This community group, which identifies as Palestinian-led, organized protests to boycott Israel outside the New York Times, Penn Station, Grand Central Station, BlackRock, and Israeli tech companies. At McGill University in Canada, a student protest became tense when campus police dismantled an anti-Israel demonstration. Students shouted, ‘F –  the dismantling, globalize the intifada.’ In Europe, ‘Intifada’ was a song by a popular Spanish band accusing Israel of genocide against Palestinians, comparing it to the Holocaust. The song was banned in Germany.   Hamas Terrorism Post-October 7, 2023   Israeli security officials expected a repeat of the Intifada suicide bombing campaign, which Hamas’s foreign policy adviser, Dr. Ahmed Yousef, had promised. However, by early 2026, this had not occurred. Several factors contributed to this. It is much more difficult for Hamas to infiltrate Israel. The IDF is on high alert, and the security barriers provide additional protection. Additionally, the IDF recognizes the threat posed by tunnels.   Israeli intelligence has targeted locations controlled by Hamas, including mosque classes, student unions, sports clubs, and other sites used by Hamas for training and recruitment. Hamas has recruited Palestinians not affiliated with the Qassam Brigades for logistical and operational support, even directing suicide bombers to their targets. However, there may not be widespread willingness to volunteer for such missions. A sense of betrayal dampens support for Hamas. Its leaders promised liberation but have instead brought devastation, particularly since 2023. During both Intifadas, Israel focused mainly on defensive measures, such as border and internal security, while maintaining a defensive posture. Since October 7, Israel has adopted an offensive approach, keeping Hamas’s leadership off balance. The full extent of high-level and systemic corruption has been made clear to the world in recent years. Four of its leaders – Moussa Abu Marzouk, Khaled Meshaal, Ismail Haniyeh, and Yahya Sinwar – embezzled billions of dollars intended for Gaza’s impoverished people, many of whom live in near poverty or destitution.   `           This concludes the readings from chapter two from "Cauldron of Terror Gaza, Hamas, Israel, and the World,” written by Mark Silinsky and published by Pen and Sword. If you enjoyed them, please consider subscribing to continue listening to other chapters. This book will be available online or at major bookstores worldwide soon. This reading does not represent the official position of any agency or individual within the United States government. On behalf of Kensington Security Consulting, thank you for listening.

Welcome to an excerpt of Cauldron Of Terror Gaza, Hamas, Israel, and the World, written by Mark Silinsky and published by Pen and Sword. This is presented by Kensington Security Consulting, which brings education to national security. This is the third excerpt from chapter two, and it focuses on the ideology, history, men, and women of Hamas.   Hamas Comes to Power   Hamas’s first leadership generation appeared in the 1980s. Its creator was Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. Charismatic, quadriplegic, and driven, he led Hamas until the IDF assassinated him. He broke his neck as a young boy and used a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Always studious, he studied English at Cairo University and later became a popular teacher in Gaza. He supported the war against Israel and was intermittently imprisoned for nearly 10 years in Israeli detention prisons.   Yassin brought Hamas from obscurity to prominence after splitting from Arafat in 1994, when the Nobel Prize-winning leader of the PLO accepted a two-state solution. Yassin demanded that all Israeli land be surrendered to Palestinians and ordered a wave of suicide bombings. In response, Israel decided to eliminate him. In March 2004, a drone spotted him being carried to prayer in his wheelchair and targeted him with an invisible laser. Helicopters launched three Hellfire missiles, one of which hit him directly, killing him and nine others. Many Palestinians idolized him, while Israeli authorities wondered whether they had created a martyr who would inspire future generations of Palestinians.   In the 1990s, while Yassin was in prison, his deputies managed Hamas’s operations. Rantisi, Khaled Mashaal, and Mousa Abu Marzouk led the political wing of Hamas in Gaza, while its military wing was spread across the West Bank. In the early 1990s, Iran and Syria began supporting Hamas as it moved its military and political committees to Damascus. During this period, Hamas focused on building and strengthening its political influence. The assassination of Hamas leaders in 2004 created a power vacuum that was quickly filled. These targeted killings may have unintentionally strengthened Hamas by energizing the group’s militant side. Israel now faced a fully militarized Hamas alongside a more adaptable Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). Hamas’s increased prominence attracted financial and military support from Muslim countries that saw it as the stronger competitor in the Muslim fight against Israel, further boosting grassroots support for Hamas.   Hamas gained political power in 2006 by winning more seats than Fatah and competing secular parties in a Palestinian election. Few expected Hamas to achieve such a major victory. This marked a turning point for Hamas, as it was the first time the organization succeeded in a large-scale election. The following year, it took control of Gaza from Fatah, ending the PLO’s long-standing dominance over the Palestinian electorate. Hamas declared that it had not abandoned its goal of destroying Israel. However, Hamas’s political language was often inconsistent, sometimes sounding conciliatory toward Israel and other times sounding resolutely aggressive. Israel transferred the land to them in 2006, along with modern greenhouses, barns, storage facilities for vegetables and orchards, and extensive irrigation systems. Then, Gazans destroyed them.               Hamas established a one-party regime in the Gaza Strip, while Fatah governed the West Bank. By the summer of 2007, Hamas controlled most of Gaza, whereas Fatah had formed a separate government in the West Bank. In the 1990s, Yassir Arafat called Hamas a ‘bunch of ants.’ It seemed that Fatah would indefinitely maintain its monopoly on political control over the Palestinians. A generation later, few in the PLO shared that arrogance. The power of the Palestinians was now divided indefinitely.   Does Hamas Have Wings?   As Hamas gained political legitimacy in 2006, observers sought to understand its ambitions, capabilities, leadership, and structure. Significant differences existed between Hamas’s and Fatah’s ruling styles. By 2007 and 2008, Fatah’s governance had become more technocratic. One observer, Jonathan Brown, opined that responses to Israeli aggression primarily drove Hamas’s rule. In his view, Hamas cannot be defined by a single term; it is a multifaceted entity encompassing social, political, military, and educational dimensions.   The structure of Hamas raises a question: Is it a unified political and military entity, or is it composed of several allied organizations or factions? Hamas consists of three main components: a vast network of social organizations, including schools and hospitals, in the West Bank and Gaza Strip; a political division that engages in extensive fundraising; and an armed militia wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, which orchestrates suicide bombings.                Yassin claimed that Hamas was a single enterprise. He said its ‘wings,’ including its military wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, were fully integrated with the social and political elements. ‘We cannot separate the wing from the body. If we do so, the body will not be able to fly. Hamas is one body.” He saw these elements as reinforcing the central goal of destroying Israel. Rantisi explained, ‘Hamas’s political wing determines overall policy for the movement.’                Long after Yassin’s death, Hamas remains unified, and its funds and activities are interconnected. It continues to utilize its charities to finance terrorism operations. Mosques and charities incite, recruit, and provide logistical and operational support for terrorists, and they are places where suicide bombs are made. Hamas and Fatah use schools, orphanages, summer camps, and sports leagues to socialize even the youngest children to aspire to die as martyrs.   Hamas and Terrorism   Hamas continues to use terror to weaken the resolve of Israelis. Terror remains a key part of a broader strategy focused on diminishing Israeli national morale. Ongoing and unpredictable attacks on civilians are intended to make life in Israel unbearable. This tactic was apparent during the wave of assaults in the Second Intifada, which started in 2000 and lasted four years.   From underground, Hamas’s ghost army periodically emerged from a tunnel network to infiltrate Israel, kill indiscriminately, and then quickly retreat underground for cover. Hamas targeted various busy civilian locations, including buses and light rail stops, nightclubs, restaurants, markets, universities, and even a hotel hosting a Passover Seder. They aimed to undermine Israeli morale and devastate the economy by shifting resources from productive sectors to defense. The intifadas have hurt many parts of the Israeli economy by draining and reallocating resources, and the attacks have led to concessions.               In December 1992, the al-Qassam Brigade killed six Israeli soldiers, prompting the Rabin government to exile suspected terrorists and their supporters. However, Rabin also withdrew some Israelis from Gaza and Jericho, actions that came before the Oslo Accords. Hamas leaders cited Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza in 2005 as evidence that terrorism was effective and would continue. Hamas has regarded, and still regards, terrorism as a valuable tactic. The belief that Israel feared Hamas probably helped Hamas’s election victory in 2006, one year after the Second Intifada ended.               Kidnapping for prisoner exchanges has compelled Israel to negotiate the release of imprisoned Palestinian operatives. The most notable exchange was the Gilad Shalit deal, in which Israel released 1,000 Palestinian prisoners for one Israeli soldier. An imprisoned female terrorist recommended that Palestinians take another Shalit.’ On October 7, 2023, Hamas took over 200.               Hamas also kills Israelis to demonstrate to the world that it is highly operational and that its fighters are eager to attack the Israeli enemy. This murderous enthusiasm attracts funding from Muslim nations. Hamas does not rely solely on sympathy to secure foreign support. It kills Israeli citizens, which earns it respect among those hostile to Israel’s existence. Iran provides Hamas with material and financial backing. Along with Qatar, Turkey shelters some of Hamas’s top leaders and helps fund the organization’s activities. Terrorism shows the world, especially Hamas’s Islamic benefactors, that it is strong, well-organized, armed, and eager to kill.               Ironically, another reason for using terrorism is the self-inflicted destruction and impoverishment of social infrastructure that it causes. During the First Intifada, Israel demolished the homes of individuals linked to Palestinian terrorism. Media outlets sympathetic to the Palestinians labeled these retaliatory strikes as war crimes through collective punishment. By placing munitions depots and bomb-making facilities near schools or beneath hospitals, Hamas provoked retaliatory or preemptive military strikes. Israel targets these sites and others, which attracts funding from international organizations and various Western countries to rebuild the facilities (see Chapter 8). Some of the funds intended for reconstruction and development are used as planned. Meanwhile, other money is diverted to terrorist operational planning, with much of the revenue ending up in the bank accounts of Hamas leaders living in luxury in Qatar.               The funds are allocated to charities under Hamas’s control. In turn, those who receive aid are expected to support Hamas. An Israeli defense official said, ‘In the territories, there are no free lunches . . . Those who receive help from the Islamic associations pay with support for Hamas. Palestinians who benefit from Hamas charities are expected to allow operatives to use their homes as safehouses, harbor fugitives, and permit Hamas to store weapons on their property.               Some of this money also goes to imprisoned Hamas and Fatah operatives as part of the ‘pay-to-slay’ agreement. Hamas and the PLO pay millions of dollars each month to terrorists and their families, including those captured after the October 2023 murder. The motivations for terrorism – political success, affirmation of Hamas’s importance, and fundraising – prompted Hamas to launch terror campaigns that went far beyond sporadic, uncoordinated bombings and killings. Each campaign lasted several years and became known as an intifada, or uprising. These campaigns took place in Gaza and the West Bank and involved both Hamas and Fatah.   This concludes the third reading from Chapter Two of "Cauldron of Terror Gaza, Hamas, Israel, and the World," by Mark Silinsky, published by Pen and Sword. If you found it useful, please consider subscribing and buying a copy. The book is available online or at major bookstores worldwide. This reading does not represent the official position of any agency or individual within the United States government. On behalf of Kensington Security Consulting, thank you for listening.  

Welcome to an excerpt of Cauldron Of Terror Gaza, Hamas, Israel, and the World, written by Mark Silinsky and published by Pen and Sword. This is presented by Kensington Security Consulting, which brings education to national security. This is the second excerpt from chapter two. It is about the mindset and aspirations of Hamas. It examines how its authoritarian principles parallel those of Western philosophies.   Of all the unanswered questions of our time, perhaps the most important is: ‘What is Fascism? George Orwell, ‘What is Fascism?’ 1944   Many Western observers find it challenging to define Hamas’s politics, which blend radical Islam with authoritarian and occasionally secular principles. Some ideas are grounded in Sharia, while others unsettlingly echo the authoritarian ideologies of fascism and National Socialism from the 20th century.   Giovanni Gentile, an Italian professor, shaped fascism during World War I under the slogan, ‘All within the state; none outside the state; none against the state.’ The first fascist movement to rise to power was Mussolini’s Blackshirts in Italy in 1922. The term became widely associated with numerous anti-democratic political philosophies of that era. During World War II, the Soviet Union referred to the German military and political systems as fascist enterprises. Hitler respected fascism but constructed National Socialism as a distinct, though related, ideology. Many Islamic intellectuals from the Middle East were drawn to both fascism and National Socialism.               Hamas’s political philosophy has its roots in the Islamic Brotherhood, as outlined in its Charter. It also integrates elements of 20th-century European political systems, particularly fascism and National Socialism. In this sense, Hamas’s politics bear a close resemblance to those of the Islamic State in Syria and the Sham, or ISIS, as well as other Islamist organizations. British historian Malise Ruthven characterized the authoritarian Muslim governments in the Middle East as being influenced by Islamo-fascism. This term refers to the combination of Islamic and heavily secular authoritarian principles. Both fascism and Islamism are characterized by state control over politics and society, a concept deeply embedded in Hamas’s Charter.   Fascism with an Islamic face             :. . . we love Adolf Hitler . . . Adolf Hitler was an Arab . . . Eva Braun is also our cousin.’ Shouts of young males at a rally in Germany, 2017   Islamo-fascism describes a blend of radical Islam and militant authoritarianism. The terms Islamo-fascism and Islamo-Nazism were rarely used until the early 21st century. After the September 2001 attacks in the United States, observers struggled to find suitable words to describe the politics of militant Islamic radicals. Some believed that the term Islamo-fascism was fitting. Then-President Bush compared Islamism to fascism, and the top U.S. Army official in the Middle East, General John Abizaid, drew parallels between the rise of Islamist ideologies and the emergence of fascism in Europe during the 1920s and 1930s. Military historian Victor Davis Hanson emphasized the themes of enforced conformity and submission found in both Islamism and fascism. President Bush called al-Qaida Islamo-fascistic, saying the group’s attacks served as ‘a stark reminder that this nation is at war with Islamic fascists.’ He also claimed that Islamo-fascism is a ‘murderous ideology . . . the great challenge of our new century.   Columbia University Professor Robert Paxton emphasizes that fascism’s core includes group identity, superiority, and victimization, which are deeply rooted in Hamas’s ideology. Elements of the sacred teachings of Islam declare that Muslims are superior to all other groups of men and women and should have greater rights in an Islamic state. There is also a strong sense of victimhood in the Middle East, where Islamic clergy and intellectuals blame Western colonialism for the region’s poverty. Hamas, along with other Palestinian groups, has adopted a culture of grievance.   Fascism and Hamas   At least nine themes are shared between the philosophies of fascism and Hamas. These themes include collective identity, the principle of leadership, martial pageantry, mythical atavism and purity, utopian aspirations, severely restricted human rights, hypermasculinity, martyrdom, and a relentless struggle against a primary enemy. First, there is the idea of collective identity. In fascist states, a strong sense of unity prevails, with individuals absorbed into the collective. In Germany and Japan, this collective identity was racially homogeneous and deeply rooted in an exclusive, often romanticized history and culture. Unlike National Socialist ideology, Italian and Spanish fascism did not focus on racial theory. In Islam, this collective is called the Ummah.   For Hamas, as with European fascist leaders, the individual has little value. Hamas treats Gazans as tools in the war with Israel, positioning them in apartments, hospitals, and mosques that also serve as fire bases. Hamas has buried caches of arms and explosives under kindergartens, schools, hospitals, and playgrounds. This ensures that non-combatants will be killed. Using Gazans as fodder is part of Hamas’s information operations because pictures of dead children portray Israel as a baby killer. As for the Muslims who die because of Hamas’s grand strategy, they become martyrs. Their families receive status and financial benefits from Hamas and Fatah. The martyrs are guaranteed a place in heaven.               The second common element of Islamism and fascism is the principle of leadership. The leader holds dictatorial or near-dictatorial power, ruling absolutely either by divine right, as in Japan, or through a popular mandate, as in Germany, Italy, and Spain. In Sunni Islam, there is often no clear or established succession process. Traditionally, leaders are appointed by senior clerical figures, whereas in Iran leadership is held by senior clerics.   Third, there is martial pageantry, which is an intense celebration of warrior culture. Many countries honor their military and veterans through monuments, songs, sagas, and holidays. During surges of patriotism, especially in times of war, democratic states accord with their militaries due respect. However, the martial pageantry in Mussolini’s Italy, Hitler’s Germany, and Hirohito’s Japan idolizes militarism. The fighting culture of Hamas takes this further, creating a death cult.   Hamas uses visual art to glorify militarism and martyrdom. Graffiti and traditional art encourage assaults on Israel. Former leaders Ibrahim al-Maqadmah and Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi wrote poetry about the martial struggle. Others followed, documenting imprisonment, martyrdom, suffering, and warfare. Occasionally, Hamas’s ideology is closely linked to sports organizations, with mosques forming soccer teams. One team’s motto was, ‘Prepare for the enemy and fight the occupation.’ This message is reinforced in Hamas’s schools, where kindergarteners wear uniforms and carry toy rifles.               The fourth common element between Hamas’s philosophy and fascism is racial or religious atavism. Many authoritarian philosophies of the 20th century draw inspiration from an ancient and idealized period of purity. Rousseau laid the groundwork for communism by imagining a future without private property. National Socialism aimed to recreate a racially pure past by eliminating racial contamination, while Italian fascists reminisced about the glory and grandeur of Rome. Similarly, Hamas strives to emulate a golden age represented by the first generation of Muslims, which Hamas highlights as a model of purity.               The fifth common thread is utopian aspirations, which are not exclusive to fascist or Islamic societies. Medieval Europeans believed that they would attain a celestial paradise by living piously. The significance of the afterlife waned with the scientific revolution in the 18th century. Still, some 20th-century authoritarian philosophies embraced utopian visions that gained popularity. Nazis envisioned a purely Aryan Germany ruling over non-Aryan serfs, while communists imagined a future without economic classes. Fascists generally envisioned a muscular utopia where they held uncontested power. For Hamas, the ideal governance model was based on the first generation of Muslims. Their utopia aims to recreate this embellished past.               The sixth element involves significantly restricted individual rights. Western nations limit government interference in citizens’ religious practices, employment choices, marriages, and their ability to express political dissent. In contrast, authoritarian regimes provide far fewer liberal rights. In Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, and fascist Italy, leaders imprisoned or executed those who opposed their often-absolute authoritarian rule.   Hamas similarly governs under the strictest interpretation of Islamic law, alongside elements of secular law. Women are required to cover themselves or risk being beaten or stoned. The police in Gaza beat and imprison women who advocate for other women and enforce gender segregation. Hamas operatives kill fellow Muslims whom they suspect of collaborating with the Israeli enemy. There is little refuge in Gaza for LGBTQ individuals who face severe persecution and ostracism. Hamas routinely tortures Gazans believed to be gay.               Hypermasculinity is the seventh common trait. In both Islamism and fascism, strong and clear gender roles are stressed. Women are primarily responsible for bearing and raising children. Men are expected to provide financial support, protect their families, and serve as warriors when needed. The visual and musical arts emphasize the muscular warrior class. In many cultures, masculinity is glorified, but hypermasculinity represents an extreme martial ideal.               The eighth element is the focus on the heroic or martyrdom aspect, sometimes associated with hypermasculinity. Most civilizations celebrate their heroes in national narratives, honoring those who die in battle within their culture. In non-fascist societies, civilians generally see death in combat as an unfortunate necessity that must be faced with dignity. However, death in battle has a different meaning in Hamas culture. Martyrdom is revered as the highest expression of Islamic devotion. Muslims who die fighting against non-Muslims are called shahids. The Koran assures that the shahid will be granted immediate entry into heaven.   For Hamas and other Palestinians, the most revered shahid before Israel’s establishment was Shaykh Izz al-Din Ezzedin Qassam, a Syrian who was killed in 1948 during the Arab-Israeli conflict. The Qassam Brigade is named after him. One of the most celebrated events in Palestinian folklore is the Great Revolt of 1936-1939, which was suppressed by the British and Jews. Despite this, many Palestinians see this event as the start of their armed struggle and honor the Arabs who died during the Revolt as martyrs and heroes.               The ninth characteristic shared by modern authoritarian ideologies is a constant struggle against a specified enemy. For the Nazis, the eternal main enemy was the international Jew. For Stalin-era Soviets, it was either capitalism or counterrevolution. For Hamas, it is also the international Jew. The 1988 Hamas charter refers to Jews, not Israelis, with murderous contempt and a desire for destruction. The charter’s revision in 2017 downplays the deadly hatred toward Jews as a group but states that Zionism remains its unwavering enemy. However, many statements fail to distinguish between Judaism and Zionism. This hatred erupted into butchery on October 7, 2023, and it continues.             This concludes one of several readings from chapter two from "Cauldron of Terror Gaza, Hamas, Israel, and the World,” written by Mark Silinsky and published by Pen and Sword. If you enjoyed it, please consider subscribing. This book is available online or at major bookstores worldwide. This reading does not represent the official position of any agency or individual within the United States government. On behalf of Kensington Security Consulting, thank you for listening.