Chapter 128: Middle of an Ocean

475      “The response of Israel must be tough”  Geert Wilders, X, October 8, 2023, 12:45 a.m., x.com/geertwilderspvv/status/1710879011113447738, archived at archive.today, February 10, 2026 capture, archive.ph/wip/yuMG9.

475      “European patriots” . . . “it shows us how vital it is for a people to . . .”  Geert Wilders, “Why European Patriots Should Support Israel,” Breitbart, October 3, 2024, www.breitbart.com/europe/2024/10/03/geert-wilders-for-breitbart-why-european-patriots-should-support-israel/.

475      “See how Israel resisted alone and for so long . . .”  Renaud Camus, Le Grand Remplacement (Paris: Reinharc, 2011), trans. Grace Ashton (unpublished translation), 68. Find the library book at search.worldcat.org/es/title/Le-grand-remplacement/oclc/767578742.

475      advised both Viktor Orbán and Benjamin Netanyahu . . .  Nick Thorpe, “The Man Who Helped Orban and Netanyahu Rise to Power,” BBC News, July 1, 2023, www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66065550.

475      started bombing Gaza  Clothilde Mraffko, “In Gaza, Entire Families Destroyed by Israeli Bombing: ‘My Son, My Niece and Another Child Are Still Under the Rubble,'” Le Monde, October 12, 2023, www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2023/10/12/in-gaza-entire-families-destroyed-by-israeli-bombing-my-son-my-niece-and-another-child-are-still-under-the-rubble_6167251_4.html.

475      “sympathy rallies supporting the terrorists”  Viktor Orbán quoted in “Hungary to Ban Rallies Supporting ‘Terrorist Organisations,’ Orban says,” Reuters, October 13, 2023, www.reuters.com/world/europe/hungary-ban-rallies-supporting-terrorist-organisations-pm-orban-2023-10-13/.

475      “. . . That is what Muslim immigration has done to Denmark”  Anders Vistisen, X, November 9, 2023, 5:24 a.m., x.com/AndersVistisen/status/1722560691016495398, archived at archive.today, February 10, 2026 capture, archive.ph/wip/fRmii, via Google Translate; and Rosie Birchard, “Where Does Europe’s Far Right Stand on the Israel–Hamas War?” Deutsche Welle (DW), November 18, 2023, www.dw.com/en/where-do-europes-far-right-parties-stand-on-the-israel-hamas-conflict/a-67465217.

475      head of the party’s youth group  “Anders Primdahl Vistisen,” Politico, accessed October 3, 2025, www.politico.eu/person/anders-vistisen/.

475      the chief whip for the Patriots for Europe  Gerardo Fortuna, “Showdown for Far-Right Patriots in Quest for Third-Biggest Group,” Euronews, July 8, 2024, www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/07/08/showdown-for-far-right-patriots-in-quest-for-third-biggest-group.

475      backed Israel, orchestrating distance . . .  Andreas Noll, “France: Far-right Le Pen to Join March Against Antisemitism,” DW, November 11, 2023, www.dw.com/en/france-far-right-le-pen-to-join-march-against-antisemitism/a-67372410.

475–476 “Our compatriots of the Jewish faith . . .”  Marine Le Pen quoted in Noll, “France: Far-right Le Pen to Join March Against Antisemitism," www.dw.com/en/france-far-right-le-pen-to-join-march-against-antisemitism/a-67372410.   

476     “Those savage beasts [Hamas] do not represent . . .”  Nayib Bukele, X, October 8, 2023, 11:21 p.m., x.com/nayibbukele/status/1711220281820278875, archived at archive.today, December 3, 2025 capture, archive.ph/HxRl5.

476     “get rid of those animals and let the good people thrive” Nayib Bukele, X, October 8, 2023, x.com/nayibbukele/status/1711220281820278875, archived at archive.ph/HxRl5.

476     first convened in 1897 “The Zionist Congress,” National Library of Israel, accessed May 6, 2025, www.nli.org.il/en/discover/israel/zionism/zionism-history/zionist-congress.

476     “Hitler didn’t want to exterminate . . .” “PM Netanyahu’s Speech at the 37th Zionist Congress,” Prime Minister’s Office, gov.il, October 20, 2015, www.gov.il/en/pages/speechcongress201015.

476     “And Haj Amin al-Husseini went to Hitler . . .” “PM Netanyahu’s Speech at the 37th Zionist Congress,” www.gov.il/en/pages/speechcongress201015; and Jodi Rudoren, “Netanyahu Denounced for Saying Palestinian Inspired Holocaust,” New York Times, October 21, 2015, www.nytimes.com/2015/10/22/world/middleeast/netanyahu-saying-palestinian-mufti-inspired-holocaust-draws-broad-criticism.html.

476     A Palestinian nationalist . . . oversaw Islamic courts, education, and holy sites . . .  “Hajj Amin al-Husayni: Arab Nationalist and Muslim Leader,” Holocaust Encyclopedia, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, accessed May 6, 2025, encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/hajj-amin-al-husayni-arab-nationalist-and-muslim-leader.

476     “So what should I do with them?” . . . “Burn them” “PM Netanyahu’s Speech at the 37th Zionist Congress,” www.gov.il/en/pages/speechcongress201015.

476     did want to burn up . . . for a Jewish homeland in Palestine “Hajj Amin al-Husayni: The Mufti of Jerusalem,” Holocaust Encyclopedia, accessed October 3, 2025, encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/hajj-amin-al-husayni-the-mufti-of-jerusalem.

476     receive funding from Nazi Germany . . . “Hajj Amin al-Husayni: The Mufti of Jerusalem,” encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/hajj-amin-al-husayni-the-mufti-of-jerusalem. 

476     urge Muslims to engage in a holy war . . .“Hajj Amin al-Husayni: Key Dates,” Holocaust Encyclopedia, accessed October 3, 2025, encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/hajj-amin-al-husayni-key-dates.

476     express Hitler’s antisemitic lie . . . “Hajj Amin al-Husayni: Key Dates,” encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/hajj-amin-al-husayni-key-dates.

476     “never have a better or more loyal ally than the Greater German Reich” Amin Al-Hussein quoted in “Hajj Amin al-Husayni: Key Dates,” encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/hajj-amin-al-husayni-key-dates.

476     did pursue remigration See Jeremy Noakes and Geoffrey Pridham, “Jewish Emigration and Deportations April 1940–September 1941 and the ‘Madagascar Plan,’” in Nazism 1919–1945: A Documentary Reader, Volume 3: Foreign Policy, War and Racial Extermination, eds. Jeremy Noakes and Geoffrey Pridham (Liverpool, UK: Liverpool University Press, 2014), 468; and Ian Kershaw, Hitler: A Biography (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2008), 578 on Hitler’s approval of the Madagascar Plan. Find Nazism 1919–1945 at a library at search.worldcat.org/title/1295440404 and Hitler: A Biography at search.worldcat.org/title/500873821.

477      well before meeting with al-Husseini  The Nazis’ systematic, mass murder of Jews began with the invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941. See “‘Final Solution’: Overview,” Holocaust Encyclopedia, December 8, 2020, encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/final-solution-overview; and Rudoren, “Netanyahu Denounced for Saying Palestinian Inspired Holocaust,” www.nytimes.com/2015/10/22/world/middleeast/netanyahu-saying-palestinian-mufti-inspired-holocaust-draws-broad-criticism.html.

477      One million Jews . . .  Rudoren, “Netanyahu Denounced for Saying Palestinian Inspired Holocaust,” www.nytimes.com/2015/10/22/world/middleeast/netanyahu-saying-palestinian-mufti-inspired-holocaust-draws-broad-criticism.html.

477      rejected al-Husseini’s request to publicly state . . .“Hajj Amin al-Husayni: The Mufti of Jerusalem,” encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/hajj-amin-al-husayni-the-mufti-of-jerusalem; and “Hajj Amin al-Husayni: Key Dates,” encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/hajj-amin-al-husayni-key-dates.

477      “a disgrace” and “a lie” Meir Litvak quoted in Rudoren, “Netanyahu Denounced for Saying Palestinian Inspired Holocaust,” www.nytimes.com/2015/10/22/world/middleeast/netanyahu-saying-palestinian-mufti-inspired-holocaust-draws-broad-criticism.html.

477      “the Palestinians for the Holocaust” . . . “completely” . . . “Adolf Hitler’s heinous . . .” Saeb Erekat quoted in Rudoren, “Netanyahu Denounced for Saying Palestinian Inspired Holocaust.” www.nytimes.com/2015/10/22/world/middleeast/netanyahu-saying-palestinian-mufti-inspired-holocaust-draws-broad-criticism.html.

477      described . . . as a Holocaust denier for moving “the responsibility . . .” Moshe Zimmermann said of Netanyahu’s speech, “With this, Netanyahu joins a long line of people that we would call Holocaust deniers.” Moshe Zimmermann quoted in Rudoren, “Netanyahu Denounced for Saying Palestinian Inspired Holocaust,” www.nytimes.com/2015/10/22/world/middleeast/netanyahu-saying-palestinian-mufti-inspired-holocaust-draws-broad-criticism.html.

477      “This is a struggle between the children of light and . . .”  “Excerpt from PM Netanyahu’s Remarks at the Opening of the Winter Assembly of the 25th Knesset’s Second Session,” Ministry of Foreign Affairs, gov.il, October 16, 2023, www.gov.il/en/pages/excerpt-from-pm-netanyahu-s-remarks-at-the-opening-of-the-knesset-s-winter-assembly-16-oct-2023.

477      “Many people around the world now understand . . ."  “Excerpt from PM Netanyahu's Remarks at the Opening of the Winter Assembly of the 25th Knesset’s Second Session,” www.gov.il/en/pages/excerpt-from-pm-netanyahu-s-remarks-at-the-opening-of-the-knesset-s-winter-assembly-16-oct-2023.

477      has routinely likened Muslim militants to Nazis For additional examples, see Sarah Fortinsky, "Netanyahu labels Hamas 'the new Nazis' alongside Germany's Sholz," The Hill, October 17, 2023, thehill.com/policy/international/4261308-netanyahu-labels-hamas-the-new-nazis-alongside-germanys-scholz/; Zena Al Tahhan, "How Israel has repeatedly rejected Hamas truce offers," Al Jazeera, January 22, 2024, www.aljazeera.com/features/2024/1/22/how-israel-has-repeatedly-rejected-hamas-truce-offers; and Felix Tamsut, "Israel's Netanyahu calls Hamas 'Nazis' at Holocaust Memorial," Deutsche Welle, April 25, 2025, www.dw.com/en/israels-netanyahu-calls-hamas-nazis-at-holocaust-memorial/a-72330450.

477      with ties to Netanyahu Nathan Guttman, “Sheldon Adelson Is a Philanthropist Like No Other,” Forward, November 3, 2014, forward.com/israel/208220/sheldon-adelson-is-a-philanthropist-like-no-other/.

477      “followers and admirers . . . can mainly be found in the Muslim world" Manfred Gerstenfeld, “Holocaust Inversion: The Portraying of Israel and Jews as Nazis,” Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, April 1, 2007, jcfa.org/article/holocaust-inversion-the-portraying-of-israel-and-jews-as-nazis/.

477      “portrayal of Israel, Israelis, and Jews as Nazis” . . . “anti-Semitic” Gerstenfeld, “Holocaust Inversion: The Portraying of Israel and Jews as Nazis,” jcfa.org/article/holocaust-inversion-the-portraying-of-israel-and-jews-as-nazis/.

478     “Russophobia" “Presidential Address to the Federal Assembly,” President of Russia, Kremlin, February 29, 2024, www.en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/73585.

478     “just like any other ideology promoting racism . . . Russophobia is . . .”  “Presidential Address to the Federal Assembly,” President of Russia, February 29, 2024, www.en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/73585.

478     “the definition of Russophobia blossomed to include . . .” Konstantin Pakhalyuk, “What Does the Kremlin Mean by ‘Russophobia?’” Moscow Times, October 11, 2024, www.themoscowtimes.com/2024/10/11/what-does-the-kremlin-mean-by-russophobia-a86664.

479     is to disparage Jews  See Tia Goldenberg, “Netanyahu Frequently Makes Claims of Antisemitism: Critics Say He’s Deflecting from His Own Problems,” Associated Press (AP) News, May 29, 2024, apnews.com/article/israel-netanyahu-antisemitism-campus-05ebd71bec931a62f58e7d5f9e93fa19.

479     “Nation-State Law” . . . “the right to exercise . . .” “unique to the Jewish people” Raoul Wootliff, “Final Text of Jewish Nation-State Law, Approved by the Knesset Early on July 19,” Times of Israel, July 18, 2018, www.timesofisrael.com/final-text-of-jewish-nation-state-bill-set-to-become-law/.

479     “Jewish settlement” . . . “as a national value” Wootliff, “Final Text of Jewish Nation-State Law, Approved by the Knesset Early on July 19,” www.timesofisrael.com/final-text-of-jewish-nation-state-bill-set-to-become-law/. The International Court of Justice of the UN has ruled this occupation illegal. See Raffi Berg, “UN Top Court Says Israeli Occupation of Palestinian Territories Is Illegal,” BBC News, July 19, 2024, www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjerjzxlpvdo.

480     came across . . . more than a year prior to October 7  Ronen Bergman and Adam Goldman, “Israel Knew Hamas’s Attack Plan More Than a Year Ago,” New York Times, November 30, 2023, updated December 2, 2023, www.nytimes.com/2023/11/30/world/middleeast/israel-hamas-attack-intelligence.html.

480     did not move to prevent  “Report: Weeks Before Oct. 7, Shin Bet and IDF Chiefs Warned Netanyahu of Looming Attack,” Times of Israel, December 13, 2024, www.timesofisrael.com/pm-said-warned-while-hospitalized-months-before-oct-7-of-israels-exposure-to-attack/; and “Netanyahu’s Office Admits Staff Didn’t Pass On Alert Hours Before Oct. 7 Attack,” Times of Israel, March 2, 2025, www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahus-office-admits-pms-staff-got-didnt-pass-on-alert-hours-before-oct-7-attack/.

480     tipped off the Kremlin in advance . . . Shane Harris, “U.S. Told Russia That Crocus City Hall Was Possible Target of Attack,” Washington Post, April 2, 2024, www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/04/02/us-warning-russia-isis-crocus/.

480     four men from Tajikistan  “What We Know About Attack on a Moscow Concert Hall,” BBC News, April 9, 2024, www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68645755.

480     directed by ISIL  “The preparation, financing, the actual attack and the attempted flight of the gunmen were coordinated over the internet by Islamic State Khorasan, the Afghan branch of the militant group” ISIL. “Russian Spy Chief Says More Than 20 Arrested over Deadly Concert Attack,” Reuters, May 24, 2024, www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-spy-chief-says-ukraine-was-directly-involved-moscow-concert-hall-attack-2024-05-24/.

480     set . . . ablaze and killed 149 Russian concertgoers, mostly by gunfire  “Trial Begins for Suspects in 2024 Moscow Concert Hall Attack That Killed 149 People,” AP News, August 4, 2025, apnews.com/article/russia-moscow-concert-hall-attack-trial-de1befa242d8ba10ec108927140105da; and “What We Know About Attack on a Moscow Concert Hall,” www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68645755.

480     charged . . . “outright blackmail and an intention to intimidate and destabilize”  Vladimir Putin to FSB chiefs quoted in “Putin Vows Harsh Retribution After ‘Barbaric Terrorist Attack’ in Moscow,” Le Monde, March 23, 2024, updated March 24, 2024, www.lemonde.fr/en/russia/article/2024/03/23/putin-vows-harsh-retribution-after-barbaric-terrorist-attack-in-moscow_6647668_140.html.

480     connected the gunmen . . . to justify his war  Guy Faulconbridge et al., “Putin Vows to Punish Those Behind Russia Concert Massacre,” Reuters, March 24, 2024, www.reuters.com/world/europe/two-suspects-moscow-attack-detained-after-car-chase-lawmaker-2024-03-23/; “Russia’s Putin Says ‘Radical Islamists’ Behind Moscow Concert Hall Attack,” Al Jazeera, March 25, 2024, www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/25/russias-putin-says-radical-islamists-behind-moscow-concert-hall-attack; and Associated Press, “Russia Keeps Blaming Ukraine for Concert Attack Despite Islamic State Claiming Responsibility,” PBS News, March 26, 2024, www.pbs.org/newshour/world/russia-keeps-blaming-ukraine-for-concert-attack-despite-islamic-state-claiming-responsibility.

480     “I am grateful to the parliamentary parties . . .”  “Presidential Address to the Federal Assembly,” President of Russia, February 29, 2024, www.en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/73585.