Jihad and the World

Hello from Jihad 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. Please consider watching the 37-minute film titled “The Dark Side of Roger Waters.”
This concludes this episode of Jihad and the World. 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.

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.

Hi, Mark here from Kensington Security Consulting videocasts. This is our second videocast, titled “The Southern Poverty Law Center – Islamophobia? Really?” Today, we turn to the Southern Poverty Law Center, or SPLC, which is much in the news these days. First, let’s recap our first videocast, “Of Pigs and Men . . . and Women, too.” In that video, we briefly examined two stories about pigs in Europe. The first involved a yellow plastic pig in the front window of an Italian delicatessen. It was clearly a marketing prop, and there is no reason to believe the store owner intended to offend Muslims by displaying it. But a Muslim village elder demanded that the owner remove it, and when he refused, the case went to court.
The owner and the pig won round one. There is a standoff, as the deli’s owner refuses to chuck the swine and influential Muslims demand that he do so. Why did I mention it? This is one of the myriad points of tension in Europe over seemingly trivial issues. The pig dustup is, by itself, trivial. But it, almost humorously, illustrates the growing tensions in Europe, which, to my observation, are worsening rather than improving.
The other pig story is the claim that women are buying pigs to keep annoying Muslim men at bay. I think this is largely a hoax, which is why I mentioned it. As the story goes, European women are tired of unwanted sexual advances from Muslim men, so they harness pigs to leashes and walk them on city streets. Right. A woman will bunk near a pig in her tiny European apartment and clean up after it so she can use it as a deterrent against Muslim men? Does that make sense to you? Well, it is circulating online, and I don’t buy it. If you have inside baseball on the pigs of Paris or Rome, please let us know. But anyone who believes this is a truthful story will believe anything. But prove me wrong! OK, enough of pigs.
Now, let’s turn to today’s episode, “The Southern Poverty Law Center – Islamophobia? Really?” This week, we will examine the ongoing controversy surrounding the Southern Poverty Law Center, or SPLC. Staying true to our goal at Jihad and the World, we will limit this podcast to Middle Eastern issues within the broader drama of the SPLC. In particular, we will focus on the SPLC’s charges and biographies of leading Middle East commentators whom the Center labeled as Islamophobic. We will look at the origins, mission statement, evolution, and the controversy in which it is currently embroiled.
What is the SPLC? The answer depends on whom you ask. By its own account, it “defends racial justice issues.” OK. Good so far, but what do they mean by racial justice issues? Their website lists quite a menu: challenging racism, strengthening democracy and voting rights; dismantling white supremacy, ending unjust imprisonment, and eliminating poverty and economic inequality. Hmmm, that is an exhaustive mission statement. Tackling multiple wicked problems. Certainly ambitious. I’m still confused, but I would like to limit this videocast to Middle Eastern and Islamic issues.
But first, what is the current lawsuit about? The Department of Justice was indicted in April 2026 on charges of fraud and money laundering. Prosecutors said the group misled donors by using their money to pay informants who served as leaders in the very hate groups the organization was founded to fight. Why would they do that? The SPLC responded that it paid informants just as the FBI or the military does. Justice says that this explanation is nonsense. The payments were part of a vast fraud that funded high-profile organizations to inflate their importance and lethality. These groups included the Ku Klux Klan, which is nationally notorious. But funding the Klan? Is this serious? Yes. Because the SPLC needed a cause – a great big one – to solicit mega donations. Well, it worked. The SPLC has an endowment of nearly $1 billion, some of which is held offshore.
So, where does the Center stand on these issues? It has the Intelligence Project Dispatch. Let’s look at it. “The Southern Poverty Law Center works to dismantle white supremacy in public forums and online, exposes hate and anti-democratic extremism, and counters disinformation and conspiracy theories with research and community resources.” The Intelligence Project monitors and exposes white supremacy, anti-immigrant activity, and anti-Muslim activity, as well as their impact on communities.
OK. That’s still awfully broad. What counts as anti-Muslim activity? Certainly, harassing or harming Muslims because they are Muslims is an anti-Muslim activity. OK. But what about drawing cartoons of Mohammed? What about displaying the yellow pig of Padua? Are these anti-Muslim activities? We don't know because the SPLC does not define anti-Muslim activity.
Now let’s turn to an article the SPLC published in 2011. “A decade after 9/11, anti-Muslim hatred is on the rise again. This time, a cadre of activists and officials is largely responsible.” OK, and what are those groups, and who are these people? Over the years, the SPLC has listed seven key Islamophobes. They are Robert Spencer, Brigitte Gabriel, Frank Gaffney, David Horowitz, David Yerushalmi, Daniel Pipes, and Steve Emerson. I would like to investigate the charges against a few of them to see whether they are, in the SPLC’s damning words, Islamophobes.
Daniel Pipes
Let's start with Daniel Pipes. Who is he? I have a very different take from the SPLC. The SPLC asserts that “Pipes has spent the better part of three decades actively promoting anti-Muslim rhetoric. His anti-Muslim bigotry has not waned. In an August 2017 interview, Pipes, founder and president of the think tank Middle East Forum, called Islam “an imperialist faith” and claimed that “Muslim immigrants want to replace existing European civilization with Islam.” In another interview last month, he lamented that Islam will soon “replace” Western civilization because of “unfettered immigration and blind multiculturalism.” Let's examine these charges in greater detail.Let us assume that the SPLC . But the implicit charge is that these comments are bigoted and false. Is calling Islam an imperialist faith bigoted? What was the Ottoman Empire if not an empire? Why did the Ottomans call it an empire? Wasn’t it Muslim? That empire is defunct, but have all imperialist elements been purged from Islam? Yes? Has this been reflected in the fatwas from Al Ahzar University? I haven’t seen this. Have you? Where is the bigotry?
Regarding Muslim immigrants who want to replace existing European civilization with Islam, I do not see any bigotry in this observation. Do all Muslims want to impose Sharia law on Europeans? No. But if many do, and I think many do, where is the bigotry?
The SPLC claimed that “Pipes was among the first to peddle the unsubstantiated myth that 80 percent of American mosques are controlled by extremists. Despite being debunked on several occasions, the 80 percent figure is still promoted within anti-Muslim circles and publications.” OK. If that figure is debunked, what is the number, SPLC? Do you share Dr. Pipes’s definition of extremist? What are your sources?
The SPLC also chides Dr. Pipes for popularizing the term “no-go zones” in Europe. He used the term in 2006 to describe Muslim-only zones in France and later regretted it. Fair enough, but that was 20 years ago. Demographics have changed. Have Muslim areas in Europe become safer for police and Europeans, or less safe? Can a Jew dress as a Jew and feel safe in large cities? Off the record, many police officers in various European cities have referred to parts of those cities as no-go zones. Some avoid the term for fear of being labeled an Islamophobe. What would the SPLC call these zones? Is it Islamophobic to even mention them?
Finally, I want to address one charge that Dr. Pipes responded to in 2016. The SPLC’s Heidi Beirich, a contributor to its Field Guide to Anti-Muslim Extremists, wrote that “the call for a ban on any religious dress is indeed extreme, regardless of the religious institution. Daniel Pipes, another extremist on this list, has also called for a similar ban. These calls are contrary to religious freedom.”
In fact, Dr. Pipes wrote that niqabs and burqas should be banned because they hide the face, obscuring identification. Pipes wrote, “Had you bothered to consult my blog on this subject, with over a hundred incidents where these articles of clothing have been used to facilitate criminality, political violence, and jihad, you would understand the problem.” That makes sense to me. What about you? In my view, Daniel Pipes is as well informed as any commentator on militant Islam alive today. I thoroughly endorse his products.
Another SPLC target is Brigitte Gabriel, founder and head of ACT! for America and the American Council for Truth. The SPLC uses Gabriel’s words to condemn her. She said, “America has been infiltrated on all levels by radicals who wish to harm America. They have infiltrated us at the C.I.A., at the F.B.I., at the Pentagon, at the State Department.” Well, that is quite a charge. Let’s focus on the Pentagon. Military personnel committed mass murder at Fort Hood, including Nidal Hasan, and Mark Fidel Cools, who murdered American soldiers. I would be curious to know her sources for the claims of infiltration, but I do not see it as bigotry. I would like to learn more.
Then there is Robert Spencer, who runs the Jihad Watch website. The SPLC derides him as, in their words, “entirely self-taught in the Koran.” Not true. He has an advanced degree in religion, and the fact that he doesn’t hold a Ph.D. from Columbia or Georgetown in Middle East studies is, in my view, not a slur. The SPLC condemns him for his associations. In their words, “Spencer has been known to fraternize with European racists and neo-fascists, though he says such contacts were merely incidental.” And who were these racists and neo-fascists? What is their definition of a neo-fascist?
I could continue with other charges and other SPLC targets. But I think I made my case. In my view, many of these charges were reckless and unsubstantiated. They are smears, and these charges can sting. Reputational destruction has led to blacklisting, just as it did in the 1940s and 1950s. There could be a whole podcast, or several, about victims of the SPLC. Some have lost clients, and some have been demonetized online. So, I am excited that the SPLC’s activities will be fully investigated. As information emerges, we will share it with you. If you have opinions on the SPLC, please share them with us.
On behalf of Kensington Security Consulting, thank you for listening to our second videocast. Nothing in this videocast, or in any other videocast or podcast, represents the official position of the United States government. My latest book, Cauldron of Terror, Hamas, Israel, and the World, will be available for purchase in summer 2026. Until our next podcast, goodbye, and thank you for listening

Hello from Jihad and the World, 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. “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, Jihad and the World, hosted on our Cauldron of Terror channel. 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.

Hello from Jihad and the World, 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 episode of Jihad and the World. 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.

Hello from Jihad and the World. The author is Mark Silinsky of Kensington Security Consulting, which provides education on national security. Today’s episode is called “Who is Joe Kent and Why is He so Angry at President Trump? It examines the controversy surrounding the resignation of a leading intelligence official.
Joe Kent, former director of the National Counter-Terrorism Center (NCTC), was an impressive, multi-tour soldier. Years ago, this former Green Beret and aspiring Republican candidate caught the attention of leaders in the re-elected Trump administration. His efforts to win a seat in the House of Representatives were unsuccessful. However, Republican leaders liked what they saw in his Special Forces combat service and his hard-fought participation in 11 combat missions, mostly in Iraq. After retiring from 20 years of Army service, Kent became a paramilitary officer with the CIA and served as a counterterrorism adviser to Trump’s 2020 reelection campaign. He appeared regularly on TV shows and podcasts to promote Republican candidates.
With his stellar record, he was nominated and confirmed to lead the NCTC, an agency responsible for analyzing terrorist threats. His movie-star looks certainly didn't hurt. But from the start, all was not well. Even before he took office, political operatives revealed uncomfortable ties to people and groups many Americans consider extreme and unsavory. Some ties were exposed by opposition research teams during Kent’s Congressional aspirations. Others surfaced during Kent’s confirmation hearings. According to the Associated Press, Kent acknowledged that during one of his two failed congressional campaigns, he consulted Nick Fuentes, who proclaimed that “Hitler was awesome, Hitler was right.”
During his 2022 House campaign, Kent employed Graham Jorgensen, a member of the Proud Boys, as a consultant. He also worked closely with Joey Gibson, the founder of the Christian nationalist group Patriot Prayer. However, Kent claimed that these ties were tenuous and did not shape his view of the world or America’s role in international relations. He was also prone to impulsive and impractical comments. He called for defunding the FBI and impeaching President Biden. But the Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, liked him; others, a bit more cynical, were assuaged by his retractions of those early hot-headed comments.
But he was not a good fit for the NCTC, and he felt morally compelled to resign as its director. This shocked many at the Center, though others were not entirely surprised. So, what happened? Why didn’t it work out?
Reason One – The American-Israeli attack on Iran was unethical, unnecessary, and unexpected. By his account, Kent resigned because he could not morally support the president's decision to attack Iran. He argued that Iran posed, in his words, no imminent threat to the United States. This was an extremely significant charge. Under international law, military attacks are only allowed if the threat is imminent or self-defense is required. Kent argued that this was not the case.
Reason Two – Opposition to the “America First” policy of keeping out of long, non-essential wars. He believed the war in Iran contradicted these principles and marked a return to an era in which neo-conservatives, Republican interventionists, controlled policy-making.
Reason Three - This was a war for Israel and not the United States. He claimed that the hidden hands of a pro-Israel lobby controlled the White House. Kent argued that the US was pushed into conflict and that public perception was manipulated by Zionists. T
Reason Four - This reason was driven by the earlier three reasons. He felt he could not participate in an immoral activity. He stated, “I cannot, in good conscience, support the ongoing war in Iran.” He continued that many others in the Intelligence Community agreed with him but were cowed into silence.
Reason Five - Kent also suggested that intelligence narratives were manipulated. By whom? If he was clear, we are unaware of it. He did say that the decision to attack the nuclear sites was driven by intentionally manipulated intelligence claims.
So, Kent claimed that these were the five basic reasons he left government service. We at Kensington Security Consulting will take him at his word that these stated motives were his actual motives. But they raise some questions for us.
First, from what we can tell, he was adamant that there was no “imminent threat.” He made this claim to Tucker Carlson soon after he resigned. But exactly what did he mean? Did the threat have to be both existential and near-immediate to be imminent? If the intent and ability to craft nuclear warheads were revealed, would that constitute an imminent threat? Would the only acceptable definition of “imminent threat” be the certainty that nuclear weapons would be detonated against the United States within several hours? We are disappointed that his use of the word “imminent” was not clearer. The White House claimed that Iran was very close – weeks, maybe months – to achieving a nuclear weapons capability. Perhaps reasonable people could debate whether this was imminent. However, many observers of nuclear proliferation note that no country enriches uranium to 60% for peaceful use. And once enrichment reaches that level, the remaining step to weapons-grade is short. Some might claim imminent.
Also, Kent claimed that Ayatollah Khamenei issued a religious edict, or fatwa, against nuclear weapons. Perhaps. But many spurious fatwas have been used to beguile credulous Westerners. Further, there is the Islamic practice of takiya, the use of falsehoods to disguise actual intentions. It is hard to believe that the director of the NCTC would be unaware of this.
Kent bewailed President Trump’s drift away from isolationism to fight, in his judgment, Israel’s war. He referred to a malignant, hidden control that forced his hand in deciding to go to war. However, he did not explain why seven successive U.S. presidents assured the electorate that, under no circumstances, would they allow Iran to have nuclear weapons. Further, many people were not convinced that the Israeli Prime Minister or anyone else had the ability to force Donald Trump into war. Many Americans see Donald Trump as fiercely independent. As with his claim of lack of imminence, Kent does not explain exactly how Israel or a domestic cabal in the United States forced the president’s hand.
He accused Israel of dragging the United States into war with Iraq, a war that tragically took his wife’s life. But what evidence has he offered to support the claim of Israeli control? By most accounts, Israeli leadership warned that Iran — not Iraq — posed the far greater threat to both the U.S. and Israel. Colin Powell’s United Nations presentation relied on Western intelligence, not Israeli sources. Ariel Sharon called the war against Iraq “the wrong war,” and he was not alone in that assessment. Many Israeli leaders agreed, both publicly and privately.
Kent also seems dangerously naïve about his assessment of Ali Larinjani, Iran’s leading security official, who was killed by Israel in March 2026. He referred to Larinjani as moderate. Moderate? Really? Compared to whom? When did Larinjani break with the orthodoxy of the Islamic Republic? So, what is to make of Kent and his resignation? We at Kensington are confused. Finally, if he was convinced that President Trump was under the operational control of Israel or its agents, why wouldn’t he stay in his position and inform Donald Trump that he had been captured? Why wouldn’t he show evidence of the plot? We have our ideas. But we would like to hear yours.
This concludes this episode of Jihad and the World. 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.

Hello from Jihad and the World, a product of Kensington Security Consulting, where we bring education to national security. This is our first weekly videocast, in which we update the issues discussed in earlier podcasts. We would like to discuss issues that are important to you, and we always welcome your comments and suggestions.
Of Pigs and Men . . . and Women, too
We had an interest in a quick comment we made on a podcast we recorded for Jihad and the World – titled Italy, Muslims, and Hamas. In particular, we referenced a dust-up involving a plastic pig in a delicatessen window in Padua, Italy. The podcast explored the growing tensions between the Muslim and non-Muslim populations in Italy. So, what is with the pig? Well, that is the story.
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.” Muslims do not like pigs, and certainly most would not knowingly eat one. But nobody connected with the pig is forcing any Muslim to eat pork. The offending swine was a well-worn ad for their pork sandwiches.
Also, this is important. It is clearly a plastic pig, as you can see. It is yellow and 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. This individual incident may sound trivial and somewhat silly. However, it is an example of the many daily frictions between Muslim and non-Muslim communities.
So, there are two camps on this issue. One side demands that contemporary Italian culture and law accommodate the burgeoning Islamic communities mushrooming across the country. Pigs are haram and deeply offensive to Muslims, so why not just remove them to harmonize relations?
The other camps cry that pork is central to Italy’s rich culinary heritage. Nobody is forced to eat salami. If Muslims do not like seeing the plastic pig, they can walk across the street or shield their eyes as they approach the window. Why should one culture arbitrate taste for another? Many people like pigs. I have an English friend whose mother collected small porcine statuary. She had porcelain pigs all over her home. I thought they were cute. Also, the investigative journalist covering the story noted that the deli employs Muslim staff, some of whom have publicly defended the display. So, there are likely to be many Italian Muslims who are bothered at all by pig graphics or statuary.
Robert Spencer, an American journalist, had some fun with the story. He headlined, “First They Came for the Plastic Pigs, but I Was Not a Plastic Pig, so I Said Nothing,” a comedic spin on Martin Niemöller’s very serious quip about the Nazis. He points to the myriad ads of pigs in chefs’ hats that dot American highways, luring travelers to ham sandwiches. Should they be banned? 
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 that walking with a pig keeps predatory male attention at bay. Videos flooded social media, showing women confidently walking their pigs down the street—some even dressed them in pink bows, the kind small girls would wear.
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 link 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. I think this is probably a hoax. Why would a woman feed, house, and put up with a pig just to keep certain men from approaching her? My guess is that these eccentric women have an unconventional affection for pigs and issues with men. They are likely pranksters who enjoy playing tricks on gullible people. Whether real or not, funny or not, the angst over pigs is another example of cultural friction in Europe today.
Brother Tarik
Let’s turn to another issue that came up on the Jihad and the World podcast, the jailing of Tarik Ramadan. If you didn’t see our podcast about Ramadan, let me give you the backstory. Tarik Ramadan burst onto the European intellectual scene some 30 years ago. He was the wunderkind of academic and Muslim circles and was cast as the progressive Muslim scholar who could bridge the divide between Muslims and non-Muslims on the continent. He was Swiss-born and educated and came from an Islamist pedigree. His grandfather founded the Muslim Brotherhood. With his polished French-accented English and insights into Western societies, the photogenic young man was a regular fixture at discussions and debates about Islam and Europe.
By middle age, he had traversed the European academic world, teaching courses on Islamic philosophy and, in his words, emphasizing the points of intersection among Islam, Christianity, and secular European states. Some critics saw something else. They saw double-dealing and sweet-sounding babble masking a deeply radical Islamic ambition and agenda. This caused him some problems, but not many. In fact, it boosted his image in Washington’s and London’s salons.
But then came charges of rape. A blizzard of charges began in 2017. A 45-year-old disabled French convert accused him of rape. Then came four Swiss women. In November 2017, Oxford asked him to leave. When he went to France, he was arrested on rape charges. He was tried, convicted, and sentenced to 18 years in prison. To boot, he has multiple sclerosis, so his stay in a French prison will likely be agonizing. What to make of all this?
            Well, this was the worst possible timing for Ramanda. It coincided with the height of the MeToo movement, when many women were very vocal in their accusations. He faced the same scrutiny and fate as Oscar Wilde. Wilde had an impressive, very literary following. But when the charges and scandal hit, they abandoned him, and Wilde died in genteel poverty in Paris, pathetically alone. Epstein, Maxwell, and others suffered the same fate. Years after his death, Wilde was rediscovered and rehabilitated. But his satire was timeless. It may be that someone will rediscover Ramanda’s writings and find gravitas in them. I doubt it. His message is now worn and unpersuasive. In any case, he will have years to philosophize and reflect on how he treated women who look to him for spiritual guidance.
Medea Benjamin
The final issue is a call to boycott. In this case, the call comes from veteran activist Medea Benjamin. We discussed her on a podcast called Pretty in Pink – Roger Waters and Medea Benjamin. Waters is with Pink Floyd, and Benjamin is with Code Pink. They share a hatred of Israel. She urges Americans to boycott stores that sell Israeli products. Last week, Code Pink sent a circular, “As the Israeli genocide continues to devastate Gaza and the broader Middle East, companies like Trader Joe’s must take a stand. By stocking Israeli products, Trader Joe’s supports a system that perpetuates suffering. Now is the time to act.”
In response, the Zionist Organization of America advises, “Today, go to Trader Joe’s and buy Israeli products to counteract the Trader Joe’s boycott of Israeli products, organized by a group called CODEPINK. If you can’t go in person, contact Trader Joe’s Customer Relations. Let them know how much you appreciate being able to buy products made in Israel.”So, those are your options – boycott or buycott. Our local Trader Joe’s was out of Israeli feta cheese. And that’s too bad. I really wanted some.
This concludes this episode of Jihad and the World. 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. 
 

Hello and welcome to Jihad and the World. This is the second in a series entitled Islamofascism. In this episode, we will cover the origins of the term and the Fascist party. It builds a foundation for future podcasts in which we weave political Islam into Italian fascism to form a new ideology – Islamofascism. So, what are the origins of fascism? What is it?
Fascism is a political philosophy shaped by Italian intellectuals soon after the First World War. In its formative years, fascism blended socialist and authoritarian ideas and offered an avant-garde artistic aesthetic. In literature, Ezra Pound’s Cantos showered praise on the Fascist regime. Pound embraced fascism as a “political religion based on elements of duty, blood, and national sacrifice.” Fascism was anchored in nationalism and a cult of heroism.
The Italian poet and unofficial bard of early fascism, Gabriele d'Annunzio, designed a stark black uniform and proposed the Roman-style salute adopted by the Fascist Party. Beyond his nationalist prose and verse, D’Annunzio distinguished himself as a dashing aviator in war, losing an eye in combat. He was politically active between the world wars and earned the moniker “lyrical dictator,” a title that inspired Mussolini's seizure of power in 1922. Though he fell out of favor with the collapse of the Fascist regime, he is still acclaimed as one of Italy’s greatest poet-novelists.
Early Italian fascism was both futuristic and atavistic. Writer and art critic F.T. Marinetti wrote, “Futurism is a man-made optimism opposed to all chronic pessimisms; it is a continuous dynamism, continuous becoming, and tireless.” Futurism glorified cars, industrial machines, and modern cities, while praising violence as a means of leaving behind imitations of the past and projecting itself most efficiently into the future. Italian fascism also looked backward. While it identified itself with the Roman Empire and rediscovered rural traditions, Marinetti was still appointed to the Italian Academy, which held moonlight in high regard. As we will see in future podcasts, Muslims also look backward to a golden age of Islam. This is the first generation of Muslims. They also look forward to a new golden age as Islam takes root throughout the West.
Political Underpinnings of Fascism
In the 1830s, Giuseppe Mazzini--still revered as one of Italy's founding fathers--saw the individual as less important than the state. Giovanni Gentile denied that democratic ideals had been part of the Risorgimento. Italian fascism was the first fascist dictatorship to seize a European country. It was the first to establish a military liturgy, a folklore, and even a distinctive way of dressing. Italian fascism convinced many European liberal leaders that the new regime was implementing progressive social reforms and offering a mildly revolutionary alternative to the Communist threat. German National Socialism, the Romanian Iron Guard, and the French Nouvelle Droite. Some Muslim intellectuals liked what they saw in fascism, which is the subject of detailed commentary in future podcasts.
Giovanni Gentile defined the term as a spin on the French revolutionary "fraternity" and on Marxist communism. Italian fascism was less totalitarian than Nazism or Soviet communism because it did not control every aspect of society. The regime established in Italy in the 1920s was supposed to operate on behalf of the entire nation in the name of the people. Mussolini tried to keep different social classes and the church happy. As dictator, he had the tools to distribute resources to allies and harm enemies. This became clear when the Depression devastated the Italian economy. Mussolini had his economic policymakers move swiftly in key sectors. FDR looked to Mussolini on several issues.
In 1929, after the Great Depression had hit Germany, an opinion poll of German voters found that, in their view, the greatest statesman of all time, aside from Adolf Hitler, was Benito Mussolini. According to the poll, Mussolini was even more popular than King Frederick the Great of Prussia. This contrasted the Weimar Republic's weakness with the the strutting and beefy Mussolini as a strong and decisive leader who had made Italy great again.
Giovanni Gentile – Father of Fascism
So, who was Giovanni Gentile? He was born on May 30, 1875, in Sicily. He began his university studies in Italian literature and philosophy. Gentile's work focused on education and, secondarily, on policymaking. His dissertation examined native Catholic thinkers and the German Idealists. His second book was a critical examination of Karl Marx. While writing it, Gentile became acquainted with Benedetto Croce. In 1900, Gentile wrote his important essay. In 1906, he became a professor of the history of philosophy at Palermo. In 1917, he moved to the University of Rome.
In 1922, Gentile became minister of education in Benito Mussolini's first Cabinet, where he reformed and reorganized the entire Italian school system. He was the first president of the National Fascist Institute of Culture and remained, for the rest of his life, the regime's most prominent "philosopher of fascism." Gentile wrote numerous books and essays. After Mussolini's fall in 1943, he returned to public life as a supporter of the Fascist Social Republic established by the Germans. He was assassinated by an Italian communist in 1944. His ideas were foundational in developing Italian fascism and Hitler’s National Socialism.
After Italy’s defeat in World War II, younger intellectuals, led by Ugo Spirito, formed the Gentilian "left," which emphasized class struggle over racial or national struggle. Italian Fascism was not entirely totalitarian. There was room for debate on certain elements of socialism, and some freedom in art and literature. The early Italian Futurists were nationalist, but many were very free-spirited; they celebrated speed, dynamic art, masculinity, and youth. Many future intellectuals of the Communist Party were educated by the fascist university students’ association. This drift from fascism to leftism would make political Islam attractive in some circles. It is a recurring theme in many of our podcasts, as you will see. We will begin to define fascism with more granularity in the next podcast on Islamofascism.
To summarize, the term "fascism" was coined by an Italian intellectual soon after World War I. For one generation, it thrived in Italy and elsewhere. After it was discredited and purged from European politics, elements took root in leftist political circles. The hard left expropriated and revised key fascist principles. Some Muslims also adopted key fascist ideas to develop something new. This is Islamofascism.
This concludes this episode of Jihad and the World. It was the second in a series of podcasts focusing on Islamofascism. If you like it, please subscribe and hit the like button. Nothing in this podcast expresses the official position of the United States government. Until our next podcast, on behalf of Kensington Security Consulting, thank you for listening.

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 and welcome to Jihad and the World. 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.