A Year Since October 7: The Erasure of Zionist Jews in the Public Square

By Micah Q. Jones

The world has become a more dangerous place since October 7.

In July, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in an airstrike in Tehran, shortly after Israel killed Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in a targeted airstrike in Beirut. Right before that, a Hezbollah-fired rocket had murdered 12 Druze children — part of a series of 8,000 rockets that Hezbollah has fired at Israel since October 8, 2023.

In the United States, antisemitic forces have advanced with abandon — from taking over college campuses around the country with little, if any, consequences, to assaulting visibly-religious Jews in broad daylight, as well as vandalizing American war memorials and synagogues. The US political scene has also been turbulent, and American Jews have been the victim of a record-number of antisemitic attacks.

Despite these pressing national and international dangers, one threat stands out the most as Jews around the world continue to grapple with the post-October 7th reality: the erasure of Zionist Jews within the public square, particularly within America and the West.

Zionists believe that the Jewish people have the right to self-determination in their ancestral homeland, Eretz Yisrael.

Around the world, Zionist Jews have been targeted with violence, murder, and exclusion from all public and private spaces.

And unlike the threat from Hamas or Hezbollah, this dangerous reality cannot be countered with a targeted airstrike.

Antisemitism and anti-Zionism have spread throughout every corner of daily and professional life, with little to no consequences. Most of the anti-Israel protestors who took over Columbia University’s Hinds Hall in April and blocked pro-Israel and Jewish students from attending class, had their charges dropped by Manhattan District Attorney, Alvin Bragg.

Israeli scientists have been shunned by numerous Western European universities and academics who refuse to engage in collaborative research.

In June, Hamas sympathizers brutally attacked Jews outside the Adas Torah shul in my hometown of Los Angeles. And in July, during Prime Minister Netanyahu’s trip to the US to speak before a joint session of Congress and advocate for Israel’s right to defend herself, a rabid, anti-Israel mob burned American and Israeli flags, vandalized war memorials, attacked police, and graffitied “Hamas is coming” on monuments.

Although some charges were brought against the most violent offenders, the vast majority of these terrorist sympathizers who committed criminal acts were let off the hook, free to commit more crimes against likely Jewish and pro-Israel targets.

These public acts of hatred against pro-Israel supporters and Zionist Jews have deeply personal and negative effects.

Visibly-religious Jews must now make a calculation whether they use public transportation in major US and European cities, lest they be accosted for being openly Jewish.

Israeli and Jewish restaurants have to worry about their stores being vandalized simply because of their heritage.

Pro-Israel students may be denied employment or future educational opportunities by having identified support for Israel on their resume, or because teachers graded them poorly based on their views.

Jewish families may think twice about having a mezuzah on their door or a menorah in their window, for fear of their home being attacked. And any Jew who attends Shabbat services at his synagogue now feels the need to look over his shoulder, or check where the exits are, in case of an active-shooter scenario. (And, of course, there are now armed guards at a large number of synagogues).

Zionist Jews — which, to be clear, are the vast majority of Jews the world over — are put in an even more challenging position when the small minority of anti-Zionist Jews attempt to speak for the Jewish people as a whole, and support those who want to eradicate Israel.

These anti-Zionist Jews have bent the knee to forces that chant genocidal phrases like “From the River to the Sea,” and celebrate Hamas — and sometimes join in the chants.

These anti-Zionist Jews, including groups like Jewish Voice for Peace, believe that they will be spared the same fate as their Zionist brothers and sisters if they provide aid and comfort to terrorist sympathizers.

But the history of the Jewish people has demonstrated time and again that such collaborators will not be spared when the perpetrators of the hate they are supporting inevitably turn on them.

Under this new reality, it is of the utmost importance for Zionist Jews and their allies to do everything in their power to remain present and vocal to prevent the erasure of their place in society.

Mezuzahs should remain on doors, and menorahs in windows. Religious Jews should continue to don their kippahs and tzitzit in public. If and when acts of violence and vandalism occur, the incident should be documented — and the press, police, and politicians should be held accountable via constant engagement and encouragement to prosecute the perpetrators.

Zionist Jews in positions of influence should use their resources to provide scholarships and funding to pro-Israel and Zionist students, so that they can begin their careers, donate to pro-Israel and Zionist political candidates, and fund organizations like mine whose sole focus is to advocate for Israel and the Jewish people.

And for those American Zionist Jews who are legally able, they should strive to meet the requirements for their respective state’s concealed carry weapons permits to become law-abiding firearm owners, in order to ensure that they are able to defend themselves, their families, and their congregations if they are ever violently attacked for being Zionist Jews.

The tide can be turned, and the antisemites and terrorist sympathizers can once again be banished from polite society, when Zionist Jews make clear that they will not be erased.

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Micah Quinney Jones is a publishing Adjunct at The MirYam Institute, a US Army veteran, and a pro-Israel advocate. He is a recipient of the Bronze Star Medal for Meritorious Service. Read full bio here.

Jewish people and their allies need to stand up in the face of renewed hatred

By MICAH QUINNEY JONES

I firmly believe that Israel is the canary in the coal mine, and the forces of ignorance and hate that are attempting to consume Israel, will ultimately turn on the West were they successful.

Over 100 days have passed since the world changed. 

Like my memories of 9/11 when I was 13 years old, I recall exactly where I was and what I was doing when thousands of Hamas terrorists ravaged through Israel committing the most horrific acts of rape and violence.

I remember doom scrolling on my phone, constantly refreshing the news to read what was going on. And at the restaurant that my wife and I went to that evening – as part of a longed -planned date night – I remember not being able to enjoy the meal as all I could think of was the pain and sorrow my fellow Jews were enduring in Israel. 

In the last 100 days, the world has changed for the better and for the worse – although in many ways the worse seems to be much more prominent. The world has changed for the better in that the Jewish community, in both Israel and the Diaspora, has rallied to defend the Land of lsrael.

And freedom-loving people the world over have made small and large contributions in supporting Israel, whether it is American cowboys volunteering to take care of animals and crops on vacated kibbutzim, to a bubbe cooking hundreds of meals a day for IDF troops

The world, too, has changed for the worse as Jew-haters in every part of the globe have been galvanized to attack and demonize Israel and the Jewish people by simultaneously denying the October 7 atrocities ever occurred and wishing they had been even more devastating. Most tragically, it has been over 100 days that the remaining 136 Israeli hostages have endured in hell.

Control what you can control

During these tumultuous times, I have returned to the soldier’s mindset that carried me through US Army schools, my deployment to Afghanistan, law school, and studying for the bar exam: Control what you can control. 

Although while living in my little town north of Boston I am physically far away from the war in Gaza, I, as a proud Jew and Zionist, feel deeply close to what Israeli citizens are enduring on a daily basis because we share the same collective history and experience as Jews. As such, I have tried to do what I can, at my small, individual level to help Israel, the Jewish people, and by association, America and the West. 

At the beginning of the war, I corresponded daily with my dear close friend, Ozni (I have changed his name to protect his identity as he is actively fighting in Gaza with his reserve unit). Ozni and I had attended college together in San Diego, California, and had stayed friends ever since.

We had last seen each other in 2019 when I was in Israel as a MirYam Institute International Law and Policy (I-LAP) delegate. Despite the distance, we have remained good friends for well over a decade and send each other periodic updates regarding our lives and careers. 

When Ozni’s reserve unit was activated, he let me know that he did not have the proper equipment for what would be a likely deployment to Gaza. I was shocked. Having served a year in Afghanistan, I could not imagine Ozni entering Gaza without proper equipment. 

By controlling what I could control, I mobilized my US veteran and Jewish networks to begin procuring gear for Ozni and his reserve unit. This involved relying on the generous volunteer efforts and resources of a myriad of people and nonprofit organizations, including the Israeli-American Council in New England and the MirYam Institute. Family and friends from across the country further contributed in helping ship and purchasing necessary items.

Via this cobbled-together network, my contacts and I were able to raise funds to procure non-controlled items, like multi-tools, knee pads, water reservoirs, and headlamps, that we then sent to Israel. Through the coordination of Ozni’s sister and Benjamin Anthony and Rozita Pnini of the MirYam Institute, crucial equipment was delivered directly to Ozni’s unit.

Although such gear paled in comparison to a Merkava tank round or Iron Dome defensive missile, from my experience as a soldier, I knew that anything that would make Ozni’s life easier – or save him a second in combat – could make the world of difference. 

In reflecting on the last 100 days and steeling myself to the reality that this war will last hundreds of days more, I take pride in the fact that the Jewish community has united. I am also glad that the antisemites have removed their masks because they are now easy to identify.

Going forward, I will continue to do whatever I can – whether it is donating to organizations like the MirYam Institute, procuring more helpful supplies, or standing strong for Israel when speaking with people who may not feel as strongly as I do about the aftermath of October 7 – because we are in a collective moment where Israel, and by association, the Jewish people, are under attack.

I firmly believe that Israel is the canary in the coal mine and the forces of ignorance and hate that are attempting to consume Israel, would ultimately turn on America and the West were they successful.

As a proud American Jew, I stand firmly with Israel and the larger Jewish Diaspora. In facing the void that is the next 100 days, and beyond, I hope to provide as much strength and support to those Israelis and Jews who are being physically attacked – whether by Hamas in Gaza, antisemites in major Western cities, or verbally assaulted in university classrooms and public spaces.

October 7 changed everything. As such, it is up to us, the freedom-loving people of Israel, the United States, and the West, to call for the release of the remaining hostages being held by Hamas – and to meet the forces of Jew-hatred and jihadism in the breach, to ensure that they will be given no quarter. 

Am Yisrael Hai! The people of Israel live!

The writer is an attorney, a United States Army veteran, and a pro-Israel advocate. He is a recipient of the Bronze Star Medal for Meritorious Service. Before attending law school, he served for over five years as a Military Intelligence branch detail Infantry officer in the US Army. He was honorably discharged as a captain in 2016. The majority of his military service was spent in the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division.

American Jews Don’t Get It

By Micah Jones

On Friday, October 6, my wife and I enjoyed Shabbat dinner with our almost-ten-month-old son. This Shabbat was special as it was now the time of year where we could welcome Shabbat a little earlier in the evening, before our son’s bedtime. Even more so, our son was now old enough to sit at the dinner table with us and gaze upon the Shabbat candles and touch the challah as we sang ha-motzi. And most special, was my wife and I blessing our son and being together as a family:

Y’simkha Elohim K’efrayim V’khimenasheh 

May God make you like Ephraim and Menasseh 

Y’varekh’kha Adonai v’yishm’rekha.

Ya’er Adonai panav elekha vhuneka.

Yisa Adonai panav elekha, v’yasem l’kha shalom 

May God Bless you and keep you.

May God’s light shine on you and be gracious to you.

May God’s face be lifted upon you and give you peace.

          As my family and I sat around the dinner table, the holiness of the moment was profound and the sanctity of Shabbat was like a glow that wrapped us closely in its sheltering light. Within our house, in our little town outside of Boston, in the United States of America, my family and I were safe and well, and free to live our lives as Jews without fear of violence or retaliation.  

The same could not be said for Jews in Israel.  

I woke up on Saturday morning, October 7, to news of the unimaginable terror that had descended upon Israel. At the time of this writing, over 700 Israelis had been murdered, many Jews taken hostage, and thousands of rockets fired into Israel’s southern communities. On the fiftieth anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, Hamas had violated the sanctity of Shabbat to launch a surprise attack on Israel, once again plunging the country into chaos. I immediately texted my close Israeli friends whose reserve units had already been activated, as well as my cousin who had recently made Aliyah and was on lockdown in her small town. The situation was chaotic and undoubtedly would be intensifying over the coming days.

As I refreshed my phone for updates, I read that Prime Minister Netanyahu had declared that “Israel was at War.” Undoubtedly the IDF’s response will be substantial and justified, and I hope that Hamas leadership and its forces are eliminated, once and for all.

But as I read the news and received updates from my friends and family, I was overwhelmed by a sense of guilt and shame. There was nothing I could directly do to help my fellow Jews in Israel. My life would not be affected directly. I would spend the weekend with my family, going for walks, enjoying some leisure time, and spending quality moments with my son.

 I was blessed to be a Jew in America.

It is this reality of comfort for American Jews that makes it difficult to comprehend the quotidian reality our fellow Jews experience in Israel. Especially in reform communities, many American Jews cannot comprehend why Israel must act the way it does—whether via its security posture or interactions with its neighbors. American Jews are so comfortable and so privileged in their safety that they cannot fathom that there are genuine forces of evil, like Hamas, that would like nothing more than to murder them simply because they are Jews.  Rather, many American Jews turn a blind eye toward actual Jew hatred, like that spouted by Hamas, or other international actors, like Iran, and instead claim that real antisemitism is that which is found online on X (formerly known as Twitter). 

Although Jew hatred does, occasionally, manifest itself in violence within the United States, as we have seen in the last few years in Pittsburgh and Poway, these incidences are few and far between. American Jews are blessed to live in a philosemitic country where they are welcomed in all aspects of society and government. But Jewish success and integration in America is rare when compared to the history of the Jewish people, and the reality of what Jews face the world over, and especially in Israel.

American Jews are not a monolith. They are not all Zionist, as I am, and many may never have been to Israel. In recent months, many American Jews have been extremely critical (unjustly in my opinion) of the Netanyahu Administration’s judicial reform efforts.  But as American Jews read and watch the news this weekend, I hope that they will take a moment to give thanks for their safety here in America. I hope that they will think of their fellow Jews in Israel who are hiding in bomb shelters with their families. I hope that they will pray for those Jews who have been kidnapped by Hamas and may face fates worse than death. And I hope that we American Jews will offer our support to our brothers and sisters in Israel to ensure that Israel can rebuild and prevent such acts of war by Hamas from ever happening again.

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Micah Quinney Jones is an attorney, a US Army veteran, and a pro-Israel advocate. He is a recipient of the Bronze Star Medal for Meritorious Service. Before attending law school, Micah served for over five years as a Military Intelligence branch detail Infantry officer in the United States Army. He was honorably discharged as a Captain in 2016. The majority of his military service was spent in the Army's 82nd Airborne Division. Read full bio here.

U.S. MILITARY VETERAN MEMORIAL DAY SPEECH.

MirYam Institute Adjunct & U.S. MILITARY VETERAN DISCUSSES MEMORIAL DAY

Antisemitism on the March

By Micah Jones

Over the past few weeks, Jews around the world have been subjected to a significant amount of antisemitism in the form of violence and vitriol. On November 23, in Jerusalem, innocent Jews were attacked, and 16 year old Aryeh Schupak, was murdered, when terrorists detonated bombs during peak commuting hours. At the time of this writing, no terrorist group had claimed responsibility and the murderers were still at large.

Two days earlier, across the world in Brooklyn, New York, members of Israel United in Christ, one of the largest factions of the virulently anti-Semitic Black Hebrew Israelites, held a rally outside of Barclays Center before the National Basketball Association game in which Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving was returning after an approximately month-long suspension. The Black Hebrew Israelites chanted “we are the real Jews” and “time to wake up” as they marched through Brooklyn in support of Kyrie Irving’s reinstatement following his suspension after sharing an antisemitic documentary.

And in my adopted state of Massachusetts, fall out continues from the “Mapping Project”, a Boycott, Divest, and Sanctions (“BDS”) affiliated group, that has provided the names, addresses, and contact information for all Jewish, and pro-Israel organizations within Massachusetts and specifically the greater Boston area. In particular, the Mapping Project declares that Zionism—the belief that Jews have a right to self-determination in their ancestral homeland—is a “harm.” The goal of the Mapping Project is to “dismantle” and “disrupt” these Jewish and pro-Israel organizations. The Mapping Project is silent, however, on how those goals can be achieved.

These three recent examples of Jew hatred should serve as a reminder to Jews the world over that antisemitism, although always present, is very much undergoing a resurgence. And as much as it would be nice to ignore these events and believe that they are anomalies, Jews must understand how each are connected and how we can combat each one. As such, I believe Jews need to focus on three areas to effectively understand and counter the current rise in antisemitism: (1) influence; (2) intersectionality; and (3) anti-Israel and anti-Zionist ideology.

The sheer scope of Kanye West’s and Kyrie Irving’s influence is what makes their antisemitism so dangerous. West and Irving have a combined total of approximately 37 million followers on Twitter. By contrast, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC has approximately 350,000 Twitter followers. Simply put, at any moment West and Irving can connect with over 100 times more people than the DC Holocaust Memorial can.

Each man wields significant influence and can use his respective stardom as a bully pulpit for hate. Furthermore, many of Irving’s and West’s followers are younger individuals who may not have any connection to the World War II generation that lived through the Holocaust and who may not have any historical context regarding the unspeakable tragedies that Jews endured during that time.

Intersectionality is the idea that the world can be divided along lines of “oppressors” and “oppressed” and that there is a “hierarchy of victimhood.” In this twisted world-view, the color of one’s skin is a predominate factor in determining where a person falls on the hierarchy. Generally speaking, individuals who are darker skinned are deemed to be “victims” and “oppressed” by those individuals with lighter skin. Intersectionality, however, lacks depth and historical context as Jews are deemed to be “oppressors” because of the fact that many Ashkenazi Jews historically hail from Europe. Intersectionality, however, ignores the fact that many Jews are from North Africa and the Middle East and have no connection to Europe. Furthermore, intersectionality does not believe that Jews have historically been victims because, especially in certain parts of the United States, Jews have been disproportionately successful despite their small population. This combination of professional success and perceived “whiteness” makes Jews an easy target for groups that are deemed to be “victims.”

Intersectionality connects with the above-mentioned influence factor because, for example, both Irving and West can claim to their followers that they, as “black victims,” are being financially injured by “white, Jewish, oppressors”. As heard during their demonstration, the Black Hebrew Israelites, who have engaged in violence against Jews on multiple occasions, including a violent attack in December 2019 against a kosher market in Jersey City, NJ, genuinely believe that Irving and West have been harmed by Jews. Irving’s and West’s millions of followers may also have reason to believe this slander as well, which only further entrenches this ruthless antisemitism.

Anti-Israel and anti-Zionist ideology, both home and abroad, is the third factor that Jews must be cognizant of and work to counter. The Mapping Project shares a similar mindset to the terrorists who murdered Aryeh Schupak—that Jews have no right to live in their ancestral homeland, Eretz Israel. Although the Mapping Project has not yet called for actual violence against Jews, per say, the fact that it is a BDS affiliate demonstrates that it is sympathetic to those terrorists who do commit violence against Jews. 

Jews, and friends of Jews, can counter the influence of figures like West and Irving by donating to organizations like the MirYam Institute that engage with young leaders in substantive conversations about Israel and countering anti-Semitism. In addition, Jews and allies must pressure legacy and social media outlets and business organizations to reconsider their partnerships with these individuals. Although West and Irving are entitled to say whatever they want via free speech protections, they should not be rewarded for doing so. Their sponsorships should be cut, their Tweets downvoted, and their ideas consistently called out and debunked in the public square.

Regarding intersectionality, Jews must realize that this left-wing ideology is fundamentally dangerous to the Jewish people. Jews must reject this world view in academic and social circles. School board members that embrace such beliefs should be voted out during elections and Jews should not financially support organizations that agree that intersectionality should be taught in schools.

Jews must also realize that anti-Israel and anti-Zionist ideology is inherently antisemitic and can lead to actual violence against Jews both home and abroad. Jews can counter this ideology by treating anti-Israel and anti-Zionist rhetoric the same as they would when they hear antisemitic bile. In addition, Jews must take these threats and ideologies seriously. This means hiring security for temple services and day-school classes. It means being vigilant for active threats and internalizing a mindset of action to actively counter and subdue any physical attack.

In understanding that antisemitism is once again on the march, Jews will be better prepared to meet it in the breach and ensure that it does not metastasize into a larger threat.

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Micah Quinney Jones is an attorney, a US Army veteran, and a pro-Israel advocate. He is a recipient of the Bronze Star Medal for Meritorious Service. Before attending law school, Micah served for over five years as a Military Intelligence branch detail Infantry officer in the United States Army. He was honorably discharged as a Captain in 2016. The majority of his military service was spent in the Army's 82nd Airborne Division. Read full bio here.

Jews must take responsibility for their own security

By Micah Jones

Thankfully, the January 15 hostage situation at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas, ended as it should have: With terrorist Malik Faisal Akram killed and all hostages, including Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker, freed unharmed. Akram was demanding the release of Aafia Siddiqui, colloquially known as “Lady Al Qaeda,” a Pakistani neuroscientist who is currently serving an 86-year sentence for the attempted murder of FBI and US Army personnel.  Siddiqui is a notorious antisemite, who declared that she did not want anyone with a “Zionist or Israeli background,” on her jury. Following her conviction, she stated that “this is a verdict coming from Israel and not from America. That’s where the anger belongs.”

Despite the FBI’s initial reluctance to clearly describe the Congregation Beth Israel hostage situation as a deliberate attack on Jews, Akram’s evil intent was obvious to Jews the world over. Akram chose to attack Congregation Beth Israel, on Shabbat, because he knew that he would encounter Jews. And despite many recent efforts by American Jews to distance themselves from Israel, Akram did not make such a distinction.  He, like violent extremists the world over, views Jews as a collective scourge that must be eliminated. In the minds of terrorists like Akram and Siddiqi,  Jews are Jews regardless of their political beliefs or where they live.

Although thankfully ending without the murder of innocent Jews, Saturday’s events in Colleyville were a grim reminder of the increased antisemitic events that have taken place over the last few years here in America and abroad.  According to the Anti-Defamation League’s (“ADL”) “Audit of Antisemitic Incidents,” the most recent data from 2020 details that there were “2,024 reported antisemitic incidents throughout the country.” Moreover, this was the “third-highest year on record since ADL began tracking antisemitic incidents in 1979.” From Pittsburgh to Poway, the last few years have involved horrific acts of violence against the American Jewish community. And, of course, the ADL’s report does not include the terrible attacks against Israeli Jews who, this past May 2021, endured nearly two weeks of incessant rocket fire from the radical terrorist group Hamas.  

The ADL’s data demonstrates that Jews are a hated people. This is a fact that, thankfully, has been allowed to be momentarily forgotten in such philosemitic societies such as the modern-day United States. But antisemitism is a pernicious and insidious force that rears its ugly head in every generation. No amount of education and advocacy will ever eliminate antisemitism, such hatred is too entrenched. Therefore, Saturday’s events, and the ADL’s data, reinforce the mindset that I have long believed: Jews must be responsible for their own safety and security.

Jewish places of worship and community must make themselves hard targets. This means that they should have both armed security, as well as encourage those congregation members with the appropriate training and credentials to be a part of that security apparatus. This may include congregation members with the appropriate state-issued licenses to conceal carry firearms during services or to participate in emergency preparedness drills with the security team. 

Communication and planning are paramount to ensure that all members of the congregation or community understand what to do in an emergency.  This takes more than lip service. It requires rehearsals. Most of all, there must be a mindset change and a realization that law enforcement response time will likely be slow. The Jewish community or congregation must assume that no one will come to rescue them, and must be prepared to protect themselves at all costs.

Such a mindset change does not eliminate the ability for the Jewish congregation or community to be welcoming and loving to the outside world.  So much of what makes Judaism special — the rich community ties, the tradition, and the hope to improve the world — can still exist, and perhaps increase more, through a congregation or community that knows how to protect itself. Through increased training and readiness, Jewish communities and congregations ensure that they will be able to react quickly and effectively if an emergency arises. By changing their mindset to one of preparedness, Jewish communities and congregations ensure that they will continue to be there for future generations and not become the next Poway, Pittsburgh, or Colleyville. 

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Micah Quinney Jones is an attorney, a US Army veteran, and a pro-Israel advocate. He is a recipient of the Bronze Star Medal for Meritorious Service. Before attending law school, Micah served for over five years as a Military Intelligence branch detail Infantry officer in the United States Army. He was honorably discharged as a Captain in 2016. The majority of his military service was spent in the Army's 82nd Airborne Division. Read full bio here.

Reflections on Veterans Day

By Micah Jones

This Veterans Day has a particular weight that I have not felt in years past. Normally a day for me to think of my relatives’, friends’, and my own service to the country, this Veterans Day is particularly significant for two reasons: (1) it marks the first year in which I have been a Veteran longer than I have been on active duty; and (2) it has viscerally reminded me of the importance of what it means to serve in the wake of the United States’ catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan and our betrayal of our Afghan and NATO allies.

I was honorably discharged as a Captain in June 2016, having served just over five years as an active-duty U.S. Army military intelligence branch detail infantry officer. I loved my time in the Army and I truly appreciated the opportunity to serve. Following in the footsteps of my grandfathers and father, I was proud to continue the family lineage of military service to the United States of America. In serving in the Army, I learned what it was like to be humbled, to suffer, and to overcome challenges that I would have previously viewed as unconquerable. In truly internalizing what it meant to put my fellow soldiers before myself, my military service made me a better civilian, a better husband, a better son, and a better man. To now have been a civilian longer than I was an active-duty soldier is a reminder that I will always carry those hard-earned lessons with me, no matter what my future endeavors may be.

This Veterans Day is also a reminder that one’s service does not cease when he takes off the uniform. The mindset of selfless service – and the importance of helping others – that so many other Veterans and I forged during our time in the military, is one that I will keep with me for the rest of my life. For the last two months, countless other Veterans and I have put that mindset to the test as we have been actively involved in helping our former Afghan allies and their families escape horrific fates from the Taliban. As I am still actively assisting a former Afghan colleague, I cannot go into much detail about my own personal involvement, but I can say that I have been working since mid-August in the Veterans’ network helping Afghan refugees. 

Never have I been so simultaneously disappointed in my country and so proud of my fellow Veterans as I have been since the United States of America’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. I believe that there was an unfathomable failure of leadership at the highest levels of the Pentagon, Department of State, and the White House, as we abandoned hundreds of Americans, deserted our Afghan allies, sold nearly 20 million Afghan women into lives of sexual slavery, and caused 13 U.S. service members to be murdered by ISIS-K.  But the Veterans network that I was so fortunate to be a part of demonstrated the warrior ethos of doing our best to not leave anyone behind.  From group chats providing the latest reports of what was happening on the ground in Kabul, to consoling each other during 3:00 a.m. phone calls when the horror of what was transpiring was too much to bear, the Veterans’ network was united in its mutual support and strength. 

No matter the branch of service, and no matter whether we all agreed on the nuances of the issues, the collective Veterans’ network was there for each other because we all shared a mutual understanding of what it was like to have served.  We knew that we were doing what we had been trained to do: to help those less fortunate and to represent the best values of our country. 

As I reflect on this Veterans Day, I will think of my family, friends, and fellow service members who have donned the uniform of one of the branches of the U.S. military in service to the nation.  Most of all, I will think of the Veterans who have continued to do everything they can in order to help Afghans and allies in need, as well as each other.  At a time in which the country can feel like it is at an inflection point, and coming apart at the seams, my fellow Veterans give me hope in the future of America because they know that no matter our differences, it is our common strength and identity as a nation that will carry the day.

So to my fellow Veterans on this Veterans Day 2021, thank you for your service to the country we love.

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Micah Quinney Jones is an attorney, a US Army veteran, and a pro-Israel advocate. He is a recipient of the Bronze Star Medal for Meritorious Service. Before attending law school, Micah served for over five years as a Military Intelligence branch detail Infantry officer in the United States Army. He was honorably discharged as a Captain in 2016. The majority of his military service was spent in the Army's 82nd Airborne Division. Read full bio here.

PODCAST: America Withdraws from Afghanistan, US Army Veterans Analyze and Opine

Afghan Veterans and MirYam Contributors and Adjuncts Weigh In

I Served in Afghanistan. This US Policy Is Disgraceful.

By Micah Jones

By the time this piece is published, the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan will be complete. In seeing the images of Taliban fighters riding in stolen American vehicles, Afghans waiting in line at government passport offices hoping to flee the country, and US Army helicopters evacuating diplomatic personnel, I have been overwhelmed with emotion over the complete and utter waste that has occurred following America’s disastrous withdrawal.  Besides the incomprehensible human suffering that will undoubtedly unfold, particularly for Afghan women and minorities, I am disgusted by the damage that America’s retreat has already done to the United States’ credibility among both its allies and enemies alike.

I served in Afghanistan from September 2014 to September 2015. I initially worked as an intelligence advisor to the Afghan Ground Forces Command, before being interviewed and selected to be the aide to the brigadier general in charge of NATO’s Rule of Law mission. In this role, I was a given a privileged view of the war effort. From weekly meetings with the US Ambassador to Afghanistan, to discussions with the Afghan Vice President, to briefings with four-star generals, I had the opportunity to be the fly on the wall in the rooms where the decisions were truly being made. Most importantly, I had the opportunity to work with dozens of dedicated and patriotic Afghans who wanted nothing more than to improve their country. I came to know Afghanistan, Kabul, and the Afghan people intimately well.

Returning home from that year-long deployment, I came away with the understanding that America was likely not going to ever have a decisive victory against the Taliban. Nevertheless, I left Afghanistan truly believing that America, and its NATO allies, were genuinely improving the lives of the Afghan people. Most importantly, I believed that our continued presence in Afghanistan had been successful in preventing the Taliban and Al Qaeda from ever being strong enough to recreate a 9/11-level attack on American soil. Finally, I believed that American bases in Afghanistan gave us broad force projection throughout a dangerous and chaotic part of the world. With borders to China and Iran, American bases in Afghanistan gave the United States strategic leverage to push back against those nefarious actors.

I am someone who firmly believes that America is a force for good in the world. When the United States retreats, the world becomes a darker place. And when it is not American and Western values being shared in an area or projected throughout the world, it is someone else’s, who is likely reprehensible and antithetical to everything we believe in.

With thousands of American troops currently stationed throughout the word, including Japan, Germany, and Korea, I do not believe that it was a heavy lift to maintain a minimum number of troops in Afghanistan. With no combat deaths since 2020, the American mission in Afghanistan had essentially become a peace keeping mission in which the price to pay was small when compared to the dangers that could arise following an ill-timed, and unprepared exit.

Tragically, that is exactly what has happened and what we are collectively watching in real time. The Biden Administration’s complete and utter lack of preparation to facilitate a strategic withdrawal is evident as the Taliban have run roughshod over the country, taking over many provincial capitals in a matter of days. Even worse, America now looks like a paper tiger. We have lost credibility amongst both our allies and enemies.

For our allies, why would anyone risk their life, literally, to work with future American endeavors? Yes, the United States is attempting to bring many Afghan interpreters and civilians who aided the 20 year war-effort back to US soil, but many thousands more will be left behind. I do not trust for one moment that the Taliban will treat them well. Furthermore, why would America’s allies the world over trust us to back them up if they were to go to war? Why would Taiwan now think that the United States would be a credible foil to China? Why would Israel believe that America would back it against Iranian aggression? Those countries would not be wrong for having second thoughts about America’s commitment.

We have also lost all credibility with our enemies. The lesson here is that if you wait out the United States long enough, Americans will cut and run.  It also demonstrates to America’s truly strategic enemies of Russia, China, and Iran, that if America does not have the will to defend its interests in a country where it has all available assets, what stomach, if any, will it have in preventing those nations from exerting more control over their own spheres of influence? China will likely fill the vacuum that we have created, thus extending its authoritarian regime over an even greater portion of the world.

The feeling of disgust that I have in the United States withdrawal in Afghanistan will never go away. But for my generation of veterans who served, and for those of us who will eventually be in positions of power and influence, I hope that we never forget these images and this moment in history so that we do not make these same mistakes in the future. I hope that we never forget the good that we did for so many Afghan people. I hope we never forget our friends who were killed in service to protect the United States of America from future terrorist attacks. And I hope that we never forget that America is a force for good.

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Micah Quinney Jones is an attorney, a US Army veteran, and a pro-Israel advocate. He is a recipient of the Bronze Star Medal for Meritorious Service. Before attending law school, Micah served for over five years as a Military Intelligence branch detail Infantry officer in the United States Army. He was honorably discharged as a Captain in 2016. The majority of his military service was spent in the Army's 82nd Airborne Division. Read full bio here.

The Biden Administration’s Foreign Policy Will Have Dangerous Consequences for America, Israel, and the West

By Micah Jones

In less than six months, the Biden Administration’s foreign policy has harmed America’s strategic reach, trust with Israel, and the values of Western nations. Each of these realities is demonstrated by a recent event: (1) the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, (2) the leaking of conversations between former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif regarding covert Israeli military actions in Syria, and (3) current US Secretary of State Antony Blinken being insulted on U.S. soil during U.S.-China diplomatic talks in Anchorage, Alaska.

Beginning with the withdrawal of American military forces in Afghanistan, the U.S. will force an abrupt end to the longest war in the nation’s history. Nearly 20 years to the day that American forces entered Afghanistan to topple the Taliban, the U.S. will aim to withdraw all troops by September 11, 2021. This is a disastrous, short-sighted, decision. Not only will the sudden withdrawal provide little consolation for America’s extreme sacrifice of blood and treasure, it will leave the tenuous, NATO-backed, government in Kabul in the crosshairs of a resurgent Talban. Once American forces withdraw, there will be no bulwark to withstand the onslaught of violence that will likely spiral the country into a sectarian civil war. The tenuous, hard-fought, gains for women and minorities will be immediately erased as Islamist forces quickly regain control.

 Not only will this American troop withdrawal hurt the Afghan people, it will also threaten America’s strategic and military reach within a critical area of the globe. U.S. bases in Afghanistan provide the American military with significant force projection throughout all of the Middle East and Central Asia. This is a region that is growing more chaotic as Russia, Iran, and Turkey rattle their sabers. The removal of U.S. troops will create a void that will be filled with the very forces that America and its allies spent 20 years fighting.

 The Biden Administration’s foreign policy has also harmed the U.S.-Israeli relationship. In April, The New York Times reported on a leaked audio recording from an interview with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. Apparently intended for Iranian-only channels, the recording included an astonishing portion in which Mr. Zarif discussed how former Secretary of State John Kerry had told him about nearly 200 covert Israeli operations in Syria. Later news confirmed, contrary to assertions by Mr. Kerry, now the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, that the information was not public when he told it to Mr. Zarif.

This revelation is devastating for the U.S.-Israel relationship. Israel will now be less likely to share sensitive material with the Biden Administration. In deflecting blame from Mr. Kerry, the Biden Administration also seems to indicate that it will not publicly-support Israel’s legitimate concerns about the dangers of the Iranian regime. Such stances will hurt both countries as important information may be kept secret when it could be beneficial for their mutual security interests. 

            Finally, the hegemony of Western nations will be tested as the Biden Administration concedes American global leadership to China. This retreat was demonstrated in March when U.S. and Chinese diplomatic envoys met in Anchorage, Alaska. After Secretary of State Blinken presented his opening remarks, he was excoriated by Yang Jiechi, a high-ranking Chinese government official. Mr. Yang criticized America’s democratic institutions and alleged that America was no longer fit to lead the world as it engaged in imperialism abroad and had racial unrest at home. Rather than forcefully rebuke Mr. Yang and the Chinese delegation, perhaps citing China’s failure to contain COVID-19 or condemning it for its internment of Uighur Muslims, Mr. Blinken took a conciliatory tone. 

Such an episode cannot be understated. The Chinese delegation did more than insult America on American soil. By criticizing America’s democratic institutions and foreign policy, it attacked the liberal values of the free world. When America did not confront this slander, China pushed itself closer to its desired position as the next superpower to dictate global affairs. But unlike America and the West, China’s worldview is one that would crush dissent, imprison minorities, and force an authoritarian regime upon formerly free peoples.

In these three episodes, the Biden Administration has demonstrated that it will not stand up for its allies or the values it holds dear. If it continues down this path, the consequences will be devastating for America, Israel, and the West. As liberalism the world over recedes, authoritarianism will take its place.

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Micah Quinney Jones is an attorney, a US Army veteran, and a pro-Israel advocate. He is a recipient of the Bronze Star Medal for Meritorious Service. Before attending law school, Micah served for over five years as a Military Intelligence branch detail Infantry officer in the United States Army. He was honorably discharged as a Captain in 2016. The majority of his military service was spent in the Army's 82nd Airborne Division. Read full bio here.

THE CAPITOL INSURECTION WILL DAMAGE AMERICAN SOFT POWER AND HARM THE US-ISRAEL RELATIONSHIP

By Micah Jones

During my year-long tour in Kabul, Afghanistan, I served as the military aide to the U.S. Army Brigadier General in charge of NATO’s Rule of Law Mission. I joined the general in every high-level meeting with Afghan, U.S., and International VIPs as we tried to establish a viable rule of law system in a country that had none. Although we failed in our overall mission, we did make incremental progress, much of which was due to our ability to cite our own democratic institutions and the consistent, peaceful, transfers of power following our elections.

Deployed to a country that, for centuries, had relied on tribal affiliations and warlords, the ability to contrast the Afghan system with the American one gave our mission clout.

In watching the riotous mob of Trump-supporters and far-right extremists storm the United States Capitol on Wednesday, January 6, 2021, I thought of how impossible that same Rule of Law mission now seemed. Yes, we could cite how the House and Senate reconvened to certify the electoral votes, or how order was restored within a matter of hours, but the glaring stain on American democratic institutions and values would be hard to conceal.

The moral authority that U.S. foreign policy could leverage in a place like Afghanistan had become far more difficult now that warlords and tyrants the world over could point to the Banana Republic-like images of the U.S. Capitol being overrun. 

Beyond the irrevocable damage to American soft power, the mob’s actions may also harm the relationship between the United States and Israel. In the wake of the Capitol Insurrection, there will be significant momentum to overturn everything affiliated with the Trump Administration. Anything that might bolster President Trump’s legacy will face a reckoning. And this retribution will likely be done with a sledgehammer rather than a scalpel. Unfortunately, this purge may do away with some of the historic achievements that the Trump Administration facilitated in the Middle East.

From recognizing the Golan Heights to defending Israeli settlements to presiding over the Abraham Accords, President Trump was incredibly pro-Israel. Trump’s support for Israel, however, may prove to be a curse as the US-Israel relationship may be viewed as a relic from a time that the new Biden-Harris administration must reconstruct. 

Because the vast majority of American Jews are members of the Democratic party, and Israel still has majority bi-partnership support in Congress, this damage to the US-Israel relationship may not be immediate. That said, support for Israel in the US is rapidly becoming a divisive and partisan issue. Israel is anathema to the values of the progressive Left, made amply clear by the most vocal members of the Democratic party who have not been censured despite spouting anti-Semitic and anti-Israel tropes. Coupled with the rise of Critical Social Justice ideologies within academic and governmental institutions, the false notion that Israel is a racist, oppressive, settler-colonial State is only gaining more transaction amongst younger Americans and American Jews.

Following the Capitol Insurrection, my fear is that the mainstream media’s unfair, but likely, equating of all conservatives and Trump supporters as equivalent to the thugs who ransacked the Capitol will lead to less bi-partisan support for Israel. Based on the mob’s actions, many Americans who did not have an opinion about the U.S.-Israel relationship may now view support for Israel as affiliation with a “toxic” Trump Administration. 

With full control of the Executive and Legislative branches and significant momentum to purge the Trump Administration’s policies and executive orders, robust U.S. support for Israel may dwindle. The Biden Administration has already signaled interest to rejoin the “Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action,” colloquially known as the “Iran Deal.” Furthermore, with the progressive Left emboldened and ascendant, and the Republican party in disarray, there will be no check on the most radical voices of the Democratic party when it comes to challenging continued US support for Israel. Withholding of foreign aid, sanctions on Israeli-settlements, and the lack of support in international bodies like the UN may become the prelude to the new American-Israeli relationship. 

The fall-out from the Capitol Insurrection will not be fully known in the immediate future. But what transpired on January 6, 2021 will have ramifications for years, if not decades to come for American soft power and the U.S.-Israel relationship.

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Micah Quinney Jones is an attorney, a US Army veteran, and a pro-Israel advocate. He is a recipient of the Bronze Star Medal for Meritorious Service. Before attending law school, Micah served for over five years as a Military Intelligence branch detail Infantry officer in the United States Army. He was honorably discharged as a Captain in 2016. The majority of his military service was spent in the Army's 82nd Airborne Division.

“The Jury Is Still Out:” Uncertainty Concerning Whether A Future Biden-Harris Administration Will Improve The US-Israel Relationship

By Micah Jones

In the days leading up to the 2020 presidential election, the MirYam Institute hosted a debate titled: “Which Presidential Ticket Is Best for the US-Israel Relationship?” At the debate’s conclusion, the Biden-Harris ticket was declared the winner. Perhaps this was prescient, as Biden and Harris went on to win the November 3 election. 

The future Biden administration will usher in a new era of American governance and politics. Although this proposed agenda seems popular amongst one-half of the American public, I, nevertheless, remain skeptical as to whether the Biden administration will be the best for the US-Israel relationship. My skepticism stems from the Biden campaign’s recent actions and the embrace by some in the Democratic Party of ideologies that view Israel as an “oppressor” state. 

Over the summer, some in the Biden campaign reportedly privately apologized to former Women’s March leader Linda Sarsour following public condemnation of her anti-Israel rhetoric. At the beginning of November 2020, it was reported that the Palestinian Authority established direct lines of communication with the Biden campaign -- though this has never been confirmed. Most troubling, Kamala Harris’ chief of staff, Karine Jean-Pierre, stated this summer that Democratic candidates had “made the right call” in boycotting the annual AIPAC conference.Jean-Pierre declared that AIPAC’s values “[were] not progressive.” Although none of these actions by the campaign are determinative of the future Biden-Harris administration’s policies, they indicate that the US-Israel relationship may become much less amicable than in previous administrations.   

Biden has called for unity and renewed cooperation with historic American allies. But the skeptic in me does not believe that such rhetoric or policy will apply to the State of Israel. The far-left of the Democratic Party has embraced the collective ideologies of “Critical Race Theory,” “intersectionality,” identity politics, and “wokeness.” Although each of these ideologies warrants its own unique discussion, there is significant overlap in their respective world view. In short, these ideologies divide the world into “oppressors” and “oppressed,” predominantly along the distinctions of race and class. These ideologies believe that “white people” occupy the positions of oppressors within the United States and the West. “Black, brown, and indigenous peoples” are viewed as being oppressed victims at the mercy of the oppressor class. And, as it turns out, Jews do not fit neatly into this bifurcated framework.

At first glance, it should appear that Jews would clearly fall within the victim category. After all, Jews have been oppressed for millennia. But in the world view of the radical left, Jews are not victims, but rather members of the oppressor class. Their perceived economic success within the United States, and the presumed but wrong belief that all Jews are of Ashkenazi heritage, places Jews at the apex of the oppressor hierarchy. 

With no knowledge of, or exposure to, Mizrahi, Ethiopian, or Sephardic Jews, the charge of “all Jews are white” allows Jews to be collectively grouped into the previously-stated oppressor class. These assertions are then further supported by the Palestinians being portrayed as victims within the mainstream media narrative. 

Although Biden may not personally believe in these ideologies, there is a substantial portion of the progressive-wing of the Democratic Party that does. A Biden-Harris administration may claim to be able to control or stymie the most radical voices in the party, but I remain doubtful.  

These ideologies are powerful, ascendant, and demanding to be heard. And coupled with the Biden campaign's recent interaction with various anti-Israel groups, they resonate that much more clearly. At the present moment, however, the potential Biden-Harris administration seems intent on maintaining bipartisan support for Israel. Whether that view is able to hold remains uncertain. 

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Micah Quinney Jones is an attorney, a US Army veteran, and a pro-Israel advocate. He is a recipient of the Bronze Star Medal for Meritorious Service. Before attending law school, Micah served for over five years as a Military Intelligence branch detail Infantry officer in the United States Army. He was honorably discharged as a Captain in 2016. The majority of his military service was spent in the Army's 82nd Airborne Division.