Email from Counter Extremism Project (CEP) ISIS, Iran escalating global campaign against Jews, Israel spy chief says Eye on Extremism December 22, 2025   Top Stories Jewish Insider: State Dept. nominee espoused antisemitic views, downplayed the Holocaust Jeremy Carl, a Trump administration nominee for a senior position at the State Department, has expressed a range of derogatory views of the Jewish community, characterizing in writings and public interviews the community as holding a victim mentality, downplaying the significance of the Holocaust to the Jewish story and experience, musing about the need to address the what he called the “Jewish Question” and characterizing Jews as religiously incorrect and in need of conversion. Fox News: ISIS, Iran escalating global campaign against Jews, Israel spy chief says Israel’s national intelligence chief warns that Iran, ISIS and other jihadist actors remain determined to target Jews worldwide, as senior intelligence officials sound the alarm on a sharp global rise in terrorism. Speaking days after the Hanukkah massacre in Australia, Mossad Director David Barnea said Israel’s spy agency would find "those who sent them wherever they flee, and we will hold them to account," adding that "justice will be done and justice will be seen."   CEP's ARCHER at House 88 The Auschwitz Research Centre on Hate, Extremism and Radicalization (ARCHER) at House 88 is sited at the former residence of Rudolf Höss, Commandant of the Auschwitz concentration and death camp from 1940-1944. We will transform it into a unique symbol of the fight against antisemitism, extremism, and terrorism. Follow ARCHER at House 88 on X, Facebook, and Instagram to stay updated on our progress.   CEP Mentions The Guardian: Extremists are using AI voice cloning to supercharge propaganda. Experts say it’s helping them grow “The creator of the audiobook has previously released similar AI content; however, Siege has a more notorious history,” said Joshua Fisher-Birch, a terrorism analyst at the Counter Extremism Project, “due to its cultlike status among some in the online extreme right, promotion of lone actor violence, and being required reading by several neo-Nazi groups that openly endorse terrorism and whose members have committed violent criminal acts”. Analysis Jewish Insider: The conservative movement’s Gen Z problem That’s the unmistakable takeaway from a weekend filled with shocking developments surrounding the views of young conservatives, punctuated by a Turning Point USA conference that turned into a proxy war between mainstream voices led by Ben Shapiro, looking to create guardrails against antisemites and conspiracy theorists within the MAGA movement, against a growing cadre of bad-faith right-wing influencers leading the charge to embrace extremist voices into the conservative coalition. United States Times of Israel: Leading GOP senator: Hamas must be given deadline to disarm or face renewed war Hamas must be given a deadline for relinquishing its weapons, after which Israel will have a green light to return to combat operations across the Gaza Strip, US Senator Lindsey Graham told The Times of Israel on Sunday. “Put them on the clock,” said the South Carolina Republican, speaking from a Tel Aviv hotel. “If they don’t disarm in a credible way, then unleash Israel on ’em.” The Guardian: Neo-Nazi terror group steps up US operations as FBI pulls back Amid high-profile arrests in its Spanish cell, the American-born and designated neo-Nazi terrorist group the Base – once a major preoccupation of FBI counter-terrorism efforts – has all but faded from US headlines. But a flurry of online activities shows the group is still active stateside and considers the US an operational nerve center. Headed by Rinaldo Nazzaro, an ex-Pentagon contractor turned alleged Russian intelligence asset, the Base has been busy of late pursuing European expansion: besides its heavily armed members in Spain, its Ukrainian wing is linked to multiple acts of terrorism inside of the country and claimed the high-profile July assassination of an intelligence officer in Kyiv. Times of Israel: Vance: Almost no Americans are antisemitic, real issue is ‘backlash’ to US policy on Israel US Vice President JD Vance claimed in an interview on Sunday that almost no Americans are antisemitic and that concerns about antisemitic voices are raised as a way to avoid discussing “a real backlash to a consensus view in American foreign policy” on Israel. In the interview with the publication Unherd, Vance also downplayed concerns about Nick Fuentes, the popular far-right antisemitic podcaster, and said that Christianity is “very much at the heart” of America’s common culture. Homeland Security Today: Man Indicted on Terrorism and Arson Charges After Train Passenger Attack and Chicago City Hall Fire A federal grand jury in Chicago has indicted a man on terrorism and arson charges for allegedly lighting a passenger on fire on a Chicago Transit Authority train and setting fire to Chicago City Hall three days earlier. The indictment against LAWRENCE REED, 50, of Chicago, was returned on Wednesday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The charges in the indictment are punishable by a maximum sentence of life in federal prison. AZ Central: Far-right figure Nick Fuentes is a hot topic at AmericaFest in AZ On the first night of Turning Point’s sold-out AmericaFest conference in Phoenix, Nicky Rudd stood in a packed ballroom and asked Ben Shapiro about something that happened 58 years ago. The 23-year-old Baylor University student was talking about the USS Liberty incident of 1967, when Israel’s military attacked a U.S. Navy ship in the Mediterranean Sea and killed 34 crew members. Jerusalem Post: 'Eat s***': JD Vance hits out at Nick Fuentes over racial slurs hurled at wife Usha US Vice President JD Vance condemned white nationalist Nick Fuentes and his supporters, saying, “anyone who attacks my wife… can eat s***,” and argued that Fuentes’s influence on the Right is overstated in an interview with UnHerd on Monday. Jewish Insider: AJC CEO calls for Jewish organizations to unify over communal security Following the terrorist attack at a Sydney, Australia, Hanukkah event in which 15 people were killed, American Jewish Committee CEO Ted Deutch said that it is critical for Jewish communal organizations to join together around a campaign to protect the Jewish community worldwide and win over allies in that fight. Jewish Insider: Senate Appropriations Committee proposes $330 million for nonprofit security grants Senate Appropriations Committee Republicans, in a long-delayed Homeland Security funding bill released on Friday, proposed a modest increase in funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program to $330 million. The program was funded at $274.5 million in 2025 — not counting supplemental funds included in the 2024 national security supplemental bill. The Senate’s proposed increase comes in far below the $500 million to $1 billion that Jewish community advocates and supporters of the program on Capitol Hill have called for. Jewish Telegraphic Agency: Jewish group calls for resignation of California mayor who spread antisemitic Bondi Beach conspiracy theories The Jewish Community Relations Council of the Bay Area is calling for the resignation of a local mayor who reposted conspiracy theories to his Linkedin account that claimed the Bondi Beach attack on a Hanukkah celebration was a “false flag” perpetrated by Israel. “When an elected official’s words and actions make a segment of the community feel unsafe and abandoned by their government, that official can no longer effectively serve,” the group said in a statement. Jewish Telegraphic Agency: StopAntisemitism names Tucker Carlson ‘Antisemite of the Year’ as 2024 winner Candace Owens ramps up anti-Jewish rhetoric The activist group StopAntisemitism has awarded the conservative personality Tucker Carlson its ignominious honor of “Antisemite of the Year,” citing his frequent invocation of classic antisemitic stereotypes. The announcement comes as Carlson sits at the center of controversy on the American right about whether extremists should be welcomed in the Republican Party. It also marks the second year in a row that StopAntisemitism has selected a right-wing figure for its accolade, after years of awarding the mantle to mostly left-wing figures. Jewish Telegraphic Agency: Federal attorneys leave Trump’s UC antisemitism investigation en masse, alleging ‘sham’ process Nine federal prosecutors, including at least one Jew, recently resigned from the Justice Department over what they described as the Trump administration’s “fraudulent” handling of its ongoing antisemitism investigation targeting the University of California system. Speaking to the Los Angeles Times last week, the attorneys described an “unserious” and “sham” investigation fueled primarily by Trump’s desire for retribution against higher education and increasingly untethered to legal standing. Times of Israel: Bloomingdale’s said to fire employee for ‘Free Palestine’ note in Hanukkah pajamas American department store Bloomingdale’s was reported this week to have fired an employee who placed a note reading “Free Palestine” into a package containing Hanukkah-themed pajamas. A woman named Arielle Harris posted a video on TikTok last week, revealing that she received the note when she opened the pajamas — decorated with Stars of David and Hanukkiahs — which were gifted to her by her boyfriend. Canada Global News: One of Canada’s first convicted terrorists shows ‘no signs of de-radicalization’ A Moroccan terrorist convicted in Quebec almost two decades ago has been denied parole in a decision that said he had no remorse and continued to legitimize violence. Said Namouh, 52, remains a “significant, indeed concerning, risk,” despite having been behind bars since 2007, according to the Parole Board of Canada. Burlington Today: Toronto man, 26, arrested on terrorism charges, accused of working with ISIS A joint police operation has resulted in three arrests and over 80 charges, including terrorism charges against one Toronto man. The RCMP revealed Friday that Waleed Khan, 26, was arrested on Nov. 26 and charged with providing support for the Islamic State group, or ISIS, which is a designated terrorist organization in Canada. CBC: ‘The Nazis were right': What the leaders of Canada’s biggest ‘nationalist’ group really want The leaders of the country’s biggest white nationalist group believe that “the Nazis were right,” that a violent “race war” for Canada’s future is underway and that non-white people should be deported en masse “at gunpoint,” according to an analysis by the CBC’s visual investigations unit. Germany Times of Israel: Maccabi Tel Aviv fined $23,000 over fans’ ‘racist’ behavior in Stuttgart European soccer’s governing body has handed Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv a €20,000 ($23,416) fine and could institute a one-game ban on selling tickets to an away match due to fans’ behavior at a recent European fixture. The penalties were announced in a statement by UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body on Wednesday. The Sun: GENDER FURY Neo-Nazi who changed gender after committing crimes now applies to become non-binary after being sent to women’s jail A NEO-NAZI who changed gender after being convicted and avoided being sent to a men’s prison has now applied to become non-binary. Marla-Svenja Liebich, previously known as Sven, submitted a new request to change gender status after previously registering as a woman ahead of sentencing in Germany. Spain Reuters: Far-right surge in western Spain shapes outcome of regional election Spain's far-right Vox party doubled its seats in the Extremadura region in Sunday's election, complicating coalition talks with poll leaders the conservative People's Party and highlighting its strength ahead of other regional votes next year. The Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez lost 10 seats in the 65-seat assembly, continuing a downward trend from 2023, when it tied with the People's Party (PP), which took office with Vox's backing. United Kingdom NPR: Church of England launches holiday ad to counter far-right Christian nationalism Christian nationalists vow to put "Christ back into Christmas." In response, the Church of England has launched a holiday ad campaign to counter the far-right appropriation of Christian symbols. Russia Reuters: Car bomb kills Russian general in Moscow, investigators say A Russian general was killed by a car bomb in southern Moscow on Monday, Russian investigators said, adding that they suspected Ukrainian special services could have been behind the attack. The bomb exploded under the Kia Sorento car driven by Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov, head of the Russian General Staff's army operational training directorate, as he left a parking space at 06:55 Moscow time (0355 GMT). Afghanistan Afghanistan International: Taliban Flog 11 People In Kabul, More Than 100 Nationwide In 10 Days Taliban courts have publicly flogged at least 11 people in Kabul on drug-related charges, sentencing them to between 10 and 39 lashes and prison terms ranging from seven months to three years. In a statement issued on Monday, December 22, the Taliban Supreme Court said the Kabul Primary Court for the Prevention of Narcotics punished the individuals for selling and trafficking tablet K, methamphetamine, cannabis and alcoholic beverages. Gaza Strip/West Bank Times of Israel: IDF says 2 West Bank Palestinians killed while attacking troops; video raises questions The Israel Defense Forces said Saturday evening that troops had killed two Palestinians who attacked forces in separate incidents in the northern West Bank. According to Palestinian health officials, one of the Palestinians was a teenager, and footage published by Palestinian media of that incident appeared to contradict the army’s version. Iraq Kurdistan24: Under Terrorism Law, Iraq’s Interior Ministry Vows to End Tribal Violence and Monopolize Weapons In a decisive escalation aimed at restoring public order and reinforcing the authority of the state, Iraq’s Ministry of Interior reaffirmed on Sunday its determination to treat tribal disputes and the practice known as dakka as terrorist crimes, vowing to prosecute those involved under the country’s counterterrorism legislation and to enforce the principle of confining weapons exclusively to state control. Israel Times of Israel: ‘Won’t give up’: Hostages Square candle-lighting held to urge release of Ran Gvili The family of slain hostage Master Sgt. Ran Gvili was joined by supporters at Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square on Sunday night for the last night of Hanukkah, vowing to continue the public campaign for the return of his remains. Gvili, a police officer who was killed while battling Palestinian terrorists at Kibbutz Alumim in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, is the last captive held in the Gaza Strip, after Hamas released all the remaining living hostages and the rest of the slain captives as part of the ceasefire deal that took effect in October. Lebanon Naharnet: Hezbollah says no longer present in South Litani, Haykal to declare it in January Hezbollah is no longer militarily present in the area south of the Litani River and monopolizing arms north of the Litani hinges on approving a national security strategy, sources close to Hezbollah told Al-Arabiya on Monday. Reuters: Lebanon close to completing disarmament of Hezbollah south of Litani River, says PM Lebanon is close to completing the disarmament of Hezbollah south of the Litani River, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said on Saturday, as the country races to fulfil a key demand of its ceasefire with Israel before a year-end deadline. The U.S.-backed ceasefire, agreed in November 2024, ended more than a year of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah and required the disarmament of the Iran-aligned militant group, starting in areas south of the river adjacent to Israel. Times of Israel: Italy says it wants its military to stay in Lebanon even after UNIFIL’s mandate ends Italy says it intends to keep a military presence in Lebanon even after the UN peacekeeping force it belongs to leaves as planned on December 31, 2026. “Even after UNIFIL, Italy will continue to do its part, supporting with conviction the international presence and supporting the capacity development of the Lebanese armed forces,” Defense Minister Guido Crosetto says during a visit to Lebanon, according to a statement. Jerusalem Post: WATCH: IDF strikes Hezbollah terrorists as group tries to rearm along Israel's northern border The IDF struck two Hezbollah terrorists near Yater in southern Lebanon on Sunday, killing one who was involved in attempts to rehabilitate the group’s military infrastructure in the area, the military announced on Monday. Syria Jerusalem Post: ISIS arrests, explosives seized: Syria’s 'anti-terror strategy' on display after Palmyra strike The Syrian government has been increasing its raids on both ISIS and weapons smugglers. The increased activity comes in the wake of the December 13 attack on US forces near Palmyra, in which two American soldiers and one interpreter were killed. Reuters: Syrians emptied Assad’s prisons. They’re filling up again, and abuse is rife The first wave of detentions in the new Syria came almost immediately – just after victorious rebels flung open the doors of Bashar al-Assad’s notorious prisons. As ordinary Syrians stormed detention complexes last December to search for loved ones who had vanished under Assad’s rule, thousands of the deposed dictator’s soldiers who had abandoned their posts – officers and conscripts alike – were taken prisoner by the rebels. Reuters: Turkey says Kurdish-led SDF does not intend to advance integration with Syrian state The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in Syria appear to have no intention of honouring a commitment to integrate into the state's armed forces by a year-end deadline, Turkey's foreign minister said on Monday. Turkey views the U.S.-backed SDF, which controls swathes of northeastern Syria, as a terrorist organisation and has warned of military action if the group does not honour the agreement. Reuters: US hits ISIS in Syria with large retaliatory strikes, officials say The U.S. military launched large-scale strikes against dozens of Islamic State targets in Syria on Friday in retaliation for an attack on American personnel, U.S. officials said. A U.S.-led coalition has been carrying out airstrikes and ground operations in Syria targeting Islamic State suspects in recent months, often with the involvement of Syria's security forces. CBS News: Syria monitor group says at least 5 ISIS members killed by U.S. retaliatory strikes A Syria monitoring group reported that at least five people were killed by retaliatory strikes against Islamic State group targets by the United States on Friday. The U.S. launched military strikes on Friday on multiple sites in Syria to "eliminate" ISIS group fighters and weapons in retaliation for an attack by a Syrian gunman that killed two U.S. Army soldiers and an American civilian interpreter nearly a week earlier. Caliber: Ankara’s senior delegation arrives in Damascus to strengthen ties, counter terrorism In a previously unannounced visit, Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defence Minister Yaşar Güler, and National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Director Ibrahim Kalın arrived in Damascus for high-level talks with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and senior Syrian officials. Turkey Turkish Minute: Turkey detains Fethullah Gülen’s nephew on accusations of terrorism Turkish authorities on Friday detained Yasir Gülen, the nephew of the late Turkish Muslim scholar Fethullah Gülen, on accusations of terrorism, the Stockholm Center for Freedom reported. The detention took place in İstanbul’s Ümraniye district as part of an operation carried out by the counterterrorism unit of the İstanbul police and the National Intelligence Organization (MİT). Yemen Yemen Online: Southern Forces Repel Al-Qaeda Attack in Yemen’s Shabwa Southern armed forces repelled a militant attack launched by Al-Qaeda elements on Saturday evening against their military positions in Shabwa province, southern Yemen. Military sources reported that Al-Qaeda fighters carried out simultaneous assaults using mortar shells and sniper fire, targeting southern forces stationed in al-Jubail, al-Hajr, and al-Qan‘a areas of al-Musayni‘ah, administratively part of al-Saeed district. India Indian Express: From drugs to terrorism, everything on police radar: J&K DGP Nalin Prabhat Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat said Monday that all other forms of criminal activity – including terrorism — will remain on police radar in the Union Territory. “Whether it is drugs, gangsters, mafia or any other kind of crime, especially terrorism, everything will remain in the sight of the police gun,” he said while addressing a gathering in Kathua after inaugurating the 14th Police Martyrs Memorial T20 Cricket Tournament 2025–26. Singapore South China Morning Post: Singaporean man charged with making fake terrorist threat after church bomb hoax A 26-year-old Singaporean man who was arrested after a suspicious item was found at St Joseph’s Church in Bukit Timah was charged with making a false terrorist threat on Monday. Kokulananthan Mohan was charged with an offence under Regulation 8(2)(a) of the United Nations (Anti-terrorism Measures) Regulations. Australia Times of Israel: Bondi gunmen threw bombs that didn’t go off, condemned ‘Zionists’ before attack – police The father and son accused of killing 15 people in a terror attack targeting a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach last week trained with firearms leading up to the massacre, threw unexploded bombs at the scene and recorded a video beforehand condemning “Zionists.” Times of Israel: Australian state to ban ‘Globalize the intifada’ chant in wake of Bondi terror attack The Australian state of New South Wales is planning to ban “Globalize the intifada” chants, according to a Saturday BBC report, amid a crackdown on “hateful” rhetoric and slogans in the wake of Sunday’s devastating terror attack at a Bondi Beach Hanukkah event. New South Wales is home to Sydney and its iconic Bondi Beach, where 15 people were killed and dozens wounded by two gunmen who opened fire on a crowd celebrating the Jewish holiday. Jerusalem Post: Australia sets eyes on Hizb ut-Tahrir, neo-Nazis for post-Bondi ‘hate organization’ list The Australian federal government is targeting Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir Australia (HTA) and neo-Nazi group White Australia as part of its new project to create a list of prohibited “hate organizations,” according to remarks by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke. The new proscription regime, part of a package of counter antisemitism legislative measures proposed in the wake of the Bondi Beach Massacre, would make it a criminal offense to join and support organizations listed by the Home Affairs Ministry and attorney-general. Financial Review: Social media companies could be sued in Victorian anti-extremism plan Social media and news media companies could be sued over hate speech on their platforms, and police will get extra powers to stop or move on protests after a terrorist attack under a suite of measures unveiled by the Victorian government. Associated Press: Australian state plans tougher laws against displaying extremist flags after Bondi shooting The Australian state of New South Wales is proposing to ban public displays of Islamic State group flags or extremist symbols after a mass shooting driven by antisemitism killed 15 people at Sydney’s Bondi Beach. Under draft laws to be debated by the state Parliament, publicly displaying the IS flag or symbols from other extremist groups will be offenses punishable by up to two years in prison and fines. Fox News: Former Australian minister says ‘radical Islam pulled the trigger’ in nation's worst terror attack A former Australian government minister said a combination of Islamic extremism, government inaction and lax security screening measures for migrants from Middle Eastern hotspots were all factors that led to the nation’s worst-ever terrorist attack. Former Australian Treasurer and Member of Parliament Josh Frydenberg told Fox News Digital from Sydney that, "While guns may have stolen the lives of the 15 innocent souls killed at Bondi Beach, it was actually radical Islam which pulled the trigger." He said the government’s response to the deadly attack has focused on the weapon rather than the ideology behind the violence. WA Today: Bondi gunman’s phone may have pinged in area with a history of extremism: source The Bondi gunmen’s stay in the Philippines just weeks before allegedly killing 15 people in Australia may have included a trip far beyond Davao City to an area with a history of violent Islamic extremism, according to a source close to the investigation. CEP Podcasts Unpacking the week's extremism-related anniversaries and news, as well as counter extremism developments and prospects. A deep dive into CEP's research and topics that are relevant to our mission, from our Berlin-based team.   The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) is a nonprofit and non-partisan international policy organization working to combat the growing threat posed by extremist ideologies. CEP depends on the generosity of its supporters. If you value what we do, please consider making a donation. DONATE Were you forwarded this email? Subscribe for yourself here. Counter Extremism Project (CEP) | PO Box 3980 | New York, NY 10185 US Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice