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Mosab Abu Toha, Radical ‘Gaza Poet’ Brought to US to Teach at Syracuse University After Hamas’ October 7 Attack on Israel, Cancels US Speaking Tour Out of Fear of Deportation by Trump

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Syracuse University professor Mosab Abu Toha, a Palestinian poet from Gaza who has become a celebrated member of the left wing literati, announced on Friday he has cancelled a 16 event speaking tour at colleges across the U.S. out of fear of being caught up in the wave of deportations by the Trump administration of radical anti-American foreign policy visa holders at universities.

Mosab Abu Toha, promotional photo via Penguin/Random House.

The caught on video detention on Tuesday by plainclothes ICE agents of a Turkish Tufts University Phd student, Rumeysa Ozturk, targeted for deportation for being an alleged Hamas sympathizer sent shockwaves through the anti-American immigrant university community.

The 32-year-old Toha noted he does not feel safe leaving his house to pick up his children from school. He has a four or five-year-old son who is an American citizen. Toha fled Gaza after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023 and was detained by the IDF for several days over suspected Hamas ties as he and his family made their way to the Rafah crossing to enter Egypt. After protests by Western media allies, Toha was freed and made his way to the U.S. with a job offer to teach at Syracuse University, where he had previously studied. (Time excerpt):

This week, Abu Toha’s fears were realized when on Sunday he was abducted by Israeli forces while fleeing south through Gaza to try to evacuate his family. After outcry from Western media companies and publishers including the New Yorker and international rights groups including PEN International over his detention and temporary unknown whereabouts, Abu Toha was released on Tuesday and has reunited with his family in Gaza.

Toha posted Friday, “Unfortunately I had to cancel all my upcoming events in the United States as I felt unsafe traveling, especially after watching students and university professors abducted on the street just in front of other people. I had 16 events scheduled for the next five weeks (at Stanford, Columbia, NYU, and Cornell among other places). You cannot imagine how much I was waiting to meet you all, friends and others. But canceling events is not more heartbreaking than watching Israel’s brutal canceling of my people’s lives in Gaza.
I even don’t feel safe going out to pick up my kids from school. These threats made online against me and my family are vile. And the serious threats and actions against free speech are even more vile.”

Toha had been cited by a pro-Israel group Betar USA who included him in a list of “pro-Hamas” student visa holders to the Trump administration, according to a report last month by the Washington Free Beacon (excerpt):

Mosab Abu Toha

Affiliation: Syracuse University

Role: Professor

Territory of Origin: Gaza

A month after the Oct. 7 attacks, Israeli officials detained and questioned Toha, a poet in Gaza, over ties to Hamas. Although he was released after a day, he claimed he was beaten and tortured.

In response to his unsubstantiated allegations, in November 2023, Syracuse bestowed Toha with a visiting faculty appointment through its “Scholars at Risk” program.

Since then, Toha has called for “boycotting Israeli cultural institutions and anyone coming from that part,” suggested the Oct. 7 attacks were Palestinians “retaliating” for Israel’s establishment in 1948, and denounced anyone who mentions Hamas’s mass slaughter of Israelis on Oct. 7.

“If one wants to talk about retaliating what happened on October 7, can we at the same time talk about retaliating [for] the massacres of 1948 [and] the ensuing mass exodus of 800,000 people?” he wrote in one X post.

In another post, he wrote: “If anyone mentions to you the words ‘October 7’ or ‘Hostages,’ spit the blood of Gaza kids in their faces.”

Toha confirmed his visa status in an August 2024 Instagram post, which included a poem he said he wrote “right after my visa interview at the American embassy in Jordan.

The Betar spokesman homed in on Toha, calling him “the poster child of exactly who the Trump administration must immediately deport from America.”

“The Israeli military detained him for activities connected to terrorism shortly after the October 7th massacres, and a few weeks later an American university hired him and brought him to America,” he told the Free Beacon. “Since then, he incites against Jews and America calling for revolutions and regular anti-American and Anti-Israel activities.”

More from Time (excerpt):

Who is Mosab Abu Toha?

Abu Toha, who was born in the Al-Shati refugee camp, graduated with a degree in English from the Islamic University of Gaza before founding the Edward Said Library, the enclave’s first English-language public library, in his hometown of Beit Lahia in 2017. (A second branch was opened in Gaza City in 2019). He taught English at U.N. Relief and Works Agency schools in Gaza from 2016 to 2019. In October 2019, he left Gaza for the first time to become a visiting scholar at Harvard University.

Last year, Abu Toha published his debut book of poetry, Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear. It won an American Book Award, Palestine Book Award, and Arrowsmith Press’s 2023 Derek Walcott Poetry Prize, and was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award.

Since the war that began with terrorist group Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, Abu Toha has published essays and poems about the situation in Gaza in a number of U.S. publications, including the New Yorker, the Washington Post, the New York Times Magazine, the Atlantic, and, most recently, the Nation. In social media dispatches, too, he has documented the destruction of his home, the death of one of his students, and periodic updates on his family’s status.

More from Betar USA on Toha, “Mosan Abu Toha must be deported. Brought to America from Gaza on a visa by @SyracuseU after being arrested by the IDF shortly after Oct 7, now he calls for Israel to burn as he supports the “resistance” AKA Hamas and terrorism. @MosabAbuToha is high on our list of those who must be deported immediately!”

The post Mosab Abu Toha, Radical ‘Gaza Poet’ Brought to US to Teach at Syracuse University After Hamas’ October 7 Attack on Israel, Cancels US Speaking Tour Out of Fear of Deportation by Trump appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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GOP Senator John Thune Quietly BLOCKS Trump Recess Appointments with Sneaky Procedural Maneuver — Launches Series of Pro Forma Sessions to Keep Senate in Fake “Session” During August Recess

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August 3, 2025

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Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R‑SD) has unveiled a procedural scheme to block President Donald Trump from making any critical appointments during the August recess, effectively aiding the Democrats’ obstructionist agenda.

Under the U.S. Constitution, the president can make “recess appointments,” temporary appointments to federal positions, if the Senate is in recess and not conducting business. These appointments don’t require immediate Senate confirmation and can last until the end of the next session of Congress.

But there’s a loophole: if the Senate holds pro forma sessions, very short, symbolic meetings where no actual business is conducted, then technically, the Senate is still in session. That means the president cannot legally make recess appointments during that time.

John Thune has quietly secured unanimous‑consent for a paper‑thin Senate schedule through the Trump appointee confirmation deadline, ensuring only pro forma sessions on five key dates in early August.

Under the agreement, the chamber will adjourn after today’s business and reconvene without conducting any votes or business on:

  • Tue, Aug 5 – 1:00 p.m.
  • Fri, Aug 8 – 1:05 p.m.
  • Tue, Aug 12 – 8:00 a.m.
  • Fri, Aug 15 – 10:15 a.m.
  • Tue, Aug 19 – 10:00 a.m.
  • Fri, Aug 22 – 9:00 a.m.
  • Tue, Aug 26 – 12:00 p.m.
  • Fri, Aug 29 – 7:00 a.m.

WATCH:

Thune’s pro forma blueprint comes amid mounting pressure from Donald Trump, who has demanded the Senate remain open until all 150+ administration nominees are confirmed.

Under the Recess Appointments Clause, a president may only install nominees without Senate approval if both chambers are in formal recess for at least 10 days. By convening the Senate just long enough every few days, Thune blocks the possibility of Trump making unilateral appointees.

The Senate went into its August recess without confirming all of Trump’s pending judicial and district‑level appointments.

By the time lawmakers left town on Saturday evening, no deal had been reached to move dozens of Trump’s nominees, including U.S. district court picks, through final floor votes.

Only a small handful of nominees (such as Jeanine Pirro to be U.S. Attorney in D.C.) had advanced. Otherwise, nominees remained stalled in committees or waiting for cloture roll‑calls on the executive calendar.

Roughly 150–160 executive and judicial nominations, including over a dozen district court judges and U.S. attorney nominations, remained scheduled but unconfirmed.

The post GOP Senator John Thune Quietly BLOCKS Trump Recess Appointments with Sneaky Procedural Maneuver — Launches Series of Pro Forma Sessions to Keep Senate in Fake “Session” During August Recess appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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‘That’s What I Call Results!’: Trump Admin Saves Jobs, Kicks 1500 Non-English-Speaking Truckers Off the Road

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August 3, 2025

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Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy revealed that there have been about 1,500 truck drivers who do not speak English taken off the roads as part of a push to ensure foreign truck drivers are not causing accidents.

Back in 2016, the Obama administration stopped enforcing English proficiency requirements for truckers, according to a report from The Daily Signal.

But in May, Duffy issued a guidance making clear that truck drivers who cannot demonstrate a proficiency in English cannot drive.

The 1,500 drivers were taken off the roads within the first 3o days of the rules once more being enforced, according to The Daily Signal.

“Since I took action to enforce language proficiency requirements for truckers, our state partners have put roughly 1,500 unqualified drivers out of service. That’s what I call results!” Duffy posted on X.

“If you can’t read or speak our national language — ENGLISH — we won’t let your truck endanger the driving public.”

He added, “America First = Safety First.”

Duffy’s concerns were far from unfounded.

In January, there was a truck driver involved in a fatal crash that had to use a language interpreter for the post-crash investigation, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Another incident from 2019 involved a truck driver who could not proficiently speak English speeding through signs that warned of steep grades and dangerous curves, all at more than 100 miles per hour.

Four people died in that crash, per the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

President Donald Trump had likewise insisted with an April executive order that the move centered on public safety.

“They should be able to read and understand traffic signs, communicate with traffic safety, border patrol, agricultural checkpoints, and cargo weight-limit station officers,” the order said of truck drivers.

They also “need to provide feedback to their employers and customers and receive related directions in English,” a position the order called “common sense.”

“It is the policy of my Administration to support America’s truckers and safeguard our roadways by enforcing the commonsense English-language requirement for commercial motor vehicle drivers and removing needless regulatory burdens that undermine the working conditions of America’s truck drivers,” the notice added.

“This order will help ensure a safe, secure, and efficient motor carrier industry.”

This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.

The post ‘That’s What I Call Results!’: Trump Admin Saves Jobs, Kicks 1500 Non-English-Speaking Truckers Off the Road appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Slovenia Imposes Arms Embargo on Israel, Citing Gaza Conflict

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13 hours ago

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August 3, 2025

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via Wikimedia Commons

Slovenia has imposed an arms embargo on Israel, banning the export, import, and transit of weapons to and from the country.

This decision was announced by Prime Minister Robert Golob following a government session on July 31, 2025.

Slovenia claims to be the first European Union member to take such a step, citing the EU’s inability to act due to internal disagreements.

The government stated that no permits for military exports to Israel have been issued since October 2023, when the conflict in Gaza began.

Officials emphasized that the embargo is an independent measure to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Slovenia has repeatedly called for a ceasefire and increased aid deliveries to the region.

In early July 2025, Slovenia declared two Israeli ministers, Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, persona non grata, barring them from entry.

This action was based on their public statements regarding the conflict. Earlier, in June 2024, Slovenia recognized Palestinian statehood, joining countries like Ireland, Norway, and Spain in this move.

The conflict in Gaza started after the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on Israeli territory, which resulted in over 1,200 deaths and the taking of hostages.

Israel responded with a military operation aimed at dismantling Hamas infrastructure. Reports from Gaza’s health ministry indicate significant casualties, with ongoing international efforts to negotiate truces and provide aid.

Several other nations have taken similar diplomatic steps, including France, Britain, and Canada announcing potential recognition of a Palestinian state. Australia has also indicated that recognizing Palestinian statehood is under consideration.

Israel has criticized these declarations, arguing they could reward Hamas for its actions.

Israeli officials dismissed Slovenia’s embargo as insignificant, noting that Israel does not procure any defense materials from Slovenia.

An unnamed official stated that the country buys nothing from Slovenia, not even minor items.

Within the EU, there is growing pressure for measures against Israel, with Sweden and the Netherlands advocating for suspending parts of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.

The European Commission has proposed limiting Israel’s participation in the Horizon research program, though Germany opposes such steps.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul expressed concerns about Israel’s potential diplomatic isolation during a visit to Jerusalem.

The United States remains a key ally to Israel, with President Donald Trump warning that recognizing Palestinian statehood might benefit Hamas.

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff recently met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to advance Gaza truce talks. These efforts aim to address the humanitarian crisis and secure a ceasefire.

The post Slovenia Imposes Arms Embargo on Israel, Citing Gaza Conflict appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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