{"id":2109763,"date":"2023-11-28T11:48:02","date_gmt":"2023-11-28T16:48:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/veterans-affairs-investigates-employee-who-mocked-israels-efforts-to-secure-hostages\/"},"modified":"2023-11-28T11:50:33","modified_gmt":"2023-11-28T16:50:33","slug":"veterans-affairs-investigates-employee-who-mocked-israels-efforts-to-secure-hostages","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/veterans-affairs-investigates-employee-who-mocked-israels-efforts-to-secure-hostages\/","title":{"rendered":"VA investigates employee mocking Israel&#8217;s hostage security efforts"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fveterans-affairs-investigates-employee-who-mocked-israels-efforts-to-secure-hostages%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2109763&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div>\n<h2>VA Employee Under \u2063Investigation\u2063 for Mocking Israeli Calls to Release Hostages<\/h2>\n<figure><figcaption>(Getty\u2063 Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>The Department of \u2064Veterans Affairs\u2064 is currently \u2062investigating an employee who posted a video on social media,\u2062 ridiculing \u2063Israel&#8217;s efforts to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas, \u200da terrorist group backed by Iran. This was reported\u200c by\u2062 the <em>Washington Free Beacon<\/em> on \u2062Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p>Shekeba Morrad, an \u2063attorney working for the federal government, shared and later \u200bdeleted\u2063 a video on\u2064 her Instagram account, where she \u200bmocks Israel&#8217;s plea for the release of\u200d around 250\u2062 hostages. A watchdog group that monitors online anti-Semitism, <a href=\"https:\/\/canarymission.org\/individual\/Shekeba_Morrad\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Canary Mission<\/a>, reported this incident.<\/p>\n<p>In \u2063the video, Morrad says, \u200d&#8221;We just want \u2062our\u2062 hostages \u2064back. Give us\u2063 our two hundred hostages.&#8221;\u200b The video was \u200coriginally\u2063 published on \u2062X (formerly\u200c Twitter) by Canary\u2064 Mission on Monday evening.<\/p>\n<blockquote data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\ud83d\udd34 \u200bShakeba Morrad, an appellate attorney at Office of General Counsel for U.S. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DeptVetAffairs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@DeptVetAffairs<\/a>, posted (&#038;\u2062 later deleted) a video of herself on Instagram mocking Israelis pleading for the return of\u200d their citizens \u2064being held hostage by Hamas.\u200c WATCH \u200bit on X: \u2064 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/f5L8ICEvVr\">https:\/\/t.co\/f5L8ICEvVr<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/GpR7mgK6D2\">pic.twitter.com\/GpR7mgK6D2<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Canary Mission (@canarymission) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/canarymission\/status\/1729258801545597355?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November\u200c 27, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>A spokesperson from the Veterans Affairs\u200d confirmed that the agency \u2064is conducting an investigation\u2063 into the incident and emphasized their zero-tolerance policy towards anti-Semitism.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We are aware of this \u2062incident, are investigating the matter, and will take any appropriate action,&#8221;\u200c stated Terrence Hayes, the department&#8217;s press secretary.\u200d &#8220;There is no \u2063place at VA for anti-Semitism \u2063or any\u2063 expression of bigotry or hatred.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Morrad is now among\u2064 a growing number\u200d of Biden administration employees who oppose Israel&#8217;s defensive operations in \u200cthe Gaza Strip,\u200c specifically aimed \u2062at rescuing the remaining hostages held by the terrorist group.<\/p>\n<p>Sylvia Yacoub, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/blinken-accuses-sen-paul-of-obstruction-harming-national-security-with-confirmation-delays-for-diplomats\/\" title=\"Blinken blames Sen. Paul for obstructing diplomats' confirmation, harming national security.\">career foreign service\u2062 officer<\/a> at the State\u200c Department, \u2064has also\u2064 used her \u2062<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-new-acting-attorney-general-jeff-rosen-recently-wrote-an-essay-on-foreign-influence-in-us-elections-this-tells-us-a-little-about-his-knowledge-of-whats-going-on-today\/\" title=\"The New Acting Attorney General Jeff Rosen Recently Wrote an Essay on Foreign Influence in US Elections \u2013 This Tells Us A Little About His Knowledge of What\u2019s Going On Today\">social media platforms<\/a> to criticize the \u200dBiden administration&#8217;s support for Israel. She \u2063accused the \u2064president\u2064 of being complicit in what she referred to as Israel&#8217;s \u2062&#8221;genocide,&#8221; as \u200dreported by \u200cthe <em>Free Beacon<\/em> earlier this month.<\/p>\n<p>Morrad,\u2064 who identifies herself \u200das an \u2063appellate\u2063 attorney at the Office of General Counsel for the\u200d Department of Veterans Affairs in her online profiles, posted the controversial video on November \u206312, according to Canary Mission.<\/p>\n<p>The video gained\u200b attention\u200b on social media, with pro-Israel individuals condemning \u2062the rhetoric, leading \u2062to its \u200csubsequent deletion.<\/p>\n<p>The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has been temporarily\u200c halted \u200dfor the past five days\u200b as \u2064negotiations continue regarding the\u2063 release of\u2064 the hostages. Eleven \u200bIsraelis were released on Tuesday, and \u200cIsrael has stated \u200bthat it\u200b will maintain the ceasefire agreement if an additional 10 hostages are released\u200d each day.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What measures should be implemented to prevent incidents \u2063of\u2062 inappropriate behavior,\u200c such as mocking hostage situations, \u2064by government employees on social media platforms<\/h2>\n<p><span>  VA Employee Under Investigation for Mocking Israeli Calls to Release Hostages<\/p>\n<p>The Department of Veterans Affairs\u200d is currently investigating an employee who posted \u2063a video on social media, ridiculing Israel&#8217;s efforts to secure the\u2063 release\u2063 of hostages held\u200d by\u2062 Hamas,\u200d a terrorist group backed by Iran.\u2062 This incident was reported by the Washington Free Beacon on Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p>Shekeba Morrad, an attorney working for the federal \u2062government, shared and \u200dlater deleted\u200d a video on her Instagram account where she mocks Israel&#8217;s plea for the release of \u200capproximately 250 hostages. Canary \u200dMission, a watchdog group that monitors online anti-Semitism, reported this incident.<\/p>\n<p>In the video, Morrad can be heard saying, &#8220;We just want our hostages back. Give us our two hundred hostages.&#8221; The video\u2062 was originally published on\u200c X (formerly Twitter) by Canary Mission\u2062 on\u2064 Monday evening.<\/p>\n<p>The mocking \u200dof \u200cany nation&#8217;s\u200d efforts to secure the release of\u2063 hostages is highly inappropriate and demonstrates a lack of sensitivity and \u2063understanding towards the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/kentucky-coal-plant-collapses-trapping-workers-under-concrete-and-steel-with-one-dead\/\" title=\"Kentucky coal plant collapses, trapping workers under debris, one fatality.\">dire situation \u2064faced<\/a> by the hostages and their \u2063families. It is essential for public officials, \u2064particularly those working in\u200b the federal government, to uphold the principles of professionalism, respect, and empathy. Behaviors that undermine the dignity and seriousness of such situations are unacceptable.<\/p>\n<p>The Department of Veterans Affairs has initiated \u200ban \u200binvestigation into\u2062 this matter, and appropriate action will be taken based on the outcome of the investigation. \u200bThe swift response\u200d to incidents like these is crucial in maintaining public trust in government \u200cinstitutions and ensuring the adherence to ethical and professional standards.<\/p>\n<p>The video mocking Israel&#8217;s \u200bcalls to release hostages not\u2064 only exposes the employee&#8217;s \u200binsensitivity but also \u2063reflects negatively\u200d on the Department of Veterans Affairs as a whole. Such actions can erode public confidence in the agency&#8217;s commitment to serving the \u200cinterests of veterans and can \u200bundermine the reputation and integrity of the agency.<\/p>\n<p>Instances of\u2064 online anti-Semitism, like the one\u200c in question, highlight the need for greater vigilance in\u2062 monitoring and combatting hate speech and discrimination. Organizations like Canary Mission play a vital role in exposing and reporting such incidents. It is \u2064imperative for society as\u200b a whole to actively reject and condemn all forms of bigotry and prejudice.<\/p>\n<p>The Department of Veterans Affairs must ensure that \u200dproper measures are in place to prevent incidents like\u2062 these from occurring in the future. Agencies should <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/supreme-court-news-justices-save-biden-student-loan-case-for-final-day\/\" title=\"Supreme Court update: Biden student loan case held for final day.\">establish clear guidelines<\/a> and ethical standards that govern the conduct \u200cof their \u200demployees on social media platforms. Additionally, organizations can play \u200ban active\u200b role \u200din providing trainings and workshops to raise \u200bawareness \u200babout the importance of \u2062respectful and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/meta-oversight-board-to-review-first-case-involving-political-deepfakes\/\" title=\"Meta Oversight Board to assess inaugural case on political 'deepfakes'.\">responsible online behavior<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>It is imperative that public \u200bofficials and\u2064 employees of \u2062government agencies understand the impact of their \u200bwords and actions on the public perception of their respective institutions. Upholding the values of professionalism,\u200d integrity, and respect must be at the forefront of their responsibilities.<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion, the mocking of Israel&#8217;s calls to release hostages by a VA employee is currently under investigation. Such behavior undermines\u2063 the seriousness and sensitivity required in dealing with hostage situations. It is crucial for government agencies to address \u200bincidents like these promptly and take \u200dappropriate action to uphold their ethical and professional standards. By doing\u2062 so, public \u200dtrust in\u200c these \u200dinstitutions\u2062 can be maintained, and a strong message condemning hate speech and discrimination can be sent to society as a whole.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Department of Veterans Affairs is probing an employee who shared a video on social media ridiculing Israel&#8217;s attempts to free hostages from Hamas. The agency informed the Washington Free Beacon about the investigation. The employee, Shekeba Morrad, had initially posted the video but later deleted it<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":117,"featured_media":2109764,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[544],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2109763","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-free-beacon"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2109763","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/117"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2109763"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2109763\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2109764"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2109763"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2109763"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2109763"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}