View in browser   PRESENTED BY AMAZON   Axios PM By Mike Allen · Dec 04, 2023 Good Monday afternoon. Today's PM — edited by Noah Bressner — is 661 words, a 2-min. read. Thanks to Sheryl Miller for the copy edit.     1 big thing: Biden condemns Philly antisemitism Protesters in Philadelphia stand outside of Goldie, a falafel restaurant. Image: Jordan Van Glish via X The White House condemned a pro-Palestinian demonstration that targeted a Jewish-owned kosher falafel shop in Philadelphia with chants of "genocide." Why it matters: It's a high-profile new example of ways the Israel-Hamas war is roiling American campuses, businesses and politics — the rare international conflict that Americans feel viscerally and personally. The image above is from video taken by a neighbor of Goldie — the vegan, Israeli-style falafel shop — at 5:20 p.m. yesterday. Protesters with drums and a loudspeaker — some waving Palestinian flags — can be heard chanting, "Goldie, Goldie you can't hide! We charge you with genocide!" The big picture: The demonstration was part of a march by hundreds of protesters through Philly's Center City and University City, The Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) reposted the video and said: "Tonight in Philly, we saw a blatant act of antisemitism — not a peaceful protest. A restaurant was targeted and mobbed because its owner is Jewish and Israeli. This hate and bigotry is reminiscent of a dark time in history." "I've communicated tonight with [co-owner] @Mike_Solomonov and his team at Goldie to share our support and Lori and I look forward to breaking bread there with them again soon." 🍽️ Between the lines: Solomonov is one of the biggest restaurateurs in Philadelphia and one of the most famous chefs in the country. His flagship restaurant, Zahav, has won a James Beard award for outstanding restaurant — one of the industry's most coveted prizes. Customers line up for lunch at Goldie today. Photo: Matt Rourke/AP White House spokesperson Andrew Bates today called it "antisemitic and completely unjustifiable to target restaurants that serve Israeli food over disagreements with Israeli policy." "President Biden has fought against the evil of antisemitism his entire life, including by launching the first national strategy to counter this hate in American history," the statement adds. "He will always stand up firmly against these kinds of undignified actions." What we're hearing: The 2020 Biden-Harris headquarters was just a few blocks from Goldie, which was a lunch mainstay for campaign staffers. Share this story.         2. 🧐 Suspicious short-selling spike Smoke is seen in Rehovot, Israel, as rockets are launched from the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7. Photo: Ilan Rosenberg/Reuters Researchers are flagging a suspicious surge in the short selling of Israeli stocks days before the Hamas attacks of Oct. 7, Axios Markets co-author Matt Phillips writes. Why it matters: A new draft paper published today by two law professors posits that a trader — or traders — was informed of Hamas' plans to attack ahead of time and potentially made millions on it. Short sellers benefit when share prices decline, as Israeli stocks did in the aftermath of the attacks. "Our findings suggest that traders informed about the coming attacks profited from these tragic events," wrote NYU's Robert Jackson Jr. and Columbia's Joshua Mitts. 🥊 Reality check: While the paper presents a compelling case for a further investigation of what, if anything, went on, it's not a slam dunk. The authors note: "We are unable to link particular market participants to the pre-attack developments we see in securities markets." Share this story.         A MESSAGE FROM AMAZON “Amazon makes shipping our products so easy”     When Nadia started exploring shipping options for her small business, she turned to Amazon. “Shipping can be complicated, but Amazon makes it easy,” she said. More info: Shipping with Amazon costs 70% less on average than comparable two-day shipping options. Learn more.     3. Catch me up Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich stands in a glass cage in a Moscow courtroom in October. Photo: Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP 1. Moscow's detention of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich hit 250 days today. "We will continue to pull any lever possible, both public and private, pressing for his release and keeping his story top of mind, as we have done every day over the past eight months," WSJ editor-in-chief Emma Tucker writes. 2. A former career American diplomat was charged with serving as a secret agent for communist Cuba going back decades. Go deeper. 3. Maria Martin, a ground-breaking Latina radio journalist who later founded "Latino USA," one of the first nationally syndicated radio programs about Latinos, died at 72. More from Axios' Russell Contreras.         4. 📚 Oxford's word of the year Photo: Oxford University Press Great news for anyone charming: You were pretty important this year, Axios' April Rubin writes. "Rizz" — TikTok slang for "charisma" — is the word of the year, according to the publishers of the Oxford English Dictionary. Keep reading.         A MESSAGE FROM AMAZON Amazon tools helped brands grow 20% year over year     Scott Fleming, owner of StoveShelf, uses Amazon tools to grow his business. “I love Seller Forums. The community is pretty awesome,” said Scott. Key numbers: More than 60% of sales in Amazon’s store are from independent sellers. Learn more.