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The head of the IDF’s Northern Command, Maj. Gen. Ori Gordin, recommended in recent closed discussions to allow the IDF to seize a security buffer zone in southern Lebanon, Yisrael Hayom reported on Monday According to the report, Gordon explained that current conditions would enable the IDF to carry out such a move swiftly, as many members of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force who were deployed near the border fence have been killed or fled northward. Additionally, most of the civilian population has evacuated the villages of southern Lebanon. It is currently estimated that only about 20% of the Lebanese residents who lived close to the border before October 7 remain in their homes. The significant reduction in the civilian population will allow the IDF to carry out a military maneuver in the area quickly and smoothly. The goal of the maneuver is not only to eliminate the terror threat, pushing Hezbollah’s forces away so that they don’t pose a threat to northern residents, but also to gain leverage to reach a permanent agreement – as Hezbollah will be motivated to hold negotiations to force IDF forces to withdraw. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)  

We have to do our part and not rely on miracles. You can’t win the lottery without buying a ticket, but buying more than one is overdoing it. If G-d wants you to win you’ll win with one.

WATCH:

In a world filled with self-proclaimed saviors and social media warriors, one name stands out for his noble (or should we say delusional?) plea to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict—Ryan Routh, the man who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump on Sunday. In a tweet that can only be described as a masterpiece of geopolitical strategy, Ryan bravely called on Yeshiva World News (because who else?) to use our “media power” to magically summon a civilian army to defeat Russia. Naturally, this one tweet was going to solve the complex crisis that has confounded world leaders, military strategists, and diplomats for more than two years. But alas, we didn’t heed the advice of this towering intellectual giant. Routh’s words were stirring: “I AM WILLING TO FIGHT AND DIE FOR UKRAINE,” he declared, as though the sheer force of his willingness could crush Putin’s forces. If only we’d handed him a helmet and a plane ticket. And let’s not forget his brilliant suggestion that all the media had to do was “ask the world to help” and the war would be over in a flash. Of course! Why didn’t we think of that? It’s all so simple once Ryan spells it out. But before you start regretting the missed opportunity to let this genius solve the world’s problems, let’s not forget one tiny detail: Ryan Routh is also the same individual whose alleged attempt to assassinate former President Trump was thwarted by the Secret Service on Sunday. Who could’ve predicted that a man capable of orchestrating global peace via Twitter would also try his hand at presidential assassination? Talk about a renaissance man! If only we had listened to Ryan, sent him to Ukraine, and handed him the reins of global diplomacy, perhaps he could have saved the day—and himself from, well, let’s say less savory pursuits. But we missed the boat, and now the war rages on. Maybe next time, YWN will take note when a tweet like this comes along. Surely the fate of nations depends on it. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A second apparent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump — this time as he played golf in Florida — has rocked a presidential campaign already marred by unprecedented violence and raised questions about how such a thing could have happened for the second time in as many months. U.S. Secret Service agents opened fire Sunday afternoon on a man who was spotted pointing an AK-style rifle through a fence while hiding in the bushes as Trump golfed at his club in West Palm Beach. The FBI described it as an apparent attempted assassination on the GOP nominee. At a Pennsylvania rally in July, Trump was grazed in the ear by a bullet when a gunman was able to gain access to an unsecured roof, unleashing a hail of bullets that left one of Trump’s supporters dead and two others badly injured. While the Secret Service has grappled with how to keep Trump safe as he campaigns across the country, holding rallies that often draw thousands, less attention has focused on his protection when he is off the trail, often at his own clubs and properties. The fact that there are places along the perimeter of the property where golfers — including Trump — are visible to those standing behind the fence has long been known to law enforcement. While Trump was president, news photographers were often able to capture images of him on the greens by finding gaps in the shrubbery. While Trump’s plans to golf Sunday were not part of any public schedule, on days he is not campaigning, he can often be found golfing at one of his courses. Trump International Golf Club, West Palm Beach, about a 10-minute drive from his Mar-a-Lago residence, is a favorite. One of three golf clubs he owns in Florida, it boasts 27 holes of championship golf, as well as event spaces. Trump often eats lunch and holds meetings in the clubhouse between rounds. Trump had just returned from a West Coast swing that included stops in Las Vegas and Utah, and had announced on social media that he would be delivering remarks Monday from Mar-a-Lago about cryptocurrency as he launches a new crypto platform. Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw noted at a briefing that because Trump is no longer in office, security protocols around the course had loosened. “He’s not the sitting president. If he was, we would have had this entire golf course surrounded. But because he’s not, his security is limited to the areas that the Secret Service deems possible,” he told reporters. Law enforcement officials praised the work of the agents assigned to protect Trump. One agent, tasked with jumping one hole ahead of the former president to scope out potential threats, managed to spot the gunman’s rifle barrel sticking out of the fence that surrounds the golf club and “immediately engaged that individual,” Bradshaw said. In an email to campaign staff Sunday night, senior campaign advisers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles credited the Secret Service for saving Trump, who has praised the agents in his own protective detail for their bravery as they rushed on stage to protect him in Butler, Pennsylvania. “President Trump and everyone accompanying him are safe thanks to the great work of the United States Secret Service,” they wrote. Unlike other […]

The 58-year-old man accused of pointing an AK-47 at former President Donald Trump on Sunday afternoon has a prolific arrest record that spans several decades. Ryan Wesley Routh was arrested shortly after the incident at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Fla. Authorities said Secret Service agents fired at him after seeing the muzzle of his AK-47 pointing through a chain-link fence one hole ahead of where Trump was playing. Authorities are treating the episode as an apparent assassination attempt on Trump. A background check on the name given by officials, Ryan Wesley Routh, revealed that he currently lives in Hawaii and has faced dozens of run-ins with police, stretching back to at least the 1990s. Routh is a native of North Carolina, where his list of arrests includes simple drug possession, driving without a license, expired inspection and operating a vehicle with no insurance. In addition, the Greensboro News & Record reported in 2002 that Routh was arrested after barricading himself in his roofing company’s office during a three-hour standoff that followed a traffic stop in which he put his hand on a gun before fleeing. Routh moved to Hawaii in 2017, records show. He has since launched another construction company in Hawaii that builds simple housing structures for homeless people, according to a LinkedIn page that appears to belong to Routh. “This does not appear to be some random guy with an AK-47 walking outside Trump’s club,” an official said after the Sunday afternoon incident. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Former President Donald Trump is in urgent need of increased Secret Service protection after an individual was apprehended on Sunday in what appears to be another assassination attempt. Trump’s supporters called for heightened security measures immediately after the arrest.

The suspect, identified as 58-year-old Ryan Routh from Hawaii, was arrested after a Secret Service agent noticed the barrel of his AK-47-style rifle poking through a chain link fence near the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach.

At the time of the incident, Trump, 78, was on the golf course. Authorities are still investigating whether the suspect fired any shots at the former president.

“It is inexplicable that this happened again. President Trump needs the same, if not more, Secret Service protection than a sitting President,” Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY) tweeted following the attack.

“There have been TWO attempts on Trump’s life. Secret Service must up their level of protection of him to their FULL capabilities — including expanding the perimeter,” tweeted House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.).

Former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who is considered a potential Trump Cabinet pick, echoed the urgency: “I’m calling on Secret Service to IMMEDIATELY step up its protection for President Trump to the same level they provide to Biden, there’s no excuse not to at this point.”

Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw pointed out that Trump’s security was reduced because he no longer holds the office of president.

“At this level that he is at right now, he’s not the sitting president. If he was, we would have had this entire golf course around it. But because he’s not, security is limited to the areas that the Secret Service deems possible,” Bradshaw said during a press conference.

“I would imagine that the next time he comes to a golf course, there’ll probably be a little bit more people around the perimeter. But the Secret Service did exactly what they should have done.”

A scope for the rifle and a GoPro camera were found hidden in nearby bushes, suggesting the suspect may have planned to shoot Trump from afar and record the attempt.

Earlier, Trump narrowly survived an assassination attempt on July 13, when 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks fired at him during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Crooks had climbed onto an unguarded rooftop about 100 yards from where Trump was speaking.

In that attack, Trump was grazed by a bullet near his ear, and one of the attendees at the rally tragically lost their life.

On July 15, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas addressed the growing concerns about Trump’s safety, stating that his department, which oversees the Secret Service, had already begun bolstering security measures.

“Both prior to and after the events of this past weekend, the Secret Service enhanced former President Trump’s protection based on the evolving nature of threats to the former president and his imminent shift from presumptive nominee to nominee. This includes enhancements related to securing the former president during the Republican National Convention this week,” Mayorkas explained during a White House press briefing.

“I cannot discuss specifics of the protection or the enhancements made, as they involve sensitive tactics and procedures,” Mayorkas added. “I can say, however, that personnel and other protective resources, technology, and capabilities have been added.”

{Matzav.com}

Megyn Kelly is joined by Dave Aronberg, state attorney for Palm Beach County, to reveal exclusive details about the assassination attempt in Florida today, the arrest of the would-be Trump assassin and how he was caught, and more.

WATCH:

Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., reacts to a second apparent ‘assassination attempt’ of former President Trump on ‘Fox News Live.’

WATCH:

A super PAC that Elon Musk helped create has ramped up spending on behalf of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in recent weeks, splashing out millions of dollars primarily in swing states.

The burst of activity adds to the evidence of Musk’s growing political alliance with the former president, with the billionaire and his funding playing a key role in the effort to win Trump a second term.

The committee, called America PAC, has spent nearly $33 million since it emerged from a summer spending lull in mid-August, far exceeding the amount it had spent to that date since its formation in late May, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission. Filings show the money has primarily funded get-out-the vote operations in battleground states including door-knocking, digital advertising and mailers.

In recent days, America PAC has barraged voters in North Carolina with door-hangers and mail pieces. One mailer provided to The Washington Post calls Democratic nominee Kamala Harris “Radical. Liberal. Dangerous” while describing Trump as the candidate who would “secure our border, restore law & order and lower costs for North Carolinians.”

Musk said in a July interview with controversial psychologist Jordan Peterson that America PAC is not intended to be “hyperpartisan,” but materials distributed in North Carolina and online ads reviewed by The Post clearly support Trump and oppose Harris. They largely echo right-wing rhetoric that Musk has recently promoted on his social media platform X, where he has railed against immigration and made unsubstantiated claims of election interference.

Another door-hanger says “Make your plan to VOTE” and includes a QR code that points to America PAC’s webpage, where voters who provide personal information are directed to official pages for voter registration or requesting an absentee ballot.

That reflects America PAC’s decision, like numerous other pro-Trump committees, to diverge from their candidate by encouraging voters to cast ballots however they prefer. Trump continues to criticize voting by mail and claims without evidence that it has allowed millions of fraudulent ballots to be cast.

Whether the committee is targeting the North Carolina voters that Trump needs to carry the state is less clear. The mailers and door-hangers obtained by The Post were delivered to a longtime conservative operative in the state who was already committed to Trump and votes regularly in federal elections.

“It’s a little screwy that I’m on their list,” said the individual, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss campaign tactics candidly. “Stupid to waste money on someone who is a guaranteed Trump vote.”

America PAC also has increased online spending in recent days, largely targeting swing states such as Nevada, Georgia and Arizona.

The committee has more than doubled its spending on X over the past month – from $37,000 to more than $100,000 – with its ads mostly targeted at users in Pennsylvania, Nevada, Michigan, Arizona, Wisconsin and Georgia, according to data disclosed by the platform on Sept. 13. The PAC’s spending has been much greater on other, larger platforms such as YouTube and Facebook, including more than $383,000 on Google ads primarily targeted in Georgia, Arizona and Nevada.

A spokesman for America PAC declined to comment on its activities, which, apart from mandated FEC reports, have largely been shrouded in secrecy since the committee’s inception. But several people familiar with the effort described Musk’s close involvement in the project and the entrepreneur’s interest in helping Trump win because of his desire to cut government spending and the candidate’s policies on the border and public safety.

Musk has been intensely focused from the project’s beginnings on the PAC’s ground game, aiming to reach the hundreds of thousands of voters who are generally unengaged in the election or not registered, according to these people.

“He’s more interested in the nuts and bolts, rather than the air war stuff,” one of the individuals said, speaking anonymously to describe private conversations. “If Trump pulls this off, it will be Elon’s PAC that will have heavily contributed to that success because there is no other serious ground game going on.”

Musk joined forces in early spring with Richard Weekley, a Texas real estate developer and Republican donor, and Denis Calabrese, a Republican political strategist, to assemble a team and propose a strategy for a pro-Trump PAC.

Weekley tapped two major firms in Texas – Raconteur Media for digital advertising and In Field Strategies for canvassing – and told them to draw up a plan, according to people familiar with the matter.

During an hour-and-a-half meeting in Musk’s sparsely decorated apartment in downtown Austin, the billionaire told the group that he was looking to trigger a “red wave,” with his main goal being to register more Trump voters in the battleground states, according to a person familiar with the meeting. The group discussed deploying thousands of canvassers in battleground states.

At the meeting, Musk was also presented an advertising plan that included purchasing TV spots, according to the person. Musk said he was skeptical of the need for TV advertising because he grew electric automaker Tesla into a giant without TV commercials. One of his advisers countered that “this is Trump not Tesla.” Musk laughed and said that was a fair point, the person said.

The vendors initially estimated America PAC would need between $100 million to $130 million to pull off Musk’s ambitious vision in such a short timeline. Musk didn’t commit to a specific dollar amount, but said he was open to increasing or decreasing his donations depending on what was needed, the person said.

Musk stayed engaged in the weeks after the planning meeting, checking on progress in hour-long meetings every Friday, the people familiar with the matter said.

During those calls, Musk focused on granular details of the PAC’s operations: how many people had been hired, how many voters had been contacted, how many new people had they registered. Several weeks into the effort, the entrepreneur brought on political operatives Phil Cox, David Rexrode and Generra Peck, the people said.

In mid-July, Peck sent Raconteur and In Field a short email that said the committee was moving forward with different vendors without any further explanation, the people said. Calabrese and Weekley have since been “sidelined” in the effort, one of the people said.

Calabrese and Musk did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Weekley could not be reached for comment.

Since firing its original vendors, America PAC has hired several canvassing firms, including one called Blitz Canvassing, according to FEC filings. A job ad for Blitz in Michigan invites applicants to “come work at America PAC – the super PAC working to elect Donald Trump and defeat Kamala Harris.”

“We want patriots – moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas, those working nights and weekends, or those looking for a 50 hour workweek,” the ad says. “Trump fights for us. Now we need you to come work – to fight back for him.”

On the job application, Blitz makes America PAC’s values and mission clear: “We are fiscal conservatives, believe in limited government, and know that this is the greatest country in the world. We will work to advocate for these ideals every day while fighting to save this country. Is this agreeable to you?”

Blitz is part of a partnership of consulting firms called GP3, where Cox is a partner. America PAC’s filings indicate it is also doing business with two other partners of GP3, Red Maverick Media and IMGE, which have provided printing, postage and digital ad services.

Cox did not immediately respond to an inquiry from The Post.

Since endorsing Trump on the day the former president was shot at a Pennsylvania rally in July, Musk has used his account on X to fiercely advocate for the Republican nominee and to bash his opponent. The entrepreneur has at times amplified false claims, including allegations of widespread noncitizen voting that have prompted pressure campaigns on local election officials.

Some online ads circulated by America PAC also push unfounded claims. One placed on X suggests without evidence that the former president’s political opponents “tried to kick Trump off your ballot. They even tried to end his campaign and take him out for good.”

Musk has also frequently attacked Harris on X. One of his posts this month included a fake image apparently generated with artificial intelligence that depicted her in a red uniform emblazoned with a hammer and sickle.

Days later, an ad placed by America PAC on Facebook and Instagram included a video with a Russian-accented narration that said, “Meet Comrade Kamala – Ready to bring Soviet Union to Michigan.”

– – –

(c) Washington Post

Authorities reported that the individual accused of attempting to target former President Trump during his Sunday afternoon golf game in Florida had previously taken to social media, stating, “Democracy is on the ballot” this year, adding, “we cannot lose.” His remarks echoed the anti-Trump rhetoric often voiced by President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

The suspect was identified by law enforcement as 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh.

Routh, who has an extensive criminal history in North Carolina, frequently shared his political views online and has only donated to Democratic candidates and causes since 2019.

In an April 22 post on X, Routh criticized Trump, writing, “DEMOCRACY is on the ballot and we cannot lose.”

Routh also offered advice to President Biden, then 81, in a post on X, suggesting that he build his reelection campaign on maintaining “America democratic and free.”

He further accused Trump of attempting to “make Americans slaves against master.”

Routh reiterated his earlier sentiment, stating, “DEMOCRACY is on the ballot and we cannot lose,” a slogan frequently used by both President Biden and Vice President Harris.

“We cannot afford to fail,” Routh emphasized. “The world is counting on us to show the way.”

This rhetoric closely mirrors statements made by Vice President Harris during her campaign appearances. For example, at a rally in Savannah, Georgia, on Aug. 29, she declared, “We are fighting for our democracy.”

On July 31, while at an event in Houston, Harris remarked that “our fundamental freedoms are on the ballot and so is our democracy,” having used nearly identical language earlier that day at a sorority gathering.

Judicial Watch president Tom Fitton commented to The Post: “It is no coincidence that Routh echoed Kamala’s and Joe’s inflammatory rhetoric against Trump. At this stage, such rhetoric amounts to dangerous incitement.”

Representatives for President Biden and Vice President Harris did not respond to requests for comment.

After the July assassination attempt on Trump, in which the Republican frontrunner sustained an injury to his ear, Routh tweeted at Biden, urging him to visit the victims of a shooting at a Pennsylvania rally, where Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire, killing a 50-year-old volunteer firefighter.

“You should visit the victims in the hospital of the Trump rally victims and attend the funeral of the fireman that died; Trump certainly never would. SHOW THE WORLD WHAT REAL LEADERS DO,” Routh tweeted on July 16.

Routh had previously expressed disappointment in Trump’s presidency. In June 2020, he tweeted at Trump, saying that while he had supported the Republican in 2016, he became disillusioned with his performance in office.

“I and the world hoped that President Trump would be different and better than the candidate, but we all were greatly disappointed and it seems you are getting worse and devolving; are you retarded; I will be glad when you gone,” Routh wrote.

Routh’s financial support for Democratic candidates and progressive causes began in 2019. Between September 2019 and March 2020, he donated more than $140 through the Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) records.

The FEC filings did not specify his employer.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Routh attended North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and relocated to Hawaii around 2018.

On LinkedIn, he described himself as “mechanically minded” with a passion for “ideas, invention, and creative projects with artistic flair.”

Sources indicated that Secret Service agents spotted Routh near Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, armed with a Soviet-style SKS assault rifle.

Although the agents opened fire, Routh managed to flee but was later apprehended on I-95 by local authorities.

Routh’s social media activity included bizarre posts and replies, alongside strong expressions of support for Ukraine in its war with Russia and for Taiwan in its conflict with China.

In one message to X’s owner, Elon Musk, Routh inquired about purchasing a rocket from the billionaire.

“I would like to buy a rocket from you. I wish to load it with a warhead for Putin’s Black Sea mansion bunker to end him. Can you give me a price please? It can be old and used as not returning,” Routh wrote.

Routh also claimed on X that he had unsuccessfully tried to recruit former Afghan soldiers to fight for Ukraine against Russia, abandoning the idea after six months.

He further claimed to have visited Kyiv and expressed his willingness to fight on the front lines if given the opportunity.

In one of his posts, Routh voiced support for Republican presidential candidates Vivek Ramaswamy and Nikki Haley, urging them to continue their campaigns.

“You cannot quit. Why. You must stay on the ballot to the end. You must fight. You must continue giving speeches and push all the way to election day no matter the election results. Do not give in. Join Nikki and keep working. Never give up,” Routh wrote to Ramaswamy.

{Matzav.com}

ABC News’ Linsey Davis, one of the moderators for last week’s presidential debate, revealed to the Los Angeles Times that the focus was solely on fact-checking former President Donald Trump, with no effort made to fact-check Vice President Kamala Harris.

Breitbart News pointed out that Davis, alongside co-moderator David Muir, fact-checked Trump on seven occasions — often with inaccuracies — but did not fact-check Harris even once, despite her use of misleading claims such as the Charlottesville “very fine people” hoax.

Davis explained to the Times that the decision to target Trump exclusively was driven by the belief that Trump had been allowed to make false statements unchallenged during his CNN debate with President Joe Biden in late June.

As the New York Post observed: “In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Davis expressed her intention to address concerns that Trump’s statements might be left unchallenged by either his opponent or the moderators, as happened in the CNN debate with Biden in June.

““Davis, speaking to The Times while wearing pink glasses during breakfast at the Ritz Carlton in Philadelphia, stated that the choice to correct the candidates stemmed from the June 27 CNN debate between Trump and President Biden, whose poor performance resulted in his exit from the race,” the Times noted.

““People were concerned that statements were allowed to just hang and not [be] disputed by the candidate Biden, at the time, or the moderators,” Davis said to the outlet on Wednesday morning.”

Davis confessed that while the moderators reviewed past statements — noting that “Politicians tend to say the same things again and again” — they failed to prepare for fact-checking Harris’s frequent use of false claims. (Harris employed the “very fine people” hoax in the 2020 vice presidential debate with Mike Pence, who challenged her on the spot.)

Similarly, Biden also used the “fine people hoax” and other inaccuracies during the June debate, but CNN did not fact-check him either.

{Matzav.com}

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said that he has not spoken to Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu since the Oct. 7 massacre as the Israeli leader refuses to answer his calls.

“I have not talked to him because he didn’t pick up my phone calls, but I have no reason not to speak with him,” Guterres told Reuters in an interview. “So if he comes to New York and he asks to see me, I will be very glad to see him.”

Guterres made the same complaint in January to Al Jazeera, the Qatar-based news outlet whose journalists had their press cards revoked by Israel on Thursday for incitement.

Guterres told the broadcaster that he has “asked to speak to Prime Minister Netanyahu and until now, that phone call has not been received.”

The two men last met in person in September 2023 at the annual U.N. General Assembly session.

The secretary-general has taken a consistently anti-Israel approach since Oct. 7.

Speaking to Reuters, Guterres accused Israel of “very dramatic violations of the international humanitarian law and the total absence of an effective protection of civilians.

“What’s happening in Gaza is totally unacceptable,” he said.

On Aug. 29, Guterres called on Israel to cease its anti-terror operations in Judea and Samaria, consistent with his ongoing demand that Israel immediately cease operations in Gaza.

Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon defended Israel’s actions, noting that Iran has been working to introduce sophisticated explosives into Judea and Samaria to “detonate in the centers of Israeli cities.”

“The State of Israel cannot sit idly by and wait for the spectacle of buses and cafés exploding in city centers,” he said. “The activity of the IDF forces in Judea and Samaria is intended for the clear purpose of thwarting terrorist attacks and acts before they are carried out under Iranian direction.”

In March, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz slammed Guterres, tweeting, “Under his leadership, the @UN has become an antisemitic and anti-Israeli body that shelters and emboldens terror.”

On Oct. 24, shortly after the Hamas attack, Guterres drew the ire of Israeli officials when he told the U.N. Security Council, “It is important to also recognize the attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum,” adding that “the Palestinian people have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation.”

Guterres has come under fire from many Israeli civil society groups and U.S. Jewish organizations that believe that the U.N. has shown little to no empathy for the victims of Hamas’s Oct. 7 assault. JNS

{Matzav.com}

After a Gaza resident published footage online showing the luxury goods that one could purchase for low prices at the market in Gaza, outraged Israelis are voicing their frustration. The video showcased a PlayStation video game console, which is priced in the US at $499, on sale in Gaza for just 700 shekels (about $190). The video also showcased soaps, purfumes, and more, with a man describing how “in Gaza during the war, you could get anything at the market stands.”

Reacting to the video, Israeli journalist wrote: “This video itself is a reason for the dissolution of this good-for-nothing government. More than a hundred of our brothers are withering away in captivity, thousands are exiled from their homes, hundreds of thousands can’t return to a regular routine, and we are sending them PlayStations. It’s like hitting your head against the wall until you pass out.”

Defense analyst Yossi Yehoshua blamed Prime Minister Netanyahu, saying: “Netanyahu is dragging his feet and not making a decision to reduce the humanitarian aid, and so in the middle of a war, Gaza is flooded with goods from Israel.”

Other reactions included frustrated journalist Avraham Bloch, who pointed out that: “Why would the enemy surrender when this is the situation? Whey would they release even one hostage when the situation in Gaza is so good?”

{Matzav.com}

In recent years, I’ve noticed two parallel trends that are hard to ignore, and I can’t help but feel a sense of unease as these developments unfold. One trend involves frum baalebatim—individuals who have been incredibly successful in business—who seem to be engaged in an ongoing race to outdo each other with displays of luxury. Whether it’s the increasing use of helicopters for short trips or private jets for longer hauls, this competition for status and wealth is becoming more and more extravagant. What was once an occasional luxury has now become a routine for some, elevating the already feverish competition among the “one percent” of the Jewish community. Simultaneously, I have also been following the emerging space race among secular billionaires. It’s fascinating, albeit alarming, to see the lengths to which some of these individuals will go in their pursuit of being the first to accomplish something beyond Earth. We’ve watched them compete to fly higher, farther, and longer, with some even taking it to the extreme by doing spacewalks – as seen this past Friday, when a Jewish, albeit secular, billionaire made history. Every milestone in this secular space race seems to spur another billionaire to top it, turning what used to be the final frontier into a playground for the ultra-wealthy. Now, these two phenomena—one happening in our own community, the other in the broader secular world—seem, on the surface, completely unrelated. But I can’t help but wonder if they are, in fact, on a collision course. In the frum world, there’s already a kind of “arms race” in terms of how people display their wealth, and it has crept into many aspects of our lives. Helicopters, once reserved for emergency situations, are now becoming the go-to for baalebatim looking to make an impression, even if it’s just for a quick trip to the airport. Private jets are no longer viewed as indulgent; they’re almost expected for those in certain circles. What’s next? Could we see frum billionaires setting their sights even higher—literally? I fear that it’s only a matter of time before the drive to one-up each other takes a turn toward the realm of space travel. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if, in the near future, we see a headline announcing that a frum billionaire has taken his private space flight—perhaps even putting on tefillin while floating in zero gravity. As absurd as this sounds, it doesn’t seem far-fetched given the current trajectory of luxury and the increasing integration of yiddishkeit into high-profile events that have nothing to do with yiddishkeit. But why stop there? The space race is all about breaking barriers and going where no one has gone before. Could the next “achievement” be spending a Shabbos in space? Picture it: a billionaire boasting about hosting the first Shabbos seudah beyond Earth, posting pictures of kiddush aboard a space station. Of course, some will ridiculously argue that such achievements are a massive kiddush Hashem. It’s not. The secular billionaire space race, while fascinating from a technological standpoint, is ultimately a reflection of how disconnected some have become from the everyday concerns of humanity. These individuals, with their vast wealth, are no longer content with what they have achieved on Earth. Now they must reach for the stars. But at what cost? The resources spent on […]

Donald Trump was the target Sunday of “what appears to be an attempted assassination” at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, the FBI said, just nine weeks after the Republican presidential nominee survived another attempt on his life. The former president said he was safe and well, and authorities held a man in custody. The man in custody was Ryan Routh, a clearly unstable man whose social media posts suggested he was obsessed with supporting Ukraine and thought that Trump is a threat to democracy – exactly what Democrats, including Kamala Harris, have been continuously accusing Trump of being, even after the first attempt on his life. Routh also previously posted a photo of a map with a caption suggesting that he was less-than-thrilled with the existence of a Jewish State in Israel.   Oddly, Routh tagged Yeshiva World News in a 2022 social media post, urging us to release a “CALL TO ACTION” in support of Ukraine. U.S. Secret Service agents posted a few holes up from where Trump was playing noticed the muzzle of an AK-style rifle sticking through the shrubbery that lines the course, roughly 400 yards away. An agent fired and the gunman dropped the rifle and fled in an SUV, leaving the firearm behind along with two backpacks, a scope used for aiming and a GoPro camera, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said. The man was later taken into custody in a neighboring county. In an email to supporters, Trump said: “There were gunshots in my vicinity, but before rumors start spiraling out of control, I wanted you to hear this first: I AM SAFE AND WELL!” He wrote: “Nothing will slow me down. I will NEVER SURRENDER!” An email to Trump campaign staffers obtained by AP said, “This is not a matter that we take lightly. Your safety is always our top priority. We ask that you remain vigilant in your daily comings and goings.” “As we enter the last 50 days of President Trump’s campaign, we must remember that we will only be able save America from those who seek to destroy it by working together as one team.” In the aftermath, Trump checked in with allies, including running mate Ohio Sen. JD Vance, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham and several Fox News hosts. Fox News host Sean Hannity recounted on air his conversation with Trump and the former president’s golf partner, Steve Witkoff. They told Hannity they had been on the fifth hole and about to go up to putt when they heard a “pop pop, pop pop.” Within seconds, he said Witkoff recounted, Secret Service agents “pounced on” Trump and “covered him” to protect him. Trump had returned to Florida this weekend from a West Coast swing that included a Friday night rally in Las Vegas and a Utah fundraiser. His campaign had not advised about any public plans for Trump on Sunday. He often spends the morning playing golf, before having lunch at the club, one of three he owns in the state. He has had a stepped-up security footprint since the assassination attempt in July. When he has been at Trump Tower in New York, parked dump trucks have formed a wall outside the building. At outdoor rallies, he now speaks from behind an enclosure of bulletproof […]

Yagil Yaakov, a 13 year old boy who was kidnapped by Hamas, and held in Gaza for 52 days, wrote about his connection to Hashem during and after his time in Hamas captivity.

In an Instagram post on Sunday, Yaakov described how what kept him going during his time in Hamas captivity was his connection with Hashem, writing: “When I am often asked what is my truest connection with God, I answer that all that kept me going in captivity was the belief that I was not alone, that I had Someone with me who, although He was not able to protect me from being kidnapped, but He definitely protected me there, during all those hours in captivity.”

Yaakov continued, “This is called divine providence. I really think that I always felt divine providence around me. I always felt Him with me, protecting me from every trouble and obstacle. When I came back, I immediately told everyone that I wanted to start wearing a kippa and tzitzit and everyone laughed at me. They thought I was crazy. What has that got to do with anything now? I told them I was thinking about it all the time I was in captivity.”

“The month of forgiveness has come and I feel that I have a lot to ask forgiveness for and I also feel a connection that is big enough for me to go there to also acknowledge my gratitude. To say thank you for protecting me from my enemies, and ours,” Yaakov wrote.

Concluding, the 13 year old wrote: “Father, thank you for the privilege of being here. You chose to show me the correct way and You will not regret this. I love you, Tata, and am sure that You are trying to protect the other hostages who are still there.”

{Matzav.com}

The Democratic mayor of Phoenix recently declared the US housing crisis an “all hands on deck challenge.” Her counterpart in Columbus, Ohio, lamented its toll on “every rung of the socioeconomic ladder.” The mayor of New York City bluntly proclaimed, “We have to get in the business of building housing.”

Their words reflect an increasing sense of urgency about the nation’s worst housing quagmire in decades – and help explain how a topic that is often confined to local zoning board hearings and city council meetings has ended up at the center of national politics.

Democratic nominee Kamala Harris has made housing one of few areas where she has offered relatively detailed policy proposals, which include tax credits for builders that construct starter homes and $25,000 in down payment assistance for certain buyers.

GOP rival Donald Trump wants to open up federal land for housing development and has pledged to help with affordability by eliminating regulations.

These ideas are overtures to an electorate that faces a stark reality: Homeownership affordability reached its lowest since at least 2006 in October, and still hovers near that level, according to an index from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. That in part reflects the higher interest rates that the Fed wielded to tame inflation, but also a severe supply shortage that’s been in the making since the housing market collapse of 2008.

“We have to prioritize housing as a national issue,” said San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria at an event at the Democratic National Convention in August. “We have responsibilities at the local level, but we need federal assistance to be able to get this job done. Federal intention and investment can be a game changer.”

At stake in the next two months are the votes of frustrated homebuyers and renters in battleground states that could determine who reaches the White House and which party controls Congress.

Longer term, without more supply, US cities face the potential loss of teachers and first responders who can’t afford to live where they serve. And like in other countries across the globe facing housing squeezes, legions of voters could miss out on the wealth accumulation that homeownership has provided for generations.

In swing states including Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, the median monthly payment for homebuyers has nearly doubled since the 2020 presidential election to a record $2,161, according to a July report from brokerage Redfin.

A Bloomberg News/Morning Consult tracking poll of these seven states finds that voters consistently say the economy is their top priority in the 2024 election. When asked in August which economic factors carry the most weight at the ballot box, swing-state voters selected housing costs more often than unemployment, pay raises or interest rates.

The Democratic party, in particular, appears to have keyed in on this focus. Harris was quick to mention her housing plan in her first answer during Tuesday night’s debate with Trump.

Her campaign has gone on the airwaves in Arizona and Nevada – which were hit especially hard among swing states by soaring housing costs – with an ad touting her homebuilding agenda. A group called YIMBYs For Harris – a reference to opponents of “not in my backyard” thinking – raised more than $100,000 in an August fundraising call.

The vice president has an advantage on the issue that she and her allies can try to build on: Swing-state voters in the August poll said they trusted Harris over Trump to handle housing costs by a margin of 4 percentage points.

“I know what homeownership means and sadly right now it is out of reach for far too many American families,” Harris said in the new campaign ad. “We will end America’s housing shortage by building 3 million new homes and rentals.”

Harris’ plans also include “cracking down on corporate landlords and Wall Street banks hiking up rents and housing costs to bring prices down for our families,” said Dan Kanninen, her campaign’s battleground states director, in an emailed statement. “But under Trump, life will only get more expensive, with his Project 2025 agenda raising millions of Americans’ housing costs while his wealthy friends profit.”

Still, it won’t be easy for Harris to score political points with her plan – nor to implement it, if she wins the White House.

In the Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll, her down payment assistance plan was widely favored by the Democrats who comprise her base, but had less appeal with independent and undecided respondents. That suggests the plan is most potent with the voters who are already in Harris’ corner.

Trump will also be blasting Harris’ plan on the campaign trail, arguing that she and President Joe Biden’s administration caused the housing affordability crisis.

The former president “has a real plan to defeat inflation, bring down mortgage rates, and make purchasing a home dramatically more affordable,” Karoline Leavitt, his campaign national press secretary, said in an emailed statement. She added that “illegal aliens” are driving up housing costs but Trump will “cut taxes for American families, eliminate costly regulations, and free up appropriate portions of federal land for housing.”

When it comes to Harris putting her proposals into action, Mark Zandi, an economist who advised her campaign on the plan, said it would make sense for the down payment assistance to come only after an expansion of supply – otherwise, it could simply stoke demand and thereby pump prices even higher. While a four-year term might be an ambitious timeline for building 3 million housing units, Zandi said five to eight years is possible.

As for the likelihood of getting these proposals passed by Congress, Zandi said the strategy of focusing on private-sector solutions, such as the builder tax credit, will have the advantage of appealing to lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.

Of course, builders will need labor, materials and other resources, which are already being stretched by infrastructure and manufacturing projects. But with government tax breaks at stake, “that’s a big incentive to figure out the labor constraints and get it done,” said Zandi, who’s the chief economist for Moody’s Analytics.

Trump will have his own challenges making inroads on this issue. The federal lands at the heart of his plan are often located far from metro areas with abundant jobs. Plus, the role of migrants in the housing market is nuanced. New arrivals fuel demand, but in some markets like New York, they are also a major source of the construction workforce, and thus would be integral to efforts to boost supply.

Plus, whichever candidate wins the White House will still face the problem of a tangle of local regulations and zoning ordinances that are often shaped by an area’s political bent, demographic shifts and socioeconomic composition. These local rules play a key role in spurring or stifling housing starts.

Multifamily builders have focused on market-rate units, including many higher-priced studios and one-bedrooms for affluent young singles. What’s scarce is affordable housing, with the National Low Income Housing Coalition estimating the US has a shortage of 7.3 million available rental homes that are affordable to tenants with extremely low incomes.

The roots of today’s housing crunch – the one lamented by Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, Columbus Mayor Andy Ginther and New York Mayor Eric Adams, among others – took hold well over a decade ago. After the 2008 financial crisis, which was a consequence of a housing bubble, construction projects slowed dramatically and workers fled the industry.

More recent conditions, though, have added to the strain and helped put the issue in a national spotlight. In particular, high interest rates have convinced many homeowners to stay put, causing annual existing home sales to fall in 2023 to the lowest in almost 30 years.

The crisis has been “put on steroids and has become acute as a consequence of the pandemic, inflation, interest rates and all the things that we know,” said Patrick Gaspard, president of the left-leaning think tank Center for American Progress.

(c) Washington Post

The current circumstances in the Galil and the Golan “will not continue,” Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu said at the start of Sunday’s weekly Cabinet meeting in Yerushalayim.

He called for a “change in the balance of forces on our northern border,” amid daily attacks from Hezbollah in Lebanon, while pledging to do “whatever is necessary” to return evacuated residents safely to their homes.

Netanyahu spoke days after he ordered the military to prepare for a broad campaign in Lebanon against the Iranian-backed terrorist army.

His instructions were given during a special security-strategic discussion on Sept. 12 with the heads of the security establishment, including Defense Minster Yoav Gallant, along with Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer.

Senior defense officials said during the meeting that a diplomatic resolution would not be enough to return the tens of thousands of displaced residents to the north. A senior Netanyahu associate stressed that no date has been set for a military operation but that it could be weeks or a few months away.

These defense officials believe that a war in the north will require a drawing down of forces fighting Hamas in Gaza.

Furthermore, the Security Cabinet is expected to meet on Monday evening to discuss the northern front.

Meanwhile, Naim Qassem, Hezbollah’s second in command, warned yesterday that an all-out war could lead to the displacement of “hundreds of thousands” of additional Israelis.

“There is no plan to initiate a war, but the expansion of aggression on the part of Israel will be met with a response,” the terrorist group’s deputy secretary-general was quoted as saying in a speech in Beirut.

“We have no intention of going to war, as we consider that this would not be useful,” he continued.

“However, if Israel does unleash a war, we will face up to it—and there will be large losses on both sides. If they think such a war would allow the 100,000 displaced people to return home …, we issue this warning: Prepare to deal with hundreds of thousands more displaced,” Qassem said.

U.S. presidential envoy Amos Hochstein is scheduled to arrive in Israel on Monday to discuss the escalating tensions with Hezbollah as Biden administration officials express increasing concern about Israeli plans for a military operation to restore calm to the northern border.

During his visit, Hochstein is expected to meet with Netanyahu, Gallant and other senior officials.

U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said during a briefing on Friday that Hochstein’s trip was part of the administration’s ongoing efforts to avoid an escalation and a wider regional war.

“Amos’s trips are a continuation of the diplomacy he has conducted for many months to prevent a second front. It’s part of ongoing efforts by the administration and the team to prevent escalation and the spread of this conflict,” Kirby said.

A senior American official last week backed Israel’s stance on the conditions required to end the conflict affecting northern Israel, stating, “We cannot return to the status quo of Oct. 6. A ceasefire with Lebanon alone is not enough, because Hezbollah will return to the border.”

The American official spoke at the Middle East-America Dialogue (MEAD) conference in Washington, which concluded on Monday. He emphasized that to prevent a scenario in which Israel faces an invasion from the Lebanese border, “an agreement is needed that will prevent Hezbollah’s return to the border.”

He added that beyond the security arrangements at the border, additional components are necessary in the agreement to ensure its enforcement and implementation—unlike U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 adopted at the end of the 2006 Second Lebanon War, which, according to him, “both sides failed to implement.”

The American official said that a full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah can be prevented, but if it breaks out, the price will be heavy for both sides.

“Thousands, maybe tens of thousands, will die. There will be severe infrastructure damage. On your side [Israel], Hezbollah won’t be easily destroyed, and you likely won’t achieve most of your objectives. The war will last a long time, and many people on both sides will die. The residents of northern Israel won’t be returning home anytime soon, and such a war will eventually end with an agreement similar to the one we are now trying to reach. That’s why we are working to secure this agreement now.”

Hezbollah launched dozens of rockets and an explosives-laden drone from Lebanon at the Galil Panhandle and Golan Heights on Sunday morning.

There were no reports of injuries, but the rockets sparked fires, which crews were working to put out.

Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the barrage, saying that it had targeted an Israeli military base with dozens of Katyusha rockets in response to IDF strikes in Lebanon, including an alleged drone strike yesterday near Sidon.

The Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese newspaper Al Akhbar reported on Sunday morning on Israeli artillery attacks on several sites in Southern Lebanon.

The IDF said on Saturday night that the Israeli Air Force had struck Hezbollah weapons storage facilities in the Beqaa and Baalbek areas, located deep inside Lebanon.

Additionally, the IAF attacked Hezbollah weapons storage facilities and a military structure in seven areas in Southern Lebanon, according to the IDF.

(JNS)