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Family members of U.S. troops wounded in the line of duty are furious over Kamala Harris’ bold assertion that no Americans are serving in combat zones, a remark that contradicts her administration’s own listing of active conflict areas.

Currently, as many as 50,000 American service members stationed across the Middle East and Africa are receiving “hostile fire” or “imminent danger pay,” special monthly compensation of up to $225 for being deployed in regions where they face or experience enemy attacks, explained retired Army Colonel and military analyst Jonathan Sweet to The Post.

During Tuesday’s ABC debate with Republican nominee Donald Trump, Harris attempted to portray her administration as having brought a level of peace unseen in recent history, implying that American forces are no longer in harm’s way.

“For the first time this century, as of today, there is not one member of the United States military in active duty in a combat zone, in any war zone around the world,” she declared to an audience of 67 million viewers.

Earlier in the debate, Trump warned that the U.S. is dangerously close to “World War III” by not intervening to stop Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He reiterated his long-standing argument that during his presidency, international adversaries were kept in check, and under his leadership, neither Russia’s invasion of Ukraine nor Hamas’ attack on Israeli civilians would have occurred.

The NY Post reports that one person not convinced by Harris’ assertions is Brad Illerbrunner. His son, Chief Warrant Officer Garrett Illerbrunner of the U.S. Army’s elite 82nd Airborne Division, suffered a critical injury in Iraq.

A drone, launched by the terror group Kataib Hezbollah and its affiliates, targeted the Erbil Air Base in Iraq where Garrett was stationed.

Shrapnel from the drone struck Garrett in the head, leaving him gravely injured and permanently disabled. Two other soldiers were also wounded in the attack.

Brad, outraged by Harris’ comments, said her statements “really [hit] below the belt… She doesn’t even recognize that our own troops are getting hurt.” He bluntly added, “We’re still in war zones,” accusing Harris of trying to “snow the public.”

Just a month after Garrett was injured, a drone strike carried out by Iran-backed militants hit the U.S. base in Jordan, known as Tower 22, killing three Army Reserve soldiers and injuring 34 others.

In another attack, seven U.S. soldiers were wounded in mid-August during a joint operation with Iraqi forces in Western Iraq, where they faced off against 15 ISIS militants armed with grenades and suicide belts.

Many in the military community felt that Harris’ statements during the debate were deeply offensive, with Michael DiMino, a fellow at Defense Priorities, stating they failed to pass a “basic kind of smell test.”

“If you’re stationed in Jordan, fighting ISIS and getting attacked daily by Iranian drones and rockets, you’re in a war zone,” DiMino said. He accused Harris of trying to manipulate language to suggest that the U.S. isn’t involved in various conflicts, “which we are.” He emphasized, “American men and women in uniform are getting shot at on a daily basis, and many have died or been injured just in the last eight months.”

Presently, about 2,500 U.S. troops are stationed in Iraq and another 1,000 in Syria as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, an international mission aimed at defeating ISIS. Iraq is listed as one of nearly two dozen areas officially recognized as “combat zones” by the IRS under the Harris-Biden administration, which entitles troops to tax exemptions for serving in “hostile areas… [including] actual combat areas, direct combat support areas, and qualified hazardous duty areas.”

A spokeswoman for Harris’ campaign reiterated her debate point, claiming that the U.S. is not currently engaged in any wars for the first time in decades. However, she acknowledged that American troops deployed worldwide “are taking risks for our country that should be honored no matter where they serve.”

A Defense Department official also supported the view that the U.S. is not currently involved in any active wars or war zones. “Part of military service involves being stationed in locations where hostile actions may occur,” the official stated, adding that while some locations are designated by executive order or the Secretary of Defense, “just because a service member is in one of these areas does not mean they are engaged in war.”

Holly Davis, whose husband is a National Guardsman currently deployed in Syria under Operation Inherent Resolve, expressed her frustration over Harris’ comments.

“It’s very hurtful that someone who is currently our vice president is making these claims when my husband is literally sacrificing his life every day over in the Middle East,” Davis said.

On August 9, her husband’s base was struck by a drone attack. During a recent call with him, she heard alarms signaling an incoming strike.

“I had to sit through those two minutes of hearing that, wondering if he was going to come back on the phone,” she recalled. “It’s very real. Very war zone.”

{Matzav.com}

We have all seen it, we may have it ourselves – a car covered in stickers and magnets advertising Yeshivos, camps and more. Now, police in New York are warning people to remove the stickers and magnets covering their cars, to prevent giving away too much information.

A meme posted by the police explains how many seemingly innocuous stickers and magnets can actually give away too much information to those who wish to cause harm.

A magnet with the name of your child’s Yeshiva or Bais Yaakov? Tells where your child goes every day. A magnet with a baby stroller? Shows you may be distracted, and therefore an easy target. Other magnets and stickers could give away your home location, and indicate you may have valuables worth stealing. Additionally, a arrangement of stickers makes your car recognizable, which could help a criminal memorize your license plate, and spot your car from a distance.

In the past, police warnings about stickers and decals were only focused on drivers who use magnets and decals to obscure their license plate from the police, and to avoid paying tolls.

{Matzav.com}

Pennsylvania residents risk having their mail-in ballots rejected if they fail to correctly date the return envelope, as per a ruling on Erev Shabbos by the state’s Supreme Court. This decision could play a significant role in the upcoming presidential election.

The Supreme Court’s ruling was based on procedural technicalities. It determined that the lower court, which had previously deemed the date requirement unenforceable, should not have handled the case since it did not involve election boards from all 67 counties. Pennsylvania’s counties oversee the election process, but the left-leaning groups who initiated the lawsuit targeted only Philadelphia and Allegheny counties.

Two weeks ago, the Commonwealth Court had paused the enforcement of the date requirement on mail-in ballot envelopes. However, with the state Supreme Court reversing that order, there is now a heightened risk that thousands of timely mailed ballots could be invalidated in this critical swing state, where the presidential race is expected to be tight.

Historically, a larger proportion of Democrats in Pennsylvania vote by mail compared to Republicans. In recent elections, older voters have particularly been affected by ballot disqualification due to errors with the date on their return envelopes.

In response to the ruling, Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley praised the decision, calling it a “major victory for election integrity” that reinforces basic safeguards for mail-in voting and builds voter confidence.

Attorneys representing the 10 community organizations that challenged the rule suggested that further legal challenges could arise from the decision.

Mimi McKenzie, legal director at the Public Interest Law Center in Philadelphia, warned of the risks voters face in November, stating, “Thousands of voters are at risk of having their ballots rejected in November for making a meaningless mistake.” She encouraged voters to “carefully read and follow the instructions for submitting a mail-in ballot to reduce the number of ballots being rejected for trivial paperwork errors.”

The court’s decision was split 4-3, with two Democratic justices aligning with the Republican members of the state Supreme Court to overturn the Commonwealth Court ruling.

In a dissenting opinion, three other Democratic justices argued that the court should have addressed the larger constitutional question involved. Justice David Wecht wrote, “A prompt and definitive ruling on the constitutional question presented in this appeal is of paramount public importance inasmuch as it will affect the counting of ballots in the upcoming general election.” The dissenters would have resolved the issue through written briefs.

The lawsuit, filed in May, contended that the date requirement could not be enforced due to a state constitutional clause guaranteeing “free and equal” elections.

Looking at recent election data in Pennsylvania, it’s estimated that over 10,000 ballots could be discarded this year due to errors or missing dates on the envelope, which could be enough to determine the outcome of the presidential election. With 19 electoral votes, Pennsylvania is the largest of the seven battleground states.

In past elections, mail-in ballots have been invalidated either for lacking a date or for having inaccurate dates, such as those from the future or predating the printing of the ballots. While state law requires voters to date their mail-in envelopes, these dates are not utilized by election officials to verify timely receipt. Instead, all mail-in ballots are logged and timestamped upon receipt and must arrive before the close of polls on Election Day.

In addition to the presidential race, Pennsylvania voters will also decide this November whether to re-elect Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Casey or replace him with Republican candidate Dave McCormick. The ballot will also feature 228 state legislative races and elections for state treasurer, auditor general, and attorney general.

{Matzav.com}

In the first 20 minutes of the Hamas assault on Israel on October 7, 2023, approximately 1,500 rockets were launched toward Israeli land, according to a report by Channel 12 News journalist Omri Maniv.

Maniv’s report highlighted that launching 1,500 rockets in such a short time amounts to “more than a rocket every second, it’s more than one-third the total number of rockets fired that day, which stands at 4,300.”

Simultaneously, while these 1,500 rockets were being fired, another 1,500 militants crossed into Israeli territory in the same time frame.

At around 7:00 a.m., a second wave of 1,200 additional terrorists entered Israel.

Thus, in just over 30 minutes, roughly 2,700 trained Nukhba fighters infiltrated Israeli territory to commit acts of murder, torture, kidnapping, rape, mutilation, and dismemberment against Israeli and foreign civilians.

In a report from late August, Maniv revealed that the total number of terrorists who breached Israel on October 7 was 6,000—double the previously reported figures.

According to that August account, of the 6,000 militants, 3,800 were Hamas Nukhba terrorists, while an additional 2,200 Gazan “civilians,” including looters and other terrorists, also entered Israel. Meanwhile, 1,000 Hamas terrorists fired upon Israel from Gaza.

In total, by the end of the morning of Simchat Torah (October 7), 7,000 militants were involved in firing at and entering Israel.

Additionally, the border fence separating Gaza from Israel had been breached in 119 locations, not 60 as previously thought. Over the course of the day, a total of 4,300 rockets were launched.

The report further stated, “These numbers are based on an in-depth investigation by the IDF’s Gaza Division, which was submitted to IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi.”

An IDF spokesperson commented: “The operational investigations have not yet been completed, and are ongoing in accordance with the situational assessment and in light of operational needs. When it is completed, it will be presented to the public with complete transparency.”

{Matzav.com}

At his campaign event in Las Vegas, Nevada, former President Trump slammed Vice President Kamala Harris’s interview with a Philadelphia ABC affiliate.

WATCH:

Strategists linked to Britain’s Labour Party have been offering advice to Kamala Harris about how to earn back disaffected voters and run a winning campaign from the center left.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer didn’t meet with Harris when visiting the White House on Friday. But two of his former top advisers were in Washington this week briefing Democratic strategists and pollsters from the Harris campaign. Last month, a Labour Party delegation traveled to Chicago for the Democratic National Convention.

Since Harris became the Democratic presidential candidate, she has expanded the universe of people helping with her campaign, bringing on board experienced hands from the campaigns of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

The British political gurus say they haven’t been recruited by the Harris operation and aren’t getting paid. But after Starmer led a revived Labour Party to a thumping election victory in July, British strategists say they have relevant insights to share.

Harris’s campaign has already been sounding a lot like Starmer’s. Like him, she is a former prosecutor who regularly cites that experience to portray herself as tough on crime and border security.

The two campaigns have deployed strikingly similar messaging. “Stop the chaos, turn the page, start to rebuild” was Labour’s slogan as it made a case against the Conservative Party that had been in power for 14 years. “We’re not going back. It’s time to turn the page … and to end the chaos,” Harris said, trying to position herself as the change candidate in her debate with former president Donald Trump.

Crucially, the swing voters Labour sought to win over, and the Democrats are now trying to reach, are people who are concerned above all about the economy.

British pollster Deborah Mattinson, a former top adviser to Starmer, and Claire Ainsley, Starmer’s former director of policy, jointly briefed Harris campaign staffers this past week on a target demographic they call “hero voters.”

In Britain, Ainsley told The Washington Post, these tended to be voters who had traditionally backed Labour but who had supported the 2016 Brexit referendum and the “Get Brexit Done” election campaign of Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party in 2019. They were struggling with daily living costs and wanted change.

“They felt like hope for a better life was getting out of reach,” said Ainsley, who now works with the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) think tank in Washington.

Labour under Starmer won them back – partly by capitalizing on a strong anti-incumbent sentiment, but also by emphasizing economic issues, such as affordable housing and job security.

Christabel Cooper, a polling expert with Labour Together, a think tank with ties to the Labour Party, said the “ruthless targeting” of specific swing voters helped deliver an “incredibly efficient” vote. Labour won 63 percent of the seats in Parliament with only 34 percent of the vote share.

So who might be Harris’s hero voters? Ainsley and Mattison commissioned polling and focus groups that led them to a similar category of voters in the United States who expressed concern about the erosion of the middle class, frustration with the cost of groceries and general unhappiness with the status quo.

“They don’t love Trump, but they do believe he is offering change,” Ainsley said. At the same time, “they are open to Harris, but they want to see more of what her offer for them might be.”

To win them over, Ainsley said, Harris should articulate specific policies on core issues “over and over again,” like the tax benefits for young families and small businesses she brought up in the presidential debate.

Harris, like Starmer, has emphasized her middle-class upbringing. While Starmer wants to facilitate “wealth creation,” Harris would build an “opportunity economy.”

But the message shouldn’t be just about the economy, said Mike Tapp, a Labour lawmaker who was part of the contingent at the Democratic convention.

Others in the group included Morgan McSweeney, the brains behind Labour’s election campaign; David Evans, the general secretary of the Labour Party; Jon Ashworth, who runs Labour Together; and Lucy Rigby, another Labour lawmaker.

Tapp told The Post about speaking at an event on appealing to working-class voters. His advice? “To not ignore concerns around immigration and borders.” He noted that Harris was talking about taking on transnational criminal organizations much like Labour has pledged to “smash the gangs” that smuggle people into Britain illegally.

Starmer has repeatedly said he’d be ready to work with Harris or Trump – offering the sort of diplomatic niceties to be expected from a foreign leader.

But Jon Tonge, a politics expert at the University of Liverpool, said there was no doubt about Labour’s preferences in the U.S. presidential election. Labour and Democrats may not be ideological soul mates, but they are broadly similar in many areas. “Starmer will be hoping and praying for a Harris victory,” he said.

There have long been close links between the two political parties – though more often the advice has flowed in the other direction. Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg worked for Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and Ed Miliband; consultant Bob Shrum worked with Blair; pollsters Joel Benenson and Pete Brodnitz advised Brown; and Barack Obama strategist David Axelrod worked with Miliband.

Labour insiders interviewed for this article said that when Starmer became party leader in 2020, and Labour was trailing in the polls, Labour strategists spoke with Democrats in the United States, as well as center-left parties in Australia, Germany and Norway.

Tonge agreed that emphasizing economic issues in battleground states was sound, but he stressed that Labour’s path to victory was complex – while the party did actively win back some swing voters, it also benefited from a populace that wanted to chuck out the incumbents and a splintering of the vote on the right.

There are, of course, also numerous differences between Britain’s parliamentary elections and U.S. presidential ones. Among those distinctions: A British party that fields contestants in all constituencies can spend just over 34 million pounds ($44.6 million); Harris raised $47 million in the 24 hours after Tuesday’s debate.

“We have a very different system,” said Benenson, the American pollster, who worked for Obama and with Labour’s Brown. “My advice to the Harris campaign, respectfully, would be to ignore advice and do what you’re doing. You’re winning.”

(c) Washington Post

Senator Roger Marshall, R-Kan., has vowed to launch an inquiry into whether the moderators of the ABC News presidential debate collaborated with Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign to leak debate questions or influence fact-checking in her favor.

“I will be sending a letter to @ABC and the Harris Campaign demanding all correspondence, records, and potential coordination between the two parties ahead of Tuesday’s presidential debate,” Marshall wrote on X Friday.

His announcement came after Mark Penn, a former senior adviser to Bill and Hillary Clinton, urged ABC to initiate an internal investigation into whether the debate was manipulated. Penn, who served the Clintons from 1995-2008, said on the “John Solomon Reports” podcast Thursday that a neutral third party should review internal messages and emails to determine if Harris had an unfair advantage.

In the aftermath of Tuesday’s debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Harris, much of the criticism has focused not just on the candidates, but on the debate moderators. ABC News had selected “World News Tonight” anchor David Muir and “ABC News Live Prime” anchor Linsey Davis to moderate. The pair has since faced accusations of showing bias towards Harris and fact-checking only Trump.

Calling for another debate, Harris stated, “I believe we owe it to the voters to have another debate because this election and what is at stake could not be more important.”

Trump, however, expressed a different view on Truth Social Thursday, stating: “KAMALA SHOULD FOCUS ON WHAT SHE SHOULD HAVE DONE DURING THE LAST ALMOST FOUR YEAR PERIOD. THERE WILL BE NO THIRD DEBATE!”

Some critics of ABC have pointed to Disney senior executive Dana Walden’s close relationship with Harris, as noted by The New York Times. Walden and Harris have been friends for over two decades, and their husbands have known each other since the 1980s.

{Matzav.com}

Tulsi Gabbard speaks at the Trump-Vance 2024 campaign event in Las Vegas, Nevada.

WATCH:

Vice President Kamala Harris sat down for her first solo interview on Friday with a local ABC affiliate, the same network that supported her during this week’s one-sided presidential debate. Even with simple questions, she managed to fumble her way through the conversation.

In the interview, Harris answered five questions posed by Action News 6 ABC, a station affiliated with ABC News. This came just days after moderators in the ABC debate with Donald Trump provided fact checks on the former president, but did not do the same for her.

One of the moderators from that debate, Linsey Davis, is a member of Harris’ sorority, and Dana Walden, a Disney executive who oversees ABC, is a close friend of the vice president.

During the interview, Action News 6 ABC anchor Brian Taff, 59, asked Harris what specific actions she would take to lower prices if she became president.

“Well, I’ll start with this. I grew up as a middle-class kid. My mother raised my sister and me. She worked very hard,” Harris responded, before talking about her neighborhood, where people “were proud of their lawn.”

“We as Americans have beautiful character. We have ambitions and aspirations and dreams. But not everyone necessarily has access to the resources that can help them fuel those dreams and ambitions,” she added.

Harris did not provide details on how she would reduce prices but instead emphasized her proposal to offer a $25,000 grant to first-time homeowners and tax incentives for new small businesses.

She also drew a distinction between herself and President Joe Biden, stating she offers an “opportunity economy” and represents “a new generation of leadership.”

“So, for example, thinking about developing and creating an opportunity economy where it’s about investing in areas that really need a lot of work,” Harris said, as she appeared to search for the right words.

She assured that she had no intention of taking away “anyone’s guns” and that she supports the Second Amendment. However, she called for a ban on “assault weapons” and supported “universal background checks.”

“They’re literally tools of war,” Harris stated.

When asked what she believed was Trump’s appeal to voters, Harris again took some time to address the question directly.

“I, uh, based on experience and, uh, and, a lived experience know in my heart, I know in my soul, I know that the vast majority of Americans have in common so much more than what separates us,” she said.

“And I also believe that I am accurate in knowing that most Americans want a leader who brings us together as Americans and not someone who professes to be a leader who is trying to have us point our fingers at each other,” she said, referring to Trump. She argued that voters are looking for someone with “common sense.”

“I think people are more willing now in light of the hate and division that we see coming out of Donald Trump to say, ‘Hey, let’s put country first,’” Harris continued.

Taff concluded the interview by asking Harris if there was anything else she wanted voters to know about her.

“I don’t know. I mean, probably it’s not very different from anybody watching right now. I love my family, um, one of my favorite things that I lately have not been able to do is Sunday family dinner. I love to cook. I have incredible friends,” Harris said.

“I have a career that really, and I said it the other day, you know, as a career prosecutor, I never asked a victim of crime where they were a Republican or a Democrat. The only thing I ever asked them was, ‘Are you OK?’” Harris said, arguing that this is an approach most Americans resonate with.

Harris has largely avoided media attention throughout her time as the Democratic nominee.

She participated in her first debate more than a month after replacing President Biden, 81, on the ticket. Her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, joined her for the debate hosted by CNN.

Harris made a few appearances on local radio shows before taking the debate stage against Trump on Tuesday, under the guidance of ABC.

She has faced criticism for limiting press access to her campaign, with less than two months remaining until Election Day.

{Matzav.com}

The wind pushed flames from house to house as a group of neighbors tried to escape their blazing subdivision, abandoning their cars in a blocked road and running to an industrial outbuilding for safety. All six perished just blocks from their homes. The group, including an 11-year-old and his parents, was among the victims whose desperate attempts to escape the Lahaina wildfire were detailed for the first time in a report released Friday. The investigation by the Fire Safety Research Institute for the Hawaii attorney general’s office delved into the conditions that fed the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century and the attempts to stop its spread and evacuate the town’s residents. It found “no evidence” of Hawaii officials making preparations for the wildfire, despite days of warnings that critical fire weather was coming, and that the lack of planning hindered efforts to evacuate Lahaina before it burned. At least 102 people died in the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfire that was fueled by bone-dry conditions and strong winds from a hurricane passing to Maui’s south. Joseph Lara, 86, was found outside his purple 2003 Ford Ranger pickup truck at the parking structure of an outlet mall and “could have been trying to go north on Front Street before he was stuck in traffic,” according to the report. His daughter told The Associated Press on Friday that she tries not to think about how he might still be alive if he had taken a different turn to escape. “He was alone. He didn’t have anyone to tell him he should go here, here, here,” Misty Lara said. “I can’t fathom what his final thoughts were.” The report is a reminder of the trauma experienced by the roughly 17,000 people who survived by driving through fire and blinding smoke, outrunning the flames on foot or bike or huddling in the ocean behind a seawall for hours as propane tanks and car batteries exploded around them. “I grew up in Lahaina and like many in that community, I lost family on Aug. 8,” said Deputy Attorney General Ciara Kahahane. “Through my involvement in this investigation, I tried to humbly serve as a voice for you, the people of Lahaina.” More than 60% of the victims tried to flee, with many discovered inside or outside their cars or huddled against the seawall. Nearly 80% of the fatalities were in the central part of Lahaina, where the fire flared and spread quickly in the afternoon, allowing little time to evacuate. Many were stuck in traffic jams created by downed power poles, accidents, traffic signals that weren’t working and poor visibility. Some back roads that could have provided an alternative escape were blocked by locked gates. For those who were evacuating, the distance between their home and the locations where they were recovered was on average 800 feet (244 meters), according to the report. One couple was found in their car after turning onto a dead-end street in the chaos, with the flames behind them boxing them in. A man found huddled in the entranceway of a house had abandoned his car, presumably to seek refuge from the heat and smoke. Others took refuge alone in fast food restaurants or furniture stores. Lahaina’s already-deteriorating infrastructure complicated evacuation efforts, the report found. Extended-family living arrangements […]

Has there been a consensus on advancing the Draft Law? A report from the Israeli Hamodia indicates that an agreement has been made between Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu and UTJ leader Yitzchok Goldknopf regarding the drafting and advancement of the Draft Law in the near future.

The report suggests that the proposed legislation “will recognize the importance of Torah study and of Torah students and will thwart the harm being done to yeshiva students.” This action, according to the report, is a result of directives from the leadership of the chareidi community.

Goldknopf informed Netanyahu that the legislation needs to be approved through three readings in the Knesset before Rosh Hashanah, the report says.

The meeting between Netanyahu and Goldknopf occurred at the Kirya in Tel Aviv, with the involvement of other senior officials from both sides.

As per the report, it was decided that a follow-up meeting will be held next week to track the progress of the law’s preparation. The Draft Law has faced challenges, including opposition from Likud members MK Amichai Chikli, Moshe Sa’ada, and Dan Illouz. They addressed a letter to the Prime Minister after the outbreak of the war, stating, “We can no longer calmly accept a situation in which certain groups in society take the burden of security onto their shoulders, with its heavy price, while other groups in the nation of Israel continue to live their routines.”

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant declared that he would not back the law unless it garnered extensive support, including from opposition members.

Earlier, Netanyahu had assured the chareidi party leaders that he would endorse a private bill granting exemptions from military service for yeshiva students. In June, the Knesset revived a draft law originally proposed by MK Benny Gantz in the previous Knesset. However, shortly afterward, the Supreme Court mandated that all yeshiva students be drafted and that funding for their yeshivas be terminated. UTJ subsequently pressured Netanyahu to pass the Draft Law by the end of the Knesset’s summer session, but this goal was not achieved.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Former president Donald Trump pledged at a Friday rally in Los Angeles to carry out mass deportations of Haitian immigrants from the Ohio city of Springfield, even though most are in the U.S. legally.

The city of about 60,000 residents, including 15,000 Haitian migrants, has found itself in the headlines this week after Trump falsely accused immigrants of eating people’s pets.

“We will do large deportations in Springfield, Ohio,” Trump said at a press conference at his golf resort near Los Angeles.

Trump did not repeat his claim from Tuesday night’s presidential debate that Haitian migrants are “eating the pets.”

The Haitian community has rebuked the former president’s claims, saying they will inflame tensions in Springfield.

“We need help, not hate,” Springfield’s mayor Rob Rue told ABC News.

{Matzav.com}

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is reportedly laying the groundwork for a political comeback, according to a report by “Chadashot Sof Shavua” this evening.

As part of his efforts to reenter the political arena, Bennett has reached out to more than 100 supporters. Among them is someone who identifies as “the head of the field headquarters” and has begun distributing text messages on his behalf.

Bennett’s moves come on the heels of recent polling data that positions him as a frontrunner for the role of prime minister. The data suggests that a political party under his leadership would likely dominate the Israeli political landscape.

In a recent Ulpan Shishi poll, 40% of participants identified Bennett as the top choice for prime minister, while 29% expressed a preference for current Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu. About a quarter of respondents supported neither candidate, and 6% were undecided.

When compared to opposition leader MK Yair Lapid, Netanyahu secured 31% of the vote, while Lapid garnered 29%. A significant 34% of those polled felt that neither Netanyahu nor Lapid were suitable for the role of prime minister.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., discusses Vice President Kamala Harris’ economic agenda on ‘Kudlow.’

WATCH:

In an interview on Channel 12 news, Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz weighed in on the recent U.S. presidential debate, making an unambiguous statement about the performance of U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris. When asked directly, “Who won the debate? Did you watch it?” Katz responded, “Who won it? Kamala Harris.” His definitive answer surprised the interviewers, with one remarking, “Even he says so,” highlighting Katz’s unusual openness. Katz elaborated that while he believed Harris had won the debate, he quickly added a note of caution: “There’s still a long time to go” until the U.S. election, signaling that much could change before the final vote. The conversation then shifted to Trump’s comment during the debate, where he suggested that if Harris were to win the election, Israel would not exist two years from now. Katz chose not to address Trump’s claim directly but reassured viewers that “Israel will be and will exist forever.” He framed Trump’s statement as an expression of the former president’s “great commitment to the State of Israel.” When pressed about whether Israeli government discussions were concerned about a potential Harris victory, Katz dismissed the idea. “There were no discussions of that nature, formal or informal. It’s not Israel’s business to deal with that. We’ll await the results of the election,” he said. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A new attempt has begun to try to salvage an oil tanker burning in the Red Sea after attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, a European Union naval mission said Saturday. The EU’s Operation Aspides published images dated Saturday of its vessels escorting three ships heading to the Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion. The mission has “been actively involved in this complex endeavor, by creating a secure environment, which is necessary for the tugboats to conduct the towing operation,” the EU said. A phone number for the mission rang unanswered Saturday. However, satellite images taken Saturday morning by Planet Labs PBC and later analyzed by The Associated Press showed what appeared to be the three salvage vessels close to the Sounion. A warship could be seen nearby. The Sounion came under attack from the Houthis beginning Aug. 21. The vessel had been staffed by a crew of 25 Filipinos and Russians, as well as four private security personnel, who were taken by a French destroyer to nearby Djibouti. The Houthis later planted explosives aboard the ship and detonated them. That’s led to fears the ship’s 1 million barrels of crude oil could spill into the Red Sea. The Houthis have targeted more than 80 vessels with missiles and drones since the war in Gaza started in October. They seized one vessel and sank two in the campaign that also killed four sailors. One of the sunken vessels, the Tutor, went down after the Houthis planted explosives aboard it and after its crew abandoned it due to an earlier attack, the rebel group later acknowledged. Other missiles and drones have either been intercepted by a U.S.-led coalition in the Red Sea or failed to reach their targets. The rebels maintain that they target ships linked to Israel, the U.S. or the U.K. to force an end to Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the conflict, including some bound for Iran. (AP)

[COMMUNICATED]

What was Vivek Doing at the DNC?

Introduction By Rabbi Yitzchok Ehrman COO, Agudath Israel

Headlines were ablaze with news of a disturbing incident at an Agudath Israel of America event held on the sidelines of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Anti-Israel protestors forcibly interrupted our gathering, which was intended to raise awareness about the growing menace of antisemitism faced by Jews in America, particularly Orthodox Jews.

Watch:

The irony of mindless slogan-chanters targeting Orthodox Jews while trying to disrupt a gathering about antisemitism cannot be overstated. It demonstrates the societal evil better than any speech or chart.

While the world is captivated by political drama, the Agudah staff is engaged in a different kind of vigilance, intently observing to fulfill our chovas hishtadlus—our duty to engage in proactive efforts on behalf of Klal Yisroel. We are not merely observers, but active participants, ensuring that our shtadlanus serves the greater good of Klal Yisroel and is mekadeish Sheim Shamayim.

Let us stay focused on this essential narrative and continue to support our shared mission with unwavering resolve.

www.charidy.com/WeDo

Did I belong at the DNC?

By Rabbi A.D. Motzen National Director of Government Affairs

“What’s he doing here?”

That was my reaction when Vivek Ramaswamy, the former Republican presidential candidate, passed me at the Democratic National Convention, followed by a gaggle of reporters. I assume he didn’t agree with much of what he heard at this convention. Then I stopped to reflect on my own presence at the DNC. As a registered Republican (who occasionally votes for Democrats) representing the Torah values of Agudath Israel — did I belong here?

The simple answer is that I work for Agudath Israel of America, which, as a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization, can’t endorse or oppose any candidate or party for office. But our gedolim have mandated that we be effective shtadlanim, or advocates, for the Orthodox Jewish community. That means showing up on Capitol Hill and in statehouses and city halls across the country. You can’t be effective if you aren’t at the table, engaging with elected officials and influential people in both parties.

While the focus of these conventions is on the presidential candidates, there are tens of thousands of local, state, and federal officials and party activists in attendance. At an Agudah event on the sidelines of the convention more than 150 elected officials and party activists mingled with Jewish leaders from across the country. The event was not an endorsement of the Democratic Party or its platform, but rather an opportunity to help educate public officials and activists about our community and engage them in important conversations.

Democratic officials stood in silence as the Neutra family spoke about their son Omer, who has been held hostage by Hamas since October 7. In addition, there were banners posted around the room highlighting the need to condemn anti-Semitism by name, and not simply lump it together with ritual denunciations of “all other forms of hate,” and pointing out that a majority of anti-Semitic assaults around the country involve those who are identifiably Jewish — the Orthodox community. The elected officials who spoke at this event condemned this abhorrent trend and explained how they plan to combat it with concrete action.

At a time when both major parties are accused of harboring anti-Semites in their ranks, we can’t afford to ignore either of them. For now, I’m encouraged that both parties feel that being perceived as the stronger one on the issue of anti-Semitism will get them more votes. Voters will ultimately decide who they believe.

The other goal of The Agudah’s DNC event was to highlight the growth of the Orthodox Jewish community and its increasing electoral strength. Most Orthodox Jews live in blue states. Our message, delivered by elected officials, was simple — ignore the Orthodox community at your peril.

Vivek Ramaswamy was also at the DNC to engage people, and his verbal exchanges went viral. I doubt that Vivek recruited anyone at the DNC to the Republican cause, but he proved that when you engage honestly and directly with people who disagree with you, you may be surprised at how they respond.

As I drove home from Chicago late Thursday night, I revisited my question from a few hours earlier: Did I belong at the DNC? Like Vivek, I was there to share our agenda and not to accept theirs. How could I not have attended?

WATCH: Inside the Agudah: Rabbi A.D. Motzen

An interview with R’ Yitzchok Hisiger

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, in a special meeting, stated, “We are heading towards a broad campaign of one intensity or another.”

Netanyahu’s directive came during a high-level security and strategy discussion attended by senior defense officials, along with ministers Yoav Gallant, Yisrael Katz, Betzalel Smotrich, and Ron Dermer.

On Monday, the Cabinet is scheduled to convene to deliberate on the northern front.

During Thursday’s meeting, defense leaders indicated that a diplomatic solution alone would not be enough to bring northern residents back to their homes. According to Channel 13 News, a close aide of Netanyahu emphasized that no exact date has been set for the military operation, though it is expected to happen within a timeframe ranging from several weeks to a few months.

Meanwhile, military officials believe that if the conflict in the north escalates, it will necessitate a scaling back of forces currently stationed in Gaza.

In response to the developments, Amit Sofer, head of the Merom HaGalil Regional Council, remarked, “After almost a year of fighting in the north, we hear for the first time that the Prime Minister wants to expand the attacks in Lebanon. We support any formula that will bring security to the north, bring back the residents and keep the terrorists away from the border line. I believe that only crushing the enemy will bring such quiet. Now we also want to see actions and not just words.”

Naim Qassem, deputy to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, commented on Saturday, “there is no plan to initiate a war, but the expansion of aggression on the part of Israel will be met with a response.”

He further stated, “If there is a war – there will be enormous damage to Israel and Lebanon.”

The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit reported on Shabbos that the Israeli Air Force (IAF) targeted a military facility used by Hezbollah operatives, as well as another military structure in the Blida region of southern Lebanon.

Additionally, IDF artillery fired at positions in the Ayta ash Shab area, also in southern Lebanon.

On the same day, the IAF struck a launcher that had fired projectiles toward the Galilee region.

Overnight, the IAF also attacked a launcher responsible for firing rockets into the Upper Galilee, alongside a Hezbollah military facility located near Kfar Remen in southern Lebanon.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is actively preparing for a return to the political arena, according to a report by Chadashot Sof Shavua. Bennett has reportedly reached out to over 100 activists as part of a broader strategy to reestablish his political presence. One key figure in this effort is a woman described as the “head of the field headquarters,” who has begun sending out text messages to rally support. Bennett’s resurgence comes amid recent polls showing him as a strong contender for the prime ministerial position. A poll conducted by Ulpan Shishi revealed that 40% of respondents viewed Bennett as the best candidate for the role, compared to 29% who favored current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Meanwhile, a quarter of respondents did not support either candidate, and 6% remained undecided. When posed against opposition leader MK Yair Lapid, Netanyahu held a slight edge, garnering 31% support compared to 29% for Lapid. However, a significant 34% of respondents indicated that they believe neither is a suitable candidate for prime minister. These results suggest that Bennett’s potential return could significantly shift the Israeli political landscape, as many voters appear disillusioned with both the current leadership and the primary opposition​. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

On Motzei Shabbos, Chadashot Sof Hashavua reported that former Israeli Prime Minister Nftali Bennet is preparing for his return to politics.

According to the report, Bennet has gathered a group of over 100 activists, and set up a ‘head of the field headquarters’ who is sending out text messages.

In recent polls, Bennet has topped the list of politicians Israelis beleive would be best suited to be Prime Minister, ahead of his rival and current PM Bibi Netanyahu, and that a party led by Bennet would win the most seats in the Knesset.

A recent poll conducted by Ulpan Shishi, 40% of people chose Bennet as their choice for VP, with Netanyahu lagging behind at 29% support.

Meanwhile, the same poll showed that if faced against Yair Lapid, 31% of people would support Bibi, compared to 29% for Lapid, while 34% of people would chose neither.

{Matzav.com}