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Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has revealed a document, allegedly written by Rafa’a Salameh, the former commander of Hamas’s Khan Younis Brigade, which provides an inside look into the current struggles of the terror group. The document, reportedly addressed to Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and his brother Muhammad, outlines the “difficult situation” facing Hamas. In the letter, Salameh paints a bleak picture of the group’s depleting resources and manpower. “We maintain the remaining weapons and equipment, as we have lost 90-95% of our rocket capabilities; and we have lost some 60% of our personal weapons; we have lost at least 65-70% of our anti-tank launchers and rockets, and most importantly that we have lost at least 50% of our fighters between those who are martyred and wounded, and now we are left with 25%,” the document states, according to excerpts translated and provided by the Israeli Defense Ministry. Salameh goes on to highlight the declining morale among Hamas fighters, noting that the remaining members of the group are mentally and physically worn down. “The last 25% of our people have reached a situation where the people do not tolerate them anymore, broken on a mental or physical level,” he wrote. Gallant emphasized that the document showcases the immense challenges Hamas is currently facing. “This is a real hardship that affects Hamas and affects the most senior commanders,” he said. He also pointed out that Salameh, who was killed in an IDF strike in July, had been desperately seeking assistance from the Sinwar brothers. “He cries out for the help of the Sinwar brothers, but of course, they cannot save him,” Gallant remarked. He added, “Why? Because we are continuing the effort that started in October and continues step by step… and reaches all senior Hamas officials. He wrote this to the Sinwar brothers, we will get to them as well.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich weighs in on the ABC News Presidential Debate and discusses the need for leadership on the world stage.

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Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu dissolved the war cabinet in June after the resignation of National Unity chairman Benny Gantz from the government and in the wake of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s demand to join it. However, Kan News reported on Tuesday evening that Netanyahu has quietly established a new small war forum from which Ben-Gvir has been completely excluded. The ministers in the forum are Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Foreign Affairs Minister Yisrael Katz, and Shas chairman Aryeh Deri. The forum members receive security briefings from IDF Chief of Staff Hertzi HaLevi and the heads of the security establishment on the management of the war on all fronts. A source told Kan: “Netanyahu invited Smotrich because he trusts him not to leak anything from the meetings and to try to persuade him to support a hostage release deal – so far, without success.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

‘Tomi Lahren is Fearless’ Tomi Lahren, host of ‘The Michael Knowles Show’ Michael Knowles, founder and CEO of ‘The Young Turks’ Cenk Uygur and host of ‘No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen’ Brian Tyler Cohen joined Piers Morgan Uncensored to discuss last night’s debate.

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House Speaker Mike Johnson reacts to Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Trump’s presidential debate performance on ‘Mornings with Maria.’

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Fox News’ Trey Gowdy reflected on the political unity following the 9/11 terror attacks and why he believes former President Trump should fire anyone who helped him prepare for the debate against VP Harris.

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The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit made an announcement on Wednesday evening, confirming that last week, in a collaborative effort between the IDF and the ISA, led by IDF intelligence, the IAF successfully targeted and killed Abdallah abu Reala, a terrorist belonging to Hamas’ Shati Battalion.

Reala had been involved in the horrific October 7th Massacre, participated in multiple attacks against IDF soldiers during the ongoing conflict, and was one of the terrorists responsible for holding CPL Noa Marciano captive. Marciano was taken hostage on October 7th and was tragically killed at the Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.

In a separate operation carried out by the IDF and ISA, the IAF also neutralized Ayman Khaled Ahmed Abu Allahyani, a Nukhba terrorist. Allahyani had been involved in the assault on the Erez Humanitarian Crossing, which took place on October 7th.

Noa Marciano’s body was discovered in a building near the Shifa Hospital in Gaza in November 2023. Her family later revealed the devastating news that she had been murdered by a doctor at the hospital after being kidnapped alive during the October 7th Massacre.

Marciano, who had been wounded during the IDF’s airstrikes on Gaza, was taken to the Shifa Hospital by her captors for medical attention. However, instead of receiving care, a doctor at the hospital cruelly killed her.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg discusses Vice President Harris’ remarks on the Afghanistan withdrawal and former President Trump’s hammering the vice president over the war in Ukraine during the ABC News Presidential Debate.

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Agudath Israel celebrates the favorable vote earlier today of The Educational Choice for Children Act of 2024 (ECCA). Following a model already operating successfully in more than twenty states, H.R. 9462 will provide $5 billion in scholarships to cover expenses facing public and private school children. It does this by allowing a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit for taxpayers who contribute to Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGO). These SGOs would then provide scholarships for a range of educational expenses, including private school tuition.

Agudath Israel played a key role in the crafting and promotion of this legislation. Working with the sponsors and coalition partners over the last several years, Agudah staff participated in hundreds of meetings and most recently submitted a memo (here) of support and generated thousands of letters of support from constituents across the country. Following nearly two hours of discussion, the US House Ways and Means Committee voted in favor of the proposal, clearing the way for the bill to be brought to the floor of the House

“We thank the 23 members of the Ways and Means Committee who voted with families today and we encourage their colleagues on both sides of the aisle to follow their lead and support this important legislation on the floor of the House,” said Rabbi Avi Schnall, Agudath Israel’s Director of Federal Education Affairs.

{Matzav.com}

While pundits in the media mob were quick to hand Kamala Harris the “W” in Tuesday night’s presidential debate, a focus group of undecided voters isn’t so sure.

According to a Reuters focus group, undecideds broke for Donald Trump by a 2-to-1 margin due to Harris’s “vague” answers and confidence in Trump to do more for the economy.

 

From Reuters:

Reuters interviewed 10 people who were still unsure how they were going to vote in the Nov. 5 election before they watched the debate. Six said afterward they would now either vote for Trump or were leaning toward backing him. Three said they would now back Harris and one was still unsure how he would vote.

…

Five said they found Harris vague during the more than 90-minute debate on how she would improve the U.S. economy and deal with the high cost of living, a top concern for voters.

…

Four of those six also said Harris did not convince them she would pursue different economic policies than Democratic President Joe Biden, a Democrat they largely blame for the high cost of living.

Six of the undecided voters were men, four were women.

“I felt like the whole debate was Kamala Harris telling me why not to vote for Donald Trump instead of why she’s the right candidate,” said Robert Wheeler, a security firm executive in Nevada leaning toward Harris before the debate.

“I still don’t know what she is for,” an entrepreneur from Florida, Mark Kadish, said. “There was no real meat and bones for her plans.”

More over at Reuters:

{Matzav.com}

Several months ago, YWN published an editorial following a tragic incident in Lakewood where a mentally unstable woman took the lives of her two children. The piece called out those gossiping about the story under the guise of “spreading awareness.” At the time, YWN faced major backlash, accused of vilifying well-meaning people, ignoring those trying to make a positive difference, and misjudging our community’s response to the horrific event. I heard both sides of the debate and found myself on the fence. Rather than choosing a side, I decided to sit back and observe. With all the noise and supposed “awareness campaigns” surrounding the tragedy, I wondered if anything truly positive would come from it. I hoped YWN would be proven wrong, and I would be writing today to urge them to apologize for their harsh criticism. Unfortunately, I’m saddened to say that didn’t happen. Despite all the talk, nothing substantial emerged from the conversations that followed. The “awareness” was nothing more than gossip, and no meaningful initiative or communal action was taken to address whatever issue this tragedy was supposed to highlight. No new organization was formed, no communal response stepped forward to fill any perceived gaps. I am not writing this to defend YWN or their tone in the original op-ed. I still believe it could have been written with more nuance and without sweeping generalizations. However, I felt compelled to respond after reading a separate recent article on YWN citing research from Nishma, which found that Orthodox Jews overwhelmingly believe their weakest middah in bein adam l’chaveiro is in the realm of lashon hara and gossip. The gap wasn’t even close. To me, this reveals something troubling: we, as a community, inherently know when we are engaging in gossip, even when it involves tragic and extremely sensitive circumstances. Yet, when confronted about it, we rush to defend our actions, unwilling to openly admit (beyond anonymous surveys) that we are falling short. As we approach Rosh Hashanah, I hope we can reflect on this. Let’s work on improving our middos, particularly those related to speech. If we can do that, then maybe the next time YWN publishes an op-ed criticizing us, I will be able to confidently write a letter defending our community and excoriating YWN for being motzi laaz about us. Sincerely, A.C.  The views expressed in this letter do not necessarily reflect those of YWN. Have an opinion you would like to share? Send it to us for review. 

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Jacob Lew made a private visit to the home of Harav Dov Landau shlit”a on Monday. During the meeting, Ambassador Lew conveyed a personal message from President Joe Biden, expressing the president’s opposition to Jewish visits to the Har Habayis. The ambassador thanked the gadol hador for his ongoing efforts to maintain calm and prevent security escalations, particularly following recent tensions sparked by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s visit to the Har Habayis. Visits such as Ben-Gvir’s are in violation of halacha according to all major contemporary poskim – a position Rav Dovid reaffirmed to Ambassador Lew. It was under Rav Dov’s directive that the Hebrew-language Yated Ne’eman recently published an unusual headline in Arabic, condemning the visit and emphasizing its opposition. Ben-Gvir’s remarks during his visit, where he suggested that a shul should be built on the Har Habayis, further inflamed tensions. Many rabbanim and Charedi political party leaders and members were angered by the suggestion, which they viewed as exacerbating an already delicate situation. Monday’s meeting ended on a positive note, with Rav Dov wishing Ambassador Lew L’Shana Tova ahead of the upcoming new year. This meeting between Ambassador Lew and Rav Dov was not their first. Upon his arrival in Israel, the ambassador visited the gadol to receive his a bracha. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A Pakistani national arrested last week in Quebec who was plotting to carry out a mass shooting at Jewish targets in Brooklyn came to Canada on a student visa, Canada’s Immigration Minister Marc Miller said Tuesday. Miller said Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, 20, was granted a student visa in May 2023 and arrived in Toronto in June of that year. Miller said he wouldn’t provide any more details since the case is before the courts. Authorities in the U.S. allege Khan planned to use guns and knives to carry out a mass shooting in support of the Islamic State group on the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas. Federal prosecutors described the alleged plan as an attempt to “slaughter as many Jewish people as possible.” The Conservative opposition party in Canada have been demanding the government answer questions about how Khan was allowed into the country. “We take any security breach and any entry into Canada very seriously,” Miller said. “Let’s not be naïve. A determined individual can gain access to this country and that is for the security services inside our country to apprehend this person if they commit a crime or if they’re about to commit a crime.” Miller added that Canada’s police forces “did their jobs” by arresting the individual and that “we’ll let the court case take its course.” Khan told uncover agents that he planned to carry out a “coordinated assault” with AR-style rifles at “Israeli-Jewish chabads” on October 7 or on Yom Kippur, which falls out on October 11 this year. Earlier this year a man and his son were arrested for allegedly plotting to carry out a terror attack in Toronto. The father, Ahmed Fouad Mostafa Eldidi, has Canadian citizenship but the son, Mostafa Eldidi, does not. The father is also accused of committing an aggravated assault in 2015 for the benefit of the Islamic State group somewhere outside of Canada. (AP & YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

Despite being fact-checked a total of zero times by ABC moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis, the folks over at The Federalist found twenty-five lies and misleading statements Kamala Harris dropped during her debate with former President Donald Trump.

She lied about everything from her upbringing to Trump’s abortion stance. From The Federalist:

1. ‘Middle-Class Kid’ Kamala Harris stated that she grew up as a “middle-class kid.” This statement is inaccurate. As journalist Megyn Kelly has previously pointed out, Harris’s father worked as a professor at Stanford University, and her mother was a biomedical scientist at UC Berkeley, which does not fit the narrative of a typical middle-class upbringing.

2. Trump’s Tax Cuts Harris wrongly implied that the 2017 tax reforms under the Trump administration disproportionately favored billionaires and corporations in the U.S. This is false. According to IRS data, “on average all income brackets benefited substantially from the Republicans’ tax reform law, with the biggest beneficiaries being working and middle-income filers, not the top 1 percent,” as Justin Haskins pointed out in The Hill.

3. Trump ‘Sales Tax’ Harris asserted that Trump has plans to implement a “sales tax.” However, Trump has made no such commitment and has not indicated that he would introduce a sales tax if re-elected as president.

4. Jan. 6 Harris characterized the January 6, 2021, incident at the U.S. Capitol as the “worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War.” This claim does not hold up when compared to events like World War I, the Japanese assault on Pearl Harbor, or World War II, all of which posed much greater threats to American democracy.

5. Project 2025 Harris asserted that Trump would enforce Project 2025 if elected, but Trump has consistently stated that he is not connected to Project 2025 and has no involvement in its implementation.

6. Just Restoring Roe When questioned about her stance on abortion restrictions, Harris evaded the query, instead expressing her support for reinstating Roe v. Wade. Yet, shortly before that, Harris had promised to sign legislation like the “Women’s Health Protection Act,” which would effectively allow abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy. She also co-sponsored the original bill and voted against protections for babies born alive after failed abortions.

7. Pro-Life Laws Criminalize Miscarriages, Ectopic Pregnancies Harris claimed that various states have implemented “Trump abortion bans” that criminalize doctors and nurses, even in cases of rape or incest. However, pro-life laws meant to prevent elective abortions do not criminalize care for miscarriages or ectopic pregnancies. In fact, all current pro-life policies include exceptions for when an abortion is necessary to save the life of the mother.

8. Trump’s Abortion Stance Harris alleged that Trump would enforce a national abortion ban and hire a “pregnancy monitor” to oversee miscarriages and pregnancies if he is elected. However, the Republican platform for 2024 specifically leaves decisions about abortion to the states, and Trump has repeatedly stated that he would not support federal laws restricting abortion.

9. Ninth Month Abortions Don’t Exist During the debate, Harris claimed that no women in America are seeking abortions late in pregnancy. “That is not happening. It’s insulting to the women of America,” she declared. Yet, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report thousands of abortions happening after 21 weeks of gestation. This data doesn’t even include numbers from several states known for permissive abortion laws, suggesting that late-term abortion rates could be higher.

10. Border Bill Harris argued that a recent congressional border bill would have curtailed illegal immigration and the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. This assertion is false. The bill, in fact, would have legalized aspects of the current illegal immigration crisis, rather than stopping it.

11. SCOTUS Immunity Ruling Harris misrepresented the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity, claiming that the decision would essentially grant Trump immunity from misconduct if re-elected. This is misleading. The justices ruled that a president has “absolute immunity” only for actions within his constitutional authority, but they clearly noted that there is no immunity for unofficial actions.

12. Fracking Ban Harris said she was clear in 2020 about not supporting a fracking ban. “I will not ban fracking,” she stated. However, during her 2020 presidential run, Harris expressed support for banning fracking, saying, “There is no question I’m in favor of banning fracking.”

13. Minnesota Rioters Bail Fund Harris appeared to deny her efforts to assist in bailing out rioters after George Floyd’s death in 2020. “She went out in Minnesota and wanted to let criminals that killed people, that burned down Minneapolis — she went out and raised money to get them out of jail,” Trump claimed, as Harris shook her head. As previously noted by The Federalist’s Jordan Boyd, Harris had promoted a bail fund on social media, which helped release rioters and other offenders.

14. Trump’s Role in J6 Harris accused Trump of inciting the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. This claim is false. Trump explicitly told protestors to “peacefully and patriotically make [their] voices heard” and even sought to send 10,000 National Guard troops to the Capitol prior to the events of that day.

15. J6 Deaths Harris suggested that several police officers died as a direct result of the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. This is not accurate. For instance, medical examiners ruled that Officer Brian Sicknick passed away from natural causes, not due to the violence at the Capitol.

16. ‘Fine People’ Hoax Harris repeated the debunked claim that Trump referred to white supremacists as “fine people” after the 2017 Charlottesville rally. This statement is misleading, as Trump was actually referring to individuals on both sides of the debate over Confederate statues, not the violent extremists present.

17. ‘Bloodbath’ Hoax Harris perpetuated the false narrative that Trump predicted a “bloodbath” if he lost the election. In reality, Trump’s comment was about the economic consequences that could follow if Democrats won the election, not an endorsement of violence.

18. Trump’s NATO Comments Harris distorted Trump’s words, claiming he told Russia it could “do whatever the hell [it] wants” in Ukraine. This misrepresents Trump’s remarks, which came from a story he shared about confronting a NATO member that had not paid its defense obligations. Trump indicated he would not support this member unless they fulfilled their commitments.

19. Autocrats’ Preferences for President Harris claimed that autocratic leaders around the world are rooting for Trump to win. While there is no way for her to know the thoughts of most leaders, Russian President Vladimir Putin did recently express support for Harris’s presidential campaign.

20. Combat Zones Harris claimed, “for the first time this century,” no U.S. military personnel are stationed in active combat zones. This is not true. As former U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer pointed out, U.S. troops remain in Syria and Iraq and regularly face attacks by Iran-backed militias. Additionally, three soldiers were killed earlier this year in Jordan.

21. Blaming Trump for Biden’s Botched Afghanistan Withdrawal Harris tried to attribute the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal to Trump, claiming he had negotiated a weak deal. However, a recent report by the House Foreign Affairs Committee reveals that President Biden’s decision to withdraw was based on his own opinions, not on security conditions, the Doha Agreement, or advice from senior officials.

22. Gun Confiscation Harris denied supporting mandatory gun confiscation, but this is untrue. She has publicly advocated for policies that would include gun confiscation as part of her broader stance on gun control.

23. Trump’s Foreign Policy Record Harris accused Trump of being “weak and wrong” on national security and foreign policy. In contrast, during Trump’s presidency, the U.S. southern border was secure, and several peace agreements were brokered between Israel and Arab nations. Under the Biden-Harris administration, however, Russia invaded Ukraine, Hamas attacked Israel, and China has escalated tensions with Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines.

24. Defunding the Police Harris denied supporting efforts to defund the police when confronted by Trump. Nonetheless, she has previously endorsed “reimagining” policing and redirecting resources away from law enforcement toward schools and small businesses, as reported by ABC News.

25. IVF Harris tried to link Trump’s abortion policies with in vitro fertilization (IVF), claiming Trump’s abortion bans are preventing couples from receiving IVF treatments. However, Trump has promoted IVF and has even pledged to provide taxpayer funding for it.

{Matzav.com}

Former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and Trump transition team member Tulsi Gabbard react to the former president’s debate performance on ‘Fox News @ Night.’

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Candace Owens claims that YouTube temporarily suspended her channel after an interview she conducted with rapper Kanye West, in which he made the statement, “Jewish people control the media.” Owens attributed the suspension to “Zionists” flagging the interview, which aired last month.

Owens, described by the Anti-Defamation League as a “political commentator who has embraced and promoted antisemitic tropes,” saw her channel removed from the platform on Monday.

“There will be no show today, or at all this week,” Owens shared via her X account, also stating, “That’s because @YouTube has issued me a strike and a one-week suspension for my sit-down with Kanye.”

She further revealed that YouTube had “demonetized” her channel, which currently boasts 2.4 million followers.

Having previously parted ways with the Daily Wire following a public disagreement with co-founder Ben Shapiro over issues concerning Israel and antisemitism, Owens claimed that YouTube, which is owned by Alphabet, removed the interview, labeling it as “hate speech” after it was mass reported by “Zionists.”

“Their tactics never change,” Owens commented in response.

Owens shared a screenshot of an email she received from YouTube, stating, “Additionally, the video Kanye West (Ye) x Candace Owens | Candace Ep 42 has been removed from the Candace Owens YouTube channel because it violates our hate speech policies.”

“YouTube does not allow content containing conspiratorial claims that individuals or groups are evil, corrupt, or malicious based on their protected group status,” the message from YouTube read. The company also informed Owens that the interview included claims that “Jewish people control the media.”

The interview, which took place on August 7, was taken down following a social media campaign that flagged the clip for its content.

Owens addressed her audience on X, noting that Kanye, who legally changed his name to Ye, appeared in the interview “calm and filled with love — speaking about the world coming together to defeat evil.” She speculated that her suspension may be connected to a debate she had with Rabbi Shmuley Boteach on Piers Morgan’s show the previous week.

“The world knows why I am being targeted and frankly, I have never felt more confident that I am the right person for this to happen,” Owens wrote on X.

Owens also mentioned that up until this incident, her YouTube account had not been flagged. “Thus far, I have had zero strikes on my @YouTubeCreators account,” she explained, but noted that she had received three consecutive content strikes within minutes, followed by an email notifying her that her account was fully demonetized.

On Tuesday, YouTube confirmed the suspension of Owens’ channel.

“We’ve suspended channels associated with Candace Owens from the YouTube Partner Program following repeated violations of our policies, including our Advertiser-Friendly Guidelines and Community Guidelines,” said YouTube spokesperson Jack Malon in a statement to The Post.

The company clarified that Owens’ channel is no longer eligible for monetization and that she is prohibited from posting content for the duration of the one-week suspension. Additionally, YouTube indicated that Owens’ channel has repeatedly violated platform guidelines, but she would be eligible to reapply for monetization privileges after 90 days.

Ye, too, has faced several suspensions on social media platforms following his own antisemitic remarks, including comments that echoed stereotypes about Jewish control of the entertainment industry and accusing a Jewish doctor of inadequate medical care.

{Matzav.com}

The office of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Tuesday evening excoriated International Criminal Court (ICC) Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan, who requested earlier on Tuesday to expedite arrest warrants with “utmost urgency” against Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. The prosecutor’s request was submitted just weeks after the submission of positions in the case by dozens of entities and countries, about half of which – in both quantitative and qualitative terms – supported Israel’s arguments. However, Israeli officials still have significant concerns that the arrest warrants will be issued. Netanyahu’s office stated: “The comparison made by the Hague prosecutor between the Prime Minister and Israel’s Defense Minister, who are battling Hamas’s murderous terrorism per the laws of war, and the war criminal Sinwar, who executes Israeli hostages in cold blood, is pure antisemitism and a moral disgrace of the first order. Unfortunately, we’ve seen from the start that the processes in the Hague are politically biased and not based on any professional legal foundations.” Reuters reported in July that on May 20, the same day that Khan made a surprise request for warrants to arrest Netanyahu, Gallant, and Hamas leaders, he suddenly canceled a scheduled trip to Israel to collect evidence on the decision. Reuters spoke to eight people with direct knowledge of the matter, who said that plans for the visit had been discussed for months with US officials. The trip was intended to allow Israeli officials to present their position regarding the allegation of war crimes and for Khan and his team to collect “evidence.” Apparently, Khan decided that he didn’t need any “evidence” for his antisemitic claims. In August, the Daily Telegraph reported that the organization UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) threatened to charge Khan, a British lawyer, with professional misconduct. The organization sent a lengthy and detailed letter to Khan refuting all his accusations against Netanyahu and Gallnat and wrote detailed evidence proving his allegations false. The letter stressed that if Khan does not retract his request for the arrest warrants, which contain false information, he will have violated professional codes for English barristers and it will report him. Earlier on Tuesday, Reshet Bet reported that nine months after filing a lawsuit against Israel in The Hague, South Africa is trying to postpone the deadline for the submission of evidence. The postponement is related to the main proceedings in the International Court of Justice (ICJ), where South Africa claimed that Israel violated the Genocide Convention. South Africa is trying to “buy time,” understanding that it does not have enough evidence against Israel for its false claim. In an “interesting coincidence,” both Khan and the president of the ICJ, Nawaf Salam, are Muslims. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

ABC News’ broadcast of the first presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump drew in close to 58 million viewers, as per initial Nielsen ratings.

The much-awaited showdown, which saw 57.7 million people tuning in across ABC, NBC, CBS, MSNBC, Fox, and CNN, surpassed the June debate between President Biden and Trump, which had attracted 51.3 million viewers.

ABC News, which hosted the debate, led with 18.3 million viewers. Fox, Fox News, and Fox Business combined for 13.7 million viewers. NBC brought in 9.7 million, CBS had 5.9 million, while MSNBC and CNN followed with 6 million and 4.1 million viewers, respectively.

With President Biden’s widely criticized debate performance still fresh in viewers’ minds, many were eager to see how Harris would fare against Trump. Biden’s poor showing was a major reason for his decision not to seek re-election, handing the torch to Harris.

Despite strong viewership, the Harris-Trump debate fell short of the 73.1 million viewers who tuned in four years earlier to see the first debate between Biden and Trump, moderated by Fox News’ Chris Wallace.

This debate featured Trump, now 78, and Harris, 59, the recently confirmed Democratic presidential nominee, going head-to-head for the first time since her nomination last month.

Trump appeared visibly unsettled at times as Harris made several stinging remarks, including claims that military leaders found Trump to be a “disgrace,” and that global leaders were “laughing” at him. She even alleged that “people start leaving his rallies early out of exhaustion and boredom,” after his 2020 defeat by “81 million people.”

Throughout the 90-minute debate, the two candidates sparred over key issues such as abortion, foreign policy, and crime. ABC moderators David Muir and Lindsey Davis occasionally stepped in to fact-check Trump, leading to Republican complaints that Harris was receiving easier treatment regarding her controversial statements.

When Trump argued that rising crime was due to migrants entering the country under Harris’ watch, David Muir interrupted, stating, “President Trump, as you know, the FBI says overall violent crime is actually coming down.”

Trump fired back, asserting that “they didn’t include the cities with the worst crime,” naming Los Angeles, New York City, and Chicago as examples of cities omitted from the data.

Trump also faced correction after claiming that President Biden had sent Harris to negotiate with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, and that the war started just three days after her visit. He remarked, “that’s the kind of talent we have with her,” referring to Harris’ 2022 diplomatic mission to Europe to prevent the Russian invasion.

Muir directly asked Harris, “Vice President Harris, have you ever met Vladimir Putin?” Harris promptly labeled the claim as one of Trump’s many “lies.”

Harris’ performance was notably stronger compared to Biden’s earlier debate debacle, which had rattled Democrats with fears of Trump winning in a landslide. Harris successfully dodged major pitfalls and difficult questions regarding her record and shifting positions on various critical topics.

Before the debate, Trump’s allies and Republican pundits expressed concerns over Harris’ close relationship with Dana Walden, a senior Disney executive overseeing ABC News, raising doubts about the network’s neutrality.

After the debate, Republicans criticized the ABC News moderators, highlighting missed opportunities to fact-check Harris on issues like her statement that Trump had jeopardized access to IVF treatment, and her false claim that Trump would adopt the Project 2025 right-wing agenda, despite his repeated denials.

Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.) tweeted his frustration: “ABC News has refused to ‘fact-check’ Kamala Harris on lying about Trump’s positions on: – Project 2025 – Charlottesville comments – ‘Bloodbath’ comments – IVF.”

Meanwhile, Democrats celebrated the moderator controversy, interpreting it as evidence of a poor night for Trump.

“He wants to be president of the United States, I would hope that he can manage a few obvious questions,” commented a former Biden-Harris administration official to The Post. They added, “It’s just like the former president — always blaming someone else for your failures.”

{Matzav.com}

Police Commissioner Edward Caban and other NYPD and Mayoral officials joined with community leaders for a pre-Yom Tov Security Briefing at NYPD Police Headquarters on Monday September 9, 2024. The NYPD Honor Guard presented the colors after which International Jewish Music Recording Artist Shulem Lemmer beautifully sang the National Anthem for the crowd of over 400 people. Commissioner Caban spoke about public safety and the strong working relationship between the NYPD and the Jewish community, especially after the horrific October 7th terrorist attack in Israel. Commissioner Caban stated there will be an increased police presence at synagogues and personally gave special acknowledgement to Deputy Chief Richie Taylor for organizing the briefing and for his leadership in the Community Affairs Bureau. Chief Chaplain Rabbi Dr. Alvin Kass spoke about the deep meaning of the upcoming Yomim Noraim and the meaningfulness of the days of awe which are just weeks away. Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and Counterterrorism Rebecca Weiner spoke about how the NYPD keeps the Jewish community of NYC safe and that there are no credible threats to the Jewish community or any community of NYC. Deputy Inspector Gary Marcus, commanding officer of the Hate Crime Task Force spoke about the work that the Task Force does to keep the Jewish community safe and he stated that they remain ready to investigate and arrest anyone who commits a hate crime. Ofir Akunis, the Consul General of Israel in New York spoke about the trusting and meaningful relationship between the Israeli government and the NYPD and about the reality of the dangers of terrorism. He also thanked the NYPD for their steadfast work in keeping the Jewish community safe and partnering with Israel during these uncertain times. In closing remarks, Deputy Commissioner Mark Stewart acknowledged the tremendous work performed by many chesed organizations in the Jewish community and he thanked the Jewish community for partnering with the Police Department. Chairman of Mayor Eric Adams’ Jewish Advisory Council Joel Eisdorfer, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Mayor Menashe Shapiro, Mayor’s International Affairs Commissioner Ed Mermelstein, Mayor’s CAU Commissioner Fred Kreizman, Director of the Mayor’s Special Projects Office Uri Fraenkel, CAU Jewish Liaison Moshe Davis, NYC Councilman Kalman Yeger and City Council Jewish Liaison Pesach Osina were also in attendance. Notable NYPD officials attending the meeting included First Deputy Commissioner Tania Kinsella, Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey, Deputy Commissioner Mark Stewart, Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry, Deputy Commissioner of Public Information Tarik Sheppard, Deputy Commissioner of Legal Matters Michael Gerber, Chief of Patrol John Chell, Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny, Chief of Personnel John Benoit, Chief of Information Technology Ruben Beltran, Chief of Transportation Philip Rivera, Deputy Commissioner Bob Barrows, Chief Surgeon Dr. Eli Kleinman, Chief of Brooklyn South Charles McEvoy & NYPD Clergy Liaisons Abe Friedman, David Heskiel, Abe Brown, Rabbi Berish Freilich, Rabbi Mendy Mirocznik, Rabbi Edgar Gluck, Abe Rosenberg, Nachman Kletzky, Zishe Lax, Shneur Grossman & NYPD Honorary Surgeon Rafi Lilker. Notable leaders in attendance included Sullivan County Sheriff Mike Schiff, Sullivan County Undersheriff Eric Chaboty, State Police Troop NYC Major Chris Casale, Ramapo Police Chief Daniel Hyman, Hatzalah CEO Rabbi Yechiel Kalish, Flatbush Shomrim Executive Coordinator Bob Moskovitz, Flatbush Hatzalah Coordinator Moshe Wulliger, Boro Park Shomrim Coordinators Motty Katz, Motty Brauner & Shlomie Levy, Crown Heights Shomrim Coordinator Gadi […]