Feed aggregator

A shocking new poll from Channel 12 News published Monday evening forecasts a disaster for Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, and his coalition partners, including Charedi parties.

According to this new poll, while Likud would still be the largest party in the Knesset, it would only receive 22 seats. Shas would win 10 seats, and United Torah Judaism would win 8 seats.  However, the current coalition would only reach 49 seats in total, a staggering 12 seats short of a governing coalition.

Meanwhile, opposition parties, led by the National Unity Party with 21 seats, would be able to reach the 61 seat threshold without needing to rely on Arab parties.

Yesh Atid in the opposition, led by Yair Lapid, would receive 15 seats, and Yisrael Beytenu led by Avigdor Lieberman, would receive 14. The Democrats, a recently formed party with a merger between Meretz and Labor, would receive 11 seats, led by Yair Golan.

While Ben Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit would receive 9 seats, this new poll shows the National Religious party led by Betzalel Smotrich failing to pass the threshold. Gideon Sa’ar would also fail to pass the threshold.

{Matzav.com} 

Calling it “unserious and unacceptable,” House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries rejected on Monday a proposal from Speaker Mike Johnson that links continued government funding for six months with a measure to require proof of citizenship when registering to vote. The response frames the spending battle to come over the next weeks as lawmakers work to reach consensus on a short-term spending bill that would prevent a partial government shutdown when the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1. Lawmakers hope to avoid a shutdown just weeks before voters go to the polls. Johnson is punting the final decisions on full-year spending into next year when a new president and Congress take over. He’s doing so at the urging of members within his conference who believe that Republicans will be in a better position next year to secure the funding and policy priorities they want. But Jeffries said the appropriations process should be wrapped up by this Congress, and the short-term measure should reflect that. It also needs to be free of “partisan policy changes,” Jeffries said. “There is no other viable path forward that protects the health, safety and economic well-being of hardworking American taxpayers,” Jeffries wrote in a letter to House Democrats released Monday. Lawmakers are returning to Washington this week following a traditional August recess spent mostly working in their home states and districts. They are not close to completing work on the dozen annual appropriations bills that will fund the agencies during the next fiscal year, so they’ll need to approve a stopgap measure. The House bill including the proof of citizenship mandate for voter registration complicates the effort. The voter registration measure is popular with House Republicans and has already passed once before in that chamber. The House Freedom Caucus, which generally includes the chamber’s most conservative members, called for it to be attached to the spending bill. Republicans say that requiring proof of citizenship would ensure that U.S. elections are only for American citizens, improving confidence in the nation’s federal election system, something that former President Donald Trump has sought to undermine over the years. Opponents say it is already against the law for noncitizens to vote in federal elections and that the document requirements would disenfranchise millions of Americans who do not have the necessary documents readily available when they get a chance to register. Trump and other Republicans have revved up their complaints about the issue of noncitizens voting with the influx of migrants across the U.S.-Mexico border under President Joe Biden’s administration. They are contending Democrats let them in to add them to the voter rolls. But the available evidence shows that noncitizen voting in federal elections is incredibly rare. Johnson called the proof of citizenship mandate a “righteous fight” as he entered the Capitol Monday afternoon. He said that even if a small percentage of people who have entered the U.S. illegally end up registering to vote, “they can throw the election. This is serious business.” Senate Democrats have also come out against Johnson’s proposal. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called the bill “pure partisan posturing.” “Speaker Johnson knows deep down that he needs to work with Democrats to get anything done,” Schumer said. The White House said that if the bill reaches Biden’s desk he will veto it. The veto threat […]

Likud MK Nissim Vaturi, a member of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, said in an interview on Monday morning that Israel will become embroiled in a war with Lebanon “in a matter of days.” “It’s just a matter of days before something develops,” Vaturi told Kan News. “Dahiyeh [Beirut suburb] will look like Gaza. There’s no other way. Prime Minister Netanyahu has the same opinion and that’s why it’s something that will unfold in the coming days,” He noted that Netanyahu briefed military officials on Sunday, telling them: “We have to finish this story. Iran’s strongest proxy in the north is Hezbollah in Lebanon and it’s time to deal with it.” Vaturi continued by describing the military solution to defeat Hezbollah. “We need to direct most of our forces to the north – with airstrikes like we saw in the previous preemptive attack and not stop for a few days, at least four to five days, and then a ground entry of IDF forces.” “I think the time has come to deal with the north. We can’t just stand by and watch ourselves lose the north. We will make a decision. Hezbollah isn’t willing to budge from the border so we need to tackle this with intense warfare. We’re out of patience.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

Will it be a blowout?

According to his latest 2024 presidential election forecast, polling pundit Nate Silver believes Donald Trump will defeat Kamala Harris in every battleground state for an electoral college blowout.

 

As polling stands currently, Silver puts Trump’s electoral college victory at 312 to 226. Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in 2016 with 304 electoral college votes.

From Mediaite:

Crucially, Silver’s prediction places Trump ahead in all the swing states ahead of Tuesday’s ABC News-host presidential debate — which, the pollster caveats, could blunt the impact of the New York Times/Siena poll.

While Silver’s latest prediction paints a bleak picture for Harris, other models show a more competitive race. RealClearPolitics has Harris narrowly ahead with 273 electoral votes, while Project 538 forecasts a victory for Harris with 281 electoral votes to Trump’s 257. Still, the margin between the two candidates remains razor-thin in key states.

Interestingly, Silver’s forecast still gives Harris a slim edge in the popular vote, with a 56 percent chance to come out on top there compared to Trump’s 44 percent.

“This is one of our highest-rated pollsters, so it has a fair amount of influence on the numbers, reducing Harris’ lead in our national polling average to 2.5 points, which would put her in dangerous territory in the Electoral College,” Silver teased on his Silver Bulletin blog before Monday’s update.

“And our model is more bearish on Harris still because of its convention bounce adjustment and its assessment of economic ‘fundamentals.’”

“You’re welcome to debate the mechanics of the adjustment, but recent polls confirm its basic hypothesis that there’s been a shift in momentum against Harris,” Silver continued.

More over at Mediaite:

 

{Matzav.com}

Two people who prosecutors say were motivated by white supremacist ideology were charged Monday with using the messaging app Telegram to encourage acts of violence against minorities, government officials and critical infrastructure in the United States. The defendants, identified as Dallas Erin Humber and Matthew Robert Allison, face 15 federal counts in the Eastern District of California. It was not immediately clear whether either had an attorney, but both were due in court either late Monday or Tuesday. Justice Department officials say the defendants used Telegram to transmit bomb-making materials, to distribute a list of potential targets for assassination — including a federal judge, a senator and a former U.S. attorney — and to celebrate perpetrators of prior acts of violence. The pair are accused of leading a collective of channels on Telegram known as “Terrorgram” that prosecutors say promotes white supremacy and violence. Their exhortations to violence included statements such as “Take Action Now” and “Do your part,” according to an indictment unsealed Monday. “I think it would be difficult to overstate, the danger and risks that that this group posed,” Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen, the Justice Department’s top national security official, said at a news conference. (AP)

During a book signing event at the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin on Saturday, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was heckled by conservative comedian Alex Strenger, who posed as a Democrat and mocked her phenomenal threat gained through her questionable stock trading practices. Strenger approached Pelosi, who was promoting her new book The Art of Power, and sarcastically hailed her as “the greatest options trader of all time,” before being escorted away by security. In a video posted on X (formerly Twitter), Strenger, wearing a COVID mask and Bernie Sanders cap, introduced himself as “Noah” and praised Pelosi for her defense of democracy. “It really means so, so much, you know?” he said, before shifting the conversation to his supposed fear of Donald Trump’s reelection. He stated that Trump’s imprisonment was “the only hope for democracy” and Pelosi agreed, replying, “We do.” The comedian then shifted to stock trading, asking Pelosi, “What stocks should I buy? Nancy, you’re the greatest options trader of all time,” referencing accusations that Pelosi has benefited from insider information through her husband Paul Pelosi’s stock trades. As security began to intervene, Strenger doubled down on the satire, saying, “Don’t y’all want to know what stocks she should buy? Come on.” Strenger’s comments alluded to ongoing scrutiny of the Pelosis’ financial activities. Paul Pelosi, a venture capitalist, has made headlines for stock trades coinciding with government actions, such as purchasing Microsoft shares before the company secured a defense contract and buying Nvidia shares ahead of the CHIPS Act vote. Despite a 65% gain in their stock options last year, Nancy Pelosi has consistently denied any involvement in her husband’s trading, insisting that he acts independently. Strenger was removed by security, but not before pointing to Pelosi’s substantial net worth and sarcastically claiming his only goal was to “close the wealth gap.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Kamala Harris has issues…

According to a Fox News report, Kamala Harris’ official campaign website has finally added a section that attempts to define her policy platform — but it’s mostly a lot of lies about Donald Trump.

 

(Harris, like other Democrats, continues to try and tie Trump to Project 2025 — an initiative the former president has resoundingly rejected.)

From Fox News:

The website breaks Harris and her vice-presidential running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’ policy proposals into four sections: “Build an Opportunity Economy and Lower Costs for Families,” “Safeguard Our Fundamental Freedoms,” “Ensure Safety and Justice For All,” and “Keep America Safe, Secure, and Prosperous.”

Before the new addition, Harris’ campaign website had pages to buy merchandise, donate and get to know the candidate’s background, but was devoid of any policy plans for weeks even after she formally accepted the nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago 17 days ago.

Harris’s website now includes a promise to cut taxes for middle-class families by “ensuring no one earning less than $400,000 a year will pay more in taxes.” The website promises that Harris and Walz “will ensure the wealthiest Americans and the largest corporations pay their fair share, so we can take action to build up the middle class while reducing the deficit,” including by “rolling back Trump’s tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, enacting a billionaire minimum tax, quadrupling the tax on stock buybacks, and other reforms to ensure the very wealthy are playing by the same rules as the middle class.”

The website touts a plan to give more than 100 million working and middle-class families a tax cut by restoring the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit. It says Harris and Walz will also expand the Child Tax Credit to provide a $6,000 credit to families with newborn children.

“Under her plan, the tax rate on long-term capital gains for those earning a million dollars a year or more will be 28 percent, because when the government encourages investment, it leads to broad-based economic growth and creates jobs, which makes our economy stronger,” the website says.

The website also claims that Harris’ “lowering costs agenda is a stark contrast to Donald Trump’s plans to jack up prices, weaken the middle class, cut Social Security and Medicare, eliminate the Department of Education and preschool programs like Head Start, and end the Affordable Care Act.”

Kamala’s “Issues” page is live just one day before the much-anticipated first debate between her and former President Donald Trump.

Read the full report over at Fox News:

{Matzav.com}

The Michigan Supreme Court ruled Monday that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will remain on the state’s November presidential ballot, ending Kennedy’s efforts to withdraw his name to help support former President Donald Trump. Kennedy suspended his third-party presidential campaign and endorsed Trump in August. He sued Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, on Aug. 30 in an attempt to remove his name from the ballot so as not to siphon votes away from Trump, who won Michigan by about 10,000 votes in 2016. Monday’s decision reverses an intermediate-level Court of Appeals ruling made Friday. It ensures that Kennedy’s name will appear on voters’ ballots in the valuable battleground state despite his withdrawal from the race. The court said in a brief order that Kennedy “has not shown an entitlement to this extraordinary relief, and we reverse.” “This plainly has nothing to do with ballot or election integrity,” Kennedy’s attorney, Aaron Siri, said in a written statement. “The aim is precisely the opposite — to have unwitting Michigan voters throw away their votes on a withdrawn candidate.” Angela Benander, spokesperson for Benson’s office, said the department is grateful for the high court’s “swift response.” “Clerks can now move forward with the ballot printing process to ensure absentee ballots will be delivered to voters by the federal deadlines,” Benander said in a written statement. Kennedy is attempting to withdraw his name from states where the presidential race will be close in November. He had scored a legal victory in North Carolina and suffered a setback in Wisconsin Friday. Justices nominated by Democrats currently hold a 4-3 majority on the Michigan Supreme Court. The order was unsigned and two Republican-nominated justices wrote a dissenting opinion. “We can only hope that the Secretary’s misguided action — now sanctioned with the imprimatur of this Court — will not have national implications,” the dissenting justices wrote. Kennedy was nominated for president by the Natural Law Party in Michigan. Benson had previously cited a state law saying candidates who are nominated and accept a minor party’s nomination “shall not be permitted to withdraw.” (AP)

Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton spoke with CNN’s Dana Bash over the weekend about former Vice President Dick Cheney’s endorsement of Kamala Harris for president. Cheney’s daughter, former Rep. Liz Cheney, also endorsed Harris for president.

…and Cotton had some thoughts about that.

 

“I want to start with some of the endorsements that Kamala Harris got this week, particularly from former Congresswoman Liz Cheney and her father, the former Republican Vice President Dick Cheney,” Bash said.

Cotton said, “You have Dick Cheney endorsing a Democrat, and you have a Kennedy endorsing a Republican. I think what it tells us is that there’s a lot of ferment and American politics, but in the end, endorsements are not going to make the difference in this race.”

Bash said, “You don’t think his endorsement of a Democrat with that kind of pedigree is going to make a difference with swing voters?”

Cotton said, “Well, I mean, some of this is probably Donald Trump beat his daughter in her last election back 39 points. I think most Americans are going to look at this race and compare the records they have against the very unusual race. When you have a president who served in office, who brought good times to America, and you have Kamala Harris, a San Francisco liberal, who has brought to America exactly what you see in San Francisco as well.”

Watch the clip below and above:

{Matzav.com}

Pollster Nate Silver is now predicting an Electoral College landslide for former President Donald Trump. According to Silver’s latest forecast, published on his blog Silver Bulletin, Trump now holds a 63.8 percent chance of winning the majority of the Electoral College vote, compared to Vice President Kamala Harris’s 36 percent. Silver’s model marks a stark change from earlier projections, which had favored Harris or suggested a narrow race. The shift comes after the release of Sunday’s New York Times/Siena College poll, one of Silver’s “highest rated pollsters,” which put Trump ahead of Harris by a margin of 48 percent to 47 percent — within the poll’s 3-point margin of error. Based on Silver’s model, Trump is now predicted to secure 312 electoral votes, a larger margin than his 304-vote victory against Hillary Clinton in 2016. Harris, by contrast, is forecasted to win 226 electoral votes. Silver’s model places Trump ahead in all the key swing states, positioning him strongly ahead of the ABC News-hosted presidential debate on Tuesday. However, Silver cautioned that the debate could still alter the current trajectory. While Silver’s forecast predicts a Trump victory in the Electoral College, it still gives Harris a slight edge in the popular vote, with a 56 percent chance of winning compared to Trump’s 44 percent. Despite Silver’s projection, other models present a more competitive race. RealClearPolitics has Harris narrowly ahead with 273 electoral votes, while Project 538 forecasts a win for Harris with 281 electoral votes to Trump’s 257. The race remains tight in several crucial battleground states. Meanwhile, CNN elections expert Harry Enten issued a stark warning to the Harris campaign, warning that her support in the critical swing state of Pennsylvania is rapidly eroding, and questioned whether picking the state’s governor, Josh Shapiro, as her running mate would have been a wiser decision than tapping Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. Watch Enten’s comments below. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Kate, the princess of Wales, has completed chemotherapy and will make a limited number of public appearances in the coming months, bolstering Britain’s royal family after it was rocked by the twin cancer diagnoses of the princess and King Charles III. The 42-year-old wife of Prince William on Monday released a video in which she appeared alongside her husband and children as she described how difficult the past nine months have been for her family and expressed “relief” at completing her course of treatment. “Life as you know it can change in an instant, and we have had to find a way to navigate the stormy waters and road unknown,’’ she said in the video, which was shot in a woodland near the family’s summer home in Norfolk. “The cancer journey is complex, scary and unpredictable for everyone, especially those closest to you. With humility, it also brings you face to face with your own vulnerabilities in a way you have never considered before, and with that, a new perspective on everything.” The royal family has been buffeted by health concerns for much of this year, beginning with the announcement in January that the king would receive treatment for an enlarged prostate and Kate would undergo abdominal surgery. In February, Buckingham Palace announced that Charles was receiving treatment for an undisclosed type of cancer. Six weeks later, Kate said she, too, was undergoing treatment for cancer, quieting the relentless speculation about her condition that had circulated on social media since her surgery. While the announcements triggered an outpouring of good wishes for the ailing royals, they also put the royal family under tremendous pressure. Queen Camilla and Princess Anne, the king’s sister, took on additional duties to cover the seemingly endless list of public events that make up the daily routine of the House of Windsor. William also took time off to support his wife and their three young children. Charles began his return to public duties in late April when he visited a cancer treatment center in London. He is scheduled to make the first long-haul trip since his diagnosis when he travels to Australia and Samoa in the fall. Kate said Monday that while she had completed her chemotherapy treatment, the path to full recovery would be long and she would “take each day as it comes.” “William and I are so grateful for the support we have received and have drawn great strength from all those who are helping us at this time,” she said. “Everyone’s kindness, empathy and compassion has been truly humbling.” In June, the princess acknowledged that she had good days and bad days while undergoing treatment. While she stepped away from most public duties during her treatment, Kate has made two appearances this year. First, during the king’s birthday parade in June, known as Trooping the Colour, and most recently during the men’s final at Wimbledon in July, where she received a standing ovation. “To all those who are continuing their own cancer journey — I remain with you, side by side, hand in hand,” Kate said Monday. “Out of darkness, can come light, so let that light shine bright.” (AP)

Sanders stopped by NBC to say the quiet part out loud…

Over the weekend, Vermont Senator Bernies Sanders spoke with NBC’s Kristen Welker on Meet The Press about Kamala Harris’ far-left policy positions — you know, the ones she won’t talk about anymore.

 

“She has previously supported Medicare-For-All, now she does not. She’s previously supported a ban on fracking, now she does not. These, senator, are ideas that you have campaigned on. Do you think she is abandoning her progressive ideals?” Welker asked Sanders.

“No, I don’t think she’s abandoning her ideals,” he replied. “I think she’s trying to be pragmatic and doing what she thinks is right in order to win the election.”

“She has another approach toward moving to universal health care,” Sanders said about Harris no longer supporting Medicare-For-All.

“But again, I think on issues like expanding Medicare, like expanding Social Security and lifting the cap on taxable income that the rich put so we can raise Social Security benefits… the need to raise the minimum wage from a starvation, $7.25 minimum wage to a living wage… I think if you campaign on those issues, raising questions on billionaires, you know what? She’s going to win, and I think she can win big,” he continued.

“Look, she and I – she is not where I am, but I think, for example, when she talks about making the child tax credit permanent and you know, we did that in the American Rescue Plan. We lowered childhood poverty by 40%. Kristen, we should not have, as the richest country on earth, one of the highest rates of childhood poverty. When she talks about 3 million units of affordable housing, that’s a big deal because we have a major housing crisis in America. When she talks about passing the PRO Act to make it easier for workers to join unions, that’s a big deal because we have to expand the union movement so the workers get decent wages. So yes, her views are not mine, but I do consider her a progressive,” he added.

Watch the clip below:

 

{Matzav.com}

In yet another display of performative activism, a large Palestinian flag was draped across the Brooklyn tower of the Williamsburg Bridge during Monday morning’s rush hour. Because what better way to “raise awareness” than to inconvenience everyday New Yorkers just trying to get to work? Footage on Citizen captured two individuals, likely police officers, climbing up to remove the flag—because, of course, someone had to clean up the mess left behind by these “activists.” Meanwhile, patrol boats circled the base of the bridge as if this stunt was anything more than an annoyance. For reference, the Brooklyn tower stands at 310 feet, according to the New York City Department of Transportation, making the flag’s placement just dramatic enough for the attention these demonstrators seem to crave. This incident follows on the heels of anti-Israel protests at Columbia University and Barnard College last week, where two individuals were arrested. The Williamsburg Bridge has already seen its fair share of theatrics, including mass arrests during a “Shut It Down for Palestine” rally earlier this year. But surely, with enough flag-waving and bridge-blocking, real change is just around the corner. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

On Monday, the Yerushalayim District Court dismissed a request filed on behalf of Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, seeking to block the public screening of the documentary “The Bibi Files.” This film reveals previously unreleased documents from corruption investigations involving Netanyahu. The documentary is scheduled to debut at the Toronto Film Festival later today.

Netanyahu had called for an “urgent discussion” concerning the film’s release. His petition highlighted the involvement of journalist Raviv Drucker, known for his opposition to the government, as one of the film’s producers. Netanyahu argued that the documentary, which includes police records related to investigations involving him and his family, contains material protected by a gag order and should not be shown. Under Israeli law, releasing such investigative documents is prohibited, as it could lead to a “show trial” and jeopardize Netanyahu’s right to a fair legal proceeding.

The promotional material for the film indicated that the documents to be presented cover the years 2016 to 2018. The film is expected to feature Netanyahu, his wife Sarah, his son Yair, close friends, advisors, and staff at the Prime Minister’s Residence in Yerushalayim.

{Matzav.com}

A poignant phrase echoes when 9/11 victims’ relatives gather each year to remember the loved ones they lost in the terror attacks. “I never got to meet you.” It is the sound of generational change at ground zero, where relatives read out victims’ names on every anniversary of the attacks. Nearly 3,000 people were killed when al-Qaida hijackers crashed four jetliners into the twin towers, the Pentagon and a field in southwest Pennsylvania on Sept. 11, 2001. Some names are read out by children or young adults who were born after the strikes. Last year’s observance featured 28 such young people among more than 140 readers. Young people are expected again at this year’s ceremony Wednesday. Some are the children of victims whose partners were pregnant. More of the young readers are victims’ nieces, nephews or grandchildren. They have inherited stories, photos, and a sense of solemn responsibility. Being a “9/11 family” reverberates through generations, and commemorating and understanding the Sept. 11 attacks one day will be up to a world with no first-hand memory of them. “It’s like you’re passing the torch on,” says Allan Aldycki, 13. He read the names of his grandfather and several other people the last two years, and plans to do so on on Wednesday. Aldycki keeps mementoes in his room from his grandfather Allan Tarasiewicz, a firefighter. The teen told the audience last year that he’s heard so much about his grandfather that it feels like he knew him, “but still, I wish I had a chance to really know you,” he added. Allan volunteered to be a reader because it makes him feel closer to his grandfather, and he hopes to have children who’ll participate. “It’s an honor to be able to teach them because you can let them know their heritage and what to never forget,” he said by phone from central New York. He said he already finds himself teaching peers who know little or nothing about 9/11. When it comes time for the ceremony, he looks up information about the lives of each person whose name he’s assigned to read. “He reflects on everything and understands the importance of what it means to somebody,” his mother, Melissa Tarasiewicz, said. Reciting the names of the dead is a tradition that extends beyond ground zero. War memorials honor fallen military members by speaking their names aloud. Some Jewish organizations host readings of Holocaust victims’ names on the international day of remembrance, Yom Hashoah. The names of the 168 people killed in the 1995 bombing of a federal building in Oklahoma City are read annually at the memorial there. On Sept. 11 anniversaries, the Pentagon’s ceremony includes military members or officials reading the names of the 184 people killed there. The Flight 93 National Memorial has victims’ relatives and friends read the list of the 40 passengers and crew members whose lives ended at the rural site near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The hourslong observance at the 9/11 Memorial in New York is almost exclusively dedicated to the names of the 2,977 victims at all three sites, plus the six people killed in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. All are read by relatives who volunteer and are chosen by lottery. Each is given a subset of names to render aloud. Readers also generally […]

Two IDF soldiers were lightly injured in a Hezbollah drone attack near Shlomi on Monday. The soldiers were evacuated to the hospital for treatment. In response to the attack, the IDF carried out airstrikes on a number of Hezbollah military sites in southern Lebanon Earlier on Monday, Hezbollah launched suicide drones at northern Israel, one of which hit a high-rise apartment building in Nahariya, only several buildings away from a kindergarten. B’Chasdei Hashem, there were no injuries but two apartments were badly damaged. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

Dr. Barry Zisholtz, who retired last year after 46 years as a urological surgeon and who is known more commonly as “Dr. Z.,” received a knock on his door in March. A woman he didn’t recognize told him that she needed the doctor’s help. He asked what the trouble was.

“Your house was redistricted,” the woman told him. “Do you know who your state House representative is?”

Zisholtz, who had planned to spend more time with his wife and their seven children, learned that Georgia’s 86th District was represented by Imani Barnes, who had been elected with some 90% of the vote in 2023 in what had been a solidly Democratic seat.

In December, Barnes was one of dozens of Democrats who abstained from a mostly bipartisan bill condemning Hamas. In January, she voted against a bipartisan bill, which defines antisemitism in state law and which passed both houses of Georgia’s legislature by wide margins. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed it into law that month.

“Who is this person? What’s she about?” Zisholtz told JNS on the sidelines of the Republican Jewish Coalition Summit in Las Vegas last week.

“She’s a very progressive Democrat, and she’s not a friend of Israel or the Jewish people,” he said. (JNS sought comment from Barnes.)

The retired surgeon asked around to see who was running against Barnes in the district in DeKalb County, just outside Atlanta. He was told that nobody was.

With only three days until the filing deadline, Zisholtz threw his hat in the ring.

“This was not on the agenda,” he told JNS, of his late political foray.

When he researched his opponent more, the retired doctor found that he disagreed with her on almost everything.

“I found she wants illegals to vote. Then I found she’s soft on crime. She’s pro-sanctuary cities,” he told JNS. “So there’s not one thing that I’m really in favor of that she supports, except I’m good with school lunches.”

An Orthodox Jew, who has served on the boards of several Atlanta-area Jewish institutions, Zisholtz knows that Israel and Gaza are not top of mind for most voters in his district.

His campaign platform includes “denouncing all bigotry and racism, including antisemitism” and “calling all terrorists, including Hamas, pure evil in no uncertain terms,” but all are further down the pecking order from kitchen table issues, like affordable health care, lower prescription drug prices and providing school choice and improved math and reading scores.

Zisholtz, who told JNS that he has knocked on some 9,000 doors, acknowledged that the race is an uphill battle.

“When I started, it looked very difficult, but I had three goals in mind. Number one is to win. Number two is to get the word out that it’s OK to fight back. And number three is to expose the individual for what she did,” Zisholtz said, of Barnes.

The retired doctor figures he has accomplished the second and third goals, and if he can pull off the first one, too, he told JNS that he will donate half of his salary to the local police and the other half to area schools.

“I’m not looking at this for a job,” he insisted.

Zisholtz told JNS that he is one of seven Republicans, who have stepped up to run against otherwise-unopposed House Democrats. “Because we stand for reason,” he said.

On May 21, Barnes won the Democratic primary unopposed, with 4,881 votes. Zisholtz secured all 428 votes in the Republican primary.

(JNS)

Rabbi Dr. Elie Abadie, the former senior Rabbi of the Jewish Council of the Emirates and the Association of Gulf Jewish Communities, spoke to Arutz Sheva about how Jewish life in the UAE has changed since October 7. Rabbi Abadi began by describing how the Jewish community in the UAE flourished after the Abraham Accords, with the Jewish population increasing from 200 to over 1,500. “They built Jewish businesses, kosher restaurants, and shuls,” he said. “We were doing everything very publicly with the support of the government. The Emirati population was very welcoming.” However, things began to change post-October 7. “Many Israelis came back to Israel. The government was concerned for the safety of the Jewish people and communities and they requested that we be much more quiet in a sense, not to engender any animosity for either tourists or anybody who may live there who has animosity toward the Jewish people.” Due to the new security measures, Rabbi Abadie said that Jews don’t wear yarmulkes or other signs of Judaism on the streets and even refrain from gathering in shuls to daven. “The Jewish community continues to live, continues to work, continues to do what they need to do as residents of the place, but they are trying to live much more carefully.” Rabbi Abadi stressed that the government’s directives are intended for the Jewish community’s benefit, not an act against it. “The UAE is one of the safest countries in the world, probably number two or three in the world. So they’re very concerned about the population, including the Jewish population, and certainly, they don’t want any event against the Jewish community.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

The findings from a survey by Nishma Research released on Sunday has shed light on the middos that Orthodox Jewish communities across the US prioritize and where they feel there is room for improvement. The study, which focused on bein adam l’chavero, was intentionally released ahead of the Yamim Noraim. The survey, which is not a demographic profile but rather a resource for community introspection, asked respondents to assess both their personal conduct and their community’s performance in cultivating middos. The virtues explored included anavah, chesed, tzedakah, and shemiras halashon, among others. Key Findings: Respondents identified chesed, tzedakah, and kibbud av v’em as the strongest areas in their communities. The findings suggest that Orthodox communities provide robust support systems for those in need, with many citing the presence of charitable organizations like G’machs and Tomchei Shabbos. The survey revealed significant areas for growth, particularly in controlling harmful speech. A staggering 69% rated their community’s performance in shemiras halashon as “fair” or “poor.” Other areas needing attention include anavah, dan l’kaf zechus, savlanus, and sameach b’chelko. One respondent lamented, “Lashon hara is rampant, and there is a lot of stereotyping based on what shul or school people attend.” While about 60% of respondents agreed that Jewish schools and rabbanim are doing a good job emphasizing middos, only 10% fully agreed, with most believing there is room for improvement. Many called for schools and rabbanim to place greater emphasis on teaching good character traits. “It would be great if schools would put more of an emphasis on really teaching middos and making meaningful incentives for kids,” one respondent suggested. When reflecting on their own behavior, many respondents acknowledged that controlling gossip is an area they struggle with personally. Several expressed a desire to be more proactive in stopping harmful conversations. “I want to work on speaking up when my friends speak lashon hara,” one person shared. Others focused on improving empathy and patience, particularly within their families, and developing strategies for better self-awareness and kindness. Respondents also highlighted the need to stop being overly judgmental of others, with an emphasis on understanding different perspectives and being more compassionate. One respondent remarked, “I want to work on being less judgmental and more dan l’kaf zechus. Sometimes, I make assumptions without knowing what’s really going on in the other person’s life.”

Nearly a year after Hamas’s assault on Israel on October 7, a range of legal obstacles has delayed Israel’s justice system from commencing trials for the thousands of terrorism suspects captured on that day or in the subsequent war in Gaza.

A report in Haaretz, citing anonymous sources from the State Attorney’s Office, highlighted several issues hindering the prosecution. These included insufficient evidence in many cases, an already overburdened justice system, lack of defense representation for those facing charges, and concerns that starting legal proceedings might endanger hostages still in Gaza or jeopardize ongoing negotiations to secure their release.

The report indicated that investigations into the thousands of suspected terrorists arrested since October 7 are either concluded or nearing completion. Despite this progress, it remains uncertain when these suspects will face trial.

On that day, more than 3,000 Hamas militants infiltrated southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people—mostly civilians—across various towns and military bases. The attackers also committed brutal crimes, including sexual violence, and took 251 hostages.

Israeli forces killed approximately 1,000 of the assailants, with many others retreating to Gaza. About 200 were captured alive, and thousands more have been detained in Gaza over the past year, although exact figures from the IDF are lacking, and many suspects have been released after interrogation.

In some cases, although investigations are complete, prosecutors have scant evidence to directly link certain suspects to specific killings, making a successful prosecution difficult.

One approach proposed by Haaretz involves grouping suspects by the towns where they operated during the attacks and trying them together. However, this method could face challenges from the International Court of Justice and other bodies for failing to align with international legal standards.

Another solution to the strain that hundreds of trials would place on the judicial system is the possibility of holding these trials in military courts, according to the report.

But this solution introduces another problem: who will represent the suspects? Israeli public defenders have refused to take on their defense. No alternative proposals were mentioned in the report, but in a parallel situation during the 1961 trial of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann, Israel relied on foreign attorneys.

A final issue raised in the report concerns the safety of hostages still held in Gaza, as ongoing mediation efforts continue to seek an exchange deal that could see hostages released in return for Palestinian prisoners and a ceasefire.

Currently, the suspects arrested since October 7 are housed in two Israeli facilities, Ofer and Ktziot prisons. They are divided into two categories: those believed to have been involved in the October 7 attacks or its planning, and who are treated as criminal defendants, and those held under administrative detention as unlawful combatants.

These divisions were implemented to protect the rights of the criminal defendants, as reported by Haaretz, to prevent potential accusations of mistrials that might ultimately allow suspects to be released. Some suspects have been shifted between these groups as new evidence emerges, even in recent weeks.

Since the United States recently indicted Hamas leaders, including Yahya Sinwar, following the murder of six hostages by Hamas, Israel’s State Attorney’s Office has faced growing criticism from police and the public for not prosecuting those involved in the October 7 attacks.

However, Yuval Kaplinksy, the former head of the State Attorney’s international department, explained to Haaretz that Israel’s legal framework does not permit the indictment of individuals who are not in custody or accessible for legal proceedings.

“Unlike the US, Israel doesn’t indict people who are not under arrest or available for proceedings,” he clarified.

“The US sees a duty to the Americans harmed by October 7 in filing an indictment,” he said, “but I don’t think there’s a single prosecutor in the US who believes that Sinwar will really be caught and put on trial in the US.”

As of now, 97 of the 251 hostages kidnapped on October 7 are believed to still be in Gaza, including the remains of at least 33 people confirmed dead by the IDF.

In a temporary truce in late November, Hamas released 105 civilians, with four hostages freed earlier. Eight hostages have been rescued by Israeli troops, while the remains of 37 have been recovered, including three who were accidentally killed by Israeli forces during escape attempts.

Hamas continues to hold two Israeli civilians who entered Gaza in 2014 and 2015, along with the bodies of two IDF soldiers killed in 2014.

{Matzav.com Israel}