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The United States has informed allies that it believes Iran has transferred short-range ballistic missiles to Russia for its war in Ukraine, according to two people familiar with the matter. They did not offer any details about how many weapons have been delivered or when the transfers may have occurred, but they confirmed the U.S. intelligence finding. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a matter that has not been publicly disclosed. The White House declined to confirm the weapons transfer but reiterated its concern that Iran is deepening its support of Russia. The White House has been warning Iran for months not to transfer ballistic missiles to Russia. “Any transfer of Iranian ballistic missiles to Russia would represent a dramatic escalation in Iran’s support for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and lead to the killing of more Ukrainian civilians,” National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said in a statement. “This partnership threatens European security and illustrates how Iran’s destabilizing influence reaches beyond the Middle East and around the world.” The U.S. finding comes as the Kremlin tries to repel Ukraine’s surprise offensive that has led to the seizure of about 500 square miles (1,300 kilometers) of Russia’s Kursk region. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is pressing allies to allow his country to use Western-supplied missiles to strike deep inside Russia and hit sites from which Moscow launches aerial attacks. Iran, as it has with previous U.S. intelligence findings, denied providing Russia with weapons for its war in Ukraine. “Iran considers the provision of military assistance to the parties engaged in the conflict — which leads to increased human casualties, destruction of infrastructure, and a distancing from ceasefire negotiations — to be inhumane,” according to a statement from Iran’s mission to the United Nations. “Thus, not only does Iran abstain from engaging in such actions itself, but it also calls upon other countries to cease the supply of weapons to the sides involved in the conflict.” CIA Director William Burns, who was in London on Saturday for a joint appearance with his British intelligence counterpart, warned of the growing and “troubling” defense relationship involving Russia, China, Iran and North Korea that he said threatens both Ukraine and Western allies in the Middle East. The White House has repeatedly declassified and publicized intelligence findings that show North Korea has sent ammunition and missiles to Russia to use against Ukraine, while Iran supplies Moscow with attack drones and has assisted the Kremlin with building a drone-manufacturing factory. China has held back from providing Russians with weaponry but has surged sales to Russia of machine tools, microelectronics and other technology that Moscow in turn is using to produce missiles, tanks, aircraft and other weaponry, according to U.S. officials. The White House has been on edge for months about a possible deal between Iran and Russia. The Democratic administration said in January that U.S. intelligence officials had determined a Russian-Iran deal had not been completed, but officials were concerned that Russia’s negotiations to acquire missiles from Iran were actively advancing. Last September, according to the White House, Iran hosted a top Russian defense official to show off a range of ballistic missile systems, adding to the U.S. concern that a deal could come together. The U.S. and other countries have taken steps […]

The total defeat of Arab terrorists in Yehuda and Shomron should be added to Yerushalayim’s official goals in the war against Hamas, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir reiterated on Sunday following a deadly shooting on the border with Jordan.

“It was with great sadness that I received the difficult news that a heinous terrorist murdered three Israelis at the Allenby terminal [crossing],” the minister said in a statement published by his office.

“The war we are in is not only against Gaza and Hezbollah [in Lebanon], it is also in Yehuda and Shomron,” Ben-Gvir declared in the statement. “Just last week, I asked the prime minister to also include victory in Yehuda and Shomron among the goals of the war. I will continue to fight for this to happen.”

The government’s stated goals for the war against Hamas, which was sparked by the Oct. 7 massacre of some 1,200 people in Israel, include to destroy Hamas as an armed and governing force in the Gaza Strip and to ensure that it cannot threaten the Jewish state, as well as returning all hostages taken by Hamas during the cross-border attack.

Reaching a military or diplomatic solution that will allow the safe return of tens and thousands of citizens displaced from their homes near the Jewish state’s northern border since Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah joined the war in support of Hamas on Oct. 8 is another main objective.

Ben-Gvir’s appeal to Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu comes as the security situation in Yehuda and Shomron further deteriorates.

Earlier on Sunday, three security guards at the Allenby Bridge crossing in the Jordan Valley were killed in a terrorist shooting. The terrorist drove in a truck to the crossing from the Jordanian side. He then exited the vehicle and began firing at civilians guarding the border.

The attack came a day after an Arab terrorist rammed his vehicle into a police car at a gas station outside the community of Eli in Samaria’s Binyamin region. The plice car was empty, and nobody was injured.

One week ago, three police officers were killed in a shooting near the Tarqumiya checkpoint, some 7.5 miles northwest of Chevron in Yehuda.

The next day, Israeli forces neutralized a car bomb near the entrance to the town of Ateret in Binyamin. The 100-pound explosive was intended to detonate while a school bus was passing by, security officials believe.

On Aug. 30, terrorists linked to Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah movement carried out a twin car bombing in the Gush Etzion area of Yehuda, wounding two Israeli soldiers and a security guard.

In the first half of 2024, Yehuda and Shomron saw more than 500 Arab terrorist attacks each month on average, according to figures published on Aug. 1 by Rescuers Without Borders.

During that time period, first responders recorded 3,272 terrorist acts in the region, including 1,868 cases of rock-throwing, 456 attacks with Molotov cocktails, 299 explosive charges and 109 shootings.

Terrorists murdered 14 people and wounded more than 155 others in Yehuda and Shomron between January and June, the rescue group said.

(JNS)

A Hamas terrorist released in the November hostage deal with Israel was accused on Sunday of attacking his mother and sister with a knife at their home in eastern Yerushalayim a week ago, Kan News reported.

According to the indictment, he threatened to slaughter his sister and cut off her head, and broke her nose and his mother’s hand.

An interrogation after his arrest revealed that during a family dispute that began in the city’s Silwan neighborhood, the suspect attacked his mother and sister with two broken glasses.

“He approached his little sister and threatened to slaughter her, cut off her head, bring a knife and a gun and kill her, while slapping her and hitting her in all parts of her body,” police said.

He then came back armed with a knife and entered his sister’s room through the window. His sister defended herself with a fan and he dropped the knife, attacking his mother when she tried to intervene, pushing and choking her, according to police.

The terrorist was sentenced in June 2023 to two and a half years in prison for throwing fire bombs at Jews’ cars in eastern Jerusalem. It was defined as an act of terrorism. He was 16 at the time.

A total of 105 civilian captives taken to Gaza by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7 were freed in November as part of a ceasefire agreement in which Israel released 240 Palestinian security prisoners.

Another terrorist released in the November deal was one of two gunmen killed in an IDF drone strike in the Balata camp on the outskirts of Shechem in central Shomron last month.

Wael Masha, 18, was freed from prison as part of the agreement a year after his arrest.

Days prior, another terrorist released from prison in November’s ceasefire deal with Hamas, Tarek Daoud, 18, opened fire on an Israeli man in Qalqilya, seriously wounding him, before being pursued and killed by security forces.

(JNS)

Historical document appraiser and collector Seth Kaller spreads a broad sheet of paper across a desk. It’s in good enough condition that he can handle it, carefully, with clean, bare hands. There are just a few creases and tiny discolorations, even though it’s just a few weeks shy of 237 years old and has spent who knows how long inside a filing cabinet in North Carolina. At the top of the first page are familiar words but in regular type instead of the sweeping Gothic script we’re used to seeing: “WE, the People …” And the people will get a chance to bid for this copy of the U.S. Constitution — the only of its type thought to be in private hands — at a sale by Brunk Auctions on Sept. 28 in Asheville, North Carolina. The minimum bid for the auction of $1 million has already been made. There is no minimum price that must be reached. This copy was printed after the Constitutional Convention finished drafting the proposed framework of the nation’s government in 1787 and sent it to the Congress of the ineffective first American government under the Articles of Confederation, requesting they send it to the states to be ratified by the people. It’s one of about 100 copies printed by the secretary of that Congress, Charles Thomson. Just eight are known to still exist and the other seven are publicly owned. Thomson likely signed two copies for each of the original 13 states, essentially certifying them. They were sent to special ratifying conventions, where representatives, all white and male, wrangled for months before accepting the structure of the United States government that continues today. “This is the point of connection between the government and the people. The Preamble — ‘we the people’ — this is the moment the government is asking the people to empower them,” auctioneer Andrew Brunk said. What happened to the document up for auction between Thomson’s signature and 2022 isn’t known. Two years ago, a property was being cleared out in Edenton in eastern North Carolina that was once owned by Samuel Johnston. He was the governor of North Carolina from 1787 to 1789 and he oversaw the state convention during his last year in office that ratified the Constitution. The copy was found inside a squat, two-drawer metal filing cabinet with a can of stain on top, in a long-neglected room piled high with old chairs and a dusty book case, before the old Johnston house was preserved. The document was a broad sheet that could be folded one time like a book. “I get calls every week from people who think they have a Declaration of Independence or a Gettysburg Address and most of the time it is just a replica, but every so often something important gets found,” said Kaller, who appraises, buys and sells historic documents. “This is a whole other level of importance,” he added. Along with the Constitution on the broad sheet printed front and back is a letter from George Washington asking for ratification. He acknowledged there will have to be compromise and that rights the states enjoyed will have to be given up for the nation’s long-term health. “To secure all rights of independent sovereignty to each and yet provide for the interest […]

Mahmoud al-Habbash, Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas adviser on religious and Islamic affairs, recently hailed terrorist attacks against Israelis as “resistance” in an interview with Egypt’s state-linked Al Qahera News television channel.

“What happened in Tubas, Tulkarem, Jenin and Nablus and Chevron is an Israeli continuation of the war of annihilation and expulsion against the Palestinian people and an attempt to empty the Palestinian homeland,” al-Habbash said in the interview, which aired on Sept. 3 but was discovered by the Palestinian Media Watch NGO on Thursday.

Al-Habbash’s comments referred to ongoing Israel Defense Forces’ counterterrorism operations throughout Palestinian Authority-controlled cities in Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley.

“Is there fighting in the literal and traditional sense of the word? Not at all,” he said. “Yes, there is Palestinian resistance, and this is our right, and it is the right of every Palestinian to defend himself. There is a unilateral war against the Palestinian people, and there are Palestinian attempts to respond and carry out self-defense.”

Al-Habbash, the Palestinian Authority’s top Sharia judge and a former minister of awqaf (“endowment”) and religious affairs, spoke days after terrorists linked to Abbas’s Fatah movement carried out a twin car bombing in the Gush Etzion area of Yehuda, wounding two Israeli soldiers and a security guard.

The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, a “military” arm of the Fatah party, also claimed responsibility on Sept. 2 for a terrorist drive-by shooting that killed three Israeli police officers near the city of Chevron in Yehuda.

The IDF has confirmed that terrorist Muhannad al-Aswad had links to the Palestinian Authority and had served in Abbas’s presidential guard.

The U.S. State Department told JNS last week that Fatah and Abbas have “consistently” proven their commitment to peace with the Jewish state.

“The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, which the U.S. designated as a terrorist organization decades ago, has claimed responsibility for these attacks,” a State Department spokesperson stated. “Despite some historical linkages in the past, it is important to note that this group is separate from the Fatah party,” the spokesperson claimed.

Arab media routinely describe the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades as Fatah’s “military wing,” and the ruling Palestinian faction has long expressed support for the terrorist organization, which Ramallah pledged to disband under an agreement with Israel brokered in July 2007.

In a statement issued during the 2014 Gaza war (“Operation Protective Edge”), the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades said that “Fatah’s Central Committee, Fatah’s Revolutionary Council and the regional Fatah leadership are supporting us, and they praised our Brigades’ efforts to attack the oppressing enemy [Israel].”

(JNS)

Israel is committed to upholding the status quo on Yerushalayim’s Har Habayis, President Yitzchak Herzog assured U.S. Ambassador Jack Lew on Sunday after National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir issued a call for the construction of a Shul at Judaism’s holiest site.

Herzog stressed his “unequivocal commitment to preserving the status quo at the holy site—in accordance with political agreements laid down since 1967 [with Jordan], and in the spirit of the rulings by leading rabbis and religious figures over the last 100 years,” an official told reporters.

Earlier on Sunday, Israeli lawmaker Yitzhak Kroizer, a member of Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit Party, ascended Har Habayis in prayer.

According to a readout from the President’s Residence, Herzog in his meeting with Lew also touched on Sunday morning’s deadly terrorist shooting at the Allenby border crossing to Jordan, saying that “the peace agreements between Israel and its neighbors are a cornerstone of stability in the region, and we trust all parties will thoroughly investigate the incident and work to prevent future attacks.”

The Israeli head of state added, “This horrific act reinforces our resolve to stand firm in the face of terror, and we will continue to fight with determination against terrorism and extremist elements which seek to undermine our security, and the stability of the whole region.”

Herzog “expressed his concern for the stability in the region, with Iranian-backed terror continuing to threaten Israel on many fronts—especially over the upcoming period of Jewish religious festivals, and the year anniversary of the Hamas massacre of October 7,” per the readout.

Israel signed a peace treaty with Jordan in 1994 but the kingdom has a majority Palestinian population and its government has taken an increasingly hostile tone since the Hamas-led Oct. 7 massacre of 1,200 people in southern Israel and the ensuing war in the Gaza Strip.

Under a status quo arrangement reached with Jordan in the wake of the 1967 Six-Day War, Jews may visit Har Habayis but not pray there.

Israel’s Charedi-dominated Chief Rabbinate opposes visits to the Mount due to the concern that Jews may inadvertently set foot in an area that, according to Halacha, is forbidden to enter unless one is Tahor.

On the other hand, some Rabbanim, including HaRav Shlomo Goren ZT”L, have permitted—and even encouraged—Jews to visit the site, arguing that measurements taken after 1967 have determined the boundaries of the area Jews may enter. According to a 2022 poll, more than half of Israeli Jews who identify as either Dati Leumi or traditional religious support prayer on Har Habayis.

Ben-Gvir said in an interview with Army Radio on Aug. 26 that Jewish prayer is allowed on Har Habayis. That prompted a denial from the Prime Minister’s Office, which stated that policy at the holy site is determined by the government and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu.

During the interview with Army Radio, Ben-Gvir was asked repeatedly if he would build a Shul on Har Habayis. He replied, “yes.”

Matthew Miller, the U.S. State Department spokesman, told reporters the following day that the proposed Jewish house of worship “on the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount” would “demonstrate blatant disregard for the historic status quo with respect to the holy sites in Jerusalem.”

(JNS)

For the first time in several weeks, former President Donald Trump has surpassed Vice President Kamala Harris in a major national poll, suggesting her recent surge may be slowing down just before their upcoming debate.

The New York Times/Siena College poll showed Trump ahead by a slim margin of 48% to Harris’ 47% among likely voters across the country.

This latest poll echoes results from late July when Trump also led Harris shortly after President Biden withdrew from the race. Similarly, other surveys have indicated the former president making gains against Harris in the weeks following the Democratic National Convention.

Despite his narrow advantage, 70% of voters, including 37% of Trump supporters, stated that Trump had made statements they found offensive.

Harris had been climbing steadily in polls after rising to the top of the Democratic ticket, briefly overtaking Trump in the RealClearPolitics polling average. She also gained traction in key battleground states, although those races still largely remain up in the air.

When it comes to specific issues, voters trust Harris more than Trump on topics like abortion (54% to 49%) and democracy (50% to 45%). However, Trump is favored on economic matters (55% to 42%) and immigration (53% to 43%), according to the New York Times/Siena College poll.

The leading concerns for voters were the economy (21%), followed by abortion (14%), immigration (12%), inflation and the cost of living (7%), and democracy (7%).

While Democrats have a slight edge in voter enthusiasm, with 91% expressing excitement about the election compared to 85% of Republicans, Harris’ momentum may be slowing ahead of Tuesday’s debate.

Most respondents in the poll — 56% — don’t believe Harris signifies a break from the unpopular Biden administration, with only 25% seeing her as bringing significant change and 15% believing she would bring minor change. By contrast, 51% see Trump as representing major change, with 10% seeing him as a minor change agent and 35% believing he offers more of the same.

Political experts, like James Carville, have emphasized that the candidate perceived as the one driving change will have the advantage in the race. In a recent opinion piece, Carville advised that Harris should publicly distance herself from Biden on key policies to improve her chances.

Trump’s approval ratings have seen a slight dip, with 46% of voters viewing him favorably — 27% very favorably and 19% somewhat favorably — while 52% hold unfavorable views of him — 10% somewhat unfavorably and 42% very unfavorably. This marks a drop from the 48% favorable rating he had in July.

Interestingly, Harris’ favorability rating is lower than Trump’s, with only 45% of voters viewing her positively, including just 24% who have a very favorable opinion of her. Half of the respondents view her unfavorably, with 37% holding a very negative view of her. In July, Harris had a favorability rating of 46% and an unfavorable rating of 49%.

“Highest-rated pollster in the country and a large sample size, too. Fortunately for Harris she has the debate this week and none of this will matter if she has a good night,” commented Nate Silver, an election data expert, on X about the recent poll.

According to Silver’s 2024 election forecast, Trump has a better chance of winning the Electoral College than Harris, even though she is projected to win the popular vote.

Since 2004, Republicans have not won the popular vote in a presidential election. Trump had consistently led Biden in popular vote polls before Biden withdrew from the race on July 21.

Harris continues to lead Trump by a slim 1.4 percentage points in the RealClearPolitics polling average for a head-to-head race.

The New York Times/Siena College poll surveyed 1,695 voters between September 3-6, with a margin of error of 2.8 percentage points.

Not long after Biden exited the race and endorsed Harris, Trump’s pollster Tony Fabrizio predicted that Harris would enjoy a “honeymoon” period in the polls.

Harris has repeatedly said that she views herself as the “underdog” in the campaign and that she is approaching the race without taking anything for granted. Her campaign has also highlighted her recent success in fundraising, having raised $361 million in August, far outpacing Trump’s $130 million from his campaign and affiliated groups.

The highly anticipated debate between Trump and Harris, set to be hosted by ABC News in Philadelphia on Tuesday, will mark their first-ever face-to-face encounter.

With just eight weeks remaining until the November 5 election, the debate could play a pivotal role in reshaping what is shaping up to be a close contest for the presidency.

{Matzav.com}

Former Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi emphasized yesterday that the US should take greater advantage of its alliance with Israel to minimize civilian casualties in Gaza, according to The Hill.

Pelosi expressed that the current state in Gaza is “unbearable,” while reaffirming the US’s unwavering support for Israel and its right to self-defense, labeling Israel as “our security partner, our values partner, and the rest.”

“The key debate here revolves around where to draw the line,” Pelosi explained during her speech at The Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, in response to a question about whether Democrats in Congress will continue endorsing the supply of US arms to Israel.

“We’ve always maintained our support for Israel’s right to defend itself, but some are concerned that these weapons may be used for offensive purposes,” she continued, as reported by The Hill. “It’s a complicated issue. It’s not as simple as it looks, but I do believe we should more effectively use our leverage with Israel to ensure that civilian casualties are not something we can be associated with.”

Pelosi labeled Hamas as a terrorist group and reflected on the tragic events of October 7, describing it as a “horrific day” with “terrible consequences.”

“This is not about disregarding how we ended up in this situation, but rather about finding a better approach than seeing tens of thousands of Palestinians killed,” she added.

While certain progressive factions within the Democratic Party have advocated for an arms embargo on Israel, President Joe Biden has dismissed such proposals. The Democratic presidential nominee also rejected the idea during a recent interview on CNN.

“Let me make this absolutely clear: I am unwavering in my commitment to Israel’s defense and its right to defend itself, and that will not change,” Vice President Harris declared.

“On October 7th, 1,200 people were slaughtered. Many were young attendees of a music festival. Women were brutally raped. As I said then and reiterate now: Israel has the right to defend itself – we would – but how it conducts that defense is important,” she added.

The US has been actively promoting a ceasefire and a deal for hostage releases, initially proposed by President Joe Biden in May. However, Hamas has consistently refused every proposal brought forward.

According to The Washington Post, the US has been coordinating with Egypt and Qatar to finalize a definitive “take it or leave it” agreement.

Nonetheless, the same report noted on Saturday that US officials announced the indefinite postponement of the plan’s presentation.

The delay, as reported by the Post, stems from Hamas’ sudden introduction of a demand that Israel release high-profile terrorists, even in exchange for humanitarian prisoners.

{Matzav.com}

A high-ranking officer from the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has reaffirmed that Iran is still committed to avenging the death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, despite the delay, according to a report from the Tehran Times.

Haniyeh was killed in Tehran in July, just a few hours after the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed they had taken out Fuad Shukr, Hezbollah’s deputy leader, in Lebanon.

In a public statement, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Naqdi of the IRGC underscored that Iran’s retaliation is “certain,” but it will take place at a time Iran considers most effective.

During a ceremony held on Saturday morning, Naqdi remarked, “Revenge is certain, and we have made it clear on multiple occasions. There is no doubt about it. The retaliation must happen at the right time to be effective.”

He went on to criticize the United States, describing it as Israel’s “sole backer,” and asserted, “The US is complicit in the atrocities in Gaza.”

Naqdi further suggested that Iran’s plan for revenge is already in motion, telling the Iranian public that they should soon expect good news.

{Matzav.com}

A critical new analysis has charged the BBC with breaching its own editorial standards over 1,500 times within the first four months of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, as reported by the Telegraph.

This investigation, spearheaded by British lawyer Trevor Asserson, highlights a “deeply worrying pattern of bias” against Israel during the early period following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that resulted in the deaths of 1,200 individuals.

The report details how the BBC was 14 times more likely to link Israel with “genocide” compared to Hamas, despite Israel’s attempts to minimize civilian harm and the openly genocidal goals declared by Hamas to eliminate the Jewish population of Israel. Israel was also accused of war crimes four times more frequently than Hamas, even though Hamas terrorists themselves recorded their war crimes.

Furthermore, the report noted that the term “terrorist organization” was applied to Hamas only 3.2% of the time, even though the British government classifies Hamas as such.

The BBC’s Arabic-language broadcasts were found to be particularly biased against Israel, with some reporters having expressed support for terrorism against Israelis and Hamas without disclosing this bias to viewers.

BBC International Editor Jeremy Bowen and international correspondent Lyse Doucet faced accusations of minimizing Hamas’s terrorist activities, with Doucet specifically criticized for downplaying the events of October 7.

In response to the report’s release, Conservative members of Parliament have condemned the BBC. Shadow Deputy Prime Minister Sir Oliver Dowden stated, “Serious questions should be asked as to why this has been allowed to happen, and license-fee payers should expect to see the BBC stick to its own editorial guidelines.”

MP Greg Smith commented, “We knew in the aftermath of October 7 that the BBC was struggling to call a terrorist a terrorist. There are now clear grounds for Ofcom and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to use every tool they have in their arsenal to bring about greater compliance with the rules around neutrality and fair coverage in the BBC charter.”

A BBC representative responded by saying the organization would “carefully consider” the findings of the report, but expressed “serious questions” regarding the report’s methodological approach.

{Matzav.com}

Former President Donald Trump issued a warning yesterday, declaring that he plans to imprison anyone found guilty of “unscrupulous behavior” during the 2024 election results.

Trump made this declaration on Truth Social, his own social media platform, while repeating his claims that the 2020 election was rigged, accusing Democrats of “rampant Cheating and Skullduggery.”

He wrote, “The 2024 Election, where Votes have just started being cast, will be under the closest professional scrutiny and, WHEN I WIN, those people that CHEATED will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the Law, which will include long term prison sentences so that this Depravity of Justice does not happen again.”

He further stated, “Please beware that this legal exposure extends to Lawyers, Political Operatives, Donors, Illegal Voters, & Corrupt Election Officials. Those involved in unscrupulous behavior will be sought out, caught, and prosecuted at levels, unfortunately, never seen before in our Country.”

{Matzav.com}

CIA Director William Burns, who also serves as the lead U.S. negotiator working on a ceasefire agreement and hostage release in Gaza, announced yesterday that a more comprehensive proposal for a ceasefire would be put forward in the coming days, Reuters reports.

Speaking at a Financial Times event in London, where he appeared with MI6 chief Richard Moore, Burns explained that he was heavily involved in developing “texts and creative formulas” alongside mediators from Qatar and Egypt. These efforts aim to draft a ceasefire proposal that both sides would find acceptable.

“We will make this more detailed proposal, I hope in the next several days, and then we’ll see,” Burns said, noting that the outcome depends on the political will of both parties. He emphasized his hope that leaders from both sides would understand that “the time has come finally to make some hard choices and some difficult compromises.”

Burns highlighted that while most of the agreement is already settled, “90% of the paragraphs had been agreed,” the remaining 10% is proving to be the most challenging to resolve.

“My hope is that, you know, they’ll recognize what’s at stake here and be willing to move ahead on that basis,” he remarked.

Burns’ remarks followed a report from The Washington Post, which detailed ongoing U.S. negotiations with Egypt and Qatar to present a final “take it or leave it” offer. However, the same report indicated that U.S. officials had recently “indefinitely postponed” the presentation of this final agreement.

According to the Post, the latest stumbling block emerged when Hamas unexpectedly demanded the release of prominent terrorists in exchange for humanitarian prisoners.

On Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged both Israel and Hamas to resolve the remaining points of contention and finalize a Gaza ceasefire agreement. Speaking at a press briefing in Haiti, Blinken explained that while “nearly 90%” of the deal is in place, there are still major unresolved issues, including the Philadelphi corridor.

“I expect in the coming days, we will share with Israel, and they (Qatar and Egypt) will share with Hamas our thoughts, the three of us, on exactly how to resolve” these remaining points, Blinken said.

{Matzav.com}

Question: If a girl is good at gymnastics and would like to put out a video of her skills, can she publish a not-tznius video labeled ‘For Women Only’?

Former President Donald Trump has commented that the upcoming presidential debate will not allow candidates to alter their height by using platforms or other means behind the podium.

Trump made this claim in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social.

“No boxes or artificial lifts will be allowed to stand on [sic] during my upcoming debate with Comrade Kamala Harris,” he wrote. “We had this out previously with former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg when he was in a debate, and he was not allowed a ‘lift.'”

The former president went on to say, “It would be a form of cheating, and the Democrats cheat enough. ‘You are who you are,’ it was determined!”

It is not entirely clear whether Trump’s statement was based on actual discussions with ABC, which is set to host the debate, or if it was simply his own speculation.

Trump’s post referenced a past conflict with former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, whom Trump often mocked as “Mini Mike” during Bloomberg’s attempt to secure the Democratic nomination in 2020.

At the time, Trump repeatedly alleged that Bloomberg requested to use a box to appear taller during a Democratic debate, although there is no evidence to support that Bloomberg ever made such a request.

Bloomberg’s campaign quickly responded to the accusation at the time, with a spokesperson stating, “The president is lying. He is a pathological liar who lies about everything: his fake hair, his obesity, and his spray-on tan.”

Vice President Kamala Harris, meanwhile, clarified her height earlier this year during an interview with Katie Couric on “Today.” After Couric mistakenly said Harris was 5’2″, the vice president corrected her.

“I am 5’4″ and a quarter — sometimes 5’4″ and a half,” Harris explained to Couric. “And with heels — which I always wear — I’m 5’7′ and a half, thank you very much.”

As for Trump, his height has been variously reported as either 6’2″ or 6’3″.

{Matzav.com}

The IDF says it struck a Hezbollah rocket launcher in southern Lebanon’s Aynata this evening, used in an attack earlier today on Tzefas.

A study funded by the Jim Joseph Foundation reveals growing opposition to Israel among U.S. college students, with many seeking to socially isolate peers who express support for Israel. The 65-page report, titled “A Year of Campus Conflict and Growth: An Over-Time Study of the Impact of the Israel-Hamas War on U.S. College Students,” was released on Sept. 3 and examines the experiences of Jewish and non-Jewish students on campuses across the country. Conducted by College Pulse, the study includes surveys from the same cohort of students between 2022 and 2024, along with hour-long focus group sessions. The findings are striking: one in five non-Jewish respondents reported they would avoid friendships with individuals who support Israel, while over half of Jewish students acknowledged that openly supporting Israel often comes with social repercussions. “This study, conducted over three years, reveals extraordinary detail about the experience of American college students during a historic period of tensions on campus,” said co-author Eitan Hersh, a political science professor at Tufts University. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The race for control of Congress is as close as ever, with barely two dozen House seats and a handful in the Senate likely to determine the majority this November and whether a single party sweeps to power with the White House. Lawmakers are returning to Washington for a three-week legislative sprint, away from the campaign trail where races have become “trench warfare” and a seat-by-seat slog. Many of the highest-profile races are being waged in Montana, New York, California and beyond, far from the presidential battleground states contested by Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris. “Buckle up,” said Jack Pandol, communications director for the National Republican Congressional Committee. Upended by the summer shake-up that replaced President Joe Biden with Harris atop the Democratic ticket, the down-ballot campaigns enter this fall stretch at a virtual toss-up, a high-wire uncertainty where every single seat won or lost could make the difference in party control. What’s changed is not so much the fundamentals of the individual races, but which side has the energy and enthusiasm to make sure their voters actually show up and cast their ballots, strategists said. Money, volunteers and voter enthusiasm are flowing to the Democratic campaigns since Harris replaced Biden. That’s challenging Republicans who entered the election cycle favored for gains and buoyed by Trump’s comeback bid, despite the criminal charges hanging over his potential return to the White House. Trump and Republicans are working feverishly to regain the momentum they enjoyed from the GOP convention in Milwaukee and from the Supreme Court decision giving former presidents broad immunity from prosecution, including for some acts related to his effort to overturn the 2020 election and for the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. Trump’s campaign staff held a private conference call Friday with House Republicans, assuring them that the movement is shifting to Trump as they game out strategies ahead, according to another Republican who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed conversation. “There’s a lot of handwringing going on and a lot of anxiousness about where this election is headed,” said Montana Sen. Steve Daines, a Trump ally who heads the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the campaign arm. Speaking at the Republican Jewish Coalition in Las Vegas, Daines played up GOP Senate candidates as warriors and predicted that enthusiasm from rural voters who will “crawl over broken glass” to vote for Trump will help Republicans such as Sam Brown, who is challenging Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev. Still, the fundraising gap Republicans now find themselves facing with Democrats is a problem, say GOP strategists on both ends of the Capitol, leaving them without money to keep pace with advertising and on-the-ground organizing. “We have a lot of work to do,” Daines said. Long gone are the days of supermajorities in the House and Senate, replaced by a new era of razor-thin margins that leave little margin for errors in political campaigns, or actual governing. Senate heads toward 50-50 split Democrats are almost certain to see their narrow majority slip to at least a 50-50 split with Republicans with the retirement of independent Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia. His departure is making way for Republican Gov. Jim Justice to handily win that seat. Trump is wildly popular in Montana, where Senate Republicans see their […]

Can you figure out the connection between: 1 – a Chiddushei Me’ri, 2 – a Gemara from Yehsivas Chachmei Lublin, 3 – a commemoration of the Chevron Massacre, 4 – and a Sefer Baal Shem Tov? This is what The Sefer Socher would like to call “the Yeshivas Slobodka-Chevron Collection” It’s a perfect example of how 4 seemingly separate and distinct items weave together to portray one great story of our history...ENJOY! TO SEE THE REST OF THE STORIES CLICK HERE Yeshivas Slobodka-Chevron was a small branch of the Slobodka Yeshiva in Europe before the war. However, after the war it became one of the epicenters of Limud Hatorah and the spreading of the Slobodka teachings and derech, for which it is known to this very day. Yeshivas Slobodka-Chevron led by the great gaon Rabbi Yechezkel Sarne became one of the great centers of the Torah world. With it’s famous trials and tribulations as well as it’s successes, it went on to becoming the great Yeshiva of which it is still known this very day! TO SEE THE REST OF THE STORY CLICK HERE The Sefer Socher is not an auction it’s a BUY NOW store.. What sets The Sofer Socher apart from the others is its vision. The goal of The Sefer Socher is to bring out the story behind the history of Judaica in a way where everyone can connect to it.

Road Closures due to the Levaya of the Skulener Rebbe HaRav Yeshaya Yaakov Portugal ZT”L scheduled for Sunday at 12PM.