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Two influential Democrats with deep ties to the Clinton and Obama administrations publicly broke with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani this week, criticizing both his controversial tax proposal and his positions on Israel. Former Clinton adviser Mark Penn blasted the mayor’s property tax plan, while former Obama White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel revealed details of what he said was a private confrontation with Mamdani over Israel.
The criticism is especially significant because it comes from longtime Democratic power brokers rather than Republican critics, targeting two issues that have become central to Mamdani’s political identity: his progressive economic agenda and his views on Israel.
Fox News Digital reached out to Penn, Emanuel and Mamdani’s office seeking comment.
Penn, a veteran Democratic strategist who served as a pollster and adviser to President Bill Clinton, sharply criticized Mamdani’s proposed pied-à-terre tax after the city released a searchable database identifying property owners who could be affected.
Writing in a lengthy post on X, Penn argued that the city’s property valuation system had expanded the proposal far beyond what had originally been presented, saying nearly one million property owners could now be swept into the tax instead of the approximately 30,000 luxury homeowners previously described as the intended targets.
“The $5 million figure was a fake,” Penn wrote, arguing the city’s valuation system had improperly classified properties and would force homeowners to prove they should not be taxed.
Penn also warned that the proposal could drive down property values, discourage investment in New York City and even invite constitutional challenges.
Meanwhile, Emanuel said during an appearance on the Unholy Podcast that he spent roughly 90 minutes meeting privately with Mamdani, where he challenged the mayor over his rhetoric concerning Israel.
Although Emanuel said he supported portions of Mamdani’s domestic agenda, including his childcare proposals, he objected to the mayor’s past use of the slogan “from the river to the sea.”
“I know where there’s a line. You don’t,” Emanuel recalled telling Mamdani.
Emanuel argued that both calls for a “Greater Israel” and the slogan “from the river to the sea” would only fuel “perpetual conflict.”
After Emanuel’s comments spread online, Mamdani communications director Anna Bahr disputed his account on social media.
“Can confirm this …. did not happen,” Bahr wrote on X in response to a post summarizing Emanuel’s remarks.
Bahr’s statement did not make clear whether she was denying that the meeting took place or disputing Emanuel’s version of the conversation.
Emanuel has also taken aim at the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) in recent days. In a separate post on X, he argued that Democrats should focus on winning competitive elections instead of embracing what he described as ideological causes.
“You can be focused on winning tough races, flipping red seats blue. Or you can be focused on abolishing prisons and… the Senate and Supreme Court? You can’t do both,” Emanuel wrote. “I’m for winning this November and ending Trump’s corruption — and I’m also for putting an end to all the distractions from the DSA.”
{Matzav.com}
Elon Musk is reportedly preparing to make another major financial investment in Republican campaigns ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, reviving his political operation to help drive conservative voter turnout across the country.
According to Axios, Musk plans to reactivate America PAC, the super PAC that spent more than $260 million supporting President Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.
Sources familiar with the effort told Axios that the PAC’s strategy will center on grassroots voter outreach through door-to-door canvassing, digital advertising, and direct-mail campaigns. The focus will be on motivating conservative voters who traditionally do not participate in midterm elections.
Representatives for Musk declined to tell Axios how much money he intends to commit to the effort.
“America PAC was an essential partner for our historic GOTV operation in 2024, and their return for 2026 is a huge boost for Republicans across the country,” James Blair, a senior political adviser to Trump, told Axios.
“We will again outsmart our opponents and ruthlessly execute our mission for the GOP between now and Election Day,” Blair added.
Axios also reported that Republican super PACs and political committees currently hold an estimated $300 million fundraising advantage over their Democratic counterparts, while Trump’s MAGA Inc. super PAC alone has approximately $400 million available to spend during the election cycle.
America PAC also intends to coordinate its efforts with other Republican-aligned super PACs, allowing those organizations to devote more of their resources to television advertising, according to Axios.
“The president’s political team and the rest of the GOP apparatus have built a top-notch operation that will put Republicans in a strong position to buck history and retain control of Congress this fall, and we’re excited to again be part of the team,” America PAC spokesperson Andrew Romeo told Axios.
{Matzav.com}
Dr. Anthony Fauci exhibited multiple physical behaviors commonly associated with deception during Wednesday’s Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing, according to a prominent body language expert who analyzed his appearance before lawmakers.
Florida-based behavioral analyst Dr. Lillian Glass told The New York Post that Fauci’s reactions became noticeably different when senators pressed him with difficult questions.
“When he was asked poignant questions, his autonomic nervous system took over, and he became flushed, his breathing changed, hunched over, paler, squirmed around, blinked a lot [and] licked his lips — all signals of deception,” Glass wrote in an email.
According to Glass, Fauci’s demeanor shifted dramatically as the hearing progressed, changing from what she described as a confident and even arrogant posture to one that appeared “guarded” and “weak.”
She pointed specifically to Fauci’s exchanges with Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), saying his discomfort became increasingly apparent under the senator’s questioning.
“During Senator [Josh] Hawley’s questioning, Dr. Fauci’s shoulders rose again, and he squirmed visibly,” she noted. “His face became red. His voice weakened further and sounded increasingly shaky. He appeared emotionally strained and at moments looked as though he might cry.”
Hawley, who previously served as Missouri’s attorney general, accused Fauci of using taxpayer-funded resources to pursue prestigious awards and financial prizes, including honors such as the Dan David Award, the Adelson Prize, and awards from the Smithsonian Institution, the National Academy of Medicine, and others.
The Missouri Republican also mocked Fauci’s repeated invocation of the Fifth Amendment, asking him a series of harmless questions—including about his necktie and the color of the room’s carpet—that Fauci declined to answer.
At one point, Hawley cited Supreme Court precedent while arguing that Fauci no longer enjoyed Fifth Amendment protections because, in Hawley’s view, “you’ve been pardoned.”
Glass said another of Fauci’s most revealing moments came during an intense exchange with Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), who sharply rebuked him while using multiple profanities.
“During Senator Moreno’s questioning, Dr. Fauci’s face became flushed and red,” Glass recapped. “He looked downward and appeared unable or unwilling to look directly at the people behind him. He swallowed hard, continued manipulating his pen, and squirmed more noticeably in his chair.”
“His breathing appeared heavier,” she observed. “His voice became much softer and weaker. By this point, he sounded meek and increasingly difficult to hear.”
Glass, who has spent more than 40 years studying behavioral analysis and has testified as an expert witness in both federal and state courts, said that even when someone refuses to answer questions, their physical behavior can still reveal important clues. She emphasized that in such situations, “the body continues to communicate.”
Throughout the hearing, Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment approximately 111 times.
His only extended remarks came during his opening statement, when he criticized Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and accused the senator of seeking to have him prosecuted after publicly calling for his arrest.
“At the beginning, he appeared confident and sat upright. His tone then became more arrogant and defensive when he accused Senator Rand Paul of being out to get him and said that Senator Paul had made slanderous comments and publicly released his personal diary to embarrass him,” Glass assessed.
Glass added that Fauci appeared to relax whenever the questioning became less aggressive and other lawmakers came to his defense.
“When the questioning became less confrontational, and Dr. Fauci was being defended, his body appeared more settled. His posture looked less tense, and his breathing appeared steadier.”
{Matzav.com}Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu met Wednesday with Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) at Blair House in Washington, expressing gratitude for the senator’s outspoken support of Israel as Fetterman pledged to continue serving as what he called the “conscience of the Democratic Party.”
Greeting the Pennsylvania senator, Netanyahu praised Fetterman for consistently defending both the U.S.-Israel alliance and what he believes is in America’s best interest.
“Senator, it’s good to see you again. You’ve been a stellar patriot, talking about what is good for America, what is good for our alliance, of which you’ve been a champion, and you’ve been telling it like it is, with no fear, and just an indefatigable and courageous commitment to the truth, and I want to thank you on behalf of the people of Israel,” Netanyahu told Fetterman.
Netanyahu went on to say that Fetterman’s support has earned admiration well beyond Israel.
“Actually, I want to thank you on behalf of free people everywhere, because I’ve been receiving, from around the world, kudos for your courage and your clarity. So thank you. Thank you.”
Fetterman responded by saying that standing with Israel has been among the proudest aspects of his time in the Senate and reflected on his visits to the Jewish state.
“it was a supreme honor of my time here in the Senate, proud to stand with and for the vision and what Israel is, the miracle that Israel is. I’ve had the privilege of visiting a couple times, and when you witness it, and you can just realize what a miracle it is.”
The senator also expressed frustration with the direction of his own party, criticizing fellow Democrats over their approach to Israel and singling out New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
“And it’s been disappointing, as a Democratic politician, how our party continues to behave – and we had the culmination of that, where that worthless mayor in New York, you know, saying these kinds of ridiculous claims. Now I think, as far as I know, I was the only Democrat that was proud to push that trash back, and now here we are. I’m proud to stand with Israel through everything,” he added.
Netanyahu responded by saying Israel values Fetterman’s friendship and predicted that history would remember his steadfast support.
“Well, we’re doubly proud to have you as our friend, and I think history will record your contribution to truth and justice. And these are not just words that are coming out from my mouth; they’re coming out from my heart and from deeply felt convictions. And we’re very proud, very proud of your stats, it’s one that will be recorded in my history, for history, for posterity. So thank you”.
Fetterman reaffirmed that he intends to remain one of Israel’s strongest Democratic allies on Capitol Hill.
“I’m proud to remain the conscience of the Democratic Party in Congress; not just the Senate, but over in Congress, overall. I’ve always supported things like last year, Midnight Hammer, or what you were confronting in Gaza, and how necessary it was to destroy Hamas and Hezbollah, and also go after the Iranians with their capabilities.”
He concluded by defending Israel’s military campaign and lamenting what he sees as a shift in political attitudes toward the Jewish state.
“It’s always been a just war for me, and people forgot why this was even necessary, and look at the ways these organizations and the way Iran… I don’t understand how we’ve arrived with where we are politically, you know, at least in my party, but I have no regrets. So… thank you for your kind words, and I’m always so sorry for what Israel and the Jewish community has suffered, especially since after 10/7.”
{Matzav.com}
Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu dismissed claims that he is trying to persuade President Donald Trump to keep the United States engaged in military action against Iran, insisting that Trump alone is making the decisions while reaffirming the close partnership between Washington and Israel in confronting the Iranian threat.
During an interview Wednesday on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis, Netanyahu also voiced strong skepticism that Iran could be trusted in any diplomatic process.
“Well, I don’t know if it’s unlikely, but I’m skeptical about Iran’s modus operandi, I mean, the method of operating. They always lie, they always cheat, and they always play for time. Could that, within sufficient pressure — diplomatic, economic pressure — could that change? Give it a try.”
The interview came a day after Netanyahu and Trump held private meetings at the White House. Reflecting on their relationship, Netanyahu emphasized that while Israel and the United States are united in confronting Iran, Trump is clearly the leader of that alliance.
"They always lie, they always cheat, and they always play for time."
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said his goal is to make sure Iran does not have nuclear weapons in an exclusive interview with ABC News' Linsey Davis.
Watch tonight on ABC News Live Prime at 7p ET. pic.twitter.com/nkhtVU7K8G
— ABC News (@ABC) July 29, 2026
“The truth is, we’re partners. We’re allies. He’s the senior partner. It’s the United States of America, let’s not forget. And I’m a junior partner. But I’m the prime minister of Israel, and when I have to stand up for the interest of my country and the security of my country, I do so,” he said.
“But I always do so with a deep appreciation of the role that the United States under President Trump has played in joining forces with us against our common enemy that wants to destroy us both,” Netanyahu stressed.
Netanyahu also rejected remarks attributed to Vice President JD Vance, who suggested during an appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience that Israeli groups had financed campaigns designed to derail U.S.-Iran negotiations and encourage the continuation of the war.
“Well, we’re not actually. I had a very good conversation with the vice president this morning, and I think we straightened that out because we’re not. That’s not our policy,” he stressed.
Turning to declining public support for Israel among some Americans, Netanyahu argued that foreign governments have exploited social media platforms to influence public opinion.
“I think there’s been a change because of the proliferation of social media, and the fact that sovereign countries have manipulated with bot farms and other things. And we can see a direct relationship between the proliferation of social media and the decline in support for Israel.”
“Does it concern me? Yes, yes, it does. And I want bipartisan support for Israel because I think that’s a fundament of our national security,” he said.
Netanyahu also denied reports that he had attempted to pressure Trump into expanding military operations after the president remarked that intelligence had been shared with him “because he wants me to stay involved.”
“Actually, not. That’s the caricature, the cartoon picture. That is not true,” Netanyahu stated, explaining that their discussions centered on reviewing several strategic options, including pursuing negotiations with Iran, maintaining the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, or carrying out additional military operations.
“We actually analyzed all three possibilities, and I thought we did it in an open way between friends and allies, and it’s his decision. It’s his decision,” said Netanyahu.
The prime minister likewise rejected allegations that he had misled the Trump administration into entering the conflict by suggesting Iran’s regime was on the verge of collapse.
“No, I didn’t mislead anything… nobody tells President Trump what to do,” he stressed.
Speaking about the broader balance of power in the region, Netanyahu said he believes Iran has never been weaker while Israel has never been stronger, though he stopped short of predicting the regime’s immediate downfall.
“I think Iran is weaker than ever before. I think Israel is stronger than ever before, but I can’t tell you that the regime has already collapsed.”
Netanyahu warned that any future Iranian attack against Israel would trigger a decisive military response, calling such a move a “perilous mistake, and we’ll respond very, very forcefully.”
He concluded by emphasizing that he and Trump remain united in their primary objective of preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
“My goal is to make sure that Iran, with this regime, doesn’t have nuclear weapons. And that’s something that President Trump and I both agree on, because it would be a different world.”
Although he declined to predict when Iran’s current leadership might ultimately fall, Netanyahu expressed confidence that “it ultimately will be.”
{Matzav.com}President Donald Trump is reportedly weighing a sweeping military campaign against Iran that could involve up to two weeks of sustained airstrikes targeting the regime’s missile infrastructure, even as his administration continues to leave the door open for a diplomatic resolution.
According to a report published Thursday by The Wall Street Journal, Trump is reviewing plans prepared by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) for a large-scale aerial operation lasting between 10 and 14 days that would focus on severely degrading Iran’s missile capabilities.
People familiar with the discussions told the newspaper that the proposal, developed by CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper, would represent a significant escalation beyond the previous round of American strikes against Iranian targets.
Despite the military planning, administration officials are also considering a more limited strike option that could preserve the possibility of renewed negotiations with Tehran.
A U.S. official told The Wall Street Journal that, as of Wednesday afternoon, Trump had not yet decided whether to proceed with military action or what targets, if any, would ultimately be selected.
The official added that Trump was “not surprised” by Iran’s decision to resume hostilities and described the president as being “in an escalatory mood” while senior officials weighed the next course of action.
Earlier Wednesday, Trump vowed a powerful response after Iran launched missiles at U.S. bases in Jordan overnight.
“We are going to hit them very hard. I can say that because there is very little they can do about it,” he told reporters in the Oval Office.
“We’re going to be hitting them very hard, because it’s our turn to hit them. They know it’s coming, they’re asking us not to do it. They tried shooting last night…we had five rockets shot going 8,500 mph, and all five rockets were knocked down to the ground – but they nevertheless took a shot, so it’s our turn,” Trump stated.
Trump had previously told Fox News, “We are going to beat the ing out of them.”
He added, “We’ll be hitting them hard. They are going to get a beating.”
The president described Iran’s missile barrage as a surprise attack, saying U.S. forces had only minutes to intercept the incoming missiles before they reached their intended targets.
Tuesday night’s attack marked Iran’s first missile strike against a U.S. base in the region since Trump ordered a pause in military operations against Iran the previous Friday. Tehran fired missiles at locations in Jordan after several days without launching similar attacks.
Later that evening, CENTCOM announced that U.S. forces, working alongside the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces, carried out precision strikes in Iraq against Iran-backed terrorist groups directed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to attack American troops and Saudi energy facilities.
“US and Saudi fighter aircraft struck multiple terrorist logistics and weapons sites across eastern Iraq in a strong response to over 30 IRGC-directed aerial drone attacks in the last 72 hours,” said CENTCOM.
It added, “The unwarranted attacks against US forces were not successful.”
{Matzav.com}
Boeing disclosed Tuesday that it has absorbed yet another major financial loss on the long-delayed Air Force One replacement program, with total cost overruns now exceeding $3 billion as the company struggles to deliver two new presidential aircraft.
During its quarterly earnings call, the aerospace giant revealed it had recorded an additional $280 million charge tied to the project, pushing the program’s total losses beyond the $3 billion mark.
“While the charge is disappointing, we recognize how critical schedule performance is to our customer and we are investing accordingly to maintain our commitment to deliver the airplane in 2028,” Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said on the call.
Ortberg said the latest financial setback stems from Boeing’s decision to devote substantially more personnel and resources to constructing and testing the two specially modified Boeing 747 aircraft. According to the CEO, the added investment is intended to “help mitigate potential risk during certification and flight test.”
Under the terms of the $3.9 billion agreement President Trump negotiated with Boeing in 2018, the company—not the federal government—is responsible for covering any expenses that exceed the contract price.
By 2024, Boeing had already reported approximately $2.8 billion in cost overruns on the Air Force One program, according to Aviation Week.
The company originally pledged to deliver the first aircraft by December 2024, but the Government Accountability Office reported earlier this month that Boeing is now “almost 3 years behind its current baseline schedule.”
Boeing now expects the first presidential aircraft to be delivered in mid-2028, with the second scheduled to follow by mid-2029.
The current Air Force One fleet consists of two aging Boeing 747-200 aircraft that have served as presidential transports since the 1990s.
President Trump has also flown aboard the luxury $400 million aircraft donated by Qatar—often referred to as the “palace in the sky”—as the presidential plane. That aircraft, however, was removed from service earlier this month so it could undergo upgrades to strengthen its anti-missile defense systems.
Air Force One aircraft require some of the most advanced communications technology and defensive capabilities in the world to safeguard the president, making the program exceptionally expensive and technically demanding.
Trump has repeatedly criticized Boeing over the years for the ballooning costs and repeated delays surrounding the long-awaited replacement aircraft.
{Matzav.com}
WATCH:
WATCH:
LISTEN:
https://matzav.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Bitachon4Life-Shiur-1834-Seiver-Part-34-Higher.mp3For more info, email bitachon4life@gmail.com.
United Torah Judaism chairman MK Yitzchak Goldknopf launched a blistering attack on Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and the right-wing coalition in an interview in Hebrew with Kikar HaShabbat, accusing the Prime Minister of abandoning the Chareidi public, breaking his promises, and allowing unprecedented sanctions and arrests against yeshiva students. Goldknopf also declared that any future coalition must pass a draft law protecting Torah learners without quotas or sanctions.
Speaking against the backdrop of High Court rulings, the arrests of yeshiva students, and the ongoing battle over the military draft, Goldknopf said the Chareidi parties made serious strategic mistakes and accused Netanyahu of failing to honor commitments made to the Chareidi parties.
He also sharply criticized police conduct during demonstrations and the treatment of detainees held in military prisons, declaring that, as far as he is concerned, the so-called right-wing bloc no longer exists. He insisted that his support for any future government would depend on legislation fully protecting the status of Torah learners without enlistment targets or penalties.
Addressing the High Court’s decision to freeze the arrests law, Goldknopf said, “I think everyone knew there would be petitions against this issue, especially since the legal experts told us this law was hanging by a thread. But as long as there was something more that could be done regarding these arrests, I joined that effort and supported it.”
Asked about criticism within Agudas Yisroel that Shas chairman Aryeh Deri knew in advance the law would ultimately be struck down, Goldknopf replied, “We did it because we couldn’t avoid asking them to do it, but did it bring ahavas chinam or sinas chinam? I don’t think it brought so much ahavas chinam.”
Reflecting on the current crisis facing the Chareidi community, including sanctions that did not exist since the establishment of the state and the arrest of Torah learners, Goldknopf said, “How did we get here? Because we didn’t know how to say what Ben Gvir said and did. If Netanyahu had heard from us that we were leaving—and everyone would have left—believe me, there would have been a draft law exactly as we wanted, without sanctions.”
He continued his criticism of the coalition’s conduct, saying, “As long as Netanyahu knew we were only talking and didn’t really intend to carry it out, he rode on us, and he rode on us very well, and he had a good government. He stood in America next to Trump—how? Because we gave him 64. Who were the seven MKs who supported him? United Torah Judaism. If we had been stronger, we would have passed the draft law and not a hair on the head of a yeshiva student would have been harmed.”
Asked directly whether Netanyahu bears responsibility for the current situation, Goldknopf answered, “What kind of question is that? Is there any doubt? Have you ever seen something Netanyahu wanted that he didn’t accomplish? He knows how to lead and how to achieve results. If they had wanted to—and decided that the draft law came before everything else—and he said that—they could have passed it before the government was formed and before the state budget. They dragged it out, threw sand in our eyes, and made promises to us.”
Speaking about his visits to military prisons, Goldknopf expressed outrage over the detention of yeshiva students.
“I meet detainees there for nothing. I ask them, ‘Who did you murder?’ ‘Who did you steal from?’ ‘Money laundering?’ ‘Why are you sitting in prison?’ And they answer because ‘they sat and learned Torah.’ So what? Because of that you arrest a person? There is no law to arrest them. Why arrest them? Straight to prison? What is this, a chicken? How do you put a person in prison? What’s going on here? Is this atonement?”
Goldknopf also condemned what he described as excessive police force during Chareidi demonstrations.
“They decided somewhere that the blood of the Chareidi public is ownerless. When you see a police officer or Border Police officer grabbing his brother and stripping off his clothes—where in the world has anyone heard of such a thing? How can anyone even imagine that a person could do that? And for what? He demonstrated. Couldn’t cars and ambulances pass in Kaplan too?”
Asked whether he still considers himself part of the right-wing bloc, Goldknopf dismissed the idea outright.
“‘Bloc’? What bloc? How can there be a bloc? A bloc exists when people trust one another. When one betrays another, is that called a bloc? Netanyahu only betrayed us? Didn’t he also hurt us? What am I supposed to tell the thousands of yeshiva students who never received the money they were promised?”
Looking ahead to the next government, Goldknopf said his condition for joining any coalition would be clear.
“The status of Torah learners must be regulated so they are lawful citizens in the State of Israel like everyone else. We will not agree to sanctions or quotas. How can you even say that word (sanctions)? If someone works at Tnuva or Strauss, are you going to impose sanctions on him? What happened here? Who invented this word?”
He concluded with another forceful attack on the sanctions imposed on Torah learners.
“After everything we’ve gone through here, every part of our body has been slaughtered and torn apart. Today we are covered in blood because you carried out such an attack against us that today a Chareidi Jew is humiliated. One is afraid to walk in the street, another can’t send his child to daycare, another can’t travel abroad, they can’t go on vacation like everyone else, they can’t get a driver’s license. What happened here? Is there another country that discriminates against so many of its own citizens?”
Goldknopf reiterated that his demand remains unchanged.
“To recognize all the citizens of Israel as respected citizens who receive all their rights. The demand is that what existed until now should continue—that anyone who learns Torah receives a one-year deferment. A law without sanctions and without quotas. What are sanctions?”
{Matzav.com}Thousands visit the kever of the Amora Rav Oshiya on Tu B’Av, when many observe the longstanding custom of circling the gravesite as a segulah. Just a five-minute walk downhill lies Ein Tiria, a tranquil spring nestled alongside Nachal Peki’in, offering visitors a peaceful setting with shaded seating, flowing water, and scenic surroundings.
Towering above the gravesite is a centuries-old oak tree that has long been revered by both Jews and local Druze residents. According to local tradition, the Druze never cut its branches for firewood or construction. They collected only the leaves that naturally fell to the ground, burning them as incense around the sick because they believed the sacred tree possessed healing powers.
Another local tradition tells of Ottoman soldiers who ignored the site’s sanctity and cut branches from the tree for firewood. According to the legend, none of them survived, a fate attributed to their desecration of the holy site.
Visitors who come to the kever often recite tefillos and perform the custom of walking in circles around the grave as a segulah. The site was once mistakenly identified as the burial place of Rav Yehoshua ben Chananyah, but that attribution has since been rejected. According to the Arizal, Rav Yehoshua is buried in Tzfas.
Although the exact date of Rav Oshiya’s passing is unknown, the accepted custom is to visit his kever on Tu B’Av.
Rav Oshiya of Tiria was a fourth-generation Amora who earned his livelihood as a launderer. Chazal relate that while washing clothes in a river, he found jewelry that had been lost by a Roman noblewoman while bathing. Even after she told him he could keep it, he insisted on returning the valuables, explaining that the Torah commands honesty and that its teachings must be upheld. Upon his passing, tradition relates that his bier was seen floating through the air, prompting his contemporaries to apply to him the verse, “If a man would give all the wealth of his house for love, it would utterly be despised.”
A short five-minute descent from the kever brings visitors to Ein Tiria. Fed by natural springs and situated beside Nachal Peki’in, the area includes shaded picnic tables, small water channels, and a sealed well. A local Chassidic yeshiva has expressed interest in renovating the spring so it can be used as a mikvah, though local Druze residents have reportedly opposed the plan.
The site is easily accessible by entering “Kever Rabi Oshiya Ish Tiria” into Waze. Visitors will also find a small hospitality beis medrash near the entrance offering hot and cold drinks as well as restroom facilities, making it a convenient destination for those traveling during bein hazemanim.
{Matzav.com}
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer publicly appealed to Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania to remain in the Democratic Party on Wednesday, praising him as a valued member of the caucus even as tensions continue to grow between Fetterman and the party’s progressive wing over Israel and other issues.
When asked whether he wants Fetterman to continue serving as a Democrat, Schumer replied, “Yes, and he is a very good member of Congress.”
Schumer also emphasized that the Democratic caucus embraces a broad range of viewpoints, saying, “People in our caucus very much like him and respect him and we’re a big-tent party. We can have a lot of different views in that party.”
His remarks came just days after Senate Majority Leader John Thune revealed that Republicans would gladly welcome Fetterman if he ever decided to leave the Democratic Party and join the GOP.
“Yes, we would welcome him,” Thune said, adding that he and other Republican senators have spoken with Fetterman about the difficulties he faces within his own party.
“I have had conversations with him in the past as have many of my colleagues about the challenges he faces in his caucus. And there are many of us who, I think, would welcome the opportunity to have him join the Republican conference but ultimately that’s a decision that’s up to him,” Thune told reporters.
Thune argued that Fetterman may ultimately find himself more politically aligned with Republicans, asserting that the Democratic Party is “moving further and further, more radically, to the more extreme left on a lot of issues.”
Earlier this month, Fetterman said at The Hill Nation Summit that unwavering support for Israel remains a defining principle for him and warned that he would leave the Democratic Party if it formally abandoned the Jewish state.
“If our party ever becomes — and just makes it official — the anti-Israel party, that’s when I would leave because that’s been a moral clarity for me,” he warned.
Fetterman said he struggles to understand why many within his party have become increasingly hostile toward Israel despite the two nations sharing many democratic values.
“My long-term concern has been with the Democratic Party, as I am a member of that, is that our party is going to back away and turn their back to Israel,” he said.
A Quinnipiac University survey conducted earlier this month among 895 registered Pennsylvania voters found that Fetterman continues to enjoy positive overall job approval, with 48 percent approving of his performance and 41 percent disapproving.
The poll also highlighted a striking partisan divide. While 77 percent of Republicans said they approve of the job Fetterman is doing, 69 percent of Democrats said they disapprove of his performance.
The survey further found that a majority of Democrats—52 percent—said they would like to see Fetterman leave the Democratic Party, underscoring the widening divide between the senator and many members of his own political base.
{Matzav.com}
[Videos below.] A man accused of stealing expensive electronics and other valuable merchandise from several Boro Park businesses was arrested Wednesday following a dramatic pursuit that stretched from Boro Park to Crown Heights, ending with the suspects in NYPD custody.
The chase began after NYPD officers and Boro Park Shomrim attempted to stop the suspects near 13th Avenue and 53rd Street. Although the vehicle was surrounded by multiple cars, the driver smashed into several of them to break free before racing down 13th Avenue, putting both pedestrians and other motorists in danger.
As the suspects fled, Boro Park Shomrim quickly obtained the vehicle’s license plate information and continued to track its movements while working in close coordination with the NYPD. Officers pursued from the ground as the NYPD Aviation Unit monitored the vehicle from above, relaying its location to responding units.
The pursuit ultimately ended in Crown Heights, where Crown Heights Shomrim located the suspects’ vehicle. NYPD officers then moved in and took the suspects into custody.
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The United States launched a series of airstrikes against targets inside Iran early Thursday, marking a significant escalation in the conflict after President Donald Trump vowed swift retaliation for Iran’s overnight attack on U.S. forces stationed in Jordan.
According to a senior U.S. official cited by Channel 12 News, American forces began striking targets across Iran during the early morning hours.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the operation, stating, “US forces began launching strikes against Iran at 8 p.m. ET today. The strikes are a powerful response to yesterday’s attempted Iranian attacks on U.S. forces based in the Middle East.”
Iranian media reported explosions in several parts of the country, including Nurabad in Fars Province, the southern port city of Sirik, and the city of Ahvaz.
Additional reports from Iranian outlets later said that three blasts were heard on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, while another explosion was reported in Bushehr.
The military action came just hours after Trump declared that the United States would respond forcefully to Iran’s attack on American bases in Jordan the previous night.
“We are going to hit them very hard. I can say that because there is very little they can do about it,” he told reporters in the Oval Office.
“We’re going to be hitting them very hard, because it’s our turn to hit them. They know it’s coming, they’re asking us not to do it. They tried shooting last night…we had five rockets shot going 8,500 mph, and all five rockets were knocked down to the ground – but they nevertheless took a shot, so it’s our turn,” Trump stated.
Earlier, Trump told Fox News, “We are going to beat the ing out of them.”
He added, “We’ll be hitting them hard. They are going to get a beating.”
Trump described Iran’s missile barrage as an unexpected assault, saying U.S. forces had only minutes to intercept the incoming projectiles before they reached their targets.
Just before the latest round of strikes began, The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump was weighing whether to expand the military campaign against Tehran. According to the report, U.S. military planners had prepared options for an intensive aerial operation lasting between 10 and 14 days, aimed primarily at destroying Iran’s missile capabilities.
A U.S. official told The Wall Street Journal that, as of Wednesday afternoon, Trump had not yet made a final determination regarding either the scale of the operation or the specific targets that could be struck.
The same official said Trump was “not surprised” by Tehran’s decision to restart hostilities and described the president as being “in an escalatory mood” while senior administration officials continued evaluating the next phase of the U.S. response.
{Matzav.com}
The Trump administration announced it will phase out a Biden-era Medicare subsidy program for prescription drug coverage, arguing the initiative primarily benefited insurance companies rather than seniors. The subsidies will expire at the end of this year and will not be renewed for 2027.
The decision means enhanced subsidies tied to Medicare Part D prescription drug plans will end after 2026. Medicare Part D, which is administered through private insurance companies, provides optional prescription drug coverage to help Medicare beneficiaries pay for both brand-name and generic medications. Enrollees can purchase it as a standalone plan alongside Original Medicare or receive it through a Medicare Advantage plan.
The subsidy program was created during the Biden administration as part of broader changes to Medicare’s prescription drug benefit. Those reforms introduced a $2,000 annual ceiling on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs and also authorized Medicare to negotiate prices for certain high-cost medications covered under Part D.
Most participants receiving the subsidies are senior citizens or individuals with disabilities, many of whom are now waiting to learn what their monthly premiums will be once the program ends.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) said updated premium information is expected to be released sometime between mid-September and late September.
According to CMS, the national average monthly bid amount for Medicare Part D plans in 2027 will be $296.05, a figure used to determine the federal government’s direct subsidy payments to participating insurance plans.
The agency also announced that the standard Medicare Part D beneficiary premium for 2027 will be $41.33.
Reuters reported that approximately 25 million Americans are enrolled in standalone Medicare Part D prescription drug plans.
Defending the decision, CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz wrote Tuesday on X: “We are stabilizing the market so this bailout is no longer needed. Premiums will go up by less than $10 for most Medicare recipients, with many even seeing LOWER premiums.”
Oz added, “Every Medicare beneficiary still has access to low-cost plans, and we will continue to lower prescription drug prices for every American patient, from more MFN deals to our policy giving seniors access to GLP-1s for $50 a month.”
{Matzav.com}President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he respects President Joe Biden’s decision to pardon Dr. Anthony Fauci, even after the longtime public health official repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment during a contentious Senate hearing examining the federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, Trump questioned whether Biden personally signed the pardon, raising concerns about the administration’s use of an autopen.
Speaking with reporters in the Oval Office, Trump emphasized the extraordinary authority vested in the presidency when it comes to granting clemency.
“The most powerful thing a president has, they say, is the power of pardon,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “So he was pardoned by Biden, and I respect that. I know how powerful it is. … They say it’s literally the most powerful thing a president has.”
Before leaving office, Biden issued Fauci a sweeping pardon covering any potential federal offenses committed between Jan. 1, 2014, and Jan. 19, 2025.
The pardon came about two years after Fauci retired from public service. He had spent 38 years leading the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and served both as Biden’s chief medical adviser and as one of the leading figures in the Trump administration’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Trump said the only lingering question surrounding the pardon concerns whether Biden personally approved it or whether it was executed through an autopen. Trump and members of his administration have argued that pardons and executive actions signed by autopen could be legally questionable, despite the fact that previous presidents have also used the device.
“He probably didn’t sign this one,” Trump said Wednesday, referring to Biden’s pardon of Fauci. “So, I can’t tell you what the law is. I’ve heard that you have to have a lot of proof, you need to have letters, you need to have all sorts of things.”
Trump later added, “Maybe there’s something on the autopen. Other than that, the power of pardon is very powerful.”
Earlier Wednesday, Fauci appeared before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, where he invoked the Fifth Amendment 111 times during a hearing that lasted roughly three hours as Republican lawmakers sharply criticized his handling of the pandemic.
Before the hearing began, committee chairman Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) released thousands of pages from Fauci’s personal diary spanning 2019 through 2022, encompassing much of the pandemic period. In his opening remarks, Fauci accused Paul of being singularly focused on prosecuting him and said that concern drove his decision not to answer lawmakers’ questions.
“The only conclusion I can reach is that the sole reason he is calling me before this committee is to get me to say something, anything, that could vindicate his repeated public pledges that I end up, in his words, ‘behind bars,’” Fauci remarked.
Following the hearing, Paul announced that he intends to seek a committee vote next week to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress.
Trump also weighed in on Fauci’s repeated invocation of the Fifth Amendment, calling the move “terrible.”
He continued, “I inherited Fauci. He was here from the 1980s, so I had him for a period of time. I disagreed with him on a lot. I would’ve had to close down the whole country if I listened to him.”
{Matzav.com}
Iran is reportedly moving forward with a major purchase of hundreds of Chinese-made shoulder-fired air defense missiles, a development that could undermine Chinese President Xi Jinping’s reported assurances to President Donald Trump that Beijing would not arm the Islamic Republic. The reported deal also threatens to complicate renewed U.S. efforts to negotiate with Tehran over its nuclear program.
According to Reuters, which cited three sources familiar with the arrangement, Iran has agreed to purchase between 300 and 400 Chinese-made man-portable air defense systems, known as MANPADS, in an agreement worth between $60 million and $70 million.
If completed, the acquisition would represent one of Iran’s largest efforts to restore its battered air defense network after months of coordinated U.S. and Israeli strikes exposed serious weaknesses in its ability to shield military installations, missile sites, and other strategic assets, Reuters reported.
The reported transaction also presents a potential challenge for the Trump administration as it seeks to reopen diplomatic talks with Tehran.
Trump has repeatedly cautioned China against supplying military equipment to Iran and has publicly stated that Xi assured him Beijing was not providing weapons to the regime.
Should the missile transfer move ahead as reported, it would likely raise new doubts about whether China followed through on those commitments.
China’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the report outright.
“The relevant reports are completely groundless,” a ministry spokesperson said, according to Reuters, adding that China has consistently worked to promote peace and end the conflict.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond when Reuters sought comment on the report.
Reuters said the agreement was reportedly brokered through Hong Kong-based Zhongqing Baoshang International Investment, which sources described as serving as an intermediary between Iran and the Chinese supplier.
The first shipment is expected to consist of Chinese QW-12 and FN-16 shoulder-fired missile systems, Reuters reported. The infrared-guided weapons are designed to target helicopters, drones, and other aircraft flying at low altitudes.
Sources familiar with the arrangement told Reuters the initial delivery could arrive within weeks, while emphasizing that both the timetable and the final number of missiles remain subject to change.
Reuters also reported that the shipment is expected to travel from western China through Pakistan before ultimately reaching Iran.
Pakistan’s military rejected claims that it would play any role in transporting the weapons.
Pakistan’s military public relations office called reports that it would assist in transporting the weapons “absolutely concocted and false,” Reuters reported.
Defense experts told Reuters that mobile shoulder-fired missile systems would strengthen Iran’s defenses because they can be easily relocated and hidden, making them much harder to eliminate than fixed air defense installations.
According to Reuters, the missiles are intended to protect critical military bases, nuclear facilities, and other strategic sites that sustained heavy damage during the recent conflict.
Iran has been engaged in a broad effort to rebuild its military capabilities after repeated U.S. and Israeli operations targeted its missile arsenal, drone infrastructure, and integrated air defense system.
Reuters reported that the planned missile purchase is one element of Iran’s wider campaign to restore military capabilities that were significantly degraded during the fighting.
The reported agreement comes as the Trump administration attempts to revive negotiations with Tehran aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
Trump has repeatedly warned that if diplomacy fails to produce an agreement blocking Iran’s path to a nuclear weapon, the United States is prepared to resume military action.
If the reported Chinese missile shipment is carried out, it could inject new tensions into those negotiations while intensifying concerns in Washington over Beijing’s role in helping Iran rebuild its military strength.
{Matzav.com}
