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Vice President JD Vance faced sharp criticism online after marking Holocaust remembrance without explicitly referencing Jews or Nazis, prompting accusations that his message erased key historical realities.

The criticism followed a post Vance shared on X that included four photos of himself and his pregnant wife, Usha, during what he described as a moment of remembrance for those killed in the Holocaust. In the post, the vice president wrote, “Today we remember the millions of lives lost during the Holocaust, the millions of stories of individual bravery and heroism, and one of the enduring lessons of one of the darkest chapters in human history.”

He continued, “That while humans create beautiful things and are full of compassion, we’re also capable of unspeakable brutality,” adding, “And we promise never again to go down the darkest path.”

The wording quickly drew backlash from social media users who noted that the post did not mention Jews as the primary victims of the Holocaust or Nazis as the perpetrators. “Thank you Mr. Vice President for this unique commemoration of the Holocaust that manages to avoid mentioning Jews or condemning Nazis,” one commenter wrote.

Another user warned of broader implications, saying, “When political leaders refuse to name Nazis as the perpetrators of the Holocaust, it becomes easier for modern extremist movements to be minimized, excused, or rebranded.” A third added, “Absent from JD Vance’s Holocaust Remembrance Day post: any mention of Jews.”

The X account associated with Jewish Democrats also highlighted the omission. “Someone needs to tell the VP how to spell the word ‘jews,'” another commenter wrote.

Others came to Vance’s defense, arguing that the historical context did not need to be spelled out. “But don’t we already know that it was the Nazis that almost completely exterminated the Jews?” one person asked.

“Just because he didn’t mention either one that shouldn’t be taken as a slight or disrespectful,” the same commenter added. Another defender wrote, “This post is gross. Some concepts go without saying.”

One user compared the post to Vance’s past remarks on other tragedies, writing, “Look at his post about 9/11. He didn’t name Islamic terrorism as the culprits. Why? Because we all know.” Another dismissed the criticism outright, calling it an “Absolutely ridiculous take.”

{Matzav.com}

Secretary of State Marco Rubio plans on Wednesday to warn that the Trump administration is ready to take new military action against Venezuela if the country’s interim leadership strays from U.S. expectations. In prepared testimony for a hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Rubio says the U.S. is not at war with Venezuela and that […]

Saudi Arabia has conveyed to Iran that it will “not allow its airspace or territory to be used for any military action targeting Tehran,” according to a report Tuesday from the kingdom’s state-run media.

During a phone conversation, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian that Riyadh backs “efforts that would resolve differences through dialogue” as a means of reinforcing security and stability across the region, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Earlier Tuesday, Iranian media cited by Reuters said Pezeshkian told the Saudi leader that Tehran supports any initiative “within the framework of international law” aimed at preventing a wider conflict.

Saudi Arabia’s message followed a similar statement issued by the United Arab Emirates, which also said it would not permit its airspace or territorial waters to be used for military operations against Iran.

The exchange comes against the backdrop of rising regional tensions and uncertainty over potential US military action involving Iran.

President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly cautioned Iran over its treatment of anti-regime protesters, renewed his warning last Thursday, pointing to an increased American military presence in the region.

“We have a lot of ships going in that direction, just in case. We have a big flotilla going in that direction. And we’ll see what happens,” Trump said. “We have a big force going toward Iran. I’d rather not see anything happen, but we’re watching them very closely.”

Speaking Tuesday at a political rally in Iowa, Trump again voiced hope that Tehran would reach an agreement with Washington, while emphasizing the buildup of US forces in the Middle East.

“There is another beautiful armada floating beautifully towards Iran right now. So we will see. I hope they make a deal. I hope they make a deal,” he stated.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei warned on Monday that any act of aggression would be met with a “comprehensive and regret inducing” response from the Islamic Republic.

Also on Tuesday, reports said the United States is considering targeted strikes against Iranian officials and commanders, as reported fatalities in Iran’s ongoing protests have climbed to more than 36,000.

{Matzav.com}

The Trump administration announced Tuesday that 23 states have formally opted in to the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit, a key school-choice initiative that could dramatically assist with tuition for private Jewish schools nationwide. The milestone brings the program within reach of nearly half the country, administration officials said, with additional states — including Colorado — […]

⚠️ A large block of ice flies across the roadway and hits a driver’s windshield on the Major Deegan Expressway in NYC this morning, highlighting the serious safety threats posed by motorists who do not properly clean their vehicles following winter storms.

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he hopes Iran will reach an agreement with the United States, while again underscoring that Washington has bolstered its military footprint across the Middle East.

Addressing supporters at a campaign rally in Iowa, Trump pointed to naval movements in the region, saying, “There is another beautiful armada floating beautifully towards Iran right now. So we will see.”

He followed by emphasizing his preference for diplomacy, adding, “I hope they make a deal. I hope they make a deal.”

Trump on Iran:

There is another beautiful armada floating beautifully toward Iran right now, so we will see.

I hope they make a deal. I hope they make a deal. pic.twitter.com/oDcUgwX12n

— Clash Report (@clashreport) January 27, 2026

The president has repeatedly cautioned Iranian leaders that the United States would respond forcefully if authorities move ahead with executions of anti-regime demonstrators.

Last Thursday, Trump delivered another sharp warning during an in-flight exchange with reporters as he traveled back to Washington from Davos, detailing what he described as a substantial buildup of U.S. forces near Iran.

“We have a lot of ships going in that direction, just in case. We have a big flotilla going in that direction. And we’ll see what happens,” Trump said. “We have a big force going toward Iran. I’d rather not see anything happen, but we’re watching them very closely.”

Trump also reiterated his claim that U.S. pressure had halted mass executions in Iran the week before. “I stopped 837 hangings [last] Thursday. They would have been dead. Every one of them would have been hung…I said ‘if you hang those people, you’re going to be hit harder than you’ve ever been hit. It’ll make what we did to your Iran nuclear look like peanuts.’ And an hour before this horrible thing was going to take place, they canceled it. And they actually said they canceled it. They didn’t postpone it. They canceled it. So that was a good sign.”

In related developments, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei warned on Monday that the Islamic Republic would deliver a “comprehensive and regret inducing” response to any act of aggression.

Separately, reports on Tuesday said the United States is considering targeted strikes against Iranian officials and military commanders, as the reported death toll from ongoing protests in Iran climbs past 36,000.

{Matzav.com}

Prime Minister Netanyahu with the father of the last hostage, police officer Ran Gvili HY’D, at the Levaya on Wednesday.

Former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki expressed defiance Wednesday after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to withdraw Washington’s support for Iraq if he returns to power. “We reject the blatant American interference in Iraq’s internal affairs and consider it a violation of its sovereignty,” al-Maliki, who is nominated by the country’s dominant political bloc to […]

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group knowingly fired malfunctioning rockets during the Gaza war that ended up killing hundreds of Palestinian Arabs, according to a report disclosed by Kan Reshet Bet.

Documents uncovered during the fighting indicate that Hamas leadership was fully aware that rockets launched by Palestinian Islamic Jihad were causing widespread destruction and resulting in civilian deaths inside Gaza.

One such document summarizes a tense meeting in Beirut between a Hamas official identified as Ahmed and Akram al-Ajouri, the head of Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s military wing. According to the summary, Hamas officials expressed fury over the rockets, describing them as inaccurate and responsible for severe casualties on the ground.

Al-Ajouri reportedly acknowledged that the organization knew the rockets were technically flawed and defended their use as an unavoidable wartime cost. “Even if a thousand people are killed by friendly fire, that is the price of war,” he said.

The document lays bare a grim reality: both Hamas and Islamic Jihad were fully aware that the faulty rockets were striking inside Gaza and killing large numbers of Palestinian Arab families.

One of the most prominent incidents cited was the blast in the courtyard of the al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City during the early weeks of the war. While Hamas accused Israel of carrying out a massacre, video evidence later showed that a rocket fired by Islamic Jihad had fallen short and detonated at the hospital site.

{Matzav.com}

A late-night phone call last week set in motion a remarkable overnight mission of chesed shel emes, as a group of devoted Chevra Kadisha members traveled hundreds of miles to ensure that a niftar received a proper taharah. A longtime Chabad shliach in New Hampshire, who has served the state’s Jewish community for more than […]

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman urged New York State on Tuesday to formally adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism, making the appeal on the 81st anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany.

Blakeman, the Nassau County executive and the presumptive Republican nominee for governor, made his remarks on International Holocaust Remembrance Day. He faulted Gov. Kathy Hochul for what he said was her refusal to fully adopt the IHRA definition and criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani for eliminating it from city law.

“New York State has not adopted the definition,” Blakeman said Tuesday, according to the New York Post.

Appearing alongside Israel’s consul general in New York, Ofir Akunis, Blakeman continued, “On top of that, Mayor Adams, who adopted the definition, was overturned by the new mayor, Zohran Mamdani. We believe this is a disgrace, it is an injustice, and we are demanding our elected officials adopt that definition.”

The IHRA working definition outlines antisemitism in its many manifestations, including hatred and discrimination directed at Jews, Holocaust denial, and, in some cases, how antisemitism can intersect with certain forms of criticism of Israel.

To date, 37 states and Washington, D.C., have adopted or endorsed the IHRA definition, along with numerous countries around the world.

In June 2025, then–New York City Mayor Eric Adams signed an executive order formally recognizing the IHRA working definition of antisemitism.

That action was undone on Mamdani’s first day in office, when he issued an executive order rescinding all directives signed by Adams after September 26, 2024. As a result, the IHRA recognition was nullified, along with an Adams-era order barring mayoral appointees and city agency employees from participating in boycotts or divestment efforts targeting Israel.

Jewish organizations have reported a significant increase in antisemitic incidents nationwide since Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attacks, citing spikes in threats, vandalism, physical assaults, and attacks on synagogues.

Hochul has pointed to a 2022 proclamation she signed recognizing the IHRA definition as a guidance tool. She told The Post that she was “proud” of that action and said her administration has taken “comprehensive measures to protect Jewish New Yorkers and stand up to antisemitism.”

Blakeman rejected that approach in his comments Tuesday, arguing that a proclamation falls short and accusing both Mamdani and Hochul of backing policies he characterized as antisemitic.

“Potentially criticizing [Israel] for the way they act, when they were acting in self-defense, to me, is something that defies logic,” he said, referring to Israel’s response to the October 7 attacks.

Blakeman received President Donald Trump’s endorsement in the race for New York governor after Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), who had been expected to run against Hochul, announced she was ending her campaign.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump on Tuesday softened his initial response to the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis, backing away from early administration claims that labeled Pretti a “terrorist” and an “assassin” as public outrage and video evidence undercut those assertions. Trump initially echoed that posture, posting a lengthy social media […]

Amazon is slashing about 16,000 corporate jobs in the second round of mass layoffs for the ecommerce company in three months. The tech giant has said it plans to use generative artificial intelligence to replace corporate workers. It has also been reducing a workforce that swelled during the pandemic. Beth Galetti, a senior vice president […]

A rabbi was assaulted Tuesday afternoon in a brazen antisemitic attack on a public street in New York City, after a man hurled slurs at him, struck him in the face, and knocked him to the ground before fleeing the scene. The suspect was later apprehended.

The attack took place at approximately 2:30 p.m. Tuesday near Queens Boulevard in the Forest Hills neighborhood. According to reports, the assailant approached the rabbi and began shouting antisemitic insults, including calling him “Dirty Jew,” before punching him in the face and throwing him to the ground.

Eyewitnesses said the suspect continued to behave in a threatening manner, making menacing gestures and forming his hands into the shape of a gun, which he pointed at the victim before escaping on foot.

Despite the assault, the rabbi managed to photograph the suspect and immediately contacted police and alerted the Queens Shomrim. By the time law enforcement arrived in the area, the attacker had already fled.

Shomrim volunteers quickly launched a search of nearby streets and transportation hubs. One volunteer eventually spotted the suspect walking toward a nearby train station, discreetly followed him, and then stopped the train the suspect boarded, buying crucial time for police to arrive and make the arrest.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned the attack, calling it “an act of hate,” and stressed that such incidents are unacceptable in the city.

Authorities continue to investigate the incident.

{Matzav.com}

Congressman Pat Ryan, who serves as the U.S. representative for New York’s 18th congressional district, sent a letter to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu asking him to intervene on the sanctions imposed by Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miraa on bnei yeshivos with dual Israeli-US citizenship. The letter was the initiative of UT MK Meir Porush, who stated: […]

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The wife of South Korea’s ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced on Wednesday to 20 months in prison for corruption, as her husband awaits a verdict on a high-stakes rebellion charge that could result in the death penalty or life imprisonment. Seoul Central District Court sentenced Kim Keon Yee for receiving luxury gifts like a Graff diamond […]

The levaya of Master Sgt. Ran Guili H’yd, a Yassam officer who fell in battle on October 7 and whose body was the last hostage to be returned to Israel earlier this week, began on Wednesday morning. A ceremony was held at the Shura military base near Ramle, and a police convoy then escorted the […]

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A war of words ensued between the former advisers of former US President Joe Biden and Channel 12 journalist Amit Segal, following Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s harsh statements against the Biden administration at a press conference on Tuesday evening. Netanyahu said: “At a certain point in the war, we didn’t have enough ammunition, and soldiers […]