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The Israel Defense Forces’ 91st Division recently completed a significant joint exercise alongside Israel Police forces and other security agencies. The division, responsible for defensive operations along the Lebanese border, is also preparing for offensive maneuvers through coordinated air and ground operations. The exercise, held on Monday in the eastern Galilee, simulated various scenarios, including the transition from routine operations to emergency situations. This training aimed to bolster the combat readiness and operational effectiveness of the troops and their headquarters. Key elements of the exercise included practicing fire control, making critical operational decisions, treating and evacuating the wounded, and enhancing cooperation among the various participating agencies, including community defense departments and Magen David Adom (MDA).

Sky News host Caleb Bond has branded CNN the “Kamala News Network” after its interview with the Democrat nominee.

WATCH:

Strong growth for stocks on Wall Street this year have helped juice gains for savers with retirement accounts. The average 401(k) plan balance stood at $127,100 at the end of the second quarter, an increase of 13% from the same period last year, according to data from Fidelity Investments drawn from 24 million accounts. The average balance in the April-June quarter was up just 1% from the first three months of the year, when the average 401(k) balance jumped 16.4% from a year earlier. “Retirement savers in the second quarter of 2024 benefited from the continued upswing of the previous quarter, when contribution levels and average account balances reached record highs,” said Sharon Brovelli, president of workplace investing at Fidelity Investments. The median 401(k) plan balance was just $29,200 at the end of the second quarter, an increase of 17% from a year earlier. The median figure tends to skew lower than the average because workers who recently enrolled into a 401(k) plan but haven’t had time to build up a balance. About 35% of Americans reported having a 401(k) or similar retirement savings plan in 2020, according to the Census Bureau. Individual retirement accounts, or IRAs, also rose. The average balance was $129,200 by the end of the second quarter, an increase of 1% from the first quarter and up 14% from the second quarter last year, Fidelity said. The retirement savings plans’ gains came as the major stock indexes crushed multiple record highs amid a wave of enthusiasm over artificial intelligence developments that fueled demand for shares in Big Tech stocks, including chipmaker Nvidia, Meta Platforms, Microsoft and Amazon. The benchmark S&P 500 index rallied to a roughly 15% gain through the first six months of the year. It has since added another 2.4% and is up about 17% as of Wednesday. The savings rate, or how much savers set aside from their pay combined with contributions from their employer, also helped push up 401(k) plan balances. The savings rate was 14.2%, Fidelity said. That’s down slightly from 14.1% in the first quarter, but higher than the 13.9% rate in the second quarter last year. For many savers, their growing nest eggs are proving too tempting not to tap early. Some 18.3% of employees with a 401(k) plan had a loan outstanding on their retirement account balance in the second quarter, Fidelity said. That’s up from 17.2% in the same quarter last year. (AP)

Sky News host Gabriella Power slammed Kamala Harris for the ‘shocking’ claims made during her sit-down interview with CNN host Dana Bash.

During the 18 minute, pre-recorded and edited interview, Harris claimed she had “no regrets” about defending Joe Biden’s mental fitness and his ability to run for a second term.

“Ok… so no regrets about repeatedly lying to the American people… got it,” Power said.

Power also blasted the Vice President for the answer she provided about when she learned Joe Biden would drop out of the race. “Come on Kamala… she even pretends she was a bit shocked,” Power said.

WATCH:

Former President Donald Trump says that, if he wins a second term, he wants to make IVF treatment free for women, but did not detail how he would fund his plan or how it would work. “I’m announcing today in a major statement that under the Trump administration, your government will pay for — or your insurance company will be mandated to pay for — all costs associated with IVF treatment,” he said at an event in Michigan. “Because we want more babies, to put it nicely.” IVF treatments are notoriously expensive, and can cost tens of thousands of dollars for a single round. Many women require multiple rounds and there is no guarantee of success. In his speech, Trump also said that, if he wins, families will be able to deduct expenses for caring for newborns from their taxes. “We’re pro-family,” he said. In an interview with NBC ahead of the event, Trump also suggested that he will vote to repeal Florida’s six-week abortion ban, which limits the procedure before many women even know they are pregnant. Trump, in the interview, did not explicitly say how he plans to vote on the ballot measure when he casts his vote this fall. But he repeated his past criticism that the measure, signed into law by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis last year, is too restrictive. “I think the six weeks is too short. It has to be more time,’ he said. ”I am going to be voting that we need more than six weeks.” Trump had previously called DeSantis’ decision to sign the bill a “terrible mistake.” Trump has held multiple conflicting positions on abortion over the years. After he considered various potential national cutoff times, he decided earlier this year that regulating abortion should be left to the states. He has repeatedly taken credit for his role in overturning Roe and called it “a beautiful thing to watch” as states set their own restrictions. But he also came out in favor of IVF and pushed lawmakers in Alabama to protect access after the state Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos can be considered children under state law, sparking national backlash. Trump’s running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, said over the weekend that Trump would not support a national abortion ban if elected president and would veto such legislation if it landed on his desk. “I can absolutely commit that,” Vance said when asked on NBC’s “Meet the Press” whether he could commit to Trump not imposing such a ban. “Donald Trump’s view is that we want the individual states and their individual cultures and their unique political sensibilities to make these decisions because we don’t want to have a nonstop federal conflict over this issue.” The Ohio senator also insisted that Trump, the former president would veto such legislation if Congress passed it. “I mean, if you’re not supporting it as the president of the United States, you fundamentally have to veto it,” he said in an interview that aired Sunday. An AP-NORC poll conducted in June found that more than 6 in 10 U.S. adults support protecting access to IVF, including more than half of Republicans. Only about 1 in 10 are opposed. Trump made the announcement while campaigning in Michigan and Wisconsin as he ramps up his battleground […]

For those who find themselves catching up on sleep during the weekend after a busy week, there may be good news for your heart. According to new research set to be presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress on Sunday, sleeping in on the weekends could reduce the risk of heart disease by approximately 20%. The study, which analyzed data from 90,903 participants, examined the impact of “catch-up” sleep on heart health. Participants self-reported their sleep patterns, with sleep deprivation defined as getting less than seven hours of sleep per night. Among the participants, 19,816 were identified as sleep-deprived and were monitored for heart health over the course of a decade. The findings suggest that those who compensate for lost sleep on weekends experience a significant reduction in heart disease risk. “Our results show that for the significant proportion of the population in modern society that suffers from sleep deprivation, those who have the most ‘catch-up’ sleep at weekends have significantly lower rates of heart disease than those with the least,” said study co-author Zechen Liu in a news release. The study found consistent results between men and women, though the benefits of weekend sleep catch-up were more pronounced among individuals who frequently experienced inadequate sleep during the weekdays. “The association becomes even more pronounced among individuals who regularly experience inadequate sleep on weekdays,” noted co-author Yanjun Song. While the study’s findings have yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal, the research was selected for presentation at the prestigious cardiology conference in London, highlighting its potential significance in the field of heart health. Previous studies have long established that poor sleep can negatively impact overall health, including increasing the risk of heart disease. However, improving sleep quality may offer a way to mitigate these risks. Experts suggest several strategies to enhance sleep quality, such as limiting alcohol and caffeine intake, reducing screen time before bed, and managing liquid consumption before bedtime. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

As Labor Day approaches and the 2024 presidential campaign enters its final stretch, FiveThirtyEight founder and elections analyst Nate Silver says that former President Donald Trump holds a slight edge over Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming election. According to Silver’s updated model, Trump has a 52.4% chance of winning the Electoral College, while Harris has a 47.3% chance, marking Trump as the favored candidate for the first time since August 3. Silver attributed Trump’s advantage largely to the state of Pennsylvania, which he described as “the tipping-point state more than one-third of the time” in his model. He noted that recent polls have not shown Harris leading in Pennsylvania, including two new polls released Thursday. “It’s been quite a while since we’ve seen a poll showing Harris leading in Pennsylvania,” Silver said. The model also accounts for a “convention bounce adjustment” in Harris’s numbers, recognizing that her recent boost in national polls is partly due to the Democratic National Convention. Silver explained that while Harris’s numbers may have improved post-convention, the model anticipates that some of this “bounce” will diminish over time. He added that if Harris’s polling figures remain steady in the coming weeks, the model will adjust accordingly. Silver further elaborated on the challenges facing Harris, specifically stressing that the lack of recent polls showing her ahead in Pennsylvania poses a significant concern. “If she’s only tied in Pennsylvania now, during what should be one of her stronger polling periods, that implies being a slight underdog in November,” he noted. Despite the current model’s lean towards Trump, Silver acknowledged that the race remains dynamic and subject to change as the election draws nearer. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

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Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz sat down exclusively with CNN Thursday for her first interview since ascending to the top of the Democratic ticket.

Just days after accepting the nomination at the Democratic National Convention, Harris answered softball questions from CNN’s Dana Bash, including on her economic and border policies, attacks from former President Donald Trump and the call from President Joe Biden to tell her he was withdrawing from the race.

Read the full transcript of the exclusive interview below and watch the full video above.

BASH: Madam Vice President, Governor Walz, thank you so much for sitting down with me and bringing the bus. Bus tour is well underway here in Georgia. You have less time to make your case to voters than any candidate in modern American history. The voters are really eager to hear what your plans are. If you are elected, what would you do on day one in the White House?

HARRIS: Well, there are a number of things. I will tell you first and foremost one of my highest priorities is to do what we can to support and strengthen the middle class. When I look at the aspirations, the goals, the ambitions of the American people, I think that people are ready for a new way forward in a way that generations of Americans have been fueled by — by hope and by optimism.

I think sadly in the last decade, we have had in the former president someone who has really been pushing an agenda and an environment that is about diminishing the character and the strength of who we are as Americans — really dividing our nation. And I think people are ready to turn the page on that.

BASH: So what would you do day one?

HARRIS: Day one, it’s gonna be about one, implementing my plan for what I call an opportunity economy. I’ve already laid out a number of proposals in that regard, which include what we’re gonna do to bring down the cost of everyday goods, what we’re gonna do to invest in America’s small businesses, what we’re gonna do to invest in families.

For example, extending the child tax credit to $6,000 for families for the first year of their child’s life to help them buy a car seat, to help them buy baby clothes, a crib. There’s the work that we’re gonna do that is about investing in the American family around affordable housing, a big issue in our country right now. So there are a number of things on day one.

BASH: What about you?

WALZ: Well, I’m excited about this agenda, too. As I said, the idea of inspiring America to what can be. And I think many of these things that the vice president’s proposing are — are — are things that we share in values. And the child tax credit’s one we know that reduces childhood poverty by a third. We did it in Minnesota. To have a federal partner in this —unbelievable, I think, in the impact that we can make

BASH: You talk about — you call it the opportunity economy. You are well aware that right now many Americans are struggling. There’s a crisis of affordability. One of your campaign themes is, “We’re not going back.” But I wonder what you say to voters who do want to go back when it comes to the economy specifically because their groceries were less expensive, housing was more affordable when Donald Trump was president.

HARRIS: Well, let’s start with the fact that when Joe Biden and I came in office during the height of a pandemic, we saw over 10 million jobs were lost. People — I mean, literally we are all tracking the numbers. Hundreds of people a day were dying because of COVID. The economy had crashed.

In large part, all of that because of mismanagement by Donald Trump of that crisis. When we came in, our highest priority was to do what we could to rescue America. And today, we know that we have inflation at under 3%. A lot of our policies have led to the reality that America recovered faster than any wealthy nation around the world.

But you are right. Prices in particular for groceries are still too high. The American people know it. I know it. Which is why my agenda includes what we need to do to bring down the price of groceries. For example, dealing with an issue like price gouging.

What we need to do to extend the child tax credit to help young families be able to take care of their children in their most formative years. What we need to do to bring down the cost of housing. My proposal includes what would be a tax credit of $25,000 for first-time home buyers so they can just have enough to put a down payment on a home, which is part of the American dream and their aspiration, but do it in a way that allows them to actually get on the path to achieving that goal and that dream.

BASH: So you have been vice president for three and a half years. The steps that you’re talking about now, why haven’t you done them already?

HARRIS: Well, first of all, we had to recover as an economy, and we have done that. I’m very proud of the work that we have done that has brought inflation down to less than 3%, the work that we have done to cap the cost of insulin at $35 a month for seniors. Donald Trump said he was gonna do a number of things, including allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices. Never happened. We did it.

So now, and I — as I travel in the state of Georgia and around our country, the number of seniors that have benefited, I’ve met — I was in Nevada recently. A grandmother who showed me her receipts. And before we capped the cost of insulin for seniors at $35 a month she was paying hundreds of dollars, up to thousands of dollars a month for her insulin. She’s not doing that any longer.

BASH: So you maintain Bidenomics is a success.

HARRIS: I maintain that when we do the work of bringing down prescription medication for the American people, including capping the cost — of the annual cost of prescription medication for seniors at $2,000; when we do what we did in the first year of being in office to extend the child tax credit so that we cut child poverty in America by over 50%; when we do what we have done to invest in the American people and bringing manufacturing back to the United States so that we created over 800,000 new manufacturing jobs, bringing business back to America; what we have done to improve the supply chain so we’re not relying on foreign governments to supply American families with their basic needs, I’ll say that that’s good work. There’s more to do, but that’s good work.

BASH: I want to get some clarity on where you stand on some key policy issues. Energy is a big one. In — when you were in Congress, you supported the Green New Deal. And in 2019 you said, quote, “There is no question I’m in favor of banning fracking.” Fracking, as you know, is a pretty big issue, particularly in your must-win state of Pennsylvania.

HARRIS: Sure.

BASH: Do you still want to ban fracking?

HARRIS: No, and I made that clear on the debate stage in 2020, that I would not ban fracking. As vice president, I did not ban fracking. As president, I will not ban fracking.

BASH: In 2019, I believe in a town hall you said — you were asked, “Would you commit to implementing a federal ban on fracking on your first day in office?” and you said, “There’s no question I’m in favor of banning fracking. So yes.” So it changed in — in that campaign?

HARRIS: In 2020 I made very clear where I stand. We are in 2024, and I have not changed that position, nor will I going forward. I kept my word, and I will keep my word.

BASH: What made you change that position at the time?

HARRIS: Well, let’s be clear. My values have not changed. I believe it is very important that we take seriously what we must do to guard against what is a clear crisis in terms of the climate. And to do that, we can do what we have accomplished thus far.

The Inflation Reduction Act, what we have done to invest by my calculation over t— probably a trillion dollars over the next ten years investing in a clean energy economy. What we’ve already done creating over 300,000 new clean energy jobs. That tells me from my experience as vice president we can do it without banning fracking. In fact, Dana — Dana, excuse me — I cast the tie-breaking vote that actually increased leases for fracking as vice president. So I’m very clear about where I stand.

BASH: And was there some policy or scientific data that you saw that you said, “Oh, okay. I get it now”?

HARRIS: What I have seen is that we can — we can grow and we can increase a thriving clean energy economy without banning fracking.

BASH: Okay. Another issue, big one, is immigration. As vice president you were tasked with addressing the root causes of migration in southern countries and —

HARRIS: Northern part of Central America.

BASH: The northern parts of —

HARRIS: Yeah.

BASH: — of — of Central America that deals with, that affects the southern border of the US. During the Biden-Harris administration, there were record numbers of illegal border crossings. Why did the Biden-Harris administration wait three and a half years to implement sweeping asylum restrictions?

HARRIS: Well, first of all, the root causes work that I did as vice president, that I was asked to do by the president has actually resulted in a number of benefits, including historic investments by American businesses in that region. The number of immigrants coming from that region has actually reduced since we’ve began that work.

But I will say this: That Joe Biden and I and our administration worked with members of the United States Congress on an immigration issue that is very significant to the American people and to our security, which is the border. And through bipartisan work, including some of the most conservative members of the United States Congress, a bill was crafted which we supported, which I support.

And Donald Trump got word of this bill that would’ve — that contributed to securing our border. And because he believes that it would not have helped him politically, he told his folks in Congress, “Don’t put it forward.” He killed the bill: a border security bill that would’ve put 1,500 more agents on the border. And let me tell you something. The Border Patrol endorsed the bill. And I’m sure —

(OVERTALK)

HARRIS: — and I’m sure in large part because they knew they were working around the clock and 1,500 more agents would help them. That bill would have allowed us to increase seizures of fentanyl. Ask any community in America that has been devastated by fentanyl what passing that bill would have done to address their concern and a pain they’ve experienced —

BASH: So you would — so you would push that legislation again? I just want to ask ab—

HARRIS: Not only push it. I will make sure that it comes to my desk and I would sign it.

BASH: Just one other question about something that you said in 2019 when you first ran. There was a debate. You raised your hand when asked whether or not the border should be decriminalized. Do you still believe that?

HARRIS: I believe there should be consequence. We have laws that have to be followed and enforced that address and deal with people who cross our border illegally. And there should be consequence. And let’s be clear, in this race, I’m the only person who has prosecuted transnational criminal organizations who traffic in guns, drugs, and human beings. I’m the only person in this race who actually served a border state as attorney general to enforce our laws. And I would enforce our laws as president going forward. I recognize the problem.

BASH: Generally speaking, how should voters look at some of the changes that you’ve made — that you explained some of here — in your policy? Is it because you have more experience now and you’ve learned more about the information? Is it because you’re running for president in a Democratic primary? And should they feel comfortable and confident that what you’re saying now is gonna be your policy moving forward?

HARRIS: Dana, I think the — the — the most important and most significant aspect of my policy perspective and decisions is my values have not changed. You mentioned the Green New Deal. I have always believed and I have worked on it, that the climate crisis is real, that it is an urgent matter to which we should apply metrics that include holding ourselves to deadlines around time.

We did that with the Inflation Reduction Act. We have set goals for the United States of America and by extension the globe around when we should meet certain standards for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, as an example. That value has not changed. My value around what we need to do to secure our border, that value has not changed. I spent two terms as the attorney general of California prosecuting transnational criminal organizations, violations of American laws regarding the passage, illegal passage of guns, drugs, and human beings across our border. My values did not change.

So that is the reality of it, and four years of being vice president, I’ll tell you, one of the — the — the aspects to your point is traveling the country extensively. I mean, I’m here in Georgia, I think somebody told me 17 times since I’ve been vice president in Georgia alone. I believe it is important to build consensus, and it is important to — to — to find a common place of understanding of where we can actually solve problems.

BASH: On that note, you had a lot of Republican speakers at the convention. Will you appoint a Republican to your Cabinet?

HARRIS: Yes, I would.

BASH: Any one in mind—

HARRIS: Yes, I would. No, no one in particular in mind. I got — we got 68 days to go with this election, so I’m not puttin’ the cart before the horse. But I would. I think — I think it’s really important. I — I have spent my career inviting diversity of opinion. I think it’s important to have people at the table when some of the most important decisions are being made that have different views, different experiences. And I think it would be to the benefit of the American public to have a member of my Cabinet who is a Republican.

BASH: Speaking of Republicans, I want to ask you about your opponent, Donald Trump. I was a little bit surprised, people might be surprised to hear that you have never interacted with him, met him face to face. That’s gonna change soon, but what I want to ask you about is what he said last month. He suggested that you happened to turn Black recently for political purposes, questioning a core part of your identity.

HARRIS: Yeah.

BASH: Any—

HARRIS: Same old, tired playbook. Next question, please. (LAUGH)

BASH: That’s it?

HARRIS: That’s it.

BASH: OK. Let’s talk about some foreign policy issues that would be on your plate if you become commander in chief. President Biden has tried unsuccessfully to end the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. He’s been doing it for months and months, along with you. Would you do anything differently? For example, would you withhold some US weapons shipments to Israel? That’s what a lot of people on the progressive left want you to do.

HARRIS: Let me be very clear. I’m unequivocal and — and unwavering in my commitment to Israel’s defense and its ability to defend itself. And that’s not gonna change. But let’s take a step back. October 7, 1,200 people are massacred, many young people who are simply attending a musical festival. Women were horribly raped. As I said then, I say today, Israel had a right — has a right to defend itself. We would. And how it does so matters. Far too many innocent Palestinians have been killed. And we have got to get a deal done. We — we were in Doha. We have to get a deal done. This war must end—

BASH: And in the meantime—

HARRIS: And we must get a deal that is about getting the hostages out. I’ve met with the families of the American hostages. Let’s get the hostages out. Let’s get the ceasefire done.

BASH: But no change in policy in terms of arms and — and so forth?

HARRIS: No. I — we have to get a deal done. Dan — Dana, we have to get a deal done. When you look at the significance of this to the families, to the people who are living in that region — it — a deal is not only the right thing to do to end this war but will unlock so much of what must happen next.

I remain committed since I’ve been on October 8 to what we must do to work toward a two-state solution where Israel is secure and in equal measure the Paletin — the Palestinians have security and self-determination and — and dignity.

BASH: Governor Walz, the country is just starting to get to know you. I want to ask you a question about how you’ve described your service in the National Guard.

WALZ: Yeah.

BASH: You said that you carried weapons in war, but you have never deployed actually in a war zone. A campaign official said that you misspoke. Did you?

WALZ: Well, first of all, I’m incredibly proud. I’ve done 24 years of wearin’ uniform of this country. Equally proud of my service in a public school classroom, whether it’s Congress or — or the governor. My record speaks for itself, but I think people are coming to get to know me. I — I speak like they do. I speak candidly. I wear my emotions on my sleeves, and I speak especially passionately about — about our children being shot in schools and around — around guns. So I think people know me. They know who I am. They know where — where my heart is, and again, my record has been out there for over 40 years to — to speak for itself.

BASH: And the — the idea that you said that you were in war, did you misspeak, as the campaign has said?

WALZ: Yeah, I said — we were talking about in this case, this was after a school shooting, the ideas of carrying these weapons of war. And my wife the English teacher told me my grammar’s not always correct. But again, if it’s not this, it’s an attack on my children for showing love for me, or it’s an attack on my dog. I’m not gonna do that, and the one thing I’ll never do is I’ll never demean another member’s service in any way. I never have and I never will.

BASH: And just one other question, because, again, this is all new. This was not — however many days ago, this was not on either of your bingo cards, especially yours. You had to clarify that you had said that you and your wife used IVF, but it turned out you used a different kind of fertility in order to have children. And then when you ran for Congress in 2006, your campaign repeatedly made false statements about a 1995 arrest for drunk and reckless driving. What do you say to voters who aren’t sure whether they can take you at your word?

WALZ: Well, I’ve been very public. I think they can see — my students come out — former folks I’ve served with, and they — and they do, they vouch for me. I certainly own my mistakes when I make ‘em. The one thing I’ll tell you is I wished in this country we wouldn’t have to do this. I spoke about our infertility issues ‘cause it’s hell, and families know this. And I — I spoke about the treatments that were available to us that — that had those beautiful children there. That’s quite a contrast in folks that are trying to — to take those rights away from us.

And so I — I think people know who I am. They know that record. They’ve seen that I’ve taught thousands of students. I’ve been out there. And I — I won’t apologize for speaking passionately, whether it’s guns in schools or protection of reproductive rights. The contrast could not be clearer between what we’re running against. The vice president’s position on this has been clear. And I think most Americans get it, if you’ve been through that. I don’t think they’re cutting hairs on IVF or IUI. I think what they’re cutting hairs on is an abortion ban and the ability to be able to deny families the chance to have a beautiful child.

BASH: Vice President Harris, you were a very staunch defender of President Biden’s capacity to serve another four years right after the debate. You insisted that President Biden is extraordinarily strong. Given where we are now, do you have any regrets about what you told the American people?

HARRIS: No, not at all. Not at all. I have served with President Biden for almost four years now. And I’ll tell ya it’s one of the greatest honors of my career, truly. He cares so deeply about the American people. He is so smart and — and loyal to the American people. And I have spent hours upon hours with him, be it in the Oval Office or the Situation Room. He has the intelligence, the commitment, and the judgment and disposition that I think the American people rightly deserve in their president.

By contrast, the former president has none of that. And so — one, I — I — I am so proud to have served as vice president to Joe Biden. And, two, I am so proud to be running with Tim Walz for president of the United States and to bring America what I believe the American people deserve, which is a new way forward, and turn the page on the last decade of what I believe has been contrary to where the spirit of our country really lies.

BASH: With the last decade, of course, the last three and a half years has been part of your administration.

HARRIS: I’m talking about an era that started about a decade ago where there is some suggestion, warped I believe it to be, that the measure of the strength of a leader is based on you beat down instead of where I believe most Americans are, which is to believe that the true measure of the strength of a leader is based on who you lift up. That’s what’s at stake as much as any other detail that we could discuss in this election.

BASH: Because we haven’t had a chance to — to talk, I’m just curious, staying on President Biden, when he called you and said he was pulling outta the race, what was that like? And did he offer to endorse you right away or did you ask for it?

HARRIS: It was — it was a Sunday, so, here, I’ll — I’ll give you a little too much information. (LAUGHTER)

BASH: Go for it. There’s no such thing, Madam Vice President.

HARRIS: My family was staying with us. And — including my baby nieces. And we had just had pancakes and, you know, “Auntie, can I have more bacon?” “Yes, I’ll make you more bacon.” And then we were gonna sit — we were sitting down to — to do a puzzle. (LAUGH) And the phone rang. And it was Joe Biden. And — and he told me what he had decided to do. And I asked him, “Are you sure?” And he said, “Yes.” And — and that’s how I learned about it.

BASH: And what about the endorsement? Did you ask for it?

HARRIS: He was very clear that he was gonna support me.

BASH: So when he called to tell you, he said, “I’m pulling outta the race and I’m gonna support you?”

HARRIS: Well, my first thought was not about me to be honest with you. My first thought was about him to be honest. I think history is gonna show a number of things about Joe Biden’s presidency. I think history is gonna show that in so many ways it was transformative, be it on what we have accomplished around finally investing in America’s infrastructure, investing in new economics, in new industries, what we have done to bring our allies back together, and have confidence in who we are as America, and grow that alliance, what we have done to stand true to our principles including the — the — one of the most important international rules and norms, which is the importance of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

And I think history is gonna show not only has Joe Biden led an administration that has achieved those extraordinary successes, but the character of the man is one that he has been in his life and career, including as a president, quite selfless and puts the American people first.

BASH: I just have to ask you both about two standout moments, aside of course from the addresses that you both gave, but standout moments that were perhaps unexpected during the convention. You mentioned one of them, governor, a moment that you shared, that the world shared with your son, Gus. You were speaking. The camera caught him so incredibly proud of you, so emotional, saying, “That’s my dad.”

WALZ: Yeah. I — I don’t know as a father I could’ve ever imagined that. I — I’m grateful for so many reasons to be on this ticket. But that moment — to understand what was really important, to — to have my son feel a sense of pride in me, that I was trying to do the right thing. And it was, you know, you try and protect your kids. You know it brings — it brings notoriety in things. But it was just such a visceral, emotional moment that I’m — I’m just — I’m grateful I got to experience it. And I’m — I’m so proud of him.

I’m proud of him. I’m proud of Hope. I’m proud of Gwen. She’s a wonderful mother. And these are great kids. And I think the one thing is, talking about the era we’re in, is our politics can be better. It can be different. We can — we can show some of these things. And we can have families involved in this. And I — I hope that there was — I hope people felt that out there. And I hope they hugged their kids a little tighter, because you just never know. And life can be kinda hard.

BASH: And last question, Madam Vice President, the photograph that has gone viral. You were speaking. One of your grand nieces that you were just talking about was watching you accept the nomination. You didn’t explicitly talk about gender or race in your speech. But it obviously means a lot to a lot of people. And that viral picture really says it. What does it mean to you?

HARRIS: You know, I — listen, I am running because I believe that I am the best person to do this job at this moment for all Americans, regardless of race and gender. But I did see that photograph. And I was deeply touched by it. And, you’re right, she’s — it’s the back of her head, and her two little braids, and — and then I’m in the front of the photograph obviously speaking. It’s very humbling. It’s very humbling in many ways.

BASH: Did she talk to you about it afterwards?

HARRIS: Oh, she had a lot to talk (LAUGHTER) about. She had a lot. She listened to everything. And she listens to everything.

BASH: She gave you her hot takes?

HARRIS: Oh, yeah, definitely. Uh-huh. (LAUGH)

BASH: Madam Vice President, Governor Walz, thank you so much for your time. Appreciate it.

HARRIS: Okay, thank you.

WALZ: Thanks for having us.

HARRIS: Thank you, Dana. Thank you.

{Matzav.com}

Venezuelans awoke Friday to a major power outage in the capital, Caracas, and several states. President Nicolas Maduro’s government blamed the outage, which it said began about 4:50 a.m., on “electrical sabotage.” Freddy Nanez, the communications minister, said officials were working to restore power. “Nobody will take away our peace and tranquility of the Venezuelan people,” he wrote in a message shared with journalists on Telegram. Nanez said in a voice message on Telegram that all 24 of Venezuela’s states had been at least partially impacted. He characterized the outage as a “desperate” attempt by Maduro’s opponents to violently oust the president. “The entire national government has been activated to overcome this new aggression,” he said. Venezuela in 2019, during a period of political unrest, suffered from regular power outages that the government almost always blamed on its opponents, but that energy experts said were the result of brush fires damaging transmission lines and poor maintenance of the country’s hydroelectric infrastructure. Many of the energy problems have subsided as the South American nation’s economy has stabilized, high inflation has eased and a de facto dollarization has reduced shortages of imported goods. Still, following last month’s contested presidential election, officials are quick to blame opponents for even minor disruptions. That was the case on Tuesday, when a brownout affected Caracas and several central states. “This is a constant strategy of the opposition, the enemies of this country, to impact the population,” Diosdado Cabello, the newly appointed interior minister who is believed to be the second most powerful man in the country, said after the earlier outage. Residents of the capital were taking Friday’s disruption in stride. Traffic during the normally busy rush hour was lighter than usual and some people complained about being unable to communicate with family members due to a lack of cellphone service. Alejandra Martinez, a 25-year-old salesclerk, said she noticed the power went out when a fan stopped working. “I thought the power would come back and I went back to sleep,” she said while trying to catch a bus to work as dawn broke over Caracas. “But when I woke up, I realized it was an outage.” Venezuela’s power grid relies heavily on the Guri Dam, a giant hydroelectric power station that was inaugurated in the late 1960s. The electrical system has been burdened by poor upkeep, a lack of alternative energy supplies and a drain of engineering talent as an estimated 8 million Venezuelan migrants have fled economic misery in recent years. (AP)

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s 2024 presidential campaign featured a number of often-bizarre twists and turns. And his exit from the race Friday is coming with yet another. It turns out Kennedy will actually remain on the ballot in three key states: Michigan, North Carolina and Wisconsin.

It’s a headache for Donald Trump, whom Kennedy endorsed and whom Kennedy’s supporters tended to favor more than Vice President Kamala Harris.

But how much impact could it have?

To recap, Kennedy said he would withdraw from 10 ballots in more competitive states, while remaining on ballots he qualified for in red and blue states. The idea was that he would still amass votes – he even pitched a rather nonsensical path to being elected president – without hurting Trump.

But in some states, it was too late.

In both Michigan and Wisconsin, a nominated and qualified candidate can’t be removed from the ballot unless they die. And in North Carolina, the State Board of Elections voted Thursday that it was too late to remove Kennedy’s name; many ballots had already been printed, with absentee ballots set to go out next week.

That’s three of the seven states generally regarded as being the most important.

It’s doubtful Kennedy will take anywhere close to the approximately 4 or 5 percent he was polling at in such states and nationally. But small margins could matter greatly in Michigan (which Trump won by 0.2 percentage points in 2016) and Wisconsin (which Trump carried by 0.8 points in 2016 and President Joe Biden carried by 0.6 points in 2020).

A recent New York Times/Siena College poll showed Kennedy’s supporters favored Trump over Harris, 50-21, in a head-to-head matchup. (The rest supported neither.) The Trump campaign’s polling data showed a similar margin – which it touted when Kennedy suspended his campaign.

So, as a hypothetical, if Kennedy goes on to take 1 percent of the vote in these states and his support breaks down like those polls indicate, it would cost Trump between 0.2 percent and 0.3 percent of the vote against Harris.

That’s similar not just to Trump’s margin in Michigan in 2016, but also to Biden’s margins in Arizona (0.3 percent) and Georgia (0.2 percent) in 2020.

Of course, I’ve just pulled that 1 percent figure out of thin air. Who knows what Kennedy will ultimately get and whether it will break down similarly to the rest of his support? Perhaps Trump-inclined Kennedy backers or Harris-inclined ones will be more likely to vote for a withdrawn candidate (whether as a protest vote or because they don’t know he dropped out).

But there is some – albeit limited – precedent for such candidates drawing small but significant vote totals after dropping out. Perhaps the two best recent comparisons:

-In the 2014 Connecticut governor’s race, independent Joe Visconti withdrew two days before Election Day and endorsed the Republican. He was polling between 3 and 8 percent – similar to Kennedy – and ultimately took a little more than 1 percent.

-In the 2020 U.S. Senate race in South Carolina, Constitution Party nominee Bill Bledsoe dropped out and endorsed Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham. But Bledsoe wound up getting 1.3 percent of the vote – after Democrats ran ads elevating his name in hopes of diluting Graham’s support.

A few other recent examples:

-In the 2018 Alaska governor’s race, independent Gov. Bill Walker withdrew and endorsed the Democrat. Walker wound up taking 2.03 percent. (He was, though, an incumbent many had voted for before.)

-In the 2018 special election for Texas’s 27th Congressional District, Republican Bech Bruun withdrew but still took 4.3 percent in a nonpartisan “jungle” primary.

-In the 2022 U.S. Senate race in Alaska, Republican Buzz Kelley took 2.13 percent in the first round of the state’s ranked-choice primary and was one of four candidates to qualify for the general election. But despite soon withdrawing, he actually increased his first-choice votes in the general election, to 2.89 percent. (Ranked-choice voting does encourage votes for minor candidates, by allowing people to also vote for other candidates in case their candidate doesn’t win.)

These last three examples aren’t very comparable, including because the final two were run under unusual voting systems. And a presidential race will earn gobs more attention, which will reduce the possibility that people will go to the polls thinking Kennedy is still actually a candidate.

But some might, and he’ll still be an available protest vote for those who might be inclined to back him. And for a Trump campaign that played up how Kennedy’s exit would be a boon, it complicates things.

(c) 2024, The Washington Post · Aaron Blake 

El Al Airlines, which standardized fares last week to four cities that will serve as global transportation hubs until the end of the year, faces an Israel Competition Authority investigation for allegedly “unfair” prices.

Travel experts told JNS that some of the charges leveled at the private company, which is traded on the Israeli stock exchange but whose security costs the Israeli government pays, are a lot of hot air.

A debate, however, centers on whether the issue is price gouging—El Al’s fares are considerably more expensive than in previous years with record profits in recent months—or a case of supply and demand

“When seats are scarce, prices will skyrocket. That’s just market forces at work,” Daniel Eleff, founder and CEO of the Cleveland-based discount website DansDeals, told JNS.

“I think El Al is in a tough spot here,” he added. “They are making record profits due to the scarcity of seats to and from Israel, but that’s just based on their pricing algorithms working as programmed.”

With most airlines having halted service to and from Tel Aviv since the Hamas terrorist attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7 and the ensuing war with the terrorists in Gaza, many travelers have had no choice but to turn to El Al.

As the Yomim Noraim loom and with the threat of another front with Hezbollah on the northern border, the Israeli flagship carrier again finds itself the sole mode of international transportation.

Mark Feldman, Yerushalayim director of Israel’s Diesenhaus Tours, told JNS that “factually, they are a monopoly to North America, but economically speaking, there is simply not enough supply to handle the demand.”

Feldman noted that most people snagging last-minute tickets to and from the United States this month on El Al were either rebooked from the United States or other carriers that canceled flights to or from Israel or had to travel for a family or other emergency.

That meant that every available seat was taken at the height of the busy summer season.

“Anyone buying a ticket at the last moment and can find space will pay stratospheric prices,” he said. “But only because there are simply so few seats available.”

Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) sent a letter on Wednesday to the CEOs of American Airlines, Delta Airlines and United Airlines asking them to consider relaunching flights to and from Israel to “prevent the appearance and the substance of discrimination against the Jewish state,” Jewish Insider reported.

“The suspension has been so prolonged and so pervasive that El Al, an Israeli airline, has become the sole carrier offering direct flights from America to Israel,” the pro-Israel congressman wrote. “The lack of competition has made air travel to Israel less available and less affordable, putting customers at the mercy of a de facto monopoly that can easily gouge prices with impunity.”

‘A lifeline for people’

Yoni Waksman, vice chairman of Israel’s Ophir Tours, told JNS that “there has been talk that they are exploiting the situation, but whether or not this is the case is the subject of an investigation.”

El Al is also “doing a lot for Israel, and it is thanks to them that we can fly and are not under closure,” he said.

Still, the increased wartime fares and record-breaking profits for the airline are garnering headlines, as in a recent story in the Israeli financial daily Globes, whose English headline read “El Al milks monopoly on Tel Aviv-New York flights.”

Eleff, of DansDeals, noted that “others will argue that a flag carrier is obligated to help in the war effort by keeping airfare affordable, though I’d argue that the airline is doing so just by continuing to fly and be a lifeline for people to fly to and from Israel.”

Feldman, of Diesenhaus Tours, said the answer is “definitely somewhere in the middle.”

“It’s not like El Al has planes sitting around,” he said, noting the carrier runs five daily flights to and from New York.

By the numbers

The Israel Airports Authority told JNS that just 30 of 100 international carriers that flew to Israel before the war currently offer service to the Jewish state. El Al now runs almost half of all the flights to and from Tel Aviv, per the authority.

On Wednesday, it operated 76 of 184 departures from Ben-Gurion International Airport and 77 of 183 arrivals, according to airport data.

Since Oct. 7, El Al has routinely held a 70% to 85% market share of every city where it’s flown since Oct. 7, according to Feldman. Meaning that along any route to or from Israel, Israel was responsible for roughly three-quarters of the flights between the Jewish state and that city.

The carriers with the most flights to and from Tel Aviv this month after El Al—with significantly fewer flights than the flagship carrier—have been two smaller Israeli carriers, Israir and Arika.

Ben-Gurion reported a 30% drop in passengers during August, normally its busiest month, according to the airport authority.

‘A small drop in the bucket’

El Al’s recent announcement of fixed prices to the four international cities is being seen by some as an effort to throw cold water on the Competition Authority probe and to placate the public.

“Since Oct. 7, El Al has been conducting a strict price policy that includes regular price reductions, while increasing the supply of flights to nearby destinations, in order to allow as many Israelis as possible to leave or enter the country,” the Israeli carrier told JNS.

“Throughout the period, the company repeats and emphasizes that advance planning and early purchase of flight tickets allow you to enjoy much more favorable prices,” El Al added.

Feldman said that the prices to the four cities “is a populist response to handle those thousands of Israelis who had tickets on airlines no longer flying and are paying thousands of dollars to get home.”

“It is a small drop in the bucket,” he said.

Eleff noted that fixed prices aren’t the solution. “Government-set price controls distort the free market, creating artificial scarcity that creates other problems and doesn’t solve the real issues,” he said.

He said that the Israeli government would be better off coordinating insurance coverage, which may be preventing other airlines from flying to Israel. That, he added, would mean that there would be enough seats on the market, which would bring down prices.

As the High Holidays approach, El Al seems to be the only option for those who want to fly directly between Tel Aviv and New York—the state with the largest population of Jews in America and many with relatives or even second homes in Israel—with Delta and United tentatively slated to fly the route again in the fall and American in the spring.

“New York is a very profitable route for the airlines,” Waksman said. “The U.S. airlines would be happy to be back.” JNS

{Matzav.com Israel}

On a residential block in upstate New York, college students dug and sifted backyard dirt as part of an archaeological exploration this summer of a centuries-old cemetery for African Americans. Now covered with green lawns in the city of Kingston, this spot in 1750 was part of a burial ground for people who were enslaved. It was located on what was then the outskirts of town. An unknown number of people who were denied church burials were interred here until the late 19th century, when the cemetery was covered over as the city grew. The site is now being reclaimed as the Pine Street African Burial Ground, one of many forgotten or neglected cemeteries for African Americans that are getting fresh attention. In the last three summers, the remains of up to 27 people have been located here. Advocates in this Hudson River city purchased a residential property covering about half the old cemetery several years ago and now use the house there as a visitor center. Money is being raised to turn the urban backyard into a respectful resting place. And while the names of people buried here may be lost, tests are planned on their remains to shed light on their lives and identify their descendants. “The hardships of those buried here cannot just go down in vain,” said Tyrone Wilson, founder of Harambee Kingston, the nonprofit community group behind the project. “We have a responsibility to make sure that we fix that disrespect.” While the more-than-half-acre (0.2 hectares) site was designated as a cemetery for people who were enslaved in 1750, it might have been in use before then. Burials continued through about 1878, more than 50 years after New York fully abolished slavery. Researchers say people were buried with their feet to the east, so when they rise on Judgment Day, they would face the rising sun. Remains found on the Harambee property are covered with patterned African cloths and kept where they are. Remains found on adjoining land are exhumed for later burial on the Harambee property. Students from the State University of New York at New Paltz recently finished a third summer of supervised backyard excavations in this city 80 miles (129 kilometers) upriver from Manhattan. The students get course credit, though anthropology major Maddy Thomas said there’s an overriding sense of mission. “I don’t like when people feel upset or forgotten,” Thomas said on a break. “And that is what’s happened here. So we’ve got to fix it.” Harambee is trying to raise $1 million to transform the modest backyard into a resting spot that reflects the African heritage of the people buried there. Plans include a tall marker in the middle of the yard. While some graves were apparently marked, it’s still hard to say who was buried there. “Some of them, it’s obvious, were marked with just a stone with no writing on it,” said Joseph Diamond, an associate professor of anthropology at New Paltz. The only intact headstone recovered with a name visible was for Caezar Smith, who was born enslaved and died a free man in 1839 at the age of 41. A researcher mined historical records and came up with two more people potentially buried there in 1803: a man identified as Sam and a 16-year-old girl named […]

In this episode, Rabbi Reinman describes the rivalry among Jacob’s children and the plot that resulted in Joseph being sold into slavery.

Chapter Eighteen: Sibling Warfare

Several questions come to mind. Jewish tradition reveres all Jacob’s sons as great and righteous men. They were raised to be the heirs to the legacy of the patriarchs. They bore on their shoulders the burden of building a nation that would declare the unity of God to the world and be a light to the nations. They were not barbarians.

Why then did they condemn Joseph to death just because he dreamed he would one day rule over them? Why was that a capital offense? Even if Joseph considered this particular dream prophetic, maybe it was not. And if they also considered it a harbinger of the future, why didn’t they accept it as God’s will? After all, someone had to be the leader. Maybe God preferred Joseph, just as Jacob did.

Furthermore, after all the kindness Joseph had shown the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, why did they join Leah’s sons in the plot to eliminate him? After all, they knew the leader would not be one of them. Shouldn’t they have preferred Joseph as the leader to one of the others?

Finally, why did Jacob await the fulfillment of Joseph’s dream with anticipation? Even if the dream was prophetic, it probably foretold a future time when the kings of Israel would be descended from Joseph. It surely didn’t occur to him that it would be fulfilled during his lifetime with Joseph sitting on the Egyptian viceroy’s throne.

In order to understand the issues at stake in these events, we have to go back to the selection of Isaac as the second patriarch and the selection of Jacob as the third patriarch …

More details were revealed on Thursday evening from the testimony of three of the hostages rescued in Operation Arnon in June. Andrey Kozlov, Shlomi Ziv, and Almog Meir Jan were interviewed as part of “Voices from Captivity,” a project launched by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and Government Press Office (GPO.) Almog said about their main guard Mohammed: “He would take this kind of pen and tie our mouths around it. We would have cuts in our mouths for days. Sometimes we were bound in chains. After a while, rust would wash off of us when we washed our hands or showered. We had wounds on our hands and the lock on the chains cut us to the bone.” Andrey said that the last month that they were held captive was the hardest. “Our guard was losing it. He would give us contradictory orders and punish us. Even if we spoke in whispers, he would gag us with the pen.” One time, the terrorist was enraged that Andrey washed his hands with water he was given to drink, and ordered Almog and Shlomi to cover him with three thick blankets while he lay on a mattress. “It lasted an hour and a half,” Andrey said. “He always tried to catch us in mistakes so he could punish us. He said: ‘Let’s treat him like an animal.'” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

Czech explosive experts detonated a World War II bomb on Friday at a major chemical plant in northwestern Czech Republic where it was found last week, authorities said. Besides a few broken windows, the controlled explosion didn’t immediately seem to cause serious damage, police said in a statement. The plant near the city of Litvinov belongs to Polish oil company PKN Orlen. The bomb was found during construction work last week on Aug. 21 away from a building. Experts decided not to transport the 250-kilogram (550-pound) bomb to a safer place to dispose of it, because it contained a chemical mechanism designed to delay the explosion, a rare discovery in the country. They covered the bomb with hundreds of sandbags before the explosion. A nearby road was closed and trams halted operations before the explosion at about noon (1000 GMT). Police sealed off an area 2 kilometers (more than a mile) from the site of the explosion. The refinery, which was located on Czechoslovak territory occupied by Nazi Germany during the war, was producing fuel for Nazi troops. It was repeatedly targeted by Britain’s Royal Air Force. (AP)

The Operation Summer Camps counterterrorism operation was launched in northern Shomron due to serious intelligence warning of an October 7 infiltration attack or raid on an Israeli yishuv from Tulkarm, Kan News reported on Thursday evening. According to the report, a terrorist squad planned to infiltrate an Israeli yishuv in the Shomron and carry out a large-scale attack. Security officials said that some of the terrorists planning the attack were eliminated in the operation but the ongoing terror threat from the area remains and is rapidly increasing. Another reason for the operation was the increasing threat of explosives – both those smuggled through the porous Jordanian border and those manufactured in explosives laboratories, such as the one destroyed by IDF forces on Wednesday in the Far’a refugee camp near Tubas in the Jordan Valley. The Israeli security establishment no longer has any doubts that terror groups in Yehudah and Shomron have powerful M18A1 claymore-type munitions. Ynet military correspondent Yosi Yehoshua reported that Palestinian areas in the Shomron and Jordan Valley are not just teeming with terrorism, they are undergoing an accelerated process of becoming another Gaza Strip, including being flooded with explosive devices and funding and guidance from Iran. The issue of the porous Jordanian border also must be addressed. IDF and Border Police forces risked their lives to enter Jenin and Tulkarm to find and destroy explosives for what will be only a temporary fix if hundreds of kilometers of Israel’s border with Jordan remain breached. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit Mongolia next week, the Kremlin said Thursday, despite the country being a member of the International Criminal Court, which last year issued a warrant for his arrest. The visit, scheduled for Sept. 3, will be Putin’s first trip to an ICC member state since the warrant was issued in March 2023 over suspected war crimes in Ukraine. Under the court’s founding treaty, the Rome Statute, ICC members are bound to detain suspects for whom an arrest warrant has been issued by the court, if they set foot on their soil. But the court doesn’t have any enforcement mechanism. In a famous case, then Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir wasn’t arrested in 2015 when he visited South Africa, which is a member of the court, sparking angry condemnation by rights activists and the country’s main opposition party. The Kremlin, which had previously stressed that it doesn’t recognize the jurisdiction of the ICC, didn’t comment on the prospects of Putin being arrested in Mongolia. According to the Kremlin’s online statement, Putin will travel to Mongolia upon the invitation of President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh “to participate in the ceremonial events dedicated to the 85th anniversary of the joint victory of the Soviet and Mongolian armed forces over the Japanese militarists on the Khalkhin Gol River.” Putin will also hold talks with Khurelsukh and other top Mongolian officials, the statement read. The ICC has accused Putin of personal responsibility for the abductions of children from Ukraine, where Moscow has fought a devastating war for the last 2½ years. It was the first time the global court has issued a warrant against a leader of one of the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council. The ICC said in a statement that Putin “is allegedly responsible for the war crime of unlawful deportation of (children) and that of unlawful transfer of (children) from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation.” The Kremlin has dismissed the warrant as “null and void.” Putin hasn’t traveled to ICC member states ever since. Putin skipped a summit of the BRICS bloc of developing economies last year in South Africa. South Africa lobbied Moscow for months for Putin not to attend to avoid the diplomatic fallout since the country is an ICC member, and ultimately announced the countries had reached a “mutual agreement” that Putin not attend a meeting he’s normally a fixture at. The Kremlin said that Putin had decided not to attend in person. He instead took part in the summit in Johannesburg by video link, during which he launched a tirade against the West. Last, year, the Kremlin also bristled at old ally Armenia over its decision to join the ICC, adding to the growing tensions between Moscow and Yerevan. Armenian officials, however, quickly sought to assure Russia that Putin wouldn’t be arrested if he entered the country. (AP)

Kamala Harris’s new Arab outreach director, Brenda Abdelall, reportedly once claimed that “Zionists” control “a lot of” American politics, according to an article Thursday in the Washington Free Beacon, Breitbart reports.

The report, by Adam Kredo, says:

 

“The Zionists have a strong voice in American politics,” Brenda Abdelall, an Egyptian-American lawyer and former Department of Homeland Security official, said in a 2002 interview with the New York Sun while attending the American Muslim Council’s annual convention. “I would say they’re controlling a lot of it.”

…

Abdelall joins several other Harris campaign advisers who have a history of pressuring Israel and advocating increased relations with Iran. They include Harris’s national security adviser, Phil Gordon, who is the subject of a congressional probe into his ties to a member of an Iranian government influence network. Ilan Goldenberg, Harris’s liaison to the Jewish community, has faced scrutiny for his ties to the anti-Israel group J Street, as well as championing closer ties to Tehran.

Harris also appointed a veteran Israel critic, the Rev. Jen Butler, to conduct outreach to the faith community. Butler has come under fire for working alongside anti-Semitic activist Linda Sarsour.

Abdelall was hired earlier this week to lead the Harris-Walz campaign’s outreach to Arab Americans. She joins the campaign’s Muslim liaison, Nasrina Bargzie, who championed anti-Israel activism on campus and opposed the claims by Jewish students that they were being subjected to antisemitism.

{Matzav.com}

For over a year, Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu was cautioned that his government’s actions had undermined Israel’s deterrence, leading terrorist organizations to believe that their “moment had arrived.” Despite these warnings, Opposition Leader Yair Lapid testified on Thursday that Netanyahu failed to respond and even seemed “bored and indifferent to the issue” during a joint briefing.

Lapid addressed an independent civilian commission in Tel Aviv, investigating the October 7 Hamas attack and massacre. The Yesh Atid party leader and former prime minister provided numerous examples where Netanyahu was informed by security officials that his policies were weakening Israeli deterrence and emboldening Israel’s enemies.

Lapid emphasized his intent “to debunk the claim” that the political leadership was unaware that Hamas no longer feared attacking Israel. He confirmed that both he and Netanyahu were briefed on the situation. Although he noted that “on October 7 there was no tactical, concrete warning of the breaching of the fence,” he pointed out there were “repeated strategic warnings of an eruption of violence and the loss of deterrence.”

“It is not true that the political system was not alerted to the October 7 disaster. For months, the prime minister and cabinet ministers received a series of severe and unprecedented warnings and did nothing,” Lapid told the commission, which was formed by groups representing survivors and victims, after Netanyahu refused to initiate an official state inquiry.

Lapid recounted a security briefing he received from Ronen Bar, the Shin Bet chief, on the evening before the Knesset vote on the reasonableness law in July 2023. Bar warned him of “the security consequences of the coup d’état and the internal rift it was causing.”

The reasonableness bill was part of a contentious judicial overhaul pursued by the government last year, which some critics labeled as an attempted coup.

“From the middle of 2023, there were more and more voices within the terrorist organizations who said that the moment they had been waiting for had arrived, and these voices appeared in the intelligence assessments and in discussions in the IDF, Shin Bet, and Mossad,” Lapid stated.

Lapid also remembered asking Bar if these warnings were conveyed to the prime minister and cabinet ministers, to which Bar replied, “Of course they were.”

Lapid added that President Isaac Herzog was also informed about the increasing security threat and expressed his concerns in discussions with the prime minister. Additionally, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant attempted to reach a compromise with Lapid over the judicial overhaul legislation because of his fears that the deep societal divisions it caused were harming national security.

Gallant’s opposition to the overhaul was driven by IDF reservists’ threats that they would refuse to serve in an undemocratic Israel. He publicly warned that the proposed reforms posed “a clear, immediate, and tangible threat to the security of the state.”

Netanyahu announced Gallant’s dismissal last March for making this warning public, only to reverse the decision two weeks later amid intense public backlash.

According to Lapid, on Thursday, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi sought to discuss with Netanyahu the national security implications of the divide over the judicial overhaul. However, Netanyahu declined to meet, prompting Halevi to send a letter outlining the dangers.

Although Lapid did not read Halevi’s letter, he stated, “the only reason for sending such a letter would be to document an unanswered security warning.”

Lapid also referred to a joint briefing on August 21, 2023, with Netanyahu’s military secretary, Brig. Gen. Avi Gil, during which Gil informed Netanyahu and Lapid that Iran and terror groups in Lebanon, the West Bank, and Gaza “all identified weakness, an internal divide, tensions, and a loss of preparedness in the army, alongside an emerging crisis with the Americans.”

Gil’s presentation, which summarized input from all defense agencies, indicated that Israel’s adversaries recognized an opportunity to strike. Lapid described this warning as significant but noted that “the prime minister — and here I am giving only a personal impression, so it can be disputed — seemed bored and indifferent to the issue and did not comment on it.”

Lapid mentioned this briefing during a recent interview with The Times of Israel, where he said that “all the signs, all the red flags, all the warnings” were evident, but Netanyahu “ignored them all.”

During his testimony, Lapid asserted that while “the discussion about Prime Minister Netanyahu’s motives or mental state is none of my business,” he believes that “the definition of the role of the prime minister and the cabinet — perhaps the most critical definition of that role — is the duty to stop everything in the face of this type and quality of intelligence and information, and mobilize the entire system to stop the threat.”

In the weeks following Gil’s briefing, Lapid said he reviewed classified intelligence presented to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, confirming that Israeli deterrence had significantly diminished. He examined top-secret information available to him as a former prime minister.

One document he reviewed, just weeks before the Hamas attack, “was unequivocal: Israeli deterrence has eroded dramatically; our enemies think they have a rare opportunity to harm us,” Lapid recalled, adding that it indicated Israel was facing “the greatest level of danger.”

The intelligence he encountered was so alarming that Lapid held a press conference on September 20, where he warned of an imminent “multifront confrontation.” He informed the commission of this press conference, quoting his statements that Israel was “drawing close to a multifront confrontation” and that “recent events at the Gaza border are precisely of the kind that in the past have led to rounds of fighting.”

On Thursday, Lapid accused Netanyahu of knowing that Israel’s deterrence had weakened and that terrorist groups were monitoring the societal divisions. He also alleged that Netanyahu was aware he had appointed ministers “who should not be anywhere near Israel’s sacred security” — specifically mentioning far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.

Lapid argued that Netanyahu knew Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad viewed “an opportunity.” He also knew it was the government’s responsibility to respond to these warnings and failed to act.

Despite directing much of his criticism at the current government, Lapid also condemned the defense establishment, saying that “instead of acting, it waited for the political echelon’s instructions,” which he considered “inexcusable.”

Nevertheless, Lapid emphasized that the IDF’s responsibility for the disaster “does not negate the political echelon’s responsibility” for what he termed “the worst mistake in Israeli history,” which he described as “preventable.”

“I have been asked many times if I think the October 7 disaster could have happened on my watch, when I was prime minister. The answer is no,” he asserted. “Even as the head of the opposition, I did not ignore [the warnings], and in the face of lesser warnings, in August 2022 I embarked on a proactive operation to eliminate the commanders of the Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip.”

Lapid noted that Hamas executed the attack using commercial vehicles and easily obtainable Kalashnikov rifles, concluding that “the dramatic change was not in capabilities, but in opportunity” and that “no doubt a prepared army and an alert political echelon could have prevented” October 7.

“Hezbollah has much more capability in the north in terms of weapons and readiness than Hamas had. The discussion on capacity building is part of the attempt to remove the blame for the lack of preparedness,” he remarked.

While addressing intelligence failures and the redeployment of many forces to the West Bank before October 7, Lapid assigned primary responsibility to Netanyahu, whom he accused of advancing “a concept of conflict management” that assumes the conflict can be managed indefinitely, partly by using Hamas as a counterbalance to the Palestinian Authority to maintain a power equilibrium between them.

Lapid accused Netanyahu of “wishful thinking,” believing he could manipulate an Islamic terrorist organization for political and strategic purposes without facing consequences, which he labeled as “the most serious political and security error in the country’s history.”

Responding to a question about Netanyahu’s policy of permitting suitcases filled with millions in Qatari cash to enter Gaza via Israeli crossings since 2018, Lapid noted that his brief government had “stopped the bags of money” and instead “transferred the money to the UN, and the UN purchased food vouchers.”

“Someone asked me not long ago on a TV program what I would do if I were the prime minister on October 7; I said I would resign on October 8,” he said.

“There is no country in the world where the prime minister, the head of state, is responsible for the biggest civil disaster in the country’s history, and the biggest security disaster in the country’s history, and is also accused of criminal corruption, and he is still the prime minister.”

Netanyahu has not publicly taken personal responsibility for the events of October 7 and has obstructed the formation of a state commission of inquiry into the catastrophe.

In response to Lapid’s testimony, the Prime Minister’s Office issued a harsh statement, accusing him of “lying again” and asserting that Netanyahu “did not receive any warning about the war in Gaza — not a month before and not even an hour before October 7. The opposite is true, and the protocols prove it.”

“Lapid, who brought in workers from Gaza and gave free gas to [Hezbollah leader Hassan] Nasrallah while promising that this would prevent war, is the last one who can preach in matters of security,” the statement added, referring to a 2022 US-brokered maritime agreement with Lebanon signed by Lapid.

Lapid’s testimony followed that of former prime minister Ehud Olmert, who accused Netanyahu of silencing dissenting voices in the security establishment, and former defense minister Avigdor Liberman, who claimed that he had warned as far back as 2016 about the possibility of a Hamas attack similar to the one that occurred in October.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday defended shifting away from her some of her more liberal positions in her first major television interview of her presidential campaign, but insisted her “values have not changed” even as she is “seeking consensus.” Sitting with her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Harris was asked about changes in her policies over the years, specifically her reversals on fracking and decriminalizing illegal border crossings. “I think the most important and most significant aspect of my policy perspective and decisions is my values have not changed,” Harris replied. The interview with CNN’s Dana Bash gave Harris a chance to try to quell criticism that she has eschewed uncontrolled environments while also giving her a fresh platform to define her campaign and test her political mettle ahead of an upcoming debate with former President Donald Trump set for Sept. 10. But it also carried risk as her team tries to build on momentum from the ticket shakeup following Joe Biden’s exit and last week’s Democratic National Convention. “First and foremost, one of my highest priorities is to do what we can to strengthen and support the middle class,” Harris said. “When I look at the aspirations, the goals, the ambitions of the American people, I think that people are ready for a new way forward.” Interview Part 1 The CNN interview was taped at 1:45 p.m. Thursday at Kim’s Cafe, a local Black-owned restaurant in Savannah, Georgia, and aired in the evening. Harris also brushed off Trump’s questioning of her racial identity after the former president said she “happened to turn Black.” Harris, who is of Black and South Asian heritage, said it was the “same old, tired playbook.” “Next question.” She also said she’d name a Republican to serve in her Cabinet if she were elected, though she didn’t have a name in mind. Joint interviews during an election year are a fixture in politics; Biden and Harris, Trump and Mike Pence, Barack Obama and Biden — all did them at a similar point in the race. The difference is those other candidates had all done solo interviews, too. Harris hasn’t yet done an in-depth interview since she became her party’s standard bearer five weeks ago, though she did sit for several while she was still Biden’s running mate. Interview Part 2 Harris and Walz are still introducing themselves to voters, unlike Trump and Biden, of whom people had near-universal awareness and opinion. Harris said serving with Biden was “one of the greatest honors of my career,” as she recounted the moment he called to tell her he was stepping down and would support her. During her time as vice president, Harris has done on-camera and print interviews with The Associated Press and many other outlets, a much more frequent pace than the president — except for Biden’s late-stage media blitz following his disastrous debate performance that touched off the end of his campaign. Interview Part 3 Harris’ lack of media access over the past month has become one of Republicans’ key attack lines. The Trump campaign has kept a tally of the days she has gone by as a candidate without giving an interview and have suggested she needs a “babysitter” and that’s why Walz will be there. “I just saw Comrade Kamala Harris’ […]