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Trump Demands Powell Resign, Calls Fed Renovation ‘Ostentatious Waste’
Israeli Intel: Iran’s Enriched Uranium Stockpile Partially Survived U.S. Strikes
Trump Pushes GOP to Defund PBS, NPR in Recissions Bill, Calls Them Worse Than CNN, MSDNC
Jewish Democrats in Congress Sound Alarm Over Mamdani’s NYC Mayoral Primary Win
HOSTAGE STALEMATE: Hamas Objects To Israel’s Concessions on IDF Troop Deployment in Gaza
Hamas has expressed dissatisfaction with Israel’s latest truce proposal, which was delivered to mediators and outlines how the IDF would remain stationed within parts of Gaza during the envisioned 60-day pause in fighting.
The revised plan demonstrates that Israel is willing to show more leeway regarding the army’s positioning during the ceasefire, particularly in the zone stretching from the Morag Corridor down to the Philadelphi Corridor along the border with Egypt.
One insider told The Jerusalem Post the situation had reached a “stalemate,” while another source noted, “We thought things would move faster due to American and Qatari pressure. At least a few more days of negotiations will be needed.”
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu sat down with relatives of the hostages and informed them that, given the current reality, there was no possibility of securing a broad agreement. “There was no such option,” Netanyahu said. When asked which hostages might be included in a deal, he added: “All of them are humanitarian cases. It will likely be Hamas that decides who will be released.”
In an official announcement from the Prime Minister’s Office, Netanyahu said that once the proposed 60-day truce begins, “we will enter negotiations for a permanent end to the war, meaning a permanent ceasefire.”
He emphasized Israel’s core requirements: Hamas must lay down its weapons, Gaza must no longer be militarized, and the terror group must lose all ability to rule or fight. “If this can be achieved through negotiations, all the better. If not, we will achieve it through other means – by force, through the strength of our heroic army.”
According to a source familiar with the matter, President Trump’s Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, intends to jumpstart efforts toward a final resolution from day one of the ceasefire. “He’s planning for the talks to begin immediately and intends to travel to Qatar in person to start them,” the source stated.
Hamas announced on Wednesday that it still had unresolved concerns, such as the volume and consistency of humanitarian aid entering Gaza, the withdrawal of Israeli troops, and receiving “genuine guarantees” for a lasting truce. While the organization is prepared to release 10 hostages, it labeled the discussions “tough” and blamed Israeli “intransigence” for the difficulties.
At a demonstration held in Washington, DC, on Monday, families of those still being held captive urged that any agreement must result in the return of all 50 remaining hostages.
“We are here to remind President Trump and PM Netanyahu that there are 50 hostages to be released. We cannot accept a deal for a partial release,” said Ilan Dalal, father of Guy Gilboa-Dalal.
{Matzav.com}
Federal Agents Clash with Demonstrators During ICE Raid at Ventura County Farm
Biden-Appointed Judge Blocks Federal Immigration Crackdown in Los Angeles
Oct. 7 Lesson: Mandatory Arabic & Islamic Studies For All Intelligence Soldiers
Trump Declares U.S. Is Officially ‘Back’, Calls for Lower Interest Rates
President Donald Trump proclaimed on Thursday that the United States has fully rebounded, and he urged the Federal Reserve to respond by slashing interest rates.
Taking to Truth Social, Trump celebrated unprecedented highs across major financial indicators, from tech stocks to cryptocurrencies. He pointed to Bitcoin’s historic surge and the lack of inflationary pressure as proof of the economy’s strength. “Tech Stocks, Industrial Stocks, & NASDAQ, HIT ALL-TIME, RECORD HIGHS! CRYPTO, ‘Through the Roof.’ NVIDIA IS UP 47% SINCE TRUMP TARIFFS. USA is taking in Hundreds of Billions of Dollars in Tariffs. COUNTRY IS NOW ‘BACK.’ A GREAT CREDIT!” Trump wrote, while pushing the Fed to act.
He continued by stressing that interest rates need to come down immediately. “FED SHOULD RAPIDLY LOWER RATE TO REFLECT THIS STRENGTH. USA SHOULD BE AT THE ‘TOP OF THE LIST.’ NO INFLATION!!!” he said.
The president has not held back in criticizing Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell for resisting calls to reduce rates. Despite Trump’s persistent pressure, the Fed has opted not to make the move, keeping borrowing costs elevated.
Powell has defended the Fed’s approach by warning that Trump’s trade and tariff strategies might eventually drive inflation—an outcome that has yet to materialize.
In another post on Thursday, Trump again took aim at Powell using a nickname he has often repeated. “‘Too Late’ DEMEANS THE GREAT CREDIT OF THE USA. We are now, again, the Number One Credit in the World! ‘Gigantic Comeback,’” Trump wrote. “The Fed Rate should be reflective of this. We should be at the top of the list!!! LOWER THE RATE!!!”
As of June, the Federal Reserve kept its benchmark rate in the 4.25% to 4.5% range. That came after rate reductions of 50 basis points in September and 25 basis points each in November and December. Breitbart News Economics Editor John Carney reported these figures in a June update.
Even though inflation has dipped below the Fed’s 2% target in recent months, central bank officials have remained cautious. At their most recent meeting, they increased their inflation outlook and reiterated plans for two rate cuts in 2025—unchanged from March’s forecast. Powell said while there had been “modest further progress,” the Fed needs “greater confidence that inflation is moving sustainably toward 2 percent” before making any further rate reductions.
Carney also noted that inflation eased again in May, as shown in economic data released toward the end of June.
{Matzav.com}
Texas Flood Death Toll Rises to 120; True Number of Missing Remains Unclear
Israel, ICC Prosecutor Have Third Fight Over ‘State of Palestine’ War Crimes Probes
The ICC Prosecutor’s ability to proceed with arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant hangs in the balance, following a major procedural blow suffered on April 24 when the Appeals Chamber issued a ruling that temporarily halted the case’s momentum.
The arrest warrants, which have drawn international attention, pose a serious challenge to Israel’s global standing and could unleash a wave of diplomatic, legal, and economic fallout.
In a surprising turn for Israel, the ICC’s Appeals Chamber decision on April 24 instructed the lower court to take a more thorough look at Jerusalem’s objections to the court’s authority—a move that temporarily derailed the Prosecutor’s efforts.
This legal fight is not new; it marks the third time the ICC has grappled with whether Palestine meets the criteria to grant jurisdiction. The Palestinians prevailed twice before, in rulings delivered by the lower court in 2021 and again in November 2024.
As of July 3, Israel received permission from the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber to submit further legal arguments by August 1, extending the timeline of this high-stakes legal fight.
This extension followed three separate submissions by the Prosecutor’s Office—on June 18, June 27, and July 2—disputing Israel’s claims, along with additional legal filings from the Palestinian Authority during the same timeframe.
All these filings respond to Israel’s May 26 submission, which sought to build on its partial win at the Appeals Chamber in April by pushing for the case to be thrown out entirely for lack of jurisdiction.
Israel’s main arguments rest on two core positions: first, that there is no sovereign Palestinian state with defined borders; and second, that the Oslo Accords prevent the Palestinian Authority from delegating criminal jurisdiction over Israelis to international bodies like the ICC.
One legal angle Israel is leaning heavily on is the absence of PA governance in Gaza, especially in light of the 21-month war with Hamas. Another key point is that previous ICC dismissals of the Oslo-based argument lacked substantive legal engagement, according to Jerusalem.
Nevertheless, Israel still faces significant legal obstacles.
After its April Appeals Chamber success, Israel attempted another legal maneuver on May 9, asking the same court to halt the implementation of the arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant. That request was denied.
Amid this contentious legal backdrop, ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan went on indefinite leave between May 17–18 following unrelated allegations of sexual misconduct involving an ICC staff member.
Instead of appointing a single interim Prosecutor, the ICC’s Assembly of States Parties chose to place both of Khan’s deputies in charge, creating a somewhat ambiguous leadership structure.
The dual leadership team—Mame Mandiaye Niang from Senegal and Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji—split their duties, with one focusing on investigations and the other handling legal prosecutions.
When the ICC submitted its May 21 brief responding to Israel, Shameem Khan signed the document, though it bore Karim Khan’s name in print. Since then, she has continued signing the briefs, indicating she is now leading the case during Khan’s absence.
Her continued authorization of the arrest warrants implies that even if Khan’s leave becomes permanent or ends in dismissal, Israel will remain under investigation by the ICC.
A pressing issue is whether the deputy prosecutors have the authority—or political will—to pursue additional Israeli officials, or if they’ll restrict themselves to maintaining the current proceedings against Netanyahu and Gallant.
According to The Wall Street Journal, just before taking his leave, Karim Khan was seriously weighing criminal proceedings against Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, citing their backing of Jewish settlement activity and their alleged incitement of violence in places like Huwara and Jit.
Back in May 2024, there were even discussions within the ICC about whether Khan should begin by targeting Smotrich, Ben-Gvir, and the broader settlement enterprise before shifting his focus to Netanyahu and Gallant in relation to the Gaza conflict.
The reasoning behind this sequence was that there was a broader international consensus condemning settlement policy and its architects at the time. In contrast, Netanyahu and Gallant received a considerable amount of international support.
But now that the deputy prosecutors are at the helm—and with the ICC under pressure due to U.S. sanctions imposed by the Trump administration that have driven out several ICC personnel—Shameem Khan may choose not to broaden the charges at this time.
Unlike earlier rounds of this jurisdictional debate, which dragged on for over a year, the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber is expected to issue a ruling relatively quickly, potentially within a few months.
{Matzav.com}
“I’m Going to Put a Bullet…” — Man Arrested by Secret Service for Threatening To Kill President Trump
Law Approved: ‘No More Gifts for Terrorists’ Families’
A bill designed to prevent terrorists’ relatives from receiving Israeli citizenship or residency cleared its final two hurdles in the Knesset, passing both its second and third readings. The measure passed with widespread support from lawmakers across party lines, including members of both the governing coalition and the opposition.
Under the new law, individuals related to terrorists will no longer be eligible for “family reunification” status, effectively preventing them from being granted permission to live in Israel.
The legislation is the product of an extended effort spearheaded by MK Amit Halevi of the Likud party, working closely with Herzl and Merav Hajaj, the bereaved parents of Lt. Shir Hajaj, who was murdered in a terrorist ramming attack in Jerusalem’s Armon HaNatziv neighborhood in 2017. The new law also gives the state the power to revoke the temporary status of family members of terrorists who are already inside Israel.
MK Halevi declared, “This law will strike at the terrorist pipeline enabled through the family reunification process. For years, Supreme Court rulings have permitted the entry of Palestinians who have become an inseparable part of the terrorist infrastructure. We hope this law will deter future attacks and prevent the next disaster.”
The Hajajs shared their personal motivation, saying, “This law was born from deep pain, but it may save lives and prevent further tragedies. We extend our heartfelt thanks to MK Amit Halevi and MK Yuli Edelstein for their support and unwavering commitment.”
MK Yuli Edelstein underscored the significance of the legislation, asserting, “The days of family reunification for terrorists are over. No more gifts for the families of terrorists. Illegal residents will be deported—plain and simple. We advanced this legislation through the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, and I’m proud to announce that it is now part of the State of Israel’s law. We express our deep appreciation to the parents of the late Lt. Shir Hajaj, Merav and Herzl Hajaj, and to MK Amit Halevi for their determination in advancing this vital reform.”
{Matzav.com}
UK, France Agree on Migrant Swap: Undocumented Returns for Asylum Seekers with Family Ties
State Department to US Citizens: ‘Do Not Travel to Iran!’
The U.S. State Department’s Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs released a blunt and urgent advisory on Thursday, cautioning Americans against setting foot in Iran.
The notice, delivered in both English and Farsi and entirely in capital letters, declared: “AMERICANS, INCLUDING IRANIAN-AMERICANS AND OTHER DUAL-NATIONALS HAVE BEEN WRONGFULLY DETAINED—TAKEN HOSTAGE—BY THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT FOR MONTHS, AND YEARS. THE THREAT OF DETENTION IS EVEN GREATER TODAY, DO NOT TRAVEL TO IRAN UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.”
To drive the point home, the Office shared a video online featuring Emad Shargi, an Iranian-American entrepreneur who was held in Iranian custody for five years beginning in 2018. In the clip, Shargi offers a personal account of his harrowing experience, backing up the government’s stark warning with his own firsthand testimony.
{Matzav.com}
Australia Unveils Aggressive National Strategy to Combat Antisemitism Following String of Attacks
Don Lemon’s Lawsuit Against Musk, X for Breach of Contract Heads to Trial
Hegseth Signs Directive for U.S. Military Drone Dominance
Sen. Cory Booker Congratulates Tzedek’s Moshe Margaretten on Daughter’s Engagement
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