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A recent vote by a group calling itself the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS), which accused Israel of “genocide,” was manipulated to secure a predetermined outcome, according to one of the association’s members.

On Monday, international outlets reported that the IAGS had voted overwhelmingly—86% in favor—to conclude that Israel was guilty of “genocide” in its campaign against Hamas in Gaza.

Israel immediately condemned the resolution, saying it falsely portrayed the aggressors as the victims. Israeli officials stressed that Hamas launched an attack on Israel with the intent to massacre civilians, and that Israel’s actions are in self-defense.

Now, criticism of the vote has intensified after one association member revealed major problems with the process. According to this account, the resolution was rushed through without open debate, no opposing views were permitted, the identities of those who drafted it were concealed, and even non-scholars were allowed to cast ballots. Moreover, only about a quarter of the membership participated in the vote, meaning the result represented the will of an activist minority rather than the entire body.

The Times of Israel quoted Sara Brown, a Jewish genocide scholar, who condemned the process: “The content of the resolution and the way it was forced through speak to an embarrassing absence of professionalism,” she said. Brown noted that the resolution cited organizations like Amnesty International that had altered the definition of genocide to fit Israel’s conduct.

Emails also showed that the association barred dissenting perspectives from being shared on its listserv, claiming that the platform was not intended for debate, and refused to identify the individuals who authored the resolution.

“The appearance is that this was a unanimous vote on behalf of the entirety of the association. It was not, and they refused to have a transparent, critical discussion,” Brown explained. “The leadership, in my opinion, had an agenda.”

Brown further criticized the organization for granting voting rights to individuals who were not scholars—such as political activists and artists—arguing that while this might provide “diversity,” it did not contribute to genuine academic expertise or analysis.

{Matzav.com}

German security authorities are warning people against becoming “disposable agents” as worries mount about Russia using social media to find recruits for spying and sabotage in or against Germany. Western officials have accused Russia and its proxies of staging dozens of attacks and other incidents across Europe since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. They worry that the risks are rising as untrained saboteurs are increasingly used. German officials have voiced concern over the use of “low-level agents.” Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office said Tuesday that, along with the country’s domestic, foreign and military intelligence services, it is seeing increasing activity in Germany and elsewhere in which Russian intelligence services — directly or via intermediaries — apparently use social media to recruit people for espionage or sabotage. It said the so-called “low-level agents” or “disposable agents” carry out crimes without receiving intelligence training, for only a little money and often without knowing who is ordering the activities or what their purpose is. “They are ‘used’ and then ‘thrown away,’” the police office said in introducing a campaign titled “Don’t become a disposable agent.” It warned that “anti-constitutional sabotage” carried a maximum sentence of five years in prison and espionage can carry a 10-year sentence. It urged people to get in touch with Germany’s domestic intelligence agency if they or acquaintances have been contacted by strangers offering them money to engage in activity such as spreading pro-Russia slogans, scoping out people or property, or causing damage. Several suspected cases are currently under investigation in Germany, involving among other things arson, damage to property, drone overflights and suspicious filming and photography, police said. (AP)

As public demonstrations continue in support of a hostage deal, Nobel Prize winner Professor Yisroel Aumann voiced sharp opposition to any agreement that would allow Hamas to remain in control of Gaza. Speaking in an interview with Ynet, the renowned game theory and behavioral economics expert warned that such pressure only advances defeat rather than victory.

“I think the protests and the pressure, supposedly for the hostages, are not really for the hostages,” Aumann said. “This pressure is simply to surrender in this war. From the very beginning, they wanted us to leave Gaza, to leave Hamas there, to leave the situation as it was—and that is very bad, because we want peace.”

Aumann insisted that while the protesters do not wish for Israel to cease existing, their demands effectively mean surrender. “What they are actually asking is that we surrender in the war, that we stop the war, and that we also release thousands of terrorists back—that means Hamas won the war and continues to rule there. The goal of Hamas, and in fact also of Mahmoud Abbas, is to destroy the State of Israel. Around the world you hear the call: ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.’”

Pressed on the impact of internal pressure on Israel’s ability to both bring the hostages home and defeat Hamas, Aumann responded: “I want to believe that the protesters do not want the destruction of the State of Israel, but that is what it amounts to… I think they don’t understand this. Some of my own relatives are among the protesters, whom I love very much. But they don’t understand that this issue is existential. This is not a matter of settlers or politics—it’s about the State of Israel itself. We have lived here for over 100 years under constant conflict, with violence beginning in 1921 when the Arabs started attacking us. If we want another hundred years of the same—violence and endless attacks—then surrender is the way.”

He added a pointed critique of the government as well: “They don’t understand that we must eliminate Hamas. And by the way, I also have some criticism of the government. What are we doing in Gaza for two years? Why haven’t we conquered Gaza? This whole disaster was brought on ourselves—not only the failure of October 7, but primarily the disengagement. Without the disengagement, Hamas could not have built hundreds of kilometers of tunnels or carried out October 7. The disengagement is the root of evil. And even before that, the Oslo Accords included an education clause—that both sides would educate their children for peace. We did, but they did not.”

Asked what he would say to hostage families who argue that pressuring the government publicly is the only way to bring their loved ones home, Aumann replied: “I understand you one hundred percent, I understand how important this is, and I want your son to return—but I also want my son, my grandson, and my great-grandson not to be killed, and I want your grandson not to be killed, and I want to live in peace. So I have to choose. And I think the good of the whole country outweighs the good of the individual. What they are asking is that Israel surrender, and that will mean decades more of violence, another hundred years of bloodshed, if we give in.”

Responding to claims that solidarity and social cohesion are essential for Israel’s strategic strength, Aumann said: “Internal unity is very important, and I regret the divisions in the nation over this issue more than anything. But still, I want to live in peace. I don’t want my children killed, I don’t want your grandchildren or the hostages’ grandchildren killed. That is why I do not want to surrender.”

Aumann said he has not spoken with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in several years, but if given the chance, he would ask for an explanation of the government’s strategy. “I don’t understand why this war has lasted two years, why we have not conquered Gaza. The truth is I don’t know what is going on. I don’t understand the conduct of the war. I am against surrender, but I don’t understand the government’s actions. I would ask him to explain what he is doing.”

On antisemitism abroad, the professor, who was born in Frankfurt before his family fled Germany prior to Kristallnacht, drew sobering parallels. “It’s not just European Jewry at risk, but Jews in the United States, in Australia, and elsewhere. Today, Germany is actually better than many other countries in terms of antisemitism and extreme anti-Israel sentiment. Antisemitism worldwide is rising sharply. The one positive result is that Jews are fleeing and coming to Israel. But antisemitism across the world continues to grow. It’s not the same as Germany in the 1930s—it was far worse then—but it is very worrying.”

{Matzav.com}

Dear Matzav Inbox,
A group of Yidden, simple shechainim, went to meet with Skver’s leadership circle. They did not come with politics or power. They came as parents, as baalei batim, as Yidden desperate to preserve the peace of their homes and the kedushah of their neighborhoods.

With broken hearts, they begged: stop buying homes in our communities only to pack them with lowlives, pritzus and crime. Stop turning quiet Yiddishe streets into places of pritzus, chaos and fear.

The response they were given? “This is what the Tatte wanted. We have to do this to protect our community, our children. You need to understand that we are a community that does the most chesed in the world. But this is not something that we can even negotiate on. We just have to do this.”

Those words should make us stop and ask: What did I just hear? 

“Tatte” may sound lofty, but no one can claim a license to harm others on the grounds that “this is what the Tatte wanted.” The Torah is eternal, and every generation must follow its ways. If a policy results in Chilul Hashem, in pritzus, in tearing apart Yiddishe neighborhoods, then no amount of “Tatte” can justify what is going on, because that is not the Torah’s way.

But “we are a community that does the most chesed in the world” is equally hollow. Chesed is one of the great pillars of Klal Yisroel. It defines us as a people. It is the very foundation on which the world stands: Olam chesed yibaneh. To invoke the name of chesed in order to justify behavior that is the opposite of chesed conduct, which brings pain, division, and harm to fellow Yidden, is a distortion that undermines the very integrity of Torah itself.

Yes, chesed is central. Yes, Ahavas Yisroel is central. But one mitzvah does not cancel another. Because a community invests heavily in one area does not mean it can excuse achzarius in another. Torah does not work on a “balance sheet” where good deeds erase aveiros. Each stands on its own, and each carries its own weight.

True chesed uplifts. It creates achdus. It eases suffering and reflects the ways of Hashem Himself: מה הוא רחום אף אתה רחום. When “chesed” is used as a shield to excuse behavior that isolates or intimidates, it no longer deserves the name chesed. It becomes something far more dangerous, achzarius dressed in the garments of mitzvah. 

No amount of good can erase the damage caused by policies that exclude or harass. A ribbon-cutting of a chesed project does not make mutar what the Torah makes assur. Chazal teachדרכיה דרכי נעם וכל נתיבותיה שלום  – the Torah’s ways are pleasant and peaceful. To twist that into דרכיה דרכי מחלוקת וכל נתיבותיה סבל  is to hollow out the Torah’s very message.

To say, “We are a community of chesed, but we must do this” is hollow, and dangerous. Teaching the next generation that as long as you carry the label of chesed, anything else, even actions that harm other Yidden, can be permitted is surely a guarantee that whatever chesed takes place will be short lived and will eventually expire.

Klal Yisroel deserves better. We deserve to see Torah life modeled by the way the Torah sets forth. Not by cruelty hidden under a banner of kindness.

If we allow chesed to be hijacked for actions that trample the mitzvah of ואהבת לרעך כמוך, then the word loses its meaning. And when chesed loses its meaning, so does the heart of our people. Let’s work together towards true Ahavas Yisroel. That doesn’t mean you need to follow my ways or I must follow yours. That means fully internalizing and understanding that every Yid, whether they daven like you or live like me, is still part of the same Klal Yisroel. It means seeing each other’s strengths instead of trying to erase each other’s presence. It means appreciating that the Aibishter put us all here together, not to destroy one another, but to build. And certainly it does not mean to destroy each other’s neighborhoods.

Ahavas Yisroel does not mean trampling other Yidden in the name of someone else’s agenda.

Trying to live as an Ohaiv Yisroel,
Binyomin Ribiat
A Yid within the air-mile

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U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer ruled that President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth violated federal law, including the 1878 Posse Comitatus Act, by deploying federalized National Guardsmen and Marines to Los Angeles in June.

JUST IN: President Trump will reportedly make an announcement about the US SPACE COMMAND HEADQUARTERS at 2PM.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un traveled to China by train Tuesday to attend a military parade with his Chinese and Russian counterparts, North Korea’s state media reported. The event could potentially demonstrate three-way unity against the United States. Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin are among the 26 world leaders who will join Chinese President Xi Jinping to watch Wednesday’s massive military parade in Beijing that commemorates the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and China’s fight against Japan’s wartime aggressions. It’s set to be Kim’s first time attending a major multilateral event during his 14-year rule, and the first time Kim, Xi and Putin, all key challengers of the U.S., have gathered at the same venue. None of the three countries have confirmed a private trilateral leaders’ meeting. South Korean intelligence predicts Kim could be treated on par with Putin The North’s official Korean Central News Agency reported early Tuesday that Kim left Pyongyang for Beijing by his special train on Monday to participate in the celebrations. KCNA, citing Foreign Ministry official Kim Chon Il, said that Kim Jong Un was traveling with top officials including Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui. In a closed-door briefing to lawmakers, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service said Kim’s train entered China early Tuesday and was expected to reach Beijing later in the afternoon. The intelligence service said Kim will likely receive special protocol and security measures on par with those given to Putin, according to Lee Seong Kweun, a lawmaker who attended the meeting. The spy agency said Kim may stand alongside Xi and Putin on the rostrum at Tiananmen Square during Wednesday’s parade, and anticipated that he will hold bilateral meetings with the Chinese and Russian leaders and interact with other heads of state at a reception and cultural performance as he seeks to further break out of isolation and expand his diplomatic footing, Lee said. Kim’s travel marks his first visit to China since 2019 and the fifth visit in total since he inherited power upon his father’s death in late 2011. Putin arrived in China on Sunday to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a regional summit, as well as the Beijing parade. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told Russia’s TASS news agency on Sunday that a meeting between Putin and Kim on the sidelines was “under consideration.” North Korea observers are paying keen attention to Kim possibly meeting Xi bilaterally as well and holding even a trilateral meeting with Xi and Putin. The three leaders have met bilaterally previously but have yet to hold a trilateral meeting. Kim seeks to expand his diplomatic footing North Korea’s foreign policy priority has been Russia in recent years as it has been supplying troops and ammunition to support Russia’s war against Ukraine in exchange for economic and military assistance. According to South Korean assessments, North Korea has sent around 15,000 troops to Russia since last fall. In its latest briefing to lawmakers, the South Korean spy agency said it believes roughly 2,000 of them have so far died in combat, Lee said. Kim has also agreed to additionally send thousands of military construction workers and deminers to Russia’s Kursk region, and the agency assesses that the first 1,000 are already in Russia, Lee said. North Korea’s relations with China have reportedly turned sour in recent years, but experts say Kim likely hopes to restore ties as China is […]

Brooklyn Open House: Sunday, September 7 Anyone can teach you accounting. The PCS course teaches you how to succeed, and get ahead faster, with endless opportunities. What the alumni say:“The PCS course really prepares you for everything… starting any job in any company, you’re going to move up the ladder. They’re putting out serious, professional, knowledgeable people- that tend to get them up the pay scale very fast. They’re going to climb the corporate ladder, moving their way up to CFOs, CEOs, the C-suite.” – Neil Granick | Tax Senior Manager, Deloitte Tax, NJ. “When I look around at the mark that PCS has had on our community and others, I see the number of graduates of the program who are now successful in their careers—leading companies, leading accounting departments, and earning respectable salaries in the field.” – Mordechai Seidel | PCS-FDU Graduate | Controller, Inspired by Somerset Development, NJ. Open House: In person at: PCS:  4622 18th Ave. Second floor, Brooklyn NY Remote:  Register HERE  Ranked amongst:Best Master’s in Accounting (Eduniversal 2025)Best Universities (Forbes 2025) The PCS Placement Advantage: 98% employment rate! Master’s in accounting earn 13% more annually than a Bachelor’s-US Bureau Labor Statics 2023 8 placement coordinators  Decades of relationships with 100s of firms Alumni have landed jobs as controllers, CFOs, partners and opened successful businesses  New York, New Jersey, and remote option  New! Israel program New! Day time classes  Brooklyn Open House: Sunday, September 7 For more information:Men: Sara@nj.pcsjobs.org | 732-905-9700 x 665Women: Tova@nj.pcsjobs.org | 732-367-1500 Visit our website: www.pcsnynj.org

Venezuela’s President Maduro showcased a Huawei phone gifted by Xi, praising it as “the best in the world” and immune to U.S. surveillance.

The death toll from the Earthquake in eastern Afghanistan has passed 1,400, with more than 3,000 people reportedly injured.

The Lebanese army safely detonated unexploded missiles and rockets, remnants of the recent conflict, along the Lebanese-Syrian border in the Hermel area of the Beqaa Valley.

The IDF is preparing for the reservists, ahead of Operation “Gideon’s Chariots II”

The Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Majed Al-Ansari: “There has been no response from Israel so far regarding the ceasefire proposal in Gaza. The mediators have no choice but to encourage international parties to pressure Israel to accept the deal. There are such communications underway, but no results yet.”

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson urged residents to resist Trump’s crime policies, declaring: “Are you prepared to defend this land that was built by slaves? A land that was built by indigenous people? Are you prepared to DEFEND this land?”

Mossad operatives were honored today at the President’s Residence in Israel as recipients of the Israel Security Prize.

President Donald Trump is scheduled to deliver an announcement from the Oval Office at 2 p.m. ET.

The Palestinian mayor of Hebron was arrested this morning and is being questioned by the Shin Bet after being placed in administrative detention for alleged support and incitement of terrorism, including ties to Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

IDF striking terrorists infrastructure in Zeitoun and Shejaiya in Gaza city.

Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman MK Boaz Bismuth is advancing a dramatic proposal to draft chareidim under a temporary emergency regulation, sidestepping the lengthy legislative process. The outline, revealed by Walla reporter Yehuda Schlesinger, would apply for just one year and allow the IDF to recruit according to its needs—without setting quotas, enacting a new law, or imposing sanctions.

The initiative aims to quickly address the military’s manpower shortage, bypassing what Bismuth sees as an impractical path of passing long-term legislation in the immediate future. Instead, the regulation would function as a stopgap until a more permanent law is crafted in the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

The plan relies on the use of emergency regulations, an uncommon tool within the government, typically reserved for urgent security situations. These powers permit actions beyond what current law provides and eliminate the need for full Knesset approval.

At the same time, all enforcement measures against the chareidi public would be frozen. This includes halting the arrests of draft evaders, ending the practice of cutting yeshiva funding, and suspending all administrative and budgetary penalties.

Bismuth is expected to present the proposal in meetings with both chareidi representatives and reserve officers. According to Walla, the chareidi side has accepted the principle of a regulation that allows enlistment based solely on the army’s requirements, but they refused to agree to specific numbers. Their approval is contingent on a complete freeze of sanctions throughout the regulation’s one-year term.

The draft outline does not spell out how large numbers of soldiers would actually be recruited. Instead, it draws on understandings reached with chareidi political parties prior to Israel’s strike on Iran. The only guideline included is the phrase “according to the army’s needs,” with no clear mechanism for implementation or oversight.

In addition, the temporary regulation makes clear that no punitive measures will be imposed on chareidim who do not enlist. There will be no legal enforcement, no arrests, and no withdrawal of financial support from those who choose not to report for service.

{Matzav.com Israel}

The IDF said joint operations with Shin Bet over the past month in Gaza eliminated numerous terrorists, including senior Hamas and Nukhba figures such as Taleb Abu Atiya, a commander involved in the October 7 infiltration, and a Hamas Zeitoun Battalion deputy platoon commander linked to ambushes, attacks on Israeli soldiers, and recruitment efforts.