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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani plans to attend the 25th anniversary commemoration of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks at Ground Zero despite objections from many victims’ families, a decision drawing renewed criticism after he skipped this year’s memorial service honoring those killed in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, the NY Post reports.

Rather than attend the Feb. 26 ceremony at Ground Zero marking the 33rd anniversary of the 1993 terrorist attack, Mamdani traveled to Washington, D.C., where he met with President Donald Trump to promote a massive affordable housing proposal for New York City.

Instead of appearing at the memorial himself, Mamdani sent one of his deputy mayors to represent the administration. The mayor has also faced criticism over a photograph taken last year showing him smiling alongside a Brooklyn imam who was identified as an unindicted co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing that killed six people and injured more than 1,000 others.

On the day of the memorial, Mamdani held a private meeting with President Trump in an effort to secure more than $21 billion in federal funding for a proposed 12,000-unit affordable housing development at a large rail yard in Queens.

“Mamdani blew us off and passed on it because he does not [care],” said Andrew Colabella, whose cousin, 41-year-old John DiGiovanni, was among the six victims murdered when Islamic terrorists detonated a bomb in the World Trade Center’s underground parking garage.

“The only thing he cares about is his ego and his so-called political future,” added Colabella, a Republican legislator representing Westport, Connecticut.

Colabella and several other relatives of the 1993 bombing victims accused Mamdani of skipping the annual memorial because it did not receive significant media attention.

They also pointed out that the mayor had no hesitation visiting Ground Zero in April to welcome King Charles III, when television cameras and photographers were present.

Colabella further alleged that Mamdani used the meeting with President Trump on the housing proposal to avoid facing criticism at Ground Zero over what he described as the mayor’s “longtime association” with individuals who have defended Islamic terrorism, including political commentator Hasan Piker, who previously said “America deserved” the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Colabella said he is among more than 80,000 people who have signed a growing petition urging Mamdani not to attend the Sept. 11 ceremony at Ground Zero.

Edward Smith, whose wife, Monica Rodriguez Smith, was seven months pregnant when she was killed in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing at age 35, said Mamdani’s absence from the February ceremony was ultimately preferable.

“It is best he didn’t show up, but it’s even crazier that New York would elect him mayor in the first place,” said Smith, a lifelong New Yorker who now lives in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Although Smith plans to attend this year’s Sept. 11 ceremony, he said he has chosen not to sign the petition because he believes it only “empowers” Mamdani. Instead, he suggested those who oppose the mayor’s presence should “boo him or turn their backs on him.”

Deputy Mayor for Operations Julia Kerson represented the mayor at the February memorial ceremony. Also attending were Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, FDNY First Deputy Commissioner Dan Flynn, and City Council Speaker Julie Menin.

Most New York City mayors since the 1993 bombing—including Rudy Giuliani, Michael Bloomberg, and Eric Adams—have either attended at least some of the annual remembrance ceremonies personally or designated a representative to appear on their behalf.

Following his February meeting with President Trump, Mamdani described the discussion as “productive,” although the White House has not publicly commented on the meeting.

{Matzav.com}

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett says Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu must leave public office because of his responsibility for the October 7 massacre, while making clear that he has no desire to see his longtime political rival end up behind bars. Bennett also pledged that he will not join a Netanyahu-led government after the next election.

In an interview with Kikar HaShabbos, Bennett explained why he believes Netanyahu’s political career should come to an end following the failures surrounding the October 7 attack. At the same time, he expressed a surprisingly conciliatory position regarding Netanyahu’s criminal trial, saying he opposes seeing the prime minister sent to prison.

Asked whether he was willing to commit that his party would not join a government headed by Netanyahu after the election, Bennett responded to speculation that he could once again partner with Netanyahu despite previous campaign promises.

“First of all, what I did after the last election, when I became prime minister, was, in my view, saving the State of Israel from three years of chaos: without a budget, with a massive deficit, with people being murdered right and left. We pulled the State of Israel out of that pit.”

Bennett then argued that Netanyahu’s time in office should come to an end because of the events of October 7.

“I’m saying this as clearly as possible: Netanyahu must go home. Not because he’s a bad person—I’m not grading his character—but because he bears ultimate responsibility for the October 7 massacre. He refuses to take responsibility for it to this very day, and that is simply unacceptable. He is leading a government that is tearing the State of Israel apart. So I’m not attacking him personally. I’m saying: enough. Thirty years. He’s a Jew who is already nearing 80 years old. That’s okay. The Jewish people will survive without him.”

Bennett was also asked about Netanyahu’s ongoing criminal trial and whether he would support granting him a pardon if Netanyahu retired from political life after the election.

His response was unequivocal.

“I absolutely do not want to see Binyomin Netanyahu wearing an orange prison uniform and going to jail. For so many Israelis, he has long been more than just a prime minister—he’s a symbol. He’s a symbol, and Heaven forbid we crush them. I have nothing against him. I don’t want to see him in prison. Let him go home, live his life, do whatever he wants, and that’s perfectly fine with me.”

{Matzav.com}

Bumba Land, the company operating Elad’s inflatable water park, is denying that any of its employees worked on Shabbos after a public outcry erupted over activity seen at the site. The company says the incident was caused by an outside security contractor acting without authorization and announced that it has immediately terminated its relationship with that firm.

The controversy began after residents reported seeing workers arrive at the park site, located in the community center parking lot on Rechov Rabi Chiya, during the afternoon of Parshas Re’eh. According to witnesses, equipment was unloaded and activity continued despite objections from local residents. Earlier, the Elad Municipality said the matter was under review.

In a detailed statement released on Motzoei Shabbos, Bumba Land sought to distance itself from the incident.

“Bumba Land is a Shabbos-observant company,” the statement read. The company stressed that “During Shabbos, no travel, construction, dismantling, operation, or work was carried out at the inflatable park, and there was no activity by Bumba Land connected to the incident during Shabbos.”

According to the company, the only work that had been scheduled during Shabbos was security for the site. Bumba Land said it had hired an outside security company, which employed non-Jewish guards for that purpose. “Their role was solely to guard the site and not to perform any activity connected to the event or the park,” the company said.

The company acknowledged that equipment was, in fact, unloaded at the site during Shabbos but insisted that it had nothing to do with the inflatable park.

“Unfortunately, during Shabbos the security company unloaded equipment at the site that was not connected to the event, was not Bumba Land equipment, and was not needed for the operation of the inflatable park,” the statement said.

Bumba Land emphasized that the action was taken without its knowledge or approval.

“This action was not carried out by Bumba Land, was not part of the event, was not for the benefit of the park, and was not authorized by the company,” the statement continued.

The company also condemned the security firm’s conduct, saying, “We are a company that is careful to observe Shabbos. Precisely because of that, we view very seriously the fact that the security company carried out Shabbos desecration at a site connected to us.”

As a result of the incident, Bumba Land announced that it has severed ties with the contractor. “We have decided to terminate our engagement with the security company and will no longer work with it,” the company said, later adding that the termination took effect “immediately.”

Addressing the concerns of Elad’s chareidi residents, the company stated, “We understand the great sensitivity of the residents of Elad and the importance of preserving the sanctity of Shabbos in the city. We respect the community and the city’s character, and we regret that a situation arose which caused anger and distress.”

The statement concluded with a firm denial that the company itself violated Shabbos.

“Bumba Land did not work on Shabbos. We did not travel on Shabbos. We did not build or operate the park on Shabbos. The equipment unloaded on Shabbos was not equipment for the event and did not belong to Bumba Land,” the company said, adding that it is “taking the matter very seriously and will do everything possible to ensure that such an incident does not happen again.”