Feed aggregator

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani responded sharply after facing a wave of criticism and hostile comments following his decision to host an “iftar dinner” at City Hall, pushing back against remarks from a U.S. senator who referred to him as “the enemy inside.”

Mamdani, who earlier this year became the first Muslim mayor of New York City, organized the iftar gathering as part of the Muslim month of Ramadan. The evening meal, which marks the daily breaking of the fast at sunset, brought together community members and local leaders at City Hall for what the mayor described as a celebration of the city’s diversity.

The event quickly became the subject of controversy online and in political circles after critics attacked the mayor for hosting the Ramadan gathering in a government building. The backlash intensified when Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville posted on social media, “The enemy is inside the gates,” a remark widely understood as referring to Mamdani.

The mayor responded publicly to the criticism, arguing that political leaders should direct their outrage toward more pressing problems rather than a communal meal during Ramadan.

“Let there be as much outrage from politicians in Washington when kids go hungry as there is when I break bread with New Yorkers,” Mamdani wrote.

Some critics objected to the symbolism of the event or mocked images of the mayor sitting on the floor while eating with guests, while supporters defended the gathering as a normal expression of religious and cultural tradition in a city known for its diversity.

The controversy surrounding the iftar comes amid a series of political disputes involving Mamdani since he assumed office. His tenure has already drawn national attention due to his progressive agenda and his outspoken positions on international and domestic issues.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

After about a month of hearing from addiction experts, therapists, platform engineers and executives, including Mark Zuckerberg, 12 jurors are listening to closing arguments before deciding whether social media companies should be liable for harms caused to children using their platforms. Closing statements in the trial began Thursday at the Spring Street Courthouse in Los […]

A senior diplomatic source in the Middle East said Thursday that the United States wants the current military campaign against Iran brought to a close quickly and has given Israel roughly one week to wrap up the operation.

Speaking in an interview with Yisroel Hayom, the official said Washington is eager to end the conflict and has set a short timetable for its conclusion. According to the source, the Iranian regime itself is unlikely to fall, since that would require either a ground invasion or a renewed wave of mass protests within Iran — developments that currently appear unlikely.

The official described what he said is a significant difference in outlook between Jerusalem and Washington. While Israeli leaders view the war as a major strategic success and are celebrating the achievements, officials in the United States are primarily concerned about the rising cost of oil and the broader economic implications of a prolonged conflict.

The source also addressed the situation in Lebanon and the status of Hezbollah, saying that despite Israel’s elimination of the group’s previous secretary-general, Hassan Nasrallah, the organization itself remains intact. The same, he said, is true for Hamas.

According to the official, Israel is making a mistake by not capitalizing on its military successes through diplomatic channels. He suggested that regional Arab countries could help facilitate such a process, though he noted that the matter is highly sensitive.

Turning to the issue of Qatar, the source said that Arab countries now increasingly view the Gulf state as a partner rather than a problematic actor. He said this represents a significant shift from the past, when Qatar was often accused of playing a “double game.”

The change, he explained, stems largely from Qatar’s mediation role in negotiations related to the hostages and from the role President Donald Trump has allowed the country to play in developments connected to the Gaza Strip.

The source also criticized Israel’s government, arguing that certain hardline elements within the coalition are using the war with Iran to advance policies on the ground in Judea and Samaria that involve pushing Palestinians out of certain areas.

According to the official, these steps risk undermining an opportunity to calm tensions throughout the region — including in Gaza — and to pursue diplomatic initiatives following Israel’s military gains.

{Matzav.com}

BREAKING: U.S. forces fired on an Iranian vessel that approached the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, according to two U.S. officials cited by CBS News. Officials say a U.S. Navy ship attempted to engage the vessel using its 5-inch Mark-45 naval gun, but the shots missed multiple times. A U.S. helicopter then struck the Iranian […]

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir apologized to the Israeli public after the military failed to notify civilians in advance of a large Hezbollah rocket and drone barrage on northern Israel last night. In a video statement released following a visit to the IDF Northern Command, Zamir acknowledged that the public received unclear […]

A dramatic incident unfolded over western Iraq after the United States lost a KC-135 aerial refueling aircraft during an operational mission. Rescue teams are currently operating in the area where the aircraft went down during Operation Epic Fury. U.S. Central Command clarified that the incident was not the result of enemy fire and confirmed that another aircraft involved in the event landed safely.

According to a report released by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), the American KC-135 refueling plane was lost while operating in friendly airspace over western Iraq.

The incident occurred as part of Operation Epic Fury. Officials reported that two aircraft were involved in the event. While the first aircraft crashed inside Iraqi territory, the second aircraft connected to the incident managed to land safely.

The U.S. military stressed in an official statement that the crash was not caused by hostile fire, nor was it the result of accidental fire from friendly forces. Rescue and recovery efforts are currently underway at the scene, and additional information about the circumstances surrounding the incident has not yet been cleared for release.

CENTCOM stated that it is aware of the loss of the American KC-135 refueling aircraft. Representatives added that they are asking for continued patience as authorities gather more details and work to provide clarity for the families of the service members involved. Additional information is expected to be released as developments emerge on the ground.

In addition to the likely loss of life in the incident, the aircraft itself is valued at approximately $62.2 million per unit.

{Matzav.com}

A new analysis by researchers at the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) concludes that media outlets connected to Qatar have overwhelmingly portrayed the war with Iran in a negative light, frequently criticizing U.S. policy and the Trump administration despite Qatar’s close military cooperation with Washington.

The study focused on Qatar, a major strategic player in the Middle East that hosts the largest American military installation in the region, Al-Udeid Air Base. The United States relies on the base as a central hub for its operations against Iran.

Although the Qatari government publicly positions itself as a partner of the United States, the English-language broadcaster Al Jazeera — widely seen as aligned with the Qatari regime — has aired repeated anti-war messaging. Its digital platform AJ+, which attracts a global audience of millions, has similarly promoted content critical of the conflict while directly and indirectly targeting President Donald Trump and members of his administration.

Researchers reviewed dozens of English-language opinion pieces, news analyses, and videos published between January 28 and March 8, 2026, both before and after the war began. According to the findings, the content consistently delivered harsh criticism of the military campaign while largely ignoring the role played by Gulf states, including Qatar itself, in hosting and protecting American military installations.

Some of the material went further, suggesting that the conflict was being used to divert attention from domestic controversies in the United States, including the Jeffrey Epstein case. Other commentary characterized the war as illegitimate or unlawful, while several pieces connected the campaign to broader ideological themes such as “white supremacy and capitalism.”

To conduct the study, analysts examined Al Jazeera’s English-language articles and opinion columns using artificial intelligence tools designed to measure sentiment in media coverage. The researchers compared two separate periods — the weeks leading up to the war, when discussions centered on the possibility of conflict, and the weeks following the outbreak of hostilities.

During the period before the war began, roughly one month of publications were analyzed. The study found that 77.8 percent of the content was categorized as strongly negative toward the war, while another 5.6 percent was considered moderately negative. In total, 89 percent of the coverage reflected an unfavorable stance toward the conflict.

After the fighting started, the tone of the coverage became even more critical. The analysis found that 85.3 percent of the articles and commentaries were rated as very negative, with an additional 5.9 percent classified as negative. Altogether, 91.2 percent of the material published during the war expressed a negative view of the campaign, with most of it sharply critical.

The results were even more striking on AJ+, Al Jazeera’s digital platform aimed at younger audiences and social media users. According to the study, 95.2 percent of the content examined there was labeled “very negative” toward the war and included direct personal criticism of President Trump. Researchers also noted that none of the sampled videos portrayed the war positively or attempted to justify it, while only limited mention was made of Iranian attacks targeting Gulf countries.

Lt. Col. (res.) Or Hurwitz, a Senior Fellow at JPPI and a former senior officer in Israeli Military Intelligence, commented on the findings and the broader regional implications.

“Qatar has experienced firsthand the Iranian threat during the current war. Its longstanding strategy of attempting to ‘live alongside tigers’-pursuing reconciliation while maintaining strategic relationships with terrorist organizations and extremist actors-has not protected it. At the moment of truth, this approach failed to prevent Iran from harming Qatar itself and directly threatening its sovereignty. This development joins the Israeli strike in Doha several months ago, which also demonstrated the limits of Qatar’s attempt to ‘dance at two weddings.’”

Hurwitz suggested that the conflict may nevertheless open the door to potential changes in Qatar’s regional policies.

“Qatar is an actor driven primarily by survival in a complex regional environment rather than by ideology. The current war may therefore create a unique window of opportunity for a strategic shift in Qatari policy after the conflict. Such a shift could include a harder stance toward Iran and Sunni terrorist organizations, a reassessment of Al Jazeera’s editorial guidelines, and perhaps even gradual changes in Qatar’s posture toward Israel. The path forward is uncertain and complex, but the possibility for change now exists-particularly if it is supported by American engagement and strategic assistance.”

{Matzav.com}