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Newly released emergency dispatch records indicate that Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) was discovered unconscious at his Washington, D.C., residence last month and may have suffered a cardiac emergency before being transported to a nearby hospital.

According to a District of Columbia Fire and EMS dispatch call made public on Wednesday, emergency crews were dispatched to McConnell’s home shortly before 9 a.m. on June 14. The call directed an Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulance to the scene and reported that there was “CPR in progress” for a “cardiac arrest.”

The emergency radio traffic was first reported by Punchbowl News.

Representatives for the former Senate Republican leader declined to comment on the newly disclosed dispatch communications.

On the day of the incident, a spokesman for McConnell confirmed only that the Kentucky senator “was admitted to the hospital this morning” and was “receiving excellent care.”

The following day, spokesman David Popp said McConnell was “working closely with staff on Senate business and Kentucky matters as he continues his recovery.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) likewise said McConnell remained “dialed in” on Senate Republican legislative priorities and noted that the two had spoken by telephone.

McConnell, 84, has experienced a series of health issues in recent years, including several falls that resulted in a concussion and broken rib, as well as multiple public episodes in which he appeared to freeze momentarily while speaking, reportedly due to light-headedness.

The Senate is currently in recess and is scheduled to reconvene on July 13.

{Matzav.com}

As the Jewish world continues to reel from the shocking murder early this morning of Rav Amos Guetta zt”l, first reported here on Matzav.com, a powerful video of Rav Baruch Rosenblum delivering an emotional message after the 2011 murder of the Baba Elazar, Rav Elazar Abuchatzeira zt”l, has resurfaced, with many saying its message is as relevant today as it was then.

The address, delivered shortly after the Baba Elazar was fatally stabbed by an assailant, has spread widely in the wake of Rav Guetta’s murder, offering what many view as a sobering reflection on the dangers of hatred, divisiveness, and irresponsible speech.

Opening his remarks, Rav Rosenblum recalled the shock of the earlier tragedy.

“At that time, we left the shiur joyful and uplifted,” he said. “Three hours later, a Jew took a knife and plunged it into the heart of Rav Elazar Abuchatzeira zt”l.

“My friends, it is very easy to brush this aside and comfort ourselves with one magic word: ‘crazy.’ The moment you say ‘crazy,’ you tell yourself, ‘Leave me alone. This has nothing to do with me.’ But calling him crazy is not the answer!

“If Chazal tell us that we were exiled to Edom because of the ‘sword of the tongue,’ then there is such a thing as murder committed with the mouth. But physical murder carried out with one’s hands? We never had such a thing among ourselves.

“Don’t say he simply went crazy in one instant. He didn’t suddenly lose his mind. He waited patiently for hours in line until he was the last one admitted into the kodesh. He entered last and drove a blade straight into his heart. This was not a plastic knife. He prepared a special dagger to make sure that once it entered, it would not miss. He knew exactly what he was doing.”

Rav Rosenblum then drew a thought-provoking distinction between mentally ill people of previous generations and those of today.

“I heard an astonishing insight from a wise Jew. Do you know who the crazy people of previous generations were? Who were the crazy people of Vilna, Budapest, Bucharest, or Tafilalt in Morocco? In those days, the town madman imagined he was Eliyahu Hanavi, the angel Gavriel, Moshiach ben Yosef, Moshiach ben Dovid, or at least the donkey of Moshiach. That was considered the height of insanity. A man would run through the streets shouting, ‘I am the Moshiach! Blow the shofar!’ Everyone knew he was a harmless madman.

“That same Jew asked me: Why did the crazy people of the past only talk but never murder? What is the difference between a wise person and a fool or a madman? There is only one difference.

“Every human being has thoughts running through his mind. One person thinks he deserves to be Moshiach. Another thinks he would make an outstanding rosh yeshivah. Every one of us has countless thoughts. But a wise person has a filter with very small holes. Not every thought that enters his mind comes out. He exercises judgment and knows what should and should not be said. Even after deciding to say something, he considers whether it should be written. And if he writes it, he thinks seven times before publishing and distributing it to others.

“The madman has a filter with enormous holes. Whatever enters his mind immediately comes out without any filtering. That is why he walks through the streets shouting, ‘I am Moshiach!’ or ‘I am Eliyahu Hanavi!'”

Rav Rosenblum went on to argue that the atmosphere of a generation shapes even the behavior of those who are mentally unstable.

“In earlier generations, when the entire generation was occupied with emunah, yearning for Moshiach, and awaiting the arrival of Eliyahu Hanavi, even the madmen imagined they were Moshiach. When rabbanim sat on the floor on the night of Tishah B’Av crying like little children over the destruction of the Bais Hamikdash, the madman would think to himself, ‘Everyone is crying and waiting for Moshiach, so I must be Moshiach.’

“But what occupies us today? Does anyone truly mourn the destruction of the Bais Hamikdash with tears of fire? How many batei knesses can you enter and find people crying over the destruction of Yerushalayim? There are people who cry—but they cry over their own personal tragedies, not over the destruction of the Bais Hamikdash. Perhaps you will find two or three people in a shul crying over the Churban, maybe among the mekubalim in Yerushalayim. The general public is asking, ‘Is the air conditioner working?’ or ‘What are we eating after the fast?’ Those are our concerns.

“And if we are not occupied with the Bais Hamikdash, what are we occupied with? Disputes! This one against that one, and that one against someone else. One insulted another, one said something about another, one chassidus against another, roshei yeshivah against each other.

“When an entire generation is consumed with internal battles and creating ‘swords of the tongue,’ what does the true madman of that generation do? Because his filter is completely broken, he no longer stops with words. He sees that the generation is occupied with swords and wars, so he simply takes it one step further. He does not understand that the rest of us are ‘only talking.’ He takes a knife and actually stabs someone.

“That is the chilling lesson we must learn from this terrible tragedy, my friends. We must conduct deep cheshbon hanefesh. We must stop the disputes and hatred, ‘that each of us should see the virtues of our fellow and not his shortcomings.’ The Ribbono Shel Olam wants unity from us because we are all brothers. Let us strengthen ourselves in ahavas chinam and say to one another, ‘Chazak.'”

President Donald Trump on Wednesday defended the approximately $1.2 billion he earned from his family’s cryptocurrency ventures over the past year, rejecting accusations that he has benefited financially from holding office and arguing that his gains simply reflect broader economic growth.

Speaking with reporters before boarding the new Air Force One for its inaugural flight, Trump dismissed criticism that he has used the presidency for personal enrichment.

“You know why I’m profiting, because the stock market’s going up, everybody’s profiting,” Trump said.

Responding to questions about potential conflicts of interest, Trump emphasized that his personal assets are managed through blind trusts and said he plays no role in overseeing his financial holdings.

“I don’t get involved in my personal (finances); we have funds that run my money,” Trump said. “I’ve made a lot of money before I became president, and they invest my money, and I don’t talk to them.”

Trump also stressed that his wealth was built long before returning to the White House.

The earnings disclosed this year stem largely from cryptocurrency businesses launched during his current administration.

“I don’t know if I’ve had a better career in politics or business, but I had a great career in business, and you know, you saw the cash, and you report the different things,” he said.

“So we’re all profiting. I’m profiting because I have a lot of money and a lot of cash.”

Financial disclosure reports released Tuesday by the U.S. Office of Government Ethics show that Trump received nearly $550 million in 2025 through his involvement with World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency startup.

World Liberty Financial was established in September 2024 by Trump’s sons together with the son of Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East.

The extensive 927-page disclosure filing also lists approximately $635 million in royalty income tied to licensing arrangements involving the $TRUMP cryptocurrency, which debuted only hours before Trump’s inauguration in January 2025.

According to Forbes, Trump’s expanding cryptocurrency portfolio has been the principal driver behind the dramatic increase in his personal fortune, which climbed from roughly $2.3 billion in 2024 to approximately $6.5 billion by 2026.

The White House celebrated those developments, saying Trump has “proudly made the United States the crypto capital of the world.”

The filings show that businesses launched only after Trump returned to office now generate more revenue than many of the real estate holdings he spent decades building.

Those ventures also benefited from substantial backing by billionaire investors, along with administration policies that rolled back federal regulatory pressure on the cryptocurrency industry.

Beyond digital assets, Trump also earned millions through sales of Trump-branded merchandise, including Bibles, sneakers, watches, and other consumer products. Sales of Trump watches alone generated approximately $4.7 million during the year.

The disclosure report provides a broad snapshot of the president’s expanding business interests since returning to office last January. Although Trump has consistently said his sons oversee his financial affairs, critics note that his trust arrangement differs from the conflict-of-interest structures adopted by recent presidents.

Forbes currently estimates Trump’s net worth at approximately $6 billion, compared with $2.3 billion just two years earlier.

The rapid growth of Trump’s cryptocurrency holdings represents a notable shift from the business empire that originally made him famous. Throughout his political career, Trump had long emphasized his success in real estate.

At the same time, his real estate operations also experienced substantial expansion. The Trump Organization collected tens of millions of dollars from new hotel, condominium, and resort licensing agreements overseas, marking what has been described as the company’s largest international property expansion since the family business was founded roughly a century ago.

Several of those international agreements were finalized while the host nations were simultaneously negotiating with the United States on issues including tariffs, military cooperation, and other major policy matters.

According to the disclosures, a Trump-branded project in the United Arab Emirates generated $10.4 million last year. A development in Saudi Arabia yielded another $9 million, while projects in Romania and Qatar each produced approximately $5 million.

Trump’s domestic holdings also enjoyed significant gains. Mar-a-Lago generated approximately $77 million during the year, representing about a 50% increase over the previous year as foreign leaders and business executives increasingly visited the Florida property during Trump’s presidency.

The financial disclosures report gross revenue rather than profits, making it impossible to determine Trump’s actual earnings after expenses.

Following his return to office, Trump reversed many of the Biden administration’s policies toward cryptocurrency, replacing them with a regulatory approach widely viewed as favorable to the industry.

Nevertheless, regulators previously expressed concerns regarding World Liberty Financial’s “governance tokens,” warning that unlike traditional stocks, they provide no ownership stake in the issuing company, grant only limited voting rights on certain corporate matters, and can be difficult to value.

Despite those warnings, investors continued purchasing the tokens. Among them was Chinese billionaire Justin Sun, who spent approximately $75 million on the governance tokens and another $200 million on Trump-themed commemorative coins. A federal lawsuit accusing Sun of defrauding investors was paused last year before ultimately being resolved through a $10 million settlement.

Sun has repeatedly denied that his investments in Trump-related ventures had any connection to his federal legal case, while World Liberty Financial has similarly rejected allegations of any conflict of interest.

Meanwhile, investors who bought Trump-linked digital assets have suffered steep declines in value.

Since trading began in September, World Liberty tokens have lost roughly 80% of their value. Likewise, Trump commemorative coins, which briefly traded above $74 shortly after their January 2025 launch, have since fallen to approximately $1.68.

The White House has consistently maintained that Trump’s businesses are controlled through a trust administered by his sons and that the president has no involvement in day-to-day decisions, insisting there are no ethical concerns.

“Neither the President nor his family has ever engaged — or will ever engage — in conflicts of interest,” spokeswoman Anna Kelly said. “All actions by President Trump and his administration are taken in the best interest of the American people.”

The Trump Organization has also maintained that its international business agreements are conducted with private companies rather than foreign governments.

However, critics argue that drawing a clear distinction between private businesses and governments can be difficult in countries governed by royal families, authoritarian leaders, or one-party political systems.

One example cited in the disclosures involves a new Trump resort project in Vietnam. The report states that Trump received $5 million from the project after Vietnam’s deputy prime minister approved the development. According to The New York Times, local farmers were displaced to make way for construction.

Whether any of these business relationships influenced subsequent U.S. foreign policy remains unclear. However, several of the countries involved later secured policy objectives they had sought from Washington, including tariff relief for Vietnam, expanded access to advanced American technology for Qatar, and long-sought U.S. fighter jet sales to Saudi Arabia.

{Matzav.com}

New York City approved the largest budget in its history Tuesday night, as Mayor Zohran Mamdani secured passage of a nearly $126 billion spending plan that expands city expenditures by more than $10 billion over last year—even after repeatedly warning that the city’s finances were in dire condition.

The City Council approved the budget just hours before the legal deadline on Wednesday, following frantic behind-the-scenes negotiations aimed at winning over lawmakers from both the progressive and moderate wings of the Democratic Party. Despite dissatisfaction across the political spectrum, the measure ultimately passed by a 45-6 vote, with most members voting along party lines.

The newly adopted budget totals approximately $125.8 billion, an increase of roughly 8.5% from last year’s $116 billion spending plan. Notably, it contains no major spending reductions.

Although Mamdani succeeded in balancing the budget, City Comptroller Mark Levine cautioned that the administration relied heavily on temporary measures rather than long-term fiscal solutions. According to Levine, the budget closes the gap using approximately $6.1 billion in one-time revenues and short-term savings.

“This agreement gets the city through an exceptionally difficult year, but it does not resolve the structural challenges ahead,” Levine said.

“With large out-year gaps, limited reserves and significant economic uncertainty, next year’s budget could be even more difficult.”

According to the comptroller’s office, New York City is already facing a projected $8.8 billion deficit in the next budget cycle, setting the stage for another contentious round of budget negotiations next year.

Complete details of the final spending package were not immediately released following the vote.

Mayor Mamdani and City Council Speaker Julie Menin appeared together Tuesday morning to announce that they had reached a budget agreement, smiling for cameras despite weeks of increasingly strained negotiations behind closed doors.

One of the biggest sticking points involved Mamdani’s decision to retreat from a campaign pledge to significantly expand the cityFHEPS housing voucher program, a priority for progressive lawmakers but one carrying a substantial financial cost.

Negotiators eventually reached a last-minute compromise that preserved the voucher expansion by allocating an additional $175 million on top of the program’s existing $1.7 billion budget. As part of the agreement, Mamdani also agreed to abandon a controversial lawsuit he had championed, frustrating many of his progressive supporters.

Moderate Democrats were also caught off guard after Mamdani reversed course on another promise—to hire 580 additional NYPD officers. The pledge itself had already represented a dramatic shift from his campaign rhetoric and had drawn criticism from left-wing activists, whose sustained pressure appeared to contribute to the mayor backing away from the proposal.

Among the largest allocations included in the fiscal year 2027 budget are $6.6 billion for the New York Police Department, representing a $300 million increase over last year’s adopted budget; $38 billion for the Department of Education, an increase of $3 billion; $4.2 billion for the Department of Homeless Services, up $662 million; and $2.6 billion for the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, an increase of $203 million.

The budget also establishes a $350 million general reserve fund intended to provide financial flexibility should the city need to tighten spending later in the fiscal year.

Despite those provisions, fiscal watchdogs warned that the budget does little to address New York City’s long-term financial challenges. Andrew Rein, president of the Citizens Budget Commission, said the spending plan leaves unresolved what he described as the city’s “huge structural budget problem.”

Rein did acknowledge that Mamdani had made some effort to slow spending growth and eliminate waste.

“Unfortunately, that fiscal progress is partly offset by new recurring spending without simultaneous savings to pay for it,” Rein said.

“Two steps forward, one step back slow walks the restructuring needed to stave off a fiscal crisis.”

The warnings stand in contrast to Mamdani’s own assessment upon taking office in January, when he argued that New York was already facing a fiscal crisis and blamed his predecessor, Eric Adams, for leaving behind what he initially described as a $12 billion budget gap.

The mayor later revised that estimate downward to $5.4 billion, arguing that the remaining deficit could be addressed either through higher taxes on wealthy residents or by increasing property taxes across the city by nearly 10%.

That strategy coincided with Mamdani’s early push for approximately $23 billion in new taxes, a proposal that was widely viewed as an effort to persuade Gov. Kathy Hochul and the state Legislature to approve higher taxes on affluent New Yorkers.

Ultimately, few of those tax proposals became law. The primary exception was a new tax on luxury second homes, commonly known as a pied-à-terre tax, which officials estimate will generate between $340 million and $500 million annually.

Mamdani did, however, secure roughly $4 billion in financial assistance from Gov. Hochul, funding that effectively delayed the need for deeper spending reductions.

Even with those victories, dissatisfaction remained within the mayor’s own political base.

Notably absent from Tuesday’s budget announcement were Democratic Socialists of America members serving on the City Council, along with several other progressive lawmakers who also skipped the public event.

According to sources familiar with the negotiations, aides to the mayor spent the hours before the final vote urging progressive council members who were unhappy with the housing voucher compromise to set aside their objections and support the budget anyway.

{Matzav.com}

A breathtaking and highly unusual scene unfolded atop the Empire State Building on Wednesday when two individuals climbed to the peak of the iconic skyscraper’s spire, unfurled a banner promoting world peace, and appeared to turn the daring stunt into an unforgettable marriage proposal.

Dressed in matching sleeveless black outfits, the pair perched on the building’s antenna near the illuminated red beacon at the summit—roughly 1,454 feet above the streets of Midtown Manhattan. They displayed a large black banner bearing a message in bold white capital letters that billowed in the wind: “When the power of love beats the love of power the world ⁠knows peace.”

Authorities did not immediately identify the two climbers, and it remained unclear how or when they managed to reach the top of the landmark. Shortly after 12:30 p.m., they began descending carefully to a lower platform within the antenna structure.

A spokesperson for the New York Police Department said the situation was “still developing” and added that the department had “nothing to add.”

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

House Republican leaders were forced to halt legislative business Tuesday and dismiss lawmakers nearly two weeks ahead of schedule after a rebellion within the GOP blocked key procedural action, derailing President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda and bringing the House to a standstill.

According to Politico, much of the internal dispute revolved around frustration over the stalled SAVE America Act—one of President Trump’s signature legislative priorities—as well as broader concerns about the House’s handling of immigration-related measures.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) argued that House Republican leadership should abandon its current strategy and instead incorporate the SAVE America Act directly into the National Defense Authorization Act.

“The current plan being proposed by HOUSE GOP to ‘MIRV’ NDAA + SAVE AMERICA is a procedural head fake,” Luna wrote on X. “This does not do anything but guarantee the Senate will EASILY TAKE OUT SAVE America from the NDAA.”

Luna called on House leaders to permit an amendment that would place voter ID requirements and proof-of-citizenship provisions directly into the defense authorization bill.

She maintained that doing so would significantly reduce the likelihood that the Senate could strip the election-security language from the legislation.

The disagreement ultimately sank the procedural rule needed to move legislation to the House floor. The measure was defeated by a 224-198 vote after 14 Republicans broke with party leadership and joined Democrats in opposition, forcing GOP leaders to cancel scheduled votes and begin the Independence Day recess ahead of schedule.

Earlier in the day, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) had expressed optimism that negotiations would continue and that Republicans could still complete their work before leaving Washington.

Instead, leadership shelved action on several major bills, including the annual National Defense Authorization Act, the fiscal year 2027 State Department appropriations measure, and additional legislation that had been scheduled for consideration.

Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) said the failure to advance immigration legislation was the chief reason he voted against the procedural rule.

“We certainly didn’t see either committee action or floor action on it,” said House Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris (R-Md.). “That disappointed a number of people, myself included.”

The failed vote was also fueled by disagreements over proposed amendments to the defense authorization bill, further exposing divisions within the Republican conference.

Roy later posted: “I remain hopeful we can move forward soon with a productive, conservative agenda. Authorizing our Department of War and strengthening our national defense are essential, but House Leadership must first demonstrate that it is serious about delivering on the commitments it has made.”

The latest setback continues a slowdown in House activity that began last week, as Republican leaders have struggled to assemble enough support within their own conference to advance key portions of President Trump’s legislative agenda.

{Matzav.com}

Federal investigators have concluded that every kidnapping-related message that surfaced in connection with the disappearance of “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie’s mother was fraudulent, according to an FBI official familiar with the investigation.

The determination applies to the two purported ransom notes that emerged shortly after 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie disappeared, as well as a third message sent more recently by someone claiming to know who was responsible for the alleged abduction, the official told Reuters.

“None of the ransom notes are believed to be genuine,” the FBI official said, speaking anonymously because the investigation remains ongoing.

A second law enforcement source with knowledge of the case confirmed the FBI’s assessment that the notes were not authentic.

The finding casts fresh uncertainty over one of the central assumptions surrounding the investigation—that Nancy Guthrie was kidnapped in exchange for ransom. Two of the three communications had previously been widely reported as legitimate demands from abductors.

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department, which continues to oversee the overall investigation, declined to discuss the FBI’s conclusions. Sheriff’s spokeswoman Angelica Carrillo said the agency had agreed to direct all questions about the ransom notes to the FBI.

“We don’t have any updates, other than this ⁠is still an active investigation,” Carrillo said. She added that DNA evidence and surveillance footage collected during the investigation “remain under forensic analysis.”

Each of the three messages was first sent to media organizations—including TMZ—before ultimately being turned over to investigators. Savannah Guthrie has repeatedly referenced the ransom demands in emotional videos posted online with her siblings, pleading for anyone holding their mother to contact the family directly. In one appeal, she declared, “we will pay.”

Nancy Guthrie, who was 84 and reportedly suffered from significant health problems that limited her mobility, was last seen at her Tucson, Arizona, home on January 31 after spending the evening with her daughter Annie Guthrie and son-in-law.

Although the FBI has been responsible for analyzing the alleged ransom communications, the bureau had previously declined to publicly address whether any of them appeared credible. According to the official, investigators determined that the first two notes originated from the same sender, though authorities have not disclosed how they reached that conclusion.

TMZ reported that the first note demanded a cryptocurrency payment worth “in the millions” and established payment deadlines of February 5 and February 9. NBC News later reported that the second note claimed Nancy Guthrie had died and mentioned no payment demand or offer to return her body.

Investigators also attempted to verify the legitimacy of the first ransom demand by transferring a small amount of cryptocurrency to the digital wallet specified in the message. According to the FBI official, the funds remained untouched and were never withdrawn.

That unsuccessful test, along with additional investigative techniques that have not been disclosed, led the FBI to conclude that while the first two messages came from the same source, the sender was not actually connected to Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance.

Authorities also dismissed a third communication received by TMZ last week. The sender claimed to know the identities of Nancy Guthrie’s kidnappers and said they possessed video of the “main guy” involved in the abduction, as well as footage of the victim on the day she allegedly died.

The FBI declined to explain what evidence led investigators to determine that the third message was also fabricated.

After NBC News reported on the latest ransom communication, Savannah Guthrie used her “Today” platform to once again appeal for information about her mother’s whereabouts. She urged anyone with knowledge of the case to come forward and reminded viewers that her family is offering a $1 million reward for information, describing the family as living in “agony” since Nancy Guthrie disappeared.

Soon after the disappearance, investigators confirmed that blood discovered on the front porch of Nancy Guthrie’s home was identified through DNA testing as hers.

Public attention surrounding the case has diminished since mid-February, when the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department released surveillance video showing an armed individual wearing a ski mask tampering with Nancy Guthrie’s doorbell camera shortly before she vanished.

Investigators later recovered a glove near the residence that resembled those worn by the masked individual. However, DNA recovered from the glove did not match any known genetic profiles in the national law enforcement database.

Despite the lack of major breakthroughs, Savannah Guthrie has said her family continues “blowing on the embers of hope” that her mother is still alive, while acknowledging the painful possibility that “she may already be gone.”

{Matzav.com}

Israel and the United States took another major step in strengthening their diplomatic partnership on Tuesday by signing an agreement allocating land for the construction of a permanent U.S. Embassy complex in Yerushalayim.

The agreement designates property at the Allenby Complex for the future embassy campus and was formalized during a signing ceremony at Israel’s Foreign Ministry. Participating in the event were Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, and Yerushalayim Mayor Moshe Lion.

The United States currently operates its embassy out of the former U.S. Consulate building in Yerushalayim, which was redesignated as the embassy after President Donald Trump recognized Yerushalayim as Israel’s capital in 2017 and relocated the embassy from Tel Aviv the following year.

Huckabee hailed the agreement as another milestone in the relationship between the two allies.

“Today is another historic day for the US-Israel relationship as the US receives the property that will be the future home of the new US Embassy complex — deepening and expanding our presence in Jerusalem — the eternal capital of Israel,” he said.

Sa’ar likewise described the agreement as another significant achievement in the close partnership between the two countries.

“We mark another milestone in the unbreakable alliance between Israel and the United States,” he said, calling Israel Washington’s “most important strategic asset in the Middle East,” before adding, “just as the United States is indispensable and irreplaceable to Israel, Israel is indispensable to the United States and to its interests throughout this region.”

{Matzav.com}

Shas MK Moshe Abutbul responded Tuesday evening to the controversy surrounding remarks made at the recent protest against the arrest of bnei yeshivos, warning that opponents of the chareidi community are seizing upon every controversial statement to undermine the broader struggle on behalf of the olam haTorah.

Speaking on Kol Chai’s Hamahadura Hamerkazis with Avi Mimran, Abutbul said the current climate demands caution in public remarks, arguing that critics are searching for opportunities to damage the image of the chareidi community.

“We are in a very sensitive period,” Abutbul said. “They are searching with a fine-tooth comb for every statement we make in order to spoil and destroy every good thing we’re trying to accomplish. Sometimes, ‘hamaskil ba’eis hahi yidom.'”

Referring to the letter issued in the name of members of Shas’ Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah, Abutbul said the movement has always sought to draw Jews closer rather than push them away.

“Yisroel, af al pi shechata – Yisroel hu,” he said, emphasizing that even during fierce disagreements, leaders must remain mindful of both their language and the broader public consequences of their words.

According to Abutbul, the recent controversy ended up harming efforts to advocate on behalf of bnei Torah. Rather than discussing the substantive issues raised by the rally, he said, lawmakers focused instead on the inflammatory remarks.

“Instead of discussing the issues with us seriously in today’s committee meetings, they brought this up in order to divert attention from the legitimate arguments raised at the rally,” he said. “They were looking for those two words so they could amplify them and deepen the hatred toward us.”

At the same time, Abutbul stressed that the public debate should not obscure the rally’s central message, which he said was to defend the honor of Torah and protest the arrest of bnei yeshivos.

“Bnei Torah are the crown of creation, and the entire world exists because of them,” he said. “Every success achieved by our soldiers comes בזכות the Torah learning of the bnei yeshivos. We say that without embarrassment and without blinking.”

He added that the message should be conveyed clearly, but with wisdom.

“The equation is ‘Yavneh v’Chachameha.’ The olam haTorah sustains the world, and thanks to the soldiers, the olam haTorah is able to sit and learn in safety. These are two things that complement one another.”

Abutbul also drew a distinction between the words of the generation’s leading gedolei Yisroel and those of other rabbonim and talmidei chachamim, saying the former speak with the responsibility and authority of national leadership.

“If I were to say a quarter of what Maran Rav Ovadia said, they would tear me apart like a fish,” he remarked.

Concluding the interview, Abutbul expressed hope that the controversy would soon pass and that attention would return to what he believes is the real issue.

“I believe they’ll get back to discussing the enormous contribution of the bnei Torah. We’re fighting for the olam haTorah—and we have to say that clearly.”

{Matzav.com}

A chareidi advocacy organization has sharply criticized Israeli President Isaac Herzog, accusing him of applying a double standard by swiftly condemning controversial remarks made by a rav while remaining silent in the face of what it describes as incitement and police violence directed at the chareidi community.

The criticism was issued by the organization Emes L’Yaakov B’Yisrael, which said it had sent an urgent follow-up letter to the President’s Residence protesting what it called a recurring pattern of unequal treatment. According to the group, Herzog responded almost immediately to the remarks delivered at Monday night’s gathering in Bnei Brak, yet has failed to respond to repeated complaints regarding alleged police brutality and anti-chareidi incitement.

The organization said its latest appeal follows an earlier, detailed letter sent on June 17, 2026, outlining claims of excessive police force and documented incitement against the chareidi public. According to the group, that correspondence never received a substantive response.

Emes L’Yaakov B’Yisrael argued that the contrast is particularly striking. On one hand, it said, the president quickly issued a public condemnation over statements made by a chareidi rav. On the other, the organization contends that he has remained silent despite inflammatory slogans directed at chareidim—such as calls to “beat the chareidim” and “run over every dos“—as well as allegations of police violence during demonstrations on Highway 4 that, according to the group, left people injured and placed lives at risk.

“When a rav makes a controversial statement, the president responds within minutes,” the organization said. “But when an entire community is subjected to selective enforcement and severe violence, the president remains silent.”

The organization also argued that the silence is particularly troubling because the Office of the President is funded by all Israeli taxpayers, including the chareidi community. Citing figures included in its letter, the group noted that the presidential budget for 2026 exceeds 85 million shekels and that chareidim, who comprise approximately 15 percent of Israel’s population, help finance the institution.

“It is unacceptable for the chareidi public to fully participate in funding the President’s Residence, yet when it needs basic civic protection from incitement and institutional violence, it is met with a wall of silence,” the organization stated.

According to Emes L’Yaakov B’Yisrael, the president’s conduct sends the message that the Presidency is quick to rebuke the chareidi community when it is politically or publicly convenient, but reluctant to defend it when it comes under attack. The organization called on Herzog to apply the same moral standard to cases involving incitement against chareidim and allegations of selective law enforcement, to end what it described as the selective use of public condemnations, and to meet with representatives of the organization so they can present the evidence they have collected.

The group stressed that its appeal is not political but is instead rooted in what it called a fundamental issue of equal treatment. It argued that the president is expected to serve as the president of all Israeli citizens—not only those whose causes receive sympathy in the broader media or those whom it is easier to defend publicly.

{Matzav.com}

A federal criminal complaint unsealed Tuesday charges an upstate New York woman with attempting to provide financial support to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization by sending cryptocurrency to an individual who claimed to be an active member of the group, the U.S. Department of Justice announced.

Federal authorities arrested the 37-year-old woman, alleging that she transferred digital currency to Islamic Jihad as part of an effort to support the designated foreign terrorist organization.

If convicted of attempting to provide material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organization, she faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.

According to court documents, investigators identified the defendant as a prominent member of the Direct Action Movement for Palestinian Liberation (DAMPL), a radical organization that emerged in the wake of the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel.

Prosecutors allege that DAMPL rejects peaceful protest in favor of so-called “direct action,” including vandalism, property destruction, and acts of sabotage targeting organizations and institutions it associates with Israel.

Justice Department officials said the allegations demonstrate that the defendant not only expressed support for terrorism but also allegedly attempted to send money to an individual who claimed to be actively participating in attacks.

Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg said that the woman allegedly “repeatedly voiced support for violence against Israeli civilians and attempted to provide material support to the Palestine Islamic Jihad by sending cryptocurrency to an individual who claimed to participate in its attacks. Those who aid foreign terrorist groups will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

According to prosecutors, the alleged financing operation was motivated by extremist ideology and relied on encrypted communications to facilitate the transfer of funds overseas.

U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo for the Western District of New York said investigators were able to disrupt the financial support before it could provide additional assistance to the terrorist organization.

Federal officials also stressed that dismantling funding networks for foreign terrorist groups remains a top priority.

“This individual, as alleged in the criminal complaint, provided money to a foreign terrorist organization engaged in acts of violence,” said Acting Assistant Director Coult Markovsky of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “The FBI is committed to cutting off funding to terrorist groups and will continue to work side-by-side with our Justice Department partners to make sure anyone who engages in terrorism or provides assistance to such organizations is held fully accountable in our justice system.”

The investigation was led by the Joint Terrorism Task Force, which executed search warrants in February and March 2026. According to the complaint, forensic investigators recovered extensive communications between the suspect and a self-described Islamic Jihad terrorist in the Gaza Strip who claimed to have personally taken part in attacks against Israeli forces.

Investigators said those messages included repeated expressions of support for terrorism. According to the complaint, the suspect wrote, “[i]f I lived in Gaza, I would fight alongside the resistance,” while praising the terrorist’s activities. She also wrote, “I wish every day were October 7th.” During the same exchange, prosecutors say she indicated that this was not her first contact with a terrorist, declared that she hated Jews “very much,” and expressed the wish that Israel “would disappear.”

Authorities also recovered additional conversations discussing military operations, weapons, and ammunition. In one message cited in the complaint, the suspect stated, “I feel excited every time I see news of the killing of an occupation soldier.”

Investigators further allege that a forensic review of the woman’s cryptocurrency accounts showed she regularly converted assets into digital currency to finance terrorist activities. According to the complaint, she made approximately 80 separate cryptocurrency transfers totaling 30,116 USDC—equivalent to $30,116—to a digital wallet allegedly controlled by the Islamic Jihad operative.

The complaint also alleges that the suspect understood the legal risks of her actions. In one message sent in November 2025, she wrote, “[b]ased on my passed [sic] fundraising and posting Im [sic] gonna get put away for a few life times,” followed by a laughing emoji.

Following her initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark W. Pedersen, the defendant was ordered held in federal custody pending further proceedings.

{Matzav.com}

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to hear Pennsylvania’s appeal of a lower court ruling that struck down the state’s prohibition on emergency concealed carry by adults between the ages of 18 and 20, leaving the Third Circuit’s decision in place.

The case, Lara v. Evanchick, was brought by the Second Amendment Foundation, which challenged Pennsylvania laws restricting firearm carry rights for law-abiding young adults during declared states of emergency.

Explaining the significance of the case, the Duke Center for Firearms Law summarized the Third Circuit’s ruling:

“On January 18, [2024,] a panel of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals invalidated on Second Amendment grounds a set of Pennsylvania statutes that operated to bar 18-20-year-olds from carrying firearms in public during declared states of emergency. The ruling in Lara v. Commissioner is one of a growing number of post-Bruen decisions addressing firearm restrictions on that specific age group. Lara brings into sharp focus doctrinal and procedural questions surrounding these age-restriction cases, especially as the Supreme Court is poised to decide related questions of who may be restricted from possessing firearms in Rahimi.”

After the appellate ruling, Pennsylvania sought a rehearing before the full Third Circuit. That request was rejected, a decision the Second Amendment Foundation hailed as another victory in the case.

In announcing the outcome at the time, the organization said:

“The Third U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has denied a petition for a rehearing in the Second Amendment Foundation’s victory in a case challenging Pennsylvania statutes that prohibit law-abiding young adults from carrying firearms for self-defense and prevents them from acquiring a state license to carry (LTCF) because of their age.”

Pennsylvania then asked the Supreme Court to review the case by filing a petition for a writ of certiorari. On Tuesday, however, the justices declined to take up the appeal, allowing the Third Circuit’s ruling to remain in effect.

Following the Supreme Court’s action, Pennsylvania Gun Rights welcomed the decision, noting that the Court’s refusal to hear the case leaves intact what it called a “major win for gun owners in PA.”

{Matzav.com}

Republican Sens. Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Rand Paul of Kentucky are renewing their campaign to end birthright citizenship following the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision upholding the practice. Both lawmakers are now advocating for a constitutional amendment that would limit automatic citizenship for children born in the United States.

Amending the Constitution, however, presents a steep challenge. Such a proposal must secure the support of two-thirds of both the House and Senate before it can be sent to the states for ratification. That level of bipartisan backing is widely viewed as unlikely, given that most Democrats and a number of pro-business Republicans support broad immigration policies.

Cotton argued that the Constitution was never meant to grant citizenship to the children of those who entered the country illegally and urged lawmakers to approve his proposed Constitutional Citizenship Act.

“Birthright citizenship was never intended to benefit illegal immigrants,” Cotton said, calling on Congress to pass his “Constitutional Citizenship Act to ensure only the children of those here lawfully are granted citizenship.”

Under Cotton’s proposal, children born to illegal immigrants, terrorists, and foreign intelligence operatives would not qualify for automatic U.S. citizenship.

“There is no constitutional right for illegal aliens to cross the border to gain citizenship for their children. Granting birthright citizenship to illegal aliens has contributed to the highest levels of illegal immigration in history. Fixing this will help reduce the damage from Joe Biden’s catastrophic border crisis,” he added in his July 15 press release.

The legislation would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to specify that birthright citizenship does not apply to children whose parents are in the country unlawfully, are present as foreign diplomats, or are participating in hostile operations against the United States. The measure is co-sponsored by Republican Sens. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, and Bernie Moreno of Ohio.

Paul is pursuing a separate approach, introducing his own proposal to eliminate automatic birthright citizenship through a constitutional amendment.

The Kentucky senator has filed a Joint Resolution that would amend the Constitution to restrict U.S. citizenship and end the current interpretation of birthright citizenship.

“Under current interpretations of American law, anyone born on American soil automatically becomes a U.S. citizen, regardless of whether the parent was here legally or not,” Paul wrote on X. “This is wrong and not at all the intent of those who wrote the 14th Amendment.”

The debate centers on the 14th Amendment, which was ratified in 1868 following the Civil War. Originalist legal scholars generally contend that its citizenship clause was intended to guarantee citizenship to the children of formerly enslaved people, while others argue that the amendment extends that protection to everyone born on U.S. soil.

“We are a country filled with immigrants, and legal immigration is valuable and should be protected,” Paul continued. “But we are also a country whose borders have been too open and our generosity exploited too often. President Trump has moved to seal our border from illegal immigrants more than any other president.”

Paul said he believes citizenship should be reserved for the children of American citizens and legal residents, noting that he has advocated for such changes for years.

“I have supported protecting birthright citizenship from the beginning of my tenure in the Senate, when I cosponsored the Birthright Citizenship Act of 2011, and now I am proposing an amendment to protect United States citizenship in case the Supreme Court fails to address this issue correctly,” he wrote.

{Matzav.com}

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case of Daniel Grand, an Orthodox Jewish resident of University Heights, Ohio, who is challenging city officials after they ordered him to stop hosting tefillah gatherings in his home without first obtaining a permit. The case could have far-reaching consequences for home minyanim, home shiurim, and other private religious gatherings across the country.

“Every American has the right to host a prayer gathering in his home, and he certainly doesn’t need a city permit to do so,” Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel and Vice President of Appellate Advocacy John Bursch said in a news release. “When government officials forbid that, courts must hold those individuals accountable, immediately. The city’s actions underscore a troubling trend of weaponizing zoning laws against people of faith while allowing other gatherings of the same size, like book clubs or poker nights, to meet without issue. We’re pleased the Supreme Court will hear this case.”

The Supreme Court has not yet announced when it will hear oral arguments. The Court’s annual term begins on the first Monday in October and generally concludes in late June or early July.

Grand is represented by Alliance Defending Freedom together with the San Francisco law firm Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP. The legal team filed its petition urging the Supreme Court to take up the case on May 28.

A broad coalition of religious and legal organizations has also thrown its support behind Grand by filing amicus curiae briefs. Those organizations include the National Jewish Advocacy Center, the Manhattan Institute, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the General Council of the Assemblies of God, the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists, the Orthodox Union, the National Council of Young Israel, and the American Center for Law and Justice.

Grand has repeatedly emphasized that the case extends well beyond the Orthodox Jewish community and could affect the religious freedoms of Americans of all faiths.

“This is not just a Jewish thing,” Grand previously told Cleveland Kesher. “Would it impact the Jewish people in a good way if we prevail in the Supreme Court? Yes. Would it impact the Christian prayer groups? Yes. Bible study? Yes. It’ll have a major impact for anyone who wants to do what they’re allowed to do by the Constitution, but really by their creator, which is talk to God. This is just about talking to God. We have to bring God back into the home. So, I simply want to have God in my home with a few of my friends. And I was stopped from doing that. That in itself is unconstitutional.”

Grand, who moved to University Heights in 2017, filed suit against the city and then-Mayor Michael Dylan Brennan on September 9, 2022, alleging violations of his constitutional rights. The lawsuit names Brennan in both his official and personal capacities.

Also named as defendants are Luke McConville, who served as the city’s law director, and Paul Siemborski, a member of the University Heights Planning Commission, both in their individual capacities.

The dispute centers on the city’s zoning regulations. As an Orthodox Jew, Grand is obligated to daven three times each day with a minyan. Rather than walking to a shul for every tefillah, he sought to hold a minyan in his own home.

According to court filings, Grand emailed approximately a dozen neighbors on January 19, 2021, inviting them to join him for a minyan at his home on Miramar Boulevard and encouraging them to bring others if they wished. Grand’s complaint states that later that month, Brennan confronted him about the gatherings.

According to the lawsuit, Brennan telephoned Grand on January 21, 2021, and informed him that he could not hold religious gatherings in his home unless he first obtained a special-use permit under Chapter 1274 of the University Heights Zoning Code.

Although Grand initially applied for a special-use permit in 2021 to classify his home as “a place of religious assembly,” he later withdrew the application.

The federal district court ruled against Grand on September 30, 2024. That decision was later affirmed by the U.S. Court of Appeals on November 13, 2025, leaving the city’s restrictions in place.

The Supreme Court’s decision to hear the case now places the dispute before the nation’s highest court. Its eventual ruling could establish an important precedent not only for home minyanim, but also for home shiurim, tefillah gatherings, and private religious assemblies of many different faiths throughout the United States.

{Matzav.com}

Rav Moshe Maya, senior member of Shas’ Moetzes Chachmei HaTorah, on Tuesday sharply distanced himself from inflammatory remarks directed at IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir during Monday night’s protest rally in Bnei Brak, saying such language is inconsistent with the values of the Torah.

In a special public statement issued following the controversy, Rav Maya stressed that while the rally’s purpose—to protest the treatment of lomdei Torah and opposition to enforcement of the draft law—was important, the language used by one of the speakers was inappropriate.

Opening his letter with the words, “Deracheha darchei noam v’chol nesivoseha shalom,” Rav Maya wrote, “I was deeply pained to hear the remarks that were made against the chief of staff during last night’s important rally protesting the humiliation of lomdei Torah.”

His statement marked a clear rebuke of the comments, which sparked widespread political and public criticism.

Rav Maya went on to emphasize that such rhetoric has no place in authentic Torah conduct, writing unequivocally, “This is not the way of the Torah to speak in such a manner.”

He concluded his statement by expressing appreciation for Israel’s soldiers, writing, “We customarily pray at every hotzaas Sefer Torah, on Shabbos and weekdays alike, for the success of the soldiers who sacrifice themselves for the safety of Am Yisroel.”

Rav Maya signed the letter with the words, “Written and signed for the honor of the Torah and those who toil in it, and with great appreciation for the soldiers.”

{Matzav.com}

Vice President JD Vance outlined the Trump administration’s objectives in its negotiations with Iran while defending President Donald Trump’s strategy of combining diplomacy with the credible threat of military action during an interview on The Michael Knowles Show.

Vance said the administration’s central goal is to secure a comprehensive agreement that permanently eliminates Iran’s nuclear program through enforceable commitments and rigorous international oversight.

“There are a few things that we want,” the Vice President explained. “We want durable commitments that are verifiable and backed up by inspections that Iran will denuclearize their entire country.”

He also expressed frustration with what he described as Iran’s contradictory messaging regarding the negotiations. Although Iranian officials have publicly denied holding peace talks with the United States, technical discussions are nonetheless scheduled to take place in Qatar.

“One of the things I find just fascinating and frustrating about the Iranians is they’ll say, no, no, no, there aren’t peace talks ongoing, but there are technical talks between the United States and Iran about the peace deal,” said Vance.

“It’s like, okay. So it’s a Persian negotiating tactic and a Persian rhetorical device that I don’t understand, but that is the way that the Iranians have done this,” he added.

JD Vance on Iran:

One of the things I find just fascinating and frustrating about the Iranians is they'll say, "No, no, there aren't peace talks ongoing," but there are technical talks between the United States and Iran about the peace deal.

It's a Persian negotiating tactic… pic.twitter.com/eNd8t15TTl

— Clash Report (@clashreport) June 30, 2026

Addressing critics who favor an expanded military campaign against Iran, Vance argued that simply calling for additional airstrikes without a defined objective is not a sound strategy. He said Trump’s approach is to employ military force only when it advances a specific goal.

The Vice President also responded to critics who advocate for continued strikes on Iran, saying their “attitude is just drop bombs and drop bombs and drop bombs, and they can’t really articulate to what end.”

“What the President is saying, ‘I’m willing to drop bombs’, and he’s clearly shown that he’s willing to drop bombs, but only if it serves an objective,” explained Vance.

Iran insisted on Monday that its representatives would not be meeting with American officials in Qatar. Tehran maintained that while a delegation of technical experts would travel to Doha to discuss implementation of the memorandum of understanding with the United States, there would be no direct talks between the two sides.

Later that day, however, President Trump told reporters that the anticipated meetings with Iranian officials in Qatar would be “perhaps important, perhaps not”.

Subsequent reports indicated that U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff was traveling to Doha to participate in the discussions with Iranian representatives.

The diplomatic efforts follow heightened military tensions over the weekend, when U.S. forces launched two strikes against Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz after Iran allegedly violated the ceasefire.

On Saturday night, Trump warned that continued violations could trigger a much broader American military response.

“United States aircraft just struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations, and coastal radar sites, for violating the Cease Fire Agreement, AGAIN! It is very possible that they will never learn!” Trump wrote.

He added, “There may come a point when we are no longer able to be reasonable, and will be forced to militarily complete the job that we very successfully started. If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist!”

{Matzav.com}

The IDF has detected growing evidence that Hamas is rebuilding its military infrastructure and preparing for another confrontation with Israel, according to an internal military presentation disclosed Tuesday evening by Channel 13 News.

The presentation outlines a series of developments observed in the Gaza Strip in recent months, detailing what Israeli officials believe are significant efforts by the Hamas terrorist organization to restore and strengthen its military capabilities.

According to the report, Hamas has placed renewed emphasis on training members of its elite Nukhba force while simultaneously stepping up recruitment efforts. The document states that the organization is actively recruiting young men between the ages of 18 and 22 to replenish its ranks.

The intelligence assessment also indicates that Hamas has resumed producing military equipment on a large scale. According to the presentation, the group is manufacturing hundreds of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and rockets each month. At the same time, it is working to increase the flow of smuggled materials into Gaza, including drone components and other military hardware brought in through various channels.

The report further states that Hamas has begun circulating operational plans in anticipation of renewed fighting. Israeli officials reportedly believe the terrorist organization is making substantial progress in restoring capabilities that were degraded during the war and is taking concrete steps to prepare for future combat.

As Hamas rebuilds, IDF forces continue operating along the Gaza security buffer, known as the “Yellow Line.” The zone is intended to keep terrorist threats away from Israeli communities near the border and prevent Hamas and other terrorist groups from reestablishing positions close to Israeli territory.

Channel 13 also reported that Israel’s political and military leadership has not held any special high-level discussions on the situation in Gaza in recent days. According to the report, the United States has also informed Israel that, for now, there is no international backing for launching another large-scale military operation in the Gaza Strip.

{Matzav.com}

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed Tuesday for member nations to provide an additional $100 million to keep the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) operating, warning that the organization is facing a severe financial crisis that threatens its ability to continue functioning, Reuters reported.

Speaking before a special UN General Assembly pledging conference, Guterres said UNRWA is confronting mounting financial shortfalls while also operating under significant restrictions, creating what he described as an increasingly dire situation for the agency.

For years, the United States was UNRWA’s largest contributor. That changed in January 2024, when Washington suspended funding after Israel presented evidence alleging that approximately a dozen UNRWA employees took part in Hamas’ October 7, 2023, terrorist massacre.

Several other major donor countries also temporarily paused their contributions while the United Nations conducted a review of the allegations. Most of those governments have since resumed funding the agency.

Guterres said the agency’s financial condition now poses a serious threat to its ability to carry out the mission that the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly renewed just six months ago.

“They cannot keep going like this without urgent backing and financial support from member states,” Guterres said, according to Reuters, claiming that the agency had taken decisive steps to implement reforms and update its policy on outside and political activities following Israel’s revelations.

Defending the organization, Guterres described UNRWA as an essential source of regional stability and dismissed ongoing criticism of the agency.

“UNRWA is a stabilizing force in an age of instability,” he said, rejecting what he called continued efforts to undermine the agency through “disinformation, smear campaigns, legislative actions, operational restrictions, diplomatic roadblocks and more.”

According to Reuters, UNRWA has already reduced its operating hours by 20 percent this year, cut salaries for locally hired employees, and left approximately 15 percent of its international administrative positions vacant as part of sweeping cost-cutting measures. Guterres cautioned that > “Any further cuts could push conditions past the breaking point.”

After Israel accused UNRWA employees of involvement in the October 7 attack, the United Nations appointed an independent review panel led by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna to examine the allegations. The panel concluded that it had identified “neutrality-related issues” within the agency but stated that Israel had not provided evidence supporting claims that large numbers of UNRWA staff belonged to terrorist organizations.

Despite extensive evidence presented by Israel alleging deep connections between UNRWA and Hamas, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ruled that Israel must permit humanitarian assistance to enter the Gaza Strip through UN agencies, including UNRWA. Israel and the United States both sharply criticized that decision.

{Matzav.com}

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