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Saudi Arabia has reportedly signaled to senior U.S. officials that it is prepared to reopen discussions about joining the Abraham Accords, but only if Israel agrees to a series of significant political and policy changes that are widely viewed as unacceptable to the current government.

According to a report in Yisroel Hayom, Riyadh has conveyed messages in recent weeks to officials in the Trump administration indicating a renewed willingness to pursue normalization with Israel. However, sources familiar with the discussions said the Saudis have attached conditions that Israel’s present coalition is unlikely to accept.

Three individuals with knowledge of the diplomatic contacts said Saudi Arabia has been actively engaging with senior figures in Washington, including officials at the White House, the State Department, and members of Congress. One source said representatives of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman outlined two primary conditions: that Binyamin Netanyahu no longer serve as prime minister following Israel’s next elections, and that policies advanced by Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich in Yehuda and Shomron over the past several years be reversed.

According to American officials cited in the report, Saudi Arabia views those two conditions as closely connected. Riyadh believes that as long as Netanyahu remains in office, he will continue backing Smotrich’s policies in Yehuda and Shomron, making it impossible to reach a normalization agreement under the current circumstances.

During the war, Saudi Arabia reportedly explored the possibility of formally recognizing Israel on several occasions in exchange for major Israeli concessions on the Palestinian issue. Among the demands discussed was a public declaration by Netanyahu expressing a willingness, in principle, to support the eventual establishment of a Palestinian state. Netanyahu rejected those conditions, and negotiations did not advance.

The report also noted that the late Sen. Lindsey Graham had been actively involved in recent years in efforts to strengthen ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia and to help pave the way toward normalization.

Sources familiar with the diplomatic efforts said many of Saudi Arabia’s demands are intended to move the political process forward rather than necessarily secure immediate results. They also claimed that Riyadh frustrated President Donald Trump during the war with Iran by blocking, according to those sources, a U.S.-backed initiative to open the Strait of Hormuz to safe commercial shipping for vessels not connected to Iran.

The same sources further alleged that Saudi Arabia’s refusal to allow American forces to use U.S. military bases on Saudi soil for operations against Iran also angered President Trump.

According to the report, Saudi Arabia’s latest diplomatic initiative is intended in part to demonstrate to Trump that the kingdom remains a critical strategic partner for the United States while also advancing a political arrangement aimed at preventing another military confrontation between the U.S. and Iran.

{Matzav.com}

Acting on instructions from the city’s leading rabbanim, the Bnei Brak Municipality is preparing to implement gender-separated sidewalks along Shlomo HaMelech and Ezra Streets, home to several popular wedding and event halls. The stated goal of the initiative is to “prevent encounters between men and women.” City officials said, “The rabbis’ letter speaks for itself.”

According to the report, the municipality is moving forward with plans to carry out a directive issued by prominent rabbanim calling for complete gender separation along the sidewalks of the two streets. The proposal includes physical changes to the public space, including signs and designated sidewalks for men and women, with the aim of ensuring that the two do not walk along the same side.

The official directive, which was released to the public, instructs that all residents—adults and children alike—be informed of the policy and educated to observe it carefully. The need for the separation, according to the directive, stems from the heavy pedestrian traffic created by guests attending events at the nearby wedding halls.

Municipal officials said the plan has been under discussion for several years. They added that the proposal is not necessarily limited to these two streets and could eventually be expanded to other crowded thoroughfares in the city, similar to arrangements found in other chareidi population centers.

The initiative appears to conflict with previous rulings by Israel’s Supreme Court, which has barred the installation of gender-separation signs in public neighborhoods. One such ruling followed a widely publicized dispute in Beit Shemesh that sparked fierce controversy. In this case, however, the initiative is being advanced by the mainstream chareidi leadership in Bnei Brak.

Responding to the report, city officials said, “The rabbis’ letter is very clear and speaks for itself. The city’s residents, who faithfully follow the guidance of the gedolei Yisroel and heed their instructions, will comply with their request.”

Yael Yechieli, director of the 5050 Initiative, sharply criticized the proposal. “Throughout all the years of our struggle against gender segregation, we warned that there would be no end to the demands for separation, and that it would eventually reach the streets. It will never stop. It started with buses, continued with events, then academia, and now sidewalks. The community’s rabbis want to exclude women from every place, and if we don’t stop them, it will only continue. The monster of segregation is never satisfied. It is important to emphasize that only men were sitting around the Bnei Brak Municipality’s decision-making table. Is it possible that if 50% of those present had been women, a different decision would have been made? The disaster of segregation must end, and the public must fight against it.”

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One of the most revealing parts of architect Liran Shukrun’s thinking is the way he speaks about the home itself. A frum family does not always live inside the standard Israeli apartment formula. In many Torah homes, the center of gravity is different. It may be the dining room table. It may be the seforim. It may be the constant flow of children, guests, learning, meals, and Shabbos. A home like that needs scale, flexibility, and a different kind of attention.

That understanding shaped the apartments at Givat Hashalvah. The homes are large, open, and planned to adapt over time. Structural elements are kept away from the center of the living space wherever possible, allowing rooms and layouts to remain flexible as family needs change. Liran speaks about this almost as a moral responsibility: if a family is going to live here for many years, the home must be able to grow with them.

The same thinking appears in the windows and balconies. Bedrooms were planned with unusually tall openings so a person standing inside the room meets the landscape at eye level. Living rooms and bedrooms open toward the view, not through small, incidental windows, but through panoramic glass that makes the hills and courtyards part of the home experience. The balconies are large enough to live on, not just step onto, creating real space for hosting, sitting, breathing, and bringing family life outdoors.

That is what makes the planning feel so specific. Givat Hashalvah is not only responding to a market need for larger homes. It is responding to a way of life. The project understands that a home for a frum family carries learning, hosting, children, guests, privacy, flexibility, and daily rhythm all at once. The architecture was asked to respect that. And in the best parts of the plan, it does.

Explore Givat Hashalvah → https://go.lyo.group/3LxM3tz

President Donald Trump declared Monday that the United States will continue carrying out military strikes against Iran, warning that additional attacks could come within hours and suggesting that one of Tehran’s most heavily fortified nuclear facilities may soon be in Washington’s crosshairs.

During an interview on the Hugh Hewitt Show, Trump issued a blunt warning to Iran, saying, “We’re going to hit them very hard tonight and we’re going to hit them hard tomorrow, and there’s not a damn thing they can do about it. They have nothing. They have nothing going on other than they have big mouths…they’re stone-cold crazy people.”

Trump on Iran: "We're going to hit them very hard tonight and we're going to hit them very hard tomorrow." pic.twitter.com/Pyh2lZ5eS1

— The Bulwark (@BulwarkOnline) July 13, 2026

Trump went on to question the behavior of Iran’s leadership, saying, “Well, I think they’re a little cuckoo…they’re wired a little bit differently. We had a deal yesterday. It was, like, going to be 100 percent. And then, all of a sudden, they got a phone call, and they all ran out of the room.”

He accused Tehran of repeatedly abandoning agreements and warned that its leaders could never be trusted, adding, “These people are – these people are crazy. We had a deal where we won everything. And they basically break the deals. You know, they make deals, and to them, deals are made to be broken. They are extremely unreliable people. And, frankly, if they ever had a nuclear weapon, they’d use it within one day.”

Trump also identified Pickaxe Mountain—the deeply buried and heavily protected tunnel complex near the Natanz nuclear enrichment site, where Iran is believed to operate an undeclared uranium enrichment facility—as a potential military objective.

Referring to the site, he said, “Pickax is a possible target for a nice big fat shot right in the front door. And I think that maybe you’ll see that.”

Trump argued that Iran’s conventional military capabilities have been severely weakened, declaring, “The fact is they have no Air Force, they have no Navy, they have no nothing. All they do is talk and they have fake press.”

He added that the underground nuclear complex remains under close surveillance and suggested that military action there could come soon. “we’re watching [Pickaxe] closely. We see no activity there. They’re not doing well with their nuclear situation. Every time we hear about it, we blow it up, so they don’t like talking about it. But we’ll probably give Pickax a shot relatively soon.”

Asked about his relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump dismissed reports of any rift and described their ties as strong, calling the relationship “very good”.

He acknowledged that they do not always see eye to eye but emphasized their partnership, saying, “I get along with Netanyahu; sometimes I disagree with him, and I tell him that.”

Rejecting suggestions that he had abandoned the Israeli leader, Trump said, “I didn’t throw Bibi under the bus. He’s doing a great job. Without the two of us, there wouldn’t be an Israel.”

Earlier Monday, Trump also announced that the United States would restore its naval blockade against Iran after it had been lifted following a recently signed memorandum of understanding between the two countries.

In a social media post, Trump wrote, “The Hormuz Strait is OPEN, and will remain OPEN, with or without Iran. We are reinstating the THE IRANIAN BLOCKADE, so named because it is only stopping Iran’s ships or customers from entering or leaving.”

He added, “All other countries will have fair and open use of the Strait. The U.S.A. will be, from this point forward, known as ‘THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT,’ but as such, and as a matter of FAIRNESS, will be reimbursed, at the rate of 20% on all cargo shipped, for any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security to this very volatile section of the World. The process and formation will begin immediately.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded online by acknowledging part of Trump’s statement while rejecting the broader implication, writing, “POTUS is absolutely right. Whoever provides secure and safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz should be compensated for this service.”

He concluded by asserting Iran’s longstanding role in the strategic waterway, adding, “Iran has always been the GUARDIAN of the Strait and will remain so FOREVER. 20% is of course too much. We will be fair.”

{Matzav.com}

Darline Graham Nordone, the sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, has been selected to temporarily fill his U.S. Senate seat, with South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster announcing Monday that she will serve until the current term expires in January.

Speaking at a Statehouse news conference, McMaster said Nordone would complete the remainder of her brother’s term. A source familiar with the appointment, who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, said she is expected to be sworn into office on Wednesday. Her appointment will make her the first woman ever to represent South Carolina in the U.S. Senate.

“It is such an honor,” Nordone said. “Lindsey has always been there for me. And now, I will be there for him.”

Graham, who died over the weekend at the age of 71, never married and had no children. Throughout his political career, however, Nordone remained one of his closest confidantes, frequently accompanying him to major campaign events and even appearing in campaign advertisements.

The siblings shared an especially close bond dating back to their youth. After the death of their parents, Graham assumed responsibility for raising his younger sister and later became her legal guardian. Earlier this year, she stood beside him—joined by her children and grandchildren—as he officially filed paperwork for what would have been his reelection campaign.

Voters will head to the polls next month to choose the Republican nominee for the special election to fill Graham’s seat. Before his death, Graham had been seeking a fifth term in the Senate.

The unexpected vacancy has immediately set off intense maneuvering among South Carolina Republicans, with several high-profile conservatives now considering bids for the coveted Senate seat.

The race comes just after Republicans concluded a hard-fought gubernatorial primary. State Attorney General Alan Wilson emerged as the nominee after defeating a crowded field that included Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, Rep. Nancy Mace, and Rep. Ralph Norman. In the wake of Graham’s death, several of those same figures are now weighing Senate campaigns.

Under South Carolina law, candidates will have one week to file for the special Republican primary beginning on July 21, the second Tuesday following Graham’s death.

The special primary is scheduled for Aug. 11, with a runoff, if necessary, slated for Aug. 25.

Whoever captures the nomination will then have just over two months to campaign before the Nov. 3 general election.

The accelerated election calendar could create legal complications because federal law requires military and overseas absentee ballots to be distributed at least 45 days before a federal election. For the special primary, that deadline would already have passed on June 27. Federal election officials did not immediately clarify how that conflict would be addressed.

Graham died Saturday evening. According to a preliminary report from the medical examiner, the cause of death was an aortic dissection, a tear in the wall of the aorta.

Within hours of the announcement of his death, speculation was already swirling throughout South Carolina Republican circles over who might ultimately succeed him. Because the general election is so close, McMaster’s appointee could enjoy an advantage heading into the special primary, although it is also possible the governor intended the appointment simply as a temporary caretaker.

One frequently mentioned possibility had been Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, who has served alongside McMaster for nearly eight years and received his endorsement in this year’s gubernatorial race before losing the June 23 runoff to Alan Wilson.

A source familiar with Evette’s thinking said she has been encouraged by supporters across the state and believes she would be a strong contender in the special primary.

Political observers believe it is unlikely that a sitting member of the U.S. House would be appointed to finish Graham’s current term because Republicans hold only a narrow majority in the House of Representatives.

Rep. Joe Wilson, whose name surfaced as a possible replacement, said he assured President Trump on Sunday that “my goal is to remain in the House to keep his two-vote majority for the American people!!!”

That does not rule out House members seeking the full Senate term. A person familiar with Rep. Nancy Mace’s deliberations said she is seriously considering entering the race. Mace is not seeking another term in the House.

Another Republican whose name has surfaced is Rep. Russell Fry, a two-term congressman representing the rapidly growing Myrtle Beach region who has become one of President Trump’s strongest allies in Congress.

Businessman Mark Lynch, who unsuccessfully challenged Graham in the Republican primary, is also viewed as a potential candidate. In addition, sources close to former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford said he is weighing whether to enter the race.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who lived in South Carolina before joining the Trump administration, has also received inquiries about the Senate seat. However, according to a person familiar with private discussions, Bessent has no interest in running and is content serving in the administration.

Although Democrats have struggled to win statewide races in South Carolina for decades, Republicans are treating the contest seriously despite the state’s strong GOP advantage. Graham won reelection in 2020 by defeating Democrat Jaime Harrison by 10 percentage points.

While history suggests Republicans remain favored to retain the seat, party leaders continue to assess what is shaping up to be a highly competitive primary.

On the Democratic side, Charleston pediatrician Annie Andrews secured her party’s nomination last month. Federal campaign filings show she has raised more than $8 million and had nearly $3 million in cash available at the end of May. Graham’s campaign had raised approximately $6 million and held just over $4 million before his death.

In a statement issued Sunday, Andrews urged South Carolinians to join her “in setting partisanship aside and offering gratitude” to Graham for his years of public service.

Jaime Harrison, Graham’s Democratic opponent in 2020, also paid tribute, writing on social media that although he and Graham “had our share of political disagreements,” he “always appreciated that even in our fiercest political battles, we could still share a conversation, a laugh, and a mutual respect for South Carolina and the institutions we were both privileged to serve.”

Graham’s passing also leaves a significant leadership void in the Senate, where more than two decades of service had given him substantial influence over committees and legislative priorities.

South Carolina’s other senator, Tim Scott, has served since 2012, far less time than many of the state’s longtime Senate figures such as Fritz Hollings, who served 38 years, and Strom Thurmond, whose tenure lasted 47 years.

Scott, who co-chaired Graham’s reelection campaign, called his longtime colleague “irreplaceable.”

“America lost a statesman, but I lost a friend,” he told ABC’s “This Week.”

Two residents of Bnei Brak were arrested Monday after illegally entering the Palestinian city of Shechem, located in Area A of the West Bank. Investigators later determined that the pair had entered the city on previous occasions as well. Although a court ordered their release under restrictive conditions, their vehicle was confiscated for 60 days.

According to police, IDF forces alerted authorities after spotting the two men inside Shechem. Soldiers located them as they were leaving the city, after which officers from the Judea and Samaria District Police arrested them and transferred them to the Ariel police station for questioning.

During the investigation, police discovered that this was not the first time the suspects had entered the Palestinian city. At the conclusion of the investigation, the two were brought before a court, which ordered their release under restrictive conditions. In addition, the vehicle they used to enter Area A was impounded for 60 days in accordance with Israeli law.

Police noted that just this past weekend, security forces rescued several Israeli civilians—including an IDF soldier—who had entered the Palestinian city of Jericho, also located in Area A. According to investigators, the group had traveled there to attend a party. After being rescued, the civilians were placed under criminal investigation, while the soldier was transferred to the Military Police Criminal Investigation Division for further handling.

Security officials again stressed that the entry of Israeli civilians into Area A is prohibited by law and poses a serious danger to both those entering and the security forces that are often required to risk their own lives to rescue them. Authorities added that entering Area A is a criminal offense punishable by up to one year in prison and said police will continue enforcing the law and prosecuting violators to the fullest extent.

{Matzav.com}

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Project Inspire is proud to announce the release of “The Unlikely Village,” an original film by Mint Media premiering on Tisha B’av 5786, exclusively on ProjectInspire.com in the USA and Canada.

The film tells the story of how Boro Park, a neighborhood built on generations of tradition, became something far bigger than its own streets: a source of inspiration for Jews of every background, from every walk of life, looking for connection, meaning, and a way back in.

At its core, “The Unlikely Village” is a story of friendship and mentorship. It follows the relationships that form when people from vastly different worlds find themselves walking the same sidewalk, literally and spiritually, and discover that transformation often begins in the most unexpected places.

“This film captures something we’ve felt for a long time but never quite put into words,” said a Project Inspire representative. “Boro Park isn’t just a neighborhood. For so many people searching for their place in Yiddishkeit, it has become a village in the truest sense, a place where someone always has a hand out to help.”

The premiere comes at a poignant time. Tisha B’av, a day associated with mourning and loss, has long been reframed by Project Inspire as a day of meaning and connection. “The Unlikely Village” continues that mission, using the day to tell a story of unity built from the ground up.

The project was made possible with the support of corporate sponsors Haas & Zaltz LLP, Kosher Palace, Fasten Halberstam, Daily Giving, Relation, and Saul N. Friedman & Co.

“The Unlikely Village” streams Tisha B’av 5786 at ProjectInspire.com.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi issued a pointed response after President Donald Trump declared that the United States would take control of the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that Iran has repeatedly failed to honor its international agreements.

Trump announced that “Iran systematically violates every agreement it reaches, and therefore the US is taking control of the Strait of Hormuz.”

Responding in a post on X, Araghchi wrote, “POTUS is absolutely right. Whoever provides secure and safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz should be compensated for this service.”

He added, “Iran has always been the GUARDIAN of the Strait and will remain so FOREVER.”

Araghchi ended his remarks with an apparent reference to compensation for securing the vital shipping route, writing, “20% is of course too much. We will be fair.”

{Matzav.com}

Meta announced Monday that it is massively expanding its artificial intelligence data center campus in rural Louisiana, a project the company says will become one of the largest AI facilities ever constructed anywhere in the world.

The expanded campus, located in Richland Parish in northeastern Louisiana’s Delta region, represents a major step in Meta’s effort to build the computing infrastructure needed to power the next generation of artificial intelligence technologies.

Once completed, the site will deliver 5 gigawatts of computing capacity and bring Meta’s total investment in Louisiana to more than $50 billion.

The expansion was unveiled Monday in Baton Rouge alongside Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry. Company officials said the project is expected to generate more than 1,000 permanent jobs while dramatically reshaping the economy of Richland Parish, a rural area with about 20,000 residents.

The announcement highlights Meta’s aggressive push to build out AI infrastructure as competition intensifies across the technology industry.

Led by Meta President Dina Powell, who has directed the company’s AI expansion efforts, Meta has pledged tens of billions of dollars to rapidly increase the computing power required for advanced AI models, generative AI applications, and future artificial intelligence services across its platforms.

The Richland Parish campus has emerged as one of the company’s flagship AI developments, reflecting a broader trend of major technology investments moving beyond traditional innovation centers and into rural communities across America.

Meta said the project has already produced substantial economic gains since construction began in December 2024.

Businesses throughout Louisiana have already secured more than $1.6 billion in contracts related to the development. In addition, Meta plans to spend another $1 billion on roads, water infrastructure, wastewater systems, and other improvements that will benefit the surrounding community.

The project’s financial impact has been especially evident in the local school system. Increased tax revenue generated by the development allowed teachers in Richland Parish to receive annual bonuses of more than $50,000 this year—roughly four times the amount distributed the previous year.

“Last year, our teachers received a $10,000 bonus; this year, that check was over $50,000,” said Richland Parish Superintendent Sheldon Jones.

“It’s life-altering for our teachers and their families, and it’s transforming our schools,” he added.

Beyond tax revenue, Meta has contributed funding to every public school in the parish through direct donations as well as its Data Center Community Action Grants program.

To help build a skilled local workforce, the company is donating $5 million to Louisiana Delta Community College to create scholarships supporting data center workforce training programs.

Starting with the Class of 2026, every Richland Parish high school graduate will qualify for a full scholarship covering any technical course or trade certificate related to data center careers.

The project’s influence is also being felt among local business owners. Tim and Lindsey Allen said they opened their restaurant, Holy Tacos, after Meta revealed plans for the development. Meanwhile, coffee shop owners TJ and Kaycie Weed said their business has grown from a single location serving about 40 customers each day into a three-location operation, with a fourth store scheduled to open this fall.

Meta also announced a new energy agreement tied to the expansion that it says will save Entergy Louisiana customers more than $2 billion over the next 20 years. Those savings come in addition to approximately $650 million already expected under a previous agreement.

The company emphasized that it covers all costs associated with the facility’s electricity, water usage, and related infrastructure, ensuring those expenses are not passed on to utility customers.

As demand for AI computing power continues to soar, Meta’s enormous Louisiana investment illustrates the escalating race among major technology companies to build massive AI infrastructure while showing how projects of this scale can dramatically reshape local economies far from Silicon Valley.

{Matzav.com}

In a landmark decision, the Knesset on Monday night gave final approval to the Basic Law: Torah Study, formally establishing that “Torah study is a foundational value in the heritage of the Jewish people and in the State of Israel.” The legislation, introduced by Degel HaTorah chairman MK Moshe Gafni, passed its second and third readings, making it one of Israel’s Basic Laws.

Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu did not participate in the final vote.

Celebrating the bill’s passage, Gafni described it as “a historic step in the State of Israel.”

“For thousands of years, Torah study has been the force that preserved the Jewish people throughout the Diaspora and across every generation,” Gafni said. “From this day forward, the State of Israel has also established, through a Basic Law, that Torah study is a foundational value in the heritage of the Jewish people and in the State of Israel.”

He continued: “The matter has now come to pass. The Jewish state is reconnecting with the eternal values upon which the Jewish people were built throughout the generations. This Basic Law will serve as the nation’s moral compass, expressing the recognition that Torah study is not merely a legacy of the past, but the very foundation upon which the present and future of the Jewish people in their land rests.”

Shas chairman Aryeh Deri also welcomed the legislation, declaring: “Moshe is truth and his Torah is truth! Today we have written a historic chapter in the State of Israel. For the first time, the Jewish state recognizes the supreme value of the holy Torah and the status of those who dedicate themselves to its study.”

Deri added that “the Torah is the foundation of the Jewish people’s identity. It sustained us throughout thousands of years of exile, inspired our longing to return to the Land of Israel and establish an independent Jewish state, and continues to give meaning to our existence here today.”

He went on to say: “This is a victory for the Torah world and a clear answer to the ousted attorney general and to everyone who sought to persecute and humiliate the bnei yeshivos. You will not break the Jewish spirit. The holy Torah will prevail.”

MK Yaakov Asher likewise praised the law’s passage, quoting Rav Saadia Gaon: “As Rav Saadia Gaon said, ‘Our nation is a nation only through its Torah.’ This is the path on which we were raised and which has accompanied the Jewish people for thousands of years—the Torah is the source of our existence, our identity, and our strength.”

Asher emphasized that for the chareidi community, Torah study is “a way of life,” adding that “the world of the yeshivos and batei medrash is the pure flask of oil of the Jewish people and the place where the chain of generations that sustained our nation through even its most difficult periods has been preserved.”

He concluded by citing the verse: “Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit, says the Lord of Hosts.”

{Matzav.com}

Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Boaz Bismuth sharply criticized IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir on Monday, questioning the timing of the chief’s letter opposing the temporary order that would freeze criminal proceedings against bnei Torah engaged in Torah study.

Bismuth argued that the chief of staff’s letter was sent to Defense Minister Yisrael Katz and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu only Sunday night—after the committee had already completed its deliberations and approved the proposed legislation. He noted that the IDF had possessed the draft of the temporary order for approximately three weeks and that military representatives had participated throughout the committee’s discussions on the measure.

Bismuth stressed that the final version of the legislation was formulated in full coordination with officials from the Defense Ministry and even incorporated revisions made at their request. He said the committee took the unusual step of allowing the Defense Ministry to submit two objections after the official deadline had passed, and both were accepted and incorporated into the final draft.

According to Bismuth, the timing of the chief of staff’s letter raises serious questions.

“It is fair to ask why the letter was sent only after the committee had completed its discussions and vote, and why it was published specifically on the very day the bill is expected to come before the Knesset plenum,” he said. “If the goal was to improve the wording of the legislation, the IDF had ample opportunity to do so over the past several weeks.”

Bismuth also maintained that throughout the committee’s hearings, IDF representatives were unable to present a single case in which the arrest of a Torah student ultimately resulted in that individual being drafted into military service. He argued that this reality only strengthens the case for the temporary order approved by the committee.

Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., is set to introduce legislation Monday that would eliminate birthright citizenship for children born to illegal immigrants and foreign nationals who enter the United States for so-called birth tourism, arguing that such individuals qualify as “invaders” under federal law.

The proposal comes after last month’s Supreme Court decision dealing a setback to President Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to restrict birthright citizenship. Trump has since urged Senate Republicans to move more aggressively on his legislative priorities, including changes to birthright citizenship, saying they were “not fighting hard enough,” Banks recalled in an interview with Human Events on June 30.

Banks told Fox News Digital that he plans to introduce the Citizenship Act shortly after the Senate convenes Monday afternoon. He said the legislation was crafted in light of Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s concurring opinion in last month’s Trump v. Barbara decision.

Although Kavanaugh agreed with the Court’s judgment in part, he wrote that while Trump’s executive order conflicted with existing federal birthright citizenship law, Congress has the authority to amend that statute and establish additional exceptions.

The Citizenship Act would classify children of individuals deemed statutory “invaders” as ineligible for automatic U.S. citizenship at birth. It would also codify portions of President Trump’s 2025 executive order that characterized illegal immigration as an invasion.

According to the bill’s summary, “any person who enters the United States without authorization or for the purpose of engaging in birth tourism is considered an invader…” It would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to deny birthright citizenship to the children of such “invaders.”

Banks bases that terminology on Trump’s executive order describing illegal immigration across the southern border as an “invasion.” He argues that the Supreme Court’s Barbara ruling left open the possibility for Congress to address the issue legislatively.

Rather than pursuing a constitutional amendment or attempting to overturn Supreme Court precedent, the legislation seeks to revise federal law by incorporating Trump’s declaration of an invasion while relying on exceptions recognized in existing birthright citizenship jurisprudence to deny citizenship to children of illegal immigrants and birth tourists.

In his opinion, Kavanaugh concluded that Trump’s executive order did not violate the 14th Amendment itself but conflicted with a federal statute governing birthright citizenship. He suggested that Congress could revise that statute, noting that the law was originally enacted in the spirit of the 14th Amendment, which many conservatives argue was intended primarily to protect formerly enslaved people and their descendants.

Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, relied heavily on the Supreme Court’s 1898 decision in United States v. Wong Kim Ark, which he said “guarantee citizenship to all children born in the United States and subject to its power.” Banks’ legislation, however, seeks to rely on exceptions discussed in that same decision to argue against extending birthright citizenship to the children of illegal immigrants and birth tourists.

In the Wong Kim Ark ruling, Justice Horace Gray wrote that exceptions included the children of diplomats, “enemies within” and those engaged in hostile occupation of U.S. territory who are not “bound to render obedience to the sovereign [U.S. government] whose domains are being invaded.”

Banks contends that because the Court reaffirmed the Wong Kim Ark precedent while acknowledging those exceptions, Congress can use the same framework to redefine who qualifies for automatic citizenship.

“The Supreme Court’s birthright citizenship decision was an unprecedented assault on American sovereignty, and we must do whatever it takes to save our country,” Banks told Fox News Digital.

“I’m leading the Citizenship Act to reverse the effects of this consequential ruling and ensure the millions of illegal aliens that invaded our country can’t continue to exploit our immigration system.”

Banks also points to the Court’s decision in U.S. v. CASA, another 2025 case involving the Trump administration. In a separate opinion, Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote that “children born of alien enemies in hostile occupation” are not entitled to birthright citizenship, although she did not classify illegal immigrants as the type of “invaders” referenced in the earlier precedent.

The legislation further argues that the Constitution supports congressional authority in this area. Banks notes that Article IV obligates the federal government to “protect each [state] against invasion,” while Article I grants Congress the authority to “establish a uniform rule of naturalization.”

The bill also cites James Madison’s writings from 1788, in which he argued that the Constitution vested the power over naturalization in Congress through a single national standard rather than leaving the issue to individual states.

Banks additionally argues that some Mexican nationals have viewed migration into the United States as a means of reclaiming territory ceded to the U.S. under the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo following the Mexican-American War.

The legislation also cites Chinese birth tourism, alleging that the practice has been encouraged by the Chinese Communist Party. Banks argues these examples demonstrate that birthright citizenship has become intertwined with broader issues of national sovereignty, illegal immigration, and foreign influence.

{Matzav.com}

Former Navy SEAL Matt Bissonnette is offering a fresh account of the 2011 raid that killed al-Qaeda mastermind Osama bin Laden, disputing several long-standing claims about the operation and describing how the elite assault team methodically carried out one of the most famous military missions in American history, Fox News reports.

Bin Laden was killed in May 2011 during a high-risk nighttime raid in Abbottabad, Pakistan, carried out by members of the U.S. Navy’s SEAL Team 6, who were flown into the country aboard helicopters operated by the Army’s 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment.

The operation brought justice to the victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks and to the countless American servicemen and women who fought in the years of war that followed.

Although numerous books, documentaries, and media reports have attempted to reconstruct the mission, many aspects of the raid have remained classified or disputed, leaving room for competing accounts of what actually happened inside bin Laden’s compound.

Bissonnette, who participated in the operation, discussed the mission during a newly released interview with podcaster and former DEVGRU operator Andy Stumpf, sharing his perspective on several of the raid’s most controversial moments.

Among the issues he addressed was the widespread claim that bin Laden’s face was destroyed by gunfire. Bissonnette rejected that characterization, arguing that the available evidence would quickly settle the debate if the government ever released the photographs.

“The photos, if they ever got released, I don’t know, I think that would help clear some stuff up. I think you’d also see very quickly it’s high forehead shots. His face is not all [messed] up. You can very clearly see his bridge of his nose, whole face, mouth, mouth structure. Easily identifiable. The idea that there were extra shots or any of this that his face was distorted. Release the photos. High forehead shots,” Bissonnette said.

The former member of Red Squadron also revisited another hotly debated question surrounding the raid: exactly what happened when the lead operator reached the third floor of the compound and confronted bin Laden.

According to Bissonnette’s recollection, the point man—whose identity has never been publicly disclosed and is commonly referred to as “Red”—fired at bin Laden after seeing him appear in a doorway. Bissonnette said the operator then did what every SEAL is trained to do: advance toward the threat he had just engaged rather than abandon it.

Explaining why he rejects alternate versions of the story, Bissonnette told Stumpf:

“The shot that the pointman took, what SEAL out there is not going to follow his shots? Tactically, that is what we’re taught. Your threat matrix, what is your biggest threat out there? Unknown male…Everybody knew bin Laden most likely lived on the third floor. [The pointman] had just eliminated Khalid [bin Laden] on the second in the landing with a gun. You have to assume, right, the guy in the third floor is armed, right? So, he takes a shot. Enough within the rules of engagement to shoot that head, and he decides to stay in the hallway? He decides to come off the known threat that he just shot at and chase women and kids? What team guy is doing that? Why? Where? And then where are the women and kids? I’ve heard 38 different version from other people of where the women were. The women were in the room, right? That’s where the chick [Amal bin Laden] was wounded in the leg. Women were in the room. Not out of the room…You can pull up the sketches and layout of the third floor. Right up the set of stairs, open door on the right. Shots go, right? Point man follows his shots to the doorway. He doesn’t say in the hallway. He doesn’t come off of where he just shot at an adult male head in bin Laden’s compound in the third floor. Who is all of a sudden going to be like, ‘Okay, shoot. Okay, I’m going to go check this way.’ There’s nobody that does that. There’s not a team guy out there that does that. You follow your shots, and that’s exactly what he did. He entered the room.”

Bissonnette also spoke about the tactics employed throughout the operation, describing an approach that differed sharply from the fast-paced action sequences often portrayed in movies.

Rather than racing recklessly through the compound, he said the SEALs advanced deliberately while remaining alert for the possibility of suicide bombers, explosives, or other hidden dangers.

“The only sense of urgency was, okay, do they have [suicide vests]? Is the house rigged to blow? And are they prepping something? That’s still not dictating our tactics to just sprint upstairs. So, it was slow and methodical,” the former SEAL explained.

The interview comes as Bissonnette prepares to release his new book, No Easy Way, in which he further recounts his experiences in special operations and offers additional insight into the mission that ended the decade-long manhunt for the world’s most wanted terrorist.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump has thrown his support behind an unexpected candidate to temporarily fill the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham, urging South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster to appoint the late senator’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, to serve until a special election is held.

In a post Monday on Truth Social, Trump said he had personally recommended Graham’s sister for the appointment, calling it a fitting way to honor the longtime senator.

“I recommended, to Governor Henry McMaster, Lindsey Graham’s wonderful sister, Darline, to serve as interim Senator from the Great State of South Carolina,” Trump wrote. “This would be a fabulous tribute to Lindsey, who loved her dearly!”

The recommendation carries added emotional weight because of the close relationship the siblings shared. After the deaths of their parents, Lindsey Graham legally adopted his younger sister and helped raise her.

Trump’s endorsement comes as South Carolina Republicans work behind the scenes to select an interim senator while also preparing for a special election to determine who will serve out the remainder of Graham’s term.

Gov. McMaster is expected to announce his appointment at 4 p.m. Monday but has so far declined to reveal his choice. His office has not publicly commented on the candidates under consideration.

Sen. Tim Scott, South Carolina’s senior senator, also voiced support for appointing Graham’s sister to the vacant seat.

“Lindsey Graham’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, would be a fantastic pick to serve out the remainder of the Senate term,” Scott wrote on X. “After speaking with Darline, there is no one better who understands Lindsey’s love for family, our state, and our country.”

Earlier in the day, Scott had mentioned former Rep. Trey Gowdy and former Sen. Jim DeMint as possible interim appointees, emphasizing that he favored selecting someone who would simply hold the seat until voters could make the final decision in the upcoming election.

“I think in the next several hours or next day or so we’ll figure out who that person is,” Scott said. “I love Trey Gowdy and Jim DeMint has been in the conversation.”

He added, “[Graham’s] sister would be a wonderful placeholder as well. So we’ve got lots of candidates who could hold the place so that the voters decide. And remember the election starts August the 11th in South Carolina, three weeks from now, we’ll have a primary process.”

Both Gowdy and DeMint have previously served in Congress—Gowdy as a member of the House of Representatives and DeMint as a U.S. senator before Scott succeeded him. Darline Graham Nordone, by contrast, has never held elected office.

According to multiple sources familiar with the discussions, Scott, who serves as chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, has been encouraging Gov. McMaster to appoint someone who would act solely as a caretaker and would not seek a full six-year Senate term.

While the contest to become the temporary senator appears to be nearing its conclusion, the Republican race for the seat itself remains unsettled. Reps. Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman have both signaled interest in entering the special election, which is scheduled to begin with a primary on August 11. Rep. Joe Wilson has already announced that he intends to remain in the House, while the rest of South Carolina’s Republican congressional delegation has yet to disclose its plans.

{Matzav.com}

A federal judge on Monday sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over the disclosure of his tax returns, ruling that the case was brought for an improper reason, referring one of Trump’s attorneys for possible disciplinary action, and portraying the $10 billion lawsuit as an effort that improperly advanced the president’s own interests.

In a strongly worded opinion, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams concluded that Trump improperly used the judicial system by suing a federal agency that ultimately answered to his own administration. According to the ruling, the lawsuit sidestepped the basic legal requirement that opposing parties have genuinely adverse interests, ultimately leading to a proposed settlement last spring that would have shielded Trump from future tax audits while establishing a compensation fund for allies who claimed they had been unfairly targeted.

Although the practical consequences of the ruling may be limited because the administration has already announced that the proposed $1.776 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund is no longer being pursued, the decision nonetheless delivers a forceful rebuke of the Trump administration. It also revives scrutiny surrounding Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche just days before his scheduled Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing on Wednesday.

Explaining her decision, Williams wrote, “The nature of the suit itself and the conduct of the Parties and counsel from its filing make plain that this was an attempt to use the Court to provide some legitimacy to an agreement to confer immunity to people and entities affiliated with the President and to earmark billions of dollars from American taxpayers to redress grievances not defined in the law.”

She further stated, “The President may be the functional “dominus litus” of the Executive Branch, but as a party to a civil suit, he, as well as all the parties and lawyers before a court, are bound by the rules. Ensuring that our courts are used only for the express purpose created by the Constitution is the obligation of every judge and an obligation that this Court must discharge in light of the matter before it.”

Williams also pointed to testimony Blanche gave before Congress in early June, during which he disclosed that the proposed anti-weaponization fund was no longer moving forward following significant bipartisan criticism. Although no formal filing reflecting that change had been submitted to the court, the judge noted that Blanche nevertheless testified as though he possessed the authority to speak on behalf of both sides in the litigation.

Addressing that issue directly, Williams wrote, “Acting Attorney General Blanche’s apparent capacity to speak for both Plaintiffs and Defendants, sign a ‘settlement’ document on behalf of all Parties to this action, and then repudiate part of that agreement, demonstrates that there was only one party whose interests were being represented throughout this case.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said Monday that the late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s only real misstep during their long friendship came in the immediate aftermath of the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, recalling that the South Carolina Republican quickly regretted publicly breaking with him.

Speaking during a phone interview on “Fox & Friends,” Trump said Graham’s criticism following the Capitol attack was an isolated incident in an otherwise strong relationship.

“He had one bad moment, and that was on the Jan. 6 thing when he stood up [and said], ‘All right, now I’ve had it. That’s it. I can’t do it anymore,’” Trump said.

According to the president, Graham reached out shortly afterward to express regret over what he had said.

“Then he called me like about 40 minutes later, and he said, ‘Did I really say that? I can’t believe it.’ And he took it back.”

Graham, 71, died suddenly from an apparent aortic dissection related to cardiovascular disease. In the hours following the January 6 riot, he appeared to distance himself from Trump after the violence temporarily halted Congress’ certification of Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory.

Addressing the Senate after order had been restored, Graham said, “Trump and I, we’ve had a hell of a journey. I hate it to end this way. Oh my God, I hate it. From my point of view, he’s been a consequential president,” before adding, “All I can say is count me out. Enough is enough.”

That split proved to be short-lived. By May 2021, Graham had once again become one of Trump’s strongest Republican allies, telling reporters, “Can [Republicans] move forward without President Trump? The answer is no. I’ve determined we can’t grow without him.”

Trump also reflected on the evolution of their relationship, noting that Graham had once been one of his fiercest critics during the 2016 Republican presidential primary.

While campaigning for the GOP nomination, Graham warned that if Republicans chose Trump as their nominee, “we will get destroyed … and we will deserve it.”

Despite those early attacks, Trump said their relationship changed dramatically after Graham ended his presidential campaign.

“Once that ended, he’d left the race, and once that ended, I became really good friends with him,” Trump recalled, adding with a touch of humor that Graham’s post-January 6 comments meant “I give him a 99 instead of a 100.”

{Matzav.com}

A report published by The New York Times alleges that former Mossad director David Barnea secretly cultivated ties with former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, viewing him as a possible successor to Iran’s ruling clerical regime.

According to the report, Barnea and Ahmadinejad held covert meetings in Hungary during 2024, using a climate conference at Ludovika University of Public Service as cover for the undisclosed discussions.

The report states that Ahmadinejad’s own security personnel became suspicious after he reportedly disappeared on at least two occasions during the conference for extended periods. When questioned about his whereabouts, he reportedly told them he had been meeting with university professors.

The New York Times, citing former U.S. officials, reported that Barnea personally traveled to Budapest for the meetings. According to the report, Mossad later informed the CIA that contact with Ahmadinejad had been established. The report further claims that Israeli intelligence helped finance portions of Ahmadinejad’s travel and housing expenses and continued meeting with him outside Iran in the years that followed.

The report also alleges that when the war with Iran began, Israel carried out an operation to extract Ahmadinejad and move him to a secure location inside Iran. According to the report, Ahmadinejad was deeply unsettled by the rescue mission and became disillusioned after learning of what was described as an Israeli plan to return him to power. It says he eventually departed the safe house under circumstances that remain unknown.

The report concludes by claiming that Ahmadinejad is now under house arrest by the intelligence arm of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps after Iranian authorities allegedly uncovered much of his reported contact with Israel.

{Matzav.com}

A newly disclosed handwritten document by slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar reveals that he believed Israel might respond to a massive Hamas assault with a nuclear strike on Gaza—yet he nevertheless pressed ahead with planning the October 7, 2023, massacre.

The document, dated August 2022, was obtained by the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, with portions published Sunday by Israel’s Channel 12. While another Sinwar document surfaced last year, the newly released material contains significant details that had not previously been made public.

According to the report, Sinwar meticulously outlined an ambitious battle plan that envisioned an invasion on a far greater scale than what ultimately took place. His blueprint called for 25 simultaneous breaches of the Israel-Gaza security fence, with each breach carried out by a “well-trained” force of 100 terrorists tasked with seizing 25 key junctions along the border.

The plan also assigned 2,210 terrorists to attack 221 smaller communities throughout southern Israel, while another 1,600 were designated to assault eight larger population centers. Sinwar further allocated 1,200 terrorists to strike Israeli cities and another 2,000 to attack military installations. Altogether, his envisioned invasion force totaled roughly 10,000 terrorists, though he wrote that no individual participant would know the operation’s full scope.

In reality, the October 7 invasion involved far fewer attackers. According to Israel Defense Forces estimates, approximately 5,600 terrorists crossed into Israel that day, including roughly 3,500 Hamas operatives, about 580 members of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and another 1,400 armed Gazans.

Among Sinwar’s written instructions was a chilling directive targeting Israeli civilians. “The goal is to expel the settlers with their vehicles,” he wrote, referring to residents of southern Israel. He instructed that “priority” should be given to children and women, while ordering that “the men aged 17-50 are to be taken hostage” and that “all phones must be taken, along with any additional documents they are carrying on their person.”

Channel 12 reported that the documents demonstrate Sinwar fully understood the enormous risks associated with launching such an attack. According to the report, he acknowledged that there was no guarantee Iran—or its regional terror proxies, including Hezbollah—would join Hamas in the war, despite Hamas’s apparent expectation that they would.

The memo also shows that Sinwar anticipated an overwhelming Israeli response. He wrote that Israel would “not hesitate to use all means and weapons at its disposal” following the massacre, adding, “They may even use an atomic bomb, no less.”

Even so, Sinwar believed Hamas could exploit the initial shock of the assault. “But first, it will be surprised by the attack and enter into chaos,” he wrote, describing the invasion as “a campaign of life or death,” while calling for “a popular operation of returning to the villages and recapturing them symbolically.”

Although Israel is widely believed to possess nuclear weapons, it has never officially acknowledged having such an arsenal and remains outside the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The newly released excerpts follow another Hamas document made public by the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center in October 2025. That earlier document, also written by Sinwar, detailed plans to deliberately create “horrifying images” during the October 7 massacre and broadcast the atrocities live to maximize psychological impact.

President Donald Trump announced Monday that the United States is reinstating its naval blockade of Iran while introducing a new policy requiring cargo passing through the Strait of Hormuz to pay a 20% fee for the protection provided by the U.S. military.

The move follows Iran’s attempt to impose its own tolls on commercial shipping using the strategic waterway, which had operated without transit fees before the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran on February 28.

Announcing the new policy, Trump declared, “The U.S.A. will be, from this point forward, known as ‘THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT,’ but as such, and as a matter of FAIRNESS, will be reimbursed, at the rate of 20% on all cargo shipped, for any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security to this very volatile section of the World.”

He added, “The process and formation will begin immediately.”

The latest developments come after U.S. forces carried out major strikes over the weekend against Iranian military assets in an effort to restore freedom of navigation through the vital oil shipping corridor.

Late Sunday, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that American forces had struck dozens of Iranian targets, including missile launchers, drone capabilities, small naval vessels, coastal radar installations, and air-defense systems.

Earlier in the conflict, the United States had imposed a naval blockade on Iran but lifted it before signing a 14-point Memorandum of Understanding with Tehran in mid-June.

Under that agreement, commercial vessels traveling through the Strait of Hormuz were guaranteed “safe passage” and exempted from transit fees for a 60-day period while American and Iranian negotiators worked toward a broader agreement to end the conflict.

The memorandum stated: “The Islamic Republic of Iran will conduct dialog with the Sultanate of Oman to define the future administration and maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz in discussion with other Persian Gulf or littoral states in line with the applicable international law and the sovereign rights of coastal states of the Strait of Hormuz.”

Despite the temporary agreement, negotiations eventually collapsed after the U.S. lifted its blockade.

Iran subsequently announced that ships “will not be covered by safe passage guarantees and will not benefit from insurance coverage or associated liabilities” unless they traveled through maritime routes specifically authorized by Tehran.

According to the report, Iran had initially hoped to generate as much as $40 billion annually through the toll system in cooperation with Oman, but Omani officials declined to support the proposal.

In recent weeks, U.S. Central Command has coordinated with the International Maritime Organization to escort commercial vessels through the southern shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz, which runs along Oman’s coastline.

Tensions escalated again after Iran reportedly opened fire on commercial vessels, disrupting maritime traffic and derailing the ongoing diplomatic negotiations.

A U.S. official said Friday, “What we’re demanding is that the Iranians issue a public statement that acknowledges all channels of the Strait of Hormuz are open, and they’re not shooting at ships anymore.”

The official added, “They’re either going to give us that statement, or we’re not going to have a good outcome.”

{Matzav.com}

A critical Israeli parliamentary vote on recognizing the violence against Armenians by the Ottoman Empire during World War I as a genocide has been suspended, an Israeli official said.

The move comes at a delicate diplomatic time with the region facing renewed turbulence following the breakdown of a ceasefire with Iran over its persistent attacks in the Gulf. It also follows a NATO summit in Turkey last week at which Ankara pushed U.S. President Donald Trump to acquire American F-35 fighter jets.

The Israeli Cabinet had unanimously approved a proposal last month to classify the violence as genocide amid fast-deteriorating ties with Turkey over Erdogan’s inflammatory language against Israel, and a vote had been planned in the Israeli parliament to give final approval to the move.

The Israeli official told JNS on Sunday that the vote had been suspended.

The Knesset is set to go to summer recess at the end of the week and will be out of session until the Oct. 27 national elections.

A spokesman for Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, who put forward the proposal in the Cabinet last month, did not return calls or messages for comment.

In the past, Israel has refrained from officially labelling the century-old violence as a genocide, but with relations with Turkey in free fall, it went ahead with the move in the Cabinet.

Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu has described the violence against Armenians as a genocide, but until now no formal vote was ever taken on the issue.

Turkey, which has been one of the biggest critics in the world of Israel over the war in Gaza, called the Israeli cabinet move “politically motivated.”

A decision to freeze the parliamentary vote could be seen as part of an international effort to reduce tension between the two countries amid the regional turbulence.

Last month, Azerbaijan condemned the Israeli Cabinet’s recognition and urged the government to reverse the move.

The secular Shi’ite Muslim country has historic ties with both Turkey and Israel and has long worked to serve as an interlocutor between its two allies.

Azerbaijan’s position is both significant and sensitive for Israel as Israel and Bakuhave long forged a strategic relationship rooted in a centuries-long affinity between the two nations which has blossomed into a robust security- and energy-related focus.

Three years ago, Azerbaijan made history by becoming the first Shi’ite Muslim country to open an embassy in Israel, defying threats of violence from Iran, and has maintained its staunch alliance with Israel throughout this time of regional wars. JNS

{Matzav.com}