Mr. Sol Werdiger, CEO of Outerstuff and Chairman of Agudath Israel of America, speaks to Lara Trump on Fox News in honor of the USA’s 250th anniversary.
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Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu on Sunday expressed profound sorrow over the sudden death of U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, hailing him as one of Israel’s strongest allies and describing his passing as a tremendous loss for both Israel and the United States.
In a statement, Netanyahu said he and his wife, Sara, were mourning alongside the American people.
“Sara and I grieve with the American people over the loss of our dear friend, Senator Lindsey Graham,” Netanyahu said.
Recalling their most recent meeting, Netanyahu reflected on the close bond they shared and the senator’s unwavering commitment to Israel.
“In our recent meeting, I said, ‘Lindsey is a great friend of Israel and a cherished friend of mine. We have no better friend than Lindsey.'”
The prime minister praised Graham for recognizing the close strategic partnership between the two nations and for dedicating his public life to strengthening that alliance.
“Lindsey understood that the security of Israel and America are inseparable. He devoted his life to defending America, strengthening our alliance and standing up for the free world.”
Netanyahu concluded by emphasizing the magnitude of the loss on both a national and personal level.
“Israel has lost one of its greatest friends. America has lost a great patriot. I have lost a beloved friend.”
Offering condolences to Graham’s loved ones and to the American people, Netanyahu added, “Our hearts are with Lindsey’s family and with the American people at this difficult time. May his values and initiatives continue to guide us toward victory and peace, and may his memory forever be a blessing. “
{Matzav.com}
Israeli President Isaac Herzog paid tribute Sunday to the late U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, remembering him as one of Israel’s most loyal allies and a lifelong friend whose unwavering support for the Jewish state never faltered.
In a video message delivered from the President’s Residence in Yerushalayim, Herzog expressed deep sorrow over Graham’s sudden passing.
“I was deeply shocked and heartbroken to learn of the sudden passing of a great American patriot, a true friend of Israel, and a dear friend of mine, US Senator Lindsey Graham,” Herzog said.
Herzog praised the longtime South Carolina senator as “a beacon of moral clarity” who brought “an exceptional sense of justice, truth, and loyalty to his decades of public service.”
Reflecting on Graham’s role in international affairs, Herzog said the senator stood out as “a maverick in world affairs, and one of Israel’s greatest friends and allies in the United States of America, who maintained his steadfast and unwavering support for the people of Israel, especially at our most difficult and painful moments.”
The president said Graham possessed a deep appreciation for the unique relationship between the United States and Israel, noting that he understood “the profound importance of the US-Israel partnership” and “tirelessly advocated for our shared values and shared interests.”
Herzog also spoke of his personal relationship with Graham, emphasizing the senator’s lasting impact on both Israel and those who knew him.
“The people of Israel will always remember, and always cherish, his exceptional friendship,” Herzog continued. “On a personal note, Lindsey was a dear friend, whom I met with many times, and I will miss him dearly.”
Concluding his remarks, Herzog extended condolences on behalf of the State of Israel to Graham’s loved ones.
“On behalf of the State of Israel, I send my deepest condolences to Senator Graham’s family and friends at this devastating moment. May he rest in peace, and may his memory be a blessing.”
{Matzav.com}
A Beis Din in Beit Shemesh has issued a unique compromise ruling to resolve a prolonged dispute between residents of an eight-story apartment building over the operation of a Shabbos elevator, balancing the needs of elderly and upper-floor residents with concerns about preserving the building’s Shabbos atmosphere.
The ruling follows lengthy deliberations over a dispute that erupted in a residential building in the city’s Ramat Beit Shemesh Daled neighborhood, highlighting an issue that has become increasingly common as high-rise construction expands within the chareidi community.
According to sources, the building was originally equipped by the developer with a Shabbos elevator control system, which was included as part of the apartments’ specifications when the units were sold. However, after residents moved in, disagreements emerged over whether the system should actually be operated on Shabbos and Yom Tov.
Residents supporting the elevator’s operation argued that the feature was purchased as part of their homes and that they were entitled to use it. They noted that an elderly resident living on the seventh floor, as well as a family residing on the top floor, face significant hardship without a functioning Shabbos elevator, at times making it difficult even to attend tefillos on Shabbos.
Opponents countered that operating a Shabbos elevator would undermine the atmosphere and sanctity of Shabbos within the building. They also argued that it could negatively affect the chinuch of children and alter the building’s unique character, which is home primarily to bnei Torah families.
Both sides ultimately agreed to submit the matter to a Beis Din composed of Rav Naftali Tzvi Hirsch Rotenberg, one of Beit Shemesh’s rabbanim, together with Rav Yitzchak Lezenovsky, a dayan at the Nesivos Chaim Beis Din in Yerushalayim and the Ashkenazi Beis Din in Beitar Illit.
During the proceedings, the dayanim heard extensive arguments from both sides. In their written ruling, they discussed at length the sanctity of Shabbos, the unique religious character of Beit Shemesh, and the sensitivity within the chareidi community regarding the operation of electrical systems on Shabbos. At the same time, they also took into account the residents’ property rights and the fact that the Shabbos elevator system had been installed by the developer as part of the original building plans.
Rather than adopting either side’s position in full, the Beis Din fashioned a detailed compromise. Under the ruling, the Shabbos elevator will operate only during designated hours, its operation will be limited in scope, and additional measures will be implemented to minimize any perceived impact on the building’s Shabbos atmosphere while still accommodating residents who require its use.
{Matzav.com}
Four Israeli settlers were arrested on Shabbos morning on suspicion of involvement in an incident with a foreign television news crew near the Arab village of Sinjil in the Binyamin region, after reports that the journalists’ vehicle was blocked and damaged.
According to Israel Police, several foreign journalists were traveling near Sinjil when a group of suspects allegedly blocked their vehicle and caused damage to it. Following the report, IDF troops from the Shomron Brigade were dispatched to the scene, secured the area, enabled the journalists to continue on their way, and detained four individuals suspected of involvement in the incident.
Officers from the Binyamin Police Station later arrived at the scene, arrested the suspects, took statements from members of the media crew, and located the suspects’ vehicle, which was seized as part of the investigation.
During a search of the vehicle, police said they recovered several clubs and a knife. The four suspects were taken to the Binyamin Police Station for questioning, and the investigation remains ongoing.
According to a report by military correspondent Doron Kadosh, the journalists involved were members of a CNN news crew. One member of the team was reportedly involved in a previous incident with an IDF reserve unit in the Arab village of Tayasir. The report added that the suspects allegedly blocked the crew’s vehicle and punctured one of its tires.
Police and the IDF said they view acts of violence and property damage with great seriousness, particularly when directed at journalists carrying out their work. Authorities emphasized, however, that the investigation is still in its early stages and that the allegations against the suspects have not yet been proven.
{Matzav.com}
A new public opinion poll released over the weekend indicates that a majority of Israelis would prefer the next government be formed without the participation of the chareidi parties. The survey also found that former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot is viewed as the country’s most credible political leader, while Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu received significantly lower marks for trustworthiness.
The survey, conducted by Mano Geva in cooperation with the Midgam Institute and iPanel for Channel 12 News, measured public perceptions of Israel’s leading political figures as well as voter preferences regarding the composition of the next governing coalition.
According to the findings, 54% of respondents rated Eisenkot’s credibility as good overall, while only 29% gave him a negative rating. The results place the former IDF chief at the top of the political field in terms of perceived reliability, a potentially significant advantage as Israel moves closer to elections.
Netanyahu, by contrast, received considerably weaker ratings. Sixty percent of those surveyed said the prime minister’s credibility is poor, while only 38% gave him a positive rating. The findings reflect continuing public skepticism amid Israel’s prolonged political and legal battles.
Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett also received mixed reviews. Fifty-three percent of respondents rated his credibility negatively, compared to 41% who viewed him favorably. The poll comes as Bennett recently attended the prestigious Allen & Company conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, while his political party, Beyachad, continues to decline in public opinion surveys.
The survey also examined potential coalition scenarios following the next election.
A majority of respondents—53%—said they oppose the formation of a government that depends on the support or outside backing of the Ra’am party, led by Mansour Abbas. Only 31% expressed support for such an arrangement, suggesting continued public resistance to relying on the Arab party in a governing coalition.
Perhaps the most striking finding concerned the role of the chareidi parties. According to the poll, 61% of Israelis said they would prefer that the next government not include chareidi parties, while only 27% favored including them in the governing coalition.
The results reflect heightened public tensions surrounding the chareidi parties in the wake of ongoing disputes over military conscription, government funding, and legislation affecting the chareidi community.
{Matzav.com}Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is pushing a dramatic overhaul of Likud’s candidate selection process ahead of the next election, seeking to secure broad authority to shape the party’s Knesset list through reserved slots and a selection committee—a move that has triggered growing resistance from incumbent lawmakers who fear for their political futures.
The Likud Constitution Committee, headed by Minister Chaim Katz, is scheduled to convene Sunday evening to make a final decision on how the party’s Knesset slate will be chosen and to approve the rules governing the upcoming primaries.
Netanyahu has already canceled his participation in the committee’s meetings three separate times, reportedly to postpone the sensitive discussions while the Knesset remained in session. According to party insiders, the delays were intended to prevent internal tensions from spilling over into coalition politics during the legislature’s final week before the election campaign.
If approved by the committee, the proposal will move to the Likud Convention, where approximately 5,000 delegates will cast secret ballots at 15 polling stations across the country to decide whether to adopt the changes. The vote comes despite an unusual warning from the party’s internal comptroller, attorney Shay Galili, who cautioned that canceling or significantly limiting the primary system could expose the party to serious legal challenges.
Two competing proposals are currently under discussion, both of which would significantly strengthen Netanyahu’s control over the composition of the party’s list.
Under Netanyahu’s preferred plan, the prime minister would receive the authority to reserve between 10 and 11 personal slots on the list, including four positions within the top ten. The goal, according to sources, is to reshape the parliamentary faction by replacing some current lawmakers with candidates viewed as stronger public representatives and closer to Netanyahu.
A second proposal, backed by several cabinet ministers, would establish a hybrid system. Under that model, a special selection committee would determine the placement of approximately 20 incumbent ministers and MKs, while primaries would be held only for district representatives. The practical effect would be that the first 30 positions on the Likud list would largely be determined in advance.
To ease opposition within the party, officials are also considering placing representatives from three districts—the Negev, Shfelah, and Dan/Tel Aviv regions—within the top 30 positions. Another proposal would amend party rules to allow incumbent MKs to compete in district slots that are currently reserved exclusively for new candidates.
Although both plans would benefit Netanyahu politically, they have alarmed many sitting Likud lawmakers. Unlike a traditional primary, in which incumbents compete for numerous realistic positions, both proposals would sharply reduce the number of available spots. Those not selected through Netanyahu’s reserved appointments or by the proposed committee would be forced to compete for the limited district positions.
According to party sources, Netanyahu’s broader objective is to substantially reshape the Likud faction by replacing several current ministers and MKs in an effort to improve the party’s public image and present a refreshed slate to voters.
Against the backdrop of concerns over the next election, Netanyahu is reportedly seeking to replace outspoken figures such as Tally Gotliv, Dudi Amsalem, Idit Silman, May Golan, and Shlomo Karhi with candidates viewed as more broadly representative.
At the same time, he hopes to bring prominent new figures into the party’s top ranks, including Local Government Center chairman Chaim Bibas. Another name reportedly being considered for a reserved slot is Tally Guaily, the mother of fallen hostage Ran Guaily, z”l.
One senior party source described the emerging structure by saying, “There is a display window, there is a store, and there is a warehouse.”
Creating a selection committee would also provide Netanyahu with a political advantage by allowing the committee—not the prime minister personally—to make many of the controversial decisions regarding candidate placement. If the proposal is adopted, Kiryat Motzkin Mayor Tzvika Brot is expected to chair the committee, alongside several influential Likud mayors, including Chaim Bibas, Ronen Plot, Beni Biton, Yaakov Peretz, and Shay Hajaj.
Among those posing the greatest challenge to Netanyahu’s plans is MK Tally Gotliv, whose popularity among the party’s grassroots members has made efforts to sideline her particularly difficult.
“If I weren’t here, you wouldn’t be in the Knesset,” Gotliv declared. “Everyone would vote for Ben Gvir.”
Although efforts to push her aside continue, senior party officials acknowledge that her strong support among Likud activists could make such a move difficult.
Gotliv has also escalated her opposition by warning that she may not seek reelection on the Likud ticket if the party abandons traditional primaries.
“If there are no primaries, I’ll consider not running with Likud,” Gotliv told Walla. “Likud is a party of voters. It’s a democratic party. The smart, right-wing voters are the ones who decide. The fact that some people are afraid of receiving a low ranking in the primaries is not a reason to cancel the primaries.”
Pressure inside the party continues to mount. Roughly 60 candidates—including 43 sitting ministers and MKs—are expected to compete for only about 20 realistic positions on the next Likud slate.
In an effort to ease concerns among incumbents, Netanyahu has reportedly promised an expanded version of the so-called Norwegian Law, under which ministers resign their Knesset seats, allowing additional Likud candidates lower on the list to enter parliament. However, that proposal would only take effect if Likud succeeds in forming the next government.
Meanwhile, political maneuvering is also intensifying across the broader political landscape. Coalition and opposition parties remain deadlocked over election procedures, including disputes over relocating polling stations away from nursing homes.
In the opposition, MK Chili Tropper is expected to join Gadi Eisenkot’s emerging political list, although Eisenkot has indicated he intends to accept only a limited number of candidates. Benny Gantz’s camp, meanwhile, continues to face uncertainty, with associates reportedly saying they are “selling an option, not a party,” as current polls show the faction failing to clear the electoral threshold.
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Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of the Republican Party’s most influential voices on national security and one of Israel’s staunchest allies in Congress, died tonight after a brief illness, his office announced. He was 71.
According to a statement released by his office, Graham passed away on Motzoei Shabbos “from a brief and sudden illness.”
“Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period,” the statement continued.
A Republican from South Carolina, Graham had served in the U.S. Senate since 2003 after four terms in the House of Representatives. Before entering Congress, he served in the U.S. Air Force and later in the Air Force Reserve, while also practicing law and serving in the South Carolina legislature.
Over more than two decades in the Senate, he became one of the chamber’s most recognizable figures, chairing several major committees, including the Senate Judiciary Committee and, most recently, the Senate Budget Committee.
Graham was in the midst of campaigning for a fifth six-year Senate term and had recently secured the Republican nomination for reelection.
Throughout his career, Graham emerged as one of Congress’ strongest defenders of Israel. He was a frequent visitor to the Jewish state, consistently advocated for robust American military assistance, backed sanctions against Iran, and repeatedly argued that Israel had both the right and obligation to defend itself against Hamas, Hezbollah, and other terrorist organizations.
Following the October 7 massacre, Graham became one of Israel’s most outspoken supporters on Capitol Hill, urging decisive military action against Hamas and pressing the Biden administration—and later the Trump administration—to maintain unwavering support for Israel’s security.
Although he was at times a vocal critic of President Donald Trump during the 2016 Republican presidential primary, Graham later became one of Trump’s closest political allies in the Senate. The two developed a strong working relationship, particularly on judicial appointments, immigration, foreign policy, and defense issues.
Emergency responders were dispatched to Graham’s Capitol Hill residence tonight after receiving a report of a person in cardiac arrest, according to police scanner audio obtained by NBC News. Photographs reviewed by NBC News showed paramedics removing an individual from the home on a stretcher before transporting the person by ambulance. Police and fire department vehicles also responded to the scene.
Just one day before his death, Graham had returned from Kyiv, where he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as part of his continued involvement in U.S. foreign policy and support for Ukraine.
{Matzav.com}A large-scale search operation is underway in Beit Shemesh after a local resident disappeared on Shabbos morning, prompting growing concern among family members and emergency responders.
ZAKA’s emergency hotline received a report shortly before midnight on Motzoei Shabbos that the man, a resident of Beit Shemesh, had last been seen on Shabbos morning in the Ramat Beit Shemesh D neighborhood and had not returned.
Immediately after receiving the report, ZAKA’s Missing Persons Unit in Beit Shemesh established a field command center to coordinate an extensive search effort throughout the area.
Searches are being conducted in close cooperation with emergency services and security agencies, with volunteers working to locate the missing man as quickly and safely as possible. Members of ZAKA’s Missing Persons Unit are combing the area using advanced technological equipment while gathering and analyzing information from every available source.
Avremi Kapp, commander of ZAKA Beit Shemesh, said, “Immediately upon receiving the report, we established a command center in the field and began directing the search operation from there. Volunteers from ZAKA’s Missing Persons Unit are searching the area, gathering information, and utilizing every resource at their disposal to locate the missing individual as quickly as possible. We hope to share good news soon.”
Authorities have not yet released additional details regarding the circumstances surrounding the disappearance as search efforts continue.
{Matzav.com}
A dispute over a café that recently began operating on Shabbos escalated into violent confrontations in Yerushalayim on Shabbos, as protesters blocked roads, police intervened to restore order, and a minor was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer.
The latest unrest highlights the growing tensions between the city’s chareidi and secular communities over the public character of Shabbos.
The controversy centers on Café “Basimta,” located in a neighborhood with both chareidi and secular residents. After the café began opening on Shabbos several weeks ago, local chareidi residents launched protests, arguing that the move constitutes a public desecration of Shabbos. The dispute has since evolved into a broader political and ideological battle over the city’s identity.
The demonstrations first began about a month ago, when area residents discovered that the café was operating on Shabbos. Videos of the protests quickly spread on social media, along with the café’s exact location, drawing increasing attention and prompting repeated police deployments to prevent physical confrontations.
On Shabbos, Yerushalayim City Council member Tzachi Brim joined the protest together with a number of young demonstrators.
According to Yerushalayim District Police, protesters placed objects in the roadway, blocked traffic, and endangered public safety by refusing to clear the streets.
Police officers on the scene ordered the demonstrators to disperse and reopen the roads. When they refused, Border Police officers and members of the Lev Habirah police station moved in to clear the area and restore traffic.
The confrontation intensified during the evacuation of the protesters when, according to police, one of the demonstrators—a minor—allegedly assaulted a police officer. He was arrested at the scene and taken in for questioning.
Police emphasized that while they are committed to protecting the right to lawful protest and freedom of expression, they will continue taking firm action against anyone who disrupts public order or assaults officers carrying out their duties.
The dispute has also moved beyond the streets into City Hall, where chareidi and secular council members have taken opposing positions. Chareidi representatives are exploring legal and regulatory avenues to shut down the café and preserve the city’s Shabbos character, while secular officials argue that the business is exercising its legal right to operate and that residents are entitled to freedom of choice.
The controversy comes amid broader tensions in Yerushalayim over Shabbos observance. Last week, sharply worded posters appeared throughout the city criticizing the chareidi parties for supporting Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi’s media reform plan, linking the issue to the broader struggle over the city’s public character.
Tensions reached another peak this past Shabbos, when long lines of customers formed outside the café. Many patrons said they were intentionally visiting the establishment as a statement in support of personal freedom, while chareidi demonstrators gathered nearby to protest the public desecration of Shabbos.
Police deployed large forces to separate the two groups, preventing protesters from reaching the entrance to the café. Although shouting matches broke out and emotions ran high, authorities succeeded in preventing major physical clashes.
The unrest follows other recent Shabbos-related demonstrations in Yerushalayim, including protests near Bar-Ilan Street over light rail construction work that led to confrontations between demonstrators and police.
Meanwhile, chareidi city council members continue examining legal options to close the café, while secular activists are organizing efforts to defend its right to remain open. Police say they will maintain an increased presence in the coming weeks in an effort to prevent further violence.
{Matzav.com}
A heated debate over Israel’s draft law, the arrests of bnei Torah, and the proposed Basic Law: Torah Study erupted on the “Black Kippahs” program, with lawmakers, journalists, and legal experts clashing over the future of military service and the changing demographics of Israeli society.
Likud MK Osher Shekalim launched a blistering attack on Israel’s judicial system and the opposition, arguing that the recent arrests of draft evaders have only discouraged enlistment.
“The moment these arrests began, all motivation to enlist disappeared,” Shekalim said. “This is purely political. The attorney general is a full-fledged political player who identified a weak point and is trying to create chaos in order to bring down the government. The Left has no interest whatsoever in drafting chareidim. MK Shiri is simply lying and misleading the public.”
Attorney Hadad, who represents draft evaders, echoed that criticism and argued that the military itself has failed to live up to its commitments.
“The army isn’t really interested in chareidim and does not keep its promises,” he said. “The only real solution is to establish a professional army.”
During the discussion, journalist Israel Izikovich presented demographic data showing that, over the past three years, the majority of Jewish children entering first grade have come from the religious and chareidi sectors. He argued that within less than a decade, they will constitute the majority of Israel’s military-age population.
“We’re entering a new era,” Izikovich said. “You are becoming the minority, while we are becoming the majority. The army will have no choice but to change and adapt itself to us.”
His remarks drew a sharp response from MK Naor Shiri of Yesh Atid, who dismissed the argument and criticized the coalition’s approach.
“This is complete fantasy,” Shiri said. “As if, before these arrests, thousands of chareidim were lining up outside the induction center just waiting for someone to let them in. Why should we serve if you don’t?”
Shiri concluded with a stark warning about Israel’s future if current trends continue.
“Sorry for the lack of optimism, but the country you’re describing simply has no future in 20 years,” he said. “There won’t be an army, there won’t be an economy, and the country will once again fall apart. The Jewish people have already experienced destruction twice in history—so good luck with the third one.”
{Matzav.com}A federal appeals court has temporarily halted the release of roughly 70 hours of audio recordings from President Joe Biden’s interviews with his ghostwriter, granting him a brief reprieve while the court considers his emergency request to keep the tapes from becoming public.
On Friday, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit — Chief Judge Sri Srinivasan along with Judges Gregory Katsas and Florence Pan — issued an administrative injunction preventing the Department of Justice from turning over the recordings to the Heritage Foundation and Mike Howell, the former director of its Oversight Project, until 11:59 p.m. on July 20.
The judges made clear that the temporary order is intended solely to maintain the current situation while they consider Biden’s request for a longer-lasting injunction during the appeals process. According to CBS News, the unsigned order emphasized that it “should not be construed in any way as a ruling on the merits.”
The appellate court’s action temporarily suspends a June decision by U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich, who ruled against Biden’s attempt to keep the recordings confidential under the Freedom of Information Act.
In her ruling, Friedrich weighed FOIA’s presumption in favor of public disclosure against Biden’s privacy claims and determined that, after redactions made by the Justice Department, the recordings “contain no information about Biden’s family or other private persons.” She ultimately concluded that the public’s interest in the material outweighed what she described as Biden’s reduced expectation of privacy.
The recordings stem from interviews Biden conducted in 2016 and 2017 with ghostwriter Mark Zwonitzer while preparing his memoir, Promise Me, Dad.
Federal investigators later obtained the audio as part of former Special Counsel Robert Hur’s probe into Biden’s handling of classified documents after leaving the vice presidency.
Hur’s report, released in February 2024, concluded that Biden had willfully retained and disclosed classified information, including by reading portions aloud to Zwonitzer. However, Hur declined to recommend criminal charges, writing that a jury would likely view Biden as “a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”
The Heritage Foundation requested access to the recordings through a Freedom of Information Act request filed in 2024.
Although the Biden Justice Department denied that request, the Trump administration reversed that position earlier this year, prompting Biden to intervene in court and file suit, arguing that the recordings captured private conversations conducted inside his home.
“We are monitoring the situation and, as always, will do whatever is in the best interest of getting these tapes out to the American people as fast as possible,” Howell told the Washington Examiner.
The D.C. Circuit is expected to decide before July 20 whether Biden should receive a longer injunction while his appeal continues. Until then, the temporary order blocking the release of the recordings remains in place.
{Matzav.com}
Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner officially ended his campaign Friday, submitting a withdrawal letter to state election officials that concluded with an expletive as he exited the race amid mounting political and personal turmoil.
Platner later posted an image of the letter on X. While announcing his withdrawal, he did not indicate whom he believes should replace him as the Democratic nominee to challenge Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November.
In the letter, Platner pointed to the 156,084 votes he received in last month’s Democratic primary, arguing that his victory by more than 70 percentage points demonstrated one thing: “People are desperate for change.”
“Mainers voted for a new kind of politics,” the letter read. “One that is representative of people down here in the real world — not billionaires, oligarchs or the political establishment.”
He went on to declare, “Mainers voted for Medicare for All; to ban billionaires from buying elections; and for an end to taxpayer-funded genocide and forever wars.”
The letter ended with the message: “[Curse] ICE. Free Palestine. Up the Hearts.”
Had Platner stayed in the race beyond the July 13 deadline, he would have automatically remained the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate. His withdrawal now gives Maine Democratic leaders until July 27 to convene a nominating convention to select a replacement candidate.
Maine’s Secretary of State’s Office confirmed that “a formal notice has been received” from Platner notifying officials that he has officially withdrawn from the contest.
Several Democrats are already being mentioned as possible replacements on the November ballot, including former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson, former public health official Nirav Shah, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, Maine Beer Co. co-founder Dan Kleban, former Capitol Hill staffer Jordan Wood, and social worker Paige Loud.
Before formally withdrawing, Platner released a video Wednesday in which he alleged that “large forces,” “corporate media” and the “political establishment” had worked together to derail his campaign.
“This was the last week to try to get me off of the ballot. And that’s why this is occurring,” Platner said, while urging Democrats to hold what he described as an “open, transparent and democratic” nominating process.
The upcoming nominating convention is expected to include approximately 600 delegates, including 100 members of the state Democratic committee and roughly 500 delegates selected proportionally by county committees.
Platner also argued that “people in DC need to stay in DC.”
{Matzav.com}Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman says he plans to invoke a little-known provision of the New York State Constitution in an effort to block New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s proposed $70 million taxpayer-funded network of city-owned grocery stores.
Blakeman argues that the proposal runs afoul of the Constitution’s “Gift and Loan Clause,” which bars municipalities from providing public funds or property to private entities.
“This unconstitutional subsidy poses a direct threat to long-standing, tax-paying businesses, risking widespread closures and job losses within the community,” Blakeman told The New York Post.
The constitutional provision, enacted roughly 150 years ago, was originally designed to prevent local governments from funneling taxpayer money to private railroad companies and other favored businesses or individuals. It also requires that public money be spent only for a legitimate public purpose or benefit.
According to Blakeman, Mamdani’s proposal to establish one city-owned supermarket in each of New York City’s five boroughs — with the stores operated by selected private companies — violates that constitutional restriction because taxpayer dollars would be used to subsidize prices, giving the government-backed stores an unfair advantage over private competitors.
“Local independent supermarkets and bodegas, which operate on razor-thin margins, cannot compete with a government-backed entity that faces zero overhead costs,” said Blakeman, who trails Gov. Kathy Hochul by six percentage points in the latest gubernatorial polling.
Although Hochul has endorsed Mamdani’s mayoral bid, she has previously expressed skepticism about the concept. Speaking to business leaders during an August 2025 breakfast in the Hamptons, she remarked, “I favor free enterprise.” She has not publicly addressed the proposal since then.
Any attempt to stop the plan is likely to end up in court, where judges would have to determine whether the proposal satisfies the Constitution’s public-benefit requirement.
Supporters of the plan are expected to argue that lowering grocery prices for city residents constitutes a valid public purpose. Blakeman, however, contends that government-operated supermarkets would ultimately eliminate competition, cost private-sector jobs, and reduce consumer choice.
James M. McGuire, a former New York appellate judge and chief counsel to former Gov. George Pataki, said Blakeman “may have a difficult time” prevailing because of existing “precedents” established by the New York Court of Appeals.
Gristedes CEO John Catsimatidis said he was unfamiliar with the Gift and Loan Clause but expressed hope that “common sense prevails” and that Mamdani’s grocery store proposal is ultimately abandoned, regardless of the outcome of the gubernatorial race.
The billionaire businessman and WABC radio owner suggested that if Mamdani genuinely wants to reduce grocery prices, the city should instead subsidize retailers purchasing staple goods such as milk, eggs, and bread in bulk, provided those savings are passed directly on to consumers.
Blakeman sharply criticized the proposal, calling it “an incredibly expensive socialist pipe dream that forces local mom-and-pop shops — who already pay astronomical state taxes — to compete against a government monopoly subsidized by those very same tax dollars.”
“We are literally forcing neighborhood grocers to fund their own demise,” he continued. “New York runs on fiscal responsibility, free enterprise, and the grit of local entrepreneurs — not bottomless government spending on Soviet-style supermarkets.”
{Matzav.com}
Vice President JD Vance said he is convinced that accused murderer Tyler Robinson killed conservative activist Charlie Kirk, but believes it remains possible that others played a role in encouraging or influencing the attack.
Speaking Saturday in an interview with The Daily Wire’s Mary Margaret Olohan, Vance said he continues to question whether Robinson acted entirely on his own.
“I’m always going to wonder,” Vance said. “I’m always going to wonder what was said and how many contacts [Robinson] had beforehand. By the way, it doesn’t mean that [Robinson’s] any less guilty. But do I wonder if there are other people who are more directly involved in Charlie’s murder? Absolutely, because I don’t think that it’s possible for a young man to get radicalized like that without somebody encouraging him, whether informally or formally.”
While emphasizing that Robinson bears primary responsibility for the killing, Vance suggested others may share moral responsibility.
“I think there are a lot of people with blood on their hands in the case of Charlie Kirk, but of course, the person most directly who has blood on their hands is Tyler Robinson.”
Vance’s comments followed his assertion that “the evidence is clear” Robinson murdered Kirk during a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University in September.
The interview came just days after Robinson appeared in a Utah courtroom for a preliminary hearing in the criminal case against him. The New York Times described the proceeding as “like a reduced trial, with testimony and exhibits presented to a judge.”
Vance is not alone in concluding that the evidence presented during the hearing strongly points to Robinson’s guilt.
Donald Trump Jr., who attended two days of the proceedings at the courthouse in Provo, Utah, told Fox News that the case against Robinson was “damning.”
Among the evidence presented was surveillance footage showing Robinson driving approximately 4½ hours from his home to Utah Valley University and interacting with Turning Point USA staff before the event where Kirk was fatally shot.
Trump Jr. also pointed to video showing Robinson appearing to develop what he described as a “magically” acquired limp before climbing onto a rooftop that he called a “perfect” vantage point from which to shoot Kirk. He said the unusual gait led both prosecutors and himself to believe Robinson was concealing a firearm in his pants.
“The shot happens and within seconds, and he’s seen jumping off the building and running into the nearby woods,” Trump Jr. continued.
He added sarcastically that the combination of Robinson later surrendering to authorities, together with the video footage and physical evidence, amounted to “minor details” that nevertheless made his guilt unmistakable.
Later in the week, prosecutors also introduced text messages they allege show Robinson confessing to the killing.
If convicted, Robinson could face the death penalty.
{Matzav.com}
Americans have become markedly less favorable toward both the Israeli people and Israel’s government over the past several years, while opinions of Palestinians and their leadership have changed relatively little, according to a new survey released by the Pew Research Center.
The poll found that, as recently as 2022, Americans viewed Israelis far more positively than Palestinians. That gap has now nearly disappeared, with both groups receiving almost equal levels of public support. Pew attributed the dramatic shift largely to changing attitudes following Hamas’ October 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel and the wars that followed in Gaza and Iran.
The survey questioned 12,574 U.S. adults between May 4 and May 17, approximately two months after the U.S.- and Israeli-led military campaign against Iran began and before Hamas announced it was dissolving its governing authority in Gaza.
Despite the decline in support for Israelis, the study found that many Americans continue to distinguish between the Israeli public and the country’s political leadership.
According to Pew, majorities of Americans hold unfavorable opinions of the Israeli government, the Palestinian Authority, and Hamas. However, negative views of Israel’s government have increased much more dramatically than unfavorable opinions of either the Palestinian Authority or Hamas.
The survey also found that declining support for Israelis extends across political affiliations, age demographics, and most religious groups, although the magnitude of the shift differs significantly among those categories.
Republicans and Republican-leaning independents continue to express much warmer views toward both the Israeli people and Israel’s government than Democrats and Democrat-leaning independents. Democrats, meanwhile, are considerably more favorable toward Palestinians and the Palestinian Authority than Republicans, although positive views of Hamas remain low across both political parties.
Support for Israelis has declined among Republicans as well as Democrats since 2022, but the drop has been substantially greater among Democrats, further widening the partisan divide over Israel.
The differences are especially pronounced among younger Americans.
Among adults under the age of 30, 58 percent expressed favorable views of Palestinians, compared with just 32 percent who viewed Israelis favorably. Pew found that this disparity is driven largely by young Democrats, 72 percent of whom hold favorable opinions of Palestinians, while only 26 percent view Israelis favorably.
Young Republicans now rate Israelis and Palestinians at nearly identical levels, marking a significant shift from several years ago, when support for Israelis was considerably stronger.
Among Americans age 50 and older, Israelis continue to receive more favorable ratings than Palestinians, particularly among older Republicans. Older Democrats also expressed somewhat warmer views toward Palestinians than Israelis, though the difference was considerably smaller than among younger Democrats.
The survey also found particularly strong opposition to Israel’s government among younger Democrats. Among Democrats under 30, respondents were slightly more likely to express favorable views of Hamas than of Israel’s government, although overall support for Hamas remained relatively low. Democrats across all age groups also viewed the Palestinian Authority somewhat more favorably than Israel’s government.
Religious affiliation likewise played a significant role in shaping public opinion.
Jewish Americans and White evangelical Protestants expressed the strongest support for both the Israeli people and Israel’s government. White evangelical Protestants were the only major religious group in which a majority—57 percent—held favorable views of Israel’s government.
Among Jewish respondents, favorable views of Israelis declined from 89 percent in 2024 to 83 percent this year. Favorable opinions of Israel’s government also fell, dropping from 54 percent to 47 percent.
Pew found that Muslims, Black Protestants, and religiously unaffiliated Americans were more likely than other religious groups to express favorable opinions of both Palestinians and the Palestinian Authority. The survey also found that younger Jewish adults were less supportive of both Israelis and Israel’s government than older Jewish respondents.
{Matzav.com}
Political commentator Tucker Carlson called today for U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee to be removed from his post, accusing him of failing to publicly defend Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) after the congressman said he was detained during a visit to Israel.
Carlson launched the attack in a sharply worded post on X, criticizing Huckabee for promoting a Fox News appearance instead of speaking out on behalf of an American lawmaker. In the post, Carlson misspelled “American” as “Amercian.”
According to Carlson, Huckabee’s silence amounted to an unacceptable failure to represent U.S. interests, and he argued the ambassador should be dismissed immediately.
“An Amercian member of congress is threatened by foreign terrorists carrying American rifles, backed by a foreign military paid for by American taxpayers, and the US ambassador to that country says not a word in defense of his own countryman, and instead uses his social media accounts to promote his own vapid cable news appearances, which amount to propaganda for that same foreign country. It’s too much, too insulting and humiliating to America. This is how revolutions start. For the sake our nation, Mike Huckabee should be removed from his post immediately.”
Carlson’s comments came after Khanna said he had been detained while traveling in Israel.
Mediaite’s Zach Leeman summarized Khanna’s account of the incident: “The congressman, a vocal critic of Israel’s government, said he was detained by Israeli settlers, and later Israeli military, during a three-day trip this week while he touring the demolished-Palestinian Bedouin village of Khirbet Zanuta. Khanna told The New York Times Israeli settlers with guns blocked his vehicle and others from leaving via the road to the village. The men were reportedly “swearing at them in Hebrew and Arabic and kicking the tires of their minibus.” A Times photographer was in another vehicle and witnessed the incident. Two Israeli military vehicles later arrived and Khanna assumed they were there to help him leave, but they “smoked cigarettes, chatted with the men and after the settlers left, moved a car to block the road. I felt powerless in that situation, which is not an easy thing, as I have a lot of privilege in life,” he said. “Imagine how people feel every day, Palestinians under the occupation, if they could make an American congressperson feel powerless for 90 minutes.””
The latest criticism marks another chapter in the ongoing public feud between Carlson and Huckabee over Israel.
During an interview between the two in February, Huckabee forcefully rejected Carlson’s assertion that Christians were being driven out of Israel.
“But I would also say that when you said the Christians were kicked out, Tucker, Christianity is growing in Israel. And there is a big lie that goes out there, but let me finish this because I keep hearing that Christians are really not treated well in Israel — that’s simply a lie. It is a lie! There are lots of different… There were 34,000 Christians in Israel in 1948. There are 184,000 Christians here today,” Huckabee said.
{Matzav.com}
President Donald Trump has declared that he has left standing instructions for the U.S. military to unleash overwhelming force against Iran if the regime ever succeeds in carrying out its long-standing threats to assassinate him. While the president’s warning underscores the seriousness with which he views the threat, constitutional procedures mean that any military response following a president’s death would ultimately rest with his successor.
Under the Constitution and the Presidential Succession Act of 1947, Vice President JD Vance would immediately assume the presidency and become commander in chief if Trump were killed. That would give Vance the authority to carry out the type of military response Trump has called for, alter those plans, or pursue a different course of action altogether.
Although Trump suggested he has standing orders in place, experts note that the United States has never employed an automatic or pre-authorized military retaliation mechanism triggered by a president’s death.
“The U.S. has, for a whole variety of reasons, never utilized a technical ‘dead man’s switch,'” said Garrett M. Graff, author of Raven Rock: The Story of the U.S. Government’s Secret Plan to Save Itself — While the Rest of Us Die.
The United States maintains extensive continuity-of-government plans designed to preserve national leadership during a nuclear attack or other catastrophic event. Those procedures, however, do not authorize the military to launch retaliatory strikes automatically upon the death of a president, even if prior instructions had been issued.
Trump reiterated his warning Saturday in a Truth Social post, saying Iran had repeatedly threatened his life and that the U.S. military stood ready to respond with overwhelming force.
He wrote that 1,000 “missiles are Locked and Loaded and aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran, with thousands more to immediately follow, should the Iranian Government act on its threat.”
Hours later, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, renewed calls to avenge the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed during the opening U.S. and Israeli strikes earlier this year.
Retaliation, he declared, “is the will of our nation and must certainly be carried out.”
In a televised address, Mojtaba Khamenei added, “We pledge to take revenge for the pure blood of you and all the martyrs of these two wars from the criminal and disgraceful killers. This revenge is the will of our nation and must certainly be carried out.”
The White House did not immediately respond to questions regarding how Trump’s standing military directives would be handled if the president were assassinated.
During funeral ceremonies for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei this week, crowds repeatedly displayed banners and signs calling for the deaths of both Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Wall Street Journal reported this week that Israel recently warned U.S. officials about new Iranian efforts to assassinate Trump. Although the White House declined to comment, Trump appeared to reference those threats during this week’s NATO summit in Turkey.
“They want to take out the U.S. leader — me.”
Sabrina Singh, who served as deputy Pentagon press secretary during the Biden administration, said the threat posed by Iran against senior American officials is well understood within the national security community.
“Iran wanting to target senior American leaders is something that we know is happening.”
“You have to take these as credible threats,” Singh said.
Trump also survived two assassination attempts during the 2024 presidential campaign and, earlier this year, a gunman breached security at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner while the president was attending the event.
Security surrounding the president has drawn renewed attention after Trump traveled part of the way back from Turkey aboard an older Air Force One aircraft rather than the newer Boeing 747 donated by Qatar. Reports indicated the refurbished aircraft lacks some of the missile-detection and defensive countermeasure systems installed on previous presidential jets.
The aircraft change came as fighting between the United States and Iran resumed, placing renewed strain on last month’s agreement intended to halt the conflict.
Asked about Iran’s threats while aboard Air Force One, Trump replied, “I’m No. 1 on their list.”
Graff noted that throughout the Cold War, the United States developed elaborate contingency plans governing the transfer of nuclear launch authority in the event Washington was incapacitated, including maintaining airborne command posts that could preserve military command after a surprise attack.
“What I believe Trump is saying is that he’s left standing orders to attack if he’s killed, e.g., that the Pentagon should proceed with standard launch protocols,” Graff said. “There’s a lot of reason to doubt the legality of such standing orders, since in the event of a president’s death, the nuclear launch authority would immediately pass to the vice president or designated successor — and ultimately it would be up to him or her to determine whether to proceed.”
Graff also pointed out that Trump’s social media post referred only to conventional missile strikes against Iran and did not mention the use of nuclear weapons.
He added that Trump could instead privately instruct his successor how he would want the United States to respond.
Graff said Trump also might tell Vance, “something to Vance like, ‘If I’m killed, nuke Iran,'” adding that such an instruction would “more sense and would be absolutely legal”.
U.S. intelligence agencies have long monitored credible threats against American presidents and senior officials from Iran and other foreign adversaries, though such matters are typically handled through classified channels rather than discussed publicly. Trump’s decision to openly state that he is personally a target of Tehran is highly unusual.
This is also not the first time Washington has warned Iran against targeting Trump or other American officials.
In 2022, after the Justice Department accused a member of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of plotting to assassinate former National Security Adviser John Bolton, the Biden administration warned Tehran that any attack on Americans would trigger severe consequences.
At the time, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan stated, “should Iran attack any of our citizens, to include those who continue to serve the United States or those who formerly served, Iran will face severe consequences.”
Two years later, during Trump’s presidential campaign against Democrat Kamala Harris, the Biden administration quietly delivered another warning to Iran, informing the regime that any attempt to assassinate Trump would be treated as an act of war.
{Matzav.com}
