Feed aggregator

Fox News reporter Peter Doocy and Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Tuesday clashed over the Biden administration’s labeling of former President Donald Trump as a “threat” to democracy. Doocy pressed Jean-Pierre on why the administration continues to refer to Trump as a “threat” while simultaneously calling for a cooling of political rhetoric. “It’s been only two days since somebody allegedly tried to kill Donald Trump again, and you’re here at the podium in the White House briefing room calling him a ‘threat,’” Doocy said. “How many more assassination attempts on Donald Trump until the president and the vice president and you pick a different word to describe Trump other than ‘threat’?” “I actually completely disagree with the premise of your question. The way that you’re asking it is incredibly dangerous because the American people are watching,” Jean-Pierre said. She noted the administration’s condemnation of political violence, citing their responses to events such as the January 6 Capitol attack and the assault on Paul Pelosi. Doocy continued, suggesting that calling Trump a “threat” might be interpreted literally by individuals who may act violently. Jean-Pierre defended the characterization, pointing to January 6 as a key example of the danger posed to democracy. “We’re using examples. Jan. 6, Peter, Jan. 6 — wait, Jan. 6. How many times do I — Jan. 6, 2021. That is a fact, what was reported, what happened on that day by some of your colleagues.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The Marine Corps in a ceremony at the commandant’s headquarters on Monday presented their highest noncombat medal to the parents of Cpl. Spencer Collart, who died last year after his V-22 Osprey crashed in Australia. Collart, 21, survived the crash but went back into the burning aircraft to try to save the pilots, who were trapped. Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric Smith spoke with emotion in addressing the fallen Marine’s parents, Bart and Alexia Collart, who are from Arlington, Virginia. “You raised a Marine who in the final moments of his life thought not of himself but of this fellow Marines,” Smith said. “He didn’t stop to think of the fire or the danger.” During the ceremony, Smith, who is the Marine Corps’ top military officer, cried twice. The crash in August 2023 was one of four fatal accidents since 2022 that have drawn increased scrutiny of the Osprey, which flies both like a helicopter and an airplane. The Associated Press has reported on the mechanical and safety issues the program has faced, and there are multiple reviews underway to see if the complex aircraft has the resources needed to improve its reliability. Bart Collart called his son “one of the best knuckleheads you ever wanted to hang out with.” He said the pilots and Spencer “lost their lives while managing to save the lives of every Marine they were transporting,” and he credited the pilots with leveling out the Osprey before it hit the ground, to give the troops they were transporting a better chance of surviving. Collart’s Osprey was participating in an Australian military exercise when it ended up following too closely behind the lead aircraft and maneuvered to avoid it, ultimately putting it in an unrecoverable fall. Seconds after the Osprey hit the ground, the aircraft filled with smoke and flames. According to witness reports in the crash investigation. Collart, the crew chief, had been standing in the tunnel even as the aircraft was going down. Most of the 23 troops on board escaped out the back, including a commander who told investigators he saw Collart escape out a side door. A site team later found Collart’s tether — what he’d use to latch onto the Osprey to move around during flight — undamaged outside the aircraft. Collart escaped the burning aircraft “and immediately began ensuring the safety of the Marines around him,” Smith said. But Capt. Eleanor LeBeau and aircraft commander Maj. Tobin Lewis were still trapped inside, and Collart went back in to try to save them. Investigators believe he may have unbuckled Lewis from his restraints before he succumbed to the smoke and flames. One of the Marines who was riding in the back and survived is the son of Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Ben Watson, who most recently served as the commanding general of the First Marine Division. Watson attended the ceremony to honor Collart’s service. (AP)

House Speaker Mike Johnson will move ahead with a temporary spending bill that would prevent a partial government shutdown when the new budget year begins on Oct. 1, despite the headwinds that prompted him to pull the bill from consideration last week. The bill includes a requirement that people registering to vote must provide proof of citizenship, which has become a leading election-year priority for Republicans raising the specter of noncitizens voting in the U.S., even though it’s already illegal to do so and research has shown that such voting is rare. “I urge all of my colleagues to do what the overwhelming majority of the people of this country rightfully demand and deserve — prevent non-American citizens from voting in American elections,” Johnson said Tuesday. Johnson told reporters he was not ready to discuss an alternative plan to keep the government funded other than what will come before the House on Wednesday. “I’m not having any alternative conversations. That’s the play. It’s an important one. And I’m going to work around the clock to try and get it done,” Johnson said. The legislation faces an uphill climb in the House and has no chance in the Senate. The vast majority of Democrats oppose it, and some Republicans do, too, but for different reasons. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said the only way to prevent a government shutdown was for both sides to work together on an agreement. He said the House vote announced by Johnson was doomed to fail. “The only thing that will accomplish is make clear that he’s running into a dead end,” Schumer said. “We must have a bipartisan plan instead.” The legislation would fund agencies at current levels while lawmakers work out their differences on a full-year spending agreement. Democrats, and some Republicans, are pushing for a short extension. A temporary fix would allow the current Congress to hammer out a final bill after the election and get it to President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature. But Johnson and some of the more conservative members of his conference are pushing for a six-month extension in the hopes that Republican nominee Donald Trump will win the election and give them more leverage when crafting the full-year bill. Schumer said a six-month measure would shortchange the Pentagon and other government agencies that need more certainty about funding levels. “You simply cannot run the military with six-month stopgaps,” Schumer said. Johnson said last week that he was not giving up on his proposal just yet and would be working through the weekend to build support. He said ensuring that only U.S. citizens vote in federal elections is “the most pressing issue right now and we’re going to get this job done.” On Sunday, he traveled to Florida to meet with Trump, who had earlier seemingly encouraged a government shutdown if Republicans “don’t get assurances on Election Security.” Trump said on the social media platform Truth Social that they should not go forward with a stopgap bill without such assurances. The House approved a bill with the proof of citizenship mandate back in July. Some Republicans who view the issue as popular with their constituents have been pushing for another chance to show their support for the measure. Still, other Republicans are expected to vote no because […]

A heated debate has erupted on social media over recent changes made to the Wikipedia entry for Zionism, sparking accusations of historical revisionism.

Users on social media have over the past several 24 hours posted a comparison between the 2023 and 2024 versions of the Wikipedia page, with one user, Liv Lovisa, claiming that “history is being rewritten.”

Blake Flayton, a vocal commentator on Jewish and Israeli issues, responded to the post, calling the changes “egregious” and urging someone with expertise to edit the page to reflect what he considers to be a more accurate portrayal.

At the center of the debate are key changes in the language used to describe Zionism, the movement that called for the establishment of a Jewish homeland in what is now Israel.

The 2023 version of the page framed Zionism as a nationalist movement born in the 19th century that sought to secure Jewish self-determination. In contrast, the 2024 version of the entry introduces more charged terminology, describing Zionism as an “ethno-cultural nationalist” movement that engaged in “colonization of a land outside of Europe,” with a heightened focus on the resulting conflicts with Palestinian Arabs.

“Zionists wanted to create a Jewish state in Palestine with as much land, as many Jews, and as few Palestinian Arabs as possible,” it reads.

Wikipedia lets editors who have gained status on its platform make changes according to various guidelines, which usually ensure a balanced approach. It is unclear what led to the sudden change in the definition.

On its website, Wikipedia says the following on its policies: “Wikipedia has no central editorial board. Contributions are made by a large number of volunteers at their own discretion. Edits are neither the responsibility of the Wikimedia Foundation (the organization that hosts the site) nor of its staff, and edits will not generally be made in response to an email request.”

Critics, including Flayton, argue that the new language in the Zionism entry distorts the historical narrative, positioning Zionism in a more negative light by drawing parallels to colonialism and downplaying the movement’s core goal of creating a safe homeland for Jewish people.

The use of the term “colonization,” in particular, has been a flashpoint, as it evokes a political context that some feel misrepresents the motivations behind the establishment of Israel and overlooks the historical persecution faced by Jews that led to the Zionist movement.

Another Twitter pro-Israel voice, Hen Mazzig, wrote: “The new Wikipedia entry on Zionism isn’t just inaccurate, it’s downright antisemitic. It asserts that the origin of Ashkenazi Jews is ‘highly debated and enigmatic,’ echoing Khazar theory, the dangerous lie that Ashkenazi Jews are converts and not descendants of the Jews exiled from the Land of Israel.”

He added, “This theory is often weaponized to call Israelis ‘colonizers’ and thus dehumanize us. In fact, Jewish history of repeated exile and migration from Israel to Europe is incredibly well-documented, as are genetic studies linking our people to the Middle East. Any balanced article discussing Jewish genetics and Israel would mention that. @Wikipedia has become a hate site. I hope they’ll change course.”

The uproar underscores broader concerns about the influence of Wikipedia, one of the most visited websites in the world, and the potential for bias or misinterpretation regarding politically sensitive topics like Zionism. As a public, user-edited platform, Wikipedia is often subject to scrutiny, especially when it comes to contentious issues like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. With millions of readers relying on the site for information, changes to entries like these can have significant implications for public understanding of historical events and modern geopolitical debates. JNS

{Matzav.com}

In this episode of Inside the Agudah, Mr. Moshe Davis, Executive Vice President of Agudath Israel of Illinois, sits with Rabbi Yitzchok Hisiger, Agudath Israel’s Director of Torah Initiatives, to discuss his work on behalf of the frum community.

R’ Moshe comes from three generations of community leaders. His grandfather, Rabbi Shlomo Davis, was one of the founders of Telshe Yeshiva in Cleveland and Telshe High School, serving as a member of the hanhalah for over 50 years. R’ Yosef Davis, R’ Moshe’s father, came to Chicago in 1964 to learn in Telshe Chicago, establishing a lifelong association with the yeshiva. Along with the Telshe rosh yeshiva, Rav Avrohom Chaim Levin zt”l, R’ Yosef became one of the founders of Agudath Israel of Illinois, serving as its president in the early years.

Continuing the family legacy of community involvement, R’ Moshe has served on the boards of directors of many local organizations over the last 25 years, including the Midwest Region of Agudath Israel where he started as Founding Chairman, the Jewish Federation and Jewish United Fund and the Associated Talmud Torahs. Most recently, he volunteered as a co-president of JDBY-YTT, the largest Jewish day school in the Midwest, for over 12 years. He has been on the board of JDBY-YTT for over 20 years, currently serving as its Chairman of the Board.

Prior to joining the Agudah in official capacity as its Executive Vice President in February 2022, R’ Moshe worked as a licensed professional and business owner in the healthcare and real estate industries. R’ Moshe and his wife Chevie currently live in Chicago.

WATCH:

Last year had the worst decline in credible elections and parliamentary oversight in almost a half-century, driven by government intimidation, foreign interference, disinformation and the misuse of artificial intelligence in campaigns, an organization promoting democracy said Tuesday. The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, or International IDEA, said election credibility is threatened by turnout dropping and results are increasingly being contested. One in three elections are being disputed in some way, it said. The organization with 35 member governments said the average percentage of the voting age population who actually cast ballots has declined from 65.2% in 2008 to 55.5% in 2023. “Elections remain the single best opportunity to end democratic backsliding and turn the tide in democracy’s favor,” said International IDEA’s Secretary-General, Kevin Casas-Zamora. “The success of democracy depends on many things, but it becomes utterly impossible if elections fail.” The Stockholm-based organization said its Global Report on the State of the Democracy, which measures democratic performance in 158 countries from 1975 till today, found that 47% of countries have experienced a decline in key democratic indicators over the past five years, marking the eighth consecutive year of global democratic backsliding. Globally, nearly 20% of elections between 2020 and 2024, one of the losing candidates or parties rejected the result, and elections were being decided by court appeals at the same rate. The report said 2023 was the worst year when it came to free and fair elections and parliamentary oversight. There were threats of foreign interference, disinformation and the use of artificial intelligence in campaigns. The declines span both traditionally strong democracies as well as fragile governments around the globe. In Africa, democratic performance has generally remained stable over the past five years, with notable declines in the Sahel, particularly in coup-affected Burkina Faso which is one of a growing list of West African countries where the military has taken power, accusing the elected governments of failing to keep their promises. IDEA noted that Burundi and Zambia have made notable improvements. As to Western Asia, over a third of countries performed poorly, while Europe has seen widespread declines in democratic aspects like the rule of law and civil liberties. However, progress have notably been reported in Montenegro and Latvia. The study noted that the Americas have mostly maintained stability, but countries like Guatemala,Peru and Uruguay have experienced declines, particularly in rule of law and civil liberties. Most countries in the Asia-Pacific region have seen minor declines or stability, with notable improvements in Fiji, the Maldives, and Thailand, the organization said. However, the declines were significant in Afghanistan where the Taliban have not been recognized by any country as the legitimate rulers since they seized power in 2021, and in Myanmar, where opposition to a military takeover has deteriorated to a civil war. (AP)

In a lengthy X post, Vice Presidential candidate JD Vance blasted Democrats and the media mob for using dangerous rhetoric when criticizing former President Donald Trump.

Vance says the Left is “out of control.”

 

“Here is what we know so far: Kamala Harris has said that ‘Democracy is on the line’ in her race against President Trump. The gunman agreed, and used the exact same phrase. He had a Kamala Harris bumper sticker on his truck,” he continued. “He was obsessed with Ukraine’s ‘fight for Democracy’ and absorbed many unhinged views about the Russia-Ukraine war. His name is Ryan Routh, and he donated 19 times to Democrat causes and zero to Republican ones.”

Vance continued:

How do you think the Democrats and their media allies would respond if a 19-time Republican donor tried to kill a Democratic official? It’s a question that answers itself. For years, Kamala Harris’s campaign surrogates have said things like “Trump has to be eliminated.” And how have their media allies responded to the second assassination attempt on Donald Trump in as many months?

NBC News called the attempted assassination a “golf club incident.” The LA Times told us “Trump Targeted at Golf Club.” The USA Today’s top of the fold headline is “Hope in America,” and they published a preposterous letter to the editor arguing that Trump “brings these assassination attempts on himself.” CNN’s Dana Bash–who just yesterday bizarrely accused me of inciting a bomb threat–said today that Harris campaign rhetoric didn’t motivate Routh even though he echoed their rhetoric explicitly.

PBS’s weekend show perfectly illustrates the double standard of Kamala Harris’s media friends. After spending 30 seconds on the second assassination attempt on President Trump, they then focused on the real danger: me and President Trump, who are, according to them, personally responsible for bomb threats against Springfield. Of course, I repeatedly condemend those threats. And reports today suggest they came from a foreign country, not–as the media suggested–a deranged Trump fan.

The double standard is breathtaking. Donald Trump and I are, by their account, directly responsible for bomb threats from foreign countries. Why? Because we had the audacity to repeat what residents told us about the problems in their town. Meanwhile, Harris allies call for Trump to be eliminated as the media publishes arguments that he deserved to be shot.

This seems like a double standard. But at a deep level, it is entirely consistent.

Read Vance’s full post below:

 

The mysterious explosions of pagers that rocked Lebanon and Syria today, leaving over 1,000 people injured, were beepers recently acquired by Hezbollah as a supposed security measure. In February, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah instructed members to abandon cellphone use, citing concerns that Israeli intelligence could track their communications. The shift to pagers was intended to enhance operational security. A Hezbollah official, speaking anonymously to The Associated Press, revealed that the exploded pagers were a new brand. However, the official declined to disclose how long they had been in use. Experts suggest that the pager explosions indicate a sophisticated, long-planned operation. Investigations point to a possible supply chain infiltration, where the pagers were rigged with explosives before being imported to Lebanon. “This level of sabotage requires meticulous planning and execution,” said a security analyst. “It’s likely that the perpetrators had access to the pagers during the manufacturing or distribution process.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Three kedoshei elyon had one common concept when it came to learning Torah – they were the Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh (Rabbi Chaim ibn Attar 1696-1743) when he came to Eretz Yisroel; the Ramchal (Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto 1707-1746) when he lived in Padua, Italy;  and Hagaon, Harav Chaim Volozhiner, (1749-1821) the famous talmid of the Gaon of Vilna. They each had a yeshiva with ‘around-the-clock’ Torah learning, 24-hours a day, so that there would be no minute when the sound of Torah learning would not be heard in this world. The 24-hour period would be divided into shifts, and as one ended the next would begin. Torah-24 A “Torah-24” Center has been opened in Yerushalayim and the Nasi is Maran Sar Hatorah, Harav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l. Under ONE ROOF, from 6:00 am – 6:00 am, 10 kollelim fill successive learning shifts. Each kollel focuses on a specific area of in-depth Torah study. The “Torah-24” Kollelim include: Boker (Gemora), Yerushalmi, Bavli, Zeraim-Taharot, Dalet Chelkei Shulchan Aruch, Erev (Gemora), Chatzos- Zohar/Kabbolah, Erev Shabbos (Chumash / Medrash b’iyun).  Already there are 52 avreichim metzuyonim, and a large number of candidates are vying for the remaining slots in the kollelim. All the avreichim are required to take rigorous monthly tests. Endorsements & Letters Endorsements include Maranan Hagaonim shlit”a: Harav Gershon Edelstein, Harav Berel Povarsky, Harav Shimon Badani, Harav Dovid Cohen, Harav Boruch Mordechai Ezrachi, Harav Chaim Feinstein, Harav Shimon Galai, Harav Shraga Shteinman. Letters of support-encouragement have been received from Maranan Hagaonim, shlit”a: Hamekubal Harav David Bazri, Hamashpia Hagadol Reb Elimelech Biderman, Hamekubal Harav Yaakov Meir Schechter, Harav Moishe Sternbuch, Harav Yitzchak Tuvia Weiss. For more “Torah-24” information click on: www.torah-24.com or call 718-766-5022

Sky News Arabic reported on Tuesday evening that the Israeli Mossad is believed to be responsible for the recent explosions involving Hezbollah terrorists’ communication devices in Lebanon.

The report claims that Mossad planted explosive materials inside the batteries of the devices, later triggering them by increasing the temperature within the batteries.

It was also mentioned that the explosive materials had been placed in the devices prior to their arrival in Hezbollah’s possession.

A Lebanese security source, speaking to Al-Jazeera, confirmed that the beepers were rigged with explosives in advance, before they were distributed to Hezbollah. According to this source, each explosive charge weighed no more than 20 grams. Hezbollah reportedly received the devices about five months ago.

Some of the Hezbollah members noticed their devices were overheating and discarded them before the explosions occurred. Security camera footage captured the detonation of the devices and the resulting injuries to Hezbollah personnel.

As of now, reports suggest that more than 4,000 Hezbollah members have been injured in the incident. A Hezbollah source stated, “Israel hacked into the organization’s communication devices and blew them up.” Following the explosions, Hezbollah leaders instructed their members to dispose of the devices.

{Matzav.com Israel}

A judge has rejected a bid by Mark Meadows, former chief of staff to President Donald Trump, to move his charges in Arizona’s fake elector case to federal court, marking the second time he has failed in trying to get his charges out of state court. In a decision Monday, U.S. District Judge John Tuchi said Meadows missed a deadline for asking for his charges to be moved to federal court, didn’t offer a good reason for doing so and failed to show that the allegations against him related to his official duties as chief of staff to the president. Meadows faces charges in Arizona and Georgia in what authorities allege was an illegal scheme to overturn the 2020 election results in Trump’s favor. He had unsuccessfully tried to move charges in the Georgia case last year. It’s unknown whether Meadows will appeal the decision. The Associated Press left phone and email messages for two of Meadows’ attorneys. While not a fake elector in Arizona, prosecutors said Meadows worked with other Trump campaign members to submit names of fake electors from Arizona and other states to Congress in a bid to keep Trump in office despite his November 2020 defeat. Meadows has pleaded not guilty to the charges in Arizona and Georgia. In 2020, Democrat Joe Biden won Arizona by 10,457 votes. The decision sends Meadows’ case back down to Maricopa County Superior Court. In both Arizona and Georgia, Meadows argued his charges should be moved to federal court because his actions were taken when he was a federal official working as Trump’s chief of staff and that he has immunity under the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution, which says federal law trumps state law. Arizona prosecutors said Meadows’ electioneering efforts weren’t part of his official duties at the White House. Meadows last year tried to get his Georgia charges moved but his request was rejected by a judge whose ruling was later affirmed by an appeals court. Meadows has since asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review the ruling. The Arizona indictment says Meadows confided to a White House staff member in early November 2020 that Trump had lost the election. Prosecutors say Meadows also had arranged meetings and calls with state officials to discuss the fake elector conspiracy. Meadows and other defendants are seeking a dismissal of the Arizona case. Meadows’ attorneys said nothing their client is alleged to have done in Arizona was criminal. They said the indictment consists of allegations that he received messages from people trying to get ideas in front of Trump — or “seeking to inform Mr. Meadows about the strategy and status of various legal efforts by the president’s campaign.” In denying the former chief of staff’s request, Tuchi said Meadows wasn’t indicted for facilitating communications to and from the president or staying updated on what was going on in Trump’s campaign. “Instead, the State has indicted Mr. Meadows for allegedly orchestrating and participating in an illegal electioneering scheme,” the judge wrote. “Few, if any, of the State’s factual allegations even resemble the secretarial duties that Mr. Meadows maintains are the subject of the indictment.” In all, 18 Republicans were charged in late April in Arizona’s fake electors case. The defendants include 11 Republicans who had submitted a document falsely claiming […]

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre defended her choice to describe former President Donald Trump as a “threat” to democracy, specifically referencing his involvement in the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. She raised her voice and repeated the date multiple times when addressing the notion that such language might be fueling attempts on Trump’s life.

Jean-Pierre strongly criticized Trump, who is running for the Republican presidential nomination, by reiterating that he poses a danger to the democratic system. This came in response to a question from ABC News’ Selina Wang, who brought up Trump’s claim that the rhetoric against him was leading to efforts on his life, though Trump provided no evidence to support this assertion.

“President Biden has consistently been clear about the danger that the former president presents to our democracy,” Jean-Pierre stated. “He rejected the results of a legitimate election [in 2020] and incited 2,000 enraged individuals to go [to the US Capitol] in an effort to invalidate the outcome of a free and fair election.”

Jean-Pierre further emphasized that Trump’s criticisms wouldn’t deter the president or vice president from continuing to strongly speak out in defense of democracy. “We must be unwavering in our stance. We have to communicate this message with clarity,” she insisted.

The press briefing occurred just days after the arrest of 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh, who was found near Trump’s West Palm Beach, Fla., golf course with a rifle. This came after a July 13 incident in Butler, Pa., where a bullet grazed Trump’s ear and a rally attendee lost their life.

Routh had posted on X in April, using a phrase identical to one Biden and Harris have employed against Trump, stating that “DEMOCRACY is on the ballot.”

Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy confronted Jean-Pierre, questioning the appropriateness of her comments. “Just two days after another attempted assassination of Donald Trump, you’re here calling him a threat. How many more times does someone need to try to kill Trump before you reconsider your use of the word ‘threat’?” he asked.

Jean-Pierre responded forcefully, saying, “I completely reject the foundation of your question. The way you framed it is dangerous, especially with the American public listening,” she said, visibly upset.

She continued, saying that suggesting her remarks were stoking violence was unfounded, particularly when the administration had been explicit in condemning political violence. “What I have said about the former president concerning January 6 is based on facts,” she insisted.

Doocy pushed further, questioning if there was any worry that unstable individuals might take the White House’s rhetoric literally and act on it by attempting to harm Trump. “We are using specific examples,” Jean-Pierre responded, standing by her use of the word “threat.”

“We’re not just throwing this term around lightly. January 6, Peter. January 6. Do I need to keep repeating it? — January 6, 2021! That is a factual event, as documented,” she emphasized. Jean-Pierre also reiterated that the administration has condemned political violence repeatedly.

She concluded with a warning, urging caution in how questions were being posed. “We have to be mindful of the way questions are framed. People are watching, and what you said about us elevating political violence is concerning. This administration stands firm in its commitment to denounce any form of violent or inflammatory rhetoric,” she concluded.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid met with former U.S. president Barack Obama in Washington on Monday, with the two political leaders discussing advancing a deal to return the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.

“I met with former President Barack Obama at his office in Washington,” the head of the Yesh Atid party tweeted on Tuesday morning.

“I thanked him for his public support and his efforts to secure the return of the Israeli hostages held in Gaza. I told him that we all need to work together to ensure a deal that will bring the hostages home,” he wrote.

Lapid also visited the White House on Monday, meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan to talk about the 101 hostages remaining in Gaza and a potential ceasefire agreement to secure their release after nearly a year of captivity.

He was also scheduled to meet on Monday with South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham during his D.C. diplomatic swing. JNS

{Matzav.com}

Likud MK Dan Illouz and Religious Zionist MK Tzvi Sukkot sent a letter to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu last week demanding the urgent cancellation of the gas agreement between Israel and Lebanon signed by the previous government in 2022 under then interim prime minister Yair Lapid. In their letter, they emphasized that “in light of the daily attacks on Israel from Lebanon since October 7, there is no longer any justification for maintaining the existing agreement.” The MKs noted that along with many other politicians, they warned of the severe possible repercussions at the time of the signing of the deal – that it will be seen as a sign of weakness and invite further attacks. They compared the current situation to previous withdrawals, like the retreat from Lebanon in 2000 and the Disengagement from the Gaza Strip in 2005, warning that the agreement with Lebanon will lead to similar results – an escalation and reduced security. “Since October 7, tens of thousands of Israeli citizens have been living under the constant threat of rockets and missiles from Lebanon, and many have been forced to abandon their homes,” they noted in their letter. They also highlighted the danger of funneling money to Lebanon, which is de facto controlled by Hezbollah, stating that any such funds will further empower Hezbollah’s capabilities to enhance its terror infrastructure and prepare for further confrontations with Israel. In conclusion, they urged the government to act to revoke the agreement. “The call for the revocation of the deal does not stem from a loss of control or a desire for revenge but from a deep understanding of the reality of the Middle East and the necessity to act accordingly,” they wrote. Illouz told Maariv: “The gas deal with Lebanon is essentially a reward for a country controlled by Hezbollah, the terrorist organization responsible for continous attacks on Israeli citizens since October 7.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

Iran continues to deceive the international community about the scope and aims of its nuclear activities, Israel Atomic Energy Commission director general Moshe Edri told attendees at the annual meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, Austria on Tuesday.

“There is no doubt that Iran conducted a military nuclear program aimed to produce several nuclear-weapon devices. Iran continues to advance this program by gaining relevant technology and knowledge, along with fissile material in alarming amounts,” Edri said in a speech.

The Israeli official noted that despite repeated resolutions by the IAEA’s board of governors in recent months, Tehran has “continuously failed to provide technically credible explanations regarding these activities, and continues to deceive the Agency and the international community.”

The possibility of a nuclear-armed Islamic Republic is “not an option that Israel, or the world, can, or should tolerate,” he stated, noting that Iran continues to “develop, test and deploy” long-range ballistic missiles that it could utilize for a widespread nuclear attack on the Jewish state.

Meanwhile, the Syrian regime has “followed the footsteps of its close ally,” pretending to cooperate with the IAEA, “while not admitting the full facts and not providing true answers” regarding its clandestine reactor in the Deir Al-Zour region of eastern Syria, according to Israel.

The international community should “stand behind the IAEA” as it seeks to receive “clear, full explanations” on this from Damascus “once and for all,” Edri stated, echoing similar remarks made at the summit in 2022.

In his comments on Tuesday to the conference, Edri also noted the attacks launched on Israel by Iran and its regional terror proxies over the past months, some of which, he said, have “openly targeted” nuclear facilities.

The national task of the Israel Atomic Energy Commission “is to guarantee the safety and security of our nuclear facilities that are openly targeted by Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran—even more so since Oct. 7,” Edri said, in reference to the Hamas-led cross-border massacre of more than 1,200 people in the northwestern Negev.

“Israel continues to demonstrate its responsible behavior in this regard and continues to take all necessary precautions to ensure that these facilities are operated according to the highest international safety and security standards to withstand these threats as required,” he added.

Iran has continued to ramp up enrichment in recent months, while arguing that its nuclear program is strictly peaceful. Tehran’s stockpile of 60%-enriched uranium has increased by at least 20.6 kilograms (45.5 pounds) since February, AFP reported on May 27, citing an IAEA report.

The confidential document, which was also seen by the Associated Press, revealed that Tehran had accumulated 142.1 kilograms (313.2 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60%. This level of enrichment is just a technical step from 90% enrichment, considered weapons grade.

According to the IAEA definition, it is technically possible to create an atomic bomb with roughly 42 kilograms (92.5 pounds) of uranium enriched to 60% if the material is further enriched to 90%.

Iran has recently threatened a push towards the weapon of mass destruction. On May 9, an adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that Iran would weaponize its nuclear program if Israel “threatens its existence.”

Also in May, a lawmaker close to the Iranian regime suggested that the regime might already possess an atomic bomb, saying: “In my opinion, we have achieved nuclear weapons, but we do not announce it.”

An expansion underway at the Fordow enrichment plant could allow Iran to accumulate several bombs’ worth of nuclear fuel every month, The Washington Post reported in June, citing confidential documents.

While Tehran has restricted the IAEA’s ability to monitor its nuclear program, inspectors witnessed technicians installing advanced IR-6 centrifuges, per a confidential file shared with the agency’s members.

(JNS)

Instagram is making teen accounts private by default as it tries to make the platform safer for children amid a growing backlash against how social media affects young people’s lives. Beginning Tuesday in the U.S., U.K., Canada and Australia, anyone under under 18 who signs up for Instagram will be placed into restrictive teen accounts and those with existing accounts will be migrated over the next 60 days. Teens in the European Union will see their accounts adjusted later this year. Meta acknowledges that teenagers may lie about their age and says it will require them to verify their ages in more instances, like if they try to create a new account with an adult birthday. The Menlo Park, California company also said it is building technology that proactively finds teen accounts that pretend to be grownups and automatically places them into the restricted teen accounts. The teen accounts will be private by default. Private messages are restricted so teens can only receive them from people they follow or are already connected to. “Sensitive content,” such as videos of people fighting or those promoting cosmetic procedures, will be limited, Meta said. Teens will also get notifications if they are on Instagram for more than 60 minutes and a “sleep mode” will be enabled that turns off notifications and sends auto-replies to direct messages from 10 p.m. until 7 a.m. While these settings will be turned on for all teens, 16 and 17-year-olds will be able to turn them off. Kids under 16 will need their parents’ permission to do so. “The three concerns we’re hearing from parents are that their teens are seeing content that they don’t want to see or that they’re getting contacted by people they don’t want to be contacted by or that they’re spending too much on the app,” said Naomi Gleit, head of product at Meta. “So teen accounts is really focused on addressing those three concerns.” The announcement comes as the company faces lawsuits from dozens of U.S. states that accuse it of harming young people and contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms. In the past, Meta’s efforts at addressing teen safety and mental health on its platforms have been met with criticism that the changes don’t go far enough. For instance, while kids will get a notification when they’ve spent 60 minutes on the app, they will be able to bypass it and continue scrolling. That’s unless the child’s parents turn on “parental supervision” mode, where parents can limit teens’ time on Instagram to a specific amount of time, such as 15 minutes. With the latest changes, Meta is giving parents more options to oversee their kids’ accounts. Those under 16 will need a parent or guardian’s permission to change their settings to less restrictive ones. They can do this by setting up “parental supervision” on their accounts and connecting them to a parent or guardian. Nick Clegg, Meta’s president of global affairs, said last week that parents don’t use the parental controls the company has introduced in recent years. Gleit said she thinks teen accounts will create a “big incentive for parents and teens to set up parental supervision.” “Parents will be able to see, […]

The Hezbollah terror group formally blamed Israel for the pager blasts that wounded at least 2,700 and killed eight of its operatives in Lebanon on Tuesday, warning the Jewish state will get “its fair punishment.

“After examining all the facts and data about the attack, we hold the Israeli enemy fully responsible for this criminal aggression,” Hezbollah said in an official statement, according to a translation by Lebanon’s Al Mayadeen channel, which is affiliated with the terrorist organization.

The Hezbollah statement added, “This treacherous and criminal enemy will certainly receive its just punishment for this sinful aggression from where it expects it or does not expect it,” per Al Mayadeen.

More than 2,700 Hezbollah terrorists were wounded and at least eight were killed across Lebanon on Tuesday when their communication devices exploded, Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad confirmed.

Approximately 200 Hezbollah terrorists were in critical condition in 100 different hospitals, Beirut’s health minister announced some three hours after the explosions were first reported at 3.30 p.m. local time.

Senior Hezbollah officials were said to have been wounded in the blasts. Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, was also hurt in one of the explosions, Tehran’s semi-official Mehr outlet reported.

In its first official statement on the incident, Hezbollah had said that the explosions, “the causes of which are still unknown,” killed at least three of its terrorist operatives, while wounding a large number of others.

The Israel Defense Forces declined to comment on the incident, which came just hours after the Israeli Cabinet added the return of citizens displaced from their homes in the north to the country’s war goals, bringing a potential major clash with Hezbollah closer to reality.

The IDF’s Home Front Command has reportedly informed local authorities of a possible escalation on the border with Lebanon but stressed that there are currently no changes to instructions for citizens. JNS

{Matzav.com Israel}

The IDF is developing a massive plan to secure its porous border with Jordan, Israeli media outlets reported on Monday. Israel’s border with Jordan, the longest it shares with its neighbors, has been neglected over the years and has increasingly been exploited by Iran in the past year to arm terrorist organizations in Yehudah and Shomron. In the coming days, the IDF will present its plan to close the open border with Jordan to senior officials in the Defense and Finance Ministries to secure budget approvals and funding sources. The plan will include three phases, with the immediate phase involving deploying hundreds of surveillance means, including cameras and radar systems on towering poles, along the 400 kilometers between Eilat and Hamat Gader, a hot springs site near Ramat HaGolan and the Jordanian border. Rapid mobile security forces will be trained to respond to smuggling and infiltration attempts, including via the use of large combat and surveillance drones, along with other aircraft. Additionally, the long border, which largely has no fence, like in the Aravah, or has a rusty, low, and outdated fence, like in the Jordan Valley, will be equipped with a proper security barrier. At the same time, a new IDF Eastern Division will be established to oversee the entire area, with two to three regional brigades primarily composed of permanent field security forces specializing in the sector. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

Air France, the Lufthansa Group, and British Airways have all suspended flights to Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv until at least September 19th. The airlines are likely anticipating a potential Hezbollah response after close to 4,000 Hezbollah terrorists were injured in a series of pager blasts in Lebanon and Syria. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Roughly two months after the expiration of the mandate of both of Israel’s chief rabbis, their acting replacement is also out of a title as of Monday, along with the rest of the Chief Rabbinate Council.

The result of a political power struggle between the Rabbinate and the High Court of Justice over women’s representation and the clergy’s independence, this development may affect kosher certification and several other areas of life in Israel unless it’s addressed soon, according to both critics and advocates of the Rabbinate.

By signing up, you agree to receive emails from JNS and allied pro-Israel organizations.

Beyond its practical implications, the temporary breakdown within the Chief Rabbinate underlines growing tensions between an interventionist judiciary that critics say is excessively liberal, and state-employed clerics who opponents say are too rigid and inattentive to the needs of the public.

On Monday, the government submitted a bill that would extend the mandate of the Chief Rabbinate’s Council, the Rabbinate’s governing body, until Dec. 31. Separately, elections for chief rabbis are scheduled to be held this month.

The Council lost its legal mandate because of the rabbinate’s refusal to hold elections under the terms dictated in January by the High Court of Justice. Ruling on a petition by a feminist group, the court cited equality grounds in ordering the Rabbinate to consider appointing women to an elections-related position that the Rabbinate designates for rabbis only. Women cannot serve as rabbis in Orthodox Judaism.

The Rabbinate declined to hold elections under those terms, leading to the expiration of the mandate of the Sephardic and Ashkenazi chief rabbis on July 1 without successors. The court appeared to back down from this demand, facilitating the scheduling of elections for later this month. Meanwhile, though, the mandate of the Council, whose makeup is also determined in the elections, expired on Sept. 16, voiding the authority of its chair from continuing to fulfill the duties of the chief rabbis.

The bill extending the Council’s mandate will ensure the saga’s resolution, Yehuda Avidan, the director-general of the Religious Services Ministry, told JNS on Tuesday. He blamed the “overzealous court” for the impasse and added that the Rabbinate’s handling of the situation blocked judicial encroachment without compromising people in need of the institution’s services.

At stake are important areas of life entrusted to the Rabbinate, which in Israel is a state organ. It regulates kosher certification, conversion to Judaism and family and marital issues for Jews through the rabbinical court system, which is part of the judiciary and functions as a family court.

Kosher meat certification will not be affected because certification crews are already overseeing the production abroad (Israel imports most of its meat), according to a source within the Rabbinate. The crews will complete their missions, and the Council will have regained its mandate by the time they return, the source assured JNS.

Ritual circumcision, or milah, as well as divorces and marriages, are handled by religious councils, which are local municipal branches of the Rabbinate, the source added. The expiration of the Council’s mandate does not affect the local branches’ work but it does prevent the appointment of new staff, according to the source.

“In essence, you have a small gap that will be resolved quickly and remain unnoticeable to those who rely on the Rabbinate’s services,” said Avidan.

Rabbi Seth Farber, founder of the Jerusalem-based ITIM nonprofit, which has been a longtime critic of the Rabbinate, said in a statement that the crisis “shows we need a profound change in the religious establishment so it would be better connected and more diverse, but we have to begin by making it compliant to the law.”

Avidan dismissed Farber’s criticism and defended the decision not to hold elections in the Chief Rabbinate under terms dictated by the court.

“It was a classic slippery slope. The court’s demand that women be appointed to a position reserved for rabbis would have created a precedent that before long would lead to new demands to appoint women city rabbis and ultimately women chief rabbis. We value women and respect them but this does not comply with Jewish tradition, whose preservation the Rabbinate is entrusted to maintain,” Avidan told JNS.

The Rabbinate this month agreed to hold elections on Sept. 29 in Jerusalem. The decision to hold elections followed a High Court of Justice ruling on Aug. 8 that effectively lifted the court’s previous requirement that women be considered to serve under the title of “rabbi” on the Chief Rabbinate’s electing assembly of 150 people.

In the context of a 1980 law regulating the Chief Rabbinate’s work, the designation of “rabbi” may apply also to women versed in Jewish law, the court ruled in January. The Rabbinate must therefore consider appointing women to a category of 10 rabbis whom chief rabbis may by law appoint to the electing assembly, according to the ruling. Its Aug. 8 ruling cleared the path for scrapping the entire category of 10 appointed rabbis and allowed an election with only 140 delegates.

Half of the remaining 140 delegates comprise 70 municipal rabbis affiliated with the Chief Rabbinate, who are all men. The other half is made up of delegates who are not rabbis, including mayors, lawmakers, cabinet ministers, and other public representatives, some of whom are women.

“The court eventually realized it could not coerce the Rabbinate to declare women as rabbis or consider them for rabbinical positions, opening the road to an election. Better late than never,” said Avidan. JNS

{Matzav.com Israel}