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San Francisco police arrested about 70 pro-Hamas rioters on Monday on trespassing charges after they “occupied” the lobby of the building housing the Israeli consulate. “Officers developed probable cause to arrest 70 suspects who refused to vacate the building,” police said in a statement. No injuries were reported. Prior to the arrests, the rioters occupied the building for several hours. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill unanimously on Monday that celebrates American Jewish achievements in science, sports, entertainment and government, among other areas.

“Just a few days after the conclusion of Jewish American Heritage Month, I proudly helped lead and pass this bipartisan legislation, which honors the great contributions our Jewish American community has made to our entire country,” stated Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D.N.J.), who led the legislation.

“From the arts to science to politics and more, our Jewish community has left an indelible impact on our country,” he said. “I am immensely proud to represent the Jewish American community—my community—in Congress.”

H.R. 1215 singles out Albert Einstein, polio vaccine developer Jonas Salk, astronomer Vera Rubin, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel and Jewish baseball players Sandy Koufax and Hank Greenberg.

It also notes Prag Kahn, the first Jewish woman to serve in Congress, and Julius Rosenwald, “who partnered with Booker T. Washington to invest in the education of black students and built thousands of schools for black students in 15 states in the South.” JNS

Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed victory for his alliance on Tuesday in India’s general election, despite a lackluster performance from his own party as it faced a stronger than expected challenge from the opposition, which pushed back against his mixed economic record and polarizing politics. Modi told a crowd at his party’s headquarters that his National Democratic Alliance will form the government for the third consecutive time, saying Indian voters had “shown immense faith” both in his party and the coalition alliance. “Today’s victory is the victory of the world’s largest democracy” he said. Still, for the first time since Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party swept to power in 2014, it appeared unlikely it would secure a majority on its own, and the prime minister would instead need the support of the other parties in his coalition for his third five-year term in the world’s largest democratic exercise. That would be a stunning blow for the 73-year-old, who had hoped for a landslide victory. Despite the setback, many of the Hindu nationalist policies he’s instituted over the last 10 year remain locked in place. Modi pledged to make good on his election promise to turn India’s economy, the world’s third biggest, from its current fifth place, and not shirk with pushing forward with his agenda. He said he would advance India’s defense production, boost jobs for youth, raise exports and help farmers, among other things. “This country will see a new chapter of big decisions. This is Modi’s guarantee,” he said, speaking in the third person. In the face of surprising numbers, the opposition claimed they had also won a victory of sorts, with the main opposition Congress party saying the election had been a “moral and political loss” for Modi. “This is public’s victory and a win for democracy,” Congress party President Mallikarjun Kharge told reporters. In his 10 years in power, Modi has transformed India’s political landscape, bringing Hindu nationalism, once a fringe ideology in India, into the mainstream while leaving the country deeply divided. His supporters see him as a self-made, strong leader who has improved India’s standing in the world. His critics and opponents say his Hindu-first politics have bred intolerance and while the economy, the world’s fifth-largest and one of the fastest-growing, has become more unequal. The counting of more than 640 million votes cast over six weeks was expected to last into the night. Some 12 hours into counting, partial tallies reported by India’s Election Commission showed Modi’s BJP was ahead in 114 constituencies and had won 126 of 543 parliamentary seats. The Congress party led in 45 constituencies and had won 54. A total of 272 seats are needed for a majority. In 2019, the BJP won 303 seats, while they secured 282 in 2014 when Modi first came to power. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance led in 147 constituencies and won 139, according to the partial count. The Congress party is part of the INDIA alliance, which led in 131 constituencies and had won 99. The Election Commission does not release data on the percentage of votes tallied. Exit polling from the weekend had projected the NDA to win more than 350 seats. Indian markets, which had hit an all-time high on Monday, closed sharply down Tuesday, with benchmark stock indices — the […]

The United States is seeking to pass a binding U.N. Security Council resolution that would demand an end to the war against Hamas in Gaza and the release of all hostages held by the Palestinian terrorist group, according to a draft text obtained by the Associated Press on Tuesday.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the draft resolution, which was circulated among the 15-member council, backs President Joe Biden’s May 31 ceasefire proposal to Hamas.

“Numerous leaders and governments, including in the region, have endorsed this plan and we call on the Security Council to join them in calling for implementation of this deal without delay and without further conditions,” Thomas-Greenfield said in a statement.

The terms of the deal laid out by Biden on Friday include a “permanent” end to the fighting and an Israeli withdrawal of troops from Gaza. The U.S. leader claimed he wants a future “without Hamas in power,” but described a series of steps that did not include the terrorist group’s elimination or surrender.

While Biden administration officials have repeatedly described the deal as an “Israeli proposal,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Monday that the White House’s portrayal of Jerusalem’s terms has not been accurate.

“I am not willing to stop the war. I will not describe the details of the deal, but what the president of the United States described is not accurate,” Netanyahu said during a closed-door session, according to Kan News.

“We can stop the fighting for 42 days in order to return hostages, but we will not give up on total victory,” he was said to have told lawmakers. The premier also said that Biden omitted “other details” in his address.

A senior adviser to Netanyahu was quoted on Saturday as saying that while Jerusalem wasn’t happy with the proposed terms, it was not flat-out rejecting them. “It’s not a good deal, but we dearly want the hostages released, all of them,” said Ophir Falk, according to the British Sunday Times.

“It’s a deal we agreed to,” he stated, adding however that “there are a lot of details to be worked out,” including Israel’s demand that there be no permanent ceasefire declared “until all our objectives are met.”

In an interview with ABC News’ s “This Week” on Sunday, U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said that the Biden administration expects Israel to agree to the deal if Hamas greenlights it.

“We have every expectation that if Hamas agrees to the proposal—as was transmitted to them, an Israeli proposal—that Israel would say ‘Yes,’” Kirby said.

A spokesperson for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry stressed on Tuesday afternoon that while Biden’s suggested framework brought “the demands of all parties closer together,” negotiators in Doha had yet to receive “clear positions” from Hamas and Israel in response. JNS

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov warned the United States on Monday that it could face “fatal consequences” for permitting Ukraine to use American weapons to strike targets on Russian soil. The warning came in response to US officials’ statements on Friday that President Joe Biden had granted Ukraine permission to hit targets in Russia under certain circumstances. Ryabkov cautioned American leaders against “miscalculations” that could have severe repercussions, advising them to “spend some of their time… studying what was said in detail by Putin.” He emphasized that Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s previous warning of “serious consequences” should be taken seriously. Putin had said last Tuesday that the escalation of Western nations supporting Ukraine could lead to severe consequences, potentially even a global conflict. He ominously noted that European countries with small territories and dense populations should be cautious about provoking Russia. Ryabkov also revealed that Ukrainian forces had attacked Russian early-warning radar systems, and Moscow’s response could be “asymmetrical.” This warning came as Russian Defense Ministry officials and military bloggers claimed that Ukraine had fired a US-made HIMARS at targets in Belgorod, a Russian city near the Ukrainian border, resulting in casualties and damage. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Diplomatic sources conveyed messages in recent days to Beirut warning that Israel is planning on launching a war in the near future, according to a report on Tuesday by the Lebanese Al-Akhbar newspaper, which is affiliated with Hezbollah. The messages were conveyed by represenatives of various countries but the strongest message was from London, which warned that Israel will attack in mid-June. British diplomats said that Beirut should prepare for a war of “unknown scope and duration.” Since Friday, Hezbollah has escalated its attacks against Israel in frequency, scope, and strength and has caused massive fires and thousands and acres of burned land in northern Israel since Sunday due to the constant rocket barrages coupled with the current heatwave across Israel. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

A new survey conducted by the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs (JCPA) found that 64% of the Israeli public oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state as part of the normalization process with Saudi Arabia.

The full report, unveiled on June 3 at the 13th Annual Jerusalem Post Conference in New York, highlights a significant shift in Israeli public opinion following the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7.

The survey, conducted in collaboration with “Panels Politics,” examined the attitudes of Jewish and Arab Israelis on the critical political issue of establishing a Palestinian state as part of the conditions for ending the war against Hamas since Oct. 7. The survey, carried out through an online panel of respondents in late May, included 706 Jewish and Arab participants aged 18-65, representing a cross-section of Israel’s adult population.

Key findings:

Shift in opposition: The survey reveals that the massacre on Oct. 7 led one-third of respondents, who previously believed that a Palestinian state could be established under certain conditions, to change their minds—and now completely oppose it. According to the findings, 59% of Israelis opposed the establishment of a Palestinian state along the 1967 lines even before Oct. 7. After that event, the opposition rose to 68%. Among Jewish respondents, opposition rose from 69% to 79%, while there was no significant change among Arab respondents.

Political disparities: The opposition to a Palestinian state indicates significant political gaps: 84% of right-wing voters, 54% of centrist voters and 24% of left-wing voters oppose the move. Interestingly, a similar percentage of left-wing voters supports the establishment of a Palestinian state without conditions.

Normalization with Saudi Arabia: 64% oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state even in exchange for normalization with Saudi Arabia. Among Jewish respondents, the opposition rate is 74%, while 49% of Arab respondents support the idea.

Control by the Palestinian Authority: 68% of respondents oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state under the control of the Palestinian Authority. Among Jewish respondents, the opposition rate is 78%, compared to 49% of Arab respondents in Israel.

Lack of trust in Palestinian leadership: Additionally, there is a widespread lack of trust in the Palestinian leadership, with 60% of survey participants not viewing any current Palestinian figure, such as Mahmoud Abbas or Marwan Barghouti, as suitable to lead peace with Israel. Thus, 76% of Jewish Israelis do not see a suitable Palestinian personality, while 31% of Arab respondents share this view.

Demographic insights: Among respondents aged 60 and above, support for a demilitarized Palestinian state recognized by Israel dropped from 44% to 32%. A similar decline was recorded among those with academic education (from 29% to 20%) and high-income earners (from 33% to 20%). Opposition was particularly high among young people (70% of those aged 18-29), those with low education (72%) and traditional, religious and Orthodox respondents (74%, 88% and 91%, respectively). Secular respondents showed an opposition rate of 54%.

Dan Diker, president of the JCPA, emphasized: “Public-opinion polls now reflect the Israeli public’s understanding of the issue’s significance after Oct. 7. Considering the Biden administration’s policies, it is crucial to convey this message both to Israeli public representatives and decision-makers in the White House.” JNS

The main opposition party in Slovenia on Monday filed a motion demanding a referendum on the government decision to recognize a Palestinian state, which could delay the formal recognition vote in parliament. Slovenia’s government last week endorsed a motion to recognize a Palestinian state and sent the proposal to parliament for a final approval. This was due on Tuesday but parliament could now postpone it up to 30 days. Slovenia’s move came just days after Spain, Norway and Ireland recognized a Palestinian state, which was condemned by Israel. The right-wing Slovenian Democratic Party demanded a so-called consultative referendum on the recognition bid, arguing that the citizens should have a say on such an important issue that could have serious consequences for Slovenia. The SDS party leader Janez Jansa said the move by the liberal government “gives support to the terrorist organization Hamas.” The ruling coalition of Prime Minister Robert Golob holds a comfortable majority in Slovenia’s 90-member assembly. Lawmakers must approve the recognition of the Palestinian state for the decision to take effect. Parliament is expected to reject the SDS motion for the holding of the consultative referendum. Jansa’s SDS is biggest opposition party in Slovenia. The party’s referendum motion comes just days before the European parliamentary elections which will be held in Slovenia on June 9. (AP)

For the past 8 months, President Biden has been applying major domestic and international pressure on Israel to slow its military operations in Gaza. This pressure has taken various forms, including diplomatic efforts to encourage allies to urge restraint, public statements, and threats to withhold or halt aid. All this has made it impossible for Israel and the IDF to get the job done. But now, in a stunning display of sociopathy, Biden is accusing Netanyahu of slow-walking the war in Gaza. In an interview with Time magazine released Tuesday, Biden strongly implied that he thinks Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is prolonging the war against Hamas in Gaza for political reasons. When asked if he believed Netanyahu was doing so for self-preservation, Biden replied, “I’m not going to comment on that. There is every reason for people to draw that conclusion.” Biden noted that before the war, Netanyahu was facing criticism for his plans to overhaul Israel’s judicial system, suggesting that the prime minister may be using the conflict to distract from domestic issues. “So it’s an internal domestic debate that seems to have no consequence. And whether he would change his position or not, it’s hard to say, but it has not been helpful,” Biden said. The president also highlighted his disagreement with Netanyahu over the future of Gaza after the war ends. “What happens after Gaza’s over? What, what does it go back to? Do Israeli forces go back in?” he asked. “I’ve been talking to the Egyptians and been talking to the Saudis. I’ve been talking to the Jordanians, I’ve been talking to the Emiratis. The answer is, if that’s the case, it can’t work. There needs to be a two-state solution, a transition to a two-state solution. And that’s my biggest disagreement with Bibi Netanyahu.” Biden suggested that a package of proposals could aid in transitioning to a two-state solution, but he must be careful about what he reveals due to ongoing negotiations. “I think there is a clear path for a transition where the Arab states would provide security and reconstruction in Gaza in return for a longer-term commitment to a transition to a two-state solution,” he said. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The British Foreign Office is suspected of sending millions of pounds to terror-linked Palestinian groups and then covering it up to avoid a public backlash after having refused to disclose where the money went.

The United Kingdom granted the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) £4.6 million, or about $5.9 million, in 2022.

NGO Monitor, a Jerusalem-based research institute, filed a freedom of information (FOI) request on March 25, 2021. It asked the U.K.’s Foreign Office, officially the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), for names of the beneficiaries.

The NRC is infamous in Israel as an NGO engaging in anti-Israel activities disguised as “humanitarianism.” It made headlines a few years back, when it tried to undermine the country’s judicial system by flooding its courts with cases.

NGO Monitor suspected that the Norwegian Refugee Council had funded Palestinian organizations with terror links, notably to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).

A tip-off was the U.K. government’s growing reluctance to talk about the NRC’s beneficiaries.

“Up until 2018 or so, the government used to publish the names of all local NGO recipients of U.K. aid via the NRC,” Anne Herzberg, legal adviser at NGO Monitor, told JNS. “We began to see a marked decrease in transparency regarding NRC funding to local NGOs around 2018-2019.”

NGO Monitor knew that the NRC worked with the Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC). Fatah identifies UAWC as an official “affiliate” of the PFLP. Two of its officials were arrested in 2019 for the murder of 17-year-old Rina Shnerb. A 2017 NRC document showed the group still worked with the UAWC.

“We suspected, therefore, that U.K. funding via the NRC was likely still going to PFLP-linked NGOs, as well as NGOs that promoted antisemitism, and called for the elimination of Israel, and that is why we filed an FOI request to the British government in early 2021,” Herzberg said.

Is it a coverup?

“Yes, there is absolutely something being hidden,” Herzberg said, “For more than three years, the FCDO refused to provide us with the names of the NGO sub-grantees.” She referred to the fact that the Foreign Office slow-walked NGO Monitor’s FOI request, granting a hearing before the U.K. Information Commissioner Tribunal only on Feb. 1, 2024.

The Foreign Office also changed its excuse for denying the request. It first argued that releasing the names of the organizations could put them in danger. “The suggestion was that these wicked, violent settlers would be attacking them,” said Jonathan Turner, of UK Lawyers for Israel, who served as counsel for NGO Monitor on the case.

The Foreign Office offered lots of “bogus evidence” trying to prove it, he said. NGO Monitor pointed out that the grantees proudly published the fact that they had received NRC funding. They clearly weren’t worried about coming to harm and none did.

Turner told JNS that about a week before the hearing, perhaps recognizing the flimsiness of its argument, the Foreign Office switched to a different one, claiming instead that disclosing the recipients would endanger British foreign relations. When NGO Monitor asked “how on earth” it would harm foreign relations, the Foreign Office said, “That’s secret. And revealing the reason would be detrimental to foreign relations.”

Part of the hearing itself was conducted in secret between the Tribunal’s judge and the Foreign Office, Herzberg noted. “We therefore had no way to challenge all of the evidence and, unsurprisingly, the government Tribunal upheld the government’s refusal to disclose the information.”

(NGO Monitor cross-examined the Foreign Office representative at the hearing. It was the U.K.’s Deputy Consul General to Jerusalem, Alison McEwen. Last year, McEwen came under fire for organizing the British team at the Palestine marathon. They wore T-shirts featuring a map of “Palestine” that erased Israel.)

During the course of the proceedings, the Foreign Office may have inadvertently revealed that British money is going to the PFLP and its partners. It said some of its partner groups were subjected to arrests and office raids. “The only NGOs that we are aware of that had their offices raided were PFLP-linked NGOs, furthering our suspicion that such groups were getting U.K. funding,” Herzberg said.

Turner and Herzberg agree that the reason the Foreign Office wants the recipients of its money kept hidden is to avoid a scandal. “There would be a major public outcry,” said Herzberg.

Foreign Office staff, those without diplomatic immunity, may also be criminally and civilly liable, noted Turner. The PFLP is a designated terror organization in the U.K. and its “affiliates”—namely, the groups getting U.K. taxpayer money—are considered terror organizations in Israel.

If it turns out the Foreign Ministry is giving money to the PFLP, something which is unlawful, it may come under the scrutiny of the British courts, Turner added.

The stakes would explain the lengths the Foreign Office has gone to keep the information secret. While it won this round, the public lost, NGO Monitor said.

“If there’s one thing we’ve learned since Oct. 7 and the war in Gaza, the failure to properly monitor and safeguard humanitarian aid has had disastrous consequences for both Israelis and Palestinians,” Herzberg said. “The public has a right to know who is receiving and what is being done with the millions of pounds in taxpayer funds given each year to the NRC. The FCDO should promptly disclose this information.” JNS

France barred Israel from attending Eurosatory, an international defense show held every two years near Paris. The French military cited disagreements between the two countries over Israel Defense Forces operations in Rafah, the last remaining Hamas stronghold in the Gaza Strip.

“At the request of the French authorities, Israeli companies will not be present at Eurosatory,” the French Armed Forces Ministry said in a statement on Friday, Defense News reported.

“Conditions are no longer suited to welcome Israeli companies to the French show, in a context where the president is calling for Israeli operations in Rafah to stop.”

Out of the 74 Israeli firms set to present at the show, ten were to exhibit weapons.

Founded in 1967, Eurosatory, the world’s largest defense-trade show, featured 1,700 exhibitors in 2022. At this year’s show, to take place between June 17-21, 1,800 exhibitors are expected.

The decision to ban Israeli defense firms may have been a result of the May 26 Israeli airstrike that resulted in the deaths of 45 people in a tent camp in Rafah.

French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his anger earlier in the week over the incident.

“Outraged by the Israeli strikes that have killed many displaced persons in Rafah,” Macron tweeted on May 27. “These operations must stop. There are no safe areas in Rafah for Palestinian civilians. I call for full respect for international law and an immediate ceasefire.”

It later emerged that the civilians were likely killed not as a direct result of the airstrike, but by a blaze caused when Hamas munitions caught fire.

National Unity Party chairman Benny Gantz, a member of Israel’s War Cabinet, spoke on Friday with French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal about the issue.

“I discussed with the prime minister further the French decision to forbid an Israeli delegation from participating in the @cogeseurosatory Security Fair. I emphasized to him that the decision ultimately rewards terror, and asked that France re-consider the decision,” Gantz posted to X on Friday.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo condemned the hypocrisy of France’s decision.

“The French decision to ban Israel from a defense forum—while welcoming the Chinese Communist Party—is reprehensible. It’s morally bankrupt to target the one Jewish state as it fights a defensive war against terrorism,” Pompeo said on X.

JNS

Whether a flight attendant was fired for her religious beliefs or for improper conduct when she sent anti-abortion material and disparaging messages to a union leader was at the heart of appeals court arguments Monday, as Southwest Airlines and the union sought to reverse an $800,000 award to the woman. The case also involves an earlier judge’s contempt order requiring three of the airline’s attorneys to undergo religious liberty training from a conservative advocacy group. Three judges with the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments Monday. Appellate Judge Corey Wilson closely questioned attorneys on both sides of the lawsuit, filed by flight attendant Charlene Carter against the airline and her union. Wilson said the key question in the case was how an employer should balance allowing actions such as Carter’s messages, while also not creating a hostile workplace for other employees. Southwest argues it broke no laws firing Carter because she violated company rules requiring civility in the workplace by sending “hostile and graphic” anti-abortion messages to the union leader, who was a fellow flight attendant. Wilson questioned whether Carter was treated fairly when the airline looked at her Facebook feed and found the material deemed objectionable. Shay Dvoretzky, an attorney for Southwest, said the airline only looked at Carter’s social media because she had used Facebook to send the anti-abortion messages. According to court documents, Carter called the coworker and union leader “despicable” for attending the 2017 Women’s March in Washington, D.C., which featured calls for protecting abortion rights. Carter’s attorneys argue in briefs that she made clear to management she sent the material because she was a Christian and an opponent of abortion. They say firing her violated federal law shielding employees from religious-based discrimination and that Southwest management and the union, which complained about Carter’s messages, should be held liable for her firing. The judge asked Carter’s attorney whether any worker should be allowed to get away with harassing coworkers “as long as it’s cloaked in religious conduct or religious practice.” Monday’s arguments did not address another aspect of the appeal — a contempt order requiring religious law training for three Southwest attorneys. The airline argues the training violates First Amendment speech rights of the attorneys. Lawyers for Carter say the type of training ordered “is a commonplace civil contempt sanction.” They deny it impinges on the airline’s free speech rights. The contempt order was issued after U.S. District Judge Brantley Starr, a Trump nominee who joined the bench in 2019, ordered the airline to tell flight attendants that under federal law, it “may not discriminate against Southwest flight attendants for their religious practices and beliefs.” Instead, the Dallas-based airline told employees that it “does not discriminate,” and told flight attendants to follow the airline policy it cited in firing Carter. Starr found Southwest in contempt in August for the way it explained the case to flight attendants. He ordered Southwest to pay Carter’s most recent legal costs and he dictated a statement for Southwest to relay to employees. He ordered the three lawyers to complete at least eight hours of religious liberty training from the Alliance Defending Freedom, which offers training on compliance with federal law prohibiting religious discrimination in the workplace. The conservative group has played a high-profile role in multiple legal fights. […]

France, Britain and Germany (the E3) submitted a draft resolution to the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Board of Governors on Monday pressing Iran on uranium traces at undeclared sites and the barring of inspectors, according to text seen by Reuters.

The draft, which will be voted on this week, calls on Tehran to cooperate without delay on a years-long investigation by the U.N. nuclear watchdog into the traces, including by letting the IAEA collect samples if necessary.

It also calls for Iran to allow IAEA uranium-enrichment experts on the inspection team, which Tehran has barred, and urges Tehran to implement a March 2023 joint statement that pledges cooperation.

“[The Board] calls on Iran to provide sufficient cooperation with the Agency and take the essential and urgent actions as decided by the Board in its November 2022 resolution, to resolve safeguards issues which remain outstanding despite numerous interactions with the Agency since 2019,” the text reads, according to Reuters.

The draft follows up on the previous resolution, that was passed 18 months ago.

Iran’s nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami was quoted by the semi-official Fars news agency as saying that the Islamic Republic would react if the resolution passes.

The Europeans are aiming to pass the new resolution after not moving forward at the last IAEA meeting in March after the Biden administration expressed opposition to the move.

A senior European diplomat claimed that the United States is having “difficulty” moving ahead with the resolution.

The diplomat added that “in our conversations we continue to do everything to convince them.”

The Wall Street Journal cited diplomatic sources as saying on May 27 that the Biden administration has pressed a number of other countries to abstain in a censure vote, saying that is what Washington will do.

Iran’s stockpile of 60%-enriched uranium has increased by 20.6 kilograms (45.5 pounds) since February, AFP reported on May 27, citing a new confidential IAEA report.

The document, which was also seen by the Associated Press, revealed that Tehran has 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 continued to ramp up enrichment, while maintaining that its nuclear program is strictly peaceful.

However, Western powers claim there is no credible civilian explanation for Tehran’s nuclear activities. In 2022, the IAEA issued a report saying it could not “provide assurances that Iran’s nuclear program is exclusively peaceful.”

According to the IAEA, Iran’s total stockpile of enriched uranium now stands at 6,201.3 kilograms (13,671.5 pounds)—a 675.8 kilogram (1,489.8 pound) increase in three months.

Following meetings with officials in Iran earlier this month, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi told reporters that Tehran’s cooperation with the organization has been “completely unsatisfactory” in recent months and urged the country to adopt “concrete” measures to address concerns.

There have also been recent Iranian threats of a push towards the bomb. On May 9, an adviser to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said Tehran will weaponize its nuclear program if Israel “threatens its existence.”

Two weeks ago, a lawmaker close to the regime suggested that the country might already possess an atomic bomb, saying, “In my opinion, we have achieved nuclear weapons, but we do not announce it.” JNS

Likud MK Yuli Edelstein, chairman of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Tuesday morning surveyed the seam line area where a series of shooting attacks by terrorists from Tulkarm have recently taken place. The latest shooting attack was thwarted overnight Monday when IDF commandos killed two terrorists at the seam line. Senior IDF officials, the head of the Emek Hefer Regional Council, and other council heads of nearby yishuvim also participated in the tour. During the tour, Edelstein that “reducing the defense plan for the yishuvim along the seam line is a return to the days before October 7th. The writing is on the wall and the fence – a delay in response could cost lives.” “The importance of protecting the country’s borders should not be overstated, and especially the stretch of the seam line, which is only a few kilometers away from the yishuvim in the center of the country.” “I call on the Minister of Defense and the Minister of National Security to immediately provide appropriate and immediate solutions. This is no longer a theoretical discussion of ‘what if’ and ‘maybe,’ as we have already learned from bitter experience. It is time for all of us to take responsibility.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

Israeli forces overnight Monday killed two terrorists who had been preparing to fire at Israeli towns from the city of Tulkarem in the Shomron, according to the Israel Defense Forces.

Members of the IDF’s Combat Intelligence Collection Corps’ Unit 636 who were in the area ambushed the gunmen as they approached the security barrier, killing them and confiscating their weapons.

“IDF soldiers work at all times to thwart any attempt to harm the citizens of the State of Israel,” the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said.

Hamas published footage of masked terrorists on May 27 opening fire with automatic weapons at Bat Hefer, an Israeli village east of Netanya that borders the Green Line.

In the footage, two Palestinians wearing Hamas headbands declare their allegiance to the Gaza-based terrorist organization. The video also includes a photo of the weapons they used to carry out the attack.

There were no casualties caused by that incident, according to Channel 12. Hamas said the attack was in response to the previous night’s IDF airstrike in Rafah, which targeted Yassin Rabia, the head of Hamas’s Yehuda and Shomron headquarters, and Khaled Nagar, a senior official in the group’s Yehuda and Shomron wing.

Also on May 27, some 30 Palestinians advanced toward Bat Hefer after they managed to climb over the security fence near Tulkarem, local media reported. Security camera footage showed the infiltrators climbing the wall using a rope and entering vehicles on the other side.

The IDF said in a statement to Channel 12 that it was aware of the problems with the security fence and was working to address the issue.

“Earlier today, infiltrators crossed in the area near Tulkarm. Upon receiving the report, forces immediately made their way to the site and arrested 19 infiltrators near the fence,” the military stated.

The IDF also noted that during the past few years, a new battalion and special units were established to protect the Seam Line, and the rules of engagement were changed.

“As a result, there has been a significant decrease in the number of infiltrators,” the IDF said.

{Matzav.com}

Iran’s acting foreign minister met with Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut to discuss “political and security” developments in its war against Israel, the Tehran-backed terror proxy said on Tuesday.

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani touched down in Lebanon on Monday for his first official visit since his predecessor was killed in a helicopter crash last month along with president Ebrahim Raisi.

According to a Hezbollah statement cited by local media, the meeting focused on “the latest political and security developments in the region, particularly on the Gaza and Lebanon fronts, as well as proposed solutions and potential scenarios for the progression of events.”

According to Hezbollah, Nasrallah thanked Tehran “for its continued support for the peoples of the region and the resistance movements, as well as for its stable and firm stance against sanctions and threats.”

The terror leader also reiterated his condolences on the deaths of Raisi, Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian and other officials who perished in the May 19 helicopter crash in Iran’s East Azerbaijan province.

Hezbollah has been engaging in near-daily attacks against northern Israel since joining the war in support of Hamas on Oct. 8, killing more than 20 people and causing widespread damage. Tens of thousands of Israelis remain internally displaced due to the violence.

Israeli forces have struck hundreds of Hezbollah targets in Southern Lebanon in response, including the terrorist group’s senior leadership.

On Monday, Bagheri met with his Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bou Habib, praising the “close relations” between the two countries and claiming that “resistance is the basis for stability in the region.”

“All countries in the region, especially the Islamic countries, should adopt a joint movement in order to counter Israeli aggression and protect the Palestinian people, especially in Rafah,” said Bagheri.

Bagheri will also visit Syria this week “to meet with the two countries’ officials as well as the officials of the resistance front to discuss ways to counter [Israel],” the state-run IRNA news agency has reported. JNS

Louisiana could soon become the first state to require that the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public school classroom. The legislation received final approval from the state’s GOP-dominated Legislature earlier this week and is headed to the desk of Republican Gov. Jeff Landry. It mandates that a poster-sized display of the Ten Commandments in “large, easily readable font” be required in all public classrooms, from kindergarten to state-funded universities. The GOP-authored bill comes during a new era of conservative leadership in Louisiana under Landry, who succeeded two-term Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards in January. The state’s reliably red Legislature also has a GOP supermajority and Republicans hold every statewide elected position, paving the way for lawmakers to push a conservative agenda. That includes a package of anti-LGBTQ+ bills, tough-on-crime policies, migrant enforcement measures and legislation mirroring conservative plans in Texas and Florida. Similar bills requiring the Ten Commandments be displayed in classrooms have been proposed in other statehouses — including Texas, Oklahoma and Utah. However, with threats of legal battles over the constitutionality of such measures, no state has had success in the bills becoming law. If signed into law in Louisiana, legal challenges are expected to follow. Legal battles over the Ten Commandments in classrooms are not new. In 1980, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a similar Kentucky law was unconstitutional and in violation of the establishment clause of the U.S. Constitution, which says Congress can “make no law respecting an establishment of religion.” The high court found that the law had no secular purpose, but rather served a plainly religious purpose. In Louisiana, a state ensconced in the Bible Belt, proponents of the bill argue that the measure is constitutional on historical grounds. GOP state Sen. Jay Morris said Tuesday that “the purpose is not solely religious to have the Ten Commandments displayed in our schools, but rather its historical significance.” He went on to say that the Ten Commandments is “simply one of many documents that display the history of our country and the foundation for our legal system.” The law also “authorizes” — but does not require — the display of the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence and the Northwest Ordinance in K-12 public schools. Opponents continue to question the bill’s constitutionality, warning that the state is sure to face lawsuits. Democratic state Sen. Royce Duplessis argued that while supporters of the legislation say the intent of the bill is for historical significance, it does not give the state “constitutional cover” and has serious problems. The lawmaker questioned why the Legislature was focusing on the display of the Ten Commandments, saying there are many more “documents that are historical in nature.” “I was raised Catholic and I still am a practicing Catholic, but I didn’t have to learn the Ten Commandments in school,” Duplessis said on Tuesday. “It is why we have church. If you want your kids to learn about the Ten Commandments take them to church.” The author of the bill, GOP state Rep. Dodie Horton, argued earlier this session that the Ten Commandments do not solely have to do with one religion. “This is not preaching a Christian religion. It’s not preaching any religion. It’s teaching a moral code,” Horton said during a committee hearing in April. Last year, the […]

The Israel Day on Fifth parade in New York City on Sunday drew more than 100,000 attendees, “breaking all previous records,” the UJA-Federation of New York stated on Monday.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.), city mayor Eric Adams and state attorney general Letitia James also attended the annual event, “demonstrating their love and support for Israel, its people and its culture,” per the UJA Federation.

The parade was conducted with a serious security presence, with the NYPD blocking off the park side of 5th avenue along the parade route. The protest section was moved north to a location after the end of the parade route, to minimize interaction between parade attendees and the protesters. Baruch Hashem, only one incident was reported to have taken place.

{Matzav.com}

Firefighters on Tuesday were able to gain control of the fires that broke in in northern Israel, near Amiad, after over 9 hours of battling the blaze.

It took 18 teams of firefighters from the northern, coastal and central districts to gain control of the fire, in addition to forces from the Israel Defense Forces, KKL-JNF, and the Israel Police.

Firefighters also gained control of the fires in Kiryat Shmona and Kfar Giladi. However four teams are still working to control the fire in the Naftali Ridge.

These fires were caused as a result of dozens of launches from Hezbollah. Fires have been spreading since Monday afternoon, with the hot and dry weather making any impact a possibility to start another fire.

30 launches were detected on Monday afternoon crossing from Lebanon towards northern Golan Heights, and these fell in open areas. Additionally, air defense soldiers intercepted an unmanned aircraft carrying explosives that crossed from Lebanon near the Naftali Ridge area.

Unfortunately, another explosive drone that crossed from Lebanon was not intercepted and fell in the area, and, an explosive drone that crossed from Lebanon fell in the Metula area.

Later, another alert was activated in the north of the country, as a suspicious ariel target was spotted over Israeli territory. Interceptors were launched towards the target, and Baruch Hashem, no injuries were reported.

Severe air pollution is noticeable throughout the upper Galil area due to all the fires. Due to the fires, the few residents who remained in Kiryat Shmona have been forced to evacuate.

District Commander Sub-Commissioner Yair Lakim said: “We will stay here until we control the fire and protect the residents’ homes. We will fight for every house. We will work non-stop until we put out the fire.”

The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit stated: “Over the past few hours, the IDF has been conducting a situational assessment with Israel Fire and Rescue Services to allocate additional means, forces, and firefighting capabilities in order to extinguish the fires in northern Israel.”

“At this stage, IDF reserve soldiers, engineer tools, mechanical equipment, fire trucks, and fire tanks were reinforced. An IDF Home Front Command’s fire battalion is currently operating at the scene and assisting fire and rescue forces.”

“The forces gained control over the locations of fire, and at this stage, no human life is at risk. The Commanding Officer of the Northern Command is currently arriving at the Kiryat Shmona Fire Station.”

The IDF announced that six IDF reservist soldiers were lightly injured as a result of smoke inhalation and transferred to a hospital to receive medical treatment. Their families have been notified.

The Ziv Hospital in Tzfas said an additional 5 civilians were brought to the hospital as a result of the fire near Amiad.

“These are minor injuries as a result of smoke inhalation. The injured are undergoing a series of tests and will be released later.”

On Tuesday morning, the hospital updated that a total of 16 individuals, seven reservists and nine civilians, were brought to the hospital in light condition.

The Prime Minister’s Office said that Prime Minister Netanyahu held a situational assessment with the heads of the security services regarding the developments in the north of the country.

It continued saying that Netanyahu “received a snapshot of the activity to extinguish the fires from the National Fire and Rescue Authority.”

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir responded, “What is happening now in the north is moral bankruptcy. Reckless management by the Concept Cabinet, a direct continuation of the policy of containment and proportionality, a policy that directly led to October 7. Instead of bowing down to Hamas, it is time for all of Lebanon to burn.”

Opposition leader Yair Lapid reacted, saying: “The north is going up in flames and Israeli deterrence is burning with it. The government has no plan for the day after in Gaza, no plan to return the residents to the north, no management, no strategy. A fully reckless government.”

{Matzav.com}

Many Americans still aren’t sold on going electric for their next car purchase. High prices and a lack of easy-to-find charging stations are major sticking points, a new poll shows. About 4 in 10 U.S. adults say they would be at least somewhat likely to buy an EV the next time they buy a car, according to the poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago, while 46% say they are not too likely or not at all likely to purchase one. The poll results, which echo an AP-NORC poll from last year, show that President Joe Biden’s election-year plan to dramatically raise EV sales is running into resistance from American drivers. Only 13% of U.S. adults say they or someone in their household owns or leases a gas-hybrid car, and just 9% own or lease an electric vehicle. Caleb Jud of Cincinnati said he’s considering an EV, but may end up with a plug-in hybrid — if he goes electric. While Cincinnati winters aren’t extremely cold, “the thought of getting stuck in the driveway with an EV that won’t run is worrisome, and I know it wouldn’t be an issue with a plug-in hybrid,″ he said. Freezing temperatures can slow chemical reactions in EV batteries, depleting power and reducing driving range. A new rule from the Environmental Protection Agency requires that about 56% of all new vehicle sales be electric by 2032, along with at least 13% plug-in hybrids or other partially electric cars. Auto companies are investing billions in factories and battery technology in an effort to speed up the switch to EVs to cut pollution, fight climate change — and meet the deadline. EVs are a key part of Biden’s climate agenda. Republicans led by presumptive nominee Donald Trump are turning it into a campaign issue. Younger people are more open to eventually purchasing an EV than older adults. More than half of those under 45 say they are at least “somewhat” likely to consider an EV purchase. About 32% of those over 45 are somewhat likely to buy an EV, the poll shows. But only 21% of U.S. adults say they are “very” or “extremely” likely to buy an EV for their next car, according to the poll, and 21% call it somewhat likely. Worries about cost are widespread, as are other practical concerns. Range anxiety – the idea that EVs cannot go far enough on a single charge and may leave a driver stranded — continues to be a major reason why many Americans do not purchase electric vehicles. About half of U.S. adults cite worries about range as a major reason not to buy an EV. About 4 in 10 say a major strike against EVs is that they take too long to charge or they don’t know of any public charging stations nearby. Concern about range is leading some to consider gas-engine hybrids, which allow driving even when the battery runs out. Jud, a 33-year-old operations specialist and political independent, said a hybrid “is more than enough for my about-town shopping, dropping my son off at school” and other uses. With EV prices declining, cost would not be a factor, Jud said — a minority view among those polled. Nearly 6 […]