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WSJ: U.S. Spy Agencies ‘Really Worried’ About Second Trump Term
Current and former senior U.S. intelligence officials are afraid a second Donald Trump term will see the former president retaliate against America’s spy agencies by carrying out a “deep state” purge and ultimately see him use the powerful agencies for his own political purposes, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
“Senior people are really worried,” retired Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden, a former CIA director under Republican President George W. Bush, told the newspaper, adding a prediction that a second Trump administration would try to slash civil service protections and fire perceived enemies at a time when the country is mired in complex geopolitical jousting with China, Russia, and others.
“President Trump is committed to returning the intelligence community to its proper constitutional and statutory limits,” Brian Hughes, a Trump campaign official, told the WSJ, insisting his candidate is “committed to break the hold that entrenched interests have over decision-making and exercising the will of the American people.” Read more at The Wall Street Journal.
{Matzav.com}
WORKING HARD: Biden Took 48 Years Worth of Vacations in 4 Years
President Joe Biden, at 81 years old, holds the distinction of being the oldest person ever elected to the presidency, as well as the oldest to serve in office. Now, his His frequent vacations have drawn attention, with the New York Post calculating that the time he’s spent away from work equates to nearly 48 years of vacation time for an average worker.
In fact, according to the Post, “President Biden spends almost as much time on R&R as he does running the country.”
To date, Biden has taken 532 vacation days out of the 1,326 days he’s been in office as of the end of August, which accounts for 40.3% of his time in the White House, according to figures from the Republican National Committee.
For context, the Post reported that a typical American worker with 11 vacation days per year would need approximately 48 years to accumulate as much time off as Biden has taken during his presidency.
Mark Paoletta, former general counsel at the White House Office of Management and Budget, shared his perspective with the Post, saying, “The image of Biden fast asleep and lying flat on his back in his chair at the beach while America and the world is on fire will define the Biden presidency.” Paoletta added, “Inflation has been out of control; prices still way too high; our border overrun with millions of illegal aliens committing violent crimes on our citizens; the world in a perilous state; and all Biden wants to do is go on vacation and check out — for more than 530 days.”
In recent months, Biden has taken more personal time, particularly after announcing he would not run for reelection. The Post suggested this might be due to his frustration with fellow Democrats who pressured him into stepping aside.
Despite this, his time off remains in line with his previous years in office, with the Post noting that Biden’s third year as president continued the trend of making him “America’s most idle commander in chief.”
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., voiced her dissatisfaction with Biden’s performance, telling the Post, “We probably would have been better off if he did even less and went on vacation more.” She added, “Sadly, he repealed President Trump’s border policies, lifted sanctions on Iran that enriched them, and implemented anti-energy policies that drove up the cost gas, food and utility bills. If he just left things alone, things would be better.”
Comparatively, former President Donald Trump spent 26% of his presidency on personal travel, totaling 381 days out of 1,461, according to the Post. By contrast, former President Barack Obama, who was younger than both Biden and Trump, took just 11% of his time in office as vacation days.
The White House has pushed back on the criticism surrounding Biden’s time off, arguing that the president continues to work even while on personal trips. White House spokesperson Andrew Bates responded to the Post, saying, “It’s not a surprise that the same geniuses who attack President Biden for petting hero dogs and liking ice cream can’t count, but he has taken fewer vacation days than the modern average for presidents and works hard every day, wherever he is.”
Jordanians Fill The Streets, Distribute Candies To Celebrate Murder Of Israelis In Terror Attack
Yemen’s Houthi Rebels Claim They Shot Down Another US MQ-9 Drone
Shulspace: Meet the Shul Software Loved By Over 500 Gabbaim
Couple Attacked in Germany Over T-Shirt for Israeli Hostages
A woman was assaulted in the southwestern German city of Heidelberg last week for wearing a “Bring them home now” T-shirt in support of the Israelis held captive in Gaza.
The attack came the same week that a gunman opened fire near the Israeli consulate in Munich on the anniversary of the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre and was killed by police.
The couple was assaulted on Monday evening by a 29-year-old man as they were walking outside in the university town, according to images captured on CCTV.
The attacker grabbed the woman by the T-shirt, demanding she take it off, lightly injuring her, local media reported. When her husband tried to help his wife, the attacker punched him several times in the face, reportedly knocking out a tooth before fleeing the scene.
The attacker later posted about the incident on Instagram.
The Muslim suspect, who was arrested on Thursday evening in a nearby city where he lives, is a German national whose parents are from Lebanon.
He remains under arrest this weekend after failing to post a €10,000 bail.
The suspect told police that he was “bothered” by the woman’s T-shirt.
The German embassy in Tel Aviv did not immediately return calls for comment over the weekend.
An Israeli who lives in Germany and runs a restaurant in a nearby city told JNS on Sunday that she had previously gotten a restraining order from police against the suspect after he sold drugs to clientele and refused to pay for services.
“After that he got more aggressive, threatened me and called me a ‘dirty Jew,’” Iris Haas said.
(JNS)
BDS: Brussels Commune Suspends Twinning with Israeli Town of Megiddo
Ixelles, one of the 19 municipalities of Belgium’s Brussels-Capital Region, has suspended its twinning with the Israeli town of Megiddo.
The suspension, which was decided upon in July, has been confirmed by Ixelles Mayor Christos Doulkeridis of the Green Party. In the eyes of municipal authorities, any action in favor of peace involving an Israeli municipality is impossible for the time being, he told Belgian news agency Belga.
On June 20, around 100 pro-Palestinian activists demonstrated in the municipality to call for an end to the twinning arrangement, a demand made by a coalition of leftist organizations.
The municipality stated in its decision that “it is unable to carry out any credible initiative in the direction of dialogue and peace,” and considered that simply maintaining the twinning arrangement “could be interpreted as approval of the policy currently pursued by the State of Israel.”
The municipality cited “the scale and duration of the Israeli government’s response in the Gaza Strip” following Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre, “the many civilian victims,” the “pronouncements of the International Court of Justice” and “the relentless pursuit of the settlement policy.”
The Belgian-Palestinian Association welcomed what it called “the strong gesture of responsibility on the part of the local authorities.” It hailed the decision as a “success” for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
Megiddo lies some 90 kilometers (56 miles) north of Yerushalayim and 31 kilometers (19.3 miles) southwest of Chaifa. It overlooks the Yezreel Valley to the north and is an important crossroads on the main road linking central Israel with the Lower Galil and the northern region of the country.
(JNS)
US Believes Iran Has Transferred Short-Range Ballistic Missiles To Russia
Ben-Gvir: Make Victory over Yehuda and Shomron Terrorists War Goal
The total defeat of Arab terrorists in Yehuda and Shomron should be added to Yerushalayim’s official goals in the war against Hamas, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir reiterated on Sunday following a deadly shooting on the border with Jordan.
“It was with great sadness that I received the difficult news that a heinous terrorist murdered three Israelis at the Allenby terminal [crossing],” the minister said in a statement published by his office.
“The war we are in is not only against Gaza and Hezbollah [in Lebanon], it is also in Yehuda and Shomron,” Ben-Gvir declared in the statement. “Just last week, I asked the prime minister to also include victory in Yehuda and Shomron among the goals of the war. I will continue to fight for this to happen.”
The government’s stated goals for the war against Hamas, which was sparked by the Oct. 7 massacre of some 1,200 people in Israel, include to destroy Hamas as an armed and governing force in the Gaza Strip and to ensure that it cannot threaten the Jewish state, as well as returning all hostages taken by Hamas during the cross-border attack.
Reaching a military or diplomatic solution that will allow the safe return of tens and thousands of citizens displaced from their homes near the Jewish state’s northern border since Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah joined the war in support of Hamas on Oct. 8 is another main objective.
Ben-Gvir’s appeal to Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu comes as the security situation in Yehuda and Shomron further deteriorates.
Earlier on Sunday, three security guards at the Allenby Bridge crossing in the Jordan Valley were killed in a terrorist shooting. The terrorist drove in a truck to the crossing from the Jordanian side. He then exited the vehicle and began firing at civilians guarding the border.
The attack came a day after an Arab terrorist rammed his vehicle into a police car at a gas station outside the community of Eli in Samaria’s Binyamin region. The plice car was empty, and nobody was injured.
One week ago, three police officers were killed in a shooting near the Tarqumiya checkpoint, some 7.5 miles northwest of Chevron in Yehuda.
The next day, Israeli forces neutralized a car bomb near the entrance to the town of Ateret in Binyamin. The 100-pound explosive was intended to detonate while a school bus was passing by, security officials believe.
On Aug. 30, terrorists linked to Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah movement carried out a twin car bombing in the Gush Etzion area of Yehuda, wounding two Israeli soldiers and a security guard.
In the first half of 2024, Yehuda and Shomron saw more than 500 Arab terrorist attacks each month on average, according to figures published on Aug. 1 by Rescuers Without Borders.
During that time period, first responders recorded 3,272 terrorist acts in the region, including 1,868 cases of rock-throwing, 456 attacks with Molotov cocktails, 299 explosive charges and 109 shootings.
Terrorists murdered 14 people and wounded more than 155 others in Yehuda and Shomron between January and June, the rescue group said.
(JNS)
Terrorist Freed in November Accused of Attacking Mother, Sister
A Hamas terrorist released in the November hostage deal with Israel was accused on Sunday of attacking his mother and sister with a knife at their home in eastern Yerushalayim a week ago, Kan News reported.
According to the indictment, he threatened to slaughter his sister and cut off her head, and broke her nose and his mother’s hand.
An interrogation after his arrest revealed that during a family dispute that began in the city’s Silwan neighborhood, the suspect attacked his mother and sister with two broken glasses.
“He approached his little sister and threatened to slaughter her, cut off her head, bring a knife and a gun and kill her, while slapping her and hitting her in all parts of her body,” police said.
He then came back armed with a knife and entered his sister’s room through the window. His sister defended herself with a fan and he dropped the knife, attacking his mother when she tried to intervene, pushing and choking her, according to police.
The terrorist was sentenced in June 2023 to two and a half years in prison for throwing fire bombs at Jews’ cars in eastern Jerusalem. It was defined as an act of terrorism. He was 16 at the time.
A total of 105 civilian captives taken to Gaza by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7 were freed in November as part of a ceasefire agreement in which Israel released 240 Palestinian security prisoners.
Another terrorist released in the November deal was one of two gunmen killed in an IDF drone strike in the Balata camp on the outskirts of Shechem in central Shomron last month.
Wael Masha, 18, was freed from prison as part of the agreement a year after his arrest.
Days prior, another terrorist released from prison in November’s ceasefire deal with Hamas, Tarek Daoud, 18, opened fire on an Israeli man in Qalqilya, seriously wounding him, before being pursued and killed by security forces.
(JNS)
A Rare Copy Of The US Constitution Went Missing For Centuries. Now It’s Being Auctioned For Millions
Top Abbas Adviser Calls Terrorism ‘Resistance’
Mahmoud al-Habbash, Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas adviser on religious and Islamic affairs, recently hailed terrorist attacks against Israelis as “resistance” in an interview with Egypt’s state-linked Al Qahera News television channel.
“What happened in Tubas, Tulkarem, Jenin and Nablus and Chevron is an Israeli continuation of the war of annihilation and expulsion against the Palestinian people and an attempt to empty the Palestinian homeland,” al-Habbash said in the interview, which aired on Sept. 3 but was discovered by the Palestinian Media Watch NGO on Thursday.
Al-Habbash’s comments referred to ongoing Israel Defense Forces’ counterterrorism operations throughout Palestinian Authority-controlled cities in Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley.
“Is there fighting in the literal and traditional sense of the word? Not at all,” he said. “Yes, there is Palestinian resistance, and this is our right, and it is the right of every Palestinian to defend himself. There is a unilateral war against the Palestinian people, and there are Palestinian attempts to respond and carry out self-defense.”
Al-Habbash, the Palestinian Authority’s top Sharia judge and a former minister of awqaf (“endowment”) and religious affairs, spoke days after terrorists linked to Abbas’s Fatah movement carried out a twin car bombing in the Gush Etzion area of Yehuda, wounding two Israeli soldiers and a security guard.
The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, a “military” arm of the Fatah party, also claimed responsibility on Sept. 2 for a terrorist drive-by shooting that killed three Israeli police officers near the city of Chevron in Yehuda.
The IDF has confirmed that terrorist Muhannad al-Aswad had links to the Palestinian Authority and had served in Abbas’s presidential guard.
The U.S. State Department told JNS last week that Fatah and Abbas have “consistently” proven their commitment to peace with the Jewish state.
“The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, which the U.S. designated as a terrorist organization decades ago, has claimed responsibility for these attacks,” a State Department spokesperson stated. “Despite some historical linkages in the past, it is important to note that this group is separate from the Fatah party,” the spokesperson claimed.
Arab media routinely describe the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades as Fatah’s “military wing,” and the ruling Palestinian faction has long expressed support for the terrorist organization, which Ramallah pledged to disband under an agreement with Israel brokered in July 2007.
In a statement issued during the 2014 Gaza war (“Operation Protective Edge”), the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades said that “Fatah’s Central Committee, Fatah’s Revolutionary Council and the regional Fatah leadership are supporting us, and they praised our Brigades’ efforts to attack the oppressing enemy [Israel].”
(JNS)
Massive Crowds By Levaya Of Skulener Rebbe Z’tl
Israel Committed to Har Habayis Status Quo, Herzog Tells US Envoy
Israel is committed to upholding the status quo on Yerushalayim’s Har Habayis, President Yitzchak Herzog assured U.S. Ambassador Jack Lew on Sunday after National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir issued a call for the construction of a Shul at Judaism’s holiest site.
Herzog stressed his “unequivocal commitment to preserving the status quo at the holy site—in accordance with political agreements laid down since 1967 [with Jordan], and in the spirit of the rulings by leading rabbis and religious figures over the last 100 years,” an official told reporters.
Earlier on Sunday, Israeli lawmaker Yitzhak Kroizer, a member of Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit Party, ascended Har Habayis in prayer.
According to a readout from the President’s Residence, Herzog in his meeting with Lew also touched on Sunday morning’s deadly terrorist shooting at the Allenby border crossing to Jordan, saying that “the peace agreements between Israel and its neighbors are a cornerstone of stability in the region, and we trust all parties will thoroughly investigate the incident and work to prevent future attacks.”
The Israeli head of state added, “This horrific act reinforces our resolve to stand firm in the face of terror, and we will continue to fight with determination against terrorism and extremist elements which seek to undermine our security, and the stability of the whole region.”
Herzog “expressed his concern for the stability in the region, with Iranian-backed terror continuing to threaten Israel on many fronts—especially over the upcoming period of Jewish religious festivals, and the year anniversary of the Hamas massacre of October 7,” per the readout.
Israel signed a peace treaty with Jordan in 1994 but the kingdom has a majority Palestinian population and its government has taken an increasingly hostile tone since the Hamas-led Oct. 7 massacre of 1,200 people in southern Israel and the ensuing war in the Gaza Strip.
Under a status quo arrangement reached with Jordan in the wake of the 1967 Six-Day War, Jews may visit Har Habayis but not pray there.
Israel’s Charedi-dominated Chief Rabbinate opposes visits to the Mount due to the concern that Jews may inadvertently set foot in an area that, according to Halacha, is forbidden to enter unless one is Tahor.
On the other hand, some Rabbanim, including HaRav Shlomo Goren ZT”L, have permitted—and even encouraged—Jews to visit the site, arguing that measurements taken after 1967 have determined the boundaries of the area Jews may enter. According to a 2022 poll, more than half of Israeli Jews who identify as either Dati Leumi or traditional religious support prayer on Har Habayis.
Ben-Gvir said in an interview with Army Radio on Aug. 26 that Jewish prayer is allowed on Har Habayis. That prompted a denial from the Prime Minister’s Office, which stated that policy at the holy site is determined by the government and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu.
During the interview with Army Radio, Ben-Gvir was asked repeatedly if he would build a Shul on Har Habayis. He replied, “yes.”
Matthew Miller, the U.S. State Department spokesman, told reporters the following day that the proposed Jewish house of worship “on the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount” would “demonstrate blatant disregard for the historic status quo with respect to the holy sites in Jerusalem.”
(JNS)
Donald Trump Pulls Ahead of Kamala Harris in Major Poll — A Sign Her Campaign is Fizzling
For the first time in several weeks, former President Donald Trump has surpassed Vice President Kamala Harris in a major national poll, suggesting her recent surge may be slowing down just before their upcoming debate.
The New York Times/Siena College poll showed Trump ahead by a slim margin of 48% to Harris’ 47% among likely voters across the country.
This latest poll echoes results from late July when Trump also led Harris shortly after President Biden withdrew from the race. Similarly, other surveys have indicated the former president making gains against Harris in the weeks following the Democratic National Convention.
Despite his narrow advantage, 70% of voters, including 37% of Trump supporters, stated that Trump had made statements they found offensive.
Harris had been climbing steadily in polls after rising to the top of the Democratic ticket, briefly overtaking Trump in the RealClearPolitics polling average. She also gained traction in key battleground states, although those races still largely remain up in the air.
When it comes to specific issues, voters trust Harris more than Trump on topics like abortion (54% to 49%) and democracy (50% to 45%). However, Trump is favored on economic matters (55% to 42%) and immigration (53% to 43%), according to the New York Times/Siena College poll.
The leading concerns for voters were the economy (21%), followed by abortion (14%), immigration (12%), inflation and the cost of living (7%), and democracy (7%).
While Democrats have a slight edge in voter enthusiasm, with 91% expressing excitement about the election compared to 85% of Republicans, Harris’ momentum may be slowing ahead of Tuesday’s debate.
Most respondents in the poll — 56% — don’t believe Harris signifies a break from the unpopular Biden administration, with only 25% seeing her as bringing significant change and 15% believing she would bring minor change. By contrast, 51% see Trump as representing major change, with 10% seeing him as a minor change agent and 35% believing he offers more of the same.
Political experts, like James Carville, have emphasized that the candidate perceived as the one driving change will have the advantage in the race. In a recent opinion piece, Carville advised that Harris should publicly distance herself from Biden on key policies to improve her chances.
Trump’s approval ratings have seen a slight dip, with 46% of voters viewing him favorably — 27% very favorably and 19% somewhat favorably — while 52% hold unfavorable views of him — 10% somewhat unfavorably and 42% very unfavorably. This marks a drop from the 48% favorable rating he had in July.
Interestingly, Harris’ favorability rating is lower than Trump’s, with only 45% of voters viewing her positively, including just 24% who have a very favorable opinion of her. Half of the respondents view her unfavorably, with 37% holding a very negative view of her. In July, Harris had a favorability rating of 46% and an unfavorable rating of 49%.
“Highest-rated pollster in the country and a large sample size, too. Fortunately for Harris she has the debate this week and none of this will matter if she has a good night,” commented Nate Silver, an election data expert, on X about the recent poll.
According to Silver’s 2024 election forecast, Trump has a better chance of winning the Electoral College than Harris, even though she is projected to win the popular vote.
Since 2004, Republicans have not won the popular vote in a presidential election. Trump had consistently led Biden in popular vote polls before Biden withdrew from the race on July 21.
Harris continues to lead Trump by a slim 1.4 percentage points in the RealClearPolitics polling average for a head-to-head race.
The New York Times/Siena College poll surveyed 1,695 voters between September 3-6, with a margin of error of 2.8 percentage points.
Not long after Biden exited the race and endorsed Harris, Trump’s pollster Tony Fabrizio predicted that Harris would enjoy a “honeymoon” period in the polls.
Harris has repeatedly said that she views herself as the “underdog” in the campaign and that she is approaching the race without taking anything for granted. Her campaign has also highlighted her recent success in fundraising, having raised $361 million in August, far outpacing Trump’s $130 million from his campaign and affiliated groups.
The highly anticipated debate between Trump and Harris, set to be hosted by ABC News in Philadelphia on Tuesday, will mark their first-ever face-to-face encounter.
With just eight weeks remaining until the November 5 election, the debate could play a pivotal role in reshaping what is shaping up to be a close contest for the presidency.
{Matzav.com}
Nancy Pelosi: US Should More Fully Leverage Its Relationship With Israel
Former Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi emphasized yesterday that the US should take greater advantage of its alliance with Israel to minimize civilian casualties in Gaza, according to The Hill.
Pelosi expressed that the current state in Gaza is “unbearable,” while reaffirming the US’s unwavering support for Israel and its right to self-defense, labeling Israel as “our security partner, our values partner, and the rest.”
“The key debate here revolves around where to draw the line,” Pelosi explained during her speech at The Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, in response to a question about whether Democrats in Congress will continue endorsing the supply of US arms to Israel.
“We’ve always maintained our support for Israel’s right to defend itself, but some are concerned that these weapons may be used for offensive purposes,” she continued, as reported by The Hill. “It’s a complicated issue. It’s not as simple as it looks, but I do believe we should more effectively use our leverage with Israel to ensure that civilian casualties are not something we can be associated with.”
Pelosi labeled Hamas as a terrorist group and reflected on the tragic events of October 7, describing it as a “horrific day” with “terrible consequences.”
“This is not about disregarding how we ended up in this situation, but rather about finding a better approach than seeing tens of thousands of Palestinians killed,” she added.
While certain progressive factions within the Democratic Party have advocated for an arms embargo on Israel, President Joe Biden has dismissed such proposals. The Democratic presidential nominee also rejected the idea during a recent interview on CNN.
“Let me make this absolutely clear: I am unwavering in my commitment to Israel’s defense and its right to defend itself, and that will not change,” Vice President Harris declared.
“On October 7th, 1,200 people were slaughtered. Many were young attendees of a music festival. Women were brutally raped. As I said then and reiterate now: Israel has the right to defend itself – we would – but how it conducts that defense is important,” she added.
The US has been actively promoting a ceasefire and a deal for hostage releases, initially proposed by President Joe Biden in May. However, Hamas has consistently refused every proposal brought forward.
According to The Washington Post, the US has been coordinating with Egypt and Qatar to finalize a definitive “take it or leave it” agreement.
Nonetheless, the same report noted on Saturday that US officials announced the indefinite postponement of the plan’s presentation.
The delay, as reported by the Post, stems from Hamas’ sudden introduction of a demand that Israel release high-profile terrorists, even in exchange for humanitarian prisoners.
{Matzav.com}
IRGC Official: Revenge For Haniyeh’s Death ‘Certain,’ Will Come At The Right Time
A high-ranking officer from the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has reaffirmed that Iran is still committed to avenging the death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, despite the delay, according to a report from the Tehran Times.
Haniyeh was killed in Tehran in July, just a few hours after the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed they had taken out Fuad Shukr, Hezbollah’s deputy leader, in Lebanon.
In a public statement, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Naqdi of the IRGC underscored that Iran’s retaliation is “certain,” but it will take place at a time Iran considers most effective.
During a ceremony held on Saturday morning, Naqdi remarked, “Revenge is certain, and we have made it clear on multiple occasions. There is no doubt about it. The retaliation must happen at the right time to be effective.”
He went on to criticize the United States, describing it as Israel’s “sole backer,” and asserted, “The US is complicit in the atrocities in Gaza.”
Naqdi further suggested that Iran’s plan for revenge is already in motion, telling the Iranian public that they should soon expect good news.
{Matzav.com}
BBC Accused of Violating Own Guidelines 1,500 Times in Gaza War Coverage
A critical new analysis has charged the BBC with breaching its own editorial standards over 1,500 times within the first four months of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, as reported by the Telegraph.
This investigation, spearheaded by British lawyer Trevor Asserson, highlights a “deeply worrying pattern of bias” against Israel during the early period following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that resulted in the deaths of 1,200 individuals.
The report details how the BBC was 14 times more likely to link Israel with “genocide” compared to Hamas, despite Israel’s attempts to minimize civilian harm and the openly genocidal goals declared by Hamas to eliminate the Jewish population of Israel. Israel was also accused of war crimes four times more frequently than Hamas, even though Hamas terrorists themselves recorded their war crimes.
Furthermore, the report noted that the term “terrorist organization” was applied to Hamas only 3.2% of the time, even though the British government classifies Hamas as such.
The BBC’s Arabic-language broadcasts were found to be particularly biased against Israel, with some reporters having expressed support for terrorism against Israelis and Hamas without disclosing this bias to viewers.
BBC International Editor Jeremy Bowen and international correspondent Lyse Doucet faced accusations of minimizing Hamas’s terrorist activities, with Doucet specifically criticized for downplaying the events of October 7.
In response to the report’s release, Conservative members of Parliament have condemned the BBC. Shadow Deputy Prime Minister Sir Oliver Dowden stated, “Serious questions should be asked as to why this has been allowed to happen, and license-fee payers should expect to see the BBC stick to its own editorial guidelines.”
MP Greg Smith commented, “We knew in the aftermath of October 7 that the BBC was struggling to call a terrorist a terrorist. There are now clear grounds for Ofcom and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to use every tool they have in their arsenal to bring about greater compliance with the rules around neutrality and fair coverage in the BBC charter.”
A BBC representative responded by saying the organization would “carefully consider” the findings of the report, but expressed “serious questions” regarding the report’s methodological approach.
{Matzav.com}
Trump Threatens Lawyers, Donors and Election Officials With Prison for ‘Unscrupulous Behavior’
Former President Donald Trump issued a warning yesterday, declaring that he plans to imprison anyone found guilty of “unscrupulous behavior” during the 2024 election results.
Trump made this declaration on Truth Social, his own social media platform, while repeating his claims that the 2020 election was rigged, accusing Democrats of “rampant Cheating and Skullduggery.”
He wrote, “The 2024 Election, where Votes have just started being cast, will be under the closest professional scrutiny and, WHEN I WIN, those people that CHEATED will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the Law, which will include long term prison sentences so that this Depravity of Justice does not happen again.”
He further stated, “Please beware that this legal exposure extends to Lawyers, Political Operatives, Donors, Illegal Voters, & Corrupt Election Officials. Those involved in unscrupulous behavior will be sought out, caught, and prosecuted at levels, unfortunately, never seen before in our Country.”
{Matzav.com}