Chuck Schumer reaffirms his stance that each day his shutdown prolongs, with our troops and federal agents going unpaid, “gets better” for the Democrats as they aim to provide taxpayer-funded healthcare for illegals.
Authorities in Beersheba have begun demolishing an apartment building that was directly struck by an Iranian ballistic missile during the final hours of June’s 12-day war. The devastating attack on June 24 claimed the lives of four people — Cpl. Eitan Zacks, 18, his mother, Michal Zacks, 50, his girlfriend, Noa Boguslavsky, 18, and a neighbor, Naomi Shaanan, 73. The building, a relatively new complex equipped with reinforced rooms, suffered catastrophic damage when the missile made a direct hit on two safe rooms on the sixth floor.
UPDATE: An Israeli government spokesperson confirmed that Marwan Barghouti, a senior Fatah leader serving five life sentences for orchestrating deadly attacks during the Second Intifada, will not be included in the reported Israel-Hamas hostage-prisoner exchange.
An Israeli government spokesperson clarified that Marwan Barghouti, one of the most well-known Palestinian terrorists, will not be among those released under the reported agreement between Israel and Hamas for a hostage-prisoner exchange. “I can tell you at this point in time that he will not be part of this release,” spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian told reporters. Barghouti, a senior Fatah figure, is currently serving five life sentences for his involvement in orchestrating terror attacks that claimed the lives of five Israelis during the Second Intifada.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced that his Religious Zionism party will vote against the Gaza ceasefire deal, which includes the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and a temporary halt to fighting in Gaza. Smotrich expressed “mixed emotions,” saying that while he feels “immense joy” at the pending return of the hostages, he also feels “tremendous fear of the consequences of emptying the prisons and releasing the next generation of terrorist leaders, who will do everything to continue spilling rivers of Jewish blood, God forbid.” “As such,” he said, “we cannot join in the short-sighted celebrations or vote in favor of the deal.” The security cabinet is scheduled to meet this afternoon to be briefed on the Gaza ceasefire deal, followed by a full government meeting to vote on the agreement. A substantial majority in favor of the deal is expected. Smotrich argued that Israel must continue the war after the hostages are freed. “It is a huge responsibility to ensure that this is not, God forbid, a deal of ‘hostages in exchange for stopping the war,’ as Hamas thinks and brags about,” Smotrich declared, insisting that immediately after the return of the hostages, Israel should “continue to strive with all its might for the real eradication of Hamas and the real demilitarization of Gaza so that it no longer poses a threat to Israel.” He also warned against any political process leading toward Palestinian statehood or the deployment of an international force in Gaza — both elements included in the U.S. 20-point plan for the enclave. “It is a huge obligation to ensure that we do not return to the Oslo path, God forbid, and that we do not abandon our security to the hands of foreigners,” he said, noting that his opposition to previous deals “led to progress in the occupation of Gaza and the application of military pressure that brought Hamas to its knees.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
The Israeli cabinet will convene at 6:00 p.m. Sunday evening to vote on the proposed agreement aimed at securing the release of all remaining hostages held in Gaza, according to an official government statement. The agenda posted on the government website reads simply: “Plan for the release of all Israeli hostages.” An earlier meeting of the Security Cabinet has been scheduled for one hour prior to the full cabinet session, during which senior defense and intelligence officials will present the latest updates and recommendations before the vote. According to an Israeli source quoted by Reuters, the deal envisions the release of all 20 living hostages as soon as Sunday or Monday, though the exact timing remains uncertain. Reports indicate that under the terms of the agreement being finalized between Israel and Hamas, the hostages will be freed within 72 hours of the deal taking effect — a process expected to begin following cabinet approval. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
James Comey pleaded not guilty Wednesday in a criminal case that has highlighted the Justice Department’s efforts to target adversaries of President Donald Trump, with lawyers for the former FBI director saying they plan to argue the prosecution is politically motivated and should be dismissed. The arraignment lasted less than half an hour, but it was nonetheless loaded with historical significance given that the case has amplified concerns the Justice Department is being weaponized in pursuit of the Republican president’s political enemies and is operating at the behest of an administration determined to seek retribution. Comey’s not guilty plea to allegations that he lied to Congress five years ago kick-starts a process of legal wrangling that could culminate in a trial months from now at the federal courthouse in Alexandria, Virginia, just outside of Washington. Defense lawyers said they intend to ask that the case be thrown out before trial on grounds that it constitutes a vindictive prosecution and also plan to challenge the legitimacy of the appointment of the prosecutor who filed the charges just days after Trump hastily appointed her to her position. “It’s the honor of my life to represent Mr. Comey in this matter,” one of Comey’s lawyers, Patrick Fitzgerald, a longtime friend who served with him in President George W. Bush’s Justice Department, said in court on Wednesday. The indictment two weeks ago followed an extraordinary chain of events that saw the Trump administration effectively force out the prosecutor who had been overseeing the Comey investigation and replace him with Lindsey Halligan, a White House aide who previously served as one of the president’s former lawyers but had never served as a federal prosecutor. The president also publicly implored Attorney General Pam Bondi to take action against Comey and other perceived adversaries. Less than a week after being appointed, Halligan rushed to file charges before a legal deadline lapsed despite warnings from other lawyers in the office that the evidence was insufficient for an indictment. She sat at the prosecution table Wednesday. In a sign of the unusual nature of the case, the two prosecutors who have signed on to handle it are both based in North Carolina as opposed to the elite Eastern District of Virginia, which Halligan now leads. What the indictment says The two-count indictment alleges that Comey misled the Senate Judiciary Committee on Sept. 30, 2020, when he was asked whether he had authorized any associate to serve as an anonymous source to the news media related to investigations of either Trump or 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Comey replied that he stood by earlier testimony that he had not given such authorization. The two-count indictment charging him with making a false statement and obstructing a congressional proceeding does not identify the associate or say what information may have been discussed with the media, making it challenging to assess the strength of the evidence or to even fully parse the allegations. Comey has denied any wrongdoing and has said he’s looking forward to a trial, which the judge set for Jan. 5, though that date will be subject to change. Though an indictment is typically just the start of a protracted court process, the Justice Department has trumpeted the development itself as something of a win, regardless of the outcome. […]
A report in the Qatari newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed claims that Israel has agreed to release several of the most notorious terrorists held in its prisons — including senior Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine chief Ahmad Sa’adat, and Hamas commanders Ibrahim Hamed and Hassan Salameh — as part of a deal to secure the release of Israeli hostages still being held in Gaza. All four are serving multiple life sentences for orchestrating deadly terror attacks that claimed dozens of Israeli lives, primarily during the Second Intifada. The report further alleges that Israel has agreed to free around 250 senior terror convicts as part of the deal. However, Israeli media say there is significant uncertainty regarding the exact list of prisoners being discussed — and whether any of these arch-terrorists will actually be released. Barghouti, in particular, is viewed as a potential political rival to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, raising additional concern in Jerusalem over the implications of his possible release. Channel 12 News in Israel, however, reported Sunday that both Barghouti and Hamed will not be released, contradicting the Qatari report. Israeli officials have not yet issued an official comment on the matter. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
