Matzav

The Israel Defense Forces found Nazi-related paraphernalia while searching civilian homes in Southern Lebanon, used by Hezbollah terrorists for storing weapons and other items.

The Israeli military crossed the border last month to destroy terror infrastructure and work to stop the rocket and other fire that has been launched at the Jewish state since Oct. 8, 2023, one day after the Hamas terrorist attacks in southern Israel.

On Friday, the IDF shared images of five objects uncovered during operations. One photo shows a book with an Arabic title and the handwritten name Hassan Salih above a swastika drawn in the style of an Indian swastika rather than the Nazi version.

Another image includes four items. Two—a red pennant flag and what appears to be a wooden box or puzzle—include swastikas. Two figures photographed show Adolf Hitler performing a Nazi salute and a man in a greenish uniform carrying a gun.

“It’s no coincidence these were found in civilian homes exploited by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon,” the IDF stated on X. “Hezbollah’s goal has always been the same: annihilate Israel.”

To a striking extent, Americans are not waiting for Election Day to vote. More than 69 million people had already cast their ballots as of Friday, which is nearly 44 percent the total number cast in the 2020 presidential election.

That includes 4 million voters in Georgia – or 80 percent of the total that voted there in 2020. In the battlegrounds of Arizona and North Carolina, roughly half of eligible voters have already shown up. And Delaware’s pre-Election-Day ballot count is higher than ever.

This surge of early voting suggests that a long-term trend that was accelerated by the pandemic during the 2020 election has led to a lasting change in voting habits, with Election Day increasingly subsumed by Election Season.

“Election Day is just the end of voting now,” said Barry Burden, director of the Elections Research Center at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. “We have many election days and it’s just the final day on which ballots can be cast.”

While nationwide rates of early voting aren’t quite as high as they were at this time in 2020, they’re significantly higher than in 2016 or any previous election year. Some have been surprised by the turnout, especially after former president Donald Trump and many Republicans spent years falsely asserting that early and mail voting was less reliable than voting on Election Day. This year, Trump has shown more openness to early voting, especially in the final days of campaigning.

In interviews, voters throughout the country said they liked being able to choose when to vote to ensure they had enough time in case there were long lines. By doing so, they avoided the chance that bad weather, an illness or a busy workday on Tuesday would keep them from getting to polling locations. The booming interest in voting early may also reflect the nature of the presidential race, where the polls have barely budged for weeks and many voters don’t need to hear more from the candidates to make up their minds.

“This way I can get it done earlier and get it done with,” Terri Ellis, 71, said after casting her ballot for Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday in Marshall, Wisconsin.

Chris Loeser, a machinist in Houston’s eastern suburbs, was on his way to work Friday when he passed an early voting site at a community center and noticed the parking lot was half empty and there was no line.

“I said, ‘Let’s take advantage of this,’” said Loeser, 53, who voted for Trump for a third time.

The number of early vote ballots is expected to continue rising before Election Day. In recent rallies in battleground states, Trump and Harris have implored their supporters and undecided voters to cast their ballots early.

Voting rules differ widely by state. Some allow weeks of in-person early voting, some automatically mail ballots to all registered voters and some tightly limit when a voter can cast a ballot before Election Day.

As recently as the 1990s, nine in 10 voters cast their ballots on Election Day, Burden said. Since then, a number of states have changed their voting laws to make it easier to vote early, and now tens of millions of voters cast their ballots in the weeks leading up to Election Day, either in person or by mail.

Barack Obama encouraged his backers to vote early when he first ran for president in 2008, and other campaigns soon embraced the strategy because it allowed them to lock down their supporters’ votes and concentrate their get-out-the-vote efforts on undecided voters. Now, voters in red, blue and purple states are taking advantage of the chance to cast ballots before Election Day.

The coronavirus pandemic changed voting patterns in 2020 much as it disrupted other parts of life. Voters turned to mail voting in unprecedented numbers as they tried to avoid contact with others. This year, voters are again casting ballots early, but are doing it more often in person than by mail, Burden said.

Trump for years has disparaged mail voting and instead has championed voting on Election Day, even as other Republicans have urged his supporters to vote early. Trump in recent weeks has offered mixed messages. At a rally in suburban Detroit last weekend, Trump promoted early voting while calling Michigan’s early voting system “ridiculous” and praising France for holding elections without early voting.

In battleground Wisconsin, 1.3 million voters had cast ballots in person or by mail as of Friday. That’s less than the 1.7 million who had turned out at the same stage in 2020. Far more voters this time are casting ballots in person instead of by mail.

“Citizens love early voting, whether it’s by mail or in-person absentee voting, and we’ve seen an increase every presidential election,” said Claire Woodall, a former elections director for Milwaukee who is now a senior adviser to the nonprofit group Issue One.

Craig Oran, 43, needed only a few minutes to cast his ballot for Harris on Thursday in Marshall, a small town about 15 miles from Madison, Wisconsin. The graphic designer said he wanted to beat Election Day crowds and thinks voting in person is more secure than voting by mail. He felt confident in that theory after an arsonist placed an incendiary device on a ballot drop box and burned hundreds of ballots this week in Vancouver, Washington.

While Republicans have touted early voting, they have raised questions about problems that can emerge with the practice. In Minnesota, they seized on a photograph that circulated online showing ballots in boxes sitting unattended in a parked courier’s vehicle with an open trunk. Hennepin County officials said the ballot boxes remained sealed and had not been tampered with, and the courier had been terminated.

“I think it’s going to continue to cause contention because it’s such a vivid image of Hennepin County not taking appropriate precautions,” said Anna Mathews, executive director of the state Republican Party.

In pivotal Arizona, where early voting has been overwhelmingly popular for decades, about 2.2 million ballots had been received as of Friday. That means about half of eligible voters have already shown up.

Around Maricopa County, a swing area home to most of the state’s voters, jovial people walked into churches, schools and community centers to vote early. Voting behaviors largely mirrored pre-pandemic trends, when Republicans dominated early voting.

In Maricopa County, turnout this week surpassed 2016 turnout significantly and was nearing 2020 levels, according to elections director Scott Jarrett. “We have had the most in-person early voters than we’ve ever had at this stage of the election cycle,” Jarrett said.

Republicans, who hold a registration advantage in the state, were outpacing early ballot returns compared with four years ago, while Democrats were behind their 2020 turnout so far, according to data tracked by Phoenix-based Democratic consultant Sam Almy. Independents were behind their 2020 early turnout.

Republican consultant Paul Bentz said the early enthusiasm demonstrated how consumer behaviors that have shaped online shopping and near-instant food deliveries have spilled over into voting: “It has become part of not only convenience but habit – particularly for our older voters.” He said Republican voters are also responding to relentless GOP messaging that urges supporters to vote early.

“It’s a return to form for Republicans in the state and Republicans are listening,” Bentz said.

Among them was Dominic Multari, a Phoenix Republican who is convinced the 2020 election was rigged against Trump despite independent reviews and court decisions finding it was conducted properly. After Trump gave the green light to vote before Tuesday, the 75-year-old retired city worker decided to give it a go on Friday. The process, he said, was smooth and he’s confident that his vote will be properly counted. “There are way too many eyes looking at the process and I think it will go through honestly,” he said. “I’m hoping.”

Yuleisi Hardy, a Republican who immigrated from Cuba, voted for the first time in an American election in Phoenix on Friday. Taking a cue from Trump, she opted to turn in her ballot early – and it was easy to squeeze in a trip to a church that opened its doors as a polling location as she went about her day.

“My vote will count,” said Hardy, 45, as she stuck an “I voted” sticker on her shirt. Hardy said she hopes for “good results” and a “clean election.”

In-person early voting is new in Michigan. Two years ago, voters by a wide margin approved a measure that requires local governments to make in-person early voting available for at least nine days. Detroit and two other communities expanded the window.

Officials in the swing state have said their first presidential election with early voting was a success. As of Saturday, about 2.8 million Michigan residents had cast ballots, including about 880,000 who voted early in person. Together, the in-person and mail ballots are equal to about half the number of total votes cast in the state in 2020.

In Pennsylvania, another political battleground, there is no traditional early voting, but voters may request and cast mail ballots in person before Election Day. As of Saturday, voters had turned in 1.7 million ballots, with about 56 percent from Democrats, 33 percent from Republicans and 11 percent from unaffiliated or third-party voters.

Republican officials urged voters to show up at election offices to request ballots but many counties were unprepared to handle so many requests. Frustration spread as voters complained they had to wait hours to vote.

At one elections office outside Philadelphia on Tuesday, the last day to request a mail ballot in person, a Bucks County staffer told people waiting in line that the office might close before they got a chance to vote. The Trump campaign sued the vote-rich swing county, and a judge extended the deadline until Friday.

In deep-blue Maryland, where Democrats must hold an open Senate seat to have any hope of keeping control of the chamber, early turnout has been more robust than ever. Nearly a quarter of registered voters cast ballots during the state’s eight-day early voting period. Including returned mail-in ballots, 37 percent of Maryland voters had cast ballots as of Thursday evening.

Early voting programs provide an outlet for ardent voters to express their support for candidates – but it doesn’t necessarily lead to more voting overall, said Burden of the Elections Research Center in Wisconsin.

“I don’t think it’s generating many new voters,” Burden said. “The research suggests these are mostly people changing their method and timing of voting, but they are not people who otherwise would sit home.”

– – –

(c) Washington Post

The top prosecutors of six states received letters on Oct. 29 calling for investigations into entities accused of coordinating pro-Hamas protests.

Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.), chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, contacted the attorney generals of New York, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota and Pennsylvania—states, he said, with tax-exempt nonprofit groups that may have broken the law.

“The Ways and Means Committee is committed to holding accountable any tax-exempt organization found to have ties to foreign terrorist organizations, engaged in activity that contradicts tax-exempt purposes, or participated in other illegal activity,” he said in a statement.

Smith had previously contacted the IRS on Sept. 24, calling for investigations of activist groups who may have violated nonprofit laws. “While I have already demanded the Biden-Harris administration stand up to the pro-Hamas wing of their party and revoke the tax-exempt status of these groups, it is now time for state law enforcement agencies to act and bring any organization found to have engaged in illegal activity to justice,” he said.

The legislator said “Congress owes it to the American people to ensure any organization with tax-exempt status is operating for their stated tax-exempt purpose, and more importantly, following the letter of the law.”

The letters urge investigations of the People’s Forum, United Hands Relief, Americans for Justice in Palestine Educational Foundation, Jewish Voice for Peace, the Tides Foundation, American Muslims for Palestine and others.

(JNS)

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Among the thousands who visited Maran Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, Rosh Yeshivas Slabodka, over Yom Tov was Rav Mordechai Binyamin Zilberberg, the rov of the Shikun Hei neighborhood in Bnei Brak and rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Yad Binyamin. He engaged in various discussions with the Rosh Yeshiva.

During the conversation, Rav Zilberberg mentioned that a few months ago, the Rosh Yeshiva had been quoted as saying there was no reason to fear Hezbollah. “In a speech I gave,” he said, “I mentioned that Rav Moshe Hillel doesn’t say things lightly,” and indeed, we see that the Rosh Yeshiva’s words hold true.

Then Rav Zilberberg added, “When I hear the Rosh Yeshiva, I hear Rav Shteinman.”

Needless to say, these words did not sit well with the Rosh Yeshiva, and with his characteristic humility, he brushed them aside and began pouring wine for those present to say “L’chaim.”

It should be noted that several months ago, well before the “beeper attacks,” the Rosh Yeshiva had remarked that there would be a downfall for Lebanon and Hezbollah, a comment that at the time seemed perplexing, prior to all the recent operations.

{Matzav.com Israel}

At a campaign event in Scranton, Pennsylvania, for Vice President Kamala Harris, only about 100 people turned out to listen to President Joe Biden as he delivered a fiery speech that included pointed remarks about former President Donald Trump.

The modest turnout at the Harris event seemed to highlight a lack of excitement surrounding her campaign efforts.

In his speech, Biden expressed a strong desire to “smack” Trump’s backside, using this as an example of his frustration.

Speaking about Trump and what he called Trump’s “Republican friends,” Biden remarked, “I’m serious. These are the kind of guys you’d like to smack in the [backside].”

CNN’s Vincent Galko, who covered the event, noted the limited crowd size: “It wasn’t a large crowd, only 100 or so people.”

Galko added, “We have not seen a lot of President Biden on the campaign trail this year… In his remarks today, you really did get a sense of the stakes that he sees, of the importance of this election but also his visceral distaste for Donald Trump.”

“He got worked up at one point talking about how Trump wanted to repeal the Affordable Care Act, wanted to cut taxes for the wealthy, and said these are the kind of guys you want to smack on the [backside]. You hear fighting words from President Biden in his speech today.”

{Matzav.com}

Don’t forget to “fall back” and check smoke detectors this weekend. Tonight, Motzoei Shabbos – or, more accurately, Sunday morning –  at 2 a.m., time will revert back to standard, giving everyone an extra hour to sleep in.

[This applies to Matzav.com readers in chutz la’aretz. Our Israeli readers and others in that time zone moved their clock back already.]

Since 2007, the time change has reverted to standard time on the first Sunday of November and changed to Daylight Savings Time on the second Sunday of March.

Daylight Savings is also a good reminder for people to check smoke alarms in their residences to ensure they’re working properly.

Prior to 2007, Daylight Saving Time in North America began on the first Sunday of April and concluded the last Sunday in October.

The change to extend Daylight Savings Time by one month was proposed in a small section of the 551-page Energy Policy Act of 2005 in Congress. The act targets energy efficiency and was signed into law by former President George W. Bush.

Initially, Daylight Savings was first proposed by Benjamin Franklin in the late 1700s. It was picked up by Englishman William Willett in 1907, who encouraged Britain to adopt it.

{Matzav.com Newscenter}

Supporters of former President Donald Trump have expressed outrage over what they see as excessive government intervention following the euthanization of Peanut the Squirrel. New York state authorities raided the home of Peanut’s owner, seized the squirrel, and subsequently euthanized it, sparking backlash.

“Government overreach in action,” commented Elon Musk on X, sharing his reaction.

A pro-Trump meme account, Mostly Peaceful Memes, echoed the sentiment, posting a clip from the movie John Wick captioned, “The Internet after hearing what they did to Peanut the Squirrel,” underscoring the intensity of the reaction.

Some supporters took their expressions further, creating AI-generated images of Peanut the Squirrel alongside Trump, while others circulated a fabricated statement, supposedly from Trump, addressing Peanut’s fate.

The events took place on Wednesday, when officers from New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) seized Peanut, a squirrel with over a million TikTok followers, along with a raccoon named Fred, from the home of Mark Longo. The raid followed anonymous complaints, according to authorities.

Longo shared the devastating news on Instagram, writing on Friday:

“It is with profound sorrow that we share the heartbreaking news: on October 30th, the DEC made the devastating decision to euthanize our beloved Peanut the squirrel and Fred the raccoon. Despite our passionate outcry for compassion, the agency chose to ignore our pleas, leaving us in deep shock and grief.”

In a joint statement, the DEC and Chemung County Department of Health confirmed the animals’ deaths, explaining their reasoning to CBS News:

“On Oct. 30, DEC seized a raccoon and squirrel sharing a residence with humans, creating the potential for human exposure to rabies. In addition, a person involved with the investigation was bitten by the squirrel. To test for rabies, both animals were euthanized. The animals are being tested for rabies and anyone who has been in contact with these animals is strongly encouraged to consult their physician.”

According to the Associated Press, Longo rescued Peanut seven years ago after seeing its mother fatally struck by a car in New York City. He was reportedly working on paperwork to officially designate Peanut as an educational animal when the seizure occurred.

Speaking with TMZ, Longo described Peanut as the “cornerstone” of the nonprofit animal rescue organization he and his wife, Daniela, operate, known as P’Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary.

Longo said he had no idea who lodged the complaint or what motivated it.

“Ten to 12 DEC officers raided my house as if I was a drug dealer. I was sat outside my house for five hours. I had to get a police escort to my bathroom,” he said, recounting the events of the raid.

“They didn’t even let me feed my rescue horses breakfast or lunch. I was [sat] there like a criminal after they interrogated my wife to check out her immigration status, then proceeded to ask me if I had cameras in my house, then proceeded to go through every cabinet, nook, and cranny of my house for a squirrel and raccoon,” he explained.

“Four departments, and a judge signed off on a search warrant for a squirrel and a raccoon. And then they took them and killed them,” he continued. “He’s helped people, he’s helped kids gather joy. … He was the cornerstone of our life and our organization.”

{Matzav.com}

A regional public health department in Idaho has outright banned COVID-19 jabs, the Associated Press reported Friday. The Southwest District Health Department board, which governs six counties along the Idaho-Oregon border, voted 4-3 against the recommendations of the district’s medical director, Dr. Perry Jansen.

“Our request of the board is that we would be able to carry and offer those [vaccines], recognizing that we always have these discussions of risks and benefits,” Jansen said at the meeting last month. “This is not a blind, everybody-gets-a-shot approach. This is a thoughtful approach.”

The ban appears to be the first such instance of a U.S. governmental body blocking inoculations, the AP noted. Read more.

The Harris campaign is reportedly launching targeted advertisements aimed at Jewish and Arab-American voters, presenting distinct messages regarding the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

According to a CNN report on Friday, Facebook ads from Vice President Kamala Harris appeared last month, with a specific appeal directed at Jewish voters in Pennsylvania.

“And let me be clear- I will always stand up for Israel’s right to defend itself,” Harris states in the Facebook ad, using a line from her Democratic National Convention speech. “And I will always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself because the people of Israel must never again face the horror that a terrorist organization called Hamas caused on October 7, including unspeakable sexual violence and the massacre of young people at a music festival.”

Harris later emphasizes, “And know this: I will never hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to defend our forces and our interests against Iran and Iran-backed terrorists.”

However, as CNN noted, the ad does not include sections from Harris’ original speech that addressed the “heartbreaking” “suffering” that has occurred in Gaza.

In contrast, the Harris campaign has produced a separate ad targeting Arab-American voters in Michigan, expressing empathy for the plight of civilians in Gaza.

“What has happened in Gaza over the past nine months is devastating,” Harris remarks in the ad. “We cannot allow ourselves to become numb to the suffering, and I will not be silent.”

In another speech included in the same ad, Harris says, “Our common humanity compels us to act.”

The ad is labeled with the message, “VP Harris has been working to end the suffering in Gaza.”

There has been considerable focus in Michigan, where some Arab-American communities have expressed frustration with the Biden administration’s approach to the Middle East, with some even indicating that they may withhold support from the Democratic ticket. Former President Trump is also looking to court this crucial demographic, recently holding a campaign event in Dearborn, Michigan, a city with a large Muslim population.

Both campaigns are also competing for the significant Jewish vote in the key battleground state of Pennsylvania.

With polls showing Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump neck and neck as the 2024 presidential race enters its final stretch, the outcome of the election will hinge on seven critical battleground states. These states, collectively worth 93 electoral votes, will likely decide the winner.

These swing states include both traditional Democratic strongholds, part of the “blue wall” that Trump broke through in 2016, and reliably Republican states that President Biden managed to capture in 2020. With fewer mail-in ballots this election due to the absence of pandemic-related restrictions, a result could be reached faster than in 2020, when Biden’s win wasn’t confirmed until four days after the election.

Here’s a closer look at each pivotal state:

PENNSYLVANIA
Pennsylvania’s 19 electoral votes make it a key prize. Once solidly Democratic, Trump won the state in 2016 by a margin of 44,292 votes, only for Biden to reclaim it in 2020 by a slightly larger margin of around 80,000 votes. An assassination attempt on Trump in this state added unexpected tension to the race.

Due to state law, election officials can only start counting mail-in ballots on Election Day, which may delay results here. Although the polls show a tight race, Republicans are optimistic. “More than 21% of all Republicans who have voted so far did not vote in any of the last three elections. This is a higher percentage than the number of low-propensity Democrats voting,” GOP consultant Ryan Girdusky noted. “But most concerning for Democrats is the big decrease of voters in Philadelphia.”

MICHIGAN
Once a Democratic stronghold, Michigan went to Trump in 2016, then returned to the Democratic fold with Biden in 2020. Harris aims to capture as many votes as possible from Democratic centers like Detroit, while Trump’s backers are focused on boosting turnout in suburban and swing areas like Kent County and Grand Rapids.

Nicholas Valentino, a political scientist from the University of Michigan, commented, “The best information we have at the moment is that Michigan is a dead heat.” He added that Trump could benefit if polling inaccuracies from 2016 and 2020 persist. “If the polls here are biased in the same way as 2016 and 2020, even not quite as much, Trump will win the state.”

WISCONSIN
The third of the “blue wall” states that Trump took in 2016 and Biden reclaimed four years later is once again competitive. Wisconsin Republicans hope to draw in conservative voters with a ballot measure that would bar noncitizens from participating in state elections. Although federal law already prevents noncitizens from voting in national elections, some municipalities have considered allowing them to vote in local races.

Harris’s campaign could also be hindered by several far-left candidates who remain on the ballot in Wisconsin this year, such as Jill Stein, Cornell West, and Claudia De la Cruz of the Party for Socialism and Liberation.

ARIZONA
Arizona, historically a Republican stronghold, was a notable loss for Trump in 2020. This year, Democrats hope to hold on. “I think Arizona is going to squeak out a win for Trump but by less than expected,” said Meghan McCain, daughter of the late Arizona Sen. John McCain, highlighting the influence of independent and libertarian voters.

McCain added that Trump’s margin may be impacted by GOP Senate candidate Kari Lake, predicting Lake could lose by a significant margin of six to eight points. Democrats are hopeful about down-ballot races, particularly with an abortion measure on the ballot aimed at motivating their base. They’re also attempting to capture both chambers of the state legislature, a feat not achieved since 1966.

NORTH CAROLINA
North Carolina, a state Democrats have only won twice since 1968, is seeing renewed efforts by both parties. The state’s ongoing recovery from the devastating Hurricane Helene has created logistical challenges for both campaigns. Nevertheless, Democrats are showing confidence as the polls tighten following Biden’s departure from the race.

Republicans face additional obstacles due to Mark Robinson, a controversial GOP gubernatorial candidate who recently came under fire for alleged inflammatory comments, including calling himself a “Black Nazi” and defending slavery.

NEVADA
The Democratic-leaning state of Nevada has six electoral votes, the smallest of the swing states, but neither side is ignoring it. Both Trump and Harris have campaigned here, and Democrats are counting on a ballot measure to protect abortion rights in the Nevada constitution to energize their voters. Meanwhile, a measure requiring photo ID for voting, expected to boost Republican turnout, is also on the ballot.

As a bellwether state, Nevada has often indicated the direction of presidential races. In 27 of the past 30 elections, the state’s choice has matched the eventual winner of the White House, with only three exceptions: 1908, 1976, and 2016.

GEORGIA
Once a Republican stronghold, Georgia became a battleground in 2020, handing Biden a narrow win and flipping both Senate seats to Democrats. Tensions remain high between Trump and Georgia’s Republican leaders, Governor Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, stemming from Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 results. These efforts have led to an ongoing criminal investigation in Fulton County, now delayed following revelations of a personal scandal involving District Attorney Fani Willis and prosecutor Nathan Wade.

Hurricane Helene’s destruction could complicate voter turnout, but Trump’s campaign remains hopeful. Bill White, a senior Trump surrogate with ties to Georgia, stated, “We are always running as if as if we are a point behind which I think is the best strategy, but our analysis of the data from early voting shows that Georgia is resoundingly strong for President Trump.”

{Matzav.com}

A surprising new poll shows Vice President Harris holding a narrow three-point lead over Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in Iowa, a state long considered a conservative stronghold.

The final 2024 poll from Iowa’s well-known Des Moines Register has Harris at 47% compared to Trump’s 44%, marking what one expert called an “unexpected shift” for the Republican candidate.

“No one could have predicted this,” said J. Ann Selzer, president of Selzer & Co, which conducted the poll. “She has clearly surged to the front.”

In the same poll back in September, Trump was ahead by four points. In June, he had a significant 18-point lead over President Biden before Biden withdrew from the race.

The survey, which included 808 likely voters and was conducted from October 28 to October 31, has a margin of error of 3.4%.

National polling has consistently shown the two candidates in a close race.

Trump had previously won Iowa in both 2016 and 2020.

The pollster noted that Harris’s late momentum in the state appears to be driven by women and independent voters. Harris is favored by 56% of women, while 52% of men support Trump.

Older voters, especially senior women, are also leaning toward Harris, with women 65 and older backing her by more than a two-to-one margin.

So far, over 553,000 Iowans have already cast their ballots, with 220,140 Republicans voting compared to 219,085 Democrats, according to the University of Florida’s Election Lab.

{Matzav.com}

The London-based newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat recently reported that Israel had nearly captured Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar on at least five occasions prior to his “coincidental” death during a standard military operation.

According to sources, a comprehensive account was provided of Sinwar’s movements and those of his associates during the conflict. These sources revealed that Sinwar had conveyed a message to his family about his nephew, Ibrahim Muhammad al-Sinwar, who had been traveling with him. The message included details of Ibrahim’s death and burial location but only reached the family two days after Sinwar himself was killed.

The report also mentioned that Sinwar was thought to be hiding in a tunnel during a military operation in Khan Yunis in January. Military forces found video footage from cameras within the tunnels, capturing Sinwar walking around and placing various items in a tunnel where he and his family had sought refuge just hours before, and as the violence was intensifying.

Despite the military’s efforts, Sinwar evaded capture both above and within the Khan Yunis tunnels. As the scope of the military operation broadened, Sinwar was compelled to find a safer place for his wife and children, sending them far from his own location due to his constant need for mobility. Sources indicated that his family was in good health and that he communicated with them through letters approximately every month or so.

“With the increased intensity of the military operation in Khan Yunis, Sinwar insisted on remaining there, and bid farewell a number of times to his brother Muhammad and to Rafa’a Salameh, the commander of the region’s brigade, who was eliminated last July together with Mohammed al-Deif (commander of the Al-Qassem Battalions), who he met sometimes since the start of the war in safe homes or tunnels.” The sources specified that these individuals were not always together but would occasionally meet for hours or days before separating again based on the prevailing conditions.

Further details shared with the newspaper revealed a rarely known episode in which Israeli forces came within just a few dozen meters of a house where Sinwar was hiding in Khan Yunis’s Block G, accompanied only by a bodyguard. Sources recounted that at this time, Sinwar was armed and prepared to confront the Israeli soldiers.

The report continued that Hamas operatives helped Sinwar escape from the house through breaches made in neighboring homes, allowing him to move to a safer location approximately a kilometer away. Sources also claimed that his brother Salama eventually pressured Sinwar to abandon Khan Yunis and relocate to Rafah in February, as Israeli forces had by then nearly seized complete control of Khan Yunis.

In Rafah, Sinwar remained for several months, frequently shifting his position. He stayed mainly in the western parts of Rafah from late May onward, alternating between surface and underground locations. While there, Sinwar hid in various tunnels, including one associated with the cold-blooded killing of six Israelis, a move seemingly signaling his final intent to carry out these acts.

{Matzav.com}

Iran said it could develop nuclear arms as Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei threatened today a harsh reprisal against both the U.S. and Israel following Israeli strikes on Iranian military sites.

Khamenei addressed students ahead of the anniversary marking the 1979 hostage crisis at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran.

“The enemies, whether the Zionist regime or the United States of America, will definitely receive a tooth-breaking response to what they are doing to Iran and the Iranian nation and to the resistance front,” Khamenei, 85, stated in a video shared by state media, referencing Tehran-aligned groups like Hamas and Hezbollah.

This statement came one day after Kamal Kharrazi, a top advisor, issued a pointed reminder about Iran’s nuclear capabilities, warning that Iran’s stance on nuclear weaponry could shift if a significant enough threat emerged.

“If an existential threat arises, Iran will modify its nuclear doctrine, we have the capability to build weapons and have no issue in this regard,” Kharrazi told Lebanese media, as reported by Fox News.

Just the day before, Khamenei had reportedly directed his forces to prepare for a direct assault on Israel.

Iran’s threats have grown sharper since Israel’s October 26 attack on Iran, which struck multiple military installations and reportedly killed at least five people, according to the Times of Israel.

The Israeli strikes were a counter-response to more than 200 missiles fired by Iran toward Israel on October 1.

The term “tooth-breaking” was translated by some as meaning “crushing,” though Khamenei did not detail the timing or scale of any potential retaliation.

An escalation in hostilities between Iran and Israel carries the risk of triggering a widespread regional conflict in the Middle East.

Already, the region faces an elevated threat of a full-blown crisis due to Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza and its intensified military actions against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Currently, U.S. troops are stationed in Israel monitoring a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system.

The USS Abraham Lincoln is likely positioned in the Arabian Sea, and Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder announced on Friday that additional U.S. destroyers, fighter jets, refueling tankers, and B-52 bombers are en route to the region in hopes of deterring Iran and its allies.

Khamenei’s recent remarks followed a more reserved statement he made last week about the Israeli strike, noting that Israel’s October 26 attack “should not be exaggerated or downplayed.”

However, satellite images indicated that the Israeli assault caused significant damage to military bases near Tehran, some tied to Iran’s ballistic missile initiatives, and struck a Revolutionary Guard facility used for satellite launches.

Analysts suspect that Hamas and Hezbollah, both having suffered major setbacks from Israel’s military actions, may urge Iran to intensify its involvement in the conflict.

In a separate interview published just before Khamenei’s statements were made public, Iranian Revolutionary Guard spokesman Gen. Mohammad Ali Naini told the Fars news agency that Iran’s counterattack “will be wise, powerful and beyond the enemy’s comprehension.”

“The leaders of the Zionist regime should look out from the windows of their bedrooms and protect their criminal pilots within their small territory,” he warned.

Internally, Iran continues to face economic hardships, with an economy under severe strain from global sanctions and domestic unrest.

Following Khamenei’s speech, the Iranian currency, the rial, dropped to 691,500 per U.S. dollar, nearing an all-time low.

On a related front, Israeli naval commandos on Friday reportedly apprehended Hezbollah operative Imad Amhaz in a raid on a villa south of Tripoli, according to the Times of Israel.

Video footage from surveillance cameras showed over 25 commandos leading the detainee away before exiting the area in speedboats, per video shared by Lebanese journalist Hasan Illaik.

After hours of speculation, the IDF confirmed that Amhaz, a senior figure within Hezbollah’s naval operations, was considered a “significant source of knowledge.”

The IDF added today that approximately 2,000 Hezbollah fighters have been killed in the ongoing ground operations in Lebanon.

{Matzav.com}

Democratic Representative Rashida Tlaib openly declined to back Vice President Harris at a rally in Detroit—a pivotal decision that could influence the Democratic Party’s prospects in Michigan.

This choice holds considerable electoral significance, as Michigan is a crucial part of the Democrats’ “blue wall” of essential states for the upcoming 2024 presidential election.

A victory for Trump in this state would severely diminish Harris’s chances of securing the presidency.

Tlaib, a member of the progressive “Squad” in the House, has expressed dissatisfaction with the Biden-Harris administration’s backing of Israel.

As the only Palestinian-American serving in Congress, she has openly supported Hamas throughout her tenure and has faced censure from her peers for her defense of Hamas and her calls for the dismantling of Israel.

During a United Auto Workers union rally on Friday, Tlaib, who is one of the last prominent Democrats yet to endorse the party’s top candidates, avoided mentioning Harris-Walz and instead focused on a general message to encourage voter turnout, according to the Detroit News.

“Don’t underestimate the power you all have,” she stated. “More than those ads, those lawn signs, those billboards, you all have more power to turn out people that understand we’ve got to fight back against corporate greed in our country . . . We’ve got to make sure that the nonpartisan part of the ballot gets filled in.”

On stage with Tlaib was fellow Squad member, New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, along with UAW leader Shawn Fain, both of whom expressed their support for Harris and praised her efforts.

In a conversation with far-left journalist Mehdi Hasan in September, Tlaib mentioned that when constituents expressed their inability to support Harris, she advised them, “there’s other people on this ballot that support a ceasefire. There’s other people on this ballot that can protect our community.”

So far, Tlaib has not made any endorsements for the 2024 election, but far-left anti-war candidates like Jill Stein and Cornel West are set to be on Michigan’s presidential ballot.

Michigan, which boasts a large and politically significant Muslim population, has become a focal point for a movement of undecided voters who are reluctant to support Harris due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza and their perception that she has been overly supportive of Israel during her vice presidency.

A survey from Cygnal revealed that approximately 57% of American Muslims believe Hamas “was justified in attacking Israel as part of their struggle for a Palestinian state.”

{Matzav.com}

Yeshiva Beth Yehudah, the largest and oldest Jewish day school in Michigan, will hold its annual dinner this Sunday, November 3, at the Detroit Marriott, marking a significant milestone, 110 years since its founding.

Former United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be the evening’s featured speaker.

This year’s dinner will honor Matt Lester, a prominent Detroit entrepreneur and philanthropist, with the Outstanding Leadership Award. Lester is the founder and CEO of Princeton Enterprises.

The yeshiva’s story began in 1914 when Rabbi Yehudah Leib Levin, a visionary leader devoted to Jewish education, founded an after-school program for boys at the Mogain Avrohom Synagogue in Detroit. Upon Rabbi Levin’s passing in 1925, the school was named Yeshiva Beth Yehudah in his honor. In 1954, the yeshiva expanded its mission to include Jewish education for girls, establishing a girls’ school that continues to thrive.

Today, Yeshiva Beth Yehudah serves as a cornerstone of Jewish life in Detroit, educating approximately 1,400 students in K-12 grades across its boys’ and girls’ schools. The mosad also provides specialized education to over 400 children at the James Grosfeld Center for Special Education, a program dedicated to meeting the needs of children with diverse learning challenges. In addition to these programs, Yeshiva Beth Yehudah offers a preschool, summer camps, and a kollel. Partners Detroit, another branch of the yeshiva, fosters Jewish learning and engagement throughout the community.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli naval commandos apprehended a Hezbollah official during a late-night operation in northern Lebanon on Friday, a development confirmed by the military. This operation stands out due to its distinctive nature and the deep penetration into Lebanese territory.

Reports from Lebanese media indicate that Israeli special forces approached from the sea, executing a raid on a chalet located along the coast of Batroun, which is situated south of Tripoli. They reportedly extracted one individual from the scene before departing in high-speed boats.

The operation occurred approximately 87 miles north of Israel’s maritime boundary with Lebanon. Following the incident, the Israel Defense Forces confirmed that the mission was carried out by the Navy’s Shayetet 13 commando unit.

The Hezbollah operative identified in various media reports as Imad Amhaz was regarded by the IDF as a “significant source of knowledge” within the terrorist organization’s naval unit. He was subsequently transported to Israel for interrogation by Unit 504 of the Military Intelligence Directorate, which specializes in human intelligence concerning Hezbollah’s maritime activities.

In an interview with Al Jadeed News, Ali Hamie, Lebanon’s Minister of Public Works and Transport, asserted that Amhaz served as a captain for civilian vessels and was enrolled in a civilian naval academy. Social media images appeared to show Amhaz dressed in what looked like a navy uniform.

While the IDF has previously targeted northern Lebanon with airstrikes, its ground operations have been focused in the southern region of the country, making this particular raid especially significant.

{Matzav.com}

Allegations of security mismanagement and manipulation of sensitive information have rocked the Prime Minister’s office, in a scandal now being called he “Secret Documents Affair.”

A source familiar with the accused staffer at the center of a leaked documents scandal says that Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu should be “deeply concerned,” and that the staffer’s inside knowledge “could come back to haunt him.”

The source worked closely with the suspect, and described to Ynet how the suspect frequently briefed the press on behalf of the Prime Minister, despite lacking formal security clearance.

According to Walla, the aide in question had previously been barred by the Shin Bet from accessing secure areas.  However, the aide was given access to sensitive discussions, traveled with Bibi in his convoy, and to classified military sites.

The suspect allegedly even went on a mission to Germany on behalf of Netanyahu, to distribute sensitive documents relating to the war with Hamas.

Additionally, KAN News is reporting that Netanyahu’s office selectively leaked classified information to influence public perception of the hostage negotiations.  One allegation is that a a document containing details regarding a complex Hamas plan to smuggle hostages through Egypt to Iran, was purposely leaked to justify an Israeli delay in the hostage negotiations.  The document was later debunked, and some outlets which had reported the story issued retractions.

Responding to the allegations, the Prime Minister’s office looked to distance Netanyahu from any wrongdoing, saying the leaked documents “never reached the Prime Minister’s Office from Military Intelligence, and the Prime Minister only learned about it from the media.”

The Prime Minister’s Office also said the suspect in question “was never involved in security discussions, was not exposed to or received classified information, and did not participate in confidential visits.”

Regarding the leaks, Netanyahu’s office said “It is absurd to claim that publishing a pro-Israel article – in which a previously approved and authorized document was shared – caused any damage to the negotiations or Israel’s security.”

The statement also looked to highlight what the Prime Minister’s Office called: “a flood of deliberate and criminal leaks from secret cabinet meetings, closed security discussions, and confidential sessions related to the release of hostages,” and wondered why “this particular document – whose contents were known to all and aided Israel – is being subjected to such an aggressive and targeted investigation.”

Israeli opposition leaders criticized Netanyahu, with Benny Gantz saying: “The Prime Minister must assume full responsibility for what happens in his office. The public deserves transparency and accountability at the highest level, especially on issues as critical as national security.”

According to Walla, Yuli Edelstein, the Chairman of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee has received a formal letter from committee members, requesting a full review to avoid future incidents.

{Matzav.com} 

On Friday, the IDF and Shin Bet reported that high-ranking Hamas official Izz al-Din Kassab was killed in an airstrike in southern Gaza.

Kassab was among the few remaining individuals in Hamas’s political bureau, where he held the position of head of national relations.

The military indicated that he played a key role in facilitating coordination between Hamas and other militant groups operating in Gaza.

“Kassab was a significant source of power and, by virtue of his role, was responsible for the organization’s strategic and military relations with other factions in the Gaza Strip. He held the authority to direct the execution of terror attacks against the State of Israel,” stated the IDF in a press release.

The IDF also confirmed that Ayman Ayesh, Kassab’s aide, was killed in the same airstrike.

The military published footage showing the airstrike, which occurred in the Khan Younis region.

{Matzav.com}