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Newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee began his diplomatic mission on Friday with a heartfelt visit to the Kosel, where he placed a special note from President Trump that read, “For peace in Israel – Donald Trump,” symbolizing the strong bond and friendship between the U.S. and Israel. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mr. Mike Huckabee made the following short statement: “It is an honor for me to be here on behalf of President Donald Trump and to bring the prayer he personally wrote last Thursday at the White House, with the instruction that my first act as ambassador be to take his prayer—in which he expresses his hope for peace in Israel—and place it in the Western Wall and pray for peace in the land.”

During a press briefing from the Oval Office on Thursday, President Trump spoke about the passing of President Carter, commenting that he “died a happy man.”

President Carter, who passed away in December 2024, held the record as the oldest living president in American history. Widely respected across the political spectrum, he was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his dedication to human rights causes.

“Jimmy Carter died a happy man. You know why? Because he wasn’t the worst president, Joe Biden was,” Trump told reporters.

The president’s remarks came as he discussed his new tariff strategy, which he described as “reciprocal.” He said the initiative would lead to major economic gains and stand in contrast to the performance of past administrations.

“I think you’re going to see some fantastic numbers when this whole thing happens. It’s happening,” he said.

Trump also mentioned that multiple nations had reached out to explore trade agreements with the U.S., signaling a global interest in his administration’s economic policies.

“Now, everybody wants to make a deal, and if they don’t want to make a deal, well, make the deal for him because that’s what’s going to happen,” Trump said in the Oval Office.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was in Washington on Thursday, working to represent the European Union in discussions surrounding the White House’s recently announced 20 percent tariffs on EU imports.

The European Union is currently subject to a 10 percent tariff on its exports to the United States as a result of a 90-day freeze on certain trade duties. However, EU officials have expressed optimism about finding common ground with the U.S. administration soon.

International economists and business leaders have expressed concern over the broader implications of the tariffs, particularly whether the American manufacturing sector is equipped to scale production quickly enough to satisfy demand.

Trump, however, defended the moves as essential corrections to past trade imbalances that he said disadvantaged the U.S.

“I think we’re going to do even better this time because you will see that the numbers that we’re taking in are astronomical, we’re taking in a tremendous amount of money with the tariffs,” the president told reporters.

“We were treated very unfairly and the countries are having a hard time getting used to the fact that they can’t do that to us anymore because we have a real president. We have a president that understands what it’s all about,” he added.

{Matzav.com}

Approximately 10,000 pages of records related to the 1968 assassination of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy were released Friday, continuing the disclosure of national secrets ordered by President Donald Trump. The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration posted roughly 229 files containing the pages to its public website. Many files related to the senator’s assassination had been previously released, but others had not been digitized and sat for decades in storage facilities maintained by the federal government. “Nearly 60 years after the tragic assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy, the American people will, for the first time, have the opportunity to review the federal government’s investigation thanks to the leadership of President Trump,” Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, said in a statement. Gabbard also said the files release “shine a long-overdue light on the truth.” The release of the RFK files comes a month after unredacted files related to the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy were disclosed. Trump, a Republican, has championed in the name of transparency the release of documents related to high-profile assassinations and investigations. But he’s also been deeply suspicious for years of the government’s intelligence agencies, and his administration’s release of once-hidden files opens the door for additional public scrutiny and questioning about the conclusions and operations of institutions such as the CIA and the FBI. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., a son of the Democratic New York senator who now serves as the U.S. Health and Human Services secretary, commended Trump and Gabbard for their “courage” and “dogged efforts” to release the files. “Lifting the veil on the RFK papers is a necessary step toward restoring trust in American government,” the health secretary said in a statement. (AP)

Among the threats tariffs pose to the U.S. economy, none may be as strange as the sell-off in the dollar. Currencies rise and fall all the time because of inflation fears, central bank moves and other factors. But economists worry that the recent drop in the dollar is so dramatic that it reflects something more ominous as President Donald Trump tries to reshape global trade: a loss of confidence in the U.S. The dollar’s dominance in cross-border trade and as a safe haven has been nurtured by administrations of both parties for decades because it helps keep U.S. borrowing costs down and allows Washington to project power abroad — enormous advantages that could possibly disappear if faith in the U.S. was damaged. “Global trust and reliance on the dollar was built up over a half century or more,” says University of California, Berkeley, economist Barry Eichengreen. “But it can be lost in the blink of an eye.” Since mid-January, the dollar has fallen 9% against a basket of currencies, a rare and steep decline, to its lowest level in three years. Many investors spooked by Trump don’t think the dollar will be pushed quickly from its position as the world’s reserve currency, instead expecting more of a slow decline. But even that is scary enough, given the benefits that would be lost. With much of world’s goods exchanged in dollars, demand for the currency has stayed strong even as the U.S. has doubled federal debt in a dozen years and does other things that would normally send investors fleeing. That has allowed the U.S. government, consumers and businesses to borrow at unnaturally low rates, which has helped speed economic growth and lift standards of living. Dollar dominance also allows the U.S. to push around other countries like Venezuela, Iran and Russia by locking them out of a currency they need to buy and sell with others. Now that “exorbitant privilege,” as economists call it, is suddenly at risk. “The safe haven properties of the dollar are being eroded,” said Deutsche Bank in a note to clients earlier this month warning of a “confidence crisis.” Added a more circumspect report by Capital Economics, “It is no longer hyperbole to say that the dollar’s reserve status and broader dominant role is at least somewhat in question.” Traditionally, the dollar would strengthen as tariffs sink demand for foreign products. But the dollar not only failed to strengthen this time, it fell, puzzling economists and hurting consumers. The dollar lost more than 5% against the euro and pound, and 6% against the yen since early April. As any American traveler abroad knows, you can buy more with a stronger dollar and less with a weaker one. Now the price of French wine and South Korean electronics and a host of other imports could cost more not only due to tariffs but a weaker currency, too. And any loss of safe-haven status could hit U.S. consumers in another way: Higher rates for mortgages and car financing deals as lenders demand more interest for the added risk. More worrisome is possible higher interest rates on the ballooning U.S. federal debt, which is already at a risky 120% of U.S. annual economic output. “Most countries with that debt to GDP would cause a major crisis and the […]

Two Jewish organizations have officially announced they’ll be hosting events with Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir during his upcoming visit to the United States—his first since taking on the role.

Ben-Gvir’s appointment to Israel’s cabinet in 2022 sparked backlash from the Biden administration, which reportedly considered barring him from entering the U.S., while numerous American Jewish groups denounced his political stance. His Jewish Power party has drawn controversy for its hardline views, including support for removing “disloyal” Palestinians, pushing for the annexation of the West Bank, and escalating the conflict in Gaza.

This week, many mainstream Jewish groups said they had not been informed of Ben-Gvir’s trip or had no intention of engaging with him. Organizations once linked to his visit have distanced themselves from arranging it.

Despite the silence from larger institutions, Shabtai, a Jewish student society at Yale University founded in part by Senator Cory Booker, has scheduled two events featuring Ben-Gvir—one on the Yale campus on April 23 and another the following day in Manhattan. These talks coincide with Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Shabtai confirmed that the Yale event will include students and faculty, while the Manhattan gathering is expected to draw guests like “federal judges, bankers, Columbia/NYU professors, and NYC notables that care about Israel,” according to the group’s director. The focus of the second event will be “securing Israel post-October 7th.”

Later that same day, Chabad of Hebron is hosting a fundraiser in Brooklyn featuring Ben-Gvir. Bais Shmuel Chabad in Crown Heights is promoting a $36-a-ticket event offering attendees an “open panel discussion” with Ben-Gvir, advertising a chance to hear insider perspectives on “the fight for Jewish sovereignty over all the Land of Israel.”

Before the public announcement, a Chabad representative told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) that the wider Chabad movement, which operates with local autonomy, had no knowledge of any plans involving Ben-Gvir.

Rabbi Shmully Hecht, a founder of Shabtai and its current rabbinic advisor, expressed pride in welcoming Ben-Gvir.

“Shabtai believes in free discourse and hosts speakers with a variety of views on American politics, business, ethics, religion, literature, the arts and more. We promote Judaism and free speech. It’s Talmudic,” he wrote to JTA.

Hecht, who also established Yale’s Chabad center, voiced open admiration for the minister. “I admire Ben-Gvir,” he stated, comparing him favorably to Senators Booker and Blumenthal. “Itamar promotes what he believes is best for his people that democratically elected him.”

Hecht praised Meir Kahane as well, the radical rabbi whom Ben-Gvir often cites as an inspiration. “Ben-Gvir, like Meir Kahane, warned Israelis, the Jewish people, and the West of the dangers of Radical Islam and the Jihadists,” Hecht wrote. “Sadly they have been rejected by naïve liberals who delusionally presume Westerners can make peace with the likes of ISIS, Al Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah and the Iranian Mullahs. Oct 7th must be the last war of Israel. Only bold, resolute leaders like Ben Gvir can assure same.”

Although the Biden administration sanctioned settler groups tied to Ben-Gvir’s ideological platform, President Trump has revoked those restrictions and voiced support for some of Ben-Gvir’s stances on Gaza, potentially paving the way for a more favorable reception during the trip. One person reportedly accompanying Ben-Gvir is Akiva Hacohen, a U.S.-born settler convicted in 2013 of relaying Israeli military intel to defend unauthorized outposts.

To critics of Ben-Gvir, his itinerary highlights a concerning shift in the mainstreaming of far-right rhetoric.

“Mobilizing against Ben-Gvir is mobilizing against extremism,” said Offir Gutelzon, a leader of UnXeptable, an activist group of Israelis living in the U.S. The organization is preparing a protest near the Upper East Side event on Thursday.

In a statement, the group said, “As Israelis in America and as American Jews, we believe this visit requires a clear, clarion call: Itamar Ben-Gvir is not welcome in our community.

“He is not welcome in our country. He does not represent us as Jews or as Israelis. We steadfastly oppose his dark vision for Judaism, Israel and for the Middle East.”

The open letter has been endorsed by progressive Jewish organizations and activists, including the Union for Reform Judaism, J Street, the New York Jewish Agenda, We Are All Hostages, and multiple families of Israeli hostages.

According to Israeli media, Ben-Gvir’s visit will include stops in Miami, New York City, and Washington, D.C. A meeting once expected to take place with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has since been removed from the agenda, Haaretz reported. Homeland Security did not respond to JTA’s inquiry.

Apart from the few confirmed appearances, details on the rest of the trip remain limited. Most prominent Jewish institutions said they had not been contacted or had no plans to meet with Ben-Gvir.

Spokespeople for the ADL, AJC, Jewish Federations of North America, and the Conference of Presidents all said they would not be engaging with Ben-Gvir. Three of them noted they hadn’t even received a request for a meeting.

In contrast, two years ago, some of these groups privately met with Bezalel Smotrich, another right-wing Israeli minister, during his trip to the U.S.—a meeting that caused friction with other Jewish groups once it became public. Smotrich made another visit recently to confer with Trump’s Treasury secretary.

The only confirmed events feature organizations known for giving a platform to politically charged figures.

Shabtai, founded in the 1990s and previously called the Chai Society and Eliezer, has hosted an eclectic mix of voices—from Israeli Supreme Court justices and far-right MK Simcha Rothman to Anthony Scaramucci and anti-Zionist blogger Philip Weiss. Even Senator Booker himself spoke there in 2022. Shabtai drew attention in the 2024 GOP primary when one of its past members, Vivek Ramaswamy, ran for president with a proposal to cut U.S. aid to Israel.

Hecht, who collaborated closely with Booker in Shabtai’s early days, did not receive a response from the senator’s office when reaching out about Ben-Gvir’s planned appearance. Booker has previously criticized Netanyahu’s coalition—Ben-Gvir included—as “ultra-right-wing.”

Other participants in the Brooklyn fundraiser include Yishai Fleisher, an Israeli podcaster and proponent of Jewish aliyah, and Rabbi Danny Cohen, who heads Chabad of Hebron.

Some in the Chabad community voiced concern over the event.

“I was very disappointed in this community specifically,” said Tzofiah Frieden, a Crown Heights-based Chabad artist and progressive voice on social media. She told JTA that the gathering contradicted what she viewed as the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, who avoided political entanglement. Hosting Ben-Gvir, she added, was “against the values of what we should be promoting as Chabad.”

Frieden noted that Crown Heights has been trending more politically conservative in recent years. She suspects many residents support a one-state solution with Jewish majority rule but might not fully grasp Ben-Gvir’s background or ideology.

“A lot of the very frum people who live in Crown Heights are not super politically aware,” she said. “From what they’re aware of, he wants a united Israel, he wants a one-state solution. And I don’t know that they would be aware of the history of Kahanism.”

Meanwhile, Betar US—a controversial youth movement known for provoking confrontation both in person and online—posted and then deleted a tweet announcing it would be welcoming Ben-Gvir to the U.S. and hosting events for him in New York, Washington, and Miami.

In that tweet, Betar said it would “warmly welcome a leader of the Israeli government Itamar Ben Gvir on his first trip to the US next week,” and expressed its intention to “host events warmly in DC, NY and Miami.”

Betar, which has also called for mass Jewish immigration to Israel and urged banning progressive Jews from entering the country, immediately came under fire from Democratic Congressman Ritchie Torres, who is considering a gubernatorial run.

“There is no universe in which I would ever grant an audience to an extremist like Ben Gvir or any organization like yours that embraces his extremism,” Torres responded. “If you had done your homework, you would [have] known that I have nothing but contempt for [Ben-]Gvir.”

Initially, Betar claimed it was co-hosting the visit with the Zionist Organization of America. But when asked, ZOA President Mort Klein denied giving his approval to host Ben-Gvir, though he did not clarify his personal opinion.

Soon after, Betar deleted the tweet and appeared to retract its original claim. When contacted again, the group didn’t confirm any events of their own with the minister.

“Betar US supports all israeli government ministers at this time as they travel,” a representative said. “We are pleased the mainstream Zionist and Jewish community will welcome the minister to America during his visit.”

{Matzav.com}

The United States transferred convicted terrorist Tahawwur Hussain Rana to Indian custody last week, allowing him to face prosecution for his suspected involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that left 166 people dead, including six Jews at the Chabad center.

Rana, age 64, is wanted in India on multiple charges including murder, conspiracy, terrorist activity, forgery, and for allegedly being affiliated with the Islamist extremist group Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT). He had been resisting extradition in U.S. courts for the past five years.

According to Indian investigators, Rana played a key role in enabling LeT operatives to move freely through Mumbai to conduct reconnaissance before the deadly attacks. Authorities claim Rana helped establish a new location for his immigration consultancy in Mumbai and hired a childhood friend tied to LeT to manage the office, even though the individual had no relevant qualifications.

In late November 2008, LeT militants arrived by boat and unleashed coordinated assaults at a dozen sites across Mumbai. Gunmen opened fire and threw grenades at civilians at the main train terminal, sprayed bullets at patrons inside popular restaurants, and carried out a brutal assault on the iconic Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. Indian officials say Rana’s company was used as a front, with forged documentation provided to facilitate LeT’s entry and movements.

Among the targets was a Chabad House, where terrorists murdered six individuals in cold blood. The victims included Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg, originally from Brooklyn, his pregnant wife Rivka, Rabbi Leibish Teitelbaum of New York, Rabbi Bentzion Kruman who held dual Israeli-American citizenship, Israeli citizen Yocheved Orpaz, and Norma Shvarzblat Rabinovich from Mexico. Their bodies were later laid to rest on Har Hazeisim in Yerushalayim.

The Holtzbergs’ two-year-old son Moshe miraculously survived after being spirited away by his nanny and was later brought to Israel. His older brother, who had not been in India during the attack, tragically died from Tay-Sachs disease, CNN reported.

Court proceedings revealed chilling motivations for the assault on the Jewish site. One of the captured terrorists testified that the attackers believed the Chabad center was “used as a front for the Mossad,” according to NBC News. Intelligence also surfaced that LeT had planned similar attacks on three additional Chabad centers across India, claiming they were acts of retaliation for the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Mohammad Ajmal Amir Qasab, one of the attackers who was caught alive, was executed in India in 2012, the World Jewish Congress reported.

The massive assault left 166 dead and hundreds more injured, with financial damages reaching $1.5 billion, according to figures released by the U.S. Department of Justice.

After the massacre, Rana reportedly told an associate that the Indian victims “deserved it,” according to a statement released by the Department.

Though the Mumbai attacks were the deadliest event tied to Rana, it was not his first encounter with terrorism-related charges. In 2013, he was sentenced in Illinois to a 14-year prison term for conspiring to support LeT, including involvement in a failed plot targeting Denmark’s capital, Copenhagen.

{Matzav.com}

U.S. airstrikes targeting an oil port held by Yemen’s Houthi rebels killed 74 people and wounded 171 others, the group said Friday, in the deadliest known attack under President Donald Trump’s new military campaign against the Iranian-backed faction. The strike on the Ras Isa port, which sent massive fireballs shooting into the night sky, represented a major escalation in the American effort by hitting oil facilities for the first time. Assessing the toll of Trump’s campaign, which began March 15, has been difficult, as the U.S. military’s Central Command hasn’t released any information, including its attacks’ targets and how many people have been killed. The Houthis, meanwhile, strictly control access to attacked areas and don’t publish complete information on the strikes, many of which likely have targeted military and security sites. In a statement, Central Command said “U.S. forces took action to eliminate this source of fuel for the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists and deprive them of illegal revenue that has funded Houthi efforts to terrorize the entire region for over 10 years.” “This strike was not intended to harm the people of Yemen, who rightly want to throw off the yoke of Houthi subjugation and live peacefully,” it added. It did not acknowledge any casualties from the attack or offer any damage assessment. Hours after the strike, the Houthis launched a missile toward Israel that was intercepted, the Israeli military said. Sirens sounded in Tel Aviv and elsewhere. Yemen’s civil war, meanwhile, further internationalized, as the U.S. alleged a Chinese satellite company was “directly supporting” Houthi attacks — a claim Beijing declined to directly comment on. And a second round of negotiations between Iran and the U.S. over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program, which America has linked to the Yemen campaign, is due to happen Saturday in Rome. US strikes spark massive fireball The Ras Isa port, a collection of oil tanks and refining equipment, sits in Yemen’s Hodeida governorate along the Red Sea. It is just off Kamaran Island, which has been targeted by intense U.S. airstrikes over the past few days. The Houthis’ al-Masirah satellite news channel aired graphic footage of the aftermath, showing corpses strewn across the site and smashed tanker trucks ablaze. Satellite images of the port from Planet Labs PBC and analyzed by The Associated Press showed destroyed oil tanks and vehicles. Oil also appeared to be leaking into the Red Sea. Wim Zwijnenburg, an analyst with Dutch peace organization PAX, said it appeared at least three fuel storage tanks had been destroyed and that oil had leaked from mooring pipelines. The port also is the terminus of an oil pipeline stretching to Yemen’s energy-rich Marib governorate, which is held by allies of Yemen’s exiled government. The Houthis expelled that government from Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in 2014. However, oil exports have been halted by the decadelong war and the Houthis have used Ras Isa to bring in oil. Ras Isa takes in gasoline, diesel and liquefied petroleum gas for the Houthis. The damage from the airstrikes could seriously affect life in Houthi-held areas of Yemen. The Houthis denounced the U.S. attack as a “completely unjustified aggression.” “It targets a vital civilian facility that has served the Yemeni people for decades,” the Houthis said in a statement. On April 9, the U.S. State Department issued a warning about oil shipments to Yemen, […]

During a press conference on Thursday, President Trump condemned the shooting at Florida State University as a “terrible” tragedy, but made it clear he doesn’t believe it should lead to new gun control legislation.

“Look, I’m a big advocate of the Second Amendment. I have been from the beginning. I’ve protected it, and these things are terrible,” Trump told reporters from the Oval Office, responding to a question about whether current gun laws need to be reconsidered in light of the incident.

“But the gun doesn’t do the shooting, the people do,” Trump continued. “It’s, you know, a phrase that’s used probably too often. I will tell you that it’s a shame. I’m just hearing about it now.”

The president noted he would issue further comments once more facts were made public, also mentioning that he’s familiar with the location of the attack.

Authorities reported that two individuals lost their lives and six more were injured when a shooter opened fire on the campus of Florida State University in Tallahassee. Police confirmed that the shooter, now in custody, is the child of a deputy with the Leon County Sheriff’s Office.

Trump has consistently reiterated his commitment to defending gun ownership rights since his first term, often addressing the topic at National Rifle Association conventions and other gatherings of gun rights supporters.

Following a tragic school shooting in 2018, Trump had gathered members of Congress to discuss possible changes to gun laws. However, no legislative reforms were ultimately passed.

{Matzav.com}

As the medical condition of the Rosh Yeshiva of Kisei Rachamim, Rav Meir Mazuz, remains critical, the rabbanim of the Tunisian Jewish community in Eretz Yisroel and abroad have issued a heartfelt public letter calling for urgent tefillos.

The letter, titled “A Sefer Torah is in Distress,” urges the public to gather in shuls at midnight on the night of Shevi’i Shel Pesach, to open the Aron Kodesh and daven during this auspicious time for the complete recovery of Rav Refael Meir Nissim ben Kamasna. The letter expresses a plea for Hashem’s mercy and healing for the Rosh Yeshiva.

The unified call was signed by leading rabbanim, including Chief Rabbi of Tunisia and Djerba Rav Chaim Bitton; the elder of the moshavim rabbanim in Eretz Yisroel, Rav Shalom Cohen; along with Tunisian community rabbanim from across the country.

Rav Mazuz’s condition is described as extremely serious, with no signs of improvement. The public is urged to continue davening and undertaking kabbalos tovos on his behalf.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Tehran has proposed a three-phase nuclear agreement that would see it roll back its uranium enrichment levels in exchange for the lifting of U.S. sanctions, according to a report by Iran International, citing three diplomatic sources. The plan, presented last Saturday by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during indirect talks in Oman, would cap uranium enrichment at 3.67%—the level agreed upon in the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which President Trump withdrew from in 2018. In the first stage of the proposed deal, the U.S. would allow Iran access to billions in frozen assets and permit oil exports, while Tehran would lower its enrichment activity. The second stage would involve lifting more sanctions and suspending the automatic “snapback” of UN sanctions. In return, Iran would permit the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to resume full inspections, including surprise visits under the Additional Protocol. In the final phase, Iran would transfer its stockpile of highly enriched uranium—some of which is enriched up to 60%, just short of weapons-grade—to a third country. The U.S. Congress would ratify the new deal, and Washington would lift all primary and secondary sanctions. The proposal reportedly surprised U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, who responded positively during the initial meeting. Witkoff and Araghchi are set to hold a second round of talks this Saturday in Rome. Witkoff had earlier signaled that the White House was open to a limited deal that would cap but not dismantle Iran’s nuclear program. However, he appeared to shift positions just a day later, stating any deal must include a complete end to Iran’s enrichment and weaponization capabilities. A diplomatic source cited by Iran International claimed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei approved the talks to buy time for Iran to rebuild its air defenses—severely damaged in October by Israeli airstrikes—as well as to resume production of surface-to-surface missiles. That Israeli attack followed Iran’s unprecedented ballistic missile barrage on October 1, marking its second direct attack on Israel in less than a year. Israeli intelligence reportedly damaged radar installations critical to Iran’s missile guidance systems. The final phase of the deal, which involves moving enriched uranium abroad, appears to conflict with a recent Guardian report indicating Iran was likely to reject such a condition. Russia, a close Iranian ally and the operator of its sole nuclear reactor, has not confirmed whether it would accept Iran’s uranium stockpile. Despite Iran’s claims that it is not pursuing nuclear weapons, international nuclear watchdogs say the country has significantly increased its 60%-enriched uranium stockpile and is on track to quadruple its uranium ore production this year—well beyond the needs of a civilian program. On Thursday, IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi, visiting Tehran, warned that “time is running out” to reach a deal. The developments come as The New York Times reported that Trump recently blocked an Israeli plan to strike Iranian nuclear sites in May. The president, while confirming he rejected the operation, said he preferred to exhaust diplomatic options first. “I wouldn’t say ‘waved off,’ but I’m not in a rush to do it,” Trump told reporters Thursday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, while touting “countless” Israeli actions against Iran’s nuclear program, did not deny Trump’s intervention. Trump unveiled the resumption of direct U.S.-Iran talks during a surprise White House meeting with Netanyahu earlier this […]

Hamas on Thursday publicly rejected Israel’s latest proposal for a temporary ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, insisting it would not agree to any truce that falls short of ending the war and securing a full IDF withdrawal from the enclave. The terrorist group confirmed it had delivered a written response to international mediators turning down the 45-day ceasefire plan presented by Israel. According to Hamas, the proposal included the release of 10 living hostages, the freeing of 1,231 Palestinian security prisoners, and expanded humanitarian aid into Gaza. Crucially, it also demanded that Hamas begin disarming — a condition the group has repeatedly refused. Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas leader and its chief negotiator, speaking from outside Gaza in a televised address, accused Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu of pushing “partial deals” and imposing “impossible conditions.” He asserted that Israel had walked back the January ceasefire agreement and challenged mediators to “correct the crisis Israel created.” Al-Hayya reiterated that Hamas remains open to negotiating a complete exchange: all remaining hostages for an agreed number of Palestinian prisoners, but only in the context of a deal that would definitively end the war. The U.S. responded: “Hamas’s comments demonstrate they are not interested in peace but perpetual violence,” said National Security Council spokesman James Hewitt. “The terms made by the Trump administration have not changed: release the hostages or face hell.” Israel and Hamas had agreed in January to a phased ceasefire, but the plan unraveled after its first stage. While Hamas pushed to move forward with the second phase — which included a permanent ceasefire — Israel sought to renegotiate the terms to gain further hostage releases without formally ending its military campaign in Gaza. The deadlock led to the resumption of Israeli military operations on March 18. Prime Minister Netanyahu has consistently vowed that the war will not end until Hamas’s military and governing capabilities are fully dismantled. Many of his coalition partners, including hardline figures like Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, have warned against any compromise – if Netanyahu bends, his government would likely collapse. Public opinion in Israel, however, appears to be shifting. Recent polls indicate that a majority of Israelis would support ending the war in exchange for the release of all hostages — a position increasingly at odds with the current government. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

An Arab-Israeli woman and a British woman were among four people killed when a cable car crashed on Thursday in southern Italy near Naples, local officials confirmed Friday. Marco De Rosa, a spokesperson for the mayor of Vico Equense, said that two of the three foreign victims have been officially identified, with Italian media reporting that the third is also British. The accident occurred on Monte Faito in the town of Castellammare di Stabia, a popular tourist area overlooking the Bay of Naples. According to initial findings, the tragedy was triggered when a traction cable snapped, bringing both the ascending and descending cable cars to a halt and causing at least one to plummet. Authorities have launched a criminal investigation into multiple counts of manslaughter and culpable disaster. One of the victims has been identified in Israeli media as 25-year-old Janan Suliman, a resident of Mashhad in northern Israel. British media named another victim as 58-year-old Margaret Elaine Winn. The third foreign fatality, believed to also be a British citizen, has not yet been formally identified. The fourth victim was an Italian national, 59-year-old cable car operator Carmine Parlato. A fifth person, believed to be a foreign tourist and reported in Hebrew media as Suliman’s brother, was critically injured in the crash. He was rescued from the wreckage and remains hospitalized in serious condition in Naples. Israel’s Foreign Ministry said that the Israeli embassy in Rome is working closely with Italian authorities to clarify the identity of the injured Israeli and to assist the families involved. This is the second major cable car disaster in Italy in recent years. In 2021, a crash near Lake Maggiore claimed the lives of 14 people, prompting worry over the country’s aging infrastructure. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

NASA’s Lucy spacecraft will swoop past a small asteroid this weekend as it makes its way to an even bigger prize: the unexplored swarms of asteroids out near Jupiter. It will be the second asteroid encounter for Lucy, launched in 2021 on a quest that will take it to 11 space rocks. The close approaches should help scientists better understand our early solar system when planets were forming; asteroids are the ancient leftovers. The upcoming flyby is a dress rehearsal for 2027 when Lucy reaches its first so-called Trojan asteroid near Jupiter. Cranking up its three science instruments, the spacecraft on Sunday will observe the harmless asteroid known as Donaldjohanson. The encounter will take place 139 million miles (223 million kilometers) from Earth in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, so far away it will take 12 minutes for each bit of data to reach flight controllers in Colorado. The paleontologist for whom the asteroid is named plans to be at spacecraft builder and operator Lockheed Martin’s Mission Control for all the action. He discovered the fossil Lucy in Ethiopia 50 years ago; the spacecraft is named after the famous human ancestor. NASA’s Lucy will venture as close as 596 miles (960 kilometers) to this asteroid, an estimated 2 ½ miles (4 kilometers) in length but much shorter in width. Scientists should have a better idea of its size and shape following the brief visit. The spacecraft will zoom by at more than 30,000 mph (48,000 kph). The asteroid is among countless fragments believed to have resulted from a major collision 150 million years ago. “It’s not going to be a basic potato. We already know that,” said lead scientist Hal Levison of Southwest Research Institute. Rather, Levison said the asteroid may resemble a bowling pin or even a snowman like Arrokoth, the Kuiper Belt object visited by NASA’s New Horizon spacecraft in 2019. The other possibility is that there are two elongated but separate asteroids far apart. “We don’t know what to expect. That’s what makes this so cool,” he said. There will be no communications with Lucy during the flyby as the spacecraft turns its antenna away from Earth in order to track the asteroid. Levison expects to have most of the science data within a day. Lucy’s next stop — “the main event,” as Levison calls it — will be the Trojan asteroids that share Jupiter’s orbit around the sun. Swarms of Trojans precede and follow the solar system’s largest planet as it circles the sun. Lucy will visit eight of them from 2027 through 2033, some of them in pairs of two. Lucy’s first asteroid flyby was in 2023 when it swept past little Dinkinesh, also in the main asteroid belt. The spacecraft discovered a mini moon around it. (AP)

The White House issued a sharp rebuke of Hamas on Thursday after the terror group dismissed Israel’s latest ceasefire and hostage release proposal, reaffirming that President Donald Trump’s approach to the conflict remains firm.

“Hamas’s comments demonstrate they are not interested in peace but perpetual violence,” said US National Security Council spokesperson James Hewitt.

“The terms made by the Trump Administration have not changed: release the hostages or face hell,” he added.

The statement followed remarks by senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya, who is leading the group’s negotiations. He accused Israel’s leadership of sabotaging the deal from the start.

“Netanyahu set impossible conditions for a deal that does not lead to the end of the war or full withdrawal. He and his government violated the agreement before its first phase ended,” al-Hayya claimed.

He continued by outlining Hamas’s demands: “We are prepared to immediately hold true negotiations for the release of the captives that we hold in return for an agreed-upon number of prisoners being held by the occupation. The occupation in return must totally stop the war and totally withdraw from the Gaza Strip.”

Earlier this week, Hezbollah-linked Lebanese outlet Al-Mayadeen released what it claimed were the specifics of the proposal delivered to Hamas in Cairo.

According to the report, the Israeli offer includes a temporary 45-day halt in fighting in exchange for the release of nine live hostages and six bodies. A key condition of the deal is that Hamas must begin disarming the Gaza Strip.

Under the plan’s second phase, five living captives would be exchanged for 66 prisoners serving life terms, along with an additional 611 inmates from Gaza. Hamas would be expected to free the hostages quietly, without the dramatic processions it staged during previous exchanges under the January truce.

The proposal also includes terms to ensure humanitarian assistance reaches civilians directly and does not end up seized by Hamas, which has been accused of diverting significant portions of aid entering Gaza over the past year and a half.

Once those five hostages are released, aid shipments, along with materials for temporary shelter construction, would be delivered to Gaza. At the same time, the IDF would initiate a repositioning of its forces in Rafah and northern Gaza.

Hamas, however, remains defiant. The group has rejected disarmament and continues to demand a full halt to the war on its own terms.

{Matzav.com}

In what could be a transformative moment in the ongoing search for extraterrestrial life, scientists at Cambridge University have found what they believe may be signs of life in the atmosphere of a far-off planet named K2-18b Of course, YWN readers are wondering: If there really is a habitable, ocean-covered planet out there, with sunlight and possibly beaches, how long until we see the first Pesach or Sukkos program on K2-18b? And will it finally make Orlando go out of style? These are questions still too early to ask. The planet, located 124 light-years away in the constellation Leo, is more than twice the size of Earth and orbits a small red star. Despite the vast distance, researchers were able to analyze the composition of its atmosphere using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), which captures the starlight filtering through the planet’s gases. Their findings showed the potential presence of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS)—two organic compounds that, at least here on Earth, are produced exclusively by marine microorganisms such as phytoplankton and certain bacteria. The surprising abundance of these molecules, far exceeding levels found on Earth, has raised hopes that K2-18b may be more than just a lifeless rock. “If the association with life is real,” said lead researcher Professor Nikku Madhusudhan, “then this planet could be teeming with life.” The data, while exciting, is still preliminary. Scientists use a confidence system called “sigma” to express certainty, and the current results are at “three sigma,” or 99.7% certainty. That may sound impressive, but scientists require five sigma—about 99.9999%—before officially declaring a discovery. In other words, while this is the most promising evidence of alien life ever observed, it’s not quite a done deal. Still, it represents a major leap forward from earlier studies, which only reached one sigma. To reach that gold standard of certainty, researchers plan to conduct additional JWST observations over the next one to two years. The Cambridge team is also working alongside other scientific groups to see if DMS and DMDS could possibly be produced by non-biological means, like volcanic activity or chemical interactions inside the planet. “We want to be really, really thorough,” said Professor Madhusudhan. “This is a big claim if true, so we need the evidence to be airtight.” Even if the presence of life-linked gases is confirmed, questions remain. Scientists still aren’t sure what kind of world K2-18b really is. Some believe it’s an ocean-covered planet, with a hydrogen-rich atmosphere and no ammonia—a sign that a vast body of liquid water might be absorbing it, creating conditions that could support life. Others argue the planet might instead be a “mini gas giant” with no solid surface at all, or possibly even a world of molten rock, which would make life as we know it impossible. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Joe Biden’s post-presidency venture into the speaking circuit has hit a wall, with few groups willing to pay the $300,000 he’s reportedly asking per event, according to The New York Post. The pushback comes as some of Biden’s former aides quietly urge him to step away from the public eye, especially following remarks in which he awkwardly referenced “colored kids” during his first major speech since leaving the White House.

Sources familiar with the situation say that Biden’s standard fee is $300,000 — a figure that’s about 25% lower than the $400,000 Barack Obama requested after finishing his term in 2017.

Whether Biden is open to negotiating that fee remains unknown.

In addition to the speaking fee, Biden’s team reportedly requests private air travel and accommodations for a five-person entourage. Since early February, he has been represented by Creative Artists Agency (CAA), a powerhouse in the entertainment industry.

Biden made his public return to the stage on Tuesday, during which he stumbled over his words and used the term “colored kids,” prompting backlash.

“CAA is having trouble booking gigs, which isn’t surprising,” said a source with knowledge of the effort.

Another insider claimed that people in Biden’s orbit had floated the idea of asking for even more money, despite his recent reputation for verbal blunders — including a disastrous debate performance that led to an open revolt within his own party.

His remarks at this week’s disability-focused event in Chicago, where he referred to black youth as “colored,” were seen by some of his past aides as further proof that it’s time for Biden to retreat from the spotlight.

“This was hard to watch,” said a former White House staffer. “It felt like seeing someone you care about start to regress. We just wanted him to enjoy retirement like other presidents — not go out like this.”

The same former aide said that during Biden’s presidency, frustrations were mounting among Black staff members who felt sidelined.

“Black people elected Joe Biden, and then his senior team cut them off, even staff hired to help with engagement,” the former staffer said.

Biden’s first official speech since stepping down came on March 15, when he addressed students at the National High School Model United Nations conference (NHSMUN). He followed that with the Tuesday speech at the Advocates, Counselors, and Representatives for the Disabled (ACRD).

He also spoke at a private seminar hosted by Harvard’s Institute of Politics on Wednesday, organized by longtime aide Mike Donilon.

Harvard confirmed that Biden was not compensated for his appearance.

Neither NHSMUN nor ACRD responded to inquiries about whether they paid Biden for his talks, or if they did, how much.

While it remains uncertain exactly why Biden is struggling to attract big-paying audiences, former aides suggest part of the issue could lie with his representation.

CAA declined to comment for this story, but some of Biden’s allies think the agency is poorly positioned to secure high-paying gigs on the corporate speaking circuit. Notably, CAA also represents Kamala Harris.

One former aide said hiring CAA was a mistake. “The Harry Walker Agency, which works with both Bill and Hillary Clinton as well as Obama, ‘has relationships with all these large annual conferences and clients looking for high-profile speakers,’” the source noted.

“CAA is a Hollywood shop. They’re not set up to market speakers to, like, the national duty-free shopping conference. The bread and butter of paid speaking gigs is random large annual industry conferences.”

Another insider agreed with that critique, but still held out hope that Biden might regain his appeal in time.

“I do not think he is a draw yet,” the former aide admitted. “I think he will be more of a draw as Trump continues to dismantle our democracy.”

After serving as vice president, Biden had little difficulty commanding high fees for public appearances. His relatives — particularly his brother James and son Hunter — also profited by offering consulting services to overseas clients while Biden served under Obama.

Many of Biden’s highest-paid speeches came from academic institutions — a trend that may now be faltering, especially given his criticism of rising tuition costs during his presidency.

Records show Biden was once paid $190,000 for a talk at Drew University, $182,000 at Lake Michigan College, $180,000 for events at both Vanderbilt and the University at Buffalo, $125,000 at Southern Connecticut State University, $100,000 at Long Island University, and $93,000 for a visit to Brown — all part of his post-vice presidency speaking run.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump has officially removed the MTA from overseeing the long-awaited overhaul of Penn Station, handing control over to the federal government instead, with Amtrak now taking the lead under a new initiative.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy revealed the updated direction for the project, explaining that the federal government will move forward with a public-private partnership to carry out the revamp.

“President Trump has made it clear: the days of reckless spending and blank checks are over,” Duffy declared in a statement.

“New York City deserves a Penn Station that reflects America’s greatness and is safe and clean.”

Governor Kathy Hochul had engaged in repeated negotiations with Trump regarding the future of Penn Station. According to reports, she even joked that renaming the station in his honor might unlock more federal dollars.

Revitalizing Penn Station has been both an aspiration and a struggle for state leaders for decades.

This new direction consolidates two separate efforts — one to reconstruct the station itself, the other to increase its train handling capacity — into a unified federal project.

In a sharply worded statement, Hochul acknowledged Trump’s decision to take full responsibility for the station’s future, seemingly mocking the scale of the challenge.

“In multiple meetings with President Trump, I requested that the federal government fund the long-overdue overhaul of Penn Station. Clearly that effort has been successful, and I want to thank the President and Secretary Duffy for taking on the sole responsibility to deliver the beautiful new $7 billion station that New Yorkers deserve,” she said.

Hochul also alluded to the likelihood that New York won’t be contributing the $1.3 billion previously earmarked by state lawmakers for the upgrade.

“This is a major victory for New Yorkers, and the use of federal funds will save New York taxpayers $1.3 billion dollars that would have otherwise been necessary for this project,” she added.

The announcement arrives amid a growing clash between Hochul and Duffy over control of the MTA and its role in managing transit-related projects.

Duffy didn’t hold back in his criticism of the MTA, arguing that redirecting funds directly to Amtrak and revamping the scope of the project would save about $120 million.

“The MTA’s history of inefficiency, waste, and mismanagement also meant that a new approach is needed. By putting taxpayers first, we’re ensuring every dollar is spent wisely to create a transit hub all Americans can take pride in,” Duffy said.

Until now, the MTA had been advancing a plan to renovate Penn Station without relocating Madison Square Garden, while also collaborating with Amtrak and NJ Transit on ideas for possible expansion.

Key details of the revamped federal strategy were still unclear Thursday, including whether there would be an effort to move MSG.

Gothamist recently reported that a Trump-aligned group, supported by donor Thomas Klingstein, suggested relocating the arena across Seventh Avenue in a redesign that aligns with Trump’s fondness for “classical and other traditional architecture.”

A spokesperson for MSG’s owner, James Dolan, declined to comment on the matter.

Discussions between Hochul and Trump began not long after he won the presidency and expressed interest in cleaning up the notoriously chaotic Midtown station.

Their ongoing talks came even as Duffy aggressively pursued Trump’s goal of ending congestion pricing in Manhattan — a move that led to Hochul suing the federal government and a heated exchange between both camps.

To curry favor with Trump, Hochul reportedly floated the idea of naming the Moynihan Train Hall after him, according to The NY Post.

Although a representative for Hochul told The NY Post that she sees the late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan as a “mentor” and had no intention of formally proposing the name change, the spokesperson added: “The governor did make a lighthearted joke about how to get President Trump interested in contributing federal funds to renovate Penn Station.”

This week, Hochul pinned some of the project’s delays on Amtrak, calling the agency a “barrier” to moving the overhaul forward.

Speaking to Errol Louis on NY1, Hochul shared that Trump recently reached out to her by phone, telling her he’s taking action.

“I was letting him know that Amtrak was a barrier to why it’s taking so long,” she recounted.

“It was a very quick call. He goes, ‘I’m working on Amtrak,’” she said of their exchange.

Assemblyman Tony Simone, who represents the area surrounding Penn Station, expressed deep doubts about the federal government’s ability to manage a project of this scope. He emphasized that local agencies must remain involved.

“It is imperative that the MTA and local stakeholders continue to be full partners in any plan so that we create a Penn that works for both our region and city,” Simone said. “I am beyond skeptical that this federal government can manage a project of this size by seizing control while simultaneously slashing funding.”

State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, another Manhattan Democrat, said he supported the state withdrawing its planned funding contribution now that Washington has taken over.

Hoylman-Sigal, known for his outspoken opposition to Trump, didn’t hold back in criticizing the situation.

“I guess we’re looking at some gold-plated escalators, I don’t know,” he quipped.

{Matzav.com}

New York Attorney General Letitia James has dismissed the Trump administration’s criminal referral accusing her of mortgage fraud, calling the accusations “baseless” but refraining from offering any specifics in a recent interview.

James joined Spectrum NY1’s “Inside City Hall” on Thursday, where she pushed back against claims made by the Trump administration that she manipulated real estate filings in both New York and Virginia.

“Let me just say to all New Yorkers and to all Americans: the allegations are baseless. The allegations are nothing more than a revenge tour,” James told host Errol Louis during the interview.

Asked specifically about the federal claim that she misrepresented the number of bedrooms in her Brooklyn property—listing four instead of five—James avoided offering clarification.

“As you know, as any good attorney, I will not litigate this case in a camera. It is important that we respond to these allegations at the appropriate time and in an appropriate way,” she said.

“I will not go back and forth with respect to these baseless allegations. I am more focused again on standing up for freedom, liberties, and the rule of law in the state of New York.”

James suggested the Trump administration’s actions are part of a pattern of targeting certain groups and institutions, placing herself among other alleged victims of what she labeled a retaliatory campaign.

“My office was successful in securing a $450 million judgment against Donald Trump and others for exaggerating the value of his assets,” James said, also noting that the total owed to the state “growing every day.”

She took aim at members of the media as well, criticizing those who have stationed themselves outside her Brooklyn home and near her family’s residence in Virginia. She accused them of crossing the line into “harassment.”

James also chose not to directly respond when questioned by New York Post reporters near her upscale Brooklyn townhouse on Wednesday, offering few answers to their inquiries.

She said no officials had contacted her in advance of the recent federal referral.

“I will not be silenced, I will not be bullied, I will not bend, I will not break, and I will not bow to anyone,” the attorney general stated, adding, “No one is above the law.”

Earlier in the week, the U.S. Federal Housing Agency submitted a criminal referral naming James to Attorney General Pam Bondi, alleging that she had fabricated documentation and real estate filings to receive favorable mortgage rates on properties in New York and Virginia.

{Matzav.com}

Early on Friday, sirens were triggered in Tel Aviv, Yerushalayim, the Shfela, and the Sharon region, signaling an imminent threat.

The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit confirmed, “Following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in several areas in Israel, a missile launched from Yemen was intercepted.” They also emphasized that the sirens were activated as per standard protocol.

Magen David Adom reported that, “following the sirens heard in central Israel and the Shfela in recent minutes, as of now, no calls have been received regarding casualties, except for cases of people injured while heading to shelter.”

Before the sirens went off, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit issued an initial directive, stating, “The IDF has identified the launch of a missile from Yemen toward Israeli territory. IAF aerial defense systems are operating to intercept the threat. The public is instructed to follow the guidelines issued by the Home Front Command.”

This follows the recent upgrade to Israel’s early missile warning system, which was revealed the previous day.

The missile launch from Yemen came just hours after the US military conducted targeted airstrikes on fuel infrastructure controlled by the Iran-backed Houthi terrorist group in Yemen.

In related developments, US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that the operation was aimed at dismantling a major revenue stream that was fueling the Houthi group’s ongoing attacks and regional instability.

The Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV reported that the US airstrike resulted in at least 33 deaths and 88 injuries.

{Matzav.com Israel}

While standing beside Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani criticized Israel for allegedly failing to uphold the terms of a ceasefire and hostage agreement that Qatar helped facilitate earlier this year.

“As you know, we reached an agreement months ago, but unfortunately, Israel did not abide by this agreement,” said Al-Thani. He added that his country remains committed to “strive to bridge perspectives in order to reach an agreement that ends the suffering of the Palestinian people, especially in Gaza.”

Putin, who met the day prior with an Israeli-Russian citizen released from Hamas captivity as part of the earlier ceasefire deal, praised Qatar’s diplomatic efforts. “We know that Qatar is making very serious efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Unfortunately, the initiatives put forward, including by you, have not been implemented — peaceful people continue to die in Palestine, which is an absolute tragedy of today.”

He went on to underscore his long-standing position that any lasting peace can only be achieved through a two-state framework. “A long-term settlement can only be achieved on the basis of the UN resolution, and, first of all, in connection with the establishment of two states,” said Putin.

The original ceasefire deal followed over a year of ongoing conflict, which began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a brutal surprise attack on Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and kidnapping 251 others. The first stage of the agreement, which lasted 42 days, ended on March 2. Israel declined to proceed to the second phase, which would have required a full military withdrawal from Gaza, prompting the resumption of combat on March 18 with widespread airstrikes across the territory.

Neither Moscow nor Doha classifies Hamas as a terrorist group. Qatar, a key backer of Hamas that provides sanctuary to its senior leadership, worked with Egypt and the United States to broker the deal and continues to be involved in ongoing mediation efforts.

Meanwhile, reports have emerged accusing members of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s inner circle of receiving money from Doha to promote Qatar’s role as a peace facilitator, possibly to the detriment of Egypt, whose relationship with Hamas remains strained.

In an interview aired on the Christian network Daystar, Netanyahu addressed Qatar’s involvement in both the ceasefire and broader regional issues. “Qatar had recently helped us with… the temporary ceasefire, but they were hosting these Hamas terrorists.”

Netanyahu also voiced strong disapproval of Qatar’s financial influence on American universities and its sponsorship of Al Jazeera, which he claims fuels hostility against Israel and the U.S. “Unfortunately, Qatar was doing this,” said Netanyahu. “Al Jazeera, too, in Arabic, is promoting this anti-Americanism and anti-Zionism, which is weaved together.”

He called for a definitive stance from Qatar. “Qatar has to choose,” said Netanyahu. Quoting Israel’s new ambassador to Washington, Yechiel Leiter, he added: “You can’t fund the arsonists and the firefighters at the same time.”

“If that choice is made stark and clear, I think it will help everyone,” the premier said. “It will help everyone in the Middle East, everyone in the world, and it will help, also, get the facts straight.”

During Thursday’s remarks with Putin, Al-Thani also stated his desire to deepen ties between Qatar and Russia. He mentioned that Ahmed al-Sharaa, the newly installed Syrian leader backed by Qatar, shared this goal after taking power from the Assad regime late last year.

“A few days ago, President al-Sharaa was in Qatar, and we spoke with him about the historical and strategic relationship between Syria and Russia,” said Al-Thani. “He is keen on building a relationship between the two countries based on mutual respect.”

Al-Thani’s message comes at a delicate time for the Kremlin, as Russia seeks to preserve access to its military installations in Syria and maintain regional clout following Bashar al-Assad’s departure to Moscow.

Putin acknowledged the urgency of stabilizing Syria amid ongoing sectarian unrest. “We would like to do everything to ensure that Syria, firstly, remains a sovereign, independent and territorially integral state, and we would like to discuss with you the possibility of providing assistance to the Syrian people, including humanitarian assistance,” Putin told the emir. “There are many problems there: political, security, and purely economic.”

{Matzav.com}