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Kozo Okamoto, the last surviving member of the three-man terrorist squad that carried out the 1972 massacre at Ben Gurion Airport, has died in Beirut at the age of 78. Okamoto participated in one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Israel’s history, in which 24 people were murdered and 71 others were wounded before he was later released from prison in the 1985 Jibril prisoner exchange.

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) announced Okamoto’s death, stating that he died in Beirut’s Dahiyeh district, a Hezbollah-controlled area of the Lebanese capital.

On May 30, 1972, Okamoto landed at what was then known as Lod Airport, now Ben Gurion Airport, aboard an Air France flight together with two fellow members of the Japanese Red Army.

Moments after arriving, the three terrorists pulled Kalashnikov assault rifles from their luggage and began spraying gunfire into crowds of passengers before hurling grenades into the terminal.

The attack left 24 people dead and another 71 wounded.

Okamoto was the only member of the terrorist cell to survive the massacre. His two accomplices were killed during the assault, while he was wounded, captured by Israeli authorities, and taken into custody.

An Israeli court sentenced him to life in prison, but after serving 13 years, he was freed in 1985 as part of the Jibril prisoner exchange. Following his release, he relocated to Lebanon, where he remained for the rest of his life.

Although the attackers were members of the communist Japanese Red Army, they carried out the massacre on behalf of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which had recruited and trained the group for the operation.

Over the years, Japan repeatedly requested that Lebanon extradite Okamoto to face justice, but Lebanese authorities consistently refused those requests.

Okamoto lived largely out of the public eye during his decades in Lebanon, making only occasional public appearances.

One of his few public appearances came in May 2022 during a ceremony in Beirut commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Ben Gurion Airport massacre.

The event took place at a cemetery where numerous Palestinian terrorists are buried, near a memorial dedicated to four Japanese nationals who had been involved with Palestinian terrorist organizations.

At the ceremony, Okamoto wore a Palestinian flag along with a scarf bearing the slogan of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Appearing visibly frail, he was assisted to the memorial by several companions.

Although he remained silent throughout the approximately 30-minute ceremony, he occasionally smiled and waved to those in attendance.

With his party continuing to lose ground in the polls, Bennett Party chairman Naftali Bennett sparked a political firestorm after delivering a blistering speech attacking the chareidi community, warning that Israel must “dismantle the anti-Zionist chareidi state” or risk losing the Zionist state altogether.

Addressing a conference of party activists, Bennett called for a fundamental change in the government’s approach to the chareidi public, arguing that the era of political compromise had come to an end.

During his speech, Bennett said: “Therefore, the era of compromises is over; no exemptions, no budgets. If we do not dismantle the anti-Zionist chareidi state, we will lose the Zionist state. And I want to tell you, I say this out of love for our brothers—I do not hate them…”

The remarks, delivered just days before Tishah B’Av, drew widespread criticism because of both their timing and their unusually harsh tone. Tishah B’Av is traditionally a time for reflecting on the dangers of internal division and baseless hatred among the Jewish people.

Bennett’s comments also come as his political standing continues to deteriorate. Recent public opinion surveys have shown his party steadily losing support after previously polling at significantly higher levels.

Political analysts are now debating whether the increasingly aggressive rhetoric is an attempt to shore up support among his base as his poll numbers slide or whether it signals a broader shift toward a more confrontational campaign strategy ahead of the next election.

A Channel 13 News poll released Tuesday night showed Bennett’s party falling to a new low of just 14 Knesset seats.

According to the same survey, Likud lost one seat, while the anti-Netanyahu bloc also dropped by one seat to 60 mandates, despite the Arab parties gaining two seats.

{Matzav.com}

The European Union imposed a 890 million euro ($1 billion) antitrust fine on Google on Thursday, accusing the tech giant of violating the bloc’s digital competition rules by using Google Play and its dominant search engine to steer users toward its own products and services at the expense of rivals.

The penalty marks the latest in a series of aggressive actions by European regulators targeting major technology companies. Brussels has positioned itself at the forefront of global efforts to curb the market power of some of the world’s biggest tech firms, including companies based in Silicon Valley and China.

The crackdown comes despite growing tensions with President Donald Trump, who has sharply criticized the European Union’s digital regulations. His broader disputes with the 27-member bloc have included imposing steep tariffs, threatening to seize Greenland from Denmark by force, and raising concerns about the future of the NATO alliance.

Trump has previously warned that the United States could retaliate if European regulators continue imposing heavy penalties on American technology companies.

The latest decision follows Google’s recent defeat in its appeal against a separate $4.5 billion antitrust fine imposed by the European Union over allegations that it used the dominance of its Android mobile operating system to suppress competition and limit consumer choice.

Announcing the latest penalty, the European Commission—the EU’s executive arm and chief antitrust authority—said its investigation concluded that Google’s practices harmed competition and reduced options for consumers.

“The best products should succeed because they’re better, not because they’re owned by the company running the search engine. And European consumers have a right to be told by app developers where to sign up to the best offers, even when the app store owner does not get a cut,” said Teresa Ribera, the commission’s Executive Vice President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition.

Google strongly rejected the ruling. Kent Walker, the company’s President of Global Affairs, denounced the fine as “product degradation driven by a small group of self-serving complainants” and argued that the decision would ultimately hurt both European businesses and consumers.

Walker also criticized the EU’s Digital Markets Act, saying it forces Google “to strip away real-time search features Europeans love — like instant pricing and direct availability for hotels, flights, and restaurants — and dismantle safety protections on Google Play.”

The European Union classifies seven of the world’s largest technology companies as digital “gatekeepers” because of their control over key online platforms. Those companies include Amazon, Apple, Alphabet, Meta, Microsoft, and ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok.

Defending the enforcement action, European Commission spokesman Thomas Regnier said the rules are intended to preserve fair competition and consumer choice across the digital marketplace.

“In the EU, businesses have the right to compete fairly. Gatekeepers have the obligation to ensure a level playing field and consumers the right to choose for cheaper alternative offers,” European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said.

Alphabet, Google’s parent company, reported $403 billion in revenue in 2025.

A massive search operation is underway in Ashkelon after a 4-year-old boy disappeared near the city’s Hofit Beach on Thursday, prompting police to launch an intensive land, sea, and air search amid fears for his safety.

Large numbers of Israel Police officers, joined by volunteers, marine police units, divers, and an aircraft from the police air unit, have spent hours combing the area for Yuval Kogan, a 4-year-old Ashkelon resident who vanished near the shoreline. Authorities have classified the case as that of a high-risk missing child and are urging the public to come forward with any information that could help locate him.

The search began shortly after the child was reported missing early Thursday afternoon, Tishah B’Av. Given Yuval’s young age and the fact that he disappeared near the water, police immediately launched an extensive emergency response, treating the incident as a life-threatening situation.

As the hours passed and concerns mounted, police significantly expanded the search effort, bringing in additional emergency personnel and specialized units. The operation has grown into a large-scale, coordinated effort involving multiple rescue agencies working together to locate the missing child as quickly as possible.

Searches are being conducted simultaneously on land, at sea, and from the air. A police helicopter is surveying the coastline and nearby open areas from above, while marine police officers and specially trained police volunteer divers are searching the water and surrounding beaches using advanced operational and technological equipment to determine whether the child may have entered the sea.

Meanwhile, officers from the Ashkelon Police Station, together with dozens of civilian volunteers, are conducting meticulous searches along the beach, nearby buildings, walking paths, and surrounding public areas. Investigators are also attempting to reconstruct the child’s possible movements and gather any witness accounts or evidence that could provide clues to his whereabouts.

Police have released a description of Yuval in hopes that members of the public will recognize him. He is described as having a slim build with brown hair and was last seen wearing a green shirt.

Authorities stressed that even seemingly insignificant information could prove vital in locating the child and ensuring his safe return.

Israel Police are urging residents of Ashkelon, beachgoers, and anyone who may have been in the area to remain vigilant. Anyone who has seen Yuval, observed someone matching his description, or has any information that could assist in the search is asked to immediately contact the police emergency hotline by dialing 100 or call the Ashkelon Police Station directly at 08-677-1440.