Feed aggregator

After initially indicating it would not participate in a follow-up round of negotiations scheduled for Sunday, Iran is now showing a willingness to return to the table, according to Pakistani officials who spoke Monday with The New York Post. Those familiar with the discussions say Tehran’s earlier tough rhetoric appears to be a strategic move aimed at strengthening its bargaining position ahead of future talks.

“Current hard stance is posturing to extract maximum advantage when second round happens,” the person said, citing takeaways from discussions with the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman.

Even with this apparent shift in tone, Iranian leadership has not yet reached a final decision on whether it will take part in the next round, the source noted, emphasizing that deliberations are still ongoing as of Monday afternoon local time.

“For now, no decision has been taken about whether we will have a second round,” the source said. “Whenever we have a decision, we will share details.”

The same individual described Iran’s outlook as measured rather than driven by strong expectations in either direction.

“We are neither optimistic or pessimistic; rather, realistic,” the person added.

Pakistan continues to play a central role in facilitating communication between Washington and Tehran, maintaining the confidence of both sides as a neutral intermediary.

“Pakistan remains the sole trustworthy mediator, which means process is on and Islamabad will be the venue whenever a final decision is taken,” the source said.

An image showing an Israeli soldier striking a statue of Yoshka in southern Lebanon has ignited strong reactions online, drawing criticism from activists, politicians, and social media users.

The Israeli military acknowledged on Monday that the photograph, which spread rapidly across social platforms and drew more than 5 million views on X, is genuine.

According to the military, a preliminary examination found that the image depicts an Israeli soldier “operating in southern Lebanon,” where Israeli forces carried out a ground incursion last month alongside airstrikes.

Officials added that a formal probe has been launched and stated that “appropriate measures will be taken against those involved in accordance with the findings.”

Reacting online, Ayman Odeh, a Palestinian member of the Knesset, responded with sarcasm, writing: “We’ll wait to hear the police spokesperson claim that ‘the soldier felt threatened by Yoshka.’”

Another Arab lawmaker, Ahmad Tibi, posted on Facebook that individuals who destroy mosques and churches in Gaza and harass Christian clergy in Yerushalayim without consequences are not deterred from damaging a statue of Yoshka and sharing it publicly.

“Perhaps these racists have also learned from Donald Trump to insult Yoshka and insult Pope Leo?” he asked.

The statue was reportedly located on the outskirts of the southern Lebanese village of Debl, near the Israeli border.

Sen. John Fetterman said the Democratic Party is grappling with a significant issue related to antisemitism, pointing to a series of recent controversies and public figures as evidence during a televised interview.

Speaking with CNN’s Kasie Hunt, the Pennsylvania Democrat did not hold back in his criticism of his own party, citing the case of Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner as a troubling example.

“I mean, the guy that’s gonna win the primary in Maine has a Nazi tattoo on his chest. And that’s no problem for a lot of voters. That’s crazy,” Fetterman said.

Platner has said the tattoo dates back to 2007, when he was in his 20s serving in the Marine Corps and had it done while in Croatia. He later covered it with another tattoo and claimed he did not understand its meaning at the time. Fetterman, however, pointed to reports challenging that explanation.

https://twitter.com/i/status/2045253290896589044

“And now we know he knew what that was,” Fetterman said, referencing accounts that Platner had previously described the tattoo as his “Totenkopf.”

Fetterman, who has become one of the more outspoken pro-Israel voices among Democrats, also raised concerns about the party’s association with online commentator Hasan Piker.

“He absolutely is proud to cheer for Hamas, loves Hamas. Democrats are proud to stand with him and campaign with him,” Fetterman said.

The senator further cited past remarks attributed to Piker, including statements that “America deserved 9/11,” that Hamas is a “1,000 times better” than Israel, and “It doesn’t matter if rapes happened on October 7th.”

“We have a serious problem with my party. So if I have to be the last man standing in the Democratic Party, I’m proud to stand with Israel,” Fetterman said.

His comments come shortly after a Senate vote in which all but seven Democratic senators supported two resolutions introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders aimed at blocking a U.S. arms sale to Israel.

The interview also aired the same day that Kamala Harris, who is weighing a potential presidential run in 2028, criticized Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu and accused him of drawing President Donald Trump into the conflict with Iran.

Additional controversy surfaced ahead of the broadcast when Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed said in a separate CNN appearance that he sees no distinction between Israel’s government and Hamas, stating both are “evil.” When asked directly whether he considers Netanyahu a “war criminal,” El-Sayed responded, “Absolutely. When you conduct a genocide, you’re a war criminal.”

Fetterman has taken visible steps to demonstrate his support for Israel since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack. He displayed posters of Israeli hostages in his Senate office and kept them up until all were accounted for.

During protests outside his office accusing Israel of genocide, Fetterman responded by going to the roof of the building and waving an Israeli flag.

{Matzav.com}

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene circulated a social media post suggesting that the July 2024 assassination attempt on President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, may not have unfolded as officially described, raising questions about the response and subsequent investigation.

In her own accompanying remarks, Greene questioned why Trump himself has not taken a more aggressive role in uncovering details about the incident involving gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks. During the rally on July 13, 2024, Crooks opened fire from a nearby rooftop, and Trump was struck by a “bullet that pierced the upper part” of his right ear.

“Extremely important post worth the read and consideration,” Greene wrote. “Corey Comperatore’s family deserves to know the truth about Matthew Crooks and what happened in Butler on July 13, 2024.”

“President Trump, of all people, should be leading the charge,” Greene added. “Why isn’t he? That’s the question.”

The message Greene amplified originated from Trisha Hope, who identified herself as “a long time Trump supporter” and a national delegate. In her post, Hope recounted attending the Republican National Convention and listening to Trump describe the shooting.

“At the convention of course there was massive concern for President Trump the consensus was it was divine intervention that saved Trump and we were all incredibly grateful,” Hope wrote. “On the night Trump spoke, he had the ear patch on and many in the crowd did also. As Trump begin to speak, he started with this: ‘So many people have asked me what happened. Tell us what happened, please. And therefore, I will tell you exactly what happened, and you’ll never hear it from me a second time, because it’s actually too painful to tell.’”

Hope said the way Trump introduced the topic struck her as unusual and raised doubts in her mind.

The lady continued to state that her “first thought was how odd for him to begin this way,” adding that it was her “first red flag.” She described this as being “completely out of character” for Trump.

She went on to question whether the president’s remarks were intended to limit further discussion about the attack.

“When people tell a lie, certainly a big one it is tough to keep all the details straight and doing so is an effort,” the lady continued in her post. “In my opinion Trump made that statement to stop any further conversation about what happened. He gave us his official story, would only do it once and that was the end of it.”

The post also raised concerns about the conduct of the Secret Service following the shooting, questioning personnel decisions and the handling of the situation.

“Following the inauguration, I found it odd that Trump wasn’t going aggressively after those who allowed this to happen. He seemed to behave like it was no big deal.

“His Secret Service detail failed him massively, allowed him to be shot, and they allowed that perfectly timed photo op to take place.

“Instead of his SS detail being terminated as they should have been, Trump made the gentleman in the white shirt the HEAD of the Secret Service on January 22, 2025. Instead of losing his job Sean Curran was given a massive promotion.

“Now, I want you to look critically at this photo. They allowed President Trump to stand up, exposing multiple potential kill shots, as the flag is gently lowered. Interesting that the other SS agents lower their heads as the perfectly time ICONIC photo is taken. Honestly, it couldn’t have been scripted better if were to have been done in a studio.”

The Butler rally shooting resulted in the death of Corey Comperatore, a former Pennsylvania fire chief, who was killed while shielding his wife and daughter from gunfire.

Following the incident, then–Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle faced intense scrutiny over security lapses during the event. She ultimately stepped down from her role later that month.

{Matzav.com}