'Where was the Red Cross when we needed them? Where was the UN? 'Eli Sharabi

 "I know you discuss the humanitarian situation in Gaza very often, but let me tell you, as an eyewitness - I saw what happened to this aid. Hamas stole it. I saw Hamas terrorists carrying boxes with the UN and UNRWA emblems on them into the tunnel. Dozens and dozens of boxes, paid by your government, feeding terrorists who tortured me and murdered my family. They would eat many meals a day from the UN aid in front of us, and we never received any of it."

Eli added: "When you speak of humanitarian aid, remember this: Hamas eats like kings while hostages starve."

Ambassador Danon stated in response: "No one can dispute the testimony of a hostage survivor who saw with his own eyes Hamas benefiting from UN humanitarian aid. You can no longer turn a blind eye - UNRWA supports Hamas' murderous terror enterprise that is starving our hostages and perpetuating the humanitarian disaster in Gaza."

Ahead of the council session, Israel's Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, released hostage Eli Sharabi and Acting US Representative to the UN Dorothy Shea addressed the media.

"For too long, the UN has looked away. For too long, the Security Council has looked away. But Israel will not look away. We will not remain silent. Eli Sharabi stands here today because he survived. He is here today to look into the eyes of those who remained silent and remind them of the hostages who remain in Hamas captivity,” Ambassador Danon stated.

Ambassador Danon added: "The world will hear his story. And the world will have to make a choice - to stand with the hostages, or to stand with the terrorists."

Eli Sharabi stated: "My name is Eli Sharabi and I am 53 years old. I have come back from hell. I have returned to tell my story. For 491 days, I was kept underground in Hamas terror tunnels - chained, starved, beaten, humiliated. The chains they kept me in tore into my skin from the moment I entered until the moment I was released. I was treated worse than an animal. I had to beg for food, and beg to use the bathroom. Begging became my existence."

Eli criticized: "Where was the Red Cross when we needed them? Where was the United Nations? 491 days of torment. 491 days of starvation, of being chained underground. The civilians saw us suffering, and they cheered our kidnappers. They were definitely involved.

"I am here today because I survived. But survival is not enough. Not when 59 are still held captive in Hamas tunnels in Gaza. I was freed less than six weeks ago and I come here to the UN with a simple message. Bring them all home.”

Acting US Representative to the UN Dorothy Shea stated: “Your difficult but necessary testimony, Mr. Sharabi, offers the Security Council an important perspective, reminding us all of how Hamas started this conflict on October 7, 2023, with its horrific terrorist attack, wherein they took over 250 people hostage.”

Ambassador Shea added: “It is important for the Council to hear directly from hostages who were kept in Hamas captivity. They are witnesses and they are survivors, whose testimony provides evidence of the barbarity of Hamas. President Trump has been clear: Hamas must release all 59 hostages immediately – including American Citizens Edan Alexander, Itay Chen, Judith Weinstein, Gad Haggai, and Omer Neutra – or pay a steep price. We continue to stand with Israel as they defend themselves and push to secure the release of all hostages from Hamas captivity."

BBC Continues to try to topple Netanyahu! Tried to Seek Only Israeli military that were critical of Netanyahu

 

The BBC has apologized after making a clear request to interview Israeli military personnel who are “critical of Netanyahu” and the Israeli ground offensive against the Hamas terror group in Gaza.

The incident occurred when Orly Goldschmidt, spokeswoman for the Israeli Embassy in the UK, had shared a screenshot of a message she received from the British corporation and wrote, “Today, my team received this remarkable message from a BBC producer. They don’t want to interview someone knowledgeable, nor someone relevant, just someone who fits the predetermined narrative. There is nothing balanced or impartial about this.”

The message, which was sent via WhatsApp, stated that the BBC presenter was seeking to interview an “Israeli military voice” critical of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the ground offensive. The message also provided examples of the types of criticism they were looking for, such as “concern about remaining hostages, stretching IDF capacity, destruction of Gaza or any other reason.”

The screenshot blurred the names of the BBC producer, presenter, and the intended recipient.

Jonathan Conricus, senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and former spokesperson for the IDF, shared Goldschmidt’s post and wrote, “This explains why the BBC and several other major networks won’t have me on anymore. I’m not willing to trash Israeli decisions or do my dirty laundry to feed their hatred of Israel.”

Eylon Levy, former spokesman for the State of Israel, responded to the exchange with one word, “Wow.”

The BBC later issued an “unreserved apology” to the Israeli Embassy in London over the bizarre request, saying it was a “serious mistake” that “clearly falls well below our standards.”

This incident comes as the BBC has repeatedly been criticized for the blatant anti-Israel bias in its reporting. This criticism has increased since Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on Israel and the war in Gaza which followed.

n November of 2023, the corporation published an apology after falsely claiming that IDF troops were targeting medical teams in battles in and around the Shifa Hospital in Gaza.

Before that, the BBC falsely accused Israel of being responsible for an explosion at a hospital in Gaza, which the IDF proved was caused by an Islamic Jihad rocket. The network later acknowledged that “it was false to speculate” on the explosion.

In September, a report found that the BBC violated its own editorial guidelines more than 1,500 times during the first four months of the war between Israel and Hamas, and noted “deeply worrying pattern of bias" against the Jewish state during that period.

More recently, the BBC was criticized for using the son of a senior Hamas official as a narrator in its documentary “Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone.”

The BBC has acknowledged that there were “serious flaws” in the program. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer later said he is "concerned" by the documentary.

Last week, the British corporation issued an apology after using footage of the Israeli city of Tiberias - located well within Israel's internationally recognized borders - while discussing "settlements" in the Golan Heights.

Trump Plan May Actually Work...Egypt willing to temporarily accept half a million Gazans

The Lebanese Al Akhbar, affiliated with the Hezbollah terror group, on Friday morning reported that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi recently announced during Arab summits that Egypt would be willing to agree to temporarily house half a million Gazans in a city which would be dedicated to them in northern Sinai.

According to the report, which has not yet been confirmed by official sources, the move would require the Egyptian government to open the border to Gazans interested in leaving.

The report also said that the Egyptian agreement aroused concerns in Jordan, which has already declared that it is willing to help Gazan refugees - but only families of the injured, and only for a limited time.

Three weeks ago, with the start of the Arab summit held in Belgium, details were published regarding the Egyptian plan to rebuild Gaza; the plans would require an investment of $53 billion.

Seven areas will be set aside to provide temporary housing for 1.5 million Gazans. The report said that the United Nations Security Council will weigh placing international peacekeepers in Gaza.

Under the plan, a committee will be set up to manage Gaza for a period of six months, ahead of the Palestinian Authority's return. Members of the committee will be "independent figures" and it will operate under the Palestinian Authority.

 

U.S. Drops to Lowest-Ever Position In Global Happiness Rankings; Israel In 8th Place Despite War

 

Finland is named the happiest country in the world for the eighth year in a row, according to the World Happiness Report 2025 published Thursday.

Other Nordic countries are also once again at the top of the happiness rankings in the annual report published by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford. Besides Finland, Denmark, Iceland and Sweden remain the top four and in the same order.

Country rankings were based on answers people give when asked to rate their own lives. The study was done in partnership with the analytics firm Gallup and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

“Happiness isn’t just about wealth or growth — it’s about trust, connection and knowing people have your back,” said Jon Clifton, the CEO of Gallup. “If we want stronger communities and economies, we must invest in what truly matters: each other.”

Researchers say that beyond health and wealth, some factors that influence happiness sound deceptively simple: sharing meals with others, having somebody to count on for social support, and household size. In Mexico and Europe, for example, a household size of four to five people predicts the highest levels of happiness, the study said.

Believing in the kindness of others is also much more closely tied to happiness than previously thought, according to the latest findings.

As an example, the report suggests that people who believe that others are willing to return their lost wallet is a strong predictor of the overall happiness of a population.

Nordic nations rank among the top places for expected and actual return of lost wallets, the study found.

Overall, researchers said global evidence on the perceived and actual return of lost wallets shows that people are much too pessimistic about the kindness of their communities compared to reality — actual rates of wallet return are around twice as high as people expect.

While European countries dominate the top 20 in the ranking, there were some exceptions. Despite the war with Hamas, Israel came in at 8th. Costa Rica and Mexico entered the top 10 for the first time, ranking at 6th and 10th respectively.

When it comes to decreasing happiness — or growing unhappiness —the United States has dropped to its lowest-ever position at 24, having previously peaked at 11th place in 2012. The report states that the number of people dining alone in the United States has increased 53% over the past two decades.

The United Kingdom, at position 23, is reporting its lowest average life evaluation since the 2017 report.

Afghanistan is again ranked as the unhappiest country in the world, with Afghan women saying their lives are especially difficult.

Sierra Leone in western Africa is the second unhappiest, followed by Lebanon, ranking the 3rd from the bottom.

In a concerning development, the study said 19% of young adults across the world reported in 2023 that they have no one they could count on for social support. That is a 39% increase compared to 2006.

All countries are ranked according to their self-assessed life evaluations averaged over 2022 to 2024.

Experts in economics, psychology, sociology and beyond then seek to explain the variations across countries and over time using factors such as GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, having someone to count on, a sense of freedom, generosity and perceptions of corruption.

Eli Sharabi's Arrival at the UN

 Eli Sharabi Arrives at the UN

Emotional Moment Former Hostage Eli Sharabi Serenaded with Hatikva at the UN

Former hostage Eli Sharabi visited UN Ambassador Danny Danon at the United Nations, where a large crowd gathered to see him. Touched by the overwhelming support, Sharabi stepped outside as the crowd serenaded him with “Hatikva,” Israel’s national anthem—a powerful moment of resilience and unity.

Just six weeks ago, Sharabi was trapped in a dark terror tunnel, starved, malnourished, and tortured daily by Hamas. His suffering didn’t end with his release—Hamas murdered his wife, two children, and his brother Yossi during their brutal captivity.

Yet, instead of taking time to recover, Sharabi is traveling the world, fighting for the release of other hostages still held by Hamas. His strength and determination are an inspiration to all.

Eli Sharabi is not just a survivor—he’s a hero.

Chareidie Mob Turns Over the Car of the Mayor of Beit Shemesh and not a sound from any Rabbi!

Watching the clip you see hundreds if not thousands of Charedim cheering on!  Police had to put a helmet on Greenberg! The entire wedding was ruined! 

This reminds me of the Gazan residents cheering on as the hostages were being paraded in Gaza! 

What is more disappointing, is that so far, not one Rav or Gadoil has said one word on this disgusting incident! It may still come, but so far not a peep! 

One cannot say after watching this clip and hundreds of others that it is a "few inciters" .... nope!  all the residents of Beit Shemesh "bet" are equally guilty! 

 

*Widespread Condemnation Following the Attack on the Mayor*

Following the violent attack on Mayor Shmuel Greenberg and his family last night, widespread condemnation has come from the President, ministers, Knesset members, party leaders, and city officials. They expressed shock over the brutal assault and called for strong enforcement against the attackers, emphasizing that violence has no place in our city or society. Deputy Mayor Moti Leitner has ordered increased municipal security patrols around the mayor.

Mayor Greenberg's son, who was injured, is in good condition and thanks everyone for their concern.

Following the violent attack on Mayor Shmulik Greenberg, senior city figures have issued sharp condemnations:

*Deputy Mayor Yitzchak Elmaliach*:

"I was shocked and appalled by this serious incident in which my friend, Mayor Shmulik Greenberg, was brutally attacked while leaving a family celebration. The fact that a mayor in Israel needs to be evacuated under heavy security, wearing a helmet out of fear for his life, is inconceivable. Harming his family crosses a red line. I trust the Israel Police to bring the perpetrators to justice."

*Deputy Mayor Yisrael Silverstein*:

"I strongly condemn the serious incident in which extremists attacked the mayor's car while he participated in a family celebration. The entire city and the municipal representatives are obligated to uphold the law and human dignity. We must all unite to reject this dangerous violence."

*Deputy Mayor Motti Leitner*:

"This shocking attack, where extremists vandalized the mayor's vehicle and nearly caused loss of life, must be treated as an attempted murder. I call on the Israel Police to act decisively and arrest those responsible. The dangerous deterioration we are witnessing cannot be allowed to continue. Silence is tacit approval, and we must all speak out loudly against violence and lawlessness."

A serious and unprecedented violent incident occurred yesterday evening during the wedding of the brother of Beit Shemesh Mayor Shmuelik Greenberg at the Farhend Hall in RBS B. Extremists attacked the mayor and his family, throwing stones, eggs, and garbage at them, causing injuries and ruining the celebration. The mayor’s son was injured and required medical attention. His daughters were also targeted.

The extremists blocked the mayor's vehicle, smashed its windows, punctured the tires, and even flipped the car onto its roof. For nearly 50 minutes, police forces attempted to manage the chaos and awaited reinforcements to safely extract the mayor and his family.

In dramatic footage, Mayor Greenberg can be seen being evacuated from the scene with a helmet on his head, under heavy police escort while objects and stones were being thrown at him and his family. Eventually, a tractor arrived to return the overturned vehicle to its wheels for removal. The mayor and his family were brought home safely under police protection.

The incident has left the city in shock, with widespread expressions of outrage over the violent actions of a fringe group that disrupted public order and caused harm to the mayor and his family.

 Exclusive: Mayor Greenberg's Message Following the Unprecedented Attack* 

Beit Shemesh Mayor Shmulik Greenberg shares an exclusive message with Beit Shemesh News after the unprecedented attack against him last night:

"They tried to attack me personally. We will maintain public order in the city and will not fear anyone. Violence will not get anything out of us. I am grateful that we arrived home safely. Cars come and go — but we are safe, both physically and mentally." 

Trump is fighting a cartel of vile, corrupt and far-left lunatic judges

 If you ever doubted that Washington’s corrupt cartel of Democrat law firms, judges, NGOs, and deep state bureaucrats is a machine designed to thwart the Trump administration, just watch as judge after judge blocks the president’s ability to keep his campaign promises. 

It may not be brown paper bags changing hands, but this lawfare that defies the people’s will is every bit as corrupt. 

It will be up to the Supreme Court to define the limits of presidential authority, but Chief Justice John Roberts’ preemptive scolding of Trump for musing about judicial impeachment doesn’t bode well for the president. 

Trump won a thumping mandate in the November election, winning every swing state, the popular vote and both houses of Congress.

Democrats are rudderless, fighting each other and incapable of mounting an effective opposition. 

So they are depending on the federal courts to be the “Last Bulwark Against Trump” as The New York Times puts it, celebrating the fact that almost 600 federal judges in courtrooms from Rhode Island to Seattle can issue emergency rulings to “stop the White House in its tracks.

Politico has dubbed it the “court case presidency,” noting approvingly that “the courts have provided the only real opposition to Trump 2.0 so far.” 

And so they have.

Mass Riots Against Erdoğan – Calls for Regime Change

 

🔹 Thousands of protesters took to the streets in Istanbul on Wednesday, with demonstrations spreading to Ankara and continuing into Thursday morning. Protesters took control of several main streets in Istanbul.

🔹 Turkish security forces clashed with demonstrators, using riot control measures, including tear gas, in response to protests against the arrest of Istanbul’s mayor.

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu Arrested on trumped-up $7 Billion Theft Allegations

Turkish authorities have arrested Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu over allegations of embezzling $7 billion. Many in Turkey view this as political persecution, as İmamoğlu is a key rival of President Erdoğan.

The arrest comes just days before İmamoğlu was expected to be announced as the Republican People’s Party (CHP) presidential candidate.

Beit Shemesh Chareidim Turn Over Mayor's Car with him and his son in it!

 

This is what happens when you cater to extremists! They are never satisfied, appeasement doesn't work! 

Radical ultra-Orthodox activists overturned Mayor Shmuel Greenberg’s car during a family event. He was evacuated under police protection; his son required medical care.

Fat Nadler Slams Israel while reportedly having an accident in his pants!

Rumor has it that the Fatso was defecating in his suit pants while slamming Israel. According to reliable sources, his statement was much longer but he cut it short when he suddenly took a vicious crap in his pants. He was immediately led away leaving a nauseating stench in his wake, and brought to his office to change! 

“I am deeply disturbed by Prime Minister Netanyahu’s decision to abandon the ceasefire agreement, return to war, and welcome Itamar Ben Gvir back into the government as Minister of National Security. This choice puts the safety of the remaining hostages, including American citizens, at grave risk, and will make an already desperate situation for Gazan civilians substantially worse.

The return to war will not bring Israel greater security, nor is it likely to achieve Netanyahu’s stated goal of fully eradicating Hamas. It will bring a greater level of stability to Netanyahu’s government and allows him to continue to attempt to defer the day he faces final judgment in court. There are simply too many lives at stake. The United States must impress clearly to all parties the need for the immediate return of the hostages, a lasting ceasefire agreement, and a constant and consistent flow of humanitarian aid.

Today’s actions are a step backward for all who seek an enduring peace in the region. I urge all parties and the international community to do everything in their power to bring calm and stability to the region as quickly as possible. These are necessary steps on the path to pursuing a better future for the region and, in the long-term, achieving a viable and negotiated two-state solution.”

cRc Kosher Launches Revolutionary Hechsher Logo Scanner

 

Before building their new app, cRc Kosher asked many consumers what the most helpful tool would be to enrich their shopping experience. The number one request was a tool to allow users to scan unfamiliar Kashrus logos while shopping and instantly receive detailed information about the certification agency.

The cRc went to work and has now launched this amazing tool as part of its completely redesigned mobile app (now available for download on the App Store and Google Play). This enhanced version retains all the familiar features users have come to appreciate like the Food & beverage product lists (including the popular Slurpees and Starbucks lists), recommended Hechsherim from around the world, guides for fruits & vegetable checking, Tevilas Keilim, and Kashering, information on kosher medicine and non-food products, and A Berachos guide for blessings on various foods.

Aside for the Hechsher Logo Scanner, some other new features include Global Search, Share Feature, Kashrus Alert, Audio Library, FAQ Section, Policies of cRc Kashrus policies, Ask the Rabbi –where one can submit questions directly to a Kashrus Rabbi for expert guidance, and of course timely Pesach Information with seasonal updates and resources.

Rabbi Sholem Fishbane, Kashrus Administrator of the cRc is thrilled with the tremendous feedback of the app and is particularly happy with the outcome of the Hechsher Logo Scanner. “With over 1,500 hashgachos in the world, it is almost impossible for the average kosher consumer to know who stands behind the symbol in question,” said Rabbi Fishbane. “We are very pleased that we are able to provide consumers with this groundbreaking innovation and access essential Kosher resources”.

Schumer’s Moral Cowardice Has Enabled Antisemitism

 

 Alan Dershowitz may have written a book titled Chutzpah, but if anyone’s picture deserves to be in the dictionary alongside that idiomatic Yiddish word, it’s that of Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). There is fierce competition for such a dubious honor among politicians. But when it comes to the most shameless opportunist, most disingenuous and most willing to betray the principles he never stops telling us he is dedicated to defending, the Senate Minority Leader wins the argument hands down.

Any doubt about that was erased when it was announced that he was writing a book about antisemitism, due to be released this week. But his office just canceled the senator’s book tour, which would have taken him to stops at prestigious Jewish venues in Atlanta, Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York, as well as a few scheduled appearances in California. The reason cited was “security concerns.”

That really seals the deal. At a time when Jews are facing an unprecedented surge in hate directed against them, that a Jewish leader who is protected around the clock by Capitol Police—and who claims to be a leader of his community, as well as the self-styled shomer or “guardian” of Israel—would choose to hide rather than face his critics says all there is to know about him, his book and exactly why we don’t need to hear a word from him on the subject.

Palestinian Man in Philadelphia Served Kosher Bagels for Decades. Then Customers Found His Facebook Profile.

The tale sounded almost too heartwarming to be true: A kosher bagel store, just down the road from a few synagogues, was owned by an Arab American who had grown to be beloved by the local Jewish community.

For decades, that was the story of Nick Sammoudi and the Jews of Philadelphia’s Main Line. As a longtime employee-turned-proprietor of New York Bagel Bakery, Sammoudi, a Jordanian of Palestinian descent, was a familiar face to the Jewish denizens of the suburb of Lower Merion and its surroundings. He was the go-to caterer for Yom Kippur break-fast, Saturday afternoon luncheons and, of course, many a bris. Jewish teens from the community would work in his store.

As relations ruptured between Jews and cultural establishments nationwide after Oct. 7, 2023, the friendship between Sammoudi and his Jewish neighbors remained intact — until it all came crashing down.

Now, a group of local Jews are calling to cancel the bagel store’s kosher certification — accusing Sammoudi of celebrating the murder of Israelis and leading a “double life.” A petition to that end has garnered more than 2,000 signatures in a little over a week. Some locals are already boycotting the store they patronized for years.

The Israeli "Deep State" Must be Dismantled ASAP ... The AG Must be Fired First! They are Unelected and Unaccountable

 On December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, destroying much of the US Pacific Fleet and killing 2403 Americans. The commanding officer was Admiral Husband E. Kimmel. How long did it take President Franklin D. Roosevelt to fire Kimmel, relieve him of his command, and demote him in rank? It took all of ten days, until Admiral Chester Nimitz was designated Kimmel’s replacement. No one called on FDR to resign. Less than four years later, the war in the Pacific was over and the Americans were victorious.

How is it that those responsible for the catastrophe of October 7, 2023, were not held accountable? How is possible that the Chief of Staff, head of Southern Command, head of military intelligence, and head of the Shin Bet – all abject failures in their assigned tasks – continued to serve well beyond what should be normal, given their performance? How is it that the incessant reports of the tatzpataniyot, the female military observers, were ignored – and who ignored them? Why do we not yet know the names of their commanders who disregarded their warnings – and are they still serving in their roles? Why weren’t they all dismissed within ten days?

Hezbollah terrorist eliminated after mocking Israeli recon drone

 

Hezbollah terrorist noticed he was being followed by an IDF drone and deliberately loaded weapons into vehicles to transport them to Hezbollah strongholds, 

He was struck by a missile for violating the ceasefire.

Judge in Beit Shemesh Releases Chareidie Molester Because Jail Will Ruin Shidduchim For His Children

  

Beit Shemesh resident committed indecent acts on girls on a bus - and was released

 A Beit Shemesh resident was arrested this week on suspicion of committing indecent acts on girls while riding on a bus full of passengers. According to the report on Kan 11, the investigation was active at the time of his arrest by the police.

At the hearing court accepted the request and prohibited the publication of his name while ordering his release to house arrest.

*יפגע בשידוכים ▪︎ תושב בית שמש ביצע מעשים מגונים בנערות באוטובוס - ושוחרר* 📢

 תושב בית שמש נעצר השבוע בחשד לביצוע מעשים מגונים בנערות במהלך נסיעה באוטובוס עמוס נוסעים. על פי הדיווח בכאן 11, החשוד היה בגילופין בעת מעצרו על ידי השוטרים.

בדיון שהתקיים בעניינו, טען עורך דינו כי פרסום שמו עלול לפגוע בשידוכי משפחתו. בית המשפט קיבל את הבקשה ואסר את פרסום שמו, תוך שהורה על שחרורו למעצר בית.

JFK Assassination Files Now Available on U.S. Government Website

 

The U.S. government has officially released new documents related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. These files are now accessible on the official government website, offering fresh insights into one of history’s most scrutinized events.

🔗 You can access the documents here:

 https://www.archives.gov/research/jfk/release-2025

Israel Considering annexing a part of Gaza for every hostage harmed

 

Prominent journalist and radio and TV personality Amit Segal said that Israel is considering several strategies to pressure Hamas to return hostages, including the annexation of a portion of Gaza for every captive the terror group harms.

The logic behind this tactic is that Hamas is more concerned about losing a foothold and areas of land than they are about civilian deaths.

According to Segal, Israel is demanding that Hamas agree to the proposal put forward by Steven Witkoff, the Trump administration’s Middle East envoy, who proposed that half of the captives be released to restart negotiations in the second phase of the hostage release and ceasefire deal.

he proposal discussed by Segal echoes one that was put forward last month by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who suggested that Israel seize areas of Gaza if the hostages are not returned.

Speaking last month at the Sovereignty Conference 2025 in Jerusalem, Smotrich, who also heads the Religious Zionism Party, stated that if the hostages—both the living and the deceased—are not returned by a certain deadline, “Israel will expand the agricultural areas of the Be’eri and Nir Oz kibbutzim into the perimeter area of the Gaza Strip.”

Kibbutz agriculture, he continued, “will expand at the expense of Gaza—and this land will remain in our hands forever.”

This ultimatum was the most concrete action plan that came out of the conference, an annual event focused on making Judea, Samaria, and Gaza inseparable parts of the State of Israel.

During the February talk, while the ceasefire was in effect, Smotrich said that Israel would return to fighting in Gaza but did not indicate when.

“We are preparing, gaining capabilities, and when we feel we are ready, we will open the gates of hell on Hamas again. It requires patience, but in the end, we will bring about the desired outcome,” he said.

During a later Q&A with Channel 12 News journalist Amit Segal, Smotrich said that in a year from now, Gaza will be “held by us, with fewer Gazans and more Israelis moving there. If we take out 10,000 Gazans a day, within four months, the Strip will be empty. That would be the best solution—for us and for them.”

Israel fires back at UN chief: "We are outraged by your moral bankruptcy"

 

Israel’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday night blasted UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres over his latest criticism of Israel’s strikes in the Gaza Strip.

Guterres had written in a post on X, “I am outraged by the Israeli airstrikes in Gaza. I strongly appeal for the ceasefire to be respected, for unimpeded humanitarian assistance to be reestablished and for the remaining hostages to be released unconditionally.”

In response, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein wrote, “We are outraged that you, Antonio Guterres, are the Secretary-General of the UN.”

“Not a word about the fact that Hamas rejected two American proposals to extend the ceasefire and release more hostages—two proposals that Israel accepted,” added Marmorstein.

“Not a word about the fact that Hamas exploits the transfer of goods to Gaza to rebuild its war machine in order to further attack Israel.”

“Not a word about UNRWA, which, under your leadership, employs Hamas terrorists, and whose facilities were used by Hamas to hold hostages. Indeed, we are outraged by your moral bankruptcy,” the Foreign Ministry spokesperson concluded.

Israel launched the surprise strikes early Tuesday morning after Hamas refused to release more hostages and rejected US envoy Steve Witkoff’s proposal.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation on Tuesday evening following the surprise strikes, saying, "We returned to fighting with strength, on the recommendation of security officials."

This is just the beginning. We will continue to fight to achieve the goals of the war and the promise that Gaza will not pose a threat to Israel," he said. "From now on, negotiations will only take place under fire."

"We extended the ceasefire in the weeks in which we did not receive any hostages, we sent delegations to Doha, we accepted the proposal of US envoy Witkoff, but in contrast, Hamas rejected every proposal. I accepted the recommendation of the IDF and the security establishment to return to fighting," Netanyahu added.

Trump and Musk Bring Back Astronauts that Biden Abandoned! Media Gives Almost Zero Coverage!

 

Stuck in space no more, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams returned to Earth on Tuesday, hitching a different ride home to close out a saga that began with a bungled test flight more than nine months ago.

Their SpaceX capsule parachuted into the Gulf of Mexico in the early evening, just hours after departing the International Space Station. Splashdown occurred off the coast of Tallahassee in the Florida Panhandle, bringing their unplanned odyssey to an end.

Within an hour, the astronauts were out of their capsule, waving and smiling at the cameras while being hustled away in reclining stretchers for routine medical checks.

It all started with a flawed Boeing test flight last spring. The two expected to be gone just a week or so after launching on Boeing’s new Starliner crew capsule on June 5. So many problems cropped up on the way to the space station that NASA eventually sent Starliner back empty and transferred the test pilots to SpaceX, pushing their homecoming into February. Then SpaceX capsule issues added another month’s delay.

Sunday’s arrival of their relief crew meant Wilmore and Williams could finally leave. NASA cut them loose a little early, given the iffy weather forecast later this week. They checked out with NASA’s Nick Hague and Russia’s Alexander Gorbunov, who arrived in their own SpaceX capsule last fall with two empty seats reserved for the Starliner duo.

Wilmore and Williams ended up spending 286 days in space — 278 days longer than anticipated when they launched. They circled Earth 4,576 times and traveled 121 million miles (195 million kilometers) by the time of splashdown.

“On behalf of SpaceX, welcome home,” radioed SpaceX Mission Control in California.

“What a ride,” replied Hague, the capsule’s commander. “I see a capsule full of grins ear to ear.”

Dolphins circled the capsule as divers readied it for hoisting onto the recovery ship. Once safely on board, the side hatch was opened and the astronauts were helped out, one by one. Williams was next-to-last out, followed by Wilmore who gave two gloved thumbs-up.

Wilmore and Williams’ plight captured the world’s attention, giving new meaning to the phrase “stuck at work” and turning “Butch and Suni” into household names. While other astronauts had logged longer spaceflights over the decades, none had to deal with so much uncertainty or see the length of their mission expand by so much.

Wilmore and Williams quickly transitioned from guests to full-fledged station crew members, conducting experiments, fixing equipment and even spacewalking together.

With 62 hours over nine spacewalks, Williams set a record: the most time spent spacewalking over a career among female astronauts.

Both had lived on the orbiting lab before and knew the ropes, and brushed up on their station training before rocketing away. Williams became the station’s commander three months into their stay and held the post until earlier this month.

Their mission took an unexpected twist in late January when President Donald Trump asked SpaceX founder Elon Musk to accelerate the astronauts’ return and blamed the delay on the Biden administration. The replacement crew’s brand new SpaceX capsule still wasn’t ready to fly, so SpaceX subbed it with a used one, hurrying things along by at least a few weeks.

Even in the middle of the political storm, Wilmore and Williams continued to maintain an even keel at public appearances from orbit, casting no blame and insisting they supported NASA’s decisions from the start.

NASA hired SpaceX and Boeing after the shuttle program ended, in order to have two competing U.S. companies for transporting astronauts to and from the space station until it’s abandoned in 2030 and steered to a fiery reentry. By then, it will have been up there more than three decades; the plan is to replace it with privately run stations so NASA can focus on moon and Mars expeditions.

Both retired Navy captains, Wilmore and Williams stressed they didn’t mind spending more time in space — a prolonged deployment reminiscent of their military days. But they acknowledged it was tough on their families.

Wilmore, 62, missed most of his younger daughter’s senior year of high school; his older daughter is in college. Williams, 59, had to settle for internet calls from space to her husband, mother and other relatives.

“We have not been worried about her because she has been in good spirits,” said Falguni Pandya, who is married to Williams’ cousin. “She was definitely ready to come home.”

After returning in the gulf — Trump in January signed an executive order renaming the body of water Gulf of America — Wilmore and Williams will have to wait until they’re off the SpaceX recovery ship and flown to Houston before reuniting with their loved ones. The three NASA astronauts will be checked out by flight surgeons as they adjust to gravity, officials said, and allowed to go home after several days.

Our Children are Being Turned into Schnoorers! Rabbi Yaakov Bender Decries What Children Collecting For Tzedakos Has Become

 

Every year on Purim, the home of Rabbi Yaakov Bender, the legendary Rosh Yeshiva of Darchei Torah, is visited by countless children, their joyous energy filling the air as they collect for various causes. It is a tradition that has long been encouraged—an opportunity to instill in children the value of helping others.

“I am more than happy to give them $5 or $10 each, aside from some of the major campaigns,” Rabbi Bender writes in a post-Purim letter addressed to parents. “In years past, I have always encouraged the talmidim of our Yeshiva to feel the pain of others, urging them to find a way to alleviate the burdens of Yidden. One of those ways is to raise money for the indigent and poor. I felt honored to be part of a Yeshiva where hundreds of talmidim are out there every Purim helping others.”

It was a point of pride, something to celebrate. But this Purim, something felt different.