United States Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield appeared on Saturday to wade into the issue of rights groups outlawed by Israel, when she said Washington “support[s] Palestinian NGOs’ role monitoring human rights abuses wherever they occur.”
Israel in late October declared six civil groups to be linked to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). The announcement sparked a firestorm of coverage and condemnations, as most of them received European and international funding.
On Saturday, Thomas-Greenfield, who recently completed a visit to Israel and the West Bank, tweeted: “This week, I had the chance to meet with civil society leaders in Ramallah. I was inspired by their work to advance democracy, human rights, and economic opportunity for the Palestinian people.
“We support Palestinian NGOs’ role monitoring human rights abuses wherever they occur.”
Two civilians were critically and seriously wounded this morning, Sunday, and two policemen were lightly wounded in a shooting attack in the area of the Chain Gate near the Western Wall and the entrance to the Temple Mount.
The terrorist was neutralized by security forces.
The wounded were evacuated to Hadassah Ein Kerem, Hadassah Mount Scopus and Shaare Zedek hospitals in Jerusalem.
Preliminary investigation raises suspicion that the terrorist disguised himself as a haredi man and opened fire with a submachine gun at passersby and policemen who were at the scene. A knife was also found on the terrorist's person.
Police believe that another terrorist played a part in the attack, and that he escaped the scene. Police are conducting searches for him.
The Temple Mount was closed to Jews immediately after the attack.
MDA teams described wounded people in critical condition and moderate to serious condition, men in their thirties.
Aryeh Yaffa, a volunteer doctor with United Hatzalah, said: "This is one wounded critically and one moderately- who is conscious. We provided first aid to the wounded at the scene while performing resuscitation operations on the critically wounded man, who was taken to the hospital amid continued resuscitation efforts."
Last week, we posted a story about grown men protesting an 8 year-old child, a great grandson of Harav Moshe Sternbuch and had the child physically expelled him from Yeshiva. They are upset with their own extremist leader Harav Moshe Sternbuch because he ruled that there is no problem building in Beit Shemesh.
Just hours after this protest took place, an 8 year-old girl, an orphan, got run over by a car in the extremist area of Bet Shemesh "Bet" and got killed.
The decent residents of the area have had enough of these protests and have plastered the area with posters which basically states that Hashem is watching and gave them this tragic message.
Letter from Litvishe Gedoilim Praising Walder when rumors began six months ago
The fall of Chaim Walder, children's book author, newspaper columnist and rock star across all strands of Orthodoxy, after allegations of serial sexual assault, is setting off tremors throughout the Haredi world – because it threatens one of its most foundational claims
It will be the most eagerly anticipated edition in the newspaper’s history. As Friday's Yated Ne'eman drops on the doorsteps of the faithful in Jerusalem and Bnei Brak, subscribers will scan its pages with the same eagle-eyed vigilance that kremlinologists once read Pravda, for discreet signs of change in the upper Soviet echelons.
They are unlikely to find any signs of the storm which for the past week has roiled the mouthpiece of the Haredi-Lithuanian community, and the homes of the senior rabbis who dictate its every word. But there will be one glaring absence:
He assumed that he was too big, too popular and influential to fall. But on Wednesday the paper’s management told him to resign or be fired. He had lost the rabbis’ backing.
You don't have to understand one word of Hebrew to see what's going on.
Nooooooo their children didn't convert to Islam, noooooooo they didn't go off the derech, they follow Rav Shaul Alter!
I'm telling that this is crazy and is a reflection of what is going on to all Chareidie groups, if a child leaves one side to go to another, then that is catastrophic ...
Something terrible is going on in the Frum world of chunuch!
Not guilty on all counts: That verdict comes as no surprise to anyone who’d paid close attention to the Kyle Rittenhouse trial but may shock those who relied on horrifically biased media accounts.
Nearly all the early media tropes proved false: He didn’t bring the gun across state lines; he had major roots in Kenosha including his day job and much of his family. He wasn’t a militia-wannabe but an aspiring cop/firefighter/EMT.
Absolutely nothing suggests he was a “white supremacist,” as no less than Joe Biden claimed right before last year’s election.
And the men he shot were all attacking him when he pulled the trigger; all were white, and at least two had histories of violence.
None of this makes him a “patriot,” as ideologues on the other side insist. But the evidence for self-defense was rock-solid.
Some refuse to admit that. Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D.) released a bizarre statement that “no verdict will be able to bring back the lives” of the two men Rittenhouse killed, nor “heal the wounds” of the Jacob Blake shooting that triggered the riots nor remove the state’s need to work toward “equity.” Translation: I’m on your side, rioters: Please don’t riot again.
New York pols also treated the verdict as some kind of injustice, including Mayor de Blasio, who wants to free every criminal in Rikers but called the Rittenhouse decision “disgusting and it sends a horrible message to this country.”
Maybe that’s because the haters stuck to their narrative for months, even as the trial exposed the core facts.
The worst — MSNBC’s Joy Reid, for one — will never let it go. You can see them practically begging for there to be riots, an incredibly irresponsible position for Kenosha and the nation. Let’s hope no one listens to them.
The rank, politicized distortions of fact here — and in so many other recent incidents — should teach everyone once and for all not to trust instant analysis or agenda-driven reporting. When the facts played out via the proper judicial process, common sense and truth prevailed.
May that lesson sink in widely, not least with the man in charge of upholding America’s institutions and leading the nation to unity.
Boebert: "My colleague and three-month presidential candidate from California, who is on the Intelligence Committee, slept with Fang Fang, a Chinese spy. Let me say that again. A member of Congress who receives classified briefings was sleeping with the enemy." pic.twitter.com/HNMCUYG0wv
Louis Farrakhan, Henry Ford, and Adolf Hitler must have called in sick.
Jewish Voice for Peace, a far-left organization that claims to promote peace through grassroots organizing, education, advocacy and media, but in reality just embraces whatever radical-left flavor of the month it is, has invited Ilhan Omar for a “virtual Shabbat.”
Perhaps the virtual Shabbat will have virtual cholent, virtual divrei torah, and virtual zemiros. One can hope.
Putting aside the oxymoronic “virtual Shabbat” aspect of this, the utter insanity of inviting a Somali Muslim who has time and again aligned herself with anti-Semites, dictators and murderers, is mind blowing, even for a radical left organization.
Sometimes when you think you’ve seen everything, something or someone comes along and says, “hold my beer.” And that’s what this Shabbat with a terrorist sympathizer is all about.
The incident took place on Hagai Street in the Old City of Jerusalem.
A 20-year-old male and a 20-year-old female were wounded in the attack. One of the victims sustained significant wounds and is in fair condition. The other was lightly wounded and is reported to be in good condition.
The terrorist was killed by Rabbi Aviv Tzobari, the Rosh Yeshiva of Ateret Cohanim, according to Arutz 20. The rabbi was taken to the police station. His family said they are very proud of him.
Paramedics from United Hatzolah and the Magen David Adom (MDA) emergency medical response service treated the two victims at the scene before they were both taken to nearby Hadassah Mount Scopus Medical Center in the city.
Bet Shemesh is a very large community and has many sections or neighborhoods. One of the areas Bet Shemesh "bet" is the area that the extremists live.
A couple of years ago, Mr. Gulgovnitz, a chassidishe developer decided to build a few buildings in that area.
He knew that the "Asra Kadishe" are a bunch of Mafia gangsters, who would not allow him to build unless he paid them first, and so he bypassed them and brought Rav Moshe Shternbuch, the Raavad of the Eida Hachreidis to examine the area and see if that area was clean of Jewish bones. Rav Shternbuch spent many days there and gave the ok.
Gulgovnitz ignored the savages and continued to build and completed the entire project in a matter of months, hiring Arab Guards to haul away the extremists when they chose to disrupt the construction.
In other words the extremists met their match in Gulgovnitz.
Gulgovnitz had the entire buildings occupied with eager buyers within weeks after completion.
The extremists would from to time protest in front of the buildings and harass their own people that decided to live there.
Seeing that they couldn't accomplish anything, the extremists decided on a new tactic .... harassing the grandchildren and great grandchildren that live in Bet Shemesh.
They found out that a great grandchild of Rav Shternbuch was studying in a shul in Bet Shemesh, so they went last night and surrounded the building and shouted like a bunch of poisoned monkeys to try to extract the 8 year old child that had no idea what was going on.
The extremists didn't send children to the building, but sent grown adults, fathers of children themselves, to scare and intimidate a child.
Where are the wives of these savages? Why aren't they telling their husbands who do nothing all day, to get a life..?
UPDATED
More adult protests against another grandchild of Rav Shternbuch this morning, and police had to be called
After joint efforts with Turkey, Mordi and Natali Oknin were released from Turkish prison and landed in Israel on Thursday morning.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid thanked the President of Turkey and his government for their cooperation.
They also expressed their respect to the Oknin family for their strength during this complicated time and for their cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Additionally, they conveyed special thanks to President Herzog for his efforts to help bring them home.
The couple was arrested on Friday for photographing the palace of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with Turkish prosecutors telling a judge that they suspect them of espionage.
During a tour of the country, they innocently photographed Erdogan’s palace and sent the photos to their family’s Whatsapp group with the caption: “What a nice home.” But prosecutors accused them of photographing the palace’s cameras and security checkpoints and claimed that they highlighted those features and sent them to a third party.
On Wednesday, Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu had said that that prosecutors will accuse the Oknins of military-political espionage.
The Oknins are both Egged bus drivers and regularly appear in Egged marketing videos and ads.
On Tuesday, Mossad head Dovid Barnea spoke with his Turkish counterpart to confirm that the Oknins are innocent civilians.
Prime Minister Bennett and Foreign Minister Lapid on Thursday morning spoke with Shiraz, the daughter of Natali Oknin, and with Eran, Natali’s brother, who were waiting for Mordy and Natali Oknin at the airport.
Following is an excerpt of Prime Minister Bennett’s remarks in the conversation:
“Shiraz, good morning. It is wonderful to speak with you again. You see? I told you that we are doing everything, and indeed we did everything. You were a wonderful partner. The family’s restraint was very critical in these days.
Give little Ofek a hug for me. Mom and Dad are on their way home.
I hope that you will now have calmer days. I am happy that they are returning to you.”
Foreign Minister Lapid: “Shiraz, Eran, and the entire family, you are amazing. I am very excited with you. We were with you all week. We promised that we would do everything to bring them back to you and now, they are on their way home. Give them a big hug for us.”
A popular haredi author in Israel has been suspended by several media outlets, following accusations of sexual abuse.
Chaim Walder, author of dozens of books including the popular “Kids Speak: Children Talk About Themselves” series, was recently accused of sexual abuse by three young women, including two who were minors at the time of the alleged attacks, Ha’aretz reported recently.
After a prominent Brooklyn bookstore announced that it would no longer carry Walder’s books, two haredi media outlets in Israel both suspended Walder.
The Yated Ne’eman newspaper on Wednesday halted publication of Walder’s column, while the Radio Kol Hai station has suspended Walder from his regular radio show.
Walder has denied the allegations, with his attorneys – Micky Hova and Guy Shamer – telling Ha’aretz: “Our client has denied and is disgusted by any accusations of misconduct on his part, especially what has been claimed in the report.”
“These allegations are outrageous falsehoods based on total lies and amount to complete and utter libel.”
Walder’s lawyers said that the accusations stem from the author and educator’s work to help children who had suffered from abuse.
“As a result of this, a group of individuals came together with the goal of hurting him, and we have evidence of part of their attempts to implicate our client.”
Furthermore, Walder’s attorneys claimed that the author had undergone polygraph tests which indicated he was not lying.
The Chicago Rabbinical Council (cRc) has announced a change in its Fruit and Vegetable Policy regarding the cleaning of fresh blueberries.
In recent weeks, the cRc has seen a significant decrease in insect infestation of blueberries. Accordingly, blueberries no longer need an extensive washing and checking process. All that is required is a rinsing under a strong stream of water.
The exception would be for organic blueberries that would still require washing with soap and checking via a thrip cloth.
The Litvishe Israeli Newspaper the Yeted Neeman has a habit of making "choizik" of anyone that isn't from their "Toireh" background (G-d forbid someone makes choizik of a Litvishe Gaon), so when they decided to make fun and humiliate an "Achron" Harav Dovid Zinzheim z"l the author of "Yad Dovid" a commentary on the entire Shas, Rav Mazuz dedicated an entire shiur reprimanding the Yeted Gedoilim.
On October 6, 1806 Napoleon decided to establish a "Sanhedrin" and appointed Rav Dovid Zinzheim as one of three rabbanim to preside over the "sanhedrin." Note that The Chasam Sofer referring to Rav Zinzheim used the title הגאון הרב
Napoleon's Sanhedrin
The "Tzadikim and Gedoilim" of the Yeted displayed the photo above of Rav Zinzheim and wrote:
"תראה את המג'נון הזה שחובש כובע משולש, הרי זו תלבושת של הנוצרים כי הם מאמינים בשלושה".
"look at this crazed guy wearing the triangular hat that Christians wear to indicate that they believe in the trinity"
Gaige Grosskreutz, 28, was shot by Kyle Rittenhouse in August 2020, and appeared as the prosecution’s star witness last week
DailyMail.com has learned Grosskreutz is a violent career criminal with a laundry list of prior offenses and convictions stretching back more than a decade
These include domestic abuse, prowling, trespass, two DUIs, felony burglary and two charges of carrying a firearm while intoxicated
Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger was well aware of this when he paraded Grosskreutz as a paragon of selfless virtue in front of the jury
Less than ten days before he was shot by Rittenhouse, Grosskreutz was arrested and charged with prowling when he was caught videotaping cops’ personal cars
But the Rittenhouse jury heard none of this because just six days before he took the stand, Grosskreutz’s DUI charge was dismissed on a technicality
Had Grosskreutz’s latest DUI charge not been dismissed, Rittenhouse’s defense would have been allowed to question him under oath about the offense
The Supreme Court of New York State issued a restraining order in favor of the parents of children from the Bais Yaakov D’Chassidei Gur whose children were suspended from the school after their fathers attended the tish of Rabbi Shaul Alter in Brooklyn last week. The temporary restraining order, which is in effect for the next month, requires the school to refrain from:
Suspending or expelling girls from Bais Yaakov D’Chassidei Gur because of their religious practices;
Sequestering girls to a segregated room because of her religious practices;
Harassing the infant plaintiff because of her religious practices.
Taking any action against the infant plaintiff because of her religious practices.
Moreover, the restraining order “is conditioned and shall remain in effect so long as the girls follow all the rules of Bais Yaakov D’Chassidei Gur and refrain from disparaging Rabbi Yaakov Alter.”
The order also requires the school to explain within the next month why there would be grounds for suspending, sequestering or harassing girls because of their religious practices.
About 100 children were suspended from attending the school after their fathers went to the tish of Rabbi Shaul Alter despite a directive from the rebbe, Rabbi Yaakov, not to attend any functions of Rabbi Shaul.
