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Tuesday, March 4, 2025
Trump Halts All US Military Aid to Ukraine
President Donald Trump has halted all military aid to Ukraine, escalating pressure on Volodymyr Zelensky just days after a tense Oval Office exchange cast doubt on U.S. support for its key ally.
A senior Defense Department official, who spoke anonymously about internal discussions, told Bloomberg News that the aid freeze will remain in place until Trump determines that Ukraine’s leadership is making a genuine effort toward peace.
With the Biden/Blinken Israel-Haters Out! Smotrich Arrives to the USA for Talks!
The Biden administration buddied up with Iran and gave over a billion dollars to terror-supporting entities such as the Palestinian Authority and the UNWRA, and at the same time, since Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu re-entered office in December 2022, snubbed democratically elected senior Israeli politicians and even considered sanctioning them.
One of those officials was Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich, who also serves as a Minister in the Defense Ministry. Despite his status as a senior and influential member of the government of one of the US’s closest allies, Biden administration officials refused to meet with him.
Now that President Trump is in office, Smotrich is no longer considered a persona non grata and received an invitation to the White House to meet with his US counterpart, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and other senior Trump officials.
On his flight overnight Monday, Smotrich issued a statement saying: “The purpose of the visit is to strengthen economic cooperation between Israel and the United States, to promote joint economic initiatives, and to deepen the strategic alliance between the countries.”
“I will emphasize in my meetings Israel’s firm position in the fight against terror and the need for clear US backing for the continuation of our security activities in the war.”
“This visit serves as an additional pillar in strengthening the strategic and economic ties between Jerusalem and Washington, out of a shared commitment to the stability and security of Israel and the entire region.”
Chreidim in Beit Shemesh Continue their "minhag" of not paying Bus Fare Causing Huge Chilul Hashem
*Chillul Hashem on Bus Line 618*
A resident of the city, who witnessed the incident, writes to us:
This evening, an inspector boarded bus line 618 for a routine check and quickly discovered that a significant number of passengers had chosen not to pay.
The inspector asked the passengers to pay as required by law and Halacha.
The passengers refused his request, prompting him to ask the driver to stop the ride until a police officer arrived to assist in validating the unpaid fares.
Some passengers stood up and asked those who hadn't paid to validate their tickets in order to avoid delaying everyone who was in a hurry at the end of the day and to prevent a terrible Chillul Hashem. Unfortunately, their pleas were ignored.
*Who will compensate us for the wasted time caused by those who didn't pay?*
*Who will make up for this unnecessary Chillul Hashem?*
"Kissing the Hand Fest"
Just a little bio on this guy:
He was sentenced on May 12, 2015, to one year in prison, and to pay a fine of 1 million shekels. He began serving his prison sentence on February 16, 2016. After his release, he became the Chief Rabbi of Morocco in 2019.
Russia Invites Israel to May 9 Event; US, EU Unwelcome
Russia has invited Israel to attend its Victory Day commemorations in May alongside representatives of China, Brazil, Slovakia and Serbia—but not Germany, the United States or most European Union’s member states, Russian media reported Sunday.
The annual May 9 commemorations on Red Square in Moscow feature a military parade and speeches by the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, in recognition of the sacrifices made by his country in its war against Germany in World War II. This year is a round anniversary since the German surrender to the Red Army 80 years ago.
A national holiday, May 9 is a major patriotic holiday in Russia and throughout much of the post-Soviet world. The holiday’s main event is the Red Square parade. In contrast to past anniversaries this year, Russia did not invite the United States, most of the European Union, Canada, Australia and other countries it deems “unfriendly,” according to News.ru.
Western leaders have attended the event in the past, including in 2005 when Putin hosted U.S. President George W. Bush and his French counterpart Jacques Chirac. Israel’s then president Moshe Katsav represented it at that event.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last attended the parade in 2018 as one of the only Western leaders present. Israel’s Knesset designated May 9 the previous year as an official holiday. Israel is one of the only countries outside the Russian-led Commonwealth of Independent States where May 9 is on the official calendar. The day’s addition to the calendar was widely seen as a gesture to Russia but also as recognizing the thousands of Jewish Red Army war veterans living in Israel.
Stefanik to Antisemites at UN: “Better Buckle Up, I’m Coming
U.S. Ambassador-Designate to the United Nations, Elise Stefanik, delivered a powerful speech at the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) “Never Is Now” Summit, vowing to take strong action against antisemitism both globally and within the United Nations. Stefanik’s remarks followed the October 7th Hamas attacks, which she described as a pivotal moment in the global fight against antisemitism and extremism.
Addressing the gathered audience, Stefanik declared, “The antisemites at the United Nations better buckle up, because I’m coming.” Her words marked a firm commitment to confronting the UN’s persistent bias against Israel and its failure to address rising antisemitism on the world stage. She stressed that under her leadership, the U.S. would no longer tolerate organizations like UNRWA, which she accused of enabling Hamas and perpetuating anti-Israel sentiment.
Stefanik, who expressed deep personal ties to the Jewish community, emphasized the critical need for action in the wake of the October 7th atrocities. “This fight is not just Israel’s fight; it is the West’s fight,” she said, describing the struggle as one between civilization and barbarity. She reaffirmed her commitment to ensuring the U.S. remains steadfast in its support for Israel and the Jewish people, underscoring that the Trump administration’s policies would continue to champion this cause.
The Ambassador-Designate also reflected on the moral failure of some U.S. universities to address the rise of antisemitism on campuses, citing her questioning of university leaders in hearings where they failed to condemn genocidal rhetoric against Jews. “We will not rest until every single hostage is returned home and Hamas terrorists are eradicated,” Stefanik vowed.
In closing, she echoed her call for decisive action, pledging to continue the fight for Israel, the Jewish people, and the values of freedom and democracy. “Never again is now,” Stefanik concluded. “We will win this fight for Israel, for America, and for all of Western civilization.”
Monday, March 3, 2025
⚠️ Warning: Graphic Content* Haifa Terror Attack Footage!
⚠️ Warning: Graphic Content*
Haifa Terror Attack – Intense Footage
Security forces quickly respond, engaging and neutralizing the terrorist on site. Viewer discretion is advised.
Victim of the attack in Haifa:
Hassan Dhamasha from Kafr Kanna.
How Zelensky the "Little Nazi" Planned to "Ambush" and "setup" Trump and How it Backfired!
Anybody who watched the entire Oval Office meeting between President Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky would know that it was not an “ambush” or a “setup” by Trump, as characterized by Democrats and malign media entities.
It was the opposite. If anyone came to that meeting in bad faith, it was clearly Zelensky, whose body language and attitude was negative from the start. Trump could not have been more cordial, having steered the complex negotiations with Russia and Ukraine to a first step where he believed peace was a real possibility.
But Zelensky had other ideas. He contradicted, interrupted and insulted Trump, even before Vice President JD Vance said a word.
It was 11 minutes in when Zelensky first contradicted Trump with a gratuitous defense of Europe’s financial support for the war, which Trump repeatedly has said was less than America’s.
“President Trump said that they made less support but they are our friends and they are our very supportive partners. They really gave a lot, Mr. President.”
Trump responded: “They gave a lot but they gave much less.” “No,” said Zelensky.
“Much less,” said Trump. “No,” repeated Zelensky. “Nooooo, no.”
Trump smiled and flicked him jokingly to make the exchange look like light-hearted banter.
“OK,” said Trump, ending it. OK,” said Zelensky smirking.
As Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said later, if Zelensky wanted to contradict Trump, “the proper venue for that would have been 15 minutes later [when] we were going to walk into the White House dining room and have lunch, just 16 of us.
“I actually think he was always going to do this and I think he was surprised by the forceful reaction he got back,” Bessent told Fox News.
Netanyahu-Led Coalition Maintains Large Lead in Latest Poll
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition of conservative and religious parties continues to lead in a new poll, with the premier’s Likud Party forecast to win 33 Knesset seats if an election were to be held now.
Direct Polls, which accurately predicted the results of the Jewish state’s most recent general election on Nov. 1, 2022, surveyed a representative sample of 499 Israelis on Feb. 27. (The margin of error is plus or minus 4.6 percentage points at a confidence level of 95%, Direct Polls said.)
If a vote were to be called now, Netanyahu’s coalition would secure 63 mandates out of the Israeli parliament’s 120, up one since the Feb. 13 Direct Polls survey but one fewer than it won in the 2022 general election.
The opposition would take 57 seats, including 10 for the Arab parties, according to the poll, conducted for Israel’s Channel 14 News.
After the Likud, Yair Golan’s The Democrats received the next most projected seats (16), followed by the Yisrael Beytenu Party (15), Shas (10), the National Unity Party (nine), United Torah Judaism (eight), Yesh Atid and Otzma Yehudit (seven each), and Religious Zionism, Ra’am (aka the United Arab List) and Hadash-Ta’al (aka Hadash-The Arab Movement for Renewal) (five each), per the latest Direct Polls survey.
In head-to-head matchups as to who would be best suited in the role of prime minister, Netanyahu defeated National Unity Party’s Benny Gantz, 46%-to-18% (33% of respondents said neither was suited).
When choosing between Netanyahu and Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid, 47% said the longtime Likud prime minister was best suited to lead the Jewish state, 22% said Lapid and 31% said neither was suitable.
All Zelenskyy has done is attack Israel! To Hell With Them!
MK Simcha Rothman (Religious Zionists) spoke to Arutz Sheva-Israel National News about Israel's decision to freeze humanitarian aid to Gaza as well as Israel's stance on the current situation between the US and Ukraine.
Rothman hopes that the halt on aid will lead to the realization of US President Donald Trump's threat to "open the gates of Hell" on Hamas if the hostages are not released. "I think that's the way to go. I was against the deal, to begin with, but we had 42 days of the deal, we are happy about every hostage who came back, but the only way to get all the hostages back is to adopt Trump's original plan to give Hamas an ultimatum." He adds that "stopping the humanitarian aid that was forced on Israel by the Biden administration and other players is the first step towards adopting President Trump's plan."
Asked about the current extension to the ceasefire proposed by White House Middle East envoy Steven Witkoff, which Israel has adopted, Rothman says the plan is "a middle ground between the first plan of stage two, and President Trump's plan. But as we see, Hamas said no to Witkoff's plan. Israel said yes because Israel, above everything else, puts the lives of the hostages at a very high level of importance. That's the way we are, that's part of our Jewish heritage. I personally think that the only way to get the hostages back is Trump's original plan, and not any 'halfways.'"
Rothman also mentions the confrontation between US President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, stressing that he is not interfering in US-Ukraine relations, he did note that "I don't see any reason for the State of Israel to take any position, especially when Zelenskyy bad-mouthed Israel, said Israel should stop fighting Hamas, said that he supports a two-state solution, basically taking pieces of land from Israel. I think Israel should not take a stand, definitely not between Ukraine and the US, but even between Ukraine and Russia. When Ukraine starts voting for the State of Israel, supporting Israel's views in the international arena, we would have to consider President Zelenskyy as a friend. Currently, we are only getting attacked by Zelenskyy and Ukraine, so we shouldn't take sides on this matter."
American-Israeli diplomat Dr. Dore Gold passed away at 71
American-Israeli diplomat Dore Gold passed away on Monday at the age of 71.
Gold, who served in the past as the director of the Foreign Ministry, Israeli Ambassador to the UN, and diplomatic advisor to PM Netanyahu, was among those who laid the foundations for the Abraham Accords. He was central in shaping Israel's foreign policy.
His last position was as President of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs.
Gold was born in Hartford, Connecticut, and immigrated to Israel in 1980.
His funeral be held at 4:00 p.m. Israel time at the Kehillat Jerusalem funeral home in Har Hamenuchot in Jerusalem. He is survived by his wife, two children, and six grandchildren.
Yoisef Hatzaddik Had an important visitor Last Night! Released hostage Agam Berger
Released hostage Agam Berger visited Joseph's Tomb last night alongside Samaria governor Yossi Dagan, her mother Merav, and Rabbi Eliyahu Levanon.
Before entering the tomb complex, Agam and her mother visited a winery in the Elon Moreh area.
Inside Joseph's Tomb, Berger and Dagan lit the Ner Tamid, a light that is traditionally kept burning continuously in synagogues. Dagan presented her with a special certificate of appreciation containing a quote that Berger wrote on her way back from Gaza: 'I chose the path of faith.'
“To dear Agam Berger, with your unwavering faith, you maintained the Jewish spirit. Your strength inspired an entire generation. With your determination, you granted the Jewish people power and hope. We deeply appreciate your visit to Joseph's Tomb,” read the certificate of appreciation.
Dagan also gifted her a prayer book engraved with her name, saying, “You symbolze faith. You have no idea how much the Jewish people love and admire you.”
Rabbi Levanon blessed Agam and her mother and led a prayer for the return of hostages and victory in the war. “May you be a messenger of the Jewish people with your inner strength, to bring good news and to see the good in everyone.”
Agam Berger stated, “I want to thank the soldiers. Stay safe; you are truly heroes. Let’s not forget anyone. They need us, they need our prayers, and they need us to be strong for them.”
Yossi Dagan added, “Agam, you and your mother, who raised you to be this way, symbolize something superhuman. You shared incredible hair-raising stories, keeping kosher and honoring Jewish values under conditions that no one could withstand. They respected you more because of this—those barbarians.”
"You are here with us, in this holy place, at the Tomb of Joseph the righteous, who came out of the pit to kingship. Our sister, we are excited that you are here, and we are glad you chose to come here to pray together with the strength of Joseph the righteous, who came out from the pit, and with your strength, that you continue to embody. May the Almighty send, through the IDF, the Israeli government, and all the Jewish people, salvation and bring all the captives out of the pit with a great victory.”
Merav, Agam's mother, also spoke: “After October 7, there were two occasions when I almost reached Joseph's Tomb. It was planned and did not succeed, and today it came to fruition. It feels like Joseph the Righteous invited you, that this will happen with you here. From here, I pray for the redemption of the Jewish people."
"'I am my brother's keeper.' I think this is the Jewish national moral mission of utmost importance. October 7 was a time to take personal and collective stock. I came here to pray for our brothers to receive a hug from their families. Agam in captivity missed her family very much. Family is a sacred value; we need to return to the basics and see ourselves as a family. May the captives merit to visit this holy place, which belongs to us Jews, and not in the dead of night. Agam was abducted as a Jew, and it is time for us to return to our identity, to our values, to act as Jews.”
Dagan thanked the security forces for escorting the group to the tomb, the volunteers of the Local Holy Sites Administration of the Samaria Regional Council, and the team from the Samaria Regional Council that coordinates visits.
'Open on Shabbat? I won't set foot there' ""I do not wish them success."MK Elazar Stern (Yesh Atid)
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| Elazar Stern |
MK Elazar Stern (Yesh Atid) spoke out today (Sunday) against the opening of the new shopping center "Big Fashion Glilot' on Shabbat, clarifying that he will not visit it as long as commerce continues to operate on the day of rest.
"I do not wish them success. As long as commerce is open there on Shabbat, I will not set foot there," Stern wrote.
He emphasized the significance of Shabbat in the State of Israel: "Shabbat in the State of Israel has a special character for a vast majority of the population, Shabbat brings a social worldview and it might be the greatest message that the Jewish people have brought to the world."
Stern clarified that he supported the right of the Tel Aviv municipality to operate supermarkets on Shabbat and opposed the supermarket law, but noted that there is a significant difference between a neighborhood supermarket and a large shopping center. "There is an important and substantial difference between a neighborhood supermarket that serves residents who are 'stuck' in a certain shortage and a huge shopping center whose goal is to rake in profits even at the expense of employees who will be forced to give up their day of rest," he explained.
Continuing his remarks, Stern cited Professor Ruth Gavison, who was a co-author of the "Treatise" and one of the influential figures in the discourse regarding civil rights in Israel. "She clarified years ago that there is no justification for opening commerce on Shabbat, and said: 'I am secular, but I do not want a Shabbat of shopping and errands. I want a Shabbat of culture.'"
Stern emphasized that he supports the opening of cultural and leisure institutions on Shabbat: "I supported and I support the opening of cafes, restaurants, theaters, movies, and cultural performances on Shabbat. Anyone wishing to drink coffee on Shabbat or go to a restaurant is likely to do so on weekdays as well, so there will be both those who open on Shabbat and those who do not. But someone who buys shoes on Shabbat will not buy them again on a weekday."
In conclusion, he called on the operators of the center to reconsider their decision: "Therefore I call on the operators of the mall to retract their decision to open on Shabbat. Until then, I will not shop there and I assume many others will not either. Shabbat is important even to those who travel or go to the movies. It is the first and most successful Jewish startup to this day."
In the Chareidie World what makes News is that the Sons of the two Satmar Rebbe Enemies "shook hands"
I copied and pasted a News Story from the YESHIVAWORLD blog!
You have to read it in context to what is going on in the world! The entire world is being turned upside down with the world on the brink of a world war, but the news in the out-of-touch Chareidie World is about the shaking of hands between two sons of the feuding Satmar Rebbe brothers!
The photo actually shows one of them being pis__ed off, but my question is:
Is this a news story when two Jews shake hands? Aren't we constantly barraged with statements of Chazal that Jews should love each other? How low have we sunk that this makes the front page news in Chareidie media? This clueless article even links to a story about a phone call that one brother made to his other brother FIVE YEARS ago! What is crazy is that the article below states that the phone call lasted for ONE minute! The phone call was about their younger brother who was in a coma during Covid and it looked like he wouldn't pull through, thank G-d he did and is fine, but I'm curios what they could possibly say to each other in a ONE minute conversation!
Sons of Both Satmar Rebbe’s Shake Hands By Simcha
In a rare and heartwarming moment that stirred excitement across the Satmar community, two grandsons of the late Satmar Rebbe, HaRav Moshe Teitelbaum zt”l, were seen shaking hands at a simcha this past week. HaRav Menachem Mendel Teitelbaum, son of HaRav Aharon Teitelbaum, the Satmar Rebbe of Kiryas Yoel, and HaRav Yaakov Ber Teitelbaum, son of HaRav Zalman Leib Teitelbaum, the Satmar Rebbe of Williamsburg, greeted each other warmly at the bar mitzvah of the son of R’ Chezky Berkowitz, a prominent and respected figure in the Satmar kehillah.
The encounter, captured by attendees and quickly shared across frum circles, marked a significant moment given the well-known divide between the two branches of Satmar leadership. The Kiryas Yoel and Williamsburg factions, led by HaRav Aharon and HaRav Zalman Leib respectively, have historically followed distinct paths since the passing of their father, HaRav Moshe Teitelbaum, in 2006. Public interactions between the two sides have been exceedingly rare, making this handshake a symbol of unity, even if fleeting, for many in the community.
In 2020 YWN previously reported on a historic phone call between HaRav Aharon and HaRav Zalman Leib themselves, which took place during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. That call, lasting just one minute, occurred as their brother, the Zenta Rov, lay on a respirator in critical condition. The brief conversation, a rare moment of direct communication between the two Rebbes in the past two decades, was recorded and shared widely, offering a glimpse of familial connection amid a time of crisis.
UTJ the Chareidie Party Threatens To Topple Netanyahu Government Unless 1 Billion NIS Is Given To Yeshivos
In a way I'm hoping for a lefty government and then we will see how much they will get!
Housing Minister Yitzchak Goldknopf, leader of the Charedi United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party, has issued a stark ultimatum to the government, threatening to oppose the 2025 state budget unless it includes more than a billion shekels in coalition funding for Charedi yeshivos. His opposition would jeopardize the budget’s passage, potentially triggering early elections.
This marks Goldknopf’s second threat to the coalition’s stability in less than a week and is the latest in a series of ultimatums from Charedi parties that have, so far, failed to materialize into action.
In a letter to Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs, first published by Ynet, Goldknopf complained that despite assurances from Prime Minister Netanyahu and Finance Minister Smotrich regarding the funds, they were not included in the list of coalition allocations set for cabinet approval on Sunday. He demanded an immediate correction to secure his party’s support for the budget in the Knesset.
The government faces a tight deadline, as the budget must be passed by the end of March. Failure to do so would lead to the automatic dissolution of the government and early elections.
The expected allocation of NIS 1.3 billion ($370 million) in coalition funds for Charedi yeshivas has drawn sharp criticism from opposition figures. Opposition Leader Yair Lapid labeled the move as “corruption,” characterizing the funding as “loot.”
The funding debate comes amid broader negotiations between Netanyahu and the Charedi parties. According to Kol Chai radio, Netanyahu and Smotrich recently offered increased funding for Charedi educational institutions in exchange for support on delaying legislation that would grant yeshiva bochurim exemptions from military service.
Goldknopf’s latest threat follows a similar warning just days ago, when he insisted that the government must pass a draft exemption law before approving the budget. During a UTJ meeting, he argued that repeated delays in enacting military exemptions for yeshiva bochurim were unacceptable.
“We have two options before us: either they put off the conscription bill and we go to summer elections, or they insist on passing it before the budget and the government completes its term,” Goldknopf said, adding that his party would consult its rabbinic leadership before making a final decision.
The conscription of Charedim remains a deeply divisive issue in Israel. The High Court of Justice ruled in June that the government must begin drafting Charedim into the military, ending decades of blanket exemptions.
Netanyahu, under pressure from his Charedi allies, has repeatedly promised a legislative solution to maintain the exemptions. However, a bill addressing the issue remains stalled in the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, chaired by Likud MK Yuli Edelstein. Edelstein has insisted that any legislation must significantly increase the IDF’s conscription base.
Yahya Sinwar YM”S Rejected Offer For Palestinian State And $10 Billion In Aid
Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi revealed in an interview with journalist Ahmed Mansour that Hamas deliberately rejected a historic opportunity for peace and prosperity for Palestinians—choosing instead to continue its war against Israel.
According to Mardawi, Trump’s Middle East team, led by Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt, had offered Hamas a path to statehood in Gaza during Trump’s first administration. The proposal included $10 billion in aid to transform Gaza’s economy and infrastructure; The lifting of the siege on Gaza, allowing free trade and movement; Recognition of Gaza as a Palestinian state, with Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar offered the role of president; A precursor to negotiations, including the collection of Hamas’s heavy rockets—weapons used to indiscriminately target Israeli civilians.
And what did Hamas do? They rejected it outright.
Mardawi’s comments once again confirm that Hamas had no interest in peace, no concern for Palestinian well-being, and no desire to build a functioning state. Instead, their only mission remains the destruction of Israel and the murder of Jews—a goal they have pursued relentlessly through terror, war, and bloodshed.
Hamas could have ended Palestinian suffering, secured independence, and built a future—but they chose terror over peace.
More Than Half Of American Jews Say They Rarely Or Never Daven
Very interesting!
Way back in 1967 the Va'Yoel Moshe predicted that 20 years hence there wouldn't be any Moisdois Ha"torah in Israel because the Zionists would destroy all remnants of Torah! In fact, he wrote in his book "Al Hagilah" that there is no reason for Jews to move to Israel because there is no "Torah Future there" and issued a "Fatwa" for his followers around the world to stay in Chutz Le'aaretz and not make Aliyah! Read the Pew Research below and weep!
The latest findings from the Pew Research Center confirm what any Yid could see with his own eyes:
American Jews are more exiled from Hashem than ever before. In 2014, already a distressing 45% of Jewish adults admitted they seldom or never daven. But now the number has climbed to 58%, a staggering decline in personal connection to Hashem.
It gets worse.
Fewer Jews in the U.S. even claim that religion is important in their lives. Jewish institutions—outside of the tzibbur of shomrei Torah u’mitzvos, of course—are in freefall, struggling to keep people engaged.They talk about a “surge” in Jewish identity because of the horrors of October 7th, but their solution has not been to turn to teshuvah. Sadly, they think a fleeting moment of solidarity is enough to replace what has sustained Klal Yisroel since Har Sinai.
To make matters even clearer, the Pew survey shows that Jews in America daven less than nearly every other religious group. Among Muslims, only 18% say they rarely or never pray. Among evangelicals, it’s a mere 7%. The only group lower than American Jews are those who follow the New Age movement, with is shtus and narishkeit by any standards.
Perhaps the most painful statistic of all: A growing number of Jews no longer identify with Yiddishkeit at all, except as some vague cultural inheritance. Half of those in this group actually identify as Christians—a horrifying sign of the continued assimilation that has plagued us for generations.
Rubio Fast=Tracks $4 Billion in Military Assistance to Israel
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday signed a declaration to expedite $4 billion in military assistance to Israel.
The Trump administration has approved nearly $12 billion in military sales to Israel since taking office on Jan. 20, said Rubio in a statement.
“The Trump Administration will continue to use all available tools to fulfill America’s long-standing commitment to Israel’s security, including means to counter security threats,” the statement continued.
“This important decision coincides with President Trump’s repeal of a Biden-era memorandum which had imposed baseless and politicized conditions on military assistance to Israel at a time when our close ally was fighting a war of survival on multiple fronts against Iran and terror proxies,” said Rubio.
The $4 billion in military assistance is a reversal of the Biden administration’s partial arms embargo, “which wrongly withheld a number of weapons and ammunition from Israel,” he added.
The Trump administration on Feb. 25 moved to axe a Biden-era regulation preventing United States arms transfers from being used in violation of international law. The directive required recipients of U.S. arms to provide written assurances within 45 days that they were abiding by international law. Israel provided those assurances in a letter on March 20, 2024.
Prior to Rubio’s announcement, the U.S. Department of Defense announced on Friday that it had authorized a $2.04 billion sale of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel. Deliveries are estimated to begin in 2026.
“The proposed sale will improve Israel’s capability to meet current and future threats, strengthen its homeland defense, and serve as a deterrent to regional threats. Israel will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces,” according to a Pentagon statement.
Israel’s Minister of Defense Israel Katz thanked the Trump administration in a post to X on Sunday.
“I want to express my gratitude to the Trump administration, @SecRubio and @SecDef for the urgent approval of the arms sale to Israel. As we defend our nation in this just and prolonged war, your steadfast support strengthens our defense and reaffirms the deep bond between our nations.”
The Biden administration denied it had withheld weapons, except for a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs. However, pro-Israel U.S. politicians revealed that the White House had held up far more, slow-walking shipments via bureaucratic means.
The situation reached a boiling point in June 2024 when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu went public with the issue.
“[I]t’s inconceivable that in the past few months the administration has been withholding weapons and ammunition to Israel … Israel, America’s closest ally, fighting for its life, fighting against Iran and our other common enemies,” the premier said in a video message.
Sunday, March 2, 2025
Israel Halts All Humanitarian Aid to Gaza
During a high-level security discussion on Saturday night at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence, which was attended by senior political and security officials, a long-awaited decision was finally made after nearly a year and a half: the entry of aid trucks to Hamas and its supporters will be halted.
The decision was in coordination with the United States.
Israel has decided to completely halt the transfer of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and has closed all its crossings as of Sunday morning, the Prime Minister’s Office announced overnight Sunday.
“With the conclusion of Phase One of the hostage deal and in light of Hamas’s refusal to accept the Witkoff outline for continuing negotiations—an outline to which Israel had agreed—Prime Minister Netanyahu has decided that, starting this morning, all entry of goods and supplies into the Gaza Strip will be halted,” the Prime Minister’s Office’s statement read. “Israel will not permit a ceasefire without the release of our hostages. If Hamas continues to refuse, there will be further consequences.”
Despite this, Israeli estimates suggest that the aid that has already been delivered to Gaza provides enough food for the local population to last four to six months. Meanwhile, Hamas, which has been stockpiling food supplies for months at the expense of residents, quickly responded by accusing Israel of “starving the residents of the Gaza Strip.”
On Saturday night, the Prime Minister’s Office announced that Israel had agreed to adopt the outline proposed by President Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, for a temporary ceasefire during Ramadan and Passover. The plan includes the release of half of the hostages, both alive and deceased, on the first day. On the final day—if a permanent ceasefire agreement is reached—the remaining hostages will be released.
“While Hamas has repeatedly violated the agreement, Israel reserves the right to resume fighting after the 42nd day if negotiations prove ineffective,” the PM’s Office added.
Saturday night marked 42 days since the agreement with Hamas had been signed, officially bringing Phase One to an end. During this period, Israel halted fighting, withdrew from the Netzarim corridor, and allowed approximately 600 aid trucks into the Gaza Strip daily. In return, 38 hostages were released—30 alive and eight dead—while Israel freed 1,700 terrorists as part of the exchange.
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