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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is looking into reserving spots on the Likud party list for Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and former Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon in the top ten slots, Kan News reported on Tuesday, citing Likud sources.

According to the report, Netanyahu would also reserve a seat for the Chairman of the Center for Local Government and Modi’in-Maccabim-Re’ut Mayor Haim Bibas, lower on the list.

Sources within the Likud told Kan that Netanyahu is pushing to reserve eight or nine candidates on the party’s Knesset list, with three being in the top ten.

Reports have also indicated that Netanyahu recently approached IDF soldier Ari Spitz with an offer to join the list. Spitz was severely wounded serving in the Gaza Strip and lost both of his legs and an arm, and also lit a torch at this year’s Independence Day ceremony.

Likud to meet on Wednesday to discuss future of party, primaries

The Likud is set to meet on Wednesday to discuss the party’s future and to debate replacing the primaries with a “selection committee” system.

The meeting will be attended by the prime minister, party secretary Haim Katz, and other members of the party’s institutions.

Party officials are applying significant pressure on their leadership to reach a decision as soon as possible, and have expressed growing anger within the party over the delay in determining their political future.

The option of canceling the primaries is increasingly seen as less likely due to legal and internal party obstacles. 

The prime minister has said in closed conversations that there is broad agreement within Likud on the need to refresh and renew the party list. A small number of reserved slots would be absorbed within the list and would not bring about the meaningful change the list requires. 

In his view, there is not a single candidate who can bring voters with them, and therefore, a mass of new candidates is needed in order to politically reshape Likud and demonstrate renewal and upgrading.

Primaries are ‘beating heart of Likud movement’

“The primary system is not a technical tool but the beating heart of the Likud movement,” Netivot Mayor Yehiel Zohar told Walla.  

“It is the only mechanism that ensures proper representation for districts, women, the periphery, and entire sectors in Israeli society who see Likud as their political home.”

The Netivot mayor said he supports specific reserved slots on the list, but “from there to canceling primaries is a huge leap.”

He explained that a limited number of reserved spots approved by Likud institutions is, in his view, a legitimate tool for making targeted adjustments intended to balance and diversify the list. 

“But this tool must come as an addition to grassroots selection, not as a replacement. Likud’s strength lies in the power of the people’s choice, not in alienated lists born in closed rooms,” he stressed.

Africa Israel Hotels is launching a summer campaign for 2026 with discounts and vacation packages at hotels in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Netanya and the Dead Sea, the company announced.

The offers will be available for bookings made from July 1 to July 15, with stays to be redeemed on selected dates until September 1, subject to the chain’s terms, availability and room inventory.

The campaign comes ahead of Israel’s summer vacation season, when families, couples and groups often look for domestic travel options. According to the company, the packages are aimed at making vacations in Israel more affordable by combining hotel stays with family attractions, entertainment, and leisure activities.

At VERT Jerusalem, guests booking at least two nights will receive a 20% discount throughout the week. Families booking two nights or more from Sunday to Wednesday will also be eligible for the chain’s “Attractions on us” package, allowing them to choose one complimentary activity from several Jerusalem attractions, including the Western Wall Tunnels, the Time Elevator, the Bloomfield Science Museum, a Cinema City movie or the Biblical Zoo.

At Crowne Plaza Tel Aviv, guests will receive a 20% midweek discount with no minimum-night requirement. The hotel will also offer an attractions package through the nearby Lev Hayam Sea Center Club, where guests can choose between a one-hour stand-up paddleboard session per person or a kayak ride for a couple and a child at no extra cost.

Crowne Plaza Tel Aviv City Center will offer a 20% midweek discount, also with no minimum-night requirement. The hotel is also promoting packages that combine accommodation with entertainment, including a pair of tickets to a show.

Breakfast for two?

Thursday and Friday stays with breakfast will start at NIS 1,200 per couple, including two show tickets. Half-board packages will start at NIS 1,560 per couple. Performers listed by the chain include Orna Banai, Lital Schwartz, and additional artists.

At Poli House Hotel Tel Aviv, the chain will offer a tiered summer benefit: 20% off a one-night booking, 50% off the second night for guests booking two nights, and a third night free for guests booking three nights.

VERT Lagoon Netanya will offer a 15% midweek discount during July, with no minimum-night requirement. In August, the hotel will offer a 15% discount for bookings of at least two nights from Sunday to Wednesday.

At Seanet Hotel Tel Aviv, guests will receive a 15% discount and complimentary breakfast, with no minimum-night requirement.

At VERT Dead Sea Hotel, families booking at least two midweek nights from Sunday to Wednesday will receive a free stay for the first child.

“In summer 2026, we wanted to give our guests much more than a vacation,” said Liron Dalal Arad, sales manager of Africa Israel Hotels. “We created a wide range of benefits and packages that combine accommodation, entertainment, attractions and experiences for the whole family, alongside especially attractive prices.”

Dalal Arad said the chain was seeing strong demand for vacations in Israel, adding that consumers were looking for added value when choosing hotels.

“Whether it is a family vacation in Jerusalem, an urban weekend in Tel Aviv, a seaside vacation in Netanya or a refresh in the Dead Sea, everyone will be able to find the vacation that suits them within the chain’s summer campaign,” she said.

Lionel Messi added to his legacy Monday afternoon by scoring his record-breaking 17th career World Cup goal in the first half before adding his 18th in second-half stoppage time of Argentina’s 2-0 win over Austria in Arlington, Texas.

The 17th goal broke a tie with Germany’s Miroslav Klose. The 18th briefly put him four in front of Kylian Mbappe, the next-closest active player – only for the French star to score a brace later Monday against Iraq to match Klose’s 16.

“Well, I’m very happy because of this victory,” Messi said immediately after the match through an interpreter. “This was a very important and tough victory. We worked very hard on it. And that reassures us for what’s coming next.

“So this is a World Cup. All of the matches are very intense, and all of the teams play well. And we’re happy because we have six points and we’re qualified.”

Messi, who turns 39 on Wednesday, has scored 11 of his historic total of 18 goals since turning 35. His total from the last two World Cups alone would be tied for seventh on the tournament’s all-time scoring list.

Messi and his his record-setting goal 

Messi scored his record-setting goal on a first-touch left-footed strike from just inside the 18-yard box in the 38th minute off an assist from Facundo Medina.

He completed his brace five minutes into added time, cleaning up his own rebound following a surging counterattack and firing low through traffic. That gave him a two-goal lead over Canada’s Jonathan David and Germany’s Deniz Undav in the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot race.

Asked for his favorite World Cup goal of his career, Messi could not pinpoint one.

“I don’t remember, really,” he said. “I’m tired. I don’t have a lot of strength and it’s hard to think for me right now. So I’m just enjoying this moment and I want to join my colleagues.”

Messi, who became one of the first two players to appear in six World Cups last week alongside Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, entered this summer’s event three goals behind Klose. Behind his first career World Cup hat trick in the Group J opener vs. Algeria on June 16, he pulled even entering the second group-stage match.

With the goal, Messi also tied a different World Cup record, scoring in his sixth straight match dating back to the 2022 World Cup which Argentina won. He’s just the third player to score in six straight World Cup matches alongside France’s Just Fontaine and Brazil’s Jairzinho.

He appeared destined to break the record approximately 30 minutes earlier when Lautaro Martinez was tackled in the box and Argentina was awarded a penalty kick. However, Messi missed the ensuing penalty kick wide of the right post in the ninth minute.

“I had the penalty that I could have scored,” Messi said. “Well, maybe had I done that, I wouldn’t have scored the others. You never know. But I’m happy about the results because of our participation and the teamwork. Well, let’s hope it will even go better.”

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio faces a delicate mission this week pitching Washington’s Iran peace deal to Gulf Arab leaders who fear excessive concessions will strengthen Tehran and reshape the region’s security balance and oil flows.

Rubio will meet them in the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, before traveling to Kuwait and Bahrain, where he will meet officials from the Gulf Cooperation Council, a grouping of monarchies that also includes Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman.

At issue are elements of a draft agreement that include no limits on Iran’s ballistic missiles, a proposed $300 billion reconstruction fund and provisions that could expand Tehran’s regional influence and control over critical oil shipping lanes.

All six GCC nations are strategic US allies that offered some degree of logistical support to Washington during the US-Israeli war with Iran that began four months ago and all were buffeted by Iranian airstrikes as a result.

Some of those countries are feeling privately disappointed – and surprised – by an interim deal that could open the door to US normalization with Iran, a predominantly Shi’ite country that most Sunni GCC states consider their main adversary.

The opinions of these nations matter to US policymakers.

The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain all host US military bases that in turn make up the backbone of America’s security architecture in the Middle East. Should any of those countries rethink their security relationship with the US, even in a subtle way, it could have a significant impact on US military strategy in the region.

For Rubio personally, the trip requires a balancing act.

While America’s top diplomat needs to assuage regional allies, he must do so without appearing to criticize the US-Iran memorandum of understanding. President Donald Trump, who signed the accord last week, remains firmly behind it despite criticism from some of his fellow Republicans in Congress who have accused the administration of capitulating to Tehran.

Andrew Peek, a former deputy assistant secretary of state for Iraq and Iran who served on Trump’s National Security Council during both his terms, argued that Rubio could reassure any nervous allies by pointing out that Trump has a history of being tough on the Islamic Republic.

“I think you can just remind them that the president has conducted extremely hawkish policies toward Iran – and if this MoU falls through, he will have no compunction about going back to striking them,” said Peek, who is now at the Atlantic Council think tank.

Peace, but at what cost?

Leaders from all GCC countries hosting Rubio or present at this week’s talks at least publicly pushed for a diplomatic solution before the war kicked off in February. Most also pushed for a diplomatic off-ramp during the conflict, even as they in practice facilitated the US war effort.

Still, the specific terms of the MoU privately shocked regional officials, according to analysts and diplomats.

One concern relates to ballistic missiles. Throughout the war, the Trump administration said that destroying Iran’s ballistic missile capacity was a central goal. That objective aligned with the interests of the Sunni Gulf states as – unlike the US – all are well within Iran’s ballistic range and have been targeted by Iranian missiles.

The MoU, however, does not mention Iranian missiles at all, and Trump himself has in recent days said that denying Tehran such weapons would be “unfair.”

The MoU also foresees a $300 billion reconstruction fund for Tehran, which regional neighbors fear could allow the Islamic Republic to build up its military capacity, while increasing support for regional proxy groups that could destabilize governments throughout the region.

Bahrain’s mainly Sunni leadership, in particular, is concerned that a well-funded Iran could foment an uprising among the island nation’s mainly Shi’ite populace, analysts say. During the Arab Spring, the nation of roughly 1.65 million was the site of massive recurring street protests.

Iran has denied any covert attempts to stoke unrest but has publicly expressed support for Bahraini Shi’ite activists in the past.

The accord, as written, also appears to concede that Iran could have a key role in controlling the Strait of Hormuz going forward, a major concern for Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which rely on the strait to export oil and gas.

More broadly, US officials have begun speaking about a broader reset for Tehran, a potential transformation that most GCC states are wary of. On Saturday, Vice President JD Vance said the US was willing to “fundamentally transform” its relationship with Tehran.

“The agreement rehabilitates Tehran’s regime as a regional power,” veteran Saudi columnist Abdulrahman Al-Rashed wrote in Saudi English-language daily Arab News last week.

“Most of the funds Tehran will acquire in the coming weeks are likely to go primarily towards strengthening the military position, not to support living conditions or the Iranian economy.”

A Montreal Police officer (SPVM) and a Jewish man was killed, in a shooting attack in the Côte-des-Neiges neighborhood of Montreal, Canada, on Monday. A second officer was seriously wounded.

The civilian was identified as Michael Moshe Mizrahi, a Jewish local and member of the local Chabad center. The police officer who was killed in the shooting was identified by SPVM as 34-year-old Constable Mohamed Lamine Benredouane who joined the SPVM in 2021.

Mizrahi was originally from Lebanon before moving to Israel and later settling in Montreal. He leaves behind a son and two daughters in Israel, ZAKA is working with local authorities to bring Mizrahi’s body to Israel for burial. 

“On behalf of the people and the State of Israel, the Consulate extends its sincere condolences to the family of Michel Mizrahi Z”L, an Israeli citizen who was killed today in Montreal. This family knows all too well the horrors of terror and violence, making this tragic loss even more painful,” Israel’s Consul General in Montreal posted to X. “May his memory forever be a source of blessing, and may his family find comfort and strength during this difficult time.”

SPMV issued threat alert after shooting began, shelter in place orders later lifted

The attack began around 11:30 am EST, after 20-30 shots were reported to have been fired next to the Hilton Hotel in the heavily Jewish area of Montreal.

The SPVM posted an imminent threat alert for an armed and dangerous suspect in the Cote-des-Neiges sector, sending out an Amber Alert for local residents to shelter in place. “Avoid the area, if you are in the affected area, shelter indoor, lock the doors, stay away from windows and follow instructions of local authorities,” the alert read.

The attack took place next to numerous kosher restaurants, a Chabad center, Jewish schools, and Jewish community centers. All Jewish businesses and schools in the area were on lockdown, another source told The Jerusalem Post. The alert was later lifted after police had finished searching the area for additional gunmen.

Videos from the scene showed a sequence of events, including Benredouane on the ground and a second police officer opening fire at Mizrahi, . The second officer was later seriously wounded by the attacker. The gunman was seen face down wearing camouflage, and a rifle (seemingly an SKS) visible on the floor nearby.

The gunman was later identified by local media as Seth Hatfield from the Canadian province of Alberta. It’s believed he drove several hours to get to Montreal before carrying out the attack. According to local media, Hatfield prepared a manifesto before opening fire and sent it to various media outlets.

The suspect’s 104 page manifesto called for a violent revolution to take down modern capitalist society and attacked police, Jews, women and pornography. In 1989, 14 female students at Montreal’s Polytechnique engineering department were murdered by Marc Lépine who claimed that women had ruined his life. The Polytechnique is a short drive from Monday’s attack. 

Chief of SPVM Fady Dagher says the investigation is still ongoing

In a press conference, Chief of SPVM Fady Dagher said that the suspect had been neutralized but that the investigation was still ongoing.

“We have no information that there is another suspect,” he said.

According to Dagher, it was 24 years since Montreal lost a police officer in the line of duty.

“This was a nightmare, the worst sort of nightmare,” he said. “When you become a police officer, you know the risks. But you never expect something like this to happen.

“The policewoman who was in critical condition is now in stable condition and no longer fears for her life,” Dagher added.

He would, however, not respond to questions about the identity of the civilian or who killed the civilian.

Dagher said the police have possession of the manifesto, but has also not concluded whether the attack was an ambush, or if the suspect is part of a wider network.

Quebec’s police watchdog, the Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes (BEI), is now investigating the shooting. According to Canadian media, the BEI investigates all cases where a civilian is killed or is injured during a police intervention or while in police custody.

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) is closely monitoring the situation. 

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) said it is closely following the situation, adding “thoughts first go to all those affected by this incident, as well as to all the police officers mobilized to ensure the safety of citizens.”

CIJA also sent “sincere condolences” to the family of the fallen officer, his loved ones, and all his colleagues.

“We are wholeheartedly with the law enforcement forces who risk their lives every day to ensure our safety.”

Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada said, “My deepest condolences to the family, loved ones, and colleagues of the police officer who died in the line of duty in Côte-des-Neiges.”

“My thoughts are also with all those affected by this tragedy.”

Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.

The IDF has expanded its operational control to approximately 70% of the Gaza Strip, and defense officials believe the area under Israeli control could grow further in the coming months.

“It is possible that the scope of operational control in Palestinian territory will increase in the coming months, while Hamas is allegedly dragging its feet, entrenching itself in the field, recruiting operatives, and preparing for war with Israel,” a security source told Walla.

The assessment comes as Israeli defense officials express concern that Hamas is delaying implementation of the ceasefire agreement while rebuilding its capabilities and preparing for the possibility of renewed fighting.

Although Israel’s security focus remains heavily directed toward Iran and Lebanon, Southern Command chief Maj.-Gen. Yaniv Asor is overseeing three parallel efforts in Gaza: addressing threats along the Yellow Line, expanding Israeli operational control and defensive infrastructure, and preparing for a possible future campaign against Hamas while shaping the Rafah area under a proposed US-backed “green city” initiative.

According to defense officials, the Southern Command conducts daily assessments along the Yellow Line and in other parts of Gaza. The effort combines intelligence from IDF Military Intelligence and the Shin Bet to identify emerging threats and coordinate operational responses.

Preparing for attacks and monitoring threats

Officials said the assessments are designed to detect preparations for attacks, monitor terrorist operatives and commanders, respond to immediate threats requiring ground or air strikes, and protect the boundary between Israeli-controlled areas and territory held by Hamas.

The military is also dealing with incidents in which Hamas allegedly sends civilians toward Israeli positions in an effort to provoke contact with troops.

According to a security official quoted by Walla, the IDF and Shin Bet maintain a list of targets who were directly or indirectly involved in the October 7 massacre, including individuals accused of participating in the holding of hostages.

At the same time, the military continues to strengthen defenses along the Yellow Line. Officials said Hamas has continued to challenge Israeli forces in the area and has not complied with demands to disarm.

The IDF is also expanding security zones near Israeli communities adjacent to Gaza amid concerns about the possibility of future attacks.

As part of that effort, forces are building new routes, paving roads, upgrading positions facing the Yellow Line, improving intelligence-gathering capabilities, and reinforcing the area with regular and reserve troops.

Military preparations are focused on two longer-term tracks

The first involves planning for a possible large-scale campaign against Hamas. Defense officials said that if Hamas refuses to disarm and demilitarize, the IDF could be required, subject to government approval, to launch a new offensive. Officials believe many Hamas operatives and commanders remain concentrated in Gaza City.

The second track centers on preparations for a proposed US-backed civilian zone in the Rafah area. The initiative, referred to as a “green city,” is intended to create an area free of terrorist activity and could move forward even if Hamas does not disarm and even if a multinational force is not deployed.

According to Walla, the United States has already issued infrastructure and construction tenders connected to the project. In its initial phase, the plan would provide facilities for approximately 50,000 Palestinians who would undergo security screening before being allowed to reside in the zone.

A United Nations official warned on Monday that efforts to repair divisions and stabilize southern Syria have stalled nearly a year after deadly sectarian violence in a Druze-majority province shook the country.

A UN investigation in March found more than 1,700 people, most civilian members of the Druze religious sect and some members of the Bedouin community, were killed in southern Sweida province in July 2025. It said Syrian government forces, tribal fighters and Druze armed groups may have committed war crimes.

A government-led, internationally backed roadmap launched in September 2025 was intended to restore order and repair relations among Druze factions, Bedouins and the government.

UN Deputy Special Envoy for Syria Claudio Cordone told the Security Council on Monday: “There has been no progress on the implementation of the September 2025 roadmap of confidence-building and reintegration in Sweida.”

Cordone said underlying issues remained unresolved while calls from some Druze for the province to secede have threatened Syria’s unity and territorial integrity. While they make up the vast majority of Sweida’s population, the Druze are a minority in Syria as a whole.

Kidnappings, counter-kidnappings and rivalries among Druze factions continued to undermine security in the province, he added.

The envoy said 13,500 students in Sweida were unable to sit national examinations this month after UN-supported mediation failed to resolve disagreements over location and security. Most students in the province have now missed exams for two consecutive years, according to the UN

The remarks underscored the challenges facing Syria’s transitional authorities in Sweida, which has been a political and security flashpoint since the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad in 2024.

Druze armed groups have hindered progress, claim Syrian officials 

Syrian officials including Sweida Governor Mustafa al-Bakour, an appointee of the Damascus government, argue Druze armed groups have hindered progress. He told Qatari-owned Syria TV in April that these factions obstructed efforts to restore state institutions, improve services and rebuild trust. Bakour said the government continued to fund public salaries, support healthcare and education and restore infrastructure in Sweida despite security challenges. He said Damascus remained committed to dialog and rejected Druze factions’ accusations that the central government has restricted food and other supplies to the province.

Druze leaders, who do not speak with a unified voice, have pushed back, saying they are safeguarding their community after last year’s violence and accusing Damascus of eroding trust through its conduct during the clashes.

Cordone also cited concerns about the country’s political transition, noting Syria’s transitional parliament has not been constituted more than eight months after elections. President Ahmed al-Sharaa must still appoint a third of the its members.

“The delay is generating anxiety,” Cordone told the Security Council.

Syria’s Ministry of Information did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Senior leaders of Hamas‘ political bureau held a highly confidential meeting with a French delegation, according to a Monday report from Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat.

It reported that the meeting took place “recently” in an unspecified country in the Middle East. 

Two Palestinian sources spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat, one from Palestinian civil society elements who maintain working relations with France and other European countries, and the other from a Palestinian organization close to Hamas. They described the meeting as “top secret,” adding that some Palestinian factions were only informed shortly before or after it was held.

This marks the first reported meeting of Hamas leaders with European officials since the October 7 massacre.

According to the report, the French delegation included current and former diplomats, as well as members of parliament from the ruling coalition and opposition parties. 

Focus on Palestinian Internal affairs

A source from Palestinian civil society said the talks were largely focused on Palestinian internal affairs, improving national reconciliation, and advancing a political process aimed at ending the conflict with Israel.

The source also told Asharq Al-Awsat that discussions also touched on supporting establishing a Palestinian state within “the 1967 borders,” meaning the pre-Six-Day War armistice lines.

Since October 7, France has been a leading advocate for a two-state solution that would allow for the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside the State of Israel.

Israel-France relations are strained

The reported meeting comes a few weeks after the French National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT) announced in Paris that it had opened a preliminary investigation against Israel.

The probe followed allegations by Global Sumud Flotilla activists of “torture and war crimes” against them.

The investigation was initiated following a formal referral submitted to the prosecutor’s office by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot. The move was prompted by a video published by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir showing the activists being brought to Ashdod Port.

According to an AFP report cited by French media, the preliminary investigation will be conducted by the Central Office for Combating Crimes against Humanity and Hate Crimes (OCLCH).

In September 2025, France recognized a Palestinian state at a world summit in New York, a move that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said was “fueling antisemitism.”

IDF sources warn that Hezbollah appears to be using radio activity to locate and target senior field commanders in southern Lebanon, in a manner that raises red flags and will require a change in operational patterns.

The IDF predicts that Hezbollah has re-established an observance and intelligence collection system across the yellow line in southern Lebanon, which it is using to launch nighttime operations aimed at identifying senior command in the field.

An investigation into the incident in which the 52nd battalion commander and three other fighters in the tank were killed, taken alongside the former 401st Brigade getting seriously injured in a drone strike, and the death of the deputy commander of the 36th Division, who was hit by an explosive device, found that Hezbollah is likely using highly skilled technological efforts, mainly at night, to locate radio activity and signs indicating senior command in the field.

A few weeks ago, a drone hit Northern Command Major General Rafi Milo’s car while it was parked in southern Lebanon, just minutes after he got out of it.

The investigation’s findings revealed Hezbollah target commanders

An in-depth analysis conducted by Division 146 found that the organization’s vital assets mainly include its collection work on IDF forces in southern Lebanon, which uses not only drones but also observers and cameras, and draws on its familiarity with the terrain.

Military officials estimated that, throughout the war between Israel and Hezbollah, Iran continues to supply the terror organization with drones and advanced intelligence-gathering and observation technology, even at night.

According to military officials, these events require the IDF to re-evaluate its methods and quickly implement the lessons of the investigations among all forces in the field.

This is happening amid American pressure on Israel to withdraw some troops as a “goodwill gesture” ahead of Israel-Lebanon negotiations that are set to take place in Washington on Tuesday.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Monday defended his use of the word “monsters” to describe AIPAC at a rally on Friday for progressive candidates, as some of his Jewish supporters expressed concern that the term may connote an antisemitic trope.

The war of words came as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee is increasingly a target of the progressive movement, including in acts of attempted violence, and as progressive Jews have accused some Israeli right-wing figures of dehumanizing liberal pro-Israel lobbying groups.

“Calling AIPAC and its backers ‘monsters’ casts them as less than human, rather than as human beings who are one’s political opponents,” Rabbi Jill Jacobs, head of the progressive rabbinic human rights group T’ruah, wrote in a Substack post Monday.

“I was taken aback,” Rabbi Misha Shulman, a Mamdani supporter who leads the progressive Brooklyn synagogue The New Shul, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency about the mayor’s comments. “I didn’t like those remarks. It was a little bit of a flag for me.”

Mamdani defends word choice 

At a press conference, Mamdani said he had been quoting Italian anti-fascist philosopher Antonio Gramsci, whose quote ending “Now is the time of monsters” the mayor had cited at the top of his speech. The rally was intended to boost the mayor’s preferred progressive candidates, including Jewish congressional candidate Brad Lander, ahead of New York’s closely watched Tuesday primaries.

“I used the term to describe all those who are preventing the birth of a new world,” Mamdani told a reporter who asked about the word. He continued, “My use of the term is a broad use that speaks to the untenable nature of a status quo that is quite literally starving people in this city, all in the name of sustaining something that we simply cannot defend any longer.” He did not explain how he saw AIPAC as connected to poverty in New York.

Mamdani insisted he was referring to “not solely AIPAC,” but he singled out the organization again in his Monday remarks to reporters, saying the lobbying group was backing “a status quo for immorality.” 

During the rally last week, Mamdani had stated that Gramsci’s “monsters take many forms today,” including “AIPAC, for whom the only thing more frightening than democracy being allowed to run its course is an end to genocide and [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu’s wars.” He added that AIPAC’s “goal” is “to turn us against one another.”

For some of the progressive Jews who have supported the mayor, his comments sounded alarms about the use of dehumanizing or sinister rhetoric to describe Jewish groups.

But Shulman said it was actually Mamdani’s remarks in the same speech painting AIPAC as a “dark money” group that was most alarming to him. AIPAC, a lobbying organization that also operates a political spending arm, does not conceal its donors, unlike the traditional profile of a so-called “dark money” campaign finance operation.

“For me, the question of dark money was the tougher knot,” Shulman said, calling Mamdani’s remarks a “tactical mistake.” In the context of rising antisemitism, he added, “For a left-wing leader to use that phrase, and invite traditional antisemitism into this conversation in that way, was not smart.”

Shulman is a member of Israelis For Peace, a New York-based ad-hoc group of progressive Israelis who broadly back Mamdani. While not speaking on behalf of the group, he told JTA their internal group chat lit up with debates over the appropriateness of Mamdani’s speech. 

Mamdani’s words part of a ‘disturbing trend’

Jacobs of T’ruah said Mamdani’s remarks were part of what she described as a “disturbing trend” of recent left-wing attacks on the lobbying group, including Maine Democratic US Senate nominee Graham Platner accusing his GOP opponent of being “bought and paid for by Benjamin Netanyahu” because of AIPAC’s donations to her campaign. 

Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat who has aspirations of higher office, also recently became the first sitting member of Congress to sign a pledge from Track AIPAC, a purported AIPAC watchdog that also targets donations from more liberal pro-Israel groups, including J Street.

Over the weekend, a cafe posted on Instagram that it had rejected a payment from liberal Jewish New York Rep. Dan Goldman, whom Lander is challenging in the primary, because the money was “probably coming from AIPAC.” (Goldman has been endorsed by both AIPAC and J Street.)

While noting that AIPAC “absolutely deserves to be criticized, sidelined, and rejected for its decades of negative influence on American foreign policy,” Jacobs wrote that such critiques should be done “without dehumanizing language, and without hinting at a grand Jewish conspiracy.” 

Such pushback from Jews who have worked with Mamdani is rare. JTA reached out to representatives for several of the mayor’s most visible Jewish allies on Monday, including Lander and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who spoke at the same rally. Sanders also criticized AIPAC. Neither returned requests for comment by press time. On social media after the rally, Lander celebrated the event, calling it “a tremendous honor” to rally alongside Mamdani.

IfNotNow and Jews For Racial and Economic Justice, two Jewish activist groups that endorsed Mamdani, similarly did not respond to requests for comment by press time. A spokesperson for Rep. Jerry Nadler, the retiring liberal Jewish Democrat who had endorsed Mamdani’s mayoral bid, also did not respond by press time.

J Street, the liberal pro-Israel lobby that positions itself as a foil to AIPAC, declined to comment on Mamdani’s remarks. Last month, hundreds of Jewish leaders criticized Yehuda Leiter, Israel’s ambassador to the United States, after Leiter called J Street a “cancer within the Jewish community.” Nadler was among the signatories of an open letter that said Leiter “dehumanizes fellow Jews.”

Centrist Jewish groups and figures, already no fans of Mamdani, also bashed his AIPAC comments. “Referring to fellow New Yorkers as ‘monsters’ is outrageous and dangerous, and the impact of your words extends far beyond politics,” American Jewish Committee CEO Ted Deutch wrote on X, addressing Mamdani. 

Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a Jewish Democrat representing New Jersey, wrote, “Swap ‘AIPAC’ for ‘Jews’ and it’s the oldest antisemitic conspiracy theory in the books.” 

Both posts were reposted by AIPAC, which otherwise did not comment.

Haifa District Court sentenced 28-year-old Haifa resident, Dimitri Cohen, to eight and a half years in prison on Monday, after he was convicted of having contact with a foreign agent and seven additional offenses of attempting to provide information that could be used by the enemy, Iran, and its terrorist proxies, during wartime.

Cohen was arrested in May of last year, in a joint operation by the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and the Central Unit of Israel Police’s Coastal District. He was found to have carried out a series of tasks for a foreign agent who presented themselves as a private investigator.

According to an indictment filed against him by the Haifa District Attorney’s Office, Cohen was looking for work online in the spring of 2025, when a man calling himself “David” approached him with an offer to carry out tasks for which he would be paid $500 per task in cryptocurrency. 

“David” introduced himself as the owner of a private investigation firm called “Jupiter” that specialized in investigating cases of infidelity between spouses. “David” instructed Cohen to perform various surveillance tasks for him, beginning in Tirat Carmel.

Cohen was also asked to purchase an “operational” phone and a SIM card to use to contact the foreign agent. “David” spoke to him in Russian with a heavy Caucasian accent and through phone numbers with Russian and Portuguese area codes.

Cohen instructed to photograph private homes, roadways, ports

Cohen, who lived near the Haifa Port passenger terminal, was initially asked to observe and photograph private homes, the Baha’i Gardens, and Haifa Bay.

Later, he was instructed to photograph sections of major roads throughout the country, including along coastal roads, Highway 4, and the road alongside Highway 40 from Beersheba to Mitzpe Ramon. Cohen also photographed the road from Kibbutz Samar to Eilat, the Port of Eilat, and ships in the Bay of Eilat.

The court noted that Cohen not only photographed the roadsides but also directional signs, power lines, facilities, and infrastructure along the roads, and the Hadera power plant.

Cohen did edit some of the videos he filmed, deleting documentation of military bases and sensitive facilities, after realizing that the information was of security value. However, the court ruled that providing the information and photographs that he did include could have aided the enemy and posed a broader intelligence threat.

Judges ruled Cohen ‘turned blind eye’ to warning signs

The court ruled that from the beginning of Cohen’s engagement with “David,” he suspected that “David” was an agent acting on behalf of Iran, and that the suspicion grew stronger as the missions became more security-related.

Judges Erez Porat, Nitzan Silman, and Rivka Eisenberg ruled that Cohen “turned a blind eye” to the many warning signs, including the use of foreign phone numbers, unusual payments, warnings from his friends and his partner, and the fact that he was unable to locate the private investigation firm that allegedly employed him.

In the sentencing decision, the judges noted that Cohen’s offenses were committed while Israel was engaged in an active war with Iran and its terrorist proxies, and that harsher punishment was necessary given the growing number of cases in which Israeli citizens are recruited by hostile actors through social media and Telegram.

Despite the seriousness of the offenses, the judges took into account that Cohen was a young man with no prior criminal record who expressed remorse and acted from financial rather than ideological motives.

They also considered the fact that he refused to carry out an additional assignment in the Eilat Port area after realizing its severity.

Ultimately, he was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison, retroactive to the date of his arrest on May 27, 2025, along with three years of probation.

“I regret everything I did. I was wrong, and this is the biggest mistake I made in my life,” Cohen told Walla before the first hearing in his case, when the indictment was filed.

A New York City coffee shop banned a Jewish Congressman from the establishment on Sunday, stating that they “don’t serve racists, fascists, homophobes, genocide enablers” after Democratic Congressman Dan Goldman visited the cafe with his child.

Poetica Coffee, a chain with seven locations across New York City, posted a photo of Democratic Congressman Dan Goldman on Facebook and Instagram. It was captioned, “We see that you stopped by our coffee shop today for a coffee. Do you see how it doesn’t taste like genocide juice?”

“We don’t serve racists, fascists, homophobes, genocide enablers. Too bad we didn’t recognize you right away, or we would have turned you away.”

The shop claims to have issued Goldman an unrequested refund for $9.82, saying, “We issued you a refund – we don’t need your money (it’s probably coming from AIPAC anyways).”

They alluded to the primary challenge Goldman is facing in tomorrow’s election, saying, “Enjoy your loss on Tuesday. Don’t ever come to Poetica.”

The post was accompanied by the song “F*** you” by British singer-songwriter Lily Allen.

Poetica’s Instagram account and the Lorimer Street Branch’s Facebook page appear to have been taken down since.

Doubling down on antisemitism

Shortly before the account was deleted, Poetica Coffee posted a screenshot of a threatening email from “ilovehitler@hitlerwasright.com” saying “F*** you Nazi. May you die painfully,” with the caption “well, well, well.”

On their website, Poetica boasts “Radical hospitality,” saying that “the guest is sacred, the books are unbanned, and the door is open to everyone.”

Goldman is a Jewish centrist and is critical of the Israeli government and the war in Gaza. Although he supports Israel’s existence, he has called the war a “humanitarian crisis,” and described the current coalition as an “extremist government” that “unjustly hurts Palestinians.”

He commented on the post, saying that his seven-year-old daughter needed to use the bathroom, and he made the purchase as a thank-you.

Responses to the post

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani responded to the incident, saying, “I’m glad Poetica took down their post, and I thought Representative Goldman’s reply was extremely gracious.”

Radio host Ari Hoffman said in a post on X/Twitter that “This story proves that no matter how left you are, you can never be left enough for the radicals.”

DEVELOPING: Rep Dan Goldman is a far-left Democrat. However, he is Jewish and supports the state of Israel.

He stopped into a Poetica Coffee in Brooklyn with his 7-year-old daughter to use the bathroom and bought a drink. After the store found out, they wrote on Instagram, “We… pic.twitter.com/dUIoAgojFG

— Ari Hoffman (@thehoffather) June 22, 2026

Rabbi Elchanan Poupko, President of EITAN – The American Israeli Jewish Network, added in his own X post that “I would love to better understand your process for accepting or denying service in your store, because I believe that, if this indeed happened, denying Dan Goldman service would violate civil rights law.”

Mark Treyger, CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, issued a statement, saying, “Assigning collective blame to Jews or perceived supporters of Israel over disagreements with Middle East policies is the very definition of antisemitism.”

“It is shameful and hateful, and businesses open to the public do not get to discriminate based on religion, ancestry, ethnicity, or stereotypes.”

During his run as the head of CBS Records, Clive Davis signed some of the biggest and most influential acts in rock-and-roll history, including Janis Joplin, Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel.

But it nearly all came crashing down in 1973, after Davis allegedly siphoned some money from his label to pay for his son’s bar mitzvah.

The incident cost Davis, who died Monday at age 94, his job as a leading tastemaker of the music industry at the height of a transformative moment. To make sure he got the message, CBS filed a civil suit against Davis for misappropriation of funds, in which they specified he’d skimmed “at least” $20,000 for the simcha celebration for his son Fred. (Other misuses of funds were also alleged, including renovating his apartment.)

Davis pleaded guilty to failing to pay $2,700 on the expenses three years later.

Music meant October 7 hit close to home

Davis, who didn’t often speak about his Judaism publicly, was moved to speak out after the Oct. 7, 2023, deadly Hamas attacks on Israel. He noted that many of the victims had been attending a music festival. 

“I have made it my mission in life to fight for equality and human rights, advocating for those who do not have a voice in music and elsewhere,” he said. “You cannot be silent about antisemitism, or hate or discrimination of any kind.”

He was twice married and divorced, and came out as bisexual in 2013 in his well received autobiography, “The Soundtrack of my Life.” 

“On this night, after imbibing enough alcohol, I was open to responding to his sexual overtures,” he wrote about a sexual encounter with a man during the what he called “era of Studio 54,” the late 1970s, a time known for its promiscuity. “After my second marriage failed, I met a man who was also grounded in music. Having only had loving relationships and sexual intimacy with women, I opened myself up to the possibility that I could have that with a male, and found that I could.”

Whitney Houston, Biggie, and Kelly Clarkson

After the scandal he bounced back. In his second act, he founded Arista Records, named after the New York City public school system honor society to which the Brooklyn native and Harvard Law graduate had belonged. 

There he continued his talent for talent spotting, signing Aretha Franklin, bringing in the Grateful Dead and discovering a 19-year-old Whitney Houston. And CBS bought into the new label, setting aside years of bitterness.

Davis remained active in music for decades, helping to launch the career of the first “American Idol” breakout star, Kelly Clarkson, and helping launch Bad Boy Records, which shepherded acts like The Notorious BIG.

He was known for his unerring ear, frequently more in tune with the times than the artists he promoted. Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel, the Jewish folk rock duo, wanted to release the jaunty, sexy and concise “Cecilia” as the first single off their 1970 album, “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” Davis insisted on the title track, defying the pair’s claims that it was too long, too sentimental and too slow in building up to a climax. The single sold an astonishing 8 million copies, and won the best song and best record Grammies, an anxiety-imbued paean that became an emblem of the era. 

He also pressed Barry Manilow, the Jewish balladeer, to record “I Write the Songs” in 1975; Manilow, a prolific songwriter, resisted because this was one song he did not write. (Beach Boy Bruce Johnston had written the song.) Manilow’s soaring, sappy take reached the top spot on the Billboard charts.

“It is so important to have people smarts,” Davis told Billboard in one of his final interviews. Quoting advice he said he received from his mother, he continued, “You’ve got to get out there with people. You’ve got to learn from all walks of life, all races, all colors.”

Music meant October 7 hit close to home

Davis, who didn’t often speak about his Judaism publicly, was moved to speak out after the Oct. 7, 2023, deadly Hamas attacks on Israel. He noted that many of the victims had been attending a music festival. 

“I have made it my mission in life to fight for equality and human rights, advocating for those who do not have a voice in music and elsewhere,” he said. “You cannot be silent about antisemitism, or hate or discrimination of any kind.”

He was twice married and divorced, and came out as bisexual in 2013 in his well received autobiography, “The Soundtrack of my Life.” 

“On this night, after imbibing enough alcohol, I was open to responding to his sexual overtures,” he wrote about a sexual encounter with a man during the what he called “era of Studio 54,” the late 1970s, a time known for its promiscuity. “After my second marriage failed, I met a man who was also grounded in music. Having only had loving relationships and sexual intimacy with women, I opened myself up to the possibility that I could have that with a male, and found that I could.”

New York’s primary elections are on Tuesday, and there’s no shortage of races that Jewish Americans should be keeping an eye on.

In New York City, several congressional seats are up for grabs, including the most Jewish district in the country, NY-12. Plus, will it be a rabbi or a Jewish lawyer who wins a state Assembly race on the Upper West Side?

Meanwhile, as a pair of pro-Israel congressmen take on Zohran Mamdani-backed progressives who are vocally pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel, Tuesday’s results will provide the latest reflection of where Democratic voters fall on the issue.

Outside the city, a Democratic primary will decide who will challenge pro-Israel Republican Congressman Mike Lawler for the NY-17 swing seat in November.

NY-12: The crown jewel

Rep. Jerry Nadler, a progressive stalwart and Congress’s most senior Jewish member, announced last fall that he would retire at the end of this term, leaving an open seat in the crown jewel district of New York politics: NY-12, which covers the Upper West and Upper East Sides, as well as midtown Manhattan. It is the most heavily Jewish district in the country, and a deep-blue district whose Democratic nominee is sure to succeed Nadler in Congress.

Four candidates (with double-digit polling numbers) are left standing: Micah Lasher, Alex Bores, Jack Schlossberg, and George Conway.

Lasher and Bores, both members of the State Assembly, are leading in the polls and are seen in many ways as very similar candidates, including in their pro-Israel, anti-Netanyahu stances. They’ve also both supported much of the same state-level legislation aimed at combating antisemitism.

Lasher, however, has the support of his former boss, Nadler, and much of the West Side political establishment. Bores, meanwhile, has built a coalition that includes both pro-Israel moderates and progressive groups critical of the Jewish state.

NY-10: Jewish incumbent vs. Jewish challenger

Many wondered what would become of former City Comptroller Brad Lander after he reportedly stumped for Zohran Mamdani in hopes of a role in his administration that he didn’t receive.

Now Lander, who was Mamdani’s most prominent Jewish ally, has the mayor’s full-throated support in his run to supplant incumbent Rep. Dan Goldman in NY-10, which includes Lower Manhattan and brownstone Brooklyn, for which Lander was a three-term City Council member.

Lander has homed in on Goldman’s endorsement from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the pro-Israel lobbying group that’s become anathema for progressives. (Goldman’s AIPAC endorsement has also been a sticking point for a number of his progressive critics.) Goldman, in turn, has emphasized that he’s endorsed by both AIPAC and the progressive J Street, two ideologically dissimilar pro-Israel groups, as evidence that he comes by his views independently.

The two candidates have made similar commitments to issues like fighting the Trump administration and ICE, but Lander has separated himself on the issue of Israel.

While Goldman has resisted growing calls for Democratic politicians to support conditioning military aid to Israel, Lander says Israel has committed genocide and opposes aid to Israel for both offensive weapons and the Iron Dome defensive missile system.

The latest poll, conducted in mid-May, had Lander ahead by 34 percentage points.

NY-13: From Columbia encampment to Congress?

Darializa Avila Chevalier is a Mamdani-backed, pro-Palestinian progressive who’s launching a challenge against incumbent Rep. Adriano Espaillat, a more moderate, pro-Israel lawmaker endorsed by AIPAC. Israel and AIPAC have been front and center in Avila Chevalier’s campaign in upper Manhattan and the Bronx, and she has said she would sign onto the Block the Bombs to Israel Act and oppose all military aid to the country.

Avila Chevalier attended an anti-Israel rally, which the Democratic Socialists of America had promoted, the day after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack. Other DSA members like Mamdani have distanced themselves from the gathering, which drove some former DSA members like Lander away from the organization.

“She went to celebrate the death of innocent people in Israel right after the attack,” Espaillat said during a recent televised debate.

“I was there at that rally on Oct. 8 because I remembered what happened in 2014,” Avila Chevalier replied, referring to Israeli attacks on Gaza in 2014, which occurred shortly after she returned from an internship in the West Bank. “And I knew the reaction would be an outsized reaction that would cause the deaths of thousands upon thousands of people.”

One recent poll had Espaillat leading by 8 percentage points, while another survey, commissioned by a group that’s backing Avila Chevalier, had her ahead by 4.

NY-7: Valdez, Reynoso, and AIPAC in the “Commie Corridor”

There is no pro-Israel candidate in the primary for NY-7, the deeply progressive district that covers parts of Brooklyn and Queens, including the so-called Commie Corridor. But that hasn’t stopped AIPAC from becoming a central topic of the race, which is between three progressives who each accuse Israel of committing genocide.

State Assembly member Claire Valdez, who’s backed by Mamdani and the DSA and is the farthest-left candidate in the contest, suggested that her opponent, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, was being boosted by AIPAC expenditures. Valdez’s comments backfired after AIPAC was reported to be uninvolved with the super PAC boosting Reynoso.

Meanwhile, Reynoso and City Council member Julie Won, who’s running in third place, have criticized Valdez for benefiting from outside spending by super PACs, including the pro-Palestinian group American Priorities.

According to the latest poll from May, Valdez and Reynoso have 23% and 21% of the vote, with Won trailing at 13%. Forty-three percent remain undecided. The poll has a margin of error of 5.2%.

Valdez and Reynoso both oppose sending offensive and defensive military subsidies to Israel, and say they would sign onto the Block the Bombs Act.

Valdez has a longer history of involvement with pro-Palestinian advocacy and criticized Reynoso for accusing Israel of genocide only after he launched his campaign for Congress. She has attended a number of protests organized by the anti-Zionist group Jewish Voice for Peace in the last three years. She also cosponsored the reintroduction of Mamdani’s failed “Not on our dime!” act in the State Assembly, which is aimed at blocking nonprofits from funding Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

Reynoso has the backing of the district’s outgoing Rep. Nydia Velazquez, as well as Rep. Jerrold Nadler, state Attorney General Letitia James, and the left-wing Working Families Party. He’s also been endorsed by Hasidic leaders in Williamsburg’s heavily Orthodox community and has been campaigning alongside progressive City Council member Lincoln Restler, who is Jewish, to mobilize the community’s voting bloc.

NY-17: Lawler vs.?

In a swing district just north of New York City, three Democrats are battling it out for the opportunity to unseat Republican Rep. Mike Lawler in November. The district is heavily Jewish and includes Rockland and Putnam Counties, as well as parts of Westchester and Dutchess Counties.

Two of the three major candidates, Cait Conley and Beth Davidson, are occupying a more moderate space, attempting to appeal to constituents as supporters of Israel who oppose President Donald Trump and his administration. Effie Phillips-Staley, who has been polling consistently in third place, is a staunchly pro-Palestinian progressive who traveled to the West Bank this year and drew criticism after appearing on streamer Hasan Piker’s show to discuss her experience.

Conley, a former Biden national security adviser who has led in the latest polls, was endorsed by the pro-Israel group Democratic Majority for Israel.

Davidson, who’s Jewish, was a board member at her family’s synagogue and has credited that experience with driving her public service. She told JTA that she wants her campaign to be a “home” for Jews who’ve “felt lost in the Democratic Party.”

The primary’s winner will go on to face Lawler, who has the backing of AIPAC, and its super PAC’s $95-million war chest, and the Republican Jewish Coalition. The seat is regarded as one of the Democrats’ best chances for a pickup in the fall.

State Assembly: A rabbi and a Jewish lawyer walk into a polling place …

As he runs for Congress, Lasher is vacating his Upper West Side 69th Assembly district seat. The two candidates facing off (literally) to replace him are Rabbi Stephanie Ruskay, who’s been an associate dean at the Conservative movement’s Jewish Theological Seminary for 10 years, and Eli Northrup, a Jewish lawyer who is policy director for the Bronx Defenders.

Both candidates describe themselves as progressives. While Ruskay has been backed by a good deal of the West Side’s political establishment, Northrup has more left-wing support, with endorsements from Mamdani and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

In an interview, Ruskay told JTA that she views joining the State Assembly as “an extension of my rabbinate” and discussed the centrality of justice to her work in the Jewish professional world. If successful, she would be the first female rabbi elected to office in New York.

Northrup detailed his complicated views on the term “Zionism” in an interview with JTA, echoing the analysis in a Moment Magazine piece that the terms Zionism and Zionist have “outlived their usefulness both as concepts and as terms.”

It’s on in Albany: Hochul vs. Blakeman

Gov. Kathy Hochul and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman are shoo-ins to win their respective primaries Tuesday, officially setting up a November gubernatorial election between the two.

Blakeman, who is Jewish, has framed his candidacy as a fight against not only Hochul but also against Mayor Mamdani. In speaking to Jewish voters who oppose the mayor, he has used Hochul’s endorsement and collaboration with Mamdani against her.

“I am running for governor because we can’t afford to have four more years of Comrade Kathy with three more years of Mamdani the Commie,” Blakeman said at a recent RJC event. Blakeman pointed to his record of coming down hard on pro-Palestinian protesters in Nassau County and blasted Mamdani for skipping the Israel Day parade.

Hochul, meanwhile, signed a bill creating 50-foot “buffer zones” outside houses of worship in New York and wrote that she was “proud to march alongside thousands of New Yorkers at the Israel Day Parade” the same day as the RJC event. A number of people marching were seen holding Blakeman campaign signs.

The United States and Iran concluded talks in Switzerland on Monday. Mediators Qatar and Pakistan described “encouraging progress” and announced a 60-day road map toward a final agreement.

The talks had created a “good foundation,” US Vice President JD Vance said, adding that Iran agreed to allow International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors back into the country. Washington also issued a temporary 60-day license that allows Iranian oil and petrochemical sales through August 21.

The talks included discussion of a Lebanon “deconfliction cell” aimed at preventing renewed escalation between Israel and Hezbollah. Israel was absent. Iran was present.

That fact should trouble every Israeli. Diplomacy with Iran can be useful when it weakens the regime, freezes a threat, or buys time under conditions that favor the West. The Switzerland talks risk giving Tehran time, money, legitimacy, and a role in managing the fires it helped set.

Over the past 24 hours, criticism has focused on one concern: Tehran appears to have gained a road map without publicly accepting the hard conditions that would make it meaningful. It appears to have secured breathing room on sanctions while its proxies remain armed. It appears to have turned the Strait of Hormuz into a bargaining chip and Lebanon into part of a broader US-Iran understanding.

Iran should not be rewarded for threatening global shipping. It should not receive economic relief after using regional chaos to force the world back to the table. It should not gain influence over arrangements involving Lebanon while Hezbollah remains its most important Arab proxy and the direct threat facing Israel’s border communities.

A Lebanon deconfliction mechanism may sound technical. In reality, it could become a diplomatic trap. Israel cannot allow its freedom of action against Hezbollah to be filtered through a process shaped by Iran. The residents of Metula, Kiryat Shmona, Moshav Margaliot, Kibbutz Manara, and other northern communities do not need another committee. They need Hezbollah pushed back, disarmed, and deterred.

Iran preserving pattern to maintain nuclear program

The same applies to the nuclear file. Vance said Iran had agreed to inspections. Tehran’s own messaging has been far less reassuring. If Iran’s return to cooperation with the IAEA depends on internal decisions, political timing, or future approvals, then this is a promise waiting to be diluted.

Israel has seen this pattern before. Iran agrees to language. The West celebrates movement. Inspectors receive partial access, delayed access, or access under dispute. Tehran keeps the core of the program alive, argues over definitions, and uses every month gained to improve its position.

The oil license is also a problem. The Trump administration may argue that the waiver is temporary, narrow, and tied to negotiations. Tehran will read it as pressure working. Hezbollah will read it as proof that its patron survived. Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad will understand that Iran can absorb military blows and still receive economic oxygen.

Money given to the Iranian regime cannot be cleanly separated from its security priorities. Even when funds are formally directed toward civilian needs, they ease pressure elsewhere. A regime that spends billions on missiles, drones, militias, and terrorist networks should not be trusted to compartmentalize relief.

Israel, US want to prevent wider war

The White House may believe it is preventing a wider war. That goal is legitimate. Israel also wants to avoid wider war. Israeli families have no desire to send more sons and daughters into Lebanon, Gaza, Syria, Yemen, or Iran.

Avoiding war requires strength, clarity, and consequences. Iran must understand that escalation will cost it more than restraint. The emerging message from Switzerland is muddier: Threaten Hormuz, survive the fighting, keep Hezbollah intact, and Washington will search for a formula.

That formula cannot become policy. A serious agreement with Iran must include intrusive inspections, immediate penalties for violations, restrictions on missile and drone capabilities, limits on proxy financing, and a clear understanding that Israel retains the right to defend itself. Anything less will leave Iran stronger than it should be and Israel more exposed than it can accept.

The talks in Switzerland may have calmed markets and lowered the volume for a day. They have not answered the question that matters: Is Iran being forced to retreat or merely being paid to pause?

For Israel, that distinction is measured in missiles, border towns, and lives.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who resigned the premiership on Monday, leaves behind a mixed record on fighting antisemitism in the Labour Party that Jewish organizations say will help shape their expectations for his successor.

Starmer announced that he was stepping down outside 10 Downing Street on Monday morning. He made the decision in the wake of mounting pressure from Labour members of Parliament and waning political support after the party’s devastating losses in the May 7 local elections and the success of political rival Andy Burnham in Manchester’s parliamentary election last week. 

Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester, has emerged as the leading contender after winning a Manchester-area by-election on Friday with 55% of the vote. Burnham has sought to position himself prominently on antisemitism and relations with the Jewish community in his bid to take over from Starmer.

In a post on X/Twitter, Burnham thanked Starmer for his leadership and said the PM’s decision to resign “marks the beginning of a transition and it is important that this process is conducted in an orderly and responsible way. I will put myself forward as part of this process.”

Starmer to remain in role until successor is chosen

Starmer confirmed he would remain on as caretaker prime minister until a successor was chosen.

“The question my party is asking now is whether I am best placed to lead us into the next general election,” he said. “I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question, and I accept that answer with good grace.” 

The Jewish Labour Movement thanked Starmer in a post on X/Twitter, noting that two years ago he inherited the party “at its lowest point” from former party leader Jeremy Corbyn, when it was “institutionally antisemitic.” It added, under Starmer, “our party has a clean bill of health on antisemitism.”

However, Starmer’s tenure was still met with plenty of criticism from the Jewish community over his handling of antisemitism, particularly in light of ongoing antisemitic attacks in the country. In recent months alone, four Hatzola ambulances were lit on fire; there were attempted attacks on three synagogues; two Jewish men in the Orthodox neighborhood of Golders Green were stabbed. Dozens of people have been arrested in connection with the incidents.

Starmer entered office in July 2024, leading his country’s thorny relationship with Israel in the aftermath of the Hamas October 7, 2023, attack against the Jewish and the Gaza war that followed. He angered Israel with steps such as recognizing Palestine as a state and promising to uphold the International Court of Justice’s arrest warrant against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for war crimes.

With Starmer’s upcoming departure, focus has shifted to the contest to replace him, bringing renewed scrutiny to candidates’ positions on antisemitism, relations with the Jewish community, and Israel.

Starmer said he would give his successor his “full and unequivocal support,” adding that nominations would open on July 9 and conclude before the parliamentary summer recess on July 16.

Board of Deputies of British Jews President Phil Roseneberg posted on X/Twitter, “When he took on the leadership of the Labour Party, the first thing @Keir_Starmer said he would do is ‘tear out the poison of antisemitism by its roots’. His subsequent actions were transformative within the Party.”

He praised Starmer’s government for providing “unprecedented security funding,” and introducing legislation to proscribe the IRGC.

Burnham spoke out against antisemitism, but scrutinized for stance on Israel

Burnham, for his part, has spoken out against antisemitism in the wake of violent attacks. Following the October 2025 Yom Kippur attack at the Heaton Park Congregation synagogue in Manchester, in which two people were killed, Burnham said in an official release, “Tonight, our first thoughts are with the families of those who have died, those injured and those traumatised by this – a horrific antisemitic attack on our Jewish friends and neighbours. We condemn it outright.”

He also wrote in a post on X/Twitter on the same day, “Today we have witnessed a vile attack on our Jewish community on its holiest day. We condemn whoever is responsible and will do everything within our power to keep people safe.”

His positions on Israel and Gaza have also come under scrutiny. In a June 4 interview with The Guardian, Burnham did not invoke the term “genocide” in relation to the war in Gaza, but did say, “I can’t judge things of that enormity from where I am as mayor of Greater Manchester.” 

He added, “But I do have concerns about the disproportionate nature of what has happened in terms of the destruction, and there has to be a full process of investigation and accountability.”

Additionally, 10 days after the October 7 attacks, Burnham called for a ceasefire in a joint statement with 10 Greater Manchester leaders. The statement read in part, “We condemn unreservedly the appalling terror attacks on innocent civilians in Israel by Hamas on 7th October.” 

The statement also noted that Israel has the right to take “targeted action within international law” to defend itself and to rescue its hostages, but added, “We also have profound concerns about the loss of thousands of innocent lives in Gaza, the displacement of many more and widespread suffering through the ongoing blockade of essential goods and services.”

Referencing his expected leadership bid, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told the Jewish News on June 17 that Burnham had a few weeks earlier met with Jewish communal leaders in Greater Manchester.

When it comes to Israel, Nandy said Burnham “believes in justice, so he’s acutely aware of the need for a safe homeland for Jewish people, you know, and the particularly unique historical reasons why Israel came into existence.”

Hapoel Tel Aviv defeated Maccabi Tel Aviv 80-74 as Vasilije Micic starred in the Game 3 win to cut the yellow-and-blue best-of-five finals series lead to 2-1, with Game 4 slated for Tuesday night back at Yad Eliyahu.

Tomer Ginat and Yam Madar paced Hapoel early on while Jaylen Hoard countered for Maccabi, but Micic scored points aplenty and orchestrated the offense to perfection while the Reds’ defense helped Dimitrios Itoudis’s team to a 43-36 advantage at halftime.

Micic continued to control the attack in the second half, while Jimmy Clark countered to cut the gap for Maccabi, but Micic kept hitting his shots to will the Reds to the victory.

Micic scored 29 points and added 10 assists, while Ish Wainright and Tai Odiase each scored 12 points in the win. Clark scored 24 points, Iffe Lundberg put in 15 points, and Hoard scored 12 points in the loss.

Itoudis reflected on Hapoel’s win.

“But this is a series, and we now have to respond,” Maccabi coach Oded Katash said about the loss

“We came into the game with a lot of motivation from our fans, and we expect them to come into Game 4 very hungry as well. Keeping Maccabi at 74 points shows how much we made in terms of defensive adjustments. We had to make sure to stay composed, and we built up our trust. It was a good win, but we are still down a game in this series. The tank is full, and we want to keep playing basketball. It was really helpful that we had an extra day, and it allowed us to make adjustments.”

Maccabi coach Oded Katash spoke about the loss.

“We wanted to win this game a lot, and I can’t say anything against the effort the guys put in. We didn’t execute well offensively, and we didn’t think this was going to be easy. We knew who we were playing; we are also aware that we have a short rotation, and because of that, we had to make more substitutions as they were tiring. However, despite that, we still led near the end, but this is a series, and we now have to respond. It won’t be easy, but we will need to come up with the energy.”

Micic, the game’s MVP, commented as well.

“We knew we had to give everything, and that’s what we did. It was a good performance by us. I tried to do my best, and I think we had good momentum. We made good decisions, and that was the difference from the previous games in the series. I’m trying to lead the team. Everyone gave everything they had, Tomer Ginat, Yam Madar, everyone contributed, and it’s very important that everyone contributed and made an impact.”
Maccabi’s Oshae Brissett talked about the loss.

“We said right now that it’s not the time to be tired. We get paid to play, and we are professionals. They have one day off like us, and it won’t be an excuse; we will play much better on Tuesday. We had some mental lapses, and there are some things that we can fix. We know we should have closed it out, but we have to make the adjustments. I want to win really bad and I know how much the fans want us to win. But we too – I love to win, and winning the championship is what I’m focused on for next game.”

See more Israeli sports coverage at www.sportsrabbi.com/en

Hapoel Tel Aviv defeated Maccabi Tel Aviv 80-74 as Vasilije Micic starred in the Game 3 win to cut the yellow-and-blue best-of-five finals series lead to 2-1, with Game 4 slated for Tuesday night back at Yad Eliyahu.

Tomer Ginat and Yam Madar paced Hapoel early on while Jaylen Hoard countered for Maccabi, but Micic scored points aplenty and orchestrated the offense to perfection while the Reds’ defense helped Dimitrios Itoudis’s team to a 43-36 advantage at halftime.

Micic continued to control the attack in the second half, while Jimmy Clark countered to cut the gap for Maccabi, but Micic kept hitting his shots to will the Reds to the victory.

Micic scored 29 points and added 10 assists, while Ish Wainright and Tai Odiase each scored 12 points in the win. Clark scored 24 points, Iffe Lundberg put in 15 points, and Hoard scored 12 points in the loss.

Itoudis reflected on Hapoel’s win.

“But this is a series, and we now have to respond,” Maccabi coach Oded Katash said about the loss

“We came into the game with a lot of motivation from our fans, and we expect them to come into Game 4 very hungry as well. Keeping Maccabi at 74 points shows how much we made in terms of defensive adjustments. We had to make sure to stay composed, and we built up our trust. It was a good win, but we are still down a game in this series. The tank is full, and we want to keep playing basketball. It was really helpful that we had an extra day, and it allowed us to make adjustments.”

Maccabi coach Oded Katash spoke about the loss.

“We wanted to win this game a lot, and I can’t say anything against the effort the guys put in. We didn’t execute well offensively, and we didn’t think this was going to be easy. We knew who we were playing; we are also aware that we have a short rotation, and because of that, we had to make more substitutions as they were tiring. However, despite that, we still led near the end, but this is a series, and we now have to respond. It won’t be easy, but we will need to come up with the energy.”

Micic, the game’s MVP, commented as well.

“We knew we had to give everything, and that’s what we did. It was a good performance by us. I tried to do my best, and I think we had good momentum. We made good decisions, and that was the difference from the previous games in the series. I’m trying to lead the team. Everyone gave everything they had, Tomer Ginat, Yam Madar, everyone contributed, and it’s very important that everyone contributed and made an impact.”
Maccabi’s Oshae Brissett talked about the loss.

“We said right now that it’s not the time to be tired. We get paid to play, and we are professionals. They have one day off like us, and it won’t be an excuse; we will play much better on Tuesday. We had some mental lapses, and there are some things that we can fix. We know we should have closed it out, but we have to make the adjustments. I want to win really bad and I know how much the fans want us to win. But we too – I love to win, and winning the championship is what I’m focused on for next game.”

See more Israeli sports coverage at www.sportsrabbi.com/en

Senior leaders of Hamas‘ political bureau held a highly confidential meeting with a French delegation, according to a Monday report from Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat.

It reported that the meeting took place “recently” in an unspecified country in the Middle East. 

Two Palestinian sources spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat, one from Palestinian civil society elements who maintain working relations with France and other European countries, and the other from a Palestinian organization close to Hamas. They described the meeting as “top secret,” adding that some Palestinian factions were only informed shortly before or after it was held.

This marks the first reported meeting of Hamas leaders with European officials since the October 7 massacre.

According to the report, the French delegation included current and former diplomats, as well as members of parliament from the ruling coalition and opposition parties. 

Focus on Palestinian Internal affairs

A source from Palestinian civil society said the talks were largely focused on Palestinian internal affairs, improving national reconciliation, and advancing a political process aimed at ending the conflict with Israel.

The source also told Asharq Al-Awsat that discussions also touched on supporting establishing a Palestinian state within “the 1967 borders,” meaning the pre-Six-Day War armistice lines.

Since October 7, France has been a leading advocate for a two-state solution that would allow for the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside the State of Israel.

Israel-France relations are strained

The reported meeting comes a few weeks after the French National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT) announced in Paris that it had opened a preliminary investigation against Israel.

The probe followed allegations by Global Sumud Flotilla activists of “torture and war crimes” against them.

The investigation was initiated following a formal referral submitted to the prosecutor’s office by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot. The move was prompted by a video published by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir showing the activists being brought to Ashdod Port.

According to an AFP report cited by French media, the preliminary investigation will be conducted by the Central Office for Combating Crimes against Humanity and Hate Crimes (OCLCH).

In September 2025, France recognized a Palestinian state at a world summit in New York, a move that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said was “fueling antisemitism.”

US President Donald Trump said he will do what he has to if Iran does not stick to its agreement with Washington on Monday. 

“If Iran doesn’t live up to their agreement, or if they’re not behaving, I will do what I have to do,” Trump told reporters.

Trump said Iran was supposed to use the unfrozen funds to buy food exclusively from the United States, while Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency cited Iranian central bank governor Abdolnaser Hemmati as saying that Tehran is under no obligation to purchase agricultural inputs from the US under the current memorandum of understanding.

“All that money’s coming back in the form of purchases of food which they desperately need. They have 91 million people; they can’t feed them. So, the money that we lift is going to go to our farmers,” Trump asserted.

Hemmati said the remaining frozen funds will not necessarily be used solely for essential goods and could be sent to purchase other non-sanctioned goods, Tasnim reported.

Trump calls himself ‘problem solver’ in regards to Netanyahu statement

Trump also addressed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s statement regarding the IDF remaining in Lebanon, saying the US would “take a look at it.”

When asked how he would ensure Netanyahu would not sabotage the deal, Trump said: “I’m not going to tell you what I’m going to do, but it’s solved.”

“I’m a problem solver. I get problems solved real fast, including with Bibi,” Trump added. 

Unruly haredi (ultra-Orthodox) protesters in Beit Shemesh blocked roads and caused damage to public property on Monday night, Israel Police announced.

The protest, Ynet reported, was centered on the indictment of a resident of the city who was accused of setting fire to plants next to the police station.

The demonstrators set fire to dumpsters and damaged fences in the area where the protests occurred.

When an officer demanded that the protesters disperse, members of the crowd threw rocks and other projectiles at the police.

Police respond to protesters with force

The police responded with forceful methods in order to clear the road, the police stated.

“The Israel Police views the incident as serious, and this is not how a protest is held,” the police stated.

“This is violence directed at the forces on the ground, while harming the fabric of life in the area. We will use all means to disperse the rioters in order to restore and maintain public order.”

The haredi (ultra-Orthodox) parties Shas and United Torah Judaism continued their boycott of coalition votes for an additional week on Monday, delaying legislation from reaching the Knesset plenum amid an ongoing dispute over advancing the controversial Basic Law: Torah Study bill.

The bill seeks to enshrine Torah study in the country’s Basic Law as part of a proposal pushed by haredi parties to encourage draft evasion and change the status of yeshiva students who do not serve, enabling them to continue receiving state benefits.

It passed its preliminary reading earlier this month and still must be advanced in a Knesset committee before undergoing three more required readings to come into effect.

Shas Party leader Arye Deri also attributed the boycott of coalition voting to the recent rise in police arrests of haredi draft evaders.

“The violent arrests of Torah learners must stop! We have informed the coalition chairman that, as long as the law to stop the arrests and the Basic Law: Torah Study are not advanced, we will not support any coalition legislation,” Deri stated.

Degel Hatorah leader MK Moshe Gafni, who sponsored the bill, said in a discussion at the Knesset’s House Committee on Monday that he was “fed up with promises in this term,” and wanted to be sure that the legislation would pass.

“I am informing you unequivocally: I do not intend to humiliate myself once again. I have had enough of promises that were never fulfilled,” Ganfi added. He was referring to past legislation advanced by the coalition for the haredi parties that ultimately lacked a majority and was shelved.

Bill to advance in different Knesset committee

Lawmakers in the Knesset plenum later voted 48-35 to transfer the bill to be advanced in the Knesset’s House Committee, rather than in the Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee, which is led by MK Simcha Rothman (Religious Zionist Party).

Rothman argued that the decision to transfer the legislation to the House Committee for advancement was “in light of complex scheduling constraints and the creation of an unusual burden on the legislative agenda of the committee.”

However, there have been reports that his decision not to advance the bill in his committee was part of an attempt by Rothman’s Religious Zionist party, led by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, to distance itself from the contentious legislation.

The House Committee, in contrast, is led by coalition whip MK Ofir Katz, a member of the Likud party.

Knesset legal adviser Sagit Afik warned against moving the legislation to the House Committee, telling the panel that “the legal advisory position is that the law should be discussed in the Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee.”

Afik also stressed that the legislation was a significant Basic Law, and “therefore, the legislative process must also be proper and appropriate.”

“Pressure and workload do not override, in my view, a proper legislative process. This transfer raises a serious difficulty that may undermine the integrity of the legislative process,” she warned.

Controversial haredi daycare subsidies bill

Another contentious bill the haredi parties have been pushing to advance is the haredi daycare subsidies bill, which aims to change the eligibility criteria for daycare subsidies, basing eligibility solely on a mother’s income, a move critics argue will encourage state subsidies for parents of draft evaders.

The haredi parties have also encouraged the coalition to advance legislation that would not increase haredi enlistment. The IDF has repeatedly warned of an urgent manpower shortage after more than two years of war.

In April, the High Court of Justice ordered that the state take concrete steps to revoke key financial benefits from draft evaders and to move toward criminal enforcement against haredi men who evade military service.

In March, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir said the IDF could soon collapse if no solution was found for the manpower shortage.

The tensions also come amid the coalition’s last Knesset session to advance its legislation before the upcoming elections, scheduled for no later than October 27.

The recent gunfire in the heart of Montreal’s Jewish community echoed through the exact streets where I spent my childhood. Watching the news unfold from afar has been devastating. I did not flee Canada; I left it with profound love and deep appreciation.

The Montreal I knew was a magnificent mosaic of genuine coexistence. It was a vibrant metropolis where authentic Canadian values of liberty, mutual respect, and democracy were not mere political talking points, but a daily reality shared by people of countless backgrounds. Today, that enduring quiet and the profound sense of security that defined my youth have been shattered. The peaceful streets of my past are now overshadowed by the harsh specter of urban terror.

Official law enforcement investigations are still underway. Authorities might ultimately determine that this specific shooting was not a strictly nationalist incident. Yet, even if that proves to be the case, we must look reality squarely in the eye.

The very fact that our community’s immediate, collective instinct was to assume a targeted antisemitic attack tells a harrowing story. It is a damning indictment of the current civic climate in Canada, one where violence directed at Jews has shifted from an unthinkable anomaly to a logical expectation.

This pervasive hostility did not materialize in a vacuum. For months, violent and unbridled pro-Palestinian incitement has been allowed to fester, often shielded by the noble concept of free speech. Radical elements have routinely hijacked university campuses and public squares, cultivating an environment of profound intimidation.

This relentless extremism is steadily cheapening Jewish life on Canadian soil. When federal and local authorities permit protests that openly glorify terrorism to proceed unchecked, the inevitable conclusion is live fire directed at Jewish neighborhoods. Shootings, firebombs hurled at synagogues, and physical assaults on Jewish citizens are rapidly becoming a horrifying new normal.

A resilient, deeply rooted community

The community that raised me is remarkably resilient and deeply rooted, yet it will no longer accept being a sitting target. It is past time for the Canadian government to abandon its dangerous complacency. Officials must stop turning a blind eye to the radicalization that currently masquerades as progressive political activism.

They must act with absolute resolve and completely dismantle these infrastructures of hatred from the root. Hollow words of comfort are no longer sufficient. Concrete, uncompromising action is required to restore the fundamental Canadian promise of safety for every citizen.

Israel embraces all Jews

Yet, while we demand absolute security for the Diaspora, we must also recognize our ultimate anchor. The State of Israel stands with open arms, ready to embrace any Jew who no longer feels safe in Canada or anywhere else. Crucially, our message extends far beyond offering a mere refuge from persecution. We enthusiastically welcome those who feel perfectly secure but simply wish to live out the Zionist dream. 

From figures like Roman Gofman, Head of the Mossad, down to my own humble self, the diverse personal stories of Olim from across the globe illuminate a profound truth. Israel is not just a safe haven. It is the ultimate land of boundless opportunity for the Jewish people. We will continue to build our home, proud and unyielding, offering a glorious future for anyone who chooses to return.

MK Dan Illouz (Likud) was born in Montreal, Canada. He has served in the Knesset since 2023 and previously held a seat on the Jerusalem City Council from 2018 to 2021.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir (Otzma Yehudit) warned against a “weak ceasefire” deal in Lebanon amid the emerging US-Iran agreement, saying that Israel should reject any deal that does not lead to a decisive victory.

“Not another weak ceasefire. Anyone who threatens the citizens of Israel must pay a price that will be unbearable,” Ben-Gvir said during a Monday press conference at the Knesset.

The remarks came shortly after US Vice President JD Vance said that “a lot of good progress” had been made in talks held in Switzerland. Addressing the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, Vance said that, while “we want Israel’s security to be protected, we also want Lebanon’s sovereignty to be protected,” describing the issue as an “ongoing conversation.”

Addressing the vice president, Ben-Gvir said in his answers to press questions: “I’m telling Vance, what would you do in response to these Nazis?”

“This is a historic opportunity to create security for our future generations, to look straight into the eyes of the families of the fallen and tell them that their sons did not fall in vain,” Ben-Gvir said.

‘We respect’ Trump, but Israel comes first – Ben Gvir

“The equation must be simple: the State of Israel must be safe.”

“If not, Beirut will look like Beit Hanoun [in the Gaza Strip],” he warned.

Ben-Gvir said that, while Israel values its relationship with US President Donald Trump, security considerations must take precedence.

“We respect President Trump, but first of all, the soldiers of Israel, our fighters, our citizens. The security of Israel’s civilians comes first,” he said.

Referring to multiple recent casualties of IDF soldiers, Ben-Gvir said Israel had paid a heavy price in Lebanon and argued that previous policies had failed to provide lasting security.

“Years of measured responses, imaginary equations, and attempts to buy temporary quiet have not brought security,” he said. “Our enemies interpreted this as weakness and continued to strengthen themselves.”

Ben-Gvir argued that future attacks on Israel should be met with a far harsher response.

The national security minister also added that, if “Lebanon allows itself to become a base for terrorism against Israel, Beirut must understand that it will not be able to continue operating normally.”

“Anyone who chooses war against Israel must bear the consequences,” he said.

Ben-Gvir then sharply criticized former prime minister Naftali Bennett, who is a leading candidate in the opposition bloc seeking to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the upcoming elections.

“My position, which says the lives of Israel’s citizens come first, and that Israeli mothers must not continue paying the price for surrender to international pressure, represents a huge public in Israel, far more than the position of the fraud Bennett, who is once again taking a diving course toward the electoral threshold.”

“In moments like these, leadership is tested. Not in the ability to explain why something cannot be done, not in trying to please anyone, but in the courage to do what is necessary so that Israel’s citizens can live in security. The lives of our soldiers and residents come first,” Ben-Gvir said.

Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report. 

The IDF and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) killed a Nukhba terrorist in the northern Gaza Strip on Saturday, who had taken part in holding Omer Shem Tov in Hamas captivity after October 7, 2023, the military announced on Monday.

The terrorist, Sabai Zaher Abd al-Hamid Abu Hasna, had entered Israel during the October 7 massacre, the IDF stated, and had also planted explosive devices throughout the Israel-Hamas war.

The strike that killed Hasna, the IDF stated, had also killed Ahmed Samir Muhammad Washah, a sniper operative in Hamas’s military wing who doubled as a photojournalist for Qatari state-funded broadcaster Al Jazeera.

An additional strike conducted by the IDF in northern Gaza killed three other armed terrorists from Hamas’ military wing, all of whom the military said had been “attempting to advance attacks against IDF troops.”

Hamas engineering officer, sniper commander, killed in Gaza

Two other prominent Hamas terrorists were killed in separate strikes in the northern Gaza Strip on Saturday, the IDF announced.

One, Ahmad Munir Khalil Zaza, had been the engineering officer of Hamas West Jabalia Battalion in Gaza City, and had been involved in the production of weapons, explosive devices, and booby-trapped buildings. Zaza had, in recent months, attempted to place explosive devices near the Yellow Line, the IDF stated.

The second terrorist was Hussein Safadi, the commander of Hamas’s sniper array in Gaza City, responsible for directing sniper attacks against IDF troops, as well as training other terrorists.

“Prior to the strikes, steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of precise munitions and aerial surveillance,” the IDF stated.

Iran has agreed to inspections of its nuclear materials, US Vice President JD Vance told the media on Monday upon leaving the Iran negotiations in Switzerland.

“I feel great about the progress that we’ve made,” Vance said.

“We have the Iranians allowing weapons inspectors, nuclear inspectors into their country for the first time in a long time,” he said, noting that they will ensure Iran will never have a nuclear weapon.

“We set up the mechanism to ensure not only the Straits of Hormuz are open but will stay open,” Vance added, stating that about 15 million barrels of oil exited the strait recently, bringing gas prices down.

“This is laying a foundation for what could be a truly transformed Middle East,” he continued. 

Vance said handshake refusal didn’t impact negotiations

Moreover, Vance confirmed that unfrozen Iranian assets would be used at the direction of the US, and on American goods.

“We actually asked the Qataris to set up the mechanism to ensure the money goes where we want it to go,” he said.

Vance also said that a mechanism to ensure the ceasefire in the Middle East would last had been established, and that efforts were coordinated with Israel and Arab countries.

Vance said he didn’t feel snubbed by the Iranian delegation’s refusal to shake hands at the beginning of negotiations.

“I’ve spent a lot of time dealing with the Iranians over the last few months.

“We had a little press conference, they obviously don’t quite have the same first amendment protections in Iran that we have in the United States of America.”

“We talked to [the media] and then had a series of really good meetings.”

“After that initial meeting, there was this sort of social media firestorm where everybody said the Iranians are gonna leave, and then we proceeded to talk to them for, like the next nine hours,” Vance continued.

Further, Vance implored media to treat Iranian social media reports with a grain of skepticism before boarding Air Force 2.

As the United States and Iran move into negotiations over a permanent end to the war, a Jerusalem-based legal NGO is urging international bodies to keep criminal accountability on the agenda.

The Jerusalem Institute of Justice (JIJ) has published a report arguing that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ missile and drone campaign against Israel and other states in the region should be examined as a potential series of war crimes.

The JIJ called on the International Criminal Court, UN mechanisms, and European prosecutors to assess individual responsibility within the Iranian command structure.

The report covers the period from February 28 through early April. It alleges that Iran fired more than 2,300 missiles and 5,350 UAVs at Israel and neighboring states, including the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iraqi Kurdistan, Qatar, Oman, Cyprus, and Turkey.

Those figures are the organization’s own compilation, drawn from what it describes as open-source reporting, official releases, and an internal database. The report also acknowledges that battlefield attribution, casualty reporting, and the distinction between direct impacts and interception debris remain incomplete in several of the countries it examined.

Regarding Israel, the JIJ said Iran had launched 650 missiles and at least 479 separate barrages, including cluster-capable weapons. The scale and design of the attacks – particularly high-volume salvos intended to strain air-defense systems – indicate an unlawful strategy of indiscriminate fire and the terrorization of civilians, rather than solely attacks on military targets, it said.

Prosecution through either ICC or universal-jurisdiction countries could be on the table

The campaign left at least 20 people dead and more than 7,000 wounded in Israel, while causing widespread disruption to schools, air travel, workplaces, and civilian infrastructure, the report said. It did not assess the legality of the US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran that preceded the Iranian campaign, which Tehran has described as unlawful.

The legal argument rests on two routes. First, JIJ argues that missile debris and alleged airspace violations in Jordan and Cyprus could allow the ICC to examine the broader campaign, because both are parties to the Rome Statute.

Second, it cites universal-jurisdiction laws in Germany, France, and Sweden as possible avenues for domestic investigations into war crimes.

Those are legal arguments, not existing proceedings. Any ICC examination would require the prosecutor and court to determine that the alleged conduct falls within the court’s jurisdiction and meets the evidentiary and legal thresholds for a case.

“We are not asking for another toothless UN condemnation, nor will we accept a diplomatic agreement that grants amnesty for war crimes,” JIJ CEO Flavia Sevald said.

The JIJ initially said it had sent its evidentiary record to European parliamentarians. Asked by The Jerusalem Post about its broader distribution, the JIJ said the report had also been sent to UN mandate holders and other relevant UN mechanisms in Geneva and New York, as well as diplomatic missions and officials in about 20 countries.

The JIJ said it hoped the material would support formal condemnation of Iran, demands for accountability, possible ICC arrest warrants, universal-jurisdiction proceedings, and efforts to prevent Iran from holding leadership or membership roles in UN bodies.

The push comes as Washington and Tehran pursue a 60-day process toward a final agreement, after signing an interim memorandum of understanding that addresses the end of hostilities, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, sanctions, frozen Iranian assets, and Iran’s nuclear program.

Israel is not a party to the US-Iran negotiations, which have also been tied to efforts to halt fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said that the country’s interactions with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) would continue, Iranian state news agency IRNA reported on Monday.

“Iran’s interactions with the Agency will continue in accordance with Iran’s commitments under the safeguards agreements, according to existing procedures and in accordance with the approvals of the Islamic Consultative Assembly and the decisions of the Supreme National Security Council,” IRNA cited Baghaei as saying.

IRNA further reported that Iran made no additional commitments on nuclear issues during the talks in Switzerland on Sunday, with the issue not discussed at all during the day’s 18-hour negotiations.

Earlier on Monday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)-affiliated Tasnim News Agency denied claims that IAEA inspectors would be allowed access to the country’s nuclear sites under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

“The issue of issuing a permit for the agency’s inspectors to enter Iran has not been confirmed by the Iranian negotiating team or other responsible officials in the government,” said Tasnim. “It is better that it is never confirmed!”

Later on Monday, US President Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social that Iran will agree to have weapons inspections to ensure “nuclear honesty” long into the future, echoing comments made by Vice President JD Vance.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had said earlier on Monday in an X/Twitter post that Iran had agreed “to permit IAEA inspectors into their country.”

Tasnim: Bessent claims ‘very damaging’

The Iranian news agency called the claims “very damaging,” saying that the arrival of IAEA inspectors would violate the MoU. 

It added that Iran “should not assume higher duties” than those required under the MoU, and that Iranian officials in Switzerland prevented the IAEA Director-General, Rafael Grossi, from attending Sunday’s negotiations.

“One of the most important things that Iran currently has that prevents some of America’s follies is the policy of ‘nuclear ambiguity’ and the fact that the location of nuclear-enriched materials is not known to the Americans,” Tasnim wrote. “If the policy of nuclear ambiguity collapses with the arrival of IAEA inspectors in Iran and the Americans complete their information in this field, it will only benefit the enemy.”

“This is probably the reason why no Iranian official has confirmed such a claim so far,” added Tasnim. “We hope it will not be confirmed in the future.”

Tasnim: IAEA ‘America’s foot soldiers’

Tasnim further claimed that American physicist and nuclear weapons expert David Albright referred to IAEA inspectors as “America’s foot soldiers” during a Senate speech.

The request for IAEA access was “an additional mistake” following the IAEA’s failure to prevent the US bombing of Iran’s “peaceful” nuclear sites, Tasnim continued, describing the request as an “attempt to complete American spying information.”

“Any possible presence of inspectors shall be subject to final agreement,” Tasnim concluded. “An agreement that is unlikely to be reached, considering the experience from America.”

Reuters contributed to this report.

American allies of US President Donald Trump this week defended him to an Israeli public anxious about a US interim deal with Iran and White House criticism that together appeared to signal fissures in Israel’s decades-old alliance with Washington.

The US-Israeli relationship has been on a roller coaster, from the early confidence they shared after their joint attack on Iran to public disagreements between Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over how to end the four-month-old war.

Netanyahu and many other Israelis see a risk that Trump’s Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Iran will empower a state they regard as their deadliest enemy and constrict their ability to respond to threats from Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.

They sense the US alliance – long the bedrock of Israel’s strategic approach – is under strain as opinion polls show Americans increasingly unhappy with Israel and their strongest champion in Washington appears to be turning away.

“The United States and Israel have an unbreakable bond,” Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, said on Sunday after acknowledging there was an “enormous level of anxiety about the relationship.”

He spoke at a foreign policy conference in Jerusalem, where concerns about the state of the US-Israel alliance dominated many of the discussions.

Mark Levin, a conservative Fox News commentator and longtime Trump supporter who has broken with the president over the Iran deal, told the audience that while he did not like the agreement and believed that the “Iranian regime” had to be destroyed, he nevertheless praised Trump for what he said was the president’s support for liberty, religious freedom, Christianity, and Judaism.

Israelis worry over criticism from Republicans

Alongside their concerns about the wording of the Iran deal, Israelis worry about Trump’s insistence on Israel agreeing to a ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon and his language responding to Netanyahu’s resistance to those agreements.

In recent weeks, Trump has called Netanyahu “f***ing crazy,” lectured Israel that “you don’t have to knock an apartment down every time you’re looking for somebody,” and publicly pondered asking Syria to replace Israeli troops in Lebanon.

US Vice President JD Vance also struck a more critical tone, saying “Trump is the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this moment in time,” adding later that not all criticism of Israel should be dismissed as antisemitism.

The fact that such sharp views are emanating from Trump’s Republican Party is especially worrying for many Israelis, with US Democrats far more vocally critical of Israel than in previous years.

Sid Rosenberg, a prominent conservative New York radio host, told Israelis that, despite their concerns about Trump, he was the best option for them. “You could have JD Vance. Good luck with that,” he said, after acknowledging that “a lot of people in Israel are very, very upset” with the president.

While large majorities of Republicans 50 and older view Israel positively, younger conservative Americans have grown more critical, a Reuters/Ipsos poll from late March showed. Some 57% of Republicans aged 18-49 have an unfavorable opinion of Israel, up from 50% a year previously.

Many Americans, including prominent Democratic politicians, were outraged by the scale of death and devastation in Israel’s military campaign in Gaza after the deadly Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, on Israeli communities and the taking of hostages.

Israel has also faced criticism over the joint decision to launch the war on Iran, a conflict that is deeply unpopular in the United States, including among Trump’s conservative base.

Victoria Coates, vice president at the conservative Heritage Foundation think tank and Trump’s deputy national security adviser during his first term, suggested on Monday that the US-Israeli relationship was strained but expressed confidence that the leaders of both countries would bring it “back on track.”

A day earlier, speaking at the conference, she had said that recent days had been “challenging for all of us, to put it mildly,” but that there had been plenty of “great and good things” in Trump’s second term “for which we can and should be grateful.”

Officials: Netanyahu not concerned by Trump comments

Until recently, Trump had been seen in Israel as its strongest-ever White House ally after his decision in his first term to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights and his leading diplomatic role securing the release of hostages last year.

Two Israeli officials familiar with Netanyahu’s thinking said the prime minister was not concerned that comments by Trump and Vance indicated any meaningful US policy changes, such as slower arms deliveries.

Netanyahu believed the comments might be partly geared towards assuaging voters ahead of US midterm elections in November amid growing frustration over Israel and the war, said the officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The anxiety in Israel has led some prominent figures to say it is time for the country to envisage a future without strong US support and to further build up its own military and technological capabilities.

Ohad Tal, chair of the US-Israel caucus in Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, said Israelis needed to prepare for the day when there is a less supportive US president, “and this is why we have to be much more independent, and we have to forge new alliances.”

What happens when you promise the country that there will be no limits on the IDF’s actions repeatedly and then there repeatedly are limits?

This is the dilemma which Defense Minister Israel Katz has after many prior promises and another promise Monday night.

It happened in June 2025 when he publicly promised that Israel would strike Iran again on a massive scale after the Islamic Republic briefly and without much impact, violated the ceasefire then negotiated by US President Donald Trump.

Trump called back the aircraft that Katz sent to strike Iran, with a small insignificant symbolic strike being allowed.

Katz never explained the turnaround.

Will Israel retreat to satisfy Trump, who seems to wield immense power in its decisions?

Similar incidents happened when Katz promised Israel would keep striking Iran after the April 7 newer Trump ceasefire with Iran.

The defense minister also leaked to many sources that Trump and Tehran were too far apart, so they would never reach a framework agreement – until they did. More recently, Katz has said that the IDF can bomb and attack anything and everything in Lebanon, including in Beirut – except Trump has now said that it cannot, so it has stopped.

The defense minister has said that the IDF will not withdraw from any area that it has taken over in the near future.

And yet leaks pretty much confirm that this promise will also be proved wrong.

Late on Monday, Katz promised by direct video message to the public that the IDF will continue to act everywhere and anywhere it needs to.

But leaks are rampant that on both the northern and southern borders, officially or unofficially, commanders are on edge about when they can use force and when they cannot, and how long they will need to retreat from their current positions.

There is an interesting debate going on in Israel about when and where the country must listen to Trump imposing limits to maintain his support on other critical military, diplomatic, economic, and public relations issues.

When will Katz acknowledge the gap between the promises and the realities as well as the real debates and sacrifices the IDF is making now to preserve Washington’s support?

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tends to be more careful and qualified in his statements than Katz, but he likely soon will also have to explain to Israelis the hard tradeoffs that are being made (and quite possibly need to be made even if they are bad politics) underneath the perfect sounding slogans.

There is no question about it: Roman Gofman has taken David Barnea’s Mossad by storm since taking over the spy agency on June 2.

In some ways this is more the rule than the exception.

Meir Dagan (2002-2011), Yossi Cohen (2016-2021), and Barnea (2021-June 2 of this year) all either fired top people in the clandestine agency or developed so many new programs that a bunch of top officials left in protest.

And yet all three Mossad chiefs are by and large seen as successes.

So this means that significant change when a new Mossad director enters office is a virtual certainty.

Gofman’s appointment is a stark symbol of change

Some of the change is style, with each new chief having their own idiosyncrasies about how they prefer to work and what they personally seek to focus on the most.

Other changes have to do with the speed at which the world changes and needing to account for technological and geopolitical developments which create a need to reorganize agency structures and resources.

So what is different about Gofman breaking some of the former chiefs structures and projects, and promoting some new people?

First of all, Gofman is the first outsider to take over the Mossad since Dagan. Meaning from 2011 until now, the last three chiefs, including Tamir Pardo (2011-1016), were all Mossad insiders and more specifically had served as deputy chiefs.

Not only is he an outsider, but there was an unusual High Court of Justice petition to block his appointment, which was supported by Barnea himself, by Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara, and by vetting committee head and former chief justice Asher Grunis.

Gofman beat the petition and has the full powers now of the Mossad director, which are considerable.

But that entire process has presented him to the public as a sort of super outsider, and also one who not only owes nothing to his predecessor Barnea, but likely has plenty of motivation to bulldoze anyone in the Mossad who agreed with Barnea’s opposition to Gofman.

This is also how Gofman is presented in a Maariv report on Monday, where it revealed for the first time that he brought in five outsiders to take over and dominate existing internal Mossad officials.

It is possible that Gofman’s approach may be more aggressive in bringing in outsiders to help him alter aspects of the agency’s trajectory, but The Jerusalem Post understands that each of the above former Mossad chiefs also had their own team of outsiders who they consulted when they took charge.

Possibly, there is a difference in that some past chiefs may have advised with their outsiders outside of the physical office space of the Mossad, and Gofman has brought his advisers in. 

Maariv portrays this also as a potential security risk.

But these outside advisors are persons with strong security backgrounds and Gofman would likely say that his approach just shows that he is being transparent about the involvement of his outside advisers.

All of that though has to do with the personalities themselves.

When it comes down to fateful moves, such as how best to topple the regime running the Islamic Republic of Iran, does Gofman see the challenge differently than Barnea did?

Both Gofman and Barnea in their incoming and outgoing speeches over June 1-2 stated that this was their primary goal and that it was achievable.

What was Barnea’s plan?

On June 4, the Post reported that, stunningly, Israel was prepared to provide the Kurds not only with a no fly zone, but with a continuous aerial firepower envelope to help them advance against any Iranian force which would have tried to assemble to block their path forward.

Weapons which the Kurds received both from the US and the Mossad – many of which were “re-tasked” after the IDF captured the weapons from Hamas in Gaza or from Hezbollah in Lebanon, and training they received from Israelis, made them fully ready to go.

There is a debate as to whether US President Donald Trump was convinced to veto the operation more by some of his own top officials or by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Even within Israel there were officials who doubted that it would work, but Mossad officials close to Barnea said that most of the agencies’ operations require faith, and the knowledge that the spymasters have pulled off a long range of operations which have boggled the imagination.

Israeli sources have accused American officials within the White House, some of whom have called such allegations false, with leaking the plan to Erdogan to help the Turkish president get to Trump in time to stop the operation before it could be rolled out.

The Mossad also had prepared a social media campaign and had already undertaken many actions in conjunction with the IDF to weaken many aspects of the Islamic regime.

Maariv reported on Monday that Gofman views all of these Mossad efforts as having failed and is prepared to transform parts of the agency to take on some new strategies to accomplish the mission.

The Post understands that the Maariv report’s portrayal of Gofman as viewing all of Barnea’s prior work as a failure is oversimplified.

Rather, Gofman may bring new strategies to the table, but may also adopt many existing strategies to marry the mix of ideas together for a global approach to toppling the regime which he is still in the earliest stages of formulating.

To date, foreign reports have mentioned former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as a possible candidate, but no Israeli sources have wanted to discuss the subject, and it is unclear after years out of power whether Ahmadinejad could have led armed regime forces onto the side of the protesters.

While some may want to simplify Gofman as an anti-Barnea because of their public duel before the High Court, the new Mossad chief has moved on from that dispute and would present himself as solely focused on the mission.

He will neither toss out Barnea’s projects where he views them as useful, yet neither will he hold on to any prior project out of any direct sense of loyalty or kinship with Barnea, given that there is none between the two men.  

The Maariv report also seeks to categorize some of the other alterations Gofman may be making in the Mossad’s mission set.

For example, the report stated that Gofman will place a greater emphasis on combating delegitimization.

However, multiple sources have noted that Cohen and Barnea both invested significant resources in combating delegitimization and that Gofman did not think he was reinventing the wheel here, though he may add his own imprint on the efforts.

Further, reports about Gofman canceling existing operations were viewed as exaggerations or building a mountain out of a molehill of a small number of minor issues.

Instead, Gofman’s view is that he is simply carrying out a standard organization-wide review upon entering office, which will eventually include larger changes, and has started with some smaller changes, but not that anything radical has taken place to date.

One sign of this ironically is Gofman’s deputy.

True, Gofman pushed out “A” who Barnea had appointed into the deputy chief role only a few months ago.

But he did not bring an outsider into that role, but rather a different “A” who has also been in the Mossad for around a decade and a half.

Some may object that he was promoted over some who have been around for 5-10 years longer than him, but in the past, Dagan did this with Cohen,

After all of the above, Gofman’s main current wish is to be left out of the media’s crosshairs for a period of months so that he can throw himself into a role which is complex enough on its own, especially as the Trump administration continues to alter the rules of the game.

Still, whether during friendly or less friendly US administrations, the Mossad has always found a way for over 25 years to, whether publicly or covertly, influence key events in Iran, whether it be on the nuclear threat or other issues.