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Biden Campaign Unleashes Trump Derangement Syndrome Patient Robert De Niro Outside New York Courthouse
By Kristina Wong(Breitbart)
=The Biden campaign on Tuesday morning staged a press conference outside of the Manhattan courtroom where closing arguments were set to begin in the business records trial of former President Donald Trump.
Speaking at the press conference were actor Robert DeNiro, and two former Capitol police officers on January 6, Harry Dunn — who is running for Congress, and Michael Fanone.
De Niro unleashed full Trump Derangement Syndrome, claiming that if Trump were elected, he would “never” leave office.
#NOW “You are gangsters, F**k you!”
Robert DeNiro shouting at Trump Supporters who confronted him as he tried to leave the courthouse area.
They chased him to his car where DeNiro’s security had to push them away. pic.twitter.com/Upl0XlpnpS— Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) May 28, 2024
“If he gets in, I can tell you right now, he will never leave! He will never leave! You know that. He will never leave,” DeNiro said, claiming that Trump would make himself “dictator for life.”
“What does that mean? Is that the country we want to live in? Do we want him running this country and saying, ‘I’m not leaving, I’m dictator for life’?” he added.
“I hope this new ad campaign reaches outside the bubble to remind supporters of what a danger he is to our lives. This is not a threat, this is a reality,” he continued.
De Niro also referred to Trump supporters as “clowns” and “gangsters.”
The move smacked of desperation. Trump and dozens of his supporters have essentially hosted daily press conferences outside of the courtroom over the past several weeks, giving them a high-profile platform.
“You all are here. You’ve been incessantly covering this day in and day out,” said Dunn, when asked by reporters why they staged the press conference outside of the courtroom. “And we want to remind the American people ahead of the first debate on June 27 of the unique, persistent threat and growing threat that Donald Trump poses to the American people and toward our democracy.”
Just last week, Trump hosted a campaign rally in the Bronx, reportedly drawing an estimated 25,000 supporters.
The move also smacked of politics. President Joe Biden has reportedly stayed quiet on the trial so as to not give credence to Trump’s accusations of political persecution. Politico reported just Friday that Biden would make a statement when there was a verdict, but from a White House “setting” and not a campaign one, so it would not look “political.”
However, that changed Tuesday morning when the Biden-Harris campaign announced they would hold a press conference outside of the courtroom.
Donald Trump Jr., the former president’s eldest son, posted on X:
In case you needed more evidence that all of these BS cases were quarterbacked by Team Biden to interfere in the 2024 election, the Biden campaign is now showing up in NYC to explicitly cheerlead the political prosecution of my father
Meet the Soros-Linked Biden Donors Trying To Buy TikTok
Alana Goodman(Free Beacon)
A Biden megadonor, a board member of George Soros’s foundation, and a former aide to Bill Clinton are seeking to buy TikTok as part of a “visionary initiative to transform how the Internet works.”
Project Liberty, a “global alliance for responsible technology” founded by billionaire former Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, announced last week that it is working to assemble a group of investors to buy the social media platform from its Chinese parent company ByteDance.
“Project Liberty is organizing a bid to acquire the popular social media platform TikTok in the U.S., with the goal of placing people and data empowerment at the center of the platform’s design and purpose,” the group announced on its website.
But conservative free speech advocates are raising concerns about Project Liberty’s board, which is stacked with left-wing activists, and with McCourt’s history of bankrolling Democratic politicians.
“Every prominent Democrat not named Ro Khanna has now bought into the belief that government and big tech should censor their political opponents,” said Daniel Schneider, the vice president of the Media Research Center’s Free Speech America project.
“[When] you see this horde of Democrats trying to buy TikTok, it’s clear they have the same motivation as George Soros does in buying hundreds of radio stations. They are trying to control information flow to manipulate people and how they vote.”
Project Liberty’s bid could reignite debate over political bias and social media companies. In 2020, Twitter and other platforms were accused of misusing anti-disinformation and anti-hate speech policies to ban conservatives and censor journalism that was unfavorable to Joe Biden’s presidential bid.
Democrats view TikTok as a powerful tool to reach younger voters in their base. The platform—which is used by 60 percent of U.S. adults under the age of 30—is so valuable for political messaging that the Biden campaign and other Democratic politicians have continued to use it despite the controversy over TikTok’s links to the Chinese government.
While Project Liberty has said it wants to “decentralize” social media, its leaders’ political leanings are likely to raise questions.
The group’s founder, McCourt, has given hundreds of thousands of dollars to Democrats, including $100,000 to the Biden Victory Fund in 2020 and $100,000 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 2023, according to Federal Election Commission records. He contributed $35,500 to the Democratic National Committee in 2020, $50,000 to Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign in 2016, and donated to over a dozen state Democratic parties in the last presidential cycle, including Michigan, Florida, and Arizona.
A spokeswoman for McCourt declined to comment about how the group plans to handle issues of political speech and misinformation. “Project Liberty is a non-partisan organization dedicated to building digital infrastructure that protects data and gives people a voice, choice, and stake in a better internet,” his spokeswoman Katie O’Shea told the Free Beacon.
Project Liberty’s board includes Daniel Sachs, the vice chair of Soros’s Open Society Foundations; former Bill Clinton aide Eric Liu; and Jeremy Heimans, a former MoveOn.org employee who went on to found a left-wing activist group called Avaaz.
In 2021, Avaaz lobbied Congress to “investigate Facebook’s role in the insurrection,” arguing that the social media site should have done more to ban pro-Trump “misinformation” ahead of the 2020 election.
Project Liberty’s president, Tomicah Tillemann, is a former speechwriter for Hillary Clinton and worked under Biden when he was on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
McCourt founded Project Liberty in 2021 with the stated goal of decentralizing social media and giving users more control over their own data. The group’s website says it is “committed to building a better internet—where the data is ours to manage, the platforms are ours to govern, and the power is ours to reclaim.”
Congress passed a law last month requiring TikTok’s Chinese-owned parent company, ByteDance, to sell the platform by next January or face commercial restrictions in the United States.
McCourt, who made his money in real estate development, isn’t the only politically connected investor eyeing TikTok. Donald Trump’s former Treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin also said he was working to organize a bid in March.
McCourt’s ex-wife is Jamie McCourt, a Republican who served as Trump’s former ambassador to France. Their marriage ended in a highly combative divorce in 2011.
Spain recognizes Palestinian state with capital in eastern Jerusalem
By Troy Osher Fritzhand, JNS
Spain on Tuesday officially recognized a “State of Palestine” within the 1967 lines, with eastern Jerusalem as its capital and including the Gaza Strip.
“With this decision, Spain joins the more than 140 countries that already recognize Palestine,” said Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez at an event marking the announcement.
“This is a historic decision, that has a single goal: To contribute to achieving peace between Israelis and [Palestinians],” he said.
Spain’s recognition was a matter not only of “historical justice,” but also “an imperative need to achieve peace,” he continued.
“It is the only way to realize the solution that we all recognize as the only possible one to achieve a future of peace. That of a [Palestinian] state that coexists alongside the State of Israel, in peace and security,” he said.
For the Palestinian state to be viable, he continued, Judea, Samaria and Gaza Strip must be connected via a corridor, eastern Jerusalem must be its capital and it must be unified under the “legitimate government” of the Palestinian Authority.
The move, he added, was not against Israel but against Hamas.
“This decision reflects our absolute rejection of Hamas, a terrorist organization who is against the two-state solution,” he said.
ISRAEL’S UN AMBASSADOR SAYS ORGANIZATION’S ‘DAYS ARE NUMBERED’
Immediately following the speech, Foreign Minister Israel Katz posted a photo on X showing the Israeli and Spanish flags intertwined, writing in Spanish, “The Israeli people and the Spanish people are friendly people. We will not allow you…[or] the members of your government to separate us.”
Katz accused Sánchez in a separate post of being complicit in murder and war crimes against Jews.
“Khamenei @khamenei_ir, Sinwar and Deputy Prime Minister of Spain @Yolanda_Diaz_ call for the elimination of the State of Israel and the establishment of a Palestinian Islamic terrorist state from the river to the sea. Prime Minister Sanchez @sanchezcastejon, when you do not fire your deputy and announce the recognition of a Palestinian state—you are complicit in inciting murder of the Jewish people and war crimes,” he tweeted.
The back and forth between the two countries has been constant since Madrid last week announced its intention to recognize a Palestinian state, along with Norway and Ireland.
On Sunday, Katz tagged President Sánchez on X in a video with traditional Spanish music in the background alongside videos of Hamas’s brutality on Oct. 7. He wrote, “@sanchezcastejon, Hamas thanks you for your service.”
Katz also said that the decision was “a gold medal to Hamas terrorists who kidnapped our daughters and burned infants.”
In response, Spain’s Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares called the video “scandalous and disgusting,” adding, “we will not fall for these provocations.”
Katz then followed up on Monday by sending a letter to Spanish authorities forbidding their country’s consulate in Jerusalem from providing services to residents of the Palestinian Authority.
“As of 1 June 2024, the Consulate General of Spain in Jerusalem may provide consular services strictly to residents of the consular district of Jerusalem,” the letter states.
“The Consulate General, or anyone on its behalf, may not provide services to residents of the Palestinian Authority, nor may it perform any consular or other functions outside the district of Jerusalem, without prior written consent from the Ministry.”
The policy does not apply to consular services for Spanish citizens in Judea and Samaria.
“If this policy is not respected, the Ministry will not hesitate to take further actions,” the letter added.
Norway and Ireland are set to also officially recognize a Palestinian state on Tuesday.
On Sunday, Norway’s foreign minister met with the Palestinian Authority prime minister in Brussels, where he handed over diplomatic papers affirming this.
“Recognition means a lot to us. It is the most important thing that anybody can do for the Palestinian people. It is a great deal for us,” P.A. Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa told Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide.
Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said on Sunday that, “There cannot be peace in the Middle East if there is no recognition. The terror has been committed by Hamas and militant groups who are not supporters of a two-state solution and the State of Israel.”
WATCH: HAMAS TERRORISTS FIRE AT GAZANS FROM ON TOP OF STOLEN AID TRUCKS
Ireland, a constant critic of Israel, said on Monday that the European Union could also seek sanctions against Israel.
“For the first time at an E.U. meeting, in a real way, I’ve seen significant discussion on sanctions and ‘what if,’” said Ireland’s Foreign Minister Micheál Martin.
However, he continued, there is “some distance between people articulating the need for a sanctions-based approach if Israel does not comply with the ICJ’s ruling…to agreement in the Council meeting, given all of the different perspectives there.”
International humanitarian law and human rights “is the raison d’etre of the European Union, and events now are really putting that issue into sharp focus, particularly given the attack last night when so many innocent people were killed,” said Martin.
On Sunday night, an Israeli strike on two senior Hamas terrorists near Rafah resulted in the deaths of tens of Palestinian civilians. According to ABC News, Israel told U.S. officials the incident was apparently caused by missile shrapnel igniting a fuel tank some 330 feet from the targeted area.
The targets of the strike were named as Yassin Rabia, head of Hamas’s Judea and Samaria headquarters, and Khaled Nagar, a senior official in the terrorist group’s Judea and Samaria wing.
The IDF spokesperson said earlier that the strike, based on intelligence and executed using precision weaponry, was carried out in accordance with international law.
Protesters at Hebrew U call to ‘expel the occupier’
Around 100 students participated in an anti-Israel protest at the Hebrew University’s Mount Scopus campus in Jerusalem on Tuesday, waving PLO flags and chanting inflammatory slogans, according to Hebrew media reports.
Kan News shared video of the demonstration to its X account, quoting some of the slogans being chanted, such as “there is no solution but to expel the occupier” and “Al Aqsa has been redeemed in spirit and blood.”
The students were protesting against “the ongoing genocide in Gaza,” calling it “the first of additional protest steps planned against the ongoing massacre,” according to Ynet.
The protest was organized by students from the Hadash faction, a far left-wing Arab-Israeli political party.
The pro-Israel Im Tirtzu movement held a counter-protest, with students waving Israeli flags and singing the national anthem, “Hatikvah.”
The Hadash protest drew strong condemnation from Yisrael Beiteinu party head MK Avigdor Liberman and other political leaders.
“It is inconceivable that the Hebrew University allows a disgraceful demonstration of terror supporters, waving Palestinian flags in the heart of the university campus while our heroic soldiers are fighting on the battlefield,” said Liberman.
He called on the university’s leadership to “immediately suspend” the protesters, threatening to “take all the steps available to us in the Knesset to delay all their budgets” if they refuse to do so.
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also condemned the protest.
“There will be zero tolerance for lawlessness on my watch,” he wrote, praising police for dispersing the protest.
Ben-Gvir criticized the university for not allowing police in sooner, and called on Education Minister Yoav Kish and the university’s administration to crack down on illegal activities on campus.
National Union of Students chairman Elchanan Pellaheimer said that the incident was evidence of “unimaginable neglect” at the university. He called for new legislation and sanctions against “inciters of terror,” adding, “We call on all relevant parties, first and foremost the members of the Knesset, to join our struggle against terror in academia.”
Trump says he will deport anti-Israel protesters if elected
(JNS) U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump told Jewish donors earlier this month that if elected in November, he would deport anti-Israel protesters on university campuses and defeat the “radical revolution” he said these demonstrations affiliated with.
According to Monday’s Washington Post account of the private fundraiser held in New York on May 14, quoting anonymous participants, the former president also affirmed Israel’s right to continue “its war on terror” while listing his achievements for Israel during his term in office.
Concerning the anti-Israel demonstrations and encampments roiling U.S. college campuses in the months since the Hamas-led terrorist attacks on Oct. 7, Trump said he would expel foreign students who participate in the protests.
“One thing I do is, any student that protests, I throw them out of the country. You know, there are a lot of foreign students. As soon as they hear that, they’re going to behave,” he reportedly said.
Trump also praised the New York City Police Department for clearing out the encampment at Columbia University, saying that other cities need to do the same: “It has to be stopped now,” he emphasized.
“Well, if you get me elected, and you should really be doing this, if you get me reelected, we’re going to set that movement back 25 or 30 years,” he said, according to donors at the event.
During the meeting, Trump said that he supported Israel’s right to continue its war to defeat Hamas in Gaza.
“But I’m one of the only people that says that now. And a lot of people don’t even know what Oct. 7 is,” he added.
The former president ticked off his accomplishments in the White House, including moving the U.S. embassy to the capital of Jerusalem and recognizing the Golan Heights as part of Israel.
He also warned that “Israel is losing its power” in Washington and specifically on Capitol Hill, calling it “incredible” and arguing that Israel needs his help.
Trump also repeated his frustration at the fact that the majority of Jewish Americans vote for Democrats, including the current president, Joe Biden, who beat Trump in the last election.
“But how can a Jewish person vote for a Democrat, and Biden in particular—but forget Biden. They always let you down,” he said.
Karoline Leavitt, the campaign’s national press secretary, wrote to the Post in an email: “When President Trump is back in the Oval Office, Israel will once again be protected, Iran will go back to being broke, terrorists will be hunted down, and the bloodshed will end.”
IDF source: Rafah fire may have been caused by Hamas munitions
(JNS) The Israeli military is investigating the possibility that the deadly fire that broke out in Rafah on Sunday night following an Israeli airstrike may have been caused by the secondary detonation of Hamas munitions, a military official said on Tuesday.
Lastly, the IDF released an audio conversation between two Gaza describing the Rafah attack. pic.twitter.com/ip1AuARTdJ
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) May 28, 2024
Two of the smallest type of munition that can be loaded onto fighter jets, each carrying 17 kilograms (37.5 pounds) of explosives, were used in the strike, the official said. This type of munition has been used hundreds of times by the IAF over the course of the war, he added.
“We are looking into the possibility that weapons stored in the compound next to our target may have ignited the fire,” the official said.
“It should be noted Hamas has been operating from this area since October 7,” he added, noting that a Hamas rocket launcher was located 47 meters away from the compound targeted on Sunday night.
The attack, which targeted a structure in Tal as-Sultan in northwest Rafah, was based on intelligence indicating the presence there of Yassin Rabia, the commander of leadership in Judea and Samaria, and Khaled Nagar, a senior official in Hamas’s Judea and Samaria headquarters.
The military official emphasized on Tuesday that the strike occurred 1.5 kilometers away from the humanitarian evacuation zone established by the IDF.
Rabia managed the whole of Hamas’s terror activity in Judea and Samaria, transferring funds and planning attacks, as well as conducting attacks himself in 2001 and 2002 that killed IDF soldiers.
Nagar directed shootings and other attacks which led to the deaths of several Israeli civilians and soldiers, according to the military. Both were released in the 2011 Shalit prisoner exchange deal and were planning further attacks, the official added.
The IDF was also assessing footage of Sunday’s strike ostensibly captured by Gaza residents and posted to social media that “appears to show secondary explosions,” the official said.
The military also has intelligence reinforcing the suspicion that Hamas weapons were stored nearby and caught fire after the strike, he added.
The source stressed that the possibility that secondary explosions caused the fire remains a working assumption at this point and the investigation into the matter is ongoing.
The investigation is being conducted by the IDF General Staff fact-finding mechanism, which according to the military is an independent professional body.
However, he said that the weapon used in the strike was not capable of causing a fire of this kind, adding that the IDF has much experience in deploying this type of munition.
“Our war is against Hamas. It’s not against the people of Gaza,” said the official.
“This is a very tragic incident that occurred. We have to understand why it occurred. And we have to understand how we prevent this kind of incident from [occurring again],” he said.
On Tuesday afternoon, IDF Spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari told reporters that “our munition alone could not have ignited a fire this size … We used the smallest munition that our jets can use.”
“The fire that broke out was unexpected and unintended. This was a devastating incident that we did not expect. We’re investigating what caused this fire,” Hagari said, stressing that the strike targeted a “closed” terrorist structure almost a mile from the Al-Mawasi Humanitarian zone.
The military spokesman continued, “There may have been weapons in the area. Our signals intelligence intercepted phone calls reinforcing this possibility that weapons stored in a nearby compound caught fire.”
He assured that the “investigation will be swift, comprehensive and transparent. Our war is against Hamas, not the people of Gaza. This is why we convey deep sorrow over this loss of life.”
64% of Israelis oppose Palestinian state in return for Saudi peace deal
According to a survey conducted by the Jerusalem Center for Foreign Affairs (JCFA), 64% of Israelis said they were opposed to the establishment of a Palestinian State as part of an agreement to normalize relations with Saudi Arabia.
The full report will be unveiled at the 13th Annual Jerusalem Post Conference in New York next week.
Negotiations to establish diplomatic and economic ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia were progressing before Hamas’s invasion of Israel on October 7th.
However, the Saudis indicated that the establishment of a Palestinian State was a condition for normalization.
During the war, there has been some indication that talks could resume.
However, recently, Riyadh expressed concerns over Jerusalem’s unwillingness to consider a two-state solution, and there is evidence that the Israeli public has cooled on the notion since the beginning of the war.
Although there is still a significant disparity in how a Palestinian State is viewed by Israelis of different political persuasions, the survey indicated that more Israelis since October 7th are opposed to the notion.
A third of Israelis who thought, before October 7th, that a Palestinian State could be viable under certain conditions now oppose it entirely.
Among Israelis aged 60 and above, support for a demilitarized Palestinian state fell from 44% to 32%. Among those with academic degrees, the number fell from 29% to 20%, and among Israelis with higher incomes, support for a Palestinian State dropped from 33% to 20%.
Younger Israelis–70% of those between 18 and 29 — oppose a Palestinian state. Traditional, religious, and ultra-orthodox are against Palestinian statehood at a rate of 74%, 88%, and 91%, respectively, and 54% of secular Israelis are against it.
The Biden Administration has urged Israel to accept a scenario in which the Palestinian Authority would govern Gaza after the war.
However, Dr. Dan Diker, president of the JCPA, said, “The Israeli government and Knesset have rejected the idea of a Palestinian state as a solution, especially as a reward for Palestinian terror or as a post-Hamas solution.”
He added, “Public opinion polls now reflect the Israeli public’s understanding of the issue’s significance after October 7.”
Given the Biden administration’s policy, it is crucial to convey this message to both Israel’s elected officials and decision-makers in the White House,” Diker concluded.
Nikki Haley in Israel: Oct 7th Could “Absolutely Happen in America Too”
Nikki Haley in Israel: Oct 7th Could “Absolutely Happen in America Too”
Edited by: Fern Sidman
On a visit on Monday to the ravaged communities in Israel following the October 7 massacre, former US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley unequivocally pointed fingers at Iran, Russia, and China for their alleged roles in the catastrophic attack executed by Hamas, according to a report that appeared on Monday in the Times of Israel. Speaking at the remains of the Sderot police station alongside Likud MK and former UN envoy Danny Danon, Haley’s statements sparked a flurry of debate and concern regarding the broader geopolitical entanglements and their implications.
Haley’s claims were direct and alarming: she contended that the attack was orchestrated by Iran, supported by Russian intelligence, and financed by Chinese money. Her assertion, “if we are arrogant enough,” such an attack “could absolutely happen in America too,” was a stark warning meant to shine a spotlight on the very real threat posed by these nations, as was reported by the TOI. Haley argued that China’s ongoing financial support to Iran facilitated the latter’s role in training Hamas operatives, while Russian intelligence allegedly provided crucial information to aid the assault.
While Haley’s accusations are severe, it’s essential to recognize the current geopolitical stances and actions of the implicated countries. To date, there is no publicly available evidence linking Russia or China directly to the planning or execution of the October 7 attack. The information contained in the TOI report indicated that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s administration has indeed been vocally critical of Israel’s actions in Gaza and has hosted Hamas officials, calling for a ceasefire through a UN Security Council resolution that notably did not mention Hamas.
China, on the other hand, has shown a strategic inclination to foster stronger ties with Arab nations. Beijing’s announcement to host Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and other Arab leaders to articulate a unified stance on the Palestinian issue further exemplifies China’s diplomatic maneuvers to assert its influence in the region, as was observed in the TOI report.
Iran’s support for terrorist groups, including Hamas, is well-documented. The Iranian regime has been a longstanding patron of various proxy groups throughout the Middle East, providing financial support, training, and weaponry, the TOI report said. Iran’s strategic objective has often been to destabilize rivals and extend its influence through asymmetric warfare. The link between Iran and Hamas fits within this broader pattern of Iranian foreign policy.
Danon confirmed Iranian involvement but was cautious about definitively linking Russia and China to the attack. “We have to look very carefully [at] who trained the Hamas terrorists. We have evidence about Iranian involvement,” he told the TOI. When pressed for credible information linking Moscow and Beijing to the attack, Danon noted, “No, we have to look at the rockets and missiles that they were using. Definitely, they came from Russia and China. You have to look deeply who brought it and who gave it to them.”
This trip to Israel which was organized by Danon, came at a time when Haley’s name is being floated as a possible vice-presidential candidate for Donald Trump, despite Trump’s public dismissal of the notion. Noted in the TOI report was that Haley’s visit to the war-torn regions of southern Israel served both to solidify her foreign policy credentials and to demonstrate her unwavering support for Israel—a key factor for many Republican voters.
Haley’s participation in the Republican primary, where she was a contender against Trump, has kept her in the political limelight. The report in the TOI added that visiting Israel, a country that holds substantial symbolic and strategic importance for many American politicians, is a common move for those looking to bolster their foreign policy experience and credentials.
Despite the conjecture, Haley has stated that Trump has explicitly communicated she will not be his running mate. Yet, the TOI also reported that Trump himself has indicated that he envisions a role for Haley within his team, reflecting the ambiguous but strategic nature of her political positioning.
MK Danny Danon, who served concurrently with Haley at the United Nations, organized her visit. He has been active in bringing international attention to the southern regions of Israel that have suffered significantly since the October 7 massacre. The TOI report pointed out that Haley’s tour included stops at Kibbutz Nir Oz and the Nova festival site in Re’im, key locations impacted by the violence. These visits allowed her to engage directly with survivors and local residents, offering a platform to express solidarity and empathy while reinforcing her image as a staunch supporter of Israel.
Throughout her visit, Haley made several pointed remarks that reflect her political ethos and the broader ideological stance she aims to project. Emphasizing her support for Trump, Haley articulated a vision of American leadership characterized by unwavering support for allies and a firm stance against adversaries.
“I want to know that we’re going to have the backs of our allies and hold our enemies to account. I want to know that we’re going to protect freedom at all costs. We’re going to protect capitalism at all costs,” she stated in Sderot, according to the report in the TOI. Haley’s remarks displayed a commitment to a strong bilateral relationship between the United States and Israel, framed within a broader agenda of promoting freedom and capitalism.
Haley’s narrative positions her support for Trump as aligned with the ideals of a “strong America” and a “strong Israel,” the report added. This messaging is designed to resonate with Republican voters who prioritize national strength, security, and the protection of economic principles.
While in Israel, Haley also articulated strong criticisms of President Biden’s Middle East policies, despite her initial statement of restraint. The TOI report affirmed that Haley’s remarks were particularly focused on the current conflict in Gaza and its implications for US domestic security, calling attention to her broader political and strategic objectives.
Haley did not mince words when addressing President Biden’s approach to the Middle East. She argued that the administration’s reluctance to provide unequivocal military support to Israel could undermine the country’s security. “The sure way to not help Israel is to withhold weapons,” Haley asserted, according to the TOI report. Her remarks emphasized that robust military aid is crucial for Israel’s defense against hostile entities.
Haley extended her critique by linking the conflict in Gaza to domestic US issues, particularly immigration and border security. She warned that the threats faced by Israel could easily extend to the United States if similar vulnerabilities are not addressed. “If you think this will only be in Israel, if we are arrogant enough, this could absolutely happen in America too and this is the moral of this story,” she stated, the TOI report said.
“First of all, an American president should do everything in his power to make sure that that border is secure,” she said, as was noted in the TOI report. Haley used the example of Hamas using bombs to breach the Gaza border fence to underscore her point, contrasting it with the US’s perceived leniency in border enforcement. “We’re not even requiring them to [use] bombs. We’re just saying: ‘Come on in. Go wherever you want,’” she argued.
Knesset to vote on bill designating UNRWA a terror group, another stripping its immunitie
( JNS) Israel’s Knesset is set to hold a preliminary vote on Wednesday on two bills targeting the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) over its ties to terrorism.
One of the bills, proposed by Knesset member Yulia Malinovsky (Yisrael Beiteinu), seeks to define the agency as terrorist organization and cut all official ties with it, while the other, tabled by MK Dan Illouz (Likud) seeks to strip UNRWA of various immunities it currently enjoys.
Back in February, legislation that would prohibit UNRWA from operating on Israeli state-owned land passed a preliminary reading in the Knesset, 33-10.
Malinovsky’s bill “will allow for a complete dissociation from the agency—no cooperation, no trade, nothing,” she told JNS.
“For years this organization has been cooperating with Hamas, and on October 7 even actively participated in the murder, kidnapping and rape of Israeli citizens,” she said.
“I expect every Knesset member who has integrity to vote in favor of this bill and do justice to the murdered, the injured, the kidnapped and all the citizens of Israel,” she added.
In February, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told journalists that 30 UNRWA employees participated in Hamas’s Oct. 7 terror attack on Israel, and that 1,468 of the agency’s 13,000 staff members in Gaza were members of Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad. He also shared the names and photos of 12 UNRWA employees Israel had accused in January of taking part in the massacre.
Also in January, a comprehensive report published by U.N. Watch documented a Telegram group for UNRWA teachers in Gaza in which many glorified the massacre and advocated the execution of Israeli hostages.
“This is the motherlode of UNRWA teachers’ incitement to jihadi terrorism,” said U.N. Watch Executive Director Hillel Neuer at the time.
Illouz, whose bill seeks to strip UNRWA of immunities it enjoys with regard to taxation, lawsuits and more, told JNS that the agency “is not and cannot be part of the solution” in the Gaza Strip.
“UNRWA workers took an active role in the October 7 massacre. They assisted in the heinous attack,” he said. “To make matters worse the organization has for years been a catalyst in perpetuating the conflict and depriving the Palestinian people of a nonviolent future. They are no longer a welcome entity and we will replace them with bodies that will actually carry out the humanitarian mission,” he added.
In December, it was reported that Israel’s Foreign Ministry had put together a classified report calling for the removal of UNRWA from the Gaza Strip.
The report’s recommendations set out a three-stage process for shrinking and eventually eliminating the agency: 1) Prepare a case detailing UNRWA’s cooperation with Hamas; 2) Reduce UNRWA’s field of activity and find replacement service providers; and 3) Transfer UNRWA’s responsibilities to another entity.
The refugee agency has pushed back against claims it engages in or encourages terrorism.
“Part of this campaign involves inundating donors with misinformation designed to foster distrust and tarnish the reputation of the agency,” said UNRWA head Phillipe Lazzarini in March. The agency is facing a “deliberate and concerted campaign” to undermine its operations, he added.
MSNBC Legal Analyst Says Bragg Team Should ‘Worry’ That Having Lawyers On Trump Jury Could Lead To Acquittal
(DCNF) Former Department of Justice spokesman Anthony Coley said prosecutors should be concerned that the presence of two lawyers on former President Donald Trump’s jury could contribute to an acquittal.
The panel of 12 jurors includes a young corporate law attorney and a civil litigation attorney in the trial pertaining to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s allegations Trump falsified business documents to conceal a payment to porn star Stormy Daniels. Coley on “Jonathan Lemire Reports” said the lawyers on the jury may overthink the case and have an outsized influence on other jurors, which could hurt the prosecution.
“I think what I would worry about if I’m on the prosecution case, and I say this tongue in cheek, because I ran communications at arguably the largest law firm in the world, the U.S. Justice Department, I do worry that there are lawyers on this jury, not one but two lawyers,” Coley said. “And by my own experience, lawyers can sometimes be overly analytical. They can be hyper technical. I worry that the nonlawyers on this jury may rely on the lawyers who, quite frankly, don’t have expertise in this area of the law.”
Bragg’s star witness was Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen, who legal analysts said faced serious credibility issues while testifying, including admitting he stole from his previous boss. Coley said the defense’s strategy will be to target Cohen.
“I think their strategy can really be summed up in four words,” Coley said. “Don’t believe Michael Cohen. And what we saw in four days of meandering testimony and cross-examination towards the end of this trial, we saw them take a couple hits at Michael Cohen’s credibility. We now know, for example, that in addition to being a convicted felon and a liar, we know that Michael Cohen by his own admission is a thief. So I expect to see defense attorneys return to those schematics.”
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‘Regrettable’ ICJ made Israel work on Shabbos, court’s VP writes in dissent
(JNS) South Africa failed to present substantially new facts on the ground in Rafah, the International Court of Justice shouldn’t “micromanage” Israel’s military operations, the Jewish state has been increasing aid flow into Gaza and the United Nations high court hasn’t previously required a sovereign state to allow outside observers in during a war.
Those were several of the objects that Julia Sebutinde, vice president of the ICJ—the principal United Nations judicial arm located in The Hague—raised in her dissenting opinion on Friday.
“Israel’s ongoing military operations in Rafah are part of the broader conflict initiated by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israeli territory, killing citizens and abducting others,” wrote Sebutinde, of Uganda. “To maintain its judicial integrity, the court must avoid reacting to every shift in the conflict and refrain from micromanaging the hostilities in the Gaza Strip, including Rafah.”
Sebutinde noted that South Africa had “invited” the court to modify its rulings on Israel for the fourth time since December—on Dec. 29, Feb. 12, March 6 and May 10.
“Once again, South Africa has invited the court to micromanage the conduct of hostilities between Israel and Hamas. Such hostilities are exclusively governed by the laws of war (international humanitarian law) and international human rights law, areas where the court lacks jurisdiction in this case,” she wrote.
She also noted that the court invited misunderstandings when it ordered Israel on Friday to “halt its military offensive … in the Rafah governorate.”
That phrasing “is susceptible to ambiguity and could be misunderstood or misconstrued as ordering an indefinite, unilateral ceasefire, thereby exemplifying an untenable overreach on the part of the court,” the ICJ vice president wrote.
“In my understanding, the objective of the court is to order Israel to suspend its military offensive in Rafah only insofar as such suspension is necessary to prevent the bringing about of conditions of life that could bring about the destruction of the Palestinians in Gaza,” she added.
“This directive, which could be erroneously misunderstood as mandating a unilateral ceasefire in part of Gaza, amounts to micromanaging the hostilities in Gaza by restricting Israel’s ability to pursue its legitimate military objectives, while leaving its enemies, including Hamas, free to attack without Israel being able to respond,” Sebutinde wrote.
“This measure also implicitly orders Israel to disregard the safety and security of the over 100 hostages still held by Hamas, a terrorist organization that has refused to release them unconditionally,” she added.
“I firmly believe that Israel has the right to defend itself against its enemies, including Hamas, and to continue efforts to rescue its missing hostages,” she added. “These rights are not incompatible with its obligations under the Genocide Convention. Israel can continue pursuing its legitimate aims of combating Hamas and rescuing its hostages, provided it respects its obligations under the Genocide Convention and the provisional measures indicated by the court.”
Sebutinde also took South Africa to task for failing to mention—as context to Israel’s operations in Rafah—that Hamas, Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and the Houthis have been regularly attacking the Jewish state, and that Iran launched a direct attack on Israel.
“These threats collectively pose a significant risk to the safety, security and welfare of Israel and its citizens,” she wrote. “While the international community is rightfully concerned about the safety and security of the displaced Palestinian civilians in Gaza, it is equally important to recognize that Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hamas and Hezbollah has resulted in the displacement of 60,000 Israelis from their homes in southern Israel and another 60,000 in northern Israel.”
Israel has increased aid, including medical care, in the Gaza Strip since the court’s order, according to Sebutinde, who noted that Israel also warns Palestinian civilians to leave areas ahead of attacks.
“Such actions are inconsistent with the intent to destroy the group in question,” she wrote. “Israel has also acted to make infrastructure available at shelter sites and has facilitated the supply of shelter equipment into Gaza.”
“To be sure, the efforts taken by Israel thus far have not entirely alleviated the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip,” she added. “War inevitably, and tragically, affects the lives of civilians. But this does not make Israel’s war against Hamas inherently illegitimate or unlawful and nor does it transform it into an act of genocide.”
Sebutinde noted that she voted against the court’s requirement that Israel “maintain open the Rafah crossing for unhindered provision at scale of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance,” because the court had already stated sufficiently “robust” requirements in prior orders and since Egypt controls part of the crossing.
“There have also been reports that Egypt has prevented the movement of aid trucks from Egypt towards Kerem Shalom,” she wrote. “Without Egypt’s co-operation, Israel alone cannot ‘maintain open the Rafah crossing’ which would render the court’s current order, which is directed at Israel but not Egypt, impracticable.”
Sebutinde wrote that she dissented from the court’s requirement that Israel allow fact-finding missions to enter Gaza. There is no evidence that Israel is destroying evidence, she said.
“There may also be legitimate security reasons behind preventing the access of certain individuals into Gaza during an active conflict, given that their safety could not be guaranteed,” she wrote. “Furthermore, the court has never imposed an obligation upon a sovereign state to admit third-party observers onto its territory.”
She also voted against the ICJ requiring Israel to file “yet again one more report.”
“In view of the number of reports that the court has already ordered Israel to file, this measure could be seen as another effort by the court to enforce the implementation of its existing orders, which is a power it does not possess,” she wrote.
“Finally, I find it necessary to note my serious concerns regarding the manner in which South Africa’s request and incidental oral hearings were managed by the court, resulting in Israel not having sufficient time to file its written observations on the request,” she added.
“In my view, the court should have consented to Israel’s request to postpone the oral hearings to the following week to allow for Israel to have sufficient time to fully respond to South Africa’s request and engage counsel,” Sebutinde wrote. “Regrettably, as a result of the exceptionally abbreviated time-frame for the hearings, Israel could not be represented by its chosen counsel, who were unavailable on the dates scheduled by the court.”
“It is also regrettable that Israel was required to respond to a question posed by a member of the court over the Jewish Sabbath,” she added. “The court’s decisions in this respect bear upon the procedural equality between the parties and the good administration of justice by the court.”
Major Retailers Are Offering Summer Deals to Entice Inflation-Weary Shoppers
(AP) — Americans who spent Memorial Day scouting sales online and in stores found more reasons to celebrate the return of warmer weather. Major retailers are stepping up discounts heading into the summer months, hoping to entice inflation-weary shoppers into
Target, Walmart and other chains have rolled out price cuts — some permanent, others temporary — with the stated aim of giving their customers some relief. The reductions, which mostly involve groceries, are getting introduced as inflation showed its first sign of easing this year but not enough for consumers who are struggling to pay for basic necessities as well as rent and car insurance.
The latest quarterly earnings reported by Walmart, Macy’s and Ralph Lauren underscored that consumers have not stopped spending. But multiple CE0s, including the heads of McDonald’s, Starbucks and home improvement retailer Home Depot, have observed that people are becoming more price-conscious and choosy. They’re delaying purchases, focusing on store brands compared to typically more expensive national brands, and looking for deals.
“Retailers recognize that unless they pull out some stops on pricing, they are going to have difficulty holding on to the customers they got,” Neil Saunders, managing director of consulting and data analysis firm GlobalData, said. “The consumer really has had enough of inflation, and they’re starting to take action in terms of where they shop, how they shop, the amount they buy.”
While discounts are an everyday tool in retail, Saunders said these aggressive price cuts that cover thousands of items announced by a number of retailers represent a “major shift” in recent strategy. He noted most companies talked about price increases in the past two or three years, and the cut mark the first big “price war” since before inflation started taking hold.
WHERE CAN SHOPPERS FIND LOWER PRICES?
Higher-income shoppers looking to save money have helped Walmart maintain strong sales in recent quarters. But earlier this month, the nation’s largest retailer expanded its price rollbacks — temporary discounts that can last a few months — to nearly 7,000 grocery items, a 45% increase. Items include a 28-ounce can of Bush’s baked beans marked down to $2.22, from $2.48, and a 24-pack of 12-ounce Diet Coke priced at $12.78 from $14.28.
Company executives said the Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer is seeing more people eating at home versus eating out. Walmart believes its discounts will help the business over the remainder of the year.
“We’re going to lead on price, and we’re going to manage our (profit) margins, and we’re going to be the Walmart that we’ve always been,” CEO Doug McMillon told analysts earlier this month.
Not to be outdone by its closest competitor, Target last week cut prices on 1,500 items and said it planned to make price cuts on another 3,500 this summer. The initiative primarily applies to food, beverage and essential household items. For example, Clorox scented wipes that previously cost $5.79 are on shelves for $4.99. Huggies Baby Wipes, which were priced at $1.19, now cost 99 cents.
Low-cost supermarket chain Aldi said earlier this month that it was cutting prices on 250 products, including favorites for barbecues and picnics, as part of a promotion set to last through Labor Day.
McDonald’s plans to introduce a limited-time $5 meal deal in the U.S. next month to counter slowing sales and customers’ frustration with high prices.
Arko Corp., a large operator of convenience stores in rural areas and small towns, is launching its most aggressive deals in terms of their depth in roughly 20 years for both members of its free loyalty program and other customers, according to Arie Kotler, the company’s chairman, president and CEO. For example, members of Arko’s free loyalty program who buy two 12-packs of Pepsi beverages get a free pizza. The promotions kicked off May 15 and are due to end Sept. 3.
Kotler said he focused on essential items that people use to feed their families after observing that the cumulative effects of higher gas prices and inflation in other areas had customers hold back compared to a year ago.
“Over the past two quarters, we have seen the trend of consumers cutting back, consumers coming less often, and consumers reducing their purchases,” he said.
In the non-food category, crafts chain Michaels last month reduced prices of frequently purchased items like paint, markers and artist canvases. The price reductions ranged from 15% to up to 40%. Michaels said the cuts are intended to be permanent.
DO THESE CUTS BRING PRICES BACK TO PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS?
Many retailers said their goal was to offer some relief for shoppers. But Michaels said its new discounts brought prices for some things down to where they were in 2019.
“Our intention with these cuts is to ensure we’re delivering value to the customer,” The Michaels Companies said. ”We see it as an investment in customer loyalty more than anything else.”
Target said it was difficult to compare what its price-reduced products cost now to a specific time frame since inflation levels are different for each item and the reductions varied by item.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics, which tracks consumer prices, said the average price of a two-liter bottle of soda in April was $2.27. That compares with $1.53 in the same month five years ago. A pound of white bread cost an average of $2 last month but $1.29 in April 2019. One pound of ground chuck that averaged $5.28 in April cost $3.91 five years ago.
WHY ARE COMPANIES CUTTING PRICES ON SOME ITEMS?
U.S. consumer confidence deteriorated for the third straight month in April as Americans continued to fret about their short-term financial futures, according to the latest report released late last month from the Conference Board, a business research group.
With shoppers focusing more on bargains, particularly online, retailers are trying to get customers back to their stores. Target this month posted its fourth consecutive quarterly decline in comparable sales — those from stores or digital channels operating at least 12 months.
In fact, the share of online sales for the cheapest items across many categories, including clothing, groceries, personal care and appliances, increased from April 2019 to the same month this year, according to Adobe Analytics, which covers more than 1 trillion visits to U.S. retail sites.
For example, the market share for the cheapest groceries went from 38% in April 2019 to 48% last month, while the share for the most expensive groceries went down from 22% to 9% over the same time period, according to Adobe.
HOW ARE RETAILERS FUNDING PRICE CUTS?
GlobalData’s Saunders said he thinks companies are subsidizing price cuts with a variety of methods — at the expense of profits, at the cost of suppliers and vendors, or by reducing expenses. Some retailers may be using a combination of all three, he said.
Saunders doesn’t think retailers are raising prices on other items to make up for the ones they lowered since doing that would bring a backlash from customers.
Target declined to disclose details but said its summer price promotion was incorporated into the company’s projected profit range, which falls below analysts’ expectations at the low end.
GPM Investments, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of ARKO Corp. said its suppliers are funding the convenience store promotions.
Media Matters Fires a Dozen Staffers Amidst Federal Probe and Lawsuit
The left-wing media outlet Media Matters has fired at least a dozen of its staffers as the company currently faces immense pressure from a federal investigation and a lawsuit by Elon Musk, the CEO of X.
As reported by the Daily Caller, several ex-staffers announced their terminations on social media after the decision was made. Media Matters is currently being investigated by Attorneys General Ken Paxton of Texas and Andrew Bailey of Missouri, over allegations of fraud by manipulation of data on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter.
In addition, X CEO Elon Musk, who purchased the company in 2022, filed a defamation lawsuit against the outlet in a federal court in November. The suit stems from Media Matters’ creation of fake images claiming to show advertisements from big corporations appearing next to posts by alleged “White supremacists.”
“Bad News: I’ve been laid off from @mmfa, along with a dozen colleagues,” said ex-staffer Kat Abughazaleh. “There’s a reason far-right billionaires attack Media Matters with armies of lawyers: They know how effective our work is, and it terrifies them (him).”
“Got laid off, [let me know] who wants research done,” said ex-employee Brendan Karet on X. “On the plus side, no more listening to the dumbest dogshit on earth everyday.”
Media Matters is known for a far-left slant, despite claiming to be non-partisan. It is one of several major left-wing internet-based publications that has taken a massive hit to its credibility and its finances in recent years. Another far-left internet outlet, NowThis, fired half of its editorial team in February, in what the company claimed was a “broader initiative to realign our resources and structure to ensure a long-term sustainable business in the evolving media landscape.”
Other examples include The Intercept, which fired 15 staffers on the same day as NowThis’s layoffs; among those fired was The Intercept’s Editor-in-Chief, Roger Hodge. The Messenger, another startup internet outlet founded in May of 2023, shut down after less than one year in existence.
Lawler: Remove Rashida Tlaib from Congress for Speech at Conference Linked to Terror Group
By Elizabeth Weibel(Breitbart)
Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) called for Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) to be “removed from Congress” over a speech she gave at an anti-Israel conference that was linked to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).
Tlaib had given a speech at the People’s Conference for Palestine in Detroit, Michigan, on Saturday. The event that Tlaib spoke at featured speakers who were linked to the PFLP.
.@RashidaTlaib should be removed from Congress immediately. Associating with and speaking before groups that are funded by US designated terrorist organizations is disqualifying. https://t.co/pGv59XtOX3
— Mike Lawler (@lawler4ny) May 26, 2024
Lawler wrote in a post on X that Tlaib “should be removed from Congress immediately.”
“Associating with and speaking before groups that are funded by US designated terrorist organizations is disqualifying,” Lawler added.
Sana’ Daqqah, who was married to PFLP terrorist Walid Daqqah, was the keynote speaker at the conference. Another speaker was Wisam Rafeedie, an activist with ties to the PFLP, according to the National Review:
Among the speakers at the Michigan event was Wisam Rafeedie, an activist associated with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a Marxist-Leninist terror group active in Gaza and headquartered in the Syrian capital of Damascus. The U.S. State Department, as well as Japan, Canada, and the European Union, has designated the PFLP as a terrorist organization.
Daqqah’s husband, Walid, died in April due to cancer while being detained in prison due to him leading a “PFLP operation that kidnapped, tortured, and murdered Israeli soldier Moshe Tamam in 1984,” according to the outlet.
During the conference, Tlaib criticized President Joe Biden for his handling of the ongoing war in Gaza and over his support for Israel.
In response to the International Criminal Court issuing a statement that it was seeking arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defensive Minister Yoav Gallant, and several Hamas leaders, Biden said what was happening in Gaza was “not genocide.”
Tlaib questioned Biden during her speech at the conference and asked him, “Where’s your red line, President Biden?” The Michigan congresswoman also suggested that people vote against Biden at the ballot box in November.
“We’re not gonna forget in November, are we? The International Court of Justice just ruled that the Israeli government must stop its invasion of Rafah,” Tlaib said. “But, President Biden says what’s happening in Gaza is not a genocide. Where’s your red line, President Biden?”
A November 2023 report from the Canary Mission found that Tlaib was connected to six activists linked to Hamas, the U.S.-designated terror organization behind the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel which left 1,200 people dead and more than 200 people taken hostage.
Canary Mission can confirm that at least 6 Hamas-linked activists fundraised for Tlaib during her 2018 Congressional campaign: Mwafaq Jbara, Sheikh Muhammad Qatanani, Huwaida Arraf, Salah Sarsour, Rafeeq Jaber and Abdelbaset Hamayel.
Jbara reportedly met with a “Hamas co-found” while imprisoned in a maximum-security jail in Israel and has “called for the death of Jews and praised the terrorist who killed U.S. Army veteran Taylor Force,” according to the outlet.
Saudi Arabia: ‘Israel doesn’t get to decide’ on Palestinian statehood
