Horn & Hardart was a self-service restaurant chain that once fed generations of New Yorkers.. Photo Credit: NYPL
By: Rob Otto
Walking down West 38th Street in New York’s Garment District, one can still see the faded sign of Horn & Hardart, a long-gone self-service restaurant chain that once fed generations of New Yorkers. While many may not recognize it, others feel a pang of nostalgia for the beloved Automat that provided affordable weekday lunches for working-class citizens.
David Arena, a 35-year-old entrepreneur from Philadelphia, sees this “ghost sign” as a symbol of the future. He is determined to bring the Automat back to life and hopes to open the first location within a year. “We’re going back to the nostalgic 1920s, 1930s charm, to beaux arts, art deco, to the machines themselves — and we’re not going to modernize the recipes,” Arena told The NY Post. He envisions a place filled with comfortable seating where people can enjoy pie and hot coffee at all hours, just like in the old days.
The NY Post dove deep into Arena’s fascinating business idea, this story is a summary of their outstanding reporting.
Arena plans to open the first location in Philadelphia, followed by New York. Horn & Hardart, originally founded in Philadelphia in 1888 by Joseph Horn and Frank Hardart, became famous for its Automats, where customers could serve themselves from windowed lockers filled with prepared dishes. The concept was a hit, and by 1912, the chain had become a staple in New York, serving dishes like stews, baked beans, and beef with Burgundy sauce.
The last Horn & Hardart closed in 1991, well before Arena’s time. Yet, his detachment from its history, he believes, makes him the ideal person to revive it. Having sold a media company to focus on this project, Arena says it’s not about nostalgia or even the food, which he admits he’s not particularly passionate about. Instead, he sees the Automat as a timeless business idea. “This company was synonymous with innovation in its category for 100 years,” Arena said. “The original ideas of quality, innovation, convenience, caring about your customers, caring about the details — that’s lost in a lot of today’s businesses.”
While Arena is interested in automation trends, he emphasizes that his version of the Automat won’t rely on robots. “This isn’t about robots making food — when you look at self-service, what we’re doing is removing lines and waiting,” he explained. Customers will use modern technology to open cubbyholes with a tap of their credit card, but there will be no touch-screen ordering or machines replacing cooks.
“My main mission is to bring Horn & Hardart and the brand back into the modern age and create the world’s best self-service restaurant experience,” Arena declared. He has already started building buzz by launching a line of Horn & Hardart coffees and declaring June 9 as Automat Day, marking the anniversary of the first Automat’s opening in 1902.
Arena has also connected with the community of people who cherish the Automat’s legacy, including Lisa Hurwitz, director of the 2021 documentary “The Automat.” Hurwitz’s film features celebrities like Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks and brings the history of Horn & Hardart to life. “You have to be crazy to do what David is doing,” Hurwitz told The Post, admitting that her own project seemed crazy at first too. She believes Arena understands and appreciates what the Automat represented — wholesome entrepreneurship and a welcoming, affordable space.
Queens Chamber of Commerce President Tom Grech. Credit: queenschamber.org
By: Mario Mancini
Updated:
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday that she would stop the planned June 30 rollout of a congestion pricing program, reportedly due to concerns about backlash at the voting booth, Fox News reports
“My commitment to a greener, more sustainable future is unwavering,” Hochul said at a press conference Wednesday, announcing that she directed the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to “indefinitely pause” the congestion pricing program. “I have been more committed to combatting climate change and protecting our environment than any governor in our history.”
“We will continue to find strategies to address congestion, and we will continue to find solutions that benefit both our planet and our people,” Hochul said. “This decision is about doing what’s right for the people who make our city thrive. It’s about standing up for the hardworking men and women who get up every single day, do their jobs and just want a fair shake. The little guy who feels like no one listens to them. I’m here to say, we are listening. This decision is about you. And to those cynics who question my motivation, I approach every decision through one lens: what is best for New Yorkers.”
Initially due to begin June 30, the MTA’s new $15 congestion toll will affect anyone entering Midtown, including residents who don’t drive. This move has sparked outrage among businesses and residents, as costs are expected to be passed on to consumers.
The NY Post spoke to a spectrum of New Yorkers on this contentious issue.
Mechanical East, a Brooklyn-based air-conditioning and ventilation service firm, has already informed its customers that it will impose a $15 surcharge for all work orders below 60th Street to offset the toll. “Starting June 30, all NYC calls below 60th Street will be charged a $15 surcharge for NYC congestion fee,” states a bill sent to a Manhattan customer after a service visit.
Daniel Flancraich, vice president of Mechanical East, explained the surcharge: “This announcement to my clients is self-explanatory.” Critics have long warned that the toll would lead companies to pass on additional costs to customers.
Car drivers will face a $15 toll, while large trucks will be charged between $24 and $36 per trip, depending on their size. “Hold onto your wallets, because the price of everything is about to go up even more in New York, especially within the congestion pricing tax zone,” Joshua Bienstock, spokesman for Keep NYC Congestion Tax Free, told the NY Post. His group obtained a copy of Mechanical East’s bill from a customer and highlighted that companies could exploit the toll by charging multiple customers for a single entry into the zone.
Bienstock accused the MTA of disregarding the toll’s inflationary impact on hardworking New Yorkers. “All they care about is squeezing more money out of hardworking New Yorkers; they could care less about the inflationary nature of their tax,” he said.
The congestion pricing initiative aims to reduce congestion and pollution in Midtown while generating revenue for mass transit improvements. The law, passed in 2019 and supported by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the Democrat-controlled legislature, has the backing of current Gov. Kathy Hochul, the NY Post pointed out,
Bienstock criticized the policy, claiming it will allow businesses and ride-share companies to profit at the expense of everyday citizens. “How can a customer know how many stops a delivery or service vehicle is making in the zone? [Businesses] will profit from this fiasco, as will Uber and Lyft, while everyday citizens are caught holding the bill as usual. This is Governor Hochul’s New York,” he said.
Kathryn Freed, a Manhattan resident and plaintiff in a lawsuit against the toll, expressed concerns about its impact on apartment dwellers, particularly those on fixed incomes in public housing. “There is no rail freight in Manhattan,” Freed told the NY Post. “Officials didn’t look at the economic impact of the congestion toll.”
Frank Arroyo, owner of Frank’s Bike Shop on Grand Street, expects his delivery costs to rise significantly due to the toll. “It’s going to increase the delivery costs. The bikes are all warehoused outside the zone.”
Queens Chamber of Commerce President Tom Grech pointed out the impracticality of service deliveries via public transit. “You can’t do service deliveries on the bus and subway,” he said.
The MTA argues that the new toll will generate $1 billion annually, funding new subway trains, signal overhauls, an expansion of the Second Avenue subway into East Harlem, and other major projects. John McCarthy, the MTA’s chief of policy and external relations, claimed the toll will ultimately save money.
The Gowanus-based property investment firm purchased the 3-story building at 168 Wythe Ave. for $10.2 million from Chicago-based private equity real estate investment firm L3 Capital. Credit: 6ftsq.com
By: Ellen Cans
Ryco Capital has purchased a mixed-use property in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. As reported by Crain’s NY, the Gowanus-based property investment firm purchased the 3-story building at 168 Wythe Ave. for $10.2 million from Chicago-based private equity real estate investment firm L3 Capital, as per the deed found in the city register Friday. Situated between North Sixth and North Seventh streets, the property boasts over 11,000-square-feet of space. It contains five residential units and previously housed the restaurant, Cafe Rosarito, until the owners announced in January that the restaurant would be shuttered.
L3, which specializes in institutional quality core-plus and value-add urban real estate opportunities in top tier urban markets, had purchased the property in 2019.
Before announcing this recent sale, L3 had made plans to renovate the building, per its website. Ryco has not announced its intentions or plans for the property. No demolition or construction permits have been filed yet for the lot.
Ryco Capital manages a total of $310 million in assets and operates 30 properties, including 270 residential units, 28 retail units and 800,000 square feet of office space primarily in New York City, as per its website. The firm focuses on multifamily and mixed-use assets in Manhattan and Brooklyn. “We renovate assets that have suffered from under investment and deficient management. RYCO implements cogent, tailored business plans to reinvigorate our properties, drive financial returns, and elevate our neighborhoods,”says the company website.
Ryco made waves in the news in early 2024 for having acquired the popular dive bar Lucy’s in the East Village. In January, Ryco purchased the building between St. Marks Place and East Ninth Street for $19.1 million, using a limited liability company named West Lake 135-139 Avenue A, per property records.
That property at 135 Ave. A, has been a beloved drinking establishment for four decades, having opened in the 1980’s. Per Crain’s, that East Village hot spot is now shuttered, as of December, and it’s not known what Ryco’s plan is for the building. The bar owner, 81-year-old Ludwika “Lucy” Mickevicius, previously said she is facing multiple hurdles including rent increase, a lack of staff and an insufficient supply of top-shelf liquor, per the Post. She said she doesn’t have plans to open the bar at a new location, and isn’t interested in moving, “because I’m not finished here,” she told the neighborhood blog EV Grieve.
She had said she was on the lookout for an investor to partner with, wherein she could keep a reduced role in the business, or she may consider selling Lucy’s and retiring.
Ryco, founded in 2018 and led by chief executive officer James Ryan, purchased the Williamsburg building under a version of the same liability company, as well as an assortment of other Manhattan buildings acquired over the past year and a half. Other properties purchased include: 217 Thompson St. in Greenwich Village for $31 million; and 414 West Broadway in SoHo for $13.2 million, per city records.
Ryco did not immediately respond to Crain’s request for comment.
Stefan Soloviev, 48, was put in charge of the tremendous estate.
By: Benyamin Davidsons
The late Sheldon Solow, who passed away during the pandemic in 2020 at age 92, left behind a real estate empire worth billions, which included New York City icons including the office tower at 9 W. 57th St., several luxury apartment buildings on the Upper East Side and close to seven acres of vacant land south of the United Nations building.
Per a recent article in the NY Post, his son, Stefan Soloviev, 48, was put in charge of the tremendous estate, as well as the responsibility for the heavy duty estate taxes. Soloviev, who changed his last name to follow his bricklayer grandfather, had moved away from Manhattan and moved to Arizona when he got married. There he built a large family and forged his own empire, becoming one of the largest landowners in the country— boasting 700,000 acres and numerous businesses around the United States. He told the Post that he never had trust funds and had to earn pocket money even as a teenager. Despite his success, he remains an enigma, especially in Manhattan real estate.
The Post got a rare personal interview with Soloviev, chairman of the rebranded Soloviev Group. Soloviev showed up with his 21-year-old son, Quintin, who reportedly goes everywhere with his father, as his right hand and advisor. Quintin is next in line to run the company. “He’s obviously not there yet,” Soloviev said. “But I do believe he has the ability to take this all over from me one day.” The expansive primary businesses include Crossroads Agriculture, Quintin City Ranch and Weskan Grain, which have operations in western Kansas, eastern Colorado and New Mexico, growing grains and raising beef.
They handle bulk grain transfers and storage, with two railroad spurs to facilitate moving the grain to mills and ports. There’s a metal mine in Nevada, a wine brand named after his daughter Krissie, an under-development hydroponic facility in Canada, upstate orange groves in Florida, and retail stores in Delray Beach, FL. “Ask anyone around the plains, from Wyoming to New Mexico, everyone’s heard of me,” Soloviev said.
Their Twelve Bridges construction company has plans to eventually build upscale homes on their 1,000 acres owned in the North Fork of Long Island, as well as a boutique hotel, a marina, wineries, a peach orchard, a Christmas tree farm and nurseries.
Despite his multiple dealings across the country, Soloviev says he is still focused on his family’s Manhattan holdings. When he first inherited the Manhattan estate, Soloviev was forced to sell all but one of his father’s luxury rental properties to pay the estate taxes, because there was no estate planning working into the trust. Now, though, things are moving forward smoothly. Per the Post, his office building at 9 West, overlooking Central Park, has reached nearly 100% occupancy. He is pouring $45 million into the trophy tower to add new amenities. He also opened the family foundation’s art museum to the public in the tower’s ground floor, as of May.
Plans for the mixed-use construction include affordable housing, two hotel brands, 4.7 acres of public park, and a “Freedom Museum”.
“I will continue to back up everything I say, and I will continue to thrive as a person and as a company,” Soloviev said.
The NY Stock Exchange experienced a technical glitch on Monday which affected Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway.
By: Ilana Siyance
The New York Stock Exchange experienced a technical glitch on Monday which caused an erroneous reading of share prices of dozens of companies, including Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway. As reported by the NY Post, the stock price for Berkshire Hathaway
was displayed as down by over 99 percent. Other well-known companies affected in the glitch included Chipotle, Barrick Gold and Nuscale Power, which also saw their stock prices plummet due to the glitch. The stock price of Barrick Gold was shown to be down by more than 98 percent due to the glitch. Trading of shares of the affected company’s stocks were halted due to the unexpected and unwarranted volatility.
For almost two hours on Monday, Berkshire’s Class A stock, which had closed at $627,400 on Friday, was trading for just $185.10, devalued by 99.97%. The stock exchange said on Monday that it was investigating the glitch, and the stocks’ trading was halted in the meantime. The problems were apparently resolved later on the same day by 11:22 a.m. Eastern time, according to NYSE, and trading resumed for all impacted stocks. “All systems are currently operational,” NYSE said. The exchange announced on Monday that it has ruled that all erroneous trades in Berkshire and the other companies affected by the glitch will be null and void. The glitch did not appear to affect the wider market.
Intercontinental Exchange, the parent company of NYSE, said it did not find any indication that the glitch was caused by a cyberattack, a senior executive at a major bank told CNN. A NYSE spokesperson said there was a “technical issue” with industry-wide price bands that “triggered” trading halts on nearly 40 symbols listed on the NYSE exchanges. NYSE explained that price bands are published by the Consolidated Tape Association’s (CTA) Security Information Processor (SIP). CTA, an industry group, is the party responsible for publishing real-time trade and quote data. Per CNN, CTA said it experienced an issue that “may have been related to a new software release.” To fix the problem, it used a secondary data center operating on the software’s older version, the group said.
Trading was halted on those stocks thanks to the Limit Up-Limit Down mechanism built in – which is meant to prevent extreme volatility in the market in individual securities. The mechanism prevents trading from occurring outside of specific price bands that are constantly updated throughout the trading day. Each stock’s price bands are set at a percentage level above and below the average reference price of the stock for the immediately preceding five-minute period. “It’s erroneous trade reports and will get taken from the tape,” said Joe Saluzzi, co-head of equity trading at Themis Trading. “It’s somebody having a glitch whether it’s the exchange or a market maker.”
Trading glitches are rare, but they do occur. In January 2023, a glitch in the NYSE had led to wild price volatility in some 250 stocks, including Verizon, Wells Fargo and Nike— though those price changes were not as extreme as yesterday. Should technical issues on exchanges become a more frequent occurrence, they would impact traders’ confidence.
Keith DeCoster, REBNY director of market data and policy found that Manhattan office attendance in March reached 74% of 2019 levels and 75% in April. Credit: LinkedIn.com
By: Hadassa Kalatizadeh
The latest analysis from the Real Estate Board of New York found that office building “visitations” present a less pessimistic view of the reportedly troubled commercial property market.
As reported by Realty Check, in the past few months, Manhattan saw office attendance continue to inch up towards recovery, as more companies are requiring employees return to their desks. Since the pandemic began, creating the work-at-home culture, industry experts have been worried about a commercial real estate crisis, predicting foreclosures and a long path to recovery. The recent REBNY data calculates office attendance as a percentage of pre-pandemic 2019, which accounts for the fact that offices were well below 100% full on any given day even before the pandemic.
The report from Keith DeCoster, REBNY director of market data and policy, found that Manhattan office attendance in March reached 74% of 2019 levels and 75% in April. Both rates were higher than 70% in March of 2023. The rates are based on Placer.ai location data in some 350 major Manhattan buildings, compiled using cell phone data.
Per the Post, the data revealed that Class A-plus properties saw 82% visitation rates in March, relative to 2019, and 89% in April. Visitation was also healthy at 72% in Class B and C buildings. The high occupancy in top “trophy” buildings was not a big surprise, as buildings including One Vanderbilt, One Bryant Park, One World Trade Center and several Hudson Yards towers have already reported up to 95% daily attendance. DeCoster said, “We are seeing office activity incrementally edge closer and closer to pre-pandemic levels, led by the highest quality properties.”
As expected, visitation was highest on average in Midtown Manhattan buildings, with 76% in March and 78% in April. In Downtown Manhattan, visitations improved too, reaching 66% in March and April, up from 54% in February.
Zach Steinberg, REBNY senior VP for policy, clarified that the attendance data includes visitors to retail stores inside office buildings. “We’re considering a building’s entire ecosystem,” Steinberg explained. While this factor was not previously clarified, it is the same way data for 2019 was compiled— also “included visitors to stores and restaurants in office buildings, so we’re still comparing apples and apples,” Steinberg said.
A recent survey by the Partnership for New York City found similar results. The nonprofit group found that between April 19 and May 6, office attendance was at 72% of pre-pandemic levels. Per the Post, the encouraging data brushes off doomsday claims that office buildings are at only at half the capacity compared to pre-pandemic levels. In March, one such article in the NY Times had said, “Even with more people physically returning to work, the office occupancy rate is still roughly 50 percent of pre-pandemic levels by one measure.”
The article referred to the Kastle Systems Back to Work Barometer, which tallies weekly office attendance, taking a tally using card swipes only in buildings that use Kastle’s security services. The barometer has since been largely discredited, being that it mainly only counts attendance at buildings owned by the city’s 11 largest landlords, many of which are prewar buildings in secondary neighborhoods.
It should be noted that landlords are also still struggling with high interest rates and companies downsizing and consolidating.
Matthew Murphy, executive director of the NYU Furman Center. Credit: furmancenter.org
By: Hadassa Kalatizadeh
A federal program is reopening to applicants after 15 years, which may finally bring additional aid to New Yorkers struggling to pay rent.
As reported by the NY Times, the highly-sought-after federally funded section 8 housing vouchers is reopening its wait list, after having been shuttered at the end of 2009 with over 128,000 families on que. On Monday, the New York City Housing Authority reopened its waiting list, which now has a more workable-sized waitlist of 3,700 households. The choice housing vouchers help over five million people across the country, but is perhaps most needed and most expansive in NYC. Nearly 250,000 lower-income New Yorkers rent apartments on the private market using the vouchers.
The program allows the people to spend a maximum of 30 percent of their income on rent while the federal government picks up the rest of the tab. The vouchers can be a lifeline for lower-income families, but not only is there a long waitlist to get a voucher, qualifying apartments are also getting harder and harder to find. “Just finding housing in New York, even when you have this assistance, is difficult,” said Matthew Murphy, executive director of the New York University Furman Center. “On top of that, we know that voucher holders face discrimination.”
In 2018, over 70% of families with children could find an apartment to rent with their voucher within a year, as per an analysis by the Furman Center. In 2022, that percentage dropped to 58%. The drop reflects the NYC housing shortage, as well as landlords’ reluctance to rent to people with vouchers, the Furman Center analysis noted. The analysis found that in 2022, it took households with children over 160 days to find an apartment that they could use their voucher with. In the city, just finding an apartment that qualifies is a major task. “I had to treat it as a full-time job,” said Daniris Espinal, 38, who lives with two daughters, and who was given a voucher in 2021 but took two years to find a qualifying apartment.
Per the Times, a NYC survey showed that the overall vacancy rate for rentals was just 1.4% in 2023— the lowest level in over 50 years. More affordably priced apartments had an even lower rate of vacancy.
Aside from the federal section 8 program, NYC also issues its own vouchers through a similar program named CityFHEPS. Apartments that qualify for vouchers need to fall into certain guidelines, with the rent usually maxing out at about $3,000 for a two-bedroom apartment for a family of four.
NYCHA has a limited number of vouchers available. People on the waiting list can get a voucher when people who already have them become ineligible, by getting a higher-paying job, for example. Applications to join the wait list will be open until June 9.
NYCHA officials said they are bracing for a high number of applicants— possibly more than 500,000 applications. They hope to select 200,000 eligible households to add to the waiting list. In August, they are slated to begin giving out vouchers at a rate of about 1,000 households per month, the NY Times reported.
Jay Martin, the executive director of the Community Housing Improvement Program, a landlord group, expressed enthusiasm that the waiting list is reopening, but noted the housing shortage.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is facing bipartisan calls to pardon former President Donald Trump for his recent felony convictions, a scenario she has signaled is unlikely to happen. Credit: AP
If President Trump won a second term, he could not pardon himself for the convictions he received in New York.
By: Bill Pan
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is facing bipartisan calls to pardon former President Donald Trump for his recent felony convictions, a scenario she has signaled is unlikely to happen.
President Trump became the first U.S. president to be convicted of a crime after a 12-person New York jury returned a guilty verdict in a highly controversial trial stemming from a payment made to an adult film actress before the 2016 election. He pleaded not guilty and dismissed the roughly seven-week proceeding as a “rigged” and “very unfair” scheme to undermine his reelection campaign.
If President Trump won a second term, he could pardon himself if convicted in his two federal cases, but not for the convictions he received in New York.
The U.S. Constitution limits the presidential pardon authority to “offenses against the United States,” meaning that the president may only pardon federal offenses and offenses adjudicated in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia in the name of the United States. That leaves Ms. Hochul as the sole person with the power to pardon the convictions and subsequent sentences.
Rep. Nick LaLota (R-N.Y.), denouncing the verdict as “politically motivated,” said the Democrat governor should “immediately announce her intention” to pardon the presumptive Republican presidential nominee and “preemptively commute any sentence.”
“To not do so is to allow America to become a banana republic,” the Republican congressman wrote in a post on X on Thursday.
“President Trump’s fate, and the 2024 presidential election, should be decided by voters, not overzealous politically motivated prosecutors and an imbalanced jury.”
Also among those urging Ms. Hochul to pardon the former president’s historic felony conviction is Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.), who ran a long-shot bid for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination this year before endorsing President Joe Biden.
“Donald Trump is a serial liar, cheater, and philanderer, a six-time declarer of corporate bankruptcy, an instigator of insurrection, and a convicted felon who thrives on portraying himself as a victim,” Mr. Phillips wrote on Friday on X, before suggesting that Ms. Hochul should pardon him anyway, “for the good of the country.”
In a follow-up post on Saturday, Mr. Phillips expressed worries that the outrage over the verdict is being turned into a fundraising boon.
“You think pardoning is stupid? Making him a martyr over a payment to a porn star is stupid,” he wrote. “It’s energizing his base, generating record sums of campaign cash, and will likely result in an electoral boost.”
“Today’s verdict reaffirms that no one is above the law,” Ms. Hochul’s office said in a statement following the guilty verdict.
“In preparation for a verdict in this trial, I directed my Administration to closely coordinate with local and federal law enforcement and we continue to monitor the situation,” it continued. “We are committed to protecting the safety of all New Yorkers and the integrity of our judicial system.”
The conviction did appear to serve as a booster to the Trump campaign, which announced Friday that it had raised nearly $53 million.
“THAT’S MORE THAN $2 MILLION PER HOUR!” the Trump campaign said.
Northern Israel faced a significant crisis overnight as large fires broke out, attributed to rocket fire from Iranian-backed Hezbollah forces in southern Lebanon. Credit: YouTube.com
Edited by: Fern Sidman
Northern Israel faced a significant crisis overnight as large fires broke out, attributed to rocket fire from Iranian-backed Hezbollah forces in southern Lebanon. The blazes, which consumed approximately 4,000 dunams (1,000 acres or 400 hectares) of land, have posed severe challenges to firefighting efforts and exacerbated regional tensions.
The fires began overnight, rapidly spreading across the northern region. According to a CNN report on Tuesday, Boris Eisenberg, the chief of the Tiberias fire station, confirmed the extensive damage. Israel Fire and Rescue Services immediately deployed multiple firefighting teams, including an aerial firefighting squadron, working tirelessly through the night to control the situation.
By Tuesday morning, firefighting efforts continued with intensified focus. Twelve teams were dispatched to Keren Naftali, where a fire had spread in multiple directions. Meanwhile, CNN also reported that ten teams were sent to the Biria Forest in the Upper Galilee area, where a falling Israeli interceptor missile had sparked another blaze.
Uri Cohen, a spokesperson for the Israel Fire and Rescue Services, highlighted the extreme conditions under which firefighters were operating. “We saw the interception and responded with increased forces and high intensity. We are operating on the spot and trying to contain the fire,” Cohen told CNN.
The conflict between Hezbollah and Israel has taken a significant turn as the Lebanon-based terror group launched a coordinated drone attack on an Israeli military command center in the Galilee. Credit: AP
Several factors have compounded the difficulty of extinguishing the fires. The region has been experiencing a heatwave, with high temperatures, changing winds, and low humidity creating a highly combustible environment, as per the information provided in the CNN report. The dry conditions and shifting winds have accelerated the development and spread of the fires, making containment efforts particularly challenging. The fires have proven difficult to control, with efforts on Monday lasting many hours. CNN reported that Cohen noted the complexity of the firefighting operations, describing the situation as a “very complex extinguishing effort.”
As the fires raged, authorities began evacuating residents to ensure their safety. The mountainous Galilee region was particularly affected, with fires breaking out around noon local time on Monday, the CNN report added. Israeli police assisted in evacuating homes in Kiryat Shmona, a northern city close to the Lebanese border, where the threat was imminent.
Authorities had previously warned the public of an impending heatwave and cautioned against lighting fires in forests. Despite these warnings, the combination of rocket fire and extreme weather conditions led to the outbreak and rapid spread of the fires.
As of Tuesday, firefighting teams continued to work at high intensity, both on the ground and from the air, to contain the fires and bring them under control. Cohen expressed uncertainty about how long it would take to fully contain the blaze but emphasized the continuous and vigorous efforts being made.
“We are operating at high intensity on the ground, also from the air, in efforts to contain the fires and bring them under control,” Cohen told CNN.
On Monday, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for a “swarm of drones” targeting an Israeli military facility in the Galilee region. According to Hezbollah, this assault was a direct response to Israeli strikes that had targeted both Hezbollah forces and residential areas in southern Lebanon, as was detailed in the CNN report. The drone attack reportedly caused fires in the command center, adding a new dimension to the conflict with the utilization of advanced unmanned aerial vehicles.
During a recent tour of some of the most heavily damaged areas, IDF Chief of Staff Major General Herzi Halevi emphasized the IDF’s readiness to escalate their military response if necessary. Credit: IDF
This aggressive move by Hezbollah signifies an escalation in tactics, shifting from traditional rocket fire to the use of drones, which can be more precise and harder to intercept. The attack draws attention to the group’s capability and readiness to engage in sophisticated warfare, complicating Israel’s defensive strategies.
Hezbollah’s announcement also revealed that three of its fighters were killed on Monday due to Israeli attacks. This loss contributes to the mounting casualties on both sides. Indicated in the CNN report was that the Iranian-backed terror group’s continued attacks on northern Israel are framed as retaliation for Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
The cross-border hostilities that began in October have led to the displacement of thousands of Israeli residents. These individuals have been forced to leave their homes in northern Israel, seeking refuge from the escalating violence. The humanitarian toll of the conflict is significant, with families uprooted and communities disrupted.
During a recent tour of some of the most heavily damaged areas, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Major General Herzi Halevi emphasized the IDF’s readiness to escalate their military response if necessary. “We are approaching the point where a decision will have to be made, and the IDF is prepared and very ready for this decision,” Halevi stated, according to the CNN report. His comments indicate that the Israeli military is on high alert and has been extensively preparing for potential large-scale operations in the north.
Halevi highlighted that the IDF has been actively engaging Hezbollah for eight months, inflicting significant losses on the group. “Hezbollah is paying a very, very high price,” he noted, suggesting that Israel’s sustained military pressure is aimed at weakening Hezbollah’s operational capabilities and deterrence.
The IDF’s preparedness extends to a high level of training, with forces reportedly ready to transition from defensive postures to offensive operations. “We are prepared after a very good process of training – up to the level of a military exercise – to move to an attack in the north,” Halevi added, as was reported by CNN.
The assessment included an in-depth review of the firefighting efforts and the military’s strategic positioning along the northern border. Halevi and Kaspai praised the determination and professionalism exhibited by the forces who worked tirelessly through Monday night to extinguish the fires in the north, according to the i24News report.
The assessment also provided an opportunity for Halevi to engage directly with the commanders of the Golani Brigade, who are stationed on the northern frontlines.
Brigadier General Eyal Kaspai highlighted the effective collaboration between the IDF and Fire and Rescue Services, which has been crucial in managing the current crisis. “The regular collaborations with the IDF lead the preparation and readiness required of both bodies, and are implemented in practice even during wartime, maximizing the relative advantage of each system for the benefit of the State of Israel,” Kaspai noted, as per the information in the i24News report.
On Tuesday, World Israel News reported that the Lebanese government has received indications from multiple international sources suggesting that Israel is preparing for a comprehensive military operation aimed at Hezbollah. This operation is purportedly designed to halt the terrorist group’s relentless bombing of northern Israel and to reestablish Israeli deterrence, the WIN report said. This development, reported by the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, which maintains close ties with Hezbollah, has significant implications for regional stability and security.
According to Al-Akhbar, representatives from various countries have informed Lebanese officials of Israel’s imminent military plans. Notably, the UK government has reportedly specified mid-June as the anticipated timeframe for the commencement of this operation, as per the WIN report.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C) speaks at the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, June 3, 2024. (Maayan Toaf/GPO)
Further, Qatari officials, who have been mediating the ongoing Israel-Hamas hostage negotiations, have conveyed that Israel has no interest in pursuing a ceasefire in Gaza. As was noted in the WIN report, the Qataris, along with Egyptian intermediaries, were reportedly informed by Israeli officials that Hezbollah’s intensified actions on the northern front are untenable, and Israel cannot sustain this pressure without resorting to significant military retaliation.
Since October 8th, Hezbollah has intensified its attacks on northern Israel, targeting both civilian and military infrastructure. These daily assaults have created an unsustainable security situation for Israel, compelling a more decisive response, WIN reported.
A full-scale military operation against Hezbollah would likely result in significant devastation on both sides of the Lebanese-Israeli border. Hezbollah’s arsenal, which includes advanced missiles, rockets, and drones capable of reaching all areas within Israel, poses a formidable threat, as was indicated in the WIN report. Conversely, Israel’s military, known for its technological superiority and strategic precision, would aim to systematically dismantle Hezbollah’s infrastructure and operational capacity.
A Reuters report on Tuesday said that despite the escalation of hostilities in the region, Hezbollah’s deputy leader, Sheikh Naim Qassem, emphasized that the movement is not seeking to broaden the conflict but stands ready to respond to any war imposed upon it. This stance, articulated in a statement to broadcaster Al Jazeera, reflects the delicate balance Hezbollah is attempting to maintain as it navigates the ongoing crisis.
The intensification of these clashes has had profound humanitarian impacts. Tens of thousands of people living along the Lebanese-Israeli border have been forced to flee their homes, seeking refuge from the escalating violence. This displacement highlights the severe toll the conflict is taking on civilian populations, adding urgency to efforts aimed at de-escalation and conflict resolution.
Qassem’s remarks came as Israel’s war cabinet was preparing to convene to discuss the situation on the northern front. Israeli officials have echoed concerns about the unsustainable nature of the ongoing fighting. Government spokesperson David Mencer stressed that Israel is committed to ensuring the safe return of its citizens who have been evacuated from the northern regions due to the conflict, according to the Reuters report. Mencer placed the onus on Hezbollah to decide whether the situation can be resolved diplomatically or if it will necessitate further military action, reaffirming Israel’s commitment to defending its territory.
Amidst the heightened tensions, international actors have been actively seeking ways to mediate and de-escalate the conflict. The Reuters report indicated that Amos Hochstein, a senior adviser to President Joe Biden, has been at the forefront of these diplomatic efforts. Hochstein suggested that a phased land border agreement between Israel and Lebanon could serve as a mechanism to reduce hostilities. This proposal aims to address one of the core issues fueling the conflict, potentially paving the way for a more stable and peaceful coexistence.
Also on Tuesday, Israeli parliament ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir publicly urged for increased military action against Hezbollah. Ben-Gvir, during a tour of the northern city of Kiryat Shmona, declared in a video statement shared on X (formerly Twitter) that peace in Lebanon is unattainable while Israeli territory is under attack and its citizens are being evacuated. “They’re setting fires here, we must burn all of Hezbollah’s strongholds, destroy them. War!” he proclaimed, as was revealed in the Reuters report. Both Ben-Gvir and Smotrich, although members of Israel’s security cabinet, are not part of the war cabinet, indicating a spectrum of opinions within the Israeli government regarding the appropriate response to the conflict.
The Israeli military reported that a “suspicious aerial target” that crossed from Lebanon had fallen in the Mount Hermon area, though no injuries were reported. In response, Israeli warplanes targeted a Hezbollah member in Naqoura, along with two other locations in southern Lebanon, the Reuters report said. Additionally, Israeli artillery struck five sites in the region.
Since the outbreak of intensified hostilities on October 7, Israeli strikes have resulted in the deaths of approximately 300 Hezbollah members and around 80 civilians. On the Israeli side, attacks from Lebanon have claimed the lives of 18 Israeli soldiers and 10 civilians, as was noted in the Reuters report.
In related developments, on Tuesday, the Times of Israel reported that the Israeli Defense Ministry announced the official signing of an agreement with the United States to procure a third squadron of F-35 fighter jets. This $3 billion deal, which includes 25 advanced stealth fighters built by Lockheed Martin, marks a major enhancement to the Israeli Air Force’s operational strength.
The delegation from Israel signed a letter of agreement in the U.S., formalizing the procurement process for the new squadron of F-35 jets. The TOI report said that the agreement stipulates that the delivery of these aircraft will commence in 2028, with batches of three to five jets being delivered annually. This phased delivery approach ensures a steady enhancement of Israel’s air combat capabilities over the coming years.
Upon completion of this deal, Israel’s fleet of F-35I fighter jets will expand to 75. Currently, 39 of the originally ordered 50 F-35 jets have been delivered, with the remaining 11 expected to arrive soon, the report in the TOI added. The additional 25 jets from the new deal will further bolster Israel’s air superiority in the region.
The entire procurement is financed by U.S. military aid, reflecting the deep and strategic defense relationship between the two nations.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant highlighted the strategic importance of this deal, describing it as “another illustration of the strength of the strategic alliance between the U.S. and Israel and its extensive effects in arenas near and far,” as was reported by the TOI. The acquisition of these advanced stealth fighters is expected to significantly enhance the Israeli Air Force’s operational capabilities, providing a critical advantage in both defensive and offensive operations.
The F-35 is renowned for its advanced stealth technology, state-of-the-art avionics, and versatile combat capabilities. Its integration into the Israeli Air Force is a testament to the country’s commitment to maintaining technological superiority and readiness in the face of evolving regional threats.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accepted an invitation to address a joint session of the United States Congress, marking a historic moment as he becomes the first world leader to do so four times. The Times of Israel reported that Netanyahu expressed his excitement and sense of privilege at the opportunity, stating, “I am excited for the privilege to present in front of the representatives of the American people and the entire world the truth about our just war against those who wish to kill us.”
The invitation, extended by US Congressional leaders from both parties, highlights America’s continued support for Israel amid ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza. On Monday, unconfirmed sources reported that the Israeli Prime Minister would be addressing Congress on June 13th, however the TOI reported that the Prime Minister’s office has denied that the address would take place on that date due to the upcoming Shavuot holiday.
The invitation letter, which was a bipartisan effort, was signed by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D), and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R). According to the TOI article, the leaders emphasized America’s solidarity with Israel, inviting Netanyahu to share the Israeli government’s vision for “defending democracy, combatting terror, and establishing a just and lasting peace in the region.”
The invitation follows weeks of political maneuvering, with initial delays attributed to Senate Majority Leader Schumer’s earlier calls for early elections in Israel to replace Netanyahu. Schumer ultimately agreed to the address, provided it maintained a bipartisan approach, as per the information in the TOI report.
The invitation, originally proposed by Speaker Johnson, reflects a strong bipartisan consensus in the US Congress supporting Israel’s right to defend itself and seeking to foster deeper understanding and cooperation between the two nations.
Netanyahu’s upcoming speech will be closely watched, both in the United States and internationally. According to the information contained in the TOI report, It offers a platform for Netanyahu to articulate Israel’s stance on its security challenges, its fight against terrorism, and its broader aspirations for peace in the Middle East. Given the historical context and the gravity of the current conflict, Netanyahu’s address is expected to be a pivotal moment in US-Israel relations.
“The horrific attacks of October 7th shocked the world and forced your nation into a fight for its very existence. We join the State of Israel in your struggle against terror, especially as Hamas continues to hold American and Israeli citizens captive and its leaders jeopardize regional stability,” the letter read, as was reported by the TOI. “For this reason, on behalf of the bipartisan leadership of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, we would like to invite you to address a Joint Meeting of Congress.”
An official familiar with the matter disclosed that Netanyahu had been in discussions with Republican Congressional leaders regarding a potential joint session address.
Republicans, including presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, have shown eagerness to support Netanyahu and highlight divisions within the Democratic Party over Israel. This comes in the context of Netanyahu’s last joint session address in 2015, which saw nearly 60 Democrats boycott the event, the TOI report indicated. That address, organized by Republican Congressional leaders without the knowledge of then-President Barack Obama, was intended to lobby against the nuclear deal with Iran.
European Jewish Association Menachem Margolin addresses the EJA’s conference in Amsterdam, June 3, 2024. Photo by Yoav Dudkevitch
If the continent’s governments continue to tolerate “this flood of Jew-hatred, they can expect hundreds and thousands of us to leave.”
By: Amelie Botbol
As hundreds of Jews descended on Amsterdam for an “emergency summit,” the head of the European Jewish Association on Monday called on Israel to prepare for a mass influx of immigrants as anti-Semitism skyrockets across the continent.
Rabbi Menachem Margolin, who had previously criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for encouraging European Jewry to make aliyah, has, given the current situation, changed tack.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu, we are not there yet but be ready. Get your government agencies ready. Because if European governments carry on as they have so far, if they continue to tolerate this flood of Jew-hatred, they can expect hundreds and thousands of us to leave,” Margolin said in his address to open the summit.
“We meet in Amsterdam to fight back for our home. But it can only continue to be our home if governments in Europe want us to stay and help us in our fight. Today, we met to give them the tools to do so,” he continued.
The European Jewish Association conference kicks off in Amsterdam, June 3, 2024. Photo by Yoav Dudkevitch.
“Europe is our home, and whilst Israel is our insurance policy, we will not call it in until absolutely necessary,” added Margolin.
The EJA summit is taking place on Monday and Tuesday in the Dutch metropolis on the backdrop of widespread anti-Semitism that has reached concerning heights amid Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza.
“Every logical person, every person who looks after his family and children wants to live in security, and if this very basic condition does not exist, people will look to find an alternative. So the answer is yes, I fear for the future of European Jewry,” Margolin told JNS in Amsterdam on Monday.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz expressed his support in a pre-recorded video message.
“Since Hamas’s October 7 massacre, anti-Semitism reared its ugly head everywhere in the world, and as the Jewish state we cannot accept the reality that in 2024, Jews are forced to hide their Jewish identity from fear of being hurt,” Katz said.
“It is our responsibility to fight anti-Semitism and anti-Semites themselves. We all understand that there is a direct connection between the situation in Israel and the attitude towards the Jewish communities in the world. As such it is our mission to strengthen one another,” he continued.
“You are our brothers and our family. I wish you success and extend my hand in partnership. The people of Israel lives,” Katz said.
The conference is being organized in collaboration with the Israeli Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Anti-Semitism, the Centraal Joods Overleg (the umbrella group of Dutch Jewry), the Jewish communities of Hungary, Paris and Porto, Portugal, the Federation of Synagogues (U.K.), Christians for Israel and others.
The European Commission
Also attending the EJA emergency summit was Katharina von Schnurbein, European Commission coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life.
“The European Commission has adopted a strategy in 2021 which is very clear that we want Jews in Europe to go about in line with their cultural and religious traditions and free from security concerns,” von Schnurbein told JNS.
“We have the ambition to say we want a European Union free from anti-Semitism. We know we are far from it at the moment, but the European Commission is very much on the side of the Jewish communities in fighting their battle with them and in being very clear that it is not for the Jews to fight anti-Semitism, it is for all of us, the society at large and governments to address these issues,” she said.
One panel discussion on Monday focused on policies and solutions to strengthen European governments’ response to anti-Semitism, and was moderated by EJA senior adviser Ruth Wasserman Lande, a former Israeli lawmaker.
“There is a sense among European Jews of feeling alone despite steps taken by authorities. There needs to be a lot more advocacy, lobbying work and reporting of crimes against Jewish people. So much that needs to be done, some of it is being done by the EJA,” Wasserman Lande told JNS.
“We must unite in order to be able to deal with this challenge, which is very significant. I appreciate the privilege and the opportunity to come and meet with leaders of Jewish communities throughout Europe and bring in operative solutions and best practices so that Jewish peoplehood can improve,” she said.
Wasserman Lande cited a EJA forum that took place on May 22, in which the organization brought in legal experts to discuss existing and potential legislation in European countries to counter Jew-hatred.
“We focused on how to explain to law enforcement agencies current laws and how they can be applied to actually combat anti-Semitism, as opposed to having laws on the books that agencies don’t know how to enforce,” Wasserman Lande said.
Based in Brussels, the EJA works to strengthen Jewish identity, expand Jewish activities in Europe and defend Jewish interests, including by creating political initiatives against the BDS movement and by representing Jews in European conversations affecting minorities.
“We felt we needed to do something to be as effective as we can and try to come up with solutions that we will go and propose to governments, law enforcement authorities, politicians and educators,” Tal Rabina, EJA director of strategy and head of EJA’s Israel office, told JNS.
“The situation is becoming as dangerous as it was in the Holocaust days, there are so many similarities,” he continued. “When I say we, I mean not just the Jews but also European societies. The extremism, the hate speech, writing anti-Semitic messages on walls, this is how it all began. One should remember that the Nazi regime started in ‘liberal’ universities.”
Rabina explained that Jewish communities in Europe were not seeking decision-makers’ sympathy but rather action.
“Some leaders are following populist trends instead of leading and this is a catastrophe,” he said. “Blaming Israel and the Jewish people, which you don’t do in any other conflict in the world is terrible and effectively increases anti-Semitism. We must fight back.”
On Tuesday, conference participants will visit Amsterdam’s Portuguese Synagogue, the National Holocaust Museum and the Hollandsche Schouwburg (English: “Hollandic Theater”) museum, which was used as a deportation center during the Holocaust.
They will also tour the Anne Frank House, a museum dedicated to the young diarist who hid in Amsterdam with her family and eventually perished in the Holocaust.
“It is our priority to make sure that Jews can live their culture and their identity in the freest way because that is the core value that we built our European society on,” Eddo Verdoner, national coordinator on combating anti-Semitism in the Netherlands, told JNS.
“The government is working on a plan to make sure that students receive in-class education but also give them incentives to go out of the class and visit Holocaust memorial centers. This is one of the most effective tools against disinformation and conspiracy theories,” he said.
“Some Jews have said that they left the Netherlands because of anti-Semitism, and this is very regrettable. If people want to move to Israel, that’s their right, but it must be done out of choice. It must never be done out of fear. When that happens, we fail as a state and we fail as a European Union,” said Verdoner.
The CJA’s network includes entities like the NDN Collective, Grassroots Global Justice Alliance, and DemilitaRISE, all of which promote anti-imperialist ideologies and advocate for defunding the police and the military. Photo Credit; ggjalliance.org
The Biden administration’s approach to addressing inflation has come under heavy criticism for its allocation of funds towards environmental justice initiatives that critics argue have little to do with economic stability. At the heart of this controversy is the $50 million grant awarded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to the Climate Justice Alliance (CJA) under the Inflation Reduction Act. This allocation is seen by some as an egregious example of misdirected spending, raising serious questions about the priorities and vetting processes within the administration.
The Climate Justice Alliance has openly linked its mission to the liberation of Palestine, an association that many find deeply troubling, especially in light of the recent violence perpetrated by Hamas. The CJA’s website and promotional materials propagate an anti-colonial framework, which they claim connects the struggle for climate justice with the fight against so-called settler colonialism and imperialism. This narrative, often intertwined with anti-Israel rhetoric, positions the organization in a controversial light, particularly given its silence on condemning the October 7 atrocities committed by Hamas.
The EPA’s grant to the CJA was made in December, well after these events, yet the CJA had already called for a ceasefire by October 20, without addressing the violence instigated by Hamas. This raises significant concerns about the ideological leanings of the organizations receiving federal funds and the potential for taxpayer money to support groups with controversial or extremist agendas. The CJA’s network includes entities like the NDN Collective, Grassroots Global Justice Alliance, and DemilitaRISE, all of which promote anti-imperialist ideologies and advocate for defunding the police and the military.
This situation begs the question: Did the EPA adequately vet the CJA and its affiliates before disbursing funds, or did it simply turn a blind eye to the potential implications? The answer to this question is critical because it speaks to the broader issue of how public funds are being utilized under the guise of promoting environmental justice.
The Biden administration’s strategy, as perceived by critics, appears to be a deliberate effort to channel resources to far-left groups under the pretext of serving the public good. This approach not only undermines the stated goal of combating inflation but also raises ethical concerns about the use of taxpayer dollars to support divisive and potentially harmful agendas. The notion that such spending is justified by its alignment with broader social justice goals is seen by many as a thinly veiled attempt to legitimize the redistribution of wealth to ideological allies.
Furthermore, this practice exacerbates the nation’s debt burden, placing an undue financial strain on future generations. The irony is palpable: while the administration accuses its opponents of threatening democracy, it simultaneously engages in fiscally irresponsible behavior that could destabilize the economy and erode public trust.
In sum, the allocation of funds to the Climate Justice Alliance under the Inflation Reduction Act exemplifies the broader concerns about the Biden administration’s fiscal policies and their ideological underpinnings. It is imperative that public funds are allocated transparently and responsibly, with a clear focus on addressing the nation’s most pressing economic challenges rather than advancing partisan agendas. Failure to do so not only jeopardizes economic stability but also risks deepening political divisions and undermining democratic institutions.
Those most gleeful, joyful and foaming at the mouth relative to today’s guilty verdicts against Donald Trump, were not the dumb-ass American/Progressive/Socialist Dems. No way! Their cheers were drowned out by the celebrations of the Iranian Mullahs who now see an open corridor to envelop the entire Middle East through its many regional proxies. With the Biden family on their payroll for possibly another four years and with that Crime family’s on-the-take head honcho sitting pretty in the White House, even their Koranic goal of wiping out Israel is in their sights. That’s a reality.
With this scary scenario in mind, we must now crank up our determination, energies and campaigning to ensure the victory of Trump in November. Whatever previous plans we had in mind to volunteer our services to the Republican cause: Fund raising, door to door campaigning, poll watching or just showing up at Republican meetings to support one another, they should be intensified in order to get Trump back in the White House.
If you do not have Trump shirts or hats, order more than one very easily on Amazon. Hand them out to friends and encourage them to fearlessly wear them on their daily rounds. We have to fight off the sneers, smirks and remarks of the dumb-as-dirt Dems who are overjoyed at the fascistic justice system now taking hold all around us. We have to become more outspoken, militant and in your face when we encounter relatives, neighbors and friends who brainlessly support the radicals on the Left. Treat them as pitifully clueless and harmless. Believe me, you’ll not go wrong.
We’ve got to fight for survival now, more than ever. It’s not a foreign enemy we’re losing the battle to, it’s our own people who are paving the way to total fascism which will enslave all of us. History tells us of other nations who fell in a similar manner: pre-Nazi Germany, Cuba, Venezuela and others who fell into the abyss of authoritarianism, lawlessness and corruption due to the ignorance of reality and willing submission of their voters.
In short, those who are willing to look away and shrug their shoulders at the last three years of the Biden administration’s follies and the most recent happenings in a Manhattan court room today, will pay the penalty in tears and blood. We’ve got to make ourselves ten times tougher than we were this morning. Do it!
Sincerely Alan Bergstein Boca Raton, Fla
Biden Panders to the Muslim Brotherhood
Dear Editor:
Joe Biden is called ‘the leader of the free world’, but he panders to the Muslim Brotherhood, whose goal is to replace the West with a Caliphate.
Why can’t he free five American hostages held by Hamas terrorists since October 6, 2023? Why has he enabled Iran to earn billions of dollars, while their proxies in Gaza torture Americans? Why is he funding UNRWA?
Now Biden has announced “a road map to an enduring ceasefire and the release of all hostages.” Flunkies, like Canada’s Trudeau, are salivating. Hamas has proven once again that terrorism is the way to get the West to capitulate. Israel must learn the lesson; the West will tolerate the wanton slaughter of Jews.
Of course, the plan will collapse, as has every other offer over the years. One cannot satisfy a genocidal philosophy. One can only defeat it again and again.
Israelis want the hostages back home. That is step one. Then Hamas must be rendered incapable of violating Israeli sovereignty again. The fantasy of a 2-state solution is on the back burner.
As we learned in Germany, it takes years to unlearn evil habits. At some point, Palestinians will gain the right to a measure of self-governance in part of the territory promised the Jewish people by the San Remo Accords, the League of Nations and Article 80 of the United Nations’ Charter.
Sincerely Len Bennett, Author of ‘Unfinished Work’ Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Gazans Support “Palestinian Islamic Jihad”
Dear Editor:
Palestinian Islamic Jihad released another video on May 30th of hostage Alexander Trupanov and this is important because too often the Israeli government, as well as supporters of Israel around the world, cast Hamas as the only terrorist enemy in Gaza. Hamas is not alone and Islamic Jihad is just one of the terrorist groups there guilty of attacking innocent civilians and taking hostages.
Why does even this matter? This is a vitally important fact since so many of the critics of Israel in the journalism field, NGO world, the diplomatic corps, and elsewhere want us to believe that because there is some (unknown) percentage of Gazans who oppose rule by Hamas there for Israel’s combat actions in Gaza must be held to a higher standard than any army in history has ever been expected to uphold.
The reasons that some Gazans oppose Hamas is not because it is a terrorist organization but because there’s a different terrorist group they support.
Moreover, the existence of multiple Arab terrorist groups in Gaza must serve as a reminder that even when Hamas is eliminated there’s still no reason to believe that Gazan based terrorism against Israel will cease.
All of the Palestinian Arab terrorists that participated in the October 7th invasion must be eliminated whether they are Hamas affiliated or not.
Moreover, after these terrorists are annihilated every possible tool must be utilized to ensure that no terrorist group, whether it is named Hamas, Islamic Jihad, or anything else, ever takes root in Gaza again.
Any other course of action would be immoral and, G-d forbid, put more innocent lives of Israeli families at risk.
Sincerely, Moshe Phillips Pennsylvania
Is the First Amendment Null & Void?
Dear Editor:
We used to believe that “I don’t agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” Today, the politically correct liberal position is to hound the person for an apology, harass and threaten them and their family and demand their employer fire them. Is the First Amendment null and void?
Former New York Rep. Mondaire Jones (D.) endorsed New York Rep. Jamaal Bowman’s (D.) pro-Israel primary challenger and expressed his horror at Bowman’s incendiary positions on the Israel-Hamas war.
Jones, who is running for Congress in the neighboring 17th Congressional District, first revealed his endorsement of Westchester County executive George Latimer (D.) in an interview with the New York Times on Monday. Jones held a press conference on Tuesday morning explaining that Bowman had sown “pain and anxiety” among Jewish New Yorkers.
“I want to be clear: I am making this endorsement to stand up for my Jewish constituents because Rep. Bowman and I have very different views on Israel,” Jones said Tuesday. “I have been horrified by his recent acceptance of the DSA endorsement, his denial of the sexual assault of Israeli women by Hamas on October 7, and his embrace of Norman Finkelstein, a well-known anti-Semite.”
In contrast, Jones added, Latimer is “standing strong with our allies like Israel and safeguarding our democracy.”
The endorsement reflects how much the embattled incumbent has fallen out of favor with fellow New York Democrats as the primary race nears its end. In a June 2020 Intercept interview during his first congressional run, Jones encouraged more people “like Mr. Bowman” to run for elected office. Bowman described himself as a “socialist” to the outlet earlier that month.
“And increasingly, I think, laypersons are of the view that we need more people like myself and Mr. Bowman in Congress, and I’m really grateful that average people are not taking their cues from Democratic committee members, but rather from—from the candidates themselves as they evaluate the differences among what’s being offered to them,” Jones said.
Years later, on Tuesday, Jones declared himself a Democratic champion of the Hudson Valley and vowed to end the “painful nightmare” that constituents have been experiencing since Oct. 7.
“As someone who is among the most popular Democrats in the Hudson Valley, it is my prerogative to play a dispositive role in ending this long, painful nightmare that we have been experiencing since Oct. 7,” Jones said Monday.
Latimer, for whom Jones worked during his time as a Westchester County attorney, thanked his fellow New York Democrat for his endorsement.
“As a former Congress member and county employee, Mondaire Jones has a record of working for a better future for Westchester families. I’m thrilled that he’s supporting my campaign for #RealResultsNotRhetoric,” Latimer wrote in a Monday post. “Welcome to #TeamLatimer, Mondaire!”
Bowman’s fellow anti-Israel “Squad” members such as Reps. Cori Bush (Mo.) and Summer Lee (Pa.) were incensed at Jones’s decision not to endorse Bowman, according to a Semafor report. Both also faced pro-Israel primary challengers this cycle.
Lee called the endorsement “incredibly disappointing.”
Bush called Jones a friend unworthy of trust.
“It’s disgusting,” said Bush, who finds herself trailing her pro-Israel challenger St. Louis prosecuting attorney Wesley Bell. “Is that who he wants to be? Someone that the members can’t even trust? Someone that the members know will be your friend one day, and then as soon as it’s beneficial to him, will completely not only turn on you, but will go and support the person that is challenging you?”
Bowman, who did not return a request for comment, lags behind Latimer by 17 points according to an April poll. In the final stretch of his primary campaign, Bowman has leaned on far-left groups to push him across the finish line. A coalition of progressive organizations that downplay Hamas’s terrorism launched an initiative to save his campaign in May. Last week after a campaign event, Bowman posed for a photo with the New York Working Families Party and the Jewish Vote, two groups that call to defund the police.
Bowman and Latimer will face off at the ballot box on June 25
On May 30th, a Manhattan jury found former President Donald Trump guilty of thirty-four jerry-rigged felony charges brought against Mr. Trump by the progressive Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Credit: FrontPageMag.com
When the main casualty is the rule of law itself
By: Joseph Klein
On May 30th, a Manhattan jury found former President Donald Trump guilty of thirty-four jerry-rigged felony charges brought against Mr. Trump by the progressive Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. The fix was in, and the main casualty was the rule of law itself.
District Attorney Bragg abused his prosecutorial powers by targeting Mr. Trump personally, as he had promised to do when he ran for office, and then coming up with concocted felony offenses to charge him with. The Trump-hating district attorney magically alchemized a statute of limitations-barred misdemeanor of falsifying business records into a felony violation of a state law that prohibits conspiring to win an election by “unlawful means.”
DA Bragg accused the former president and presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee of allegedly conspiring to falsify business records to hide a hush money payment aimed at keeping news of a potentially embarrassing sex scandal from the voters. The jury bought this flimflam of a case against Mr. Trump with the help of a biased judge whose daughter’s firm was reportedly leveraging this same case to assist Democrats in their fundraising.
DA Bragg fabricated a byzantine legal theory especially for the purpose of ensnaring Mr. Trump. The progressive prosecutor chose to revive a time-barred misdemeanor by upgrading it to a felony involving alleged interference with a federal election, even though the public was in no way endangered by the alleged falsification of business records.
Contrast Mr. Bragg’s targeting of Mr. Trump with how he has dealt with the wave of violent crimes surging in Manhattan. Mr. Bragg has often taken the side of the accused criminals. His office has chosen to downgrade many of the most serious offenses occurring on its watch from felonies to misdemeanors.
In short, District Attorney Alvin Bragg is living proof of what the late Attorney General (and a subsequent Supreme Court Justice) Robert Jackson warned was “[t]he most dangerous power of the prosecutor: that he will pick people he thinks he should get, rather than pick cases that need to be prosecuted.”
An impartial judge would have thrown out Bragg’s indictment against Mr. Trump or, at the very least, ensured that Mr. Trump received a fair trial. However, the hopelessly biased Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan, who presided over Mr. Trump’s hush money trial, did neither. This judge, who should have been recused on conflict-of-interest grounds, abused his judicial authority by tilting the playing field sharply in the prosecution’s favor. Indeed, Judge Merchan’s rulings prevented Mr. Trump from receiving a fair trial and violated Mr. Trump’s fundamental constitutional right to due process.
For example, Judge Merchan allowed the prosecutor’s witness, former porn star Stormy Daniels, to rattle on with details about her alleged salacious affair with Mr. Trump. The judge overruled repeated objections by Mr. Trump’s lawyers that her prolonged testimony was highly prejudicial and legally irrelevant to the case, even though the judge himself admitted that the testimony may have gone too far.
Judge Merchan also allowed the introduction of other prejudicial evidence to help the prosecution’s case that had nothing to do with the charge that Mr. Trump caused the falsification of business records for the purpose of interfering with the 2016 election. This extraneous, prejudicial evidence included testimony about the infamous “Hollywood Access” tape. It also included testimony about Mr. Trump’s alleged affair involving former Playboy model Karen McDougal.
Judge Merchan did the prosecution another favor when he barred the introduction of evidence crucial to the defense. He did not allow the jury to hear testimony from a federal election law expert that would have supported the defense’s contention that Mr. Trump did not violate federal election law.
Judge Merchan also issued jury instructions that were highly stacked against the defense. The instructions allowed the jury to reach a guilty verdict even if they could not agree unanimously in identifying the specific crime that Mr. Trump allegedly committed as the unlawful means to interfere with the 2016 presidential election. The judge offered the jury a buffet of three possible key crimes that each jury member could choose from. They did not have to all agree on the same key crime but yet could still render a unanimous guilty verdict. Mr. Trump’s defense team did not learn of the specific crimes that the jury members could select from until the end of the trial. By then it was too late to present evidence to refute each of these crimes and their alleged connection to the charge of conspiring to interfere with the 2016 presidential election.
The Fifth Amendment of the Constitution guarantees to the accused criminal defendant “due process of law.” The Sixth Amendment guarantees that in a criminal prosecution the defendant has the right “to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation.” Mr. Trump was denied these fundamental rights in Judge Merchan’s courtroom.
Following the announcement of the jury’s guilty verdict, the Soros-funded progressive Manhattan DA bragged that “I did my job.” He is right in one sense. Mr. Bragg did a hatchet job on Donald Trump, enabling his comrades in the Democratic Party and the Biden re-election campaign to brand Mr. Trump as a convicted felon and distract voters from President Biden’s disastrous policy failures.
However, as mentioned earlier, Alvin Bragg has utterly failed to do his real job. He has shied away from vigorously prosecuting violent criminal suspects accused of putting innocent people’s lives and well-being in danger.
President Biden took Donald Trump to task for the former president’s harsh criticism of his trial and guilty verdict. Mr. Biden said that “it’s reckless, it’s dangerous, and it’s irresponsible for anyone to say this was rigged just because they don’t like the verdict.”
“The justice system should be respected, and we should never allow anyone to tear it down,” President Biden declared. “It’s as simple as that.”
Evidently, respect for the outcome of court decisions was not so simple for Mr. Biden himself when he angrily denounced, on foreign soil no less, the Supreme Court’s decision overruling Roe v. Wade. “The one thing that has been destabilizing is the outrageous behavior of the Supreme Court of the United States,” he declared while in Spain for a NATO summit meeting in 2022 after the Supreme Court issued its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.
After the leak of a draft of the Dobbs majority opinion, the Biden administration failed to enforce against pro-abortion protesters parading near conservative justices’ residences a law prohibiting such behavior aimed at influencing the outcome of a judicial proceeding.
A year later, President Biden angrily responded to the Supreme Court’s decision that struck down affirmative action programs at the University of North Carolina and Harvard. “This is not a normal court,” the president exclaimed about a co-equal branch of the federal government.
“Destabilizing,” “outrageous behavior,” and “not a normal court.” These were the words that President Biden chose to describe the Supreme Court for decisions it rendered with outcomes that he did not like. Once again, we see an example of ‘rules for thee but not for me.’
The guilty verdict against Donald Trump in the New York hush money case should be overturned on appeal on various grounds that include violations of Mr. Trump’s constitutional rights, Judge Merchan’s jury instructions, and reversible errors in the judge’s evidentiary rulings. However, the appellate process takes a long time and will not be concluded before Election Day. Mr. Trump cannot count on the Supreme Court’s intervention in time to redress this miscarriage of justice and ensure a fair election that is determined at the ballot box, not in a courtroom.
The Biden campaign is already using the “convicted felon” slogan against Donald Trump to amplify its smear that Mr. Trump and his millions of supporters constitute a grave danger to democracy. But this is part of the progressive Left’s Big Lie meant to deceive the voters. The truth is that democracy and the rule of law in America are under assault by the Biden White House, the Biden Justice Department, and progressive state prosecutors and judges who abuse their powers to target their political enemies.
Joseph Klein is a Harvard-trained lawyer, and the author of Global Deception: The UN’s Stealth Assault on America’s Freedom and Lethal Engagement: Barack Hussein Obama, The United Nations & Radical Islam.
Imagine it is August 1942, eight months after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. The rapidly growing isolationist America First Committee has surpassed 800,000 members. They claim that nothing can imperil America’s national security interests. The Nazi sympathizers of the German-American Bund march down major streets of Manhattan. Students at Columbia, Berkeley and Yale hold massive demonstrations against the war. Father Coughlin’s anti-Semitic radio broadcasts reach tens of millions of listeners. He endlessly asks, “Must the entire world go to war for 600,000 Jews who are neither American, nor French, nor English citizens, but citizens of Germany?”
Today, powerful elements within the Democratic Party, convinced they are immune from the jihadist hatred so ardently displayed towards Israel and all non-jihadists, are behaving precisely like that.
This was reflected in President Joe Biden’s June 1 speech.
Biden opened his remarks by claiming that his negotiators are focused “not just on a ceasefire” in the Israel-Hamas conflict “but a durable end to the war.”
The devil, as always, is in the details.
In his speech, Biden proposed a deal in three phases. The first demands “a full and complete ceasefire” with “a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from all areas of Gaza.”
This alone would essentially ensure a victory for Hamas after eight months of fighting. After all, what is to prevent Hamas or a similar group from seizing power after an Israeli withdrawal?
Biden also stated, “Palestinians—civilians—would return to their homes and neighborhoods in all areas of Gaza, including in the north.” But in an asymmetrical war, in which Hamas terrorists do not wear uniforms and do not carry dog tags or army ID cards (in violation of the Geneva Convention), how can one distinguish between a Palestinian civilian and a Hamas terrorist?
The formula for hostage releases in exchange for terrorist prisoners is also totally asymmetrical. Biden spoke of “a release of a number of hostages—including women, the elderly, the wounded—in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.”
Note the phrase “a number of hostages,” rather than “all remaining hostages.” What is “a number”? One? Two? A hundred? Why not one Palestinian prisoner for one hostage? Haven’t we learned our lesson from the 2011 deal that released 1,027 prisoners in exchange for IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, including Hamas mastermind Yahya Sinwar?
Biden continued, “Humanitarian assistance would surge with 600 trucks carrying aid into Gaza every single day.” However, a study by a group of highly esteemed public health officials and academics has found that the amount of calories coming into Gaza from Israel is 40% higher than the humanitarian standard for daily calorie intake. The problem has never been the efforts made by Israel to deliver food. The problem has always been Hamas’ plundering and looting of the food, as has been reported by Reuters.
Magnanimous promises are in store for us in phase two, such as “The cessation of hostilities, permanently.” How long is “permanently”? Until Hamas can regroup and reestablish its control over Gaza? Until the international community runs out of the will to negotiate ad nauseum with Hamas?
And if we are dealing with an entity that is expected to live in peace and security just a few meters away from Israel, why is it necessary to state that there will be “an exchange for the release of all remaining living hostages, including male soldiers.”
Therein lies the rub. The entire civilized world knows exactly what Hamas is. Its terrorists themselves videotaped their sadistic atrocities on Oct. 7. We all witnessed the serial use of sexual violence against women and men; the burning of children in front of their parents; the massive slaughter of parents in front of their children, the holding of sex slaves for eight months. We all heard the blood-curdling phone call of a child triumphantly bragging to his parents, “Open What’sApp. I killed 10 Jews with my own hands!” And the mother responds, “Oh my son. May God bless you!”
At first blush, phase three sounds like a wonderful “kumbaya moment,” except for the minor fact that Israel would not be allowed to ensure the integrity of its own borders or the security of its own people. Authority over borders would most likely fall into the hands of Egypt, which allowed the construction of hundreds of miles of terror tunnels from beneath Gaza into Egyptian territory. The tunnels were used to smuggle weapons into Gaza. There would also be a major role for Qatar, which magnanimously hosts the strongmen of Hamas in Doha and poisons the minds of the Arabic-speaking world through pro-Hamas Al Jazeera. All this would take place after the United States pours billions of taxpayer dollars into Gaza to rebuild it.
The U.S. State Department has never been willing to acknowledge that the Oslo Accords were a failed paradigm from the start. There is no reason to think that the Department will not attempt to replace the Hamas leadership with a “revitalized Palestinian Authority.” They may well try to pluck the arch-terrorist Marwan Barghouti from an Israeli prison, where he has remained since he was convicted of mass murder. As head of the Tanzim terrorist group, Barghouti took part in a terror campaign that killed over a thousand Israeli civilians—the second intifada.
Moreover, according to recent polls taken by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, there is minimal support for the P.A. among Palestinians. Worse still, 71% of Palestinians said Hamas’s decision to commit the Oct. 7 atrocities was correct.
It is noteworthy that Biden declared, “Israel has offered a comprehensive new proposal” in order to justify his plan.
Yet that same day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote on X, “Israel’s conditions for ending the war have not changed: The destruction of Hamas military and governing capabilities, the freeing of all hostages, and ensuring that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel.”
He added, “Israel will continue to insist these conditions are met before a permanent ceasefire is put in place. The notion that Israel will agree to a permanent ceasefire before these conditions are fulfilled is a non-starter.”
Biden assured us nonetheless, “The people of Israel should know they can make this offer without any further risk to their own security because they’ve devastated Hamas forces over the past eight months. At this point, Hamas no longer is capable of carrying out another Oct. 7, which was one of the Israelis’ main objectives in this war and, quite frankly, a righteous one.”
Hamas is a theocratic, nationalist autocracy. The people of Gaza and much of Judea and Samaria have been indoctrinated from age two to support it. The only way to defeat it is the way the Allies defeated the Nazis: complete and total victory. Without this, we will see countless Oct. 7’s.
In a mad, isolationist world with an impending presidential election in the United States, assurances from the Biden or any other administration regarding Israel’s survival must remain meager and paltry.
Israel, the Jew among the nations, has no one to depend on but itself.
Sarah N. Stern is the founder and president of the Endowment for Middle East Truth (EMET), a think tank that specializes in the Middle East. She is the author of Saudi Arabia and the Global Terrorist Network (2011).
