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France Raises Its Security Readiness to Highest Level After Attack in Russia, Worried About IS

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French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Israel on Tuesday. Credit: Alexandros ichailidis/Shutterstock.

(AP) — France’s government increased its security alert posture to the highest level Sunday after the deadly attack at a Russian concert hall and the Islamic State’s claim of responsibility.

French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal announced the decision in a post on X, saying authorities were “taking into account the Islamic State’s claim of responsibility for the (Moscow) attack and the threats weighing on our country.″

The announcement came after President Emmanuel Macron held an emergency security meeting prompted by Friday’s attack in a Moscow suburb that killed more than 130 people. The attack was claimed by an affiliate of the Islamic State group.

France has repeatedly been hit by deadly Islamic State attacks, including the Bataclan theater massacre in 2015 in which extremists opened fire on concert-goers and held hostages for hours. French troops have also fought against Islamic extremists in the Middle East and Africa.

France was already on high security alert ahead of the Paris Olympics and Paralympics this year, which are expected to draw millions of visitors to the country. Security concerns are notably high for the the exceptional opening ceremony July 26, which will involve boats riding along the Seine River and huge crowds watching from the embankments.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Issues Dire Warning Over CBDC Adoption

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sxhutterstock

By Naveen Athrappully- Epoch Times

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. warned that central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) pave the way for an authoritarian government in America similar to the Chinese communist regime.

“I’m against central bank digital currencies because that is part of the path to getting us where China is today. That’s where they started, that’s where all these other countries started with central bank digital currency, and it’s the end of freedom. We will be slaves if we allow that to happen,” Mr. Kennedy said during a March 22 event. He pointed to the Canadian trucker’s protests to explain why CBDCs were dangerous for freedoms. The Canadian government portrayed the truckers “as right-wing, fascist, and racist” when they were not, he said.

“The government used facial recognition systems and other intrusive technologies to identify the participants, all the truckers. They got their license plates, etc. And then they froze their bank accounts. So they couldn’t get diesel for their trucks, they couldn’t buy food for their kids, they couldn’t pay for their education, they couldn’t pay their mortgages.”

 

A trucker told Mr. Kennedy that he was going to jail for being unable to pay his alimony. “It occurred to me that transactional freedom is as important as freedom of the press. If you have freedom of speech in the First Amendment, and yet when you exercise that speech, the government doesn’t like it, they can starve you to death, they can throw you out of your home because you can’t pay your mortgage or your rent, then that is meaningless.”

Transactional freedom is “absolutely critical” for freedom of speech to exist, he said. “If we get a central bank digital currency, they’d do what they do in China.”

In China, people pay for groceries and gasoline using their “face,” he said, referring to facial recognition systems. The Communist regime keeps a social credit score on its citizens so that anyone found violating regulations will face penalties and restrictions, like potentially restricting an individual’s access to grocery stores within a certain radius of their house or workplace.

“You can’t buy gas, you can’t buy an airplane ticket, you can’t buy anything else. So, you’re basically under home confinement. Like the truckers in Canada, they were never charged with a crime. They were certainly never convicted,” he said.

“It was just they were doing something the government didn’t like. The government was able to destroy their lives, and that is a very dangerous power to give government.”
CBDC Dangers

In addition to Mr. Kennedy, several other prominent individuals have raised concerns about central bank digital currencies, including former President Donald Trump. During a campaign stop in New Hampshire in January, President Trump vowed to “never allow” the U.S. Federal Reserve to issue a CBDC.

“As your president, I will never allow the creation of a central bank digital currency. Such a currency would give the federal government absolute control of your money,” he said. “This would be a dangerous threat to freedom and I will stop it from coming to America.”

Currency of Control: How CBDC Implementation Is Leading to Global Tyranny–Aaron Day

In a July 2023 video, Brexit leader Nigel Farage highlighted the dangers of government control over currencies. “The ultimate fear is if we get CBDCs, we could finish up like the Canadian truckers, people who were within the law, found themselves outside the law and had their bank accounts frozen. Controlling people’s money would be the ultimate form of tyranny.”

Several key international figures admitted that CBDCs will allow for greater control over people’s finances.

During a seminar back in 2020, Agustin Carstens, general manager of the Bank for International Settlements, pointed out that “we don’t know who’s using a $100 bill today, and we don’t know who’s using a 1,000-peso bill today.”

 

The key difference with the CBDC is “the central bank will have absolute control on the rules and regulations that will determine the use of that expression of central bank liability, and also we will have the technology to enforce that,” he explained.

In October 2022, IMF Deputy Managing Director Bo Li said that CBDCs “can allow government agencies and private sector players to program, to create smart contracts, to allow targeted policy functions.”

He went on to explain that CBDCs can be used to control items like welfare money, food stamps, and consumption coupons.

A February paper from the Bank of Canada research warned that CBDCs could negatively affect bank deposits.

“The CBDC would directly compete with bank deposits in the market for digital money. As a consequence, there are concerns that a CBDC could substantially crowd out bank deposits, which may undermine financial stability by raising the funding cost and reducing the profitability of the banking sector,” the paper said.

Republican senators led by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) have introduced a proposal seeking to ban CBDCs in the United States.
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“The Biden administration salivates at the thought of infringing on our freedom and intruding on the privacy of citizens to surveil their personal spending habits, which is why Congress must clarify that the Federal Reserve has no authority to implement a CBDC,” Mr. Cruz said in a Feb, 26 statement.

“I’m proud to lead the fight in the Senate to restrict the Federal Reserve’s exploration of and attempt to introduce a CBDC to the American economy.”

Gantz Threatens to Bolt Government if Haredi Draft Law Passes

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Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz at the launch in Tel Aviv of his National Unity Party’s election campaign, Sept. 6, 2022. Photo by Tomer Neuberg/Flash90.

(JNS) – Israeli Minister-without-Portfolio Benny Gantz announced on Monday that his National Unity Party will leave the government if it passes a haredi conscription law as outlined by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

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“The people will not tolerate it, the Knesset will not be able to vote in favor of it, and my associates and I cannot be part of this emergency government if this law passes,” said Gantz, a member of Israel’s War Cabinet. “Passing such a law would be crossing a red line during normal times.”

“I appeal to the leaders of the ultra-Orthodox parties as someone who has no doubts about the importance of studying the Torah and preserving Israel’s heritage and tradition—do not try to pass an incorrect law that the entire nation cannot bear,” he said.

Netanyahu has said he will bring the proposed law to a Knesset vote on Tuesday, however, the process of passing the bill into law could take months.

Under a law that expired in June, conscription-age Haredi men enrolled in yeshivas can obtain repeated one-year deferrals until they reach the age of exemption from mandatory military service, effectively exempting them from military service.

Haredi leadership discourages military service, seeing it as corrupting and a distraction from Torah study. In 2021, 87% of haredi 18-year-olds did not enlist, while 86% of non-haredi Jewish 18-year-olds did. The disparity has caused sharp friction within Israeli society.

The shock of Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre, and the resulting war, have exacerbated the problem, leading to widespread calls for an end to blanket exemption from IDF service for haredim. Adding to the pressure is the realization that the military requires a larger standing army to deal with multiple fronts.

A temporary extension of the exemption law issued by Israel’s High Court in late February is set to expire next week. The court gave the government until the end of this week to issue a response. In the absence of any move by the government, the Israel Defense Forces will be required to enforce the draft of haredi men starting on April 1.

Bringing the draft law to a Knesset vote would buy the coalition more time.

According to Ynet, which has seen a copy of the outline, under it Haredi men would be exempt from service until age 35, up from age 26 currently.

The draft legislation sets no quotas for the number of haredi men that would be required to enlist, and the IDF wouldn’t take steps to bring Haredim into the armed services until June 16, the deadline set by the court for a new enlistment bill to come into effect.

Special military units would be set up to accommodate the religious sensitivities of Haredi men. The units wouldn’t include female soldiers and would be ready by August 2024 when new Haredi conscripts are expected.

Earlier on Sunday, before Gantz’s statement, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who left for the United States on Sunday, also said he would oppose the coalition bill.

In late February, Gallant said he would only support a Haredi conscription law if all members of the coalition did, too. His declaration garnered criticism from fellow coalition members, who said it essentially handed veto power to Gantz, who while a member of the emergency wartime government was otherwise opposed to Netanyahu’s leadership.

 

Letitia James’s Office: $464M Judgment ‘Still Stands’ Against Trump

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New York City Mayor Eric Adams officially backed state Attorney General Letitia James’ reelection bid. Photo Credit: AP

By Wendell Husebo(Breitbart)

The $464 million judgment “still stands” against former President Donald Trump, a spokesperson from New York Attorney General Letitia James’s office responded to Monday’s court ruling.

The five-panel New York appeals court ruled Trump could post a bond “in the amount of $175 million” to cover the judgment. The court also delayed enforcement of the $464 million judgment by ten days.

“The $464 million judgment — plus interest — against Donald Trump and the other defendants still stands,” the spokesperson said.

“Donald Trump is still facing accountability for his staggering fraud,” the statement continued. “The court has already found that he engaged in years of fraud to falsely inflate his net worth and unjustly enrich himself, his family, and his organization.”

The media saw the court ruling as a “critical” and “unexpected” victory for Trump on Monday, which came on a day the court does not generally issue rulings, the establishment media reported.

WATCH — MAGA! Firefighters Boo New York AG Letitia James Who Prosecuted Trump:

FDNY via Storyful

Two people with knowledge of his finances told several media outlets that Trump should be able to post bond by then. “We got what we wanted,” a source told ABC News.

Constitutional scholar Jonathan Turley applauded the court ruling. “For those looking for a thrill kill moment at midnight, this will be a disappointment,” he posted on X. “Hopefully, the appellate court will restore a degree of objectivity and restraint missing on the trial level.”

“The true sunk costs of this controversy are likely born by Democrats who are seen as engaging in raw lawfare,” he continued. “Turning the New York legal system into an inescapable political vortex is repellent for many citizens and companies alike.”

RELATED VIDEO — NY A.G. on Fear Trump Ruling Will Drive Away Business: Tourism, Wall Street Are Good — Will Seize His Assets if Needed:

Trump also seemed pleased with the ruling. “I greatly respect the decision of the Appellate Division, and I’ll post either $175 million in cash or bond for security, whatever is necessary very quickly within the 10 day, and I thank the Appellate Division for acting quickly, but Judge Engoron is a disgrace to this country and this should not be allowed to happen,” Trump said.

Wendell Husebo is a political reporter with Breitbart News and a former GOP War Room Analyst. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality. Follow Wendell on “X” @WendellHusebø or on Truth Social @WendellHusebo.

Hamas praises UN Security Council vote on Gaza ceasefire

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Hamas chief in Gaza Yahya Sinwar holds a Palestinian child dressed as a Hamas terrorist during a rally in Gaza City, May 24, 2021. Photo by Atia Mohammed/Flash90.

(JNS) Hamas on Monday thanked the U.N. Security Council for passing a resolution demanding a temporary halt to the Israel Defense Forces operation against the terror group in the Gaza Strip.

“Hamas calls on the Security Council to pressure the occupation [Israel, sic] to adhere to the ceasefire and stop the war of genocide and ethnic cleansing against our people,” it said in a statement posted online.

The statement added that a truce is needed to “bury our martyrs who have remained under the rubble” and for “humanitarian needs.”

The U.N. resolution, which calls for a halt to the fighting until the end of the Muslim holiday of Ramadan on April 9, was supported by 14 nations, including veto holders China, Russia, the United Kingdom and France. U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield abstained, allowing the measure to pass.

The text also demands the “immediate and unconditional release” of the 134 remaining hostages hostages taken during Hamas’s Oct. 7 terror rampage across Israel’s northwestern Negev.

Hamas said it is willing “to engage in an immediate prisoner exchange process that leads to the release of prisoners on both sides.”

The terror group expressed its hope for “a permanent ceasefire that leads to the withdrawal of all Zionist forces from the Gaza Strip and the return of the displaced [Palestinians] to the homes from which they left.”

Hamas openly seeks to destroy Israel in its entirety and replace it with a Palestinian-Islamic state. Article 13 of its charter states that “there is no solution for the Palestinian question except through jihad.”

The 1988 charter also states that “our struggle against the Jews is very great and very serious.” It quotes Hassan al-Banna, founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, as saying: “Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it.”

Hamas terrorists murdered some 1,200 men, women and children—and wounded thousands more—in a mass attack after infiltrating Israel’s border with the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, when they also abducted more than 250 others and brought them back into captivity in Gaza.

New York Appeals Court Pauses $464M Judgment Against Trump

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Former President Donald Trump faces a daunting $355 million civil fraud ruling that was handed down on Friday by a New York City judge. Credit: AP
Kristina Wong(Breitbart)

A New York appeals court on Monday said it would pause the clock on enforcing a $464 million judgment against former President Donald Trump.

The state appeals court panel said it would act if the Trump Organization and top executives posted a $175 million within 10 days.

Trump said after the decision:

I greatly respect the decision of the Appellate Division, and I’ll post either $175 million in cash or bond for security, whatever is necessary very quickly within the 10 days. And I thank the Appellate Division for acting quickly. But Judge Engoron is a disgrace to this country and this should not be allowed to happen.

The dramatic last minute reprieve comes after Trump’s lawyers said it would be impossible for him to secure that amount of cash.

Trump posted on Truth Social that he would abide by the decision of the appeals court.

He said:

Judge Engoron has refused to obey the decision of the Appellate Division relative to the Statute of Limitations. This is a confrontation between a Judge and those that rule above him – A very bad situation in which to place New York State and the Rule of Law! Engoron has disrespected the Appellate Division and its very clear and precise ruling. He should be made to do so, and at the same time, release the GAG ORDER. This is the 5th time in this case that he has been overturned, a record. His credibility, and that of Leticia James, has been shattered. We will abide by the decision of the Appellate Division, and post either a bond, equivalent securities, or cash. This also shows how ridiculous and outrageous Engoron’s original decision was at $450 Million. I DID NOTHING WRONG, AND NEW YORK SHOULD NEVER BE PUT IN A POSITION LIKE THIS AGAIN. BUSINESSES ARE FLEEING, VIOLENT CRIME IS FLOURISHING, AND IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THIS BE RESOLVED IN ITS TOTALITY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU!

 

Trump continued to go after Engoron and James, adding:

Judge Engoron and Letitia James should be forced to explain why he ruled that Mar-a-Lago was worth $18,000,000 when, in fact, it is worth from 50 to 100 times that amount. How did the Attorney General of the State of New York force this Corrupt Judge to do that in order to help her narrative – AND WHY?

 

 

Netanyahu cancels delegation to US as UN Security Council backs ceasefire

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President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speak to reporters in Tel Aviv, Oct. 18, 2023. Photo by Miriam Alster/Flash90

( JNS) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday canceled a high-level delegation to Washington after the Biden administration failed to veto a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the war against Hamas, the Prime Minister’s Office announced.

After four failed attempts, the Security Council passed its first resolution calling for an immediate halt to the military operation in the Gaza Strip until the end of Ramadan on April 9.

The resolution, which also called for the release of Israeli hostages, was supported by 14 nations, including veto holders China, Russia, the United Kingdom and France. U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield abstained, allowing the measure to pass 14-0.

Following Monday’s vote, Jerusalem announced that “in light of the change in the American position, Prime Minister Netanyahu decided that the delegation will not depart.”

Netanyahu said that the changed U.S. position “hurts the war effort and the effort to release the hostages” by giving the Hamas terrorist organization hope that international pressure will bring about a ceasefire without freeing the captives

The Israeli delegation was slated to travel to Washington this week for talks on the looming Israel Defense Forces operation in Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah. It would have included Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi.

Washington had said the discussion would focus on alternatives to a military operation in the city amid reports that President Joe Biden is considering conditioning aid to Israel if Jerusalem moves ahead with it.

In a March 9 interview with MSNBC, Biden declared that invading Rafah is a “red line,” before quickly clarifying that “I’m never going to leave Israel. The defense of Israel is still critical, so there’s no red line [where] I’m going to cut off all weapons.”

The final four Hamas battalions with some 3,000 gunmen are concentrated in Rafah. Netanyahu has repeatedly said that all of the Hamas battalions must be defeated to prevent the terrorist organization from regrouping and reestablishing itself to threaten Israel again.

Netanyahu told visiting Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday that the Jewish state cannot declare victory without destroying the battalions in Rafah. “I told him that I hope we would do this with U.S. support but if necessary, we will do it alone,” the prime minister said.

Around three-quarters of Jewish Israelis and a majority of Israelis overall support expanding the military operations against Hamas to Rafah, according to polling conducted by the Israel Democracy Institute.

Last month, Israel put forward an evacuation plan for civilians in Rafah. The proposal envisions 15 campsites of around 25,000 tents each (375,000 tents, in total) where displaced Gazans will be relocated.

U.N. Demands Cease-Fire in Gaza During Ramadan, Its First Demand to Halt Fighting

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United Nations headquarters (Shutterstock)

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

The United Nations Security Council passed a resolution Monday demanding an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip between Israel and the Hamas terror organization, after the United States delegation declined to veto the measure.

The resolution, which was drafted jointly by the delegations from Sierra Leone, Switzerland, Slovenia, South Korea, Malta, Japan, Mozambique, Ecuador, Algeria, and Guyana, passed the Security Council 14-0, with only the U.S. abstaining.

The measure “demands an immediate ceasefire for the month of Ramadan respected by all parties leading to a permanent sustainable ceasefire” in the Gaza Strip.

Separately, the resolution “also demands the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, as well as ensuring humanitarian access to address their medical and other humanitarian needs, and further demands that the parties comply with their obligations under international law in relation to all persons they detain.”

Israel had objected to the resolution, saying that it did not condition the ceasefire on the release of Israeli captives held in Gaza.

Shortly before the vote, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had called on the U.S. mission to the UN to use its veto to block the resolution, threatening to withdraw an Israeli delegation to Washington if the measure was allowed to pass.

‘’If the USA does not veto the resolution, which calls for a ceasefire that is not dependent on the release of the hostages, I will cancel the Israeli delegation’s trip to Washington,’’ Netanyahu said.

The Israeli delegation had been slated to discuss alternatives to the planned Rafah operation.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield disputed Israel’s interpretation of Monday’s resolution, claiming that a ceasefire in Gaza must be part of an agreement securing the release of Israeli hostages.

Boeing CEO to exit in broad management shakeup as manufacturing issues plague storied plane maker

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Boeing CEO David Calhoun- AP

(AP)  Boeing CEO David Calhoun will step down from the embattled plane maker at the end of the year as part of a broad management shakeup after a series of mishaps at one of America’s iconic manufacturers.

Stan Deal, president and CEO of Boeing’s commercial airplanes unit, will retire immediately. Stephanie Pope, the company’s chief operating officer for less than three months, has taken over leadership of the key division.

The company said board Chairman Lawrence Kellner, a former airline chief, won’t stand for re-election in May and will be replaced by a former Qualcomm CEO.

Boeing has been under intense pressure since early January, when a panel blew off a brand-new Alaska Airlines 737 Max. Investigators say bolts that help keep the panel in place were missing after repair work at the Boeing factory.

Major airlines want to hear how Boeing plans to fix problems in the manufacturing of its planes

The Federal Aviation Administration has stepped up its scrutiny of the company, including putting a limit on production of 737s. An FAA audit of Boeing’s 737 factory near Seattle gave the company failing grades on nearly three dozen aspects of production.

 

Airline executives have expressed their frustration with the company, and even minor incidents involving Boeing jets have attracted extra attention.

Fallout from the Jan. 5 blowout has raised scrutiny of Boeing to its highest level since two Boeing 737 Max jets crashed in 2018 in Indonesia and 2019 in Ethiopia. In all, the crashes killed 346 people.

In a note Monday to employees, Calhoun, 67, called the accident “a watershed moment for Boeing.” that requires ”a total commitment to safety and quality at every level of our company.”

“The eyes of the world are on us, and I know we will come through this moment a better company, building on all the learnings we accumulated as we worked together to rebuild Boeing over the last number of years,” he said.

Boeing’s most significant effort to improve quality has the opening of discussions about bringing Spirit AeroSystems, which builds fuselages for the Max and many parts for that and other Boeing planes, back into the company. Mistakes made at Spirit, which Boeing spun off nearly 20 years ago, have compounded the company’s problems.

 

Calhoun said the two companies are making progress in talks “and it’s very important.”

Calhoun said the decision to leave was his. Calhoun was a Boeing director when he became CEO in January 2020, replacing Dennis Muilenburg, who was fired in the aftermath of the Max crashes. In 2021, Boeing’s board raised the mandatory retirement age for CEO to keep Calhoun in the job.

The company has chosen former Qualcomm CEO Steven Mollenkopf to become the new board chairman and to lead the search for Calhoun’s replacement.

Richard Aboulafia, a longtime aerospace analyst and now a consultant at AeroDynamic Advisory, said the management shakeup “is likely to be a pivotal moment in Boeing’s history, and probably a very positive one,” but the outcome depends on the next CEO. He said Patrick Shanahan, a former Boeing executive and acting U.S. Defense secretary who has led Spirit AeroSystems since last fall, would be “a great choice.”

 

Cai von Rumohr, aerospace analyst at Cowen, said the management changes are “a partial step toward changing its culture to underscore safety and rebuild investor confidence in the company.” He said the fact that Calhoun gave more than eight months’ notice will help the Boeing board make “a considered decision” instead of “a knee-jerk reaction.”

Pope, the new head of the commercial-airplanes business, was promoted to Boeing chief operating officer only in January. Before that, she was president and CEO of Boeing’s services business and chief financial officer of the airplanes division.

Shares of The Boeing Co. rose about 1% in early trading.

IDF rape claim was a lie, admit Al Jazeera, Hamas

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Muslim women donning the Burqa. (Shutterstock)

By World Israel News Staff

The Hamas terror group and Qatari news outlet Al Jazeera have admitted that a report about IDF soldiers raping Palestinian women in the Gaza Strip was a lie, after the claim sparked mass panic in the coastal enclave.

On Sunday, Al Jazeera published a story in Arabic which falsely stated that Israeli soldiers had sexually assaulted women at Al-Shifa Hospital.

The medical center is the site of an military operation, which has so far led to the arrest of hundreds of Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists.

The report created a frenzy in the Strip, with security blogger Abu Ali Express reporting that hundreds of families fled from north and central Gaza to the south, fearing that their female family members would be assaulted.

Beyond sparking a large migration towards the already crowded south, many Gazans were also enraged by what they believed was a failure by Hamas to protect the honor of Palestinian women.

Following the mass panic, Hamas and Al Jazeera were forced to walk back the falsehood in order to calm public spirits.

“It was revealed through Hamas investigations that the story of the rape of women in Al-Shifa Hospital was fabricated,” tweeted Jordanian journalist Yasser Abuhilalah, who is senior writer at Al Jazeera.

Abuhilalah said that the woman who had lied to Al Jazeera had positive intentions. Her “goal was to arouse the nation’s fervor and brotherhood,” he explained.

Notably, Al Jazeera did not issue a formal retraction of the story and clarify that it was false, in line with standard journalistic practices.

Instead, the outlet deleted all traces of the story from its website and social media accounts.

Despite the admission that the story was false, many pro-Palestinian activists continue promoting the lie that Israeli soldiers sexually abused Palestinian women.

One U.S. State Department official even presented the lies as factual when speaking with an Israeli military representative.

IDF: Hamas Is Destroying Shifa Hospital, Firing from Maternity Ward

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IDF

By Joel B. Pollak

Israel accused Palestinian terrorists Sunday of destroying Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, after days of battle in which the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confronted hundreds of Hamas and Islamic Jihad members using the hospital as a base.

In some case, the Israeli military said, Hamas terrorists were firing from the emergency room, the maternity ward, and the burn unit. Hamas was thwarting Israel’s effort to allow normal hospital functions to continue, the IDF said.

In a statement, IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said (translation via IDF):

Today is day 6 of the IDF’s operation against Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Shifa Hospital.

170 terrorists were neutralized in or around the Shifa Hospital compound while firing at our forces.

The IDF apprehended hundreds of terror suspects with confirmed ties to Hamas or Islamic Jihad, making this one of the most successful operations since the start of the war.

A large number of these terrorists were involved in planning and executing the brutal massacre of October 7.

This operation is not over.

Right now, Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists are barricading themselves inside Shifa hospital wards.

Hamas is destroying Shifa hospital.

Hamas is firing from inside the Shifa Emergency Room and Maternity Ward and throwing explosive devices from the Shifa Burn Ward.

Terrorists hiding around the hospital fired mortars at our forces, causing extensive damage to the hospital buildings.

I repeat: Hamas is firing mortars at the Shifa hospital.

Hamas is destroying the Shifa hospital.

Hamas hijacked the Shifa Hospital and hides behind the sick and injured, waging war from inside Shifa Hospital.

The IDF operates with precision and acts with care towards the patients and medical staff inside the hospital.

We do this because we distinguish between Hamas terrorists and the civilians they are hiding behind.

We do this because our war is against Hamas, not against the people of Gaza.

And our actions prove this.

Since the beginning of this operation against Hamas at Shifa Hospital, the IDF has assisted the sick and wounded and helped move many of them out of harm’s way.

We brought dozens of medical devices; over 10 thousand units of medications; hundreds of medical supplies; as well as food, water, and other equipment into Shifa Hospital.

When Hamas’s attacks resulted in the failure of the hospital generator, our troops helped restore electricity to the hospital.

Our operation at Shifa Hospital proves once again: Hamas systematically uses hospitals to wage war and consistently uses the people of Gaza as human shields.

Israel showed earlier in the war that Hamas had used Shifa Hospital to store weapons, to move hostages, and to conceal underground infrastructure for the terrorist organization. Using a hospital as a military installation is a violation of international humanitarian law, and means the hospital forfeits its protected status under that law.

Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of the recent book, “The Zionist Conspiracy (and how to join it),” now available on Audible. He is also the author of the e-book, Neither Free nor Fair: The 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.

New Spending Bill Prohibits Pride Flag At US Embassies Worldwide

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LGBT rainbow flag (Shutterstock)

(Daily Caller) President Joe Biden signed a funding bill Saturday that prohibits the pride flag at U.S. Embassies worldwide.

Joe Biden signed a $1.2 trillion government funding bill Saturday that incorporated a provision that restricts the display of LGBTQ pride flags over U.S. embassies. This ban is part of many additional issues included in the bill that was passed to fund the government until September.

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, who is known for his conservative Christian beliefs, reportedly used the ban on the pride flag to gain support for the bill from his party, according to Bloomberg. The $1.2 trillion bill, which is 1,012 pages long, indirectly backs a Republican plan to stop LGBTQ Pride flags from being shown at U.S. government buildings, even if it doesn’t specifically mention the ban of Pride flags at U.S. embassies.

“None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be obligated or expended to fly or display a flag over a facility of the United States Department of State other than the — United States flag; Foreign Service flag pursuant to 2 FAM, POW/MIA flag, Hostage and Wrongful Detainee flag, pursuant to section 904 of title 36, United States Code, flag of a State, insular area, or the District of Columbia at domestic locations, flag of an Indian Tribal government, official branded flag of a United States agency or sovereign flag of other countries,” the bill read.

The White House announced that it intends to fight the ban. Right after the bill was signed, the Biden administration immediately pledged efforts to overturn this specific clause.

 

“The Administration fought against the inclusion of this policy and we will continue to work with members of Congress to find an opportunity to repeal it. We were successful in defeating 50+ other policy riders attacking the LGBTQI+ community that Congressional Republicans attempted to insert into the legislation,” the White House spokesperson told NBC News. (RELATED: ‘You’re Already Represented’: Community Bans Pride Flags On Public Poles)

A Democrat strongly opposed the provision. Democratic Texas Rep. Greg Casar expressed his disapproval while talking to reporters Thursday, according to NBC News. “It shows just how low the Republican Party has gotten that they’ve threatened to shut down government services over trying to figure out which flags can be flown in front of which buildings,” Casar said, NBC News reported. “I think it’s laughable, not just to Democratic voters but to Republican voters.”

Republican Florida Rep. Cory Mills expressed disappointment that this policy had to be included, according to the Washington Examiner. Mills believes that this policy about flags is part of a larger issue with the Democrats’ focus on diversity, the outlet stated. “I don’t think that we should be flying flags that sow division by thinking that it somehow creates some kind of inclusion,” Mills told the Washington Examiner. “I think it does the opposite. I just personally think that it’s sad that we have to state these things.”

Fans call for boycott of James Bond movie because of Jewish actor

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Aaron Taylor-Johnson in "The King's Man." 20th Century Studios

(A7) Fans of the James Bond films have threatened to boycott the next movie if Jewish actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson is named to the role.

According to reports, antisemites have shared the hashtag #BoycottJamesBond on social media in light of reports that the British actor, 33, has all but signed a deal to assume the role of Bond.

The hashtag #BoycottJamesBond has also been widely shared on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Comments posted to social media include: “Really bad timing with Israel committing genocide in Gaza. Shame on you. I hope your company collapses”; “Boycott Bond, Free Palestine”; and “I won’t buy a ticket for any of its movies. Will boycott all of it.”

One comment claimed that the casting of Taylor-Johnson was an attempt at “trying to clean up the image of Mossad.”

Taylor-Johnson said he was Jewish in an interview, when speaking about a fan saying he resembled a fashionable Hasidic Jew. “That was nice because I have really curly hair and also I’m Jewish,” he said at the time.

Despite the calls for a boycott if Taylor-Johnson is cast as James Bond, there has been no confirmation yet that the actor has indeed accepted the role.

The Sun reported on Monday that the British actor had been “formally offered the opportunity to play James Bond”. While the initial report said the deal with Taylor-Johnson was all but done, the BBC 24 hours later quoted a production insider who said that there is “no truth in the rumors”.

AOC Takes Stand Against Gaza Blockade, Labels Situation as “Unfolding Genocide”

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During a recent interview on “Meet the Press,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) avoided directly addressing a question about whether describing Israel’s military actions as “genocide” was an exaggeration. Credit: NBCNews.com

AOC Takes Stand Against Gaza Blockade, Labels Situation as “Unfolding Genocide”

Edited by: TJVNews.com

New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a prominent figure in the Democratic Party’s radical left wing faction has issued a powerful condemnation of Israel’s blockade of Gaza, characterizing the situation as an “unfolding genocide,” as was recently reported in The New York Times. In a speech delivered on the House floor, Ocasio-Cortez called upon President Biden to take decisive action by halting U.S. military aid to Israel until humanitarian assistance is allowed to freely flow into the Gaza Strip.

Addressing the dire humanitarian crisis gripping Gaza, Ocasio-Cortez painted a stark picture of the suffering endured by its residents. The NYT indicated that she highlighted the plight of 1.1 million “innocents” facing famine, with thousands of children resorting to eating grass as food supplies are obstructed just miles away.

The congresswoman’s remarks mark a significant escalation in rhetoric, signaling her growing frustration with the ongoing blockade and the Biden administration’s response to the crisis. The report in the NYT suggested that by openly invoking the term “genocide,” Ocasio-Cortez has intensified pressure on party leaders to reassess their approach to Israel’s wartime actions and their implications for the Palestinian population.

Ocasio-Cortez’s stance diverges from that of party leadership, as she has been an outspoken advocate for a permanent cease-fire and has called for conditioning American military aid to Israel, as was noted in the NYT report. Despite facing resistance from within her own party, Ocasio-Cortez remains resolute in her determination to skewer Israel.

While Israel has vehemently denied accusations of genocide, Ocasio-Cortez’s decision to publicly embrace the term reflects a growing sense of urgency. The NYT report suggested that by reframing the discourse surrounding the conflict, she has sought to galvanize support for concrete measures to address the root causes of the crisis.

Privately, Ocasio-Cortez has voiced concerns about the potential repercussions of using the term “genocide,” fearing that it may alienate potential supporters of a cease-fire.

Despite her position putting her at odds with some of her fellow progressives and facing criticism from left-leaning activists, Ocasio-Cortez remains steadfast in her condemnation of Israel’s blockade and its impact on the Palestinian population.

With the United Nations warning of the looming threat of famine for Gaza’s 2.2 million residents, pressure has mounted on Israel to ease restrictions on the flow of essential goods into the territory. The NYT also reported that Ocasio-Cortez’s allies attribute her use of the term to a sense of moral obligation to speak out against what she perceives as a grave injustice.

“Blocking assistance from one’s closest allies to starve a million people is not unintentional,” Ocasio-Cortez asserted, emphasizing the need for accountability and action in the face of such dire circumstances, as was explained by the NYT.

Despite the gravity of her charge, the immediate reaction to Ocasio-Cortez’s comments has been relatively muted, with the White House declining to comment and staunch Democratic allies of Israel remaining silent, as was revealed in the NYT report. This tepid response underscores the sensitivity of the issue within the Democratic Party and the reluctance of party leaders to challenge the status quo on Israel’s actions.

President Biden and top Democratic leaders have consistently reaffirmed Israel’s right to defend itself and have shown little inclination to curtail military aid to the country. On the contrary, the administration has signaled its support for increasing military assistance to Israel, further complicating efforts to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a prominent pro-Israel lobby, swiftly denounced Ocasio-Cortez’s accusation, labeling it an “obscene perversion of the truth.” The report in the NYT indicated that Marshall Wittmann, AIPAC’s spokesman, shifted the blame onto terrorist groups in Gaza such as Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, accusing them of harboring genocidal intentions and exploiting Palestinian civilians as human shields. While AIPAC’s statement did not mention Ocasio-Cortez by name, it signaled the organization’s staunch opposition to her characterization of Israel’s actions.

Despite facing criticism from pro-Israel groups, Ocasio-Cortez’s speech found support among antiwar activists, who hailed her willingness to speak out against the purported atrocities unfolding in Gaza. However, some activists argued that her intervention came too late, with Hafsa Halawa, a nonresident scholar at the Middle East Institute, lamenting that Ocasio-Cortez had not acted sooner, as per the information contained in the NYT. Nonetheless, Ocasio-Cortez’s decision to address the issue on the House floor reflects the growing momentum behind efforts to hold Israel accountable for its actions.

Ocasio-Cortez’s speech comes at a precarious moment in the conflict, with officials warning of the potentially devastating consequences of an Israeli attack on the southern Gazan city of Rafah, where more than a million civilians have sought refuge, as was detailed in the NYT report. The Biden administration, which had previously offered steadfast support to Israel, has urged restraint and introduced a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. Although the resolution failed to pass, progressives aligned with Ocasio-Cortez view President Biden’s shift in stance as a sign that their advocacy efforts are gaining traction.

Invoking President Biden’s own words from a 2011 speech, Ocasio-Cortez highlighted the urgency of addressing genocides before it’s too late, warning against repeating past mistakes. Drawing attention to the Biden administration’s plan to deploy a temporary floating pier off Gaza’s coastline to facilitate the transit of goods, Ocasio-Cortez cautioned that such measures would be insufficient to avert the worst of the crisis, according to the information provided in the NYT report. Instead, she called for the suspension of U.S. weapons transfers to Israel as a means to pressure compliance with international law and humanitarian standards.

 

“The time is now to force compliance with U.S. law and the standards of humanity,” Ocasio-Cortez declared, emphasizing the need for immediate action to prevent further atrocities.

In her speech, Ocasio-Cortez refrained from delving into the specifics of Israel’s military actions in Gaza, instead focusing on the broader implications for U.S. policy and global humanitarian efforts, the NYT report said.

“This is not just about Israel or Gaza,” Ocasio-Cortez emphasized. “This is about us.” Her words echoed a sentiment shared by many progressives who view the Gaza crisis as a litmus test for U.S. foreign policy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Israel willing to release over 700 jailed terrorists for 40 captives in Gaza

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Rally calls for the release of Palestinian security prisoners held in Israeli jail, in the city of Hebron, April 17, 2022. (Wisam Hashlamoun/Flash90)

By World Israel News Staff

In a significant development toward peace negotiations, Israel has agreed to release between 700-800 jailed Palestinian terrorists in exchange for the release of 40 hostages held by Hamas, according to reports from Israeli media outlets.

The breakthrough was reported on Sunday evening, with Israeli officials confirming the agreement.

The prisoners slated for release by Israel include hundreds serving life sentences for their involvement in terror attacks targeting Israelis.

This move marks a major concession by Israel, aimed at securing the release of the remaining hostages held by Hamas since October 7th.

 

Initial negotiations were fraught with disagreements, particularly concerning the number of prisoners to be exchanged for each hostage. However, an American compromise proposal mediated the impasse, enabling progress in the talks.

Discussions between Israeli representatives in Qatar and Hamas leadership have reportedly included the potential return of Palestinians to northern Gaza, indicating a broader scope of negotiations beyond the prisoner exchange.

Hamas’s response to the agreement is awaited, with Israeli media anticipating delays due to logistical considerations and the need for approval from Hamas leader.

This development comes after previous offers were rejected, with Hamas initially demanding a higher number of prisoners serving life sentences.

The Israeli decision to accept the exchange proposal is seen as a result of diplomatic pressure, including talks facilitated by the head of the CIA during discussions held in Qatar over the weekend.

Sherry-Lehmann’s Landlord Granted Permission to Clear Out Iconic Park Avenue Store Amid Lingering Scandal

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NYC’s Sherry-Lehmann is a fine wine & spirits retailer. Credit: Yelp.com

 

(TJV) After more than a year of closure following a scandal, a New York judge, Suzanne Adams, has approved an “order of ejectment” enabling Glorious Sun, the landlord of Sherry-Lehmann’s flagship store at 505 Park Ave, to reclaim the space, NY Post reported

The renowned wine retailer, frequented by notable figures such as Henry Kissinger, Greta Garbo, and Andy Warhol, closed its doors on March 10, 2023, due to allegations of selling alcohol with an expired license.

Sherry-Lehmann, founded in 1934 by Sam Aaron and Jack Aaron, had relocated to Park Avenue in 2007, paying nearly $2 million annually for a 9,500-square-foot space. Despite its illustrious history, the retailer faced financial challenges, exacerbated by costly business decisions.

Glorious Sun, owed over $4.8 million in unpaid rent, initiated legal proceedings to retake control of the property. The closure of the store left shelves filled with outdated merchandise and fixtures gathering dust.

Efforts to clear the premises have been delayed, partly due to pandemic-related court backlogs. However, recent developments suggest progress in emptying the space, with glass doors covered and display windows concealed behind sheetrock walls.

While speculation persists about the potential auction of remaining fixtures, including historic wine barrels and memorabilia, investigations continue into alleged financial improprieties, including unpaid sales tax and unfulfilled wine orders. Federal agencies, including the FBI and the US Postal Inspection Service, have been involved in probing the matter.

Despite the store’s storied past and its role in introducing fine French wines to the US market, the fate of Sherry-Lehmann’s legacy remains uncertain as legal battles and financial woes persist.