Friday, June 6, 2025

By: Ynetnews

Tuesday, 3 June 2025 | US President Donald Trump asserted Monday that any prospective nuclear agreement with Iran would prohibit the Islamic Republic from enriching uranium, contradicting reports suggesting the US might permit limited enrichment. 

“The AUTOPEN should have stopped Iran a long time ago from ‘enriching.’ Under our potential Agreement — WE WILL NOT ALLOW ANY ENRICHMENT OF URANIUM!” Trump posted on Truth Social. 

Trump’s mention of “the AUTOPEN” was a pointed reference to a mechanical device used to replicate signatures—a practice he has criticized, particularly under President Joe Biden. Trump has questioned the legality and validity of executive actions and pardons signed by autopen during Biden’s presidency, implying a lack of direct oversight or authority. 

While legal precedent affirms the practice when authorized by the president, Trump has used it to cast doubt on Biden’s leadership and decision-making, now extending that skepticism to the last administration’s handling of nuclear negotiations with Iran. 

The statement also appears to run counter to a US proposal delivered to Tehran via Omani mediation, which reportedly allowed Iran to enrich uranium up to 3% for civilian purposes under strict international oversight. 

Iran has consistently maintained that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes and insists on its right to enrich uranium. However, the US administration has taken a firm stance against any level of enrichment, citing concerns over potential weaponization. 

Iran is reportedly preparing to reject the US proposal, citing its failure to address Tehran's interests and the lack of clarity on lifting sanctions.

By Itamar Eichner ~ Ynetnews

Thursday, 5 June 2025 | The United Nations Security Council voted Wednesday on a resolution submitted by 10 non-permanent member states calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the unimpeded entry of humanitarian aid across the territory. The resolution, initiated by Slovenia, Guyana, and Algeria, was supported by 14 of the 15 council members—but the United States exercised its veto, blocking its adoption. 

The Security Council members that supported the proposal are: China, France, Russia, Britain, Algeria, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, South Korea, Japan, Guyana, Ecuador, Slovenia, Malta and Switzerland. 

Since President Donald Trump returned to the White House, no Security Council resolutions concerning Israel have passed a vote. A senior US State Department official described the latest resolution as “ill-conceived and shameful,” particularly “at a time when serious questions are being raised about the effectiveness, funding and priorities of the United Nations.” The official warned that the measure would “undermine ongoing diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire.” 

Acting US Ambassador to the United Nations Dorothy Shea defended Washington’s decision to veto the resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, asserting that such a move without a clear condemnation of Hamas would amount to “rewarding terror.” 

“After all, it was Hamas that launched the brutal attack,” Shea said. “It continues to hold Israeli hostages and uses Palestinian civilians as human shields.” She criticized Security Council members for repeatedly refusing to denounce the terrorist organization. 

“The United States supports Israel’s right to defend itself and defeat Hamas so that it can never again pose a threat,” she said. “Our opposition to this resolution should not come as a surprise. The US has made clear it will not support any effort that fails to condemn Hamas. We cannot allow the Council to reward terrorism.” 

Shea argued that an immediate ceasefire would only serve to empower Hamas and enable it to stage another October 7-style attack. “No one wants to see Palestinians in Gaza hungry or thirsty,” she said. “But Hamas must accept the proposal currently on the table. The United States is working with Egypt and Qatar to bring this terrible conflict to an end.” 

In closing, Shea declared: “Let us instead demand that Hamas surrender and leave Gaza for good. A real agreement—one that frees the hostages, brings about a ceasefire, and allows Palestinians to break free from Hamas—is what we must aim for.” 

Pakistan's ambassador sharply criticized the decision, calling it “a sad day.” 

“Once again, Council members have shown they are willing to uphold the responsibility entrusted to them,” the Pakistani envoy said. “But the veto sends a dangerous message—that the lives of more than two million Palestinians do not matter. Gaza is worse than hell on earth. Disease and despair are spreading faster each day.” He echoed figures released by Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry, claiming that 100 Palestinians were killed and 400 injured in the past 24 hours. 

In contrast, Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, condemned the proposed resolution and thanked the United States for blocking it. “You chose appeasement. You chose surrender,” he said. “This resolution sends a dangerous message to Hamas: reject every offer, and the international community will reward you. Hold civilians hostage, and the UN will grant you legitimacy. This is not diplomacy—this is surrender to terror.” 

Danon reaffirmed Israel’s stance that no ceasefire will occur as long as hostages remain in Gaza. “Israel will continue to apply military pressure and act by all necessary means until every hostage is returned,” he declared. 

He also expressed gratitude to Washington: “We thank the United States for its moral clarity and leadership today. In standing firm, the US chose truth, justice, and the fight against terror—rather than giving legitimacy to Hamas’s lies and extortion.”

Ahead of the vote, Danon criticized the initiative: “At a time when negotiations to release hostages are making real progress, some are advancing a resolution that will contribute nothing. The focus now must be on pressuring Hamas, not the State of Israel.” 

UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric also addressed the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, calling the situation “unacceptable.” He noted that “civilians are risking—and often losing—their lives simply trying to access food.” The UN has expressed opposition to a new aid distribution mechanism in the territory, and Dujarric reiterated the organization’s warning that the current system is a “recipe for disaster—and that is precisely what we are seeing.” 

Slovenian Ambassador to the UN Samuel Žbogar told Reuters: “The time to act has long passed. It is our historical responsibility not to remain silent.”

By: JNS

Wednesday, 4 June 2025 | The Washington Post drew widespread criticism for sharing one of its articles on social media and posting that “at least 31 people were killed” in Gaza “according to the Strip’s health ministry, when Israeli troops opened fire on crowds making their way to collect aid.” The Post deleted the post, after it had been viewed some 2.4 million times, and it received fresh criticism for its statement about that deletion and its corrections to the article.  

The paper stated that the “article failed to make clear if attributing the deaths to Israel was the position of the Gaza health ministry or a fact verified by the Post” and that it made changes to clarify “that there was no consensus about who was responsible for the shootings and that there was a dispute over that question.” 

It added that though it quoted statements from Israel, that an inquiry said that soldiers didn’t fire at civilians, the paper “didn’t give proper weight to Israel’s denial and gave improper certitude about what was known about any Israeli role in the shootings.” 

“The early versions fell short of Post standards of fairness and should not have been published in that form,” it stated. 

The Post article doesn’t note that Hamas, a US-designated terror organization, controls the health ministry in Gaza. 

“Notice the Washington Post always makes errors in one direction: in Hamas’s favor,” stated Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.). “Far-left media outlets are more concerned with attacking Israel than reporting the facts.” 

“Isn’t it funny that of all the corrections the Washington Post has made since October 7, 2023, it has yet to say it fell short of its fairness standards by failing to ‘give proper weight’ to Hamas’s version of events?” wrote Robert Satloff, executive director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. 

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, called the paper “fake news.” 

David Friedman, a former US ambassador to Israel, stated that the update was “not good enough.” 

“Something this incendiary needs to be fact checked before published,” he stated. “People die from this kind of malpractice, and no one will even read the correction.” 

Victoria Coates, a vice president of the Heritage Foundation’s Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy, stated that “20 months of mindlessly parroting the Gaza ‘Ministry of Health’ lies with no change in behavior or embarrassment at being caught in this shoddy fake journalism designed to demonize Israel” is “beyond insanity. It’s malfeasance.” 

The Post article carries Miriam Berger’s, Abbie Cheeseman’s, Louisa Loveluck’s and Hazem Balousha’s bylines. 

“More proof of how broken the Washington Post‘s Israel-Gaza coverage is post-October. 7. Great reporters elsewhere at the paper—but this team keeps getting key facts wrong—and the slant is always against the same side,” stated Mark Dubowitz, the CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. “Corrections after the damage is done aren’t good enough.” 

“Early in the conflict, maybe you could have argued ‘they got duped by Hamas.’ But given the years of corrections, I’m starting to wonder if Washington Post, like Hamas, is deliberately spreading anti-Israel propaganda knowing damage will be done before the correction,” wrote Philip Klein, the editor of National Review Online [NRO]. 

Noah Rothman, a senior writer at NRO, wrote that “in as many weeks, we’ve had three stories now that anyone curious enough to call themselves a reporter should have instantly questioned: the ongoing Gaza famine typified by abundant pasta, the 14,000 dead babies in 48 hours claim and now, the notion that IDF-protected, Gaza Humanitarian Foundation-monitored aid distribution sites are secret kill boxes into which Palestinian civilians are being deliberately corralled.” 

“You didn’t have to be a sleuth to see the errors. You didn’t have to be unusually incredulous to hear UN officials insisting only the United Nations could properly distribute aid to identify the bias at work,” he stated. “You just had to subordinate your intense distaste for Israel to the facts. That has proven a bridge too far for much of the global journalistic establishment.” 

“Goes without saying, but it’s striking that Washington Post journalists make what used to be career-ending factual errors about the Gaza War, always in an anti-Israel and pro-Hamas direction,” stated Omri Ceren, legislative director and a former foreign-policy adviser to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). “It’s even more striking that they’re allowed by the paper to keep making them.” 

“Another day, another quiet correction. The damage is done—but hey, at least the Washington Post rewrote the headline after it spread across the globe,” stated Tal Naim, a spokeswoman for the Israeli embassy in Washington. “In times of war, the media’s first responsibility is accuracy. Lives depend on it.”

By Lior Ben Ari ~ Ynetnews

Thursday, 5 June 2025 | Footage from the funeral of a Hezbollah operative recently killed in southern Lebanon illustrated the complex situation unfolding in the country. Hundreds of the terrorist organization’s supporters marched through the rubble-strewn streets of the village of Aita al-Shaab, waving Hezbollah flags and chanting religious songs associated with the terror group, just a short distance from IDF troops stationed along the border. 

The terrorist, Mohammad Ali Srour, was killed in a drone strike that targeted a vehicle on the Aita al-Shaab–Debel road in southern Lebanon. Following the announcement of his death, Hezbollah-affiliated social media accounts circulated an invitation to attend his funeral in the village, which lies just one kilometer from the Israeli border. According to the Lebanese broadcaster Al-Jadeed, the funeral was held “in view of Israeli soldiers positioned in the area of al-Raheb.” 

Meanwhile, alongside Hezbollah’s ongoing activities, Lebanon’s official authorities are also calling for an immediate Israeli withdrawal from five locations still held by the IDF in the country’s south. Their demands also include a halt to airstrikes and the release of Lebanese prisoners held in Israel. Hezbollah would likely be pressing these same demands through far less diplomatic means, were its standing in the country stronger. For now, residents of southern Lebanese villages, many of them from Hezbollah strongholds, are gradually returning to their homes, resuming daily life, and awaiting aid and reconstruction. 

Hezbollah’s 'Association' and the Kidnapped Fisherman 

Israel continues to monitor Hezbollah’s activities in Lebanon, and the ongoing airstrikes reflect the sustained military pressure. On Wednesday, Lebanese media reported that Israel distributed leaflets threatening a senior Hezbollah figure residing in the village of Yaroun, Mohammad Abbas Shahin. The message warned Shahin that he was under aerial and ground surveillance and urged him, “for his own sake and for the sake of the residents of Yaroun,” not to cooperate with the association Wa A’inu Ala al-Birr—a Hezbollah-linked civilian group that allows the organization to operate under the guise of social aid. 

This group has donated portable structures to several villages in southern Lebanon, many of which have been targeted by the IDF in recent months. Israel’s precision strikes against Hezbollah operatives and infrastructure have reinforced suspicions that the association serves as a civilian cover for military activity, similar to the previously exposed Hezbollah-affiliated organization “Green Without Borders.” 

On May 17, a security source told the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, which is affiliated with Hezbollah, that Israel had struck all of the prefab structures in towns along the western sector of the border. 

The Alma Research and Education Center, which studies security developments in northern Israel, published a report in April detailing Hezbollah’s use of Wa A’inu Ala al-Birr. The report stated: “The association’s charitable and social aid activities are part of Hezbollah’s broader influence strategy.” It also noted that “the campaign to deploy mobile structures along the contact line is part of Hezbollah’s renewed military footprint in southern Lebanon.” According to the report, the association’s financial ties to Hezbollah and Iran are explicit, and its director, Afif Shuman, appears to be exploiting its financial resources for personal enrichment at the expense of Hezbollah’s Shiite base. 

The center further noted that Hezbollah’s tactic is clear: flood the contact line with identical portable structures. While some of the structures may indeed be used by civilians and farmers, others—especially those placed in locations designated by Hezbollah as operationally strategic—are expected to become terrorist outposts staffed by terrorists. 

At the same time, Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV reported that “four Israeli boats crossed the buoy line and abducted a fisherman from his boat off the coast of Ras al-Naqoura.” According to Al-Akhbar, contact was lost with the fisherman, identified as Ali Fneish, after Israeli vessels surrounded two fishing boats approximately four kilometers into Lebanon’s territorial waters near Ras al-Naqoura. 

The IDF has yet to respond to the Lebanese reports of the alleged “abduction.”

By: Akiva van Koningsveld ~ JNS

Friday, 30 May 2025 | Israel’s Knesset [parliament] passed a non-binding motion on Wednesday declaring its support for extending sovereignty to Judea and Samaria. 

The motion, which was tabled by coalition and opposition members of the Land of Israel Caucus, passed without opposition. Knesset records showed that 15 Knesset members were present when the motion was put to a vote. 

The initiative was spearheaded by Knesset members Simcha Rothman and Limor Son Har-Melech, who co-chair the Land of Israel Caucus, Dan Illouz (Likud Party) and Oded Forer (Yisrael Beiteinu Party). 

“With the understanding that these parts of the Land are inseparable from the homeland of the Jewish people, in light of the broad Israeli consensus against a Palestinian state, and to prevent the recurrence of the October 7 disaster—applying Israeli law is a moral and necessary step for security and the realization of the Zionist vision,” the motion read. 

The Yesha Council umbrella group, which represents the some 500,000 Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria and played a role in promoting the declaration behind the scenes, welcomed Wednesday’s decision. 

“This is a formative moment,” the council noted in a Hebrew statement. “On behalf of all the heads of local authorities in Judea and Samaria and more than half a million residents, we thank MKs Rothman, Son Har-Melech, Forer, Illouz and coalition chairman Ofir Katz,” it continued. 

“Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria will ensure that a massacre like October 7 will never, God forbid, happen again in central Israel,” it said. 

A declarative motion is a parliamentary procedure that allows Knesset lawmakers to raise issues for public debate, but it is not legally binding. The approval of such a measure by the Knesset plenary indicates that a formal discussion took place, but no legislation was enacted as a result. 

In February 2024, the Knesset plenum voted 99-11 to back a Cabinet decision to reject any unilateral recognition of Palestinian statehood. 

All coalition members and most lawmakers of the Zionist opposition parties voted to support the Cabinet statement against “international diktats regarding a permanent settlement with the Palestinians.” 

The Israeli government has recently warned some key European nations that any unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state could prompt Jerusalem to extend sovereignty to parts of Judea and Samaria. 

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer reportedly told France, the United Kingdom and others that the move could lead Israel to annex Area C of Judea and Samaria and legalize outposts. 

“Unilateral moves against Israel will be met with unilateral moves by Israel,” Sa’ar told his counterparts, the Israel Hayom daily reported. 

Israel’s Security Cabinet recently approved 22 new Jewish communities across Judea and Samaria, including two in northern Samaria that were uprooted by Israeli forces as part of the 2005 Gaza disengagement. 

Some of the approved villages are existing outposts that had thus far been illegal under Israeli law, while others will be newly constructed. 

“We made a historic decision for the settlement: 22 new communities in Judea and Samaria, renewing settlement in the north of Samaria, and reinforcing the eastern axis of the State of Israel—the State of Israel’s defensive shield,” Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Thursday. 

“With God’s help, we have returned Israel to a path of building, Zionism, and vision. Settlement in our ancestral homeland is the protective wall of the State of Israel—and today we took a major step in fortifying it,” continued Smotrich, who led the initiative in the Security Cabinet. 

“The next step—sovereignty!” the right-wing minister concluded. 

Meanwhile, late last week, Israeli Construction and Housing Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf announced that Jerusalem would allocate 30 million shekels (US $8.42 million) to build more than a dozen cities and industrial zones in Samaria in an attempt to bring a million more Jews to the area. 

As of January 1, 2025, 529,704 Jews lived in Judea and Samaria, amounting to approximately 5.28% of the Jewish state’s population. Nearly 70% of Israeli citizens want Jerusalem to extend its full legal sovereignty over the disputed territory, according to a poll conducted on January 29. 

Fifty-eight percent of Israeli Jews believe that communities in Judea and Samaria contribute to the security of the country, according to a survey the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) published on March 11.

By: JNS

Tuesday, 3 June 2025 | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday condemned the “vicious” terrorist attack in Boulder, Colorado, that left eight people wounded during a rally in support of the 58 hostages still held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

“My wife and I, and the entire State of Israel, pray for the full recovery of the wounded in the vicious terror attack,” Netanyahu said in a statement. “This attack was aimed against peaceful people who wished to express their solidarity with the hostages held by Hamas, simply because they were Jews.”

Netanyahu expressed confidence that US authorities would bring the perpetrator to justice.

“I trust the United States authorities to prosecute the cold blood perpetrator to the fullest extent of the law and do everything possible to prevent future attacks against innocent civilians,” he said.

He linked the incident to a broader trend of rising antisemitism.

“The antisemitic attacks around the world are a direct result of blood libels against the Jewish state and people,” Netanyahu said. “This must be stopped.”

Mohamed Sabry Soliman is in federal custody after the 45-year-old allegedly attacked Jews with a “makeshift flame thrower” and threw an “incendiary device” at them.

Witnesses said that the attacker said, “Free Palestine,” Mark Michalek, special agent in charge of the FBI Denver field office, told a press conference on Sunday.

Four women and four men between 52 and 88 years old were transported to hospitals, Boulder police said. Authorities had earlier put the count of the injured at six.

Wednesday, 4 June 2025 | Trump administration officials on Tuesday hosted at the White House family members of Hamas hostages in the Gaza Strip. 

White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Middle East Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick met with several families as part of ongoing efforts to negotiate a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and to secure the hostages’ release. 

“We are committed to the release of all and believe that the release of the hostages will bring significant calm to the region,” said Leavitt. “Beyond the humanitarian and moral aspect, the release of the hostages is of paramount importance to us in order to also create regional peace.” 

The meeting was attended by Tal Shoham, a survivor of Hamas captivity, as well as Merav and Gal Gilboa-Dalal, the parents of hostage Guy Gilboa-Dalal, along with his brother Ilan Dalal. 

Galia and Eli David, the mother and brother of hostage Evyatar David, were also present, together with Orna and Ronen Neutra, the parents of slain captive Omer Neutra, a dual American-Israeli citizen. 

According to a statement by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, the Americans “expressed deep sympathy with the families, and emphasized the Trump administration’s full commitment to work for the release of all 58 abductees. They stated that they will continue to work resolutely until all the abductees are returned home.” 

The officials also “expressed deep shock” at Sunday’s antisemitic attack in Boulder, Colorado, at a demonstration calling to free the remaining hostages.

By: Simon Fenn, BFP

Friday, 30 May 2025 | Israel’s new Iron Beam laser defense system, a high energy-weapon designed to intercept rockets, drones and missiles has proven its mettle in combat, military officials announced Friday. Now operational along the Gaza and northern borders, the system has successfully destroyed Hezbollah drones and other aerial threats, significantly improving Israel’s multilayered air defense at a fraction of the cost of traditional missile interceptors.  

“Iron Beam is a breakthrough for our national security,” said Brig. Gen. Eyal Harel, a senior official in the Israel Defense Forces’ Air Defense Command. “It neutralizes threats for just a few dollars per shot, compared to tens of thousands for conventional interceptors. This allows us to protect our citizens while preserving resources.” 

Developed by Raphael Advanced Defense Systems, in collaboration with Israel’s Defense Ministry, Iron Beam uses directed-energy lasers to destroy short-range threats by heating them until they explode, often within seconds, which offers a near-instantaneous response to threats. Successful tests conducted in late 2024, in the Negev Desert, confirmed its ability to handle multiple threats simultaneously. “This technology is a game changer,” said Yoav Har-Even, CEO of Raphael. “Iron Beam integrates seamlessly without existing systems, creating a robust shield over Israel.” 

The system’s affordability–estimated at $2 to $4 per interception–addresses a critical challenge in Israel’s protracted modern warfare: the high cost of defending against frequent, low-cost rocket and drone attacks. Groups like Hamas and Hezbollah have fired thousands of rockets and unmanned aerial vehicles into Israel in recent years, which has strained Israel’s munition stockpiles for systems like the Iron Dome, which can cost $50,000 per interceptor. “Iron Beam’s low cost means we can sustain long-term defense operations’” said Talia Cohen, a Defense Ministry spokesperson. “It’s not only about technology; it’s about ensuring we can protect our people indefinitely.” 

The deployment comes amid escalating tensions in the region, particularly along the Gaza border, where rocket barrages have disrupted daily life for years. Residents in southern communities like Sderot and Ashkelon, long accustomed to air raid sirens, expressed hope that Iron Beam could reduce that threat. 

Iron Beam’s rollout follows years of development, with Israel investing heavily in laser technology to counter evolving threats. The system is designed to operate in tandem with Iron Dome, which handles mid-range threats, and Arrow, which targets long-range missiles. Together, they form a layered defense network capable of addressing diverse aerial challenges. “This is about staying ahead of our adversaries,” Brig. Gen. Harel said. “Our enemies are adapting, and so are we.” 

However, experts caution that Iron Beam has limitations. Lasers can be less effective in adverse weather conditions, such as heavy fog, rain, or dust storms, which may weaken the beam’s intensity. “It’s a powerful tool, but it’s not a silver bullet,” said Yossi Peled, a retired IDF colonel and defense analyst. “Environmental factors can reduce its reliability, so we’ll still rely on traditional systems as a backup.” Additionally, Iron Beam’s range is currently limited to short distances, making it most effective against close-proximity threats like those from Gaza. 

The system’s debut has drawn global attention, with military experts and defense contractors eyeing its potential. NATO countries, including the United States, have expressed interest in laser-based defenses, though Israel has remained cautious about exports due to strategic concerns. “Iron Beam could reshape how nations approach air defense,” said Talia Cohen. “Its affordability and precision are unmatched, but geopolitical factors will likely limit its availability abroad.” 

For Israel, the focus is on expanding Iron Beam’s deployment. Plans are underway to install additional units along the northern border with Lebanon, where Hezbollah has posed a major threat. The Defense Ministry aims to have the system fully integrated across multiple fronts by late 2025. “We’re scaling up to ensure comprehensive coverage,” Cohen said. “This is a long-term investment in our security.”