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Zeldin Demands Mexico Act on Cross-Border Sewage

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By (Real Clear Wire)

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin’s trip Tuesday to this scenic, family-friendly coastal tourist destination was all business and at times quite unpleasant, considering the noxious fumes he was there to discuss.

Zeldin visited this border city on Earth Day to try to put an end to a decades-long environmental catastrophe: Billions of gallons of sewage and industrial chemicals from Mexico have flowed into the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, closing local beaches and sickening U.S. Navy SEALs who train in the water on nearby beaches.

The cross-border pollution has been going on for decades with Congress addressing the disgusting effluence piece-meal, throwing more than $653 million at the problem over the last five years alone even as the contaminant levels surged.

The Tijuana River runs close to the coast in Mexico, then flows into California, through Navy-owned land, and dumps into the ocean. In recent years, Tijuana’s population and industry have boomed, overwhelming its aging wastewater treatment plants and pumping stations and increasing the levels of toxins, including industrial chemicals, bacteria, and trash, in the river and nearby coastal waters. Scientists and researchers say the sewage not only contaminates the water, but it also vaporizes into the air, and they have detected high levels of harmful gases in the area.

Enter President Trump, who, with his “drill-baby-drill” refrain, may seem an unlikely environmental hero. But the president has been intensely focused on the border and has demanded that Mexico help stop the flow of illegal immigrants, drugs, and now human waste into U.S. territory and waters. During Trump’s first term, he usually either touted progress on his “big, beautiful border wall” or railed against Democrats’ efforts to defund it, without mentioning the sewage pouring into California coastal zones.

Now the problem is “top of mind” for Trump, Zeldin said.

Zeldin, a former Congressman from New York who ran an unsuccessful campaign for governor in 2022, spent his day discussing various options to expedite solutions. He met the previous evening with his Mexican environmental counterparts and left the meeting hopeful about their commitment, but he also didn’t mince words.

“I’m a New Yorker, and if I say this in a way that offends people from Southern California, I’m sorry. But I know my counterparts in Mexico are listening,” Zeldin told reporters after a forum with a bipartisan group of congressmen and local leaders. “What’s going on inside of the American who just cares about having it resolved – they don’t give a shit about how it gets done, as long as this crisis is over.”

Earlier in the day, while touring a U.S. plant that treats sewage as a secondary facility to one in Mexico, Darrell Issa, longtime San Diego-area GOP congressman, recounted an alarming story. He recalled one Border Patrol agent telling him the Tijuana River water is so toxic that his boots started disintegrating after stepping into it while doing his job.

Rep. Mike Levin, a Democrat representing northern San Diego County, later told reporters that his wife’s nephew, who had trained as a SEAL near the border, had been diagnosed with cancer in his 20s. The family can’t prove that his training in the deeply polluted water caused the cancer, but they have their suspicions. Other Navy vets have recently started dubbing the sewage outflows, located roughly one mile from their training waters, the “next Camp Lejeune.”

The Navy is considering relocating its Coronado training site for SEAL candidates after documenting 1,168 cases of acute gastrointestinal illnesses among its recruits from 2019 to 2023. The pollution has sickened swimmers, surfers, lifeguards, and border patrol agents, closing California beaches near the border more often than they’ve been open over the last four years.

Zeldin, who took a helicopter tour of the polluted areas and met with Navy officials Tuesday, said American patience has run out. In the coming days, he will deliver to Mexico a to-do list to resolve the environmental crisis and plans to issue a joint statement outlining concrete steps, which must happen “as fast as humanly possible.”

The actions must be “aggressively pursued with extreme urgency,” he stated.

During the tour of the U.S. wastewater treatment center, lawmakers and local officials explained that expanding that facility alone will only take care of roughly half the problem. The center can treat only a limited amount of raw sewage before releasing it directly into the ocean. Meanwhile, Mexican factories and people are dumping chemicals and trash into the Tijuana River itself.

The Mexican government, Zeldin said, must clean up the river and prevent its citizens from re-contaminating it. In 2022, Mexico committed $88 million to help remediate the pollution but still needs to designate the funds to several ongoing wastewater treatment projects and upgrades. One of those projects must be installing floodgates to collect trash in Tijuana, Zeldin said.

“They cannot view this as a U.S. problem just because their contamination reached U.S. soil,” he said. “We need Mexico to not just commit to all the projects that will stop the flow, but in order to actually finish this project, they’re going to [have to] commit to that final cleanup.”

The meetings on the issue so far have been productive, Zeldin stressed, noting that the relatively new administration of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has appeared receptive to working out a “strong collaborative relationship” and a course of action.

Zeldin, however, did not outline any enforcement actions and said he has not discussed the possibility of making Mexico’s action on the sewage problem a condition to a pending agreement to lift tariffs.

“I haven’t had that conversation with anyone – that’s not something that I’ve heard,” he told RealClearPolitics. “But I wouldn’t read into that one way or the other.”

San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond, a Republican challenging Levin for his congressional seat, has been the one sounding the alarm since the first days of the Trump administration. During Tuesday’s meeting with Zeldin and other lawmakers, Desmond suggested a far simpler solution than the complex set of wastewater upgrades and expansions on both sides of the border under consideration.

“I’m happy to support the plant there, but – I’ll go out on a limb – I think we need to dam up the Tijuana River,” he said in the meeting, a video of which a reporter posted on X.com afterward. “That’s what everything’s being thrown into – mattresses, shopping carts, tires, diapers – everything that’s coming across the border.”

Desmond also expressed optimism that “real, tangible solutions” are on the way, but said he plans to continue keeping the pressure on Mexico.

“I’m not letting up until we see results,” he said after the meeting. “Holding Mexico accountable is no longer optional – it’s urgent. Our beaches, our health, and our military demand it.”

Zeldin didn’t comment on Desmond’s proposal to dam the river, which would no doubt anger environmentalists who have complained for decades that the pollutants are harming the entire Tijuana Valley estuary, leading to mass deaths of its fish and other marine life and a reduction in biodiversity.

Doing so would also violate numerous environmental regulations. The estuary is one of just 30 that remain protected in North America and is recognized by the United Nations as coastal wetlands in need of these safeguards. Even so, Mexican factories and others continue to violate the protections and disregard regulations.

The bilateral solution will likely be complex, Zeldin said, but the status quo is unacceptable. The administrator then predicted that the U.S. and Mexican government would be celebrating putting the crisis in the “rearview mirror” by Earth Day 2026.

“There’s no way that we are going to stand before the people of California and ask them to have more patience and just bear with all of us as we go through the next 10 or 20 or 30 years of being stuck in 12 feet of raw sewage and not getting anywhere,” he pledged.

As to why Trump is making the issue a priority now and why no other president, Democrat or Republican, over the last 25 years has successfully tackled it, Zeldin demurred.

“Look, I have plenty of thoughts as to missed opportunities in the past,” he told RCP. “But I’m not here to look backwards right now. I’m just looking forward.”

***

This article was originally published by RealClearPolitics and made available via RealClearWire.

Tucson police launch investigation after historic synagogue vandalized

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By Jewish Breaking News

Tucson police have launched an investigation after antisemitic graffiti was discovered on a historic synagogue this week.

Members of Chabad Tucson–Young Israel arrived for morning prayers around 8:30 AM on Tuesday to find purple spray-painted messages reading “End Apartheid” and “Abolish Israel” on the wall directly beneath the synagogue’s Star of David emblem.

“As we’re driving in, we see this very hurtful graffiti on our exterior wall,” Associate Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin tells local 13 News. “It made the prayer very different following that.”

Built in 1948 as Congregation Young Israel, the building holds historical significance as Arizona’s first Orthodox Jewish synagogue before merging with Chabad Tucson.

By late afternoon, nearly two dozen volunteers gathered with paint supplies to remove the graffiti.

Despite the shock and pain caused by the vandalism, Rabbi Ceitlin emphasized the community’s resolve to respond constructively.

“We’re involving their mind, their heart, their hands, their feet, everything is involved in trying to do better and make this world a better place,” he said.

  NJ gubernatorial hopeful defends Nation of Islam after video surfaces of him applauding violent rhetoric by Louis Farrakhan

Local Jewish leaders note this incident isn’t isolated.

Last November, vandals struck Catalina twice in under a week, defacing mailboxes on Golder Ranch Road and later spray-painting backward swastikas, the word “Jews,” and Donald Trump’s name on a Cloud Nine Drive street sign.

According to the Anti-Defamation League, antisemitic incidents have risen 23% since Oct 7, 2023, when Hamas launched its deadly massacre against Israel, killing over 1,200 innocent civilians.

Israel denies any role in huge Iran port blast

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(JNS) Israeli officials denied on Saturday any connection to the massive explosion that rocked the Port of Shahid Rajaee, Iran’s largest, on Saturday, killing at least five people and injuring more than 700 others.

A large plume of smoke was seen above the port, one of two located in the city of Bandar Abbas in southern Iran. The Port of Shahid Rajaee is located on the north shore of the Strait of Hormuz, about nine miles west-southwest of the Port of Bandar Abbas.

Initial reports suggested that the blast was linked to a shipment of a chemical ingredient used to make fuel for ballistic missiles.

Iranian authorities did not disclose any information about the cause of the blast, though they denied that it was linked to the country’s oil industry, AP reported.

A spokesperson for the Islamic Republic’s crisis management organization, Hossein Zafari, told Iran’s ILNA news agency that “the cause of the explosion was the chemicals inside the [shipping] containers.”

In March, private security firm Ambrey said, the Port of Shahid Rajaee had unloaded a shipment of “sodium perchlorate rocket fuel,” according to AP.

“The fire was reportedly the result of improper handling of a shipment of solid fuel intended for use in Iranian ballistic missiles,” the security firm added.

The Financial Times in January reported that the fuel was sent from China to Iran in two vessels, as the Islamic Republic was looking to replenish its depleted missile stocks after firing about 200 ballistic missiles at Israel in October 2024.

AP also reported that one of the vessels has likely carried the chemical ingredient to the port in March, after analyzing ship-tracking data.

Iran never confirmed accepting the shipment.

Western explosives and munitions experts say that the orange smoke observed from the blast is consistent with the burning of nitrogen compounds, which are a key component in rocket fuel.

An enormous explosion due to the instability of these chemicals occurred at the Port of Beirut in Lebanon in 2020, killing 218 people, injuring more than 7,000 others and displacing some 300,000 people. Some suggested the blast was created by explosive material reportedly stored at the port by Hezbollah.

The Port of Shahid Rajaee is a strategic import and export facility for Iran. It handles 85% of the total loading and unloading carried out at the country’s ports, the Tehran Times reported in September 2021.

It is also a key port from which arms are transported to the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen.

All operations in the port have been reportedly halted.

Cmdr. (res.) Eyal Pinko, a senior researcher at the Begin Sadat Center for Strategic Studies at Bar-Ilan University, who served in the Israeli Navy for 23 years, estimated in early April that Iran has “several hundred missiles” left in its arsenal, after firing some 300 missiles and drones at Israel on April 13, 2024, and another 200 missiles on Oct. 1, 2024, in two of the largest missile strikes in history.

The attacks featured some of Iran’s most advanced projectiles, including the liquid-fueled Emad, a variant of the Ghader missile (itself a variant of the Shahab 3), the Khorramshahr 2 missile (a solid-fuel missile based on the Fateh 110), and likely use of the Fatah 1 Iranian hypersonic missile.

Israel’s Arrow 3 missile defense system intercepted the majority of the threats in both attacks, with the assistance of the United States and regional states, which also downed some of the projectiles.

Israel responded on Oct. 26 with broad waves of strikes in Iran, targeting Iran’s air defense systems and missile solid fuel factories, as well as, according to media reports, a site at Parchin linked to Tehran’s nuclear program.

Ex-Rep. George Santos, who lied about Jewish ancestry, gets 87 months

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(JNS) George Santos, who was expelled from Congress in 2023, was sentenced on Friday to more than seven years in prison for identity theft and wire-fraud charges stemming from his 2022 midterm campaign.

“I cannot rewrite the past, but I can control the road ahead. I have tried my best,” Santos said at his sentencing, according to CNN, adding that he told the judge that he “betrayed the confidence entrusted to me” by the American people.

The former Republican representative from New York pleaded guilty last August to aggravated identity theft and wire fraud. He also admitted to lying to Congress, fraudulently collecting unemployment during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic and cheating his campaign donors out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

After he was thrown out of Congress—the sixth member in history—he also faced a 23-count federal indictment that included conspiracy, identity theft and credit-card fraud.

Santos claimed, among other things, that he was of Jewish ancestry, that his mother was Jewish and that his maternal grandparents had survived the Holocaust. When proven false, he denied he ever said it.

Oddly enough, he was sentenced one day after Yom Hashoah.

“I never claimed to be Jewish,” he told the New York Post in 2022. “I am Catholic. Because I learned my maternal family had a Jewish background, I said I was ‘Jew-ish.’”

Genealogical records in Brazil, where both of Santos’s parents were born, suggest that his maternal grandparents were Catholics with no connection to the Holocaust.

From Humble Beekeeper to Genocide Convict , New York Times Fawned Over Rwandan War Criminal Freed by Wealthy NY Financier

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(TJV NEWS) A Rwandan refugee convicted of horrific war crimes was freed this week thanks to the generosity of a wealthy Hamptons financier, despite federal authorities warning he poses a serious flight risk, East Hampton Star reported.

Faustin Nsabumukunzi, 65, was arrested on Long Island and charged with immigration fraud after allegedly lying for decades about his leading role in Rwanda’s 1994 genocide, according to East Hampton Star and federal prosecutors.

Nsabumukunzi, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in absentia by a Rwandan court in 2008, managed to live quietly for years in the United States, working as a beekeeper in Bridgehampton. His quiet life even earned glowing profiles from local outlets — and, ironically, a fawning feature in The New York Times, which celebrated his beekeeping talents without knowing the dark allegations that shadowed his past.

According to East Hampton Star, federal authorities say Nsabumukunzi repeatedly lied during his U.S. asylum and green card applications, denying any involvement in genocide or crimes of moral turpitude. He was granted permanent residency in 2007. But in 2016, when he applied for citizenship, a background check triggered by an Interpol Red Notice ultimately revealed the truth.

The New York Post, citing a law enforcement source, reported that when agents arrested Nsabumukunzi, he admitted, “I know, I’m finished.”

Despite the severity of the charges and prosecutors’ pleas to hold him without bail, Judge Joanna Seybert of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York approved his release on a $250,000 bond — underwritten by Steven Felsher, a private equity executive and Hamptons resident, East Hampton Star noted.

Under the terms of his release, Nsabumukunzi must wear a GPS monitor but will be allowed to continue working as a beekeeper and gardener for Felsher.

If convicted, Nsabumukunzi could face up to 30 years in prison and possible deportation.

Iran Strengthens Nuclear Sites Ahead of U.S. Talks as Tensions Mount

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Uranium enrichment centrifuges at Iran's Natanz nuclear facility. Credit: Tehran Times.

(TJV NEWS) Iran is reinforcing its underground nuclear facilities just days before a new round of negotiations with the Trump administration, according to the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), a Washington-based non-profit that monitors global nuclear activity.

As NBC News noted, Iran has refused to comply with U.S. demands for a complete suspension of uranium enrichment — a sticking point that could push military action closer, President Donald Trump warned earlier this week.

ISIS, citing recent satellite imagery, reported that Iran has expanded a heavy security perimeter around Mt. Kolang Gaz La, a mountain that houses two major underground tunnel complexes linked to the Natanz nuclear facility. The construction, which includes newly graded roads and prefabricated wall panels, isolates a significant portion of the mountain and limits access to the tunnel entrances. Analysts from ISIS pointed out that the perimeter connects with existing security barriers around Natanz and appears reinforced by trenches, likely intended for surveillance and communications infrastructure.

While the tunnels may not yet be fully operational, ISIS experts said it is difficult to determine their status based on satellite images alone. They explained that one tunnel, initially built in 2007, sat dormant for a decade before being revived around 2020. The second was constructed after a 2020 explosion destroyed Iran’s previous underground centrifuge facility.

Critically, Iran has not permitted inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to visit either tunnel complex since 2007. Speaking Thursday, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi urged Tehran to clarify the purpose of the new security installations. Grossi said Iran’s only response was to declare the matter “none of your business,” as NBC News reported.

Despite the tensions, Grossi expressed cautious optimism that U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff could still broker a deal. However, Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated on Wednesday that Washington’s position remains firm: Iran must cease all uranium enrichment activities.

“If Iran wants a civil nuclear program, they can have one — the same way many countries do — by importing enriched material,” Rubio said, emphasizing that such arrangements are standard among nations with peaceful nuclear ambitions.

Iranian officials, meanwhile, signaled no willingness to compromise on enrichment. “The core issue of enrichment itself is not negotiable,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared, according to reports.

Iran’s delegation, including senior diplomat Kazem Gharibabadi, arrived in Muscat, Oman, on Friday to begin a third round of technical negotiations. Earlier rounds in Italy and Oman were described by both sides as “productive.”

The U.S. delegation will be led by Michael Anton, President Trump’s new head of policy planning at the State Department.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, once a fierce critic of engaging the Trump administration, appears to be softening his stance. According to reports cited by NBC News, Khamenei has recently scolded hardliners within his government who oppose a negotiated settlement.

Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi reportedly told U.S. negotiators last week that reaching a full comprehensive agreement within the Trump administration’s 60-day deadline would be difficult, but an interim deal might be achievable. Iran’s mission to the United Nations denied the report, and the U.S. State Department declined to comment.

Epstein Whistleblower Virginia Giuffre Found Dead by Suicide in Australia

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(TJV NEWS)

Virginia Giuffre, one of the most prominent voices in exposing Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking network, has died by suicide at the age of 41, her family confirmed Friday to NBC News.

Giuffre passed away at her farm in Neergabby, Western Australia, where she had lived for several years. In a statement shared with NBC News, her family said, “It is with utterly broken hearts that we announce that Virginia passed away last night… She lost her life to suicide, after being a lifelong victim of sexual abuse and sex trafficking.”

Virginia Giuffre, who spent years fighting for justice on behalf of Epstein’s victims, was hailed by many survivors for giving them the courage to come forward. According to NBC News, Giuffre provided key information to law enforcement that played a major role in the investigation and eventual conviction of Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate, as well as other high-profile inquiries conducted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.

Popular NYC-based YouTube Personality and WABC radio host Lionel speculates that Giuffre’s death may not be a suicide 

Originally raised in Florida, Giuffre endured abuse early in life, a painful history that led to her experiencing homelessness as a teenager. During that vulnerable period, she encountered Maxwell, who allegedly groomed her to be sexually abused by Epstein between 1999 and 2002. Giuffre also claimed that Epstein trafficked her to several of his powerful associates, including Britain’s Prince Andrew and French modeling agent Jean-Luc Brunel.

NBC News noted that Giuffre filed a lawsuit against Prince Andrew in 2021, accusing him of sexually abusing her when she was 17 years old. Although Andrew has denied the allegations, he settled the lawsuit in 2022 for an undisclosed sum and stepped away from his royal duties amid the scandal.

Giuffre’s testimony extended internationally. NBC News recalled her 2021 appearance in a Paris courtroom, where she testified against Brunel. Afterward, she said, “I wanted Brunel to know that he no longer has the power over me,” emphasizing her commitment to seeking justice for herself and other survivors.

Epstein himself died by suicide in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. Maxwell was convicted in 2021 of multiple counts of sex trafficking. Brunel, who faced charges of sexual harassment and the rape of a minor, died by suicide in a French jail in 2022.

In recent years, the Epstein case resurfaced during political debates, with NBC News highlighting how the release of Epstein-related documents stirred renewed anxiety among survivors, including Giuffre. The controversy surrounding the release of those files reportedly caused additional distress, according to several victims who spoke to NBC News.

Giuffre’s family and friends remembered her as a relentless advocate and compassionate force for change. Her brother, Danny Wilson, told NBC News that Giuffre “pushed so hard to snuff the evil out” of the world, noting that while she battled physical ailments like renal failure, the emotional toll proved even heavier.

Her attorney, Sigrid McCawley, called Giuffre “a dear friend and an incredible champion for other victims,” while her representative, Dini von Mueffling, added, “Virginia was one of the most extraordinary human beings I have ever had the honor to know.”

Speaking to NBC’s “Dateline” years ago, Giuffre had delivered a passionate plea to law enforcement: “Take us serious. We matter.”

Virginia Giuffre is survived by her husband and their three children.

Former New Mexico Judge, Wife Arrested for Allegedly Harboring Illegal Alien Tied to Tren de Aragua

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A recently retired New Mexico magistrate judge and his wife have been arrested amid allegations they harbored — and possibly armed — an illegal alien with suspected links to the violent Tren de Aragua gang, according to multiple reports.

Federal agents raided the Las Cruces home of former Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Jose “Joel” Cano and his wife, Nancy Cano, on Thursday afternoon, KFOX14 reported. The Canos were taken into custody after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) executed a search and probable cause arrest warrant at their residence, part of an ongoing investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

According to KFOX14, the former judge, who previously served as a police officer, faces charges of tampering with evidence. His wife, Nancy Cano, has been charged with conspiracy to tamper with evidence.

The arrests follow a bombshell report by immigration news outlet Border Hawk, which last week revealed the Cano family’s alleged ties to Venezuelan citizen Cristhian Ortega-Lopez. Ortega-Lopez, suspected of being connected to the Tren de Aragua gang, was reportedly living with the Canos at the time of his arrest by HSI El Paso on February 28.

Just days after Ortega-Lopez’s arrest, Jose Cano quietly resigned from his position on the bench, a move that drew little public attention, according to Border Hawk.

Border Hawk also published photographs and videos appearing to show Ortega-Lopez socializing with the Cano family and handling firearms — some of which allegedly belonged to them. According to a criminal complaint, Ortega-Lopez admitted to possessing and firing multiple weapons confiscated from the home of April Cano.

Authorities believe Ortega-Lopez was invited to live in a casita on the Cano property after striking up a friendship with Nancy Cano while working as a handyman, KFOX14 noted.

Ortega-Lopez had reportedly entered the United States illegally on December 15, 2023, by scaling a barbed-wire fence at Eagle Pass, Texas. U.S. Border Patrol apprehended him but released him three days later due to overcrowded detention facilities.

He has since been charged with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm or ammunition and is currently being held without bond at the Doña Ana County Detention Center.

Ben & Jerry’s Far-Left Politics Backfire as Unilever Tightens Control

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(TJV NEWS) The future of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream is at the center of a growing battle over ownership and identity, and its far-left founders, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, appear to be losing the fight, The Blaze reported.

Earlier this month, The Wall Street Journal revealed that Cohen was attempting to organize investors to buy back the brand he and Greenfield sold to Unilever 25 years ago. The Blaze pointed out that this effort followed significant tensions with Unilever, including the recent ousting of the company’s anti-Trump CEO Dave Stever, reportedly due to his commitment to advancing Ben & Jerry’s far-left activism. This move came despite Cohen and Greenfield’s public letter of support for Stever.

Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, Cohen said, “In the year 2000, Unilever loved us for who we were. Now we’ve gone separate ways in our relationship. We need them to set us free.”

However, Unilever crushed Cohen’s dream this week, firmly stating that Ben & Jerry’s is “not for sale,” Bloomberg reported. “The separation and listing of ice cream is the option that we consider maximizes shareholder value; that has not changed,” Unilever CEO Fernando Fernandez said during a media call.

As of July 1, Unilever plans to spin off its ice cream division as the newly created Magnum Ice Cream Company, which will be listed in the Netherlands.

The Blaze noted that after decades of tolerating radioactive far-left politics at Ben & Jerry’s, Unilever seems eager to “decontaminate” the brand. Over the years, Ben & Jerry’s has been more focused on advancing a woke political agenda than on selling ice cream. Under previous leadership, the company:

  • Urged Americans on the Fourth of July to recognize that the U.S. exists on “stolen Indigenous land” and commit to returning it

  • Called for the defunding of police

  • Opposed laws designed to ban men from competing in women’s sports, prevent teachers from hiding gender transitions from parents, protect girls’ locker rooms, and shield children from drag shows.

  • Spread misleading claims about Kyle Rittenhouse

  • Criticized the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision and advocated for expanded abortion rights

  • Took repeated anti-Israel positions

  • Released “Pecan Resist” in 2018 to support groups opposing President Trump’s “regressive agenda”;

  • And worked alongside the leftist organizing group MoveOn Civic Action to promote Democratic candidates.

Even today, Ben & Jerry’s continues to act as a sugary vehicle for far-left politics, as The Blaze pointed out, denouncing “white people occupy[ing] a disproportionate number of positions of power,” promoting LGBTQ activism, pushing climate alarmism, launching a coconut-flavored Kamala Harris tribute ice cream, and pouring millions into radical causes.

However, the cost of such activism appears to have caught up with Unilever. The Blaze reported that in a March legal filing, Unilever acknowledged that Ben & Jerry’s decision to stop selling ice cream in Israeli settlements in 2021 led to serious consequences. “Many states found Unilever to be in violation of their anti-boycott, divestment, and sanctions laws,” resulting in lawsuits in the U.S. and Israel, accusations of antisemitism, significant sanctions, and divestments totaling hundreds of millions of dollars in Unilever stock.

In response, Unilever sold its Israeli ice cream operations to a local distributor, ensuring that sales would continue throughout Israel.

The Blaze also highlighted that the rift escalated when Ben & Jerry’s sued Unilever in November, alleging the parent company tried to suppress the brand’s efforts to support Palestinians and criticize Israel’s actions against Hamas terrorists. “Ben & Jerry’s is a company with a soul,” Cohen told The Wall Street Journal. “Business is the most powerful force in our society, and for that, it has responsibility to the society.”

While the legal fight continues, Unilever has taken additional steps to assert control. Reuters reported that Unilever recently threatened to cut off the roughly $5 million in annual funding it provides to the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation unless the foundation agrees to a swift audit of its donations.

The foundation responded Tuesday by noting that Unilever had supported its work without issue for years and expressed hope for a continued relationship with the new Magnum Ice Cream Company after the spin-off.

Meanwhile, Fernandez insisted that no threats were made regarding the funding. “It is our responsibility to ensure that these funds are used properly,” he said, according to Bloomberg, adding that allocations must be “absolutely in line” with the original acquisition agreement.

Daniel Dadoun, Former NJ Businessman, Pleads Guilty to $3.2M COVID-Relief Fraud Scheme

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Daniel Dadoun, Former NJ Businessman, Pleads Guilty to $3.2M COVID-Relief Fraud Scheme

Edited by: TJVNews.com

A former New Jersey business owner has pleaded guilty to federal charges of bank fraud and money laundering after fraudulently securing over $3.2 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans intended to help businesses survive the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Alina Habba and as reported on April 16th by The Morristown Minute.

Daniel Dadoun, 48, an Israeli citizen and former resident of South Plainfield, New Jersey, entered his guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch. Sentencing for Dadoun has been scheduled for August 13, 2025, where he could face significant prison time and hefty financial penalties for his actions.

As detailed in The Morristown Minute report, court documents and testimony revealed that Dadoun operated several businesses in New Jersey and orchestrated a complex scheme to defraud both financial institutions and the Small Business Administration (SBA). From April 2020 through August 2022, during a time when businesses nationwide were grappling with the economic devastation caused by the pandemic, Dadoun filed multiple fraudulent PPP loan applications.

These applications included grossly exaggerated employee counts and inflated payroll expenses. To support his fraudulent claims, Dadoun submitted falsified tax documents and altered bank statements, deliberately misleading banks and government agencies tasked with disbursing and overseeing federal relief funds.

After securing millions in PPP funds, Dadoun did not stop at the initial deception. The Morristown Minute reported that he went further by filing fraudulent loan forgiveness applications, falsely asserting that his businesses maintained legitimate operational needs for the loans and continued to meet PPP eligibility criteria, in an effort to avoid repaying the federal assistance.

The crimes to which Dadoun pleaded guilty carry severe potential consequences. According to the information provided in The Morristown Minute report, the bank fraud charge alone is punishable by up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine, or twice the gain or loss resulting from the offense, whichever is greater. The money laundering charge adds another possible 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the amount of the laundered funds.

The outcome of Dadoun’s sentencing could set a major precedent as federal authorities continue to crack down on pandemic relief fraud, a form of financial crime that has surged since the introduction of massive aid packages like the CARES Act.

The investigation into Dadoun’s actions was conducted by a coalition of federal agencies, reflecting the seriousness with which authorities are treating pandemic-related fraud cases. According to The Morristown Minute, the agencies involved included the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark, IRS Criminal Investigation – New York Field Office, the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.

This collaborative effort was carried out under the umbrella of the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force, a Department of Justice initiative formed to identify and prosecute large-scale fraud schemes that targeted pandemic relief funds.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine M. Romano of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark is leading the prosecution, emphasizing the level of federal resources committed to ensuring accountability in the aftermath of pandemic financial assistance programs.

Federal authorities have stressed the importance of public participation in rooting out pandemic-related financial crimes. As noted in The Morristown Minute report, individuals who suspect cases of COVID-19 relief fraud are urged to report them to the National Center for Disaster Fraud through the hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the online complaint form available at justice.gov/disaster-fraud.

The case against Daniel Dadoun, as chronicled by The Morristown Minute, is emblematic of a broader national effort to address the rampant abuse of emergency government programs during a time of unprecedented crisis. The U.S. government distributed billions of dollars in relief to stabilize the economy during the pandemic, and prosecutors have increasingly signaled that those who sought to exploit the system for personal gain will face aggressive legal consequences.

As authorities continue to track down and prosecute offenders, cases such as Dadoun’s serve as a stark warning: the federal government is determined to reclaim stolen taxpayer dollars and hold perpetrators accountable, no matter how elaborate their schemes.

 

 

 

Far-Left French Party Demands Cancellation of Israeli Pop Star Eyal Golan’s Paris Concert, Citing Alleged “Genocide Support” — Jewish Leaders Decry Move as Antisemitic

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Israeli musician Eyal Golan performs at Bloomfield Stadium in Jaffa, June 13, 2024. Photo by Moshe Shai/Flash90.

Far-Left French Party Demands Cancellation of Israeli Pop Star Eyal Golan’s Paris Concert, Citing Alleged “Genocide Support” — Jewish Leaders Decry Move as Antisemitic

Edited by: Fern Sidman

In a move igniting widespread condemnation and deepening concerns about France’s increasingly hostile political climate toward Jews and Israelis, France’s far-left political party, La France Insoumise (LFI), led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon, has called for the cancellation of a concert by Israeli pop sensation Eyal Golan, branding him a “mouthpiece for genocide supporters” over his pro-Israel stance during the Gaza war.

According to a report that appeared on Thursday in The Algemeiner, the inflammatory statement was released on Wednesday by LFI lawmakers in the French National Assembly, demanding that authorities prohibit Golan’s May 20th performance in Paris, which is expected to attract over 4,500 attendees.

“No one should come to Paris to sing hymns to the genocide of the Palestinian people,” the statement declared, referencing comments made by Golan on social media following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 terrorist massacre in Israel, where over 1,200 civilians were slaughtered and 251 abducted.

LFI alleges that Golan posted the phrase “Leave no soul alive” on social media in the immediate aftermath of the Hamas attacks — a statement the party claims advocates for the extermination of Palestinians. According to the report at The Algemeiner, the party went further, accusing the singer of repeating the phrase days later and receiving backing from Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, a frequent lightning rod in left-wing European discourse.

In their statement, LFI framed the concert as an affront to the “thousands of Gaza victims,” claiming that Golan’s presence in the French capital is tantamount to normalizing and celebrating war crimes.

“France cannot tolerate such an unnecessary insult,” the statement read, urging the Paris prefect to act immediately to ban the performance outright.

The backlash to LFI’s demand was swift. Liam Productions, the organizers of Golan’s European tour, denounced the campaign to cancel the concert as “a new form of antisemitic repression masquerading as political virtue,” according to a statement shared with The Algemeiner.

“On Holocaust Remembrance Day, as we remember the consequences of staying silent in the face of hate, far-left parties in France seek to boycott an Israeli artist simply because he is Israeli,” Liam Productions said. “This is not freedom of expression — it is antisemitism disguised as morality. The people of Israel will not be silent, will not apologize, and will not stop singing.”

This latest controversy adds to an increasingly alarming pattern of statements and actions by Mélenchon and his LFI party, which many Jewish leaders argue have crossed the line from anti-Zionism into outright antisemitism.

As documented by The Algemeiner, Mélenchon has a long history of inflammatory remarks targeting the French Jewish community. He has previously stated that Jews are an “arrogant minority that lectures to the rest”, and falsely implied that Jews were responsible for the death of Jesus — a trope long associated with medieval Christian antisemitism.

Following the October 7 attacks, Mélenchon characterized Hamas’s massacre of Israeli civilians as an “armed offensive by Palestinian forces” — sparking outrage among Jewish organizations in France and abroad. The Algemeiner report indicated that he has also publicly expressed support for Hezbollah, an Iran-backed terrorist group committed to Israel’s destruction, describing their actions as “national resistance” in social media posts.

The growing hostility toward Jewish individuals and institutions in France is underscored by recent data from the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France (CRIF), also cited by The Algemeiner.

According to CRIF’s latest annual report, France recorded 1,570 antisemitic acts in 2024, a sharp increase from 2022’s total of 436, though slightly below the record-high 1,676 in 2023. More than 65% of these incidents targeted individuals, with over 10% involving physical assaults. In late May and early June alone, antisemitic activity surged by more than 140%, far exceeding weekly averages.

CRIF President Yonathan Arfi sharply criticized LFI’s rhetoric and tactics, telling Le Point that the party had “politically legitimized antisemitism” and was fueling a toxic fusion of anti-Israel activism with hostility toward French Jews. “We observe this dangerous blurring between legitimate criticism of Israel and the scapegoating of French Jews. The Palestinian cause is being exploited as a license to hate,” Arfi said, according to the report at The Algemeiner.

As Eyal Golan’s concert remains on the schedule for now, the fight over whether it should be allowed to proceed has become symbolic of a broader cultural and political clash in France — one pitting pro-Israel and Jewish communities against radical leftist factions who blur the lines between political protest and identity-based vilification.

For many in France’s Jewish community — the largest in Europe — the LFI campaign is not just about a concert. It is about whether Jews, Israelis, and Zionist perspectives will continue to be allowed to exist in public French life without fear, censorship, or threats.

As The Algemeiner report noted, this is not merely an artistic dispute but a flashpoint in the increasingly fraught relationship between French democracy, freedom of expression, and the safety of its Jewish citizens.

The coming days will reveal whether Paris officials succumb to political pressure or stand firm in support of pluralism and artistic freedom — a litmus test, many argue, for France’s broader commitment to civil liberties in a time of growing tension.

 

Crown Heights Mourns: 101-Year-Old Hasidic Matriarch Fatally Struck by Unlicensed Driver While Walking Home from Rebbe’s Birthday Celebration

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Taibel Brod, 101, was walking home from a birthday party for a rebbe around 8:25 p.m. April 8 when a 65-year-old man behind the wheel of a 2023 GMC Yukon SUV plowed into her as she crossed at the corner of Brooklyn Avenue and Montgomery Street in Crown Heights, cops said. Family matriarch Taibel Brod, 101, was fatally struck by an unlicensed driver in Crown Heights, cops said

Crown Heights Mourns: 101-Year-Old Hasidic Matriarch Fatally Struck by Unlicensed Driver While Walking Home from Rebbe’s Birthday Celebration

By: Fern Sidman

A deep sense of mourning has descended over Crown Heights after the passing of Taibel Brod, a beloved 101-year-old Hasidic matriarch who lived an independent and vibrant life until she was tragically struck by an unlicensed driver while crossing a Brooklyn street earlier this month.

As reported by The New York Post on Thursday, Brod had just attended a  birthday celebration for the Lubavitcher Rebbe, on the evening of April 8 when her life was forever altered. While walking home — alone, determined, and with the traffic light in her favor — she was hit by a 2023 GMC Yukon SUV making a left turn at the corner of Brooklyn Avenue and Montgomery Street, according to police and family members.

Born in Kremenchuk, Ukraine, Brod’s early life was shaped by World War II and the Holocaust. As detailed in a touching online obituary and confirmed to The New York Post by her family, she was among the many Hasidic Jews who fled Stalinist Russia on escape trains to Poland. Her journey of survival continued to Poking Displaced Persons Camp in Germany, where she met and married her husband, Reb Chatzkel Brod.

In 1951, Taibel and Chatzkel emigrated to the United States, joining the burgeoning Hasidic community in Brownsville before moving to Crown Heights in the mid-1950s — an area that would remain her beloved home for the next seven decades.

After her husband’s death 20 years ago, Taibel continued to live independently, embodying a fierce resilience that defined her long and meaningful life.

“She was extremely independent till her last day,” her grandson Yisroel Brod, 38, of Miami told The New York Post. “She would take the bus by herself. She was a strong and active woman — truly a source of inspiration to all of us.”

Family members and neighbors described Taibel as a pillar of kindness and devotion. Her son Yosef Brod, 73, a building engineer in Los Angeles, recalled how his mother spent over 50 years volunteering at Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center, lovingly feeding patients day after day.

“For over 50 years she would feed patients,” Yosef shared with The New York Post while sitting shiva at her home. “Day in and day out, she dedicated herself to serving others.”

Another son, Yisroel Brod, 69, who now resides in Israel, emphasized his mother’s commitment to hospitality and prayer.

“She had an open home,” he said. “Visitors would come from other countries, and she would host them for weekends and holidays. She prayed daily and deeply — her life was a tapestry of faith and giving.”

According to the information provided in The New York Post report, on April 8, while Taibel was crossing Montgomery Street in the crosswalk with the light, 65-year-old driver Menachem Shagalow attempted to make a left turn and struck her. Authorities said Shagalow was operating the vehicle without a valid license and was subsequently arrested at the scene.

Police charged Shagalow with aggravated unlicensed operation, failure to exercise due care, and unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. He was issued a desk appearance ticket and is scheduled to be arraigned on April 28 in Brooklyn Criminal Court. The New York Post reported that Shagalow has only one prior arrest — a grand larceny charge dating back to 1998.

Despite the heart-wrenching circumstances, the Brod family has refrained from casting blame, showing a remarkable level of grace. When asked about the driver, the elder Yisroel simply told The New York Post: “It was an accident.”

In the days following the crash, Taibel was initially listed in stable condition at Maimonides Medical Center, but her injuries worsened. The New York Post report said that on Sunday, nearly two weeks after the collision, she passed away — surrounded by the children and grandchildren who had been blessed by her love.

Yosef, recounting his final visits to the hospital, said: “From time to time, she opened her eyes. I sensed that she recognized me. And on the day she passed away, my brothers and two sisters walked from Brooklyn to the hospital, and she smiled at them.”

As hundreds of family members, neighbors, and friends gather to honor Taibel Brod’s extraordinary life, Crown Heights is reminded of the power of simple goodness, steadfast faith, and unyielding devotion to community.

Reflecting on her death, Yosef found comfort in his religious beliefs. “I don’t know God’s mystery, how He wants the world,” he told The New York Post. “But we are taught that everything that happens in the world is called Divine Providence.”

Taibel Brod leaves behind a legacy of love, faith, and resilience — a life that, though ended tragically, continues to shine brightly in the memories and deeds of those she touched. May her memory be for a blessing.

 

Bill Maher Rips Larry David’s ‘My Dinner with Adolf’ Trump Meeting Smear: ‘Insulting to Six Million Dead Jews’

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screenshot

By Paul Roland Bois

Bill Maher has responded to fellow comedian Larry David comparing his White House dinner with President Trump to dining with Adolf Hitler, calling it an insult to millions of dead Jews.

Maher delivered his response on an episode of his Club Random podcast with Piers Morgan.

“First of all, it’s kind of insulting to six million dead Jews,” Maher said. “It’s an argument you kind of lost just to start it. Look, maybe it’s not completely logically fair, but Hitler has really kind of got to stay in his own place. He is the GOAT of evil. We’re just going to have to leave it like that.”

Maher said that David lost the argument the moment he played the “Hitler Card” while still regarding him as a friend.

“This wasn’t my favorite moment of our friendship. I think the minute you play the ‘Hitler’ card, you’ve lost the argument,” Maher said. “Come on, man. Hitler, Nazis — nobody has been harder, and more prescient I must say, about Donald Trump than me. I don’t need to be lectured on who Donald Trump is. Just the fact that I met him in person didn’t change that. The fact that I reported honestly is not a sin either.”

Later in the interview, Maher said that he’d be willing to talk with Larry David in the future.

“I don’t want to make this constantly personal with me and Larry. We might be friends again,” Maher said. “I can take a shot and I can also take it when people disagree with me. That’s not exactly the way I would’ve done it. Again, the irony: let’s go back to what my original thing was. There’s got to be a better way than hurling insults and not talking to people. If I can talk to Trump, I can talk to Larry David too.”

In a satirical op-ed for the New York Times, titled “My Dinner with Adolf,” David described a fantasy scenario of him meeting with Adolf Hitler and other Nazi leaders for a friendly and cordial dinner as if to say that Maher had been duped. He never mentioned Maher or Trump by name.

Paul Roland Bois directed the award-winning Christian tech thriller, EXEMPLUM, which has a 100% Rotten Tomatoes critic rating and can be viewed for FREE on YouTube or Tubi. “Better than Killers of the Flower Moon,” wrote Mark Judge. “You haven’t seen a story like this before,” wrote Christian Toto. A high-quality, ad-free rental can also be streamed on Google Play, Vimeo on Demand, or YouTube Movies. Follow him on X @prolandfilms or Instagram @prolandfilms.

Trump Administration Reverses Course on Mass Student Visa Cancellations Amid Legal Uproar

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Trump Administration Reverses Course on Mass Student Visa Cancellations Amid Legal Uproar

By: TJVNews.com

In a dramatic and unexpected reversal, the Trump administration announced Friday that it will pause the revocation of more than 1,500 student visas belonging to international students studying in the United States. The announcement, which came during a federal court hearing in Washington, marked a significant retreat by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) amid growing legal and political pressure. According to a report in The New York Times, the decision followed a torrent of lawsuits, escalating public outcry, and an intensifying climate of fear among foreign students whose academic and immigration status had suddenly been thrown into chaos.

Joseph F. Carilli, a lawyer for the Justice Department, told the court that immigration officials had begun developing a new framework for reviewing and terminating student visas. Until that new process is finalized, no further revocations or changes will be made, Carilli said, signaling a substantial recalibration of the administration’s enforcement strategy.

This reversal arrives after months of anxiety and legal battles, during which hundreds of international students received summary notifications that their visas had been canceled, often without clear justification. As The New York Times reported, many affected students said they were blindsided by the decision, some receiving only brief notices via email or phone informing them that their legal right to remain and study in the U.S. had been revoked.

According to the information provided in The New York Times report, numerous students—many from India, China, and other countries—were impacted by the visa cancellations, which appeared to accelerate in recent weeks. The administration had previously moved to deport students tied to anti-Israel campus protests, particularly those seen as disruptive during demonstrations against the war in Gaza. However, courts stepped in to block those removals, citing due process concerns and the lack of concrete evidence justifying such punitive measures.

In the interim, panic spread across university campuses nationwide. For many, the abrupt revocations upended not just their educational futures, but also years of academic effort, financial investment, and research commitments. Some students voluntarily left the country, including a graduate student at Cornell University, who chose to abandon their legal challenge in the face of escalating uncertainty.

The policy shift announced Friday was, in part, a response to multiple lawsuits filed by affected students, who alleged violations of due process and arbitrary enforcement. According to The New York Times report, these lawsuits often documented cases where visa revocations were based on minor infractions, such as traffic violations, while others involved no discernible misconduct at all.

In at least one pending case, a potential class action lawsuit filed in New England aims to block the administration from issuing further visa cancellations under its now-stalled policy. In Friday’s court session, Carilli confirmed the government is prepared to extend the policy pause across these lawsuits, offering temporary relief for international students facing imminent deportation and enabling them to remain in the country through the conclusion of the 2025 spring graduation season.

As of Friday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had not responded to media requests for comment, including inquiries from The New York Times. The agency’s silence has only heightened concerns within the academic community, where administrators and faculty have voiced alarm over the chilling effect of immigration enforcement on research collaboration, classroom participation, and institutional integrity.

Universities across the country have scrambled to support affected students, offering legal guidance, advocacy, and in some cases, emergency funding for those suddenly thrust into legal jeopardy. Many institutions have appealed to the Department of Homeland Security and ICE directly, urging restraint and clarity in policy execution.

The Trump administration’s original decision to revoke visas en masse—particularly targeting students associated with pro-Hamas protests—was viewed by critics as a politically motivated crackdown on dissent, potentially infringing on free speech and academic freedom. While the administration cited national security concerns and unlawful behavior during demonstrations, The New York Times found that many of the students caught in the dragnet had no documented ties to criminal activity.

The broader implications of the policy rollback remain unclear. Carilli’s statements suggest that a new review system may be forthcoming, raising the possibility of a more systematic and transparent approach to visa enforcement.

For now, international students can breathe a cautious sigh of relief. The Justice Department’s pivot provides a temporary reprieve, but uncertainty still looms. The legal proceedings, advocacy campaigns, and class action lawsuits are likely to continue as stakeholders seek more permanent protections and accountability for what many see as a gross miscarriage of justice.

As The New York Times report indicated, the episode serves as a stark reminder of the precarious status many foreign students occupy—caught between shifting immigration policies, geopolitics, and the machinery of enforcement. Whether this rollback marks a genuine policy reset or simply a tactical pause remains to be seen.

Israel Expands Strategic Air Power with Arrival of Three More F-35i “Adir” Fighter Jets

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By: Fern Sidman

In a significant enhancement to its aerial combat capabilities, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) on Thursday night received three additional F-35i “Adir” stealth fighter jets, as confirmed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and reported by The Jewish News Syndicate (JNS). The aircraft, manufactured by Lockheed Martin in the United States, touched down at Nevatim Air Force Base, located near Beersheva, where they will immediately be integrated into Israel’s frontline operations.

The arrival of these fifth-generation jets—renowned for their stealth technology, advanced avionics, and versatility in both air superiority and strike missions—brings the total number of F-35is in Israel’s arsenal to 45, marking another milestone in the country’s continued military modernization.

As reported by JNS on Friday, the newly arrived aircraft will join the IAF’s elite 140th “Golden Eagle” Squadron, which has played a central role in Israel’s ongoing “Swords of Iron” war, launched in response to the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led terrorist onslaught against Israeli civilians. In the IDF’s own words, the squadron has been operating “under unprecedented pressure,” conducting offensive and defensive missions across multiple operational theaters.

The IDF underscored the strategic impact of the new aircraft, stating: “The addition of the new aircraft strengthens operational continuity and expands the Air Force’s ability to handle a wide range of threats—with precision, speed and depth.”

These enhancements are especially critical given the evolving nature of the threats Israel faces from Iran-backed militias, long-range missile attacks, and the multi-front threat environment in the region, including in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and beyond.

The F-35i “Adir”, a uniquely modified version of the F-35A tailored specifically for Israel, includes custom Israeli avionics, electronic warfare systems, and weaponry integration. According to previous JNS reporting, Israel is the only country authorized by the U.S. to independently modify its F-35 fleet, allowing the IAF to adapt the aircraft for mission-specific demands and integrate it seamlessly into Israel’s existing command-and-control architecture.

This level of customization gives the IAF a critical edge in intelligence gathering, cyber warfare, and real-time target acquisition, key elements in both preemptive strikes and defensive maneuvers.

Thursday’s delivery is part of Israel’s initial procurement deal of 50 F-35 aircraft, a purchase that began delivery in 2016. In a significant development reported by JNS, the Israeli government finalized an agreement in June 2024 to acquire an additional 25 F-35s, which will bring the future fleet to 75 aircraft.

According to the Israeli Defense Ministry, delivery of this second batch is expected to begin in 2028, at a pace of three to five aircraft per year. This gradual scaling of capability is in line with Israel’s broader defense planning and long-term strategy to maintain regional air dominance, especially in light of Iran’s military entrenchment in Syria and the increasingly sophisticated weaponry in the hands of Hezbollah and other Iranian proxies.

As the JNS report noted, the timing of these aircraft arrivals is particularly crucial. With the Swords of Iron war still ongoing, and Israel facing the constant threat of rocket fire and terrorist infiltration, the introduction of advanced aircraft serves as both a tactical reinforcement and a symbolic message to its adversaries.

The F-35i’s role in Israel’s integrated defense doctrine cannot be overstated. Capable of executing deep-strike operations, suppressing enemy air defenses, and operating in contested electronic environments, the Adir is a force multiplier that enhances the IAF’s ability to neutralize threats before they can reach Israeli population centers.

With 45 F-35i aircraft now in service and 30 more set to arrive over the coming years, Israel is poised to solidify its status as the most advanced air power in the Middle East. As the JNS report indicated, this expansion is not merely about acquiring state-of-the-art hardware—it is about adapting to a new era of asymmetric warfare, cyber threats, and hybrid battlefields where stealth, speed, and precision determine outcomes.

In a region increasingly dominated by uncertainty, Israel’s investment in the F-35 program—and the strengthening of its 140th Squadron—demonstrates its unwavering commitment to defending its citizens, deterring its enemies, and maintaining strategic superiority well into the future

U.S. Justice Department Declares UNRWA No Longer Immune from Legal Accountability in American Courts

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View of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) building in Gaza. (Abed Rahim Khatib/Flash90

U.S. Justice Department Declares UNRWA No Longer Immune from Legal Accountability in American Courts

By: Fern Sidman

In a historic shift with far-reaching legal and diplomatic consequences, the U.S. Department of Justice has informed the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) no longer enjoys legal immunity in U.S. courts. The decision, announced Thursday, comes amid a high-profile lawsuit filed by families of victims of the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led terrorist massacre in southern Israel. The plaintiffs allege that UNRWA played a significant role in facilitating the atrocities—accusations that, if proven in court, could lead to immense financial and institutional repercussions.

According to a report that appeared on Friday in The Jewish News Syndicate (JNS), this legal development stems from a case launched last year, which seeks justice for those murdered or harmed during the deadliest single-day assault on Jews since the Holocaust. Plaintiffs argue that UNRWA aided and abetted terrorism, citing not only direct participation by agency employees in the attacks, but also alleging decades-long fraud and corruption in the handling of financial aid—some $1 billion of which may have ended up in the coffers of Hamas and other terror organizations in Gaza.

In a sharp reversal of previous U.S. policy, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York now holds that UNRWA cannot hide behind diplomatic immunity to avoid facing allegations in American courts. In a letter to District Judge Analisa Torres, the Justice Department acknowledged the gravity of the allegations, stating: “The complaint in this case alleges atrocious crimes committed by Hamas on Oct. 7, and its factual allegations, taken as true, detail how UNRWA played a significant role in those heinous offenses.”

The JNS report indicated that the letter further emphasized that while past administrations, including President Joe Biden’s, maintained that UNRWA and the United Nations were protected by blanket immunity, that interpretation has now been reconsidered.

“The government has since re-evaluated that position and now concludes that UNRWA is not immune from this litigation. Nor are the bulk of other defendants,” the filing stated.

As JNS reported, a cornerstone of the DOJ’s new position lies in the argument that UNRWA is not legally an organ of the United Nations, despite its long-standing association. Rather, it is an entity created by a resolution of the UN General Assembly, and the Justice Department questioned whether the General Assembly even possessed the legal authority to create such an agency under international law. This finding has potential implications not only for UNRWA’s future operations, but also for the structure and reach of U.N. immunity protections globally.

The legal exposure facing UNRWA is now substantial. Should the court find it culpable, UNRWA leaders, staff, and possibly the United Nations itself could be held liable for massive compensatory damages. Victims’ families could be awarded significant settlements for what they describe as the agency’s complicity in crimes against humanity.

Moreover, the JNS report emphaiszed that this ruling could reshape the legal landscape surrounding international organizations operating on U.S. soil. Questions are now being raised about whether this could jeopardize the legal protections of the United Nations headquarters in New York City, potentially affecting the entire U.N. diplomatic presence in the United States.

The ruling may also reinforce recent moves by the Israeli government, which in January 2025 officially banned UNRWA from operating in Israeli-controlled areas, citing evidence that at least 18 of its staff members actively participated in the October 7 massacre, as was reported by JNS. Israeli officials have long accused the agency of operating as a de facto arm of Hamas, offering educational programming steeped in antisemitic and violent content, and allowing U.N.-branded facilities to be co-opted by terror groups.

In response to the DOJ’s letter, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres’s office issued a carefully worded statement to JNS, emphasizing that the United Nations maintains a “longstanding and clear” position: “UNRWA is a subsidiary body of the General Assembly and, as such, is entitled to immunity from legal process under the 1946 Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations.”

A spokesperson for UNRWA echoed the same position, reiterating the agency’s intent to assert its immunity through legal counsel and review the DOJ’s position before considering next steps. “We will consider whether any other action is appropriate with respect to the letter,” the U.N. Secretary-General’s office told JNS.

This legal ruling, as the JNS report aptly noted, marks an unprecedented moment of accountability for a U.N. body long mired in controversy, yet largely shielded from judicial scrutiny. For decades, critics of UNRWA—including Israeli officials, Western lawmakers, and watchdog organizations—have accused it of perpetuating the refugee crisis, indoctrinating youth, and acting as a channel for terror financing. Now, for the first time, the veil of immunity may be lifted, and UNRWA may finally have to answer for its alleged role in the bloodshed of October 7.

Whether the court ultimately finds UNRWA guilty remains to be seen. But as the JNS report highlighted, the very fact that the agency must now stand trial could represent a seismic shift in how international organizations are held accountable for crimes committed under the cloak of humanitarian work.

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