This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

JERUSALEM – As Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gears up to address both houses of the United States Congress on Wednesday, he finds the American political landscape in a sense of turmoil he has likely never experienced – either as an undergrad or postgrad student at university or his lengthy political career.

A politician whose popularity has waxed and waned along with the fortunes of the country he has led for most of the last 15 years – both in terms of the domestic Israeli landscape and the U.S. political arena – he comes to a roiling Washington, D.C., for which he is not the primary focus. Not by a long shot.

Americans are currently consumed with the whereabouts of the putative President Joe Biden, and exactly what condition he is in. The Democratic Party has all-but anointed his Vice President Kamala Harris as his most likely replacement in November's election, and the protests against Netanyahu's presence in the capital have already unfurled.

Those protests are also literally coming from inside the House; with several Democratic lawmakers – including Harris – whose job it is to preside over the Senate floor – publicly declaring they will not attend the Israeli prime minister's speech.

Although Harris is set to meet privately with Netanyahu at the White House on Thursday, Israeli officials and Republican lawmakers have loudly expressed their barely concealed outrage over what they have termed a clear "snub."

Some of the fury results from the reason Harris will not be in attendance; instead of being on the floor of the Senate, she will instead be giving a speech in Indiana for Zeta Phi Beta, a historically black sorority founded at the vice president's alma mater, Howard University. Harris' campaign opined her non-attendance "should not be interpreted as a change in her position with regard to Israel."

Meanwhile, unnamed Israeli officials were quoted telling British newspaper the Telegraph that Harris, who is running for president, is "unable to distinguish between good and evil," and that skipping the prime minister's speech is "not a way to treat an ally," reported the Times of Israel.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson of Louisiana blasted the vice president, labeling her no-show "outrageous and inexcusable."

"This is an historic moment, it's an important moment for the country, the gravity of the situation cannot be overstated, and yet, Kamala Harris will abandon her seat," he added.

 

Another senior Democrat in the Senate, Illinois' Dick Durbin said he would actively boycott Netanyahu's speech Wednesday. "I am committed to Israel and its right to defend its people … I will stand by Israel, but I will not stand and cheer [for] its current prime minister."

 

In total, some 27 congressional Democrats have said they'll boycott Netanyahu's speech.

 

Reports suggest Netanyahu's speech will not strike the same confrontational tone when he was last invited to take to the floor of the Senate in 2015. On that occasion, he and his government had endured several public spats with the Obama administration, principally over Israel's vehement opposition to the Americans pushing for a nuclear deal with Iran. Some Democrats still haven't forgiven Netanyahu for his bellicosity in that speech, seen as intensely defiant of Obama and his administration.

This time he is thought to be preparing a "statesmanlike" speech, devoid of either attacks or criticisms of the Biden administration, and one which is largely intended to convey a message of peace. He will highlight his fervent desire to see the Abraham Accords extended to include Saudi Arabia, a development which even five years ago would have seemed unlikely, if not impossible.

He will, of course, outline Iran's malign influence on the entire region. He plans to explain how this nefarious actor has attempted to encircle the world's only Jewish state with threats, and more specifically to define Tehran's role in helping to plan Hamas' Oct. 7 attack – which has reshaped the entire Middle East.

On Tuesday, Netanyahu met with Jewish communal leaders as well evangelical Christian faith leaders – although at separate events.

The prime minister heard from them about their prayers for the return of the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, for the peace of Israeli soldiers and for the security of the State of Israel.

The Christian event included some 15 to 20 pro-Israel evangelical leaders. Among those in attendance were Christians United for Israel Pastor John Hagee, Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, Philos Project Executive Director Luke Moon, televangelist Paula White, Friends of Zion chairman Mike Evans and Jordanna McMillen, U.S. director of the Israel Allies Caucus Foundation, according to the Jewish News Syndicate.

A group of Latino evangelical pastors including Carlos Ortiz were also present. Although both groups are steadfast in their love and support for the State of Israel, the Christian faith leaders are far more homogenous in their domestic political outlook – skewing significantly toward the Republican Party.

However, the Jewish communal leaders tend to be more heterogeneous, with support to be found for both of America's main political parties. Although it should be noted, the more orthodox a Jewish group is, the more likely at least a plurality of its members would vote for the GOP.

Stalled hostage deal

Also in Washington are the families of American hostages still held in Hamas captivity. The Gaza Strip's Islamist rulers are thought to hold eight people with dual U.S.-Israeli citizenship – only five of whom are assessed to still be alive.

The hostage families have been some of Netanyahu's harshest critics and urged the prime minister to conclude a hostage deal – assessing time is running out for their loved ones – before he made the trip to the United States. Having been frustrated in this desire, they have now called on him to start his speech by reminding his audience of the main reason – as they see it – of why he is there.

The Hostages Families Forum urged Netanyahu to open his speech in Congress with these simple words, without which there will be neither victory nor revival: "There's a deal."

"These words contain everything necessary to begin a process of national healing," a statement from the Hostages Families Forum HQ said.

"They embody the essence of mutual responsibility and mark the end of abandonment and sacrifice of citizens whose safety was violated."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

The "Deep State," now using the U.S. Secret Service to attack President Donald Trump's 2024 campaign, has warned him to stop doing his trademark campaign event: a large outdoor rally where thousands, even tens of thousands, come to hear him.

The Washington Post said, "Secret Service officials encouraged Donald Trump's campaign to stop scheduling large outdoor rallies and other outdoor events with big crowds after the assassination attempt on the former president in Butler, Pa., according to people familiar with the matter."

It was the U.S. Secret Service that failed, in a long list of ways, to provide protection for Trump at that rally, where a 20-year-old sniper climbed on top of a nearby building to take shots at the GOP nominee, nicking his ear.

The attack apparently could have been fatal except that Trump turned his head to look at a chart at the exact second the shot was fired.

The Secret Service's failures were obvious, as even members of the crowd had seen, and pointed out, the threat before the shooting happened, yet the officers paid by taxpayers to protect Trump failed to take any significant action.

A report at the Gateway Pundit turned in a blunt assessment: "The Deep State is always trying to stop Trump from holding large rallies. In 2020 Democrats used COVID to restrict the number of people at Trump's rallies with Marxist 'social distancing' guidelines. Now the Secret Service is telling Trump to stop holding his massive outdoor rallies… or else?"

The assessment continued, "Is this a threat? Is the Regime telling Trump to hold smaller rallies indoors or else they'll make sure the next attacker doesn't miss?"

In fact, a Senate briefing revealed Secret Service officers had identified the shooter as a suspicious person 10 minutes before Trump took the stage, and the shooter was seen crawling on the nearby roof by rally goers.

Failed Secret Service chief Kim Cheatle, who quit this week, has offered various excuses, including an officer wasn't sent to that roof because it was sloping. Another report said officers "secured" the building from inside because it was hot.

A report at the Federalist said, "The same agency that failed to protect former President Donald Trump from a would-be assassin's bullet is now asking the GOP's presidential candidate to stop holding large outdoor campaign rallies. The request from the grossly incompetent (at best) federal agency stinks of election interference and sounds a lot like a threat."

The Post didn't name its source but added, ""In the aftermath of the shooting, agents from the Secret Service communicated their concerns about large outdoor rallies going forward to Trump campaign advisers, three people familiar with the matter said."

No word on whether the same request has been given to Kamala Harris.

"This is a direct threat from the regime to Trump: if he doesn't stop trying to win, they'll make sure the next attacker doesn't miss. We all know what they're doing," tweeted Federalist CEO Sean Davis.

The report warned, "Shutting down the outdoor events would smack of election interference, a way to stymie a successful means of campaigning."

The Secret Service already has been accused of rejecting Trump campaign requests for more security

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

Recently,  a U.S. Army anti-terrorism brief from Fort Liberty, North Carolina, identified various pro-life organizations as terrorist groups. Base officials have since denied this designation represents the Army's official position, but only after the incident was exposed on social media by independent journalist Sam Shoemate, or @samosaur on X.

In an official response, Fort Liberty officials released the following statement:

"After conducting a commander's inquiry, we determined that the slides presented on social media were not vetted by the appropriate approval authorities, and do not reflect the views of the XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Liberty, the U.S. Army or the Department of Defense.

"The slides were developed by a local garrison employee to train soldiers manning access control points at Fort Liberty.

"These slides will no longer be used, and all future training products will be reviewed to ensure they align with the current DoD anti-terrorism guidance."

Shoemate has since posted on X of being "notified that the soldiers recently part of training on Fort Liberty (Bragg), who were told that certain pro-life groups are terrorists, are now under investigation."

Despite Fort Liberty's public disapproval, the source who provided the original image of the slide presentation to Shoemate told the Gateway Pundit, "The whole military is fundamentally and systematically infected with an ideology that is diametrically opposed to the fundamental mission of our armed forces: increasing lethality and winning wars."

Retired Army Public Affairs Officer Dr. Chase Spears agrees, telling WND, "The aggressively social justice-focused Army I recently departed after 20 years is not the combat-focused force I joined."

While conceding the slide presentation may have "gone rogue by not following the letter of the law," he said "it did not go rogue philosophically." In fact, says Spears, the incident aligns with what today's senior military leadership is willing to support. "They're only sorry that they got caught."

"You have to ask yourself: Are the measures put in place to keep this from happening not working, or are these really rogue individuals [who aren't following the rules] truly the ones responsible?" Spears asked. He added that there is another potential option: "Is this in fact what the military believes, and thus commanders are choosing not to discourage the addition of clearly leftist ideology into training materials?"

"Within the first 10 years I was in the Army," Spears told WND, "I would have been the devil's advocate, believing some guy or gal got overzealous and did something they weren't supposed to." However, in the last decade, he argues, "the military has gone through an extraordinary ideological transformation. This is not the first incident like this. It is not difficult to imagine that they're just saying the quiet part out loud."

The first time Spears attended a briefing he considered "clearly antithetical" to the U.S. military was in 2011, upon the repeal of the long-time "Don't ask, don't tell" policy in place regarding homosexual service members. From this point forward, he said, examples of blatant disdain and disregard for Christians and conservatives escalated.

"What's really embarrassing for the force is that they've been caught time and time again," Spears told WND. For example, in 2013, slides shared during a U.S. Army Reserve Equal Opportunity training brief labeled Christians as religious extremists, alongside the Ku Klux Klan, al-Qaida, Hamas and others. Later in 2013, former Army Secretary John McHugh ordered a halt to listing Christians as extremists, and even the ACLU applauded his decision.

That same year, Spears recalled, training slides created by the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute, or DEOMI, "categorized America's founders as holding to extreme ideologies in seeking independence from the British crown."

"What's the purpose celebrating of the 4th of July?" Spears asked. "What would be the purpose of the stars and stripes of the American flag and the oaths that we all take if DEOMI officially maintains that independence from Britain is actually an extremist ideology?"

"For any service member that believes this, I cannot trust that he or she has the best interest of American security in mind," he said. "I can't trust such a person to believe the Constitution and feel any kind of loyalty to it."

Spears also noted that last year officials at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, put out an "unofficial" message warning their airman not to attend a rally by Turning Point USA which helps advocate for conservative politics across the country's various education systems. "After this attempt at infringing on the rights of military members assigned there made the news," he said, "they walked it back."

Spears pointed out the common thread connecting the various examples of Christians and conservatives being depicted as extremists. "It's only when military officials get caught that they correct themselves, and fall back in line with the law," he explained, adding that "'ask for forgiveness, not permission' is a frequent refrain among mid-grade military decision makers."

"We're only seeing the tip of the iceberg, because most service members who attend these kinds of required training events are not going to speak out against or take pictures of it because they're terrified of retribution," he argued. "I promise you it's happening way more often than we realize."

"If we continue on the current trajectory, efforts to intimidate, stigmatize and silence Christians and conservatives in the force will become more brazen," Spears warned. "Too many military commanders today already ignore the Religious Freedom and Restoration Act and Department of Defense policy on convictional freedom, and they have gotten away with it," he told WND, adding: "A military that hates conservative values is one that will be incapable of its most basic purpose: to defend the nation."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

U.S. Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle resigned her position Tuesday after coming under heavy fire for her agency's colossal failures protecting President Trump during his assassination attempt Jully 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Her resignation letter to the Secret Service states:

To the Men and Women of the U.S. Secret Service,

The Secret Service's solemn mission is to protect our nation's leaders and financial infrastructure.

On July 13th, we fell short on that mission. The scrutiny over the last week has been intense and will continue to remain as our operational tempo increases. As your Director, I take full responsibility for the security lapse.

However, this incident does not define us. We remain an organization based on integrity and staffed by individuals of exceptional dedication and talent. As I've stated, the Secret Service will move forward with our investigatory and protective mission in a steadfast manner. We do not retreat from challenge. However, I do not want my calls for resignation to be a distraction from the great work each and every one of you do towards our vital mission.

When I got the call asking if I would return to the Secret Service after my brief retirement, I did not hesitate. I love this agency, our mission, and the great men and women who sacrifice so much every day. I have, and will always, put the needs of this agency first.

In light of recent events, it is with a heavy heart that, I have made the difficult decision to step down as your Director

When I assumed the role as your Director, I pledged to do so with honor and integrity. These values have guided my entire career for 29 years.

As many of you know, I served as a special agent for 27 years – securing events for FPOTUS Clinton, working as a supervisor on VP Cheney's detail, leading RTC, operating as the SAIC of ATL, supervising VP Biden's detail, and finally overseeing the agency's protective mission under the Trump Administration as AD-OPO.

As I stated in the hearing yesterday, all of you are worthy of trust and confidence. You deserve the nation's support in carrying out our critical mission. One of my favorite things about this workforce is that the men and women are fiercely committed to our mission.

Thank you for all that you do, and will continue to do, for our great nation.

President Trump said on Truth Social: "The Biden/Harris Administration did not properly protect me, and I was forced to take a bullet for Democracy. IT WAS MY GREAT HONOR TO DO SO!"

Joe Biden issued a statement saying Cheatle "has selflessly dedicated and risked her life to protect our nation throughout her career."

Regarding the assassination attempt on July 13, Biden said: "We all know what happened that day can never happen again. As we move forward, I wish Kim all the best, and I will plan to appoint a new director soon."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

JERUSALEM – Israel's parliament, the Knesset, advanced the first reading of a trilogy of bills Monday aimed at shuttering the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East amid evidence the organization is increasingly indivisible from the Gaza Strip's rulers, Hamas.

The first bill, which would cease the organization's ability to operate on Israeli territory, passed 58-9. The bill proposed to prohibit UNRWA from operating any mission, providing any service or conducting any activity within Israel's sovereign territory.

Meanwhile the second, aimed at stripping UNRWA personnel of the legal immunities and privileges afforded to United Nations staff in Israel, was approved 63-9.

MK Yulia Malinovsky (Yisrael Beiteinu) and other MKs sponsored the final bill, which proposed cutting off the state of Israel's relations with UNRWA and declaring it a terrorist organization. The bill passed with a 50-10 majority and all the bills will now be returned to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee for further deliberation.

Likud MK Boaz Bismuth, a former editor of the Israel Hayom newspaper who was one of those sponsoring the first bill, was categorical in his condemnation of UNRWA and its activities.

"UNRWA employees worked hand in hand with Hamas in the cruel massacre that took place on that 'Black Sabbath.' UNRWA terrorists murdered, raped and kidnapped Israelis, and assisted in the conveyance of the murder weapons. UNRWA was established in 1949 to provide a solution to the problem of Palestinian refugees, but all it has done since [its inception] is perpetuate the refugee [status of Palestinians], rather than rehabilitate the refugee. It has used the vast resources placed at its disposal for terrorist activity against Israel," according to a Knesset statement.

Bismuth also posted on X, "This [proposed] law sends a very clear message to our enemies: 'We will not permit international organizations to continue in their industry of terrorism and incitement'"

Sharren Haskel MK of New Hope-The United Right party explained the need to find a "parallel" organization and not rely on UNRWA.

"When I realized UNRWA was actually a cornerstone of the Arab conflict here in the Land of Israel, I already understood a change was needed. UNRWA perpetuates the refugee status and passes it on as inheritance. Why? Because it is a very lucrative business."

Mansour Abbas, leader of one of Israel's Arab parties, Ra'am, and who was part of the Lapid-Bennett government between June 2021 and December 2022, opposed the motions. He said designating UNRWA a terrorist organization was "absurd." He argued that although some of its members may have participated in terrorism – it is widely understood at least 12 took part in the Hamas' initial Oct. 7 onslaught – the vast majority work to provide aid for the people who need it. He further pointed out in its absence, Israel would likely be required to assume its operations – which the government has consistently stated it would not do.

The explanatory notes to the bill state: "In the months after the outbreak of the Swords of Iron war, investigative reports were revealed regarding the involvement of the workers of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in the Gaza Strip in the murderous terrorist offensive that began on October 7, 2023, such as participation in acts of murder and massacre, kidnapping Israeli citizens to the Gaza Strip and providing vehicles and equipment for the purpose of the offensive. Reports were also published regarding the membership of these workers in the Hamas and Islamic Jihad organizations."

Indeed, the instances of IDF troops operating in Gaza finding weapons caches hidden inside UNRWA facilities – including schools and hospitals – are legion. To say nothing of the Hamas data center found under UNRWA's Gaza HQ in February, including electricity cables connecting it to the UNRWA network.

Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant estimated some 12% of UNRWA's 13,000 employees in Gaza are affiliated with Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), including nearly 1,500 who are thought to be active in one or other of those two terrorist groups. More than 230 of those are assessed to be active members of the military wings of either Hamas or PIJ.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

With Joe Biden's departure from the race for the Democrat party's nomination for president in the 2024 election, pundits naturally are turning their attention to Kamala Harris, his vice president.

But she's been an unrelenting source of pro-abortion ideology as vice president, and even before she was a California senator, when she was attorney general in California.

"Harris is bought and paid for by Planned Parenthood," explained Operation Rescue's chief, Troy Newman. "Short of a celebratory conversion to Christ, she will never stop extending her political power to facilitate the abortion cartel's profit-driven goal of killing as many babies as possible."

He explained in a statement Monday that Harris is confirmed to be a failure as vice president, "especially in her primary duty as border czar."

He pointed out drug traffickers are given a free pass while Americans are dying of fentanyl overdoses.

Murderers and rapists are allowed across the border.

"But that's her style," Newman said. "Kamala has spent decades nurturing a financially beneficial relationship with Planned Parenthood, the abortion giant that kills hundreds of thousands of innocent vulnerable human beings every year."

Harris' intimacy with Planned Parenthood was documented by evidence obtained by Operation Rescue while she was the AG there, OR said.

Her campaign coffers previously received over $81,000 from five California Planned Parenthood affiliates that were implicated for some of the worst wrongdoing in the 2015 Center for Medical Progress) video exposé.

Newman was a founding board member of CMP, which released undercover videos showing the behavior of those in the abortion industry, including one abortionist who wanted more money for the body parts of unborn babies because, "I want a Lamborghini."

OR reported, "In a shocking turn of events, Harris used her position to protect her pet campaign contributor. Instead of ordering an investigation into Planned Parenthood, she ordered a raid on the home of David Daleiden, one of the undercover investigators who exposed the organization's appalling practice of manipulating abortions to sell intact organs of murdered children. During the raid, the original work products obtained during the CMP undercover investigation were improperly seized."

The report confirmed Harris "radically supports the cold-hearted murder of preborn babies through all nine months of pregnancy without a single limit, and she opposes the existence of pregnancy resource centers that support women and families through unexpected pregnancies."

"We must commit ourselves to intercessory prayer and show up en masse in November to support Donald J. Trump and J.D. Vance at the ballot box. We must be watchful and do everything within our power to preserve election integrity. If we don't, we will have Kamala Harris, or someone just like her, pushing for a radical, globalist population-control agenda at the expense of innocent preborn babies," Newman explained.

A report in 2021 from Live Action News pointed out that Daleiden and others were targeted with both criminal and civil cases for their revelations about the profit motive in the abortion industry.

At that time, Fox News reported a campaign organized by Harris invaded Daleiden's home to take his computers, then provided private information to the National Abortion Federation.

The report noted: "After [Judge] Orrick issued an injunction against the release of any new videos, Harris met with Planned Parenthood executives. Daleiden has alleged that Planned Parenthood General Counsel Beth Parker told Harris she wanted access to his computers. E-mail exchanges also show Harris and Planned Parenthood working together to get a search warrant to obtain CMP's full, unedited videos. She further worked with Planned Parenthood to craft a bill which would make recording undercover conversations with 'health care providers' a crime, with the parties passing copies of the bill back and forth before submitting it."

Two weeks later, Harris ordered that raid on Daleiden, seizing computers and more.

"From there, Harris gave NAF lawyers access to the unreleased videos," the report said.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

JERUSALEM – The Israel Defense Forces announced Tuesday morning it carried out a drone strike in Judea and Samaria, which it assesses eliminated at least six Palestinian terrorists, including two senior commanders.

Confirmed dead are Ashraf Nafeh, the commander of the local wing of Hamas' Qassam Brigades, and Muhammad Awad, a chief in Fatah's al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades.

"An aircraft attacked armed terrorists during an operation in Tulkarem in the Menashe Brigade sector. Forces are exchanging fire," the army said.

It has been reported the IDF used a ruse to lure the terrorists – which included an armed female combatant dressed up as a medic – to the location, where it was easier to target them.

Israel's military released footage of the strike in which these top commanders and several gunmen were killed. Ground troops also engaged terrorists in gun battles immediately prior to the strike. They also successfully destroyed several IEDs planted under roads.

The IDF raid in Tulkarem Tuesday, was part of a series of operations against terrorist activity in northern Samarian refugee camps, which has grown increasingly restive since Hamas' Oct. 7 onslaught against southern Israel – and the ensuing war which followed it.

Israel's military claimed Nafeh was responsible for preparing and planting explosive devices to be detonated against troops as well as participating in other attacks. He was also thought to be involved with recruiting fighters to Hamas, as well as having contact with the group's operatives abroad.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Awad – also known as Abu Abdo – was said to be involved in several shooting attacks, as well as fundraising for terrorist attacks.

Fatah-Hamas rapprochement in Beijing?

In further evidence of China's growing involvement in the Middle East, the Chinese Communist Party brought together several Palestinian factions to Beijing – including Fatah and Hamas – inducing them to agree to end their disagreements and come together to form a "government of reconciliation," according to Chinese media and reported on Israel's Ynet.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi hosted the talks. He described the agreement as the "most significant development," noting an interim government would be established.

Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz blasted the move and accused Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) the Palestinian Authority President and Fatah chairman – now in the eighteenth year of his four-year term – for "embracing murderers and rapists."

Senior Hamas official Musa Abu Marzuk announced the terror group signed a national unity declaration with other Palestinian groups, including rivals Fatah.

"Today we sign an agreement for national unity and we say that the path to completing this journey is national unity. We are committed to national unity and we call for it," Abu Marzuk said.

Fatah itself – which heretofore has been an implacable enemy of Hamas – poured scorn on the Chinese initiative with an official saying, "This is a Chinese public relations effort imposed by China. They are trying to influence the Middle East, but the rift between Fatah and Hamas cannot be bridged."

This seems to contradict statements earlier in the year, which suggested a thawing of relations between the two Palestinian factions

Following Israel's unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005, Fatah and Hamas fought a bloody campaign for control over the coastal enclave – with Hamas eventually coming out on top. The fighting was vicious – Hamas combatants were known to have tossed Fatah opponents from rooftops. And since the misguided 2007 election, which Hamas infamously won, it has ruled the Gaza Strip with a rod of iron.

While Fatah controls the Palestinian Authority in Judea and Samaria, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad have grown increasingly bold – especially since Oct. 7 – and seem to enjoy more widespread support than the 88-year-old Abbas. Indeed, according to recent polls, 89% of Palestinians support establishing a government including or led by Hamas. Only around 8.5% said they favor one controlled exclusively by Fatah, reported the Jewish News Syndicate.

Having fought a war now deep into its tenth month against Hamas, the prospect of the terrorist organization being involved in any way in the governance of the Palestinian parts of Judea and Samaria is not something any Israeli government or Israelis themselves could countenance. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also made it clear he does not view a path to the Palestinian Authority governing Gaza as part of the "day after" plan.

"I will not allow us to replace Hamastan with Fatahstan, that we replace Khan Yunis with Jenin," he said. "I will not allow the State of Israel to repeat the fateful mistake of Oslo, which brought to the heart of our country and to Gaza the most extreme elements in the Arab world, which are committed to the destruction of the State of Israel and who educate their children to this end."

As the U.S. has increasingly withdrawn from the region, China and other state actors – including Russia – have increasingly filled the vacuum the American absence has left.

Beijing was instrumental in the restoration of diplomatic ties between the two competing Islamic giants of the Middle East – Iran and Saudi Arabia – in a deal brokered in Beijing in 2023. Although the two had not directly come to blows, the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen launched waves of drones and missiles against the Saudi mainland, including the key Aramco refinery in 2019, and again in 2022.

Evidence of greater Russian involvement could be seen in February, as the country hosted a two-day "national dialogue" on forming a unity government under the auspices of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

Vice President Kamala Harris has begun her ascent into campaigning in place of President Joe Biden, after he announced he would be pulling out of the 2024 presidential election.

Despite not officially being the Democratic National Party's Democratic nominee, Harris has already taken the presumptive position, and now the DNC's army of think tanks are pushing for her presidency.

However, while they make an argument as to why Harris would be a great pick for president of the United States, using Harris' sex, race, and personal beliefs as a qualifier for the job, there's a disconnect from reality.

The Brookings Institute, a Washington D.C. based think tank, released new commentary Sunday that asked if Harris would be able to convince undecided voters to come to her side and listed reasons as to why voters might be enticed.

These reasons to vote for Harris included the fact that Harris is considered "black," despite her mother being an immigrant from India, and her father being from Jamaica. Also ticking boxes on the Democrat identity politics checklist is Harris' support of abortion and simply being a woman.

"On the one hand, her nomination would take the age issue off the table – and even give her a chance to use it against the former president. Her nomination might well reinvigorate support from young people and non-white voters, and her vigorous denunciation of the Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade and her advocacy for the pro-choice cause could lead moderate suburban women to reconsider their presidential choice," the Brookings Institute wrote.

Brookings points out that while Harris will have to explain some of the Biden-Harris administration failings over the past four years, including almost devastating levels of inflation, and an out-of-control border crisis – this will all be overshadowed by Harris' alleged appeal to non-white voters, academics, and women.

"Her candidacy will underscore the widening demographic gap between the Democratic and Republican coalitions. As Trump Republicans bet on expanding their outreach to the working class, Harris will depend on a more educated and upscale portion of the electorate. She will have substantial appeal to black voters (especially women) and white liberals, but her prospects of reversing the Democrats' declining support among Hispanics are at best uncertain," the Brookings Institute wrote.

What the Brookings Institute is failing to note is the majority of Americans, whether white, black, or brown, are actually working class people. Former President Donald Trump made life easier for the middle class and lifted many out of lower-income brackets through job creation. The Biden-Harris administration has already proven they will only make life harder, and Harris would only be a continuation of this.

Recent polls show Harris was at least more popular than Biden for a day. Harris' first poll after Biden's withdrawal was conducted by Quinnipiac University on July 19, and posted on FiveThirtyEight, showing Harris had reduced Trump's lead by three percentage points.

This bump did not last long, with the gap between Harris and Trump growing to four points in favor of Trump the very next day. By July 21, SoCal Research had Harris back down to 37% vs. Trump's 43%, and Robert Kennedy Jr.'s 9%.

Overall, the same poll showed Trump leading Harris by eight points, numbers similar to what they were before Biden's withdrawal, which had Trump leading Biden by 11 points at one point in recent months.

What the polls do show is Harris has not had the instant boost the Democrats were hoping for. So far, Harris has not "reinvigorated" the black vote, and Hispanics will likely remain out of reach for Harris, simply because there is strong Republican support within the Hispanic community.

Many Hispanic voters in key states like Florida are legal immigrants or children of immigrants and remember only too well some of the dysfunctional policies implemented in their socialist or communist homelands, and embrace conservative policies because of it.

The Brookings Institute stated that Harris needs to convince undecided voters that she has enough clarity and knowledge to be president, which includes showing she is not inept with foreign policy, domestic policy, and defense.

In her role as VP, Harris was not known for her ground-breaking foreign policies, and Harris' domestic policies and oversight of the southern border have been nothing less than a disaster after millions poured into the nation since Biden took office.

Black voters in droves are openly stating they will not be voting for Harris this coming November, with many noting they have not forgotten Harris' work as a California prosecutor that specifically targeted black men and women.

Trump's support from black voters continues to grow, with a New York Times/Siena poll released in March indicating Trump's support from black voters has grown by 500% in the last four years.

The DNC will be holding an electronic vote ahead of its annual convention scheduled for August 19. To win the official nomination, Harris must receive at least 1,976 votes from the almost 4,000 delegates.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

A thermal zone in Yellowstone National Park, which is known for its geysers, hot springs, surface instability and volatile features, has exploded on tourists, destroying one of the park's famed boardwalks and terrifying watchers.

A report from the Jackson Hole News and Guide, in the pricey tourist town only a few miles from the park, said tourists were "traipsing" along the Biscuit Basin boardwalk when a "pool of hot water bubbling up from below the surface of the earth began rising up into the air."

"Some people stopped and started taking videos on their phones as the black cloud rose. Then, rocks started falling from the sky," the report said.

Visitors at Black Diamond Poll were sent "scrambling … to escape."

The Cowboy State Daily noted there were no injuries reported right away.

The eruption threw "an immense amount of black water onto a nearby boardwalk, destroying it, and sending tourists running for their safety.

The park's Biscuit Basin was closed down because of the event.

"The March family vising from California was touring the Biscuit Basin when Black Diamond Pool erupted. Steve and his wife, Vlada, were on the boardwalk with their two sons, Vlada's mother, and Issac Fischer, their guide from Casanova Guided Tours. They had a video camera running at the time, capturing the spectacular eruption even as they retreated to a safe distance. Other visitors also are seen fleeing the violent thermal spew," the report said.

Steve March said there had been a "large amount" of steam emanating from the Sapphire Pool before the explosion.

"We were walking toward Jewel Geyser when our guide pointed out the steam that suddenly shot out of Sapphire Pool. I guess that's never been witnessed before. And literally, a moment later, there was this massive explosion and a massive amount of rock (from Black Diamond Pool)," he told Cowboy State Daily.

He continued, "Our guide told us to run. So, we grabbed our kids, and we made our way to solid ground as soon as we could."

The report said the National Park Service noted Black Diamond Poll has been erupting – occasionally – since an earthquake in the region in 2006.

It had erupted just two months earlier.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

It took only hours for the establishment media in America to make clear they would be cheerleading for Kamala Harris, presuming she ascends to the Democrat party's nomination for president this year as many expect.

The nomination was thrown into turmoil over the weekend when Joe Biden, who already had accumulated enough delegate vote commitments to get the nomination, withdrew and endorsed Harris.

Within a day she, too, had accumulated enough delegate commitments to get the nomination when Democrats assemble next month, although there still remain questions about the candidate, and who will be supported.

But legacy media voices already were on her bandwagon, much like Chris Mathews was on Barack Obama's bandwagon years ago.

That's when he said he got a "thrill" up his leg when he heard Obama speak.

Many ribald jokes followed that it wasn't actually a "thrill" up his leg, but a report from Newsbusters explained the background of his "sycophantic" comment.

It was in 2008 when Matthews said, "I have to tell you, you know, it's part of reporting this case, this election, the feeling most people get when they hear Barack Obama's speech. My, I felt this thrill going up my leg. I mean, I don't have that too often."

The report noted Mathews years earlier also had commented on "a physical sensation" in his lower appendages on hearing Obama.

It was in 2004 he said, "I have to tell ya a little chill in my, in my legs now. That is an amazing moment in history right there. It is really an amazing moment. A keynoter like I've never heard."

That was when Obama spoke at that year's Democrat convention.

Now, according to a report from Fox, legacy media voices have confirmed their advocacy journalism for Harris during this election cycle.

The report noted Harris "kicked off her presidential campaign on Monday with what some members of the media hailed as a speech that left them with 'chills,' 'blown away' and arguing over who jumped out of their seat higher."

Harris' speech was about her relationship with Biden and included a recitation of her complaints about President Donald Trump, the GOP nominee.

She said in her previous jobs, "I took on perpetrators of all kinds. Predators who abused women, fraudsters who ripped off consumers, cheaters who broke the rules for their own gain. So hear me when I say: I know Donald Trump's type."

Donny Deutsch, of MSNBC, immediately joined her campaign, with, "There was a twinkle in her eye. There was a kick in her step that, you know, when you're vice president…you're not loose. There's somebody above you, somebody you don't want to overshadow them. And this was quite the coming out. I got chills when she said, 'Donald Trump: I know your type.' That was like, 'Wow, she's going to prosecute this case.'"

He, in fact, was "blown away."

"I was, like, I kind of fell in love with her. I thought she was smart, engaging. She's funny, feisty, twinkle in your eye, punch you in the gut. I mean, everything you kind of want. And I just thought it was a great, great opening act."

Tim Miller, of the "Bulwark" podcast, joined in, "Bear with me, I'm jumping out of my seat over here watching this. People have been thirsting for this."

And Maya Wiley, an MSNBC guest, agreed, "I'm with Tim – Tim, I'm jumping out of my seat higher than you, my brother. I'm just going to say that."

Wiley went even further, "tearing up" with her excitement to promote Harris.

"These aren't people who just show up for the public to put on a show. This is what you see behind closed doors. This is not just graciousness for political expediency. This is graciousness because grace is something that matters deeply to these two leaders."

CNN correspondent Jamie Gangel acclaimed Harris with, "What struck me most was that is fighting Kamala Harris. She is coming out, guns blazing."

And David Axelrod, a former Obama adviser, said, "If I were sitting in the Trump headquarters and I watched that speech, I'd be very, very concerned. Kamala Harris gave what was, I thought, a perfectly conceived and well-delivered kind of introduction to the country, introduction, reintroduction of herself, not as a vice president, but as a standard-bearer."

Polling shows Trump leading Harris among voters, even in some instances by wider margins than he led Biden.

WND had reported only a day earlier on rising concerns about Harris' long-established habit of unleashing "word salad" statements that confuse and misdirect.

One of her rambles was: "My mother used to — she would give us a hard time sometimes, and she would say to us, 'I don't know what's wrong with you young people. You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?' You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you."

Another: "I think it's very important…for us at every moment in time and certainly this one, to see the moment in time in which we exist and are present, and to be able to contextualise it, to understand where we exist in the history and in the moment as it relates not only to the past but the future."

Pundits poked fun at her condition, but amid the obvious decline in Biden's cognitive abilities in recent months and years, Harris performances were little more than entertainment.

But with her ascension to possible Democrat nominee for president, with Biden's withdrawal over the weekend, there is new concern.

A report in the Daily Mail confirmed there "is no indication" that she suffers from a specific ailment, but said such uncontrolled speaking can "indicate brain injury, autism or serious condition."

Or it can be a "symptom of anxiety or over-confidence."

The report explained, "Kamala Harris's rambling 'word salad' speeches may be a symptom of a little-known but common psychological condition called logorrhoea — also known as verbal diarrhea."

She is "known for her jumbled, sometimes incoherent speaking style," the report said.

The report explained, "A 2009 study of the condition in Spain found the risk of logorrhoea was linked to level of schooling. Those with lower educational achievement were more likely to 'speak in circles,'"

It explained, "Logorrhoea is also associated with laughing wildly at random moments, something Ms. Harris has become known for, with Donald Trump even nicknaming her 'Laughin' Kamala.'"

Her cackling, in fact, has made headlines at times, too.

Another Harris stumble: "You need to get to go, and you to be able to get where you need to go, to do the work and get home."

Add there was her famed "passage of time" passage: "The governor and I and we were all doing a tour of the library here and talking about the significance of the passage of time. The significance of the passage of time. So, when you think about it, there is great significance to the passage of time in terms of what we need to do to lay these wires, what we need to do to create these jobs. And there is such great significance to the passage of time when we think about a day in the life of our children."

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