This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who was Kamala Harris' running mate in her failed 2024 Democrat presidential campaign, says Democrats knew what President Donald Trump would do if elected.

But they're still off-balance simply because he is doing what they expected, he confirmed.

Trump has, in fact, delivered a multitude of executive orders that take aim directly at Joe Biden's progressive and social agenda points, including an order halting transgender body mutilations for children, many orders launching a roundup of illegal alien criminals, pardons for J6 trespassers and much more.

Further, Trump has delivered new terrorism designations, banned DEI from government, declassified multitudes of files, appointed officials at breakneck speed, rescinded dozens of Biden's actions, halted new regulations, frozen federal hiring, ordered federal workers back to the office, and offered them severance to leave, ordered agencies to address the cost of living, pulled America out of the Paris Agreement, pulled out of the World Health Organization, ordered an end to the weaponization of government, announced the name "Gulf of America," created an agency to eliminate unnecessary government spending and lifted the security clearances for dozens of officials who falsely claimed the Hunter Biden laptop scandals were Russian disinformation.

"To the voters, I'm with this too. Everybody's fatigued. Trust me, I get it," Walz said in an interview on MSNBC. "It was pure hell, and the disappointment and the frustration, and I'm, you know, soul-searching – what could we have done to make the case? Because we knew this was coming. We knew the implication. And they're throwing so much at us that we're fatigued."

It is Fox News that reported on Walz interview:

Walz was asked for advice for "average people" who oppose Trump's agenda, including those who fall into the group of people with "Trump Derangement Syndrome."

"You know that overused term, 'The frog in the boiling water?' We've been in the damn pot way too long," Walz claimed. "I think it is speaking up. It's thinking about your neighbors. It's writing and putting those members of Congress – look, there is no spine among those folks – but this is real."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

Jim Acosta, the anti-Trump CNN reporter and anchor whose press credentials were revoked during the president's first term in office, announced on the air Tuesday he was leaving the cable news network, which sought to move him to the midnight shift.

"After giving all of this some careful consideration and weighing an alternative time slot that CNN offered me, I've decided to move on," Acosta said, adding he'd reveal his next step in the coming days.

Trump reacted to the news on Truth Social, saying: "Wow, really good news! Jim Acosta, one of the worst and most dishonest reporters in journalistic history, a major sleazebag, has been relegated by CNN Fake News to the Midnight hour, 'Death Valley,' because of extraordinarily BAD RATINGS (and no talent!).

"Word is that he wants to QUIT, and that would be even better. Jim is a major loser who will fail no matter where he ends up. Good luck Jim!"

While Acosta did not address Trump's remarks, his departure announcement took obvious aim at the president.

"Don't give into the lies, don't give into the fear, hold onto the truth and to hope," he said.

As WND reported one week after the presidential election in November, CNN was looking to lay off hundreds of employees, possibly including some stars, following Trump's landslide victory over Kamala Harris.

In 2019, WND reported how Acosta suggested CNN's competitor Fox News is controlled by the Trump White House, referring to it as "a beast with many heads."

Acosta claimed to radio broadcaster Hugh Hewitt that Fox News is a type of "state TV."

You don't think they get scripts?" Acosta asked Hewitt.

"You don't think they get a script that night when they come on? You don't think that they're reading from talking points that are almost identical from what the White House wants out that day?"

"Absolutely not. Do you think they actually get a script from the White House, Jim?" responded Hewitt.

Acosta replied: "It sounds like that's the case. We hear the same talking points from the surrogates that we hear on their show night after night. It certainly sounds that way."

CNN said regarding Acosta's departure: "Jim has had a long, distinguished nearly 20-year career at CNN, with a track record of standing up to authority, for the first amendment and for our journalistic freedoms."

"We want to thank him for the dedication and commitment he's brought to his reporting and wish him the very best in the future."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

JERUSALEM – Middle East/Israel Morning Brief

Hamas says the next theater of war will be in Judea and Samaria

The Hamas terrorist organization has issued a statement that ironically concurs with that of Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, who said earlier this month that war is looming in Judea and Samaria, according to the Jewish Press.

Speaking in an interview with the Middle East Eye news outlet on Saturday, Hamas Political Bureau member Basem Naim said Judea and Samaria will be the next theater of war, the Iranian ISNA news outlet reported.

"We believe the main confrontation will be in the West Bank, not in Gaza Strip, because again the Israeli regime is considering the West Bank, including al-Quds (Jerusalem), to be strategically the next goal of its annexation," he said.

"We cannot fight to improve the conditions of a prison. We are looking to get rid of the prison itself. If the Palestinians cannot reach their goal of an independent state, including Gaza Strip and the West Bank [sic] and al-Quds, no one can enjoy security or stability or prosperity in the region," Naim warned.

Israeli-owned restaurant vandalized with anti-Zionist graffiti in NYC

A popular Brooklyn Israeli restaurant was vandalized with blood-red paint and anti-Israel slogans Sunday in what elected leaders are denouncing as an act of hateful antisemitism.

The glass door and windows of Miriam Restaurant on Fifth Ave. in Park Slope were splattered with red paint and the stenciled messages "Israel Steals Culture" and "Genocide Cuisine" on Saturday, the restaurant's owner posted on Instagram.

The vandalism was reported at 3 a.m. Sunday, and the NYPD's Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating, a police spokesman said. No arrests have been made.

"We refuse to let this darken our spirit," the restaurant's management posted. "Miriam stands for inclusivity and unity and bringing people together through the shared love of delicious food and warm hospitality."

Mayor Adams, Gov. Hochul and other condemned the vandalism Sunday."This outrageous and despicable act of antisemitism in Brooklyn is an attack on all New Yorkers and flies in the face of our values," Hochul posted on X. "To the owners and staff of Miriam: your state stands with you. And the perpetrators will be brought to justice."

Netanyahu, Hegseth discuss 'unbreakable' U.S.-Israel bond

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and newly installed U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth spoke by phone on Sunday.

A senior U.S. Defense official said the two "held an introductory call today to discuss the unbreakable bond that exists between the United States and Israel."

"Both leaders discussed the importance of advancing mutual security interests and priorities, especially in the face of persistent threats. The secretary stressed the United States is fully committed, under President Trump's leadership, to ensure Israel has the capabilities it needs to defend itself," the official added.

"Both leaders agreed to remain in close contact," stated the official.

Netanyahu's office also issued a statement on the phone call, saying the prime minister congratulated Hegseth on his appointment.

"Secretary Hegseth noted his many years of support for the State of Israel and his friendship with Prime Minister Netanyahu, and promised the U.S. would stand shoulder to shoulder alongside Israel and was fully committed to its security," added the statement.

Justice Amit elected as Israel's Supreme Court president following months of delays

After an unprecedented 16 months without a permanent Supreme Court president and in the face of unrelenting opposition from Justice Minister Yariv Levin, Justice Isaac Amit was elected head of Israel's top court on Sunday night in a court-forced vote by the Judicial Selection Committee.

Amit was appointed after a five-hour committee hearing during which recent allegations of misconduct against the justice, who has served for the last four months as acting president of the Supreme Court, were heard and debated, reported the Times of Israel.

Levin, together with the other coalition representatives in the committee, Settlements Minister Orit Strock and Otzma Yehudit MK Yitzhak Kroizer, boycotted the hearing in protest of the decision by the Supreme Court – sitting as the High Court of Justice – to order him to hold a vote in the committee, which he has refused to do for almost a year and a half.

Immediately following the vote, Levin labeled the appointment process as "illegitimate to its core" and declared he did not recognize Amit as chief justice, adding that he would not work with him on essential business of the judiciary which requires cooperation between the justice minister and the Supreme Court president.

Lebanese Army intel chief leaked secret U.S., France, UNIFIL war-room report to Hezbollah

A top Lebanese Armed Forces intelligence officer was among dozens who have leaked secrets to the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terror group since the start of the ceasefire with Israel on Nov. 27, the London Times reported on Sunday night, citing intelligence sources and documents.

Suhil Bahij Gharb, the LAF's chief of military intelligence for Southern Lebanon, handed Hezbollah sensitive information from inside a command and control center run by the United States, France and the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon, a source told the British daily, according to the Jewish News Syndicate.

Gharb was said to have been allowed to enter the international situation room at the insistence of the senior Hezbollah commander Wafiq Safa, who heads the terrorist organization's Liaison and Coordination Unit and reportedly survived an Israeli assassination attempt on Oct. 10, 2024.

According to an international intelligence report seen by the Times, Gharb is one of dozens of officers in Beirut's official military who have leaked intelligence to Hezbollah, giving them advance warning of Israeli counter-terrorism raids, allowing them to move weapons and regroup.

Arab Americans for Trump chair blasts president's 'wild' call to relocate Gazans

The chairman of a group that lobbied Arab and Muslim Americans to vote for Donald Trump in the recent election came out strongly on Sunday against the US president's call for Jordan and Egypt to take in Palestinians from war-torn Gaza.

"We categorically reject the president's suggestion that the Palestinians in Gaza be moved – apparently forcefully – to either Egypt or Jordan," Arab Americans for Trump chairman Bishara Bahbah told the Times of Israel.

"What the Palestinians need right now is a continuation of the ceasefire, more aid, a reconstruction plan and for the Palestinian Authority to take over the Gaza Strip," he said.

"We don't need wildish claims or statements relating to the fate of the Palestinians. The only resolution to the Israel-Palestine question is a two-state solution. Period," added Bahbah, who did not provide his organization's size but insisted it played a central role in electing Trump and represents a majority of the views of the 3.8 million Arab Americans.

After this story was published, Sam Yono, an Iraqi-American community activist asserted to the Times of Israel that Bahbah "only represents himself, not the Arab-Americans who worked with the Trump campaign in Michigan."

Ministers back bill to allow Jews to purchase land in Judea and Samaria

Israel's Ministerial Committee for Legislation on Sunday approved government backing for a Knesset bill that would allow Jews to directly purchase land in Judea and Samaria without going through the Civil Administration, according to the Jewish News Syndicate.

Hebrew media are characterizing it as a step on the way to the annexation of Judea and Samaria.

Until now, only citizens of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan could purchase land directly in Judea and Samaria. Jordan, which occupied Judea and Samaria between 1948 and 1967, had applied to the region the "The law on renting and selling immovable property to Foreigners," aka the "Jordanian Law."

It prohibits the purchase of land in Judea and Samaria by foreigners who do not have Jordanian citizenship.

Israel has not annexed Judea and Samaria, instead setting up a body called the Civil Administration in 1981 to replace the military government that ruled there since Israel liberated the territory in the 1967 Six-Day War.

The Civil Administration has maintained a combination of Ottoman, Jordanian and British Mandate laws in the region. The bill would repeal the "Jordanian Law."

IDF permits thousands of Gazans to start moving en masse to Strip's north

Tens of thousands of Palestinians began moving along a main road leading north in Gaza on Monday morning as Israel opened roadblocks after terror groups agreed to release six hostages in two batches this week, including civilian woman Arbel Yehoud and female soldier Agam Berger.

Starting at 7 a.m., Palestinians were allowed to cross on foot without inspection through part of the so-called Netzarim Corridor, a military zone bisecting the territory just south of Gaza City that Israel carved out early in the war, reported the Times of Israel.

Massive crowds of people carrying their belongings on foot stretched along a coastal highway in a stunning reversal of the mass exodus from the north at the start of the war.

Palestinians who have been sheltering in squalid tent camps and schools-turned-shelters for over a year are eager to return to their homes – even knowing that they have likely been damaged or destroyed in the fighting.

"It's a great feeling when you go back home, back to your family, relatives and loved ones, and inspect your house – if it is still a house," said displaced Gazan Ibrahim Abu Hassera.

Israeli minister forced to cancel visit to E.U. parliament over security threats

In an unusual announcement, the Prime Minister's Office reported that Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli was required to cancel his trip to the European Parliament in Brussels "in light of concrete warnings, and in accordance with the guidance of security officials."

The Prime Minister's Office did not disclose the specific suspicion which led to the dramatic decision to prevent Chikli from flying to an event in the Belgian capital, where he was also expected to meet with the city's Jewish community, Ynet reported.

"I regretted receiving instructions from security officials this evening to cancel my participation in the International Holocaust Remembrance Day events at the European Parliament. Unfortunately, the capital of Europe has become an unsafe place for Jews and Israelis," Chikli said Sunday night.

White House announces 3-week extension to Lebanon ceasefire

White House officials released a statement on Sunday evening that "the arrangement between Lebanon and Israel, monitored by the United States, will continue to be in effect until Feb.18, 2025."

The statement added "the Government of Lebanon, the Government of Israel, and the Government of the United States will also begin negotiations for the return of Lebanese prisoners captured after Oct. 7, 2023."

According to All Israel News, the announcement comes three days after White House National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes stated a "short and temporary extension of the ceasefire" is urgently needed. The U.S. administration views the withdrawal of the IDF from key areas positively.

Hughes argued the Lebanese Army requires additional days to deploy in more areas to ensure that Hezbollah will no longer pose a threat to Lebanon and Israel.

IDF officials noted that while they see the Lebanese Army taking action and attempting to establish control on the ground, it remains challenged by Hezbollah and "needs more time to strengthen itself."

Irish president attacks Israel at Holocaust memorial

Irish President Michael Higgins, known for his anti-Israel stance, used his speech on Sunday during an International Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony to criticize Israel's actions in Gaza. Jewish attendees protested loudly and were forcibly removed from the hall. Several Holocaust survivors attended the ceremony.

A video from the event shows security personnel forcefully removing Jewish attendees who protested Higgins' remarks. Higgins has a history of anti-Israel policies, having previously denied the existence of antisemitism in Ireland, criticized Israel's embassy in Dublin, and condemned Israel's actions against Hamas. His statements eventually led Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar to close Israel's embassy in Dublin entirely.

During the event, Holocaust survivors shared their stories of the atrocities they endured. Additionally, the names of relatives of Irish Jews murdered in the Holocaust were read aloud.

Conor McGregor: 'Raising the flag of a terrorist organization must become a major crime'

Conor McGregor, like many others around the world, likely saw the release of Israeli hostages from Hamas captivity on Saturday and could not remain indifferent. The controversial MMA fighter, known for his outspoken nature, criticized pro-Palestinian demonstrators in Ireland who had waved Hamas and Hezbollah flags in Dublin, reported Israel Hayom.

"To raise the flag of a terrorist organization on Irish soil must become a major crime in the eyes of our state. It will not be tolerated nor lauded!" McGregor wrote on social media.

"Raise a country flag, off your own person, and off of government buildings, yes, no problem. Raise the flag of radicalized terror organizations off of the same.. Big problem."

U.N. nuclear watchdog chief warns of Iran's accelerating enrichment

The chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, recently said Iran is "pressing the gas pedal" on enriching uranium to near weapons-grade levels. This follows Grossi's December 2024 warning Iran had "dramatically" accelerated enrichment at the 60 percent purity level, which represents nearly all of the effort to make 90 percent or weapons-grade uranium.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Grossi revealed Iran has increased production from seven kilograms to over 30 kilograms per month, according to the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. The IAEA reports approximately 42 kilograms of 60 percent enriched uranium is enough to produce one nuclear bomb. Grossi said Iran currently possesses about 200 kilograms. No other country has enriched to these levels without producing nuclear weapons.

During a joint press conference with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Jan. 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed Russia is aiding Iran's civil nuclear work despite sanctions and pressure.

Simultaneously, reports indicate that China is supplying Tehran with a key missile propellant ingredient, making the Chinese entities involved subject to U.S. sanctions aimed at degrading Iran's weapons program.

Delta Airlines expected to resume Tel Aviv service

Days after the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas began, Delta airlines announced plans to resume flights to Tel Aviv, Jewish Insider reported.

Delta's decision to restart flights to Israel comes after a 15-month hiatus in operations to the Jewish state since the war broke out in October 2023 following the Hamas terror attacks of Oct. 7, with the exception of two brief periods in 2024.

Delta will restart daily nonstop service to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport from JFK Airport in New York on April 1, the carrier said in a statement on Friday.

"Delta's decision to resume service follows a comprehensive security review, conducted in close coordination with government and private-sector partners," the airline said. "The airline continues to prioritize the safety of its customers and crews and has implemented additional precautions for operations to and from Tel Aviv."

Delta extended its cancellation in October of all flights to and from Israel through March 31, citing the "ongoing conflict in the region."

Shin Bet prohibits Israeli airlines from landing at Cypriot airport

Israeli airlines, including El Al, Arkia, and IsraAir, have been instructed by the Shin Bet not to fly to Paphos in Cyprus on Sunday, according to the Jerusalem Post.

According to N12, the three airlines confirmed all flights to Paphos have been suspended "due to security reasons that cannot be made public."

Additionally, a Shin Bet representative told N12 that flights would be rerouted to the airport at Larnaca instead.

According to Ynet, passengers have not been barred from independently traveling to Paphos after landing in Cyprus.

Guterres calls on Houthi to release 7 U.N. hostages, irony not lost on Israelis

António Guterres, the U.N. secretary-general, drew criticism over the weekend for speaking up about seven U.N. staffers whom Houthi terrorists took captive in Yemen, but not finding his voice sufficiently about the Israeli hostages who remain kidnapped in Gaza, the Jewish News Syndicate reported.

"I demand the immediate and unconditional release of the seven U.N. colleagues arbitrarily detained by the Houthis in Yemen this week, as well as those previously detained and held," the global body's head stated. "U.N. personnel and partners must not be targeted, arrested or detained while carrying out their duties."

On Saturday, the U.S. State Department condemned "the unlawful actions of the Houthis, who forcibly took additional United Nations staff members in Yemen on Jan. 23."

The State Department said on Saturday it supports U.N. "efforts to secure the unconditional and immediate release of all Houthi detainees. This latest Houthi roundup demonstrates the bad faith of the terrorist group's claims to seek de-escalation and also makes a mockery of their claims to represent the interests of the Yemeni people."

Victoria Coates, a former U.S. national security official and vice president of the National Security and Foreign Policy Institute at the Heritage Foundation, shared the U.N. chief's post. "Do this for the Israelis and Americans in Gaza 15 months ago, you ghoul," she wrote.

Two IDF reservists, one from Iron Dome unit, arrested on suspicion of spying for Iran

The Shin Bet and Israel Police have arrested two Israeli citizens suspected of conducting missions for Iranian operatives. One of the suspects transferred classified material to a handler obtained during his military service in the Air Defense Corps, which has responsibility for the Iron Dome, according to the Jerusalem Post.

In a coordinated operation between the Shin Bet and Lahav 433, the National Crime Unit of the Israel Police, two residents of the Krayot area, Yuri Eliaspov and Georgy Andreev, were detained in January 2025 on suspicion of engaging in security offenses.

Investigations revealed Eliaspov had been in contact with an Iranian operative for several months, executing security-related tasks under the operative's guidance in return for financial compensation.

Among his activities, Yuri sprayed graffiti reading "Children of Ruhollah" at various locations across the country, in a nod to the Islamic Republic's first Islamist leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

Greece to replace Turkey as Israel's closest trading ally

Greece is on track to become Israel's primary trade partner, replacing Turkey within months, as Israel seeks to mitigate the economic fallout from a Turkish boycott on economic ties with the country. Israel's reciprocal boycott of Turkey has exacerbated disruptions across construction, industry, and commerce.

According to initial estimates, following a discreet visit of an economic delegation to Greece last week, trade between the two nations is expected to triple, surging from $1.3 billion to approximately $4 billion annually. This development would position Greece as one of Israel's largest import-export partners. In comparison, trade with Turkey has been valued at $6 billion annually in recent years, reported Ynet.

The Israeli delegation, which marked the first high-level economic mission since the outbreak of the war, returned from Athens on Thursday. Delegation members described their reception as "warm and enthusiastic," with Greek economic leaders eager to strengthen ties with Israel.

While Greece has been cautious not to frame this expanded partnership as simply filling Turkey's void, officials expressed a strong interest in bolstering economic relations, particularly with Israel's thriving tech sector.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

In the wake of President's Donald Trump's assertion that U.S. banks are debanking Americans with conservative political views, Congress is now investigating.

The matter was discussed on "Sunday Morning Futures" with Maria Bartiromo on the Fox News Channel, as she asked House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky.: "Are you investigating whether or not U.S. banks are debanking conservatives?"

"Yes, we are," Comer replied. "We've heard numerous instances of conservatives being debanked.

"And what we want to know is, is this a process of the banks' ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) policy? Is, or is this our government stepping in like what we found with Twitter and Facebook where the government stepped in and said they wanted certain conservatives deplatformed and censored and certain conservative content removed.

"We want to know, again, is this government involvement, another dirty trick by the Joe Biden administration, or this just bad liberal policy that discriminates against conservatives by the banks."

Bartiromo noted: "Wow. So you have evidence of some banks debanking conservatives."

"Yes," said Comer, "especially people that were involved in different energy-type businesses and things like that as well as very well-spoken or outspoken conservative activists. So there are numerous instances, enough to open an investigation.

"Again, is this ESG policy? Which is discriminatory and, ironically, the Democrats have passed all this banking legislation that prohibits discrimination. Is this discriminatory because of ESG, or is it the government, are the bank examiners, as President Trump hinted in his remarks you played earlier, are these bank examiners with a wink and a nod saying don't let this person bank at your bank?"

Bartiromo added: "Well, this is a very important question because with we know what happened with social media. One thousand people from government agencies were working with social media to censor Americans, censor conservatives, certainly. What will be the impact to these banks? What should these what should these banks expect in the coming month from your office?"

Comer responded: "Well, they're going to be asked a lot of questions, and I will say this for the banks, during the Biden influence-peddling investigation, the banks were the one entity that did cooperate with us. So I expect that the banks will cooperate with our questions. And, hopefully, we can get some answers.

"Number one, find out if our government was involved in this, if this is another side operation by the Biden administration where they were attacking conservatives. At the very least, we want to change this. We're not talking about debanking meaning they denied a loan. That happens every day in the banking world. This is just opening up saving accounts and checking accounts. I mean this is unheard of, to do this, and it's against the law. The laws, ironically, that the Democrats created against discrimination."

During a virtual appearance Thursday at the World Economic Forum, President Trump, who himself was debanked by two Florida-based financial institutions, called out Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan, saying: "I hope you start opening your bank to conservatives because many conservatives complain that the banks are not allowing them to do business within the bank, and that included a place called Bank of America."

In response to Trump's allegation, Bank of America issued a statement saying it "serves more than 70 million clients and we welcome conservatives. We would never close accounts for political reasons and don't have a political litmus test."

First Lady Melania Trump indicated in an October 2024 interview that she herself had been debanked due to her political beliefs. (WATCH Melania's interview with Maria Bartiromo:)

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

The day after the inauguration, among the rants of the women on "The View" was a swipe by Sunny Hostin. She took issue with Trump's pronouncement that he will end all Diversity Equity and Inclusion, DEI, programs and make us a merit-based country, in order to realize Dr. Martin Luther King's dream.

She pointed out what she considers hypocrisy: "He had no political experience whatsoever, he had no business experience. He was given everything he has. He is a legacy hire."

Donald Trump did end up running the businesses his father started despite being one of the youngest of five siblings. He was the only one who showed an interest in business. However, running a business isn't as hard as staying in business, much less making it grow. Businesses fail every single day. In fact about 65% of all American businesses fail within 10 years. About 57% of real estate businesses fail, which was the Trump model.

Trump has had his share of failures, but today a large share of his business remains, and he went from being a millionaire to a billionaire.

Arguably, the United States government is one ginormous business. Just because one wins a political office doesn't mean he or she is the least bit capable of running a business, let alone a large one. It's no wonder this country is in such poor shape, trillions in debt with red ink as far as the eye can see.

Being a career politician does not equip someone to run the country. In fact, our Founding Fathers never intended for our congressmen to be full-time politicians. Most of the power wisely was left in the hands of the states. A few patriotic individuals were chosen to represent us in handling the relatively small amount of business of the federal government. They spent a couple of months in New York and then Philadelphia, did their patriotic duty, went home to real jobs and lived under the laws they passed.

Our first congressmen in 1789 were paid a per diem of $6. Six dollars would be about $215 today. Those trips were long and tedious. Furthermore, living away from home in a big city was expensive. That is why a third of the members of the Senate in the 1890s would resign before their terms were finished. Today our congressmen are paid $174,000 to $193,400 depending on one's position, plus generous allowances for staff, postage, travel and now lodging.

Our Founding Fathers wisely left money matters in control of members of the House of Representatives who have to stand for reelection every two years. Why? Because they knew we would hold them accountable for any reckless spending. Today, most people can't name the person who represents them, let alone how he or she votes on all those spending measures. Not only that, the longer these people stay in Washington, regardless of political party, the more they spend. Check out the report card issued on each member of Congress by the non-partisan National Taxpayers Union Foundation.

Is it any wonder we are now $36 trillion in debt, which is growing each and every day?
The average life of a democracy is 200 years. Most fail, not through war or revolution, but because of loose fiscal policy.

Most people are in favor of term limits, but they just keep electing the same people to represent them because they don't know who they are or what they've done. Therefore, voters are reluctant to fire anyone.

Many representatives go to Washington with good intentions. Once there, however, they get sucked in by the power and benefits, so they stay. Many have never had any real-world experience in the private sector. Fewer still have ever met a payroll.

Joe Biden, sadly, was a case in point. Like many in Congress, he stayed too long. You would be surprised how many of our representatives and senators simply are propped up by their staffs when they reach a certain age.

Sadly, if you are basing your choice of president on his or her time in government, you are only making matters worse.

Trump may not be the perfect president (there never will be). The things he says at times drives me crazy, but he knows how to run a business. We need more businessmen and women in Washington who will stay for a short time and then leave.

Frankly, I'd vote for someone who ran a hardware store or a beauty salon to represent me before I'd vote for a career politician.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

President Donald Trump says he would like to do Russia, and President Vladimir Putin, a "favor," by allowing them to settle their war in Ukraine now.

"We can do it the easy way or the hard way – and the easy way is always better," Trump said in a posting on social media:

He explained, "I'm not looking to hurt Russia. I love the Russian people, and always had a very good relationship with President Putin – and this despite the Radical Left's Russia, Russia, Russia HOAX."

He said, "We must never forget that Russia helped us win the Second World War, losing almost 60,000,000 lives in the process. All of that being said, I'm going to do Russia, whose Economy is failing, and President Putin, a very big FAVOR. Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War!"

He explained, "IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE. If we don't make a 'deal,' and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries. Let's get this war, which never would have started if I were President, over with! We can do it the easy way, or the hard way – and the easy way is always better. It's time to 'MAKE A DEAL.' NO MORE LIVES SHOULD BE LOST!!!"

One of Trump's pledges during his campaign was that he would work to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, to which the U.S. under Joe Biden sent billions and billions of dollars, soon.

The Daily Wire noted the "various" other countries likely would include China, as Beijing and Moscow "have grown closer in recent years."

The report said, "Russia has also received help in the war from North Korea, which recently dispatched thousands of its own soldiers to join the fight against Ukraine."

The Trump plans are the latest example, the report said, of Trump's "willingness to wield the United States' economic might to pressure other countries. Trump has also threatened Canada and Mexico with tariffs unless they take action on issues such as securing their borders against illegal immigration and drug smuggling."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

KATZRIN, Israel – While all of Israel is celebrating the return of three girl hostages from 471 days of Hamas nightmare, some are struggling with deep concern over the U.S.-brokered deal that forced Israel to pay a heavy price for their release, leaving Israeli society broken and divided.

This divide was evident as people took to the streets. On Saturday night, hours before the deal was to take effect, thousands of Israelis protested across the country. Protesters in Jerusalem demanded a comprehensive agreement that would free all the captives at once, rather than in stages, to avert the risk that some of the 98 hostages could be left behind throughout the multi-stage deal.

At the same time, thousands gathered on Kaplan Street in Tel Aviv, where families of hostages spoke. This protest has been held weekly and is highly critical of the Netanyahu-led coalition, blaming them for not cutting a deal earlier.

The ceasefire deal contains three phases, the first of which is a temporary ceasefire in which 33 hostages are to be released in a staggered fashion, with hostages in the "humanitarian" category being released first – women, children, and wounded or sick hostages.

Hamas has pledged to release 33 hostages in the 42-day first phase of the deal. Most but not all of them are believed to be alive. In exchange, Israel will hand over up to 1,904 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, including several serving multiple life sentences for deadly terrorist attacks and murders. Four more women hostages are supposed to be released by Saturday.

Some of these Palestinian murderers will be released into Gaza, where they will undoubtedly enter the ranks of Hamas as honored heroes. Others will be released into Samaria, where they will return to their previous career of murdering Jews. Israel used to have a strict policy of not negotiating with terrorists, leading to such endeavors as the rescue of 102 hostages from the Entebbe Airport in 1976. But that policy was changed, culminating in the deal that exchanged more than 1,000 Palestinian terrorists for one IDF soldier, Gilad Schalit, in 2011.

In a recent study, Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) head Ronen Bar presented data to the ministers in the security cabinet, stating that "82% of those released in the Gilad Shalit deal in 2011 returned to terrorism" and that 15% of them carried out attacks themselves after their release in the deal, or planned the attacks.

One of those terrorists released in the Schalit deal was Yahya Sinwar, the architect of the Oct. 7 attack.

Bar also told the cabinet the current release of terrorists is expected to increase the motivation to carry out attacks in Judea and Samaria.

Israelis are painfully aware of this reality. In a poll aired Friday on the Kan public broadcaster, 65% of the Israeli public expressed support for the first phase of the deal, which will see the release of 33 hostages over six weeks. Only 55% of voters support adhering to the terms of the deal through all three phases, which would require Israel to agree to a permanent ceasefire at the end of the second phase.

However, 46% of coalition voters told Kan that Israel should resume fighting in Gaza after the first phase.

The social divide is also expressed in politics. The Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party led by Itamar Ben Gvir broke from the coalition due to criticism of the ceasefire deal. The Religious Zionism party led by Bezalel Smotrich threatened to leave the coalition, leaving the future of the government in doubt.

Even if all of the elements on the Israeli side coalesce in support of the ceasefire, it could also implode from the side of the Palestinians. The current agreement calls for the dismantling of Hamas, one of the stated goals of Israel's war in Gaza. Hamas leaders have rejected this aspect of the ceasefire agreement. Despite Hamas' brutal rule, the terrorist organization remains popular in Gaza and Samaria; more so in the latter case than the official Palestinian Authority.

The deal also threatens to separate Israel and the U.S. While Trump threatened there would be "hell to pay" if the hostages were not released by his inauguration, it was his negotiator, Steve Witkoff, who engineered the terms that favored Hamas and threatened to leave the terrorist group in power, falling far short of the promised retribution.

Trump and his team seem to be sending mixed signals regarding whether they'd support Israel continuing the war in Gaza until Hamas is entirely eliminated. During a call last week, Trump reportedly told Netanyahu to "keep doing what you have to do" but added, "This has to end. We want it to end."

Trump's incoming national security adviser, Mike Waltz, said last week the U.S. would back Israel if it needs to re-enter Gaza. But two days later, he reportedly told a group of hostage families that the incoming administration would make sure that all three phases of the ceasefire and hostage release agreement were implemented.

The recent hostage deal was especially painful for Israelis whose loved ones were murdered by terrorists. Rabbi Leo Dee's wife, Lucy, and his two daughters, Maia, 20, and Rina, 15, were murdered by Palestinian terrorists in April of 2023. The IDF found and killed their three killers, members of Hamas, in a shootout in Shechem (Nablus). Rabbi Dee was critical of the recent deal, explaining that it violated Jewish law.

"While every Jew is relieved to see the return of our hostages, the idea of exchanging them for thousands of terrorists is strictly against Jewish law," he said. "The Rabbis of the Talmud gave two reasons why it is forbidden for a Jewish state to pay excessively for redeeming hostages: either because it would encourage further hostages to be taken or because it would exact a price higher than the state could afford."

"Sadly, from recent experience, namely the exchange of 1,000 terrorists for one soldier in 2011, we see that both reasons are valid. Not only did the previous deal encourage 250 hostages to be taken, but the leader of the attack on Oct. 7, Sinwar, was one of those released 14 years ago. Indeed, the price we are paying is dangerously high, and the ideal method of returning the hostages remains in defeating the enemy, once and for all until they surrender both themselves and the hostages."

A similar view was held by Avi Abelow, whose lifelong friend, Ari Fuld, was murdered by a 17-year-old Hamas terrorist in 2018. Ari's murderer is one of the prisoners being released in the deal, so Abelow understands how the ceasefire deal is dividing Israeli society.

"We are all struggling," Abelow said. "Israelis are struggling to deal with two contradictory emotions. One is the emotion of happiness on the release of some of our hostages. On the other hand, we are all dealing with anger and fear of the repercussions of this deal. Everybody knows these terrorists are going to go back and kill more people… we just wish the deal would have been much better and not one that rewarded terrorism."

Abelow has experienced the loss of a loved one and understands the pain.

"It is horrifying that any family of a victim of terrorism has to live knowing that the monsters who murdered their loved ones are now free," Abelow said. "But even more horrifying is that now, every person in Israeli society has to live, knowing there are thousands of murderers walking the streets who come from a society which teaches them from the cradle to murder Jews."

"But not just Israelis," Abelow warned. "These Islamist terrorists are now able to run all over the world and kill any freedom-loving person, motivated by their genocidal Islamic jihadist ideology and a hatred for Western society. This empowers the thousands of Islamist believers who live in America and Britain and France and Germany and Australia."

Abelow acknowledges the decision faced by the Israeli government was incredibly difficult, forcing them into a deal with the devil. Ironically, he suggested that Israel was forced to make concessions at Trump's bidding they would not have made for Biden.

"It's always been easier for Netanyahu to say no to blatantly anti-Israel policies from the Democrats than to Republican policies, where they couch it as being friends of Israel," Abelow said. "And it's even harder to say no to Trump because of his personality. It seems that Netanyahu's goal was just to start Trump's presidency on the right foot because we believe that so much good will come out of this administration.

"This is a terrible deal, but I'd rather get started with Trump on the right foot. Netanyahu did what Trump wanted and gave him a big win to begin his second term. So it'll be easy to accomplish everything else we need to in the long term.

"The fact that we're even in this situation, that we're being forced to make a deal, highlights the immorality of the Western world today, which cared more about the rights of supposed noncombatants in Gaza, than rescuing innocent people kidnapped from their homes or a music festival after their families and friends were massacred in cold blood."

Abelow related his experience as an IDF soldier in the Golani Brigade.

"We were taught that after an engagement, after you shot the enemy, even if you thought you had killed them, you make sure they are dead, shooting them again before you advance," Abelow said. "The most dangerous thing you can do is to move forward and leave an enemy soldier behind you who can jump up and kill you."

"This is what Israel is doing by releasing terrorists with blood on their hands; we are allowing the enemy to come up behind us and attack us again. Terrorists with blood on their hands should not be kept in prison. It just becomes a waiting room until they can attack us again.

"Israel should be implementing the death penalty for terrorists who we know have murdered. These are not cases in which the truth is unknown, for which there is no video or hundreds of witnesses. These are animals who not only confessed but who shouted their crimes from the rooftops and were proud that they murdered Jews. The death penalty could not be more appropriate."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

JERUSALEM – Emily Damari, the dual British-Israeli citizen who was released – along with Romi Gonen and Doron Steinbrecher – as part of the first phase of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was said to be "doing much better than any of us could have ever anticipated," according to her mother, Mandy, who released a statement via the Hostages and Missing Families Forum on Monday.

"Yesterday, I finally got to hug Emily, just as I had dreamed of doing for a long time," she says, thanking the public for its unwavering support over the past 15 months. "You are all an integral part of Emily's family."

"It was a great joy to catch a glimpse – along with the rest of the world – of Emily's strength, determination and charisma when she was released," she continues. "In Emily's own words – she is the happiest woman in the world; she has her life back."

Mandy Damari praised her daughter's "extraordinary resilience," although she cautioned Emily's long road to recovery was just beginning, while requesting privacy for her and the rest of the family. She also struck a note of national sadness mixed with her own elation at her daughter's return, and urged the ceasefire remain intact "until the last of the hostages return to their families."

The first images of Emily showed her with a heavily bandaged left hand and what appeared to be two missing fingers. Reports in Israeli media suggested she lost those fingers during the Oct. 7 massacre, in which she was snatched from her home on the Kfar Aza kibbutz, and after she had picked up her dog and attempted to comfort it in an effort to calm it down. The terrorists shot and killed the dog and wounded her in the hand.

She had been sheltering in a safe room with neighbor Gali Berman – who was also kidnapped along with his twin brother Ziv – and another neighbor. Before their abduction, the group managed to send a selfie, which only reached Berman's mother later that evening.

Despite the joy at the return of these three young women, there were ugly scenes at the hand-over in Gaza, as Hamas tried to manipulate the PR aspect until the very last minute. Hundreds of men, many now wearing Hamas uniforms and sporting green banners, with dozens of them also weapons, jostled the women as they were transferred from International Red Cross – an organization which like UNRWA has a lot of explaining to do – vehicles, to finally cross the border to Israeli territory.

Just as in November 2023, the last time hostages were released, Hamas cynically took advantage of its position, attempting to show a more supposedly more merciful side of hostage-taking. On exiting the van, Damari looked as though she tried to shove one of the Hamas terrorists out the way; a final "screw you" on her way to freedom.

There is joy on the streets of Israel today, but it is tempered by the dual stresses of not knowing which of the remaining 30 hostages due to be released in this first phase are alive and who is dead. While there is obviously curiosity about the fate of all of the remaining hostages – including those who may very well not see their homeland again for years – if at all – Hamas is likely to continue its psychological torture, as it toys with Israelis' emotions.

And the focus falls on the Bibas children – four-year-old Ariel, and two-year-old Kfir, who just celebrated his second birthday, both of which were in captivity. There will be joy unconfined if they are returned alive; however, the sight of tiny body bags repatriating their remains would witness an outpouring of national grief on an unimaginable scale.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security, committed at her confirmation hearing on Friday to prioritize efforts to prevent domestic terrorism and counter the surge in antisemitism nationwide, Jewish Insider reported.

"We must remain vigilant against terrorism and against others who wish to do harm to our country and its great people. I will ensure that our intelligence and law enforcement agencies are working together, hand-in-hand, fully equipped to detect, prevent, and respond to threats from radical ideologies or foreign adversaries," Noem said in her opening statement. "This requires resources, coordination, and collaboration across all levels of government. Once again, I will seek your wisdom and your input in the months ahead. For the sake of the people we both represent, we must get this right."

Asked by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D–Conn., if she were tracking the surge in attacks against American Jews since Oct. 7 and if she planned to try and address anti-Semitism in her role, Noem responded affirmatively.

"I'm very concerned about what we've seen in this country as far as antisemitic violence that has happened. In fact, last year during our legislative session I brought legislation to more clearly define it [antisemitism] so that we could fight it in our home state," Noem said.

"I'm hopeful I can work with you to continue to do what we can to make sure that we are addressing this rising threat and not facilitating it in this country."

Netanyahu: Israel has 'unequivocal' U.S. guarantee of support should Gaza war resume

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reassured his security cabinet he has received "unequivocal guarantees" that the Jewish state will have U.S. backing if the war in Gaza were to resume as a result of Hamas violating the ceasefire deal, according to the Algemeiner.

"We have received unequivocal guarantees – from both [outgoing U.S. President Joe] Biden and [President-elect Donald] Trump – that if the negotiations on phase two [of the ceasefire] fail and Hamas does not accept our security demands, we will return to intense fighting with the backing of the United States," Netanyahu said in a statement on Friday, according to Israeli media reports.

The Israeli security cabinet on Friday voted to approve a ceasefire and hostage-release deal that would halt fighting in Gaza between Israel and the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas. The war began when Hamas-led Palestinian terrorists invaded southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and kidnapping 251 hostages. Israel responded with a military campaign aimed at freeing the captives and dismantling Hamas's military and governing capabilities in neighboring Gaza.

IDF recovers body of Oron Shaul, held in Hamas captivity since 2014

Israel's military announced Sunday morning that a joint IDF and Shin Bet security agency operation in the Gaza Strip recovered the body of Staff Sergeant Oron Shaul, killed and captured in 2014's Operation Protective Edge.

As well as the IDF and ISA, several special forces units, including the Navy's Shayetet 13 commando unit (the equivalent of the U.S. Navy SEALS) and other elite forces were involved, according to the Times of Israel.

The operation was carried out in the northern Gaza Strip over the past day and was completed overnight between Saturday and Sunday.

The IDF said the operation was based on intelligence efforts from the past decade, which were ramped up amid the ongoing war.

Shaul's body was brought back to Israel and taken to the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute, where it was identified. His family was then informed.

Two Iranian Supreme Court 'justices of death' gunned down in Tehran.

Two high-ranking Iranian Supreme Court justices were killed Saturday – and another seriously wounded – when they were gunned down in Tehran.

Judges Mohammad Moghiseh, 68, and Ali Razini, 71, were shot dead inside the Supreme Court, while a bodyguard for one of the jurists was wounded in the attack, the New York Post reported.

The gunman then killed himself while attempting to flee the scene, according to Mizan, the judiciary's news outlet.

No immediate motive was identified, but judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir told state TV the slain judges had a history of handling "national security cases, including espionage and terrorism."

Israel's Supreme Court rejects victim's petition against terrorists' release

Israel's Supreme Court, sitting as the High Court of Justice, on Sunday morning rejected a petition filed by terror victims that sought to block the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners as part of a ceasefire agreement with Hamas.

"It is not our place or custom to intervene in matters of this type in which the scope of judicial review is extremely narrow," the justices stated in their ruling, according to the Jewish News Syndicate.

Over the weekend, the Israeli Justice Ministry released the names of the terrorists that could be released as part of the ceasefire deal.

According to the ministry, Israel will release 1,904 Palestinian terrorists in the first stage of the agreement: 737 prisoners and administrative detainees – among them murderers – and 1,167 residents of the Gaza Strip not involved in the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, massacre.

Among the prominent names on the list is Zakaria Zubeidi, who led Fatah's Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades in the Samaria city of Jenin, and escaped from Israel's high-security Gilboa Prison in September 2021.

WATCH: Douglas Murray accepts Algeminer's Warrior of Truth Award

Palestinian carries out daylight Tel Aviv stabbing attack, passerby eliminates him

A 28-year-old man was severely wounded in a stabbing attack in Tel Aviv on Saturday afternoon, police said, according to Ynet.

The attacker, identified as Saleh Yahya, 19, a Palestinian from the Samarian city of Tulkarm who entered Israel illegally, was shot and killed at the scene by an armed civilian.

Police said they received reports of a man attempting to stab passersby on Levontin Street. Large police forces, including a helicopter, were dispatched, and officers combed the area.

Ari Fuld's murderer due to be released as part of hostage deal

As part of the ceasefire, hostage release agreement agreed between Israel and Hamas and due to come into effect Sunday, more than 1,700 Palestinian prisoners, among them murderers with significant amounts of blood on their hands are due to be set free. This includes the young man who murdered Ari Fuld in September 2018.

Terrorist Khalil Yusef Ali Jabarin was 16 years old at the time he stabbed Ari Fuld outside a shopping center in Gush Etzion. Fuld, a 45-year-old father of four, was a member of the rapid response team in Efrat, the town where he lived., reported Israel National News. After Jabarin stabbed him, Fuld fought back, even shooting at his attacker and preventing a follow-up stabbing. However, Fuld had suffered critical injuries, and Jerusalem's Shaare Zedek Medical Center pronounced him dead shortly after his arrival.

In 2020, Jabarin was sentenced to life in prison and ordered to pay damages to the Fuld family.

In 2023, five years after the murder, the Palestinian Authority, or PA, doubled Jabarin's monthly salary, raising it from $522 per month to $1,044 per month. At that time, the PA had already paid Jabarin a total of $25,726.

ICC chief prosecutor defends war crimes warrant for Netanyahu as he meets Syria's new leader

The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor Karim Khan made an unannounced visit Friday to Damascus to confer with the leader of Syria's de facto government on how to ensure accountability for alleged crimes committed in the country, according to France24.

Khan's office said he visited at the invitation of Syria's transitional government. He met with Ahmad al-Sharaa, the leader of Syria's new administration who was formerly known as Mohammad al-Julani, and the foreign minister to discuss options for justice in The Hague for victims of the country's civil war, which left some 600,000 dead and conservative estimates of 12 million people internally and externally displaced.

Former CIA analyst admits leaking secret info on Israeli response to Iranian ballistic missile attack

The former CIA analyst Asif William Rahman, 34, of Vienna, Va., pleaded guilty on Friday to leaking classified information about Israel's military response to Iran's Oct. 1 missile attacks.

"Mr. Rahman betrayed the trust of the American people by unlawfully sharing classified national defense information he swore an oath to protect," stated Matthew Olsen, a U.S. assistant attorney general in the Justice Department's national security division, according to the Jewish News Syndicate.

"Today's guilty plea demonstrates that the Justice Department will spare no effort to swiftly find and aggressively prosecute those who harm the United States by illegally disclosing our national security secrets," Olsen added.

Robert Wells, executive assistant director of the FBI national security branch, stated that "with today's plea, Asif Rahman acknowledges he betrayed the trust of his country by sharing classified information in spite of the risk to the United States and our allies."

"Government employees who are granted security clearances and given access to our nation's classified information must promise to protect it," Wells added. "Rahman blatantly violated that pledge and took multiple steps to hide his actions."

Ben Gvir quits government over Hamas ceasefire deal

Itamar Ben Gvir's Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party are leaving the Israeli government in protest against the Gaza cease-fire agreement, putting Benjamin Netanyahu's parliamentary majority at risk, reported the Jewish Chronicle.

Jewish Power announced it was leaving the coalition "in light of the approval of the reckless agreement with the Hamas terrorist organization."

Three ministers are leaving the government: National Security Minister Ben Gvir, Yitzhak Wasserlauf, who is in charge of development in the Negev and Galilee, and Amichai Eliyahu, the heritage minister.

Although Ben Gvir has said he will not try to bring down the coalition, his departure leaves Netanyahu's governing coalition with a razor-thin parliamentary majority.

Syria's new rulers call for U.N. peacekeepers along Israel-Syria border

Syria's de-facto leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa recently said the new government would welcome U.N. peacekeepers in the U.N.-established buffer zone with Israel. During the same press conference – where he spoke alongside Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani – al-Sharaa criticized Israel's continued presence in Syria's buffer zone on the Israeli border, saying that while the IDF's "advance in the region was due to the presence of Iranian militias and Hezbollah," those forces no longer have a presence in the region after his rebel forces captured Damascus and deposed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Dec. 8. U.N. forces, such as UNIFIL in Lebanon, have proven ineffective in preventing terrorists from establishing a presence in areas under their control, according to the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.

On Dec. 8, shortly after al-Sharaa's Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) Sunni Islamist rebel group took control of the country, Israeli troops deployed into the 155-square-mile demilitarized zone established after the 1973 Yom Kippur War, which had been patrolled by a U.N. peacekeeping force comprising approximately 1,100 troops. The IDF said its entry into the buffer zone was a temporary defensive measure and that its goal was to prevent terrorists from taking advantage of Syria's instability to establish a presence in the region and threaten Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in December that IDF troops would remain there until a new arrangement is established to ensure Israel's security.

Earlier in January, the IDF announced it had captured 3,300 weapons since the start of its operation in southern Syria, including two tanks, 70 grenades, 165 shells and rockets, 20 anti-aircraft missiles, and approximately 1,500 rocket-propelled grenades.

U.S. considers temporary relocation for Gazans while Strip undergoes reconstruction

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's transition team is considering the temporary relocation of some of the two million residents of the Gaza Strip while the coastal enclave undergoes reconstruction following the war Hamas started against Israel.

Israel National News reported a source in the incoming Trump administration said that among the countries being considered for temporary relocation is Indonesia.

Throughout the ceasefire, Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to remain in the region "almost permanently" to ensure the ceasefire is observed by all parties.

It was also reported Witkoff is considering a visit inside the Gaza Strip.

Neo-Nazi impersonates a rabbi, tries to enter Nashville Jewish center

A Tennessee man suspected of membership in a neo-Nazi organization was arrested in Nashville after posing as an Orthodox rabbi and trying to enter a Jewish community center, Ynet reported.

According to Nashville police, the suspect, Keith Garland, 31,varrived at the city's Gordon Jewish Center wearing an obviously fake beard and sidelocks, and wearing a black coat and white scarf – attire designed to make him appear to be an ultra-Orthodox rabbi.

In the stunt that took place last week, Garland entered the center's lobby, carrying a cell phone, and approached the reception desk, where he approached a staff member and asked to speak to a rabbi. He reportedly held his phone in a manner that appeared to be recording or broadcasting the meeting. When told that there was no rabbi present, he ignored the comments and continued toward a secured door, which was momentarily open after two community members entered that area of the center. Center staff noticed his attempt to enter and blocked him from entering.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

The geopolitical momentum has intensified against the Iranian regime. Political and diplomatic pressure on Tehran is mounting steadily. An international consensus, led by Europe and the United States, is firmly opposing the mullahs' nuclear program. Preventing the Iranian regime from acquiring nuclear weapons remains a critical priority for global security. And a growing global alignment is targeting the regime's proxies.

In Lebanon, remnants of Hezbollah are being systematically dismantled by Lebanese national forces. Hamas has been condemned by the Palestinian Authority as a source of war and destruction in the region. Similarly, the Iraqi prime minister recently visited Iran to demand the disbandment of the Popular Mobilization Forces, or PMF, a key Iranian proxy in Iraq.

Meanwhile, acting on behalf of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian, appeared on a major U.S. television network in an effort to downplay the regime's hostility toward America, even denying any plans to assassinate former President Trump.

At the same time, public support for Iran's domestic protest movements and uprisings continues to grow. At the most recent gathering of the Iranian opposition, the National Council of Resistance of Iran, Ret. U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, expressed his support for NCRI's president-elect Maryam Rajavi and her 10-point plan, which envisions a democratic, non-nuclear Iran free of executions. Kellogg also emphasized the need for the United States to reimplement its "maximum pressure" policy, arguing that the Iranian regime must be subjected to heightened international scrutiny and pressure.