Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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Smotrich, Strook urge Netanyahu to cancel approval of US-brokered Gaza plan By JNS Staff (JNS) — Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Settlements and National Missions Minister Orit Strook urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday to immediately convene the Security Cabinet to revoke its approval of the Washington-brokered peace plan in Gaza. The ministers moreover called to prevent the entry of the International Stabilization Force into the Gaza Strip until its “purpose, legal authority, and missions” are prope...
(JNS) - On the day of the funeral of his friend Lindsey Graham, U.S. President Donald Trump chose a quiet route, using the back door of the White House to host two of the world's most difficult leaders-Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu-in an unusual series of consultations. One after the other. The few photographs released suggest the meetings were cordial. The U.S team in the meeting with Netanyahu included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary...
British pop singer Boy George released the song "We Will Dance Again" on July 26, voicing support for Israel and Jewish communities in the aftermath of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led massacre. The Culture Club frontman shared the track on social media, where it quickly drew millions of views. The song references the Hamas-led Palestinian assault on southern Israel and criticizes what he portrays as selective criticism of Israel, while expressing solidarity with victims. In the lyrics, Boy George...
(JNS) — Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) criticized the anti-Israel outlet Drop Site News and questioned its funding after one of the publication’s reporters approached him on Capitol Hill. In a video shared by Julian Andreone on Wednesday, the Capitol Hill correspondent for Drop Site approached Fetterman as the senator was walking and identified himself as a reporter for the outlet. “It’s like a race between who’s the more pro-Hamas: Drop Site or Zeteo, so now I got both,” Fetterman said as Andreone walked alongside him. “I want your viewers to see...
(JNS) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu touched on a wide range of topics in Wednesday’s sit-down interview in Washington, D.C., with “ABC News Live Prime” anchor Linsey Davis, including the Iran war and Jerusalem’s relations with Washington, and how the American people view the Jewish state. Netanyahu denied that Jerusalem is running an influence campaign to sway U.S. public opinion against a diplomatic resolution with Iran. He addressed comments Vice President JD Vance made on “The Joe Rogan Experience,” in an episode filmed on Jul...
9 deadliest year for Jews outside Israel since Buenos Aires bombing, report says By JNS Staff (JNS) — Twenty people were murdered in antisemitic attacks in 2025, making it the deadliest year for anti-Jewish violence outside of Israel since the bombing of the AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires on July 18, 1994, according to a new report. The J7 Large Communities’ Task Force Against Antisemitism documented more than 23,000 antisemitic incidents in 2025 across Argentina, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the...
(JNS) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he would be discussing "all pending issues," including the Iran war, during his visit to Washington this week. "Tomorrow I will fly to Washington to meet, at his invitation, with President Trump," Netanyahu said in opening remarks ahead of a government meeting in Jerusalem on Sunday. The premier said he would also attend a memorial service for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, whom he described as "one of Israel's greatest friends...
(JNS) — Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon said on Saturday that threats by New York City’s Mayor Zohran Mamdani to possibly order the arrest of Israel’s prime minister will not dissuade Benjamin Netanyahu from speaking “proudly” at the U.N. General Assembly’s annual General Debate in the Big Apple in September. “Zohran Mamdani has failed at managing New York, and instead of fulfilling his role as mayor and fighting the rising wave of antisemitism in his city, he chooses to engage in incitement and generate headlines thr...
(JNS) — A House amendment to end aid to Israel sharply divided the Democratic caucus on Wednesday, with less than half of Democrats voting to continue annual military funding to the Jewish state. Only 93 of the 212 Democratic lawmakers in the House voted to oppose the amendment from Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) to end $3.3 billion in assistance to Israel. The amendment failed 104-314, with 103 Democrats voting to end aid to Israel and 10 voting “present.” Massie was the lone Republican to vote in favor of the measure, with 215 Republicans oppos...
(JNS) - The Israeli military's deployment to earthquake-stricken Venezuela has become the longest humanitarian assistance mission ever conducted by the Home Front Command, as teams continue operating into a third week following widespread coastal destruction. Some 32 Israeli experts remain on the ground in La Guaira, near Caracas, according to Monday's Israel Defense Forces statement, assisting Venezuelan authorities in shifting from emergency response to long-term rehabilitation. IDF Brig....
IDF confirms launch of ‘Safe Zone’ pilot program in Southern Lebanon (JNS) — The Israel Defense Forces on Monday night confirmed the launch of a “Safe Zone” pilot program in Southern Lebanon that will see Israeli troops redeploy from designated areas. “In accordance with the directives from the political echelon, the ‘Safe Zone’ pilot program began today (Monday) in southern Lebanon, in cooperation with the U.S. military and the Lebanese Armed Forces,” the IDF stated. “As part of the pilot, teams from the IDF, the U.S. military, and the L...
(JNS) - The government of Gibraltar has announced that Gibraltar International Airport will be renamed "Sir Joshua Hassan Gibraltar International Airport," honoring the territory's first chief minister and one of the most prominent Jewish public servants in the modern Commonwealth. The renaming was announced by Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo during his annual budget address to Parliament on July 7. In announcing the decision, the government described Hassan (1915–1997) as the "Father o...
(JNS) — The Congressional Progressive Caucus broke with House Democratic leadership on Tuesday in the latest example of support for Israel dividing the Democratic Party. Hours after House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) sent a letter to colleagues saying that he would oppose an amendment to end $3.3 billion in U.S. aid to Israel, Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas), chair of the Progressive Caucus, sent a competing letter urging House Democrats to reject the aid to Israel. “The Democratic Party needs a new approach to Israel and Pal...
(JNS) - Under a law meant to crack down on those cooperating with Israel and other states, Iran this week published a list of networks, media personalities and others it deems hostile to its regime. Featuring high on the list is a prominent member of the Jerusalem News Syndicate. Emily Schrader, at No. 2 on the list of "hostile media persons," is host of the JNS podcast "Axis of Truth" and co-host of "The Quad." The list is the first in connection with the 'Law on Intensifying Punishment for...
Israel limits US aerial refueling aircraft at Ben-Gurion Airport By Etgar Lefkovits (JNS) — Israel and the U.S. have agreed to cap the number of American refueling planes parked at Ben-Gurion International Airport at 20, with additional aircraft to be relocated to Israeli Air Force bases, the Transport Ministry announced. The decision was made to enable capacity for civilian flights at Israel’s main international gateway during the peak summer travel season, Transport Minister Miri Regev said. The unprecedented deployment of some 72 U.S. milita...
(JNS) — New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s wife, Rama Duwaji, will reportedly honor Mary, mother of Jesus, as a “Palestinian woman giving birth under occupation” while co-hosting a women-only Muslim retreat in Corsica, France, that began on Thursday. Duwaji, 29, departed the United States for Spain before the July 4 holiday to attend the sold-out, five-night “spiritual” retreat organized by The Women Sanctuary. The retreat is being held at a 15th-century monastery in Corsica, France. According to the group’s website, participants will explore...
(JNS) — Israel recently shared intelligence with the United States indicating that Iran was considering a new plot to assassinate President Donald Trump, according to a report published Thursday in The Wall Street Journal. The report, citing people familiar with the matter, said the intelligence represented a potential escalation in the confrontation between Washington and Tehran. According to the newspaper, U.S. officials had not previously been aware of the specific intelligence provided by Israel. The Israeli embassy in Washington d...
(JNS) - Israeli pianist and former Hamas hostage Alon Ohel performed aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz on Saturday as part of the United States' 250th Independence Day celebrations. Ohel was invited by American singer-songwriter John Ondrasik, known professionally as Five for Fighting, to join him in performing the song "Superman" on the carrier's flight deck during the central holiday events tied to the International Naval Review 250 in New York City. The USS Nimitz, which has been in...
(JNS) — The American military struck dozens of targets across Iran overnight in the fourth round of attacks on the Islamic Republic within a week, U.S. Central Command said early on Monday. Precision munitions were deployed against “dozens of targets at multiple locations” to degrade Tehran’s ability to disrupt international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, CENTCOM said. The targets included Iranian air-defense systems, coastal radar sites, missile and drone capabilities, and small boats, according to the statement. U.S. fighter aircraf...
(JNS) — U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that his administration would resume negotiations with Iran after the United States carried out another round of military strikes against the Islamic Republic earlier in the week. “The Islamic Republic of Iran has asked us to continue ‘talks,’” Trump wrote. “We have agreed to do so, but the United States has stated to them, in no uncertain terms, that the ceasefire is over.” The United States attacked some 90 military targets in Iran on Wednesday in response to Iranian strikes on commercial sh...
California lawmaker ‘heartbroken’ as Jews targeted in nearly three-quarters of state’s religion-based hate crimes By Aaron Bandler (JNS) — Rick Chavez Zbur, a Democratic member of the California State Assembly, told JNS that he is “heartbroken” over a newly released state report showing that nearly three-quarters of the state’s religion-based hate crimes in 2025 targeted Jews. The California Department of Justice’s 2025 “Hate Crime in California” report, released Wednesday by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, found that Jews were the...
One hundred and twenty-eight new immigrants from France landed at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport on Monday evening aboard a special flight marking the start of the 2026 summer “aliyah” season—the Hebrew term for Jewish immigration to Israel. “Immigration to Israel is the beating heart of the Jewish story,” said Maj. Gen. (res.) Doron Almog, chairman of the Jewish Agency. “At a time when Israeli society is facing heavy challenges and carrying a difficult burden on its shoulders, aliyah takes on an even deeper meaning. Every immigrant who comes her...
Iran denies direct talks with US in Doha, says will meet only with Qatari mediators By JNS Staff (JNS) — Iran said on Monday that its delegation will travel to Doha, Qatar but will not hold direct talks with U.S. officials, contradicting President Donald Trump’s assertion that negotiations would take place there Tuesday, The New York Times reported. Trump said on Monday that Iran has requested a meeting with the United States, with talks set to take place on Tuesday. According to the report, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Kazem Ghari...
(JNS) — Twin earthquakes in Venezuela on Wednesday killed at least 32 people and injured more than 700, prompting a nationwide state of emergency. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez said the back-to-back 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes struck shortly after 6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 24, collapsing buildings and damaging communities across several states. She warned that the death toll is expected to rise as rescuers comb rubble in the hardest-hit coastal state of La Guaira, north of Caracas. Authorities reported extensive damage in the capital, wh...
(JNS) - With antisemitism rising around the world, Israel's Minister of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Amichai Chikli called for arming Jewish community guards with firearms during a discussion at the 2026 JNS International Policy Summit in Jerusalem on Tuesday. The minister stressed the importance of allowing the security forces of Jewish communities in the Diaspora to carry real weapons. "What is the meaning of armed security if they can't prevent horrific incidents?" Chikli...
