Afghanistan, Iraq Drawdowns Cut $3.2B From U.S. Army Costs, Officials Say - Caiten M. Kenney (Defense One)

Austin Asks Top General For ‘Options’ to Evacuate Afghans -  Tara Copp, Jacqueline Feldscher (Defense One)

China seeks to expand belt and road to Afghanistan in name of security as U.S. withdraws troops - Rachel Zhang (South China Morning Post)

Netanyahu Meets Egyptian Intelligence Chief, Demands Return of Captives in Gaza. (Times of Israel)

The Limit of The New York Times’ Obsession With Israel - Faith Quintero (Israelly Cool)

Turkey, U.S. Unite to Thwart Russian Attempts to Block Syria Aid - Selcan Hacaoglu (Bloomberg)

Biden ending Trump OK for US oil company in Syria (AP)

BREAKING: UNRWA Thanks Hamas Terror Chief for ‘Ongoing Willingness to Cooperate’ -Gidon Ben-Zvi (Honest Reporting)

“Hamas Commits Double War Crimes,” UN Watch Tells Human Rights Council (UN Watch)

On Monday, May 31, 2021, Memorial Day, we will pause to honor the men and women who have died while serving in the military.  

On June 1 we will remember the 80th anniversary of the Farhud, the beginning of the destruction of the ancient Jewish communities in Arab lands - this as Jews in the United States, Europe and around the world are being attacked simply for supporting Israel’s right to exist.

NATO to continue Afghan troop training after leaving country (AP)

Lukashenko’s Crazy-Stupid Hamas Headfake - Michael Weiss (Newslines)

Cyprus says it is in ‘state of emergency’ over Syria migrant inflow (AFP)

"Tied Up and Tortured": The Persecution of Christians, April 2021 - Raymond Ibrahim (Gatestone Institute) Starting with Egypt

The 2021 Gaza War - Summary (Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center)   Reconstruction projects will be carried out by companies belonging to the Egyptian army, limiting the influence of Turkish companies and strengthening cooperation with the Gulf States.

Four Iranian Kamikaze Drones from Gaza Downed by "Classified Means" - Thomas Harding (The National-Abu Dhabi)

IAEA Chief Sounds Alarm over Iran's Nuclear Program - Andrew England (Financial Times-UK)

930 Palestinian Rockets Were Fired at Ashkelon - Bel Trew (Independent-UK) Nearly a quarter of the rockets fired at Israel from Gaza landed on the city of Ashkelon, 15 km. from the border, the closest heavily populated area.

Home of Nigerian Soccer Star in Israel Hit by Hamas Rocket - Oluwashina Okeleji (BBC Sport Africa)

Hamas and the PA arrest and torture dissenters and proponents of peace. They are as much a threat to the Palestinian people as they are to Israel. As per journalist Khaled Abu Toameh, "the real threat to the future of Arab and Muslim children is coming from Iran and Islamic terrorist groups." 

Hamas Doesn't Want a Palestinian State - Efraim Karsh (Spectator-UK) it seeks the destruction of Israel and the establishment of an Islamic empire on its ruins. 

Water pipes were turned into rockets by Gaza terrorists - Itamar Marcus (PMW) The ability to easily turn construction materials into lethal rockets in simple underground factories, creates new challenges for Israel. It means that Israel must be even more cautious about what dual-purpose materials are allowed into the Gaza Strip and who controls their distribution.

How NYT, WaPo, CNN Headlines Warped Understanding of the Israel-Hamas Conflict (Honest Reporting) See more on NYT here

Biden: Until the Region Acknowledges the Right of Israel to Exist as an Independent Jewish State, There Will Be No Peace   (White House)

Unchallenged Squad, Silent Pols, Depleted Police, Duplicitous Social Media Are Perfect Storm for Antisemitism - Abraham Cooper (The Media Line)

WHO Meeting Deviates From COVID-19 to Single Out Israel As Violator of Health Rights (UN Watch) 

VOTED AGAINST ISRAEL: France, Spain, Switzerland, Belgium, Portugal, Japan, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Luxembourg & 72 others.  

VOTED FOR ISRAEL: United States, Britain, Australia, Austria, Brazil Cameroon, Canada, Colombia, Czech Republic, Germany, Honduras, Hungary, Netherlands.
     Despite the fact that the Palestinians have their own health system, and under the Oslo II Peace Accord it is the Palestinian Authority which is responsible for vaccinating their population, Israel has vaccinated over 100,000 Palestinian workers since March as well as donating thousands of vaccine doses for Palestinian medical workers.

     Moreover, it’s particularly absurd for the WHO to enact a resolution effectively accusing Israel of violating the health rights of Syrians in the Golan, while the Director-General's report clearly states that they have full access to universal health care under the Israeli health maintenance organizations, including COVID testing, medical care, contact tracing and vaccination.

What The U.S. Withdrawal From Afghanistan Means For Russia (Kommersant/WorldCrunch)

Israel Accuses Chinese State TV of "Blatant Anti-Semitism" (AP) See the clip here

Germany Carries Out Raids on Hizbullah-Linked Groups (Deutsche Welle-Germany)

EU Divided on Gaza Conflict - David M. Herszenhorn  (Politico-EU)

Tell Us, Europe, What Should Israel Do? - Fiamma Nirenstein (JNS)

Jew Hatred Soars as Hamas-Israel Fighting Rages - Abigail R. Esman (IPT News)

IRGC Commander: Israel Completely Surrounded by Resistance Front (Tehran Times-Iran)

We've heard people say: Israel, being the strong side, can bring about a ceasefire and that a ceasefire cannot be achieved unless both sides can say they've won (something). Seems that is what's happening now! David Ignatius in the Washington Post. “Beyond a negotiated, durable cease fire, the Palestinians need three pillars for stability: new political leadership, economic reconstruction, and security. Putting them together will take years, but this month’s ruinous war is the right time to start.” How? This former terrorist and now Israeli citizen, Mohammed Massad, agrees. He tells Israel: set the goal of liberating Palestinians from the "occupation" of Hamas and the "dictatorship" of Mahmoud Abbas in order to reach peace and security for its citizens. Bassem Eid, Dennis Ross, and Tarek Fatah all published stories this week with a similar idea, but asking Palestinians themselves to make the change.  As per  Hamed Mohammad, "The West should not ignore the triangular link between Iran's weakened position, talks in Vienna and the rockets flying between Gaza and Israel." Note: Protesters at the Jordanian border were bused in from Iraq! Were Iranians involved?

Numbers Don’t Lie: Unraveling the Israel-Hamas Conflict (Honest Reporting) 
Video: What Can You Do in 15 Seconds? (Israel Defense Forces) 

IDF Targets Palestinian Rocket Launchers - Anna Ahronheim  (Jerusalem Post)
The War You Aren’t Seeing: A Clear-Sighted View (Honest Reporting)

Gaza Civilian Casualties Are Due to Hamas' Unprovoked Aggression Against Israel - Col. (ret.) Richard Kemp (Gatestone Institute)

IDF Thwarts Hamas Underwater Drone Strike from Sea - Yoav Zitun (Ynet News)
IDF: Over 160 Terrorists Killed in Gaza Fighting - Judah Ari Gross (Times of Israel)

Sudan's Gen. Burhan Defends Israel Normalization (AFP)

UAE Demands Hamas Stop Rockets Attacks or Face Halt in Investments (i24News)

Sen. Bernie Sanders Blocks Sen. Rick Scott Resolution to Support Israel, Condemn Hamas

U.S. Vetoes Security Council Resolution on Gaza that Did Not Mention Rocket Fire at Israel - Jonathan Lis  (Ha'aretz )

'Internal Jewish Settlement:' New York Times Vilifies Jews Living in Mixed Israeli Cities - Tamar Sternthal (CAMERA) 

More Than 125 Entertainment Professionals Sign Open Letter Urging Peace in Middle East  - Malina Saval (Variety)

 

Hamas Rocket Launches at Israeli Cities Are War Crimes - Editorial  (Washington Post)

Gaza Civilian Casualties Are Due to Hamas' Unprovoked Aggression Against Israel - Col. (ret.) Richard Kemp (Gatestone Institute)

SHEIKH JARRAH: THE FACTS -  Alex Safian (CAMERA)

Media Confusing Cause and Effect: HonestReporting CEO Interviewed Under Rocket Fire (VIDEO)

Israel Targets Gaza Police Headquarters, Hamas Intelligence Offices - Josef Federman (AP)

Gaza Residential Tower Destroyed after Residents Warned to Evacuate (Reuters)

Rockets have been launched at Ashdod, Ashkelon, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. 

Two Killed in Rocket Barrage on Ashkelon on Tuesday - Judah Ari Gross (Times of Israel-Ynet News)
Caretaker from India Killed by Hamas Rocket during Video Call with Her Husband (Onmanoramal-India)
Gaza Rockets Kill Israeli Arab Father and Daughter in Lod - Judah Ari Gross (Times of Israel)
1 Dead, 2 Hurt by Anti-Tank Missile from Gaza. (Ynet News)
Israeli Baby Saved from Palestinian Stone-Throwers by Stuffed Bear (Algemeiner)

Jerusalem Riots: What the Media Ignore - David Harsanyi (National Review)

Abbas and Hamas compete politically by attacking Israel - Itamar Marcus (PMW)

HonestReporting CEO Goes Head-to-Head with PA Ambassador Live on South African TV (CLIP) - Note: Long intro to clip is PA Ambassador speaking/position, Daniel starts speaking at 4:44

Palestinians Fire 250 Rockets at Israel - Judah Ari Gross (Times of Israel-Ha'aretz)

PA and Fatah called for “escalating the popular resistance,” and praised Gazans’ willingness to go to “eternal Paradise to be Martyrs for Jerusalem -  Itamar Marcus (PMW)

In NYC, candidate Andrew Yang under attack for this tweet:

I'm standing with the people of Israel who are coming under bombardment attacks, and condemn the Hamas terrorists. The people of NYC will always stand with our brothers and sisters in Israel who face down terrorism and persevere.

Watch update from Israel now: Hundreds of Missiles Target Israel, SWC Condemns Linda Sarsour & BLM - Follow SWC on Twitter (Simon Wiesenthal)

Fox News Mangles Reporting on Sheikh Jarrah - Karen Bekker (CAMERA)

U.S. Blocks UN Security Council Statement on Jerusalem - Jacob Magid (Times of Israel)

Yet Again, the Media Blames Israel for a Conflict Hamas Started - Phyllis Chesler (IPT News)

Canada Announces Durban IV Boycott Due to Anti-Semitism Concerns, Following U.S., Australia - Lahav Harkov (Jerusalem Post)

Iranian Man Divorces Wife For Using Instagram, Remarries ... Happens Again! (World Crunch)

Property Claims in the Sheikh Jarrah Neighborhood of Jerusalem (NGO Monitor)

Not fit to print: The NYTimes on Sheikh Jarrah - Phyllis Chesler (INN)

New Report Details Hizbullah's Missile Arsenal - Tal Beer (Alma Center)  Hizbullah's missile arrays are deployed in all 200 Shiite villages

Moroccan Foreign Minister: "We Will Take Relations with Israel as Far as Possible"  (Middle East Monitor-UK)

Palestinian Riots on Temple Mount Continue Monday Morning - Itsik Saban (Israel Hayom)
Palestinians Stocked Slabs, Stones, and Fireworks at Al-Aqsa Compound for Temple Mount Riots (Times of Israel)
Hamas' Hand Seen in Jerusalem Riots - Khaled Abu Toameh (Ynet News)
Fatah Calls for Violent Uprising in Jerusalem - Itamar Marcus (Palestinian Media Watch)

Media Miss Real Story As Palestinians Riot on Temple Mount - Emanuel Miller (Honest Reporting) 

Hamas Denounces "Coup" after Abbas Delays Palestinian Elections - Joseph Krauss (AP)

Article On Al-Jazeera Website: Ramadan, 'Month Of Jihad And Victories,' Is The Season Of Palestinian Armed Operations, (MEMRI)

Biden Told Mossad Director U.S. Isn't Close to Returning to Iran Deal - Barak Ravid (Axios)

Tlaib Shares Anti-Israel Smear after B’Tselem Refuses to Retract Baseless Lie (Honest Reporting)

New Yorker Demonstrates 'Superior Power of Incessantly Repeated Lies' - Tamar Sternthal (CAMERA)

Key Critic of Israel Nominated to Be Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights - Jonathan S. Tobin (JNS)

U.S. Navy Seizes Illicit Weapons in North Arabian Sea (U.S. Navy 5th Fleet) 

Human Rights Watch Report Maligns Israel with Lies on Top of Lies - Alex Safian (CAMERA)

Media Fail to Ask Tough Questions After Preposterous HRW Claim About Israeli “Apartheid” - Emanuel Miller (Honest Reporting)

European Universities Urge EU to Remove Threat of Research Ban on Israel - Eanna Kelly (Science|Business)

Indian COVID Strain Spreads in Israel, Also Among Vaccinated - Ido Efrati (Haaretz)

Russia Protecting Iranian Ships Smuggling Arms to Syria - Arie Egozi (BreakingDefense)

Former Iranian Ambassador To Iraq Hassan Danaeifar: 'The Attacks On The U.S. Military Bases Are Part Of The Same Attacks Being Carried Out' In Other Parts Of Iraq – And 'Will Continue' (MEMRI)

US eyes major rollback in Iran sanctions to revive nuke deal - Matthew Lee (AP)

Protests in France as Man Who Killed Jewish Woman Avoids Trial - Kim Willsher (Guardian-UK) Demonstrations were also organized in Rome, Tel Aviv, London, Los Angeles, Miami and New York. French President Emmanuel Macron has called for a change of law. 

Sarah Halimi's Law - Bernard-Henri Levy  (Tablet)  We live in a country, France, where a man who throws his dog from his fourth floor is sentenced to a year in prison, whereas if he murders an old Jewish woman, he may face no consequences whatsoever. What of a jihadist who takes an amphetamine to summon up the courage to carry out a terrorist act?  

Hezbollah Uses “Coral” and “Liquigas” as “Business Shields” – to Control Lebanon’s, Energy Market (Alma Research) Brothers Use Monopoly Over Lebanon's Fuel to Benefit Hezbollah, Assad

How Frontex Helps Haul Migrants Back To Libyan Torture Camps -  Sara Creta, Bashar Deeb, Klaas van Dijken, Emmanuel Freudenthal, Steffen Lüdke und Maximilian Popp (Spiegel Int') Refugees are being detained, tortured and killed at camps in Libya. Investigative reporting by DER SPIEGEL and its partners has uncovered how close the European Union’s border agency Frontex works together with the Libyan coast guard.  

Hamas rejects ceasefire offers, threatens 'major conflict' over Jerusalem -  Dean Shmuel Elmas and Shahar Klaiman (Israel Hayom)  Gaza-based Palestinian terror groups over the weekend fired more than 40 projectiles into Israel. They claimed the attacks were a response to unrest in Jerusalem, where Arab residents have violently rioted for several days after Israel imposed restrictions on congregating near the Old City’s Damascus Gate.  Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas praised the rioters

Fatah lays the groundwork for canceling the PA elections - Maurice Hirsch (PMW)

Arab Youths Attack Jews in Jerusalem in New TikTok Craze - Nir Cohen (Ynet News) A new trend appears to be gaining momentum among Arab youths in Jerusalem, who videotape themselves harassing Jews 

Blinken warns Turkey, U.S. allies against purchasing Russian weapons  - Tal Axelrod (The Hill)