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Netanyahu says Arab Parties Stole Israeli Election, Demands ‘Immediate’ Investigation

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday said rival Arab parties cheated in his country’s elections after exit polls indicated his coalition failed to capture a majority in the Knesset, pushing the Middle Eastern democracy into a political deadlock.

Netanyahu’s Likud party and its allies outperformed expectations on Tuesday. But with results still trickling in on Wednesday evening, the prime minister failed to keep his majority in the Israeli parliament. There is still no clear winner. The opposition bloc, led by Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party, remains Likud’s top rival. But two Arab parties, the Joint List and Ra’am, outperformed as they gained seats, drawing historic support as they are to win their largest-ever share of the vote.

Netanyahu said the Arab parties had stolen the election, claiming they are guilty of criminal offenses of bribery, threats, violence, forgeries, and the use of prohibited software to mobilize voters.

“This is a serious blow to Israeli democracy and the voting rights of Israeli citizens,” he said in a post to X. “The law enforcement agencies must act with an iron fist and in an immediate manner.”

Netanyahu demanded election authorities in Israel immediately investigate his allegations, promising that his Likud party would produce hundreds of testimonies and pieces of evidence regarding election theft in many Arab polling stations, including thousands of envelopes with cash and Ra’am slips, threats and violence against polling station members, multiple voting behind the curtain, voting with double identities, discrepancies between the number of envelopes and the number of voters, and the use of prohibited mobilization software.

(Read more from “Netanyahu says Arab Parties Stole Israeli Election, Demands ‘Immediate’ Investigation” HERE)

Middle Eastern Country Arrests Terrorists, Begins Strikes Against Those Behind Church Massacre

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Jordan has arrested gunmen and conducted air strikes against terrorist cells responsible for a church massacre.

Jordanian law enforcement has arrested three armed militants accused of carrying out a mass shooting during a funeral held at a Greek Orthodox Church near the city of Karak on Oct. 23, according to the BBC. Additionally, the Jordanian Air Force conducted strikes against terrorist groups alleged to be involved with the church shooting, Reuters reported Monday.

The Jordanian government did not immediately respond for comment.

Nine people were killed and 34 more were injured in the attack, per the BBC.

“The terrorist attack against Karak will be met with the harshest retaliation. Those who delude themselves into thinking that they can divide Jordanians with their bullets have no chance in the face of our unity … every Jordanian life is precious, and we will strike with an iron fist against those who dare to threaten our nation,” Jordanian King Abdullah II wrote in an Oct. 23 X post.

(Read more from “Middle Eastern Country Arrests Terrorists, Begins Strikes Against Those Behind Church Massacre” HERE)

Trump Re-Endorses Netanyahu Ahead of Israeli Election: ‘We Have to Finish the Job’ Against Iran

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President Donald Trump renewed his endorsement of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday evening, urging Israelis to reelect him in Tuesday’s election with a renewed call to “finish the job” against Iran.

“Vote for Bibi Netanyahu for Prime Minister, we have to finish the job that we started!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

In his renewed endorsement, Trump credited his partnership with Netanyahu for military successes against Iran, citing operations that targeted the regime’s nuclear facilities and devastated its armed forces.

“Bibi and I have had a great relationship in winning together,” Trump wrote, pointing to Operation Midnight Hammer, which targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities, and Operation Epic Fury, the broader U.S. military campaign against the regime.

“Then we did Operation Epic Fury, and Iran now has No Navy, No Air Force, and both their Military and Economy are in shambles,” he declared. (Read more from “Trump Re-Endorses Netanyahu Ahead of Israeli Election: ‘We Have to Finish the Job’ Against Iran” HERE)

Israel Lobby Quietly Shifts Political Operation To Super PAC Under New Name

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AIPAC has announced its decision to discontinue directly endorsing and financially backing candidates — but the pro-Israel lobbying group appears to remain far from dormant.

The organization will cease directly endorsing and bankrolling candidates in that manner that it has been since 2021, the group announced on Wednesday. Instead, the group will be absorbed into its sister super PAC, the United Democracy Project PAC (UDP), according to Jewish Insider.

When asked for comment, AIPAC referred the DCNF to an email from the group’s leadership with the subject line “Announcing Changes; Building a Stronger Political Operation.”

“To win the fight for the future of the country and the U.S.-Israel alliance, we must build a more strategic, consequential, and nimble political operation,” the email states in part. “We will prioritize increasing direct, organized contributions from individual Americans to candidates — expanding upon our current efforts—and maximizing the emerging political fundraising tools. Endorsements, direct PAC contributions, and earmarking will no longer be part of our approach so we can expand individual giving and utilize new tools to help our friends win.”

“We believe this approach positions us to capitalize on new innovations and deliver even greater political impact to influence policy,” the email continues. “We will focus our time and resources on what is most effective —disciplined, organized giving directly to candidates by individual Americans — and on the ability to adapt quickly in an ever-changing environment.”

(Read more from “Israel Lobby Quietly Shifts Political Operation To Super PAC Under New Name” HERE)

Iran Claims It Hit Multiple Ships In Persian Gulf, Warns US Military Of Major Escalation

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Iran claimed Thursday that it struck seven oil tankers in the Persian Gulf and near the Strait of Hormuz, warning that continued American military operations could trigger an expanded Iranian assault on U.S. military bases throughout the Middle East.

Four vessels allegedly caught fire after being simultaneously attacked in the northern Persian Gulf on Wednesday, while three additional ships reportedly struck naval mines west of the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy, Reuters reported. The claims, which have not been confirmed outside of Tehran, represent a potentially significant escalation in Iran’s ongoing campaign against commercial shipping.

“The forces pulling matters toward another round of war are much stronger than the forces pushing back,” Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “Israel is dead set on another war, whereas Trump is oscillating between wanting an exit from the war and an impulse for revenge against the damage Iran has done to Trump’s presidency.”

“On paper, and increasingly in practice, the United States maintains a massive advantage, but in an asymmetric war situation such as this, even the far weaker power can exercise enormous influence,” J.D. Foster, former chief economist at the White House Office of Management and Budget and former chief economist at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, told the DCNF. “For examples, see Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq. However, it is misleading to view the state of the conflict in military terms. The “front” in classical military terms is stagnant, relatively quiet, and increasingly irrelevant because the crux of the conflict now lies in the economic domain.”

The IRGC claimed its forces tracked four vessels allegedly conducting illegal ship-to-ship oil transfers before the vessels were simultaneously struck and caught fire, according to Reuters. (Read more from “Iran Claims It Hit Multiple Ships In Persian Gulf, Warns US Military Of Major Escalation” HERE)

Is Israel Gearing Up For Another Offensive?

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By Daily Caller. A meeting with the U.S. Secretary of War, the cancellation of military leave and the arrest of draft dodgers might point to Israel preparing for another offensive against Iran.

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers’ military leaves are being canceled, and a group of ultra-orthodox Jewish men were arrested for evading the draft. Additionally, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth quietly met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday.

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) referred the Daily Caller News Foundation to the Department of War which did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Israeli government also did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.

In preparation for Israel’s upcoming Oct. 27 election, the IDF was put on a high alert and service members’ leaves were frozen, the Times of Israel reported.

The IDF is “on the highest state of alert and will continue to maintain a high level of vigilance and readiness across all fronts,” IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir told the outlet. Leave was frozen across IDF units, requiring soldiers to remain on base rather than taking planned leave, “subject to ongoing situational assessments.” (Read more from “Is Israel Gearing Up For Another Offensive?” HERE)

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U.S. ramps up warnings to Americans in Middle East after Houthi strikes

By CBS News. U.S. diplomatic missions across the Middle East have issued a new round of security warnings to Americans amid escalating attacks by Iran-backed Houthi militants against Saudi Arabia, including an Oct. 10 strike on Riyadh’s international airport that killed an American citizen.

The alerts, issued Sunday by U.S. embassies in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and several other countries, warned that hostilities could rapidly and without warning spread beyond areas already affected by the fighting. The advisories urged Americans to exercise vigilance and prepare for possible flight cancellations, airspace closures and other travel disruptions.

“We are actively warning U.S. citizens about the very real threat the Houthis pose and urging them to heed official guidance,” Edgar Vasquez, the State Department’s deputy assistant secretary for press, told CBS News.

“These alerts are part of a proactive effort by the Trump administration to ensure Americans are aware of potential risks,” Vasquez said, adding that the safety and security of American citizens remain the department’s “top priority.”

The State Department has maintained restrictions on diplomatic operations across parts of the region since the U.S. and Israel went to war with Iran in February. State Department officials have said the restrictions are intended to be temporary and allow embassies to adjust staffing as security conditions evolve. (Read more from “U.S. ramps up warnings to Americans in Middle East after Houthi strikes” HERE)

Photo credit: Flickr

IDF Reportedly Ignores Hotline For Settler Violence

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The Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) hotline intended for addressing instances of Israeli settler violence in the West Bank has been reportedly rendered nonfunctional.

Civilians, including journalists and diplomats have no reliable way to report settler violence, Israeli outlet Haaretz reported Monday. The issue was discussed by the High Court of Justice last Thursday, following a petition from the legal aid group Yesh Din.

Before the group of European diplomats were attacked by masked settlers on Saturday, a report concerning a violent group of Israeli settlers reached the operations room of the West Bank based Benjamin Brigade. However, the brigade did not respond, according to Haaretz. The Thursday petition came just days before settlers violently attacked both European diplomats and an American female journalist in the span of two days.

The operations room “is intended to receive reports from security personnel only, not civilians. It responds only to authorized personnel, who are not civilians”, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit told Haaretz, “there are other centers designated to receive complaints from civilians.”

The Israeli government did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

However, civilians allege there is not a functional mechanism for reporting settler violence. (Read more from “IDF Reportedly Ignores Hotline For Settler Violence” HERE)

REPORT: Top Huckabee Aide Downplayed Murders Of American Citizens To Make Israel Look Better

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A top aide to U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee allegedly suppressed a detailed embassy report into the killings of nine Americans in the West Bank, according to a report Thursday.

David Milstein, the stepson of Fox News host Mark Levin, frequently suppressed or manipulated reports from staffers at the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem to downplay Israeli settler attacks in the West Bank and portray Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government in a positive light, The New York Times reported. He also allegedly intervened to suppress a “detailed” report by embassy staffers on the murders of nine U.S. citizens by Israeli settlers and security forces as members of Congress pushed for more information and accountability, according to The New York Times.

After a ninth American, 19-year-old Nasrallah Abu Siyam, was shot dead in the West Bank while trying to prevent settlers from stealing his livestock in February, 30 members of Congress sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio demanding updates on investigations into the string of killings. The embassy completed a report by March that found the Israeli investigations had gone nowhere, some cases were closed, and no one had been charged. However, Milstein allegedly pushed to send a letter back in response to Democratic Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen, rather than sending the more detailed report, according to the outlet.

The report also alleges that Milstein has had a chilling effect on embassy staffers, with some staffers expressing concern about his relationship with Levin, a fervent ally of Netanyahu; downplayed the expansion of West Bank settlements, even though President Donald Trump has previously expressed opposition to the Israeli annexation of the West Bank; and dismissed mass casualties amid the delivery of food and aid to Palestinians.

The Daily Caller reached out to the embassy, which referred the Caller to an X post from Huckabee.

(Read more from “REPORT: Top Huckabee Aide Downplayed Murders Of American Citizens To Make Israel Look Better” HERE)

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr

Flydubai Hijacker Was Barred by Oman, Flagged ‘Security Risk’ — Intended to Crash Jet in Israel

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The Omani co-pilot accused of trying to crash a Flydubai passenger jet carrying more than 170 people, nearly all of them Israeli, had previously been barred from flying over concerns about extremist views and identified as a security risk — and has indicated to investigators that he intended to crash the aircraft in Israel, according to reports Friday.

The Wall Street Journal reported Friday, citing people familiar with the matter, that Oman had barred the co-pilot from flying over concerns that he had adopted radical ideological views. Despite the ban, the Omani national was later hired by Flydubai and allowed to serve as first officer on the sensitive route connecting the United Arab Emirates and Israel.

ABC News provided further details about the earlier warning signs, reporting that the co-pilot had been identified as a security risk while working as a trainee for Oman Air in 2024 after extremist materials were discovered in his possession, according to senior intelligence and law enforcement officials.

He was subsequently removed from flying but allowed to continue working for Oman Air in an administrative role, according to the report. Investigators are now trying to determine how he was later permitted to fly for Flydubai and ultimately became first officer aboard Wednesday’s flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv.

Now in UAE custody, the suspect is cooperating with authorities and “has indicated that his intent was to crash the aircraft in Israel,” ABC reported, citing sources briefed on the investigation. He was transferred to the UAE from Saudi Arabia on Thursday. (Read more from “Flydubai Hijacker Was Barred by Oman, Flagged ‘Security Risk’ — Intended to Crash Jet in Israel” HERE)

Almost All GOP Senators Block Resolution To Require Report On Israeli Violence In West Bank

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Almost every Republican senator shot down a resolution Tuesday that sought answers regarding increased violence in the West Bank by Israelis.

The resolution would have required the State Department to provide lawmakers with reports on violence and human rights violations in the territory. It failed in a 51 to 47 vote, with almost all Republican senators voting against it.

Republican Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul voted “yes” on the measure, while Democratic Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman voted against it. Republican Sens. Dan Sullivan of Alaska and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana did not vote.

Democratic Sens. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland and Tim Kaine of Virginia, along with independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, introduced the measure in August. The three senators were joined by eight of their colleagues, including Democratic Massachusetts Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey.

Van Hollen vowed Democrats would not stop fighting for “justice.” (Read more from “Almost All GOP Senators Block Resolution To Require Report On Israeli Violence In West Bank” HERE)