Will Europe Save Hamas in Gaza? I recently met with a high-ranking European official from a country deeply involved in the Israel and Palestine file to discuss Gaza’s future and immediate options for relieving civilians trapped under Hamas’s grip. I presented a simple proposal: create safe zones across the "Yellow Line" into the Israel‑controlled green zone and support new, organized, secure, Hamas‑free communities where Gazans could finally begin rebuilding their lives. Whether the issue is humane living conditions, deradicalization, education, healthcare, or shielding civilians from both Hamas or Israeli strikes, the green zone is the only place where meaningful action is possible. Instead of engaging, the official launched into a long monologue about their country’s contributions to the Palestinian Authority, UNRWA, and other institutions, all while insisting on their own “humility” as a faraway European nation. Then came the truly alarming part: a casual normalization of Hamas. The official proudly described how easy it had been to work with Hamas before October 7, praising the group for providing “excellent security” and being “easier to work with than others.” What they called pragmatism was, in reality, a twenty‑year pattern of enabling a violent terrorist organization responsible for immense civilian suffering. When I explained that any Hamas‑free zones would require vetting at the Yellow Line to prevent weapons or operatives from entering, the official reacted with shock. “This vetting would violate international law,” they repeated, insisting that their country could not fund projects with any checks on who enters. I noted the absurdity: I had undergone extensive vetting just to enter their country, and even this building, yet they believed Hamas fighters should be able to walk into new civilian safe zones unimpeded. Their only response was vague appeals to “international law,” which, in their interpretation, seems to require allowing terrorists to hide among civilians. The meeting ended on an even more surreal note. When the official asked what would happen to Hamas fighters left in the red zone, I said I didn’t care; they could fight the Israeli military on their own all they wanted once they no longer held two million civilians hostage. The official lamented that “this isn’t the old American West” and expressed concern for what would happen to Hamas without human shields. Disgust doesn’t begin to describe my feelings and reactions. I left convinced of something long suspected: Hamas’s twenty‑year rule was sustained not only by its own brutality but by an ecosystem of NGOs, donor nations, Western European governments, journalists, academics, activists, lawyers, and even self‑styled human‑rights defenders who normalized Hamas, treated it as a legitimate authority, or tolerated its abuses because their hostility toward Israel outweighed their concern for Gazans.

Professional soccer player Rashid Mazaheri defended Iran's goal for over a decade and is a source of pride to millions of Iranians. In February, Rashid made a post calling Khamenei "a dark and passing chapter" in Iran's history. He is now in regime custody, under harsh conditions. Rashid lent his voice to his people and is being punished for it. Add your name to the petition below to demand his unconditional release. change.org/p/free-rashid-maz…

INSIDE STORY: Standing next to his now-empty sheep pen, Saeed Odeh, 75, told The Times of Israel that he was feeding his 25 sheep from inside the shed at around 7:30 a.m. when he looked out the window and saw settlers approaching. “My heart dropped,” he said. “I saw a large black pickup truck with four [settlers]. Three were masked and carrying clubs, and one had his face uncovered.” “They said in Arabic: ‘Open the pen or you will die.’” Extensively documented on video, Saturday’s raid appeared to bear the hallmarks of settler violence that has become devastatingly common across the West Bank. But according to residents, the raid appeared to be more organized than the seemingly haphazard violence, harassment and theft of previous confrontations and settler rampages. Residents of Hawara said settlers took sheep belonging to two residents from three separate locations. Both victims described a similar pattern: Early Saturday morning, individual settlers showed up and demanded to inspect the sheep pens, alleging that stolen livestock were there. Read the full story on The Times of Israel.

Total capitulation to intimidation & bullying & admittance that the gov incapable of preserving law & order. IPSC & Irish Sport for Palestine now the gov. Outrageous that no spectators. Ireland ‘home’Nations League game against Israel at neutral venue irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/…

The former President of the ICJ just destroyed the “Israel is committing genocide” lie. Joan Donoghue (who presided over the South Africa v. Israel case) on Hardtalk: “It didn’t decide that the claim of genocide was plausible… The shorthand that often appears… isn’t what the court decided.” The Court only said Palestinians have plausible rights to be protected from genocide. It made no finding that Israel was plausibly committing genocide. Watch her say it herself. The media and activists have been misrepresenting this and lying for 18 months.

Ireland's Nations League match against Israel on September 27 will be moved to a neutral venue overseas. It comes as a campaign to stop the game completely escalated in recent weeks. Here's what we know so far... #VMNews

🇮🇱🇮🇪 Today would have been Kim Damti’s 25th birthday. May her memory be forever a blessing 🧚 Friday, June 12, will mark International Falafel 🥙 Day – a celebration of the dish, considered by many to be a favorite dish in Israel. For the Damti family from Gedera, who were bereaved when their daughter Kim (z”l) was murdered in a shelter near Kibbutz Reim on that Black Shabbat, October 7, 2023, falafel is much more than a favorite dish. It brings back many memories of her, and will now also become part of a special tribute to her memory. During the 2026 Global Maccabiah Games, which will open on July 1 and host thousands of Jewish athletes from around the world at the Youth HUB complex in the Maccabiah Village in Ramat Gan, a sunset event in Kim’s memory will be held, during which athletes will be served "Damti" falafel as part of a connection to Kim's story, "Kim, like all of us, was born into the Damti family dynasty, which began making falafel back in 1969, when our grandmother established a fresh & delicious Yemeni falafel shop, in the heart of Gedera," says Emily, Kim's sister - "My father has been making falafel here ever since, and we children have been continuing in his path." After her discharge from the IDF, Kim worked in the family business for about five months, to save money for the ‘big trip’, and was even behind the idea of opening a new branch. "Before October 7, construction began on a new shopping complex in Moshava Gedera, and when Kim saw it, she told our brother, Daniel, that this was an opportunity to open another branch, because after all, we are falafel lovers from birth. When we called to inquire and mentioned the words "falafel Damti," there was enthusiasm on the other side, and when the new branch was opened, we decided that it would be dedicated to her memory," Emily added. "Today, anyone who enters this branch feels her in every corner. She is the force that gives us the strength to make falafel." Her family says that Kim was a bright and talented girl who studied in a class for gifted students, played the piano, played basketball as a child, served as a simulator instructor in submarines, and especially loved the sea and sunsets. “The bullet that hit Kim, hit us too” said her sister Emily. “After Kim was murdered it was very difficult for us to return to work for several months, and to this day we are still traumatized, but we cannot let Hamas win. I always say that there are people who take a Cipralex pill and we take a falafel pill." Now, two and a half years after her murder, her family wants to continue telling Kim's story to the younger generation, through the special tribute that will be held in her memory at Maccabiah. It moved us very much when we were approached to commemorate Kim, who played a significant role in the Young Maccabi movement here in Gedera. She was the branch coordinator when she was in 12th grade and led youth for years," Emily says - "But when we were approached, we felt that the commemoration was very respectful, because it was part of her way of life. I would like the athletes who are exposed to Kim's story to take with them the understanding that the path is no less important than the result, and her desire to do good wherever she goes, and to also remember that we have no other country." Maccabiah Chairman Assaf Goren said: "The Maccabiah connects young Jews from all over the world, but this year is also an opportunity to connect them to the personal stories of young people whose lives were cut short too soon and whose legacy continues to live on through the people they loved and through the values they left behind." Translated by Google. Sourced from Ma’ariv, June 10, 2026 (link to original article in comments).