RSS
In Show of Resolve, Top Israeli Official Sings, Dances With Students Whose Classmates Were Injured in Terror Attack
Illustrative: Israeli security personnel stand guard in the aftermath of a violent Palestinian terror attack near Jerusalem, Nov. 16, 2023. Photo: REUTERS/Ammar Awad
Israel’s Education Minister Yoav Kisch joined a group of high school students whose friends were injured in a Palestinian terror attack on Monday in song and dance while the senior official was being interviewed on Israeli television.
“The people of Israel are not afraid of a long journey,” they all sang, dancing together while the interviewers sought to get clarity from the minister on what victory would look like for Israel in the ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza.
Kisch opened the interview by saying he was in Raanana, north of Tel Aviv in central Israel, where police say two Palestinians carried out coordinated stabbings and car-rammings, killing an elderly woman and injuring 17 others.
“I am here in Raanana, exactly where there was a terror attack, with students who came here to dance and strengthen the people of Israel and pray for the victory of our soldiers in the war,” Kisch said.
“I spoke to the students and told them a very simple thing: We will continue the war until victory,” the minister added, referring to Israel’s defensive war against Hamas in Gaza following the Palestinian terror group’s Oct. 7 massacre across southern Israel.
The interviewers asked Kisch to clarify what victory meant, to which the Israeli cabinet member responded, “We will not stop until the abductees are returned. We will not stop until Hamas is subdued. We must continue — this is a war for our existence as the people of Israel.”
During Hamas’ Oct. 7 onslaught, terrorists murdered 1,200 people and kidnapped 240 others hostages, taking them to Gaza. Israel has said it will continue its war against the terror group until all the hostages are freed and Hamas is incapacitated, no longer posing a major threat to the Jewish state.
When Kisch finished his response about Israel continuing its war effort, the singing and dancing started behind him, a few seconds after which he joined in as the broadcasters were unable to continue their questioning.
The students in the video attend Amit Kfar Batya, a national religious high school in Raanana, where Monday’s terror attack occurred. Two terrorists from the West Bank attacked civilians in the normally peaceful, well-to-do town near Tel Aviv. The victim who died was identified as 79-year-old Edna Bluestein.
Of those injured, seven were children and teenagers, all of whom were taken to the emergency room. Four of the victims remain in serious condition.
The classmates of those injured were the ones dancing with Kisch, who joined them amid their singing and reading from the Hebrew book of Psalms, commonly read to pray for those injured or sick.
The principal of the school, Rabbi Yoni Berlin, told the Israeli network conducting the interview that his students wanted to show that they won’t live in fear.
“Our students have gone through a difficult event. We are all praying for the healing of our seriously injured students and for all the wounded,” he said. “Our students asked to come to the place, to get stronger and stronger in order to raise the flag and tell all those who seek to take our souls that the nation of Israel lives.”
אחלה יואב קיש @YoavKisch pic.twitter.com/xI8Z53HVso
— Avi Noga (@AviNoga3) January 16, 2024
The post In Show of Resolve, Top Israeli Official Sings, Dances With Students Whose Classmates Were Injured in Terror Attack first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
RSS
Pro-Palestinian Rapper Leads ‘Death to the IDF’ Chant at English Music festival
Revellers dance as Avril Lavigne performs on the Other Stage during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 30, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
i24 News – Chants of “death to the IDF” were heard during the English Glastonbury music festival on Saturday ahead of the appearance of the pro-Palestinian Irish rappers Kneecap.
One half of punk duo based Bob Vylan (who both use aliases to protect their privacy) shouted out during a section of their show “Death to the IDF” – the Israeli military. Videos posted on X (formerly Twitter) show the crowd responding to and repeating the cheer.
This comes after officials had petitioned the music festival to drop the band. The rap duo also expressed support for the following act, Kneecap, who the BCC refused to show live after one of its members, Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh – better known by stage name Mo Chara – was charged with a terror offense.
The post Pro-Palestinian Rapper Leads ‘Death to the IDF’ Chant at English Music festival first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
RSS
Rubio Holds First Meeting with Hostage Families, Urges End to Gaza War
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio attends a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, DC, US, April 10, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Nathan Howard
i24 News – US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held on Friday his first meeting with the families of the hostages still held in Gaza since taking office in January, telling the loved ones that a “real victory” can only occur in Gaza when the remaining hostages are returned.
Those in attendance included Omri Miran’s brother-in-law; Evyatar David’s brother; Hadar Goldin’s brother; and Iair Horn, who himself is a freed hostage, with his brother Eitan still held by Hamas in Gaza.
According to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, they urged the current US administration for a “bold decision.” “We’ve waited long enough,” the family members said. “It’s time to make brave decisions and bring all our loved ones back—all at once.”
Rubio, in turn, expressed the Trump administration’s “unwavering commitment” in rescuing the 49 remaining hostages, 20 of whom are believed to still be alive.
This meeting comes after U.S. President Donald Trump said earlier this week that he believes a ceasefire will be reached between Israel and Hamas “within the next week.”
The post Rubio Holds First Meeting with Hostage Families, Urges End to Gaza War first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
RSS
Trump Says He Would Consider Bombing Iran Again, Drops Sanctions Relief Plan
US President Donald Trump speaks at a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (not pictured), at the NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands, June 25, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Brian Snyder
US President Donald Trump sharply criticized Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamanei, on Friday, dropped plans to lift sanctions on Iran and said he would consider bombing Iran again if Tehran is enriching uranium to worrisome levels.
Trump reacted sternly to Khamanei’s first remarks after a 12-day conflict with Israel that ended when the United States launched bombing raids last weekend against Iranian nuclear sites.
Khamanei said Iran “slapped America in the face” by launching an attack against a major US base in Qatar following the US bombing raids. Khamanei also said Iran would never surrender.
Trump said he had spared Khamanei’s life. US officials told Reuters on June 15 that Trump had vetoed an Israeli plan to kill the supreme leader.
“His Country was decimated, his three evil Nuclear Sites were OBLITERATED, and I knew EXACTLY where he was sheltered, and would not let Israel, or the U.S. Armed Forces, by far the Greatest and Most Powerful in the World, terminate his life,” Trump said in a social media post.
“I SAVED HIM FROM A VERY UGLY AND IGNOMINIOUS DEATH,” he said.
Iran said a potential nuclear deal was conditional on the US ending its “disrespectful tone” toward the Supreme Leader.
“If President Trump is genuine about wanting a deal, he should put aside the disrespectful and unacceptable tone towards Iran’s Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Khamenei, and stop hurting his millions of heartfelt followers,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in a post on X in the early hours of Saturday.
Trump also said that in recent days he had been working on the possible removal of sanctions on Iran to give it a chance for a speedy recovery. He said he had now abandoned that effort.
“I get hit with a statement of anger, hatred, and disgust, and immediately dropped all work on sanction relief, and more,” he said.
Trump said at a White House news conference that he did not rule out attacking Iran again, when asked about the possibility of new bombing of Iranian nuclear sites if deemed necessary at some point.
“Sure, without question, absolutely,” he said.
Trump said he would like inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency – the U.N. nuclear watchdog – or another respected source to be able to inspect Iran’s nuclear sites after they were bombed last weekend.
Trump has rejected any suggestion that damage to the sites was not as profound as he has said.
The IAEA chief, Rafael Grossi, said on Wednesday that ensuring the resumption of IAEA inspections was his top priority as none had taken place since Israel began bombing on June 13.
However, Iran’s parliament approved moves on Wednesday to suspend such inspections. Araqchi indicated on Friday that Tehran may reject any request by the head of the agency for visits to Iranian nuclear sites.
Trump said Iran still wants to meet about the way forward. The White House had said on Thursday that no meeting between the U.S. and an Iranian delegation has been scheduled thus far.
The post Trump Says He Would Consider Bombing Iran Again, Drops Sanctions Relief Plan first appeared on Algemeiner.com.