Wednesday, May 13, 2026

05/12 Links Pt2: The Gulf Countries Are Building a Middle East that Iran Cannot Tolerate; France arrests Tunisian for terror plot on Jews; Israel advances to Eurovision final

From Ian:

Dr. Yuval Steinitz: Technological Superiority Led to Israeli Victory in Iran War
Dr. Yuval Steinitz, chairman of Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, told a Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs briefing on Monday that "40,000 rockets and missiles were launched at Israel from Lebanon and Gaza alone. Iron Dome intercepted the overwhelming majority of them with a success rate close to 99%."

Without Iron Dome, Israel's major cities would have faced massive civilian casualties, economic paralysis, and severe disruption to daily life and military operations. "There is no parallel technology in the world," Steinitz said, describing Iron Dome as the only system capable of intercepting short- and medium-range rockets, mortar shells, and artillery fire at this scale.

Steinitz described the phases of Israel's Iran campaign, beginning with the elimination of senior Iranian military leadership. Nearly 40 top commanders from the Revolutionary Guards and the regular Iranian army were killed "in less than 10 seconds." "The speed was critical. If it had taken 10 minutes instead of 10 seconds, commanders would have escaped to bunkers and the achievement would have been impossible."

The second phase focused on achieving air superiority over Iran within 36 hours, allowing the Israeli Air Force to operate freely against nuclear and missile infrastructure while defending Israel against ballistic missile attacks.

"For the first time in history, two countries fought each other directly from distances of 1,000 to 3,000 km....The main factor was scientific and technological superiority," he said, noting that while Iran rapidly adapted and improved its systems during the war, "we ran even faster, and the end result is very clear....I don't know a better example of a crystal-clear victory in the modern world than the war between Israel and Iran....The regime was dramatically weakened."

Regarding the impact of strikes against Iran's nuclear program, Steinitz said: "We destroyed most of the enrichment sites and almost all of the weaponization infrastructure." While Iran still possesses enriched uranium stockpiles and the scientific knowledge to enrich further, key components of the nuclear weapons program were severely damaged, including testing facilities, conversion infrastructure, and personnel involved in weaponization.

In his assessment, before the war Iran could have reached a nuclear weapon within months. "Now, it will take them between two to four years to rebuild everything and produce a real nuclear weapon."
Jason Greenblatt: The Gulf Countries Are Building a Middle East that Iran Cannot Tolerate
For decades, Iran's leadership has opposed the direction much of the Gulf has taken politically, economically and diplomatically. Today, that opposition is increasingly being expressed through direct attacks on the states' infrastructure and way of life. Since Feb. 28, the Iranian regime has launched 549 ballistic missiles, 29 cruise missiles and 2,260 drones at the UAE.

The Iranian regime presents its model as the only legitimate form of Islamic governance. Yet, Gulf states have demonstrated that economic growth, global engagement, and religious life can develop together without the same degree of state control.

The UAE also made a decision to establish formal relations with Israel, altering a long-standing regional dynamic and showing that countries in the Middle East can pursue different paths, grounded in national interest and the pursuit of long-term stability and prosperity. It also introduced a precedent that runs directly against Iran's effort to organize the region around confrontation and war.

Iran's conflict with the Gulf extends beyond military confrontation. The UAE stands in direct opposition to Iran's broader ambitions. A country that represents economic openness, stability and independent decision-making challenges the narrative that the Iranian regime promotes about how the Middle East must function. What Iran is trying to damage has not broken under sustained attack, and I do not believe it ever will.
Trump says stopping Iran's nuclear program outweighs Americans' economic pain
US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Americans’ financial struggles are not a factor in his decision-making as he seeks to negotiate an end to the Iran war, saying that preventing Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon is his top priority.

Asked by a reporter to what extent Americans’ financial situations were motivating him to strike a deal, Trump said: “Not even a little bit.”

"The only thing that matters, when I’m talking about Iran, they can’t have a nuclear weapon," Trump said before departing the White House for a trip to China. "I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation. I don’t think about anybody. I think about one thing: We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon. That’s all. That's the only thing that motivates me."

Trump's remarks are likely to draw scrutiny from critics who argue the administration should balance geopolitical objectives with the economic impact on Americans, particularly as cost-of-living concerns remain a top issue for voters ahead of the November midterm elections.

Asked to elaborate on the president's comments, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said that Trump's "ultimate responsibility is the safety and security of Americans. Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, and if action wasn’t taken, they’d have one, which threatens all Americans."

Trump is under growing pressure from fellow Republicans who fear economic pain caused by the war could spark a backlash against the party and cost it control of the House of Representatives and possibly the Senate in November.


On the Way to an Agreement with Iran?
The regime in Tehran now finds itself at a crossroads. Refusing to compromise could trigger a harsh American response, possibly even in the form of a broad surgical attack on energy infrastructure while maintaining the naval blockade. In such a scenario, damage to power stations, oil fields, and desalination facilities could rapidly destabilize Iran's economy.

Deep skepticism surrounds the option of a possible nuclear agreement. The concern is that Iran would continue advancing its nuclear program behind the scenes while exploiting sanctions relief, in order to achieve a form of nuclear immunity similar to that of Pakistan or North Korea, a reality in which possession of nuclear weapons itself deters any external attack.

The complexity is compounded by the nature of the Iranian leadership in which the Revolutionary Guards play a central role. These actors often operate from a deeply ideological worldview inspired by the Battle of Karbala in the 7th century, a symbol of total sacrifice even in the face of impossible odds. In such a reality, death is not necessarily viewed as failure, but as a virtue.

This mindset complicates negotiations conducted in Western terms of cost versus benefit. While the West tends to approach such matters through cold calculation, parts of the leadership in Tehran see them as a bargaining tool grounded also in a willingness for extreme sacrifice.

Still, if Iran succeeds in reaching an agreement that leads to the lifting of sanctions, even partially, it could secure a major strategic achievement. The injection of billions of dollars into the domestic economy would provide the regime with vital breathing room, stabilize the internal system, and enable a gradual return to its long-term objectives.
Iran Is on Its Knees and Can't Demand Anything Significant
No matter how hard the Iranians pretend they have the upper hand in negotiations to end hostilities with the U.S., the inescapable reality is that the ayatollahs desperately need to seal a deal - and quickly - if the Islamic Republic is to stand any chance of surviving.

Iran's basket-case economy has collapsed almost entirely as a result of the 40-day war with the U.S. and Israel.

The regime imposing a nationwide internet black-out to disrupt the activities of anti-government protesters has not helped matters either, with 6% of Iran's GDP relying on the digital economy.

It is self-evident that the Iranian regime is clearly on its knees, and in no position to demand any significant concessions from the Trump administration in the ongoing negotiations to end the conflict.

Yet, judging from recent comments by prominent Western commentators, there is a widespread view that Iran not only has the upper hand in the talks, but is well within its rights to impose its own restrictions on commercial shipping using the Strait of Hormuz, even though the waterway is recognized as an international passage under the laws of the sea.

It is inconceivable that Trump would agree to a deal with Tehran that resulted in Iran assuming sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.

Nor will the president tolerate any nuclear agreement that provides Tehran with even the slightest window to resume work on its clandestine nuclear weapons program.
The Radical Iranian Hardliners Bent on Sabotaging a Deal with the U.S.
A small but influential hardline Iranian faction has intensified efforts to sabotage a potential deal with Washington. The Endurance Front (Jebhe-ye Paydari) has ramped up efforts across the media, in parliament and on the streets to advocate against an agreement with the U.S., arguing that only by defeating Washington can Iran secure a favorable deal. One of its most prominent figures - former national security chief Saeed Jalili - garnered 13 million votes in the 2024 elections, finishing second.

"They view resistance against the United States and Israel as an eternal fight," Hamidreza Azizi, a visiting fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, told CNN. "They believe in a Shia state that needs to continue until the end of times and are quite fanatic when it comes to that religious ideology."

The group's spiritual leader, Ayatollah Mahdi Mirbaqiri, harbors "apocalyptic views," Azizi said, and wants to hasten the end of times by encouraging "widespread fighting" and a "comprehensive clash" with the West, according to an interview he gave state media in 2019.
US Hormuz blockade succeeds in choking off Iran’s oil lifeline
Is the U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz working? It depends who you ask. Conflicting reports have created some confusion.

The Pentagon says that “it’s delivering the decisive impact we intended.” Certain media outlets and shipping analytics firms suggest the opposite, that dozens of Iranian ships are crossing unimpeded. Both can’t be true.

“Turning Tides: U.S. Blockade Enforcement Exceeds Iranian Evasion,” a May 1 report by the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA), examined the discrepancies. It found that “the truth lies in between though far closer to the Pentagon’s claim.”

In short, the U.S. blockade has proven largely successful.

In an update to its report, JINSA’s review found U.S. forces had redirected 62 vessels that had attempted to breach the blockade as of May 11, and disabled four more. That is up from 44 vessels redirected at the time the report was first issued. The blockade began on April 13.

“The vast majority of ships that are eligible have been turned around or seized under the blockade,” Yoni Tobin, senior policy analyst at JINSA and author of the report, told JNS.

JINSA found that 23 vessels had apparently tried to bypass the blockade. Of those, one-fourth did so on the blockade’s first day, a result of enforcement issues that have since been resolved. One-third were small ships without the capacity to transport large cargo.

“The number one point is, and we’ve tracked literally hundreds of ships as part of this project ... none that we tracked going through were oil tankers,” said Tobin. “It’s very significant because that is really what the blockade is all about. It’s preventing Iranian shipments of oil to the Far East, and to China, primarily, which is responsible for the vast majority of Iran’s revenue.”
Saudi Arabia covertly launched strikes on Iran during war, sources say
Saudi Arabia launched numerous, unpublicized strikes on Iran in retaliation for attacks carried out in the kingdom during the war, two Western officials briefed on the matter and two Iranian officials said.

The Saudi attacks, not previously reported, mark the first time that the kingdom is known to have directly carried out military action on Iranian soil and show it is becoming much bolder in defending itself against its main regional rival.

The attacks, launched by the Saudi Air Force, were assessed to have been carried out in late March, the two Western officials said. One said only that they were “tit-for-tat strikes in retaliation for when Saudi [Arabia] was hit.”

Reuters was unable to confirm what the specific targets were.

In response to a request for comment, a senior Saudi foreign ministry official did not directly address whether strikes had been carried out.

The Iranian foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

Saudi Arabia, which has a deep military relationship with the United States, has traditionally relied on the US military for protection, but the 10-week war has left the kingdom vulnerable to attacks that have pierced the US military umbrella.

Since the war began, Iran has hit all six Gulf Cooperation Council states with missiles and drones, attacking not only US military bases but civilian sites, airports and oil infrastructure, and closed the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting global trade.
Iran sends mass text message to Israelis, inviting them to share intelligence
Iran sent a batch of messages to many Israeli cellphone users overnight Monday, inviting them to cooperate on intelligence, in what Israel’s National Cyber ​​Directorate said was an attempt to “create panic.”

Among the Hebrew-language messages were notifications telling Israelis they can contact Iranian embassies or provide information about sensitive sites by marking them on an online map.

In a statement, the Cyber ​​Directorate said it was a “familiar attempt to influence” and said the “threatening, dramatic, and worrying messages” were aimed at causing recipients “to act out of fear.”

One message reportedly sent to users said: “We assured you that soon you will see stars in the night sky that aren’t stars… soon you will see the sun in night skies,” in an apparent reference to Iranian missile attacks on Israel.

The directorate warned those who received the messages not to respond to them, click on any links included, or forward the messages to anyone else.

The directorate also said that receiving such a message doesn’t mean that a user’s phone or account has been hacked. It noted that while some messages appeared to come from organizations, among them IntelOP, Apocalypse, and BibiAlerts, that was only due to the way the messaging system was hacked. An image of text messages apparently sent from Iran to Israelis calling on them to cooperate with the Islamic Republic on May 12, 2026 (Israel Police)

In a statement, the Israel Police said it had received many calls from concerned people who received messages tied to the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The force likewise warned not to click on any links and advised users to block the contact from which the message came.

Police said the messages were intended to “cause public panic” and were an attempt by Iranian intelligence to recruit Israeli citizens at home and abroad to “advance intelligence gathering operations and terror in Israel.”

Police included a couple of examples of what the messages looked like.

One message said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran invites you to cooperate on intelligence. To cooperate, make contact with Iranian embassies in various countries or with one of the Iranian cyber activists on the internet. Build your future now.”

Another said that Iran would “buy your video clips of Iran’s war against Israel.”
IDF says 350 terrorists killed in Lebanon campaign
More than 350 terrorists have been killed in Southern Lebanon in recent weeks during operations targeting threats to Israeli civilians and troops, the Israel Defense Forces said on Tuesday.

The military said the strikes were carried out under existing understandings between Israel and Lebanon and included more than 1,100 Hezbollah targets. These included military structures, weapons-storage facilities, loaded launchers ready for use and other infrastructure, according to the IDF.

The IDF said it will continue operating to thwart threats in line with directives from Israel’s political leadership and existing bilateral understandings.

Israel’s military also on Tuesday highlighted the work of Golani Brigade troops over the past week in a special operation to clear terrorist infrastructure from the Litani River area and establish operational control in the area, which the IDF noted is south of the Forward Defense Line.

The Golani soldiers, under the command of the 36th Division, located compounds used by Hezbollah terrorists, tunnel routes containing large amounts of weapons, weapons-storage facilities and missile launchers.

The Israeli Air Force struck more than 100 targets in support of troops during the special operation, according to the IDF, which added that troops killed dozens of terrorists in close-quarters combat, alongside aerial support.

“During one of the encounters, the troops located and cleared a significant underground tunnel route used by Hezbollah terrorists,” the military said.

The IDF also provided an update on Hezbollah attacks throughout Tuesday, including a failed surface-to-surface missile launch aimed at an Israeli Air Force aircraft. The IDF said no damage was caused and no soldiers were injured. In what the military described as a “rapid response,” a terrorist fleeing the launch site on a motorcycle was struck. Additionally, the IAF intercepted “a number of suspicious aerial targets” identified in the area where soldiers were operating in Southern Lebanon. No sirens were sounded, in accordance with protocol.

In an earlier incident on Tuesday, Hezbollah launched several explosive drones toward IDF soldiers operating in Southern Lebanon, with no injuries reported.


IDF says it carried out weeklong raid on Hezbollah sites beyond Lebanon’s Litani River
The Israel Defense Forces announced Tuesday that its troops recently crossed the Litani River for a weeklong raid against Hezbollah, as the terror group’s leader rejected any attempt by Israeli and Lebanese officials to achieve its disarmament during upcoming peace talks in Washington.

The weeklong raid was led by the Golani Brigade’s Reconnaissance Unit. The IDF said the troops achieved “operational control” over the area and worked to clear it of Hezbollah infrastructure.

The soldiers did not cross the line demarcating the IDF’s new security zone in southern Lebanon, referred to by some in the army as the “Yellow Line,” which is also the term used for the ceasefire line in the Gaza Strip.

During the raid, the military said, troops encountered numerous Hezbollah operatives and killed dozens of them in close-quarters combat and by directing airstrikes.

Officers involved in the operation described the terrain as “very complex,” as the river in the area is situated in a forested valley. Despite this, the troops managed to cross the river with armored vehicles. The army carried out engineering activity in the area to enable easier crossing of the river by troops in the future if required, the army said.

The Israeli Air Force struck over 100 targets in the area in support of the ground troops, the military added.


IDF eliminates four terrorists in Gaza
Israeli forces identified and struck multiple terrorists in the Gaza Strip on Monday, the military said.

The Israel Defense Forces said troops operating in northern Gaza spotted five terrorists engaged in suspicious activity, as well as another who was monitoring forces and posed an immediate threat. In southern Gaza, troops in two separate incidents identified three individuals who had crossed the ceasefire-designated Yellow Line and approached Israeli forces.

The military said the Israeli Air Force, in coordination with ground troops, carried out strikes in all cases, killing four of the terrorists and hitting others.

“IDF troops under the Southern Command remain deployed in accordance with the ceasefire agreement and will continue to operate to remove any immediate threat,” the IDF said.


Belgium refuses to renew passport of Israeli citizen living in Jerusalem area beyond Green Line
An Israeli citizen said Tuesday that the Belgian consulate denied her request to renew her long-held Belgian passport because she lives in the Pisgat Zeev neighborhood of Jerusalem, located beyond the Green Line.

Annabelle Herciger-Tenzer told Channel 12 news that after submitting the request, she received the following response from the consulate: “After reviewing our population registry records, we found that you reside in a settlement that is not recognized under international law, to which Belgium is committed. Therefore, it was not possible to register you at this address in the population registry of the Belgian consulate in Jerusalem. Accordingly, we hereby inform you that you are no longer registered with this mission.”

“The feeling was simply like being slapped in the face,” Herciger-Tenzer, the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, who immigrated to Israel from Belgium in 1980, told the Hebrew network.

“I’ve been living in Pisgat Zeev for more than 20 years…suddenly, this emotional homeland is rejecting me. And for what? Not because, God forbid, I committed a crime, but because I live in Jerusalem,” she added.

Pisgat Zeev — Jerusalem’s largest residential neighborhood, home to some 50,000 people – falls within the municipal borders of Jerusalem but is across the 1949 armistice line known as the Green Line and is therefore considered an illegal Israeli settlement by the majority of the international community.

Brussels has taken an increasingly negative stance against Israel in the wake of the war against Hamas in Gaza and, along with many other European states, recognized a Palestinian state at the UN last year.

Responding to the allegations in a Hebrew-language message to The Times of Israel, the Foreign Ministry said it views the denial of services “with great severity,” calling it “a step that does not contribute to relations of trust between the countries.”
Brussels Pride withdraws demand that Jewish LGBT+ attendees hide their Jewishness
One of the largest LGBT+ pride events in Europe has reportedly reversed itself after originally telling a Belgian Jewish group that they could only join the event if their banners did not include a Star of David, or even the use of the word “Jewish”.

Brussels Pride, which is celebrating its thirtieth anniversary this year, is understand to have given Mazal Pride, an organisation representing LGBT+ Jews in Belgium, the condition if they wished to take part in the parade. In a post shared on the “BaLaGan! LGBT+ Jews in and around Brussels Facebook group”, one of the groups admins shared a post in which he told the hundreds of members of the group that “After several discussions with the organizers, our presence was finally accepted… but with conditions that deeply hurt us.

“Overall, they conveyed two positive messages:

“However, because of the second point, they fear that our participation could put us in danger. As a result, they would only potentially agree to our participation if we are forbidden from bringing our logo, the Magen David, or even using the word “Jewish” on our banners!”

The message continued: “Hearing this at an event that is supposed to celebrate pride and the freedom to exist was extremely painful. The message we ultimately receive is that our presence is acceptable only if it is not too visible. That we are welcome as long as we know how to hide… we refuse to accept erasing our identity as the solution. We refuse the idea that Jewish people should have to hide who they are in order to participate in a public, activist, and celebratory space.”

However, it went on to say that “After many internal discussions, we decided that we would not give them the satisfaction of our absence. We will be there. Jewish, queer, allies, and prouder than ever — even if we respect their request to participate without overly distinctive symbols… Right now, we truly need to feel that we are not alone.”
Israeli historical narrative struck from CUNY lawsuit, judge allows definition of Zionism to remain
A U.S. federal judge struck much of an Israeli Jew’s historical narrative on the Jewish state from a discrimination complaint against the City University of New York, though allowed key statements to remain, including descriptions of the link between Zionism and Jews.

Avraham Goldstein, an assistant mathematics professor at CUNY’s Borough of Manhattan Community College, lost a prior case filed with five other CUNY professors against CUNY and its antisemitic teachers’ union, seeking to be released from their exclusive, forced representation, as mandated by state law.

Earlier this year, he filed a new lawsuit, alleging employment discrimination and retaliation after complaining about a campus “Palestinian Solidarity Series.”

The lawsuit includes claims of religious and national origin discrimination and retaliation under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, New York State Human Rights Law and New York City Human Rights Law.

Judge Jeannette Vargas of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled on Monday that, at the request of a defendant, she was striking large portions of Goldstein’s third amended complaint.

That complaint included references to the origin of the Jewish people in the Middle East and the land of Israel, including under sovereignty, along with the Jewish people’s forced exile and return, as well as the history of Israel’s acceptance and Arab rejection of the U.N. partition plan following World War II.

In her decision, Vargas herself noted that it is rare for a judge to strike portions of a claim.

Still, she ruled that much of Goldstein’s claims about the history of the Middle East had no bearing on the case and that requiring the defendant “to either admit or deny allegations regarding historical events that took place in 136 C.E. would serve no purpose.”

Vargas added that “to the extent certain of these paragraphs set forth controverted and charged contentions regarding the creation of separate Israeli and Palestinian states in the Middle East, requiring defendant to respond to those immaterial allegations would be prejudicial.”

She did not, however, strike two claims made by Goldstein, including that he “is a Zionist by dint of his religion and his national origin.”
Citing Israel’s ‘international crimes,’ NYC student government trying to defund Hillel
The student senate at Manhattan’s New School announced its “landmark decision” to defund its Jewish students’ club earlier this month. Ironically, the decision came down shortly before Shabbat.

“Hillel at the New School is ineligible for funding from or collaboration with the [student senate] in any capacity,” the announcement said, accusing the Jewish club of “extensive ties to violations of international law.”

The vote — rejected by the university administration — marked the first time a US university’s student government had cut off its Hillel, long seen as the main address for Jewish life on most American campuses.

The announcement surprised the campus Hillel director, but the student senate had been quietly working toward the move for months, basing its decision on an anti-Israel base built in forums from the United Nations and human rights groups to medical journals and City Hall.

The process illustrated how a global network can come to bear on individual Jews, sparking fear in students and setting a precedent that could be used against Jewish clubs on other campuses.

“I saw all of my classmates posting, reposting and cheering,” an Israeli New School student said of the announcement against Hillel. “I thought, I’m not going to have a Jewish club anymore, which for me, is really home away from home and they supported me.”

“That’s the only place I felt safe as a Jewish student on campus,” she said.
Barcelona soccer star Lamine Yamal raises Palestinian flag during title parade
Barcelona star Lamine Yamal waved a Palestinian flag during an open-top bus parade as the team celebrated winning the Spanish title.

The 18-year-old winger, who is already widely regarded as one of the best soccer players in the world, held the flag as the team bus drove through the streets of Barcelona on Monday. He also posted pictures of himself holding it on his Instagram account.

On Tuesday, Barcelona coach Hansi Flick was questioned about Yamal’s decision to wave the flag.

“This I don’t normally like,” Flick told a news conference. “I spoke with him. I said if he wants this, it is his decision. He is old enough. He’s 18 years old.”

There has been a global backlash against Israel over the humanitarian toll of the war in Gaza, sparked by Hamas’s October 7, 2023, terror atrocities in Israel. This has spread to sport and culture, and protests have been seen in sports such as soccer, cycling and basketball.

Israel has repeatedly rejected the criticism, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu telling CBS’s “60 Minutes” this week, for instance, that “Israel has gone to unbelievable lengths to get innocent civilians out of harm’s way. We [send] millions of text messages to them– make millions of phone calls to them, pamphlets, leaflets, you name it… whereas Hamas and Hezbollah go out of their way to keep their own people in harm’s way… The proportion of civilian casualties, noncombatants to combatants is one of the lowest in the history of modern urban warfare.”

Spain is also boycotting the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, set to begin Tuesday, after its state broadcaster voted to withdraw if Israel takes part in the event.


Nazi-looted painting found in home of Dutch SS collaborator's descendants
A piece of artwork looted by the Nazis has resurfaced in the home of the family of a Dutch SS collaborator, according to a report in The Guardian detailing the findings of an art detective.

Portrait of a Young Girl, by Dutch artist Toon Kelder, was in the collection of Jewish art collector Jacques Goudstikker before it was taken when the Nazis invaded the Netherlands.

According to the report, the painting has hung in the home of Hendrik Seyffardt’s family for decades, leading to what art detective Arthur Brand describes as “the most bizarre case of my entire career”.

Brand was reportedly approached by a man who had only recently realized he was related to Seyffardt, who was one of the highest-ranking Dutch Nazi collaborators during World War II.

The man also revealed that the looted artwork had been hanging in the hallway of Seyffardt’s granddaughter’s home for years.

The granddaughter acknowledged to the unnamed relative that the painting had been stolen, but told him it was unsellable and asked him not to tell anyone, according to Brand.

The man told Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf that he felt ashamed that his family was displaying the painting and that “the painting should be returned to the heirs of Goudstikker,” which led him to contact Brand.
France arrests Tunisian from Djerba for terror plot on Jews
French authorities last week arrested a 27-year-old man from Tunisia, whom they suspect of planning a terrorist attack against a museum and on French Jews, Le Figaro reported on Monday.

According to the report, the man, identified in the media as Dhafer M., migrated illegally to France in 2022 from the island of Djerba, which houses the oldest synagogue in Africa and is one of a handful of locales in North Africa with a permanent Jewish community.

He had also planned to join the Islamic State terrorist group in Syria or in Mozambique, according to the report. Police found videos of jihadist propaganda and hundreds of photos of weapons on his cell phone. Police apprehended him after observing him patrolling certain areas of Paris, and he presented them with a falsified driver’s license, the report said.
Former Rep. Billy Long, nominated to be ambassador to Iceland, shares Nick Fuentes post
Former Rep. Billy Long (R-MO), who has been nominated by the Trump administration to be U.S. ambassador to Iceland, shared a three-minute clip of a speech by neo-Nazi influencer Nick Fuentes on X on Sunday.

In the clip — shared originally by the account Wall Street Apes, which praised the speech without identifying Fuentes — Fuentes rails against immigration, but does not invoke the virulently antisemitic, pro-Nazi or racist rhetoric for which he is notorious.

Long re-shared the video without any caption.

Fuentes, in the video, is wearing a large nametag that identifies him by his full name, and a caption that appears onscreen in the middle of the video also identifies him by name.

Long and the State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The former congressman is active on X, frequently sharing content from a range of conservative accounts on a variety of subjects, including other posts from the Wall Street Apes account.

Long briefly served as the commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service early in the Trump administration. Long is a frequent speaker at gatherings of the Republican Jewish Coalition and received a shoutout from Trump at the 2023 RJC summit in Las Vegas. Trump referred to him as “a friend of mine who’s been incredible,” and gave a nod to his former career as “the greatest auctioneer” — professional skills that Long has occasionally showcased on the House floor.
Toronto police arrest suspect in menorah vandalism
Toronto police officers arrested a 48-year-old man, who allegedly committed a hate crime by vandalizing a large menorah outside a Jewish community center, the Toronto Police Service said on Tuesday.

Jeffrey Johnston was charged with mischief to property under $5,000 Canadian, or about $3,500, for allegedly knocking the menorah down on April 10.

“The accused was identified as a result of tips received from the public,” police said.
Pub apologises after accepting ‘Golders Greed’ quiz team name days after terror stabbings
A Yorkshire pub has apologised after hosting a quiz where the winning team was allowed to call itself “Golders Green should be Golders Greed”, just days after a stabbing in the neighbourhood, which contains one of the UK’s largest Jewish communities.

As reported by The Telegraph, staff at The Crown at Boston Spa, a gastropub in West Yorkshire, did not object when the name was submitted to the quiz moderator by the team in question, which went on to win. The event was held on 4 May – five days beforehand, an individual stabbed to visibly Jewish men in Golders Green before being pacified by the police.

Reportedly, no-one present took any public issue with the name, with the incident only coming to light after an individual who had been at the quiz told a member of their family, who felt moved to complain.

As per The Telegraph, the individual who complained, who was not Jewish, said they were “ashamed to call The Crown my local… This was absolutely outrageous, and is both insensitive and racist towards innocent British Jews.

“How was this allowed in our local pub? Which member of staff felt this insensitive and damaging team name was acceptable? This type of public victimisation perpetuates ill feeling and alienation towards a minority group. To be blunt, it incites hatred.”


S&P affirms Israel’s A/A-1 rating with stable outlook
S&P Global Ratings on Friday affirmed Israel’s sovereign credit rating at A/A-1 with a stable outlook, assessing that despite ongoing security risks from conflicts involving Iran, Gaza and Lebanon, the country’s economy and external position remain strong enough to contain the macroeconomic fallout.

“The stable outlook reflects our view that military de-escalation, underpinned by the ceasefire agreements, will lower immediate security risk for Israel,” the U.S. credit rating agency wrote. “The outlook reflects our assumption that possible military hostilities will remain episodic and contained, even if tensions between Israel and Iran and its proxies persist and the broader regional security environment remains fragile.”

Key factors supporting the affirmation include Israel’s wealthy, innovation- and technology-driven economy, large net external asset position, deep local capital markets and credible, flexible monetary policy. Constraints include heightened geopolitical risk and persistently elevated defense and security spending, which continue to weigh on public finances.

After a sharp conflict-related hit to output in early 2026, S&P expects the economy to begin recovering in mid-2026, with real GDP growth approaching 6% in 2027, though still below its pre-war trend.
NGO Monitor founder steps down after 25 years
NGO Monitor founder professor Gerald M. Steinberg will step down from day-to-day leadership after 25 years in the role, the organization announced on Tuesday.

Steinberg, who launched the watchdog group in 2002, will become president emeritus effective Jan. 1, 2027. Vice President Olga Deutsch will assume the roles of CEO and president.

Deutsch, who has been with the organization for more than a decade and led its European outreach and partnerships, said she would continue advancing NGO Monitor’s mission of scrutinizing human rights groups and informing policymakers.

“I step into this role with humility and a profound sense of historic responsibility,” said Deutsch. “Gerald foresaw that human rights groups would weaponize their influence against the Jewish state and Jewish communities worldwide; since October 7, that warning has become reality, with the threat growing every day. At this critical moment, NGO Monitor stands singularly positioned to expose the actors behind these campaigns, and to arm decision-makers with facts needed to inform sound policy decisions. Together with our exceptional team, and our professional and lay leadership, I am honored to lead this mission forward.”

Steinberg said he would remain involved in research and writing and expressed confidence in Deutsch’s leadership.
In the Łódź Ghetto, Jews defied Nazis through art. Now it is exhibited in Jerusalem
In the fall of 1940, in the midst of starvation, overcrowding and fear inside Poland’s infamous Łódź Ghetto, a group of Jewish artists did something inconceivable: They organized an art exhibition.

The show, led by painters Yitzhak (Vincenty) Brauner and Izrael Lejzerowicz, transformed a commandeered room into a gallery displaying works created by ghetto inmates. Despite the dire conditions, thousands came.

“It wasn’t easy to pay the entrance fee,” Brauner later wrote. “The exhibition was displayed for six weeks, and 12,000 people came to see it. Porters, cobblers and peddlers, simple folk from Bałuty [an impoverished neighborhood in Łódź] about whom people used to say that art played no part in their world, they were the ones who showed great interest in the exhibition.”

That unlikely moment of cultural life under Nazi rule is now at the center of “A Shared Destiny,” an exhibition at Yad Vashem, Israel’s national Holocaust remembrance center.

The exhibition, which will remain open for several months, explores how Jewish artists in Łódź continued to create, collaborate and document daily life even as their world collapsed around them.

“They protested the Nazi persecution by drawing to show what was happening,” said Orly Nachmani-Ohana, associate art curator at Yad Vashem. “Many were forced to produce propaganda for the Judenrat [Nazi-appointed Jewish council], but secretly they continued working for themselves, trying to maintain their identities.”
Despite anti-Israel chants in arena, Israel’s Noam Bettan advances to Eurovision final
Israel’s Noam Bettan qualified on Tuesday night for the grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, after his semifinal performance garnered him enough points to advance.

Bettan performed “Michelle” in French, Hebrew and English over the sounds of “stop the genocide” chanting in the Wiener Stadthalle in the Austrian capital, which could be heard on the live broadcast at the start of the song. Austrian public broadcaster ORF had said it would not use anti-booing technology during the show.

According to the local Österreich newspaper, two people who were interrupting the broadcast were physically removed from the arena by security.

“I heard the boos, but quickly afterward, I heard calls from people on our side who were making noise and lifting me up,” Bettan said in a video message shortly after the performance. “And it immediately lifted my spirits and warmed my heart. It filled me up, it gave me strength.”

Bettan told The Times of Israel in an interview last month that had been practicing to the sounds of booing in order to be prepared.

“Thank you so much, toda raba,” he said on stage after completing the song. “Thank you Europe, I love you.”


Irish writer calls public broadcaster’s decision not to air Eurovision ‘antisemitic’
Irish writer Graham Linehan has accused Ireland’s public broadcaster RTE of antisemitism for airing his “Father Ted” comedy instead of the Eurovision Song Contest in protest at Israel.

As the Eurovision semifinals kicked off in Vienna on Tuesday, Ireland has been one of several countries involved in the biggest-ever political boycott of the song contest over Israel’s participation.

“I did not give my permission for Father Ted to be used as a prop in an antisemitic political gesture,” Linehan said in a social media post.

“I object to it in the strongest possible terms,” he added.

Israel’s war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip prompted Ireland and four other countries — Spain, Slovenia, the Netherlands and Iceland — to withdraw from the glitzy annual extravaganza.

RTE said in December that it “feels that Ireland’s participation remains unconscionable given the appalling loss of lives in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there which continues to put the lives of so many civilians at risk.”

Like Ireland, Spain and Slovenia are refusing to broadcast this week’s contest.

During Saturday’s final, the Irish broadcaster will show a Eurovision-related episode of the popular 1990s Father Ted sitcom about hapless Irish priests that Linehan co-wrote.

Linehan said RTE’s boycott “is not a principled humanitarian stand.”

“It is antisemitism — the oldest hatred — dressed up in the language of human rights,” he added.

“Ireland is better than this. RTE must be held accountable,” he added, calling for the resignation of the broadcaster’s director.



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