Fetterman fights for Israel
Senator John Fetterman (D-Pa.) gave a rousing response to an interviewer from the New York Times who criticized Israel’s use of pagers to combat Hezbollah terrorists. And he continued to defend Israel as the interviewer threw more provocative questions his way.
Druze on board of Jewish Agency
The Jewish Agency for Israel has elected a member of Israel’s Druze minority to its board of governors. Col. (res.) Mofid Marai, 65, is a former Knesset member and ex-commander of the IDF’s predominantly Druze Herev (“Sword”) Battalion.
Less food waste
Israel’s Knesset has approved legislation obliging the public sector to donate unused food that can be distributed to vulnerable populations. NGOs such as Leket will collect surplus food from places such as Government ministries, the IDF, prisons, municipalities, religious councils, and hospitals.
Cycling for pediatrics
The first annual “Wheels of Love” charity bike ride since the start of the Gaza war attracted 330 riders who raised around $3 million for the ALYN pediatric rehabilitation center (see ). The event dedicated to a fallen soldier) was held in stages over 4 days and 62 miles from the Dead Sea to Jerusalem.
Druze saves Israeli fans in Amsterdam
Quick-thinking by a Druze-Israeli fan of Maccabi Tel Aviv saved fellow Israeli fans from being beaten by Arabs in Amsterdam. Malham Asaad shouted in Arabic to distract the attackers. He then urged the Israelis to hide all identifying symbols.
Rare monk seal returns to Israel
Despite the war, Maya - a rare Mediterranean monk seal - has returned to Israel’s shore at Rosh Hanikra near the Lebanon border. It is Maya’s 6th visit since 2010. In 2023 another monk seal, affectionately named Yulia, made two long visits to Tel Aviv’s beach in 2023 (see previously).
Where spinning technology began
12,000-year-old spindle whorls have been unearthed at Nahal Ein Gev in the Upper Jordan Valley. They provides the earliest known evidence of fast-spinning technology in the Levant, predating previously known textile tools by 4,000 years.
25,000 cranes fly to Israel
At the beginning of the annual bird migration season, 25,000 cranes arrived at the Agmon reserve in the Hula Valley in the Upper Galilee. Serving as a critical migration stopover, the park hosts more than 390 bird species twice a year. Amazing video at 2nd link.
Exposing disinformation
Israel’s Cyabra (see previously) has exposed a fake video campaign in Japan that advocates the independence of Okinawa, Japan’s southernmost region that hosts several US military bases. Cyabra’s tools revealed that protest videos were compilations of unrelated events.
Screening baggage at Las Vegas airport
The AI-based baggage security screening system from Israel’s SeeTrue (see previously) has been undergoing trials at Las Vegas’ Harry Reid airport. These were managed by the Department of Homeland Security together with the Transport Security Administration.