President Joe Biden is expected to sign the legislation into law on Wednesday.

The Senate on Tuesday evening backed the measure passed by the US house of representatives on Saturday.

It includes $61bn in military aid for Ukraine, which the Pentagon says can start being delivered to the war-torn nation “within days”.

It passed in a bipartisan vote of 79-18.

Mr Biden hailed its passage in a statement late on Tuesday, calling it “critical legislation [that] will make our nation and world more secure as we support our friends who are defending themselves against terrorists like Hamas and tyrants like [Russian President Vladimir] Putin”.

Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said: “After more than six months of hard work and many twists and turns in the road, America sends a message to the entire world: we will not turn our back on you.”

Reacting to the vote, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said it “reinforces America’s role as a beacon of democracy and leader of the free world”.

The Senate passed a similar aid package in February, but a group of conservatives who oppose new Ukraine support had prevented it from coming to a vote in the House of Representatives.

Last week, Democrats and Republicans in the lower chamber joined together to bypass this opposition.

They ultimately agreed to a package bill that included the foreign aid as well as legislation to confiscate Russian assets held by Western banks; new sanctions on Russia, Iran and China; and a provision that will force the Chinese company ByteDance to sell the popular social media service TikTok.

In the House on Saturday, a majority of Republicans in the chamber voted against the foreign aid package.

The bill also faced resistance among a handful of Senate Republicans who opposed any new aid to Ukraine.

Fifteen voted with two Democrats – as well as independent Senator Bernie Sanders who objected to providing new offensive weapons to Israel – against the bill.

“Pouring more money into Ukraine’s coffers will only prolong the conflict and lead to more loss of life,” Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville said in remarks on Tuesday.

“No one at the White House, the Pentagon, or the state department can articulate what victory looks like in this fight.”

The aid package is expected to provide a significant boost to Ukraine’s forces, which have suffered from a shortage of ammunition and air defence systems in recent months.

On Tuesday, Ukraine’s second city, Kharkiv, faced the latest in a series of recent drone and missile strikes, with authorities saying two people in a residential neighbourhood were injured.

The commander of Ukraine’s National Guard, Oleksandr Pivnenko, said he was expecting an attempt by Russian forces to advance on the city, which is near the Russian border.

Between February 2022 and January 2024, the US gave Ukraine more than $40bn in military aid, according to German research organisation, the Kiel Institute.

Aid for Israel and Taiwan

The foreign aid package passed on Tuesday also allocates $17bn to Israel, as well as $9bn for civilians suffering in conflict zones around the world, including Palestinians in Gaza.

A further $8bn has been earmarked for allies in the Asia-Pacific, including Taiwan, to “counter communist China”.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz reacted to the vote by thanking congressional leaders for their “unwavering commitment to Israel’s security”.

“Israel and the United States stand together in the fight against terrorism, defending democracy and our shared values,” he said.

The US already provides Israel with $3.8bn in military aid each year.

Over in Asia, a Chinese government spokeswoman called the military aid for Taiwan a “serious violation of the one-China principle” that would “send the wrong signal to the pro-independence separatist forces” in Taiwan.

“We urge the US to take practical actions to fulfil its commitment not to support Taiwan independence by not arming Taiwan in any way,” she said.

Taiwan’s incoming President William Lai said the aid package would “strengthen deterrence against authoritarianism”.

Taiwan is a self-governing island and considers itself distinct from China, but Beijing views it as a breakaway province and hopes to bring it back under its own control.

TikTok ban

The national security package also includes a provision that could lead to a nationwide ban on TikTok.

The popular social media app’s China-based parent company has nine months to sell its stake and find a US-approved buyer or see TikTok shut down across the US.

The statute gives the US president the option of extending the deadline by an additional 90 days, which means the latest the ban could take effect is nearly a year from now.

The TikTok provision drew bipartisan support, with lawmakers arguing that the Chinese government could invoke security laws to compel ByteDance to hand over data about the app’s estimated 170 million US users.

TikTok has repeatedly said it has not provided, and would not provide, its foreign user data to the Chinese government.

Related videos:

Source : BBC , Author: Anthony Zurcher

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The administration of United States President Joe Biden has imposed new sanctions on Iran in response to its missile and drone attack on Israel, as tensions mount over the possibility of further escalation in the Middle East.

In a statement on Thursday, Biden said the sanctions targeted “leaders and entities connected to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran’s Defense Ministry, and the Iranian government’s missile and drone program that enabled” the April 13 attack on Israel.

“As I discussed with my fellow G7 [Group of Seven] leaders the morning after the attack, we are committed to acting collectively to increase economic pressure on Iran,” the US president said.

“And our allies and partners have or will issue additional sanctions and measures to restrict Iran’s destabilizing military programs.”

Iran launched hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel in the early hours on Sunday, in retaliation for the deadly bombing of the Iranian consulate in Syria’s capital, Damascus, earlier this month.

The attacks came amid months of escalating regional tensions linked to Israel’s months-long bombardment of the Gaza strip. The war in Gaza has killed more than 33,900 Palestinians and plunged the coastal enclave into a humanitarian crisis.

The Biden administration — which has faced pressure to curb its support for Israel amid the conflict in Gaza — is now facing calls to restrain the Israeli government’s response to Iran’s attack.

Despite an international push for de-escalation, Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have pledged to respond.

This is a moment — given the fact we’re looking into the abyss in terms of the region — that Biden has to be much clearer and much stronger in drawing a red line for Israel and Netanyahu not to bring the entire region into a war,” Trita Parsi of the Washington-based Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft told Al Jazeera after the Iranian attack.

Thursday’s sanctions targeted 16 people and two entities linked to the production of Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), or drones, including models that were used in the Iranian attack against Israel, according to the US Treasury.

Washington also sanctioned five companies that provide materials for steel production in Iran, as well as three subsidiaries of an Iranian automaker accused of offering assistance to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The Treasury added that the United Kingdom was also imposing sanctions on people and entities involved in Iran’s UAV and ballistic missile industries.

In a separate statement, the British government said it sanctioned the General Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces, the IRGC Navy and individuals affiliated with Iran’s Aerospace Industries Organisation.

RELATED VIDEOS:

Source: Al Jazeera

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Recorded in the midst of a tense situation, the video showcases individuals harmonizing in a collective act of worship, standing resolute in their determination to protect themselves. This blending of self-defense with spiritual expression serves as a powerful testament to the complexity of human responses in the face of crisis.

The unique way in which these Israelis navigate the complexities of conflict underscores the impact of faith. The melodic affirmation of their beliefs not only provides comfort to those involved but also symbolizes a collective resilience that transcends the immediate challenges posed by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

As the video continues to circulate, it sparks discussions about the diverse ways individuals draw strength during times of adversity in conflict zones. Faith emerges as a unifying force, offering a sense of purpose and connection even in the face of danger.

In a historical reflection, the Raid on Entebbe in 1976 stands as a defining moment in Israeli history. As contemporary events unfold, the Hebrew verse “Hine ma tov u’ma nayim, shevet achim gam yachad” echoes through time, becoming an anthem of unity and hope.

As Israeli forces face unprecedented challenges, the soldiers find strength in the timeless words of Psalm 133:1. “Hine Ma Tov,” translating to “Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity,” becomes a source of inspiration, symbolizing the resilience and determination of the Israeli people in the face of adversity during both historical and contemporary conflicts.

Decades later, the Raid on Entebbe remains a testament to the indomitable human spirit and the power of unity, offering a historical perspective on the strength derived from communal bonds. As the world reflects on these instances, the unique blend of self-defense and spiritual expression sheds light on the intricate ways people cope with adversity during the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Author: Christian Fellow

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Earlier this week, Hamas’s armed wing announced that Shiri, Kfir and Ariel had been killed in an Israeli bombing before the now-lapsed truce went into effect — a claim Israel’s military has said it is investigating, but has yet to confirm.

Combat between Israel and Hamas resumed in the Gaza Strip Friday morning after an agreement could not be reached on prolonging the seven-day pause in fighting.

Under the terms of the temporary truce, Hamas had returned scores of Israeli hostages in exchange for the release of more than 200 Palestinian prisoners.

“Throughout the night, indirect negotiations unfolded to extend the truce,” the Palestinian militant group said in a statement Friday.

“Hamas also offered to transfer the Bibas family’s bodies and release their father for their burial, along with two Zionist detainees,” it added.

Israeli authorities “remained unresponsive”, it said.

The Israeli prime minister’s office meanwhile told AFP “Israel will not address propaganda-based reports coming from Hamas”.

As of Thursday, reports of the deaths of the three Bibas family members remained unconfirmed, according to army spokesman Daniel Hagari.

The army has previously said “Hamas is wholly responsible for the security of all hostages”.

Government spokesman Eylon Levy on Friday blamed Hamas for the collapse of the truce, accusing it of “having failed to provide a list of more hostages for release”.

He said Hamas was still holding 137 hostages taken on October 7, including the Bibas family.

The family were among the roughly 240 hostages dragged back to Gaza after militants streamed into Israel in an attack that left 1,200 people dead, most of them civilians, according to Israeli officials.

Israel’s ensuing war against the group has killed more than 15,000 people, also mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run government in Gaza.

© 2023 AFP

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The promise of God to the Israelites that he will walk among them and be their God is refreshing. As a people who have embarked on a lonely journey to an unfamiliar land, they needed this assurance to keep them going. We Christians also need this assurance in our difficult and lonely journey.

Providentially, we also have such refreshing assurances. Some of them are “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews13:5);
“And behold. I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20); “For I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you” (Acts 18:10). God’s promises to the Israelites however came with a condition; thus, in Leviticus 26:3, God told them, “If you walk in my statutes and observe my commandments and do them,” then.. “I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you.” (v.1). God also promised to prosper them. He again promised to give them peace and security (vv.6-7). Above all, he will give them victory over their enemies (vv.8-10). Do you desire to experience God’s constant presence and
blessings upon your life? Then walk in his statutes and obey his commandments.

Meditation And Prayer:

Father, help me to walk in your statutes so I can enjoy your blessings.

Further Reading: Deuteronomy 11:13-15; Ezekiel 37:26-28

Key Lesson: God’s presence is with those who walk according to his statutes.

Source: The Word Daily Devotional by the Global Evangelical Church; Posted: Rashida Yakubu

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In a statement, the military said the man attempted to stab a resident in the Tene Omarim settlement and was shot by an armed civilian. It said the incident had set off an alarm and soldiers were scanning the area.

The Palestinian Health ministry confirmed the death and identified the killed man as Alaa Qissaya, 28.

Security camera footage from the site shows a Palestinian male crawling in under a gate and walking into the settlement while holding a knife. The video does not show the alleged stabbing attempt, or the man being shot.

The settlement is located near Hebron, a flashpoint city in the southern West Bank, which is a frequent site of friction between Palestinian residents and Jewish settlers.

Meanwhile, Jewish settlers attacked Palestinian farmers and torched five vehicles at the village of al-Mughayyir near the city of Ramallah, the official Palestinian news agency reported. It said five farmers were beaten and injured by the settlers. Israeli media reported that Israeli forces were sent in to bring the situation under control. There was no immediate comment from the military.

The incidents occurred as Jews were celebrating Shavuot, a festival marking the day that Jews believe the Torah was given to Moses on Mount Sinai in Egypt.

It was the latest in more than a year-long spate of violence in the West Bank. During that time, Israel has expanded near-nightly military raids throughout the area in response to an increase in Palestinian attacks.

At least 113 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank and east Jerusalem this year, with nearly half of them members of armed militant groups, according to an Associated Press tally. But stone-throwing youths and people uninvolved in violence have also been killed. The Israeli army said the number of Palestinian militants killed is much higher.

Meanwhile, Palestinian attacks on Israeli targets in those areas have killed 20 people.

Israel captured the West Bank and east Jerusalem, along with the Gaza Strip, in the 1967 Mideast war. Palestinians seek these territories for a future state.

Some 700,000 Israelis now live in settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem. Most of the international community considers these settlements illegal or obstacles to peace.

Source: independent.co.uk, Author: AP News

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SAN FRANCISCO — Police have arrested a man suspected of firing a gun loaded with blanks inside a San Francisco synagogue.

The man was arrested Friday evening in the Richmond District on suspicion of disturbing a religious assembly, brandishing an imitation firearm and causing another to refrain from engaging in a religious service, police said in a statement.

Dmitri Mishin, 51, of San Francisco was booked into jail shortly before 12:30 a.m. Saturday and was being held without bail, according to a San Francisco Sheriff’s Office website.

It wasn’t immediately known whether he had an attorney to speak on his behalf.

Shortly before 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Mishin is suspected of walking into the Schneerson Center on Balboa Street, which holds religious services and classes along with social activities for the local Russian Jewish community.

Surveillance video posted without sound by KTVU-TV showed a man wearing a baseball cap, jacket and sneakers entering a room with more than a dozen people at a table. The man made hand gestures before taking out a gun and firing several shots. As an elderly man approached him, he headed to the door, salut

ed and left.

Mattie Pil, the president of the synagogue, told the San Francisco Chronicle that her husband, Rabbi Bentzion Pil, was sitting at a table with about 25 senior citizens who were at a study session when a man entered.

Asked where he was from, the man said he was from Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency. He then pulled out the gun, Mattie Pil said.

(Screenshot from ABC7 news, used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

SAN FRANCISCO — Police have arrested a man suspected of firing a gun loaded with blanks inside a San Francisco synagogue.

The man was arrested Friday evening in the Richmond District on suspicion of disturbing a religious assembly, brandishing an imitation firearm and causing another to refrain from engaging in a religious service, police said in a statement.

Dmitri Mishin, 51, of San Francisco was booked into jail shortly before 12:30 a.m. Saturday and was being held without bail, according to a San Francisco Sheriff’s Office website.

It wasn’t immediately known whether he had an attorney to speak on his behalf.

Shortly before 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Mishin is suspected of walking into the Schneerson Center on Balboa Street, which holds religious services and classes along with social activities for the local Russian Jewish community.

Surveillance video posted without sound by KTVU-TV showed a man wearing a baseball cap, jacket and sneakers entering a room with more than a dozen people at a table. The man made hand gestures before taking out a gun and firing several shots. As an elderly man approached him, he headed to the door, saluted and left.

Mattie Pil, the president of the synagogue, told the San Francisco Chronicle that her husband, Rabbi Bentzion Pil, was sitting at a table with about 25 senior citizens who were at a study session when a man entered.

Asked where he was from, the man said he was from Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency. He then pulled out the gun, Mattie Pil said.

The people at the table seemed to remain calm but the rabbi said they were stunned.

“We were shocked,” he said. “No one was expecting it. I was about to go to the kitchen to get a knife… but the whole thing took like 20 seconds.”

No injuries or damage were reported and investigators believe the man used blanks.

A day before that shooting, Mishin is believed to have entered a theater several blocks away on Balboa Street, brandished a gun and fled, police said. No shots were fired in that incident.

Source: timesofisrael.com

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