Thursday 30 Sivan – Co-op to stop stocking Israeli goods after pressure from activist members – Trump says Israel sent agents into Irans Fordo nuclear site, saw total obliteration – Trump demands end to PMs trial: The US saved Israel, and now is going to save Bibi- Netanyahu says Hamas taking control of humanitarian aid in Gaza

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In a powerful show of kavod haTorah, leading roshei yeshiva from across Eretz Yisroel gathered Wednesday at Ben Gurion Airport to welcome HaRav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, Rosh Yeshivas Slabodka, upon his return from a highly successful fundraising trip for Keren Olam HaTorah.

The event, held in the Fattal lounge, was attended by prominent gedolim, including Rav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel (Mir), Rav Chaim Peretz Berman (Ponovezh), Rav Avraham Salim (Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah), Rav Kook (Maor HaTalmud), and others. MK Yitzchok Pindrus and his chief of staff, Moshe Reber, oversaw the logistical arrangements alongside police and airport officials.

Upon entering, Rav Hirsch was greeted with great warmth, as the assembled rabbonim rose to honor him. In a brief address, he expressed deep gratitude to Hashem for the success of the mission. “Contrary to fears that people wouldn’t give again, this year they gave even more,” he said, sharing that donors responded with remarkable generosity.

Gedolim including Rav Finkel, Rav Salim, and Rav Berman offered words of brachah and appreciation, hailing Rav Hirsch’s dedication to sustaining Torah learning. The Rosh Yeshiva has since returned home and resumed his regular schedule of learning and hadrachah.

At a moving Keren Olam HaTorah fundraising dinner hosted by philanthropist R’ Jimmy Khezrie, the mashgiach, Rav Don Segal, delivered a powerful address, framing recent cuts to government funding for yeshivos and kollelim as a clear message from Heaven.

Despite his frail health, Rav Segal made a special effort to attend, drawing an emotional response from the crowd who greeted him with heartfelt song. “He came despite his weakness to help save the Torah world,” the host remarked.

In his speech, Rav Segal said, “It is the will of Hashem at this time that the funding for yeshivos come solely from Jews who are shomrei Torah u’mitzvos, who fear Hashem.” He emphasized that the current crisis is not a tragedy but an opportunity to merit Heaven’s favor. “Hashem wants to bring merit to Klal Yisroel by ensuring that Torah is supported by those who uphold it.”

Quoting the Chovos Halevavos, Rav Segal stressed, “The little that is pure is the greatest.” Even if the financial support is less, he explained, its purity makes it far more valuable. “Torah must now be sustained with pure funds—from yirei Shamayim across all circles.”

British supermarket chain Co-op has announced it will stop selling produce from Israel, citing human rights concerns and pressure from its membership. The move is part of a broader sourcing policy affecting 17 countries, including Iran, Syria, Myanmar, and Yemen.

Israeli-grown carrots are among the items set to be removed from shelves beginning in June 2025, as part of a phased rollout. The retailer claims it used evidence from the United Nations to determine which countries were linked to “community-wide human rights abuses and violations of international law.”

In a statement, Co-op said it was responding to calls from members urging the company to promote peace and align its sourcing policies with co-operative values. Board chair Debbie White said the policy “reflects our commitment to doing the right thing.”

Critics, however, say the policy appears to single out Israel under the influence of pro-BDS campaigners. Sabra hummus — frequently targeted by anti-Israel activists — remains available on Co-op’s website.

The decision follows a recent advisory vote by Co-op members backing a total boycott of Israeli goods. The vote has drawn controversy, with some accusing campaigners of misusing statistics about deaths in Gaza.

Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old Democratic Socialist, declared victory Tuesday night in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary, positioning himself to become the city’s first Muslim mayor. With over 93% of ballots counted, Mamdani led with 43.5%, ahead of former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who conceded after trailing at 36.4%.

While Mamdani focused his campaign on economic issues such as proposing a public grocery chain, his controversial record on Israel has sparked widespread concern. A long-time supporter of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, Mamdani has accused Israel of apartheid and avoided directly condemning Hamas after its October 7 massacre. His initial response blamed Israel’s actions while omitting Hamas altogether.

Mamdani has defended inflammatory slogans like “Globalize the Intifada,” compared the term to anti-Nazi uprisings, and dismissed criticism as “bad-faith manipulation.” He also authored the “Not on Our Dime!” Act, a bill seeking to restrict donations to Israeli causes—legislation slammed by 66 lawmakers as an attack on Jewish charities.

He has consistently avoided ceremonial support for Israel or Holocaust commemorations, drawing rebuke from groups like the ADL and Holocaust Museum. Following the October 7 attacks, Mamdani was arrested during pro-Palestinian protests and called Israel’s response a “genocide.”

Critics argue Mamdani has amplified division, particularly within New York’s Jewish community. His appearance with controversial figures like Hasan Piker and his vocal opposition to Israel Day events have further fueled backlash.

Despite this, Mamdani now heads to the general election as the Democratic nominee, facing independent incumbent Eric Adams. His candidacy raises sharp questions about the direction of the Democratic Party—and whether someone with such polarizing views can unite America’s most diverse city.

Thousands of Eurostar passengers are suffering severe delays and last-minute cancellations due to cable theft – a day after two track fatalities caused disruption.

The latest delays come after 600 metres of copper cables were stolen overnight in the city of Lille in northern France, according to reports in the country.

Eurostar said this was forcing it to run services on alternative routes, causing extended journey times.

Its services were already disrupted because many trains and staff members were out of position after two fatalities on rail lines in France on Tuesday.

The operator said it was handing out water to passengers on delayed trains, and it has teams at stations to provide assistance.

Affected passengers are able to change their travel plans free of charge, or request a full refund.

In a post on X, Eurostar said the cable theft meant trains were likely to be “subject to severe delays and last-minute cancellations”, adding: “We advise you to cancel or postpone your trip.”

US special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff reiterates his belief that additional countries will join the Abraham Accords.

“We think we will have big announcements on countries that are coming into the Abraham Accords,” he tells CNBC in an interview.

He made a similar prediction at an Israel Independence Day event last month. “We think [we] will have some, or a lot of announcements, very, very shortly, which we hope will yield great progress by next year.”

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US President Donald Trump on Wednesday suggested that Israel sent agents to Iran’s Fordo nuclear site after US struck it earlier this week, insisting the attack was a success and warning that he was willing to strike again if Iran tried to revive its enrichment program.

“You know they have guys that go in there after the hit, and they said it was total obliteration,” Trump told reporters at the NATO summit in The Hague, speaking about the bombing of Fordo.

“Israel is doing a report on it now, I understand, and I was told that they said it was total obliteration. I believe it was total obliteration, and I believe they didn’t have a chance to get anything out because we acted fast.”

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US President Donald Trump demands the Israeli justice system drop its corruption case against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“I was shocked to hear that the State of Israel, which has just had one of its Greatest Moments in History, and is strongly led by Bibi Netanyahu, is continuing its ridiculous Witch Hunt against their Great War Time Prime Minister!” Trump writes in a lengthy post on Truth Social.

Trump calls the corruption probe a “politically motivated case.”

“Bibi Netanyahu’s trial should be CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY, or a Pardon given to a Great Hero, who has done so much for the State,” Trump says.

“It was the United States of America that saved Israel, and now it is going to be the United States of America that saves Bibi Netanyahu. THIS TRAVESTY OF ‘JUSTICE’ CAN NOT BE ALLOWED!” he says.

Hamas is taking control of humanitarian aid entering the northern Gaza Strip and stealing it from Gazan civilians, says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz in a joint late-night statement.

They instruct the IDF to present to them within 48 hours a plan to keep Hamas from stealing aid, according to the statement.

The announcement comes an hour after former prime minister Naftali Bennett, who looks to be a leading challenger to Netanyahu in the next election, posted on X a video of armed men he says are Hamas operatives riding on trucks full of humanitarian aid that they had taken over. He wrote that soldiers in the ground told him their orders are to let trucks in to Gaza with no attempt to control what happens to them.

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