Is there a genocide of white South Africans as Trump claims?

 https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9wg5pg1xp5o

None of South Africa's political parties - including those that represent Afrikaners and the white community in general - have claimed that there is a genocide in South Africa.

But such claims have been circulating among right-wing groups for many years and Trump also referred to a genocide during his first term.

The claims stem from attacks on white farmers, or misleading information circulated online.

In February, a South African judge dismissed the idea of a genocide as "clearly imagined" and "not real", when ruling in an inheritance case involving a wealthy benefactor's donation to white supremacist group Boerelegioen.

Defending his decision to give Afrikaners refugee status, Trump said that a "genocide" was taking place in South Africa, white farmers were being "brutally killed" and their "land is being confiscated".

Soap Liquid on Shabbos

Igros Moshe (OC I #113) Question: Can one wash with soap on Shabbos and Yom Tov?Answer It is clearly prohibited because of the prohibition of smoothing and erasing (memachek). Even if it is as soft as water which people are customarily lenient it is not clear to me that it is permitted since in the washing process it spreads out which indicates there is still a process of smoothing. It might be that the prohibition of smoothing doesn’t apply to a liquid. However in my home I do not permit the use of liquid soap and it is best for all to be strict. 

Shaking hands with women

 Igros Moshe (E.H. IV #32.9):Shaking hands with women as greeting. It is obviously prohibited as I have written previously (O.C. 113) because of concerns for sexual arousal and pleasure. However I wrote (E.H. 56) that if you see religious Jews who are lenient to judge them favorably and assume that they are relying on the absence of sexual arousal and pleasure but I also wrote there that it is difficult to rely on this. I don’t see any inconsistency between prohibiting shaking hands but permitting riding on buses (E.H. 2:14) since there is no affection involved there for almost everyone

Igros Moshe (OC I #133):Question : Is it permissible to shake a women’s hand for a greeting? Answer It is clearly prohibited even if she is not married since she is a Niddah and ir is surely prohibited if she is married

Igros Moshe (EH I #56): Question : Is it permissible to shake a women’s hand for a greeting?Answer This that you have seen even religious people who are lenient in this, perhaps it is because they think that if there is no pleasure or lust involved it is permitted. It is difficult to rely on that.

Obligation to donate organs to save another’s Life?

Igros Moshe (YD 2:174.4)  Question: Is there an obligation to donate organs or limbs to save a life? Answer: Since this remains a dispute among rabbinical authorities it is not obligatory. One does not have to place oneself even in possible danger to save another’s life 

Haredi parties' Knesset boycott to continue for third straight week

 https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-854493

The haredi (ultra-Orthodox) boycott of Knesset plenum voting will continue for the third straight week, spokespeople from all three haredi factions (Shas, Degel Hatorah, and Agudat Yisrael) confirmed on Sunday.

The boycott’s intention is to pressure the government to proceed with a law proposal to regulate haredi service in the IDF, which will likely exempt a large portion of eligible haredi men.

The boycott has only been applied to preliminary votes on new laws and on new government laws, but not on laws that are already making their way through the legislative system.

UN conference on two-state solution to Israel-Palestinian conflict set for June

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/un-conference-on-two-state-solution-to-israel-palestinian-conflict-set-for-june/

An international conference meant to resurrect the idea of a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict will take place from June 17 to 20 at the United Nations headquarters in New York, a UN spokeswoman said Friday.

The conference stems from a resolution approved in December by the UN General Assembly, and it will be co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia. A diplomat in Paris close to preparations for the conference said it should pave the way for more countries to recognize a full-blown Palestinian state.

Nearly 150 countries recognize the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority as the State of Palestine, which has observer status at the United Nations but is not a full member as the UN Security Council has not voted to admit it.

Saudi Arabia, France to impose Palestinian state without Israeli input

 https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/05/16/saudi-arabia-france-to-impose-palestinian-state-without-israeli-input/

Saudi Arabia and France will host an international conference next month with United Nations backing, establishing an ambitious roadmap for Palestinian statehood with specific timelines and enforcement mechanisms that completely circumvent Israel's position on the matter.

The invitation distributes blame for violence and the October 7 attacks to "both sides," stating that "since October 7, there has been immense suffering of civilians on both sides, including the hostages and their families and the civilian population of Gaza. Meanwhile, settlement activities endanger the two-state solution, the only path to just peace."

The Saudi-French initiative calls for UN sanctions against parties acting contrary to the conference's final document, effectively attempting to force Israel into a diplomatic process without its consent. "It is clear that the primary responsibility for resolving the conflict still rests with the parties, but the events of recent years prove that without strong international determination and involvement in ensuring their progress toward ending the conflict, it will escalate and peace will recede," the document continues.

Cashing in: The real cost of Trump’s Middle East tour

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‘Very disturbing’: Trump receipt of overseas gifts unprecedented, experts warn

 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/17/trump-foreign-gifts-plane-gulf-states

The openness to foreign largesse was on full display this week as the US president was feted in the Gulf states during his first major diplomatic trip abroad this term, inking deals he claimed were worth trillions of dollars and pumping local leaders for investments as he says he remakes US foreign policy to prioritise “America first” – putting aside concerns of human rights or international law for the bottom line of American businesses and taxpayers.

But quite often, the bottom line also has benefited Trump himself. His family’s wealth has ballooned by more than $3bn, according to press estimates, and the reported benefits from cryptocurrencies and other investment deals such as plans for new Trump-branded family properties may be far larger. Deals for billions more have been inked by business associates close to Trump, meaning that their political support for the White House can translate into lucrative contracts abroad.

Past administrations would have run from the perceived conflicts of interest being welcomed by Trump. The former White House ethics advisers described crises such as when a Gulf state tried to present a Rolex to a national security adviser, or when the Boston Red Sox tried to gift the White House chief of staff a baseball bat signed by all the players (the addressee was forced to pay its estimated market value, said Painter). Eisen said that he forbade Obama from even refinancing the mortgage on his house in Chicago because of his capacities to influence the market.

Israel's concerns grow over US-Saudi arms deal

 https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/05/15/israels-concerns-grow-over-us-saudi-arms-deal/

The American president attempts to pull Saudi Arabia away from Chinese influence by selling advanced weapons and potentially F-35 aircraft, as the kingdom pledges to invest nearly a trillion dollars in the US economy.

While pursuing military reinforcement, the Saudis simultaneously employ their characteristically cautious diplomatic approach. They refrain from joining American operations against the Houthis and urge Washington not to endorse Israel's advocacy for strikes on Iranian soil to disrupt its nuclear program. Currently, the kingdom prioritizes building deterrence capabilities without heightening regional tensions, seeking an alliance with the United States that provides security guarantees without entangling Saudi Arabia in direct confrontations with adversaries.

Transactional diplomacy: Israel must defends its interests, not rely on Trump's whims

 https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-854337

Israel must recognize that there may be moments when it will need to act to protect its core interests, even in the face of American objections.

This episode revealed not just the limits of Trump’s follow-through, but the nature of his foreign policy. Grand declarations, vague promises, and sudden pivots are features of his style. The goal is often less about substance than about maximizing leverage and scoring bombastic headlines. Trump may feel a strong affinity toward Israel, but his overriding priority is clear: he is looking out for what he defines as America’s interests – and increasingly, those are transactional in nature. So Israel must do the same.

This is Trump’s model of diplomacy: transactional, optics-driven, and bottom-line focused. His decision to lift sanctions on Syria was summed up with characteristic bluntness: “Oh, what I do for the [Saudi] crown prince.” Decades of US policy reversed – not for ideology, but for return on investment.

Israel cannot play the game at Gulf levels, nor should it try. But it must recognize that the rules have changed. The alliance with the US, which relied heavily on shared values and historical ties in the past, must now be augmented heavily by deliverables. It must be constantly reinforced with strategic returns that matter to Washington’s current leadership, especially economic ones.

Afghan Refugees Await Their Fate as Afrikaners Jump the Line: 'Betrayal'

 https://www.newsweek.com/afghanistan-tps-cancelation-trump-administration-south-african-refugees-2073439

On Monday, dozens of white South African refugees arrived in the United States on a plane chartered by the Trump administration, fast-tracked through the normal refugee resettlement process that typically takes months or longer.

That same day, Ali — an Afghan man who asked Newsweek not to use his full name over fears of being targeted if he's sent home — found out the legal status protecting him and his family from deportation will be terminated by the same administration. The 39-year-old fled his home country with his wife and their six children during the unrest that followed the chaotic U.S. withdrawal in 2021.

"They supported Trump and this administration, and they said: 'This is the one who loves veterans and he'll watch people who supported our veterans or our military overseas', and now after this news that came out a few days ago I mean, there's no word instead of just to call it a textbook betrayal," Safi said, accusing the U.S. of abandoning those who supported it for more than 20 years.

The looming loss of legal status for Afghans is leaving many families in the U.S. with an uncertain future. For Ali, he feels he has to try to reassure his children who still have vivid memories of the dire situation they left behind and now fear for their safety in the U.S.

Conservative Justices Line Up Against MAGA on Deportations

 https://www.thedailybeast.com/conservative-justices-line-up-against-maga-on-deportations/

Supreme Court Justices joined forces Friday to form a bulwark against President Donald Trump and his mass deportation campaign.

The court issued a temporary ruling to halt Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport a group of Venezuelan immigrants in Texas. The court expressed concern that the Trump administration’s expedited process for removing individuals does not “pass muster.”

The Supreme Court’s decision is a major loss for Trump, who already hit back at a number of federal judges who aimed to stop him first.

Truth: Beis Hillel vs Beis Shammai

Emes LYakov (Vayikra 21:2 Emor) In the gemora (Kesubos 17a) in describing dancing before a bride there is a dispute between beis Hillel and Beis Shammai. Beis Hillel says to always praise her while Beis Shammai says that one should not say anything which isn't true and even if someone made a bad purchase it is prohibited to praise it while Beis Hillel says that people need to be nice to each other and not hurt someone's feelings even if that means to lie. This also explains what is stated in Kabbalah seforim  that in the Future the halacha will not be as Beis Hillel but like Beis Shammai because only then will the absolute truth be dominant while in our world we are concerned with what seems true to the majority of people.