‘Nightmare for Israel’: Senior GOP senators criticize alleged terms of emerging Iran deal

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/nightmare-for-israel-senior-gop-senators-criticize-alleged-terms-of-emerging-iran-deal/

After Iran says nuclear issues aren’t part of current talks, former secretary of state Mike Pompeo compares terms to 2015 Iran deal, says it will let Tehran ‘terrorize the world’

Senior US senators from the Republican Party voiced criticism on Saturday over the reported terms of the deal that US President Donald Trump, who is also a Republican, is negotiating with Tehran to end the Iran war.

Iran, meanwhile, said that nuclear issues were not part of the current negotiations.

Wicker, on Friday, blamed Trump’s advisers for pushing him to make a deal with Iran “that would not be worth the paper it is written on” rather than allowing the president to “finish the job he started.”

Why Gaza’s civilian rule cannot begin while Hamas still holds weapons and power

 https://www.ynetnews.com/opinions-analysis/article/rkqxtpylzg

Four months after the Trump administration unveiled its most ambitious postwar framework for Gaza, the civilian governance architecture at its center has effectively ceased to function.

The National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, the technocratic body tasked with replacing Hamas as the strip's administrative authority, remains stranded in Cairo, unable to enter the territory it was designed to govern.

Senior committee members are threatening resignation. Every phase of the roadmap is frozen.

And the reason, stripped of diplomatic euphemism, is straightforward: Hamas is still there, still armed and still capable of vetoing any political arrangement it dislikes through the credible threat of violence.

What's inside the Iran deal Trump is close to signing

 https://www.axios.com/2026/05/24/iran-deal-strait-hormuz-sanctions-nuclear

The agreement the U.S. and Iran are close to signing involves a 60-day ceasefire extension during which the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened, Iran would be able to freely sell oil, and negotiations would be held on curbing Iran's nuclear program, according to a U.S. official.

 The deal would avoid an escalation of the war and decrease the pressure on the global oil supply. However, it's unclear whether it will lead to a lasting peace agreement that also addresses President Trump's nuclear demands.

Trump Has Lost the Governing Plot

https://www.wsj.com/opinion/trump-has-lost-the-governing-plot-4879dd64?mod=hp_opin_pos_1

His personal obsessions and campaign of retribution are damaging his Presidency and his party.

 Republicans don’t want to say this publicly, but privately they do: President Trump’s personal political obsessions are hurting his Presidency, harming the chances for further policy gains the rest of this year, and putting control of the House and Senate in jeopardy.

That’s the backdrop to the GOP revolt this week in Congress on war powers and funding for the Department of Homeland Security. Mr. Trump’s unrelated priorities are handing Democrats gift after gift and forcing Republicans to take difficult votes that could cost them in November. His desire for political revenge is also alienating Members of Congress he will need this year.

Tulsi Gabbard resigns as director of national intelligence

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/05/22/tulsi-gabbard-resigns-director-national-intelligence/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=acq&utm_campaign=RH-ACQ&utm_content=dtpmonthly_20260522_RH&campaign_id=18247939

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is resigning from the Trump administration, she said Friday, after her husband was diagnosed with an extremely rare bone cancer.

Her departure ends a stormy 15-month tenure in which the former Democratic congresswoman was largely excluded from President Donald Trump’s inner national security circle, even as she pushed his political priorities on election security, declassification and Russia’s role in the 2016 presidential contest.

A person familiar with the situation said that Williams’s diagnosis notwithstanding, Gabbard had been pressured to depart by White House officials increasingly unhappy with her actions, which had brought unwelcome publicity or diverted attention from Trump’s messages. The person, like some others interviewed, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal administration dynamics.

Returning A Goy's lost Property

Sanhedrin (76b)  One who marries his daughter to an old man or takes a wife for his infant son, or returns a lost article to a Cuthean, concerning him Scripture sayeth, that he bless himself in his heart saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart to add drunkedness to thirst: The Lord will not spare him.

Rashi (Sanhedrin 76b) והמחזיר אבידה לכותי - השווה וחבר כותי לישראל ומראה בעצמו שהשבת אבדה אינה חשובה לו מצות בוראו שאף לכותי הוא עושה כן שלא נצטווה עליהם: 

Sinai Source of Religious Hatred

Shabbos (89a)  One of the Rabbis asked R. Kahana: Hast thou heard what the mountain of Sinai [connotes]? The mountain whereon miracles [nissim] were performed for Israel, he replied. Then it should be called Mount Nisal? But [it means] the mountain whereon a happy augury [siman] took place for Israel. Then it should be called, Mount Simanai? Said he to him, Why dost thou not frequent [the academy of] R. Papa and R. Huna the son of R. Joshua, who make a study of aggadah. For R. Hisda and Rabbah the son of R. Huna both said, What is [the meaning of] Mount Sinai? The mountain whereon there descended hostility [sin'ah ] toward idolaters. And thus R. Jose son of R. Hanina said: It has five names: The Wilderness of Zin, [meaning] that Israel were given commandments there; the Wilderness of Kadesh, where the Israelites were sanctified [kadosh], the Wilderness of Kedemoth, because a priority [kedumah] was conferred there; the Wilderness of Paran,because Israel was fruitful [paru] and multiplied there; and the Wilderness of Sinai, because hostility toward idolaters descended thereon. Whilst what was its [real] name? its name was Horeb. Now they disagree with R. Abbahu, For R. Abbahu said: its name was Mount Sinai, and why was it called Mount Horeb? Because desolation [hurbah] to idolaters descended thereon.

Rashi (Shabbos 89a) Hatred  for idolaters (the nations of the world): Since they did not accept the Torah. 

Derashos HaRan (7) All of our quarrels with the nations stem from our difference in faith, as our sages stated (Shabbath 89a):The meaning is that because the Blessed One separated us from all the nations, not to intermarry with them and not to eat forbidden foods, this furthering and separation from them has inevitably caused this hatred. This is the intent of "When I liken you, I shall console you." That is, when I liken you with the other nations, so that they will all be of the same faith with you, I will console you. For then the consolation will be complete, with no subsequent worry of war or of the hatred of the aforementioned nations against us

Iran is winning by losing: how Tehran turned Gulf victims into its biggest lobbyists

 https://www.ynetnews.com/opinions-analysis/article/bj5yw3c1ml

Something extraordinary happened on Monday that no analyst predicted and no diplomatic textbook describes. The leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, three countries whose territory Iran has been striking for weeks, picked up the phone and called Donald Trump to beg him not to bomb Tehran. They succeeded. The scheduled American military assault on Iran, set for Tuesday morning, was called off. Not by negotiations. Not by Iranian concessions. By the very nations bearing the brunt of Iranian aggression.

Trump said Monday evening he had planned a very major attack but put it off, for a little while, hopefully maybe forever, after receiving requests from Gulf leaders to give negotiations more time. He said the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan had each personally urged him to delay the planned strike, citing ongoing negotiations with Tehran and expressing confidence that a deal would be reached. Trump, framing the concession as deference to allies rather than weakness, agreed to stand down.

This is the paradox at the center of the current ceasefire. Iran attacks the Gulf states. The Gulf states then lobby Washington for restraint on Iran's behalf. Tehran fires at the hand that feeds the argument for its survival. And the hand, rather than withdrawing, extends further.

'Bibi's hair was on fire:' Inside the call between Trump, Netanyahu on Iran ceasefire talks - Axios

 https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-896906

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump had a difficult conversation on Tuesday about ceasefire talks, Axios reported on Wednesday. 

Trump reportedly called Netanyahu on Tuesday to inform him that mediators were working on a "letter of intent" to end the war and launch a month-long period of negotiations, which would include matters such as Iran's nuclear program and opening the Strait of Hormuz.

Two Israeli sources stated that the two leaders were in clear disagreement about how to deal with Iran moving forward. One US source briefed on the call told Axios that "Bibi's hair was on fire after the call." 

Trump says Netanyahu will ‘do whatever I want’ on Iran after pair said to hold tense call

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/irgc-threatens-war-will-spread-far-beyond-the-region-if-us-renews-attacks-on-iran/

US President Donald Trump asserted Wednesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will do “whatever I want” when it comes to a potential military strike on Iran, in remarks made a day after the pair reportedly held a tense call on the subject.

The two leaders disagreed on the path forward during the call, as Netanyahu was highly skeptical of the framework, believing the US should continue applying military pressure on Iran to further weaken the regime by destroying its critical infrastructure, two Israeli sources said.

The US source said that Netanyahu’s “hair was on fire after the call,” though Israeli sources noted that Netanyahu “is always concerned” about how negotiations with Iran will go, even during stages that previously failed.

Iran Sticks to Its Guns as Trump’s Threats Begin to Lose Power

 https://www.newsweek.com/iran-sticks-to-its-guns-as-trumps-threats-begin-to-lose-power-11967826

Almost three months into the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran and nearly five weeks since President Donald Trump announced a blockade of the Islamic Republic, a defiant Tehran shows little sign of budging in the face of the White House's fiery threats.

Rather, the conflict appears thus far to be emboldening Iranian leadership. Despite the loss of their supreme leader, the killing of other key commanders and decision-makers and the destruction of considerable firepower, Iranian officials have largely put domestic divisions aside and closed ranks to maintain a hefty set of demands to end the war on their own terms.

It's a costly bet. Yet the price for the White House, the region and the world is adding up as well.

"I think that the Trump administration has led itself into a very tight corner," Saikal said. "It has kept changing its goalposts and doesn’t really know how to end the war. President Trump has pathologically never been able to accept defeat. He has now narrowed his objective to ‘no nuclear weapons’, despite the fact that Tehran has always said that it won’t produce nuclear weapons."

Trump national Shabbat divides America’s Jews ahead of National Mall prayer rally

 https://jewishpostandnews.ca/uncategorized/trump-national-shabbat-divides-americas-jews-ahead-of-national-mall-prayer-rally/

As part of a 250th anniversary celebration of the United States, President Donald Trump is calling on Americans to pray together in a nine-hour marathon on the National Mall Sunday featuring a host of Christian speakers — and one rabbi.

But first, Trump is calling on Jews to mark Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest from sundown Friday to nightfall Saturday, and encouraging other Americans to consider embracing the ritual as well.

The exhortation has received mixed reviews from the American Jewish community. Some Jews have said they appreciate the gesture and recognition of a central tradition to Judaism, and even are promoting their own Shabbat services as part of “Shabbat 250.”

Others say Trump is appropriating Judaism to promote conservative political goals and Christian nationalism, a movement backed by a portion of Trump’s base that scholars say could push the country in a direction that is less hospitable to Jews.

Support for the initiative has been strongest among Orthodox Jews, who tend to be more politically conservative. Rabbi Josh Joseph, executive vice president of the Orthodox Union, endorsed Trump’s call soon after it was made

Trump announced a national Shabbat — and a giant celebration of Christianity the very next day

 https://forward.com/culture/824974/shabbat-250-rededication-trump-christianity/

To celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States, President Trump has announced several religious ceremonies. This weekend is Shabbat 250, in honor of Jewish Heritage month, beginning Friday night and carrying into Saturday.

“We celebrate the contributions that Jewish Americans have made to our way of life, we honor their role in shaping the story of our Nation, and we remember that religious devotion, learning, and service to others are enduring pillars of a thriving culture,” the announcement says.

But that recognition of Judaism is followed the very next day by Rededicate 250, a celebration “about the history and the foundations of our nation, which was built on Christian values,” as Paula White-Cain, Trump’s senior faith advisor, said in a webinar earlier this month for the National Faith Advisory Board, adding that attendees shouldn’t worry the event might include “praying to all these different Gods.”

“The vast majority of the speakers are Christian,” Baldwin said. “If you do see another religion represented, it would probably be in a modest way, talking about religious freedom.”

All this is certainly mixed messaging as far as  the place of Jews in the nation’s celebrations is concerned.

Rededicate 250 will feature dozens of Christian speakers including pastors; figures such as Dr. Larry Arnn, the founder of Hillsdale College, a private, conservative Christian school; members of the Trump administration including Pete Hegseth, who has openly voiced support for Christian nationalism; Jonathan Roumie, who plays Jesus on the hit Christian show The Chosen; and a selection of Christian musical performers. Rabbi Meir Soleveichik is the sole non-Christian slated to participate.

Cassidy becomes fourth GOP senator to back Iran war powers measure limiting Trump

 https://thehill.com/homenews/5886024-bill-cassidy-iran-war-powers/

Sen. Bill Cassidy, who lost his bid for a third term in Saturday’s Louisiana Senate Republican primary, on Tuesday became the fourth Republican senator to vote to advance a war powers resolution directing President Trump to withdraw U.S. armed forces deployed against Iran.

“Republicans should be ashamed of the Senators that just voted with Democrats in attempting to take away our Powers to fight and defend the United States of America. Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, Josh Hawley, and Todd Young should never be elected to office again,” Trump posted on Truth Social after the January vote.