Eisenkot, Smotrich join criticism of US-Iran deal

Eisenkot, Smotrich join criticism of US-Iran deal

Ariela Karmel

Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich join a growing chorus of criticism across the opposition and coalition over the US-Iran deal.

Eisenkot, who is among the frontrunners to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in upcoming elections, blasts what he calls “the dismal outcome of a failed government” and says that there is “a vast gulf” between Netanyahu’s “empty promises of total victory” and the emerging deal.

He also criticizes Netanyahu for failing to face the public directly, noting that Israelis are once again learning about a major agreement affecting their security from foreign leaders rather than from their own government.

Smotrich similarly condemns the agreement, calling it “bad for Israel and for the entire free world. Period.”

He says that Israel must continue efforts to topple the Iranian regime and ensure Tehran never obtains nuclear weapons, but also defends the government, declaring that none of those running to replace Netanyahu could “withstand even ten percent of the pressure currently being exerted on the Israeli government, and especially on its leader.”

Israel vows to stay in south Lebanon; if Iran strikes, we’ll hit it ‘with full force’

Israel vows to stay in south Lebanon; if Iran strikes, we’ll hit it ‘with full force’

Emanuel Fabian

Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed Monday that the Israeli military will remain in southern Lebanon and warned that if Iran strikes, it will be hit “with full force,” promising that Israel will resist any pressure after the US and Iran agreed a deal to end the war that also reportedly includes a commitment to end hostilities in Lebanon.

There was no immediate comment on the deal from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but far-right members of his coalition said Israel would not be bound by the terms of the agreement, while members of the opposition accused the premier of failing Israel’s citizens and betraying the armed forces.

US and Iranian officials said early Monday that they had agreed on a framework for an agreement to end the war, which is expected to halt the US blockade of Iranian ports, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and begin 60 days of talks on Tehran’s nuclear program. According to Iranian and Pakistani sources, the agreement also includes a ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, the Lebanese terror group backed by Iran.

Israel, despite having started the war alongside the US, was not involved in the negotiations over the deal, which appears not to achieve the goals of the war that were set out by the US and Israel, including eliminating Iran’s nuclear program, depleting its ballistic missile stockpile, ending its support for terror proxies and creating the conditions for the fall of the regime.

Israeli military action in Lebanon needs to be completely halted and the US bears responsibility for implementing the framework deal on ending the war, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told his Turkish, Iraqi and Egyptian counterparts on Monday in separate calls, according to his Telegram account.

However, Katz insisted that Israel will not withdraw from southern Lebanon, where it is battling the Iran-backed Hezbollah “despite all the existing pressures and those that will still come.”

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I are leading a clear policy that determines that the IDF will remain in the security zones in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza, without any time limit, to protect the border and Israeli communities from there against jihadist elements,” Katz said in a statement.

He said the security zones will be “cleared of local residents, and all terror infrastructure, above and below ground, including the houses in the contact-line villages that served as terror outposts, will be destroyed.”

“We will not compromise on Israel’s security interests and the protection of our citizens, and we will not withdraw from the security zones,” Katz said, warning that “if Iran attacks Israel because of the events in Lebanon, we will strike it with full force.”

Iran last week fired missiles at Israel after the IDF hit targets in Beirut and threatened to do so again on Sunday, before apparently being pressured by the US to hold off amid the finalizing of the agreement.

News of the agreement was met with angry reactions in Israel on Monday morning.

Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir attacked the deal, saying in a statement that “Trump’s agreement does not bind us.”

“Israel is not subordinate to the United States. We are an independent and sovereign country,” he said. “We are not partners to this agreement, which does not safeguard our security. We must not withdraw from any territory [in Lebanon] that our fighters have captured.”

Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the agreement was “bad for Israel and for the entire free world. Period.”

Eisenkot said the agreement is “far from Israel’s interests.”

“The residents of the north, who were abandoned for two and a half years, discover this morning that their homes and security remain exposed to threat and that once again their cries were not heard in Jerusalem. We will not leave them on their own,” he said.

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Trump declares Iran deal finalized, orders US naval blockade lifted

Trump declares Iran deal finalized, orders US naval blockade lifted

 ILH Staff

US President Donald Trump said Washington and Tehran had reached an agreement that includes an Iranian commitment not to obtain nuclear weapons and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. He later announced that the agreement had been finalized and ordered the US naval blockade lifted.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced  in a post on X that "following intensive talks, we are pleased to announce that the Peace Deal between the United States of America and Islamic Republic of Iran has been REACHED." He added that "both sides have declared the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon." According to Sharif, "the official signing ceremony will be on Friday, 19 June in Switzerland."

US President Donald Trump joined the announcement in a post on his social media platform Truth Social, in which he ordered the Strait of Hormuz opened and the US naval blockade lifted. "The Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete. Congratulations to all! I hereby fully authorize the toll free opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and, simultaneously herewith, authorize the immediate removal of the United States Naval blockade. Ships of the World, start your engines. Let the oil flow!"

The announcements came minutes after US President Donald Trump told The Wall Street Journal that he intended to soon issue an official statement confirming that the US and Iran had reached an agreement. He said the agreement was expected to be signed electronically by him or by Vice President JD Vance.

Trump also addressed the issue of enriched uranium, making clear that, as far as he was concerned, there was no urgency to remove it from Iranian territory. "We'll get the nuclear material later, when we're ready to go in and do it. I'd say over the next month or two, there's no rush," he said, describing the material as "harmless."

At the same time, the US president criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the Israeli strike in Beirut, which he said nearly derailed the diplomatic talks. "Bibi shouldn't have done that. I really didn't like it," Trump said. However, he stressed that, as he understood it, Netanyahu supported the emerging agreement. "Bibi is okay with it. Why is it good for him? Iran cannot have nuclear weapons under any circumstances," he added.

White House AI Deal Would Override State Laws, Mandate Age Verification

White House AI Deal Would Override State Laws, Mandate Age Verification

Morgan S. Verity

The White House has proposed a federal artificial intelligence (AI) framework that would override existing state AI regulations and require age verification for users of AI systems, according to officials familiar with the plan.

The proposal, outlined in a document obtained by Reclaim The Net, aims to create a uniform national standard for AI development and deployment. The administration is negotiating a federal preemption of state AI laws in exchange for its support of key tech policy priorities from Capitol Hill, according to Axiosas cited by Reclaim The Net. ^[1] Critics argue the framework would expand government surveillance capabilities under the guise of safety.

Background: Patchwork of State AI Laws

More than a dozen states have enacted or proposed laws regulating AI, focusing on transparency, bias and data privacy. The White House plan would preempt these state laws, establishing federal supremacy over AI governance.

Officials said the preemption is necessary to avoid regulatory fragmentation and promote innovation, according to a White House statement. "This framework can only succeed if it is applied uniformly across the United States," the statement read. ^[2]

The move follows warnings from a bipartisan coalition of 40 state attorneys general, according to a report from Modernity.news. ^[3] A bipartisan group of state lawmakers warned Congress about a provision in the Trump administration's tax and spending bill that would prevent state legislatures from regulating new AI threats online, according to a report by Children's Health Defense. ^[4]

Details of the White House Proposal

The framework includes mandatory age verification for users of AI systems, requiring platforms to collect government-issued identification or biometric data. The plan also establishes federal standards for AI safety testing, risk assessment, and liability. It would create a new oversight body within the Department of Commerce to enforce compliance, according to the document. ^[1]

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 22-0 to advance the GUARD Act, a bill that would require AI chatbot companies to verify the age of every American who wants to use them. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), the bill's sponsor, wrote on X: "My bill to stop AI from telling kids to kill themselves just passed out of committee UNANIMOUSLY." ^[5]

Privacy advocates warned the ID mandate could be a precursor to a broader digital identification system and surveillance infrastructure. Some state lawmakers criticized the preemption as an overreach, saying states have the right to protect their residents. A report from the New American notes that the Trump administration and its allies in Congress are moving to define the rules of the digital future, with consequences that could extend far beyond AI. ^[7]

Implications for Surveillance and Privacy

The age verification requirement would likely involve sensitive personal data, raising questions about data security and potential misuse. Critics point to previous federal data collection programs that expanded beyond their original purpose.

The use of technology, data and automated systems in ways that threaten the rights of the American public is a great challenge posed to democracy today, according to a report from the White House's own AI Bill of Rights blueprint. ^[8] Smart city initiatives that use sensors to collect data on citizens highlight the potential for pervasive surveillance, as noted in Glenn Diesen's book "Great Power Politics in the Fourth Industrial Revolution". ^[9]

The proposal is still under review, with a comment period open until next month, according to the White House.

Ebola latest updates: Confirmed DRC cases climb past 670 as the outbreak spreads into more health zones

Ebola latest updates: Confirmed DRC cases climb past 670 as the outbreak spreads into more health zones

Kate Murphy

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has continued to spread, with the country's Ministry of Health now reporting 676 confirmed cases and 136 confirmed deaths from the Bundibugyo strain — a jump of more than 70 confirmed cases in a matter of days.

The outbreak now spans 29 health zones across three eastern provinces, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said in its latest update. Ituri remains the epicenter with 629 confirmed cases. North Kivu has reported 44 cases, and South Kivu has reported three.

Uganda has reported a total of 19 confirmed cases and two deaths, with most cases linked to travel from DRC. The next World Health Organization update on the global response is expected in the coming days.

The U.S. has urged Europe to step up its Ebola precautions and implement greater "travel restrictions" ahead of the World Cup, which kicked off Thursday. The tournament takes place over almost six weeks, with games being held in Canada and Mexico — although the vast majority will take place in the U.S., with the State Department expecting up to 10 million international visitors to the U.S. alone.

"The department's highest priority and focus remain protecting the health of the American people and preventing this Ebola outbreak from reaching our shores," the State Department said in a statement.

The Trump administration has already announced temporary travel bans on people who do not have U.S. passports and have been in affected countries in the three weeks before travel. U.S. quarantine procedures for American citizens involve the planned opening of a controversial Ebola isolation facility in Kenya. Proposals to establish a 50-bed quarantine facility for U.S. citizens affected by the outbreak in DRC have provoked a public backlash in Kenya, although the country's president, William Ruto, has publicly defended the plan.