01-02-Features

Right in front of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Trump stunned the world by declaring the U.S. would take over Gaza and turn it into the “Riviera of the Middle East.” Netanyahu appeared somewhat stunned, but otherwise seemed to embrace that idea, an assumption that would officially be confirmed later on.

The statement has created dissenting voices on both the right and the left, including among Trump’s MAGA base. Trump has stated there will be no troops involved, as this will come after the war is over, but some remain skeptical. America will clean everything up and be able to set up an enterprise zone. Eventually, Israel would gain sovereignty over Gaza.

A conflict may be emerging between Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who seemed to suggest the Palestinians would eventually be able to return. They can return after Gaza is rebuilt, but until then, they’d need a place to stay. Trump doubled down on his assertion that the plan includes the Palestinians never returning. Another State Department statement suggested Trump was merely forcing the region to come up with their own solution, but again, Trump seemed to double down on his original statement.

In Joint Presser With Bibi, Trump Says US Will Turn Gaza Into ‘Riviera of the Middle East’– freebeacon.com
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President Donald Trump outlined ambitious plans to resettle Gaza’s population, “take over” the war-torn strip, clear out “unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site,” and spearhead “economic development.” A rebuilt Gaza, Trump said, could be “the Riviera of the Middle East.”

Trump’s remarks came during a Tuesday evening joint press conference with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who became the first foreign leader to visit the White House during Trump’s second term. Trump spoke at length about his call, first floated last week, to resettle Gaza’s residents. The strip, Trump said, “has been a symbol of death and destruction for decades” and “should not go through a process of rebuilding and occupation by the same people who have … lived a miserable existence there.” Instead, he said, the United States “will take over the Gaza Strip” through “a long-term ownership position” and lead the rebuilding process.

“It just can’t go back. If you go back, it’s going to end up the same way it has for 100 years,” Trump said of Gaza. “We have an opportunity to do something that could be phenomenal, and I don’t want to be cute, I don’t want to be a wise guy, but the Riviera of the Middle East—this could be something that could be so magnificent.”

TRUMP’S GAZA GAMBIT TRIGGERS ANOTHER IMPEACHMENT FILING FROM DNC – Representative Al Green (D-TX) has filed his third set of impeachment articles against Donald Trump. This time, he filed the articles in response to his call for the Palestinians to be moved to a new land permanently. He called the reasons “dastardly deeds.”

He said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. and injustice in Gaza is a threat to justice in the United States of America. I rise to announce that the movement to impeach the president has begun. I rise to announce that I will bring articles of impeachment against the president for dastardly deeds proposed and dastardly deeds done.”

Live briefing: Israeli military to prepare ‘voluntary departure’ plan for Gazans, echoing Trump proposal– www.washingtonpost.com
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Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Thursday that he has instructed the military to draft a plan to “allow voluntary departure” of Gaza residents from the enclave — days after President Donald Trump’s controversial proposal for the United States to “take over” the Gaza Strip and remove all the people living there.

“I welcome President Trump’s bold plan, which could enable a large segment of Gaza’s population to relocate to various destinations around the world,” Katz said in a statement.

The Israeli plan would allow Gazaresidents to depart for “any country willing to receive them,” via land crossings or through “special arrangements for departure by sea and air,” he said. Palestinians in Gaza have mostly not been able to leave the enclave since the war began in October 2023, with some exceptions such as limited medical evacuations.

Rep. Al Green is filing new impeachment articles against Trump– www.politico.com
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Rep. Al Green said Wednesday he was introducing impeachment articles against Donald Trump after the president said the U.S. would “take over” Gaza.

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. and injustice in Gaza is a threat to justice in the United States of America,” Green said in a floor speech Wednesday morning. “I rise to announce that the movement to impeach the president has begun. I rise to announce that I will bring articles of impeachment against the president for dastardly deeds proposed and dastardly deeds done.”

The Texas Democrat launched multiple longshot impeachment bids during Trump’s first term using procedural maneuvers meant to circumvent House leadership and bypass committees. Similar to his last efforts, there’s not much appetite among Democrats to impeach Trump as of yet.

Asked Wednesday about Green’s measure, Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.), the No. 3 House Democrat, said it wasn’t a focus for the caucus.

Rubio Says People Will Have To Relocate In “Interim” While Gaza Is Rebuilt– www.ndtv.com
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Marco Rubio was answering reporters’ question during a visit to the Dominican Republic on Thursday.

Santo Domingo: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday that Gaza currently is “not habitable” due to dangers such as unexploded weapons, and that people would have to live elsewhere while the area is rebuilt.

Rubio, answering a reporter’s question during a visit to the Dominican Republic, encouraged other countries to step forward and offer to help rebuild Gaza, but did not say whether Palestinians would be able to return to the area under a proposal by U.S. President Donald Trump to take over and develop the Gaza Strip.

“I think that’s just a realistic reality, that in order to fix a place like that, people are going to have to live somewhere else in the interim,” Rubio said.

Trump repudiates Rubio’s attempt to repair Gaza foolishness– www.washingtonexaminer.com
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President Donald Trump has repudiated efforts by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt to row back his foolish comments on Gaza.

At a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, Trump said he wanted to see Palestinians “permanently” relocated out of Gaza and the United States take a “long-term ownership interest” over the Gaza Strip. Refusing to rule out deploying U.S. military forces to secure control over the Palestinian territory, Trump further suggested that he might grant U.S. recognition of full Israeli sovereignty over the Palestinian West Bank.

Trump’s ambitions lack either political or historic justification. If actively pursued, they would greatly fuel both violent jihadist mobilization and moderate Muslim antagonism against the U.S. Trump’s plans would also require U.S. troops to engage in ground force combat operations against Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and other terrorist organizations. Put simply, Trump’s Gaza proposal runs dangerously counter to U.S. interests while being utterly at odds with the president’s oft-stated pledge to avoid “stupid wars.”

Trump says no US soldiers needed in Gaza, US would take over after war – Reuters

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U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Israel would turn the Gaza Strip over to the United States after the fighting ends and that no U.S. soldiers would be needed there.
“The Gaza Strip would be turned over to the United States by Israel at the conclusion of fighting. The Palestinians … would have already been resettled in far safer and more beautiful communities, with new and modern homes, in the region,” Trump said in a Truth Social post building on his controversial comments about Gaza’s future this week.

US a ‘very long way away’ from deploying troops in Gaza – Defense Secretary — RT World News– www.rt.com
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Donald Trump’s Tuesday proposal to take over the enclave has sparked international scrutiny and criticism

US President Donald Trump is a long way off from deploying American soldiers to Gaza, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said.

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump proposed that the United States take control of the Gaza Strip, suggesting the area be redeveloped following the demolition of structures damaged during the 15-month Israel-Hamas conflict. He reiterated his earlier stance that Palestinians should be relocated to neighboring countries at those nations’ expense. When questioned about the potential deployment of US troops to facilitate this plan, Trump stated he would “do what is necessary.”

The following day, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared on Fox News to clarify the president’s remarks regarding the possibility of US military involvement in Gaza.

“I think we’re a very long way from that,” the top defense official replied, adding that “robust discussions” between Trump, national security officials and allies would have to precede such a decision. Israel wants to “finish the job against Hamas” and get the hostages back, and the US will help them do so, Hegseth said.

Trump’s Radical Plan to Take Over Gaza – PJ Media– pjmedia.com
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It was too much even for some die-hard Donald Trump supporters when he said Tuesday that the U.S. would “take over” and “own” the Gaza Strip, using American forces to clear out the weapons and unexploded ordinance. My colleague Robert Spencer reported all the gory details for you last night, so I won’t go over those again.

But you do need to see some of the reactions before we get to what’s really going on here.

Varad Mehta, a generally pro-Trump conservative, said that “the idea the US should play a predominant, let alone the leading role in said reconstruction and effectively colonize Gaza, is bonkers.”

Cynical Publius is one of my go-to guys for sharp conservative commentary, and even he admitted that “Trump is testing my limits on this one.” And while Publius “will follow my own advice for now” and give Trump the benefit of the doubt, he is “deeply concerned that we are introducing US troops into the Gaza quagmire, which goes against the ‘No more forever wars’ mantra we all got behind during the election.”

And Another Thing: “Forever wars” is a lazy accusation, in addition to being ahistorical bunk — but I still find myself using it sometimes and won’t criticize Publius for using it.

Congresscritter Rashida Tlaib (D-Caliphate), showing her usual restraint, said, “This president can only spew this fanatical bullshit because of bipartisan support in Congress for funding genocide and ethnic cleansing.” It also didn’t take long for anti-Israel protestors to show up at the White House last night, waving their Hamas flags.

Everybody, left and right, please take a deep breath and relax. Trump’s opening bid is almost never his play — and I think I have his play figured out.

Israel follows US lead, withdraws from UN Human Rights body citing ‘blatant anti-Semitism’ – What this means for Gaza? – Mint
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Israel has withdrawn from the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), following a similar move by the United States. Israel’s UN envoy Danny Danon has said his country will “stand with” the US and “not participate” in the “biased” UN Human Rights Council a day after Trump also quit the Geneva-based body. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar published his letter to UNHRC President Jurg Lauber that says the decision to withdraw from the Geneva-based body “was reached in light of the ongoing and unrelenting institutional bias against Israel in the Human Rights Council, which has been persistent since its inception in 2006”.

Saudi Arabia says no Israel normalisation without Palestinian state – War on Gaza – War on Gaza  Ahram Online

Germany Says Gaza, West Bank and East Jerusalem Belong to Palestinians  Asharq Al-awsat – English

 

Pam Bondi, the former Attorney General of Florida, has been confirmed as the next Attorney General by a vote of 54-46, with one Democrat, John Fetterman, joining the republicans to confirm her. Since she was appointed, she has already moved to create a “Weaponization Working Group” to investigate the lawfare prosecutions of President Trump and other DNC-CCP opponents.

Bondi also immediately halted funding to all Sanctuary cities, cities run by the party of sedition, the DNC-CCP, that openly defy Federal laws regarding illegal immigration. She also issued a warning to prosecutors that “Targeting of Catholics, Parents, and Pro-Life Americans must stop.”

Senate Confirms Bondi As The Next U.S. Attorney General– thefederalist.com
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The Senate has confirmed Pamela Bondi as the next United States attorney general.

The Senate confirmed Bondi in a vote of 54 to 46 Tuesday night, with all Republicans and one Democrat voting in favor of confirmation. The former Florida attorney general earned a reputation for fighting opioid “pill mills,” human trafficking, and organized crime. Trump said when he tapped Bondi for the role of United States attorney general that “she is smart and tough” and “will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting crime.”

“Congratulations to our wonderful and very talented United States Attorney General, Pam Bondi, who gets sworn in today amid tremendous support, and the respect of ALL,” President Donald Trump wrote Wednesday on Truth Social. “I know Pam well, it was an honor to appoint her, and my prediction is that she will go down as one of the best and most consequential Attorney Generals in the history of our Country.”

Bondi will likely play an instrumental role in Trump’s reform of federal law enforcement. If Congress confirms Trump’s FBI director nominee Kash Patel, the duo will be tasked with de-weaponizing an apparatus that, for far too long, has targeted conservatives —  from Trump, to non-violent Jan. 6 protestors, to a whistleblower who exposed child transgender mutilations.

Bondi’s office will also face issues like enforcing immigration law, executing antitrust laws against Big Tech, and ensuring equal treatment of citizens by federal agencies.

AG Pam Bondi Establishes “Weaponization Working Group” To Investigate Politicized Justice– gellerreport.com
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Attorney General Pam Bondi is set to establish the “Weaponization Working Group,” which will review the activities of all law enforcement agencies over the past four years to identify instances of “politicized justice.”

The “Weaponization Working Group” will review politically motivated investigations including Special Counsel Jack Smith, NY DA Alvin Bragg, NY AG Leticia James, and the prosecution of J6ers.

The working group’s first reviews will include prosecutions against Trump led by:

-Former Special Counsel Jack Smith; who was after President Donald Trump in the 2020 election case and the classified documents case – both were dismissed.

-Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg who pursued the Hush Money case

– And New York Attorney General Letitia James, who brought the civil fraud case against Trump and his family resulting in a historic and unheard of $454 Million bond being issued

AG Pam Bondi Halts Funding to Sanctuary Cities– gellerreport.com
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Independent: Hours after she was sworn in, Attorney General Pam Bondi directed the Justice Department to pause all federal funding for sanctuary cities. Among several directives issued Wednesday, Bondi charged the DOJ with identifying and evaluating funding agreements with nongovernmental organizations that provide support to undocumented immigrants. She also tasked the department with investigating instances of sanctuary jurisdictions obstructing law enforcement and “directing they be prosecuted, when necessary.” Several offices within the Justice Department provided $1.56 billion in grants to sanctuary cities in 2023 (Independent).

https://twitter.com/osint613/status/1887206495219073048?s=46

New York Post: The memo orders an immediate 60-day pause on distribution of funds — with a report on further steps due to Bondi’s desk within 45 days. Bondi’s order also says the DOJ “shall not enter into any new contract, grant, or other agreement to provide Federal funding to non-governmental organizations that support or provide services, either directly or indirectly (e.g., through sub-contracting or other arrangements), to removable or illegal aliens” (New York Post).

Attorney General Pam Bondi: “Targeting of Catholics, Parents and Pro-Life Americans Must Stop”– www.lifenews.com
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The U.S. Senate Tuesday night confirmed former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi as the next U.S. Attorney General for President Donald Trump’s second term.

Bondi was confirmed in a 54-46 vote with support from all 53 Senate Republicans and a lone Democrat, Sen. John Fetterman, D-PA. The swing-state senator has recently made headlines for breaking with his party on multiple issues, including border security.

All other members of the Senate Democratic caucus voted against Bondi.

Attorney General Bondi will head the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), which oversees the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Insurrectionist NY Attorney General Letitia James has informed hospitals in her jurisdiction that they must follow state law, and disregard concern over the loss of federal funding so you can and WILL continue to chemically castrate, physically mutilate children in the name of the trans ideology.

Trump issued an order January 28 prohibiting federal funding for hospitals that give “gender affirming” surgery, hormone treatment to children under 18. James wrote, “Regardless of the availability of federal funding, we write to further remind you of your obligations to comply with New York State laws, including those that prohibit discrimination against individuals based on their membership in a protected class, such as sex [and] gender identity or expression.”

Letitia James wants NY hospitals to continue gender ‘mutilation’ of minors, despite Trump order– www.theblaze.com
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New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) has warned hospitals in her state that they must continue providing so-called “gender affirming care” to minors, despite an executive order from President Donald Trump, or risk possible repercussions for engaging in “discrimination.”

On January 28, Trump issued an executive order prohibiting federal funding for medical facilities that supposedly help a child 18 years old or younger “‘transition’ … from one sex to another.” The order described such procedures as “chemical and surgical mutilation” and noted they often result in permanent reproductive damage.

“Countless children soon regret that they have been mutilated and begin to grasp the horrifying tragedy that they will never be able to conceive children of their own or nurture their children through breastfeeding. Moreover, these vulnerable youths’ medical bills may rise throughout their lifetimes, as they are often trapped with lifelong medical complications, a losing war with their own bodies, and, tragically, sterilization,” the executive order explained.

A potential trade war 2.0 could be setting off between China and the U.S. as China has responded to President Donald Trump’s 10% import tariff on ALL Chinese goods with tariffs of their own.

These tariffs include a 15% tariff on U.S. coal and a 10% tariff on crude oil, farm equipment, and select vehicles. In addition to that, numerous investigations into U.S. companies have been announced, with Alphabet Inc being the biggest of those targeted companies.

China hits back with tariffs on U.S. goods– japantoday.com
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China on Tuesday slapped tariffs on U.S. imports in a swift response to new U.S. duties on Chinese goods, renewing a trade war between the world’s top two economies as President Donald Trump sought to punish China for not halting the flow of illicit drugs.

Trump’s additional 10% tariff across all Chinese imports into the U.S. came into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday.

Within minutes, China’s Finance Ministry said it would impose levies of 15% for U.S. coal and LNG and 10% for crude oil, farm equipment and some autos. The new tariffs on U.S. exports will start on Feb 10, the ministry said.

China also said it was starting an anti-monopoly investigation in Alphabet Inc’s Google, while including both PVH Corp, the holding company for brands including Calvin Klein, and U.S. biotechnology company Illumina on its “unreliable entities list”.

Separately, China’s Commerce Ministry and its Customs Administration said it is imposing export controls on tungsten, tellurium, ruthenium, molybdenum and ruthenium-related items to “safeguard national security interests”. China controls much of the world’s supply of such rare earths that are critical for the clean energy transition.

A medical jet on its way back to Mexico with a little girl whose life had been saved in a medical operation plunged into a Philadelphia neighborhood, killing all six onboard the jet and one person on the ground. The plane crashed only 30 seconds after taking off. It triggered fires in multiple homes and injured nineteen others on the ground.

Medical jet crashes in Philadelphia, killing seven and setting homes on fire | Philadelphia– www.theguardian.com
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Seven people were killed after a medical transport plane crashed into a north-east Philadelphia neighborhood on Friday.

All six people on the flight and one person on the ground are dead. Nineteen others were injured, the Philadelphia mayor, Cherelle Parker, said.

The half-dozen people killed onboard the airplane, all from Mexico, included a child patient receiving care in Philadelphia, her mother and four others including crew members. The plane, which crashed a mere 30 seconds after taking off, erupted into a fireball and set several homes ablaze.

“I mourn the passing of six Mexicans in the aviation accident in Philadelphia, United States,” Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico’s president, said in a Spanish-language post on X. “Consular authorities are in constant contact with the families; I’ve asked the foreign affairs secretary to support whatever is needed. My solidarity with their loved ones and friends.”

The patient had just completed treatment at Shriners Children’s hospital and was on the jet with her mother and four crew members.

As usual, whenever a tragedy on the scale of a mid-air collision over D.C. skies that leads to the deaths of 60 plus people, including military personnel, children, and world-class figure skaters, sifting through rumors, outright fake news, and “official” claims is a long, deliberate process.

Yet, even as more evidence has come to the surface, the nature of the crash seems to be less about potential error and more about intentionality. The current emerging theory is that a rogue leftist activist decided to end her life and the lives of all those onboard the jet her helicopter, which she piloted, struck. MIA will have more on this story as facts are able to be verified.

New Video of Plane Crash with Black Hawk Helicopter Released: ‘They Flew Right Into It’– slaynews.com
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The mid-air plane crash that involved a Black Hawk helicopter over Washington D.C. rocked the entire nation last week and cost dozens their lives.

According to Breitbart, a new video has been released that shows a different angle of the crash between the American Airlines commercial jet and the helicopter.

The collision occurred over the Potomac River.

American Airlines flight 5342, with 60 passengers and four crew, was on its final approach from Witchita, Kansas before colliding with the helicopter.

The collision resulted in a fiery explosion, killing all those on board both aircraft….

The new angle in the video, which quickly went viral, is now fueling theories that the incident might not have been an accident at all.

“There is absolutely NO WAY the Black Hawk didn’t see the American Airlines plane,” Ian Miles Cheong wrote, with the video attached.

“They flew right into it,” he added.

WATCH:

Hamas has announced plans to release the 8 remaining living hostages as part of the ceasefire deal made just before President Trump came to office. The President has called for other nations to take in the Palestinians, to “clean out” Gaza and allow the state of Israel to fully flourish. So far, nations such as Egypt and Jordan have made it clear the Palestinians are not welcome to their countries.

The state department has officially called for Hamas to NOT be given authority to rule in Gaza again. The President is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on February 5 at the White House.

Hamas releases first of 8 more Gaza hostages as truce holds with Israel to release 110– www.mirror.co.uk
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Hamas-led militants freed the first of eight hostages on Thursday in the latest release since a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip took hold earlier this month. Israel was expected to release another 110 Palestinians.

Israel’s prime minister says Trump has invited him to the White House on Feb. 4  Yahoo! Voices

President Donald Trump is looking to end the war in Ukraine, and he’s challenging Vladimir Putin to come to the negotiating table along with Ukraine and even China. Trump has frozen most support for Ukraine until it is fully reviewed. The move appears intended to incentivize Ukraine to come to the negotiating table.

So far, Putin has expressed interest in having talks with Trump, but he rejected calls by Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, to have unilateral talks with them. Zelensky responded to the reaction by claiming “Today, Putin once again confirmed that he is afraid of negotiations, afraid of strong leaders, and does everything possible to prolong the war.”

Zelensky Says Putin “Afraid” Of Negotiations On Ending Ukraine War– www.ndtv.com
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday that Vladimir Putin was “afraid” of negotiations on ending the Ukraine war, after the Russian president ruled out direct talks with his Ukrainian counterpart.

“Today, Putin once again confirmed that he is afraid of negotiations, afraid of strong leaders, and does everything possible to prolong the war,” Zelensky posted on X.

Following the now-viral moment where LA Marxist Mayor Karen Bass was told directly by President Donald Trump that she should let the people clean up their own properties, residents continue to be denied access to their own property.

Trump excoriated her to use her emergency powers to cut the red tape that might delay them from seeing their homes for months, if not years, yet residents are reporting she continues to deny them access to their own property, citing concerns for their “safety.”

The January 15 order from LA County Health Officer Dr. Munta Davis is still in effect. It states, “No removal of fire debris resulting from the Critical Fire Area in Los Angeles County shall occur from properties without a hazardous materials inspection conducted either by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or California Department of Toxic Substances Control …”

LA Defies Trump, Forbids Residents to Clean Sites– www.westernjournal.com
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Los Angeles is preventing residents from going to their properties, much less starting the process of cleaning them up.

L.A. County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis issued the no debris removal order.

His calling card includes promoting a “health equity framework within government agencies,” and the top value listed on his county health office website is “equity.”

The Jan. 15 order from Davis read in part, “No removal of fire debris resulting from the Critical Fire Area in Los Angeles County shall occur from properties without a hazardous materials inspection conducted either by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or California Department of Toxic Substances Control …” The order listed a few other government agencies that could also do the inspection.

Israel’s Justice Minister, Yari Levin, has come out against the selection of appointed permanent Chief Justice Isaac Amit to President of the Supreme Court.

He declared, “I hereby state unequivocally that I do not recognize Justice Isaac Amit as the President of the Supreme Court, and the procedures through which he was ‘elected’ are fundamentally flawed and illegal.” He called the decision a “moral disgrace,” claiming it “reeks of selective enforcement.”

Constitutional crisis? Yariv Levin refuses to recognize new Supreme Court chief – The Jerusalem Post
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Justice Minister Yariv Levin said that he did not recognize newly appointed permanent Chief Justice Isaac Amit in a statement on Sunday.

“I hereby state unequivocally that I do not recognize Justice Isaac Amit as the President of the Supreme Court, and the procedures through which he was ‘elected’ are fundamentally flawed and illegal,” he wrote.

Levin went on to say in a separate statement that Amit’s appointment happened amidst many allegations about his behavior in various cases that the justice minister believes were not correctly investigated.

The allegations against Amit included unreported court proceedings by the Tel Aviv Municipality against owners of a building in Tel Aviv, which included Amit and his brother; a series of cases that Amit oversaw that involved First International Bank of Israel and Dor Alon, even though his brother was involved in these companies at different points; alleged building infractions in Amit’s home in Mevaseret Zion; and a ruling regarding boards of directors of government companies that allegedly could have affected his brother.

Levin said that other senior officials had been removed from the pool of candidates for far less and called the appointment a “moral disgrace” that “reeks of selective enforcement” in the government.