Lawmakers Probe U.S. Aid to Groups Behind Anti-Netanyahu Protests
Top Republican lawmakers are demanding answers over whether U.S. government funds were improperly funneled to groups behind protests against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and House Foreign Affairs Chairman Brian Mast (R-Fla.) sent formal inquiries last week to three organizations: Blue and White Future, the Abraham Initiatives, and the Tides Network. They accuse these nonprofits of failing to fully disclose whether they received U.S. taxpayer money via the State Department or USAID.
In their letter, Jordan and Mast referenced earlier reporting that Blue and White Future had received millions in funding in 2023—$4 million from the Middle East Peace Dialogue Network and another $18 million from the PEF Israel Endowment Fund.
“These reports are highly concerning, particularly given the Biden-Harris administration’s strained stance toward Israel,” the lawmakers wrote.
The committees initially requested documents back in March, but say Blue and White Future has not complied.
The groups at the center of the inquiry are known for their role in organizing widespread protests in 2023 against proposed judicial reforms in Israel. Blue and White Future and the Abraham Initiatives, both NGOs, were central to these efforts, while the Tides Network is a U.S.-based funder of progressive causes including Code Pink and IfNotNow.
In April, congressional Republicans sent letters to several NGOs demanding to know whether American taxpayer dollars were used to disrupt Israel’s democratic processes.
“Media coverage later confirmed that U.S. grant money had indeed made its way—through multiple organizations—into the hands of groups orchestrating anti-government protests in Israel,” the letter noted.
The lawmakers argued this not only undermines U.S.-Israel relations but may violate civil liberties protections in both countries.
Jordan and Mast echoed calls from the Trump administration, which has criticized USAID and the State Department for allegedly financing left-wing causes abroad. They claim from 2007 to 2024, at least $122 million in U.S. grants were given to NGOs with links to terror groups or antisemitic rhetoric.
“These practices reflect a serious lapse in oversight and call into question whether these agencies are being used as political tools,” the lawmakers concluded.
Former Israeli Prime Minister Refutes Tucker Carlson’s Epstein Allegations
Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has strongly rejected recent remarks made by conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, who claimed that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was working for Israeli intelligence.
Speaking at the Turning Point USA summit last week, Carlson alleged that there is a quiet consensus in Washington, D.C., that Epstein, who died in jail in 2019, was tied to Mossad, Israel’s national intelligence agency.
“I’ve never encountered anyone in Washington who doesn’t believe Epstein was connected to Israel,” Carlson said. “They just won’t say it publicly.”
Bennett, who led Israel from 2021 to 2022, responded with an unequivocal denial.
“As someone who had direct oversight over Mossad, I can say with complete certainty that the claim that Epstein worked for Israel or was part of a blackmail ring is utterly false,” Bennett posted on social media.
He went further, calling Carlson’s accusation a baseless lie spread by influencers who “say outrageous things with total confidence,” and claimed such narratives gain traction because they target Israel.
“There’s a disturbing trend of slandering Israel and the Jewish people,” he warned. “We will no longer stay silent.”
Amichai Chikli, Israel’s diaspora affairs minister, also criticized Carlson’s comments. In an open letter to Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, he noted there was zero evidence linking Epstein to the Israeli government and questioned why Carlson was given a platform to speak.
“You and I both know there is no proof Epstein worked on Israel’s behalf,” Chikli wrote. “Yet your conference left attendees with the opposite impression.”
Chikli expressed concern over rising antisemitism, urging Kirk to condemn hateful rhetoric from any political side.
Epstein has resurfaced in political debate after U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi reaffirmed on July 7 that Epstein had no secret client list and had died by suicide. This announcement was met with skepticism from conspiracy theorists, especially on the right, who suspect Epstein’s death concealed a high-level trafficking ring.
Epstein had known connections with high-profile figures across the political spectrum, including Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, and former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak. His financial dealings also raised eyebrows—for instance, a 2020 report revealed that Oslo Accords mediator Terje Rød-Larsen accepted over $100,000 from him.
Meanwhile, Bondi’s conclusions have stirred tension within the U.S. government. Reports indicate FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino hasn’t reported to work since the memo’s release. President Trump has publicly backed Bondi, calling her performance “fantastic” and urging Americans to focus on the country’s current success rather than Epstein’s past.
Israeli Air Force Hits Hezbollah Targets in Southern Lebanon
In a significant military operation, the Israeli Air Force launched a series of airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon early Tuesday morning, focusing on arms depots and training camps tied to the group’s elite Radwan Force.
According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the air raids targeted key sites in Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley where Hezbollah militants were preparing for future assaults on Israeli territory.
“These camps serve as training grounds for terrorists planning to infiltrate northern Israel, conduct kidnappings, and carry out other hostile acts,” the IDF said.
The Radwan Force has long been seen as Hezbollah’s spearhead unit, central to the group’s strategy of crossing into Israel as part of its so-called “Conquer the Galilee” initiative.
The military said the targeted facilities housed weapons and were being used for live-fire exercises and other operational drills, describing them as a “clear violation” of existing ceasefire agreements between Israel and Lebanon.
Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant emphasized the gravity of the operation.
“This strike sends a direct message to Hezbollah and to the Lebanese government, which must uphold its responsibilities under the agreement,” Gallant said. “Every terrorist and every threat to Israeli civilians will be dealt with swiftly and forcefully.”
The latest strikes follow a fragile ceasefire agreement signed on November 26, 2024, which aimed to end more than a year of border skirmishes. Those hostilities escalated after Hezbollah began launching attacks in solidarity with Hamas following the October 7, 2023 massacre in Israel.
Despite the ceasefire, Hezbollah has continued attempts to rebuild its military presence in southern Lebanon, prompting repeated IDF counterstrikes.
Just last week, Israeli forces killed senior Hezbollah operative Muhammad Shoaib in a targeted strike near Al-Numairiyah. Shoaib was reportedly instrumental in arms smuggling efforts from Iran into Israel and the West Bank.
In a separate weekend strike, the IAF also eliminated a member of Hezbollah’s anti-tank unit in the Khiam region.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s deputy, Naim Qassem, said the group is actively rebuilding and preparing for future conflict, defiantly rejecting international demands to disarm.
