Rubio Says Macron’s Statehood Pledge Derailed Ceasefire Talks with Hamas
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio disclosed on Friday that negotiations for a hostages-for-ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas collapsed immediately after French President Emmanuel Macron declared that France would formally recognize a Palestinian state.
“Talks with Hamas fell apart the day Macron announced that decision,” Rubio explained, noting that other nations quickly hinted they might follow suit by September if a truce wasn’t reached. “Hamas saw this as an opportunity—not to make peace, but to claim a political win without agreeing to a ceasefire.”
According to Rubio, such promises of statehood recognition have “made it harder to get peace and harder to strike a deal.”
On July 24, Macron announced plans to bring the issue before the United Nations General Assembly in September, framing it as part of France’s “historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.” He said the immediate priority was ending the Gaza war and aiding civilians.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly condemned Macron’s move, warning it “rewards terror” and risks creating “another Iranian proxy” like Gaza under Hamas. “A Palestinian state under these conditions would be a launch pad for Israel’s destruction—not peaceful coexistence,” Netanyahu said.
Shortly afterward, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer signaled the U.K. might also recognize Palestinian statehood by September unless Israel halts the fighting and commits to a long-term peace plan. Canada and Malta issued similar statements in the following days.
Ranchers Drive 100 Cattle Across Samaria in Four-Day Trek
In a striking display of agricultural resilience, more than 100 cows recently completed a four-day journey across the hills of Samaria, moving between two Israeli farms and underscoring the renewed freedom of Jewish ranchers in the region.
The herd departed from Dorot Illit Farm, near Karnei Shomron, following a rugged route over hundreds of dunams of open countryside before arriving at Maoz Shaul Farm, roughly seven miles north near Avnei Hefetz.
Organized to balance grazing lands between the farms, the transfer is a common practice in the Golan Heights but has become a rare—and symbolic—event in Samaria, reflecting the region’s growing agricultural revival.
“These are not just postcard images—they are living expressions of Zionism,” said Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan. “Agriculture here preserves open spaces, strengthens our presence, and is part of the larger struggle for the land. The next step is sovereignty.”
Hananel Namir, founder of Maoz Shaul Farm and leader of the drive, called it “a privilege to develop the farms and build up the Land of Israel.” He pledged to continue strengthening settlement in areas “where Jews have not set foot for years.”
The drive comes amid increasing reports of violent harassment targeting Jewish farmers in Judea and Samaria. Despite such challenges, Israel has approved over 41,000 housing units and 50 new communities in the area since 2022. In July, the Knesset passed a non-binding resolution calling for extending sovereignty to Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley.
Jewish Father Beaten in Montreal While Walking with His Daughters
A 32-year-old Jewish man was violently assaulted in Montreal on Friday afternoon while walking with his two young daughters in the borough of Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension.
Police say the attack occurred around 2:45 p.m. at the corner of l’Épée and Beaumont avenues. The suspect fled before officers arrived, and no arrests have yet been made.
A 28-second video circulating online shows the victim on the ground as the assailant punches him repeatedly, then walks away, throwing the man’s kippah into a nearby fountain. One of the victim’s daughters is seen clinging to him as he struggles to his knees. Authorities have not yet determined a motive.
“This is beyond deplorable,” said Hampstead Mayor Jeremy Levi, calling it “an outrage against basic human decency” and accusing Canada’s national leadership of fostering an environment that emboldens such brutality.
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs condemned the “unprovoked attack” and urged authorities to bring the perpetrator to justice. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar called the footage “reminiscent of dark periods of Jewish persecution,” while Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney described the assault as “appalling” and pledged his support for law enforcement efforts.
The incident follows a series of antisemitic acts in Montreal since Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023 terror attack, including firebombings of a synagogue and Jewish community center in late 2024.
