Three fires in southern Israel were started by incendiary balloons launched by Palestinian terrorists in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday morning, mere hours after Israel expanded the fishing zone around the Hamas-ruled coastal enclave.
The fires took place in the area of the Eshkol Regional Council. They brought the number of such fires to over 50 in the last month, Israeli news site Mako reported.
Airborne incendiary devices have been launched into Israel by Gaza terrorists for over a year, since the beginning of the so-called “March of Return” riots on the Israel-Gaza border. Though they have caused no casualties, the balloons have resulted in millions of dollars in damage to agriculture and infrastructure in Israel’s south.

With the showy, royal puffery of the queen’s banquet at Buckingham Palace and tea with Prince Charles over, President Donald Trump turned to business Tuesday, and the possibility of a trade deal once Britain finally leaves the European Union.
In a joint news conference with outgoing British Prime Minister Theresa May, Trump expressed confidence that Brexit would evenually happen. “I think it will happen,” he said, adding: “This is a great, great country, and it wants to have its own identity. . . . I think it deserves a special place.”

In a video published on Monday, Hamas boasted that it had found a way to “overcome” Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system.
The video, translated from Arabic by Israeli Channel 12, shows Hamas militants next to rocket launchers, as well as footage of what appeared rockets fired from Gaza at Israel in May.
“We found a way to overcome Iron Dome. The pace of launches was the fastest in our history, 700 rockets in 30 hours. 85 rockets were fired at Ashkelon, 80 to Ashdod, 60 to Beersheba — all carrying large warheads,” Hamas said.
“We employed a tactic of massive launches toward a single target to overcome Iron Dome. The heaviest fire was used after [Israel] hit high-rise buildings. We have more surprises up our sleeve,” it added.

MK Bezalel Smotrich, who heads the United Right’s National Union faction, on Tuesday discussed the ruckus surrounding his Sunday statement that he aims to “return the Torah to its foundation.”
“I have no intention of stuttering or apologizing, or ceasing pushing for the things I believe in,” he added.
There’s also a “complete lack of understanding” when it comes to how Jewish law works, he said. “Reality has changed, Judaism by the way has also changed.”
“When you say ‘an eye for an eye’ it’s obviously not physically, it’s monetary [compensation].”
Read more at Arutz Sheva.
{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior Middle East adviser Jared Kushner held talks with European Union chief Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels on Tuesday.
Kushner arrived in Brussels from London, where his father-in-law is making a state visit, and the trip came with international hopes dimming for a US peace plan for the Middle East.
“The president will meet Jared Kushner, senior adviser to the president of the United States of America, Donald Trump. They will discuss the Middle East situation and other geopolitical issues,” European Commission spokeswoman Mina Andreeva told reporters.
Read more at i24NEWS.
{Matzav.com}

Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak is running for the Labor party leadership, Army Radio reported on Tuesday.
The Labor party’s leadership primary will take place on July 2, after its current chairman, Avi Gabbay, led the party to its worst ever election on April 9, gaining a mere six seats.
Barak led the party to victory in 1999 when he was elected Prime Minister, beating then Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Gabbay is supporting Barak’s candidacy for leadership, according to a report by Israel Hayom.
Read more at i24NEWS.
{Matzav.com}

Sephora, a US-based cosmetics and skincare company, has come under fire for stating that it “does not ship to Palestine” when asked if the company ships to Israel.
The ruckus came after an Israeli Instagram user responded Monday to a Sephora advertisement with the innocent question, “Do you ship to Israel??”

In response to the anti-vaccination symposium tonight at Ateres Chynka Hall in Flatbush, Brooklyn, Matzav.com reached out to Dr. Alan Kadish, a physician and president of the Touro College & University System.
Dr. Kadish didn’t mince words in telling Matzav.com how he feels about tonight’s event and the fallacious claims of its organizers and presenters.
“We in the Jewish community must unite to unmask this hoax once and for all,” Dr. Kadish told us. “Not vaccinating children is reckless and potentially deadly. There is no justification medically, socially or religiously for not vaccinating.”

Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort is expected to be jailed on New York’s Rikers Island this week, where he will await trial on state-level mortgage fraud charges, The New York Times reported Tuesday.
Manafort was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison in March after being convicted of and pleading guilty to multiple federal charges. Manafort may be held in solitary confinement separate from other inmates due to his status as a “high profile” inmate.

A bill that would give Brooklyn residents who regularly cross the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge a discount similar to Staten Islanders has passed the state Senate, according to the Brooklyn Paper.
The measure would give Brooklynites who cross the span 10 or more times a month using E-ZPass a discounted toll of $5.50 — the same price borough residents pay under the Staten Island Resident Rebate Program.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Andrew Gounardes (D-Bay Ridge), passed Thursday by a 55-2 margin, the report said.
Read more.
{Matzav.com}