I received at La Fortaleza the Consul General of Israel in Miami, Zuri Siso, whose jurisdiction includes Puerto Rico. During the meeting, we discussed the strategic alliance between our nation, the United States, and Israel, and the close relationship maintained in areas such as defense, security, and intelligence. https://x.com/Jenniffer/status/2090469030624624939?s=20

Live Update From the Liveblog of Thursday, August 20, 2026 By Zev Stub Today, 3:00 pm A single 45-minute classroom lesson on contemporary antisemitism can significantly reduce teenagers’ endorsement of antisemitic conspiracy theories, according to new research released by the Anti-Defamation League’s Center for Antisemitism Research. A randomized evaluation of 372 middle and high school students in nine schools found that students who received the lesson were 14.4 percentage points more likely than those in a control group to reject the claim that Jews have too much power in the United States, the report says. The lesson also produced a 15.5-point reduction in endorsement of the antisemitic trope that Jews are more loyal to Israel than to the United States. Students were also less likely to endorse tropes involving Jewish control and media influence and were 13.6 percentage points less likely to minimize antisemitism as an issue. A separate online experiment involving 5,005 high school students nationwide also showed that the single class reduced trope endorsement, including among students whose attitudes are typically considered more difficult to change. “We now have data showing that a single, well-designed lesson, taught by educators with no special training, can measurably shift how teens think about antisemitism. That’s a solvable problem for schools,” says Matt Williams, vice president of the center. “Districts don’t need a semester-long unit or a major new investment to make progress, they need the right 45 minutes, and now we’re closer to knowing what that looks like.”

At the heart of Israel's covert history lies a special place for Brigadier General (Res.) Tzuri Sagi (Shinkin), who passed away at the age of 92. Sagi, one of the most prominent commanders and a living legend of the Paratroopers Brigade, left behind a glorious combat legacy spanning 32 years of IDF service. Yet above all, his name will be remembered for one extraordinary mission across the border—the clandestine operation that laid the foundations for Kurdish autonomy in northern Iraq. A vivid and fascinating testimony of his unique story is preserved, among other places, in a special Zoom broadcast available on the YouTube channel of military historian Dr. Uri Milstein, featuring Sagi alongside military historian Dr. Levinstein and the author of this article who participated in its filming. In the 1960s, Sagi was secretly dispatched to northern Iraq as a senior military advisor to the Kurdish rebels, under the leadership of the mythical leader Mustafa Barzani. In those days, the Kurds were fighting for their lives against a superior and well-equipped Iraqi army. Sagi brought with him the tactical brilliance and audacity of the Israeli Paratroopers. He developed a tailored combat doctrine for them based on mountain guerrilla warfare, trained snipers, and, in one of the operation's defining moments, planned a brilliant ambush that led to the complete destruction of an entire Iraqi brigade. This operation turned him into an admired figure of supreme importance in Kurdistan, altering the face of the Middle East and impacting regional security for decades to come. Sagi's ability to lead daring operations in the shadows was forged during an illustrious military career within Israel's borders. He enlisted in the IDF in 1952, served as a platoon commander in the 890th Battalion under Ariel Sharon, and took part in the complex reprisal operations of the 1950s. During the Sinai War, he commanded a company and parachuted into the historic Battle of the Mitla Pass. Later in his career, he commanded the Paratroopers Reconnaissance Unit (Sayeret Tzanhanim), the 890th Battalion, and served as the deputy commander of the regular Paratroopers Brigade. During the Yom Kippur War, he commanded the 317th Reserve Paratroopers Brigade, which fought in the Syrian enclave, while simultaneously managing the highly sensitive Mount Dov sector.