«El error de juicio de algunos»

El buque petrolero/químico «Bald Man» en el puerto de Fujairah, mientras el conflicto entre Estados Unidos e Israel con Irán limita el tráfico marítimo en el estrecho de Ormuz, en Fujairah, Emiratos Árabes Unidos. Foto Reuters

Escapar de la guerra

Iraníes caminan junto a una fotografía del líder supremo de Irán, el ayatolá Mojtaba Khamenei, en una calle de Teherán, Irán. Foto EFE

Nearly 600 unopened ballots were discovered in a California county months after voters approved a statewide Democratic redistricting measure, with local election officials admitting they failed voters.

The Humboldt County Office of Elections said in a Wednesday press release that the 596 sealed but uncounted ballots did not impact the outcome of the Nov. 4 statewide special election, which centered on Proposition 50, a redistricting ballot measure pushed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democrats.

The ballots were found Monday inside a locked drop box, prompting county officials to say they had not been tampered with because the box was locked, and the ballots remained sealed. Officials said the error stemmed from a miscommunication over whether the drop box had been fully emptied before certification.

«While the mistake occurred after an election worker did not follow proper procedures, the responsibility for what happened ultimately sits with me. I did not have strong enough controls in place to prevent this, but we do now,» Humboldt County Clerk-Recorder and Registrar of Voters Juan Pablo Cervantes said in the news release. «We have taken corrective action and already updated our protocols. A new lock out, tag out procedure has been implemented for every ballot drop box to ensure each box is physically verified as empty and secured before election results are finalized.»

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While the ballots will not change the outcome of the November election, Humboldt County officials said they are still endeavoring to ensure all ballots get counted, apologizing to voters that they «fell short» of their duties.

«I promise you that we are taking this seriously,» Cervantes added. «We will strengthen our processes and continue pushing toward the standard our community expects and deserves.»

Proposition 50, championed by Newsom and California Democrats, allowed the state to temporarily use legislature-drawn congressional maps for the 2026, 2028 and 2030 elections instead of maps created by California’s independent redistricting commission.

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The California Voter ID Initiative would amend the state constitution to require voter ID when casting a ballot, require election officials to verify citizenship of registered voters and mandate the state maintain accurate voter rolls if passed. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times; Emily Elconin/Reuters)

The measure came amid a national mid-decade redistricting fight, with Newsom and California Democrats arguing the state needed to counter GOP-led map changes in states such as Texas.

California’s normal redistricting process is handled by an independent commission, but Prop 50 created a temporary voter-approved exception allowing the state to use legislature-drawn congressional maps through 2030.

After the Supreme Court last week narrowed Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act in a Louisiana redistricting case, a ruling that could open the door for Republican-led states to pursue new maps that undercut Democratic redistricting gains in California and potential gains in states such as Virginia, California Democrats have faced pressure to consider going even further in response.

California Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton said the GOP has a chance to win this year due to what he called the «complete failure» of Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democrats. (Carlin Stiehl/Los Angeles Times)

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However, The Los Angeles Times reported Thursday that despite this urging for additional action, even after voters approved Prop 50, California Democrats have no intention of making an attempt to redraw the maps again before the midterms.

California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks pointed out Democrats need to win the seats created under the state’s existing Prop 50 map they redrew last year.

«We have yet to fully win the seats in the map that was drawn in 2025. It seems a step too far to say we’re going to go back to the drawing board and redraw the map,» Hicks said, according to The Los Angeles Times.

«You all should pick up some seats. Let’s all do this together, because California cannot do it alone, it will take the rest of the country,» Hicks added, referring to pressure on Democratic-led states to counter Republican redistricting efforts nationwide.

The arrest of two Israeli Air Force personnel on allegations of espionage has underscored Iran’s expanding efforts to penetrate Israel’s military by recruiting operatives from within.

Over the past year and a half, Israeli police, working alongside the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), have investigated more than 20 cases involving an estimated 40 to 50 suspects. Most remain in custody, though investigators believe additional suspects are still at large.

Capt. Sefi Berger of the Israel Police’s Lahav International and Major Crimes Unit, which investigates Iranian espionage cases, told Fox News Digital that Tehran primarily seeks intelligence that could aid attack planning, along with information on high-profile individuals and other sensitive targets.

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Payments vary widely. One network of seven suspects reportedly received about $300,000, while an Iron Dome reservist was allegedly paid $1,000 — and in some cases, even less.

«People may think they will get rich, but the money is not life-changing,» Berger said. «In one case last year involving two soldiers, one received just $21 and has been in prison for a year and a half.»

Iranian recruitment tactics include infiltrating WhatsApp and Facebook groups used by Israelis seeking freelance work, as well as pornography websites, where agents allegedly use compromising material to blackmail individuals into cooperating. Recruitment also relies on emotional manipulation of individuals whose moral judgment may be compromised.

«When recruiting a person, a relationship can develop between the handler and the spy. Sometimes the asset is looking for a father figure or a friend — someone who listens without judgment,» Berger said.

Former Shin Bet handler Gonen Ben Itzhak, who spent years recruiting sources within Palestinian society, told Fox News Digital that the issue is particularly serious, saying he has not previously seen so many attempts — and some successful cases — of spying against Israel.

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Israel Police arresting a suspect in relation to Iranian espionage in Haifa.  (Israel Police Spokesperson)

«The million-dollar question is who makes a good recruit. We don’t have a clear answer. There are certain indicators that someone may be more susceptible. The Iranians use social media — something we didn’t have in the same way —and it’s a powerful tool to identify potential motives,» he said.

As a handler, Ben Itzhak said he sought to recruit as many viable candidates as possible while avoiding individuals likely to attract suspicion, such as known criminals. He described the process as gradual and often uncertain.

«At first, they need to agree to meet in secret. Sometimes they come but won’t share information. I would start with simple questions — who leads Hamas in their village,» he said.

«Sometimes it takes time. Some refuse to cooperate, some may even act as double agents. In many cases, they are trained to collect information without being exposed. It’s a process,» Ben Itzhak added.

In March, 22-year-old Haifa resident Ami Gaydarov was arrested on suspicion of manufacturing explosives intended to target a senior Israeli figure at the direction of an Iranian agent.

A billboard depicting Iran’s supreme leaders since 1979: (L to R) Ayatollahs Ruhollah Khomeini (until 1989), Ali Khamenei (until 2026), and Mojtaba Khamenei (incumbent) is displayed above a highway in Tehran on March 10, 2026. Iran marked the appointment of Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei to replace his father as its supreme leader on March 9, 2026.  (AFP/Via Getty Images)

Last month, a man from the Israeli-Arab city of Qalansawe was detained on suspicion of allegedly spying for «a hostile actor, mediated through the Al Jazeera channel.» According to the investigation, Miqdad Moder Hosni Natur made contact with his handler after being introduced while searching for job opportunities through the Qatari-owned news organization.

Under Israeli law, contact with a foreign agent carries a sentence of up to 15 years in prison. Providing intelligence can result in more than 10 years’ imprisonment, while aiding the enemy during wartime carries a minimum sentence of life imprisonment and, in extreme cases, the death penalty.

Berger also warned against attempts by Israelis to deceive foreign agents, stressing that any contact is a serious offense.

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«We had a hotel worker near the Dead Sea who falsely told Iranians that a group of Israelis would arrive. He said it was a lie, but I explained he had effectively put a target on that hotel, its staff and guests, and encouraged an attack,» Berger said.

«People unfamiliar with this world should not engage in it. Contact is an offense, providing information is an offense, and aiding the enemy is the most severe,» he added.

Israeli citizen Moti Maman stands in a courtroom after he was accused by Israeli security services of involvement in an Iranian-backed assassination plot targeting prominent people including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in Beersheba District Court in southern Israel, Sept. 19, 2024.  (Reuters/Stringer )

While most suspects remain in custody awaiting trial, some cases are advancing through the courts.

One concluded case involved 70-year-old Moti Maman, who was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison after twice entering Iran, where he met with intelligence agents to discuss carrying out terrorist activity in Israel. He also discussed the possibility of assassinating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

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Former Mossad operative Gad Shimron told Fox News Digital that while the espionage efforts have caused damage, their impact appears tactical rather than strategic. However, he cautioned against complacency.

«The electronic Iron Dome is trying to catch Israelis willing to work for the Iranians, and I believe it is quite efficient,» he said. «But one should never underestimate the enemy. I am sure they are investing a lot of effort and that they have some successes we don’t yet know of.»