A gathering of leading rabbonim, roshei yeshiva, and chassidishe rebbes took place this week in Bnei Brak to mark the establishment of Kesef Layeled, a new organization dedicated to providing emotional, educational, and personal support to children and teenagers whose parents have divorced or separated.

The initiative, known in Hebrew as Katef Layeled, meaning “A Shoulder for a Child,” was established in response to the difficulties experienced by children growing up in homes affected by divorce. At the gathering, gedolei Yisroel spoke about the emotional wounds these children often carry, the tendency of many to conceal their struggles, and the responsibility of the community to provide them with consistent support and guidance.

Among those participating were Rav Shmuel Eliezer Stern, rav of western Bnei Brak; Rav Chaim Feinstein, rosh yeshiva of Ateres Shlomo; Rav Itamar Garbuz, rosh yeshiva of Orchos Torah; Rav Chaim Yosef Biderman of Lelov in Bnei Brak; the Pittsburgh Rebbe; and Rav Yechezkel Derbermdiker, rav of the Boyaner chassidim and the Sofrim neighborhood.

The gathering was chaired by Rav Menachem Shapira, rav of the new organization and rav of the Bais Boruch shul.

One of the most emotional moments came during the remarks of Rav Shmuel Eliezer Stern, who opened with the posuk, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds,” before sharing a painful experience from his own childhood.

“I became an orphan at the age of six. In those days, an orphan was the most miserable of the miserable. The scar remains with me to this very day,” he said.

Rav Stern noted that, boruch Hashem, numerous organizations have since been established to assist yesomim, but children whose parents have divorced frequently endure their own profound suffering without receiving the same attention.

“Children of divorced parents are also in a very difficult situation. Some hide their pain and do not want to appear unfortunate, while for others it comes bursting out,” he explained.

He emphasized that identifying these children and ensuring they have someone who understands their circumstances is an urgent communal responsibility.

“The need of the hour, rabosai, is to establish an organization, recognize their pain, and pair them with mentors who will understand them,” Rav Stern declared.

He concluded with a tefillah that those undertaking this work be successful in “finding the right language, how to strengthen these broken hearts.”

Rav Chaim Feinstein expressed his enthusiastic support for the initiative, describing it as an opportunity to emulate the ways of Hakadosh Boruch Hu.

“There is no doubt that this is a great mitzvah, to follow in the ways of Hakadosh Boruch Hu, Who heals the brokenhearted. These are broken hearts, broken homes,” he said.

The Pittsburgh Rebbe focused on the suffering that frequently goes unnoticed because children may appear entirely ordinary in school, even while carrying enormous emotional burdens.

“These precious children may appear outwardly just like every other child in their class, but when the school day ends, they do not have a stable, complete home to return to,” the Rebbe observed.

He described the establishment of the organization as something that “will truly be like cold water to a weary soul,” explaining that timely intervention could also “spare parents, educators, and the administrations of our holy institutions much anguish, when they identify early on any matter that requires assistance.”

Rav Yehuda Leib Kopf, the spiritual director of the Klal Chassidi cheder in Beit Shemesh and educational adviser to the new organization, spoke from his own experience of losing his father, the Lelover Rebbe of Branovitch zt”l, who passed away suddenly during a Purim seudah when his son was just 16.

“I became an orphan when it was still not popular. It was society that placed the stigma on orphans, because people were judgmental,” he recalled.

Rav Kopf stressed that changing communal attitudes must begin with the leadership of the Torah community. When gedolei Yisroel and professionals convey that children facing difficult family circumstances should not be ashamed, that message can gradually influence the broader public.

“It will filter down, and it can only filter down from the top,” he said.

Drawing on his experience as a cheder principal and yeshiva mashgiach, Rav Kopf related heartbreaking conversations with children struggling to cope with their parents’ separation.

One eight-year-old boy told him, “My father will manage. My mother will manage. If anyone is going to pay the price, it will be me.”

Another child, approaching his bar mitzvah, asked whether he could donate money he had received as prizes to help his mother cover household expenses.

“Someone said here that a six-year-old child becomes a ten-year-old,” Rav Kopf remarked. “I say that a six-year-old child becomes a ninety-year-old man.”

Rav Meir Leifer, mashgiach of Yeshivas Chernobyl, described a conversation he had just the previous day with a bochur whose parents had divorced.

“In my shiur alone, there are eight like that,” the bochur told him.

Rav Leifer observed that many children in such circumstances are reluctant to discuss their family situations, even when they desperately need support.

“How can we make them understand that we only want what is best for them, and that they should not be afraid to come?” he asked.

Rav Dovid Breverman, who will be involved in guiding the organization, addressed the connection between family difficulties and the challenges faced by young people who begin distancing themselves from Yiddishkeit.

He noted that, in his experience working with families of struggling teenagers, many cases involve painful family circumstances that have contributed to the child’s difficulties.

“In most cases, there is a family story behind what is happening,” he said.

To illustrate the importance of providing a stable and supportive relationship, Rav Breverman described a bochur in Ponevezh whose parents had divorced and who refused to consider shidduchim.

An avreich and talmid chacham took the young man under his wing, inviting him to his home every Shabbos for a year and a half.

“He suddenly saw a father and mother who had love and peace between them,” Rav Breverman related.

Eventually, the bochur married.

“A child needs to know: I have someone who is like a father, and this is the address I can turn to. Instead of building a hospital next to the bridge, let us repair the bridge,” he said.

Rav Ariel Yazdi, another professional involved in the initiative, emphasized that the relationship between a child and a mentor must be personal, consistent, and sensitive. A mentor might be the person a child calls after being insulted or the adult who accompanies him to purchase a suit for his bar mitzvah.

“But this has to be done delicately. It is not a five-kilogram hammer; these are fine, delicate tweezers,” he explained.

Bnei Brak Mayor Chanoch Zeibert also attended the gathering and spoke about the importance of establishing the organization, pledging municipal assistance as the initiative develops.

Other participants included Rav Shimon Kashash, an official in the city’s education department; Rav Yosef Shlomo Gerlitz, director of the Hakshiva Center operated through municipal social services; social worker Rav Bentzion Feist; and Rav Yonasan Tiefenbrunn, who will assist with the organization’s professional and educational support services.

The organization’s initial program will establish a network of trained mentors who will meet individually with children on a weekly basis, offering a dependable relationship and assistance tailored to each child’s emotional, educational, and personal needs.

The mentors will receive professional training, along with monthly lectures and ongoing guidance, to help them recognize difficulties, respond appropriately, and provide the steady support that children facing family separation may be missing.

The organization’s leadership expressed appreciation to Mayor Zeibert and Bnei Brak’s education and social services departments for their commitment to providing professional resources and educational assistance as the new initiative begins its work.

{Matzav.com}

A waiter working at a chasunah in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, was arrested Tuesday night after a wedding guest discovered that her credit card was missing and confronted him, leading to the discovery of several additional credit cards allegedly stolen from other people attending the celebration.

The incident occurred at the Oholei Torah wedding hall, where guests had gathered for a chasunah. What began as an ordinary evening of celebration took an unexpected turn when one of the women in attendance realized that her credit card had disappeared.

According to Crown Heights Info, the woman became suspicious of a waiter who had been serving guests at the event. Rather than dismissing the disappearance, she approached the employee and confronted him about the missing card.

The confrontation reportedly led to the discovery of several credit cards in the waiter’s possession, including cards belonging to other women and guests at the wedding.

Crown Heights Shomrim was immediately notified, and volunteers responded to the wedding hall to investigate the situation and assist those affected.

Shomrim members worked alongside officers from the NYPD’s 77th Precinct, which serves the Crown Heights neighborhood. Police subsequently took the waiter into custody on suspicion of stealing credit cards from wedding guests.

The suspect was arrested at the scene and faces a grand larceny allegation. The matter was referred to police investigators for further handling.

Following the arrest, Crown Heights Shomrim issued a public reminder urging residents to exercise caution when attending weddings and other large gatherings, particularly when numerous outside employees and service workers have access to guest areas.

The organization thanked the individuals who noticed the suspicious activity and reported it promptly, crediting their vigilance with helping authorities respond before the suspect could leave the premises.

Shomrim encouraged wedding guests to keep wallets, purses, credit cards, and other valuables secure throughout celebrations and to report any suspicious behavior without delay.

Residents who observe suspicious activity in Crown Heights can contact Shomrim’s emergency hotline at 718-774-3333.

The arrest follows several other recent incidents in Crown Heights in which neighborhood volunteer patrols have assisted police in apprehending criminal suspects.

In September, cooperation between Crown Heights Shomrim, Boro Park Shomrim, and the NYPD led to the arrest of two suspects wanted in connection with grand larceny offenses. The investigation involved coordination between volunteers in both neighborhoods, including the use of technology to identify and locate the suspects.

{Matzav.com}

A wedding celebration in central Israel nearly turned into tragedy Thursday evening when the chosson’s father suddenly collapsed after suffering cardiac arrest, prompting a frantic effort by wedding guests and emergency medical personnel to save his life. Following prolonged resuscitation efforts and four electric shocks, the approximately 60-year-old man regained a pulse and consciousness and was rushed to the hospital in stable condition.

The frightening incident occurred at a wedding venue in Israel’s Shfela region, where family members and guests had gathered to celebrate the young couple’s marriage. Shortly after the festivities began, the chosson’s father collapsed, sending shockwaves through the gathering.

At approximately 6:22 p.m., Magen David Adom’s 101 emergency dispatch center received a report that a man had lost consciousness at the wedding. With every moment critical, dispatch personnel immediately began instructing those at the scene on how to perform lifesaving resuscitation.

MDA emergency dispatcher Iyas Azbarga and paramedic Shoval Remez guided the guests over the telephone while an ambulance crew was dispatched to the venue.

Using MDA’s emergency response systems, the dispatchers determined that a defibrillator was available inside the wedding hall. They directed the guests to retrieve the device and begin using it while continuing CPR.

The guests responded immediately, administering three electric shocks with the defibrillator before the arrival of emergency medical personnel.

When MDA paramedics and emergency medical technicians reached the hall, they took over the resuscitation efforts, providing advanced cardiac care, including an additional electric shock and emergency medications.

After sustained efforts, the man’s heartbeat was restored, and he regained consciousness, bringing an extraordinary measure of relief amid what had become a terrifying ordeal for the family.

Once his condition had stabilized, the father was transported directly to the cardiac catheterization unit at Kaplan Medical Center for further treatment. He was reported to be in stable condition.

MDA motorcycle emergency responders Eden Sinai and Meir Avivi, together with paramedics Moran Ben David and Chen Vermus, director of MDA’s paramedic training school, described the intense rescue effort.

“When we arrived at the wedding venue, we immediately understood that this was a complex incident, with the groom’s father having collapsed during the wedding,” the responders said.

“The people at the scene acted quickly and began resuscitation using a defibrillator that was available in the hall, after receiving instructions from MDA’s 101 dispatch center. We continued prolonged advanced resuscitation efforts, including an electric shock, resuscitation medications, and lifesaving medical treatment. After extensive efforts, we succeeded in restoring his pulse, and he regained consciousness. This is an especially emotional moment, because our goal is to save lives, and in this case, also to allow a father to return to his family after such a dramatic incident on the day of his son’s celebration.”

Additional emergency service reports identified the location as a wedding hall in the Kannot industrial area near Gedera. Hatzalah volunteers also participated in the emergency response, with responders reporting that the man had been unconscious, without a detectable pulse or breathing, when lifesaving efforts were underway.

MDA emphasized that the presence of a defibrillator at the venue, together with the willingness of guests to begin CPR immediately, played an important role in the successful resuscitation.

The organization urged the public to familiarize themselves with the locations of defibrillators in wedding halls, shuls, and other public facilities. In the event of a sudden collapse, bystanders should immediately call MDA’s 101 emergency number and follow the instructions provided by dispatchers while awaiting medical assistance.

{Matzav.com}

Anger and frustration are mounting at Yeshivas Kol Torah in Yerushalayim following reports that its rosh yeshiva, Rav Moshe Yehuda Schlesinger, a senior member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Degel HaTorah, was not invited to the party’s major election gathering Thursday evening in the capital.

Rav Schlesinger’s name was omitted from the invitation list, leaving the rosh yeshiva unaware that the event was even taking place. The reported exclusion has provoked considerable resentment among his talmidim and associates, who say it follows an earlier incident in which the rosh yeshiva was embarrassed at another gathering attended by leading rabbonim.

The controversy comes as Degel HaTorah prepares for the upcoming Knesset elections, with the party seeking to mobilize its supporters through a series of public gatherings featuring prominent Torah leaders.

Those close to Rav Schlesinger maintain that the latest incident cannot be dismissed as a simple organizational oversight. They point to what they describe as a pattern of disrespect toward the rosh yeshiva, who is regarded as the eldest current member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah.

According to sources, an earlier incident occurred when Rav Schlesinger was invited to a special gathering of gedolei Yisroel but discovered upon arriving that no seat had been prepared for him at the dais alongside the other members of the Moetzes.

With no place designated for him among the participating rabbonim, Rav Schlesinger reportedly left the gathering and returned home.

Following that incident, Degel HaTorah officials dispatched representatives to the rosh yeshiva’s residence to personally apologize for what had occurred. The representatives reportedly assured him that such an incident would not happen again.

However, associates of the rosh yeshiva say the failure to invite him to Thursday evening’s gathering has renewed their concerns and deepened their frustration.

One of the rosh yeshiva’s close talmidim expressed the frustration felt by many at Kol Torah.

“I know that for quite some time, the rosh yeshiva has been very surprised by the way he has been treated,” the bochur told Emess. “But now it has reached a new low, where they simply do not invite him. This is a serious display of disrespect toward someone who is today the oldest member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah.”

According to once source, one of Rav Schlesinger’s close talmidim approached him Thursday morning and asked whether he intended to attend the election gathering that evening.

The rosh yeshiva reportedly replied that he had neither heard about the gathering nor been informed that it was taking place.

A separate report by Chareidim Yerushalayim indicated that Rav Schlesinger’s son, Rav Shlomo Schlesinger, who also serves as a rosh yeshiva at Kol Torah, had not received an invitation.

The gathering was scheduled to take place at the Succas Dovid hall in Yerushalayim, with the participation of community leaders, shul gabbaim, political activists, and party representatives.

Associates of the rosh yeshiva also alleged that senior Degel HaTorah representatives had recently visited other members of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah to discuss election preparations but had not made a comparable visit to Rav Schlesinger.

The controversy has also revived discussion of the recent removal of longtime Knesset member Uri Maklev from Degel HaTorah’s electoral slate. Maklev has maintained a close relationship with Rav Schlesinger for many years and has regularly consulted him on communal and political matters.

Some talmidim have suggested that the strained relationship between the rosh yeshiva’s household and party officials may be connected to the dispute surrounding Maklev’s removal. However, no evidence has emerged establishing a connection between that disagreement and the failure to invite Rav Schlesinger.

The tension has reportedly begun affecting attitudes toward the upcoming elections among some of the yeshiva’s talmidim.

Similar sentiments were reported among some alumni of the yeshiva, although the extent of the dissatisfaction and whether it will translate into actual voting decisions remain unclear.

The latest dispute comes as Degel HaTorah prepares for another significant gathering, with its Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah expected to convene in Bnei Brak on Motzoei Shabbos for the first time in approximately four years.

According to the additional report, those close to Rav Schlesinger were also unaware of an invitation having been extended to him or his son for that meeting.

{Matzav.com}

Rav Shlomo Alfa zt”l, a longtime Bnei Brak resident who was a grandson of Rav Meir Karelitz zt”l, a close confidant of the Chazon Ish zt”l, and an accountant who devoted decades to serving Torah institutions, was niftar Thursday evening at the age of 95.

Rav Alfa passed away at Mayanei HaYeshua Medical Center in Bnei Brak following resuscitation efforts. His petirah brings to a close the life of a man who maintained close connections with some of the greatest Torah figures of the previous generation while quietly dedicating himself to the needs of mosdos haTorah.

The levayah was scheduled for Thursday evening at 10 p.m., departing from his home at 64 Rav Kahaneman Street in Bnei Brak. The procession was to pass the Nachlas Moshe shul at 36 Rav Meltzer Street before proceeding to the Shomrei Shabbos–Zichron Meir Cemetery, where he was to be laid to rest.

Rav Alfa was born on 13 Av 5691 (1931) to Rav Eliezer Alfa zt”l, who served as the rav of the Karmia neighborhood in Haifa, and his wife, Mrs. Shulamis Alfa a”h.

His father was a distinguished talmid chacham who, during his younger years in the Novardok yeshivah, had learned b’chavrusa with the Steipler Gaon, Rav Yaakov Yisroel Kanievsky zt”l, author of the Kehillos Yaakov.

His mother was a daughter of Rav Meir Karelitz zt”l, the rav of Lachovitch and an influential figure in the Torah world of Poland and Eretz Yisroel. Rav Meir was among the leaders of the Vaad HaYeshivos in both countries, helped establish the Chinuch Atzmai educational network, and served as a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah.

Rav Meir Karelitz was also the older brother of the Chazon Ish, making Rav Shlomo Alfa a great-nephew of the Chazon Ish and part of a family deeply connected to the development of Torah life in Eretz Yisroel.

The Alfa home in Haifa was known as a gathering place for prominent talmidei chachamim and gedolei Yisroel who visited the city. Among the distinguished visitors was the Brisker Rav, Rav Yitzchok Zev Soloveitchik zt”l.

As a young bochur, Rav Shlomo studied at Yeshivas Tiferes Tzion in Bnei Brak. During that period, he developed a close relationship with the Chazon Ish and eventually lived in his home, an experience that gave him extraordinary personal exposure to one of the leading Torah authorities of the generation.

When he reached marriageable age, Rav Shlomo married Mrs. Sarah Alfa. Their wedding took place in Haifa and was attended by the Chazon Ish himself.

In later years, Rav Alfa and his family settled in Bnei Brak, where he established himself as an accountant whose services were sought by numerous Torah institutions. His professional work became an important part of his contribution to the continued operation of yeshivos, kollelim, and other communal organizations.

Alongside his demanding professional responsibilities, he was deeply devoted to his own Torah learning, maintaining regular sedorim with exceptional dedication.

Among the institutions that benefited from his generosity was the Nachlas Moshe network of kollelim, headed by his son-in-law, Rav Avrohom Rubinstein. Rav Alfa handled the network’s accounting needs entirely on a volunteer basis, providing his professional expertise without compensation.

Additional accounts of his life describe him as a respected moreh horaah who spent many years in Yerushalayim and became known for his extensive firsthand knowledge of the Chazon Ish. He was frequently invited to speak at Torah gatherings, where he shared personal recollections of the Chazon Ish’s conduct, teachings, and daily life.

Those who knew him recalled his humility, warmth, and willingness to share the memories he had accumulated during his years in the Chazon Ish’s presence. His recollections provided later generations with a personal perspective on the life of the Chazon Ish.

In his later years, as his strength declined, Rav Alfa resided with his daughter in Bnei Brak, where family members cared for him devotedly.

On Thursday afternoon, emergency responders were summoned to a residence on Rav Kahaneman Street after Rav Alfa suddenly collapsed. Medical personnel performed advanced resuscitation procedures and transported him to Mayanei HaYeshua Medical Center in critical condition, continuing their efforts to save his life. Despite those efforts, he was niftar at the hospital.

Rav Alfa leaves behind a distinguished family of children, grandchildren, and further descendants who continue in his path.

Among his sons-in-law is Rav Avrohom Rubinstein, the former mayor of Bnei Brak, who currently serves as secretary of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Degel HaTorah.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

A new Israeli election poll released Thursday evening shows former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party leading Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s Likud by three Knesset seats, while the bloc seeking to replace the current government has gained ground but still faces significant obstacles to assembling a governing majority.

The survey, published by Israel Hayom less than two weeks before the October 27 Knesset elections, gives Eisenkot’s Yashar party 24 seats in the 120-member Knesset, compared with 21 for Likud.

The results place Eisenkot’s party at the top of the individual party rankings, although the distribution of seats among the various political blocs suggests that forming a new government could remain difficult regardless of which party receives the most mandates.

According to the poll, Naftali Bennett’s Beyachad party would receive 12 seats, making it the third-largest faction in the Knesset. It is followed by Itamar Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit with nine seats.

The Democrats, led by Yair Golan, are projected to win eight seats, as are Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beiteinu and the Arab Joint List.

Among the chareidi parties, both United Torah Judaism and Shas are projected to receive seven seats apiece, giving the two factions a combined 14 mandates.

Religious Zionism, led by Bezalel Smotrich, is projected to secure six seats, while the Arab Ra’am party would receive five.

The survey also assigns four seats to the Reservists and Economist list, placing it at the minimum threshold for representation in the Knesset.

The poll places the opposition bloc at 52 seats, an increase of two from the previous Israel Hayom survey, while the parties currently aligned with Netanyahu’s coalition receive a combined 50 mandates.

The Arab parties are projected to receive 14 seats, while the four seats allocated to the Reservists and Economist list are counted separately from the two main political blocs.

Although the opposition’s 52 seats fall nine short of the 61 required for a Knesset majority, adding the Arab parties would bring the combined total to 66. That calculation, however, does not establish that the parties would agree to form or support a government together, particularly given Lieberman’s opposition to relying on Arab factions.

A closer examination of the results shows that Eisenkot’s party has gained two seats since the previous survey, while Bennett’s party has lost one. United Torah Judaism also drops by one mandate, as does the Reservists and Economist list.

The original Israel Hayom figures put the Joint List at nine seats, one more than the eight reported in the subsequent summary, bringing the combined Arab-party total to 14.

The survey was conducted by the Kantar polling institute on October 14 and 15 among 551 respondents, with a reported maximum margin of error of 4.2 percentage points.

A separate poll published Thursday by Zman Yisrael presented a somewhat different picture, projecting 26 seats for Eisenkot’s Yashar party, 20 for Likud, and 11 for Bennett’s Beyachad. That survey allocated 54 seats to the opposition, 49 to Netanyahu’s bloc, 13 to the Arab parties, and four to the unaligned list.

{Matzav.com}

Chareidi political parties in Israel are developing new election-day strategies following a ruling by Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg prohibiting real-time reporting from polling stations, a decision that threatens to disrupt the voter-tracking systems traditionally used by party campaign headquarters.

Degel HaTorah is considering recruiting hundreds of seminary students to operate telephone banks, while Shlomei Emunim is preparing to establish special reporting stations outside polling locations where voters will be able to voluntarily confirm that they have cast their ballots.

The proposed arrangements are intended to allow party officials to continue monitoring voter participation and identifying supporters who have not yet voted, without relying on information collected from inside polling stations.

According to information obtained by Emess, Degel HaTorah is examining a plan to enlist students from the 13th and 14th grades of seminaries in major chareidi cities to staff a large-scale telephone operation on Election Day.

Under the proposal, the students would contact voters identified as party supporters, encourage them to exercise their voting rights, and ask whether they had already visited the polls.

The information gathered through those conversations would allow campaign headquarters to assess participation among their supporters and determine where additional voter outreach may be necessary.

The proposal has not yet received final approval. Party officials are expected to present the plan to the rabbonim, who will make the ultimate decision on whether the seminary students may participate.

In addition to the proposed telephone campaign, Degel HaTorah is working on a separate voter-monitoring arrangement built around the organizational structure of its local communities.

Under that system, supporters would be divided according to their respective kehillos, with each community’s gabbai responsible for maintaining contact with members and reporting to the party’s central election headquarters which individuals have voted and which have not yet done so.

Party officials hope that this decentralized approach will provide a continually updated picture of voter participation, allowing them to identify communities where turnout is lagging.

Shlomei Emunim, meanwhile, is pursuing a different arrangement that would place specially designated reporting stations near polling locations.

The stations, which party officials are calling election command posts, would be positioned outside the actual voting areas. Supporters would be able to approach the stations voluntarily and inform party representatives that they had already cast their ballots.

The system would enable Shlomei Emunim to gather information directly from voters rather than relying on polling-station personnel to transmit details about who had voted.

The restrictions stem from a legal battle that began in August, when Justice Sohlberg, chairman of the Central Elections Committee, ruled that party representatives stationed inside polling places could not provide campaign headquarters with real-time information identifying voters who had already cast ballots.

Sohlberg determined that information about whether and when a person votes is protected under Israeli privacy law and that election officials are not authorized to disclose it for partisan campaign purposes.

The ruling encountered strong opposition from several political parties, including Likud, Shas, and United Torah Judaism, which maintained that the longstanding practice was lawful.

On September 6, the full Central Elections Committee voted 19–11, with three abstentions, to overturn Sohlberg’s restriction and permit the reporting system to continue. The matter subsequently returned to the High Court, which struck down the committee’s decision, leaving the prohibition in place ahead of the October 27 Knesset elections.

The court’s decision has created a significant logistical challenge for parties that have traditionally relied on detailed voter databases and election-day reporting systems to track participation.

Other alternatives reportedly under consideration within United Torah Judaism include telephone hotlines through which voters could report that they have voted and assigning campaign workers responsibility for maintaining contact with small groups of supporters.

{Matzav.com}

Yair Golan, chairman of Israel’s left-wing Democrats party, has declared that separating religion from the state and removing religious influence from public life will be central priorities of his political agenda, explicitly calling for public transportation on Shabbos and the introduction of civil marriage in Israel.

In remarks publicized Thursday, Golan outlined his vision for changing the relationship between religion and government, identifying two major reforms that he intends to pursue as part of his party’s platform.

“א clear separation between religion and state, beginning first and foremost with removing religion from the public sphere. There will be public transportation on Shabbos, and it will be possible to enter into civil marriages in Israel. I am presenting these as two central priorities,” Golan said, according to a translation of his Hebrew remarks.

The comments reflect Golan’s longstanding support for changes to Israel’s religious status quo, particularly in areas where religious law and institutions currently influence government policy and public services.

His latest statement, however, went beyond advocating specific changes to transportation and marriage laws. Golan explicitly spoke of removing religion from the public sphere, language that raises broader questions about the extent of the changes he envisions.

Golan made the remarks during a meeting with party activists living abroad, in comments publicized by Israel’s Channel 14 ahead of the October 27 Knesset elections.

His proposals are consistent with the Democrats party’s published platform, which calls for the establishment of a civil marriage system alongside the Chief Rabbinate and the introduction of public transportation on Shabbos.

Under the party’s more detailed policy document, local authorities would be empowered to determine the extent of Shabbos transportation in their communities. The proposal envisions limited service in secular and mixed areas while preserving the character of Shabbos in religious neighborhoods.

Golan’s latest language has nevertheless drawn particular attention because of his use of the phrase “removing religion from the public sphere,” which goes beyond the specific proposals concerning transportation and marriage.

The Democrats chairman did not explain precisely what additional measures he envisions under that description, leaving unclear whether he intends primarily to reduce the authority of religious institutions over government services or pursue more extensive changes to the country’s public character.

The remarks prompted a sharp response from Shas chairman Aryeh Deri, who accused Golan and the political left of threatening Israel’s Jewish identity.

“Yair Golan is openly saying what a left-wing government intends to do: erase the Jewish identity of the State of Israel,” Deri said in a statement Thursday.

“We are facing a real danger. The choice is now clearer than ever: Shas and a Jewish state, or the left and a state like all other nations.”

Western intelligence agencies have detected unusual military activity inside Iran in recent days, prompting heightened monitoring by Israeli and American security officials and renewed consultations between Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump over the possibility of another military confrontation with Tehran.

According to a report Thursday evening by Israel’s Channel 12, intelligence officials in both countries are closely examining developments inside Iran, where the regime is reportedly taking extraordinary military measures amid mounting pressure and concerns about renewed fighting with Israel and the United States.

The activity is taking place under the leadership of Mojtaba Khamenei, as Tehran continues dealing with the consequences of the previous war and the damage inflicted on its military capabilities. Western intelligence assessments suggest that at least some of the unusual movements may be connected to the regime’s efforts to respond to its weakened strategic position and growing internal pressures.

Netanyahu has reportedly shared intelligence updates with Trump, presenting information gathered by Israeli security agencies about Iran’s recent activities and the potential implications for regional security.

Despite the concerning developments, officials in both Yerushalayim and Washington reportedly believe that the available intelligence does not currently indicate an immediate threat requiring urgent military action. Trump has also not made a decision to resume a large-scale American military campaign against Iran.

The latest intelligence findings follow reports earlier this week that Iran conducted several ballistic missile tests as part of an effort to rebuild its missile arsenal following the damage sustained during the war.

Israeli defense officials assessed that Tehran was engaged in a gradual and limited effort to restore its missile capabilities. Although the activity was being monitored closely, officials did not believe it represented a sufficient change in the threat level to justify an immediate military operation.

Meanwhile, the United States military is continuing to develop operational plans for possible future strikes against Iranian targets, including nuclear facilities and critical infrastructure.

According to a CNN report published Thursday and subsequently cited by Reuters, American military planners are examining scenarios that could involve the use of the GBU-43/B massive ordnance air blast bomb, commonly known as the “Mother of All Bombs,” against targets inside Iran.

The weapon is among the largest conventional bombs in the American arsenal. The reported planning includes potential attacks against Iranian nuclear installations and energy infrastructure should Trump authorize a renewed military campaign.

However, no decision has been made to employ the weapon, and Reuters emphasized that it had not independently verified the details of the CNN report.

The latest disclosures come amid continuing discussions between Netanyahu and Trump about how to respond to Iran’s attempts to restore its military and nuclear capabilities.

Earlier this week, Axios reported that the two leaders had discussed the possibility of launching a joint Israeli-American military operation against Iran before Israel’s October 27 elections and the American midterm elections in early November.

According to that account, Netanyahu raised concerns about Iranian efforts to rebuild its nuclear program, while American officials indicated that Trump had considered the possibility of additional military action before expressing reservations about launching an operation ahead of the elections.

The White House disputed the report’s characterization of the discussions, denying that Trump and Netanyahu had considered restarting the war in the manner described. Netanyahu’s office declined to comment on the substance of the conversations.

In an interview Wednesday with Galei Tzahal, Netanyahu said he did not favor initiating a military strike against Iran before the Israeli elections. He nevertheless emphasized that Israel would respond with substantial force if Iran launched an attack.

Iranian officials, meanwhile, have been issuing warnings of their own while indicating that diplomatic negotiations remain a possibility.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said in remarks broadcast on state television that the country must strengthen its military readiness even as it continues pursuing diplomatic channels.

Reports from recent days have also described efforts to reinforce defenses around sensitive Iranian installations and restore military systems damaged during earlier fighting.

It remains unclear whether the unusual activity now being monitored by Western intelligence agencies represents preparations for an Iranian offensive, defensive measures intended to protect against another Israeli-American attack, or a calculated show of force designed to strengthen Tehran’s negotiating position.

The strategic considerations facing Washington have also been complicated by Iran’s demonstrated ability to strike critical infrastructure elsewhere in the region. A Reuters investigation published Thursday documented extensive Iranian missile and drone attacks against energy facilities, airports, pipelines, and other strategic installations across Gulf countries during the conflict earlier this year.

The investigation identified at least 135 precision attacks against 84 infrastructure sites in countries including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, and Iraq. The damage has illustrated the potential economic and regional consequences of another major confrontation with Iran.

Within the Trump administration, officials have reportedly differed over the appropriate next steps. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and senior U.S. Central Command officials have been described as favoring renewed military action, while other presidential advisers have argued for continuing economic sanctions and diplomatic pressure.

American officials have also indicated that indirect diplomatic efforts remain underway, with Qatari mediators awaiting an Iranian response to proposals involving restrictions on Tehran’s nuclear activities.

For now, Israel’s security establishment continues to assess the Iranian threat as a broader strategic challenge involving the regime’s nuclear ambitions, ballistic missile arsenal, and regional military capabilities. Officials believe that any decision to resume major operations would have to address those interconnected threats rather than focus exclusively on one component of Iran’s military program.

Despite the heightened intelligence monitoring, continued American operational preparations, and discussions between Netanyahu and Trump, Israeli and American officials have not identified an immediate danger requiring a new military offensive.

The coming days will determine whether Tehran’s latest military movements remain part of its efforts to rebuild damaged capabilities and deter further attacks, or whether additional intelligence points to a more serious escalation requiring a reassessment in Yerushalayim and Washington.

Changes have been announced to the schedule of the Vizhnitzer Rebbe of Bnei Brak, Rav Yisroel Hager, after the Rebbe experienced weakness associated with an inflammation, prompting his household to cancel his planned return to Bnei Brak for Shabbos Parshas Noach and arrange for him to remain at his residence in Moshav Ora, near Yerushalayim, to rest and regain his strength.

The decision has also resulted in changes to two upcoming family simchos, including the postponement of a grandson’s bar mitzvah celebration and the relocation of a great-grandson’s bris from Kiryas Vizhnitz in Bnei Brak to Moshav Ora.

The Rebbe had spent the month of Tishrei at his residence in Bnei Brak, where he participated in nearly all the Yom Tov tefillos and communal gatherings attended by large numbers of chassidim.

Following the conclusion of the Yomim Tovim, the Rebbe traveled to his resting residence in Moshav Ora for a period of recuperation following the demanding Tishrei schedule.

Earlier this week, Vizhnitz officials announced that the Rebbe was expected to return to his home in Kiryas Vizhnitz in Bnei Brak in time for Shabbos Parshas Noach.

However, the Rebbe’s household subsequently issued an updated announcement explaining that, because he was experiencing weakness resulting from an inflammation, he would remain in Ora for Shabbos rather than undertake the planned trip.

As a result, the bar mitzvah celebration of the Rebbe’s grandson, habochur Moshe Yehoshua Hager, which had been scheduled for Motzoei Shabbos, has been postponed to a later date.

The bar mitzvah bochur is a son of Rav Menachem Mendel Hager, a son-in-law of the Vizhnitzer Rebbe and a son of the late rav of Seret Vizhnitz in Yerushalayim.

A second change involves the bris of the Rebbe’s great-grandson, a son of Rav Yissachar Ber Hager, whose father is Rav Menachem Mendel Hager and whose father-in-law is Rav Avrohom Shimon Marilus.

The bris had originally been scheduled to take place Sunday in Kiryas Vizhnitz in Bnei Brak. Under the revised arrangements, the simcha will instead be held in Moshav Ora, near the Rebbe’s residence.

The adjustments will allow the family simcha to take place in proximity to the Rebbe without requiring him to travel back to Bnei Brak while he is recuperating.

Vizhnitzer chassidim are following the developments with concern and continue to daven for the Rebbe’s complete and speedy recovery.

The public is asked to daven for Rav Yisroel ben Leah Esther, l’refuah sheleimah b’soch she’ar cholei Yisroel.

{Matzav.com}

The Obama Presidential Center in Chicago has reached a staggering projected construction cost of approximately $1 billion, nearly three times its original estimated price and making it the most expensive completed presidential center in American history.

The massive price tag was disclosed Wednesday by the Obama Foundation, nearly four months after the sprawling complex opened to the public on June 19. The announcement marks another significant increase in the cost of a project that has experienced years of delays, legal disputes, and repeated budget revisions.

Emily Bittner, the foundation’s vice president of communications, confirmed the latest estimate while emphasizing that the construction expenses have been covered through private fundraising.

“While we continue to reconcile costs and plan ahead for additional capital improvements, we anticipate our total cost for constructing the campus is approximately $1 billion — again, all raised in private contributions,” Bittner said.

“This includes investments in additional public art, insurance, scope changes in our Home Court, project management and exhibit installation, among other categories.”

The latest figure represents a dramatic departure from the project’s earliest financial projections. Initial estimates placed the cost between $300 million and $350 million, but that amount climbed to $500 million by 2017, when the architectural plans were unveiled.

By August 2021, internal Obama Foundation documents estimated construction expenses at $700 million. The figure continued rising, reaching $850 million in September 2025.

Last month, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that the price had increased to $909 million, with Obama Foundation CEO Valerie Jarrett attributing the additional expenses to new amenities and features incorporated into the campus.

The foundation’s newly disclosed $1 billion estimate adds approximately $91 million to that figure in a matter of weeks.

Although foundation officials maintain that the construction itself has been financed entirely through private donations, the reported total does not include another $123 million in taxpayer-funded infrastructure improvements surrounding the property.

That distinction means the overall public and private investment associated with the development exceeds $1.1 billion when the surrounding government-financed work is included.

Obama selected Jackson Park, on Chicago’s South Side, as the location for his presidential center in 2016. The project was originally expected to begin construction in 2018 and welcome visitors in 2021.

Those plans were disrupted by federal reviews and litigation challenging the use of historic public parkland for the development. Construction ultimately did not begin until 2021, several years behind the original schedule.

The completed campus covers nearly 20 acres and features a presidential museum, a branch of the Chicago Public Library, athletic and recreational facilities, and spaces intended for public gatherings and community activities.

The Obama Foundation has promoted the project as a major investment in Chicago’s South Side, arguing that the center will attract tourism, create employment opportunities, and stimulate economic activity in surrounding neighborhoods.

In a report released September 26 marking the center’s first 100 days, the foundation announced that 175,469 people had attended the museum and other ticketed attractions. Those visitors came from all 50 states and 39 countries, according to the organization.

The campus’s Chicago Public Library branch recorded another 206,684 visits during that period, with 3,382 new library accounts established.

The foundation also reported hosting 24 free community events, providing after-school programming for 996 neighborhood children, and welcoming 997 students through 17 organized school field trips.

Unlike traditional presidential libraries administered by the federal government, the Obama Presidential Center does not maintain custody of Obama’s original presidential records. Those materials remain under the supervision of the National Archives and Records Administration, which makes released documents available online and lends selected artifacts for exhibitions.

The cost of Obama’s center far exceeds that of other presidential facilities. The George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, for example, cost approximately $327 million to construct when adjusted to 2023 dollars, according to the Texas comptroller. That project was also financed through private contributions.

Additional reporting Thursday raised questions about the Obama Foundation’s long-term financial obligations, including its ability to fund maintenance and operations at the sprawling campus.

The foundation had previously proposed establishing a $470 million endowment to support the center’s future expenses. Financial statements indicate that the organization’s overall endowment stood at approximately $14.2 million at the end of 2025, although the portion specifically designated for the presidential center remains unclear.

Foundation officials have maintained that their agreement with Chicago required the establishment of an endowment rather than full funding before the center opened. They say additional contributions to the fund are planned.

The foundation’s financial disclosures also show that liabilities increased to approximately $103.5 million in 2025, compared with $35 million the previous year. Borrowing associated with short-term construction expenses reportedly climbed from $15 million at the end of 2025 to roughly $63.5 million by July 2026.

Despite those figures, the organization retains substantial assets, and foundation officials have defended the project’s financial position and long-term prospects.

The foundation estimated in 2020 that construction and the center’s first decade of operation would generate approximately $3.1 billion in economic activity for the Chicago region.

Further expenditures are already being considered. Jarrett disclosed last month that the foundation’s board had agreed to develop a separate capital budget to cover future maintenance and improvements, with formal approval anticipated before the end of the year.

A federal judge on Thursday dismissed an effort by former CIA Director John Brennan to compel the Justice Department to preserve investigative materials that he hoped to use in challenging any future criminal prosecution, ruling that his claims of political retaliation by the Trump administration were too speculative to justify court intervention.

U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb rejected Brennan’s request for a preservation order, finding that he had failed to establish that federal prosecutors were improperly destroying or neglecting evidence that might become relevant if criminal charges were eventually brought against him.

Brennan, who served as CIA director under President Barack Obama, has been under investigation by the Justice Department for months but has not been charged with a crime. His attorneys contend that the investigations are politically motivated and designed to punish him for his longstanding criticism of President Donald Trump.

The lawsuit sought to ensure that Justice Department communications and other investigative records would remain available to support a potential defense alleging vindictive or selective prosecution. Brennan’s legal team argued that the administration’s handling of records in other matters raised concerns that potentially important evidence could disappear.

During a hearing last month, Brennan’s attorney acknowledged that seeking such a court order before any indictment had been filed was an unusual legal maneuver. Nevertheless, he maintained that the circumstances warranted extraordinary intervention because of what he characterized as a pattern of retaliation by federal authorities.

Cobb, however, concluded that Brennan had not demonstrated a sufficiently concrete injury or established a direct connection between his concerns and any actual failure by the government to preserve relevant evidence.

In her ruling, the judge acknowledged the seriousness of Brennan’s accusations while emphasizing that allegations alone could not establish the legal basis for the relief he was seeking.

“Brennan’s allegations — that he is being targeted by the Trump Administration not because of his conduct, but because he has opposed the current president — are deeply concerning,” Cobb wrote.

“If he was eventually able to prove those allegations true, that would certainly suggest that his potential prosecution is vindictive. But even taking all of Brennan’s allegations to be truthful at this stage, the injury he alleges is simply too attenuated from the actions he seeks to enjoin to warrant a finding of standing here.”

The legal dispute arises from multiple investigations examining Brennan’s activities during and after his tenure at the CIA, particularly his involvement in intelligence assessments concerning Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Brennan played a prominent role in the intelligence community’s conclusion that Moscow conducted an extensive effort to influence the election in Trump’s favor. The assessment became a major source of controversy during Trump’s first administration, as federal investigators examined allegations of coordination between his presidential campaign and Russian operatives.

Trump has repeatedly challenged the intelligence community’s handling of the Russia investigation, which overshadowed much of his first term and fueled years of political and legal disputes.

More recently, federal prosecutors have examined whether Brennan provided false testimony during a 2023 appearance before the House Judiciary Committee. That investigation is separate from a broader inquiry based in Florida into allegations that Brennan and other former intelligence and law enforcement officials participated in a conspiracy intended to prevent Trump from obtaining or exercising presidential power.

Brennan has received a subpoena to appear before a grand jury in connection with the broader investigation, although his scheduled testimony has been postponed. His attorneys have also said prosecutors informed them that he remains a target of the separate investigation concerning his congressional testimony.

The former CIA director has denied engaging in any criminal misconduct, and his lawyers have strongly disputed the premise of the government’s investigations.

At a court hearing last month, Brennan’s attorney, Ken Wainstein, a former senior Justice Department official, argued that the investigations were based on allegations that had no legitimate foundation.

Wainstein described the theory of a sweeping conspiracy against Trump as “fiction,” accusing federal authorities of attempting to construct a criminal case against his client for political reasons.

“I’ve spent decades in and around the Justice Department. I’ve never even conceived of a situation like this” in which the Justice Department is “blatantly trying to frame somebody for a crime that is complete fiction,” Wainstein said.

Brennan’s attorneys initiated the lawsuit in July, before any criminal charges had been filed, seeking to preserve government records that they believe could reveal improper political influence over prosecutorial decisions. They argued that such material could prove essential if Brennan were indicted and subsequently sought dismissal of the charges on constitutional grounds.

The preservation request covered records potentially documenting communications among Justice Department officials, White House personnel, and investigators involved in the inquiries. Brennan’s legal team maintained that the materials could help establish whether decisions concerning his prosecution were driven by legitimate evidence or political considerations.

Federal government attorneys opposed the request, arguing that Brennan was attempting to obtain extraordinary judicial intervention in investigations that had not resulted in an indictment. They maintained that his concerns about possible future prosecution and missing evidence did not justify the court’s involvement.

The broader Florida investigation has also experienced changes in prosecutorial leadership. Joseph diGenova, who had been overseeing the inquiry, departed the effort in September, although Justice Department officials indicated that the investigation would continue.

Thursday’s ruling represents a setback for Brennan’s attempt to secure court-ordered preservation of investigative records, but it does not resolve the underlying criminal investigations or determine whether prosecutors have sufficient evidence to bring charges.

Cobb, who was nominated to the federal bench by President Joe Biden in 2021, confined her decision to whether Brennan had established the legal standing necessary to obtain the requested order.

The question of whether Brennan will ultimately face criminal charges remains unresolved.

{Matzav.com}

A large-scale military operation targeting yeshiva bochurim classified as draft avoiders and deserters, which had been scheduled to begin next week and continue for several days, has been canceled at the last minute following a bitter confrontation between the IDF and Israel Police over responsibility for securing the arrests.

The planned operation, which would have involved military police conducting numerous arrests, was called off after the two agencies failed to reach an agreement on how to handle the widespread protests and disturbances expected to accompany attempts to arrest yeshiva bochurim.

According to a report by Ynet, police officials informed the military on Wednesday that the operation would not be permitted to proceed under the existing arrangements, effectively forcing the IDF to abandon its plans.

At the center of the dispute is the question of which agency must provide the personnel necessary to maintain public order when military police enter chareidi neighborhoods to arrest bochurim whose military status is unresolved.

Military officials maintain that Israel Police demanded that the IDF supply approximately 300 military police officers to deal with anticipated demonstrations and disturbances during the operation.

The army rejected that demand, arguing that maintaining public order in civilian areas is the responsibility of Israel Police and falls outside the military’s jurisdiction.

Police officials, however, disputed the army’s characterization of the disagreement, insisting that the operation is fundamentally a military enforcement mission and that the IDF must provide sufficient manpower to carry out the arrests safely.

The disagreement has left the planned operation without the security arrangements necessary to proceed, with each agency maintaining that the other bears responsibility for providing the required resources.

The cancellation comes after the IDF previously acknowledged that it had refrained from carrying out major arrest operations against chareidi draft avoiders during the Yom Tov period because of the sensitivity surrounding such enforcement activities.

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has repeatedly pressed the military in recent months to resume enforcement measures, including arrests, against individuals who have failed to comply with military draft requirements.

Despite those directives, the recurring disagreement over responsibility for security during arrest operations has repeatedly complicated coordination between the military and police.

The difficulties extend beyond planned operations. Newly disclosed police figures indicate that coordination has also repeatedly broken down when officers encounter individuals with unresolved military status during routine police activity.

Under the existing procedures, when civilian police officers identify someone wanted by the military for failing to report for service, military police are supposed to arrive within 30 minutes to take custody of the individual.

However, since July, there have been 144 incidents in which military police failed to arrive within the required time. In those cases, civilian officers released the individuals after issuing summonses directing them to report to the IDF induction center.

Only 14 such encounters resulted in military police arriving and completing an arrest. Most of those arrested were reportedly not from the chareidi community.

The controversy comes shortly after a failed arrest operation in Modi’in on October 6, when military police attempted to detain a yeshiva bochur but encountered a rapidly growing crowd of protesters.

An initial military investigation found that approximately 700 people gathered near the location within about ten minutes after an alert was circulated through an emergency notification network used by opponents of the arrests.

The military police team, consisting of seven investigators, was unable to complete the arrest. Civilian police were subsequently called to restore order and assist the soldiers in leaving the area.

That incident intensified concerns within the security establishment about the manpower required for future operations and the possibility that arrest attempts could trigger major disturbances.

In its response to the latest cancellation, the IDF insisted that the division of responsibilities between the two agencies had already been established.

“Under the division of responsibilities between the IDF and Israel Police regarding the arrests of deserters and draft avoiders, the IDF is responsible for carrying out the arrest, while the police are responsible for maintaining public order and dispersing disturbances. The deputy attorney general clarified during a meeting that this responsibility rests with Israel Police,” the military stated.

The IDF also maintained that enforcement activities have continued in recent weeks despite the cancellation of the larger operation.

“Over the past several weeks, dozens of draft avoiders and deserters have been arrested in planned operations and at border crossings carried out by the military police, in addition to arrests conducted together with Israel Police,” the army said.

Israel Police presented a sharply different interpretation of the arrangement, maintaining that the military must provide adequate personnel before requesting assistance from civilian police.

“This is an operation under the responsibility and leadership of the military police, with Israel Police serving as an assisting body, and the handling of the matter remains unchanged. Based on lessons learned from previous incidents and in order to accomplish the mission, the IDF is required to deploy sufficient forces for a planned operation to provide an appropriate operational response for carrying out the arrests,” police officials said.

The police added that their participation would depend on the military satisfying those operational requirements.

“If the IDF meets the operational requirements, Israel Police will join the mission and provide a response to the tasks and challenges that fall under its responsibility,” the statement said.

The dispute comes as the government faces continued legal pressure over enforcement of the draft law. The state has also requested additional time to submit its response to the High Court regarding implementation of the military service requirements.

With next week’s operation now canceled, no replacement date has been announced for the planned arrests of yeshiva bochurim.

{Matzav.com}

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Thursday that his country would resume attacks on Russian oil refineries, openly rejecting President Donald Trump’s proposed suspension of strikes on energy facilities after accusing Moscow of continuing its bombardment of Ukrainian infrastructure and Washington of threatening vital military intelligence support.

“The block is out. We’re done,” Zelensky declared during an interview with the Financial Times while visiting London.

The announcement marked a dramatic escalation in tensions between Kyiv and Washington over Trump’s efforts to negotiate an end to the war. Zelensky maintained that Ukraine had observed the temporary suspension of attacks for three days, while Russia continued striking Ukrainian energy installations more than 100 times over the preceding week.

The Ukrainian leader argued that his country could no longer be expected to refrain from attacking Russian oil facilities while Moscow continued targeting Ukrainian power supplies.

Shortly after Zelensky announced the resumption of strikes, Pavel Malkov, governor of Russia’s Ryazan region, reported that Ukrainian drones had struck a state-owned oil facility and ignited a fire.

Ukraine has repeatedly targeted Russian refineries and other petroleum installations, arguing that the facilities generate revenue for Moscow’s military operations and that the attacks are a legitimate response to Russia’s ongoing destruction of Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

Trump had sought to halt such attacks as part of a broader diplomatic initiative that included an agreement announced Friday for the United States to purchase more than 2.25 million barrels of Russian diesel fuel. The administration presented the arrangement as a way to ease a global fuel shortage and encourage Moscow to return to peace negotiations.

Zelensky immediately criticized the agreement, telling Axios that it “looks like a happy birthday present” for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The dispute intensified when Zelensky accused American military officials of threatening to suspend intelligence assistance unless Ukraine stopped attacking Russian energy facilities.

According to the Ukrainian president, US officials warned Kyiv, “if you will not stop [the energy strikes], we will block intelligence,” a claim that the Trump administration has disputed.

White House officials offered a different account of the proposed ceasefire, saying Putin understood that the arrangement applied specifically to oil refineries and did not prohibit Russian attacks on Ukrainian electrical infrastructure.

Administration sources suggested that Zelensky was deliberately interpreting the agreement more broadly than its actual terms, allowing him to accuse Moscow of violating the understanding and justify abandoning the restrictions imposed by Trump.

Trump has denied that Washington suspended intelligence sharing with Ukraine, but the disagreement grew more serious Tuesday when Ukrainian forces experienced a disruption in access to Starshield, the secure military satellite communications network developed by SpaceX.

Starshield, a military-focused counterpart to the company’s Starlink system, provides communications capabilities that support Ukrainian battlefield operations, including the tracking of incoming threats and the coordination of long-range strikes against Russian targets.

The interruption reportedly interfered with Ukraine’s ability to deploy interceptor drones against incoming Russian attacks, raising concerns among Ukrainian officials about the timing and possible cause of the disruption.

The precise reason for the outage remained uncertain. SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk indicated Wednesday that responsibility lay with the Pentagon and White House, although a senior American official denied Thursday that Trump had ordered any restriction on Ukrainian access. The Pentagon had not publicly addressed the allegation.

By Thursday morning, Ukrainian representatives reported that Starshield service was recovering, although questions persisted over what had caused the interruption.

“Starshield speeds have been improved, at the moment,” Denys Sienik, a senior diplomat at Ukraine’s embassy in Washington, told the New York Post. “We hope all will be resumed to the previous level.

“Speed ​​is critical for logistics, and for intercepting the jet-powered Shahed drones, especially when Russia constantly uses them to attack our cities and commit war crimes,” he added.

“Yesterday saw one of the most massive Shahed [drone] attacks, occurring precisely when our defense system’s speed was being throttled, and the circumstances behind this are deeply concerning.”

Zelensky also used his London interview to criticize Trump’s approach toward Putin, accusing the American president of showing admiration for powerful authoritarian leaders.

“He [Trump] speaks about it openly and loudly that he loves such people and he respects such people,” Zelensky told the Financial Times. “Because for him people who can be leaders 20 years, 30 years, 40 years, it means they can be very strong.”

The Ukrainian president urged Washington to abandon efforts to expand commercial dealings with Moscow while Russian forces continued their invasion. He argued that American pressure should be directed toward compelling Putin to end the war rather than restricting Ukraine’s ability to strike Russian targets.

Nevertheless, Zelensky acknowledged that American military assistance remains essential to Ukraine’s defense, conceding that resisting Russia without US support would be “very difficult.”

The Trump administration has defended its diplomatic strategy, maintaining that economic incentives, including the Russian diesel agreement, could persuade Putin to resume serious negotiations and eventually accept a peace settlement.

Administration officials believe the fuel arrangement could also ease pressure on American consumers facing rising diesel and gasoline prices. Energy analysts, however, have warned that the conflict involving Iran has been a major factor behind the recent increase in global fuel costs.

Officials have also suggested that renewed economic cooperation between Washington and Moscow could become part of a broader postwar relationship if an agreement ending the fighting can be reached.

Skeptics of the administration’s approach argue that offering Russia economic benefits while limiting Ukrainian military operations risks strengthening Putin’s negotiating position.

“For Trump, it’s a two-fer: try to lower diesel prices to save his own skin before the midterms, and use more Ukrainian deaths to strong-arm Zelensky to accept a surrender agreement with Russia so Trump can claim to have ended the war,” a former National Security Council official told the New York Post. “Neither will work.”

Fred Fleitz, who served as chief of staff of the National Security Council during Trump’s first administration, argued that securing a lasting agreement would ultimately require convincing Putin that continued military operations could not produce victory.

“Ultimately, I believe the tipping point for a peace deal will come when Putin finally accepts that the war is unwinnable and his only chance for an honorable exit is through a deal with Trump,” Fleitz said. “This should be the central theme of any Witkoff-Kushner negotiations with Putin.”

The Kremlin, meanwhile, rejected Ukraine’s account of the ceasefire, maintaining that Kyiv had failed to observe the proposed restrictions. Putin also played down the impact of Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil installations, saying they had caused “nothing particularly significant.”

British officials have sought to prevent the dispute from causing a lasting rupture between Washington and Kyiv. UK Defense Minister Wes Streeting said London was working to bring “friends back together again” as European governments continued pressing for sustained American involvement in Ukraine’s defense.

“We need President Trump engaged on Ukraine,” Streeting said during an appearance on Fox News.

“He has been, and the diplomatic track is as important in making sure Ukraine has the weapons it needs to see off Russian aggression.”

Ukraine’s renewed refinery campaign comes amid continuing Russian missile and drone attacks that have damaged electrical infrastructure and left hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian residents without power. Zelensky has also been seeking stronger European financial and military assistance as uncertainty grows over Washington’s future role in the conflict.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he wants criminals who murder police officers or firefighters in the line of duty to face the death penalty, directing the Justice Department to pursue the harshest punishment available under federal law for those who deliberately kill first responders.

The president delivered the message during a White House Rose Garden luncheon honoring firefighters, law enforcement personnel, and other emergency responders, expanding his administration’s longstanding push for capital punishment in cases involving the murder of police officers to include firefighters as well.

“We’re bringing the death penalty back for anybody that kills a police officer, by the way, or anybody in law enforcement,” Trump declared.

Trump went on to emphasize that firefighters who place themselves in danger while responding to emergencies should receive the same protection, saying he had instructed the Justice Department to seek capital punishment for “anybody that murders a firefighter going up a ladder.”

The announcement reflects the administration’s broader effort to strengthen criminal penalties for attacks against emergency personnel, whom Trump has repeatedly praised for risking their lives to protect the public.

The president’s position on capital punishment for those who murder law enforcement officers predates Thursday’s remarks. On January 20, 2025, his first day back in office, Trump signed an executive order instructing federal authorities to pursue the death penalty in eligible cases involving the murder of police officers.

That directive called on the attorney general to seek federal prosecution and capital punishment whenever the circumstances of a case and applicable law permit such action.

Trump has consistently maintained that imposing the most severe penalties on violent criminals is necessary both to deliver justice to victims and their families and to discourage future attacks against law enforcement personnel.

Thursday’s White House event brought together representatives of prominent organizations representing firefighters, police officers, sheriffs, and other first responders, with the administration using the occasion to highlight its support for those serving in dangerous public safety positions.

Organizations expected to participate included the International Association of Fire Fighters, the National Volunteer Fire Council, the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Sheriffs’ Association, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and the National Border Patrol Council.

Ahead of the gathering, White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis emphasized the administration’s support for first responders, contrasting Trump’s approach with Democratic calls in recent years to reduce police funding.

“Unlike Defund-the-Police Democrats, President Trump will always stand with the heroes in law enforcement, fire fighters, and first responders who put their lives on the line to deliver safer American neighborhoods and save American lives,” Bis told the Daily Caller.

The administration has also undertaken broader measures to increase the use of the federal death penalty. In April, the Justice Department revised its execution procedures, reinstating lethal injection protocols used during Trump’s first administration while expanding the available methods to include firing squads. Internal procedures for reviewing and pursuing capital cases were also streamlined.

Justice Department officials said the revisions were designed to ensure that legally imposed death sentences could be carried out, provide justice to victims’ families, and strengthen the government’s response to particularly serious violent crimes.

The president has separately pushed for more aggressive use of capital punishment in Washington, D.C. In September 2025, he instructed federal prosecutors in the nation’s capital to seek death sentences in appropriate cases and pursue federal jurisdiction whenever legally possible.

Despite Trump’s forceful language, his directives do not automatically make every killing of a police officer or firefighter a capital offense. Federal prosecutors must establish jurisdiction and proceed under statutes that authorize the death penalty. Defendants also retain their constitutional protections, and sentencing decisions remain subject to the courts and, where applicable, juries.

Trump has previously called on Congress to strengthen federal laws protecting police officers and establish a lasting statutory basis for his capital punishment priorities.

During National Police Week in 2025, the president urged lawmakers to adopt legislation reinforcing protections for law enforcement personnel and making his administration’s death penalty policy permanent.

Thursday’s announcement extends that effort by explicitly including firefighters among the emergency responders for whom Trump wants federal prosecutors to seek the maximum available punishment when they are deliberately murdered in the line of duty.

{Matzav.com}

An extraordinary scene unfolded at the Shamgar Funeral Home in Yerushalayim when relatives preparing to bury a family member suddenly became convinced that the niftar was showing signs of life, prompting an emergency response from Magen David Adom.

The incident occurred during funeral proceedings after members of the family reportedly noticed what appeared to be movement from the deceased. Alarmed by the possibility that the man might still be alive, they immediately contacted emergency medical personnel and requested an urgent examination.

According to journalist Moshe Weisberg, Magen David Adom dispatched a mobile intensive care unit to the funeral home to investigate the family’s concerns and establish whether the man was indeed deceased.

The arrival of the emergency medical team brought the funeral proceedings to a temporary halt as paramedics examined the niftar to determine whether there was any indication of life.

Although the relatives maintained that they had observed movement, the medical personnel found no signs of life and confirmed that the man had indeed passed away.

Additional reporting identified the niftar as a 60-year-old man and indicated that the concern arose during the hespedim, when a relative believed he had moved and was breathing beneath the burial shrouds. The family requested that the proceedings be stopped until his condition could be checked again.

Following the medical examination, the team reconfirmed that the man had no pulse. The levayah was subsequently allowed to continue, and the niftar was brought to kevurah.

What began as a moment of extraordinary hope for the grieving relatives ultimately ended with confirmation of the original determination of death.

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s Civil Service Commission has ordered government ministries to prevent the hiring of individuals who have not regularized their military draft status, introducing stricter enforcement measures that could affect chareidi yeshiva bochurim and others classified by the IDF as draft avoiders.

Under the directives, candidates who successfully compete for government positions but are found to have unresolved military status will have only five days to produce the necessary military documentation or resolve their standing with the IDF. Those who fail to comply will lose the government positions they were selected to fill.

The development, first reported by Channel 12 News, comes amid an intensifying campaign by Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara to impose additional restrictions and penalties on those who have not reported for military service. The enforcement measures are part of the ongoing confrontation over the drafting of chareidi yeshiva bochurim and the government’s obligations to enforce military conscription laws.

According to the Civil Service Commission, the policy does not establish a new condition for government employment. Rather, officials are directing ministries to begin strictly implementing an existing provision of the Civil Service Regulations that had previously gone largely unenforced.

The instructions were distributed to human resources officials throughout government ministries, including departments operating within Israel’s defense, healthcare, and foreign affairs establishments.

The directive was signed by Nissim Mizrachi, who heads the commission’s senior staffing administration. He characterized the instructions as “a renewal and renewed enforcement of an existing provision that must be obeyed.”

A central component of the enforcement effort will be a direct connection between the government’s computerized hiring system and the IDF’s military-status database. The arrangement will enable officials to automatically verify whether applicants have settled their standing with the army before completing their appointments.

Under the new procedures, the recruitment system will prevent the finalization of appointments for candidates whose military status remains unresolved. Applicants will also be informed at the outset of the hiring process that their eligibility for government employment depends on satisfying the applicable military-status requirements.

Those who are selected through government employment tenders despite having unresolved draft status will receive written notification and an opportunity to address the matter. They will be granted five days to present official IDF clearance or otherwise regularize their status.

If the required documentation is not provided within that period, the candidate’s selection will be canceled, even if he has already won the tender for the position.

The restrictions will apply only to individuals who are subject to military conscription and have failed to legally arrange their status. Those who possess valid exemptions, deferments, or other recognized military-status arrangements will not be affected by the directive.

The measure adds another practical consequence for those classified as draft avoiders, as Israeli authorities continue tightening enforcement against chareidi bochurim and others who have not complied with military induction requirements.

{Matzav.com}

A Delta Air Lines passenger jet was forced to abandon its landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport after a private aircraft took off without authorization, creating a dangerous situation in which the two planes reportedly came within approximately 1,000 feet of one another.

The incident occurred on October 7 but only became publicly known this week, prompting an investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration into how a private jet was able to depart without receiving the required clearance from air traffic controllers.

According to reports and air traffic control recordings, the incident involved a NetJets Embraer Phenom 300 business jet that had been instructed to enter Runway 13 and wait for further authorization before taking off.

Instead, the private aircraft began its takeoff while a Delta passenger jet was approaching LaGuardia for landing on a nearby runway.

The Delta pilots responded by discontinuing their approach and climbing away from the airport, a maneuver known as a go-around, to avoid a potentially dangerous conflict with the departing aircraft.

Flight-tracking information indicated that the planes were separated by approximately 300 meters, or 1,000 feet, as the Delta aircraft began climbing.

The Delta aircraft was identified as Flight 5415, a Bombardier CRJ900 operated by Endeavor Air under the Delta Connection brand. The flight had departed Omaha, Nebraska, and was approaching LaGuardia shortly before 4 p.m. when the incident unfolded.

The private aircraft, a NetJets Embraer Phenom 300 operating as ExecJet Flight 398, was departing from Runway 13. Flight records indicate that the jet was headed to Teterboro Airport in New Jersey.

Air traffic control recordings captured a disagreement between the private jet’s pilots and the tower over whether permission to take off had actually been issued.

“I believe you were never cleared for takeoff, sir. You were cleared to line up and wait,” the controller told the crew after the aircraft had departed.

The pilot disputed that account, responding, “No, I believe we were cleared for takeoff. We were told that the United was ahead, wake turbulence and everything.”

The controller rejected the explanation, replying, “Uh, negative. I never even said anything about wake turbulence.”

Under standard aviation procedures, an instruction to line up and wait authorizes an aircraft to enter a runway and hold its position. It does not permit the pilots to begin their takeoff roll. A separate clearance is required before an aircraft may depart.

The FAA subsequently confirmed that the private jet had departed without authorization and announced that it was investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.

“The crew of Endeavor Air Flight 5415 performed a go-around at LaGuardia Airport after ExecJet Flight 398 departed on an intersecting runway without air traffic control authorization,” the agency stated.

Delta also confirmed that its pilots discontinued their landing to maintain separation from the other aircraft.

“The crew initiated a go-around to ensure safe spacing with a departing aircraft on a nearby runway,” the airline said.

The Delta flight subsequently landed safely at LaGuardia approximately 12 minutes later. No injuries were reported.

The incident has drawn renewed attention to aviation safety at LaGuardia, one of the busiest airports in the New York metropolitan area, particularly because it follows a fatal runway collision at the same airport earlier this year.

In March, an Air Canada Express regional jet collided with an airport firefighting vehicle while landing. Both pilots were killed, and dozens of passengers and crew members were injured.

Investigators determined that the emergency vehicle had been cleared to cross the runway while the aircraft was approaching, resulting in the deadly collision. The National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation into that accident remains ongoing.

The October 7 incident raises a different set of questions, particularly regarding communication between pilots and air traffic controllers and the procedures intended to prevent aircraft from entering or departing runways without proper authorization.

Federal investigators have not yet released a final determination explaining why the NetJets crew believed it had permission to take off or whether the incident resulted from a misunderstood instruction or another communication failure.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu reportedly delivered a blunt ultimatum to Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa during the July 2025 massacre of Druze civilians in southern Syria, demanding that Syrian forces withdraw from the city of Sweida by 10 p.m. or face intensified Israeli military strikes. The warning came during an extraordinary telephone conversation between the two leaders, details of which emerged Thursday evening.

According to a report by Naveh Dromi on i24NEWS, the conversation occurred on July 16, 2025, at approximately 1:30 p.m., as violence against the Druze population in the Sweida region prompted Israel to intervene militarily. Netanyahu reportedly rejected a request by al-Sharaa for an additional 48 hours to bring the situation under control, insisting that Syrian forces leave the area before any further discussions could take place.

“I want to be brief. Apparently, the message conveyed through the mediators was not properly understood. A genocide is being committed against the Druze. Your forces must withdraw from Suwayda by 10:00 p.m.,” Netanyahu reportedly told the Syrian President.

The Syrian leader, apparently taken aback by the tone and substance of the demand, responded, “I had hoped the conversation would go differently.”

Netanyahu reportedly made clear that Israel was prepared to expand its military operations against Syrian government targets if Damascus failed to comply with the deadline.

Within hours of the conversation, Israeli aircraft struck prominent Syrian government and military installations in Damascus. Among the targets were the presidential palace compound and the headquarters of the Syrian military’s chief of staff, in an escalation intended to pressure the Syrian leadership to halt the violence against the Druze.

The disclosure followed remarks Netanyahu delivered earlier Thursday at an election gathering attended by members of Israel’s Druze community. During the event, the prime minister publicly acknowledged having spoken directly with al-Sharaa and described the conversation as a decisive element in Israel’s efforts to stop the killings.

“We took down the Defense Ministry in Damascus, just like that, it went. We took out a target in the palace complex. And I picked up a phone and called al-Sharaa; it was a very short call, very sharp, and the massacre stopped,” Netanyahu stated.

Netanyahu also pledged that Israel would continue acting to safeguard the Druze population in Syria, stressing that the responsibility extended beyond stopping the immediate bloodshed to ensuring that displaced residents could return to their communities.

“I will do anything I need to protect our brothers, your brothers and our brothers. We will not allow a massacre; they have to also return to their homes. There is more work to do; I can’t talk about it all. But this commitment comes from the depth of our soul,” he declared.

The reported exchange offers new insight into the direct pressure Israel exerted on the Syrian leadership during one of the most serious episodes of violence in southern Syria following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. The Israeli intervention included strikes in the Syrian capital, underscoring Jerusalem’s willingness to use military force to deter further attacks against the Druze.

The unrest in Sweida began with clashes involving Druze armed groups and Bedouin fighters, before Syrian government forces entered the region and became involved in the fighting. Reports of killings, looting, and abuses against Druze civilians intensified calls from Israel’s Druze community for Jerusalem to intervene.

Israeli strikes on July 16 targeted Syria’s Defense Ministry and military headquarters in Damascus, as well as a site near the presidential palace. Syrian authorities subsequently began withdrawing forces from Sweida amid international diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire.

The newly disclosed details are reportedly contained in a collection of approximately 1,000 documents held by Israel’s State Comptroller, encompassing sensitive diplomatic and security discussions conducted over the past three years.

According to i24NEWS, the full transcript of the Netanyahu–al-Sharaa conversation is expected to be presented Friday on the network’s “Friday Cabinet” program, together with additional disclosures from the documents.

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, delivered a stern warning to Iran, Hezbollah, and other hostile forces on Thursday, declaring that any attempt to exploit Israel’s upcoming elections to carry out attacks or destabilize the country would be met with a devastating Israeli response.

Speaking at the United Nations, Danon addressed concerns that Israel’s enemies could view the election period as an opportunity to launch military provocations, cyberattacks, or other operations intended to undermine the country’s security.

“Do not attempt to exploit Israel’s election period,” Danon warned, directing his message at Hezbollah and Iran.

The ambassador noted that Israelis are preparing to head to the polls in less than two weeks, emphasizing that the democratic process would continue despite threats from hostile actors in the region.

“In 12 days, over seven million voters will cast their ballots in Israel’s elections. This morning, even I cast my ballot at our mission, only a few minutes ago. But today, we must address an alarming reality,” he added.

Danon said Israel was closely following reports suggesting that Iran and its regional allies were considering efforts to take advantage of the political calendar. He made clear that Israel viewed potential threats as extending beyond conventional military attacks to include cyberwarfare and attempts to manipulate public opinion.

“We have seen the reports that Iran, Hezbollah and other extremists in our region are conspiring to take advantage of the election period in Israel. It doesn’t matter if it’s a provocative ballistic missile exercise, a cyber attack or a disinformation campaign.”

The warning comes amid heightened regional tensions, with Israeli officials concerned that Tehran or its allies could attempt to test Israel’s defenses while the country is focused on its national elections, scheduled for October 27.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu issued a similar warning on Wednesday, saying that although he did not favor launching a preemptive strike against Iran before the elections, Israel would respond forcefully to any Iranian attack. Defense Minister Yisroel Katz has also warned Hezbollah that renewed aggression could bring severe Israeli retaliation, including further territorial losses in southern Lebanon.

Danon’s remarks coincided with the start of early voting for Israeli diplomatic personnel stationed overseas. Approximately 4,800 eligible voters at 99 Israeli diplomatic missions worldwide are able to cast their ballots ahead of the general election, including diplomats, other authorized government representatives, and their spouses.

The ambassador himself voted Thursday at Israel’s mission to the United Nations in New York, using the occasion to emphasize that Israel’s democratic process would proceed regardless of threats from its adversaries.

Concluding his remarks, Danon delivered an unequivocal message to Iran, Hezbollah, and any other organization considering action against Israel during the election period.

“We are issuing a clear warning. Anyone who attempts to threaten or attack Israel will face devastating consequences,” Danon concluded.

The Israeli military has released a disturbing letter written by the young son of slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, in which the boy expresses his longing to reunite with his father while declaring his desire to take up an assault rifle and kill Jews.

The letter, written by Sinwar’s son Ibrahim when he was just 10 years old, was made public Thursday to mark the second anniversary of the Hamas leader’s elimination by Israeli forces. According to the IDF, soldiers discovered the document during operations in the Gaza Strip in 2024, after it had been written during the early stages of the war.

Addressed directly to his father, the handwritten message combines the ordinary emotions of a child missing a parent with expressions of violent hatred toward Jews. Ibrahim describes spending his free time constructing miniature weapons from household materials and tells his father that he hopes to join in the violence against Israel.

The boy writes that he “makes pistols, tanks, and Kalashnikovs out of paper and cardboard,” before expressing his wish “to hold a Kalashnikov and shoot Jews.”

The military also released drawings found with the letter. The illustrations reportedly show various weapons, armored vehicles positioned near the security fence separating Gaza from Israel, and rockets being fired in Israel’s direction.

Israeli military officials pointed to the documents as evidence of the extent to which Hamas’s violent ideology has influenced children growing up under the terrorist organization’s rule in Gaza.

“The letter and drawings illustrate how Sinwar’s murderous ideology is reflected in the upbringing of his children, revealing the impact of Hamas’ values of hatred and violence on the younger generation in the Gaza Strip,” the IDF stated.

The complete English translation of Ibrahim’s letter, as released by the IDF, reads:

“I, Ibrahim

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Beloved father, I miss you very much! I want to hug you and see you victorious, and I want to proclaim ‘Allah is the greatest,’ hold a Kalashnikov, and shoot Jews. When will you come back and sleep with your arms around me? I am constantly making pistols, tanks, and Kalashnikovs out of paper and cardboard. My Lord, I wish the war would end and that I see you well. May Allah protect you, father. I want you to pray for me. Peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.”

The letter offers a particularly stark glimpse into the environment in which Sinwar’s own children were raised. Even as Ibrahim pleaded for his father’s return and expressed his wish for the fighting to end, he described killing Jews as something he hoped to do alongside him.

The document’s release comes almost exactly two years after Sinwar was killed by Israeli troops in Rafah on October 16, 2024. Sinwar was a principal architect of the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre in southern Israel, in which approximately 1,200 people were murdered and roughly 250 were abducted into Gaza.

The newly publicized letter and accompanying drawings provide another indication of how deeply the conflict and Hamas’s ideology had penetrated the household of the terrorist leader himself.

{Matzav.com}

Rav Yitzchak Yosef delivered a blistering attack on Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir at a Shas election gathering in Ashdod, revealing that he had personally hung up the telephone on Smotrich during his years as Israel’s chief rabbi because of the minister’s disrespectful conduct. He also accused Ben-Gvir of failing to help the Torah community, disregarding the rulings of leading rabbonim concerning Har Habayis, and allowing police to mistreat chareidi demonstrators.

Speaking ahead of Israel’s upcoming elections, Rav Yosef urged chareidi voters not to support either politician, arguing that their conduct and political records made them unworthy of the community’s backing.

Rav Yosef began by recounting a recent encounter with a man who told him that for 42 years, he had felt he had no political party to support but was now considering voting for Smotrich.

“He was chareidi, not someone who wears a knitted yarmulka,” Rav Yosef said, emphasizing that the man was a member of the chareidi community.

Rav Yosef said he was astonished by the suggestion, particularly in light of Smotrich’s recent remarks concerning Rav Dov Landau.

“Who is Smotrich? The one who said that Rav Dov Landau should do teshuvah?” he asked.

He then shared his own experiences with Smotrich, describing telephone conversations during his tenure as chief rabbi in which the minister had contacted him seeking assistance.

“When I was serving as chief rabbi, there were several times when he needed things from me,” Rav Yosef related. “He would call me and speak insolently on the telephone. More than once, more than twice, I hung up on him in the middle of the conversation.”

Rav Yosef made clear that Smotrich’s government position had not influenced his response to what he regarded as unacceptable behavior.

“He was a senior minister. I don’t know what kind of senior minister, and I don’t care,” Rav Yosef said. “He is an arrogant person who disgraces Torah scholars. How can anyone support him? How?”

Turning to Ben-Gvir, Rav Yosef challenged the national security minister’s record of assistance to chareidi educational institutions and the Sephardic Torah community.

“And Itamar Ben-Gvir? Why?” he asked. “Has he established even one Talmud Torah anywhere in the country? There are eight million Jews in Israel. Has he established one Talmud Torah? Has he established one school for girls? Has he helped the holy yeshivos? Has he said anything about the drafting of yeshiva students?”

Rav Yosef then directed his criticism toward the conduct of Israeli police during demonstrations against the military draft, arguing that Ben-Gvir bore responsibility as the minister overseeing the police.

“He is the minister in charge of the police,” Rav Yosef said. “How do the police treat chareidim at demonstrations? With such cruelty, with such deep-seated hatred. Has he ever said anything? Has he ever protested against it? He’s pleased with it.”

The remarks came amid continuing tensions over the arrests of bnei yeshivos who have not reported for military service, with demonstrations frequently resulting in confrontations between protesters and police.

Rav Yosef devoted another portion of his speech to Ben-Gvir’s visits to Har Habayis, which he condemned as a direct affront to the rulings of leading poskim.

“I spoke against ascending Har Habayis,” Rav Yosef said. “I spoke on Motzoei Shabbos, and I said that all the gedolei hador prohibited it. Rav Feinstein, Rav Elyashiv, Maran, Rav Ezra Attiya, even their own rabbonim, Rav Kook, the father and the son, all prohibited it.”

Rav Yosef recalled that despite his public remarks, Ben-Gvir visited Har Habayis the following morning.

“I spoke about it, and the next morning he goes up demonstratively, as though deliberately acting in opposition, disregarding the rabbonim, and ascending Har Habayis,” he said.

Rav Yosef also questioned the religious character of some candidates on Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit electoral list and accused the party of failing to address the needs of Sephardic families and Torah institutions.

“He has people on his list who are not sufficiently religious,” Rav Yosef said. “How can anyone support such a list, which has done nothing for Sephardim? Just guns, guns, guns. What has he done for Sephardim? Nothing.”

Addressing the activists gathered in Ashdod, Rav Yosef expressed particular concern about younger chareidi voters who have become enthusiastic supporters of Ben-Gvir.

“Unfortunately, there are young people, not you, but young people who don’t understand this and get excited,” he said. “Speak to them. Explain it to them. They will vote, and they will be punished for it.”

Rav Yosef urged those present to explain to younger voters the importance of considering a candidate’s attitude toward Torah leadership, his record of supporting Torah institutions, and his conduct toward the chareidi community.

As he concluded his remarks, Rav Yosef returned to Ben-Gvir’s visits to Har Habayis and his criticism of police conduct during chareidi demonstrations.

“All this wrongdoing of his, ascending Har Habayis, and all his wrongdoing in having the police persecute chareidim, it’s terrible,” Rav Yosef declared. “Such deep-seated hatred. All of this is because of him. He is responsible. How can anyone give power to such a person?”

{Matzav.com}

The Israeli government has approved an extension of the nationwide special home-front emergency declaration through November 3, citing intelligence and security assessments warning of a continued high likelihood of attacks against Israeli civilians amid uncertainty involving Iran and Lebanon.

The decision, adopted Thursday at the request of Defense Minister Yisrael Katz, extends the emergency designation beyond the October 27 Knesset elections, underscoring the government’s concern that the country could face renewed hostilities during a politically sensitive period.

According to the recommendation submitted to ministers, Israeli defense officials believe the danger to the civilian population remains sufficiently serious to justify maintaining the extraordinary legal framework throughout the country.

The security assessment specifically pointed to uncertainty surrounding developments involving Iran and Lebanon, where the possibility of further military confrontation continues to concern Israeli authorities.

The document warned that security officials continue to assess a high probability of an attack against the civilian population.

The extension applies to the entire country and will remain in effect until November 3 unless the government subsequently changes the designation. Officials are expected to reassess the need for a further extension as that date approaches.

The nationwide emergency declaration was initially imposed on February 28, 2026, and has been extended repeatedly in response to continuing security threats.

The previous government decision, adopted October 6, had extended the declaration through October 20. Thursday’s action adds another two weeks, carrying the designation beyond Election Day.

Under Israeli law, a special home-front emergency declaration provides authorities with the legal framework to issue binding civilian protection instructions when security circumstances warrant them.

The designation allows the Home Front Command to impose restrictions or protective requirements in response to military threats, including limitations on gatherings, educational activities and other aspects of daily life when necessary.

However, the extension itself does not mean that new restrictions have been imposed or that schools, businesses or public gatherings must immediately cease operating.

Any specific changes to civilian activity would depend on separate instructions issued by the relevant security authorities.

The government’s decision must also be submitted to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee for approval, as required by the Civil Defense Law.

The government directed that the extension be publicized through official channels, including radio, television and the required legal publications.

The timing is particularly significant because Israel is preparing for national elections on October 27, with political parties conducting their final campaigns amid continuing uncertainty about the security situation.

A renewed military confrontation during the election period could affect campaign events, public gatherings and the logistics of voting, depending on the nature and location of any attacks and the instructions issued by the Home Front Command.

Israeli authorities have not announced that Election Day will be postponed or that voting arrangements have been changed.

The decision follows months of heightened tensions involving Iran and Hezbollah, with Israeli defense officials continuing to monitor the possibility of additional attacks against the home front.

For residents throughout Eretz Yisroel, including the large chareidi communities of Yerushalayim, Bnei Brak, Beit Shemesh and other cities, the extension means that the existing emergency legal framework will remain in place during the election period.

The government said the need for maintaining the declaration will be reviewed again before its November 3 expiration, with any further extension dependent on the security situation at that time.

{Matzav.com}

The Lakewood Vaad of Lakewood, NJ has released its endorsements for the November 3 general election, backing candidates from both political parties while urging residents to vote against a school board ballot question and highlighting the mounting financial, transportation and infrastructure challenges facing the township.

In a letter to the community, the Vaad endorsed Democratic U.S. Senator Cory Booker and Republican Congressman Chris Smith, continuing its longstanding practice of supporting candidates based on their relationships with Lakewood and their willingness to address the community’s needs rather than their political affiliations.

The Vaad’s recommendations come as Lakewood residents confront a series of pressing concerns, including the ongoing school transportation crisis, rising property taxes, increasing traffic congestion and financial pressures affecting local families and mosdos.

The organization acknowledged that the township is dealing with significant fiscal difficulties, including a financial shortfall, reductions in state aid and extraordinary expenses associated with severe winter weather. It also pointed to complications arising from state oversight of the Lakewood school district.

In the U.S. Senate race, the Vaad endorsed Booker, citing his longstanding relationship with community leaders and the assistance his office has provided on matters affecting Lakewood residents.

For the U.S. House of Representatives, the Vaad backed Smith, recognizing his decades of service to the district, his advocacy on religious freedom and family values, and his responsiveness to the concerns of the Orthodox Jewish community.

The Vaad also endorsed Republican Frank Sadeghi for another term as Ocean County commissioner, pointing to his accessibility and willingness to work with community representatives on the challenges associated with Lakewood’s continued growth.

At the township level, the Vaad endorsed Democratic Mayor Ray Coles and Republican Committeewoman Deborah Fuentes for reelection.

Both officials were praised for maintaining working relationships with community leadership and for their service during a period of significant municipal challenges.

Coles and Fuentes are competing for two seats on the five-member Township Committee against Republican Moshe Raitzik and Democrat Samantha Stokes.

In the Lakewood Board of Education election, the Vaad endorsed incumbents Samuel Melnik and Harriet Goldberg, along with Abraham D. Reich, who is seeking reelection through a write-in campaign because his name will not appear on the ballot.

The Vaad separately instructed voters to cast a no vote on the school board public question.

For the Board of Fire Commissioners, the organization endorsed incumbents Dovid Bender and Harrison Pfeffer.

The letter stressed that endorsing an elected official does not necessarily indicate agreement with every decision that official has made. Rather, the recommendations reflect the importance the Vaad places on accessibility, cooperation, communication and the ability to work constructively on behalf of Lakewood residents.

The endorsements are particularly significant in a township whose electorate has demonstrated overwhelming support for Republican candidates in major statewide and national races while continuing to elect Democrats to important local offices.

Early voting is scheduled from October 24 through November 1 at the Lakewood Municipal Building, located at 231 Third Street. Voting hours will be 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, with polling locations open from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m.

Shas chairman Aryeh Deri has revealed previously undisclosed details of an emotional private meeting with Maran Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l, during which the revered Sephardic Torah leader tearfully asked him to accept the second position on the Shas Knesset list, behind Eli Yishai, who had once served as Deri’s own assistant.

In an exclusive interview with journalist Yishai Cohen of Kikar Hashabbat, Deri described the extraordinary encounter, which took place on the morning before Shas was scheduled to submit its Knesset candidate list, as he prepared to return to political life after years away from the party’s leadership.

Deri recalled that Rav Ovadia summoned him into his private bedroom, closed the door, and sat him down on his bed before making a request that would require him to surrender the leadership position he had previously held.

“I will never forget that moment,” Deri said. “You ask me about it today? I myself cannot believe that I managed to withstand it. It was the morning before the candidate lists were submitted. Maran called me into his bedroom alone, closed the door, sat me down on his bed, took my hand, and embraced me.”

According to Deri, Rav Ovadia began by expressing his deep personal affection for him and asking for a promise that he would not refuse what he was about to request.

“‘Rav Aryeh, you are like my son, more than my son. I am going to ask you for something. Do not refuse me. Do you promise me?'” Deri recalled Rav Ovadia saying.

Deri responded, “‘Rav, have I ever refused you anything until today?'”

Only then did Rav Ovadia explain what he wanted: Deri would return to the Shas Knesset list, but Eli Yishai would remain in the first position, with Deri serving beneath him.

“‘This is a very difficult test,'” Rav Ovadia told him, according to Deri. “‘I am asking you not to be number one on the list. I know that Eli Yishai was your assistant, that you are older than him, and that you were always the leader of the movement. But I am asking you: Be number two on the list.'”

The request placed Deri in an extraordinarily difficult position. Having previously led Shas and played a central role in building the party into a major force in Israeli politics, he was now being asked to return in a subordinate position to a man who had once worked under him.

Deri said that seeing Rav Ovadia’s tears immediately settled the matter for him.

“I immediately bent down and kissed his hand,” Deri recalled. “Maran had tears in his eyes as he made the request, and I had tears in my eyes as I answered him affirmatively, kissed his hand, and said: ‘Kavod Harav, whatever you say will be.'”

After Deri agreed, Rav Ovadia offered him words of encouragement, invoking the well-known account in Chazal involving Hashem and Yeravam ben Nevat, in which Yeravam’s concern over who would occupy the leading position prevented him from accepting an extraordinary opportunity.

“Maran told me the story of HaKadosh Baruch Hu and Yeravam ben Nevat — ‘Who will be first?’ He kissed me and said: ‘You passed this test. Hashem will reward you.'”

Deri said that when he emerged from the bedroom and informed his family members and close associates of the decision, they were stunned.

For those who had worked alongside him during his earlier years as Shas chairman, the idea that he would willingly accept the second position behind Eli Yishai seemed almost inconceivable.

“When I came out and told my family and friends, nobody believed me,” Deri recalled. “They said to me: ‘Are you crazy? You’re going to be number two?! This is outrageous.'”

Deri said he refused to entertain their objections, insisting that Rav Ovadia’s request had ended any discussion about his position on the list.

“I answered them firmly: Maran asked — that’s it, end of discussion. I agreed to be number two. We submitted the Knesset list with me in second place, with Eli Yishai at the top and me beneath him.”

The episode occurred during Deri’s political comeback ahead of the 2013 Knesset elections, when Shas was navigating the sensitive question of how to reintegrate its former chairman while Eli Yishai continued to lead the party.

Former President Barack Obama has sparked criticism after accusing Jews who sought refuge in the Land of Israel of taking land from its Arab inhabitants and acting excessively, remarks that critics say disregard the Jewish people’s historical connection to Eretz Yisroel and the extensive legal purchase of property by Jewish communities before the establishment of the state.

Speaking before approximately 7,000 people in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Obama acknowledged centuries of persecution suffered by Jews, particularly in Europe, before arguing that the establishment of a Jewish homeland had involved injustices against the local Arab population.

“The fact is that the Jewish people, for millennia, were oppressed, discriminated against, killed,” Obama said. “Europe was responsible for much of it. They understandably sought a refuge. That is undeniable.”

He then added: “What is also undeniable is that they took land off people and they were excessive. And those people understandably said, ‘This is injustice and I want my land back.'”

The comments came during a public discussion with journalist and author Susan McKay at Belfast’s O2 arena, part of Obama’s speaking tour in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Earlier that day, he had received an honorary doctorate from Queen’s University Belfast.

Obama’s description of Jewish settlement drew objections from pro-Israel commentators, who argued that his account failed to distinguish between land purchased legally by Jews during the Ottoman and British Mandate periods and the displacement of Palestinian Arabs during the 1948 war.

Jewish communities had existed in Eretz Yisroel long before the modern Zionist movement, including in Yerushalayim, Tzefas, Teveria, and Chevron. During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Jewish organizations and private individuals purchased substantial tracts of land, frequently from Arab landowners, including absentee owners residing outside the territory.

Critics noted that Obama’s formulation presented Jewish settlement primarily as a response to European persecution, without adequately addressing the Jewish people’s ancient religious and historical ties to the land.

The circumstances surrounding Israel’s establishment in 1948 also remain central to the dispute over the former president’s remarks. The United Nations approved a partition proposal in November 1947 calling for separate Jewish and Arab states. Jewish leaders accepted the proposal, while Arab leaders rejected it.

Fighting began following the partition vote, and armies from neighboring Arab countries entered the conflict after Israel declared independence in May 1948. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinian Arabs fled or were expelled from their homes during the war, while Jewish communities also faced attacks and displacement, including the expulsion of Jews from the Old City of Yerushalayim.

Obama’s remarks did not address these historical developments in detail, prompting critics to argue that his characterization left listeners with an incomplete account of how the conflict developed.

The former president went on to criticize the current Israeli government, suggesting that Israel’s military strength had encouraged its leaders to believe they could impose their preferred outcome without making meaningful concessions.

Obama argued that if Israel’s position was that its regional superiority entitled it to take what it wanted, “you have ceded moral ground.”

He said “the current Israeli government appears to have taken that” position and maintained that Israeli leaders must recognize that “7 million Palestinians are not going anywhere.”

Obama urged Israelis to reconsider how future generations would coexist with the Arab population, questioning whether the country could rely indefinitely on military superiority and physical barriers for its security.

“The citizenry of Israel has to rethink, to reimagine,” Obama said, asking, “how are your children and grandchildren going to live in this region? Are you just going to be behind walls and wipe out everybody around you, or are you going to find some just way of defending yourself while still acting in an ethical, moral way?”

At the same time, Obama directed criticism toward Palestinian political and military strategy, arguing that Palestinian leaders must recognize the impossibility of defeating Israel through armed confrontation.

He said the Palestinian approach must be one “that is not premised on beating their military.”

Obama urged Palestinians to pursue political and nonviolent methods rather than attempting to overcome Israel’s military capabilities, saying that efforts to secure change through force had repeatedly failed.

Referring specifically to Hamas’ October 7, 2023, massacre in southern Israel, Obama said, “you could not have designed something that was less likely to produce meaningful change.”

His remarks reflected a longstanding position that both Israelis and Palestinians must acknowledge the other’s continued presence in the region and pursue a political settlement rather than attempting to achieve their objectives through military force alone.

During his presidency, Obama frequently clashed with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu over Israeli settlement policy and the prospects for a Palestinian state. His administration nevertheless maintained extensive security cooperation with Israel and signed a ten-year, $38 billion military assistance agreement in 2016.

In December of that year, the United States abstained from a United Nations Security Council vote on Resolution 2334, allowing a resolution condemning Israeli settlements to pass. The decision drew sharp criticism from Netanyahu and other Israeli officials, who accused the Obama administration of abandoning Israel at the international body.

Obama’s latest statements also come as he has reentered Democratic electoral politics ahead of the November midterm elections. Days before his Belfast appearance, he recorded a campaign advertisement supporting Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic Senate candidate in Michigan who has called for ending American military assistance to Israel and has accused the Jewish state of genocide in Gaza.

The Belfast appearance was part of a broader speaking tour during which Obama discussed democracy, international affairs, and political polarization. He also warned that democratic institutions cannot be taken for granted and expressed concern about the direction of American and international politics.

Maran Rav Dov Landau, rosh yeshiva of Slabodka, has issued his first public response to Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s controversial remarks about the chareidi community, describing statements questioning the legitimacy of chareidi life in Eretz Yisroel as a deliberate and public chillul Hashem.

The remarks were delivered Wednesday evening during a meeting with rabbonim from Rechasim, who visited Rav Landau and Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch to seek their guidance and bracha ahead of the upcoming elections.

Rav Landau addressed both the importance of voting and the growing political attacks against the Torah community, invoking the longstanding instructions of the Chazon Ish regarding participation in Israeli elections.

“The Chazon Ish zt”l instructed unequivocally that there is an obligation to vote in government elections,” Rav Landau said. “The Chazon Ish’s instruction has not changed. On the contrary, today the obligation to vote is doubled and redoubled, because, rachmana litzlan, the Torah itself is being left vulnerable to attack, and those who study Torah are being treated as prey. Hashem should protect us.”

The rosh yeshiva then turned to the recent statements made by Smotrich, who had sharply criticized the chareidi community and Rav Landau himself during campaign appearances earlier in the week.

“People who are called observant Jews come along and publicly declare that, chas v’shalom, there is no justification for being chareidi in Eretz Yisroel,” Rav Landau said. “This is a deliberate chillul Hashem committed publicly.”

He added that the comments did not require a personal response, but that the broader attack on the honor of Torah demanded action.

“There is no need to answer him. But there is an obligation to act against this terrible chillul Hashem,” Rav Landau said.

In his remarks, Rav Landau identified voting for United Torah Judaism, represented by the Hebrew letter Gimmel, as a public declaration of the centrality of Torah learning.

“When we vote Gimmel, we proclaim loudly, ‘We have nothing left except this Torah.’ Only Torah! And only Torah! The Holy One, blessed be He, has nothing in His world except the four amos of halacha. Only Torah! And only Torah!”

Rav Landau went on to emphasize that participation in the election must be treated as a serious personal obligation, even when voting involves inconvenience, expense, or disruption to one’s regular schedule.

“It is forbidden to evade voting,” he said. “Even someone who is occupied with various matters must make an effort beyond his usual capabilities to vote Gimmel, even if doing so involves what appears to be a loss.”

He stressed that the number of people voting in each community carries significance beyond the immediate election results, describing the turnout as a measure of public commitment to kavod Shomayim and the preservation of Torah life.

“In every place, the number of those counted among those who sanctify Hashem’s Name has tremendous significance, both for the present and for future generations,” Rav Landau said.

He further instructed that voters should cast their ballots specifically in their own communities rather than seeking alternative arrangements to avoid traveling home.

“Therefore, everyone is obligated to vote specifically in his place of residence. There is no exemption because of a long journey, and one should not look for all kinds of other solutions. In all of this, one must always be stringent.”

The rosh yeshiva’s statements followed two campaign appearances in which Smotrich sharply criticized the chareidi community, accusing it of failing to appreciate the significance of Jewish sovereignty in Eretz Yisroel.

During an interview conducted by Arutz Sheva, Smotrich was asked why he had declined to publicly respond to criticism directed at him by Rav Landau.

The finance minister initially explained his reluctance by referring to the obligation to show respect for talmidei chachomim.

“Let no one think, G-d forbid, that my silence means agreement, because ‘be careful of their burning coals,'” Smotrich said, invoking the warning of Chazal concerning disrespect toward Torah scholars.

“If I thought responding would accomplish something, I would respond. I do not respond to a Torah scholar,” he continued.

However, Smotrich then made a personal remark about Rav Landau that drew outrage in chareidi circles.

“By the way, it pains me, and I pray to the Holy One, blessed be He, that He bring him back in repentance as well, but there is no need to respond,” Smotrich said.

In additional comments, the finance minister accused the chareidi community of failing to recognize what he views as the religious significance of the State of Israel.

“The chareidim are ungrateful to the Holy One, blessed be He. They are completely blind. I do not understand how anyone can be chareidi today,” Smotrich declared.

The comments provoked an angry reaction among chareidi political figures and members of the Torah community, particularly because they were directed in part at one of the generation’s leading roshei yeshiva.

Smotrich, who heads the Religious Zionism party, has repeatedly clashed with chareidi political leaders over the military draft, the role of the state, and the status of full-time Torah learning.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli police arrested two residents of Elad overnight following a pair of violent attacks targeting senior municipal officials, including the throwing of a stun grenade at the home of the city’s chief executive and the suspected arson of a vehicle belonging to the mayor’s chief of staff.

Investigators believe the attacks may have been carried out in retaliation for enforcement actions recently undertaken by the Elad municipality against the suspects, raising concerns about attempts by criminal elements to intimidate city officials.

The two suspects, men in their 20s and 30s, were taken into custody by officers from the Rosh Ha’ayin police station in Israel’s Central District following an intensive investigation into the incidents.

The violence began Wednesday evening when police received a report that a stun grenade had been thrown toward the fence surrounding a private residence in Elad. Officers rushed to the scene and began searching the surrounding area for those responsible.

Shortly afterward, authorities received another report involving a vehicle that had caught fire elsewhere in the city. Initial findings at the scene led investigators to suspect that the blaze had been deliberately set.

The targeted vehicle belonged to Shimon Suissa, who serves as chief of staff to the mayor of Elad. The stun grenade, meanwhile, had been thrown toward the residence of Amnon Maksimov, the municipality’s director-general.

The attacks, which occurred within a short period of one another, prompted police to investigate whether the two incidents were connected and whether senior city officials were being deliberately targeted.

According to preliminary findings by the Sharon District Central Investigations Unit, the suspected motive was municipal enforcement activity recently carried out against the two individuals now in custody.

Police suspect that the men responded to those enforcement measures by targeting municipal officials in an effort to frighten them and interfere with the city’s efforts to maintain public order.

Investigators have not publicly detailed the specific enforcement actions believed to have triggered the attacks.

Following several hours of investigative and operational activity, police located the two suspects during the night and placed them under arrest.

Both were transferred to the Sharon District Central Investigations Unit for questioning and were subsequently held in custody.

Police are expected to bring the suspects before a judge on Thursday and request an extension of their detention while investigators continue gathering evidence.

The Elad municipality issued a forceful statement Wednesday night condemning the violence and insisting that threats against city officials would not interfere with municipal operations.

“Following the incidents that occurred in recent hours, including threats directed at senior municipal officials, the Elad Municipality makes clear that it will not be deterred by criminal elements attempting to intimidate residents and the municipal leadership. These are unacceptable attempts to instill fear and undermine the public’s sense of security. The Elad Municipality will not allow these elements to dictate the municipal agenda,” the municipality said.

The investigation remains ongoing, and the two individuals are suspects who have not been convicted of any offense.

Federal authorities have launched an investigation after multiple letters containing unidentified suspicious substances were mailed to congressional offices, with at least one envelope bearing the initials of the Democratic Socialists of America and a return address previously associated with the socialist organization.

The FBI, U.S. Capitol Police and U.S. Postal Inspection Service are coordinating the investigation, according to security notifications distributed to congressional employees Thursday. Authorities are attempting to locate and intercept additional suspicious mail before it reaches lawmakers or their staff.

One of the envelopes photographed in the security alert carried the marking “DSA” and listed a return address at a building in Manhattan’s Financial District. The Democratic Socialists of America previously used an address at that same building on its membership documents. Investigators have not established whether the organization had any involvement in sending the letters, and the return address alone does not establish who mailed them.

Congressional personnel were advised that law enforcement agencies were actively working to prevent further deliveries, although officials acknowledged that some envelopes might evade detection.

“Law enforcement officials are working to intercept any additional letters before they are delivered, however, it is possible that some letters may reach their destinations,” the Senate email notice stated.

The warning indicates that the potentially hazardous correspondence may still be circulating through the postal system, raising concerns about the possibility of additional congressional offices receiving similar envelopes.

Authorities have also discovered some of the suspicious letters at locations outside congressional offices, suggesting that the mailing campaign may extend beyond Capitol Hill. The number of envelopes identified so far, the intended recipients and the nature of the substances have not been publicly disclosed.

The investigation follows a separate series of suspicious mailings reported earlier this week at election offices across the country. Officials in Louisiana and Oklahoma said their offices received envelopes containing an unidentified white powder Tuesday, prompting evacuations while emergency personnel examined the material.

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose also reported that his office had been targeted, although postal authorities intercepted the suspicious envelope before delivery. No injuries were reported in those incidents.

In a statement Wednesday evening, the FBI acknowledged that suspicious correspondence had been sent to multiple locations nationwide, including state election offices and offices of secretaries of state. Federal investigators said they were working with postal inspectors and other law enforcement agencies to collect and examine the letters. Authorities have not established whether the congressional mailings are connected to those incidents.

The discovery of suspicious substances in mail addressed to government officials has historically prompted heightened security precautions, particularly following the deadly anthrax attacks of 2001, when contaminated letters were sent to congressional offices and media organizations.

As of Thursday morning, the FBI, Capitol Police and Postal Inspection Service had not issued detailed public statements about the congressional investigation. The Democratic Socialists of America had also not responded to a request for comment concerning the return address appearing on at least one envelope.

{Matzav.com}

Voting in Israel’s 26th Knesset elections officially began Thursday, nearly two weeks before Israelis head to the polls, as thousands of eligible Israeli diplomats, government representatives, and their families stationed overseas began casting their ballots at embassies and consulates around the world.

Approximately 4,800 Israelis are eligible to participate in the early overseas voting process, which is being conducted at 101 polling stations located in 99 Israeli diplomatic missions. The operation, coordinated by the Central Elections Committee and the Foreign Ministry, will extend across numerous time zones over approximately 30 consecutive hours.

The first polling station opened in Wellington, New Zealand, marking the official beginning of voting for the October 27 election. Balloting subsequently commenced at Israel’s new embassy in Suva, Fiji, as the process began moving westward across the globe.

New York City is home to the largest overseas voting location, with approximately 700 eligible voters registered at the Israeli consulate. The substantial number reflects the concentration of Israeli diplomatic personnel and other authorized representatives stationed in the area.

The overseas voting arrangements are limited to designated Israelis serving abroad on official assignments, along with eligible family members. Unlike some other countries, Israel generally does not allow its citizens living overseas to vote in national elections simply by visiting an embassy or consulate.

Those permitted to participate include employees of Israeli embassies and consulates, military and economic attachés, representatives of government ministries, and qualifying relatives accompanying them on their assignments.

Under Israeli election law, certain employees of the Jewish Agency, Jewish National Fund, Keren Hayesod, and World Zionist Organization who are serving overseas may also qualify to vote at designated diplomatic polling stations, together with eligible spouses and children.

The voting operation requires extensive coordination between the Foreign Ministry and the Central Elections Committee. Election officials have arranged for the secure transportation of ballot papers and other materials to diplomatic missions, while local polling personnel have undergone special training to ensure that procedures are followed consistently.

Because the polling stations operate according to local time, the election process moves across the international date line and through Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas before concluding on the West Coast of the United States.

The final ballots are scheduled to be cast at Israeli consulates in Los Angeles and San Francisco, where polling stations will close at 8 p.m. Thursday local time, corresponding to 6 a.m. Friday in Israel.

Once voting concludes, participation figures will be transmitted to the Central Elections Committee. The completed ballot envelopes will be sealed, secured, and transported to Israel through diplomatic channels.

The votes will be processed under Israel’s double-envelope system, which allows election officials to verify eligibility and prevent duplicate voting while preserving the secrecy of individual ballots. They will be counted in Israel as part of the general election process.

The main election will take place Tuesday, October 27, when Israeli voters will choose the 120 members of the 26th Knesset. Most polling stations in Israel are scheduled to operate from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m.

Under the election timetable, the Central Elections Committee is scheduled to publish the official results by November 4.

{Matzav.com}

Agudath Israel of America will host a special Asifas Hisorerus V’Hoda’ah this Motzoei Shabbos, Parshas Noach, October 17, in Brooklyn, bringing together members of the community for an evening of gratitude to Hakadosh Boruch Hu following the extraordinary and miraculous Flydubai rescue.

The gathering, being held in conjunction with Agudas Yisroel Bais Binyomin and Hakhel, will provide an opportunity for the community to reflect on the remarkable events surrounding the rescue, express heartfelt thanks to the Ribbono Shel Olam, and draw inspiration from the powerful reminder of Hashem’s Hashgacha and protection.

The evening will feature divrei chizuk and hisorerus from Rav Moshe Tuvia Lieff, rov of Agudas Yisroel Bais Binyomin, and Rabbi Paysach J. Krohn, the renowned author and speaker. Both will address the significance of the miraculous events and the importance of recognizing and expressing gratitude for the extraordinary yeshuos witnessed.

Following the divrei chizuk, the gathering will continue with uplifting shiros v’sishbachos led by Sruly Williger and Shloime Dachs, giving attendees an opportunity to join together in song and heartfelt expressions of hoda’ah to Hakadosh Boruch Hu.

The event will take place at Agudas Yisroel Bais Binyomin, located at 2913 Avenue L in Brooklyn, beginning at 9:00 p.m. and concluding at approximately 10:15 p.m.

The asifah is open to both men and women.

At a time when Klal Yisroel continues to face challenges and uncertainty, the gathering will offer an opportunity to unite in appreciation for the remarkable chassodim of Hashem and to strengthen the recognition that every yeshuah calls for heartfelt hoda’ah.

The organizers invite the entire community to participate in what promises to be a meaningful and inspiring evening of gratitude, chizuk, and song.

Sen. Ted Cruz is warning that the election of Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed could create an extraordinary national security threat, alleging that the candidate’s family connections to the Muslim Brotherhood raise serious questions about whether he should be entrusted with classified American intelligence.

The Texas Republican delivered the warning Wednesday during an episode of his “Verdict” podcast, where he argued that El-Sayed’s election could potentially give him access to highly sensitive information concerning American military operations, intelligence activities, and national security planning.

“If he wins, I believe that poses an unprecedented national security risk,” Cruz told podcast co-host Ben Ferguson.

Cruz said his concerns stem in part from the possibility that El-Sayed could eventually serve on the Senate Intelligence Committee or Armed Services Committee, both of which receive sensitive briefings and oversee matters involving the military and intelligence community.

“I believe if Abdul El-Sayed has access to that classified material, that it will endanger the lives of service men and women,” Cruz said.

The senator emphasized that members of Congress do not undergo the same executive-branch security clearance procedures required of many government employees before obtaining access to classified information. Congressional access to such material is nevertheless governed by separate institutional rules and restrictions.

Much of Cruz’s criticism centered on El-Sayed’s recent appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” during which moderator Kristen Welker questioned him about possible connections between himself, his family, and the Muslim Brotherhood.

El-Sayed answered the question with a categorical “No.”

Cruz challenged that response by pointing to statements published years earlier by El-Sayed’s half-sister, Eman Abdelhadi, on social media.

In a 2012 post, Abdelhadi wrote, “My family has long been MB,” using an abbreviation commonly associated with the Muslim Brotherhood.

In the same message, she said she “always felt” that the organization “has navigated the political sphere poorly/destructively.”

Cruz also referenced a separate social media post from 2013 in which Abdelhadi expressed concern about relatives in Egypt who supported the Muslim Brotherhood.

The posts, Cruz argued, contradicted El-Sayed’s public denial of family connections to the organization.

However, the statements attributed to his half-sister do not, by themselves, establish that El-Sayed is a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, has participated in its activities, or has engaged in conduct that would compromise American national security.

Cruz also cited an opinion article El-Sayed published in the Huffington Post in 2011, during the political upheaval that eventually brought the Muslim Brotherhood to power in Egypt.

In the commentary, El-Sayed argued that a government led by the organization would look “nothing like Iran.”

Cruz portrayed the article as evidence that El-Sayed had long held a sympathetic view of the Islamist movement, which subsequently governed Egypt under President Mohamed Morsi before being removed from power by the Egyptian military in 2013.

The senator also raised questions about financial support for El-Sayed’s Senate campaign, citing a reported $300,000 contribution from the candidate’s father-in-law, Tayeb Jukaku, to a super PAC supporting his election.

Cruz highlighted Jukaku’s association with the Islamic Society of North America, an organization that federal prosecutors identified as an unindicted co-conspirator during the Holy Land Foundation terrorism-financing prosecution.

That designation did not constitute a criminal conviction, and the association does not establish wrongdoing by Jukaku or El-Sayed. Cruz nevertheless argued that the combination of family connections, political positions, and financial relationships warranted greater scrutiny.

El-Sayed’s positions concerning Israel have also become a major source of controversy in the closely contested Michigan race.

The Democratic candidate has accused Israel of committing genocide during its military campaign against Hamas in Gaza and has advocated ending American military assistance to the Jewish state.

He also drew criticism after declining to directly affirm Israel’s right to exist during a CNN interview.

“Israel exists,” El-Sayed responded when questioned on the issue, dismissing the formulation as a political “gotcha game.”

El-Sayed has maintained that opposition to Israeli government policies should not automatically be treated as hostility toward Jews.

“To be anti-Israel is not the same as to be anti-Jewish,” he declared.

The controversy has intensified as El-Sayed competes against Republican Mike Rogers in one of the country’s most closely watched Senate contests, a race that could help determine which party controls the chamber following the November elections.

Recent polling has shown El-Sayed holding a narrow advantage over Rogers, although the contest remains competitive. A Washington Post-Schar School survey released in September placed El-Sayed at 48 percent and Rogers at 45 percent among likely voters, a difference within the poll’s margin of error.

The race has also attracted significant outside spending. A political action committee affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee has recently begun financing campaign materials opposing El-Sayed, reflecting concern among pro-Israel activists about the possibility of his election.

Republicans have increasingly focused attention on El-Sayed’s background and views, while the Democratic candidate has accused his opponents of using allegations about his religion and family to divert attention from economic and healthcare issues.

His campaign previously characterized allegations connecting him and his relatives to the Muslim Brotherhood as “racist” and “untrue.”

Cruz, however, insisted that the controversy should be viewed as a matter of national security rather than an ordinary political disagreement.

“This is a profound danger,” Cruz said.

The senator urged Michigan voters to reject El-Sayed, warning that the consequences of the election could extend well beyond the state’s representation in Washington.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is resisting a federal recommendation that would automatically activate agents’ body cameras when they draw their weapons, setting up a dispute over accountability, officer safety, and the recording of sensitive encounters during immigration enforcement operations.

The Department of Homeland Security has rejected the proposed requirement, arguing that automatic recording technology could create serious operational problems, including accidental activation and the unintended recording of confidential interactions.

The disagreement follows a Government Accountability Office investigation that identified shortcomings in body-camera policies, training, and oversight at ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Investigators warned that unclear requirements could result in important enforcement encounters taking place without video documentation.

According to a report published Wednesday by Axios, DHS agreed with six of the GAO’s seven recommendations but declined to adopt the proposal calling for automatic camera activation and additional measures to ensure officers record arrests, searches, and detentions when required.

In explaining its objections, the department said the technology “presents significant operational risks, including inadvertent or false activations during routine movement.”

DHS officials also expressed concern that cameras triggered automatically could record conversations with confidential informants, crime victims, and other individuals whose identities or interactions require protection.

The department further warned that unintended recordings might capture people engaged in constitutionally protected activities, raising privacy and First Amendment concerns.

The dispute highlights a significant difference between the two federal law enforcement agencies. Customs and Border Protection already employs systems capable of activating body cameras automatically when officers draw firearms or turn on emergency lights. ICE, however, has not implemented comparable technology.

The GAO’s examination found that confusion over existing recording rules was widespread enough to raise questions about whether officers consistently understood when they were required to activate their cameras.

At six of the ten locations reviewed by investigators, personnel expressed uncertainty about the circumstances in which recording was mandatory.

Some employees characterized the rules as “not mandated,” “up to interpretation,” or containing “gray areas.”

The uncertainty extended to several common enforcement situations, including searches of vehicles, transportation of detainees, undercover assignments, and interviews with individuals already in custody.

These findings raised concerns that officers might fail to record significant encounters even when agency policy called for cameras to be operating.

The federal watchdog also examined how the agencies handled violations of their body-camera requirements and found remarkably little documented disciplinary action.

From the beginning of ICE’s body-camera program through September 2025, the agency had not issued a single written reprimand for violations of its recording policies.

Customs and Border Protection had issued just one such reprimand during the period examined.

The findings come as federal immigration authorities face growing public scrutiny over enforcement tactics, including several fatal shootings involving ICE personnel.

Body cameras have become a particularly contentious issue as the Trump administration expands immigration enforcement and critics demand greater transparency surrounding arrests and confrontations between federal agents and members of the public.

Earlier this year, White House border czar Tom Homan publicly supported expanding ICE’s body-camera program, emphasizing that the administration wanted Americans to have confidence in the professionalism of federal immigration officers.

Homan said in February that he had discussed the initiative with then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who approved the expansion.

“We have nothing to hide,” Homan said, adding that Americans “seek and deserve professional and trustworthy law enforcement.”

He explained that approximately $20 million included in federal spending legislation would help finance the expansion of body-camera use among immigration agents.

Homan also stressed that the administration would not excuse improper conduct by federal personnel.

“Any misconduct will not be tolerated and will be swiftly addressed,” he said.

At the same time, Homan defended ICE’s enforcement methods, rejecting suggestions that agents were conducting indiscriminate immigration sweeps.

He said officers generally begin operations with specific targets in mind, particularly individuals with criminal records who have been identified for arrest.

“When we leave this building, we know who we’re looking for,” Homan said.

The GAO’s investigation focused on whether ICE and CBP had established sufficient procedures to ensure body cameras were deployed appropriately, officers understood recording requirements, and violations were addressed consistently.

Investigators found that weaknesses in those areas made it difficult for the agencies to assess whether their camera programs were accomplishing their intended purposes.

The watchdog called for clearer operational standards, improved training, stronger oversight, and updated deployment plans that would allow agency leadership to measure the effectiveness of body-camera use.

Although DHS accepted most of the recommendations, its refusal to adopt automatic activation technology leaves unresolved one of the report’s central concerns: how to ensure that critical encounters are recorded when officers are focused on fast-moving or potentially dangerous situations.

The GAO concluded that without more consistent requirements and reliable measures of compliance, federal immigration agencies cannot adequately determine whether their body-camera programs are improving accountability, protecting officers, or strengthening public confidence in law enforcement.

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that individuals who disclose classified military information “should be shot,” revealing that a leak exposing the timing of a planned American strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities prompted him to postpone the operation over concerns that U.S. forces could be placed in danger.

Addressing supporters at a campaign rally in Bullhead City, Arizona, Trump expressed outrage over the release of sensitive details surrounding Operation Midnight Hammer, the June 2025 American bombing mission targeting Iranian nuclear installations.

The president said information about the planned departure and arrival times of American military aircraft had reached major news organizations before the operation was carried out, potentially compromising the element of surprise.

“Somebody leaked, some sleazebag. They ought to go to jail and be shot. For the rest of their life, they should be in jail,” Trump told the crowd.

Trump specifically accused individuals of disclosing the scheduled departure time of the aircraft from Missouri, along with details of when they were expected to reach their targets.

“They leaked that we were leaving at 12:07 from Missouri, and it was in The New York Times, CNN,” Trump said.

“They leaked the time we were leaving, the time we were arriving,” he said.

According to the president, the disclosure was serious enough that he personally raised the matter with Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to determine whether the mission could still proceed safely.

“I said, ‘General, that’s not good, is it?’ He said, ‘Not good, sir, but we can do it anyway.’ I said, ‘Let’s change the time.’ So I called off the raid,” Trump recalled.

Trump said he ultimately held the mission back for two days before allowing the military to proceed using the same departure schedule that had originally been planned. He suggested the decision helped mislead Iranian officials, who may have believed the leaked information was no longer accurate.

The president repeatedly returned to the danger posed by unauthorized disclosures, arguing that revealing operational details during an impending military attack could jeopardize American lives and national security.

“But they leak. Leakers should be, in my opinion, leakers should be shot,” Trump said. “In the old days, we used to shoot leakers.”

“When they leak what time you’re going to attack a country, and the reason you’re attacking is really for defense because you don’t want them to have a weapon that can blow up millions of people in one shot,” he added.

“No, leakers should be dealt with very, very strongly,” Trump continued. “To me, they’re the scum of the earth.”

Trump also directed his criticism toward the news media, accusing journalists of spreading inaccurate information and relying on sources he suggested might not exist.

“They’re almost as bad as a leaker,” Trump said of reporters.

“They leak false information, that makes them a leaker. Oftentimes, without a source. I think they make up a lot of their sources,” the president said.

The remarks came as Trump campaigned for Republican candidates ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. His appearance in Bullhead City included support for Arizona gubernatorial candidate Andy Biggs, but much of the president’s discussion turned to the continuing confrontation with Iran.

Trump portrayed the Iranian regime as increasingly disorganized following American military operations, suggesting that the country’s leadership had suffered such significant losses that officials were reluctant to assume positions of authority.

“Nobody wants to be the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Trump said. “Who would like to be the president of Iran?

“Please raise your hand. No, I don’t want to be.”

The president then acknowledged that the American campaign against Iranian leadership may have gone further than he initially anticipated.

“I probably went a little too far. I’m sorry, because I don’t know who the hell we’re dealing with anymore,” Trump added, before predicting that the confrontation would soon conclude.

Trump defended American military operations as essential to preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons, describing Tehran as the world’s foremost state sponsor of terrorism and warning that a nuclear-armed Iranian regime would pose a catastrophic threat to Israel, the broader Middle East, Europe, and the United States.

“If they had a nuclear weapon, within 24 hours they would use it,” Trump claimed. “They’ll knock out the Middle East, then they’ll start hitting us on the West Coast.”

“They’ll hit Europe because they’re crazy,” he said.

Trump’s assertions about how quickly Iran would use a nuclear weapon were his own predictions, rather than findings established by publicly released American intelligence assessments.

Operation Midnight Hammer involved American B-2 stealth bombers and other military assets striking Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025, during the 12-day war between Israel and Iran. The operation targeted major installations associated with Tehran’s nuclear program, including deeply fortified sites.

Following the strikes, news organizations reported findings from a preliminary Defense Intelligence Agency assessment suggesting that the damage to Iran’s nuclear program might have been less extensive than the administration initially claimed. Trump strongly disputed those assessments.

The president’s latest account of a leak forcing a two-day postponement has not been independently substantiated in the public reporting. He did not identify the alleged leaker or provide documentation establishing that the disclosure caused the military to change its operational schedule.

Trump has repeatedly criticized unauthorized disclosures of national security information, and his administration has pursued investigations into leaks involving sensitive government and military matters.

The president also sought to reassure Americans about the economic consequences of the ongoing conflict, particularly higher fuel costs, predicting that gasoline prices would decline sharply once hostilities with Iran ended.

“When that ends, your gasoline is going to go down to even lower than it was before it started,” Trump said.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris is accusing both President Donald Trump and the Biden administration, in which she served for four years, of failing to exert sufficient pressure on Israel during the war against Hamas in Gaza, arguing that Washington should have intervened earlier and more aggressively to restrict Israeli military operations.

Speaking Wednesday at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies in Seoul, South Korea, Harris criticized American policy toward Israel under both administrations, portraying the Jewish state’s military campaign as unacceptable and faulting U.S. leaders for failing to use American influence to force a change in Israel’s conduct.

“Most recently, the failure to use our leverage to curtail the Israeli government’s horrific conduct in the war in Gaza, both under the current administration, which offers [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu a blank check, and our administration before, where we should have acted sooner and more forcefully,” Harris said.

The remarks amounted to an unusually direct criticism of former President Joe Biden, whose administration Harris helped lead as vice president throughout the Gaza war. They also represented another attack on Trump’s support for Israel and his relationship with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

Harris’s comments come as she weighs another presidential campaign in 2028, following her defeat to Trump in the 2024 election. She has publicly acknowledged that she is considering another run for the White House.

Her latest statements are consistent with a series of increasingly critical remarks she has made about Israel, Netanyahu, and American military involvement in the Middle East.

In April, Harris accused Netanyahu of drawing Trump into the military confrontation with Iran, arguing that the conflict was unwanted by American voters and had contributed to higher gasoline prices.

“Trump entered a war – and he got pulled into it by Bibi Netanyahu, let’s be clear about that – that the American people didn’t want. Among the many consequences of it is jacking up the price of gas,” Harris said at the time.

Harris also generated controversy during the 2024 presidential campaign over her response to an anti-Israel protester who accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.

During an October 2024 campaign appearance at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the demonstrator interrupted her remarks with accusations against Israel before being escorted from the venue.

Rather than directly rejecting the allegation, Harris appeared to validate the protester’s concerns, telling the audience that the issue “was real.”

“Listen, what he’s talking about, it’s real. That’s not the subject that I came to discuss today, but it’s real and I respect his voice,” she said.

The Republican Jewish Coalition responded to Harris’s latest remarks by accusing her of maintaining a record of hostility toward Israel. The organization described her criticism as “unsurprising” and pointed to several previous controversies involving her statements and positions on the Jewish state.

Among the incidents cited by the RJC was a confrontation at a Harris event just ten days after the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre, when an audience member accused Israel and the United States of genocide. According to the organization, Harris responded by telling the individual, “I appreciate your leadership”.

The RJC also recalled Harris’s decision to skip Netanyahu’s address to a joint session of Congress in July 2024, attending a sorority luncheon instead. The organization further criticized her record on legislation intended to counter the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.

Another point raised by the group was Harris’s opposition to Israeli military operations in Rafah. During the Gaza war, she repeatedly expressed concern about the humanitarian consequences of an Israeli offensive in the southern Gaza city. Israeli forces subsequently located and rescued hostages in the Rafah area, an outcome the RJC cited in challenging her position.

The organization also revisited an incident from 2021 in which a student accused Israel of “ethnic genocide” during an exchange with Harris. Her response at the time, “Your truth cannot be suppressed”, drew criticism from those who argued that she had failed to challenge the accusation.

Harris’s latest comments also drew a sharp reaction from Warren Kinsella, a Canadian attorney and author who worked on her 2024 presidential campaign. Following her remarks about Israel, Kinsella wrote that he was “ashamed to have worked with her.”

Her criticism of Biden represents a further shift from the position she maintained while serving in his administration. During the 2024 presidential campaign, Harris generally defended Israel’s right to protect itself following the October 7 Hamas attacks, even as she voiced concern about civilian suffering in Gaza.

Since leaving office, however, Harris has become increasingly willing to criticize the administration’s handling of the conflict. In her 2025 memoir, 107 Days, she faulted Biden for what she regarded as an inadequate public response to Palestinian suffering, suggesting that his expressions of concern lacked the intensity of his statements supporting Israel.

The Israel controversy was only one component of Harris’s appearance in Seoul, where she delivered a broader critique of American foreign policy and the Trump administration’s approach to international alliances.

She criticized Trump’s tariff policies and his handling of relations with South Korea, arguing that Washington was weakening important partnerships at a time of growing international instability.

Harris also warned about the dangers posed by artificial intelligence, calling for stronger international safeguards and cooperation between the United States and China to address emerging technological threats.

Her remarks come as she remains politically active ahead of the November midterm elections and considers whether to seek the Democratic presidential nomination again in 2028.

During her appearance in South Korea, Harris predicted that Democrats could capture both chambers of Congress in November, while declining to make a final announcement about her own political plans.

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that the scheduled execution of convicted Fort Hood terrorist Nidal Hasan will proceed on December 3, but that plans to broadcast the execution live to the public have been abandoned following objections to televising his death.

Hasan, the former Army psychiatrist responsible for the November 5, 2009, terrorist attack at Fort Hood, Texas, in which 13 people were murdered, is scheduled to be executed by firing squad. Trump said that while the general public will not be permitted to watch the execution through a livestream, victims of the massacre and their immediate families will have the opportunity to witness it if they wish.

The president explained his decision in a Truth Social post, acknowledging that publicly broadcasting Hasan’s execution could potentially discourage future acts of terrorism, but saying that many Americans would find such a spectacle deeply disturbing.

“I think streaming the execution for all to see might have been a strong deterrent for the World to witness how America deals with Terrorists and SCUM like Hasan but, many very good and well meaning people would rather not watch him die, through streaming, or through any other visual device,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

Trump made clear that the decision affects only the public broadcast and will not change the planned execution date or method.

“He will die, as scheduled, by firing squad, but this event will not be streamed,” he added.

The announcement reverses plans outlined last week by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who had indicated that Hasan’s execution would be made available for public viewing. That proposal generated criticism from both Republicans and Democrats, with opponents questioning the appropriateness of turning a military execution into a publicly broadcast event.

The United States has not conducted an execution open to the general public since the 1930s, making the proposed broadcast a significant departure from longstanding American practice.

Hasan, who was convicted in 2013 of 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted murder, carried out the massacre at a military processing facility where soldiers were preparing for deployment. He described the shooting as an act of jihad. The attack remains the deadliest mass shooting at an American military installation.

The decision to cancel the livestream followed objections from prominent Republicans, including Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson. Johnson raised concerns that footage of the execution could be exploited by terrorist organizations as a recruitment tool, while Vance indicated that he had no intention of watching the broadcast.

Religious leaders and retired military officers also opposed making the execution publicly accessible. Seventy-two retired senior military officers signed a letter objecting to the proposed broadcast, while Archbishop Timothy Broglio, who oversees Catholic ministry within the armed forces, urged Catholic military personnel not to participate in the firing squad.

Trump had initially expressed support for the broadcast, but reports earlier this week indicated that he was reconsidering the proposal after consulting lawmakers, advisers and others who opposed it.

Hasan’s execution, if carried out as scheduled, would be the first conducted by the American military since 1961 and the first military execution by firing squad since 1945.

Elon Musk has placed responsibility for restrictions affecting Ukraine’s military satellite communications squarely on the United States government, saying that decisions limiting the capabilities of SpaceX’s Starshield network are controlled by American military authorities and ultimately President Donald Trump. His remarks come amid reports that Ukrainian forces have experienced disruptions to satellite connectivity at a critical stage in their war against Russia.

The controversy has intensified tensions between Washington and Kyiv, particularly as Ukrainian forces continue striking Russian oil facilities despite American pressure to scale back attacks on Moscow’s energy infrastructure.

Musk addressed the issue Wednesday, explaining that Starshield, the military-oriented satellite communications system developed by SpaceX, operates under government authority rather than the independent control of his company.

“Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government. Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS,” Musk wrote on X.

His statement drew a distinction between Starshield and the commercial Starlink service. According to Musk, the civilian network is subject to limitations intended to prevent its use in offensive military operations, while Starshield is specifically designed for government and military applications.

The dispute emerged following complaints from Ukrainian officials that satellite terminals had unexpectedly experienced reduced connection speeds, interfering with drone missions and raising concerns about the reliability of communications systems used by Ukrainian forces.

By emphasizing Washington’s authority over Starshield, Musk appeared to distance SpaceX from responsibility for the reported restrictions. The White House, however, has not publicly acknowledged directing any reduction in service. Reports indicate that at least some of the affected connectivity has subsequently been restored.

The satellite controversy has unfolded alongside mounting Ukrainian concerns about the future of American intelligence support, another critical component of Kyiv’s military operations.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday that his country had received no advance warning from allied intelligence services before five Russian ballistic missiles struck civilian infrastructure. His comments fueled questions about whether intelligence cooperation between Washington and Kyiv had already been affected.

Trump rejected suggestions that the United States had stopped providing intelligence assistance to Ukraine.

“We are helping them, and we are sharing intel,” the president told reporters.

Nevertheless, Ukrainian officials have reportedly been cautioned that intelligence cooperation could face additional limitations, especially if Kyiv persists in targeting Russian energy installations.

The disagreement comes against the backdrop of a separate controversy involving Trump’s arrangement with Russian President Vladimir Putin allowing Russian diesel imports into the United States. Ukrainian officials and some American lawmakers have criticized the move, arguing that renewed energy purchases could provide Moscow with additional revenue to sustain its military campaign.

Ukraine, meanwhile, has made attacks on Russian oil refineries a central element of its strategy to weaken Moscow’s war economy. By damaging refining facilities, Ukrainian commanders hope to disrupt fuel production, complicate military logistics and reduce income flowing to the Russian government.

Kyiv has shown little willingness to abandon those operations, even as its relationship with Washington becomes increasingly strained.

A senior Ukrainian official reportedly told the Financial Times that Ukrainian forces intended to continue setting Russian refineries ablaze, signaling that the government regards the campaign as an essential military tool rather than a bargaining chip to be surrendered under diplomatic pressure.

The determination to continue those strikes was evident Thursday, when Ukrainian drones reportedly attacked an oil refinery in Russia’s Ryazan region, extending a campaign that has become a major source of friction with the United States.

Zelenskyy has also voiced personal frustration over Washington’s shifting approach, describing a sense of betrayal as decisions affecting American military and technological assistance threaten to constrain Ukraine’s ability to wage the war.

The latest developments have prompted renewed scrutiny of whether the Trump administration is seeking to use American-controlled satellite infrastructure and intelligence cooperation as leverage to influence Ukrainian military decisions, particularly regarding attacks on Russian energy targets.

For Ukrainian commanders, access to reliable satellite communications remains essential for coordinating forces, operating drones and responding to Russian attacks. Any restrictions on those capabilities could have immediate consequences for operations on the battlefield, particularly while Kyiv continues its campaign against Russia’s oil industry.

The satellite disruptions were particularly damaging because Ukraine depends on the systems to guide drones traveling at high speeds. Ukrainian officials reported that some terminals initially lost connectivity when moving faster than 80 kilometers per hour, while subsequent restrictions imposed a ceiling of 160 kilometers per hour, approximately 100 miles per hour.

That limit created difficulties for Ukrainian interceptor drones attempting to pursue Russian attack aircraft, some of which travel substantially faster. Serhiy Beskrestnov, a Ukrainian defense adviser, said military personnel had received no advance notification of the changes, resulting in failed missions.

The episode also drew criticism from European officials. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski publicly challenged Musk over the disruptions, questioning whether political considerations were influencing the availability of satellite services purchased by European customers.

Ukrainian officials contacted representatives of the White House, Pentagon and CIA seeking an explanation. American officials reportedly pointed to a possible technical malfunction, while a senior administration official denied that the White House had been responsible for the restrictions.

By Thursday, Ukrainian officials reported that both Starlink and Starshield services had been restored to full capacity, although questions remained about what had caused the interruptions.

The dispute has also attracted criticism from lawmakers in Washington, including Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, who expressed concern about restrictions affecting Ukraine’s ability to defend itself. Meanwhile, the renewed Ukrainian strike on the Ryazan refinery underscored Kyiv’s determination to continue targeting Russian energy infrastructure despite objections from the Trump administration.

The U.S. military has reportedly developed new plans for possible attacks against Iran that include the potential use of the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb, better known as the “Mother of All Bombs,” as President Donald Trump considers his options for renewed military action against Tehran.

According to a CNN report, Pentagon planners have been examining whether the enormous conventional weapon could be used against Iranian nuclear installations and other strategic targets if the president authorizes another round of strikes. The planning reportedly includes possible attacks on Iran’s energy infrastructure, although no decision to launch additional operations has been announced.

The weapon, commonly referred to by its acronym MOAB, is among the most powerful non-nuclear bombs ever developed by the United States. Weighing approximately 21,600 pounds, or nearly 11 tons, the GPS-guided bomb carries an explosive charge with a destructive force equivalent to roughly 11 tons of TNT.

Despite its extraordinary size and power, the MOAB has been deployed in combat only once. In April 2017, during Trump’s first administration, American forces dropped the bomb on an ISIS tunnel complex in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province. The strike targeted fortified positions and an extensive network of underground passages used by the terrorist organization.

The possibility of using the weapon against Iran presents a considerably different military challenge, particularly because some of the country’s most sensitive nuclear installations are believed to be buried beneath substantial layers of rock.

One location reportedly under consideration is an underground Iranian facility known as Pickaxe Mountain, which has attracted attention because of its suspected connection to Tehran’s nuclear program.

The installation is believed to have been constructed deep inside a mountain and shielded by thick granite formations, raising questions about whether even a bomb as powerful as the MOAB could penetrate far enough to destroy its most important underground components.

Although the MOAB is designed to produce an exceptionally powerful blast over a broad area, it is not a specialized bunker-busting weapon. Its principal destructive effect comes from the enormous pressure wave generated by its explosion rather than its ability to burrow through layers of reinforced concrete and solid rock.

That distinction has led military analysts to question whether the bomb would be effective against deeply buried Iranian nuclear facilities, even if it caused extensive destruction to surrounding infrastructure, entrances, or surface installations.

The latest reporting indicates that the potential use of the MOAB is part of a broader set of military options requested by Trump in recent weeks. One official familiar with the discussions said the president had asked for additional strike plans covering “a lot of energy infrastructure,” with the massive bomb included among the weapons being considered.

Another official said the Pentagon’s plans for attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities specifically include the possibility of deploying the MOAB against Pickaxe Mountain.

The facility, located near Iran’s Natanz nuclear complex, has become a particular focus of American and Israeli concern. Iran previously described the underground installation as a future centrifuge assembly facility, but Israeli intelligence has raised suspicions that Tehran may have transferred advanced centrifuges and highly enriched uranium into the mountain.

Recent analysis of satellite photographs has also indicated increased construction activity at the site, including reinforcement of tunnel entrances and work believed to be taking place inside the mountain. Researchers have warned that the depth of the installation could make it extremely difficult to destroy through conventional airstrikes.

One individual familiar with the Pentagon’s deliberations questioned whether the MOAB would accomplish the military’s intended objectives.

“The MOAB is a massive information operation type weapon that is great for huge area clearance but not much else,” the source told CNN. “It is definitely not designed as a deep penetration warhead.”

The weapon’s enormous blast radius could also raise concerns about civilian casualties if deployed against infrastructure near populated areas.

Nevertheless, officials believe that the threat of deploying such a powerful weapon could have psychological value, demonstrating Washington’s willingness to escalate military pressure even if the bomb could not completely destroy Iran’s underground nuclear facilities.

The discussions come as the Trump administration weighs how to conclude the confrontation with Iran without allowing the regime to rebuild its nuclear capabilities. According to the reporting, some advisers have considered the possibility of carrying out additional strikes before withdrawing American forces from the region.

Trump has publicly indicated that he does not intend to resume attacks before the November 3 midterm elections, although officials familiar with White House deliberations have suggested that the administration’s plans could still change.

The United States has meanwhile maintained its naval blockade of Iranian ports, while Tehran has continued threatening international shipping and reinforcing sensitive military installations.

A White House official declined to discuss the reported military plans, saying the administration does not comment on sensitive operational matters that may or may not exist. The official reiterated that Trump “keeps all options on the table” to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

{Matzav.com}

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Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and senior officials in United Torah Judaism are increasingly concerned that as many as 30,000 Ger chassidim could decline to vote in Israel’s October 27 Knesset elections, potentially dealing a serious blow to the chareidi party and Netanyahu’s chances of assembling a governing coalition.

The concern comes amid deep frustration within Ger over the government’s failure to secure legislation protecting yeshiva bochurim from military conscription, as well as a separate internal dispute within Agudas Yisroel over the composition of the United Torah Judaism electoral list.

According to reports aired Wednesday evening on Israel’s Channel 12, Ger has yet to mobilize its extensive electoral apparatus, despite the election being less than two weeks away. Unlike previous election campaigns, when the chassidus organized extensive efforts to bring voters to the polls, there have been virtually no public calls for participation, and local campaign headquarters have reportedly not been established.

The unusual silence has also been evident in Hamodia, the newspaper closely associated with Ger, where election coverage and appeals to vote have been noticeably absent.

Political officials fear that Ger could effectively conduct a quiet election boycott, with its members remaining home rather than voting for United Torah Judaism, the party they have traditionally supported.

Another possibility being discussed is that some Ger voters could cast ballots for minor parties with little chance of crossing the electoral threshold, effectively removing those votes from the allocation of Knesset seats.

Ger’s electoral strength is estimated at approximately 30,000 votes, representing roughly one Knesset seat, with the chassidus also exercising influence among other chassidic communities.

In an election in which the balance between competing political blocs could be determined by a relatively small number of votes, the loss of such a substantial voting bloc could have consequences extending well beyond United Torah Judaism itself.

Sources within Ger acknowledged to Channel 12 that considerable anger remains toward Netanyahu and indicated that the chassidus is currently making no concerted effort to encourage its members to vote.

Those sources suggested that Ger’s leadership is waiting to see whether political developments before Election Day will justify a change in its approach.

The dispute over the draft law is one major source of dissatisfaction.

Ger representative Yitzchok Goldknopf resigned as housing minister last year amid frustration over the coalition’s inability to advance legislation regulating the status of yeshiva bochurim.

His departure reflected a broader breakdown in relations between Ger and Netanyahu, with the chassidus taking an increasingly confrontational position toward government efforts to address the military draft issue.

Despite subsequent political discussions, Netanyahu has reportedly been unable to repair the relationship.

However, additional Israeli reporting Thursday indicated that the controversy involves more than dissatisfaction with the prime minister.

A significant internal dispute within Agudas Yisroel has also emerged following the decision by MK Meir Porush, representing Shlomei Emunim, and Eliakim Stark, representing Belz, to break away from Agudas Yisroel’s organizational framework shortly before the electoral lists were submitted.

The two established a separate faction within United Torah Judaism called Toras Chomas Yisroel, while retaining positions on the joint electoral list.

Porush was placed fourth on the United Torah Judaism list, while Stark was assigned the sixth position.

The arrangement has generated considerable opposition within Ger, where officials contend that the two representatives separated themselves from the authority of Agudas Yisroel’s institutions, including its Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, while continuing to benefit from the electoral strength of the joint party.

According to Thursday’s reporting, some within Ger believe that a strong turnout by the chassidus could help secure an additional Knesset seat for United Torah Judaism, potentially enabling Stark to enter the Knesset.

One Ger source explained the calculation by pointing out that Goldknopf, who occupies the second position on the list, is expected to win his seat regardless.

The concern, according to the source, is that Ger’s votes could provide the additional support needed to elect Stark, despite the unresolved dispute over his faction’s relationship with Agudas Yisroel.

The controversy is particularly sensitive because Ger traditionally holds the senior position within Agudas Yisroel and has played a central role in organizing the party’s election campaigns.

Stark was selected as Belz’s representative by the Belzer Rebbe, replacing longtime MK Yisroel Eichler, who has served in the Knesset for much of the period since 2003.

Ger officials are reportedly seeking understandings regarding the distribution of political positions and the relationship between the factions before committing to a full election mobilization effort.

Among the demands being discussed is an arrangement with Degel HaTorah concerning the status of Porush and Stark, including the possibility of restricting future independent negotiations with their faction unless it returns to the Agudas Yisroel framework.

No agreement has yet been announced.

Despite the tensions, sources within Ger have indicated that a final instruction to vote for United Torah Judaism may still be issued before Election Day, as has been customary in previous elections.

Such a directive would ultimately depend on the decisions of the Gerer Rebbe, Rav Yaakov Aryeh Alter.

Political observers nevertheless warn that a last-minute call to vote might not produce the same level of participation as a fully organized campaign that had been operating for weeks.

The absence of election headquarters, public appeals and the usual mobilization efforts could make it difficult to generate the turnout Ger has traditionally delivered.

The developments come as both Shas and United Torah Judaism have declared that they will not support a future government unless legislation is passed protecting the status of yeshiva students.

Shas chairman Aryeh Deri reiterated that position Wednesday, insisting that his party would neither join nor support any coalition without an acceptable legislative arrangement.

For Netanyahu, the uncertainty surrounding Ger presents an additional political challenge as he attempts to retain the support of the chareidi parties while preparing for an election in which every Knesset seat could prove decisive.

As of Thursday, Ger had issued no formal instruction directing its members to abstain from voting, and discussions aimed at resolving the internal Agudas Yisroel dispute were continuing.

{Matzav.com}

Shas chairman Aryeh Deri declared Wednesday that his party will neither join nor support Israel’s next government unless legislation is passed securing the status of yeshiva bochurim and protecting them from military conscription, establishing a firm condition for coalition negotiations ahead of the October 27 Knesset elections.

Speaking in an interview with Yishai Cohen of Kikar HaShabbat, Deri made clear that the demand would apply to any government seeking Shas’s participation or parliamentary backing, regardless of which political party is tasked with forming the coalition.

Deri said the position reflects explicit instructions from the Shas Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah and Rishon Letzion Rav Yitzchak Yosef, who have insisted that the status of those studying Torah must be legally secured.

“We are continuing in the path of Maran,” Deri said, referring to Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l. “Maran told us to do everything, absolutely everything, to regulate the status of yeshiva students, with the principle being that anyone who studies Torah should be able to continue.”

Asked whether legislation protecting yeshiva bochurim would be Shas’s first condition for entering a government after the elections, Deri responded unequivocally.

“We have already declared this. Maran the Rishon Letzion said it himself, and I said it as well. There will be no government in Israel that Shas supports or participates in without regulating the status of yeshiva students. How can we accept this sword of arrests hanging over them?”

The declaration comes as the controversy surrounding the military draft has intensified, with renewed enforcement measures against yeshiva bochurim and growing concern within the chareidi community over the possibility of additional arrests.

Deri accused government legal officials of deliberately escalating the confrontation for political purposes, arguing that arrests of yeshiva students would accomplish nothing toward addressing the IDF’s manpower needs.

He claimed that Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and members of her office were attempting to use the draft controversy to generate protests and weaken Netanyahu’s political position ahead of the elections.

According to Deri, the prime minister had largely succeeded in preventing the draft issue from dominating the election campaign, partly because of the country’s ongoing security challenges. He alleged that opposition leaders and government legal officials were now seeking to bring the controversy back to the forefront.

Deri specifically accused the attorney general and her deputies of encouraging arrests in the expectation that they would provoke demonstrations by members of the Yerushalmi Faction.

He described the attorney general as an anarchist and accused her of acting maliciously, insisting that arresting yeshiva bochurim would not result in additional soldiers joining the military.

“Everyone admits that not a single arrest produces a soldier,” Deri said, arguing that the enforcement measures were also harmful to the army itself.

He concluded his criticism with a reference to the Jewish people’s history of overcoming persecution, declaring, “We survived Pharaoh, and we will survive this as well.”

Deri’s position closely mirrors the ultimatum recently issued by United Torah Judaism, whose chairman, MK Yaakov Asher, has likewise insisted that his party will not enter or support a government that fails to pass legislation regulating the status of yeshiva students.

Asher has emphasized that promises to address the issue at some unspecified future date will not be sufficient, and that the party expects concrete legislative action.

The declarations by both chareidi parties place the draft controversy at the center of potential coalition negotiations, with their leaders seeking assurances that the next government will address the issue before they agree to provide political support.

The latest statements also follow the disclosure earlier this week of remarks Deri made during a private gathering in Modiin Illit, in which he acknowledged the difficulty of achieving a comprehensive solution to the draft crisis under current political and legal circumstances.

In those remarks, reported by Israel’s Channel 13, Deri said senior rabbonim had instructed chareidi political leaders to gain time rather than expect an immediate resolution to the longstanding dispute.

“You cannot solve the problem. The instruction from the rabbonim was to buy time,” Deri was quoted as saying.

Those comments drew criticism from opposition figures, who accused the chareidi parties of deliberately delaying efforts to increase military enlistment.

Deri’s latest declaration, however, makes clear that Shas intends to insist on legislation protecting yeshiva students as a prerequisite for supporting the next coalition.

Opposition leaders Naftali Bennett and Avigdor Liberman responded sharply to Wednesday’s interview, accusing Deri of seeking to perpetuate military exemptions at a time when the IDF has repeatedly warned of serious personnel shortages.

Bennett argued that Netanyahu’s political alliance with the chareidi parties would place additional burdens on soldiers and reservists, while Liberman accused Deri of demanding permanent exemptions as the price of coalition support.

The dispute comes less than two weeks before Israelis are scheduled to vote, with the question of military service for chareidi men emerging as one of the most contentious issues separating the country’s political parties.

Israel’s government faces a Thursday deadline to update the country’s High Court of Justice on its enforcement of military conscription requirements for yeshiva bochurim, as the ongoing draft controversy intensifies and concerns mount over additional arrests of those who have not reported for military service.

The October 15 deadline comes amid increasing pressure from judicial and legal authorities to demonstrate that the state is actively enforcing conscription laws against eligible chareidi men. The issue has become a major source of tension between the government, the military, and the chareidi community, particularly following reports that the IDF was preparing a new operation to arrest yeshiva bochurim classified as draft evaders.

The court proceedings are part of the continuing legal battle over the status of yeshiva students following the expiration of the previous legal framework that allowed them to defer military service while continuing their Torah studies.

In June 2024, the High Court ruled that, without legislation providing a legal basis for exemptions, the government could not continue treating eligible chareidi yeshiva students differently from other citizens subject to military conscription.

The ruling also prohibited continued state funding for yeshivos on behalf of students whose military service was not legally deferred.

Since then, the government has struggled to establish a new legislative arrangement acceptable to the chareidi parties while also satisfying legal requirements and the IDF’s demands for additional personnel.

The latest court deadline is expected to require government officials to address the practical steps being taken to enforce conscription, including the handling of draft notices, restrictions on those who fail to report, and possible arrest measures.

The IDF has previously indicated that proactive enforcement operations could resume during October, raising concerns that large-scale arrests could trigger widespread demonstrations in chareidi neighborhoods.

Those concerns intensified following Israeli media reports that military authorities had planned an arrest operation for next week but postponed it after police raised objections.

According to those reports, the IDF had sought police assistance for an operation targeting yeshiva bochurim considered draft evaders. Police officials reportedly refused to commit the Tel Aviv District to securing the operation because of fears that the arrests would provoke major demonstrations.

Police reportedly warned that widespread protests could continue through the October 27 Knesset elections and potentially disrupt voting arrangements and public order.

The military subsequently acknowledged that the operation had been postponed because of police considerations.

The disagreement highlights the practical difficulties facing authorities as they attempt to implement conscription enforcement measures in communities where opposition to drafting yeshiva students remains strong.

The legal pressure on the government has intensified over the past several months. In April, the High Court ordered authorities to adopt more effective measures against eligible men who had not complied with draft orders, including personal economic restrictions and criminal enforcement proceedings.

In July, the Knesset attempted to suspend arrests and other enforcement measures against qualifying yeshiva students for three months. The High Court initially froze the legislation and subsequently struck it down in September, leaving the existing enforcement framework in place.

The court found serious defects in the legislative process and concluded that the measure improperly suspended enforcement against one population while leaving the underlying military service obligation intact.

The attorney general’s office has continued pressing the government and security establishment to demonstrate that enforcement is being carried out effectively.

In an August submission to the High Court, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara reported that approximately 80% of those classified as draft evaders were from the chareidi community, despite an increase in enlistment among graduates of chareidi educational institutions.

The submission also acknowledged that demonstrations and resistance to arrests had complicated enforcement operations.

The government, for its part, has argued that aggressive arrests could undermine efforts to encourage voluntary enlistment and further deepen tensions between the chareidi community and state authorities.

Chareidi political leaders have repeatedly maintained that arrests of yeshiva bochurim will not produce meaningful increases in military enlistment and have warned that such measures could provoke widespread unrest.

The dispute has also become a central issue in the campaign leading up to the October 27 elections, with Shas and United Torah Judaism insisting that legislation protecting the status of yeshiva students must be a condition for their participation in the next government.

For now, the immediate question is how the government will respond to the court’s demands while military and police authorities remain divided over the practical implementation of additional arrest operations.

New York City Comptroller Mark Levine has reversed a major campaign promise to resume investing city funds in Israel Bonds, drawing fierce criticism from Jewish leaders and former city officials who accuse him of retreating under pressure from Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the Democratic Party’s anti-Israel wing.

Levine, who repeatedly pledged during his 2025 campaign to restore the city’s longstanding investment in Israeli government bonds, announced Wednesday that his office would not move forward with the purchases, citing financial concerns, credit ratings and what he described as technical obstacles.

The reversal represents a significant political victory for Mamdani, who has openly opposed the city’s purchase of Israel Bonds and has advocated boycotts targeting the Jewish state.

Levine insisted that his decision was based entirely on investment considerations rather than political pressure.

“I always said this would be based on financial considerations only, not politics — that’s still my position,” Levine told The New York Times.

“But as of now, we feel that because of some technical challenges, and because of financial considerations, that this is not an investment that we can make right now.”

The explanation marks a sharp departure from Levine’s position during last year’s Democratic primary, when he presented Israel Bonds as a reliable investment and explicitly promised to restore them to the city’s portfolio.

During a June 2025 debate against former Brooklyn Councilman Justin Brannan, Levine defended the bonds’ longstanding financial record.

“We have a globally diversified portfolio, and that should include investments in Israel and Israel bonds, which have paid solid dividends for 75 years,” he declared at the time.

Levine continued defending the proposed investments after taking office in January, including as recently as April, despite growing opposition from anti-Israel activists.

His announcement Wednesday effectively maintains the policy established by his predecessor, Brad Lander, who allowed the city’s Israel Bond holdings to expire in 2023 without purchasing replacements.

New York City had invested in Israel Bonds for nearly five decades, beginning in the 1970s. At the time Lander discontinued the purchases, the city held approximately $40 million in the securities.

The investments had historically generated returns of approximately 5%, and previous comptrollers had defended them as financially sound.

Levine’s reversal drew particularly sharp criticism from former City Comptroller Scott Stringer, who had expanded the city’s investments in Israel Bonds during his tenure.

“They were a very sound investment,” Stringer said Wednesday.

Stringer warned that the decision could embolden activists associated with the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which seeks to isolate Israel economically.

“This inaction will further empower the BDS [boycott, divestment and sanctions] movement around the country. That is my worry. And it could continue to contribute to more antisemitism.”

Former Brooklyn Assemblyman Dov Hikind, founder of Americans Against Antisemitism, was even more outspoken in his condemnation of Levine.

“A perfect example of a coward: a sellout and a fraud trying to appease the dangerous lunatics on the left driving NY and the country off a cliff. Shame on you,” Hikind wrote on social media.

The decision was welcomed by Mamdani, who has made opposition to Israel a prominent feature of his political career.

Speaking at a Wednesday press conference, the mayor expressed approval of Levine’s announcement.

“I don’t believe that our city should purchase Israel bonds. We don’t purchase the bonds of any other sovereign nation. I don’t think we should make an exception when it comes to Israel,” Mamdani said.

The mayor’s comments underscored the political significance of Levine’s reversal, particularly given the differences between the two officials on Israel.

Levine, who is Jewish and has maintained close relationships with mainstream Jewish organizations, has generally described himself as a supporter of Israel while criticizing certain policies of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s government.

Mamdani, by contrast, has long identified with the movement to boycott Israel and has repeatedly faced criticism from Jewish organizations over his positions.

The two officials initially appeared headed for a confrontation over Israel Bonds when they took office at the beginning of the year, but have since developed a cooperative working relationship.

Levine’s decision removes one of the most visible disagreements between them.

The comptroller’s office maintained Wednesday that the decision should not be interpreted as a broader withdrawal from investments connected to Israel.

A spokesperson emphasized that Levine remains supportive of the Jewish state and said the city continues to hold more than $285 million in investments involving Israeli companies and other Israel-related assets.

Those holdings include publicly traded Israeli businesses and more than $1 million invested in Israeli real estate investment trusts.

The spokesperson said decisions concerning Israel Bonds and other securities are evaluated according to their suitability for the city’s investment portfolio and the financial interests of municipal employees and retirees.

New York City’s five public pension funds currently hold approximately $326 billion in assets, making the comptroller one of the most influential financial officials in municipal government.

The Israel Bond holdings previously represented a relatively small portion of the city’s overall investments, but their symbolic importance has made them a recurring source of political controversy.

Levine’s office pointed to changes in Israel’s credit ratings following the wars involving Hamas and Iran, as well as the performance of alternative investments.

Fitch Ratings lowered its outlook for Israel in 2024, while Moody’s and S&P Global also downgraded the country’s credit standing during the conflicts.

Although Moody’s and S&P have since restored their outlooks to stable, Israel’s overall credit ratings remain below their prewar levels.

Levine’s investment team also argued that the approximately 5% return available on certain two- and three-year Israel Bonds compares unfavorably with the city’s pension system, which recorded a 13% return over the previous year.

Critics countered that comparing fixed-income securities with the performance of an entire pension portfolio does not fully account for the different purposes and risk profiles of those investments.

They also noted that the comptroller’s office holds other securities with returns below those available from Israel Bonds.

In explaining why he had made such a firm campaign commitment before completing a full financial assessment, Levine acknowledged that he had expected Israel’s credit outlook to improve.

“Perhaps a year and a half ago,” he said, “I would have expected that the ratings would have been improved by now and/or that the interest rate would have gone up.”

Representatives of Israel Bonds disputed the suggestion that the securities were no longer attractive investments.

A spokesperson for the organization said Levine had repeatedly promised to restore the city’s purchases and had previously characterized the bonds as “a long-term safe and secure investment.”

The organization maintained that the description remains accurate.

Israel Bonds officials have also reported strong investor demand since the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre, with purchases more than doubling during the subsequent period.

Other major public institutions have continued investing in the securities despite the political and security challenges facing Israel.

New York State’s pension system, overseen by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, reportedly holds more than $360 million in Israel Bonds.

Former CUNY trustee and financier Jeffrey Wiesenfeld, who has been active in promoting the investments, criticized Levine’s decision and pointed to the continued purchases by other public entities.

“I am grievously disappointed. NYS AND Palm Beach county alone hold $1 BILLION [in Israel bonds],” Wiesenfeld said.

“There has been no change in the high quality. Because of the US 10-year treasury, the rates are the highest ever. At least be truthful.”

The reversal has also been celebrated by anti-Israel activists who had urged Levine to maintain Lander’s policy of avoiding direct purchases of Israeli government debt.

For Jewish leaders who supported Levine’s campaign, however, the announcement has raised questions about the reliability of his commitments on issues involving Israel, particularly at a time when Mamdani’s administration is seeking to reshape the city’s relationship with the Jewish state.

Levine has left open the possibility of purchasing Israel Bonds at a later date if financial conditions change, but his office has announced no timetable for reconsidering the decision.

Britain’s domestic intelligence chief has revealed that more than 50 people have been arrested in Iran-linked security operations over the past year, warning that Jewish communities have been among the principal targets of Tehran’s campaign of terrorism and intimidation on British soil.

Sir Ken McCallum, director general of MI5, disclosed the figures during his annual national security assessment on Tuesday, October 13, describing an increasingly aggressive Iranian effort to carry out attacks through criminal operatives recruited to act on behalf of the regime.

The intelligence chief said British authorities had identified Iranian involvement in a series of attacks and suspected plots directed against Jewish institutions, Israeli interests and Iranian opposition figures. He also warned that Tehran has begun expanding its operations to include more heavily protected targets, including military installations.

Addressing the threats facing Britain’s Jewish population, McCallum expressed solidarity with communities that have endured repeated attacks and security scares.

“Sadly, much of this aggression has been aimed at British Jewish communities, with whom I want to express solidarity,” he said.

The MI5 chief described Iran as a government increasingly willing to arrange violence in Britain through intermediaries rather than relying exclusively on its own intelligence officers.

“The other state keen on subcontracting its UK violence is Iran,” McCallum said, explaining that British security officials have been tracking the practice for several years.

He said the regime has used criminal proxies to intimidate political opponents, Iranian media organizations and Israeli-linked sites, while significantly increasing the scope of its activities during 2026.

“Over the last twelve months, our Iran-linked operations have led to more than fifty arrests in the UK,” McCallum disclosed.

The arrests span multiple investigations and do not all relate specifically to threats against Jewish targets.

Among the most disturbing cases highlighted by the intelligence chief was an alleged terrorist plot targeting Manchester’s Jewish community, for which two Iranian nationals were charged earlier this month.

Salam Ahmadyan, 36, of Liverpool, and Rahman Salehi, 34, of Salford, were arrested on September 20, shortly before Yom Kippur, and charged on October 2 with preparing acts of terrorism.

British prosecutors allege that the suspects conducted surveillance of Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation in Manchester and the Jewish Museum in the city’s Cheetham Hill neighborhood.

According to allegations presented in court, the men were communicating with a third individual believed to be in Iran, who provided instructions concerning the construction of a homemade chlorine bomb.

The allegations remain before the courts, and neither defendant has been convicted.

The alleged targets were especially sensitive because Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation had already been the scene of a deadly terrorist attack on Yom Kippur in 2025, when two Jewish worshippers were killed and several others were wounded.

The discovery of another suspected plot involving the same shul has heightened concerns over the continuing vulnerability of Jewish institutions in Britain.

McCallum also drew attention to a wave of arson and sabotage attacks earlier this year against Jewish institutions and businesses in Britain and other European countries.

The attacks included incidents involving Jewish ambulances, shuls and commercial properties, with responsibility claimed by a previously obscure organization calling itself the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right.

British intelligence authorities have concluded that the organization functioned as a front for operatives connected to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

McCallum said the group’s apparent independence concealed its ties to the Iranian regime.

“Behind this front sat members of the IRGC,” he declared.

British authorities have since designated both the organization and the IRGC under the National Security Act, providing additional powers to investigate and prosecute individuals suspected of assisting their activities.

The intelligence chief described the attacks on Jewish communities as deeply disturbing and emphasized that the threat extends beyond individual acts of vandalism or intimidation.

His warning comes amid broader concern that Iran has been recruiting criminals and other intermediaries across Europe to conduct attacks that can be difficult to trace directly to Tehran.

Such operations allow hostile governments to attempt acts of violence while maintaining a degree of separation from those physically carrying them out.

Beyond the attacks on Jewish targets, McCallum revealed that British intelligence has detected a significant escalation in Iranian ambitions, including suspected operations against military facilities.

One of the most serious incidents occurred near RAF Fairford, a British air base used by American military aircraft, including bombers involved in operations against Iran.

On September 27, counterterrorism officers intercepted three vans near the base and arrested seven individuals in connection with a suspected plot.

Those detained were subsequently released on bail while the investigation continued.

The incident reportedly prompted the United States to remove B-1 bombers from the installation as a precaution.

British authorities suspect that the operation may have been connected to the IRGC, although the investigation remains ongoing and no final determination of responsibility has been publicly established.

McCallum warned that the Fairford incident should not be viewed as an isolated development.

“The other major shift this year has been Iranian ambitions to come at harder targets, like military sites,” he said.

He declined to disclose certain details because of continuing investigations and the possibility of future criminal proceedings.

Iran has denied involvement in terrorist plots and other hostile operations on British territory, including the suspected activity near RAF Fairford.

The MI5 director general also identified Russia as Britain’s most aggressive state adversary, warning that Moscow has expanded its use of sabotage, cyberattacks and other hostile activities designed to remain below the threshold of open military conflict.

He said both Russia and Iran have increasingly relied on locally recruited individuals and criminal organizations to conduct operations that would previously have required trained intelligence personnel.

The growing threat has forced MI5 to devote substantially more resources to countering hostile foreign governments, with the agency’s work in that area now approaching the scale of its traditional counterterrorism responsibilities.

McCallum additionally warned that artificial intelligence could make it easier for terrorists and hostile governments to develop sophisticated cyberattacks, operate autonomous weapons and obtain dangerous technical knowledge.

MI5 has established a specialized AI Threat Assessment Centre to examine those emerging risks.

The intelligence chief compared the transformation now confronting Britain’s security services to the changes that followed the September 11 attacks, arguing that the country has entered a fundamentally different security environment.

He said the intelligence agency intends to respond aggressively to those who organize or finance violence in Britain, regardless of whether they operate directly or through intermediaries.

“What I can say is that those who seek to cause mayhem on British streets – whether hired thugs here or their paymasters overseas – will meet an unflinching response,” McCallum declared.

Four Jewish schools across the United States were targeted by bomb threats within days of one another, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of students and staff members in Brooklyn and Florida and triggering a frightening lockdown at a Jewish school in Los Angeles. Authorities have since determined that all four threats were hoaxes, although investigations into the incidents remain underway.

The incidents, which occurred between October 9 and October 12, targeted two Brooklyn yeshivos, a Jewish preschool in Boca Raton, Florida, and a Jewish middle and high school in Los Angeles. The threats prompted significant police responses, including searches by specialized emergency units and bomb-sniffing dogs, and renewed concerns about the security of Jewish educational institutions.

The first two threats were reported Friday morning, October 9, when the Yeshivah of Flatbush Joel Braverman High School and the United Talmudical Academy of Williamsburg received threatening telephone calls just minutes apart.

According to the NYPD, the initial call came into the Yeshivah of Flatbush, located at 1609 Avenue J, at approximately 9:54 a.m. Six minutes later, a similar threat was received at the United Talmudical Academy, located at 590 Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg.

Both schools immediately implemented emergency procedures, evacuating students and faculty while police officers secured the surrounding areas.

NYPD Emergency Service Unit personnel and K-9 teams were dispatched to the buildings to conduct searches for possible explosive devices. Police vehicles and fire trucks surrounded the affected locations, and nearby streets were temporarily restricted as authorities investigated.

Video footage from Flatbush showed students gathered outside near school buses while officers examined the premises. In Williamsburg, emergency vehicles lined the street as police secured the area around the yeshiva.

After completing their searches, authorities determined that neither threat was credible. No explosive devices were discovered, and students and staff were permitted to return to their classrooms.

The NYPD confirmed that no injuries had been reported and that no arrests had been made in connection with the incidents.

The Yeshivah of Flatbush sent a message to parents during the emergency, advising them not to come to the school while police and security personnel handled the situation.

The threats came just two days after the third anniversary of the October 7 Hamas massacre in Israel, a period of heightened concern among Jewish communities over possible antisemitic incidents.

Three days after the Brooklyn incidents, another Jewish educational institution was forced to evacuate when a bomb threat was received at the Donna Klein Jewish Academy preschool in Boca Raton, Florida.

The threat, reported Monday afternoon, October 12, prompted an emergency response at the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County’s campus, which houses several Jewish educational and communal organizations.

The affected preschool is located on the Toby and Leon Cooperman Campus, a large Jewish communal complex that also accommodates the Adolph and Rose Levis Jewish Community Center and other institutions.

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the scene and searched the affected facilities while students and staff were evacuated as a precaution.

The incident caused traffic disruptions in the surrounding area, including difficulties for parents attempting to reach nearby schools during dismissal.

A student at the nearby Katz Yeshiva High School described the disruption, explaining that students were informed of the emergency through a school announcement.

“I was in my classroom during English and we just had an announcement on the loudspeaker that there was a bomb threat at the school next door to us. Traffic was blocked, because they weren’t letting any vans or cars in for carpool.”

“They told us we needed to stay inside for a while, and they’d tell us when it was time to come out,” the student added.

Authorities eventually determined that the threat was unfounded, and the Jewish Federation confirmed that the threatening call had been fraudulent.

All students and staff members were reported safe, and children were reunited with their families following the police investigation.

Rep. Jared Moskowitz, a Jewish Democrat representing a Florida congressional district, condemned the incident and expressed relief that no one had been harmed.

“Let’s be clear: there is no cause in the world that’s served by scaring children. If your grievance leads you to a K–12 school, you’re the problem,” Moskowitz wrote on social media.

A similar emergency unfolded Monday at Milken Community School, a private Jewish middle and high school in the Los Angeles area.

Police initially responded to a report of an active shooter at the school, but authorities subsequently clarified that the emergency involved a bomb threat.

The school was placed on lockdown as officers investigated the report, with students instructed to follow emergency security procedures inside their classrooms.

One parent described the frightening experience of a child who was attending class when the threat was received.

“My son was in math class when the bomb threat was called in,” the parent said.

“They had to pull down the shades on the classroom door and windows, lock the door, turn off the lights, and sit under their desks,” the parent explained.

“It sounds pretty intense to have to prepare the classroom like that. He was scared and nervous.”

The Los Angeles Police Department later confirmed that the threat was a hoax and that no actual danger had been discovered at the school. An investigation into the source of the call remains ongoing.

Despite the frightening experience, the parent said the family’s confidence in the school’s security arrangements had not been shaken.

“Jewish schools tend to have higher-caliber security than at non-Jewish schools, so I’m not worried,” the parent said. “I don’t feel like it’s unsafe for my son to go there. He had no problem going to school yesterday or today.”

The series of incidents has renewed attention to the disruption caused by fraudulent emergency threats, which can force schools to suspend classes, evacuate buildings, and mobilize substantial police resources even when no actual explosive device exists.

Security professionals warn that such threats should not be dismissed merely because they are ultimately determined to be false.

Richard Priem, chief executive officer of Community Security Service, said the incidents must be considered against the broader backdrop of threats and attacks targeting Jewish communities in the United States and abroad.

“We should not look at these incidents in isolation and base our assessment on that,” Priem said.

“We’re living in an era where, over the last 18 months, we’ve had a number of serious attacks on the Jewish community in the United States and abroad. That should warrant all of us working and thinking about this to take the threats against our community seriously.”

Priem explained that bomb threats can serve as a means of intimidation even when those responsible have no intention or ability to carry out an actual attack.

“It’s very easy to make a bomb threat, and they don’t necessarily indicate advance preparation,” he said.

“We have seen a lot of bomb threats over the years that were meant to intimidate, harm and dissuade Jewish community members from participating in Jewish life.”

Michael Masters, national director and chief executive officer of the Secure Community Network, similarly emphasized the importance of advance preparation and coordinated emergency procedures.

“We tend to see these bomb threats come in waves,” Masters said.

“The difference in how these threats are responded to usually comes down to the training, the preparation and the plan that the institution puts in place. It’s so important for institutions to have a plan, to review it, and to implement it prior to these calls coming in.”

Masters drew a parallel between school security preparations and the Torah account of Noach, emphasizing the importance of taking precautions before an emergency develops.

“It’s absolutely vital that we work to be prepared,” he said. “This week, we read the parsha of the story of Noah. When did Noah build the ark? Before it began to rain.”

The latest threats recall a widespread campaign of bomb hoaxes targeting Jewish institutions in 2017, when numerous Jewish community centers and schools across the United States and other countries received threatening calls.

That investigation eventually led Israeli authorities to arrest an Israeli-American teenager, who was subsequently sentenced to prison for his involvement in the threats.

Authorities have not established whether the four latest incidents were coordinated or carried out by the same individual or group. Investigations into the threatening calls are continuing.

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[Video below.] United Torah Judaism’s newly released election campaign video, featuring singers Naftali Kempeh and Shmueli Ungar, which can be watched below, is drawing criticism for focusing on music and party representatives while leaving out the images of the gedolei Yisroel who have traditionally occupied a central place in the party’s election campaigns.

In a commentary published by Emess, Eliezer Chassid questioned the direction of the party’s latest campaign, arguing that its polished musical presentation lacks the connection to Torah leadership that has characterized previous efforts to mobilize chareidi voters.

The campaign was launched considerably later than those of competing parties ahead of Israel’s 26th Knesset elections. Shortly before Sukkos, United Torah Judaism introduced its slogan, “The Privilege of Being Chareidi,” but the accompanying musical video did not appear until approximately two weeks before Election Day.

The video brings together several familiar melodies from the contemporary Jewish music world, including the Pittsburgh tune for the Shabbos zemirah “Tzamah Nafshi LeElokim,” the Belzer “Ule’orer Libi,” the Skulener “Al Ta’azveinu,” and the energetic “Ratevet,” composed by Hershy Weinberger and originally performed with Shmueli Ungar.

Kempeh and Ungar deliver the medley with considerable energy and emotion, accompanied by the Malchus Choir under the direction of Pinchos Bichler. Chassid praised the musical arrangement, lyrics and performances, making clear that his criticism was directed at the campaign’s messaging rather than its production.

The central issue, he argued, is the absence of the gedolei Yisroel from a campaign representing a party whose voters have historically been encouraged to follow the guidance of their rabbonim.

For decades, the words “Ve’asisa kechol asher yorucha” — the Torah’s instruction to follow the rulings of Torah authorities — have been closely associated with chareidi election campaigns.

Chassid suggested that archival footage of Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv and Rav Chaim Kanievsky casting their ballots for United Torah Judaism, together with images of the Yeshuos Moshe of Vizhnitz, the Pnei Menachem of Ger and the Biala Rebbe, would have provided a connection to the party’s spiritual heritage.

Instead, the new video features United Torah Judaism’s candidates for the next Knesset sitting together in the sukkah of party chairman Yaakov Asher.

Another point raised in the commentary concerns the decision to feature Shmueli Ungar, an American Bobover chossid who does not reside in Israel and cannot vote in the upcoming election.

While acknowledging Ungar’s considerable musical talent, Chassid questioned why the campaign did not choose an Israeli performer who would share the electoral experience of the audience being addressed.

He suggested that an Israeli singer could have brought an additional dimension to the presentation through his own participation in the election.

At the same time, Chassid acknowledged the apparent intention behind the production’s musical choices. The combination of Kempeh and Ungar appears designed to represent both Litvishe and chassidishe audiences, with the Malchus Choir adding another element to the arrangement.

The commentary also drew a comparison with Shas, whose election materials prominently feature images of Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l. Chassid noted that some polls have shown Shas recovering from six seats to eight, although the commentary did not establish that the campaign’s use of Rav Ovadia’s image was responsible for the reported improvement.

By contrast, United Torah Judaism’s video includes scenes of chareidi demonstrations and yeshiva learning, but does not prominently feature the rabbinic figures traditionally associated with the party’s political direction.

Chassid concluded that while the slogan “The Privilege of Being Chareidi” may resonate with the party’s supporters, the campaign’s emphasis on music, communal identity and political representatives differs from the appeals to rabbinic authority that have defined many of its previous election efforts.

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{Matzav.com}

The Vaad Hayeshivos in Eretz Yisroel has issued an extensive set of instructions to yeshiva bochurim and kollel yungeleit as the winter zeman begins, warning of serious legal complications involving military authorities and border crossings amid the ongoing controversy over the draft status of Torah learners.

The advisory, distributed to yeshivos and kollelim throughout Israel, emphasizes the need for extreme caution when dealing with military and security authorities. It also contains specific instructions for students arriving from overseas, particularly those who hold Israeli citizenship and may be subject to military service requirements.

The letter opens with warm brachos for the thousands of bochurim and yungeleit beginning another zeman of dedicated Torah learning. The Vaad praises their commitment to Torah study and expresses the hope that the sound of Torah learning will continue to grow and flourish without interruption.

However, the letter quickly turns to the increasingly complicated legal situation facing yeshiva students, cautioning that seemingly routine interactions with government authorities could result in unexpected difficulties.

The Vaad strongly warns students against approaching border crossings or military authorities without first obtaining appropriate guidance. Anyone planning to leave Israel or needing to clarify his military status is instructed to contact the Vaad Hayeshivos offices in advance to receive specific instructions regarding his circumstances.

The advisory further cautions that independently submitting documents to military authorities does not necessarily protect a student from legal proceedings or resolve outstanding issues concerning his military status.

Particular attention is devoted to yeshiva bochurim from abroad who possess Israeli citizenship, including children of Israeli emigrants living overseas.

According to the Vaad, these students must ensure that their legal status is properly arranged through the Israeli consulates in their countries of residence before traveling to Israel, or immediately upon arrival if the matter has not yet been addressed.

The organization explains that numerous students have encountered serious complications because they were unaware of the requirements applicable to their citizenship and military status.

In some cases, students arriving in Israel to learn in yeshiva have discovered that their circumstances require additional documentation or formal arrangements with the relevant authorities.

To prevent such situations, the Vaad is urging both yeshiva administrators and individual students to seek assistance as early as possible rather than waiting until a problem develops.

The organization says its offices are available to provide guidance, assistance and ongoing support to students navigating the necessary procedures, with the goal of ensuring that their status is properly regulated and that they can continue learning without unnecessary legal complications.

{Matzav.com}

Kamala Harris is pushing back against years of public criticism and online ridicule of her distinctive laugh, declaring in a new podcast interview that she refuses to allow her detractors to rob her of her happiness or change her personality.

The former vice president and unsuccessful 2024 Democratic presidential nominee addressed the subject during an appearance on the “Baby, This Is Keke Palmer” podcast, where host Keke Palmer asked how Harris manages the tension between her personal identity and the public expectations associated with holding high political office.

Harris acknowledged that maintaining that balance can be challenging, particularly when personal characteristics become the subject of widespread commentary and internet memes. She explained that her manner of laughing reflects the influence of the strong women who surrounded her during her upbringing.

Kamala Harris: I'm aware of memes about my laugh. I was raised in a family that included very powerful women who laughed from their bellies. They would sit around the kitchen table with their coffee, laughing loud laughs. And that's how I laugh–and the people that I respected. https://t.co/jhn5KUsRsD pic.twitter.com/MnAAQXppbP

— Ezydu (@ezradulis) October 13, 2026

“It can be difficult. It can be very difficult, Keke. I’m aware of the, whatever the memes are about my laugh,” Harris said. “Well, look. I was raised in a family that included very powerful women, who laughed from their bellies. And, powerful I mean, they were powerful in their space. They were powerful in their family, in their community. Not necessarily titles and money.”

Recalling her childhood, Harris described family gatherings in which the women would sit together over coffee, speaking and laughing without restraint. She said those experiences shaped her understanding of confidence and personal strength.

The former vice president said she views efforts to ridicule her laughter as attempts to undermine her confidence, adding that she has no intention of allowing such criticism to succeed.

“Those who try to take your joy are trying to make you weak, and that’s where my fight comes in,” Harris continued. “I know what you’re trying to do, you’re not going to take my joy. There is nothing you can do to me that will take my joy, you are not that powerful.”

Harris’s laughter became a recurring subject of political commentary during her vice presidency and subsequent presidential campaign. Videos of her laughing during speeches, interviews and exchanges with reporters circulated widely online, with critics questioning the timing of some of those moments and supporters arguing that the attention reflected unfair scrutiny of her personality.

One incident that drew attention occurred in August 2021, when Harris was speaking at a community health center about the Biden administration’s domestic policy agenda, including proposals to expand Medicaid and provide additional health benefits.

During that appearance, Harris encouraged additional states to broaden Medicaid eligibility while discussing the administration’s proposals to extend coverage for dental, vision and hearing services.

“We also must work together to call on Congress to advance other components of our Build Back agenda. To expand Medicaid in every state … people live in every state.”

Harris then repeated the observation, laughing as she emphasized her point.

“People live in every state. That’s the logic,” she said.

Another widely circulated exchange took place later that month, when journalists approached Harris with questions about the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan as the United States completed its military withdrawal.

Before addressing the reporters’ questions, Harris laughed and asked them to “hold on,” a moment that subsequently attracted criticism over the seriousness of the subject being discussed.

The new podcast appearance also addressed Harris’s political future. Asked whether she intends to seek the presidency again in 2028, Harris said she has not yet made a decision, instead emphasizing the importance of the upcoming congressional midterm elections.

“I haven’t decided yet. There are things that are not only about what will be helpful but also about stopping what is harmful that we can do right away with these midterm elections,” Harris said.

Harris also discussed the financial pressures facing American families, including the cost of groceries, gasoline, housing, child care and medical coverage. She argued that economic hardship can make it more difficult for voters to focus on government accountability and broader political issues.

The interview comes as Harris remains active in Democratic politics following her defeat by President Trump in 2024. Although she has left open the possibility of another presidential campaign, she has not formally announced a candidacy for 2028.

{Matzav.com}

A special meeting took place this week in Netanya when the Sanzer Rebbe visited Rav Moshe Sternbuch, who is spending several days resting in the coastal city following the demanding month of Tishrei. The visit, held in an apartment overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, was marked by warm brachos and a memorable exchange about the spiritual significance of a person’s birthday.

Rav Sternbuch traveled to Netanya after an exceptionally busy Yom Tov season, during which he devoted himself to the tefillos and avodah of the Yomim Noraim and Sukkos, culminating in the simcha of Simchas Torah. Throughout the month, he also received tens of thousands of visitors from around the world who came to seek his bracha for the new year.

The senior posek is staying in a residence on the 25th floor of a building along the Netanya shoreline, where he has been able to spend time away from the demands of his regular schedule in Yerushalayim. Despite the change of surroundings, Rav Sternbuch continues to devote much of his day to learning Torah.

From the apartment’s balcony, the Mediterranean Sea stretches into the distance, providing a peaceful setting for the brief period of rest.

A select group of bochurim from the Sanz chassidus has been privileged to participate in the daily tefillos at Rav Sternbuch’s temporary residence, an opportunity that has provided them with an unusual chance to daven in the presence of the revered posek.

During the week, the Sanzer Rebbe arrived for a personal visit with Rav Sternbuch in honor of the Rebbe’s 74th birthday.

The meeting included an uplifting conversation in which Rav Sternbuch recalled the conduct of his own rebbi, Rav Moshe Schneider zt”l, the rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Toras Emes in London.

When the Sanzer Rebbe requested a bracha for long life and many good years, Rav Sternbuch reflected on the special significance of a birthday and shared a powerful memory from his younger years.

“A birthday is an exalted day. My teacher and rebbi, the gaon Rav Moshe Schneider zt”l, rosh yeshiva of Toras Emes in London, would weep bitterly on his birthday, offering many tefillos before the Creator of the universe. Those tears awakened us,” Rav Sternbuch recalled emotionally.

The Sanzer Rebbe responded with a characteristic chassidishe observation, adding a touch of warmth to the conversation.

“Indeed, those who have nothing to cry about are the ones who cry…” the Rebbe remarked.

Following their exchange, Rav Sternbuch bestowed heartfelt brachos upon the Sanzer Rebbe, wishing him continued hatzlacha and many years of leadership.

The Rebbe reciprocated with warm brachos of his own, wishing Rav Sternbuch many more years of good health and strength to continue guiding Klal Yisroel and leading his holy kehillah.

{Matzav.com}

The IDF has postponed a major operation to arrest chareidi draft evaders after Israel Police warned that carrying out the arrests next week could trigger widespread demonstrations lasting through Election Day and potentially disrupt voting across the country.

The operation had been scheduled for Sunday through Tuesday of next week, but senior police officials refused to assign the Tel Aviv District police force to provide security for the arrests, effectively preventing the military from proceeding with its plans.

According to a report Wednesday evening by Daniel Grovais on Kan News, police commanders raised serious concerns that an organized campaign to arrest chareidi draft evaders so close to the elections could ignite a wave of protests that would be difficult to contain.

The police assessment was that the arrests could provide demonstrators with a new rallying point, escalating tensions within the chareidi community at a particularly sensitive time.

Officials reportedly described the proposed operation as a potential “reason to celebrate” for protest organizers, who could use the arrests to mobilize large demonstrations in the days leading up to the elections.

During an internal discussion involving senior police commanders, participants expressed concern that the unrest might continue well beyond the initial arrests and spill over into Election Day itself.

The possibility of large-scale protests disrupting voting arrangements was reportedly a central factor in the police decision. Officials feared that simultaneous demonstrations in multiple locations could stretch police resources and interfere with the orderly conduct of the elections.

With the Tel Aviv District police force unavailable to secure the planned operation, the IDF decided to delay the arrests rather than proceed without the necessary coordination and protection.

The military confirmed that the operation had been postponed because of objections raised by Israel Police.

“In light of considerations by Israel Police, the arrest operation planned for next week has been postponed. Operations in civilian areas require coordination and cooperation with Israel Police,” the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said in a statement.

Israel Police had not issued an official response to the report as of Wednesday evening.

The decision comes amid continuing confrontations over the military draft of chareidi yeshiva students, with enforcement operations and arrests repeatedly sparking demonstrations in chareidi neighborhoods and at major intersections.

The latest postponement also comes as the government faces mounting legal scrutiny over its efforts to enforce military conscription requirements.

The postponement follows a series of unsuccessful attempts to arrest chareidi draft evaders, including a confrontation in Modiin earlier this month that demonstrated how quickly such operations can draw large crowds.

On October 6, military police attempted to arrest a yeshiva bochur in Modiin, but hundreds of demonstrators descended on the location after alerts were circulated through an emergency notification network operated by anti-draft activists.

According to an initial military investigation, approximately 700 protesters reached the building within just ten minutes. Demonstrators surrounded the premises and confronted security personnel, ultimately preventing the arrest from being completed.

The military subsequently acknowledged that the operation had been called off because of the disturbances. Police and military officials later disputed responsibility for the failure, with police maintaining that military personnel had not removed the suspect from the location quickly enough.

Additional attempted arrests in Bat Yam and Dimona also encountered organized opposition, with anti-draft activists mobilizing demonstrators after receiving alerts about military police activity.

Meanwhile, a separate report Wednesday evening by Channel 13 revealed figures suggesting that enforcement against chareidi draft evaders has been extremely limited in recent months.

According to police data cited in that report, 143 chareidi draft evaders were detained during encounters with police since July but were subsequently released at the scene because military police failed to arrive in time to take custody of them.

During the same period, Channel 13 reported, military police arrested only 15 chareidi draft evaders, compared with 14 non-chareidi draft evaders.

The report also cited an estimate that approximately 50,000 chareidi men in Israel are currently classified as draft evaders.

The IDF disputed the accuracy of the figures presented by Channel 13, insisting that its enforcement operations have continued.

“The figure presented is unfounded and does not correspond to the information in the IDF’s possession. Contrary to the claims, proactive enforcement activity by military police soldiers continues and is carried out routinely through various methods,” the military said.

The controversy comes as the state faces a deadline to update the Supreme Court on the measures being taken to enforce draft requirements among chareidi men.

According to Channel 13, the government is expected to submit its response Thursday, explaining what steps have been implemented to locate and arrest individuals classified as draft evaders.

The latest developments follow an earlier discussion at the Justice Ministry in which military representatives acknowledged that proactive arrests had largely been suspended during the recent Yom Tov period, partly because enforcement resources had been concentrated at border crossings.

Following that discussion, officials instructed the military police to resume proactive enforcement as soon as possible, in coordination with Israel Police. Military prosecutors were also directed to advance changes concerning prosecution thresholds and disciplinary procedures for draft evasion.

The planned operation for next week was expected to form part of that renewed enforcement effort. However, the police decision to withhold security assistance has now delayed the initiative, leaving the military’s next steps uncertain as the Supreme Court awaits the state’s update.

{Matzav.com}

A recording from a private meeting between Republican New York gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman and prominent chassidic community leaders in Williamsburg has ignited a political controversy after Blakeman warned that violent rioters could target yeshivos, shuls and Jewish homes, while questioning whether New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani would intervene to protect the community.

Blakeman, the Nassau County executive who is challenging Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul in November’s election, made the remarks during a closed-door gathering aimed at securing support from Brooklyn’s chassidic communities.

In the recording, Blakeman described a hypothetical outbreak of anti-Jewish violence in New York City, raising the possibility of widespread destruction and attacks against Jewish institutions and residents.

“If there are riots here, if they burn down your yeshivos and shuls, burn down your homes, do you think Zohran Mamdani will stop them?” Blakeman asked those assembled.

The Republican candidate argued that Mamdani could not be relied upon to respond forcefully to such violence, pointing to the mayor’s political positions and statements concerning Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Blakeman also invoked the 1991 Crown Heights riots, during which Yankel Rosenbaum, a Jewish student visiting from Australia, was fatally stabbed amid several days of violent unrest in Brooklyn.

The candidate suggested that a future outbreak of anti-Jewish violence could be even more severe than the Crown Heights disturbances, a comparison that immediately drew criticism from several Jewish community figures.

The meeting was part of Blakeman’s efforts to expand his support among Orthodox Jewish voters, a constituency that has played an important role in New York elections and whose political backing is actively sought by candidates from both parties.

Blakeman faces a difficult statewide contest against Hochul, with polling cited in the report placing the incumbent governor ahead by approximately nine to 19 percentage points.

The release of the recording brought renewed attention to Blakeman’s criticism of Mamdani, who has faced sustained scrutiny from Jewish organizations and political opponents over his positions on Israel and his responses to rhetoric associated with anti-Israel demonstrations.

Blakeman did not dispute the authenticity of the recording or retreat from the substance of his remarks. Instead, he defended his warning by pointing to what he described as Mamdani’s refusal to condemn slogans associated with terrorist organizations.

Mr. Moshe Indig, a prominent Satmar community figure who is a major supporter of the anti-Semitic Mamdani, rejected Blakeman’s comments, characterizing them as irresponsible political fearmongering rather than a realistic assessment of the city’s security situation.

New York City Comptroller Mark Levine likewise criticized the remarks, disputing the suggestion that the city would fail to protect Jewish residents and pointing to the work of municipal authorities and law enforcement agencies in addressing antisemitic threats and hate crimes.

Both argued that inflammatory predictions about attacks on Jewish institutions risk generating unnecessary anxiety within communities already concerned about antisemitism.

Other Jewish leaders defended Blakeman’s concerns.

Dovid Katz of the Israel Heritage Foundation expressed support for the Republican candidate, arguing that Mamdani’s positions toward Israel have created legitimate apprehension among Jewish New Yorkers about the city’s political climate and the protection of their communities.

Mamdani’s representatives rejected Blakeman’s accusations, accusing the gubernatorial candidate of exploiting fears about antisemitism for political purposes and encouraging hostility toward Muslims.

The controversy spilled into Tuesday night’s only scheduled gubernatorial debate, when Blakeman was directly questioned about his recorded remarks. He defended his warning and clarified that he was referring to anti-Israel demonstrators who had participated in disruptive protests at universities and elsewhere in New York.

“They are the professional protesters that took over Columbia University, that blocked our bridges and our roadways, and the lawlessness that took place while Kathy Hochul wouldn’t protect Jewish students,” Blakeman said.

He also returned to the 1991 Crown Heights riots, accusing the administration of then-Mayor David Dinkins of failing to intervene quickly enough to halt the violence.

Blakeman argued that elected officials could undermine public safety when they interfere with law enforcement decisions, and he maintained that his concerns about Mamdani stemmed from the mayor’s political positions and his handling of anti-Israel activism.

During the debate, Blakeman explicitly accused Mamdani of antisemitism and anti-Christian bias, accusations that the mayor and his supporters reject.

Hochul challenged Blakeman’s suggestion that Jewish neighborhoods might be left unprotected, arguing that his remarks unfairly questioned the commitment of New York City police officers and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.

“He had a secret meeting where he basically said that NYPD, under the leadership of Jessica Tisch, would not respond to this neighborhood if there are women being raped and people being murdered and riots in the street,” Hochul said.

“He would not trust them to show up. I stand with the men and women in blue every day of the week. I know how hard they work. They put their lives on the line. And I support the leadership of Jessica Tisch.”

Blakeman responded that he had confidence in Tisch and praised Mamdani for retaining her as police commissioner despite pressure from some progressive activists to replace her.

“I have a lot of confidence in Jessica Tisch — matter of fact, if there’s a compliment I could give to Zohran Mamdani, it’s in keeping her as the police commissioner,” he said.

The private Williamsburg meeting took place Sunday at the home of prominent Satmar philanthropist Yoely Landau. It was arranged with the involvement of Rav Dovid Katz, executive director of the Israel Heritage Foundation.

Blakeman’s campaign had initially described the gathering as an opportunity to discuss issues affecting Williamsburg families, including housing affordability, the preservation of yeshiva education, school choice and neighborhood safety.

Landau, a well-known supporter of communal institutions and charitable initiatives, has reportedly pledged his support to Blakeman’s gubernatorial campaign.

Mamdani’s administration, meanwhile, has pointed to its own efforts to combat antisemitism, including funding for hate-crime prevention. His supporters argue that political disagreements over Israel should not be treated as evidence that the mayor would tolerate violence against Jewish residents.

The dispute comes shortly after Mamdani faced criticism from Jewish leaders over his statement marking the third anniversary of the October 7 Hamas massacre. Although the mayor condemned Hamas’s atrocities, his decision to also accuse Israel of genocide in Gaza drew objections from Jewish organizations and elected officials who believed the statement diminished the significance of the anniversary.

Blakeman has repeatedly made Mamdani’s relationship with Hochul a central issue in his campaign, arguing that the governor’s political alliance with the mayor reflects broader disagreements over public safety and the handling of antisemitism.

Hochul has defended her administration’s record on protecting Jewish communities, while maintaining that political differences over Israel do not justify questioning the city’s commitment to enforcing the law.

With the November 3 election approaching, the dispute has placed divisions within New York’s Jewish leadership into sharp focus, particularly over how best to address antisemitism and public safety concerns while navigating the state’s increasingly contentious political environment.

A Jewish passenger at London’s Farringdon railway station was allegedly threatened with removal from the station after questioning why an employee was wearing a pro-Palestinian political badge, prompting a supervisor to launch into a confrontation in which he accused Israel of responsibility for much of the October 7 massacre.

The incident, which was captured on video by the passenger, has prompted UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) to demand an urgent disciplinary investigation into the conduct of Thameslink railway employees. The organization has written to Thameslink CEO John Whitehurst, raising concerns that the treatment of the passenger may constitute unlawful harassment under Britain’s Equality Act 2010.

The confrontation reportedly occurred over the weekend when the Jewish passenger noticed a station employee wearing a badge expressing solidarity with Palestine alongside an insignia representing the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers’ Union (RMT).

WATCH:

The passenger approached railway staff to ask whether employees were permitted to display political symbols while on duty. What began as a question about the company’s uniform and political neutrality policies quickly escalated into a heated exchange.

A station supervisor who identified himself as Simon intervened and defended the employee’s decision to wear the badge, describing it as a “human rights badge” rather than an inappropriate political statement.

During the recorded confrontation, the supervisor allegedly accused Israelis of being “busy massacring civilians” and advanced the claim that most of the Israelis killed during the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attacks had actually died at the hands of Israeli forces.

He invoked the Israeli military’s controversial Hannibal Directive, a procedure historically associated with efforts to prevent the capture of Israeli soldiers, to support his allegation that Israeli forces were responsible for the deaths of their own citizens.

The claim that the IDF carried out the October 7 massacre is not supported by the established evidence. Hamas terrorists and other Palestinian attackers carried out coordinated assaults on Israeli communities, military installations and a music festival, killing approximately 1,200 people and abducting 251 hostages. Investigations have examined individual incidents of Israeli fire during the chaotic response, but those incidents do not substantiate claims that Israeli forces perpetrated the massacre.

The supervisor reportedly challenged the passenger to explain the destruction of vehicles during the attacks, asking, “How do you explain all the cars and vans that exploded?”

When the passenger pointed to the use of rocket-propelled grenades by Hamas terrorists, the supervisor rejected the explanation and continued arguing that Israeli forces were responsible.

He also accused Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu of disregarding an advance warning about the October 7 attack that he claimed had been received approximately one month earlier.

The passenger challenged the supervisor’s allegations, describing them as false conspiracy theories. Rather than ending the exchange, the supervisor allegedly accused the passenger of harassing railway employees and ordered him to leave the station immediately.

The passenger refused to leave and continued recording the confrontation until a more senior member of the station staff intervened.

According to the account provided to UKLFI, the senior employee acknowledged that railway personnel were not permitted to wear political badges while performing their duties. However, he also insisted that passengers were expected to treat employees respectfully.

UKLFI subsequently sent a formal complaint to Thameslink’s chief executive, arguing that Jewish passengers should be able to use the railway network without being subjected to offensive conspiracy theories or threatened with expulsion for raising legitimate concerns about employee conduct.

The organization asked the company to investigate the behavior of the employees involved, determine whether disciplinary action was warranted and ensure that staff members understand their responsibilities toward Jewish passengers under equality legislation.

The legal concern centers on whether the supervisor’s conduct created an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment connected to the passenger’s Jewish identity, a question that would require consideration of the circumstances and applicable legal standards.

Thameslink responded that it was examining the allegations and reviewing the video footage. The company said it regarded the matter seriously and remained committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for everyone traveling on its services.

The incident comes amid continuing concern about antisemitism on Britain’s public transportation network. Campaign Against Antisemitism, which obtained footage of the confrontation, said its polling found that 70% of British Jews would feel uncomfortable openly identifying themselves as Jewish while traveling on public transportation.

The organization criticized the politicization of railway services, arguing that displays of political allegiance by employees can leave Jewish passengers feeling intimidated or unwelcome.

UKLFI has raised similar concerns in previous complaints involving London’s transportation system. In one incident in August 2025, a Transport for London supervisor allegedly defended pro-Palestinian graffiti at a railway station rather than addressing a passenger’s complaint about it.

Following earlier complaints, Transport for London confirmed that uniformed employees were prohibited from wearing unauthorized political badges or other nonuniform insignia, although a single official trade union badge was permitted.

The current Thameslink complaint raises the separate question of whether railway employees are following appropriate standards of conduct when responding to passengers who object to political displays.

As of Wednesday, Thameslink had acknowledged the allegations and confirmed that an investigation was underway. No disciplinary findings or sanctions against the employees involved had been publicly announced.

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un has unveiled a collection of nuclear-capable missiles and advanced weapons systems, including an intercontinental ballistic missile that Pyongyang claims could strike the American mainland, in a provocative display of military power as President Donald Trump considers renewed diplomatic engagement with the communist regime.

The weapons were exhibited at North Korea’s newly established National Defense Revolution Museum, where Kim personally toured displays highlighting the country’s expanding missile arsenal, attack drones and other military technology.

The exhibition comes at a sensitive moment in relations between Washington and Pyongyang, with Trump having raised the possibility of another meeting with Kim despite North Korea’s continued refusal to negotiate the elimination of its nuclear weapons program.

Among the most prominent weapons on display was the Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile, a system North Korea has presented as a major advancement in its ability to deliver nuclear warheads over extremely long distances.

Although the missile is believed to have the potential to reach the continental United States, it has not undergone a publicly confirmed flight test, leaving important questions about its operational capabilities unanswered.

The museum also features submarine-launched ballistic missiles, a hypersonic short-range missile and an assortment of smaller cruise missiles, reflecting North Korea’s efforts to develop multiple methods of delivering conventional and nuclear weapons.

Attack drones were also included in the exhibition, demonstrating the regime’s growing interest in unmanned military systems alongside its longstanding investment in ballistic missile technology.

Kim reportedly instructed officials to continue expanding the museum and adding new exhibits documenting the country’s military development, according to North Korean state media.

The precise location of the facility has not been publicly disclosed, and it remains unclear whether ordinary North Korean citizens will be permitted to visit.

The timing of the display has attracted attention because Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in reviving personal diplomacy with Kim, whom he met three times during his first presidential term.

Those meetings included the historic 2018 summit in Singapore, a second summit in Hanoi in 2019 and a subsequent encounter at the Demilitarized Zone separating North and South Korea.

Although the meetings marked an unprecedented level of direct engagement between the leaders, they failed to produce an agreement requiring North Korea to dismantle its nuclear arsenal.

Pyongyang has since hardened its position, insisting that its nuclear weapons are essential to national security and rejecting American demands that it abandon them.

North Korean officials have also indicated that they are unwilling to resume negotiations if Washington continues to make denuclearization a prerequisite for improved relations.

The military display also follows renewed diplomatic friction at the United Nations, where the United States, South Korea and Japan reaffirmed their commitment to the denuclearization of North Korea during last month’s General Assembly.

Pyongyang dismissed that objective as a “daydream,” signaling that it has no intention of surrendering the weapons it considers central to the survival of Kim’s regime.

The museum’s inauguration coincided with celebrations marking the 81st anniversary of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party. Photographs released by state media showed Kim inspecting the exhibits alongside members of his family, including his daughter, Kim Ju Ae, who has increasingly appeared at major military events.

The Hwasong-20, a solid-fuel intercontinental missile first publicly displayed in 2025, was exhibited alongside its mobile launching vehicle. Solid-fuel missiles can generally be prepared for launch more quickly than liquid-fueled systems, potentially making them more difficult for opposing forces to detect and destroy before firing.

An examination of the museum’s displays identified more than 25 missile-launching vehicles and approximately 15 types of drones and naval weapons, underscoring the breadth of North Korea’s weapons development under Kim’s leadership.

The regime’s military demonstrations have extended well beyond the museum. On Monday, North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles toward the waters east of the Korean Peninsula, continuing a series of launches that have alarmed neighboring countries.

South Korea’s military reported detecting the launches at approximately 9:20 a.m. from the Pyongyang area, with at least one missile traveling more than 900 kilometers.

The launches came days after South Korea successfully tested its own domestically developed hypersonic weapon, prompting speculation that Pyongyang was attempting to demonstrate that its missile capabilities remain competitive with those of its southern neighbor.

Earlier this month, North Korea also conducted a test of what it described as an intermediate-range hypersonic missile capable of traveling at least five times the speed of sound and maneuvering in ways that could complicate interception.

North Korean authorities claimed the weapon successfully struck a designated target approximately 1,000 kilometers away, although South Korean and Japanese military assessments reported shorter flight distances.

The conflicting assessments prompted Kim’s powerful sister, Kim Yo Jong, to ridicule the missile-tracking capabilities of the two American allies.

“This just serves as a proof of our perfect missile capability,” she said.

Military analysts caution that North Korea’s claims about its hypersonic technology have not been independently verified. Although such weapons are designed to maneuver at extremely high speeds and potentially evade existing missile defenses, questions remain about whether Pyongyang has mastered the guidance, reliability and operational capabilities required for effective deployment.

The growing confrontation has also accelerated military development in South Korea, where President Lee Jae Myung recently oversaw the country’s first publicly demonstrated test of a domestically developed hypersonic weapon.

Seoul has condemned North Korea’s latest ballistic missile launches as violations of United Nations Security Council resolutions and has strengthened its surveillance and intelligence coordination with Washington and Tokyo.

North Korea’s expanding military relationship with Russia has added another complication to the security situation. Pyongyang has supplied Moscow with large quantities of ammunition and ballistic missiles for its war in Ukraine, strengthening ties between the two governments while drawing international concern about potential military and technological cooperation.

Against that backdrop, Trump’s renewed interest in meeting Kim comes as the North Korean leader appears increasingly determined to negotiate from a position of military strength, with an expanding nuclear arsenal and a growing collection of weapons designed to threaten American forces and allies throughout the Pacific.

Millions of Americans receiving Social Security benefits will see their monthly payments increase by 3.6% beginning in January 2027, federal officials announced Wednesday, providing an average increase of approximately $75 a month as retirees and disabled Americans continue struggling with rising prices for food, healthcare, housing and other necessities.

The Social Security Administration said the annual cost-of-living adjustment, commonly known as COLA, will affect approximately 72 million Social Security recipients and nearly 7.3 million people receiving Supplemental Security Income, although some individuals qualify for both programs.

The increase is intended to help beneficiaries maintain their purchasing power as inflation continues to affect household budgets. However, many older Americans say the additional money will provide little meaningful relief, particularly as Medicare expenses, prescription drug costs and property taxes continue climbing.

The announcement comes just weeks before the November midterm elections, with inflation and the cost of living remaining major concerns for voters across the country.

Under the new adjustment, a beneficiary receiving approximately $2,083 a month would see that payment rise by about $75, bringing the monthly benefit to roughly $2,158. Actual increases will vary depending on each recipient’s existing benefit amount.

Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano welcomed the adjustment, saying it would provide beneficiaries with “greater financial stability.”

The annual increase is calculated using a federal inflation measure designed to reflect changes in consumer prices. The formula automatically adjusts benefits to account for inflation, although critics argue that it does not adequately reflect the spending patterns of retirees, who often devote a larger portion of their income to healthcare and housing.

The adjustment comes amid renewed inflationary pressures, including higher energy costs. Government figures released last month showed that inflation accelerated in August as gasoline prices rose following renewed military conflict involving the United States and Iran.

The Social Security Administration also announced that the maximum amount of annual earnings subject to Social Security payroll taxes will increase from $184,500 in 2026 to $192,300 in 2027.

The payroll tax, which is paid by workers and their employers, provides the primary funding for Social Security retirement and disability benefits. Earnings above the annual taxable maximum are not subject to the Social Security portion of the payroll tax.

For some retirees, however, the increase in benefits is expected to be largely consumed by higher medical expenses.

Lorrie Ufkin, a 71-year-old retiree living near Rochester, Minnesota, said the additional Social Security income would do little to offset the healthcare costs she and her husband anticipate facing next year.

Ufkin expressed concern about the scheduled expiration of a temporary Medicare Part D subsidy program at the end of 2026, which she expects will result in higher prescription drug and insurance expenses.

Although the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has projected relatively modest premium increases for most beneficiaries, Ufkin said her family’s individual circumstances could produce much larger expenses.

The COLA “doesn’t even meet what they’re going to do for changes to Medicare,” she told The Associated Press.

According to Ufkin, a medication taken by both her and her husband is expected to increase in price from $11 per monthly prescription to $200 per prescription.

She described the anticipated increase as “catastrophic.”

Advocates for older Americans say such concerns illustrate why even a relatively substantial annual adjustment may fail to improve the financial circumstances of retirees living on fixed incomes.

AARP CEO Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan warned that many seniors are entering 2027 with limited savings and growing anxiety about their ability to meet everyday expenses.

“There’s a lot on the line financially right now for older Americans — one in five have no retirement savings, and more people feel financially insecure this year than last. That makes Social Security’s cost-of-living adjustment critically important,” she said.

Another retiree, 68-year-old Jaime Jakubczak of Buffalo, New York, said he had been forced to return to work after retiring at age 55 because his expenses had become increasingly difficult to manage.

Jakubczak pointed particularly to property taxes, which he said have become a significant burden. His community is considering an additional 3.9% property tax increase, further reducing the benefit of the Social Security adjustment.

He described the 3.6% increase as “a pittance,” arguing that the higher payments would be quickly absorbed by rising prices for groceries, gasoline, healthcare and local taxes.

“We were getting ahead a little bit with the COLA based on inflation, but the inflation is so high that it doesn’t offset what our COLA allowance is,” he said.

A September survey conducted by AARP found widespread skepticism among older Americans about whether the annual Social Security increase would adequately compensate for inflation.

Approximately three-quarters of respondents age 50 and older disagreed with the suggestion that a 3.5% adjustment for 2027 would be enough to keep pace with rising consumer prices.

Beyond the immediate debate over the size of the increase, Social Security faces a much larger financial challenge that Congress has yet to resolve.

According to the program’s June 2026 trustees’ report, Social Security’s combined retirement and disability trust fund reserves are projected to run out in 2034 if lawmakers fail to enact changes.

At that point, continuing payroll tax revenue and other income would be sufficient to pay approximately 83% of scheduled benefits, potentially leaving millions of retirees facing significant reductions in their expected payments.

The outlook is even more pressing for the trust fund specifically responsible for retirement and survivor benefits. That fund is projected to exhaust its reserves in 2032, when incoming revenue would cover approximately 78% of scheduled payments.

Lawmakers from both parties have proposed various measures to strengthen Social Security’s finances, although no comprehensive solution has been enacted.

Among the proposals is legislation supported by Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio that would increase the amount of earnings subject to Social Security payroll taxes.

The senators argued in a June opinion article that eliminating the existing taxable earnings ceiling and treating higher incomes similarly to other wages “would generate substantial revenue that would extend the solvency of Social Security for another generation.”

The proposal would represent a major change to the current financing system, under which earnings above the annual payroll tax cap are exempt from Social Security taxes.

The Peterson Foundation has estimated that eliminating the ceiling could generate approximately $3 trillion in additional revenue over a decade.

Such proposals remain politically contentious, particularly among Republicans who have traditionally opposed tax increases on higher-income Americans.

Recent administrations have also approved measures intended to provide additional financial relief to retirees, although some of those changes have added to the program’s long-term financial obligations.

Under legislation enacted during Trump’s presidency, Americans age 65 and older became eligible for a temporary additional federal income tax deduction, subject to income limitations.

The deduction applies to eligible taxpayers’ income generally, rather than exclusively to Social Security benefits. As a result, retirees whose incomes are already too low to generate federal income tax liability may receive little or no benefit from the provision.

Americans who begin collecting Social Security before age 65 are also ineligible for the age-based deduction, while higher-income retirees may be excluded because of the provision’s income restrictions.

Separately, legislation signed by President Joe Biden in January 2025 eliminated the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset, two longstanding federal rules that had reduced Social Security benefits for certain retirees receiving public-sector pensions.

That change increased payments for approximately 2.8 million Americans, including retired teachers, firefighters, police officers and other public employees whose benefits had previously been reduced.

For recipients preparing for the 2027 increase, the Social Security Administration says personalized notices detailing new benefit amounts will become available online beginning in late November, with mailed notices following in December.

Recipients who maintain a personal my Social Security account can review their adjusted benefits electronically. The agency has also encouraged beneficiaries to enroll in digital notifications by November 18 to receive their information earlier.

The higher payments will begin in January for Social Security beneficiaries, while individuals receiving Supplemental Security Income will receive their first increased payment on December 31, 2026.

The Trump administration announced Wednesday that it has eliminated federally subsidized Obamacare coverage for approximately 189,000 individuals identified as either deceased or already enrolled in other government healthcare programs, a move officials estimate will save American taxpayers roughly $1.5 billion over the coming year.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said the latest action is part of a sweeping effort to eliminate improper payments under the Affordable Care Act and ensure that federal subsidies are directed only toward individuals who qualify for assistance.

Federal officials said the affected enrollments included individuals who were simultaneously receiving coverage through Medicare, Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program, as well as people whose records indicated they had died.

The announcement represents another phase of President Donald Trump’s campaign to reduce waste, fraud and abuse in federally funded healthcare programs, with administration officials blaming years of suspended eligibility reviews under President Joe Biden for allowing hundreds of thousands of questionable enrollments to accumulate.

CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz sharply criticized the previous administration’s handling of enrollment verification, arguing that the failure to conduct routine checks allowed improper payments to continue at taxpayers’ expense.

“When it comes to program integrity, the Biden Administration was sleeping on the job,” Oz said in a statement released by CMS.

“They paused looking for duplicate Medicaid and Obamacare coverage for four years, creating a backlog of hundreds of thousands of duplicate enrollments.”

According to CMS, the Biden administration suspended periodic reviews designed to identify overlapping Medicaid and Affordable Care Act enrollment between 2021 and 2024, leaving federal officials with a substantial backlog of cases requiring verification.

The Trump administration reinstated those reviews in 2025, when CMS identified approximately 551,000 individuals who were receiving Obamacare subsidies despite already having Medicaid coverage.

Federal officials estimate that terminating those overlapping subsidies produced nearly $4.4 billion in savings during the previous year.

Combined with the projected $1.5 billion in savings from Wednesday’s announcement, the administration says its efforts have already identified almost $6 billion in taxpayer savings across the two rounds of enforcement.

“We’ve already saved nearly $6 billion, and we will continue to work hard to restore taxpayers’ confidence that the programs they fund are spending their hard-earned dollars wisely and efficiently,” Oz said.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. defended the crackdown as a necessary step toward preserving federal healthcare assistance for eligible Americans while preventing the government from paying multiple times for overlapping coverage.

“Americans overwhelmingly support protecting access to healthcare for vulnerable Americans, but taxpayers shouldn’t pay twice for the same coverage,” Kennedy said.

The administration says its procedures include safeguards intended to protect eligible Americans from losing assistance because of errors in government records.

Individuals identified as receiving overlapping coverage are notified of the discrepancy and given 30 days to challenge the determination before their Affordable Care Act subsidies are discontinued.

Those who miss the initial deadline may still appeal the decision or demonstrate that their Medicaid or CHIP coverage is ending, potentially allowing them to regain eligibility for subsidized Marketplace insurance.

Similar protections apply when government databases incorrectly list a living individual as deceased. Federal officials contact the person or the individual’s estate and provide an opportunity to correct the record before terminating the subsidy and associated coverage.

Additional details released Wednesday indicate that the latest enforcement effort includes approximately 120,000 people with overlapping Medicaid coverage, 58,000 with Medicare coverage and 11,000 listed as deceased. Federal officials expect to identify approximately 3,500 additional cases before the end of October.

Health officials estimate that the latest actions will prevent approximately $738 million in improper payments during 2026, with annual savings potentially exceeding $1.5 billion thereafter.

The administration emphasized that the savings estimates concern payments to insurance companies for subsidized Marketplace policies. The identification of duplicate coverage does not necessarily mean that the affected individuals personally committed fraud.

Federal authorities have also been investigating improper Obamacare enrollments involving inaccurate income information and allegations that insurance brokers enrolled consumers in health plans without their knowledge or authorization.

The latest announcement follows a separate initiative launched by the White House Fraud Task Force in September, when officials moved to terminate more than 750,000 Affordable Care Act enrollments they identified as potentially fraudulent.

That earlier effort was projected to save approximately $2.2 billion and was presented as another major component of the administration’s campaign to strengthen eligibility verification.

Vice President JD Vance, who helped announce the September initiative, said the government was taking steps to ensure that federal healthcare subsidies were being distributed only to people who qualified for them.

“We’re actually making sure that people receiving Obamacare subsidies are actually entitled to receive them,” Vance said.

“Amazingly, we weren’t doing that before.”

CMS is also preparing additional enrollment-verification measures, including a requirement beginning in January 2027 for states to check Medicaid beneficiaries’ addresses as part of efforts to identify inaccurate or outdated enrollment information.

Violent confrontations broke out near Bnei Brak on Wednesday evening when dozens of extremist anti-draft demonstrators attempted to enter a military facility housing an IDF unit that oversees the integration of chareidi soldiers into the army. Police deployed substantial forces to the location to prevent the protesters from breaching the building, arresting two participants amid the disturbances.

The confrontation unfolded as demonstrators gathered outside the compound and attempted to push their way past security into the facility. Officers were dispatched to secure the premises, disperse the protesters and prevent further attempts to enter the building.

Police remained at the scene throughout the evening, working to restore order as tensions continued around the military installation.

The latest incident follows similar disturbances at the same location last week, when anti-draft activists also attempted to gain entry to the compound. The repeated confrontations have intensified concerns over the increasingly volatile demonstrations surrounding the enlistment of chareidi yeshiva students.

Activists associated with the Jerusalem Faction, which has organized numerous demonstrations against military conscription, have been involved in protests opposing the IDF’s efforts to recruit members of the chareidi community.

The facility targeted Wednesday houses a military unit tasked with facilitating the enlistment and integration of chareidi recruits, making it a focal point for demonstrators opposed to the army’s recruitment initiatives.

The unrest comes against the backdrop of the continuing controversy over the draft of yeshiva students, an issue that has generated widespread protests and political disputes over the status of bnei yeshiva and the government’s efforts to address military manpower requirements.

The attempted intrusion drew sharp criticism from political figures, including Yisrael Beytenu chairman MK Avigdor Liberman, who issued a strongly worded denunciation of the protesters on social media.

“At this very moment, dozens of draft evaders are attempting to force their way into a military base,” Liberman wrote on X.

He called for an aggressive law enforcement response, describing the attempt to enter the military facility as an act warranting immediate arrests and imprisonment.

“Anyone who tries to break into an IDF base is simply a terrorist. They must all be arrested immediately and thrown in jail,” he declared.

The rabbonim of Yeshivas Knesses Yechezkel in Elad have taken the unusual step of vacating their own rooms to make space for bochurim after a significant increase in enrollment left the yeshiva struggling with overcrowded facilities at the beginning of the winter zeman.

The shortage of space developed as the yeshiva welcomed a growing number of talmidim while awaiting the arrival of additional buildings intended to accommodate its expanding student body. Unexpected delays in delivering the new structures have created serious difficulties in providing adequate living and learning accommodations.

Faced with the shortage, members of the yeshiva’s rabbinic staff relinquished their personal rooms so that the available space could be used by the bochurim.

The yeshiva administration is hopeful that the new buildings will arrive within the coming weeks, providing much-needed relief and allowing the talmidim to return to more comfortable living and learning arrangements.

In the meantime, the administration sought to express its appreciation to the bochurim for their patience and dedication to learning despite the difficult conditions.

Each bochur received an individually packaged pastry and a bottle of water, accompanied by a special letter of appreciation and encouragement from the rosh yeshiva, Rav Boruch Mordechai Ettinger.

Rav Ettinger personally signed the letter, praising the talmidim for their commitment to Torah learning despite the cramped conditions and the challenges they have encountered.

The rosh yeshiva emphasized the significance of their continued dedication to learning under difficult circumstances, expressing admiration for the perseverance they have demonstrated during the opening weeks of the winter zeman.

He also expressed hope that the housing shortage would soon be resolved and that the temporary logistical difficulties would not interfere with the continuity or quality of Torah learning in the yeshiva.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump warned Wednesday that Iran would launch nuclear attacks against countries in the Middle East, Europe and potentially the United States within 24 hours of acquiring a nuclear weapon, while predicting that the ongoing war with Tehran would soon come to an end. The president also left open the possibility of additional American military strikes, despite previously indicating that further action would be delayed until after the November 3 midterm elections.

Addressing supporters at a campaign rally in Arizona, Trump portrayed Iran’s leadership as having been devastated by successive American military operations, claiming that repeated strikes had eliminated multiple tiers of senior Iranian officials.

“Their first level leaders are gone, they picked a second level. Their second level leaders are gone, they picked a third level. Half of them are gone. They made me promise not to take out any more and I did. I promised them. But nobody wants to be the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Trump asserted.

Trump: "If Iran had a nuclear weapon, within 24 hours they would use it … they'll start hitting us on the west coast … so this is a very small price people pay. I thought it would go up much higher." pic.twitter.com/mfMt1GvxCR

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 14, 2026

Trump suggested that the conflict was approaching its conclusion, although he did not provide a specific timetable or explain what conditions would bring the fighting to an end.

“That’s going to end very soon.”

The president then issued one of his strongest warnings yet about the consequences of allowing Tehran to obtain nuclear weapons, arguing that the Iranian regime would immediately use such weapons against its enemies.

“if [Iran] had a nuclear weapon, within 24 hours they would use it. They’ll knock out the Middle East, then they’ll start hitting us on the West Coast. They’ll hit Europe – because they’re crazy. They’re crazy people,” Trump said.

Trump maintained that preventing Iran from becoming a nuclear power remained the central justification for the American military campaign, describing the danger of allowing the regime to possess a weapon capable of causing catastrophic casualties.

He said the United States had intervened “because you don’t want them to have a weapon that can blow up millions of people in one shot.”

The remarks came as uncertainty continued over whether Washington would launch another round of attacks against Iranian targets before Americans head to the polls next month.

Trump had announced last Thursday on Truth Social that the United States would refrain from carrying out additional strikes against Iran until after the November 3 elections. His subsequent statements, however, have suggested that the administration could reconsider that timetable.

Speaking to reporters Monday, the president indicated that military decisions involving Iran would be determined by developments on the ground rather than the American election calendar.

At a campaign appearance in Alaska on Tuesday evening, Trump went further, telling supporters that the Iranian regime could soon face another major American military operation.

“Oh, wait till you see what we do to Iran. We’re going to do a number. Wait till you see,” he told supporters.

“They’re just waiting. They’re waiting. Wait till you see what we do to Iran, because we’ve sort of had it. You know, we’ve had it,” Trump continued.

The president also repeated his insistence that Iran would never be permitted to acquire nuclear weapons, pointing to the destruction of Iranian nuclear infrastructure during previous American strikes.

“But, you know, it doesn’t matter. The big thing is they were not going to have a nuclear weapon, and they won’t. That’s buried under thousands of tons of rock.”

Earlier Tuesday, Trump told reporters outside the White House that his administration was nearing a decision on how to proceed with Iran, emphasizing what he described as the country’s worsening financial and military condition.

“They have no economy. They have 300% inflation. They have no money. They’re not paying their troops. They’re not paying anybody. We’ll make a decision on Iran very soon,” Trump said.

The president characterized Iran as a “failed country,” arguing that the regime’s economic difficulties had further weakened its ability to sustain the conflict.

President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that preparations are underway for a massive expansion of oil, natural gas and mineral exploration in Greenland, pointing to what he described as extraordinary untapped energy reserves beneath the Arctic island as the United States moves to strengthen both its economic and military presence in the region.

The announcement comes approximately one month after Washington, Denmark and Greenland reached a landmark agreement expanding American military operations on the island while preserving Danish sovereignty and Greenland’s right to determine its own political future.

Writing on Truth Social, Trump said that “massive” exploration activities were being prepared and suggested that Greenland could possess some of the world’s most accessible petroleum reserves.

The president offered no specific timetable for the proposed exploration, nor did he identify the companies expected to participate, the locations under consideration or the financial arrangements being developed.

However, he pointed to assessments suggesting that Greenland’s energy potential could be substantially greater than previously recognized.

Trump said “there are experts that are saying that ⁠the amount of easily available oil is ​far greater than that of almost any land, ⁠anywhere in the world.”

The remarks represent another significant development in Trump’s longstanding interest in Greenland, which has emerged as a major focus of his administration’s Arctic strategy because of its geographic location, natural resources and growing importance to American national security.

The island occupies a strategically important position between North America and Europe, making it a critical location for monitoring military activity across the North Atlantic and detecting potential threats approaching the United States from the Arctic.

Trump underscored that importance in his Wednesday statement, linking the expanded American presence in Greenland to his administration’s plans for a more advanced national missile defense system.

“Any future ‌attack on the United States will have to come across Greenland, where our Defense ⁠will routinely knock ‌down drones, missiles, ⁠or any other form of weapon not yet ⁠even conceived,” Trump wrote.

The president’s comments follow the September agreement between the United States, Denmark and Greenland, which was intended to resolve months of diplomatic tensions generated by Trump’s repeated demands for greater American control over the territory.

Under the arrangement, Washington is expected to expand its military footprint in Greenland, including the establishment of two additional American military bases and infrastructure connected to the proposed Golden Dome missile defense system.

At the same time, the agreement reaffirms that Greenland remains under Danish sovereignty and recognizes the right of Greenlanders to determine their own political future.

The agreement builds on decades of American military activity in Greenland, where the United States already operates Pituffik Space Base, formerly known as Thule Air Base.

The installation, located in northwestern Greenland, supports missile warning, missile defense and space surveillance operations. Approximately 200 American military personnel are currently stationed there, a much smaller presence than the thousands of U.S. troops deployed across numerous installations during the Cold War.

Under the new security arrangement, the United States is preparing to expand its presence beyond Pituffik, with plans for additional facilities at Narsarsuaq in southern Greenland and Mestersvig in the east.

The September agreement also includes restrictions designed to prevent countries outside NATO and other approved partnerships from gaining sensitive military or strategic economic footholds on the island. Those provisions are particularly relevant as Washington seeks to counter growing Chinese and Russian influence in the Arctic.

Greenland’s mineral wealth is another major factor behind American interest. The island contains deposits of rare earth elements and other critical minerals used in military equipment, electronics, batteries and advanced manufacturing.

American policymakers have increasingly sought alternative sources of those materials as the United States attempts to reduce its dependence on China, which dominates important portions of the global rare earth supply chain.

However, the president’s announcement leaves several major questions unresolved.

Greenland’s government halted the issuance of new oil and gas exploration licenses in 2021, citing environmental concerns and the economic risks associated with petroleum development. The September security agreement did not grant the United States new rights to explore or extract Greenland’s natural resources.

Commercial development also presents considerable practical difficulties. Much of Greenland is covered by an enormous ice sheet, while its remote geography, severe weather, limited transportation infrastructure and high operating costs have complicated previous efforts to develop oil fields and mineral deposits.

The U.S. Geological Survey has identified potentially substantial offshore oil and natural gas resources, but those estimates do not establish how much petroleum could be extracted profitably.

One American company has been exploring the possibility of drilling in Greenland under previously issued permits, with activity potentially beginning in 2027. That project, however, is considerably smaller than the large-scale exploration effort described by Trump.

Greenland’s deputy mining minister, Jørgen Hammeken-Holm, indicated Wednesday that although resource development initiatives are being pursued, the territory remains far from the kind of extensive exploration and production envisioned by the president.

Trump’s announcement nevertheless generated immediate interest among investors, with shares of several companies connected to Greenland’s energy and mining industries rising sharply following his statement.

The administration has presented its Greenland strategy as part of a broader effort to strengthen American energy independence, secure critical minerals and establish a more formidable military position in the Arctic.

Whether Wednesday’s announcement leads to new drilling permits, major investments or actual resource production will depend on further negotiations with Greenlandic authorities, commercial feasibility studies and the willingness of private companies to commit substantial capital to projects in one of the world’s most challenging operating environments.

America’s nine largest federally regulated banks maintained policies that restricted financial services based on customers’ political views, religious beliefs or involvement in lawful industries, according to a major federal investigation released Wednesday that uncovered widespread concerns about politically motivated discrimination in the banking system.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency found that all nine institutions had policies in place at various points between 2020 and September 2025 that could prevent individuals, organizations and businesses from obtaining banking services for reasons unrelated to their financial qualifications.

The findings, released as part of an investigation ordered by President Donald Trump, detail instances in which financial institutions closed accounts, rejected credit applications or restricted business relationships involving conservative organizations, religious nonprofits and companies operating in politically controversial industries.

The investigation examined the practices of JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Citibank, Wells Fargo, U.S. Bank, Capital One, PNC, TD Bank and BMO Bank.

Comptroller of the Currency Jonathan Gould sharply criticized the findings, arguing that major financial institutions had improperly used their control over banking services to exclude customers whose beliefs or activities were considered objectionable.

“Today’s report provides irrefutable evidence that the nation’s largest banks have denied, debanked and discriminated against customers and lawful businesses,” Gould said in a statement accompanying the report.

The investigation was conducted under an executive order issued by Trump directing federal regulators to examine whether financial institutions had denied banking services to Americans because of their political affiliations, religious convictions or participation in lawful commercial activities.

Federal investigators reviewed nearly 100,000 complaints and approximately 420,000 pages of internal banking records, providing regulators with an extensive collection of information about how financial institutions evaluated customers and determined which businesses they would serve.

Among the most striking examples involved WePay, a payment-processing company previously owned by JPMorgan Chase, which terminated accounts belonging to merchants selling merchandise supporting Trump and the Make America Great Again movement.

According to the findings, WePay’s screening procedures identified politically associated terms, including “MAGA,” “Make America Great,” and “America First,” as potential grounds for additional scrutiny or account restrictions.

The processor also closed accounts connected to conservative religious organizations, including an organization that had been designated an extremist group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Another case involved PNC, where internal communications reportedly showed employees objecting to the political views of a media company’s owners while the bank was considering a request for credit.

The company was ultimately denied a line of credit after employees raised concerns about the owners’ publicly expressed conservative positions.

One PNC employee wrote that the business owners held views “very contrary to PNC’s beliefs/values.”

The report also described allegations involving Wells Fargo, which reportedly pressured a payment-processing company to discontinue its relationship with a religious nonprofit because of the organization’s position on same-sex marriage.

Wells Fargo additionally declined lending opportunities involving firearms-related businesses amid concerns about possible pressure from the Biden administration.

Other institutions imposed restrictions affecting entire categories of otherwise lawful businesses.

Bank of America limited relationships with companies involved in operating private prisons, while various banks maintained restrictions affecting the oil and gas industry, coal companies, firearms businesses and digital-asset firms.

The investigation indicated that political and ideological considerations sometimes became intertwined with financial institutions’ assessments of reputational and regulatory risk, raising questions about whether customers were being evaluated on legitimate banking criteria or on the acceptability of their views and activities.

Although conservative and religious organizations featured prominently in the report, investigators also identified examples involving organizations associated with liberal political causes.

Capital One, for example, declined to provide services to an abortion-rights organization as well as a gun-rights advocacy group, reportedly because of concerns that maintaining those relationships could be interpreted as endorsing the organizations’ positions.

The findings suggest that the issue extended beyond any single political movement, with banks at times avoiding customers whose activities or beliefs were considered controversial.

The OCC acknowledged that its investigation could not establish the complete number of customers affected by discriminatory banking practices or calculate the total financial losses suffered by individuals and businesses denied access to services.

The regulator also distinguished between legitimate financial risk assessments and decisions influenced by subjective judgments about a customer’s reputation, political associations or lawful activities.

JPMorgan Chase responded to the findings by acknowledging problems with WePay’s previous screening practices. The bank said those procedures did not meet its standards and had been corrected before the payment-processing operation was discontinued.

All nine banks informed regulators that they had modified their policies following increased scrutiny of their account restrictions and customer-screening procedures.

Nevertheless, Gould warned that voluntary changes might not be sufficient to prevent similar practices from recurring.

“Notwithstanding certain efforts by the largest banks to rein in these practices, I am not confident that they will be enough,” Gould said, indicating that the OCC would examine further changes to its regulatory and supervisory framework.

The agency has already taken steps to remove broad reputational-risk considerations from certain bank examinations, revise how potentially improper account closures are evaluated during regulatory reviews, and improve the handling of customer complaints.

A separate federal investigation is also being launched by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to determine whether banks violated consumer financial protection laws through their account-closure and lending practices.

Acting CFPB Director Mark Paoletta condemned the conduct described in the report, saying that financial institutions should not be permitted to penalize Americans for their personal convictions.

“It is appalling that these banks targeted American consumers for their political, social, or religious beliefs,” Paoletta said.

The findings could lead to additional regulatory action as the Trump administration seeks to establish stricter protections against politically or religiously motivated banking restrictions.

Gould emphasized that financial institutions must make decisions based on legitimate banking considerations rather than ideological preferences.

“Fair access to financial services is not a mantra — it is a mandate,” he said.

The IDF announced Wednesday that its 99th Division has concluded a four-month military operation in northern Gaza, during which Israeli forces eliminated more than 100 terrorists, destroyed approximately eight kilometers of underground tunnels and dismantled numerous Hamas military installations.

According to the military, the operation dealt a significant blow to Hamas’s remaining infrastructure in the area, with troops targeting both active terrorist positions and facilities that could be used to rebuild the organization’s fighting capabilities.

Among those eliminated were Hamas terrorists who participated in the October 7, 2023, massacre, individuals involved in holding Israeli hostages captive in Gaza, and terrorists who attempted to plant explosive devices intended to kill or injure IDF soldiers.

The division conducted its operations east of the Yellow Line, concentrating on identifying and destroying terrorist infrastructure above and below ground while preventing Hamas from reestablishing operational positions in the region.

Throughout the four-month deployment, soldiers uncovered and dismantled a network of underground passages extending approximately eight kilometers, or nearly five miles. The tunnels formed part of the infrastructure used by terrorist operatives to move through the area, conceal their activities and prepare attacks against Israeli forces.

The IDF said troops also located and destroyed a Hamas observation and command center that had been used to monitor military activity and coordinate terrorist operations.

Additional structures identified during the operation included buildings used by Hamas operatives to organize attacks and prepare assaults against IDF soldiers stationed in northern Gaza.

The military said its forces encountered terrorists attempting to threaten Israeli positions, including operatives involved in preparing explosive devices for use against troops operating in the area.

The operation formed part of the IDF’s continuing effort to prevent Hamas from restoring the military capabilities it developed before the October 7 attacks, particularly its extensive tunnel system and network of fortified positions.

Israeli military officials have repeatedly identified the destruction of Hamas’s underground infrastructure as a central objective, given the terrorist organization’s reliance on tunnels for movement, concealment, weapons storage and attacks against Israeli forces.

With the 99th Division having completed its assignment, responsibility for continued IDF operations in the sector will pass to the 162nd Division, which will maintain the military’s activities against remaining terrorist threats in northern Gaza.

Colombia officially opened its embassy in Yerushalayim on Wednesday, becoming the tenth country to establish a diplomatic mission in Israel’s capital and marking a dramatic turnaround in relations between the two nations following a two-year diplomatic break.

The opening represents a significant achievement for Israel’s diplomatic efforts, coming just months after Colombia restored relations with the Jewish state following the election of President Abelardo de la Espriella, who had pledged during his campaign to move the country’s embassy to Yerushalayim.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and Colombian Foreign Minister Omar Bula Escobar participated in the inauguration ceremony, during which the embassy’s official sign was unveiled and Sa’ar affixed a mezuzah to the entrance of the building.

Sa’ar hailed the development as another major step in Israel’s efforts to secure international recognition of Yerushalayim as its capital, noting that the number of foreign embassies in the city has doubled during his tenure.

“This is the tenth embassy to open in Jerusalem. When I took office less than two years ago, there were only five. This is an important milestone and a major diplomatic achievement,” Sa’ar said.

The foreign minister praised Colombia’s new president for following through on a commitment he had made before winning the election.

“Colombia’s President, Abelardo de la Espriella, told me long before his election: ‘If I am elected President, I will immediately move Colombia’s embassy to Jerusalem.’ He made a promise, and he kept it.”

Sa’ar emphasized that the decision carries significance beyond the formal recognition of Israel’s seat of government, describing it as an acknowledgment of the Jewish people’s longstanding connection to their capital.

“Opening an embassy in Jerusalem is not only recognition of the simple political fact that Jerusalem is Israel’s capital. It is also recognition of a historical truth that no honest person can deny,” Sa’ar added.

Colombian Foreign Minister Bula described the inauguration as an important step toward repairing the relationship between the countries, saying that the previous diplomatic rupture should never have occurred.

“Today, we are taking a concrete step towards restoring diplomatic relations between our countries, relations that should never have been broken. Israel is a strategic partner. It always has been, and from now on, it will be an even stronger one,” he said.

The ceremony follows a sharp reversal in Colombia’s foreign policy since the departure of President Gustavo Petro, whose administration severed diplomatic relations with Israel in May 2024 in protest of the war against Hamas in Gaza.

Under Petro, Colombia withdrew its ambassador, shut down its embassy in Tel Aviv and suspended several areas of cooperation with Israel. The measures brought a halt to a longstanding relationship that had included substantial economic, security and technological partnerships.

Diplomatic relations were formally restored in August 2026 under President de la Espriella, setting the stage for Wednesday’s embassy opening and a broader effort to rebuild ties between the two governments.

The renewed relationship also received an economic boost on Tuesday, when Israel and Colombia reinstated their free trade agreement, reversing another decision made during Petro’s presidency.

Colombia’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement welcoming the embassy’s inauguration and highlighting the president’s fulfillment of his election pledge. Officials said the new diplomatic mission would serve as a center for expanding cooperation in trade, security, investment, agriculture, scientific research and technology.

The embassy will also provide consular services to Colombian citizens living in or visiting Israel.

Ambassador Tania Gilinski will lead the diplomatic mission and oversee efforts to translate the restored relationship into practical agreements, commercial partnerships and new opportunities for cooperation.

Bula’s visit to Israel, which began October 13 and is scheduled to continue through October 16, includes discussions with senior government officials as well as meetings with representatives of Israel’s technology and innovation industries.

The Colombian foreign minister is also scheduled to meet with families of Colombian citizens murdered in the Hamas terrorist attacks of October 7, 2023, along with survivors of the massacre.

His itinerary includes a meeting with Elkana Bohbot, an Israeli citizen who also holds Colombian citizenship and was held hostage by Hamas in Gaza.

Israeli and Colombian officials are now working to broaden their cooperation in several strategic fields, including defense technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, agricultural development and water management.

Colombia is additionally seeking to expand its commercial presence in Israel, with particular interest in increasing exports of coffee, flowers, agricultural commodities, chemicals and other products.

Four bochurim from the Chevron Yeshiva were released Wednesday after being stopped by police on Highway 1 near Shaar Hagai, despite the reported arrival of military police who had been summoned to take them into custody over their military service status.

The incident occurred as the four bochurim were traveling toward Yerushalayim, setting off a tense confrontation that threatened to trigger widespread demonstrations by opponents of the government’s ongoing arrests of bnei yeshivos.

According to Hebrew media reports, police stopped the vehicle carrying the bochurim and began checking their identities. The officers reportedly discovered that the four were listed as wanted by military authorities because of their failure to report for military service.

Military police were subsequently called to the location to take custody of the bochurim.

Word of the developing situation quickly spread through telephone hotlines used by chareidi activists to publicize arrests and organize demonstrations against the military draft.

The reports prompted concern among police that large numbers of protesters could descend on the area, potentially disrupting traffic along Highway 1, one of Israel’s busiest transportation routes.

Despite the arrival of military police, the four bochurim were ultimately permitted to leave without being transferred into military custody.

The circumstances surrounding the decision remain unclear, although the Hebrew report attributed the release to concerns about the possibility of major protests.

Israeli police have not publicly confirmed that fear of demonstrations was the reason the bochurim were released.

The incident comes amid continuing tensions between the government and the chareidi community over the enforcement of military service requirements for yeshiva students.

In recent months, military police have intensified efforts to locate and arrest bochurim who have failed to comply with draft-related orders.

The arrests have triggered repeated demonstrations in Yerushalayim, Bnei Brak and other chareidi communities, with protesters blocking major highways and gathering outside military facilities.

The Chevron Yeshiva, one of Eretz Yisroel’s most prominent Litvishe yeshivos, has thousands of talmidim and alumni and occupies a central place in the Torah world.

The detention of four of its bochurim therefore carried the potential to generate an especially strong reaction among yeshiva students and supporters.

According to the reports, the incident ended without any of the four bochurim being arrested or transferred to military custody. They were allowed to continue toward Yerushalayim.

The release comes amid increasing pressure on Israeli authorities to enforce military service requirements against yeshiva students classified as draft evaders.

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has called for renewed enforcement measures, including proactive arrests of individuals wanted by military authorities.

Those demands have intensified concerns throughout the yeshiva world that bochurim could be detained during routine encounters with police, including traffic stops and identity checks.

Wednesday’s incident illustrates how quickly such encounters can develop into potential flashpoints. Although military police reportedly arrived to take custody of the four students, the attempted transfer was abandoned after news of the situation spread through chareidi protest networks.

The accounts published by Emess and JDN attribute the decision to concerns about demonstrations, but neither establishes that police formally acknowledged that explanation.

No arrests were reported, and the four Chevron Yeshiva bochurim continued on their way.

A prominent hotel in Dublin has come under fire after allegedly canceling reservations for 70 rooms booked for participants in an international conference devoted to combating antisemitism, with Jewish community leaders claiming the hotel withdrew the accommodations after discovering the purpose of the gathering.

The incident involved the Herbert Park Hotel in Dublin’s Ballsbridge neighborhood, where rooms had reportedly been reserved for delegates attending a major European conference bringing together officials responsible for addressing antisemitism.

According to Maurice Cohen, chairman of the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland, the hotel initially accepted the group reservation but subsequently reversed its decision after learning that the guests would be participating in an antisemitism conference.

Cohen disclosed the incident during a reception hosted at Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs, where participants and dignitaries had gathered in connection with the international meeting.

The gathering brought together special envoys and coordinators responsible for combating antisemitism from European Union member states, along with other officials involved in addressing threats against Jewish communities.

Cohen said the hotel had also inquired whether the conference had any connection to the Israel Defense Forces, a question he regarded as particularly troubling given that the gathering was a civilian diplomatic event devoted to confronting antisemitism.

The reported cancellation forced organizers to make alternative arrangements for the visiting delegates.

The circumstances have prompted criticism from Jewish community representatives, who questioned why a hotel would withdraw accommodations for an event dedicated to fighting hatred and discrimination.

The conference was the 15th meeting of the Special Envoys and Coordinators Combating Antisemitism, a gathering involving officials from across Europe who work on government responses to antisemitic incidents, Jewish communal security and related policy issues.

Such meetings provide a forum for officials to exchange information, discuss emerging threats and coordinate efforts to protect Jewish communities.

The Dublin gathering took place against a backdrop of growing concern over antisemitism in Ireland and elsewhere in Europe, particularly following the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre in Israel and the subsequent war.

Jewish organizations have reported heightened hostility toward Jewish institutions and individuals, including incidents involving harassment, intimidation and antisemitic rhetoric.

Ireland has also experienced significant political tensions surrounding Israel, with government officials taking strongly critical positions toward Israeli military operations and the broader conflict.

Cohen’s account of the hotel incident has therefore attracted particular attention because it involves a gathering specifically organized to address antisemitism.

According to the Jewish community leader, the hotel’s questions about possible IDF involvement suggested that its decision may have been influenced by concerns unrelated to the actual purpose of the conference.

However, the hotel has not publicly confirmed that the reservation was canceled because the event concerned antisemitism, and the precise reason for its decision remains disputed.

When approached by reporters Tuesday evening, a hotel manager declined to comment on the allegations.

Additional details have now emerged about the circumstances surrounding the cancellation, including correspondence between the hotel and conference organizers.

According to former Irish Justice Minister Alan Shatter, the hotel confirmed the reservation in April, and organizers met with management on May 7 to discuss conference arrangements.

Following that meeting, management informed the organizers by email on May 8 that the hotel would no longer host the event.

“Further to our meeting and after careful consideration, I’m afraid higher management had decided that we won’t be able to host the event at the hotel on this occasion,” the email stated.

The message did not explain the reason for the decision.

When organizers asked whether their previously confirmed reservation for 70 rooms remained valid, the hotel said the rooms had been released because credit-card information had not been supplied.

Shatter disputed that explanation, saying the hotel had not raised the issue during earlier correspondence or the meeting.

“This was a retrospective excuse for canceling the bookings, basically,” he said.

The organizers ultimately secured alternative accommodations and a separate venue, allowing the conference to proceed as scheduled.

Shatter said the organizers initially avoided publicizing the incident because they feared that a controversy could interfere with the conference itself.

Ireland’s Chief Rabbi, Rav Yoni Wieder, expressed disappointment over the allegations while acknowledging that the hotel’s motivation had not been established.

“If things happened as reported, then it’s a downright disgrace,” he said.

Rav Wieder noted that the Herbert Park Hotel had previously accommodated Jewish visitors, including guests who received kosher meals from a catering company under his supervision.

He said he wanted to know who made the decision to cancel the reservation and why, adding that the possibility of concern over protests or controversy would not justify excluding the delegates.

The European Jewish Congress also condemned the reported incident, describing it as “deeply disturbing” and calling on the hotel to explain its decision.

The organization said the cancellation, together with questions about supposed Israeli military involvement, reflected the very prejudice and suspicion that the conference was intended to confront.

The conference proceeded in Dublin as part of Ireland’s presidency of the Council of the European Union, bringing together government representatives and Jewish communal leaders for discussions about antisemitism and the protection of Jewish communities.

During the gathering, participants met with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin and visited the European offices of TikTok and Meta to discuss online antisemitism.

Cohen also drew attention to the experiences of Ireland’s small Jewish community, which numbers approximately 2,200 people.

According to figures he presented, 143 antisemitic incidents were recorded between July 2025 and January 2026.

The Herbert Park Hotel has declined to comment publicly on the allegations. Its management has not provided an explanation establishing why the conference booking and room reservations were withdrawn.

Serious questions are being raised about the safety procedures surrounding a yeshiva outing in northern Israel that ended in tragedy Monday, when Elazar Yair Vilensky z”l was killed and numerous other talmidim were injured in an explosion believed to have been caused by unexploded Hezbollah ordnance.

New reporting has focused on whether the route taken by the students underwent the necessary safety inspections before the outing, and whether the absence of a municipal school security officer contributed to gaps in oversight.

The outing, organized for students of Yeshivas Maalot, took place near Kibbutz Neot Mordechai in the Upper Galilee, an area that has faced extensive rocket and missile attacks during the fighting with Hezbollah.

According to the preliminary findings reported by Israeli authorities, the explosion was apparently caused by unexploded cluster munition left behind during the conflict. Investigators are examining how the students reached the location and what caused the device to detonate.

The latest revelations have added a new dimension to the investigation, shifting attention from the explosion itself to the decisions made before the group entered the area.

According to a report aired by Channel 12, the municipality of Maalot-Tarshiha had been operating without a school security officer after the previous official, Eldad Vaknin, resigned earlier this month.

Vaknin had reportedly raised concerns about failures to follow required school security procedures before leaving his position.

The report raised questions about whether the absence of a designated official responsible for overseeing school security affected the approval and supervision of the outing.

It remains unclear whether the vacancy had any direct connection to the tragedy, and investigators have not established that the presence of a municipal security officer would have prevented the explosion.

The Education Ministry has maintained that the outing received official authorization, but emphasized that the approved route did not include the location where the explosion occurred.

That distinction has become central to the investigation, as authorities seek to determine whether the students deviated from their approved route and, if so, under what circumstances.

The ministry has also said that its safety instructions explicitly prohibit students from touching suspicious objects or unexploded munitions.

However, students who participated in the outing reportedly said they had not received specific warnings about the danger of unexploded ordnance in the area.

Investigators are now examining what instructions were provided to the group before the trip and whether the students and accompanying staff were adequately informed about the hazards remaining from the war.

Another issue concerns the condition of the area where the explosion occurred.

The Jewish National Fund reportedly stated that entry into the location had been prohibited because of wartime damage and related dangers.

Nevertheless, no physical barrier had been installed to prevent people from entering.

The absence of such a barrier has raised questions about whether warning signs and access restrictions were sufficient to protect visitors, particularly school groups unfamiliar with the terrain.

Reports also indicate that no preliminary safety inspection of the actual route taken by the students had been carried out, although the precise circumstances remain under investigation.

The municipality of Maalot-Tarshiha has rejected attempts to connect the resignation of its former school security officer to the explosion before the facts have been established.

Municipal officials have cautioned against drawing conclusions about responsibility while investigators are still examining the incident.

According to the preliminary investigation, one of the students found what is believed to have been a Hezbollah cluster submunition during a stop along the route and placed it inside a bag. The group reportedly continued walking for approximately two hours before the device exploded while the students had stopped to daven.

The explosion killed Vilensky, a ninth-grade student, and injured 24 other students and staff members. Several of the injured suffered serious wounds, requiring emergency evacuation by helicopters and ambulances to hospitals across northern Israel.

The tragedy has prompted conflicting accounts from the Education Ministry and the Jewish National Fund concerning responsibility for approving access to the area.

Education officials maintain that the authorized itinerary did not include the location where the explosion occurred. The Jewish National Fund has said the area was closed to visitors because of wartime hazards and that it had not participated in approving the outing.

A warning sign prohibited entry, but the location was not physically blocked off.

Meanwhile, former municipal school security officer Eldad Vaknin has publicly alleged that he resigned after encountering serious failures to observe security regulations. He specifically accused municipal leadership of permitting unauthorized workers to enter areas occupied by students without proper supervision.

Vaknin said he had raised concerns about security procedures before the tragedy and had faced pressure rather than receiving support.

Those allegations concern broader school security practices and have not been established as contributing factors in the explosion.

The latest reporting has intensified scrutiny of the municipality, the Education Ministry and the procedures used to approve school outings in areas affected by the fighting with Hezbollah.

Police are investigating the circumstances of the explosion, including the students’ movements, the approval process and whether required precautions were followed before the group entered the area.

The findings will be particularly important for schools planning outings in northern Israel, where unexploded rockets, missiles and cluster munitions remain a serious danger long after the original attacks.

The investigation has yet to determine who was responsible for the apparent failures in oversight or whether the tragedy could have been prevented.

[COMMUNICATED]

Three kedoshei elyon had one common concept when it came to learning Torah – they were the Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh (Rabbi Chaim ibn Attar 1696-1743) when he came to Eretz Yisroel; the Ramchal (Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto 1707-1746) when he lived in Padua, Italy;  and Hagaon, Harav Chaim Volozhiner, (1749-1821) the famous talmid of the Gaon of Vilna.

They each had a yeshiva with ‘around-the-clock’ Torah learning, 24-hours a day, so that there would be no minute when the sound of Torah learning would not be heard in this world. The 24-hour period would be divided into shifts, and as one ended the next would begin.

Torah-24

A “Torah-24” Center has been opened in Yerushalayim and the Nasi is Maran Sar Hatorah, Harav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l.

• The first “Torah-24” center is in Yerushalayim

• 11 Kollelim with 163 avreichim will be learning at “Torah-24” every day

• Nigleh, Nistar, Chumash and Halacha – All under ONE ROOF

• Talmud Bavli / Yerushalmi – Kabbalah & Zohar – Rambam, Shulchan Aruch & Poskim, Zeraim – Taharos 

• The following SIX kollelim – Kollel Hashkomas Haboker, Kollel Yerushalmi, Kollel Bavli, Kollel Choshen Mishpat/Even Haezer, Kollel Erev Shabbos, Kollel Kabbalah B’Chatzos (Tikun Chatzot, Etz Chaim, Zohar, Tehillim) – are fully operational

• 24 hour תורה learning cycle – 6:00 am to 6:00 am – is divided into different shifts

• Each kollel shift has its own program, Rosh Kollel and avreichim

• Detailed monthly and annual tests – written and oral – for all avreichim 

• Already there are 77 avreichim metzuyonim, and a large number of candidates are vying for the remaining slots in the kollelim. All the avreichim are required to take rigorous monthly tests.

In the words of Gedolei Torah:

“Torah-24 תורה” – where the voice of Torah is not absent from within the walls of the kollelim, not even for a minute…

“The idea … of day and night shifts of non-stop kollelim… the full range of subjects of the Torah… the derech of the Ramchal, the Ohr Hachaim Hakodosh and Hagaon Reb Chaim of Volozhin.”

– Nasi Maran Sar Hatorah, Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l

“All who donate to and support “Torah-24 תורה” will merit all the brochos of the Torah, including those for refuos, yeshuos, parnossa tova and nachas from all their descendants, Amen”

– Maran Rosh Yeshivas Ponevez, Hagaon Harav Gershon Edelstein, zt”l

At “Torah-24 תורה”, exceptional avreichim do not pause for a moment while studying all the areas of the holy Torah, with a shift of remarkable scholars studying the holy Zohar and the recitation of Tikun Chatzos at midnight. 

All who donate and support this holy endeavor of “Torah-24 תורה” should see brocha and success … children and grandchildren immersed in Torah and mitzvos… fulfillment of all the hopes of their hearts for good and with brocha. 

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I join the esteemed Rabbanim and Gaonim, shlit”a, in endorsing the illustrious “Kollel Kabbalah b’Chatzos” designated for outstanding talmidei chachomim, masters of Torah and yiras Shomayim, who spend their nights in Beis Hashem, engaging deeply in the concealed dimensions of Torah during this auspicious time of Divine Favor…

I hereby call upon my generous brethren to support this endeavor with significant sums, for through this they will attain the great merit of the hidden Torah studied at night. May you all be blessed by Hashem with many blessings in accordance with the greatness of the endeavor that you are supporting!

– Maran Hagaon Hamekubal, Harav Yaakov Meir Shechter, shlit”a

“Support ‘Torah-24 תורה’ where the sound of Torah – nigleh and nistar – all hours of the day and night; and be blessed from shamayim that the Torah should never cease from your mouth; children bnei Torah; abundant parnassa and good health”

– Maran Hagaon Harav Shimon Badani, zt”l
Rosh Kollel Torah V’Chaim, Member Moetzet Chachmei Hatorah

“Torah-24 תורה” – groups of talmidei chachomim geonim in different shifts, delve in the subjects of Torah learning without interruption – Bavli, Yerushalmi, Dalet Chelkei Shulchan Aruch, Rambam, Kabbala, Midrash, Tana”ch and more.  “Torah-24 תורה” is in actuality a wonderful continuation of the heichalei hakodesh and battei midrash of our holy Rabbonim – the Ramchal, the Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh and the Nefesh Hachaim, zy”o. Who would not want to be part of this historical and amazing project “Torah-24 תורה”, and the greatness of its holy impact in both the supernal and lower realms?  “My brocha to all who support “Torah-24 תורה” – You should merit great abundance in both the spiritual and the material – supernal light, peace of mind, tranquility of the soul and bodily health. Only goodness and kindness should pursue you all the days of your lives, and you should dwell securely for your length of days.

– Maran Hamashpia Hagadol, ‘Reb Meilech’ Biderman, shlit”a

“Your kesher with ‘Torah-24 תורה’ will be a true ובהם נהגה יומם ולילה – and we will delve in them by day and by night”

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“Talmidei Chachomim of ‘Torah-24 תורה’ delve into all sectors of Torah – Bavli and Yerushalmi, Dalet Chelkei Shulchan Aruch, Rambam, Kabbalah – Nistar”

– Maran Hagaon Harav Shimon Gallai, shlit”a – Bnei Brak

Kollel Kabbalah b’Chatzos” is a precious link in the golden chain of the glorious Torah empire “Torah-24”… bringing tremendous delight to the Ribbono shel Olam. Fortunate are all those who take part in this great and holy endeavor.

– Maran HaMekubal Rav Abish Zehnwirth, shlit”a

For more “Torah-24” information click on: www.torah-24.com or call 718-766-5022

Rav Avraham Salim, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Maor HaTorah and a member of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah of Shas, has sent a personal letter of chizuk to a yeshiva bochur imprisoned by the Israeli military over the ongoing draft controversy, assuring him that the Torah world stands with him and davening for his swift release.

The letter was addressed to Eliyahu Dabada, a talmid of Yeshivas Orchos Meir in Yerushalayim, who is being held at Military Prison 10 in connection with his military service status.

In the letter, dated Tuesday, October 13, Rav Salim expresses his deep pain over the bochur’s imprisonment and offers words of encouragement intended to strengthen him during his ordeal.

Rav Salim invokes the words of Dovid Hamelech in Tehillim, “Gam ki eilech b’gei tzalmaves lo ira ra ki Atah imadi” — Even when I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me.

The rosh yeshiva uses the posuk to remind the imprisoned bochur that the Ribbono Shel Olam remains with a Yid even in the most difficult circumstances, including when he is confined behind prison walls.

He praises the bochur for his dedication to Torah learning and encourages him to remain steadfast despite the difficulties of his imprisonment.

Rav Salim also conveys that the bochur is not facing his ordeal alone, emphasizing the support and concern of the wider Torah community.

The letter concludes with heartfelt brachos that the bochur merit a speedy release and be able to return to his yeshiva and continue his learning in peace.

In his letter, Rav Salim sharply criticizes the government’s treatment of yeshiva students, writing that he was deeply distressed to learn that Dabada had been imprisoned because he was a bochur whose life is devoted to Torah study. He expresses the hope that those responsible for the arrests will do teshuvah.

One of the letter’s central messages is that the Shechinah accompanies the bochur even inside the military prison. Rav Salim tells him that being detained because of his dedication to Torah is a source of spiritual distinction and urges him to remain strong in emunah, Torah and yiras Shomayim.

The letter has also received the support of Rav Yehuda Cohen, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Yekirei Yerushalayim and a member of the Moetzes Chachmei HaTorah, who added his signature and a personal message of encouragement.

Rav Cohen writes about the spiritual significance of Torah learning within prison walls, encouraging Dabada to continue learning with diligence and joy even during his confinement. He offers a bracha that the bochur should soon emerge from darkness into light and continue growing in Torah and yiras Shomayim.

Dabada was arrested early Tuesday morning at his parents’ home in Be’er Sheva, according to Hebrew media reports. Military police reportedly arrived at approximately 4 a.m. and took him into custody over his failure to report for military service.

He was initially brought to a military facility in southern Israel before being transferred to Military Prison 10, where he was sentenced to 20 days of detention.

Following his arrest, the bochur’s family contacted the Am Kadosh organization, which arranged legal assistance.

The arrest also prompted a gathering outside the military prison Tuesday evening, organized by Yeshivas Orchos Meir under the leadership of its rosh yeshiva, Rav Meir Vaknin.

Talmidim, rabbonim and alumni assembled outside the prison for tefillos and divrei chizuk, expressing solidarity with their imprisoned fellow talmid and calling for his release.

During the gathering, the yeshiva’s rabbonim encouraged the bochurim to strengthen their commitment to Torah learning despite the continuing arrests.

A Singapore-flagged container ship has sunk in the Strait of Hormuz after being struck by an unidentified projectile, while a second vessel was damaged in another attack and a third ship was reported to be sinking, marking a dangerous escalation in Iran’s campaign against commercial shipping in one of the world’s most strategically important waterways.

The vessel, identified as the GFS Pride, was struck Tuesday, October 13, while traveling through the strait. The impact caused extensive damage and sparked a fire aboard the ship, which subsequently sank.

Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority confirmed Wednesday that all 21 crew members were safely evacuated and that no injuries were reported.

The ship had a capacity of approximately 2,824 twenty-foot shipping containers and was managed by GFS Ship Management FZE, a company based in the United Arab Emirates.

The sinking comes amid a sharp increase in attacks on commercial vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, as Iran seeks to exert pressure on the United States and its regional allies during the continuing confrontation that began with American and Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy claimed Wednesday that a container ship carrying more than 2,500 containers had struck a naval mine while attempting to navigate what Tehran described as an unauthorized and dangerous route through the strait.

According to the Iranian account, the vessel caught fire after striking the mine and eventually sank in waters south of the strategic passage.

Iranian authorities warned other ships and local fishermen to exercise caution because shipping containers from the sunken vessel were floating in the surrounding waters.

Maritime security sources, however, reported that the GFS Pride had been struck by a projectile. The precise cause of the sinking has not been independently established, and Iran’s claim that a naval mine was responsible remains unverified.

Pakistan’s hydrographic authorities issued a navigational warning Wednesday advising ships that a commercial vessel had sunk in the area and that floating containers posed a hazard to maritime traffic.

In a separate incident, Singaporean authorities confirmed that another container ship, the GFS Giselle, had been struck by an unidentified projectile Wednesday while passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

The second vessel sustained damage to its hull but remained operational and was able to reach a safe anchorage under its own power.

All 22 crew members aboard the GFS Giselle were reported safe, with no injuries.

Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority condemned the attacks and expressed alarm over the growing danger to civilian shipping.

“MPA is deeply concerned about the continued attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz,” the authority said.

“Such attacks are unprovoked, unjustifiable, and a breach of international law.”

The agency emphasized that commercial shipping must be protected under international maritime law and that attacks endangering civilian crews cannot be justified.

The sinking of the GFS Pride represents the second confirmed loss of a commercial vessel since the war involving the United States and Iran began in February, according to data from the International Maritime Organization, a United Nations agency.

The Maltese-flagged container ship Safeen Prestige was struck by a projectile in March and subsequently sank north of the Strait of Hormuz.

Wednesday also brought reports that another commercial vessel, the Cape Dao, was sinking after an unsuccessful effort to salvage it.

The Antigua and Barbuda-flagged bulk carrier had been struck by a projectile on September 23 near the Strait of Hormuz.

British maritime security firm Vanguard reported that attempts to save the vessel had failed and that it was now believed to be sinking.

One crew member was reportedly killed in the original September attack.

The Cape Dao, a large bulk carrier with a deadweight capacity of approximately 170,000 tons, was managed by Peonies Shipmanagement FZE, also based in the United Arab Emirates.

The latest attacks come as Iran’s Revolutionary Guards adopt increasingly aggressive tactics aimed at disrupting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

The narrow waterway connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and serves as a critical route for global energy supplies. Before the war, approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas trade passed through the strait.

Iran has sought to restrict maritime traffic through the passage as part of its confrontation with Washington, while the United States has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports and expanded economic sanctions against Tehran.

Two senior Iranian officials told Reuters that Tehran was employing new tactics against commercial vessels in an effort to keep global oil prices elevated and influence the political climate in the United States ahead of the November midterm elections.

The strategy appears intended to increase the economic consequences of the conflict by threatening international trade and energy supplies.

Although attacks have frequently targeted oil tankers, recent incidents demonstrate that container ships and bulk carriers are also vulnerable.

The Revolutionary Guards have issued increasingly threatening statements toward vessels attempting to navigate the strait without complying with Iranian instructions.

Iranian military officials have also claimed to have deployed additional forces and more advanced weapons in the area, while warning American warships against approaching the passage.

U.S. Central Command has rejected Iranian claims of control over the Strait of Hormuz, maintaining that commercial traffic continues to move through the waterway despite Tehran’s threats.

American military officials have also disputed Iranian assertions about the effectiveness of its naval forces, while continuing operations intended to restrict Iranian maritime activity.

The renewed attacks have raised concerns among shipping companies, insurers and international maritime authorities about the safety of vessels attempting to transit the region.

The danger extends beyond the immediate threat of missiles, drones and naval mines. Damaged or sinking ships, floating containers and other debris can create additional hazards for vessels navigating the already congested waterway.

The attacks also threaten to increase shipping costs as companies confront higher insurance premiums, security expenses and the possibility of losing vessels and cargo.

With two Singapore-registered container ships struck in consecutive days and the Cape Dao reportedly sinking following an earlier attack, maritime authorities are warning that the risks to civilian crews and international commerce are continuing to intensify.

Tosher chassidim around the world have been asked to increase their tefillos for the refuah sheleimah of the Tosher Rebbe, who is scheduled to undergo a planned eye procedure today, Wednesday, at a specialized medical facility in the Fort Lauderdale area of Florida.

The procedure, described as relatively minor, is intended to improve the Rebbe’s eyesight following a period during which he experienced weakness and discomfort affecting his eyes.

The Rebbe, who has been spending recent weeks resting at his residence in Florida, is scheduled to undergo two separate treatments as part of the medical plan recommended by his physicians.

The first procedure is taking place today at a leading ophthalmology clinic near Fort Lauderdale. On Tuesday, the Rebbe visited the medical facility for a series of preliminary examinations and tests in preparation for the treatment.

According to reports, medical specialists who evaluated the Rebbe’s condition recommended a particular procedure that they believe, b’ezras Hashem, will improve his vision and enable him to continue his avodas hakodesh without the discomfort he has recently experienced.

Following the initial procedure, the Rebbe is expected to return to his residence in Fort Lauderdale, where he will remain for rest and recuperation while awaiting the second scheduled treatment.

Once both procedures have been completed and the recovery period has concluded, the Rebbe is expected to return to his home in Kiryas Tosh, Quebec, Canada, where the center of the Tosh chassidus is located.

According to sources, the Rebbe undergoes this type of eye treatment approximately once every 15 years. His father, the previous Tosher Rebbe, zt”l, also underwent similar treatments.

Israeli security officials are warning that the Lebanese army has made virtually no progress in dismantling Hezbollah’s military infrastructure, despite receiving intelligence and assistance from Israel, raising serious questions about whether Lebanon is capable of fulfilling its commitments to disarm the Iranian-backed terrorist organization.

The assessment, disclosed Wednesday by i24NEWS, comes as Israel and Lebanon prepare for another round of American-mediated military discussions later this month, with Israeli officials increasingly concerned that Hezbollah is using the current arrangements to rebuild its capabilities and replenish its weapons.

According to a senior Israeli security official, the Lebanese Armed Forces have failed to take meaningful action against Hezbollah positions and facilities, even when provided with information identifying terrorist infrastructure that should be dismantled.

The official described the situation as one in which Israel is attempting to facilitate the Lebanese military’s work, but the expected results are simply not materializing.

Israeli defense officials believe there are two possible explanations for the Lebanese army’s failure to act. Either its commanders are reluctant to confront Hezbollah because they fear the consequences, or elements within the military are cooperating with the terrorist organization.

Both possibilities are deeply troubling to Israel, which has insisted that any lasting security arrangement along its northern border must prevent Hezbollah from reestablishing the military infrastructure that previously enabled it to threaten Israeli communities.

The latest concerns center on the implementation of the security framework negotiated between Israel and Lebanon under American auspices. The agreement envisions the removal of Hezbollah and other armed organizations from designated areas, followed by the deployment of Lebanese government forces to assume responsibility for security.

Under the arrangement, the Lebanese army is supposed to dismantle weapons caches, tunnels, command centers and other military installations belonging to Hezbollah, while preventing terrorist operatives from returning to areas cleared of their presence.

The framework also establishes a phased process for Israeli military withdrawals, with each stage dependent on verification that Hezbollah’s infrastructure has been removed and that Lebanese forces are capable of maintaining control.

Israeli officials now say the Lebanese army has failed to demonstrate that it can carry out those responsibilities.

The lack of progress is particularly concerning because Israel has reportedly been providing intelligence intended to help Lebanese forces identify Hezbollah facilities and operational positions.

Despite that assistance, Israeli security officials say the Lebanese military has not asserted its authority over the terrorist organization.

At the same time, the IDF is monitoring Hezbollah’s efforts to restore its military capabilities, including attempts to replenish weapons and rebuild infrastructure damaged during Israeli operations.

Israeli officials acknowledge that the terrorist organization remains determined to reestablish its presence and operational strength, even as international diplomatic efforts seek to stabilize the border.

Nevertheless, some Israeli security officials believe the current situation offers an important advantage: the existing security arrangement preserves Israel’s ability to act independently against threats.

Under that understanding, the IDF can continue targeting Hezbollah infrastructure and operatives when necessary rather than relying exclusively on the Lebanese army to address emerging dangers.

Israeli officials view that operational freedom as essential so long as Hezbollah remains armed and Lebanese forces fail to fulfill their commitments.

The dispute is expected to feature prominently in the next round of military-level discussions scheduled for October 20 and 22 at the headquarters of U.S. Central Command in Tampa, Florida.

Those talks are intended to advance arrangements for verifying Hezbollah’s disarmament, expanding areas under Lebanese government control and coordinating further Israeli withdrawals.

However, significant disagreements remain between the two sides over how those commitments should be implemented.

Lebanese officials have accused Israel of failing to cooperate adequately with the proposed verification mechanism and have objected to Israeli demands for closer operational coordination with the Lebanese army.

According to Lebanese reporting, Israel is seeking a direct operational coordination mechanism to verify that designated areas have been cleared of Hezbollah’s military presence.

Lebanese officials have expressed reservations about that proposal, maintaining that verification should take place through an American-supported framework rather than direct Israeli oversight of Lebanese military operations.

Beirut has also continued pressing for additional Israeli withdrawals, arguing that the continued presence of Israeli troops on Lebanese territory undermines Lebanon’s sovereignty and complicates efforts to implement the agreement.

Israel, however, maintains that further withdrawals cannot be justified while Hezbollah retains military capabilities in areas that the Lebanese army is supposed to secure.

The disagreement has left the implementation process largely stalled, with each side accusing the other of failing to meet its obligations.

Another major development looming over the negotiations is the anticipated withdrawal of approximately 7,000 personnel from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, by the end of the year.

The departure of the international peacekeeping force would place even greater responsibility on the Lebanese army to maintain security in southern Lebanon and prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding its positions.

For years, Israel has accused UNIFIL of failing to prevent Hezbollah from establishing military infrastructure near the Israeli border, despite the international force’s mandate to support security in the area.

Israeli officials now fear that the Lebanese army could prove similarly ineffective, particularly if its commanders remain unwilling to confront Hezbollah directly.

Lebanese officials, for their part, have maintained that their military is carrying out its responsibilities and that Israeli operations and continued deployments are obstructing progress toward implementing the security agreement.

The conflicting assessments are expected to complicate the upcoming discussions in Florida, where American officials will seek to advance a verification system acceptable to both sides.

For Israel, the central question remains whether the Lebanese government can establish genuine control over territory long dominated by Hezbollah.

The IDF is continuing to monitor the terrorist organization’s attempts to rebuild its arsenal while maintaining that it will act against emerging threats, regardless of whether Lebanese forces take the steps required under the agreement.

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) is reportedly under investigation by federal authorities in both Washington, DC, and Minnesota over allegations involving possible immigration fraud and discrepancies in financial disclosures that previously placed her family’s net worth as high as $30 million.

The investigations, described by individuals familiar with the cases and an administration official, are examining separate questions surrounding the Minnesota congresswoman’s immigration history and the finances of Omar and her husband, political consultant Tim Mynett.

Jeanine Pirro, the US attorney for the District of Columbia, publicly acknowledged the existence of multiple inquiries during an appearance Tuesday on Fox News’ “America Reports,” stating that “there are several investigations going on” involving Omar.

According to individuals familiar with the investigations, federal prosecutors in Minnesota are overseeing the immigration-related inquiry, which reportedly includes questions about the accuracy of Omar’s reported date of birth. Meanwhile, Pirro’s office in Washington is examining financial matters involving Omar and Mynett, including the substantial valuations previously reported on congressional disclosure documents.

One individual familiar with the immigration investigation suggested that evidence of knowingly providing false information or concealing significant facts in immigration filings could potentially expose Omar to proceedings aimed at revoking her American citizenship.

Under federal law, criminal denaturalization cases are generally subject to a 10-year statute of limitations, while civil proceedings seeking to revoke citizenship obtained unlawfully are not governed by the same time restriction. Whether either avenue could apply to Omar would depend on the facts established by investigators and the legal basis of her citizenship.

The 44-year-old congresswoman has maintained that she obtained American citizenship in 2000 while still a minor, deriving that status through the naturalization of her father, Nur Omar Mohamed. That explanation has become a focus of renewed scrutiny because of conflicting birth-year information appearing in certain publicly available records.

Although Omar’s reported date of birth is October 4, 1982, some records reportedly identify October 4, 1981, as her birthday. If the earlier year were accurate, she would have been 18 rather than 17 when her father became a citizen, potentially raising questions about her eligibility for derivative citizenship under the circumstances she has described.

The discrepancy alone does not establish that Omar misrepresented her age or obtained citizenship improperly. Investigators would need to establish which records are accurate and whether any material false statements were knowingly submitted.

Questions surrounding Omar’s immigration history have surfaced previously, including allegations involving one of her brothers. During the 2018 congressional campaign, her campaign told the Associated Press that the family did not possess her birth certificate because of their displacement during Somalia’s prolonged civil war.

The current investigation intensified Monday when Homeland Security Investigations agents arrived at Omar’s Washington residence with a federal search warrant. Investigators searched the bungalow and were photographed departing with boxes believed to contain materials collected during the operation.

Pirro defended the search during her television appearance, emphasizing that federal agents had obtained judicial authorization before entering the congresswoman’s home.

“They got a warrant signed by a federal judge,” Pirro said.

“There’s no question that that judge would not have signed that warrant unless there was probable cause. And probably more than that, given the individual who was involved and given the fact that we’re in the nation’s capital — with judges in the nation’s capital,” she added.

The Justice Department confirmed that Monday’s operation was connected to an ongoing federal criminal investigation. One person familiar with the matter indicated that the inquiry had been underway for several years before the highly publicized search.

Federal investigators have also reportedly issued grand jury subpoenas to members of Omar’s family. Among those identified as having received a subpoena is her sister, Sahra Noor, according to reporting first published Tuesday by the New York Times.

Separate from the immigration allegations, federal authorities are examining Omar’s congressional financial filings and the valuations associated with assets held by her family.

Omar has previously faced two reviews by the Office of Congressional Conduct concerning allegations that information was omitted from financial disclosure documents. Both matters were dismissed, and neither resulted in a finding of wrongdoing against her.

The latest financial questions center on disclosures that indicated Omar and her husband could have a combined net worth approaching $30 million, followed by a subsequent revision placing the figure at approximately $95,000. The congresswoman has attributed the dramatic difference to accounting discrepancies.

The existence of substantial changes in reported valuations does not, by itself, demonstrate that the original filings were intentionally falsified. Federal investigators would have to determine whether any inaccurate information was knowingly reported and whether it violated applicable disclosure laws.

Omar responded to the search of her residence by accusing President Donald Trump of using federal law enforcement to intimidate a political opponent, insisting that she “will not be silenced.”

“For ten years, Trump has targeted me with baseless lies and smear campaigns. This is just the latest escalation in his campaign of political intimidation,” she said.

A spokesperson for the congresswoman also rejected suggestions of criminal conduct.

“The Congresswoman has done nothing wrong,” the representative said.

Trump, who has repeatedly criticized Omar over her political positions and public statements, denied having directed the investigation or participating in decisions concerning the search.

“I have nothing to do with it,” the president said.

Nevertheless, Trump continued his criticism of the Minnesota Democrat, describing her Monday as a “totally crooked” politician.

“I think she’s a terrible person. Just a complainer. She comes from a country that is a non-country. And then she comes over here, and she complains about our Constitution,” the president said.

On Tuesday, Trump again turned his attention to Omar’s finances, posting on Truth Social about the striking reduction in her reported net worth from as much as $30 million to approximately $95,000 and questioning the accounting explanation offered for the change.

Additional reporting Wednesday revealed that the financial investigation involves two businesses associated with Mynett: eStCru LLC, a California winery, and Rose Lake Capital LLC, a Washington-based venture capital firm.

According to the original congressional filings, the winery’s reported value increased from between $15,000 and $50,000 in 2023 to between $1 million and $5 million in 2024. Rose Lake Capital showed an even greater increase, climbing from a reported value of between $1 and $1,000 to between $5 million and $25 million during the same period.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer requested financial documents from both companies in February. Omar subsequently amended her disclosures in April, reporting combined assets valued between $18,004 and $95,000 after accounting for business liabilities.

In September, the Office of Congressional Conduct voted 5-1 to recommend dismissing allegations concerning the disclosures, finding insufficient grounds to conclude that Omar had violated federal law or House rules.

Mynett, meanwhile, expressed confidence in his wife’s position when approached Wednesday by Fox News Digital outside their Washington residence.

“My wife came here when she was 12 years old as a child war refugee,” he said. “No concerns.”

The investigations have also triggered criticism from Democratic leaders, who have questioned the timing of the search just weeks before the November midterm elections. Federal authorities have maintained that the operation was authorized by a judge, while critics argue that conducting such a highly visible search so close to an election raises concerns about political interference.

No criminal charges against Omar have been publicly announced in connection with either investigation.

A federal judge appointed by President Donald Trump has ordered the White House to continue allowing journalists from CNN, Politico and MS NOW to enter the presidential complex, ruling that the administration likely violated constitutional protections when it barred the three news organizations over their coverage of the president.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a preliminary injunction Tuesday night, October 13, extending an earlier emergency order that had temporarily restored the reporters’ White House credentials. The latest ruling allows journalists from the three organizations to retain access while their lawsuit against the administration proceeds, potentially for months or longer.

Kelly, whom Trump appointed to the federal bench in 2017, concluded that the news organizations were likely to succeed in their claims that the administration violated their First Amendment rights and denied them due process under the Fifth Amendment.

The dispute began September 18, when Trump announced on Truth Social that CNN, MS NOW and Politico would no longer be permitted to operate inside the White House because of what he described as their consistently inaccurate and hostile reporting.

The president accused the outlets of spreading misinformation and declared that they “shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they’re covering the President of the United States.”

The following day, journalists from the three organizations who attempted to enter the White House were turned away by Secret Service personnel, and their press credentials were revoked.

The restrictions affected approximately 78 journalists who held permanent White House credentials, commonly known as hard passes, allowing them to enter the complex without obtaining daily authorization.

The three organizations filed a federal lawsuit September 21, arguing that the president had improperly retaliated against them because of their reporting and had revoked their credentials without providing advance notice or an opportunity to contest the decision.

On September 24, Kelly issued a temporary restraining order directing the administration to restore their credentials. That order was scheduled to expire Tuesday, prompting the news organizations to seek longer-lasting protection.

In his latest 26-page ruling, Kelly concluded that the White House had failed to establish an adequate legal basis for removing the journalists.

The judge emphasized that the president’s own public statements appeared to undermine the Justice Department’s argument that the restrictions were necessary to protect national security.

Government attorneys had maintained that the news organizations published material that threatened national security, including reporting involving American missile stockpiles and other sensitive government matters.

They also argued that access to the White House is a privilege rather than an absolute constitutional right and that the president has broad authority to determine which journalists may enter the complex.

The judge, however, found that the administration’s explanations were difficult to reconcile with Trump’s repeated public statements criticizing the outlets for unfavorable coverage.

“President Trump’s own comments suggest that he intended the revocation of Plaintiffs’ hard passes to alter their reporting on him, bolstering the case that his action here is sufficient to deter a reporter of ordinary firmness from reporting in the same way she had before,” Kelly wrote.

The judge also found that the White House had failed to provide the news organizations with sufficient warning before taking action against their credentials.

Although the administration subsequently sent letters explaining its objections to the outlets’ reporting, those communications came after the journalists had already been excluded from the White House.

Kelly determined that the lack of advance notice and a meaningful opportunity to respond likely violated constitutional due process requirements.

The ruling also addressed whether the administration had engaged in unconstitutional discrimination based on the viewpoints expressed by the three organizations.

Kelly found that the plaintiffs had demonstrated a likelihood of success on their First Amendment claims, concluding that the president’s statements suggested an effort to influence how the outlets covered his administration.

Nevertheless, the judge stressed that his decision should not be interpreted as a determination that the president’s criticism of the media was unjustified.

“Still,” Kelly wrote, “no one should interpret the Court’s decision to suggest that President Trump’s concerns about accuracy and fairness in the media’s reporting are unfounded, or that the government is powerless when its true aim is to protect national security when classified information is unlawfully disclosed.”

The distinction is significant because the court did not rule that journalists have an unrestricted right to enter the White House or that the administration cannot impose legitimate security requirements.

Rather, Kelly concluded that the government cannot revoke previously granted press credentials in a manner that likely violates constitutional protections.

The ruling represents another setback for the administration in its continuing legal disputes with major news organizations.

During an October 8 hearing, attorneys for the three outlets argued that Trump’s own remarks demonstrated that the restrictions were intended to pressure journalists into providing more favorable coverage.

“Here we have the unusual situation where the president himself has said he wants to chill speech. He wants to coerce better coverage,” attorney Theodore Boutrous told the court.

Justice Department attorney Michael Velchik defended the administration’s actions, arguing that the three organizations had engaged in conduct warranting the restrictions.

“CNN, MS NOW and Politico engaged in apparently indefensible conduct,” Velchik said.

Following Tuesday’s decision, Boutrous welcomed the injunction and accused the administration of attempting to punish journalists for reporting the president disliked.

“When the President issued his ‘ban on the free press,’ he blatantly and explicitly violated due process and the First Amendment,” Boutrous said.

He added that the administration’s actions had caused serious harm to the news organizations and the public.

“The harm this ban did to our clients, the First Amendment, and the public as a whole is profound,” he said.

The preliminary injunction does not necessarily resolve separate disputes concerning access to more restricted areas or activities, including the Oval Office and Air Force One.

Despite the earlier court order restoring their White House credentials, journalists from CNN and Politico have reportedly continued to face restrictions on certain presidential press-pool assignments, including flights aboard Air Force One.

The administration has maintained that participation in such assignments is distinct from ordinary access to the White House grounds.

Those questions could become the subject of further litigation as the case continues.

Trump previously indicated that the administration would appeal an unfavorable ruling, although no final judgment has yet been issued in the case.

Kelly’s injunction will remain in effect while the lawsuit proceeds unless it is modified or overturned by a higher court.

A 10-year-old boy was tragically niftar Wednesday afternoon after being critically injured by an explosion inside a burning garbage container on Rebbe of Nadvorna Street in Beitar Illit.

The child was standing near the container when an unidentified object apparently exploded amid the flames and struck him, causing devastating injuries throughout his body. Despite emergency resuscitation efforts and his evacuation to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital, his death was subsequently confirmed.

Magen David Adom received the emergency call at 4:56 p.m., reporting a seriously injured child at the scene of a garbage fire. Paramedics and emergency medical technicians rushed to the location and found the boy unconscious, suffering from severe multisystem trauma.

Emergency responders immediately began lifesaving treatment, including CPR, as they worked to stabilize the child for urgent transportation to the hospital.

Moshe Fordsham, a United Hatzalah ambulance driver who happened to be traveling nearby when the explosion occurred, described hearing the blast and rushing to the child’s assistance.

“While driving in a United Hatzalah ambulance, I heard a powerful explosion. I got out of the ambulance and noticed a boy about 10 years old who was unconscious and suffering from severe injuries to his body. I performed resuscitation efforts, and afterward he was evacuated to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in critical condition,” Fordsham said.

At the same time, firefighters and volunteers from the Yehuda Regional Fire Station responded to the burning refuse container and worked to extinguish the flames.

Firefighters at the scene confirmed that the explosion occurred while the contents of the container were burning, with the resulting blast causing the child’s catastrophic injuries.

Police officers joined the emergency crews and began investigating what had ignited the container and what object had exploded inside it.

According to an initial police statement, the precise circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear.

“A garbage container (recycling bin) caught fire for a reason that is not yet known, and as a result, an unidentified object flew out of it and struck the body of a boy about 10 years old who was nearby. As a result, the child was seriously injured and was evacuated for further treatment at the hospital. Police forces are at the scene together with firefighters and have begun investigating the circumstances of the incident,” police said.

Investigators are working to determine the source of the explosion and identify the object that was propelled from the burning container.

The Justice Department has reportedly issued subpoenas to relatives of Rep. Ilhan Omar as federal investigators expand their examination of allegations involving the Minnesota Democrat’s immigration history, marking another significant development just one day after federal agents searched her Washington-area residence.

The subpoenas, reported Tuesday by The New York Times, represent the latest step in a longstanding inquiry that has drawn national attention because of Omar’s repeated clashes with President Donald Trump and the administration’s public accusations concerning her immigration background.

The investigation has also sparked a fierce political confrontation, with Omar and leading congressional Democrats accusing the administration of using federal law enforcement to intimidate one of the president’s most outspoken political adversaries.

Omar responded to Monday’s search with a statement on social media accusing Trump of pursuing a yearslong campaign against her.

“For ten years, Trump has targeted me with baseless lies and smear campaigns,” Omar wrote on social media Monday. “This is just the latest escalation in his campaign of political intimidation. I will not be silenced.”

Federal officials have confirmed that agents from Homeland Security Investigations executed a court-authorized search warrant at Omar’s home on Monday. Authorities have not disclosed the precise evidence being sought or provided a detailed public explanation of the investigation’s scope.

The newly reported subpoenas suggest that investigators are seeking additional information from individuals connected to Omar, although the identities of the relatives involved and the specific testimony or documents being requested have not been publicly established.

A grand jury subpoena can compel a recipient to provide records or appear for testimony as part of a criminal investigation. The issuance of such a subpoena does not necessarily mean the recipient is suspected of committing a crime.

The federal inquiry follows months of public statements by senior Trump administration officials concerning allegations about Omar’s immigration history and whether information provided during the immigration process was accurate.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said last month that investigators were examining, among other questions, whether Omar had provided false information on immigration documents.

Mullin indicated that the investigation was continuing and suggested that additional developments could follow, declaring that “something’s going to happen,” according to The Associated Press.

Omar was born in Somalia and subsequently became a naturalized American citizen. She has consistently denied accusations of wrongdoing involving her immigration status and has rejected allegations that she obtained citizenship through fraudulent means.

The congresswoman has long been a prominent critic of Trump’s immigration policies and broader political agenda, frequently drawing sharp responses from the president and other administration officials.

Trump, speaking Monday after news of the federal search became public, denied any personal involvement in the operation.

He said he had “nothing to do” with the search while simultaneously describing Omar as “totally crooked, personally,” according to the AP.

The timing of the investigation has intensified the controversy surrounding the case. The search occurred approximately three weeks before the November 3 midterm elections, when Omar is seeking reelection to her Minneapolis-area congressional seat.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and other senior Democrats condemned the operation, accusing the administration of directing federal investigative resources against an elected official because of her political opposition to the president.

Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, similarly criticized the search, describing it as political harassment and questioning its consistency with longstanding Justice Department practices intended to prevent criminal investigations from improperly influencing elections.

Those departmental guidelines generally discourage overt investigative actions undertaken for electoral purposes. However, the execution of a search warrant approved by a federal judge does not, by itself, establish that investigators acted for political reasons.

Additional reporting has shed light on the specific questions federal authorities are pursuing. Investigators are reportedly examining immigration paperwork filed by Omar’s late father, Nur Omar Mohamed, including whether information about his background was accurately represented when the family entered the United States.

According to reports, the inquiry is also examining whether Omar’s date of birth was recorded correctly and whether her eligibility for citizenship through her father’s naturalization was properly established.

Omar has maintained that she became an American citizen at age 17 through her father’s citizenship. Federal investigators are reportedly reviewing records dating back decades to determine whether any false statements affected that process.

Among the relatives subpoenaed is Omar’s sister, Sahra Noor, according to reports citing people familiar with the investigation. At least one additional family member has also reportedly received a subpoena.

Separately, federal prosecutors in Washington are reportedly examining questions surrounding Omar’s financial disclosure statements, including changes in the reported value of assets associated with her household.

That financial inquiry is distinct from the investigation into her family’s immigration records. Omar has disputed suggestions of financial wrongdoing, and discrepancies in the reported figures have been attributed to accounting issues.

Vice President JD Vance has previously raised accusations concerning Omar’s immigration history, adding to the public pressure surrounding the congresswoman.

Despite the expanding federal scrutiny, authorities have not publicly disclosed evidence establishing that Omar committed immigration fraud or any other criminal offense.

No criminal charges have been announced against the congresswoman in connection with either investigation.

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu issued a stark warning to Iran on Wednesday, declaring that any Iranian attack against Israel on Election Day would bring devastating consequences, while insisting that Israel must ultimately eliminate the Iranian threat altogether.

In a wide-ranging interview with Galei Israel radio, Netanyahu addressed the possibility that Tehran could attempt to exploit Israel’s upcoming elections to launch an attack. He stressed that Israel remains prepared for such a scenario and cautioned the Iranian leadership against miscalculating the country’s willingness to respond.

“If Iran makes this mistake, it will be the last mistake they ever make. Literally,” Netanyahu declared. “And I warn our enemies: Do not misjudge us. Whether they attack or not, we must eliminate this threat once and for all.”

The prime minister portrayed Israel’s recent military and security operations as having fundamentally changed the strategic situation in the region, arguing that the country had achieved substantial successes against its enemies.

“We have accomplished a great deal. We have brought about a historic transformation here,” Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu also addressed security developments in Yehuda and Shomron, including the controversy surrounding the possible return of displaced Palestinians to a refugee camp following proceedings before Israel’s Supreme Court.

The prime minister rejected the possibility of allowing those individuals to return, arguing that the area had served as a base for terrorist activity.

“No, we will not bring them back. These were not residents but collaborators with terrorism,” Netanyahu said.

He further asserted that Israeli counterterrorism operations had dramatically reduced terrorist activity throughout Yehuda and Shomron.

“Today, terrorism has dropped by 80% in Yehuda and Shomron,” Netanyahu claimed.

The interview then turned to Netanyahu’s longstanding confrontation with Israel’s legal establishment, with the prime minister launching a fierce attack against senior officials who oversaw the criminal investigations and prosecution against him.

Netanyahu called for criminal investigations into former Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, former State Attorney Shai Nitzan, former Tel Aviv District Attorney Liat Ben-Ari and prosecutor Yehudit Tirosh, accusing them of serious misconduct in their handling of his cases.

He also demanded scrutiny of senior police investigators who participated in the investigations, arguing that the conduct of law enforcement officials warranted examination rather than continued acceptance of the allegations against him.

The prime minister revisited the phrase that became closely associated with his defense when the investigations first emerged, “There will be nothing because there was nothing,” maintaining that subsequent developments had vindicated his position.

“Remember when I said, ‘There will be nothing because there was nothing’? Well, it turns out there was nothing on my side. But there were many, many offenses on their side,” Netanyahu said.

He accused investigators and prosecutors of pursuing him for political reasons and claimed their actions had inflicted extraordinary personal and emotional harm on him and those close to him.

“This was a vicious political witch hunt that caused unimaginable suffering to me, my family and those around me,” Netanyahu charged.

Netanyahu also raised allegations about the procedures used to authorize the indictments against him, questioning whether the necessary legal reviews had been properly conducted before the charges were filed.

Among his accusations was the claim that investigators employed highly sophisticated surveillance technology during their work.

“They used the most advanced spyware in the world,” Netanyahu said.

The prime minister further alleged that Mandelblit had failed to properly review the evidence and documentation associated with the prosecution, and he questioned the former attorney general’s handling of the indictment process.

“He didn’t read the letter. He didn’t examine the evidence. So why did you do it?” Netanyahu asked.

Netanyahu argued that the consequences of the investigations extended far beyond his own legal difficulties, claiming that the cases had destabilized Israeli politics and contributed to the prolonged period in which the country repeatedly returned to the polls.

He maintained that the legal proceedings helped fuel the political turmoil that produced five national elections within several years, imposing enormous financial costs on the public.

“Today people understand that this is a political trial, and it led us to five election campaigns, spending billions on unnecessary elections and unnecessary investigations,” Netanyahu said.

The prime minister insisted that the allegations he was raising concerned the integrity of Israel’s democratic institutions and the proper exercise of power by prosecutors and investigators.

“This is not merely a personal injury to me. It is a danger to democracy. There is a need for clear reform, and we will carry it out,” he declared.

Netanyahu concluded by reiterating his demand for an investigation into Mandelblit, Nitzan, Ben-Ari, Tirosh and senior members of the police investigative teams, asserting that their conduct in connection with his criminal cases must be subjected to formal scrutiny.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani declared Tuesday that he has no intention of removing NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, rejecting mounting demands from his own far-left political supporters to dismiss the city’s top police official following a controversial federal immigration enforcement shooting in the Bronx.

The mayor’s public defense of Tisch came as he appeared alongside the commissioner at a ceremony honoring fallen NYPD officers, presenting a united front despite growing tensions between City Hall and progressive activists who have been pressing Mamdani to take a more confrontational approach toward the Police Department.

“Jessica Tisch is the police commissioner. I have no plans to change that,” Mamdani told reporters during a press conference in Queens ahead of the memorial ceremony.

He went on to explain that his decision to retain Tisch was based on her previous efforts to address misconduct within the department’s leadership.

“The reason that I made the decision to have Jessica Tisch as the police commissioner was because of her record of uprooting corruption from the upper echelons of the NYPD,” the mayor said.

The remarks represented a clear rebuff to members of Mamdani’s socialist political base, who have intensified their demands for Tisch’s removal following a shooting involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in the Bronx last week.

Activists affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America have called for the commissioner to be fired and for two specialized NYPD units to be disbanded, arguing that the city’s policing policies remain incompatible with the priorities Mamdani championed during his political rise.

The dispute has placed the mayor in an increasingly difficult political position, forcing him to balance the expectations of his activist supporters against the responsibilities of overseeing the nation’s largest municipal police force.

Tisch, meanwhile, has presided over a period of significant reductions in violent crime. NYPD figures released in July showed that New York City recorded its lowest number of murders during the first six months of any year since the department began maintaining comparable statistics.

The improving crime numbers have strengthened the commissioner’s standing among law enforcement supporters, even as progressive organizations continue to criticize the department’s practices.

Mamdani and Tisch appeared together Tuesday at the New York City Police Memorial in Lower Manhattan, where the names of 42 deceased officers were formally added to the memorial wall on Liberty Street.

Their appearance marked the first time the two had publicly participated in an event together since City Hall directed the NYPD on Monday to conduct a review of its policies governing the use of force.

That directive followed mounting criticism from anti-police activists and was accompanied by an announcement of additional funding for police oversight.

Critics of the mayor have suggested that the policy review was intended, at least in part, to ease tensions with his left-wing supporters without requiring him to dismiss Tisch or make more sweeping changes to the department’s leadership.

Despite the political controversy, Mamdani and Tisch displayed no outward signs of disagreement during Tuesday’s memorial gathering. Both delivered remarks honoring officers who had lost their lives in the line of duty.

The memorial, originally dedicated in 1997, serves as a permanent tribute to members of the NYPD who died while serving the city.

Of the 42 names added Tuesday, 41 belonged to officers and other first responders who died from illnesses connected to their service following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The ceremony also honored NYPD Detective Didarul Islam, a father who was murdered in July 2025 when a gunman opened fire inside a Midtown Manhattan office building.

Addressing the families of the fallen officers, Mamdani expressed appreciation for their sacrifices and acknowledged the personal losses they continue to endure.

“I thank you for loving these New Yorkers, for raising these New Yorkers, for tending to them as they tended to all of us,” the mayor told the assembled relatives.

“While we cannot fill the silence they left behind, we will refuse to let their memory fade,” he added.

Tisch, in turn, thanked the mayor for participating in the ceremony before speaking about the officers whose names were being added to the memorial.

“Here, we pause. We pause to remember the people who helped make all of that possible, and who lost their lives in service to others,” the commissioner said.

The dispute over Tisch’s future has been fueled in part by the October 8 shooting of Oscar Belgal during a federal immigration operation in the Marble Hill section of the Bronx. According to the NYPD’s preliminary account, federal agents approached Belgal while he was seated in a vehicle with a five-year-old child. At least one federal agent fired seven shots, striking Belgal near the neck.

Tisch subsequently stated that NYPD officers had no involvement in the federal operation before the shooting and arrived only after gunfire was reported. Officers provided medical assistance and transported Belgal to a hospital, where he was listed in stable condition.

Nevertheless, progressive activists have criticized the NYPD’s response to demonstrations following the incident, with some accusing officers of using excessive force against protesters.

The New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America has demanded Tisch’s removal and called for the elimination of the NYPD’s Strategic Response Group, a specialized unit frequently deployed during large demonstrations.

Mamdani has previously supported proposals to dismantle that unit, but it remains operational, adding to frustration among activists who believe the mayor has failed to follow through on important campaign commitments.

On Monday, Mamdani announced a comprehensive review of the NYPD’s use-of-force policies, the first such department-wide examination in approximately a decade. The initiative includes increased funding for the department’s inspector general and procedural changes intended to prevent officers facing serious disciplinary allegations from avoiding proceedings by retiring before their cases are resolved.

The administration has also faced scrutiny over the handling of the 2024 police shooting of 19-year-old Win Rozario in Queens, another case that has prompted demands for greater accountability within the department.

Despite the mounting criticism from his political allies, Mamdani’s decision to retain Tisch has received support beyond his progressive base. A recent Suffolk University poll found that 56% of surveyed voters supported his decision to keep the commissioner in her position.

Former Shin Bet director Ronen Bar has filed a NIS 3 million defamation lawsuit against Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, accusing him of knowingly spreading false allegations about Bar’s conduct before the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre in an effort to shift responsibility for Israel’s devastating security failures.

The lawsuit, submitted Wednesday to the District Court, marks a dramatic escalation in the bitter confrontation between Netanyahu and his former domestic intelligence chief. It challenges a public statement issued by the prime minister that accused Bar of failing to alert the country’s political leadership, neglecting to warn security forces and failing to arrange the evacuation of the Nova music festival before Hamas terrorists invaded southern Israel.

Bar contends that Netanyahu deliberately constructed a misleading account of the hours preceding the attack to portray the former Shin Bet director as primarily responsible for the catastrophe while distancing himself from the decisions and policies that preceded it.

In the court filing, Bar acknowledges that the Shin Bet failed to provide an adequate warning before the massacre and accepts personal responsibility for the intelligence agency’s failures. However, he argues that his acknowledgment of those failures does not give Netanyahu the right to make allegations that Bar maintains are demonstrably false.

The lawsuit characterizes the prime minister’s accusations as a “blood libel” against an individual who devoted 35 years to protecting Israel’s security. Bar alleges that Netanyahu was aware of the actual sequence of events but nevertheless chose to circulate claims that would damage his reputation.

One of the central disputes concerns Netanyahu’s assertion that Bar participated in numerous telephone conversations during the night before the massacre with then-IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and then-Military Intelligence Directorate chief Aharon Haliva, during which indications of an impending Hamas attack were supposedly discussed.

Bar categorically denies that those conversations occurred, maintaining that he did not speak with either Halevi or Haliva that night.

The former Shin Bet chief further argues that his agency did not ignore the intelligence signals emerging from Gaza. According to the lawsuit, Shin Bet personnel treated the information seriously, communicated their findings to the IDF and circulated a warning to the relevant security authorities at 3:03 a.m. on October 7.

Bar also disputes the allegation that Netanyahu’s office was left uninformed about the developments. He maintains that the prime minister’s Military Secretariat received information about the intelligence no later than 3:55 a.m. and was subsequently provided with a summary of Bar’s assessment of the situation.

Another contested issue involves the Nova music festival, where hundreds of people were murdered when Hamas terrorists attacked the gathering.

Netanyahu had accused Bar of failing to order the festival evacuated despite the warning signs that emerged during the night.

Bar responds that he was unaware the festival was taking place and argues that the Shin Bet does not possess responsibility for authorizing public events or directing their evacuation.

The lawsuit also addresses Netanyahu’s suggestion that the deployment of a Shin Bet Tequila counterterrorism unit near the Gaza border demonstrated that Bar understood a major attack was approaching but failed to warn the prime minister.

According to Bar, such teams are deployed dozens of times annually in response to intelligence indicating possible terrorist activity, and their deployment cannot reasonably be interpreted as proof that the agency anticipated an invasion on the scale of October 7.

He maintains that the Shin Bet, like the other branches of Israel’s security establishment, did not assess during the preceding night that Hamas was preparing to launch a full-scale assault.

Beyond the immediate intelligence failures, the lawsuit presents a series of allegations concerning Netanyahu’s broader approach to Hamas in the years leading up to the massacre.

Bar claims the prime minister favored a policy of “quiet at any cost” in Gaza, prioritizing the avoidance of military confrontations while allowing Hamas to remain in control of the territory.

According to the filing, Bar repeatedly cautioned Netanyahu about Hamas’s expanding military capabilities and recommended more aggressive Israeli action, including offensive operations and targeted killings of senior terrorist figures.

The former intelligence chief alleges that those recommendations were repeatedly rejected or left unimplemented.

Bar further claims that approximately two months before the October 7 massacre, he personally delivered an unusually serious warning to Netanyahu about the possibility of a coming war.

“I am conveying to you a strategic warning of war,” Bar reportedly told the prime minister, explaining that Israeli intelligence might not be able to identify the precise date or hour of an impending conflict.

The lawsuit also raises allegations concerning the transfer of Qatari money into Gaza during the years before the massacre.

Bar claims Netanyahu knew that funds entering the territory were reaching Hamas’s military wing but continued permitting the transfers despite objections from the Shin Bet.

One particularly striking allegation concerns a meeting in May 2023, when Bar says he urged Netanyahu to broaden Israel’s policy of targeted assassinations against terrorist leaders in order to restore Israeli deterrence.

According to the lawsuit, Netanyahu responded by expressing concern that terrorist organizations might retaliate against such operations by attempting to assassinate him personally.

Bar also describes disagreements over the Shin Bet’s role in formulating Israel’s broader strategy toward Hamas.

He alleges that when he submitted strategic recommendations to the prime minister, Netanyahu wrote on one document: “In a democracy, the Shin Bet is not responsible for shaping the State of Israel’s national strategy.”

On another document, Netanyahu reportedly added the handwritten comment: “This is not a directive from the head of the Shin Bet.”

Bar argues that the accusations against him were part of a broader effort to discredit him following his increasingly contentious relationship with Netanyahu, rather than an isolated disagreement over the events of October 7.

The lawsuit also references an affidavit Bar submitted during legal proceedings surrounding his dismissal as Shin Bet director. In that affidavit, Bar raised allegations concerning connections between individuals close to Netanyahu and Qatar, as well as purported attempts to involve the Shin Bet in monitoring or acting against political demonstrations.

Bar maintains that these earlier disputes provide important context for the prime minister’s subsequent public attacks on his credibility.

In addition to seeking NIS 3 million in damages, Bar is asking the court to require Netanyahu to issue a correction or retraction, pay interest and inflation adjustments on any damages awarded, and cover the legal costs of the proceedings.

He is also requesting disclosure of relevant documents in the prime minister’s possession or control, potentially placing additional internal government communications concerning the October 7 intelligence failures under judicial scrutiny.

Netanyahu responded sharply to the lawsuit, rejecting Bar’s account and returning to the central question of why the Shin Bet director did not personally telephone him during the critical hours before the Hamas invasion.

“Ronen Bar, who saw the warning signs on the night of October 7 and did not call me, now says he didn’t have my phone number.

“Ronen, are you serious? You had my secure hotline number, and you could have called me immediately, as all the heads of the security establishment do. The Shin Bet security guards, your subordinates, who are with me 24/7, could have reached me within minutes. How many lives could we have saved if only you had called in time?” Netanyahu asked.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee is calling for a sweeping reassessment of airline security procedures following last month’s attempted hijacking of a flydubai passenger jet bound for Israel, warning that the incident could have resulted in a catastrophe comparable to the September 11 terrorist attacks had the aircraft been deliberately crashed into Ben Gurion Airport.

Speaking with New York Post columnist Miranda Devine on her “Pod Force One” podcast, Huckabee said airlines around the world should conduct far more extensive background investigations of pilots and flight attendants, including examinations of their social media activity, to identify potential security threats before they gain access to aircraft.

The ambassador’s remarks followed the extraordinary September incident in which flydubai co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani national, allegedly attacked the aircraft’s captain with an axe and attempted to seize control of the plane while it was traveling toward Israel.

Huckabee said the incident raised serious questions about how the accused attacker was able to secure employment as a commercial airline pilot and whether warning signs had been overlooked during the hiring process.

“The question I think will be a tough one for everyone to answer: How did this guy get hired?” Huckabee asked.

The ambassador suggested that staffing pressures or inadequate background checks may have contributed to the situation, although he did not claim to know precisely what occurred during the airline’s hiring process.

“Now maybe they were just desperate for pilots, and they looked the other way at some of his background, or maybe they didn’t check. But the answer to your question: Does this change the security methods? Oh boy, does it ever!” Huckabee said.

According to reports about the incident, al-Hammami had allegedly spent months researching methods of carrying out an attack and had developed an interest in crashing a commercial passenger aircraft into a target in Israel.

Investigators have reportedly examined allegations that his intended destination was the passenger terminal at Ben Gurion Airport, where an intentional crash could have resulted in mass casualties.

Huckabee said the potential consequences of the attempted hijacking should prompt airlines everywhere to reconsider how they evaluate employees who hold sensitive positions aboard passenger aircraft.

“Not just for pilots flying into Israel, but I think every airline now is going to be looking at social media accounts. They’re going to be really wanting to know: Is there any red flag here?” he said.

The ambassador emphasized that enhanced screening should not be limited to cockpit personnel, arguing that flight attendants also occupy positions that could be exploited by someone intending to harm passengers.

“Flight attendants, same thing,” Huckabee continued, “because if you have a flight attendant, a flight attendant could wreak havoc. They have access to the cockpit.”

The attempted hijacking unfolded when al-Hammami allegedly assaulted captain Smit Machchhar inside the cockpit, leaving him injured as the aircraft began a dangerous descent.

Despite his injuries, Machchhar reportedly managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers to enter and overpower the co-pilot before he could complete his alleged plan.

Among those who intervened was Israeli passenger Yaniv Hayoun, a plumber with no formal flight training, who helped regain control of the aircraft during the emergency.

Huckabee said investigators were still working to establish all the details of the suspect’s intentions, but the available information pointed to an extraordinarily dangerous situation.

“This was just one of those amazing things,” Huckabee said. “And we don’t know absolutely confirmed, but he has told some of the investigators that his goal was to fly it into the terminal at Ben Gurion Airport.

“That would have been catastrophic.”

The ambassador said that if the alleged plot had succeeded, the resulting destruction could have resembled the attacks carried out against the United States on September 11, 2001.

“[I]t would have been such an incredible disaster had he been able to fly it into Ben Gurion, or for that matter, into downtown Tel Aviv or Jerusalem,” Huckabee said. “Wherever he put that airplane, it would have been horrible.”

The incident occurred aboard flydubai Flight FZ1073 on September 30, while the Boeing 737 MAX 8 was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv with 174 passengers, most of them Israeli citizens. The aircraft lost thousands of feet in altitude during the struggle before the passengers and crew succeeded in bringing the emergency under control.

Hayoun, who had no professional aviation experience, reportedly pulled back on the aircraft’s controls to help arrest its steep descent. A reserve pilot traveling aboard the flight subsequently took over, and the aircraft made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

Huckabee praised Hayoun’s extraordinary actions, emphasizing that the Israeli passenger had been thrust into a life-or-death situation far removed from his ordinary work.

“He was the most gracious, humble — I think he’s overwhelmed by all this attention,” Huckabee said of Hayoun. “I mean, this is a guy, he’s a plumber. He’s used to going and fixing pipes, and suddenly he’s saving 174 lives.”

The ambassador also emphasized how narrowly the passengers had escaped disaster.

“They were probably 30 seconds from hitting the ground. That’s how close it was,” he said.

Subsequent investigations have raised troubling questions about the accused co-pilot’s employment history. According to American media reports citing intelligence and law enforcement officials, al-Hammami had previously been suspended from flying by Oman Air after extremist material was discovered in his possession while he was undergoing training in 2024.

The reports have intensified scrutiny of flydubai’s hiring and screening procedures. The airline has said it is cooperating with the official investigation, while authorities in the United Arab Emirates have been examining the suspect’s background and the preparations allegedly made before the attack.

Investigators have also reported that al-Hammami had previously flown the Dubai-to-Tel Aviv route, potentially allowing him to familiarize himself with the aircraft’s approach to Israel.

Flydubai temporarily suspended its Tel Aviv operations following the incident as authorities began examining the circumstances of the attempted hijacking.

Israel is moving ahead with the purchase of 12 state-of-the-art Apache attack helicopters from the United States, a major defense acquisition intended to strengthen the Israeli Air Force’s combat capabilities and prepare the IDF for future security threats.

The Israeli Defense Ministry announced Wednesday that the government has approved the procurement, clearing the way for an agreement with the Pentagon to acquire the AH-64E Apache, the newest and most technologically advanced version of Boeing’s attack helicopter.

The aircraft, commonly known as the Apache Echo, are expected to begin arriving in Israel early in the next decade, adding important capabilities to the IDF’s helicopter fleet as the military continues a broader effort to modernize its equipment and expand its operational strength.

Defense Ministry Director General Maj. Gen. (Res.) Amir Baram has instructed the ministry’s procurement mission in the United States to proceed with signing the agreement with American defense officials.

The arrangement follows extensive discussions between Israeli and American defense representatives, who worked to develop a procurement framework that would address Israel’s particular military requirements.

According to the Defense Ministry, its U.S.-based mission and Budget Department played leading roles in the negotiations, working with American counterparts to resolve outstanding issues and establish the terms necessary to advance the purchase.

The AH-64E represents a significant technological improvement over earlier Apache models, incorporating upgraded avionics, improved communications systems, enhanced sensors and advanced capabilities for identifying and engaging targets.

The helicopter is designed to operate in complex combat environments and can carry a variety of precision-guided weapons, making it a key platform for supporting ground forces, attacking enemy positions and responding rapidly to emerging threats.

Defense Minister Israel Katz described the agreement as an important component of Israel’s long-term military preparedness, emphasizing the need to maintain a technological and operational advantage against potential adversaries.

“The procurement of the Apache helicopters is a critical step in the IDF’s force buildup, one that will strengthen its operational capabilities against a wide range of threats and contribute to the security of the State of Israel in the years to come,” Katz said.

He credited the defense establishment with overcoming substantial obstacles during the negotiations and said the acquisition reflected Israel’s determination to equip its military for the challenges ahead.

“The Israeli defense establishment invested considerable effort and acted with determination to overcome the challenges and complete this agreement, out of a deep understanding of its importance in ensuring the IDF’s strength and readiness for future challenges.”

Katz also expressed appreciation to the American administration and Pentagon officials for their cooperation, along with the Israeli Defense Ministry personnel responsible for negotiating the agreement under Baram’s leadership.

Baram said the deal was made possible through close cooperation between the two countries, including the development of solutions that satisfied procurement requirements without sacrificing the military’s operational priorities.

“The execution of the Apache agreement was made possible thanks to creative solutions we developed together with our American partners, without compromising operational needs,” Baram stated.

“This professional work with the U.S. administration reflects the depth of our strategic relationship and the mutual commitment to Israel’s security.”

The Defense Ministry is pursuing the helicopter purchase as part of a larger program to rebuild and expand Israel’s military capabilities following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks and the subsequent fighting on multiple fronts.

Israeli Air Force officials have identified the need for additional attack helicopters as one of the lessons of October 7, when the military struggled to respond quickly to the large-scale infiltration from Gaza. The new aircraft are expected to improve the Air Force’s ability to provide rapid support to ground forces and respond to simultaneous threats.

The agreement also resolves a prolonged funding dispute that had threatened to derail the purchase. Earlier this month, Israeli defense officials warned that the country had missed several American deadlines because the Defense and Finance ministries had been unable to agree on how to finance the acquisition.

The purchase had reportedly been placed in jeopardy after Israel failed to identify funding for approximately $288 million of the roughly $1 billion helicopter package. American officials had granted several extensions while Israeli authorities worked to resolve the budgetary disagreement.

On Wednesday, the Israeli government approved transferring nearly NIS 1 billion, equivalent to more than $300 million, toward the procurement. The decision was reached through an urgent telephone vote among ministers.

The financing arrangement has also generated controversy because the proposed funding includes reductions in allocations previously designated for a multiyear government investment program serving Arab communities in Israel.

The cuts outlined in the government proposal total approximately NIS 964 million over three years, including NIS 169 million in 2027, NIS 342 million in 2028 and NIS 453 million in 2029.

The latest agreement follows American approval in January of a potential $3.8 billion sale involving as many as 30 AH-64E Apache helicopters, associated engines, radar systems, equipment and logistical support. Wednesday’s agreement covers an initial acquisition of 12 aircraft.

Baram said the Defense Ministry is simultaneously advancing additional purchases intended to strengthen Israel’s military readiness over the coming decade.

“The IMOD will continue to work at full pace to sign additional critical agreements, including the acquisition of additional platforms, munitions, interceptors, and more.”

The ministry’s broader procurement efforts include additional aircraft, weapons systems and missile defense equipment, with officials seeking to address immediate operational needs while implementing a long-term military expansion program.

Boeing Israel President Maj. Gen. (Res.) Ido Nehushtan welcomed the agreement and emphasized the company’s longstanding relationship with Israel’s defense establishment.

“Boeing has been a trusted partner of Israel in building and advancing the country’s national defense capabilities since its earliest days, and we are proud to continue serving as a leading supplier of fighter aircraft, helicopters, munitions and other equipment in the future,” Nehushtan said.

He pointed to Israel’s previous selection of Boeing’s KC-46A aerial refueling aircraft and its decision to purchase a second squadron of F-15IA fighter jets as further evidence of the company’s central role in equipping the Israeli Air Force.

According to Nehushtan, those acquisitions reflect the capabilities of Boeing’s military aircraft and their importance in addressing the changing security environment facing Israel.

“Boeing will work in close cooperation with the Government of Israel to provide the Israeli Air Force with the world’s most advanced and capable attack helicopters.”

The Defense Ministry also thanked the Trump administration and American defense officials for their cooperation throughout the negotiations, particularly their willingness to accommodate repeated delays while Israel worked through its budgetary difficulties.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul appeared uncomfortable, defensive and at times visibly caught off guard during Tuesday night’s gubernatorial debate against Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman, according to a body language expert who analyzed the candidates’ performances in their only scheduled face-to-face confrontation before the November 3 election.

Dr. Lillian Glass, a specialist in human behavior and nonverbal communication, told the New York Post that Hochul struggled to project confidence as Blakeman, the Nassau County executive, repeatedly challenged her record on taxes, energy costs, antisemitism and other issues confronting New Yorkers.

Glass, who holds doctorates in counseling psychology and communication disorders and has served as an expert witness in court proceedings, described Hochul at one point as resembling “a deer in headlights,” while characterizing Blakeman’s performance as aggressive and confrontational.

The hour-long debate offered voters a rare opportunity to watch the two candidates confront each other directly as Blakeman seeks to overcome Hochul’s polling advantage in a state where registered Democrats substantially outnumber Republicans.

According to Glass, Hochul’s difficulties became apparent almost immediately, when the governor stumbled over her words during her opening remarks.

“And you’re going to hear a lot of… lot of… different opinions here this evening,” Hochul said, hesitating as she began her presentation.

Glass interpreted the moment as an early indication that the governor was uneasy and insufficiently prepared for the confrontation.

“It did not come off well, especially for somebody who is an incumbent governor,” Glass said, arguing that the hesitation suggested a lack of preparation.

“Not good. Not a good look,” she added.

Throughout the debate, Hochul repeatedly invoked President Donald Trump, mentioning him nearly 20 times as she attempted to associate Blakeman with the president and his political agenda.

Blakeman, meanwhile, concentrated much of his criticism on Hochul’s performance as governor, attacking the state’s high cost of living and accusing her administration of failing to adequately address problems affecting New Yorkers.

Glass said she observed a striking difference in how the candidates handled questions and responded to criticism.

Hochul frequently paused before answering, looked down toward her podium and smiled while Blakeman spoke, behaviors that Glass interpreted as signs of discomfort rather than confidence.

“There was also a lot of pause time where she had to take her time to manufacture an answer. Whereas Blakeman just went right to it and had answers right back to her and had accusations that were very, very straightforward towards her,” Glass said.

The expert also pointed to Hochul’s repeated blinking and facial expressions, suggesting that the governor appeared embarrassed by some of the exchanges.

“What’s happening is you’re seeing Kathy Hochul really embarrassed. She’s blinking a lot and she’s looking down, smiling. She’s not handling this well,” Glass said.

Glass was also critical of Hochul’s vocal delivery, arguing that the governor’s speaking style made some of her responses less effective.

“There’s a closing off of her throat, there’s a nasality that’s very difficult to listen to,” she said.

One of the debate’s most contentious moments came during an exchange about allegations involving a 2024 gang rape case at Cornell University and the response of university and state officials.

Blakeman criticized Hochul for what he portrayed as her failure to demand a more aggressive investigation, citing both her position as governor and her emeritus status on Cornell’s board.

“As a trustee and as governor, you didn’t call for an independent investigation when you found out that the district attorney was dropping the case. Shame on you,” Blakeman charged.

Hochul responded by acknowledging the university’s failures in its handling of the matter.

“The university failed that young woman,” she said, looking directly toward the camera.

Glass described Hochul’s expression during the exchange as particularly revealing, suggesting that the governor had been placed in an uncomfortable position by Blakeman’s criticism.

“She was like a deer in the headlights,” Glass said.

“That is a person losing a lot of points and a lot of people having respect for her,” the expert added.

Blakeman also displayed noticeable physical reactions during the debate, including frequent blinking and pronounced jaw movements.

Glass said those behaviors should not necessarily be interpreted as nervousness, arguing instead that they reflected frustration and anger, particularly when Hochul repeatedly attempted to connect him to Trump.

“That you’re seeing the jaw movement and the eye blinking is not insecurity. It’s anger at what she’s saying,” Glass said.

“He’s angry, and he wants to tell the truth, and wants to fight back,” she added.

The debate also included heated exchanges over immigration enforcement, New York’s energy policies and public safety. Blakeman accused Hochul of allowing excessive government spending and maintaining policies that have made the state increasingly expensive, while Hochul defended her administration’s record and challenged her opponent’s positions on immigration and health care.

Antisemitism also emerged as a significant issue. Blakeman criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s views and questioned whether Jewish communities could depend on the city’s leadership during periods of unrest. Hochul responded by defending the NYPD and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, rejecting suggestions that officers would fail to protect residents.

The candidates also disagreed over the Cornell case, with Hochul defending her decision to involve Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor after losing confidence in the local district attorney’s handling of the allegations.

The political stakes are considerable. Although several recent surveys have shown Hochul holding a lead of approximately 9 to 12 percentage points, a Pollfinity survey conducted October 8–12 among 499 New Yorkers placed the governor at 47% and Blakeman at 44%, with 6% undecided and 3% supporting other candidates.

Hochul, who became governor in 2021 following Andrew Cuomo’s resignation, is seeking another term in a state that has not elected a Republican governor since George Pataki won reelection in 2002.

Early voting begins October 24, with Election Day scheduled for November 3.

A 10-year-old boy was critically injured in a horrific incident in Beitar Illit on Wednesday after an explosion inside a burning garbage container sent an object flying toward him, striking him with tremendous force and leaving him unconscious, without a pulse or breathing.

The incident occurred on Rebbe of Nadvorna Street, where a garbage or recycling container had caught fire. According to initial reports, an object inside the burning container suddenly exploded, sending debris outward and seriously injuring the child.

Emergency medical personnel from Magen David Adom and United Hatzalah were dispatched to the scene, where they discovered the boy suffering from severe injuries, including burns and extensive trauma.

Upon examining the child, paramedics determined that he had no pulse and was not breathing. They immediately began advanced resuscitation procedures in an attempt to save his life.

The emergency response included intensive CPR and other lifesaving measures as medical teams worked to stabilize the boy sufficiently for transport to the hospital.

The child was evacuated to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Yerushalayim in critical condition, with emergency personnel continuing resuscitation efforts during the journey.

Preliminary information indicated that an aerosol can, possibly a deodorant container, may have exploded after being exposed to the flames inside the garbage container. However, the precise cause of the blast has not been officially established.

Aerosol containers can become extremely dangerous when exposed to high temperatures, as pressure builds inside the sealed container and can cause it to rupture violently.

Israeli police and firefighting personnel responded to the scene and began examining the circumstances surrounding the explosion, including the nature of the object that detonated and how the fire began.

According to Magen David Adom, the emergency call was received at approximately 4:56 p.m. Wednesday.

MDA paramedic Yinon Bar Nachman described the devastating scene: “When we arrived, we saw a 10-year-old boy unconscious, without a pulse or breathing, suffering from severe injuries and burns to his body. We provided lifesaving treatment, including stopping bleeding, chest compressions, ventilation and administering medication. We evacuated him to the hospital in critical condition while continuing resuscitation efforts.”

Moshe Fordsham, a United Hatzalah ambulance driver who happened to be traveling nearby, said he heard the explosion and immediately stopped to investigate.

“While driving in a United Hatzalah ambulance, I heard a powerful explosion. I got out of the ambulance and saw a boy approximately 10 years old unconscious and suffering from severe injuries. I performed resuscitation efforts, and he was subsequently evacuated to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in critical condition,” Fordsham recounted.

According to preliminary information, investigators are examining the possibility that children had set fire to the container before the explosion. Reports indicate that an aerosol can may have been inside, although authorities have not confirmed that it caused the blast.

Firefighters from the Yehudah regional station extinguished the flames and searched the surrounding area for additional hazards.

Fire investigators, police from the Etzion station and forensic personnel are investigating the circumstances of the incident.

House Speaker Mike Johnson is pushing back against polls showing Democrats with an advantage heading into the November midterm elections, insisting that surveys are failing to capture Republican enthusiasm and that the GOP remains in a position to compete for control of the House of Representatives.

Appearing Tuesday on Fox News Channel’s “America’s Newsroom,” the Louisiana Republican challenged the growing assessment among political analysts that Democrats are positioned to win a House majority. Johnson argued that polling organizations are underestimating Republican support and that his firsthand experiences campaigning across competitive congressional districts tell a different story.

During the interview, co-host Dana Perino invited Johnson to explain why he remains confident despite the unfavorable polling numbers.

“I’m going to give you a shot here to respond to some political analysts who say the House is gone, that the Dems are definitely going to be in the majority,” Perino said. “You disagree. You say that you can defy those odds. Here’s — you have the floor. How so?”

Johnson responded by describing his extensive campaign schedule and expressing confidence that Republican voters are more energized than national surveys suggest.

“Yes, thank you, Dana. Good to be with you. We’re excited. I’m in Texas today. We will do three events here, and then I will head — I think I have got eight states this week. I have been doing this for almost two years, and I’m telling you, the polling is wrong. Now, you have a lot of polling organizations right now acknowledging that they’re undersampling Republicans, because Republicans don’t want to respond to polls anymore.”

The speaker pointed to what he described as a longstanding pattern of Republican candidates performing better on Election Day than surveys conducted in the final weeks of a campaign had indicated.

“So, CNN did a story, Dana, just this week and acknowledged that Republicans have been underestimated in October polls 14 of the last 16 elections going back to 1994,” he continued. “Don’t buy it. I’m telling you, I’m on the ground in the swing districts. I am seeing huge energy in crowds. It feels like 2024 to me. That’s not registering in the polls, and we’re fired up.”

Johnson’s remarks come as several national surveys show Democrats maintaining an advantage in the contest for control of Congress. A NewsNation/Decision Desk HQ poll released Tuesday found Democrats leading Republicans by seven percentage points on the generic congressional ballot, 49 percent to 42 percent, with 8 percent undecided.

The survey, conducted October 5 through October 9 among 974 likely voters, also found President Trump with a 38 percent approval rating and 60 percent disapproval. Inflation, employment and the broader economy ranked among voters’ leading concerns.

Johnson’s argument about polling accuracy reflects a broader debate among political analysts. Surveys in several recent elections have underestimated Republican support, including in 2016, 2020 and 2024. Pollsters have since adjusted their methods, including how they account for voters who are less likely to participate in surveys, although uncertainty remains about whether those changes will fully address earlier errors.

Republicans are also relying on campaign fundraising and voter mobilization efforts in competitive districts. During his Fox News appearance, Johnson discussed the party’s fundraising operation, which he said had brought in $156 million during the election cycle, along with his extensive travel schedule to support Republican candidates.

The speaker’s optimism comes as Republican-aligned political organizations make difficult decisions about where to direct their resources. Recent reporting indicates that some groups have shifted spending away from several closely contested districts in states including Iowa, New Jersey, Ohio and Michigan, concentrating instead on other races they believe remain competitive.

Democrats, meanwhile, have expanded their fundraising and campaign efforts in districts that were previously considered less vulnerable to a Democratic challenge.

The GOP currently holds a narrow House majority, meaning Democrats would need a net gain of four seats to take control of the chamber. The relatively small number of competitive districts has made candidate recruitment, campaign spending and turnout particularly important to both parties.

Johnson has repeatedly argued that Republican voters are more motivated than polling data suggests, pointing to the crowds he has encountered while campaigning and comparing the atmosphere to President Trump’s successful 2024 presidential campaign.

The competing assessments will be tested on November 3, when voters determine which party controls the House for the next two years.

{Matzav.com}

Democrats hold a seven-point advantage over Republicans in a new nationwide congressional poll released just three weeks before the November 3 midterm elections, adding to concerns for the GOP as voters express dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump’s handling of the economy and the cost of living.

The NewsNation/Decision Desk HQ survey, conducted by TrueDot.ai from October 5 through October 9, found that 49 percent of likely voters would support Democratic congressional candidates, compared with 42 percent who would vote Republican. Another 8 percent remained undecided.

The poll surveyed 974 likely voters and carried a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.

The Democratic advantage also appeared in a separate question asking respondents which political party had done more to deserve their support, regardless of which party they actually intended to vote for.

On that measure, 46 percent selected the Democratic Party, while 40 percent chose the Republican Party. Nearly 7 percent named independents, and 8 percent said none of the options deserved their vote.

Geoffrey Skelley, chief elections analyst at Decision Desk HQ, said the closing weeks of the campaign would be particularly important in determining whether the Democratic polling advantage grows.

“The big question is if the lead grows more,” said Skelley. “You’re basically out of time for much to change. At this point, it is probably more just about engaging the voters in your party as best you can, and making some final cases to voters who might normally or might have in the past voted for your party, if you’re Republicans in particular, and then trying to make the case for why they should show up again.”

The survey also found President Trump facing substantial disapproval among respondents. His job approval rating stood at 38 percent, while 60 percent said they disapproved of his performance.

Economic concerns dominated voters’ priorities, with inflation identified as the country’s most pressing problem by 28 percent of respondents. Jobs and the broader economy followed at 20 percent, while immigration and border security were cited by 12 percent.

Those findings underscore the importance of economic conditions in the final stretch of the campaign, particularly as Republicans seek to defend their congressional seats amid continued voter frustration over household expenses.

Additional findings from the NewsNation survey suggest that independent voters could play a significant role in determining the composition of the next Congress. Among independents, Democrats received 44 percent support, compared with 34 percent for Republicans, giving the party a 10-point advantage within that group.

The poll also examined how firmly voters had settled on their choices. Among Democrats, 65 percent said their decision was final, compared with 60 percent of Republicans and just 35 percent of independents.

When asked what developments might cause them to reconsider their vote, 20 percent pointed to a scandal involving their preferred candidate, 18 percent cited candidates addressing their most important issue, and 15 percent mentioned rising prices.

Other recent national surveys have similarly found widespread dissatisfaction with economic conditions. An Associated Press-NORC poll released earlier this month found that just 17 percent of American adults approved of Trump’s handling of the cost of living, while 26 percent approved of his overall management of the economy.

That survey, conducted September 24 through September 28 among 2,140 adults, also found that approximately 65 percent attributed persistently high prices primarily to Trump’s policies rather than circumstances beyond his control.

The AP-NORC findings additionally showed that 64 percent of respondents believed Trump had gone too far in imposing tariffs on foreign countries, an increase from 58 percent who expressed that view in January.

A separate Reuters/Ipsos survey released October 9 found that 78 percent of respondents believed Trump’s policies were contributing to rising living expenses. That poll questioned 4,506 adults and found dissatisfaction extending beyond Democratic voters, including among some Republicans.

The latest numbers come as both parties intensify their efforts to turn out supporters before Election Day. Republican strategists have identified inflation and voter enthusiasm as important factors in their congressional campaigns, while Democrats are seeking to capitalize on public concerns about household finances.

The generic congressional ballot measures which party voters would prefer to support in a hypothetical House election nationwide. Although it provides a broad indication of voter sentiment, it does not directly determine individual congressional contests, which depend on district-level conditions, candidates and turnout.

{Matzav.com}

Iran has resumed ballistic missile testing at several locations across the country, prompting heightened monitoring by Israeli and American intelligence agencies. Despite the renewed activity, Israeli defense officials reportedly believe there has been no significant change in the security situation that would justify launching another military operation against Tehran in the coming weeks.

According to a report by Israel’s Channel 12 News, Iranian forces have conducted multiple missile launches in recent days as part of efforts to rebuild the country’s ballistic missile capabilities following damage sustained during the war.

Israeli intelligence assessments indicate that the reconstruction effort remains limited and is progressing slowly. Officials also believe the tests may be intended to demonstrate that Iran retains offensive capabilities and to send a deterrent message to Israel and the United States.

A separate concern among Israeli security officials is the possibility that Iran could misinterpret Israeli or American statements and military preparations as indications that another attack is imminent.

With Iran facing international pressure and severe economic difficulties, Israeli officials fear that Tehran’s leadership could conclude that a new military confrontation is unavoidable and decide to launch a preemptive surprise attack.

Israel and the United States are maintaining close security coordination, including consultations with Gulf countries, as they prepare for a range of possible developments. Israeli forces remain at a high level of readiness, although current intelligence assessments reportedly do not indicate a need for renewed military action against Iran in the immediate future.

The missile activity comes amid reports of discussions between Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump concerning the possibility of additional strikes against Iran.

According to a separate report, Netanyahu raised the prospect of resuming attacks during a conversation with Trump last week, potentially before the upcoming American midterm elections. Senior American officials reportedly came away with the impression that Netanyahu was interested in advancing such an operation, partly because of troubling developments involving Iran’s nuclear program.

Netanyahu’s office rejected suggestions that the prime minister was pressing for an attack before the elections.

“The prime minister maintains ongoing dialogue with President Trump and senior officials in the American administration and does not comment on the contents of their conversations,” the Prime Minister’s Office said.

Trump, meanwhile, stated last week that the United States would not attack Iran before the November 3 midterm elections. The president said discussions with Tehran were continuing but indicated that the existing blockade would remain in place.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Reza Naqdi, an adviser to the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, claimed that Iranian forces have complete control over the Strait of Hormuz. He threatened to block the remaining maritime routes through which oil shipments are still able to pass, according to his account.

The threat comes amid growing concerns about shipping security in the Persian Gulf. Recent reports have described attacks on commercial vessels near the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian efforts to reinforce nuclear and military facilities in anticipation of possible renewed hostilities.

Israeli military chief Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir has also reportedly warned American counterparts that a new round of fighting could result in heavy Iranian missile attacks on Israel and potentially force the postponement of Israel’s October 27 election.

{Matzav.com}

Davidi Ben Zion, a candidate for Ofer Winter’s Amcha Yisrael party, announced Tuesday evening that he was withdrawing from the political race following an intense pressure campaign aimed at preventing the party from splitting the right-wing vote in Israel’s upcoming elections. Newly disclosed WhatsApp messages reveal that the campaign extended into Ben Zion’s own community and took a significant emotional toll on his family.

The circumstances surrounding his departure emerged after journalist Shirit Avitan Cohen published messages that Ben Zion had shared with friends earlier in the day, describing the public pressure he was facing and its impact on his wife.

According to the messages, opponents of his continued candidacy had placed signs throughout the community where he lives, displaying his photograph alongside demands that he withdraw from the race.

Ben Zion sent his friends a photograph of one of the signs, explaining that similar posters had appeared across the community. He also described the distress the situation had caused his wife, writing, “She is devastated by this.”

The signs were part of a broader campaign urging Ben Zion to abandon his candidacy amid concerns that Amcha Yisrael could draw votes away from other right-wing parties and thereby weaken the bloc’s electoral position.

The pressure was therefore felt well beyond the usual political arguments surrounding a new party’s participation in an election. According to Avitan Cohen’s reporting, the campaign became increasingly personal, with Ben Zion and his family finding themselves at the center of efforts to persuade him to step aside.

Later Tuesday, after deciding to withdraw, Ben Zion sent another message to his friends explaining that his family came first. He parted from them warmly and wished them success as they continued their activities.

Avitan Cohen characterized the withdrawal as the culmination of a difficult campaign of public pressure directed at Ben Zion and those closest to him. In her account, the strain on his family ultimately played a decisive role in his decision.

The controversy reflects a wider debate within Israel’s political right over the participation of smaller parties in national elections. Critics of such parties argue that votes cast for factions that fail to cross the electoral threshold can reduce the number of Knesset seats won by the broader ideological bloc.

Ofer Winter’s Amcha Yisrael party has become part of that debate as the election approaches, with opponents of a divided right-wing ballot urging candidates to reconsider their participation.

For Ben Zion, however, the decision was shaped by more than electoral calculations. The messages disclosed Tuesday show how a political dispute over the distribution of right-wing votes developed into a personal ordeal, with public demands for his withdrawal appearing in his own neighborhood and affecting his family’s daily life.

{Matzav.com}

Rosh Yeshivas Rashbi Rav Meir Tzvi Bergman delivered an emotional message to United Torah Judaism lawmakers on Tuesday, declaring that protecting yeshiva bochurim must remain their overriding priority in the upcoming Israeli elections. During the meeting, MK Yaakov Asher pledged that the party would refuse to join any government that fails to reach an acceptable arrangement safeguarding the status of yeshiva students.

The meeting took place at Rav Bergman’s home, where members of the United Torah Judaism faction gathered to seek his guidance and receive his bracha ahead of an election campaign in which the future of yeshiva students and their military service exemptions has become a central issue.

Speaking with deep emotion, Rav Bergman told the lawmakers that the continued existence and protection of the yeshiva world must guide their political decisions.

“We must understand that everything that concerns us revolves around the yeshiva bochurim,” the rosh yeshiva said.

MK Yaakov Asher described the approaching elections as an unusually consequential political battle over the future of Torah learning in Israel.

“The entire campaign now, both from our side and from the secular side, is a battle over the yeshiva bochurim, more than in any previous election,” Asher told Rav Bergman.

The rosh yeshiva responded emphatically, stressing that the issue was fundamental to the chareidi community’s very existence.

“This is what we must stand firm on. If we have no yeshiva bochurim, we have nothing!”

Asher then outlined the commitment that United Torah Judaism has made regarding participation in a future governing coalition, making clear that the party’s position would not depend on which political bloc emerges from the elections.

“We have publicly declared that we will not enter any government without an agreed-upon arrangement for the yeshiva bochurim,” Asher said. “We do not know what will happen in the elections, whether the right wins or the left wins. It makes no difference. We will not enter any government that does not regulate and guarantee this matter. We have stated this absolutely clearly. This is the main thing. They are trying to destroy this precisely because it is the foundation upon which everything rests.”

Rav Bergman reiterated that the preservation of the yeshiva world must remain the foundation of the party’s political approach, regardless of the challenges and negotiations that may follow the election.

“Our entire essence is that we stand firm on this, and without it, we have nothing. This must be remembered. And indeed, once we know this ‘secret,’ we can approach the matter,” the rosh yeshiva said.

MK Yitzchok Pindrus also addressed Rav Bergman, emphasizing that the elected representatives view themselves as carrying out the directives of the Torah leadership.

“All of us act by the authority of the one who sends us. An emissary acts by the authority of his sender, and we are the emissaries of the rosh yeshiva,” Pindrus said.

The meeting concluded with the lawmakers receiving Rav Bergman’s bracha for success in the upcoming elections and for their efforts to increase and sanctify the honor of Hashem.

{Matzav.com}

Hillary Clinton is returning to the national political conversation with a new podcast launching just weeks before the November midterm elections, joining journalist Kara Swisher for a limited series as Democrats attempt to regain control of Congress and challenge President Donald Trump’s agenda.

The former secretary of state and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee will co-host “High Stakes,” a new program scheduled to premiere Wednesday, October 14, with the November 3 elections approaching. The series will be produced in partnership with Vox Media and released as a weekly Wednesday addition to Swisher’s existing New York Magazine podcast, “On With Kara Swisher.”

According to Variety, Clinton’s arrangement with Vox Media includes a share of the advertising revenue generated by the new program. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.

The launch places Clinton back in the public spotlight at a politically significant moment, with Republicans defending their majorities in both the House and Senate and Democrats seeking congressional victories that could complicate Trump’s legislative priorities during the remainder of his second term.

In announcing the project, Clinton portrayed the approaching election as a consequential moment for both the United States and the international community.

“I don’t think the stakes for our country and the world have ever been higher than they are in November,” Clinton said in a statement distributed by Vox Media.

“People are hungry for real conversation about what’s happening in our democracy and what it will mean for their families, and I can’t think of a better partner for that than Kara,” she added. “There will be some discussion, some debate, and hopefully, a lot of laughter.”

Swisher, a veteran journalist known for her coverage of Silicon Valley, technology executives and political affairs, said the new series would give listeners an opportunity to hear Clinton’s views on current events and national issues.

She also used the announcement to make a joking comparison between her new collaboration with Clinton and her established podcast “Pivot,” which she ordinarily hosts alongside Scott Galloway.

“Think of this series [with Hillary Clinton] as ‘Pivot,’ but with an actual expert as my co-host,” Swisher quipped.

Describing what Clinton would bring to the program, Swisher said she is “a global icon, she doesn’t hold back, and she’s going to bring the audience an invaluable perspective.”

The two have previously worked together in the podcast format. Clinton appeared as a substitute co-host on “Pivot” when Galloway was absent, an experience that preceded the decision to develop a separate series.

Vox Media has promoted the new program as an opportunity to introduce audiences to a more informal and humorous side of the former Democratic presidential candidate.

In its announcement, the company described Swisher’s role as “drawing out the wickedly funny and sharp woman Americans may not have gotten to see before.”

Vox Media co-founder and chief executive Jim Bankoff welcomed Clinton to the company’s podcast lineup, presenting the arrangement as an important addition to its growing roster of political and cultural commentators.

“I’m immensely proud to bring Secretary Clinton — a hero to millions who has had a profound impact making the world a better place — to Vox Media as she embarks on this next chapter of her media career,” Bankoff said.

The program will address issues including inflation, health care, technology and the political battles surrounding control of Congress. Vox Media says the hosts intend to examine competing viewpoints, with the discussion continuing beyond Election Day to assess the results and their implications.

According to additional reporting, the weekly episodes are expected to continue through mid-November. Clinton, Swisher and Vox Media will share advertising proceeds, with the company handling production, distribution and advertising sales.

The idea for the collaboration reportedly emerged earlier this year during a gathering at the Washington home of David Bradley, the former owner of The Atlantic. Swisher began questioning Clinton about domestic politics and the war in Ukraine and was impressed by her responses.

Their subsequent appearance together on “Pivot” in August served as a trial run for the new arrangement.

Clinton has previously hosted her own interview podcast, “You and Me Both With Hillary Clinton,” which ran from 2020 until 2023. Since her unsuccessful presidential campaign in 2016, she has also written books, taught at Columbia University and worked as a producer on the Broadway musical “Suffs.”

In a separate interview discussing the new venture, Clinton sharply criticized the Trump administration and explained why she believes the congressional elections are particularly consequential.

“I don’t think the stakes for the country and the world could be any higher,” Clinton said. “If we don’t reverse this chaos and corruption and cruelty that is being visited upon us by this administration, we won’t recognize our country.”

The agreement with Clinton follows a major restructuring involving Vox Media’s properties. James Murdoch’s Lupa Systems recently acquired Vox Media’s podcast network, Vox.com and New York Magazine in a transaction reportedly valued at more than $300 million.

Vox Media has indicated that the Clinton-Swisher partnership may extend beyond the limited election series, although it has not announced specific additional projects.

Clinton has suggested that she would consider continuing the program after the midterms if it attracts a sufficiently large audience. She has also expressed a willingness to participate in advertising herself, although she indicated that she would be selective about the products she promotes.

The new series marks another public-facing role for Clinton, who served as first lady, U.S. senator from New York and secretary of state before becoming the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee in 2016. She lost that election to Trump in the Electoral College despite receiving more votes nationwide.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz warned Tuesday evening that Iran and terrorist organizations operating under its influence are attempting to orchestrate attacks against Israel in an effort to interfere with the country’s upcoming elections.

With Israelis scheduled to head to the polls on October 27, Katz said the defense establishment had identified efforts by Tehran and its allies to use terrorism to affect the political process. He warned that Israel would respond forcefully to any such attack, regardless of whether it occurred before or after Election Day.

The defense minister delivered his warning during a ceremony marking the inauguration of the Irgun Museum and the Altalena cannon.

“We are detecting attempts by our enemies, led by Iran and its proxies, to carry out terrorist attacks that would influence the results of the elections in Israel,” Katz said.

Katz urged Israelis to maintain a united position against external threats despite the political divisions accompanying the election campaign. He stressed that disagreements among political parties must not weaken the country’s determination to defend itself.

“In the face of these attempts, we must present a united front and send a clear message that political disagreements will not undermine our collective resolve against our enemies,” he said.

The defense minister also sought to make clear that the military and security establishment would continue operating according to Israel’s defense requirements, without allowing the election campaign or other political considerations to influence operational decisions.

“Together with the IDF and the security forces, we will act to defend the country at all times and wherever necessary. Decisions will be made according to security needs, without regard to any other considerations.”

Katz did not publicly identify which Iranian-backed organizations were involved in the alleged plans, nor did he provide details about potential targets, locations or the timing of any contemplated attacks. His warning nevertheless comes against the backdrop of Israel’s continuing confrontation with Iran and the network of armed organizations Tehran has supported throughout the Middle East.

Iran’s regional allies include Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza, the Houthis in Yemen and armed militias in Iraq. Israeli defense officials have long accused Tehran of supplying these organizations with financing, weapons and training, enabling them to threaten Israel from multiple fronts.

The ceremony at which Katz delivered his remarks also carried historical significance. The Altalena, an Irgun weapons ship that arrived off Israel’s coast in June 1948, became the center of a deadly confrontation between the newly established IDF and members of the Irgun, led by Menachem Begin.

The dispute over control of the ship’s weapons escalated into armed clashes that killed 16 Irgun members and three IDF soldiers. The vessel was struck by artillery fire off the Tel Aviv coast and burned before eventually being sunk at sea.

The ship’s remains were located in August 2026, nearly eight decades after the confrontation, bringing renewed attention to an episode that remains closely associated with the dangers of internal division.

The discovery has also become a subject of political debate ahead of the October 27 election, with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir both invoking Begin’s legacy in public appearances connected to the Altalena.

Against that historical backdrop, Katz used Tuesday’s ceremony to stress that Israel’s political disputes must not interfere with its security response to external threats.

He concluded by issuing an explicit warning that any attack against Israeli civilians or military personnel would bring severe consequences, irrespective of the election timetable.

“Let our enemies know: Anyone who attacks us, before or after the elections, and anyone who harms IDF soldiers or Israeli civilians will be dealt a crushing blow and will pay the heaviest price.”

{Matzav.com}

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman confronted New York Governor Kathy Hochul during Tuesday’s debate, accusing her of helping legitimize New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani despite what he described as the mayor’s role in encouraging antisemitism and hostility toward the Jewish community.

Blakeman, who is challenging Hochul in the November gubernatorial election, argued that the governor bears responsibility for the worsening climate facing Jewish New Yorkers, particularly because of her political alliance with Mamdani.

“Antisemitism is on the rise, and it’s occurred under your watch. And Zohran Mamdani is fueling it,” Blakeman declared.

.@NassauExec Bruce Blakeman: "Zohran Mamdani is an antisemite. The first thing he did as Mayor — with all the issues that face New York City — the first thing he did was sign an executive order to water down the definition of antisemitism." pic.twitter.com/XiVVDDbmlw

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 14, 2026

The Republican candidate pointed specifically to Mamdani’s decision to revoke an executive order concerning the definition of antisemitism shortly after becoming mayor, portraying the move as evidence of the administration’s misplaced priorities.

“The first thing he did as mayor with all the issues that face New York City, the first thing he did was sign an executive order to watered-down the definition of antisemitism,” Blakeman said, before adding, “Shame on you, mayor.”

Blakeman then turned his criticism directly toward Hochul, questioning why she continued to appear alongside Mamdani on the campaign trail despite their differences on issues involving Israel and the Jewish community.

“You are campaigning around the state with a guy who doesn’t believe in American values. He talks about collectivism. That means you take personal property rights away. You take other people’s property rights. This is a guy that’s anti-Christian,” Blakeman told the governor.

He went further, explicitly accusing the New York City mayor of antisemitism.

“Look, if you want to campaign with him, that’s fine. But I will tell you right now, I think Zohran Mamdani is an antisemite,” Blakeman said.

Mamdani’s record on Israel has been a source of controversy since before his election as mayor. His statements following the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre, including remarks made the following day, drew criticism from Jewish organizations and other political figures.

He also faced objections over his unwillingness to explicitly condemn the slogan “globalize the intifada”, which critics have argued promotes violence against Jews. Mamdani has maintained that his political positions should not be interpreted as hostility toward Jewish people.

The controversy continued after Mamdani took office. On his first day as mayor, he canceled several executive orders issued by his predecessor, Eric Adams, including measures addressing Israel and antisemitism.

Among the revoked directives was an order adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism for city government purposes. That definition includes certain examples of anti-Israel rhetoric that may constitute antisemitism, depending on the circumstances.

Blakeman’s remarks during the debate were directed at that decision, which critics have described as weakening the city’s response to anti-Jewish discrimination.

Mamdani also attracted criticism when he became the first New York City mayor to boycott the annual Israel Day Parade, departing from a longstanding tradition of mayoral participation in the event.

Hochul, meanwhile, has repeatedly emphasized her support for Israel, creating political tensions over her decision to endorse Mamdani during his mayoral campaign despite his controversial positions.

The governor has previously acknowledged concerns about Mamdani’s relationship with Jewish New Yorkers and said she urged him to make efforts to rebuild trust with the community.

In an August interview with The New York Times, Hochul suggested that Mamdani would be better served by concentrating on the practical responsibilities of running New York City rather than becoming embroiled in international political disputes.

Asked about the possibility that Mamdani’s comments concerning Israel could leave Jewish residents feeling alienated, Hochul urged him to prioritize the day-to-day concerns of New Yorkers.

“I encourage him to – ‘Let’s focus on blocking and tackling of city government,’” Hochul said, borrowing a phrase from football to describe the essential work of municipal leadership.

She identified affordable housing and child care as two major issues on which she and Mamdani could cooperate, notwithstanding their disagreements on Israel.

“That’s where I believe the main focus should be,” the governor said.

Hochul also insisted that she remained firmly committed to fighting anti-Jewish hatred, declaring that she would “throw my body against any antisemitism.”

The confrontation over Mamdani was part of a broader, contentious debate between Hochul and Blakeman, held Tuesday evening at Spectrum News NY1’s Manhattan studios. The hourlong encounter was the only scheduled debate between the two gubernatorial candidates ahead of the November 3 election.

Blakeman, who serves as Nassau County executive, also criticized Hochul over immigration enforcement, public safety and the cost of living, while the governor repeatedly challenged his ties to President Donald Trump.

The Republican candidate has made Mamdani’s policies and rhetoric a recurring theme of his campaign, arguing that Hochul’s political cooperation with the mayor raises questions about her willingness to confront antisemitism.

Just days before the debate, Blakeman met privately with chassidic leaders in Williamsburg, where he warned about the possibility of violent anti-Jewish disturbances and questioned whether city officials would adequately protect Jewish neighborhoods.

During Tuesday’s debate, moderators pressed him about those remarks. Blakeman identified the people he feared as protesters involved in earlier demonstrations at Columbia University and disruptions of bridges and roadways.

Mamdani, for his part, has rejected accusations that his criticism of Israel amounts to antisemitism. He has maintained that opposition to Israeli government policies must be distinguished from hostility toward Jews and has pledged to protect Jewish residents throughout the five boroughs.

His administration recently introduced an initiative aimed at combating antisemitism, including additional security funding for Jewish institutions, Holocaust education and violence-prevention programs. However, several major Jewish organizations criticized the proposal, arguing that it failed to address the relationship between anti-Israel rhetoric and hostility directed at Jewish New Yorkers.

The controversy intensified following Mamdani’s statement marking the third anniversary of the October 7 Hamas massacre. Although he condemned Hamas’s atrocities, he also accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, drawing objections from Jewish leaders and elected officials.

The debate unfolded as Hochul and Blakeman entered the final weeks of their campaigns, with polls showing differing assessments of the race. A recent Pollfinity survey placed Hochul ahead by three percentage points, while other polls, including surveys by Siena and Emerson College, indicated a considerably wider advantage for the incumbent.

Blakeman has continued to challenge Hochul’s record on antisemitism and public safety as he seeks to unseat the Democratic governor, while Hochul has defended her record and emphasized her opposition to anti-Jewish hatred.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu acknowledged Tuesday night that Egypt’s intelligence chief traveled to Israel less than two weeks before the October 7 Hamas massacre, but categorically denied meeting with him or receiving a warning from him about an impending attack.

The admission comes amid renewed scrutiny of reports that Egyptian officials attempted to alert Israel to an approaching security threat in the weeks and months preceding the massacre. Netanyahu maintained that he had no involvement in the September 26, 2023, visit by Abbas Kamel, who was then serving as Egypt’s intelligence director, and said he wants to establish exactly which Israeli officials met with the Egyptian visitor.

During an appearance on Channel 14’s “The Patriots” Tuesday evening, Netanyahu confirmed that an Egyptian aircraft had arrived in Israel shortly before the Hamas assault. However, he disputed suggestions that the visit included a meeting with him.

“Since when does an intelligence chief come and speak with a head of state? That has never happened, not even once. There’s no such thing,” Netanyahu said.

The prime minister called for the circumstances surrounding Kamel’s visit to be examined, saying security camera recordings should make it possible to determine whom the Egyptian intelligence chief encountered while in Israel.

“I want to know who he met with. There are cameras, there is footage, and I want to know the truth, because the truth is that I did not meet with him. Whoever met with him is trying to pin it on me,” he said.

Netanyahu’s comments follow a report published last month by The Atlantic alleging that Kamel arrived in Israel on September 26, 2023, carrying intelligence about a possible Hamas attack. According to that account, the Egyptian official conveyed his concerns to senior Israeli figures during the visit.

The Prime Minister’s Office rejected those allegations when they first emerged, dismissing the account as “a false and recycled claim intended to mislead the public.”

Subsequent reporting by The Wall Street Journal raised additional questions about what Israeli leaders knew before October 7. The newspaper reported that Kamel had spoken with Netanyahu by telephone in early October 2023 and warned him about the danger of an approaching attack.

That telephone conversation was described in the report as the third warning Egyptian officials had delivered concerning Hamas’s intentions.

The Wall Street Journal also reported that Egypt had communicated an earlier, more general warning in June 2023, several months before the massacre. According to the account, the initial message did not identify a specific attack plan or provide a timetable.

Another warning reportedly came from the United Arab Emirates. In September 2023, UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed was said to have informed Israel about indications that Hamas might be preparing an operation.

The reports suggest that Egyptian and Emirati concerns were prompted by changes in the behavior of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, as well as an increase in meetings involving terrorist organizations operating in Gaza. Intelligence officials reportedly interpreted those developments as signs that Hamas might be preparing a significant escalation.

However, the warnings were described as lacking precise operational information. They did not identify October 7 as the planned date of an attack, nor did they reveal the scope or methods of the assault that ultimately took place.

Additional reporting by The Atlantic indicates that Kamel’s September visit was unusually brief, lasting approximately one hour. The Egyptian intelligence chief reportedly met Israeli security officials at Ben Gurion Airport and urged measures, including economic concessions, that he believed might prevent a confrontation with Hamas.

The visit took place while senior Israeli officials were attending a ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War. Netanyahu said during Tuesday’s interview that he was participating in a memorial ceremony at the time and therefore had not met with Kamel.

The Atlantic’s investigation, based on interviews with officials from several countries and an examination of flight information, also described written warnings reportedly delivered to Israeli officials in the period immediately preceding the Hamas attack.

The Wall Street Journal’s subsequent account went further, alleging that Kamel personally contacted Netanyahu by telephone in the final days before October 7. Netanyahu has denied receiving such a warning, leaving a significant dispute between the prime minister’s account and the claims attributed to Egyptian and other officials.

The controversy has renewed demands for a comprehensive examination of the intelligence and decision-making failures that preceded the massacre. Opposition figures, including former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, have called for an independent state commission of inquiry to determine what warnings reached Israel’s political and security leadership and how they were handled.

Following Netanyahu’s Tuesday interview, Eisenkot sharply criticized the prime minister’s explanation, accusing him of dishonesty and describing him as being in “complete panic.”

Netanyahu, meanwhile, has continued to reject allegations that he was personally warned of the impending massacre, maintaining that responsibility for the intelligence failures must be examined within the security establishment.

His acknowledgment that Kamel was in Israel on September 26 establishes one element of the previously disputed reports. The identity of the Israeli officials who received the Egyptian intelligence chief, what information he conveyed to them, and whether those warnings ultimately reached Netanyahu remain unresolved.

{Matzav.com}