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Opposition Leader Yair Lapid launched a fierce broadside Tuesday night against the government’s latest version of the chok hagiyus, dismissing it outright as a “draft-dodging law.”

Lapid argued that Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu withdrew his planned statement on the matter simply because “Bibi ran away, because he knows we know the details of the law and he has no way to defend it.”

Lapid accused the government of orchestrating “a complete fraud,” claiming the bill is being controlled not by the IDF but by Shas leader Aryeh Deri and United Torah Judaism chairman Yitzchok Goldknopf. “This law is full of holes that were put there deliberately. No quotas, no sanctions, no enforcement,” Lapid insisted.

He said the Israeli public expects responsibility and fairness, but “instead gets yet another betrayal of the soldiers. When faced with a choice between the fighters and the draft-dodgers, Netanyahu chose the draft-dodgers and betrayed the fighters.”

Lapid also charged that the aim of the bill is “to restart the flow of money to the yeshivas,” and claimed that Israeli taxpayers are funding “60 billion shekels a year for draft-dodgers who don’t show up at the induction center.” The bill, he said, “disgraces the soldiers, the 920 who fell, and the 20,000 wounded,” vowing: “This law can’t be defended and it will not pass. We will stop it.”

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett likewise tore into the proposal, warning that the IDF is currently short 20,000 soldiers. According to Bennett, Israel faces only two realistic paths: “Either draft the chareidim or impose 120 reserve-duty days a year on reservists and destroy their lives.”

Bennett said the government is advancing legislation that “will block any chance of drafting chareidim. It’s Israel-bluff. It’s a fully political law. Its purpose is to funnel billions into a system that doesn’t enlist.”

He added bluntly, “This is a law written by Aryeh Deri. It’s a fully political law.”

{Matzav.com}

An unusual notice posted this week inside the Ponevezh Yeshiva dormitory in Bnei Brak has stirred conversation among the bochurim, as the yeshiva temporarily suspended its longstanding early-morning wake-up system amid internal tensions over daily schedules.

The dramatic message, which appeared on the dormitory door at the start of the week, informed students that the yeshiva’s designated vekker—the individual responsible for waking bochurim before Shacharis—would not be coming as of Monday “until further notice.”

In major yeshivos, the role of vekker is traditionally filled by a devoted bochur or yungerman appointed by the administration. His duty is to walk through the dorm rooms, and ensure the bochurim are up in time to begin the day properly.

Talmidim at Ponevezh were taken by surprise to discover that the yeshiva’s management has halted this system entirely. The notice instructed them to assume full personal responsibility for their mornings: “Everyone should make sure to wake himself—and his friends.” It concluded with the pointed message now echoed throughout the yeshiva: “Know that it depends on you alone.”

For now, Ponevezh has no officially appointed vekker. Typically, this is a respected and sought-after role entrusted to a standout bochur, but the position is currently open. Anyone interested in taking on the responsibility is expected to speak directly with the hanhalah.

{Matzav.com}

A coalition of ninety one-time House members is pushing congressional leadership to advance a comprehensive ban on individual stock ownership and trading by sitting lawmakers and their families. Their appeal, unveiled Tuesday, calls on Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to fast-track the Restore Trust in Congress Act and bring it to the floor this year.

Their message urges the House’s top Republican and Democrat to anchor the measure to any essential legislative package, insisting they “strongly recommend attaching this legislation to a ‘must pass’ package before the conclusion of the year.” The signatories span Democrats, Republicans, and independents, reflecting broad bipartisan agreement among those no longer in office.

The group described the bill as the culmination of years of efforts to rein in congressional stock trading, arguing that its adoption “would eliminate the persistent appearance of insider trading among members of Congress.” They pointed to the erosion of public confidence in Washington and referenced surveys showing that Americans across the political spectrum overwhelmingly back restrictions on stock trades by lawmakers.

Their letter also highlighted a Wall Street Journal review that documented a burst of trading activity by lawmakers and relatives in early April, shortly before markets dived following President Trump’s sweeping tariff move. They raised this as evidence of why tougher guardrails are overdue.

“As former members of Congress from both parties, we’re deeply committed to the ongoing health of our democracy and the institution of Congress,” the letter stated. It continued, “The American people understand that our elected lawmakers cannot be both the referee and the player – that presents a clear conflict of interest. Even the appearance of self-dealing does damage.”

The Restore Trust in Congress Act sets strict limits, barring legislators, their spouses, and dependent children from purchasing, holding, or selling individual stocks, securities, or futures—with a few narrow exceptions. Investments such as mutual funds, ETFs, municipal bonds, and treasuries would remain permitted.

Under the proposal, current lawmakers would be required to unwind any prohibited investments within 180 days of the bill becoming law. Newly elected members would have 90 days to divest. The legislation additionally empowers the legislative ethics office to impose tougher penalties and enforce compliance more aggressively.

{Matzav.com}

A fierce political and legal storm erupted again this week after Leon Panetta weighed in on allegations of a second U.S. strike on a suspected drug-smuggling vessel in the Caribbean. Speaking on CNN, Panetta did not mince words, insisting, “I don’t think there’s any question that that’s a war crime, if it happened in that way.” He emphasized that the matter now rests with congressional oversight, noting that “the Armed Services Committee in both the Senate and the House have indicated that they’re going to do a full investigation of this issue.”

Panetta continued by highlighting that Washington is bracing for differing interpretations of what occurred, especially after recent public comments by the president. “And I think that’s what’s needed, because, there’s obviously going to be a lot of different viewpoints, you heard what the president said. But, I think, ultimately it’s up to those committees to find out exactly what happened. And if it was a war crime, to make sure we hold people accountable,” he said.

The renewed pressure on the administration follows reports from CNN and The Washington Post that surfaced late last week, asserting that two survivors of an initial strike in September were killed in a subsequent U.S. attack. Lawmakers from both parties have since demanded clarity about what unfolded and who authorized the operation.

Against that backdrop, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly rejected the allegations, firing back at the reporting and accusing the media of distorting the facts. He blasted the coverage as “fake news,” setting off a wave of commentary across political circles.

Hegseth doubled down in a follow-up message posted on X, writing, “As usual, the fake news is delivering more fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory reporting to discredit our incredible warriors fighting to protect the homeland.” He insisted the mission parameters have been clear from the outset, stating, “As we’ve said from the beginning, and in every statement, these highly effective strikes are specifically intended to be ‘lethal, kinetic strikes.’ The declared intent is to stop lethal drugs, destroy narco-boats, and kill the narco-terrorists who are poisoning the American people. Every trafficker we kill is affiliated with a Designated Terrorist Organization.”

The controversy now moves to Capitol Hill, where committees will determine whether the operation was within legal boundaries—or whether, as Panetta suggested, the incident demands accountability at the highest levels.

{Matzav.com}

BREAKING: The Trump administration has officially halted all immigration and naturalization for people from 19 designated third-world countries — including migrants who already passed their citizenship tests and those who have entered the U.S. since January 20, 2021.

Talks between Russia and the U.S. on ending the nearly four-year war in Ukraine were constructive, but much work remains, Yuri Ushakov, a senior adviser to President Vladimir Putin, told reporters on Wednesday. Putin met U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner in the Kremlin in talks that began late Tuesday as part […]

AP projects James Solomon (D) has won the race for Jersey City, NJ mayor. He defeats ex-NJ governor Jim McGreevey (D)

The White House has opened sign-ups for “Trump accounts,” a new federal savings program under the Big Beautiful Bill that gives eligible children born between Jan. 1, 2025 and Dec. 31, 2028 a $1,000 government-funded deposit into a tax-deferred investment account. • Families and employers can add up to $5,000 a year (with up to […]

Guinness World Records has notified an Israeli nonprofit that it is refusing to review any new submissions from both Israel and the Palestinian territories, according to a Channel 12 report.

The revelation came after Matnat Chaim, an organization renowned for facilitating altruistic kidney donations, reached out to Guinness about a massive event it is preparing in Jerusalem. The group is working on assembling 2,000 kidney donors in a single location — a spectacle it hoped would earn recognition in the next edition of the record book.

What the organization expected to be a routine inquiry instead turned into a disappointment. As Channel 12 reported, officials at Guinness explained that they are currently declining entries from Israel as well as from Gaza and the West Bank, meaning the charity’s planned photo of the historic gathering would not even be considered.

Rachel Heber, who heads Matnat Chaim, expressed deep frustration over the decision. She told Channel 12, “Israel is leading the whole world in this wonderful revolution of mutual responsibility in altruistic kidney donations. The fact that Guinness refuses to include the Israeli achievement that astonished the entire medical world is unacceptable.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump used a routine Cabinet meeting Tuesday to launch an extraordinary barrage against Rep. Ilhan Omar, turning a discussion of Minnesota’s $1 billion Feeding Our Future fraud scandal into a broadside against one of his most frequent progressive antagonists and the Somali-American community she represents. Trump repeatedly branded Omar a “terrible person,” claiming […]

Tennessee Special Election – Early Results (TN-07) With 27% reporting, Trump-endorsed Republican Matt Van Epps leads with 57.2% (24,094 votes). Democrat Aftyn Behn has 41.3% (17,379 votes).

DRAMATIC RESCUE: First responders in West Virginia rescued a truck driver after his 18-wheeler skidded on a snow-slicked highway and went over the side of a bridge, leaving the cab suspended nearly 100 feet above the ground.

LAKEWOOD: A major Atzeres Tefillah will be held tonight on behalf of Mordechai ben Sarah Rina, who is set to be sentenced tomorrow and faces years in prison.

Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the DOJ Harmeet Dhillon today at the Israel Hayom Conference in Manhattan.

President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth revealed new details about a strike on an alleged drug boat in September that has sparked intense criticism and calls for investigations.

There were pictures all week — learning in the Churva, a siyum overlooking Har HaBayis, singing by the Kineret, groups moving together through Shilo, Har Gerizim, and Meron. But the photos only hinted at the real story. Behind every image was something deeper: nearly two hundred participants — representing tens of thousands who learn with […]

Syrian media reports that Syrian security forces thwarted an attempt to smuggle 1,250 landmines to Hezbollah. According to the reports, four local individuals involved in the smuggling attempt across the Syria–Lebanon border were arrested, and one additional suspect was neutralized during clashes with Syrian security forces.

A prominent Israeli charity says it has been abruptly shut out of Guinness World Records after the organization informed it that it is no longer accepting submissions from Israel or the Palestinian territories. According to Channel 12, the nonprofit Matnat Chaim, which has helped transform Israel into a global leader in altruistic kidney donations, contacted […]