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A federal judge has struck down a Trump administration policy that would have imposed a one-time $100,000 charge on companies seeking to hire foreign workers through the H-1B visa program, ruling that the fee exceeded the authority granted by Congress.

On Monday, U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin, who serves on the federal bench in Massachusetts, invalidated the administration’s effort to require employers to pay the substantial fee when sponsoring foreign H-1B workers. Sorokin concluded that the measure effectively functioned as a tax and therefore could not be imposed without explicit congressional approval.

In his ruling, the judge wrote, “… the Court finds that the Policy imposes a tax on H-1B petitions without the requisite delegation by Congress,” Sorokin wrote:

Accordingly, the Court VACATES the Policy materials implementing the Proclamation’s $100,000 payment requirement. In addition to vacatur, Plaintiffs seek a “judicial declaration that the Policy is unlawful in violation of the APA and the Constitution.” Defendants’ only objection to this requested relief is that “declaratory judgment alone would not redress Plaintiffs’ alleged injuries because . . . that judgment would not affect the Proclamation nor would it enjoin any future action.” But this concern is not applicable here, where the Court has also ordered vacatur of the challenged agency action. Therefore, the Court issues declaratory judgment. [Emphasis added]

The H-1B program permits American employers to recruit foreign professionals, most of them from India, for skilled white-collar positions in the United States. Each year, hundreds of thousands of such workers are employed through the visa category.

Critics of the program have long argued that major corporations use H-1B visas to reduce labor costs by replacing American workers with lower-paid foreign employees. Various studies have pointed to the program as a significant cost-saving mechanism for large companies.

For years, Breitbart News has reported on cases involving American professionals who lost their jobs and were subsequently required to train foreign workers brought in through the H-1B system before leaving their positions.

At any given time, approximately 650,000 H-1B visa holders are employed in the United States, according to estimates cited in the report.

President Trump announced the $100,000 fee last year as part of an effort to discourage businesses from relying heavily on foreign labor. The proposal immediately drew legal challenges from business groups and corporate organizations, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Supporters of the fee argued that it would make it more expensive for companies to replace American workers with lower-cost foreign labor. However, some corporate executives and visa recipients reportedly believed the policy contained loopholes that could have reduced its impact and allowed employers to continue utilizing the program with limited disruption.

{Matzav.com}

Former Obama adviser and CNN senior political commentator David Axelrod sharply criticized President Donald Trump on Monday, arguing that repeated claims of election fraud undermine public confidence in the American electoral system and raise concerns ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.

During an appearance on CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360,” Axelrod was asked about Trump’s latest allegations that elections are being manipulated and what those remarks could signal politically moving forward.

Cooper said, “Obviously, the not surprising the president’s making baseless claims, again, about voter fraud of rigged elections. What do you think this signals for the midterms?

Axelrod responded by saying that the central issue is not the claims themselves, which he said have become familiar, but the motivation behind them.

“Well, listen, I think this is the important question. We’ve heard this now for years and years and years. So it isn’t surprising. The question is why? Why is he saying it? First of all, let’s say it’s absurd to suggest that this was rigged in order to kick out the Republicans, the frontrunners both in the mayor and the governor’s race would love to run against the Republicans. It is a very Democratic state. It’s an even more Democratic city.”

Axelrod argued that Democratic candidates in California would likely prefer Republican opponents in statewide and local races, particularly because of Trump’s standing in the state.

“Their chances are much greater running against Republicans, partly because they’re endorsed by Donald Trump, who is so unpopular in California.”

The longtime Democratic strategist then defended the integrity of the U.S. electoral process, pointing to extensive scrutiny of recent elections and rejecting claims that widespread fraud has been uncovered.

“The election system of the United States isn’t among the most corrupt in the world, it is a model for the world. It is. We had the most scrutinized election ever in 2020, and no, no appreciable fraud was found. That should be a source of pride. And for him to run down the system and implant this notion in his followers that somehow, if you lose that the system must be rigged is a sin on the 250th year of our Declaration of Independence, that is a sin on our country.”

{Matzav.com}

Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen announced Monday that they are imposing what they described as a complete ban on Israeli-linked maritime traffic in the Red Sea, while warning that further military action against them or their allies would be met with intensified attacks.

In a statement released by the group, the Houthis declared that any vessels associated with Israel would now be considered potential targets.

“We consider all enemy movements to be legitimate military targets for our armed forces,” the Houthis warned.

The threat was accompanied by a pledge to increase military operations throughout the region if tensions continue to rise.

“Escalation will be met with escalation, and our operations will intensify in accordance with developments,” said Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, vowing to act “in coordination with the axis of jihad and resistance,” meaning Iran’s network of terrorist proxies across the Middle East.

Saree further stated that the group has no intention of ending its military campaign.

“Our operations will continue as long as the aggression and siege continue against us and against the axis of struggle and resistance,” he said.

The spokesman also claimed responsibility for missile attacks directed at central Israel, describing them as retaliation for Israeli military operations on multiple fronts.

Saree also stated that Houthi forces attacked central Israel with missiles, “in response to Israeli aggression against Lebanon, Iran, and Gaza.”

“The Yemeni armed forces have launched missiles at important targets of the Israeli enemy in the occupied Jaffa area, which were precisely hit,” he said. By “occupied Jaffa,” he meant the area around Tel Aviv.

The announcement mirrored actions taken by Iran, which launched missiles toward Israel following Israeli strikes against Hezbollah positions in Lebanon. Houthi missile launches triggered the first warning sirens heard in Israel on Monday morning, with additional barrages later arriving from Iran.

The Houthis previously targeted commercial shipping in the Red Sea during the Gaza conflict between 2023 and 2025, forcing many vessels to abandon the route and travel around southern Africa instead, dramatically increasing shipping costs and transit times. Since the launch of Operation Epic Fury by the United States and Israel against Iran in late February, the group has repeatedly threatened to resume those attacks but had not acted until now.

In March, the Houthis also threatened to disrupt maritime traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s most important shipping corridors connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.

The waterway has become increasingly important for global energy markets since Iran shut down the Strait of Hormuz. Oil tankers, particularly those carrying Saudi crude, have increasingly relied on the Bab el-Mandeb route because Saudi Arabia can redirect much of its oil exports to the Red Sea through an existing pipeline network.

Data from shipping analytics firm Kpler indicates that oil shipments passing through the Bab el-Mandeb rose sharply between February and April, climbing from 3.9 million barrels per day to 7.2 million barrels per day.

Farea al-Muslimi, a research fellow at Chatham House, told The New York Times that the Houthis would not need a sustained campaign to disrupt the route.

“They can just send a signal and only one attack has to happen – and that will send a shock across insurance companies,” he said.

Looking ahead, al-Muslimi suggested that both major regional shipping chokepoints could face simultaneous disruption.

“I won’t be surprised now if you have a joint lockdown of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab,” he predicted.

{Matzav.com}

A massive new bridge linking the United States and Canada is expected to open within days, moving forward despite earlier warnings from President Donald Trump that he might prevent the project from entering service.

Officials overseeing the project said Monday that the $4.7 billion Gordie Howe International Bridge remains on schedule for its long-awaited debut. A formal ribbon-cutting ceremony is anticipated later this week, according to a source familiar with the plans, while media reports in Detroit indicate traffic could begin crossing the bridge as soon as June 15.

The project attracted political attention earlier this year when Trump suggested he could block its opening. In February, he pointed to several disputes with Canada — including restrictions on certain American alcoholic products, Canadian dairy tariffs, and Ottawa’s trade discussions with China — as reasons he might withhold approval.

Neither the Canadian Embassy in Washington nor representatives for Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer offered comment on the latest developments. The White House also did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

A spokesperson for the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority said work is advancing smoothly toward an opening by June 21, describing the crossing as “which will be a vital economic link between the two countries.”

Construction on the bridge began in 2018. Canada financed the project after the United States declined to contribute funding, with the investment expected to be recouped through toll revenue collected over the next three decades.

At a Senate hearing last week, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin indicated that federal preparations are complete, telling lawmakers the department was “good to go” when it comes to staffing the new crossing.

The bridge is expected to reduce congestion at the nearby Ambassador Bridge, currently the busiest commercial crossing between the United States and Canada. As of 2023, trucks moving through that corridor transported approximately $126 billion worth of goods.

According to a study conducted by the University of Windsor, the new crossing could shorten border transit times by roughly 20 minutes and generate an estimated $2.3 billion in savings for the trucking industry over a 30-year period.

Trump has repeatedly clashed with Canada during his second term, threatening a variety of trade and economic measures against America’s northern neighbor while imposing significantly higher tariffs.

In January, Trump warned that Canada could face a 100% tariff if it proceeded with a trade agreement involving China.

That same month, he also threatened action against Canada’s aerospace sector, saying the United States would decertify certain Bombardier aircraft and impose 50% tariffs on all Canadian-made planes unless Ottawa approved several aircraft produced by Gulfstream, an American competitor. The dispute was later resolved after Canada certified some of the U.S.-manufactured planes, prompting Trump to withdraw the threat.

{Matzav.com}

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Vice President JD Vance made clear Monday that while the United States and Israel remain close allies with many shared goals, the Trump administration’s policy toward Iran will ultimately be guided by what it views as America’s own strategic interests.

During an interview with Fox News host Jesse Watters, Vance stressed the strong partnership between Washington and Jerusalem but acknowledged that the two nations do not always see every issue the same way.

“The Israelis and the United States, we have a lot of shared interests.”

“But we also have some situations where our interests diverge, and I think where the president has been very clear here is that while Israel obviously has some objectives that it has, the United States’ main objective in Iran is to ensure that Iran does not have a nuclear weapon,” he added.

Vance argued that developments over the past year and a half have positioned the administration to pursue what it believes could become a lasting solution to the Iranian nuclear challenge.

“Over the last year and a half, we’ve created the space necessary where the president believes – and I think he’s right – that we can get a long-term settlement to Iran’s nuclear issue,” Vance said.

He emphasized that Washington intends to continue pursuing that objective regardless of whether Israeli leaders fully support the approach.

“Now, Israel may like that, they may not like that, but fundamentally, we think this is in the best interest of the United States of America,” he said, adding that Washington will continue pursuing that goal because “that’s what the president of the United States was elected to do.”

Earlier Monday, President Trump predicted that the United States would soon achieve what he described as a decisive outcome in its confrontation with Iran.

Trump made the remarks during a telephone rally held in support of Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).

“Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, and it’s as simple as that. They cannot have, the destruction is so powerful, they cannot have a nuclear weapon. And Lindsey has been fighting with me all the way, all the way for that,” Trump said.

“We’ve been a very tough team, and I think we are winning that battle, but you’re really going to win it over the next two weeks when we declare total victory. It’ll be a total victory. It’ll happen very soon. And oil prices will come tumbling down,” he added.

Trump’s remarks marked a notable shift from comments he made only days earlier, when he expressed optimism that negotiations with Tehran were progressing and suggested a breakthrough could be imminent.

“I hear the negotiations with Iran are going very well. If a deal happens with Iran it could be done over the weekend,” Trump told reporters last Wednesday, adding that Iran is “close” to signing the papers.

The president also said he expects Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium to be transferred to the United States and indicated that such a move could occur in the near future.

However, senior Iranian officials have offered a far less optimistic assessment of the diplomatic effort. Speaking to CNN on Friday, Mohsen Rezaei, a senior military adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, said negotiations with Washington have stalled.

Rezaei asserted that “the negotiations are at a deadlock and (US President Donald) Trump must break this deadlock,” adding that “the ball is in Trump’s court.”

{Matzav.com}

A dramatic behind-the-scenes confrontation between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu led Israel to cancel a much larger military operation against Iran, according to a Ynet report published Monday evening, which details a day marked by intense coordination, conflicting public messages, and significant pressure from Washington.

According to sources cited in the report, Israeli officials had prepared plans for a far broader attack on Iranian targets. However, Trump reportedly intervened at the last moment after concluding that a major Israeli response could ignite a wider regional conflict and undermine ongoing efforts to reach an agreement with Tehran.

The report further claims that, despite public statements suggesting otherwise, Trump was aware in advance of Israel’s strike in Beirut’s Dahieh district, which was followed by Iran’s missile attack on Israel. Sources familiar with the matter said Trump had initially given Netanyahu approval to target Beirut if Israeli communities came under attack. They maintain that later suggestions that the president had no prior knowledge of the operation do not fully reflect what occurred behind the scenes. The same sources also contend that the claim that Trump was completely unaware Israel would strike during the night does not reflect the full picture.

According to Ynet, the IDF provided U.S. Central Command with detailed briefings on the operation, including the intended targets. American officials reportedly believed Israel planned only a limited strike in Dahieh designed to send a deterrent message to Hezbollah and the Lebanese government before bringing the operation to a close. Trump is said to have retired for the night believing the Israeli action would remain narrowly focused and would not trigger a broader regional crisis.

That assessment reportedly changed early the next morning when American officials learned Israel was considering a much more substantial operation against targets inside Iran itself. At that point, Washington became concerned that Israel might retaliate for Iran’s missile attack and developments in Lebanon by expanding the campaign against strategic Iranian assets. One source familiar with the discussions said White House officials feared Netanyahu was effectively attempting to alter the regional security landscape in a way that could derail prospects for a diplomatic agreement with Iran.

Trump then reportedly spoke directly with Netanyahu. According to the report, the president warned the prime minister that if Israel launched a large-scale attack on Iran, it would do so without American backing. Netanyahu, meanwhile, argued that a response was necessary following the Iranian missile fire and cautioned that failing to act would weaken Israeli deterrence. While Trump acknowledged Israel’s desire to retaliate, he insisted that any response remain limited and carefully calibrated to avoid triggering a broader war with Tehran.

Israeli defense officials had already finalized plans for a much larger operation than the one ultimately carried out. The proposed mission reportedly involved dozens of fighter jets striking multiple targets throughout Iran. Following the conversation with Trump, however, Netanyahu informed security officials that the operation would have to be shelved. The IDF subsequently canceled planned strikes that had been scheduled for later in the day and overnight, bringing the operation to an end much sooner than Israeli planners had anticipated.

According to Ynet, many officials in Jerusalem were left frustrated by the outcome. Some believed the circumstances presented an opportunity to impose a significant cost on Iran, particularly after Tehran attempted to establish a new deterrence formula under which Israeli operations in Lebanon would trigger direct Iranian attacks on Israel. Those officials viewed the halted operation as a missed chance to demonstrate that such a strategy would carry serious consequences.

The report also states that Iran moved quickly to take advantage of the situation. Understanding that Trump’s primary objective was preventing a broader regional war while preserving the possibility of a nuclear agreement, Tehran announced early in the day that it was prepared to cease military operations. That declaration reportedly gave Trump the opening he needed to pressure Netanyahu into ending the Israeli response and preventing further escalation.

Ynet concluded that the events surrounding the past 24 hours underscored the limits of Israel’s military freedom of action when the United States opposes escalation. While both governments may publicly emphasize close cooperation, the report argues that it was ultimately Trump who set the boundaries and determined how far Israel could go.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump declared Monday that the United States is on the verge of achieving what he called a “total victory” over Iran, predicting that the outcome would become clear within the next two weeks and insisting that Tehran will never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.

Trump made the remarks during a telephone rally held in support of Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), where he highlighted the administration’s stance toward Iran and praised Graham for standing with him on the issue.

“Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, and it’s as simple as that. They cannot have, the destruction is so powerful, they cannot have a nuclear weapon. And Lindsey has been fighting with me all the way, all the way for that,” Trump said.

“We’ve been a very tough team, and I think we are winning that battle, but you’re really going to win it over the next two weeks when we declare total victory. It’ll be a total victory. It’ll happen very soon. And oil prices will come tumbling down,” he added.

Earlier in the day, Trump expressed confidence that the recent confrontation between Israel and Iran would not reignite.

During an exchange with Sky News U.S. correspondent James Matthews, the president was asked, “If Netanyahu goes back to war with Iran, will you be with him?”

The President replied, “I don’t think it’ll happen. It’s all working out very well. Iran is doing what they have to do; I don’t think that’s going to happen, ok?”

Trump’s comments followed a tense overnight period in which Iran violated the ceasefire by launching missiles toward northern Israel, prompting an Israeli military response against targets inside Iran.

In response to the renewed violence, Trump publicly demanded an immediate halt to hostilities.

“Israel and Iran must immediately stop ‘shooting,'” Trump wrote on social media.

A senior Israeli official later indicated that Jerusalem had agreed to suspend further retaliatory attacks against Iran following a request from Trump. According to the official, Israeli leaders believe the latest chapter of the conflict with Iran has effectively come to an end.

At the same time, the official stressed that Israeli operations against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon would continue unabated in the days ahead.

He further emphasized that Israel would continue striking Beirut’s Dahieh district if attacks against Israeli communities and civilians persist.

Trump also revealed details of a recent conversation with Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu, telling Channel 12 News that he urged caution regarding any additional military escalation with Iran.

According to Trump, he warned Netanyahu that a broader regional war could eventually leave Israel confronting Iran without direct American support. The president said he advised the Israeli leader to carefully weigh future military decisions, cautioning that further escalation could result in Israel having to face Tehran largely on its own.

President Trump’s border czar Tom Homan says the administration is preparing a major expansion of immigration enforcement operations in New York City, warning that residents will soon see more ICE agents than ever before following the passage of new sanctuary-state restrictions signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Homan renewed his pledge Monday to dramatically increase the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel in the city, arguing that recent legislation enacted by Hochul and Democratic lawmakers has made it more difficult for federal authorities to cooperate with local agencies.

“I made her a promise, you’re going to see more ICE agents than you’ve ever seen in New York City, and it’s coming,” Homan said during an interview with “Fox and Friends.”

“I just reviewed an operational plan. I’m not going to tell you exactly when it’s going to happen, but it’s coming,” he said on Fox News.

Homan said the administration intends to follow through on its warning, contending that the state’s new policies have eliminated what he views as safer and more efficient ways of carrying out immigration arrests.

“I’m keeping my promise, we’re going to send more ICE agents to New York because you took away the efficiencies of safer arrests at county jails.”

According to Homan, he previously advised Hochul that if federal immigration officers lose access to local jail facilities, they will be forced to locate suspects elsewhere.

He argued that such operations become more disruptive when they take place in neighborhoods rather than within secure detention facilities.

“If we can work with the sheriff’s and arrest the bad guy in the safety and security of the jail, that means less teams into the neighborhoods, which causes a lot of panic, a lot of problems,” Homan said.

“Now we gotta send a whole team to find this person who doesn’t want to be found.”

Continuing his criticism of the governor, Homan said, “I told her it’s safer for the community, it’s safer for the officers, it’s safer for the aliens to have these cooperations with the jails. She signed the legislation anyway.”

The legislation signed by Hochul in late May significantly limits cooperation between local law enforcement agencies and federal immigration officials. Among other provisions, it bars most forms of police collaboration with immigration authorities, restricts ICE activity in many public locations, including hospitals and parks, and limits the use of face coverings by federal agents during enforcement operations.

Hochul pushed back against Homan’s remarks Monday, arguing that the administration’s approach differs from what President Trump personally told her regarding immigration enforcement in New York.

The governor said Trump previously assured her during a private meeting that additional federal agents would not be deployed to the city without her request.

“I’m not asking now – that’ll never happen,” Hochul stressed during an unrelated press conference in Manhattan.

“I want to make sure that we keep this city safe. As someone who used to live in this city, who has properties here, has friends here, I would think that the president, a former New Yorker, would understand we want to all keep this city safe.”

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani also criticized the prospect of increased immigration enforcement, condemning ICE operations and reiterating his long-standing opposition to the agency.

“We have heard time and again threats of increases in immigration enforcement across our city. I want to be very clear about the fact that I believe that ICE raids are cruel; they are inhumane; [and] they do nothing to serve in the interest of public safety,” he told reporters.

“I’ve shared that directly with the president [and] I’ve shared that in public,” Mamdani noted. “It is a feeling that many New Yorkers share and I also do believe that ICE as an entity is one that should be abolished and that we should return to an immigration system that has more humanity at the heart of it.”

Hochul had pledged earlier this year to further limit ICE activity in New York following incidents in which immigration agents fatally shot two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis.

In January, the governor proposed ending agreements that allow local correctional facilities to hold detainees on behalf of federal immigration authorities. One of the most significant remaining partnerships currently exists in Nassau County under County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican ally of President Trump who is seeking to challenge Hochul in November.

The newly enacted law also prohibits what supporters describe as information-sharing with immigration authorities, including situations in which local officers alert ICE that an undocumented immigrant may be in custody.

Republican lawmakers strongly opposed the legislation, arguing that it goes too far in limiting cooperation with federal authorities. Despite those objections, the measure passed both houses of the state legislature.

Although Homan has repeatedly threatened to increase immigration enforcement throughout New York if sanctuary-state legislation became law, no large-scale deployment has yet occurred.

For her part, Hochul has continued to oppose any expansion of ICE operations within the state.

“All I’ll say to Mr. Homan is Donald Trump himself said he would not send a surge of ICE agents to the state of New York, unless I asked,” Hochul said in May.

“I’m not asking.”

The governor also rejected claims that New York has become a sanctuary for criminals, arguing that the legislation is intended to keep local law enforcement focused on public safety issues within their communities.

“I have a right to protect every single New Yorker,” she said, telling ICE: “do your job somewhere else.”

“In New York, our local police need to be focused on local crimes not filling up our jails with people who ICE had taken off streets, out of our schools, out of our pizzerias, out of our homes, and I’m not going to be part of that,” Hochul continued.

“So we’ll help you with the criminals – always have, always will – but we’re not going to be helping with civil immigration enforcement. I think that’s a common sense approach.”

Despite months of public tension, sharp rhetoric, and apparent political estrangement, United Torah Judaism chairman Yitzchok Goldknopf and senior Gerer askan Motty Babchik held a private meeting with Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu on Sunday night, according to a report published Monday.

The previously undisclosed meeting took place just hours before the IDF announced preparations for a potential Iranian missile attack, at a time when relations between the chareidi parties and the prime minister have been strained by the ongoing dispute over the draft law.

Sources familiar with the matter said that Goldknopf and Babchik met Netanyahu at the Prime Minister’s Office in Yerushalayim, where the three held an extended discussion behind closed doors.

According to the report, Goldknopf used the meeting to express frustration over what he described as unfulfilled commitments regarding legislation addressing the status of yeshiva students.

“We left because you promised the Gerrer Rebbe a draft law and did not keep that promise. We are waiting for you to keep your word,” Goldknopf reportedly told the prime minister.

Netanyahu responded by asking, “You want us to pass the law now?”

The conversation also reportedly touched on the recent controversy surrounding Babchik’s departure from the Housing Ministry.

According to those familiar with the discussion, Goldknopf challenged Netanyahu directly, saying, “This is not how friends treat one another. Why did you demand that Babchik be fired from the Housing Ministry?”

Netanyahu replied, “I did not demand that he be fired.”

The meeting has attracted attention because of the highly visible rift that has developed in recent months between elements of the chareidi leadership and the prime minister over the draft law issue and other coalition disputes.

A source in the Prime Minister’s Office who learned of the meeting said that officials there were surprised to see the two visitors return after such a lengthy period of apparent distance.

“We were surprised by this meeting. This pair has not set foot here for a very long time. It is a significant event that they are meeting with the prime minister after many months of public estrangement.”

However, associates of Goldknopf downplayed the significance of the encounter, insisting that the meeting was merely a chance interaction rather than a planned political summit.

Whether incidental or deliberate, the meeting is likely to fuel speculation about ongoing behind-the-scenes efforts to bridge differences between Netanyahu and key chareidi leaders as the coalition continues to grapple with the increasingly contentious draft law debate.

Senior figures in the chareidi political establishment are expressing outrage ahead of a series of government decisions expected to be approved Tuesday, accusing Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich of directing substantial funding to sectors he represents while chareidi families face mounting financial pressures and budget cuts.

According to senior officials in United Torah Judaism, the planned allocations amount to a severe blow to the Torah world and come at a time when kollelim, yeshivos, and thousands of Torah families are grappling with reduced government support and other economic challenges.

“This is a slap in the face to the Torah world from those who are supposedly its natural partners,” senior UTJ sources said.

While chareidi avreichim and yeshiva students continue to face what community leaders describe as wave after wave of financial decrees—including cuts in funding and the loss of daycare subsidies—critics argue that government resources remain readily available for other sectors.

Draft government resolutions scheduled for approval this week reportedly include large-scale funding initiatives estimated in the billions of shekels for projects in communities throughout Yehudah and Shomron. The plans include financing for temporary housing sites, infrastructure development, and expanded budgets for settlement-related agencies.

Particularly controversial among chareidi leaders is a separate proposal involving educational funding.

According to critics, the government intends to increase the value of funding formulas benefiting institutions affiliated with the Religious Zionist community, including yeshivos hesder and pre-military academies located in priority regions.

For years, chareidi representatives fought to prevent disparities between funding provided to yeshivos hesder and traditional chareidi yeshivos. Critics now contend that this longstanding principle is being abandoned.

The most contentious element, according to opponents, is that while funding levels for many chareidi institutions have declined, Religious Zionist institutions could receive substantial increases.

“One Torah world is collapsing while another Torah world is receiving a blank check,” one critic charged.

UTJ officials argue that the latest decisions should be viewed in the broader context of what they describe as a pattern of hostility toward the chareidi community.

A senior party figure pointed to Smotrich’s decision in recent months to boycott a vote on legislation concerning daycare subsidies, a measure considered critical by many working chareidi families.

“That vote could have saved thousands of families from economic collapse, but Smotrich chose to ignore his ‘natural partners’ and boycott an issue that was enormously important to us,” the official said.

Critics also pointed to Smotrich’s opposition to proposed legislation designed to protect the status of full-time Torah learners.

“The same finance minister who is advancing enormous budgets for yeshivos hesder and the settlement enterprise is simultaneously opposing legislation meant to safeguard those whose Torah study is their occupation,” another senior chareidi figure complained.

Additional tensions have emerged following Smotrich’s criticism of chareidi lawmakers who visited yeshiva students imprisoned over draft-related issues.

“At a time when the Jewish people are burying heroic soldiers and comforting bereaved families, chareidi members of Knesset are living in a parallel universe and visiting draft evaders in military prison,” Smotrich wrote on X.

“What a disgrace. What a lack of awareness. What detachment and insensitivity,” he added.

The dispute has also triggered criticism of the chareidi parties themselves.

Some figures within the community are questioning why Shas and United Torah Judaism lawmakers have not mounted a stronger public fight against the planned allocations and policy changes.

“They see Smotrich’s party receiving everything—billions for settlements, increased budgets for its yeshivos, and at the same time a complete refusal to uphold coalition commitments regarding daycare legislation and Torah study protections,” one senior party official said.

According to the source, the silence of chareidi representatives has fueled frustration among voters who expected a more forceful response.

“Have our public representatives fallen asleep on the job?” the official asked. “How long will the chareidi public remain a punching bag while tax revenues are used to finance the growth of an entirely different sector?”

The same source argued that while responsibility rests with all party leaders, particular frustration has been directed at lawmakers perceived as maintaining cooperative relationships with coalition partners despite the growing tensions.

“I’m not removing blame from any of our representatives—everyone bears responsibility, especially the party leaders,” the official said. “But it is especially frustrating to see the cooperation of some of our MKs, including those lower on the party list, such as Yaakov Asher and others, who do not seem to understand the magnitude of the moment. I hope they wake up as quickly as possible.”

Underlying the dispute is a broader concern about a range of economic measures affecting chareidi households.

Community leaders point to the loss of daycare subsidies, reductions in kollel stipends, and additional costs related to housing, municipal taxes, electricity, and public transportation.

According to estimates cited by critics, an average chareidi family earning approximately 15,000 shekels per month could lose as much as 9,500 shekels in monthly benefits and support through various policy changes.

Housing policy has become another flashpoint. Opponents argue that recent decisions by the Housing Ministry increasingly link eligibility for housing benefits to military service, creating new barriers for many members of the chareidi community.

Against that backdrop, critics say the government’s decision to direct billions of shekels toward projects associated with the Religious Zionist sector has only intensified feelings of resentment and abandonment within parts of the chareidi public.

As one senior source put it, “The contrast speaks for itself.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu’s efforts to ease growing tensions with the chareidi parties have encountered a significant setback, after members of Degel HaTorah reportedly declined a request to meet with him amid the ongoing dispute over the draft law.

According to a report, Netanyahu recently sought to arrange a meeting with Degel HaTorah lawmakers in an attempt to reduce friction between the government and the chareidi factions and explore possible understandings regarding legislation governing the status of yeshiva students.

However, the lawmakers were reportedly instructed not to participate in such a meeting.

“Do not meet with him. There is no point,” the MKs were reportedly told, reflecting what sources described as deep frustration with the prime minister and a growing belief that little progress has been made on issues of central concern to the chareidi community.

While his outreach to Degel HaTorah appears to have stalled, Netanyahu continued efforts to repair relationships elsewhere within the chareidi political camp.

On Sunday night, the prime minister held a private meeting with United Torah Judaism chairman Yitzchok Goldknopf and his close associate, Motty Babchik, amid months of political and personal tensions between the sides.

According to sources familiar with the discussion, Netanyahu urged the two men to move beyond previous disputes and focus on preserving the broader right-wing coalition ahead of future elections.

“We need to preserve the right-wing bloc and win the elections,” Netanyahu reportedly told them.

Goldknopf and Babchik, however, used the meeting to raise their grievances with the prime minister, including allegations that he had sought Babchik’s removal from his position in the Housing Ministry following public criticism of Netanyahu.

The meeting was reportedly arranged through Rivka Paluch at the request of Netanyahu’s chief of staff, Ido Norden.

Meanwhile, another significant development took place Monday evening when Degel HaTorah chairman MK Moshe Gafni was seen leaving an extended meeting with the prime minister at his office.

The substance of that discussion has not been disclosed.

{Matzav.com}

The battle for second place in Los Angeles’ mayoral election took a dramatic turn Monday as Democratic Socialist Nithya Raman expanded her advantage over reality television personality Spencer Pratt, while incumbent Mayor Karen Bass maintained a commanding lead at the top of the field.

Updated election results showed Raman with 28.5% of the vote, totaling 229,576 ballots cast in her favor. That placed her roughly 22,000 votes ahead of Pratt, who stood at 25.83%, or 207,757 votes.

Meanwhile, Bass continued to dominate the contest, capturing 34.3% of all votes counted, for a total of 375,992 ballots.

Despite slipping into third place, Pratt urged supporters not to give up, arguing that a large number of votes remain uncounted.

“Folks, we’re dealing with a fraction of a percentage point difference. There’s still hundreds of thousands of votes outstanding, and LA officials have given us the next three weeks to count!” Pratt said.

“Let’s git-r-dun!” he added.

Early returns had placed Pratt ahead of Raman and firmly in second place behind Bass. However, as election officials continued processing ballots from some of Los Angeles’ more progressive neighborhoods, Raman steadily gained ground and eventually moved ahead.

The prolonged counting process has reignited criticism of California’s election system, where final results often remain uncertain for days or even weeks after voters head to the polls.

Under California law, ballots are considered valid so long as they are postmarked by Election Day, allowing additional votes to arrive and be counted after the election has officially concluded. As a result, the total number of outstanding ballots is often not immediately known.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized California’s election procedures, describing them as “crooked.” Last week, a federal prosecutor was reportedly sent to observe operations at the Los Angeles County ballot-counting center, while Trump stated that the California primary election was “under investigation” by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

County election officials defended the process, emphasizing that accuracy takes precedence over speed.

“California law prioritizes counting every valid ballot, not just the fastest ballots,” a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Registrar told The California Post.

{Matzav.com}

California political heavyweights Gavin Newsom and Kamala Harris may project unity in public, but reports suggest a long-simmering rivalry is intensifying as both emerge as leading contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028.

According to those familiar with the relationship, tensions between the two prominent Democrats have been building for years and could erupt into a bruising showdown if both ultimately enter the race for the White House. One adviser previously described the potential clash as a political “murder-suicide,” reflecting concerns that a bitter contest could damage both candidates.

The rivalry has reportedly been fueled by a series of personal and political grievances, including competition over memoir sales, perceived slights, and Harris’ recent decision not to seek California’s governorship despite widespread speculation that she could have easily secured the office.

Both Harris and Newsom currently rank among the leading names in early Democratic polling for 2028, setting the stage for what could become their first direct political confrontation since launching their careers in San Francisco more than two decades ago.

“They’ve been kind of like two cats, circling each other in an alley for years, politically speaking,” Democratic strategist Garry South, who worked for Newsom, told the Wall Street Journal.

Sources said the friction became more visible when both politicians released books within months of one another and closely tracked their respective sales figures.

According to reports, Harris’ memoir, “107 Days,” released in September, has sold approximately 385,000 copies, while Newsom’s “Young Man in a Hurry,” published in February, has surpassed 100,000 copies.

One Newsom ally told The Post that the governor was “p—ed off” and “very hurt” by a passage in Harris’ book recounting an exchange after Joe Biden exited the presidential race. In the memoir, Harris described reaching out to Newsom for support and receiving a brief response.

“Hiking. Will call back,” Newsom reportedly texted.

According to Newsom’s allies, the governor believed the anecdote portrayed him unfairly, particularly because he had campaigned aggressively on Harris’ behalf and delivered a high-profile introduction for her at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

The strain reportedly intensified after Harris opted against running for governor of California while continuing to leave the door open to another presidential campaign.

“She knew he was going to run for president,” the source close to Newsom told The Post. “What he was hoping she would do is have the common sense to run for governor.”

Harris acknowledged in April that she “might” seek the presidency in 2028, while Newsom has indicated he expects to make a final decision after the November midterm elections.

The political histories of both figures are deeply tied to former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, who played a significant role in advancing their careers. Brown appointed Newsom to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1997 and, after briefly dating Harris in the mid-1990s, helped open doors that eventually contributed to her rise to district attorney.

Brown has made little effort to hide his skepticism regarding Harris’ prospects in a future presidential race.

“[Harris’] failure, once she ran for president with the ticket of Biden, was an ultimate disaster,” Brown said in an interview. “And then her book did not enhance in any way that failure.”

A source close to Harris rejected suggestions that the passage about Newsom was intended as an attack, arguing that the book merely documented events as they occurred.

“All of the chronicling of what people said that day — she didn’t editorialize,” the source told The Post.

“There are a lot of things in [Harris’] book that people were rightfully like, ‘Whoa.’”

Newsom supporters, however, offered a far less charitable assessment, characterizing Harris as someone who does not easily let go of grievances, a reputation they claim dates back to her years as San Francisco’s district attorney while Newsom served as mayor.

{Matzav.com}

A Manhattan accountant who survived Sunday’s shocking stabbing spree inside Penn Station said the attacker appeared intent on killing, recalling that the suspect had “rage in his eyes” as he launched a sudden and unprovoked assault that left five people injured.

“He went at me to kill me! I saw the rage in his eyes,” Henry Obadiah, 60, who lives in Midtown and was returning home from Long Branch, New Jersey, told The Post as he described the terrifying attack.

According to Obadiah, he unexpectedly found himself in the path of the alleged assailant, identified by law enforcement sources as 51-year-old Hector Deleon. As he approached the station, he noticed what appeared to be a struggle involving two individuals.

“The crazy guy locked his eyes on me and just roundhoused me! Clocked me right in the face and I was like, ‘What…?’ And I heard the guy on the escalator say, ‘He’s got a knife! He’s got a knife!’”

At first, Obadiah did not realize he had been cut.

“I didn’t realize I had just been slashed in the face,” he recalled.

Believing he had only been punched, he continued moving until he noticed blood and checked his reflection on his phone.

“I thought he just punched me. I felt my lip got busted and I saw the blood, but I took a look into my phone and saw the big cut in my face and I just ran up to the cop and said, ‘I just got attacked,’” he said.

Obadiah was among five people who were stabbed or slashed during the violent outburst, which erupted around 7 p.m. inside the crowded Midtown transportation hub.

FDNY officials said the attack left one victim seriously injured, two suffering moderate wounds, and two others with less severe injuries.

According to sources, in addition to Obadiah’s facial wound, two other victims — ages 52 and 60 — sustained cuts to their necks.

Authorities said a 30-year-old man and a 42-year-old tourist were also injured during the incident.

After informing officers that he believed he could identify the suspect, Obadiah accompanied police through the station and followed what he described as a substantial trail of blood leading toward the New Jersey Transit boarding area. There, he encountered another victim, apparently in his twenties, sitting on the ground with a towel pressed against a heavily bleeding head injury while bystanders attempted to help.

“The paramedics showed up shortly thereafter. While they were telling me that they should take me to the hospital, all these cops started running past and screaming, ‘He stabbed someone else! He stabbed someone else!’”

Law enforcement sources said Amtrak Police eventually took Deleon into custody inside Penn Station. Investigators believe he may have been under the influence of drugs, although the substances involved have not yet been identified.

Sources said the suspect was carrying a “boot dagger” — a double-edged knife measuring approximately six inches long — which authorities believe was used in the attacks.

Court records show Deleon has an extensive criminal history that includes violent offenses. Among them is a conviction for aggravated assault stemming from a 2022 incident in which he allegedly stabbed a man in the neck with a six-inch knife.

Despite the severity of that case, records indicate he received a sentence of two years’ probation. Authorities also noted that he was arrested in New Jersey as recently as May on charges involving theft and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Obadiah expressed frustration over public safety conditions in New York City’s transit system and criticized the response of city leaders.

“Something has to be done. The city is getting worse and worse and no one seems to care. This administration? Law and order isn’t the priority! The attackers have more rights than the victims. It’s not surprising that this happened and it doesn’t seem like it’s going to change under this administration,” he said.

“Most people are voting for this stuff and they’re voting for, ‘Let’s get rid of the police, the police got to stand down,’ it’s nuts! I want it to change, but not only for me but for the next victim of a crazy homeless guy that decides he had a bad day and he’s going to kill a few people.”

As of Monday, the suspect remained hospitalized and had not yet been formally charged, according to reports.

Likud MK Moshe Saada delivered a wide-ranging and combative interview this week, addressing Israel’s confrontation with Iran, the future of the draft law, and what he described as politically motivated actions by Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara.

Speaking with Yossi Sergovski in the Kikar HaShabbat studio, Saada outlined his views on some of the country’s most contentious issues, ranging from Iran and regional security to military conscription and the role of Israel’s legal establishment.

Opening the interview, Saada focused on the strategic struggle against Iran and its regional proxies, arguing that Tehran is facing unprecedented economic pressure despite ongoing tensions in the region.

According to Saada, President Donald Trump remains deeply committed to maintaining economic pressure on Iran.

“The president is investing $1.7 billion a day in this blockade,” Saada claimed.

He argued that the sanctions campaign has devastated Iran’s economy and is costing the regime between $150 million and $200 million daily.

“Today Iran has no water, no electricity, no energy, no spare parts, no aluminum and no steel,” Saada said.

Saada also claimed that Trump has maintained a firm position regarding Iran’s nuclear program.

“I am standing on the 450 kilograms that I want in my possession,” Saada quoted Trump as saying.

Turning to the broader security picture, Saada argued that Iran’s nuclear ambitions remain the central threat facing Israel, while groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas should be viewed as secondary dangers.

“That’s why Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is focused there and Trump is focused there,” he said, while acknowledging the heavy toll borne by residents of northern Israel.

The lawmaker praised Israel’s direct military response against Iran and said the country has abandoned what he described as ineffective policies of the past.

“They are trying to create an equation. We need to tell them: every Iranian attack on Israel must be met with a disproportionate strike both in Dahieh and in Iran,” Saada said.

Looking ahead, Saada dismissed speculation that international events such as the World Cup could influence Trump’s decisions.

“It interests him as much as a cricket championship,” he remarked.

He suggested that if Iran chooses not to escalate, a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon could move forward. According to Saada, such an arrangement had previously been close to completion before being undermined by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. If Iran responds militarily, however, he warned that a broader conflict may follow.

Saada also devoted significant attention to the contentious debate over military conscription, stressing that he is not part of the group of Likud lawmakers often described as rebels on the issue.

Instead, he said his approach stems from a genuine desire to find a workable solution while maintaining strong ties with the chareidi community.

He praised younger chareidim, saying many have become deeply committed to Israel’s national security outlook and share concerns about the judicial system.

Saada sharply criticized the current draft proposal, calling it fundamentally flawed.

“This law, first of all, will not draft anyone, and second, it includes disproportionate sanctions. In what world does a person who does not enlist get barred from traveling abroad or lose his driver’s license? If I evade income taxes, they don’t take away my license. There is no cause and effect here. This is a violation of personal freedom and basic laws. This law should be thrown in the trash.”

He then outlined an alternative framework that he believes would attract broader support.

Rather than focusing on penalties, arrests, and coercion, Saada said the state should reward those who serve, particularly combat soldiers, through benefits such as government employment opportunities and housing programs.

Under his proposal, individuals who choose to remain in Torah study would not face arrest or criminal penalties but would not receive those service-related benefits.

Saada also advocated lowering the exemption age to 21, arguing that young chareidi men who do not wish to continue learning should be allowed to enter the workforce at a younger age.

“If at age 21 a young man doesn’t want to learn and wants to go to work, let him go to work and earn a respectable living,” he said.

When asked whether exceptional Torah scholars should receive full exemptions, Saada responded enthusiastically.

“Of course! In our yeshiva we called it the concept of ‘essential.’ A certain number of people should be defined as essential to the yeshiva, and as far as I’m concerned they are serving in every sense of the word—they are fighters.”

Saada also questioned why sanctions are being directed primarily at the chareidi community when tens of thousands of young Arabs also do not serve in the military each year.

He criticized affirmative-action programs benefiting Arab citizens in fields such as medicine and higher education and said he would seek to eliminate those policies while expanding opportunities for chareidim in medicine and high-tech industries.

The most heated portion of the interview centered on Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, whom Saada accused of pursuing a politically motivated agenda.

“Don’t call her the attorney general. Call her Gali the criminal, because this woman is a criminal. She is running a campaign of persecution that crosses sectors. When it comes to the chareidim, this is a persecution of bnei Torah with almost anti-Semitic characteristics. It reminds me of the periods in Russia when Torah learners were persecuted. Everything she does stems from a desire to inflame hatred.”

Saada argued that the alleged campaign extends beyond the chareidi community and targets a wide range of right-wing figures. He referenced several individuals whom he believes have been unfairly pursued and revealed what he described as the coalition’s next legislative step.

“This week, with Hashem’s help, we are passing the Police Internal Investigations Department law. That law will allow us to investigate Gali. After she is investigated, she will go home—or more accurately, to the interrogation basements—because she is part of the affair that is a stain on the State of Israel, the blood libel surrounding Force 100 at Sde Teiman. Her hands are involved in that libel.”

Concluding the interview, Saada expressed hope that a future government would appoint a new legal adviser who would work collaboratively with elected officials. He argued that Israel’s ongoing disputes could be resolved through dialogue that recognizes what he described as two essential pillars of the country’s existence.

“Without Torah study there is no State of Israel, and without an army we cannot survive here.”

Police and Border Police forces moved Monday evening to disperse a protest near Yerushalayim’s Bar-Ilan Junction, where demonstrators gathered to oppose ongoing light rail construction projects in the area.

According to police, security forces succeeded in pushing a large portion of the protesters back onto the sidewalks, allowing roads that had been blocked during the demonstration to reopen to regular traffic.

Law enforcement officials alleged that some participants engaged in violent behavior and caused damage to public property during the protest.

Police said the incidents included deliberate vandalism targeting public infrastructure and equipment connected to the light rail construction site, as well as disruptions to major traffic routes throughout the city.

During the operation, detectives from the Lev HaBira Police Station arrested two suspects who were allegedly caught in the act of damaging portions of the light rail work zone.

The suspects were taken into custody and transferred to a local police station for questioning.

Israeli police emphasized that they intend to pursue criminal proceedings against those involved in acts of violence, vandalism, and damage to public infrastructure.

Authorities stated that they will continue to act firmly against anyone who harms public property or disrupts daily life and transportation throughout the city.

{Matzav.com}