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“OUTRAGEOUS”: 9/11 Families Pack NYC Court as Saudi Arabia Fights to Avoid Trial Over Alleged Aid to Hijackers

Nearly 100 relatives of those murdered on Sept. 11, 2001, packed a federal appeals courtroom in lower Manhattan on Wednesday as Saudi Arabia sought to overturn a ruling that could finally force the kingdom to face trial over allegations that its government agents helped support some of the Al Qaeda hijackers.

The emotional hearing before the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unfolded only blocks from Ground Zero, with families who have spent more than two decades pursuing the case watching as lawyers for Saudi Arabia again argued that the kingdom should be shielded from the lawsuit.

“It’s outrageous, after seeing the evidence of the direct link between the Saudi government agents and hijackers, for them to continue denying their culpability,” said Terry Strada, whose husband, Tom, was killed in the attacks.

“We’re hoping to finally see justice,” added Lisa Friedman, whose husband, Andrew, was killed on Sept. 11.

The dispute before the appeals court stems from a major August 2025 ruling by U.S. District Judge George B. Daniels, who rejected Saudi Arabia’s renewed attempt to have the case dismissed. Daniels found that the families had produced “reasonable evidence” concerning the alleged roles of Saudi nationals Omar al-Bayoumi and Fahad al-Thumairy in assisting two of the hijackers, Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar, after they arrived in the United States.

The ruling did not find Saudi Arabia liable for the attacks. Rather, it rejected the kingdom’s effort to end the case before trial, concluding that the evidence was sufficient for the litigation to move forward. Saudi Arabia appealed that decision, setting up Wednesday’s hearing.

The kingdom has repeatedly and emphatically denied any involvement in the Sept. 11 attacks, maintaining that it neither knew about the plot beforehand nor supported Al Qaeda. Saudi Arabia has also argued that it is protected from the lawsuit by the doctrine of foreign sovereign immunity.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has never supported its enemy, Al Qaeda, against its ally, the United States,” Gregory Rapawy, an attorney representing Saudi Arabia, told the court during the roughly 90-minute hearing.

The families contend that Congress substantially changed the legal landscape in 2016 with passage of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, known as JASTA, which created an exception to sovereign immunity for certain claims involving acts of international terrorism committed on American soil.

Gavin Simpson, an attorney representing the Sept. 11 families, argued that Saudi Arabia had “failed” to establish that it was entitled to be dismissed from the litigation.

When Simpson completed his presentation, several family members sitting in the gallery broke into applause, prompting Circuit Judge William Nardini to intervene.

“Please, this is not a moment for such things,” Nardini told the courtroom.

The long-running litigation, first brought more than two decades ago, focuses heavily on al-Bayoumi, a Saudi national who was living in California before the attacks. The families allege that he was connected to Saudi intelligence and provided critical assistance to al-Hazmi and al-Mihdhar, two of the eventual hijackers.

Among other things, al-Bayoumi helped the men find housing in the San Diego area after their arrival in California and assisted them as they settled into the United States. Plaintiffs have also pointed to his contacts with Saudi officials and other evidence they say undermines his longstanding contention that his encounter with the future hijackers was innocent.

More recent evidence has intensified scrutiny of al-Bayoumi. A video recovered by British authorities shows him filming the U.S. Capitol in 1999 while discussing aspects of the building and its surroundings. Lawyers for the families have argued that the footage shows al-Bayoumi “casing” the Capitol, while Saudi Arabia has disputed that characterization and maintained that the video was innocuous.

Investigators also recovered a drawing of an airplane in one of al-Bayoumi’s notebooks, accompanied by mathematical calculations. The families have cited expert analysis they say indicates that the calculations related to the trajectory of an aircraft toward a target. Saudi lawyers have offered a far more benign explanation, arguing that the sketch was connected to al-Bayoumi helping his son with schoolwork.

The FBI has also described al-Bayoumi in declassified material as an operative of Saudi intelligence, while al-Bayoumi has denied being a spy. He is believed to be living in Saudi Arabia.

Thumairy, the other Saudi national at the center of the lower court ruling, served as an imam at the King Fahad Mosque in Culver City, California, and was also employed by the Saudi government. The families allege that he and al-Bayoumi formed part of a network that assisted the hijackers after they reached the United States.

Daniels wrote in his 2025 decision that Saudi Arabia had failed to provide sufficient evidence overcoming the inferences raised by the plaintiffs regarding the two men’s activities. His ruling cleared a major legal hurdle that had kept the case from reaching trial for years.

Fifteen of the 19 Sept. 11 hijackers were Saudi nationals. Saudi Arabia has consistently denied that its government had any role in planning or facilitating the attacks, which killed 2,977 people at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and aboard the four hijacked aircraft.

Outside the courthouse Wednesday, the frustration among families extended beyond Riyadh. Several relatives called on President Trump to become personally involved and pressure Saudi Arabia to address the allegations against it.

“We’re all fed up. And it’s time that the president defended us,” said Aaron Sand, whose father, Eric, was killed when the Twin Towers were attacked.

“President Trump, I love ya, but you are not doing enough,” Sand added. “You have to prioritize the family members who were harmed, who lost loved ones because of this nation that claims to be an ally but is very much proving the opposite.”

Brett Eagleson, president of 9/11 Justice, said families were exhausted by the years they have spent traveling to hearings and fighting to keep the case alive.

“Every single one of us is sick and tired of coming here and having to miss birthdays, anniversaries, special events, being with family, but we have to be in Washington. We have to be in New York City. We have to be fighting the Saudi government, who refuses to accept accountability,” Eagleson said.

“Saudi Arabia has spent years trying to avoid answering for what its own agents did in the lead-up to 9/11,” Eagleson added. “A federal judge has already reviewed the evidence and ruled that this case belongs in an American courtroom. We are asking the Second Circuit to uphold that decision so the families who have waited a quarter of a century can finally have their day in court.”

The families are also continuing to seek government records they believe could shed additional light on Saudi contacts and activities in the period before the attacks. Some relatives have accused the U.S. government of keeping relevant material secret even as the country marked the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11 last month.

Victims’ relatives traveled from across the country for Wednesday’s arguments. Among them was Steve Milam, who flew to New York from Dallas. His brother, U.S. Army Major Ron Milam, was killed in the attack on the Pentagon.

“I’m just hoping the judges will see that it is necessary in order to help the families in their healing process that Saudi Arabia be held liable for the tragic loss of our loved ones,” Milam said.

The three-judge panel — Nardini and Circuit Judges Guido Calabresi and Eunice Lee — questioned lawyers for both sides but gave no clear indication of how it would rule. The court is expected to issue its decision in writing at a later date.

{Matzav.com}

A well-known chassidishe photographer has decided to disconnect from WhatsApp and switch to a kosher phone after hearing a powerful message from the Sanzer Rebbe during Hakafos Shniyos.

Photographer Moshe Goldstein said he made the decision after hearing his Rebbe speak about the use of technological devices and the impact they can have on a person’s life and home.

Goldstein explained that the decision was not an easy one, particularly because WhatsApp has become an important part of his livelihood as a professional photographer.

The Sanzer Rebbe promised a happier life to those willing to give up the technological tools he had addressed. The message struck Goldstein deeply enough that he decided to act on it immediately despite the professional inconvenience involved.

“It’s difficult for me,” Goldstein admitted, explaining that WhatsApp is a tool he regularly uses for his parnassah.

Asked how he would now send photographs to members of the media and others who need his work, Goldstein said he intends to return to a simpler method: email.

“You can live calmly with email, and also see that there are children at home,” he said.

Despite the challenges the move may create in his photography work, Goldstein said he is determined to follow through with the decision he made after hearing the Sanzer Rebbe’s words.

{Matzav.com}

Three years after the Oct. 7 massacre, the international activist network behind the Gaza flotilla joined by Greta Thunberg is turning its attention to Yehuda and Shomron, recruiting foreign activists to participate in the upcoming Palestinian olive harvest.

According to Israel’s Diaspora Affairs Ministry, the Global Sumud Flotilla is currently recruiting participants from abroad to travel to Yehuda and Shomron, with the deadline for applications set for Oct. 7.

Those accepted into the program are expected to remain in the area for at least two weeks and undergo training in what organizers describe as “direct action,” along with political and media training.

Participants are also reportedly required to commit to continued political activism after returning to their home countries, indicating that the initiative is intended to extend beyond the olive harvest itself.

The recruitment effort follows the organization’s previous campaigns connected to Gaza, including the flotilla involving Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.

The new initiative is one of several efforts underway to bring international activists to Yehuda and Shomron during the annual olive harvest. Various organizations have promoted programs offering what they describe as a “protective presence” alongside Palestinian farmers.

Israeli officials contend that the campaigns are also being used to develop an international network of activists who can participate in organized political actions and generate media attention surrounding confrontations in the area.

Diaspora Affairs Ministry Director-General Avi Cohen-Scali issued a warning over the recruitment effort, saying Israel would act against foreign activists who arrive as part of organized efforts to provoke confrontations or disturb public order.

“Israel will not serve as a playground for foreign anarchists,” Cohen-Scali said.

He said Israeli authorities would take action against anyone entering the country as part of an organized network whose purpose, in the ministry’s view, is to create provocations and disrupt order.

The olive harvest has repeatedly become a flashpoint in parts of Yehuda and Shomron, with Israeli and international activists accompanying Palestinian farmers in areas near Jewish communities and IDF positions. Israeli security forces are frequently deployed during the season amid concerns about confrontations involving Palestinians, Jewish residents and activists.

{Matzav.com}

Vice President JD Vance marked the third anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre on Wednesday with a brief message remembering the Jews and Americans murdered in the terrorist assault on Israel and invoking the traditional Jewish expression honoring the deceased.

Vance posted the message on his official X account Wednesday afternoon, three years after Hamas-led terrorists stormed southern Israel, attacking communities, military installations and the Nova music festival.

“Three years ago over 1,000 Jews (including 49 Americans) were brutally murdered in Israel in one of the worst Islamic terrorist attacks of our lives. May their memory be a blessing.”

The message was notably focused exclusively on the victims of the Hamas attack. Vance did not use the anniversary statement to criticize Israel’s subsequent war in Gaza or to address Palestinian casualties.

The vice president’s statement came as Israel and Jewish communities around the world held memorial ceremonies for the victims of the Oct. 7, 2023, assault, in which Hamas-led terrorists murdered approximately 1,200 people and abducted 251 hostages into Gaza. Memorial events in Israel began at 6:29 a.m., the time the attack began three years earlier.

Vance’s reference to the American victims highlighted the significant U.S. toll from the attack. Americans were among those murdered and kidnapped during the Hamas invasion, making Oct. 7 not only the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust but also a terrorist attack that directly claimed American lives.

The statement comes amid considerable attention to how American political leaders are marking the anniversary. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries condemned the Hamas massacre in his own statement Wednesday but also called the devastation in Gaza “reprehensible” and demanded a dramatic change in American policy that would include the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani went further, using his Oct. 7 statement to accuse the Israeli government of an “ongoing genocide” in Gaza and denounce what he called “occupation and apartheid.” Mamdani’s remarks drew criticism from several Democratic members of Congress as well as Jewish organizations and Republican officials.

Vance’s message also comes against the backdrop of an evolving relationship between the Trump administration and the Netanyahu government. In recent months, the vice president has emphasized that while Israel remains an important American partner, the United States will pursue its own interests and will not necessarily agree with the Israeli government on every issue.

“Israel has been an important partner when it comes to military technology, when it comes to intelligence sharing, but also sometimes the United States doesn’t always agree with Israel,” Vance said last month.

Vance has nevertheless consistently placed responsibility for the Gaza war’s origins on Hamas. Discussing the conflict in October 2025, he stressed that the fighting began with the terrorist assault on Israel and said the Trump administration remained focused on eliminating the terrorist threat while addressing humanitarian needs in Gaza.

His position on Oct. 7 itself has also remained consistent. On the first anniversary of the massacre in 2024, when he was President Trump’s running mate, Vance attended a memorial gathering on the National Mall in Washington and declared that the attack would not be forgotten.

“My friends, I know I speak for all of us and saying we will never forget October the 7th. We’re going to reject anti-Semitism in our schools, rejected in our foreign policy. And if we do this the right way, we’re going to reject it in the ballot box on November the 5th, 2024.”

At that same 2024 gathering, Vance said Israel had the right to defeat the terrorist organization responsible for the massacre.

“We want to give Israel the right and the ability to finish what Hamas started. Israel didn’t start this. Hamas did. But Israel is going to finish it.”

{Matzav.com}

A former U.S. Postal Service employee who was caught on surveillance video shoving a 4-year-old boy to the pavement in Monsey has been sentenced to three years of probation, bringing an end to a case that sparked widespread outrage when the disturbing footage surfaced earlier this year.

Gabriel Stan, 39, of Stony Point, was also ordered to complete six weeks of anger-management classes, pay a $1,000 fine and stay away from the child following his conviction for endangering the welfare of a child.

The incident occurred on March 19 while Stan was working as a USPS mail carrier in the Town of Ramapo. Surveillance footage showed the young boy approaching Stan near his Postal Service vehicle before the mail carrier suddenly shoved him backward.

The force of the shove sent the child crashing onto the pavement, with his yarmulke flying off his head. The boy then got back up, retrieved his yarmulke and walked away.

The video quickly spread throughout Monsey and beyond, triggering anger over the apparently unprovoked encounter and prompting an immediate investigation by Ramapo Police.

Stan was arrested the following day and initially charged with attempted assault in the third degree and endangering the welfare of a child, both misdemeanors.

The case was ultimately resolved with Stan pleading guilty to endangering the welfare of a child. He will not serve jail time under the sentence imposed but will remain under probation supervision for three years.

The U.S. Postal Service said Stan is no longer employed by the agency. His employment was terminated following the incident.

The footage drew strong condemnation from elected officials when it became public. Ramapo Town Supervisor Michael Specht described what he saw as deeply disturbing.

“I have viewed the video depicting an incident involving a physical attack on a small child,” Specht said at the time. “The content of this video is very disturbing.”

Specht praised Ramapo Police for moving quickly in the case.

“Ramapo Police have treated this matter with extreme seriousness and have now arrested the suspect,” he said.

Assemblyman Aron Wieder also condemned the incident, calling it “appalling and deeply troubling.”

State Sen. Bill Weber said residents had contacted him after seeing the footage and expressed outrage over what happened.

“I’ve heard from constituents who are deeply alarmed by the assault of a young child in the @TownOfRamapo. I share their concern and outrage,” Weber said.

“He must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law!” he added.

Stan’s sentence includes no-contact provisions protecting the child, along with the three years of probation, anger-management requirement and $1,000 fine.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries marked the third anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre on Wednesday by strongly condemning the terrorist group’s atrocities and reaffirming Israel’s right to exist, while also declaring the devastation in Gaza “reprehensible” and calling for a dramatic shift in U.S. policy that would include the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

The New York Democrat issued the statement exactly three years after Hamas terrorists invaded southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, murdering approximately 1,200 people, kidnapping 251 others and committing widespread atrocities during the deadliest attack against the Jewish people since the Holocaust.

Jeffries opened his statement by focusing directly on the Hamas assault and the Israelis and Americans who were murdered, abducted and assaulted that day.

“Three years ago today, Hamas terrorists intent on destroying Israel launched an unthinkable massacre, murdering, kidnapping and sexually assaulting innocent Israeli civilians, as well as American citizens. We continue to mourn with the loved ones of those who were killed on that tragic day and stand with all still healing, including former hostages recovering from unimaginable horror,” he wrote.

Jeffries then addressed the dramatic rise in antisemitism that has followed the Oct. 7 attack, describing the Jewish people as facing an enduring struggle for survival and insisting that the United States remain committed to Israel’s security.

“As we solemnly commemorate October 7 and antisemitic attacks around the world surge, we are reminded of the painful reality that the Jewish people are in a constant struggle for survival, as has been the case for thousands of years. America must remain committed to Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish and democratic state, living in safety and security with its neighbors. We must permanently remove Hamas from power, eradicate terror and strive for a just and lasting peace in the region.”

But Jeffries then pivoted from the Hamas massacre to Israel’s ensuing war in Gaza, using the anniversary statement to sharply condemn the civilian death toll and destruction in the Palestinian territory.

“Throughout the past three years, considerable suffering has plagued the Middle East. The horrific death of Palestinian civilians, destruction of civil society and devastation in Gaza is reprehensible and can never be allowed to happen again.”

Jeffries proceeded to call for a significant change in Washington’s approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, declaring that the United States should explicitly commit itself to creating a Palestinian state.

He also demanded a new generation of Palestinian leadership and condemned violence by Israeli settlers in Yehudah and Shomron, which he referred to as the West Bank.

“In order to end the vicious cycle of bloodshed, for the good of the Israeli and Palestinian people, American policy in the region must change dramatically. We must commit to the creation of an independent Palestinian state to provide dignity, respect and self-determination for the Palestinian people. We must also support a new generation of Palestinian leaders and put an end to the egregious settler violence in the West Bank. Nothing short of a future that involves Israel and a Palestinian state living side by side in peace and prosperity is acceptable.”

The remarks were not the first time Jeffries has recently demanded a change in American policy toward the conflict. In an August letter outlining his views on the Middle East, Jeffries said the United States must “strongly support the creation of an independent Palestinian state” and called for reconstruction of Gaza, the removal and disarmament of Hamas, increased humanitarian assistance and greater economic development in Gaza and Yehudah and Shomron.

His latest statement nevertheless drew additional attention because it was issued specifically on Oct. 7, a day on which Jewish communities in Israel and around the world were commemorating the victims of the Hamas massacre.

Jeffries was also not the only senior Democrat to use the anniversary to call for changes in American or Israeli policy. Other prominent Democrats issued statements Wednesday addressing Palestinian suffering and the future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict alongside their commemorations of the Hamas attack.

The House Democratic leader’s statement came the same day that New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani issued his own highly controversial Oct. 7 message, although Mamdani went considerably further in his accusations against Israel.

Mamdani acknowledged the Hamas atrocities and the suffering of Israelis before accusing the Israeli government of carrying out an “ongoing genocide” in Gaza and denouncing what he called “occupation and apartheid.” His statement triggered fierce criticism from Jewish leaders and elected officials who accused him of exploiting the anniversary of the massacre to attack Israel.

Jeffries has had a complicated political relationship with Mamdani over Israel. He formally endorsed Mamdani during the 2025 mayoral campaign but had previously pressed him to address concerns within New York’s Jewish community over his anti-Israel positions.

The issue resurfaced only days before the Oct. 7 anniversary after Mamdani reiterated his desire for the United States to join the International Criminal Court and enforce its arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu.

Asked during a CNN interview whether he agreed with Mamdani’s position, Jeffries did not endorse the mayor’s demand. Instead, he said that another Oct. 7 must never be permitted to occur and that the destruction seen in Gaza must likewise not be repeated, while again advocating for Israel and a Palestinian state to exist alongside one another.

Jeffries’ position on Israel has evolved in emphasis since the immediate aftermath of the Hamas attack. One month after Oct. 7, 2023, he strongly defended Israel’s right and responsibility to protect its citizens and said the effort to defeat Hamas “must succeed,” while also insisting that Israel comply with the laws of war and minimize Palestinian civilian casualties.

{Matzav.com}

Three years after the Oct. 7 massacre, Yehuda Avidan, director-general of Israel’s Ministry of Religious Services, has offered a harrowing account of what unfolded behind the gates of the Shura military base, where hundreds of bodies were brought for identification following the Hamas-led attack.

In an extensive interview, Avidan described taking responsibility for the civilian victims within hours of the massacre, working virtually without sleep as bodies poured into Shura, confronting horrifying cases of mutilation and abuse, and participating in the extraordinary halachic effort required to identify victims and prevent women from being left as agunos.

Avidan, an Ashdod resident, said he learned early on the morning of Oct. 7 that something far beyond an ordinary terrorist attack was taking place.

“Because I don’t live in a chareidi neighborhood, the news reached me very quickly, already at 8:00 in the morning. A neighbor came to me and showed me pictures of the vehicle in Sderot, the jeep. When I saw the white pickup truck in Sderot, I told him, ‘My brother, we are in a world war.’ By the end of the holiday, I already knew that we were looking at hundreds of murdered people — while television was showing only 130.”

Under the legal structure in place at the time, responsibility for civilian fatalities belonged to the Interior Ministry. Avidan said that by the conclusion of the holiday, however, he understood that an entirely different system would be required to handle the scale of the catastrophe.

“The first two phone calls I made at the end of the Yom Tov were to Interior Minister Moshe Arbel and Religious Services Minister Michael Malchieli. I told Moshe Arbel, ‘My brother, forget it, you cannot handle these fatalities. This is my field. I am taking responsibility for all of it as though the government decision has already taken effect. Tell your people that I am taking responsibility for this issue.’ He told me, ‘Accepted. Thank you very much. I thank you. It is also absolutely the right thing.’ I put him on a conference call together with Malchieli, we agreed that I would receive responsibility, and from that moment, the rest is history.”

By 8:30 the following morning, Avidan was already holding a conference call with senior ministry officials and the country’s major chevros kaddisha. His instructions reflected the numbers he feared were coming.

“The next day at 8:30 a.m., I was already on a conference call with the entire senior leadership of my ministry and the large chevros kaddisha. I instructed each of them to dig 50 graves around the country and begin preparing. I was simply trying to understand how I was going to handle this thing, all based on personal intuition.”

Half an hour later, approximately 150 people — including Religious Services Ministry officials, religious council leaders and representatives of chevros kaddisha — joined an emergency Zoom meeting.

“At 9:00 in the morning, I scheduled a management meeting at the ministry with the minister and all the heads of the religious councils and chevros kaddisha — there were 150 of us on Zoom. There I made two very simple decisions: First — there are no rules, there are no regulations, do what needs to be done, don’t ask questions. When the accountant and legal adviser began asking questions, I told them: ‘There are no rules, there are no laws, do whatever needs to be done, you have my authorization. Whoever sues you — I will back you.’”

Avidan also decided that all civilian bodies requiring preparation for burial would initially be directed to a single location in Rishon LeZion because of the severe condition in which many victims were being recovered.

“At the same time, I made an immediate decision that I was activating one place in the country to receive all the bodies for preparation for burial — and that was Rishon LeZion, because I understood that the condition of the bodies was not good and kavod hameis required it. At 12:00 we went down to Shura, and from that moment my place of residence was Shura Camp and Rishon LeZion.”

When Avidan arrived at Shura, he found senior representatives of the police, military, Health Ministry and other agencies attempting to respond to a catastrophe on a scale none of the existing systems had been designed to handle.

“I arrived there as a relatively new director-general, only eight or nine months into the job. You come, and suddenly standing next to you are Deputy Commissioner Yoav Telem, Deputy Commissioner Shlomit Landes, Lahav 433 personnel. Suddenly you see deputy commissioners everywhere, the Health Ministry, the police, the army… They didn’t even know what the role of the Religious Services Ministry was.”

Within hours, Avidan said, it became clear that the overlapping responsibilities threatened to create chaos.

“By the afternoon, I already understood that it was beginning to become a mess, and I announced: ‘Gentlemen, according to the law, I am responsible for the identification. I am responsible for everything concerning the fatalities.’ From that moment, I took command and began coordinating the entire operation. The police were responsible for the identification, and we began working like machines.”

The identification of civilians posed challenges substantially different from those involving soldiers. The military had extensive identifying information readily available for its personnel, while civilian records were scattered among different government agencies and databases.

“Unlike the army, where identification can take half an hour because they have all the data, with us, among civilians — anyone who had not been in the army, his information did not come up. It took us a day or two to arrange the transfer of information between the agencies, and then things began moving.”

What followed were days and nights confronting scenes Avidan said remain seared into his memory: hundreds of victims, many burned beyond recognition, alongside evidence of horrific abuse inflicted during the massacre.

Among the most wrenching episodes was the case of a father and daughter whose fate remained uncertain. An instinct that something was wrong ultimately led authorities to reopen a grave, where investigators made an extraordinary discovery: the father and daughter had died together, still embracing one another.

The immense identification challenge also created grave halachic questions. In cases where a married man could not conclusively be identified, his wife could potentially remain an agunah, unable to remarry without sufficient evidence of her husband’s death.

To address those cases, a discreet halachic committee was established under the leadership of then-Rishon LeZion Rav Yitzchak Yosef. Working largely outside the public eye, the committee examined the most complicated identification cases and the evidence available in each one, seeking halachically valid grounds to establish deaths and release women from the status of agunah.

The work at Shura ultimately became one of the least visible but most painful fronts of the aftermath of Oct. 7. Behind the casualty figures were teams required to examine what remained after the massacre, establish identities, preserve kavod hameis, return victims to their families and confront unprecedented halachic questions — all while new bodies continued arriving.

{Matzav.com}

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is launching a broad federal initiative aimed at studying and assisting people who say they suffered serious injuries following vaccination, including a new National Institutes of Health clinic devoted to such patients and proposed changes intended to encourage doctors to report suspected vaccine side effects.

Kennedy traveled to the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland, earlier this week for an unannounced visit in which he met with patients who believe they were injured by vaccines and unveiled elements of the new program, according to people familiar with the initiative.

The initiative represents one of Kennedy’s most significant moves yet on an issue he championed for years before becoming President Trump’s health secretary: his contention that Americans reporting serious health problems after vaccination have often been ignored or dismissed by the medical establishment.

A centerpiece of the effort is a new NIH clinic that will both study and provide care to patients with suspected vaccine injuries. Kennedy attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the clinic during his visit to the Bethesda campus.

The administration is also working on a new medical billing code that would allow physicians to be reimbursed for the time involved in filing reports of serious suspected vaccine reactions. The proposal is designed to increase reporting to the federal Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, known as VAERS, which is jointly administered by the CDC and FDA.

VAERS accepts reports of health problems occurring after vaccination, but a report by itself does not establish that a vaccine caused the condition. The system is intended to detect potential safety signals that can then be investigated using additional data and research.

Kennedy’s initiative is expected to extend beyond the new clinic. Federal officials have been examining ways to modernize the government’s vaccine-injury reporting and compensation systems, areas Kennedy has repeatedly argued are inadequate for people who believe they have suffered genuine vaccine-related injuries.

The federal government already recognizes that vaccines, like other medical products, can in rare cases cause serious adverse reactions. The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, created by Congress in 1986, provides a special legal mechanism through which people alleging injuries from certain vaccines can seek compensation without first bringing a conventional product-liability lawsuit against a vaccine manufacturer.

Under that program, claimants can receive compensation for medical expenses, lost earnings, pain and suffering and, in cases involving a vaccine-related death, payments to an estate. Some conditions appearing within specified periods after particular vaccines are listed on the government’s Vaccine Injury Table and receive a presumption of causation, while other claims require evidence establishing that the vaccine caused the injury.

Kennedy has been openly dissatisfied with how that system operates. In July 2025, he disclosed that he had assembled a team to examine major changes to the compensation program, saying the government needed to better serve people who have suffered legitimate vaccine injuries.

Those efforts have since generated a fierce debate within medicine and public health. Kennedy and his supporters argue that patients reporting debilitating symptoms after vaccination deserve serious investigation, medical care and a fair opportunity to obtain compensation. Medical organizations agree that genuine vaccine injuries should be identified and compensated but have strongly objected to proposals they say could presume causation for conditions where scientific evidence has not established a link.

That dispute became particularly intense this year over a petition seeking a dramatic expansion of the Vaccine Injury Table. Medical and infectious-disease organizations warned Kennedy in May that adding hundreds of conditions without adequate scientific evidence could overwhelm the compensation system and make it harder for patients with well-established vaccine injuries to receive timely assistance.

The new NIH effort could potentially address one of the central points of disagreement by placing greater emphasis on research intended to determine which reported conditions actually have a causal relationship with vaccination and which merely occurred afterward.

Kennedy’s latest move comes amid a much broader transformation of federal vaccine policy under his leadership. He has overhauled the CDC’s vaccine advisory structure and pursued significant changes to federal vaccination recommendations, actions that have triggered lawsuits and intense opposition from state officials and major medical organizations.

Kennedy’s critics argue that his approach risks undermining confidence in vaccines that have prevented enormous numbers of illnesses and deaths. His supporters counter that investigating possible adverse effects more aggressively should strengthen rather than weaken public confidence by demonstrating that federal health agencies take safety concerns seriously.

The controversy is particularly sensitive because establishing that an illness occurred after a vaccination is fundamentally different from demonstrating that the vaccine caused it. Serious medical events occur naturally in large populations, meaning researchers generally need controlled studies, epidemiological data and other evidence before determining whether a particular condition occurs more frequently among vaccinated people than would otherwise be expected.

Kennedy has nevertheless made clear that people who believe they have been injured will occupy a more prominent place in federal health policy. Speaking last month at a conference hosted by Children’s Health Defense, the organization he previously led, Kennedy pledged to continue fighting for people who report vaccine injuries and told attendees that they have a “strong and steadfast friend at the White House.”

The administration has not yet publicly released all of the new initiative’s details, including precisely how the NIH clinic will select patients, which vaccines and medical conditions will be studied, how large the research program will become, or how much federal funding will be devoted to it.

But the establishment of a dedicated NIH clinic, combined with efforts to pay physicians for reporting suspected adverse reactions and Kennedy’s continuing push to overhaul the compensation system, signals that vaccine injury is becoming a distinct research and policy priority within the nation’s health agencies.

{Matzav.com}

A chareidi organization has demanded the immediate removal of a controversial election advertisement depicting a chareidi man taking money from the pocket of a battered and bound IDF soldier, calling the AI-generated video a “visual blood libel” against the chareidi community.

The organization Emet L’Yaakov B’Yisrael submitted an urgent appeal to Central Elections Committee Chairman Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg and separately issued a legal warning to MK Sharren Haskel and her Yisrael Techila party, giving them 24 hours to remove the video.

The campaign video, titled “Captive Audience,” depicts an IDF soldier sitting in a darkened room in uniform, with bruises on his face and his hands held behind his back in a manner suggesting that he has been bound and taken captive.

An AI-generated chareidi-looking man then approaches the wounded soldier, reaches into his pocket, removes a banknote and tells him, “Thank you, tzaddik.”

The video concludes with the words “Chareidim for the future of the country” and the party’s branding.

https://matzav.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/VIDEO-2026-10-05-23-05-58.mp4

In accompanying campaign material, Yisrael Techila described the chareidi public as one that “extorts and evades” and treats IDF soldiers as a “personal ATM and human shield.”

The video sparked an immediate backlash from chareidi lawmakers and activists, who accused Haskel and her party of employing antisemitic imagery and inciting hatred against chareidim.

Through attorney Natan Mashat, Emet L’Yaakov B’Yisrael argued that the advertisement constitutes a “visual blood libel” by portraying the chareidi community and Torah learners as thieves who exploit helpless people.

The organization also argued that the campaign ignores the contributions of chareidim serving in the military and the thousands involved in emergency-response, rescue and chesed organizations.

According to the legal complaint, using the image of a bruised and apparently captive IDF soldier as a political weapon crosses a serious moral line, particularly given the painful associations surrounding Israeli hostages and soldiers in the years since the Oct. 7 massacre.

The organization warned that portraying an entire population in such a manner could intensify hostility toward chareidim and potentially contribute to physical violence.

The legal warning demands that Haskel and Yisrael Techila remove the advertisement from every platform within 24 hours, immediately halt all paid promotion of the video and issue an unequivocal public apology to the chareidi community, Torah learners, IDF soldiers and their families.

The organization is also demanding that the party accept public and personal responsibility for approving and distributing the campaign.

At the same time, Justice Sohlberg was asked to use his authority under Israel’s election advertising laws to order an immediate halt to distribution of the video and its removal from all platforms. The organization also requested that the chairman of the Central Elections Committee issue an official condemnation of the campaign.

The controversy began shortly after Yisrael Techila released the advertisement earlier this week as part of an election campaign focusing heavily on chareidi military service and government funding.

United Torah Judaism chairman MK Yaakov Asher responded by calling the video an “antisemitic incitement video” and said it reflected “haters of people and haters of religion.”

“This is permitting the blood of chareidim in a style remembered from dark periods in history,” Asher said. “If a chareidi is harmed as a result of this incitement, the blood is on Sharren Haskel’s hands.”

MK Meir Porush also condemned the advertisement, saying, “Why should we complain about the Green Party in Britain when a former deputy foreign minister here in Israel publishes antisemitic election propaganda?”

Emet L’Yaakov B’Yisrael said that if its demands are not met within the 24-hour deadline, it intends to pursue additional legal proceedings.

Copies of the complaint were also sent to the President of Israel, the State Comptroller, the Knesset Ethics Committee and the Justice Ministry’s Government Unit for Coordinating the Fight Against Racism.

{Matzav.com}

Approximately 100,000 people are expected to visit the kever of Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l in Yerushalayim next week, as final preparations are completed for the massive annual aliyah l’kever marking his yahrtzeit.

The pilgrimage to the Sanhedria cemetery is scheduled to begin Tuesday evening, the night of 3 Cheshvan, and continue through Thursday, with organizers preparing transportation, security and crowd-control arrangements for the tens of thousands expected to arrive from across Israel.

A special steering committee has been established to oversee the logistical and operational aspects of the event, working together with police and other relevant authorities. Dozens of security personnel and ushers will be stationed throughout the area to direct the crowds and maintain order.

Transportation is expected to be one of the largest components of the operation. Buses carrying visitors are scheduled to arrive from approximately 70 cities throughout Israel during the yahrtzeit, while public transportation companies are preparing to significantly increase service on local routes serving the area of the kever.

Under the traffic plan, visitors will enter the kever complex from the intersection of Sderot Eshkol and Eretz Chefetz. Bloy Street will be designated for exiting the area only.

Traffic arrangements will also be altered around the Sanhedria Junction and on roads leading toward the cemetery because of the enormous number of visitors anticipated during the event.

Special tents for tefillah will be erected at the site, along with refreshment stations providing drinks for those coming to the kever. Ushers and security personnel will be deployed at multiple points throughout the complex to keep pedestrian traffic moving safely during the three-day period.

Organizers are strongly urging visitors not to arrive in private vehicles because of the heavy congestion expected around Sanhedria and restrictions that will be imposed on private traffic near the cemetery.

Those who do travel toward the area by car are being advised to use municipal parking lots or park in nearby neighborhoods and continue to the kever using public transportation.

The public is also being asked to follow all instructions issued by police officers, security personnel and ushers throughout the yahrtzeit.

Rav Ovadia Yosef, one of the most influential Sephardic poskim and Torah leaders of the modern era, was niftar on 3 Cheshvan 5774, October 7, 2013. His levayah drew an estimated 800,000 people to the streets of Yerushalayim, making it one of the largest funerals in Israel’s history.

In the years since his petirah, his kever in Sanhedria has become a destination for large numbers of visitors throughout the year, with particularly enormous crowds arriving each 3 Cheshvan to mark his yahrtzeit and daven at his resting place.

{Matzav.com}

Gov. Kathy Hochul maintains a double-digit advantage over Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman with less than four weeks remaining before Election Day, but a new Marist poll shows the Nassau County executive leading among independent voters and running even with the Democratic governor in New York’s suburbs.

The statewide survey found Hochul backed by 53% of registered voters, compared with 42% for Blakeman, while 5% remain undecided. The 11-point margin nevertheless masks significant differences across regions and political affiliations that could shape the closing weeks of the campaign.

Among independents, Blakeman leads Hochul 49% to 42%, according to Marist. The two candidates are also deadlocked among suburban voters, with each receiving 48%.

Hochul’s commanding strength in New York City accounts for much of her statewide advantage. The governor leads Blakeman 69% to 24% among city voters. Upstate, however, the picture is reversed, with Blakeman holding a 51% to 45% advantage.

The poll also found a striking gender divide. Hochul leads among women by 29 percentage points, 62% to 33%, while Blakeman holds a narrow advantage among men, 51% to 47%.

Blakeman rejected the survey’s findings during a campaign appearance in Queens on Wednesday, accusing Marist of consistently producing results favorable to Democrats.

“The phony Marist poll by the woke university that always favors Democrats over Republicans,” he charged, before predicting he’ll get “record turnout” in New York City. “I’ve been in the South Bronx, Brooklyn, here in Queens many times just this week.”

Hochul, meanwhile, brushed aside questions about whether the latest numbers gave her reason to worry about the race.

“Being ahead by half a point or 1% is concerning. Double digits means something,” she told reporters Wednesday. “So, I’ll just let you all analyze that.”

The Marist result falls between several other recent surveys that have produced significantly different pictures of the race. A Siena poll released last month put Hochul ahead by nine points, 50% to 41%, while a Quinnipiac University survey released the same day gave the governor a much wider 19-point advantage, 58% to 39%, among likely voters.

The Quinnipiac findings differed notably from Marist on independents as well. Quinnipiac’s September survey had Hochul leading independent likely voters 51% to 45%, while the new Marist survey has Blakeman ahead among independents by seven points.

Another survey conducted in late September by Co/efficient showed Hochul leading 48% to 41%, with 11% undecided, placing her advantage at seven points. Taken together, the recent polling has consistently shown Hochul ahead statewide, although the size of that advantage has varied considerably depending on the poll.

The new Marist numbers also carry an echo of the 2022 gubernatorial contest. A Marist poll released during the closing weeks of that race showed Hochul leading Republican Lee Zeldin by 10 points. Hochul ultimately defeated Zeldin by roughly six percentage points, in what became New York’s closest gubernatorial election in decades.

Blakeman is seeking to build support in the closing stretch by focusing heavily on crime, taxes, affordability and immigration, while Hochul has sought to tie him closely to President Trump and national Republicans. Trump is scheduled to campaign with Blakeman in Syracuse on Friday as Republicans work to boost turnout in Upstate New York and several closely watched congressional districts.

The broader findings from Marist suggest Democrats retain an advantage in New York heading into the midterm elections. Asked which party’s congressional candidate they would support, 55% of registered voters chose the Democrat and 42% chose the Republican.

Independents were much more closely divided on the congressional ballot than in the governor’s race, with 49% supporting a Democratic congressional candidate and 47% backing a Republican. Democrats lead 73% to 25% in New York City and 51% to 47% in the suburbs, while Republicans hold a 52% to 45% advantage Upstate.

The survey also examined the extent to which President Trump is influencing voters’ congressional choices. Forty-four percent said their vote would primarily be a vote “against” Trump, while 22% said their vote would be in support of the president. Another 33% said Trump would have little or no effect on their decision.

Among independents, 49% said Trump was not much of a factor in determining their congressional vote.

Marist also found Trump with a 38% job approval rating among registered voters statewide, while 60% disapproved of his performance.

Economic concerns remain widespread among New Yorkers. Forty percent of those surveyed said their family finances had worsened over the previous year, compared with 18% who said their situation had improved. Another 41% reported little change.

Despite the competitiveness reflected among independents and suburban voters, most respondents believe Hochul will ultimately prevail. Sixty-nine percent told Marist they expect her to be reelected, compared with 27% who expect Blakeman to win.

The Marist survey was conducted from Oct. 1 through Oct. 4 among 1,361 registered New York voters using live telephone interviews, text and online responses. The poll carries a margin of error of plus or minus 3.6 percentage points.

{Matzav.com}

Just days after surviving the terrifying drama aboard the FlyDubai flight, a group of passengers who emerged safely from the ordeal traveled to Kever Rochel to thank Hashem for what they described as the extraordinary miracle that saved their lives.

Among those taking part was Dr. Shota Musaev, the Holon dentist who played a key role during the emergency aboard the aircraft, assisting in efforts to save the pilot and stabilize the situation during the most frightening moments of the flight.

Arriving at Kever Rochel, Musaev said that while the holy site is ordinarily associated with people coming to pour out their hearts and ask for yeshuos, this visit had an entirely different purpose.

https://matzav.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/VIDEO-2026-10-07-16-28-42.mp4

“I know that this is a place of prayer and asking for salvation, but this time I chose to come here to say thank you. After everything we went through, there are moments when a person simply needs to stop and thank Hashem,” Musaev said.

The special gathering was held together with avreichim from the network of kollelim operated by Mosdos Kever Rochel and led by Rav Moshe Menachem Kluger.

Upon reaching the kever, the survivors first spent time in personal tefillah. They then joined the avreichim and other participants in reciting Mizmor Lesodah and Nishmas Kol Chai, giving thanks for their extraordinary rescue.

The survivors spoke during the gathering about the fear they experienced aboard the plane and how, in the moments when their lives appeared to be in danger, they turned to tefillah and emunah. After emerging safely from the ordeal, they said they felt a powerful need to visit a makom kadosh specifically to express their gratitude for the tremendous chasadim they had witnessed.

They said the impact of the episode extended far beyond those who had actually been aboard the aircraft.

“Many people in Israel and around the world followed the story,” the survivors said. “As they learned more of the details, they saw how the hand of Divine Providence guided the events step by step. For many, it was a tremendous strengthening of faith and another illustration that Hashem’s kindness accompanies His people at all times.”

Musaev said that since the incident, he has felt a personal obligation to publicly express his gratitude for the miracle.

“When a person sees the kindness of Heaven with his own eyes, he understands how much he must recognize the good and give thanks for every moment and every breath,” he said.

The gathering culminated with an emotional outpouring of hoda’ah as the survivors and avreichim broke into singing and dancing in the area alongside the kever. For several minutes, the sounds of celebration and gratitude filled the site, replacing the terror and tension the survivors had experienced aboard the aircraft only days earlier.

For the passengers, the visit offered a poignant moment after several tumultuous days: standing at the kever of Rochel Imeinu, where countless Yidden have come throughout the generations to daven for yeshuos, they had come this time not to ask for a miracle, but to give thanks for one they believe they had already received.

The survivors also joined the avreichim who learn near Kever Rochel throughout the year, maintaining around-the-clock shifts of Torah and tefillah on behalf of Klal Yisroel.

שוטה מוסייב בקבר רחלצילום: באדיבות המצלם שוטה מוסייב בקבר רחלצילום: באדיבות המצלם שוטה מוסייב בקבר רחלצילום: באדיבות המצלם

“מי שמחזיק בדירה – יכול לקבל הלוואה מידית”

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הזדמנות אחרונה לגור בפסגת אלעד. צפו במפרט >

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שוטה מוסייב בקבר רחלצילום: באדיבות המצלם שוטה מוסייב בקבר רחלצילום: באדיבות המצלם שוטה מוסייב בקבר רחלצילום: באדיבות המצלם

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04:08

אמון מלא ובחינם: גילינו את החבר’ה שבאמת עוזרים לסגור חובות וגמ”חים

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10:03

שוטה מוסייב בקבר רחלצילום: באדיבות המצלם שוטה מוסייב בקבר רחלצילום: באדיבות המצלם שוטה מוסייב בקבר רחלצילום: באדיבות המצלם שוטה מוסייב בקבר רחלצילום: באדיבות המצלם שוטה מוסייב בקבר רחלצילום: באדיבות המצלם שוטה מוסייב בקבר רחלצילום: באדיבות המצלם שוטה מוסייב בקבר רחלצילום: באדיבות המצלם שוטה מוסייב בקבר רחלצילום: באדיבות המצלם שוטה מוסייב בקבר רחלצילום: באדיבות המצלם שוטה מוסייב בקבר רחלצילום: באדיבות המצלם שוטה מוסייב בקבר רחלצילום: באדיבות המצלם שוטה מוסייב בקבר רחלצילום: באדיבות המצלם שוטה מוסייב בקבר רחלצילום: באדיבות המצלם שוטה מוסייב בקבר רחלצילום: באדיבות המצלם שוטה מוסייב בקבר רחלצילום: באדיבות המצלם שוטה מוסייב בקבר רחלצילום: באדיבות המצלם

{Matzav.com}

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani drew a wave of bipartisan condemnation on Wednesday after using his official statement marking the third anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre to accuse Israel of carrying out an “ongoing genocide” in Gaza, with several Democratic members of Congress joining Republicans and Jewish leaders in sharply denouncing the mayor’s remarks.

Among the strongest criticism came from Rep. Jared Moskowitz, a Florida Democrat, who accused Mamdani of effectively blaming the victims of the Hamas attack.

“He basically said ‘The Jews that died, sad, but it’s their fault,’” Moskowitz wrote. “He needs the city’s antisemitism policy for himself. Just an atrocious statement.”

Mamdani began his statement by acknowledging the Hamas atrocities, saying that Oct. 7 “marks three years since the horrific war crimes of October 7.” He noted that Hamas killed more than 1,100 Israelis and abducted 251 people and said, “We grieve alongside our many friends and neighbors who still carry that unthinkable loss.”

The mayor then devoted the bulk of his statement to attacking Israel and the United States over the war that followed the massacre.

“The suffering did not begin nor end that day,” Mamdani declared. “It instead continued through the Israeli government’s devastating, ongoing genocide in Gaza, in which it has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians—including more than 21,000 children.”

Mamdani went on to accuse Israel of attacking ambulances, residential buildings and journalists and of turning away food aid. He charged that American taxpayers were funding what he called Israeli “war crimes.”

“Three years later, we must refuse to accept a world in which occupation and apartheid continue, where war crimes are met with impunity, and our federal government continues its complicity with every arms shipment,” Mamdani said.

The accusations of genocide and apartheid are fiercely disputed by Israel and its supporters. The Palestinian casualty figures cited by Mamdani originate with Gaza health authorities, which do not distinguish in their overall death toll between civilians and combatants.

Moskowitz was far from the only Democrat to object. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida accused Mamdani of “[d]esecrating the memory of murdered, innocent Jews today of all days and refusing to even condemn Hamas,” calling his statement “obscene.”

Rep. Dan Goldman of New York called the statement “reprehensible.”

“In the guise of ‘grieving’ with those mourning that day, Mayor Mamdani asserts as fact hotly disputed allegations that he knows full well will offend and further upset those same people he pretends to grieve with,” Goldman said. “On this day of all days, the Mayor of the city with the largest Jewish population outside of Israel embraces extreme activism instead of balanced leadership.”

New Jersey Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer was similarly scathing.

“Mr. Mayor, you’re right that today is painful for Jews. You’re also the one making it worse,” Gottheimer said. “Blame the victims. Trash Israel. Wife likes posts cheering the attack. Thanks for the clarity.”

Rep. Ritchie Torres, a New York Democrat and outspoken supporter of Israel, did not mention Mamdani by name but issued a statement aimed at those using the anniversary to attack the Jewish state.

“The world demonizes Israel 365 days a year,” Torres said. “Perhaps, for just one day—October 7th—the critics of Israel could take a vacation from their hysterical hatred of the world’s only Jewish State and find it within themselves to express condolences for the thousands of Israelis murdered, maimed, mutilated, raped, and abducted at the hands of Hamas.”

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who ran against Mamdani, said Oct. 7 “should be sacred” and accused the mayor of being unable to set aside his views of Israel even for the anniversary.

“Yet even today, @NYCMayor cannot put aside his ideological obsession with Israel long enough to simply let Jews mourn,” Cuomo said. “At a time of rising antisemitism, words matter, and rhetoric has real-world consequences. There are 364 other days for politics. Today, remember the victims. Condemn Hamas. Stand with the Jewish community. It should not be difficult.”

Alyssa Farah Griffin, co-host of ABC’s “The View” and a former Trump White House official, also objected to Mamdani combining his remembrance of the massacre with his attacks on Israel.

“I don’t understand why the Mayor couldn’t simply give Jews one day to mourn the largest mass killing of Jews since the holocaust,” Griffin wrote.

Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley accused Mamdani of trying to “blow a kiss and slap Israelis in the face at the same time,” while Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders called his statement “disgusting and shameful.”

“Disgusting and shameful to use October 7th as an excuse to repeat Hamas’ talking points,” Sanders said. “The terrorist enemies that seek to destroy us will not prevail. We stand with the Jewish people and we pray for the victims, their families and the survivors.”

Republican criticism also came from Sens. Tom Cotton, Ted Cruz and Rick Scott, as well as Reps. Elise Stefanik, Mike Lawler, Jason Smith and Rudy Yakym. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and conservative commentator Ben Shapiro were among others who condemned Mamdani’s message.

Jewish organizations reacted with similar anger. Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt pointedly noted that Mamdani’s statement never used the word “Jews.”

“You are weaponizing a day meant for mourning the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust to recycle your usual antizionist talking points,” Greenblatt said. “The city with the largest Jewish population outside Israel deserves a mayor who can honor the dead without exploiting them.”

The UJA-Federation of New York said the anniversary should have been a day to stand alongside the victims and survivors of the massacre. Instead, the organization said, Mamdani responded to Jewish grief by making “false and inflammatory attacks against Israel” and shifting attention away from Hamas’s victims.

William Daroff and Betsy Berns Korn, the CEO and chair of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, said there was a proper time for arguments over Israeli policy, but Oct. 7 was not it.

“Exploiting a day of profound grief to accuse Israel of genocide dishonors the memory of those who were murdered, deepens the pain of survivors and hostage families, and further alienates Jewish New Yorkers at a moment that should unite us in remembrance,” they said.

Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, said he has personally spoken with Mamdani about his rhetoric but that the mayor had again been “callous toward Jewish pain.”

{Matzav.com}

With the November 3 New York State general election approaching, Chaim V’Chessed is reminding eligible New Yorkers currently in Israel to make sure they are registered and able to participate in the important upcoming election.

New York has one of the largest populations of U.S. citizens living in Israel, and officials have told Chaim V’Chessed that thousands of New York residents currently in Israel may be eligible to vote from abroad.

The upcoming election includes the race for New York State Governor, along with other federal, state and local offices. Eligible overseas voters can register and request an absentee ballot through the appropriate election authorities.

Important deadline: New Yorkers living abroad who are not currently registered to vote must submit their registration by October 24, 2026 in order to vote in the November election.

If you are a New York voter living in Israel, now is the time to make sure you are registered and have taken the necessary steps to vote.

• Check voter eligibility: New York State Board of Elections FAQ
• Register to vote: Register to Vote
• Request an absentee ballot: Request a Ballot
• Track your ballot: Voter Lookup and Ballot Tracker

New York is not the only state holding important elections this year. U.S. citizens living in Israel who are registered to vote in other states should also make sure they understand their state’s requirements and deadlines for voting from overseas.

For information about voting eligibility and participation for U.S. citizens living abroad, visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP), which provides state-specific information for overseas voters.

Chaim V’Chessed encourages eligible New Yorkers – and all U.S. citizens in Israel who are eligible to vote – to take the necessary steps now to ensure they can participate in the upcoming elections, and to share this information with family and friends.

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu on the third anniversary of the Oct. 7 massacre, offering his support to Israel and declaring that those responsible for the Hamas-led attack are now “paying a very big price.”

“I spoke with Bibi Netanyahu, and I wished him well, and I wished the people of Israel well. That was a horrible day, a horrible tragedy – horrible,” Trump told reporters.

Trump then delivered a pointed message about the consequences faced by those responsible for the attack.

“The other side is paying a very big price for what they did on October 7, believe me,” the president said.

Trump did not disclose precisely when the conversation with Netanyahu took place or reveal whether the two leaders discussed other issues during the call.

The conversation came as Israel marked three years since the Hamas-led invasion of southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, when approximately 1,200 people were murdered and 251 were abducted into Gaza.

Memorial ceremonies were held across Israel on Wednesday, including in communities along the Gaza border and at the site of the Nova music festival massacre, as survivors, bereaved families and officials commemorated the victims of the deadliest terror attack in Israel’s history.

Trump’s remarks come as the situation in Gaza remains unresolved despite the ceasefire and hostage agreement reached under his administration last year.

The first stage of Trump’s Gaza plan produced a ceasefire and the release of the remaining living hostages held in Gaza, but several of the plan’s central objectives have yet to be fully implemented.

Most significantly, Hamas has not been fully disarmed, Israel has not completed the withdrawal envisioned under the plan, and the enormous task of rebuilding Gaza has barely begun. Israel continues to control roughly two-thirds of the Gaza Strip, while military operations have continued despite the ceasefire framework.

In July, Trump announced what he called a “HISTORIC agreement for the COMPLETE DISARMAMENT of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza,” describing it as a major step in the implementation of his 20-point Gaza plan.

Under the framework, Hamas is to surrender its weapons in stages, Israeli forces are to withdraw as the disarmament process is completed, and an International Stabilization Force is eventually to work alongside a new Palestinian police force to maintain security.

Implementation, however, has proven difficult. Israel has maintained that it will not complete its withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed, while disagreements have persisted over how that disarmament would be carried out and verified.

The Gaza Health Ministry says at least 1,400 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire took effect in October 2025. The Hamas-run ministry does not distinguish in its figures between civilians and combatants.

Meanwhile, the Trump-created Board of Peace has sought to move forward with reconstruction plans despite the unresolved security situation. In September, the board unveiled an initial $2.45 billion program aimed at beginning reconstruction and governance projects in the devastated territory.

The scale of the rebuilding challenge is far greater. International estimates have placed Gaza’s long-term reconstruction and recovery needs in the tens of billions of dollars, with the United Nations and European Union estimating that the process could require more than $70 billion over the coming decade.

Against that backdrop, Trump’s anniversary conversation with Netanyahu offered no indication of a new diplomatic breakthrough. Instead, the president focused publicly on the enormity of the Oct. 7 attack and the consequences that have followed for those responsible.

“The other side is paying a very big price for what they did on October 7, believe me,” Trump said.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump is considering launching another round of U.S. military strikes against Iran before the Nov. 3 midterm elections, with the White House directing the Pentagon to prepare options for possible action in the coming weeks, according to various sources.

The planning, which is being carried out by U.S. Central Command, comes despite widespread expectations that Trump would seek to preserve the recent relative lull in fighting until after Election Day. No final decision has been made, and both the scope of a potential operation and the targets that could be struck remain under discussion.

The White House request reflects an intensifying debate inside the administration over whether renewed military action could pressure Tehran, demonstrate American strength and give Trump a tangible achievement before voters head to the polls — or instead reignite a deeply unpopular conflict at precisely the wrong political moment.

One option under consideration is a relatively limited strike before the election, potentially followed by a much broader military campaign after Nov. 3. Supporters of the approach believe a successful operation could allow Trump to claim progress against Iran and reinforce the image that Washington is regaining control of a conflict that has dragged on for months.

“It would make the president look like he got a win and that gas prices would start going down,” a Republican familiar with the deliberations said.

But even advocates of the proposed operation acknowledge that limited strikes alone would be unlikely to force Iran back to the negotiating table, reopen the Strait of Hormuz to normal shipping or bring gasoline prices down before Election Day.

Those concerns have fueled opposition among some Trump advisers, who believe the administration would be better served by waiting until after the midterms. A renewed attack could provoke Iranian retaliation against American troops and Gulf allies, send oil prices sharply higher and once again put the war at the center of the national political debate.

Approximately 50,000 U.S. troops are currently stationed across the region, potentially placing them within reach of an Iranian response. Another campaign would also further draw down American weapons stockpiles that have already been strained by months of fighting.

“Military action has done nothing to drive down oil prices; in fact, it has done the opposite,” said Will Walldorf, an international-affairs professor at Wake Forest University and senior fellow at Defense Priorities. “And if this is an attempt to rally the Republican vote, how does that make any sense given how unpopular this war is?”

Trump himself has repeatedly signaled that additional military action remains on the table. In his address to the United Nations last month, the president threatened to “annihilate the Islamic Republic” if Tehran refused to reach an agreement.

In an interview released earlier this month, Trump also indicated that the United States has been preparing for the possibility of another major confrontation, saying, “we’ve been stocking up for the last six months.”

Trump went even further last week when discussing when he expected the United States to prevail in the conflict, saying victory could come “right after the election,” before adding, “Maybe before the election.”

The timing is especially sensitive because the Iran conflict has emerged as a significant political liability for Republicans. Rising energy costs have become a major campaign issue, with GOP candidates in competitive House and Senate races increasingly worried that voters will punish the party over gasoline and diesel prices.

Gasoline now averages approximately $4.37 a gallon nationwide, compared with just under $3 before the United States and Israel launched their military campaign against Iran on Feb. 28. Oil prices soared to nearly $118 a barrel during the spring and, despite fluctuating since then, have remained around $100 a barrel in recent weeks.

The Pentagon has already presented Trump with a range of options for renewed military action after the elections. Those plans reportedly range from smaller, targeted strikes to a much larger assault that could include additional attacks against Iran’s energy infrastructure.

CENTCOM is now developing a separate menu of options that could be carried out before the election.

Trump has reportedly grown increasingly frustrated by the failure to bring the conflict to a decisive conclusion. People close to the president believe he is prepared to strike Iran again, although some of his advisers continue to argue that the safest political and military course would be to wait until after Nov. 3.

A White House official emphasized that Trump “has all options available at any time,” adding that “things will go one of two ways; the easy way or the hard way.”

The official did not say whether the president is leaning toward authorizing strikes before the election.

The deliberations are unfolding as the United States dramatically expands its military capabilities in the Middle East. The Pentagon is preparing for the possibility of having three aircraft carriers in the region, along with amphibious warships, thousands of additional sailors and Marines, and hundreds of military aircraft.

The USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group and USS Makin Island amphibious readiness group are among the forces being sent toward the region. If the deployments proceed as planned, the United States could have three carrier groups positioned in the Middle East by late October, providing Trump with substantially greater firepower should he order another major operation against Iran.

At the same time, Washington and Tehran remain engaged in indirect contacts through mediators. Those negotiations have produced little visible progress, with significant disagreements remaining over the terms and sequencing of a ceasefire, the U.S. blockade connected to the Strait of Hormuz and the reopening of the critical waterway.

The Strait of Hormuz remains central to both the military and economic confrontation. Before Iran moved to restrict the waterway earlier in the war, roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passed through the strait. Even modest changes in tanker traffic have therefore had an immediate effect on global energy markets.

Earlier this week, Iranian forces again targeted ships attempting to pass through the strait, prompting some shipping companies to reconsider using the route. Administration officials reportedly view the attacks as a deliberate attempt by Tehran to inflict additional economic and political pressure on Trump ahead of the midterms.

“Iran is watching the calendar and knows the election is coming,” one adviser said. “And they want to stick it to the president.”

The administration has also announced plans to release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in an effort to increase supply and prevent gasoline prices from climbing further.

Meanwhile, the security threat from Iran has extended beyond the Middle East. The United States recently withdrew B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in Britain after intelligence pointed to the possibility of an Iranian-linked attack against the base. Iran has denied involvement.

Despite those developments, senior administration officials reportedly believe Tehran is now in its weakest position since the conflict began. Iran is facing severe economic pressure, soaring inflation and uncertainty within its leadership, while hard-liners continue to resist significant concessions to Washington.

Some Trump advisers believe those pressures could eventually force Tehran to compromise. From that perspective, another American strike before Election Day could provide the additional pressure needed to break the stalemate.

Others fear precisely the opposite: that another attack would harden Iran’s position, trigger retaliation, drive oil and gasoline prices higher and return the war to the forefront of American voters’ minds just weeks before they decide control of Congress.

{Matzav.com}

The average U.S. 30-year fixed mortgage rate surged to 7.49% last week, reaching its highest level in nearly three years and delivering another blow to Americans already struggling with the cost of buying a home.

The Mortgage Bankers Association said Wednesday that the average contract rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage with a conforming loan balance jumped 19 basis points, from 7.30% to 7.49%, during the week ending Oct. 2. The rate has not been higher since November 2023.

The sharp increase immediately weighed on demand. Overall mortgage applications fell 4.2% from the previous week, dropping to their lowest level since February 2025. Applications to purchase homes declined 2%, while refinancing applications plunged 8%.

Refinancing has been hit particularly hard. Refinance applications are now 56% below their level at the same time last year and have fallen to less than half of last year’s pace, as millions of homeowners remain locked into mortgages carrying significantly lower rates.

“Mortgage rates moved to their highest level in almost three years last week, with the 30-year fixed rate reaching 7.49% as both Treasury rates increased and spreads widened with the increase in rate volatility,” said Joel Kan, the MBA’s vice president and deputy chief economist.

“Very few homeowners have an incentive to refinance at these rates, and the jump in borrowing costs has caused many potential borrowers to step back from the purchase market. With rates roughly a percentage point higher than a year ago, refinance applications last week were at the lowest level since 2025 and fell to less than half of last year’s pace.”

The latest increase marks the seventh consecutive week that mortgage rates have risen. The 30-year rate has climbed roughly 1.4 percentage points since late February, when the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran began and the resulting surge in oil prices intensified inflation concerns.

Mortgage rates do not move directly with the Federal Reserve’s benchmark interest rate. Instead, they tend to track the yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note, which has been soaring amid concerns about inflation, elevated energy prices, stronger-than-expected economic growth and the future direction of monetary policy.

The 10-year Treasury yield climbed above 5.3% on Monday, reaching its highest level in 24 years. The 30-year Treasury yield has also surged, reaching approximately 5.7% Wednesday, its highest level since 2002.

Those moves have pushed borrowing costs higher across the economy and intensified the affordability crisis confronting prospective homebuyers, who are simultaneously dealing with home prices that remain elevated in many parts of the country.

The difference between a mortgage in the 6% range and one approaching 7.5% can translate into hundreds of dollars in additional monthly payments. On a $500,000 30-year mortgage, for example, principal and interest at 7.49% would be approximately $3,490 per month, compared with about $3,000 at 6%. That is nearly $500 more each month, before property taxes, insurance and other housing expenses are included.

The pressure is particularly acute for first-time and lower-income buyers. Applications for Federal Housing Administration purchase loans fell 6% last week, the steepest decline among the major loan categories tracked by the MBA.

“Purchase activity decreased across all loan types with FHA purchase applications falling the most, declining 6%, as these higher rates add to ongoing affordability challenges for many homebuyers,” Kan said.

As fixed mortgage rates have risen, more borrowers have turned to adjustable-rate mortgages in an effort to secure lower initial payments. Adjustable-rate loans accounted for 10.3% of total mortgage applications last week.

Other mortgage products also became more expensive. The average rate for a 15-year fixed mortgage climbed from 6.56% to 6.71%, while the average FHA-backed 30-year mortgage increased from 6.97% to 7.14%. Jumbo 30-year mortgage rates rose from 7.27% to 7.39%.

One exception was the average rate on a 5/1 adjustable-rate mortgage, which edged down from 6.47% to 6.43%.

The renewed mortgage-rate surge comes as inflation has again become a major concern for policymakers. Inflation measured by the Federal Reserve’s preferred gauge was running at 3.4% in August, well above the central bank’s 2% target.

Federal Reserve officials raised their benchmark rate in September and have indicated that another increase could come before the end of the year, although financial markets currently expect policymakers to leave rates unchanged at their meeting later this month.

President Donald Trump addressed the mortgage-rate surge Wednesday, again arguing that interest rates should be lower. Trump praised Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh but said other members of the Fed board “would like to see the country do badly, in my opinion, because I think interest rates should come down.”

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent attributed much of the recent inflation and rate pressure to the surge in energy prices associated with the Iran conflict, predicting that borrowing costs could ease once those pressures subside.

“So once we get on the other side of this Iran conflict, (the) energy market is going to be well supplied, and we will move down towards the Fed’s target and mortgage rates and the 10-year will come back down,” Bessent said.

{Matzav.com}

The Trump administration is proposing a sweeping overhaul of a popular program that allows international students to work in the United States, calling for a new $70,000 fee for an F-1 student’s initial participation in Optional Practical Training and $30,000 for each subsequent period of training.

Under the Department of Homeland Security proposal unveiled Wednesday, the fees would formally be paid by colleges and universities certified under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program before a school could recommend an international student for OPT. The proposal would permit institutions to recover the expense from the student or an employer, potentially leaving foreign graduates facing an enormous new cost to work in the United States.

The fees represent a dramatic escalation from the current system and could fundamentally change how American universities, international students and employers use OPT, which has long served as a bridge between studying in the United States and entering the American workforce.

Optional Practical Training allows eligible F-1 students to take jobs directly related to their fields of study while enrolled or after completing their academic programs. Most graduates can receive up to 12 months of post-completion OPT, while students with qualifying science, technology, engineering and mathematics degrees can seek an additional 24-month STEM extension.

The proposed rule would require a $70,000 payment when a student is recommended for an initial period of OPT and $30,000 for any subsequent OPT recommendation, including a STEM extension. The payment would have to be made before the school’s designated official could issue the recommendation.

DHS says the extraordinary fees are intended to combat what the department describes as widespread fraud and abuse within OPT while protecting American workers from foreign labor competition.

In announcing the proposal, DHS described the program as a “pipeline for cheap foreign labor.”

The department argues that OPT has expanded far beyond its original purpose of providing temporary practical training connected to a foreign student’s education and has increasingly become a pathway for employers to hire foreign graduates at the expense of American workers.

The administration says the fees would force schools to evaluate more carefully whether participation in OPT is warranted and would discourage institutions, students and employers from using the program improperly. DHS also says the revenue would help offset the substantial costs associated with investigating fraud and enforcing OPT requirements.

The scale of the proposal could have enormous financial consequences. More than 400,000 international students have participated in OPT in recent years, with foreign graduates playing a particularly significant role in technology, engineering and other STEM-related industries.

Universities that recruit heavily overseas could also feel the effects. International students frequently pay full tuition and have become an important source of revenue for many American institutions, while the ability to obtain work experience after graduation has been a major attraction for students deciding whether to study in the United States.

Critics immediately warned that imposing fees of $70,000 and $30,000 could make the program effectively unusable for many students and schools and could push talented foreign students toward universities in other countries.

Fanta Aw, CEO of NAFSA, an organization representing international educators, argued that OPT provides valuable hands-on experience to foreign graduates while supplying workers to American industries that need highly trained employees.

“Driving away the talents, perspectives, and aspirations of international students will only hurt American innovation, economic growth, workforce development, and global leadership,” Aw said in a written statement.

The proposal is the latest in a series of moves by President Donald Trump’s administration aimed at tightening the rules governing foreign students and foreign workers in the United States.

In 2025, federal authorities abruptly terminated the immigration records of thousands of international students in a government database, triggering a wave of lawsuits and court rulings questioning aspects of the administration’s actions.

The administration subsequently moved to replace the longstanding “duration of status” system for international students with fixed periods of admission, a change that would generally prevent students from remaining in the United States for more than four years without receiving additional federal authorization. Universities objected that many legitimate academic programs, particularly doctoral programs, routinely take longer than four years to complete.

A federal court blocked that rule from taking effect in September, handing the administration a setback in its effort to impose tighter controls on international students.

The OPT proposal also arrives amid a broader battle over employment-based immigration. The administration has sought major changes to programs used by American companies to employ foreign workers, arguing that immigration programs should not be used to undercut wages or replace American employees.

The new OPT rule is only a proposal and will not take effect immediately. The regulation is scheduled for publication in the Federal Register on Thursday, Oct. 8, after which the public will have 30 days to submit comments on the rule itself. A separate 60-day period applies to comments concerning its information-collection requirements.

DHS must consider the public comments before issuing a final regulation, and the eventual rule could differ from Wednesday’s proposal. Universities, international-education organizations and business groups could also mount legal challenges, potentially delaying or preventing implementation.

If ultimately adopted substantially as proposed, however, the new fees would represent one of the most dramatic changes ever imposed on the OPT system, forcing universities to decide whether recommending an international student for American employment is worth a $70,000 initial price tag.

{Matzav.com}

Prof. Eytan Gilboa is cautioning against drawing premature conclusions about Iranian involvement in the attempted attack aboard Flydubai Flight FZ1073, warning that public declarations blaming Tehran could create expectations for an Israeli or American military response before investigators have established who was behind the plot.

Gilboa made the comments after President Donald Trump publicly said he personally believes Iran was responsible for the attempted attack aboard the Israel-bound flight. Investigators have not publicly announced evidence establishing an Iranian role, and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has said it remains too early to determine whether Tehran was involved.

Trump initially said that, based on what he was hearing, he believed there could be an Iranian connection. Asked whether the United States would retaliate if Iran was found responsible, Trump warned that Tehran would be “hit very hard.” He subsequently went further, saying that he personally believes Iran was behind the attack.

Speaking with Avi Mimran, Gilboa warned that statements of that nature carry consequences beyond simply identifying a possible suspect.

“The moment you say that Iran is involved, it means that Israel has to act against Iran. So he doesn’t always think two steps ahead or three steps ahead, and it’s not good that he does this,” Gilboa said.

Gilboa also discussed the attention the attempted attack has received in the United States, saying the incident immediately evoked memories of the Sept. 11 attacks, particularly United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers fought back against the terrorists who had hijacked the aircraft.

The comparison, he said, reflects the extent to which the attempted attack on the Flydubai flight is being viewed as a threat with implications extending well beyond Israel.

Gilboa also addressed concerns about foreign interference in Israel’s upcoming election. He noted that countries including Russia, Iran, China and North Korea have previously been accused of trying to influence political processes in other countries through online operations, disinformation and other methods.

At the same time, Gilboa stressed that he has no information at present that would allow him to determine whether foreign governments are currently attempting to interfere in Israel’s election or what methods they might be using.

He said Trump appears reluctant to become overly involved in Israeli electoral politics and argued that both Israel and the United States should refrain from intervening in each other’s domestic political affairs.

Gilboa also addressed the escalating fighting in Yemen, where Saudi Arabia is backing a major campaign against the Houthis aimed at restoring areas surrounding the strategically critical Bab el-Mandeb Strait to the control of Yemen’s internationally recognized government.

Forces aligned with the Yemeni government and backed by Saudi Arabia have launched a broad offensive in the area amid heavy airstrikes against Houthi positions.

The discussion comes as the Flydubai incident continues to expose questions surrounding Israel’s procedures for screening foreign airline personnel.

During a Knesset discussion Tuesday, lawmakers were told that 1,240 airline crew members carrying passports from countries that do not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel have entered the country since the beginning of the year.

The revelation has added urgency to efforts to overhaul the screening process following the Flydubai attack, with Israeli officials now moving toward requiring flight crews from designated high-risk countries to submit their information for security vetting 48 hours before operating flights to Israel.

{Matzav.com}

Three years after the October 7 massacre, Knesset lawmakers on Wednesday demanded that Israel move ahead with the prosecution of Hamas Nukhba terrorists, as officials revealed that the first indictments under Israel’s newly created legal framework are expected during the first half of 2027, with trials projected to begin later that year.

The Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee convened on the third anniversary of the massacre to review implementation of the landmark law enacted in May establishing a special system for prosecuting those who participated in the Hamas-led atrocities.

Committee chairman MK Simcha Rothman opened the session with a minute of silence in memory of those murdered and those who fell defending Israel, followed by the recitation of Tehillim 79.

Rothman said the timing of Wednesday’s hearing was deliberate. Although the law requires officials to report to the committee on preparations for the trials, he said the third anniversary of the massacre carried particular significance.

“On this day, October 7, three years after the event, this is an important point in time to understand where the State of Israel stands in light of the verse we just read – ‘Avenge the spilled blood of Your servants,’” he said.

The law creating the special prosecution system was approved by the Knesset in May in an extraordinary display of coalition-opposition unity. It passed its final readings by a 93-0 vote, after lawmakers from across the political spectrum joined behind legislation sponsored by Rothman and Yisrael Beytenu MK Yulia Malinovsky.

The legislation establishes a military court seated in Yerushalayim to hear cases involving participants in the October 7 massacre. The court can adjudicate charges under Israel’s Prevention of Genocide Law, Penal Law and Counter-Terrorism Law, among other statutes.

The framework was designed to address the unprecedented legal challenges created by the massacre, including the enormous number of crimes and victims, the volume and nature of the evidence, and cases in which prosecutors may be able to prove that a terrorist participated in the assault without being able to establish which specific victim he personally murdered or attacked.

The law also establishes special procedures for selecting judges, including sitting and retired judges, and provides for extensive video and audio documentation of the proceedings, with portions of the trials potentially broadcast to the public. The goal is not only to prosecute those responsible, but also to create an authoritative historical record of the October 7 atrocities.

Rothman told the committee that bringing the perpetrators to justice is part of Israel’s obligation to those murdered in the massacre and to their families.

“The very important mission demanded by the blood of our murdered brothers and sisters is for the State to make sure that it does not allow this to pass,” he said.

He stressed that the issue has transcended Israel’s bitter political divisions, with coalition and opposition lawmakers jointly pushing the legislation and now demanding that government agencies implement it.

“We are all working on this as one, coalition and opposition. The Knesset is united in the need, in the oversight and examination, and three years later, also in the urgency that this happen and be carried out.”

Rothman said separately Wednesday that preparations have advanced rapidly since the law was enacted five months ago. He said current estimates call for the first indictment to be filed during the first half of 2027, with the first trial beginning approximately six months later.

The committee chairman said Israel could begin seeing verdicts and sentences during 2028 — considerably sooner than would have been possible had prosecutors attempted to handle the unprecedented cases through the ordinary criminal justice system.

Preparations include establishing the physical court complex in the Atarot area of Yerushalayim, allocating funding, recruiting personnel and creating a dedicated prosecutorial apparatus capable of handling cases unlike anything previously confronted by Israel’s judicial system.

Rothman said the official who will head the prosecution apparatus is expected to be appointed shortly, after which decisions can begin to be made about which defendants will face the first indictments and how the cases will be structured.

MK Moshe Saada told Wednesday’s hearing that the trials must accomplish more than imposing punishment. He argued that the proceedings should also establish before the world a factual and legal record of what Hamas and its accomplices perpetrated on October 7.

“The blood of our brothers cries out from the ground, the images cry out, and what lies before us is the need to do justice and, through the legal process, also tell the world,” Saada said.

With competing narratives about October 7 increasingly circulating internationally, Saada said Israel has a responsibility to use the proceedings to document the atrocities and present the evidence publicly.

“Today we see other narratives around the world, and the time has come to hold up a mirror and tell the clear truth. There is a moral obligation to do this, and we all need to join hands together to ensure that justice is done.”

Malinovsky, who worked with Rothman for more than two years to develop and advance the legislation despite sitting on the opposite side of the political aisle, demanded tangible progress from the officials responsible for carrying it out.

“If there are problems, we will solve them, and if necessary, we will bang on the table, but we want results. The people of Israel deserve answers.”

She said the Knesset had completed its responsibility by constructing and approving the necessary legal framework and that disagreements among government agencies could not now be allowed to stall implementation.

“We did what we needed to do, we passed the law, and now every official must put personal whims and disagreements aside and rise to the occasion.”

The legislation covers Hamas terrorists and accomplices accused of participating in murder, kidnapping, rape, looting and other crimes committed between October 7 and October 10, 2023, as well as offenses subsequently committed against Israeli hostages in Gaza.

More than 400 suspects could ultimately face prosecution under the framework, making the proceedings among the largest and most consequential criminal trials ever conducted in Israel. Defendants prosecuted or convicted under the law are also barred from being released in future prisoner exchanges or diplomatic agreements.

The law allows the special military court to impose the most severe punishments available under Israeli law for qualifying crimes. Lawmakers who drafted the legislation have said the trials must balance the need for extraordinary measures with the requirement that proceedings remain orderly, professional and capable of withstanding legal scrutiny.

Malinovsky vowed that Knesset oversight would not end with the current political cycle, saying the responsibility to the victims and their families must remain above partisan considerations regardless of who controls the next Knesset.

“Regardless of the election results and the person who will sit in this chair, we will not let up. We owe this to the families.”

{Matzav.com}