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LAKEWOOD, N.J. — A disturbing act of antisemitic vandalism has shocked the Lakewood, NJ community after swastikas fashioned from yellow tape were discovered inside a local shul on Wednesday morning.

The offensive symbols were found throughout Ohel Shulamit, a Sefardic shul located on Spruce Street, just east of River Avenue, where someone had carefully arranged strips of yellow tape into the shape of swastikas and affixed them to various locations inside the building.

Among the locations targeted were seforim shranks in the bais medrash and a hot water urn.

There were no signs of forced entry.

Authorities are expected to investigate how access to the building was obtained, as well as whether surveillance footage or other evidence can help identify the person responsible.

{Matzav.com}

Dear Jewish News Media,

Please stop.

Stop what, you may ask.

Allow me to step back for a moment and provide some historical context.

Klal Yisroel is a nation because Hashem gave us the Torah at Har Sinai. From the very moment of Matan Torah, it has been understood that there are those entrusted with leading Klal Yisroel and faithfully transmitting the Torah and its laws from one generation to the next. What elevates these leaders to the status of Gedolei Hador is not merely their vast Torah knowledge. Rather, it is their singular devotion to understanding the Torah of Hashem to such a degree that their entire being becomes intertwined with the Torah itself. This is what we call Daas Torah.

The Torah commands us, לא תסור מן הדבר אשר יגידו לך ימין ושמאל. Chazal understood this as an eternal directive: we are not to deviate from the rulings and guidance of the Torah leaders of each generation.

In recent years, there has been an increasing focus on ascending Har Habayis. A growing movement of so-called “Geulah activists” argues that encouraging large numbers of Jews to visit Har Habayis will diminish the Arab presence, increase visible Jewish davening and Torah learning on the mountain, and ultimately hasten the coming of Mashiach.

It is an appealing idea, but it is deeply misguided.

Since 1967, when the Old City came under Israeli control, the Gedolei Haposkim have repeatedly ruled that Jews should not ascend Har Habayis. Numerous reasons have been offered, foremost among them that it is impossible to determine with absolute certainty the precise boundary between the Machaneh Leviyah and the Machaneh Shechinah. Consequently, someone who unknowingly crosses into the prohibited area would be liable for an issur kares, as we are all considered tamei meis. Furthermore, even entering the Machaneh Leviyah requires immersion in a mikvah with a proper chafifah. While many people may indeed fulfill all the necessary preparations, public encouragement to ascend the mountain will inevitably lead others to do so without proper preparation, causing them to violate the prohibition of a baal keri entering Har Habayis.

To be sure, there are arguments on the other side. Many Rishonim and Acharonim conclude that the Dome of the Rock stands atop the location of the Kodesh Hakadashim, making it possible to calculate the boundaries of the 500-by-500 amos described in the Mishnah. Others argue that if we know the location of the Makom Hamikdash, there may even be circumstances under which certain korbanos could be offered, since tumah hutrah or dechuyah b’tzibbur. In addition, there are undoubtedly many mitzvos that can be fulfilled by ascending Har Habayis.

The problem with these arguments is not that they lack sources. The problem is that they lack the fundamental reverence for the rulings of our Gedolim. Is it reasonable to assume that the Gedolei Haposkim did not consider these very arguments before issuing their rulings? Our mesorah teaches us that one who follows the guidance of the Chachmei Yisroel never loses.

Let us ask a simple question in learning: ממה נפשך? If, chas v’shalom, the Gedolim were mistaken in ruling that Jews should not ascend Har Habayis, then we have nothing to fear, because by obeying their ruling we have fulfilled the Torah’s command of Lo Sasur. But if they are correct—and that is certainly the more reasonable assumption—then the consequences of disregarding their ruling are immeasurably more serious.

History has repeatedly shown that people can develop all sorts of cheshbonos. Yet Shmuel Hanavi told Shaul: החפץ השם בעלות וזבחים כשמע בקול השם הנה שמע מזבח טוב להקשיב מחלב אילים. Hashem desires obedience to His will more than even the loftiest spiritual aspirations.

The activists argue that the unprecedented access Jews now have to Har Habayis must itself be a sign from Hashem. Surely, they say, this is an indication that we are meant to ascend.

But this argument is equally flawed.

We no longer have nevuah. We no longer have the Urim V’Tumim to interpret Heavenly signs. Instead, Hashem gave us the Gedolei Yisroel—the Einei HaEidah. Through their Daas Torah, they are granted siyata d’Shmaya to discern what Hashem expects of Klal Yisroel in every generation.

And so I return to my original plea:

Please stop.

Stop publishing articles celebrating the growing numbers of Jews ascending Har Habayis, followed by a brief disclaimer reminding readers that the Gedolei Haposkim of this and previous generations ruled otherwise. Those disclaimers do not solve the problem. Such articles are themselves נותן יד לפושעים. We would be far better off giving these efforts no publicity whatsoever. As the saying goes, there is no such thing as bad publicity. Every article normalizes this movement and encourages additional people to follow a path that openly disregards the rulings of the Gedolei Hador.

As for the claim that these efforts are bringing Mashiach closer, sadly, they appear instead to reflect precisely what Chazal describe at the end of Sotah regarding the period immediately preceding the coming of Mashiach: בעקבות משיחא חוצפא יסגא… נערים פני זקנים ילבינו.

B’ezras Hashem, the day will soon come when we will once again ascend Har Habayis with the rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdash. Until then, we continue to daven: והראנו בבנינו ושמחנו בתיקונו.

With a heart that yearns for that day,

Y. S.

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The Israel Defense Forces has eliminated a Palestinian Islamic Jihad commander who led a terrorist cell that took hostages during the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, the military said.

Muhammad Khalil Muhammad Aslam, identified as a platoon commander of an Islamic Jihad Nukhba cell, was killed in an airstrike in the Khan Yunis area of southern Gaza, according to the statement.

“In recent months, Aslam advanced attacks targeting IDF troops and Israeli civilians,” it stated. “The terrorist posed an immediate threat and was eliminated in a precise aerial strike.”

Soldiers remain deployed in the enclave in accordance with the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement “and will continue to operate to remove any immediate threat,” it said.

The current ceasefire went into effect in the Gaza Strip on Oct. 10, 2025, ending the two-year war that began when Hamas, other Palestinian terrorist groups and Gazan civilians invaded the northwestern Negev on Oct. 7, 2023.

In a separate statement on Wednesday, the IDF said it had struck several Hamas weapons storage sites in central and northern Gaza over the past week, including one that had been established inside a mosque.

The depots contained weapons intended for use against soldiers operating along the ceasefire line, as well as Israeli civilians, “and were dismantled in order to remove the threat,” according to the military.

The weapons storage site inside a mosque “is an additional example of the terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip exploiting civilian infrastructure for terrorist purposes by storing weapons in the heart of the civilian population, including in religious sites, to facilitate terrorist activity,” the IDF said. JNS

{Matzav.com}

Costco members in Washington state who received certain promotional emails over the past several years may qualify for a cash payment after the retail giant agreed to settle a $14 million class action lawsuit alleging it sent deceptive marketing emails advertising limited-time offers.

The lawsuit claims Costco violated Washington’s Commercial Electronic Mail Act (CEMA), a state law governing commercial email advertising. Under the statute, consumers may be entitled to recover as much as $500 for each qualifying email. However, the amount each claimant ultimately receives from the settlement will depend on how many valid claims are filed.

Although Costco denies any wrongdoing, the company agreed to resolve the case, known as Aaland v. Costco Wholesale Corp., by paying $14 million.

The settlement covers Washington residents whose email addresses are on file with Costco and who received the promotional emails between June 2021 and July 2026.

Eligible individuals must submit a claim form no later than Aug. 24, 2026, in order to receive a share of the settlement proceeds.

According to the complaint, Costco allegedly violated state law by using email subject lines that suggested sales were about to expire even though the promotions were allegedly intended to continue beyond the advertised deadlines.

Among the examples cited in the lawsuit are the subject lines “Today is the last day to access Member-Only Savings” and “Hot Buys available for 5 Days Only.”

After attorneys’ fees, litigation expenses, and court-approved service awards are deducted, the remaining settlement funds will be divided equally among all class members who submit approved claims. Because the total number of valid claims is not yet known, the amount each person will receive has not been determined.

Regardless of how many qualifying emails they received, each eligible class member may file only one claim.

Consumers who do not wish to participate may opt out of the settlement or object to its terms by Aug. 24. Those who choose not to take any action will receive no payment and will forfeit the right to bring future legal claims against Costco over the allegations resolved by the settlement.

A final fairness hearing is scheduled for Oct. 2, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. Pacific Time in federal court in Seattle, where a judge will decide whether to grant final approval to the agreement.

If the settlement receives final approval, payments will be distributed by paper check or through electronic methods such as Venmo, PayPal, or other approved digital payment services.

{Matzav.com}

WATCH:

Dr. Anthony Fauci repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination during a dramatic Senate hearing on Wednesday, refusing to answer questions from Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) as a contentious investigation into his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic escalated.

At the outset of the hearing, Fauci sharply criticized Paul, accusing the senator of waging a relentless campaign against him and arguing that the Senate Homeland Security Committee’s inquiry was designed solely to build a criminal case against him.

“Given Senator Paul’s obvious obsession with calling for my prosecution, his repeated slanderous comments about me, and recently his publicly releasing my unredacted personal diary aimed at embarrassing and intimidating me, the only conclusion I can reach is that the sole reason he is calling me before this committee is to get me to say something, anything, that could vindicate his repeated public pledges that I end up, in his words, ‘behind bars,’” said Fauci.

He continued by explaining why he would not respond to the committee’s questions.

“Any reasonable person who has followed his unhinged obsession with me would readily come to the same conclusion. Therefore, although it pains me to do so because of the respect I have for the legislative branch of government and my decades long record of cooperating with Congress, under the advice of my attorneys, I will invoke my right under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution to refrain from answering your questions.”

As the hearing progressed, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases repeatedly declined to answer additional questions, invoking the Fifth Amendment at least a dozen more times while Paul pressed him about so-called “gain of function” research conducted in China.

Paul also questioned Fauci about the scope of the broad pardon granted to him by Joe Biden during the closing days of his presidency in January 2025, asking whether the pardon affected his decision to invoke constitutional protections.

“Have you refused this pardon, or do you have any reason to believe this full and unconditional pardon, this grant of immunity would somehow require you to plead the Fifth Amendment?” asked Paul.

Fauci again refused to provide a substantive response.

“On the advice of counsel, I respectfully declined to answer, based upon my rights under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution,” answered Fauci.

In his opening statement, Paul outlined what he described as serious concerns regarding Fauci’s defense of federally funded “gain of function” research and alleged efforts to conceal or destroy government records connected to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It is a crime to destroy federal records,” said Paul. “Yet our investigation reveals your assistant diligently reported that she deleted tons of emails in 2024. You testified that you did not delete federal records. Who’s telling the truth? You or your assistant?”

The Kentucky senator further alleged that the committee had uncovered multiple instances in which Fauci instructed government officials to erase communications, pointing to one specific email exchange from early 2020.

“The committee has obtained repeated instructions, from you, telling federal officials to delete communications,” added the chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee. “On February 2nd, 2020, one day after [a conference call on COVID-19 originas], you told [then-NIH Director Dr.] Francis Collins, ‘Please delete this email after you read it.’”

The hearing comes as federal prosecutors continue pursuing related investigations. In May, David Morens, a longtime adviser to Fauci, was indicted on charges alleging he concealed and destroyed federal records.

{Matzav.com}

The Senate took a major step Tuesday toward approving a broad new sanctions package targeting Russia, voting to advance legislation designed to punish countries that continue purchasing Russian oil, natural gas, and other exports. The procedural vote came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the Capitol, where he urged lawmakers to continue supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia.

The bipartisan measure cleared its first hurdle by an 86-12 vote just hours after senators attended the funeral of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who had been the legislation’s chief architect. Zelenskyy, who traveled to Washington for Graham’s funeral, met privately with senators before the vote and told them Ukraine is gaining momentum on the battlefield but still requires additional American assistance.

After the meeting, Zelenskyy watched the Senate proceedings from the gallery, acknowledging lawmakers below with waves of appreciation as the vote unfolded.

Sen. Todd Young of Indiana said Zelenskyy stressed that the sanctions package carries significance beyond its economic impact.

At the meeting, Zelenskyy told senators that the sanctions legislation “is important as a moral signal to a country that is weary and tired, though holding its own and then some against Russia,” Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., said as he left the meeting.

Following the vote, Zelenskyy posted on X that the discussions focused primarily on strengthening Ukraine’s air defenses and praised the Senate’s action as an important milestone.

“We discussed many issues, first and foremost, anti-ballistic defense.

“It was an honor to be present as the votes were counted,” he said. “This is the first step toward implementing Lindsey’s plans, and certainly a step toward peace.”

The legislation represents months of negotiations led by Graham and Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut. The two senators announced they had reached an agreement with the White House on July 10, just one day before Graham’s unexpected death, believed to have resulted from an aortic tear. Graham had recently returned from a trip to Ukraine, where he met personally with Zelenskyy.

Blumenthal recalled that Graham considered the agreement one of the defining accomplishments of his career.

Blumenthal said Graham told him that the deal they had struck was a “big [expletive] deal” in the last conversation they had just before he died.

“It’s a significant part of his legacy,” Blumenthal said.

According to Blumenthal, support for the measure has continued to grow because of Ukraine’s improving military position, the extensive bipartisan negotiations behind the bill, and lawmakers’ desire to honor Graham’s work.

He said the bill has momentum partly because Ukraine is turning the tide in the war, because the bill was carefully negotiated and “there’s feeling about Sen. Graham.”

Blumenthal added that Zelenskyy’s attendance during the vote made the moment especially meaningful.

Zelenskyy’s presence also helps, Blumenthal said, and “watching his face when he was in the gallery as we were voting was truly a moment of joy.”

Young said Zelenskyy projected confidence during the closed-door meeting, telling senators that Ukrainian forces are making meaningful gains in several areas of the conflict.

In Zelenskyy’s latest visit to the Capitol, his message was “positive,” Young said, and he talked about how the Ukrainians are making good progress against Russia in different areas of the war.

Young argued that the sanctions legislation is a critical tool for weakening Russia’s economy and increasing pressure on President Vladimir Putin to negotiate.

The bill is a “keystone in that overall effort” to handicap the Russian economy and drive Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table, Young said.

Sen. Jim Justice of West Virginia said Zelenskyy conveyed a striking level of optimism about Ukraine’s current position in the war.

Zelenskyy told them that “they are winning the war now,” said Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.Va.

“In the first year it was survival. The next three years was getting your feet under you. But now they are winning,” Justice said.

Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota said Zelenskyy believes stronger sanctions could significantly increase pressure on the Kremlin to negotiate an end to the conflict.

Rounds said Zelenskyy told the senators that “Putin would think a little bit more about trying to negotiate a settlement if the sanctions were in place and actually creating more irritation.”

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire said the legislation sends a clear bipartisan message to Moscow while reinforcing American support for Ukraine.

The bill will “send Putin a bipartisan message in a language he understands,” said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.

“This is our best opportunity to support Ukraine. We are defending not just their country but the rest of Europe from an increasingly aggressive Russia.”

Earlier in the day, Zelenskyy also met with President Donald Trump, where the two leaders discussed additional ways the United States could assist Ukraine in its war effort.

The sanctions package is the product of more than a year of negotiations involving Graham, Blumenthal, and other lawmakers seeking legislation capable of winning support from both the White House and a bipartisan majority in the Senate.

Among its key provisions, the bill authorizes the president to impose tariffs on the five largest purchasers of Russian oil and natural gas, including China and India. It also exempts countries that receive less than 15% of their natural gas from Russia and are actively reducing those imports.

The legislation further targets Putin, senior Russian government and military officials, major financial institutions, and Russian energy projects. It also expands sanctions against aging oil tankers that Russia has used to evade existing restrictions on its energy exports.

Negotiators included language allowing the president to waive certain sanctions or restrictions if the administration certifies to Congress that doing so is in the national interest.

At President Trump’s request, lawmakers also added provisions extending certain sanctions against Iran.

Despite broad bipartisan support, some Democrats remain uneasy about granting the president expanded authority to impose tariffs.

“It is extremely dangerous to give Trump massive new tariff powers, particularly after we’ve seen the disastrous impacts of his corrupt, chaotic, and inflationary tariff spree,” said Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., in a statement with Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass.

Wyden said he intends to introduce an amendment modifying the tariff provisions as debate continues this week.

Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona said before meeting with Zelenskyy that he remained undecided because of the tariff language and planned to make “a game-time decision” after hearing the Ukrainian president’s appeal.

{Matzav.com}

Even as inflation has slowed significantly from its recent highs, Americans continue to feel the squeeze at the supermarket, with food prices climbing 33% over the past seven years—the steepest increase over such a period in roughly half a century, according to a report by the New York Post.

Although the annual inflation rate eased to 3.5% in June after reaching 4.2% in May, grocery bills remain stubbornly high. One striking example is ground beef, which sold for an average of $6.82 per pound in June—a 79% jump compared to 2019, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data cited by the Post.

Scott D. Martin, a partner at Kingsview Wealth Management, said consumers have gradually come to accept today’s elevated grocery prices as the new reality because they have remained high for so long.

“While inflation has cooled from its peak, grocery prices have not returned to where consumers remember them,” Martin said. “Food prices have effectively reset to a permanently higher level after years of supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, transportation costs, and broad inflationary pressures.”

Government data reviewed by the Post shows just how dramatically the trend has changed. Between 2012 and 2019, food prices rose only 6.4% in total over seven years. After the pandemic began in early 2020, however, grocery costs accelerated sharply.

Food prices surged approximately 21% between January 2021 and January 2023 and have climbed nearly another 10% in the years since.

Douglas Holtz-Eakin, president of the American Action Forum, said several long-term factors have kept grocery prices elevated, including reduced cattle inventories and the global disruption caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“Grocery prices have gone up especially in 2021, but they have stayed high due to cattle disease and bad growing conditions,” he said. “The war in Ukraine hurt as well because it’s essentially the grain basket of the world.”

The impact has been so significant that many Americans have fundamentally changed the way they shop, seeking every possible opportunity to stretch their grocery budgets.

“Households are increasingly purchasing private-label brands, comparing prices across multiple retailers, buying in bulk when discounts are available, and cutting back on discretionary food purchases,” Martin said. “Even higher-income consumers have become far more price-conscious because groceries are one of the most visible household expenses.”

Martin cautioned that consumers should not expect meaningful relief anytime soon, pointing to the added pressure of tariffs along with rising transportation and energy expenses.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest Food Price Outlook, cited by the New York Post, overall food prices are projected to increase another 3.1% in 2026, followed by an additional 3.1% rise in 2027.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu says he has no intention of backing away from his planned trip to New York for the United Nations General Assembly this September, brushing aside repeated calls by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani for his arrest and accusing the mayor of spreading hatred against the city’s Jewish community.

During an appearance on Fox News’ “Hannity” following his White House meeting with President Donald Trump, Netanyahu was asked about Mamdani’s remarks and responded unequivocally that his plans remain unchanged.

“I’m going to New York,” Netanyahu said during an interview with “Hannity” following his White House meeting with President Donald Trump Tuesday.

Netanyahu said he intends to confront Mamdani’s accusations directly, charging that the mayor is fostering division and inciting hostility toward Jews.

“I’m going to speak the truth in front of this hate-spewing elected official who’s pitting one group of New Yorkers against the others. He’s turning them against New York Jews.”

Mamdani has repeatedly condemned Netanyahu over Israel’s military operations in Gaza and Lebanon, accusing him of responsibility for alleged atrocities during the conflicts.

He recently called Netanyahu a “war criminal” and “the architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people.” Tens of thousands of Gazans were killed in the war.

Although Mamdani has acknowledged that New York City officials do not have the legal authority to enforce the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant against Netanyahu, he has urged federal authorities to take action if the Israeli prime minister visits the United States.

Netanyahu responded by accusing Mamdani of deliberately fueling anti-Jewish sentiment and attempting to turn New Yorkers against the city’s Jewish residents.

“What are we in the 1930s? What is this? So much hate, so many lies,” Netanyahu told host Sean Hannity.

The dispute comes as criticism of Netanyahu has also emerged from other political figures. President Trump has expressed concern over Israel’s continued military strikes in the Middle East, particularly in Lebanon, saying “too many people are being killed,” while former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has echoed Mamdani’s calls for Netanyahu’s arrest.

Netanyahu also blasted the International Criminal Court, calling it a politically motivated institution that unfairly targets Israel while ignoring terrorist organizations.

“They don’t charge Hezbollah… Supposedly, they charged Hamas , but a guy who’s already dead. So no, it’s fake. It’s one big fake,” he told Fox News.

He warned that if the ICC’s authority goes unchallenged, it could eventually target American leaders and military personnel as well.

“They could say that the president of the United States is a war criminal, that American soldiers – valiantly fighting next to us, shoulder to shoulder, against the tyranny in Tehran – that they’re war criminals.”

Turning to his White House visit, Netanyahu praised his latest meeting with Trump, saying it underscored the close alliance between the United States and Israel.

The prime minister described the meeting as “one of the best meetings” he has ever had with the president.

“I always hate to disappoint our would-be critics who are trying to find cracks in our alliance. And what they find, like today, is a wall of granite,” he said.

Netanyahu added that he and Trump remain fully united in their determination to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

“We don’t want to see this fanatic regime in Tehran have nuclear weapons to threaten every American and to threaten the peace of the world, and to threaten the existence of Israel,” he continued. “So we have a common goal, and it’s gonna be achieved, either through diplomatic means or other means.”

Fox News noted that Netanyahu will also appear on the next episode of “Hang Out with Sean Hannity,” which will be available Thursday on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple.

{Matzav.com}

The United States has flatly rejected what it called Iran’s “unreasonable demands” to impose tolls on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, as negotiations continue over the future of the vital waterway amid broader diplomatic talks between Washington and Tehran.

A U.S. official told Reuters on Tuesday that both Washington and Oman have dismissed Iran’s proposal, making clear that commercial vessels will not be required to pay tolls or fees to pass through the strategic shipping route.

The official stressed that no agreement under discussion would permit Iran to collect mandatory charges from ships using the Strait of Hormuz.

Earlier in the day, a Gulf source told Reuters that Oman had secured support from several Gulf nations for a proposal that would create a joint regional framework with Iran to oversee the Strait of Hormuz through voluntary user fees.

The proposal was delivered to Iranian officials during meetings in Tehran over the weekend. If adopted, the arrangement would give Iran a shared role in administering the waterway rather than allowing it to exercise exclusive control.

The future of the Strait of Hormuz has become a central issue in negotiations aimed at ending the conflict with Iran. Before the war, roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil exports and liquefied natural gas shipments passed through the narrow maritime corridor.

Iran has insisted that the strait cannot simply return to its pre-war status, when international shipping moved through without restrictions. Gulf Arab states, however, have firmly opposed any arrangement that would require vessels to pay compulsory fees to Iran.

President Donald Trump said Monday that Iran has been “tapped everyone along” for decades but indicated that negotiations between the two sides are moving forward in a positive atmosphere.

Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that Iran sought renewed talks after sustaining significant damage from recent U.S. military strikes.

“They want to meet, and we’re meeting. We’ll see what happens. There’s a chance we can make a deal,” said the President, who added that Iran’s request for talks resulted from US pressure.

“Without what we did, they wouldn’t even be talking to us,” he said. “They requested a meeting through their surrogates and directly and we’re meeting.”

When asked how long he was willing to continue negotiations, Trump said he was in no rush and suggested the military campaign had dramatically altered conditions in the region.

“I have plenty of time. The whole shoreline is wiped out. The Strait is in very good shape. And we’re talking right now.”

Trump expressed optimism that diplomacy could ultimately succeed but warned that military action remains an option if the talks collapse.

“We’re having good talks, so we’ll see what happens. I think there’s a good chance something could happen. And if it doesn’t, we go back to doing what we were doing two days ago.”

Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu declared Tuesday that anyone hoping to find signs of strain between Israel and the United States would instead discover a “wall of granite,” as he praised his White House meeting with President Donald Trump and underscored their shared determination to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

Speaking with Sean Hannity on Fox News following the meeting, Netanyahu described his talks with Trump in glowing terms, saying they ranked among the best conversations the two leaders have had.

The prime minister said the meeting “was great” and described it as “one of the best meetings that we’ve had.”

BREAKING: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin @netanyahu pushes back on reports of cracks in his relationship with President Trump:

"One of the best meetings that we've had."

"I always hate to disappoint our would-be critics who are trying to find cracks in our alliance. And what… pic.twitter.com/14qbzhd31I

— Fox News (@FoxNews) July 29, 2026

Netanyahu dismissed speculation that cracks have emerged in the U.S.-Israel relationship, saying the meeting demonstrated the strength and unity of the alliance.

“And I always hate to disappoint our would-be critics who are trying to find cracks in our alliance. And what they find, like today, is a wall of granite, because the president is so clear. We have a common commitment,” the Prime Minister told Hannity.

He said that both governments remain firmly committed to ensuring Iran never acquires nuclear weapons, stressing that the goal will be achieved one way or another.

“We don’t want to see this fanatic regime in Tehran have nuclear weapons to threaten every American and to threaten the peace of the world and to threaten the existence of Israel,” continued Netanyahu. “So we have a common goal. And it’s going to be achieved, either through diplomatic means or other means. But we’re both committed to that. And that’s the main headline that I would tell you.”

Earlier Tuesday, Trump also highlighted the White House meeting in a Truth Social post, sharing photographs from the visit and expressing satisfaction with the discussions.

“Had a very good meeting! Obviously, many important subjects were discussed.”

The White House likewise praised the talks, with a spokesperson describing Tuesday’s meeting as “productive and good.”

Senior officials traveling with Netanyahu also characterized the discussions as highly successful, saying the leaders focused primarily on Iran while also addressing broader regional issues and the close strategic partnership between Washington and Jerusalem.

“It was a very good and highly positive meeting. The two leaders discussed all fronts, foremost Iran, and reiterated their shared commitment to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. They also discussed the robust partnership between Israel and the US, as well as various opportunities across the Middle East.”

{Matzav.com}

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer said Dr. Anthony Fauci should not assume that President Joe Biden’s pardon gives him immunity if he provides false testimony before Congress, as the longtime public health official prepares to appear before a Republican-led Senate panel.

Fauci is scheduled to testify Wednesday before a Senate committee chaired by Sen. Rand Paul, just days after hundreds of pages from his personal COVID-19-era diary were released to the public, renewing scrutiny of his actions and public statements during the pandemic.

Comer argued that the newly disclosed documents help explain why Biden granted Fauci a sweeping pardon before leaving office.

“We now know why President Biden gave a blanket pardon to Dr. Fauci. While obsessing about his own fame, Dr. Fauci wasn’t truthful with the American people about the origins of COVID and advised schools to be closed,” Comer told Fox News Digital.

“Americans are still reaping the consequences of Dr. Fauci’s actions. Biden’s pardon doesn’t cover Dr. Fauci’s testimony this week and if he continues to lie, he must be held accountable.”

Fauci was one of several individuals who received broad preemptive pardons from Biden during the final hours of his presidency.

The pardon applies to any potential offenses committed between Jan. 1, 2014, and the date it was issued, including matters connected to Fauci’s work as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, his service on the White House Coronavirus Task Force and COVID-19 Response Team, and his role as chief medical adviser to the president.

Because the pardon covers actions taken during Fauci’s government service, legal observers are expected to debate whether it could shield him from liability arising from testimony he gives before Congress after the pardon was issued.

Other House Republicans also sharply criticized Fauci, arguing that his conduct during the pandemic severely damaged public confidence in America’s healthcare system. Among those speaking out were the physician co-chairs of the House GOP Doctors’ Caucus.

“Dr. Fauci, enamored with his own fame and vanity, put politics above science during the pandemic. He is primarily responsible for the resulting multi-generational erosion of trust in American medicine,” Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., told Fox News Digital. “A perfect example of ego destroying whatever achievements he had prior to the pandemic.”

Rep. John Joyce of Pennsylvania likewise said Fauci should answer for his actions before both chambers of Congress.

“The release of Dr. Fauci’s diary entries validates what many Americans suspected all along: he was not honest about the origins of COVID-19,” Joyce said. “His fixation on preserving his own image and maintaining a position of power eroded public trust, undermined the integrity of our public health institutions, and failed the American people.”

The diary entries released by Sen. Rand Paul, a longtime Fauci critic who chairs Wednesday’s hearing, include reflections on Fauci’s public profile during the pandemic and discussions related to the origins of COVID-19.

Some of the writings also appear to suggest Fauci viewed himself as having played a significant role in policies that led to widespread school closures, an issue that remains one of the most contentious aspects of the government’s pandemic response.

During testimony before the House Oversight Committee in January 2024, however, Fauci denied personally shutting down schools, stating, “I did not close the schools.”

Fauci has consistently rejected allegations of wrongdoing, maintaining that he has become the target of politically motivated attacks by critics who oppose the government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill announced Tuesday that her administration will not comply with a Justice Department request seeking detailed personal information about thousands of noncitizens who were mistakenly registered to vote, arguing that the federal government’s demand lacks legal authority.

Earlier this month, Sherrill disclosed that an internal review uncovered a software malfunction at the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission that resulted in approximately 6,600 noncitizens being added to the state’s voter rolls between 2023 and 2024. State officials also determined that roughly 400 of those individuals improperly cast ballots.

Following that disclosure, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who heads the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, sent the governor a letter requesting extensive information within five business days. The DOJ sought the names, birth dates, nationalities, home addresses, and voter registration details of the 6,600 individuals, along with voting records for the approximately 400 who cast ballots, including whether mail-in ballots contained the certifications and signatures required under New Jersey law.

Sherrill rejected the request, saying the state would not turn over residents’ personal information.

“Today, I informed @AAGDhillon that New Jersey will not provide the personal information of thousands of New Jersey residents,” Sherrill wrote on X. “The request had no legal basis, and I will always protect New Jerseyans’ personally identifiable information.”

Dhillon fired back on social media, arguing that the governor’s position undermines efforts to protect election integrity and insisting the federal government has the legal authority to obtain the records.

“NJ has a legal duty to keep ineligible voters off its rolls, & our request is grounded in that legal authority. DOJ will get this information through all legal means!” Dhillon wrote.

In a separate statement, Sherrill said the state’s Division of Elections has already begun removing more than 4,500 registrations linked to the software error. She said the remaining cases will be reviewed by county election officials to ensure that eligible voters are not mistakenly removed from the rolls.

Sherrill defended her administration’s handling of the issue, saying the state acted transparently after discovering the problem and accusing President Donald Trump and his allies of exploiting the situation for political purposes.

“As I said last week, this is what accountable government looks like,” Sherrill said. “We inherited a problem.

“We didn’t hide it. We didn’t deny it. We’re investigating it. And we’re going to fix it, the right way.

“That approach stands in stark contrast to how MAGA Republicans have responded to this issue. From the moment I made this public and launched the investigation, Donald Trump and his followers have moved to weaponize the issue to advance their voter suppression schemes. And they are trying to target the individuals affected, who were registered through no fault of their own. I won’t let them do either.”

The Trump administration has disputed New Jersey’s figures, maintaining that the number of noncitizens on the state’s voter rolls is significantly higher. On July 16, Department of Homeland Security officials announced they had identified 35,152 noncitizens registered to vote in New Jersey.

The controversy is also drawing congressional scrutiny. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, who chairs the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Oversight, said Monday that he intends to hold a hearing on the matter after Congress returns from its August recess and indicated that subpoenas for state records remain an option.

Van Drew and 18 fellow House Republicans also sent Sherrill a letter Friday requesting detailed answers about how the error occurred and what corrective measures the state is taking. The lawmakers gave the governor until Aug. 21 to respond.

“When the state uncovers a failure of this magnitude, it cannot simply acknowledge the problem and move on,” Van Drew said in a news release. “Our elections depend on accurate voter rolls and safeguards that actually work.

“This right here is exactly why we should require ID to vote in our elections. We need answers about how this happened, why it was not caught sooner, whether more ineligible registrations remain, and what is being done right now to secure our voter rolls.”

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A group of yeshiva bochurim who became lost while hiking in the Golan Heights was safely rescued Tuesday after a single detail they provided during a 100 emergency call enabled rescue teams to pinpoint their location.

The incident occurred near Nachal Govta, close to Neve Ativ, after the group strayed off the marked trail while hiking in the Hazuri Stream area and could no longer determine where they were.

The hikers were carrying kosher cell phones without internet access or the ability to transmit their GPS location. After realizing they were lost, they called Israel Police’s 100 emergency hotline and requested assistance.

During the conversation, the hikers mentioned what initially sounded like an ordinary observation: “We reached a sign that says, ‘Stop, Border Ahead.'”

For volunteers from the Golan Rescue Unit, who know the terrain intimately, that single sentence proved to be the crucial clue.

Using the information from the call, together with other details gathered during the recorded conversation, rescuers narrowed the search area and instructed the group to remain where they were until help arrived.

A short time later, rescue personnel reached the hikers in an off-road vehicle, safely evacuated the group, and transported them to a secure location.

The Golan Rescue Unit reminded the public that anyone heading out on a hike should familiarize themselves with the route in advance, carry appropriate navigation and communication equipment, and inform someone else of their travel plans.

Officials also advised that anyone who becomes lost or encounters an emergency should call the police’s 100 emergency hotline and remain in place whenever possible until rescue teams arrive.

Chareidi journalist Yanky Farber unexpectedly found himself at the center of a bizarre case of mistaken identity after reports of another Yaakov Farber’s passing led some to believe that he had died.

Speaking Tuesday night on Kol Chai Radio’s Press Conference program with hosts Avraham Freund and Shlomo Cooperman, Farber recounted how confusion over identical names resulted in widespread rumors that he had passed away.

The mix-up began after the tragic passing of Reb Yaakov Farber z”l, a Belzer askan, who passed away earlier this week at the age of 32 following a serious illness. He is survived by his widow and six children. The niftar was widely respected for his extensive work assisting avreichim and families, including helping many secure employment and vocational training.

Farber said that as soon as he heard about the tragedy, he realized the similarity in their names could lead to confusion. One of his friends even suggested that he post a message clarifying that the deceased was someone else.

“I said, ‘Leave it alone, there’s no need,'” Farber recalled. He then went to sleep without giving it another thought.

When he woke up early the next morning, however, he found hundreds of messages from worried friends and acquaintances trying to determine whether he was still alive.

“People didn’t know whether it was me or not. On one hand, it was the same name. On the other hand, it said the person was 32 years old, and nobody knew,” he said, adding that he spent hours replying to messages and received countless blessings wishing him a long life.

The confusion reached another level when one journalist mistakenly published Yanky Farber’s photograph alongside the obituary details after apparently combining Farber’s WhatsApp profile picture with information found online.

“Friends started sending it to me, and people were saying, ‘How are you talking to the dead? Are you in Gan Eden? Tell us what’s going on there,'” Farber recalled with a laugh.

After notifying the publisher that he was very much alive, the journalist apologized for the mistake.

“In your merit, I received hundreds of brachos that I should live until 120,” Farber told him. “That’s a segulah for long life.”

The mistaken reports even spread into political circles. Farber said that one senior Knesset official contacted others to find out when his funeral would take place and how he could attend.

“I wrote in the group, ‘Friends, what’s going on? I’m alive,'” Farber said.

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi, Rav Kalman Meir Ber, has come to the defense of Rishon LeTzion Rav David Yosef, declaring that the latter’s recent public remarks were not an improper intrusion into public affairs but rather the fulfillment of his duty as Israel’s chief rabbi.

In a detailed letter sent Tuesday to the Ombudsman for Complaints Against Judges, retired Judge Asher Kula, Rav Ber expressed strong support for Rav Yosef following the ombudsman’s decision regarding the Rishon LeTzion’s comments.

Rav Ber wrote that safeguarding the public status of Shabbos is not merely a right of Israel’s chief rabbi but a fundamental obligation inherent in the office. He emphasized that throughout its history, the Chief Rabbinate has consistently defended the sanctity of Shabbos in the public sphere, and that every chief rabbi since the institution’s founding has followed that path.

The chief rabbi further argued that the matter at hand did not involve a private dispute but rather a judicial decision issued by judges acting in their official governmental capacity. As such, he said, the issue carries broad public significance and directly affects the Jewish character of the State of Israel.

Under those circumstances, Rav Ber wrote, Rav Yosef’s public comments constituted “the fulfillment of his public responsibility and mission” as Israel’s chief rabbi.

To reinforce his position, Rav Ber cited a long line of historical precedents, reviewing statements and correspondence from generations of Israel’s chief rabbis, beginning with Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook and continuing through Chief Rabbis Rav Yitzchak Isaac Herzog, Rav Ben-Zion Meir Hai Uziel, and Rav Yitzchak Nissim Unterman. According to Rav Ber, each of them stressed the responsibility of the Chief Rabbinate to stand guard over the sanctity of Shabbos in Israel’s public life.

Likud MK Tally Gotliv launched a broadside against former Israeli security officials, called for an immediate halt to the arrests of yeshiva bochurim, and warned against any future coalition partnership with Ra’am chairman Mansour Abbas during an interview on Kol Chai Radio’s Central Edition.

Addressing a letter sent by hundreds of former senior security officials to the U.S. administration criticizing Israeli policy in Judea and Samaria, Gotliv strongly condemned the initiative.

“We hear about hundreds of former senior security officials sending letters to the U.S. administration and talking about ‘settler violence’ and narrative cleansing, just days after Jews were murdered al kiddush Hashem. If it were up to me, anyone who so severely violates his loyalty to the state—I would revoke his citizenship. This is a distorted narrative being broadcast abroad while our soldiers are on the front lines, sacrificing their lives for the security of us all.”

Turning to the issue of the arrests of yeshiva bochurim over military conscription, Gotliv argued that coercive measures would only deepen the divide and insisted that a negotiated solution is the only viable path forward.

“My brother serves as a battalion deputy commander in the IDF, and my son is fighting in northern Israel, and they tell me in the clearest terms: this entire campaign surrounding Chareidi enlistment has become a political campaign whose goal is to discourage the public. It is impossible to achieve results through coercion, arrests, or draft orders. I told the Attorney General’s representatives in the Knesset committee: stop the arrests. We need to take a timeout, stop the persecution, and strive for a fair solution that respects the Torah world and the greatness of Torah scholarship, rather than tearing Israeli society apart from within.”

Gotliv concluded by criticizing comments made by Ra’am chairman Mansour Abbas during a recent media interview, noting that he declined to define Hamas as a terrorist organization and accusing him of sending different messages in Arabic than he does in Hebrew.

“Mansour Abbas is using us, we’re his ‘pet Jews.’ One morning he said he was distancing himself from the Shura Council after Trump said he would outlaw the Muslim Brotherhood. But what did he say that very same day in Arabic? They asked him in Arabic, ‘How could you say you’re distancing yourself from the Shura Council?’ and he answered, ‘That’s just what sounds good to the Jews.’ Did you hear that? That’s the enemy. That’s Mansour Abbas. That’s the Muslim Brotherhood—a terrorist organization of which Hamas is its political and operational arm!”

Gotliv warned that if Israel fails to establish what she described as a strong nationalist right-wing government, the country could ultimately face the creation of a Palestinian state in the heart of Eretz Yisroel.

“If a strong national right-wing government is not formed, we could, chas v’shalom, wake up to a scenario in which a Palestinian state is established in the heart of Eretz Yisroel. Our national duty is to stand firm in the justice of our cause and not be deceived by false declarations.”

{Matzav.com}