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The IDF has reportedly stopped conducting proactive arrest raids targeting yeshiva bochurim classified as draft evaders in major chareidi population centers, even as enforcement continues at Israel’s airports and border crossings, where more than 200 alleged draft evaders have reportedly been arrested since the beginning of the Yom Tov season.

According to a report in Haaretz, the proactive arrest operations inside chareidi neighborhoods have been suspended since last month. The decision was initiated by the Military Police, while Israel Police serves primarily as the operational force assisting in carrying out such arrests.

Police sources cited in the report said they do not expect the raids to resume in the immediate future. The suspension has also coincided with an end to the large demonstrations staged by chareidi groups in response to military arrest operations.

The IDF has attributed the reduction in proactive operations to operational considerations, including the need to deploy personnel to other missions amid heightened security requirements surrounding the Yomim Tovim.

Some law-enforcement officials, however, offered a different explanation, alleging that IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and Personnel Directorate chief Maj. Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa are concerned that aggressive arrest operations in chareidi neighborhoods could trigger widespread unrest during the election period. That assertion is disputed by the IDF.

“In the army, they place the responsibility on the police, but in practice this is an issue that comes from the top of the IDF, which is deliberately abandoning the matter,” a senior law-enforcement official was quoted as saying.

While proactive raids inside chareidi communities have been curtailed, enforcement against draft evaders has continued through other channels, particularly at Israel’s points of entry and exit.

According to the IDF, more than 200 draft evaders have been arrested since the beginning of the Yom Tov period. Most were apprehended at border crossings, including some who were caught while returning to Israel. Others were transferred to Military Police custody after being encountered incidentally by civilian police.

The increased emphasis on border enforcement was already evident in the weeks before Rosh Hashanah. Military Police personnel were deployed at Ben Gurion Airport and other crossings as large numbers of travelers headed abroad, including those traveling to Uman. Earlier this month, more than 60 draft evaders were reported arrested at border crossings over a period of several days.

The reported suspension of neighborhood raids comes at a particularly sensitive legal moment. In approximately three weeks, the state is expected to submit an updated response to the High Court of Justice detailing the enforcement measures being taken against those who have failed to report for military service.

Earlier this month, a nine-justice High Court panel unanimously struck down legislation that had sought to suspend arrests, investigations and other enforcement measures against chareidi yeshiva bochurim who failed to report for military service. Eight of the nine justices also concluded that the legislation was unconstitutional because of its serious infringement on the principle of equality.

Questions about the scale of enforcement have already reached the political arena. Opposition lawmakers recently demanded updated figures from the IDF amid reports that proactive arrests of chareidi draft evaders had fallen sharply despite the High Court ruling.

The IDF, for its part, denied that any directive had been issued to stop proactive arrests in chareidi population centers because of the upcoming elections.

In its response to the report, the military said the Military Police continues to carry out enforcement operations with assistance from Israel Police. The IDF added that forces at border crossings have been reinforced in accordance with ongoing security assessments and said enforcement would continue equally against those violating the law.

{Matzav.com}

A political firestorm erupted in Israel on Friday after MK Ram Ben-Barak, a member of the Bennett-Lapid “Beyachad” faction, declared during a radio interview that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “Israel’s biggest enemy,” prompting an immediate denunciation from Likud Minister Miki Zohar.

Ben-Barak made the remark during an appearance on Kan Reshet Bet’s “Haboker Hazeh” program with Yair Ettinger. Asked about Netanyahu’s leadership and policies, Ben-Barak responded with an unusually sharp characterization of the prime minister.

“Israel’s biggest enemy is Netanyahu,” Ben-Barak said.

When pressed on whether that was indeed his position, Ben-Barak did not retreat from the statement, responding: “Unequivocally.”

The comments quickly generated controversy in Israel’s political arena, coming amid the escalating campaign rhetoric surrounding the upcoming elections and a day after Netanyahu addressed the United Nations General Assembly.

Zohar, a Likud minister, responded sharply to Ben-Barak, arguing that the comment reflected the opposition’s hostility toward Netanyahu rather than a substantive political critique.

“Ram Ben-Barak said this this morning because he could not bear the prime minister’s amazing speech yesterday at the UN. The hatred simply blinds them. Sad. Netanyahu will not surrender. With Hashem’s help, we will win the elections,” Zohar wrote.

Thousands of avreichim streamed to Rechov Strauss in Yerushalayim on Friday morning, Erev Sukkos, for a massive Yom Tov distribution by philanthropist Mr. Yoeli Landau, who handed out envelopes containing 1,220 shekels apiece to approximately 6,000 people.

The enormous turnout outside the Ohr Hachaim Torah center became so large that Strauss Street was ultimately closed to traffic as crowds gathered at the entrance to the room where Landau was personally distributing the envelopes.

An announcement publicized Thursday night had informed the public that a “Sanzer chalukah” would be held in memory of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz zy”a. The distribution was scheduled for Friday morning between 7 and 9 a.m. and was intended for married avreichim. By the early morning hours, large numbers had already begun arriving at the location.

Each recipient was given an envelope containing 1,220 shekels as a Yom Tov grant and financial assistance. Approximately 6,000 people reportedly received the envelopes directly, bringing the total amount distributed to approximately 7.32 million shekels.

The envelopes bore the words “Shefa Yoel Chalukah.”

Images and videos of the scene quickly circulated on social media, where some criticized the manner in which the distribution was conducted and the heavy crowding that developed outside the building.

Those close to Landau, however, defended the arrangement, saying that such distributions are a regular and respected practice in the United States and that the Yerushalayim event was modeled on the manner in which Landau regularly distributes tzedakah in Williamsburg.

According to his associates, every Friday Landau sits for approximately two hours in his bais medrash in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where he provides substantial financial assistance to anyone in need who comes to him.

With Landau visiting Eretz Yisroel ahead of Sukkos, he decided to conduct a similar distribution for kollel avreichim in Israel, enabling them to cover their Yom Tov expenses with greater dignity and peace of mind.

People close to the philanthropist said Landau distributes tens of millions of shekels each month, much of it discreetly and through direct deposits into the bank accounts of families in need.

This time, however, Landau wanted the money to be available to everyone who qualified without relying on predetermined lists. His associates said the decision to conduct the mass distribution was made only at the beginning of the week, leaving insufficient time to organize an alternative system.

{Matzav.com}

Thousands participated in the levayah on Erev Sukkos of the renowned mekubal, Rav Dovid Shalom Batzri zt”l, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Hashalom in Yerushalayim, who passed away suddenly Friday morning at the age of 85.

Despite the rapidly approaching onset of Yom Tov, large crowds gathered to accompany the revered mekubal on his final journey.

Among those who delivered hespedim during the levayah were Rav Reuven Elbaz, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Ohr Hachaim; Rishon Letzion Rav Dovid Yosef; Rav Benayahu Shmueli, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Nahar Shalom; the mekubal Rav Yaakov Ades; and others.

Following the hespedim, the levayah proceeded to the Sanhedria cemetery in Yerushalayim, where Rav Batzri was laid to rest alongside his wife, Rebbetzin Tziporah Batzri a”h.

In a striking similarity, Rebbetzin Batzri also passed away immediately before a Yom Tov, on Erev Pesach. At the time, the onset of the Yom Tov prevented the family from observing the usual shivah period.

The same circumstance repeated itself with Rav Batzri’s petirah. Because his levayah took place on Erev Sukkos, the family was able to sit shivah for less than two hours before the arrival of Yom Tov brought the aveilus period to an end.

Rav Batzri, widely regarded as one of the senior mekubalim of the generation, headed Yeshivat Hashalom in Yerushalayim for decades and was a prominent figure in the world of Torah and kabbalah.

The extraordinary timing added another poignant element to an already emotional levayah: husband and wife were both niftar on the eve of a major Yom Tov, leaving their family in each instance with only a brief period to sit shivah before the chag began.

Yehi zichro boruch.

הלווית המקובל רבי דוד בצרי זצ”לצילום: יונתן זינדל – פלאש 90 הלווית המקובל רבי דוד בצרי זצ”לצילום: יונתן זינדל – פלאש 90 הלווית המקובל רבי דוד בצרי זצ”לצילום: יונתן זינדל – פלאש 90

הלווית המקובל רבי דוד בצרי זצ”לצילום: יונתן זינדל – פלאש 90 הלווית המקובל רבי דוד בצרי זצ”לצילום: יונתן זינדל – פלאש 90 הלווית המקובל רבי דוד בצרי זצ”לצילום: יונתן זינדל – פלאש 90

ביום המסוגל ביותר, פוסק הדור בשטר חתום: “עשירות מופלגה בתשפ”ז”

בשיתוף קופת העיר

20:10

יוקרה מול הכנרת. פשוט

תוכן מקודם

19:20

המתנה המפתיעה שהעניק מנשה צרפתי לבנו החתן רגע לפני החופה

מקודם

00:25

הלווית המקובל רבי דוד בצרי זצ”לצילום: יונתן זינדל – פלאש 90 הלווית המקובל רבי דוד בצרי זצ”לצילום: יונתן זינדל – פלאש 90 הלווית המקובל רבי דוד בצרי זצ”לצילום: יונתן זינדל – פלאש 90 הלווית המקובל רבי דוד בצרי זצ”לצילום: יונתן זינדל – פלאש 90 הלווית המקובל רבי דוד בצרי זצ”לצילום: יונתן זינדל – פלאש 90 הלווית המקובל רבי דוד בצרי זצ”לצילום: יונתן זינדל – פלאש 90 הלווית המקובל רבי דוד בצרי זצ”לצילום: יונתן זינדל – פלאש 90 הלווית המקובל רבי דוד בצרי זצ”לצילום: יונתן זינדל – פלאש 90 הלווית המקובל רבי דוד בצרי זצ”לצילום: יונתן זינדל – פלאש 90 הלווית המקובל רבי דוד בצרי זצ”לצילום: יונתן זינדל – פלאש 90 הלווית המקובל רבי דוד בצרי זצ”לצילום: יונתן זינדל – פלאש 90 הלווית המקובל רבי דוד בצרי זצ”לצילום: יונתן זינדל – פלאש 90 הלווית המקובל רבי דוד בצרי זצ”לצילום: יונתן זינדל – פלאש 90 הלווית המקובל רבי דוד בצרי זצ”לצילום: יונתן זינדל – פלאש 90 הלווית המקובל רבי דוד בצרי זצ”לצילום: יונתן זינדל – פלאש 90 הלווית המקובל רבי דוד בצרי זצ”לצילום: יונתן זינדל – פלאש 90 הלווית המקובל רבי דוד בצרי זצ”לצילום: יונתן זינדל – פלאש 90 הלווית המקובל רבי דוד בצרי זצ”לצילום: יונתן זינדל – פלאש 90 הלווית המקובל רבי דוד בצרי זצ”לצילום: יונתן זינדל – פלאש 90 הלווית המקובל רבי דוד בצרי זצ”לצילום: יונתן זינדל – פלאש 90 הלווית המקובל רבי דוד בצרי זצ”לצילום: יונתן זינדל – פלאש 90 הלווית המקובל רבי דוד בצרי זצ”לצילום: יונתן זינדל – פלאש 90 הלווית המקובל רבי דוד בצרי זצ”לצילום: יונתן זינדל – פלאש 90 הלווית המקובל רבי דוד בצרי זצ”לצילום: יונתן זינדל – פלאש 90 הלווית המקובל רבי דוד בצרי זצ”לצילום: יונתן זינדל – פלאש 90 הלווית המקובל רבי דוד בצרי זצ”לצילום: יונתן זינדל – פלאש 90 הלווית המקובל רבי דוד בצרי זצ”לצילום: יונתן זינדל – פלאש 90 הלווית המקובל רבי דוד בצרי זצ”לצילום: יונתן זינדל – פלאש 90

A man approximately 50 years old was injured Friday after falling from a ladder while building a sukkah on Rav Tzirlson Street in Bnei Brak, prompting emergency organizations to issue renewed warnings about the dangers involved in sukkah construction.

First responders from Hatzalah, together with Magen David Adom personnel, provided initial medical treatment at the scene before the injured man was transported to Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer.

United Hatzalah ambulance driver Aharon Lerer and EMTs Yaakov Yisrael Malka and Leizer Margalit described the circumstances of the accident and the treatment provided.

“His family members told us that he fell from a ladder that he had climbed while building the sukkah. We provided him with medical treatment at the scene that included stopping the bleeding, bandaging and immobilization, after which he was quickly transported in a United Hatzalah ambulance to the trauma room at Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer, suffering from injuries to his head and limbs, and his condition is defined as moderate,” they said.

Hatzalah EMT Yedidya Friedman, who also responded to the scene, said: “When I arrived at the scene, I found a man approximately 50 years old suffering from a head injury after falling from a ladder while building a sukkah. Together with Hatzalah and MDA EMTs, we provided him with initial medical treatment including immobilization and bandaging, and he was transported for further treatment at Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer.”

The incident comes amid a number of injuries connected to sukkah construction during the days leading up to Sukkos. Hatzalah reminded the public to be particularly cautious while assembling sukkahs and urged people to use proper, safe and approved equipment.

Such accidents recur each year during the hectic pre-Sukkos period, when families are busy completing their final preparations for Yom Tov. Along with observing the many halachos involved in constructing a sukkah, emergency personnel stressed the importance of basic safety precautions, particularly when using ladders, working at elevated heights or handling construction equipment.

{Matzav.com}

The Torah and kabbalah worlds were plunged into mourning on Erev Sukkos with the sudden petirah of the gaon and tzaddik Rav Dovid Shalom Batzri zt”l, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Hashalom in Yerushalayim and one of the foremost mekubalim of the generation. He was 85.

Rav Batzri collapsed suddenly Friday morning at his home on Rav Landau Street in Bnei Brak, where he had been living in recent years. Emergency medical personnel rushed to the scene and performed prolonged resuscitation efforts before transporting him in critical condition to Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer. Despite their efforts, he was niftar, leaving thousands of talmidim, admirers and those who had sought his guidance and brachos over the decades deeply bereaved.

During his final years, Rav Batzri had experienced periods of declining health and was hospitalized on several occasions. Nevertheless, he continued his lifelong avodas hakodesh, teaching the hidden dimensions of Torah, receiving people seeking advice and brachos, and conducting tikkunim and tefillos on behalf of individuals and the wider community.

The levayah was scheduled to depart at 2 p.m. Friday from Yeshivas Hashalom on Tachkemoni Street in Yerushalayim and proceed to the Sanhedria cemetery. Thousands were expected to participate, including roshei yeshiva, mekubalim, rabbonim and admorim, accompanying one of the senior figures of the world of kabbalah on his final journey.

Rav Dovid Shalom Batzri was born in Yerushalayim on 14 Av 5701 to his father, Rav Yosef Batzri zt”l, and his mother, Mrs. Victoria Batzri a”h.

He descended from a distinguished family of the great Torah scholars of Iraqi Jewry. His mother was a great-granddaughter of the Ben Ish Chai, Rav Yosef Chaim of Baghdad zt”l, as well as a great-granddaughter of the famed mekubal Rav Yehuda Fatiyah zt”l, author of Minchas Yehudah. That illustrious lineage provided the roots for what would become Rav Batzri’s lifelong immersion in Toras hanistar and kabbalah.

His family included numerous distinguished marbitzei Torah and dayanim. His brothers included Rav Ezra Batzri, who served as a member of Israel’s Great Rabbinical Court; Rav Sasson Batzri, a dayan on the Ahavas Shalom bais din; and Rav Menachem Batzri, director of Mosdos Sukkas Dovid. His brothers-in-law included Rav Ben Tzion Mutzafi and Rav Yehuda Mutzafi zt”l, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Mishkan Shiloach.

As a bochur, Rav Batzri studied at the famed Yeshivas Porat Yosef in Yerushalayim’s Old City, where he became a close talmid of the legendary Rosh Yeshiva Rav Ezra Attiya zt”l. Already in his youth, he distinguished himself through extraordinary diligence, depth of learning and personal tzidkus. He also absorbed Torah from the great sages of Yerushalayim, including Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l and Rav Mordechai Eliyahu zt”l.

Upon reaching marriageable age, Rav Batzri married Rebbetzin Tziporah Batzri a”h, daughter of the mekubal Rav Salman Mutzafi zt”l, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Bnei Tzion. Rebbetzin Batzri passed away on Erev Pesach 5780.

Following his marriage, already steeped in both Toras hanigleh and Toras hanistar, Rav Batzri established Yeshivas Hashalom on Tachkemoni Street in Yerushalayim’s Mekor Baruch neighborhood. The yeshiva was named for the famed mekubal Rav Shalom Sharabi, the Rashash.

Under Rav Batzri’s leadership, Yeshivas Hashalom developed into one of Yerushalayim’s best-known centers for the study of kabbalah. He led the study of the kavanos hatefillah according to the siddur of the Rashash and conducted various traditional tikkunim, including tikkunei teshuvah, tikkun kareis and pidyon nefesh, as well as tefillos for shidduchim, refuah, parnassah and shalom bayis.

Over the decades, thousands of Jews from across Eretz Yisroel and throughout the world came through his doors. Some sought a bracha, others advice, while many participated in the special tikkunim and tefillos that Rav Batzri conducted with intense emotion. Numerous people attributed remarkable yeshuos in their personal lives to his tefillos and brachos.

Rav Batzri also became widely known because of his involvement in several highly unusual and publicized episodes involving alleged dibukim. He was regarded by his followers as possessing deep knowledge of the traditional teachings concerning names and spirits, a field associated particularly with his ancestor, Rav Yehuda Fatiyah.

One of the most famous episodes occurred in the spring of 5759, when a woman said to be suffering from a dibuk was brought to his bais medrash. Rav Batzri conducted a lengthy ceremony that included tekios shofar, kabbalas ol Malchus Shomayim and practices drawn from kabbalah. Recordings of the event, including what participants described as the voice of the dibuk and its eventual departure from the woman, were subsequently distributed widely and generated enormous interest throughout the Jewish world.

Another widely discussed episode took place in Teves 5770, when an avreich from Brazil who was said to be suffering from a severe dibuk was brought to Yeshivas Hashalom. Rav Batzri, together with his son Rav Yitzchak Batzri and Rav Yaakov Ades, conducted an intense gathering of tefillah. Those present reported that the purported dibuk spoke in different languages and in an unfamiliar voice before being adjured to leave through the toenail. The event was publicized extensively and became another of the episodes for which Rav Batzri was known far beyond the circles of mekubalim.

Alongside his leadership of the yeshiva and his work in Torah hanistar, Rav Batzri was a powerful maggid and traveled throughout Eretz Yisroel delivering drashos intended to strengthen observance of Shabbos, taharah, tznius and yiras Shomayim.

He was also known for speaking forcefully on matters concerning the kedushah of Yerushalayim and the preservation of traditional Jewish observance. On communal and spiritual issues, he did not hesitate to publicly express what he regarded as daas Torah, repeatedly calling upon Jews to strengthen themselves in teshuvah and emunah and to yearn for the ultimate yeshuah.

With his petirah, the Torah and kabbalah worlds lost one of the remaining links to an earlier generation of Yerushalmi mekubalim — a talmid chacham and tzaddik whose life was devoted to both the revealed and hidden dimensions of Torah and to helping Jews who turned to him in times of difficulty.

Rav Batzri leaves behind a large and distinguished family of sons, daughters, sons-in-law and descendants who continue his legacy. Among his sons are Rav Yitzchak Batzri and Rav Shlomo Batzri.

His levayah later proceeded to the Sanhedria cemetery, where he was laid to rest alongside his wife, Rebbetzin Tziporah a”h. In a poignant parallel, she had been niftar on Erev Pesach, leaving the family only a brief opportunity for shivah before Yom Tov. Rav Batzri’s petirah on Erev Sukkos likewise left his family with less than two hours to sit shivah before the onset of the Yom Tov.

Yehi zichro boruch. 

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump personally warned Chinese President Xi Jinping that the United States will not accept any Chinese assistance to Iran, whether through intelligence, military equipment, components or indirect support, U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue said Friday, offering new details about the two leaders’ high-stakes White House talks.

The Iran issue was among the major geopolitical matters discussed during Xi’s state visit to Washington, which included extensive talks with Trump on Thursday. The meeting came as Washington has been seeking to determine the extent of Beijing’s assistance to Tehran amid the ongoing war with Iran.

“We ⁠made it very clear to them weeks ago that, you know, any help ⁠that they would give Iran, whether it be direct or indirect, whether it ‌be intelligence or parts or military equipment, was ‌totally unacceptable. President Trump made that very ‌clear again yesterday. This is an ongoing drumbeat,” Perdue said in an interview ⁠with CNBC.

Trump himself confirmed Friday that Iran came up during his discussions with Xi.

“We did,” Trump told reporters when asked whether the two leaders had discussed the Iran war. “I think we’re going to do great.”

Perdue indicated that Washington has been delivering the same warning to Beijing for weeks, making clear that the administration’s objections extend beyond direct Chinese military aid. According to the ambassador, the U.S. position also encompasses intelligence assistance, components and other forms of indirect support that could aid Tehran.

The ambassador separately told Fox News that the United States received assurances from Beijing on Thursday concerning Chinese assistance to Iran. Perdue said Washington had already observed some movement by China following those assurances, though he did not provide details about what Beijing had agreed to stop doing or what changes the United States had detected.

The warning comes amid scrutiny in Washington over reports of Chinese assistance to Tehran. In the days leading up to Xi’s visit, lawmakers from both parties pressed the administration to confront Beijing over its relationship with Iran. Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal said Wednesday that Chinese activity involving Iran was significant enough that Trump should raise it directly with Xi.

Trump last week dismissed a Wall Street Journal report alleging that Chinese entities had provided Iran with satellite imagery of a U.S. military base before an Iranian strike that killed three American service members in Jordan. At the time, Trump offered a more measured assessment of Xi’s behavior regarding the conflict.

“I think he’s behaved reasonably well, and we behave reasonably well,” Trump said.

Perdue’s comments Friday, however, indicate that behind closed doors the administration delivered a direct warning that Chinese assistance to Tehran crosses a line for Washington.

At the same time, Perdue described the Trump-Xi discussions as unusually frank and suggested that the relationship between the two leaders has continued to develop despite the deep disputes separating Washington and Beijing.

“These ‌two leaders ⁠are beginning to develop a relationship of somewhat ⁠trust ⁠and also working on the issues. I ‌mean, this was a very candid and open conversation, and every time they talk, ‌I think we ‌see a different level of intimacy about these difficult issues that we’re dealing with.”

Xi’s visit was his first to Washington in more than a decade and included an elaborate White House welcome, bilateral meetings and a state dinner. Beyond Iran, the two leaders confronted a broad range of contentious issues, including trade, artificial intelligence and Taiwan.

Despite those disputes, both governments have sought to prevent the broader U.S.-China relationship from spiraling into uncontrolled confrontation. Xi said during his White House visit that the two countries should “coexist in peace,” while acknowledging that competition between them would continue.

The Iran question presents a particularly sensitive test of that relationship. China has maintained extensive economic ties with Tehran and has resisted U.S. pressure to sever those connections, even as Washington has sought to isolate Iran economically and restrict its ability to obtain foreign assistance.

Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu made no mention of an alleged warning from United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed that Hamas was preparing an attack when he convened Israel’s senior security officials just six days before the October 7, 2023, massacre, according to a new report by The New York Times. The existence and substance of the purported warning remain disputed, with Netanyahu and Emirati officials rejecting key elements of the account.

The Times report provided additional details surrounding an earlier Haaretz investigation alleging that Sheikh Mohammed personally contacted Netanyahu in late September 2023 to warn him that Hamas was contemplating a major attack against Israel.

Two people cited by The Times said they had either spoken directly with Sheikh Mohammed about the matter or were briefed by someone who took part in the conversation between the Emirati and Israeli leaders.

According to the account, Sheikh Mohammed contacted Netanyahu in late September after receiving information indicating that Hamas was preparing an attack. One source said the intelligence did not make clear whether Hamas was contemplating a major rocket barrage or an attempt to invade Israel on the ground.

It also remains unclear where the Emirati leader obtained the information and what other issues may have been discussed during the alleged conversation. Separate reporting this week said UAE intelligence had warned Israel’s Shin Bet in September 2023 of possible Hamas violence before the end of that month.

Whatever information may have been received, The Times reported that it apparently did not reach Israel’s top security officials. Five former senior Israeli officials told the newspaper that they were unaware of such a warning having reached the upper levels of the Israeli security establishment.

The Times also reviewed minutes of a security meeting Netanyahu convened on October 1, 2023 — less than a week before the Hamas invasion and massacre — to discuss the situation in Gaza. According to the newspaper, the minutes contain no reference to any warning from Sheikh Mohammed.

Instead, the minutes reportedly show Netanyahu emphasizing the importance of maintaining calm in Gaza.

Israeli officials at the meeting also discussed the possibility of carrying out strikes against senior Hamas figures who were responsible for attacks against Israelis in Judea and Samaria, according to the report.

The Times said Netanyahu opposed such a move at the time, expressing concern that an Israeli military operation in Gaza could jeopardize the emerging effort to establish diplomatic relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, which he believed was approaching a breakthrough.

The latest report follows weeks of controversy over the original Haaretz account. Netanyahu has emphatically denied that Sheikh Mohammed personally warned him of an impending Hamas attack and has said he intends to sue Haaretz over its reporting. His office has maintained that any relevant intelligence originating in the UAE would have been handled through established intelligence channels.

The UAE Foreign Ministry initially declined to address the substance of the reports, saying that it does not comment on media accounts or speculation regarding conversations between national leaders. It said the UAE and Israel maintained direct lines of communication and that relevant intelligence was transmitted between the two countries.

An Emirati official subsequently rejected the claim that intelligence or a warning about an impending Hamas attack had been conveyed directly between Sheikh Mohammed and Netanyahu, leaving conflicting accounts over whether such a conversation occurred and, if it did, precisely what was said.

Neither Netanyahu’s office nor the UAE Foreign Ministry responded to requests for comment from The Times for its latest report.

The newspaper reported another potentially significant detail: Sheikh Mohammed allegedly discussed the September episode afterward with William Burns, who was serving at the time as director of the CIA.

According to a person familiar with that conversation, the Emirati president told Burns that he had warned Netanyahu about a looming threat of Hamas violence in either Judea and Samaria or the Gaza Strip.

The alleged phone call also does not appear in the internal investigations conducted into the Israeli security failures surrounding October 7, according to the five former senior Israeli officials interviewed by The Times. Those officials participated in the investigations, significant portions of which have not been made public.

{Matzav.com}

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Friday handed the Trump administration a significant victory in its election-integrity efforts, allowing states and localities to use an expanded federal database to check registered voters’ citizenship status ahead of November’s midterm elections.

The 6-3 ruling temporarily blocked a lower-court decision that had restricted use of the revamped Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements system, known as SAVE. The database can draw on Social Security numbers and other federal records and allows election officials to conduct large-scale citizenship checks of voter rolls. The court’s three liberal justices dissented.

The decision does not resolve the underlying lawsuit or determine that states may automatically remove every voter flagged by SAVE. Rather, it permits the federal government to make the expanded system available while litigation over its legality continues. The immediate impact on mass removals before the Nov. 3 election may also be constrained by a federal law generally restricting systematic voter-list maintenance within 90 days of a federal election.

The dispute centers on an overhaul of SAVE undertaken by the Department of Homeland Security following an executive order signed by President Trump in March 2025. SAVE had existed since 1986 and was traditionally used to verify immigration or citizenship status for government benefits and licenses. The administration expanded it to incorporate additional federal records, including Social Security Administration data, and to permit bulk searches by authorized government entities.

Several Republican-led states subsequently began comparing their voter-registration lists against the federal system. According to the Trump administration’s Supreme Court filing, the updated SAVE system had verified more than 65 million registered voters across 26 states as U.S. citizens while flagging 28,635 people on voter rolls as potential noncitizens. Those figures represent federal database matches rather than final determinations that every person flagged is ineligible to vote.

The administration argues that the system gives state election officials an important tool for identifying noncitizens who are legally barred from voting in federal elections.

Voting-rights and privacy groups have challenged the system, contending that the federal data can be outdated or inaccurate and that naturalized American citizens can consequently be incorrectly identified as noncitizens. The overall error rate of the modified SAVE system has not been publicly established.

The Supreme Court majority concluded that the challengers’ arguments against the federal government’s information-sharing arrangement are unlikely to succeed.

Under federal immigration law, “the Federal Government has an obligation to respond to requests from state and local election officials seeking to verify the citizenship of voters,” the court said. “The order below prevents the Federal Government from using the program it believes is best suited to the task.”

The justices added that the lower court’s restrictions, including limits affecting checks of individual voters, “inhibits the Federal Government’s efforts to assist state and local agencies in the proper administration of the midterm elections.”

The case began after the League of Women Voters, the Electronic Privacy Information Center and several individuals sued the Department of Homeland Security, the Social Security Administration and the Justice Department in September 2025. They argued that the administration unlawfully combined sensitive government records and created a system that could jeopardize both privacy and voting rights.

In June, U.S. District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan in Washington sided with the challengers and blocked the expanded system, concluding that the administration had improperly combined federal records containing unreliable citizenship information.

“All in all, the federal government has knowingly trampled on the privacy rights of American citizens in a manner that threatens the sacred right to vote,” Sooknanan wrote. “This court cannot stand idly by while that happens.”

The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 2-1 decision earlier this month, declined to suspend Sooknanan’s ruling, prompting the Justice Department to seek emergency intervention from the Supreme Court.

Solicitor General D. John Sauer called the lower-court ruling “indefensible” and argued that it “threatens the integrity of upcoming elections.” The administration maintained that SAVE itself does not remove anyone from a voter roll; rather, it provides citizenship information to state officials, who are responsible for determining what action, if any, should follow.

“SAVE does not disqualify any voter; instead, it merely notifies the States whether the federal government can confirm citizenship,” Sauer wrote. “Thus, any voter injury is caused by the States, not by the federal government, and would not be redressed by the relief the court entered against the federal government.”

The challengers countered that “Congress has not authorized the federal government to create a master database of U.S. citizens,” arguing that the administration “has recklessly created an error-laden master citizenship database that endangers millions of Americans’ privacy and voting rights.”

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented from Friday’s ruling, joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. Jackson argued that the potential consequences for eligible voters outweighed the government’s interest in immediately expanding use of the system.

“[T]he harm caused by burdening or disenfranchising even a few lawful voters outweighs the nonexistent harm that the Government experiences when it is prevented from taking an action that it likely lacks the authority to take,” Jackson wrote.

The challengers also pointed to examples they say demonstrate the risk of erroneous matches. In filings cited by Reuters, a Travis County, Texas, election official reported that 25% of SAVE noncitizen matches examined there involved people who had already demonstrated U.S. citizenship, while reports from St. Louis County, Missouri, found errors in at least 81% of responses examined there. Texas, which intervened in support of the Trump administration, disputes broader claims that SAVE is unreliable.

Following Friday’s ruling, the plaintiffs called the decision “profoundly disappointing,” saying it places Americans “at risk of being unlawfully targeted by the administration’s unreliable voter purge database weeks before the midterm elections.”

They stressed, however, that the litigation is continuing and that Friday’s emergency order is not the final word on the legality of the expanded system.

The ruling comes less than six weeks before the Nov. 3 midterm elections, in which control of Congress is at stake. While the Constitution gives states primary responsibility for administering elections, the Trump administration has sought a larger federal role in providing information that states can use to verify voter eligibility.

For now, the practical effect of Friday’s decision is that the federal government may resume making the expanded SAVE system available for voter-citizenship checks while the courts continue considering the broader legal challenge.

Tucker Carlson is pushing back against accusations that his programs devote an unusual amount of attention to Jews, insisting this week that he is not fixated on the subject. But a researcher who tracks Carlson’s broadcasts says his review found that the words “Jew” or “Jews” were mentioned 1,546 times on Carlson’s programs over the course of the past year.

Carlson, who previously hosted a highly rated program on Fox News before launching his own independent media operation, has increasingly focused his commentary on Israel, American support for Israel and Jewish political influence. Critics have accused him of crossing from criticism of Israeli policy into antisemitic rhetoric, a characterization Carlson has rejected.

“I am in no way obsessed with Jews,” Carlson said on one of his programs this week.

That denial prompted Dan Livingston, who monitors Carlson’s broadcasts, to try to quantify just how frequently Jews are discussed on Carlson’s programs.

Livingston reviewed Carlson’s output from the previous 12 months and counted appearances of the words “Jew” and “Jews,” according to Israel National News. His tally came to 1,546 mentions during the one-year period.

{Matzav.com}

Twenty-five years have passed since one of the most dramatic and emotional chapters in the modern history of Vizhnitz reached its extraordinary conclusion: After 18 years of separation from his father and from the center of the Vizhnitzer court, the present Vizhnitzer Rebbe, Rav Yisroel Hager, returned to the home of his father, the Yeshuos Moshe of Vizhnitz zt”l.

The photograph taken on Erev Sukkos 5762, showing the Rebbe entering his father’s home for the first time in 18 years, became one of the enduring images of that historic reconciliation. In the weeks that followed, the Rebbe resumed his place within the heart of Vizhnitz, and by Parshas Vayeira of that year, he was once again sitting at his father’s tish for the first time since the long period of estrangement had begun.

For many years, the painful chapter was rarely discussed publicly. The events were well known within Vizhnitz, but the Rebbe himself refrained from speaking openly about what he had endured. That changed two years ago, on the first night of Sukkos, when he addressed those years publicly for the first time and framed the entire experience through the prism of emunah and bitachon.

“About forty years ago, a harsh decree hovered over all of Vizhnitz, and I was the victim who had to go into exile for 18 years,” the Rebbe said at the time. “During those years I was distanced from my father’s table, and I went through many obstacles. Baruch Hashem, I merited not to fall into the trap of despair at all.”

The Rebbe related that during those difficult years, there were people who urged him to accept the situation as permanent. Some suggested that he abandon hope of ever returning to his father’s home and instead establish his own independent institutions and framework. He refused, convinced that the separation would ultimately end and that he would return.

When he spoke about the episode two years ago, the Rebbe was also confronting serious health challenges of his own. He drew a direct connection between the hope that sustained him during the 18 years of separation and the emunah with which he approached his illness.

“Just as I returned to Vizhnitz even though no one dreamed that I would return, so too I will emerge from the illness, with Hashem’s help,” he said.

A month later, on Leil Shabbos Parshas Vayeira, the Rebbe again revisited the events. He recalled that on that very Shabbos in 5762, he had finally merited to once again sit in the presence of his father after 18 years.

“I already said that a decree was issued from Heaven upon Vizhnitz,” he said. “I know that it pained my father, of blessed memory, more than it pained me.”

Over time, recordings and accounts also emerged of words the Rebbe had delivered roughly three decades earlier, while the separation was still ongoing, at his bais medrash on Rashi Street in Bnei Brak. Even then, while speaking openly about the pain of the situation, he adamantly rejected the suggestion that reconciliation was no longer possible.

“There are people who tell me that one can despair and forget that there will ever again be peace between me and my father, my teacher, shlita,” he said at the time. “Baruch Hashem that I do not listen to them, and Heaven forbid to think that way, because this is ‘despair without knowledge,’ and I am certain, with Hashem’s help, that there will yet be peace and I will merit to once again be close to my father, my teacher.”

In those remarks, the Rebbe compared his circumstances to those of a person battling a serious illness, explaining that faith and the refusal to succumb to despair provide a person with the strength to continue. Decades later, those words assumed remarkable personal relevance when the Rebbe employed virtually the same message while facing his own medical struggle.

When he finally spoke publicly about the old dispute two years ago, however, the Rebbe made clear that he did not want the reopening of the subject to become an opportunity to reopen old wounds or settle accounts.

He instructed those possessing archival materials from the years of the dispute to destroy them, declaring: “There is no need to remember the earlier sins of all those who did wrong. We are not occupied with those calculations whatsoever.”

At the same time, the Rebbe expressed his gratitude to those who stood beside him during the long years of separation. He mentioned his brothers-in-law, the Belzer Rebbe and the Satmar Rebbe, as well as the numerous chassidim, courts and individuals who supported him, including members of Belz, Ger, Satmar, Vizhnitz-Monsey, Pshevorsk and Tosh.

The conclusion of the story remains deeply etched in the collective memory of Vizhnitzer chassidim. On Erev Sukkos 5762, after 18 years away, the Rebbe walked through the door of his father’s home once again. He subsequently resumed his position within the Vizhnitzer court and was recognized as the mamshich. During the years that followed, he served alongside his father, the Yeshuos Moshe zt”l, and after his father’s petirah, he assumed the leadership of thousands of Vizhnitzer chassidim.

Chassidim also recount an extraordinary statement attributed to the Baba Sali zt”l from the period when various askanim attempted to involve him in the Vizhnitzer dispute. According to the account, the Baba Sali said, “There is nothing to do. Neither blessings nor spells will help here,” before adding a striking prediction: “The curse will pass after 18 years.”

Now, a quarter-century after that unforgettable photograph was taken on Erev Sukkos 5762, the Rebbe’s later reflections have given the image a meaning that extends beyond the history of Vizhnitz itself. When the Rebbe eventually chose to speak about those 18 painful years, he did not present them primarily as an account of a dispute or even of his eventual return. He presented them as a lesson in emunah: that even when circumstances appear utterly closed and there seems to be no conceivable path back, a Yid must never surrender to despair.

{Matzav.com}

Rav Yosef Chevroni, Rosh Yeshivas Chevron, has issued an unusually forceful public response to Israel’s ongoing battle over the drafting of bnei yeshivos, declaring that an earlier draft decree ultimately helped save the Chevron Yeshiva from the Holocaust and sharply rejecting accusations that the chareidi community lives at the expense of the state.

In a rare and extensive interview with Rabbi Eliav Miller and Yechiel Sever for the Bamah magazine’s Yom Tov edition, Rav Chevroni addressed the current struggle over the future of the yeshiva world, the draft controversy, government funding for yeshivos and what he described as ongoing incitement against the chareidi community.

“The draft decree saved us from the Holocaust. The overwhelming majority, the important bochurim of the yeshiva, almost all of them, came up to Eretz Yisroel,” Rav Chevroni said.

His reference was to the history of Yeshivas Chevron, whose roots lie in the famed Slabodka Yeshiva in Lithuania. During the 1920s, amid concerns over Lithuanian government efforts to subject yeshiva bochurim to military conscription, a large contingent of the yeshiva relocated to Eretz Yisroel. The yeshiva was established in Chevron and later moved to Yerushalayim following the 1929 Chevron massacre.

Rav Chevroni’s comments drew a direct historical parallel between that episode and today’s controversy over military service for bnei yeshivos, as the Israeli government and chareidi leadership remain locked in a struggle over the status of full-time Torah learners.

The Rosh Yeshiva also strongly challenged the economic argument frequently raised in the public debate — that the chareidi community receives extensive state support while contributing insufficiently to the country’s economy.

“Even when the state transfers budgets, it is giving us our own money. Today we are also enormous exporters! We bring in tremendous amounts of money that involve no raw-material costs and no production costs. Clean money that enters the country. Keren Olam HaTorah has brought in hundreds of millions of dollars in recent years. And they bring us nothing! These parasites only take from us and give us nothing. What do they give us?!”

Keren Olam HaTorah was established as part of the chareidi community’s effort to raise substantial funding abroad for the yeshiva and kollel world amid reductions and uncertainty surrounding Israeli government support.

Rav Chevroni argued that money brought into Israel from overseas to support yeshivos, kollelim and their families represents a significant injection of foreign funds into the Israeli economy, while chareidi households themselves generate considerable economic activity through housing and consumer spending.

“We are not such schnorrers; we give a tremendous amount of money. But of course, they are constantly trying to cover this up through incitement against the Torah world, to make it look as though we are eating off their backs, and that is simply not true.”

The Rosh Yeshiva went further, offering his own calculation of the financial support received by a typical avreich and arguing that a considerably larger portion comes from sources outside Israel than from the government.

“Even with an avreich, the ratio is two-thirds coming from abroad and one-third from the state — it’s not even fifty-fifty. And that is at the minimum; usually it is much more. And I haven’t even spoken about the quantities of apartments and chareidi consumption. Economically, what we contribute here to the state amounts to enormous sums.”

The remarks come amid a politically and legally charged dispute over chareidi military conscription and state support for yeshivos, an issue that has intensified since Israel’s Supreme Court ruled in 2024 that there was no longer a legal framework allowing the government to exempt eligible chareidi men from military service. The precise structure of any replacement legislation and its effect on yeshivos has remained the subject of fierce political negotiations and opposition.

{Matzav.com}

An unusual meeting was held at the office of Israeli Defense Minister Yisroel Katz at the Kirya in Tel Aviv, where a delegation from Agudas Chassidei Chabad spent an extended period discussing Israel’s security challenges and the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s positions on matters of national security and foreign policy.

The meeting took place on 13 Tishrei, the yahrtzeit of the Rebbe Maharash, and just before Sukkos. The centerpiece of the discussion was the recently published Oseh Shalom, a volume compiling and presenting the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s teachings and positions on issues involving Israel’s security, diplomacy and territorial policy.

During the meeting, members of the delegation reviewed passages from the new volume and cited the Rebbe’s sichos as they discussed current security questions with Katz. The conversation reportedly continued at length, with participants examining broader strategic principles and how the Rebbe’s teachings might relate to Israel’s present security situation.

Rav Yosef Yitzchak Hakohen Aharonov, chairman of Agudas Chassidei Chabad, spoke about what he described as the importance of Israeli decision-makers adhering to the principles articulated by the Rebbe on security and the governance of the country. He also emphasized the weight of responsibility borne by government officials when making decisions affecting the security of Israel’s population.

Katz, for his part, presented members of the delegation with Israel’s current security outlook, using maps displayed in his office to illustrate the country’s strategic environment. The participants discussed the geographic and security considerations underlying Israeli policy and compared some of those issues with positions expressed by the Rebbe over the years.

The delegation included Rav Ariel Lemberg, secretary-general of Agudas Chassidei Chabad; Rav Yechiel Gluchovsky, the Rebbe’s shliach in the Science Park and rov of the young community in Rechovot; Rav Elisha Pearl, who helped compile and edit Oseh Shalom and is a member of the committee that publishes the Rebbe’s talks in English; Rav Itai Boimengarten, also a member of that committee; and Rav Menachem Mendel Ofen, who directs the security forces division of Tzeirei Agudas Chabad.

During the conversation, members of the delegation pointed to the prominent role of nevi’im throughout Tanach in guiding the Jewish people, noting that Jewish kings and leaders were expected to know and heed the words of the navi. They argued that contemporary Israeli leaders likewise bear a responsibility to familiarize themselves with the Rebbe’s teachings, particularly his extensive statements concerning the security of the Jewish people in Eretz Yisroel.

The gathering also focused on the significance of 13 Tishrei, the yahrtzeit of the Rebbe Maharash, and his famous Chassidic teaching of Lechatchilah ariber — the approach of overcoming an obstacle from the outset rather than attempting to work around or beneath it. At one point, those present joined together in singing the niggun associated with Lechatchilah ariber.

With Sukkos approaching, the Chabad representatives presented Katz and members of his advisory staff with sets of arba minim.

{Matzav.com}

The chareidi community in Yerushalayim was plunged into mourning on Friday morning, Erev Sukkos, with the heartbreaking news of the passing of Mrs. Ruchama Chaya Maklev a”h, a young mother of three who passed away following a difficult illness. She was just 39 years old.

Mrs. Maklev a”h was an exceptional and refined woman who was distinguished by her outstanding middos, deep emunah and devotion to Hashem. Throughout her life, she stood devotedly alongside her husband, enabling him to dedicate himself to Torah and avodas Hashem, while serving as the foundation of her home with remarkable tznius and grace.

During the past year, Mrs. Maklev became seriously ill and endured tremendous suffering. Those close to her related that she accepted her difficult circumstances with extraordinary emunah and inner strength. Her condition deteriorated sharply during the final 24 hours, and she returned her neshamah to her Creator this morning, leaving her family and many acquaintances devastated.

Mrs. Maklev a”h was the wife of Reb Yochanan Maklev, a distinguished avreich, and the daughter of Rav Yosef Gad Weinberg. She was the daughter-in-law of MK Uri Maklev, the longtime Degel HaTorah representative who recently concluded his tenure in the Knesset.

She leaves behind her husband, her parents, brothers and sisters, and, most painfully, three young children who have now been left without their mother.

The levayah was held Friday morning, Erev Sukkos, at the Tze’irei Agudas Yisroel shul in the Ramot Polin neighborhood of Yerushalayim. The procession continued to Har Hamenuchos, where Mrs. Maklev was brought to kevurah.

Because of the approaching Yom Tov, the family is sitting shivah only until the onset of Sukkos. The shivah is being observed at the Maklev home at 13 Rav Yechezkel Shabtai Street, Apartment 2, in the Ramot neighborhood of Yerushalayim.

Yehi zichrah boruch.

{Matzav.com}

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed this week that his government has prepared for the possibility of a U.S. military invasion of Canada, saying that while such a scenario is not considered likely, Canadian leaders have a responsibility to plan for even the most extreme possibilities amid sharply deteriorating relations between the longtime allies.

“I think you have a responsibility in these roles to look at extreme tail risk,” Carney told the New York Times in an interview Wednesday while in New York for the United Nations General Assembly. “That’s just risk management. That’s not a base case, but it would be irresponsible not to.”

Carney, 61, previously served as governor of both the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England. His comments came one week after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed that Canada become the European Union’s first associate member, an idea President Trump suggested could amount to a “hostile act.” Canada has been seeking closer ties with Europe as its relationship with Washington has become increasingly strained.

The tensions have been driven in large part by an escalating trade confrontation. Earlier this month, Canada imposed retaliatory tariffs of between 15% and 50% on more than $20 billion in American products, targeting goods including steel, aluminum, lumber, wool, milk, T-shirts and air conditioners. The Trump administration responded with additional measures against Canadian trade, including restrictions affecting Canadian products.

The latest round of retaliation followed the U.S. decision on Aug. 22 to impose 50% tariffs on an estimated $28 billion in Canadian goods, including cheese, beer and electronics.

Carney responded at the time with unusually combative language.

“We were attacked. You’re at war when you get attacked. We got attacked. That’s fine. We’ve got the reserves. We’ve got the resilience. We’ve got the plan. We’ve got the focus. We will respond.”

President Trump subsequently signed an executive order directing the U.S. government to refer to Lake Ontario as “Lake America” and threatened additional tariffs on Canadian cars, trucks and automobile parts beginning Jan. 1. The lake’s new designation applies to U.S. federal usage and does not alter its name in Canada or internationally.

The current dispute follows an earlier period of friction during the premiership of Carney’s predecessor, Justin Trudeau. Trump repeatedly raised the idea of Canada becoming the 51st U.S. state and referred to Trudeau as “Governor,” remarks that contributed to the worsening atmosphere between Washington and Ottawa.

Despite the extraordinary nature of Carney’s acknowledgement, military contingency planning for a hypothetical conflict between the neighboring countries has historical precedent. The United States and Canada have enjoyed generations of close military cooperation, including extensive joint continental-defense planning, but both sides have also drawn up theoretical war plans during earlier periods. U.S. Army historical records document the countries’ later development of extensive joint defense arrangements.

Following World War I, Canadian military planner Lt. Col. James Sutherland Brown developed “Defence Scheme No. 1,” which envisioned Canadian forces carrying out preemptive operations inside the United States if war erupted between America and the British Empire.

American military planners devised their own contingency plan. Known as “War Plan Red,” it was one of a series of hypothetical U.S. military strategies created to prepare for potential conflicts with foreign powers and envisioned a war against the British Empire in which Canada would become a central theater.

The American plan contemplated an early assault on Halifax, Nova Scotia, followed by the seizure of strategically important facilities around Niagara Falls and offensives aimed at Montreal, Winnipeg and the nickel-producing region of northern Ontario.

War Plan Red was ultimately abandoned as the geopolitical circumstances surrounding World War II transformed the relationship between the two countries. By 1940, U.S. and Canadian military officials were instead developing joint plans for the defense of North America, beginning a defense partnership that would deepen considerably in subsequent decades.

Today, the military imbalance between the neighboring countries is enormous. The U.S. Armed Forces have approximately 1.3 million active-duty personnel spread among their six service branches, while Canada has just over 100,000 members in its regular and reserve forces.

{Matzav.com}

Former President Barack Obama is arguing that despite widespread public cynicism about Washington, corruption within the federal government has actually declined dramatically over the course of American history, saying that traditional forms of political graft such as bribery, patronage and favors are far less common today.

“People are always surprised when I tell them the federal government is so much less corrupt than probably it’s ever been, in terms of just pure bribes, or patronage or favors,” Obama said in a preview clip from his newly released podcast, “A Great Book with Barack Obama.”

The remarks appear in Obama’s new six-part Audible series, which premiered Thursday. Produced by Audible and Higher Ground, the media company founded by Barack and Michelle Obama, the podcast features discussions with prominent writers and thinkers about books that influenced Obama’s thinking and broader American society. Audible confirmed that the series debuted Sept. 24 and consists of six episodes.

Obama made his comments about government corruption during the third episode, a conversation with Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and New Yorker staff writer Jill Lepore centered on Robert Penn Warren’s 1946 novel “All the King’s Men.”

The discussion about the Pulitzer Prize-winning political novel, which traces the rise and downfall of a fictional Southern populist politician, led Obama to reflect on his own experiences in the Illinois state legislature, Congress and the White House and on the way political power was once exercised.

“It was interesting, as I was coming up through the state legislature, and then Congress and the presidency — you mentioned Lyndon Johnson, part of the reason that kind of cornering folks and hustling them for votes worked, it wasn’t just physical intimidation. It was like, ‘What do you need?’” Obama told Lepore while discussing the book about a fictional farmer-turned-populist governor’s rise and eventual downfall amid political corruption in the South.

Obama suggested that a series of political reforms, including changes implemented before and after the Watergate scandal, sharply reduced the ability of politicians to maintain the old-style political machines that relied on exchanging favors and votes.

“Part of what was interesting is that a lot of reforms that we think of as positive — pre-Watergate, post-Watergate — eliminated or greatly reduced the possibilities of maintaining those old political machines, and trading votes and doing favors,” Obama, 65, said.

But Obama argued that the disappearance of those practices also had an unintended consequence: It eliminated some of the mechanisms politicians had historically used to overcome ideological divisions and assemble coalitions in Congress.

“And it’s part of the reason why things got a little harder to get done because that was sort of some lubrication in a lot of Congress to help to bridge some of the ideological differences that were out there and get people to vote for things that weren’t that comfortable,” he said.

Lepore agreed that despite the corruption and other problems associated with the old political-machine system, those organizations sometimes played a meaningful role in connecting politicians, communities and civic institutions.

“I think there’s a degree to which that kind of political machine — I don’t mean to whitewash it in any way — but was kind of crucial to civil society.”

Lepore said Progressive Era reforms produced important changes, including campaign-finance rules and stronger protections for voters, while simultaneously contributing to the demise of traditional political machines. What emerged afterward, she argued, was a different political infrastructure centered around professional consultants.

“Like what happened in the Progressive Era, among the many good government reforms that these people were making — campaign finance reform and protections for voters — yeah, it did kill the political machine. But what replaced the political machine was the political consultants industry,” Lepore, a staff writer for The New Yorker, said.

Obama’s discussion with Lepore is one of six conversations in the Audible series.

{Matzav.com}

Central Elections Committee Chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg issued a temporary injunction Friday morning barring the Satmar-affiliated Shekel HaTahor organization from giving, offering or promising money to voters in exchange for their commitment not to participate in the upcoming Knesset elections.

The order came after the Movement for Quality Government filed an urgent petition alleging that Shekel HaTahor had begun distributing $200 “support payments” to members of the chareidi community who declare that they will refrain from voting.

The organization is associated with Satmar, which has long opposed participation in Israeli elections. Reports ahead of the distribution said thousands had registered for the program, with the $200 grants intended for eligible participants who committed themselves to staying away from the polls.

The Movement for Quality Government argued in its petition that providing money in return for a commitment not to vote violates Israeli election law, which prohibits offering a benefit to influence a voter either to cast a ballot or to refrain from voting. The group therefore asked Sohlberg to intervene immediately and stop the payments.

After reviewing the material submitted with the petition, Sohlberg determined that the evidence raised a serious concern that election law was being violated. Section 122(1) of Israel’s Knesset Elections Law prohibits giving or offering a bribe to influence a voter to vote or refrain from voting, either altogether or for a particular list of candidates.

In light of those concerns, Sohlberg issued the temporary order without waiting for the full proceedings to be completed. The injunction specifically bars Shekel HaTahor from handing voters money for the purpose of influencing them not to vote, as well as from offering or promising such payments.

The ruling is an interim measure rather than a final determination that Shekel HaTahor violated the law. The organization had not yet submitted its response to the petition when the order was issued, and the proceedings remain ongoing.

Shekel HaTahor was established by Satmar approximately 13 years ago and has traditionally provided substantial financial support to mosdos haTorah and educational institutions in Eretz Yisroel that decline government funding, as well as assistance to needy families. This year, reports indicated that eligibility for the election-related distribution had been expanded beyond its previous circles to additional chareidi communities committed to not participating in the election.

The temporary injunction will remain in force until further notice as the petition continues to be considered.

{Matzav.com}

Two IDF reservists were killed in the northern Gaza Strip after an explosive military drone malfunctioned, crashed inside an Israeli army post and detonated when the soldiers approached it, the IDF announced Friday morning.

The fallen soldiers were identified as Master Sgt. (res.) Nadav Kali, 24, of Har Halutz, and Master Sgt. (res.) Ofek Moalem, 23, of Yerushalayim.

Both soldiers served in the 7007th Battalion of the Jerusalem Brigade. Their families were notified of their deaths before their names were released publicly.

According to an initial IDF investigation, Kali and Moalem were operating explosive first-person-view drones from a military position in the northern Gaza Strip on Thursday afternoon. The drones, known in the IDF as “Atalef,” or “bat,” are designed to carry explosive payloads.

The soldiers first launched one of the drones, which successfully completed its intended mission. They then attempted to operate a second UAV, but the drone crashed inside the military post during takeoff for reasons that have yet to be determined.

Several minutes after the crash, Kali and Moalem approached the downed drone to examine it. According to the preliminary investigation, the soldiers picked up the UAV, at which point it suddenly exploded, critically wounding both of them.

Emergency personnel provided immediate treatment at the scene before the two reservists were evacuated from Gaza to Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon. Despite efforts to save their lives, both were pronounced dead at the hospital.

The IDF has launched an investigation to determine exactly what caused the drone to crash and subsequently detonate. Investigators are examining a range of possibilities, including a technical malfunction or some form of communications interference.

Pending the results of the investigation, the IDF has temporarily grounded small drones capable of carrying explosive payloads, including both attack drones designed to strike targets directly and UAVs that release explosives over a target.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir subsequently ordered the establishment of a special panel of experts to investigate the fatal accident. The team, headed by a Ground Forces brigadier general, will examine the circumstances surrounding the explosion and seek to determine what measures are necessary to prevent a similar tragedy from occurring again.

The deaths of Kali and Moalem add two more names to the IDF’s list of soldiers who have fallen since the October 7, 2023, massacre and the ensuing war. The IDF’s official figures, updated Friday, list 968 soldiers killed since the beginning of the war.

{Matzav.com}

White House border czar Tom Homan delivered a forceful defense of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Thursday, declaring that ICE will continue its stepped-up immigration enforcement operations despite mounting criticism over several recent incidents involving federal agents.

“You can hate us all you want. We’re not going anywhere,” Homan said during remarks at the Justice Department’s Victims of Violent Crime summit in Washington. Homan also pledged that the administration would intensify immigration enforcement, particularly in sanctuary jurisdictions.

His comments come as ICE has dramatically expanded detention and deportation operations under President Donald Trump, while several recent encounters involving immigration officers have prompted investigations and demands for greater accountability.

One of the most closely watched cases unfolded Sunday in Austin, Texas, where an ICE officer shot 28-year-old Venezuelan national Wilber Rafael Garces Perez while he was working as a DoorDash delivery driver.

Garces Perez was hospitalized following the shooting and was subsequently transferred to ICE custody. His attorney disputes the federal government’s characterization of his immigration history, saying he entered the United States through the CBP One program in 2024 and sought asylum. Federal authorities say he is subject to a final order of removal.

The Department of Homeland Security has said the shooting occurred after Garces Perez made a “dangerous attempt to evade arrest.” Garces Perez has provided a different account, saying unmarked vehicles struck his car before he realized ICE officers were attempting to stop him. The precise circumstances leading to the shooting remain under investigation.

The case drew additional attention after reports emerged that the ICE officer who fired the shot was not wearing his agency-issued body camera. Another ICE officer at the scene reportedly had a body camera activated, but that footage did not capture the shooting itself.

Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, has been among the most outspoken critics of ICE following the incident, calling for the agency to leave Austin and demanding “full transparency” surrounding the shooting. Casar subsequently visited Garces Perez at an ICE detention facility and said a medical specialist had determined that surgery was needed to remove a bullet still lodged near his spine.

The Austin controversy comes as another ICE-related incident is under investigation in Michigan.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer directed the Michigan State Police to conduct an independent review of the circumstances surrounding a fatal crash in Grand Rapids over the weekend involving Mario David Coronado Juarez, a Guatemalan immigrant who fled from ICE agents before his vehicle struck a tree and caught fire.

Grand Rapids authorities have said local police officers were not involved in the pursuit and arrived only after the crash was reported. Questions remain about the circumstances of the ICE operation and the events immediately preceding the fatal collision, prompting calls from elected officials and activists for additional information from federal authorities.

Homan did not directly address either the Austin shooting or the Grand Rapids crash in his Thursday remarks. Instead, he broadly defended ICE and attributed much of the hostility directed toward the agency to media coverage.

“We’re going to keep pushing. We’re not going to apologize.”

Homan made clear that the controversies would not cause the Trump administration to scale back its immigration enforcement agenda. Instead, he said ICE would increase its presence in jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

“ICE will continue doing the job every day across this country, especially in sanctuary cities, where we’ll surge resources and flood the zone. We’re going to enforce the law without apology,” the border czar said. “You got my word on that.”

[Video below.] Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon confronted an Iranian representative on the floor of the UN General Assembly on Thursday night, offering him the Starlink terminal that Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu had displayed during his speech just a short time earlier and suggesting that he take the device back to Tehran.

Video of the encounter shows Danon approaching the Iranian diplomat while holding the Starlink terminal. The Iranian representative refused to accept it, turned away from Danon and declined to engage with him. The encounter was independently reported by The Times of Israel, which said Danon attempted to hand the terminal directly to the Iranian diplomat.

“I thought it would be appropriate to give you the Starlink,” Danon told him. “It could be very useful for you to allow the Iranian people to gain their freedom, after what you have done to them.”

When the Iranian representative showed no interest in taking the device, Danon continued pressing him.

“So, do you want to take this and bring it back to Tehran? It could be very useful for you in Iran. We love the Iranian people and pray for regime change there. That day will come.”

The exchange came shortly after Netanyahu made the Starlink terminal one of the visual centerpieces of his address to the UN General Assembly. Holding up the satellite internet device from the podium, Netanyahu argued that Iran’s rulers fear technology that can give ordinary Iranians uncensored access to information.

“The Iranian regime is especially afraid when its people have something like this,” Netanyahu said while displaying the terminal. “It is a means of communication that allows people access to the truth, to exercise choice, to exercise freedom of thought and freedom of expression.”

Starlink, operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, provides internet service through a network of low-Earth-orbit satellites and can potentially allow users to bypass conventional terrestrial internet infrastructure. The issue has particular significance in Iran, where authorities imposed a months-long internet blackout beginning in January amid widespread protests. The blackout officially ended in late May.

Netanyahu announced from the UN podium that he would leave the terminal with the president of the General Assembly so that it could be passed along to the Iranian delegation.

He added a pointed jab at members of the Iranian regime: “That way, when they inevitably defect, they too will be able to freely tell their story on social media.”

Danon apparently decided not to wait for the diplomatic delivery process. Carrying the same device, he approached the Iranian representative himself and attempted to hand it over — an offer that was emphatically rejected.

The encounter came amid a highly confrontational week between Israel and Iran at the UN, with the renewed tensions between the two countries dominating much of the diplomatic activity surrounding the General Assembly. Israeli officials have also warned that the confrontation with Tehran could escalate again, with Israel preparing for several possible military scenarios.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had used his own General Assembly address a day earlier to attack Israel and the United States, while saying Tehran remained willing to negotiate with Washington provided that it was not subjected to what he characterized as pressure and “bullying.” The American delegation walked out as Pezeshkian began his address.

The Iranian delegation staged its own symbolic demonstration during Netanyahu’s appearance. A photograph of slain Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani was placed on the Iranian delegation’s desk inside the General Assembly hall.

Israel, meanwhile, had begun its public-relations offensive even before Netanyahu stepped to the podium. The National Public Diplomacy Directorate launched an extensive campaign throughout Manhattan featuring more than 500 signs and mobile displays aimed at Iran, the UN and demonstrators gathering around the General Assembly. Some of the messages were placed specifically near the hotel housing the Iranian delegation.

But one of the evening’s most direct confrontations unfolded inside the UN itself: Danon standing before an Iranian diplomat with Netanyahu’s Starlink terminal in his hands, urging him to take the technology home to Tehran — while the Iranian representative turned away.

{Matzav.com}