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Election officials are raising concerns about the growing number of mail-in ballots reaching election offices after state deadlines, with recent primary results showing a sharp increase in late-ballot rejections as the November midterm elections approach.

Data obtained by The New York Times from 12 states found that ballots arriving too late to be counted represented an increasing portion of rejected mail votes during recent primary elections.

Several of the states included in the data are home to closely contested congressional and statewide races that could play a role in determining which party controls Congress following the November elections.

In Wisconsin, approximately 5,000 mail ballots arrived too late to be counted during the state’s spring primary. Those ballots represented 78% of all rejected mail-in votes.

The numbers marked a significant increase from the comparable 2023 election, when approximately 2,300 late-arriving ballots were rejected, accounting for 47% of discarded mail votes.

Michigan experienced a similar increase during its August primary. More than 10,000 mail ballots arrived after the state’s 8 p.m. Election Day cutoff and were rejected, nearly double the number discarded for arriving late in 2024.

Washington state, meanwhile, recorded more than 20,000 ballots that arrived after the applicable deadline, compared with approximately 16,000 during the comparable previous period.

The U.S. Postal Service says it generally delivers more than 95% of mail ballots on time. Nevertheless, concerns about ballot delivery have increased amid financial pressures, operational changes and reports of slower service in certain parts of the country. The issue is particularly significant in states requiring election officials to receive ballots by Election Day.

“There are any number of factors that may impact the timeliness of a returned ballot,” the Postal Service said in a statement. “As such, our consistent message to voters who choose to vote by mail is to mail early.”

Adding to the concerns is a USPS policy that went into effect in December clarifying how postmarks are assigned. Under the policy, a postmark may indicate the date a piece of mail reaches a processing facility rather than the date a voter actually deposited it in a mailbox.

Election specialists have warned that the difference could become important for ballots sent shortly before Election Day, particularly for voters in rural areas located far from regional postal processing facilities.

Fourteen states currently permit ballots postmarked by Election Day to be received and counted after Election Day. In June, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that federal law does not bar states from providing those post-election grace periods, leaving the policies in place ahead of the Nov. 3 midterms.

Another legal battle centers on an executive order issued by President Donald Trump and a Postal Service regulation requiring states to turn over certain voter information and comply with federal standards governing ballot envelopes.

U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani temporarily halted the rule Thursday, concluding that states were likely to suffer irreparable harm from requirements that would be practically impossible to put into effect before the midterm elections. A hearing on the dispute is scheduled for Sept. 3, while the administration is appealing the ruling.

Election officials in several states are taking additional steps aimed at reducing the likelihood that mail ballots will arrive too late. Colorado, for example, has expanded the number of ballot drop boxes in the state by 78% since 2018.

Wisconsin officials are similarly advising voters who are concerned about postal delivery times to use ballot drop boxes where available, cast their ballots early or place mail ballots into the postal system well ahead of Election Day.

Washington elections director Stuart Holmes said the concerns are not directed at individual postal workers, but at the reliability of the broader delivery system.

“The Postal Service, these are great people, hard-working people,” Holmes said. “But their operation has become unreliable.

{Matzav.com}

Dear Matzav Inbox,

It was a beautiful summer afternoon several weeks ago when I took a walk with my children through southern Crown Heights. The birds were chirping, the sun was shining, and the neighborhood was peaceful.

Then, as we approached the intersection of Clarkson Avenue and Albany Avenue, that tranquility was suddenly shattered by the deafening sounds of heavy construction. The noise was impossible to ignore. I looked toward the construction site and was stunned by the sheer scale of what was being built.

I later began researching the project at 681 Clarkson Avenue and was deeply troubled by what I learned. The massive development is slated to contain 1,081 units, including supportive housing intended to serve people struggling with mental illness, substance abuse and homelessness.

Whatever one’s views on the need to provide services and housing for vulnerable New Yorkers, a project of this extraordinary size raises serious questions for the surrounding community. What will be the impact of concentrating such a large supportive-housing population in one location? What safeguards will be put in place? What additional policing, sanitation, medical services and other resources will be provided? And what has been done to ensure that the surrounding families and residents will not bear the consequences of decisions made without adequate community input?

As a parent raising children here, these questions concern me deeply.

Crown Heights is our home. Families have invested their lives in this neighborhood. Children walk these streets to school and shul. Residents deserve to know what such an enormous project will mean for public safety, quality of life and the future character of the community.

And 681 Clarkson Avenue does not exist in a vacuum. Residents are already watching additional homeless and supportive-housing facilities expand in and around the neighborhood. At the same time, new bike lanes and other street changes are eliminating badly needed parking, while the anticipated Albany Avenue MTA bus route threatens to place still more pressure on streets already struggling to accommodate residents, businesses and traffic.

At some point, residents have a right to ask: How much can one neighborhood reasonably be expected to absorb?

Perhaps most disturbing has been the relative silence surrounding these changes. Where is the public discussion? Where are the community meetings? Where are our elected officials and local leaders demanding answers about the cumulative effect these projects will have on Crown Heights?

This is not an argument that people struggling with homelessness, addiction or mental illness should be abandoned. They need help, treatment and appropriate housing. But compassion does not require concentrating enormous numbers of vulnerable individuals in one neighborhood without addressing the legitimate concerns of the families already living there.

The construction is moving forward. The changes to our streets are moving forward. Once these decisions are implemented, reversing them may be exceedingly difficult.

Crown Heights residents therefore need to start asking questions now — loudly, respectfully and persistently. Our elected officials and community leaders should tell us exactly what is planned, what protections are being put into place, and why so much is being concentrated in this particular area.

Silence is not a plan for the future of Crown Heights.

A Concerned Resident

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With Tishrei approaching, thousands of travelers will be making their way to and from Israel for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkos. Chaim V’Chessed offers the following important reminders to help ensure a smooth journey.

Travelers Insurance

Every holiday season,  Chaim V’Chessed  is contacted by travelers to or from Israel, who encounter a medical crisis and discover that they do not have sufficient medical insurance.

It cannot be emphasized enough that both Israelis traveling abroad and visitors to Israel must obtain appropriate travelers insurance before traveling.

Customs

Travelers entering Israel should be aware of customs regulations. The duty-free allowance for gifts is $200 per person. Items exceeding the allowance should be declared.

Jewelry and other valuables should never be brought into Israel in their original store packaging. New jewelry in boxes, especially multiple pieces, may appear to Customs officials to be newly purchased merchandise intended for resale, potentially resulting in customs charges and even suspicion of smuggling. Jewelry intended for personal use should be removed from its packaging and brought as a personal item.

Travelers leaving Israel with expensive jewelry, watches, electronics or other valuables that they intend to bring back should consider declaring these items to Customs before departure.

Bringing Food into Israel

Food imports are subject to restrictions. As a general rule, travelers may bring up to 3 kg of food, with no more than 1 kg of any one type. Raw meat may not be brought into Israel.

Arba Minim

Those traveling to Israel for Sukkos with Arba Minim should be aware of Israel’s agricultural import regulations.

As in previous years, one esrog may be brought into Israel for personal use. Lulavim, hadassim and aravos may not be brought into Israel and may be confiscated at the airport.

Travelers whose lulav, hadassim or aravos are confiscated will be provided with replacement Arba Minim through arrangements made by the Ministry of Agriculture.

ETA-IL

Passengers en route to Israel must obtain an ETA-IL before traveling. Travelers should apply only through the official government website, at this link. Beware of unofficial sites which charge additional fees.

Israeli citizens traveling on an Israeli passport do not require an ETA-IL. Additionally, Israeli citizens are currently permitted to enter Israel using a foreign passport, if they hold one. While technically they are exempt from the ETA-IL requirement, Chaim V’Chessed that they obtain one regardless. The same applies to student visa holders.

Check Your Passport

Before heading to the airport, check the validity of every passport in the family and make sure all travelers meet the entry requirements for their destination.

Foreigners traveling to Israel must have at least three months of validity on their passports to enter the country.

Safe Travels!

Whether you are traveling for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur or Sukkos, a few minutes of preparation can prevent significant problems during your trip. Ksiva v’Chasima Tova!

{Matzav.com}

A collection of suitcases still bearing flight tags, barcodes and Israeli security-screening markings from Ben Gurion Airport has mysteriously surfaced for sale at a flea market in Paphos, Cyprus, raising questions about how the luggage made its way from Israel to the market.

The unusual discovery was made by Liri Bork-Shavit, an Israeli who frequently travels between Israel and Cyprus. She spotted the apparently well-preserved suitcases at Paphos’ weekly flea market and immediately recalled piles of unclaimed luggage she had documented at Ben Gurion Airport several months earlier.

Bork-Shavit, who is known as a social activist, told Walla that the sight brought her back to photographs she took during July and August, when disruptions and heavy congestion plagued Ben Gurion Airport. At the time, she saw large quantities of luggage sitting without apparent owners both inside the airport and outside the terminal.

According to Bork-Shavit, the suitcases being offered for sale in Paphos still displayed tags and markings associated with Israeli security screening, making them stand out from the other merchandise.

“It doesn’t look like regular flea market inventory,” she said.

Bork-Shavit initially believed the luggage might have belonged to El Al, but she later determined that the markings primarily indicated that the bags had passed through security screening at Ben Gurion Airport rather than establishing that they had belonged to passengers on a particular airline.

Despite the photographs and the unusual circumstances surrounding the discovery, there is currently no official evidence establishing that the suitcases are among those that went missing at Ben Gurion Airport during the period of travel disruptions.

It also remains unclear who originally owned the bags or how luggage carrying Israeli airport markings ultimately ended up for sale at a flea market in Cyprus.

“Someone might still recognize their suitcase there,” Bork-Shavit told Walla, while stressing that she does not yet have a complete explanation for how the luggage reached Paphos.

A veteran prosecutor in New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office has accused his superiors of directing him to investigate President Trump and his political allies without legitimate grounds, alleging that the state’s top law enforcement office was being used to pursue James’ political opponents.

Daniel Wiesenfeld, who previously worked as a Brooklyn prosecutor and is now assigned to James’ Investor Protection Bureau, made the explosive allegations in an email sent to thousands of employees in the attorney general’s office. According to the Times Union, Wiesenfeld said his supervisor ordered him “to find and pursue crimes” involving people and organizations connected to Trump. The email was subsequently deleted.

In the message, Wiesenfeld alleged that Investor Protection Bureau Chief Shamiso Maswoswe specifically told him to investigate “Trump himself, Truth Social, Hewlett Packard (DOJ approved merger)… without having a credible reason for targeting the organizations and individuals,” according to the report.

Federal regulators recently gave approval to Hewlett-Packard’s $14 billion merger with Juniper Networks.

Wiesenfeld argued that prosecutors should be equally concerned about political interference in law enforcement regardless of which side is accused of engaging in it.

“If you believe Trump is using the [Department of Justice] attorneys to prosecute his enemies and further his political interests, you should find it equally troubling that Tish [James] is doing exactly the same thing,” Wiesenfeld allegedly wrote in the message, which was reportedly distributed to approximately 2,000 employees before being removed.

Wiesenfeld went on to urge his fellow prosecutors to resist any effort to use their positions to go after individuals based on their political affiliations.

“I ask you that you not serve as Tish’s personal attorneys by targeting her political enemies,” he allegedly wrote. “Instead, I hope you choose to prosecute crimes and find the individuals accountable, rather than targeting individuals and then finding crimes.”

Wiesenfeld said prosecutors should instead devote their resources to problems including “rampant nonprofit homeless shelter fraud and antisemitic crimes in and around synagogues,” while accusing James of spending “significant public taxpayer dollars to target convenient public enemies,” according to the Times Union.

The allegations come against the backdrop of years of bitter political and legal conflict between Trump and James.

While campaigning for attorney general in 2018, James pledged to “prosecute the president for crimes committed in New York state” if voters put her in office. She subsequently launched legal action against Trump after becoming attorney general.

James’ office secured a judgment against Trump, his sons and his company in 2024 in a civil fraud case involving allegations that property values and Trump’s wealth had been overstated. An appeals court later upheld the finding against Trump while eliminating the massive financial penalty that had been imposed.

Trump has repeatedly pointed to James’ case against him as evidence that the attorney general has pursued him for political reasons.

Wiesenfeld, meanwhile, was placed on paid administrative leave following the controversy. A spokesperson for James described the situation to the Times Union as “a personnel matter.”

“The office of the attorney general is committed to upholding New York’s laws and protecting the rights and freedoms of all New Yorkers, regardless of political beliefs,” the statement said. “We strongly reject any assertion to the contrary.”

Republican officials in New York seized on Wiesenfeld’s accusations, arguing that the email supported their longstanding claims that James has politicized her office.

“Letitia James weaponized the attorney general’s office into a political hit squad and then tried to cover up her tracks,” state Republican Chairman Ed Cox told The Post on Sunday. “She is utterly unfit to serve.

“New Yorkers deserve an attorney general who prosecutes criminals, preserves public records and enforces the law without fear or favor,” Cox added.

The controversy also drew a response from the campaign of Republican attorney general candidate Saritha Komatireddy, whose spokesperson, Nicole Kiprilov, said Komatireddy would pursue a different set of priorities if elected.

“When Saritha is attorney general, she will instruct her attorneys to lock up repeat offenders, build residential treatment for the homeless, and root out fraud — not target people because of their politics,” Kiprilov said.

“It’s good to see that even the rank-and-file in the AG’s office agree that this is the right way forward. Let’s work together — across partisan lines — and create a safer, more affordable New York.”

Komatireddy previously served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York in Brooklyn, where she held several senior positions, including chief of International Narcotics and Money Laundering, deputy chief of Appeals and deputy chief of General Crimes.

She also previously clerked for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh when he served on the U.S. Court of Appeals.

Melissa DeRosa, a former top aide to ex-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, also weighed in on the allegations Sunday, criticizing James in a post on X.

“@TishJames has been abusing her office for political gain for years.

“Don’t criticize Trump’s use of DOJ if you’re not going to call out hers -/ it’s wrong when either side does it.”

{Matzav.com}

Nearly 25 years after the Sept. 11 terror attacks, the health catastrophe linked to the toxic aftermath of the World Trade Center’s destruction continues to grow, with the number of certified 9/11-related cancer cases surging nearly 1,700% over the past decade and civilians now accounting for more cases than first responders.

Figures compiled by the World Trade Center Health Program show that cancer certifications among first responders, survivors, downtown Manhattan residents, workers and others exposed to conditions around Ground Zero have climbed from 3,204 in 2015 to 57,044 this year — an increase of approximately 1,680%.

“Sadly, we lose roughly two clients a day and see a new cancer certification every 50 minutes,” said lawyer Michael Barasch, whose firm represents thousands of people enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Program.

The latest numbers also mark a significant and sobering shift in the long-term impact of the attacks. For the first time, cancer cases among civilians who lived, worked or went to school in the vicinity of Ground Zero have exceeded those recorded among firefighters, police officers and other emergency personnel who spent extended periods at the site.

Survivors now account for 28,913 cancer cases, compared with just 694 in 2015 — an increase of 4,066%. Responders account for another 28,131 cases.

Health officials are also seeing growing numbers of uncommon forms of cancer among both survivors and responders exposed to the toxic dust and debris unleashed when the Twin Towers collapsed.

Among those diagnoses are 82 cases of thymus cancer, which affects the thymus gland located behind the breastbone in the upper chest. Tumors of the thymus are extremely rare and make up less than 1% of cancer cases overall.

Another 591 people have been diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancers, rare tumors that can develop in areas including the pancreas, bowels, lungs and adrenal glands. Among 9/11 survivors, the number of neuroendocrine cancer cases rose 6% between March and June alone.

Male breast cancer has also emerged among those exposed to Ground Zero contaminants. There are currently 188 certified cases involving men, an unusually high figure for a disease that is rare among males.

Brain cancer has affected another 163 people in the 9/11 population. That figure increased by 14 cases, or 9%, during the most recent quarter.

Part of the continuing rise in cancer diagnoses is believed to be connected to the aging of those who were exposed following the attacks. Many Ground Zero survivors and responders are now in their late 50s, 60s and early 70s, when the likelihood of developing cancer generally increases.

But the statistics among World Trade Center Health Program members remain striking. CDC data through June show that 67% of the program’s 145,275 current members have been certified with at least one of 69 cancers associated with 9/11 toxic exposure. By comparison, the lifetime risk of developing cancer among Americans overall is approximately 40%, according to the National Cancer Institute.

The mounting death toll from illnesses associated with the aftermath of 9/11 has also far surpassed the number killed on the day of the attacks. At least 9,425 people have now died from post-9/11-related illnesses — more than three times the 2,977 victims killed on Sept. 11, 2001.

“9/11 did not end on 9/11. The cancer clock is ticking 24/7,” Barasch said.

Among those living with the consequences is Leslie Lane, now 76, who worked for Merrill Lynch in the World Financial Center across from the World Trade Center. She was inside her office when hijacked planes struck the towers.

As Lane made her way out of the area that morning, she remembered encountering the massive cloud of debris that engulfed lower Manhattan.

“You could taste the dust. You could taste the fuel, greasy gas,” she told The Post.

Two days after the attacks, Lane reported to another Merrill Lynch office at 222 Broadway to help arrange the relocation of the company’s lawyers. By November, she had returned to working downtown.

Nearly two decades later, during a routine medical examination in 2020, doctors discovered that Lane had thymus cancer.

“I was lucky. The cancer was caught early,” she said.

Doctors at Memorial Sloan Kettering subsequently removed the tumor surgically, and Lane has remained free of a recurrence.

Lane believes the cancer resulted from the contaminants she breathed in following the destruction of the World Trade Center.

“Thymus cancer is a very rare form of cancer. I don’t drink. I don’t smoke,” she said.

She also recalled how the air continued to carry the unmistakable residue of the disaster long after officials assured people that conditions were safe.

“For months afterward, you could taste the fuel in the air in the back of your throat and mouth. They kept telling us the air was safe. I don’t think it was,” she said.

Electrician James Ryan, 65, also spent extensive time at Ground Zero following the attacks. His work included providing lighting at locations throughout the disaster site, including areas in and around the Pile, as well as rewiring portions of the World Trade Center PATH train facilities.

Years later, Ryan went for a routine medical checkup and doctors detected blood in his urine. An MRI followed, leading physicians to discover pancreatic cancer while it was still at an early stage.

Ryan underwent surgery in 2019 in which doctors removed part of his pancreas.

“I got very lucky,” Ryan said.

Despite the enormous number of people already being treated or monitored, Barasch said thousands more who were exposed to the toxic environment surrounding Ground Zero may still be outside the system.

He estimates that only about 15% of civilians exposed to 9/11-related toxins have enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Program.

Among the people represented by his law firm are individuals who were students at schools and colleges near the World Trade Center at the time of the attacks and who later developed serious illnesses at relatively young ages. Students at Stuyvesant High School, Borough of Manhattan Community College, Pace University and nearby elementary and middle schools were among those potentially exposed.

Barasch is urging anyone who was in the affected area and may have been exposed to enroll in the World Trade Center Health Program and undergo appropriate medical screening.

“Early detection is the difference between life and death,” Barasch said.

{Matzav.com}

A preliminary investigation into the massive disruptions at Ben Gurion Airport on August 20 has found that workers leaving their shifts before completing scheduled overtime hours created a critical staffing shortage in the baggage-handling system, ultimately leading airport management to halt baggage intake and close check-in counters.

The investigative committee presented its initial findings Sunday to the Israel Airports Authority Council. According to the findings, the sudden shortage of employees in the baggage sorting operation caused a major backlog and raised concerns that continuing to accept luggage would overwhelm the system and lead to even more severe disruptions.

According to information first reported by Channel 12, employees who had been scheduled to work shifts that included overtime left after completing nine hours. The resulting reduction in manpower placed significant pressure on the baggage sorting operation.

Ben Gurion Airport Director Zohar Gefen subsequently ordered the baggage system halted. The preliminary investigation found that, given the circumstances at the time, his decision was justified.

The incident has become the focus of a dispute between Israel Airports Authority management and workers’ committee chairman Pinchas Idan.

Following the incident, Idan acknowledged that he had instructed employees not to work the additional three hours beyond their nine-hour shifts. He argued, however, that the departure of several baggage handlers did not justify shutting down the airport’s check-in operation.

Airport management has countered that the employees had been scheduled in advance to work 12-hour shifts and that their departure left the baggage-handling operation without sufficient personnel to function properly.

The disruption caused lengthy lines, delays and flight interruptions throughout the airport that day, with some planes departing without passengers’ luggage.

Although operations resumed approximately two hours later, it took several additional hours before the airport gradually returned to normal operations.

An estimate released at the time by Israel’s Finance Ministry placed the economic damage caused by the disruptions at approximately 25 million to 30 million shekels.

The investigative committee emphasized that its work is not yet complete and that the findings presented Sunday do not constitute its final report. At this stage, investigators have provided only a preliminary reconstruction of the events and have not issued conclusions regarding individual responsibility or ultimate accountability for the breakdown.

The committee’s complete findings and conclusions are expected to be released once the investigation is completed.

Meanwhile, officials at Ben Gurion Airport are already preparing for their next major operational challenge: the busy Tishrei holiday travel season.

The airport director warned employees that unusually large numbers of passengers are expected to pass through Ben Gurion during the upcoming holidays. He called on both Israel Airports Authority employees and managers to assist with airport operations in an effort to handle the anticipated crowds and prevent a repeat of the August 20 disruptions.

{Matzav.com}

A Skverer avreich from Yerushalayim was arrested in the Eilat area and sentenced to 10 days in Military Prison 10 on charges of draft evasion, just days before the bris of his newborn son, which is scheduled to take place this Thursday.

The arrest has caused an uproar within the Skverer community, with the avreich’s family and friends urgently appealing to the relevant authorities to allow him to leave prison and participate in his son’s bris.

B’Chadrei Chareidim has learned that the avreich had made several attempts in recent weeks to regularize his status with the IDF at the recruitment office. However, for various reasons, he was reportedly unable to enter the office and complete the necessary procedures.

After being told that he was not expected to encounter any difficulties or face arrest in the Eilat area, the avreich traveled there. Upon arriving at Camp Yotam, however, he was unexpectedly taken into custody by military authorities on allegations of draft evasion and was subsequently sentenced to 10 days in military prison.

The arrest stunned his family and friends, particularly because his newborn son’s bris is scheduled for Thursday, just two days away. Relatives and friends are pleading with officials to show compassion and permit him to leave prison so that he can attend the family simcha.

Those close to the family say that the avreich is fully prepared to cooperate in resolving his military status as soon as he is given the opportunity to do so.

The avreich is also seeking to settle his status so that he will be able to travel to the United States for the upcoming Sukkos and Simchas Torah period and spend the Yom Tov in the presence of his rebbe, the Skverer Rebbe.

Family members and friends are expressing hope that authorities will take the unusual and sensitive circumstances into consideration and allow the father to be present for his son’s bris.

More than 350,000 people have already participated in Selichos gatherings at the Kosel during the first half of Elul, as exceptionally large crowds continue to stream to the  site ahead of the Yomim Noraim.

More than 50,000 mispallelim packed the Kosel plaza in Yerushalayim on Thursday night for the fourth major Selichos gathering of Elul. The enormous crowd gathered near the remnant of the Bais Hamikdash for an emotional night of Selichos and tefillah.

Figures from the first half of Elul indicate a particularly significant increase in attendance this year. More than 350,000 people have visited the Kosel to participate in Selichos gatherings since the beginning of the month.

In addition to the major organized gatherings, which attract tens of thousands at a time, thousands of additional mispallelim have been arriving at the Kosel each night to recite Selichos.

The Western Wall Heritage Foundation said there has been a noticeable increase in the number of people participating this year compared to previous years.

“This year, there has been a significant increase in the number of participants in the Selichos gatherings, and not only at the central gatherings, with thousands of worshippers gathering every night at the Western Wall plaza to recite Selichos, and tens of thousands flocking to the gatherings held throughout the month of Elul,” the foundation said.

Along with reciting Selichos, those gathered offered heartfelt tefillos for the welfare of IDF soldiers and members of Israel’s security forces, for unity among the Jewish people, and for peace and security in Israel.

Preparations are already underway at the Kosel for the next major Selichos gathering, which is expected to once again draw tens of thousands of people to Yerushalayim.

Crowds at the Kosel are anticipated to continue growing as Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur draw closer.

{Matzav.com}

A man was killed Sunday night after a fire erupted in an underground parking garage of a residential building in Rishon Lezion, with initial reports indicating that a Tesla may have crashed into a wall before catching fire.

Fire and rescue crews were dispatched to the building on Ahi Lahav Street and worked for an extended period to extinguish the blaze and search the smoke-filled garage.

Once firefighters brought the fire under control, they discovered a person inside one of the vehicles with no signs of life.

Magen David Adom paramedics and EMTs examined the victim but were forced to pronounce him dead at the scene.

“When we arrived at the scene, we saw a vehicle on fire. After prolonged operations by the firefighting forces, a person was located inside a vehicle, unconscious. We performed medical examinations, but unfortunately, there were no signs of life,” paramedics Benny Joseph and Shaked Ron Tal Cohen said.

According to Israel Fire and Rescue Services, preliminary findings indicate that the blaze began in an electric vehicle and subsequently spread to several other vehicles parked nearby.

A separate report from the scene indicated that the electric vehicle was a Tesla that apparently struck a wall for reasons that remain unclear and then burst into flames.

Authorities stressed that the circumstances surrounding the reported collision are still under investigation, and no official determination has yet been released regarding the cause of the fire.

Even after the flames were extinguished, firefighters remained at the scene and continued ventilation operations to clear the heavy smoke from the underground garage.

Volunteers from ZAKA’s Central District were also dispatched to the scene and assisted police in preserving the dignity of the deceased and collecting findings from the area.

A fire investigator from Israel Fire and Rescue Services, together with police investigators, is investigating the circumstances surrounding the deadly incident.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu issued a sharp message on the Chareidi draft controversy Sunday night, declaring that those who are not learning Torah should enlist in the IDF and that anyone who proclaims, “We will die rather than enlist,” should be sent immediately to jail.

In a wide-ranging interview with Yinon Magal on Channel 14’s “The Patriots,” Netanyahu laid out his security and political priorities ahead of the elections for the 26th Knesset. He placed defeating the Iranian regime at the top of his agenda, pledged to complete the disarmament of Hamas and Hezbollah, addressed divisions within the political right, criticized Itamar Ben Gvir and Ofer Winter, and discussed further changes to Israel’s judicial system.

“Anyone who does not learn Torah should enlist. And anyone who says, ‘We will die rather than enlist,’ should go straight to jail,” Netanyahu said.

Iran was at the center of Netanyahu’s discussion of Israel’s security challenges. The prime minister said that despite the severe blows Tehran has suffered, the Iranian regime has not abandoned its nuclear ambitions.

“Iran will not have a nuclear weapon as long as I am prime minister,” Netanyahu declared.

He went further, saying that Israel must ultimately bring about the defeat of the Iranian regime.

“This regime must be defeated. I am committed to that, and it is possible. They are weaker than they were,” Netanyahu said.

According to Netanyahu, defeating the Iranian regime would also bring Israel closer to completing its campaigns against Hamas and Hezbollah.

Turning to Gaza, Netanyahu vowed that Hamas would be stripped of its weapons, whether voluntarily or through military force.

“The plan for Gaza is the elimination of Hamas. We will disarm it the easy way or the hard way. We will disarm them. I am committed to it, and I will do it,” Netanyahu said.

The prime minister said his government had withstood enormous pressure during the war and promised that Israel would also finish the job of disarming Hezbollah.

Summarizing his priorities, Netanyahu said, “First and foremost—to defeat Iran. It is in our hands.”

Netanyahu also devoted a significant portion of the interview to the upcoming election and the danger that competing parties could split the right-wing vote.

He welcomed talks between Bezalel Smotrich and Moshe Feiglin over a possible political alliance and said he would assist efforts to bring them together “in every way.”

Netanyahu was more critical of Ben Gvir, taking issue with his refusal to join forces with Smotrich.

“Today Ben Gvir needs to do it. He is categorical: ‘I am not uniting,’” Netanyahu said.

The prime minister said examinations conducted by his camp indicate that mergers among right-wing parties would strengthen the bloc. He warned that little time remains to prevent right-wing votes from being wasted.

“We have very little time, a week and two days, to enable this merger so that we do not lose a single vote,” he said.

Netanyahu also spoke at length about Ofer Winter, revealing that he met with the former senior IDF officer several weeks ago and offered him a place in Likud.

“I told him, look, there are two possibilities—you can come to us and be welcomed, or you can go your own separate way,” Netanyahu recounted.

Netanyahu warned that Winter’s decision to run independently could ultimately damage the right-wing bloc.

“I am concerned that this party could do one of two things—either waste votes or cause one of the parties to fall,” he said.

He also expressed skepticism about Winter’s declaration that he would support Netanyahu following the election.

“Winter said that he would support me. That’s fine and that’s true, but he added a ‘but,’ and a ‘but’ is an escape hatch,” Netanyahu said.

Turning to the judicial system, Netanyahu acknowledged that his government’s previous effort to enact changes had failed to accomplish its objective.

“We need to learn the lessons. The fact is that we did not succeed,” he said.

At the same time, Netanyahu made clear that he has not abandoned plans to make further changes to the judiciary. He said that if voters give the right another mandate, his government would seek to restore what he described as the proper balance between the branches of government.

“There is an understanding that the balance must be restored, and with that understanding we will succeed in doing it, and I am committed to doing it,” Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu was also questioned about the night before the October 7 massacre and whether events might have unfolded differently had he been awakened and informed of the warning signs that were emerging.

His answer was unequivocal.

“It would have looked completely different. That is the truth,” Netanyahu said.

He then went further, saying, “If they had woken me up, this would not have happened. I’m not saying that nothing would have happened, but it would not have happened like this.”

The prime minister called for the release of official protocols from the period surrounding the attack and said materials he presented to the state comptroller had surprised the comptroller. Netanyahu also reiterated his opposition to establishing a state commission of inquiry, instead proposing what he described as a “balanced commission of inquiry.”

Toward the end of the interview, Netanyahu returned to the Chareidi draft crisis and acknowledged that mistakes had been made in efforts to pass legislation regulating the status of yeshiva students.

“The draft law did not pass because mistakes were made. It can and must be handled differently,” Netanyahu said.

According to Netanyahu, the number of Chareidim entering the IDF is approaching 5,000. He said that on the day of the interview alone, 500 Chareidim enlisted, including 300 who entered combat tracks.

Netanyahu stressed that he has “enormous respect for the Torah world,” while drawing a firm distinction between those genuinely engaged in Torah learning and those who are not.

“Anyone who does not learn Torah should enlist,” Netanyahu said.

Dozens of Chareidi protesters gathered outside the Tel Hashomer recruitment office in Ramat Gan early Monday morning, attempting to block access roads as the IDF prepared to induct hundreds of Chareidi recruits into specially designated military programs.

The demonstration followed a similar protest Sunday outside the Tel Hashomer recruitment office, as opposition continues to grow over efforts to increase the enlistment of Chareidim into the IDF.

Seeking to disrupt Monday’s scheduled induction, dozens of protesters arrived at the entrance to the Tel Hashomer military base during the night, bringing mattresses and sleeping equipment and remaining there until morning.

The protesters deliberately arrived hours in advance in an effort to establish a presence at the site before the recruitment process began and interfere with operations at the induction center.

At daybreak, the situation at the entrance to the base became increasingly chaotic as protesters moved onto nearby access roads and attempted to block traffic leading toward the military compound and recruitment office.

The demonstrators sought to prevent or delay prospective recruits from reaching the base, resulting in traffic disruptions and confrontations with police officers attempting to maintain access to the area.

Protesters continued gathering around the Tel Hashomer complex throughout the morning, repeatedly attempting to interfere with vehicle traffic and the arrival of recruits.

The demonstrations came as the IDF prepared Monday to receive hundreds of Chareidi recruits who are slated to serve in combat-support positions through the military’s “Maalot Tzur” and “Project Yoav” programs within the Technology and Logistics Directorate.

President Trump on Monday called for Iran’s leaders to be prosecuted for “war crimes against humanity,” delivering a blistering assessment of the Islamic Republic as a “failed nation” amid continued fighting between Tehran and Washington and renewed tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.

“Iran is officially a Failed Nation. IT IS DEAD!” the president proclaimed on Truth Social. “They have no Navy, they have no Air Force, they have no currency, they are not paying their soldiers or police, Inflation is at 300%, and their leadership is in total disarray and incapable of properly representing the country.”

Trump then pointed to the Iranian regime’s violent suppression of anti-government demonstrations, while accusing Tehran of relying on propaganda and empty rhetoric.

“The only thing they have is FAKE NEWS from the USA, a willingness to kill their protesters (now over 100,000 people dead. They must be tried for war crimes against humanity!), and a good line of ‘[garbage].’”

Iran has faced accusations of massacring demonstrators who took to the streets against the regime late last year. Some estimates have placed the number of people killed at 30,000 or more.

Trump’s comments came on the heels of a new US military operation targeting rocket launchers on Iran’s Larak Island. The launchers were used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to deploy mines in the Strait of Hormuz, the strategically vital waterway that handled nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply during peacetime.

“U.S. forces took limited, precise action against IRGC minelaying forces posing an imminent threat in the Strait of Hormuz,” US Central Command (CENTCOM) posted on X Sunday evening. “In essence, Iran created the threat and the U.S. military eliminated it to protect civilian mariners, commercial shipping, and the free flow of global commerce.”

Following the US strikes on Larak Island, Jordan said its forces intercepted eight Iranian missiles that had been fired toward American military sites inside the country. Officials said the Iranian attacks caused no significant damage.

Trump nevertheless promised a forceful response to the Iranian missile launches, telling Fox News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst, “We’re going to hit them hard.”

CENTCOM announced last week that US forces had successfully removed mines from portions of the Strait of Hormuz and had been escorting and directing oil tankers through the critical shipping route.

Iran’s ability to disrupt shipping through the Strait has emerged as one of Tehran’s primary sources of leverage against the United States since the conflict began on Feb. 28.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright has said that approximately 9 million barrels of oil are currently moving through the Strait of Hormuz each day, a steep decline from the more than 20 million barrels that passed through the waterway daily before the war.

{Matzav.com}

A group representing retired Port Authority police officers is urging New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani not to attend this year’s 25th anniversary commemoration of the September 11 terrorist attacks, arguing that his appearance at Ground Zero would inflict “deep pain” on many first responders, survivors and relatives of those murdered.

John McDevitt, president of the Port Authority Retired Police Association, made the request in an Aug. 14 letter to Mamdani that was reported over the weekend by Fox News. McDevitt asked the mayor to refrain from participating in the Sept. 11 ceremony at the World Trade Center site.

“For us, September 11 is not a political occasion, a photo opportunity, or a platform for public officials,” McDevitt wrote to Mamdani. “It is a solemn day of remembrance for those who were murdered, those who responded, those who survived, and the families who have carried these losses for twenty-five years.”

The association stressed the particularly close bond its members have with the World Trade Center, which it described as “our home.” The September 11 attacks claimed the lives of 37 Port Authority police officers, along with 47 other members of the Port Authority family.

“Thirty-seven of our brothers and sisters made the ultimate sacrifice,” McDevitt wrote. “Their memorial should not become the center of political controversy.”

According to the retired officers, Mamdani’s political associations, policy positions and previous public statements have generated “profound concerns” among their members. The organization said those concerns are particularly significant given the sacrifices of the victims and the law enforcement officers who responded to the attacks.

“We believe your presence at Ground Zero on this 25th anniversary would cause deep pain to many members of the 9/11 community,” McDevitt wrote. “It also risks shifting attention away from the people whose lives, courage, and sacrifice the ceremony exists to honor.”

Rather than appearing at Ground Zero, McDevitt suggested that Mamdani commemorate the anniversary in another fashion, such as issuing a written statement, delivering public remarks or participating in a separate event.

“This is our day to remember,” he wrote. “Please allow us to remember in peace.”

Mamdani has previously indicated that he plans to attend the September 11 ceremony, saying he intends to “proudly honor” the victims’ families, survivors and first responders whose lives were permanently altered by the attacks.

The letter from the retired officers follows a separate petition calling for Mamdani to be kept away from the ceremony that has attracted more than 95,000 signatures. Giovanni Galante, whose wife, Grace Catherine Galante, was killed in the September 11 attacks, launched the petition in July.

The petition raises numerous objections to Mamdani, who took office in January as New York City’s first Muslim mayor. Among the issues cited is his refusal to condemn the slogan “globalize the intifada.”

It also points to Mamdani’s appearance during his campaign with Brooklyn Imam Siraj Wahhaj. The petition describes Wahhaj as an unindicted co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and says he had previously advocated for gun-free jihad.

Mamdani’s decision to appoint Ramzi Kassem as New York City’s chief counsel is another issue raised by the petition. Kassem has represented convicted Al-Qaeda member Ahmed al-Darbi as well as radical organizer Mahmoud Khalil.

The petition additionally criticizes Mamdani for endorsing state Senate candidate Aber Kawas, who had previously characterized the September 11 attacks as something that “a couple of people did” and voiced support for Ahmed Ferhani, who was convicted in connection with a terror plot.

Also cited is Mamdani’s backing of congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier, who had previously described the United States as “a f-ing disgrace” and spoke about using an American flag as a napkin.

The petition further draws attention to social media posts Mamdani made in 2015 concerning Al-Qaeda figure Anwar al-Awlaki, in which Mamdani defended al-Awlaki and attributed his radicalization to American policy.

Statements made by Mamdani’s father, Columbia University professor Mahmood Mamdani, are also included among the petition’s objections. Those remarks have been characterized as expressing sympathy toward suicide bombers.

Judea Pearl, whose son, Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, was kidnapped and murdered by terrorists in Pakistan in 2002, has also publicly backed the effort opposing Mamdani’s presence at the Ground Zero commemoration.

Pearl wrote on social media: “My late son, Daniel, is not a direct victim of 9/11, yet he was murdered by Khalid Sheik Mohammad (KSM), the 9/11 architect. I wish I could join the petition to bar Mayor Mamdani from the memorial — his anti-American ideology differs little from that of KSM’s.”

{Matzav.com}

A planned White House meeting between President Donald Trump and the Satmar Rebbe, Rav Aharon Teitelbaum of Kiryas Yoel, has sparked a fierce public dispute, with conservative activist Laura Loomer attacking the invitation and questioning why the Rebbe is being given access to the president, radio host Sid Rosenberg joining the criticism, and Satmar Headquarters firing back by pointing to Kiryas Yoel’s overwhelming electoral support for Trump.

The controversy erupted after Loomer wrote on X that the Rebbe is expected to meet with President Trump on Thursday and asserted that White House Jewish Liaison Martin Marks had arranged the meeting. Loomer sharply criticized Marks over the invitation and claimed that the Rebbe intends to use the meeting to urge Trump to intervene with Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu over the drafting of yeshiva students in Eretz Yisroel.

Loomer wrote: “BREAKING: White House Jewish Liason Martin Marks appears to be setting President Trump up for a political crisis. Satmar Rebbe, one of the leaders of the haredi movement that rejects the State of Israel has been invited by Marks to meet with @POTUS on Thursday. @martinjmarks

“These are anti-Israel pro-Mamdani rabbis who are being hosted with open arms in the Oval Office. Did anyone bother to do any vetting? The Grand Rabbi of Satmar was reportedly invited to the White House by Martin Marks and plans to ask President Trump to pressure Israeli PM Netanyahu @netanyahu to end the draft of ultra-Orthodox Yeshiva students, as reported in Hasidic news outlets.

Loomer cotninued: “Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum, the Grand Rabbi of Satmar in Kiryas Joel, previously directed his representatives to endorse jihadist Zohran Mamdani @ZohranKMamdani for NYC Mayor and supported Kathy Hochul against Lee Zeldin @epaleezeldin for NY Governor in 2022. He then said Mamdani isn’t an anti-Semite, which is outrageous. I am told that endorsements for GOP candidates are NOT currently on the agenda for this meeting, per White House sources. Why is White House staffer @martinjmarks scheduling precious face time between President Trump and anti-Israel lunatic Democrat rabbis who are frowned upon by majority of the Jewish community? Who will Martin Marks invite to the White House to meet with President Trump next, Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed? @AbdulElSayed

“Bizarre things are happening at the White House this week and I don’t think anyone has told President Trump. This is going to severely [anger] the Jewish Republicans in the MAGA base who voted for President Trump. It’s also going to create tension with world leaders ahead of Rosh Hashanah.”

Loomer’s broadside was followed by an even more heated reaction from Sid Rosenberg, the New York radio personality and outspoken Trump supporter. Rosenberg took direct aim at the Satmar Rebbe and urged Marks to reconsider the meeting, using unusually harsh language in his X post.

“This is a HUGE mistake!!! This Rabbi is a TERRIBLE guy and has no right being anywhere near @POTUS! …Come on Marty! You can’t do this! Please!!!! I kill this guy and @rabbiindig on my show all the time! The worst Jews have to offer!!!”

The attacks prompted a public response from Satmar Headquarters, which addressed Loomer directly and disputed the political picture she presented of the Rebbe’s community.

Satmar’s response focused particularly on the voting record of Kiryas Yoel and the Town of Palm Tree, home to Rav Aharon Teitelbaum and a major center of Satmar Chassidus. The statement argued that the community has demonstrated exceptionally strong support for Trump in presidential elections and urged Loomer to examine the actual voting record.

Satmar Headquarters wrote:

“Dear @LauraLoomer

“We appreciate your concerns regarding the recent invitation extended to the Grand Rebbe of Satmar, Rabbi Aron Teitelbaum, to meet with President Trump. However, it’s important to clarify regarding the community of Town of Palm Tree and Village of Kiryas Joel, the seat of Grand Rebbe Aron which is home to a significant number of Satmar Hasidim. Historically, Palm Tree/Kiryas Joel leadership has shown strong support for President Trump in both recent presidential elections, voting overwhelmingly in his favor—more than any other Jewish community in the nation. This demonstrates a deep commitment to his leadership and policies within our community. We encourage you to fact-check the voting trends and sentiments of Kiryas Joel residents. Engaging in respectful dialogue about our community’s perspectives can foster better understanding and unity during these complex times. Thank you for your attention to this matter, and we hope for a constructive conversation moving forward. Best, @HQSatmar”

The dispute highlights the complicated political position occupied by Satmar. Satmar is famously and ideologically opposed to Zionism and the State of Israel on religious grounds, while the heavily Chassidic Kiryas Joel community has simultaneously delivered enormous margins for Trump in presidential elections. Its political activity on the state and local levels, however, has not always aligned with Republican candidates.

Loomer’s criticism centered heavily on those distinctions, particularly the Satmar leadership’s relationships with Democratic politicians and its position regarding Zohran Mamdani. She also sought to frame the planned meeting as potentially problematic for Trump’s relationship with pro-Israel supporters.

The immediate issue expected to be raised at the White House, according to Loomer and reports she referenced, is the ongoing battle in Israel over the draft of yeshiva students. The issue has become an extraordinary point of concern throughout the Chareidi world as arrests and enforcement measures against yeshiva bochurim have intensified.

Rav Aharon Teitelbaum has been among the prominent Chassidic leaders speaking out against efforts to draft yeshiva students, and the reported White House meeting would provide an opportunity to bring those concerns directly to President Trump.

Satmar’s public response did not address the substance of what Rav Aharon plans to discuss with Trump or dispute that the draft issue could be raised. Instead, its statement concentrated on rejecting Loomer’s portrayal of the community’s relationship with Trump and emphasized the extraordinary margins the president has received from voters in Kiryas Joel.

The increasingly heated exchange now places additional attention on Thursday’s expected meeting.

{Matzav.com}

Several Canadian websites, including those operated by government-related services, briefly labeled Lake Ontario as “Lake America” on Sunday, even though Google had said its adoption of President Donald Trump’s new name for the lake would be limited to users in the United States, according to CBC News.

The unexpected appearance of the name on Canadian sites came one day after Google Maps said it had changed its designation of the lake in response to an executive order signed by Trump. Google said it acted after the US government’s official geographic names database was updated to reflect the new name.

Despite Google’s assertion that the change would be restricted to US users, maps used by a number of Canadian organizations subsequently began identifying the body of water as “Lake America.” CBC News reported that the affected sites included Hydro One’s power outage map, the Liquor Control Board of Ontario’s store locator, GO Transit’s station finder, and a Canadian federal government map dealing with housing and infrastructure.

Hydro One confirmed that its map was displaying the wrong name and attributed the problem to a third-party mapping provider.

“We are aware that Lake Ontario is being incorrectly labeled on our outage map,” a spokesperson told CBC News in an email, adding that Hydro One regrets the “error.”

The utility said it was working to have the designation corrected.

“The issue originates from a third-party mapping service,” the utility said. “We are working with our vendor to correct the issue as quickly as possible and restore the proper geographic reference.”

Metrolinx, the Ontario government agency that oversees GO Transit, similarly acknowledged the problem and said it was reviewing its online services to ensure the traditional Canadian name remained in place.

“We are actively reviewing our websites to make sure they all identify Lake Ontario by its correct name: Lake Ontario,” Metrolinx said.

The agency said it was also moving to shut down the particular mapping feature where the new name had appeared.

“We are in the process of disabling the map function on the GO stations’ page where this occurred.”

MapQuest, meanwhile, announced on social media that it does not intend to use Trump’s chosen name for the lake. Apple has yet to publicly indicate whether it plans to make any changes to its own mapping services.

Trump announced Thursday that Lake Ontario would be known as “Lake America” in the United States, making the move as relations between Washington and Ottawa have become increasingly strained over trade.

Sitting at the Resolute Desk, Trump signed an executive order directing the Interior Department to update the lake’s name within the US geographic naming system. Although the order gives the department 30 days to implement the change, Trump declared that the new designation was “official, effective immediately.”

Trump said he had “notified all of the various people that we have to notify. So, we’ve done everything that you have to do.”

The fight over the lake’s name is unfolding against the backdrop of an escalating trade battle between the United States and Canada, with both governments imposing tariffs on goods from the other country. Washington announced 50% tariffs on $20 billion in Canadian products following the collapse of trade negotiations, while Ottawa retaliated with tariffs covering $20 billion in American goods, including dairy products, steel, appliances and agricultural equipment.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected Trump’s effort to rename the lake, pointing to the centuries-old origins of the Lake Ontario name.

“The name Lake Ontario comes from the Wendat word Ontari’io, which, appropriately, means ‘the lake is beautiful, the lake is big”.”

Carney noted that the name existed long before either modern Canada or the United States came into being.

“The name is more than 400 years old, predating both the Confederation of Canada and the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America,” added Carney.

The Canadian prime minister concluded by portraying the dispute as part of broader changes taking place in the United States while insisting that Canadians would continue referring to the lake by its longstanding name.

“We know that America is changing. Their trading relationships, their foreign policies, their national monuments, their hydronyms. Canadians also know that naming reality means calling it Lake Ontario – then, now and always,” concluded the Prime Minister.

{Matzav.com}

Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei accused the United States and Israel on Sunday of seeking to undermine unity across the Muslim world, issuing the charge as questions continue to swirl over his health and whereabouts following months without a public appearance.

In a message issued for Islamic Unity Week, Khamenei described Washington and Jerusalem as fundamentally hostile to Muslim solidarity and claimed that even Muslim governments maintaining close relations with the two countries are not immune from that hostility.

“The criminal rulers of the US and the illegitimate Zionist regime are the sworn enemies of this unity and friendship,” Khamenei said in a message marking Islamic Unity Week. He added that even leaders of Muslim countries regarded as allies of Washington and Jerusalem were subject to what he characterized as their hostility.

Khamenei went on to contend that greater solidarity throughout the Muslim world could have strengthened the position of Palestinian Arabs. He questioned whether they would have remained “so defenseless” if Muslims had acted as “a single, united hand.”

His comments followed another appeal for unity issued two days earlier, when Khamenei called on Iranian government officials to protect national cohesion and refrain from statements that could erode public confidence.

Addressing Government Week on Friday, Khamenei issued a categorical warning against conduct that could deepen divisions within Iranian society.

“I firmly declare that committing anything that harms social cohesion is forbidden.”

Khamenei also instructed officials to steer clear of “discouraging statements that weaken national and public motivation.” He criticized what he portrayed as manufactured political divisions, citing such competing formulations as “war or negotiations,” “consensus or extremism” and “compromise or warmongering.”

The Iranian leader urged government authorities to emphasize the country’s “power and strength,” maintaining that focusing excessively on Iran’s vulnerabilities could benefit its adversaries while damaging the morale of those who support the regime.

Khamenei additionally turned to Iran’s mounting economic problems, urging officials to address inflation, unemployment, rising prices, investment and domestic manufacturing. He also expressed support for efforts to diminish the dollar’s importance within the Iranian economy.

Despite the series of statements attributed to him, Khamenei has not been seen publicly since the 40-day war began on February 28. His disappearance from public view came after his father, Ali Khamenei, was killed in joint American-Israeli strikes on Iran and Mojtaba Khamenei subsequently assumed the position of Supreme Leader.

The prolonged lack of a public appearance has fueled persistent speculation about Khamenei’s physical condition and location, with some reports alleging that he sustained severe wounds and others raising the possibility that he is no longer alive.

In July, Saudi broadcaster Al Hadath cited an Israeli defense source who claimed Khamenei had fled Iran. The source further alleged that Ahmad Vahidi and senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps officials were preparing statements in Khamenei’s name. According to the same account, growing internal disputes within the IRGC, coupled with unrest across Iran, were threatening the organization’s continued stability.

CNN reported in March that Khamenei had been wounded on the opening day of the war. According to that report, his injuries included a broken foot, wounds near his left eye and cuts to his face.

Another report issued earlier this month and attributed to Khamenei’s office claimed that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had participated in a conference with the Supreme Leader. However, no photographs, video or other visual documentation of the purported meeting were released.

President Donald Trump weighed in on the continuing uncertainty surrounding Khamenei during an interview last week with The Glenn Beck Program. Trump said he believes the Iranian leader remains alive, although he asserted that Khamenei suffered extensive injuries.

“I don’t think he’s dead. He was very seriously wounded,” Trump said. “The left side of his body, the arm, the leg, the whole thing, he was very seriously wounded. But I don’t think he’s dead.”

Trump also said that Iranian officials continue to publicly conduct themselves as though Khamenei remains in command, repeatedly portraying their decisions as requiring his authorization.

“And if he is, they’re putting on a pretty good show because they talk about, you know, going back to talk to him all the time, you know, to get a final blessing on things,” the President said.

Britain’s Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis, is urging the British government to reconsider planned sanctions and trade restrictions targeting Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, warning that the measures could hurt British Jews, damage UK-Israel relations and ultimately undermine efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East.

Rabbi Mirvis said he presented those concerns directly to Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband during a meeting Friday, amid reports that Britain is preparing punitive measures in response to Israeli plans to build housing in the E1 area between Jerusalem and Ma’ale Adumim.

“I welcomed the opportunity on Friday to meet with the Foreign Secretary, the Rt Hon. Ed Miliband. While we share fervent hopes for a future of peace and security in the Middle East, I explained why I believe the UK Government’s intended sanctions will be counter-productive and even endanger such a vision of peace,” Rabbi Mirvis said in a post on social media.

The Chief Rabbi also warned that the move would be particularly troubling for British Jews amid what he described as unprecedented hostility toward Jews and Israel.

“I told the Foreign Secretary that many within the UK Jewish community will view such measures with deep dismay, at a time when the vilification of Jews, Judaism and the Jewish State has already reached unprecedented levels,” he added.

Rabbi Mirvis questioned whether the proposed sanctions would have any meaningful effect on Israeli government policy. Instead, he said, their economic impact could expand well beyond their intended targets and potentially develop into a broader boycott of Israel.

“The intended policy will not influence Israeli decision-making in the way the Government intends. Instead, it risks inflicting real harm across the region. Given the obvious challenges of defining and implementing such measures, there is a clear danger that they will spiral into a de facto boycott of trade with Israel more broadly, damaging the long-term relationship between our two countries and threatening the livelihoods of tens of thousands of Palestinian workers,” continued Rabbi Mirvis.

The Chief Rabbi said British Jews could also bear an outsized share of the consequences because of their extensive religious, family, educational and charitable connections to Israel. He warned that heightened anti-Israel rhetoric has repeatedly been accompanied by increased hostility toward Jews.

“These measures will also disproportionately affect British Jews because of our close religious, family, charitable and educational ties to Israel. Over recent years, we have seen repeatedly that when rhetoric towards Israel escalates, hostility towards Jews is never far behind.”

Rabbi Mirvis made clear that he condemns attacks against Palestinians carried out by Israeli extremists, but argued that Britain’s proposed policies could perversely strengthen those responsible while punishing many others who reject such violence.

“I strongly condemn the reprehensible violence perpetrated against Palestinians by a small number of extremists, yet the UK Government’s proposals will only embolden the tiny minority who support such criminality, while penalizing countless others who abhor it.”

He also challenged the British government’s rationale for targeting Israel over construction in E1. Rabbi Mirvis noted that previous diplomatic frameworks for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have envisioned the strategically located area remaining under Israeli control.

“The stated justification for punishing an ally in this way, is Israel’s long-planned construction of homes in the E1 area. Yet successive peace efforts, from Oslo to Camp David and beyond, have envisaged a final agreement in which this area would remain under Israeli sovereignty. It is therefore difficult to escape the painful conclusion that domestic political considerations are driving foreign policy, the impact of which is negative both for prospects for peace in the Middle East and for the UK Jewish community,” concluded the Chief Rabbi.

Rabbi Mirvis’ intervention followed a report in The Times that British Prime Minister Andy Burnham is preparing a series of measures in response to Israel’s E1 construction plans. Among the possibilities reportedly under consideration are restrictions on goods associated with Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria and sanctions against individuals involved in moving the housing plans forward.

Israel recently published a tender for seven residential complexes in E1 encompassing 1,234 housing units. Those homes are part of approximately 3,400 units that received approval for construction in the area last August.

Miliband responded to the tender by sharply condemning Israel and demanding that the plans be rescinded.

“This Israeli Government’s publication of a tender for the E1 settlement project is an unacceptable and destructive act. E1 would cut across the heart of Palestine and risks separating the West Bank from East Jerusalem, which would endanger the viability of a two-state solution,” Miliband said.

The British foreign secretary maintained that construction in E1 conflicts with London’s commitment to establishing a Palestinian state and asserted that Israeli communities beyond the pre-1967 lines violate international law.

“The UK has been clear privately and publicly in our opposition to E1 and our support for a two-state solution as the only way to ensure long-term security and peace for both Palestinians and Israelis. All settlements damage that prospect and are a flagrant breach of international law,” he claimed.

Miliband said he personally conveyed Britain’s objections to Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar. He also revealed that London’s Foreign Office summoned Israel’s Chargé d’Affaires to formally protest the E1 plans.

“Today, I made clear to the Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar that the Israeli Government must halt E1 plans immediately, retract the tender and stop all settlement expansion. In addition, the Israeli Chargé d’Affaires has been summoned to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, where we set out the UK’s profound objection to this move by the Netanyahu government and demanded an immediate reversal,” said Miliband.

Miliband further signaled that the British government intends to unveil additional steps against Israel in the coming weeks.

“Britain will not stand back and accept the destruction of the two-state solution. In the coming weeks we will set out a comprehensive set of measures to respond to Israeli government policies, protect the viability of the Palestinian state, target sanctions at those who participate in illegal settlement expansion and support a just and lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians,” the UK Foreign Secretary declared.

Sa’ar responded by forcefully rejecting Britain’s demands and accusing Miliband of addressing Israel in a condescending manner.

“I reject outright the statement of the UK Foreign Secretary and the patronizing tone of his words,” Sa’ar wrote on social media.

The Israeli foreign minister defended the right of Jews to live throughout Eretz Yisroel and invoked Britain’s own historic recognition of the Jewish people’s connection to the land.

“The Jewish people have the right to live throughout the Land of Israel, just as the British have the right to live in London and throughout the United Kingdom. More than a century ago, the Balfour Declaration formally recognized the historic right of the Jewish people to re-establish their national home in the Land of Israel – including in the area in question.”

Sa’ar then turned Britain’s criticism back on London, pointing to territories under British control far from the United Kingdom and accusing the government of applying a double standard to Israel.

“Britain itself still controls colonial territories thousands of miles from its shores. It is absurd for Britain to lecture the Jewish people about where they may live in their historic tiny homeland, when the Jewish people’s connection and right to this land is the most extensively documented of any people in human history.”

Sa’ar also rejected the suggestion that Israel had suddenly authorized a new E1 construction initiative. He said the underlying decision dates back to 2025 and that the tender process had already been moving forward for months before the latest documents were released.

“There have been no new decisions regarding development in E1. The decision was made in 2025. The tender process has been underway for several months, with certain tender documents published only in recent days. The British Foreign Secretary’s statement is entirely one-sided.”

The Trump administration is preparing another round of banking sanctions against Iran this week as Washington intensifies its effort to cut Tehran off from the global financial system, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday.

Speaking to The Associated Press, Bessent said the administration is prepared to use aggressive financial measures to pressure Iran and those facilitating its access to international markets.

“This is going to be financial violence if we have to,” Bessent said in the interview. “We are showing people that we know who you are, you know who you are, and this has got to stop.”

Bessent made the remarks ahead of Group of 20 meetings in Asheville, North Carolina, where he is expected to meet individually with finance officials from major global economies as well as developing countries. Winning broader international support for the campaign to economically isolate Iran is expected to be a central subject of those discussions.

As the war with Iran approaches its sixth month, the Trump administration has increasingly turned to financial pressure as another major front in the conflict. U.S. officials have labeled the expanding effort an “economic D-Day” against Tehran, building upon sanctions that Washington has maintained against Iran for decades.

Last week, Bessent unveiled “Operation Economic Outcast,” an initiative aimed at further restricting Iran’s access to money and isolating its government from the international financial system. The United States later announced additional sanctions targeting UAE branches of Egypt’s Banque Misr.

As part of the Treasury Department’s proposed action, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, known as FinCEN, would prohibit Banque Misr UAE from maintaining correspondent banking relationships with American financial institutions. Such a move would significantly restrict the bank’s ability to process dollar-denominated transactions connected to Iran.

The administration has thus far largely relied on warnings to governments that continue doing business with Tehran instead of imposing sweeping new sanctions against those countries. China presents one of Washington’s most significant challenges because it remains Iran’s largest trading partner and the leading buyer of Iranian oil.

Bessent told AP that he intends to address China’s continued purchases of Iranian oil directly with Chinese officials during the G20 gathering. Asked about possible U.S. sanctions against Beijing over that trade, he said “all options are on the table.”

The Treasury secretary also pushed back against claims that the Trump administration has been reluctant to challenge China over its economic relationship with Tehran, calling that characterization “a completely false narrative that the media picked up on.”

Despite the tensions over Iranian oil, Bessent said the United States and China have overlapping interests in two critical areas: restoring navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and ensuring that Iran does not acquire a nuclear weapon.

{Matzav.com}

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