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President Donald Trump announced a sweeping new campaign of economic warfare against Iran on Wednesday, vowing to isolate Tehran on an unprecedented scale and warning that countries, banks and businesses that continue providing the Islamic Republic with an economic lifeline could themselves face severe consequences from the United States.

Trump unveiled the initiative in a Truth Social post, arguing that Iran had squandered an extraordinary opportunity to negotiate an agreement with Washington and would now face the consequences.

“No one has given the Islamic Republic of Iran a greater opportunity to make a Deal than me. TRAGICALLY, for them, they have failed to take it,” he wrote.

The president said the United States would now move to choke off Iran’s remaining connections to the international economy, with penalties potentially extending beyond Tehran to foreign governments and entities that help it circumvent American pressure.

“Therefore, today, I am announcing the MOST CRUSHING ECONOMIC OPERATION EVER TAKEN AGAINST ANY COUNTRY! This will be Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale.”

Trump portrayed Iran as already badly weakened militarily and economically, asserting that much of the country’s military infrastructure had been devastated.

“Their navy is gone, their air force is destroyed, their military factories are now rubble, their currency is worthless, and their country is hanging by a thread.”

The president then broadened his warning to governments, banks, corporations and other institutions worldwide, saying those that continue facilitating Iranian economic activity could find themselves targeted by Washington.

“Today, I am also announcing that ANY country that allows its financial institutions, businesses, airports, or government entities to provide any type of lifeline to Iran will itself face TREMENDOUS Economic Consequences.”

Trump listed several methods that he said must immediately cease, including schemes used to move Iranian oil and money or conceal Tehran’s involvement in international transactions.

“Oil smuggling, swap lines, cash transfers, exchange houses, ship registries, front companies – It all needs to stop NOW. You know who you are.”

Describing the new pressure campaign as “an ECONOMIC D-DAY,” Trump called on America’s allies to join the effort and help cut Iran off from the global economy.

“This will be an ECONOMIC D-DAY, and we need all of our Allies to stand with the United States of America to isolate, and defeat, the Iran threat.”

Trump predicted that the measures would sharply restrict Iran’s ability to operate and finance activities abroad, while again declaring that Tehran would never be permitted to acquire a nuclear weapon.

“These maniacs are on the ropes, and these HISTORIC MEASURES will cripple them and their ability to project terror worldwide. IRAN WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON.”

The announcement came only hours after Trump told reporters that the Strait of Hormuz could become less strategically significant as additional energy pipelines are constructed and alternative routes become available.

“Record numbers of pipelines are being built. So I think the Hormuz Strait is not going to be quite as important as it was in the past,” Trump said.

When questioned about additional sanctions Washington could impose on Tehran, Trump indicated that the administration still had powerful economic tools at its disposal.

“We have things that we could sanction on Iran. We have very draconian sanctions, and we’ll see what happens.”

Those remarks followed another Truth Social statement on Tuesday in which Trump said Washington and Tehran were not engaged in negotiations as the 60-day window for talks reached its conclusion.

“There are no talks or conversations going on, or scheduled, with the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Naval Blockade remains in full force and effect. The Hormuz Strait is open and operating. All water mines have been removed or detonated.”

That assertion appeared at odds with earlier remarks Trump made to Fox News suggesting that Washington was conducting peace discussions with Iran through a secret communications channel involving the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The IRGC rejected that account. Spokesperson Hossein Mohebbi told the semi-official Tasnim news agency that Trump’s claim was a “delusion” and insisted that no discussions were taking place between American representatives and IRGC officials.

Mohebbi further maintained that Iran’s recognized diplomatic institutions were also not conducting negotiations with Washington, blaming the absence of talks on what he described as Washington’s “breach of promises.”

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei separately dismissed reports that secret contacts between the United States and the IRGC had taken place with the involvement of representatives from Iraqi Kurdistan. He also rejected claims that American and Iranian officials had held a covert meeting in Erbil.

Baghaei described the reports as “media techniques and psychological operations used to sow discord among Iran’s decision-making bodies.”

{Matzav.com}

A dramatic budget crisis is threatening to force the complete closure of Me’aras Hamachpeilah just weeks before the Tishrei Yomim Tovim, with Israel’s Religious Services Ministry ordering preparations to shut the site within 14 days unless funding is restored.

The warning follows an interim order issued by the High Court of Justice freezing budget transfers that had been approved for the operation of holy sites. Religious Services Ministry Director-General Yehuda Avidan says the order has left the ministry without an approved funding source to continue operating Me’aras Hamachpeilah and other sites overseen by the National Center for the Development of Holy Places.

In letters sent to senior officials, Avidan instructed them to prepare for the possibility that the National Center’s operations will cease at the beginning of September, while a separate urgent directive lays out preparations to close Me’aras Hamachpeilah entirely.

Avidan wrote to ministry Deputy Director-General Yisrael Deri and National Center comptroller Ora Doron that although the Knesset Finance Committee approved budget transfers needed to fund ongoing operations, Justice Alex Stein subsequently issued a temporary order blocking implementation of the transfers.

“Therefore,” Avidan wrote, “since without approval of the budget request the ministry has no budgetary source to maintain the ongoing operations of the National Center for the Development of Holy Places, I hereby inform you that if a solution is not found by the end of August, the operations of the National Center, including the various sites, will cease immediately at the beginning of September. Please prepare accordingly.”

In a second urgent letter addressed to Amitai Cohen, director of the Me’aras Hamachpeilah administration, and Uri Tzubari of the Kiryat Arba Religious Council, Avidan detailed the measures that would have to be taken if the funding crisis is not resolved.

According to Avidan, the Religious Services Ministry is responsible for financing and maintaining the day-to-day operation of Me’aras Hamachpeilah. However, the site’s operating budget is not incorporated into the permanent base of the state budget and instead relies almost entirely on coalition funds.

With those funds now frozen by the High Court, Avidan said the ministry has been left without an authorized source from which it can legally pay the expenses required to keep the site functioning.

“The ministry is not withdrawing and is not shirking its responsibility toward Me’aras Hamachpeilah, which is a heritage site of supreme religious and historical importance,” Avidan wrote. “However, in accordance with the laws of the State of Israel, and as a government ministry obligated to operate according to the rules of proper administration, the ministry is not permitted to allow or continue any contractual engagements without actual budgetary coverage.”

Avidan therefore ordered officials to immediately begin preparing for a complete shutdown of Me’aras Hamachpeilah within 14 days.

Under the contingency plan, all visitors, mispallelim and tourists would be barred from entering the site, and the gates of Me’aras Hamachpeilah would be locked.

Employees working at the site would receive termination notices, while contracts with outside companies and service providers responsible for cleaning, maintenance, transportation and other operations would also be discontinued.

All scheduled events, simchos, ceremonies and other activities at Me’aras Hamachpeilah would be canceled immediately, with organizers instructed to be notified that their events could no longer take place.

Officials were also ordered to urgently coordinate with the IDF, Israel Police and Border Police for the transfer of physical and security responsibility for the building to the security forces once the civilian security and crowd-management operations cease functioning.

Nonessential systems would be shut down, utility consumption would be disconnected or reduced where possible, and measures would be taken to protect the building and equipment throughout the closure.

The ministry would additionally issue public notices announcing that Me’aras Hamachpeilah is closed in order to prevent visitors and mispallelim from traveling to the site unnecessarily.

The potential shutdown comes at a particularly sensitive time, with the Tishrei Yomim Tovim approaching and large numbers of mispallelim traditionally visiting Me’aras Hamachpeilah during the period.

Avidan concluded his directive by expressing regret over the extraordinary situation while emphasizing that the ministry cannot legally continue operating without authorized funds.

“We deeply regret reaching this unfortunate situation, but as stated, the law requires us to take these steps until a solution is found and the necessary budgetary source is arranged by the authorities responsible for doing so.”

Noam Party chairman MK Avi Maoz is calling for expanded Chareidi development in Yehuda and Shomron, arguing that new communities in the region could both strengthen the Jewish presence there and provide a potential solution to the severe housing shortage facing the Chareidi community.

Maoz made the comments during a visit to the Chareidi community of Mitzpe Leah in Binyamin, where he met with the community’s founder, Rav Ephraim Hershkowitz, as well as local residents.

During the visit, Maoz was briefed on plans to expand Chareidi settlement throughout Yehuda and Shomron and heard about infrastructure and development challenges currently facing the community.

Rav Hershkowitz described the establishment of Mitzpe Leah and its growth over the years. He also discussed cooperation between the Chareidi residents and members of other communities living in the surrounding area.

Maoz toured Mitzpe Leah, visited its shul and spoke with residents about daily life in the community. Residents raised the need for greater assistance from government ministries and local authorities to enable the community to continue developing.

Maoz said expanding Chareidi communities in Yehuda and Shomron could accomplish two objectives simultaneously: strengthening Jewish settlement in the region while opening additional and potentially more affordable housing opportunities for Chareidi families.

“Chareidi settlement in Yehuda and Shomron is important for safeguarding Eretz Yisroel and can also serve as a solution to the Chareidi housing crisis,” Maoz said.

At the conclusion of his visit, Maoz urged local authorities throughout Yehuda and Shomron “to open the door and assist the development of Chareidi settlement in every possible way.”

“Just as the Torah belongs to all of Klal Yisroel, so too Eretz Yisroel belongs to all of Klal Yisroel, and settling it is both a privilege and a responsibility of all sectors,” Maoz said.

Maoz added that his party intends to work with the relevant government officials and agencies to advance the continued development of Mitzpe Leah and facilitate further expansion of Chareidi communities throughout the region.

{Matzav.com}

Gilad Erdan, chairman of the new Unity Party, says Israel should grant military-service deferments to exceptional Torah scholars chosen by leading rabbonim and roshei yeshiva, arguing that Torah study deserves at least the same recognition the state gives outstanding athletes and artists.

In a wide-ranging interview with Yishai Cohen in the Kikar HaShabbat studio, the former Likud minister laid out his new political platform, explained why he left Likud, addressed his party’s weak showing in current polls and spoke extensively about Chareidi military service and education.

Erdan rejected accusations that he has become anti-Chareidi and said he opposes mass arrests of yeshiva bochurim or proposals to strip draft evaders of voting rights. At the same time, he insisted that every Israeli citizen should ultimately contribute through military, national or civilian service and called on Chareidi leaders to actively encourage enlistment.

He also advocated a gradual transition toward state-run Chareidi education with core curriculum studies, while stressing that such changes should not be imposed overnight.

On the broader political front, Erdan ruled out joining a narrow right-wing or left-wing government. He said he would be prepared to send Israel back to elections rather than abandon his commitment to forming a broad unity government.

The interview began with Erdan discussing the Likud primaries and his decision to leave the party.

“Some of those elected are friends of mine, and I congratulate them. But in Likud it doesn’t really matter, and that is also why I left Likud and departed from Likud. Because in Likud, it doesn’t really matter where you are on the list or whether you were elected to a high or low position.

“I was elected five times in the top three — the ability to influence what happens to the people through your position on the list is simply zero. Because in the end, the prime minister wants to survive as prime minister, and the result is that he gives instructions to all the elected officials and they have to fall in line on the issues that are most significant today to the citizens of the country, and I’m sure we’ll discuss them further — such as the draft law.”

Erdan was then asked about his assertion that he had been offered a reserved slot on the Likud slate but turned it down, a claim that Likud officials have denied.

“What can I tell you? I think that for decades I have had zero zigzags and have never deviated from the things I told the public, and I believe that most of the public believes me that I don’t want a reserved slot in Likud and that I embarked on a new path.”

“You know,” Erdan continued, “they were searching high and low for new figures who are representative and statesmanlike. There are those who would say that I meet the criteria, fine, but that’s not the point. I’m not interested in reserved slots; I’m interested in leading a path of unity.”

Erdan said the current Likud bears little resemblance to the party of earlier generations.

“That is exactly what shows that today’s Likud is not the original Likud of the past. Today, as a ruling party for many years already, many special-interest elements have penetrated and entered this party whose goal is not the path of Jabotinsky or Begin. Their goal is to influence political decisions.”

He added: “There are always phenomena like this in a ruling party, with special-interest groups that want to exert influence, but I think it has now reached an all-time high. And that is one of the reasons I want to exert influence through my own independent path of unity.”

Asked about polls showing his Unity Party failing to cross the electoral threshold, and whether his relatively late entry into the race had hurt his chances, Erdan said he believes voters remain open to hearing his message.

“I feel that the public is more open than ever to being persuaded and listening, and wants to understand deeply in these elections how things will affect its future. It could be that if we had started a little earlier, the beginning would have been easier. It doesn’t matter. We charged ahead. All day, I and every member of our slate are at parlor meetings and meetings with the public.”

Asked why that activity has yet to translate into stronger poll numbers, Erdan said his party has not yet achieved sufficient public awareness.

“We still don’t have enough public awareness. In the coming days, we will increase our exposure through our campaign, including billboards and additional means. And once the public internalizes the existence of the Unity Party, the values we represent and who our team is — you will see that, with Hashem’s help, it will gain momentum.”

Cohen asked whether the so-called third bloc could ultimately unite, mentioning Chili Tropper and Benny Gantz as potential partners.

“There is a dramatic difference. First of all, you are right, and the public is right to expect the parties in the bloc known as the ‘unity bloc’ — and I call it ‘unity and solutions’ — and there are currently three parties in this bloc, and it is a legitimate demand that we find a solution for how to work together.

“But when Chili Tropper, who comes from the left, while I am clearly a man of the right, says that he is prepared to give Gadi Eisenkot the votes for a narrow government that will ultimately be controlled by the extreme left-wing positions of Yair Golan or, rachmana litzlan, the Arab parties — then I cannot go together with him, unless he changes that position and makes clear, as we do, that we will not join any narrow government.”

Asked whether that meant he was moving toward a merger with Benny Gantz, Erdan said no agreement could yet be assumed.

“No, it still can’t be assessed, because ultimately it also depends on the conditions. What can be assumed is that every effort will be made to create one party that will lead this. I believe that it will be the Unity Party under my leadership. The people are moving to the right. Whoever is supposed to lead such a bloc needs to be a right-wing person whom the public feels comfortable with.”

Asked directly whether he would insist on leading any such united party, Erdan responded:

“With Hashem’s help, I will try to convince them that this is the right thing. Because if today 70%-80% of the Jewish public defines itself as right-wing or center-right, then whoever needs to lead such a bloc should be a right-wing person whom the public trusts to fight, in any government that is formed, for it to be a government that represents right-wing positions.”

The interview then turned to Chareidi issues. Cohen told Erdan that a Chareidi MK had asked what had happened to a politician who had once been considered a close friend and political partner of the Chareidi parties.

“Whoever calls me anti-Chareidi is a liar or has an agenda. And I come from Religious Zionism and studied at Yeshivat Netiv Meir not far from here, and who better than I understands the importance of keeping mitzvos and, first and foremost, Torah study.

“But together with those values, we live here together in the State of Israel, the state of the Jewish people. And when I look — and this is my obligation as an elected official or as someone who now wants to return to the public arena — my obligation is to look at the long term: How will the State of Israel, with Hashem’s help, continue to exist? And it will only be able to continue to exist if all the citizens of the country… And this is not only connected to Chareidim; it also relates to secular people who don’t serve in the military or national service.”

Cohen asked Erdan to spell out his plan for Chareidi enlistment and whether he would accept Eisenkot’s proposal to exempt 3% of the overall draft-age cohort.

“First of all, I don’t think Gadi Eisenkot will really stand by anything he is saying right now, and the same applies to the other side, because what is important to them is getting to the prime minister’s chair — something that I have currently put aside. I think there must be a basic principle that every citizen in the State of Israel serves the state in some way: national service, civilian service, and combat service. The most urgent thing today is combat soldiers, in order to guarantee Israel’s security with all the fronts surrounding us.

“And therefore, anyone who can be a combat soldier should do it. And I say: The obligation to serve, the obligation to serve, will apply to everyone. I am against mass arrests. I don’t believe that we will turn someone into a combat soldier by sending him to prison. I don’t think, chas v’shalom, that voting rights should be revoked, as in the positions of Lieberman and Hendel.”

Erdan stressed that withholding fundamental democratic rights was a line he would not cross.

“I don’t think, chas v’shalom, that voting rights should be revoked — those are populist positions. In a democratic country, you don’t violate a person’s basic civil rights, not because he or his grandfather was more or less loyal to the state, right? There are basic things, okay? Children deserve to receive what they deserve to receive.”

Asked whether there would be exemptions for Torah learners, Erdan answered unequivocally.

“Absolutely yes. It’s not a matter of exemptions but rather deferment of service. I think Torah study is a more important value than outstanding athletes or artists, okay? And if the State of Israel today knows how to accommodate and prioritize outstanding athletes or outstanding artists in order to exempt them from military service — then certainly, all the more so, and all the more so again, Torah prodigies as well, with the geonim, the roshei yeshiva and the leading rabbonim of the generation deciding whom they want.”

Erdan said, however, that the willingness to accommodate elite Torah scholars must be accompanied by a constructive approach from Chareidi leadership toward military service.

“It also depends on willingness. If the leaders of the Chareidi public do not fight against enlistment but instead come with a constructive approach and say: ‘Listen, in order for us to speak to our public and encourage it to enlist — first of all, we need to see not one Chashmonaim Brigade, but infrastructure ready for ten Chashmonaim Brigades, with the required kashrus, with gender separation.’ I have no problem with any of those things! Because we want to make sure that someone who enters the military as a Chareidi can also leave his military service as a Chareidi.”

Cohen then asked whether Erdan accepted the framework advanced by his political ally Yuli Edelstein before Israel’s strike on Iran, which spoke of eventually reaching enlistment levels of roughly 50% of the Chareidi draft cohort.

“No, don’t call it the ‘Edelstein framework.’ With all due respect, Yuli was the committee chairman. He received it from the government, from the prime minister. And given the overall situation and the existential anxiety that existed in the country at the time, the desire to reach compromises — it still exists. I still understand that we need to try to reach compromises — but there are certain moral principles that I am not interested in compromising on, and I see no reason to compromise on them.”

Erdan argued that the conversation over Chareidi enlistment needs to be reversed, with Chareidi leaders approaching the broader Israeli leadership with their own proposal.

“The approach is that the leadership of the majority of the Israeli public needs to come to the political leadership of the Chareidi public and say, ‘Oh, we’ll give you this-and-this percentage; will you agree to encourage enlistment?’ No! Let the leaders of the Chareidi public come and tell the leadership of the entire country in Israel: ‘Look, if you agree to such-and-such a percentage of exceptional Torah learners receiving an exemption or deferment, then we will encourage the children of the Chareidi public to be part of the country, to get under the stretcher.’ Then we can begin talking! To come and tell the majority of the public, ‘Give us a number and we’ll start from there’?”

The conversation then moved to core curriculum requirements in Chareidi schools. Cohen asked whether Erdan supported Naftali Bennett’s position that institutions failing to teach the full core curriculum should receive no government funding, with education ultimately becoming state-run.

“I think there needs to be a gradual process here, at the end of which the state-Chareidi schools will be an official educational stream, okay? We will legislate it as an official stream, and of course there will be the necessary accommodations for the children of the Chareidi public. I don’t think that overnight we should punish the children, but a gradual framework must be established.”

Asked whether that meant all institutions would eventually become state-run, Erdan said:

“It sounds as though that is some kind of dirty word. Yes, I think that ultimately every sane country that wants to live and wants to survive — its children need to receive an education that connects them to Zionism, that connects them to the state, that brings them to what I believe is the correct conclusion, for which there is no alternative: that they need to be part of the state in every sphere. And that is how I view the education of children in the Chareidi public.”

Cohen asked whether Erdan would rule out sitting in a government with Aryeh Deri, Moshe Gafni or Yitzchok Goldknopf.

“If they accept the principles — I don’t rule anyone out. You know what they say: A baal teshuvah…”

Asked why he does categorically rule out the Arab parties, Erdan replied:

“Correct. It doesn’t matter what the Arab parties say; I don’t believe them. If in the most difficult hours for the people of Israel after October 7 they are incapable of identifying with us, condemning Hamas, saying that it is a terrorist organization — then everything they say is within the framework of what Muhammad taught his believers, right? To lie and one day slaughter Jews when possible. I don’t accept that in any legitimate government.”

Erdan then returned to the possibility of governing alongside the Chareidi parties.

“Now,” he said, “Aryeh Deri, Moshe Gafni, everyone whom we have known for decades — if they accept these principles, then of course we can argue about how much time the processes should take. I’m not naive. I’m a politician and public figure of decades. Obviously, there are processes.”

Cohen presented Erdan with a post-election scenario: If his party crosses the electoral threshold and neither Netanyahu nor Eisenkot agrees to form a unity government, would he support one of them in reaching 61 seats or force another election?

“First of all, we’ll see whom the people gave greater legitimacy to form a government. I will demand that he make a very generous offer to the other side, and therefore, if the side that did not receive the legitimacy refuses, then we will point to that side as the one refusing unity. And with no alternative, I will not violate my commitments to the public: We said that we would bring unity, I am genuinely right-wing, and we will also pass the law requiring service for everyone. Therefore, if one side refuses unity — we will go back to the people, at least once, for at least one additional election. We will point to that side as the one that caused another election because it refused.”

Cohen pressed him on whether that meant he was genuinely prepared to accept another election rather than join either a narrow right-wing government or a narrow center-left coalition.

“A narrow government would be a major disaster for Israel. And I’ll say it in language that may be extreme, yes: Unity or we die! Not that all of us will, chas v’shalom, die. The value today of unity — of sitting together and solving problems, and reaching a broad judicial reform by consensus, and how we fight together against the unions to lower the cost of living, and how we find a solution for service by all citizens of the country that also protects the lifestyle of the Chareidi public, and also Arabs who need to perform national service…”

{Matzav.com}

A government document released Tuesday night has sparked outrage in the Chareidi political establishment after revealing that Finance Ministry officials view the cancellation of after-school daycare subsidies as one of the most effective economic tools for pressuring Chareidi men subject to the draft to enlist in the IDF.

While plans to revoke subsidies under the Education Ministry’s Nitzanim after-school program had previously been reported, the newly released document sheds light on why Finance Ministry professionals consider the measure particularly potent: the large number of Chareidi households that receive the benefit and the significant monthly expense families would face if the subsidy were eliminated.

The document summarizes an August 3 meeting chaired by Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and attended by Deputy Attorney General Dr. Gil Limon, as well as representatives of the IDF, Israel Police, Finance Ministry and other government agencies.

The meeting focused on expanding financial enforcement measures against individuals who are required to enlist but have failed to report for military service. According to the document, a Finance Ministry representative explained that certain government benefits could exert considerably greater pressure than others because of how extensively they are used within the Chareidi community.

Officials specifically singled out the Education Ministry’s Nitzanim program, which subsidizes after-school care for children.

According to the document, the program “is considered highly effective by the professional officials at the Ministry of Finance for the purpose of increasing the number of recruits.”

Finance Ministry officials explained that their assessment was based on “the scope of households eligible for this benefit, alongside the significant monthly cost it represents.”

The meeting summary consequently stated that “there is particular importance in revoking eligibility for those obligated to enlist with regard to this benefit as early as the upcoming school year.”

The discussion extended beyond after-school care. Finance Ministry representatives also presented a chart analyzing the likelihood that Chareidi households receive various government benefits, apparently as part of an effort to determine which financial sanctions would have the greatest impact. Officials also called for further examination of a Housing Ministry program that provides assistance with rental payments.

Chareidi political figures charged that the policy directly contradicts the government’s stated goal of increasing employment among Chareidi women. They argue that subsidized after-school programs allow mothers to remain at work later in the day, meaning that eliminating the benefit would affect not only the man subject to the draft but also working mothers and their children.

United Torah Judaism MK Uri Maklev sharply condemned the Finance Ministry’s approach, accusing officials of deliberately searching for the most painful financial pressure point within Chareidi families.

“It is shocking to discover in the attorney general’s document how Finance Ministry officials maliciously search for the most harmful and significant tool and present the cancellation of after-school daycare subsidies as an ‘effective tool’ for harming Torah learners,” Maklev told B’Chadrei Chareidim. “This is pure wickedness, cruelty and a moral low.”

Maklev said the policy is particularly troubling because it comes from the same government bureaucracy that regularly speaks about encouraging Chareidi women to enter and remain in the workforce.

“Those same officials who preach about encouraging employment are acting against their own principles. Revoking after-school daycare subsidies is a direct attack on the livelihood and well-being of helpless young children and working mothers, motivated solely by the persecution of Torah learners,” he said.

The revelations are also becoming an election issue, with officials in Degel HaTorah directing criticism at Finance Minister and Religious Zionism chairman Bezalel Smotrich.

The document contains no evidence that Smotrich personally instructed Finance Ministry officials to formulate the recommendation. Degel HaTorah officials nevertheless argued that as finance minister, Smotrich bears political responsibility for policies being advanced by the ministry under his authority.

“There has recently been considerable discussion about Chareidim who are considering voting for Smotrich in the upcoming elections,” the officials said. “Those voters need to examine everything that is actually taking place in the Finance Ministry under his responsibility. Time and again, recommendations emerge from this ministry whose practical effect is severe economic harm to the Chareidi family.”

The Degel officials argued that Smotrich cannot simultaneously court Chareidi voters while distancing himself from recommendations being developed inside his own ministry.

“You cannot court the Chareidi vote while at the same time accepting a situation in which Finance Ministry officials map out the benefits Chareidi families rely upon and examine where revoking them would be especially effective. A minister’s responsibility is measured by what takes place in the ministry under his authority. The Chareidi public will have to take these things into account as well when it goes to the polls.”

{Matzav.com}

Rav Shimon Galai shared a remarkable personal story involving the Steipler Gaon at a gathering marking the 25th yahrtzeit of Rav Avrohom Yaakov Pam zt”l, founder of Shuvu, offering a powerful message about the continued influence of tzaddikim after their passing.

The gathering was held at Rav Galai’s home with leaders of Shuvu, the kiruv organization founded by Rav Pam and with which Rav Galai serves as a member of its presidium.

Addressing the concern that Rav Pam’s passing might mean that Shuvu no longer benefits from his assistance as it did during his lifetime, Rav Galai said the opposite is true: A tzaddik who accomplished great things in this world can continue working on behalf of others from Shomayim with even greater strength.

“The Steipler told me a fundamental principle, and it is clear to me that it is true,” Rav Galai related. “What a tzaddik did here, they do there in Shomayim with far greater strength. I asked him about someone who was connected to a certain rov, and the rov passed away, and that person felt that his world had gone dark.”

Rav Galai then recounted the Steipler’s emphatic response.

“The Steipler told me: Tell him that I said that what they did here, they do there with far greater strength. It is nothing. Tell him, do you understand Yiddish? You understand Hebrew. He repeated it ten times. Tell him that I said that what they did here, they do there with far greater strength. If here he worried about him, he will worry about him. If here he davened for him, he will daven for him.”

Rav Galai connected the Steipler’s words directly to Rav Pam’s legacy and the future of Shuvu, saying there should be no concern over whether the Torah and kiruv work he championed will continue.

“You ask how the Torah and kiruv will continue after Rav Pam passed away? We already heard what the Ponovezher Rov said after the Holocaust, that we have no concern about how the Torah will continue. Hakadosh Boruch Hu promised, ‘For it will not be forgotten from the mouths of his descendants and his descendants’ descendants.’ The only question is who will merit to be part of it.”

Rav Galai then spoke with humility about his own involvement in Shuvu’s work.

“I am nothing. I am only a shamash. I truly try to do whatever I can to help kiruv. It is clear that the Torah will continue, Shuvu will continue, the talmidim will continue. The only question is who will merit to be part of it.”

He concluded by addressing the message that should be conveyed to those who support Shuvu financially, saying that while people sometimes approach him seeking guarantees of success or blessing, the true promise comes from Hakadosh Boruch Hu.

“People come to me so that I should promise. Right? I don’t know how to promise, but Hakadosh Boruch Hu promises. If you make Mine happy, I will make yours happy. There is no greater joy for Hakadosh Boruch Hu than when another one of His children is brought to say Shema Yisrael.”

{Matzav.com}

A former Meta safety researcher delivered damaging testimony Wednesday in a landmark federal trial, accusing Mark Zuckerberg and his company of deliberately avoiding child-safety problems on Facebook and Instagram when addressing them could threaten profits.

Arturo Béjar, who worked on safety issues at Meta for years and later emerged as a prominent critic of the company, told jurors in California federal court that Zuckerberg wielded enormous authority as CEO but failed to adequately confront the dangers the platforms posed to young users.

“You just cannot trust Mark Zuckerberg with kids,” Béjar said on the witness stand.

Béjar became the first witness presented by a coalition of 29 state attorneys general suing Meta. The states allege that the company intentionally designed addictive features that contributed to anxiety, depression and even suicide among teenagers, while also improperly collecting children’s personal information without parental permission.

The attorneys general are asking the court to order significant changes to Meta’s platforms and impose substantial financial penalties for the alleged violations. Attorneys representing the states have suggested damages could approach $200 billion, while Meta has argued that the potential figure under the plaintiffs’ calculations could climb as high as $1.4 trillion.

Béjar headed a safety-oriented team at Meta between 2009 and 2015 before returning as a consultant from 2019 through 2021. During his testimony, he accused Zuckerberg of creating a misleading public picture of how seriously the company treated the welfare of young users.

“I felt that he created a false and misleading impression of Facebook’s commitment to young people,” said Béjar, who estimated that he spoke to Zuckerberg about safety issues at least 100 times during his tenure.

According to Béjar, Meta possessed technology capable of identifying underage users who circumvented the company’s safeguards, but effectively adopted a “don’t ask, don’t tell” approach because younger users represented valuable future customers.

“Where the youngest kids are is where the users are going to be in the future,” Béjar said.

Béjar previously played a major role as a witness in separate litigation brought by New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez. In that case, he described the disturbing experiences of his daughter after she joined Instagram at age 16, including receiving sexually explicit messages and “unsolicited penis pictures.”

During cross-examination Wednesday, a Meta attorney questioned Béjar about his decision to permit his daughter to use Instagram. Béjar acknowledged that he had not anticipated the extent of the dangers she would encounter on the platform.

“I kept an eye on how distressing it was for her,” Béjar said. “She got a good following, at the price of harm.”

The multistate trial is expected to continue for approximately six weeks and is set to feature testimony from some of Meta’s most prominent executives. Zuckerberg and Instagram chief Adam Mosseri are both expected to take the witness stand.

Meta has denied the allegations against it and maintains that the attorneys general are pursuing financial penalties far beyond what the case could legitimately justify.

During opening arguments Tuesday, Meta attorney Paul Schmidt defended the company’s record, arguing that Zuckerberg and other executives have repeatedly worked to make Facebook and Instagram safer for children. He pointed to measures including parental supervision features and tools allowing limits to be placed on the amount of time young people spend on social media.

President Trump is set to sit down for an interview with Michael Cohen, his onetime personal attorney and fixer who later became one of his fiercest critics, in a remarkable public reunion following years of bitter legal and personal warfare between the two men.

Cohen, who acknowledged arranging payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election over an alleged affair with Trump, said the interview comes after he and the president recently put their long-running feud behind them.

After years of publicly attacking one another following their dramatic falling-out, Cohen revealed earlier this summer that he and Trump had reconciled and were once again on better terms.

Segments of Cohen’s interview with Trump are scheduled to be broadcast Thursday night on New York’s 77 WABC radio, Cohen said in a social media post. Additional portions are expected to air Sunday during a program Cohen is hosting on the station.

MS NOW had earlier reported that Trump would appear with Cohen for an episode of the attorney’s podcast. Cohen disputed that account in his post, saying the interview was instead conducted for the WABC radio program.

The Hill said it contacted the White House seeking confirmation that Trump would participate in the interview.

Cohen disclosed last month that his relationship with Trump had changed dramatically after years of hostility, explaining that an unexpected message from a mutual friend helped open the door to ending their feud.

“Out of nowhere, when I was sitting with my wife at a restaurant, my phone buzzed and it was a text from that friend who expressed to me the president’s genuine empathy for the hell that I was being dragged through … I deeply appreciated that text,” Cohen told John Catsimatidis and Rita Cosby on WABC’s “Cats & Cosby” radio talk show.

Cohen said the message prompted him to reach out directly to Trump in hopes of finally bringing their years-long battle to a close.

“I actually texted the president. I thanked him. Expressed my sincere hope that this long, exhausting feud between the two of us could finally end,” Cohen added.

{Matzav.com}

The United States has crossed a historic and troubling fiscal threshold, with the national debt climbing above $40 trillion as federal borrowing continues to grow and long-term projections point to an increasingly severe financial burden.

Treasury Department figures released Wednesday show that total outstanding public debt reached $40.047 trillion on Tuesday, jumping from $39.987 trillion just one day earlier.

Debt held by the public, which excludes certain obligations the government owes to itself, now totals approximately $32.3 trillion. That figure is equal to about 101% of the nation’s gross domestic product, a debt burden not seen at this scale since the World War II era. In 2001, following four straight years of federal budget surpluses, publicly held debt stood at only 31.5% of GDP.

The climb to $40 trillion did not happen suddenly. It is the product of more than two decades of major wars, tax reductions, economic downturns and massive federal spending programs.

The federal government’s finances began deteriorating in the early 2000s following the collapse of the dot-com bubble, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and a series of tax cuts that reduced federal revenue.

Another major blow came with the 2007-09 recession, which caused tax receipts to plunge while Washington responded with expensive economic stimulus measures aimed at stabilizing the financial system and reviving the economy.

Federal borrowing accelerated dramatically again during the COVID-19 pandemic, when trillions of dollars were spent on direct relief payments, assistance for businesses and numerous other programs designed to prevent a broader economic collapse.

Long-term demographic changes have added another layer of pressure. An aging U.S. population has driven spending higher for Social Security and Medicare, while federal revenues have consistently failed to grow enough to cover the government’s overall expenditures.

Current forecasts indicate that the gap between spending and revenue is likely to become substantially larger in the decades ahead.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that debt held by the public will climb to 120% of GDP by 2036. That would eclipse the previous record of 106% reached in 1946 following World War II.

The longer-term outlook is even more dramatic. Assuming current laws remain largely in place, the CBO projects publicly held federal debt could soar to approximately 175% of GDP by 2056.

Meanwhile, annual federal deficits are hovering around 6% of GDP — levels that historically have been associated with major wars or serious recessions. The difference today is that Washington is running deficits of that magnitude without the country being in the midst of a major economic downturn.

Despite the enormous borrowing, investors have not abandoned the market for U.S. government debt. Treasury securities continue to be regarded around the world as highly liquid, relatively safe assets, allowing the federal government to keep financing its obligations without producing an immediate fiscal crisis.

The mounting expense of paying interest on that debt, however, is becoming a growing concern for the federal budget.

According to CBO projections, annual net interest costs will increase from 3.3% of GDP in 2026 to 4.6% by 2036. By 2056, interest payments are projected to consume 6.9% of GDP, meaning the government would spend more simply servicing its debt than it would spend individually on either Social Security or Medicare.

As interest payments consume a larger portion of federal revenue, lawmakers will have less flexibility to finance other government priorities. The problem can also become self-reinforcing, since interest obligations themselves cannot simply be eliminated when Congress attempts to reduce spending.

Finding sufficiently large spending reductions presents its own political obstacles.

A substantial share of federal expenditures goes toward Social Security, Medicare and other benefits paid directly to individuals. Other government expenses — including federal employees, government facilities and law enforcement — account for a much smaller portion of total federal spending, limiting how much deficit reduction can realistically be achieved without addressing the largest programs.

With the national debt now beyond $40 trillion and projected to continue rising, policymakers face increasingly consequential options: collect more revenue through higher taxes, reduce benefits and government spending, or keep adding to a debt load that the Congressional Budget Office has warned cannot continue growing indefinitely.

{Matzav.com}

A coalition representing immigrant-owned grocery stores and other small businesses across New York City is preparing to sue Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration over its taxpayer-funded supermarket initiative, with legal action potentially coming as soon as this week, the NY Post reports.

The Multicultural Business Coalition, an umbrella organization made up of 50 chambers of commerce representing businesses from a wide range of ethnic communities, made one final attempt Wednesday to bring City Hall to the negotiating table before proceeding with litigation.

“Although we have not heard from you since May 2026, we are open to resolving this matter amicably with more sensible solutions to feed working class people with nutritious essential food items at affordable prices,” coalition president Kenneth Roldan wrote in a letter to the administration.

Roldan said Wednesday that attorneys are still deciding whether to bring the challenge in state court, federal court, or pursue cases in both jurisdictions.

“We are at the 11th hour — we have multiple versions of the lawsuits that have been prepared,” Roldan said. “The federal case will be based on antitrust and predatory pricing. The state cause of action will be tortuous interference and possibly discriminatory practices by the administration.”

The coalition represents businesses owned by members of New York’s Asian, African, Caribbean, Hispanic, Middle Eastern and Jewish communities. According to Roldan, the organization has repeatedly attempted to secure meetings with City Hall since May but has been turned away.

The escalating legal threat comes as the Mamdani administration moves ahead with plans for five government-owned supermarkets at an estimated taxpayer cost of $70 million. The city recently issued a request for proposals seeking operators for the stores, with bids due by Oct. 16.

In its letter, the coalition argued that the request for proposals “demonstrates a lack of understanding of the supermarket industry and raises questions about the efficacy of the plan.”

The group also warned that subsidized city-owned supermarkets “could paralyze their operations, reduce their slim profit margins or even force some out of business entirely.”

Mark Jaffe, the coalition’s legal counsel and president of the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce, said business owners would still prefer negotiations over a courtroom battle.

“We are asking the mayor to avoid litigation to sit down with us,” Jaffe said. “But we have to try to stop this if they won’t listen to us.”

Under the city’s proposal, private grocery operators would be selected to manage the five supermarkets. Because the stores would operate in government-owned properties, they would not face the rent and tax expenses borne by competing privately owned supermarkets.

The operators would also be required to offer a 30% discount on staple foods, including produce, meat, milk, cheese and bread.

City Hall estimates that the program could reduce participating shoppers’ grocery expenses by approximately $90 per month, or about $1,000 annually, amounting to an overall savings of roughly 15% on their grocery bills.

Nearly $40 million has already been designated for the first two planned locations, one in Harlem and another at Hunts Point in the Bronx. Locations have not yet been finalized for the remaining three supermarkets.

Opponents have raised particular concerns about the impact on existing stores located close to the proposed government-subsidized supermarkets. Roughly 15 bodegas and grocery stores currently operate within five blocks of La Marqueta in East Harlem, one of the areas involved in the initiative.

A Food Bazaar supermarket, meanwhile, sits directly across the street from one of the proposed subsidized locations — a situation critics say illustrates the competitive disadvantage private businesses could face.

“How can a Food Bazaar right across the street from La Marqueta not be affected by such discounts?” Jaffe said.

{Matzav.com}

Mossad chief Roman Gofman held a rare high-level conversation with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani just days before Israel launched airstrikes against a Syrian airbase, reportedly warning Damascus about Israel’s concerns over an expanding Turkish military presence in the country.

The phone conversation took place on August 14, Reuters reported Wednesday, citing three people familiar with the matter. Several days later, Israel struck the Abu al-Duhur airbase in the eastern Idlib countryside amid concerns that Turkish forces were preparing to establish a presence there.

The reported discussion between Gofman and al-Shaibani represents one of the most senior direct contacts known to have taken place between Israeli officials and Syria’s new government since Bashar al-Assad’s regime collapsed in December 2024.

The Prime Minister’s Office, which responds publicly on matters involving the Mossad, confirmed Tuesday evening that Israel’s strikes were driven by security concerns surrounding the prospective Turkish deployment.

“Israel and Syria agreed to a status quo in security matters, which Syria was on the verge of breaching by permitting Turkish troops to deploy at an airbase near Aleppo,” the Prime Minister’s Office said.

“Israel repeatedly warned Syria that such a deployment would pose a threat to Israel’s security. Syria chose to ignore these warnings. Israel will not tolerate threats to its security, and would welcome a return to the status quo,” the statement added.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the issue Wednesday, publicly warning that Israel will not accept a Turkish military deployment in Syria that it considers a threat to Israeli security.

“We will not tolerate a Turkish military presence in Syria that threatens Israel. We made the message clear: Don’t. Apparently, they didn’t hear it clearly enough, so we made sure they understood it better,” he said.

According to reports in Arab media, four airstrikes targeted the runway at Abu al-Duhur early Tuesday morning. The reports did not identify the aircraft responsible but said the attack caused damage to the runway. No injuries were reported.

The tensions surrounding Turkey’s presence in Syria come as Israel continues to closely monitor military developments across its northern frontier and warns against the establishment of forces it views as potentially hostile.

On Wednesday, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir visited the 210th Division and toured the Israeli security zone in southern Syria, where he warned that the military is closely following changes taking place across the Syrian front.

“We see what is happening and are monitoring the changes on the Syrian front – we must prepare for them accordingly. We will not allow hostile forces to establish themselves on our borders, and we will know how to use our operational capabilities precisely where and when needed,” Zamir said.

The IDF, Zamir added, must simultaneously prevent terrorist organizations from developing infrastructure near Israel and stop the emergence of a substantial conventional military threat along the border.

“We must prevent the development of terrorist threats, while also preventing the formation of a significant military threat on our borders,” he said.

Zamir cautioned that Israel continues to face threats on numerous fronts and that the military must remain prepared for a sudden deterioration in any one of them.

“We are still in a multi-front war, alert and operating in all arenas – escalation can develop in any one of them, and we must remain in constant readiness for that,” the Chief of Staff said.

During the visit, Zamir also expressed appreciation for the soldiers of the 210th Division and the reservists serving in the area, many of whom have accumulated hundreds of days of reserve duty since the war began.

“The entire people of Israel are deeply indebted to you,” Zamir concluded.

The possibility of a historic breakup within United Torah Judaism is being taken increasingly seriously, with senior Agudas Yisroel figures quietly examining whether the Chassidic party could cross the electoral threshold on its own if Degel HaTorah follows through on plans to run separately in the upcoming election.

Against that backdrop, Shlomei Emunim chairman MK Meir Porush and Bnei Brak Mayor Chanoch Zeibert, a senior Gerer representative who also serves as secretary-general of Agudas Yisroel, held a lengthy and highly significant meeting this week after an extended period of strained relations, according to a report by Kikar HaShabbat.

The meeting came as Degel HaTorah is reportedly giving serious consideration to separating from Agudas Yisroel for the upcoming election, not merely as a negotiating tactic but because of fundamental disagreements over the draft issue and the future political direction of the Chareidi parties.

Relations inside Agudas Yisroel have themselves long been marked by deep tensions, particularly between Porush and Ger. Those differences have traditionally been temporarily set aside before national elections, producing what amounts to an uneasy truce until the campaign is over.

According to the report, the latest meeting between Porush and Zeibert was initiated by Ger and took place in a Chareidi-majority city. The two sat together for several hours.

A major portion of the discussion centered on Degel HaTorah’s potential departure and whether Agudas Yisroel could realistically survive electorally without the Litvish party.

Such a campaign would likely require an unprecedented mobilization of the Chassidic electorate, including communities and individual Chassidim who traditionally do not vote. Agudas Yisroel would need those voters to rally behind the party in order to demonstrate the Chassidic community’s true electoral strength and ensure that the party clears the threshold.

A senior Agudas Yisroel official described the Porush-Zeibert meeting as extraordinary given the hostility that has developed between their respective camps.

“The meeting is dramatic, since the gaps between the two warring sides are only growing all the time, especially in light of the draft law. The sides despise each other, and the fact that they met is already an important statement,” the official said.

He said Porush continues to harbor serious grievances over Ger’s conduct in recent years, including its actions during municipal elections and its approach to the draft controversy.

“What Ger has done in recent years, both regarding the municipal elections and regarding the draft, are serious and unacceptable events from Porush’s perspective, and therefore the very fact that he agreed to meet with Ger and give legitimacy to running with them, instead of joining Degel HaTorah, shows the matter-of-fact approach he is taking in the story with Ger,” the official said.

Despite the discussions, the official said there remains considerable skepticism that Degel HaTorah would actually leave Agudas Yisroel to fight for its political survival alone.

“According to what I know, no one thinks that Degel HaTorah will leave the Chassidim to contend with the electoral threshold alone, because then Chareidi Jewry would certainly lose at least three mandates and perhaps even seven,” he said. “At the meeting, the sides tried to understand whether the move is realistic at all and with whom they have a chance to unite in order to safely cross the electoral threshold. The issue of establishing the Tzeva Shachor party and the rumors that those promoting the issue are Gerer Chassidim also came up at the meeting.”

Still, the series of private meetings and political briefings surrounding the issue has led senior figures to believe that this year’s threatened split is considerably more serious than previous attempts by Degel HaTorah to improve its bargaining position within United Torah Judaism, such as demands for the chairmanship or additional realistic slots on the electoral slate.

Degel HaTorah leaders are closely watching developments inside Agudas Yisroel and have reportedly reached the conclusion that if they can establish with sufficient confidence that the Litvish party can cross the electoral threshold without Chassidic support, they are prepared to take the dramatic step of running independently.

Supporters of the idea point to Degel HaTorah’s success in running separately in several municipal contests as evidence that the strategy could also succeed nationally.

The Litvish desire for an independent slate is not new. A similar split nearly occurred before the previous national election but was ultimately stopped by Rav Gershon Edelstein zt”l, who was concerned that Agudas Yisroel might fail to cross the electoral threshold independently.

That same concern remains before the Gedolei Yisroel today as they consider whether the risks of dividing the longtime alliance outweigh the political and ideological benefits of independence.

Adding to the indications that the situation is unusually serious, no election-related meeting has yet been held between Degel HaTorah and Agudas Yisroel, according to the report. That is considered highly unusual this close to an election and differs sharply from previous campaigns.

Sources from both factions reportedly acknowledged privately that preparations for a possible separate run are being examined even as the parties continue to project an image of unity publicly.

A senior Degel HaTorah official said the party has considered going alone numerous times in the past, primarily because Litvish leaders believe their community deserves greater representation based on the number of votes it contributes to United Torah Judaism.

“Until today, there were many times when we intended to run alone, for a variety of good reasons, most of which stem from the desire to receive genuine representation for our public,” the official said.

He argued that Degel HaTorah accounts for more than half of United Torah Judaism’s actual voters and claimed its internal election data supports that conclusion.

“Understand,” he said, “we know that we bring more than fifty percent of the votes to United Torah Judaism. These are numbers that we have in our election headquarters. It is not only that we are larger than the Chassidim; there is also an open secret that everyone knows but does not talk about — many, many people in the smaller Chassidic groups simply do not go to vote, ignore the instructions of the rabbonim, and their Rebbes also do not push them to vote. With us the situation is different. Most — an absolute majority — fulfill ‘V’asisa k’chol asher yorucha’ and go out in huge numbers to vote. In Election Day numbers, we are much larger than the Chassidim.”

This time, however, the official said electoral representation is not the primary force behind the possible separation.

“But this time that is not our trigger for separating,” he said. “For close to a decade, we have been conducting an enormous battle over the draft law. Eight years ago, there was a good draft law offered to us that was acceptable to all of our Gedolei Yisroel, but the problem was that several important rabbonim from the Chassidic sector came along, opposed the law and caused everyone to become more extreme.”

The Degel official argued that following Agudas Yisroel’s more uncompromising elements ultimately proved to be a strategic mistake.

“We were swept along after the extremist elements of Agudas Yisroel, and when looking at it from a long-term perspective, we made a major mistake,” he said. “In the next Knesset, we want to end the draft saga. That is our first goal, and if we are again with Agudas Yisroel, we could once again get into this complication that we do not want and are not interested in.”

He added that Degel HaTorah wants to return to a more traditional style of Chareidi political bargaining, in which its support is determined primarily by what a prospective coalition offers the Chareidi community rather than automatic allegiance to a particular political bloc.

“We have also decided to return to the good old Chareidi politics and no longer take into account considerations of the right-wing bloc or small interests involving Meron and so forth,” he said. “We want to return to conducting politics based on what benefits us. Whoever gives us what we need, we will go with them. Beyond that, we will no longer make other calculations.”

Even the Degel official acknowledged, however, that the final decision has not yet been made and that the danger of losing Chassidic votes could ultimately prevent an independent campaign.

“I don’t know whether this time we will really run alone — because in the end we could lose mandates from the Chassidic public,” he said.

But he revealed that one major structural change has apparently already been decided regardless of whether the parties contest the election together.

“What is clear, and has already been finalized with all the parties, is that immediately after the elections we will separate into two official factions. We will no longer be together.”

{Matzav.com}

A new New York City report finding no significant improvement in Manhattan air quality since congestion pricing took effect is giving fresh ammunition to opponents of the controversial $9 toll, who say the findings prove the program was designed primarily to raise money for mass transit rather than reduce pollution.

The Department of Health analysis found that despite an 11% decline in vehicle trips into Manhattan’s congestion zone compared with the period before the toll began, the reduction in traffic did not produce a measurable improvement in air quality south of 60th Street.

“Did congestion pricing affect air quality in the congestion relief zone? No,” the report said.

Kathryn Freed, a Lower East Side resident and member of New Yorkers Against Congestion Pricing Tax, which sued the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in an effort to stop the program, said the findings undermine one of the arguments made by toll supporters.

“There hasn’t been any change. Supporters said there would be less pollution if traffic went down in Manhattan. Apparently there’s no environmental benefit at all,” said Freed, a former state judge and councilwoman.

“How can they say traffic went down but not air pollution?”

The findings also contrast with claims made earlier this year by Gov. Kathy Hochul. At a January press conference, Hochul credited congestion pricing with environmental improvements, declaring that “pollution is down more than 20% in one year” because of congestion pricing.

Hochul initially put the congestion pricing program on hold in 2024 before approving its implementation following the November election. The toll ultimately took effect in January 2025 despite lawsuits challenging the plan and opposition from President Trump.

For business owners who regularly drive into the congestion zone, the new findings have renewed anger over the additional expense.

“It was all bullsh-t. It was to put money in the MTA’s pocket,” said Vinnie DiMino, owner of the Sea Breeze Fish Market on Ninth Avenue near the Lincoln Tunnel.

“The report just proved it wasn’t about air pollution. It was all about transit. It’s all a lie – the Democratic politicians lie.”

DiMino said the toll has imposed a substantial daily cost on his business because of the deliveries he makes throughout the area.

“I feel like I have been robbed. It cost me $50-$60 a day to go back and forth, in and out of the [congestion] zone for deliveries. They are killing us.”

The financial burden is scheduled to increase in the coming years, with the congestion toll set to climb to $12 in 2028 and then to $15 in 2031.

Manhattan resident Jill Bowman, who drives several times each week to Brooklyn and New Jersey, similarly questioned the justification for continuing the program.

“We know it’s bullish-t but we can’t do anything about it.

“It’s not about saving lives. It’s about making money,” she said.

Alex Pichado, who has driven for Uber for a decade, said the lack of measurable improvement should prompt officials to reconsider the toll.

“If there is no change [in air pollution], they should stop it. There is no reason to continue with it.”

The Health Department’s findings extended beyond Manhattan. The report concluded that “pollution levels were not significantly different because of congestion pricing” in designated environmental justice communities outside the congestion zone, including parts of the South Bronx.

Supporters of the toll argue that the finding is significant for a different reason. Before congestion pricing began, critics warned that motorists attempting to avoid the charge could reroute through surrounding neighborhoods and create new pollution hot spots.

A separate report released in March had claimed that air pollution worsened in some Bronx neighborhoods following the launch of congestion pricing.

“Opponents of congestion pricing said there would be hotspots for increased pollution. That has not happened,” said John Kaehny, executive director of Reinvent Albany, a watchdog organization that supports mass transit.

Reinvent Albany backed congestion pricing as a way to reduce traffic and generate funding for the MTA, but Kaehny said his organization did not promote major air-quality improvements as a central justification for the toll.

The city report noted that motor vehicles account for only about 14% of particulate matter emissions and approximately 20% of nitric oxide emissions in the atmosphere, limiting how much a reduction in traffic alone could affect overall pollution.

“That congestion pricing would only have a small impact on air quality is consistent” with earlier environmental impact assessments examining the likely effects of the program, the report said.

“Whoever was hyping the air pollution was wrong from the beginning,” Kaehny said.

Opponents in New York City’s outer boroughs remained unconvinced. Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella, who is among the plaintiffs challenging congestion pricing in court, pointed to increased truck traffic on Staten Island and questioned how that could occur without affecting pollution levels.

“The report reaffirms that congestion pricing was nothing but a money grab. Just come out and say it,” he said.

The MTA, however, rejected the argument that the findings represent a failure for congestion pricing. The agency, which administers the toll and uses its revenue to finance transit improvements, said the study demonstrates that fears of pollution being shifted into other neighborhoods have not materialized.

“Before we turned the cameras on, there was concern about the potential for increased pollution caused by drivers looking to avoid the toll,” MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said in a statement about the city report.

“As this study confirms, that didn’t happen, and congestion pricing is already funding additional investments to further improve air quality.”

[COMMUNICATED]

Three kedoshei elyon had one common concept when it came to learning Torah – they were the Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh (Rabbi Chaim ibn Attar 1696-1743) when he came to Eretz Yisroel; the Ramchal (Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto 1707-1746) when he lived in Padua, Italy;  and Hagaon, Harav Chaim Volozhiner, (1749-1821) the famous talmid of the Gaon of Vilna.

They each had a yeshiva with ‘around-the-clock’ Torah learning, 24-hours a day, so that there would be no minute when the sound of Torah learning would not be heard in this world. The 24-hour period would be divided into shifts, and as one ended the next would begin.

Torah-24

A “Torah-24” Center has been opened in Yerushalayim and the Nasi is Maran Sar Hatorah, Harav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l.

• The first “Torah-24” center is in Yerushalayim

• 11 Kollelim with 163 avreichim will be learning at “Torah-24” every day

• Nigleh, Nistar, Chumash and Halacha – All under ONE ROOF

• Talmud Bavli / Yerushalmi – Kabbalah & Zohar – Rambam, Shulchan Aruch & Poskim, Zeraim – Taharos 

• The following SIX kollelim – Kollel Hashkomas Haboker, Kollel Yerushalmi, Kollel Bavli, Kollel Choshen Mishpat/Even Haezer, Kollel Erev Shabbos, Kollel Kabbalah B’Chatzos (Tikun Chatzot, Etz Chaim, Zohar, Tehillim) – are fully operational

• 24 hour תורה learning cycle – 6:00 am to 6:00 am – is divided into different shifts

• Each kollel shift has its own program, Rosh Kollel and avreichim

• Detailed monthly and annual tests – written and oral – for all avreichim 

• Already there are 77 avreichim metzuyonim, and a large number of candidates are vying for the remaining slots in the kollelim. All the avreichim are required to take rigorous monthly tests.

In the words of Gedolei Torah:

“Torah-24 תורה” – where the voice of Torah is not absent from within the walls of the kollelim, not even for a minute…

“The idea … of day and night shifts of non-stop kollelim… the full range of subjects of the Torah… the derech of the Ramchal, the Ohr Hachaim Hakodosh and Hagaon Reb Chaim of Volozhin.”

– Nasi Maran Sar Hatorah, Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l

“All who donate to and support “Torah-24 תורה” will merit all the brochos of the Torah, including those for refuos, yeshuos, parnossa tova and nachas from all their descendants, Amen”

– Maran Rosh Yeshivas Ponevez, Hagaon Harav Gershon Edelstein, zt”l

At “Torah-24 תורה”, exceptional avreichim do not pause for a moment while studying all the areas of the holy Torah, with a shift of remarkable scholars studying the holy Zohar and the recitation of Tikun Chatzos at midnight. 

All who donate and support this holy endeavor of “Torah-24 תורה” should see brocha and success … children and grandchildren immersed in Torah and mitzvos… fulfillment of all the hopes of their hearts for good and with brocha. 

– Maran Hagaon Harav Moishe Sternbuch, shlit”a 

I join the esteemed Rabbanim and Gaonim, shlit”a, in endorsing the illustrious “Kollel Kabbalah b’Chatzos” designated for outstanding talmidei chachomim, masters of Torah and yiras Shomayim, who spend their nights in Beis Hashem, engaging deeply in the concealed dimensions of Torah during this auspicious time of Divine Favor…

I hereby call upon my generous brethren to support this endeavor with significant sums, for through this they will attain the great merit of the hidden Torah studied at night. May you all be blessed by Hashem with many blessings in accordance with the greatness of the endeavor that you are supporting!

– Maran Hagaon Hamekubal, Harav Yaakov Meir Shechter, shlit”a

“Support ‘Torah-24 תורה’ where the sound of Torah – nigleh and nistar – all hours of the day and night; and be blessed from shamayim that the Torah should never cease from your mouth; children bnei Torah; abundant parnassa and good health”

– Maran Hagaon Harav Shimon Badani, zt”l
Rosh Kollel Torah V’Chaim, Member Moetzet Chachmei Hatorah

“Torah-24 תורה” – groups of talmidei chachomim geonim in different shifts, delve in the subjects of Torah learning without interruption – Bavli, Yerushalmi, Dalet Chelkei Shulchan Aruch, Rambam, Kabbala, Midrash, Tana”ch and more.  “Torah-24 תורה” is in actuality a wonderful continuation of the heichalei hakodesh and battei midrash of our holy Rabbonim – the Ramchal, the Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh and the Nefesh Hachaim, zy”o. Who would not want to be part of this historical and amazing project “Torah-24 תורה”, and the greatness of its holy impact in both the supernal and lower realms?  “My brocha to all who support “Torah-24 תורה” – You should merit great abundance in both the spiritual and the material – supernal light, peace of mind, tranquility of the soul and bodily health. Only goodness and kindness should pursue you all the days of your lives, and you should dwell securely for your length of days.

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– Maran HaMekubal Rav Abish Zehnwirth, shlit”a

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The Justice Department is pushing back against James Comey’s attempt to have a criminal case against him dismissed, arguing that “there is no serious dispute” that the onetime FBI director’s controversial “86 47” seashell post could reasonably have been interpreted as a threat against President Donald Trump.

Federal prosecutors are also challenging Comey’s claim that he simply stumbled across seashells arranged to display “86 47” during a walk on a North Carolina beach. In court filings Tuesday, the government suggested that the May 2025 Instagram post may also have been connected to efforts to generate attention for Comey’s then-upcoming novel, which centers on a social media figure whose rhetoric inspires followers to attack his enemies.

The filings offer the government’s most extensive explanation to date of the allegations underlying Comey’s indictment. They came in response to multiple defense motions seeking dismissal of the charges, including arguments that Comey is the target of a vindictive prosecution and that his social media post did not constitute a legally actionable threat.

Comey’s attorneys have accused investigators of misleading judges, including false information in documents, omitting important facts and repeatedly failing to uncover evidence establishing that Comey intended to threaten Trump physically or understood the number 86 as a reference to violence.

Merriam-Webster defines “86” as meaning “to throw out,” “to get rid of” or “to refuse service to.” Trump is the 47th president of the United States.

Prosecutors, however, contend that the image of seashells displaying “86 47” amounted to a threat against Trump. Comey removed the Instagram post shortly after publishing it and said he had been unaware that the numbers could be viewed as encouraging violence. His attorneys maintain that the expression has long been used to mean to “get rid of” or “eject” someone and has appeared widely on merchandise and signs at political demonstrations.

The Justice Department argued that the post should also be considered in the context of assassination attempts and alleged plots targeting Trump during the period surrounding Comey’s post. According to prosecutors, just two minutes before Comey published the image, his wife sent him a screenshot containing a definition of “86” that said “to get rid of or refuse service.”

“There is no serious dispute that an objective viewer of Comey’s post could read it to mean ‘Kill President Trump,’” prosecutors wrote.

The government also highlighted the timing of the controversy, noting that Comey was only days away from releasing his novel “FDR Drive.” The book features a prosecutor pursuing a far-right social media personality who publicly identifies his enemies and whose followers are inspired to commit acts of violence against them.

According to the government’s filings, Comey’s publishing agent texted him after the Instagram controversy erupted and observed that he had “gone viral.” Comey replied that that was “not my intention, but I’ll be OK if it sells books.” The agent responded, ”Music to an agent’s ears.”

Prosecutors further questioned whether Comey actually discovered the seashell arrangement by chance. They said there was “reason to doubt” his account because the shells were found roughly 4 miles from the beachfront property where he was staying and in a location separated from the ocean by a sand dune. Investigators also said there was “no evidence that anyone else arranged, photographed, or even saw the shells.”

Comey’s attorneys have characterized the prosecution — his second indictment within a year — as part of a campaign of retaliation by Trump against a prominent critic. Trump fired Comey as FBI director in 2017 while the bureau was investigating possible connections between Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and Russia, and the two have remained bitter adversaries in the years since.

The Justice Department rejected the claim that Comey was prosecuted out of political revenge, maintaining that the decision to bring charges was made by the local U.S. attorney and was not the result of instructions from either President Trump or the attorney general.

The sweltering Middle East summer commute got a bit cooler for some public transportation riders this week after the first air-conditioned bus stop was launched in Israel.

The innovative pilot project saw a water-based air-cooling system installed at a city bus stop located in the central Israeli city of Holon.

The pilot is slated to run all week at the bus stop opposite the city’s mall, and if successful, will be expanded to additional bus stops throughout the city.

The system installed on the roof of the station disperses tiny droplets into the air, absorbing heat through evaporation.

“Waiting for the bus in the sweltering heat is part of daily life for thousands of residents, and we want to change even these seemingly small things that have a significant impact on the quality of life in the city,” said Holon Mayor Shai Kenan. JNS

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Israel’s policy for Gaza is to “remove threats, eliminate terrorists, and exact retribution from anyone who took part in the [Oct. 7, 2023,] massacre,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday.

The Israel Defense Forces eliminated Hamas terrorists in Gaza earlier in the day and will “continue to act with force to protect our soldiers and ensure the peace for the southern communities—from within the security zone,” Katz added in Hebrew.

The IDF presently controls roughly half of the Gaza Strip, a territory referred to as the security zone.

Katz’s statement comes on the backdrop of increased IDF activity in the Gaza Strip over the past week, as well as the arrival in Israel of U.S. special envoy Jared Kushner, who is leading international efforts to demilitarize the Palestinian territory.

The IDF targeted a gathering of Hamas Nukhba Force commanders in an airstrike in the Shati area in the northern Gaza Strip on Tuesday, including a terrorist who participated in the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre.

According to the military, the strike killed a company commander, three platoon commanders and several other terrorists who were planning attacks against Israeli troops operating in the enclave. One of the terrorists had infiltrated Israeli territory during the Oct. 7 invasion, the IDF said.

Earlier on Tuesday, the IDF said it had killed on Aug. 16 a Palestinian Islamic Jihad commander who infiltrated Kibbutz Be’eri and participated in the abduction of an Israeli civilian during the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre.

Tareq Anwar Khamis Ra’i, a company commander in PIJ’s supply unit, was killed in an Israeli strike in the Khan Yunis area, according to the military. The IDF said he had recently been advancing terrorist attacks against Israeli troops and civilians.

The army said it used precise munitions and aerial surveillance to mitigate harm to civilians.

In addition, IDF troops sealed two Hamas underground tunnel routes east of the Yellow Line, totaling more than two kilometers in central and southern Gaza, the military said on Wednesday.

Soldiers under the command of the Gaza Division’s Engineering Unit completed the operation as part of the effort to neutralize the Palestinian terrorist organizations’ tunnel network across the Gaza Strip, the IDF said.

Kushner: Washington addressed Jerusalem concerns over Gaza roadmap

Meanwhile on Monday, Kushner said that progress toward Gaza’s demilitarization could begin within 30 days, following a nearly four-hour meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Kushner told Fox News that Washington would not support rebuilding Gaza before demilitarization, adding that the administration had addressed Israeli concerns about the Board of Peace roadmap and clarified that Israel’s right to act against imminent threats would not be restricted.

Top Israeli officials, including the prime minister, have repeatedly stated that the IDF will not leave Gaza before Hamas is fully disarmed.

Netanyahu on Aug. 9 said publicly that “Israel rejects the 15-point document,” referring to the disarmament roadmap announced by U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace on July 30.

On Tuesday, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said that there was no disagreement between Israel and the United States over disarming Hamas and ensuring the terrorist group has no future in the Gaza Strip.

Huckabee, who attended meetings on Monday with Netanyahu, described the talks as “intense and thoughtful, but respectful.”

He rejected reports of a rift, saying some accounts of the discussions were “simply fake news” and “invented out of thin air.”

A Hamas delegation arrived earlier in the week in Egypt to probe alternative ways of advancing the 15-point roadmap, a Hamas official told AFP.

The source was quoted as saying that talks would cover “the latest developments in the negotiations and the efforts being made to compel Israel to abide by the agreement,” apparently referring to previous Hamas statements that it would start handing its arms to a technocratic Palestinian body only after the IDF withdraw from the Gaza Strip.

Leaders of the terrorist group also reportedly met with Kushner. JNS