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Amid an expanding wave of arrests targeting Torah students classified as draft evaders, sharp criticism has been leveled at the IDF’s enlistment policy, with claims that the army is overlooking hundreds of chareidi men who have expressed interest in serving.

Speaking on the program “Hafuch Al Hafuch,” hosted by Rabbi Moshe Ben Loulou, commentator Kobi Segal accused the military of maintaining a gap between its public statements about manpower shortages and its actions on the ground. He argued that while enforcement against yeshiva students has intensified, the army has been slow to absorb chareidim who have volunteered to enlist.

Segal pointed to an IDF framework known as “Keilim Shluvim,” designed to integrate chareidim into driving roles in either regular or reserve service. According to him, approximately 500 chareidi men have registered for the program but remain without a concrete response. He said the pilot phase was deemed successful, yet those who signed up are still waiting. “There is a project in the IDF called ‘Keilim Shluvim’ to integrate chareidim into driving positions — about 500 soldiers who want to enlist,” Segal said, adding that in practice “they are simply waiting.”

He noted that the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit responded by saying that the candidates had registered but were not formally accepted. Segal expressed frustration that individuals actively seeking to serve remain at home without a clear explanation.

He further argued that the ongoing crisis surrounding the draft law may in some ways serve the army’s interests. “It’s good for the IDF that there is this crisis over the draft law — they show everyone that they are making arrests,” he said. The program’s host added an anecdote about a young man with a medical condition who was arrested despite, according to the account, not being eligible for enlistment in the first place. Judicial intervention was reportedly required to secure his release.

Segal summed up his position bluntly: “There are 500, and the IDF doesn’t want them — apparently it’s good for them that there is a crisis.” He said the situation highlights what he described as hypocrisy in the military’s conduct and raises serious questions.

In response, the IDF Spokesperson stated: “The ‘Keilim Shluvim’ program is a framework for training reserve personnel for driving roles in the IDF. This framework is intended for chareidi reservists while preserving their way of life. The program is part of a series of steps taken by the IDF to maximize available manpower and thereby reduce, as much as possible, the existing gap. The first pilot recently concluded, and in light of its success, it was agreed to formulate an expansion plan that will be approved in the near future by the relevant authorities. The report refers to the scope of raw potential for the program based on candidates who approached. As part of the process and in accordance with the agreed scope, responses will be provided to interested candidates who meet the required conditions.”

{Matzav.com}

Rep. Elise Stefanik, chairwoman of House Republican Leadership, is urging Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to launch a federal investigation into the administration of NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani, after city health employees allegedly used taxpayer-funded resources to organize a “Global Oppression and Public Health Working Group” that accused Israel of genocide. […]

Maj. Gen. (Res.) Eliezer (Chayni) Marom: “This Is What Israel Must Demand from the United States”

Maj. Gen. (res.) Eliezer (Chayni) Marom, former commander of the Israeli Navy, says Israel is at a highly sensitive moment as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump shape policy toward Iran. In a radio interview, Marom examined the evolving relationship between Jerusalem and Washington and explained why the American president is pressing for negotiations despite Israel’s reservations.

Speaking on Kol Hai Radio’s “Central Edition,” Marom said Netanyahu traveled to Washington primarily to clarify Israel’s conditions for any potential negotiations with Tehran. He stressed the importance of direct, face-to-face meetings between leaders in order to convey critical messages clearly and without ambiguity.

According to Marom, a key issue discussed was Israel’s freedom of action. He said Israel must secure an understanding with the United States that if Washington ultimately refrains from military action, Israel retains the right to carry out what he described as a defensive strike to protect itself. He emphasized that Israel cannot live under the threat of Iranian missiles and that Netanyahu had to insist the United States maintain its defensive deployment in the region to back Israel should it be forced to act to prevent an existential danger.

Marom also addressed Trump’s motivation for pursuing diplomacy, pointing to domestic political pressures in the United States. He said Trump faces voters within his own party who want America to avoid foreign wars and focus instead on the economy and the cost of living. As a result, Marom argued, Trump must demonstrate that he has exhausted diplomatic options before considering military action.

On the operational front, Marom discussed reports of a second U.S. aircraft carrier heading to the Middle East. He said the carrier does not require re-crewing and noted that a maintenance period of roughly ten months would not impair its operational readiness. He described American military systems as built for rapid deployment and said their presence sends a powerful deterrent message, even if the immediate goal is to support diplomatic efforts with visible military strength.

In conclusion, Marom said Israel must carefully navigate this delicate period, balancing urgent security concerns with Washington’s broader strategic priorities. While coordination between the two governments remains close, he believes Netanyahu will need to continue underscoring the risks of Iran using negotiations to buy time, all while recognizing that the White House is ultimately guided by its commitments to American voters seeking stability and economic calm.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump’s administration secretly smuggled thousands of Starlink satellite communication terminals into Iran during last month’s nationwide protests, allowing some demonstrators to bypass regime-imposed internet blackouts, a new Wall Street Journal report reveals. The operation unfolded during the largest anti-government demonstrations Iran has seen in years, sparked by anger over political repression, economic hardship, […]

The son of a well-known rosh yeshiva was briefly taken into a police vehicle during a protest in Ashdod on Thursday evening and later released. The incident occurred near a demonstration held over the arrest of an avreich, Reb Avraham Ben Dayan, and could have escalated into a major public controversy had events unfolded differently.

Earlier in the day, talmidim of Yeshivas Grodna in Ashdod gathered to protest the detention of Rabbi Ben Dayan. During the demonstration, participants attempted to block a roadway, leading to confrontations with passersby who sought to prevent the obstruction.

The situation nearly spiraled into a far more dramatic episode when the son of one of the country’s prominent roshei yeshiva, who studies at Yeshivas Me’irat Shmua in the city, happened to pass through the area. He became involved in a discussion that developed between the protesting students and bystanders regarding the ongoing conscription dispute.

Police units that arrived on the scene to disperse the protest detained approximately ten yeshiva students, placing them in a patrol vehicle and removing them from the immediate area. The move was described as part of a familiar crowd-control tactic used in similar incidents.

It was noted that the young man in question is considered a draft evader, as are many yeshiva students under current policy. Had he been formally arrested and transferred to military police custody, the episode could have turned into an unprecedented situation involving the detention of a leading rosh yeshiva’s son on account of his Torah studies.

Beginning this Shabbos, Route 711 operated by the “Na’im Busofash” initiative will connect Shoham and Tel Aviv with a stop at Terminal 1 of Ben Gurion Airport — marking the first time a direct public transit route to the airport will operate on Shabbos. Until now, even as flights continued to depart and land on […]

A federal appeals court on Thursday declined to block a lower court order requiring the Trump administration to restore funding for the Gateway tunnel project linking New York and New Jersey, allowing construction support to restart as litigation continues.

The decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit means the funding directive issued by a federal district judge can take effect for now, even as a lawsuit filed by the Democratic-led governments of New York and New Jersey moves forward. The appellate court indicated it will revisit the matter after hearing oral arguments scheduled for later this month.

“The Trump administration’s legal stay to avoid funding the Gateway Tunnel has expired,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) wrote on social media. “Donald Trump needs to follow the law and get the project back on track immediately.”

The dispute centers on the $16 billion Gateway initiative, which would construct two additional rail tracks beneath the Hudson River, connecting New Jersey to Penn Station in Manhattan. The Transportation Department suspended its financial support for the project last fall.

Federal officials have maintained that the pause is tied to a broader review of whether the project complies with federal requirements. President Trump reportedly told Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) last month that he would lift the funding hold if Schumer agreed to rename Penn Station and Washington Dulles International Airport in his honor.

Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas directed the administration to restart funding after the Gateway Development Commission instructed contractors to halt work pending the return of federal payments.

Vargas, who was appointed by President Biden, sided with New York and New Jersey, finding that the funding freeze likely violates federal regulations and describing the move as arbitrary and capricious.

Government attorneys argued that complying with the order would require the immediate release of approximately $200 million and asked the 2nd Circuit to temporarily block the ruling.

“The government will be forced to disburse those sums without any obvious mechanism for recovering them later if the government prevails on appeal,” the Justice Department cautioned in court filings.

The district judge had agreed to delay enforcement of her order until late Thursday afternoon to give the appellate court time to act. She acknowledged that the administration raised substantial questions about whether she has jurisdiction to hear the case, noting that it might belong in a specialized court that handles federal contract disputes.

As the deadline approached, the 2nd Circuit issued a short order setting oral arguments for the week of Feb. 23 but declined to pause the lower court’s directive in the interim, effectively allowing funding for the project to resume for now.

{Matzav.com}

Rubio on the war in Ukraine: It’s terrible. People are suffering. It’s the coldest time of year. That’s why wars are bad, and that’s why we’ve worked so hard for over a year now to try to bring this one to an end.

Sec. Rubio: The world is changing very fast right in front of us. The old world is gone … We live in a new era in geopolitics, and it’s going to require all of us to sort of re-examine what that looks like and what our role is going to be.

A highly classified whistleblower complaint involving DNI Tulsi Gabbard centers on an intercepted conversation between two foreign nationals referencing Jared Kushner. •⁠ ⁠Senior administration officials described the claims regarding Kushner as false and warned against disclosures that could expose sensitive intelligence capabilities. •⁠ ⁠The complaint remained within intelligence channels for months before reaching Congress in […]

Sec. Wright in Venezuela: “North of $100M will be invested to upgrade and increase the crude capacity of this facility… we were at a Chevron field earlier today. They’re on target to double production in that particular field in the next 12-18 months.”

A new Channel 14 mandate survey paints an updated picture of the political arena, showing Likud maintaining its strength, Naftali Bennett’s party losing ground, and the right-wing bloc inching up to 66 seats. In the question of suitability for prime minister, Bibi Netanyahu widens his lead.

According to the poll, the right-religious bloc would secure 66 Knesset seats if elections were held today, reflecting a slight uptick compared to previous measurements.

Likud remains stable at 35 mandates, unchanged from the prior survey. The Joint List climbs to 13 seats, positioning itself as the second-largest faction after Likud. In contrast, Bennett’s party and Shas each drop one seat compared to last week and now stand at 10 mandates apiece.

The Democrats, led by Yair Golan, gain one seat and reach 10 mandates. United Torah Judaism holds firm with 9 seats. Yisrael Beiteinu remains steady at 8 mandates, while Eisenkot’s Yashar party posts a two-seat gain to reach 8 as well.

Elsewhere in the field, Otzma Yehudit retains 7 seats. Religious Zionism adds one mandate to reach 5, and Yesh Atid also gains a seat, bringing it to 5. Blue and White once again fails to cross the electoral threshold, underscoring the party’s continued struggle to regain relevance.

When broken down by blocs, the survey shows a clear advantage for the right: 66 seats for the right-wing bloc, 41 for the left, and 13 for Arab parties. The numbers point to a comfortable edge for the right overall, even as internal shifts occur among its component parties.

In the head-to-head question of who is best suited to serve as prime minister, Netanyahu not only leads but expands his margin following his recent visit to Washington, earning 57% support. Bennett trails with 19%, followed by Gadi Eisenkot at 13%, Yair Lapid at 5%, Avigdor Lieberman at 4%, and Benny Gantz at just 2%. The findings indicate a substantial and ongoing gap at the top of the leadership rankings, in Netanyahu’s favor.

{Matzav.com}

The FBI announced it has increased the reward to $100,000 for information in the investigation into the reported abduction of Nancy Guthrie. Authorities say the case remains active and that forensic and video evidence are being examined.

President Trump is privately musing about exiting the North American trade pact.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the Trump administration’s effort to encourage U.S.-linked companies to take a leading role in rebuilding Venezuela’s oil sector would reduce the influence of China, Russia, and Iran in the country.

A Florida fire department’s Special Operations Team is earning praise after swiftly deploying a crane to rescue a man who became ill on the 17th floor of a building under construction.

Canadian authorities and extremism researchers are examining the online footprint of the teenager behind one of the country’s deadliest school shootings in years, after investigators revealed that he had posted antisemitic and violent content just days before the attack. According to research by the Anti-Defamation League’s Center on Extremism, the alleged shooter, Jesse Van Rootselaar, […]

An IDF reservist and a civilian have been formally charged after allegedly exploiting classified military intelligence to place wagers on the online prediction platform Polymarket, Israeli authorities disclosed Thursday.

According to a joint announcement by the Defense Ministry’s Director of Security, the Shin Bet, and the Israel Police, the case emerged from a coordinated investigation that resulted in the detention of several individuals, including reserve soldiers. Investigators say the suspects placed bets on Polymarket “based on classified information to which the reservists were exposed by virtue of their military roles.”

The indictments follow earlier reporting by Kan News, which revealed that security bodies were probing suspicions that members of the defense establishment had leveraged sensitive information to gamble on the site. Among the events reportedly wagered on was the timing of Israel’s initial strike against Iran during the 12-day conflict in June 2025.

Officials declined to provide specifics about the precise nature of the bets tied to the indictment.

Authorities confirmed that on Monday, prosecutors filed charges against one reservist and one civilian for “severe security offenses,” along with bribery and obstruction of justice. The prosecution has asked the court to keep the defendants in custody through the duration of the proceedings.

A sweeping gag order issued by the court continues to restrict the publication of additional information related to the affair.

In their statement, security officials warned of the broader implications of such conduct. “The defense establishment emphasizes that placing such bets, based on secret and classified information, poses a real security risk to IDF operations and to the security of the state,” the statement read. It further stressed that authorities regard “the acts attributed to the defendants with utmost severity and will act decisively to thwart and bring to justice anyone involved in the unlawful use of classified information.”

The IDF said it is treating the matter with the highest level of seriousness, while clarifying that “no operational harm was caused.”

“This constitutes a severe ethical failure and a clear crossing of a red line,” the military said in a statement, adding that the alleged actions “are not in line with IDF values and what is expected of servicemembers.”

The army also noted that it “steps have been taken and procedures will be sharpened across all IDF units, with the aim of preventing the recurrence of similar cases.”

Kan previously reported that a Polymarket user operating under the name ricosuave666 made a series of highly accurate wagers in June 2025 related to Israeli military activity in Iran. The individual reportedly staked tens of thousands of dollars and ultimately earned approximately $150,000.

Polymarket is considered one of the world’s largest prediction market platforms, enabling users to bet on future developments using cryptocurrency, credit and debit cards, or bank transfers.

In recent years, prediction markets have grown dramatically in popularity, allowing participants to gamble on the probability of an expanding range of global events. While some users have posted significant gains, many others incur steady losses. The platform has faced allegations of manipulation and insider trading.

Last month, attention also focused on a trader whose major wagers were placed just hours before US President Donald Trump announced a surprise overnight operation that resulted in the capture of former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro. The close timing of the bets and the trader’s limited overall activity on the site fueled online speculation about possible insider trading.

Substantial sums have likewise been placed on predictions related to a potential new American strike on Iran.

Over recent months, users have collectively won and lost tens of millions of dollars as anticipated strike dates came and went. Current odds on the platform estimate a 53 percent chance of a US airstrike on Iran by June 30, less than 1 percent if it occurs this Thursday, and 1 percent for Friday.

Additional millions of dollars have been wagered on the prospect of the removal of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

A slip of the tongue on Iranian state television this week has sent shockwaves through Tehran’s tightly controlled media system, exposing simmering tensions beneath the surface of official celebrations marking the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. During a live broadcast Wednesday, reporter Musab Rasoulizad appeared to sign off with the phrase “Marg bar Khamenei” — […]

Billions of American chestnut trees once covered the eastern United States. They soared in height, producing so many nuts that sellers moved them by train car. But by the 1950s, this venerable tree went functionally extinct, culled by a deadly airborne fungal blight and lethal root rot. A new study out Thursday in the journal […]