Feed aggregator

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appealed directly to President Donald Trump and members of Congress for additional Patriot missile interceptors, warning that Ukraine’s air defenses are struggling to withstand a growing wave of Russian ballistic missile strikes.

According to Politico, Zelenskyy sent a letter Tuesday describing the worsening situation after Russia launched more than 90 missiles over the weekend in one of the war’s heaviest bombardments.

“For us — for a nation fighting for its survival — there is hardly anything more painful to see than Patriot batteries with no missiles loaded,” Zelenskyy wrote. “I ask for your help in protecting Ukraine’s skies from Russian missiles.”

Zelenskyy acknowledged that demand for Patriot missile systems has surged globally because of escalating tensions and military operations in the Middle East. He also indicated agreement with Trump’s long-held argument that European countries should shoulder more responsibility for regional defense.

In the letter, Zelenskyy described Russian ballistic missiles as one of President Vladimir Putin’s final significant military advantages in the conflict.

“They can be intercepted,” he added. “With Patriots. With your help. And you have the power to help.”

American-made PAC-3 interceptor missiles, which are used in Patriot defense batteries, remain Ukraine’s most effective tool for shooting down incoming Russian ballistic missiles.

The Trump administration has reportedly slowed the transfer of additional Patriot interceptors to Kyiv as U.S. allies in the Middle East continue consuming large quantities of the missiles during ongoing regional conflicts.

Last week, however, the United States Department of State approved a proposed $108.1 million assistance package aimed at sustaining Ukraine’s current HAWK missile defense systems.

The proposed package includes replacement components, engineering assistance, software maintenance, and technical support designed to keep the systems functioning.

In a statement, the State Department said the sale would advance “the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a partner country that is a force for political and economic stability in Europe.”

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency has formally notified Congress about the proposed transaction, though lawmakers still must approve the deal before it can move forward.

Russia currently occupies roughly one-fifth of Ukrainian territory after more than four years of fighting. Still, Moscow’s recent advances have slowed considerably, and some military assessments indicate Russian forces have suffered net territorial setbacks in recent months.

The war has exacted devastating costs on both sides. Estimates place Russian military casualties above one million, while Ukraine has endured tens of thousands of combat deaths.

The conflict has also devastated Ukrainian civilian infrastructure and forced millions of Ukrainians from their homes.

{Matzav.com}

More than $20 billion in tariff repayments have already been returned to American importers after the U.S. Supreme Court dismantled the central pillar of President Donald Trump’s tariff program earlier this year, according to newly released court documents.

Court filings show that U.S. Customs and Border Protection has processed approximately $20.6 billion in refunds so far, while another estimated $85 billion in additional repayments remain either pending or certified for future distribution, according to reporting first highlighted by NBC News.

Among the companies receiving repayments is toy manufacturer Basic Fun, which says it has so far recovered only a small fraction of the money owed to it.

The company’s CEO, Jay Foreman, said Basic Fun has received just $525,000 out of roughly $7.4 million in tariff repayments owed by the government, with the funds arriving sporadically throughout the month.

“It seems there is no method to this and no statements of why, how and when they are paying,” Foreman told The Post.

“It’s time to release the funds back into the economy, especially given how much we and others need these funds to support our businesses and fund our operations,” he added.

Most companies that have already received repayments have not yet been publicly identified.

However, major corporations and shipping firms including Costco, Walmart, Home Depot, Target, General Motors, Ford Motor Company, FedEx, UPS, and DHL had previously sought recovery of tariff payments collected under Trump’s trade policies.

The repayments stem from the Supreme Court’s major February ruling striking down Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, known as IEEPA, to impose broad tariffs on imports from China, Canada, Mexico, and numerous other nations.

In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that IEEPA does not grant presidents authority to impose tariffs, delivering a significant setback to Trump’s trade agenda and forcing the administration to begin refunding billions of dollars already collected from importers.

The White House said many companies still have not received payments because they failed to provide the federal government with the banking information needed to process electronic refunds.

According to the latest court filings, “4,185 consolidated refunds have not been transmitted to Treasury” because the importers requesting repayments had not submitted account details necessary for wire transfers.

The now-invalidated IEEPA tariff framework had included a baseline 10% reciprocal tariff on most imports, along with significantly higher country-specific tariffs that at times climbed as high as 125% on Chinese goods.

Trump’s tariff structure was created through a series of executive orders beginning in February 2025, when duties were first imposed on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China under the emergency-powers law.

The White House later dramatically expanded the program through Trump’s April 2025 “Liberation Day” order, which established a broad 10% tariff on most imported goods while threatening substantially higher tariffs against dozens of countries.

Ultimately, the Supreme Court sided with importers who argued that tariff authority belongs to Congress unless lawmakers explicitly delegate that power to the president.

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that tariffs constitute a form of taxation and emphasized that Congress historically “speaks clearly” when granting presidents authority to impose such measures.

The ruling forced Customs and Border Protection to launch one of the largest refund operations in American customs history.

To manage the process, the agency established a new refund-processing system known as CAPE to handle repayment claims tied to the overturned tariffs.

Under current federal guidance, importers may seek refunds for many unliquidated import entries as well as certain entries finalized within the previous 80 days, though more complex claims have been pushed into later phases of the refund program.

Despite the Supreme Court defeat, Trump has continued imposing tariffs through a different legal mechanism.

Immediately after the ruling, the administration shifted to Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which authorizes presidents to impose temporary worldwide tariffs of up to 15% for a period lasting as long as 150 days.

A separate 10% global tariff imposed under that authority remains in effect.

{Matzav.com}

[COMMUNICATED]

What sweeter words can a parent hear than, “I love learning Gemara”? 

Unfortunately, for many boys, those words feel far from reality. When a child struggles to understand his learning or lacks confidence in his abilities, the sweetness of Torah can become difficult to access. Too often, boys who feel disconnected from the beis medrash begin searching elsewhere for fulfillment and belonging. 

This is where Lamdeini has been making a remarkable difference. 

Based in Yerushalayim and directed by Rabbi Meir Oratz under the guidance of הגאון הגדול רבי יצחק ברקוביץ שליט״א and leading Rabbonim and mechanchim, Lamdeini is dedicated to helping talmidim develop a genuine connection to Gemara learning. Through individualized techniques and one-on-one learning with specially trained avreichim, the organization gives each child the tools, confidence, and encouragement needed to succeed. 

Working together with mosdos Torah across Eretz Yisroel, Lamdeini has already seen tremendous success in more than twenty-five schools throughout Yerushalayim, with many more hoping to join the program. 

That spirit of growth and אהבת התורה was clearly felt at Lamdeini’s recent annual event, held on Erev Rosh Chodesh Sivan, where nearly 200 talmidim and fathers gathered for an unforgettable evening of inspiration and chizuk. 

The evening opened with an engaging educational program and interactive activities centered around Gemara and Chag HaShavuos, creating an atmosphere filled with excitement and genuine enthusiasm for learning. This was followed by a special Avos u’Bonim learning session, as the קול התורה echoed throughout the room with warmth and energy. 

A major highlight of the event was the participation of many Gedolei Yisroel, including  

מרן הגאון הגדול רבי דן סגל שליט״א 
הראשון לציון הגאון רבי דוד יוסף שליט״א 
 שליט״א הגאון הגדול רבי יוסף אפרתי 
הגאון הגדול רבי יצחק ברקוביץ שליט״א 
הגאון הגדול רבי יצחק קולדצקי שליט״א 

The Gedolim shared heartfelt words about the eternal greatness of Torah learning and the responsibility to pass the mesorah on to the next generation. Maran HaMashgiach, shlita, spoke passionately about the immeasurable value of Torah and praised the extraordinary efforts being invested in helping talmidim connect to learning. Rav Yitzchok Kolodetsky, shlita, emphasized that true simcha and fulfillment can only be found through dedication to Torah. 

One of the evening’s most emotional moments came during the recitation of Pirkei Tehillim led by Rav Yitzchak Berkovits, shlita, followed by the moving amiras Tefillas HaShlah. The atmosphere reached a powerful peak during the heartfelt Kabbalas Ol Malchus Shamayim led by Maran HaMashgiach, shlita, as the entire crowd responded together with deep emotion and sincerity. 

Following the program, each talmid was given the opportunity to receive a personal bracha from the Gedolim — a moment that left a lasting impression on the boys and their families. 

The Rishon LeTzion, Rav Dovid Yosef, shlita, encouraged the tzibbur to remain steadfast in strengthening Torah learning and transmitting its values to future generations, while expressing gratitude to the Ribbono Shel Olam for the gift of Toras Emes. 

The impact of the event continues to resonate deeply among the talmidim and parents, many of whom left uplifted and inspired by the warmth, encouragement, and powerful messages shared throughout the evening. More than just an annual gathering, the event reinforced the feeling that every talmid is part of something greater — a growing community devoted to nurturing the next generation of lomdei Torah. 

President Donald Trump has further cemented his status as the dominant force inside the Republican Party, boasting a flawless endorsement record so far in Republican House, Senate, and gubernatorial primaries this election cycle — a sign that his influence over the GOP may be stronger now than at any point in his political career.

“After years of weak globalists and elitists leading our party, President Trump transformed the GOP into the party of the working class,” Bernie Moreno told The NY Post on Wednesday. “Newsflash to those who still have not caught on: Support the America First agenda or lose your election.”

Although only about one-third of Republican primaries for the 2026 cycle have concluded, candidates endorsed by Trump have already secured victories in 110 congressional contests — including 101 House races and nine Senate races — along with eight gubernatorial primaries, according to a Fox News tracker. Many of those victories came in some of the most closely watched races of the cycle.

Among the prominent Republicans defeated after drawing Trump’s opposition were Sens. John Cornyn and Bill Cassidy, as well as Rep. Thomas Massie, one of Trump’s most vocal critics in the House.

Cassidy’s loss on May 16 marked the first time since 2012 — when Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar lost renomination — that a sitting Republican senator failed to win renomination from GOP primary voters during a regular election cycle.

Trump’s influence has extended beyond federal races into state-level contests as well, where his endorsements have increasingly become political make-or-break moments.

Earlier this month, candidates backed by Trump defeated five out of seven Indiana state senators who had opposed him on mid-decade redistricting issues, though one of those races remains subject to a recount.

“The Republicans have real leadership — that’s unquestionable,” said longtime Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf. “And the party faithful respond to him, respond to that leader, Donald Trump, and it’s his political party.”

Overall, Trump has endorsed Republican candidates in 295 primaries for the 2026 cycle, and additional loyalty battles may still lie ahead after the president recently threatened Rep. Lauren Boebert with a possible primary challenge over her support for Massie.

Still, a source familiar with Trump’s thinking claimed Wednesday that the president is currently “not focused on Boebert right now.”

“That’s a next-cycle [2028] thing,” the source said. “He may or may not weigh in on the Georgia Senate race and a number of other target House races. Probably some statewides, too.”

Trump’s spotless primary record this cycle far surpasses his performance during the 2018 midterms, when he achieved a 95% success rate based on only 37 endorsements, according to Ballotpedia.

Even while out of office in 2022, Trump-backed candidates posted a 93% primary win rate, which later climbed to 96% in 2024, according to Ballotpedia.

Henry Olsen, an elections analyst and senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, argued that Trump’s role as the Republican Party’s chief kingmaker is likely to continue at least through the end of his second term in January 2029.

Olsen said Trump successfully “married a charismatic personality with a worldview that was represented by people who had not had that view represented before.”

According to Olsen, candidates endorsed by Trump tend to embrace an “aggressive” form of nationalism centered on “pursuing American interests but not international alliance interests,” while also seeking to root out what he described as “non-American” cultural values promoted by both governmental and private institutions.

“That is now a majority view among Republicans,” he added. “That philosophical change will outlast Trump’s personal endorsement … Nothing is permanent, but for the foreseeable future, which is, say, the next two to eight years, that is the dominant feature of the Republican primary process.”

Olsen, who hosts the politics podcast “Beyond the Polls,” added that Trump maintained his endorsement power even after the January 6 Capitol riot.

“Maintained his strong personal endorsement brand even after January 6th, before his return to strong popularity, he was able to push most of his choices through in the 2022 primaries, and I think we just need to remember that this is a long standing ability of his, and so there’s no reason to think that it will decline any time before he leaves the Oval Office.”

Trump has increasingly used his endorsement power both to avoid divisive Republican primary fights and to punish internal party opponents.

One example came in Michigan, where Trump endorsed Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers early, effectively discouraging Rep. Bill Huizenga from entering the race and allowing Republicans to focus on what they see as a major pickup opportunity.

Facing difficult historical trends ahead of the November 3 midterms, Trump’s political team has reportedly become more selective about endorsements after concerns from Republican strategists that weaker candidates hurt the party during the 2022 midterms.

Potential endorsees are now frequently vetted by White House political advisers before Trump formally gives his backing.

Whether that strategy will translate into general election victories remains uncertain.

According to Ballotpedia, Trump-backed candidates won general elections at rates of 89% in 2024, 83% in 2022, and 78% in 2020. During the 2018 midterms, only 59% of Trump-endorsed candidates ultimately prevailed.

“This [2026] is a referendum on him,” Sheinkopf said. “It’s not even a referendum on policies. Now in his own party, the referendum on him was played out in Texas … and he won that argument.”

“But when it comes to the referendum on him nationally, well, that’s a different question,” he added. “It’s about Donald Trump … the same way in ’94, it was about [President Bill] Clinton and the healthcare plan. Now it’s about Trump, the [Iran] war, and costs.”

“Larger figures in history tend to dominate the argument — and he’s a large historical figure.”

Trump’s endorsement dominance has also become a powerful weapon against Republicans in Congress who consider opposing him on key issues.

In the short term, that influence has created tensions within the Senate Republican conference, particularly as Cassidy and retiring Sen. Thom Tillis have become increasingly willing to criticize Trump publicly after falling out of favor with him.

Still, Trump’s demonstrated ability to politically destroy Republican rivals continues to give him immense leverage inside the GOP, sending a clear warning to potential dissenters that crossing him could carry severe political consequences.

{Matzav.com}

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing growing criticism over a proposal to open a $30 million city-owned grocery store in East Harlem after it emerged that the same location had already secured $25 million years ago for a separate taxpayer-funded redevelopment project — creating what critics describe as an extraordinarily expensive and confusing overlap of public spending, the New York Post reports.

The proposed supermarket would be built at La Marqueta, the longtime food market stretching beneath the elevated Metro-North tracks along Park Avenue between East 111th and East 119th Streets. Mamdani announced last month that the city intends to establish a government-run grocery store there that would be able to undercut surrounding businesses because it would not be responsible for paying rent or taxes.

But city officials confirmed that La Marqueta had already been approved nearly a decade ago for a separate $25 million overhaul through the city’s New York City Economic Development Corporation, meaning the total public investment tied to the site could balloon to $55 million.

“The $30 million is an outrageous number” by itself, said Stephen Zagor, an adjunct associate professor of food studies at Columbia Business School. “You’d expect the doorknobs and cash registers to be solid gold.”

“And to think there is another $25 million allocated years ago for the rest of La Marqueta, which is well past its prime, I’d think they would have to revisit that,” Zagor added.

Under the original 2017 redevelopment blueprint, which EDC officials recently presented to local business leaders, La Marqueta was slated for major upgrades that included a playground, outdoor dining areas, a dog park, and a revamped market space featuring fresh produce, groceries, prepared foods, and communal seating in a food hall-style setup.

Anthony Pena said Mamdani failed to mention the earlier EDC redevelopment plan when unveiling the city-run grocery proposal last month.

City officials have “not been transparent and open about anything they are doing,” Pena said of the La Marqueta plans.

One aspect of the proposal that has drawn particular criticism is a planned parking lot equipped with electric vehicle charging stations.

“Electric vehicles tend to be more expensive so are they catering to a higher-income market?” Zagor said. “It sounds like they aren’t focused on what they are trying to do in serving East Harlem residents.”

Mamdani has earmarked a total of $70 million for five city-operated grocery stores — one in each borough. With the remaining four stores averaging roughly $10 million each, critics say the East Harlem project’s $30 million price tag appears especially difficult to justify.

Pena pointed to another recently announced city grocery project in the Bronx as an example of the discrepancy. On May 18, Mamdani revealed plans for a 20,000-square-foot public supermarket in Hunts Point, located within a residential redevelopment at the former Spofford Juvenile Detention Center site, which closed in 2011.

Industry executives say a typical 9,000-square-foot grocery store in Manhattan would normally cost only a fraction of what the city is proposing for the East Harlem location. The concerns are heightened by the fact that the neighborhood already contains more than a dozen grocery stores.

“They are going to spend $10 million on a 20,000-square-foot store and $30 million on a 9,000-square-foot store],” Pena said. “There is a massive disconnect right now and there are more questions than answers.”

Responding to inquiries from The New York Post, the Economic Development Corporation acknowledged that Mamdani’s proposed $30 million grocery store and the previously approved $25 million La Marqueta redevelopment are entirely separate projects.

According to the agency, the $30 million allocation would fund “the ground-up construction and fit-out of the public grocery store as well as back-of-house needs and parking with EV charging capability,” though officials declined to provide a more detailed breakdown of the costs.

The EDC also clarified that none of the original $25 million redevelopment funding would go toward the grocery store itself. Officials said the supermarket and adjoining parking lot are expected to occupy the northern end of La Marqueta between East 117th and East 119th Streets.

Earlier this month, city officials met with a grocery industry trade organization and presented a redevelopment proposal that had originally been drafted before the COVID-19 pandemic. According to presentation materials reviewed during the meeting, funding for the project “have already been committed” through the EDC, the City Council, and the city’s Neighborhood Redevelopment Fund.

Sources familiar with the planning process said the redevelopment stalled for years because of pandemic-era suspensions of nonessential projects and later due to a major Metropolitan Transportation Authority infrastructure project above La Marqueta that began in 2023.

“NYCEDC is working with the East Harlem community and relevant stakeholders including small businesses to help inform how La Marqueta’s public grocery store can help strengthen neighborhood food access, provide quality jobs and make New York City more affordable for everyone,” the agency said in a statement.

“NYCEDC is also working on the redevelopment of La Marqueta’s retail market and looks forward to sharing more information soon.”

Meanwhile, many current tenants at the historic market say they still have little understanding of the city’s long-term intentions for the property, which was first opened in 1936 by Mayor Fiorello La Guardia as a marketplace for pushcart vendors.

“The EDC’s plans for the spaces have changed so many times,” said Bella Karakas, whose shared commercial kitchen business Eterra opened at La Marqueta four years ago between East 113th and East 114th Streets.

Another longtime tenant, the Urban Garden Center, now faces growing uncertainty as the project evolves.

The business was relocated several blocks south in 2023 from its original 20,000-square-foot location between East 116th and East 118th Streets because of the MTA’s Park Avenue Viaduct reconstruction project.

Its owner, Dimitri Gatanis, said the relocation cut his space in half and severely damaged sales. He remains unsure whether he will ever regain access to his former location and fears additional competition from the city-owned grocery operation.

“Are they going to start selling potted herbs or plants as most grocery stores in the city do?” Gatanis told The Post. “It’s all very murky.”

Chareidi members of the Knesset launched a fierce public assault Wednesday against the Religious Zionist Party after the party refused to support legislation aimed at preserving daycare subsidies for yeshiva families affected by the Supreme Court’s ruling on draft exemptions.

Despite opposition from the Religious Zionist Party, the proposed law succeeded in passing its preliminary reading in the Knesset plenum.

Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich reportedly ignored repeated requests from Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu to back the measure, insisting that until the chareidi factions cooperate on military conscription legislation, his party would not assist them.

“The Religious Zionists are not participating,” Smotrich declared, according to the report, referencing the ongoing dispute surrounding a draft law.

In response to the backlash, the Religious Zionist Party issued a statement defending its position and accusing parts of the chareidi political bloc of undermining coalition unity while simultaneously resisting compromise on enlistment legislation.

“While some of the chareidi parties are politically flirting with the left-wing bloc and simultaneously opposing a serious conscription framework, you can’t demand the Religious Zionists to be the sucker on call,” a statement on behalf of the party read.

The party further argued that Israelis serving in the reserves and bearing the burden of the war effort would not tolerate a situation in which chareidi parties reject a conscription arrangement while still expecting financial benefits from the government.

Moshe Gafni, chairman of Degel Hatorah, fired back sharply at his coalition partners, accusing them of acting out of hostility toward the chareidi community.

“The hatred against the chareidi public drives them crazy and also hurts the working and weak public.”

Gafni escalated his criticism further, accusing the Religious Zionist Party of betraying the very coalition that helped strengthen its political standing.

“Their partners in their worldview in the Religious Zionist Party act with distortion and ingratitude. We gave them everything, with settlements, funding, and positions, and when it comes to issues that are important to the chareidi public, they turn their back and work against us. They lack integrity and values. We will take that into account from now on with anything concerning religious Zionists.”

Yitzchok Goldknopf also joined the attacks, targeting Smotrich directly over his failure to support the bill.

“Bezalel Smotrich’s absence from the vote on the daycare bill exposes his true face. When he tries to get votes from the chareidi sector, the public will remember that at the moment of truth, he couldn’t care less about chareidi families. As far as he’s concerned, the chareidi children are another tool in the political game to pass the electoral threshold.”

Meir Porush likewise condemned both the vote and the broader legal campaign surrounding the daycare subsidies.

“It’s shameful that opposition MKs, along with individuals from the coalition, chose to hurt little children. I call on the judicial system to stop this persecution of innocent children. United Torah Judaism will continue to fight with all means available to protect Torah students.”

{Matzav.com}

Iranian state-linked media outlets claimed today that President Donald Trump could soon independently declare the completion of a major agreement between the United States and Iran, despite mounting signs that negotiations between the two countries remain deadlocked.

Iran’s Fars News Agency reported that Trump may move ahead with a unilateral announcement regarding a deal, while Iranian state television simultaneously claimed that officials in Tehran and Washington had already drafted a memorandum of understanding.

According to the Iranian report, the proposed framework would require the United States to pull all military forces out of the region and fully lift the naval blockade around the Strait of Hormuz. In return, Iran would guarantee the restoration and long-term security of international shipping traffic through the strategic waterway.

The White House quickly pushed back on the reports, dismissing the claims coming from Iranian media outlets.

“No one should believe what was published in the Iranian media. The facts are what matter.”

Iranian outlets went even further, publishing details of what they described as an agreed structure governing the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow shipping corridor through which nearly 20 percent of the world’s oil supply travels.

Under the reported arrangement, authority over the strait — including the management of shipping lanes and maritime navigation routes — would allegedly be handled solely through joint coordination between Iran and Oman, effectively eliminating American involvement in the area.

The sudden flood of reports from Tehran comes only days after The Wall Street Journal reported that direct talks between Washington and Tehran had slowed dramatically, with both sides hardening their positions as negotiations dragged on.

Sources familiar with the discussions told the newspaper that talks have effectively stalled for the time being because of major disagreements surrounding Iran’s nuclear ambitions and the scale of sanctions relief the regime is demanding.

The United States has reportedly insisted on firm and independently verifiable commitments from Iran to halt its nuclear activities and sharply curb uranium enrichment.

Inside the Trump administration, officials are said to be increasingly worried that Tehran could exploit negotiations as part of a broader delaying tactic. According to those concerns, Iran may seek immediate economic concessions and sanctions relief early in the process, while later dragging out talks over dismantling its nuclear infrastructure — all while preserving the ability to rapidly produce a nuclear weapon if it chooses.

President Donald Trump issued a blunt warning to Iran on Wednesday, signaling growing frustration with ongoing negotiations and cautioning that the United States could “finish the job” if Tehran fails to agree to acceptable terms.

During a Cabinet meeting, Trump cast doubt on reports circulating in Iranian media claiming that a major diplomatic breakthrough between Washington and Tehran was close at hand. Earlier in the day, the White House had already denied the reports outright.

“Iran is very much intent. They want very much to make a deal. So far, they haven’t gotten there,” Trump said. “We’re not satisfied with it. But we will be. Either that or we’ll have to just finish the job.”

Trump also pointed to what he described as the near destruction of Iran’s military capabilities following recent hostilities.

“Their Navy is gone, as I’ve said a thousand times. Their air force is gone. Everything’s gone, and they’re negotiating on fumes,” he said. “Maybe we have to go back and finish it.”

According to reports carried by Iranian state media, the proposed arrangement under discussion would involve Iran restoring commercial shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz to prewar levels within one month. In exchange, the United States would reportedly remove military forces from areas near Iran and end its naval blockade operations.

Iranian state television claimed the framework was still incomplete and said military vessels would not be included in the Hormuz agreement. The report also stated that Iran and Oman would jointly oversee commercial maritime traffic through the strategically vital shipping lane.

Tehran reportedly insisted that it would not implement any agreement without what it described as “tangible verification” that the United States had fulfilled its obligations.

Iranian outlets further claimed that if negotiators finalize an agreement within 60 days, the deal could ultimately be codified through a binding resolution at the United Nations Security Council.

Despite the wave of reports from Tehran, the White House forcefully rejected the claims, dismissing the alleged agreement as fiction.

Officials described the Iranian account as “not true” and labeled the supposed memorandum “a complete fabrication.”

{Matzav.com}

Pam Bondi is recovering after being diagnosed with thyroid cancer shortly after President Trump removed her from her role as attorney general, according to an Axios report.

Bondi, 60, underwent treatment for the illness and is now said to be recuperating, Axios reported.

The disclosure surfaced as reports emerged that Trump plans to appoint Bondi to a new advisory panel focused on artificial intelligence initiatives.

According to Axios, Bondi — who was dismissed from the Justice Department the same day she joined President Trump at the U.S. Supreme Court for oral arguments in a major birthright citizenship dispute — is expected to serve on the Presidential Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, known as PCAST.

News of Bondi’s diagnosis prompted an outpouring of support online, with many praising the way she handled the health crisis away from the public spotlight.

“Pam has been quietly kicking cancer’s …. the last few weeks,” podcast host and former White House official Katie Miller wrote on X.

“[Bondi] has a heart of gold,” Miller added.

Medical experts say the vast majority of thyroid cancer cases can be successfully treated. According to the Cleveland Clinic, most forms of the disease are considered highly curable.

Doctors note that patients diagnosed with thyroid cancer generally face an “excellent” outlook, with survival rates exceeding 98% after five years.

Bondi is not the only figure tied to Trump’s orbit to confront the disease. Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, later disclosed in his memoir that he quietly battled thyroid cancer while serving in the White House during Trump’s first administration.

Kushner underwent surgery to remove a tumor from his throat while overseeing Middle East policy efforts for Trump, and later had an additional thyroid-related procedure in 2022 after leaving government service.

Following her removal as attorney general, Bondi publicly pledged to remain loyal to Trump and continue supporting his agenda.

“Leading President Trump’s historic and highly successful efforts to make America safer and more secure has been the honor of a lifetime, and easily the most consequential first year of the Department of Justice in American history,” she posted on X last month.

“I remain eternally grateful for the trust that President Trump placed in me to Make America Safe Again.”

President Trump has since selected Todd Blanche to serve as interim attorney general while a permanent replacement is considered.

{Matzav.com}

Years after leading the Republican charge to impeach President Bill Clinton, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich says the effort backfired because the public came to see it as a personal scandal rather than a serious legal matter involving perjury and obstruction of justice.

Speaking during an interview on the New York Post’s “Pod Force One,” Gingrich said Republicans made a strategic error in how they handled the impeachment proceedings tied to Clinton’s scandal.

“I think it was a mistake because the real problem wasn’t [the person involved],” Gingrich said when asked whether impeaching President Bill Clinton had been the wrong move. “The real problem was he had committed perjury in a case involving … harassment while he was governor.”

Gingrich argued that the public focus drifted away from accusations that Clinton lied under oath and obstructed justice and instead centered almost entirely on the affair itself, weakening Republican arguments.

“In fact, he was stripped of his law license in Arkansas after he left the presidency, and for five years couldn’t practice because he clearly committed a felony,” Gingrich said.

The impeachment case grew out of an investigation overseen by independent counsel Ken Starr, who had originally been appointed in 1994 by Attorney General Janet Reno to examine the Clintons’ involvement in the Whitewater land deal.

Over time, Starr’s inquiry expanded into allegations connected to Clinton’s personal relationships as well as testimony tied to a harassment lawsuit.

During sworn testimony, Clinton denied certain behavior, leading Starr to determine that the president had lied under oath.

That conclusion prompted House Republicans to impeach Clinton on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice, making him only the second president in American history to face impeachment proceedings.

“I always argued the question, ‘Is he allowed to commit felonies?’” Gingrich said. “But by allowing it to be about [the relationship], it trivialized it.”

Gingrich also reflected on a moment during the 1998 impeachment fight when he realized the country — especially younger Americans — viewed the controversy very differently from how Republicans did.

“I realized at that point I had completely misunderstood how the culture was evolving,” he said, recalling a discussion with his daughters at an Atlanta restaurant. They warned him that younger voters would blame Republicans if the impeachment battle hurt the economy or retirement accounts “because of some stupid intern.”

Throughout the scandal, Clinton aggressively fought the allegations.

A federal judge later held Clinton in civil contempt for giving misleading testimony in the Jones case. His Arkansas law license was suspended for five years, and he also lost his privilege to argue cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Despite the impeachment vote in the House, the Senate acquitted Clinton on both counts in 1999, allowing him to remain in office through the end of his second term.

Gingrich himself stepped down as speaker shortly before the Senate trial concluded, following disappointing Republican results in the 1998 midterm elections and growing scrutiny tied to ethics allegations against him.

{Matzav.com}

The Trump administration is preparing to establish a new Ebola quarantine and treatment center in Kenya for Americans exposed to the deadly virus, bypassing the need to transport patients directly back to the United States, according to an administration official familiar with the plan.

The facility, being organized jointly by the War Department, the State Department, and the Department of Health and Human Services, is intended to serve Americans who may contract Ebola while in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Officials say the goal is to provide rapid treatment closer to the outbreak zone while avoiding lengthy emergency evacuation flights to the U.S.

An administration official speaking Wednesday on condition of anonymity said the new center would handle Ebola patients requiring urgent medical attention after leaving Congo. The person said the plan would help patients avoid an hourslong medical evacuation to the U.S.

Authorities have not yet disclosed the exact location of the facility inside Kenya, and it remains unclear whether the Kenyan government has formally approved the project.

According to the official, the center is expected to be equipped to treat every stage and severity of Ebola, which remains one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases. The official added that patients could still be transferred elsewhere if more specialized treatment becomes necessary.

The move comes as health officials in Congo struggle to contain a rapidly worsening Ebola outbreak that the World Health Organization says is spreading faster than response teams can control. The crisis intensified after the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola was identified only weeks after infections had already been spreading, due in part to early testing being focused on a more common Ebola variant.

Suspected Ebola infections in eastern Congo are now approaching 1,000 cases, with at least 220 suspected deaths reported so far. Congo’s Health Ministry announced Tuesday that 101 cases have already been officially confirmed, while authorities are currently monitoring more than 3,000 possible contacts tied to the outbreak.

Containment efforts have been complicated by severe instability throughout eastern Congo, including armed militias operating in the region, widespread displacement of civilians, and crumbling infrastructure that has made medical response efforts far more difficult.

A heavy pall descended this week over the Boyaner chassidus and the broader Ruzhiner Dynasty court in both Eretz Yisroel and the United States following the passing of three prominent chassidim and talmidei chachamim who were deeply connected to the late Boyaner Rebbe, Rav Mordechai Shlomo Friedman.

The three men — Reb Nochum Halevi Schorr zt”l, Reb Chaim Dovid Ullman z”l, and Rav Eliyahu Shmuel Heftler zt”l — were regarded as remnants of an earlier generation of devoted chassidim who remained unwaveringly attached to the rebbes of the Ruzhiner dynasty throughout their lives.

Reb Nochum Halevi Schorr zt”l Passes Away Suddenly on Shavuos

The first heartbreaking news came on Motzoei Chag HaShavuos with the sudden passing of the esteemed chossid Reb Nochum Halevi Schorr zt”l, son of Reb Chaim Yehoshua zt”l and son-in-law of Reb Shraga Feitel Kahana zt”l.

Those who knew him described him as a refined and noble individual whose entire life reflected humility, sincerity, and quiet devotion. A talmid chacham with broad Torah knowledge, he was known for conducting himself with simplicity and purity, never seeking recognition or honor for himself.

He greeted every person warmly and radiated joy and kindness. Deeply connected to Torah, avodas Hashem, and all matters of kedusha, he maintained a lifelong bond with the rebbes of the Ruzhin-Boyaner dynasty.

Reb Nochum was especially attached with complete devotion to the Boyaner Rebbe zt”l and later to his son, the current Boyaner Rebbe shlit”a, beginning from the start of the latter’s leadership in 1988.

He passed away suddenly during Shavuos. His levayah was held Sunday afternoon from Shamgar Funeral Home to Har Hamenuchos, where he was laid to rest.

A Pillar of the Boyaner Kloiz in Beitar: Reb Chaim Dovid Ullman z”l

On Sunday, word spread of the passing of the distinguished chossid Reb Chaim Dovid Ullman z”l of Los Angeles and Beitar Illit, one of the elder and respected members of Boyan chassidus. He was the son of Rav Moshe Naftali zt”l and son-in-law of Reb Simcha Bunim Schatz z”l.

Reb Chaim Dovid was admired as an upright and G-d-fearing Jew who dedicated fixed times to Torah study and devoted himself wholeheartedly to Torah and chassidus. He was known for his acts of kindness, generosity, and constant efforts on behalf of Torah institutions and communal causes.

Those close to him recalled his warm smile and welcoming demeanor, along with his complete humility and bitul before his rabbeim — the late Boyaner Rebbe zt”l and the current Boyaner Rebbe shlit”a — from whom he drew tremendous inspiration.

After relocating from Los Angeles to Beitar Illit, he became one of the founders and primary supporters of the Boyaner kloiz “Tiferes Aharon” in the city, helping establish it as a central makom Torah and tefillah for local chassidim.

His levayah took place Tuesday evening from Shamgar Funeral Home, proceeding through the central Boyaner kloiz on Malchei Yisroel Street before continuing to Har Hamenuchos for kevurah.

Holocaust Survivor and Veteran Rav of Manhattan: Rav Eliyahu Shmuel Heftler zt”l

On Tuesday, the Boyaner community in America was shaken by the news of the passing of Rav Eliyahu Shmuel Heftler zt”l, av beis din of Dukla on Manhattan’s Lower East Side and one of the most respected rabbinic figures in Boyaner circles in the United States. He was in his nineties.

Rav Heftler was counted among the dwindling survivors of the prewar Torah world. A Holocaust survivor who endured the horrors of the war and rebuilt his life afterward in America, he established his home and led the Dukla kehillah in Manhattan with warmth, righteousness, and grace.

For decades, he stood as one of the most distinguished figures in Boyaner chassidus in America. He also maintained exceptionally close ties with the courts of Skulen Hasidic Dynasty, Ruzhin, and numerous revered tzaddikim and rebbes who held him in the highest esteem.

He was especially beloved as a veteran mechanech who taught generations of students as the cherished rebbi of a third-grade class at Bobov Yeshiva, where he left a lasting impact of Torah and Yiras Shomayim upon countless talmidim. His brother, Rav Avrohom Heftler zt”l, was likewise a renowned talmid chacham and longtime fourth-grade rebbi in Bobov.

The levayah departed from the Boyaner kloiz in the Borough Park section of Brooklyn, where many accompanied him on his final journey.

T’hei Nishmasam Tzerurah B’Tzror HaChaim.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump’s ambitious postwar Gaza initiative is facing mounting questions after donor money promised to the newly created Board of Peace has yet to arrive through its official funding channel, leaving reconstruction plans stalled and the organization’s legal status under scrutiny.

The initiative, unveiled by Trump in January, was designed to reshape Gaza after the war through a massive international funding campaign. The plan called on world leaders to contribute $1 billion for “lifetime membership” in the Board of Peace, while participating countries reportedly pledged another $7 billion for Gaza-related humanitarian and rebuilding projects. Trump also vowed an additional $10 billion in American support.

But according to a report published Wednesday by the Financial Times, the World Bank-managed account established to oversee the board’s finances still has not received donor money, despite the passage of four months since the organization’s launch.

Instead, the report said, contributions have been routed to a separate JPMorgan account overseen directly by the board itself. A spokesperson for the organization told the newspaper that donors were offered several different contribution methods, including the World Bank mechanism, and chose to use alternative channels.

The spokesperson also said the board would disclose financial information to its executive board “at a time deemed appropriate.”

The report said Morocco has already transferred roughly $20 million, which has reportedly been used to finance the office of Nickolay Mladenov, the board’s appointed “high representative” for postwar Gaza affairs, along with salaries for the Palestinian technocratic committee selected to oversee governance in the territory.

According to the Financial Times, the United Arab Emirates separately allocated $100 million intended for the creation and training of a new Gaza police force. However, that program has not moved forward, and the funds remain inaccessible.

At the same time, the US State Department is reportedly attempting to redirect approximately $1.2 billion in existing aid funds toward projects tied to the board’s mission, though none of that money has yet been spent. Another proposal that would send roughly $50 million directly to the organization for administrative expenses is still awaiting approval.

Members of Congress quoted in the report said lawmakers remain uncertain about the board’s legal classification and the mechanisms governing its finances. Officials are reportedly questioning whether the organization legally qualifies as an international institution permitted to receive direct American funding.

Democratic Senator Brian Schatz said Secretary of State Marco Rubio explained the organization to him as functioning under a structure similar to a UN-affiliated body dedicated to humanitarian aid and reconstruction work in Gaza. Schatz said, however, that Trump himself has characterized the organization differently at various times, adding to the confusion surrounding its official status.

The Board of Peace has reportedly started issuing tenders connected to Gaza security and rebuilding operations, but no agreements have been finalized so far. A spokesperson for the organization said activity inside Gaza could not begin until Hamas agreed to disarm.

The report added that the broader objectives outlined in Trump’s Gaza blueprint — including Hamas disarmament, an Israeli military withdrawal, and large-scale reconstruction — have shown little or no progress.

Bishara Bahbah, a Palestinian-American businessman involved in communications with Hamas on behalf of the Trump administration, said the Palestinian administrative committee created by the board has remained inactive inside Gaza because funding has not materialized.

“They know that if they go to Gaza, people are going to flood to them to ask for assistance, and they have no tools, no means,” Bahbah said, according to the report.

{Matzav.com}

Any final agreement between the United States and Iran would reportedly require approval from Iran’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, through clandestine courier channels while he remains concealed as a “designated target,” according to counterterrorism analysts who say the unusual situation is reshaping the nature of the negotiations.

Experts told Fox News Digital that the arrangement effectively leaves Washington negotiating with a leadership figure who cannot appear publicly and whose communications allegedly depend entirely on secretive intermediaries.

“Khamenei is a designated target, and every confirmed sighting is a coordinate,” Dr. Omar Mohammed told Fox News Digital.

He further stated:

“The courier system used for messaging is not transitional. It is the operating system of his rule.

“Any deal the United States signs will have to be designed for a permanently invisible counterparty whose enforcement depends on his continued survival. That is not arms control as it has been conventionally understood. It is a memorandum signed under American military pressure, with a regime whose leader cannot show his face.”

Mohammed’s comments came after Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed reporters in India regarding delays surrounding the ongoing negotiations.

“It’s just the response,” Rubio said. “I mean, when you get down on some of these things, you’ve got to hear back, and it takes the Iranians — takes them a little while longer to get back,” he explained.

Mohammed argued that Rubio’s remarks amounted to a public acknowledgment of the communication difficulties involved in dealing with Iran’s hidden leadership structure.

“That is Secretary Rubio confirming the courier latency on the record,” said Dr. Omar Mohammed, director of the Antisemitism Research Initiative Program on Extremism at George Washington University. “Rubio is describing a structural feature of negotiating with a supreme leader no one can locate.

“Mojtaba is in hiding, messages are moving by courier, and responses are arriving days late.

“Rubio just confirmed the symptom, and the administration is being honest about the problem. The question is whether the framework can be designed to survive it,” Mohammed claimed.

According to the report, Khamenei has allegedly remained underground for nearly three months as tensions with the United States intensified.

The report claims he disappeared from public view following a Feb. 28 strike that killed his father amid reports he himself was seriously wounded.

The article states that he was hit during “Operation Epic Fury” and was described by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as “wounded and likely disfigured.” His wife and son were also reportedly killed in the strike.

“Officials at the highest levels of the Iranian government do not know where he is,” Mohammed said, adding that any intelligence or communication reaching him is “dated, and his responses come with significant latency.”

The developments come as Washington and Tehran continue negotiations aimed at ending the conflict that erupted on Feb. 28.

“If there’s going to be a deal, we’re going to have to work through that. But this is, you know, it’s either going to be a good deal or there isn’t going to be one,” Rubio said Tuesday.

According to a senior administration official, the United States is prepared to consider sanctions relief if Iran agrees to substantial concessions regarding uranium enrichment. The status of frozen Iranian assets has reportedly also become a major sticking point in the talks.

Iran indicated Monday that no final agreement with the United States is expected immediately, despite what officials described as progress toward a broader framework.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said discussions remain focused on ending the war across multiple fronts, including Lebanon, and noted that any proposed memorandum of understanding currently lacks detailed provisions concerning the Strait of Hormuz.

Mohammed said the larger issue for the United States goes beyond simply reaching a signed agreement.

“The real question for Washington is not how fast the framework can be signed,” Mohammed added.

“It is also what enforcement looks like when the counterparty’s signature comes through a courier.”

{Matzav.com}

In an unusual and dramatic move, Degel HaTorah chairman MK Moshe Gafni instructed the party’s representatives in municipalities across Israel to immediately suspend cooperation with the Israel Police, including municipal policing frameworks, until further notice.

The directive comes amid mounting outrage in the chareidi community following a recent change in police policy under Israel Police Commissioner Danny Levy, under which Israeli police have begun transferring yeshiva bochurim detained during encounters with law enforcement to the military police over draft-related issues.

“We must not, chalilah, become partners in harming the holy Torah and those who learn it,” Gafni wrote in a sharply worded letter sent to Degel HaTorah representatives throughout the country.

The move follows a wave of arrests involving yeshiva students over the past several days. During the last night alone, at least three yeshiva bochurim were reportedly handed over to military authorities after being detained by Israeli police.

Among those arrested was Reuven Lemanztach, a bochur from Yeshivas Kibbutz Givat Zev, who was reportedly detained on Route 1 before being transferred to the military police.

As previously reported, the rosh yeshiva of the detained bochur, Rav Dovid Baron, delivered an emotional shmuess in response to the arrest.

“We are living through the darkest periods, like the era of the Romans,” Rav Baron said. “I saw the bochur at the end of third seder, and in the morning they woke me to tell me he had been arrested.”

The growing tensions have also spilled into the Knesset, where members of United Torah Judaism sharply criticized Religious Zionist coalition partners over their boycott of a vote on the daycare subsidy bill.

UTJ faction chairman MK Uri Maklev said, “The fact that Likud cannot even assemble a majority for the most elementary and humane matter — daycare for innocent babies — proves that there is no real bloc.”

Gafni himself lashed out at what he described as increasing hostility toward the chareidi public.

“The hatred against the chareidi community is causing them to lose all sense and is also harming the working and weaker segments of the population,” Gafni said, emphasizing that the daycare legislation had long been considered a basic and widely accepted measure intended to assist women entering the workforce.

MK Yoav Ben Tzur also addressed the matter during a Knesset speech, questioning the treatment of yeshiva students by authorities.

“Who exactly are you arresting?” Ben Tzur asked. “Outstanding bochurim who have never encountered police because they are law-abiding citizens? The chareidi public and its leadership respect IDF soldiers.”

Israeli police, however, defended their actions, claiming that one of the bochurim transferred to military custody had first been stopped after allegedly driving recklessly on Route 60, weaving between lanes and seriously endangering himself and others on the road.

According to police, a background check revealed that the suspect was absent from military service obligations, leading to his transfer to IDF authorities.

Police also stated that following the arrest, dozens of protesters arrived at the Binyamin police station and launched what authorities described as a violent disturbance that included overturning a police trailer, setting cardboard boxes on fire, and bending security fences. Officers, together with riot police and Border Police forces, acted to disperse the crowd.

Members of the Park Slope Food Coop voted Tuesday night to ban Israeli-made products from the shelves of the iconic Brooklyn grocery collective, capping off a deeply divisive dispute that has roiled the organization for years and intensified sharply in recent months.

More than 7,000 of the co-op’s roughly 15,000 members logged into the meeting, which organizers moved entirely online after Jewish members reported “explicit fears” about attending in person.

Many longtime participants said the turnout was likely the biggest gathering in the co-op’s 53-year history, reflecting the intensity of a conflict that has spilled beyond meetings and into the streets surrounding the progressive Brooklyn institution.

The final boycott measure passed overwhelmingly, with 67 percent supporting the proposal, 31 percent voting against it, and 2 percent abstaining.

The controversy centered on whether the co-op should formally align itself with the anti-Israel boycott, divestment and sanctions movement by removing a small number of Israeli items — including hummus and matzo — from store shelves.

The battle over the issue had already sparked explosive confrontations in recent weeks, including accusations that Jewish members were complicit in genocide and what attendees described as openly antisemitic rhetoric during a prior meeting.

The co-op previously held a vote on boycotting Israeli goods in 2012, but that meeting drew only about 2,000 participants. Ordinary meetings generally attract between 50 and 200 people, according to longtime member Ramon Maislen.

“The coop used to feel like Brooklyn’s living room; now every meeting feels like judgment day at noon,” Maislen said.

“Whatever our politics, we should be able to disagree without condemning one another.”

Although the meeting agenda also included routine organizational matters such as elections for internal committees, the focus of the evening quickly shifted to two crucial votes tied to the boycott issue.

The first centered on whether the co-op should reduce the approval threshold required for product boycotts from a 75 percent supermajority to a simple majority vote. The second dealt with the actual proposal to remove Israeli products from the store.

Under the co-op’s structure, all members are permitted to cast ballots, though the board ultimately retains final authority, Maislen explained.

“They’re supposed to be influenced by membership votes, but they are technically not required to be.”

The lengthy Zoom session became disorderly at times after technical failures disrupted online polling. Multiple voting attempts had to be redone, and at one stage members introduced a motion to delay the meeting entirely.

Still, after the gathering stretched beyond three hours, attendees voted by a show of hands to continue.

Shortly after 9 p.m., members approved the procedural measure lowering the boycott threshold. The proposal passed with 61 percent support, while 38 percent voted against it and 1 percent abstained. The new rule took effect immediately and directly affected the boycott vote that followed.

The subsequent vote approving the boycott succeeded with 67 percent backing.

Had the previous 75 percent supermajority rule remained in place, the boycott effort would have failed.

Following the vote, numerous Jewish members voiced anger over another procedural motion approved earlier in the evening that eliminated further debate before the final boycott vote.

“The motion was proposed after only the pro BDS group spoke,” one attendee, who preferred to remain anonymous, told The Post. “It’s horrible.”

“This is the first time in 15 years an item has been voted on without discussion,” a disgusted attendee at the meet noted.

“I definitely see a lawsuit coming,” another told The NY Post. “Especially if you change voting rules the same night a vote is set to occur.”

Before the meeting began, co-op general coordinators Ann Herpel and Matt Hoagland circulated a message urging members to maintain civility amid the escalating tensions surrounding the vote.

“Members may hold deeply different views on these issues but personal attacks, inflammatory language, or any comments directed at anyone’s identity such as religion, ethnicity, or national origin are unacceptable,” the email read. “Recording the meeting is prohibited.”

Despite the outcome, some members lamented that the battle left the organization fractured rather than united.

“Here we are getting all this publicity, and we could be using it to amplify the voices working for co-existence and a shared future,” said member Barbara Mazor.

“But instead we are just rehashing the same stuff that doesn’t help anybody.”

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s chareidi political world is facing one of its most dramatic upheavals in years as the battle over the draft law threatens to fracture the longstanding alliance between the chareidi parties and the right-wing bloc led by Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu.

In a wide-ranging interview on Kikar FM, “Bavli” political commentator Itzeleh Katzburg spoke with Eli Guthelf about the growing tensions inside the coalition, the possibility of new political alliances, and whether chareidi parties would ultimately be willing to sit alongside secular or left-wing politicians in exchange for preserving exemptions for yeshiva bochurim.

Even Israelis who normally avoid politics, Katzburg said, are finding it difficult to ignore the mounting pressure and uncertainty surrounding the current crisis.

At the center of the turmoil is a dramatic letter issued by Rav Dov Landau, which many interpreted as effectively dissolving the traditional “right-wing bloc” partnership between chareidi parties and Netanyahu.

For years, parties such as Shas and Degel HaTorah largely moved in lockstep with Likud and the broader right-wing coalition.

But the ongoing fight over the draft law has significantly strained those relationships.

Netanyahu himself acknowledged at the opening of the Knesset summer session that the coalition currently lacks enough votes to pass a draft law acceptable to the chareidi parties.

The response from the chareidi political world was swift — though not unified.

According to Katzburg, Degel HaTorah has increasingly directed blame squarely at Netanyahu.

He pointed to unusual interviews and sharply worded articles published in Yated Ne’eman, including comments from MK Moshe Gafni signaling that Degel HaTorah no longer feels bound to the right-wing bloc and may even consider future cooperation with longtime political rivals such as Avigdor Lieberman and Yair Lapid.

Shas, however, has taken a very different approach.

While continuing to fight against military conscription of yeshiva students, Shas has publicly maintained its commitment to Likud and the right-wing camp.

Its party newspaper, HaDerech, has largely directed criticism toward military and bureaucratic officials rather than Netanyahu himself.

Katzburg argued that the divide stems largely from electoral strategy.

According to him, Degel HaTorah appeals primarily to a more traditional yeshiva-oriented electorate and therefore has greater flexibility to break politically with the right.

Shas, by contrast, depends heavily on traditional and peripheral voters who strongly support Netanyahu even if they are less aligned with the chareidi position on military service.

“Shas relies on a pool of traditional, peripheral voters who may want to see chareidim enlist, but what matters most to them is Bibi,” Katzburg explained. “If Shas declares today that it is severing ties with the right-wing bloc, it could lose between two and four mandates.”

As a result, Katzburg said, chareidi politicians are often sending different messages to different audiences.

Internally, rabbinic leaders continue firmly opposing any cooperation with military draft efforts, while publicly some politicians adopt softer language in broader Israeli media so as not to alienate traditional right-wing supporters.

The interview also explored the growing political battle over the timing of Israel’s next election.

According to Katzburg, Shas is pushing strategically for elections to take place on the Fast of Gedaliah, shortly after Rosh Hashanah during the height of Selichos season.

He argued that Shas believes elections during that period could energize large numbers of traditional voters visiting the Kosel for Selichos.

At the same time, such timing could significantly hurt right-wing turnout because thousands of Breslover chassidim and right-wing voters would still be returning from Uman and unable to vote.

Katzburg suggested that Degel HaTorah is less concerned about weakening the right-wing bloc because many in the Litvishe chareidi camp increasingly believe the alliance with the right has effectively collapsed anyway.

Toward the end of the interview, the discussion turned to perhaps the most explosive question of all: whether chareidi parties would truly be willing to sit in a coalition alongside left-wing figures such as Yair Golan or openly secular activists if it guaranteed passage of a draft exemption law.

Katzburg answered unequivocally that they would.

“We will swallow that frog. We are not Zionists and we have no connection to this state and this government. We play the game in order to preserve the Torah world. If they promise us ‘Yavneh and its sages’ (an exemption from military service for yeshiva students), as far as we are concerned the minister of religion can be Naor Narkis or a Reform rabbi. The Knesset is full of clowns anyway.”

According to Katzburg, when the decisive political moment arrives, even left-wing leaders such as Yair Golan may suddenly display surprising “pragmatism” on the issue of equal military service if it enables them to topple Netanyahu and form a government.

The interview painted a picture of a rapidly shifting chareidi political landscape, where the once-solid partnership with the Israeli right may be giving way to a new political reality centered almost entirely around preserving the yeshiva world and preventing the military draft of Torah students.

{Matzav.com}

Senator Cory Booker launched a blistering attack on President Donald Trump during a Tuesday appearance on MSNBC’s “The Briefing,” accusing the president of unprecedented corruption and warning that Republicans who continue supporting him will eventually be judged harshly by history.

Booker made the remarks while discussing Trump’s leadership and the response from Republicans in Congress, arguing that many privately oppose the president but refuse to criticize him publicly.

“What President Trump is doing is a moral outrage from his corruption, his crypto schemes, his ballroom, the monuments to his ego, to all the kleptocracy he’s doing and many of the incompetent people he’s putting in very important places,” Booker said.

The New Jersey Democrat claimed that dissatisfaction with Trump extends beyond Democratic circles and suggested many Republicans quietly share similar concerns.

“Now, it’s not just a democratic thing that believes that many of us have private conversations with folks who will express their disdain, their outrage in private, but do nothing in public,” he added.

Booker then escalated his criticism further, predicting that Trump’s presidency would ultimately be remembered as historically corrupt.

“We know five years from now, ten years from now, when people look back at the most corrupt president in American history that torched our democracy and did outrageous things, the question is going to be, who were the people so complicit that they allowed these things to happen?”

He also argued that Republicans understand they may eventually face political consequences for remaining aligned with Trump.

“And Republicans know they’re going to be held accountable. They’re going to be on the record.”

Booker went on to claim that cracks are beginning to emerge within Republican ranks as Trump continues to dominate the political landscape.

“So I’m starting to see more people as Donald Trump continues to strain our democracy and push every sense of decency. I’m starting to see some wobbly knees amongst Republicans who for too long have been doing that advanced form of yoga and bending over backwards, contorting themselves to do what Donald Trump wants. We’re starting to see weakening in that.”

A third consecutive night of unrest unfolded Tuesday night in Shaar Binyamin and Kiryat Ata following the arrests of three yeshiva bochurim who were transferred to military police custody amid Israel’s intensified crackdown on draft evaders.

The arrests sparked confrontations between protesters and police, with officers deploying stun grenades in an effort to disperse crowds that gathered outside police facilities.

Emergency alert systems operated by activist organizations — including networks known as “The Captors Have Arrived” and “Black Alert,” which monitor arrests of draft evaders — issued overnight warnings about attempts to transfer two bochurim being held at the Binyamin police station in the Shaar Binyamin industrial zone and at a community police center in Geva Binyamin.

Dozens of demonstrators rushed to the scene to protest the detentions.

During the clashes, police used stun grenades to break up the crowds, but the two bochurim — Yaakov Esban and Yaakov Eliasaf of Yeshivas Mishkan Dovid — were ultimately transferred to military police custody.

According to the “Black Alert” system, activists were unable to prevent the transfer because emergency reports reached protest organizers too late.

Meanwhile, Kol Barama radio reported that another bochur, Reuven Lamenatzeiach of Yeshivas Kibbutz Givat Zev, was also transferred to military police after being detained at a police station in Beit Shemesh.

At the same time, activists affiliated with the Peleg Yerushalmi faction traveled to Kiryat Ata and demonstrated outside the home of Chai Deri, the security officer at Military Prison 10, protesting the arrests of yeshiva bochurim and chareidi draft evaders.

The latest incidents mark the third straight night in which yeshiva students and chareidi draft evaders have reportedly been arrested and transferred to military authorities.

The organization Am Kadosh, which assists detainees, sharply condemned the arrests in a statement issued overnight.

“The authorities are perfecting their methods of hunting and persecuting yeshiva students with extraordinary diligence. It is becoming increasingly clear to all that according to the State of Israel, Torah study and adherence to the chareidi Jewish way of life are considered the greatest crimes. Israel is becoming the only country in the world persecuting Torah learners and faithful Jews and throwing them into prison like common criminals!”

The tensions follow an arrest Monday night in which a yeshiva bochur was detained during a police checkpoint inspection on Highway 383 and transferred to military police after authorities determined he was classified as a draft evader.

Following that arrest, leaders within the Peleg Yerushalmi warned that additional protests and demonstrations are expected in the coming days.

The bochur arrested Monday was identified as Meir Sabag, a talmid at Yeshivas Darchei Ish in Moshav Tirosh.

According to reports, Sabag arrived late at night at a police checkpoint set up on Highway 383 between the Shaar Avraham interchange and the Masmiya junction.

Three yeshiva bochurim were turned over overnight Tuesday to Israel’s military police and transferred to a military prison after being detained by Israeli police under a newly announced enforcement policy targeting draft evaders.

The arrests took place as part of a directive issued this week by Police Commissioner Dani Levy ordering officers to detain any individual classified as a draft evader and immediately transfer them to military authorities.

One of the arrests occurred in Beit Shemesh, where a bochur from Yeshivas Kibbutz Givat Zev was detained at the local police station.

The bochur, who had been designated a draft evader for failing to report to the military draft office, was later handed directly to military police for further proceedings.

At the same time, two additional bochurim from Yeshivas Mishkan Dovid were arrested by officers from the Shaar Binyamin police district and likewise transferred to military custody.

All three were reportedly detained because they had ignored draft notices and failed to appear at military induction offices.

Representatives of the organization Nosnim Gav, which assists detained yeshiva bochurim, said emergency alerts regarding the arrests arrived too late for activists to intervene effectively.

“As a result, public activists did not manage to arrive in time and prevent the transfer,” the organization stated.

The group added that the bochurim and their families are receiving legal assistance and full support.

The arrests come amid mounting tension surrounding the new policy announced this week by Commissioner Dani Levy.

According to the directive issued to senior police commanders, “every draft evader encountered will be detained, military police will be notified, and the individual will be transferred to military police for further handling.”

The policy marks a sharp reversal from previous police practice.

Until now, Israeli police had generally refrained from actively arresting draft evaders and in many cases reportedly instructed local districts not to involve themselves in such matters.

The new approach has sparked fierce backlash throughout the Torah world and among chareidi public officials.

MK Michael Malkieli of Shas sharply attacked Commissioner Levy on Tuesday, accusing him of targeting Torah learners for political reasons.

“Instead of dealing with rising crime and murderers roaming freely, you are sending Israel Police officers to harass Torah learners,” Malkieli wrote.

He added: “Commissioner Dani Levy — a hero against the weak! Suddenly before elections you decided to join forces with the attorney general in hopes of flattering her so they won’t remove you after the elections.”

{Matzav.com}