President Donald Trump threw his support behind Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman in the New York governor’s race on Saturday, moving quickly after Rep. Elise Stefanik ended her campaign the day before.
Announcing the endorsement on Truth Social, Trump praised Blakeman’s loyalty and prospects in the race. “Bruce is MAGA all the way, and has been with me from the very beginning,” Trump wrote. “Bruce Blakeman is a FANTASTIC guy, will win the big November Election and, without hesitation, has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Governor of the ONCE GREAT STATE OF NEW YORK (IT CAN BE GREAT AGAIN!). BRUCE BLAKEMAN WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”
Stefanik had been widely viewed as the Republican frontrunner to challenge Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2026. Her decision to step aside followed a turbulent year that included Trump withdrawing her nomination to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, citing concerns about protecting the party’s narrow majority in the House. Trump ultimately did not back Stefanik for governor, and in her announcement exiting the race, she said she would not seek reelection.
The field grew more complicated earlier this month when Blakeman entered the contest, prompting Trump to publicly compliment both Republican contenders as “fantastic people.” In the months prior, Trump had also encouraged another potential candidate, Rep. Mike Lawler, to stay put by endorsing him for reelection to his closely contested House seat.
Polling suggests Blakeman faces an uphill battle against the incumbent. A Siena Poll of New York released earlier this week showed Hochul holding a double-digit advantage over Blakeman in a hypothetical general election matchup.
Blakeman has maintained a visible relationship with Trump, including attending a Hanukkah reception at the White House earlier this week. After the endorsement became public, Blakeman responded on X, saying he was “grateful and blessed” to receive the president’s backing.
{Matzav.com}
Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned on Friday that the current ceasefire in Gaza cannot evolve into lasting stability if Hamas remains armed and capable of attacking Israel, saying any arrangement that leaves the terror group intact will eventually fall apart.
Rubio described the existing ceasefire as fragile and demanding constant oversight, with multiple governments needing to intervene regularly to prevent renewed violence. He said the situation on the ground shows how easily calm can be disrupted. “This is not easy; peace is [not] a verb; it’s not; it’s an action,” Rubio said. “It’s not a sentiment. Every single day will bring challenges. Every single day.”
Pointing to recent incidents, Rubio said Hamas continues to pose an active threat despite the pause in fighting. “We also have had instances, for example, over the last couple weeks where Hamas elements emerged from a tunnel, attached an explosive device to the side of a vehicle, and injured and almost killed Israeli soldiers,” he said. “We still have this threat. We still have and see every single day Hamas openly taking steps to strengthen themselves inside of those places in Gaza that they still control.”
Rubio said that reality underscores why disarmament must be central to any serious peace effort. “If Hamas is ever in a position to threaten or attack Israel, you’re not going to have peace,” Rubio said. He repeated the point during the State Department briefing, stressing that economic recovery is impossible under the shadow of renewed war. “If Hamas is ever in a position in the future that they can threaten or attack Israel, you’re not going to have peace, OK? You’re not going to convince anyone to invest money in Gaza if they believe another war is going to happen in two to three years.”
He urged observers and negotiators to focus less on slogans and more on concrete capabilities. “So, I would just ask everyone to focus on what are the kind of weaponries and capabilities that Hamas would need in order to threaten or attack Israel as a baseline for what disarmament needs to look like,” Rubio said.
Rubio said that without removing those capabilities, violence is bound to return. “Because you’re not going to have peace, if two years from now, Hamas is launching rockets or killing Israelis or carrying out, God forbid, another Oct. 7-type terrorist attack and so forth, you’re not going to have peace,” he said. “So, who is going to invest in a peace, who is going to invest in rebuilding a place, that’s going to get destroyed again in a future war? So that’s why disarmament is so critical.”
While declining to provide details of ongoing negotiations, Rubio said the exact scope of disarmament will be worked out by technical teams. Still, he made clear that partial measures will not suffice. “Everyone wants peace,” Rubio said. “No one wants a return to a war.”
{Matzav.com}
At his marathon year-end news conference, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed questions about the future of the conflict in Ukraine and dismissed suggestions that Moscow is preparing for a broader military confrontation with Europe.
Asked directly whether Russia intends to launch military action against European countries, Putin said Moscow’s position depends on how it is treated by Western governments. “There will be no special operations if you treat us with respect, if you respect our interests as we have always tried to respect yours. There will be no further Russian invasions if you do not humiliate us as you did when you expanded NATO eastward,” Putin said.
The Russian leader also revisited his proposal for ending the war in Ukraine, pointing back to terms he publicly outlined last year. He reiterated that Moscow expects Kyiv to renounce its bid to join NATO, withdraw forces from four regions claimed by Russia, reduce the size of its military, and grant official status to the Russian language. Putin additionally called for new presidential elections in Ukraine.
Putin argued that Russia remains open to a negotiated resolution, insisting that responsibility for the lack of progress lies elsewhere. “The only thing I want to say is that we have always said this: we are ready to end this conflict peacefully, based on the principles I outlined in June last year at the Russian Foreign Ministry, and by addressing the roots that led to this crisis,” he said during the event, which stretched for more than four hours.
He also spoke positively about U.S. President Donald Trump’s involvement, saying he appreciated Trump’s role in seeking an end to the war. At the same time, Putin accused Western governments of preventing an agreement. “It is the West, not Russia, that is blocking the deal. The ball is in the court of our Western opponents, primarily the leaders of the Kyiv regime, and in this case, above all, their European backers,” he said.
Ukrainian officials, for their part, have already rejected Moscow’s territorial demands, including calls for Kyiv to surrender Crimea, Donbas, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia, areas Russia claims as its own.
{Matzav.com}
A 15-year-old from Beit Shemesh who drew nati1onwide attention last month after climbing a crane at the Marom Tower near the entrance to Yerushalayim attempted to scale the site again on Friday morning, but was stopped before reaching dangerous heights.
The earlier incident ended with the teen being rescued by fire and rescue crews. This time, his attempt was cut short when he was intercepted by a passerby and later taken in by police for questioning at the Lev HaBira station.
According to reports, the teen was spotted trying to breach the perimeter fence leading toward the 39-story Marom Tower. Photographer and drone hobbyist Malkiel Elbaz noticed the attempt and chose to intervene to prevent another life-threatening situation.
Elbaz described the encounter, saying, “I was passing near the central bus station and saw a boy trying to cross the fence toward the Marom Tower. I came closer and asked him where he was going. He told me that he had been up there a month ago and that he was going up again.”
Realizing the danger, Elbaz said he took immediate action. “I was alone and decided to act. I notified the police and started talking to him, and when I saw that he was about to cross the fence, I jumped up, grabbed him, and held him for a few minutes until more help arrived. Then police officers came and took over.”
After the incident, Elbaz issued a public appeal, warning of the risks involved. “I have one request of you—pay attention to your friends. This is not a joke; these are people’s lives.”
Police confirmed that the teen was brought in for questioning following the incident.
{Matzav.com}
Rabbi Leibel Druck z”l, a respected member of the Karlin-Stolin community and a longtime melamed at Etz Chaim, passed away early Friday at the age of 79.
The niftar, who resided in Beitar Illit in recent years and was formerly a resident of Yerushalayim’s Rechov Yirmiyahu, had been ill over the past period. During the night, he suffered cardiac arrest and was niftar.
Rabbi Druck was born in Yerushalayim on 8 Elul 5706 (1946) to his father, Rav Chaim Druck zt”l, author of Oros Chaim and one of the prominent rabbonim of Yeshivas Etz Chaim. His father was a talmid of Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer. His mother was Mrs. Batya a”h.
Upon reaching marriageable age, he married the daughter of Rav Moshe Cohen zt”l.
For many years, Rabbi Druck served as a devoted melamed at Etz Chaim in Ramat Shlomo, where he was known as a warm and caring educator who consistently went out of his way to help others. Those who knew him describe him as a gentle and giving individual, deeply committed to his talmidim and to those around him.
In recent years, he relocated to Beitar Illit to live near his children. He is survived by his family, including his sons and daughters, sons-in-law, and many descendants.
His levayah took place Friday morning, departing from the Shamgar Funeral Home in Yerushalayim to Har HaMenuchos, where he was laid to rest.
The family will be sitting shivah at his home, 38 Maggid of Mezeritch Street, Beitar Illit.
Yehi zichro baruch.
{Matzav.com}
Rabbi Moshe Chaim Hertzel z”l, a distinguished member of the Belzer community in Antwerp and one of the owners of the Hertzel-Gold dairy, widely known as Europe’s Jewish dairy, has passed away at the age of 70 following an illness.
Rabbi Hertzel was born in the month of Adar 5716 (1956) to his father, Rabbi Yosef Yisrael Hertzel z”l, one of the senior Belzer chassidim in Antwerp and among the founders and owners of the only Jewish-owned dairy in Europe. His mother was the daughter of Rabbi Shmuel Yosef Friedman.
As a youth, he studied in the educational institutions of Belzer chassidus. Upon reaching marriageable age, he married his wife, the daughter of Rabbi Tzvi Davidson.
Rabbi Hertzel was widely known as a man of extraordinary chessed. He donated significant sums of his personal wealth to Belz institutions worldwide, with particular dedication to the institutions in Antwerp. Among his many acts of generosity, he regularly covered the annual costs of refreshments on the first day of Selichos at the Beis Medrash in Kiryat Belz in Yerushalayim, an event that draws thousands of Belzer chassidim each year.
Despite his financial success, he was known for his humility and discretion, quietly assisting families in need and giving charity without seeking recognition.
His levayah will take place on Motzaei Shabbos in Antwerp. His aron will then be flown to Eretz Yisrael, where the levayah will be held on Sunday night, Leil Zos Chanukah, in Kiryat Belz in Yerushalayim. He will be laid to rest in the Kehillas Machzikei Hadas section of Har HaMenuchos.
Yehi zichro baruch.
{Matzav.com}
