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Hundreds of demonstrators protesting the military draft clashed with police Sunday in Yerushalayim and Beit Shemesh, as major roads were blocked, the light rail was forced to suspend service, and confrontations between protesters and security forces escalated into violent street battles.

Sunday evening, Rechov Shivtei Yisrael in Yerushalayim became the focal point of the unrest as large numbers of demonstrators gathered for an anti-draft protest that quickly deteriorated into fierce confrontations with police and YASAM riot officers. Protesters blocked key traffic arteries, bringing the city’s light rail system to a complete halt and causing widespread transportation disruptions.

According to an initial report by the Yerushalayim Center news site, what began as a demonstration in the Shivtei Yisrael area rapidly escalated into a large-scale public disturbance. Protesters occupied the roadway, prompting the Kfir light rail company, under instructions from Israel Police, to immediately suspend service between Givat HaMivtar and City Hall stations.

Large contingents of Yerushalayim District police officers, Border Police personnel, and YASAM forces were deployed to the scene. A police commander repeatedly called on demonstrators over loudspeakers to clear the roads, but after those appeals were ignored, officers moved in to disperse the crowd and reopen the blocked streets.

Earlier in the day, another heated anti-draft demonstration took place in Beit Shemesh, where protesters blocked Route 10 near the city as well as the Rasdo traffic circle. The road closures caused severe traffic congestion and required a significant police deployment before order was eventually restored.

The recurring draft protests have continued to disrupt travel throughout Israel in recent months. In one notable case, a Tel Aviv Small Claims Court rejected a compensation lawsuit filed by a customer whose washing machine delivery was delayed by four hours because of protest-related roadblocks. The court ruled that, under the circumstances, delivery companies that make reasonable efforts to complete deliveries despite such disruptions should not be held liable.

The anti-draft demonstrations have become an increasingly common occurrence in recent months as opponents of the proposed draft law continue taking to the streets. Sunday’s unrest in Yerushalayim marked the latest in a series of similar protests that have taken place across the country in recent weeks.

{Matzav.com}

A new Kan News poll shows Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s Likud and Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party locked in a tie at 23 Knesset seats each, while Naftali Bennett’s Beyachad party and Yair Golan’s Democrats continue to lose support. The survey also indicates that the opposition bloc maintains an advantage over Netanyahu’s coalition.

According to the poll released Sunday evening, Likud gained one seat compared to last week’s survey, reaching 23 mandates, while Eisenkot’s Yashar climbed by two seats to match Likud at 23.

At the same time, Bennett’s Beyachad party slipped by one seat to 13, while the Democrats dropped two seats to just eight. Hadash-Ta’al, meanwhile, picked up one seat and now stands at six mandates.

Elsewhere in the poll, Otzma Yehudit remained unchanged at nine seats, as did Yisrael Beiteinu with nine. Shas and United Torah Judaism also held steady with eight seats each. Religious Zionism, however, fell by one seat and now stands at just four mandates. In addition, the joint party led by Yoaz Hendel and Chili Tropper cleared the electoral threshold with four seats.

The broader bloc picture showed little movement. Netanyahu’s coalition bloc remained at 52 seats, while the opposition led by Eisenkot stood at 57. Arab parties collectively held 11 mandates.

The poll also tested a scenario in which two new right-wing parties entered the race—one headed by Gilad Erdan and Yuli Edelstein, and another led by Ofer Winter. In that scenario, neither party crossed the electoral threshold. The Democrats gained one seat to reach nine mandates, while Otzma Yehudit fell from nine to eight.

Another scenario examined the impact of MK Yoav Segalovich joining Mansour Abbas’ Ra’am party. Even with Segalovich on its slate, Ra’am remained at five seats, and the overall balance between the political blocs did not change.

On the question of who is best suited to serve as prime minister, Netanyahu outperformed Bennett by a comfortable margin. Forty percent of respondents said Netanyahu was best suited for the job, compared with 31% who chose the Beyachad leader.

Netanyahu also led Eisenkot in the head-to-head matchup, although by a much narrower margin. The survey found 40% viewed Netanyahu as the better choice for prime minister, while 36% favored Eisenkot.

When respondents were asked to choose between Bennett and Eisenkot, the Yashar leader held a commanding advantage, receiving 37% support compared to just 15% for Bennett.

The poll also asked Israelis about a potential agreement with Hamas regarding Gaza. Forty-five percent of respondents said Israel should oppose such a deal, while 27% said Israel should support it. Another 27% said they were unsure.

{Matzav.com}

The Trump administration has launched a tougher immigration enforcement effort by revoking visas issued to foreign nationals arrested for driving under the influence, with State Department officials saying the policy is aimed at protecting Americans from dangerous offenders.

“The Trump Administration is keeping reckless foreign drivers off our streets by revoking visas and denying further travel to the United States,” officials wrote in a statement. “The State Department is keeping our streets safe from foreign nationals who drive impaired, disregard laws, and endanger Americans.”

Among the individuals who recently lost their visas was a foreign national arrested on multiple charges, including drunk driving, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest with violence, and domestic violence.

“Outrageous and dangerous behavior that endangers American communities will never be tolerated,” officials wrote. “Visa revoked.”

The State Department also highlighted several additional cases involving foreign nationals whose visas have been canceled.

One individual was arrested for aggravated DUI after allegedly registering a blood alcohol level nearly twice the legal limit while a minor was riding in the vehicle. Officials emphasized that conduct placing a child’s life in danger on American roads would not be tolerated. Visa revoked.

Another foreign national was arrested after authorities determined the driver’s blood alcohol level exceeded three times the legal limit. Officials said the same individual later appeared intoxicated at a court-ordered DUI program. The department said there would be no additional opportunities for foreign visitors who jeopardize American lives. Visa revoked.

In another case, a foreign national was taken into custody for driving under the influence after allegedly causing injuries to another person. Officials said individuals who endanger Americans have no place in the United States. Visa revoked.

The State Department also revoked the visa of a foreign national arrested while allegedly driving with heroin and recording a blood alcohol level more than three times the legal limit. Officials said such conduct represented a blatant abuse of the privilege of entering the United States. Visa revoked.

“Under President Trump, the State Department will continue to revoke the visas of foreigners who endanger our citizens and will always put the safety of Americans first,” officials wrote.

The latest enforcement action follows another initiative led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, under which the State Department has also begun canceling visas issued to foreign nationals who have been arrested or convicted on fraud-related charges.

{Matzav.com}

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It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Aharon Elazar Turner zt”l, a distinguished talmid chacham, author, and familiar figure in Bnei Brak, who was niftar at the age of 80.

A devoted student of the teachings of the Ramchal and among the earliest participants in Mifal HaShas, Rav Turner dedicated his life to Torah scholarship, publishing, and avodas Hashem.

His levayah was held Sunday evening in Bnei Brak, with burial in Elad.

Rav Turner, the son of Reb Zelig Turner z”l, was born in the United States before making aliyah to Eretz Yisroel. He became one of Bnei Brak’s respected Torah personalities, part of the generation of American Jewry that left behind the challenges of the era to devote itself entirely to a life of Torah.

For many years, Rav Turner was a regular mispallel at the famed Lederman shul. He developed a profound attachment to the Torah of the Ramchal, which became the central focus of his lifelong learning. His scholarship resulted in the publication of the seforim Yisron HaOr and Yodei Shemecha, both devoted to the teachings of the Ramchal. He also merited to prepare for publication Pardes Nissim, the work of the noted mekubal Rav Nissim Peretz zt”l.

Rav Turner was an exceptional talmid chacham and oved Hashem, who embodied the ideal of shayif ayil v’shayif nafik v’lo machzik tivusa l’nafshei—conducting himself with extraordinary humility and never seeking recognition. He devoted his life to Torah, avodah, and chesed, serving Hashem quietly, sincerely, and with remarkable simplicity.

He is survived by his wife, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, all continuing in the path of Torah and mitzvos.

The levayah departed from his home at 49 Harav Shach Street in Bnei Brak. It proceeded via Beis Hashem shul on Alharizi Street before continuing to the cemetery in Elad, where he was laid to rest.

The family is sitting shivah at 49 Harav Shach Street in Bnei Brak.

Yehi zichro baruch.

{Matzav.com}

The Torah world is mourning the petirah of Rav Rafael Hillel Porush zt”l, a distinguished talmid chacham and one of the prominent residents of Yerushalayim’s Givat Shaul neighborhood, who was niftar at the age of 89.

His levayah took place on Har Hamenuchos, where he was laid to rest.

Rav Porush was born on the 22nd of Tammuz, 5697 (1937), to his father, Rav Mordechai Lieber Porush zt”l, and his mother, Mrs. Mina a”h.

He married the daughter of Rav Yisroel Glazer zt”l, the longtime rov of Ramla.

Renowned as an exceptional talmid chacham, Rav Porush devoted his life to the in-depth study of Torah and painstaking research into the writings of the Rishonim. He invested countless hours in clarifying the texts of early Torah authorities, examining variant versions of the Gemara and other classic Torah works. Among his many scholarly accomplishments, he published the Torah writings of Rabbeinu Peretz and the Ri of Lunel, making these important works more accessible to the Torah world.

Throughout his life, Rav Porush was known for his integrity, humility, and simplicity. Despite enduring significant personal hardship and suffering, he welcomed others into his home with warmth and generosity. Those who knew him recall that he accepted every challenge with remarkable humility and a pleasant countenance, never allowing difficulties to interrupt his steadfast commitment to his daily sedorim of Torah and tefillah.

The family is sitting shivah at the family’s home, located at 17A Rechov Givat Shaul in Yerushalayim.

Yehi zichro baruch.

{Matzav.com}

Senate Democrats highlighted one notable omission from the stopgap spending package: the White House’s proposal to allocate $1 billion for the construction of so-called “Trump-class” battleships was left out of the legislation.

They also pointed to another significant change from the version previously approved by the House, saying negotiators successfully added language preventing the administration from shifting money from other government programs to the Border Patrol.

Congress is taking the unusual step of advancing a temporary government funding measure well before the fiscal year expires on Sept. 30. Lawmakers typically wait until the final days—or even the final hours—before a funding deadline to pass short-term extensions, making this late-summer action an uncommon move.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said avoiding another government shutdown was his chief objective before senators departed for the August recess. He warned that Americans have already endured two record-setting shutdowns within the past 10 months.

“We need to ensure that they do not face a third,” Thune said.

Lawmakers are pursuing the temporary funding measure because Congress has once again fallen behind on completing all 12 annual appropriations bills before the Sept. 30 deadline. Passing a stopgap bill now would give negotiators additional time to settle disputes over full-year government funding.

Reaching a final agreement remains difficult, however. Republicans are pressing for a major increase in military spending while seeking reductions in domestic programs. President Donald Trump has proposed trimming overall non-defense spending by 10% while calling for approximately a 44% increase in defense funding.

Both parties are eager to avoid another government shutdown so close to Election Day after polling following last autumn’s record 43-day shutdown showed that voters blamed both Republicans and Democrats for the impasse.

Democrats had pushed to renew a health insurance tax credit that is set to expire and resisted supporting a temporary spending measure that failed to include the extension. Republicans countered that the tax credit should be debated separately rather than folded into the stopgap bill.

Another prolonged funding standoff centered on the Department of Homeland Security stretched for 76 days after Democrats refused to approve money for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol unless operational changes were included.

Sen. Susan Collins, the Republican chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, joined Democratic lawmakers in opposing a proposed Trump administration rule governing federal grant awards. The regulation would require senior political appointees at each agency to review grant applications using standards that include “ensuring that discretionary awards advance the President’s policy priorities.”

Collins and Sen. Patty Murray, the committee’s top Democrat, said the proposed regulation would be prevented from taking effect while the temporary funding bill remains in place. Collins said she pressed for substantial revisions to the proposal, “citing its potential to politicize grants and harm small, rural communities, families, and biomedical research.”

Democrats, however, want the proposal scrapped entirely. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer condemned it as a “disgraceful” effort that would “further politicize all federal grants.”

“While Republicans rejected killing the proposed rule outright, I’m going to keep fighting to put a stop to it once and for all, and I will keep pressing my Republican colleagues to do exactly that,” Murray said.

Democrats argue the administration’s proposal could allow Trump to use federal grant funding to reward political allies while penalizing critics, weakening Congress’ constitutional authority over federal spending. The White House Office of Management and Budget has defended the proposal, saying its purpose is to strengthen oversight and ensure taxpayer money is spent responsibly rather than wasted or abused.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump disclosed Sunday that he halted what he described as an enormous planned military strike against Iran after several key Middle Eastern allies urged him to delay the operation and give diplomatic negotiations another opportunity, saying they believed a comprehensive agreement was within reach.

Speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One during his return flight from Bedminster, New Jersey, to Joint Base Andrews, Trump said the operation he canceled would have been unprecedented in scale and devastating for the Islamic Republic.

“I was asked to by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, by Qatar, and by Iran to hold off strikes,” Trump said. “It would have been a massive attack.

“When the allies asked to call it off, you gotta say, Well, let’s see.”

Trump revealed that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman personally encouraged him to pursue diplomacy rather than authorize military action.

“I asked the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, ‘What would you rather have us do?'” Trump said. “He said, ‘We would prefer a deal rather than an attack.'”

According to the president, leaders across the Gulf region believe negotiations are moving toward a broader agreement that would include reopening the Strait of Hormuz as well as addressing Iran’s nuclear program.

“Allies think there is a deal,” Trump said. “There is a deal on Hormuz, and it will be a deal on the nuclear.”

Trump emphasized that his administration is willing to give diplomacy a chance before deciding whether military force will ultimately be required.

“We are just going to see whether or not we can make a deal,” he said.

When asked whether Iran has been given a deadline to reach an agreement, Trump declined to provide one.

“We will see,” he said. “I am not looking to kill people.”

The president also acknowledged that opinions remain divided over the proper U.S. response toward Iran, with some urging immediate military action and others favoring continued negotiations.

“There is a group of people who would love me to do it — just do it — and there is another group of people that does not want me to do it,” he said.

Trump concluded by announcing that direct talks between the United States and Iran are scheduled to resume Monday afternoon, expressing optimism that renewed negotiations could prevent another military confrontation.

“We are talking to them. It begins tomorrow afternoon,” Trump said. “It would save a lot of lives.”

{Matzav.com}

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rabbi Avraham Yaakov (A.J.) Levin zt”l, a pioneering figure in the world of kashrus education, founding editor of Kashrus Kurrents, longtime vice president of the Orthodox Jewish Council, and one of the visionaries who helped transform kosher consumer awareness.

For decades, Rabbi  evin devoted himself to strengthening kashrus standards and educating the public, quietly leaving an indelible mark on countless Jewish homes. Through his work with STAR-K Kosher Certification, he helped bridge the gap between complex halachic principles and everyday consumers, making reliable kashrus information accessible in a way that had never before been done on such a broad scale.

A talmid of Yeshivas Ner Yisroel in Baltimore, Rabbi Levin was formed under the guidance of the yeshivah‘s legendary leaders. During his years there, he developed a close relationship with Rav Yaakov Yitzchok Ruderman zt”l, as well as with Rav Dovid Kronglass zt”l, Rav Shmuel Yaakov Weinberg zt”l, and Rav Naftoli Neuberger zt”l. The Torah, yiras Shamayim, and sense of responsibility for Klal Yisroel that he absorbed in those formative years remained evident throughout his life.

Perhaps his most enduring public contribution came through Kashrus Kurrents, the flagship publication of STAR-K, which he founded and edited. At a time when kosher consumer information was far less available than it is today, the publication became an indispensable resource for families, rabbanim, and mashgichim, presenting practical halachic guidance in a clear and engaging format.

He also played a leading role in developing some of the earliest consumer-empowerment initiatives in the field of kashrus. Recognizing that people often needed immediate answers to practical she’eilos, he helped establish specialized consumer guidance programs as well as STAR-K’s early kashrus telephone hotlines, giving the public direct access to reliable information long before the internet became commonplace.

Beyond his organizational accomplishments, Rabbi Levin was admired for his humility, warmth, and unwavering dedication to serving Klal Yisroel. Friends and colleagues recall someone who worked tirelessly behind the scenes, preferring that the mission receive recognition rather than the individual carrying it out.

He is survived by his devoted wife, Rebbetzin Sorah Levin, and by a distinguished family continuing his legacy of Torah and avodas hakodesh.

The following family members are sitting shivah together in Yerushalayim at Panim Meiros 2, Apartment 10:

Rebbetzin Sorah Levin
Rav Dovid Binyamin Levin (through Monday; beginning Tuesday he will be sitting shivah in Miami Beach)
Rav Tsvi Yehuda Levin
Rav Ahron Gershon Levin
Rebbetzin Rochel Risha Goldberg

Visiting hours in Yerushalayim are from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. The family can be reached at 011-972-2-537-1911.

Rabbi Moishe Eliezer Levin is sitting shivah at 154 Williamsburg Lane, Coventry Square, Lakewood, N.J. Telephone: (732) 330-7132.

Minyanim in Lakewood are as follows: Shacharis, Monday through Friday at 7:15 a.m.; Mincha, 15 minutes before shkiah; Maariv at 7:55 p.m. following Mincha; and Friday Mincha at 1:45 p.m.

Rabbi Peretz Chaim Levin is sitting shivah at 902 Ditmas Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11218. Telephone: (917) 584-5722.

Minyanim in Brooklyn: Shacharis at 8:00 a.m.; Mincha and Maariv 15 minutes before shkiah.

Beginning Tuesday, Rabbi Dovid Binyamin Levin will be sitting shivah at 4000 Alton Road, Miami Beach, Fla. 33140. Telephone: (305) 409-4175.

Yehi zichro baruch.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli police are renewing their appeal to the public for assistance in locating 16-year-old Efrat Menachem, who has now been missing for ten days. Authorities say they remain deeply concerned for her safety as the search continues with no significant breakthrough.

The search is being led by officers from the Binyamin Police Station in the Judea and Samaria District, working together with additional security agencies in an ongoing effort to locate the missing teenager from Kochav Ya’akov.

According to police, Efrat was last seen on the morning of July 24 at approximately 8:00 a.m. near the community of Beit Elazari. Shortly afterward, all contact with her was lost, prompting authorities to launch an extensive search operation amid growing concern for her well-being.

Police describe Efrat as standing approximately 1.55 meters (5 feet, 1 inch) tall, with long dark hair, dark brown eyes, and glasses. She was last seen wearing a white denim skirt and a white top.

Authorities are urging anyone who may have seen Efrat Menachem or who has information that could help investigators locate her to immediately contact the Israel Police emergency hotline by dialing 100 or call the Binyamin Police Station at +972-2-9706444.

{Matzav.com}

All are asked to daven for Rav Avrohom Pinchos Brody, who is in critical condition after suffering a heart attack. He is currently being treated at NewYork-Presbyterian Medical Center.

Rav Brody is the rov of Khal Zichron Meir on Spruce Street in Lakewood and the rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Yaaros Devash.

Rav Brody previously served for many years as a maggid shiur at Yeshiva Rabbeinu Yaakov Yosef in Edison, New Jersey.

Rav Brody’s late wife, Rebbetzin Dena Sarah Brody a”h, was a beloved mechaneches and longtime menaheles of Bais Rivka Rochel Girls Elementary School in Lakewood. She was the daughter of Reb Moshe Swerdloff zt”l, one of the pioneering bnei Torah of East New York, Brooklyn. Rebbetzin Brody was niftar in 2012.

In response to Rav Brody’s condition, a community-wide tefillah call has been organized for this evening at 10:15 p.m. Participants may join by calling 605-475-4700 and entering PIN 6739, when Tehillim will be recited on his behalf.

All are asked to daven for the complete recovery of Rav Avrohom Pinchos ben Chana.

{Matzav.com}

A newly formed Italian-American organization is moving ahead with plans to erect a new Christopher Columbus statue in Brooklyn this October, deliberately placing it on private property to avoid potential interference from Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration and others who have sought to remove monuments honoring the famed Italian explorer.

The project is being spearheaded by the Preserving Italian Heritage Coalition, an organization organized by New York State Assemblyman Lester Chang (R-Brooklyn). Rather than pursuing a city-owned location, the coalition intends to install the monument at the John Hughes Club in Dyker Heights, ensuring it will remain beyond the reach of municipal officials.

“I’m Chinese, but this is my community, too,” said Chang, who was born on Eldridge Street in Manhattan and today represents Bensonhurst and Dyker Heights.

The coalition has launched a fundraising campaign with a goal of collecting $100,000 to pay for the statue’s installation and future upkeep.

Chang said the idea began taking shape after last November’s election and was further inspired by President Donald Trump’s Columbus Day proclamation, in which Trump pledged to reclaim the explorer’s legacy from “left-wing arsonists.” According to Chang, he personally wrote the coalition’s first donation before the organization even had a bank account.

The assemblyman also reflected on his family’s history, explaining that his father, who immigrated from China in 1924, struggled to find work before eventually being hired by an Italian restaurant in Liberty, New York.

Chang said the coalition intentionally selected private property because members anticipated opposition from the Mamdani administration if the statue were placed on public land.

Mamdani, a democratic socialist, drew widespread attention in 2020 after posting a photograph of himself making a profane gesture toward a Christopher Columbus statue in Queens while calling for the monument’s removal during his tenure as a state assemblyman.

Chang initially explored placing the monument in a park along 18th Avenue but concluded the proposal would likely become entangled in an approval process lasting up to two years, only to face probable rejection at the end.

Stefano Forte, president of the New York Young Republican Club, whose organization has assisted with early fundraising efforts, said the project offers an opportunity to celebrate a figure whose monuments have increasingly come under attack.

“At a time when Italian American history and culture are being erased by Mayor Mamdani, our club is highlighting one of the giants of American and Italian history, Christopher Columbus,” Forte said.

Mamdani’s office did not respond to requests for comment.

Coalition treasurer Gregory Lendino said Christopher Columbus had long served as a unifying figure within the Italian-American community, regardless of political affiliation.

“It didn’t matter if you were Republican or Democrat, conservative or liberal. He was just an icon that we rallied around.”

Committee member Lori Pedone said the effort carries deep personal meaning for her family.

“My grandparents would be ecstatic knowing that we’re trying to preserve history,” she said.

“My son was recently married. Maybe my grandchildren will one day be able to see that statue and be proud of it as well.”

Coalition leaders say this is only the beginning of a broader effort. They hope their organization can become a permanent home for Columbus monuments and other statues that are removed elsewhere in the country, arguing that placing them on private property avoids much of the governmental red tape involved with public installations.

Members have also discussed the possibility that the new monument could become a target for vandalism. To prepare for that possibility, the statue’s base is being designed wide enough to accommodate a protective enclosure if one becomes necessary.

Lendino said the coalition remains committed to moving forward regardless of any opposition.

“They came here and they built things,” Lendino said. “They didn’t tear things down.”

{Matzav.com}

Italy has temporarily suspended its participation in its free-travel arrangement with Spain after an estimated 60,000 migrants surged into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, a dramatic move that has intensified pressure on European leaders as they confront a growing migration crisis.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced the decision after the mass influx of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa into Ceuta, saying Italy is acting to prevent secondary migration into its own territory following Spain’s immigration policies under socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

Meloni described the decision as “an extraordinary measure, adopted to safeguard national security and prevent possible repercussions for our nation.”

Under the move, Italy will suspend the application of the Schengen Agreement with Spain for one month. The Schengen system ordinarily allows passport-free travel across 29 European countries.

Ceuta, a Spanish city of roughly 83,000 residents located on the Mediterranean coast and surrounded by Morocco, is one of only two land crossings connecting Africa to the European Union, making it a focal point for migrant traffic.

Images showing tens of thousands of migrants attempting to scale border fences and swim around coastal barriers to reach Ceuta have fueled fears across Europe that a new large-scale migration emergency may be unfolding.

Spanish authorities have responded by installing a 1,600-foot floating barrier designed to make it more difficult for migrants to bypass the land border by sea. Officials also said that the majority of those who successfully entered Ceuta were subsequently returned to Morocco.

While Italy has taken the strongest action so far, concern over Spain’s handling of the crisis has spread across Europe. The leaders of both Finland and Denmark publicly criticized Madrid for failing to adequately secure its borders, while France tightened inspections at crossings along its frontier with Spain.

The growing crisis has prompted the interior ministers of 22 European Union member states to schedule an emergency meeting Tuesday to discuss border security and the bloc’s response.

Prime Minister Sanchez rejected the criticism directed at his government and suggested that the crisis was being politically exploited.

“In the current international context, the European Union cannot afford this kind of selfish, polarizing and unlawful reaction,” he said.

Meanwhile, one of Sanchez’s political allies in Spain went even further, alleging that Israel and the Trump administration were responsible for the mass migration into Ceuta as retaliation for Sanchez’s outspoken criticism of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and his refusal to allow the United States to use Spanish air bases for flights connected to the war with Iran.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump announced Sunday that negotiations between the United States and Iran will resume Monday afternoon, one day after he halted what he described as a massive military strike in order to give diplomacy another chance.

Speaking with reporters, Trump confirmed that discussions with Tehran are set to restart following appeals from several Middle Eastern nations urging the United States to delay military action while negotiators pursue a broader agreement.

The president said he agreed to postpone the planned operation after receiving requests from regional allies as well as from Iran itself.

“I was asked to [call off the strikes] by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, by Qatar, and by Iran. We are all set to go, at about this time right now. It would have been a massive attack,” Trump said.

“When the allies asked to call it off, you gotta say, ‘Well, let’s see.’ The allies think there is a deal. There is a deal on Hormuz, and it will be a deal on the denuclearization of Iran.”

Asked what comes next, Trump said negotiations are expected to begin Monday and expressed hope that diplomacy can prevent further bloodshed.

Reporter: On Iran, what happens now?

Trump: We are talking to them. It begins tomorrow afternoon. It would save a lot of lives. pic.twitter.com/C29aQZBKLf

— Clash Report (@clashreport) August 2, 2026

“We are talking to them. It begins tomorrow afternoon. It would save a lot of lives.”

When questioned about whether Iran faces a deadline to reach an agreement, Trump declined to specify one.

“We will see. Would I rather make a deal? I am not looking to kill people. Because people die. A lot of people die. We don’t want that.”

Last night, Trump announced on Truth Social that he had decided to cancel a planned military operation against Iran after being informed that the outlines of a possible agreement had been reached. He stressed, however, that Tehran must move quickly to finalize the deal.

“The U.S.A. is locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran, at levels of Military Terror, Strength, and Power not seen since World War II. Despite this, we have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern Countries, to hold off any attack in that the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to. This would include the Immediate, Complete, and Total OPENING OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT, and an end to Iran’s nuclear threat,” Trump wrote.

He added, “Based on this request, I have agreed, for the future benefit of the WORLD and, likewise, the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran, to cancel the attack, subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL. The Country of Israel joins me in this commitment. Get to work, everybody, and get it DONE.”

Trump’s announcement came shortly after Axios reported that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke with the president by telephone on Shabbos to voice serious concerns about launching a large-scale military operation against Iran.

“The Saudis expressed concern and asked for clarity about the plan of action,” one US official told Axios.

A second source familiar with the conversation said the Saudi crown prince personally urged Trump to pursue de-escalation and avoid authorizing the planned strikes.

Just one day earlier, The Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. officials said Trump had approved preparations for a new military offensive against Iran that could begin as early as the weekend and continue for several days.

{Matzav.com}

American Airlines has pushed back its return to Israel once again, announcing that it will not resume service to Tel Aviv until late March 2027.

According to a report by Israel’s Channel 12, the U.S. carrier will not restart flights to and from Israel before March 27, 2027. A review of the airline’s booking system confirms that the earliest available nonstop flights are scheduled to begin on March 28, 2027.

The latest postponement means American Airlines will remain absent from the Israeli market for many more months as major international carriers continue to reassess operations in the region.

Other U.S. airlines have also delayed their return. Under their current schedules, United Airlines is not expected to resume flights to Israel before September 7, 2026, while Delta Air Lines has pushed its planned return to September 5, 2026.

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sparred intensely with CNN anchor Dana Bash during a combative interview Sunday, with the two clashing over COVID-19, vaccines, measles, autism, and the media’s handling of the pandemic in an exchange that repeatedly devolved into shouting.

The tension first surfaced when Bash noted that Kennedy has repeatedly blamed Dr. Anthony Fauci for many of the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fauci, who testified before a Senate committee last week, invoked the Fifth Amendment numerous times rather than answer lawmakers’ questions.

The confrontation escalated after Bash asked Kennedy how he would respond if another pandemic emerged. Kennedy argued that protecting Americans’ constitutional liberties must take precedence.

“We need to protect our constitutional rights. That is the primary obligation,” Kennedy said during CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday when asked about how he would deal with a pandemic in the future. “One of the mistakes we made in the last time was suppressing those rights so people weren’t being heard.”

Bash dismissed the response, saying he was focusing on constitutional issues rather than public health and attempted to steer the interview in a different direction.

Kennedy immediately fired back.

“Because you were part of the problem,” he fired back.

He then accused the media of abandoning its responsibility to challenge those in power.

“It was absolute press malpractice … your job is furious skepticism of authority, and you weren’t doing that.”

Bash responded by insisting that her goal was to prevent Kennedy from making what she viewed as false statements. She maintained that “factually true that the COVID vaccine worked.”

Growing frustrated, Bash asked Kennedy whether he intended to continue criticizing her instead of answering questions.

“Do you want to sit here and attack me, or do you want to have conversations?” Bashed vented.

Kennedy answered sharply.

“You’ve been sitting here and attacking me.”

The interview then shifted to the measles outbreak, but the argument quickly returned to the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, including their use in children. Kennedy challenged Bash to identify a study proving her assertions, while Bash countered by citing research suggesting vaccine misinformation may have contributed to between 100,000 and 200,000 additional deaths in the United States.

Kennedy rejected her claims outright.

“You are saying nonsense. You are saying something that you cannot [prove],” the HHS boss fumed.

Bash interrupted during the exchange.

“I am not saying nonsense,” Bash interjected during some crosstalk. “Excuse me.”

When the discussion returned to measles, Kennedy argued that the outbreak is part of a broader international trend and contended that the United States has responded more effectively than any other nation. He also blamed the resurgence in measles on the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, along with a segment of the population that declines vaccination for religious reasons.

Bash then urged Kennedy to use his position as the nation’s top health official to directly encourage parents to vaccinate their children before the new school year.

“What I want you to do is please use your bully pulpit to right now, as we’re getting close to back to school, say … to parents who have not vaccinated their kids that they should vaccinate their kids for measles because it is safe and it will help them save their children’s lives?” Bash said.

She asked Kennedy to look directly into the camera and deliver that message, and he complied.

The interview then turned to autism, where Bash questioned Kennedy about continued investigations into a possible connection between vaccines and autism. Kennedy confirmed that President Donald Trump “certainly does” want him to continue exploring the issue.

“You are wrong when you say that this issue has been studied,” Kennedy said.

As the exchange grew more heated, Kennedy remarked to Bash, “I know you’re flustered now.”

He later challenged her role as a journalist.

“Do you see your job as ending vaccine hesitancy or telling the truth to the American people?” he later added, before bashing her for repeating her lines “like a parrot.”

After more than 20 minutes of back-and-forth, Bash ended the interview on a more conciliatory note, acknowledging the contentious nature of the conversation while defending her approach as an interviewer.

“I’m sorry that this turned into a very contentious conversation, and my job is to try to get the best information out there, and it concerns me when you come in and say things [that are wrong],” Bash concluded before ending the interview, which lasted over 20 minutes.

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{Matzav.com}

A dangerous drug-resistant fungus that has become a growing concern for hospitals across the United States continues to spread in 2026, with new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showing confirmed cases in 23 states despite ongoing efforts to contain the outbreak.

Candida auris, a highly resilient fungal infection, was first identified in the United States in 2016 and has steadily expanded its reach ever since. Health officials warn that some strains have evolved into true “superbugs,” making them resistant to all of the medications typically used to treat fungal infections.

Although healthy individuals often have little difficulty fighting off the fungus, Candida auris poses a far greater threat inside hospitals and long-term care facilities, where patients frequently have weakened immune systems or other serious medical conditions. The fungus is capable of surviving on surfaces for extended periods and can spread through medical equipment such as catheters, ventilators, and intravenous lines.

According to the CDC, nearly half of all U.S. states have reported Candida auris cases so far this year. Texas currently leads the nation, recording more than 700 confirmed infections by the middle of July.

Michigan, which is simultaneously dealing with a separate public health crisis, has reported the second-highest number of Candida auris cases, with 503 confirmed infections.

A recent review examining the fungus’s spread between 2022 and 2024 found that approximately 88% of clinical infections occurred in adults over the age of 45. The analysis also found that most patients were men and that the overwhelming majority of infections were identified in acute-care medical facilities.

Medical experts warn that once Candida auris gains a foothold inside a healthcare setting, it can be extremely difficult to eliminate, creating a potentially deadly situation for already vulnerable patients.

“If you get infected with this pathogen that’s resistant to any treatment, there’s no treatment we can give you to help combat it. You’re all on your own,” Melissa Nolan, an assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of South Carolina, previously told Nexstar.

The CDC has previously estimated that “based on information from a limited number of patients, 30–60% of people with C. auris infections have died. However, many of these people had other serious illnesses that also increased their risk of death.”

{Matzav.com}

A new report warns that antisemitic conspiracy theories falsely accusing Israel and the Jewish people of orchestrating the recent migrant surge into Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta exploded across X in a matter of days, reaching an estimated audience of more than 100 million people within 72 hours.

The findings, released by the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM), allege that fabricated claims tying Israel to the border crisis spread rapidly through influential accounts on the social media platform. According to the organization, the wave of misinformation quickly transformed a humanitarian emergency into a global campaign of antisemitic propaganda.

CAM’s Antisemitism Research Center (ARC) said it identified 173 posts from 119 influencer accounts that portrayed the migrant influx as part of a Jewish conspiracy. The organization estimated those posts generated 57.5 million views, reached approximately 103.1 million users, received 1.9 million likes, and were shared more than 368,000 times.

The migration crisis erupted on July 30, when an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 migrants crossed into Ceuta, prompting Spanish authorities to declare a state of emergency. The surge followed a domestic court ruling in Spain and occurred against the backdrop of ongoing tensions with Morocco, as well as years of strain on Europe’s asylum system.

Although the circumstances surrounding the migrant influx were publicly documented, CAM said social media users quickly circulated false claims alleging that Israel and the Jewish people had secretly engineered the crisis.

According to the ARC, its research focused only on identifiable influencer accounts that receive monetization benefits, rather than anonymous users or automated bot networks. The report noted that many of those accounts carried paid verification badges, which CAM argues increase their visibility through X’s recommendation algorithms.

Among the examples highlighted was an account known as “Forbidden HQ,” which CAM said published an image depicting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with migrants emerging from his mouth onto a Spanish beach. According to the report, the post was viewed 5.3 million times and included additional allegations portraying Morocco as an Israeli proxy.

The report also pointed to a post by internet personality Dan Bilzerian that CAM said attracted 2.7 million views. According to CAM, Bilzerian falsely claimed that Prime Minister Netanyahu had threatened Spain with “the ultimate price” over its criticism of Israel, while pairing that allegation with an unrelated Israeli Foreign Ministry holiday greeting directed to Morocco.

CAM further alleged that an account using the name “China Times,” despite having no connection to any Chinese news organization, falsely asserted that Israel had acknowledged using the Mossad to orchestrate the migration, relying on a parody account as its supposed source.

The report found that reposts greatly exceeded comments on the material it analyzed, leading ARC researchers to conclude that users were far more likely to circulate the claims than to dispute them.

Researchers also said the same conspiracy theories spread across accounts representing widely different political camps, including far-right, far-left, and Islamist voices.

According to CAM, far-right users promoted longstanding antisemitic “Great Replacement” theories claiming that Jewish elites are deliberately reshaping Europe’s demographics. At the same time, the report said far-left figures—including author Susan Abulhawa—asserted that the migrant surge had been “completely engineered by the US, Israel, and Morocco,” while other accounts linked Spain’s support for the Palestinians and other international developments to what they described as an Israeli plot.

The organization also cited fabricated posts falsely attributing comments to Spanish actor Javier Bardem claiming Israel orchestrated the migration in retaliation for Spain’s criticism of the Jewish state. CAM said Bardem never made such remarks, but the false claim was later amplified by commentator Mia Khalifa.

According to the report, other posts attempted to use Morocco’s military cooperation with Israel as supposed proof that Israel was behind the migrant crossings, while others recycled longstanding antisemitic narratives accusing Jews of manipulating migration in order to weaken European society.

“A humanitarian emergency at Europe’s border was turned into a global antisemitic campaign in under 72 hours, and X did nothing to slow it down. This is not a story about a few bad actors. It is a story about a platform whose design rewards the fastest and most inflammatory explanation available, and on X that explanation is increasingly a Jewish conspiracy,” said CAM CEO Sacha Roytman Dratwa.

CAM urged X to implement what it described as algorithmic safeguards for keywords associated with well-known antisemitic tropes during humanitarian crises. The organization also called on the platform to strip accounts spreading such material of advertising and verification privileges and to work with organizations, including CAM, to provide expert Community Notes offering historical context in real time.

The report concludes by arguing that X’s recommendation systems are helping amplify antisemitic content and calls on the platform to take stronger action against what CAM describes as the growing online demonization of both the Jewish people and the State of Israel.

{Matzav.com}