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Several bochurim at a yeshiva in Rechasim were reportedly assaulted by violent youths on Motzoei Shabbos, with victims saying they were too afraid to contact police or seek medical treatment because they fear being arrested as military draft deserters.

According to eyewitness accounts, a group of troubled youths entered the yeshiva grounds, hurled rocks and other heavy objects, and brutally attacked several bochurim. Some of the injured reportedly required medical attention but declined to go to a hospital out of concern that authorities would detain them.

“We’re exposed. Our blood has been declared ownerless. They had knives on their waists. I’m afraid to call the police,” one talmid told Channel 13 News.

Another bochur described the frightening scene.

“Right after Shabbos ended, there was a fight involving troubled youths outside our yeshiva. They started throwing rocks toward the yeshiva. One bochur was nearly hit in the head by a large rock that one of them deliberately threw at him. When they realized the police weren’t coming, they grabbed one bochur, threw him to the ground, and beat him mercilessly. Six of them attacked him until he was covered in blood. He’s now lying in the dormitory with a black eye and injuries all over his body.”

The bochur added that the victim has refused to seek medical treatment because he is considered a draft deserter and fears being arrested if he goes to a hospital.

Summing up the atmosphere inside the yeshiva, he said, “We were afraid to call the police because everyone in the yeshiva is a draft deserter. We feel like our lives are in danger, and we have absolutely no protection.”

Channel 13 also reported that another chareidi young man was severely beaten in the face earlier Saturday night in Kfar Chassidim. According to the report, he likewise chose not to file a police complaint because he feared being arrested as a draft deserter.

{Matzav.com}

After more than two decades in the Likud Party, MK Yuli Edelstein announced that he is leaving the party and launching a new political path, while making clear that he has no intention of joining Israel’s center-left camp. Speaking in an interview on Channel 12’s Meet the Press, the former Knesset speaker sharply criticized Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s handling of the military draft issue and called for the formation of a broad Zionist coalition that would not rely on chareidi parties.

“I’m not planning to run in the Likud primaries. The next step will most likely be an independent political framework,” Edelstein said.

Explaining his decision, Edelstein said he could no longer stand behind the direction of the Likud under its current leadership.

“If you succeed in the primaries, you then have to stand on stage and say, ‘Vote Likud.’ I don’t know how to finish that sentence anymore. What are we supposed to do? Continue enabling draft evasion? Continue avoiding votes on sovereignty? For me, the State of Israel has always come before the party.”

Edelstein also directed pointed criticism at Netanyahu over agreements with the chareidi parties regarding the draft law.

“It’s simply inexplicable. Netanyahu sees more polls than I do, and every one of them shows that most of the public—including more than a quarter of coalition voters—oppose what are called the deals with the chareidi parties. He’s the one sending soldiers into battle. He served in the military himself. He understands the situation. He certainly isn’t a chareidi learning three sedarim a day… If he were alone in a room with me, he would say, ‘You know what, Yuli? Between us, you were right about the draft law.’”

Asked about possible political alliances, Edelstein declined to commit to working with figures such as Naftali Bennett or Avigdor Lieberman but stressed that his ideological identity remains firmly on the right.

“I’m a right-wing person. I always have been, and I remain one. I don’t think what’s called the ‘change bloc’ is relevant for me. Those people are certainly my friends, and I speak with them. I very much hope we’ll come together. There is a large ציבור that is hungry for this message, looking for a framework that represents a responsible right—a right that will pass a draft law, enact judicial reform, and properly care for the north and the south.”

Edelstein said his objective is to create a political force strong enough to shape the next coalition and ensure it is not dependent on what he described as non-Zionist factions.

“What I will demand from any framework that I join is a clear commitment to a broad Zionist government that does not depend on non-Zionist parties. We can force such a coalition into existence and deal with the real agenda. Who serves as prime minister is the last thing that interests me. I’m willing to be number ten on the list.”

Shortly after the interview aired, following the conclusion of Shabbos, Edelstein expanded on his decision in a lengthy post on X.

“I’ll begin with the bottom line: I have decided not to run in the Likud primaries for the next Knesset and to embark on a new political path. With a heavy but complete heart, I will leave the Likud movement, which has been my home for more than 20 years, at the end of the current Knesset session.

“After October 7, it became clear to me that what was could not continue. I fought with all my strength for real and equal military service, and I succeeded in preventing a draft exemption law for generations. My goal was simple: to expand military service and create historic change.

“Throughout my career I have proven that I’m not attached to any position. I was removed as chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee because I blocked a draft exemption law, and I was removed from the committee itself because I voted in favor of sovereignty in Judea and Samaria. I’m proud of that.

“As a Prisoner of Zion in a Soviet prison, I learned that values are worth fighting for and worth paying a price for. When I fought against the disengagement from Gush Katif, they called me a traitor and a rebel. It didn’t bother me. History has already judged who was right. Today, hundreds of thousands of soldiers and responsible citizens who carry the burden stand behind me and long for change.

“I’m leaving the Likud faction, but not the members of Likud, many of whom see reality the same way I do. Soon we will set out together on a new path. Without boycotts, without surrendering to extremists, without relying on Arab parties, and without giving the chareidim a blank check. A broad government that reflects the 80 percent who agree on 80 percent of the issues.

“My principles have always been, and remain, clear: a genuine, responsible, and statesmanlike right. In favor of settlement throughout the Land of Israel, an iron-wall approach to security, a free-market economy, judicial reform, and strengthening the Jewish identity of the state.”

Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, did not attend the funeral of his father, Ali Khamenei, after Iranian security officials prevented him from appearing over serious concerns that he could be targeted in an assassination attempt, according to a report published today by The New York Times.

The report said Iranian authorities feared that Israel might use the public funeral either to assassinate Mojtaba Khamenei or to identify his whereabouts. The concerns came after his wife and son were killed in the joint U.S.-Israeli strike on the opening day of Operation Rising Lion.

According to The New York Times, the funeral and the preparations surrounding it exposed unusually deep divisions within Iran’s ruling establishment. Mojtaba Khamenei, who was appointed his father’s successor in March, has not appeared in public since then, fueling growing questions within Iran’s political leadership about whether he can effectively govern the country while remaining out of public view.

The report also pointed to mounting tensions within Iran’s leadership over approval of the ceasefire memorandum of understanding with the Trump administration.

According to the report, Ali Khamenei struggled to decide whether to approve the agreement until Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reportedly warned that he would resign if it was rejected. Pezeshkian also cautioned that Iran’s deteriorating economy, combined with the impact of the American naval blockade, would have devastating consequences if the conflict continued.

At the same time, Iran’s central bank governor reportedly sent an extraordinary letter warning of a severe budget crisis. The letter stated that if the blockade remained in place, the country could run out of essential food supplies and critical medical equipment by the end of August.

The report said those mounting political and economic pressures ultimately persuaded Mojtaba Khamenei to allow the agreement to move forward.

In a brief statement issued at the time, Mojtaba Khamenei said that although he opposed the agreement in principle, he would permit it to advance subject to approval by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. The council subsequently approved the agreement by a vote of 12 to 1.

As the United States celebrates the 250th anniversary of its founding, the U.S. Postal Service officially introduced a new Forever stamp honoring the Declaration of Independence during a special ceremony today at the B. Free Franklin Post Office in Philadelphia.

The newly released stamp pays tribute to the historic document adopted on July 4, 1776, which proclaimed the American colonies’ independence from Great Britain and affirmed that governments derive “their just powers from the consent of the governed.”

“The declaration has served as a mission statement for our nation that has inspired generations of Americans to do their part in fulfilling its promises for all,” said Lucy Trout, secretary to the USPS Board of Governors.

“In the 250 years since ratification of that mission statement, the American people have been engaged in a perpetual and honorable battle to make good on that promise.”

Among those attending the unveiling were members of the National Society of the Children of the American Revolution, the Daughters of the American Revolution, and representatives of Independence National Historical Park.

Philadelphia was selected as the site for the ceremony because it was the birthplace of the Declaration of Independence and is closely connected to Benjamin Franklin, who became the first postmaster general of the United Colonies in 1775.

Postal Service officials said the new release is one of several initiatives commemorating America’s Semiquincentennial, the nationwide observance marking 250 years since the nation’s founding.

This is not the first time the Postal Service has honored the Declaration of Independence through postage. Similar commemorative stamps have been issued over the years, including one released during the country’s bicentennial celebration in 1976.

The Postal Service noted that beyond announcing the colonies’ separation from Britain through its 27 listed grievances against the British crown, the Declaration also established timeless principles declaring that “all people are created equal” and are endowed with the unalienable rights to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

According to the agency, those ideals have continued to influence generations of Americans while also inspiring freedom movements and democratic societies across the globe.

The stamp itself features a striking red, white, and blue design. Running vertically across the artwork is the year “1776,” with each number fashioned as a feather quill pen in recognition of the writing instruments used by the Declaration’s 56 signers.

The artwork was designed by Juan Carlos Pagan, while Greg Breeding served as the art director for the project.

The Declaration of Independence Forever stamp is being sold in panes of 20 and will remain valid for mailing a one-ounce First-Class letter regardless of future increases in postage rates.

{Matzav.com}

The Israel Tax Authority has launched a sweeping campaign targeting dozens of yeshivos and mosdos Torah across Eretz Yisroel, requiring them to meet new conditions in order to preserve the tax benefits that allow donors to receive credits for their contributions.

The initiative follows a directive issued earlier this year by Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara instructing government authorities to withhold those tax benefits from institutions that have bochurim whose military status has not been resolved.

Under the new requirements, yeshivos seeking to retain recognition under Section 46 of the Income Tax Ordinance—which enables contributors to receive tax credits—must demonstrate that all of their talmidim have properly addressed their military status.

The Tax Authority has already dispatched official letters demanding that roshei yeshiva sign sworn affidavits affirming that no bochur in their yeshiva has received a military draft order without resolving his legal status, and that the institution has no talmidim classified by the authorities as draft evaders.

The institutions are also being required to pledge that they will not accept any future bochurim who have failed to settle their military status for as long as the yeshiva continues to benefit from Section 46 approval.

In addition, the Tax Authority is requiring each yeshiva to provide a complete roster of its talmidim, including names and identification numbers, together with documentation verifying each student’s military status. Acceptable documentation includes an active-duty military ID, a discharge certificate, an exemption certificate, or official confirmation of a future enlistment date.

According to the guidelines sent to the yeshivos, any institution that fails to provide the requested information or does not comply with the new conditions could lose its Section 46 status, preventing donors from claiming tax deductions on their donations.

The directive also instructs the creation of a special enforcement team to explore additional methods of preventing indirect government-supported funding from reaching institutions that fail to comply with the new requirements.

Israel paid tribute to the United States tonight as the Knesset building was illuminated in red, white, and blue to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026.

As part of the celebration, the Knesset also spent the past week showcasing photographs and video displays at its entrances highlighting visits by American presidents, congressional leaders, and other senior U.S. officials over the years.

Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana hailed the occasion as a landmark not only for the United States but for the entire democratic world.

“Today, the free world marks a truly historic milestone: 250 years since the founding of the United States of America.”

He praised America’s founders for creating a nation built upon enduring principles of liberty and human rights, saying, “In one of humanity’s greatest achievements, America’s Founding Fathers established the first great modern republic – a beacon of liberty that continues to guide humanity toward the values of freedom and human dignity.”

Ohana concluded by extending warm wishes to the American people while expressing appreciation for the close relationship between the two countries.

“On behalf of the Knesset and the people of Israel, I extend our heartfelt congratulations to the American people. I also express our gratitude to the American leadership for its leadership and for the steadfast alliance with Israel. Happy Independence Day, United States of America!”

President Donald Trump said he expects to host Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu at the White House as early as next week, although Israeli officials indicated that no such visit has been finalized and suggested any meeting would more likely take place later.

Speaking in a brief telephone interview with Axios, Trump expressed confidence in his relationship with the Israeli leader, saying, “We get along very good. [Netanyahu] knows who the boss is.”

Despite Trump’s comments, Israeli officials said there are currently no preparations underway for a White House visit next week. They noted that scheduling challenges surrounding the July 7-8 NATO summit could push any meeting back by at least another week.

Trump also addressed Friday’s funeral for Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, questioning the public displays of mourning while making a striking remark about the gathering.

“They are all there,” he told Axios. “One shot [and we can take them all out], but we are not going to do that because then we would have nobody to negotiate with.” Reflecting on the mourners, Trump added, “Maybe it’s fake tears.”

If it takes place, the meeting would mark the first formal face-to-face talks between Trump and Netanyahu since the two leaders reportedly clashed over Iran.

Last month, according to reports, a tense phone conversation between the two devolved into a heated exchange filled with profanity. Sources familiar with the call claimed Trump accused Netanyahu of being “crazy” and sharply criticized him for what he viewed as a lack of appreciation.

On Friday, however, the two leaders spoke again by phone, with Netanyahu calling to congratulate Trump on the 250th anniversary of American independence, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.

During the conversation, Netanyahu said the United States serves as a guarantor of freedom around the world and emphasized Israel’s appreciation for the strong alliance between the two countries.

The Prime Minister’s Office added that Trump and Netanyahu agreed to hold a meeting in the United States in the near future.

While some reports have suggested the meeting could occur in September on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, officials have not set a date, leaving open the possibility that the two leaders could meet sooner.

{Matzav.com}

The United States has reportedly delivered repeated intelligence warnings to Poland that Russia could carry out military provocations in the coming months, with possible scenarios ranging from attacks inside Polish territory to increased troop deployments near NATO’s eastern frontier.

According to a report by the Polish news outlet ONET, American officials briefed Warsaw on several potential threats. Among the possibilities discussed were a limited ground incursion into Poland, airstrikes against locations within the country, and the positioning of Russian or Belarusian military forces along NATO’s eastern flank.

Officials in Poland’s presidential office told ONET that Washington has issued multiple warnings about what it believes could be a Russian plan involving Poland. Polish intelligence sources reportedly outlined additional possibilities as well, including drone strikes targeting key infrastructure and “simulated airstrikes” intended to force Poland to activate its air defense network.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk acknowledged the heightened security concerns, saying his government is actively preparing for a variety of potential developments.

“We are preparing intensively for different scenarios,” Tusk said. “I don’t intend to scare anyone, but the coming months, also due to the changing nature of the war in Ukraine, may truly be critical, especially for the Baltic states. These concerns are real. We must not underestimate them.”

Poland’s Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski also directed a pointed warning at the Kremlin, urging Russia not to challenge the NATO alliance. “It would be a serious act of reckless folly if Vladimir Putin decides to test NATO’s unity through a disproportionate action. We know what you are planning. Don’t do it.”

Neither the U.S. government nor Polish authorities have officially verified the reported intelligence assessments. Russia, meanwhile, has not publicly responded to the allegations.

Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, sharply condemned UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday after reports emerged that the UN chief conveyed condolences to Iran following the death of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

The controversy erupted after Iran’s Foreign Ministry announced that Guterres spoke by phone on Thursday with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and offered condolences over Khamenei’s death.

Responding publicly, Danon lashed out at the UN secretary-general, writing on social media, “Mr. Secretary-General, do you truly believe it is appropriate to mourn Ali Khamenei, a brutal dictator who ordered the murder, torture, and persecution of tens of thousands of innocent Iranians?”

The reported conversation came as Iran prepared for a week-long series of funeral events honoring Khamenei, who was killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli strike inside Iran on February 28.

The latest dispute adds to a long-running and increasingly bitter relationship between Israeli officials and Guterres. Since the Hamas terrorist attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, the UN secretary-general has repeatedly drawn criticism from Israel over what it views as his increasingly hostile rhetoric.

Just weeks after the massacre, Guterres stated that the attack against Israel “did not happen in a vacuum,” remarks that many interpreted as assigning blame to Israel for the assault.

Facing widespread backlash, Guterres later insisted that his comments had been misunderstood and emphasized that he had condemned Hamas.

Tensions escalated even further in May when Guterres placed Israeli entities on the UN blacklist related to sexual violence in conflict zones, prompting Israel to suspend ties with the Secretary-General’s office.

Announcing the move at the time, Danon declared, “We are done with this UN Secretary-General. Guterres has put Israel on the same blacklist along with Hamas, ISIS and the most depraved terrorist organizations in the world. This is a moral disgrace that proves that Guterres has lost all credibility.”

{Matzav.com}