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Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid told JNS on Monday that Israel would “effectively” exercise its right to self-defense against the Iranian regime’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs “if necessary.”

“I think Iran is an existential threat to the Middle East and to the entire world, and it’s not only an Israeli problem, it’s a global problem,” said Lapid, speaking at a meeting of his Yesh Atid Party at the Knesset.

Iran’s ballistic missile program is “threatening the entire region, and therefore, it’s an American problem, a Saudi problem, an Emirati problem, an Israeli problem,” added Lapid, speaking in English.

Israel reserves the right to protect itself “under any circumstances, and we will effectively use this right if necessary,” he said.

Tehran has rebuilt most of its missile arsenal and is approaching the number of projectiles it had before the 12-day conflict with Israel in June, Israeli security officials cited by Channel 13 said over the weekend.

The Islamic Republic has accelerated production of surface-to-surface missiles and is expected to amass within a few months approximately 2,000 missiles capable of reaching the Jewish state, the report said.

Between June 13-24, Iran launched over 550 ballistic missiles and sent 1,000-plus UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) toward Israel’s territory.

At the start of the war, the Israel Defense Forces revealed an Iranian plan for a combined aerial and ground assault that sought to “destroy the State of Israel and establish a Palestinian state on its ruins.”

In parallel with Iran’s efforts to obtain nuclear weapons, the regime had focused on producing “tens of thousands” of missiles and drones, while advancing its plans to carry out a “combined ground offensive against Israel on multiple fronts simultaneously,” the IDF stated on June 13.

The Islamic Republic’s “Destruction of Israel Plan” was to have started with a “large-scale rocket and missile barrage” on Israel, launched by the regime’s terror proxies in Lebanon, Yemen and across the region.

Amid the aerial assault, thousands of terrorists were to invade Israel from the Gaza Strip, Judea, Samaria, Syria, Jordan, Iraq and Yemen.

Benny Gantz, a former IDF chief of staff and defense minister who now heads the opposition National Unity Party, told JNS on Monday that “another conflict won’t be necessary if Iran stops what it does—so actually it’s in the Iranian’s hands.”

However, “if they will reignite their nuclear process, and other ways of convincing them will not work, then another round is not necessarily inevitable, but an option definitely,” the opposition lawmaker stated.

“The missiles that the Iranians are making are not just a threat to the State of Israel; they are endangering the entire Middle East,” said Gantz, adding: “And definitely if they come in high qualities, it might become kind of [a] potential existential threat, as everybody saw.”

Jerusalem “knows how to deal with it, and whether we do it defensively or whether we do it offensively, Israel will stay a safe place to live in,” he vowed, while warning the same might not be true for Iran if the regime “will continue in this direction” of nuclear proliferation.

Also on Monday, the Islamic regime denounced a resolution by the International Atomic Energy Agency demanding that Iran fully cooperate with the agency and provide “precise information” about its stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium, as well as grant its inspectors access to nuclear sites.

Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei slammed the resolution as “a stain on the designers and sponsors of it,” and said “no meaningful negotiation will take shape” until the United States halts its “dictates” to Iran.

Iran sent a letter to Saudi Arabia last week asking Riyadh to convince the Trump administration to reopen nuclear negotiations, Reuters reported.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that Tehran is not looking for confrontation and that the regime is “open to resolving the nuclear dispute through diplomacy, provided its rights are guaranteed,” per the Reuters report.

The regime denied sending the missive, with Baqaei telling the state-run IRNA news agency on Monday that “the president’s letter to the crown prince … did not include any reference regarding negotiations.”

{Matzav.com}

A Melbourne courtroom delivered a controversial determination on Monday, concluding that the man who set the East Melbourne Synagogue ablaze last summer acted out of mental instability rather than hatred toward Jews. According to JNS, the ruling left many unsettled as the country continues to see a surge in attacks targeting Jewish institutions.

The judge, Magistrate Malcolm Thomas, accepted the argument that 35-year-old Angelo Loras was suffering from an untreated schizophrenic episode when he poured accelerant on the shul’s front entrance and lit it on fire on July 4. His delusions, the court said, stemmed from failing to take prescribed medication.

Loras entered guilty pleas to arson and to recklessly endangering lives. Because of the time he already spent in custody, he became eligible to walk free on Monday. Roughly 20 people had been gathered inside the building for a Friday night meal when the flames broke out, heightening the alarm across Melbourne’s Jewish community.

The attack coincided with a separate violent outburst at an Israeli restaurant in the city that same night, an incident in which the establishment sustained considerable damage, adding to a sense of unease.

Reacting to the court’s decision, Jamie Hyams, Director of Public Affairs at the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council, told JNS, “This is a difficult one because there do seem to be genuine mental health issues, but it’s perhaps worrying that Mr. Loras, who was born in Iran, came to have a bag with flammable liquids and something to start a fire with, that he came to choose a synagogue out of all the available buildings, and that he came to be there on a Friday night and was trying to gain entry. We certainly hope this was indeed just an unfortunate coincidence, and that there will be no repeat.”

His comments reflect a broader concern: antisemitic activity in Australia has climbed sharply since the Israel-Gaza conflict erupted in October 2023.

In early December, the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne was struck by a firebombing. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese later announced that Iran’s government orchestrated that attack along with another assault targeting the Jewish community.

Just days after the Adass Israel incident, a car in the Sydney suburb of Woollahra—home to a large Jewish population—was torched, and two properties were defaced with anti-Israel graffiti, marking yet another escalation.

Elsewhere in Sydney, the phrase “[Curse] the Jews” was spray-painted onto a vehicle, serving as another disturbing reminder of rising hate.

The pattern continued into January. The Southern Sydney Synagogue in Allawah was hit with antisemitic graffiti, followed the next day by red swastikas plastered across the façade of the Newtown shul in the city’s inner west.

Another violation occurred when a home previously owned by Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, was vandalized.

The climate has been further inflamed by rhetoric online. In February, a video circulated in which two Australian nurses, Ahmad Rashad Nadir and Sarah Abu Lebdeh, declared they would refuse medical treatment to Israelis and would send them “to h—.” Authorities responded by barring both individuals from working with participants in the National Disability Insurance Scheme for two years.

{Matzav.com}

Park East Synagogue in Manhattan received an unannounced show of support on Monday when outgoing New York City Mayor Eric Adams stopped by the shul that had been subjected just days earlier to a jarring anti-Israel demonstration. Protesters had gathered outside the building shouting “globalize the intifada” and “death to the IDF,” turning a routine community event into a scene of hostility.

Adams used his visit to send a message of resolve. “We don’t back down in the face of hate – we show up,” he posted, emphasizing that he stood “proudly” beside Rabbi Arthur Schneier and the shul’s members to “celebrate Jewish life and reaffirm our unshakable bond with Israel after last week’s antisemitic protests.” He went on to stress, “Neither antisemitism nor ANY other form of hate has any place in NYC.”

Images from the visit showed the mayor speaking warmly with congregants and posing alongside Rabbi Schneier, underscoring his intention to reassure the community after a tense week.

The demonstration that triggered the outcry took place the previous Wednesday, when roughly 200 activists organized by Pal-Awda NY/NJ assembled outside the synagogue during an event sponsored by Nefesh B’Nefesh. Attendees were jeered as they arrived, and one protest leader riled up the crowd by declaring: “It is our duty to make them think twice before holding these events… We need to make them scared.”

Adams was traveling abroad when the incident unfolded, but the aftermath reverberated through City Hall. First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro later said the mayor was furious that police officers had allowed demonstrators to reach the entrance. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch personally apologized to the congregation, acknowledging that the department had not adequately protected the event.

Federal officials soon stepped in. On Sunday, the U.S. Department of Justice announced the launch of a probe into the protest. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon stated, “Every time we see violence around a house of worship, we take action,” confirming that a federal investigation “is underway.” She added that the DOJ maintains “zero tolerance” for obstruction “around any American house of worship.”

Local reactions continued to pour in. Several elected officials denounced the protest outright, while a spokesperson for Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani issued a more mixed response. The spokesperson condemned the demonstration, yet also said Mamdani believes that “sacred spaces should not be used to promote activities in violation of international law,” without explaining how Nefesh B’Nefesh’s work could possibly fit that category.

All of this unfolded against a troubling backdrop: fresh NYPD statistics released the day before the mayoral election won by Mamdani showed that Jews were targeted in 62% of all hate crimes reported last month—29 antisemitic incidents out of 47 total—highlighting the tension gripping the city’s Jewish community as leaders confront rising threats.

{Matzav.com}

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s office early Tuesday afternoon issued a statement regarding the report on Monday that the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group located the remains of one of the three hostages still in Gaza. Over 24 hours have passed since the report, which was confirmed by the terror group on Monday evening, but there […]

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Israeli security forces on Tuesday morning eliminated the terrorist who murdered an Israeli security guard last year at the Bar-On industrial park near the yishuv of Kedumim. The terrorist was eliminated in an operation in Jenin only hours after an operation in Shechem in which a terrorist who murdered two IDF soldiers in a ramming attack […]

An 18-month manhunt ended on Monday night when Yamam counterterrorism officers eliminated a Palestinian terrorist who murdered two IDF soldiers in a ramming attack last year. The heinous terrorist, Abdel-Raouf Shetiyeh, murdered Staff Sgt. Diego Shvisha Harsaj, H’yd, 20, from Tel Aviv, and Staff Sgt. Eliya Hilel, H’yd, 20, from Tel Tzion, when he rammed […]

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After weeks of a record-breaking heatwave, which was briefly interrupted a week ago by a day and a half of rainfall, Israel was hit with a storm overnight Monday with an unprecedented amount of rainfall in a short period. The heavy rainfall, which intensified on Tuesday morning, caused massive flooding, and numerous people had to […]

A tense moment unfolded in Yerushalayim on Monday night when the vehicle transporting Mayor Moshe Lion came under attack while he was visiting the Meah Shearim area. According to his office, rocks struck the car and shattered the rear window.

Despite the violent outburst, Mayor Lion emerged without injury. Law enforcement units were quickly sent to the location, and authorities have launched a full investigation into the incident.

The Israel Police later confirmed the event, stating: “In the past hour, a report was received regarding stones thrown at a vehicle traveling on Avinoam Yellin Street in Yerushalayim, with the mayor inside. No injuries were reported, though damage was caused to the vehicle’s window.”

Municipal officials also released a statement describing what took place, noting: “During the mayor’s visit to the Meah Shearim neighborhood, several rioters attacked his vehicle, causing, among other damage, a crack in the rear window. The mayor was not physically harmed and continued his schedule as planned. The incident has been transferred to the police. The municipality views any attempt to harm elected officials or disrupt public order with great severity and will continue to act decisively to safeguard security in the city.”

{Matzav.com}

A storm of anger is sweeping through the normally quiet Shaarei Tzion kehillah in Bat Yam after their shul, led by Rav Moshe Gabay, became the repeated target of hateful vandalism — including spray-painted swastikas. Mispallelim say that despite providing police with the identities of the culprits, the case was closed without any criminal action.

Police, however, claim the initial complaint was investigated and transferred to prosecutors — and that a second complaint could not be pursued without new evidence.

According to the kehillah, vandals struck the building multiple times over the past year. They sprayed obscenities, anti-religious slurs, and prominently displayed swastikas and other offensive imagery. Some of the attacks reportedly took place on Friday nights, causing significant fear and distress among community members.

The repeated desecrations left the shul’s leadership shaken. Each time, the gabbai’im collected footage from the shul’s security cameras and filed detailed police reports. They say they even submitted the names and phone numbers of the teenagers they believe are responsible.

Despite what members describe as “clear, incriminating evidence,” they were stunned to learn that the case was categorized merely as “property damage,” not as a hate crime or racist incitement offense. Soon after, the file was closed — prompting sharp criticism from congregants who accuse the police of dismissing the severity of the attacks.

Community members argue that the handling of the case reflects broader concerns about how law enforcement responds to incidents involving religious or ethnic hatred. With antisemitic incidents rising worldwide, they say, ignoring swastika graffiti on a shul sends a dangerous message.

Closing the case effectively leaves the suspects free and the shul vulnerable to future attacks, residents warn.

Photographs from the scene show swastikas and graphic vandalism scrawled across the building’s walls, adding to the sense of violation felt by the worshippers.

In response to inquiries, the Bat Yam Police spokesperson released new information disputing claims that the investigation was abandoned.

“Until now, two complaints have been filed. The first complaint was submitted in August three months ago — the findings were examined, the suspect was questioned, and the case was transferred to the prosecution unit,” police said.

This means, according to police, that the initial investigation reached the stage where prosecutors could consider filing charges.

However, they clarified that the second complaint — filed a month later in September — did not advance to a new investigation.

“A second complaint was submitted in September, but the documentation was identical to the previous complaint, which made it very difficult for police to open a new investigation,” a senior police official explained.

Police say they are willing to handle any future incidents, but only with updated material.

“If the shul’s leadership is suffering from additional harassment, they must submit a new, detailed complaint with new documentation, and not use images already addressed in the investigation from the first complaint,” the official stated.

This position places the burden back on the shul, even as community members continue to express frustration over what they believe is the downplaying of antisemitic vandalism and the failure to recognize swastika graffiti on a shul as a hate-motivated crime.

{Matzav.com}

Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, President Donald Trump’s nominee to serve as the U.S. Special Envoy for Combating Antisemitism, appeared before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for an intense and often contentious confirmation hearing. He was joined by five other nominees scheduled for ambassador-level posts under the new administration. The process, standard for high-level government appointments, involved several hours of probing questions from senators in both parties.

Kaploun arrived at the Senate with several symbolic personal items. Among them were a booklet containing a chassidic discourse titled “Blessed Is He Who Performed a Miracle for Me” and a single U.S. dollar bill he personally received from the Lubavitcher Rebbe 35 years ago. He placed these items inside the binder of briefing materials used for the hearing. According to sources, after the session ended, White House officials reached out to tell him they were pleased with his performance, despite the confrontational tone of parts of the hearing.

The public hearing followed many months of rigorous vetting conducted by the U.S. government, a standard examination of a nominee’s background, integrity, and positions on a wide array of issues.

At the start of his remarks, Kaploun described his firsthand experiences with antisemitism in the United States, recalling childhood memories of being taunted with slurs while walking to synagogue in Connecticut. He also spoke of losing his cousin in the October 7 massacre.

Kaploun told the committee: “This is not an easy task. Antisemitism is a symbol of much greater hatred. History has proven that when a nation begins to allow antisemitism, the results are not good for that country, because antisemitism is anti-American. Those who shout ‘Death to the Jews’ too often also shout ‘Death to America’.”

Photographs from the hearing showed Kaploun displaying the chassidic booklet and the dollar he received from the Rebbe, items he said were sources of strength and blessing.

Despite the significance of the position, Democratic lawmakers launched a coordinated effort to derail the nomination. Representative Jerry Nadler authored a sharply worded letter opposing Kaploun’s appointment, signed by 17 other Democratic members of Congress. Nadler and his colleagues argued that Kaploun, a longtime ally of President Trump, was a partisan choice who, in their view, overlooked antisemitism within the Republican camp. They further claimed they could not trust him because he had previously criticized Democratic support for what he described as Hamas-aligned positions.

The Democrats pointed to an English-language Jewish newspaper interview in which Kaploun had urged American Jewish leaders to vote for Trump because “the Democrats refuse even to recognize the women-raping, child-kidnapping terrorists as terrorists,” calling these comments “highly partisan statements.”

Ignoring the urgency of filling the role of special envoy to fight antisemitism, the lawmakers wrote: “Such a sweeping and false charge against those entrusted with Mr. Kaploun’s judgment raises serious concerns about his judgment, temperament, and ability to work effectively across party lines.” Rather than addressing the substantive issue of rising antisemitism in the United States and abroad, they claimed Kaploun was “Trump’s antisemitic scapegoat.” Kaploun declined to respond to their accusations during the hearing.

Kaploun was born in Kfar Chabad and immigrated to the United States as a toddler. His family settled in Crown Heights, close to the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s study hall. Over the years he emerged as a prominent Jewish supporter of Donald Trump, developing ties during Trump’s New York years. His relationship with the Trump political orbit strengthened through Kaploun’s business partner, Ed Russo, who served as an environmental adviser to Trump, as well as through connections with major Jewish philanthropists, including the Adelson family.

During Trump’s campaign last year, Kaploun served as a key figure in Jewish voter outreach. He coordinated meetings between Trump and leading rabbis and communal figures. About six months ago, Trump rewarded Kaploun’s efforts by offering him the special envoy position.

The period for submitting letters of support or opposition to Kaploun and the other nominees remains open until Thursday morning. Expectations are that Kaploun will be sworn in by the end of the week. The State Department has already prepared a dedicated office for him and is awaiting final Senate approval so he can begin his work combating the surge in antisemitism.

Trump announced his intention to appoint Kaploun shortly after winning the election. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu publicly welcomed the nomination, writing: “I am confident Yehuda will serve America and the Jewish people well. I look forward to working together with Yehuda to confront this growing threat to Jews and free societies everywhere.”

Israeli President Herzog also congratulated Kaploun. In a post on X he wrote: “Mazal tov to Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun on his appointment as the United States Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Antisemitism. With a long record of success across varied fields, Rabbi Kaploun is uniquely suited to lead this sacred mission.”

Herzog added: “Antisemitism is not just a threat to Jews around the world – it is a stain on the moral fabric of every society. The fight against this ancient hatred must be a global effort – for the sake of the Jewish people and for the soul of humanity.”

According to Herzog, Kaploun’s appointment “reflects the profound commitment” of the current U.S. administration and President Trump “to the American Jewish community, to its security, freedom, dignity, and well-being, and to the ongoing efforts to secure the release of the hostages held by Hamas – in which Rabbi Kaploun has also played an important role.”

He concluded: “As the Jewish people prepare to mark the seventh day of Pesach – commemorating the miraculous splitting of the sea and the triumph of faith over fear – we are reminded that the journey to freedom continues in every generation. Rabbi Kaploun’s leadership is now an inseparable part of that sacred journey. May he go from strength to strength.”

{Matzav.com}

Against the backdrop of escalating tensions inside the governing coalition, the United Torah Judaism (UTJ) faction announced Monday that it will oppose the dairy sector reform being advanced by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. According to the faction, the plan endangers Israeli dairy farmers and will ultimately lead to higher consumer costs.

The announcement comes as coalition parties are maneuvering around the contentious conscription bill, with UTJ lawmakers increasingly skeptical that Smotrich and his party will support its passage for political reasons. Feeling little obligation toward the finance minister under these circumstances, UTJ parliamentarians have chosen to publicly back the dairy farmers instead of the proposed reform.

In a joint statement issued by all UTJ members, the faction declared: “The United Torah Judaism faction in the Knesset supports the dairy farmers and opposes the dairy-sector reform proposed by the Ministry of Finance in the 2026 Arrangements Law, and demands its removal from the legislation.”

According to the statement, faction members expressed deep concern during their internal meeting about the threat the reform poses to the livelihoods of dairy farmers and agricultural communities. They warned that shifting the industry toward heavy dependence on imports would ultimately harm Israeli consumers as well.

“A sector dependent entirely on imports becomes subject to the control of foreign actors and could be disrupted at any moment,” the faction said.

UTJ lawmakers added that the proposed reform “will harm local production, raise the cost of living, and further weaken already vulnerable populations.” They called for the reform to be removed immediately from the Arrangements Law and for the government to hold a thorough professional and public discussion in the near future, including consideration of the alternative plans submitted by the Ministry of Agriculture.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has called an urgent clarification meeting with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi and Defense Minister Yisroel Katz, following a high-profile and increasingly bitter dispute between the two senior officials.

The confrontation erupted after Katz sharply criticized Zamir over the chief of staff’s internal conclusions regarding IDF failures during the October 7 attacks. According to reporting by journalist Yaron Avraham, Katz’s office accused Zamir of basing key personnel conclusions on investigative material that, in their view, was not yet fully validated.

Sources close to the defense minister argued that the chief of staff relied on interviews and assessments they considered “unfit” to serve as the basis for personal conclusions. They further charged that Zamir had failed to thoroughly review the “Yericho Wall” contingency plan and insisted that any sanctions issued should also apply to senior officers who served prior to October 7.

According to Channel 12 News, associates of the chief of staff rejected Katz’s accusations. They said that although the minister was not notified in advance about the publication of the findings, he received the full Turjeman Committee report ahead of time. The reason he was not brought into the process directly, they claimed, was to ensure that the investigation remained free of political involvement and external pressure.

Separately, Kan News reported that Zamir fears Katz’s public criticism could have serious political repercussions, potentially even paving the way for steps to dismiss him.

The tensions escalated sharply earlier in the day when Zamir issued an extraordinary public statement responding to Katz’s remarks. He said that he learned only Monday morning—via media reports—about changes the defense minister planned to make to the review team he established upon assuming office, even as the chief of staff was leading a surprise general-staff exercise on the Golan Heights.

Zamir emphasized that the Turjeman Committee’s report was created solely for professional military use, describing it as a seven-month effort involving 12 current and former senior officers. He argued that questioning the report’s integrity was unwarranted and that a 30-day review by the Defense Ministry comptroller could not replace the depth or scope of the committee’s work.

The chief of staff also noted that one of his first decisions following the report was to order an in-depth reassessment of the “Jericho Wall” defensive plan. He stressed that the IDF is the only state body that has deeply investigated its failures surrounding the October 7 attack and taken responsibility for them. If any additional review is deemed necessary, he added, it should be conducted by an independent external commission rather than by entities tied to the political echelon.

Regarding personal recommendations made in the report, Zamir said these were internal IDF command decisions that do not require ministerial approval. He rejected suggestions that the criteria for these decisions were uneven or politically influenced.

Zamir warned that freezing IDF senior appointments for another month would damage the military’s readiness. He vowed to continue holding placement discussions as planned and to forward them to the defense minister for approval as required. He also highlighted ongoing IDF operational successes, noting that in the past 48 hours alone, the military had eliminated Hezbollah’s chief of staff and dozens of militants in Gaza.

He concluded by emphasizing that the large-scale surprise drill initiated Monday on the Golan Heights was part of the IDF’s broader effort to internalize lessons, restore readiness, and strengthen operational preparedness.

About an hour later, Katz issued a brief, restrained response, saying: “I value the chief of staff, who is well aware that he is subordinate to the prime minister, the defense minister, and the government of Israel. I do not intend to conduct a media debate. The Defense Ministry comptroller will present his findings within 30 days, and only afterward will I formulate my decisions on appointments, as required by my role and authority.”

The prime minister is expected to meet both men soon in an effort to resolve the dispute and restore calm at the top of Israel’s defense establishment.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump revealed Monday that he has agreed to travel to Beijing in April at the invitation of Chinese leader Xi Jinping — and that he, in turn, invited Xi for a state visit to the United States later next year.

The announcement followed a phone conversation between the two leaders earlier in the day, their first extended discussion since meeting last month in Busan, South Korea. Trump said the call ranged across topics including Ukraine, fentanyl, and agricultural trade. “Our relationship with China is extremely strong!” Trump said.

China, which disclosed the call before the U.S. did, issued its own readout that mentioned nothing about state visits. Beijing said the conversation touched on Taiwan, trade, and the war in Ukraine.

During the call, Xi reiterated China’s stance on Taiwan, saying the island’s reunification with the mainland is “an integral part of the post-war international order.” He also said he hopes to see “a fair, lasting, and binding peace agreement” for Ukraine, according to China’s foreign ministry.

The exchange came on the heels of pointed remarks from Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who suggested Japan’s military might intervene if China were to use force against Taiwan — a statement that infuriated Beijing and further strained relations between the two Asian powers. Japan is a key U.S. ally in the region.

The timing of the Trump–Xi call also aligned with the latest diplomatic push from Washington to bring an end to the war in Ukraine.

Interestingly, China departed from its usual language, which often notes that its leader spoke “upon request.” This time, it did not. “That means China called Trump,” said Sun Yun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center in Washington.

Sun suggested Beijing’s motive is linked to escalating tensions with Tokyo. “My best guess is China is worried about the escalation (in tensions) with Japan. The reference to Taiwan and the post-WWII order directly points to the spat with Japan over Taiwan,” she said. Sun added, “They also talked about Ukraine. That is an issue China is interested in due to the new peace negotiation.”

The China–Japan rift deepened after Takaichi’s comments, prompting harsh denunciations from Beijing. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi declared over the weekend that Japan “crossed a red line that should not have been touched.”

In his call with Trump, Xi emphasized historical ties, noting that China and the United States fought as allies in World War II and must “jointly safeguard the victory of World War II.”

U.S. policy on Taiwan remains one of strategic ambiguity — Washington recognizes no sovereignty claim but opposes any effort to seize the island by force and is required by law to supply Taiwan with the weaponry needed for self-defense.

Trump has kept his own ambiguity about whether he would send American troops in a Taiwan Strait conflict. His administration has nonetheless pressed Taiwan to bolster its defense spending.

Earlier this month, Taiwan announced it had been notified that Washington approved a $330 million package of fighter jet parts and other equipment. Beijing sharply objected to the sale, calling it a violation of its one-China principle. “China deplores and opposes that,” foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said.

According to China’s summary of the call, the two leaders also discussed Ukraine, with Xi saying the conflict must be resolved “at its root” and voicing support for “all efforts that are conducive to peace.” Western governments, meanwhile, accuse China of fueling the war through industrial and economic support to Russia.

Trump said he also spoke with Xi about “fentanyl, soybeans and other farm products, etc.” He added, “We have done a good, and very important, deal for our great farmers — and it will only get better.”

Trump noted that since the Busan summit, “there has been significant progress on both sides in keeping our agreements current and accurate.”

For his part, Xi said the relationship between the two nations has “generally maintained a steady and positive trajectory” since their meeting in South Korea, and urged both sides to work toward “more positive progress,” the Chinese foreign ministry said.

However, China’s statement offered no specifics about new trade commitments, including purchases of U.S. soybeans.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said Monday that he has accepted an invitation from Chinese leader Xi Jinping to visit Beijing in April and that he reciprocated by inviting Xi for a state visit to the U.S. later next year. Trump made the announcement after he spoke with Xi by phone nearly a month after the two leaders met in person in […]

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir delivered a sweeping series of disciplinary actions, announcing that a number of senior officers would be dismissed and others formally censured for their part in the catastrophic failures of October 7, 2023.

Earlier in the day, Zamir called in the senior commanders for individual meetings, following through on his recent pledge to make “personal decisions” based on the findings of an independent expert panel. Lower-ranking officers were summoned separately by Deputy IDF Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Tamir Yadai.

Many of the officers whose dismissals were announced had already stepped away from the military, meaning the action is largely symbolic. Those who were censured will remain in their positions until their current terms end, with some expected to stay on for years.

In a video message explaining his decisions, Zamir said: “It is not easy to make decisions that impact people I value and who have dedicated their lives to the security of the state, people with whom I have fought for decades. Alongside this, before my eyes stands the obligation to draw a clear line for command responsibility. This is not a responsibility we choose to take upon ourselves, but one we bear by virtue of being commanders in the IDF,” he continued.

He warned that without restoring a culture of consequence, public faith in the army would crumble. “If we do not sharpen the meaning of responsibility, trust in the system will erode, and that trust is the foundation of our ability to fight, to win, and to defend the State of Israel,” Zamir said.

Zamir emphasized that the officers now penalized “are among our finest commanders.”

“All of them have dedicated most of their lives to the IDF and the State of Israel. The vast majority of them have had a direct part in the operational successes the IDF has achieved over the past two years,” he said.

One of the most senior officers sanctioned is Maj. Gen. (res.) Aharon Haliva, the former head of the Military Intelligence Directorate. Haliva stepped down in April 2024 and was replaced several months later; he will now be removed from reserve service and barred from returning to the IDF.

Maj. Gen. Oded Basiuk, who headed the Operations Directorate until his resignation after completing his tenure in July, will also be dismissed from reserve duty.

Former Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman, who stepped down in January and was replaced in March, will likewise be removed from reserve service.

Current Military Intelligence Directorate chief Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder — who was the Operations Division chief on October 7 — received a formal censure. He will remain in his post until his four-year term ends in 2028, after which he plans to leave the army.

Israeli Air Force commander Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar will also be censured for the Air Force’s inability to intercept Hamas’s drones and paragliders during the attack. Even so, he will continue leading the IAF until his term concludes in April 2026.

Navy commander Vice Adm. David Sa’ar Salama will be reprimanded for the Navy’s failure to prevent Hamas’s maritime infiltration on October 7, but he will finish his tenure, which ends in the coming months.

Another officer who will be pushed out is Brig. Gen. “Gimmel,” the head of the Military Intelligence Directorate’s Operational Division on October 7, who has since transferred to a different position.

Brig. Gen. (res.) Yossi Sariel, who led Unit 8200 until announcing his resignation in September 2024, will be dismissed from reserve duty.

Former Gaza Division commander Brig. Gen. (res.) Avi Rosenfeld — who left the army in June 2024 and was replaced that September — will also be stripped of reserve responsibilities.

Col. (res.) Ariel Lubovski, previously the intelligence chief of Southern Command and later reassigned after being removed in March 2024 for an improper but consensual relationship with a subordinate, will no longer serve in reserve duty.

Col. (res.) Haim Cohen, who oversaw the Northern Brigade of the Gaza Division during the attack and resigned in March, will also be dismissed from reserve service.

Another officer being removed is Lt. Col. “Alef,” who worked in the Gaza Division’s intelligence branch before and during the assault and moved to a different MI post in early 2025.

In contrast, Zamir ruled that three senior officers — Brig. Gen. Eliad Moati, Brig. Gen. Manor Yanai, and Col. Ephraim Avni — could be promoted, overruling Defense Minister Israel Katz, who had frozen their appointments over suspected involvement in the October 7 breakdown. Moati, who had just begun leading the Border Defense Corps days before the massacre, was not considered responsible. Yanai’s Southern Command chief-of-staff role is primarily administrative. Avni served as operations chief for Southern Command during the attack.

One notable omission from the list of those summoned: Maj. Gen. Eliezer Toledano, who served as the head of Southern Command until mid-2023 and previously led the Gaza Division.

Most of the officers met Zamir face-to-face to receive their determinations, though Haliva and Sariel were unable to attend.

Speaking Sunday night, Zamir reiterated the army’s commitment to full accountability. He said the IDF was “committed to a thorough, professional, and in-depth inquiry of everything that occurred on that terrible day.”

He added: “Out of this commitment, I carried out a series of steps to advance the matter, including the establishment of an independent review team to examine the inquiries and their quality.”

His bottom line was blunt. “My conclusions present an unequivocal picture: The IDF failed in its principal mission on October 7 — to protect the citizens of the State of Israel,” he said.

“This is a severe, resounding, and systemic failure that relates to decisions and conduct before and during the event. The lessons of that day are many and important, and they must serve as our compass for the future, toward which I intend to lead the army,” he said.

Zamir underscored that the disciplinary actions were driven by duty, not politics. “Accordingly, I decided, after careful consideration, to take personal decisions regarding certain officials who served on October 7. This decision is complex and derives from my responsibility to balance systemic and command considerations with the needs of the IDF in a volatile period with threats on all fronts,” he said.

He closed with a pledge of resolve. “I will continue to lead the IDF in the light of truth, and out of responsibility and devotion to the mission,” Zamir added.

{Matzav.com}

A heartbreaking tragedy struck the community of Modi’in Illit this evening with the sudden passing of Racheil Hager A”H, an 11-year-old girl from Rebbe Shimon Bar Yochai Street in the Brachfeld neighborhood. She collapsed without warning and was rushed to the hospital, where doctors fought to save her life. Despite intensive efforts, she was tragically […]

A White House draft circulating among senior officials lays out a plan that would keep Affordable Care Act subsidies in place for an additional two years, an effort aimed at shielding millions of Americans from sharp premium hikes when the current tax credits expire at year’s end.

The proposal indicates that President Donald Trump is considering extending a key piece of Obamacare even as Republicans continue searching for a long-term health care overhaul — an issue that has stumped the party for more than a decade. The administration emphasizes that nothing is final until Trump himself unveils a decision.

The subsidies, central to the Democrats’ stance during the recent shutdown standoff, were a major sticking point earlier this month. Many Democrat lawmakers refused to back any deal to keep the government running unless the existing tax credits were renewed without changes.

Under the working draft, eligibility for the expanded COVID-era subsidies would continue but with a ceiling of 700% of the federal poverty level, according to two individuals familiar with the discussions who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. The original Affordable Care Act capped eligibility at 400%, a limit suspended during the pandemic to widen access to middle- and upper-middle-income households.

The White House is also eyeing a universal premium requirement for anyone enrolled in an Obamacare plan. Every participant — even those on the lowest-tier plans — would need to contribute something toward monthly coverage. One idea being considered is a 2% income contribution or a minimum charge of $5 per month, a move Republicans argue is necessary to prevent abuse in a system that currently permits zero-premium plans for some low-income enrollees.

The possibility of maintaining any piece of President Barack Obama’s landmark law is expected to infuriate segments of the conservative base, which has spent years pushing to scrap the Affordable Care Act entirely.

“Until President Trump makes an announcement himself, any reporting about the administration’s health care positions is mere speculation,” White House spokesman Kush Desai said Monday.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt added that Trump “is very much involved in these talks” and is “focused on unveiling a health care proposal that will fix the system and will bring down costs for consumers.”

Despite early conservative frustration, initial signs point to potential bipartisan traction. Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire — one of the Democrats who voted to reopen the government in the recent shutdown episode — said the emerging White House framework “represents a starting point for serious negotiations.”

She argued that Trump’s willingness to consider an extension reflects the stakes. “The fact that President Trump is putting forward any offer at all to extend the Affordable Care Act’s tax credits shows that there is a broad understanding that inaction in this regard will cause serious harm to the American people,” Hassan said.

Back in 2017, Trump came up short in a high-profile attempt to dismantle Obamacare, exposing deep divisions among Republicans who otherwise controlled Washington. The party has not agreed on a cohesive replacement plan since, but the looming deadline for the pandemic-era subsidies gives Trump a fresh opening to reshape the health care landscape.

While the White House has been developing its proposal behind the scenes through the Domestic Policy Council, lawmakers have begun crafting alternatives of their own. Senators Rick Scott of Florida and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana are among those floating ideas to shift federal subsidy dollars into health savings accounts that consumers could use to purchase plans or cover medical expenses.

The administration’s draft would allow people enrolled in bronze-level or catastrophic plans to make contributions to health savings accounts, expanding an option typically restricted to higher-deductible insurance.

Another element under consideration is formally adopting the “program integrity rule,” an enforcement tool designed to better target fraud and misuse in the system.

The urgency behind negotiations is rising as Americans shopping for coverage are already confronting steep price increases. Open enrollment for next year began on November 1, and without new action from Congress, subsidized consumers are expected to see their premiums more than double, according to an analysis by the nonprofit health research group KFF.

Voters have made clear that health care affordability remains a top concern. Recent polls show it ranking alongside broader cost-of-living issues — themes that helped propel Democrats to victories in this month’s elections as they capitalized on economic frustrations nationwide.

{Matzav.com}

MK Tzvi Sukkot was forced to cancel a planned trip to the United States after the online visa application he submitted was denied, and a subsequent in-person request at the U.S. Embassy became entangled in questions about his criminal background. Sukkot had booked his flight weeks in advance and proceeded with the standard visa interview […]