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Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Lieberman has launched a blistering attack on Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot, accusing him of positioning himself to join a government headed by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu after the October 27 elections, potentially alongside Shas chairman Aryeh Deri and United Torah Judaism’s Yitzchok Goldknopf.

In a lengthy statement published Friday, Lieberman charged that Eisenkot’s campaign strategy was weakening the very political bloc seeking to replace Netanyahu. He suggested that Eisenkot was pursuing his own ambitions at the expense of a unified effort to defeat the current government.

Lieberman titled his statement “Gadi Eisenkot – Benny Gantz 2,” drawing a comparison between Eisenkot and another former IDF chief of staff who entered politics and ultimately joined a Netanyahu-led government.

At the center of Lieberman’s criticism was Eisenkot’s campaign to emerge from the elections as the leader of the largest party. According to Lieberman, the strategy would accomplish little beyond transferring votes between parties already opposed to Netanyahu.

“Eisenkot’s ‘largest party’ campaign is not designed to move a single vote from the draft-dodgers’ bloc to the serving public’s bloc. Its purpose is to siphon votes from within the bloc itself,” Lieberman wrote.

He maintained that the approach ran counter to understandings reached among opposition party leaders at a September 26 meeting, where they had discussed coordinating their efforts ahead of the election.

Lieberman argued that Eisenkot’s ultimate objective was to gain enough parliamentary strength to negotiate directly with Netanyahu, rather than secure a government composed exclusively of parties opposed to the prime minister.

“Gadi Eisenkot is planning for the day after the elections, and what interests him is not being the largest party in the serving public’s bloc, but being larger than Likud and entering negotiations to form a government with Netanyahu from a position of strength.”

Lieberman pointed to several political developments that he said reinforced his suspicions, including comments from Likud Minister Miki Zohar suggesting cooperation with Eisenkot might be possible.

He also referenced reports of efforts by President Isaac Herzog to encourage a unity government involving Netanyahu and Eisenkot, along with alleged messages from the White House concerning Israel’s post-election political landscape.

“When I hear Minister Miki Zohar discussing the possibility of cooperation with Eisenkot, read reports about President Herzog’s initiative to form a Netanyahu-Eisenkot government, and hear the briefings coming from the White House, the pieces begin to fall into place,” he wrote.

The Yisrael Beytenu leader also attacked Eisenkot’s position on the military draft, arguing that his proposed arrangement for yeshiva students would perpetuate the existing system of exemptions rather than fundamentally change it.

Under the framework Lieberman criticized, thousands of yeshiva students would continue to receive annual deferments from military service. Lieberman maintained that such a policy was incompatible with the principle of universal enlistment advocated by his party.

“The implication is that things will remain exactly as they are. The exemption from IDF service will not be abolished,” Lieberman claimed, emphasizing that Yisrael Beytenu opposes military service exemptions and supports universal enlistment.

Lieberman invoked his party’s refusal to enter a Netanyahu-led coalition in 2019 because of disagreements over the draft legislation, presenting that decision as evidence that he would not compromise his position for political advantage.

He further criticized Eisenkot’s proposals concerning a constitution, arguing that the Yashar leader had failed to offer a sufficiently clear path toward the changes Lieberman believes Israel requires.

Another major point of contention was the possibility of establishing a government dependent on Arab political parties, even if those parties remained formally outside the coalition.

Lieberman ruled out any arrangement in which Yisrael Beytenu would participate in a government relying on support from Ra’am or the Joint List.

To explain his opposition, he cited MK Ofer Cassif’s backing of a petition connected to proceedings against Israel in The Hague, as well as statements by Ra’am lawmaker Yasser Hujirat concerning Hamas.

“Anyone who wants to form a government and rely on Cassif and Hujirat is welcome to do so. Yisrael Beytenu will not be part of it,” he declared.

Lieberman then laid out what he described as Eisenkot’s likely post-election strategy: negotiating a coalition with Netanyahu and the chareidi parties while simultaneously keeping open the prospect of a minority government as a bargaining tool.

“My conclusion from Eisenkot’s conduct is that he is seeking to form a government with Netanyahu, Goldknopf, and Deri, while keeping the possibility of a minority government on the table as leverage against Netanyahu in order to secure the first turn in a rotation agreement.”

Lieberman accused Eisenkot of prioritizing the possibility of becoming prime minister over the ideological objectives of the political camp he claims to represent.

“Unfortunately, I see far more personal ambition here than a genuine desire to correct the injustices of the draft-dodgers’ government.”

The Yisrael Beytenu chairman also questioned whether Eisenkot possessed the political judgment needed to navigate Israel’s complicated coalition system, arguing that a distinguished military career did not necessarily prepare a former general for the challenges of parliamentary politics.

“Unfortunately, Gadi’s lack of political experience reminds me of a phenomenon we have already seen among former chiefs of staff who entered politics. From Yigael Yadin, through Ehud Barak, to Benny Gantz, military rank and experience are no substitute for political experience,” he wrote.

Lieberman urged the four parties he considers central to the anti-Netanyahu bloc to work toward securing a clear parliamentary majority without depending on Eisenkot’s participation.

He warned that anything less could leave Eisenkot holding the balance of power, potentially allowing him to negotiate a coalition arrangement that would keep Netanyahu in office.

The election campaign has increasingly exposed divisions among Netanyahu’s opponents, who remain united in their desire to replace him but disagree over coalition partners, military enlistment requirements and the possibility of forming a government with parties from the current coalition.

Lieberman insisted that his preferred outcome was a government committed to what he described as Zionist and liberal principles, with particular emphasis on military service, employment and the obligations of citizenship.

“I believe in the Israeli public, I believe in the serving public’s bloc, and I believe that on October 27, we will win, and win big,” Lieberman concluded.

The criticism drew a sharp response from Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz, who accused Lieberman of contributing little to the country despite his decades in public office.

“After 30 years in Israeli politics, Liberman has not accomplished even ten percent of what Gadi Eisenkot and I have done for the State of Israel. Ever since I exposed his plan to form a minority government with Bennett and the Arab parties, he has been under pressure and lashing out in every direction.”

Gantz also rejected Lieberman’s approach to coalition building, arguing that the political deadlock could be overcome only through a broad unity government bringing together parties from opposing political camps.

“Liberman, your attacks will not conceal the dead end toward which you are leading Israel. There is only one solution: a broad-based Zionist unity government that crosses political blocs. And only Blue and White can deliver it. Vote for unity. Save the country.”

Channel 14 television host Yinon Magal has found himself at the center of a political controversy after describing Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot as a “monkey,” prompting furious accusations from Eisenkot and his party. Magal subsequently defended his remarks, insisting that he had used terminology associated with the criminal underworld to describe a political figure being controlled by others, rather than making a comparison to an animal.

The dispute erupted just days before Israel’s upcoming elections, with Eisenkot’s party accusing Magal, a prominent supporter of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, of making an offensive remark about the former IDF chief of staff’s Moroccan background.

Magal addressed the controversy in a video released overnight, arguing that his words had been deliberately stripped of their context to manufacture a political scandal.

The original comment was made during a discussion on Magal’s Channel 14 program, “The Patriots,” in which he claimed that Eisenkot was being promoted as the face of a political movement whose real power brokers were members of Israel’s Ashkenazi establishment.

“He’s a monkey. They put forward a Mizrachi Moroccan. They gave you a Moroccan prime minister, as if we can’t see what’s really going on,” Magal said.

The remark immediately drew condemnation from Eisenkot’s Yashar party, which portrayed it as an insult directed at a decorated military commander who had devoted decades to serving Israel.

In its response, the party invoked a notorious episode from Israeli political history involving entertainer Dudu Topaz, whose derogatory reference to Mizrahi voters became a symbol of ethnic tensions in Israeli politics.

“45 years after Dudu Topaz called Mizrahim ‘chachchachim,’ Netanyahu’s leading mouthpiece, who makes a living spreading lies and poison, tonight calls a candidate for prime minister who will return Israel to the Israelis, a former IDF Chief of Staff who served the country for 45 years and gave it everything, a monkey,” the party stated.

Yashar went on to accuse Netanyahu’s political camp of revealing its underlying attitudes toward Mizrahi Israelis as the election approached, predicting that Eisenkot would soon defeat the prime minister.

“The fear of defeat exposes your ugly truth and what you really think of a huge and remarkable segment of the public that you have looked down on for decades. We can see right through you,” the statement continued. “The hysteria is understandable. In ten days, the people of Israel will elect as prime minister the son of immigrants from Morocco, a Golani veteran, a true patriot who grew up in the periphery. And he will repair all the damage Netanyahu’s government has caused here.”

Eisenkot himself weighed in during an election rally, dismissing Magal’s comments as beneath serious discussion while placing responsibility for the political atmosphere on Netanyahu and his allies.

“Yinon Magal said that I’m a monkey controlled by Ashkenazim, so I have nothing to say in response to such a low level of discourse. The problem isn’t Yinon Magal, but the man behind Yinon Magal. We will bring change to this country. We will remove the phenomena of ‘Magalism’ and ‘Bardugoism’ from our lives and build a better country,” Eisenkot said.

In his subsequent explanation, Magal said the controversy had been manufactured by political opponents looking to exploit his remarks during the final days of the election campaign.

“I see that another Yinon Magal controversy is developing, another fake controversy ahead of the elections, so a few things need to be clarified,” Magal began.

He insisted that the disputed expression had nothing to do with Eisenkot’s appearance or ethnic background. Instead, Magal said, he was referring to a term used in criminal circles for someone placed in a visible position while others exercise control behind the scenes.

“I called Eisenkot a monkey, not, God forbid, because he’s ugly or looks like a monkey, but as an expression borrowed from the criminal underworld. You put someone out front, you control him, and he’s supposedly the one who takes the fall.”

Magal explained that the discussion had centered on political commentator Avishai Ben Haim’s argument that Israel’s traditional Ashkenazi establishment maintains an alliance with Arab political forces that serves to marginalize Mizrahi Jews.

“The discussion was about Avishai Ben Haim saying that there is an alliance here between the elite and the establishment, on the one hand, and the Arabs, on the other, to exclude Mizrahim,” Magal noted, elaborating on his response: “So I said to him, what does it matter that he’s a Moroccan Mizrahi? He’s a monkey they put out front while controlling him from behind. The entire Ashkenazi elite is standing behind him. That’s what this is about.”

Additional coverage of the original broadcast identified former IDF spokesman Ronen Manelis as one of the individuals Magal specifically accused of influencing Eisenkot. During the televised exchange, Magal argued that Manelis and other establishment figures were directing the Yashar leader’s political messaging.

The controversy quickly spread across Israeli news outlets and social media, with critics describing the language as racist and Magal’s defenders emphasizing his claim that the expression referred to political manipulation rather than ethnicity.

Magal also linked the uproar to an earlier dispute involving his criticism of bereaved families and relatives of hostages who had participated in a book critical of Netanyahu. He maintained that coverage of that episode had similarly distorted his comments.

Returning to the latest controversy, Magal accused political figures, including opposition leader Yair Lapid, of rushing to condemn him without considering his intended meaning.

“So they run headlines saying Yinon Magal called Gadi Eisenkot a monkey, and immediately they issue responses, and Yair Lapid responds, and as usual, it’s all a lie,” Magal added, concluding with a message to his viewers: “Don’t get worked up over their controversies. On the contrary, when they create a controversy, relax. Thank you.”

Flydubai pilot Smit Machchhar has described the terrifying moments when he was violently attacked inside the cockpit of Flight 1073 during an attempted terrorist attack, revealing how he struggled to remain conscious and regain control of the aircraft as it began losing altitude.

In his first English-language interview about the incident, Machchhar told The National that he initially had no idea he was being attacked. When he felt the first blow to his head, he believed something had gone wrong mechanically inside the cockpit.

“I was sure there had been a malfunction and that something had fallen on my head,” Machchhar recalled.

That explanation quickly became impossible to believe as the blows continued, forcing him to recognize that he was facing a deliberate physical assault while responsible for an aircraft in flight.

According to Machchhar, he was struck repeatedly in the head. When he turned to confront his attacker and tried to protect himself, he sustained an injury to his hand as well.

The attack unfolded as the aircraft began descending, leaving the pilot struggling with two immediate dangers: defending himself against the assault and preventing the plane from plunging further.

The repeated blows left Machchhar on the verge of losing consciousness. Despite his injuries and the disorientation caused by the attack, he fought to remain alert and concentrate on the aircraft’s condition.

The incident occurred aboard Flydubai Flight 1073, which became the focus of a major security investigation following revelations about an alleged terrorist plot involving a member of the flight crew.

Israeli and Emirati authorities subsequently investigated the circumstances of the attempted attack, including reports that the suspected perpetrator had undergone flight training in Britain and that the plot may have involved plans targeting Ben Gurion Airport.

Further details of the September 30 incident reveal that the aircraft, a Boeing 737 traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, was cruising at approximately 34,000 feet when the co-pilot launched his assault using an emergency axe kept inside the cockpit.

The attacker, identified as Omani national Hammam al-Hammami, allegedly seized the flight controls and sent the aircraft into a steep descent. Reports indicate that the plane lost approximately 17,000 feet in less than a minute, creating a potentially catastrophic emergency for everyone aboard.

Despite suffering serious injuries, Machchhar managed to reach and unlock the cockpit door, allowing passengers and other crew members to enter and overpower the attacker.

Among those who intervened was Israeli passenger Yaniv Hayun, who helped stabilize the aircraft’s descent. Other crew members, including an off-duty pilot, subsequently assisted in regaining control.

The aircraft was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely. All passengers and crew survived the attempted attack.

Emirati investigators subsequently described the incident as a premeditated terrorist plot. Authorities said the co-pilot had been influenced by extremist material and had intended to use the aircraft to strike Ben Gurion Airport.

Al-Hammami was taken into custody and faces terrorism charges, while investigators continue examining how the plot was prepared and whether warning signs had been overlooked.

Machchhar, who has 17 years of aviation experience, has been recovering at a hospital in Abu Dhabi. His actions have drawn praise from Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, both of whom personally contacted him following the attack.

The pilot has also credited the passengers and fellow crew members who rushed into the cockpit with helping prevent a catastrophe.

Although still recovering from the physical and emotional effects of the assault, Machchhar made clear that the experience has not ended his aviation career.

“I’m just an ordinary person,” he said. “I’ll fly again. Hopefully, very soon.”

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu pledged tonight to take decisive action against Jewish extremists responsible for violence in Yehudah and Shomron, announcing that he has enlisted the Shin Bet to help combat the problem. He also issued a warning to Iran, saying Israel would respond forcefully to any attempted attack ahead of the country’s upcoming elections.

Speaking in an interview with i24NEWS, Netanyahu described violent activity by a small minority of Jewish residents in Yehudah and Shomron as a serious problem that his government intends to eliminate.

“I am not prepared to accept [these] groups, even if they are groups of young people who come from troubled families,” Netanyahu said. “I have brought in the Shin Bet. We will eradicate this affliction. It is absolutely an affliction.”

His remarks followed a series of reported confrontations in Yehudah and Shomron, including allegations involving masked Israelis, Palestinian olive harvesters, foreign diplomats and an American photojournalist.

Netanyahu made clear that his government would not tolerate violent conduct by Jewish extremists, regardless of the personal circumstances of those involved.

At the same time, the prime minister cautioned against assuming that every reported incident had occurred exactly as initially described, stressing the importance of establishing the facts before reaching conclusions.

“You need to understand that we are investigating the incident, because many times we have been told things, and afterward it turned out that wasn’t exactly what happened,” he explained.

The prime minister’s comments came amid heightened attention to incidents during the annual olive harvest, when tensions have increased in several areas of Yehudah and Shomron.

Earlier, Netanyahu’s office questioned allegations that European diplomats had been attacked by masked Israelis, arguing that photographs and video footage circulating from the incident did not establish the full sequence of events or identify those responsible.

The Prime Minister’s Office also emphasized that the diplomatic delegation had entered an area with a history of confrontations without coordinating its visit in advance with the IDF, while maintaining that any proven violence against diplomats was unacceptable.

Israeli authorities have opened investigations into the reported incidents, including allegations of an assault on Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine and a separate confrontation involving European diplomats near Taybeh.

Netanyahu’s decision to involve the Shin Bet signals that the government intends to address the issue through Israel’s internal security apparatus, in addition to the police and other law enforcement authorities.

The interview also addressed growing concerns that Iran could attempt to interfere with Israel’s October 27 elections by initiating a military confrontation or orchestrating security incidents designed to influence the political atmosphere.

Asked whether Tehran might launch an attack before Israelis head to the polls, Netanyahu acknowledged that Israeli officials were monitoring the possibility and taking steps to prevent such an operation.

“That is a possibility. There are preparations of that kind. Will they be carried out? No. We will do everything to thwart them.”

Netanyahu warned that Iran would face serious consequences if it proceeded with an attack.

“There will be a very harsh response.”

His warning followed remarks earlier in the week in which he said Israel was prepared for attempts by its enemies to test its military readiness during the election period.

Netanyahu has also rejected suggestions that he intends to initiate another military confrontation with Iran for electoral purposes, while maintaining that Israel will respond forcefully to any attack against it.

In his interview, the prime minister further addressed threats directed against him personally by Israel’s enemies, pointing to the country’s military operations against hostile organizations and their leaders.

“They openly declare that they want to eliminate me. So far, we have eliminated them; they have not eliminated us.”

Netanyahu also suggested that Iran might seek to influence the elections through security incidents intended to undermine public confidence in Israel’s recent military achievements. He insisted that the elections would proceed as scheduled despite any such attempts.

The prime minister’s comments came just ten days before Israelis are scheduled to vote in the October 27 Knesset elections, with security concerns, relations with Iran and the continuing tensions in Yehudah and Shomron among the issues dominating the campaign.

The IDF announced today that four Hamas terrorists, including an operative who participated in the October 7 massacre, have been eliminated in a series of targeted strikes across the Gaza Strip over the past three days. The military said the terrorists had been preparing additional attacks and working to rebuild Hamas’ operational capabilities in violation of the ceasefire agreement.

According to the IDF, the operations were carried out at several locations throughout Gaza, targeting members of Hamas’ military wing who continued to pose a threat to Israeli soldiers and civilians.

Among those eliminated was Adham Khalil Mohammed Marouf, a Hamas terrorist who infiltrated Israeli territory during the October 7, 2023, attacks. The military confirmed that Marouf was killed in a strike on Friday.

Also eliminated Friday was Ubaida Suhail Hamad Murtaja, who served as a sniper in Hamas’ military wing. The IDF identified him as another operative involved in the terrorist organization’s military activities.

The operations began Thursday with the elimination of Mahmoud Khaled Mohammed Madhoun, a member of Hamas’ elite Nukhba force.

According to the military, Madhoun had participated in combat operations throughout the war and was responsible for firing anti-tank missiles at Israeli troops.

A fourth Hamas operative, Abd al-Jawad Juda, was eliminated today in another strike targeting the organization’s military infrastructure.

The IDF said the four terrorists had recently been involved in efforts to prepare further attacks against Israeli forces and civilians, while simultaneously attempting to restore Hamas’ weakened military capabilities.

“Recently, the terrorists advanced attacks against IDF troops and Israeli civilians and attempted to restore the organization’s military capabilities, in systematic violation of the ceasefire. The terrorists were eliminated to remove the threat they posed.”

The military emphasized that the strikes were conducted in response to specific threats and that precautions were taken to reduce the risk to civilians in the surrounding areas.

“Prior to the strikes, steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of precision munitions and aerial surveillance.

“IDF troops under the Southern Command remain deployed in the area in accordance with the agreement and will continue to operate to remove any threat.”

The announcement follows additional IDF operations against Hamas personnel in Gaza. On Friday, the military disclosed that two other operatives had been killed in recent strikes, including Maher Walid Omar al-Husseini, a commander in Hamas’ Nukhba force who also participated in the October 7 invasion of Israel.

The second terrorist identified in that announcement was Mohammed Mohammed Abd al-Khalek Hala, whom the IDF described as an operative involved in weapons production for Hamas.

The latest eliminations come as Israeli forces continue targeting Hamas personnel accused of rebuilding the terrorist organization’s military infrastructure despite the ceasefire.

According to the IDF, recent operations have focused on terrorists involved in planning attacks, restoring weapons capabilities and reestablishing Hamas’ operational networks throughout the Gaza Strip.

The military said its forces remain stationed in designated areas under the ceasefire arrangement and will continue taking action against threats to Israeli soldiers and civilians.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called on Israel to intensify efforts to stop violence in Yehudah and Shomron following an attack that left American photojournalist Heidi Levine injured, warning that President Donald Trump does not want further unrest in the region to ignite a broader crisis.

Speaking with reporters tonight at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, Rubio said the administration had repeatedly conveyed its concerns to Israeli officials and was pressing for stronger measures against those responsible for violent incidents.

“We’re all very disturbed by those images and what we’re seeing. We’ve asked the Israelis and continue to ask them to crack down on that stuff,” he said.

Rubio emphasized that preventing further instability in Yehudah and Shomron remains an important priority for Trump, who has warned against allowing localized confrontations to escalate into a larger conflict.

“The President’s been very clear. He’s said this repeatedly. He does not want to see friction or anything, a crisis going on in the West Bank. Now, I understand that these are groups that are out there doing it. And the President’s been repeatedly clear when he said that he doesn’t want to see a new spark.”

The secretary’s comments came amid mounting concern over an incident Friday involving Levine, a veteran Washington Post photojournalist who was injured while covering confrontations in Yehudah and Shomron.

Asked specifically about the attack, Rubio acknowledged that American officials were still working to establish the full circumstances and that he had not yet received a comprehensive account from the US Embassy in Israel.

“I don’t have all the details. I only go off media reports. I know we’ve inquired with the embassy. They’re supposed to get a cable back later today or tomorrow indicating exactly what they know about it. But from what I understand about media reports, it didn’t look good. It was an American reporter, maybe it was a photojournalist, who was caught behind where some of these groups came in and was beaten. And there was video of that. So the whole thing was just disturbing. Not a good look.”

Rubio’s remarks followed a particularly forceful condemnation from US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who demanded a thorough criminal investigation and prosecution of everyone involved in the assault.

Huckabee, writing today, identified Levine as an American citizen who had been clearly identifiable as a member of the press when she was attacked.

“Heidi Levine, photojournalist for the Washington Post, suffered serious injuries from vicious & cowardly attack,” Huckabee wrote. “Heidi is US Citizen, clear ID as journalist.”

The ambassador said investigators had not yet conclusively established the identities of the perpetrators, but insisted that anyone found responsible should face substantial prison time.

He said the attackers remained “under investigation, but those who attacked unarmed reporter should spend years in prison.”

“We have called for a full investigation, arrest, and prosecution to the fullest extent of the law to whoever participated in this,” Huckabee stressed.

Huckabee went further in denouncing the incident, describing the assault on an unarmed female journalist as an act of terrorism.

“Attacking a female photographer is despicable act of terror carried out by masked cowards. Dishonorable act of senseless violence.”

The diplomatic pressure intensified as Israeli President Isaac Herzog personally contacted Levine today to express his regret over the assault and offer an apology on behalf of the country.

Herzog also addressed a separate incident earlier today in Taybeh, where a delegation of European diplomats and Catholic representatives reportedly came under attack while visiting the area during the olive harvest.

“As President of the State of Israel, I strongly condemn this outrageous and shocking violence, both the terrible attack you endured and other grave incidents of violence, such as what took place today in Taybeh,” Herzog said. “This weighed heavily on my conscience throughout Shabbat, and I express my deep sorrow and apologize for what you went through.”

The president told Levine that the conduct of those responsible was fundamentally incompatible with the standards expected of Israeli society and insisted that law enforcement authorities must pursue the perpetrators.

“The despicable behavior of the perpetrators of this attack does not represent the citizens or the values of the State of Israel. Israel is a democratic state governed by the rule of law, and it must act with full force against every form of violence. I know that the circumstances of each incident are being thoroughly investigated, and we await the findings. All government, security, and law enforcement authorities must use every means at their disposal to investigate thoroughly, apprehend these lawbreakers, and bring them to justice with the fullest extent of the law.”

Herzog concluded the conversation by extending his personal wishes for Levine’s recovery.

“We all embrace you and your family, and on behalf of the entire nation, I wish you good health and a speedy recovery.”

Additional reporting identified the location of Friday’s attack as the area surrounding Abu Falah, northeast of Ramallah, where Palestinian residents were gathering olives when dozens of masked Israelis reportedly descended on the area.

Levine, an experienced conflict photographer who has worked extensively in the Middle East and Ukraine, was covering the events when she was knocked to the ground and repeatedly kicked, according to her account and footage of the confrontation.

She was treated for four fractured vertebrae, a broken rib and multiple cuts, initially receiving medical attention in Ramallah before undergoing further treatment in Israel.

The Washington Post condemned the assault and demanded an investigation, while American lawmakers from both parties expressed concern about the safety of journalists and the need to hold those responsible accountable.

The violence has occurred during the annual olive harvest, a period that has repeatedly been accompanied by confrontations involving Palestinian farmers, Jewish residents and visiting activists.

According to the Israeli human rights organization Yesh Din, at least 170 attacks on Palestinians have been documented since the harvest season began on September 27. Israeli authorities have also reported confrontations involving attacks on Israelis and disputed accounts of how some incidents began.

Friday’s assault on Levine was followed by today’s confrontation in Taybeh, where European diplomatic representatives from Belgium, France and Poland were among those caught up in the disturbance. Israeli authorities announced an investigation, while the Prime Minister’s Office urged caution about assigning responsibility before the evidence had been fully examined.

A Jewish father in North London has removed his nine-year-old son from a public elementary school after a teacher allegedly suggested that Jews were responsible for the October 7 Hamas massacre, while school administrators refused his request for antisemitism awareness training for staff members.

The incident, reported by Britain’s Jewish Chronicle, occurred after the boy told his teacher about a conversation he had with his father concerning the Hamas terrorist attack on the Nova music festival in southern Israel.

Rather than acknowledging the atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists, the teacher allegedly challenged the child’s account, responding, “Actually, it’s exactly the opposite.”

According to the father, his son understood the teacher’s remarks to mean that Jews had attacked Palestinians, rather than the other way around. The teacher’s response also allegedly portrayed Hamas terrorists as “freedom fighters,” effectively justifying the violence perpetrated during the October 7 attacks.

Disturbed by what his son had experienced, the father contacted the school’s deputy headteacher and requested that members of the teaching staff receive training to recognize and address antisemitism.

He also suggested that the teacher visit the Nova exhibition in London, which documents the massacre at the music festival and the experiences of those who survived the attack.

School administrators rejected his request, telling him that “you can’t force politics on staff.”

The father subsequently attempted to raise the matter with the school’s headteacher but was reportedly told that she was not involved in the issue.

The confrontation was not the first time the boy had encountered hostility connected to his Jewish identity and Israel while attending the school.

A year earlier, when he was eight years old, the child expressed support for Israel’s representative in a singing competition. Another student responded by shouting abusive language at him, while several classmates began chanting “Free Palestine.”

The father said the combination of incidents, together with what he regarded as the school’s unwillingness to respond appropriately, convinced him that his son could no longer remain in that educational environment.

The family consequently enrolled the boy in a Jewish school for the 2026 academic year.

The father’s decision carried particular emotional significance because of his family’s history in France.

Originally from France himself, he recalled that his grandfather had been forced to remove his mother from school in 1940, when the country was under the antisemitic Vichy regime.

He said it was deeply painful to find himself taking a similar step in Britain in 2026, more than eight decades later, because of concerns about antisemitism.

The allegations have prompted renewed calls from British Jewish organizations for stronger protections for Jewish students in the country’s education system.

The Jewish Leadership Council and the Community Security Trust have urged the British government to urgently publish and implement the findings of an independent investigation into antisemitism in schools led by Sir David Bell.

The review, commissioned by Britain’s Department for Education in March, is examining how schools identify antisemitism, respond to complaints, protect Jewish students and hold educational institutions accountable when incidents are mishandled.

The government has said the review’s recommendations are expected during the autumn of 2026.

The Community Security Trust emphasized that teachers have a responsibility to educate children and maintain a safe learning environment, rather than introduce extremist political positions into classrooms.

The organization also encouraged parents to report similar incidents to both the police and the CST.

The case comes amid persistently high levels of antisemitism across Britain. CST recorded 1,926 antisemitic incidents during the first six months of 2026, a 21% increase over the corresponding period in 2025 and the second-highest first-half total since the organization began compiling its records.

Of those incidents, 178 involved schools, students or educational staff, including 74 cases affecting children or employees at non-Jewish schools.

For the London family, the decision to transfer their son to a Jewish school followed their unsuccessful attempts to secure assurances that the incidents would be addressed and that steps would be taken to prevent similar experiences in the future.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu issued a forceful response Friday to former President Barack Obama, rejecting his suggestion that Israel had taken land belonging to others and insisting that the Jewish people’s presence in Eretz Yisroel is rooted in thousands of years of history, rather than foreign conquest.

In a video posted to his X account, Netanyahu challenged remarks Obama made earlier this week during a public appearance in Northern Ireland, where the former American president acknowledged the Jewish people’s history of persecution but also accused them of taking land from others.

Netanyahu opened his response by expressing disappointment with Obama’s characterization of Israel’s history and moral standing.

“I heard a regrettable statement a few days ago suggesting that ‘Israel is stealing land and losing its moral high ground,'” Netanyahu said. “The Jewish people are not foreign conquerors in the land of our forefathers. Our history is not a colonial enterprise. We did not steal this land. This is our homeland.”

The prime minister emphasized the Jewish people’s ancient connection to Yehudah, arguing that comparisons between Israel and European colonial powers fundamentally misrepresent Jewish history.

“It is called Judea. That is where the Jews come from, and we have been connected to it for thousands of years,” Netanyahu declared. “We are not the Dutch in Indonesia. We are not the Belgians in the Congo. We are Jews in Judea.”

Netanyahu went on to argue that the central obstacle to peace in the Middle East is the refusal of Israel’s adversaries to accept the existence of a Jewish state, regardless of its borders.

“The obstacle is the refusal of our enemies, America’s enemies, to recognize the right of the Jewish people to a state of their own,” he said.

The Israeli leader also pointed to the anti-American rhetoric frequently employed by Iran and other enemies of Israel, describing the threats against the two countries as part of a broader ideological confrontation.

“They call us the ‘Little Satan’ and you the ‘Great Satan.’ And we are defending our shared values,” Netanyahu said, addressing the American public.

He warned that diplomatic initiatives built on unrealistic expectations would ultimately fail if they ignored the intentions of those seeking Israel’s destruction.

“Peace based on illusions will shatter against the rocks of Middle Eastern reality,” Netanyahu cautioned.

Netanyahu maintained that Israel would not endanger its security or its continued existence to accommodate those unwilling to recognize the Jewish state’s legitimacy or those seeking to appease terrorism.

“The right of the Jewish people to a state of their own in their historic homeland is not negotiable,” Netanyahu emphasized.

He concluded by declaring that Israel would never compromise that fundamental principle.

“We certainly will not do so, and we never will,” he said.

Obama’s comments came Tuesday evening during an appearance at the O2 Arena in Belfast, where he participated in a public discussion with journalist and author Susan McKay. Earlier in the day, he had received an honorary doctorate from Queen’s University Belfast.

Discussing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Obama acknowledged the centuries of persecution endured by Jews, particularly in Europe, and their historical connection to the land. However, he argued that Palestinians had also suffered injustices as a result of Israel’s establishment and subsequent policies.

“The fact is that the Jewish people, for millennia, were oppressed, discriminated against, killed. Europe was responsible for much of it. They understandably sought a refuge,” Obama said.

He continued by accusing Israelis of taking land from others and acting excessively, saying Palestinians understandably regarded those actions as unjust and sought the return of their property.

Obama also criticized what he characterized as the Netanyahu government’s reliance on Israel’s military and technological superiority to guarantee its security.

He argued that a strategy built around military strength without concessions to Palestinians might succeed temporarily but would ultimately undermine Israel’s moral standing.

“You have ceded moral ground if that is the position you take,” Obama said.

The former president also maintained that neither Israelis nor Palestinians would disappear from the region and that both peoples would have to confront that reality to achieve a lasting settlement.

{Matzav.com}

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rabbi Moshe Shapiro z”l, a prominent attorney, longtime public servant and nephew of Rav Meir Shapiro of Lublin zt”l, the founder of Daf Yomi. He was 83.

R’ Shapiro, who spent much of his life in Bnei Brak before relocating to Beitar Illit in his later years, was niftar Thursday following several years of illness and suffering, which those close to him said he accepted with remarkable love and faith.

His levayah took place Thursday night, the eve of Friday, 5 Cheshvan 5787, and he was laid to rest at Har Hamenuchos in Yerushalayim.

Born in France on 12 Kislev 5703, R’ Moshe was the son of R’ Dov Shapiro z”l and Mrs. Malka Shapiro a”h. He was a nephew of the legendary Rav Meir Shapiro of Lublin, whose establishment of the Daf Yomi learning program transformed Torah study throughout the Jewish world.

He was described as the only surviving nephew and blood relative of Rav Meir Shapiro. His distinguished family lineage also extended to the holy Rav Pinchas of Koritz zy”a, of whom he was a descendant.

R’ Shapiro immigrated to Eretz Yisroel as a young man and pursued his Torah education at the Chevron Yeshiva, where he studied during his bochur years.

Following his marriage, he undertook legal studies and eventually established a law practice in Bnei Brak. Over the years, his office became known as a respected legal practice, and he earned a reputation for professionalism and integrity.

Alongside his legal career, R’ Shapiro devoted decades to communal affairs and public service, particularly through Poalei Agudas Yisroel, known as PAI.

Beginning in 5725 (1965), he served as a member of the organization’s secretariat, taking an active role in its activities and leadership.

He was also responsible for establishing the Tzeirei PAI youth movement, an initiative intended to engage younger members of the community in the organization’s work.

His public involvement eventually extended to municipal government. From 5738 to 5748 (1978–1988), R’ Shapiro served on the Bnei Brak City Council, representing Poalei Agudas Yisroel for a full decade.

During his tenure, he also served on a municipal planning and construction subcommittee, participating in decisions affecting development and building projects in the growing city.

Those who knew R’ Shapiro described him as a man of exceptional character, whose personal warmth and commitment to helping others were evident throughout his many years of communal involvement.

Friends and acquaintances recalled his honesty, generosity and gracious manner, noting that he treated people from all backgrounds with respect and kindness. He was known for greeting everyone pleasantly and maintaining an openhearted approach to those who sought his assistance.

In recent years, R’ Shapiro moved to Beitar Illit to live near his children. As his health declined, he endured considerable suffering, which family members and acquaintances said he accepted with emunah and love.

His levayah was held Thursday night and kevurah took place at Har Hamenuchos in Yerushalayim.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

Two young chareidi women from Israel who spent three and a half months imprisoned in Poland after allegedly attempting to smuggle 100 kilograms of khat into the country have been unexpectedly released on bail, following a decision by a court in Krakow that surprised even their defense attorney.

The women, ages 23 and 24, had been held under harsh conditions since their arrest on June 19, when Polish authorities discovered large quantities of the plant in their luggage upon their arrival on a flight from Israel. Each woman was reportedly carrying approximately 50 kilograms of khat.

Although khat is commonly used in certain communities and is legal in Israel in its natural form, it is treated as a prohibited narcotic substance under Polish law. Importing substantial quantities can result in severe criminal penalties, making the case particularly serious.

The Krakow court determined that the two women did not pose a danger to the public and that their continued incarceration was unnecessary while legal proceedings remain pending.

However, their release comes with significant restrictions. Both women must report to Polish police once a week and are strictly prohibited from leaving Poland until their criminal cases have concluded.

Their Polish attorney, Wit Steidler, explained that the quantity of khat seized is considered exceptionally large under the country’s drug laws. A conviction could expose the women to prison sentences ranging from three to 23 years.

Despite the seriousness of the allegations, Steidler successfully argued that the women should not remain imprisoned in isolation while awaiting trial, particularly given their young ages and the fact that neither had previously encountered the criminal justice system.

The attorney acknowledged that he had not expected the judge to approve the request for release.

“They did something foolish, and there is no reason to keep them in isolation,” Steidler said, according to the Hebrew report.

He added that the court accepted his request to release the women on bail under police supervision, granting the defense the conditions it had sought.

The arrests have also drawn attention to a broader problem involving young Israelis, particularly members of the chareidi community, who are allegedly recruited by criminal operators to transport khat into European countries.

The plant is in demand among some immigrant communities from Ethiopia and Eritrea, creating a market for individuals willing to carry large quantities across international borders.

According to reports from Israel, recruiters frequently approach young people with little or no criminal background, offering free airfare and payments of approximately 5,000 shekels in exchange for transporting suitcases containing between 40 and 80 kilograms of khat.

Those arranging the shipments allegedly assure the couriers that the consequences of being caught are minimal, suggesting that authorities might simply confiscate the luggage or impose a relatively small fine.

In reality, individuals apprehended with khat in Poland can face serious criminal charges and lengthy periods of detention before their cases even reach trial.

For young Israelis unfamiliar with the country’s legal system, imprisonment can be especially difficult. In addition to being separated from their families, detainees must contend with language barriers, restrictive prison conditions and uncertainty about their futures. Observant Jews can face the additional challenge of obtaining kosher food while incarcerated.

Earlier reports about the two women indicated that Polish customs officials discovered the khat during an inspection of four suitcases at Krakow Airport. The shipment reportedly consisted of approximately 500 packages of leaves, with a total estimated value exceeding 500,000 Polish zlotys.

Initial reports also indicated that the women had been traveling toward Germany when they were stopped in Poland. They were subsequently transferred to detention facilities as prosecutors began pursuing criminal proceedings.

Israeli attorney Mordechai Tzivin, who specializes in assisting Israelis facing criminal charges abroad, became involved in the case and worked without compensation on behalf of one of the women.

Tzivin coordinated his efforts with the Polish defense attorney in seeking more favorable treatment for the detainees.

Following the court’s decision, Tzivin expressed appreciation to Polish law enforcement authorities for what he described as their humane and considerate approach toward his client.

He said officials had demonstrated an understanding of the circumstances surrounding the case and recognized that several factors warranted leniency despite the serious charges.

Although the women have now been released from prison, their legal difficulties are far from over. They remain subject to criminal proceedings in Poland and must continue living there under court supervision until their cases are resolved.

{Matzav.com}

With just 11 days remaining before Israel’s October 27 Knesset elections, political parties are scrambling to finalize agreements that could determine the allocation of crucial parliamentary seats, as National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir finds himself without a vote-sharing partner and a bitter public dispute erupts between Yoaz Hendel and Ofer Winter.

Friday marks the deadline for parties to submit surplus-vote agreements to the Central Elections Committee ahead of the election for the 26th Knesset. Five agreements have already been signed, including the traditional arrangement between Shas and United Torah Judaism, while several prominent parties remain without partners.

Voting has already begun at Israeli diplomatic missions overseas, adding urgency to the final stages of the campaign as parties seek to maximize their representation in the next Knesset.

Surplus-vote agreements allow two parties to combine their remaining votes during the allocation of Knesset seats, potentially enabling one of them to secure an additional mandate that might otherwise go to another party. The arrangement takes effect only if both participating parties receive enough votes to cross the electoral threshold.

The Likud and Religious Zionism parties finalized their agreement approximately ten days ago, leaving Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party with a difficult choice: negotiate with former senior IDF officer Ofer Winter’s Amcha Yisrael party or enter the election without a surplus-vote agreement.

Other parties have already secured their partnerships. The Beyachad party signed an agreement with Yisrael Beiteinu, while the Yashar! party reached an arrangement with the Democrats.

Shas and United Torah Judaism renewed their longstanding electoral cooperation, continuing a practice that has characterized numerous previous Knesset elections.

Among the Arab parties, Ra’am and the Joint List also reached an agreement to combine their surplus votes.

Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz has likewise chosen to remain without a partner, explaining that his party is unwilling to enter into an arrangement with a political faction aligned with either of Israel’s competing blocs.

Party officials said they believe Yoaz Hendel would ultimately support a coalition opposed to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, while economist Yaron Zelekha could align himself with Netanyahu in the hope of being appointed finance minister.

According to Blue and White, those considerations make a surplus-vote agreement with either side politically unacceptable.

Ben-Gvir, meanwhile, has been unable to reach an arrangement following the agreement between Likud and Religious Zionism.

Otzma Yehudit officials said the party had been left with no viable alternative to running without a surplus-vote partner, despite the potential electoral consequences.

The decision prompted sharp criticism from attorney Avraham Yustman, an Agudas Yisroel representative on the Central Elections Committee, who argued that Ben-Gvir was taking an unnecessary political risk.

Yustman wrote that Ben-Gvir’s refusal to sign an agreement with Winter, even if Winter’s prospects of crossing the electoral threshold were limited, could prove to be an exceptionally costly mistake.

“The arrogant decision by Ben-Gvir not to sign with Winter (despite the slim chance) could turn out to be colossal stupidity,” Yustman wrote.

He also questioned whether an alternative arrangement between Winter and Hendel would serve any practical purpose, arguing that neither party appeared likely to cross the electoral threshold alongside the other.

“An agreement between Winter and Hendel appears pointless — there is no chance that both will cross the electoral threshold,” Yustman wrote.

Under Israeli election rules, a surplus-vote agreement provides no advantage if either participating party fails to qualify for Knesset representation, making the electoral viability of potential partners a central consideration in the negotiations.

The most heated dispute surrounding the agreements has developed between Hendel, who heads the Reservists and Economic Party alongside Zelekha, and Winter, chairman of Amcha Yisrael.

The two sides have offered sharply conflicting accounts of negotiations over a possible surplus-vote arrangement, with each accusing the other of misrepresenting what occurred.

Hendel said he had publicly invited Winter to enter an agreement the previous week and that representatives of Winter’s party subsequently approached his faction on Thursday.

According to Hendel, the talks collapsed because Winter refused to commit to joining only a coalition that excluded both chareidi and Arab parties.

“After we called on Winter to sign a surplus-vote agreement last week, yesterday we received an approach on his behalf. Winter refused to commit to joining only a Zionist government (without chareidim and Arabs), so we decided not to sign a surplus-vote agreement with him,” Hendel said.

Winter’s party categorically rejected that account, insisting that it had never approached Hendel’s faction to request an agreement.

Amcha Yisrael accused Hendel of manufacturing a political controversy and pointed to his record of switching parties and participating in a coalition that included Ra’am chairman Mansour Abbas.

“Yoaz Hendel, who has moved between eight parties over the past decade and established a government with Mansour Abbas, and Yaron Zelekha, who is a Meretz supporter, will not lecture new people who have come to sweep away the old and disgraceful politics,” the party declared.

The confrontation follows an earlier public appeal by Hendel, who urged Winter to abandon his commitment to joining a Netanyahu-led government with the chareidi parties and instead support the formation of a coalition composed exclusively of parties he considers Zionist.

Hendel argued that such an arrangement would strengthen efforts to expand military recruitment and prevent the establishment of a government dependent on chareidi or Arab political factions.

Winter, however, has resisted those demands, maintaining his own political positions while facing pressure from competing parties over his potential role in the next Knesset.

Ben-Gvir has also intensified his criticism of Winter, accusing him of potentially following the political path of Naftali Bennett.

In a statement earlier this week, Ben-Gvir described Winter as “Bennett 2” and said Otzma Yehudit would therefore refuse to enter a surplus-vote agreement with his party.

Winter’s faction responded by criticizing Ben-Gvir’s decision and rejecting his characterization of its chairman.

The disagreement comes amid a broader political struggle over Winter’s supporters. Netanyahu’s Likud party has been campaigning against Amcha Yisrael, warning right-wing voters about the consequences of supporting a party that may fail to cross the electoral threshold.

Winter, in turn, has accused Netanyahu of undermining another right-wing party and warned that the prime minister would bear responsibility if those efforts ultimately damaged the right-wing bloc.

The issue has become particularly significant because Israel’s electoral system requires a party to receive at least 3.25% of the valid national vote to enter the Knesset.

Votes cast for parties that fail to reach that threshold do not contribute to their representation in parliament, and surplus-vote agreements cannot rescue a party that falls short.

With the deadline for filing agreements arriving at noon Friday, Otzma Yehudit, Amcha Yisrael, Blue and White and the Hendel-Zelekha faction were all facing the prospect of entering the October 27 election without a surplus-vote partner.

{Matzav.com}

Great excitement is spreading throughout the Skverer chassidus in Eretz Yisroel and abroad following the announcement that two sons of the Skverer Rebbe will travel to Eretz Yisroel for a special visit to mekomos hakedoshim, accompanied by large numbers of chassidim expected to arrive from communities around the world.

The visit will be led by the Rebbe’s eldest son, Harav Aharon Mendel Twersky, together with his younger brother, Harav Chaim Meir Twersky, the Rebbe’s youngest son. The two are planning the journey in connection with upcoming weddings of their descendants.

The brothers are expected to travel throughout Eretz Yisroel, visiting mekomos hakedoshim in the north, central and southern regions of the country, as well as in Yerushalayim, where the principal events of the visit will take place.

News of the planned journey has generated considerable enthusiasm among Skverer chassidim, many of whom are preparing to join the brothers for the opportunity to daven at the holy sites under their leadership.

For many members of the chassidus, the upcoming visit carries particular significance because the Skverer Rebbe himself has not traveled to Eretz Yisroel in approximately a decade.

Chassidim recall the Rebbe’s previous visit with great emotion, and there are currently no indications that another such trip is being planned. The forthcoming journey by his two sons is therefore being welcomed as a special opportunity for the chassidus to gather in Eretz Yisroel.

The visit is scheduled to take place during the month of Teves, with the highlight expected to be a major Shabbos gathering in Yerushalayim.

The special Shabbos will bring together Skverer chassidim from across Eretz Yisroel, along with numerous visitors traveling from overseas to participate in the historic gathering.

Another central event will take place in Meron, where the brothers are expected to lead a large hadlakah at the kever of Rav Shimon bar Yochai, attended by a substantial gathering of chassidim.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli police and specialized search teams have launched another effort to locate several people who vanished in northern Israel, conducting an extensive operation in the Tzfas and Meron region this week as investigators continue pursuing leads in a series of unresolved missing-person cases.

The operation, carried out jointly by officers from the Tzfas Police Station and the Israel Dog Unit, concentrated primarily on two men who disappeared in separate incidents in 2022 and 2024. Search personnel also examined areas associated with other longstanding cases, including the disappearances of Moishe Kleinerman, Moshe Eliezer Ilovitz and nine-year-old Hymanut Kassaou.

The Israel Dog Unit, a nonprofit organization that specializes in deploying trained search dogs, joined police officers in combing through difficult terrain in the mountainous northern region. The teams employed multiple search techniques in an effort to identify possible evidence or locate the missing individuals.

One of the principal subjects of the renewed search was Rafael Haim Hadad, who was approximately 60 years old when he disappeared from the Tzfas area on November 18, 2022. Nearly four years later, his whereabouts remain unknown.

Investigators also focused on David Padida, who was approximately 28 when he went missing on October 15, 2024. The latest operation took place around the second anniversary of his disappearance.

The Tzfas and Meron region has been the scene of several unexplained disappearances over the years, some involving individuals whose cases have attracted considerable public attention.

Among them is Moishe Kleinerman, a chareidi teenager who was 16 when he disappeared in March 2022 after traveling to the Meron area. Despite extensive searches involving police, volunteers and specialized rescue teams, his fate remains unknown.

Another unresolved case involves Moshe Eliezer Ilovitz, a 37-year-old father who disappeared in May 2019 after leaving his home in Tzfas. His disappearance prompted numerous searches in the surrounding forests and mountainous terrain, but investigators have yet to determine what happened to him.

The operation also covered locations potentially relevant to the disappearance of Hymanut Kassaou, who was nine years old when she vanished from the Tzfas area in February 2024. Her case has generated widespread concern and repeated appeals for information from authorities and family members.

Earlier searches in the same region have included examinations of caves, deep pits, thick vegetation and isolated locations where missing individuals might have sought shelter or become trapped. In July 2025, investigators renewed searches following testimony concerning a possible lead in the disappearance of David Padida.

The Israel Dog Unit regularly works alongside police and other emergency organizations in missing-person investigations, using specially trained dogs, drones, off-road vehicles and volunteer search personnel to examine areas that are difficult to reach.

The latest operation began Tuesday, October 13, with search teams moving through wooded and rugged sections of the Upper Galilee. The use of specialized equipment and canine teams was intended to help investigators examine locations that ordinary ground searches might overlook.

The Kleinerman case, in particular, has remained a source of anguish for the family and the wider chareidi community. Earlier this month, relatives renewed their appeal for assistance as the missing bochur’s 21st birthday approached, more than four years after he was last seen.

His uncle, Chaim Hanfling, urged members of the public to help by sharing information, davening and undertaking acts of Torah learning or other good deeds as a zechus for his safe return.

The families of the other missing individuals have likewise endured years of uncertainty, with successive searches failing to provide definitive answers about their loved ones’ whereabouts.

Authorities have not announced a breakthrough resulting from this week’s operation.

The Israel Dog Unit is requesting that anyone who possesses information, however seemingly insignificant, concerning any of the missing individuals contact its emergency hotline at 054-487-6709. Police are also continuing to accept information that could assist the investigations.

{Matzav.com}

A 61-year-old Israeli bus driver is being remembered as a hero after he reportedly made a split-second decision to protect approximately 20 soldiers aboard his bus from an oncoming truck, sacrificing his own life in a devastating collision in northern Israel.

Avshalom Revivo, a resident of Ashdod and father of three, was killed Wednesday when a truck crossed into the path of his bus on Highway 91, between Machanaim Junction and Kibbutz Mishmar Hayarden. His employer believes that Revivo deliberately steered the bus in a direction that shielded the soldiers from the worst of the crash, even though the maneuver placed him directly in danger.

Revivo had worked for the Hamovil Ha’artzi transportation company for four years and was known among colleagues as a skilled, dependable and conscientious driver. Just two months earlier, he had celebrated the wedding of his daughter.

At the time of the accident, Revivo was driving the lead vehicle in a three-bus convoy transporting Israeli soldiers from the Tel Nof Air Force Base to northern Israel.

According to preliminary accounts, a truck traveling in the opposite direction suddenly veered across the roadway and into the bus’s path, leaving Revivo only moments to react.

Doron Shokrani, the owner of the transportation company, told Ynet that Revivo apparently recognized the approaching danger and made an immediate decision about how to maneuver his vehicle.

Although steering left might have allowed him to escape the collision, Revivo instead turned right. His employer believes that the maneuver prevented the soldiers from absorbing the full force of a head-on impact, while exposing the driver’s compartment to the collision.

The crash severely damaged the front of the bus, leaving Revivo trapped in the wreckage.

Firefighters and emergency rescue crews spent an extended period attempting to free him from the crushed vehicle. Magen David Adom paramedics carried out resuscitation efforts, but his injuries proved fatal, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The truck driver, a man in his 50s, sustained serious injuries and was airlifted to a hospital for emergency treatment.

The soldiers traveling aboard Revivo’s bus escaped with relatively minor injuries. They were evacuated to Ziv Medical Center in Tzfas for medical evaluation and treatment.

Emergency personnel responding to the October 14 accident described extensive damage to both vehicles. The crash was reported around noon, prompting the dispatch of ambulances, firefighters and rescue teams to the scene.

Magen David Adom emergency medical technician Gil Ad Ben Hamo said rescuers encountered a particularly severe collision, with the fronts of both vehicles badly damaged. Revivo was found unconscious, without a pulse and not breathing. Despite complex extraction efforts and emergency medical treatment, he could not be revived.

Initial emergency service reports indicated that 18 bus passengers, most of them young men in their 20s, were transported to the hospital with minor injuries. The truck driver was the only other person reported seriously injured.

Police closed Highway 91 in both directions while emergency crews worked at the scene and investigators examined the circumstances surrounding the collision.

Revivo’s employer said he had earned widespread respect during his years with the transportation company, consistently receiving favorable evaluations from clients that included the Defense Ministry and schools.

The circumstances of his death have also prompted calls for official recognition of his actions. Israel’s Public Transport Drivers Organization urged authorities to honor Revivo for what it described as an extraordinary act of bravery that protected the soldiers under his care.

Revivo was laid to rest in Ashdod at a funeral attended by large crowds, including relatives, friends, fellow drivers and members of the community.

Among those who came to pay their final respects were the squadron commander and soldiers who had been aboard his bus during the fatal accident.

Revivo leaves behind his wife and three children, including the daughter whose wedding he had celebrated just two months before his death.

{Matzav.com}

It is with sadness that we report the petirah of Alter Yitzchok Eizik Wachtfogel z”l, son of Rav Elya Ber Wachtfogel, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Gedolah Zichron Moshe in South Fallsburg, New York.

The niftar was a special-needs son of the rosh yeshiva.

The levayah was held today at the Shamgar Funeral Home in Yerushalayim.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

Katie Zacharia is leaving her position as White House press secretary after just one week on the job, following a widely criticized debut briefing, questions about her professional credentials and public remarks from President Donald Trump suggesting that she reconsider whether she wanted the position.

A senior White House official confirmed Friday that Zacharia is “transitioning out” of the role, bringing an abrupt end to a tenure that began with her appointment on October 9 and included only a single appearance behind the White House briefing room podium.

Speaking to reporters on the White House South Lawn on Friday, Trump revealed that he had personally encouraged Zacharia to reconsider her new responsibilities.

“You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to… I think you should reconsider,” Trump said, recounting his conversation with her.

The president acknowledged that Zacharia’s brief time as his chief spokesperson had been difficult.

“Maybe it’s not for her,” Trump said.

When reporters asked whether his comments meant that he had dismissed Zacharia, Trump rejected that characterization.

“No no. I want her to have a good life,” he responded.

“She’s been brutalized by the media,” the president added.

Zacharia’s departure follows an unusually turbulent first week in which her performance before reporters and questions about her legal background became major subjects of discussion in Washington.

She was selected to replace Karoline Leavitt, who had served as Trump’s press secretary before announcing her departure from the administration.

Zacharia made her first appearance in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room on Tuesday, October 13, but the session lasted only 14 minutes, during which she answered questions from just three journalists.

The unusually short briefing immediately attracted attention, particularly because previous White House press secretaries had generally spent considerably longer fielding questions during their introductory appearances.

Leavitt’s first briefing lasted approximately 47 minutes, while Sean Spicer’s initial session during Trump’s first administration ran about 79 minutes. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ first briefing as press secretary in 2017 lasted approximately 23 minutes.

Zacharia’s performance also drew criticism over several verbal mistakes, including an awkward moment when she referred to her husband as “my president” before correcting herself.

The difficulties continued after the briefing, as questions emerged about her legal qualifications.

Trump had described Zacharia as an attorney when announcing her appointment, but her professional background subsequently came under scrutiny over whether she had ever been licensed to practice law in the United States.

During an appearance Thursday night on Fox News’ “Hannity,” Zacharia acknowledged that she had not passed the bar examination and had never obtained an American law license.

“I had already pre-registered for the bar exam, and basically during the summer, I knew I would be living in China and the result of the bar would be inconsequential. I sat for it because I didn’t want to have a withdraw status,” she explained.

The interview also provided Zacharia an opportunity to defend her performance during Tuesday’s briefing, which had become the defining event of her brief tenure.

“What I feel is I really stepped up to the plate with very little prep time,” Zacharia said. “Given the fact that I’d been on the job less than maybe eight hours and had a briefing book in the morning, I feel like I did my very best, Sean, to deliver for the American people that day.”

Despite her explanation, the controversy surrounding her debut continued to grow, with criticism focusing on both her preparation and her ability to manage the daily demands of the White House press corps.

Even before Friday’s announcement, speculation had emerged inside the administration that Zacharia might not survive long enough in the position to surpass Anthony Scaramucci, whose famously brief tenure as White House communications director lasted just ten days in July 2017.

An unnamed White House official told MS NOW earlier in the week that Zacharia had made a poor first impression and would need to demonstrate rapid improvement.

“Getting behind the podium is tough, but she got off on the wrong foot,” the official said. “She needs to get much better, fast, otherwise she’ll break Scaramucci’s record.”

The warning proved prescient. Zacharia was removed from the position before delivering a second formal White House briefing, ending her tenure even sooner than Scaramucci’s.

The sudden departure is particularly striking because senior White House officials had publicly defended Zacharia as recently as Wednesday.

White House Communications Director Steven Cheung offered an enthusiastic endorsement when asked about criticism of her performance and speculation about her future.

“Katie is a fabulous and wonderful addition to the team. She is uniquely qualified and whip smart to help inform the American people about all the great things President Trump and his Administration have been doing, and she will do an incredible job as Press Secretary,” Cheung said.

Just two days later, the administration confirmed that she was leaving.

Another unusual aspect of Zacharia’s appointment was that the official White House press secretary account on X never appeared to have been transferred to her control.

The account, previously used by Leavitt before being renamed White House Press Office, had not published a new post since October 7, two days before Zacharia’s appointment.

Before joining the White House, Zacharia worked as a senior communications adviser for Trump Media & Technology Group, the company behind Trump’s Truth Social platform.

She had also served earlier in 2026 as deputy assistant secretary for public affairs and a spokesperson at the Department of Homeland Security, although that assignment lasted only approximately six weeks.

Zacharia earned a law degree from Pepperdine University’s Caruso School of Law in 2011 and subsequently worked in China, including at the international law firm Zhong Lun. She has maintained that her legal education and professional experience entitled her to describe herself as a lawyer, while acknowledging that she was never admitted to practice law in the United States.

Her claims concerning her legal background became the subject of additional scrutiny after a complaint was submitted to the California State Bar requesting an investigation into whether she had improperly represented herself as an attorney.

The White House had defended her professional background, emphasizing her international legal experience and previous communications work.

Friday’s developments also drew attention because Zacharia’s dismissal came after a series of television interviews intended to address the controversy surrounding her appointment. Instead, those appearances generated additional questions about her qualifications and readiness for the position.

Multiple news organizations reported Friday that Zacharia had been dismissed, although Trump avoided describing the departure as a firing and instead emphasized the pressure she had experienced.

Her departure leaves the White House searching for another chief spokesperson less than two months after Leavitt’s exit, with no immediate announcement identifying who will permanently assume the position.

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s Central Elections Committee has ordered former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot and his Yashar party to either clearly identify a digitally manipulated campaign video or remove it from their social media accounts, after the footage depicted Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu holding a fictitious telephone conversation with slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and congratulating him.

The ruling, issued Thursday by Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, chairman of the Central Elections Committee, followed a petition by Netanyahu’s Likud party challenging the video under Israel’s election propaganda laws.

The controversy erupted just 12 days before Israel’s October 27 Knesset elections, as the increasingly bitter campaign between Netanyahu and Eisenkot has become dominated by accusations concerning responsibility for the October 7 massacre and the government’s handling of the subsequent war against Hamas.

The video, published Thursday by Eisenkot, uses digital manipulation to create the appearance of Netanyahu speaking with Sinwar, the Hamas leader who masterminded the October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks in southern Israel.

Sinwar, who was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza in October 2024, is depicted as the recipient of a congratulatory telephone call from the Israeli prime minister.

The fictitious conversation is intended as a political attack on Netanyahu, whom Eisenkot has repeatedly accused of failing to prevent the Hamas massacre and failing to fulfill his promises to eliminate the terrorist organization.

At the conclusion of the video, Netanyahu is shown covering his eyes as a message appears accusing him of ignoring warnings ahead of October 7.

“Netanyahu, you were warned, and you didn’t prevent [it],” the message states.

Netanyahu has denied allegations that he received actionable warnings of the impending Hamas attack and failed to respond appropriately.

The video was accompanied by a message from Eisenkot criticizing the prime minister’s wartime leadership.

“For three years, our heroic fighters have been on the front lines, and Netanyahu has failed to eliminate Hamas as he promised the people of Israel,” Eisenkot wrote.

“There is another way! On October 27, vote Yashar for the fighters,” he added.

Following the video’s publication, Likud submitted a petition to the Central Elections Committee, arguing that the campaign advertisement had been created or altered using digital technology and therefore required an appropriate disclosure under Israeli election law.

The petition was filed through attorneys Ilan Bombach, Shai Levi and Kim Verona, who sought action against Eisenkot and his party under the Elections Law governing campaign propaganda.

Justice Sohlberg examined the material and concluded that there was sufficient preliminary evidence that digital methods had been used in creating or editing the advertisement, triggering the legal requirement for disclosure.

He issued an interim order requiring Eisenkot and Yashar to add a clear indication throughout the video that it had been digitally manipulated, or alternatively to remove it immediately from their social media accounts.

The order applies to the party’s and Eisenkot’s accounts across social media platforms and remains in effect unless the committee chairman rules otherwise.

Importantly, Sohlberg did not order the unconditional removal of the advertisement. His ruling allows the party to continue distributing it if the required disclosure is added.

The judge also emphasized that the decision was temporary and did not constitute a final determination of whether the party had violated election law.

Eisenkot and Yashar were instructed to submit their response to the petition by Sunday, October 18, at noon.

The committee will then continue examining the legal questions surrounding the advertisement, including whether its presentation complied with the disclosure requirements for digitally manipulated political material.

The dispute comes amid growing concern in Israel over the use of artificial intelligence and other digital editing techniques to create realistic but fictitious political advertisements.

Earlier in the election campaign, Sohlberg ordered Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and his Religious Zionism party to remove a digitally generated video depicting Eisenkot alongside Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Ra’am chairman Mansour Abbas.

In that case, the judge concluded that the advertisement portrayed a political encounter that had never occurred and could mislead viewers into believing that Eisenkot maintained a political relationship that did not exist.

The latest controversy reverses the political roles, with Eisenkot’s party now facing scrutiny over its own use of manipulated imagery targeting Netanyahu.

The ruling also comes as Eisenkot has emerged as one of Netanyahu’s principal electoral challengers, with recent opinion polls indicating that Yashar could become the largest party in the next Knesset.

The committee’s interim order requires the video to be properly labeled or removed while the legal proceedings continue. Eisenkot’s formal response is due Sunday.

Elon Musk stunned spectators Thursday night when Tesla unveiled its long-awaited next-generation Roadster with a demonstration that appeared to defy gravity, sending the electric sports car racing up a towering ramp, driving upside down, flipping through the air and landing safely on its wheels.

The extraordinary presentation, held at a SpaceX testing facility in McGregor, Texas, showcased a vehicle equipped with advanced propulsion technology developed through a collaboration between Tesla and Musk’s aerospace company, SpaceX. The car demonstrated the ability to lift itself off the ground, maneuver while airborne and accelerate from zero to 60 miles per hour in less than one second.

The unveiling marked a major milestone for a vehicle first announced in 2017 and repeatedly delayed over the ensuing nine years. Musk now says the redesigned Roadster is expected to enter production in 2028.

During the event, a Roadster prototype approached an enormous curved ramp resembling a giant loop. Rather than falling as it climbed the increasingly steep structure, the vehicle remained attached to the surface, eventually reaching a completely inverted position.

The car then accelerated toward the end of the ramp, launched into the air, rotated approximately 180 degrees and descended in a controlled maneuver before landing upright on the pavement.

The demonstration drew cheers from the audience, with Musk acknowledging the successful stunt.

“Well, it worked,” he remarked.

Tesla followed the opening maneuver with another display in which the Roadster lifted off the ground and traveled over a lineup of Tesla vehicles, including a Cybertruck, Cybercab, Model Y, Model 3 and Tesla Semi.

The car performed an aerial maneuver before returning to the ground, demonstrating the capabilities of its propulsion system.

Unlike conventional electric vehicles, which rely exclusively on their motors and wheels for movement, the experimental Roadster uses high-pressure compressed air released through specially designed thrusters.

Tesla engineering vice president Lars Moravy explained that the vehicle incorporates a powerful suction system underneath its body, allowing it to maintain contact with surfaces even when driving upside down.

According to Moravy, the system can generate the equivalent of approximately twice the force of gravity to keep the car attached to the road.

“Then we borrowed some technology from SpaceX to do the rest,” Moravy said.

The propulsion system reportedly uses 10 nozzles connected to compressed-air storage tanks, allowing the vehicle to produce controlled bursts of thrust in different directions.

Musk explained that the system includes specialized thrusters for controlling the car’s position in the air, along with more powerful units mounted toward the rear.

“It can do rolls, it can do crazy gymnastics,” Musk said.

The technology enables the Roadster to perform brief airborne maneuvers that would be impossible for an ordinary passenger vehicle. However, the demonstration did not establish that the car can sustain conventional flight over long distances.

Musk acknowledged that the Roadster’s extraordinary capabilities come with practical limitations, joking that it is “not necessarily a safety optimised car.”

The presentation also featured an acceleration test in which Tesla reported that the Roadster reached 60 miles per hour in just 0.81 seconds, a figure that would place it among the quickest-accelerating vehicles ever demonstrated.

Tesla is targeting a top speed exceeding 230 miles per hour for the new Roadster, although the performance figures have not yet been independently verified under standardized production-vehicle testing conditions.

The redesigned vehicle features an aggressive, angular appearance that differs substantially from the sleek Roadster concept Tesla originally introduced nearly a decade ago.

The car is intended to serve as a technological showcase for Tesla, demonstrating the potential of electric propulsion combined with aerospace-inspired engineering.

Musk has long promised that the next-generation Roadster would push automotive performance beyond conventional expectations. When the vehicle was first announced in November 2017, Tesla projected a 2020 production date and advertised acceleration, speed and range figures that generated considerable excitement.

Those plans were repeatedly postponed as the company concentrated on expanding production of its existing vehicles and developing newer projects, including the Cybertruck, autonomous driving technology and humanoid robotics.

Thursday’s unveiling provided the first major public demonstration of the redesigned vehicle’s unusual flight-related capabilities.

Tesla has also introduced multiple versions of the Roadster, including Performance, Thrust and Rocket configurations.

The company is accepting reservations for the Performance and Thrust models, with reservation amounts reported at $50,000 and $250,000, respectively. The more extreme Rocket configuration is being offered by invitation only.

The Rocket model, designed around the vehicle’s most advanced propulsion features, is not currently approved for ordinary public-road use.

Tesla has indicated that the Roadster will be produced in relatively limited quantities, with Musk acknowledging that it is unlikely to contribute significantly to the company’s overall revenue compared with its mass-market vehicles.

The unveiling comes as Tesla continues expanding its focus beyond traditional automobile manufacturing, investing heavily in artificial intelligence, autonomous transportation and robotics.

The Roadster’s debut also highlights the increasingly close technological relationship between Tesla and SpaceX, with engineers from both companies contributing to the development of the compressed-air propulsion system.

Despite the dramatic demonstration, questions remain about how many of the prototype’s capabilities will ultimately be incorporated into vehicles sold to customers, whether regulators will approve the technology for road use and whether Tesla will meet its latest production deadline.

For now, the sight of a Tesla sports car driving upside down, launching itself into the air and landing safely has provided the clearest demonstration yet of Musk’s longstanding ambition to build a car capable of doing considerably more than driving on the road.

{Matzav.com}

Members of the Alexander chassidus around the world have expressed shock and outrage following the desecration of the entrance to the historic Jewish cemetery in Aleksandrów Łódzki, Poland, where several of the chassidus’s revered Rebbes and other distinguished rabbonim are buried.

The vandalism was discovered Wednesday by visitors who had arrived at the cemetery to daven at the kevarim of the tzaddikim. They were stunned to find that unknown individuals had spray-painted offensive graffiti across the cemetery’s entrance gate.

According to members of the chassidus, the perpetrators apparently arrived late Tuesday night and defaced the gate of the old cemetery, which holds particular significance for Alexander chassidim because of the generations of Torah leaders buried there.

The discovery caused considerable distress among visitors and members of the chassidus, who regard the cemetery as one of their most important historical and spiritual sites.

Following the discovery, local representatives contacted the administrators of Alexander Hoif, the hachnosas orchim organization that operates in the area throughout the year and assists visitors traveling to the kevarim.

The organization’s leadership, together with the committee responsible for preserving the burial sites of the Alexander Rebbes, immediately filed a complaint with the local Polish police.

Authorities subsequently opened an investigation into the incident, gathering evidence from the scene and examining security-camera footage from the surrounding area in an effort to identify those responsible.

Members of the chassidus expressed hope that Polish law enforcement officials would pursue the perpetrators vigorously and take appropriate action to prevent further acts of vandalism against the historic Jewish burial ground.

At the same time, efforts were initiated to remove the graffiti and restore the cemetery entrance to its previous condition.

The desecration comes as Alexander chassidim are preparing for the upcoming yahrtzeit of the Yismach Yisroel, Rav Yerachmiel Yisroel Yitzchok Danziger, whose kever is located at the cemetery. The yahrtzeit falls on Erev Rosh Chodesh Shevat and traditionally draws large numbers of chassidim who travel to Poland to daven at the resting place of the revered Rebbe.

The cemetery, established in 1822, is among the most significant surviving landmarks of the once-thriving Jewish community of Aleksandrów Łódzki, a town near Lodz that became an important center of Polish chassidus.

Among those buried there are Rav Yechiel Danziger, the first Alexander Rebbe; his son, the Yismach Yisroel; Rav Shmuel Tzvi Danziger, the Tiferes Shmuel; and Rav Betzalel Yair Danziger. The cemetery also contains the kever of Rav Chanoch Henoch Hakohen Levin, who served as a prominent chassidic leader in the region.

The cemetery suffered extensive destruction during World War II, when German occupiers removed numerous matzeivos and used them as construction material. Further damage occurred in the years following the war, leaving only a portion of the original gravestones intact.

In more recent years, preservation efforts have sought to protect the remaining kevarim and maintain the cemetery as a destination for visitors. A substantial entrance gate and protective fencing were installed, and the ohel housing the Alexander Rebbes has been maintained for those who come to daven.

The latest vandalism has therefore caused particular distress among chassidim who have invested considerable effort in preserving the site and ensuring that future generations can continue visiting the kevarim of their Rebbes.

With preparations underway for the Yismach Yisroel’s yahrtzeit, those responsible for maintaining the cemetery are working to restore the entrance while awaiting the results of the police investigation.

{Matzav.com}

Amazon could shut down all 15 of its last-mile delivery warehouses in New York City and eliminate as many as 7,000 jobs if a labor proposal supported by Mayor Zohran Mamdani becomes law, according to industry specialists who believe the online retail giant is prepared to carry out its warning rather than abandon its longstanding business model.

The proposed Delivery Protection Act would require Amazon to directly employ approximately 5,000 delivery drivers who currently work for independent contractors. Supporters argue that the legislation would provide stronger workplace protections, better compensation and improved safety standards for employees of major delivery companies, including Amazon, FedEx and DoorDash.

Amazon, however, has warned that the measure could force it to dismantle its existing delivery network within the five boroughs. In addition to the 5,000 drivers whose jobs could be affected, approximately 2,000 employees working at the company’s 15 local distribution facilities could also face layoffs if those locations close.

Industry analysts say the company’s record of responding aggressively to labor disputes suggests that its warnings should be taken seriously, particularly because Amazon has never directly employed its delivery drivers under this model anywhere else in the United States.

One example frequently cited by logistics experts is Amazon’s withdrawal from Quebec, where the company closed seven warehouses in early 2025 following a labor dispute at one of its facilities.

The conflict centered on a warehouse in Laval, near Montreal, where approximately 300 employees had organized under the Confédération des syndicats nationaux, known as CSN.

By March 2025, the shutdowns had resulted in the elimination of roughly 1,900 warehouse positions and affected another 2,800 workers employed by delivery contractors serving those locations.

Marc Wulfraat, founder and president of Montreal-based logistics consulting company MWPVL International, said Amazon’s actions in Canada offer a warning about what could happen in New York.

“Amazon will retaliate, because it has to send a firm message to the rest of the country that ‘If you mess with us, this is what will happen,’” Wulfraat said.

“When you look at Amazon’s global operations, they close buildings left, right and center when there is union activity.”

Wulfraat said Amazon continues to pay rent on more than 1.6 million square feet of now-vacant warehouse space in the Montreal area, despite having invested hundreds of millions of dollars in constructing and outfitting the facilities. Real estate advertisements indicate that at least two of those properties are being marketed for sublease.

The New York proposal was originally introduced by Queens Council Member Tiffany Cabán last year and brought back before the City Council in 2026. It currently has approximately 34 co-sponsors, giving it considerable legislative support.

Nevertheless, concerns about widespread job losses have complicated negotiations, including among council members who otherwise support stronger labor protections.

A person familiar with the discussions said several lawmakers, including City Council Speaker Julie Menin, are “uncomfortable” with the possibility that the legislation could cost thousands of New Yorkers their jobs.

“This bill will have to pass in some form,” the source said, pointing to Mamdani’s support for the measure.

The source suggested that negotiations could ultimately produce an agreement leaving “both sides unhappy.”

Among the possible compromises being considered is an arrangement under which Amazon could continue relying on independent delivery contractors while accepting additional obligations to protect drivers’ safety.

No date has been established for a City Council vote.

Amazon currently employs or supports more than 12,000 hourly positions in New York City, more than double the number of workers affected by its Quebec warehouse closures.

The approximately 7,000 jobs connected to its last-mile delivery network represent only part of that workforce.

Another 5,500 employees work at the company’s JFK8 fulfillment center on Staten Island, where workers voted in 2022 to establish the first union at an Amazon facility in the United States. Despite that vote, the employees have yet to secure a collective bargaining agreement.

The Delivery Protection Act would not directly apply to those Staten Island warehouse workers.

Amazon has faced numerous labor organizing battles in recent years, particularly at its American facilities, even as the company operates with unionized employees in parts of Europe.

The company remains involved in legal proceedings concerning its responses to organizing campaigns in Staten Island and Bessemer, Alabama.

In April, the National Labor Relations Board directed Amazon to begin negotiations with the Teamsters on Staten Island. Amazon has challenged the labor board’s authority and legitimacy through litigation.

The Teamsters, which support stronger protections for delivery workers, accused Amazon of attempting to avoid responsibility for the people who perform work on its behalf.

“Amazon will say or do whatever it takes to deny workers stronger rights and wages and abdicate its responsibilities for its own employees,” the union said.

For the approximately 40 independent delivery businesses operating within New York City, the controversy presents a potentially existential threat.

Those companies collectively employ approximately 5,000 drivers whose livelihoods depend on contracts to deliver Amazon packages.

Kris Basmagy, who owns DashWave Delivery and oversees Amazon deliveries on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, warned that the company could simply relocate its distribution network beyond city limits.

“Look at what happened in Quebec,” Basmagy said. “There was pressure on Amazon’s model, and it pulled out.”

Basmagy, whose business employs approximately 150 drivers, noted that Amazon could shift operations to the numerous “warehouses being built along the New Jersey Turnpike.”

Such a move would allow the retailer to continue serving New York customers from facilities outside the city, although delivery times and operating costs could change.

Amazon has denied that its Quebec closures were retaliation for union organizing, and the dispute remains the subject of proceedings before Canadian labor authorities.

CSN filed a complaint with Quebec’s labor tribunal challenging the shutdowns. Even if the union succeeds in establishing that Amazon violated labor laws, the company could face financial penalties and damage to its reputation rather than being compelled to reopen its warehouses.

The closures also prompted legal action from customers who claimed that the disruption interfered with the expedited shipping benefits they had purchased through Amazon Prime.

A class-action lawsuit filed by a Quebec Prime subscriber in February 2025 alleged that delivery promises of one or two days were replaced, in some instances, by waits of four to six days.

A Quebec court permitted the lawsuit to move forward in May.

The plaintiffs acknowledged that the worst service interruptions lasted approximately two months, while Amazon maintained that its delivery performance recovered after Canadian logistics company Intelcom assumed responsibility for local distribution.

“Then they got their act together and stopped the delays,” said Saro Turner, a partner at Slater Vecchio, the law firm representing the plaintiffs.

Amazon has argued that the consequences for New York consumers would extend beyond employment, potentially increasing delivery costs and slowing shipments throughout the five boroughs.

The company financed an economic analysis conducted by AKRF estimating that the legislation could impose an additional $664 in annual expenses on the average New York household, equivalent to approximately $5.20 per package.

That projection includes deliveries by companies other than Amazon, such as FedEx and DoorDash, and reflects assumptions about the wider impact of the proposed requirements. It remains a company-sponsored estimate rather than an established cost increase.

Amazon spokesperson Steve Kelly said the New York delivery market is considerably larger and more complicated than the company’s former Quebec operation.

He described New York as “fundamentally different” from Quebec, where Amazon maintained “far fewer sites.”

“New York City is one of the largest and most complex delivery regions in the country,” Kelly said. “It’s best served by a network of local small businesses deeply embedded in their communities and leveraging our operations infrastructure.”

A person familiar with Amazon’s distribution system said closing its city warehouses would likely have the greatest impact on customers accustomed to receiving purchases within hours.

Same-day and early-morning deliveries could become significantly less available, while fewer products might qualify for the expedited shipping benefits offered through Amazon Prime.

“There are a lot of same-day and same-morning deliveries in the city” that could arrive the next day, the source explained.

Amazon’s New York distribution network includes facilities throughout Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan, with warehouses in Red Hook at 270 Richards Street and Maspeth at 55-15 Grand Avenue.

The company also operates an approximately 87,000-square-foot last-mile distribution facility at 706 Eleventh Avenue in Manhattan, according to a report examining delivery-related safety concerns issued by City Comptroller Mark Levine.

Brittain Ladd, a retail and logistics consultant who previously worked as an Amazon executive, said the company could view the New York legislation as a threat extending far beyond the five boroughs.

“Amazon wouldn’t blink about shutting down the 15 facilities in New York City if it felt that the legislation was a threat to its business model,” Ladd said. “This is about a model that could be copied in other cities.”

Supporters of the legislation reject the argument that the prospect of closures should prevent the city from establishing stronger worker protections.

When Mamdani formally endorsed the measure in August, his administration argued that the current subcontracting system allows major delivery companies to exercise extensive control over drivers while avoiding direct responsibility for their working conditions.

The administration also cited traffic safety concerns surrounding last-mile warehouses. A 2025 city comptroller’s report found that 78% of areas examined near such facilities experienced increases in crashes causing injuries after the warehouses opened.

The proposed law would establish city licensing requirements for certain distribution facilities, impose additional safety and training standards and require companies operating those facilities to assume direct responsibility for workers performing essential delivery functions.

Cabán and labor organizations supporting the bill maintain that the changes are necessary to improve conditions for workers and protect pedestrians and motorists on New York streets.

Independent delivery company owners, however, say they fear becoming casualties of a confrontation between city officials and one of the world’s largest corporations.

“There is a laser focus on punishing Amazon no matter what the repercussions might be, what it does to us as business owners, fathers and husbands,” Basmagy said. “It’s as if we no longer exist.”

Among the businesses facing an uncertain future is WGA Transit, a Harlem-based delivery company that has made a particular effort to provide employment opportunities to people who were previously incarcerated or experienced homelessness.

Its owner, Joe Artus, said the legislation in its current form would make it impossible for his company to continue operating.

Artus, whose business employs 189 people, described the personal and financial consequences he fears if the measure becomes law.

“I have a 21-month-old daughter,” Artus said. “If this thing passes, there is no way for my company to exist or to keep my 189 employees.”