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The White House sought Sunday to calm growing conservative outrage over President Donald Trump’s emerging agreement with Iran, insisting Tehran will receive no meaningful sanctions relief unless it fully gives up its stockpile of enriched uranium.

Administration officials stressed that despite Trump’s optimistic public comments about a developing memorandum of understanding, no final agreement is close to being signed and major disputes remain unresolved.

Trump revealed over the weekend that Washington and Tehran were nearing a framework that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restore oil shipments while creating a 30-day window for negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.

The proposal immediately triggered alarm among Republican lawmakers and pro-Israel figures, prompting senior Trump officials to clarify that negotiations remain incomplete and that any finalized agreement is still at least several days away.

A senior administration official emphasized that Iran would gain little economically unless it follows through on private commitments to surrender its highly enriched uranium.

“Both sides must take their time and get it right. There can be no mistakes!” Trump wrote on Truth Social Sunday, one day after declaring the agreement was “largely negotiated.”

Administration officials said that description remains broadly accurate, though the remaining unresolved issues are proving to be the most difficult.

“95% is done, but literally changing words requires days of deliberation in their system,” the official said.

The senior administration source held multiple briefings with reporters Sunday in an effort to make clear that no agreement is imminent and that the Trump administration has no intention of repeating the Obama administration’s controversial cash payments to Iran.

“No dust, no dollars — in other words, no highly enriched uranium, then the Iranians aren’t going to get any real relief,” the official told journalists in a morning briefing.

“If they do nothing, they get nothing. If they do a lot, they can actually get a lot.”

The same official later argued that Trump’s negotiations would ultimately produce a far stronger agreement than the Obama-era Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

“we’ll get a better deal” than Obama’s multinational Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) pact, with the new arrangement featuring “clear enforcement, or no deal.”

The administration also stressed that reopening the Strait of Hormuz would not trigger immediate financial concessions to Tehran.

There will be “no pallets of cash [and] no other relief for opening the strait,” the official said.

Several Republican senators publicly voiced concern that the administration may be moving too quickly toward an agreement while leaving major questions unresolved after nearly three months of conflict.

Lindsey Graham described the possible framework as “a nightmare for Israel,” while Ted Cruz said he was “deeply concerned” the deal could become “a disastrous mistake.”

The administration official contrasted the current talks with the Obama administration’s nuclear agreement, which allowed Iran to continue limited uranium enrichment.

Under the JCPOA, “there were pallets of cash, and we did fly $1.7 billion of money from American banks there, and they used it to build centrifuges and finance terrorism,” the official said.

According to the administration source, U.S. and Iranian negotiators are now discussing a sweeping long-term ban on uranium enrichment, though the exact duration remains under debate.

“No one disputes that the stockpiled enriched material will be disposed of. It’s a question about how,” the official said.

“And then simultaneously, while we’re figuring out that question of how, we’re going to have this thing where the strait open, the blockade is lifted and we get the economy some breathing room.”

Trump himself repeatedly invoked the Obama-era agreement in social media posts Sunday, signaling awareness inside the White House that critics remain deeply skeptical of Tehran’s intentions.

“Our deal is the exact opposite, but nobody has seen it, or knows what it is. It isn’t even fully negotiated yet,” Trump wrote.

“So don’t listen to the losers, who are critical about something they know nothing about. Unlike those before me who should have solved this problem many years ago, I don’t make bad deals!”

Exactly how Iran might dispose of its enriched uranium remains one of the most sensitive unresolved issues in the talks.

The administration official acknowledged that Iranian domestic politics and “national pride considerations” have complicated negotiations over the uranium stockpile.

“There is a political value in the United States to getting it. There is obviously a political value in the Iranians not handing it over to the United States,” he said.

“A lot of the debate is not really what happens to the stockpiled material. But it’s how the Iranians can sell it to their own hardliners and to their own population in a way that gets us what we need as well, and that’s really the conversation that’s happening.”

According to the official, Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has already “signed off on the broad template” of the agreement, despite continued denials in Iranian state media that Tehran is considering major nuclear concessions.

Trump recently floated the possibility of destroying Iran’s estimated 1,000 pounds of highly enriched uranium if it is handed over to the United States, while also referencing comments from Iranian officials suggesting only the U.S. or China could recover the material from the wreckage of Iran’s bombed nuclear facilities.

“They will open up the strait in exchange for us lifting the blockade, and they will agree in principle to dispose of the highly enriched uranium, but then there’s a question about how precisely to do that,” the U.S. official said.

As negotiations enter what officials describe as the decisive stage, the administration says competing political interests are attempting to shape or sabotage the outcome through leaks and pressure campaigns.

“Various foreign actors and sometimes domestic actors try to use selective leaks in order to push certain narratives or to derail certain things,” the official said.

“Now, I would say, by and large, most people in the Iranian system don’t love the deal, but they also don’t like the idea of going back to war,” he added.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu told President Donald Trump that Israel must retain full operational freedom against threats in Lebanon during a phone conversation centered on the emerging diplomatic framework between Washington and Iran, according to an Israeli source familiar with the discussion.

The call came as expectations mounted that a potential breakthrough could be nearing in the three-month conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.

Trump announced over the weekend that Washington and Tehran had “largely negotiated” a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the fighting and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route that has effectively remained shut since the U.S. and Israel launched military operations against Iran in February.

According to the Israeli source, Netanyahu made clear during the conversation that Jerusalem would not accept restrictions on Israeli military activity against threats emanating from Lebanon.

“In last night’s conversation with President Trump, the Prime Minister emphasized that Israel will maintain freedom of action against threats in all ⁠arenas, including Lebanon, and President Trump reiterated and supported this principle,” the Israeli political source told Reuters on Sunday, asking not to be named.

The developing agreement reportedly is being brokered in part through Pakistani mediation efforts, and Trump suggested that reopening the Strait of Hormuz could become one of the central achievements of the deal.

Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency reported that the draft framework includes provisions under which the United States and its allies would agree not to attack Iran or its regional proxies, while Tehran would pledge not to carry out preemptive strikes against them.

The emerging framework has already sparked concern inside Israel.

Benny Gantz warned that it would ⁠be a strategic mistake for Israel to accept a ceasefire arrangement in Lebanon while Israeli forces remain engaged in operations against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terror group.

According to the Israeli source, Washington has continued updating Israeli officials on the status of the negotiations with Iran as talks advance.

The source added that Trump remains firm on his central demands regarding Tehran’s nuclear capabilities.

“President Trump made it clear that he will stand firm in negotiations on his consistent demand for the dismantling of the Iranian nuclear program and the removal of all enriched uranium from its territory,” the source said, “and that he will not sign a final agreement without these conditions being met.”

Following the conversation, Trump posted briefly on Truth Social, writing that his discussion with Netanyahu had gone “very well.”

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] House Speaker Mike Johnson publicly defended President Donald Trump on Sunday as a fierce Republican backlash erupted over the administration’s emerging agreement with Iran, a framework that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and extend the current ceasefire for 60 days while postponing final negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program.

The developing proposal has already triggered sharp criticism from Republican hawks and skepticism from Iranian officials, with opponents warning the agreement could strengthen the Islamic Republic and alter the balance of power across the Gulf region.

Speaking from the Indianapolis 500 during an appearance on “Fox & Friends Weekend,” Johnson said he spoke with Trump Saturday night and insisted the president remains firmly committed to preventing Iran from becoming a nuclear power.

Johnson described Trump as “resolute as he’s been from the beginning.”

The House speaker said the administration intends to successfully address the nuclear issue while reopening the strait to commercial shipping, arguing the move would calm international energy markets and reduce gasoline prices in the United States.

Johnson added that lower fuel prices could help Republicans expand their congressional majority in the upcoming midterm elections.

The framework Trump outlined Saturday in a social media post calls for extending the ceasefire by 60 days, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and launching follow-up negotiations focused on Iran’s nuclear program.

Trump said he discussed the proposal with leaders from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain, and Israel, describing the developing package as a “Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to PEACE” that still requires final approval.

Iranian officials, however, appeared to dispute portions of the proposed framework, with a spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry telling state media that nuclear matters are not currently part of the negotiations.

The proposal has created deep divisions within Republican ranks, pitting traditional Iran hawks against Trump allies defending the president’s diplomatic push.

Ted Cruz voiced alarm over reports suggesting Iran could retain influence over the Strait of Hormuz while continuing uranium enrichment activities.

He warned such an outcome would amount to a “disastrous mistake.”

Roger Wicker, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, argued that a 60-day ceasefire “would be a disaster” and claimed the military gains achieved during Operation Epic Fury could ultimately be squandered.

Lindsey Graham also criticized the framework, warning it could shift the regional balance of power and become “a nightmare for Israel.”

Cruz later became involved in a public online clash with Trump adviser Alex Bruesewitz, who mocked the senator for criticizing the president.

“Cool, Ted. No one asked you, bro,” Bruesewitz wrote, accusing Cruz of attempting to undermine Trump politically.

Cruz responded moments later with his own sharp rebuke.

“Hush, child. The adults are talking. I’m not your ‘bro.’ And young political grifters pushing Iran appeasement are not remotely helping the President.”

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also attacked the proposal, dismissing it as “Not remotely America First.”

That criticism drew an aggressive response from White House Communications Director Steven Cheung, who reportedly fired back on social media by saying Pompeo did not understand the issue and should “shut his stupid mouth.”

The immediate question now facing the administration is whether the fragile framework can survive long enough to become a finalized agreement.

Trump has repeatedly insisted that the U.S. blockade surrounding the Strait of Hormuz will remain in place “until an agreement is reached, certified, and signed.”

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump reportedly urged leaders from several Arab and Muslim nations to establish diplomatic ties with Israel if an agreement is reached to end the conflict with Iran, according to an Axios report citing two U.S. officials familiar with the conversation.

The report said Trump views expanding the Abraham Accords as one of his administration’s top strategic goals once the Iran conflict concludes. His central objective is reportedly a normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia, though officials acknowledge that regional tensions and Israel’s approaching elections could complicate those efforts.

Trump reportedly held a conference call with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, and Bahrain to discuss the emerging diplomatic framework involving Iran.

One U.S. official said multiple leaders on the call voiced support for Trump’s handling of the negotiations.

“They all said we are with you on this deal. And if it doesn’t work, we will be with you too,” the official said.

According to another U.S. official familiar with the discussion, Trump informed the regional leaders that he intended to speak afterward with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and expressed hope that Netanyahu would eventually participate in a similar multinational call.

The officials added that Trump directly encouraged countries that still do not maintain diplomatic ties with Israel to join the Abraham Accords once the Iran war ends.

According to the report, leaders from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Pakistan appeared caught off guard by the request, leading to a moment of silence on the call before Trump jokingly asked whether everyone was still on the line.

Trump reportedly told participants that his senior envoys, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, would continue discussions on the issue in the coming weeks.

On Sunday, Trump posted on Truth Social thanking Middle Eastern countries for their “support and cooperation,” while signaling that future regional relations could deepen through additional participation in the Abraham Accords.

The president also floated the possibility that Iran itself could eventually join the accords — a dramatic step that would require Tehran to formally recognize Israel.

Lindsey Graham publicly backed Trump’s proposal Sunday in a post on X, arguing that a broader normalization effort tied to ending the Iran conflict could reshape the Middle East.

Graham said that if Arab and Muslim nations joined the Abraham Accords as part of the diplomatic process, the agreement could become one of the most significant geopolitical breakthroughs in the region’s modern history.

He also urged Saudi Arabia and other regional powers to support Trump’s initiative, warning that rejecting the proposal could carry consequences for their future ties with Washington.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had previously signaled openness toward normalization with Israel, though reports indicate his stance has become more cautious over the past year.

According to Axios, Trump personally raised the issue during a White House meeting with bin Salman last November, but the Saudi leader reportedly pushed back against immediate progress.

Saudi officials continue insisting that Israel commit to what they describe as an irreversible and time-limited path toward the establishment of a Palestinian state before normalization can proceed — a condition strongly opposed by Israel’s current government.

Israeli and American officials reportedly believe Saudi Arabia is unlikely to make major moves toward normalization before Israel’s September elections and the formation of a new government afterward.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump appeared to deliver another pointed warning to Iran on Sunday, posting a dramatic image on Truth Social showing a bomb mounted beneath a fighter jet alongside the message, “THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER!”

The post was widely interpreted as a signal from the White House that Tehran should not test Washington’s patience as negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program continue.

The image came shortly after Trump defended the developing negotiations with Iran in a separate Truth Social post, insisting that any agreement reached under his administration would be far tougher than the Obama-era nuclear deal.

“If I make a deal with Iran, it will be a good and proper one, not like the one made by Obama, which gave Iran massive amounts of CASH, and a clear and open path to a Nuclear Weapon. Our deal is the exact opposite, but nobody has seen it or knows what it is. It isn’t even fully negotiated yet,” the President claimed.

Trump also lashed out at critics attacking the still-unfinished negotiations.

“So don’t listen to the losers, who are critical about something they know nothing about.”

The president concluded the post by drawing a sharp contrast between his approach and that of previous administrations.

“Unlike those before me who should have solved this problem many years ago, I don’t make bad deals.”

Trump’s comments echoed another lengthy statement he issued earlier Sunday in which he blasted the Obama administration’s Iran nuclear agreement while praising the current negotiations being conducted by his administration.

“One of the worst deals ever made by our Country was the Iran Nuclear Deal, put forth and signed into existence by Barack Hussein Obama and the rank amateurs of the Obama Administration. It was a direct path to Iran developing a Nuclear Weapon. Not so with the transaction currently being negotiated with Iran by the Trump Administration – THE EXACT OPPOSITE, in fact!”

Trump said negotiations with Tehran were advancing steadily and emphasized that American negotiators had been instructed not to rush toward a final agreement.

“The negotiations are proceeding in an orderly and constructive manner, and I have informed my representatives not to rush into a deal in that time is on our side.”

He also made clear that U.S. pressure on Iran would remain fully intact unless and until a finalized agreement is formally completed.

The president noted that the blockade of Iran will remain in full force and effect until an agreement is “reached, certified, and signed.”

Trump announced Saturday that the final details of a potential agreement with Iran would be unveiled “shortly.”

According to a Reuters report, the emerging framework could unfold in three phases: formally ending the current conflict, resolving tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, and opening a 30-day negotiation window aimed at securing a broader long-term agreement, with the possibility of extending talks if necessary.

Meanwhile, The New York Times reported that one of the central pillars of the proposed agreement involves Iran surrendering its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

According to two U.S. officials cited in the report, Tehran has already indicated a willingness to relinquish the dangerous nuclear material as part of a final arrangement with Washington.

{Matzav.com}

A major political dispute erupted within Israel’s coalition Sunday night after Degel HaTorah reportedly informed Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu that it does not intend to move forward with the controversial draft law before the next elections.

The message deepens the ongoing crisis surrounding one of the most explosive issues facing both the government and the chareidi public.

Sources close to Netanyahu reacted angrily to the development, accusing Degel HaTorah of never having truly wanted a draft law agreement in the first place.

“From the beginning they did not want a draft law,” figures in Netanyahu’s circle charged, while also claiming that Degel HaTorah attempted to “shift the responsibility onto the prime minister.”

Senior Likud officials reportedly expressed frustration over the conduct of the chareidi party, insisting that repeated efforts had been made to reach mutually acceptable language for the legislation, but that parts of the chareidi leadership refused to cooperate.

Political observers believe the decision is tied in part to the position of Hagaon Rav Dov Landau, who reportedly is unwilling to approve the current version of the law — viewed by many in the chareidi world as especially harsh — without the full agreement and partnership of Hagaon Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch.

The standoff now threatens to further destabilize coalition negotiations over the highly sensitive issue of military conscription for bnei yeshiva.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli President Isaac Herzog sharply condemned nationalist violence in Yehuda and Shomron on Sunday, while also taking aim at controversial footage recently circulated by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

Speaking at the Yerushalayim Unity Prize ceremony, Herzog warned of what he described as a dangerous wave of lawlessness and extremism.

“We are witnessing a terrible wave of violence carried out by an anarchistic mob — acts that defile and violate every basic moral, legal, and Jewish norm,” Herzog declared.

The president continued with an unusually forceful rebuke, saying, “We must not accept the brutality emerging from the fringes of society that threatens all of us. Our nation is a magnificent people with tremendous strengths, but we must establish red lines. I stand here and say clearly: unity begins with humanity.”

Herzog also revealed details of recent conversations he held with senior IDF commanders serving in Yehuda and Shomron.

“I heard from a group of senior commanders in Yehuda and Shomron — who are thwarting terror in the region with tremendous success — that there are days when they are forced to spend most of their time dealing with criminal anarchists,” he said.

Later in his remarks, Herzog appeared to reference the public uproar surrounding footage distributed by Ben-Gvir concerning the treatment of activists from the Gaza flotilla.

“We are being exposed to barbaric actions by a handful of people who think that detainees, suspects, or those under investigation have no human rights whatsoever. Our sources teach us: beloved is man, for he was created in the image of God,” Herzog stated.

Ben-Gvir quickly fired back at the president’s comments.

“A president who calls hundreds of thousands of citizens of the State of Israel beasts is not worthy of being president. Period,” the minister responded.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu said Sunday that he held a conversation the previous night with President Donald Trump regarding the developing memorandum of understanding aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz, as well as the broader negotiations surrounding a permanent agreement on Iran’s nuclear program.

Netanyahu said the discussion focused on the emerging diplomatic framework with Iran and ongoing coordination between Washington and Israel.

According to the prime minister, he conveyed his “deep appreciation to President Trump for his unwavering commitment to Israel’s security, including during Operation Roaring Lion and Epic Fury, when American and Israeli forces fought shoulder to shoulder against the Iranian threat.”

Netanyahu said he and Trump were in full agreement regarding the core objective of any future arrangement with Tehran.

“President Trump and I agreed that any final agreement with Iran must eliminate the nuclear danger. That means dismantling Iran’s nuclear enrichment sites and removing its enriched nuclear material from its territory.”

The Israeli premier added that Trump also reiterated support for Israel’s freedom of military action throughout the region.

“President Trump also reaffirmed Israel’s right to defend itself against threats on every front, including Lebanon.”

Netanyahu emphasized what he described as the growing strategic alliance between Israel and the United States.

“the partnership between us and our two countries has been proven on the battlefield and has never been stronger.”

He concluded with a blunt declaration mirroring Trump’s longstanding position on Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

“My policy, like President Trump’s, remains unchanged: Iran will not have nuclear weapons.”

Netanyahu’s remarks came only minutes after Trump published a forceful statement defending the negotiations currently underway with Iran and contrasting them sharply with the Obama-era nuclear agreement.

“One of the worst deals ever made by our Country was the Iran Nuclear Deal, put forth and signed into existence by Barack Hussein Obama and the rank amateurs of the Obama Administration. It was a direct path to Iran developing a Nuclear Weapon. Not so with the transaction currently being negotiated with Iran by the Trump Administration – THE EXACT OPPOSITE, in fact!” Trump wrote.

Trump said negotiations with Tehran were advancing steadily and insisted there was no need for the United States to rush into a final agreement.

“The negotiations are proceeding in an orderly and constructive manner, and I have informed my representatives not to rush into a deal in that time is on our side.”

The president also stressed that U.S. pressure on Iran would remain firmly in place until a final agreement is completed and formally approved.

He noted that the blockade of Iran will remain in full force and effect until an agreement is “reached, certified, and signed.”

Trump further warned that both Washington and Tehran must proceed cautiously in order to avoid strategic mistakes.

“both sides must take their time and get it right. There can be no mistakes! Our relationship with Iran is becoming a much more professional and productive one. They must understand, however, that they cannot develop or procure a Nuclear Weapon or Bomb.”

{Matzav.com}

Senior figures close to Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu are reportedly working behind the scenes on a dramatic political and legal effort aimed at preventing the United Arab List (Ra’am) from participating in Israel’s next election, according to a report aired Sunday by Channel 13.

The reported initiative centers on attempts to have Ra’am’s parent body — the Southern Faction of the Islamic Movement in Israel — officially designated as a terrorist organization.

According to the report, the proposed justification for such a designation would be allegations that the movement transferred donations and aid into the Gaza Strip during the ongoing war.

The effort is reportedly still in its early stages but comes as Israel’s political system faces growing uncertainty over the timing of the next national elections.

Sources close to Netanyahu reportedly argue that aid and financial transfers made to Gaza during wartime effectively constituted support for terrorist-linked entities operating inside the enclave.

Turning the proposal into reality, however, would require overcoming major legal and security obstacles.

Any move to classify the Southern Faction as a terrorist organization would reportedly necessitate changes to Israeli legislation, including amendments in the Knesset and revisions to definitions contained within Israel’s Counterterrorism Law.

The process would also require formal recommendations and legal opinions from Israeli security agencies, particularly the Shin Bet.

{Matzav.com}

Veteran Shas lawmaker Yaakov Margi has informed party chairman Aryeh Deri that he does not intend to run in the next Knesset election, bringing an end to a lengthy political career that included more than two decades in the Knesset and senior government positions.

Margi has long been considered one of the most experienced and influential figures within the Shas movement, having served in a variety of key parliamentary and ministerial roles over the years.

In a statement issued following reports about his departure, Margi stressed that he is not severing ties with the party.

“The reports about my leaving the Shas movement are not correct. In recent days I spoke with the movement’s chairman, Rabbi Aryeh Deri, and expressed my desire not to be placed on the list for the next Knesset, after 23 years in which I served as a member of Knesset, director-general of the movement and Minister of Religious Affairs and Welfare. The movement chairman asked me to wait on the decision. I wish to clarify: I am not leaving the Shas movement. The Shas movement is my home. Any position assigned to me by the Council of Torah Sages and the movement chairman, I will fulfill with dedication and a sense of mission.”

Margi becomes the second Shas MK in recent days to announce plans to leave political life.

Just one week earlier, Moshe Arbel submitted his resignation from the Knesset.

In his resignation letter, Arbel explained that his decision was tied to the approaching end of the current Knesset term. He said he hopes to dedicate more time to his family, continue Torah learning, and complete a doctorate in law at Reichman University.

Shortly afterward, Arbel was appointed chairman of the Mehadrin company.

{Matzav.com}

Lieutenant Colonel (Res.) Yuval Inbar, a former Israeli Air Force fighter pilot and squadron commander, was identified as one of the two people killed in Sunday’s deadly light aircraft crash in the Jezreel Valley. He was 50 years old.

Inbar, a resident of Hagor, leaves behind his wife and three children and was still actively serving in the reserves at the time of his death. Authorities have not yet released the identity of the second victim.

The Southern Sharon Regional Council paid tribute to Inbar, stating: “Yuval, married to Lou, and father of Liah, Shalev, and Nevo, worked for years with dedication, responsibility, and a sense of mission for the security of the State of Israel and its citizens.”

Southern Sharon Regional Council head Oshrat Gani Gonen also mourned his passing, saying: “My heart is with the Inbar family and with the Hagor community at this difficult time. Yuval was a man of values, a true citizen, a beloved and dedicated family man who, for many years, dedicated himself to significant and extraordinary work for the security of the State of Israel. This is a huge loss to his family, friends, and the entire community.”

The fatal crash took place Sunday morning when the light aircraft went down in an open area near Tel Adashim in the Afula region.

Emergency teams evacuated both victims from the wreckage in critical condition to Emek Hospital, where doctors later pronounced them dead.

MDA paramedic Maor Atedagi described the scene upon arrival.

“This is a serious incident. We arrived at the scene with ambulances, intensive care vehicles and immediate response motorcycles. They led us through the field to the plane that crashed. The plane had severe damage to the fuselage and two men were lying nearby.”

Atedagi said medics immediately discovered the victims were in critical condition.

“They were unconscious, without a pulse and not breathing. We immediately began performing advanced CPR and evacuated them in MDA intensive care units to the hospital in critical condition.”

{Matzav.com}

The United States and Iran are reportedly moving closer to a broad interim agreement that could dramatically lower tensions in the Middle East, reopen the Strait of Hormuz to global shipping, and restart negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, according to details emerging from ongoing diplomatic talks.

Sources familiar with the negotiations said the developing memorandum of understanding would create a 60-day cease-fire arrangement aimed at freezing military escalation while both sides work toward a longer-term deal. The proposal would also pave the way for Iran to resume oil exports and broader international trade in exchange for nuclear-related concessions and regional de-escalation.

The negotiations gained urgency amid reports that the United States had recently been preparing possible military strike options against Iran before diplomatic momentum accelerated over the weekend.

President Donald Trump had reportedly been weighing a military response against a negotiated settlement but shifted toward diplomacy by last night, according to officials cited in the report.

Another significant element emerging from the talks is Trump’s reported effort to persuade Arab states involved in the mediation process to join the Abraham Accords as part of a broader regional realignment.

Sources indicated that Saudi Arabia and Qatar were among the nations encouraged to participate in a wider normalization framework connected to the negotiations. It remains uncertain whether any governments have formally accepted those conditions.

Officials familiar with the discussions stressed that the proposed arrangement is intended as a temporary framework rather than a final peace agreement.

Under the current proposal, Iran would receive meaningful economic relief, but American officials emphasized that the strategy remains based on what they described as “relief for performance,” meaning sanctions relief would continue only if Tehran complies with its obligations.

One of the central provisions of the draft agreement is a 60-day cease-fire period that could later be extended if both sides agree. During that time, military operations and direct escalation would reportedly pause while negotiations continue.

The framework also calls for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to unrestricted international shipping. Iran would reportedly agree to remove naval mines believed to have been deployed in the waterway and permit free commercial passage without tolls or interference.

In exchange, the United States would reportedly loosen restrictions on Iranian ports and issue sanctions waivers allowing Tehran to resume oil exports on a broader scale.

The agreement would also restart negotiations surrounding Iran’s nuclear program. Iran would reportedly pledge not to pursue nuclear weapons and would enter discussions regarding limits on uranium enrichment and reductions to its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

According to U.S. officials, Iranian representatives have already delivered verbal assurances through mediators regarding possible concessions.

Despite the cease-fire arrangement, the United States would reportedly maintain its current military posture in the region throughout the negotiation period. Any major reduction of American forces would occur only if a permanent agreement is ultimately finalized.

Another complicated issue in the negotiations involves the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Sources said the proposed framework contains language aimed at ending the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah along the northern border.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly expressed concerns about parts of the developing agreement during a recent conversation with Trump.

Officials said representatives from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Turkey, and Pakistan participated in discussions supporting the framework.

Despite growing optimism surrounding the talks, negotiators acknowledged that major disagreements remain unresolved.

Iran reportedly pushed for immediate access to frozen assets and permanent sanctions relief, but the United States rejected those demands, insisting broader economic relief would depend on verified Iranian compliance.

There were also indications that Iranian officials may not yet fully support every provision outlined by American negotiators.

Questions additionally remain over whether Tehran would ultimately uphold commitments related to the Strait of Hormuz and whether it would agree to meaningful nuclear limitations.

The White House is reportedly hoping to announce the framework as early as Sunday, though officials cautioned that negotiations remain fragile and the deal could still unravel before any agreement is formally implemented.

{Matzav.com}

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing mounting criticism over his repeated meetings with a controversial anti-Israel cleric in Queens who publicly praised Hamas after the Oct. 7 massacre and has a documented history of Holocaust denial.

According to reports, Mamdani has met several times since January 2025 with Sheikh Fadhel Al-Sahlani, the imam of the Al-Khoei Islamic Center in Queens. The meetings reportedly included multiple visits to the mosque as well as appearances together at community events across New York.

The scrutiny intensified after resurfaced remarks showed Al-Sahlani celebrating Hamas in the weeks following the Oct. 7, 2023 terror attack in Israel, in which terrorists murdered civilians and abducted hostages.

“One movement can make a great change,” the Iraqi-born cleric declared during a Nov. 3, 2023 sermon, where he portrayed Hamas’ assault as resistance against “injustice.”

“What we are witnessing is the one movement, Hamas, has made a big difference not only for the Arab Muslim world, but the whole world. According to anybody who has a sense, who has a spirit of freedom of the people, whoever has that, will learn that Palestinians are the ones who suffer injustice.”

During the same address, Al-Sahlani blasted Congress for approving billions in aid to Israel following the attack, accusing the Jewish state of carrying out “genocide” and “war crimes” in Gaza.

The cleric later argued that Muslims must increase their political influence in America in order to create long-term change.

“When we have been dealt an injustice, we’re giving permission to fight back,” he said, fuming that Arabs and Palestinians have lived in an “open prison” in Israel for over 70 years.

“Now we have to stand with those who have suffered injustice. We cannot make that change unless we’re involved heavily in the political system in the United States, then maybe we can make a little bit of change.”

Mamdani, who became New York City’s first Muslim mayor, reportedly met with Al-Sahlani at least three times during 2025 before winning election to City Hall. Video footage reportedly showed the mayor attending events at the sheikh’s mosque in both January and July.

The two were also said to have appeared together at a Long Island fundraiser later that summer.

In February, shortly after taking office, Mamdani attended a Ramadan gathering at the Queens mosque and addressed the crowd from the same podium where Al-Sahlani had delivered his controversial remarks months earlier.

“It feels like returning home to be here,” Hizzoner told the crowd.

Images from the event showed the mayor smiling and shaking hands with the cleric.

Other New York City mayors, including Eric Adams and Michael Bloomberg, have previously appeared at events involving Al-Sahlani. Critics, however, argue that Mamdani’s outreach to the sheikh carries added significance because it occurred after the Oct. 7 massacre and amid ongoing tensions between the mayor and many Jewish community leaders.

Mamdani has repeatedly faced backlash over his rhetoric regarding Israel. Opponents have accused him of failing to forcefully denounce the phrase “globalize the intifada,” which critics view as a call for violence against Jews.

In response to the controversy, Mamdani spokesman Sam Raskin said the mayor strongly rejects the imam’s views concerning Hamas and the Holocaust.

“Sheikh Fadhel Al-Sahlani’s Holocaust denial and comments about Hamas are diametrically opposed to the mayor’s values and everything he has said and stood for,” he said .

“Like many elected officials, the mayor has visited many houses of worship and religious institutions across New York City. No visit should ever be construed as an endorsement of every statement made by every individual affiliated with those institutions.”

City Hall reportedly declined to elaborate further on the nature of the relationship between Mamdani and the sheikh.

The controversy comes as scrutiny has also intensified around Mamdani’s wife, First Lady Rama Duwaji, over past social media activity that critics say included praise for Palestinian terrorists and harsh attacks against Israel. Reports also claimed she had previously liked posts celebrating the Oct. 7 massacre.

Mamdani publicly defended his wife, while Duwaji later issued an apology in April for the “hurt” caused by the posts, though she stopped short of specifically apologizing for anti-Israel content.

The mayor also drew fierce criticism last week after commemorating “Nakba Day,” the annual Palestinian observance marking what they describe as the “catastrophe” surrounding Israel’s founding on May 14, 1948.

{Matzav.com}

Israel has reportedly assembled a sweeping intelligence database identifying every Palestinian believed to have participated in the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led massacre and is systematically working to hunt down each suspect for arrest or elimination, according to a new Wall Street Journal report citing Israeli officials familiar with the operation.

The report says the classified list includes Hamas commanders who planned the assault, as well as Gazans who physically crossed into Israel during the invasion, when approximately 1,200 people — mostly civilians — were murdered and 251 others kidnapped in what became the deadliest slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust.

According to the report, Israeli intelligence agencies built the list by combing through massive amounts of visual evidence uploaded online by terrorists during and after the attack. Analysts reportedly used facial recognition technology to identify suspects appearing in videos and photographs, while also reviewing intercepted phone calls made by those who infiltrated Israel that day.

Israeli officials told the newspaper that names are only added once intelligence services gather at least two separate pieces of evidence tying a person to atrocities committed during the October 7 assault.

The effort has reportedly continued even after the ceasefire that took effect in Gaza in October. The report pointed to last week’s Israeli strike that killed Hamas Gaza chief Izz al-Din al-Haddad as one example of the ongoing campaign.

According to the report, the operation began immediately after the massacre and has already resulted in “hundreds” of names being removed from the list. Israeli officials reportedly said that even individuals with no formal terror affiliation who independently joined the attack remain targets for Israeli intelligence.

One example described in the report involved a Gazan man who was filmed driving a tractor through the border fence during the initial breach into Israel. Israeli forces reportedly located and killed him nearly two years later. The report did not say whether the man personally carried out violence during the massacre.

The report also detailed operations targeting senior Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives years after their involvement in the attack.

Among those mentioned was Ali Sami Muhammad Shakra, identified as a platoon commander in Hamas’s elite Nukhba Force who allegedly participated in the kidnapping of hostages Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alon Ohel, Eliya Cohen, and Or Levy from a roadside shelter near Re’im.

After Shakra was killed alongside several Hamas operatives last month, the IDF released images purportedly showing him leaning out of a vehicle window while entering Israel during the October 7 assault. The military attached a one-word caption to the images: “Eliminated.”

Another figure highlighted in the report was Abd al-Rahman Ammar Hassan Khudari, a Palestinian Islamic Jihad operative allegedly involved in the massacre at Kibbutz Nir Oz during the October 7 attack. Israel reportedly killed him in April.

The report noted that while international law permits combatants involved in attacks to be targeted, legal standards generally require the existence of an imminent threat when strikes occur long after the original assault. Without such a threat, critics argue the killings could constitute extrajudicial executions carried out in retaliation for past acts.

Israeli military officials have maintained that operatives targeted in Gaza — including those connected to October 7 — either posed an “imminent threat to troops” operating nearby, were actively planning future attacks, or had crossed what Israel refers to as the “Yellow Line,” marking current IDF-controlled zones inside Gaza.

Rachel VanLandingham, a former judge advocate in the U.S. Air Force and an expert in military law, told the newspaper that although Israel’s campaign “feels retributive,” there is “nothing inherently wrong with prioritizing people on a target list as long as they’re belligerents.”

Israeli officials have reportedly compared the campaign to Israel’s long-running operation following the murder of Israeli athletes during the Munich massacre at the 1972 Olympics in Germany, when Mossad agents spent years tracking down those responsible.

“It will take time, just as it did after Munich,” Mossad director David Barnea said in 2024. “But our hands will reach them, wherever they are.”

Responding to the report, a Hamas official claimed Israel’s actions are “nothing but an extension of the policy of extrajudicial executions and systematic killing that Israel has practiced against the Palestinian people for decades.” Hamas itself has long been accused of carrying out executions of dissidents in Gaza and engaging in violent clashes with rival Palestinian factions.

Some analysts defended Israel’s approach, arguing that the realities of Middle Eastern conflict and the nature of the enemy Israel faces have shaped the country’s response.

“In the Middle East, revenge is an important part of the discourse. It is about how serious anyone in your environment sees you,” said Michael Milstein.

“Unfortunately, this is the language of this neighborhood,” he told the newspaper.

{Matzav.com}

A major push to end America’s twice-a-year clock changes moved forward Thursday after a House committee overwhelmingly approved legislation that would keep daylight saving time in place throughout the entire year.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee voted 48-1 to advance the Sunshine Protection Act, a proposal aimed at eliminating the long-criticized ritual of changing clocks every spring and fall. The measure is expected to be folded into a broader five-year transportation package.

Backers of the legislation argue that switching the clocks disrupts sleep, contributes to more traffic accidents, and leads to an increase in workplace injuries. Advocates also say extended evening daylight during the winter months would encourage shopping, recreation, and other economic activity.

President Trump applauded the committee’s action in a social media post, writing that it’s “time that people can stop worrying about the ‘Clock,’ not to mention all of the work and money that is spent on this ridiculous, twice yearly production.”

Despite the strong committee vote, the proposal still faces several hurdles. It must first clear the full House before heading to the Senate, where opposition remains from Sen. Tom Cotton and other lawmakers.

Cotton has argued that permanent daylight saving time would create unreasonably dark winter mornings, with many children forced to travel to school before sunrise across large portions of the country. Under the proposal, states would still have the ability to opt out of the system.

Rep. Vern Buchanan, who has introduced versions of the legislation every year since 2018, once again spearheaded the effort this year. The concept has drawn strong support in Florida, where supporters say extra evening daylight would benefit golf courses, youth sports, and outdoor activities.

The Senate previously approved the proposal unanimously in March 2022, but the legislation ultimately stalled when the House never brought it up for a vote.

Rep. Frank Pallone said permanent daylight saving time is “better for safety and will boost New Jersey’s tourism industry. Let’s stop ⁠changing the clocks twice a year.”

Daylight saving time, which moves clocks ahead by one hour during the warmer months, has been observed across nearly all of the United States since the 1960s.

The country previously experimented with year-round daylight saving time during World War II and again in 1974 during an effort to conserve energy. That later attempt, however, quickly became unpopular and was repealed within the same year.

{Matzav.com}

Russia launched one of its most devastating aerial barrages of the war against Ukraine overnight Sunday, firing hundreds of drones and missiles at Kyiv — including the powerful hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile — in an attack that killed at least two people and wounded dozens more, according to Ukrainian officials.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Moscow used the Oreshnik missile during the assault, marking the third known deployment of the weapon since the war began more than four years ago.

The attack left destruction scattered across the Ukrainian capital and surrounding areas. Authorities reported damage near government facilities, apartment buildings, schools, markets, and commercial centers. Officials said at least 83 people were injured.

Zelenskyy stated on Telegram that the Oreshnik — a missile capable of carrying either nuclear or conventional warheads — struck the city of Bila Tserkva in the Kyiv region. Ukrainian officials did not immediately specify what the intended target had been.

Russia’s Defense Ministry later acknowledged using the Oreshnik along with multiple other missile systems during the overnight bombardment. Moscow claimed the strikes targeted Ukrainian “military command and control facilities,” airfields, and defense industry sites, though it did not identify specific locations.

Russian officials also insisted no civilian targets had been struck during the operation. According to Russian state media, the Defense Ministry described the attack as retaliation for Ukrainian strikes against “civilian facilities on Russian territory.”

The latest escalation came just days after Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned a Ukrainian drone strike on a dormitory in Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine. Moscow blamed Kyiv for the attack and accused Ukraine of targeting civilians.

Putin said there were no military or security installations near the dormitory and directed the Russian military to prepare retaliatory measures.

Russian emergency officials later announced that the death toll from the strike in Starobilsk had climbed to 21 after rescue operations concluded Saturday night. Another 42 people were reported wounded. Kremlin-backed authorities in the Luhansk region declared Sunday and Monday official days of mourning.

During an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council convened at Russia’s request, Ukrainian Ambassador Andrii Melnyk rejected Moscow’s allegations of war crimes.

He dismissed the accusations as a “pure propaganda show” and maintained that the May 22 attacks “exclusively targeted the Russian war machine.”

Since the opening months of the war, Ukraine and its Western allies have repeatedly accused Russia of deliberately attacking civilians and civilian infrastructure. The Kremlin has consistently denied those allegations.

Russia first introduced the Oreshnik missile into combat in November 2024 during a strike on Dnipro. The weapon was deployed again earlier this year in western Ukraine’s Lviv region.

According to Ukraine’s Air Force, Sunday’s attack involved approximately 600 drones and 90 missiles launched from air, sea, and ground platforms. Ukrainian defenses reportedly intercepted or jammed 549 drones and 55 missiles, while another 19 missiles failed to hit their intended targets.

Prior to the assault, Zelenskyy had warned that intelligence shared by the United States and other Western allies indicated Russia was preparing another Oreshnik strike.

European leaders quickly condemned the bombardment and the use of the hypersonic missile.

“Russia hit a dead-end on the battlefield, so it terrorizes Ukraine with deliberate strikes on city centers. These are abhorrent acts of terror meant to kill as many civilians as possible,” said Kaja Kallas in a post on X.

She added that European Union foreign ministers would soon meet to “discuss how to dial up the international pressure on Russia.”

Putin previously boasted that the Oreshnik — whose name translates to “hazelnut tree” in Russian — travels at Mach 10, or ten times the speed of sound, and can penetrate underground bunkers buried “three, four or more floors down.”

The Russian leader also claimed the missile moves “like a meteorite” and cannot be intercepted by any missile defense system. Putin argued that several conventionally armed Oreshnik missiles could inflict destruction comparable to a nuclear strike.

Throughout the night, air raid sirens echoed across Kyiv while fires and thick smoke spread throughout the city. Associated Press journalists reported hearing massive explosions near downtown government buildings.

Zelenskyy acknowledged that not every incoming ballistic missile had been intercepted and said Kyiv was the primary focus of the Russian attack.

The strike also highlighted Ukraine’s continuing shortage of advanced air defense interceptors. Kyiv relies heavily on U.S.-supplied Patriot missile system batteries to stop ballistic missiles, but officials say interceptor supplies remain critically low.

Ukraine’s Defense Ministry has accelerated efforts to develop a domestically produced alternative system, though officials admit the project will require enormous resources and time.

Military analysts suggested Russia may have intentionally flooded Kyiv with large numbers of ballistic missiles in hopes of draining Ukraine’s limited stockpile ahead of an anticipated escalation later this summer.

Ukraine’s emergency services reported damage at roughly 50 sites across the capital, including homes, schools, shopping centers, police facilities, and warehouses.

Firefighters continued battling blazes well into the morning as rescue crews searched through collapsed buildings.

“It was a terrible night, and there had never been anything like it in the entire war,” said Kyiv resident Svitlana Onofryichuk, 55, who had worked in the market that was damaged for 22 years.

“I am very sorry that I have to say goodbye to Kyiv now, I am not staying there anymore, there is no possibility,” she added. “My job is gone, everything is gone, everything has burned down.”

Another resident, 74-year-old Yevhen Zosin, described the terrifying moments after the blasts began.

“Then there was another explosion and she and I were thrown back like a pin by the shock wave. We both survived, she and I. My apartment was blown to pieces,” he said.

In Kyiv’s Shevchenko district, officials said a five-story apartment building was struck, sparking a deadly fire that killed one person.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said a school building was also damaged while civilians were sheltering inside. Authorities reported that supermarkets and storage facilities around the city sustained heavy damage as well.

Regional governor Mykola Kalashnyk said several communities across the broader Kyiv region also suffered destruction.

Meanwhile, Russian authorities reported that a Ukrainian drone strike killed one civilian in the town of Grayvoron near the Ukrainian border.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces intercepted or electronically disabled 33 Ukrainian drones overnight, including aircraft flying over the Moscow region, western Russia, southwestern Russia, and Russian-occupied Crimea.

The Trump administration is escalating its effort to recast the public narrative surrounding the January 6 Capitol riot, with the Department of Justice now removing online records of prosecutions tied to the attack and dismissing them as political messaging pushed by the Biden administration.

The DOJ confirmed that it has deleted numerous press releases detailing arrests, convictions, guilty pleas, and sentencing announcements connected to the January 6, 2021 breach of the U.S. Capitol, where hundreds of Trump supporters entered the building in an attempt to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory.

The move comes as President Donald Trump continues sweeping actions aimed at undoing the legal consequences faced by those charged in the Capitol unrest. On his first day back in the White House in January 2025, Trump issued pardons, commuted prison terms, or pledged to terminate the prosecutions of all more than 1,500 individuals charged in connection with the riot — including defendants convicted of violently assaulting police officers using objects such as flagpoles, crutches, and even a hockey stick.

The administration took another controversial step Monday when the Justice Department unveiled a new $1.776 billion compensation fund intended for Trump supporters and allies who claim they were unfairly targeted by federal investigations and prosecutions. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has declined to rule out the possibility that even rioters convicted of violent crimes could qualify for compensation, triggering criticism from lawmakers in both parties.

Questions about the disappearing records erupted after a journalist wrote Friday on X that the DOJ was “quietly” erasing Jan. 6-related case announcements from its website. Among the deleted items was a release involving a Texas defendant who admitted to assault charges connected to January 6 and separately faced state allegations involving solicitation of a minor.

The department quickly fired back through its official “rapid response” account, insisting the removals were intentional and public.

“We are proud to reverse the DOJ’s weaponization under the Biden administration. We will do everything in our power to make whole those who were persecuted for political purposes,” the post said. “This includes stripping DOJ’s website of partisan propaganda.”

Also removed were announcements involving major seditious conspiracy prosecutions against members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, two organizations heavily tied to the Capitol breach.

Last month, the Justice Department formally requested that a federal appeals court throw out the seditious conspiracy convictions in those cases. The request went unchallenged and was approved Thursday. One day later, federal prosecutors moved to fully dismiss the prosecutions against the group members.

{Matzav.com}

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is dramatically widening its authority to block people from entering the United States for public health reasons, including lawful permanent residents, as officials scramble to contain concerns surrounding the ongoing Ebola outbreak in central Africa.

Under a new interim final rule issued Friday, lawful permanent U.S. residents who have recently traveled through the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan will temporarily be barred from entering the country if they were in those nations within the previous 21 days. The restriction is expected to remain in effect through mid-June, according to the agency.

Federal officials said the move was prompted by the expanding Ebola outbreak currently affecting the region.

One administration official, speaking anonymously because of the sensitivity of the issue, warned that enforcing the new policy could prove highly problematic.

“It will be extremely challenging to implement without chaos and confusion.”

The order significantly broadens already-existing travel measures tied to the spread of the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, a version of the disease for which there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments.

Earlier this week, the CDC announced that foreign nationals who had recently been present in Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan would be prohibited from entering the United States.

American citizens returning from those countries are still permitted entry, but they must arrive through Washington Dulles International Airport, where federal authorities have implemented heightened health screening procedures.

The restrictions rank among the toughest travel controls ever imposed by the United States during an Ebola outbreak. Since Ebola was first identified in the 1970s, more than 30 outbreaks have been recorded worldwide, including the deadly west Africa epidemic between 2014 and 2016 that killed more than 11,000 people.

“The rule does not permanently bar lawful permanent residents from returning to the United States,” a Friday statement from the CDC said. “Instead, it gives CDC discretionary authority to restrict entry when needed and allowed by law.”

According to a report in the New York Times that Politico said it could not independently verify, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials earlier this week diverted an Air France flight carrying a passenger from Congo, forcing the plane to land in Montreal instead of its scheduled destination in Detroit.

Health authorities say the outbreak has already resulted in more than 700 suspected infections and over 150 suspected deaths, with the overwhelming majority of cases reported inside Congo.

Officials at the World Health Organization fear the virus may have been spreading undetected for months before being identified, partly because health workers initially were not testing for the Bundibugyo strain responsible for the outbreak.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli news commentator Yishai Cohen is urging Israeli Police Commissioner Danny Levy to announce immunity protections for yeshiva students who come to police stations to file complaints, warning that cooperation between police and the military could create a dangerous situation in which bochurim become afraid to approach law enforcement.

Speaking during an appearance on the “Kipot Barzel” program on the Srugim site, Cohen sharply criticized the growing coordination between Israeli police and the military police regarding yeshiva students classified as draft evaders.

According to Cohen, the commissioner’s decision to cooperate with military enforcement efforts came only after pressure stemming from a High Court ruling, despite months of resistance from police leadership.

“The police commissioner opposed this for months, but ultimately the High Court ruled and he was forced to comply,” Cohen said.

At the same time, Cohen argued that a clear distinction must be made between ordinary enforcement encounters and situations in which yeshiva students are simply trying to seek help from authorities.

“The police commissioner needs to declare that immunity will be granted to yeshiva students who come to file police complaints regarding crimes. It cannot be that yeshiva students are unable to file complaints with police because they fear being arrested.”

Cohen stressed that the current situation could discourage victims from reporting crimes or seeking police assistance.

“There is a difference between a yeshiva student who is stopped by a traffic officer and a yeshiva student who comes to file a complaint with police. Yeshiva students must not be afraid to come to a police station.”

{Matzav.com}