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Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu discussed the possibility of renewed Jewish communities in Gaza, escalating threats from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Israel’s security coordination with Egypt during a wide-ranging interview Tuesday evening on Channel 14’s The Patriots.

Asked about Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s recent assertion that preparations are underway to establish three Jewish communities in the Gaza Strip, Netanyahu declined to confirm or deny the claim, saying it is not always wise to publicly discuss sensitive strategic matters.

“The big question is, do you need to act or to speak? First and foremost, you need to be prepared to act and to speak, and sometimes it is best to separate the two. Therefore, I will not add anything further on this matter.”

The prime minister said Israel’s leaders must carefully weigh international considerations alongside domestic concerns when making major policy decisions.

“The art of diplomatic navigation is not confined to the domestic arena. We are a nation challenged by an international community facing terrible waves of antisemitism, and we must act prudently,” he said.

Reflecting on his approach to foreign policy, Netanyahu argued that effective diplomacy requires knowing when to compromise and when to stand firm.

“I think I bring a great deal of proven experience to this field. That means choosing precisely the areas where you must stand your ground against the world. Where you can say yes to friends, say yes. Where you need to say no, stand up for your interests. I believe we proved this just now in Lebanon. I do not have to defy the entire world at all times and at every single moment.”

Turning to Turkey, Netanyahu said he believes President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s increasingly hostile rhetoric is tied to broader regional developments, particularly the weakening of Iran’s influence.

“I think what is happening in Turkey is a byproduct of Iran’s declining power,” he remarked.

Responding to Erdogan’s recent threats against Israel and his statements about Jerusalem, Netanyahu dismissed the Turkish leader’s aspirations.

“As for the things Erdogan is saying about wanting to destroy Israel and take back control of Jerusalem – I think he has forgotten that the 400 years of Ottoman Empire rule have ended.”

Netanyahu stressed that Israel is fully capable of defending itself against any external threat.

“Today, there is a strong nation here called Israel. There are the Israel Defense Forces, there is a people of Israel, and there is a government of Israel, and he would do well to calm down. We will not allow anyone to threaten our existence or jeopardize our security, and I think we have proven what we are capable of.”

When asked whether Erdogan’s statements worried him, Netanyahu responded succinctly: “Certainly.”

Addressing relations with Egypt, Netanyahu revealed that he has recently held discussions with Egyptian officials regarding security issues and implementation of existing agreements.

“I held discussions with the Egyptians and told them what I expect to be done, and some of it is already being carried out. These are matters that simply amount to fulfilling the agreement between us,” he said.

Netanyahu added that safeguarding Israel’s borders remains a top priority while noting that shifts in regional influence are constantly reshaping the Middle East.

“I believe we must secure our borders, but it must be understood: as one power declines, another rises. It has always been this way,” he added.

Closing the interview, the prime minister expressed confidence in Israel’s future and emphasized that the country must continue strengthening its position in the region.

“And do you know which power must continue to rise even faster? The State of Israel.”

{Matzav.com}

Newly released government documents show that Israel has spent hundreds of millions of shekels on the prime minister’s official aircraft, Wing of Zion, while continuing to withhold key financial details—including the cost of individual flights—on national security grounds.

The figures, released by the Prime Minister’s Office in response to a request by the Movement for Freedom of Information and published by Ynet, indicate that the aircraft’s development and conversion cost 364.91 million shekels by the time the project was completed in December 2021.

It remains unclear, however, whether that figure includes the 76 million shekels paid to Australia’s Qantas airline to purchase the aircraft.

The newly disclosed total differs sharply from estimates previously published by Israel’s State Comptroller, which placed the overall cost of the project—including the purchase of the aircraft, its conversion into a state plane, installation of advanced communications and defense systems, and construction of supporting infrastructure—at approximately 729 million shekels.

After construction was completed, the aircraft remained in active preservation until August 2023, costing an additional 17.5 million shekels before entering operational service the following month. From 2023 through 2025, operating expenses totaled roughly 60 million shekels.

Operating costs in 2023 amounted to 6.27 million shekels. Those expenses climbed dramatically in 2024 to 34.18 million shekels, including 18.28 million shekels in fixed costs, 8.55 million shekels in variable expenses, and 7.35 million shekels in one-time expenditures for upgrades and equipment purchases.

Expenses declined in 2025 to 18.67 million shekels. According to the published figures, that amount included 13.17 million shekels in fixed costs and 5.5 million shekels in variable costs. The report also referenced an additional one-time expense of 9 million shekels but did not explain how that figure fit into the overall total.

Despite releasing some financial data, the Prime Minister’s Office declined to disclose the cost of individual flights, including expenditures for flight crews, security, fuel, catering, communications, and insurance.

The office said the information could not be released because “it is information whose detailed disclosure would harm state security or the security or safety of a person.”

Officials also refused to reveal the aircraft’s ongoing maintenance expenses, including repairs, interior upkeep, design modifications, and protective upgrades, citing the same security concerns.

Attorney Hidi Negev, executive director of the Movement for Freedom of Information, criticized the lack of transparency, saying, “From the disclosure of the operating costs of ‘Wing of Zion,’ we know that it is a far more expensive alternative than leasing an aircraft for the prime minister’s use.”

He added, “It is infuriating that the Prime Minister’s Office is still concealing essential information about the costs, from the one-time upgrades to ‘Wing of Zion’ totaling 7.35 million shekels to the breakdown of the fixed annual payments, all under the pretext of ‘harm to state security.’ We will continue fighting to demand full transparency.”

{Matzav.com}

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on Israel following the Israeli government’s official recognition of the Armenian Genocide, accusing Israel of hypocrisy and rejecting the decision outright.

Speaking after a cabinet meeting at the presidential complex, Erdogan responded publicly for the first time to Sunday’s Israeli cabinet decision recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

“We do not take the slander against our country by a criminal network seriously in the slightest. Israel’s hands are stained with the blood of 73,000 innocent Gazans, most of them women and children,” Erdogan said. “There is no oppression, massacre, colonialism, or genocide in our history. Our glorious history is one of mercy.”

Erdogan continued by defending Turkey’s historical legacy, insisting that the Ottoman and Turkish record was marked by justice rather than persecution.

“In our glorious history, spanning thousands of years, there has only been justice and compassion,” he said. “A helping hand was always extended to the oppressed, regardless of their religion, origin, or identity.”

The Turkish president further praised his country’s historical role as a refuge for the persecuted.

“We are members of a great nation with a rich history,” Erdogan said. “For centuries, we have helped the fallen, rushed to the aid of those in distress, and opened our doors to those seeking refuge in our country. We gave shelter to those fleeing the Inquisition and Nazi persecution.”

The Armenian Genocide began in April 1915, when Ottoman authorities arrested, deported, and killed hundreds of Armenian intellectuals, community leaders, and public figures in Constantinople. After eliminating the community’s leadership, the Ottoman government carried out a systematic campaign against the Armenian population. Armenian men were conscripted into forced labor and later executed, while women, children, and the elderly were deported from their homes and forced on death marches toward the Syrian desert. During those marches, countless Armenians died from mass killings, starvation, and deliberate deprivation of food and water. Historians estimate that approximately 1.5 million Armenians were killed, while an ancient cultural and historical presence in Anatolia was largely destroyed.

Despite extensive historical documentation, Turkey has consistently rejected the characterization of the events as genocide and has been accused by critics of promoting decades of official denial and historical revisionism. To date, 32 countries have formally recognized the Armenian Genocide through parliamentary resolutions, legislation, or official government declarations.

{Matzav.com}

Russian President Vladimir Putin has acknowledged that no agreement was ever reached with President Trump to end the war in Ukraine, contradicting months of Kremlin claims that last August’s summit in Alaska produced a framework for peace.

Speaking to Russian state television on Sunday, Putin conceded that the meeting in Anchorage did not result in any signed accord.

“There were indeed no agreements reached in Anchorage,” Putin told a state television reporter on Sunday.

“Nobody signed anything, but we discussed certain possibilities for ending the conflict in Ukraine, and the compromises that were discussed were precisely those proposals that were put forward by the American side to us,” the Russian leader added.

Putin’s remarks marked a sharp departure from the Kremlin’s longstanding narrative. For months, Russian officials portrayed the Alaska summit as a major diplomatic breakthrough, insisting that a roadmap to end the conflict had been established but later stalled because of Ukraine’s refusal to move forward.

Following the summit, Putin publicly declared that the proposed arrangement would “pave the path toward peace in Ukraine.” President Trump, while describing the discussions as “extremely productive,” cautioned at the time that “there’s no deal until there’s a deal.”

Despite that, senior Russian officials continued to insist an agreement had effectively been reached. Last week, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the Trump administration of abandoning what he described as the understanding reached in Alaska, calling the summit a “U.S. ploy to buy time to rearm the Kyiv regime.”

Lavrov also maintained that Putin had accepted a peace proposal put forward by the United States.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio rejected those assertions, saying there was never a finalized agreement between the two sides.

“If there had been an agreement, we would have had an end of the war,” Rubio told reporters.

Rubio also argued that Moscow’s demands have remained a major obstacle to any settlement, noting, “Russia wants the entirety of Donetsk to be turned over to them, among some other things.”

French President Emmanuel Macron likewise said earlier this month that President Trump acknowledged during the G-7 summit that Russia was not genuinely interested in ending the war.

Putin’s comments come as Russia faces mounting military pressure. Ukrainian forces have recently reclaimed territory for the first time in years, aided largely by increasingly effective drone operations that have challenged Russian battlefield tactics.

Ukraine has also expanded its long-range drone campaign inside Russia. On Tuesday, Kyiv announced that it had successfully struck one of Russia’s largest satellite communications facilities.

Even so, Putin signaled that Moscow is not ready to end the fighting. He said Sunday that Russia expects U.S.-mediated peace negotiations to resume only after the “hot phase” of the conflict with Iran has passed.

Putin also disclosed that Ukraine recently presented “new proposals” regarding a possible settlement involving the Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions, but dismissed the initiative as an attempt by Kyiv to buy time to rebuild and reinforce its military.

{Matzav.com}

Justice Samuel Alito sharply criticized the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down President Trump’s effort to limit birthright citizenship, calling the ruling one of the court’s most consequential decisions while warning that it will have profound consequences for the nation’s future.

In a 6-3 decision issued Tuesday, the Supreme Court ruled that President Trump’s executive order, signed on the first day of his second term, violated the Citizenship Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, which grants automatic U.S. citizenship to nearly every child born on American soil regardless of the immigration status of the child’s parents.

The administration had argued that automatic citizenship should apply only to children born to at least one U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, saying the Constitution does not require broader eligibility.

Writing in dissent, Alito argued that the majority’s decision could produce what he described as “grotesque results,” warning that it would encourage “birth tourism” and create potential national security concerns.

“If the Fourteenth Amendment required these results, the country would have to live with them or amend the Constitution,” he wrote. “But the Fourteenth Amendment does not include the rule the Court now imposes on the country.

“In my judgment, the Court has made a mistake that will seriously affect the country’s future,” he continued.

Alito also faulted the majority for, in his view, relying “on precedent that glosses the text” of the Citizenship Clause, arguing that the court’s reasoning “fails on textualist grounds.”

He focused in particular on the constitutional phrase “subject to the jurisdiction of,” contending that the majority overlooked the implications of dual nationality for children born to illegal immigrants.

“A great many persons who are born here to illegal immigrant parents fail this test because at birth they are automatically made nationals of their parents’ native country and, as a result, incur duties to that country,” Alito wrote. “This means that they are ‘subject to a foreign power’ and are thus not ‘subject to the jurisdiction’ of the United States within the meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment.”

The justice also pointed to the issue of “birth tourism,” in which pregnant foreign nationals travel to the United States so their children will automatically receive American citizenship. The practice has been cited by Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, as a reason to tighten the nation’s birthright citizenship laws.

“Careful analysis of the text of the Fourteenth Amendment and the process that led to its adoption shows that it does not degrade the concept of United States citizenship in this way,” Alito wrote. “Instead, the Fourteenth Amendment confers citizenship on only those children who, at birth, owe allegiance solely to this country.”

Chief Justice John Roberts authored the majority opinion, joined by Justice Amy Coney Barrett and the court’s three liberal justices. Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, and Alito dissented.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh agreed that President Trump’s executive order should not take effect, but he disagreed with the majority’s legal reasoning and voted separately to block the administration’s policy.

{Matzav.com}

A dangerous heat wave sweeping across the East Coast and Midwest is expected to drive electricity demand to unprecedented levels this week, pushing major U.S. power grids close to their limits as soaring temperatures combine with rapidly growing energy consumption from data centers and electric vehicles.

PJM Interconnection, the nation’s largest regional grid operator, is forecasting electricity demand to reach 166.3 gigawatts Thursday evening—surpassing the previous summer record of 165.6 gigawatts that was set in 2006. The grid serves approximately 67 million customers across the Mid-Atlantic, parts of the South, and Washington, D.C.

Officials at PJM have also prepared for what they describe as the “unlikely but plausible scenarios of up to 169 GW of demand,” reflecting concerns that electricity use could climb even higher if temperatures or other conditions worsen.

To meet expected demand, PJM said it has roughly 180.2 gigawatts of available generating capacity. In addition, it can draw on programs capable of reducing demand by another 8 gigawatts by compensating customers who voluntarily cut back on electricity use during emergency conditions.

Forecasters expect temperatures to climb above 100 degrees Fahrenheit from Boston through Washington, D.C., including Northern Virginia, home to one of the world’s largest concentrations of data centers. The extreme heat is expected to send air-conditioning use soaring, placing additional stress on the electric grid just before the July 4 holiday.

“When temperatures and humidity spike, increased demand for air conditioning can strain generation and transmission resources,” warned New York ISO, the grid operator for New York state. Peak demand in New York is expected to approach 32 GW on Thursday, just shy of the record of nearly 34 GW, according to NYISO’s forecast on Monday.

Similar concerns are emerging farther west. The Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), which oversees the power grid across 15 states in the Midwest and South, expects electricity demand to come close to its all-time record of 127.1 gigawatts.

To help satisfy that demand, MISO is expected to rely in part on electricity imported from PJM. However, PJM officials have repeatedly cautioned that the grid is facing “a ⁠fundamental mismatch between how fast demand is growing and how quickly new supply can be built and connected to the grid.”

In a report released in May, PJM outlined the mounting pressures facing the system, stating, “The region simultaneously faces hyperscale data centers adding load at an unprecedented pace, accelerated policy- and economically-driven retirements of generation, and new power plants that now take roughly twice as long to build and cost twice as much as they did a decade ago.”

As a result, the grid is operating with relatively little margin for error should major power plants unexpectedly go offline or transmission bottlenecks worsen during periods of peak demand.

Those concerns were reflected Monday evening, when wholesale electricity prices on the PJM system briefly skyrocketed above $1,600 per megawatt-hour after spending much of the day below $40 per megawatt-hour. Grid officials said the dramatic spike was driven by severe congestion on high-voltage transmission lines during the evening’s peak electricity usage.

{Matzav.com}

The IDF and the ISA announced that they have eliminated several senior terrorists in a series of targeted operations across the Gaza Strip, including the commander of Hamas’ Yibna Battalion in Rafah and two Islamic Jihad operatives who participated in the October 7 massacre and continued directing terrorist activity during the war.

Among those killed was Mohammad Fathi Abd al-Hay Abu Fakher, commander of the Yibna Battalion in Hamas’ Rafah Brigade. According to the IDF, he had recently been working to rebuild the battalion by recruiting new terrorists, overseeing their training, and restoring its operational capabilities for future attacks against Israeli forces.

The military said Abu Fakher was a longtime Hamas commander who also served as one of the senior figures in the military wing’s Supply Department. For roughly two decades, he played a major role in Hamas’ weapons-smuggling network, helping bring arms into the Gaza Strip and ensuring the organization received the equipment and resources needed to sustain its terrorist operations.

In a separate strike carried out Sunday in southern Gaza, the IDF and ISA eliminated Talal Jaber Mohammad Abd al-Aal, an Islamic Jihad terrorist who held several positions within the organization.

According to the military, Abd al-Aal led a terrorist cell that crossed into Israel during the October 7 massacre. During the ongoing war, he was also involved in holding Israeli hostages who were being held by the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization in southern Gaza.

The IDF said the operation was carefully planned to reduce the risk of civilian casualties, employing precision-guided munitions and aerial surveillance before carrying out the strike.

On Monday, Israeli forces conducted another targeted strike in central Gaza, killing Ali Qaid Mohammed Stitan, a Nukhba platoon commander in the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization.

The military said Ali Qaid infiltrated Israel during the October 7 massacre and had continued throughout the war, including in recent days, to plan and promote terrorist attacks against both IDF troops and Israeli civilians. Officials said he posed an immediate operational threat and was eliminated in a precise aerial strike.

The IDF said that, as with the previous operations, extensive precautions were taken before the strike to minimize harm to civilians, including the use of precision munitions and aerial intelligence.

The military added that IDF troops operating under the Southern Command remain deployed in the area in accordance with the ceasefire agreement and will continue acting against any immediate threats to Israeli forces or civilians.

{Matzav.com}

Dear Matzav Inbox,

Every morning, the same scene plays out, and it’s enough to drive anyone crazy.

Parents walk their children to the school or camp bus as though the rest of the world has all day to wait. They stroll across the street at a snail’s pace, stop to chat, give one more hug, adjust a backpack, wave goodbye for the tenth time, and meanwhile a line of cars stretches farther and farther down the block.

What is so hard about crossing the street briskly, getting your child onto the bus, and moving out of the way?

Why does it have to mean moving in slow motion? Why does a process that should take 20 seconds somehow stretch into two or three minutes?

Have a little consideration for everyone else who is trying to get to work, make appointments, drop off their own children, or simply continue driving. Believe it or not, other people have schedules too.

The street is not your front yard. It is not a social gathering. It is certainly not a fashion runway.

And once your child is already on the bus, why are some of you still standing in the middle of the road chatting with neighbors as if there isn’t a line of cars waiting? Save the conversation for the sidewalk.

The rest of us should not have to sit there while you take your sweet time because, apparently, everyone else’s schedule matters less than yours.

Here’s a novel idea: When the bus arrives, be ready. Walk with a purpose. Get your child on the bus. Wave goodbye. Then get out of the street. It really is that simple.

Your child is the center of your world, and that’s wonderful. But to everyone else, he’s just another kid getting on a bus. Get him on, wish him a good day, and clear the road. No one else is interested in watching a five-minute farewell every morning.

A little courtesy goes a long way. Unfortunately, it seems to be in very short supply these days.

Sincerely,

A Frustrated Driver

To submit a letter to appear on Matzav.com, email MatzavInbox@gmail.com

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New York City is preparing to begin enforcing its newly approved pied-à-terre tax, with thousands of owners of luxury second homes expected to receive official notices in the coming weeks informing them that their properties may be subject to the new surcharge.

Under proposed regulations released by the Mamdani administration, the city’s Department of Finance plans to notify affected property owners by Aug. 30 if their homes have been identified as qualifying for the tax.

The regulations also give the Department of Finance broad investigative authority. The agency will be able to issue subpoenas and examine records dating back six years to determine whether a property qualifies for the surcharge or should be exempt.

The tax applies to one-, two-, and three-family homes valued at $5 million or more, as well as co-ops and condominiums assessed at $1 million or higher, provided they are not used as the owner’s primary residence and remain unoccupied. The surcharge was authorized by the New York State Legislature.

To discourage attempts to avoid the tax, the proposed rules authorize the city to impose penalties equal to 50% of the tax owed on owners who submit false, inaccurate, or misleading information.

City officials specifically cited as an example “a condominium property [that] has been divided into more than three units to avoid application of the surcharge and such division was made in bad faith.”

The regulations explain the reasoning behind the penalty, stating, “This provision would promote compliance with the surcharge by increasing the potential cost of evasion by property owners while ensuring that such property owners are afforded an opportunity to challenge the imposition of such penalties.”

Owners who receive surcharge notices will have 30 days to dispute the assessment. Appeals may be filed with the city’s Tax Commission or, in certain cases, directly with the Department of Finance.

The tax is a centerpiece of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s effort to increase taxes on wealthy property owners who maintain luxury residences in New York City without living in them full time.

City officials estimate the measure will generate between $340 million and $500 million annually from roughly 10,000 high-end second homes across the five boroughs.

For qualifying one- to three-family homes, the surcharge will range from 0.8% to 1.3%, depending on the property’s value. Co-ops and condominiums will face higher rates beginning at 4% and rising to 6.5% for units valued above $5 million.

Real estate professionals say the higher rates on co-ops and condos reflect the city’s belief that its current property assessment system undervalues those properties, allowing the new tax to generate greater revenue.

The Department of Finance is expected to reassess the value of co-ops and condominiums in approximately two years as part of the tax’s planned second phase. Unless renewed by the state Legislature, the program is scheduled to expire in 2031.

The real estate industry has long opposed the tax, arguing that determining which properties qualify will be complicated and that implementation will almost certainly trigger legal challenges.

Industry representatives have also warned that cooperative apartment boards could face additional administrative burdens because they will be responsible for helping collect the surcharge from shareholders who own affected apartments.

“The Department of Finance’s proposed rules highlight the serious challenges of implementing the second-home tax fairly,” said Zachary Steinberg, executive vice president of external relations and advocacy at the Real Estate Board of New York.

He added, “As the City rushes to roll out this new tax, many New Yorkers—particularly cooperative apartment owners who were never intended to be affected—may be hit with unexpected tax bills and little time to appeal.”

The proposed regulations will take effect after the public comment period concludes on July 9.

Most of the public comments submitted so far have supported the new tax, although critics have also voiced strong objections.

One anonymous commenter wrote, “Communism at its finest. This law will ensure that anyone with a second home here will be driven out of NYC if they have not already left. You are chasing your tax bases away.”

Others disagreed. Licensed real estate agent Mohamed Fathelbab argued, “I’m telling you all, this tax will not chase a single multimillionaire or billionaire away from the city. And the revenue that’ll come in will be of great benefit.”

Among those expected to be affected is billionaire Citadel founder Ken Griffin, whose annual New York City property tax bill is reportedly projected to increase by approximately $1.3 million to $1.4 million under the new surcharge. The tax was approved by Gov. Kathy Hochul and the state Legislature at the request of Mayor Mamdani as part of an effort to boost city revenues.

Mamdani drew national attention earlier this year after releasing a viral video outside Griffin’s penthouse, pointing to the luxury residence as an example of the type of property the new pied-à-terre tax is designed to target.

Israeli Defense Minister Yisroel Katz strongly condemned remarks made by Rav Aryeh Yazdi during the mass protest against the arrest of bnei yeshivah in Bnei Brak, after the rov harshly criticized IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir in comments that drew loud applause from the crowd.

Speaking at the rally, Rav Yazdi referred to a recent incident in which a soldier was reportedly sentenced to military detention after wearing a “Moshiach” patch on his uniform, blaming the decision on the chief of staff.

“The accursed chief of staff, may his name and memory be blotted out, sent a soldier to prison because he put on a Moshiach note. In the army they educate people toward the gravest transgressions in the Torah, in this impure state,” Rav Yazdi declared, prompting enthusiastic cheers from attendees.

In response, Katz issued a sharply worded statement condemning the remarks.

“I strongly condemn the severe inciting remarks that were made against the chief of staff at the rally in Bnei Brak,” Katz said.

He continued, “The chief of staff and the commanders of the IDF are leading our soldiers on every front in the campaign to defend the State of Israel and ensure the security of its citizens. Any incitement against them is unacceptable, dangerous, and deserves unequivocal condemnation.”

Katz added that while public disagreements are legitimate, attacks of this nature cross a red line.

“Even when there are public disagreements, it is forbidden to cross the red lines of incitement and attacks against those who bear the heavy responsibility of safeguarding the security of the state,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

Senior Trump administration representatives have held direct meetings with Hamas officials in recent months as part of ongoing efforts to negotiate the terrorist group’s disarmament, according to a report by Kan News. The report comes as Hamas is said to be taking a significantly tougher position in the negotiations, complicating efforts to reach an agreement.

According to the report, Aryeh Lightstone, who serves both as an adviser to President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and as an adviser to Trump’s Peace Council, met directly with senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya during the discussions.

Witkoff himself also previously held direct talks with al-Hayya, though those meetings reportedly focused on efforts to end the war and secure the release of all remaining hostages.

Israeli officials were aware of Lightstone’s meetings with the Hamas leader. According to a source familiar with the discussions, the meetings were part of the broader diplomatic initiative being led by former United Nations envoy Nickolay Mladenov aimed at securing Hamas’ disarmament.

Israeli sources told Kan News that Hamas has recently adopted a more rigid negotiating position. The talks have reportedly regressed considerably and are now centered on disagreements over what types of weapons would be classified as “heavy” or “light” arms under any future disarmament agreement.

Responding to the report, a spokesman for the Peace Council confirmed that negotiations have been ongoing in recent months.

“It is well known that in recent months, the Peace Council and its mediators have conducted several rounds of negotiations aimed at agreeing on a roadmap for disarmament in Gaza. We continue our diplomatic efforts to secure this objective while finalizing measures related to advancing governance, the rule of law, security, reconstruction, and economic development in Gaza,” the spokesman said.

{Matzav.com}

Rep. Thomas Kean Jr. (R-N.J.) returned to Capitol Hill on Tuesday after a four-month absence, revealing for the first time that he had been hospitalized and treated for depression. His explanation ended months of speculation surrounding his disappearance from Congress, during which he missed more than 100 House votes.

Addressing fellow lawmakers from the House floor, Kean said he felt an obligation to explain what had kept him away from Washington and why his return had taken far longer than anyone expected.

“Several months ago, due to health concerns, I entered the hospital for some testing. I did not believe that this would result in a long-term stay,” Kean said. “I was given the diagnosis of depression.”

He explained that physicians urged him to remain hospitalized so he could receive intensive treatment, even though he initially struggled to accept that recommendation.

“The doctors recommended that I remain in the hospital to address my illness,” Kean said. “They explained to me that this would be the fastest way to recovery, and to be honest, I was hesitant. I didn’t think that I had time for it …. Like many people, I believed that I could simply push through.”

“But I agreed to follow my doctor’s recommendations again, not believing that it would result in a long-term stay,” Kean said.

Until Tuesday’s remarks, the congressman had disclosed almost nothing about his condition. In April, he issued only a brief statement saying he was dealing with a “personal medical issue,” offering no additional details.

Looking back on that announcement, Kean said he himself did not yet fully understand what he was facing.

“When I first informed the public that I was dealing with a medical issue, I was still trying to understand what was happening myself, when I said I hoped to return in a matter of weeks, I believed it,” Kean said on the House floor on Tuesday.

He noted that recovery from depression does not follow a predictable schedule.

“But as the over 48 million of my fellow Americans being treated for this illness have come to discover, there is no timeline for healing. There is no timeline for recovery. Only the work of getting better one day at a time,” Kean said.

Kean said his treatment has been successful and that he is ready to resume serving his district, telling colleagues he is now “healthier, stronger, and excited to return to the work that I love.”

At the beginning of his speech, Kean acknowledged that speaking about his personal life did not come easily, but said he believed he owed “an explanation to the people of New Jersey’s seventh district, the colleagues in this chamber, and to the American people for my absence.”

His extended disappearance from Washington had prompted widespread questions about his health and when—or whether—he would return. At one point, when questioned by The New York Times, his chief of staff replied, “There’s no cameras where Tom is.”

The prolonged absence also became a political issue as Kean prepares to seek another term representing New Jersey’s competitive 7th Congressional District, a seat widely viewed as one of the nation’s key battlegrounds.

During his remarks, Kean expressed gratitude to the residents of his district for standing by him, thanking them for their patience, understanding, and prayers throughout his recovery.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Wednesday that he had encouraged Kean to be more forthcoming about his condition.

“If it were me I would have been more specific about that. … It’s not an uncommon kind of condition and ailment that he’s been fighting, and I think people resonate with that. I think he’ll get a lot of empathy, because it’s something that’s very, very common,” he said.

Kean’s absence also complicated Republican leadership’s efforts in the narrowly divided House, where even a handful of missing GOP votes can determine the fate of party-line legislation.

Earlier this month, Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) publicly criticized Kean’s absence.

“Where is he? No, seriously. It’s embarrassing,” Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) told TMZ earlier this month. “We’re supposed to be the party that is against campaigning from the basement.”

Despite his extended leave, President Trump endorsed Kean’s reelection campaign. Kean also told the New Jersey Globe that his illness has not affected his cognitive abilities.

Concluding his remarks, Kean said the experience gave him a greater understanding of the millions of Americans living with depression and encouraged others not to suffer in silence.

“This experience has given me a deeper appreciation for the millions of Americans who face these challenges each and every day. Many do so quietly. Many do so alone. Many do so like carrying burdens that the rest of us never see,” Kean said in his speech. “To them, I would say asking for help is not a weakness, it is a strength.”

{Matzav.com}

Tens of thousands of Sephardic yeshiva students and supporters gathered Monday evening in Bnei Brak for a massive protest against the continued arrest of yeshiva students, as leading Torah authorities vowed to intensify the fight against efforts to draft full-time Torah learners into the military.

Held under the theme, “A Gathering Honoring Torah to Strengthen Yeshiva Students and the Torah World,” the rally filled Eshel Avraham and Harav Rabinov streets, which were closed to traffic for the event. Leading rabbonim, members of the Moetzes Chachmei HaTorah, community leaders, and public officials joined the crowd in denouncing what they described as the persecution of those whose lives are devoted to Torah study.

The gathering opened with remarks from Rav Shabsai Levi, mara d’asra of Ramat Aharon and head of the Halichos Moshe institutions, who bemoaned the growing number of yeshiva students being imprisoned.

Rav Nissim Ben Shimon spoke about the persecution of lomdei Torah, quoting the Talmudic teaching that one who disgraces Torah scholars has no remedy for his affliction. He lamented that yeshiva students are now being arrested simply because they are learning Torah.

Rav Aryeh Yazdi of Kollel Torah Chaim warned of the spiritual dangers associated with military service, arguing that the army promotes behavior fundamentally at odds with Torah values. He sharply criticized the military leadership, referring to the imprisonment of a soldier over a note relating to Moshiach, and condemned what he described as the moral atmosphere within the army.

Rav Shlomo Machpud, head of the Yoreh Deah rabbinical court and a member of the Moetzes Chachmei HaTorah, declared that neither threats nor economic sanctions would deter the Torah community. He stressed that no government has authority over Torah study or the spiritual lives of yeshiva students and called for unity under the guidance of the leading Torah sages.

Rav Zamir Cohen, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Avnei Nezer, cited the Torah’s promise that devotion to Torah brings Divine protection and victory. He said that the very act of gathering together to proclaim “Moshe is true and his Torah is true,” while affirming that the Torah is “our life and the length of our days,” carries the power to overturn harsh decrees.

Rav Levi Pinchasi, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Or Avraham, argued that the military has no genuine interest in drafting yeshiva students and instead seeks to secularize them. Referring to testimony allegedly given by a senior military commander in court, he said the army “doesn’t need them; it only wants to secularize them.” He added that just as Haman failed in his attempt to destroy the Jewish people, these efforts would likewise fail.

The keynote address was delivered by the former Rishon LeTzion, Rav Yitzchok Yosef, president of the Moetzes Chachmei HaTorah, who urged yeshiva students not to fear imprisonment if they remain faithful to Torah.

“When Torah scholars sit and learn, they are the chosen people. If they arrest you, go to prison with your heads held high and a sefer in your hand. I have spoken with many of those who were imprisoned. Ninety-five percent of those arrested are Sephardim. We are living in a racist country. You are the emissaries of the Jewish people.”

Following the speeches, the assembled Torah leaders signed a formal declaration outlining the rally’s resolutions.

The first resolution called on Israel’s government, military authorities, and judicial system to stop interfering with Torah scholars through arrests and other measures intended to compel military service. The declaration stated that yeshiva students and kollel members are the pillars upon which the world stands and warned that without Torah and those who devote themselves to it, there is no right to existence—either generally or in the Land of Israel. It concluded by declaring that Torah is the nation’s protection and salvation.

The second resolution pledged that if, G-d forbid, another yeshiva student or kollel member from Bnei Brak is arrested, all of the city’s rabbonim will unite and travel to Prison 10 to protest, pray for the annulment of the decree, and undertake whatever additional actions the leading Torah sages direct. The statement also declared that the entire chareidi community, both in Israel and throughout the world, stands firmly behind the Torah learners.

The third resolution urged rabbonim in every city to organize similar efforts, standing behind their local yeshiva students and kollel members, protecting the honor of Torah, and strengthening them so that no one would be tempted to abandon the path of Torah.

An additional statement from the senior member of the Moetzes Chachmei HaTorah, Rav Moshe Maya, was appended to the declaration. Citing the Torah’s promise that those who toil in Torah are blessed with prosperity, security, and peace, he warned that mistreating Torah scholars brings severe punishment and is the source of the nation’s suffering, wars, and persecution. He also cited the Talmud’s account of Rabi Akiva publicly teaching Torah despite the mortal danger involved, explaining that public Torah study is what protects and sustains the Jewish people.

The rally concluded with an emotionally charged recitation of the Yud Gimmel Middos and Kabbolas Ohl Malchus Shomayim, led by the renowned mekubal Rav Yaakov Ades.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump suffered another major legal defeat Tuesday after the Supreme Court invalidated his executive order seeking to deny automatic U.S. citizenship to children born to illegal immigrants and foreign visitors, ruling that the policy conflicts with the Constitution.

The executive order, signed on Trump’s first day back in office, had been tied up in the courts for months amid arguments over whether it violated the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment, which provides: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”

In a narrow 5-4 decision, the justices concluded that the constitutional guarantee extends to children “born in the United States to parents unlawfully or temporarily present,” meaning the policy cannot be changed through executive action and would instead require a constitutional amendment.

Writing for the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts stated, “If Congress intended to limit American citizenship to the children of those domiciled in the United States, nothing in the succinct language of the Citizenship Clause conveyed that design.” He continued, “Words appearing frequently in the Executive Order—’mother,’ ‘father,’ ‘lawful,’ ‘temporary’— are absent from the Clause. For a simple reason: they did not matter.”

Earlier this year, Trump made history by becoming the first sitting U.S. president to attend oral arguments before the Supreme Court when the justices heard the case on April 1.

Legal observers had largely predicted that the administration faced an uphill battle, with many constitutional scholars questioning whether a president has the authority to redefine birthright citizenship through executive order alone.

A central issue throughout the case was the Supreme Court’s landmark 1898 decision in US v. Wong Kim Ark, which involved a man born in the United States to Chinese immigrant parents who were legally residing in the country but were barred from obtaining citizenship themselves under the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.

In that ruling, the Court held that nearly everyone born on American soil automatically acquires U.S. citizenship, with only limited exceptions, including children of hostile occupying forces, foreign diplomats and rulers, or births aboard foreign vessels in U.S. waters.

During the oral arguments, Solicitor General John Sauer argued that Wong Kim Ark involved immigrants who were lawfully present and permanently domiciled in the United States, making it distinguishable from today’s immigration landscape. He also contended that the dramatically higher levels of illegal immigration today transform the issue into one involving national security, placing it within the president’s constitutional authority.

The latest ruling follows another Supreme Court decision last year that curtailed the ability of lower federal courts to issue nationwide injunctions blocking presidential policies. Although that ruling involved litigation related to the birthright citizenship order, the justices made clear that nationwide relief could still be granted in properly certified class-action lawsuits.

The case, Trump v. Barbara, was brought on behalf of three families who argued that Trump’s executive order unlawfully denied citizenship to their American-born children.

One of the plaintiffs, identified only as Barbara, is a Honduran asylum seeker whose child was born in October of last year. Another plaintiff, Susan, is a Taiwanese citizen studying in the United States whose daughter was born in April 2025 while her passport application was pending. The third plaintiff, Mark, is a Brazilian permanent residency applicant whose son, born in March 2025, had initially been issued a U.S. passport.

Proceeding under pseudonyms, the plaintiffs argued that the executive order illegally stripped their children of American citizenship and the legal rights and government benefits that accompany it, including eligibility for Social Security, Medicaid, and food assistance.

A federal judge in New Hampshire previously granted a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of the order and certified the plaintiffs’ children, along with others in similar circumstances, as members of a nationwide class.

The ruling marks the second time in six months that the Supreme Court has rejected one of Trump’s signature policy initiatives. In February, the Court also ruled that the administration could not rely on the International Economic Emergency Powers Act to impose customized tariffs on foreign countries at the president’s discretion.

{Matzav.com}

Steve Bannon, a leading MAGA commentator and longtime ally of FBI Director Kash Patel, publicly criticized Patel on Monday, urging him to stop highlighting falling crime rates and instead focus on arresting what Bannon described as “deep state” figures, including Democratic megadonor George Soros.

Speaking on his podcast, Bannon argued that radical political activists are responsible for many of the nation’s problems and singled out Soros for his political spending.

“The reason the country’s in the shape it’s in is because of these radicals, Marxist jihadis who want to destroy this country,” Bannon said. “Soros has put in, what, $100 million in this midterm already? He and that freak son of his.”

WATCH:

BANNON: Kash, I love you, brother, but I don’t want to hear any more crime statistics.

Nobody believes them anyway. I’m sorry.

Knock it off. No more stats. I want to see perp walks of the Deep State. I want to see the Soroses perp walked. Then you can give me crime stats. pic.twitter.com/LLznIuHwWX

— Grace Chong, MBI (@gc22gc) June 29, 2026

Bannon then questioned why Soros had not been arrested, while pressing the Justice Department and FBI to move more aggressively against individuals he believes have engaged in wrongdoing.

“Why he’s not been perp walked somewhere, I don’t know. People have other things, have more important things to do, more important things. We need a sense of urgency in the Justice Department! We need a sense of urgency in the FBI, and, Kash [Patel], I love you, brother, but I don’t want to hear any more statistics about how crime’s coming down, crime’s coming down, all that. We want to see perp walks of the Deep State!

“We want to see perp walks of who stole 2020. We want to see — get on with it, while we can still get on with it. Nobody believes the crime statistics, anyway. I’m sorry, they still don’t feel comfortable walking down a street in Memphis, these other places, unless they see the National Guard that President Trump will put in.

“So, knock it off! No more stats. I don’t want to hear any more crime stats. I want to see perp walks, I want to see the Soroses perp-walked. That’s what we want to see. Perp walk George Soros, all good.”

Bannon went on to argue that crime statistics are unlikely to influence voters, saying the public is looking for action rather than government reports.

Bannon added that crime stats are “not going to move the needle. It’s not going to matter in any voting.”

He concluded by calling on federal officials to accelerate investigations into alleged foreign interference and quickly release any evidence they possess.

“Let’s have some urgency! Let’s light a fire,” he continued. “Where is the task force? Show me the foreign interference? It’s there, it’s in the files. You got the documents, let’s get it out, and then you pass SAVE America and sign an executive order. Let’s do it all.”

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy said Monday that the political direction of New York City has become so concerning that he is now considering entering politics himself, even floating the possibility of challenging New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani—though he questioned whether he could actually win.

Portnoy made the remarks during an appearance on Fox News’ Jesse Watters Primetime, where the discussion centered on Mamdani and several candidates he endorsed who emerged victorious in last week’s Democratic primaries.

Among those primary winners were former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who defeated Rep. Dan Goldman in the 10th Congressional District; labor organizer Darializa Avila Chevalier, who unseated Rep. Adriano Espaillat in the 13th District; and state Rep. Claire Valdez, who defeated Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso in the 7th District. Because all three districts are heavily Democratic, the Mamdani-backed nominees are widely expected to prevail in the general election.

After host Jesse Watters asked, “What would you do about it?”—as an on-screen graphic read, “Commie wave hits New York City”—Portnoy said the current political climate has caused him to rethink his long-held reluctance to seek public office.

“So I’ve always thought I would never get involved in politics, but I think you can do more in the private sector,” Portnoy replied. “What is going on has actually made me pause that thought. I was saying to you that old Plato quote, if you don’t do your public service and run for office, you’re doomed to be run by basically dummies. And right now I feel like that’s what’s happening. Now, not everyone’s getting out to vote. I think what the Democrats have done is they’ve let the fox into the henhouse.”

Portnoy described the current moment as unsettling and suggested he now feels a responsibility to become more directly involved.

He said it is “a scary time” to live in New York and added, “I do feel like it’s my duty. I can’t turn away. I feel like I could make a change, maybe a do run in politics. So I don’t know.”

Watters then asked whether he would consider taking on Mamdani in an election.

“You might run against Mamdani?” Watters asked.

“If I was going to run, it would be here,” he responded. “Can I win here? I have no idea. I don’t the demographics, whether I’d get enough votes. There’s a lot of people who like me in New York City. I know that. I’ve done a lot of good in New York City when I wasn’t thinking about politics, whether it was the Barstool Fund, pizza places. So, it wasn’t for show. I’ve had a real job. I’ve done real things unlike these clown politicians who have never had a job and never been in the real world for a day. But the people voting for these people that just won are these young, white, like, Ivy League-ish, elite-ish, women. It’s like, who are they? Like, they’ll never vote for me. They’ll never believe in common sense.”

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

A federal judge has ruled that the Transportation Department unlawfully suspended $16 billion in funding for the Hudson Tunnel Project, clearing the way for federal support to resume and dealing a setback to the Trump administration’s effort to halt the massive infrastructure project.

In a decision issued Monday, U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas of the Southern District of New York invalidated the funding freeze, concluding that the Transportation Department had failed to follow the legal procedures required to suspend federal grant money.

The 59-page ruling found that the department’s September 2025 decision to freeze the funds violated federal regulations governing grant suspensions. While the administration remains free to pursue another suspension or terminate funding through the proper legal process—or challenge the ruling on appeal—the existing freeze can no longer stand.

Responding to the decision, a Department of Transportation spokesperson told The Wall Street Journal that the agency remains “committed to ensuring hardworking taxpayer dollars are being spent responsibly.”

The Trump administration announced last year that it would withhold the funding while reviewing whether the tunnel project complied with federal nondiscrimination rules and whether it incorporated diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.

In her opinion, however, Vargas pointed to statements made by President Donald Trump suggesting that political considerations also played a role in the administration’s decision. She cited remarks Trump made in October regarding the project, which has long been championed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

“We’re cutting a $20 billion project that Schumer fought for 15 years to get, and I’m cutting the project,” Vargas quoted Trump as saying in October. “The project is gonna be dead. It’s just pretty much dead right now.”

The Hudson Tunnel Project is designed to add two new rail tunnels beneath the Hudson River between Manhattan and New Jersey, supplementing the existing pair of single-track tunnels that have been in service for 116 years. Schumer has repeatedly described it as the nation’s most important infrastructure project.

Earlier this year, the Gateway Development Commission, which oversees construction of the tunnel, warned that work would have to stop if the federal funding remained frozen. Of the project’s federal support, approximately $12 billion consists of grants, while another $4 billion is provided through federal loans that will be repaid by New York, New Jersey, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

The states of New York and New Jersey subsequently filed suit in federal court in Manhattan, seeking emergency relief to restore the funding.

On Feb. 6—the day construction was expected to be suspended—Vargas issued a temporary restraining order preventing the freeze from taking effect. Although the Trump administration challenged that order and argued the court lacked jurisdiction, Vargas wrote that the government largely focused on procedural jurisdictional issues instead of defending the legality of the funding suspension itself.

In Monday’s ruling, Vargas concluded that the administration had failed to demonstrate that its actions complied with governing federal law.

“Defendants make no attempt to justify their actions as consistent with the governing federal regulations,” Vargas said.

While the ruling blocks the Transportation Department from relying on the September 2025 funding freeze, it does not prevent the department from attempting to suspend the funding again if it follows the procedures required under federal law.

In a joint statement, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, New York Attorney General Letitia James, New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill, and New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport praised the court’s decision.

“We are grateful that a federal court has once again agreed that the Trump Administration’s decision to freeze billions of dollars in grants for the Gateway Tunnel Project is flagrantly unlawful,” they said. “This is the most important infrastructure project in the nation, and thanks to our litigation, 1,000 people are back on the job and construction continues every day. This victory sends a clear message: The Trump Administration’s attempt to halt Gateway funding will not stand.”

{Matzav.com}

Pope Leo XIV delivered one of his strongest denunciations yet of the recent conflict with Iran, declaring that war “is never blessed by God” and signaling continued opposition to arguments advanced by President Donald Trump and other Republicans defending the military campaign.

The remarks are the latest in a series of public disagreements between the first American pope and the Trump administration. Leo has repeatedly criticized armed conflicts around the world, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and, more recently, the U.S. and Israeli military strikes against Iran. Trump, in turn, has sharply criticized the pontiff over his positions.

Before ascending to the papacy, then-Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost frequently challenged the Trump administration on immigration policy, disputed Vice President JD Vance’s interpretation of the theological principle of ordo amoris, and declined Trump’s invitation to serve on his newly created “Board of Peace.”

Since the outbreak of the Iran conflict, Leo has intensified his appeals against war. In March, he urged Christian political leaders who initiate wars to examine their “conscience” and “go to confession.” He followed those remarks in April with several social media posts urging “peace” and calling on the world to “reject the logic of violence and war.”

Last week, Leo convened the College of Cardinals at the Vatican, where he devoted part of his Friday homily to the subject of war. Vatican News highlighted the message with the headline: “Pope at Consistory Opening Mass: War is never blessed by God.”

According to Vatican News, the pope urged the cardinals to seek “the gift of peace in unity” while emphasizing the moral obligation to reject warfare.

“Reflecting on the many conflicts affecting humanity, he stressed that “war is never worthy of humanity, and it is never blessed by God, because, even if we are equipped with high-tech weapons, the Creator has endowed us with intelligence and free will to resolve conflicts as human beings and not as beasts.”

“The Pope then added that “peace is a duty of justice because we are one human family, a magnifica humanitas…”

Christopher Hale, who writes about the papacy in his Letters from Leo Substack, argued that the pope’s comments could have far-reaching theological implications. Hale suggested the homily “signaled the Vatican may rewrite the just war doctrine itself,” which Republicans including Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson have cited in defense of the strikes against Iran.

Pointing to the timing of Leo’s remarks, Hale wrote that it “escaped no one.” “As Leo gathered the cardinals to plead for peace, the United States was bombing Iran for the second straight day,” while the “week-old ceasefire already lies in ruins.”

Hale further reported that Vatican officials have indicated Leo intends to “formally revisit” the Church’s longstanding “just war” doctrine.

According to Hale, Leo had already questioned that doctrine in his May encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas—the same phrase referenced during Friday’s homily—arguing that it is “now outdated” and “has all too often been used to justify any kind of war.”

“Humanity possesses far more effective and capable tools for promoting human life and resolving conflicts, such as dialogue, diplomacy and forgiveness,” wrote Leo. “The use of force, violence and weapons reflects a relational poverty that always has disastrous consequences for civilian populations.”

Hale also noted that Leo’s latest comments followed public defenses of the Iran operation by what he described as “two of the most powerful Catholics in the United States government.” He cited Vance, who argued during a Turning Point USA event that a “more than 1,000-year tradition of just war theory” justified military action against Iran, and Johnson, who similarly defended the strikes and praised Trump and Vance for their understanding of the conflict.

Rejecting those arguments, Hale wrote, “The just war tradition Vance reached for was never written as a permission slip,” contending that Leo’s teaching means the Trump administration’s reliance on just war theory “collapses, and it collapses on the Church’s own terms,” because “[a] doctrine meant to restrain that impulse [to war] cannot be turned into the instrument that excuses it.”

{Matzav.com}

Thousands of bnei Torah gathered Monday evening in Bnei Brak for a massive protest and prayer rally against the arrest of bnei yeshivah and the ongoing draft decree, as the Rishon LeTzion, Rav Yitzchok Yosef, delivered a fiery address declaring that attempts to interfere with Torah study are bringing tragedy upon the Jewish people.

The rally, attended by thousands of bnei Torah, rabbonim, and public figures, was held against the backdrop of intensified enforcement efforts targeting bnei yeshivah, particularly members of the Sephardic Torah community.

Before the event began, organizers prepared for the possibility that participants might chant against Shas chairman Aryeh Deri, following similar incidents at previous gatherings. Organizer Chanan Levy announced that clear instructions had been given to prevent such demonstrations. Nevertheless, several participants displayed signs criticizing Shas lawmakers, including one reading, “Enough of the betrayal of Maran.” The event’s moderator halted the proceedings and warned that the rally would be dispersed unless the signs were removed. Following heated verbal exchanges among attendees, the signs were taken down and the program resumed.

When Rav Yitzchok Yosef arrived, he was greeted by thunderous singing from the crowd. In his keynote address, he called for a forceful public response whenever a ben yeshivah is arrested.

“We will not remain silent. If they arrest one bochur, his entire yeshivah should go to the entrance of the prison and recite Selichos there for a full hour,” he declared.

Quoting the Gemara in Makkos, Rav Yosef said that the protection of Yerushalayim comes through the Torah learned by its scholars, not through military technology.

“They think it is because of Iron Dome. No. It is because of the Torah, because of the bochurim and avreichim who are immersed in Torah. It is because of you that we are victorious. It is because of this that the soldiers are protected.”

He then made his strongest statement of the evening, linking battlefield casualties to government policies directed against Torah learners.

“If soldiers are being killed, it is apparently because of the decrees of the authorities who are trying to restrict those who learn Torah. Instead of honoring Torah scholars with gold and silver, they impose decrees upon them, and afterward they wonder why decrees come upon the Jewish people.”

President Donald Trump on Monday called on gasoline retailers across the country to slash prices without delay, arguing that the recent decline in crude oil prices should already be translating into lower costs for American drivers.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said fuel prices remain unjustifiably high even as crude oil has fallen to roughly $68 per barrel.

“Gasoline Retailers must get their Prices down, IMMEDIATELY!” Trump wrote. “They’re too high considering that Oil is now at $68 a Barrel, and heading south.”

The president urged gas stations to reduce prices for consumers and cautioned retailers against what he characterized as unlawful price gouging.

“DROP YOUR PRICE FOR OUR GREAT AMERICAN PEOPLE!” Trump wrote. He also warned there would be “no gauging [sic], which is totally illegal.”

Trump added another warning to retailers, writing, “If Retailers don’t do this, big problems lie ahead!”

He said gasoline should be selling for approximately $2.50 per gallon and singled out California over its fuel tax policies.

“California should stop charging such heavy Taxes on their Gasoline,” Trump wrote. “Soon the Tax will be higher than the Product itself, and the United States will not stand for it, nor will the People of California, who are being abused by these ridiculous Taxes, and by their own Government.”

Trump’s remarks came less than a week after he directed the Justice Department to examine whether gasoline retailers have engaged in price gouging, contending that prices at the pump have failed to fall as rapidly as crude oil prices following the recent retreat in energy markets.

Energy analysts note that retail gasoline prices often take longer to decline because stations and refiners are frequently selling fuel purchased when crude oil prices were higher. Refining expenses, transportation costs, seasonal fuel requirements, and state taxes also play significant roles in determining the price consumers ultimately pay.

Economists commonly refer to this pricing pattern as “rockets and feathers,” meaning gasoline prices typically surge quickly when crude oil rises but drift downward more slowly after oil prices decline.

Trump has consistently argued that reducing energy costs is one of the most effective ways to curb inflation and lower everyday expenses for American families. He concluded Monday’s message by again pressing retailers to lower prices promptly.

“The Retailers must quickly react to this statement, and do what they know is right,” Trump wrote.

{Matzav.com}