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Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu sharply criticized the arrests of yeshiva bochurim on Tuesday, declaring that the detention of Torah learners is unacceptable and accusing those responsible for the enforcement measures of deliberately undermining efforts to resolve the military draft controversy without coercion.

Speaking in an interview with Yaki Adamker and Yisrael Cohen on Kol Barama radio, Netanyahu also pledged to continue pursuing legislation regulating the status of yeshiva students if he forms the next government. However, he declined to guarantee that the legislation would be enacted before the new government is sworn in, despite demands from the chareidi parties that the matter be resolved as a condition for joining a coalition.

The interview came just one week before Israel’s October 27 Knesset elections and amid heightened tensions following the detention of dozens of chareidi bochurim at Ben Gurion Airport upon their return from the United States.

“This is unacceptable. We need to preserve the world of Torah study because it has preserved us,” Netanyahu said, addressing the ongoing arrests.

The prime minister argued that the arrests were counterproductive, describing them as a deliberate effort to interfere with attempts to encourage chareidi enlistment without forcing the issue through police and military enforcement.

At the same time, Netanyahu distinguished between those engaged in Torah learning and those who are not studying in yeshiva, maintaining that chareidi men who are not learning should enlist in the military.

Asked whether he believed Torah study had protected the Jewish people throughout history, Netanyahu strongly affirmed its importance.

“What preserved us in exile and throughout all these generations? It is Torah study,” he said. “We cannot throw away our heritage.”

Netanyahu acknowledged the anger and disappointment within the chareidi community over the failure of his government to enact a law protecting the status of yeshiva students.

“I understand that there was a lot of frustration and pain,” he said.

The prime minister claimed that his coalition had come extremely close to passing legislation during the outgoing Knesset term, asserting that the government had fallen short by just one vote.

“We were on the verge of passing a real draft law, and we were short by just one vote,” Netanyahu said.

He expressed confidence that a legislative solution could be advanced during the next Knesset term, arguing that such a measure could establish a lasting arrangement between the chareidi community and the broader Israeli public.

However, when asked whether he would agree to the chareidi parties’ demand that a draft law be passed before the next government is established, Netanyahu stopped short of making a firm commitment.

“I wish we could do that. Will we be able to do it before the government is formed? Who knows? It depends on goodwill, it depends on understanding and cooperation,” he said.

The distinction is significant because representatives of Degel HaTorah and other chareidi political factions have repeatedly insisted that verbal promises will no longer be sufficient following years of unsuccessful attempts to resolve the draft issue.

The legal uncertainty surrounding the status of yeshiva students has intensified since the Israeli Supreme Court ruled in 2024 that the government could no longer maintain broad military-service exemptions without legislation authorizing them.

The ruling led to increased enforcement measures against individuals who failed to report for military service, including arrests that have sparked demonstrations throughout the chareidi community.

Netanyahu’s remarks came as Israeli military authorities detained at least 40 chareidi men at Ben Gurion Airport on Tuesday morning. The IDF said the individuals were subject to military-service obligations and would be processed in accordance with the law.

The prime minister’s condemnation of the arrests therefore placed him at odds with the enforcement policy being carried out under the existing legal framework.

The interview also addressed the possibility that chareidi political parties could support former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot following the elections instead of renewing their alliance with Netanyahu.

Netanyahu dismissed that possibility, citing the longstanding political and cultural relationship between the chareidi community and Israel’s right-wing parties.

He said he hoped chareidi voters and their representatives would recognize what he described as the significant differences between the political alternatives.

His comments drew immediate criticism from opposition leaders, who accused him of seeking to preserve his political alliances by promising legislation that would reduce military-service obligations for yeshiva students.

Eisenkot accused Netanyahu of offering exemptions in exchange for political support, while opposition figures Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid criticized the proposed legislation and argued that Israel’s security needs require broader military participation.

The debate has become a central issue in the election campaign, with chareidi parties demanding legal protection for Torah learners and opposition parties calling for more extensive enforcement of military-service requirements.

Netanyahu also addressed speculation concerning a possible plea agreement in his ongoing criminal trial, rejecting suggestions that he was pursuing such an arrangement.

For the chareidi parties, the immediate question remains whether Netanyahu’s renewed pledge to pursue a draft law will be accompanied by a binding commitment before they agree to participate in another coalition.

Netanyahu left that question unresolved, saying that passage of the legislation before a new government takes office would depend on political cooperation and the willingness of the parties involved.

{Matzav.com}

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Degel HaTorah is preparing to hold a major election gathering in Yerushalayim featuring leading gedolei Yisroel, replacing earlier plans for a series of smaller neighborhood events with one central assembly intended to bring together thousands of chareidi residents ahead of Israel’s October 27 Knesset elections.

The change in plans follows extensive discussions among party organizers and representatives of the various chareidi neighborhoods in Yerushalayim, where preparations had initially been underway for separate gatherings featuring senior rabbonim and roshei yeshiva.

According to a report by Chareidim Yerushalayim, the original proposal called for a series of local gatherings in different sections of the capital, allowing residents to hear directly from leading gedolei Torah without having to travel to a single large event.

However, as planning progressed, requests began arriving from additional neighborhoods seeking their own appearances by the rabbonim. The growing number of proposed gatherings created logistical difficulties and prompted organizers to reconsider the format.

Party officials ultimately decided to consolidate the planned events into one major gathering, which would allow participants from across Yerushalayim to assemble in a central location.

The event is expected to serve as one of Degel HaTorah’s principal public gatherings in the capital during the final days before the election.

The decision reflects the importance party organizers attach to the participation of senior gedolei Yisroel and the practical challenges of arranging numerous appearances during the final week of the campaign.

The original plan reportedly included gatherings in Bayit Vegan and Neve Yaakov. Representatives of other neighborhoods subsequently requested similar events, leading organizers to conclude that a single large assembly would be more practical.

The rally is being planned amid heightened tensions within the chareidi community over the military draft and the arrests of yeshiva bochurim, issues that have become central to the current election campaign.

Degel HaTorah has been conducting an extensive series of meetings and public gatherings involving leading roshei yeshiva and rabbonim, as party officials seek to address concerns among supporters and communicate the positions of the movement’s rabbinic leadership.

The preparations come against the backdrop of disagreements within United Torah Judaism and concerns expressed by some supporters over the party’s handling of the draft controversy.

The decision to organize one major gathering in Yerushalayim follows a separate election assembly held in Bnei Brak earlier this week, attended by prominent members of Degel HaTorah’s rabbinic leadership.

Organizers have not yet publicly confirmed the precise venue, time or complete list of participating rabbonim for the planned Yerushalayim gathering.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump announced a new federal initiative Tuesday that will pay Americans up to $30,000 for information leading to fraud charges, while proposing an additional reward equal to 1% of stolen government funds recovered through their assistance. The president said the incentives could make some whistleblowers millionaires and declared that he intends to personally oversee decisions about who receives the payments.

The announcement came during an Oval Office event attended by Vice President JD Vance, who is leading the administration’s campaign against fraud involving federal programs, and 24-year-old independent journalist Nick Shirley, whose investigations into suspected misuse of government money in Minnesota have attracted national attention.

The Justice Department’s new Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program, known as WHIP, is being launched with $25 million available for rewards. Under the initial framework, individuals who provide information resulting in federal fraud charges may qualify for payments of up to $30,000. Trump went further during the announcement, proposing an additional percentage-based incentive for tips that help the government recover stolen money.

“You could have stolen $2 trillion, or whatever the ultimate number is going to be, and at 1% people will make millions and millions of dollars for turning in what actually is a somewhat routine crime,” Trump said.

“$100 billion, you get a 1% commission, and I think that will be amazing.”

The president also announced that he would take a direct role in determining who deserves compensation, explaining that competing claims could arise when several individuals provide information about the same fraudulent operation.

“It’s too bad that you had to ruin your youth to find that such bad people exist,” Trump told Shirley, praising the young investigator’s efforts to uncover suspected fraud.

Shirley gained widespread recognition after releasing videos examining Minnesota childcare facilities, including the Minneapolis establishment whose sign identified it as the “Quality Learing Center,” with the word learning misspelled.

Speaking from behind the Resolute Desk, Shirley recalled his reaction upon seeing the sign, saying, “I couldn’t believe it when I saw that”.

Shirley was identified as the first recipient of a $10,000 award under the new initiative, although the payment was not publicly presented during the Oval Office event.

The president said he wanted to personally resolve disagreements about whistleblower eligibility rather than leave every decision to government officials.

“sometimes there’s a dispute as to who turned them in and who didn’t turn them in,” Trump explained.

“So I am going to do something which I think people will like. I will be the arbitrator of all of these decisions,” he said.

“In other words, I’ll determine whether or not the person is deserving … and I will be very generous.”

Trump also encouraged members of the news media to participate in the program, suggesting that journalists could use information obtained through their reporting to help uncover government fraud.

“you know a lot of things that are happening,” he told reporters, describing journalism as “not a very profitable thing to do — but it’s a very important thing to do.”

Under the Justice Department’s announced rules, whistleblowers will be able to submit information through the federal government’s fraud-reporting website. One of the program’s distinguishing features is that payments may be issued much earlier than under traditional federal whistleblower arrangements.

The Justice Department explained that “most existing Government whistleblower rewards programs issue awards only after the final resolution of a criminal matter, including the forfeiture and appeals process,” whereas the new initiative would permit rewards “following the filing of criminal charges.”

Existing federal programs already provide substantial incentives for reporting certain categories of wrongdoing. The Internal Revenue Service operates a whistleblower program that can award eligible individuals between 15% and 30% of recovered tax proceeds, while the False Claims Act allows qualifying whistleblowers to receive a portion of money recovered from fraud against the government.

Vance argued that those existing mechanisms fail to address most of the fraudulent activity being uncovered by the administration.

“over 99% of the fraud that we’re finding in the federal government isn’t covered by the False Claims Act,” the vice president said.

He also indicated that the proposed 1% recovery incentive would not necessarily require criminal charges to be filed against the individuals responsible.

“our plan is not to limit this just to criminal prosecutions… if you find the money and you help us recover it, then you benefit from the program,” Vance said.

The new program will cover suspected fraud involving federal healthcare spending and benefits administered by several government departments, including Agriculture, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Education, Veterans Affairs, and the Small Business Administration. It will also cover certain programs administered by the Department of War.

Healthcare-related investigations will place particular emphasis on suspected fraud involving hospices, home healthcare providers, daycare operations and specialized services.

Attorney General Todd Blanche described the initiative as an effort to enlist ordinary citizens in identifying fraud and accelerating federal investigations.

“Protecting the American people from fraud remains a top priority for the Department of Justice,” Blanche said. “The Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program (WHIP) offers everyone the opportunity to be part of the solution, help expose fraud, and be rewarded quickly for their efforts. I urge all Americans to use this program and play an active role in bringing fraudsters to justice.”

Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald, who leads the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division, said the new incentives would expand the government’s ability to uncover schemes that might otherwise remain hidden.

“This groundbreaking program will enlist the public as part of the fraud-fighting apparatus and reward them quickly for helping the country in the war on fraud.”

The Justice Department said qualifying payments will generally range from $10,000 to $30,000, with recipients potentially remaining eligible for larger awards through other federal programs if their information eventually results in significant financial recoveries. The department will retain discretion over the awards.

The announcement builds upon an extensive anti-fraud campaign led by Vance, whose task force has targeted suspected abuses in federal healthcare programs, government benefits and other taxpayer-funded services.

Last month, Vance announced that approximately 750,000 Affordable Care Act enrollees would be removed from coverage because of suspected fraudulent enrollment, with another 450,000 cases placed under review.

The administration has also withheld certain Medicaid reimbursements involving programs considered vulnerable to fraud, imposed restrictions on some Medicare medical-equipment suppliers and suspended 447 hospice providers in California.

Other enforcement measures have included action against 270 commercial driver’s license training schools accused of providing inadequate instruction and improperly qualifying truck drivers.

Under the new initiative, Americans with credible information about suspected fraud can submit reports for federal review. The Justice Department said rewards will be considered after criminal charges are filed, rather than requiring whistleblowers to wait until the conclusion of potentially lengthy prosecutions and appeals.

The Treasury Department has committed $25 million to launch the program, while the administration continues developing the additional recovery-based incentives outlined by Trump and Vance during Tuesday’s announcement.

WATCH:

A growing sanitation crisis in Bnei Brak has triggered a confrontation within the city’s municipal leadership, with Deputy Mayor Akiva Stern warning that the deteriorating condition of the streets constitutes a chillul Hashem and demanding full managerial authority to overhaul the city’s sanitation operations.

Stern, a Degel HaTorah representative who serves as deputy mayor and holds the municipal sanitation portfolio, sent a sharply worded letter to City Manager Yisrael Ehrenstein, expressing frustration over the condition of the streets and insisting that he cannot be held responsible for the sanitation department without being given the authority necessary to manage it.

The dispute comes amid mounting complaints from residents about garbage collection, street cleanliness and the general appearance of Bnei Brak, one of the largest chareidi cities in Eretz Yisroel.

In his letter, Stern described the situation as unacceptable and called for immediate administrative changes to address the problem.

“Personally, I am pained by the state of cleanliness in the city,” Stern wrote. “A city of Torah must be clean, and this situation is a chillul Hashem, this is our obligation to the residents of the city.”

Stern is demanding that he be formally appointed to oversee the city’s entire sanitation operation, with full managerial powers to implement changes and ensure that the system functions properly.

He made clear that accepting public responsibility for the department without having the authority to direct its operations is an untenable arrangement.

“Without authority, there is no responsibility,” he declared.

Among his demands is the preparation of a comprehensive sanitation improvement plan to be presented to the City Council, outlining how the municipality intends to address the longstanding problems.

Stern is seeking specific answers regarding the expansion of street-sweeping operations, increased garbage collection and more frequent emptying of underground waste containers, particularly before and after Yomim Tovim, when the volume of household garbage increases considerably.

He also wants stronger inspection and oversight procedures to ensure that sanitation services reach every neighborhood and street, rather than leaving certain areas without adequate attention.

The issue was discussed at a City Council meeting Sunday, reflecting growing concern among municipal officials over the condition of the city and the increasingly vocal complaints from residents.

The controversy has also exposed the financial difficulties confronting Bnei Brak’s municipal government.

Approximately two weeks ago, Deputy Mayor Menachem Shapira, who serves as acting mayor and is also a senior Degel HaTorah official, publicly acknowledged the severity of the situation during an address to hundreds of yeshiva bochurim at the Asherichem conference.

“The situation of the Bnei Brak municipality is not the easiest right now, financially,” Shapira said, explaining that the city’s budgetary difficulties were visible in the condition of its streets.

He acknowledged that the accumulation of dirt and garbage had reached a point that could no longer be ignored.

“We are not going to give up on this issue, and I am certain that it will be resolved as quickly as possible,” Shapira declared.

“The city cannot look like this, it cannot remain like this, and it will not remain like this. The city, with Hashem’s help, will be clean and properly maintained.”

The growing controversy has also drawn the attention of MK Yaakov Asher, chairman of United Torah Judaism and a former mayor of Bnei Brak.

In an interview with Yated Ne’eman, Asher acknowledged that the city’s sanitation problems had become an embarrassment and said that major changes were necessary.

“The cleanliness and appearance of the streets do not honor what the city represents,” Asher said.

Asher pledged to pursue a substantial overhaul of Bnei Brak’s sanitation services following the upcoming Knesset elections, working in cooperation with Israel’s Environmental Protection Ministry and the municipal government.

He expressed confidence that a coordinated effort involving government assistance and local administrative changes could bring about a meaningful improvement.

“It can and must be done,” Asher said.

The dispute has placed additional pressure on Bnei Brak’s leadership to produce a practical solution, particularly as senior municipal officials themselves publicly acknowledge the severity of the problem.

Stern’s demand for expanded authority now leaves the municipality facing a decision over whether to restructure management of its sanitation department and place its operations directly under his control.

The municipality has not publicly announced whether it intends to grant Stern the powers he is requesting.

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] President Donald Trump welcomed 24-year-old independent journalist Nick Shirley to the Oval Office on Tuesday, praising his investigation into alleged fraud involving taxpayer-funded daycare centers in Minnesota and awarding him $10,000 as the administration launched a new federal program offering financial rewards to Americans who help expose government fraud.

Standing alongside Trump and Vice President JD Vance, Shirley accused major news organizations of turning their attention toward him rather than investigating the allegations he had uncovered. He also described receiving threats against his life following the release of his videos.

“When I expose fraud, instead the mainstream media investigating the fraud, they investigated me,” Shirley said, criticizing the coverage that followed his investigation.

Trump expressed sympathy for Shirley’s experience, telling the young journalist, “They went after you instead of the fraudster. I’m not surprised.”

The appearance came as Trump and Vance announced a $25 million federal initiative intended to encourage ordinary Americans to report suspected fraud involving government funds. The new program, administered through the Justice Department, will offer qualifying whistleblowers financial rewards for information that produces enforcement results.

Shirley, whose online videos have attracted millions of viewers, became a national figure after publishing a 42-minute investigation in December 2025 that raised questions about Minnesota childcare facilities receiving substantial government funding.

His footage showed visits to several locations that he alleged were collecting taxpayer money without providing the services for which they were being paid. The video quickly circulated across social media, attracting attention from federal officials, political leaders and national news organizations.

Shirley claimed that his investigation uncovered more than $110 million in questionable payments, although that figure has not been independently established as an amount of proven fraud.

The young journalist has maintained that his work demonstrates how independent investigators, using publicly available information and relatively inexpensive equipment, can expose potential misuse of government money that might otherwise escape public attention.

During Tuesday’s White House appearance, Shirley described the backlash he experienced after publishing his findings, including threats that he said placed his personal safety at risk.

He also alleged that individuals involved in fraudulent government-funded operations had used taxpayer money to purchase expensive vehicles, including Mercedes-Benz cars, and transfer money overseas.

Those specific allegations were not independently substantiated during the event, although federal prosecutors have documented extensive fraud involving Minnesota social-service programs.

Trump praised Shirley’s work, saying, “He’s done an amazing job.”

The president’s decision to recognize Shirley publicly was part of a broader announcement designed to encourage Americans to report suspected government fraud and to give financial incentives to individuals whose information helps federal authorities pursue offenders.

The new initiative, called the Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program, or WHIP, has an initial allocation of $25 million. According to the administration, Americans can submit reports of suspected fraud through Fraud.gov, with rewards of up to $30,000 under published guidelines.

Trump also discussed a separate incentive tied to the amount of money recovered, saying successful whistleblowers could receive 1% of the fraud uncovered, potentially producing much larger awards in major cases.

“I will be the arbitrator of all of these decisions,” Trump said. “In other words, I’ll determine whether or not the person is deserving and I’ll determine — and I will be very generous, believe me.”

The president said he expected the prospect of financial rewards to encourage individuals with knowledge of fraudulent activities to come forward, including employees, witnesses and ordinary citizens who notice suspicious government-funded operations.

Shirley’s appearance highlighted the controversy surrounding Minnesota’s public assistance programs, which have been the subject of several major federal investigations.

Federal prosecutors have brought extensive fraud cases involving Minnesota social-service programs, including the Feeding Our Future scandal, in which defendants were accused of diverting hundreds of millions of dollars intended to provide meals to children.

More recently, Fahima Mahamud, a woman associated with a childcare facility featured in Shirley’s reporting, pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges involving inflated meal reimbursement claims.

However, some of Shirley’s broader allegations about daycare facilities remain disputed. Minnesota inspectors reported finding several facilities operating as expected, and a CBS News review of licensing records did not establish fraud at most of the locations highlighted in his original video.

Shirley has continued to defend his reporting, arguing that the questions raised by his investigations warrant further scrutiny.

The White House’s decision to recognize him comes as the administration expands its campaign against fraud in federally funded programs, with Vance overseeing a task force examining suspected abuses involving healthcare, food assistance and other government benefits.

“When you expose fraud, you help save America,” Shirley said during the Oval Office event.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

Israeli police arrested 21 suspects Tuesday morning in a major corruption investigation involving allegations that civilian contractors and military personnel fraudulently obtained millions of shekels from the IDF through equipment and service contracts during the war.

The arrests followed an extensive undercover investigation by Lahav 433, Israel’s national police investigative unit, working alongside military investigators and tax authorities. The suspects include civilian businesspeople and career military personnel accused of participating in a scheme involving fraudulent payments, bribery and money laundering.

According to police, the investigation centers on contracts for heavy engineering equipment and related services supplied to the IDF during wartime operations.

Investigators suspect that individuals involved in the procurement and payment process exploited the military’s urgent operational needs to arrange improper payments and divert public funds.

The alleged scheme reportedly involved the submission of inflated or fictitious invoices for equipment and services, allowing participants to obtain payments for work that had either not been performed or had been improperly billed.

The investigation examined financial transactions between contractors and military personnel, including suspected payments made in exchange for favorable treatment in the awarding or approval of contracts.

The arrests were carried out in a coordinated operation early Tuesday, with police and military investigators moving against suspects at multiple locations.

Authorities also conducted searches and seized documents, electronic devices and financial records believed to be relevant to the investigation.

The case is being handled by Lahav 433’s National Fraud Investigations Unit, together with the IDF’s Military Police Criminal Investigation Division and the Israel Tax Authority.

According to additional reporting, the suspects include 16 civilian contractors and five IDF noncommissioned officers who allegedly served as intermediaries between the military and the companies supplying heavy machinery.

Investigators are examining allegations that contractors stole large quantities of fuel intended for military equipment and billed the IDF for work that was never performed or was left unfinished.

The suspected misconduct dates back to the period following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, when the IDF dramatically expanded its operations in Gaza and relied heavily on civilian companies to supply bulldozers, excavators and other heavy engineering equipment.

Such machinery played an essential role in military operations, including clearing roads, removing obstacles, constructing defensive positions and supporting ground forces operating throughout the Gaza Strip.

The urgent demand for equipment and operators created extensive financial arrangements between the military and private contractors, which investigators now suspect were exploited to obtain millions of shekels improperly.

The investigation remained confidential for several months while police, military investigators and tax officials examined the suspected financial irregularities.

Tuesday’s arrests marked the transition from the undercover phase of the investigation to an open criminal inquiry.

All 21 suspects were taken to Lahav 433 headquarters for questioning. Civilian suspects were expected to appear before the Be’er Sheva Magistrates’ Court for hearings on extending their detention, while military personnel were to appear before the military court at Beit Lid.

The investigation is being conducted jointly by Lahav 433’s Southern Economic Enforcement Unit, the Military Police’s special investigations division and the Israel Tax Authority’s Be’er Sheva VAT investigations office.

Authorities are examining suspected offenses including obtaining money by fraud, bribery and money laundering, with investigators seeking to establish the extent of the alleged scheme and the roles played by individual suspects.

The arrests raise serious questions about oversight of wartime procurement arrangements, particularly those established under the extraordinary operational pressures facing the IDF during the fighting in Gaza.

Police and military investigators said their joint investigation would continue as they work to determine the full extent of the suspected wrongdoing.

The allegations remain under investigation, and none of the suspects has been convicted in connection with the case.

{Matzav.com}

The IDF announced Tuesday that Israeli forces operating in southern Lebanon have destroyed more than 540 Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure sites and uncovered over 150 weapons and military-related items in recent weeks, as troops continue efforts to dismantle the Iranian-backed terrorist organization’s capabilities near Israel’s northern border.

The newly released operational figures detail the extensive activities of the IDF’s 91st Division, which has been conducting operations against Hezbollah positions, weapons depots and other military installations throughout southern Lebanon.

According to the military, the operations have involved several brigades operating under the division’s command, including the 300th Brigade, 769th Brigade and 4th Brigade, together with additional combat and engineering units.

The forces have been working to locate and destroy infrastructure that Hezbollah established over the years to support attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilian communities along the northern border.

Among the targets destroyed were weapons-storage facilities, fortified positions, underground infrastructure and locations used by Hezbollah operatives to prepare and launch attacks.

The IDF said troops also discovered significant quantities of weapons, including rockets, antitank missiles, launchers, explosive devices and firearms.

The weapons and military equipment were found during searches of Hezbollah positions and other locations identified through intelligence gathering and ground operations.

Military engineering units subsequently destroyed numerous sites to prevent Hezbollah from restoring their operational capabilities.

The IDF emphasized that the figures represent the cumulative results of operations carried out over several weeks, rather than a single military action.

The newly disclosed information provides a broader picture of the military’s continuing efforts to weaken Hezbollah’s presence in southern Lebanon and prevent the organization from rebuilding its infrastructure near Israeli communities.

The 91st Division, also known as the Galilee Division, has played a central role in securing Israel’s northern border and conducting operations against Hezbollah positions across the border.

Its forces have been responsible for identifying terrorist infrastructure, locating weapons and eliminating threats that could be used against Israeli communities or IDF personnel.

The operations have also involved close coordination between ground forces, military intelligence and engineering units, allowing troops to identify concealed weapons and infrastructure before destroying them.

Hezbollah spent years constructing an extensive network of military installations throughout southern Lebanon, including weapons caches, fortified positions and launch sites intended to support attacks against Israel.

Many of these facilities were established in or near civilian areas, complicating efforts to locate and dismantle them.

The IDF has repeatedly stated that preventing Hezbollah from reestablishing its military presence close to the Israeli border remains a central objective of its operations in Lebanon.

The latest announcement comes amid continued concern that the terrorist organization is attempting to replenish its weapons stockpiles and restore positions damaged or destroyed during earlier Israeli military operations.

Israeli military officials have warned that Hezbollah retains significant capabilities despite suffering heavy losses and that sustained operations are necessary to prevent the organization from rebuilding its offensive infrastructure.

The IDF released photographs and operational footage accompanying Tuesday’s announcement, showing weapons discovered by troops and the destruction of Hezbollah installations.

The military said its forces would continue operating against threats in southern Lebanon to protect residents of northern Israel and prevent Hezbollah from restoring the infrastructure used to launch attacks across the border.

{Matzav.com}

Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch delivered a forceful warning to chareidi voters Monday night, declaring that frustration with political representatives or the ongoing military draft crisis does not justify voting for another party or staying home on election day, and cautioning that the future of the yeshiva world could be endangered if the wrong government comes to power.

Speaking at an election gathering in Petach Tikvah ahead of Israel’s October 27 Knesset elections, the rosh yeshiva addressed growing dissatisfaction within the chareidi community over the failure of political leaders to resolve the draft controversy and the increasing pressure being placed on yeshiva bochurim.

Rav Hirsch warned that the stakes extend far beyond the immediate dispute over military enlistment, asserting that a future government hostile to the chareidi community could seek to fundamentally change the educational institutions that have sustained Torah life for generations.

He cautioned that such efforts could affect not only yeshivos and kollelim, but also chederim, independent schools and seminaries.

According to Rav Hirsch, there are political forces that would welcome the opportunity to reshape the chareidi educational system and impose changes incompatible with the community’s religious principles.

The rosh yeshiva stressed that the danger is particularly serious because government authorities possess the ability to enact legislation and impose financial and administrative restrictions that could make it increasingly difficult for Torah institutions to operate independently.

Against that backdrop, Rav Hirsch addressed chareidi voters who have expressed disappointment or anger toward their elected representatives, particularly over the handling of the draft issue.

He acknowledged that individuals may have complaints about politicians and may feel that their representatives have failed to deliver the results they expected.

Nevertheless, he insisted that such grievances cannot become a justification for withholding support from the party designated by the Torah leadership.

Rav Hirsch emphasized that the election is not a referendum on the personal performance of individual politicians, but a decision with potentially far-reaching consequences for the preservation of Torah education and the independence of the chareidi community.

He warned that voters who abandon Degel HaTorah because of dissatisfaction with its representatives could inadvertently strengthen parties seeking to impose additional restrictions on the yeshiva world.

The rosh yeshiva also addressed the possibility of chareidi voters supporting other religious or right-wing parties, making clear that he considered such a decision unacceptable regardless of the political arguments offered in its favor.

He stressed that the guidance of the Torah leadership must determine how members of the community approach the election, rather than personal preferences or disappointment with political developments.

Rav Hirsch urged those present to recognize the seriousness of the moment and to ensure that every eligible voter participates in the election.

He also called upon yeshiva bochurim and other members of the community to encourage others to vote, emphasizing the importance of a strong turnout.

The address comes amid considerable uncertainty within the chareidi political establishment, with the military draft controversy creating tensions between voters and their representatives.

In recent months, the detention of yeshiva bochurim, financial sanctions affecting Torah institutions and the absence of a comprehensive legislative solution have contributed to growing frustration among segments of the chareidi public.

Some activists have argued that chareidi parties should face electoral consequences for failing to secure protections for full-time Torah learners.

Rav Hirsch’s remarks were aimed directly at that sentiment, warning that weakening the political representation of the Torah community could produce consequences far more serious than the grievances motivating such a protest.

With the election approaching, his message was that dissatisfaction with individual politicians must not be allowed to jeopardize the collective interests of the yeshiva world.

The gathering in Petach Tikvah was part of Degel HaTorah’s broader effort to mobilize voters and reinforce support for United Torah Judaism in the final days before the election.

{Matzav.com}

Iran is deliberately dragging out negotiations with the United States in an effort to weaken President Donald Trump politically ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, according to senior Iranian officials who acknowledged that Tehran’s leadership is determined to prevent the president from securing a diplomatic victory before Americans head to the polls.

The strategy was disclosed in interviews with Reuters published Tuesday, in which three senior Iranian officials and another individual familiar with the regime’s thinking described a calculated effort to prolong the current diplomatic stalemate, maintain pressure on Washington and exploit growing American dissatisfaction with the eight-month conflict.

At the same time, Iranian leaders are preparing for the possibility that the United States and Israel will resume military operations after the elections, believing that the current pause in major hostilities may prove temporary.

“Iran is preparing for renewed Israeli and US attacks, not for a deal with America to end the war,” one senior Iranian official told Reuters. “The clerical establishment is determined not to give Trump a political victory.”

The remarks offer an unusually direct acknowledgment that Tehran is factoring American domestic politics into its decisions regarding negotiations, military preparations and the future of the conflict.

Iranian officials believe Trump is eager to reach an agreement that could ease pressure on energy markets and demonstrate progress toward ending the war before voters decide control of Congress.

By withholding concessions and prolonging uncertainty, Tehran hopes to deny the administration that achievement while keeping economic pressure on the United States.

Tehran-based political analyst Saeed Leylaz openly described the strategy as an effort to affect the American political process.

“Iran is influencing the US election without taking any unlawful action,” Leylaz said.

The conflict, which began in February with American and Israeli strikes against Iran, has severely disrupted international energy markets, particularly shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil transportation routes.

Iranian attacks and threats against commercial vessels have reduced shipping through the strategic waterway, while an American naval blockade and international sanctions have sharply restricted Iran’s ability to export oil.

The resulting disruptions have contributed to higher energy prices and growing political pressure on the Trump administration, with American voters expressing dissatisfaction over the war and its economic consequences.

Despite the severe damage to its own economy, Iran’s leadership believes that maintaining the stalemate could yield political advantages.

The officials interviewed by Reuters indicated that Tehran sees little prospect of a diplomatic breakthrough before November 3, particularly because any agreement would require concessions that could strengthen Trump’s standing with American voters.

Washington has demanded that Iran’s nuclear program be addressed from the outset of negotiations, reflecting longstanding American and Israeli concerns about Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

Iran, however, insists that the United States first meet a series of conditions outlined in a proposal transmitted through Qatari mediators.

Under the Iranian plan, Tehran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days, although the waterway would remain under Iranian control.

In exchange, Washington would be required to lift its maritime blockade, ease restrictions on Iranian oil exports, release frozen Iranian assets and bring hostilities to an end across the region.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Sunday that the proposal remained available and that messages continued to pass between the two governments through intermediaries.

The United States has not accepted the terms, and Iranian officials have indicated that they have no intention of surrendering their leverage over the Strait of Hormuz without substantial American concessions.

The negotiations have also been complicated by Tehran’s deep distrust of Washington following repeated military confrontations.

Iranian officials pointed to the June 2025 Israeli strikes that disrupted planned nuclear negotiations in Oman, as well as the American and Israeli attacks launched in February shortly after another round of diplomatic discussions.

From Tehran’s perspective, those episodes reinforced concerns that negotiations could be used to buy time for military preparations rather than produce a lasting agreement.

The Iranian leadership now believes that even a negotiated settlement might not prevent another American or Israeli military campaign.

Trump has said that the United States will not resume bombing Iran before the November 3 elections, but Iranian officials told Reuters that they expect renewed attacks sooner or later.

Alex Vatanka, director of the Iran program at the Middle East Institute in Washington, said Tehran’s leadership believes the administration’s ultimate objectives extend beyond obtaining concessions on nuclear development and regional security.

“But the fundamental issue is that Tehran believes that Trump is interested in regime change … and following Israeli Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu’s policy of seeking to bring down Iran’s ruling establishment,” Vatanka said.

The possibility of renewed military action was also discussed during an unannounced visit to Israel Monday by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

According to three Israeli officials, Hegseth met with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to discuss Iran, with the visit taking place just one week before Israel’s own Knesset elections.

The Iranian strategy carries considerable risks for Tehran, whose economy has been devastated by the prolonged conflict and international restrictions.

Official Iranian figures showed annual inflation reaching 73.6% in September, while the country’s currency has lost nearly 35% of its value against the dollar since Washington reimposed its naval blockade in July.

Iranian oil exports have also collapsed. According to energy intelligence firm Vortexa, seaborne crude shipments fell to zero during the second week of September, compared with an average of approximately 230,000 barrels per day at the beginning of that month.

Exports remained at zero as of October 5, according to the firm’s data.

The economic deterioration follows months of domestic unrest, including antigovernment demonstrations that were violently suppressed by Iranian security forces earlier this year.

Nevertheless, Iranian officials appear convinced that making concessions to Washington would pose greater political and strategic risks than continuing the current confrontation.

Leylaz argued that the collapse of trust between the two countries has fundamentally changed the prospects for a diplomatic settlement.

“Reaching a sustainable deal with the US, even after the Trump administration, is no longer possible because of the deepened distrust,” he said. “Nothing will go back to the pre-war status quo.”

Neither the White House nor Iran’s Foreign Ministry responded to Reuters requests for comment on the officials’ account of Tehran’s negotiating strategy.

{Matzav.com}

In a significant medical first, doctors at Beilinson Hospital in Petach Tikvah have successfully implanted an innovative brain stimulation device in a 42-year-old woman suffering from epilepsy, using a new technique that allows electrical treatment of the brain without opening the skull or inserting electrodes directly into brain tissue.

The groundbreaking procedure, performed at the Clalit-operated hospital, marks the first use of the technology in Israel and the first implantation of its kind outside Europe. The device, known as EASEE, offers a potentially important treatment option for patients whose epileptic seizures cannot be adequately controlled with medication and who may not be suitable candidates for conventional brain surgery.

Unlike traditional surgical approaches to brain stimulation, which may require electrodes to be inserted into the brain, the EASEE system is positioned beneath the patient’s scalp but above the skull bone. From that location, it delivers carefully controlled electrical stimulation intended to reduce abnormal brain activity responsible for triggering seizures.

The first Israeli recipient of the device is Olga Moisa, 42, who has struggled with epilepsy for approximately 15 years after suffering a stroke.

Her condition had continued to affect her life despite years of treatment, prompting physicians to consider the newly available technology as another possible means of controlling her seizures.

The implantation was carried out on August 31, with physicians positioning the stimulation components over the region of the brain associated with her seizures. The system is connected to a battery-powered pulse generator implanted beneath the skin in the chest, which supplies the electrical impulses used in treatment.

Because the electrodes remain outside the skull, the procedure avoids the need to penetrate the brain itself, an important distinction from more invasive forms of neurostimulation.

In the days following the operation, Moisa’s family reported an encouraging early development: she had not experienced any epileptic seizures since the implantation.

Her son shared the news of the apparent improvement, although the medical team emphasized that the observation period was still far too short to establish whether the treatment would provide lasting seizure control.

The German-developed technology is intended primarily for patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy, a form of the neurological disorder in which seizures originate in a particular region of the brain. Approximately one-third of people with epilepsy do not achieve adequate seizure control through medication alone, leaving many patients facing years of recurring attacks despite continued medical treatment.

For such patients, conventional treatment options can include surgery to remove the affected brain tissue or implanting electrodes within the skull to deliver electrical stimulation. However, these procedures are not appropriate for everyone, particularly when the location of the seizure-producing region makes surgery difficult or potentially dangerous.

The EASEE device, developed by German medical technology company Precisis, was designed to provide a less invasive alternative. Its name stands for Epicranial Application of Stimulation Electrodes for Epilepsy.

The system uses a thin electrode array positioned directly above the area where seizures originate. Although the electrodes do not touch the brain, the electrical impulses they deliver can influence the underlying neural activity, with the aim of reducing the frequency and severity of seizures.

The procedure generally takes approximately 60 to 90 minutes, and patients can often return home within a day or two. The device is typically activated several weeks after implantation, with specialists subsequently adjusting its settings according to the patient’s condition and response to treatment.

The technology has already undergone clinical testing in Europe, producing encouraging results among patients whose epilepsy had resisted conventional medication.

A study published in the medical journal JAMA Neurology examined 33 patients who received the device at specialized epilepsy centers in Germany and Belgium. Among the 32 patients evaluated after six months of stimulation, approximately 53% experienced a reduction of at least 50% in their seizure frequency. The median reduction in seizures across the group was 52%.

Researchers reported no serious adverse events attributed to the device or implantation procedure during the initial study period.

Additional findings published in the journal Epilepsia in 2025 provided evidence of longer-term benefits. Among 26 patients who continued treatment and supplied seizure records through the two-year follow-up, approximately 65% experienced a reduction of at least 50% in seizure frequency, while the median reduction reached 68%.

The researchers also reported improvements in patients’ health-related quality of life, without serious complications attributed to the implantation or stimulation during the follow-up period.

Nevertheless, the studies involved relatively small groups of patients and were conducted without randomized control groups, meaning additional research is necessary to establish the treatment’s effectiveness across a broader population.

The EASEE system received European regulatory certification in 2022 and has since been introduced at epilepsy treatment centers in several European countries, including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Portugal, and the United Kingdom.

In August 2026, a British hospital reported its first implantation of the device in a 60-year-old woman who had experienced epilepsy since early childhood. The procedure was part of the technology’s expanding use within Britain’s National Health Service.

The technology is also moving toward clinical evaluation in the United States. In November 2025, Precisis announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had authorized a pivotal clinical study to assess the system’s safety and effectiveness in American patients. The planned study is expected to enroll approximately 200 participants.

The introduction of the device at Beilinson represents another step in making the treatment available beyond the European medical centers where it was initially developed and tested.

For Moisa, the significance of the procedure is particularly personal. After approximately 15 years of living with epilepsy following her stroke, she now has access to a treatment designed to address the neurological activity responsible for her seizures without requiring surgery inside the skull.

Doctors will continue monitoring her condition to determine whether the initial encouraging results develop into sustained improvement. Because the treatment generally requires a period of activation, adjustment, and follow-up, the absence of seizures immediately after surgery cannot by itself establish that the device has successfully controlled her epilepsy.

The medical team hopes that, as experience with the technology grows, the procedure will become an additional option for other patients who have exhausted conventional treatments.

For now, the successful implantation at Beilinson marks an important expansion of epilepsy treatment in Israel, bringing a relatively new form of brain stimulation to patients who previously faced a much narrower range of medical options.

{Matzav.com}

A demolition operation targeting a bais hora’ah in Bnei Brak’s Shikun Hei neighborhood sparked a confrontation Tuesday morning, with reports that Rav Moshe Nidam, who heads the institution and oversees local kollelim, was injured during the incident and required medical treatment.

The demolition drew a sharp response from local rabbonim and public officials, including Rav Masoud Ben Shimon, the rav of Bnei Brak, who arrived at the scene and expressed anguish over the destruction of the Torah institution.

According to reports in the Israeli chareidi media, municipal demolition crews arrived at the location Tuesday morning to carry out the removal of the structure housing the bais hora’ah. The operation quickly became contentious as people associated with the institution gathered at the site.

During the confrontation, Rav Nidam was reportedly injured and subsequently received medical attention. The precise circumstances surrounding his injury, including who was responsible and how the incident unfolded, have not been independently established.

The incident attracted considerable attention in the neighborhood, where the institution serves as a center for halachic guidance and is associated with local Torah-learning activities.

According to additional reporting, the demolition began at approximately 8 a.m. on Levin Merisha Street, where inspectors and workers from Israel’s land-enforcement authority arrived accompanied by police officers. The authorities reportedly maintained that the structure had been built without the required permits.

The bais hora’ah had operated in the neighborhood for approximately 35 years, making its destruction particularly painful for residents who had relied on the institution for decades.

As the demolition began, dozens of mispallelim who had been davening Shacharis in a nearby bais medrash emerged to protest. Heated exchanges and pushing followed as the protesters confronted the enforcement personnel.

Footage circulated from the scene captured the tense atmosphere, with people shouting and repeatedly calling on others not to touch individuals involved in the confrontation.

Rav Masoud Ben Shimon arrived after delivering a shiur at a yeshiva and was visibly distressed by the destruction.

“How dare they lay hands on Rav Moshe, who establishes Torah learning?” he exclaimed.

The rav struggled to express his anguish over what had occurred.

“Hashem will see our suffering. It is difficult for me to speak. I am tired after delivering a shiur at the yeshiva,” he said.

He then drew a comparison to the account in Sefer Iyov, describing the reaction of Iyov’s friends when they witnessed his suffering.

“It says that after they came and saw the destruction, they remained silent. They could not speak. They could not open their mouths. That is exactly my situation now. I cannot speak,” Rav Ben Shimon said.

Despite his distress, he continued with a forceful condemnation of the demolition.

“We protest with all our strength. The honor of the Torah and the honor of Torah scholars will never forgive this,” he declared.

Rav Ben Shimon concluded his remarks with a tefillah for the rebuilding of the third Bais Hamikdosh.

Bnei Brak Deputy Mayor Shlomo Elharar, who heads the Shas faction on the City Council, also arrived at the site, accompanied by other Shas council members. The officials joined those protesting the demolition and participated in a gathering of tefillah at the location.

The incident comes amid intensified enforcement against structures built without permits in several Israeli municipalities, including religious buildings. Authorities have maintained that construction regulations apply to such structures, while community representatives have repeatedly protested the demolition of shuls and other Torah institutions.

In this case, the authorities’ reported position was that the building lacked the necessary construction permits. However, the specific history of the property, the legal proceedings preceding the demolition and whether alternative arrangements had been considered were not immediately clear.

The circumstances of Rav Nidam’s reported injury also remained under examination, with the available reports not establishing precisely how he was hurt or identifying the person responsible.

{Matzav.com}

Conservative radio host and outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump Sid Rosenberg unleashed a blistering attack on the Satmar community Tuesday, accusing its leadership of betraying the president and undermining Jewish interests by supporting New York Governor Kathy Hochul in her reelection campaign against Republican Bruce Blakeman.

In a furious post on X, Rosenberg singled out the Satmar Rebbe and longtime chassidic political activist Mr. Moshe Indig, arguing that neither should have been permitted to attend a recent meeting with Trump at the White House.

Rosenberg, who hosts the popular “Sid & Friends in the Morning” program on 77 WABC, went considerably further than criticizing the community’s political endorsement, accusing Satmar of regularly turning against fellow Jews and presenting a danger to New York’s future.

“So the Satmars are endorsing the wretched @GovKathyHochul! She’s running against a proud Pro Israel Jew in my friend @NassauExec! This is why Rabbi Teitelbaum and phony @RabbiIndigNY never should have been invited to the White House! @LauraLoomer and I did all we could to stop it but the President was duped! That community back stabs good Jews everyday and is a threat to the future of New York. —— Jews!” Rosenberg wrote.

The remarks followed Hochul’s high-profile visit Monday to Kiryas Yoel, where she received an elaborate welcome from more than 6,000 students at Satmar’s Bais Rochel girls’ schools and met privately with Rav Aharon Teitelbaum. The girls at the school held a lengthy chant in honor of Hochul as men of the community looked on from the stage.

The governor’s appearance came as Satmar leaders publicly backed her bid for another term, providing a potentially valuable source of support ahead of the November 3 gubernatorial election.

During the visit, Hochul was joined by Satmar communal figures, including Moshe Indig and Kiryas Yoel administrator Gedaliah Szegedin. The reception highlighted the close relationship that the governor has cultivated with chassidishe leadership, particularly regarding education funding and government assistance for private-school families.

Following her appearance in Kiryas Yoel, Hochul continued her campaign tour through Rockland County, visiting the Vizhnitzer community in Monsey and meeting with the Skverer Rebbe in New Square.

The governor’s outreach to chassidishe voters has become an increasingly prominent element of her reelection strategy as she faces Blakeman, the Jewish Nassau County executive who has made his support for Israel and opposition to antisemitism central themes of his campaign.

Rosenberg, a vocal advocate for Trump and a personal friend of Blakeman, has repeatedly promoted the Republican candidate on his radio program.

The radio host’s criticism also revived controversy surrounding a September meeting at the White House, when a delegation of chassidishe leaders met with Trump. Rosenberg and conservative activist Laura Loomer were among those who opposed the inclusion of certain chassidic leaders.

In Tuesday’s post, Rosenberg claimed that he and Loomer had attempted to prevent the White House meeting and asserted that Trump had been misled into welcoming the delegation.

Blakeman, meanwhile, has accused Hochul of failing to adequately confront antisemitism and has repeatedly criticized her political alliance with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, whose positions on Israel have generated considerable opposition within the Jewish community.

During their October 13 gubernatorial debate, Blakeman sharply challenged Hochul over rising antisemitism and her relationship with Mamdani, arguing that Jewish New Yorkers face growing threats under Democratic leadership.

{Matzav.com}

A Queens man already facing manslaughter charges in the death of a Jewish woman has been indicted on hate-crime charges for allegedly vandalizing a kosher bagel shop displaying Israeli flags on two separate occasions, with prosecutors accusing him of deliberately targeting the establishment because of its Jewish ownership and support for Israel.

Dawood Faisal, 22, of Fresh Meadows, was arraigned Monday in Queens Supreme Court on an indictment charging him with two counts of third-degree criminal mischief as a hate crime. The charges stem from incidents in May at Bagels & Co., a kosher establishment on Union Turnpike in a heavily Jewish section of Queens.

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced the indictment Monday, emphasizing that investigators believe Faisal’s actions were motivated by antisemitism.

“As alleged, Dawood Faisal, repeatedly targeted a Fresh Meadows business specifically because it is Jewish-owned and featured Israeli flags, and destroyed property as an expression of antisemitism. Bias crimes are an affront to our entire community and will not be tolerated.”

According to prosecutors, the first incident occurred on May 15 at approximately 6:18 p.m., when Faisal allegedly approached the shop and knocked over nine metal plant stands positioned outside the business.

The planters spilled dirt and plants across the sidewalk. Investigators allege that Faisal then gathered some of the debris and twice threw it toward the storefront, where Israeli flags and banners were prominently displayed.

Eight days later, on May 23, at approximately 1 a.m., Faisal allegedly returned to the same location and again began destroying the outdoor displays.

This time, prosecutors say, he pushed and kicked over 11 metal plant stands, spilling their contents onto the pavement. After emptying the planters, he allegedly attempted to knock over a large clay pot. When he was unable to overturn it, he pulled the plants out of the container.

The incidents prompted an investigation by the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force, which worked with the Queens District Attorney’s Hate Crimes Bureau to identify the suspect and develop the case.

Faisal was initially arrested on the vandalism allegations on July 31 and charged in Queens Criminal Court. Monday’s development represents the formal indictment by a grand jury and his subsequent arraignment in Supreme Court.

If convicted of the most serious hate-crime charge, he faces up to seven years in prison.

The case has attracted additional attention because Faisal is also accused of causing a deadly traffic collision just two days after the second alleged attack on the bagel shop.

On May 25, prosecutors say Faisal was driving at more than 75 miles per hour along Francis Lewis Boulevard, where the posted speed limit is 35 miles per hour.

Authorities allege that he drove through two red lights before colliding with two vehicles, setting off a chain-reaction crash that propelled one of the cars into a crosswalk.

Standing in that crosswalk were 71-year-old Cara Trager, a journalist and member of the Queens Jewish community, and her husband, Michael.

Trager sustained fatal injuries, while her husband was also injured in the collision.

Prosecutors allege that Faisal fled the scene before subsequently crashing his own vehicle. Bystanders reportedly detained him until police arrived.

He was indicted in June on manslaughter, assault and related charges stemming from the crash and has remained in custody without bail in connection with that case.

The fatal collision and the alleged antisemitic vandalism are being prosecuted separately. Authorities have not charged the crash as a hate crime, and prosecutors have not established that Trager or her husband were deliberately targeted because they were Jewish.

Nevertheless, the fact that the same defendant is accused of vandalizing a Jewish-owned business shortly before the fatal collision has caused considerable distress within the local Jewish community.

Michael Trager has previously raised questions about whether the alleged vandalism and the circumstances surrounding his wife’s death warrant closer examination.

The incidents occurred in a section of Queens with a substantial Jewish population, where residents had already expressed concern about antisemitic incidents targeting Jewish businesses and institutions.

Following the vandalism at Bagels & Co., members of the Jewish community organized a show of support for the establishment, with hundreds of customers reportedly gathering outside the shop to demonstrate solidarity with its owners.

The case has also drawn attention from elected officials representing the neighborhood.

State Assemblyman David Weprin, whose district includes the bagel shop, welcomed the indictment and condemned the alleged targeting of the Jewish-owned establishment.

“This was yet another incident of antisemitism in Queens, and this indictment further demonstrates that we will never back down to hate,” Weprin said.

Queens Supreme Court Justice Michael Hartofilis ordered Faisal to return to court on November 12 in connection with the hate-crime indictment.

Faisal remains presumed innocent of all charges unless and until proven guilty in court.

{Matzav.com}

Vice President JD Vance believes President Donald Trump would throw his support behind him if he enters the 2028 presidential race, although he says he has neither reached a decision about seeking the White House nor discussed a possible endorsement with the president.

In an interview with journalist Mark Halperin that aired Monday evening, Vance addressed speculation about his political future and the possibility of succeeding Trump as the Republican Party’s presidential nominee.

“I really have not made up my mind about what to do in 2028. I just haven’t focused on it. We, you and I, have talked about that. Look, I think if I run, the president will endorse me,” Vance told Halperin.

Despite his confidence that Trump would support him, Vance acknowledged that the president might prefer to remain neutral during the early stages of a Republican primary, allowing prospective candidates to compete before making an endorsement.

“I think I would get his endorsement, but I also think there’s something to be said for people actually running their own race,” he said. “Because the president’s endorsement is so dispositive, you could absolutely see a scenario where the president says, ‘You know what? We need to let this race play out,’ and not like preemptively prejudge the results.”

Vance nevertheless maintained that, should he ultimately decide to seek the nomination, he expects Trump to support his candidacy.

“But my attitude is, if I run, I think the president would endorse me. But I also haven’t talked to him about it yet,” Vance said.

The vice president made similar observations during a separate conversation with Sean Spicer, who served as White House press secretary during Trump’s first administration. In that interview, Vance suggested that Trump’s endorsement would carry such enormous influence among Republican voters that it could effectively determine the outcome of the party’s presidential primary.

“Then the primary is over. Of course, I think whoever the president endorses will ultimately win the Republican primary,” Vance told Spicer when asked what would happen if Trump publicly backed him.

At the same time, Vance emphasized that securing the Republican nomination and winning the presidency are two separate challenges. He said that regardless of Trump’s influence within the GOP, the eventual nominee would still have to campaign nationally and convince voters that the Republican agenda deserves their support.

“Look, I think there’s a lot of value. There is a lot of value to going and making the best case that we can to the American people. Because while Donald Trump will ultimately decide who’s going to be the Republican nominee, you have a general election, 330 million Americans are going to decide who the president of the United States is,” Vance said.

Trump’s political influence has already played a decisive role in Vance’s career. During the 2022 Republican Senate primary in Ohio, Vance was struggling to gain momentum and was trailing rivals Mike Gibbons and Josh Mandel in polling. Trump’s endorsement shortly before the primary dramatically changed the dynamics of the contest, helping Vance secure the nomination and ultimately win election to the Senate.

The president has continued to demonstrate his ability to shape Republican primaries. Earlier this year, Trump backed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in his Senate challenge against incumbent Republican Sen. John Cornyn. Paxton went on to secure the Republican nomination, providing another example of the influence Trump’s support carries among GOP voters.

Vance’s remarks come as speculation intensifies over who will inherit leadership of the Republican Party when Trump completes his second term. Although the vice president is widely regarded as a leading potential contender, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also emerged as a possible successor, with reports indicating that some Trump advisers favor Rubio as the party’s next presidential nominee.

Trump has previously spoken favorably about both men, describing Vance and Rubio as a potential political “dream team,” but has stopped short of formally choosing a successor.

In his recent interview with Spicer, Vance also explained that family considerations would weigh heavily on any decision to pursue the presidency. The vice president, who has four young children, said he would need to determine whether a presidential campaign and the responsibilities of the office could be reconciled with his obligations at home.

For now, Vance says his immediate attention remains on the November midterm elections, where Republicans are battling to preserve their congressional majorities. He has indicated that he expects to give more serious consideration to his own political future after those elections conclude.

{Matzav.com}

Forty-two Chabad yeshiva bochurim returning to Eretz Yisroel after spending a year learning at 770 Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights were detained by Israeli military police at Ben Gurion Airport on Tuesday morning, in a major enforcement operation that has sparked outrage throughout the Chabad community and prompted intervention by senior rabbonim and government officials.

The bochurim, most of them approximately 19 or 20 years old, had just completed their year of kevutza, the longstanding Chabad program in which Israeli yeshiva students spend an extended period learning at the movement’s world headquarters in Brooklyn.

Their return home took an unexpected turn when military police, who had reportedly received advance information about the group’s arrival, were waiting at the airport to detain students whose military status had not been regularized.

Approximately 80 bochurim were aboard the flight from New York. Initial statements from Chabad representatives indicated that 25 students had been detained, but subsequent military reports placed the number at 42.

According to accounts from the scene, the bochurim were stopped at passport control, where their documents were examined and those identified as having unresolved military obligations were separated from the other passengers.

Some had their passports confiscated before being taken into military custody. Military authorities had arranged additional personnel and transportation in anticipation of the group’s arrival.

Families who had been waiting at the airport to welcome their sons home after more than a year abroad were left distressed as the bochurim were taken away without being permitted to reunite with their relatives.

The detained students were transported to the IDF induction center at Tel Hashomer for military proceedings, where they were offered the possibility of avoiding immediate imprisonment by agreeing to enlist.

According to an IDF statement issued later Tuesday, 27 of the 42 detained bochurim agreed before a military judge to enter military service. They were found fit for service, received suspended prison sentences and were permitted to return home pending the beginning of their enlistment process.

Another 13 students initially refused to agree to enlist and were sentenced to military imprisonment, according to the IDF’s account. Two additional bochurim, whose military authorities said had been evading service for more than 540 days, were transferred directly to military prison.

However, Chabad community reports subsequently indicated that intervention by askanim had secured the release of the 13 students who had initially refused enlistment, although they would still be required to appear before a military judge. According to those reports, two bochurim remained imprisoned.

The differing accounts reflect developments throughout the day as rabbonim, community representatives and government officials worked to resolve the situation.

The arrests have drawn particular attention because Chabad has historically maintained a separate understanding with Israeli military authorities regarding the enlistment of its yeshiva students.

Under the longstanding arrangement, bochurim were permitted to complete their yeshiva studies, including their year of kevutza in New York, before entering military service at a later stage.

Many Chabad chassidim subsequently enlisted in the IDF, and the arrangement was regarded within the community as an important accommodation allowing young men to complete their Torah studies before fulfilling military obligations.

However, changes to the legal framework governing yeshiva deferments disrupted the arrangement, leaving numerous Chabad bochurim without a clear mechanism for regularizing their military status.

Chabad representatives have reportedly submitted several proposals intended to restore an acceptable framework, but those efforts have not yet produced a new agreement.

In June, Defense Minister Yisrael Katz reportedly instructed military officials to develop an alternative arrangement after concerns emerged that eliminating the previous system could ultimately reduce enlistment among Chabad students.

The absence of a replacement has left returning bochurim vulnerable to detention, particularly when their unresolved military status is identified during passport inspections.

Following Tuesday’s arrests, the Beis Din Rabbonei Chabad issued a statement explaining that its members had been in contact with the relevant authorities even before the flight arrived.

“The members of the Beis Din are in direct contact with the various authorities through a special representative appointed for this purpose,” the statement said.

The rabbonim added that preparations had been made in coordination with the families and military officials in anticipation of possible difficulties when the students returned.

“The members of the Beis Din have been working in recent days, and continue working at this very hour, to ensure that the students receive humane treatment and, following the resolution of their status with the military authorities, are released as quickly as possible to their homes and families.”

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu addressed the arrests during an interview with Kol Barama radio Tuesday morning, describing the situation as unacceptable and warning that coercive measures could undermine efforts to resolve the chareidi draft controversy.

“We must preserve the world of Torah, because it is what preserved us,” Netanyahu declared.

Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu also sharply criticized the arrests, arguing that the enforcement operation would ultimately damage military recruitment rather than encourage it.

“The arrest of Chabad chassidim returning from a period of study in the United States was not intended to increase recruitment rates, but precisely the opposite,” Eliyahu said.

“Most Chabad chassidim enlist and share the burden. For years, they had a special enlistment track, until the judicial system cancelled it. Today’s arrests only harm recruitment and harm the charedim who do enlist.”

Eliyahu further alleged that senior legal officials had pressured the military to conduct arrests during the final week before Israel’s October 27 Knesset elections.

MK Meir Porush, who has been involved in efforts to resolve the status of Chabad yeshiva students, said he was working directly with military and defense officials following the detentions.

“I have worked in the past, and throughout the past year as well, to regulate the status of Chabad yeshiva bochurim. I am now in contact with officials in the IDF and Defense Ministry in an effort to assist the temimim who were arrested this morning at Ben Gurion Airport.”

The IDF defended its actions, maintaining that the bochurim were legally obligated to enlist and that military authorities were enforcing existing law.

“The Military Police routinely enforces the Defense Service Law, including at border crossings, in coordination with relevant authorities, including the Population and Immigration Authority,” the military said.

The IDF added that it would continue to enforce enlistment requirements equally and ensure compliance with the obligation to serve.

The arrests come amid an escalating confrontation over the military draft, with yeshiva bochurim increasingly facing detention when their unresolved status is discovered during encounters with police or border authorities.

The timing has intensified the controversy, coming exactly one week before Israel’s national elections and amid growing frustration within the chareidi community over the government’s failure to establish a lasting arrangement protecting full-time Torah learners.

For Chabad families, the immediate concern remains the fate of the bochurim still facing military proceedings and the possibility of further arrests as additional students return to Eretz Yisroel from their year of learning in Crown Heights.

{Matzav.com}

The Trump administration has canceled more than 300,000 visas issued to foreign nationals since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January 2025, marking what the State Department describes as the most aggressive visa revocation campaign in American history.

State Department officials disclosed the new figures Tuesday, explaining that the administration has been systematically withdrawing visas from individuals implicated in criminal offenses, immigration fraud, public safety concerns, and activities deemed threatening to national security.

Among those affected are at least 4,000 foreign nationals whose visas were revoked over their involvement in so-called birth tourism, a practice in which individuals travel to the United States for the purpose of giving birth so their children can obtain American citizenship.

The administration says its enforcement campaign reflects a broader effort to ensure that foreign nationals who receive permission to enter the United States comply with American laws and immigration requirements.

“With over 300,000 revocations, the Trump administration has revoked more visas at a faster pace than any administration in history,” added State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott.

Pigott emphasized that the government intends to continue identifying visa holders whose conduct violates immigration rules or raises security concerns, warning that the administration will take additional action whenever necessary.

“Let the message be clear: we have zero tolerance for foreigners here on visas who break the law, commit fraud, or undermine our national security. We are taking, and will continue to take, action to keep our borders, and our nation, secure.”

The State Department did not immediately release a breakdown identifying the countries of origin of the individuals whose visas were canceled. Officials also did not specify how many of those affected were physically present in the United States when their visas were revoked.

The latest figures represent a significant increase from numbers released just weeks earlier. In September, the department reported that approximately 250,000 visas had been revoked since Trump began his second term, indicating that the total has since risen by at least 50,000.

The accelerating pace of enforcement has been particularly pronounced during 2026, as the administration has expanded its scrutiny of visa holders and applicants. By comparison, the State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs reviewed approximately 23,000 visa revocation cases during 2025, according to the figures cited in the report.

The department has also provided information about the types of criminal activity that contributed to visa cancellations last year.

Approximately 25% of the visas revoked in 2025 were associated with assault or related offenses, while 22% involved driving under the influence. Theft accounted for another 7%, and an additional 7% were linked to drug possession, substance abuse, or narcotics distribution.

These figures illustrate the administration’s emphasis on withdrawing immigration privileges from individuals whose conduct, according to federal officials, demonstrates that they should no longer be permitted to travel to the United States under previously issued visas.

{Matzav.com}

A group of prominent gedolei Torah has issued a joint public letter calling on the chareidi community to participate in the upcoming elections in Israel, warning that the outcome could have far-reaching consequences for the future of Torah institutions, yeshivos, and chareidi families.

The letter, titled “A Call to Klal Yisroel Regarding the Upcoming Elections,” bears the signatures of leading rabbonim and roshei yeshiva from across the chareidi community. It presents voting as a matter of communal responsibility, emphasizing that the political decisions made in the coming period could affect the ability of the Torah community to preserve its institutions and way of life.

The appeal comes amid considerable political tension surrounding the future of yeshiva bochurim, military conscription, and government policies affecting the chareidi population. Against that backdrop, the rabbonim stress the importance of maintaining political representation that operates under the guidance of Gedolei Yisroel.

“Throughout the generations, Klal Yisroel has stood firm in hard times by holding fast to Torah and to those who carry its banner. This responsibility falls on us,” the letter says.

The signatories describe the present political climate as one marked by developments that would previously have seemed unimaginable, and warn that the consequences of the upcoming elections will extend well beyond the immediate political contest.

“The past period has brought decisions affecting the chareidi community that none of us imagined we would see. The coming elections will shape the years ahead for our yeshivos, our mosdos, and our children,” the letter states.

The rabbonim go on to emphasize the significance of every individual vote, arguing that low turnout among chareidi voters could weaken the community’s political influence.

“This is not a time to stand on the side. Every vote adds strength to those who represent us faithfully, under the guidance of Gedolei Yisroel. Every vote that stays home weakens us, and in practice strengthens the left,” the letter declares.

The statement concludes with a direct appeal to eligible voters to take an active role in the election and encourage participation among members of their households.

“We turn to every man and woman eligible to vote: this is your achrayus and your zechus. Go out, bring your household, and vote,” the rabbonim write.

The letter carries the signatures of Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, rosh yeshiva of Slabodka; Rav Avrohom Gurwicz, rosh yeshiva of Gateshead; Rav Yehoshua Eichenstein, rosh yeshiva of Yad Aharon; Rav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, rosh yeshiva of Mir; Rav Elya Brudny, rosh yeshiva of Mir Brooklyn; Rav Yitzchok Sorotzkin, rosh yeshiva of Telz; Rav Yeruchem Olshin, rosh yeshiva of Bais Medrash Govoha; Rav Yitzchok Berkovits, rosh yeshiva of Aish HaTorah; and the two Novominsker Rebbes, Rav Yehoshua Perlow and Rav Yisroel Perlow.

The letter comes amid growing concern within United Torah Judaism over voter apathy and dissatisfaction among segments of the chareidi electorate. Some voters have expressed frustration with the party’s handling of the military draft controversy, while others have considered supporting alternative chareidi lists or abstaining altogether.

Those concerns have prompted an intensified effort by senior rabbonim and political representatives to reinforce support for the established chareidi parties ahead of the October 27 election.

Over the weekend, leading members of Degel HaTorah’s Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah gathered in Bnei Brak for an emergency election meeting, where speakers stressed the obligation to vote and warned against allowing political frustration to undermine the community’s representation in the Knesset.

Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch has also spoken forcefully against abstention or voting for competing parties, emphasizing the importance of supporting the political representatives operating under the direction of Gedolei Yisroel.

Meanwhile, support for United Torah Judaism has been reinforced by developments within the chassidishe community, including public endorsements from Belz and other groups. The party is seeking to consolidate its traditional electoral base during the final days of the campaign.

United Torah Judaism and Shas have also signed a surplus-vote agreement for the election, reflecting their continued cooperation on matters affecting Torah learning, yeshiva bochurim, and chareidi educational institutions.

{Matzav.com}

The attack on the Stoliner Rebbe by extremists in Beit Shemesh has sparked widespread outrage throughout the chareidi community, with two Israeli newspapers, Hamodia and Hamevaser, issuing unusually forceful condemnations of the incident and calling for action against those responsible.

The Rebbe was targeted while leaving a family simcha in Beit Shemesh, when a group of unruly young men reportedly confronted him and threw objects in his direction. The incident has prompted sharp criticism across the chareidi community, with the newspapers describing the attack as an intolerable violation of the honor due to gedolei Yisroel.

Hamodia devoted prominent coverage to the incident on its front page, publishing a report under the headline, “Shock, Revulsion and Condemnations Throughout the Entire Chareidi Community Following a Disgraceful Attack on One of the Greatest and Most Distinguished Rebbes.”

The newspaper described the confrontation as a deeply troubling incident that had generated condemnation from across the spectrum of chareidi Jewry.

Hamevaser adopted similarly strong language, running its coverage under the headline, “Outrage and Revulsion Throughout All Segments of Torah-Observing Jewry Following the Despicable Attack on the Stoliner Rebbe.”

Its report detailed how the Rebbe had traveled to Beit Shemesh to participate in a family celebration and was subjected to harassment by a group of reckless young men as he departed the venue.

The newspaper emphasized that the incident involved an affront to a revered leader who has devoted his life to spreading Torah and guiding his community.

Beyond its news coverage, Hamevaser published a sharply worded editorial under the headline, “Alas! How Much Longer?”

The editorial condemned individuals who claim to be acting on ideological or religious principles while resorting to violence and intimidation against rabbonim and rebbes.

“Chareidi Jewry, from one end of the spectrum to the other, is horrified and shaken,” the editorial declared.

The newspaper warned that such behavior reflects a disturbing deterioration in the moral and educational standards of those involved, particularly when young people attempt to justify acts of aggression in the name of Torah.

The editorial also criticized the broader atmosphere that allows such incidents to occur, questioning how individuals who profess allegiance to Torah values could engage in conduct that humiliates and endangers respected Torah leaders.

“How much longer must we endure the fists of the ignorant and those who possess excessive strength?” the editorial asked.

The newspaper called upon communal leaders and those responsible for educating the younger generation to confront the phenomenon and take meaningful steps to ensure that similar incidents do not recur.

Both Hamodia and Hamevaser stressed that the attack must not be viewed as an internal matter involving a particular chassidus. Rather, they characterized it as an offense against the dignity of Torah leadership that demands a response from the entire chareidi community.

The newspapers also called for those responsible to be held accountable, warning that allowing such behavior to pass without consequences would risk encouraging further acts of harassment and violence against rabbonim and rebbes.

{Matzav.com}