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Rabbi Yisroel Friedman, editor-in-chief of the Israeli Yated Ne’eman, sought to clarify the chareidi stance amid Israel’s ongoing conflict and the intensifying debate over army conscription. In a candid interview with Makor Rishon, he made clear that his newspaper operates under direct rabbinic authority and serves a singular mission.

“Yated Ne’eman is not a newspaper, it is a mouthpiece,” Rabbi Friedman stated firmly, explaining that every forceful headline and every line printed in its pages is backed by the daas Torah of the leading gedolim. “I’m not the free press. I am the voice of the Torah sages. For people to read me, I need to be engaging, but even when I write a political headline, I pray to have a good newspaper that will be able to fulfill its role and make the Torah sages’ voices heard.”

He referenced one of the publication’s most talked-about headlines, the July 2024 banner “Declaration of War,” which appeared after Rav Dov Landau urged yeshiva students not to comply with IDF draft notices. Rabbi Friedman explained that the headline precisely reflected Rav Landau’s message. “He wanted the message to be precise: It was a declaration of war,” he said, clarifying, “The intention was that the State is the one who declared war on the chareidim.”

Turning to the contentious Draft Law, Rabbi Friedman argued that Israel’s moral imbalance extends far beyond the chareidi sector. “When it comes to preserving the Jewish people, the majority of the population in in the Land of Israel is evading the draft. There is no equality in burden-sharing. The soldiers who are fighting have taken it upon themselves to preserve the Israeli nation, to protect bodies, but they are not engaged in preserving the Jewish people.”

When questioned about those serving in Gaza, he drew a sharp distinction between national and spiritual defense. “Going to fight in Gaza is not preserving the Jewish people; it is preserving the Israeli people. When it comes to preserving the Jewish people, only we contribute.” He added pointedly, “The army says it lacks combat soldiers, and I say: we lack Torah learners! We must further increase the learning in the yeshivas.”

Rabbi Friedman also hinted at a potential political realignment within the chareidi camp, suggesting that support for Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu could no longer be taken for granted. “It’s no secret that in our political positions, we do not belong to the Right,” he noted. “The moment that joining together endangers the core of the Jewish nation’s existence, which is Torah learners, the question will return to the table of the Torah sages, and I cannot tell you what will happen. Nothing is out of the question.”

{Matzav.com}

A car explosion near the historic Red Fort in India’s capital city killed eight people on Monday and injured at least 19 others, police in New Delhi said. The blast, which triggered a fire that damaged several vehicles parked nearby, was reported near one of the gates of the Red Fort metro station, the fire […]

The US Embassy in India issues a security alert following a car explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort.

A French appeals court in Paris has ordered the release of Nicolas Sarkozy, the former president of France, just three weeks after he began serving a prison sentence connected to illegal campaign financing from the Libyan regime of Muammar Gaddafi. The ruling allows Sarkozy to remain free pending a final decision on his appeal.

Sarkozy, 70, served as president from 2007 to 2012. He was imprisoned on October 21 after being convicted of conspiracy and corruption linked to claims that his 2007 presidential campaign received illicit funding from Gaddafi’s government in exchange for political favors that would bolster Libya’s global standing. While no concrete proof was found that the money was actually transferred, the court determined that Sarkozy had allowed his aides to seek Libyan support, leading to his conviction.

Speaking via video link from prison during the hearing, Sarkozy forcefully denied the accusations, calling them politically motivated. “I am French, sir. I love my country, and I will fight to uncover the truth. I will obey any restriction placed on me, as I always have,” he told the court.

Reflecting on his brief imprisonment, he added, “I never imagined that at the age of seventy I would find myself in prison. It is a harsh experience imposed upon me, one that leaves a mark on any person. I admit it is very difficult.”

During his detention at La Santé Prison in Paris—one of France’s most secure facilities—Sarkozy was reportedly mocked by other inmates shouting “Welcome, Sarko!” and “Little Nicolas!” Due to his former role as interior minister and his tough stance on crime, he was given two personal bodyguards for round-the-clock protection.

Sarkozy remains the first president in French and European Union history to serve time in prison. The appeals process is expected to take several more months. Until the final ruling is issued, he will remain under court-imposed restrictions but free from incarceration.

{Matzav.com}

The Vatican said Monday it was investigating a possible antisemitic incident, in which a Swiss Guard allegedly made a spitting gesture toward two Jewish women. The alleged incident occurred during a papal audience Oct. 29, at the entrance to St. Peter’s Square. The audience that day was dedicated to marking the anniversary of a 1965 […]

Footage captures the moment a loud explosion is heard near Delhi’s Red Fort, India, resulting in 9 deaths

The President of Syria, Al-Sharaa, has arrived at the White House for his meeting with trump through one of the back doors and not the main entrance.

President Trump on Monday pressured air traffic controllers to return to work amid the ongoing government shutdown or else be “substantially docked.” “All Air Traffic Controllers must get back to work, NOW!!! Anyone who doesn’t will be substantially ‘docked,’” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform. “For those Air Traffic Controllers who […]

Israeli forces operating along the so-called Yellow Line in the Gaza Strip uncovered and dismantled four Hamas terror tunnels over the past month, the IDF announced Sunday night. The tunnels, discovered in the Khan Yunis region of southern Gaza, were part of an extensive Hamas underground network used for smuggling fighters and weapons toward Israeli-controlled […]

Speaker Mike Johnson said Monday that House lawmakers should start returning to Washington “right now” after a small group of Senate Democrats broke a 40-day stalemate late Sunday evening and voted with Republicans to move forward with legislation that would end the government shutdown. It is unclear when the Senate will hold final votes on the legislation. But […]

Beit Shemesh Mayor Shmuelik Greenberg was attacked Sunday night in Bnei Brak by a group of extremists protesting the arrest of yeshiva bochurim by the military police.

Greenberg had arrived at the wedding of Elad Mayor Yehuda Botbol’s son, held at Keter HaRimon Hall, when several radicals surrounded him, shouting insults, throwing objects, and plastering stickers on his car.

Footage from the scene shows the chaotic moments as security personnel and guests tried to shield the mayor. After several tense minutes, Greenberg managed to extricate himself from the area unharmed.

In a statement issued shortly after the incident, members of the Degel HaTorah faction in Beit Shemesh expressed outrage and condemned the attack “in the strongest terms.”

“We express deep shock and strongly denounce the assault on the mayor that took place in Bnei Brak,” the statement read. “Violence of any kind, especially against public servants, is a red line that cannot be crossed in silence. There must be zero tolerance for such behavior, and full support must be given to those who serve the public with dedication.”

The faction added, “We stand firmly behind Mayor Greenberg and trust that law enforcement authorities will act swiftly and decisively to bring the perpetrators to justice.”

Photos released after the incident show Greenberg’s car covered in stickers and debris, symbolizing the intensity of the confrontation that briefly disrupted an otherwise joyous occasion.

{Matzav.com}

When 15-year-old Pedro Elias Garzon Delvaux realized an Associated Press photo of him at the Louvre on the day of the crown jewels heist had drawn millions of views, his first instinct was not to rush online and unmask himself. Quite the opposite. A fan of Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot who lives with his parents and […]

Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of President Donald Trump and a senior adviser in his first administration, arrived in Israel on Sunday night and met with Prime Minister Netanyahu on Monday morning. A source familiar with Kushner’s schedule said the meeting focused on advancing Trump’s proposed peace plan for the Gaza Strip, which envisions a phased […]

Air travel across the United States plunged into disarray Monday as airlines scrapped more than 1,500 flights and delayed hundreds more, stranding passengers and snarling schedules nationwide on the 41st day of the record-breaking government shutdown.

By early morning, the ripple effects were already felt coast to coast. At Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport — the busiest in the country — 11% of incoming flights and 5% of outgoing ones were canceled, totaling over 200 flights, according to FlightAware.

Chicago wasn’t spared either. Data showed that over 300 flights were grounded at O’Hare International Airport, while more than 100 were canceled at Chicago Midway, creating gridlock for travelers trying to move through the Midwest hub.

The chaos extended to New York City’s trio of airports, which all faced heavy disruptions. LaGuardia saw 61 departures and 58 arrivals — each accounting for about 10% — wiped from the schedule. Newark Liberty lost 47 outgoing and 39 incoming flights, while JFK International canceled 30 departures and 49 arrivals.

In total, more than 1,300 flights within, into, or out of the U.S. were delayed by early Monday, adding another layer of frustration for passengers still reeling from the weekend’s upheaval.

Sunday had already marked the most disastrous day for air travel since the shutdown began, with nearly 3,000 flights canceled and more than 10,800 delayed. “Almost 3,000 flights were canceled by US airlines Sunday and more than 10,800 were delayed,” one industry report confirmed, underscoring the mounting pressure on the nation’s aviation system.

Compounding the crisis, the Federal Aviation Administration entered its fourth day of reduced staffing levels. The agency has been forced to cut about 10% of its workforce at 40 of the country’s busiest airports, further crippling operations. “Monday marks the fourth day of the FAA’s air traffic staffing reductions, where the agency has been forced to shed 10% of its workers across 40 high-volume airports,” officials said, warning of continued turmoil ahead.

With no end in sight to the shutdown, America’s skies have become a vivid symbol of gridlock — both political and literal.

{Matzav.com}

With thousands of Shluchim expected to arrive in Crown Heights this week, the Kinus Hashluchim committee gathered with New York City law enforcement officials to finalize security protocols for the upcoming International Conference of Chabad Shluchim. More than 6,500 Shluchim from 111 countries will converge on New York this week.

Israeli strikes in Lebanon killed three Hezbollah terrorists, bringing the IDF’s total to 15 since the start of the month.

Israeli officers in the North continue their crackdown on violence in Israeli-Arab communities, intercepting a hit squad linked to organized crime that was reportedly planning a shooting.

Speaker Johnson on U.S. Senate: “At the very moment that they do that final vote I will call all House members to return to Washington as quickly as possible. We’ll give a 36 hour formal and official notice so that we can vote as soon as possible…”

TRUMP: “AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS MUST GET BACK TO WORK NOW!!! Anyone who doesn’t will be substantially ‘docked.’ For those who didn’t take time off, I will be recommending a bonus of $10,000 per person for distinguished service to our country.”

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