A fierce political dispute erupted after Housing and Construction Minister Chaim Katz began considering the appointment of Yehuda Morgenstern—who previously served as director-general of the ministry under Minister Yitzchok Goldknopf—as acting director-general of the Israel Land Authority. The prospective appointment sparked widespread backlash in the political arena, and former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett even declared that if he returns to office, he will cancel the senior appointment.
The loudest criticism came from Minister Amichai Shikli, who openly opposed Morgenstern’s anticipated appointment. Shikli stated, “I have nothing whatsoever against Yehuda Morgenstern, a wise and pleasant man, but the Israel Land Authority must not be placed in the hands of the ‘real estate Chassidus’ of Gur!”
Shikli argued that the head of the Israel Land Authority must be someone motivated by Zionist priorities: “The director of the Israel Land Authority must—especially now—be someone whose driving force is Zionism, strengthening Jewish settlement in the Galilee and Negev, and supporting IDF soldiers and reservists.”
He went on sharply criticizing past policies: “We have had enough of the five bitter and difficult years for settlement under Yanki Quint. The Israel Land Authority needs a director whose only concern is Zionism.”
UTJ chairman MK Yitzchok Goldknopf responded with a blistering attack, accusing Shikli of bigotry and discriminatory rhetoric. Goldknopf said, “The minister’s repulsive statement is tainted with condescension, hatred of the other, and a toxicity usually found only among haters of Israel.”
He continued, saying that Shikli’s comments were especially inappropriate given his public role combating antisemitism abroad: “As someone tasked with fighting antisemitism, Shikli should restrain himself and understand that saying Yehuda Morgenstern’s appointment means the authority will be controlled by the Gur community is a disgrace and a shame. Disqualifying a person because of his affiliation with a Chassidic group is an injustice—exactly the kind of injustice Shikli claims to fight abroad, where people and communities are targeted because of their Jewish identity.”
Goldknopf went on to defend Morgenstern’s reputation and qualifications: “Yehuda Morgenstern is a man who worked his way up through effort and diligence, and no one disputes his professionalism, credentials, or abilities.”
Finally, he issued a direct call to Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu: “It is expected of the prime minister that when a minister from his own party and government makes such statements, he will condemn them.”
{Matzav.com}
Israel’s Ministry of Defense released new data early Monday marking the National Day of Appreciation for Wounded IDF Soldiers and Security Personnel, revealing a staggering picture of the toll taken since the Simchas Torah massacre two years ago.
According to the Rehabilitation Department, 82,400 wounded individuals are currently receiving care, including 31,000 coping with psychological injuries and post-trauma.
Since the Hamas surprise attack on Simchas Torah, approximately 22,000 newly wounded have entered the rehabilitation system. Of these:
58% are suffering from psychological trauma
63% are reservists
49% are under the age of 30
The ministry estimates that by the end of 2026, another 10,000 wounded will be added—most of them battling psychological injuries.
Looking further ahead, projections show that by 2028 the Rehabilitation Department will be treating around 100,000 wounded, half of whom will be individuals dealing with psychological trauma.
In response to the growing national challenge, the Ministry of Defense announced: “Given the scope of the wounded and the national challenge, the Ministry of Defense, in partnership with the Ministry of Finance, established a public committee headed by Prof. Mori Yosef to examine expanding national support, treatment, and services for wounded IDF soldiers.”
The ministry noted a significant expansion in resources: “The department is broadening its medical and psychological treatment framework and the realization of rights. Its budget has risen by 53% and now stands at 8.3 billion shekels, half of which—4.1 billion shekels—is dedicated to services for those with psychological injuries, who make up roughly one-third of our patients.”
The past year has seen major increases in demand:
The number of psychological treatments provided has doubled
Use of alternative therapies has risen by about 50%
Calls to the “One Soul” mental-health hotline have surged by nearly 80%
{Matzav.com}
A joyous milestone was marked in Modi’in Illit, where the wedding of the first granddaughter of the Mirrer mashgiach, Rav Binyomin Finkel, was celebrated.
The kallah is a daughter of Rav Moshe Finkel, son of the mashgiach and son-in-law of Rav Eliezer Lieberman.
The event drew a large crowd of rabbonim and community figures who came to honor the mashgiach and rejoice with him at this significant moment.
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Police have revealed a sweeping security scandal that has rocked the quiet community of Givat Ze’ev, where several private security guards were arrested on suspicion of facilitating the entry and employment of illegal Palestinian residents in return for money.
According to details cleared for publication, investigators from the Yerushalayim Central Unit detained seven guards employed by a private firm contracted to secure the town. Their arrests followed a lengthy undercover investigation launched after the Givat Ze’ev Local Council formally approached the police with concerns.
Officers moved in during daylight hours last week, bringing the covert probe into the open. Investigators believe the guards exploited their authority at local checkpoints, allegedly accepting payments to allow unauthorized individuals to slip past security screening points.
Police said that on November 30, detectives executed the first wave of arrests against four suspects, some of whom were working as guards at Givat Ze’ev. With those arrests, the months-long undercover investigation became public, and a court-imposed gag order—meant to protect the early stages of the probe—expired this morning.
Authorities outlined what they described as a systematic arrangement: the guards allegedly coordinated with Palestinian residents to grant “free passage” to illegal entrants by bypassing the main inspection route at the Ofer security checkpoint.
Once inside, police say, the illegal entrants would merge onto Route 443 and board waiting vehicles bearing Israeli license plates. Those cars would then drive together into the Agan Ayelet neighborhood through a residents-only gate staffed by guards, thereby sidestepping the primary security screening mechanism entirely. From there, the way into any part of Israel was effectively open.
Investigators estimate that the guards—tasked specifically with safeguarding the town—received tens of thousands of shekels in exchange for their cooperation. The probe also uncovered that some of the illegal entrants later found employment at various locations, where they were ultimately discovered and detained by police. In several cases, businesses employing them were shut down under police orders for hiring individuals without legal status.
Givat Ze’ev Local Council head Yossi Asraf issued a sharply worded statement condemning the alleged betrayal: “We view with utmost severity the suspicions against guards who, if true, violated their duties and endangered the security of Givat Ze’ev’s residents. Our trust in the security apparatus is fundamental, and any breach of that trust is unforgivable. I welcome the swift and determined action of YMAR Jerusalem, launched at the council’s request, and we rely on the police to uncover the full truth and prosecute all involved.”
Asraf urged residents to remain vigilant and report anything unusual: “I call on every resident of Givat Ze’ev to continue exercising alertness and to contact us regarding any wrongdoing or suspected illegal activity. You are our eyes on the ground, and together with the community we will safeguard the security of the council.”
Council officials said they will continue reviewing the town’s security infrastructure, tightening oversight procedures, and taking all necessary steps to prevent similar incidents in the future.
“We will not allow anyone to erode the personal safety of our residents,” Asraf emphasized, “and we will take every measure required to protect them.”
{Matzav.com}
A top voice on border enforcement raised an alarm this weekend about escalating hostility toward federal immigration agents. Appearing on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Trump border czar Tom Homan said the dangers faced by Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel have skyrocketed, noting that “Threats on ICE officers are up 1200%.”
Homan described a climate in which officers are increasingly targeted, explaining that “They’re being doxxed on social media. They’re getting death threats every day. They’ve been attacked. They’ve been shot at.” He stressed that these agents regularly pursue some of the most dangerous offenders in the country, prompting them to take necessary precautions while working within legal boundaries. Homan insisted that “I think they’re following the law. And if any ICE officer acts out of policy or does something inappropriate, they’ll be held accountable.”
Expanding on that theme, Homan pushed back against what he characterized as a distorted national narrative. He argued that the public conversation has somehow inverted reality, saying, “we’re at a place in this country where all of a sudden the ones who enforce law, the bad guys and the ones who broke the laws are victims.” He said he maintains confidence in frontline personnel: “I’m going to trust the men and women of ICE and Border Patrol who have been trained very well to do the right thing.”
Homan emphasized that oversight remains essential, even as he continues to defend the professionalism of federal officers. “If someone does something inappropriate, out of policy, illegal, they need to be held accountable,” he said, while also cautioning that he cannot personally witness every situation in the field: “I haven’t seen that. And again, I’m not in every arrest. I’m not in every operation. I trust the men and women of ICE and Border Patrol do the right thing.”
{Matzav.com}
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Hamas’s external chief Khaled Mashal delivered a fiery address that openly celebrated the organization’s armed campaign and portrayed the group’s arsenal as a source of national dignity, vowing that its struggle against Israel would continue. Speaking via video to supporters gathered in Istanbul, he praised the October 7 attacks as a defining event meant to push Israel from what he called “our homeland,” while dismissing the foundations of President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza.
His remarks were broadcast on Al Jazeera during the “Pledge to Jerusalem” conference, where Mashal charted an uncompromising vision for the next stage of Hamas’s strategy. Even though the group has publicly entered the first phase of the U.S.-mediated ceasefire that began two months ago, he rejected the core requirements of the American proposal — including international oversight, demilitarization, and Hamas’s removal from governing authority.
Mashal told his audience that although the stage he described as the most brutal period of a “genocidal war” had passed, the conflict with Israel would continue. The message he delivered cast Gaza as the spearhead of a broader regional mission and the October 7 “Al-Aqsa Flood” massacre as an uprising that set into motion what he sees as a turning tide for Palestinians.
He appealed to the global Muslim community to unify around what he described as a religious and national campaign centered on Jerusalem, asserting that the “liberation of Jerusalem” must become the symbol of Palestinian aspirations. Among the ambitions he laid out were claims that the Al-Aqsa Mosque must be “cleansed,” holy sites reclaimed, and that Gaza’s actions had “turned into the pride of the nation and the conscience of nations.”
Israeli media outlets highlighted passages in which he dismissed any possibility of external authority assuming control of Gaza or the West Bank, declaring that Palestinians themselves alone possess the right to govern. Mashal insisted that Hamas will not accept any “guardianship, mandate and re-occupation” of Gaza or “all of Palestine,” and that “the Palestinian is the one who governs himself and decides for himself.”
This rejection extended directly to the International Stabilization Force and the Board of Peace that the Trump peace plan envisions as central elements of Gaza’s transition. Mashal argued that attempts to redefine Palestinian claims “into misleading frameworks are rejected,” reinforcing his refusal to allow outside actors to shape Gaza’s future.
One of the strongest themes of his speech was Hamas’s pledge never to relinquish its arms. He declared that “the resistance project and its weapons must be protected,” describing them as fundamental to Palestinian identity, and stated that “the resistance and its weapons are the honor and strength of the nation.” He mocked diplomatic appeals, saying “a thousand statements are not worth a single projectile of iron.”
Mashal predicted that Gaza would eventually oust foreign forces and described this period as an “opportunity” for Palestinians to “remove this entity [Israel] from our homeland and exclude it from the international stage.” He portrayed Hamas’s war effort as a vehicle for reshaping both regional politics and international legitimacy.
Even the pro-Palestinian outlet Palestine Chronicle underscored that Mashal’s message rested on a few central pillars: Yerushalayim, resistance through arms, and the insistence that no external bodies may direct Gaza’s future. It framed the speech as a blueprint for Hamas’s next phase of activity.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry swiftly circulated clips of Mashal’s remarks, warning that the Hamas leader’s rhetoric “made a mockery of President Trump’s peace plan” and signaled that Hamas has “no intention of disarming, giving up its weapons, its rule, or its path.” The ministry stressed that Mashal had also rejected any international presence in Gaza, calling his speech a repudiation of the plan’s fundamental conditions.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar reinforced that interpretation, noting that Mashal had publicly thrown out every requirement that made the ceasefire and hostage-release process possible. He argued that Mashal’s statements illustrate why negotiations with Hamas remain deeply unstable.
HonestReporting, which monitors media portrayals of Israel, pointed out that Mashal’s sweeping rejection of disarmament was ignored by Western outlets. Idit Bar, a researcher on Arab and Islamic affairs quoted by the group, said Mashal “put all the cards on the table: no to disarmament, no to relinquishing Hamas’ rule, yes to the annihilation of Israel, yes to the liberation of Jerusalem.” She emphasized that calls for “cleansing” Al-Aqsa of “impure Jews” and freeing prisoners effectively incentivize more kidnappings, given Hamas’s lessons from October 7.
Mashal also laid out additional goals, including halting what he described as the “Judaization” of Judea and Samaria and intensifying regional coordination against Israel. He urged supporters to challenge Israeli officials in international bodies and to expand activism on college campuses and in the media.
Within Hamas-friendly networks, the speech circulated widely as a statement of direction for the organization, placing Jerusalem and armed struggle above all other considerations. The celebration of resistance and the rejection of outside authority became the speech’s defining features.
Mashal’s hardline posture stood in stark contrast to comments released one day later by another senior Hamas official, Bassem Naim. Speaking to the Associated Press in Doha, Naim said Hamas was “very open minded” about pursuing a “comprehensive approach” that could involve “freezing or storing” its weapons for a period of five to ten years as part of an extended truce intended to pave the way for a Palestinian state.
Naim maintained that Hamas still holds its “right to resist,” yet acknowledged that the group might permit its arsenal to be placed under Palestinian controls with guarantees “not to use it at all during this ceasefire time or truce.” At the same time, he insisted that international forces would not be permitted “inside the Palestinian territories,” limiting any foreign role to border-monitoring duties.
Under Trump’s 20-point plan, such a temporary weapons freeze falls short of what the proposal requires. The framework, endorsed by the UN Security Council, calls for Hamas’s complete disarmament, the transfer of internal security responsibilities to vetted Palestinian police units supported by an International Stabilization Force, and the handover of governance to a technocratic Palestinian committee.
One of the plan’s provisions makes clear that Hamas and similar organizations must “not have any role in the governance of Gaza, directly, indirectly, or in any form,” and that all terrorist infrastructure, including tunnels and weapons factories, must be dismantled and prevented from reemerging.
The plan mandates the creation of a temporary International Stabilization Force in Gaza to cooperate with Israel and Egypt on border security, to prevent weapons from entering the Strip, and to oversee the reconstruction process through a controlled flow of goods. The ISF would effectively manage the transition from IDF control to Palestinian civilian administration under a deconfliction mechanism.
Point 17 allows Israel and stabilization forces to move ahead district by district if Hamas refuses to uphold the agreement, enabling reconstruction to occur in “terror-free areas handed over from the IDF to the ISF” while remaining pockets of resistance are addressed separately.
Retired U.S. Army Major John Spencer referenced this clause in his analysis online, arguing that Hamas’s leadership no longer holds the leverage it once did. He suggested that the IDF could continue “high intensity operations against Hamas to kill, capture, disarm Hamas one area at a time while other forces create bubbles of stability for ever increasing size of the population,” implying that Mashal’s stance fits within contingencies anticipated by the plan.
{Matzav.com}
