In an extensive Hebrew interview with Yishai Cohen of Kikar HaShabbat, former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot addressed the ongoing political firestorm surrounding the draft law, the model he wants to promote, and how many yeshiva students he believes should receive an exemption. He also discussed his opposition to proposals to deny voting rights to those who do not serve, the U.S.–Saudi F-35 deal, the commission of inquiry he says must be formed, his public separation from Benny Gantz, the government he hopes to build after the elections, and whether he would run alongside Naftali Bennett or Yair Lapid.
Eisenkot recently resigned from the Knesset, parted ways with his close political partner Benny Gantz, and founded a new party, Yashar, with which he intends to compete in the upcoming elections.
In the wide-ranging interview, Eisenkot spoke about the U.S.–Saudi aircraft deal, Israel’s control of the Gaza Strip, the government’s proposed inquiry committee and his refusal to cooperate with it, the appointment of David Zini as head of the Shin Bet, the draft-law controversy and the future status of yeshiva students, his political plans, whether he would sit with Benjamin Netanyahu in the same coalition, and the uproar over the potential closure of Army Radio.
Eisenkot first addressed the reports of an American plan to sell F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia.
“This is a very serious development,” he said. “For years, we demanded that Israel’s qualitative military edge be preserved. Bringing F-35s into additional Middle Eastern countries is a blow to the Air Force’s superiority. It’s a very bad development.”
The commission of inquiry Israel needsWhen asked what kind of investigative commission should be formed to examine the failures that led to the October 7 disaster, Eisenkot responded: “A state commission of inquiry according to law, in which the government sets the mandate and the president of the Supreme Court determines the composition. With wise and serious dialogue between the justice minister, the prime minister, and the president, it would have been possible to establish a commission headed by Justice Noam Sohlberg, or together with President Amit.”
He sharply criticized the committee the government is seeking to form: “In contrast to the committee the government established, which is a joke. The prime minister cannot appoint a committee headed by Levin, Smotrich, Ben Gvir, and Dichter. All of them were in the country’s top command center on the morning of the disaster. It’s a joke.”
Eisenkot made clear he will not appear before such a body: “Hundreds of thousands will take to the streets and will not allow a whitewashing committee. We will not allow a bluff committee to pass. I will not cooperate with a committee that is a bluff. I will cooperate with any serious committee.”
His draft-law model: exemptions for about 3% of each year’s cohortOn the contentious issue of the draft law and the status of yeshiva students, Eisenkot explained the model he wants to advance:
“Return responsibility to the State. Instead of a chareidi arriving at the induction center and receiving a one-year deferment and the rabbi giving a permanent exemption, a national authority should be created that is acceptable to all sides—and that authority would issue the exemption.”
He said the guiding principle must be that every citizen serves—military or civilian national service—including chareidim and Arabs. “The target I accept is that 3% of the annual recruitment cohort—out of 150,000 individuals—gives roughly the current number of yeshiva students. Even before the establishment of the state, 400 ‘outstanding scholars’ were approved. I’m not opposed; it’s important. Three percent would be approved as outstanding scholars. That’s between 4,300 and 4,700 who would continue learning Torah.”
He added: “Of course, the arrangement that Ben Gurion instituted in 1948, before the founding of the state, is something principled and correct to preserve with great respect for Torah learners—but it must be regulated.”
“A basic democratic right—untouchable”Eisenkot rejected the proposal advanced by Avigdor Liberman with the backing of Yair Lapid to revoke voting rights from citizens who do not serve. “I opposed it immediately when they announced it. It is a basic right in a democracy; it must not be touched. It is not in the basket of sanctions that a democratic state can use against its citizens.”
The new party, future alliances, and NetanyahuAfter separating politically from Benny Gantz, Eisenkot is now preparing to run with the new Yashar party, hoping to form a broader bloc. “My mistake when joining the National Unity party was coming in as ‘Gadi’s group.’ That’s why we need a party. I established a party to offer something new. I’m running within my own party.”
“My goal is to be the largest party, together with the understanding that in Israel’s political system, blocs ultimately win. I will push for a situation in which, before the elections, there will be no more than four parties—so we are most effective, do not waste votes, and can form the next government.”
When asked whether he would sit with Netanyahu if the election results end in a tie between blocs, Eisenkot replied: “Netanyahu was prime minister on October 7. He says he was the supreme commander. It cannot be that everyone else takes responsibility and he does not—he must resign. I am certain we will defeat him.”
He added: “I want to see you ask him, even once, whether he would sit under Bennett or under Eisenkot. He refused to call Bennett ‘prime minister.’ These questions only get directed at one side.”
{Matzav.com}
President Trump erupted on Truth Social early Thursday after Jimmy Kimmel used his late-night platform to suggest that the president was anxiously awaiting the fallout from unreleased Jeffrey Epstein documents. Trump blasted both Kimmel and ABC, posting, “Why does ABC Fake News keep Jimmy Kimmel, a man with NO TALENT and VERY POOR TELEVISION RATINGS, on the air?” He followed it with, “Why do the TV Syndicates put up with it? Also, totally biased coverage. Get the bum off the air!!!”
Kimmel’s monologue the night before set off the clash. As part of his opening routine, the comedian framed the potential release of Epstein-related files as a looming political storm for Trump, declaring, “We are carefully following the path of Hurricane Epstein right now. It is a Category 5, it’s expected to make landfall sometime very soon.” The program later uploaded the bit to YouTube under the video title, “Trump Braces for Hurricane Epstein, Spews Nonsense & Elon Joins for Dinner with Saudi Crown Prince.”
Elsewhere in the monologue, he joked about the congressional vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act, saying, “It was such a landslide, Trump might actually be able to rebury the Epstein files under it.”
The comedian had suggested there was merely a “12 percent chance” Trump would actually sign the bill demanding the release of federal Epstein-related documents. But Trump announced he had signed it Wednesday night — several hours before Kimmel’s show aired its pre-taped episode at 11:35 p.m.
The renewed tensions come just months after ABC took action against Kimmel. In September, the network “indefinitely” suspended his show following his explosive comments involving Charlie Kirk’s assassination. On air at the time, Kimmel said, “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang trying to characterize this kid who killed Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.”
Utah authorities have charged Tyler Robinson with aggravated murder and related offenses connected to the Sept. 10 shooting of the Turning Point USA founder at Utah Valley University. After a week off the air, Kimmel returned on Sept. 23, avoiding a direct apology and instead taking more swipes at Trump and FCC Chairman Brendan Carr over his suspension.
{Matzav.com}
A dramatic medical incident unfolded week at Sheba Medical Center, where a one-year-and-three-month-old girl was brought to the emergency room in the middle of the night after her parents feared she had swallowed a sewing needle.
An urgent X-ray quickly confirmed the danger: a sharp metal needle had traveled deep into the base of her right lung, requiring immediate, complex intervention.
The child’s mother, a professional seamstress, had been gathering scattered needles at home when she suddenly noticed that her crawling toddler had grabbed one and put it in her mouth. Within moments, the needle disappeared, prompting the panicked parents to rush to the ER.
Upon arrival, imaging revealed the full extent of the threat. According to Dr. Shai-Yitzchak Duvdevani, an ENT specialist at Sheba who was urgently called in, the X-ray showed the needle resting at the base of the right lung—“an especially deep and challenging area in a child this age,” he explained.
Although the extraction itself lasted only about 20 minutes, the preparation was lengthy and delicate. The surgical team had to carefully balance the child’s ventilation during the procedure—providing oxygen while ensuring the lung did not overinflate, which could cause tearing or allow air to escape into the chest cavity near the heart.
During the operation, a miniature camera was inserted into the child’s airway, allowing surgeons to navigate to the foreign object. With remarkable precision, the team succeeded in removing the needle safely. By the following day, the toddler was already eating and drinking normally.
Sheba Medical Center emphasized once again the importance of keeping all small objects—such as needles, magnets, beads, and tiny toy parts—far out of reach of infants and toddlers. “Crawling babies discover an entire world of ‘treasures’ on the floor,” the hospital noted, urging parents to ensure a clean environment and proper supervision. Any signs of persistent coughing, difficulty breathing, or unusual breathing patterns should prompt immediate medical evaluation.
{Matzav.com}
A new report suggests that allies of George W. Bush have quietly begun positioning themselves for a political resurgence inside the Republican Party once President Donald Trump leaves the national stage. According to the Daily Mail, influential Bush-era figures believe the moment may be approaching to reassert their brand of Republicanism.
The outlet describes mounting “rumors” of a coordinated effort to “end the so-called ‘Bush Exile’” and reclaim the party apparatus from Trump’s MAGA movement. The report paints a picture of a well-connected network operating quietly, waiting for the right opening: “Behind the scenes, and still with deep connections around the country, a shadow Republican Party is lying in wait to take over when Trump is gone.”
Though George W. Bush has remained publicly restrained and has avoided direct criticism of Trump — a silence that has irritated some of his own former staff — the report claims he “may not be averse to quietly helping to shape the Republican Party’s long-term future.”
One individual identified only as a “former Bush official” told the outlet that Trump “knows that there’s no third term option,” adding that Vice President JD Vance “has a head start” going into the early maneuvering for 2028. That same official predicted that “there will be a big open field within the Republican Party” once the next presidential nominating contest begins.
The article notes that even longtime party voices such as former RNC Chairman Michael Steele have urged Bush to re-engage, saying the former president has “a voice that would resonate with a lot more Americans.”
The broader backdrop includes Bush’s earlier critiques of Trump’s leadership. In a 2021 sit-down with CBS’s Norah O’Donnell, Bush remarked that Trump “lacked the ‘humility’ necessary to be an effective leader.” He had also voiced concerns during Trump’s first term, warning that an “isolationist United States” was “destabilizing around the world” and cautioning that such a shift was “dangerous for the sake of peace.”
Those comments carried weight coming from a president whose tenure included U.S. invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, conflicts that led to more than 4,500 American deaths, including over 3,500 in combat.
If the Daily Mail’s reporting proves accurate, the Bush network may see the upcoming political landscape as their best chance in years to steer the GOP back toward its pre-Trump identity — quietly, strategically, and waiting for the right moment.
{Matzav.com}
