Twenty-six Democrats in the House and Senate and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who votes with the Democrats, penned a letter to Marco Rubio, the U.S. secretary of state, and Mike Huckabee, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, demanding answers about Israel’s detention of Mohammed Ibrahim, 16, a Palestinian-American accused of throwing rocks at cars.
The members of Congress wrote on Tuesday about their “grave concern” about Ibrahim’s detention since mid-February.
“Mohammed is a U.S. citizen from Florida who was reportedly blindfolded, handcuffed and arrested on Feb. 16, 2025 when Israeli forces reportedly entered his family home in al-Mazra’a ash-Sharqiya at 3 a.m.,” they wrote. “He was detained when he was 15-years-old and turned 16 in prison. He has been accused of throwing rocks at Israeli settlers, but no evidence has been publicly provided to support this allegation.”
The members of Congress stated that “Palestinians are subject to military law in the West Bank and are tried in military courts, where there have been well-documented concerns about Palestinians not receiving fair due process.” (Some officials and countries refer to Judea and Samaria as the “West Bank.”)
“Mohammed is also the first cousin of Saifullah Kamel Musallet, the 20-year-old U.S. citizen who was reportedly beaten to death by Israeli settlers in July 2025,” the members of Congress said. “To date, no one has been arrested concerning his killing. “
The members, including Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Reps. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), requested a response by Nov. 3.
On Monday, Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), who has called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “war criminal” and accused the Jewish state of “callous disregard for human life,” brought renewed attention to Ibrahim.
“His health is deteriorating,” she stated. “The circumstances are desperate.” She called Ibrahim a “child” and said that Washington “must use every avenue available” to secure this release.
A U.S. State Department official told JNS that Huckabee has devoted significant time to the issues of Palestinian American safety in Judea and Samaria and to the welfare of Palestinian Christians.
The official, who declined to be named, would not say if Huckabee has been involved in Ibrahim’s case. (JNS sought comment from Huckabee’s office.)
Van Hollen and Merkley, who are also critical of Israel, met with Ibrahim’s father last month during a congressional visit to the Middle East.
The 16-year-old’s family held high-profile meetings last month on Capitol Hill. Some expected Ibrahim, who is held at Ofer Prison, to be among the Palestinian security prisoners whom Israel released last week in exchange for Israeli hostages in Gaza. He was not on that list.
‘Charge the kid or put him on the next flight back’
Critics accused Pressley, a member of the progressive “Squad” in the U.S. House of Representatives, of selective outrage.
“You said nothing about Americans abducted by Hamas, but now care so much about a little terrorist in prison for trying to murder civilians by throwing rocks at their vehicles while they were driving,” stated Jason Bedrick, research fellow at the Heritage Foundation. “You are loathsome.”
Aaron Baker, a Republican running against Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.) next year, stated that “Republicans and Democrats agree: Americans—Floridians abroad deserve equal rights to a fair trial.”
“Charge the kid or put him on the next flight back to U.S. soil,” he stated. “There is no reason to hold a U.S. citizen for eight months without charging him.”
In response to Pressley, Inna Vernikov, a Republican councilwoman in New York City, stated that “if he did not throw rocks at the vehicles of innocent civilians—those can kill—including women and children. I promise he would not be in an Israeli prison.”
“Too bad Mohammed is brainwashed by a society that glorifies the murder of Jews as martyrdom,” she added.
Ibrahim’s family lives in the Arab village of Silwad but splits its time between there and Palm Bay, Fla. He was reportedly on vacation at the time of his arrest and denies the charges.
U.S. embassy officials say they have conducted welfare checks on Ibrahim but have faced unspecified restrictions. Ibrahim’s family says he has lost significant weight and suffers from a skin infection. The State Department hasn’t confirmed those claims.
{Matzav.com}
In a razor-thin vote that exposed deep divisions within the coalition, the Knesset on Wednesday approved a bill in its preliminary reading to extend Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria. The legislation, introduced by Noam Party Chairman MK Avi Maoz, passed 25 to 24, with a single-vote margin determining the outcome.
The Likud Party, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was largely absent from the chamber during the vote, and most of its members either abstained or stayed away. MK Yuli Edelstein broke ranks and voted in favor despite clear instructions from Netanyahu to oppose the measure. The Likud leadership later confirmed that disciplinary action will be taken against Edelstein for defying party directives.
Supporting votes also came from United Torah Judaism members Yitzchak Goldknopf, Yisrael Eichler, and Yaakov Tesler, while lawmakers from Shas and the Blue and White Party chose not to participate in the session. Their absence further underscored the uneasy balance within the coalition over the contentious issue of sovereignty in the territories.
Maoz, in his remarks before the vote, framed the bill as a moral and national imperative. “Settlement in the Land of Israel is our connection to ourselves as a people,” he declared. “We call for the immediate application of Israeli sovereignty and law over Judea and Samaria. Since the government has hesitated, it is our duty as Knesset members to act – I call on all of you to vote for my bill.”
Soon after, the Knesset also passed a separate motion by Yisrael Beytenu Chairman MK Avigdor Lieberman, which seeks to apply Israeli sovereignty over Maale Adumim. That proposal was approved by a far more comfortable 32-9 vote, suggesting broader support for annexation of the Jerusalem-area city even among skeptics of wider territorial application.
Explaining his decision to support the Maoz bill, Edelstein wrote, “I just voted in the Knesset plenum in favor of applying sovereignty in Judea and Samaria. Especially at this time, Israeli sovereignty over all parts of our homeland is the order of the day. As someone who has fought for the Land of Israel throughout my years in this building, with a clear belief in the justice of our path, I call on all Zionist factions to vote in favor.”
The heated session also featured sharp criticism from Arab lawmakers. MK Ahmad Tibi (Ta’al) scoffed at the idea of annexation, reminding supporters of global opposition to such moves. “Even your admired leader, Trump, suddenly opposes annexation,” Tibi said. “There is no Riviera, no bonanza – there is a reality in which more than 150 countries recognize Palestine.”
The bill must now pass additional readings before becoming law, but the preliminary vote already marks a symbolic victory for right-wing lawmakers pushing for full Israeli jurisdiction over Judea and Samaria — and a new challenge for Netanyahu as he tries to keep his coalition intact.
{Matzav.com}
Dear Matzav Inbox,
Over Chol HaMoed, what should have been a peaceful Yom Tov afternoon turned into a scene of chaos and fear for residents living in one of the communities “within the mile.”
A group of individuals, reportedly renting a room in a home owned by staunch “New Square Mile fanatics,” were seen joyriding recklessly through the local streets—speeding, swerving, and zigzagging across the full width of the road. Several residents said they feared for their lives while standing in their own driveways and front lawns, watching in horror as the car lost control, barreled across a front yard, and smashed into two parked vehicles.
Instead of stopping, the group fled, only to crash again nearby and abandon the car. Police later found them next to a house owned by members of the New Square community. “Thank God no one was seriously hurt,” one resident said. “But it could easily have ended in tragedy.”
The terror didn’t end there. Just yesterday, Tuesday, October 21, a woman in the community texted in panic after witnessing a violent altercation next door. “I just watched our neighbors in a huge fight with tires slashed,” she wrote. “I was planning to sit outside with the kids, but I’m scared.”
According to her account, a woman chased a man down the street, pulled out a knife, and slashed his tires as he begged her to calm down. The witness fled inside with her toddler daughter. Residents are struggling to comprehend how such incidents are happening in the heart of Monsey — and worse, that they appear to be caused and even condoned by New Square’s leadership.
This is not an isolated occurrence. The house in question reportedly has around 20 people living there, with frequent turnover and dangerous behavior spilling into the street — as is the case with many homes purchased by representatives of New Square. One neighbor reported, “One of them drove across my yard and into the woods.” Others described a property crowded with abandoned cars and a massive pitbull-husky mix that regularly chases passersby. “People run to our door for safety,” said another.
When a family member who witnessed the chaos reached out to a well-known contact within New Square’s leadership, the response was chilling: “They should do whatever they need to do. We will do ours, and they should do theirs.”
We are now pleading for help — from community leaders and from the public at large. Chassidei Skver must be held accountable, and this disgusting, despicable practice must end immediately, accompanied by a full-throated apology.
To the people of New Square, is this what Hashem wants from you? To illegally overcrowd homes in otherwise peaceful neighborhoods with individuals who stab, threaten, and endanger others? To place lives at risk through callousness, selfishness, irresponsibility, and the thirst for control?
Are you waiting for someone from our community to, chas v’shalom, become the victim of a serious crime before realizing this is wrong? Are you so blind that you cannot see where this leads — or so indifferent that you simply don’t care?
To the decent residents and supporters of New Square who are sickened by what’s happening: please, speak out. Tell your leaders to stop this practice and repair the damage before it’s too late.
And to rational, fair-minded people everywhere — please help apply pressure. Pause all funding to New Square’s institutions until this cruelty ends. No one should have to fear for their life while standing in their own front yard with their children — and certainly not when that danger is being fueled intentionally by people who claim to stand for holiness, honor, and respectability.
A Resident of The Mile
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{Matzav.com}
A dramatic confrontation erupted on live radio Wednesday when Republican mayoral contender Curtis Sliwa stormed out of 77 WABC, declaring his departure from the station he helped define.
“You will never see me at the studios of WABC again,” Sliwa fumed during a heated exchange with host Sid Rosenberg, accusing colleagues of betraying him and favoring independent candidate Andrew Cuomo. He erupted on-air after learning that some within the station, including its owner, were urging him to bow out of the mayoral race to give Cuomo a better shot against Democratic frontrunner Zohran Mamdani.
“Let me just say Sid, I am directing my comments to everybody at WABC,” Sliwa said in a charged tone. “They have said I’m selfish. Selfish? Are you out of your mind? … But that’s why you will never see me at the studios of WABC again, never, no matter how this election turns out.”
The clash came after billionaire John Catsimatidis — the station’s owner and longtime Republican donor — publicly suggested Sliwa withdraw from the race. “Regardless of all the news going around, I’ve always said great things about Curtis Sliwa, about how well he knows the city. But in a places like New York City where 70% of New York City are Democrats, the real Democrat is Andrew Cuomo, not Zohran Mamdani and Democrats should vote for Cuomo,” Catsimatidis told The Post. He added, “I’ve never asked that he leave the race but recommended that a lot of other people have said he should.”
Just days before the on-air blowup, Catsimatidis released a statement calling on Sliwa to step aside “for the good of New York City,” echoing the same message on his own airwaves. Yet on Wednesday, the Gristedes supermarket mogul suggested he didn’t believe the rift was permanent. “I’ve supported Curtis for the last 30 years, his organizations and him,” Catsimatidis said. “Me and Curtis have a handshake deal and he has a 30-year contract. When he calms down, I believe Curtis has always been reasonable.”
Despite the mounting pressure, Republican leaders across New York City — including Catsimatidis’ daughter, Manhattan GOP chair Andrea Catsimatidis — reaffirmed their support for Sliwa. His show, on hiatus during his uphill campaign for City Hall, returned with fireworks Wednesday as Sliwa and Rosenberg locked horns in a live shouting match.
“I know there are people there at WABC who are personally attacking me, saying I’m running a lazy campaign…. I feel personally, personally offended by what my friends and colleagues, many of whom I trained at WABC, many of whom wouldn’t have a job at WABC without me, have done,” Sliwa vented on Sid & Friends In The Morning. He mocked the station’s call letters, saying they now stand for “Always Broadcast Cuomo.”
Rosenberg countered sharply, telling Sliwa he was targeting the wrong opponent. “This obsession with Cuomo has to stop,” Rosenberg said. “You can beat Cuomo and still lose the election.”
As the argument intensified, Sliwa claimed he and his wife, Nancy, have faced threats severe enough to require armed security — which he blamed on those publicly pressuring him to quit. “If anything happens to me or anything happens to my wife, because of this frenzy that I hear constantly coming from some of your colleagues there at WABC, it’s on you guys and you gals,” he warned. “My life is on the line here.”
Recent polling has shown Mamdani comfortably in the lead, followed by Cuomo, with Sliwa trailing far behind. Analysts say Sliwa’s exit could give Cuomo a realistic chance to overtake the Democratic frontrunner. Rosenberg bluntly told his longtime colleague, “You’re gonna lose and you’re gonna lose badly, embarrassingly.” As the exchange grew heated, he added, “You’re talking about WABC and Cuomo. That’s not gonna win you this … race.”
By the end of the morning, Sliwa had effectively severed ties with the station that launched his broadcasting career decades ago — leaving both the mayoral race and his radio legacy engulfed in controversy.
{Matzav.com}
Under the direction of Rav Dov Landau, rosh yeshiva of Slabodka in Bnei Brak, preparations are underway for a major public tefillah rally this coming Sunday, in response to the recent arrests of several yeshiva bochurim by Israeli authorities.
Rav Landau, who is currently in Los Angeles as part of the Keren Olam HaTorah campaign, received a detailed briefing this morning on the developing situation.
Upon hearing of the detentions, he immediately placed a call to Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, rosh yeshiva of Slabodka, to discuss an appropriate communal response.
During their conversation, the two gedolim spoke at length about the deep pain felt throughout the olam haTorah and the growing concern over the government’s continued targeting of bnei yeshivos who are dedicated solely to learning Torah. They explored possible courses of action and agreed that the time has come for a united outcry and an outpouring of tefillah on behalf of the detained bochurim and the entire tzibbur haTorani.
Sources close to Rav Landau report that the rosh yeshiva expressed anguish over the current state of affairs, emphasizing that these arrests strike at the very heart of Torah life in Eretz Yisroel.
The arrests, which have taken place over the past several days, have sent shockwaves through the yeshiva community.
In yeshivos, roshei yeshiva have spoken out passionately, urging talmidim to strengthen their limud haTorah and tefillah, while expressing deep tzaar over the government’s increasing pressure on those who dedicate their lives to Torah learning.
The upcoming asifah—expected to draw thousands from across Eretz Yisroel—will serve as both a public demonstration of solidarity with the detained bochurim and a heartfelt cry to Shamayim that the gezeirah be annulled. Details regarding the exact time and location of the tefillah rally are expected to be finalized in the coming days.
WATCH:
{Matzav.com}
President Donald Trump voiced alarm Tuesday over the state of the New York City mayoral race, saying he fears the city could soon find itself led by a “communist.” He added that, given the current lineup of candidates, he might even prefer a mainstream Democrat over a far-left radical in charge of City Hall.
When asked at the White House whether he thought Republican contender Curtis Sliwa should bow out, Trump declined to back anyone outright but said the polls painted a troubling picture. “Well, I looked at the polls and looks like we’re going to have a communist as the mayor of New York,” he said. “It’ll be very interesting. But here’s the good news. He’s got to go through the White House, everything goes through the White House. At least this White House, it does.”
Trump seemed to imply that Sliwa’s withdrawal might help Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent, but doubted it would be enough to stop Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani from winning. “If he [Sliwa] dropped out, he’s not going to win. And not looking too good for Cuomo either,” Trump said. “Maybe if he dropped out, Cuomo would have a little bit of a chance. But not much. Because it looks like the lead is—it’s not a great lead, but it’s big enough that he should be able to win.”
Asked if he would sit down with Mamdani should the left-wing assemblyman win, Trump didn’t hesitate. “Yeah, I’ll speak to him,” the president replied. “I think I have an obligation to speak to him.”
The president went on to express sadness at what he described as New York’s rapid decline since his own departure. “I love New York. I’ve always loved New York. I just can’t believe a thing like this is happening,” he said. “I left New York, and we had a mayor, [Bill] de Blasio, who was a disaster… New York was a hot city. And now it’s — it’s sad to see what’s happening, frankly.”
He also warned that far-left economic experiments have always failed. “With the communist in charge… look, you just go back a thousand years. I mean, it’s been done many times, a thousand years. It’s never worked once. So it’s not going to work now.”
Mamdani, a state assemblyman affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America, has openly championed policies such as legalizing prostitution and sharply taxing the wealthy. His campaign has been embraced by figures like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders, both prominent voices in the progressive movement.
The city’s mayoral election will take place on November 4. Representatives for Mamdani, Cuomo, and Sliwa did not respond to requests for comment.
{Matzav.com}
In a powerful and emotional statement following his shiur klali at Prison 10 near Beit Lid, Rosh Yeshivas Slabodka Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch addressed the ongoing protests against yeshiva bochurim being drafted into the army. Rav Hirsch warned that if the government continues to arrest yeshiva students for avoiding army service, “if there’s no choice, the entire public will join. They must understand that they can’t just arrest bochurim who are learning Torah.”
Rav Hirsch delivered the shiur klali on Perek Chezkas HaBatim after a long and difficult trip, delayed by the widespread demonstrations that had paralyzed roads throughout central Israel.
The Rosh Yeshiva reportedly prepared the entire shiur spontaneously during the drive to the prison, where yeshiva bochurim have been staging around-the-clock learning vigils and protests outside the gates in support of Ariel Shamai, a yeshiva bochur recently detained for draft refusal.
Speaking to the assembled bochurim at the prison gates, Rav Hirsch described his encounter with the protests en route. “On my way here, I passed the demonstrations of the other groups,” he said. “I very much hope we won’t have to reach that point ourselves. They need to understand that it cannot be that bochurim who are learning Torah are arrested. I hope those in the government will come to understand that.”
Earlier in the day, Rosh Yeshivas Ateres Shlomo Rav Chaim Feinstein gave a dramatic address, expressing anguish over the arrest of his student. “Ariel, you have tasted the sweetness of Torah, and that is why the yetzer hara chases you—it finds it difficult. Ariel, if you can hear us, we are all with you,” Rav Feinstein declared passionately.
Rav Hirsch speaking at the prison:
Dancing at the prison:
Rav Moshe Hillel leaving his home to go to the prison:
Protests obstructing the car carrying Rav Hirsch:
Rav Hirsch arriving at the prison:
{Matzav.com}
Podcast host Ben Shapiro joined ‘America’s Newsroom’ to discuss his analysis of the state of the Israel-Hamas peace deal and what he’s hearing about the emotional reunions of former hostages.
WATCH:
{Matzav.com}
