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Degel HaTorah MK Uri Maklev said Thursday that his party was not responsible for the collapse of the latest effort to advance legislation regulating the status of yeshiva students, insisting that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu simply could not guarantee the votes needed to pass the measure.

In a wide-ranging interview with Avi Blum on Kol Chai’s main news program, Maklev addressed the proposed Basic Law on Torah Study, the arrests of yeshiva bochurim, relations with the Prime Minister, and the recent political battle over legislation concerning Torah learners.

Maklev offered his account of the events that led to the shelving of the legislation. According to him, Degel HaTorah never opposed the bill itself and never instructed Netanyahu not to bring it forward. Rather, he said, the process stalled because the Prime Minister was unable to demonstrate that he had a coalition majority to approve it.

“No one stood at the door and told him not to submit it,” Maklev said. “Did anyone tell him not to bring the bill to committee? If he wanted to move forward, he should have submitted it and advanced the process.”

Maklev explained that once it became clear Netanyahu could not provide assurances that the legislation would pass, the party’s rabbinic leadership instructed Degel HaTorah to distance itself from the coalition bloc and refuse to rely on future promises.

“The Gedolei Torah asked one simple question: Is there a commitment that a majority exists for this law, and is the Prime Minister prepared to guarantee that majority? The answer that came back after two days was that there was no such commitment and that significant difficulties remained in securing enough support.”

According to Maklev, Likud later suggested applying legislative continuity to the proposal and advancing it in the next Knesset, hoping a different coalition makeup would improve its chances. Degel HaTorah, however, viewed that as insufficient.

“We saw that perhaps there was a desire within Likud to continue business as usual and live on promises,” he said. “That is what led to the declaration that we are no longer committed to the bloc.”

Asked about reports that Netanyahu later renewed his willingness to promote the legislation but was rebuffed by Degel HaTorah, Maklev rejected that characterization.

According to him, even during the second round of discussions, Netanyahu did not provide a concrete commitment that the bill would pass, offering only optimism that support would materialize as the process moved forward.

“He came and said, ‘In the end there will be a majority, but there has to be a dynamic process,’” Maklev recounted. “There was no clear commitment. Ultimately, it was impossible to move forward with legislation based on statements like that.”

Blum pressed Maklev, suggesting that the party did not oppose the bill itself but simply never received assurance that it could actually be passed.

“Yes,” Maklev replied. “That is exactly the issue.”

He added that had Netanyahu formally submitted and advanced the legislation, Degel HaTorah would not have blocked it.

“We were not authorized to give anything in exchange for promises. He could have acted. No one told him not to submit the bill.”

Turning to the proposed Basic Law on Torah Study, Maklev acknowledged that the measure does not address the immediate fears facing yeshiva students and avreichim who worry about arrests and economic sanctions.

“That concern is constantly before us,” he said. “We have not taken our minds off the fear, the reality, the economic decrees, and the severe restrictions.”

Nevertheless, he argued that formal recognition of the value of Torah study carries both public and legal significance, even if it does not replace comprehensive legislation regulating the status of Torah learners.

“At a time when bnei Torah and the chareidi public are being targeted, maligned, and attacked, the very act of elevating the importance of Torah study is significant,” he said. “There is value in ensuring that recognition is reflected in legislation as well.”

Maklev emphasized that his priority remains comprehensive legal protections for yeshiva students and avreichim. He even expressed discomfort with the term “draft law,” preferring instead to call it a “regulation law.”

“The Basic Law on Torah Study was meant to be one component of broader legislation recognizing and regulating the status of Torah learners,” he explained. “Of course, the primary goal should have been the regulation itself.”

He said the intention remains to advance the Basic Law through all three Knesset readings rather than settling for preliminary approval. Maklev added that he recently consulted a legal expert involved in drafting the proposal years ago, who advised continuing to pursue it despite the current legal climate.

Addressing recent meetings between Prime Minister Netanyahu and UTJ chairman Moshe Gafni, Maklev insisted that Degel HaTorah has not restored its political commitment to the coalition bloc.

According to him, the party has deliberately avoided public meetings that could be used to create the impression of reconciliation or a return to full political partnership. Requests for highly publicized meetings, he said, were not approved by the Gedolei Torah.

At the same time, Maklev stressed that routine working relationships with the Prime Minister and government ministries continue because the chareidi public requires assistance on a wide range of daily issues.

“We have much work to do in the various ministries, in education, welfare, and many other areas,” he said. “These are working meetings and nothing more. We received instructions, and we are acting accordingly.”

He emphasized that meeting with Netanyahu should not be interpreted as a renewed political commitment to the coalition or any decision regarding future governments.

Reflecting on the lengthy negotiations over the legislation, Maklev said he remained involved because even a small chance of securing protections for Torah learners justified continued efforts.

“The price being paid by those who study Torah is simply too high,” he said. “That is why we could not abandon the process as long as there was still hope. But once it became clear that no real commitment existed to pass the law, we could no longer rely on vague assurances.”

Maklev argued that the episode demonstrates that Degel HaTorah did not derail the legislation. Rather, he said, the proposal collapsed because Netanyahu and the coalition failed to secure a workable majority.

“If they had placed a bill on the table and guaranteed its passage, Degel HaTorah would not have stood in its way,” he said.

Maklev also took aim at the Religious Zionist camp, arguing that it has undergone a dramatic transformation in recent years.

“Religious Zionism has gone through a major upheaval, and they need to recover from it,” he said. “Most of the opposition, even within Likud, comes from people influenced by Religious Zionism. Edelstein, Illouz, Saada, Tur-Paz, Stern—look where they have ended up. Tur-Paz has been holding meetings against the chareidi public for years. There is no precedent for this.”

Commenting on the removal of MK Moshe Solomon from Knesset committees, Maklev delivered one of the interview’s sharpest remarks.

“There was no need for much explanation as to why he was removed from committee assignments,” he said. “Anyone who betrays Torah will ultimately betray his party as well. Everything they are saying about us today, they will eventually say about you. They incited them against the Torah world, and they were influenced by it.”

{Matzav.com}

The world of dayanus was plunged into mourning Thursday with the passing of Harav Nachum Sheinin zt”l, a longtime member of the Beis Din HaRabani HaGadol and former Av Beis Din of Tel Aviv. He was 89 years old.

Widely regarded as one of the leading and most respected dayanim of his generation, Rav Sheinin devoted decades to Torah, hora’ah, and public service, leaving an enduring impact on countless talmidim, colleagues, and members of the broader Torah community.

A distinguished alumnus of Yeshivas Ponevezh, Rav Sheinin developed into a prominent talmid chacham under the guidance of the yeshiva’s revered roshei yeshiva. His years in Ponevezh laid the foundation for a lifetime dedicated to Torah scholarship, judicial leadership, and communal responsibility.

For many years, he served as Av Beis Din of the Tel Aviv Rabbinical Court, where he became known for his mastery of complex halachic issues, particularly in difficult family law matters. He handled sensitive and challenging cases with exceptional wisdom, helping resolve numerous agunah situations and adjudicating intricate disputes with both precision and compassion.

In 2008, Rav Sheinin was appointed to the Beis Din HaRabani HaGadol, Israel’s highest rabbinical court, where he continued to serve with distinction until his passing.

Alongside his judicial responsibilities, Rav Sheinin served as Rav of the Heichal Moshe Yitzchak beis medrash in Bnei Brak and headed Kollel Tov HaTorah. Over the years, he taught thousands, delivered countless shiurim, and became a respected address for Torah guidance and halachic counsel.

He maintained close relationships with many of the leading Torah figures of the generation, including Maran Harav Elazar Menachem Man Shach zt”l, from whom he drew inspiration and guidance throughout much of his public career.

His levayah took place Thursday afternoon, departing from his beis medrash on Baal Shem Tov Street in Bnei Brak. He was laid to rest in the cemetery of Yeshivas Ponevezh.

The family is sitting shivah at their home on Rashi Street in Bnei Brak.

Yehi zichro baruch.

A fierce dispute erupted Thursday between chareidi parties and Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich after he decided at the last minute not to bring a funding package worth more than one billion shekels for new communities in Judea and Samaria to the cabinet for approval. Instead, the proposal will now be discussed at Sunday’s Security Cabinet meeting.

Associates of the finance minister said the decision stemmed from diplomatic concerns and international sensitivity surrounding settlement development. Chareidi political sources, however, argue that moving the matter from the government table to the Security Cabinet was also intended to reduce public scrutiny over both the source of the funds and their distribution.

The controversy follows a letter sent by United Torah Judaism chairman Yitzchak Goldknopf, who urged Smotrich to include the chareidi cities of Immanuel and Modiin Illit in the funding package. Goldknopf argued that there was no justification for excluding chareidi communities located in Judea and Samaria from the program. According to party sources, Smotrich declined the request.

A senior chareidi official sharply criticized the move, telling local media, “You killed and then inherited. Smotrich took more than a billion shekels for Judea and Samaria, including funds that had been frozen from the chareidi public, and instead of bringing the decision to a government meeting and facing criticism, he transferred it to the Security Cabinet under the pretext of diplomatic pressure.”

The official claimed that the move was designed to avoid a public debate over how the money is being allocated, why chareidi communities were left out, and why funds that had previously been removed from the Torah world and chareidi institutions are now being redirected elsewhere.

“This is an attempt to avoid a public discussion about how the money is being distributed, why the chareidi cities were excluded, and why funds taken away from the Torah world and chareidi institutions are now being directed to other purposes,” the source said.

The anger within the chareidi camp has also focused on a recent increase in funding for hesder yeshivos. According to sources in United Torah Judaism, Smotrich approved an increase in the funding formula for hesder institutions worth approximately 30 million shekels, even as chareidi yeshivos continue to contend with budget freezes and reductions.

Party officials argue that the decision reflects a pattern of favoritism toward institutions associated with Smotrich’s constituency while the chareidi educational system faces growing financial challenges.

“At a time when Gedolei Yisroel are traveling across the globe to raise money to sustain the Torah world, the finance minister is making sure to increase funding for the yeshivos identified with his own community,” the official said. “You cannot demand political partnership from the chareidim while systematically favoring the institutions and communities of one sector over another.”

{Matzav.com}

Shikma Bresler, one of the most prominent leaders of the protests against judicial reform, ignited a fierce backlash on social media Thursday night after sharply criticizing demonstrations by Peleg Yerushalmi activists that brought major roads across central Israel to a standstill.

Bresler took aim at the protests in a post on X, comparing the demonstrators to other groups she views as disregarding the rule of law.

“There is no difference between the chareidi factions of the government on the roads, for whom the law has no meaning, and the factions of the government in Judea and Samaria,” Bresler wrote.

She continued, “There’s no need to get angry. We need to understand who they are, what they want (a dark religious state), and then understand that we are fighting for the soul of the state.”

Her comments quickly drew criticism online, with many users pointing to her own role in organizing and supporting the anti-judicial reform protests, which frequently included major highway blockades, transportation disruptions, and demonstrations that paralyzed key traffic arteries throughout the country.

One commenter responded, “No, can you be any more lacking in self-awareness? You can be foolish, but to this extent? Did you forget Kaplan and what you did here?”

Another social media user wrote sarcastically, “Oh, so the left suddenly discovered the law? The same people who set the country on fire in Balfour and Kaplan are now preaching against blocking roads.”

A third response that gained significant traction online stated: “It’s unbelievable how much chutzpah this takes. Aren’t you the one who personally called for disrupting roads?”

Bresler’s remarks came amid a wave of Peleg Yerushalmi demonstrations held Thursday evening at several major locations throughout Israel. The protests were organized in response to the arrest of yeshiva students and their transfer to military authorities, leading to severe traffic congestion and road closures across the Gush Dan region and other parts of central Israel.

{Matzav.com}

President Trump sharply criticized Iran on Friday after Tehran suggested that key elements of a proposed peace agreement remain unresolved, insisting that Iranian officials are misrepresenting the status of negotiations and warning that the United States will not compromise on its core demands.

Trump’s frustration came after Iran’s foreign ministry stated that the country “had not reached a final conclusion” regarding any agreement. In response, the president described Iranian negotiators as “very dishonorable people to deal with” and cautioned that “they had better get their act together and fast!”

Reports from Iranian state media indicated that Tehran plans to continue discussions with Washington while seeking to preserve its uranium enrichment program. The reports also claimed Iran is unwilling to surrender oversight of the Strait of Hormuz and is demanding the release of $24 billion in frozen assets as “compensation” for losses suffered during the recent military campaign.

The president dismissed those reports outright, saying they were entirely inaccurate.

“What they said, including their weak and pathetic statement on having a deal, bears no relation to the truth,” the president wrote on Truth Social.

Trump said Thursday that negotiations had entered their final phase and asserted that Iran had agreed to terminate its nuclear weapons efforts. According to the president, an agreement could potentially be finalized and signed as soon as this weekend.

Throughout the talks, Trump has maintained that any agreement must permanently prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Iran, however, has presented a different interpretation of the draft accord. Officials in Tehran contend that the current language specifies that “Iran undertakes no new commitments” regarding nuclear weapons and that additional discussions on the issue would take place during a 60-day period after the agreement is signed.

Under the framework initially proposed by negotiators, the peace initiative was structured in two stages, with nuclear-related discussions scheduled for the second phase of the process.

The conflicting descriptions from Washington and Tehran have fueled uncertainty about the agreement, including how close it is to completion and what provisions it ultimately contains.

A senior administration official told The Post that the United States has identified five essential requirements that must be met before any deal is finalized.

According to the official, those conditions include the destruction of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, the dismantling of its nuclear infrastructure, withholding frozen Iranian funds until compliance is demonstrated, guaranteeing free passage through the Strait of Hormuz, and ending Iranian financial support for terrorist organizations.

“This is what they have agreed to. This is a performance-based deal,” the official said.

A separate White House official told Fox News that negotiations are approaching the finish line and estimated that the agreement is roughly 75% complete.

“While this is tentative, we feel confident that we will be signing this in the next few days,” the official said.

Iran’s foreign ministry acknowledged that most of the agreement’s language has already been completed but argued that unresolved disputes remain.

“Textually, the text has almost been finalized in its major parts. The problem is that the contradictory positions of the United States have always caused turbulence and disruption in this process,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told Iranian state media.

{Matzav.com}

Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu issued a forceful statement Friday following reports of an emerging agreement between the United States and Iran, declaring that Israel remains unwavering in its determination to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

Speaking amid growing discussion about a US-backed diplomatic framework with Iran, Netanyahu emphasized that Israel’s position has not changed and that stopping Iran’s nuclear ambitions remains a top national priority.

“As long as I am the Prime Minister of Israel – Iran will not have nuclear weapons,” he said, adding that he and US President Donald Trump “are in full agreement on this issue.”

Netanyahu pointed to his decades-long campaign against Iran’s nuclear program, arguing that sustained international pressure has delayed Tehran’s efforts to acquire atomic weapons.

“For over 30 years, I have been at the forefront of the international struggle against Iran’s nuclear program. Were it not for this struggle, Iran would have long ago possessed atomic bombs to destroy Israel.”

The prime minister also warned that Iran’s broader objective remains the destruction of Israel and said his personal mission has been to prevent that outcome.

“Iran is working to destroy the Jewish state, and I am dedicating my life to preventing them from doing so.”

“As long as I am the Prime Minister of Israel, this will not happen.”

Netanyahu’s comments came one day after President Trump revealed that planned US military action against Iran had been suspended following progress toward a diplomatic understanding aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz and launching a new round of nuclear talks.

Trump disclosed the development Thursday evening in a post on Truth Social, announcing that the scheduled strikes had been called off in light of commitments made by Iranian leadership.

“Based on the fact that discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran have been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved, I have, as President of the United States of America, cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The president said the framework had received broad backing from numerous regional and international stakeholders involved in the negotiations.

“Discussions and final points have been, in both concept and great detail, approved by all parties involved, including the United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, and others.”

While signaling optimism about the diplomatic effort, Trump made clear that pressure on Iran would continue until a final agreement is formally completed.

He stressed that “the naval blockade will remain in full force and effect until this transaction is finalized. The time and place of the signing will be announced shortly.”

Following Trump’s announcement, Netanyahu’s office released a statement confirming that the two leaders had spoken regarding the emerging understanding between Washington and Tehran.

“President Trump spoke this evening with Prime Minister Netanyahu regarding the memorandum of understanding (MoU) currently taking shape with Iran to enter into negotiations.”

The Prime Minister’s Office noted that although Israel is not directly participating in the proposed memorandum, Netanyahu welcomed Trump’s assurances regarding the objectives of any eventual agreement.

“Although Israel is not a party to the memorandum of understanding, the Prime Minister expressed his appreciation for President Trump’s commitment that the final agreement concluded at the end of negotiations will include the removal of enriched material, the dismantling of enrichment infrastructure, limits on missile production, and the cessation of Iran’s support for its regional terror proxies,” the statement added.

{Matzav.com}

Elon Musk crossed a historic financial threshold this week as soaring investor demand for SpaceX pushed the entrepreneur’s fortune beyond the trillion-dollar mark, cementing his status as the richest individual in history and underscoring the extraordinary confidence markets continue to place in his vision.

Few modern business figures have achieved the level of public recognition Musk commands. The entrepreneur has become as much a cultural phenomenon as a corporate leader, building a vast following online while transforming industries ranging from electric vehicles to space exploration.

His ascent has come during a period when skepticism toward billionaires and concerns about wealth concentration have intensified. Yet despite possessing a fortune unlike anything previously seen, Musk has maintained a devoted base of supporters, even without cultivating the everyman image associated with business icons such as Warren Buffett.

Supporters praise Musk’s blunt, unscripted style and willingness to challenge conventional thinking. Detractors, however, argue that his influence rivals that of a modern oligarch, pointing to governance concerns within his companies and criticizing his increasingly visible involvement in political debates.

Investor enthusiasm was on full display Thursday when SpaceX completed a blockbuster initial public offering that raised an unprecedented $75 billion. The offering highlighted Wall Street’s continued faith in Musk’s ventures. Before the IPO, Forbes estimated his fortune at approximately $780 billion, placing him far ahead of Alphabet co-founder Larry Page, the next wealthiest person on the list.

“The second richest person has been hovering around $300 billion, so about less than one-third of what Musk can potentially be worth tomorrow,” said Matt Durot, deputy editor at Forbes Wealth. “And only one other person, [Oracle founder] Larry Ellison, has ever been ⁠worth $400 billion.”

The bulk of Musk’s fortune is now tied to SpaceX, where his ownership stake is valued at roughly $866 billion. Combined with his holdings in Tesla and other enterprises, estimates from Forbes and Reuters indicate that his wealth will surpass $1.1 trillion once SpaceX shares begin trading publicly.

Although Tesla and SpaceX established Musk as one of the world’s most recognizable entrepreneurs, his influence expanded dramatically after he purchased Twitter in 2022 for $44 billion. Ownership of the platform provided him with direct access to hundreds of millions of users and amplified his voice on topics including immigration, government policy, free speech, and politics.

His growing political role has proven among the most divisive chapters of his career. Musk’s participation in President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency drew both praise and criticism. At the same time, Tesla faced mounting pressure overseas in 2025, as consumer boycotts and public demonstrations contributed to weakening sales in several markets.

Now 54 years old, Musk was born in Pretoria, South Africa, to a South African father and Canadian mother. After earning a degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1997, he embarked on a career that would eventually place him at the forefront of multiple industries.

His leadership at Tesla began in 2008, driven by a belief that electric vehicles could be both technologically advanced and highly desirable. Under his guidance, Tesla helped reshape consumer expectations and accelerate the worldwide transition toward electric transportation.

Industry analysts argue that Tesla’s success—and its trillion-dollar-plus valuation—forced traditional car manufacturers to take electric vehicles seriously. Many investors now believe Musk may be capable of achieving a similar transformation in fields such as artificial intelligence and commercial space travel.

Despite the excitement surrounding SpaceX, the company continues to require substantial capital, and much of its valuation depends on technologies whose long-term commercial potential remains years away from realization.

In addition to Tesla and SpaceX, Musk has launched or co-founded several other ventures, including Neuralink, which develops brain-computer interfaces, and The Boring Company, focused on transportation tunnels.

Throughout his tenure at Tesla, Musk has generated both admiration and controversy. Nevertheless, he is widely credited with turning the company into the most valuable automaker on the planet.

For years, executives at established automobile manufacturers doubted Tesla’s prospects, questioning whether a startup could successfully mass-produce electric vehicles while remaining profitable.

“He renewed the world’s respect for American ingenuity in automotive engineering,” said Bob Lutz, a former General Motors vice chairman.

At the same time, Tesla has periodically faced legal disputes and investor concerns connected to Musk’s leadership, including scrutiny over his 2018 compensation package, which at one point carried a value of $56 billion.

Musk’s far-reaching influence has inspired market observers to coin the term “Muskonomy” to describe the ecosystem of businesses surrounding him. That influence has also contributed to what many investors call the “Elon premium”—a phenomenon in which confidence in Musk himself drives valuations beyond what conventional financial models might justify.

“Much like Tesla, SpaceX is a bet on Elon Musk,” said Matt Kennedy, senior strategist at Renaissance Capital, a provider of IPO-focused research and ETFs.

“A market cap of $1.5 trillion-$2 trillion would certainly throw all traditional valuation methodologies out the window, and is instead best characterized as the ‘Elon Musk premium.'”

As Musk’s reach has expanded, so too have concerns about concentrating enormous influence in the hands of a single individual. Critics have questioned whether companies tied so closely to one personality face heightened governance risks and potential conflicts of interest.

Over the years, Musk has repeatedly found himself in public disputes with regulators, journalists, media organizations, short sellers, and fellow billionaires. Many of those confrontations have played out in real time across social media platforms, further reinforcing his reputation as one of business’s most unpredictable figures.

His partnership with President Trump followed a similar trajectory. After contributing heavily to Trump’s successful return to the White House and serving in a senior advisory capacity through the administration’s DOGE initiative, Musk emerged as one of the president’s most influential allies in the corporate world.

That alliance eventually deteriorated as disagreements over spending priorities and policy decisions escalated into a highly public feud. Although relations between the two have since improved, the episode underscored the increasingly intertwined nature of Musk’s business interests and political ambitions.

Despite those controversies, many investors remain focused on Musk’s record of turning ambitious concepts into highly successful enterprises, viewing his unconventional behavior as secondary to his achievements.

“Elon is the Edison of our time,” JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon said during a recent conversation with Musk.

Dimon’s praise marked a striking shift from earlier years, when the two were engaged in a lengthy legal dispute. Reflecting on their improved relationship, the banking executive told CNBC that they had “hugged it out,” and praised Musk as “our Einstein.”

{Matzav.com}

A dramatic overnight confrontation in Ashdod ended with police releasing a yeshiva bochur who had been detained as an alleged draft evader, after dozens of chareidi protesters descended on the scene and demanded his immediate release.

The incident unfolded late Thursday night near the Big shopping complex in Ashdod. Police officers conducting a traffic stop pulled over a vehicle carrying several yeshiva students. During the inspection, officers discovered that one of the passengers had been classified by the IDF as a draft evader.

Police detained the bochur and summoned military police to take custody of him.

Within minutes, messages began circulating through chareidi communities under the headline “The kidnappers have arrived,” prompting a rapid mobilization. Dozens of protesters quickly gathered at the location, surrounding the officers and calling for the release of the yeshiva student.

As concerns mounted that the situation could escalate into a larger public disturbance and potentially block a major traffic artery at the entrance to the city, the officer in charge reportedly ordered the immediate release of the bochur and instructed that the checkpoint be dismantled.

Following the release, the protesters broke out into dancing, singing “Utzu Eitzah V’sufar,” celebrating what they viewed as a successful effort to prevent the transfer of the yeshiva student into the custody of the military police.

The crowd subsequently dispersed from the area without further incident.

{Matzav.com}