Feed aggregator

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that his administration is considering suspending the federal gasoline tax as part of a widening effort to bring down sharply elevated fuel prices, potentially putting another 18.4 cents per gallon back in motorists’ pockets.

“We’re thinking about that,” Trump told reporters at the White House when asked whether he would support suspending the federal gas tax.

Any nationwide gas-tax holiday would require congressional action, meaning Trump cannot simply eliminate the levy through an executive order. That presents an immediate obstacle: neither the House nor Senate is currently scheduled to return to Washington until after the Nov. 3 midterm elections.

The federal government currently collects an excise tax of 18.4 cents on each gallon of gasoline and 24.4 cents on each gallon of diesel. The revenue is primarily directed toward the Highway Trust Fund, which finances highway, bridge and public-transit projects around the country.

Trump did not say Tuesday how long a federal gas-tax suspension might last or provide details about legislation he would support. But the idea comes as the administration faces growing pressure to reduce energy costs following months of steep increases at the pump.

The national average for regular gasoline stood at roughly $4.37 per gallon Tuesday, up from about $3.13 a year earlier. Diesel remained even more expensive, averaging approximately $6.32 per gallon — nearly twice the $3.68 motorists were paying at the same point last year.

The current diesel average is down somewhat from the record $6.53 reached on Sept. 22, but the extraordinarily high cost continues to reverberate throughout the economy. Because diesel powers much of the nation’s trucking, agricultural and freight industries, increases in diesel prices can ultimately work their way into the prices consumers pay for food and other goods.

Energy prices have risen amid severe disruptions to global fuel supplies, including the war with Iran and Ukrainian strikes against Russian oil refineries. Tight refining capacity and constrained global diesel supplies have added further pressure.

Trump has repeatedly said he expects fuel prices to decline as his administration takes additional steps to increase supplies and reduce costs. Speaking Tuesday, he said, “Prices are now coming way down.”

“And oil, as soon as the war is over, which will be soon, will be coming way down,” Trump said.

The possible federal gas-tax holiday follows a separate action Trump took Monday targeting diesel prices. The president signed an executive order temporarily expanding highway access to red-dyed diesel, fuel that ordinarily is restricted to off-road uses such as farming and construction and therefore is not subject to the same federal excise tax at the point of sale.

“Today, I am announcing another unprecedented step to bring down costs. For many years, farm vehicles, construction equipment, and other off-road vehicles have used what is known as ‘red dye’ diesel… which is exactly the same as normal diesel, but is sold tax-free for off-road vehicles and big trucks… Tonight, I am going to sign a historic Executive Order to officially waive the off-road requirement and allow anyone to purchase tax-free red dye diesel for any reason,” Trump said while announcing the action in Nebraska.

The order applies from Oct. 5 through Dec. 31 and directs the Treasury Department to determine how it can defer federal excise-tax payments associated with the highway use of dyed diesel without penalties or interest. It also directs Treasury to explore ways, including legislation, to ultimately eliminate the obligation to pay those deferred taxes.

The administration says eliminating the 24.4-cent federal diesel tax from a 250-gallon fill could save roughly $60. If states take corresponding action on their own taxes, the White House says savings could exceed $100 on a large fill-up.

The order also directs federal officials to work with states, fuel distributors, agricultural cooperatives and industry groups to expand access to dyed diesel, particularly in areas experiencing heavy demand. The Department of Agriculture was instructed to work specifically on ensuring supplies are available to farmers.

Trump’s moves come alongside an international effort to increase fuel supplies. G-7 countries — including the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Japan — agreed last week to release a combined 100 million barrels of oil and diesel from strategic reserves in an effort to push prices downward.

At the same time, states have increasingly begun acting on their own rather than waiting for Washington, with both Republican and Democratic officials taking steps to soften the impact of higher fuel costs.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed legislation temporarily eliminating the state’s 38.5-cent-per-gallon gasoline tax and 47-cent diesel tax through Dec. 31. The measure won bipartisan support after high fuel prices became a major concern across the state.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox moved to reduce his state’s fuel taxes by 6 cents per gallon through the end of the year.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp suspended the state’s gasoline tax of roughly 33 cents per gallon and its diesel tax of roughly 37 cents, with the current suspension scheduled to continue through at least Oct. 29.

Indiana Gov. Mike Braun has also taken aggressive action, suspending the state’s 7% gasoline use tax along with its 37-cent-per-gallon gasoline excise tax. The combined move is estimated to save Indiana drivers roughly 59 to 61 cents per gallon at current prices.

Indiana’s 63-cent-per-gallon diesel tax remains in place, although Braun has expanded access to red-dyed diesel in an effort to provide relief to farmers and other eligible users.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, took a different approach, pausing automatic inflation-based adjustments that otherwise would have increased the state’s fuel taxes.

The growing state-level movement has added pressure on Washington to consider similar relief. Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri has proposed legislation that would suspend the federal gasoline tax and the underground-storage-tank fee for 90 days, with authority for the president to extend the suspension for an additional 90 days if economic conditions warrant it.

Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio has likewise called for federal action following his state’s decision to suspend its own fuel taxes.

A federal gas-tax holiday, however, would raise questions about how to replace revenue normally deposited into the Highway Trust Fund. The gasoline and diesel excise taxes together generate tens of billions of dollars annually for transportation infrastructure, meaning Congress would have to decide whether to replace the lost revenue from another source or allow the fund to absorb the reduction.

There is also debate over how much of a tax reduction would ultimately reach motorists. Supporters argue that eliminating the tax would provide immediate relief at the pump, while critics contend that during periods of tight fuel supply, some portion of the savings could be absorbed elsewhere in the supply chain rather than passed entirely to consumers.

For now, Trump has stopped short of formally endorsing a specific federal gas-tax holiday proposal. But his acknowledgement Tuesday that the administration is actively considering the idea represents the latest step in an increasingly broad campaign — from strategic-reserve releases and expanded dyed-diesel access to state tax holidays and potentially a nationwide federal tax suspension — aimed at bringing fuel prices down.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump has turned the long-running battle over daylight saving time into an extraordinary public feud with Republican Sen. Tom Cotton, publishing what he said was the Arkansas senator’s personal cellphone number and urging voters to call him directly and demand that he stop blocking legislation to end the twice-a-year changing of the clocks.

Trump’s move came as he intensified his push for the Sunshine Protection Act, legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent across most of the United States. The bill passed the House in July by a lopsided 308-117 vote but has since run into resistance in the Senate, with Cotton emerging as one of its most vocal Republican opponents.

“Everybody in Arkansas, Tom Cotton, a friend of mine, is holding up a very important Bill,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, accusing Cotton of standing in the way of what the president argues is an overwhelmingly popular change.

Trump then took the highly unusual step of posting Cotton’s cellphone number.

“To the Great People of Arkansas, please let your Senator know it would be a GREAT Bipartisan WIN for the United States Senate, and for America, itself,” Trump wrote. “Call Tom on his cellphone.”

Reporters who called the number reached either voicemail or a message indicating that the recipient was unavailable, with the voicemail box at one point becoming full.

Trump argues that Americans are fed up with moving their clocks forward and backward every year and that keeping daylight saving time permanently would provide an additional hour of afternoon and evening sunlight during the winter.

“We want to get away from this ridiculous way and custom of — every twice a year, turning your clocks back, turning your clocks forward, being late to dinner, being late for very important meetings, it’s ridiculous,” Trump told reporters.

“It discombobulates everybody,” the president said.

Trump has also argued that permanent daylight saving time would benefit sports and recreation by keeping daylight later into the afternoon and evening.

“You know who wants it? The farmers want it. You know who wants it? Sports want it,” Trump said. “Professional sports and amateurs that would like to play tennis at night, would like to play golf a little bit without having to run home after 14 holes.”

The president also shared a letter from PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp backing the legislation and arguing that additional evening daylight would allow Americans to play millions of additional rounds of golf each year.

Trump has framed the issue as more than a matter of convenience. He has argued that later sunsets could also reduce crime by allowing people to return home from work and other activities while it is still light outside.

“A table full of very distinguished people just told me that they HATE, immediately after a mandatory time change, going home at night – and it’s DARK,” Trump wrote.

“It’s depressing!” he added. “One of the gentleman stated that, ‘I just hate going home in darkness.’ It’s also, in Crime Ridden Blue States, a lot more dangerous to be walking home in the dark!”

Cotton, however, has refused to budge.

“No one likes changing the clock, me included, but Congress has enacted permanent Daylight Savings Time multiple times before and repealed it each time once Americans experienced absurdly late sunrises in the winter,” Cotton wrote. “Arkansans don’t want their kids going to school in the pitch dark, and I’ll always put Arkansas first.”

Cotton’s central argument is that permanent daylight saving time simply transfers the problem from the evening to the morning. During the darkest weeks of winter, sunrise would come considerably later in many parts of the country, meaning children could be waiting for school buses and commuters could be traveling to work before sunrise.

The United States has tried year-round daylight saving time before. Congress instituted it during the energy crisis in the 1970s, but public support quickly deteriorated as Americans experienced dark winter mornings, and the experiment was cut short.

Trump responded to Cotton’s argument by accusing him of getting the issue exactly backward.

“If Tom Cotton were putting Arkansas first, he would give them an extra hour of daylight and, more importantly, they wouldn’t have to run all over their houses, farms, work places, and everywhere else, twice a year, having to change their Clocks, and often forgetting to do so,” Trump wrote.

The president then turned up the political pressure, arguing that Republicans should seize what he sees as an easy bipartisan legislative victory.

“Give the Republican Party a Senatorial WIN, for a change!” Trump wrote. “TAKE THE WIN TOM, JUST TAKE THE WIN! YOU NEED IT, AND SO DOES OUR BELOVED REPUBLICAN PARTY!”

Cotton is seeking reelection in Arkansas this November, although his race is not considered competitive. Trump carried Arkansas with more than 64% of the vote in the 2024 presidential election.

Cotton is also not the only Republican senator skeptical of the legislation. Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana has called the Sunshine Protection Act “dead as disco” and expressed doubt that Senate Majority Leader John Thune will bring it to the floor.

The dispute comes just weeks before Americans are scheduled to change their clocks again. On Nov. 1, most of the country is due to “fall back” one hour and return to standard time for the winter. The Sunshine Protection Act would eventually eliminate that ritual by keeping most of the country on daylight saving time year-round.

Polling has shown widespread dissatisfaction with the current system, although Americans remain divided over what should replace it. A 2025 AP-NORC poll found that only 12% of U.S. adults favored continuing to change the clocks twice a year, while 47% opposed the practice and 40% were neutral.

Trump’s decision to publicize Cotton’s number also recalled a similar episode during his first presidential campaign. In 2015, after then-Sen. Lindsey Graham criticized him, Trump publicly read Graham’s cellphone number during a campaign appearance and encouraged people to call him.

Now, more than a decade later, Trump has revived the tactic against another Republican senator — this time over what might ordinarily seem like one of Washington’s least dramatic policy disputes: what time Americans should see when they look at the clock.

{Matzav.com}

Delta Air Lines and United Airlines were recovering Tuesday from separate technology problems that disrupted websites, apps and other systems, creating headaches for travelers at airports across the United States and beyond.

The problems surfaced Tuesday morning, with passengers reporting difficulty accessing airline apps, checking flight information and, in some cases, completing parts of the boarding process. Outage reports for both airlines spiked around midday Eastern Time.

Delta confirmed that it was dealing with what it described as a “limited global technology issue” affecting data connectivity within some of its systems.

“Delta systems are stabilizing after a limited global technology issue that affected data connectivity to some of our systems behind-the-scenes,” the airline said.

“Delta teams are working to keep our operation moving safely as systems return to normal. We appreciate our customers’ patience and understanding.”

Delta advised passengers to continue checking its app and website for the latest information about individual flights.

United was dealing with a separate technology problem that affected its website and mobile app. Customers attempting to use United’s digital services encountered a notice saying the airline was “working to fix a temporary technical issue affecting united.com and the United app.”

United later said the problem was tied to an outside vendor and primarily prevented customers from accessing their MileagePlus accounts.

“United encountered a brief technology issue connected to a vendor that prevented customers from logging into their MileagePlus accounts,” the airline said. “The issue has been resolved and there was no impact to our flight operations.”

That distinction is significant: while travelers around the country were experiencing flight delays Tuesday, United said its particular technology failure did not cause operational disruptions to its flights.

Delta did not immediately provide a specific number of delays or cancellations attributable directly to its technology problem, and there was no indication of a nationwide Delta ground stop.

Nearly 1,000 flights nationwide had been reported delayed by Tuesday afternoon, along with dozens of cancellations, but not all of those disruptions could be blamed on the airline technology problems.

A number of unrelated issues were simultaneously affecting the nation’s aviation system Tuesday, including weather and airport-specific restrictions.

The FAA warned that thunderstorms could cause delays at Orlando, Tampa, Miami and Fort Lauderdale, while winds were creating potential problems at airports in New York and Boston. Low clouds were also expected to affect Seattle.

Boston Logan was dealing with delays related to runway construction, while LaGuardia experienced air-traffic restrictions related to airport volume and wind.

That meant a passenger experiencing a delayed Delta or United flight Tuesday could not necessarily assume that the airline’s computer trouble was responsible. Weather, air-traffic-control restrictions and airport congestion were also contributing to delays.

The technology problems nevertheless caused considerable frustration because modern airline operations rely heavily on digital systems for everything from reservations and boarding passes to passenger accounts, upgrades, baggage information and flight status.

Travelers took to social media to report being unable to sign into their accounts or properly use airline apps.

There were also reports of problems involving American Airlines’ website and app Tuesday, although American did not immediately confirm that it was experiencing the same type of outage.

The precise relationship, if any, between the problems experienced by the different airlines was not immediately clear. Major carriers use complicated technology networks combining their own systems with services provided by outside technology companies, meaning trouble at a third-party vendor can sometimes affect multiple companies simultaneously.

Tuesday’s incident follows a series of high-profile technology failures that have demonstrated how quickly computer problems can ripple through the airline industry.

In July, American Airlines temporarily halted flights for less than an hour after an information-technology outage affected connectivity.

United suffered a much more serious technology breakdown in August 2025, when problems forced the airline to ground aircraft and ultimately contributed to more than 1,000 delays and dozens of cancellations.

The most dramatic recent example came in 2024, when a faulty CrowdStrike software update crippled Windows computers around the world. Delta, United, American and several other U.S. carriers were among the airlines affected, with the disruption triggering widespread cancellations and delays.

By Tuesday afternoon, both Delta and United indicated that their latest technology problems were either stabilizing or resolved, although passengers were advised to continue checking their individual flight status before heading to the airport.

A chareidi initiative designed to provide financial support to yeshiva bochurim imprisoned over their military draft status has made its first major payout, with a draft evader who spent 12 days in military prison receiving 12,000 shekels in cash.

The payment was revealed Tuesday night by Channel 13, which aired footage showing Avraham Engel receiving the money through the initiative, known as “Kele Elef” — literally, “Prison 1,000.”

The concept is straightforward: an eligible chareidi draft evader who is imprisoned by the military receives 1,000 shekels for each day he spends behind bars.

The initiative was launched approximately a month ago amid the growing wave of arrests of yeshiva bochurim over their draft status. Channel 13 reported that nearly 10,000 people have already joined the program, with participants contributing relatively small amounts that are pooled to fund payments to those who are imprisoned.

Engel, who spent 12 days in military prison, became a prominent example of the program in action when he was handed 12,000 shekels in cash following his release.

The initiative has received the backing of leading rabbonim, including Rav Dov Landau and Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, as well as Rav Yitzchak Yosef.

Organizers have described the program as a financial safety net intended to lessen the burden on yeshiva bochurim and their families when they are imprisoned because of their refusal to enlist.

Sinai Greenboim, a member of the initiative’s leadership, previously explained that the model relies on a large pool of participants, each contributing a small amount when arrests occur. He said the arrangement is designed to spread the financial burden across thousands of people rather than requiring large donations from individual contributors.

Greenboim has also rejected claims that the initiative is intended to encourage people to violate the law, saying, “We are not calling on people to break the law.”

At the same time, he acknowledged that one of the program’s objectives is to reduce the deterrent effect of military imprisonment by providing financial protection to those who are jailed.

The initiative’s rules reportedly contain restrictions intended to prevent participants from deliberately seeking arrest in order to collect money. According to Greenboim, eligibility is intended for someone who is arrested without deliberately bringing about his own detention and who had no reasonable opportunity to avoid it.

As an example, someone who intentionally turns himself in or knowingly travels to Ben Gurion Airport despite expecting to be arrested may not necessarily qualify for the payment.

The program has nevertheless drawn fierce criticism from political figures who argue that payments of 1,000 shekels per day effectively transform military imprisonment from a punishment into a financially rewarding experience.

Yashar! with Eisenkot issued a lengthy statement accusing the government and chareidi political establishment of rewarding those who do not serve while soldiers are risking their lives.

“We heard the partners of the draft-dodging government attacking those who serve, and tonight it was revealed that someone who evades service and goes to prison also receives a financial prize of thousands of shekels. This is not an isolated case. It is a worldview that has turned draft evasion into an ideology and those who serve into suckers — and it receives political backing from the government.

“While the best of our sons and daughters serve, fight and risk their lives, we cannot accept a reality in which someone who refuses to serve is rewarded for it. And in the Netanyahu government — silence. No one condemns it, no one stands alongside IDF soldiers and servicemembers, everything is for the sake of the chair. The coming elections are between Netanyahu’s non-Zionist draft-dodging government and Eisenkot’s Zionist conscription government. We will establish a Zionist government in which everyone shares the burden and everyone serves the state. We pledge: conscription and service for all,” the party said.

Naftali Bennett, chairman of the Beyachad party, also attacked the program following the Channel 13 report.

“Shame and disgrace. This Deri-Goldknopf-Bibi-Smotrich government transfers 1,000 shekels a day to a chareidi draft evader in prison. We will dry them out, shut down all their pipelines and dismantle this chareidi state,” Bennett said.

Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman similarly condemned the payments.

“This madness must stop. The chareidi community cannot turn draft evaders into heroes — heroes who receive the support of the rabbis and the political establishment and receive tens of thousands of shekels in cash, which is already a violation of the law. We will put an end to it. With us, you will not receive a single shekel. All the money we take from the draft evaders will be transferred to the soldiers!” Liberman said.

{Matzav.com}

An unexpected recognition during a video call between a Namibian pathologist and a ZAKA official in Israel led authorities to cancel a planned autopsy on an Israeli tourist who died suddenly while vacationing in the African country during Sukkos, Matzav.com has learned.

The Israeli man had been traveling in Namibia with his wife when he suffered cardiac arrest and passed away. Local authorities subsequently informed those assisting the family that an autopsy would be required.

Efforts to prevent the procedure were launched by Chabad shliach Rav Yosef Rahimi, working together with Israel’s Foreign Ministry and ZAKA’s international unit, because of the serious halachic concerns surrounding an autopsy and the importance of preserving the dignity and integrity of the deceased.

As part of those efforts, Rav Rahimi arranged a video conversation between the local pathologist and Yossi Landau, the operations officer for ZAKA’s Lachish region, who sought to explain the religious sensitivity involved and ask that any medical examination be kept to the absolute minimum necessary.

But as the conversation began, the pathologist looked closely at Landau on the screen and suddenly realized that the Israeli standing before him was familiar.

“You look familiar to me. I know you from somewhere,” the pathologist told him.

It soon emerged that the two men had indeed met — nearly two decades earlier, under tragic circumstances in Namibia.

Approximately 19 years ago, five Israelis were killed in a plane crash in the country. ZAKA volunteers traveled to the scene to assist with identifying the victims and ensuring that the remains were handled with appropriate respect. Landau was among the ZAKA personnel who participated in that operation.

The Namibian doctor had been involved in the aftermath of that crash and remembered Landau and the ZAKA team. In particular, he recalled the extraordinary importance the volunteers placed on kavod hameis and their efforts to ensure that the victims were treated in accordance with Jewish law.

That encounter from nearly 20 years earlier suddenly became decisive in the present case.

After Landau explained the halachic significance of avoiding an autopsy and the importance of returning the deceased for burial with his body intact, the pathologist agreed to waive the procedure entirely and authorize the release of the body.

“He remembered our work and our struggle for the dignity of the deceased,” Landau recalled. “I explained to him how important it was for us to prevent the autopsy and to bring the deceased for burial intact. He understood the significance and agreed to our request to release the deceased without any autopsy at all.”

The remarkable resolution brought together two men who had last encountered one another at the scene of a tragedy nearly two decades ago — with the impression left by ZAKA’s work at that time ultimately helping preserve kavod hameis for another Israeli family 19 years later.

{Matzav.com}

FlyDubai has fired a “significant number” of employees following an internal investigation into the security failures surrounding the attempted attack aboard one of its flights to Israel, while Israeli authorities are simultaneously moving to establish tougher screening procedures for foreign passengers and airline crews.

The developments mark the latest fallout from the extraordinary incident aboard the FlyDubai flight, in which the Omani co-pilot attacked the captain while the aircraft was en route to Tel Aviv, triggering a struggle for control of the plane before passengers intervened and the aircraft was ultimately landed safely in Saudi Arabia.

According to a Channel 13 report, FlyDubai’s CEO and senior officials in the United Arab Emirates have informed Israeli authorities that the airline has completed its internal investigation into the incident.

The investigation reportedly uncovered a series of failures in the airline’s security and personnel-screening systems. As a result, FlyDubai dismissed a “significant number” of employees who were involved in the areas where the failures occurred.

The findings have taken on particular significance amid reports that the Omani co-pilot had previously raised security concerns while employed by Oman Air. He had reportedly been removed from flying duties there amid concerns over his conduct and interest in radical ideology, yet was subsequently hired by FlyDubai and allowed to operate flights to Israel.

Following completion of the investigation and the disciplinary measures taken by the airline, FlyDubai asked Transportation Minister Miri Regev to authorize the resumption of its flights to Israel.

Israeli officials, however, are moving beyond the measures taken internally by FlyDubai and are working on a broader overhaul of the security-screening system for foreign airline personnel flying into the country.

According to a Channel 12 report, proposed changes were presented during a classified meeting of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee’s intelligence subcommittee, headed by MK Boaz Bismuth.

One of the central proposals calls for Israel to establish a list of countries considered to pose an elevated security threat. The National Security Council is expected to work with the Mossad and Shin Bet in determining which countries will be included.

Under the proposed system, when airline crew members from one of those countries are scheduled to fly to Israel, their identifying information would have to be submitted to Israeli authorities 48 hours before the flight.

That advance notice would give Israeli intelligence and security agencies time to examine the crew members’ backgrounds and determine whether they should be permitted to operate a flight entering Israeli airspace.

Israel is also preparing to change the way it handles passengers and crew members carrying passports from countries that do not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel.

At the request of the Transportation Ministry, the Population and Immigration Authority is expected to provide lists of those individuals to the ministry’s security division so that their information can undergo additional review.

Officials also clarified the division of responsibility for screening foreign travelers. The Population and Immigration Authority, working through the National Security Council, is responsible for examining the passports of passengers and airline crew members and transmitting relevant information to the appropriate security agencies.

The changes come after revelations that more than 1,200 airline crew members holding passports from countries without diplomatic relations with Israel — including Syria, Lebanon and Oman — entered Israel during 2026.

The FlyDubai incident exposed potentially serious gaps in that system, particularly because the Omani co-pilot had reportedly flown to Israel on previous occasions despite the concerns that had surfaced during his earlier employment.

Israeli officials are now seeking to create a system in which potentially sensitive information reaches security agencies before an aircraft departs for Israel rather than relying on checks conducted after foreign crew members have already been assigned to the flight.

The proposed 48-hour advance screening mechanism, combined with the identification of high-risk countries and closer scrutiny of passports from states without diplomatic ties to Israel, is intended to prevent a repeat of the failures exposed by the FlyDubai attack.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli authorities have uncovered an apparent loophole at Ben Gurion Airport that allowed dozens of chareidi draft avoiders who were barred from leaving the country to travel to Uman, Ukraine, before being caught when they returned to Israel.

A total of 64 draft avoiders were stopped at border control upon their return from Uman, according to a report by Kan News. A subsequent examination produced a startling finding: the men had no official record of ever leaving Israel.

That indicated that despite being subject to orders prohibiting them from leaving the country, they had managed to depart without properly passing through border control.

The men had traveled to Uman, where tens of thousands of Jews gather annually around Rosh Hashanah at the kever of Rav Nachman of Breslov.

All 64 men apprehended upon their return were transferred to the Ben Gurion Airport Police for further handling. Some have already been questioned under caution on suspicion of violating Israel’s Entry Law, while others are expected to be questioned in the coming days.

Investigators examining how the men managed to leave the country discovered what authorities believe was the primary method used to circumvent the restrictions.

According to the investigation, some of the suspects allegedly passed through the gate located after passport control by closely following another passenger, effectively slipping through without registering their own departure in the border-control system.

Police reviewing surveillance footage from Ben Gurion Airport have reportedly already identified some of the suspects on camera using the method.

The discovery is particularly significant because the problem extends well beyond the current dispute over chareidi military conscription. The apparent security gap could potentially be exploited by anyone prohibited from leaving Israel, including individuals facing criminal proceedings, debt-enforcement restrictions or other court-imposed travel bans.

The cases have therefore raised broader questions about how passengers subject to exit restrictions could physically leave the country without their departure being recorded by Israel’s border-control system.

The Population and Immigration Authority has responded by implementing a series of measures at Ben Gurion Airport aimed at closing the loophole. Among the immediate steps taken is an increase in the number of inspectors stationed at the airport.

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s National Security Council is warning Israelis traveling or living abroad to exercise heightened caution on Wednesday, the third anniversary of the October 7 massacre, amid concerns that Iran, Hamas and other terrorist organizations could attempt attacks against Israeli or Jewish targets around the world.

The warning, issued Tuesday ahead of the anniversary, also cites the possibility of demonstrations, violent disturbances and other incidents in locations frequented by Israelis and Jews. Travelers are being urged to remain vigilant and avoid situations that could expose them unnecessarily.

According to the National Security Council, terrorist organizations view the October 7 anniversary as a significant symbolic date that could provide an opportunity for attacks. Officials specifically pointed to Iran and its proxies, Hamas and global jihadist organizations as sources of concern.

The council said the heightened threat could take the form of attempted terrorist attacks against Israelis and Jews overseas, while anti-Israel demonstrations and public disturbances surrounding the anniversary could create additional security risks.

Israelis abroad are being advised to stay away from demonstrations and large gatherings, particularly events connected to Israel or the Gaza war, where tensions could escalate.

Travelers are also being urged not to post their locations, itineraries or travel plans on social media in advance. Such information, security officials warn, can reveal an individual’s movements and make it easier for hostile actors to identify or track potential targets.

The National Security Council is additionally urging Israelis to avoid destinations currently under a Level 4 travel warning, the highest warning level. Those destinations include Jordan, Qatar, Somaliland and Egypt, including the Sinai Peninsula.

For countries and destinations subject to a Level 3 warning, Israelis are being advised to take additional precautions, including limiting the use of Hebrew in crowded public areas and avoiding unnecessary displays that could identify them as Israeli.

The public is also being cautioned against posting material on social media that reveals past or present service in the IDF or other Israeli security forces, information that could potentially draw unwanted attention or be exploited by hostile elements.

The warning comes amid continuing concern over Iranian efforts to target Israelis and Jewish communities outside Israel. Israeli security authorities have repeatedly warned that Iran and organizations linked to Tehran seek opportunities to carry out attacks overseas, while Hamas and global jihadist groups have also called for attacks against Israeli and Jewish targets since October 7.

Officials are urging travelers to familiarize themselves with the current warning level for their destination, maintain awareness of their surroundings and reconsider unnecessary travel to locations where the threat level is particularly high.

In the event of an emergency abroad, Israelis are instructed to contact local law-enforcement and security authorities first. Israel’s National Security Council travel-warning center will remain operational around the clock at 02-6667444.

{Matzav.com}

Tensions over the arrests of chareidi military draft evaders intensified Tuesday after a yeshiva bochur was detained in Eilat and transferred to the Military Police, with activists warning that major demonstrations could erupt Wednesday — the third anniversary of the October 7 massacre — if he is not released.

The detainee was identified as Yakir Ralbag, a bochur currently learning at Yeshivas Beis Meir Sosnovsky who previously learned at Yeshivas Chevron Knesses Yisroel. According to reports from the Peleg Yerushalmi, Ralbag was arrested Tuesday in Eilat and subsequently handed over to the Military Police.

His arrest came one day after another young avreich, who married only several months ago, was detained in Eilat after being stopped for a check by traffic police and was also transferred to the Military Police.

Both men are awaiting hearings in their cases. They and their families are being represented by attorneys affiliated with the Notnim Gav organization, which is also providing assistance and support.

Activists are now preparing for the possibility of widespread protests if Ralbag remains in custody. Any demonstrations Wednesday would coincide with Israel’s commemoration of three years since the October 7 massacre, potentially adding another volatile element to an already sensitive day.

The arrest also came just hours after Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara demanded an urgent increase in enforcement against chareidi draft evaders, including the resumption of proactive arrests rather than relying primarily on encounters with wanted individuals at airports, border crossings and during unrelated police activity.

“Proactive enforcement efforts and field arrests must be urgently improved,” the attorney general said. “The absence of proactive enforcement is inconsistent with security needs, the principle of equality, and the state’s commitments to the High Court.”

Figures presented during the discussion underscored what officials described as gaps in the existing enforcement system. Authorities disclosed that 64 draft evaders had succeeded in leaving Israel without being apprehended and were arrested only when they returned to the country.

Additional figures indicated that 163 chareidi draft evaders were detained at border crossings during September, with the Taba crossing becoming a significant enforcement point and accounting for 20 apprehensions. Of 188 individuals apprehended at Ben Gurion Airport during the relevant period, 64 were reportedly caught only upon returning to Israel, indicating that they had managed to leave despite being wanted by military authorities.

Following the disclosure, the Population and Immigration Authority said it would investigate whether loopholes exist that are allowing draft evaders to depart Israel despite their status.

At a meeting held under the deputy attorney general, officials decided that the Military Police should resume proactive enforcement operations as soon as possible, working in coordination with Israel Police. Military officials said those operations are expected to restart during October.

At the same time, the existing joint procedure between the military and Israel Police will remain in effect for draft evaders and deserters who are encountered incidentally by police officers and subsequently identified as wanted by military authorities.

Officials also determined that the Military Advocate General’s Office should quickly complete steps toward lowering the threshold for prosecuting draft evasion cases, including cases involving individuals who failed to report to the IDF induction center, and move ahead with changes to the military’s disciplinary regulations.

The developments follow a dramatic confrontation overnight in Modiin, where an attempt by Military Police officers to arrest another yeshiva bochur ended with the arrest being abandoned after large numbers of protesters descended on the scene.

Shortly after midnight, a small Military Police force arrived at a residence on Yaar Yerushalayim Street in Modiin to arrest a young man classified by the military as a draft evader. The young man, who comes from a non-chareidi family and became religious, learns at Yeshivas Ohr Hachaim in Yerushalayim, headed by Rav Reuven Elbaz.

Word of the attempted arrest quickly reached Tzeva Shachor, an alert network established to notify the chareidi community about attempts to arrest yeshiva bochurim over their draft status. An alert was circulated, and within a short time bochurim and avreichim began arriving from chareidi communities, including large numbers from nearby Modiin Illit.

As the crowd grew, confrontations broke out with police. Protesters pushed toward the residential building where the Military Police officers and the wanted man were located, while additional Israel Police forces were summoned to the scene.

The standoff continued for more than an hour and a half before the Military Police ultimately left without taking the young man into custody. He remained at home, and the protesters dispersed.

The episode subsequently produced sharply conflicting accounts from the IDF and Israel Police over who made the decision to abandon the arrest.

The IDF said: “In light of the situation, during the arrest it was decided to send the deserter an order to regularize his status and release him, in order to disperse the demonstration.”

Military officials maintained that Israel Police made the decision and that the IDF merely implemented it.

Israel Police offered the opposite account. According to the police review of the incident, a small Military Police force arrived to make the arrest but, contrary to established procedures, failed to immediately remove the wanted man from the location after taking control of the situation and instead allowed him an extended period to prepare.

Police said they were called for assistance only after dozens of protesters had already gathered around the building, forcing a substantial deployment to help extract the Military Police personnel and restore order.

Israel Police insisted that the decision to release the draft evader and instead issue him an order directing him to regularize his military status was made by IDF officials, not by the police. Police said their officers responded at the military’s request, deployed substantial forces and assisted in carrying out the decision and restoring public order.

With the government’s legal authorities now pressing for intensified enforcement and chareidi activists mobilizing rapidly in response to arrests, Ralbag’s detention in Eilat could become the next flashpoint in the escalating confrontation over the draft — particularly if he remains in military custody when Wednesday’s October 7 commemorations begin.

{Matzav.com}

Aviva and Keith Siegel have revealed harrowing new details of their captivity in Gaza, describing the violence of their abduction from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, their repeated transfers between homes and tunnels, desperate shortages of oxygen and water, and moments when they became convinced they would not survive.

The couple recounted their ordeal in a special interview for the IDF’s international podcast marking three years since the October 7 massacre. Aviva was freed in November 2023 after 51 days in captivity, while Keith remained a hostage for 484 days before being released in February 2025.

The Siegels described the morning of October 7, when they were inside their home as the sounds of gunfire drew increasingly closer. After terrorists broke into the house, Keith said their small living room quickly filled with approximately 15 armed men, some wearing uniforms and others dressed in civilian clothing. They were carrying Kalashnikov rifles and knives.

Keith said that even as the attack unfolded, he initially could not comprehend the scale of what was happening or imagine that terrorists would actually reach their home. “I thought in terms of a handful of terrorists who somehow managed to breach the border fence,” he recalled, explaining that residents had been led to believe that the border barrier was extraordinarily difficult to penetrate.

The terrorists eventually forced Keith and Aviva out of their home through a rear window. Aviva injured her knee while being taken out, while Keith suffered broken ribs.

As they were marched toward a vehicle, Keith deliberately tried to slow the process. He walked slowly and pretended to be confused, hoping that every additional moment they remained inside the kibbutz might give Israeli forces enough time to arrive and rescue them.

“The more time I can buy before we get to the car, that’s the time that will allow the IDF to rescue us,” he explained.

His attempt to stall came at a cost. At one point, the terrorists opened fire again, and Keith was struck by a bullet in his hand.

Even after reaching the vehicle, Keith continued searching for ways to prevent their abduction. He knew the car required a security code to start and that entering the wrong code three times would disable the vehicle for approximately 20 to 30 minutes.

“That was my plan,” Keith recalled. Aviva remembered desperately trying to stop him: “Keith, are you crazy? They’re going to kill us.” Keith ultimately entered the correct code.

As they were driven toward Gaza, Keith saw thick black smoke rising over Kfar Aza. When they reached the border, he was stunned by what he saw: Rather than finding a section of fence that had simply been cut open, he said an enormous gate itself was standing wide open.

“In my imagination, I thought they had cut a section of the fence and entered through it. But they managed to open a gate, a huge gate,” he said.

“Is this real? Is this really happening?” Keith remembered thinking. He said that sense of disbelief stayed with him from the moment terrorists entered his home until the end of his 484 days as a hostage.

During the period in which Keith and Aviva remained together, Aviva said their captors moved them 12 times from one location to another. After she and Keith were separated, she was moved once more.

Their places of captivity included underground tunnels and civilian homes. At one stage, Aviva said, they were held in what she believed was a large United Nations school. She recalled seeing a vehicle marked “UN” at the entrance to the facility.

Among the most terrifying locations was the second tunnel into which the hostages were taken. Aviva said conditions deteriorated to the point where she and Keith believed death was imminent.

“Keith and I touched death. And when I say that, it’s not just a sentence. We touched death with our bodies, with our souls, with our emotions, with everything,” Aviva said.

The lack of oxygen became so severe, she recalled, that even basic movement became almost impossible. “We couldn’t breathe. We had no oxygen. The lack of oxygen was at a level where all we could do was lie down and just try to get a little air into our bodies.”

Aviva described overwhelming heaviness, headaches and extreme weakness. Then she realized that Keith was also struggling for air.

“I just looked at the ceiling and told myself: Don’t look at Keith, don’t look at Keith. And I kept telling myself: Just let me die before Keith,” she recalled.

Throughout her captivity, Aviva said, she had been convinced that their son, Shai, had been killed. As she lay in the tunnel believing that she, too, was about to die, she began thinking about saying goodbye to the rest of her family and to Keith.

“It sounds like somebody else’s story, but I was there,” she said.

According to the Siegels, their captors would enter the tunnel briefly in the morning and return again during the afternoon, leaving the hostages alone for much of the remaining time. Food and drinking water were severely limited, and eventually their supply of water ran out entirely.

When only a tiny amount remained in one bottle, Aviva divided it among herself, Keith and another hostage being held with them. “I said: Anyone who needs a sip of water, take only one. And everyone has to take a sip,” she recalled.

Their dehydration became so severe that Aviva began preparing for the possibility that they would have to take extraordinary measures simply to stay alive. She spotted a plastic bag and told the others that she intended to keep it in case she needed to urinate into it.

“I was sure we would reach the point where we’d have to drink it to survive. And I really meant it,” Aviva said.

She was so badly dehydrated that she did not need to use the bathroom at all. More than 12 hours passed before their captors finally returned with water. Aviva remembered the overwhelming relief of seeing the bottle: “We’ll have water. We’re going to survive.”

The Siegels also described being held inside civilian homes during their captivity. In one house, Aviva recalled seeing young children, including a girl approximately three or three-and-a-half years old. One of their Hamas captors told the hostages that the little girl was his daughter.

Their account adds to other testimony from released hostages describing captivity in Gaza’s extensive tunnel network and in civilian locations. Israeli forces have also documented Hamas tunnels, weapons and other terrorist infrastructure in or near civilian facilities, including schools, mosques and hospitals.

Keith said the circumstances in which hostages were held are something he believes the international community needs to understand. “It’s very important that everyone knows that Hamas uses hospitals, schools, mosques and private homes to hide.”

Aviva ended with an appeal that the suffering they endured not be ignored. “This world needs to wake up. No one should suffer the way we suffered, and no one should go through what we went through. And Hamas must not be allowed to behave this way.”

{Matzav.com}

An Israir rescue flight scheduled to bring Israelis from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Thursday, Oct. 8, has been canceled after authorities in the United Arab Emirates abruptly withdrew the approval previously granted for the flight, throwing renewed uncertainty over the final stage of Israel’s operation to bring stranded travelers home.

Israeli passengers who had been scheduled to travel on Israir Flight 6H662 were informed Tuesday that the flight would not operate as planned. Although the cancellation currently applies to that flight, questions remain over whether additional rescue flights scheduled from Dubai will be affected.

Israir notified passengers: “Dear passengers, unfortunately, the approvals granted to Israir to operate rescue flight 6H662 from Dubai to Tel Aviv, scheduled for 08.10.26, have now been unilaterally canceled by the authorities in the United Arab Emirates.”

The airline said it is working with the relevant authorities in an effort to restore the flight or arrange another solution for affected passengers. Israir told travelers that it expects to provide another update by 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7.

The latest cancellation comes after several days of shifting approvals and logistical complications surrounding flights from Dubai. Israeli carriers had initially sought permission to operate special rescue services after FlyDubai suspended its Israel operations following the attempted terrorist attack aboard Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv.

Israir announced last Friday that it had received the necessary authorization from Dubai airport authorities for rescue operations, although at that stage it was still waiting for final clearance from all Israeli security authorities involved. The airline subsequently began operating flights, with its first rescue flight carrying approximately 180 Israelis arriving in Israel late Friday.

El Al and Arkia have also been operating limited rescue services from Dubai, while Etihad has continued flying between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv. Regular service by Israeli airlines to the UAE has not yet returned to its pre-crisis schedule.

The rescue operation itself has already encountered repeated obstacles. On Oct. 2, El Al was forced to cancel planned rescue flights after approval for Israeli carriers to land in Dubai was withdrawn. The situation shifted again later that day, with Arkia and Israir obtaining approvals that allowed rescue flights to begin.

Another complication arose over baggage and security arrangements in Dubai. Because of disagreements surrounding security procedures, some passenger flights were required to operate separately from aircraft carrying travelers’ luggage, adding another layer of complexity to the effort.

Despite those difficulties, thousands of Israelis have already returned from the UAE since the operation began. According to Transportation Ministry figures released Tuesday, 941 passengers had returned aboard special flights operated by Israeli carriers from Dubai, while another 2,102 had flown home aboard Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi — more than 3,000 passengers altogether.

Earlier Tuesday, before the latest Israir cancellation became known, the Transportation Ministry said the special repatriation operation was expected to conclude Thursday after the remaining scheduled flights were completed.

The ministry said the first flights had already landed in Israel on Friday and that efforts were continuing to return Israelis “quickly and safely.”

The Transportation Ministry added: “The Transportation Ministry continues to monitor passengers’ needs and is working to adapt the transportation response in accordance with developments and demand.”

The fresh withdrawal of Israir’s Oct. 8 authorization now raises questions about whether the rescue operation will be able to conclude Thursday as planned, with the airline awaiting either renewed Emirati approval or an alternative arrangement for passengers booked on Flight 6H662.

{Matzav.com}

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is casting Abdul El-Sayed’s campaign for U.S. Senate in Michigan as far more than a single election, telling supporters that a victory by the progressive Democrat could demonstrate that candidates from the party’s left wing can win well beyond their traditional political strongholds and potentially reshape the landscape heading into 2028.

Speaking Monday at a private fundraiser in New York for El-Sayed, Ocasio-Cortez described his campaign as part of a “generational project” and argued that winning a statewide contest in battleground Michigan could upend assumptions about where candidates aligned with the progressive movement can succeed.

“What we do is that we break open the entire political calculus in America — period,” Ocasio-Cortez said, according to a recording of her remarks. “Because if you can win, if Abdul can win in Michigan, anybody can win anywhere.”

“Anywhere,” she added.

Ocasio-Cortez has become one of El-Sayed’s most prominent supporters. She endorsed him during the Democratic primary and traveled to Michigan to campaign alongside him and Sen. Bernie Sanders. Her support for El-Sayed stretches back even further: She also endorsed his unsuccessful campaign for governor of Michigan in 2018.

El-Sayed, a physician and former Detroit health director, won the Democratic Senate nomination in August after defeating Rep. Haley Stevens in a closely watched primary that became a major battle between the party’s progressive and establishment wings. He is now facing Republican Mike Rogers for the seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Gary Peters.

“We are in a long-term — I’m being very open right now, right? — about our generational project that we have ahead of us,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “Generational. We are here to break the map.”

The New York congresswoman pointed not only to Michigan but also to Florida, where state Rep. Angie Nixon, a democratic socialist, is challenging Republican Sen. Ashley Moody. Ocasio-Cortez suggested that campaigns in states traditionally regarded as difficult terrain for the progressive left could change perceptions about the movement’s electoral limits.

“We are up against not just an ascendant and fascist right wing in this country,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “But we are also up against people with extremely small imaginations about what is possible in America.”

El-Sayed similarly told the New York gathering that the significance of his campaign extends beyond who occupies Michigan’s Senate seat next year. He portrayed a victory as a potential demonstration that the political assumptions of national strategists and pundits are wrong.

“What does it say about what America really wants, needs, and deserves if our state bucks all of the pundits and all of the pontificators who think that this is not possible?” El-Sayed said. “What does it tell them?

“It tells them just how big America is and exactly what we want.”

El-Sayed later said that “this one is for all the marbles” while emphasizing “the ripple effect that this race will have.”

The Michigan contest has emerged as one of the most closely watched Senate races of the 2026 midterms. El-Sayed entered the general election after a bitter Democratic primary in which outside groups spent tens of millions of dollars attempting to defeat him, with his positions on Israel and the Gaza war among the major flashpoints.

El-Sayed has been a sharp critic of U.S. military assistance to Israel and backed Michigan’s “uncommitted” effort during the 2024 Democratic presidential primary as a protest against the Biden administration’s handling of the Gaza war. Those positions have generated significant concern among pro-Israel Democrats and some Jewish voters in Michigan.

Since securing the nomination, however, El-Sayed has also consolidated support from major Democratic figures who were not originally aligned with his campaign. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who had supported Stevens during the primary, are now backing El-Sayed in the general election.

Barack Obama is also scheduled to campaign with El-Sayed at an Oct. 24 rally in Detroit alongside Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jocelyn Benson, timed to coincide with the beginning of early in-person voting in Michigan. Ocasio-Cortez and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani are also among the prominent Democrats appearing with El-Sayed during the campaign’s closing stretch.

The broader political implications of the race are particularly significant for Ocasio-Cortez as she considers her own future. The 36-year-old congresswoman, who turns 37 this month, has left open the possibility of seeking higher office in 2028, including either a presidential campaign or a run for U.S. Senate in New York.

Ocasio-Cortez acknowledged recently that one consideration is whether a particular political moment offers an opportunity that may not come again.

“There’s an argument that some make that this is a very unique political window and, oftentimes in politics, you do only get one shot,” Ocasio-Cortez said.

She has also recently traveled through upstate New York, making stops in Buffalo, Syracuse and Ithaca, appearances that have drawn additional attention because Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s seat will be on the ballot in 2028.

Schumer, who would be 77 at the time of that election, has not announced whether he intends to seek another term. Ocasio-Cortez has likewise made no announcement about whether she would challenge him, seek the presidency or remain in the House.

Against that backdrop, the Michigan contest has become something of a real-world test for the political movement Ocasio-Cortez has helped build. A victory by El-Sayed in a presidential battleground state would provide progressives with evidence for their argument that their candidates can compete outside heavily Democratic districts, while a defeat would provide fresh ammunition to Democrats who argue that the party risks losing winnable races by nominating candidates too far to the left.

For Ocasio-Cortez, however, her message to supporters Monday was that the ambitions behind El-Sayed’s campaign extend well beyond Election Day in Michigan: “Generational. We are here to break the map.”

{Matzav.com}

More than 1,200 foreign airline crew members from countries that do not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel have been permitted to enter the country since the beginning of 2026, including citizens of Syria, Lebanon and Oman, according to newly revealed figures that are raising fresh questions about Israel’s screening of foreign aviation personnel.

The number, reported Tuesday by Kan News, has taken on particular significance following the attempted hijacking of a FlyDubai flight bound for Tel Aviv, after it emerged that the Omani co-pilot accused of carrying out the attack had previously drawn the attention of authorities in his own country over concerns about extremist activity.

The figure does not mean that the 1,200 crew members were suspected of terrorism or other wrongdoing. Rather, it highlights the extent to which foreign airline personnel from countries ordinarily subject to heightened Israeli entry restrictions routinely arrive as part of international flight crews — and has fueled questions about exactly how those individuals are vetted before being permitted to fly into Israel.

The Omani co-pilot at the center of the FlyDubai attack, Imam Al-Hamami, had not previously escaped the notice of authorities. According to reports that emerged following the attack, Omani officials had become concerned about his online activity and what they regarded as an excessive interest in radical ideology.

Those concerns were serious enough that Al-Hamami was reportedly removed from flying duties at Oman Air, the country’s national carrier. He was transferred to an office position and sent through an anti-extremism program.

But the information apparently stopped there. The Wall Street Journal reported that the concerns surrounding Al-Hamami were not transmitted to other relevant authorities or entered into a system that would have prevented him from obtaining another aviation job abroad.

Al-Hamami subsequently secured employment with FlyDubai. According to information published since the attack, the airline did not approach Omani authorities for a detailed account of his previous employment or the reasons he had stopped flying for Oman Air. Instead, the hiring process reportedly relied on a criminal-background check that did not reveal the earlier security concerns.

The apparent gap proved particularly consequential because Al-Hamami was not merely hired as a commercial pilot. He was assigned to routes serving Israel and had reportedly flown into the country several times before the attempted hijacking without being identified as a potential security threat.

Only after the attack did investigators begin piecing together the history of warnings surrounding him. Reuters reported that Al-Hamami subsequently told investigators in the United Arab Emirates that he had planned the attack even before FlyDubai hired him, a revelation that has intensified scrutiny of how he was able to secure the position and repeatedly operate flights to Israel.

Authorities in the UAE are now examining the conduct of FlyDubai personnel involved in hiring Al-Hamami and whether proper procedures were followed before he was permitted to fly for the carrier.

Investigators in Abu Dhabi and Yerushalayim are also reportedly examining whether Al-Hamami’s radicalization may have begun earlier, including during a period in which he lived in Australia. Authorities are seeking to reconstruct his activities and determine when warning signs first appeared and whether information existed that could have prevented him from gaining access to an Israel-bound cockpit.

The attempted attack has now expanded into a broader examination of the system governing foreign airline crews entering Israel. Unlike ordinary travelers, airline personnel operate under specialized aviation procedures, raising questions about which Israeli agency is ultimately responsible for ensuring that potentially dangerous crew members are identified before they reach the country.

Transportation Minister Miri Regev said over the weekend that the responsibility for intelligence screening and security vetting of foreign flight crews does not rest with the Transportation Ministry. She said those duties belong to Israel’s security authorities.

The Wall Street Journal, however, has reported that the failures were not confined to FlyDubai or Oman. Its reporting also pointed to shortcomings on the Israeli side, including within the mechanisms overseen by Israeli authorities and the Transportation Ministry for screening foreign airline crews entering the country.

The disclosure that more than 1,200 crew members from countries without diplomatic relations with Israel have entered since January is now adding urgency to that dispute. Among those personnel were citizens of countries that remain formally hostile to Israel, including Syria and Lebanon, as well as Oman, which has no diplomatic relations with Israel.

The central question facing investigators is no longer only how Al-Hamami was hired by FlyDubai, but how information about a pilot who had reportedly already been flagged for extremist concerns failed to follow him through the international aviation system — and how he was subsequently able to fly repeatedly into Israel before allegedly attempting to bring down a passenger aircraft bound for Tel Aviv.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli President Isaac Herzog will present Israel’s highest civilian award for heroism on Thursday to six Israelis whose actions helped avert catastrophe aboard the FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv after the co-pilot attacked the captain and the aircraft plunged thousands of feet.

The six recipients of the President’s Award for Civilian Heroism are Or Bardilov, Yaniv Hayun, Dr. Shota Musayev, Tali Manes, Zvika Manes and Assaf Rajuan. The awards will be presented at a ceremony at the President’s Residence in Yerushalayim.

The six played different roles during the dramatic events aboard FlyDubai Flight FZ1073, which was carrying more than 170 people when the co-pilot attacked Indian Captain Smit Machchhar inside the cockpit as the aircraft was en route to Israel.

Despite suffering serious wounds, Machchhar fought with the attacker and managed to open the cockpit door, a move that ultimately allowed passengers to reach the cockpit and intervene.

Tali Manes, who was near the cockpit with her young daughter, heard the sounds of a violent struggle coming from inside and was the first to raise the alarm, calling on other passengers to help.

Yaniv Hayun, Zvika Manes and Assaf Rajuan responded and rushed toward the cockpit, where they confronted the attacker and managed to overpower and restrain him while placing themselves in serious danger.

During the struggle, with the aircraft rapidly losing altitude, Hayun also grabbed the controls and pulled back on them in an effort to stabilize the plane. Hayun, a plumber with no formal aviation training, later said that his limited understanding of what to do came from watching the television program “Air Crash Investigation.”

The passengers ultimately restrained the attacker with materials available aboard the aircraft, including headphone cables, while others guarded him as efforts shifted toward saving the wounded captain and getting the plane safely onto the ground.

Tali Manes continued taking action even after the immediate threat had been brought under control. According to the President’s Residence, she called for qualified pilots who were traveling as passengers in the rear of the aircraft to come forward and assist in regaining control of the plane.

Dr. Shota Musayev, a dentist, turned his attention to Machchhar, who was suffering from severe wounds and substantial blood loss. Musayev treated the captain for an extended period, working to stop the bleeding, monitoring his condition and keeping him conscious until the aircraft could make its emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.

The plane ultimately landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where the attacker was taken into custody. The captain was transported for emergency medical treatment.

In the days following the incident, the actions of the passengers and Machchhar drew widespread praise in Israel and abroad, with government leaders saying their intervention had prevented what could have become one of the deadliest aviation terror attacks in years.

Last week, Herzog personally contacted four of the passengers to tell them that he intended to recommend them to the advisory committee responsible for the civilian heroism award. As additional testimony about the incident emerged, the full extent of Tali Manes’ role became clearer, and Herzog subsequently spoke with her as well.

“Tali, the more we learn about what happened during those dramatic moments, the clearer it becomes just how significant a role you played in saving the lives of the passengers on the plane,” Herzog told her. “You heard that something terrible was happening, immediately understood the magnitude of the danger, raised the alarm, called for help, and did not stop taking action even after the attacker had been neutralized.”

Herzog praised Manes for continuing to think and act during the emergency even after the assailant had been restrained.

“The resourcefulness, sense of responsibility, and composure you displayed in moments of life-threatening danger are civilian heroism in the fullest sense of the word. You are a hero, Tali, and I am proud of you and thank you on behalf of the State of Israel.”

Herzog has also singled out Machchhar for praise, saying the Indian captain’s determination despite his grave injuries made it possible for the passengers to intervene and ultimately helped save those aboard the aircraft.

The President’s Award for Civilian Heroism is Israel’s highest civilian decoration recognizing acts of heroism. Herzog established the award following the October 7 massacre to formally recognize civilians who knowingly put their own lives in genuine danger to save others.

Recipients are selected after their actions are examined and an advisory committee submits its recommendations to the president. Previous honorees have included civilians whose extraordinary actions saved lives during the October 7 attacks and other life-threatening incidents.

Thursday’s ceremony will now recognize the six Israelis whose actions, together with those of Machchhar and others aboard the flight, turned what appeared to be a rapidly unfolding disaster in the skies into an extraordinary rescue in which the passengers were brought safely to the ground.

{Matzav.com}

Sen. Ted Cruz launched an extraordinary broadside against Tucker Carlson, accusing the conservative commentator of defending Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany after Carlson repeatedly questioned whether Britain benefited from defeating Hitler in World War II during a contentious interview with former British Cabinet minister Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg.

Cruz devoted a significant portion of Monday’s “Verdict with Ted Cruz” podcast to Carlson’s interview, joining co-host Ben Ferguson in dissecting Carlson’s statements about Hitler, Britain, World War II and Russia. Cruz argued that the comments were part of what he sees as a broader shift in Carlson’s politics and worldview.

“Come on, Tucker didn’t go full Nazi, did he?” Cruz said sarcastically before playing audio from Carlson’s interview. “I want you to give a listen to Tucker saying that he really wishes Hitler had won World War II.”

Carlson did not, however, explicitly state during the exchange that he wished Hitler had won the war. Rather, Carlson repeatedly pressed Rees-Mogg on whether Britain was ultimately better off because it fought and defeated Nazi Germany.

“We did the right thing,” Rees-Mogg said.

“Is it a better country than it was? To have defeated Hitler, yes. So the U.K. is a better country now? It’s a healthier country now?” Carlson responded.

“Otherwise, we’d be speaking German,” Rees-Mogg replied.

“Who cares?” Carlson said. “There are a lot of people in Britain who can’t speak English. So it would be nice to have at least a European language spoken in your country.”

Rees-Mogg immediately rejected that reasoning. “We want to speak English. Thanks so much.”

Ferguson said he was “truly shocked” by the exchange, while Cruz pointed to his own public response to Carlson’s remarks.

“Yes, Tucker. The U.K. is better off for winning World War II. America is better off for winning World War II. And the world would be much worse off if the Nazis had won World War II. This is not complicated.”

The Carlson-Rees-Mogg interview, released Friday, was originally framed largely around Britain’s approach to Russia and the war in Ukraine. But the discussion expanded into an extended debate about Britain’s role in World War II, including whether Hitler actually intended to wage war against Britain.

“Hitler did not want to go to war with the U.K.,” Carlson said, later stressing that Hitler had “repeatedly” said publicly and through diplomatic channels that he did not want war with Britain.

Rees-Mogg challenged Carlson’s reliance on Hitler’s stated intentions, pointing to the Nazi leader’s record of violating agreements and breaking promises as Germany expanded across Europe.

“You seem to be putting more trust in Hitler than I would,” he told Carlson, pointing to Hitler’s broken agreements and adding, “I’m very surprised you’re verging on defending Hitler.”

“Yeah, I guess I’m just a secret Nazi,” Carlson responded. “I’m actually not a secret Nazi.”

“I’m reassured,” Rees-Mogg dryly replied.

“And hardly a public Nazi,” Carlson added.

Cruz seized on that portion of the interview, describing Carlson as “blazingly naive and willfully naive” in his approach to dictators and authoritarian governments.

“We’re now less than a month away from Election Day, and Tucker Carlson decided, what do you want to do right before Election Day?” Cruz asked rhetorically.

Cruz then delivered his most blistering attack of the podcast, tying the World War II controversy to his longstanding disputes with Carlson over President Trump, Israel, antisemitism and foreign policy.

“I know, become a full-on Nazi. Embrace Adolf Hitler, defend the Nazis, argue America should have been standing with the Nazis. You know, poor Adolf was just misunderstood. We’re going to come with the receipts of even for Tucker, long after he’s gone down the road of hating Donald Trump, long after he’s gone down the road of hating Israel and Jews, long after he’s gone down the road of hating Christian Zionists, and becoming a full-on jihadist, long after he has embraced Abdul El-Sayed, Tucker decided, you know, I don’t have enough Nazi love on my show, and this past week he sought to correct that. You can hear and judge for yourself.”

The episode marked another escalation in an increasingly bitter feud between two highly influential figures on the American right. Cruz has become one of Carlson’s most vocal conservative critics, particularly over Carlson’s treatment of Israel, Jews and figures accused of promoting antisemitism.

The dispute intensified after Carlson interviewed Nick Fuentes last year. Cruz subsequently called Carlson “the single-most dangerous demagogue in this country” and warned about what he sees as the increasing acceptance of antisemitism within portions of the political right.

Cruz’s latest criticism was not limited to Carlson’s discussion of Hitler. He also targeted Carlson over another exchange with Rees-Mogg concerning the relative economic strength of Russia and Britain.

Carlson asserted that Russia has a “much larger economy” than Britain, pointing to the country’s natural resources, manufacturing capacity and size.

Rees-Mogg challenged him, noting that Russia’s nominal gross domestic product is smaller than that of the United Kingdom despite Russia possessing a substantially larger population and enormous natural resources. Carlson countered that GDP was not the only measure of a country’s economic strength and pointed instead to Russia’s underlying resources and industrial capacity.

“Tucker has an ideological mission,” Cruz charged. “It is a mission to tear down America, to tear down free enterprise, to tear down the Constitution.”

Cruz went further, accusing Carlson’s rhetoric of working to “build up the Nazis” as well as Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The two conservatives have also diverged sharply over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Carlson has repeatedly questioned Washington’s support for Kyiv and argued that U.S. leaders exaggerate the threat posed by Moscow, while Cruz has taken a far more hawkish approach toward Russia.

Another portion of Carlson’s interview focused on Britain’s treatment during World War II of Oswald Mosley, the leader of the British Union of Fascists, who was detained by the British government along with hundreds of other suspected fascist sympathizers under wartime emergency regulations.

Cruz interpreted Carlson’s criticism of those actions as another example of the same pattern he saw throughout the interview.

“Tucker is all in on defending the Nazis against the West.”

The uproar over Carlson’s interview has extended beyond Cruz. Rees-Mogg subsequently said he could not understand Carlson’s increasingly extreme positions and suggested that the incentives of online media and the pursuit of audience engagement could be contributing to Carlson’s provocative rhetoric.

Poland’s government has also entered the controversy after Carlson discussed Hitler’s grievances against Poland and questioned the circumstances that led Britain to declare war on Germany following the Nazi invasion of Poland in September 1939. Bogdan Klich, Poland’s top diplomat in Washington, demanded that Carlson retract his remarks and apologize, accusing him of becoming “an apologist for Adolf Hitler.”

Cruz ended his discussion by describing Carlson’s rhetoric as “profoundly dangerous” and telling listeners that they did not need to rely on his characterization of Carlson’s views because the underlying interview was available for them to hear themselves.

“You don’t have to take my word for it,” Cruz said, “because you can listen in his own words as we played today.”

{Matzav.com}

Poland’s top diplomat in Washington has demanded that Tucker Carlson publicly retract and apologize for his remarks about Nazi Germany’s 1939 invasion of Poland, accusing the prominent commentator of advancing a false version of history and becoming “an apologist for Adolf Hitler.”

Bogdan Klich, chargé d’affaires at the Polish Embassy in Washington, issued the extraordinary rebuke after Carlson questioned Britain’s decision to enter World War II and argued during an interview with former British Cabinet minister Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg that Adolf Hitler had legitimate grievances against Poland over German territory lost following World War I.

Klich said Carlson’s portrayal of the events leading to World War II was “false and deeply troubling,” describing his treatment of Hitler’s invasion as a “colossal insult” to the millions of victims of Nazism, including American servicemen killed or wounded in the fight to liberate Europe.

“Nazi propaganda cannot be rehabilitated under the guise of free speech,” Klich wrote, demanding an immediate public retraction and apology.

The clash erupted following Carlson’s lengthy conversation with Rees-Mogg, during which Carlson challenged the conventional understanding of Britain’s entry into World War II and questioned whether the United Kingdom ultimately benefited from fighting Nazi Germany.

Carlson argued that Germany had lost territory populated by Germans to Poland following World War I and disputed the characterization of Hitler’s Sept. 1, 1939, invasion as an unprovoked act of aggression. Rees-Mogg repeatedly pushed back, at one point accusing Carlson of “verging on defending Hitler.”

Carlson also questioned why Britain had declared war on Germany when Hitler had publicly claimed that he did not intend to attack Britain. Britain and France declared war on Germany on Sept. 3, 1939, two days after German forces invaded Poland.

Polish officials responded that Hitler’s assurances about his territorial ambitions cannot be separated from his repeated pattern of making commitments and subsequently violating them.

At Munich in September 1938, Britain and France agreed to Germany’s annexation of the predominantly German-speaking Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia after Hitler pledged that the territorial settlement would satisfy Germany’s demands and that future disputes would be handled peacefully.

Within six months, Hitler violated that understanding. German forces entered the Czech lands in March 1939, dismantling what remained of Czechoslovakia and placing Bohemia and Moravia under German occupation.

Germany had similarly signed a nonaggression pact with Poland in 1934, ostensibly committing the two countries to resolve disputes without military force. Hitler renounced the agreement in April 1939, and Germany invaded Poland just over four months later.

The invasion was also preceded by the secret Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact between Nazi Germany and Joseph Stalin’s Soviet Union. Under a secret protocol attached to the agreement, the two totalitarian powers divided Poland and other parts of Eastern Europe into German and Soviet spheres of influence.

Germany attacked Poland from the west on Sept. 1, while Soviet forces invaded from the east on Sept. 17. Poland was subsequently partitioned between the two regimes.

While Germany’s public demands before the war centered heavily on the Free City of Danzig and transportation access across the Polish Corridor, diplomatic records from the period indicate that Hitler’s demands expanded as the crisis intensified.

A U.S. diplomatic report produced shortly before the invasion described Hitler as demanding Danzig, the Corridor and Polish provinces including Pomerania and Silesia while threatening to “crush Poland.”

Klich said Carlson’s presentation ignored the broader historical record of Nazi Germany’s plans for Poland and Europe. He argued that the Sept. 1 invasion was a deliberately planned war of aggression intended to destroy the Polish state and ultimately facilitate further German conquest.

Poland suffered catastrophic losses under Nazi occupation. Approximately six million Polish citizens were killed during World War II, roughly half of them Jews murdered as part of the Holocaust. Poland was also the site of Nazi extermination camps where millions of Jews from across Europe were murdered.

Rees-Mogg continued challenging Carlson throughout their exchange, rejecting Carlson’s contention that Britain’s decision to confront Nazi Germany had been a mistake.

Following the interview, Rees-Mogg suggested that Carlson’s increasingly provocative positions could be influenced in part by the incentives of the online media environment and the audiences generated by controversial material.

The controversy also drew a sharp response from Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who has become one of Carlson’s most outspoken Republican critics.

“Yes, Tucker, the UK is better off for winning WWII,” Cruz wrote. “America is better off for winning World War II. And the world would be much worse off if the Nazis had won WWII. This is not complicated.”

Cruz has previously called Carlson “the single-most dangerous demagogue in this country” while warning about the growth of antisemitism on the political right.

The Texas senator has been particularly critical of Carlson’s decision to conduct a friendly interview with Nick Fuentes, who has openly expressed antisemitic views and praised Hitler. Cruz has accused Carlson and others in his orbit of attempting to move parts of the conservative movement toward hostility to Israel and greater tolerance of antisemitism.

Carlson, meanwhile, has become increasingly outspoken in his opposition to U.S. support for Israel and has repeatedly clashed with prominent Republicans and pro-Israel conservatives over the issue. His critics have accused him of amplifying antisemitic figures and conspiracy theories, accusations Carlson and his supporters have pushed back against.

In February, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee challenged Carlson directly over several of his claims during a contentious interview between the two men.

For Polish officials, however, the latest confrontation is centered squarely on World War II and what they view as an attempt to rewrite the circumstances surrounding the Nazi invasion that devastated their country.

“History must not be distorted,” Klich wrote. “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] United Torah Judaism chairman MK Yaakov Asher issued a blistering condemnation Monday of a campaign video released by Sharren Haskel, warning that if a chareidi person is harmed as a result of what he called the video’s incitement, responsibility will rest with Haskel.

The controversial video, published by Haskel, chairwoman of the newly established Israel First party, depicts a chareidi bochur approaching a wounded IDF soldier and taking money from him. The video was posted under the Hebrew caption “Kahal Shavui,” meaning a “captive audience.”

WATCH:

Asher accused Haskel and those responsible for the video of using imagery and messaging that demonizes the chareidi community.

“An antisemitic incitement video that mainly testifies about its creators — haters of people and haters of religion,” Asher said. “This is the permitting of chareidi blood in a style remembered from dark periods in history.”

The UTJ chairman then issued an even sharper warning about what he said could be the consequences of such rhetoric.

“If a chareidi is harmed as a result of this incitement, the blood is on Sharren Haskel’s hands,” Asher said.

UTJ MK Meir Porush also condemned the video, characterizing it as antisemitic election propaganda and noting Haskel’s recent service as deputy foreign minister.

“What complaints can we have against the Green Party in Britain when a former deputy foreign minister here in Israel publishes antisemitic election propaganda?” Porush wrote.

Haskel served until recently as deputy foreign minister in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. She subsequently left Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar’s New Hope faction and established a new political party, Israel First, as she prepared for the upcoming elections.

Her new political venture has received the backing of Jonathan Pollard, who served 30 years in an American prison after being convicted of spying for Israel. Pollard joined Haskel’s party in August, appearing with her near the Kosel to announce his support.

“At October 7, I saw that the country was abandoned and betrayed. With you, I hope there will be a new government dedicated to protecting the land and the people of Israel,” Pollard said at the time.

Pollard also praised Haskel for the efforts she made on his behalf before his release from the restrictions that remained following his imprisonment.

“You fought for me without boasting about it,” Pollard told her.

The dispute over Haskel’s video comes amid an increasingly charged election campaign in which the military draft and the status of chareidi yeshiva bochurim have emerged as major political flashpoints, with chareidi lawmakers accusing political rivals of exploiting hostility toward their community for electoral gain.

A seemingly ordinary photograph of an Israeli boy posing with Flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar has taken on extraordinary significance after the veteran pilot was critically wounded while battling to save Flight FZ1073 from an attempted takeover.

The photograph was shared by Mor Levy Aharoni, a Dubai-based real estate attorney, who said her son Ariel had insisted on taking a picture with Machchhar approximately one month before the terrifying incident aboard the Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv.

At the time, it was simply a photograph with a pilot. After what happened aboard FZ1073, Aharoni said she sees the picture very differently.

“Apparently he felt that he was taking a picture with a hero, and we didn’t even know it. If not for this hero, only God knows where we would be today,” she wrote.

Aharoni said the remarkable coincidence generated an emotional response online, as people reacted to the image of the young Israeli standing beside the man who, just weeks later, would play a critical role in preventing a potentially catastrophic attack involving a plane filled with Israeli passengers.

Machchhar was critically wounded during the attack inside the cockpit when the Omani co-pilot allegedly assaulted him and attempted to seize control of the Boeing 737.

During the struggle, the aircraft plunged nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds before control was restored, as passengers and crew members fought to restrain the alleged attacker.

Speaking from his hospital bed with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Machchhar later described how, despite his serious wounds, he understood that he had to act immediately.

The captain managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and other crew members to intervene and overpower the attacker. Two additional pilots who happened to be traveling aboard the flight subsequently helped stabilize the aircraft and safely divert it to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

Machchhar brought extensive experience to the cockpit that day. He has accumulated approximately 9,750 flight hours aboard Boeing 737 aircraft and joined Flydubai as a captain in 2022 following many years with Indian carrier SpiceJet.

For Aharoni and her son, however, the story now has an intensely personal dimension: a photograph taken on an ordinary day in Dubai, weeks before anyone knew the captain’s name, captured Ariel smiling alongside the pilot who would soon be hailed for helping save the lives of those aboard Flight FZ1073.

{Matzav.com}

Forty-eight survivors of the Nova massacre have taken upon themselves to keep Shabbos after spending the past year studying its halachos, according to Rebbetzin Tzila Schneider of Kesher Yehudi, who described an extraordinary Simchas Torah gathering that brought hundreds of Nova survivors and bereaved families together for tefillah, hakafos and a hachnosas Sefer Torah in memory of those murdered on October 7.

Speaking with Rav Moshe Ben Lulu on the “Begovah Halev” program on Kol Chai, Schneider said approximately 350 people gathered at Yerushalayim’s Olive Tree Hotel on the eve of Yom Tov for a memorial ceremony and candle lighting in memory of the victims.

During Simchas Torah itself, the hakafos were dedicated to those who were murdered, while participants accepted various new commitments in their personal avodas Hashem, including keeping Shabbos, putting on tefillin, wearing tzitzis, honoring their parents and reciting Krias Shema al hamitah.

“A large part of this group spoke about the rectification — where were we three years ago, where were we dancing, what were we dancing with in our hands, and where are we now? Seeking only closeness to God,” Schneider said.

The gatherings carried particular meaning for survivors of the Nova music festival, where hundreds were murdered during the Hamas-led massacre on Simchas Torah three years ago. For some of those who survived, Schneider said, the anniversary has become a time for spiritual growth and a reconsideration of how they want to live their lives.

On Motzoei Simchas Torah, Kesher Yehudi held a hachnosas Sefer Torah at the shul of one of the Nova survivors who has since undertaken to observe Shabbos. The celebration took place during hakafos shniyos and drew hundreds of participants.

Among those standing on the stage were 48 Nova survivors whom Schneider described as “heroes of Shabbat.” Over the past year, she said, the group underwent an intensive program studying the halachos of Shabbos, both through Zoom classes and individual chavrusas, culminating in their commitment to become shomrei Shabbos.

Each of the 48 participants dedicated a portion of the new Sefer Torah in memory of a friend who was murdered at Nova.

“There were rivers of tears,” Schneider said.

Schneider said the experience demonstrated what she described as a widespread desire among secular Israelis to learn more about Yiddishkeit, and she issued a direct appeal to the chareidi and broader Torah-observant community to personally become involved.

“I want every Torah-observant person to take one chavrusa for themselves,” she said, explaining that Kesher Yehudi is currently receiving numerous requests from secular Jews who want someone with whom they can learn and grow.

Schneider related the story of a girl named Lin who began dressing more b’tznius and was mocked by classmates because of the change. Eventually, she said, Lin’s family also began keeping Shabbos.

She also spoke about another girl, Romi, who now comes to the family’s home every Shabbos so that she can spend the day observing Shabbos together with them.

Schneider said opportunities for such relationships are often much closer than people realize and urged observant Jews not to assume that someone who appears distant from Yiddishkeit is uninterested in learning.

“There is a neighbor, there is a friend at work, there is a friend’s son who is interested. Offer people — I want to learn with you once a week,” she said.

Those interested in volunteering as a chavrusa through Kesher Yehudi can contact the organization at 073-2244555.

Rep. Rashida Tlaib is demanding that Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer stop an Israeli defense technology company from establishing a new manufacturing operation in the state, attacking a project expected to bring at least $5 million in investment and 125 jobs to the Detroit area.

The Michigan Democrat is targeting Capture Group Inc., the newly established American arm of Israel-based Capture Systems Ltd., which plans to open a manufacturing and engineering hub in Sterling Heights, a major center of Michigan’s defense industry in Macomb County.

The project was publicly celebrated by Whitmer’s administration just last month. The state approved a $936,000 performance-based grant through the Michigan Business Development Program to support the expansion, which is expected to generate at least 125 new jobs over five years.

The jobs are slated to begin at $25 an hour plus benefits, according to state officials. Capture Group has committed to investing at least $5 million in the facility.

Tlaib, however, is urging Whitmer, a fellow Democrat, to reverse course and prevent state taxpayer money from going toward the Israeli-owned company.

In comments Sunday, Tlaib accused Michigan of directing public funds toward “bombs that kill children” while “small businesses, many of them black- and women-owned” are struggling for support.

She further charged that Capture Systems manufactures weapons “used to commit genocide.”

Calling Michigan an “anti-war and anti-genocide state,” Tlaib declared that Capture Systems has “no place in our state and should not be receiving a dime of public funds.”

Capture Systems specializes in defense and homeland-security technology, with a particular emphasis on counter-drone systems designed to detect, identify and neutralize unmanned aerial threats. The Israeli company created Capture Group Inc. this year as part of its effort to establish a permanent American presence and expand its access to the U.S. defense market.

Once operational, the Sterling Heights facility is expected to manufacture counter-UAS platforms, optical surveillance equipment and mobile defense systems. It will also serve as a center for developing, integrating and testing advanced counter-drone technology and remote-controlled weapon stations.

The company had considered locating the operation in Florida or Virginia before selecting Michigan, according to state officials.

When Whitmer announced the investment in September, she portrayed the project as a significant addition to Michigan’s growing defense industry.

“Michigan is on the move and open for business, competing for and winning big projects in next-generation industries from aviation to defense,” Whitmer said. “Today’s announcement will create 125 new good-paying jobs and help cement Michigan as the best place for cutting-edge research and development that moves our nation forward. Let’s keep working together to show the world that Michigan is the best place to build the future.”

Capture Systems Group Chief Operating Officer Avi Braun similarly described the decision to build in Michigan as part of the company’s broader expansion into the American market.

“We are honored to partner with the State of Michigan as we establish Capture Systems’ U.S. manufacturing and engineering hub,” Braun said. “This investment represents a major milestone in our global expansion strategy and reflects our long-term commitment to creating high-value jobs, investing in advanced manufacturing, and strengthening America’s defense industrial base. Michigan offers an exceptional combination of engineering talent, manufacturing excellence, and a business-friendly environment, making it the ideal location for our next phase of growth. We look forward to becoming a long-term member of Michigan’s defense and aerospace ecosystem while delivering innovative technologies that help protect critical infrastructure, law enforcement, and military personnel.”

Tlaib’s effort to derail the project has also drawn opposition from within her own party.

Michigan state Rep. Noah Arbit, a Democrat representing the state’s 20th District, defended Capture Systems and argued that the technologies it produces are important to American national security.

Arbit said the company develops “the kinds of systems that the U.S. needs to compete with China, Russia and other adversaries.”

The dispute pits Tlaib against an economic-development project championed by Whitmer’s administration at a time when Michigan has been working to expand its defense and advanced-manufacturing footprint. Sterling Heights already forms a major part of the state’s defense corridor, and local officials welcomed Capture Group’s decision to establish its U.S. operations there.

Tlaib, a member of the progressive congressional faction known as “The Squad,” has been one of Israel’s most outspoken opponents in Congress and has repeatedly sought to curtail American military assistance to the Jewish state.

Following the Hamas massacre in Israel on October 7, 2023, Tlaib continued accusing Israel of maintaining an “apartheid system” and criticized American funding “to support the apartheid government”.

She has also repeatedly defended her use of the slogan “from the river to the sea,” describing it as an expression of support for Palestinian Arab freedom despite widespread criticism that the phrase calls for eliminating Israel as a Jewish state.

Tlaib also came under intense criticism after initially blaming Israel for the October 2023 explosion at Gaza’s Al-Ahli Hospital. Subsequent U.S. and Israeli assessments determined that the blast was caused by a failed rocket fired from Gaza by Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

Whitmer’s administration has not indicated that it intends to withdraw the grant or abandon the Capture Group project in response to Tlaib’s demand.

{Matzav.com}