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Argentina’s President Javier Milei has been selected to light a torch at the official Independence Day ceremony on Har Herzl, in recognition of his strong and consistent support for Israel on the international stage.

The announcement was made Thursday evening by Culture and Sports Minister Miri Regev, who said she chose Milei for the honor due to his firm backing of Israel through a series of diplomatic and policy decisions.

Milei, who has led Argentina for the past two and a half years, has taken a number of notable steps in support of Israel. These include recognizing Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, Hezbollah, and Hamas as terrorist organizations, advocating for the release of hostages, renaming a street previously called “Palestine” to “Bibas Family Street,” and actively fighting antisemitism in international forums while defending Israel’s right to protect itself.

Regev praised Milei’s leadership and close relationship with Israel, stating: “In these very complex years that we are in the midst of, the State of Israel has found in Buenos Aires a true friend and a devoted partner. President Javier Milei is one of the prominent leaders of the free world and one of Israel’s closest allies, a true friend and a true Zionist, an example of partnership, loyalty, and appreciation for the Jewish people and one of the greatest friends of the Jewish people. Choosing him expresses the tremendous gratitude that all Israeli citizens feel toward his leadership and our immense pride in the warm and close relationship between Israel and Argentina.”

Earlier in the day, additional torch lighters were announced, including hostage and missing persons coordinator Gal Hirsch, as well as Talik Guaili, whose son, police officer Ran Hy”d, was killed on October 7. Also selected was Rabbi Avraham Zarbiv, who is currently serving in the reserves.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said he has no intention of stepping down, pushing back on the idea during his first interview with an American television network, portions of which aired Thursday.

In a segment of a longer interview set to be broadcast Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press, journalist Kristen Welker asked Díaz-Canel whether he would be “willing to step down if it meant saving Cuba.”

Before responding directly, Díaz-Canel challenged the premise of the question, asking whether it had been posed to other world leaders: “Is that a question from you, or is that coming from the State Department of the U.S. government?”

He went on to stress Cuba’s independence, saying, “In Cuba, the people who are in leadership position are not elected by the U.S. government, and they don’t have a mandate from the U.S. government. We have a free sovereign state.”

Díaz-Canel said his leadership was not driven by personal or political ambition but rather by the will of the Cuban people.

“If the Cuban people understand that I am not fit for office, that I have no reason to be here, then I should not be holding this position of president, I will respond to them,” he said.

The interview comes at a time of continued strain between Cuba and the United States, even as both sides acknowledge that discussions have taken place, though no specifics have been made public.

Díaz-Canel accused Washington of maintaining a “hostile policy” toward Cuba and argued that it has “no moral to demand anything from Cuba.”

He also said the U.S. should take responsibility for the impact of its policies, noting “and how much they have deprived the American people from a normal relationship with the Cuban people.”

While criticizing U.S. actions, Díaz-Canel said Cuba remains open to dialogue on any issue, without preconditions, stating it would proceed “not demanding changes from our political system as we are not demanding change from the American system, about which we have a number of doubts.”

Cuban officials continue to attribute the country’s worsening economic situation to U.S. energy restrictions, with fuel shortages affecting healthcare, transportation, and the production of goods.

In late March, a Russian tanker carrying 730,000 barrels of crude oil reached Cuba, marking the first such shipment in three months, with another delivery expected.

Despite earlier threats in January to impose tariffs on countries supplying oil to Cuba, President Donald Trump ultimately allowed the shipment to go forward.

“Cuba’s finished,” Trump said at the time. “They have a bad regime. They have very bad and corrupt leadership and whether or not they get a boat of oil, it’s not going to matter.”

Tonight is known in many circles as “Rumpelnacht,” as the post-Pesach cleanup gets underway. With pots, pans and dishes all over the place and kitchenware being moved from here to there, the name “Rumpelnacht” has been found appropriate by some to describe the hectic atmosphere.

So as you “turn back over” from Pesach to chometz, Matzav.com wishes you bracha and hatzlacha and all the best to your families and loved ones.

We also wish you the customary Motzoei Pesach blessing of “ah gezunte zummer” and pray for only the best for all members of Klal Yisroel across the globe. May we all see yeshuos and refuos, collectively and individually, and may we see an end to the current difficult situation.

Next year in Yerushalayim, be’ezras Hashem.

{Matzav.com Newscenter}

Kamal Kharazi, Iran’s former foreign minister, has died after being wounded in joint U.S.-Israel strikes carried out on April 1, according to reports published Thursday by Iranian media outlets.

Kharazi, who was 81, was serving as chairman of Iran’s Strategic Council for International Relations, an entity affiliated with the country’s foreign ministry, at the time of the attack.

Iranian news agencies Mehr and ISNA reported that the longtime diplomat, “who was wounded in a terrorist attack carried out by the American-Zionist enemy a few days ago, died a martyr tonight”.

Reports also indicated that Kharazi’s wife was killed when their residence in Tehran was struck during the assault.

Over the course of his career, Kharazi held several high-profile diplomatic posts, including serving as Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations in New York before later becoming foreign minister from 1997 through 2005 under President Mohammad Khatami.

President Donald Trump issued a lengthy statement on Truth Social Thursday, taking aim at several well-known conservative commentators who once supported him but are now criticizing his position on Iran.

In his remarks, Trump singled out Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, Candace Owens, and Alex Jones, all of whom have recently spoken out against his handling of tensions with the Islamic Republic.

“They think it is wonderful for Iran, the Number One State Sponsor of Terror, to have a Nuclear Weapon – Because they have one thing in common, Low IQs,” Trump charged.

Carlson and Kelly, both of whom previously worked at Fox News, have been especially outspoken. Kelly reacted angrily to Trump’s earlier warning this week that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran did not agree to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, urging the president to “…shut up about that ….” Carlson, for his part, called Trump’s statement “vile on every level.”

The criticism marks a notable shift, as all four figures had strongly backed Trump during the 2024 presidential race. Speaking at the Republican National Convention, Carlson said that following the assassination attempt against Trump, he “was the leader of a nation.” Kelly, addressing a rally in Pittsburgh, told supporters she preferred “a president who understands how to be strong and how to fight” and encouraged them to “vote Trump and get 10 friends to vote Trump too.”

Responding to their recent comments, Trump suggested that Carlson, Kelly, and others who have turned against him “should see a good psychiatrist.”

Candace Owens fired back on social media, casting doubt on Trump’s mental condition and writing, “It may be time to put Grandpa up in a home.”

Owens has also previously voiced regret over promoting Trump during the campaign. In an interview with Piers Morgan Uncensored, she said: “I don’t regret voting for Donald Trump above [former Vice President] Kamala [Harris]. I think he was the better candidate – certainly a better candidate above [former President] Joe Biden. But what I will say is that he’s been a chronic disappointment, and I feel embarrassed that I told people to go vote for him.”

Trump also took aim at Alex Jones, referring to him as “Bankrupt” and criticizing him for “his horrendous attack on the families of the Sandy Hook shooting victims, ridiculously claiming it was a hoax.”

Jones, who hosted Trump on InfoWars in 2015, responded in a video message expressing disappointment. “I’m just so sad that whatever’s happened to him has totally changed the man he once was. He did so much good.” He added that he feels “sorry for him and pray that God touches his heart and soul and free him from the demonic influences that he’s under.”

Despite claiming he does not care about their opinions, Trump’s post ran close to 500 words and dismissed the group as no longer aligned with his political movement, saying they are “not ‘MAGA,’ they’re losers, just trying to latch on to MAGA.”

Pakistan’s defense minister sparked a diplomatic firestorm on Thursday after issuing a blistering condemnation of Israel, prompting sharp responses from Israeli leadership at a time when Pakistan is attempting to facilitate talks between the United States and Iran and amid ongoing Israeli military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Khawaja Asif, Pakistan’s Minister of Defense, posted a strongly worded message on X, declaring that “Israel is evil and a curse for humanity, while peace talks are underway in Islamabad, genocide is being committed in Lebanon.”

He went on to escalate his rhetoric further, writing: “Innocent citizens are being killed by Israel, first Gaza, then Iran, and now Lebanon, bloodletting continues unabated. I hope and pray people who created this cancerous state on Palestinian land to get rid of European jews burn in hell.”

Israel’s Foreign Minister, Gideon Sa’ar, issued a forceful response, condemning the remarks and warning that such language undermines any claim of neutrality in mediation efforts. He stated that “Israel views these blatant antisemitic blood libels very gravely from a government claiming to ‘mediate peace.'”

Sa’ar added that “calling the Jewish state ‘cancerous’ is effectively calling for its annihilation.”

“Israel will defend itself against terrorists who vow its destruction,” Sa’ar vowed.

The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office also weighed in, denouncing the Pakistani minister’s comments in strong terms. “Pakistan Defense Minister’s call for Israel’s annihilation is outrageous. This is not a statement that can be tolerated from any government, especially not from one that claims to be a neutral arbiter for peace.”