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A Belzer yungerman was arrested in Kiryat Gat on Friday afternoon, just hours before Shabbos, on allegations of draft evasion, setting off protests, sharp criticism from Belz erleaders, and an immediate investigation ordered by Israel Police Commissioner Daniel Levy.

The yungerman was detained by police and is currently being held at the police station on Sderot Lachish in Kiryat Gat.

According to eyewitnesses, the arrest occurred after the yungerman approached police officers in an effort to assist them during a gathering that had developed in the area. Witnesses claim that despite his attempt to help, officers subsequently sought to transfer him to the Military Police due to his alleged status as a draft evader.

Following the arrest, the “Tzeva Shachor” protest alert network, which mobilizes demonstrations in response to the detention of bnei yeshiva and yungeleit, called on members of the public to gather at the scene and protest in an effort to prevent his transfer to military authorities.

The arrest drew an angry response from within the Belzer community. A source in the chassidus harshly criticized the move, saying, “Police Commissioner Daniel Levy has lost his bearings. There are hundreds in Belz who enlist. If this young man is not released, they will all be returning home on Sunday.”

The unusually strong statement comes amid heightened sensitivity surrounding relations between the chareidi community and both the police and military, particularly regarding the detention of bnei yeshiva and yungerleit classified as draft evaders.

The current incident has generated particular outrage because, according to eyewitness accounts, the yungerman was not participating in any confrontation with law enforcement. Rather, they say, he approached officers in an effort to assist them during an event taking place in the city.

The controversy also comes one day after a report on Channel 12 News revealed that police are formulating a new policy for handling chareidi draft evaders in an effort to reduce tensions with the chareidi public.

Under the proposed framework, a chareidi draft evader who voluntarily enters a police station to file a complaint, report a missing person, or receive police services would not be detained or transferred to the Military Police.

However, if a police officer encounters a draft evader during a routine traffic stop, at a checkpoint, or in another incidental encounter, the individual would still be detained and transferred to military authorities under existing procedures.

Supporters of the detained yungerman argue that his case falls outside the category of routine enforcement, maintaining that he approached officers of his own accord to assist them and should not have been treated as someone attempting to evade authorities.

Representatives of the chassidus warned that failure to release the yungerman could lead to a significant deterioration in relations between the chareidi community and law enforcement as early as next week.

As the controversy intensified, Commissioner Daniel Levy instructed police officials to immediately investigate the circumstances surrounding the young chareidi man’s detention. The review was ordered following claims that the yungerman was arrested despite having approached officers to assist them during an incident in the city, rather than as part of any confrontation with police or attempt to avoid law enforcement authorities.

According to reports, the commissioner also directed that the full chain of events leading to the arrest be examined in light of the conflicting accounts surrounding the incident.

A long-running chapter in Satmar reached its conclusion Thursday as representatives of the four sons of the late Satmar Rebbe, the Berach Moshe, gathered for a landmark meeting to complete the distribution of the Rebbe’s treasured estate, including rare sifrei kodesh, manuscripts, and sacred heirlooms worth millions of dollars.

The historic gathering, which followed nearly two decades of negotiations, delays, and quiet efforts to resolve the issue, took place under a veil of secrecy at the home of philanthropist Reb Lipa Friedman on the outskirts of Monsey.

Representing the heirs were Rav Yoel Teitelbaum, Av Beis Din of Beis Baruch in Kiryas Yoel and son of the Satmar Rebbe, Rav Aharon Teitelbaum; Rav Chaim Hersh Teitelbaum, son of Rav Lipa Teitelbaum of Zenta; Rav Yaakov Dov Teitelbaum, Av Beis Din of Sighet and son of the Satmar Rebbe, Rav Zalman Leib Teitelbaum; and Rav Moshe Horowitz, son-in-law of Rav Shalom Eliezer Teitelbaum, Av Beis Din of Satmar 15.

Serving as witnesses to the lottery were Rav Sholom Glick, a senior member of Yeshivas Mesivta D’Satmar and Satmar rov in Lakewood, and Rav Shimon Katz, a dayan of the Satmar community in Monsey.

As first reported before Pesach, members of the family had signed a joint letter calling upon anyone in possession of items belonging to their father’s estate to return them so that the inheritance could finally be organized and distributed among the heirs.

Behind the scenes, mediators from various Satmar circles spent years attempting to resolve the complicated matter of the Rebbe’s financial estate and sacred possessions. During his lifetime, the Berach Moshe appointed his longtime attendant, Reb Moshe Friedman—widely known as Reb Moshe Gabbai—to oversee matters relating to the inheritance together with his close associate, philanthropist Reb Eliezer Kestenbaum.

Following the Berach Moshe’s passing, however, the deep division within Satmar prevented an orderly distribution of the estate.

Approximately a decade ago, Reb Moshe Gabbai arranged for the transfer of many of the items to the business premises of philanthropist Reb Meir Hirsch, a prominent supporter of the Mahar”א community and a close friend of Reb Moshe. Over the past year, the collection was carefully cataloged, examined, and appraised.

Among the items are rare books, handwritten manuscripts, and treasured artifacts passed down through the Sighet-Satmar dynasty, tracing their lineage from the Yismach Moshe through the Vayoel Moshe. The Berach Moshe inherited many of these possessions after the Vayoel Moshe passed away without leaving children. The collection is believed to be worth several million dollars.

Following publication of the family’s letter, additional valuable items that had remained in the possession of chassidim and associates were returned to the estate, reportedly with the encouragement of the Satmar Rebbe, Rav Aharon Teitelbaum. Once the collection was assembled and documented, preparations for the final division could proceed.

According to the Berach Moshe’s will, the sacred items and books were to be divided equally among his four sons. To fulfill that directive, organizers assembled four separate packages, carefully balancing both the monetary value and the historical and spiritual significance of each group of items.

Each package included a mixture of sacred objects, manuscripts, books, and family heirlooms so that no bundle would be viewed as more prestigious or valuable than another.

For example, one package contained the Rabbeinu Tam tefillin of the Kedushas Yom Tov, while another included a menorah that had belonged to the same revered ancestor. Other packages contained rare manuscripts, books, and additional treasured artifacts. Once the values were equalized, a lottery was conducted to determine which heir would receive each package.

Also present at the gathering were Reb Moshe Friedman, the longtime attendant of the Berach Moshe and official custodian of the estate; attendant Reb Shmuel Teitelbaum; philanthropist Reb Eliezer Kestenbaum; Reb Meir Hirsch, who safeguarded much of the collection for years; and Reb Moshe Yitzchok Wertheimer, the famed hoiz bochur of the Berach Moshe during the Satmar split, who managed many of the estate’s logistical details over the past year.

Sources familiar with the process said several individuals played critical roles in recent months as the negotiations approached their final stages. Among those credited with helping bring the matter to completion was the host, Reb Lipa Friedman, son of Reb Moshe Gabbai, who quietly worked to bridge gaps and finalize arrangements between the various parties.

Friedman, a well-known supporter of Satmar institutions with close ties to many leading philanthropists and community figures, is said to have helped create the channels of communication that ultimately enabled the agreement to be completed after nearly two decades.

The event also carried a personal dimension. It was held in Friedman’s home just days before the wedding of his eldest daughter, scheduled for this coming Sunday. As preparations for a family simchah continued, the residence simultaneously became the setting for one of the most significant and sensitive moments in recent Satmar history, bringing closure to a process that had remained unresolved for almost twenty years.

{Matzav.com}

Jill Biden is facing growing criticism from individuals who worked in the Biden administration after remarks she recently made about President Joe Biden’s widely criticized debate performance against President Donald Trump, comments that many former aides reportedly view with deep skepticism.

The controversy erupted after Jill Biden described her reaction to the June 2024 CNN debate, suggesting she feared her husband may have been suffering from a serious medical episode during the event.

Alex Thompson, the Axios journalist who co-authored the book Original Sin, which examined concerns surrounding Biden’s mental and physical condition, said he has heard significant pushback from former Biden administration officials since Jill Biden’s comments became public.

According to reporting cited from The Atlantic ahead of the release of her upcoming memoir, Jill Biden said she believed her husband might have been experiencing a medical emergency.

“Well, a lot of Democrats, including several Biden aides that I’ve talked to since yesterday when this interview came out, just simply don’t believe her,” Thompson told CNN’s Brianna Keilar.

Thompson noted that Jill Biden appeared with her husband at a rally immediately following the debate and continued participating in campaign activities in the days that followed, behavior that some former aides believe is difficult to reconcile with her current account.

“And a lot of former Biden aides, you know, have told me if you really believed he might be having a stroke, that it’s not necessarily the same behavior that you would do. There’s no evidence that there was any significant medical exam afterward,” Thompson said before acknowledging she suggested her husband take a cognitive exam but was overruled by his advisors, per The Atlantic.

He said many Democrats view the renewed discussion as an attempt to revisit and reshape a chapter of political history that has already been heavily scrutinized.

“And, you know, a lot of Democrats think that this is simply unhelpful to come out at this moment and try to rewrite this portion of history… I have to say that there is a significant skepticism that she is trying to rewrite this narrative right now.”

Thompson also referenced reporting he conducted during the 2024 campaign, arguing that Biden’s debate performance was not an isolated incident. According to his reporting, aides and advisers had observed similar struggles months before the debate took place.

He further pointed to Biden’s interview with former Special Counsel Robert Hur, during which questions were raised about the president’s memory and recall. Despite those concerns, Thompson said Biden’s closest advisers continued to publicly maintain that he was capable of serving effectively.

“They just feel that the inner circle gaslit them,” Thompson said.

Thompson added that the reaction from some former Biden administration officials has been unusually intense.

“I’ve been surprised by the level of anger and frustration that I’ve heard from former Biden aides towards the former first lady in the last 24 hours,” he added.

In a separate post on X, Thompson revealed that one former Biden official offered an even harsher assessment of Jill Biden’s recent explanation, telling him simply: “she’s lying.”

{Matzav.com}

The Trump administration on Thursday launched a new website that uses the language and imagery of extraterrestrial conspiracies to spotlight immigration enforcement efforts, presenting data on illegal immigration through a platform called Aliens.gov.

The new site, which adopts a science-fiction theme, argues that the “aliens” Americans should be concerned about are not visitors from another planet but illegal immigrants already living in communities across the country. The website was introduced as a tool for tracking immigration arrests, border encounters, and enforcement actions nationwide, according to information obtained by Fox News Digital.

“They walk among us,” the website reads. “For 60 years, the U.S. government has kept a closely guarded secret. Aliens have been walking among us, living in our neighborhoods, and interacting with us in our daily lives. They’ve shopped in the same stores, attended the same classes as our children, and lived seemingly normal human existences.”

The site then delivers its central message:

“With one exception — they do not belong here.”

Fox News Digital reported that it reviewed the website in advance of its launch. The platform combines immigration statistics with references to UFO disclosure campaigns, using humor and satire while advancing the administration’s position on border security and illegal immigration.

According to a White House official, the goal is to draw public attention to what the administration views as the consequences of the previous administration’s border policies.

“This is a first of its kind effort to draw eyeballs to the fact that the previous administration’s porous border didn’t just put families in border states at risk, many across the country were in harm’s way,” a White House official told Fox News Digital.

Among the website’s features is an interactive map of the United States displaying locations where immigration arrests have occurred. Visitors can also view a running total of migrant encounters, which the site says has exceeded three million.

Drawing from Immigration and Customs Enforcement data, the platform allows users to search enforcement actions by city, state, or alleged offense. Search results include information such as arrest dates, criminal allegations, countries of origin, and any reported gang connections.

The website presents a sharply critical assessment of past immigration policies, claiming that federal officials knowingly permitted large numbers of migrants to enter and remain in the country.

“Millions arrived under the cover of darkness and embedded themselves directly into our society. Countless presidents, congressmen, and senior officials knew exactly what was happening. Instead of protecting American citizens, they chose to cover it up and even accelerate the invasion,” the new website states.

The site credits President Trump with bringing attention to the issue and portrays him as the first national leader willing to confront it directly.

“Until one man finally had the courage to tell the truth. Bold. Unapologetic. Unafraid. President Trump was the first to call out the real danger Aliens pose to every American family, every community, and the future of our nation,” the website said. “The truth is no longer out there. It is right here. Right now.”

White House officials told Fox News Digital that the information displayed on the website will be refreshed continuously and will also be integrated into the administration’s existing White House mobile application.

The platform additionally includes an ICE reporting feature that encourages members of the public to “report suspicious aliens.”

The launch comes shortly after the Department of War released two batches of previously classified UAP records as part of a government-wide transparency initiative. That effort directed agencies to review internal archives for decades-old reports involving unidentified aerial phenomena, responding to longstanding public interest in UFO investigations and government secrecy surrounding unexplained sightings.

{Matzav.com}

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani defended his decision not to attend Sunday’s Israel Day Parade during a public safety briefing on Thursday, reaffirming a campaign pledge that has drawn sharp criticism from supporters of Israel and many within the city’s Jewish community.

Mamdani, whose positions on Israel have long been the subject of controversy, confirmed earlier this week that he would not take part in the annual celebration. His absence marks a significant departure from the practice of previous New York City mayors, who traditionally joined the march along Fifth Avenue as a show of support for Israel and solidarity with the city’s large Jewish population.

“While I will not be attending, our administration has been preparing for weeks to ensure the parade is safe,” Mamdani announced during the joint law enforcement briefing, as quoted by The New York Daily News.

He stressed that City Hall’s focus remains on providing security for major public events throughout the city, regardless of whether he personally participates in them.

A visible contrast within the administration emerged when journalists asked whether any senior officials would represent the mayor’s office at the parade. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch immediately made her position known by indicating that she would be attending.

“It’s the mayor’s decision not to march, and it is my decision to march proudly,” Tisch declared, describing the annual event as “one of the most joyful days of the year.”

Tisch said police are implementing the most extensive security operation ever assembled for the parade, citing increased concerns over threats targeting Jewish institutions both in New York and across the country.

According to city officials, the security plan will include a record number of officers, specialized tactical units, and heavy weapons teams stationed throughout the parade route. Everyone seeking entry into the event area will be subject to screening procedures. Emphasizing that no exceptions will be made, Tisch warned: “If you think you are too important to be screened, don’t come”.

Mamdani’s decision to stay away from the parade is the latest flashpoint in a broader record of actions and statements that have generated criticism from pro-Israel groups and elected officials.

During last year’s mayoral campaign, Mamdani declined to condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada”. He also faced criticism for comments he made about Israel on October 8, 2023, one day after the Hamas attack that killed more than 1,200 people in southern Israel.

He has frequently accused Israel of committing war crimes during its military campaign against Hamas in Gaza and has stated that he would seek the arrest of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should he travel to New York City.

Further controversy erupted shortly after Mamdani took office when he rescinded several executive orders concerning Israel that had been enacted by his predecessor, Eric Adams.

Among the directives revoked was an order signed by Adams in June 2025 adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism for New York City government.

Another canceled directive barred mayoral appointees and agency employees from participating in boycotts or divestment efforts targeting Israel.

Since assuming office, Mamdani has repeatedly found himself at the center of disputes involving allegations of antisemitism. One recent report highlighted social media activity by his wife, Rama Dawaji, who reportedly liked several posts that praised or appeared sympathetic to Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack.

Additional criticism followed earlier this month when Mamdani released an official city video marking the “Nakba,” the term used by Palestinian Arabs to describe the creation of the State of Israel as a catastrophe.

Despite objections from numerous Jewish organizations, the mayor stood by the decision to publish the video and defended its release.

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s ambassador to the United States said Thursday that any agreement aimed at resolving concerns over Iran’s nuclear program must result in the complete dismantling of Tehran’s nuclear infrastructure, including hundreds of centrifuges that could rapidly produce enriched nuclear material.

Appearing on NewsNation’s Katie Pavlich Tonight, Ambassador Michael Leiter said Israel believes a diplomatic solution remains possible, but only if Iran’s nuclear capabilities are fully eliminated and independently verified.

Leiter said the ideal outcome would involve Iran opening its facilities to international inspectors and allowing experts to confirm that all nuclear-related materials and equipment have been removed.

“[T]he best case scenario would be that they actually open it up as a result of any deal and turn it over, by inspectors that would come in, experts that would come in and assess that all of it has been removed. But it’s important to point out, they have 1,700 centrifuges that can produce nuclear weapons tomorrow — enriched material, I should say, tomorrow. So those have to be dismantled as well or at least completely taken out of the ability to be reconstituted.”

The ambassador emphasized that merely pausing Iran’s nuclear activities would not be sufficient. In Israel’s view, any arrangement must ensure that the machinery used to enrich uranium cannot be restored or brought back into operation at a later date.

Earlier in the interview, Leiter expressed confidence that ongoing diplomatic efforts could ultimately produce a far-reaching agreement that eliminates the need for military action.

“we’re very confident, at the end of the day, if we have a deal of that nature, rather than going back to kinetic activity, it’s going to include a complete dismantlement of Iran’s nuclear capabilities.”

His remarks come as negotiations continue over a potential agreement with Iran, with nuclear enrichment and the future of Tehran’s uranium-processing infrastructure remaining among the central issues under discussion.

{Matzav.com}

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Zohran Mamdani, mayor of New York City, said on Thursday that there will be appropriate security at the Salute to Israel Parade, scheduled for Sunday, which he plans to skip despite a tradition set by his predecessors.

“We expect tens of thousands of New Yorkers and visitors to gather along Fifth Avenue for this event, and while I will not be attending, our administration has been preparing for weeks to ensure the parade is safe for all those who take part,” Mamdani said at a press conference at New York City Police Department headquarters.

“As the mayor of our city, I take seriously my responsibility to protect the safety and well-being of every New Yorker and every event, regardless of my attendance,” he said.

Jessica Tisch, commissioner of the NYPD who is Jewish, also spoke at the press conference.

“It’s the largest celebration of its kind outside of Israel, and for so many of us, it’s one of the most joyful days of the year,” she said. “But the sobering truth is it is also taking place in a heightened threat environment with multiple threat vectors active at the same time.”

“Since Oct. 7, 2023, we have seen an unacceptable rise in antisemitism and dozens of attacks across the United States, Canada and Europe targeting the Jewish community. That has only increased in the wake of the start of hostilities in Iran on Feb. 28,” Tisch said.

She noted that two weeks ago, a Kata’ib Hezbollah commander “connected to approximately 18 attacks and attempted attacks across Europe and Canada in just the past few months alone was arrested for those attacks and for allegedly planning to target a synagogue in New York City.”

“In that threat environment, to be blunt, we are not messing around with security at this year’s parade,” Tisch told reporters. “The NYPD is one of the most robust municipal counterterrorism capabilities of any city in the world, and I am bringing all of that to bear for this year’s parade.”

“This Sunday, New Yorkers will see the most extensive security plan that the NYPD has ever put together for the Salute to Israel parade, including the largest number of officers ever assigned to that detail,” she said. “Included in that security plan will be the most heavy weapons teams ever, robust camera coverage of the area and comprehensive screening of everyone entering the parade route, including spectators, vendors, participants and the press.”

“If you think you are too important to be screened, don’t come,” she said. “There will be no exceptions.”

The NYPD will also screen and sweep “all assets deployed on the route, including vehicles and porta potties, according to Tisch.

“We will not tolerate any disruptions to the parade. Any unauthorized persons entering the parade route will be arrested,” she said. “The public should also expect to see counterterrorism teams, explosive detection canines, helicopters, drones, emergency service, mounted unit, hostile surveillance teams and other assets.”

Streets leading up to the parade route will have “hardened block NYPD vehicles and heavy sanitation trucks,” she said.

There will be designated screening entry points at East 61st, 63rd, 66th, 70th and 73rd Streets off Madison Avenue, and the entire west side of Central Park West, which borders Fifth Avenue, will be closed off to pedestrians and parade viewers, according to Tisch.

Historically, parade viewers lined both sides of the legendary Fifth Avenue, where the parade has been held annually since 1964.

“At this time there are no serious or credible threats against the parade,” Tisch said at the briefing.

Mark Treyger, CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council-New York, which organizes the annual show of pride that typically attracts more than 250,000 participants and spectators, also spoke at the press conference.

“We are expecting one of the biggest turnouts ever this Sunday at the Israel Day on Fifth Parade,” he said. “We are expecting sunny and 70-degree weather, baruch Hashem,” praise God, “and the Knicks are going to the NBA finals, all happening at the same time,” he said.

“We’re expecting tens of thousands of folks from New York, across the state, across the region, even folks from the tri-state region and beyond in celebration of our love and our story and our pride and our identity of who we are as a people,” Treyger said.

Liz Berney, director of research and special projects at the Zionist Organization of America, said during an online meeting about the parade’s history on Thursday that fewer people might show up for fear of a terror attack.

“I’m hearing this from other organizations marching in the parade—that they have people calling them” and canceling, Berney said. “It’s not what the parade should be.”

Mamdani has said that, breaking with decades-long custom from City Hall, he won’t march in the parade. Jule Menin, speaker of the New York City Council, who is Jewish, intends to be part of the parade, as do candidates in upcoming Democratic congressional primaries around the city scheduled for next month.

“It’s the mayor’s decision not to march, and it is my decision to march proudly,” Tisch told reporters.

A reporter asked Mandani if he will send someone to represent his administration in his absence. Tisch looked at Mamdani and pointed at herself and smiled.

“OK,” the reporter said, amid some laughter. “So that’s an answer.” JNS

Vice President JD Vance said Thursday that negotiations between the United States and Iran have advanced significantly, though key disputes remain unresolved and no final agreement has yet been approved by President Donald Trump.

Speaking to reporters, Vance indicated that both sides continue to work through outstanding issues related to a proposed memorandum of understanding.

“It’s hard to say when or if the President is going to sign the MOU. We’re going back and forth on a couple of language points. I do think we’ve made a lot of progress here. It’s very clear, I think, the Iranians want a deal and they want to open the Strait of Hormuz. We want them to open the Strait of Hormuz,” Vance said.

He noted that the most difficult discussions continue to revolve around Iran’s nuclear program, particularly its stockpile of highly enriched uranium and future enrichment activities.

“There are a couple of issues on the nuclear stuff and the highly enriched stockpile, the question of enrichment,” he continued. “So we’re going back and forth with them. We do think they’re negotiating, at least so far, in good faith and we’re making some progress.”

Vance expressed cautious optimism that additional progress could pave the way for presidential approval, while stressing that no final decision has yet been made.

“Hopefully, we’ll continue to make progress and the President will be in a position where he can endorse the agreement, but obviously, that’s still TBD.”

His remarks followed confirmation from White House officials that American and Iranian representatives have tentatively agreed to a 60-day memorandum designed to extend the ceasefire and launch formal talks over Iran’s nuclear activities.

Sources familiar with the mediation effort told Axios that although negotiators have reached a preliminary understanding, Trump has not yet signed off on the proposal. Two U.S. officials and a regional intermediary involved in the talks said final approval remains pending.

According to Axios, the proposed framework would represent one of the most significant diplomatic developments since the conflict began, although major issues would still need to be negotiated before a comprehensive agreement could be finalized.

One key provision would guarantee uninterrupted passage through the Strait of Hormuz. A U.S. official said Iran would be barred from imposing fees or interfering with commercial traffic and would be required to clear all naval mines from the strategic waterway within 30 days.

The proposal also envisions a gradual rollback of the American naval blockade as commercial maritime activity resumes.

Officials said the memorandum would include a formal Iranian pledge not to pursue nuclear weapons. During the initial 60-day period, negotiators would concentrate primarily on the future of Iran’s highly enriched uranium reserves and the broader question of uranium enrichment.

The report said Washington would also be prepared to discuss easing sanctions and releasing frozen Iranian assets as part of the talks. Additional discussions would focus on creating channels through which Iran could obtain goods and humanitarian aid.

Trump, meanwhile, signaled during a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday that he remains unconvinced by the current state of the negotiations and expects more concessions from Tehran before any agreement is finalized.

“They want very much to make a deal. So far, they haven’t gotten there,” Trump said, adding, “We’re not satisfied with it, but we will be. We will be either that, or we’ll have to just finish the job.”

Even while voicing frustration with the pace of progress, Trump suggested that the negotiations are moving in a positive direction and indicated that Iran may be beginning to yield on issues the administration considers essential.

He said he believes “the Iranian regime is starting to give us the things that they have to give us.”