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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday that President Donald Trump’s surprise announcement of an immediate energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine came without his knowledge, raising serious questions about whether an agreement had actually been reached between the warring countries.

Speaking to Axios reporter Barak Ravid shortly after Trump’s announcement, Zelensky said the supposed agreement was news to him, although he emphasized that Ukraine would be willing to accept such an arrangement if Russia agreed to halt its attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

“The ceasefire announcement was news for me. But if Russians agree to an energy ceasefire, Ukraine will agree,” Zelensky told Ravid.

The Ukrainian leader also asked Washington to clarify precisely what had been negotiated with Russian President Vladimir Putin and when the proposed cessation of attacks was supposed to begin.

“If President Trump negotiated it with Putin, please tell us when the ceasefire begins. We are ready, and we will accept it,” Zelensky said.

The extraordinary exchange followed a declaration by Trump on Truth Social earlier Sunday that Moscow and Kyiv had reached an agreement to immediately suspend attacks on each other’s energy facilities.

“Effective immediately, there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine. Both parties have agreed. Do not break it!” Trump wrote.

The president did not provide details about the agreement, including its precise terms, how compliance would be monitored or whether Russia had formally committed to stopping its strikes.

Zelensky’s response immediately cast uncertainty over the announcement, particularly because Ukraine, one of the two countries supposedly party to the agreement, appeared to have received no advance notification that a deal had been finalized.

The Ukrainian president subsequently issued a more formal statement expressing support for an energy ceasefire while emphasizing that Kyiv was still waiting for information from the United States.

“Ukraine supports the ceasefire, and it is important that Russia support it as well. We are awaiting details from the American side,” Zelensky said.

He added that Ukraine supports measures aimed at reducing hostilities, protecting civilian lives and ultimately bringing the war to an end.

The announcement came amid sharply deteriorating relations between Washington and Kyiv over Ukraine’s continuing attacks on Russian oil refineries.

Trump has increasingly criticized the Ukrainian military’s strikes against Russian energy facilities, arguing that the attacks are contributing to rising international fuel prices and harming American consumers.

The dispute intensified Friday when Trump announced an agreement with Putin to ease American sanctions on Russian diesel exports in an effort to increase global fuel supplies and bring down prices.

Zelensky strongly criticized that decision, arguing that allowing Russia to generate additional revenue from energy exports would provide Moscow with more resources to finance its military campaign against Ukraine.

The Ukrainian president described the sanctions relief as “not fair and not honest” during an interview with Axios, expressing frustration that Washington had negotiated the arrangement with Moscow while Ukrainian representatives were engaged in discussions with American officials.

Those discussions were taking place in Miami, where Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had been meeting with Ukrainian representatives and senior diplomats from European countries and NATO.

The negotiations were intended to explore possible arrangements for reducing hostilities and advancing efforts to end the war.

The disagreement escalated further Saturday when Trump publicly criticized Zelensky and suggested that Ukraine needed different leadership capable of reaching an agreement with Russia.

Zelensky responded by maintaining that decisions about Ukraine’s leadership belong to the Ukrainian people.

The energy ceasefire announcement appeared to offer a possible diplomatic opening after several days of confrontation, but the lack of a confirmed Russian commitment quickly complicated the situation.

According to subsequent reporting by Axios, a White House official said the administration was discussing a narrower arrangement under which Russia and Ukraine would stop attacking each other’s oil refineries.

The official indicated that a broader agreement protecting power plants and electricity networks could follow if the initial arrangement succeeded.

That distinction is significant for Ukraine, whose electricity infrastructure has repeatedly been targeted by Russian missiles and drones.

A Ukrainian official told Axios that the proposed refinery-focused arrangement would be unequal because Ukraine has only one oil refinery, which has already sustained repeated Russian attacks and is not fully operational, while Russia maintains a much larger network of refineries.

Ukraine’s immediate priority, the official explained, is securing an end to Russian strikes on its electricity grid.

The White House official also acknowledged that Russia had not yet formally accepted the proposed arrangement and was still considering it.

Meanwhile, Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure continued Sunday despite Trump’s declaration that a ceasefire had already taken effect.

Zelensky reported that Russian strikes had targeted energy facilities, including a power plant in Kyiv and a combined heat-and-power facility in Kharkiv.

In his evening address, the Ukrainian president described continued drone and aerial bomb attacks against Ukrainian targets, underscoring the absence of an observable halt in hostilities.

The latest developments follow a similar announcement by Trump in September, when he declared that an energy ceasefire had been arranged between Russia and Ukraine. Neither country subsequently confirmed that a binding agreement had been reached, and attacks on energy facilities continued.

With winter approaching, the protection of Ukraine’s power generation and heating infrastructure remains a central concern for Kyiv, particularly after repeated Russian strikes have damaged facilities serving civilian populations.

Zelensky said he had discussed the latest ceasefire proposal with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Finnish President Alexander Stubb.

For now, Ukraine has publicly committed itself to accepting a reciprocal energy ceasefire, while the status of any Russian agreement remains uncertain and the attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure continue.

{Matzav.com}

The city of Acco, Israel, is mourning the passing of Rav Amram Azarzar zt”l, one of its longtime and highly respected Torah personalities, who devoted his life to spreading Torah, strengthening Yiddishkeit, and bringing fellow Jews closer to Hashem. He passed away Sunday surrounded by members of his family and loved ones.

Rav Azarzar zt”l was a beloved and widely admired figure in Acco, where he spent decades working tirelessly on behalf of the city’s Jewish community. He was known for his exceptional dedication to Torah learning, his devotion to the needs of others, and his efforts to strengthen Torah observance among Jews from all backgrounds.

Throughout his life, Rav Azarzar was among the first to arrive at shul in the morning and among the last to leave at night. He delivered Torah shiurim to the public and invested tremendous effort in inspiring Jews to strengthen their connection to Torah and mitzvos.

He was especially devoted to raising his children in the ways of Torah and yiras Shomayim, while setting a personal example of selflessness and concern for others. His commitment to chesed extended to performing the mitzvah of chesed shel emes, caring for those who had passed away and ensuring that they received a proper Jewish burial.

For many years, Rav Azarzar headed the Chevra Kadisha in Acco, dedicating himself to the sacred responsibility of tending to the deceased with dignity and respect.

He was also instrumental in establishing and strengthening Torah institutions and outreach activities throughout the city, helping build Acco’s Torah community and inspiring numerous Jews to return to a life of Torah observance.

Rav Azarzar maintained close ties with the illustrious Abuchatzeira family, particularly Rav Dovid Abuchatzeira of Nahariya.

Despite his extensive communal responsibilities, he remained deeply committed to his own learning, devoting countless hours to the study of both the revealed and hidden dimensions of Torah.

He was also among the founders of the Shas movement in Acco, playing an important role in strengthening Torah representation and serving the religious needs of the city’s residents.

Rav Azarzar leaves behind his wife and a distinguished family of children and descendants who continue his legacy of Torah and good deeds.

His sons include Rav Chaim Azarzar, executive director of the institutions of the Admor Rav Yekusiel Abuchatzeira; Rav Meir Azarzar, a community rov in Hong Kong; Rav Eliyahu Azarzar, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Mishkan Evyatar; Rav Shimon Azarzar, a registrar in the yeshiva world; and Rav Yosef Noam Azarzar, a businessman and noted baal chesed.

Approximately ten months ago, Rav Azarzar suffered a devastating personal loss with the passing of his daughter, Mrs. Ilana Yael Levy a”h, of Zichron Yaakov, who passed away at a young age following an illness.

Mrs. Levy was a devoted mechaneches who followed in her father’s footsteps, dedicating herself to instilling Torah values and yiras Shomayim in her students.

The levayah took place Sunday night departing from the Sephardic funeral chapel at Har Hamenuchos in the Givat Shaul neighborhood of Yerushalayim, where Rav Azarzar was laid to rest.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

Two additional Flydubai copilots have been arrested in the United Arab Emirates as authorities expand their investigation into the attempted hijacking of a passenger aircraft bound for Israel, during which a suspected terrorist allegedly planned to crash the plane at Ben Gurion Airport.

The two pilots, both citizens of the Maldives, reportedly knew the principal suspect, identified as Al-Hamami, through their employment with Flydubai. Investigators are examining their possible connections to the alleged plot, although authorities have not disclosed the specific suspicions against them.

The arrests were reported Sunday evening by journalist Lee Ayash of i24NEWS, citing information concerning the ongoing investigation in the Emirates.

According to the report, the Maldivian Embassy in the UAE notified the families of the two pilots in recent days that their relatives had been taken into custody in connection with the investigation into the attempted attack.

Both men reportedly worked alongside Al-Hamami at Flydubai and were personally acquainted with him through their professional activities. They are also believed to have lived in the same residential building as the main suspect.

Investigators have additionally established, according to the report, that both detained pilots had previously flown to Israel while working for the airline.

Their arrests represent a further development in the investigation into the attempted attack aboard the Flydubai flight, which authorities in the Emirates have described as a plot to seize control of the aircraft and crash it at Ben Gurion Airport.

According to findings previously released by UAE authorities, Al-Hamami, who was serving as a copilot on the flight, allegedly intended to take over the aircraft and carry out a deliberate crash at Israel’s main international airport.

During the incident, the suspect reportedly attacked the aircraft’s captain inside the cockpit using an emergency axe. Passengers and crew members subsequently managed to overpower him, preventing him from gaining control of the plane and thwarting the alleged attack.

The latest arrests have raised questions about whether the suspected hijacking attempt involved additional individuals or whether Al-Hamami acted independently.

However, there has been no public confirmation that either of the two Maldivian pilots participated in planning the attack, assisted in its execution, or possessed advance knowledge of the suspect’s intentions.

Authorities have also not specified whether the men are being investigated as potential accomplices or are being held for questioning because of their personal and professional connections to Al-Hamami.

The investigation remains ongoing, with Emirati authorities examining the possibility that other individuals may have been involved in the alleged plot against the Israel-bound aircraft.

{Matzav.com}

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani escalated his attacks on federal immigration enforcement Sunday, comparing the appearance of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer involved in a Bronx shooting to that of a “mass shooter” and accusing ICE of terrorizing New Yorkers.

The mayor’s remarks came days after federal immigration officers shot and wounded Oscar Belgal, a 28-year-old Dominican national, during an attempted arrest in the Bronx. The incident has triggered a confrontation between City Hall and the Trump administration over the conduct of federal immigration agents and the circumstances surrounding the shooting.

The confrontation began Thursday when ICE officers attempted to apprehend Belgal while he was inside his vehicle. Federal agents positioned their vehicles to prevent him from driving away, but the encounter escalated into a shooting.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, Belgal ignored lawful instructions to get out of his vehicle and attempted to escape by accelerating into two government vehicles before driving toward additional officers.

DHS maintains that the officers discharged their weapons because they believed Belgal’s actions posed an immediate threat to their safety and the safety of others. Belgal sustained what federal officials described as a superficial wound to his neck.

Following the shooting, agents took Belgal into custody, provided medical assistance, and arranged for his transportation to a hospital.

Authorities subsequently disclosed that Belgal’s 5-year-old son had been sitting in the back seat of the vehicle during the confrontation. DHS said the officers did not know the child was inside when the shooting occurred.

After receiving medical treatment, Belgal was moved to an immigration detention facility outside New York City. Investigators are continuing to examine the events leading up to the use of deadly force.

In an interview with MS Now on Sunday, Mamdani accused federal immigration officers of disregarding established law enforcement procedures and operating without appropriate accountability.

“What they have shown time and again is that they view the law as a suggestion,” Mamdani told MS Now. “There is a reason why the NYPD would not be shooting at a moving vehicle. There is a reason why law enforcement agents are supposed to wear identifiable information and uniforms.

“What you could see in that video and in the videos that have been released since is people, bystanders outside unsure as to what they were even seeing. Because in that imagery, it feels as if you’re almost looking at a mass shooter as opposed to seeing someone who’s purportedly representing a federal agency. And that is why so many are so deeply concerned by what ICE does. And the fact that what we’re talking about is but a microcosm of what they do across this country every single day.”

The mayor’s comparison followed an unusually lengthy round of discussions with President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin concerning Belgal’s detention and the possibility of transferring him out of federal custody.

Mamdani spent nearly two hours Thursday engaged in conversations with the president and the homeland security secretary in an effort to secure Belgal’s release from federal detention.

According to CNN, the negotiations included a three-way discussion during which Trump and Mullin proposed transferring Belgal into the custody of the New York Police Department. The parties ultimately failed to reach an agreement, and Belgal remained in federal custody.

Immediately after the shooting, Mamdani publicly condemned the federal operation, describing it as “unconscionable and incredibly serious” and demanding that President Trump halt ICE enforcement activities in New York City.

He also renewed his longstanding demand to abolish the agency, arguing that its officers’ tactics have frightened residents and undermined public safety.

“The city is still dealing with having been terrorized by a rogue federal agency,” Mamdani told MS Now. “And again, just to the points that you laid out, we are talking about a federal agency that shot at a moving vehicle in broad daylight while its agents were wearing construction vests, using long guns and left New Yorkers in terror. That is, as you said, the same experience that so many have had anywhere across this country whenever it comes to ICE.”

The Department of Homeland Security has strongly defended its officers, maintaining that Belgal was a criminal suspect whose actions during the attempted arrest created a dangerous situation.

Federal officials said Belgal was convicted of fourth-degree grand larceny in April 2025 and sentenced to five years of probation. DHS also cited previous arrests involving allegations of robbery, drug offenses, and assault.

The department further alleged that Belgal has connections to the Trinitarios gang and had been investigated in connection with the shooting of a Customs and Border Protection officer. Those allegations were presented by federal authorities as part of their explanation for why Belgal had been targeted for arrest.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin responded Friday by accusing politicians who support sanctuary-city policies of creating conditions that allow criminals to remain in communities and place law enforcement personnel at risk.

“Sanctuary politicians create an environment for criminal activity to thrive, not for American citizens to be safe,” Mullin said Friday. “President Trump made it clear that he would restore law and order in our cities and in our states. When you have sanctuary cities and politicians, you endanger the safety of the public.”

Additional reporting has revealed that the shooting took place in Marble Hill, a Manhattan neighborhood adjacent to the Bronx. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said city police were not involved in the federal arrest operation and arrived only after reports of gunfire.

The NYPD subsequently released body-camera footage showing responding officers at the scene and their efforts to get Belgal to a hospital. Other video recordings of the confrontation have also emerged, although the precise sequence of events and whether the officers’ use of force was justified remain disputed.

A federal judge has also temporarily blocked Belgal’s deportation while legal proceedings continue.

Meanwhile, Mamdani has announced plans for a city investigation into the incident, including the conduct of federal agents and their reported use of a commercial parking lot as a staging area.
WATCH:

A new Israeli election poll released Sunday evening shows the right-wing bloc holding a narrow advantage over parties opposed to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, even as Yashar emerges as the country’s largest individual party.

The survey, conducted by the Kantar Institute and broadcast by Kan News, projects 53 Knesset seats for the right-wing bloc, compared with 50 for the anti-Netanyahu camp. The three-seat advantage leaves the right-wing parties ahead of their political rivals, although neither bloc reaches the 61 seats required for a majority in the 120-member Knesset.

According to the findings, Yashar would lead the field with 22 seats if elections were held today, while Netanyahu’s Likud would finish second with 20 seats. Beyachad would secure 12 mandates, placing it third.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party would capture nine seats, making it the fourth-largest faction in the Knesset under the poll’s projections.

Four parties would each receive eight seats: the Democrats, United Torah Judaism, the Joint List, and Yisrael Beytenu. Shas would follow with seven seats.

Further down the standings, Religious Zionism-Identity and Ra’am would each receive five mandates. The Reservists-Economic party and Amcha Yisrael would each secure four seats, the minimum required to enter the Knesset under Israel’s electoral threshold.

The latest findings reflect a modest shift toward Netanyahu’s camp compared with the previous Kan survey. The right-wing bloc has gained two seats, rising from 51 to 53, while the principal opposition bloc has slipped from 52 to 50. The Arab parties retain a combined 13 seats.

One significant development is the projected entry of Amcha Yisrael, led by former IDF commander Ofer Winter, into the Knesset. The party had fallen below the electoral threshold in the previous Kan poll but now receives four seats, potentially giving Netanyahu another coalition partner.

The poll also indicates continued strength for Ben Gvir, whose Otzma Yehudit party rises from eight seats in the previous survey to nine. Meanwhile, Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party remains in first place, although its projected representation falls from 23 seats to 22.

Shas MK Yinon Azoulay has called for Jewish schools throughout Israel to employ only Jewish teachers, arguing that Arab educators should teach in Arab schools and that Jewish children should receive their education from teachers who share their religious and cultural heritage.

Speaking Sunday in an interview with Kan Reshet Bet, Azoulay advocated separating the country’s Jewish and Arab educational systems when it comes to hiring teachers. He expressed concern that non-Jewish educators working in Jewish classrooms could expose children to religious beliefs and ideological perspectives inconsistent with Jewish values.

When questioned about his objections to Arab teachers instructing Jewish students, the Shas lawmaker pointed to what he described as the danger of educators using their positions to advance personal ideological agendas.

He drew a comparison to university professors whom he accused of promoting their own political and ideological views in the classroom. Azoulay argued that similar concerns could arise in elementary and secondary schools, suggesting that Christian educators might present Christianity according to their beliefs, while Muslim Arab teachers might introduce students to Islamic teachings.

Azoulay maintained that Israel has no shortage of capable Jewish educators and that the country’s schools should prioritize teachers whose backgrounds correspond to the communities they serve.

“I maintain that Jewish schools have plenty of very good Jewish educators. Arab schools should have Arab teachers, and Jewish schools should have Jewish teachers,” he said. “There is enough heritage to teach, and those who come from that background can teach it. There are enough teachers. What is the problem? We don’t pay these good teachers enough, so they leave for other places.”

His remarks also touched on the difficulties facing Israel’s teaching profession, including salaries that he said are insufficient to retain qualified educators. Rather than relying on non-Jewish teachers to fill positions in Jewish schools, he argued, the government should address the conditions driving Jewish teachers to seek employment elsewhere.

The interviewer also challenged Azoulay with a comparison involving Jewish teachers in Europe, asking how he would react if a European parliamentarian demanded that Jewish educators be excluded from schools.

Azoulay rejected the analogy, insisting that Israel’s identity as a Jewish state makes the situation fundamentally different.

“That doesn’t happen, and it isn’t the case. When it happens there, ask me. We are here in our Jewish state. We have a problem with non-Jewish teachers coming to teach our children. It shouldn’t happen.”

The controversy comes amid a broader debate in Israel over the growing number of Arab educators employed in Hebrew-language schools. Figures presented to a Knesset Education Committee hearing in February 2026 indicated that nearly 4,000 Arab women were employed as teachers in the Hebrew education system during the preceding year.

According to data presented at that hearing, the number and proportion of Arab teachers in Hebrew education had doubled over the previous five years, making the issue an increasingly significant subject of discussion among lawmakers and education officials.

Israel’s Jewish and Arab school systems already operate largely as separate educational frameworks, although Arab teachers are employed in Jewish schools, including in subjects such as mathematics, English, science, and Arabic.

Azoulay denied that his position was motivated by racism. He maintained that his concern was preserving the religious and cultural identity of Jewish students by ensuring that those responsible for educating them had themselves been raised with the traditions they were expected to transmit.

Israel has blocked a German journalist from becoming a permanent correspondent in the country after determining that her published calls for economic and military sanctions against Israel fall under legislation permitting authorities to deny entry to individuals who advocate boycotts of the Jewish state.

The decision affects Serena Bilanceri, a 43-year-old German journalist of Italian background who had sought authorization to work in Israel as the permanent correspondent for the German newspaper Die Tageszeitung, commonly known as taz.

The Population and Immigration Authority approved a recommendation from Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism to refuse her entry, effectively preventing her from assuming the position.

Bilanceri had approached the Government Press Office to secure the recommendation required for an Israeli work visa. However, her application came under scrutiny after officials reviewed articles she had written advocating punitive international measures against Israel.

Avi Cohen Scali, director general of the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, recommended rejecting her entry request under Amendment 40 to Israel’s Entry into Israel Law, which addresses entry by foreign nationals involved in promoting boycotts against Israel.

Immigration authorities subsequently adopted the ministry’s recommendation, leaving Bilanceri unable to obtain the authorization necessary to serve as the newspaper’s Israel-based correspondent.

Bilanceri has reported on the Israeli-Arab conflict from several countries in the region, including Jordan, Syria, and Israel. According to the ministry, two opinion pieces she published during 2025 provided the basis for the decision.

The first, published by taz on November 17, 2025, carried the title “Sanctions Against Israel.” In that article, Bilanceri endorsed Amnesty International’s description of Israel as an “apartheid state” and urged Western governments to impose economic and military penalties.

“Settler violence is not an isolated incident, but part of a radical strategy of expulsion. The pressure must come from the international community. The United States, as well as Germany and Europe, must impose economic and military sanctions,” she wrote.

Israeli officials cited the article as an explicit appeal for international action against the country, rather than simply an expression of criticism regarding government policy.

A second article, dated September 1, 2025, criticized the German government’s resistance to a European Commission initiative proposing sanctions against Israel over the Gaza war.

In that piece, Bilanceri urged European governments to act collectively and indicated that initial sanctions should be followed by additional measures if they failed to achieve the desired results.

“The European Union must now act together,” she wrote.

She continued by calling for a stronger European response and the implementation of measures already under consideration.

“Europe must now take a firm stand. And if this step proves ineffective, further sanctions must be imposed. Proposals for such measures already exist, including at the European level. All that is needed is the willingness to implement them.”

The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs concluded that these published statements constituted advocacy for sanctions of the kind covered by Israel’s entry restrictions. Officials therefore determined that her application should be denied under the relevant provisions of the law.

Israel’s restrictions on foreign boycott advocates date back to March 2017, when the Knesset approved legislation authorizing the denial of visas and residency permits to noncitizens who publicly call for boycotts against Israel or act on behalf of organizations promoting such campaigns.

The legislation was subsequently expanded in February 2025 through Amendment 40, which added further grounds for refusing entry, including public denial of the Holocaust or the October 7 massacre and support for international prosecution of Israeli security personnel over actions performed in the course of their duties.

The law also permits the interior minister to authorize exceptions under special circumstances, although no such exception was reported in Bilanceri’s case.

The restrictions have generated debate over the distinction between legitimate criticism of Israeli government policy and organized efforts to impose economic or diplomatic penalties on the country. Supporters argue that Israel has the right to deny entry to foreign nationals who actively campaign for measures against it, while civil liberties organizations have criticized the legislation as a restriction on freedom of expression.

In announcing the decision involving Bilanceri, Cohen Scali delivered a forceful warning to foreign journalists and activists who advocate punitive measures against Israel.

“Anti-Israel elements and those who defame Israel should not set foot in the country.”

He further argued that journalists should not use their professional credentials to advance campaigns intended to damage Israel.

“We will not tolerate calls to boycott Israel under the guise of professional journalism. Professional journalism should not take sides in the conflict it covers, and certainly should not exploit the country’s platforms to advance agendas that harm it.”

The ruling leaves Bilanceri without the Israeli work visa she sought for her permanent posting with taz. There was no indication in the initial announcement that the newspaper had selected a replacement correspondent or that Bilanceri had filed an appeal against the decision.