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Israeli Finance Minister and Religious Zionist Party chairman Bezalel Smotrich said Israel has no choice but to confront the Iranian regime, which he described as a direct danger to the country’s survival, in an interview with Arutz Sheva.

“Our position is clear,” Smotrich said. “The Iranian regime is a regime of terror. It openly declares its desire to destroy the State of Israel and backs those words with actions, producing conventional and non-conventional weapons and constructing a ring of fire around us. This is not something we can live with. Either it destroys us, or we destroy it.”

Turning to Israel’s ties with Washington, Smotrich said that while disagreements may exist about the best approach to Iran, cooperation remains unusually close. “I believe the relationship between the current U.S. administration, the State of Israel, and the current prime minister is closer than I have ever seen,” he said. “I hope we will also reach an understanding regarding Iran.”

Smotrich again rejected the idea of negotiating with Tehran, warning against any diplomatic compromise. “We believe there should be no agreement at all, and certainly not a bad one,” he said. “If there is an agreement, it must include a demand that Iran halt the production of ballistic missiles that threaten Israel and stop financing terrorism and its proxy forces throughout the region.”

Asked whether Israel is prepared to take military action against Iran, the finance minister refused to go into specifics. “Do not expect me to discuss this in the media,” he said. “All options are always on the table.”

The interview also touched on friction with charedi parties over the national budget, with Smotrich cautioning against politicizing fiscal decisions. “Using the budget as a weapon is irresponsible,” he said.

He stressed that he intends to continue pursuing his economic program, including lowering taxes, dismantling monopolies, boosting competition in banking, and reducing borrowing costs. “I expect the charedi parties to act responsibly toward the State of Israel,” Smotrich said.

In closing, Smotrich addressed the disparity between his party’s influence in government and its showing in opinion polls. Despite playing a central role in wartime decision-making, economic policy, and settlement development, the Religious Zionist Party has struggled to convert that impact into electoral strength, with recent surveys suggesting it may fall short of entering the next Knesset. Citing the late minister Uri Orbach, Smotrich said, “We succeeded too much.”

He argued that the national-religious community is raised to integrate fully into Israeli society, which can make some voters uneasy about supporting a party seen as serving a single sector. Rejecting that label, he said his aim is to present the principles of “the people of Israel, the Land of Israel, and the Torah of Israel” as the foundation of the country’s mainstream identity.

{Matzav.com}

When New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced his appointment to lead the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism, he had one job: choose someone who could unite a frightened community and demonstrate serious commitment to addressing the alarming surge in anti-Jewish hate crimes. Instead, he chose Phylisa Wisdom—a pick so tone-deaf, so riddled with red […]

Opposition leader MK Yair Lapid asserted on Monday, at the opening of the Yesh Atid faction meeting, that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu manipulated an internal security document originating from the Prime Minister’s Office.

According to Lapid, the document was meant to be an official summary drafted following a security evaluation convened at the Prime Minister’s Office six days before the October 7 massacre. He said that Ronen Bar, who was then serving as head of the ISA, cautioned during that discussion about several possible escalation scenarios in the Gaza Strip. Lapid added that at the same session, then-IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi reportedly urged the preparation of an operational plan for Gaza, citing grave and urgent intelligence assessments indicating that Hamas was preparing for combat.

Lapid contended that these alerts were either excluded or misrepresented in the version of the document later made public by the Prime Minister’s Office. He characterized the released summary as a tendentious and selective rendering of the official minutes, arguing that the matter is not merely one of public misrepresentation but of potentially unlawful conduct, since tampering with such records could violate the Official Secrets Law.

He also said he had reached out to the security oversight officials for the defense establishment, as well as to the legal advisers of both the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Defense, seeking explanations. Based on the responses received, Lapid stated, it would fall to the ISA and the Israel Police to decide whether a criminal probe should be opened and which individuals, if any, could be involved.

{Matzav.com}

Apple is preparing to unveil a wave of new products, including a new iPhone 17e, updated iPad models, a refreshed entry-level iPad, new iPad Air variants, and several new Mac computers.

Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan: At this time there doesn’t seem to be an immediate threat of war. (between the United States and Iran)

The IDF issued an apology Monday night following an incident in which a yungerman who was taken into custody was prevented from putting on tefillin for many hours, even after his family brought them to him.

According to the IDF spokesperson, the incident began after the young man was arrested by Israeli police on Motzoei Shabbos and subsequently handed over to the military police. He remained in custody overnight and into the late morning hours. When he arrived at a military detention facility in the afternoon, he requested to put on tefillin and was informed that he would be able to do so upon reaching the detention platoon. However, due to delays in the intake process, he was ultimately unable to fulfill the mitzvah.

“The detainee was arrested on Motzei Shabbos by the Israeli police and transferred to the military police’s custody. The detainee remained in detention overnight until late morning. During his detention, when he arrived at the military prison in the afternoon, he asked the reception team to wear tefillin, and he was told he would be given the opportunity when he arrived at the detention platoon. However, due to an unexpected delay in his processing, and according to the report given afterwards, the detainee was ultimately unable to wear tefillin,” the IDF spokesperson stated.

The army emphasized that the incident was highly unusual and does not reflect standard procedure. “This is an extremely rare case, which is not in line with the IDF’s regulations. The IDF regrets the distress caused, and the procedures at the prison have been clarified for immediate implementation. The matter will be thoroughly investigated by the commanders to prevent similar incidents in the future. The detainee is currently in a facility where all the necessary equipment is provided according to his way of life,” the statement added.

The detainee was identified as Avraham Ben Dayan, 23, a talmid of Maor HaTalmud Yeshiva who was married just two months ago. He was stopped at a police checkpoint in southern Israel, where it was discovered that he was listed as a draft dodger. He was then transferred to the custody of the military police.

Family members who were summoned to the scene said they hurried to bring his tefillin, but were repeatedly denied permission to allow him to put them on. According to them, he was only permitted to wear tefillin at approximately 5 p.m. “This is a severe religious violation and the prevention of a basic mitzvah,” the family claims.

They further allege that authorities deliberately misled them throughout the night. According to the family, Ben Dayan was moved between several facilities — from Netivot to Ofakim and then to Sde Teyman — while they were given inaccurate information at each stage regarding his whereabouts. As a result, they say, they were unable to see him or provide him with basic personal necessities.

Ultimately, Ben Dayan was sentenced to ten days in a military prison.

MK Moshe Gafni, chairman of Degel HaTorah, sharply condemned the conduct of the authorities. “This man was arrested for no reason, and according to his family, they didn’t allow him to wear tefillin. This is a military called the Jewish army, and they don’t let a yeshiva student wear tefillin.”

Gafni added that he intends to pursue the matter at the highest levels. “This will not go quietly. I will contact the Minister of Defense and not let this matter slide – this hatred towards everything Jewish.”

Ben Dayan’s attorney, Shlomo Hadad, has filed an appeal against the ruling in an effort to secure his immediate release.

{Matzav.com}

Cuban aviation officials have warned airlines that there isn’t enough fuel for airplanes to refuel on the island, the latest step in its moves to ration energy as the Trump administration cuts the Caribbean nation off from its fuel resources. The government of Cuba published the notices to airlines and pilots on Sunday night, warning […]

Rep. John Rose said Monday that he could support requiring Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to carry identification while on duty, using the discussion to argue that Democrats apply different standards to voter ID as Congress moves toward a confrontation over funding for the Department of Homeland Security.

Speaking on Newsmax, Rose said Democrats have pushed for ICE officers to carry identification in the field and suggested the idea itself is not unreasonable. “Democrats want “ICE agents to have identification on them when they are in the field,” Rose said. “Novel idea. I think it’s a pretty good one, actually.

“I think that maybe it’s OK if ICE agents have identification — and maybe you should have an ID when you vote.”

In an interview on Wake Up America, the Tennessee Republican said the identification proposal is one of several Democratic conditions tied to DHS funding and could represent limited common ground, even as he faulted Democrats for pushing restrictions he says would undermine immigration enforcement.

Democrats have warned they may block continued funding for the Department of Homeland Security unless the Trump administration agrees to policy changes designed to rein in Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations.

Republicans, meanwhile, have cautioned that a shutdown would disrupt critical agencies and services, including DHS, FEMA, TSA, the Coast Guard, and the Secret Service.

Rose accused Democrats of leveraging the funding deadline to advance what he characterized as a “sanctuary country” agenda, saying their proposals would weaken federal law enforcement and put the public at risk.

“They’re willing to harm American citizens to protect illegal aliens that are committing crimes in our country,” Rose said, adding that Democrats appear ready to shut down essential agencies to extract concessions.

He also pushed back on claims that ICE activity should be curtailed, arguing that lawmakers ought to stand behind officers enforcing federal statutes.

“My parents taught me when you see a police officer or law enforcement officer, you comply,” Rose said. “We shouldn’t be interfering with our federal law enforcement agents’ duty to enforce the laws of this country.”

Rose said he initially intended to vote against last week’s spending package because it did not include the SAVE Act, a Republican-backed election integrity proposal, but ultimately supported the bill.

“I think the bill that we initially passed was right on target,” Rose said. “Frankly, I think it was probably a mistake to separate that issue and give Democrats a chance to negotiate on this further.”

While signaling some openness on the narrow question of ICE identification, Rose said Democrats’ broader list of demands shows they have failed to absorb voter dissatisfaction with border policies during the Biden administration.

“They’ve decided these criminal illegal aliens are more important than American citizens and American citizens’ safety,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

Venezuela’s top prosecutor said on Monday that his office had requested the arrest of one of the closest allies of opposition leader María Corina Machado, less than 12 hours after his release from a detention facility as part of a government move to free those facing politically motivated accusations. The attorney general’s statement did not say […]

Israeli security authorities last week detained an independent journalist on suspicion of contact with Iranian operatives, according to a new report from Ynet. The journalist — who holds a government-issued press card — was arrested in a joint operation by the Shin Bet and the Jerusalem District Police after authorities alleged he had been in […]

Iran and Oman received advance notice that US special envoy Steve Witkoff and US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner would be traveling to the USS Abraham Lincoln over Shabbos, according to reports.

CNN said Sunday that both Tehran and Muscat were informed beforehand, a step widely viewed as a deliberate signal that the United States retains the option of military action should Iran refuse to reach an agreement limiting its nuclear activities.

Channel 12 likewise reported that Iranian officials were alerted ahead of the visit, underscoring the message being conveyed alongside the diplomatic track.

Witkoff and Kushner, who headed the American delegation for talks with Iran in Oman on Friday, toured the aircraft carrier at the invitation of the commander of US Central Command, Adm. Brad Cooper.

Washington and Tehran returned to the negotiating table after earlier nuclear discussions were halted following Israel’s 12-day war with Iran in June 2025, a conflict that concluded with a US strike on multiple Iranian nuclear facilities.

Western governments believe Iran is pursuing the capability to build a nuclear weapon, a charge Tehran denies. Still, Iran has enriched uranium to levels with no civilian use, restricted access for international inspectors, and significantly expanded its ballistic missile program. Before the June fighting, Israel said Iran had recently taken concrete steps toward weaponization.

Despite the renewed talks, the possibility of conflict continues to loom. Trump described the discussions as “very good,” while Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on social media that they “constitute a step forward.” Iran, however, has consistently rejected Washington’s central demand that it halt uranium enrichment altogether.

After the first round of negotiations in Oman, Trump signed an executive order calling for the “imposition of tariffs” on countries that continue trading with Iran in defiance of US sanctions.

At the same time, the United States unveiled additional sanctions targeting a range of shipping companies and vessels as part of efforts to restrict Iran’s oil exports.

Amid the diplomatic activity, Tehran saw a stark warning displayed in public. A newly erected billboard overlooking Palestine Square threatened Tel Aviv with missile attacks, featuring a map of the city’s metropolitan area beneath Hebrew text reading, “Under raining missiles, it’s a small area!”

An English line beneath the image declared, “You start… We finish it!”

The billboard depicted the map placed on a table alongside a red button labeled “FIRE,” a walkie-talkie, and scale models of an aircraft and missiles.

Iran has previously displayed threatening imagery toward Israel in the same square, including a clock it claimed was counting down to Israel’s destruction.

During last June’s fighting, Iran launched more than 500 ballistic missiles and approximately 1,100 drones at Israel.

The renewed contacts between Washington and Tehran are taking place against the backdrop of a major US military buildup in the region, which followed Iran’s violent suppression of protests that erupted in late December over economic conditions.

Iranian authorities have said that 3,117 people were killed during the unrest, releasing on Sunday a list of 2,986 names they said consisted largely of security personnel and civilians.

International organizations and news outlets have estimated the death toll to be far higher, potentially reaching into the tens of thousands.

{Matzav.com}

Anyone who stays updated with the latest in Jewish music has surely seen the “Real Yidden” song “Emese Yid” that decries the TYH (Thank You Hashem) brand. I was, as I’m sure many of you were as well, shocked that Jews have descended to writing diss-tracks on each other in an effort to communicate about […]

I’m an Orphaned Kallah who just got engaged. My father passed away after an illness. I was in a foster home and had a very difficult childhood. My wedding is approaching, and I’m missing even the basic necessities. Your help will let me walk to the chuppah with joy instead of fear. DONATE HERE: https://thechesedfund.com/vaad-ha-rabbanim/an-orphaned-kallah-standing-alone?aff=8LB

Sec. Kennedy on operating under President Trump: “I think he’s probably the most business-friendly president we’ve had…It’s a joy to work for him because he lets me do stuff that I don’t think anybody else would ever let me do.”

In a deeply personal moment on live Israeli radio, popular singer Benny Friedman revealed that his seven-year-old son is on the autism spectrum, sharing details of the family’s private journey for the first time during a broadcast of the Motzaei Shabbos program Motzaei Shabbos Chai in Israel.

The disclosure came during what began as a routine interview with host Menachem Toker, focusing on Friedman’s latest album. While discussing song selections, Friedman unexpectedly spoke about his fourth child, who is celebrating his seventh birthday this week, and his experience living with autism.

The revelation arose while Friedman described a song he received from composer Ari Goldwag. “I have a son with autism, and he absolutely lit up from this song,” Friedman said simply. “So I told my wife — I’m not sure about the song, but our son loves it.”

Toker, taken aback by the candid admission, responded emotionally, saying, “Wow, that’s incredibly moving.”

Friedman went on to explain that his son is high-functioning, able to speak and communicate, and shared especially uplifting news about his recent progress. “It’s a huge miracle from Shomayim,” the singer said. “He’s now beginning to learn a full day in a regular school.”

The singer was careful not to take credit for the breakthrough himself, instead praising his wife’s extraordinary dedication. “My wife is a miracle worker,” Friedman said on air. “She worked with him incredibly hard.”

The heartfelt disclosure offered listeners a glimpse into the challenges and triumphs behind the scenes of one of the leading figures in Jewish music.

{Matzav.com}

Footage shows an improvised Russian tank modification designed to protect against Ukrainian FPV drones, featuring rotating discs with attached cables intended to deflect or damage incoming drones.

The man who killed 51 Muslim worshipers at two mosques in New Zealand’s deadliest mass shooting told an appeals court Monday that he felt forced to admit to the crimes because of “irrationality” due to harsh prison conditions, as he sought to have his guilty pleas discarded. A panel of three judges at the Court of […]

Riders on NJ Transit should expect delays as wire issues suspended services​ in and out of Penn Station on Monday morning.

NYC Nurses’ Strike Nears End After Tentative Deal at Two Hospital Systems •⁠ ⁠Nurses at two of New York City’s three major hospital systems reached tentative agreements, setting the stage for the strike to end after several weeks. •⁠ ⁠The strike was driven by disputes over staffing levels, pay, working conditions, and patient safety, with […]

While visiting Armenia, Vice President JD Vance addressed the ongoing negotiations between the U.S. and Iran.