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Two senior members of Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s governing coalition sharply criticized him for failing to publicly reject the idea of a Palestinian state, after a US-led coalition of nations issued a statement endorsing President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace framework as “a pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.”

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich demanded that Netanyahu “make it clear to the entire world” that “a Palestinian state will never be established,” condemning what he described as the prime minister’s ongoing “silence” on the matter as a “diplomatic disgrace.”

“Two months ago, immediately after several countries announced their unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state, you committed to respond decisively on the matter as soon as you returned from the United States. Since then, as mentioned, two months have passed during which you chose silence and a diplomatic disgrace. The deterioration we are now witnessing regarding this issue is dangerous and is your responsibility due to your silence,” Smotrich wrote on social media.

He went on to urge Netanyahu to “formulate immediately an appropriate and decisive response that will make it clear to the entire world [that] a Palestinian state will never be established on the territory of our homeland.”

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir voiced similar outrage, declaring in a separate statement that “there is no such thing as a ‘Palestinian people’” and that “they certainly do not deserve a reward for the terror, murder, and atrocities they have sown everywhere, especially from Gaza — the place where they received self-rule.”

Ben Gvir said his Otzma Yehudit party “will not be part of any government that agrees to this,” insisting that “the only real solution in Gaza is to encourage voluntary emigration, and certainly not a reward-state for terror, which would serve as a base for continued terrorism.”

“I call on the prime minister to make it clear that the State of Israel will not allow the establishment of a Palestinian state in any form,” he added.

The criticism came after Washington coordinated a joint declaration from Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Turkey, Indonesia, and Pakistan expressing support for the UN Security Council resolution to create an International Stabilization Force in Gaza.

“We emphasize that this is a sincere effort, and the Plan provides a viable path towards peace and stability, not only between the Israelis and the Palestinians, but for the entire region,” the joint statement read. “We are looking forward to this resolution’s swift adoption.”

{Matzav.com}

Noam party leader Avi Maoz has launched a blistering attack on both US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, accusing them of undermining Israel’s sovereignty and advancing Palestinian statehood.

In a fiery post, Maoz charged that Trump is “advancing a Palestinian terror state in Judea and Samaria,” using the Biblical term for the West Bank. His remarks followed an international statement — coordinated by Washington and signed by several nations — claiming that Trump’s post-war Gaza initiative “offers a pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.”

Maoz did not spare Israel’s leadership either, slamming Netanyahu’s “full-right-wing government” for what he called efforts to block his sovereignty legislation from progressing to its first Knesset reading. The bill, which would extend Israeli sovereignty to all settlements in the West Bank, has been a flashpoint within the coalition.

Although Maoz’s proposal narrowly passed a preliminary vote in late October, Netanyahu strongly opposed it. The Likud faction staged a boycott of the session, with the exception of MK Yuli Edelstein, who broke ranks and cast the deciding vote in favor — a move that cost him his position on the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

Following the initial approval, the measure was sent to the committee stage, where it has remained stalled. Observers believe Netanyahu will prevent it from advancing any further, wary of international repercussions and internal coalition instability.

Undeterred, Maoz this week appealed directly to committee chairman Boaz Bismuth of Likud, urging him not to drag his feet on the legislation and to move it forward for debate.

{Matzav.com}

The Trump administration appears ready to abandon the planned deployment of an international stabilization force to Gaza — a central pillar of its postwar peace blueprint — in order to accelerate reconstruction of the devastated enclave, according to an Israeli television report today.

Negotiations over the next stage of the ceasefire have reached a standstill, with disputes centered on Hamas’s disarmament and who will govern Gaza once the fighting ends. As one Israeli official described it, the shift in Washington’s stance has created a “deadlock” in ongoing talks with Israel over the territory’s future.

An Israeli security source told Channel 13 that the White House has struggled to recruit nations willing to take part in the demilitarization of Hamas and has therefore started exploring “interim solutions, which are currently unacceptable to Israel.”

“This interim situation is the worst there is,” one senior Israeli official warned. “Hamas has been strengthening in recent weeks since the end of the war.”

“There can be no rehabilitation before demilitarization. It is contrary to Trump’s plan. Gaza must be demilitarized,” another Israeli security official stated emphatically.

Despite the tension, Washington is moving ahead with a draft UN Security Council resolution set for a vote on Monday. The text, previously obtained by The Times of Israel, incorporates all 20 points of President Donald Trump’s peace framework — a plan that Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu publicly endorsed alongside Trump in September.

Under the proposed resolution, UN member states would “establish a temporary International Stabilization Force,” authorized to operate in Gaza through 2027. Countries that have considered sending troops reportedly insisted they would only do so with formal UN backing.

In anticipation of the resolution’s approval, Israel has already begun logistical groundwork to accommodate “thousands of foreign soldiers,” according to a report released today by the Kan public broadcaster. Israeli officials expect the international force to have wide authority to dismantle Hamas’s arsenal, but most nations involved have signaled that they would limit their role to peacekeeping rather than active disarmament.

On Friday, the US coordinated a joint statement from Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Turkey, Indonesia, and Pakistan, all expressing support for the upcoming UN vote and describing the process as one that “offers a pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.”

Moscow, however, is advancing an alternative draft that sidesteps the creation of a peacekeeping body altogether. The Russian proposal, circulated to Security Council members, acknowledges “the initiative that led to the ceasefire” but omits Trump’s name and merely calls on the UN secretary-general to study “the possibilities of deploying an international stabilization force” in Gaza.

As the diplomatic wrangling intensified, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with Netanyahu by phone today. The Kremlin said the discussion focused on Gaza, Iran’s nuclear activity, and developments in Syria.

According to the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, Putin initiated the call, which followed a series of recent conversations between the two leaders. The PMO said the talks “dealt with regional issues,” without offering further details.

{Matzav.com}

Anxiety is rippling through New York’s Jewish community as many residents rush to purchase firearms and undergo training ahead of Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s inauguration, Arutz Sheva reports. With growing fears of weakened police presence and a potential rise in antisemitic incidents, gun ownership among Orthodox Jews has surged to levels unseen in decades.

In Marine Park, Brooklyn, 30-year-old Michael Bergida has become an unexpected symbol of this trend. The Orthodox businessman recently launched Samson Armory—Brooklyn’s first new gun store in over fifty years—and says the timing has brought a wave of customers from across the Jewish community. “We’re probably the only gun store to have a minyan,” Bergida quipped to the New York Post, describing prayer gatherings inside his shop. According to him, the election has spurred panic. “People are freaking out over Mamdani – anyone who has Judeo-Christian values,” he said, adding that “chaos” and NYPD understaffing are among his clients’ biggest concerns.

Bergida, who is certified by the NRA, has also begun coordinating with local synagogues on safety measures and emergency preparedness. “It’s like doomsday prepping – people are loading up ammo,” he said. “We’re here to stay. We’re not victims anymore.”

That same sense of unease is evident across other gun training centers. Veteran instructor Lance Dashefsky said requests for concealed-carry classes spiked immediately after Mamdani won the Democratic primary. “I always ask people why they want a gun,” Dashefsky said. “And now the answer is Mamdani.” NYPD statistics confirm the rise: concealed-carry permit applications jumped from 620 in June to 706 by August. The process, which requires an 18-hour state course, can take up to a year in New York City.

Ross Den, another firearms trainer in Brooklyn, said many previously hesitant Jews are now applying for permits. “There are plenty of Rabbis who carry – synagogues are where the greatest threat is,” he explained, noting that armed volunteers designated by the congregation are legally allowed to carry during services.

Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist and former state assemblymember, has long courted controversy for positions seen as hostile by parts of the Jewish community. His past support for the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement, along with comparisons between NYPD policing and Israeli military actions, has sparked fierce backlash. Mamdani has defended his stance, saying it stems from “concerns about human rights and policing.”

Election data reveals the extent of Jewish opposition to Mamdani: heavily frum neighborhoods such as Borough Park and Crown Heights voted overwhelmingly against him, favoring former Gov. Andrew Cuomo instead. The distrust runs deep—particularly among Israeli-born New Yorkers who say they no longer feel confident relying solely on law enforcement.

“We are Jewish and we will protect ourselves – even if the mayor despises us,” said one Israeli-American mother of four who applied for a firearm license the day after the election. “We want a say in our own protection and not have to rely on others.”

{Matzav.com}

Tensions over Israel’s controversial draft legislation escalated violently in Yerushalayim this evening when Shas MK Yoav Ben Tzur was assaulted by extremist youths. According to witnesses, Ben Tzur’s vehicle was surrounded and attacked, with rioters smashing his car windows before police forces arrived to restore order. His office described the assault as a “lynch attempt,” while others at the scene said he “was beaten.”

In a statement, the Shas party expressed outrage at the assault, declaring that it “strongly condemns the serious attack on the vehicle of MK Yoav Ben Tzur that was carried out this evening in Yerushalayim by a small group of rioters.” The party emphasized that “acts of violence of this sort, which cause a desecration of God’s name, are not the way of the Torah and do not represent any God-fearing public.”

Political leaders from across the spectrum weighed in. Yisrael Beytenu chairman MK Avigdor Lieberman blamed the broader social culture surrounding military exemptions for the incident. “When you accustom a person to idleness and draft-dodging—he becomes violent when you try to take the idleness away from him,” Lieberman said. He continued, “The attack by dozens of charedim on MK Ben Tzur of Shas is yet another example of why we must bring everyone into line immediately. All citizens of the State are subject to one, single, uniform, legal system. Zero tolerance for lawbreakers—from draft-dodgers and refusers to the crime militias and protection rackets. Very soon, we will bring order here!”

MK Boaz Bismuth, who chairs the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, also denounced the assault, calling it “a severe crossing of a line and a blatant attempt to intimidate elected officials.” Bismuth urged that complex national debates like the draft law must be handled “in the appropriate place, in serious dialogue, with proper judgment and through democratic decisions. Not in the street and not under threats by extremists.”

{Matzav.com}

IDF forces have wiped out a major Hamas tunnel network in the Beit Hanoun area of northern Gaza — the same underground route the terror group used to carry out a deadly ambush on Israeli troops nearly one year ago. That 2024 attack claimed the lives of Cpt. Ilay Gavriel Atedgi, 22; Sgt. First Class […]

Israel is not opposing a U.S. plan to sell advanced F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia — but only if the deal is tied directly to the kingdom normalizing relations with the Jewish State, according to two senior Israeli officials. The timing is critical: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) is expected to meet […]

A Mega Millions player in Georgia won the $980 million jackpot on Friday, overcoming abysmal odds to win the huge prize. The numbers selected were 1, 8, 11, 12 and 57 with the gold Mega Ball 7. The winner overcame Mega Millions’ astronomical odds of 1 in 290.5 million by matching all six numbers. The […]

A spectacular nighttime eruption lit up Japan’s Sakurajima volcano in Kagoshima.

Trump on Venezuela: “I sort of have made up my mind… I can’t tell you what it is, but we made a lot of progress with Venezuela in terms of stopping drugs from pouring in. But we have a Mexico problem. We have a Colombia problem.”

Rav Shamshon Raphael Hirsch zt”l needs no introduction. As one of the foremost leaders of German Jewry more than two centuries ago, he guided a nation of Torah-true Jews through an era of profound turmoil and upheaval. Many gedolei Yisroel have credited him with literally saving German Jewry from the jaws of assimilation. His prolific […]

Trump said he had an MRI and the results were “outstanding.” When a reporter asked if it was of his brain, he replied that he wasn’t sure what they examined, but whatever it was, “they analyzed it well.”

A New York woman, Jamie Middleton, is accused of repeatedly disguising herself as a man to take CDL tests for others, allegedly showing up in various outfits—sunglasses, masks, and other disguises—to pose as different applicants between March and September 2023.

A peace deal has been reached in Qatar between the Democratic Republic of Congo and M23 rebels, aiming to end the conflict in eastern Congo.

Mayor Eric Adam’s says he is traveling to Israel to meet with governmental officials, tech leaders, and economic development strategists. but also wants to talk about how to come together to end the globalized antisemitism.  

The IDF says it has destroyed a one-kilometer Hamas tunnel in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza, which the terror group allegedly used to carry out a deadly attack on Israeli troops nearly a year ago.

“Obamacare is a disaster — far too expensive and lousy health care,” says POTUS. “Instead of giving it to insurance companies — big, fat, bloated insurance companies — we’re giving the money directly to the people to buy their own health care.”

The government shutdown has ended, but the air-traffic-controller shortage remains. Airline leaders are urging lawmakers to guarantee pay for controllers and TSA staff in any future shutdown, warning that the recent record closure made staffing even harder. More than 5 million travelers faced delays and cancellations as conditions deteriorated just hours before the Senate struck […]

US envoy Steve Witkoff is reportedly preparing to meet again with Hamas negotiator Khalil al-Hayya, though the timing is still uncertain and could change, the New York Times says. Neither Witkoff’s office, Hamas, nor the White House commented. The two previously met in Sharm el-Sheikh shortly before the ceasefire was signed, alongside Jared Kushner.

Chaos erupted in Yerushalayim on Motzei Shabbos as Shas MK Yoav Ben Tzur was violently attacked by a mob of extremist chareidim while leaving the weekly shiur of Hagaon HaRav Yitzchak Yosef. The rioters targeted the lawmaker over his party’s apparent backing of the coalition’s Chareidi conscription bill. According to Galei Tzahal reporter Daniel Grovais, […]