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Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu responded to questions about the second phase of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza initiative, saying Israel’s political and security priorities would be fully safeguarded as the plan moved forward.

He said the government was concentrating on what he described as the final objectives of the war, stating, “Now we are focusing on completing the two remaining missions: dismantling Hamas’s weapons and demilitarizing Gaza of arms and tunnels.”

Netanyahu said he had reached a clear understanding with President Trump on how those goals would be achieved, warning that Israel would not compromise on outcomes. “As I agreed with President Trump… there are only two possibilities: either this will be done the easy way or it will be done the hard way, but in any case, it will happen,” he said. He rejected suggestions that Gaza could be rebuilt before disarmament, adding, “I am already hearing the statements that we will allow Gaza’s reconstruction before demilitarization. That will not happen.”

The prime minister also dismissed reports that foreign forces might be deployed in the enclave. “I am hearing that we will bring Turkish soldiers and Qatari soldiers into Gaza. That too will not happen,” he said.

Addressing claims that Israel would permit the creation of a Palestinian state in Gaza, Netanyahu spoke forcefully, saying, “I am hearing that I will allow the establishment of a Palestinian state in Gaza. That did not happen, and it will not happen.” He emphasized his long-standing position on the issue, stating, “I think all of you know that the one who repeatedly stopped the establishment of a Palestinian state is me, together with my colleagues in the governments I have led. Even today and tomorrow, we will not allow this.”

Netanyahu concluded by reiterating Israel’s security doctrine for the region, saying, “Israel will maintain security control over the entire area from the Jordan River to the sea, and that applies to the Gaza Strip as well.”

{Matzav.com}

President Trump said Tuesday that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem will remain in her position, rejecting suggestions that she might resign as criticism mounts over her handling of recent deadly encounters involving federal agents.

Asked directly on the South Lawn of the White House whether Noem would step down, the president was unequivocal.

“No,” he told reporters.

“I think she’s doing a very good job.”

Noem has come under intense scrutiny following two fatal incidents involving federal officers. In public remarks, she described Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old armed nurse, and Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother, as domestic terrorists, language that sparked backlash across the political spectrum.

While the administration has since softened its tone, Noem will remain in office following an extended meeting with Trump late Monday evening at the White House, according to officials familiar with the discussions.

At the same time, Trump announced a series of moves that were widely viewed as shifting operational control away from Noem. On Monday, he revealed that border czar Tom Homan was being dispatched to Minnesota to manage the situation firsthand. Separately, Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino, known for his aggressive leadership style, was instructed to return home from his post in the state.

Although Homeland Security Adviser Stephen Miller echoed Noem’s description of the two individuals, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt sought to draw a clearer line between the president and that characterization.

During Monday’s press briefing, Leavitt was asked whether Trump agreed with labeling Pretti a domestic terrorist.

“I have not heard the president characterize Mr. Pretti in that way,” she said. “However, I have heard the president say he wants to let the facts and the investigation lead itself.”

Even as the administration stepped back from the rhetoric, Trump publicly reaffirmed his confidence in his senior team. He praised Noem’s performance and included Miller on his trip to Iowa, where he is scheduled to deliver remarks focused on the economy.

Before leaving Washington, Trump also offered a positive assessment of Homan’s efforts in Minnesota.

“I hear that’s going very well,” he said, referring to Homan’s discussions with Gov. Tim Walz.

Homan’s assignment was intended to stabilize the situation both on the ground and in the political arena, as concerns spread within Republican circles over Noem’s response to the deaths and the scale of force used by federal authorities.

Trump also addressed the investigation into Pretti’s death, saying he expects a thorough and fair review and plans to monitor it closely.

“We’re doing a big investigation. I want to see the investigation. I’m going to be watching over it. I want a very honorable and honest investigation — I have to see it myself,” he said Tuesday while departing the White House for Iowa.

The fatal shooting of Pretti, which occurred Saturday during a confrontation with federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, is now under review by multiple agencies. The Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection are each conducting their own examinations of the incident.

{Matzav.com}

Amazon is shutting down its Amazon Go Fresh grocery and convenience stores, saying it plans to close, sell, or repurpose the locations. The company said employees at affected stores will have the opportunity to apply for other roles within Amazon, including positions in its logistics network. Amazon said the decision follows a review of store […]

Hamas is pushing to have its roughly 10,000 police officers absorbed into a new U.S.-backed Palestinian administration for Gaza, setting up a likely confrontation with Israel as negotiations over demilitarization and governance enter a critical phase. The move highlights the central tension in the Trump administration’s postwar Gaza strategy: how to dismantle Hamas’ military power […]

A federal judge in Minnesota has ordered the acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement to personally appear in court and explain why he should not be held in contempt, escalating a clash over the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operations in the Twin Cities.

In a rare and sharply worded directive issued late Monday, Chief U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz instructed ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons to come before the court “and show cause why he should not be held in contempt.”

The order underscores growing frustration from the bench over what Schiltz described as ICE’s repeated failure to comply with judicial release orders tied to Operation Metro Surge, a stepped-up enforcement initiative underway in Minneapolis and St. Paul. According to Politico, the judge stated flatly that “the court’s patience is at an end.”

Schiltz, who was appointed to the bench by President George W. Bush, ordered Lyons to appear in person on Friday to address why ICE did not release a detainee who had been ordered freed on Jan. 15 and instead kept him in custody for weeks afterward.

In his ruling, the judge accused ICE of repeatedly disregarding decisions issued by multiple Minnesota judges, leading to individuals being detained longer than courts authorized or transferred to other states in what he suggested may have been an effort to sidestep judicial oversight.

The administration’s aggressive enforcement posture has triggered a surge of emergency lawsuits from immigrants who allege they are being held unlawfully.

Minnesota federal judges have frequently ruled in favor of those plaintiffs, ordering releases and warning that the practices raise serious due process concerns.

U.S. District Judge Michael Davis, who was appointed by President Bill Clinton, has likewise criticized the administration, accusing it of pushing the legal system “to the breaking point.”

Supporters of the administration counter that judges are overstepping their role, arguing that the courts are being used to block immigration enforcement powers granted by Congress and grounded in the Constitution.

Operation Metro Surge was launched under President Donald Trump as part of a renewed effort to reverse years of weak enforcement and sanctuary-style policies adopted by Democrat-led states and cities.

The legal fight has sharpened amid heightened tensions following the fatal shooting of anti-ICE protester Alex Pretti during a federal operation, an incident critics have cited in calls to shut down enforcement actions altogether.

Several judges are now considering broader lawsuits that could significantly restrict or even suspend ICE activity in Minnesota.

The dispute between Schiltz and the administration has also spilled into related cases.

Earlier this month, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected an unusual request from the Justice Department seeking approval for additional arrests connected to a disruptive anti-ICE protest at a St. Paul church.

That demonstration, which interrupted a Christian worship service, drew national attention after former CNN anchor Don Lemon was linked to the protest.

Schiltz denied prosecutors’ emergency request to detain two organizers accused of conspiring to violate civil rights, though he placed them under strict release conditions.

Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem have said enforcement efforts will continue, emphasizing that interference with religious services and intimidation of worshippers will not be tolerated.

The intensifying showdown reflects a broader struggle between the Trump administration’s law-and-order agenda and a judiciary that has shown increasing willingness to intervene in immigration enforcement.

{Matzav.com}

Rep. Vern Buchanan, a Republican who has represented Florida in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2007, announced he will retire at the end of the current Congress, leaving office at age 74. * Buchanan said he plans to return to private life after 18 years in Congress, calling it an honor to serve. He […]

BREAKING: The IDF says that a short time ago troops identified a suspected infiltration into Israeli territory from Jordan near the communities of Paran and Yahel. IDF forces are conducting extensive searches and blocking traffic routes in the area to locate the suspects.

Israel is preparing to enter talks with the Trump administration over a new 10-year security agreement that could reshape the nature of U.S. military support, moving away from large annual cash grants and toward deeper joint weapons development and defense cooperation. The negotiations, expected to begin in the coming weeks, would follow the expiration of […]

Federal authorities were already familiar with Alex Pretti before Border Patrol officers fatally shot him in Minneapolis last weekend, and he had suffered a broken rib during a violent encounter with immigration agents roughly a week earlier, according to a report.

Pretti, who worked as an ICU nurse, told a friend that he witnessed ICE agents chasing what he believed was a family on foot during that earlier episode and stopped his car to intervene, CNN reported.

According to the source, Pretti pulled over, began yelling at the agents, and blew a whistle, prompting five officers to tackle him to the ground.

The friend told CNN that Pretti later said one of the agents leaned on his back during the scuffle, leaving him with a broken rib.

“That day, he thought he was going to die,” the source said, noting that agents ultimately released Pretti at the scene.

CNN reported that federal immigration officials had compiled information on Pretti in recent weeks, along with details on other anti-ICE protesters active in Minneapolis.

A memo circulated this month to agents deployed to the city instructed them to “capture all images, license plates, identifications, and general information on hotels, agitators, protestors, etc., so we can capture it all in one consolidated form,” according to the network.

While Pretti’s identity was known to federal agents, a source said it remains unclear whether his details were entered into or shared through the new intake system.

Authorities also have not determined whether Pretti recognized the agents he confronted on Saturday, or whether they recognized him from the earlier incident.

Video footage appears to show agents forcing Pretti to the ground before one officer removes a firearm from his waistband and another agent fatally shoots him.

The Department of Homeland Security has denied maintaining a database of suspected domestic terrorists.

“We do, of course, monitor and investigate and refer all threats, assaults and obstruction of our officers to the appropriate law enforcement,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told CNN, referring to a separate case involving a federal agent in Maine.

FBI Director Kash Patel has separately said his agency is probing encrypted Signal group chats that activists reportedly use to share information about ICE operations.

Such groups “create a scenario that illegally entraps and puts law enforcement in harm’s way,” Director Patel warned during an appearance on a conservative podcast on Monday.

{Matzav.com}

For average wage earners in Russia, it’s a big payday. For criminals seeking to escape the harsh conditions and abuse in prison, it’s a chance at freedom. For immigrants hoping for a better life, it’s a simplified path to citizenship. All they have to do is sign a contract to fight in Ukraine. As Russia seeks to […]

When Archwest Capital, a fast-moving real estate lender with 25+ years of experience in real estate finance, partnered with David Altshuler and Jewish Ad Group (JAG), the objective was clear and ambitious: generate high-quality borrower leads — fast. What happened next surpassed expectations. This wasn’t a slow rollout or an experimental test. It was a precision-built, rapid-deployment lead engine, designed and executed […]

Trump: “I had a great conversation with the highly respected President of Syria…” “Tom Homan, as you know, is in Minnesota now. He’s meeting with the governor, and he’s meeting with the mayor later, and I hear that’s all going well”.

TRUMP: Gaza is going very well. We got the last hostage body back, and a lot of people thought that was impossible.

President Trump said he is happy with DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and reflects on her contributions stopping illegal border crossings.

Trump on the investigation into Alex Pretti’s death: “We’re doing a big investigation. I want to see the investigation. I’m going to be watching over it. I want a very honorable and honest investigation — I have to see it myself.”

Dear YWN, (and also Dear Me, because apparently I’m one of those people) I am writing this letter to myself, and to every other genius who woke up this morning, looked outside at a city buried under snow, and still said the magic words: “Eh, I’ll just drive.” Friends, I learned the hard way, and […]

In the last months of World War II, Lola Kantorowicz tried her best to hide her pregnancy. She succeeded because most of the prisoners at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp had bellies that were distended and bloated from extended starvation. As she went into labor in March 1945, the Russians were advancing through Germany, and Bergen-Belsen […]

A complete and full teshuva in the handwriting and with the holy signature of the Admor Rabbi Yoel of Satmar, expressing strong words against appointing “rabbanim and dayanim who are ignorant, unfit, and have no knowledge whatsoever of Torah.”

Jewelry, furniture, trips, cash. Things you wish you had. Things you’d never allow yourself to buy. The KSH Auction is packed with everything you can dream of, and more.  Every ticket gives you a chance at winning the unforgettable.  But look a little closer. Every ticket is also food on a table. Every entry helps […]

The U.S. Air Force will hold a multi-day readiness exercise in the Middle East to showcase its ability to deploy, disperse, and sustain combat airpower across the Central Command region amid rising tensions with Iran over a potential U.S. strike.