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One of the Israeli passengers who helped overpower the terrorist attempting to crash a Flydubai passenger jet has revealed a series of disturbing incidents involving members of the cabin crew, including an allegation that a flight attendant began loosening the restraints holding the hijacker after passengers had subdued him.

Assaf Rajwan, who was traveling aboard the Dubai-to-Israel flight with his wife, Lior, and their two daughters, ages 12 and 13, described the terrifying ordeal during an interview on Israel’s Channel 12 program Ulpan Shishi. His account raised serious questions about the conduct of several flight attendants during the attempted hijacking, although their alleged actions have not been independently established as evidence of involvement in the attack.

More than a week after the incident, Rajwan recounted how he rushed toward the front of the aircraft when screams erupted and passengers realized that a violent struggle was taking place inside the cockpit.

Rajwan was among the passengers who helped restrain the alleged hijacker, preventing what authorities believe could have been a catastrophic attack. A video recorded after the aircraft landed showed him announcing to fellow passengers, “We won.”

During his television interview, however, Rajwan said the behavior of certain flight attendants had caused him considerable concern even as passengers were fighting to regain control of the aircraft.

“I saw two very large, very strong men. Let’s just say they weren’t exactly the ideal typecast for flight attendants,” Rajwan recalled.

He said the men appeared unusually tense and repeatedly exchanged glances and spoke to one another in their own language, behavior that he and other passengers interpreted as suspicious under the circumstances.

“You realize you’re in a situation with people who are constantly exchanging nervous looks. One looks at the other, signals with his eyes, and starts speaking in his own language. That’s why people don’t know this, but the real battle was with them,” Rajwan said.

According to Rajwan, one of the flight attendants also approached him in a confrontational manner after passengers in business class attempted to record what was happening aboard the aircraft.

“He asked me, ‘You are police, you are police,’ not in a positive way, but almost as an accusation,” Rajwan recalled.

Another detail that troubled Rajwan involved the flight attendants’ apparent ability to enter and leave the cockpit.

“They had the code. I saw them going in, coming out, opening it. I don’t know whether that’s possible. I told security officials that this needs to be investigated,” he said.

Rajwan described another particularly alarming episode involving the injured Indian captain, who had reportedly been attacked with an emergency axe during the attempted hijacking.

As the captain lay seriously wounded, Dr. Shota Musayev, one of the Israeli passengers, was attempting to provide emergency medical assistance and help him breathe.

At that moment, Rajwan said, a flight attendant approached the injured pilot and attempted to place an unidentified pill into his mouth.

“When the Indian pilot was lying there, gasping for breath, and Shota, the doctor, was helping him and ventilating him, there was a certain point when one of the flight attendants came to give him some kind of pill. We told him, ‘What are you doing? What pill? The man isn’t breathing. What are you trying to put into him?’ I have no idea what he was trying to give him,” Rajwan recounted.

Rajwan said he found the attempted administration of medication particularly troubling given the pilot’s condition and the fact that a physician was already providing emergency treatment.

He also described another incident in which flight attendants repeatedly instructed passengers to fasten their seat belts while the struggle to secure the aircraft was still underway.

“While we’re dealing with them, they start telling passengers in the air, ‘Put on your seat belts, put on your seat belts.’ We told him, ‘We’re going to die. There’s a terrorist here. What are you talking to me about seat belts for?'” Rajwan recalled.

The most alarming allegation in Rajwan’s account concerned what happened after the Israeli passengers managed to restrain the alleged hijacker.

According to Rajwan, the passengers had secured the suspect using plastic cable ties and wires from earphones, attempting to ensure that he could not resume his attack.

They then noticed one of the flight attendants approaching the restrained man and apparently beginning to loosen the ties.

“Suddenly, we notice that he starts releasing the cable ties. He starts gently loosening them. We told him, ‘What are you doing? What are you doing?’ We were absolutely frantic. Another second and we would have jumped on him,” Rajwan said.

Rajwan acknowledged that the conduct he witnessed left him genuinely frightened of certain members of the cabin crew, even after the immediate threat from the hijacker had apparently been contained.

“I was afraid. They were beasts. You touch one of them and it feels like you’re touching a rock. One of my fears was that one of them would pull out a weapon, pull out a knife, pull out something,” he said.

He also described a statement allegedly made by one of the flight attendants that left him stunned.

“He grabbed my hand, looked me in the eyes, and told me, ‘If he will be dead, we will land safe’ — if the Indian pilot dies, we will land safely. He told me something like that, and I went into a bit of shock,” Rajwan recalled.

Rajwan said he had brought his concerns to the attention of Israeli security authorities, who are expected to examine the passengers’ accounts and the circumstances surrounding the crew’s conduct.

Among the additional questions raised in the report was the whereabouts of replacement pilots who were reportedly aboard the aircraft but, according to the account, had not been seen since the plane landed.

The allegations concerning the flight attendants remain unverified, and the report did not establish that any cabin crew members knowingly assisted the alleged hijacker. The conduct Rajwan described is expected to be examined as part of the broader investigation.

The incident occurred on a Flydubai flight traveling from Dubai to Ben Gurion Airport, when Omani copilot Hammam al-Hamami allegedly attacked the Indian captain with an emergency axe and attempted to seize control of the aircraft.

According to reports of the incident, the copilot intended to crash the aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport, potentially killing everyone aboard and causing mass casualties on the ground.

Four Israeli passengers — Yaniv Hayoun, Dr. Shota Musayev, Tzvika Mans, and Assaf Rajwan — rushed into the cockpit and managed to overpower the attacker.

Their intervention prevented the alleged hijacker from carrying out his plan and enabled the aircraft to land safely in Israel.

With just two and a half weeks remaining until Israel’s Knesset elections, Hagaon Rav Tzemach Mazuz, Rosh Yeshivas Kisei Rachamim, has issued a public appeal to Hagaon Rav Yosef Chaim Abergil, leader of the newly established Achi party, urging him to withdraw from the election and join forces with Shas.

The unexpected appeal came as Rav Mazuz was recording an official video expressing his support for Shas. During the recording, he turned his attention to Rav Abergil, a longtime friend, and called upon him to dissolve his independent political party in the interest of unity.

Rav Abergil’s decision to establish Achi has introduced another political option for voters ahead of the upcoming election, raising concerns among Shas supporters about a possible division of the Sephardic chareidi vote.

Rather than limiting his remarks to an endorsement of Shas, Rav Mazuz chose to address Rav Abergil personally, invoking their longstanding relationship and expressing his desire to see the two political camps united.

“I heard that my dear and beloved friend, the great and distinguished Rav, a descendant of holy ancestors, Rav Chida Abergil, is establishing a party,” Rav Mazuz said.

He then made his request directly, calling for the new party to be dissolved and for its supporters to unite with Shas.

“I earnestly request from this platform that he close the party and that we join together, and that we all be as one man with one heart, with Hashem’s help, and we will surely see great salvation,” Rav Mazuz declared.

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The Torah world is mourning the petirah of Rav Moshe Mordechai Hadaya zt”l, the longtime Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Eilat and its surrounding district, who was niftar on Shabbos at the age of 91, after approximately seven decades devoted to strengthening Yiddishkeit in Israel’s southernmost city.

Rav Hadaya, who was regarded as the senior municipal rabbi in Israel in terms of years of service, assumed his position when Eilat was still a remote and developing community. Over the ensuing 70 years, he helped establish the city’s religious infrastructure, founded Torah institutions, and became a beloved spiritual figure for generations of residents.

His levayah was held on Motzoei Shabbos Parshas Bereishis at the Pachad Yitzchak Shul in Eilat, to be followed by a second levayah in Yerushalayim on Sunday.

Rav Hadaya was born in Syria in 1935 (5695) into a distinguished family of rabbonim and Torah scholars whose roots extended through the great Sephardic communities of Aleppo and Yerushalayim.

He was a grandson of the renowned Sephardic mekubal Rav Shalom Hadaya zt”l, who served as Rosh Yeshiva of the Beis El Yeshiva of Mekubalim and as av beis din in Yerushalayim.

His family also included Rav Ovadia Hadaya zt”l, the celebrated posek and author of Yaskil Avdi, whose writings became an important part of Sephardic halachic literature.

After arriving in Eretz Yisroel as a young man, Rav Hadaya immersed himself in Torah study under prominent gedolei Torah and poskim of the generation.

Among his principal rebbeim were Rav Eliezer Yehuda Waldenberg zt”l, the author of Tzitz Eliezer and a member of Israel’s Great Rabbinical Court; Rav Yaakov Kalav zt”l; and Rav Shimon Efrati zt”l.

His years of learning under these distinguished rabbonim provided the foundation for a lifetime of psak halacha and communal leadership.

In 1955 (5715), while still a young man, Rav Hadaya was called upon to serve as the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Eilat, which at the time was a small development town far removed from the established Torah centers of the country.

He accepted the position and devoted himself to building the religious life of the community, undertaking responsibilities that would occupy him for the next seven decades.

During his lengthy tenure, Rav Hadaya established the city’s kashrus supervision system, oversaw the construction of mikvaos, helped found shuls, and developed programs of Torah learning for local residents.

He was also deeply involved in protecting the observance of Shabbos and maintaining proper halachic standards throughout the city.

His efforts were especially significant because Eilat’s geographical isolation and its development as a major tourist destination presented challenges that differed from those facing rabbonim in Israel’s more established religious communities.

Rav Hadaya worked tirelessly to ensure that residents had access to the religious services and institutions necessary for a Torah-observant life, while maintaining close relationships with people from across the city’s diverse population.

Those who knew him described a rov whose home was open to anyone seeking assistance, guidance, or encouragement. Religious and secular residents alike viewed him as a fatherly figure who combined unwavering commitment to halacha with warmth and genuine concern for every individual.

His decades of service made him an inseparable part of Eilat’s history, and his influence extended well beyond the city’s religious institutions.

Approximately four months ago, in Sivan 5786, Eilat held formal elections for the position of Sephardic Chief Rabbi, resulting in the selection of Rav Hadaya’s son, Hagaon Rav Yair Hadaya, to succeed him.

Rav Yair was elected by an overwhelming majority of the electoral body, ensuring that the rabbinic leadership of the city would remain in the family that had guided its religious life for generations.

The younger Rav Hadaya is a distinguished talmid of Rav Avraham Shapira zt”l and Rav Ben Tzion Abba Shaul zt”l.

For many years, he headed a kollel in Eilat dedicated to preparing avreichim for positions in the rabbinate. He has also served voluntarily as the rabbinic representative of United Hatzalah in the city.

Like his father, Rav Yair has been actively involved in bringing Yidden closer to Torah and mitzvos, emphasizing personal relationships, accessibility, and a welcoming approach to those seeking to strengthen their connection to Yiddishkeit.

During a special gathering held this past summer in recognition of Rav Moshe Hadaya’s 70 years of service, the veteran rov publicly blessed his son upon his appointment as the city’s new Sephardic Chief Rabbi.

The emotional occasion brought together members of the community to honor Rav Hadaya’s extraordinary lifetime of dedication and to celebrate the continuation of his family’s rabbinic legacy.

At the gathering, Rav Hadaya expressed his heartfelt wishes that his son merit to lead Eilat’s Jewish community successfully and continue the distinguished tradition of Torah leadership established by their family.

With his petirah, Eilat has lost a towering figure who accompanied the city through nearly its entire modern history, transforming a distant development town into a community with an established network of shuls, mikvaos, Torah learning, and religious services.

Yehi zichro baruch.

{Matzav.com}

An anti-Israel organization that has pursued legal complaints against IDF soldiers around the world has now filed a formal complaint with the International Criminal Court in The Hague, accusing Israeli doctors, medical officials, and senior government personnel of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide in connection with the treatment of Palestinian security detainees at the Sde Teiman detention facility.

The Hind Rajab Foundation has asked the ICC prosecutor to investigate Israel’s medical establishment, including the Israel Medical Association and senior officials in the Health and Defense Ministries, over allegations of mistreatment and inadequate medical care at the military detention facility following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks.

According to a report by Ynet, the complaint specifically names Professor Zion Hagay, president of the Israel Medical Association, and Leah Wapner, the organization’s chief executive officer, among the individuals whose conduct the foundation wants investigated.

The filing represents an expansion of the organization’s international legal campaign against Israel, extending its accusations beyond soldiers and military commanders to medical professionals and administrators involved in the treatment of Palestinian detainees.

At the center of the complaint are allegations that medical personnel at Sde Teiman were required to examine and treat prisoners while the detainees remained blindfolded and restrained.

The organization also alleges that restrictions were imposed on transferring detainees to civilian hospitals, potentially preventing prisoners from receiving medical care outside the military facility.

In its submission, the foundation claims that at least 29 Palestinian detainees died at Sde Teiman by November 2025 as a result of medical neglect or physical violence.

Those figures and allegations are claims presented by the organization and have not been established as findings of the International Criminal Court. The submission of a complaint does not itself constitute a criminal indictment or a judicial determination that the named individuals committed any offenses.

The Hind Rajab Foundation, named after a Palestinian girl killed during the war in Gaza, has become known for attempting to identify Israeli military personnel traveling abroad and seeking criminal investigations against them in foreign jurisdictions.

The organization has reportedly submitted more than 90 complaints in approximately 30 countries, seeking legal action against Israelis it accuses of involvement in violations of international law during the Gaza war.

Despite the large number of complaints, the organization’s efforts have generally resulted in preliminary procedural measures rather than substantial criminal prosecutions or convictions.

Israeli officials have characterized the foundation’s activities as part of a broader international legal and public relations campaign directed against Israel and its military personnel.

According to Israeli assessments, the organization seeks to generate international pressure while discouraging IDF soldiers and other Israelis from traveling overseas out of concern that they could face questioning, detention, or criminal proceedings.

Israeli sources have also questioned the evidentiary basis of some of the organization’s complaints, arguing that material collected from publicly available social media posts is sometimes selectively edited or presented without sufficient context.

The new complaint also comes amid continuing controversy over the earlier criminal case involving five IDF reservists from Force 100, a military unit assigned to the Sde Teiman detention facility.

The reservists were accused of assaulting a Palestinian security detainee on July 5, 2024, while he was restrained and blindfolded. Prosecutors alleged that the detainee suffered serious injuries, including broken ribs, during the incident.

The allegations prompted a military investigation and eventually led to an indictment against the five soldiers, setting off a major political and legal controversy in Israel.

The affair intensified after security camera footage from the facility was leaked to the media, raising questions about the conduct of senior officials within the military prosecution system and the handling of evidence in the investigation.

The controversy eventually engulfed former Military Advocate General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, whose involvement in authorizing the release of the footage became the subject of a separate investigation.

In March 2026, the IDF’s new Military Advocate General, Maj. Gen. Itai Ofir, announced that the indictment against all five reservists was being withdrawn.

The decision followed a comprehensive review of the evidence and the circumstances surrounding the prosecution. Military officials cited significant evidentiary difficulties, questions concerning the handling of the leaked footage, and concerns about the defendants’ ability to receive a fair trial.

The alleged victim had also been returned to Gaza as part of a prisoner exchange, creating additional obstacles to presenting and testing the evidence in court.

The military’s decision did not constitute a judicial finding that every allegation had been fabricated. Rather, prosecutors concluded that the available evidence and procedural circumstances no longer provided a sufficient basis to continue the criminal proceedings.

The Hind Rajab Foundation’s latest filing is separate from that discontinued military prosecution and focuses primarily on the alleged responsibilities of medical professionals, hospital administrators, and senior health officials.

The organization has also identified former Israeli health ministers Moshe Arbel and Uriel Buso, along with Dr. Yosef Walfisch, chairman of the Israel Medical Association’s Ethics Board, among the officials it wants examined.

The foundation submitted its complaint during the World Medical Association’s General Assembly in Rotterdam, held October 7–10, a timing the organization said was intended to draw attention to questions of medical ethics and the treatment of detainees.

The foundation also cited a letter published in April 2024 by senior Israeli medical representatives defending the care provided at Sde Teiman. In that letter, the authors stated that detainees were “receiving appropriate medical care.”

The ICC prosecutor will now determine whether the material submitted warrants further examination. The filing itself does not establish criminal responsibility, and no charges against the Israeli medical officials named in the complaint have been announced.

A historic gathering of leading roshei yeshiva and poskim from Eretz Yisroel, the United States, and Europe took place last week in Radin, Belarus, where a delegation organized by Dirshu inaugurated the newly restored beis medrash of the famed Radin Yeshiva, established by the Chofetz Chaim.

The gathering marked a remarkable moment in the history of the legendary institution, whose beis medrash has now been restored to reflect its appearance during the years when Radin was one of the great centers of Torah learning in prewar Europe. The renovated building has been named Heichal Dirshu in recognition of the international Torah organization’s role in the project.

The visit was particularly significant as it came 87 years after the destruction of European Jewry brought an end to the flourishing Torah community that had once surrounded the Chofetz Chaim’s yeshiva. The return of prominent gedolei Torah to its historic beis medrash was accompanied by a series of gatherings devoted to limud haTorah, tefillah, and strengthening the worldwide Torah community.

The delegation included Rav Dovid Cohen, Rosh Yeshivas Chevron; Rav Avraham Salim; Rav Masoud Ben Shimon; Rav Yechiel Michel Steinmetz, dayan of Skver; Rav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, Rosh Yeshivas Mir; Rav Shimon Galai; Rav Sariel Rosenberg; Rav Shmuel Eliezer Stern; and Rav Ephraim Wachsman of Monsey.

Also participating were Rav Shmuel Eliezer Bedil, Rosh Yeshivas Prager; Rav Yehoshua Abba Busel, maggid shiur at Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood; Rav Yitzchok Kolodetsky; Rav Nissan Kaplan; Rav Uri Deutsch of Lakewood; and French rabbonim Rav Yehuda Toledano and Rav Dovid Ohana.

The delegation’s visit began with Shacharis inside the restored Radin beis medrash, where the participating rabbonim and representatives of Dirshu from around the world gathered for the formal inauguration.

The restoration was undertaken through the initiative of Rav Moshe Fima, director of Yad Yisrael Institutions, who oversees the historic Radin Yeshiva complex and its preservation.

Considerable effort was invested in reconstructing the beis medrash in a manner faithful to its original appearance, allowing visitors to experience the setting in which generations of talmidim once immersed themselves in Torah under the influence of the Chofetz Chaim and the great roshei yeshiva of Radin.

The newly dedicated Heichal Dirshu is intended to preserve that heritage while serving as a lasting tribute to the continued growth of Torah learning throughout the world.

During the dedication, the assembled rabbonim heard addresses from Rav Ephraim Wachsman and Rav Avraham Salim, followed by a shiur klali delivered by Rav Dovid Cohen.

Rav Dovid Hofstedter, nasi of Dirshu, delivered the foundational address marking the establishment of the restored beis medrash and its dedication.

Following the ceremony, the delegation traveled to the Radin cemetery, where they gathered at the ohel of the Chofetz Chaim for an emotional maamad tefillah.

At the kever of the Chofetz Chaim, Rav Yechiel Michel Steinmetz and Rav Uri Deutsch delivered words of hisorerus, encouraging the assembled participants to draw inspiration from the Chofetz Chaim’s extraordinary legacy of Torah learning, halacha, and avodas Hashem.

Rav Shimon Galai and Rav Shmuel Eliezer Stern led the recitation of Tehillim for the welfare and salvation of Klal Yisroel, as the gathered rabbonim joined in heartfelt tefillah.

One of the most moving moments of the visit came with the placement of Dirshu’s Sefer HaGiborim at the Chofetz Chaim’s kever.

The special volume contained more than 100,000 names of Dirshu participants and individuals who have joined its Daf HaYomi B’Halacha and Amud HaYomi learning programs.

The Daf HaYomi B’Halacha program is devoted to the daily study of halacha through the Chofetz Chaim’s monumental Mishnah Berurah, while Amud HaYomi provides a structured daily program of Gemara learning.

The placement of the names at the Chofetz Chaim’s kever symbolized the connection between the Torah being learned today by tens of thousands of participants around the world and the enduring teachings of the great posek whose life’s work continues to guide generations of Yidden.

A special tefillah, composed specifically for the rabbonim’s journey, was recited by Rav Masoud Ben Shimon, who davened for the success of all Dirshu participants and the entire Torah world.

After concluding the gathering in Radin, the delegation continued to Volozhin, another historic center of Torah learning whose influence shaped the development of the modern yeshiva world.

There, the rabbonim gathered for Mincha inside the historic Volozhin Yeshiva building, which has also undergone restoration and renovation in recent years through the efforts of regional authorities.

The Volozhin Yeshiva, founded by Rav Chaim Volozhiner, was one of the most influential Torah institutions in Jewish history, establishing a model of intensive, organized yeshiva learning that became the foundation for generations of Lithuanian yeshivos.

Following Mincha, the delegation proceeded on foot to the local cemetery, where they gathered at the kever of Rav Chaim Volozhiner, the author of Nefesh HaChaim.

At the kever, Rav Sariel Rosenberg delivered words of hisorerus and led the recitation of Tehillim, bringing the day of Torah gatherings and tefillos to a close.

The journey connected two of the most important centers of Torah learning in prewar Europe, Radin and Volozhin, as leading rabbonim from across the Jewish world gathered in the very places where the Chofetz Chaim and Rav Chaim Volozhiner left their enduring mark on Klal Yisroel.

המסע של דרשו לראדיןצילום: א. אייזנבאך המסע של דרשו לראדיןצילום: א. אייזנבאך המסע של דרשו לראדיןצילום: א. אייזנבאך

הזדמנות אחרונה לגור בפסגת אלעד. צפו במפרט >

תוכן מקודם

01:03

חוסכים עשרות אלפים: כך תתאימו את המשכנתא למציאות החדשה

שימי פרקש כתבה מקדמת

18:24

אבל כבד בין האירוסין לחתונה

בשיתוף ועד הרבנים

04:34

המסע של דרשו לראדיןצילום: א. אייזנבאך המסע של דרשו לראדיןצילום: א. אייזנבאך המסע של דרשו לראדיןצילום: א. אייזנבאך

“לא התאים לי לגדל את הילדים בצפיפות כמו שאני גדלתי”

תוכן מקודם

00:48

מהפך בסגירת חובות וגמ”חים למי שיש נכס בבעלותו

תוכן מקודם

00:09

מבהיל: “אני סיימתי כאן”: הצוואה המצמררת של הרב עזרא פולק

בשיתוף קופת העיר

14:46

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המסע של דרשו לראדיןצילום: א. אייזנבאך המסע של דרשו לראדיןצילום: א. אייזנבאך המסע של דרשו לראדיןצילום: א. אייזנבאך המסע של דרשו לראדיןצילום: א. אייזנבאך המסע של דרשו לראדיןצילום: א. אייזנבאך המסע של דרשו לראדיןצילום: א. אייזנבאך המסע של דרשו לראדיןצילום: א. אייזנבאך המסע של דרשו לראדיןצילום: א. אייזנבאך המסע של דרשו לראדיןצילום: א. אייזנבאך המסע של דרשו לראדיןצילום: א. אייזנבאך המסע של דרשו לראדיןצילום: א. אייזנבאך המסע של דרשו לראדיןצילום: א. אייזנבאך המסע של דרשו לראדיןצילום: א. אייזנבאך המסע של דרשו לראדיןצילום: א. אייזנבאך המסע של דרשו לראדיןצילום: א. אייזנבאך המסע של דרשו לראדיןצילום: א. אייזנבאך המסע של דרשו לראדיןצילום: א. אייזנבאך המסע של דרשו לראדיןצילום: א. אייזנבאך המסע של דרשו לראדיןצילום: א. אייזנבאך המסע של דרשו לראדיןצילום: א. אייזנבאך המסע של דרשו לראדיןצילום: א. אייזנבאך המסע של דרשו לראדיןצילום: א. אייזנבאך המסע של דרשו לראדיןצילום: א. אייזנבאך המסע של דרשו לראדיןצילום: א. אייזנבאך המסע של דרשו לראדיןצילום: א. אייזנבאך המסע של דרשו לראדיןצילום: א. אייזנבאך המסע של דרשו לראדיןצילום: א. אייזנבאך

{Matzav.com}

The chairman of Israel’s Arab Joint List, Yousef Jabareen, has announced that his party is prepared to provide parliamentary support to any government seeking to replace Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, potentially opening the door to an arrangement under which Gadi Eisenkot could lead a temporary government backed by Arab lawmakers.

Jabareen’s announcement introduces a new possibility into the political calculations ahead of Israel’s upcoming Knesset elections, as opposition parties examine potential arrangements for forming a government without Netanyahu.

The Joint List chairman made clear that his party would not provide its support unconditionally, declaring that Arab lawmakers intend to use their parliamentary strength to secure commitments on several major political and domestic issues.

“After the elections, we will impose our conditions on any political constellation in Israel. We have complete freedom of action, without restrictions, to replace the Netanyahu government, and we will use every tool at our disposal,” Jabareen declared.

Among the Joint List’s demands is a government-funded program to combat crime in Arab communities, where violence and organized criminal activity have become major public concerns.

The party is also calling for a halt to home demolitions and for diplomatic steps toward the establishment of a Palestinian state.

These conditions could complicate negotiations with opposition leaders who have previously ruled out forming a government dependent on Arab political parties.

Several figures within the bloc seeking to replace Netanyahu have publicly opposed relying on the Joint List to establish or maintain a governing coalition, making Jabareen’s announcement a potentially contentious development.

Nevertheless, political discussions could include arrangements under which Arab lawmakers support a government from outside the coalition without formally joining it or receiving ministerial positions.

Under such an arrangement, the Joint List could provide what is commonly described in Israeli politics as a parliamentary safety net, supporting a government in crucial votes while remaining outside the governing coalition.

One scenario reportedly being considered in political circles involves Eisenkot attempting to establish a temporary government with outside support from Arab parties.

Such a government could serve for a limited period before arranging another election, allowing Netanyahu’s opponents to replace the current administration without necessarily agreeing on a long-term governing coalition.

The announcement is particularly significant because opposition leaders, including Naftali Bennett, Avigdor Liberman, and Eisenkot, have previously expressed opposition to establishing a government dependent on Arab parties.

Bennett has argued that the political circumstances following the October 7 attacks make such an arrangement unacceptable. Liberman has similarly rejected coalition cooperation with Arab parties, while Eisenkot has outlined conditions requiring prospective coalition partners to recognize Israel as a Jewish and democratic state and Hamas as a terrorist organization.

Jabareen, meanwhile, has emphasized that the Joint List’s support would require substantive negotiations rather than an unconditional commitment. In a separate statement, he said his party would not give any prospective government a blank check and insisted that its political demands would have to be addressed.

The Joint List’s position also includes opposition to government policies concerning Gaza and the West Bank, issues that could create additional disagreements with parties seeking to form an alternative government.

The announcement comes just over two weeks before the November 3 election, with Netanyahu and his political allies already warning that an opposition government led by Eisenkot could ultimately depend on Arab lawmakers.

Eisenkot has not announced an agreement with the Joint List, and there is no indication that negotiations have produced an understanding on forming a temporary government.

For now, the proposal remains a possible post-election scenario rather than an agreed political arrangement. Its significance will depend on the composition of the next Knesset and whether opposition leaders are prepared to accept parliamentary backing from Arab parties despite their previously stated objections.

United Torah Judaism has set a target of 320,000 votes in Israel’s upcoming Knesset elections, seeking to increase its support by approximately 40,000 votes despite indications of widespread political apathy among chareidi voters and growing competition from parties to its right.

Party officials believe that the apparent lack of enthusiasm in the chareidi community does not necessarily indicate a decline in support. Instead, they are counting on a familiar pattern from previous elections, in which political interest and voter mobilization intensify during the final days before Israelis head to the polls.

According to sources, the party intends to launch its main election campaign toward the end of the coming week, gradually increasing its activity as the November 3 election approaches.

Campaign strategists believe that the final ten days to two weeks before an election are generally the period when political activity within the chareidi community reaches its peak. They are therefore concentrating much of their effort on that window, rather than interpreting the current quiet as a sign of an impending electoral setback.

The party’s ambitions, however, extend beyond simply encouraging its traditional supporters to vote. Its leadership is also seeking to broaden its electoral base and regain the support of chareidi voters whose allegiance to United Torah Judaism has weakened in recent years.

In the election for the 25th Knesset, United Torah Judaism received approximately 280,000 votes. Party officials believe that natural population growth within the chareidi community provides an opportunity to raise that figure to 320,000 in the upcoming election.

Achieving that increase would require the party to secure roughly 40,000 additional votes, a challenge that involves both maintaining its established voter base and reaching individuals who have become less committed to supporting the party.

The campaign is expected to rely heavily on communications platforms widely used within the chareidi community, including email distribution lists, chareidi news websites, telephone news hotlines, and community-oriented blogs.

By contrast, social media platforms such as TikTok are expected to receive considerably less attention. Party strategists believe those platforms are less effective for reaching the party’s core constituency than the established media channels serving chareidi households.

The party is also examining internal polling that suggests the ongoing controversy over the drafting of bnei yeshivos into the IDF has not necessarily weakened support among younger chareidi voters.

According to surveys commissioned by United Torah Judaism, some younger voters have actually become more supportive of the party amid the draft crisis, reflecting feelings of persecution and a growing identification with efforts to defend the yeshiva world.

Those findings have provided some encouragement to party officials concerned that the arrests of bnei yeshivos and the broader confrontation over military service could generate frustration with the chareidi political establishment.

At the same time, United Torah Judaism officials acknowledge that they face competition from right-wing and Religious Zionist parties, particularly those led by Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.

Some younger chareidi voters have expressed an affinity for the strongly nationalist positions promoted by those parties, creating a challenge for United Torah Judaism as it attempts to retain voters who identify with the chareidi community but are also attracted to the broader political right.

Party strategists recognize that even a relatively modest shift of younger voters toward Ben-Gvir or Smotrich could complicate their efforts to reach the 320,000-vote target.

United Torah Judaism’s approach is based on the assessment that many chareidi voters, even those who identify politically with the broader right, ultimately place considerable importance on representation that addresses the specific concerns of their communities.

Among the issues central to the party’s agenda are the status of bnei yeshivos, government support for chareidi educational institutions, and the everyday needs of chareidi families. Party officials believe that voters will weigh the ability of their elected representatives to secure concrete results on these matters when deciding how to cast their ballots.

The campaign is taking place under the leadership of MK Yaakov Asher, who assumed the chairmanship of United Torah Judaism following a significant reshuffling of the party’s Knesset slate in September.

The leadership changes saw veteran MKs Moshe Gafni and Uri Maklev removed from the party’s candidate list, marking a substantial change in the leadership of Degel HaTorah. Asher, who has served in the Knesset since 2013 and previously chaired its Interior and Environmental Protection Committee, now heads the joint electoral list.

Asher has also been working to bridge divisions between chareidi communities, with party officials recognizing that internal unity will be an important factor in the party’s electoral performance.

The importance of that unity was underscored in a separate report in September, which indicated that data presented to senior United Torah Judaism figures suggested an electoral potential of approximately 320,000 votes, equivalent to roughly eight and a half Knesset seats under the calculations being used at the time.

That assessment also highlighted concerns that internal divisions could make it difficult for the party to reproduce its previous election result, even with the continued growth of the chareidi population.

United Torah Judaism won seven seats in the outgoing Knesset. Its leadership is seeking to increase that representation while strengthening its position in negotiations over the formation of the next government.

The party’s broader objective is to regain a pivotal role in coalition negotiations, in which its Knesset seats could become important to a prospective government’s ability to assemble a parliamentary majority.

{Matzav.com}

Israel has disclosed details of a military emergency procedure that could have authorized the shooting down of the Flydubai passenger aircraft involved in the September 30 hijacking attempt, revealing that fighter jets were scrambled after the plane transmitted an international hijacking alert.

The procedure, known within the IDF as “Global Trade,” was developed to address situations in which a civilian aircraft is suspected of having been seized by terrorists and potentially turned into a weapon against populated areas or strategically important facilities.

According to a report by Ynet, the protocol was activated during the attempted hijacking of the Flydubai flight, which was traveling from Dubai to Ben Gurion Airport when the emergency unfolded.

During the incident, the aircraft transmitted the emergency transponder code 7500, an internationally recognized aviation signal indicating that an aircraft is experiencing a hijacking or another form of unlawful interference.

The code immediately alerts air traffic controllers and relevant security authorities that the aircraft may no longer be operating under the control of its authorized crew.

Shortly after the signal was received, the Israeli Air Force scrambled fighter jets toward the passenger aircraft as military officials began assessing the situation and preparing for possible intervention.

Under the Global Trade protocol, fighter aircraft can be dispatched to identify a suspicious civilian plane, establish its condition, accompany it through Israeli airspace, and respond to developments that may threaten civilian lives.

The most extreme provision of the procedure addresses the possibility that hijackers intend to deliberately crash an aircraft into a residential area, a major population center, or a strategically sensitive installation.

In such circumstances, the Israeli military may consider destroying the aircraft before it reaches its intended target, even though passengers and crew members may still be aboard.

The report emphasized, however, that such an extraordinary decision would never be made automatically upon activation of the protocol. Any order to shoot down a civilian airliner would require consultations with senior defense officials and authorization from Israel’s political leadership.

The procedure also provides for less drastic responses when the circumstances do not indicate an imminent terrorist attack.

Fighter pilots may be instructed to approach the aircraft, determine whether its pilots remain in control, escort it to a designated location, or assist in directing it toward a safe landing.

The Israeli Air Force regularly conducts exercises involving civilian aircraft that deviate from their assigned routes, stop responding to air traffic controllers, or transmit emergency signals.

Military officials therefore distinguish between the activation of an emergency response and confirmation that a terrorist attack is actually underway. An aircraft experiencing a communications failure or other aviation emergency may trigger precautionary military measures without presenting an immediate threat.

The name of the protocol, “Global Trade,” is understood to reference the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States, when hijacked passenger planes were deliberately crashed into the World Trade Center towers in New York and other targets.

Those attacks fundamentally transformed aviation security procedures around the world, forcing governments and military authorities to prepare for the possibility that a commercial passenger aircraft could be used as a weapon of mass destruction.

Tens of thousands of yeshiva bochurim and avreichim across Eretz Yisroel will return to their batei medrash on Sunday for the beginning of zman choref 5787, with the opening of the new zman marked by the appointment of a new rosh yeshiva at Yeshivas Be’er Hachaim, preparations at Ponevezh Yeshiva, and several developments throughout the Torah world.

The new zman, which follows the bein hazmanim break that began after Yom Kippur, will be especially lengthy this year because 5787 is a leap year containing two months of Adar. As a result, bochurim will have six consecutive months of learning before the conclusion of the zman at Rosh Chodesh Nissan.

The return to the yeshivos comes against the backdrop of the arrests of bnei yeshivos during bein hazmanim, which have generated considerable concern throughout the chareidi community. The upcoming elections for Israel’s 26th Knesset, scheduled for 16 Cheshvan, will also take place during the opening weeks of the zman.

Election season is expected to affect the yeshivos in different ways. Some bochurim will be involved in election-related activities, while others will remain entirely removed from political discussions. On Election Day, organized buses arranged by the political parties are expected to transport eligible voters from the yeshivos to their polling stations and back.

Although most significant changes in yeshiva leadership and administration generally take place before zman Elul, several institutions are beginning the winter session with new appointments, expanded facilities, and other developments.

One of the most notable announcements comes from Yeshivas Be’er Hachaim in Kiryat Sefer, where Rav Alexander Miller has been appointed rosh yeshiva following the petirah of Rav Elyakim Friedman zt”l during Elul.

The appointment has generated considerable excitement among the yeshiva’s talmidim and families. Rav Miller, a talmid of Yeshivas Brisk, is a brother of Rav Dovid Miller, Rosh Yeshivas Ponevezh.

The new rosh yeshiva will formally begin his position on Sunday with an opening shiur marking the beginning of zman choref. Rav Boruch Soloveitchik, the nasi of the yeshiva, is expected to participate in the occasion, together with additional rabbonim.

At Ponevezh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak, thousands of bochurim are preparing to return Sunday evening for the opening of the six-month zman.

This winter, Ponevezh and numerous other yeshivos that follow its established learning cycle will begin Maseches Kesubos, a masechta commonly referred to as a miniature Shas because of the extraordinary range and depth of its sugyos.

Among the subjects studied in Kesubos are the intricate halachos of rov, chazakah, sfeikos, and eidus, together with many other fundamental areas of lomdus.

The masechta also contains sugyos closely associated with the teachings of the great roshei yeshiva of previous generations. These include the foundational approaches of Rav Elazar Menachem Man Shach zt”l to questions of chazakah, the teachings of the Ponevezher Rav zt”l concerning oness, and the well-known lomdishe explanations of Rav Shmuel Rozovsky zt”l regarding yeihareig ve’al yaavor and kam leih bid’rabbah mineih.

Extensive preparations have been underway at Ponevezh since immediately after Simchas Torah to ensure that the yeshiva is ready to accommodate its thousands of returning talmidim.

Under the supervision of Rav Zev Tziger, who oversees the institution’s cleaning operations, additional crews have been working throughout the campus to prepare all six batei medrash and the various shiur rooms.

The work has included reorganizing the learning areas, reconstructing the large galleries used by the bochurim, and thoroughly cleaning the entire yeshiva hill ahead of the opening of the zman.

Meanwhile, more than 1,000 avreichim of Kollel Ponevezh, located in the Ohel Kedoshim building on the yeshiva grounds, will begin their new learning program on Monday.

The kollel will study Maseches Zevachim over the coming year, followed by Maseches Menachos, continuing its extensive study of Seder Kodshim.

The beginning of this learning cycle has also brought renewed memories of the remarkable shiurim delivered in the kollel by Rav Avraham Noach Garbuz zt”l, the renowned author of Minchas Avraham.

Three learning cycles ago, Rav Eliezer Kahaneman, nasi of Ponevezh, appointed Rav Garbuz to deliver special shiurim on the complex sugyos of Kodshim, an area requiring exceptional breadth of knowledge and analytical understanding.

Rav Garbuz, whose seforim and shiurim became widely acclaimed for their comprehensive treatment of fundamental topics throughout Seder Kodshim, would travel each week to Bnei Brak to deliver his shiurim to the avreichim gathered in Ohel Kedoshim.

The new zman at Ponevezh will also be accompanied by heartfelt tefillos for the recovery of Rav Chaim Berman, the legendary masmid whose extraordinary devotion to learning has long been an inseparable part of the yeshiva’s daily life.

For the first time, a winter zman will begin with Rav Berman’s familiar place near the bimah and the golden Aron Kodesh standing empty.

The talmidim and avreichim continue to daven for the complete recovery of Rav Chaim ben Reisha Raizel Berman, hoping that he will regain his strength and return to his accustomed place in the beis medrash, where his presence has inspired generations of bnei Torah.

Another development accompanying the opening of zman choref concerns registration for yeshivos ketanos in Bnei Brak, Petach Tikvah, and Elad.

Gedolei Yisroel have instructed the administrators of yeshivos and chederim in those cities not to begin or advance the registration process for the coming year before Lag BaOmer.

The directive calls for maintaining the same registration timetable that was followed last year, rather than allowing institutions to begin accepting applications earlier.

In Beit Shemesh, Yeshivas Rav Moshe Sternbuch is entering the new zman following a major milestone in its expansion plans.

During the past week, thousands of talmidim, alumni, and supporters gathered in the Ramat Beit Shemesh Daled neighborhood for the laying of the cornerstone of a new yeshiva campus.

The gathering marked a significant step toward the establishment of a permanent kiryas hayeshiva for the institution founded 13 years ago by Rav Moshe Sternbuch.

Since its establishment, the yeshiva has developed into a prominent institution attracting hundreds of outstanding bnei aliyah who have come to learn under its rebbeim and within its established approach to limud haTorah.

A major fundraising campaign has also been conducted to support construction of the new campus, which is intended to accommodate the institution’s continued growth.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reinstate his lawsuit accusing Hillary Clinton and several other prominent political and intelligence figures of orchestrating an effort to falsely associate his 2016 presidential campaign with Russia, challenging lower-court rulings that dismissed the case and imposed nearly $1 million in financial penalties.

The petition, submitted Friday, seeks to overturn decisions by a federal district court and the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which concluded that the lawsuit lacked sufficient legal merit and that Trump and his attorney should be sanctioned for pursuing it.

Trump originally filed the case in 2022, alleging that Clinton, his Democratic opponent in the 2016 election, had participated in a coordinated effort to damage his presidential candidacy by promoting allegations of connections between his campaign and Russia.

The lawsuit named a number of defendants, including Clinton, former FBI Director James Comey, the Democratic National Committee, and Christopher Steele, the former British intelligence officer who compiled the controversial dossier containing allegations about Trump and Russia.

In September 2022, U.S. District Judge Donald Middlebrooks dismissed the lawsuit, finding that its allegations failed to establish a legally sustainable case against the defendants.

The judge subsequently ordered Trump and his then-attorney, Alina Habba, to pay nearly $1 million in sanctions in January 2023, sharply criticizing the lawsuit’s substance and presentation.

Middlebrooks described the complaint as a “two-hundred-page political manifesto,” concluding that the legal proceedings had been improperly used to advance political grievances rather than legitimate claims.

Trump appealed both the dismissal and the sanctions, but the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected his arguments in November 2025.

A three-judge panel unanimously upheld the lower court’s rulings, including in a decision joined by Judge Andrew Brasher, who was appointed to the federal bench by Trump.

The appellate judges concluded that “many of Trump’s and Habba’s legal arguments were indeed frivolous.”

Trump’s attorneys are now asking the nation’s highest court to review those findings, arguing that the sanctions reflect an improper use of judicial authority against the president and his legal representatives.

In their Supreme Court filing, the attorneys warned of “a deeply troubling trend” involving federal judges imposing penalties on Trump and his lawyers. They argued that disagreements over legal arguments should not automatically become grounds for financial punishment.

The filing followed two extensions granted by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who oversees emergency applications arising from the 11th Circuit. The latest extension gave Trump’s attorneys until October 9 to submit their petition for review.

The underlying dispute dates back to the bitterly contested 2016 presidential election and the investigations that followed into Russian interference and possible connections between Moscow and members of Trump’s campaign.

Trump has consistently maintained that allegations of collusion were politically motivated and that Clinton and her allies helped promote a misleading narrative intended to undermine his candidacy and presidency.

Special counsel Robert Mueller’s 2019 investigation established that Russia had interfered in the 2016 election but did not establish that members of Trump’s campaign had conspired or coordinated with the Russian government.

A separate investigation by special counsel John Durham, completed in 2023, sharply criticized aspects of the FBI’s handling of the Russia investigation, including its reliance on information from politically connected sources.

The Supreme Court appeal also raises questions about whether some of Trump’s claims were improperly rejected as untimely. His attorneys contend that legal deadlines should account for the demands and responsibilities of the presidency, an argument they say the lower courts failed to adequately consider.

The president’s latest legal maneuver comes amid renewed political tensions in Washington, with Republicans and Democrats preparing for the November congressional elections.

Two days before the Supreme Court filing, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that he “could have done very bad things” to Clinton, former President Barack Obama, and former President Joe Biden, but had refrained out of respect for the presidency.

Trump made those remarks while warning that Democrats could pursue impeachment proceedings against him if they regain control of Congress in the midterm elections.

The Supreme Court has not announced whether it will hear the Clinton lawsuit. At least four justices must agree to review the case before it can proceed to arguments and a possible ruling.

If the justices decline the petition, the lower-court decisions dismissing Trump’s claims and upholding the financial sanctions will remain in place.

{Matzav.com}

Russian President Vladimir Putin has conveyed Iran’s position on a possible agreement to end the ongoing war with the United States directly to President Donald Trump, the Kremlin announced Saturday, raising the prospect of a Russian diplomatic role in efforts to bring the eight-month conflict to a close.

The message was delivered during a telephone conversation between Putin and Trump on Friday, following discussions between the Russian leader and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Turkmenistan earlier in the week.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Putin had communicated Tehran’s views to the American president after coordinating with the Iranian leadership.

“In coordination with the Iranian president, Putin conveyed the Iranian side’s views on a possible resolution to the conflict to Trump,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to Russia’s state-run RIA news agency.

The Kremlin did not reveal the specific proposals Putin presented to Trump, nor did it indicate how the American president responded. It also remained unclear whether the conversation produced any progress toward restarting direct or indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran.

Putin met with Pezeshkian during a summit in Turkmenistan, where the two leaders discussed the possibility of ending the hostilities through diplomatic negotiations. The Russian president reportedly expressed Moscow’s readiness to assist in efforts to reach an agreement.

According to the Russian news agency Interfax, Peskov said the two presidents held separate meetings during the gathering. Putin also informed Pezeshkian beforehand that he intended to speak with Trump, suggesting that the communication of Iran’s position had been arranged in advance.

The diplomatic initiative comes as efforts to negotiate an end to the war between the United States and Iran remain deadlocked, despite several rounds of discussions and proposals exchanged through intermediaries.

The conflict began in February with American and Israeli military strikes against Iranian targets, triggering a prolonged confrontation that has disrupted regional security, international shipping, and global energy markets.

In June, Washington and Tehran reached a memorandum of understanding setting out a possible framework for ending the fighting. The arrangement, however, did not lead to a permanent agreement, and tensions escalated again following Iranian attacks on commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

The attacks on maritime traffic prompted renewed American military operations, further complicating attempts to reach a diplomatic settlement.

Additional indirect contacts between the two countries continued in the following months, including discussions surrounding the United Nations General Assembly in September. Those efforts likewise failed to produce a breakthrough.

One of the central obstacles has been Iran’s demand that the United States end its naval blockade as part of any ceasefire agreement. Washington, meanwhile, has continued applying military and economic pressure on Tehran while seeking terms it considers acceptable for ending the conflict.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Thursday that Tehran and Washington had already exchanged proposals through mediators and that Iranian officials were working on revisions to their response before submitting it for further consideration.

During his discussions with Putin, Pezeshkian described Iran’s continuing diplomatic efforts and expressed appreciation for Moscow’s support. Putin, in turn, said he believed Tehran was making a serious effort to reach an agreement and indicated that Russia was prepared to assist in securing a settlement.

The Friday telephone conversation between Trump and Putin reportedly lasted approximately 90 minutes and addressed several major international issues, including the war in Ukraine and economic cooperation between Washington and Moscow.

The two leaders also discussed an agreement under which Russia would supply additional diesel fuel to international markets, including the United States, in an effort to ease energy shortages and rising fuel prices associated with the Middle East conflict.

That arrangement has generated criticism from Ukraine and European governments, which argue that expanded Russian energy sales could provide Moscow with additional revenue to finance its military campaign against Ukraine.

The Iranian diplomatic initiative unfolded against a backdrop of renewed warnings from Washington. Trump has recently indicated that the United States could resume major military strikes if Tehran fails to accept an agreement, while also suggesting that he would prefer to avoid launching additional attacks before the November 3 midterm elections.

The administration has maintained its naval blockade and other restrictions against Iran, while Iranian officials have insisted that relief from those measures must be part of any lasting ceasefire.

For now, neither Washington nor Moscow has disclosed the contents of the Iranian position presented during Friday’s call, and there has been no announcement of a new round of formal negotiations.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump today openly called for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to be replaced, accusing him of repeatedly rejecting opportunities to end the war with Russia and blaming Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy facilities for contributing to soaring diesel prices in the United States.

The extraordinary remarks came one day after Trump announced an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin to purchase millions of tons of Russian diesel, a move intended to ease pressure on American fuel prices ahead of November’s midterm elections but one that has drawn sharp criticism from Ukraine and its European allies.

“I suggest they get a new leader who can make a deal because he could have made many deals and for some reason he never does,” Trump said.

Speaking to reporters before leaving for Tennessee, where he was scheduled to campaign for Republican candidates, Trump again criticized Ukraine’s attacks on Russian oil refineries and other energy infrastructure. The president has repeatedly urged Zelenskyy to halt those strikes, arguing that disruptions to fuel supplies are worsening the economic difficulties facing American consumers.

“He wants to make problems for the world. He wants to make problems for our farmers, our ranchers, with diesel fuel,” Trump said, before departing for Tennessee where he was set to rally Republican voters.

Diesel prices have risen dramatically amid disruptions to global energy markets, particularly the difficulties associated with transporting oil from the Middle East during the ongoing war involving Iran. The conflict has pushed up the cost of petroleum products worldwide, while Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy facilities have added further pressure to supplies.

The economic consequences have become an increasingly serious political issue for the White House. An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey released October 1 found widespread dissatisfaction with Trump’s handling of the Iran conflict, with many Americans holding the president responsible for rising prices.

Trump also renewed his longstanding assertion that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would never have occurred had he occupied the White House when the war began in February 2022.

“That war would have never started,” he said. “There was no reason that war with Ukraine and Russia started. It started due to incompetence.”

The president went on to describe the enormous territorial and human losses suffered during the conflict, arguing that Zelenskyy’s leadership had failed to bring the fighting to an end.

Zelenskyy has “lost 30% of your country and you’ve had over a million people go between the two of them, over 2 million people killed. That’s a war that should have never started. And I think it’s time for Ukraine to get a new president,” Trump said.

Independent assessments indicate that Russia currently controls approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory, rather than the 30% figure cited by Trump. British defense officials have estimated that roughly 500,000 Russian military personnel have been killed since the invasion, although reliable and comprehensive figures for Ukrainian fatalities remain unavailable.

Trump’s comments followed another deadly wave of Russian attacks against Ukraine, including bombardments in the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region that Ukrainian authorities said killed at least 20 people Saturday.

According to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service, Russian aircraft dropped bombs on residential buildings, killing civilians, including three children, and wounding at least 18 others.

The latest casualties came as Russian and Ukrainian forces continued exchanging long-range drone and missile attacks, with neither side achieving a decisive breakthrough along the front lines more than four and a half years after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion. Ukrainian officials reported that Russian bombardments had killed more than 60 people over the preceding four days.

Zelenskyy responded angrily to Washington’s decision to purchase Russian fuel, accusing Moscow of using the financial benefits of energy exports to sustain its military campaign.

“Today, Russia expressed its thanks for the lifting of sanctions on diesel exports by dropping five glide bombs on residential buildings in Zaporizhzhia,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote Saturday on X.

The Ukrainian president warned that every additional billion dollars earned by Russia through exports could be directed toward producing missiles, improving drones, purchasing military components, and recruiting additional fighters. He maintained that the Kremlin would have little incentive to negotiate seriously until its ability to finance and conduct military operations was substantially weakened.

Zelenskyy said his government was working with international partners to address the expected increase in Russian energy revenue. He also disclosed that he had spoken with French President Emmanuel Macron about strengthening Ukraine’s air defenses amid warnings of possible additional Russian missile attacks in the coming days.

Under the agreement announced Friday, Russia is expected to begin supplying the United States with more than 300,000 tons of diesel immediately, followed by another 500,000 tons in November and an additional one million tons shortly afterward.

Trump said Russia would subsequently provide another three million tons “within a short period of time” after that, he wrote.

The announcement prompted angry reactions in Kyiv, where Ukrainians gathered at a memorial for fallen soldiers in Independence Square expressed frustration over Washington’s willingness to purchase fuel from the country attacking them.

“Trump has once again shown his true face,” said Oleksandr Petrenko, 26. “He didn’t care about the situation, the shelling or the destruction of our homes. All he’s interested in is oil or the fuel prices and how much Americans have to pay.”

Others said the agreement was consistent with what they had come to expect from Trump’s dealings with Putin.

For Oksana Yakunina, a financial adviser from the central city of Kropyvnytskyi, the announcement “didn’t really come as a surprise.”

“Trump has been working with Putin for a long time,” she told The Associated Press.

European governments also reacted with alarm, warning that renewed Russian energy exports could undermine Western efforts to restrict the Kremlin’s ability to finance its military operations.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson expressed regret over the American agreement, warning that Russian energy sales directly support Moscow’s military expenditures.

He said Sweden opposed the arrangement, “as energy revenues are central to the Russian war chest,” and noted that the European Union was preparing to introduce its most extensive sanctions package to date on Monday. The measures are expected to include approximately 1,600 listings targeting individuals and entities associated with Russia’s military-industrial sector.

Germany likewise reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining economic pressure on Moscow, indicating that Berlin would continue coordinating additional sanctions with its European partners.

The German government “remains committed to the sanctions imposed on Russia and is working with its European partners on further sanctions,” spokesperson Stefan Kornelius said, adding that support for Ukraine “remains unwavering.”

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski raised doubts about whether Russia could fulfill the quantities promised under the agreement, citing reports of domestic fuel shortages and substantial damage to Russian refining infrastructure from Ukrainian attacks.

Referring to assessments that approximately half of Russia’s refining capacity had been affected, Sikorski questioned the availability of sufficient fuel for large-scale exports.

“So where will the surpluses for export come from?” he asked on X.

Trump’s latest agreement with Moscow represents a major departure from the sanctions policy he pursued only weeks earlier. Last month, the president signed legislation designed to tighten restrictions on Russia’s oil and gas revenues, which Western governments have long identified as a crucial source of financing for the invasion of Ukraine.

The new arrangement would ease restrictions on Russian diesel exports at a time when Washington is struggling to contain fuel prices. Energy analysts have questioned whether the agreement will produce substantial relief for American motorists, noting that global refinery shortages and disruptions caused by the Iran conflict remain major factors behind elevated prices.

The diplomatic dispute unfolded alongside another round of American-led negotiations intended to bring the war in Ukraine to an end.

Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner met with Ukrainian representatives in Miami on Friday to discuss a proposed peace agreement. The talks took place as the administration was simultaneously finalizing its diesel arrangement with Moscow.

A senior Ukrainian official said Kyiv’s delegation had received no advance notice of the fuel agreement before Trump publicly announced it.

The official, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the negotiations publicly, maintained that the diesel arrangement had no connection to the proposals being discussed during the Miami meetings.

The Ukrainian delegation subsequently departed Florida and began its return journey to Kyiv.

Additional reporting Saturday indicated that the Trump administration had warned Ukraine that continued strikes on Russian oil refineries could jeopardize American intelligence-sharing arrangements. Washington has repeatedly pressed Kyiv to stop targeting Russian energy infrastructure, while Ukrainian officials maintain that such attacks are necessary to weaken Moscow’s ability to finance its military campaign.

The latest confrontation has further strained relations between Washington and Kyiv, with Trump publicly demanding new Ukrainian leadership even as American representatives continue negotiating with Zelenskyy’s government over a possible settlement to the war.

{Matzav.com}

Rav Yitzchak Yosef, the former Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, delivered a sharp condemnation of the Israeli media on Motzoei Shabbos, accusing journalists and news outlets of waging a campaign of incitement against bnei yeshivos and portraying those dedicated to limud haTorah as criminals because they do not enlist in the military.

Speaking during his regular weekly shiur at the Yazdim Shul in Yerushalayim, Rav Yosef expressed outrage over the repeated use of terms such as “draft evaders” and “deserters” to describe bochurim and avreichim who devote their lives to Torah learning.

“Listen to the incitement in the media,” Rabbi Yosef said. “Every news report, they’re always against yeshiva students. ‘Draft evaders’? They’re the draft evaders! Yeshiva students are ‘deserters’? They’re the deserters!”

The remarks came amid the continuing controversy in Israel over efforts to draft chareidi bnei yeshivos into the IDF, a dispute that has generated intense political debate and widespread criticism of the chareidi community in the secular press.

Rav Yosef made the comments while discussing the halachic concept of tinok shenishba, which concerns individuals who grew up without a proper understanding of Torah and mitzvos. During the course of the discussion, he turned his attention to the public discourse surrounding bnei Torah and the accusations regularly directed against them.

The Rishon Letzion emphasized that the contribution of those who dedicate themselves to Torah learning is indispensable to the protection of Klal Yisroel, rejecting the suggestion that their absence from military service means they are failing to contribute to the country’s security.

“Yeshiva students are saving this generation! Yeshiva students are saving the entire Land of Israel!” he declared.

The Rishon Letzion’s remarks come as tensions surrounding the draft of bnei yeshivos continue to intensify, with arrests of bochurim who have not reported for military service provoking demonstrations and widespread concern throughout the chareidi community.

In recent days, Rav Yosef has also spoken out against the arrests themselves, sharply criticizing National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir over his handling of the matter. During remarks earlier in the week, he accused Ben-Gvir of bearing responsibility for the arrests and suggested that political considerations were influencing the government’s approach.

Tonight’s shiur was attended by several prominent rabbonim, including Rav Yitzchak Ezrachi, Rosh Yeshivas Mir, and Rav Asher Weiss, Gaavad of Darchei Torah. Also present were Rav Yosef’s brothers, Rav Avraham Yosef of Cholon and Rav Moshe Yosef, who heads the Meor Yisrael publishing institute and Badatz Beis Yosef.

The gathering took place ahead of the upcoming yahrtzeit of Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l, whose thirteenth yahrtzeit falls on 3 Cheshvan.

Returning to the issue of the public attacks against bnei yeshivos, Rav Yosef warned that the relentless criticism of Torah learners had reached deeply troubling proportions.

“But there is tremendous incitement, absolutely terrible! Against yeshiva students,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

Israel has authorized the publication of the codename for its military emergency response to the hijacking of a civilian aircraft, revealing that the IDF activated a protocol known as “Code Global Trade” during the September 30 attempted hijacking of a Flydubai passenger plane bound for Ben Gurion Airport.

The disclosure sheds new light on the extraordinary measures taken by the Israeli Air Force as the crisis unfolded, including preparations for the possibility that fighter pilots would be ordered to destroy an airliner carrying civilian passengers if it appeared that the aircraft was about to be used in a mass-casualty terrorist attack.

The emergency began when Flydubai flight FZ1073, traveling from Dubai to Israel, transmitted a distress signal indicating that a hijacking was underway. Israeli military authorities responded by scrambling four F-16 fighter jets equipped with air-to-air missiles.

The fighters assumed positions over Israeli territory as commanders assessed whether the aircraft might be deliberately flown into a populated area. For several minutes, the Air Force remained prepared for the possibility of receiving an order to shoot down the passenger plane to prevent a catastrophe on the ground.

The name of the classified emergency procedure was released after Israeli military censors approved its publication. The protocol was developed in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States, when hijacked commercial aircraft were used as weapons against civilian targets.

Under the procedure, the Israeli military can initiate a coordinated response when there are indications that a civilian aircraft has fallen under hostile control and could pose an immediate threat to people on the ground.

The response includes dispatching fighter aircraft to approach and accompany the endangered plane, efforts to communicate with the pilots and establish the situation aboard, and continuous assessments of whether the aircraft is following its expected flight path.

In an extreme scenario, if military authorities determine that hijackers intend to crash the aircraft into a populated area, the protocol provides for the possibility of an airborne interception that could result in the destruction of the aircraft.

Such a decision would carry devastating consequences for the passengers and crew, making it one of the most difficult potential orders facing military commanders during an aviation emergency.

During the Flydubai incident, the four Israeli fighter jets remained on standby, positioned to act immediately if the unfolding situation required military intervention. Their deployment reflected the seriousness with which Israeli authorities treated the possibility that the hijacking could develop into an attack against civilians on the ground.

Israel’s aviation security system operates in close coordination with air traffic controllers, tracking aircraft approaching and departing the country’s airspace while monitoring irregular flight movements, emergency transmissions, and other warning signs.

The Air Force’s assessments may also draw upon intelligence supplied by the Mossad and other Israeli security agencies. Information about a suspected hijacking can be evaluated alongside the aircraft’s location, communications with its crew, and indications of whether the plane remains under the control of its authorized pilots.

The September 30 incident illustrated the danger the protocol was designed to address. According to Emirati investigators, the Flydubai co-pilot, identified as 29-year-old Omani national Hamam al-Hammami, attacked Captain Smit Machchhar with an emergency axe in an attempt to seize control of the aircraft and crash it into Ben Gurion Airport.

The attack caused the aircraft to plunge sharply before the wounded captain managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew members to intervene and overpower the assailant. Two other qualified pilots aboard the aircraft subsequently helped bring it safely to the airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

Investigators in the United Arab Emirates have described the incident as a planned terrorist attack inspired by extremist ideology. Authorities are examining the suspect’s background, including his aviation employment history and the circumstances surrounding his assignment to a flight bound for Israel.

Saudi Arabia has also opened an aviation safety investigation into the incident, with participation from American and Emirati authorities. The investigation is examining the circumstances of the attempted takeover and the measures that enabled the aircraft to land safely.

In response to the attempted hijacking, Israeli authorities announced plans to tighten screening procedures for pilots operating flights into the country, including additional identity and security checks. Flydubai has also suspended its services to and from Israel while investigations continue.

{Matzav.com}

At least 12 people were killed and 309 others wounded Saturday in a missile attack on Riyadh’s international airport, according to Saudi aviation authorities, marking the third strike against the airport in a single week and raising the possibility of American military involvement in Saudi Arabia’s escalating confrontation with Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi terrorist organization.

Saudi Arabia’s Civil Aviation Authority announced the casualty figures following the attack, which forced officials to suspend airport operations and redirect incoming flights. Western governments warned their nationals to avoid the airport and nearby areas amid concerns about additional strikes.

The dead included four Saudi citizens, two nationals of Bangladesh, and one individual each from the United States, Jordan, the Palestinian Authority, Syria, Sudan, and Egypt, according to Saudi officials.

Although no group immediately claimed responsibility for Saturday’s attack, suspicion centered on the Houthis, who have intensified their missile campaign against Saudi Arabia and acknowledged carrying out two earlier attacks on the same airport during the preceding week.

Those previous strikes left four people dead and inflicted substantial damage on a Saudi commercial aircraft.

Two Western officials and other individuals familiar with Saturday’s attack cautioned that the initial casualty toll could increase as authorities continued assessing the damage and treating the wounded.

According to those familiar with the incident, the missiles struck without any advance public warning because Saudi Arabia’s threat detection and alert systems failed to issue a warning before the attack.

Emergency crews rushed to the airport, transporting casualties to medical facilities by ambulance and helicopter. Several of the injured were reported to be in critical condition.

The Saudi Civil Aviation Authority confirmed that flights had been temporarily suspended at the airport, the kingdom’s busiest aviation hub, which serves Riyadh and its metropolitan population of approximately eight million people.

The repeated attacks have renewed questions about the effectiveness of Saudi Arabia’s air defenses, particularly as the kingdom expands its military campaign against the Houthis in neighboring Yemen.

President Donald Trump indicated Saturday that the United States might join Saudi military operations against the Iranian-backed group.

Asked by reporters outside the White House whether Washington intended to participate in Saudi strikes, Trump said the administration was considering its options.

“We may. We’re going to look at it. We just found out about the recent attack, so we’ll make a decision. We move very quickly,” he said.

The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh issued a security advisory following the attack, warning Americans to stay clear of the airport.

The embassy said it was “aware of attacks” and “strongly recommends all US citizens avoid this airport and surrounding areas.”

The renewed fighting in Yemen follows the collapse of a ceasefire that had largely halted cross-border hostilities since 2022. Saudi Arabia originally intervened in Yemen’s civil war in 2015, leading a coalition of Arab countries in support of the internationally recognized government after the Houthis seized control of the capital, Sanaa.

Hostilities intensified again in July, with Houthi forces expanding their control along Yemen’s Red Sea coastline. Their advances included the strategically important port of Mokha and islands overlooking the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a narrow waterway through which significant volumes of international shipping pass.

Last Sunday, Yemen’s internationally recognized government announced a major ground offensive aimed at recapturing territory held by the Houthis. The following day, the Saudi-led coalition launched military operations in Yemen’s Hodeidah province in support of that campaign.

The latest airport strike has prompted an increasingly forceful response from Saudi officials. Coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki condemned the attack on a civilian passenger terminal as a war crime and pledged a decisive military response.

The Houthis subsequently claimed responsibility for Saturday’s strike and warned commercial airlines against entering Saudi airspace, declaring it a military operations zone.

The escalating confrontation has also alarmed international aviation authorities and airlines, with several carriers suspending or rerouting flights amid concerns that further attacks could endanger civilian aircraft.

The violence comes as fighting intensifies around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, where Saudi-backed Yemeni forces are attempting to reverse Houthi territorial gains. The outcome of that offensive could have significant consequences for maritime traffic through the Red Sea and the security of neighboring Gulf countries.

The Trump administration reportedly pressed Israel to carry out a military strike against Iran ahead of the upcoming U.S. midterm elections, seeking to have Israel undertake an operation that Washington feared could carry serious political consequences for President Donald Trump.

According to Israeli journalist Ben Caspit, American officials raised the demand during discussions with their Israeli counterparts over the past two weeks, amid growing concern that Iran has been rapidly rebuilding its ability to manufacture drones and ballistic missiles.

Caspit reported Saturday that the proposal specifically called for an Israeli attack, rather than an American operation or a coordinated military campaign involving both countries.

“In talks between Israel and the United States regarding Iran over the past two weeks, I have learned that the Americans actually demanded that Israel carry out a strike against Iran. They were not referring to an American strike, nor to a joint operation, but specifically to an Israeli strike.”

The reported American request encountered resistance from Israel’s military leadership, which warned that renewed hostilities with Iran could disrupt Israel’s own election schedule.

“IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir made it clear to the Americans (according to a report by Barak Ravid) that such a strike would most likely lead to the postponement of the elections in Israel.

“As of now, the Americans have backed down from this demand,” he added.

Caspit linked Washington’s interest in a renewed strike to intelligence concerning Iran’s efforts to restore military capabilities damaged during previous fighting.

“The American demand came in response to developments in Iran, some of which were reported today in the foreign media, concerning Iran’s rapid restoration of its drone and ballistic missile production capabilities.”

The report suggests that American officials believed Israel might be more willing to initiate military action before its own elections, even as the administration sought to avoid the domestic political fallout that could accompany a U.S.-led attack ahead of November’s congressional elections.

Caspit described the political considerations that he believes shaped Washington’s approach.

“However, the Americans wanted Israel, rather than Trump, to bear the political risk ahead of the midterm elections. They believed that Israel would actually want to launch a strike before its own elections, whereas in the United States, a pre-election strike could politically harm the president. Until now, reports have focused on Trump ‘considering’ resuming strikes against Iran. There have also been fresh reports on the matter.

“However, it is now clear that, at least according to the original plan, Trump essentially instructed Israel to strike Iran before the elections. For now, that initiative has been halted.”

The reported American pressure comes amid conflicting signals from Washington about the possibility of renewed military action against Iran. Earlier this week, reports indicated that the Pentagon had instructed U.S. Central Command to prepare for possible major operations against Iranian targets, although no final decision to launch an attack had been announced.

On Thursday, Trump said the United States would refrain from attacking Iran before the November 3 midterm elections, pointing to ongoing discussions with Tehran. The president’s public position contrasts with Caspit’s account of private American efforts to encourage Israel to undertake a separate military operation.

Concerns about Iran’s weapons production have also intensified following assessments by Western officials that Tehran has retained significant portions of its missile and drone manufacturing infrastructure despite months of American and Israeli bombardment. Those capabilities could allow Iran to replenish its arsenals even as Washington seeks to prevent further military escalation.

The timing is particularly sensitive because Israel is scheduled to hold elections on October 27, just one week before American voters head to the polls. Israeli military officials reportedly fear that Iranian retaliation, particularly large-scale missile attacks, could make it impossible to conduct the election as planned.

Caspit said Netanyahu’s own position on the proposed operation remains uncertain, despite indications that the prime minister has devoted considerable attention to national security matters in recent days.

“Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu’s position is not entirely clear to me. Over the past week, his schedule has been described as ‘highly security-focused,’ and he has held several ‘sensitive’ discussions and visits.”

The White House and Israeli government have not publicly confirmed Caspit’s account of the American request. According to his reporting, Washington has withdrawn the proposal for the time being, leaving open the question of whether the idea could resurface as concerns over Iran’s expanding military capabilities continue.

{Matzav.com}

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Thirty-four chareidi bnei yeshiva and other detainees are spending Shabbos Bereishis behind bars in an Israeli military prison after being arrested for refusing to enlist in the IDF in accordance with the directives of their rabbonim.

Among those currently imprisoned are three bochurim taken into custody during the past week as part of a renewed wave of arrests targeting chareidim who have not reported for military service.

The continued detention of the 34 men comes amid growing tensions over the government’s enforcement of military enlistment requirements against bnei yeshiva, whose rabbonim have instructed them not to enlist.

For the imprisoned bochurim, Shabbos Bereishis will be spent in military confinement rather than in their yeshivos or with their families.

Organizers of the campaign opposing the arrests have called on the public to increase their tefillos on behalf of the detainees and to seek their immediate release.

They also urged the chareidi community to remain steadfast in following the instructions of its gedolei Yisroel and to resist efforts by military authorities to induce bnei yeshiva to enlist.

The organizers are continuing their campaign against the enlistment measures under the slogan, “No! Not Even One!”

{Matzav.com}

Thai authorities have carried out an extensive series of raids targeting Chabad-affiliated offices and Jewish communal institutions in Bangkok, as part of a major investigation into suspected violations of the country’s foreign business ownership laws. Investigators are examining a network of companies and properties allegedly connected to Israeli nationals, while local Chabad representatives insist that their activities are lawful and that they have nothing to conceal.

The operation involved more than ten Thai law enforcement and regulatory agencies and focused on three locations: the Chabad Foundation in Bangkok, the Jewish Association of Thailand, and the offices of a company identified as Gan Chabad.

The investigation is being led by Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation, which is examining whether foreign nationals used Thai citizens as nominee shareholders or directors to circumvent restrictions on foreign ownership of businesses and real estate.

Among the findings drawing particular attention was the discovery that 61 companies had been registered at a single address. Authorities are investigating whether the registrations reflect legitimate business arrangements or an attempt to establish a network of companies that would conceal their actual ownership.

The raids have raised concerns within Thailand’s Jewish community, particularly because several of the locations searched are associated with religious and communal activities serving Jewish residents and thousands of Israeli visitors.

Rav Nechemia Wilhelm, the Chabad shliach in Bangkok, rejected suggestions that the institutions were involved in concealed commercial operations and said the community had cooperated fully with investigators.

“We have absolutely nothing to hide,” Rav Wilhelm said, expressing confidence that the investigation would ultimately establish that the institutions were operating in accordance with Thai law.

The operation, conducted Thursday, October 8, was coordinated by Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation, or DSI, under the Ministry of Justice. Participating agencies included the national police, immigration authorities, the Revenue Department, the Department of Lands, the Department of Business Development, and the Anti-Money Laundering Office.

Investigators searched the Chabad Foundation’s premises in Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district, the Jewish Association of Thailand’s property in Khlong Toei, and Gan Chabad’s offices in the Bang Rak district.

One of the locations inspected was the construction site of Beit Elisheva, Bangkok’s longstanding Jewish shul, which is being rebuilt as a modern facility in cooperation with Chabad activities.

During the searches, authorities discovered five foreign workers allegedly employed without valid work permits. Three were nationals of Myanmar found at the Chabad Foundation, while two workers from Laos were identified at the Jewish Association of Thailand.

Thai officials said proceedings had been initiated against two employers over the alleged employment violations. The workers could also face immigration-related penalties.

At Gan Chabad’s offices in Bang Rak, investigators collected extensive corporate and financial records, including documents concerning the registration of companies and nonprofit organizations, charitable donations, land transactions, construction projects, tax filings, restaurant licenses, and hotel operations.

According to the DSI, documents connected to more than 61 companies were found at the same registered business address. Preliminary examinations also revealed that certain individuals appeared repeatedly as directors or shareholders in several of the companies.

Some of those individuals were foreign-born residents who had subsequently obtained Thai citizenship.

The discovery prompted investigators to examine whether the companies were genuinely independent businesses or whether their corporate structures were being used to conceal foreign ownership.

Thai law places significant restrictions on foreign ownership of certain businesses and land. Authorities are investigating whether local citizens were listed as shareholders or directors while foreign nationals exercised actual control over the companies.

Another finding involved a small room at the Chabad Foundation measuring approximately 2.5 by 3 meters. Deputy Interior Minister Polapee Suwanchawee said the room was listed as the official address of the foundation and five additional companies.

Investigators reportedly found no financial statements or operational records in the room, raising questions about how the registered entities conducted their business.

Officials were subsequently informed that the relevant documents were maintained at another office in Bangkok.

The investigation has also expanded to the financial activities of the Chabad Foundation, which authorities say receives donations totaling approximately 100 million Thai baht annually.

Investigators are examining the sources of those donations, the movement of funds, and their ultimate destinations. The Anti-Money Laundering Office is participating in the financial review, although officials have not established that the donations were unlawful.

Authorities are also reviewing the financing of an eight-story Chabad construction project in Bangkok and examining property transactions associated with businesses under investigation.

The Bangkok operation follows earlier investigations into businesses associated with Israeli nationals in other parts of Thailand.

On October 7, one day before the raids, the DSI announced charges involving Cosy Beach View, a company operating in Chonburi province.

The case involves allegations that an Israeli national operated a business through arrangements that violated Thailand’s Foreign Business Act, with assistance from a Thai shareholder.

Investigators have also examined businesses and property holdings in Phuket and other locations where Israeli entrepreneurs and Chabad institutions maintain a presence.

Previous inquiries included scrutiny of Chabad activities in Patong, Phuket, as well as questions surrounding a Jewish cemetery and associated land ownership.

Thai authorities have emphasized that the investigations remain ongoing and that the discovery of shared addresses or corporate relationships does not, by itself, establish criminal wrongdoing.

No Israeli national was reported arrested during Thursday’s Bangkok raids.

In response to the highly publicized operation, Rav Nechemia Wilhelm sought to reassure members of the Jewish community and Israeli travelers that Chabad’s activities were continuing normally.

Speaking to Israeli media, he explained that representatives of the institutions had welcomed the investigators, recognizing the Thai government’s authority to inspect organizations operating within its borders.

Rav Wilhelm said the staff had cooperated with every request and allowed officials to examine the documents they sought.

He maintained that the searches were part of a broad regulatory investigation rather than evidence that Chabad had engaged in criminal activity.

Addressing the discovery of records relating to 61 companies, Rav Wilhelm offered an explanation that differed sharply from the suspicions raised by investigators.

He said the office where the documents were discovered belonged to an independent accountant who provides professional services to numerous businesses.

According to Rav Wilhelm, it is entirely ordinary for an accountant to maintain records for many different companies at a single office, and the presence of those documents does not mean that Chabad owns or controls the businesses involved.

He rejected suggestions that the religious institutions were secretly operating an extensive commercial network, emphasizing that Chabad’s primary mission in Bangkok is to provide religious services, hospitality, and assistance to Jewish residents and visitors.

The Chabad centers serve thousands of Israeli tourists and other Jewish travelers who pass through Thailand, providing Shabbos meals, religious facilities, and assistance to people far from home.

Rav Wilhelm said the investigation had not disrupted those services and that the community was continuing its regular activities.

He specifically confirmed that the large communal Shabbos meals would take place as scheduled, with hundreds of guests expected to attend.

The doors of the Chabad House, he said, would remain open to visitors, with no legal restrictions preventing the institution from continuing its religious and communal work.