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Rav Moshe Maya, senior member of Shas’ Moetzes Chachmei HaTorah, on Tuesday sharply distanced himself from inflammatory remarks directed at IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir during Monday night’s protest rally in Bnei Brak, saying such language is inconsistent with the values of the Torah.

In a special public statement issued following the controversy, Rav Maya stressed that while the rally’s purpose—to protest the treatment of lomdei Torah and opposition to enforcement of the draft law—was important, the language used by one of the speakers was inappropriate.

Opening his letter with the words, “Deracheha darchei noam v’chol nesivoseha shalom,” Rav Maya wrote, “I was deeply pained to hear the remarks that were made against the chief of staff during last night’s important rally protesting the humiliation of lomdei Torah.”

His statement marked a clear rebuke of the comments, which sparked widespread political and public criticism.

Rav Maya went on to emphasize that such rhetoric has no place in authentic Torah conduct, writing unequivocally, “This is not the way of the Torah to speak in such a manner.”

He concluded his statement by expressing appreciation for Israel’s soldiers, writing, “We customarily pray at every hotzaas Sefer Torah, on Shabbos and weekdays alike, for the success of the soldiers who sacrifice themselves for the safety of Am Yisroel.”

Rav Maya signed the letter with the words, “Written and signed for the honor of the Torah and those who toil in it, and with great appreciation for the soldiers.”

{Matzav.com}

Vice President JD Vance outlined the Trump administration’s objectives in its negotiations with Iran while defending President Donald Trump’s strategy of combining diplomacy with the credible threat of military action during an interview on The Michael Knowles Show.

Vance said the administration’s central goal is to secure a comprehensive agreement that permanently eliminates Iran’s nuclear program through enforceable commitments and rigorous international oversight.

“There are a few things that we want,” the Vice President explained. “We want durable commitments that are verifiable and backed up by inspections that Iran will denuclearize their entire country.”

He also expressed frustration with what he described as Iran’s contradictory messaging regarding the negotiations. Although Iranian officials have publicly denied holding peace talks with the United States, technical discussions are nonetheless scheduled to take place in Qatar.

“One of the things I find just fascinating and frustrating about the Iranians is they’ll say, no, no, no, there aren’t peace talks ongoing, but there are technical talks between the United States and Iran about the peace deal,” said Vance.

“It’s like, okay. So it’s a Persian negotiating tactic and a Persian rhetorical device that I don’t understand, but that is the way that the Iranians have done this,” he added.

JD Vance on Iran:

One of the things I find just fascinating and frustrating about the Iranians is they'll say, "No, no, there aren't peace talks ongoing," but there are technical talks between the United States and Iran about the peace deal.

It's a Persian negotiating tactic… pic.twitter.com/eNd8t15TTl

— Clash Report (@clashreport) June 30, 2026

Addressing critics who favor an expanded military campaign against Iran, Vance argued that simply calling for additional airstrikes without a defined objective is not a sound strategy. He said Trump’s approach is to employ military force only when it advances a specific goal.

The Vice President also responded to critics who advocate for continued strikes on Iran, saying their “attitude is just drop bombs and drop bombs and drop bombs, and they can’t really articulate to what end.”

“What the President is saying, ‘I’m willing to drop bombs’, and he’s clearly shown that he’s willing to drop bombs, but only if it serves an objective,” explained Vance.

Iran insisted on Monday that its representatives would not be meeting with American officials in Qatar. Tehran maintained that while a delegation of technical experts would travel to Doha to discuss implementation of the memorandum of understanding with the United States, there would be no direct talks between the two sides.

Later that day, however, President Trump told reporters that the anticipated meetings with Iranian officials in Qatar would be “perhaps important, perhaps not”.

Subsequent reports indicated that U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff was traveling to Doha to participate in the discussions with Iranian representatives.

The diplomatic efforts follow heightened military tensions over the weekend, when U.S. forces launched two strikes against Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz after Iran allegedly violated the ceasefire.

On Saturday night, Trump warned that continued violations could trigger a much broader American military response.

“United States aircraft just struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations, and coastal radar sites, for violating the Cease Fire Agreement, AGAIN! It is very possible that they will never learn!” Trump wrote.

He added, “There may come a point when we are no longer able to be reasonable, and will be forced to militarily complete the job that we very successfully started. If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist!”

{Matzav.com}

The IDF has detected growing evidence that Hamas is rebuilding its military infrastructure and preparing for another confrontation with Israel, according to an internal military presentation disclosed Tuesday evening by Channel 13 News.

The presentation outlines a series of developments observed in the Gaza Strip in recent months, detailing what Israeli officials believe are significant efforts by the Hamas terrorist organization to restore and strengthen its military capabilities.

According to the report, Hamas has placed renewed emphasis on training members of its elite Nukhba force while simultaneously stepping up recruitment efforts. The document states that the organization is actively recruiting young men between the ages of 18 and 22 to replenish its ranks.

The intelligence assessment also indicates that Hamas has resumed producing military equipment on a large scale. According to the presentation, the group is manufacturing hundreds of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and rockets each month. At the same time, it is working to increase the flow of smuggled materials into Gaza, including drone components and other military hardware brought in through various channels.

The report further states that Hamas has begun circulating operational plans in anticipation of renewed fighting. Israeli officials reportedly believe the terrorist organization is making substantial progress in restoring capabilities that were degraded during the war and is taking concrete steps to prepare for future combat.

As Hamas rebuilds, IDF forces continue operating along the Gaza security buffer, known as the “Yellow Line.” The zone is intended to keep terrorist threats away from Israeli communities near the border and prevent Hamas and other terrorist groups from reestablishing positions close to Israeli territory.

Channel 13 also reported that Israel’s political and military leadership has not held any special high-level discussions on the situation in Gaza in recent days. According to the report, the United States has also informed Israel that, for now, there is no international backing for launching another large-scale military operation in the Gaza Strip.

{Matzav.com}

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed Tuesday for member nations to provide an additional $100 million to keep the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) operating, warning that the organization is facing a severe financial crisis that threatens its ability to continue functioning, Reuters reported.

Speaking before a special UN General Assembly pledging conference, Guterres said UNRWA is confronting mounting financial shortfalls while also operating under significant restrictions, creating what he described as an increasingly dire situation for the agency.

For years, the United States was UNRWA’s largest contributor. That changed in January 2024, when Washington suspended funding after Israel presented evidence alleging that approximately a dozen UNRWA employees took part in Hamas’ October 7, 2023, terrorist massacre.

Several other major donor countries also temporarily paused their contributions while the United Nations conducted a review of the allegations. Most of those governments have since resumed funding the agency.

Guterres said the agency’s financial condition now poses a serious threat to its ability to carry out the mission that the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly renewed just six months ago.

“They cannot keep going like this without urgent backing and financial support from member states,” Guterres said, according to Reuters, claiming that the agency had taken decisive steps to implement reforms and update its policy on outside and political activities following Israel’s revelations.

Defending the organization, Guterres described UNRWA as an essential source of regional stability and dismissed ongoing criticism of the agency.

“UNRWA is a stabilizing force in an age of instability,” he said, rejecting what he called continued efforts to undermine the agency through “disinformation, smear campaigns, legislative actions, operational restrictions, diplomatic roadblocks and more.”

According to Reuters, UNRWA has already reduced its operating hours by 20 percent this year, cut salaries for locally hired employees, and left approximately 15 percent of its international administrative positions vacant as part of sweeping cost-cutting measures. Guterres cautioned that > “Any further cuts could push conditions past the breaking point.”

After Israel accused UNRWA employees of involvement in the October 7 attack, the United Nations appointed an independent review panel led by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna to examine the allegations. The panel concluded that it had identified “neutrality-related issues” within the agency but stated that Israel had not provided evidence supporting claims that large numbers of UNRWA staff belonged to terrorist organizations.

Despite extensive evidence presented by Israel alleging deep connections between UNRWA and Hamas, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ruled that Israel must permit humanitarian assistance to enter the Gaza Strip through UN agencies, including UNRWA. Israel and the United States both sharply criticized that decision.

{Matzav.com}