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[Photos below.] New photographs released today reveal the staggering destruction caused by the massive fire that tore through the bais medrash and guest complex adjacent to the tziyun of the Baal HaTanya in Haditch, Ukraine.

The shliach overseeing the holy site says only open nissim prevented a far greater disaster, and has announced plans for an emergency fundraising campaign to rebuild the complex, declaring, “Bayis sheini will be greater than the first.”

The heartbreaking images show the full extent of the devastation left behind by the blaze, which completely destroyed the central bais medrash and hospitality center serving the thousands of visitors who travel to the Baal HaTanya’s tziyun throughout the year.

Rav Shneur Zalman Deitch, the shliach and Rav of Haditch, shared additional details about the terrifying ordeal. He said it was nothing short of miraculous that no one was injured. At the time of the fire, a large group of guests from Kyiv was spending Shabbos at the site as part of one of the many seminars held there during the year. Before the flames engulfed the bais medrash, the visitors risked their own safety to rescue all four Sifrei Torah from the burning building.

Rav Deitch also described the overwhelming outpouring of support that has poured in from around the globe.

“We are receiving hundreds of phone calls of encouragement and support from every corner of the world,” he said. “In the coming days we will launch an emergency campaign to rebuild the terrible destruction and construct a new complex. It will take time, tremendous effort, and enormous financial resources, but b’ezras Hashem, ‘Gadol yihiyeh kevod habayis hazeh‘—the second house will be greater than the first. The complex that was destroyed was large and magnificent, capable of hosting hundreds of guests at one time. The one we now rebuild, with Hashem’s help and the support of Anash, will be even larger.”

Speaking immediately after Shabbos, Rav Deitch described the emotional toll of the tragedy.

“We are in total shock. The entire central building at the tziyun, into which we poured our hearts, our souls, and our entire lives, has been consumed by fire. The damage is simply beyond comprehension—it is deeply painful. But chassidim are not deterred by anything, and certainly as the Rebbe’s shliach and the one responsible for this holy place, I cannot give up. B’ezras Hashem, we will find the strength, rebuild everything from the ground up—no matter how much time or money it takes—and make it even larger and more beautiful than before. We thank the Ribbono Shel Olam that there were no physical injuries.”

Reb Meir Stambler, chairman of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine and one of the key figures who helped establish the Haditch complex over the years, said authorities are continuing to investigate the cause of the fire while the Jewish community is already mobilizing to assist.

“We, at the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine (FJCU), are awaiting the final results of the investigation and remain in close contact with the authorities. At the same time, we are preparing to provide replacement seforim and tashmishei kedushah, and we are confident that the Jewish community here and throughout the world will help restore the tremendous damage. I thank the fire services, the mayor of Haditch, and the regional governor for their dedicated efforts, for closely overseeing the firefighting operation, and for their assistance in the rehabilitation of this holy site.”

Ben Shapiro – The Right

Political commentator Amit Segal is raising the possibility that Israel’s chareidi parties could suffer an unprecedented setback in the next national election, warning that dramatically lower voter turnout in the chareidi community could significantly reduce their representation in the Knesset. At the same time, he says an entirely different scenario could actually strengthen the sector’s political influence.

In his weekly column in Yisroel Hayom, Segal argues that one of the principal reasons the right-wing bloc has consistently outperformed pre-election polls is the exceptionally high voter turnout among chareidi voters. “Take sky-high voter turnout, multiply it by the highest natural population growth in the Western world, and you’ve got two additional mandates,” he wrote.

Segal noted that the chareidi parties won the equivalent of 17.5 Knesset seats in the last election, ultimately receiving an 18th seat under Israel’s Bader-Ofer electoral allocation system. Current polling, however, generally gives them only 16 seats. Under normal circumstances, he wrote, many observers would expect that gap to disappear on Election Day, “unless the surprise works in the opposite direction this time.”

According to Segal, there are growing concerns within the chareidi political world that turnout could fall sharply. “Chareidi politicians, journalists and influencers are pointing to the possibility that voter turnout could collapse,” he wrote. He said many in the community are deeply disappointed with their elected representatives, “most of whom have been around since the previous millennium,” and believe they bear responsibility for the sanctions and arrests of yeshiva bochurim who refused military enlistment. Many voters, he wrote, feel their representatives “failed badly during the outgoing term.”

Segal also argued that the recent wave of legislation advanced by the chareidi parties should not be viewed merely as an aggressive political power play. “The legislative blitz that is described in the general media as greed and hubris on the part of the chareidim is more of a panicked race by Shas and United Torah Judaism to prove to their voters that they are, after all, doing something,” he wrote. He added that “This is also the reason why the mainstream Agudas Yisroel initiated the massive disruptions on Israel’s highways, in cooperation with the fanatical Jerusalem Faction.”

Despite those concerns, Segal outlined a second scenario that could produce the opposite result.

He suggested that the recent cooperation between Agudas Yisroel and Peleg Yerushalmi may actually point to the possibility that Degel HaTorah and Agudas Yisroel will split and run on separate tickets in the next election.

To support that theory, Segal cited Yated Ne’eman editor Aryeh Zisman, who recently suggested that the latest political developments may signal an impending separation between the Litvishe Degel HaTorah and the Chassidishe Agudas Yisroel.

Segal concluded that if Agudas Yisroel ultimately runs independently, it could clear the electoral threshold with the support of Peleg voters, many of whom traditionally boycott elections. In that case, he argued, “the mutual hatred will drive everyone to the polls, recreating the 1988 election.” He noted that when Degel HaTorah and Agudas Yisroel ran separately that year, their combined vote total nearly doubled their previous joint strength, marking the emergence of a powerful independent chareidi political force. On the other hand, it is noted that the Peleg representation is very small.

{Matzav.com}

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Moshe Applebaum zt”l, author of the sefer Shiyarei Mitzvah and a member of the Ne’os Yosef kehillah in Bnei Brak, who passed away at the age of 87.

Rav Applebaum was widely known not only for his lifelong devotion to Torah and mitzvos, but also for the extraordinary personal miracle of welcoming twin children at the age of 72 after decades of waiting to be blessed with offspring.

Rav Applebaum, a native of Argentina, was born on January 8, 1939 (17 Teves 5699), to his parents, Reb and Mrs. Shmuel Applebaum. After settling in Eretz Yisroel, he spent many years as an expert sofer stam, earning a reputation for exceptional precision and dedication in writing sifrei Torah, tefillin, and mezuzos. Those who knew him described him as a sincere oveid Hashem whose entire life revolved around serving the Ribbono Shel Olam.

His life story inspired countless people throughout the Torah world. After many decades during which he and his wife were not blessed with children, they experienced a remarkable salvation when they welcomed twins at Bnei Brak’s Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center. Rav Applebaum was approximately 72 years old at the time, while his wife was about 54. The birth was considered an exceptionally rare event and brought tremendous joy.

Family members and acquaintances remembered Rav Applebaum as an extraordinary individual whose humility and simplicity defined his character. They recalled him as someone who devoted every day of his life to Torah study, faithfully attending the beis medrash morning and night, and whose tefillos were offered with remarkable concentration and purity. The late tzaddik Rav Alter Dovid Chaim Stern zt”l was once quoted as saying that Rav Applebaum was likely one of the hidden tzaddikim of the generation.

In addition to his work as a highly respected sofer stam, Rav Applebaum authored the sefer Shiyarei Mitzvah.

As a member of the Ne’os Yosef community in Bnei Brak, he maintained a close connection with Rav Yaakov Edelstein zt”l and later with his son, Rav Mordechai Shmuel Edelstein.

The levayah took place at the Ne’os Yosef beis medrash on Rechov Yoel in Bnei Brak. He was laid to rest at Yarkon Cemetery near Petach Tikvah.

The family is sitting shivah at 13 Radak Street in Bnei Brak.

Yehi zichro baruch.

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie argued Sunday that President Donald Trump’s rhetoric has lost its impact, claiming both American voters and the Iranian regime have grown tired of what he described as repeated threats that are never carried out.

Appearing on ABC’s “This Week,” Christie said there is little evidence that Trump’s strategy toward Iran is producing results and contended that Tehran no longer views the President’s warnings as credible.

“Look, there are no signs he’s winning in Iran. And the Iranians have learned as Many of us in this country have learned that the bluster is the bluster How many times does he threaten to bomb them out of civilization, bomb every power plant, bomb every bridge, and then he inevitably backs off? He thinks that this is a real estate deal, that if he blusters about someone else is looking at this property, and you have to offer right now, that somehow they’re going to do it. That doesn’t work in international diplomacy. It certainly doesn’t work with the Iranians.”

Christie went on to argue that Trump’s ability to command public attention has faded, saying the President can no longer rely on his personality or speaking style to divert attention from policy decisions.

“And I’ll say this, Martha, the problem for the president and for my party right now is that the show is over. He can no longer distract from bad decisions with his charisma and his speaking. And the best example of that is the two speeches in the last week, the speech on election integrity and the speech on Friday night at the Correspondents’ Dinner. No one is paying attention anymore. They are bored with the act. At times on Friday night, it seemed like he was even bored with the act. And the Iranians notice all of this, Martha, and they’re not going to take him seriously. And that has got to be incredibly frustrating to a president who all he cares about is that people take him seriously.”

WATCH:

Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu sharply attacked New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani on Sunday, accusing him of fueling antisemitism and division by branding the Israeli leader a war criminal and demanding his arrest if he visits New York. Netanyahu dismissed the campaign against him as hateful and made clear he will travel to the city in September to address the United Nations General Assembly.

Speaking in an interview on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” with Maria Bartiromo, Netanyahu condemned Mamdani’s rhetoric, saying the Democratic politician is undermining the unity expected of a city leader.

“He’s supposed to be the mayor of all New Yorkers — Jews, Christians, Muslims, everyone,” Netanyahu said. “But he’s trying to turn one group against the other.”

Netanyahu said he has every intention of appearing before the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations this September, brushing aside Mamdani’s assertion that he is unwelcome in New York. Although Mamdani acknowledged last week that New York City lacks the legal authority to enforce an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court, he urged the federal government to take action instead.

The Israeli prime minister has become a lightning rod for criticism over Israel’s military campaign against Hamas in Gaza, which began after the terrorist organization’s October 7, 2023 massacre in southern Israel. Israel also joined the United States in launching military operations against Iran on February 28 and later expanded its campaign with a ground offensive in southern Lebanon targeting the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorist group.

Netanyahu rejected the International Criminal Court’s allegations against him, calling the charges politically motivated and entirely without merit. He referred to misconduct allegations involving the court’s former chief prosecutor, who was removed from office Friday, and argued that the prosecution was intended to distract from those controversies. He described the ICC case as “bogus.”

City Hall did not immediately issue a response to Netanyahu’s remarks.

The Prime Minister also voiced concern that Israel’s longstanding bipartisan support in the United States is beginning to erode, particularly as progressive and far-left Democrats aligned with Mamdani’s wing of the party gain influence.

He further warned that antisemitism is becoming increasingly visible in the United States and across other Western nations, saying Jewish residents of New York are growing uneasy.

“Jews feel very uncomfortable. And I think it’s wrong. The whole thing is wrong,” he said.

Throughout his mayoral campaign, Mamdani repeatedly pledged to direct the New York City Police Department to enforce the ICC arrest warrant against Netanyahu over Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.

Last week, however, Mamdani acknowledged that the city has no legal authority to carry out such an arrest and instead urged federal officials to intervene.

“I want to be equally clear, Benjamin Netanyahu is not welcome in New York City, nor is any other war criminal at large,” he said in a video message.

Mamdani also said he understood the anger expressed by many New Yorkers over the conflict, adding that peaceful demonstrations are something the city would “always respect.”

The Hague-based International Criminal Court has accused Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and the late Hamas leader of crimes against humanity. According to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza, more than 73,000 people have been killed during Israel’s military campaign, while approximately 1,200 people—most of them civilians—were murdered in Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel.

President Donald Trump has publicly assured Netanyahu that he will not face arrest while visiting the United States.

In a social media post Monday, Trump declared that Netanyahu “will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America.”

Netanyahu is expected to travel to Washington this week for meetings with President Trump and to attend funeral services for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, whom the Israeli leader praised as an “extraordinary American patriot.”

Newly released personal diary entries from Dr. Anthony Fauci paint a striking portrait of the government’s top COVID-19 adviser during the pandemic, revealing that as the global death toll climbed, he became increasingly preoccupied with his soaring public profile and celebrity status.

The journals, made public by Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rand Paul (R-Ky.), trace Fauci’s daily activities throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, including conversations with President Donald Trump, governors, foreign leaders, media engagements, and his own reflections on unfolding events.

Paul, who frequently sparred with Fauci over the federal pandemic response and the origins of COVID-19, released the diaries as part of the committee’s continuing investigation. Their publication comes just days before Fauci is expected to testify before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee under a subpoena issued by Paul.

One of the most striking patterns throughout the journals is Fauci’s repeated focus on the dramatic rise in his personal fame during the height of the pandemic, which officially claimed more than seven million lives worldwide, including approximately 1.2 million Americans.

On April 7, 2020, after summarizing the latest developments in the pandemic, Fauci noted: “Press still hot and heavy about me. Multiple stories per day directly or indirectly involving me.”

Weeks later, on May 21, after recording pandemic statistics showing nearly 98,000 deaths worldwide and more than 27,000 in the United States, along with details from that day’s White House Coronavirus Task Force meetings, Fauci reflected on the extraordinary attention he was receiving. He wrote that his “national and international fame is explosive and really unimaginable” and that it was “not hyperbole” to say he was “the most famous and talked about person in the country.”

Fauci also observed that Trump “seems to be enamored of me even though I am taking the spotlight away from him,” adding that the two had developed “a very unique and interesting relationship.” He further remarked that Secret Service personnel had become so accustomed to seeing him that they frequently allowed him into the White House without asking for identification.

As his prominence continued to grow, Fauci’s journal increasingly chronicled opportunities that extended well beyond medicine. About a month later, after noting that the United States had recorded what he described as a record 40,000 new COVID-19 cases in a single day, he wrote that he had received an invitation to appear on “Dancing with the Stars.”

The diaries also reveal Fauci’s mounting dissatisfaction with the Trump administration’s handling of the crisis. In an entry dated July 2, 2020, after expressing concern that the nation was heading toward an “exponential” increase in infections ahead of the Independence Day weekend, he wrote, “POTUS and his people have essentially dropped out and do not even recognize that an outbreak is ongoing.”

Fauci also expressed frustration that the White House was rejecting requests for him to appear on major television programs. Throughout multiple entries, he criticized communications officials for limiting his media appearances, questioned the administration’s messaging strategy, and lamented that news coverage increasingly portrayed him as being in conflict with President Trump.

The journals also show Fauci repeatedly responding to what he described as the “countless” media profiles written about him. He said White House officials believed those stories made it appear that he had become “a star that outshines” the president.

At the same time, Fauci maintained that several of the published profiles had been written without speaking to him directly and insisted he had “no desire to conflict with, embarrass or show up the POTUS.” He ultimately wrote that he decided to stop participating in profile interviews altogether.

Taken as a whole, the diaries provide an unusually candid glimpse into Fauci’s private thoughts during one of the most significant public health emergencies in modern American history, documenting not only high-level discussions within the government but also his evolving relationship with the Trump White House, his concerns over the pandemic, and the extraordinary public attention that accompanied his role.

Iran is warning that it will respond after a Ukrainian strike on an Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea left one sailor dead and another wounded, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi declaring that the attack “cannot go unanswered.”

According to Iranian officials, the strike caused an explosion aboard the vessel, killing one crew member and injuring another.

Araqchi delivered the warning during separate telephone conversations with European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, later disclosing the discussions in a post on X.

In a statement released by Russia’s Foreign Ministry, Lavrov expressed his condolences over the death of the Iranian sailor during the attack.

The Russian statement said Araqchi thanked officials in Russia’s Astrakhan region, where the ship had begun its voyage, for assisting the crew following the incident. It added that the Iranian foreign minister “and stressed the need to put an end to such adventures by the Kyiv regime.”

The Kremlin also said Araqchi briefed Lavrov on Iran’s ongoing diplomatic initiatives, informing him of “continuing diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalating tension in the Middle East.”

The Lakewood community is in mourning following the heartbreaking petirah of 4-year-old Baily Sanders a”h, who succumbed after a tragic swimming pool accident earlier today.

Baily, the beloved daughter of Moshe and Rina Sanders, was pulled from a swimming pool and rushed in critical condition to Monmouth Medical Center.

Hatzolah paramedics worked tirelessly to save her, while medical teams at the hospital continued extensive lifesaving efforts, but she was niftar.

The levayah will take place tonight at 12:30 a.m. at the Congregation Sons of Israel Holocaust Memorial Chapel, located at 613 Ramsey Avenue in Lakewood, New Jersey.

The family will be sitting shivah at 9 Rockbridge Road in The Woods development in Lakewood.

Baruch Dayan HaEmes.

{Matzav.com}

A Western New York school district has shelved plans to introduce a humanoid robot into a high school classroom after facing swift opposition from state education officials, teachers’ unions, and members of the local Seneca Nation community.

The Salamanca City Central School District, located on the Seneca Nation reservation in Cattaraugus County, announced Friday that it was putting the initiative on hold. In a Facebook post, district officials said they would use the time to address expanded student data privacy requirements with the state and continue discussions with community stakeholders.

The proposal called for the use of a Realbotix M-Series humanoid robot known as Sally, together with an AI teaching assistant called Optio, in 11th- and 12th-grade artificial intelligence and robotics courses that are part of a STEM program developed by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.

The district’s decision came just hours after State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa sent a letter to Superintendent Mark Beehler, writing that the Education Department “remains concerned about the effect that a humanoid robot may have within a high school classroom.”

The agreement, valued at $57,590 and approved by the school board in June, represented a discounted price from the robot’s standard retail cost of $95,000, according to Realbotix CEO Andrew Kiguel.

Under the original plan, Sally would have remained stationary inside the classroom and operated on a closed internal network without internet access, facial recognition capabilities, or recording functions. The robot would have been loaded in advance with the district’s curriculum.

Students would have accessed tutoring services by logging in with individual ID codes and interacting with an on-screen AI avatar during class and outside regular school hours.

The strongest public criticism came from New York State United Teachers, which sharply objected to introducing the technology into the classroom.

In a statement released July 23, NYSUT President Melinda Person declared that “a robot built by a company associated with sex dolls has no business in our classrooms,” referring to Realbotix’s acquisition in April 2024 of Simulacra, the parent company of RealDoll.

Realbotix has maintained that its educational technology division operates completely independently from its adult products business, with separate employees, payroll systems, offices, and technology. The company also told New York Focus that it expects to complete a Nasdaq transaction by September that will separate the two businesses at the ownership level.

Resistance also emerged from within the local community.

Sierra May Abrams, a substitute teacher and member of the Seneca Nation, told The Guardian that selecting a district where approximately 32% of students identify as American Indian or Alaska Native amounted to another experiment involving Native children, drawing parallels to the history of federal Indian boarding schools.

Salamanca City Central School District educates roughly 1,300 students, with about 79% classified as economically disadvantaged.

Before the project was paused, Superintendent Mark Beehler defended the pilot program, arguing that rural schools should have access to cutting-edge technology and that students should learn how to use artificial intelligence responsibly rather than avoid it altogether.

State Sen. George Borrello, whose Republican district includes Salamanca and neighboring communities in Western New York, also supported the proposal, saying it offered an opportunity to encourage greater student interest in STEM education across upstate New York.

The district’s decision is broadly consistent with the position taken by federal officials. Education Secretary Linda McMahon told Newsmax on July 24 that schools should explore artificial intelligence in education while ensuring appropriate safeguards are in place, reflecting the goals of President Trump’s April 2025 executive order establishing a federal AI-in-education task force.

Kiguel said Realbotix “fully” respects the district’s decision to pause the project. At this time, no revised launch date has been announced.

Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu says the conflict with Iran can end in only one of two ways: the regime must either collapse or become so weakened that it is forced to abandon its pursuit of nuclear weapons, insisting there is no acceptable scenario in which Tehran retains its nuclear ambitions.

Speaking in an interview with Fox News, Netanyahu said Iran’s leadership ultimately faces a choice between losing power or fundamentally changing its direction.

“I think when this regime is either toppled or it’s sufficiently weakened that it knows it has to end its nuclear program and has to change its course,” he said, adding that this is “really what President Trump is trying to achieve.”

Netanyahu emphasized that Iran’s nuclear effort must be dismantled regardless of whether negotiations produce a diplomatic breakthrough. “One way or the other, they have to end their nuclear program. And with a deal or without a deal, that has to come to an end,” he said.

The Prime Minister said joint Israeli-American operations have set Iran’s nuclear ambitions back by several years, pointing to the elimination of “20 leading nuclear scientists” as well as strikes on key nuclear installations. Even so, he cautioned that Iran could eventually attempt to rebuild those capabilities.

He noted that Israeli and U.S. intelligence services remain in close coordination as he prepares for his upcoming meeting with President Donald Trump.

Netanyahu also delivered a blunt warning to Tehran against launching another assault on Israel, saying any future aggression would be met with overwhelming force. “If Iran attacks Israel, either directly or through proxies… our response, Israel’s response, will be very, very forceful.”

When asked about New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s criticism of him, Netanyahu said he still plans to speak before the United Nations General Assembly later this year.

He argued that Mamdani’s rhetoric has fueled hostility toward Israel and increased anxiety within New York’s Jewish community. “I do think that Jews feel very uncomfortable,” he said. “They feel frightened.”

Netanyahu further accused Mamdani of siding with Hamas rather than condemning the terrorist organization, saying he is “aligning himself with the criminals, with these murderers.”

Responding to the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrants against him and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Netanyahu rejected the accusations outright and charged that former ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan pursued the case for political reasons.

“He pulled a con job on the international community with these bogus charges of war crimes on us,” Netanyahu said.

Turning to the northern front, Netanyahu said Israel has inflicted severe damage on Hezbollah by wiping out much of its military infrastructure near the Lebanese border and destroying the vast majority of its missile stockpile. “We weakened Hezbollah a lot,” he said, estimating that Israel had destroyed approximately 94 percent of the group’s rockets and missiles.

He said Israel is working together with the United States and Lebanon to keep Hezbollah away from the border, strip the terrorist group of its weapons, and create conditions that could eventually lead to peace. “I think it’s, on the whole, a positive development, and may lead to another peace treaty between Israel and an Arab country.”

Discussing the situation along the Lebanese border, Netanyahu said most Israelis support maintaining a security buffer to prevent future Hezbollah attacks and maintained that national unity is stronger than it may appear from political debates.

“There is a lot more unity in the country than appears,” he said.

Looking ahead to Israel’s next election, Netanyahu said that if voters return him to office, he hopes “to create a broad national government.”

Addressing Saudi Arabia, Netanyahu praised President Trump’s reported position that any civilian Saudi nuclear program must be tied to normalization with Israel, saying the President “was absolutely right in stating that condition,” while emphasizing that any Saudi nuclear initiative must remain strictly civilian.

Netanyahu also voiced optimism that additional Arab nations could join the Abraham Accords if Iran’s regional influence continues to erode, though he declined to identify the countries currently engaged in discussions with Israel. “There are now contacts with several Arab countries in the Middle East,” he said.

The Prime Minister also honored the late Senator Lindsey Graham, describing him as “such a great friend, such a champion of America and a patriot, and such a champion of the Israeli-American alliance.”

Asked about the rise of antisemitism in the United States and whether it threatens bipartisan backing for Israel, Netanyahu expressed concern that some Democratic lawmakers may be influenced by intimidation rather than conviction.

“I worry about it,” he said. “You don’t want legislators taking their position because of personal intimidation.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu’s Likud party continues to hold a slim advantage in the latest Kantar Institute survey, while Gadi Eisenkot remains within striking distance both in projected Knesset seats and in public support for prime minister. Meanwhile, Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid’s joint political alliance has fallen to its weakest polling performance since its formation.

A new Kantar Institute poll conducted for Kan News indicates that if Israelis were to head to the polls today, Likud would emerge as the largest party with 22 seats. Eisenkot’s Yashar party follows just one seat behind with 21 mandates.

The survey also points to a significant decline for Bennett and Lapid’s Together Party, which slips to just 14 seats — its lowest showing in the polls to date. The Democrats are projected to secure 10 seats, while Otzma Yehudit and Yisrael Beytenu each receive nine. Shas and United Torah Judaism are each forecast to win eight seats. Hadash-Ta’al, Ra’am, and the Religious Zionist Party are each projected to capture five seats, while the new party headed by Chili Tropper and Yoaz Hendel would enter the Knesset with four seats.

Based on the poll, parties aligned with Netanyahu would collectively command 52 seats. The bloc opposed to Netanyahu, excluding the Arab parties, would total 58 seats.

The survey also finds virtually no difference between Netanyahu and Eisenkot when Israelis are asked who is best suited to serve as prime minister. Netanyahu receives the backing of 39% of respondents, while Eisenkot follows closely behind with 38%.

The comparison between Netanyahu and Bennett is considerably less competitive. Netanyahu again earns the support of 39% of respondents, while Bennett trails with 31% who believe he is the right choice to return as prime minister.

The chairman of Israel’s Central Elections Committee has ordered Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and his Religious Zionism party to immediately delete an artificial intelligence-generated campaign video from all of their social media accounts, ruling that the content could deceive voters by portraying fictional events as reality.

The case stemmed from a campaign video posted on Smotrich’s Facebook page that appeared to show Gadi Eisenkot shaking hands with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas before MK Mansour Abbas joined the meeting. Although the footage was created using artificial intelligence, it was presented in a highly realistic fashion, with only a small notice indicating that it had been edited using AI technology.

In his ruling, Judge Noam Sohlberg determined that the video depicts meetings and political relationships that never took place and could reasonably cause viewers to believe the scenes were authentic. He concluded that the video falsely suggests political cooperation between Eisenkot and Mansour Abbas where none exists, thereby violating election laws that prohibit misleading or unfair campaign propaganda.

Sohlberg also dismissed the argument that the AI disclosure adequately informed viewers. He ruled that Facebook users are unlikely to consistently notice the disclaimer because of the platform’s design and the manner in which content is displayed. As a result, he directed Smotrich and the Religious Zionism party to remove the video from every digital platform under their control.

Toronto police have launched a hate crime investigation after two branches of a Jewish-owned bakery were targeted in separate acts of vandalism Sunday morning, including one incident in which gunfire shattered a storefront window, prompting strong condemnation from Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar.

Officers responded to reports of shots fired near the intersection of Yonge Street and St. Clair Avenue West, where bullets struck the front window of one bakery location. In a separate incident, another branch near Bathurst Street and Steeles Avenue West sustained damage after its window was smashed. Investigators said there is no evidence that gunfire was involved in the second attack.

Police confirmed that no one was injured in either incident.

Toronto Police Duty Inspector Scott Bradbury said the department’s hate crime unit is working alongside the gun and gang task force to investigate the attacks.

“We understand that this is concerning for those who work and live in this area, especially members of the Jewish community, and we have all the resources available to thoroughly investigate this matter,” Bradbury said.

Authorities have not yet determined whether the two incidents are connected, but confirmed that both locations belong to the same Jewish-owned bakery chain. Police have increased patrols around the affected areas and are asking anyone with information or surveillance footage to contact investigators.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar strongly denounced the attacks, saying he was closely monitoring developments.

“I was following with concern the worrying news from Toronto of further attacks against Jewish businesses this morning,” Sa’ar said.

While expressing gratitude that no one was hurt, Sa’ar warned that the incidents reflect a broader pattern of hostility toward Canada’s Jewish community.

“While thankfully none were injured, this is the latest attack in a long and horrifying line of violence and intimidation against the Canadian Jewish community,” Sa’ar said.

Calling on Canadian authorities to take decisive action, Sa’ar concluded, “The Canadian government must confront this antisemitic, violent wave!”

A newly released documentary on the final years of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham reveals that the veteran lawmaker once planned to persuade President Donald Trump to launch direct U.S. military action against Hezbollah in Lebanon—but changed course after a private conversation with Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu, who argued that such a move would be strategically unwise.

The behind-the-scenes account, first reported by The Wall Street Journal, offers a rare look into the high-level diplomatic and security discussions that took place between Washington and Jerusalem during the regional conflict with Iran. The film chronicles Graham’s intensive efforts to strengthen international pressure on the Iranian regime and shape U.S. policy in the Middle East.

According to the documentary, Graham initially intended to fly to President Trump’s Florida residence early in the conflict with Iran to urge him to commit American military forces to attacks against the Hezbollah terrorist organization in Lebanon. Before making the trip, however, Graham held a lengthy conversation with Netanyahu.

During that discussion, Netanyahu reportedly urged Graham not to pursue the proposal, explaining that opening a direct American front against Lebanon at that stage of the conflict would be a strategic mistake. The prime minister stressed that Israel’s overriding objective was to focus on Iran itself, which he described as the source of the regional threat. While he acknowledged that threats of broader military action could help deter Hezbollah, Netanyahu reportedly warned that actually launching such an operation could push the terrorist group to escalate the conflict “all the way.”

According to the report, Graham accepted Netanyahu’s assessment and told the Israeli leader that his advice was sound. The senator, widely regarded as one of Israel’s strongest allies in Congress, subsequently abandoned his original plan to lobby Trump for direct military involvement in Lebanon.

The documentary, directed by Alex Holder, who closely followed Graham beginning in 2023, includes extensive footage of confidential discussions, meetings with world leaders, and behind-the-scenes diplomatic efforts. It also captures Graham expressing excitement over American strikes against Iran while reflecting on both his close relationship with President Trump and the frustrations he occasionally experienced in working with him.

In one segment, Graham voices disappointment that Trump was not taking a tougher approach toward Iran and was instead exploring preliminary agreements, which Graham believed posed significant risks. Beyond the Iranian issue, the film also documents Graham’s extensive regional diplomacy, including trips to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in an effort to build support for confronting Iran.

The documentary further reveals that Graham told Netanyahu he had assembled bipartisan backing in Congress for a future normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia following the collapse of the Iranian regime. Netanyahu, however, reportedly reiterated that any such regional breakthrough depended first and foremost on defeating the regime in Tehran.

According to the filmmaker, Graham appeared increasingly exhausted during the final weeks of his life after months of relentless diplomatic activity. When asked how he managed such a demanding schedule, Graham joked that he simply had no time to sleep because he still needed to help bring down the Iranian regime, broker peace between Russia and Ukraine, and secure a historic normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia. Smiling, he added, “There is no way I can die yet.”

The documentary, which is expected to be released in the coming months, provides an unprecedented look at the work of one of Washington’s most influential foreign policy voices and the decision-making process behind some of the most consequential international developments of recent years.

Sen. Graham died approximately two weeks ago at the age of 71 after suffering an aortic rupture. Prime Minister Netanyahu is expected to attend the senator’s memorial service later this month.

Prominent constitutional attorney Alan Dershowitz issued a blunt warning to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, declaring that any attempt to interfere with Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu’s expected visit to New York for the United Nations General Assembly would result in Mamdani himself being arrested.

Appearing on Newsmax, Dershowitz, professor emeritus at Harvard Law School and a member of Netanyahu’s legal team in the International Criminal Court case, said he stands ready to defend the Israeli prime minister if anyone attempts to obstruct his visit.

“Look, I’m one of Bibi Netanyahu’s lawyers,” Dershowitz said. “If Mamdani does anything to interfere with Bibi Netanyahu’s arrival in New York and speech, he will be arrested.”

Dershowitz’s comments followed Mamdani’s recent acknowledgment that New York City has no legal authority to carry out the ICC’s arrest warrant against Netanyahu. The mayor had previously suggested his administration was examining whether it could detain the Israeli leader during his anticipated September visit. Mamdani has since shifted his position, urging the federal government to join the ICC and enforce the warrant while continuing to label Netanyahu a “war criminal” and insisting he is unwelcome in New York.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in 2024 for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity stemming from the war in Gaza. Israel has categorically rejected the accusations, maintaining that it has acted in self-defense following Hamas’ October 7, 2023, massacre and arguing that the ICC has no jurisdiction over Israeli officials. The United States is not a member of the court and does not recognize its authority over American or Israeli officials.

Dershowitz argued that any effort by Mamdani to take action against Netanyahu would violate U.S. law protecting foreign officials visiting the United States on official diplomatic business. Legal experts have likewise stated that New York City has no authority to enforce ICC warrants and that foreign leaders attending United Nations events are protected under American law.

The veteran attorney also announced plans to organize what he said would be a massive public demonstration in support of the Israeli prime minister, with the goal of drawing 100,000 people to Central Park during Netanyahu’s visit.

“You may not be welcome in Gracie Mansion, in that place of bigotry on the Upper East Side, but you’re welcome in New York,” Dershowitz said.

He went on to launch a scathing attack on Mamdani, accusing the mayor of fostering antisemitism and calling him “the greatest perpetrator of anti-Jewish hate in modern American history.” Dershowitz further compared the political atmosphere surrounding Mamdani to Germany before World War II, saying it was “the closest thing I’ve seen to Nazi Germany.”

Mamdani has consistently denied allegations of antisemitism, insisting that his criticism is aimed at the Israeli government rather than the Jewish people. He has repeatedly accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, an allegation that Israel has forcefully rejected.

Dershowitz also argued that the ICC’s case against Netanyahu has been severely weakened following Friday’s removal of former chief prosecutor Karim Khan over allegations of sexual misconduct. However, under the court’s procedures, existing arrest warrants remain in effect unless they are formally withdrawn by ICC judges, regardless of changes in the prosecutor’s office.