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A newly signed agreement between the government and the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council in the West Bank could pave the way for what critics and supporters alike describe as the first effective expansion of Yerushalayim beyond its post-1967 boundaries, pending final approvals, Times of Israel reports.

The project, unveiled earlier this month, is formally defined as a westward extension of the Adam settlement, located near Yerushalayim’s northeastern edge. The blueprint calls for approximately 2,780 housing units to be constructed as a new “neighborhood” of Adam.

Despite that designation, the proposed site is geographically detached from Adam itself. Route 437, a major roadway, separates the two areas, as does the security barrier, creating a physical divide between the existing community and the planned development.

By contrast, the new neighborhood would share closer territorial continuity with Neve Yaakov, an East Yerushalayim neighborhood situated within the city’s municipal borders, than with Adam.

Although the project would not officially fall under Yerushalayim’s municipal jurisdiction and would remain administratively tied to Adam, officials from the Peace Now organization contend that the development would likely receive at least some municipal services from Yerushalayim.

The construction is slated for 500 dunams of land positioned between the Palestinian towns of Hizma and Al-Ram. The government is expected to allocate roughly NIS 120 million ($39 million) for infrastructure, public facilities, and communal institutions necessary for the neighborhood’s establishment.

The proposal has not yet been submitted to the Civil Administration’s Higher Planning Committee, meaning that final authorization could still take up to two years. Nonetheless, the Housing Ministry confirmed that 500 housing units have already been marketed as part of the initial construction phase.

“The agreement constitutes a significant step in continuing the development of the settlement and strengthening the settlement continuity in the area, while providing a response to the demand for housing in and around Yerushalayim, and integrating a phased and balanced planning of new neighborhoods alongside the existing fabric,” the Housing and Construction Ministry said in a statement on February 3 announcing the development.

Peace Now, which opposes settlement expansion, argued that the plan amounts to de facto annexation and represents an unprecedented enlargement of Yerushalayim’s footprint.

After Israel captured East Jerusalem and the West Bank during the 1967 Six Day War, the Knesset and relevant ministries formally redrew the capital’s boundaries to include formerly Jordanian-held East Jerusalem. Since then, neighborhoods built by Israel in East Jerusalem — widely viewed internationally as settlements — have been developed within those expanded municipal lines.

“This is the first time since 1967 that Yerushalayim has been expanded into the West Bank,” asserted Peace Now.

“Under the pretext of a new settlement, the government is carrying out a backdoor annexation here. The new settlement will function for all intents and purposes as a neighborhood of the city of Yerushalayim, and its planning as a ‘neighborhood’ of the Adam settlement is just an excuse and an attempt to conceal the move, the implication of which is the application of Israeli sovereignty to territories in the West Bank,” it said.

MK Gilad Kariv of the Democrats party also criticized the initiative, calling it “another unprecedented act of annexation that draws us closer to an explosion in the West Bank.”

Kariv said he had contacted Housing and Construction Minister Chaim Katz regarding “the plan to expand Yerushalayim over the Green Line and to de facto annex territory,” warning, “Annexation will bring about a security catastrophe.”

In contrast, Mateh Binyamin Regional Council chairman Yisroel Ganz welcomed the agreement, characterizing it as “the realization of the settlement vision” for the area.

“The new plan will allow us to build thousands of housing units, while at the same time dramatically upgrading the quality of life of the residents,” said Ganz, adding that his council is “already working on additional agreements” that will “herald dramatic change on the ground.”

Iran’s top diplomat is set to hold indirect talks with the U.S. in Geneva as the American military reportedly readies for possible weeks-long operations.

Lawmakers and the White House offered no signs of compromise Sunday in their battle over oversight of federal immigration officers that has led to a pause in funding for the Department of Homeland Security. A partial government shutdown began Saturday after congressional Democrats and President Donald Trump’s team failed to reach a deal on legislation […]

All 26 individuals detained following Sunday’s unrest in Bnei Brak have now been released after multiple courts ordered suspects freed to house arrest and attorneys accused police of carrying out unnecessary “show arrests.”

The Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court ruled that two men taken into custody during the disturbances would be placed under house arrest for five days. Judge Ravit Peleg Bar Dayan found there was reasonable suspicion that one of the suspects had assaulted a police officer, although she noted the level of suspicion was not particularly strong. She also determined there was reasonable suspicion that the second suspect had assaulted an officer and taken part in an unlawful assembly.

In a separate proceeding, the Bat Yam Juvenile Court ordered the release to house arrest of four additional suspects who had been arrested in connection with the clashes. About 20 other detainees were freed last night, meaning that every person apprehended during the protests has since been released.

Attorneys Shlomo Haddad and Itai Cohen, who are representing several of those detained, sharply criticized law enforcement’s actions. “Unfortunately, in the vast majority of cases, these were show arrests. Minors and adults alike were forcefully pulled into police vehicles, seemingly with the intent of creating a deterrent and awareness effect, not due to real suspicion of a crime.”

They continued, “Most of the detainees are bystanders who did not participate in the events and did not commit any offenses. We strongly condemn the handling of the situation and will assert our clients’ rights fully within the legal proceedings.”

The confrontation began Sunday afternoon when two female soldiers from the Education Corps, stationed at the Havat Shomer base, arrived in the city to visit the home of a young man scheduled to enlist in the coming weeks. Onlookers reportedly assumed the women were military police officers delivering draft papers.

A crowd soon formed around the soldiers, attempting to get close to them. Police units dispatched to the area removed the soldiers from the scene. During the effort to disperse the gathering, three police officers were hurt and required medical treatment.

Even after the soldiers were evacuated, the disorder continued. Demonstrators overturned a police vehicle and set a police motorcycle ablaze.

Police said stones were hurled at officers amid the violence and noted that the torched motorcycle contained tefillin and a prayer book. The Police Commissioner directed officers to respond with zero tolerance and to track down those responsible for the rioting.

{Matzav.com}

[COMMUNICATED]

Lakewood, NJ – February 15, 2026 – CHEMED Health, the region’s leader in community-based healthcare, hosted its annual Medical and Ethics Conference, drawing more than 1,000 participants, including physicians, nurses, medical students, rabbanim, and healthcare leaders for an intensive, multi-day gathering exploring the intersection of medicine, ethics, and Halacha.

The conference opened Thursday evening with an inspiring keynote lecture by Rav Sholom Kamenetsky, titled “AI, Autonomy, and Halacha: How Jewish Law Approaches the Future of Decision Making.” His address set the tone for a program focused on navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of modern medicine through the lens of timeless ethical and Torah-based principles.

Over the course of the conference, attendees participated in 52 lectures featuring prominent rabbinic authorities, academic leaders, and medical professionals. Notable presenters included Rabbi Doctor Aaron E. Glatt, Rabbi Dr. Dovid Katz, Rabbi Dr. Akiva Tatz, Rav Professor Avrohom Steinberg, and Dr. Isaac Schechter, among many others, who addressed a wide range of clinical, ethical, and policy-related topics shaping contemporary healthcare practice.

On Motzei Shabbos, a highlight of the conference was a special question-and-answer session with Rav Asher Weiss שליט״א, who traveled from Eretz Yisroel for the occasion. Rav Weiss opened his remarks with warm and effusive praise for CHEMED and for Dr. Dovid Friedman’s leadership and vision before engaging attendees in an in-depth discussion of complex medical halachic scenarios, offering guidance that reflected both rigorous scholarship and real-world clinical sensitivity.

The conference concluded with a major announcement from Dr. Dovid Friedman, CEO of CHEMED, who, together with the Medical Village development team, presented a comprehensive vision for CHEMED’s next chapter through a special video unveiling of The Medical Village – a transformative outpatient healthcare campus designed to redefine coordinated care for the region.

The Medical Village represents CHEMED’s most ambitious initiative to date – a first-of-its-kind, fully integrated outpatient campus that will bring more than 50 medical specialties together under one coordinated system. The campus will include primary care, pediatric and adult subspecialties, dental services, behavioral health, women’s health, advanced diagnostic radiology, an ambulatory surgery center, and a standalone emergency department, all designed to provide seamless, high-level care within a single environment.

“For nearly two decades, CHEMED has been committed to expanding access to quality care,” said Dr. Friedman. “The Medical Village reflects our next step forward – building a future-ready healthcare model that integrates specialty medicine, academic training, and coordinated care delivery to serve our rapidly growing community.”

Beyond its clinical scope, the campus will also feature dedicated educational space for medical students and residents, strengthening training opportunities and advancing the level of academic medicine in the region.

With record attendance, a robust educational program, and the unveiling of a transformative healthcare initiative, this year’s conference underscored CHEMED’s dual commitment: advancing medical excellence while grounding healthcare delivery in enduring ethical and community-centered values.

Sec. Rubio on Ukraine-Russia: “The United States interest is to see the war end. We’re the only nation on earth that apparently can get both sides to the table to talk. I’m not here to insult anybody, but the United Nations hasn’t been able to do it. And there’s no other country in Europe that’s […]

Sec. Rubio: If I identify a visitor in our country whose presence poses a threat to our foreign policy and national security, we’re going to take their visa away.

Prime Minister Netanyahu held a meeting a short time ago with Senator Lindsey Graham, who is on a visit to Israel.

North Korea said Monday it completed a new housing district in Pyongyang for families of North Korean soldiers killed while fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine, the latest effort by leader Kim Jong Un to honor the war dead. State media photos showed Kim Jong Un walking through the new street — called Saeppyol Street […]

Major traffic disruptions were reported this afternoon after dozens of members of extremist factions staged demonstrations at several locations, including the entrance to Yerushalayim, the Beit Shemesh area, and near Modiin Illit.

According to reports and eyewitness documentation, demonstrators blocked Route 38 heading toward Yerushalayim, bringing traffic to a halt. At the same time, additional attempts were made to obstruct the main entrance to the capital.

The protests follow the unrest that took place yesterday in Bnei Brak. In the past hour, groups affiliated with the extremist factions gathered at key junctions leading into Yerushalayim, as well as in the Beit Shemesh region and adjacent to Modiin Illit.

Netivei Israel stated that Route 443 has been closed in both directions between the entrance to the Modiin industrial zone and the Maccabim-Reut junction due to preparations for a demonstration. Localized traffic congestion has been reported in the area.

Israel Police said that officers from the Yerushalayim District, together with Border Police forces, are operating at the protest sites along Route 38 and at the entrance to Yerushalayim. Authorities reported that at both locations, demonstrators blocked roads by standing in the lanes of traffic, disrupting vehicles and preventing passage. Police are working to clear the roads and disperse those involved in the disturbances.

Earlier in the day, all individuals arrested yesterday in Bnei Brak on suspicion of involvement in the riots were released.

{Matzav.com}

Resurfaced social media posts from a veteran employee of New York City’s Health Department reveals calls for violence against Israelis and inflammatory remarks about Jews and Zionists. The posts, uncovered by the watchdog group Canary Mission, were attributed to Achmat Akkad, a community coordinator who has worked for the city since 2017. In one post […]

Sec. Rubio on Iran: The president always prefers peaceful outcomes and is willing to talk with anyone but it’s going to be hard. We’re dealing with radical Shia clerics who are making theological decisions, not geopolitical ones.

More than a decade before he became the country’s first president, George Washington was leading a critical campaign in the early days of the American Revolution. The Siege of Boston was his first campaign as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army and, in many ways, set the stage for his military and political successes — celebrated […]

Israeli authorities arrested an Israeli citizen accused of acting on behalf of Iranian intelligence and gathering information on former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Fares Abu al-Hija, 32, from Kaukab Abu al-Hija, allegedly maintained contact with an Iranian intelligence operative via Telegram and received payments through Binance, according to the indictment. Prosecutors say he carried out […]

Former Chief Rabbi, HaGaon HaRav Shlomo Amar, addressed the topic of the Supreme Court’s ruling ordering Israel’s Chief Rabbanut to allow women to take Rabbinical certification exams during his weekly shiur at the Ner HaTorah Yeshiva on Sunday. In July 2025—after a years-long legal battle—the Supreme Court issued a ruling ordering the Chief Rabbanut to […]

Yisrael Beiteinu chairman MK Avigdor Leiberman delivered sharp criticism following the disturbances in Bnei Brak yesterday, labeling those involved as “terrorists” and holding the chareidi leadership responsible. Speaking in a Monday morning interview on 103FM, he said the government had pledged to restore order but instead allowed chaos to take root.

“They promised us governance and we got lawlessness. Yesterday, terrorists attacked female soldiers in the heart of Bnei Brak. They are not Jews, they are not citizens – they are terrorists, plain and simple,” Leiberman said. He asked how security forces would have reacted had a comparable assault taken place in Gush Etzion or along the Lebanon border, arguing that the situation revealed what he sees as unequal enforcement.

Responding to reports that police had not been informed in advance about the soldiers’ entry into the city, Leiberman said, “We are eroding reality in a way that sometimes makes you want to pinch yourself. I heard people in the Israel Police say, ‘Their entry into Bnei Brak was not coordinated with us.’ This is the center of the country – what coordination? Soldiers cannot be restricted from entering key areas like Ramat Beit Shemesh, Bnei Brak, or Mea Shearim. This is unacceptable. It is not a fringe issue; unfortunately, this is the central leadership.”

Leiberman directed his strongest criticism at leading rabbinic and political figures within the chareidi world. He cited Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef, who publicly urged followers to tear up draft notices and “flush them down the toilet,” as well as Moshe Hillel Hirsch, who described draft evasion as a religious obligation. He also pointed to statements by United Torah Judaism head Goldberg, who compared military service to wearing a “yellow badge.” “They care only about power, respect, and money for themselves. The chareidi public is held hostage; we need to rescue them,” Leiberman said.

He further warned that many young chareidim lack preparation for gainful employment because they are not taught core subjects such as English, mathematics, and computer skills, leaving them reliant on stipends and communal support. “Along with the charity and the allowance, they will also get a voting slip. They only care about themselves; their public doesn’t matter to them,” Leiberman said.

Making his political stance unmistakably clear, Leiberman ruled out participation in any future governing coalition that includes chareidi parties. “God forbid. The chareidi parties must move to the opposition for at least two terms. The extortion by the chareidi parties has crossed every line; we can no longer subsidize it.” He added that the makeup of the next government would depend on whether voters align with what he described as the camp of those who serve versus the camp of draft evaders. “If we go with a clear bloc strategy, I see at least 63 mandates,” he said.

On the security front, Leiberman called for the immediate deployment of two Border Police battalions to Bnei Brak. “Every time draft dodgers are arrested, they are released through a revolving door. This lawlessness cannot continue when we are building a state within a state. Blocking Jabotinsky Road, the main artery of Gush Dan, is unbearable. It threatens national resilience and unity. When there is draft dodging, there is no unity,” he concluded.

{Matzav.com}

Mayor Mamdani announces new business improvement district for Coney Island.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in Budapest on Monday, Rubio stated that President Trump is “deeply committed to Hungary’s success,” adding that the relationship with Hungary is “central and vital” to U.S. national interests in Central Europe for the years ahead.

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu on Sunday reiterated his doubts regarding the possibility of any deal with Iran, which he said must include the dismantling of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, and not just stopping uranium enrichment.

His comments came ahead of a second round of U.S.-Iranian talks in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday, and amid a major American military buildup in the region which is still underway.

“I will not hide from you that I express my skepticism of any deal with Iran, because, frankly, Iran is reliable on one thing: they lie, and they cheat,” Netanyahu said in a keynote speech to the annual gathering of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations in Jerusalem.

In his first public address after meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington last week, the Israeli leader said that any agreement must remove all enriched nuclear material from Iran, dismantle its enrichment infrastructure, curb its ballistic missile program and dismantle the axis of terror that Tehran has built across the region.

“There shall be no enrichment capability—not stopping the enrichment process, but dismantling the equipment and the infrastructure that allows you to enrich in the first place,” he said.

Gaza

Turning to Gaza, Netanyahu said that in the second stage of Trump’s peace plan, Hamas must be disarmed of some 60,000 AK-47 assault rifles it still possesses, which, he noted, were the primary weapon used during the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre.

At the same time, Israel must “complete the job” of demilitarizing Gaza by dismantling its vast network of tunnels—which the terror group built up for years across the coastal strip. About 150 kilometers (93 miles) of an estimated 500 kilometers (311 miles) of tunnels have been destroyed to date.

“We’re giving the president’s plan a chance,” said Netanyahu. “And he put it very succinctly. He said it can be done the easy way or it can be done the hard way. We hope that it will be done the easy way, because we know the ravages of war. We know what it means to lose people, we know the human cost of war, but that goal has to be achieved, one way or the other, and one way or the other, it will be achieved.”

Economy

Despite the two-year war, Netanyahu highlighted Israel’s booming economy, citing an Economist survey that found Israel had the third most vibrant economy in the OECD, and highlighting the record highs of the Israeli stock market, as well as the 30-year high the Israeli shekel has reached against the dollar.

He noted that growing ties between Israel and a string of countries across Latin America, singling out special praise for Argentina under the leadership of Javier Milei, and also noting that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was due in Israel next week to further expand burgeoning bilateral relations.

He added that Israel was a leading power in cyber technology, which has attracted vast foreign investment, and intends to reach the same heights in partnership with the United States in artificial intelligence and quantum technologies.

“Israel is a very strong country coming out of the war… economically, militarily, and technologically, and we intend to be a lot stronger,” he said. JNS

Iran’s top diplomat met with the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency on Monday, ahead of a second round of negotiations with the United States over Tehran’s nuclear program. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Rafael Grossi, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and said he would also meet with Foreign Minister […]