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An Israeli police officer has been moved to an administrative role after being filmed hitting a chareidi demonstrator during a protest at the entrance to Bnei Brak. The demonstrations, sparked by the arrest of avreich Eliyahu Nachum, quickly spread beyond Bnei Brak to other cities, including Yerushalayim and Beit Shemesh, leading to road blockages and clashes with security forces.

The officer was captured on video using force against one of the protesters affiliated with the Peleg Yerushalmi during Thursday’s demonstration. In response, the Tel Aviv District Commander ordered an immediate internal investigation. Police officials confirmed that the officer has been reassigned to administrative duty pending the inquiry.

The protest in Bnei Brak, involving hundreds of participants, saw demonstrators blocking Highway 4 and disrupting traffic. Tensions rose during police efforts to disperse the crowds, culminating in the incident where the officer struck a protester. Police later stated that the matter is under review.

The unrest extended beyond Bnei Brak. In Yerushalayim, protesters blocked entrances to the city near the Chords Bridge and demonstrated at the light rail station in Kiryat Moshe. Similar protests took place in Modi’in Illit, Rosh Pina, and Beit Shemesh, where additional confrontations with law enforcement were reported.

After Eliyahu Nachum was released from military prison, the protest organizers announced the dispersal of demonstrations nationwide.

{Matzav.com Israel}

The price of most organic food could jump this fall due to new policies and tariffs on imported organic sugar, frustrating manufacturers who say the actions won’t help sugar growers but could put some food companies out of business. More than 90% of organic sugar used by U.S. manufacturers is imported. The price of that product increased in August when the Trump administration imposed steep trade tariffs, and will rise even more when high-tier duties on most organic sugar imports take effect Oct. 1. The result, according to the Organic Trade Association, is that the price of organic sugar is expected to soar by an average of 30%, increasing costs of producing most organic foods — everything from yogurt to cookies. Each year, the U.S. imports 1,825 tons (1,656 metric tons) of specialty sugar because it’s required under a World Trade Organization agreement. But demand for organic sugar far exceeds that amount, so the U.S. Department of Agriculture sets an annual quota for the amount of specialty sugar that can be imported into the U.S. duty-free. Last year, the quota was 231,485 tons (210,000 metric tons), which still wasn’t enough to meet demand. This year, the USDA’s quota taking effect Oct. 1 will be zero, and all organic sugar imports beyond the WTO minimum will be hit with high out-of-quota duties. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has said its restrictions on specialty sugar imports are intended to help the U.S. sugar industry. The department didn’t respond to inquiries about its new sugar policy. Specialty sugar policy could lead to higher prices The limits on duty-free imports of specialty sugar plus a new 50% tariff on Brazil, which supplies 40% of the U.S.’s organic sugar, is especially difficult because organic products are already more expensive than their conventional counterparts. Growers must meet more requirements to be certified organic, such as restrictions on pesticides and fertilizers. U.S. manufacturers say that buying domestic organic sugar isn’t an option because there is only one U.S. farm that produces the specialty crop, and converting a conventional farm to organic takes at least three years. They warn the combined effect of the tariff and import caps may force them either to raise prices or curb production. “It’s essentially punishing domestic manufacturers for using an ingredient that we really can’t obtain domestically, and don’t have any prospects of obtaining domestically any time in the near future,” said Britt Lundgren, who oversees government affairs for organic yogurt maker Stonyfield. Tom Chapman, co-CEO of the Organic Trade Association, said he expects “dramatic impacts.” “The high tier tariff is so high that we don’t see that it’s an absorbable rate of tariff, in addition to all the other tariffs that would apply,” Chapman said. Organic food manufacturers will buy most of the imported organic sugar, though some will be offered on grocery shelves, where home bakers likely will see increased prices. U.S. not producing enough organic sugar to meet demand Demand for organic sugar had already been outpacing imports for the past several years but that did not spur any new domestic producers, organic food manufacturers said. In addition to limited production, the U.S. also has limited organic sugar processing because ingredients that are certified organic must be segregated from conventional ingredients when processed. Whole Earth Brands, a company that sells a variety of sweeteners, is anticipating […]

Reb Eli Stefansky and MDY have just released a new version of his popular daf yomi shiur entitled “Nothing but the Daf” The shiur is Reb Eli’s shiur without the classic emails, stories, etc. The purpose of this version is for people to do chazara on that day’s daf or provide the ability to learn the daf in a shorter time period when time is of the essence. The “Nothing but the Daf” shiur still contains Reb Eli’s unique charts and visual aids, making the daf come to life and helping the listener remember the daf. To receive “Nothing but the Daf” daily via WhatsApp CLICK HERE or https://api.jewishadgroup.com/7kAL7N To see a sample  – CLICK HERE

Senator Ted Cruz of Texas is pressing for a new measure that would bar sanctioned Iranian leaders from traveling to the United States in advance of the upcoming U.N. General Assembly, according to The Hill.

The proposed legislation, titled the Strengthening Entry Visa Enforcement and Restrictions Act, is designed to stop Iranian representatives from gaining access to U.S. soil if they are under sanctions for supporting Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, The Hill reported.

“The Iranian regime and the corrupt officials who run it are responsible for the murder, injury, and kidnapping of thousands of Americans,” Cruz said in a statement. “The Ayatollah means it when he chants ‘Death to America,’ and the United States has developed and imposed sanctions to counter the threats posed by him and those directly around him. If you are a crony of the Ayatollah who has been sanctioned by the U.S., it means that you pose a threat to the safety and security of Americans, and you should not be allowed on American soil — let alone to engage in diplomacy at the United Nations General Assembly.”

On the House side, Rep. Claudia Tenney of New York introduced a companion bill.

“[Iranian] President Masoud Pezeshkian, like his predecessors, is part of a regime that funds terrorism, destabilizes the Middle East, brutalizes the Iranian people, and has actively targeted Americans. No government official that is part of this despotic regime should ever be permitted to set foot on American soil to spread propaganda or legitimize tyranny,” Tenney said in a statement. “The SEVER Act will give President Trump the authority to ensure the United States is never a platform for terrorists and tyrants that threaten American citizens.”

Both President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are slated to participate in next week’s U.N. General Assembly gathering.

{Matzav.com}

Brig. Gen. (res.) Ofer Winter, a former Givati commander who is part of the Religious Zionist sector, published a Facebook post on Tuesday slamming senior security officials who advanced a failed security concept for years that led to the October 7 massacre but dare oppose the appointment of Maj. Gen. David Zini as the head of the Shin Bet. Zini, who also belongs to the Religious Zionist sector, is one of the few senior IDF officials who warned of the possibility of an October 7-style incursion prior to October 7, 2023. Nonetheless, a powerful leftist campaign, including senior Shin Bet officials, is being waged against him, with nebulous claims that he has “messianic” views and his “beliefs about the judicial system will harm Israel’s democratic values.” Winter wrote, “It’s time to stop appointing messianic people to the most senior positions in the country. For three decades, a political-security policy was advanced here by extremist messianists who refused to face reality. They were the ones who sold us Oslo as a vision of peace, and instead we got terror and hundreds of murdered victims in suicide bombings. They were the ones who sold us the vision of two states for two peoples, and instead we got exploding buses and hundreds of so-called ‘victims of peace.’” “These messianists caused us to flee Lebanon, abandoned our South Lebanon Army allies, and abandoned Lebanon to Hezbollah’s terror army. These messianists told us with nice words that we had to ‘disengage’ from Gaza—but in reality, it was the expulsion of Jews: working people, farmers, the salt of the earth, men of peace—and the abandonment of Gaza to the Hamas terror organization.” “For years these messianists have explained that we must reach a deal that quiet will be answered with quiet, when in practice it meant disgraceful capitulation to Gaza terror—which is what brought the October 7 massacre upon us.” “These messianists are the ones who today dare to talk about the danger of appointing a ‘messianic’ head of the Shin Bet, without a drop of humility. David Zini is a courageous soldier and commander who has seen and still sees reality clearly. He has proven time and again through his actions that he is more than worthy to be the head of the Shin Bet. He knows who the enemy is and will never succumb to illusions of false quiet.” “It’s time to stop labeling people according to irrelevant criteria. Enough. A little more humility. It’s time for a realist to stand at the head of the Shin Bet. For the sake of Am Yisrael. For the future of our children. Together—and only together—we will be victorious.” At least several other top IDF officials who are not part of the Religious Zionist sector have also attested to Zini’s worthiness for the role. Ynet journalist Yossi Yehoshua published comments by Brig.-Gen. (res.) Moshe (Chico) Tamir, one of the most esteemed officers in the IDF and Zini’s former commander, revealing the truth about Zini and why he faced so many obstacles in the army. It should be noted that the phenomenon of senior Religious Zionist IDF officers being passed over for senior promotions has been a well-known issue in the IDF for many years. Tamir highly praised Zini and scoffed at those who called him “messianic,” adding […]

Jimmy Kimmel has reportedly refused to back down from the comments he made linking MAGA supporters to the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, insisting he had no intention of apologizing and was preparing to escalate his criticism of Trump’s base before his program was taken off the air, according to new reports.

The late-night host was informed by Disney executive Dana Walden on Wednesday that his show would be pulled indefinitely, Deadline reported, citing insiders familiar with the conversation.

During that call, Kimmel was said to have rejected pressure from critics and the owners of numerous ABC affiliate stations who wanted him to retract his remarks.

Another source told The Hollywood Reporter that Kimmel believed there was no reason to issue any kind of apology.

The “Jimmy Kimmel Live” star also intended to confront his detractors head-on while attempting to further explain what he had meant about Kirk’s killing.

Kimmel has argued that his words were distorted after he said on Monday’s broadcast that the “MAGA gang” was “desperately” trying to label the accused shooter, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, as a left-wing extremist.

Disney, however, reportedly feared that if Kimmel intensified his attacks on Trump supporters, the company would have no choice but to impose harsher consequences than simply taking the program off the air, Deadline reported.

Whether Kimmel will return to the late-night slot after Disney’s move remains uncertain.

The backlash reached Washington, with Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr condemning Kimmel’s monologue and urging Disney to act after what he described as “some of the sickest conduct possible.”

Kimmel also drew fire from Sinclair Broadcast Group and Nexstar, two major owners of ABC affiliates, both of which criticized him and removed his show from their local lineups.

Sinclair went further, demanding Kimmel personally apologize to Kirk’s relatives and contribute a “meaningful personal donation” to Turning Point USA, the group Kirk founded.

The company said it would not air Kimmel’s show on its more than 40 ABC affiliates “until formal discussions are held with ABC regarding the network’s commitment to professionalism and accountability.”

Both Sinclair and Nexstar have faced accusations of siding with the Trump administration in hopes of smoothing the path for billion-dollar mergers requiring FCC approval.

On Wednesday, ABC officially confirmed that Kimmel’s late-night program had been suspended indefinitely because of his Monday night monologue.

{Matzav.com}

New York City Comptroller Brad Lander and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams were among more than a dozen state and city lawmakers taken into custody Thursday afternoon by federal officers during demonstrations at federal immigration courts in Lower Manhattan.

According to reports, Lander was detained by Homeland Security officers along with ten other officials while they staged a sit-in on the 10th floor of 26 Federal Plaza. The group displayed a banner that read “NYers Against ICE” outside a detention area used to hold immigrants following court appearances.

For about 20 minutes, the officials demanded entry into the holding cells to inspect conditions but were refused by federal agents. Afterward, they unfurled the banner and continued occupying the hallway for another 40 minutes until they were handcuffed. Their aim, they said, was to check whether federal authorities were complying with a court order addressing overcrowding and what they described as unsanitary and inhumane conditions inside.

“Immigration courts should be places of justice, but in reality, have become abduction traps,” Lander said in a statement. “Each week, I witness ICE agents become brownshirts, conducting more abductions and becoming increasingly violent as they detain our immigrant neighbors in deplorable conditions or ship them to far away places.”

Lander’s office reported that state Senators Julia Salazar of Brooklyn, Jabari Brisport of Brooklyn, and Gustavo Rivera of the Bronx were also arrested. Assembly Members Marcela Mitaynes, Tony Simone, Jessica González-Rojas, Clare Valdez, Robert Carroll, Emily Gallagher, and Steven Raga were likewise taken into custody.

“We attempted to conduct oversight of the 10th floor to ensure compliance with this preliminary injunction ruling,” González-Rojas said in a statement. “We put our bodies on the line for the lives and freedom of thousands of New Yorkers who have been illegally kidnapped and detained by ICE. Many of us, myself included, were arrested.”

Meanwhile, another group — including Williams — was arrested outside the building by NYPD officers for blocking the driveway. That group included Council Members Tiffany Cabán of Queens and Sandy Nurse of Brooklyn, as well as Assembly Member Phara Souffrant Forrest of Brooklyn.

Williams, in a statement, said their actions were part of a peaceful protest to call attention to ICE’s practices. “Even under this creeping authoritarianism regime, I expect to be released today to go home to my family, but the people we’re fighting for don’t have that privilege, as ICE disappears, and deports them,” he said. “Together with the dozens of New Yorkers getting arrested today, I call for all levels of government to do what they can to support our immigrant communities and vulnerable, marginalized populations.”

This marked the second time Lander has been arrested at Federal Plaza. In June, ICE agents allegedly roughed him up as he sought to check on the case of a detained immigrant.

Thursday’s confrontation was seen as a sharp intensification of President Trump’s immigration enforcement push across New York City.

The arrests came after months of elected officials appearing at immigration courts to observe proceedings and protest the detention of immigrants following hearings. Since early June, lawmakers have repeatedly been denied entry into ICE holding areas on the 10th floor of Federal Plaza and other facilities.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump has seized on the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel, wasting no time in celebrating the late-night host’s downfall.

On Sept. 18, Trump posted on Truth Social mocking Kimmel’s viewership numbers and taking aim at other television comedians, including Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers, and Jimmy Fallon.

“Great News for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED. Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done,” Trump wrote. “Kimmel has ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that’s possible. That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!! President DJT”

Later that day, speaking to the press, Trump argued that Kimmel should have been dismissed years ago, pointing to both the comic’s “lack of talent” and his offensive comments about conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Trump dismissed worries about censorship, saying Kimmel’s firing had nothing to do with speech rights.

“Jimmy Kimmel was fired because he had bad ratings, more than anything else, and he said a horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk,” Trump told reporters. “Jimmy Kimmel is not a talented person. He had very bad ratings, and they should have fired him a long time ago… You can call that free speech or not. He was fired for lack of talent.”

Despite Trump’s claims, industry data shows Kimmel’s program ranked second overall among late-night shows in 2025, and it held the top spot with viewers aged 18-49, the group most prized by advertisers.

Trump’s comments came after ABC decided to halt “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” indefinitely in response to remarks the host made after the killing of Kirk, a prominent conservative voice and staunch Trump supporter.

The Walt Disney-owned network issued a statement on Sept. 17 confirming the program would be off the air for the foreseeable future, after the head of the Federal Communications Commission raised alarms over Kimmel’s remarks.

“‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ will be pre-empted indefinitely,” an ABC spokesperson told USA TODAY. The outlet also reached out to Kimmel’s team for their response.

Reuters reported that Kimmel was spotted outside the El Capitan Theatre, where his show is produced, on Wednesday night but declined to answer questions.

The controversy stems from Kimmel’s Sept. 15 broadcast, during which he said: “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.”

{Matzav.com}

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New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Wednesday endorsed a plan to bring an end to the horse-drawn carriage trade in Central Park, a practice that has lasted more than a century and a half. At the same time, he ordered the NYPD to step up enforcement of existing regulations aimed at controlling the industry.

In explaining his position, Adams pointed to growing safety risks in the busy park, noting several recent cases where horses collapsed and died while working or escaped their drivers and bolted through the area.

“While horse-drawn carriages have long been an iconic fixture of Central Park, they are increasingly incompatible with the conditions of a modern, heavily-used urban green space,” Adams said in a statement. “It has become abundantly clear that these horse-drawn carriages no longer work for our city.”

Adams, who is pursuing reelection as an independent despite tough odds, said he had sent a “letter of necessity” to the City Council. The letter allows lawmakers to fast-track legislation that would gradually eliminate the carriages.

The mayor also signed an executive order instructing police to “prioritize enforcement” against carriages that operate outside the zones where they are legally permitted, whether by illegally soliciting rides or obstructing traffic.

His directive also called for agencies to begin planning alternative job opportunities for carriage drivers and to set up a system where operators can voluntarily hand back their licenses.

“This is not about eliminating this tradition — it’s about honoring our traditions in a way that aligns with who we are today,” Adams said. “New Yorkers care deeply about animals, about fairness, and about doing what’s right.”

John Samuelsen, head of the Transport Workers Union of America, which represents carriage drivers, blasted the mayor’s move, calling it a “desperation act” meant to revive his struggling campaign against Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, ex-Governor Andrew Cuomo, and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa.

“He’s betrayed the blue collar New Yorkers who were relying on him to stand up for their jobs against the real estate developers who want to kill the industry solely to develop those stables into skyscrapers,” Samuelsen said. “He should be ashamed of himself.”

City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams also suggested the timing was political, labeling the mayor’s move “opportunistic and not helpful.” Her office would not commit to scheduling a hearing or vote on the measure this session.

“The Council appreciates that this is a difficult and emotional issue for many New Yorkers, which has persisted for decades,” her office said in a statement. “This bill continues to go through the legislative process, which is deliberative and allows for thorough input from all stakeholders.”

Animal rights advocates, who for years have pressed for the end of the carriage trade, hailed the mayor’s position as overdue and necessary.

“This is a life-saving step for both people and horses, and it makes clear what we and so many New Yorkers have long said: horse-drawn carriages have no place in our city any longer,” said Edita Birnkrant, executive director of New Yorkers for Clean, Livable, and Safe Streets, or NYCLASS.

The Central Park Conservancy, the nonprofit in charge of managing the park, had already come out in August in support of a ban, also citing safety hazards.

Adams’ announcement adds his name to a list of city leaders who have waded into the contentious fight over the industry. His move echoes earlier promises, including that of Bill de Blasio, who pledged to eliminate the carriages “on day one” of his mayoralty but ultimately ran into resistance from the City Council.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday forcefully rejected conspiracy theories linking Israel to the murder of U.S. conservative activist Charlie Kirk, calling them “a monstrous big lie.” “Josef Goebbels, the Nazi propaganda minister, said that the bigger the lie, the faster it will spread. Well somebody has fabricated a monstrous big lie, that Israel had something to do with Charlie Kirk’s horrific murder,” Netanyahu said in a video statement. “This is insane. It is false. It is outrageous.” Netanyahu praised Kirk as “a once-in-a-century talent” who, in his words, defended freedom, America and “our common Judeo-Christian civilization.” The prime minister cited a letter Kirk had sent him months earlier, in which the activist wrote: “One of my greatest joys as a Christian is advocating for Israel and forming alliances with Jews to protect Judeo-Christian civilization.” Kirk, Netanyahu said, had urged him to make Israel’s case directly to the American people, warning of “support for Israel slipping away.” The prime minister recalled inviting Kirk to return to Israel shortly before his death. “Sadly that won’t happen,” Netanyahu said, before condemning what he described as rumors spread “perhaps out of obsession, perhaps with Qatari funding.” “What I do know is this: Charlie Kirk was a great man and a great man deserves honor, not lies,” Netanyahu said. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who reposted Netanyahu’s video on X, added his own comment: “It’s painful to see people back in the U.S. attempt to get clicks & make $$ by making up outrageous lies while exploiting the death of Charlie Kirk whose impact & character the propagandists will never have,” Huckabee wrote. “@IsraeliPM sets the record straight.” Kirk was shot and killed at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10 while responding to a question about mass shootings, in what prosecutors have described as a targeted political assassination. Tyler Robinson, 22, has been charged with aggravated murder and could face the death penalty if convicted. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Mark Zuckerberg endured two public embarrassments onstage when his highly promoted AI-driven smart glasses repeatedly malfunctioned, turning a showcase into a fiasco.

At Meta’s annual Connect event, the CEO introduced the company’s latest version of smart Ray-Bans and a neural wristband, framing them as part of his broader vision of instant, real-time AI assistance for daily life.

To prove the capabilities, Zuckerberg linked up with food influencer Jack Mancuso and asked the artificial intelligence to create a “Korean-inspired” steak sauce using ingredients available in the chef’s kitchen.

But the demonstration collapsed almost instantly. According to Business Insider, the AI faltered right after receiving the request, misreading instructions and repeatedly claiming the cook had “already combined these ingredients.”

The glitches only grew worse. “What do I do first?” Mancuso asked the system three separate times, sounding increasingly alarmed as his requests went unanswered.

“You’ve already combined the base ingredients, so now grate the pear and gently combine it with the base sauce,” the AI responded twice, offering irrelevant advice instead of guidance.

The segment abruptly ended with Zuckerberg and the chef trying to pin the failures on “bad wifi,” a flimsy explanation that drew half-hearted applause from the audience.

“It’s all good. You know what? It’s so good,” Zuckerberg said, attempting to laugh it off. “It’s, uh, the irony of the whole thing is that you spend years making technology and then the wifi at the day kind of catches you.”

Yet the embarrassment wasn’t over. In the very next demonstration, Zuckerberg attempted to use the glasses and wristband to make a video call. The AI failed four times to complete the task, leaving the CEO standing awkwardly, waving his hands and mumbling as nothing happened.

Relief finally came when Meta’s chief technology officer, Andrew Bosworth—the intended recipient of the botched call—walked on stage in person.

“This wifi is brutal,” Bosworth joked, sparking some nervous chuckles from the crowd.

“Yeah, I don’t know,” Zuckerberg replied. “We’ll debug that later. You practice these things like 100 times, and then, you never know what’s going to happen.”

“I promise you no one is more upset about this than I am, because this is my team that now has to go debug why this didn’t work on the stage,” Bosworth added.

The public breakdown was more than just a cringe-worthy moment—it also reflected poorly on Zuckerberg’s leadership. This year, he personally took command of Meta’s artificial intelligence efforts, luring top talent with staggering pay offers approaching nine figures, all in an urgent push to catch up in the AI race after a string of setbacks and disappointments.

{Matzav.com}

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The official who steered the U.N.’s diplomacy in Syria for nearly seven turbulent years announced Thursday that he is resigning. Geir Pedersen, who has held diplomatic posts for decades for the world body and his native Norway, told the U.N. Security Council that “I have informed the secretary-general of my intention to step down.” Pedersen, 69, was appointed as the U.N.’s special envoy to Syria in 2018, seven years into the country’s civil war. Amid the chaos, Islamic State group militants took over significant parts of the nation. In 2019, the group lost the last sliver of land its fighters controlled, but sleeper cells linger. Pedersen was charged with implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 2254, which aimed to usher in a political solution to the conflict between the government of then-President Bashar Assad and its opponents, but efforts to broker one repeatedly faltered. The civil war began after mass anti-government protests in 2011 were met by a brutal government crackdown. The fighting killed nearly half a million people and displaced half of the country’s prewar population of 23 million. The conflict was largely frozen for years, with the country carved up into areas controlled by the government and different opposition groups until December 2024, when Assad was ousted in a lightning rebel offensive led by Syria’s now-interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa. The country has continued to grapple with deep political, ethnic and religious divides. The current government and the Syrian people “are attempting a transition in the face of challenges and realities as complex and difficult as have been faced almost anywhere,” Pedersen told the Security Council on Thursday. He called for international support for Syria and for its government to give all its people a voice in their nation’s next chapter. Despite Syria’s difficulties, Pedersen said he believed that “with genuine negotiation and bold compromise, unity is within reach, and success against the odds is possible.” Pedersen previously held various U.N. roles, including special coordinator for Lebanon in 2007-08. He was a member of Norway’s team that negotiated the 1993 Oslo accords, which resulted in mutual recognition between the Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel, and he was Norway’s representative to the Palestinian Authority between 1998 and 2003. (AP)

A unique tefillah protest was held near the home of Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara in Tel Aviv on Thursday night. The tefillah was organized by UTJ MK Meir Porush, who led the davening, asking for Rachamei Shamayim to end the persecution of lomdei Torah, spearheaded by the Attorney-General and the Supreme Court. MK Porush’s son, Yisrael Porush, the chairman of the Magen U’Moshia organization, which assists detained Chareidim, also attended the tefillah.

Trump on the Radical Left: “I see people saying things — they’re crazy. These people are crazed lunatics… maybe they’re drugged out, maybe they have some other problem… the kinds of things you hear are so unbelievable.”

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Wednesday described Gaza as a potential real estate “bonanza,” openly expressing his vision of turning the Strip into Israeli territory and stating he has been in discussions with the United States on how to divide it after the war.

Speaking at a property industry conference in Tel Aviv, Smotrich declared the chance “pays for itself,” and added that he has “already started negotiations with the Americans.”

The Palestinian leadership and the vast majority of world governments insist that Gaza must be placed under Palestinian control once the conflict ends, firmly opposing any suggestion of Israeli or American rule. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he does not plan to rebuild Israeli settlements in Gaza, though his far-right partners continue to push for the expulsion of Palestinians and the creation of Jewish communities there.

“We have paid a lot of money for this war. We have to see how we are dividing up the land in percentages,” Smotrich said, continuing, “the demolition, the first stage in the city’s renewal, we have already done. Now we need to build.”

He went on to say, “There is a business plan, put together by the most professional people here, that is on President Trump’s desk.”

The White House and the US State Department declined to immediately respond when asked about Smotrich’s remarks.

In an interview last month with Ofek, the Religious Zionism party’s weekend publication, Smotrich said he was working on restoring the Israeli communities of Ganim and Kadim in the northern West Bank. Both were dismantled in 2005 during Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza, when all settlers and troops were removed.

Back in July, he took part in a Knesset gathering titled “The Gaza Riviera – from vision to reality,” where plans for rebuilding Jewish settlements in Gaza were presented. At that event, he declared that Gaza would become an “inseparable part of the State of Israel.”

In May, Smotrich laid out another plan, saying that Palestinians would be forced into a narrow area of land while the rest of Gaza would be “totally destroyed.”

He further asserted in July that his blueprint had the backing of President Donald Trump. Earlier in February, Trump had said the US would assume control of Gaza, move out its inhabitants, and transform it into the “Riviera of the Middle East.”

That proposal was met with outright rejection from Palestinians, Arab governments, most of the world, and members of both major US political parties. Trump himself has downplayed the idea since making those comments.

However, The Washington Post reported last month that the concept was not entirely shelved. According to the report, the Trump administration was still evaluating a plan that would place Gaza under American control for ten years, with payments offered to around a quarter of the population to resettle elsewhere, many on a permanent basis.

On Wednesday, Smotrich also dismissed Netanyahu’s recent warning that Israel was at risk of growing isolation and might be forced to create a more self-sufficient economy, with “autarkic characteristics” and even likened to a “super-Sparta.”

“I do not agree with the prime minister’s words, and I really did not like the comparison to Sparta,” Smotrich said.

Netanyahu’s comments drew heavy criticism from opposition leaders and figures in the business community, and were followed by a decline on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.

Responding to the uproar, Netanyahu clarified on Tuesday that he had “full confidence” in the Israeli economy, explaining that his earlier remarks were aimed at the defense sector, not the economy as a whole.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Trump on King Charles: “We were together for a long time… the people love him in this country, and he went through pretty tough stuff, medically — and he’s doing great… He’s a tremendous man who really stepping into a very tough position having to follow Queen Elizabeth.”

BREAKING: A powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake just struck off the east coast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula.

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu expressed sorrow this evening over the deaths of two IDF soldiers who were killed in the terror attack at the Allenby Crossing near Jordan, along with four others who lost their lives earlier in the day when a roadside bomb exploded in Rafah, southern Gaza. In his statement, Netanyahu pledged that Israel “will continue to strike [its] enemies forcefully.”

“This is a difficult evening,” Netanyahu said in a message from his office, denouncing the “abhorrent” assault at Allenby Crossing that took the lives of Lt. Col. (res.) Yitzchak Harosh and Sgt. Oran Hershko.

He went on to acknowledge the sacrifice of the four troops who were killed in Gaza, noting that Maj. Omri Chai Ben Moshe, Lt. Eran Shelem, Lt. Eitan Avner Ben Yitzchak, and Lt. Ron Arieli “fought bravely for the defeat of Hamas and the return of all our hostages.”

“In the spirit of the bravery and courage of our fighters, we will continue to strike our enemies forcefully until we complete all the objectives of our war [in Gaza],” Netanyahu concluded.

{Matzav.com Israel}