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U.S. peace envoy Steve Witkoff is pressing ahead with efforts to move the Gaza process into its next stage, urging swift implementation of Phase 2 of President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan, including the creation of a new governing force intended to prevent Hamas from renewing attacks.

In a detailed statement published on X on Shabbos afternoon, Witkoff outlined recent diplomatic activity and the objectives now being pursued by Washington and its regional partners. He wrote that senior representatives from the United States, Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye convened in Miami to evaluate progress and lay the groundwork for the next phase of the ceasefire framework.

“We, the representatives of the United States of America, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the State of Qatar, and the Republic of Türkiye, met yesterday in Miami to review the implementation of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire and to advance preparations for the second phase.”

According to Witkoff, the initial phase has already produced tangible results on the ground, including humanitarian gains and reduced violence.

“The first phase has yielded progress, including expanded humanitarian assistance, the return of hostage bodies, partial force withdrawals, and a reduction in hostilities.”

Turning to the next stage, Witkoff said the discussions focused on establishing a governing structure inside Gaza capable of enforcing order and protecting civilians once the transition begins.

“In our discussions regarding phase two, we emphasized enabling a governing body in Gaza under a unified Gazan authority to protect civilians and maintain public order.”

He added that broader regional cooperation was also addressed as a critical component of long-term stability and recovery for Gaza.

“We also discussed regional integration measures, including trade facilitation, infrastructure development, and cooperation on energy, water, and other shared resources, as essential to Gaza’s recovery, regional stability, and long-term prosperity.”

Central to the next phase, Witkoff said, is the rapid establishment of a new transitional body tasked with overseeing civilian administration, security, and rebuilding efforts.

“In this context, we expressed our support for the near-term establishment and operationalization of the Board of Peace as a transitional administration for the civilian, security, and reconstruction tracks of the reconstruction. We reviewed next steps in the phased implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Plan for Gaza, underscoring the importance of sequencing, coordination, and effective monitoring in partnership with local Gazan institutions and international partners.”

Witkoff concluded by stressing that the parties remain committed to the full scope of President Trump’s plan and warned that cooperation and restraint will be essential as the process moves forward.

“We reaffirm our full commitment to the entirety of the President’s 20-point peace plan and call on all parties to uphold their obligations, exercise restraint, and cooperate with monitoring arrangements. Further consultations will continue in the coming weeks to advance the implementation of phase two.”

{Matzav.com}

Rav Dovid Batzri, one of the senior mekubalim and rosh yeshiva of Yeshivat HaShalom in Yerushalayim, is hospitalized in serious condition at Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center, where he is sedated and on a ventilator.

Rav Batzri was admitted to the hospital several days ago, and while there had been some improvement in his condition last week, his health deteriorated sharply late Thursday night. Doctors were forced to sedate and intubate him, and he is now in need of extensive rachamei Shomayim.

Over Shabbos, several of Rav Batzri’s grandchildren remained at his side. On Motzaei Shabbos, his son, Rav Yitzchak Batzri, released a message from the entrance to the intensive care unit, making an emotional appeal to the public. Rav Yitzchak implored Klal Yisroel to daven for his father, stressing repeatedly that his condition is grave and that he urgently needs the tefillos of the Jewish people.

All are asked to daven for Dovid Shalom ben Victoria.

{Matzav.com}

Marco Rubio said that if JD Vance runs for president in 2028, “he’ll be our nominee… and I’ll be one of the first people to support him.

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has brushed aside warnings from New York’s incoming mayor, signaling that a visit to the city remains firmly on his plans despite public threats of arrest.

Speaking in recent interviews, Netanyahu made clear that he is undeterred. He told the New York Times, “Yes, of course I will [come to New York],” and separately told Australian journalist Ein Molan that he is “not afraid” of Mamdani.

The comments come after mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani repeatedly claimed he would seek Netanyahu’s arrest should the Israeli leader enter New York City, pointing to an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court. Mamdani has accused Israel of war crimes during its military campaign against Hamas in Gaza.

In September, Mamdani articulated his position in stark terms, saying: “I think that our city should uphold the warrants that the International Criminal Court issues, whether for Benjamin Netanyahu or Vladimir Putin. Also, I am not Donald Trump. I will follow the laws as they are, not bend them to my will. We will pursue every legal avenue to make sure that accountability is present.”

US officials quickly pushed back, warning that a New York City mayor has no legal authority to detain a foreign head of government. Figures in the Trump Administration, along with New York State Governor Kathy Hochul, have cautioned that any such move would run afoul of federal law.

The latest exchange was sparked by a letter from Brooklyn Councilwoman Inna Vernikov, who invited Netanyahu to visit New York on January 1, 2026 — the day Mamdani is scheduled to take office. The New York Post described the invitation as a deliberate effort to needle the mayor-elect.

Netanyahu responded warmly to Vernikov, thanking her for the invitation and writing: “Even though I won’t be able to make it on that day, I assure you that I will visit New York soon. And I’d very much like to see you at that time.”

According to the New York Post, Netanyahu has privately indicated that a New York trip is expected in the near future, regardless of the political controversy surrounding his arrival.

{Matzav.com}

Sunday morning, during Rosh Chodesh tefillos, ushers at the Kosel plaza intercepted an effort by the Women of the Wall group to bring a Sefer Torah into the women’s section, an act prohibited under the site’s standing regulations.

According to officials on site, the Sefer Torah had been concealed inside the bag of an IDF reserve soldier accompanying the group. Security personnel asked to examine the bag, discovered the Sefer Torah, and promptly removed it from the plaza.

In response, the Western Wall Heritage Foundation sharply criticized the incident, saying: “We regret that the Women of the Wall group once again chose to exploit IDF soldiers in an attempt to violate the procedures in place at the Western Wall. As in the past, the group does not hesitate to employ provocative tactics that harm the sanctity of the site and the honor of the Torah scroll.

“The Western Wall Heritage Foundation embraces and honors IDF soldiers, both regular and reserve. The Western Wall will continue to serve as a place of prayer, strength, and comfort for them. During the recent Hanukkah holiday alone, thousands of IDF soldiers visited the Western Wall plaza to pray and give thanks at the holiest site of the Jewish people. The Foundation will continue to act to preserve the sanctity of the Western Wall, maintain proper order, and respect all visitors.”

The Women of the Wall, for its part, issued a statement pushing back against the enforcement action, declaring: “On Hanukkah, the holiday commemorating the Maccabees’ struggle for religious freedom, women are still denied religious freedom and the ability to practice their faith at the Western Wall. This situation is an absurdity under the authority of the Western Wall rabbi.”

{Matzav.com}

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was booed and heckled during an official Bondi beach memorial, with the crowd shouting, “You’re not welcome here… Shame.”

Mekubal Rav Itche Meyer Morgenstern receiving an aliyah on Sunday at the kever of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov in Uman.

TEHILLIM: HaMekubal Rav Dovid Batzri, Rosh Yeshivas HaShalom, remains hospitalized in serious condition in Hadassah Ein Kerem in Jerusalem. He is sedated and on a respirator. Please daven for a refuah sheleimah for Reb Dovid Shalom ben Victoria b’toch sha’ar cholei Yisrael.

The Women of the Wall group “recruited” an IDF reserve soldier to attempt to smuggle a Sefer Torah into the women’s section of the Kosel, in violation of the regulations at the site, on Sunday morning, Rosh Chodesh Teves. They put a small Sefer Torah into the bag of the soldier. However, ushers who requested […]

Attorney-General Gali Baharav Miara has escalated her frenzied battle against Chareidim and the Olam HaTorah, now even spreading her poison to Bnei Torah from abroad. She is considering halting all funding for yeshivos, even those attended by non-Israelis, to avoid the possibility that any state funds may indirectly benefit Chareidi “draft dodgers,” Kan News reported. […]

No winning ticket was sold in Saturday nights Powerball drawing, pushing the jackpot to an estimated $1.60 billion. The next Powerball drawing is scheduled for Monday night.

The brother-in-law of a man murdered in the Sydney terror attack traveled to a local hospital to personally thank the Muslim hero who stopped one of the attackers and helped save lives.

Rabbi Mendel Kastel, whose brother-in-law, Rabbi Eli Schlanger Hy”d, was murdered in the attack, visited Ahmed al-Ahmed, a Syrian-born Muslim who confronted and neutralized one of the terrorists during the assault. Also present was Sam Issa, Ahmed’s attorney.

Speaking to Ahmed as he lay in his hospital bed, his arm in a cast, Rabbi Kastel expressed deep gratitude. “Thank you, not only for saving lives, but for your courage,” he said. “The fact that you come not from a Jewish background but from a Muslim background makes this especially meaningful. Truly, thank you.”

Ahmed responded simply: “Exactly. We are all brothers. We are all human beings.”

Rabbi Kastel replied, “We have no words.”

Ahmed added that the visit itself meant a great deal to him. “The fact that you came here to visit is meaningful to me,” he said. “No matter what happens, we are all human beings. It doesn’t matter which religion. We must stand together and save lives.”

During the visit, Rabbi Kastel introduced his brother Zalman and presented Ahmed with a deeply personal gift. He explained that within the Jewish community, the Lubavitcher Rebbe would distribute a dollar to individuals every Sunday, encouraging them to give another dollar to charity. “I want to give you a dollar that the Rebbe gave me in 1988,” Rabbi Kastel said.

Ahmed responded with humility. “We are all human beings, and it is important to save lives,” he said. “I was simply walking with my cousin to buy something and get a haircut, but God sent me to save lives.”

Sam Issa, Ahmed’s attorney, provided an update on his condition. “He is stable but in pain,” Issa said. “He was shot four times in his left arm and lost sensation. He is expected to undergo several surgeries, one of them today. Despite the pain, his spirits are good.”

Issa added that Ahmed told him he would act the same way again. “He said that despite the pain, despite everything he went through and the surgeries ahead, he would do it again, because he knows he saved many lives.”

{Matzav.com}

Calls for the resignation of Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez intensified after he circulated a series of antisemitic conspiracy theories online, including a claim that a deadly attack in Australia was staged. The allegations were first reported by Richmondside.

Among the content Martinez shared on his LinkedIn account was a repost from a Palestinian Arab academic suggesting—without evidence—that the massacre of 15 people at a Hanukkah-related gathering at Sydney’s Bondi Beach was a “false flag” operation and may have been carried out by an IDF soldier.

One of the posts amplified by Martinez asserted that “paid actors have a history of carrying out the false flag, anti-Jewish attacks in Australia then blaming others.” Another claimed that “the root cause of antisemitism is the behavior of Israel & Israelis.”

The Bay Area chapter of the Jewish Community Relations Council sharply rebuked the mayor, sending a letter to media outlets accusing him of spreading hateful falsehoods. The group said Martinez “posted repeatedly on LinkedIn spreading false conspiracies blaming Jews for the Bondi Beach terror attack.”

“Such rhetoric is dangerously antisemitic, deeply offensive, and wholly unacceptable – particularly coming from a sitting mayor,” the JCRC wrote. “Words from public officials carry weight and when those words echo antisemitic tropes they place people at risk.”

In the wake of the backlash, Martinez removed the posts and issued a public apology on LinkedIn. “I want to apologize for sharing my previous posts without thinking. Of course we know that antisemitism was here before the creation of the state of Israel. As I’ve said many times before, we should not conflate Zionism with Judaism. They are two separate beliefs.”

Critics, however, said the apology fell far short. Former Los Angeles City Council candidate Sam Yebri told the New York Post that “Martinez has consistently and repeatedly trafficked in the worst antisemitism imaginable, and now has put the lives of his Jewish constituents in jeopardy.”

A Richmond rabbi also spoke to the Post, warning that “what we’re seeing is not legitimate criticism of Israeli policy. It’s hatred of Jews. And that’s where this road leads.”

The controversy is not Martinez’s first. He has previously drawn criticism over antisemitic behavior, including an August appearance in which he delivered a speech while wearing a hat emblazoned with the acronym “DDTTIDF,” standing for “Death, Death to the IDF,” further fueling concerns about a pattern of conduct.

{Matzav.com}

A Syrian-Australian man who risked his life to stop an ISIS-inspired terror massacre at Sydney’s Bondi Beach is now being viciously attacked in Arab media and online forums—denounced as a “traitor” for saving Jewish lives. Ahmed al Ahmed, 43, a local shop owner and father of two, was shot five times after charging toward a […]

Salim Hamdani, a Jewish merchant from Damascus who was recently detained by Syrian authorities, is expected to be released within several days, according to representatives of Syria’s Jewish community.

Alaa al-Din Kharoub, the official authorized to handle matters related to the Jewish community in Syria, said over the weekend in an interview with the Syrian channel Al-Yawm that Hamdani is likely to be freed on bail within three to four days at most, pending legal proceedings, and will be able to return to his shop. The report was cited by Kan 11 correspondent Roi Kais.

Kharoub said that the detention stemmed from accusations made by another individual arrested by the authorities, who attributed suspicions to Hamdani because he is a longtime merchant and a member of the Jewish community—claims that were later found to be inaccurate. Nevertheless, he stressed, “the court will have the final say.”

According to Kharoub, Hamdani’s case is currently being handled by an investigative judge in Damascus. Following efforts by the Jewish community, Hamdani’s family appointed a private attorney to represent him, working under the supervision of the community’s legal counsel. Kharoub expressed hope that Hamdani’s health condition would be taken into account during his detention.

Kharoub also thanked Syrian Interior Minister Anas Khattab for what he described as a professional investigation, and said he is confident that the judge handling the case will be allowed to act independently and that the judicial process will remain free of political interference. He added that the Syrian Jewish community is working to ensure there is no outside involvement in the matter, emphasizing that it is an internal Syrian legal issue.

As previously reported, Hamdani—one of the few remaining members of Syria’s small Jewish community—was arrested last week by Syrian security forces. He owns a shop in the Old City of Damascus, and according to Syrian sources familiar with the case, the grounds for his arrest involve allegations of illegal trade in antiquities.

Security forces reportedly raided Hamdani’s store, confiscated several archaeological items that were on display, and then took him into custody. He was transferred to a police station in the capital, where he has been under interrogation since.

The incident is considered unusual, coming at a time when Syria’s new leadership has recently made visible efforts to project a more tolerant attitude toward the country’s Jewish community. In recent months, the government has even invited delegations of Syrian Jews—primarily from the United States—to visit their former homeland.

{Matzav.com}

The Trump administration is quietly shopping an ambitious, multibillion-dollar vision to remake Gaza into a high-tech Mediterranean hub. The plan has drawn interest from regional power brokers even as it collides with the hard political reality of Hamas’ continued grip on the enclave. Dubbed internally as a long-range redevelopment roadmap, the plan would pour as […]

The Women of the Wall group “recruited” an IDF reserve soldier to attempt to smuggle a Sefer Torah into the women’s section of the Kosel, in violation of the regulations at the site, on Sunday morning, Rosh Chodesh Teves. They put a small Sefer Torah into the bag of the soldier. However, ushers who requested […]

HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Batzri provided an update on the condition of his father, HaMekubal Rav Dovid Batzri, Rosh Yeshivas HaShalom, who is hospitalized in serious condition in Hadassah Ein Kerem in Jerusalem. Rav Yitzchak said, ‘We’re now at the entrance to the ICU. I beseech the public in every possible way to daven for my […]

Supreme Court Justice Alex Stein slammed Israel’s Probation Service after it submitted an early positive report in the case of Mark Feigel, the main suspect in the serious arson incident near Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s residence in September. Stein said that the Probation Service acted on its own initiative to submit a supplementary report, even […]