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A federal judge ruled on Wednesday that the Trump administration cannot deport or continue holding Mahmoud Khalil, a controversial anti-Israel activist, in detention.

Judge Michael Farbiarz of the U.S. District Court in New Jersey issued a preliminary injunction blocking federal authorities from removing Khalil from the United States. According to court records reviewed by The Post, Farbiarz found that the administration’s justification — that Khalil’s presence threatened U.S. foreign relations — did not meet the legal threshold required to proceed.

In his ruling, Farbiarz instructed that Khalil, who is a lawful permanent resident, should be released from custody as early as Friday. The judge noted that holding him any longer would inflict lasting damage on his professional life, his family, and his constitutional rights.

Federal authorities, specifically the Department of Homeland Security, now have until Friday morning to submit an appeal to contest the ruling.

Khalil, a 30-year-old Palestinian national born in Syria and a holder of an American green card, was apprehended by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in March. Agents took him from his Columbia University-funded apartment in Manhattan amid a broader federal crackdown on anti-Israel campus protests.

After his arrest, Khalil was transferred to a migrant detention facility in Louisiana — far from his legal counsel and his U.S. citizen wife, who gave birth to their first child while he was still behind bars.

Federal officials under the Trump administration have accused Khalil, who holds dual citizenship with Algeria, of being tied to extremist groups. They allege he represented organizations like Columbia University Apartheid Divest, whose activism was said to reflect the ideology of Hamas, the terrorist organization based in Gaza.

The group was also linked to the forcible occupation of Columbia’s Hamilton Hall during campus unrest earlier this year.

“When you advocate for violence, glorify and support terrorists that relish the killing of Americans, and harass Jews, take over buildings and deface property, that privilege should be revoked, and you should not be in this country,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said following the court’s decision.

Attorneys for Khalil have been challenging his arrest on two fronts — in immigration court and through a separate case in federal court in New Jersey. They argue that his detention violates the First Amendment, asserting that Khalil is being punished for his political views.

To justify deportation, ICE and DHS cited a rarely used provision that gives the Secretary of State authority to expel foreign nationals deemed harmful to U.S. foreign policy objectives.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has taken a firm position, asserting that Khalil’s continued presence contradicts “US policy to combat antisemitism” and fuels antisemitic demonstrations that make college campuses unsafe for Jewish students.

Rubio has also emphasized that the administration possesses legal power to remove individuals whose actions are seen as detrimental to the country’s international interests.

Although an immigration judge in Louisiana had previously approved Khalil’s deportation based on Rubio’s statements, Judge Farbiarz placed a temporary hold on the removal while the federal court reviewed the matter.

Following the latest ruling, the White House issued a statement standing by Rubio’s earlier assessment.

“While in the United States, Khalil has consistently engaged in conduct detrimental to American foreign policy interests including ongoing support for Hamas and harassment of Jewish students on campus,” spokesperson Abigail Jackson said. “The law authorizes the Secretary of State to revoke green cards of individuals who pose a threat to American foreign-policy interests.”

Both the Department of Homeland Security and the White House made clear they intend to challenge the decision.

“The district court order, entered without jurisdiction, will not be the final word,” Jackson said.

“We expect a higher court to vindicate us in this. We have the Constitution, the facts, and common sense on our side,” added McLaughlin.

{Matzav.com}

Airfare costs have soared since the onset of the war between Israel and Hamas, and El Al Israel Airlines has come under fire for its role in the spike. On Tuesday, a class action complaint was submitted to the Lod District Court, accusing El Al of inflating ticket prices during the national emergency that erupted after the events of October 7, 2023.

The legal motion, filed by attorney Ilan Verednikov and represented by Tal Rotman and Adi Zitron of the Perl Cohen law firm, contends that El Al exploited its dominant market position to impose unfair price hikes on passengers. The damages sought in the case exceed NIS 2.5 million.

According to the complaint, El Al took advantage of the fact that many international airlines had suspended their services due to the war, which left the company in control of numerous routes. The airline, the suit alleges, capitalized on this situation by raising ticket prices, behavior described in the filing as both unethical and illegal, leveraging national trauma for financial gain.

El Al responded on Wednesday, stating that it had yet to formally receive the legal documents. The company said that its legal team would respond through the proper legal channels once the suit is officially in hand.

“It should be emphasized that the company complied and continues to comply with judicial instructions, including relating to flight prices,” El Al added.

The class action further alleges that El Al’s conduct led to an estimated NIS 600 million in consumer losses by the end of Q1 2023. The financial damage, the plaintiffs say, only grew as the war persisted.

An economic assessment presented by Prof. David Gilo, a former head of Israel’s Competition Authority, supports the plaintiffs’ position. Gilo found that in 20 of 24 routes examined, El Al held a commanding share of the market. He concluded that the price increases could not be justified by any increase in the airline’s operating expenses. On the contrary, he argued, El Al’s costs actually declined while profits surged.

The legal filing highlights El Al’s exceptional wartime financial results. The airline posted a net income of approximately $554 million in 2024, a significant jump from the $113 million it reported the previous year.

The plaintiffs attribute this dramatic rise in profits largely to fare increases. The class action details a consistent pattern of rising ticket prices throughout 2023 and 2024, stating that average fares grew in tandem with the passage of time. Overall, there was a 14.2% jump in prices during 2024, the suit claims.

In an interview with Globes in November, El Al CEO Dina Ben Tal Ganancia acknowledged the criticism but sought to offer context: “The criticism is understandable. We raised fares much less than everyone thinks (El Al says there has been a 16% rise in average revenue per passenger). But the alternatives, the entire world of low-cost, for example, does not currently exist at Ben-Gurion Airport. People willing to fly at odd hours, or receive less good service, cannot do so now.”

The legal action also mentions that El Al’s stock price rose significantly, benefiting both its executives and major shareholders. CEO Ben Tal Ganancia saw a 10.2% salary boost, and other senior officials received similar raises. In addition, El Al employees were awarded an unprecedented NIS 103 million in bonuses, according to the lawsuit.

Verednikov emphasized that the airline’s alleged profiteering not only harmed consumers financially but also weakened national unity during a period of profound hardship. He is urging the court to require El Al to compensate affected travelers and to send a message discouraging future abuse of monopolistic power, especially during national emergencies.

The lawsuit has already triggered public outrage, and regulatory bodies such as the Competition Authority and the Consumer Protection and Fair Trade Authority have launched inquiries into El Al’s pricing behavior. However, their ability to compel restitution for consumers is limited. Verednikov is pressing for judicial action that would mandate the return of the company’s alleged wartime windfall to the public.

{Matzav.com}

An emotional pidyon haben ceremony was held last week for a firstborn baby boy born to a couple who had waited 19 years to embrace a child of their own.

The remarkable story behind this long-awaited yeshuah centers on the guidance of the Rosh Yeshiva of Ateres Shlomo, Rav Chaim Feinstein, and an unusual segulah he shared with the couple that changed the course of their lives.

Ahead of Shavuos last year, a couple from Denver, Colorado, who had been married for eighteen years without being blessed with children, traveled to celebrate Yom Tov in the Old City of Yerushalayim, near the Kosel Hama’aravi. At the time, the husband was 40 years old and the wife was 38. Despite undergoing countless treatments, they had yet to merit a child.

On Motzaei Yom Tov, en route to the airport for their flight home, the couple made a detour to Bnei Brak, accompanied by the administrator of a well-known kollel network in Eretz Yisroel to which the couple were dedicated supporters. They went to the home of Rav Chaim Feinstein to receive a brocha.

The gabbai of the kollel described the couple’s pain and disappointment to the Rosh Yeshiva, sharing how the years of unsuccessful treatments had taken an emotional toll. He asked Rav Chaim to offer them a path to yeshuah.

Rav Chaim turned to the husband and said that he has a tradition of a powerful segulah: that the wife attend Shacharis and stand in the women’s section during Birkas Kohanim, positioning her palms facing upwards, close together, as though receiving something into her hands. At that moment, she should concentrate with heartfelt kavanah and ask Hashem to bless her with zera shel kayama.

The husband replied that they were on their way to the airport and that in their hometown, Birchas Kohanim is only recited on Yom Tov. Rav Chaim responded, “In that case, it would be better for you to delay your flight and remain in Eretz Yisroel for one more Shabbos.”

The couple took the advice to heart, postponed their return, and remained in Eretz Yisroel for Shabbos. On that day, they went to a shul where Birkas Kohanim is recited, and the wife followed the Rosh Yeshiva’s instructions exactly.

One year later, they had a baby, and on Erev Shavuos the couple joyfully celebrated a pidyon haben—nineteen years after their wedding.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Novavax announced Wednesday that its investigational vaccines—both a combined COVID-19 and flu shot and a standalone influenza vaccine—triggered a robust immune reaction in seniors aged 65 and up, comparable to the responses seen with currently authorized vaccines.

The company reported that both vaccines were generally well tolerated by participants, with no unexpected safety issues emerging from the study.

Following the news, Novavax’s stock climbed 1.3% in premarket trading, reaching $7.29.

Roughly 2,000 people took part in the trial, which was designed to evaluate the safety and immune response of Novavax’s new flu-COVID combo vaccine and its independent flu shot. These were tested against its approved COVID-19 vaccine, Nuvaxovid, and Sanofi’s high-dose influenza shot, Fluzone HD.

While the trial was not set up to deliver statistically significant efficacy comparisons, Novavax said the results would guide the structure of a future pivotal trial intended to support regulatory approval.

Based in Maryland, Novavax is now aiming to expand the reach of its vaccine programs by partnering with other companies to bring its pipeline products to market. It noted ongoing efforts to secure collaborators who can help move these vaccines through further development stages.

In 2023, Novavax signed a major licensing agreement with Sanofi valued at up to $1.2 billion. The deal aims to support commercialization and additional advancement of Nuvaxovid, Novavax’s protein-based COVID-19 vaccine.

Nuvaxovid finally received approval in the U.S. last month, though the decision came after the FDA missed its initial April 1 deadline. The vaccine has been greenlit specifically for use in adults aged 65 and older and for those at higher risk aged 12 and up.

Unlike the widely used mRNA vaccines developed by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna, Nuvaxovid is based on traditional protein technology, providing an alternative for those seeking a non-mRNA option.

Meanwhile, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has a long history of expressing doubts about vaccines, drew fresh controversy this week by dismissing the entire panel of vaccine advisors at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—a decision that public health officials warn may erode public trust in current vaccination programs.

{Matzav.com}

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which has distributed millions of meals to Gazans, says a bus carrying its members was attacked by Hamas. At least 5 were killed, and others possibly taken hostage.

BREAKING: Likud MK Yuli Edelstein, chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, announced that after extended deliberations, coalition members have reached an agreement on core principles for the new enlistment law. Edelstein described the development as “historic news,” signaling the end of the coalition crisis and the start of a legislative push to expand the IDF’s conscription base. “Only a real, effective bill like this will come out of my committee,” he said, without sharing further details. “We’re on our way to real change in Israeli society and strengthening the State of Israel’s security.”

President Trump on Iran: “They (US personnel in the Middle East) are being moved out. It could be a dangerous place, we’ll see what happens. Iran can not have a nuclear weapon, we won’t allow it”

President Trump was asked earlier while leaving the White House on the way to the Kennedy Center, why military dependents and diplomats were being evacuated from the Middle East, to which he shrugged and responded, “You’ll have to see, thank you.”

The Democratic National Committee just overwhelmingly voted to remove David Hogg from his position as Vice Chair, 294 to 99.

The majority of justices on Brazil’s Supreme Court have agreed to make social media companies liable for illegal postings by their users, in a landmark case for Latin America with implications for U.S. relations. Brazil’s top court decided to rule on two different cases to reach an understanding on how to deal with social media companies as reports of fraud, child abuse and violence among teenagers become rampant online. Critics warn such measures could threaten free speech as platforms preemptively remove content that could be problematic. Gilmar Mendes on Wednesday became the sixth of the court’s 11 justices to vote to open a path for companies like Meta, X and Microsoft to be sued and pay fines for content published by their users. Voting is ongoing but a simple majority is all that is needed for the measure to pass. The ruling will come after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned of possible visa restrictions against foreign officials allegedly involved in censoring American citizens. One such official reportedly is Brazilian Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who has taken measures against social media outlets he deemed to have not complied with Brazilian law. The only dissenting Brazilian justice so far is André Mendonça and his vote was made public last week. The court is yet to decide how such regulations will be enacted. Mendonça said free speech on social media is key for the publication of information that “holds powerful public institutions to account, including governments, political elites and digital platforms.” Justice Flávio Dino, the first to vote on Wednesday, reminded his colleagues that recent cases of school shootings in Brazil were stimulated on social media. He read out postings by one user who said he was happy by watching families of dead children “weeping, bleeding, dying.” “I think social media has not made humanity closer to what it has produced in best fashion,” he said. The social media proposal would become law once voting is finished and the result is published. But Brazil’s Congress could still pass another law to reverse the measure. The current legislation states social media companies can only be held responsible if they do not remove hazardous content after a court order. Public debate on regulating social networks increased in Brazil in the aftermath of the Jan. 8 riot in 2023, when supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro ransacked Congress, the presidential palace and the Supreme Court in the capital, Brasilia. Platforms need to be pro-active in regulating content, said Alvaro Palma de Jorge, a law professor at the Rio-based Getulio Vargas Foundation, a think tank and university. “They need to adopt certain precautions that are not compatible with simply waiting for a judge to eventually issue a decision ordering the removal of that content,” Palma de Jorge said. Wednesday’s ruling brings Brazil’s approach to big tech closer to the European Union’s approach, which has sought to rein in the power of social media companies and other digital platforms. Rendering platforms automatically accountable for content on their platforms may infringe freedom of speech as they could resort to preemptively removing content, according to the Sao-Paulo based Brazilian Chamber of Digital Economy, an organization that represents sectors of the digital economy. “This type of liability favors large companies with robust legal structures, to the detriment of smaller, […]

Likud MK Yuli Edelstein, chair of the powerful Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, announced Wednesday that coalition leaders have reached an agreement in principle on a long-awaited proposal for a new IDF enlistment law—potentially ending a months-long crisis threatening government stability. “After long deliberations, we have reached agreements on principles on which to base a proposal for the enlistment law,” Edelstein said in a statement, calling the moment “historic news” and a major step toward “real change in Israeli society and strengthening the State of Israel’s security.” While Edelstein did not disclose the details of the compromise, he said that the legislation would expand the IDF’s conscription base. “As I said the entire way, only a real, effective bill like this will come out of my committee,” he said. The enlistment law, which addresses military service requirements for yeshiva bochurim, has long been a flashpoint in Israeli politics, with tensions running high between secular and charedi coalition members. The lack of a unified position had placed significant strain on Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s fragile coalition. Edelstein confirmed that the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee would begin formal deliberations on the bill soon, with the goal of advancing it through its second and third Knesset readings. “We’re on the path to history,” he declared. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Elon Musk made a move to mend fences with President Donald Trump after receiving a phone call last Friday from Vice President JD Vance and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, according to sources cited by The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday.

Vance, who has emerged as a loyal Trump ally while maintaining a role as a behind-the-scenes negotiator, kept his public distance from the spat. Though he clearly backed Trump’s side, he avoided speaking negatively about Musk, which positioned him to help broker a truce.

During their conversation with Musk, Vance and Wiles encouraged him to put an end to the public rift that had erupted earlier in the month, creating headlines and tension between the tech executive and the president.

Musk seemed to respond to their appeal by issuing a statement on X early Wednesday that read, “I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far.”

Trump, for his part, has recently signaled a more conciliatory attitude. Speaking on Monday, he addressed Musk’s recent criticism of the tax legislation by saying he was disappointed but open to restoring their relationship. “Things like that happen, I don’t blame him for anything,” Trump told the New York Post.

{Matzav.com}

At least five people were killed and several others injured Wednesday following an attack by Hamas on a bus operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the organization announced in a statement late Wednesday night. The vehicle was reportedly transporting over two dozen individuals, including GHF team members and local Palestinians working alongside the U.S.-based organization, en route to the foundation’s distribution centers in Khan Yunis when it was targeted. In addition to the fatalities and injuries, GHF says some team members may have been taken hostage. “This attack did not happen in a vacuum,” GHF said in its statement, revealing that Hamas had issued repeated threats to GHF staff and local civilians involved in its aid distribution network. Earlier this week, threatening messages allegedly sent by Hamas to aid workers in Gaza warned of “severe consequences” for those cooperating with international relief efforts perceived as being tied to Israel. One message read, “We are fully aware of everything you are doing, and all your movements are being monitored with extreme precision. You will not be forgiven for your involvement in projects that harm the dignity of our people.” “This is your final warning,” the message continued. “Continuing down this path will have severe consequences, and you will bear full responsibility for the outcomes of your actions.” Officials and humanitarian groups have repeatedly warned of the increasing dangers faced by aid workers operating in the Gaza Strip amid escalating tensions and security threats. The GHF has not yet confirmed whether operations in the region will be suspended in the aftermath of the incident. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

President Donald Trump’s trusted military leader, Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine, who heads the Joint Chiefs of Staff, struck a slightly different tone from the president when addressing Russia’s intentions under Vladimir Putin. Specifically, Caine suggested skepticism about trusting Putin as a genuine partner in future negotiations.

During a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing on the defense budget, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina asked pointed questions of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Caine. He wanted to know if they believed Iran would use a nuclear weapon against Israel, whether China would make a move on Taiwan, and if Putin’s ambitions would end with Ukraine.

“I don’t believe he is,” Caine said in response to the question about Putin stopping at Ukraine.

“Remains to be seen,” Hegseth replied when asked the same question.

“It doesn’t remain to be seen,” Graham fired back. He emphasized that Putin “tells everybody around what he wants to do.”

Graham, who has faced criticism—including from fellow conservatives—for his aggressive foreign policy stances, urged the defense leaders to take the rhetoric from adversaries like Iran, China, and Russia seriously, pointing to their public declarations.

“I like what you’re doing; I just think we gotta get this stuff right,” Graham said, after noting what he perceived as reluctance from Hegseth and Caine to firmly state that Iran would deploy a nuclear weapon against Israel.

“The point is,” Graham added, “we need to hit the enemy before they hit us.”

One of the key components of Trump’s legislative priorities is a substantial increase in military funding, which is being debated as part of his sweeping One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Fiscal conservatives have criticized the bill for raising the debt limit and not sufficiently rolling back spending levels that surged under President Joe Biden.

Even as Trump pushes for robust defense funding, not everyone in his orbit supports Graham’s more hardline proposals. Among the dissenters is retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, who has taken issue with Graham’s calls for regime change—and even hints at assassinating Putin.

“I urge President Trump to also distance himself from demonstrated warmongers in our own government, chief among whom is U.S. Sen. Lindsay Graham of South Carolina,” Flynn wrote in a sharp statement over the weekend. “Those who love wars fought by others are no friends of America and have no entitlement to be friends of the president.”

{Matzav.com}

Will artificial intelligence save humanity — or destroy it? Lift up the world’s poorest — or tighten the grip of a tech elite? Jensen Huang — the global chip tycoon widely predicted to become one of the world’s first trillionaires — offered his answer on Wednesday: neither dystopia nor domination. AI, he said, is a tool for liberation. Wearing his signature biker jacket and mobbed by fans for selfies, the Nvidia CEO cut the figure of a tech rockstar as he took the stage at VivaTech in Paris. “AI is the greatest equalizer of people the world has ever created,” Huang said, kicking off one of Europe’s biggest technology industry fairs. Huang’s core argument: AI can level the playing field, not tilt it. Critics argue Nvidia’s dominance risks concentrating power in the hands of a few. But Huang insists the opposite — that by slashing computing costs and expanding access, “we’re democratizing intelligence” for startups and nations alike. But beyond the sheeny optics, Nvidia used the Paris summit to unveil a wave of infrastructure announcements across Europe, signaling a dramatic expansion of the AI chipmaker’s physical and strategic footprint on the continent. In France, the company is deploying 18,000 of its new Blackwell chips with startup Mistral AI. In Germany, it’s building an industrial AI cloud to support manufacturers. Similar rollouts are underway in Italy, Spain, Finland and the U.K., including a new AI lab in Britain. Other announcements include a partnership with AI startup Perplexity to bring sovereign AI models to European publishers and telecoms, a new cloud platform with Mistral AI, and work with BMW and Mercedes-Benz to train AI-powered robots for use in auto plants. The announcements underscore how central AI infrastructure has become to global strategy — and how Nvidia, now the world’s most valuable chipmaker, is positioning itself as the engine behind it. As the company rolls out ever more powerful systems, critics warn the model risks creating a new kind of “technological priesthood” — one in which only the wealthiest companies or governments can afford the compute power, energy, and elite engineering talent required to participate. That, they argue, could choke the bottom-up innovation that built the tech industry in the first place. Huang pushed back. “Through the velocity of our innovation, we democratize,” he said, responding to a question by The Associated Press. “We lower the cost of access to technology.” As Huang put it, these factories “reason,” “plan,” and “spend a lot of time talking to” themselves, powering everything from ChatGPT to autonomous vehicles and diagnostics. But some critics warn that without guardrails, such all-seeing, self-reinforcing systems could go the way of Skynet in “ The Terminator ” movie — vast intelligence engines that outpace human control. To that, Huang offers a counter-model: layered AI governance by design. “In the future,” he said, “the AI that is doing the task is going to be surrounded by 70 or 80 other AIs that are supervising it, observing it, guarding it, ensuring that it doesn’t go off the rails.” He likened the moment to a new industrial revolution. Just as electricity transformed the last one, Huang said, AI will power the next — and that means every country needs a national intelligence infrastructure. That’s why, he explained, he’s been crisscrossing the globe meeting heads […]

UPDATE: The Levaya for Yaakov Yisroel Jurkansky, an einikel of Hagaon Harav Elya Ber Wachtfogel, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva of South Fallsburg, who was tragically killed in an accident in the Catskills on Wednesday afternoon, will take place at approximately 8:00 PM at the Har Shalom Beis HaChaim in Airmont. Besuros Tovois!

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has, for the first time, directly denounced Hamas’s October 7 assault and urged the terror group to release all hostages it continues to hold in Gaza.

In a letter addressed to French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman — who are expected to co-chair an upcoming United Nations summit on advancing a two-state solution — Abbas wrote: “What Hamas did in October 2023 in killing and taking civilians hostage is unacceptable and condemnable and Hamas must immediately release all hostages.”

Though Abbas has consistently spoken out against violence as a strategy for Palestinian liberation, he had until now avoided condemning Hamas’s actions on October 7. One of his advisers previously explained that he had refrained from doing so as long as Israel’s military campaign in Gaza remained ongoing.

However, Abbas is also positioning the Palestinian Authority to potentially take over control of Gaza from Hamas, and in doing so, he is trying to garner international backing.

In that context, Abbas has intensified criticism of Hamas over recent months and has initiated various reforms. One key change includes phasing out the PA’s widely criticized program of paying stipends to the families of terrorists and security prisoners.

The timing of Abbas’s statement is significant, arriving just days before the UN’s scheduled two-state solution conference. Palestinian officials hope the event will serve as a springboard for broader recognition of a Palestinian state by France and other key nations.

Western governments, many of which have previously faulted Abbas for failing to condemn the October 7 massacre, may now find it easier to lend support to the PA. While Jerusalem did not formally respond to Tuesday’s statement, Israel has strongly opposed the upcoming UN conference. Israeli officials recently barred a Saudi-led delegation of Arab foreign ministers from entering Ramallah, accusing them of attempting to promote a two-state framework that Israel claims would threaten its security.

In his letter, Abbas also laid out his proposed steps for ending the war and establishing regional stability.

“Hamas will no longer rule Gaza and must hand over its weapons and military capabilities to the Palestinian Security Forces,” he stated.

He further added that he was “ready to invite Arab and international forces to be deployed as part of a stabilization/protection mission with a (UN) Security Council mandate.”

Abbas went on to express readiness to finalize a peace accord, stating: “We are ready to conclude within a clear and binding timeline, and with international support, supervision and guarantees, a peace agreement that ends the Israeli occupation and resolves all outstanding and final status issues.”

He also pledged to overhaul the PA and declared his intent to organize both presidential and general elections within a year, under international monitoring.

“The Palestinian State should be the sole provider of security on its territory, but has no intention to be a militarized State,” he affirmed.

Regional and Western actors have been pushing for a reshaped and reformed Palestinian Authority that could take over governance in Gaza once the war ends. This push is seen as central to any long-term post-conflict framework.

Nevertheless, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has remained firmly opposed to the PA reasserting authority in Gaza, a stance that has caused several Arab states to withhold their involvement in postwar reconstruction efforts. These countries have said they will only participate if there is a clearly defined roadmap toward a two-state solution.

The French presidential office welcomed Abbas’s remarks, calling them “concrete and unprecedented commitments, demonstrating a real willingness to move towards the implementation of the two-state solution.”

President Macron has previously expressed determination to recognize a Palestinian state, though he has emphasized that any such recognition would depend on specific conditions, including the “demilitarization” of Hamas.

In response, senior Hamas leader Sami Abu Zuhri lashed out at Abbas, telling Reuters that the Palestinian Authority head “has no legitimacy to speak about the ‘weapons of the resistance.’”

{Matzav.com Israel}

With broken hearts, Matzav.com reports the tragic petirah of Yaakov Yisroel Jurkanski z”l, a one-and-a-half-year-old child who was tragically struck and killed by a vehicle on Wednesday afternoon in Fallsburg, New York.

Yaakov Yisroel, a son of Reb Reuven Jurkanski, was a grandson of Rav Elya Ber Wachtfogel, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Gedolah Zichron Moshe of South Fallsburg.

The incident occurred on Laurel Park Road. Emergency personnel from Hatzolah arrived swiftly and did everything in their power to save his life, but, tragically, their efforts were to no avail.

The levayah will take place this evening, at 8:00 p.m., at Har Shalom Cemetery in Airmont, NY.

Umacha Hashem dimah me’al kol ponim.

{Matzav.com}

In a development few anticipated, major philanthropists from the Litvishe community have joined the fundraising efforts of the Olam HaTorah campaign initiated by the Gerrer chassidus. The campaign, launched during the current visit of the Gerrer Rebbe to the United States, has rapidly gained momentum and expanded its reach far beyond the Gerrer circles.

The shift came into public view after the Gerrer Rebbe paid a condolence visit to the home of the late philanthropist Rav Avrohom Noach Klein z”l. The next stop on the Rebbe’s itinerary was the home of Rav Shmuel Dovid Shapiro, a well-known supporter of Torah who had recently pledged $1 million to the Gerrer fund.

There, Reb Shapiro hosted an exclusive dinner attended not only by members of the Gerrer community, but by prominent Litvishe magnates and philanthropists as well. Attendees included Ralph Herzka, Louie Scheiner, Reuven Wolf, Baruch Jeremias, Yitzchok Rokowsky, and many other wealthy figures from across the Orthodox world.

The evening began with Mincha and continued with a formal dinner, where speakers described the dire situation currently facing the Olam HaTorah in Eretz Yisroel.

Parallel to the high-profile visits, a steady stream of more intimate donor meetings has been taking place at the home of philanthropist Yaakov Klein, the host of the Rebbe during this leg of the trip. There, benefactors from a wide range of backgrounds—ranging from Satmar supporters to Syrian-Jewish business leaders—have been arriving to express their support.

Originally slated to conclude before Shabbos, the Rebbe’s U.S. visit has now been extended due to the overwhelming success of the campaign. This coming Shabbos, the Rebbe will be in Monsey at the home of philanthropist Meir Frei. The Shabbos event will host major donors from Eretz Yisroel and Europe, with the entry cost reportedly set at $250,000 per guest.

Sources close to the campaign say that if current trends continue, the Gerrer Olam HaTorah fund will raise enough money to support its avreichim for the next two years.

{Matzav.com}

Tensions across the Middle East escalated sharply on Wednesday as international nuclear negotiations with Iran neared a critical juncture, prompting a wave of military alerts, diplomatic repositioning, and growing fears of a regional conflict. The United Kingdom’s Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) issued a rare advisory warning of “increasing regional tension,” urging commercial vessels transiting the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, and the Strait of Hormuz to exercise extreme caution. The alert, while nonspecific, warned of potential military activity that could directly threaten merchant ships in the region’s vital shipping lanes. Shortly after the UKMTO warning, Reuters reported that the United States was preparing to evacuate embassy staff in Iraq due to what officials described as rising threats to American personnel. The New York Times later confirmed that the evacuation had been set in motion. The U.S. State Department also authorized the departure of non-essential staff from embassies in Bahrain and Kuwait, while the Pentagon is considering the temporary repositioning of military forces currently stationed in Bahrain. In a further sign of how seriously the U.S. is taking the threat, Washington has directed all embassies within range of Iran—including those in the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and North Africa—to activate emergency action committees and report back on risk mitigation plans, according to national security correspondent John Hudson. These directives directly triggered the evacuations already underway. On Capitol Hill, the rhetoric is escalating in parallel. Senator Tom Cotton revealed that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth informed Congress that Iran is “actively working towards a nuclear weapon.” Cotton bluntly added, “This cannot be allowed to happen.” Meanwhile, Israel is bracing for impact. Highly credible sources tell YWN that the IDF has contracted nearly 2,000 private ambulances to be stationed at military bases around the country, anticipating that Iran will target those locations in the event of open conflict. Additionally, all Revolutionary Guard and Army bases in Iran have reportedly been placed on maximum alert, according to journalist Mohamad Ahwaze. These security preparations follow a sharp uptick in rhetoric and military posturing from regional powers. Israeli officials, including close confidants of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, have openly suggested that a military strike on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure may be imminent. “In my view, we are very close to striking Iran,” said Israeli commentator Yaakov Bardugo, a Netanyahu ally, on Tuesday. “The Americans aren’t delivering results.” Tehran has responded with defiance. Speaking in the Iranian capital, Defense Minister Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh warned that any attack would trigger “overwhelming retaliation” and that “all U.S. bases in host countries are within our reach.” He added, “If conflict is imposed on us, enemy casualties will exceed ours.” New satellite imagery and Western intelligence reports indicate that Iran has been covertly modifying and expanding its nuclear infrastructure—moves analysts believe are meant to harden sites against potential airstrikes. According to sources cited by The Jerusalem Post, Tehran has altered the layout of key nuclear sites to complicate U.S. or Israeli military action. Further evidence of Tehran’s war readiness includes newly released footage of Iran’s so-called “missile cities”—vast underground facilities capable of launching ballistic projectiles. Intelligence analysts interpret these developments as part of a calculated effort to negotiate while preparing for war. The diplomatic front is also rapidly deteriorating. The sixth round of nuclear talks, tentatively scheduled for this weekend in Oman, now […]