John Brennan, who previously led the CIA, pushed back against President Trump’s characterization of the 2016 election findings, insisting on MSNBC’s “Deadline” Wednesday that Trump is flat-out wrong in claiming Russia didn’t meddle.
Speaking about reports that both he and James Comey are now under FBI investigation for potentially giving inaccurate testimony to Congress about the intelligence community’s evaluation of Russian involvement in the 2016 election, Brennan stated, “I think, again, to try to satisfy the interest, the urge of Donald Trump, who continues to claim that the that the assessment of Russian interference in the 2016 election was a hoax.”
Brennan was emphatic, continuing, “It was not. It clearly was not. Russia interfered. They tried to help Donald Trump. They tried to hurt Hillary Clinton. They tried to you know undermine the democratic foundations of our country in terms of our election integrity. This has been validated over and over again. Move on. Get over it. But clearly, Donald Trump believes that this is something that I think continues to need, need to be looked at and criticized. But again, I stand behind the assessment. I think the assessment has stood the test of time. And again, I point to those reviews that were done in a political, nonpartisan fashion.”
{Matzav.com}
From Washington, Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s senior advisor Topaz Luk addressed the growing debate over the draft law and sanctions against the Olam HaTorah, telling Kol Berama Radio that the prime minister remains deeply engaged with the issue—even during his visit to the United States.
“Even during his U.S. trip, Netanyahu is dealing with the matter,” Luk told Yaakov Grodka during the radio interview. “He’s not just focused on diplomacy. The draft law is on the agenda, and the prime minister is personally involved.”
Speaking about Netanyahu’s visit to Washington, Luk rejected the opposition’s narrative that the prime minister is politically isolated. “This visit proves exactly the opposite of what the opposition claims. Netanyahu has deep connections and genuine warmth from both Democrats and Republicans. He consistently protects Israel’s security interests and has stood firm even against far tougher administrations in the past.”
Luk also confirmed that the draft law remains a priority even during the current high-stakes diplomatic meetings. “The chareidi parties have shown real responsibility in times of pressure,” he said. “I truly hope that a solution to the draft issue will be reached soon. From what I sense, things are moving in a positive direction.”
When asked about recent controversial comments from coalition MK Dan Illouz regarding the chareidi public, Luk responded carefully: “I haven’t seen Illouz’s post, but any law or decision must be made with respect—not out of political opportunism. The chareidi community is part of our very essence. They are ‘dam mi-damenu’—our own flesh and blood. They deserve mutual respect, not a political knife to the heart.”
Regarding the possibility of financial sanctions on yeshivas, Luk firmly opposed the idea. “This cannot continue in this way. There should be no satisfaction in targeting the Torah world. I truly believe the prime minister and the government will find a way to stand up to those trying to exploit this for political gain—people like the attorney general and others in unelected positions.”
Luk also commented on Netanyahu’s meeting with President Donald Trump, highlighting the strong bond between the two leaders. “Trump was genuinely moved by the monumental achievement they led together,” he said. “They share a deep connection, and that relationship is expected to yield more Abraham Accords and further positive developments for Israel.”
{Matzav.com Israel}
Channel 12 News analyst Arad Nir drew harsh backlash on Wednesday after equating Israel’s temporary shelter plans for Gaza residents with Nazi concentration camps, a comparison that many viewed as deeply offensive and historically inaccurate.
Nir stated, “The declared intention here in Israel to turn Rafah into a humanitarian safe haven area – a euphemism for a concentration camp – with the intent to transfer and funnel the population there.”
The anchor in the studio, visibly taken aback, responded by questioning the language: “Concentration camp? That takes us back to other times,” prompting Nir to repeat and defend his words. “A concentration camp is a concentration camp. When people are gathered in tent camps amid ruins and are given food there – it’s a concentration camp, and we must also remember the historical connotation.”
Fellow panelist and journalist Shirit Avitan-Cohen immediately countered his comparison. “With all the drama, you cannot compare the tent city being established to a concentration camp. When we were put in concentration camps decades ago, it was to exterminate us. Israel is trying to establish a humanitarian zone – to provide civilians with food, water, medicine, and shelter, and to separate them from Hamas so we can end this war.”
The comment prompted a wave of condemnation, including a statement from Minister Amichai Chikli, who urged that Nir be removed from his position. “Arad Nir’s words are extremely grave. First, they amount to Holocaust distortion if he truly sees any similarity between Buchenwald and Bergen-Belsen and humanitarian aid compounds. Second, his words serve as a weapon for enemy propaganda that seeks to dehumanize and Nazify the State of Israel.”
“A glaring red line has been crossed,” Chikli added. “I expect Channel 12 News to unequivocally disavow these statements and fire Arad Nir immediately.”
Yad Vashem, Israel’s national Holocaust remembrance authority, also condemned the remarks in a strongly worded statement: “The use of the term ‘concentration camp’ in this context – given its deep historical meaning to the Jewish people – is a serious and inappropriate distortion of the Holocaust. The Nazis established concentration camps as part of their ideology-driven mission to exterminate the Jewish people.”
This isn’t the first time Nir has stirred controversy. Back in 2017, he urged his Twitter followers to check out the work of Carlos Latuff, a Brazilian cartoonist infamous for anti-Israel themes.
At the time, Nir praised Latuff’s illustrations as “sharp” and noted that the artist “as usual, does not spare anyone.” However, Nir failed to acknowledge the antisemitic content in Latuff’s drawings, many of which liken Israel to Nazi Germany.
Latuff received international notoriety after winning first prize in Iran’s 2006 Holocaust denial cartoon contest for one of his anti-Israel sketches.
In another incident in 2022, Nir faced criticism after commenting on the makeup of a right-wing political bloc while discussing poll results on-air. He remarked, “Netanyahu legitimized the Israeli extreme right-winger Itamar Ben Gvir and put him together with Bezalel Smotrich, who wants the State of Israel to be governed according to Torah law, in a party whose very name causes discomfort, Otzma Yehudit.”
Channel 12 responded at the time with a clarification, stating, “We encourage a plurality of opinions, but we will not agree to personal positions leaking into news reports.”
{Matzav.com Israel}
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At the beginning of the siddur appears his approbation, where he writes: “Said Ephraim… it is from my hand that this siddur, with the commentary of the Ra’avan, has come to print.” Later, he requests that the siddur not be reprinted without his permission, in accordance with accepted practice. Rabbi Shemaria of Hrymailiv, a disciple of Rabbi Ephraim Zalman Margulies, also refers in his work Iyun Tefillah to the “siddur printed with the commentary of the Ra’avan, of blessed memory, which my teacher printed in Ostroh…”On Wednesday, Hamas released a statement in response to reports suggesting that there had been some movement in ongoing negotiations for a potential ceasefire in Gaza.
In its message, the terrorist group claimed it was pursuing the talks with what it described as a measured and responsible attitude. It said it is aiming to reach a broad agreement that would bring an end to what it termed the “aggression” against the Palestinian Arab population, ensure unimpeded humanitarian access, and alleviate the suffering of those living in Gaza.
“As part of its commitment to the success of the current efforts, the Hamas movement has demonstrated the necessary flexibility and agreed to the release of ten hostages,” the statement read.
Hamas noted that several key demands had not yet been addressed. These include securing unrestricted humanitarian relief, a full Israeli military withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and guarantees that any truce would be lasting and enforceable.
While criticizing what it labeled as Israel’s “stubborn” approach, the group asserted that it remains fully engaged in the negotiations being facilitated by mediators and is working sincerely in hopes of resolving the outstanding points of contention.
{Matzav.com Israel}
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In a post shared on X following the meeting, Graham wrote that their dialogue emphasized “the importance of keeping the Iranian regime in a weakened state until they change their behavior toward Israel and the region, and toward the United States. We also talked about the mutual desire to continue to integrate the region politically and economically, moving toward the light away from the darkness.”
Graham reaffirmed his alignment with Israel’s view that eliminating Hamas from Gaza is a non-negotiable prerequisite for any future peace plan. He also stated that a key step for progress would require Iran to acknowledge Israel’s right to exist.
“Israel continues to be one of the foundational partners for the United States,” said Graham. “I have a lot of admiration for the people of Israel and the State of Israel.”
This sit-down between Graham and Netanyahu came amid the Israeli leader’s Washington visit, which included meetings with top members of the Trump administration. Netanyahu also had two face-to-face sessions with President Trump during this trip.
Their second meeting took place on Tuesday and lasted approximately 90 minutes. It happened while negotiators from Israel and Hamas were holding indirect discussions in Doha, Qatar, facilitated by Qatari mediators, aimed at reaching a deal on hostage releases. No official statements were issued by either leader after their meeting.
Earlier that same day, Netanyahu addressed reporters on Capitol Hill following a meeting with House Speaker Mike Johnson.
“The President and I believe in a doctrine called peace through strength. First comes strength, then comes the peace. Our resolute action, the resolute decision of President Trump to act with us against those who seek to destroy Israel and threaten the peace of the world has made a remarkable change in the Middle East,” Netanyahu declared.
Commenting on the recent 12-day military confrontation with Iran, Netanyahu praised the efforts of both American and Israeli forces. “The remarkable American B2 pilots showed remarkable perseverance, persistence and power. The soldiers of Israel fought like lions, our pilots struck like lightning and our common alliance roared like thunder. And this is having a great change in our region. There are opportunities for peace that we intend to realize. We’re working together on this.”
He stressed that Israel’s mission in Gaza remains unfinished. “We have still to finish the job in Gaza, release all our hostages, eliminate and destroy Hamas’s military and governance capabilities because Gaza must have a different future, for our sake, for everyone’s sake. And no country will settle for less. We certainly will not.”
“These are all things that I discussed with President Trump. I may discuss further with him later in this visit. But I have to say that the coordination between our two countries, the coordination between an American president and an Israeli prime minister has been unmatched. It offers great promise for Israel, for America, for our region and for the world,” Netanyahu concluded.
Netanyahu also made a visit to the Pentagon on Wednesday, where he held talks with U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s office, “The Prime Minister held a meeting with the Secretary of Defense and his team, which focused on primary issues of security, including countering the threat from Iran, regional security cooperation, and strengthening the strategic alliance between Israel and the United States.”
The statement also noted a separate tour taken by Sara Netanyahu and Jennifer Hegseth, wife of the defense secretary, through the Pentagon complex. Their visit included a stop at the memorial honoring those who perished in the September 11 attack on the Pentagon.
{Matzav.com}
By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz
A recent Pew Research survey of 24 countries found that in 20 of them, a majority of those surveyed held an unfavorable view of Israel. Those countries include the U.S., Canada, England, Germany, and France, among others. In some places, such as Australia, Greece, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Turkey, over 75 percent of respondents did not view Israel favorably.
Simply put, they don’t like us out there. Israel has become a code word for Jews. When they say they don’t like Israel, what they really mean is that they don’t like Jews, just in a more socially acceptable way.
New York City voters recently selected an anti-Semitic socialist Muslim as their candidate for mayor, essentially making him the leading contender to run the country’s largest city, home to one million Jews.
The very city that millions of Jews emigrated to over a century ago in search of refuge from persecution and famine, the city that has felt like home ever since, has just hung up a large sign proclaiming: “You Are No Longer Welcome.”
This country has afforded us freedoms and opportunities our ancestors could only dream of. For generations, our people saw America as the goldeneh medinah, the golden land, a haven from the storms of exile. And indeed, it has been. We are fortunate to live in the freest, most generous nation in the history of the world.
But perhaps, in that blessing, we forgot something essential: We are still in golus. And golus, no matter how gilded, is still golus.
We made ourselves at home here. We built communities, opened schools and shuls, bought homes, and ran businesses. We became part of the American story and, in many ways, believed that it would never turn on us. We thought America was different. We thought that if we kept our neighborhoods clean, paid our taxes, contributed to society, and followed the law, we’d be accepted, maybe even loved.
But we’re learning now that the smiles weren’t as deep as we thought, and the warmth we felt may have cooled. The neighbors we wave to are not always the neighbors our parents once trusted. The people we pass on the street – the ones we assumed were indifferent or friendly – sometimes harbor a quiet resentment we chose not to see.
And as the fences go up, both physical and emotional, it’s time for a collective moment of soul-searching. Not out of panic, but out of purpose. Because the more we believe we are at home here, the more we risk forgetting where home really is.
This Sunday is Shivah Assar B’Tammuz, the gateway to the Three Weeks, a season etched with sorrow and longing. On this day, we begin to trace the footsteps of our nation’s pain—breaches, burnings, and exiles that echo through time. In the heart of summer, as the sun glows and life feels full, we pull back. We dim the joy just enough to remember that we are still far from home, not only in miles, but in spirit. These weeks ask us to pause, to look past the comfort and calm we’ve grown accustomed to, and whisper softly to ourselves and to Heaven: As comfortable as we have become, we haven’t forgotten where we belong. We want to go back.
Our people have been accused of many things throughout the years and have suffered terribly at the hands of tyrants and bloodthirsty mobs, unleashed time and again on the perennial scapegoat blamed for whatever was going wrong. Often, these pogroms were orchestrated by the very governments meant to protect their citizens.
During one such tense period, a meeting was convened between Russian government ministers and rabbinic leaders in an attempt to cool tensions and set the record straight. At a high-level meeting in St. Petersburg, one of the ministers stood up and unleashed a hate-filled diatribe. He told the assembly that Jews were of no value to the empire and were nothing more than a burden.
As his tirade intensified, he questioned why Jews even existed, claiming that they brought no benefit to the world and were entirely superfluous. All they do, he said, is cause harm and make trouble. His fury grew, and it became clear that he was preparing to call for a pogrom, inciting the illiterate peasants of the Russian republic against the Jews.
The Jewish delegation trembled in fear as the minister neared the conclusion of his speech. But Rav Yitzchok of Volozhin, known as Rav Itzele Volozhiner, began to smile. The minister noticed and became even more enraged. “There is nothing that I said that would give you reason to smile,” he thundered. “Tell me what’s so funny,” he demanded.
The great gaon responded that it was precisely the minister’s speech that made him smile.
“For years, we have been waiting to hear such talk from your lips, and now that I finally heard you say it, I can smile. The Torah foretells that in the times of Moshiach, the nations will say as you say now, ‘What did G-d do? Why did He create the Jewish people? Who needs them? Of what use are they?’ And when that happens, the Torah says, ‘The nation will rise like a lion cub and raise itself like a lion. It will not lie down until it consumes its prey and drinks the blood of the slain.’”
As the minister heard Rav Itzele quote the posuk from this week’s parsha, “Hen am k’lavi yokum v’cha’ari yisnasa,” he fell silent. Another massacre was averted.
These words were uttered by Bilam, the two-faced, hypocritical fraud whom Chazal describe as the antithesis of Avrohom Avinu, a man of few words who was kind, merciful, and the embodiment of all that is good. Bilam was his polar opposite. He spoke eloquently in poetic verse, but was a scheming backstabber and the embodiment of evil.
He has many students and followers.
With slick tongues, they feed opiates to the masses. With swagger and bravado, they present themselves as polished and all-knowing. But beneath the surface, they are as hollow and vapid as the empty promises they peddle.
Today, thanks to modern technology, every person who so desires has a platform to purvey these thoughts. Foolish people who spend their time unproductively troll about, seeking podcasts and posts with which to occupy their time. They read and hear silliness, perfidy, and ideas that cause them to think and act in an imprudent and thoughtless fashion. The ideas sound nice, the concepts convincing. Just as Bilam attempted to use his conniving tongue to cause destruction and calamity to our nation, too many people who are clever wordsmiths use their talent to mislead and harm the innocent. When that fails, they devise evil plots to cause damage. Such people, just like Bilam, may achieve fame, fortune and adulation, but it doesn’t last.
A person with no real experience, who never held down a real job, presents himself as a forward thinker and a positive force for good, and people buy into it. They ignore that he is a socialist, if they even know what that means, and are happy to hear him bash Jews and Israel. They think that by electing him, they’ll get everything for free, and before you know it, the young man is elected.
A donkey blocked Bilam’s path and detoured him from his plan. We pray that those in this world who seek our demise will similarly be blocked from carrying through on their intentions.
It’s tempting to place blame externally, and much of it may be justified, but if we truly want to rise like the lion Bilam described, we must look inward. Are we fulfilling our role as a mamleches kohanim v’goy kadosh? Are we acting with the dignity and unity that befits a people preparing for Moshiach?
As we begin the Three Weeks, marked by sorrow and national reflection, we remember that this is not just a time of mourning. It’s a time of yearning. We are not simply lamenting what we’ve lost. We are reminding ourselves that we are not yet home and that we do not belong in darkness. We belong in light.
The signs of golus are all around us. The hatred is masked as policy. The indifference is disguised as progress. The voices that once whispered their disdain now speak it openly. And yet, amid this painful clarity, we are reminded that Hashem is orchestrating events in preparation for something far greater.
We’ve witnessed miraculous deliverance in recent weeks—military miracles, intelligence breakthroughs, and moments of Divine restraint that defy logic. These are Hashem’s ways of reminding us that He hasn’t abandoned us, that even amidst hester ponim, He remains present.
When the nations put us down, when it becomes accepted to publicly bash Jews, when we are treated differently than others, we respond the way Jews have been responding since the churban. The nations ask, “What purpose do they serve?” And we answer not with words, but with our lives. We rise in tefillah, in Torah, in chesed, in emunah, in the quiet strength that has defied the centuries.
Walk into any Jewish home and you’ll notice the blank space opposite the front door. That space is there to remind us that there is a blank spot in our hearts and souls. As much as we feel at home here, as good as we have it, something is still missing. There is a hole, a wound. We will never be whole until the Bais Hamikdosh returns.
At every chupah, at the peak of the celebration, as the new couple is about to begin life together, the baalei simcha stand surrounded by family and friends, the chosson and kallah enveloped by a cloud of euphoria and good wishes. And then there is a pause. It is quiet and the sound of the chosson breaking a glass is heard. For no matter how good things seem, no matter how happy and safe we appear to be, we must never forget that at any time, the tranquility can be squashed.
Let us use this season of mourning to reignite our mission. Let us walk with dignity, speak with kindness, and live with purpose. Let us hold ourselves to a higher standard, not to appease the nations, but to honor our calling.
The term “fake news” has become familiar to all, but in a sense, what we have now is a fake existence in a fake world built on fake assumptions. When things don’t go our way, when the nations of the world hate us for reasons they don’t even understand, when young and old across the globe march against us, when there was essentially only one country that stood at our side during the recent war, and as we seek to end the war in Gaza and secure some semblance of peace in our beleaguered land, it serves as a stark reminder that we are in golus, living in a Potemkin village. It is nice and cozy here—warm at home in the winter and cool in the summer—but it is fake. It is but a dream, and we are dozing.
May we all be present at the great awakening, when the great shofar will be blown—uva’u l’Tzion b’rinah—and we will all greet Moshiach in Yerushalayim very soon.
{Matzav.com}
According to Secret Service Deputy Director Matt Quinn, the agents received disciplinary suspensions ranging from 10 to 42 days. Speaking to CBS News on Wednesday, Quinn said the agents will not be terminated, but when they return to duty, their new assignments will involve reduced field responsibilities.
“We aren’t going to fire our way out of this,” Quinn told CBS. “We’re going to focus on the root cause and fix the deficiencies that put us in that situation.”
The incident in question occurred on July 13, 2024, when a bullet grazed Trump’s ear, leaving him visibly wounded as he stood at the podium during a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show fairgrounds. The shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, had managed to find a sniper’s perch on a rooftop that had not been secured.
Tragically, firefighter Corey Comperatore was killed as he tried to protect his family from the barrage of bullets, while two other individuals suffered serious injuries. The attacker, 20-year-old Crooks, was ultimately neutralized by a Secret Service sniper.
In September, a blistering report issued by the Senate concluded that the shooting could have been prevented. The findings placed blame squarely on a series of “multiple foreseeable and preventable planning and operational failures by [Secret Service] contributed” to the breach.
The report highlighted a breakdown in command structure, gaps in coordination with local and state police, malfunctioning drone defense systems, and poor communication protocols as key elements of the failure. “These included unclear roles and responsibilities, insufficient coordination with state and local law enforcement, the lack of effective communications, and inoperable [Counter-Unmanned Aircraft] systems, among many others,” it stated.
Just two months after the Butler incident, Trump was the target of another assassination attempt — this time at his Palm Beach golf club.
Quinn was candid about the agency’s responsibility. “Butler was an operational failure and we are focused today on ensuring that it never happens again,” he said. “The Secret Service is totally accountable for Butler.”
He explained that changes have already been implemented. The agency now deploys a new drone fleet and has set up mobile command centers that provide immediate radio connectivity with local law enforcement officers.
{Matzav.com}
