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A major dispute over school admissions has erupted in London’s Chareidi community, with leading rabbonim ordering all of the city’s schools to remain closed until placements are secured for every girl who has not yet been accepted into a school.

The unusual psak, issued Monday, 11 Elul 5786, by the Bais Din Tzedek of the Hisachdus Kehillos Hachareidim, was signed by Rav Chaim Menachem Galitzky, Rav Yosef Yehuda Padwa and Rav Yoel Stein, among London’s prominent rabbonim.

The psak states unequivocally: “Since not all the girls in the city have yet been placed in the schools, we hereby announce that, having no alternative, all the seminaries must remain closed until the matter is resolved and everyone is accepted.”

The directive is intended to place collective pressure on the city’s schools, preventing the new school year from beginning normally while some girls remain without an educational institution.

The latest decision comes amid a broader battle over admissions to Chareidi educational institutions in northwest London.

Approximately three weeks ago, some 50 rabbonim from the community reportedly instructed six yeshivos ketanos not to open for the new school year until arrangements were made for more than 20 bochurim who, at the time, remained without placements. The rabbonim made clear that the institutions shared a collective responsibility to ensure that every bochur had an appropriate place to learn.

That directive concerning the boys led to an extraordinary development at one institution. The leadership of Bais Hamedrash Elyon in Hendon — owner Akiva Adler, chairman of the board of trustees Yoel Jacobs, and board member Betzalel Landau — announced that they were resigning and transferring responsibility for running the institution to the rabbanus.

Explaining their decision, they wrote: “To our great regret, we have reached a situation in which we are no longer capable of carrying the heavy burden that has been placed upon us.”

The effort to guarantee a place for every child has now expanded to the girls’ seminaries as well.

Under the new psak, the rule is sweeping: Until every girl in London who requires a school placement has been accommodated, all of the seminaries are to keep their doors closed.

The directive places significant pressure on the schools and communal leadership to resolve the outstanding admissions cases before the schools are permitted to begin the new school year.

{Matzav.com}

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rabbi Aron Gertz zt”l, a longtime and devoted rebbi at Yeshiva Karlin-Stolin of Boro Park, who spent many years dedicated to the chinuch and growth of generations of talmidim.

Rabbi Gertz was known as a devoted mechanech whose life centered around his talmidim and their development. Over the course of his many years in the classroom, he invested himself in transmitting Torah while forming lasting relationships with the talmidim entrusted to his care.

For Rabbi Gertz, chinuch extended well beyond teaching the material of a limud. He took a genuine interest in his talmidim as individuals, seeking to help each one grow according to his abilities and encouraging them as they developed in Torah and avodas Hashem.

The levayah will take place Wednesday morning at 11 a.m. at the Congregation Sons of Israel Holocaust Memorial Chapel, located at 613 Ramsey Avenue in Lakewood, NJ.

Yehi zichro baruch.

{Matzav.com}

Rav Avigdor Nebenzahl, the senior rov of the Old City of Yerushalayim, has withdrawn an earlier protest letter concerning a planned Christian event near the Kosel after receiving additional information about the nature and location of the gathering.

The initial letter was signed after Rav Nebenzahl was reportedly told that a “mass Christian prayer” was scheduled to take place at the Kosel plaza. Subsequently, Rav Shmuel Rabinowitz, rov of the Kosel and the mekomos hakedoshim, presented Rav Nebenzahl with details of the event as understood by the Western Wall Heritage Foundation.

Following that discussion, Rav Nebenzahl issued a new letter explicitly asking that his earlier letter no longer be used.

“I hereby request that no use be made of the letter that I was asked to sign, after the details regarding the event in question were presented to me,” Rav Nebenzahl wrote.

Rav Nebenzahl went on to express his confidence in Rav Rabinowitz and his stewardship of the Kosel.

“I rely on Rav Shmuel Rabinowitz, rov of the Kosel and the mekomos hakedoshim, to preserve the remnant of our Bais Hamikdash in holiness and purity and to uphold religion properly, as he has wisely done for many years to prevent the desecration of God’s Name and the desecration of the holy,” he wrote.

Rav Nebenzahl also requested that the clarification be forwarded to the other rabbonim who had signed the original protest letter. He concluded his letter with the words, “Love truth and peace.”

The controversy emerged this week following reports about an event planned for October 7 involving Christian participants in the vicinity of the Kosel.

Yehonatan Yifrach, a reporter for News 0404, said during Kol Chai’s main news broadcast that promotional material circulated overseas had portrayed the gathering as a Christian prayer event connected to the Kosel.

According to Yifrach, officials with the Western Wall Heritage Foundation clarified that no mass Christian prayer service is scheduled to take place in the Kosel plaza itself. Instead, approximately 1,000 Christian participants are expected to attend an event at the Davidson Center in the southern Kosel area, with a live broadcast from the Kosel taking place in conjunction with the program.

Yifrach nevertheless said at the time that questions remained regarding what representation or activity connected to the event would take place in the Kosel plaza itself.

A historic Skverer bais medrash that served for decades as a central hub of the chassidus will be completely demolished after engineers and other experts determined that the building is structurally unsafe, three weeks after a large section of its ceiling suddenly collapsed.

The final decision was reached Monday following an extensive examination of the old bais medrash in New Square by architects, engineers and structural experts. Their assessment found serious concerns regarding the stability of the building, leaving no viable alternative to demolishing the structure in its entirety.

Several weeks ago, a large portion of the ceiling on the southern side of the old ezras nashim suddenly crashed down onto the benches below. B’chasdei Hashem, no one was in the immediate area when the ceiling collapsed, and there were no injuries. Hatzolah volunteers rushed to the scene, conducted extensive searches and confirmed that no one had been hurt.

The building carries considerable historical significance for Skverer chassidim, having served as the center of the chassidus for decades. It stands adjacent to the massive new bais medrash that has recently been completed. In recent years, most major events had already shifted to the new building, while the older structure continued to accommodate smaller minyanim, shtieblach and brissim.

The old building has remained completely closed since the collapse. Community askanim now say its full demolition is expected to take place over the coming months.

Before the structural problems emerged, plans called for the old bais medrash to be converted into a dedicated heichal hatishen following completion of the new building. Those plans have now been abandoned entirely in light of the engineers’ findings.

One exceptionally significant part of the historic structure, however, will be carefully preserved. Skverer askanim stressed that the demolition will not affect the historic private tefillah room of the previous Skverer Rebbe, which has stood at the site for more than 60 years.

The room has a remarkable history of its own. During a devastating fire that destroyed the original bais medrash in the 1960s, the entire structure was consumed by flames — with the striking exception of the Rebbe’s tefillah room. The outside of the room’s door was completely blackened by the fire, while the interior remained untouched.

At the time, the Skverer Rebbe famously explained what had occurred with a simple observation: “Is this a wonder? Here in this room, no one talks during davening.”

Because of the room’s historic and spiritual importance, extraordinary precautions will be taken to ensure that it remains intact and unharmed throughout the demolition process.

Skverer askanim are now preparing for the next stage, which will involve clearing the remainder of the site and determining its future use in accordance with the recommendations and safety requirements established by the engineering professionals.

{Matzav.com}

Serious tensions are erupting inside Agudas Yisroel as senior figures in Shlomei Emunim and Belz are openly rejecting efforts by Gerer representatives to negotiate a renewed electoral agreement with Degel HaTorah, insisting that Gur does not represent them and revealing that they are exploring the possibility of running in a technical bloc with another party.

Despite the escalating disputes, United Torah Judaism is still expected to ultimately contest the coming Knesset election as a unified list, as previously reported by Kikar HaShabbat. Over the past day, however, significant disagreements have emerged within Degel HaTorah, among the batei Gedolei Yisroel and inside Agudas Yisroel itself.

A Degel HaTorah MK quoted Monday dismissed speculation about a possible breakup of United Torah Judaism as “hot air.” That assessment may ultimately prove correct, but the internal political temperature has risen considerably since then.

Senior Degel HaTorah officials gathered in Bnei Brak last Thursday for a meeting that included, unusually, a representative considered extremely close to Rav Dov Landau. The purpose was reportedly to hear the election-related conclusions reached by senior party officials and convey them to Rav Landau.

The meeting prompted an angry reaction from members of Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch’s household, who reportedly learned about it incidentally and believed they were being excluded from the process.

“If they think they are going to manage the elections without us, they will very quickly understand our strength. What kind of chutzpah is it to ignore us and close things without our involvement?!” they were quoted as saying.

According to the report, the frustration surrounding Rav Hirsch’s household extends well beyond that particular meeting. The underlying concern is a broader feeling that they have been excluded from important decisions, including discussions over whether Degel HaTorah should replace members of its Knesset slate ahead of the election — an option now understood to be largely impractical.

While Degel HaTorah has sought to project an outward appearance of unity despite tensions between the different leadership circles and rivalries among some MKs and public representatives, the situation inside Agudas Yisroel is reportedly considerably more volatile. The tensions reportedly include the elevation of a Degel deputy mayor into the circle making election decisions at the expense of another deputy mayor.

According to Kikar HaShabbat, figures in Shlomei Emunim, Belz and Sanz learned from its report Monday that talks had begun toward another joint Degel HaTorah-Agudas Yisroel run. Those negotiations were reportedly being conducted by Bnei Brak Mayor Chanoch Zeibert together with Degel HaTorah financial official Moshe Schiffman.

Senior officials in Shlomei Emunim and Belz responded furiously, challenging the authority of Gerer representatives to negotiate on their behalf.

“Where does Gur get the chutzpah and audacity to conduct negotiations in our name? Not only do they not represent us, but we are currently involved in a personal dispute with them over financial issues that this is not the place to elaborate upon.”

The officials told Kikar HaShabbat unequivocally that, as far as they are concerned, no negotiations with Degel HaTorah are presently taking place.

“From our perspective, there are currently no negotiations whatsoever with Degel HaTorah. Zeibert, and certainly his chassidus, Gur, absolutely do not represent us. We hope he represents himself, and therefore, as far as we are concerned, there are currently no contacts with Degel HaTorah.”

One senior figure from one of the chassidusen went further, revealing that alternatives to United Torah Judaism are already being explored rather than waiting until immediately before the candidate-list deadline.

“Because we understand which way the wind is blowing, and we understand that Gur is once again going to manipulate us and also manipulate Degel HaTorah, we are not going to wait until the last minute, when various forms of pressure will be brought to bear on us. So I’ll tell you something new: We are beginning to conduct talks with other parties with whom we could peacefully coexist as a technical bloc.”

According to the official, preliminary contacts have recently begun with the Noam Party, which is itself expected to join with the party associated with Rav Abergil. He argued that such an arrangement could potentially be compatible with the chassidic factions, pointing to Noam chairman Avi Maoz’s relationship with Chareidi parties during the previous Knesset.

“In recent days, preliminary contacts have begun with the Noam Party, which will apparently join Rabbi Abergil’s party. In principle, we have no problem with them, and we also saw in the last Knesset how much Avi Maoz stood alongside the chareidim, so a connection with him could be more than natural. In any case, even for negotiating purposes these contacts are good for us, so that no one thinks we are in anyone’s hands. This time we will go with whoever it is most worthwhile for us to go with. If that is within United Torah Judaism, all the better, but if not, we have other options.”

Another dispute is reportedly developing over the fifth position traditionally allocated to Gur. Under the agreement reached during the previous election, that slot — which had historically belonged to Gur and had previously helped the chassidus send two representatives to the Knesset on two occasions — was transferred to Sanz.

Kikar HaShabbat reports that Motti Babchik, a powerful figure within Agudas Yisroel, has recently been working to return the fifth position to Gur. According to the report, Babchik is seeking support within the chassidus to become its second representative, potentially positioning himself to enter the Knesset.

With approximately two weeks remaining before the deadline for submitting Knesset candidate lists, substantial disagreements still need to be resolved if the factions are to run together. As the deadline approaches, the growing disputes inside both Degel HaTorah and Agudas Yisroel leave the ultimate composition of the Chareidi electoral slate unsettled.

The Trump administration is not currently planning another round of military strikes against Iran and is instead focusing on tightening economic pressure on Tehran, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has told foreign allies, according to a report Tuesday by Axios.

Rubio informed several allied foreign ministers that “for the time being,” Washington intends to emphasize other means of pressuring Iran, including the sweeping new sanctions campaign unveiled this week, two sources familiar with the conversations told Axios.

The shift comes as U.S. officials increasingly believe that the American naval blockade is inflicting significant pressure on Tehran, while U.S.-led efforts have allowed greater volumes of oil to move through the Strait of Hormuz.

One U.S. official told Axios that Rubio stressed that the administration has no present intention of returning to large-scale combat operations. However, the secretary of state did not exclude the possibility of renewed military action if Iran attacks first.

A second U.S. official pointed to the U.S. Navy’s clearing of mines from the Strait of Hormuz as a pivotal development in the conflict, arguing that the operation has deprived Tehran of one of its most important sources of strategic leverage.

During his conversations with foreign ministers, Rubio reportedly laid out several components of the Trump administration’s strategy: refrain from additional military action against Iran for now, increase financial pressure through the naval blockade and the Treasury Department’s new sanctions campaign, and facilitate the movement of as much Iranian oil as possible through the Strait of Hormuz and onto world markets.

Another U.S. official told Axios that the strategy is likely to remain in effect at least until the midterm elections. After that point, officials could potentially revisit the possibility of another military campaign.

American officials believe Iran’s ability to exert influence over global energy markets has been dramatically diminished by the removal of mines from most of the Strait of Hormuz and the growing number of oil tankers traveling through the waterway’s southern lane.

“The Iranians have lost control over the strait. Now the U.S. controls it,” one U.S. official told Axios.

Washington’s blockade is also reportedly taking a growing toll on Iran’s oil income. U.S. officials say virtually no tankers have been observed at Kharg Island, Iran’s principal oil-export terminal, over the past two weeks.

“The Iranian economy is in free fall and the regime’s military has been decimated,” State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott told Axios, “and we are cutting off every financial lifeline the regime has remaining.”

He added, “The President has been clear that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, and that he will use the tools necessary to ensure that objective is accomplished.”

Despite the administration’s current preference for economic pressure, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth emphasized Monday that military force remains an option even after Washington’s announcement of additional sanctions against Tehran.

“By no means are we foreclosing using kinetic strikes anywhere in the Strait of Hormuz or around Iran,” Hegseth told reporters.

Hegseth also said that the Iranian regime is incapable of withstanding the level of economic pressure now being imposed by the United States.

{Matzav.com}

Iran declared Tuesday that it remains in a state of war and will refuse to reopen the Strait of Hormuz until a series of sweeping demands are satisfied, while a senior Iranian official warned that Tehran could launch preemptive military action rather than wait for another American attack.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said that any reopening of the critical international shipping route would be contingent on an end to hostilities across the region, the removal of the blockade and a resolution of the conflict in Yemen.

“We are still in a state of war, and the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed,” Gharibabadi said, according to Iranian media.

“The reopening of the Strait of Hormuz will only happen in exchange for ending the war on all fronts, lifting the blockade, and resolving the situation in Yemen.”

Gharibabadi also said Iran is demanding that Washington honor commitments Tehran says were included in a memorandum of understanding reached between the sides in June.

“We told Pakistan’s Army Chief that reopening the Strait of Hormuz depends on America fulfilling its commitments under the memorandum of understanding.”

The Iranian official then issued a more explicit military warning, suggesting Tehran does not necessarily intend to wait for the United States to initiate another attack before responding.

“Why should we always wait for America to attack? We can take preemptive action.”

Gharibabadi’s remarks came hours after President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. Navy had successfully removed all mines from international waters in the Strait of Hormuz and warned Iran against attempting to mine the crucial waterway again.

“I have just been informed by the United States Navy that all mines have been removed and/or detonated from within the International Waters of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has been notified that any ship or boat placing new mines will be immediately and systematically destroyed,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

He added, “Through Space Force, we are watching every square inch of the Strait, as we are, also, with Pickaxe Mountain and the already destroyed three other Nuclear sites. There is a Zero Tolerance policy on mine placement in full force and effect.”

As tensions remained high, Pakistan said its diplomatic efforts to mediate between Iran, the United States and Israel had produced movement toward a possible resolution.

Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said Tuesday that “significant progress” had been made during talks with Iranian officials regarding the ongoing conflict and potential steps toward an agreement.

Naqvi traveled to Tehran together with Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, with both officials holding discussions with the Iranian president.

“Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and I had a very positive and productive meeting with the President of Iran,” Naqvi said afterward.

According to Naqvi, the meeting covered the Iran-U.S. conflict, broader instability throughout the region and possible avenues for ending the confrontation, including measures needed to restore the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.

“The Iranian President candidly shared his Government’s perspective and concerns, and we had a very constructive exchange on the issues involved,” Naqvi stated.

“Significant progress was made, and the meeting concluded on a highly positive note. We remain hopeful that this momentum will help pave the way for further progress and lasting peace in the region,” he added.

Pakistan’s military said the discussions additionally focused on preventing further escalation, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, bringing the war to an end more quickly and exploring the possibility of a negotiated settlement.

At the same time, the Trump administration is sharply increasing financial pressure on Tehran. Washington has launched “Operation Economic Outcast,” an expansive campaign intended to further isolate Iran economically and deprive the regime of sources of revenue.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent unveiled the initiative Monday, saying Washington would pursue Iranian economic connections across the globe. The campaign encompasses a broad range of sectors, including oil, transportation, banking, shipping, aviation, digital assets, technology and gold.

Bessent also put foreign governments, banks and other entities on notice that those continuing to facilitate Iranian economic activity could face American penalties, including secondary sanctions and being shut out of the U.S. dollar system.

Iranian Economy Minister Ali Madanizadeh responded by saying Tehran had expected the economic offensive and had already developed a two-year strategy to withstand the pressure. Gharibabadi, for his part, claimed the Trump administration’s move toward intensified economic measures demonstrated that Washington had been unable to achieve its goals militarily.

{Matzav.com}

Toronto police have opened a hate-crime investigation into an alleged antisemitic incident in the heavily Jewish North York neighborhood around Bathurst Street and Sheppard Avenue West, an area that has repeatedly been the scene of anti-Israel demonstrations and other troubling incidents targeting Jews.

The Toronto Police Service’s hate crimes unit is examining the episode after Jewish organizations denounced the conduct as “blatant antisemitism.”

Police on Monday shared a social media post from the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), which reported what it described as “antisemitic hate speech” in the vicinity of Bathurst and Sheppard. Authorities did not specify when the alleged incident took place.

CIJA said it is working together with B’nai Brith Canada and the Canadian Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center in seeking accountability over the incident.

“Week after week, for nearly three years, the Jewish community has been harassed and targeted at Bathurst and Sheppard, the heart of a Toronto Jewish neighbourhood,” CIJA said.

“And now, an individual … accusing Jews of using ‘black magic,’ raping, murdering, and eating children,” it said. CIJA released video that appeared to show a man directing those accusations against “Zionists.”

“This cannot be allowed to continue without consequences,” CIJA said.

Toronto police are asking anyone who witnessed the incident or has information that could assist the investigation to come forward.

The Bathurst and Sheppard area, home to a sizable Jewish community, has become a recurring location for anti-Israel demonstrations since Hamas carried out its October 7, 2023 massacre in Israel. Some of those demonstrations have included violent anti-Israel rhetoric and chants.

In November 2024, demonstrators were captured on video reenacting the final moments of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, one of the architects of the October 7 attack.

Police launched a separate investigation this past March following reports that antisemitic imagery had been displayed during a protest near Bathurst and Sheppard. Days afterward, authorities announced that demonstrators would no longer be allowed to protest on residential streets in the neighborhood because of “increased volatility and heightened fear” among local residents.

The new investigation comes against the backdrop of a significant rise in reported antisemitic incidents throughout the Toronto region since the October 7 massacre.

In March, shots were fired at Temple Emanu-El in North York while congregants were inside celebrating Purim. No one was injured, but the shul sustained damage.

Just days later, two additional Jewish houses of worship — Beth Avraham Yoseph in Vaughan and Shaarei Shomayim in Toronto — were targeted in separate gun-related incidents that occurred only hours apart. Three suspects have since been charged in connection with the shootings.

In April, a man allegedly tried to force his way into a shul in Thornhill, north of Toronto, and assaulted an individual before fleeing the scene.

One day later, someone hurled a rock through the window of a Toronto Judaica store, marking the third reported attack against the business.

Last month, two branches of a Jewish-owned bakery in Toronto were targeted in attacks that occurred approximately an hour apart.

The latest episode also comes shortly after police arrested a 35-year-old Toronto man accused of breaking into a North York shul and stealing religious items.

Police said the suspect entered the shul, located near Bathurst Street and Lawrence Avenue, during the early morning hours of August 18 and allegedly removed several religious articles. The following day, officers carried out a search warrant at a nearby residence and recovered the stolen property.

The man was charged with break and enter as well as failure to comply with a release order. He was scheduled to appear in a Toronto courtroom on August 20.

{matzav.com}

An Israeli court has ordered the Palestinian Authority to pay NIS 3.34 million to a Palestinian man who was imprisoned for nearly five years and subjected to severe abuse after being accused of attempting to sell family-owned land to a Jew, according to a Channel 14 report.

The ruling was handed down by Yerushalayim District Court Judge Chaya Zandberg following a lawsuit filed by a resident of the village of Samu through attorney Barak Kedem. According to the report, the plaintiff had sought to sell property belonging to his family to a resident of the Jewish community of Shima.

In February 2014, the man was arrested by the Palestinian Authority’s Preventive Security Service. Approximately three months later, he was indicted for attempting to “transfer part of the Palestinian territories for the benefit of the enemy.” A Chevron court convicted him in 2016 and sentenced him to five years in prison with hard labor, along with a fine. His appeal to an appeals court in Ramallah was rejected, and he remained incarcerated until February 2019.

The Yerushalayim District Court, however, determined that his arrest and imprisonment had been unlawful. The judge ruled that an Israeli court cannot recognize the sale of land to Israelis as “treason” merely because the prospective purchasers are Israeli.

The proceedings also brought to light the plaintiff’s allegations of severe physical abuse while being held in Palestinian Authority facilities. He testified that during interrogations, his hands and feet were shackled to an iron chair for hours at a time, that he was placed in solitary confinement, and that he was beaten with sticks and other objects while his head was covered.

The plaintiff further alleged that during the winter he was left outdoors and doused with cold water, while being deprived of food, sleep and basic necessities. According to his account, the abuse continued after he was transferred to the Dahariya prison, where he was placed in a cell known as the “Sharon Cell,” which was reportedly used to hold prisoners suspected of collaborating with Israel or selling land to Jews.

Additional testimony presented during the case supported his allegations. One prisoner who had been incarcerated with the plaintiff testified that he witnessed him being beaten with hands and clubs and then placed in solitary confinement. Another witness said he saw guards step on the plaintiff’s head and strike him in the stomach and back with clubs while his hands were restrained behind him.

The court was also presented with a medical document from December 2014 documenting scratches on the plaintiff’s back, an injury to one of his fingers and complaints of pain. Based on the evidence, the court ultimately found that the Palestinian Authority had subjected him to “actual violence” and committed the civil tort of assault against him.

At the conclusion of the proceedings, the Palestinian Authority was ordered to pay the plaintiff NIS 3.34 million, including attorneys’ fees. According to Channel 14, the compensation will be transferred through a tax-collection mechanism similar to the system used to provide compensation to victims of terrorist attacks.

{Matzav.com}

South Carolina Sen. Darline Graham has secured the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate, winning Tuesday’s special election runoff after receiving a high-profile endorsement from President Donald Trump, according to a race call by the Associated Press.

Graham, a political newcomer who was appointed to the Senate seat previously held by her late brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, defeated Rep. Ralph Norman for the GOP nomination. She will now face Democratic nominee Annie Andrews, a pediatrician, in November’s general election in the heavily Republican state.

The runoff became necessary after none of the candidates captured enough support to win the Republican special election primary outright earlier this month.

Graham entered the race with Trump firmly behind her. Following Lindsey Graham’s death from a heart condition on July 11, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham to fill the remainder of her brother’s term. Trump supported her appointment as the interim senator and subsequently endorsed her campaign for a full term.

Trump’s decision to throw his political weight behind Graham made the contest one of the more closely watched tests of his influence during this year’s midterm primary season, as he backed an inexperienced candidate against more established Republican figures.

Appearing at a Myrtle Beach rally on Aug. 21, Trump made clear that his support for Graham was also tied to his relationship with her brother.

“I’m doing this to honor Lindsey. That’s why I’m here,” Trump said. “So, Darline, we got to win that race.”

Graham, meanwhile, embraced both Trump’s endorsement and her own status as a newcomer to electoral politics.

“The critics say I shouldn’t run for the Senate. They say I’m not a politician. You know what I say? Guilty as charged,” she said during the rally. “By the way, President Trump has never served in elected office before and I think he’s done a damn good job.”

Trump’s super PAC, MAGA Inc., also provided substantial financial assistance, spending more than $827,000 in support of Graham. The group had largely stayed on the sidelines financially during several other competitive Republican primaries this election cycle.

Trump’s endorsements have produced mixed results in some of this year’s most closely watched contests, including defeats in races in Florida, Georgia, Iowa and Minnesota. Overall, however, Trump-backed candidates have recorded more primary victories than losses as the president continues to wield considerable influence among Republican voters.

Ray Saldi, 60, said he voted for Graham, although endorsements from political figures were not what ultimately persuaded him. Instead, he said, Graham’s family name and lack of a lengthy political record appealed to him.

“I really liked her brother, Lindsey Graham. I just wanted to make sure that she’s truly genuine to the people of South Carolina,” he said.

Saldi said he believed Graham would be more inclined to prioritize South Carolina’s interests in Washington.

Although Graham began the campaign without previous political experience, she stepped into an established political operation built during her brother’s decades in public office. Lindsey Graham had held elected office since 1995, beginning with his service in the U.S. House before moving to the Senate.

Speaking to supporters Monday in Aiken, South Carolina, Graham said she hoped to carry forward her brother’s work on behalf of the state.

“I want to continue to fight to finish what he was doing. He helped this state. He brought resources to this state. And you know what? If we don’t bring them here, they’re going to go somewhere else, right?”

Her limited experience nevertheless became an issue during the abbreviated runoff campaign. At the only candidate debate before Tuesday’s election, hosted by Newsmax, Graham faced criticism over her response to a question about the strategic importance of Taiwan and the South China Sea.

“I’m just going to be honest here,” she said. “I’m not that informed on national security.”

The remark drew boos from members of the audience and stood in sharp contrast to the political reputation of Lindsey Graham, who devoted much of his Senate career to foreign policy and national security matters and was known for advocating an assertive U.S. posture overseas.

Norman entered the race with significantly more political experience. A five-term congressman and member of the House Freedom Caucus, he had also sought the Republican nomination for South Carolina governor earlier this year, finishing third. During his brief Senate campaign, Norman repeatedly pointed to his record in elected office as an argument for sending him to the Senate.

Casting his ballot Tuesday, Norman acknowledged his uphill battle and portrayed himself as the underdog.

“I love being an underdog,” he said. “I think our people are going to get out and vote. I think they’re excited. The electricity that we’ve had has been great.”

Norman also had some appeal among Republicans who were less closely aligned with Trump. Although he has generally supported Trump’s political agenda, Norman backed his longtime friend, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, when she challenged Trump for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024.

Haley reciprocated during the Senate contest, with political action committees aligned with her pouring more than $700,000 in outside spending into efforts supporting Norman.

In the end, however, Graham’s lack of a traditional political résumé became an asset rather than a liability. At a time when voters in both parties have repeatedly shown an appetite for candidates who present themselves as outsiders, Graham leaned heavily into the argument that she was not a career politician — and Republican voters ultimately handed her the nomination.

A former cleaning employee at the Prime Minister’s Residence has filed a NIS 450,000 lawsuit against the Prime Minister’s Office, alleging that he endured prolonged mistreatment and insults from Sara Netanyahu during nearly three years working at the residence. Netanyahu’s representatives categorically rejected the allegations, calling the report “fake news” and part of an ongoing political “witch hunt,” according to a Channel 13 report Tuesday evening.

Rami Ben Hamo, who worked at the Prime Minister’s Residence for approximately two years and eight months, filed the lawsuit seeking NIS 450,000 in damages from the Prime Minister’s Office. The allegations have not been proven and, at this stage, represent Ben Hamo’s claims as presented in his lawsuit.

Ben Hamo alleges that during his employment he was subjected to shouting and insults and ordered to perform tasks that he described as unreasonable, extreme and exhausting. According to the lawsuit, he repeatedly complained to his supervisors and asked to stop working at the residence, but was allegedly told that nobody else was willing to work there and that he therefore had to remain.

Among the more serious allegations in the lawsuit, Ben Hamo claims that he was instructed to clean Sara Netanyahu’s shoes using wipes. He further alleges that the prime minister’s wife called him an “undeveloped Moroccan” and told him: “You should be paying me a salary because I’m teaching you how to work.”

The former employee further alleges that working conditions at the residence were exceptionally difficult because of both the hours he was required to work and the nature of the assignments he was given, which he says went considerably beyond his official job description. Ben Hamo claims that relevant officials were aware of his complaints but failed to intervene or change the situation.

According to the lawsuit, Ben Hamo’s condition eventually deteriorated to the point that he suffered a heart-related medical episode and was transported by ambulance to a hospital. He claims that in December 2025, after his “physical and mental strength had been exhausted,” an agreement was reached to transfer him to a position at the Prime Minister’s Office.

Netanyahu’s representatives, meanwhile, forcefully rejected both the lawsuit’s allegations and the media coverage surrounding them.

“Fake news and a continuation of the witch hunt against the prime minister, his wife and his family, which always intensifies during election campaigns,” Netanyahu’s representatives said. They further characterized the report as a “continuation of a shameless election campaign aimed at securing an election victory for the left-wing bloc and the Arab parties, led by Eisenkot, Yair Golan and Mansour Abbas.”

Netanyahu’s representatives concluded by accusing opponents and the media of repeatedly reviving allegations that they say have no basis.

“Every week they recycle false gossip,” the statement said.

{Matzav.com}

An ancient burial cave containing graves believed to date to the Second Bais Hamikdash period was discovered beneath a building in the Silwan neighborhood of Yerushalayim during a police operation, potentially setting the stage for a new battle over the treatment of the historic burial site.

The discovery was made Monday as Yerushalayim Border Police officers were conducting an operation in Silwan connected to a violent, years-long dispute between local families that claimed additional lives over the weekend.

Police operations in the neighborhood continued as authorities sought to reach the homes of individuals involved in the conflict. Border Police officers conducted searches and accompanied representatives of government authorities through a compound where people connected to the recent violence reside.

During those searches, officers discovered a burial cave beneath one of the buildings, along with additional archaeological findings.

Following the discovery, professional personnel from the Israel Antiquities Authority were summoned to examine the site.

An initial inspection by Antiquities Authority officials indicated that the graves found inside the cave date to the Second Bais Hamikdash period.

Police and Border Police forces are now securing the site together with representatives of the Israel Antiquities Authority as officials determine how to proceed with the newly uncovered archaeological remains.

The discovery could potentially trigger opposition from groups concerned with the preservation of ancient Jewish graves. Attention is now expected to turn to Atra Kadisha and whether the organization will intervene following the discovery of the burial cave and launch a campaign to prevent any disturbance of the graves.

{Matzav.com}

The final results of the Likud primaries could undergo another shakeup after the party’s Supreme Court unanimously ordered disputed double-envelope ballots from Yerushalayim and Ashdod to be opened and counted, potentially altering candidates’ positions on the Knesset slate.

The ruling came after the court accepted an appeal filed by Shlomo Elboim and lifted the freeze that had prevented the ballots from being counted. The envelopes were cast by registered party members whose names did not appear in the official voter registry.

The decision could reopen several battles for placement on the Likud list, particularly in positions where only a handful of votes separate competing candidates. The vote count had previously been frozen amid the dispute over whether the contested ballots could be included.

At the center of Elboim’s appeal was his contention that the membership forms belonging to the affected voters had been properly submitted to the Likud apparatus. However, because of an internal administrative failure, their names were omitted from the voter registry. They were nevertheless permitted to cast ballots using double envelopes, although those votes were subsequently excluded from the running totals.

The Likud Supreme Court sided with Elboim, effectively determining that the party administration could not benefit from a mistake made by its own internal apparatus. Under the ruling, the envelopes will now be opened, the ballots counted and the additional votes incorporated into the overall tally before the final primary results are announced.

The political consequences could be significant, since relatively few votes may be enough to reshuffle several candidates on the slate. The margins are especially narrow toward the lower portion of the list, where even a small number of additional ballots could change the rankings.

One of the contests that could be affected is the exceptionally tight race between MK David Bitan and MK Boaz Bismuth. Just 16 votes currently separate the two, meaning the disputed ballots could potentially reverse their order on the final list.

The court’s ruling resolves, at least for now, the question of whether the double-envelope ballots should be included. Likud officials will now have to open and count them before determining exactly how the additional votes affect the final rankings.

As a result, despite primary day having already concluded, the battle over Likud’s Knesset slate remains far from settled. Until the outstanding ballots are counted and the final results formally released, candidates cannot be certain of their ultimate positions.

The dispute over the ballots was first reported by Behadrei Charedim.

Meanwhile, Likud announced Tuesday evening that a separate recount will also be conducted involving polling stations in Be’er Yaakov.

“Following the decision of the movement’s Election Committee, headed by retired Judge Menachem Ne’eman, it was decided to conduct another recount of the polling stations in Be’er Yaakov. The results will be incorporated into the final results following the appeals this coming Thursday. Likud is committed to maintaining the integrity of the election process and to following the instructions of the Likud court and Election Committee.”

The latest developments have already produced potentially dramatic changes in the rankings. Gila Gamliel has reportedly fallen to 35th place, while Eti Atia has risen to 25th. The ballots will now be counted again to verify whether those results are accurate.

{Matzav.com}

Palestinian Authority schools openly celebrated and glorified the October 7 massacre, incorporating praise for the Hamas attack into school ceremonies, student performances, marches and even mathematics exercises, according to a new report by the Palestinian Media Watch research institute.

The special report, compiled by Palestinian Media Watch researchers Itamar Marcus and Aaron Shapiro, presents numerous examples and quotations that the organization says document how PA-operated schools responded to the Hamas-led massacre in Israel.

According to the report, students participated in assemblies, ceremonies and other events featuring recitations that praised the October 7 atrocities and those who carried them out. One passage quoted in the report declared: “October, month of blood, you have arrived – welcome… Open your door, we are death… We see only blood as an ally, and we will cool the fire in our hearts with body parts and the screams of soldiers. Open your door, we are death.”

Other material presented at school gatherings portrayed the attack as a moment of celebration, pride and renewed Palestinian hope. Among the statements documented were: “We woke up [on October 7] to the sounds of laughter. Some among us thought they were dreaming, but it was a beautiful dream they did not want to wake up from.” “We never imagined this pride in the sons of our people… The sense of honor we felt cannot be described.” “We yearn to die as martyrs, while our enemy fears confrontation. He is surrounded by walls. They [the Israelis] pretend to be brave, but when they see the faces of the lions, they are all rats.” “October 7 will be a date that historians will note in the years to come, and it is a historic day that brought us satisfaction and restored our hope for liberation and independence.”

Marcus and Shapiro also cited additional recitations praising Gaza and those responsible for the attack: “A morning of victory, O Gaza, a morning of honor and glory, a morning of heroic martyrs, a morning of child martyrs. Good morning, O people of the resistance.” “[The men of] Gaza are the ones who brought us honor and raised our heads… They beat the drums of war and taught the enemy a lesson it will find difficult to forget.”

The report says these and numerous similar statements were published on the official Facebook pages of PA schools. Among those identified were Palestine Girls Elementary School, Siris Girls Elementary School, Sinjil Boys High School, Asqalan Coeducational Elementary School and Yasser Arafat School, along with numerous other educational institutions.

One particularly striking example documented by Palestinian Media Watch occurred just 10 days after the massacre, when Azzun Boys Elementary School reportedly organized a victory march featuring children in first, second and third grades. The young students sang material celebrating the Hamas attack and invoking the “Al-Aqsa Flood,” Hamas’s name for its October 7 assault.

“O men, cry ‘Allahu Akbar’: Allahu Akbar! … The ‘Al-Aqsa Flood’ has come upon you; there is no consolation for the thieving occupier. Martyrs in shrouds show you how heroes fight… You called us and we answered, O heroes of Jerusalem. From the skies, hawks swoop down, crying: Allahu Akbar. They turn the waves of the sea into bridges; roaring lions surround you. Men whom fear does not bring to the ground dig the tunnels of glory. Coming from the land of Gaza – in an instant they appear all around you… The land has owners – who will not abandon it under any circumstances. Gaza – its men are victorious – to the cries of the residents of Jerusalem, the ’48 Arabs, and the people of the West Bank.”

The report alleges that the glorification of October 7 was not confined to ceremonies and extracurricular activities, but was incorporated into ordinary classroom instruction as well. Researchers highlighted mathematics exercises given to young students that used Israeli deaths and Hamas terrorists as the subjects of multiplication problems.

In one example, third-grade students were given the question: “Multiplication exercises: Al-Aqsa Flood: ‘At least 150 Israelis were killed in one day. How many were killed in nine days?’” Another exercise stated: “‘Hamas sent 150 jihad fighters to each of nine settlements in Israel. How many jihad fighters entered all the settlements combined?’”

The report also documented comments that teachers allegedly wrote in students’ notebooks after they correctly completed the assignments. Among them were: “Excellent! May Allah protect you!” “Excellent! Champion! May our blessings come true! Mercy and forgiveness for our martyrs!” and others.

In concluding the report, Marcus and Shapiro argued that changing individual Palestinian Authority textbooks would be grossly insufficient to address what they described as a much deeper problem throughout the PA educational establishment.

“Some countries have paid lip service to demands for reform by calling on the PA to change its textbooks. However, as is clearly demonstrated by this report, and by countless other PMW reports on what takes place in PA schools, changing a number of texts in textbooks would not even begin to constitute the profound reform required in the PA Ministry of Education. Palestinian Media Watch has documented that the PA Ministry of Education as a whole – its administrators and teachers, together with the educational apparatus of the PA’s ruling Fatah party – are all guilty of poisoning the minds of Palestinian children by educating them to hate, deny Israel’s right to exist, and glorify acts of murder. All of these bodies and individuals must be removed from positions of influence and education and replaced by new administrators and educators who will be placed under close supervision, similar to the way Germany’s education system and educators were placed under Allied supervision after World War II.”

{Matzav.com}

Religious Zionist Party MK Tzvi Sukkot personally demolished monuments honoring terrorists in two Palestinian villages near Yitzhar on Tuesday, wielding a sledgehammer after saying the defense establishment had failed to act on his previous demands to remove the memorials.

Sukkot, who chairs the Knesset Education Committee and the Judea and Samaria Affairs Subcommittee, traveled Tuesday morning to the villages of Madama and Burin, where he began smashing structures erected in memory of terrorists.

The lawmaker said he decided to act himself because his requests to defense officials to dismantle monuments honoring individuals responsible for murdering Jews had gone unanswered.

His actions followed an investigation published by Hakol Hayehudi, a news outlet associated with the hilltop youth, which reported that memorials honoring terrorists had been erected in the villages. According to the report, events had also been conducted around the monuments at which sweets were distributed to children.

One of the terrorists commemorated was Yaman Tayeb Ali Faraj, who, according to findings by the Supreme Court, played a role in dispatching the terrorist responsible for the 2003 attack at the Geha Interchange in central Israel. Adva Fisher, Staff Sergeant Noam Leibowitz, Corporal Angelina Shcherov and Corporal Rotem Weinberger were murdered in the attack, and another 20 people were wounded.

In Burin, Sukkot also destroyed a memorial dedicated to Hamdan Hussein Mahmoud a-Najar. In December 1988, a-Najar attacked Yaakov Faraj near Har Bracha, murdered him and stole his firearm before shooting at IDF troops who arrived at the scene. Pvt. Arthur Harzig was killed and two other soldiers were wounded before troops killed the terrorist.

Sukkot’s decision to personally demolish the monuments triggered widespread condemnation from political leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who characterized such conduct as taking the law into one’s own hands.

“The IDF is the sovereign authority in Judea and Samaria and is responsible for implementing the decisions of the political echelon. Taking the law into one’s own hands, particularly by public officials, is unacceptable and prevents the IDF from focusing on its missions against terrorism and incitement,” Netanyahu stated.

Naftali Bennett, chairman of the “Together” Party, also attacked Sukkot’s actions, accusing the government of damaging Israel’s security and international standing for political publicity.

“The chaos government is harming Israel’s security and its standing in the world in order to scrape together views on TikTok. Terrorism is fought through action, not pathetic provocations. It was not enough for Smotrich and Sukkot to serve as the architects of the Draft Evasion Law and abandon IDF soldiers to carry the burden alone. Now they are also undermining their missions and endangering their lives for election campaign videos.

“Netanyahu knows they are dragging Israel to an unprecedented low, but he cannot do anything because he has no government without Ben-Gvir and the anti-Zionist haredi parties. It will take years to repair the damage they have caused, but everything they have destroyed, we will fix,” Bennett asserted.

Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the “Yashar!” Party, similarly denounced Sukkot, accusing him of misleading the military and damaging Israel’s security.

“Tzvi Sukkot’s conduct is a disgrace for someone who purports to represent the public and be a leader. He lied to and misled the IDF and its commanders, harmed security and tarnished the entire State of Israel.”

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar joined the criticism, stressing that authority in Judea and Samaria rests with the state and its security agencies rather than individual lawmakers.

“MK Tzvi Sukkot, like any other member of Knesset, is not the sovereign authority in Judea and Samaria. Decisions must be made and implemented by the state and its authorities, the IDF and the security forces, and by them alone. This is also the message that elected officials should convey to the public. Unfortunately, MK Sukkot knowingly did the opposite.”

The episode also prompted criticism from within Sukkot’s own Religious Zionist Party. In an internal party WhatsApp group, MK Ohad Tal questioned whether there was any political strategy behind the highly publicized demolition.

“I want to understand – was this move coordinated with the campaign? Is there some deep strategy behind it that I am completely missing, or have we simply decided to commit political suicide once and for all? I’m genuinely asking.”

Religious Zionist Party chairman Bezalel Smotrich subsequently reprimanded Sukkot, telling him that such actions must be undertaken with proper authorization and within the limits of official authority, “as is done on matters concerning Judea and Samaria communities,” and instructed him not to repeat such conduct.

Sukkot had previously appealed to defense authorities to remove the monuments, arguing that people who carried out attacks against Israelis should not be publicly commemorated in areas under Israeli security control. He contended that removing the structures was only part of the issue, saying Israel must also prevent terrorists from being portrayed as heroes and role models for younger Palestinians.

“A few days ago, I demanded that the army remove the monuments commemorating terrorists in the murderous villages of Madama and Burin, but unfortunately, they remained. I therefore came myself and acted to remove them. My message today is simple and clear: We will not tolerate a situation in which those who harmed Jews and IDF soldiers are commemorated as heroes and presented to the next generation as figures worthy of admiration. Alongside the fight against terrorism itself, we must prevent attempts to legitimize it in the public consciousness and to raise the children in these villages, who will make up the next generation of Arabs in Judea and Samaria, on a legacy that portrays the murder of Jews as an act of heroism,” Sukkot said.

Sukkot further argued that the history of deadly attacks originating from the villages made the continued existence of the memorials intolerable.

“Many Jews paid with their lives as a result of terrorists who came from these villages. We will not allow the murderers of Jews to be turned into heroes, nor will we allow the commemoration of terrorism to become part of our public space.”

IDF officials later said that the military had already been preparing to demolish the monument in Madama that Sukkot smashed and that an authorized operation to remove it was planned for the coming weeks.

“Dozens of similar monuments have already been demolished in Judea and Samaria, and an operation to demolish this monument legally and in an orderly manner by the security forces was scheduled to take place in the coming weeks. Preliminary inspections were also conducted by the Samaria Brigade ahead of the demolition of monuments,” the officials said.

{Matzav.com}

A battle has erupted at the famed Beis Yisroel shtieblach in Yerushalayim, where the management and neighborhood residents’ committee have launched a consumer boycott against vendors operating stands near the entrance, warning that the area is increasingly being transformed from the entrance to a makom tefillah into a bustling marketplace.

According to the gabbaim and local residents, the stands have created a host of problems for those using the area, including serious congestion, disturbances to passersby, and what they describe as significant safety and environmental hazards in the heart of the neighborhood.

Various vendors have increasingly set up stands in the plaza outside the shtieblach, including booths selling electronic products. Residents say crowds have begun gathering around the stands in a manner they consider inconsistent with the character of the area surrounding the shtieblach, including music being played and women and girls dressed in a manner they consider inappropriate for the surroundings lingering at the site.

The stands have also created considerable crowding around the entrance to the shtieblach, making access difficult for mispallelim. The problem has been particularly challenging for people with disabilities and limited mobility, who have struggled to find appropriate space nearby for mobility scooters and other equipment.

After repeated requests by the neighborhood committee and the shtieblach management failed to bring about a change, officials decided to escalate their campaign. A strongly worded notice was subsequently posted at the shtieblach calling upon mispallelim to completely boycott the vendors until they leave the area.

The notice reads: “Call and request: Recently, a stand selling electronic products has been set up here at the entrance to the shtieblach, and following it, various stands have begun opening here. There is a great danger that, without realizing it, within a short time the area alongside the shtieblach will turn into a marketplace, with all that entails. Around the stands, cheap entertainment occasionally takes place, often accompanied by musical instruments, and from time to time women and girls dressed and behaving in a manner that does not befit the character of the area linger there. This constitutes a chillul Hashem, particularly when it takes place adjacent to botei knesses.

“As a result, significant congestion is also being created at the site, causing considerable hardship for those coming to daven, particularly people with disabilities and limited mobility who cannot find parking near the bais haknesses for their mobility scooters and carts.

“After several appeals from the neighborhood residents’ committee and the shul management produced no results, we hereby call upon the mispallelim to respond accordingly and protest against them, to boycott them and not conduct any business with them until they leave and remove themselves from the area. With a tefillah that we merit soon to witness the complete geulah and the rebuilding of the Bais Hamikdash.”

The notice was signed jointly by the management of the Beis Yisroel shtieblach and the neighborhood residents’ committee.

Israeli and Ukrainian officials are coordinating preparations for the expected arrival of tens of thousands of mispallelim in Uman for Rosh Hashanah, with Deputy Prime Minister and Religious Services Minister Yariv Levin holding a working discussion with Ukrainian Religious Affairs Minister Viktor Yelensky focused on security and arrangements for the massive annual pilgrimage.

The conversation between Levin and Yelensky was held as officials prepare for the large influx of visitors traveling to the tziyun of Rav Nachman of Breslov in Uman, even as Ukraine continues to contend with a complicated wartime security situation.

Also participating in the discussion were Religious Services Ministry Director-General Yehuda Avidan and Nachman Steinberg, a representative of the World Zionist Organization in Ukraine. The call was part of broader professional preparations underway ahead of Rosh Hashanah.

Levin began by thanking the Ukrainian government and Yelensky for their cooperation in accommodating the tens of thousands of visitors expected to arrive at the holy site. He acknowledged the considerable logistical and security challenges involved in receiving such a large number of people in a country at war and urged Ukrainian authorities to take every possible measure to facilitate their arrival and protect them during their stay.

Yelensky responded by stressing that Ukrainian authorities are committed to safeguarding the visitors despite the significant security challenges confronting the country.

During the conversation, the Ukrainian minister also discussed the war with Iran and expressed solidarity with the Israeli government.

“The Iranian danger is a global threat that unites all Western countries on one front,” Yelensky said.

The two ministers also discussed strengthening cooperation between Israel and Ukraine regarding Jewish heritage sites and holy places throughout the country.

Among the locations discussed were the tziyun of Rav Nachman of Breslov in Uman, the tziyun of the Baal Shem Tov in Medzhybizh, the tziyun of the Baal HaTanya, Rav Shneur Zalman of Liadi, in Haditch, and the tziyun of Rav Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev.

Yelensky also emphasized the Ukrainian government’s appreciation for Yerushalayim, and the two ministers concluded their discussion by exchanging wishes ahead of the new year.

At the conclusion of the call, Levin thanked Yelensky, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people for their continued cooperation, and wished them a good and blessed new year.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sharply challenged government legal officials during a security cabinet meeting over months of delays in granting legal status to agricultural farms in Judea and Samaria, as several senior ministers accused the Attorney General’s Office of obstructing a measure they described as essential to the security of Israeli communities.

The security cabinet had convened to discuss formally regulating the legal status of the farms, but the discussion quickly developed into a heated confrontation over why the process has yet to move forward, according to a report by i24.

Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs criticized the five-month delay, arguing that the farms serve an important security function for communities throughout the region.

“The farms are a security belt for the settlements, and we made a decision that we want to regulate them — and for five months already there has been no response from the attorney general,” Fuchs said.

Defense Minister Yisrael Katz joined the criticism, noting that the senior IDF commander responsible for the area supports the proposed move.

“The general supports the move. I don’t understand why the attorney general isn’t finalizing it,” Katz said.

Fuchs pressed for the cabinet to take immediate action rather than allowing the matter to remain stalled.

“We want to instruct the general today to sign it,” he said.

A deputy attorney general responded that “staff work is required” before the matter can proceed.

That explanation drew a frustrated response from Netanyahu, who demanded to know why the legal review was taking so long.

“I’m in favor of staff work — but how long does it take?!” Netanyahu said.

Fuchs then escalated his criticism of the legal officials, arguing that the continued delay was directly affecting the safety of residents in Judea and Samaria.

“This is a security need, and you are harming the security of the residents,” he said.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also entered the confrontation, accusing government legal advisers of similarly delaying initiatives involving young communities in Judea and Samaria. He argued that the legal obstacles were preventing the government from placing structures as part of a program intended for so-called hilltop youth.

“The legal counsel is also dragging its feet on the young settlements, and we cannot place structures in the young settlements for a program for the hilltop youth, and then you complain that the young people go to Qusra,” Smotrich said.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir concluded with a sarcastic jab at Deputy Attorney General Gil Limon, referring to previous legal restrictions involving his participation in public events.

“Gil Limon has other work — to forbid me from going to conferences,” Ben Gvir said.

{Matzav.com}

Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is facing a wave of criticism from conservative commentators after defending his position on Sharia law and comparing the Islamic legal tradition to Catholic canon law during a contentious Fox News interview Monday night.

The controversy erupted after Fox News host Jesse Watters confronted El-Sayed over previous remarks in which the candidate opposed efforts to prohibit Sharia law and connected such bans to White supremacy.

“Getting rid of Sharia law is White supremacy?” Watters said to El-Sayed, bringing up past comments from the Michigan candidate opposing a ban on Sharia law and comparing those efforts to White supremacy. “Can you explain that one?”

El-Sayed responded by drawing a parallel between Sharia, the body of Islamic religious law derived from religious sources, and the rules and governance of the Catholic Church.

“Nobody is trying to push Sharia law on anyone else, just like I hope nobody is trying to push canon law on anybody else, because we live in an America where you should have the freedom of your religion,” El-Sayed said.

That comparison quickly generated criticism on social media, where conservative commentators argued that Sharia and Catholic canon law differ significantly in their scope and historical application.

“He lies and says no one is trying to push Sharia (they are), and draws a false equivalency to Christian Canon law,” Andrew Kolvet, executive producer of “The Charlie Kirk Show,” posted on X. “Canon law determines how Christian leaders, churches, and Christians should live, but Canon law is limited to affairs of the Church (spiritual penalties). Canon law grants great autonomy to the state.”

Kolvet continued, “Sharia law is MUCH more comprehensive, governing all aspects of life, and historically, and according to many contemporary Islamic clerics, dictates the affairs of the state.”

Political commentator Carl Jackson also criticized El-Sayed’s position, arguing that Sharia is fundamentally incompatible with Western society.

“Sharia law is incompatible with Western Civilization,” political commentator Carl Jackson posted on X. “I’m tired of El-Sayed playing the victim card in attempt to avoid legitimate scrutiny of Islam.”

Fox News contributor Kaylee McGhee White predicted that the exchange could prove politically damaging for El-Sayed in his Senate campaign.

“Yeah, it’s over for him,” Fox News contributor Kaylee McGhee White posted on X. “Rogers by 6.”

Conservative commentator and radio host Dana Loesch rejected El-Sayed’s characterization of Sharia as simply a matter of individual religious observance.

“@AbdulElSayed doesn’t get to bloviate about sharia being a mere ‘practice’ of faith when it’s Islamic jurisprudence used to supplant western jurisprudence,” conservative commentator and radio host Dana Loesch posted on X.

Michael Knowles responded sarcastically to El-Sayed’s comparison between Sharia and Catholic canon law.

“‘Jesse, the Catholic Church requires ministers to use plant oils in sacraments with the blessings of a bishop, so why shouldn’t courts allow Muslim men to have four wives?'” conservative commentator Michael Knowles posted on X.

Pamela Geller similarly argued that Catholic and Jewish religious law apply voluntarily within their respective religious communities, while asserting that Sharia has historically claimed broader authority.

“Canon law applies to Catholics,” conservative commentator Pamela Geller posted on X. “There is no compulsion is Canon law. Jewish law applies only to Jews. There is no compulsion in Jewish law. It is voluntary. The sharia is a comprehensive legal system governing every aspect of human life, and asserts authority over non-Muslims.”

Republican communications strategist Matt Whitlock said he was surprised that El-Sayed chose to defend his position rather than distance himself from his previous comments.

“This was a very strange prepared defense from Abdul,” GOP communicator Matt Whitlock posted on X. “I expected him to say it was out of context, not reflective of current views, etc. Instead he accepted the premise and defended promoting Sharia Law – opening that lane up to more attacks.”

Fox News Digital contacted El-Sayed’s campaign seeking a response to the criticism.

El-Sayed has discussed his personal adherence to Sharia-compliant practices in the past. In a 2009 interview with The New York Times, he described following such practices as a religious obligation that would ultimately matter when he stood before God.

“Ultimately, the question is, when I die and I stand before God and go through everything I did in my life, I don’t want to say I did it the easy way instead of the Shariah-compliant way,” El-Sayed told the Times.

“Not because of fear but because of obligation,” he said.

Traditional interpretations of Sharia have included severe penalties for apostasy, significant restrictions on women and provisions permitting child marriage.

El-Sayed has also previously criticized legislative attempts to ban Sharia law, arguing that such measures should be understood in the broader context of White supremacy in American history.

“The state of Oklahoma voted in a referendum to amend the constitution to ban Sharia law. What does that mean? I don’t know. And yet the voters banned it anyway,” he said in 2022. “The same exact forces that drove Native peoples from their land two centuries ago, destroyed Black Wall Street a century ago, bombed a building decades ago and tried to ban Sharia law not a decade ago, those forces are alive and well today.

“The reason I wanted to go all the way back to the 1830s is because you can’t understand a Sharia ban without understanding the Trail of Tears. You can’t understand the efforts to uproot Muslim Americans without understanding the Tulsa massacre. You cannot understand the challenges we face today without understanding White supremacy.”

{Matzav.com}

Sen. Ted Cruz is pushing back against the notion that Vice President JD Vance is already the Republican Party’s presumptive presidential nominee for 2028, arguing that the GOP will face a major internal debate over its identity and direction once President Donald Trump leaves office.

Asked by MS NOW’s Ali Vitali whether Republicans had effectively settled on Vance as the party’s next presidential standard-bearer, the Texas Republican immediately rejected the premise.

“Oh, no,” Cruz said. “There’s going to be a full discussion about who we are and what we believe.”

Cruz has firsthand experience competing for the Republican presidential nomination, having emerged as Trump’s principal challenger during the 2016 primary campaign. He pointed out that he was Trump’s strongest opponent that year and defeated him in nominating contests across 12 states.

Despite their fierce rivalry during that campaign, Cruz offered strong praise for Trump, calling him an “extraordinary president” and arguing that his leadership has transformed the Republican Party in fundamental ways.

According to Cruz, there “is no Never Trump lane” remaining within today’s GOP. He attributed much of Trump’s enduring popularity among Republican voters to the president’s willingness to confront opponents and engage aggressively in political battles.

“Love him or hate him, you’ve got to acknowledge this guy has a backbone — he is fearless,” Cruz said. “And there are a lot of Republicans that were so tired of lily-livered Republicans who were afraid of their own shadow.”

“Trump doesn’t hide in the corner,” Cruz added, saying the president “is ferocious.”

At the same time, Cruz said he would prefer to see Trump demonstrate greater “message discipline and focus.” Cruz said the two are in frequent contact, speaking at least weekly and sometimes every day, and that he routinely gives the president his thoughts and recommendations.

“He doesn’t always listen to me, but he frequently listens to me, and I’m grateful because he’s got courage,” Cruz said.

Looking beyond Trump’s presidency, however, Cruz said Republicans will confront a much broader question: whether the movement Trump created can survive his departure from the White House and, if so, what that movement will look like under a new generation of leadership.

“Going forward, we’re in the midst of a debate about who our party is and what we believe, and I think economically we’ve got to debate, ‘Are we a small-government, free-market conservative party, or are we a big-government, nanny-state party?'” Cruz said.

Cruz, who has long identified himself with free-market economics and smaller government, said the coming Republican debate will extend beyond domestic policy to fundamental questions about America’s place in the world.

“I’ll certainly be part of the discussion because I care deeply about — economically, I think we should be a conservative party,” he said. “And on foreign policy, we’ve got to debate, ‘Are we an isolationist party that withdraws from the world or do we believe in American leadership?'”

Cruz characterized Trump’s rise and his transformation of the Republican Party around the “America First” and MAGA movements as a “Black Swan event,” saying Trump’s political phenomenon is not something another Republican candidate can simply reproduce.

“He is a unique historical figure,” Cruz said. “There’s never been anyone like him. I don’t think there will be anyone like him going forward.”

{Matzav.com}