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Controversial conservative commentator Tucker Carlson has ignited a new controversy by alleging that Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is pressuring President Donald Trump to authorize a nuclear attack on Iran within days, a sensational claim for which Carlson has offered no independently verifiable evidence. His allegations, which portray Netanyahu as driving American military policy for personal political reasons, have raised concerns about the potential for such rhetoric to fuel antisemitic conspiracy theories.

In a lengthy statement posted on X, Carlson claimed that the Trump administration was approaching a decision on whether to deploy nuclear weapons against an Iranian underground nuclear facility known as Pickaxe Mountain, located near Natanz.

“Under pressure from Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Trump administration may be within days of launching a nuclear strike on Iran,” Carlson wrote.

Carlson alleged that Netanyahu has been repeatedly lobbying Trump to attack the heavily fortified facility, which Israeli intelligence reportedly suspects could be used for renewed Iranian uranium enrichment.

“Bibi calls Trump about it every day,” Carlson wrote, quoting an unnamed individual he described as familiar with the situation.

The commentator argued that the underground installation is protected by approximately 300 feet of granite, making it impossible for conventional American weapons to destroy the tunnels beneath the mountain. On that basis, he asserted that “The only military option is a nuclear strike.”

Although the facility’s depth presents a significant military challenge, Carlson’s assertion that nuclear weapons represent the only available option has not been established. A September analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies concluded that Pickaxe Mountain would be extremely difficult to destroy using conventional American bunker-busting weapons, but it did not recommend nuclear weapons as the solution.

The same analysis found substantial construction activity at the site during 2026, while cautioning that available satellite imagery could neither confirm nor disprove intelligence claims that Iran had moved uranium enrichment equipment into the underground complex.

Carlson went further by suggesting that Netanyahu’s alleged determination to escalate the conflict is connected to his political difficulties following Israel’s recent elections.

“Netanyahu must stay close to Trump. He needs this war,” Carlson wrote.

He suggested that Netanyahu could face renewed legal jeopardy if he lost power and claimed that continued military confrontation with Iran would help the Israeli leader maintain his political position.

Carlson also named several senior American officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, U.S. Central Command commander Brad Cooper, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, alleging that they were aligned with Netanyahu’s approach to Iran.

The allegations present Netanyahu as exercising extraordinary influence over Washington’s most consequential national security decisions. Critics of such rhetoric warn that claims of secret Israeli control over American leaders can echo longstanding antisemitic conspiracy theories, particularly when presented without substantiating evidence.

Carlson additionally claimed that Netanyahu secretly traveled to Abu Dhabi on September 27 in an unsuccessful effort to persuade the United Arab Emirates to support another military operation against Iran. He provided no independently verifiable documentation establishing that such a meeting occurred.

He also asserted that the Trump administration had altered American nuclear doctrine since February to make the first use of tactical nuclear weapons easier, another allegation that has not been publicly substantiated.

According to Carlson, the administration could reach a decision on nuclear action by November 7.

“Close observers say Trump is likely to decide by next weekend whether or not to use nuclear weapons,” he wrote.

Carlson warned that an American nuclear strike could contaminate the Persian Gulf, threaten regional water supplies, and create a dangerous precedent for other nuclear-armed countries. He further alleged that Russia had signaled that American nuclear action against Iran could provide justification for Moscow to use nuclear weapons against Ukraine.

Those warnings were presented alongside claims about secret diplomatic discussions, including Carlson’s assertion that Vice President JD Vance and presidential envoy Steve Witkoff were encouraging Trump to pursue negotiations rather than military escalation.

There have been genuine discussions between Washington and Yerushalayim about additional military action against Iran. According to reporting by Axios, Trump and Netanyahu spoke Saturday about the Iranian nuclear program and the possibility of renewed strikes following Tuesday’s American midterm elections.

The report indicated that Netanyahu favored moving more quickly toward military action, while Trump preferred allowing additional time for negotiations. Trump subsequently described the conversation as a “very good talk” and acknowledged that Iran was among the subjects discussed.

However, those reports concerned the possibility of renewed military strikes, not a confirmed plan to deploy nuclear weapons.

In fact, Trump explicitly rejected the need for nuclear weapons during an October 15 interview with Newsmax, even as he discussed the possibility of attacking Pickaxe Mountain.

“I wouldn’t use nuclear. We don’t have to,” Trump said.

Trump has repeatedly threatened conventional military action against the Iranian facility, maintaining that Tehran must not be allowed to rebuild its nuclear weapons capabilities.

“We can do that in 10 minutes. We have that planned. You can look at Pickaxe Mountain. We need to take care of that. We can do that very quickly,” Trump said in recent remarks.

Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts involving Qatar have continued, with mediators working to arrange further discussions between Washington and Tehran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has indicated that Tehran remains open to diplomacy while seeking clarification of American proposals.

The dispute surrounding Carlson’s allegations comes at a sensitive time for American Jewish communities, where concerns about antisemitism remain elevated. His portrayal of Netanyahu as manipulating American officials into contemplating nuclear war raises particular concern because it can reinforce narratives alleging that Israel secretly dictates American foreign policy.

There is no verified evidence that Trump has authorized a nuclear attack, that Netanyahu has demanded one, or that the United States has secretly revised its nuclear doctrine to facilitate such an operation. Carlson’s claims remain allegations, while the administration’s publicly stated position continues to distinguish possible military action against Iran from the use of nuclear weapons.

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed has sparked fresh controversy just two days before the midterm elections after declaring during a nationally televised interview that Palestine has a right to exist while attaching conditions to his recognition of Israel’s right to exist.

The exchange aired Sunday evening on CBS’s “60 Minutes,” where correspondent Ross Douthat interviewed El-Sayed and his Republican opponent, Mike Rogers, in one of the country’s most closely watched Senate contests. The discussion exposed a sharp disagreement between the candidates over Israel, American foreign aid, and the future of the Middle East.

Asked whether Israel has a right to exist, El-Sayed initially redirected the discussion toward Palestinian statehood, questioning why he is repeatedly asked about Israel without being asked the equivalent question about Palestinians.

Douthat responded by asking whether Palestine has a right to exist. El-Sayed answered affirmatively and without qualification.

When Douthat then returned to the question of Israel, El-Sayed began to answer yes but immediately introduced a condition, saying, “If there is a shared understanding–”

The interviewer interrupted to challenge the distinction, prompting El-Sayed to elaborate on his position. The Democratic candidate argued that the question should be approached through the principles of equal rights and national self-determination rather than through the interests of either side.

El-Sayed explained that he supports peace, dignity, and self-determination for Palestinians and Jewish Israelis alike. He said he would support a two-state arrangement if both populations agreed to it on equal terms, but would also accept a single shared state if that were the outcome they chose.

The exchange immediately drew attention because El-Sayed had offered an unequivocal affirmative answer regarding Palestinian statehood while making his recognition of Israel contingent on a mutually agreed political arrangement. His comments also left open the possibility of replacing the existing two-state framework with a single state.

The issue has followed El-Sayed throughout his Senate campaign. During a July appearance on CNN, anchor Kasie Hunt repeatedly pressed him on whether Israel has a right to exist, but he declined to provide a straightforward answer, instead arguing that the more relevant question was whether Israel was entitled to American taxpayer funding.

At a campaign event organized by Jewish supporters earlier this year, El-Sayed also expressed difficulty with the concept of Israel’s right to exist specifically as a Jewish state, raising questions about how such a state should be defined.

Rogers, a former Republican congressman and FBI agent, offered a sharply different position during his own “60 Minutes” interview.

“I passionately defend Israel’s right to defend itself and to exist as a Jewish state. That sets me at odds with my opponent right off the bat. He refuses to even acknowledge that Israel has the right to exist,” Rogers said.

El-Sayed also used the interview to condemn American military assistance to Israel, arguing that Washington’s support for a two-state solution was inconsistent with providing weapons to an Israeli government he accused of undermining Palestinian statehood.

He maintained that American taxpayers should not be financing weapons for foreign governments, naming Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan among the countries he believes should not receive such assistance.

The Democratic nominee additionally accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, an allegation rejected by the Israeli government. Rogers criticized El-Sayed’s language and defended Israel’s military response to the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks.

The dispute carries particular political significance in Michigan, which has one of the country’s largest Arab-American populations as well as a substantial Jewish electorate. CBS estimated that the state has approximately 100,000 Jewish voters and more than 200,000 Arab Americans, making Middle East policy an unusually prominent issue in the Senate race.

Rogers has argued that El-Sayed’s rhetoric contributes to an increasingly hostile environment for Jewish Americans, pointing to reports of Jewish students at the University of Michigan concealing their Magen Dovid necklaces to avoid harassment.

El-Sayed, however, insisted that disagreements over Israel would not prevent him from defending Jewish Americans.

“Wherever our disagreements are when it comes to Israel, there are a lot more things that we agree on here. When it comes to standing up for Jewish-Americans, I will be right there,” he said.

The interview also revisited El-Sayed’s response to a terrorist attack on a Michigan synagogue and preschool in March. Although he condemned the violence and said attacks on innocent people and houses of worship could never be justified, he subsequently remarked that “Hurt people hurt people,” a comment that drew criticism for appearing to link the attack to grievances against Israel. He later apologized.

The controversy surrounding El-Sayed’s views intensified Sunday when Rep. Haley Stevens, whom he narrowly defeated in the Democratic Senate primary, announced that she was endorsing Rogers rather than her own party’s nominee.

Stevens said she could no longer support El-Sayed following a series of disagreements over Israel, antisemitism, and his campaign’s associations with controversial political figures. Her announcement came after El-Sayed’s campaign reportedly informed her that she was no longer welcome at campaign events.

The unexpected endorsement prompted an angry response from Democratic leaders. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer described Stevens’ decision as a “despicable betrayal,” while President Donald Trump praised her willingness to cross party lines.

Trump has campaigned aggressively for Rogers, repeatedly attacking El-Sayed over his political views and alleging connections to the Muslim Brotherhood. El-Sayed has denied having ties to the organization and has accused Republicans of targeting him because of his Muslim faith.

CBS separately examined the Muslim Brotherhood allegations, reporting that El-Sayed was among 46 Egyptian Americans who signed a 2012 letter addressed to Egypt’s newly elected president, Mohamed Morsi, a senior Muslim Brotherhood figure. The letter urged action against officials associated with Egypt’s previous authoritarian government. El-Sayed has disavowed the Muslim Brotherhood.

The Senate contest is being watched nationally because Democrats are attempting to retain the Michigan seat being vacated by Sen. Gary Peters, while Republicans are seeking their first Senate victory in the state in decades.

El-Sayed, a physician and former public health official who defeated Stevens by fewer than 15,000 votes in the Democratic primary, would become the first Muslim elected to the United States Senate if victorious.

Rogers has sought to frame the election around Michigan’s economic challenges, manufacturing jobs, and public safety, while El-Sayed has campaigned on expanding healthcare access, challenging corporate monopolies, and increasing government oversight of artificial intelligence.

Watch the full CBS “60 Minutes” interview with Abdul El-Sayed and Mike Rogers:

{Matzav.com}

A tremendous simcha is being celebrated throughout the Belzer chassidus following the birth of a baby boy to Rav Shalom Rokeach, the eldest grandson of the Belzer Rebbe, after the family was previously blessed with six daughters, bli ayin hara.

The newborn is a great-grandson of the Belzer Rebbe, a grandson of his son Rav Aharon Mordechai Rokeach, and the first son of Rav Shalom Rokeach.

The joyous news has generated particular excitement among Belzer chassidim because the birth took place on the yahrtzeit of the Mahari”d of Belz, one of the illustrious predecessors in the Belzer dynasty.

Chassidim have noted the significance of the timing, viewing the arrival of a new male descendant in the direct line of the Belzer dynasty on this auspicious day as an extraordinary expression of hashgacha pratis.

The shalom zachor is scheduled to take place this Friday night in Kiryat Belz, with thousands of chassidim expected to participate in the celebration.

{Matzav.com}

Podcast host Joe Rogan unleashed a scathing criticism of political polling over the weekend, arguing that surveys are fundamentally unreliable because most Americans with busy lives have little interest in responding to pollsters. He suggested that the people who do participate are hardly representative of the broader public.

During Saturday’s episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience,” Rogan discussed the shortcomings of opinion surveys with Francis Foster and Konstantin Kisin, the hosts of the “TRIGGERnometry” podcast, as the country approached Tuesday’s closely watched midterm elections.

“Here’s the problem with polls: Most people don’t answer polls,” Rogan said during the conversation.

“Anybody with a life, anybody that has like a family and stuff to do and hobbies they enjoy and friends they want to hang out with, they don’t sit around answering some … poll,” Rogan said.

“So you’re literally getting the opinion of people so …. stupid they answer polls,” he said.

Rogan’s comments came as Republicans worked to defend their congressional majorities, with several national surveys indicating that Democrats could be positioned to capture control of the House of Representatives.

The podcaster, who supported President Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, raised the issue while examining polling data about religious identification among American voters. The survey indicated that approximately 78% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents identified with a religion, compared with roughly 60% of Democrats.

When Rogan noticed that approximately 1% of those surveyed had declined to respond to a particular question, he jokingly suggested that the nonrespondents were the most intelligent people in the sample.

“That is the most intelligent group on Earth,” he said.

Concerns about the accuracy of political surveys have also been raised by figures across the political spectrum, particularly as unexpected polling results have emerged in several Senate races.

On Friday, MS Now host Joe Scarborough questioned a Washington Post survey showing Democratic candidate Adam Hamilton holding a nine-point advantage over Republican Sen. Roger Marshall in Kansas, expressing doubt about whether the findings accurately reflected the electorate.

“Democrats want to answer pollsters. Republicans don’t. Inconsistencies abound,” Scarborough wrote on X.

President Trump has similarly criticized the polling industry, arguing during a campaign appearance Thursday that numerous surveys were “fake” and pointing to allegations involving Wedgewood, a purported polling organization accused of manufacturing results rather than conducting legitimate surveys.

“They didn’t do polling. They just made up numbers,” Trump said.

Rogan and his guests also discussed the growing difficulty of determining which information circulating online can be trusted, particularly amid the proliferation of fabricated news reports, automated social media accounts, and foreign influence operations.

Kisin warned that the sheer volume of misleading material has made even basic fact-checking increasingly demanding for ordinary Americans.

“You have to really do a lot of research now to even know the basic facts of anything,” Kisin said.

Rogan agreed, describing how he frequently encounters completely invented stories packaged to resemble legitimate breaking news.

Professional polling organizations generally attempt to compensate for low response rates through demographic weighting, statistical adjustments, and other methods designed to make survey samples more representative. Rogan nevertheless questioned whether those techniques can adequately address the fundamental problem of who is willing to answer a poll in the first place.

Additional coverage of the episode noted that Rogan had used an artificial intelligence tool to summarize the Pew Research Center findings before launching into his criticism of polling. The approximately 1% of respondents he praised for declining to answer had actually participated in the survey but skipped one particular question.

Rogan has expressed similar doubts about political polling in the past. During his October 2024 interview with Trump, he questioned whether surveys adequately captured public sentiment, while Trump said he had rarely, if ever, been contacted by a pollster.

Polling analyst Nate Silver has acknowledged that surveys underestimated Trump’s support in the 2016, 2020, and 2024 presidential elections. However, Silver has also maintained that professional pollsters recognize those shortcomings and have been working to improve their methods, particularly when accounting for differences in response rates between Republican and Democratic voters.

{Matzav.com}

Sen. Bernie Sanders sharply criticized Democratic operatives Sunday over reports that they helped recruit a candidate with nearly the same name as Alaska Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, apparently hoping to confuse voters and weaken the incumbent’s reelection prospects. Sanders called the maneuver “pretty dumb,” although he acknowledged that the tactic did not violate election law.

During an appearance on CBS News’ “Face the Nation,” the Vermont independent was questioned about allegations that Democrats had encouraged Dan J. Sullivan to enter the race against Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, potentially drawing votes away from the incumbent.

“Yeah, frankly what the Democrats did in Alaska seems to be pretty dumb but … it’s not illegal,” Sanders said.

The controversy centers on reports that individuals associated with Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola’s campaign helped bring another Sullivan into the contest. The additional candidate, a retired schoolteacher from Petersburg, Alaska, has been nicknamed “Decoy Dan” because of the similarity between his name and that of the Republican senator.

Sanders argued that such political maneuvering is hardly unique to Democrats, pointing to an Ohio Senate contest in which a Republican-aligned super PAC reportedly provided financial support to socialist candidate Greg Levy in an effort to siphon votes from Democrat Sherrod Brown.

“It’s what happens in every election,” Sanders said.

“So why in Ohio is a Republican right-wing super PAC funding a socialist? The answer is obviously obvious. They want to take votes away from Sherrod Brown,” Sanders said. “Is this a good thing to do? No, it is not a good thing to do. It’s a stupid thing to do.”

Despite his criticism of the Alaska strategy, Sanders rejected suggestions that Washington should intervene, maintaining that questions about the conduct of state elections belong to state authorities.

“The federal government does not get involved in state elections,” Sanders said.

The senator also took aim at President Donald Trump, arguing that it was “a little bit absurd” for a president who challenged the results of the 2020 presidential election to position himself as an authority on electoral fairness.

“People of Alaska can make that decision themselves,” Sanders added.

The allegations have also triggered legal action and an investigation in Alaska. State authorities have been examining the circumstances surrounding the second Sullivan’s candidacy, while the Justice Department sought to prevent certification of the Senate election if the Republican incumbent lost amid the ballot controversy.

However, a federal judge dismissed the Justice Department’s lawsuit Sunday, rejecting its attempt to delay certification. Alaska’s Republican-led state government had opposed the federal challenge and urged the court to throw it out.

The election is being conducted under Alaska’s ranked-choice voting system, which allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference. Election officials have taken steps to distinguish the two candidates named Dan Sullivan on the ballot, although the controversy has raised concerns about potential voter confusion.

The Republican incumbent, meanwhile, said Sunday that he would accept the outcome of the election even if he were defeated by Peltola, despite the continuing dispute over the second Sullivan’s candidacy.

{Matzav.com}

Agudas Yisroel chairman MK Yitzchok Goldknopf declared Sunday evening that his longtime associate Motty Babchik is no longer representing him, either in political activities or in briefings issued to the media, in a significant development amid growing internal tensions within United Torah Judaism.

The announcement came during a meeting of United Torah Judaism’s senior leadership, where party officials were discussing the need to maintain unity following the recent election results and ahead of anticipated coalition negotiations.

Goldknopf made clear that Babchik, who has long been regarded as one of his closest political aides, is not currently authorized to act or speak on his behalf. He emphasized that statements attributed to Babchik, as well as his political activities, should not be interpreted as reflecting Goldknopf’s positions.

The clarification followed remarks by United Torah Judaism chairman MK Yaakov Asher, who urged the party’s various factions to work together as a unified political force. Asher stressed the importance of cooperation among the different components of the party, particularly as discussions begin over its political direction and potential participation in a governing coalition.

Responding to Asher’s appeal, Goldknopf specifically addressed Babchik’s status, making clear that the political operative does not presently represent him.

MK Meir Porush welcomed the announcement, describing Goldknopf’s clarification as an important step toward restoring cooperation within the party.

“Your clarification is very important. We all want to work as one group and on the basis of agreements,” Porush said.

The exchange comes amid ongoing disagreements within United Torah Judaism following the elections, with senior figures seeking to establish a common approach to the upcoming coalition negotiations.

Goldknopf’s public distancing from Babchik is particularly noteworthy given the latter’s longstanding involvement in his political affairs and his prominent role in the party’s internal dealings.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump launched a sharp attack Sunday against Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, accusing him of being a “jihadist” with ties to the Muslim Brotherhood while applauding Democratic Congresswoman Haley Stevens for crossing party lines to endorse Republican Mike Rogers in Tuesday’s closely contested Senate race.

Speaking with reporters on the airport tarmac in Dubuque, Iowa, Trump praised Stevens for publicly backing Rogers, describing her decision as an act of political courage that could potentially expose her to threats.

“They’re jihadists. He’s jihadist. He’s a Muslim Brotherhood guy,” Trump said of El-Sayed.

“Yeah, I’d say she’s in danger. She was very brave doing it. And she did it for the people of Michigan. I have great respect for her,” the president added.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, who accompanied Trump during the exchange, said he had personally contacted Stevens following her announcement to express his appreciation for her decision to support the Republican nominee.

“I … told her how courageous she was and how much we appreciate what she did,” Johnson said. “She’s standing for truth; Haley’s a good person. This is her state; she served it as best she could.”

Johnson portrayed the election as a contest between two fundamentally different political approaches, arguing that the outcome would have significant consequences beyond Michigan.

“It’s a contrast election between common sense and crazy,” the speaker said.

“Haley did a heroic and important thing for the country. I told her to stay safe.”

Trump went further, warning that an El-Sayed victory could strengthen what he described as Muslim Brotherhood influence within the Democratic Party. He argued that even a handful of senators could exert considerable leverage over party leadership when their votes are needed to secure a majority.

“We have to get the Senate. We can’t allow the Muslim Brotherhood — don’t forget, when they have one or two or three votes, they basically assume control of the party,” Trump said.

“The party has to go along with them. They can blackmail the party and extort the party.”

The comments came during the final stretch of campaigning before Tuesday’s midterm elections, with Republicans seeking to preserve their Senate majority and Michigan emerging as one of the races attracting intense national attention.

Stevens’ decision to support Rogers represented an unusual public rejection of her own party’s nominee. Her endorsement provided the Republican candidate with a prominent Democratic supporter just days before voters were scheduled to head to the polls.

El-Sayed, who previously served as a public health official in Detroit, is running for the Senate seat being vacated by Democratic Senator Gary Peters.

Trump has made allegations about El-Sayed’s supposed connections to the Muslim Brotherhood a recurring theme of his campaign appearances. During an October 25 rally in Port Huron, Michigan, the president warned that electing El-Sayed could allow him access to classified national security information.

El-Sayed has rejected the accusations and denied having any affiliation with the Muslim Brotherhood.

The dispute between Stevens and El-Sayed intensified over an advertisement produced by an outside progressive group that connected American military assistance to Israel with rising living costs in Michigan. Jewish community leaders criticized the advertisement for invoking antisemitic themes, and Stevens demanded that El-Sayed condemn it. El-Sayed said his campaign had no involvement in producing the advertisement and rejected its contents.

Stevens, who narrowly lost the Democratic Senate primary to El-Sayed in August, had previously promised to support him in the general election. Her reversal followed additional disagreements over El-Sayed’s association with controversial political commentator Hasan Piker and came after Stevens was excluded from a planned joint campaign appearance.

The congresswoman appeared alongside Rogers at a Detroit church service Sunday before announcing her endorsement. The decision triggered an immediate backlash from Democratic leaders, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and prompted the resignation of Stevens’ longtime chief of staff.

El-Sayed sought to minimize the controversy, telling reporters that his attention remained on Michigan voters and issues such as grocery prices, energy costs and economic conditions rather than the political dispute with Stevens.

The race has become particularly consequential because the winner will succeed retiring Democratic Senator Gary Peters, and the outcome could play a significant role in determining which party controls the Senate after Tuesday’s election.

{Matzav.com}

A right-wing demonstration outside the Herzliya residence of Yashar Party chairman Gadi Eisenkot turned ugly Sunday evening when protesters shouted accusations of treason and one demonstrator accused the former IDF chief of responsibility for the death of his son, who was killed fighting Hamas in Gaza.

Several dozen activists assembled near Eisenkot’s home to oppose the possibility of his forming a government dependent on the backing of Arab political parties. The protest came amid negotiations following Israel’s elections for the 26th Knesset, with Eisenkot emerging as a potential candidate to lead the next coalition.

Demonstrators carried placards condemning cooperation with Arab factions, including signs declaring “No leftist government with terrorists,” and “Treasonous leftists endanger Jews.”

The demonstration escalated when one participant directed particularly vicious remarks at Eisenkot’s wife, invoking the death of their son, Master Sergeant (Res.) Gal Eisenkot, who fell in combat in Gaza.

“Your husband is a traitor. He sold your son; he murdered your son. He murdered us and you, and his nephew. Traitor!” the protester shouted at Eisenkot’s wife. Other protesters joined in, chanting “traitor.”

The incident was captured on video, showing the demonstrator directing the accusations toward Eisenkot’s family as other participants continued shouting.

Gal Eisenkot was killed in December 2023 while serving in the Gaza Strip during Israel’s war against Hamas. His death drew widespread attention across Israel, particularly because his father, a former IDF chief of staff, was serving in the country’s emergency wartime government at the time.

The protest centered on the possibility that Eisenkot could seek to establish a governing majority with the parliamentary support of Arab parties. Right-wing activists have strongly opposed such an arrangement, arguing that parties they regard as anti-Zionist should have no role in determining Israel’s next government.

The confrontation followed several days of demonstrations outside Eisenkot’s residence, although earlier gatherings had pressed him to cooperate with Arab parties rather than oppose such an arrangement. On Thursday, approximately 200 demonstrators gathered there to demand a government supported by Jewish and Arab parties.

The election results have left Israel facing a difficult coalition battle. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s bloc secured 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, while Eisenkot’s four-party alliance won 48. Arab parties captured a combined 19 seats, potentially giving Netanyahu’s opponents the parliamentary numbers needed to establish an alternative government.

However, Eisenkot had ruled out governing with Arab parties during the election campaign, and disagreements among the opposition factions have complicated efforts to assemble a majority. President Isaac Herzog is expected to consult with the newly elected parties before deciding which candidate should receive the mandate to form the next government.

{Matzav.com}

The BBC has acknowledged that it failed to conduct adequate background checks before featuring a guest who had previously posted inflammatory statements about Jews and appeared to celebrate Hamas’s October 7, 2023, massacre in Israel. The British broadcaster conceded that its screening procedures fell short of its own standards and said it would implement changes following the controversy.

Bushra Shaikh, a former contestant on the British reality television series The Apprentice, appeared on BBC One’s “Sunday Morning Live” last month to discuss whether women should be permitted to wear burkas in public. Her appearance subsequently drew criticism after attention turned to her history of social media comments concerning Jews, Israel, and the Hamas attacks.

According to The Telegraph, Shaikh had previously described Jews who moved to Israel from European countries as “lying scumbags” and “the biggest charlatans on this planet.”

On October 7, 2023, just hours after Hamas terrorists launched their deadly assault on southern Israel, Shaikh posted a message appearing to applaud the attack.

“Palestinians have done more in 5 minutes than Zelensky has done with 75bn. Humiliation is an understatement.”

Shaikh also attracted criticism for comments following the October 2025 terrorist attack at a Manchester synagogue, where two people were murdered and three others suffered serious injuries. Rather than placing responsibility on the perpetrators, she directed blame toward Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

“He has Jewish blood on his hands,” she wrote on X.

In another controversial post in January, Shaikh responded to early reports about the number of Iranian demonstrators killed during the regime’s crackdown by invoking the Holocaust.

“The real number is 6 million.”

The Telegraph reported that the BBC subsequently admitted in correspondence with a member of Parliament that its staff had failed to properly examine Shaikh’s social media activity before inviting her onto the program. The broadcaster acknowledged that the vetting process had not met “the standards we expect” and indicated that corrective measures would follow.

Shaikh rejected allegations that her previous remarks were antisemitic.

The incident comes amid continuing scrutiny of the BBC’s coverage of Israel, Hamas, and antisemitism, with critics repeatedly questioning the broadcaster’s editorial decisions and its handling of sensitive issues involving the Jewish community.

In November 2023, the BBC issued an apology after broadcasting an inaccurate report suggesting that Israeli troops were targeting medical personnel during operations near Gaza’s Shifa Hospital.

The network also faced criticism over its reporting on an explosion at a Gaza hospital in October 2023. Initial coverage suggested Israeli responsibility before the IDF presented evidence that the blast had resulted from a failed rocket launched by Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The BBC later acknowledged that “it was false to speculate” about the cause before the facts had been established.

Another major controversy erupted in 2025 over the BBC documentary “Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone,” after it emerged that the young narrator was the son of a senior Hamas official, a connection that had not been properly disclosed during production.

The broadcaster subsequently acknowledged “serious flaws” in its handling of the documentary.

Separately, The Telegraph reported last week that the BBC had agreed to pay £400,000 to an award-winning Jewish documentary filmmaker who alleged that she had experienced antisemitic harassment from colleagues and had been pushed out of the organization following the October 7 massacre.

The controversy prompted Labour MP David Taylor to write to BBC director general Matt Brittin, demanding an explanation of the checks conducted before Shaikh’s appearance. Daisy Scalchi, the BBC’s head of religion and ethics for television, responded that the program’s senior production team had been unaware of the offensive posts and that the independent company responsible for producing the show had been asked to investigate the failure.

Shaikh’s public activities had previously attracted attention beyond her comments about Israel. An investigation published in May found that she had participated in two press tours of Iran organized by the Iranian state broadcaster, during which she met senior Iranian officials and published favorable commentary about the regime.

The BBC also faced fresh criticism after Radio 4 interviewed Swedish academic Andreas Malm on October 30. Malm had previously characterized the October 7 Hamas attack as a liberation struggle, prompting additional questions about the broadcaster’s decisions concerning controversial guests.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump warned Sunday that the United States is prepared to unleash another devastating military strike against Iran if the ongoing conflict is not brought to a swift conclusion, declaring that his desire to prevent additional casualties is the principal reason Washington has not already taken more aggressive action.

Speaking at a campaign rally in Iowa ahead of Tuesday’s midterm elections, Trump suggested that American forces have the capability to deliver a decisive blow but that he is deliberately exercising restraint.

“The only reason we are not finished with Iran is because I want to be nice. I want to try and save all those lives if I can. But at some point, we’re going to have to give them the hammer.”

Trump predicted that the fighting would end in the near future, although he stopped short of identifying a deadline or outlining the precise conditions that would bring hostilities to a close.

“It’s going to be over very soon. Very soon,” he said.

The president also addressed mounting concerns about energy costs, arguing that higher oil prices represent a relatively modest economic burden compared with the importance of protecting American interests and international security.

He said he had initially expected the conflict to produce a much sharper rise in energy prices and expressed confidence that oil prices would fall dramatically once the war ended.

“When that war is over, it’s going to come plunging,” Trump said. “It’s a very small price to pay for the security of this country and for the world.”

Trump again maintained that the American military offensive had succeeded in preventing Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons, portraying the operation as a major achievement for U.S. national security.

Earlier Sunday, in an interview with RSBN before appearing at the Iowa rally, Trump indicated that the administration was prepared to resolve the confrontation through negotiations or further military operations.

“We’ve had such a victory and we’ll put it away very soon, one way or the other. Either they’ll make a deal or we’ll just end it, end it the, I guess you could say, maybe the easy way,” he said.

The comments followed remarks Saturday night in which Trump offered a cautiously positive assessment of negotiations with Iran, describing the discussions as “going fine” while emphasizing that he was not “in much of a hurry” to finalize an agreement.

Nevertheless, Trump expressed skepticism about whether Iranian officials would honor any commitments they made, saying they “are not very reliable. … They make a deal, and then they back out.”

The president also raised the possibility of striking additional Iranian nuclear infrastructure, specifically mentioning Pickaxe Mountain, a suspected underground nuclear facility.

“We can do that in 10 minutes. We have that planned. You can look at Pickaxe Mountain. We need to take care of that. We can do that very quickly,” he warned.

Meanwhile, diplomatic contacts between the United States and Iran have continued through Qatari intermediaries, with negotiators exploring possible arrangements involving Tehran’s nuclear activities, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, and potential economic concessions.

Reports Saturday suggested that the sides had reached preliminary understandings on several issues, although no final agreement had been announced. An American delegation was reportedly preparing to travel to Doha for additional discussions with Iranian representatives.

Additional reporting indicates that Trump discussed the Iran situation with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu during a telephone conversation Saturday, with the two leaders reportedly differing over how quickly Washington should resume military operations.

According to a report citing American and Israeli officials, Netanyahu urged Trump to authorize additional strikes immediately after Tuesday’s midterm elections, while Trump preferred to allow the ongoing diplomatic negotiations more time. One Israeli official characterized the conversation as “tough,” while an American official described it as “direct.”

Iranian representatives and Qatari mediators held a third consecutive day of negotiations in Doha on Sunday. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said discussions were continuing over a proposal that could reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days of an agreement, but acknowledged that no final deal had been reached.

Tehran has simultaneously warned against renewed American attacks, with Iranian military officials threatening a broader confrontation if the United States resumes strikes. Iran’s leadership has also ordered its armed forces to prepare for the possibility of additional military action.

{Matzav.com}

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A newly married chosson whose arrest by Israeli military police triggered widespread protests in Yerushalayim and Beit Shemesh has been released from military prison following intervention by senior officials and political leaders.

Yaari Lieberman, a talmid at Yeshivas Ohr Hachaim headed by Rav Reuven Elbaz, was freed from Military Prison 10 early Monday morning after initially receiving a 20-day prison sentence for failing to report for military service.

His release followed a conversation between a senior official and the head of the IDF Personnel Directorate, during which the unusual circumstances surrounding the arrest were explained. Attorney Shlomo Hadad also worked to secure Lieberman’s freedom, ultimately arranging for him to sign an undertaking to appear before military authorities on a future date to be determined.

The agreement resulted in a reduction of his punishment and his immediate release, allowing him to return home to his new wife. His family appealed to members of the public to respect their wishes and refrain from gathering outside the military prison.

The controversy erupted Sunday when Lieberman, who had married just last week, was traveling with his wife to a sheva brachos celebration. According to eyewitnesses, military police officers dressed in civilian clothing approached him immediately after he stepped off a bus and placed him under arrest.

Witnesses said the officers were not displaying identification badges, leaving Lieberman’s wife unaware of who was taking her husband away. In the confusion, the newlywed bride initially feared that her husband was being kidnapped.

Lieberman was subsequently transferred to military custody and sentenced to 20 days of imprisonment, prompting an immediate outcry throughout the chareidi community.

As news of the arrest spread, demonstrators took to the streets of Yerushalayim and Beit Shemesh, where protests continued into the night and escalated into confrontations with police.

Video footage circulated from the demonstrations appeared to show police officers deploying stun grenades against protesters, with some recordings reportedly showing the devices being thrown directly toward groups of demonstrators.

The arrest also generated an intense political response, with lawmakers from several parties becoming involved in efforts to secure the young man’s release.

Shas faction chairman MK Yinon Azulai initiated a petition demanding Lieberman’s freedom and gathered signatures from Knesset members across party lines, including representatives of Likud.

United Torah Judaism lawmakers also joined the effort, calling on Defense Minister Yisrael Katz to intervene immediately and arrange for the newlywed’s return to his family.

{Matzav.com}

A new halachic ruling concerning children’s dolls and decorative figurines has sparked discussion among rabbonim and families, after Rav Chaim Aharon Bleier, a prominent posek in the Minchas Yitzchok neighborhood of Yerushalayim, warned that certain human-shaped dolls may be prohibited under the halachos governing the creation and possession of human images.

In an article published in his weekly halachic publication, Chukei Chaim, Rav Bleier examined the longstanding prohibition against creating a complete three-dimensional representation of a human being, explaining that the issue extends beyond statues and decorative sculptures to include ordinary children’s toys.

Rav Bleier has devoted his recent publications to several halachic questions associated with the prohibition of avodah zarah, including the printing of images of the sun and other representations addressed by the poskim. His latest discussion focused specifically on the prohibition of fashioning human forms and the circumstances under which such objects may be kept in a Jewish home.

Citing the Shulchan Aruch and other halachic authorities, Rav Bleier explained that producing a complete human figure can violate the prohibition against making certain images, even when the object is not intended for worship.

He further noted that the prohibition cannot necessarily be avoided by having a non-Jew manufacture the object on behalf of a Jew. According to the ruling, commissioning such an item may itself present a halachic problem, and additional restrictions can apply to keeping the completed figure in one’s possession.

Addressing the common practice of purchasing dolls for children, Rav Bleier distinguished between toys that are routinely handled and discarded on the floor and ornamental figures that are carefully preserved and prominently displayed.

He wrote that a children’s doll made in the complete form of a human being is, in principle, subject to the halachic prohibition. Nevertheless, he cited authorities who permit retaining such dolls when they are used in a manner considered degrading or undignified, rather than treated as objects of importance.

For example, dolls that children regularly throw on the floor, leave scattered around the house and handle without special care may fall within this leniency, according to the opinions he cited.

Rav Bleier emphasized, however, that this allowance does not necessarily apply to every doll, and that the manner in which an item is used and displayed is an important consideration.

A more stringent ruling applies to decorative silver figurines depicting complete human beings, particularly those placed in display cabinets or vitrines as household ornaments.

Because such figures are maintained in a place of honor and are not treated casually or disrespectfully, Rav Bleier ruled that they may not be kept in the home, even if they were originally manufactured by a non-Jew.

The distinction means that an ordinary child’s doll and a silver human figurine may be subject to different practical rulings, despite both depicting the human form.

Rav Bleier also addressed the circumstances under which the objects were manufactured, explaining that a separate halachic concern arises when a Jew produces a prohibited figure or specifically commissions a non-Jew to make one.

In such cases, he wrote, the initial production of the object may have involved a prohibition, raising an additional question about purchasing it.

According to his ruling, even if the finished doll will subsequently be used by children in a manner that would ordinarily qualify for the leniency concerning degrading treatment, purchasing an item produced through a prohibited act may raise concerns involving the prohibition of lifnei iver, which forbids facilitating another person’s transgression.

The posek therefore cautioned against assuming that the permissibility of keeping a doll already in the home automatically means that purchasing a newly manufactured doll is permitted under all circumstances.

For parents who have already purchased human-shaped dolls for their children, Rav Bleier offered a more lenient practical approach.

He ruled that, after the fact, families may rely on the opinions permitting the possession of dolls that are used in an undignified manner, particularly where removing the toys would create difficulty.

At the same time, he recommended a straightforward solution for those wishing to avoid the halachic concern entirely: removing or altering a portion of the doll’s face so that the human form is no longer complete.

Such a modification, he explained, can eliminate the issue associated with possessing a complete human figure.

The recommendation provides an alternative for parents who wish to retain their children’s toys while adhering to the more stringent halachic approach.

Rav Bleier also called on toy manufacturers to take the issue into consideration during the design and production process, suggesting that dolls should be manufactured in a form that is permissible from the outset.

He urged manufacturers to consult qualified rabbonim and obtain appropriate halachic guidance before producing such items, thereby preventing consumers from encountering questions about whether the toys may be purchased or kept in their homes.

{Matzav.com}

United Torah Judaism is considering the extraordinary possibility of recommending Gadi Eisenkot to form Israel’s next government, a move that could represent a dramatic break with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and potentially reshape the country’s political alliances following last week’s elections.

According to a report Sunday evening by Emess, the possibility of formally endorsing Eisenkot was raised during a meeting of senior United Torah Judaism lawmakers, although no decision was reached. For now, the party is reportedly leaning toward declining to recommend any candidate when President Isaac Herzog begins consultations with the Knesset factions on Wednesday, November 4.

The discussions mark a significant development for a party that has spent years aligned with Netanyahu and the right-wing bloc. With Netanyahu unable to secure a clear parliamentary majority, United Torah Judaism is examining whether alternative political arrangements could better serve the interests of the chareidi community, particularly regarding military conscription and the status of yeshiva students.

The meeting brought together United Torah Judaism chairman MK Yaakov Asher, Agudas Yisroel chairman MK Yitzchok Goldknopf and MK Meir Porush. The three reviewed the election results and discussed the options available to their party as negotiations begin over the formation of Israel’s next government.

Among the scenarios considered was an active recommendation that Herzog assign Eisenkot, chairman of the Yashar party, the task of forming a coalition.

However, the participants reportedly expressed concern that such a move could ultimately fail to produce a viable government and lead to another round of elections. They also discussed the possibility of a backlash among chareidi voters, many of whom identify politically with Israel’s right-wing camp and would strongly oppose an alliance with parties traditionally associated with the left.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the lawmakers agreed that each would consult his respective rabbinic leadership before any final decision is made.

The three are expected to reconvene toward the end of the week, after receiving instructions from the gedolei Torah and admorim who guide the party’s political decisions.

The discussions follow reports that Rav Dov Landau instructed Degel HaTorah representatives to explore possible negotiations with the opposition bloc, emphasizing that the party’s primary responsibility is to protect the interests of the Torah world rather than remain permanently attached to a particular political alliance.

Goldknopf also made clear Sunday that United Torah Judaism is not automatically committed to Netanyahu or any other candidate.

“We are not in anyone’s bloc; we demand a draft law without sanctions or quotas. That is the demand of the rabbonim, and we will not compromise on it. That is the condition for any negotiations with any bloc,” Goldknopf told Kikar HaShabbat, in remarks translated from Hebrew.

The possibility of cooperation with Eisenkot has generated considerable controversy because of the opposition bloc’s longstanding support for expanding military conscription among the chareidi population.

For United Torah Judaism, securing legislation that would protect yeshiva students from military service has become the central condition for participating in any future coalition.

The party’s willingness to consider other political partners reflects growing frustration over the failure to resolve the draft issue during Netanyahu’s tenure, despite years of cooperation between the prime minister and the chareidi factions.

Likud responded Sunday night with a sharply worded statement attacking Eisenkot and his political allies, accusing them of abandoning their previous commitments in their pursuit of power.

“Eisenkot and his partners are trampling on the trust of Israeli citizens. They are violating all their promises regarding cooperation with parties that support terrorism, and are working to establish a government with them,” Likud declared, in a statement translated from Hebrew.

The party went on to accuse Eisenkot’s bloc of reversing its position on chareidi military conscription after years of harsh criticism directed at the chareidi community.

“And in the height of contempt, after four years of unrestrained attacks against the chareidi public, they are abandoning the conscription of chareidim out of a lust for power. This must not be allowed to happen,” the Likud statement continued.

The response reflects mounting concern within Netanyahu’s party that United Torah Judaism could become a decisive factor in determining whether the next government is led by Netanyahu or Eisenkot.

Although the chareidi party has not committed to joining an alternative coalition, even a decision to withhold its recommendation from Netanyahu could complicate his efforts to secure the presidential mandate.

Meanwhile, opposition leaders have been conducting a series of meetings in an effort to establish a common strategy following the elections.

Eisenkot has reportedly held discussions with Naftali Bennett, Yair Lapid and Avigdor Lieberman, while other opposition figures have been examining possible parliamentary arrangements involving additional factions.

The negotiations also include efforts to secure control of the Knesset speakership, a position that could provide the opposition with significant influence over legislation and parliamentary proceedings even before a new government is formed.

For the chareidi parties, however, the overriding issue remains whether a prospective prime minister can deliver an acceptable arrangement concerning the military draft.

United Torah Judaism’s leaders have indicated that their final position will be determined by the instructions of their rabbinic leadership, rather than by commitments to Netanyahu or Eisenkot.

President Herzog is scheduled to begin consultations with the newly elected Knesset factions on Wednesday, November 4, when party representatives will be asked to recommend a candidate to form the government.

With United Torah Judaism still weighing its options, the possibility of an Eisenkot endorsement has introduced a new element of uncertainty into Israel’s coalition negotiations, while Likud has made clear that it intends to fight any political realignment that could deprive Netanyahu of another term as prime minister.

{Matzav.com}

Rav Moshe Maya, the senior member of Shas’s Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah, issued a furious denial Sunday night of reports claiming that he was prepared to support coalition negotiations with Gadi Eisenkot, declaring that he had not spoken to anyone about the formation of Israel’s next government since Tuesday’s elections and accusing those responsible for the reports of fabricating statements in his name.

The sharp denial comes amid growing speculation that Israel’s chareidi parties may reconsider their longstanding alliance with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu following the election results, with United Torah Judaism already signaling that it is not automatically committed to supporting him for another term.

Speaking to members of his family, Rav Maya categorically rejected reports suggesting that he had endorsed opening discussions with Eisenkot, chairman of the Yashar party, or had expressed any position concerning a possible coalition agreement with the opposition bloc.

“Not a single person spoke to me about Gadi Eisenkot. I have not spoken to anyone about the government since the results were announced on Tuesday. They are inventing things in my name and publishing lies. I strongly object to anyone writing things in my name. This is an outright lie. There has never been anything like this, where people fabricate lies in my name,” Rav Maya declared, in remarks translated from Hebrew.

His comments were prompted by reports in certain Israeli media outlets claiming that the senior Shas rabbinic leader had expressed openness to coalition negotiations with Eisenkot.

The reports attributed to Rav Maya the statement, “There is no reason to rule out holding coalition negotiations with Eisenkot.”

That purported position attracted considerable attention because it suggested that a leading member of Shas’s rabbinic leadership was prepared to consider political cooperation with parties outside Netanyahu’s traditional right-wing and religious coalition.

Rav Maya’s response, however, left no ambiguity about his rejection of the statements attributed to him. He insisted that he had neither discussed Eisenkot nor participated in any conversations about the next government since the election results became known.

The controversy erupted as Shas and United Torah Judaism face significant decisions concerning their political future following an election in which Netanyahu failed to secure a clear 61-seat majority.

United Torah Judaism officials have already begun exploring whether cooperation with alternative political blocs could produce a more favorable arrangement regarding the status of yeshiva students and military conscription.

Rav Dov Landau reportedly instructed Degel HaTorah representatives to examine the possibility of discussions with the opposition bloc, while Agudas Yisroel chairman MK Yitzchok Goldknopf declared that his party does not belong to any particular political camp.

Shas, meanwhile, has not publicly announced a comparable change in its political alignment, and its leadership has yet to clarify whether it intends to recommend Netanyahu during the upcoming consultations with President Isaac Herzog.

The party is also dealing with the consequences of its disappointing election performance, with reports suggesting that chairman Aryeh Deri is considering changes within the party’s parliamentary leadership.

At the center of the coalition discussions is the unresolved military draft issue, which has dominated chareidi political negotiations and created considerable friction between the religious parties and Netanyahu’s government.

The inability to secure legislation protecting the status of yeshiva students has prompted some chareidi political figures to question whether their parties should continue supporting Netanyahu without obtaining firm commitments on the issue.

{Matzav.com}

The rebbi of the newlywed chosson arrested by Israeli military police during his Sheva Brachos has revealed disturbing details about the efforts to apprehend his talmid, including a late-night raid involving approximately 12 military police officers and an alleged attempt to lure the young man out of hiding with a message about a package awaiting him.

Rav Dovid Salti, who has guided the arrested chosson, Yaari (Aryeh) Lieberman, for the past six years, described the arrest as a devastating blow to the young couple and condemned the military authorities for taking the chosson into custody during what should have been one of the happiest weeks of his life.

Speaking to Avi Mimran on Kol Chai radio’s central news broadcast Sunday evening, Rav Salti called the arrest a violation of every acceptable boundary and described the emotional toll of watching a young man he had personally guided through his return to Yiddishkeit, his years in yeshiva and his preparations for marriage being taken away during his wedding celebrations.

“I have been accompanying the chosson, Aryeh, closely for six years, from the moment he began his journey of returning to religious observance, through the preparatory Torah program, his transition to Yeshivas Ohr Hachaim under Rav Reuven Elbaz, and all the way to the guidance leading up to his wedding and shidduch,” Rav Salti said.

“This is a bochur who is connected to me on a daily basis, on Shabbos and Yom Tov. To see him taken into custody in the middle of his Sheva Brachos is crossing every red line and is an enormous source of pain.”

The arrest has ignited outrage across segments of Israel’s Torah community, with rabbonim, askanim and yeshiva students mobilizing in protest over the military’s treatment of a newly married ben Torah.

Rav Salti revealed that the arrest was the culmination of a series of attempts to locate and detain Aryeh in the weeks leading up to his wedding.

“Already two and a half weeks ago, late at night, approximately 12 military police officers entered the family’s home,” Rav Salti recounted.

“At that time, the family was already in a state of anxiety because of the grandfather’s serious medical condition, and the arrival of the forces caused tremendous panic.”

According to Rav Salti, news of the military police operation quickly spread through the neighborhood, prompting an immediate public response.

“That night, a spontaneous protest involving hundreds of people formed in the neighborhood, and the arrest was prevented,” he said.

But the failed operation did not bring an end to the military’s efforts to apprehend the chosson. Instead, Rav Salti said, Aryeh found himself unable to return home in the days before his wedding, fearing that military police would again attempt to arrest him.

“From that incident until his wedding, Aryeh could not return home and was forced to live in exile, learning in yeshiva while constantly afraid,” Rav Salti explained.

The rebbi also alleged that military authorities attempted to employ deceptive tactics to draw Aryeh out of his place of refuge.

“Later, they even tried to lure him outside through a trick involving a notification about a package waiting for him,” he said.

Despite those earlier attempts, Aryeh proceeded with his wedding, only to be arrested during the subsequent days of Sheva Brachos.

The circumstances of the arrest have provoked particular anger because of the disruption to the newlyweds’ first days of marriage.

According to earlier reports, the chosson was detained in the presence of his kallah, who was left deeply shaken by the incident. Her mother subsequently described the young woman’s distress, saying that she had been unable to stop crying.

The military authorities have reportedly sentenced the chosson to 20 days in military detention over his failure to report for military service.

{Matzav.com}

Shas MK Yinon Azulai unleashed a blistering attack on the Israeli military Sunday over the arrest of a newlywed yeshiva bochur during his Sheva Brachos, accusing military authorities of deliberately humiliating the young couple and questioning whether the arrest was motivated by political considerations rather than legitimate military needs.

Speaking to Avi Mimran on Kol Chai radio’s central news broadcast, Azulai demanded to know why military police could not have waited several days before arresting the chosson, who was detained in front of his new wife as the couple traveled to a Sheva Brachos celebration.

“Here you have a chosson, in the middle of his Sheva Brachos. They wait for him as he gets off the bus, they pounce on him, and he was still holding his belongings,” Azulai said.

“If you’re following him, then follow him for another two days, another three days. What are you trying to prove? Are you trying to show off your ego?”

The arrest, which resulted in a 20-day military detention sentence, has generated widespread anger in the chareidi community and prompted efforts by Shas and United Torah Judaism lawmakers to secure the chosson’s immediate release.

The young man, a baal teshuvah who became a dedicated yeshiva student after returning to religious observance, was apprehended by military police shortly after stepping off a bus with his kallah. The couple had been traveling to a Sheva Brachos scheduled for that evening.

Azulai said the military’s decision to arrest the young man at that particular moment demonstrated an extraordinary lack of judgment and sensitivity.

“Where is your judgment? What do you want? To be part of the political game?” he demanded.

“Do you want to create even more division and discord?”

The Shas lawmaker stressed that the chosson was a genuine ben Torah whose commitment to learning was beyond question.

“This is a real bochur, sitting and learning, not stories,” Azulai said, rejecting any suggestion that the young man’s yeshiva status was merely a pretext for avoiding military service.

Azulai revealed that chareidi lawmakers were circulating a petition among their Knesset colleagues addressed to Defense Minister Yisrael Katz, demanding that the newlywed be released immediately.

He said the effort was being pursued through multiple channels, including direct contacts with the family and discussions with relevant officials.

“We are making efforts behind the scenes, publicly, wherever possible, and we are also in contact with the family,” Azulai explained.

“It is inconceivable that a chosson, during his Sheva Brachos, should simply be taken away like this.”

The lawmaker indicated that the campaign to secure the chosson’s freedom could also involve President Isaac Herzog.

He said an appeal to the president had been considered, although he argued that Herzog should recognize the seriousness of the situation without waiting for a formal request.

“I hope that when the president hears about something like this, he himself should get up and take action,” Azulai said.

The arrest was reportedly preceded by earlier attempts to apprehend the young man, including an operation at his family’s home that was thwarted after large numbers of neighborhood residents gathered in protest.

According to accounts from individuals close to the chosson, the earlier efforts forced him to remain away from home in the weeks leading up to his wedding, fearing that military police would arrest him before the marriage could take place.

The latest arrest occurred during the Sheva Brachos celebrations, when military police intercepted the couple as they traveled together.

The circumstances have intensified public anger, particularly following reports that the kallah was left deeply distressed by the incident.

Plans have since been announced for a mass gathering outside the military prison, including a public Sheva Brachos celebration intended to demonstrate solidarity with the newlyweds and protest the detention.

Asked whether he would personally attend the planned gathering, Azulai said he would follow the instructions of the gedolei Yisroel.

“Once the gedolei Yisroel decide on this, who are we to decide otherwise?” he responded.

Azulai also directed sharp criticism at the military’s handling of the case, accusing officials of contributing to an already bitter divide between the chareidi community and the state over the issue of military conscription.

The arrest comes as Israel’s political parties begin negotiations following last week’s elections, with the military draft issue remaining one of the most contentious questions facing the next government.

Chareidi representatives have repeatedly demanded legislation protecting the status of yeshiva students, while legal and military authorities have continued efforts to enforce existing conscription requirements.

Azulai suggested that the timing and manner of the arrest raised serious questions about whether the military authorities were acting with appropriate discretion.

In the closing portion of the interview, he was asked whether the arrest represented an early post-election test by Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara for the chareidi political parties.

“She is still in election campaign mode,” Azulai replied.

He then delivered an especially harsh condemnation of the attorney general.

“Ultimately, the people reject her and are sickened by her. The people do not want her,” he declared.

{Matzav.com}

It is with sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein zt”l, a distinguished talmid of Yeshivas Rabbeinu Chaim Berlin, a mechaber of seforim, and a longtime resident of Boro Park.

Reb Aharon was a son of Rabbi and Mrs. Mordechai Lichtenstein.

He was privileged to learn at Yeshivas Rabbeinu Chaim Berlin in Brooklyn, where he studied under the rosh yeshiva, Rav Yitzchok Hutner zt”l, whose profound approach to Torah learning and avodas Hashem influenced him greatly.

Throughout his life, Reb Aharon maintained a deep attachment to Torah learning, devoting himself to the study of Torah and the writing of seforim. Among his works was Sheva Mitzvos Bnei Noach. He also authored peirushim on Chamishah Chumshei Torah and seforim of Tanach.

For many years, Reb Aharon lived in Boro Park, where he davened at the Agudas Yisroel shul on 16th Avenue. He was a familiar and beloved presence among those who knew him, remembered not only for his learning and his seforim, but for the warmth and sincerity with which he treated others.

Those who encountered Reb Aharon recall an unusually sweet and gentle individual, someone who invariably had a kind word for another person and whose pleasant disposition made people feel comfortable and appreciated. His kindness was expressed in the simple, everyday interactions that reveal a person’s true character. He greeted others warmly, spoke with sensitivity, and treated people with genuine respect.

Reb Aharon never merited establishing a home of his own through marriage. Nevertheless, he lived a life of connection to Torah, family, and the people around him, leaving behind the seforim he authored and the memories of the kindness he extended to others.

Rav Aharon was a first cousin of Rav Aharon Lichtenstein zt”l, the rosh yeshiva of Yeshivat Har Etzion in Gush Etzion.

He is survived by his sister, Mrs. Rivka Wunder, as well as nieces, nephews, extended family members, and many friends and acquaintances who will remember his gentle nature, his devotion to Torah, and the kindness that characterized his dealings with others. His sister is sitting shivah at 13 Rechov Pnei Meiros in Yerushalayim.

The levayah was held today at the Congregation Sons of Israel Holocaust Memorial Chapel in Lakewood, NJ, with kevurah to follow in the Eretz Hachaim Bais Olam in Beit Shemesh in Eretz Yisroel.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

In the aftermath of Israel’s contentious elections, Rav Don Segal delivered a powerful message to yeshiva bochurim in Yerushalayim, telling them that a person can transform his entire life in a single moment and revealing what he hopes to answer when questioned in the Heavenly Court about the guidance he offered young talmidim.

The renowned mashgiach delivered his remarks during a special visit to Yeshivas Binas HaTorah in the Ramot neighborhood of Yerushalayim, where bochurim had undertaken a renewed commitment to intensive Torah learning following the distractions and tensions of the election period.

The yeshiva, headed by Rav Yisroel Ezra, with Rav Yoson Eber serving as mashgiach, had recently witnessed a significant awakening among its talmidim, who resolved to return to their learning with greater dedication and distance themselves from the commotion surrounding the political developments.

Rav Segal, who had traveled to the neighborhood to participate as sandek at a bris, learned of the bochurim’s special commitment and decided to make a personal visit to the yeshiva to encourage them.

During his address, the mashgiach spoke about the extraordinary spiritual potential of a ben Torah and the importance of guarding one’s eyes and thoughts, particularly during periods when political events and public controversies can easily distract a person from his learning and personal growth.

He praised the bochurim for their determination to put the tumultuous election period behind them and immerse themselves once again in Torah, emphasizing the tremendous value of their decision to strengthen their commitment to learning.

One of the most memorable moments of the visit came when Rav Segal spoke about the message he would want to be remembered for and what he would say if asked in the Heavenly Court to summarize the guidance he had given yeshiva bochurim.

“When I ascend to the Heavenly Court and they ask me what I told the bochurim ‘while standing on one foot,’ I will answer them: I told the bochurim that it is possible to change while standing on one foot! I have known quite a few bochurim who changed their entire lives in a single moment, simply because of one good word,” Rav Segal declared, in remarks translated from Hebrew.

The mashgiach’s message emphasized that genuine personal transformation does not necessarily require a lengthy process before meaningful change can begin. A single encouraging word, a moment of inspiration or a sincere decision to improve can sometimes become the turning point in a person’s life.

His remarks carried particular significance for the talmidim, who had already demonstrated their desire to make a fresh beginning following the election period. Rav Segal encouraged them to build upon that commitment and recognize the tremendous opportunities available to someone who approaches his learning with renewed determination.

The visit was especially meaningful because it had not been part of a previously arranged program. Rav Segal had come to Ramot for the bris and chose to enter the yeshiva after hearing about the bochurim’s efforts to strengthen their Torah learning.

At the conclusion of the gathering, the roshei yeshiva expressed their deep appreciation to Rav Segal for taking the time to visit and deliver words of chizuk.

They said the visit had made a profound impression on the bochurim and expressed hope that the mashgiach’s message about the possibility of immediate and lasting change would continue to inspire them in their learning and avodas Hashem.

הגר”ד סגל בישיבת בינת התורה (צילום: דוד ארזני )

הגר”ד סגל בישיבת בינת התורה (צילום: דוד ארזני )

הגר”ד סגל בישיבת בינת התורה (צילום: דוד ארזני )

הגר”ד סגל בישיבת בינת התורה (צילום: דוד ארזני )

הגר”ד סגל בישיבת בינת התורה (צילום: דוד ארזני )

הגר”ד סגל בישיבת בינת התורה (צילום: דוד ארזני )

הגר”ד סגל בישיבת בינת התורה (צילום: דוד ארזני )

הגר”ד סגל בישיבת בינת התורה (צילום: דוד ארזני )

הגר”ד סגל בישיבת בינת התורה (צילום: דוד ארזני )

הגר”ד סגל בישיבת בינת התורה (צילום: דוד ארזני )

הגר”ד סגל בישיבת בינת התורה (צילום: דוד ארזני )

הגר”ד סגל בישיבת בינת התורה (צילום: דוד ארזני )

הגר”ד סגל בישיבת בינת התורה (צילום: דוד ארזני )

הגר”ד סגל בישיבת בינת התורה (צילום: דוד ארזני )

הגר”ד סגל בישיבת בינת התורה (צילום: דוד ארזני )

{Matzav.com}