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The Badatz of the Eidah HaChareidis issued a public call Wednesday evening urging avreichim to participate in demonstrations this coming Sunday, when the IDF is expected to hold a designated enlistment day for Chareidi bochurim.

In a letter titled “My Young Men Have Gone Into Captivity,” the Badatz says it has learned that the IDF has designated Sunday as a broad recruitment day for Chareidi bochurim who observe Torah and mitzvos, with numerous young men summoned to appear as part of the military enlistment process.

The Badatz responded by calling on the community to take to the streets and publicly protest the enlistment effort.

“And behold, our strength is only with our mouths, to cry out and sound the alarm,” the letter states, before calling upon “avreichim who heed the word of Hashem and who are able to participate in the protests and act in accordance with daas Torah” to take part.

The letter also urges activists to engage directly with bochurim who may be considering reporting for enlistment and attempt to persuade them not to proceed.

“And likewise, to act in order to convince the young men that their feet should not falter and that they should not cast themselves into a place from which all who enter do not return and do not attain the paths of life, chas v’shalom,” the letter states.

The Badatz indicated that its campaign against the drafting of Chareidi bochurim will continue beyond Sunday’s demonstrations and into the coming period.

“And in the merit of our standing guard over the walls of Yahadus, may we merit a good inscription and sealing, and the fulfillment of the aspiration of our prayers during the upcoming days of favor, that He remove the wicked government from the earth, and You, Hashem alone, shall reign over all Your creations on Har Tzion, the dwelling place of Your glory, etc., with the coming of our righteous redeemer, speedily in our days, amen,” the Badatz wrote in concluding the letter.

The notice bears the official seal of the Badatz of the Eidah HaChareidis in Yerushalayim and was released ahead of Sunday’s scheduled enlistment day, when, according to the letter, Chareidi bochurim are expected to report to the recruitment office for military processing.

{Matzav.com}

Supreme Court President Justice Isaac Amit ignited outrage in the Chareidi community Wednesday after suggesting during a court hearing that many Chareidim who publicly carry kosher phones also privately keep smartphones, prompting Shas to accuse Israel’s top judge of displaying contempt and arrogance toward an entire sector of the population.

Amit made the comments while discussing the use of kosher phones, devices commonly used in the Chareidi community that either block internet access and other content or do not provide internet capabilities at all.

“Many times, those who have a kosher phone in one pocket also have a [regular] phone to stay connected in the other pocket,” he said.

Amit went further, asserting that he had heard that a substantial portion of the Chareidi population maintains two separate cellular devices — one for public use and another with smartphone capabilities.

“They say that a very significant percentage of the Chareidi population owns two phones. One kosher phone to show off, and one real phone, a smarter phone.”

The comments quickly triggered an angry reaction from Shas, which accused Amit of ridiculing Chareidim who deliberately limit their access to smartphones and the internet for religious and family reasons.

“The brazen mockery by Supreme Court President Justice Amit toward kosher phone owners expresses arrogance and detachment from a huge public that chooses to raise children in a protected and pure environment.”

Shas also defended its efforts to preserve the kosher cellular-phone system, saying it considers the ability of religious communities to maintain their standards a fundamental right that it will continue fighting to protect.

“Shas is proud to have led the kosher phone legislation and will continue to protect the right of every community to live according to its faith,” the party added.

{Matzav.com}

New details have emerged regarding an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate Yair Netanyahu in Miami, with the son of Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu claiming that terrorists acting on behalf of Iranian intelligence reached the entrance of the home where he was staying before the attempt was thwarted.

The allegations were detailed in a complaint Netanyahu submitted to Israel Police Commissioner Daniel Levy, Shin Bet chief David Zini and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara. Netanyahu is demanding a criminal and security investigation into Haaretz journalist Uri Misgav, accusing him of publishing information online about his Miami residence, his security arrangements and his movements. Netanyahu alleges that the information ultimately reached hostile actors and assisted them in targeting him.

“Following those publications, and relying directly on them, terrorists sent on behalf of Iranian intelligence physically reached the entrance of the home at the address in question in Miami, and carried out a sudden and targeted assassination attempt against Yair Netanyahu,” the complaint states.

According to the letter, Shin Bet security personnel assigned to protect Netanyahu were forced to confront the alleged Iranian terror cell. Netanyahu claims that their quick actions prevented the assassination attempt from succeeding.

Netanyahu’s attorney, Uriel Nizri, is demanding that authorities open an investigation into Misgav and take him into custody, arguing that the journalist’s publications provided hostile actors with a “road map” that endangered both Netanyahu and the security personnel protecting him.

Misgav rejected the accusations and responded sharply to Netanyahu’s complaint.

“Yair Netanyahu/Yonatan Hon and his parents are failing in all the legal proceedings they insist on conducting against me. Just this week, Yair lost another proceeding and was ordered to pay legal expenses. I understand that they are under pressure after the exposure of another fake, this time about the ‘assassination attempt’ and the ‘urgent flight’ of Yair from Miami in December, while in practice, as I showed, he continued spending time in Miami in January and February as well — but it makes no sense to continue bothering the police and Shin Bet with these baseless complaints. They have enough work dealing with real threats,” Misgav said.

{Matzav.com}

Guests attending the wedding of the son of noted philanthropist Mr. Isaac Lefkowitz were greeted by an extraordinary sight this week: a massive genealogy display tracing the ancestry of the chosson and kallah through more than 1,250 ancestors all the way back to Avrohom Avinu.

The wedding was held at Lake Terrace Hall in Lakewood, New Jersey, for the chosson, Chananya Yom Tov Lefkowitz, son of Mr. Isaac Lefkowitz of Boro Park, and the kallah, Risa Zicherman.

One of the most talked-about features of the wedding was an enormous family-tree scroll titled Zer LaChayil, which documented more than 1,250 grandparents and ancestors from both families across the generations.

The elaborate genealogy traced the lineage of both the chosson and kallah back through centuries of Jewish history, ultimately reaching Avrohom Avinu.

The enormous display measured approximately three meters high and 10 meters long — nearly 10 feet by 33 feet — turning the extensive family history into a striking visual centerpiece at the wedding.

The project was created by Reb Yosef Nechemia HaKohen Kwadrat, an artist and genealogy researcher with Kwadrat Legacy Studio in London.

Rather than simply being displayed on a wall, the enormous genealogy chart was incorporated directly into the wedding setup, serving as the mechitzah separating the men’s and women’s sections of the hall.

The unusual display attracted considerable attention throughout the wedding, with guests stopping to examine the names and generations represented across the massive family tree.

{Matzav.com}

NEW YORK, NY – August 26, 2026 – The Orthodox Union (OU), the nation’s oldest and largest umbrella organization for American Orthodox Jewry, today announced the appointment of Rabbi Shmuel Silber to the role of executive vice president. Rabbi Silber will assume his new role as of November 2nd. As the executive vice president, Rabbi Silber will be responsible for representing the OU’s vision on both Torah and public policy and providing hashkafic and halachic guidance within the organization and beyond. The Baltimore rabbi succeeds Rabbi Moshe Hauer, zt”l, who’s petira last Shemini Atzeres left the community in shock. The OU is also clarifying its leadership structure. Rabbi Dr. Josh Joseph, currently EVP and COO, will assume the role of chief executive officer (CEO), with responsibility for the management of all OU programs and operations. Rabbis Silber and Joseph will both report directly to the OU Executive Committee.

Rabbi Silber joins the OU having served for the past 23 years as the mara d’asra of Suburban Orthodox Congregation Toras Chaim, building it into one of Baltimore’s most vibrant and dynamic kehillahs. Rabbi Silber is also the founder and dean of the Institute for Jewish Continuity (IJC), which provides contemporary limud HaTorah with Chassidic influences for adults at all levels. As the Founding Rav of the Berger Towers community in Katamonim, Jerusalem, Rabbi Silber oversees the community’s rabbinic leadership and hashkafic direction. Rabbi Silber received semicha from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary at Yeshiva University and holds a master’s degree in secondary Jewish education from the Azrieli Graduate School.

As CEO, Rabbi Dr. Josh Joseph will continue to oversee the management, business strategy, and professional alignment of all OU programs and operations. During his six years at the OU, Josh has driven extraordinary organizational growth in these areas. Rabbi Moshe Elefant continues to lead OU Kosher, ensuring the highest standards of kashrut supervision worldwide. Rabbi Elefant became the chief executive officer of OU Kosher on July 1, succeeding Rabbi Menachem Genack.

The new leadership structure follows the unexpected loss of Rabbi Moshe Hauer, zt”l, last fall, who served as executive vice president since January 2020. Under the joint leadership of Rabbi Hauer, zt”l and Rabbi Dr. Joseph, the OU navigated unprecedented global upheavals including  the aftermath of October 7, with steadfast calm, clear Torah vision, and integrity. Rabbi Hauer, zt”l served as a significant and impactful public voice of Klal Yisrael, testifying before Congress on critical issues like campus antisemitism and advocating passionately in Washington, D.C., with campaigns such as leading the delivery of 180,000 letters to the White House on behalf of the Israeli hostages held in Gaza. His legacy of profound Torah scholarship, extraordinary empathy, and unwavering commitment to the klal will continue to inspire and guide the Orthodox Union’s mission for generations to come.

After Rabbi Hauer’s passing last fall, OU President Mitchel Aeder appointed a search committee chaired by OU board chairman Yehuda Neuberger to advise on the OU’s professional leadership structure and to identify a candidate to succeed Rabbi Hauer, zt”l. With the addition of Rabbi Silber, in partnership with Rabbi Dr. Joseph, the OU has solidified its professional foundation to better serve Jewish communities across the US and Eretz Yisrael.

“I am honored to have this opportunity at such a unique moment for our community,” said Rabbi Shmuel Silber. “Rabbi Hauer, zt”l was a friend and a mentor, and I feel privileged to continue his holy work. Torah and Jewish life are thriving, yet we face difficult communal challenges. My sincere desire is to help create bonds of unity and continue elevating the holiness and religious experience of our community in the US and Israel. I look forward to partnering with Rabbi Dr. Joseph, our President Mitchel Aeder, and the entire OU family to serve the needs of the Jewish people.”

“It is a privilege to assume the role of CEO at this critical juncture. Over the past six years, in partnership with OU Kosher and with the support of the community, the OU has strategically scaled its core programs, expanded the number, reach, and impact of new initiatives and developed an incredibly strong culture of professionalism,” said Rabbi Dr. Josh Joseph, CEO. “I am excited to welcome my friend Rabbi Silber to the leadership of the OU as we continue to encourage more Jews to grow closer to Hashem and build sustainable pathways for individual and communal growth across the Jewish world.” 

“The OU is in a position of tremendous strength, and as we look to the future, we want to ensure we have the structure and talent to sustain and expand our vital work. In Rabbi Shmuel Silber and Rabbi Dr. Josh Joseph, we are blessed with two world-class leaders who bring complementary strengths to their respective roles,” said Mitchel Aeder, President. “Together, alongside our dedicated lay leadership, they will continue to build a unified, professional, and disciplined institution dedicated to the physical and spiritual needs of our community.”  

“Following the devastating loss of our beloved Rabbi Moshe Hauer, zt”l, we conducted an exhaustive national search to find a leader who could carry on his sacred work of spiritual guidance and public advocacy,” said Aeder. “Rabbi Shmuel Silber is a distinguished talmid chacham who possesses the rare combination of deep Torah scholarship, exceptional character, humility, and a warm, empathetic heart. We are thrilled to welcome him to the Orthodox Union as our EVP and are excited about the extraordinary potential of his partnership with Rabbi Dr. Joseph.”  

About the Orthodox Union

Founded in 1898, the Orthodox Union (OU), or Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, serves as the voice of American Orthodox Jewry, with over 400 congregations in its synagogue network. As the umbrella organization for American Orthodox Jewry, the OU is at the forefront of advocacy work on both state and federal levels, outreach to Jewish teens and young professionals through NCSY, Israel Free Spirit Birthright, Yachad and OU Press, among many other divisions and programs. For more information, visit https://www.ou.org/.

A public exchange erupted among senior Chareidi political figures Wednesday night, highlighting growing tensions over the future of the draft law, potential political alliances and the direction of the Chareidi parties ahead of the elections.

Shas chairman Aryeh Deri addressed the possibility that Degel HaTorah chairman MK Moshe Gafni could align himself politically with former IDF chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot, saying during an appearance on “The Patriots,” “I don’t believe Gafni will go with Eisenkot.”

Gafni responded by making clear that his political calculations will revolve primarily around resolving the status of bnei yeshivos.

“I will go with whoever resolves the issue of the status of yeshiva students. That is the only consideration,” Gafni said.

Gafni’s declaration comes as the future of the draft law and efforts to secure the status of bnei yeshivos increasingly dominate Chareidi political discussions. Degel HaTorah has sought to emphasize that its future political decisions will be determined first and foremost by which political framework can provide an acceptable solution to the issue.

The exchange then expanded beyond Gafni and the draft issue, with Deri turning his attention to Motti Babchik, a close aide to Housing and Construction Minister Yitzchok Goldknopf, and Babchik’s standing within Ger amid internal discussions surrounding Goldknopf’s political future.

“There is one person in charge in Ger, and that is the Rebbe, who decided that Goldknopf will continue in his position. Babchik is his assistant, so please refer to him that way,” Deri said.

The comments were widely viewed as a pointed jab at Babchik, who is regarded as one of the most influential figures in Goldknopf’s inner circle and has played a significant behind-the-scenes role in Chareidi political affairs.

Babchik quickly fired back, shifting the focus toward Shas and its own spiritual leadership.

“Baruch Hashem, Shas has Maran Rav Yitzchok Yosef, and we all know his position regarding the draft law and his position on Binyamin Netanyahu,” Babchik said.

{Matzav.com}

Chinese state-sponsored hackers penetrated computer systems belonging to some of the most sensitive institutions in the United States — including NASA, the Federal Reserve, the Justice Department and the US Senate — as part of a sprawling cyber campaign that has been operating for years, federal authorities revealed Wednesday.

The Justice Department and FBI announced that they have now disrupted the operation by seizing three internet domains critical to two sophisticated hacking platforms known as QScan and QTRouter. Because those domains were built directly into the platforms and were necessary for their operation, authorities said the seizures rendered both systems inoperable.

Court documents unsealed in the Southern District of California identified the group behind the operation as QTFY, which US authorities described as a Chinese state-sponsored hacking organization operating through Nanjing Xinjiuwei Network Technology Company, a China-based technology firm.

According to the Justice Department, QTFY provided hacking services to paying customers that included two of the Chinese government’s most powerful institutions: the Ministry of State Security, Beijing’s principal civilian intelligence agency, and the People’s Liberation Army.

The scope of the campaign extended across numerous branches and agencies of the US government. Federal authorities identified NASA, the Federal Reserve, the Department of Energy, the Justice Department, the Department of Health and Human Services, the National Institutes of Health and the US Senate as victims of QTFY computer intrusion activity.

The hackers also went far beyond government agencies. Court filings indicate that the operation targeted or compromised organizations in critical sectors including hospitals, telecommunications companies, power utilities, financial institutions and defense contractors, along with additional targets in the United States and South Korea.

The two platforms allegedly served different but complementary roles in the operation. QScan was designed to scour the internet for vulnerable systems and devices that could be compromised, allowing the hackers to build up a vast collection of infected machines around the world.

Those compromised devices could then be incorporated into QTRouter, an infrastructure that helped hackers conceal where their attacks were actually coming from. By routing malicious internet traffic through compromised devices located closer to intended targets, attackers could make their activity appear to originate from ordinary or legitimate local users rather than from China.

That capability allowed the hackers to disguise their origins while carrying out espionage and computer intrusions against sensitive targets, making the malicious activity considerably more difficult for defenders to identify and trace.

The campaign stretches back to at least 2018, according to the FBI and National Security Agency, which released a joint cybersecurity advisory Wednesday detailing indicators associated with QTFY’s malicious activities.

One of the incidents examined by investigators involved an attempted intrusion into NASA’s network in 2019. According to an FBI affidavit, the hackers attempted to exploit a vulnerability in the space agency’s systems, but the attack failed because NASA had already installed a patch correcting the weakness.

Attorney General Todd Blanche said the takedown was part of a broader federal campaign aimed at dismantling Chinese government-backed cyber infrastructure targeting American institutions.

“Federal law enforcement investigated and disabled the PRC’s malicious software, the latest in a series of technical operations to dismantle indiscriminate hacking activities sponsored by the People’s Republic of China,” Blanche said.

“State-sponsored malicious hackers preying on America’s critical infrastructure will be stopped and prosecuted. We are here to ensure security for the American people and will use every tool we have to keep that promise,” he added.

FBI Director Kash Patel characterized the action as the disruption of a global botnet and hacking platform used by Chinese state-sponsored cyber actors.

Authorities have not publicly disclosed the full extent of the information stolen from the compromised federal systems or the total damage caused by the campaign, leaving significant questions about precisely what the hackers were able to access.

Wednesday’s operation is the latest in a series of aggressive US actions against Chinese-linked hacking networks. In 2025, the FBI removed PlugX surveillance malware from more than 4,000 American computers after they were infected by the Chinese state-sponsored group known as Mustang Panda.

A year earlier, federal authorities dismantled a botnet containing hundreds of thousands of compromised internet-connected devices that officials said the Chinese-linked Flax Typhoon group had made available to Chinese government customers.

And in 2023, the FBI disrupted another botnet used by the Chinese state-sponsored Volt Typhoon hacking group to conceal cyber operations targeting critical infrastructure in the United States and other countries.

The latest revelations underscore growing US concerns over China’s use of private technology companies and contractors to conduct or facilitate cyberespionage on behalf of Beijing’s intelligence and military services.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding Wednesday’s announcement. Beijing has repeatedly denied US allegations that it sponsors malicious hacking operations.

{Matzav.com}

Mayor Zohran Mamdani maintained Wednesday that New York City’s new pied-à-terre tax will generate $500 million annually, even as city officials have dramatically reduced the number of properties potentially subject to the controversial levy.

“We continue to be confident in that assessment of what the annual revenue will look like,” Mamdani told reporters Wednesday.

His comments came after the city disclosed that the Department of Finance is sending revised notices to 10,800 property owners who must demonstrate that their New York City residences are their primary homes.

That figure represents a substantial drop from the approximately 17,000 notices initially mailed by the Department of Finance when the city began implementing the tax on high-end second homes late last month.

The rocky rollout has generated widespread confusion among property owners and prompted a major lawsuit challenging the tax. Court filings submitted Tuesday revealed the reduced number of notices and showed that city officials had once again extended the deadline for affected homeowners to seek exemptions.

The shrinking pool of potentially taxable properties is also fueling skepticism about whether the levy can actually produce the $500 million in annual revenue projected by city and state officials.

Jared Walczak, a senior fellow at the Tax Foundation, said the declining number of properties raises legitimate questions about the reliability of the original estimate.

“When you have a tax base that starts with 17,000 and continues removing properties by the thousands, there is every reason to believe that the estimate is too high and the city based it on incomplete and overreaching assumptions,” he said.

Walczak argued that officials have enough updated information to revisit their calculations rather than continue relying on the initial projection.

“This is doable — they could do a new estimate with knowledge of homes that come off the rolls. It’s not a hard calculation to make.”

The pied-à-terre surcharge emerged from Mamdani’s broader push for Albany to approve a series of “tax the rich” initiatives aimed at raising additional revenue for New York City.

Gov. Kathy Hochul resisted many proposals to impose additional taxes on wealthy New Yorkers but ultimately worked with state lawmakers to approve the pied-à-terre tax as a measure intended to strengthen the city’s troubled finances.

Under the legislation, the surcharge applies to one- to three-family homes valued at $5 million or more and to condominiums and cooperative apartments valued at at least $1 million when those properties are not occupied as their owners’ primary residences.

When Hochul promoted the proposal during the spring, her administration estimated that approximately 10,000 properties across New York City would be subject to the tax, producing an estimated $500 million annually.

An April analysis by City Comptroller Mark Levine, however, questioned whether the tax would come close to reaching that revenue target.

Levine’s analysis projected that approximately 11,000 properties would qualify and estimated that the city would likely collect between $340 million and $380 million annually — significantly below the $500 million figure.

Despite those projections, both Hochul and Mamdani have continued to stand behind the $500 million annual revenue estimate.

Pressed Wednesday about why the number of potentially affected properties had fallen so substantially, Mamdani said the original 17,000 notices were sent before city officials had access to residents’ 2025 income-tax filings.

“That is something that is typically released in February of the next calendar year,” he said. “The state has now provided us with early access to those filings.”

According to Mamdani, the updated tax information allowed the city to narrow the group of property owners receiving the latest round of notices, resulting in the smaller figure of 10,800.

Hochul, meanwhile, has largely distanced herself from the difficulties surrounding the tax’s implementation, maintaining that responsibility for carrying out the new law rests with the Mamdani administration.

The governor also made clear Wednesday that she does not support expanding the concept beyond New York City after some upstate Democrats floated the possibility of allowing municipalities elsewhere in the state to impose similar taxes on expensive second homes.

“I’m not interested in seeing it rolled out upstate. This was specifically intended to help the City of New York get through a financial crisis,” Hochul told reporters following an unrelated event.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance will headline the Republican Party’s midterm convention in Dallas next month, with the two-day gathering designed to showcase the administration’s record, promote GOP candidates in competitive races and sharpen the party’s case against Democrats ahead of November’s elections.

The convention will take place Wednesday, Sept. 9, and Thursday, Sept. 10, with Trump scheduled to appear on both days. Vance will deliver the featured address Wednesday evening, while Trump will headline the convention’s concluding night on Thursday.

The unusual midterm gathering is intended to put the Trump administration’s agenda at the heart of the Republican campaign. The Republican National Committee is billing the event as “a primetime showcase for President Trump’s success, candidates, and causes that have propelled the 2026 midterms to unprecedented focus.”

Republicans are expected to use the convention to portray Democrats as having moved sharply to the left, highlighting the rise of Democratic socialist candidates during the current election cycle.

Each evening will begin with a candidate showcase from 6 to 7 p.m., giving Republicans running in closely contested races an opportunity to introduce themselves to voters on a national stage.

Programming on the opening night will focus on several of the GOP’s major domestic priorities, including tax reductions, healthcare affordability, border enforcement, trade policy and expanding American manufacturing. The program will also feature “workers and everyday Americans.”

The second night will spotlight families that Republicans say have benefited from Trump administration policies, including eliminating taxes on tips, overtime and Social Security. The program will also feature Americans who had been imprisoned overseas and were subsequently freed, along with segments on border security and efforts to reduce prescription drug prices. A tribute will also be held for slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Thursday’s program will additionally commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, with relatives of first responders expected to participate in the remembrance.

The schedule released by organizers did not include programming devoted to foreign policy or the war in Iran, which has faced significant public opposition.

Republicans will also seek to energize supporters of the “MAHA,” or Make America Healthy Again, movement. One planned segment is titled, “Chronic Disease & Corporate Capture: Breaking the hold of corporate interests on public health agencies and empowering families to Make America Healthy Again.”

Other portions of the convention will promote proposals prohibiting members of Congress from trading stocks. Trump has endorsed such a ban, even as critics have repeatedly accused him of financially benefiting from his presidency.

“Over two action-packed days, we will take Americans through the defining issues of our Party’s agenda and what is at stake in November,” RNC Chairman Joe Gruters said in a statement announcing the plans.

{Matzav.com}

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Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the accused architect of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and three alleged co-conspirators will finally face trial in 2028, a military judge ruled Wednesday, setting a date in a case that has languished for more than two decades.

The decision by Lt. Col. Michael Schrama came just two weeks before the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, which claimed the lives of nearly 3,000 people and profoundly changed the United States and the world.

Mohammed, widely known as KSM and accused of serving as the chief planner of the attacks, has been held along with three other defendants at the U.S. military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, as the prosecution has faced years of delays and legal battles.

Mohammed has been in U.S. custody since 2003, when he was captured in Pakistan. The lengthy proceedings against him and the other defendants have repeatedly stalled, preventing the case from reaching a full trial despite the passage of more than two decades since the attacks.

Federal prosecutors had pushed for the proceedings to begin much sooner, asking the military court to schedule the trial for January 2027.

Schrama rejected that proposed timetable, instead setting June 5, 2028, as the date for the long-awaited trial to begin.

President Donald Trump’s effort to impose new requirements on mail-in voting cleared a major legal hurdle Wednesday when a federal judge lifted a nationwide injunction against the U.S. Postal Service, but a new lawsuit from nearly two dozen states has immediately put the fate of the rules back in question ahead of November’s midterm elections.

U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Massachusetts removed the nationwide injunction that had prevented the Postal Service from carrying out key elements of Trump’s March executive order, eliminating one of the most significant legal barriers facing the administration’s election-related changes.

The decision came just two days after the Supreme Court lifted a separate injunction involving the same executive order. The high court, however, did not determine whether Trump’s policy itself is legally valid.

Instead, the justices concluded that the earlier lawsuit had been brought prematurely because the Postal Service had not yet completed the rule implementing Trump’s directive. The ruling specifically left states free to bring another challenge once the agency issued its final regulations.

That legal opening was quickly put to use on Wednesday.

A coalition consisting of 24 states and the District of Columbia filed suit challenging the Postal Service’s finalized rule, according to Axios. The states contend that the federal agency lacks the legal power to impose the requirements on elections administered by individual states.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro joined the latest challenge, announcing Wednesday that he was suing the Trump administration over what he described as an unconstitutional effort to alter election procedures and limit mail-in voting.

“Donald Trump does not run elections here in Pennsylvania — or in any state,” Shapiro said after Monday’s Supreme Court ruling, pledging that the legal challenge would continue.

The new lawsuit represents a significant shift in the litigation. Rather than attacking Trump’s executive order before the administration had put it into effect, the states are now directly challenging the Postal Service regulation created to implement it.

Trump signed the executive order on March 31, instructing several federal agencies to make changes involving the handling of mail ballots and expand federal involvement in election-related procedures.

Among its provisions, the order instructs the Department of Homeland Security to assemble and provide states with lists of confirmed U.S. citizens who will be at least 18 years old by the federal election and reside within each state. It also directs the Justice Department to prioritize investigations and possible prosecutions involving ballots allegedly cast by ineligible individuals and orders the Postal Service to establish additional requirements governing the processing and delivery of mail ballots.

Under the Postal Service’s finalized regulation, states would face requirements involving standardized designs for ballot envelopes as well as state-specific lists identifying individuals receiving mail ballots.

The Trump administration has characterized the measures as safeguards intended to bolster election security while improving the handling and tracking of ballots sent through the mail.

The states suing to stop the rule contend that the Postal Service has exceeded its authority and that the federal government is improperly inserting itself into election procedures traditionally overseen primarily by the states.

Litigation over the issue began soon after Trump issued the executive order.

Talwani initially blocked important portions of the directive in June. She subsequently issued a nationwide injunction in August barring the Postal Service from putting the mail-voting provisions into effect for the November midterms.

In a separate lawsuit filed by Pennsylvania and other states, the Supreme Court voted 6-3 on Monday to lift another injunction against the administration.

The majority concluded that the states had gone to court too soon because Trump’s executive order had not itself forced them to alter their election systems and the Postal Service had not yet finished developing its regulations.

At the same time, the Supreme Court made clear that states could return to court once the Postal Service completed the rulemaking process.

“If the Postal Service’s final rule harms the States, they may challenge that rule,” the Supreme Court said.

With the Postal Service rule now finalized, the states are doing precisely that, setting up another round of litigation as election officials move closer to important deadlines for November.

Several states are scheduled to begin distributing mail ballots in September, giving courts only a limited amount of time to address the latest lawsuit while leaving election officials uncertain about which procedures will ultimately govern the midterms.

Shapiro has maintained that Pennsylvania will continue using its existing mail-voting procedures for the 2026 midterms while the litigation plays out.

His position highlights the uncertainty that remains despite Wednesday’s ruling. Although the decision removes the current obstacle preventing the Postal Service from proceeding, it does not ensure that Trump’s new requirements will actually be in force when voters cast ballots in November.

Another injunction could once again halt implementation, while subsequent appeals could eventually return the dispute to the Supreme Court.

The rapidly approaching election calendar could also pose practical difficulties for state and local election officials if requirements are altered after ballots have already been prepared or sent to voters.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, dissenting from Monday’s Supreme Court decision, warned that the ruling could contribute to “pre-election chaos,” arguing that states and voters need certainty regarding the procedures that will apply during the election.

For the moment, the Trump administration has succeeded in removing a major judicial roadblock standing in the way of its mail-ballot initiative.

But with 24 states and the District of Columbia now mounting a fresh challenge to the finalized Postal Service regulations, the fight has simply shifted to a new legal battlefield — and whether Trump’s mail-ballot rules will ultimately govern the November midterms remains unresolved.

{Matzav.com}

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sharply pushed back against Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro after the Democratic governor accused him of spreading vaccine misinformation, saying Shapiro was unable to provide a single example when challenged and later repeated the allegation publicly.

The dispute erupted Tuesday after Shapiro announced that two unvaccinated Pennsylvania residents had died from measles. The governor accused Kennedy and the Trump administration of “scaring people” and undermining public confidence in physicians and vaccines.

Kennedy said Shapiro leveled a similar charge during a telephone conversation between the two officials, but was unable to substantiate it when Kennedy asked him to identify specific misinformation he had promoted.

“During our phone conversation, Governor Shapiro also accused me of promoting vaccine misinformation,” Kennedy wrote on X. “When I asked him for an example, he was unable to provide one, but this did not deter him from publicly repeating that accusation during his press event.”

Kennedy said he responded by telling Shapiro that the Department of Health and Human Services does not accept misinformation and offered to provide the governor with “hundreds of instances” of what he characterized as vaccine misinformation disseminated during the Biden administration.

Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Shapiro said Kennedy had contacted him to offer federal assistance as Pennsylvania confronts its measles outbreak. Shapiro said he declined the offer and instead used the conversation to challenge Kennedy over statements he believes have undermined public confidence in vaccination.

“I was very, very blunt with him, and I made very clear that his actions and the rhetoric that’s coming from this administration are having a negative impact on communities across America, particularly right here in Pennsylvania,” Shapiro said, according to the Washington Examiner.

“There’s real-life consequences to scaring people and not relying on actual doctors and actual medical professionals to provide unbiased information to parents so that we can make reasonable decisions for our kids,” he continued.

Shapiro went further, accusing Kennedy of “sharing conspiracy theories and misinformation,” an allegation the HHS secretary strongly rejected.

Kennedy said another point of contention during their conversation involved the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine and whether concerns surrounding its development could produce religious objections.

“At his press conference today, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro accused me of promoting conspiracy theories because I told him, during an earlier telephone conversation, that some Americans had religious objections to the MMR vaccine because it contained fetal tissue. ‘There is no fetal tissue in the MMR,’ he told me,” Kennedy wrote.

To support his argument, Kennedy cited deposition testimony from Dr. Stanley Plotkin, one of the scientists involved in developing the rubella vaccine, concerning cell-substrate DNA present in MMR II.

“Dr. Plotkin answered: ‘Yeah, that’s probably correct, yes,'” Kennedy wrote.

Kennedy also disputed Shapiro’s effort to connect him to declining vaccination rates in Pennsylvania, arguing that the governor ultimately acknowledged that much of the decrease occurred before Kennedy became HHS secretary.

“Governor Shapiro also faulted me for the decline in Pennsylvania vaccination rates from 97% – 93.2%,” Kennedy wrote. “When I pushed back on this assertion, he acknowledged that most of the decline occurred during the Biden administration.

“It’s unfortunately true that the government lockdowns, deceptions, manipulation, and overreach during COVID severely damaged public faith in the vaccine program,” he added.

{Matzav.com}

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by Rabbi Eliezer Sandler

The concept of the Yissachar-Zevulun Torah Learning Pact goes back well over 3,500 years, to the time of Yaakov Avinu and his sons. It is named for the Torah pact between two of his sons – Yissachar the scholar and Zevulun the merchant. Not only was it an equal pact but, Chazal explained, the deed of Zevulun/the Sponsor is considered even greater than that of Yissachar, because without the support of Zevulun, Yissachar would not have had the wherewithal to study Torah undisturbed.”

It is well-known that when it comes to learning Torah, people who sponsor the learning, often do so, not just as a donation. By financially supporting specific Torah scholars, they enter into a binding, written, signed and sealed learning partnership pact whereby the Sponsor (the Zevulun) is deemed by Halacha as if he personally studied the Torah completed by the Scholar (the Yissachar). (See below.) 

Thus, those who support the Talmidei Chachomim at Shas Yiden via a Yissachar-Zevulun Pact merit a portion in every daf of the entire Talmud Bavli and associated texts that they study, and complete the entire cycle in the space of ONE year. Some of the Sponsors opt to continue sponsoring repeat cycles of Shas which accrue to them.

Sar Hatorah, Maran Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l, Nasi Shas Yiden, emphasized: The most mehudar Yissachar-Zevulun pact to support in our times is that offered by Shas Yiden – it comprises the entire Shas, Rashi and Tosfos – all in just one year!

Rav Chaim explained why this pact with Shas Yiden is the most mehudar. Chazal say that the highest level of learning is when one understands what he is learning b’iyun u’ve’amkus. However, even higher than that is when one remembers b’al peh all what he has learned. I have farhered the Shas Yiden avreichim geonim many times and can attest ZEI KENNEN SHAS (they know Shas)!

YES! YOU CAN MAKE
your OWN SIYUM on the ENTIRE
Shas, Rashi & Tosfos
IN JUST ONE YEAR!

The Yissachar-Zevulun Pact in Halacha

The Shulchan Aruch in Yoreh De’ah Chapter 246 regarding the efficacy of the Yissachar-Zevulun Sponsorship Pact for the Zevulun (the Sponsor) states clearly:  It is deemed as if he (the one sponsoring the learning) himself learned all the Torah studied under the pact. 

All the learning under the Shas Yiden Yissachar-Zevulun Pact is yours בעוה”ז ובעוה”ב (in both This World and the World to Come)! Concerning this, the Netziv of Volozhin comments that in Olam Habah, the Zevulun sponsor will sit together with the Gedolei Torah of the past and merit to participate in their discussions and pilpulim on all the Torah learned.

Achieve Almost 7 million Mitzvos in One Year

The Vilna Gaon in Shnos Eliyahu Pe’ah 41 states that one should hold precious every word of Torah that he learns because each word is considered a mitzvah of its own. 

Thus, since in Talmud Bavli, Rashi and Tosfos there are 6,608,891 words, that translates into almost 7 million mitzvos accruing through Yissachar-Zevulun at Shas Yiden. 

Official Shtar from Shas Yiden

Each Yissachar-Zevulun pact is confirmed by an official contract (shtar) from Shas Yiden specifying the learning of the entire Shas, and is witnessed by talmidei chachomim.

All who wish to enter into a Yissachar-Zevulun Pact for the entire Shas during ONE year should contact Shas Yiden to make arrangements: 718-702-1528.

The opportunity to complete the entire Shas has been a cherished way to honor family members and others as a prized achievement. It has also proven to be a source of comfort for mourners to obtain such a zechus for their dear ones during the year of mourning – a siyum of the entire Shas can be completed on the yahrzeit!

Yissachar-Zevulun Pact – Beyond the Grave

The legendary visionary and “Father of Yeshivos”, Reb Chaim of Volozhin, was the founder of the famous yeshiva in the town of Volozhin and the beloved talmid of the Vilna Gaon. 

Reb Chaim had an ongoing Yissachar-Zevulun pact with a local shoemaker – a man who was not learned but who dearly valued Torah learning. They had a ‘deal’ whereby the shoemaker would pay the monthly financial support needed for Reb Chaim and his family. For this financial support, the shoemaker would have an equal share in all Reb Chaim’s daily Torah study – both in the mitzvah of Torah study בעוה”ז and that the knowledge of the Torah learned would continue to be his בעוה”ב (in the World to Come).

One day the shoemaker passed away suddenly. During the shiva period, Reb Chaim was facing a perplexing halachic question and researched high and low for a solution. That night the shoemaker appeared to him in a dream and gave him the full solution that he sought. Reb Chaim was amazed and commented, “Azoi gich, Azoi Gich – So quickly, so quickly has he acquired the zchus and knowledge of the Torah that I have studied!”

In the words of Gedolei Torah:

Maran Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l, Nasi Shas Yiden:

“In just ONE year, through Yissachar-Zevulun at Shas Yiden, you can be zoche to the entire Shas forever – בעוה”ז ובעוה”ב (in olam hazeh and olam habah).

“Moreover, whoever supports Shas Yiden is zocheh to fulfill both Yissachar-Zevulun and support of aniyei (the poor of) Eretz Yisroel in the fullest sense of the word.

“Those who support Shas Yiden will be saved from chevlei (the travails of) Moshiach – spiritually and materially, and will be zoche to have ehrlicher bonim u’vanos yir’eishomayim ”

Maran Hagaon Harav Dov Lando, shlit”a, Rosh Yeshiva, Slabodka:

“Who compares to the Shas Yiden? Incredible talmidei chachomim geonim who raised the bar in limud Hashas b’iyun u’v’amkus. Blessed are those who enter a Yissachar-Zevulun pact with them.”

Hamashpia Hagadol Reb Meilech Biederman, shlit”a:

 “Yissachar-Zevulun at Shas Yiden – best possible deal, and in just 1 year! 100% partnership! 100% Shas x 5 times! 100% Shisha Sidrei Mishna – בעוה”ז ובעוה”ב”

Sanzer Rebbe, shlit”a:

“A first in 2000 years of Jewish history! Until Shas Yiden, never a Torah institution where ALL the avreichim metzuyonim v’geonim know the entire Shas by heart”

Maran Hagaon Harav Yaakov Hillel, shlit”a:

“Therefore, the great mitzvah to support the efforts [of the Talmidei Chachomim] with generous donations in order that they should continue diligently with their studies to enhance the greatness of the Torah and its glory. 

ShasYiden.com

Pentagon investigators reviewing the chaotic 2021 US withdrawal from Afghanistan have uncovered classified documents that were allegedly concealed inside safes rather than turned over for scrutiny, officials revealed Wednesday, raising new questions about what information may have been withheld about the disastrous final days of the war.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell, who heads a special panel examining the August 2021 withdrawal under President Joe Biden, said investigators discovered material that should previously have been disclosed but was instead kept out of sight.

“The deeper we look, the more there is to look at,” Parnell said in a video posted on social media. “We are finding things that we did not expect.”

According to Parnell, investigators had “recovered highly relevant classified documents — material that should have been disclosed — stashed and hidden away in safes where they would not be found.”

“And after the team reviewed these documents, it became clear why someone tried to hide them,” he added.

Parnell did not reveal the contents of the newly discovered documents, nor did he identify who investigators believe was responsible for concealing them.

The disclosure came just hours before War Secretary Pete Hegseth was set to take part in a Pentagon ceremony upgrading valor awards for American service members who served at Kabul International Airport during the frantic final stage of the US departure from Afghanistan.

Thirteen American service members were killed on Aug. 26, 2021, when an ISIS-K suicide bomber struck Abbey Gate at the Kabul airport as US forces oversaw the massive evacuation operation. The bombing occurred as the Taliban rapidly swept across Afghanistan and regained control of the country amid the American military withdrawal.

Republicans have repeatedly placed responsibility for the chaotic evacuation on Biden and senior members of his administration, arguing that poor planning needlessly exposed US troops and civilians to danger. Biden and his Democratic allies have defended the withdrawal as a necessary step to finally end America’s 20-year military involvement in Afghanistan.

The Trump administration has described the disastrous closing days of the Afghanistan withdrawal as “one of the most shameful and heartbreaking moments in our nation’s collective memory.”

Pentagon officials subsequently created the Afghanistan Withdrawal Special Review Panel to conduct a fresh examination of the decisions that led to the withdrawal, identify what went wrong during the evacuation and determine who should be held responsible for those failures.

In April, Parnell announced that valor awards issued to troops who served at the Kabul airport would be upgraded to “more accurately reflect the extreme risk” they encountered during the evacuation. He accused the Biden administration of having “inappropriately downgraded” honors that had originally been recommended for some of the service members.

Parnell said Wednesday that the Americans who served in Afghanistan are entitled to a complete accounting of how critical decisions surrounding the withdrawal were reached.

“They are owed the full picture of how and why those decisions were made, and we’re going to give it to them,” he said.

The Pentagon spokesman did not provide a timetable for when additional conclusions or evidence from the ongoing review will be made public.

Republicans in the House have separately alleged that Biden administration officials failed to properly heed intelligence before the deadly Abbey Gate suicide bombing. Military officials have challenged those accusations.

{Matzav.com}

A federal judge on Wednesday rejected Minnesota’s attempt to force the extradition of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer being held in Texas on charges stemming from the shooting of a man during the federal immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, potentially clearing the way for the officer to be released from custody.

Christian Castro faces charges in Minnesota of assault and falsely reporting a crime in connection with the Jan. 14 shooting of 24-year-old Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis. Minnesota officials have been seeking to bring Castro back to the state since he was arrested, but he has remained jailed in Brownsville, Texas, near the Mexican border.

Unless an extradition order is issued, Texas law requires Castro to be freed after 90 days in custody. That deadline is Thursday.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison went to federal court last week seeking a temporary restraining order that would prevent the Cameron County sheriff from releasing Castro. Ellison also asked the court to compel Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to sign the warrant authorizing Castro’s extradition to Minnesota.

Minnesota officials have argued that Castro could leave the United States if released. Their lawsuit cited jailhouse telephone conversations between Castro and a woman in Mexico in which he spoke “about marrying her and buying a house in Mexico when he is released.”

The charges against Castro stem from an incident in which he allegedly fired through the front door of a Minneapolis residence, striking Sosa-Celis in the leg. Prosecutors also accuse Castro of making a false report claiming that Sosa-Celis and another man had attacked an ICE officer using a broom handle and snow shovel.

During a federal court hearing in Brownsville on Tuesday, attorneys representing the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office argued that authorities could have significant difficulty forcing Castro to return to Minnesota to face prosecution if he is released from custody. They again raised concerns that he could leave the country, pointing to his telephone conversations with a woman living in Mexico.

Abbott said last week that he would not act on Minnesota’s extradition request. The Texas governor pointed to the continuing investigation into alleged fraud involving Minnesota government social-service programs, an issue President Donald Trump has cited in defending his administration’s immigration enforcement crackdown in the state.

{Matzav.com}

IDF troops, acting on intelligence provided by the Shin Bet, arrested a 38-year-old pregnant terrorist in Samaria after security forces received information indicating that she was planning to carry out a stabbing attack.

The woman was intercepted near Ganot Junction while traveling toward Homesh, close to Shavei Shomron.

Security forces found the suspect carrying a knife when she was apprehended. She was taken into custody and transferred to security personnel for further questioning and investigation. No injuries were reported during the arrest.

The arrest came just hours after another terrorist incident in Samaria, when terrorists threw a Molotov cocktail at an Israeli vehicle traveling along Route 55 on Wednesday morning.

The firebomb smashed onto the roadway and burst into flames without striking the vehicle, which was able to continue driving. There were no injuries in the attack.

IDF forces dispatched to the area subsequently discovered two additional Molotov cocktails that had been thrown nearby. Troops then entered surrounding Palestinian Arab villages and carried out searches as part of the effort to locate those responsible.

Meanwhile, IDF engineering units spent the day removing vegetation and other potential hiding places alongside sections of the roadway. The clearing operation was aimed at denying terrorists cover from which they could approach the highway and target passing Israeli vehicles.

{Matzav.com}

New details surrounding a controversial incident in the Givati Brigade indicate that soldiers refused to participate in an urgent Gaza operation alongside a female paramedic even after the brigade’s rabbi permitted them to do so, ultimately prompting the IDF to cancel the mission.

Arutz Sheva-Israel National News reported Wednesday evening that additional information had emerged about the confrontation involving soldiers from Givati’s Rotem Battalion, who declined to enter a Namer armored personnel carrier because a female paramedic was inside.

A source familiar with the incident said the company commander personally addressed the soldiers and stressed that the planned operation was both important and urgent. Despite his explanation, the soldiers maintained that they would not board the vehicle.

The brigade’s rabbi was also brought into the discussion, according to the source. After considering the operational circumstances, he ruled that because of the mission’s importance and urgency, the soldiers were permitted to participate even though the female paramedic would be traveling with them.

The IDF said Rotem Battalion troops operating in the Gaza Strip were instructed overnight to carry out an operational assignment that required a patrol aboard a Namer APC. The military noted that under the Joint Service Order, religiously observant soldiers are generally entitled to conduct operational activities within a gender-based framework, except in unusual circumstances.

“In the described case, the troops refused to conduct an operation, and therefore, it was canceled,” the IDF stated. The military added that it is continuing to review the incident.

The IDF is treating the soldiers’ actions as a refusal to obey orders. According to information obtained by Arutz Sheva, disciplinary proceedings are expected and command measures are likely to be imposed. That represents a development from an earlier report, which said no disciplinary proceedings had yet taken place while the military investigated the circumstances.

The episode began when three soldiers declined to enter the Namer because the female paramedic was aboard. Sources familiar with what happened said commanders subsequently asked the remaining members of the platoon whether any of them would agree to ride in the vehicle with her, with the soldiers maintaining that no one was prepared to do so.

Arutz Sheva reported that Rav Tzvi Kostiner, rosh yeshiva of the Mitzpe Ramon Yeshiva, and Rav Shlomo Shushan, rosh yeshiva of the Beit She’an Yeshiva, both of whom have talmidim serving in the platoon, instructed their talmidim not to enter the vehicle.

The Union of Hesder Yeshivas came to the soldiers’ defense, arguing that their actions were consistent with existing IDF regulations governing the service of religious soldiers.

“The Union emphasizes that the soldiers acted in accordance with the Joint Service Order, and the IDF is expected to uphold and respect the order and allow a soldier who observes Jewish law to serve in accordance with his beliefs. Accordingly, there is obviously no justification for punishing soldiers who acted in accordance with the order.”

{Matzav.com}

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A new investigation claims that Chareidi men prohibited from leaving Israel because of their status as IDF draft evaders have managed to circumvent controls at Ben Gurion Airport and board international flights, exposing apparent gaps in a border enforcement system that was strengthened ahead of the massive travel period to Uman.

The alleged breaches have emerged despite heightened vigilance and additional preparations at Israel’s main international airport ahead of the annual surge of travelers heading to Ukraine.

According to an investigation and testimony published Wednesday by Galei Tzahal, or Army Radio, several young Chareidi men officially designated as draft evaders were able to leave Israel even though they were subject to legal orders explicitly prohibiting them from traveling abroad.

The report detailed several methods allegedly used to take advantage of the enormous crowds passing through Ben Gurion Airport during the busy travel season. Footage obtained by Army Radio reportedly shows one young man identified as a draft evader successfully making his way through passport control despite the restrictions against him.

Sources familiar with the alleged practice said some travelers attempt to exploit moments when airport personnel are distracted by the heavy volume of passengers, particularly during the most congested hours.

“You just have to wait until the official isn’t looking, stick close to a friend, and go through,” one young man said, describing how easily the system could allegedly be circumvented. “During such a busy period at Ben Gurion Airport, no one is really checking closely anymore.”

The system designed to prevent individuals under exit orders from leaving Israel was originally intended to contain two separate layers of enforcement. Along with physical checks conducted as passengers depart the country, authorities established a system through which information identifying people prohibited from traveling would be transmitted directly to airlines, preventing them from checking in or obtaining a boarding pass.

According to the investigation, however, a significant gap exists in that computerized system: the information-sharing mechanism reportedly operates only with Israeli carriers, while foreign airlines are not fully integrated into the process used to cross-check passengers against the list of individuals barred from leaving Israel.

That apparent loophole means a draft evader attempting to fly with a foreign carrier may reportedly be able to check in and obtain the documents needed to board without being flagged by the airline. In such cases, the physical border-control process effectively becomes the final obstacle preventing the passenger from leaving the country.

The Population and Immigration Authority said it was unaware of cases matching those described in the report and insisted that Israel has substantially strengthened its departure-control procedures.

“An examination found that cases of this kind are not known to us. This year, the mechanisms monitoring departures from Israel have been significantly reinforced, with strict oversight and full cross-checking between the various information channels. We have all the technological and operational means necessary to prevent attempts to leave the country illegally.”

The Authority further said the military has increased its presence at Israel’s border crossings and warned that anyone caught violating legal travel restrictions faces serious consequences.

“In addition, the IDF has reinforced its forces at the border crossings. Severe criminal proceedings are being taken and will be taken against anyone who acts in violation of orders and the law.”

{Matzav.com}